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The Triumph of Modernism in the Art of Australia
Submitted by AliaK on Fri, 03/27/2015 - 19:52
28 Mar 2015 - 24 May 2015
Spans 60 years of Australian Art with over 50 iconic works by 26 artists who have shaped the development of modern art in Australia.
The Triumph of Modernism tells the story of a new identity in Australian art commencing post World War II with artists such as Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Russell Drysdale, John Brack, John Perceval and Charles Blackman. Later years see the continuing development of modern art in the works of Fred Williams and John Olsen, and in more recent times in contemporary art by artists Imants Tillers, Howard Arkley and Aida Tomescu. The Triumph of Modernism is a rich and representative display of the story of modern Australia, with a particular and deliberate emphasis on Australian identity, although it is just a glimpse into the remarkable collections.
Curated for Hazelhurst by its patron, Edmund Capon, the exhibition provides an opportunity to see some works that are rarely made available for public viewing. “This is the first time Sydney audiences will be able to see the collection in such depth, revealing the strength and diversity it holds” said Belinda Hanrahan, Hazelhurst's Director. Edmund Capon says “My objective here has been to illustrate two themes; firstly the triumph of modernism in Australian art and, secondly, the particular qualities and strengths of the TarraWarra and Besen collections.”
Artists featured include Howard Arkley, George Baldessin , Charles Blackman, Arthur Boyd, John Brack, William Delafield Cook, William Dobell, Russell Drysdale, Ian Fairweather, Joy Hester, Dale Hickey, Roger Kemp, Joanna Lamb, Godfrey Miller, Sidney Nolan, John Olsen, John Perceval, Jeffrey Smart, Tim Storrier, Edwin Tanner, Imants Tillers, Aida Tomescu, Tony Tuckson, Brett Whiteley, Fred Williams and William Wright.
This exhibition is a partnership project between TarraWarra Museum of Art and Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Centre. The Triumph of Modernism will also be shown at TarraWarra Museum of Art from 21 June – 16 August 2015.
via http://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/Community/Hazelhurst/Exhibitions/T...
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A Wild Soul
0 March 31, 2009 Musings
How do you put evil on trial?
Two days ago the tribunal in charge of processing Cambodia’s genocide sat down to meet for the first time to try to make sense of the 1.7 million deaths that occurred between 1975-1979 under the Khmer Rouge. Delayed thirty years by civil war and conflict, the tribunal seeks to bring justice, understanding, and closure to the horrendous crimes committed so long ago. But how do you measure evil, and who do you blame? Pol Pot, the obvious choice, died in 1998. Then there are his closest advisers, there are those who physically murdered people, and those who just as they say, “ran the trains” (an expression that has come to represent those who followed orders who might not have directly murdered anyone, but participated in the genocide).
Today, Kaing Guek Eav (Duch), the Khmer Rouge’s chief torturer, took the stand. Duch was in charge of one of the prisons that orchestrated as many as 16,000 deaths. The leaders of the prison were systematic- they took a picture of each victim before torturing them to death. The evidence is there. After the tribunal read through gruesome details, Duch was given an opportunity to speak. He took the time to apologize to his nation for the crimes he committed. Hundreds of people watched from behind a glass window. Among them sat victims, and family members of victims who did not survive.
Cambodia has no death penalty, but Duch is facing life in prison for war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture, and murder. After his apology, Duch explained that he carried out his “duty” to protect his family, but that he takes “responsibility for crimes committed at S-21, especially the tortures and executions of the people there.” He also requested the people to “leave an open window for [him] to seek forgiveness.”
Duch’s lawyer argued that Duch is a scapegoat, and the court should turn its attention to those with more blood on their hands.
The Cambodian Prime Minister has been accused of limiting the tribunal because of politics. Hun Sen, the Prime Minister and a former Khmer Rouge officer (yes, really?), said that he does not approve of the court and hopes that it runs of out of money “as soon as possible.”
The Prime Minister’s attitude represents a greater issue facing Cambodia- the entire country’s apparent lack of understanding, knowledge, and justice regarding the genocide. Children growing up in Cambodia do not learn about the tragedy in school although it is vital to their history, and one teenager went so far as to say, “I’m not interested… I’m busy and I don’t want to know.”
What does this do for the survivors, and how will this affect the next generation? This tribunal is monumental, and of the utmost importance, and I will continue to follow it. I urge you to do the same, and to learn about what happened. There are many different kinds of genocide, and the genocide that occurred in Cambodia was unique and led to the term “autogenocide” which means the extermination of country’s citizens by its own people or government. Autogenocide differs from “genocide” in that people are not targeted and killed as the “other” as was the case in Nazi Germany, but as the same.
I wish I had time to share more about Cambodia’s history (after taking a class on Genocide a few months ago I had hoped to write a paper on what I learned, and that’s still in the works) but this is a great website to learn about the history.
Categories: Musings Tags: 1975-1979, apology, autogenocide, autogenocide vs. genocide, blame, Cambodia, closure, Duch, evil, forgiveness, Genocide, Hun Sen, justice, Khmer Rouge, Prime Minister, torture, trial, tribunal
« Genocide (1)
Twitter Protest, Using Technology to Create Social Change »
Copyright© 2019 · All Materials by Julia DeSantis
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$39 Sale Price Only Good in February
Entry Level Paternal Line DNA Test Lowered Drastic...
DNA and Genealogy Help Identify Richard III
Red Hair and Health Tendencies
Entry Level Paternal Line DNA Test Lowered Drastically
FTDNA drastically lowered the cost of it's entry level Y-chromosome DNA test today. This is a test that can be taken by men to trace their paternal surname line up their family tree. This test will allow men to determine their general haplogroup (ancient clan) but will not be specific enough to answer many family history questions. However, as Your Genetic Genealogist pointed out today, this will get samples stored for 25 years--or until it is used up by further testing. So this is a very economical way to collect samples from several members of the older generation of your family for future family research.
Also buried in the press release below is an announcement that a price reduction is likely to be in the offing for mitochondrial tests which can be taken by members of either gender to test their maternal lines:
Toward Universal Access by Individuals to their Own Genetic Data
Date:2/20/2013
HOUSTON, Feb. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- FamilyTreeDNA.com, the genetic genealogy arm of Gene By Gene, Ltd., is dramatically lowering the price of one of its basic Y-DNA tests to $39, making it the lowest-cost DNA test available on the market, in order to take a major step toward universal access by individuals to their personal genetic data.
By dropping the price of its basic Y-DNA test by 60 percent to $39, Family Tree DNA -- the world's largest processor of Y-DNA and full mitochondrial sequences -- is working to eliminate cost as a barrier to individuals introducing themselves to the insights and knowledge to be gained from personal genetic and genomic research.
Family Tree DNA pioneered the concept of direct-to-consumer testing in the field of genetic genealogy more than a decade ago, and has processed more than 5 million discrete tests for more than 700,000 individuals and organizations since it introduced its Y-DNA test in 2000.
The test investigates specific Y-DNA locations for males that provide individuals with their haplogroup, or the deep ancestral origin of the paternal line. In addition, it can indicate if different individuals are likely to share a common male line.
Gene By Gene is also working to lower the cost of Family Tree DNA's comparable mtDNA test, which would be applicable to both females and males and provides data on the direct maternal line. The company expects to unveil new pricing for this test in spring 2013.
As the sponsor DNA Workshop of "Who Do You Think You Are - Live" in London this February, Family Tree DNA expects that the reduced price test will add a great number of individuals to its already large database – the largest of its kind in the world.
"We believe the first step to unearthing your personal and family history is to better understand your DNA," Gene By Gene President Bennett Greenspan said. "That's why we are continuously investing in new technology and experienced scientists at our Genomics Research Center, enabling us to conduct tests more accurately, efficiently and at lower prices. Our $39 Y-DNA test is just the latest example of how we are working to help individuals gain access to their genetic data."
Individuals interested in Family Tree DNA's $39 Y-DNA test, or any of its ancestral testing products, can visit www.familytreedna.com for more information.
About Gene By Gene, Ltd.
Founded in 2000, Gene By Gene, Ltd. provides reliable DNA testing to a wide range of consumer and institutional customers through its four divisions focusing on ancestry, health, research and paternity. Gene By Gene provides DNA tests through its Family Tree DNA division, which pioneered the concept of direct-to-consumer testing in the field of genetic genealogy more than a decade ago. Gene by Gene is CLIA registered and through its clinical-health division DNA Traits offers regulated diagnostic tests. DNA DTC is the Research Use Only (RUO) division serving both direct-to-consumer and institutional clients worldwide. Gene By Gene offers AABB certified relationship tests through its paternity testing division, DNA Findings. The privately held company is headquartered in Houston, which is also home to its state-of-the-art Genomics Research Center.
Labels: $39 DNA Test, Family Tree DNA, Y-chromosome Test
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PACE/FIFA: “If you want to be credible, you have to be transparent”
Strasbourg, 18.07.2013 – On behalf of the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which she headed on 16 July 2013 in an exchange of views at FIFA headquarters in Zürich, Anne Brasseur (Luxembourg, ALDE) welcomed the direct, open dialogue initiated with the FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter on the issues raised in a resolution adopted by the PACE in April 2012 on good governance and ethics in sport, which called on FIFA to “fully investigate the facts underlying the various scandals which, in recent years, have tarnished its image and that of international football”.
Anne Brasseur said “the reforms initiated by FIFA and the spirit of openness omnipresent in our talks are a sign for us that FIFA is taking our guidelines on good governance and ethics in sport seriously. These guidelines are aimed at all international and national sports bodies as well as the governments. It is important for the political authorities to have a right of inspection vis-à-vis the conduct of sports bodies, whilst fully respecting for their independence”.
“If you want to be credible, you have to be transparent, and we must set up structures capable of acting completely independently in order to note and sanction any breaches of ethical principles. In this connection, we welcome the fact that the FIFA Ethics Committee can launch internal inquiries, of its own accord and at any time, and also the introduction of a system for collecting information supplied on-line by whistle-blowers and transmitting them unfiltered to the Chairs of the supervisory bodies. Nevertheless, more progress is still needed, and we would encourage FIFA to press on with its reforms”, Ms Brasseur concluded.
Mr Blatter said the reform process had to continue as an organisation must constantly adapt its governance in order not to regress. PACE and FIFA therefore decided to continue their dialogue. The PACE was still expecting a number of advances in terms of financial transparency and limits on the number of concurrent offices held. In this context, Mark Pieth, Chair of the FIFA Governance Committee, will be heard by the PACE Ad hoc Sub-Committee on the Reform of International Football Sub-Committee in Strasbourg at the beginning of October.
The Ad hoc Sub-Committee will also be meeting with other football personalities, starting with the UEFA President, Michel Platini (on 9 September in Nyon) and the President of the European Club Association (ECA), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (date and place to be decided).
The PACE delegation included Anne Brasseur (Luxembourg, ALDE), Chair of the Ad hoc Sub-Committee on the Reform of International Football; Michael Connarty (United Kingdom, SOC); Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC); Maximilian Reimann (Switzerland, ALDE); and André Schneider (France, EPP/CD).
PACE Resolution 1875 (2012)
11/06/2019 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
Rapporteur calls on Russian authorities to immediately release investigative journalist Ivan Golunov
Lord George Foulkes: ‘I pay tribute to those courageous journalists who do their job despite the risks and pressures’
Committee proposes to create a Europe-wide tool for recognising cultural competences
Social media companies must do more to stop unlawful material and counter disinformation
Rapporteur calls on Russian authorities to drop charges against journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva
The role of culture and heritage in supporting the local and regional economy
The Museum of Communication (Bern, Switzerland) wins 2019 Museum Prize
Preserving intangible cultural heritage against uniform lifestyles
Public service media can counteract information disorder
Call for a digital society based on fundamental rights
Parliamentarians pledge steps to help sport ‘uphold its core values’
Consolidating the freedom of the media as pillars of democratic elections
Call for respect of confidentiality of journalists’ sources
Ensuring press freedom in the member States
A plan for curbing the deliberate destruction or illegal trafficking of cultural heritage
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Sun Country Airlines Announces Two New Routes to Gulfport
Sun Country Airlines announced the addition of two new seasonal routes to Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Florida.
“We’re excited to add these routes to our network and bring more passengers to experience this great leisure destination, a premier area for casino gaming that also boasts miles of beaches and beautiful golf courses,” said Chief Commercial Officer Ted Botimer. “Our focus on low fares and customer service has been a great fit for tourists visiting this market and we look forward to our continued partnership with the Gulfport-Biloxi Regional Airport Authority.”
“We appreciate the expanded partnership with Sun Country Airlines and look forward to having service to these rapidly growing markets,” said Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport Executive Director Clay Williams. “Both Austin and Fort Myers are unique and exciting destinations for local residents to enjoy, and we are extremely grateful for the convenient air travel option for visitors to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.””
“When visitors experience Mississippi’s hospitality, they want to return again and again, which is why tourism is an important economic sector for our state,” Lieutenant Gov. Tate Reeves said. “I appreciate the work of Sun Country, airport and community leaders to expand options for both Mississippians and travelers who want to see our beautiful Gulf Coast.”
“Sun Country Airlines’ expansion into Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is great news for the Mississippi Gulf Coast and our state as a whole,” said Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Glenn McCullough. “It serves as a testament to the world-class food, culture and hospitality for which Mississippi is known around the world. Thanks to the airport and their partners for their hard work and leadership to make today’s announcement a reality.”
Sun Country has experienced record growth over the past year and recently announced the largest network expansion in company history.
The airline first added new routes beyond its home base of Minneapolis/St. Paul in June 2018, bringing on service from Dallas/Fort Worth, Madison, Wisconsin, Portland, Oregon and St. Louis, which brought the network at the time from 53 to 64 nonstop routes. Nashville, Tennessee was added in August 2018, and the airline now operates a total of 87 routes across 52 airports, which marks a nearly 40 percent growth in routes since June 2018.
Related Items:Sun Country Airlines
Sun Country Airlines Adds Nonstop Services to Belize and St. Kitts & Nevis
Funds Managed by Affiliates of Apollo Global Management to Acquire Sun Country Airlines
Sun Country Airlines Appoints New President And CEO
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Burt Stark Mansion (c. 1841)
McGowan - Barksdale - Bundy House (1888)
Abbeville Opera House
Erskine College
Trinity Episcopal Church (1860)
Home > About Abbeville County > Places to See > Burt Stark Mansion (c. 1841)
David Lesley, lawyer and planter, built this fine Greek Revival two-story mansion in 1841 within walking distance of the Square. It is most famous for being the site of Jefferson Davis’ last war council during Armistead Burt’s residency. Davis, a close friend of the Burt’s, finally disbanded his war cabinet here in May 1865 before fleeing to Georgia.
In 1900 J. S. Stark bought the house and restored it to its former antebellum glory. The last surviving member of the family, Mary Stark Davis, donated it and the furnishings to the Historic Preservation Commission in 1971. It is now a National Landmark and is open to the public for tours. www.burt-stark.com
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Why Thousands of Combat Vets Have to Repay Their Enlistment Bonuses
REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
By Ciro Scotti
The watchdog charged with monitoring how American money is spent in Afghanistan has in recent years identified projects in which hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted or gone missing: More than $100 million in over-budget expenditures to build the Afghan Ministry of Defense building and $150 million blown on luxury residences for members of the task force charged with rebuilding the Iraqi and Afghan economies, for example.
In total, the Defense Department’s controversial Task Force for Stability and Business Operations spent close to $800 million – some of which was unaccounted for -- before it was disbanded.
Related: Has the Navy Wasted Billions on Its New Combat Ship?
But while Pentagon bean-counters can let millions float away in Afghanistan, they are not about to allow a bunch of American soldiers who fought there get away with keeping the piddling bonus overpayments they were given to re-enlist when their services were so sorely needed a decade or so ago.
The military has been trying to claw back excessive bonuses that the California National Guard paid to about 10,000 veterans – some of whom went on multiple combat tours – according to The Los Angeles Times.
The Times says that with ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan 10 years ago, the military was eager to boost re-enlistment and in many cases offered incentives of $15,000 or more that went beyond what was allowed. Now the Pentagon is trying to get back millions in overpayments, including interest, using tax liens and wage garnishments.
Among those being hounded is an Army captain and Iraq War veteran who had to take out a second mortgage to pay back more than $45,000 in reenlistment bonuses and student loans to which he apparently was not entitled. Another is a female master sergeant who served for more than 25 years and now is struggling to repay over $20,000 in erroneous re-up incentives.
Related: The $43 Million Afghan Gas Station
The Times said 42 auditors went through payments to some 14,000 California Guard soldiers after reports of improper payments surfaced in 2010, and about $22 million has been recovered.
Military recruiters, under pressure to keep the pipeline full of troops, once handed out bonuses with abandon. But the bonuses were actually intended only for those who would be deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan as part of short-handed units or who were in high-demand jobs such as intelligence and public affairs.
One Special Forces soldier who is resisting the Pentagon’s efforts was injured by a roadside bomb after going on hundreds of missions against insurgents in Iraq. He now has permanent brain and back injuries. Earlier this year, he got a letter from the Treasury Department saying that his “unpaid delinquent debt” stemming from a $15,000 bonus was now up to almost $20,000 with interest and penalties.
The deputy commander of the California Guard told the Times that the Guard couldn’t absolve the soldiers of their “debts” without breaking the law.
But as President Obama rightly grants clemency to hundreds of prisoners serving excessive sentences for nonviolent drug crimes, he might also consider handing out some forgiveness to men and women whose only crime was agreeing to serve their country a little longer.
The 10 Most Expensive Weapons in the Pentagon’s Arsenal
The Best College for the Money in Every State
College is a huge investment. Students and their families spend several years and many thousands of dollars in order to...
The 20 Most Expensive Prescription Drugs in America
Ciro Scotti
Ciro Scotti, a journalist, editor and media strategist, is a contributing editor to The Fiscal Times. Earlier, he was Deputy Editor, The Americas, at Reuters and Managing Editor at Bloomberg Businessweek.
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Revised and Updated 9/6/2013
For immediate release on Friday, September 6, 2013.
CONTACT: Angela Fisher Hall
Birmingham Public Library System
E-mail: ahall@bham.lib.al.us
Library Adds More Acts to America’s Music Program Series
Birmingham, Alabama—If you missed the first three weeks of popular music performances, lectures and films, you still have time to join in. The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) System has been awarded a $2,500 grant to host a twelve-week program series featuring documentary film screenings, scholar-led discussions and performances of twentieth-century American popular music. The “America’s Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway” series has already enlightened audiences about uniquely American musical genres including blues and gospel, Broadway, jazz, bluegrass and country, rock n’ roll, mambo, and hip hop. With several more weeks of outstanding programming planned, upcoming performers include Cleve Eaton, Act of Congress, Cottonmouth Creek Trio, and Dr. Frank Adams.
“America’s Music” is a project by the Tribeca Film Institute in collaboration with the American Library Association, Tribeca Flashpoint, and the Society for American Music. “America’s Music” has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor. Programming for the series began Saturday, August 10 and runs through September 26, 2013. All programs are free, open to the public and take place at various library locations in the City. For program details or to obtain copies of program materials, please visit www.bplonline.org or contact Sandi Lee at (205) 226-3742 or by e-mail at slee@bham.lib.al.us.
“America’s Music,” designed for a general audience, will introduce genres of twentieth-century American popular music that are deeply connected to the history, culture, and geography of the United States. Older and younger Americans alike will have the chance to recognize how the cultural landscape that they take for granted today has been influenced by the development of the popular musical forms discussed in this series.
The onset of the twentieth century brought pervasive changes to American society. During the early part of the century, these social changes combined with new technologies to create a mass market for popular music that evolved over the next hundred years. The “America’s Music” series is not meant to offer an all-inclusive treatment of twentieth-century American popular music. Instead, each screening and discussion session will examine an important American musical genre in the context of key social and historical developments, with events in American music history acting as a catalyst for that examination.
The mission of Birmingham Public Library is to provide the highest quality library service to our citizens for life-long learning, cultural enrichment, and enjoyment. This system—with nineteen locations and serving the community for 126 years—is one of the largest library systems in the southeast. For additional information, visit our website at www.bplonline.org and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
America’s Music:
A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway
EXHIBITION AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Red, Hot and Blue: Spotlight on Alabama Blues Women
Five Points West Regional Branch Library, 4812 Avenue W., Birmingham, AL 35208
September 9, 2013 – October 4, 2013 (Available during regular hours of operation)
This exhibition is a collection of oversized posters. In 2005 the Alabama Blues Project launched a traveling exhibition on Alabama blues women called Red, Hot and Blue: A Spotlight on Alabama Blues Women. The exhibition includes beautiful text panels featuring Dinah Washington, Big Mama Thornton, Lucille Bogan, Coot Grant, Odetta, Lil Greenwood, and Vera Hall. The Alabama Blues Project’s mission is to preserve and promote Alabama blues.
PROGRAMS AND PERFORMANCES
Swing Jazz: Film/Discussion Series
Springville Road Regional Branch Library, 1224 Old Springville Road, Birmingham, AL 35215
Saturday, September 7, 2013 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Dr. Steve Roberts will serve as the discussion facilitator. Jazz reached the height of its popularity with the American public during the swing era, beginning in the dark days of the Depression and continuing through the victorious end of World War II. Also known as the Big Band sound, swing jazz was characterized by its strong rhythmic drive and by an orchestral ‘call and response’ between different sections of the ensemble. By performing their music with increasingly complex arrangements for ever larger orchestras, Swing musicians helped erode the wall between our definitions of popular music and the art music generally labeled “classical.”
An Evening of Jazzy Blues ****NEW PROGRAM****
North Birmingham Regional Branch Library, 2501 31st Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35207
Tuesday, September 10, 2013 6:00 p.m.
Legendary jazz great, Cleve Eaton has invited several friends to join him for an evening of jazzy blues.
Hear Elnora Spencer, Diane McNaron and Ray Reach as they bring us an exceptional evening of music and song.
Broadway Review ****NEW PROGRAM****
West End Branch Library, 1348 Tuscaloosa Ave. SW, 35211
Enjoy all your favorite numbers from the Broadway stage from such shows such as the Sound of Music, Porgy and Bess, the Wiz, South Pacific and many more. Royce Brown and special guest Nfrwi will share
an introduction to Broadway that you will never forget!
Tuxedo Junction: Alabama’s Contribution to American Jazz—A Discussion
Smithfield Branch Library, #1 Eighth Avenue West, Birmingham, AL 35204
Thursday, September 12, 2013 10:00 a.m.
Karen Utz, Curator at Sloss Furnaces, will serve as the discussion facilitator. Albert Murray, a native of Alabama and a professor of English at Tuskegee Institute, wrote the following while preparing a lecture on the emotional appeal of jazz:
“Jazz is a music played by Americans to get rid of the blues….when
You see a jazz musician playing, you’re looking at a pioneer, and
You’re looking at an explorer; you’re looking at an experimenter,
You’re looking at a scientist; you’re looking at all those things
Because it’s the creative process come to life.”
And many of the jazz musicians responsible for bringing this creative process to life often played at Birmingham’s own Tuxedo Junction. For almost thirty years Tuxedo Junction’s strip served as the social and entertainment Mecca for African-Americans in the Birmingham area. In 1930, Erskine Hawkins, Birmingham native and renowned trumpet player and big band leader, wrote the song “Tuxedo Junction” which celebrated and eventually immortalized his childhood community. Jazz pieces performed by the Alabama great will be played throughout the presentation.
Doc: The Story of a Birmingham Jazz Man—Talk, Performance and Book Signing
Arrington Auditorium of the Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203
Dr. Frank Adams and co-author Burgin Mathews will lead this performance and discussion. Doc is the autobiography of jazz elder statesman Frank “Doc” Adams, highlighting his role in Birmingham, Alabama’s historic jazz scene and tracing his personal adventure that parallels, in many ways, the story and spirit of jazz itself. Doc tells the story of an accomplished jazz master, from his musical apprenticeship under John T. “Fess” Whatley and his time touring with Sun Ra and Duke Ellington to his own inspiring work as an educator and bandleader. Central to this narrative is the often-overlooked story of Birmingham’s unique jazz tradition and community. From the very beginnings of jazz, Birmingham was home to an active network of jazz practitioners and a remarkable system of jazz apprenticeship rooted in the city’s segregated schools. Birmingham musicians spread across the country to populate the sidelines of the nation’s best known bands. Local musicians, like Erskine Hawkins and members of his celebrated orchestra, returned home heroes. Frank “Doc” Adams explores, through first-hand experience, the history of this community, introducing readers to a large and colorful cast of characters— including “Fess” Whatley, the legendary “maker of musicians” who trained legions of Birmingham players and made a significant mark on the larger history of jazz. Adams’s interactions with the young Sun Ra, meanwhile, reveals life-changing lessons from one of American music’s most innovative personalities.
Act of Congress: In Concert—Bluegrass/Newgrass ****NEW DATE*****
Atrium of the Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203
Friday, September 20, 2013 6:30 p.m.
“A few weeks ago, I was browsing around on Noisetrade (see Noisetrade- A Useful Tool For Bluegrass Artists), and stumbled upon a band called Act Of Congress. The name caught my eye, and the music captured my attention. While this Alabama group doesn’t play straight bluegrass, their music does incorporate many elements of what we love about Big Mon’s legacy. I had the pleasure of talking with founding member and guitarist, Chris Griffin, about the group Dave Higgs of Nashville Public Radio calls “one of the freshest sounding, exuberant bands in all of the known acoustic universe.” I definitely recommend this new acoustic group. The extreme talent exhibited by these young adults cannot be overstated. Their original music is uniquely their own, and features elements of various forms of music, including bluegrass.”
Country and Blue Grass: Film/Discussion Series
Avondale Regional Branch Library, 509 South 40th Street, Birmingham, AL 35222
Saturday, September 21, 2013 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Dr. Steven Roberts will serve as the discussion facilitator. Bluegrass is generally considered a sub-genre of country music that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Although for purposes of radio airplay, bluegrass songs were programmed on country music stations beginning in the late 1940s, bluegrass as a musical form did not develop directly out of the generation of recorded commercial country music that preceded it. Rather, the two forms share the same roots in the traditional music of the Appalachian region and the Irish and Scottish ballads that informed it.
Let Freedom Ring—Family Concert with Sparky and Rhonda Rucker ***NEW PROGRAM***
Monday, September 23, 2013 6:00 p.m.
A concert by Sparky and Rhonda Rucker is a gimmick-free, old-style American folk and blues presentation and a testament to the ongoing struggle for liberty in the United States. Their program, which showcases their newest CD entitled “Let Freedom Ring,” includes songs and stories that trace the nation’s history from slavery and the Underground Railroad, through women’s suffrage and the founding of the UMWA, to the civil rights movement. They accompany themselves with finger picking and bottleneck blues guitar, blues harmonica, old-time banjo, spoons, and bones.
Cottonmouth Creek Trio ****NEW PROGRAM****
Springville Road Regional Library, 1224 Old Springville Road, Birmingham, AL 35215
Tuesday, October 1, 2013 6:30 p.m.
The Cottonmouth Creek Trio is a subset of the Cottonmouth Creek Bluegrass Band—Kevin Atkins on banjo and guitar, Kelly Fowler on bass, and Steve Tourtellotte on mandolin and guitar. Kevin and Steve have been playing together for 35 years and Kelly has been in the mix for the past 20 years. Switching instrumentation as needed to suit the song; they play a mix of traditional and contemporary bluegrass, original material, and bluegrass adaptations of various other musical genres, and emphasize vocal harmonies as well as hot instrumental licks. Join us for a great evening of music and fun!
Rock: Film/Discussion Series
Saturday, October 5, 2013 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Dr. Steven Roberts will serve as the discussion facilitator. The music we know as rock and roll emerged
in the mid-1950s, although its advent had been on the horizon for at least a decade. A quarter of the
American population moved during World War II, and that brought southern, rural, sacred and secular
traditions into new contact with urban based music and audiences. The product of many regional musical
scenes and independent record labels, rock and roll emerged in Memphis, Los Angeles, Shreveport,
New York, Detroit, Baltimore, and dozens of other cities. It was, in historian Charlie Gillett’s words, the
Sound of the City.
Fiddlers, Banjo Players and Strawbeaters: Alabama’s First Pop Musicians ****NEW PROGRAM****
Join us for this interactive presentation by Joyce and Jim Cauthen as we learn about the early fiddles of Alabama, the musicians who played them and the popularity of this music in their communities. African-Americans and their pivotal role in developing the music will be featured during the talk. Jim Cauthen will demonstrate fiddle tunes that have been specifically mentioned in historical writings, slave narratives and early newspapers of Alabama. The audience will hear musical styles and tunes that are seldom heard today. Join us for a very informative and entertaining evening!
Tuxedo Junction: Right Back Where I Belong ****NEW PROGRAM****
Author Talk and Book Signing
Smithfield Library, 1 Eighth Avenue West, Birmingham, AL 35204
Thursday, October 10, 2013 10:00 A.M.
Carol P. Ealons gives a fascinating account of Birmingham’s jazz contributions in the 1920s through the 1940s as viewed through the eyes of the African-American populace of Birmingham, Alabama. Carol has done a wonderful job in describing the background, the history, and most importantly, the players who made it happen. Dr. Robert O'Mealey, director of the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University had this to say about Carol and Tuxedo Junction:
“Tuxedo Junction: Right Back Where I Belong is an extremely fine book, an obvious labor of deep love that took months and years to put together. I read every word, and enjoyed it thoroughly. It was most gratifying to see how significant a role Birmingham has played in American musical history and the role of Fess Whatley should be known all over the world! Carol has done the world a mighty service, and I for one am exceedingly grateful.” -- Dr. Robert G. O’Meally (Ph.D. - Harvard 1975), Zora Neale Hurston Professor of English and Director for the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University
Carol is a marvelous writer and has the support of the families of several famous jazz musicians for her book. She painstakingly interviewed many, including some of the living musicians, and received mounds of photos that record the history of this important part of Alabama's culture, a part often forgot when discussing African-American Alabamians contributions to our state's history.
Latin Rhythm from Mambo to Hip Hop: Film/Discussion Series
Saturday, October 19, 2013 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Dr. Steven Roberts will serve as the discussion facilitator. The historic arc from mambo to hip hop describes a Diaspora-cultural dynamic that shows remarkable resilience in the face of multiple pressures to abandon native and historical traditions and go American mainstream. At the same time, the intricate and vastly creative interaction between Cuban, Puerto Rican and other “Latin” traditions with African American music in its many stylistic expressions, a fusion that shows no sign of abating in the new millennium, has graced contemporary listeners with decade after decade of inspired musical invention.
MEDIA: Media coverage of all events is welcomed. For additional information about programming, or to obtain additional photographs, please contact Sandi Lee at (205) 226-3742 or Angela Fisher Hall at (205) 226-3614.
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Home » Unlabelled » kids salt intake
kids salt intake
kids salt intake, The connection was particularly strong among overweight and obese children, said Quanhe Yang from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, who worked on the study.
That's concerning because both high blood pressure and excessive pounds are risk factors for cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and stroke down the road, researchers say.
"Our American diet clearly is very high in sodium," said Dr. Frederick Kaskel, chief of pediatric nephrology at Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York, who was not involved in the research.
"Not only is the high sodium something to be avoided, but it is also indicative of an unhealthy diet," he told Reuters Health.
The results, released Monday in the journal Pediatrics, are likely to fan the hot debate over the health effects of salt.
While health authorities across the globe warn consumers to cut back on dietary salt, a number of recent studies have suggested that not getting enough salt can be as harmful as getting too much.
The salt industry has pounced on that research, saying the dietary guidelines for sodium intake are flawed and should be withdrawn.
The CDC study is based on national surveys of more than 6,200 children and adolescents aged 8 to 18. The youths had their blood pressure measured between one and three times and also reported their diet in the prior 24 hours.
On average, they ate 3,387 milligrams of sodium a day - considerably more than the 2,300 mg (about one teaspoon of salt) the government recommends as the upper limit.
According to previous data from the CDC, U.S. adults consume 3,466 mg of sodium per day by comparison.
"Kids are consuming as much sodium as adults, which far exceeds the recommended amount," Yang told Reuters Health, encouraging parents and others to "read the label when you go shopping and buy the food with the lowest sodium content."
Yang and his colleagues found that for every 1,000 mg of extra sodium in the children's diets, there was a one-point rise increase in blood pressure. Among overweight and obese kids, each 1,000 mg of sodium was tied to a blood pressure increase of 1.5 points.
In adults, high blood pressure is defined as at least 140 mm Hg (the top, or systolic, number) or 90 mm Hg (the bottom, or diastolic, number). Doctors also talk about "pre-hypertension," which is defined as a top number between 120 mm Hg and 140 mm Hg or a bottom number between 80 mm Hg and 90 mm Hg.
The potential health effects of the small blood pressure variations seen in the study are not clear. But Kaskel said they could spell trouble later on.
"The antecedents of adult cardiovascular disease are seen early on in the pediatric age group," he said. "We shouldn't underestimate the potential harms of a 1-mm increase in systolic blood pressure."
The new study doesn't prove that higher dietary salt intake directly increases blood pressure, however, although other research shows that is theoretically possible.
"Many times the higher intakes of sodium may simply be a marker of a higher intake of fast food and processed foods," said nutritionist Lauren Graf of Children's Hospital at Montefiore.
She added that several ingredients in such foods, including fructose, have been tied to higher blood pressure.
Dr. Michael Alderman of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York cautioned that it's not clear that cutting back on sodium will do most kids any good.
"There is nothing in this paper - and there is no information that I'm familiar with - that suggests reducing sodium intake is of value for people eating an average of 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day," he told Reuters Health.
Alderman said he has been an adviser to the Salt Institute, which represents the industry, and received $750 from the group in 1995. He said he has no ties to the group today.
Graf said bread is the biggest source of dietary sodium in the U.S., adding that deli meats also contain a lot of the ingredient. Eating a healthy diet - including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and fresh fish and meats - will automatically reduce sodium intake, she noted.
SOURCE: bit.ly/cxXOG Pediatrics, online September 17, 2012.
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Global News Network i24News Expands Into U.S. National News
i24NEWS Begins Daily Coverage from the White House
In Addition to International Coverage, Broadcast Day Will Now Include U.S. National Headline News From Washington, D.C., New York, and Los Angeles
NEW YORK, NY – July 8th, 2019 – i24NEWS, the global current affairs news network from Altice USA (NYSE: ATUS), today announces that it is expanding its coverage in the U.S. to include top national news stories and increased live coverage from the U.S.
With a heightened focus on U.S. news, i24NEWS’ weekday programming lineup will now deliver a rich selection of both global and domestic news, including the in-depth international and Middle Eastern news coverage that is the trademark of i24NEWS and a wide array of fast-paced, non-partisan national breaking and headline news.
This expansion into U.S. news is made possible through Altice USA’s recent acquisition of Cheddar and a partnership with the network’s established reporters, studios, and newsgathering operations.
“i24NEWS has always been a destination for hard-hitting international news, and we are excited to expand the network’s focus to include top national news stories in the U.S,” said Frank Melloul, Founder and CEO of i24NEWS. “i24NEWS is now delivering the very best in both national and international news, making it easier for our viewers to stay informed on the current events in the U.S. and across the world.”
“i24NEWS is now our brand for international and national news,” said Jon Steinberg, President of Altice News. “Altice News now has three leading brands: i24NEWS for global news, News 12 for hyperlocal coverage, and Cheddar for business news. We are committed and focused on live video news in all categories.”
Starting this week, viewers can tune in to i24NEWS to catch its new expanded programming lineup, including the network’s slate of global news programs plus a wide array of domestic coverage of breaking news items as well as the latest trends and updates in politics, entertainment, travel, food, health, science, sports, and weather. The new domestic coverage will be delivered daily on i24NEWS by the Cheddar anchor team with additional reporting from Cheddar’s D.C. Bureau Chief J.D. Durkin and reporter Megan Pratz, plus coverage from the i24NEWS news teams including Washington D.C.-based reporters Shayna Estulin and Dan Raviv.
i24NEWS will continue to air throughout the weekday its daily news programs from the heart of the Middle East as well as the network’s original live primetime slate from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET, including marquee current affairs and news shows ‘Crossroads’, ‘Clearcut’, 'Take30' and ‘Stateside’, delivered by the i24NEWS anchor team including Michelle Makori and Eric Landskroner. For i24NEWS’ complete programming slate, visit https://www.i24news.tv/en/schedules/.
i24NEWS and Cheddar are part of the Altice News group, which also includes News 12’s seven hyperlocal news networks serving the New York tri-state area. Altice News offers a full range of hyperlocal, national, business, and international news, broadcasting across linear, digital, and mobile platforms.
Since making its United States debut in 2017, i24NEWS has brought a fresh, intelligent perspective to the world’s current events coverage. The network has increased its distribution through agreements with some of the largest MVPDs and has seen a 300 percent increase in viewership across Altice USA households since launch.
i24NEWS can be found on Xfinity Channel 1118, on Spectrum Channel 210, on Optimum Channel 14, on Suddenlink Channel 49, and on Mediacom Channel 228. For more information on i24NEWS, visit https://www.i24news.tv/en.
Contact: Janet Meahan, janet.meahan@alticeusa.com, 929-418-4947
Altice USA (NYSE: ATUS) is one of the largest broadband communications and video services providers in the United States, delivering broadband, pay television, telephony services, Wi-Fi hotspot access, proprietary content and advertising services to approximately 4.9 million residential and business customers across 21 states through its Optimum and Suddenlink brands.
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CHEDDAR BUSINESS LAUNCHES ON ALTICE USA’S OPTIMUM TV LINEUP . CHEDDAR TO LAUNCH ON SUDDENLINK TV THIS SUMMER
Altice USA Statement on Transactions By BC Partners and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
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Whale Shark Facts For Kids | Whale Shark Diet & Habitat
Here are the most wonderful whale shark facts for kids including whale sharks diet, habitat, reproduction, and behavior. The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is a slow-moving shark and is regarded as the largest extant fish species. They are also referred to as filter feeding sharks.
They can grow to a size of about 12.65 m (41.50 feet), with a weight measuring at 21.5 tonnes (47,000 lb), there are unverified reports of significantly larger whale sharks. There have been claims regarding the length measuring at 14 m (46 feet), with the weight of around 30 tonnes (66,000 lb).
These sharks have the honor of being called a mammoth size and are by far the largest non-mammalian vertebrate, rivaling many of the largest dinosaurs by weight. It is the only member of genus and the Rhincodontidae and it belongs to the subclass Elasmobranchii and the class Chondrichthyes. These species are believed to have been evolved some 60 million years ago.
The whale sharks are known to reside in the warm oceans and tropical waters in the wide sea with a lifespan of about 70 years. In spite of their larger mouth, they mainly feed on microscopic plants and animals including plankton. They were identified at the start of 19th century in 1828 when the specimen of about 4.6 m (15.1 feet) was found to harpoon in Table Bay, South Africa.
Whale Shark Facts For Kids
The mouth size of the whale shark measures around 1.5 m (4.9 feet) by width and contains 10 filter pads and flanked by 300 – 350 rows of small teeth.
It has five bulky grill pairs.
Two small eyes are positioned toward the wide whale shark’s head.
It has almost a grey body with a white belly; three major ridges run along each side of the shark and skin is stained with a checkerboard of yellow markings and stripes.
These markings are alone to each species and are effective for counting populations.
The thickness of a skin measures around 10 cm (3.9 inches).
It has a pair each of dorsal fins and pectoral fins.
The young sharks have a tail greater than lower fin while the adult tail turns out to be semi-lunate. Spiracles are located at the back of whale shark.
This is the largest non-cetacean animal in the world.
The average size of an adult whale shark measures around 9.7 m (31.82 feet), with a weight measuring at 9 tonnes (20,000 lb).
The largest confirmed specimen was caught in 1947, November 11, at Karachi (Pakistan), near Baba Island. The length of that specie was measured at 12.65 m (23.0 feet). There are, however, rumors regarding larger sharks than this such as 18 m (59 feet), and 45.5 tonnes (100,000 lb).
Whale shark has a cosmopolitan distribution and they are primarily found in tropical and subtropical waters.
Although occasionally, whale sharks are also found in the Great Rann of Kutch, Ningaloo Reef, Utila, Pasacao, Honduras, Yucatan, Isla Mujeres, Btangas, and Donsol. The countries include India, Philippine, Brazil, Mexico, Western Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, Tanzania, Islands of Pemba, Zanzibar, and Mafia.
One of the largest concentrations of whale sharks were found in the Yucatan coast of Mexico, comprising more than 400 species gathered in a single place to feed on spawn from little tunny.
Whale sharks are pelagic species as they often approach coastal areas. They also migrate each spring to the continental shelf which is at the central coast of Australia. Because of the coral spawning of the region’s Ningaloo Reef, there is abundant of plankton supply.
These fish are capable to dive deep into the depths of around 1,286 m (4,219 feet). The largest specimen measured at 11 – 12 m(36 – 39 feet), together with a weight measuring at 7,000 kg (15,000 lb).
Feeding Ecology and Diet
These sharks are the filter feeders together with the basking sharks and megamouth sharks. They primarily feed on plankton, krill, Christmas Island red crab larvae, algae, and tiny nektonic life including vertebrates and squid. Whale sharks also feed on small fish and clouds of eggs.
The filter pads facilitates in separating the food from water. Food separation in these sharks is facilitated by cross-flow filtration in which the water flows along with filter pad surface, before being extracted outside. They are considered to be energetic feeders, believed to focus on a large quantity of fish and plankton.
Although they are greater in size, whale sharks do not pose any real danger to humans. Even with their massive size, whale sharks are docile fish and for a while allow swimmers to catch a ride, although this exercise is discouraged by shark biologists and scientists.
Actually these sharks are fairly gentle and can play with divers. Divers are believed to have seen whale sharks in numerous places such as Christmas Island, Ningaloo Reef (Western Australia, Taiwan, Isla Coiba (Panama), Galapagos Islands, Bahia de Los Angeles (Mexico), the Bay Islands in Honduras (Thailand), Philippine, the Red Sea (Maldives), Belize, Tofo Beach (Mozambique), Sodwana Bay (Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park), the Seychelles (West Malaysia), eastern peninsular Malaysian Islands, Sri Lanka, Fujairah, and Puerto Rico.
These fish are ovoviviparous. The length of the sharks measure around 46 – 60 cm (16 – 24 inches). They reach maturity at the age of 30 years with the lifespan of about 70 – 100 years.
In some countries whale sharks are protected because there are very few actual threats to these large fishes. Taiwan and India are the only countries to have fisheries of whale shark however the effects (of fisheries) on its population in Pacific Ocean is unknown.
Atlantic Ocean do not offer any whale shark fishery. The shark is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.
Whale Shark Facts For Kids | Video
jomarlyn October 8, 2014 at 5:33 am
i im a 6 grader this website realy helped me. I had to write a report on whale shark and it had all i needed the video realy helped me becaus im a listening learner.
raelyn hearn March 11, 2015 at 9:47 pm
I like the information this article gives you because I learned a lot of new thing about the whale shark
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« New York City to Require Computer Science at All Schools Within 10 Years | Main | National Constitutional Literacy Campaign: 'Every Day is Constitution Day!' »
Illinois' Early PARCC Results: Fewer Than 40 Percent Meet Expectations
By Catherine Gewertz on September 16, 2015 1:35 PM
By guest blogger Catherine Gewertz
Illinois released preliminary results Wednesday of its PARCC tests, and they showed that fewer than 4 in 10 of its students met or exceeded grade-level or course expectations.
Proficiency rates hovered at about one-third for English/language arts, and were a bit lower in math, ranging from 17 percent proficiency on the high school math exam to 36 percent in 3rd grade math.
The release was only the second from a state that gave the PARCC tests. Earlier this week, Ohio released results. Neither set of scores is final, because they don't include results from paper-and-pencil versions of the test, and not all groups of students are included yet. For instance, in Illinois, those who took the test in Braille or American Sign Language aren't yet included. As a result, some changes are anticipated when final results are released.
But the glimpse of student performance in Illinois confirms what many policymakers had been warning about: Proficiency rates are lower than what states have seen on their previous tests. (Ohio categorized performance a bit differently, and got much better "proficient and above" numbers. My colleague Andrew Ujifusa explains it all for you on State EdWatch.)
At a state board of education meeting Wednesday, where Illinois board members approved the cut scores that the PARCC states had set for each of the five levels of its test, State Superintendent Tony Smith braced the board for a less-comfortable set of results than the ones they've been used to.
"The percentages have been comforting in some ways: 'Oh good, we're at 85th.' Well, not necessarily," Smith said. "Does that mean you're really ready for what's next?"
One board member said that the new results will "blow parents' minds." But Smith said he and his staff will be "up, down, and around the state" in the coming weeks to explain the test results to parents, educators, and lawmakers.
Angela Chamness, the state's assessment director, walked board members through the process by which the PARCC states set their cut scores, which were released last week. She said that the standard-setting process, which included teachers from Illinois, is one marked by extensive conversation and then, ultimately, a judgment. She said that after two rounds of discussion, panelists who set the cut scores reviewed the distributions of scores on other tests to give them context for their own recommendations. Then they made adjustments—a common part of the standard-setting process.
"As you might imagine, there were some changes between round two and round three," she said. "Some changes were subtle, but you might be surprised to hear that sometimes the changes were in favor of setting a more difficult standard."
Get Curriculum Matters delivered to your inbox as soon as new posts are published. Sign up here. Also, follow @cgewertz for analysis of news and policy about testing.
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Education Week's blogs > Inside School Research See our Research news coverage
Sarah D. Sparks
From achievement gaps and teacher evaluations to homework and student engagement, Education Week reporters help you understand the education research behind big policy debates and daily classroom concerns.
« Census Data Shows More Reading, Academics for Children | Main | Pilot Finds Puppy Power May Boost Young Readers' Literacy »
Tests Reveal Varied Facets of U.S. Students' Competitiveness
By Sarah D. Sparks on August 18, 2011 11:42 AM
As states ponder the evolution of assessments for accountability under the No Child Left Behind Act, experts are weighing in on what national and international tests can tell us about what American kids are learning.
A study released by Harvard's Program on Education Policy and Governance and Education Next yesterday compares U.S. students who performed at or above the proficient level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (generally dubbed the "Nation's Report Card") in math to the 15-year-olds tested through the Program for International Student Assessment, administered by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Researchers developed a crosswalk study of a sample of the graduating class of 2011, which participated in the 2007 NAEP as 8th graders and in the 2009 PISA as 15-year-olds.
Researchers led by Paul E. Peterson, director of Harvard University's Program on Education Policy and Governance, found that America's math gap is not limited to particular student groups. For example, 42 percent of non-Hispanic white students scored proficient in math, well above the 15 percent of Hispanic and 11 percent of African-American students. Yet internationally, the percentage of math-proficient American white students trailed that of all students in 16 countries, including Japan, Germany, and Canada. In Korea and Finland, the proficiency gap between white American students and all students in the countries exceeded 25 percentage points.
"The U.S. ranks number 1 in self-esteem when it comes to math and number 32 in performance," Peterson said yesterday during a briefing on the study. "I think the U.S. has not figured out how to motivate students to learn mathematics."
Marshall "Mike" Smith of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching said he thinks policymakers should be concerned, not just by differences in America's rankings on international tests, but by what those differences mean in terms of what is taught in American schools.
"Different tests require different generalization and transfer of knowledge," Smith said during a discussion at the Knowledge Alliance's annual Big Ideas conference in Queenstown, Md., last week. Students' performance on state content assessments tracks most closely to their state standards and curricula, so improvements show up more quickly on these tests. NAEP is broader and requires more extended response to problems, but still hews closely to the subject curricula.
"There's almost no transfer of knowledge; you're doing what you've done before and what you've been prepared to do," he said.
By contrast, Smith said, PISA requires students to transfer their knowledge from one subject area to another and use it in new ways.
For example, the Harvard study highlighted two sample math questions at the proficient level:
• From NAEP (8th grade):
"Three tennis balls are to be stacked on top of another in a cylindrical can. The radius of each tennis ball is 3 centimeters. To the nearest whole centimeter, what should be the minimum height of the can? Explain why you chose the height that you did. Your explanation should include a diagram." This is followed by five choices.
• From PISA (15-year-olds)
"Mark (from Sidney, Australia) and Hans (from Berlin, Germany) often communicate with each other using 'chat' on the Internet. They have to log on to the Internet at the same time to be able to use chat. To find a suitable time to chat, Mark looked up a chart of world times and found the following: [In clock form] Greenwich, 12 Midnight; Berlin, 1 a.m.; Sydney, 10 a.m. At 7 p.m. in Sydney, what time is it in Berlin?"
In a briefing on the Harvard study, Peterson also noted that the NAEP test "is more of a pencil-and-paper test in mathematics,... whereas the PISA test is more taking real-world questions and trying to come up with answers to them."
That should be what really keeps educators up at night, Smith said. "PISA asks you to do something different from what you're being asked to do on these other tests: different kinds of items, a different way of structuring the items, and a different way of thinking about them. It's not a good sign for American students not to be able to transfer their knowledge from one setting to another setting."
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Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Four, Vol. 1
by: Mike S. Miller (author) Brian Buccellato (author) Bruno Redondo (author) Tom Taylor (author)
New writer Brian Buccellato (DETECTIVE COMICS, THE FLASH) and artists Bruno Redondo and Mike S. Miller (BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED) continue to expand the world of the hit video game from the makers of Mortal Kombat in INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US: YEAR FOUR! When Superman and the Justice League... show more
New writer Brian Buccellato (DETECTIVE COMICS, THE FLASH) and artists Bruno Redondo and Mike S. Miller (BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED) continue to expand the world of the hit video game from the makers of Mortal Kombat in INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US: YEAR FOUR! When Superman and the Justice League declared themselves the ultimate authority on planet Earth, only Batman stood agai
Series: Injustice: Gods Among Us (#7)
Books by Mike S. Miller
Books by Brian Buccellato
Books by Bruno Redondo
Books by Tom Taylor
http://booklikes.com/injustice-gods-among-us-year-four-vol-1-mike-s-miller-brian-buccellato-brun/book,13869731
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OC Zoo
Reservations & Permits
OC Parks...Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park
Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park
Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park Home
OC Parks Commission Agendas
Historical Commission Agendas
OC Fire Watch
ADA Mobility Devices
OC Parks Fees
Work for OC Parks
The land which is now Caspers Wilderness Park had many uses before reaching its present state. For many thousands of years a hunting and gathering society of native American Indians, later named the Juanenos, lived and prospered within Bell and San Juan Canyons. With the arrival of the Spanish Portola expedition in 1769, life for the Indian was irreversibly changed. Within seventy years, Spanish rule of the area was solidly established and the Indian was subjugated into servitude.
Spanish rule meant Spanish land grants and the first in the Capistrano area was awarded in 1841.
California Governor Pio Pico, under the authority of Mexican Governor Juan B. Alvarado, granted 8,000 acres to Augustin Olvera. Olvera then sold his holdings to Juan Forster some 48 hours after he had acquired them. Forster was granted three additional holdings and eventually owned 226,000 acres of ranch land named Rancho Santa Marguerita y las Flores.
Rancho Santa Marguerita was purchased by two San Francisco business men, Richard O'Neill and James Flood. In 1906, O'Neill acquired Flood's share of what was now a working cattle ranch. Upon the death of his father in 1910, Jerome O'Neill took charge of the ranch. Under his direction, the O'Neill Ranch became one of the most prosperous cattle ranches in California. In 1926 ranch ownership passed to the Rancho Santa Marguerita Company. A division of the ranch property occurred in 1930 with Richard O'Neill, Jr., receiving ownership of the Orange County portion and the Floods assuming the portion of land south of the county.
In 1941 the O'Neills sold a parcel of 10,152 acres to Mr. Eugene Starr. This property, with Bell Canyon serving as its backbone, became the Starr Ranch and continued to be worked as a cattle ranch. With the death of Eugene Starr in 1963 the property was deeded to his wife Applin G. Starr who passed away in 1966. The ranch property entered a period of inactivity and was offered for sale by the Starr estate. In 1970 the Macco Corporation entered into escrow to purchase the property with the intention of turning it into a commercial amusement facility. The primary escrow on this speculative venture fell through and the property in its entirety was deeded to the Starr Foundation in late 1971.
In 1973 the Starr Foundation deeded the northern 3,779 acres of the ranch to the National Audubon Society for use as a wildlife sanctuary. In late 1973 and early 1974 the Orange County Board of Supervisors, under the direction of Chairman Ronald W. Caspers voted to purchase the southern 5,500 acres of the ranch for use as a public recreation facility. On April 12, 1974 the Starr Viejo Regional Park was opened as a primitive, wilderness day use and camping facility. In June of 1974, Ronald W. Caspers, members of his family and friends were lost at sea in rough waters off the coast of Baja, California. On August 20, 1974 the Orange County Board of Supervisors changed the name of the park to Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park in honor and recognition of his foresight in acquiring and preserving this area of quality wilderness. In 1984 an additional 2,100 acres was acquired from the O'Neill Ranch bringing the park's total acreage to 7,600. This 2,100 acre addition was achieved in lieu of open space requirements for development occurring around the Arroyo.
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Andy Lowry, Varsity Head Coach
Click here for a message from Coach Lowry
Rick Anderson, Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach Anderson is proud to be back with Columbine once again. This is his 9th season coaching the Offensive Line. He has a great group of young men on the line and is very excited about the 2011 season. Coach Anderson is very happy to be a member of the Columbine Football coaching staff and is looking forward to another great year with the Rebels. Columbine Football has such a rich tradition and I am very proud to be a part of it!
Bryan Halsey, Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach Halsey is in his 6th year at Columbine High School coaching Linebackers. Prior to Columbine he spent 5 years coaching football at the Junior College and University levels. Coach Halsey is also in his 6th year as a teacher at Columbine, where he is teaching Business and Marketing classes. He is married to Tricia and they have two wonderful little boys, Noah (2 years old) and Micah (9 months old).
Doc Holliday, Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach Holliday is a 1996 graduate of CHS, playing for Coach Lowry during his first years at Columbine in ‘94 & ‘95. He had the opportunity to play on at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota and graduate in 2001. He is currently teaching Physical Education at Mesa Middle School. This will be his 11th year at Columbine coaching the running backs. He is very excited to be back with his coaches and players and plans to have another successful season.
Darrel Hird, Varsity Assistant Coach
This is Coach Hird’s 2nd year coaching football at Columbine High School. He brings with him 16 years of coaching experience in high school sports including football and volleyball. Coach Hird is coaching Defensive linemen this year. Coach Hird is also involved in many football related functions in the community as the Event Manager for all USA Football events and NFL Junior Player Development programs. Coach Hird has been married to his high school sweetheart for 31 years. He quotes, “It is my honor to serve with this staff and with the great players of Columbine High School.”
Ivory Moore, Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach Moore is a product of Denver Public Schools is a graduate of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Coach Moore has been coaching track and football at Columbine since 1989. Coach Moore presently coaches wide receivers and linebackers. Coach Moore teaches American History and participates in a number of clubs and activities. Coach Moore quotes, "We continue to be excited about the challenges that the 2011 Rebels will experience."
WE ARE….COLUMBINE!!
Chris Mosier, Varsity Assistant Coach and Videographer
This is Coach Mosier’s 20th season as a coach with Columbine Football with an additional 8 years at Elizabeth High School, where he met Cheryl (who is now Mrs. Mosier). He graduated from CHS in 1979, received a teaching degree from the University of Northern Colorado and a Masters from Grand Canyon University. He has taught in the Science Department at Columbine since 1996. Coach Mo edits and coordinates game film for the teams and for college recruiters as well as archiving films and pictures. His son Ryan attends Normandy Elementary. “The program that Coach Lowry has built here is the finest in the state. The support from our parents and the dedication of our players is truly a blessing. It shows in the love these coaches have for their players and the players have for their coaches. Rebel nation has truly been a very close family and will continue forever.”
Ty Rogers, Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach Rogers graduated from CHS in 2006. He graduated in December 2010 from Utah State University with a degree in Journalism & Communication. He also played five seasons of football with four letter awards. He is currently managing security for a construction company. His younger brother graduated from CHS in 2009 and is playing football at Sam Houston State in Huntsville, TX and is majoring in Criminal Justice. Coach Rogers quotes, "Rebelball is what I come from and I couldn't be more excited or feel more comfortable to be back home and coaching."
Scott Thomas, Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach Thomas is a Columbine alumnus who is in his 10th year of coaching both the Offensive and Defensive Lines. Coach Thomas believes the relationships forged by this football program and the people involved with it make strong and disciplined young men who are ready to face any future endeavor. The bond forged between coaches and athletes while working together towards a common goal go beyond what any simple game can teach young people. The young men involved in Rebel football discover a little more about themselves through the adversities, achievements, efforts, and commitments it takes to put on the blue and silver and represent our community. Coach Thomas knows that while success on the score sheets builds confidence it is the success in the classroom and community which builds character.
Tom Tonelli, Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach Tonelli coaches the secondary for the Varsity. Coach Tonelli is married with four children and is a teacher at CHS and an alumnus of Columbine, as well. Coach Tonelli quotes, “I am very excited as we start this year’s season and I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the coaching staff here at Columbine. I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by great coaches who care for their players. I am enthusiastic about our secondary this season. Columbine is a great place to be and I feel blessed that I come into contact with as many terrific families in this community.”
Dave Evans, Equipment
Dave Evans enters his 3rd season coaching football at CHS and 15th year overall. He has coached all levels from junior high to college. Dave will be working with kickers and equipment this year. He is a graduate of Kansas State University. Dave also coaches track and field, where he has led numerous student-athletes to state championships and Top 5 finishes in the throwing events.
Ron Crandall, Statistician
Ron is a retired Jeffco employee who has been involved with the Columbine football program for many years. Along with being the statistician, he helps organize the Rebel Golf Tournament every year. He is also Columbine’s game manager for all indoor sporting events. Ron is married to Sue and they have two grown children.
Matt Hertz, Athletic Trainer
Matt is starting his 19th year as an Athletic Trainer and His 5th year at Columbine. He is the trainer for all levels of Rebel ball as well as for all other sports at CHS. Matt is married to Angela, a 1st grade teacher at Aspen Academy. They have 3 children, Jordyn, Jared and Jim.
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Georgia Sheriff Is In HOT WATER After Posting A Sign That Has Since Gone Viral [PHOTO]
E. Goldstein December 18, 2018 1.1k Views
A sheriff in rural Georgia put up a sign to greet motorists entering the county that has been sparking conversation both in the small town and online.
Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley recently added a second part to the county’s welcome sign, which lets people entering the community know exactly where they stand politically.
Directly below Harris County’s welcome sign is a smaller custom sign that reads, “Warning: Harris County is politically incorrect. We say: Merry Christmas, God Bless America and In God We Trust. We salute our troops and our flag. If this offends you… LEAVE!”
Jolley said that he decided to put up the sign because he felt that traditional values are being marginalized in today’s society. He said that he had the idea after he saw a similar sign put up in another state.
“It’s time for the silent majority to stand up for our beliefs and not be ashamed,” Jolley said.
Some criticized the town for using public funds to pay for the sign, but Jolley says that he paid for the sign with his own money and that he plans to buy more to put up around the community.
Responding to critics who say that he is going too far in sharing his personal beliefs, the sheriff said, “I spent 20 years in the United States Army in defense of those people who want to say they don’t support the sign. And I fought for that right to have the ability to say they don’t support it.”
Jolley said that he received many positive comments about the sign as well. He said that he hopes that the positive feedback may be a sign of a change to come.
“Maybe the silent majority isn’t going to be silent anymore,” he added.
Jolley’s sign received a number of supportive comments after the story was shared online.
One Newsiosity reader commented, “This sheriff is absolutely right! Sir, thank you for your military service as well as your law enforcement service. God bless you.”
“Love the sign! It’s time for Americans everywhere to start standing up for what we believe in and if these people coming in don’t like it go back where they came from,” another user commented. “We are Americans with freedom of choice to live that life God blesses us with and we are not going to stand by and let these people that hate us come in and take out freedoms away from us.Thank you for your service to our country and your stand.”
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Home Yep, This Happened Diversity Programs: Elite Discrimination Against “Over Represented” Jews and Asian Americans
Diversity Programs: Elite Discrimination Against “Over Represented” Jews and Asian Americans
In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. challenged Americans to judge each other by the “content of their character” and not “the color of their skin.” By many measurable standards, the nation has heeded Dr. King’s call. Blacks now participate in all aspects and at all levels of American society.
Yet through diversity programs, much of the upper echelon of academia and industry rejects Dr. King’s challenge and instead blatantly discriminates based on race and ethnicity in admissions and hiring. It is long past time to end this odious practice, rethink these issues, and find a better way.
To redress what these institutions deem racial and ethnic “under representation,” they use racial and ethnic discrimination in favor of less qualified black and Hispanic applicants to increase black and Hispanic enrollment and employment shares.
But in doing so, they inherently use racial and ethnic discrimination against more qualified applicants from “over represented” groups – most often Jews and Asian Americans.
To make matters worse, as documented in a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court case, Fisher v. University of Texas, these diversity programs often help less qualified – but already affluent – black and Hispanic applicants who have not lacked opportunity. In other words, they often fail to provide significant opportunity for poor folks, of any race or ethnicity, who have had less.
Harvard University is the poster child for these discriminatory practices. As has been documented by, among others, Harvard’s own Alan Dershowitz and Edward Blum of the American Enterprise Institute, Harvard’s history of discrimination goes back to 1925. Rising Jewish enrollment that year reached at least 27 percent. Harvard’s response? For the next 20 years, it capped Jewish enrollment at about 15 percent.
Harvard’s more recent admissions practices have followed a similar approach with Asian Americans, Blum and others have shown. In 1992, Asian American enrollment at Harvard was 19.1 percent. In 2013, it was 18 percent. In the intervening years, it ranged from 14.3 percent to 20.6 percent. Yet during the same period, Asian American enrollment rose from 25.2 percent to 42.5 percent at the similarly elite California Institute of Technology – which does not consider race or ethnicity in admissions.
The best students typically apply to the best schools. This means that from 1992 to 2013, essentially the same best students that applied to Cal Tech also applied to Harvard. Cal Tech’s non-discriminatory admissions process resulted in a sharp increase in the share of Asian American enrollment. Harvard’s admissions process did not. This shows Harvard’s discrimination against Asian Americans.
The story, Blum also has shown, appears to be generally the same throughout the Ivy League, where from 2007 to 2013 Asian American enrollment ranged from 12 percent to only 19 percent.
At large law firms, Jews are the most “over represented” group and thus are the principal victims of diversity programs. While about two percent of Americans are Jewish, Willkie Farr & Gallagher partner Francis Menton estimated in 2014 that at top New York City law firms, for example, at least 25 percent of partners are Jewish. Promoting less qualified black and Hispanic lawyers into large law firm partnerships in New York and other big cities, instead of other more qualified lawyers, thus frequently means not promoting more qualified Jewish lawyers.
These discriminatory diversity programs are inherently racist. They fundamentally discriminate based on race and ethnicity. If we are ever to stop judging by “the color of their skin,” these programs must end. As Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in 2007 in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1: “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.”
Fundamental American principles show a different and better way forward. Use objective, non-discriminatory criteria to decide who should be admitted or hired. Rely on competition to produce the most qualified applicants. And, as some universities recently have done, increase opportunity for poor folks, of any race or ethnicity, who have had less.
About the author: David M. Simon is a lawyer in Chicago. The views expressed in this article are his own and not those of the law firm with which he is affiliated. For more, see www.dmswritings.com.
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Examining second language vocab...
First View
Examining second language vocabulary growth: Replications of Schmitt (1998) and Webb & Chang (2012)
Ana Pellicer-Sánchez (a1)
University College London Institute of Education, London, UKa.pellicer-sanchez@ucl.ac.uk
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S026144481800037X
There has been extensive research in the last 20 years on the effectiveness of different instructional interventions and learning conditions on the acquisition of vocabulary. However, very few attempts have been made to explore how vocabulary knowledge develops over time. This paper argues for the need to conduct more longitudinal studies on vocabulary learning and teaching and provides suggestions for important replication studies in the area. In particular, this paper calls for the replication of the studies by Schmitt (1998) and Webb & Chang (2012). Unlike most studies on vocabulary learning and teaching, these two follow a longitudinal approach and study vocabulary growth from two main perspectives, i.e. the development of vocabulary depth and vocabulary breadth. The approximate replications suggested here would constitute an important contribution to the field of vocabulary learning and teaching.
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Summary of Federal Laws
Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA)
29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.; 29 CFR Part 500 et seq.; 29 CFR Part 785 (hours worked)
Establishes minimum hourly wage. (Note that higher rates may apply in certain states, including the District of Columbia). The law also establishes overtime pay requirements for non-supervisory employees. Employees may not be required to work more than forty hours per seven-day week without overtime compensation at a rate of not less than one and one-half times their regular pay. Exemptions from the overtime compensation provision are provided for workers who are employed in bona fide executive, administrative or professional capacity. (See 29 U.S.C. § 213(a) (1)). Faculty and lecturers are covered under the category of "bona fide professionals". Under the FLSA regulations (29 CFR Part 541) to be considered an exempt executive, professional, or administrative employee, three tests must be satisfied:
Duties test
Salary level test and
Salary basis test.
Under the salary basis test, pay deductions for disciplinary violations are impermissible unless imposed "in good faith for infractions of safety rules of major significance" (29 CFR 541.603).
A work rule that allows for across the board (for both professional and non-supervisory employees) suspensions or deductions in pay may end up reclassifying professional employees as non-exempt workers, and subject the employer to liability for overtime. See the Hahn Automotive case. The Secretary of Labor is of the view that employees whose pay is adjusted for disciplinary reasons do not deserve exempt status because as a general matter true "executive, administrative, or professional" employees are not "disciplined" by piecemeal deductions from their pay, but are terminated, demoted, or given restricted assignments.
The FLSA also contains established recordkeeping and child labor standards. Posting and recordkeeping required. See the Dept. of Labor Poster Page for copies of the required employment posters as well as an employer poster advisor (interactive). Certain executive, administrative and professional employees are exempt for the minimum wage and overtime requirements. Under the FLSA regulations (at 29 C.F.R. § 541.303 and 541.304. ), lawyers, doctors, and teachers are exempt without regard to whether they pass the salary test.
Employment of student workers is dealt with in 29 C.F.R. Parts 519. The hours worked provisions are contained in 29 C.F.R. Part 785.
Recordkeeping: University as an employer must keep payroll records for all employed, with employee's name, address, sex, date of birth, occupation, hours worked each day, total hours worked each week, hourly rate of pay for any work week in which overtime is due, and total wages paid and deductions taken. The records which must be kept for bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity employees are set forth at 29 C.F.R. § 516.3. The employer must also keep certificates, collective bargaining agreements, and individual contracts, as well as sales and purchase records. Records above must be kept for three years. See 29 C.F.R. § 516.5. Records which must be kept for at lease two years include the basic employment and earnings records, wage rate tables, order, shipping and billing records, and records of additions to or deductions from wages paid. See 29 C.F.R. § 516.6.
Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional,
Outside Sales and Computer Employees, 84 Fed. Reg. 10900, March 22, 2019, U.S. Department of Labor Proposed Rule on Overtime
Proposed Rule issued by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, proposing an increase from $455 to $679 per week ($35,308 per year) in the minimum salary required for an employee to qualify for an exemption from overtime pay. The proposed rule also increases the total annual compensation requirement for highly compensated employees from $100,000 to $147,414 and allows employers to use nondiscretionary bonuses and incentive payments for up to 10 percent of a standard salary level. Unlike the proposed rule put forth in 2016, this proposed rule has no automatic increases. The rule is set to take effect in January 2020.
See also DOL's Long-Awaited Overtime Proposed Rule Announced, March 11, 2019. (National Law Review) For background generally on overtime pay see the U.S. DOL web page.
Regular Rate Under FLSA, 84 Fed. Reg. 11888, March 29, 2019.
The proposed rule would clarify when unused paid leave, bona fide meal periods, reimbursements, benefit plans, and certain ancillary benefits may be excluded from the regular rate under FLSA and provide other similar guidance for employers with evolving worker benefits.
Wage and Hour Claims
The elements of an FLSA claim are: 1) plaintiff was employed by defendant during the relevant period; 2) plaintiff was engaged in commerce or employed by an enterprise engaged in commerce or the production of goods for commerce that had annual gross sales of at least $500,000; and 3) the defendant failed to pay plaintiff minimum wage and/or overtime pay. Source: 8th Cir. Model Civ. Jury Instr. § 10.01 (2011)
Joint Employer Status under the FLSA, proposed rule, 84 Fed. Reg. 14043, April 9, 2019
The Department proposes that if an employee has an employer who suffers, permits, or otherwise employs the employee to work and another person simultaneously benefits from that work, the other person is the employee’s joint employer under the Act for those hours
worked only if that person is acting directly or indirectly in the interest of the employer in relation to the employee.6 To make that determination simpler and more consistent, the
Department proposes to adopt a fourfactor balancing test. The Department’s proposed test would assess whether the potential joint employer:
• Hires or fires the employee; • Supervises and controls the employee’s work schedule or conditions of employment; • Determines the employee’s rate and method of payment; and
• Maintains the employee’s employment records.
Reasonable Break Time for Working Mothers, Request for Information from the Public, 75 Fed. Reg. 80073 (Dec. 21, 2010) The Request for Information contains the Department’s preliminary interpretations of the law’s requirements on issues such as unpaid break time, reasonable break time, provision of space for expressing breast milk, notice to the employer and enforcement. See the DOL resource page on this law.
See also State Breastfeeding Laws.
FLSA: Professional Exemption for Computer Employees Department of Labor Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2006-3. The gist of the bulletin is that the exemptions under Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA and 13(a)(17) for computer employees are not meant to be mutually exclusive, but rather 13(a)(17) (added in 1996) was meant to be an additional express statutory basis for the computer employee exemption. See 29 CFR 541.400 et seq. for the general rules for computer employees.
Question: What happens if an undocumented worker (UW) is found to have worked for the University? Should they be paid?
Answer: Yes, wage and hour law (FLSA and DC Wage and Hour Law) require payment. Several courts have held – and the Labor Department has issued definitive guidance – that employers must pay for work actually performed, even by UWs and even by UWs who were illegal at all times. In Galdames, et al. v. N & D Investment Corp., a 2009 federal case from Florida, the court ruled that UWs working in a laundry had to be paid under FLSA, notwithstanding their illegal status. Under similar facts a federal court in Missouri reached the same conclusion. In Lucas v Jerusalem Café, decided just last year, the court ruled that these UWs, who worked in a Kansas City restaurant, clearly had standing under the FLSA to receive back pay and OT, notwithstanding the fact that they were illegal at the time they were hired and throughout their employment (an attempt to pass off their status as “volunteer workers” also failed). The Secretary of Labor herself filed a brief in support of the UWs in this case, and her brief included this language: “The Department's longstanding position, articulated both before and after Hoffman Plastics v. NLRB, (U.S. Supreme Court, 2002), is that undocumented workers are entitled to minimum wages and overtime pay for hours worked under the FLSA. This position is grounded in the definitions of ‘employee’ and ‘employ’ under the Act, which contain no limitation based on immigration status, and in the fact that enforcing the FLSA on behalf of all workers regardless of immigration status is essential to achieving the purposes of the Act.”
In addition, published guidance from the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division includes this language: “The Department's Wage and Hour Division will continue to enforce the FLSA without regard to whether an employee is documented or undocumented.”
Ninth Circuit Concludes Cosmetology Students are not Employees of the School, by Duane Morris, authored by Bryce Young, Jan. 2, 2018
State of Nevada v. U.S. DOL, U.S. Dist. Court, (E.D. Texas) Case 4:16-cv-00731, (11-22-16), Appeal filed by State of Nevada, et al. v. Labor, et. al, 5th Circuit, Dec. 1, 2016, and stay denied by Nevada v. U.S. DOL, 2017 WL 26079, E.D. Tex., Jan. 3, 2017.
In this decision the federal district court in Texas blocked the implementation of the overtime rule scheduled to go into effect 12-1-16, issuing a preliminary injunction. The court's reasoning was it needed more time to determine if the rule exceeded the authority held by the Department of Labor. This position was being argued by various groups opposing the new rule.
The specific issue was did the DOL exceed its authority by going beyond defining the duties of executive, adminstrative and professional employees, and also adding a minimum salary level. From the opinion at page 13:
With the Final Rule, the Department exceeds its delegated authority and ignores Congress’s intent by raising the minimum salary level such that it supplants the duties test. Consequently, the Final Rule does not meet Chevron step one and is unlawful. The Department’s role is to carry out Congress’s intent. If Congress intended the salary requirement to supplant the duties test, then Congress, and not the Department, should make that change.
Shulman et al v. Collier Anesthesia and Wolford College, Case No. 14-13169, (C.A. 11) Sept. 11, 2015.
This is a case on whether or not nursing students who are already RNs and who perform internships as part of a Master's Degree must be paid (and receive overtime) for their clinical internships under the FLSA. The case begins as follows:
Upon receiving their master’s degrees, certifications, and licenses, Plaintiff Appellant student registered nurse anesthetists are legally able to put people to sleep. We have heard, though never ourselves experienced, that some legal opinions can do the same thing. We are hopeful that this one will not.
The district court considered the DOL six factor test and found the nurses not to be employees. The CA found the test used by the lower court to be outdated and not adequate for determining the primary beneficiary of a "modern-day internship for academic credit and professional certification."
The facts in this case were unique. Wolford College is a for profit college wholly owned by Lynda Waterhouse, who is also the Executive Director of Collier Anesthesia. The last four semesters of the program are mainly clinical experience. In the case, some, if not all of the clinical education was obtained at Collier Anesthesia Facilities. The students submitted evidence they were routinely scheduled to work for more than 40 hours per week.
The Court of Appeal cited Glatt, 791 F. 3rd at 384, which is the 2nd Circuit's reflection on the limitations of comparing modern internships to the facts in the Portland Terminal case, which is the 68 year old case that is the basis for the test in the DOL handbook. The CA found long term intensive modern internships to be substantially different from the short term training class offered by the railroad in Portland Terminal.
The Court of Appeals opined the best way to determine the primary beneficiary is to focus on the benefits to the student while considering the manner in which the employer implements the internship program, and whether or not it takes unfair advantage of the student. The factors cited in Glatt were repeated here with approval. This is a seven factor test:
The extent to which the intern and the employer clearly understand that there is no expectation of compensation. Any promise of compensation, express or implied, suggests that the intern is an employee —and vice versa.
The extent to which the internship provides training that would be similar to that which would be given in an educational environment, including the clinical and other hands-on training provided by educational institutions.
The extent to which the internship is tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit.
The extent to which the internship accommodates the intern’s academic commitments by
corresponding to the academic calendar.
The extent to which the internship’s duration is limited to the period in which the internship
provides the intern with beneficial learning.
The extent to which the intern’s work complements, rather than displaces, the work of
paid employees while providing significant educational benefits to the intern.
The extent to which the intern and the employer understand that the internship is conducted without entitlement to a paid job at the conclusion of the internship.
The case was remanded to the district court for further proceedings.
Fact Sheet #17S Higher Education Institutions and Overtime Pay under the FLSA (March 2018) See DOL Issues Guidance on Applicability of FLSA Exemptions to Higher Education Jobs:By Stinson Leonard Street.
DOL adopts *Primary Beneficiary* test for student internship programs by Proskauer, Jan. 6, 2018.
Structuring On-Campus Internships Under the FLSA, NACUANOTE Feb. 13, 2017.
SHRM FLSA Exemption Questionnaire
Northwestern University Exempt or Not Exempt Fact Sheet on FLSA ( w/worksheet)
NACUANOTES Vol. 9, No. 11: Internship and Externship Programs Under the Fair Labor Standards Act
NACUANOTES Vol. 9, No. 4: New FLSA Amendment Requires Breaks for Nursing Mothers
DOL FAQs on Furloughs and Other Reductions in Pay and Hours Worked Issues
FLSA Opinion Letter 2005-29 (Aug. 26, 2005)
This August 2005 letter addresses the situation where an employee of an IHE is mainly non-exempt, but also teaches one or two classes on a part time basis. In the opinion the employee worked full time as a welder but also taught a welding course at night. The US Dept. of Labor concluded that the primary duty was the non-exempt position, and thus that the employee must be paid on an hourly basis for the teaching and preparation time for the class. The 13(a)(1) exemption for teachers does not apply.
Sample Fair Labor Standards and Wage Payment Act Policy on Deductions
FLSA Test on Independent Contractors: Administrator's Interpretation No. 2015-1, Issued July 15, 2015* (as of 1-2-18 this document has been archived)
Possibly issued in connection with the rise of new business models, such as Uber, this is a DOL test for summarizes the position DOL's Wage and Hour division has taken in entering into agreements with states and the IRS on how to handle Employer misclassification. The heart of the DOL position is stated here, and focuses on more than control, which is the heart of the IRS /common law test. The end result is that a worker dependent for economic survival on the employer will be an employee, and a person in business for him or herself will be an independent contractor.
In order to make the determination whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the FLSA, courts use the multi-factorial “economic realities” test, which focuses on whether the worker is economically dependent on the employer or in business for him or herself. A worker who is economically dependent on an employer is suffered or permitted to work by the employer. Thus, applying the economic realities test in view of the expansive definition of “employ” under the Act, most workers are employees under the FLSA. The application of the economic realities factors must be consistent with the broad “suffer or permit to work” standard of the FLSA.
Fact Sheet #71 : Internship Programs under the Fair Labor Standards Act (2018)
This fact sheet provides general information to help determine whether interns must be paid the minimum wage and overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act for the services that they provide to "for-profit" private sector employers. See fact sheet for comments on need for further review of internships in non-profit sector.
This fact sheet was updated to include Glatt et al v. Fox Searchlight Pictures, et al. (C.A. 2nd Cir.) July 2, 2015. In that case interns who were unpaid and who were asked to perform a number of tasks unrelated to an educational purpose sued over the lack of pay. The court declined to grant deference to the 2010 DOL Fact Sheet, noting as follows:
We decline DOL’s invitation to defer to the test laid out in the Intern Fact Sheet. As DOL makes clear in its brief, its six part test is essentially a distillation of the facts discussed in Portland Terminal. DOL Br. at 11, 12, 21.
Unlike an agency’s interpretation of ambiguous statutory terms or its own regulations, “an agency has no special competence or role in interpreting a judicial decision."
State of N.Y. v. Shalala, 119 F.3d 175, 180 (2d Cir. 1997).
NB: The material below is archived as the May 23, 2016 final rule has been placed on hold.
Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees, Final Rule, 80 Fed. Reg. 32391, May 23, 2016.
This rule is effective Dec. 1, 2016. Under this final rule, white collar employees subject to the salary level test earning less than $913 per week (or $ 47,476 per year for a full time worker) will not qualify for the EAP exemption, and therefore will be eligible for overtime, irrespective of their job duties and responsibilities. Employees earning this amount or more on a salary or fee basis will qualify for exemption only if they meet the standard duties test, which is unchanged by the final rule. See the summary on the DOL web page for more. The DOL web page also includes Guidance for Higher Education Institutions on Paying Overtime under the New Rule. The salary level and salary basis requirements do not apply to bona fide teachers. See 29 CFR 541.303(d), .600(e) and to the extent that a postdoctoral fellow’s primary duty is teaching, higher education institutions can classify such an employee as exempt from overtime. Postdoc research fellows who do not have teaching as a primary duty must meet the salary level test.
See the American Council on Education Issue Brief on the new FLSA Overtime Rule.* (May 26, 2016)
See also the CUPA/NCAA White Paper on Payment of Coaches and AthleticTrainers under Federal Law
Note on part time employees:
Some employers also mistakenly believe that the EAP [executive, administrative, professional] regulations limit their ability to permit white collar employees to work part-time or job share.*FN: As the Department has previously explained, there is no special salary level for EAP employees working less than full time. See 69 FR 22171. Employers, however, can pay white collar employees working part-time or job sharing a salary of less than the required EAP salary threshold and will not violate the Act so long as the salary equals at least the minimum wage for all hours worked and the employee does not work more than 40 hours a week. See FLSA 2008-1NA (Feb. 14, 2008). See also section IV.A.iv.
updated 4-25-19 mlo
Last reviewed: June 4, 2019
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The Catholic University of America * 620 Michigan Ave., N.E. * Washington, DC 20064
CUA Home | Contact Us | A-Z Site Index | Español | Careers
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Kindergarteners Darell Benavides, left, and Santiago Silva chat on opening day of the Dual Language Academy in Omaha, with classmate Gabriel Davidson and his parents, Genesis Cortez and Victor Davidson, in the background. PHOTO BY JOE RUFF/STAFF
First-day excitement reigns at Dual Language Academy
Fri, 09/07/2018 - 9:38am admin
By JOE RUFF
New backpacks, school-color red shirts and even red tennis shoes were plentiful, along with smiles and laughter on opening day of the archdiocese’s Dual Language Academy in Omaha.
“He’s a little nervous, but he’s fine,” Genesis Cortez said as she and Victor Davidson helped their son, Gabriel, settle into his kindergarten classroom.
With that vote of confidence, the archdiocese’s first-ever effort to offer classes in English and Spanish was off and running Aug. 23 with 88 students in preschool, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes.
Research shows students in dual language immersion programs often outperform their one-language peers as early as third or fourth grade and throughout high school, officials in the Catholic Schools Office have said.
“We heard real great things about dual language and we were looking for a dual language school for our son,” Cortez said. A Catholic school also is important, she said.
“I’m a believer, and I want him to learn about (the faith), too,” she said.
The academy is housed in the former St. Stanislaus School, which was closed in 2013 as part of a broad parish and school restructuring plan. Two other schools – Our Lady of Lourdes and Ss. Peter and Paul – will act as partners to the academy. Both schools will continue to offer all-English classes, and academy students will be funneled into those two schools as they continue to follow the dual language track from first through eighth grades.
Watching students stream into the academy with their parents was a wonderful sight, said Michael Ashton, superintendent of Catholic schools, as he helped greet families at the door.
“Opening days are always one of the high moments of the whole school year,” Ashton said. “And we’re even more joyful with the opening of St. Stan’s to education and learning.”
The academy has partnered with a team from Boston College in a five-year agreement that will provide mentoring, professional development and guidance for school staff.
The language immersion effort is an initiative of the Omaha Catholic School Consortium, which includes Holy Cross and St. Thomas More schools in Omaha and St. Bernadette in Bellevue, as well as Our Lady of Lourdes and Ss. Peter and Paul.
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Anne Monique Nuyt (Active) - University of Montreal
Award Type: Selection Committee
Discipline: Medicine, Neonatology
anne-monique.nuyt@recherche-ste-justine.qc.ca
Anne Monique Nuyt is a neonatologist at CHU Ste-Justine, Université de Montréal. She received her medical degree and pediatric residency training at the Université de Sherbrooke (QC, Canada), and her subspecialty in Neonatal-Perinatal medicine from McGill University (93). Supported by the Medical Research Council of Canada, she pursued a research fellowship at the University of Iowa and at the College de France-INSERM. She was appointed (98) as clinician-scientist at the CHU Ste Justine – Université de Montréal, where she is currently Professor of Pediatrics, Head of the Division of Neonatology, Head of the Feto-maternal and Neonatal Research Axis of the CHU Ste Justine Research Center and Associated Scientific Director for CARTaGENE. Her research is mainly supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Dr Nuyt was awarded number of prices for her work and was President of the Quebec Hypertension Society. Dr Nuyt studies mechanisms of developmental programming of hypertension and cardiovascular dysfunction in children and adults who were born preterm, with emphasis on the role of oxidative stress and of adverse antenatal and neonatal conditions. Her translational research program spans from experimental animal work, to clinical as well as epidemiological studies.
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AdviCell™
AdviCell-HS™
AdviCell-SF™
AdviCell-SynPep™
Human-Primary-Neonatal-Fibroblst-Cells-(HPNFC™)
Protein Stability Marker Development
Microarray Gene Expression
Scientific/Laboratory Services
Cell/Tissue Culture Studies
In Vivo Animal/Preclinical Studies
Protein Based Assays
Special Educational Courses
CellVi BioScience focuses on improving human health by developing products and methods to overcome age related conditions and rejuvenate the body for healthy living.
As our life expectancy has markedly increased over the past century and continues to be on the rise, so has the demand for novel commodities to enhance general health and physical appearance towards a better quality of life. This niche industry is where CellVi BioScience has ambition to become a leader. Currently a majority of company efforts center around scientific research and development in stem cell technology, which can be applied to cosmetics and skin care products, wound healing, pain management and anti-cancer effects. CellVi BioScience is developing innovative stem cell based proprietary products and technologies for their application in the care of people who desire the most ingenious approaches to improve life conditions. CellVi BioScience specifically aims to engineer cell- free or cell- based reagents that can be used toward producing distinctive formulations for the applicable markets.
Our Science Team
A team of CellVi’s highly qualified scientists,
headed by Drs. Juliana Barba and Saroj Basak,
are performing R&D, and accompanying
laboratory work to validate our products.
Juliana O. Barba, Ph.D.
Dr. Barba received her Ph.D. in Cancer Molecular Biology from UCLA School of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology. Dr. Barba remained in the Department of Medicine at UCLA, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, for the next 14 years. She began as a Postdoctoral Fellow, Research Faculty, and finally as an Assistant Professor for the last 6 years before her entrepreneurial spirit led Dr. Barba to pursue a career in the biotech industry. While working at UCLA, her research focused on developing novel diagnostics and therapeutics for lung cancer resulting in the three U.S. Patents as Dr. Barba as a lead inventor. Also she was very passionate & prolific in educating pre-med undergraduates and medical students with cancer biology theories and laboratory experiments. During her academic stay, Dr. Barba received numerous prestigious awards and grants including UCLA Chancellor’s Fellowship, Susan G. Komen Fellowship, American Association for Cancer Research Scholar, American Lung Association, and National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Barba’s first industry experience was at a biotech which pioneered in diagnosing genetic based diseases employing Next Generation Sequencing Technology. Subsequently Dr. Barba served as a CEO and Chief Science Officer at a clinical diagnostics laboratory centering on biochemical assays to diagnose rare, hereditary genetic diseases, a spin-off company from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. With 25 years of combined experience in academic and industry research, Dr. Barba is well poised to lead CellVi BioScience’s Research & Development, further, grow the company to a global scale bio-pharmaceutical biotech. At CellVi BioScience, Dr. Barba is envisioning a bottom-up strategy, beginning with the stem cell technology applied to topical skin care products as a prototype which is to be extended to dermatological therapeutics, then eventually to developing novel cancer therapeutics/diagnostics serving the world population. Dr. Barba has expertise in a broad range of biomedical subspecialties which include Pathology, Microscopy, Immunology, Cell & Molecular Biology, Tumor Biology, Trangenic Animal Model, Next Generation Sequencing based mutation interpretations, and Clinical Diagnostic Assay Development.
Saroj K. Basak, Ph.D.
Dr. Basak obtained his PhD from University of Calcutta, India and has work experience in the field of stem cell biology, cancer, immunology, vaccine development, infectious diseases and immunotherapy of diseases. His experience and expertise in the field of cancer cell biology and vaccination has led to development of new strategies for cancer vaccine development. He has developed technologies for cell based vaccine and therapy for treatment of cancer. He has also developed novel vector system for gene delivery to the immune system and improving vaccination efficiency by lowering anti-vector immune response and improving vaccine specific immune response. His work in the area of lung cancer biology has identified stem cells that give rise to aggressive lung cancer. His further work has shown that these cell has specific micro-rna loss that when replenished can inhibit the lung cancer growth.
He is recipient of several awards and grants such as, Parker B. Francis Award, JCC UCLA award, American Lung Association Grant, Tobacco Related Disease Research Program etc. He has established national and international collaboration with different scientists and institutions.
Dr. Basak has extensive work experience in evaluating the effect of herbal products in diseases such as cancer. His work with Curcumin/Turmuric derived from the root of turmeric plant has shown its efficacy in overcoming drug resistance in preclinical studies of head and neck cancer. Currently these studies have been translated into clinical trials in Head and Neck Cancer Patients.
He is also an expert in tissue culture and his expertise has resulted in establishment of different primary cell lines for stem cell based condition media development. His current research interest is to develop new approaches to enhance skin care treatment specially the damaged or diseased skin that can improve the lives of people suffering from diseased skin.
CellVi’s business development team
is headed by Mr. Mark Palumbo.
Mark Palumbo
Mr. Palumbo holds a bachelor degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Rhode Island conferred in 1981. Directly after college his original career track landed him in the aerospace industry with Hughes Aircraft and the Naval Underwater Systems Center in Newport, RI. Adding relevant understanding of electrical signal development and transmittance to a Biology background he continued with a career change to life sciences. After working in outside sales for DuPont Pharmaceuticals he advanced to a position designed to develop contract manufacturing business in an established pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Long Island, NY. Mr. Palumbo began his career in cosmetics and personal care in 1990. Due to advancements in holistic medical practices and a desire to exercise his entrepreneurial spirit he proceeded to learn this new industry first as regional manager and later as a Global Sales Director.
Armed with experiences including directed efforts at the global marketplace, manufacturing, advancements to human biology, pharmaceutical manufacturing and design, signal creation and transduction and direct contact with the global marketplace for cosmetics and personal care Mr. Palumbo set about building his first Company, DIOW Products in 1999. DIOW collaborated with research organizations to develop a product line under its label for sale to the cosmetic industry. DIOW was sold in in 2006 and led to the start of what has become three new companies. With an initial creation of a agency alliance with a strong technology portfolio he added two research based technology driven manufacturing companies for the cosmetics industry and further for health therapies. CellVi Bioscience being one of the companies and Ventana Biological the other. The advent of synergistic biotechnologies advanced this design and today one and two years after inception both companies have established individual revenue streams and a robust product pipeline. CellVi uses tissue culture technology to develop commercial product for treating conditions in addition to personal care targets as described on the home page. Ventana is focused on enhancing the performance of materials with novel delivery methods.
CellVi Bioscience: A Rejuvenation Company © 2017
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Uh oh! B-2 Genesis video reveals a mock-up cockpit that may have been a secret stealth transport.
VIA : THE WAR ZONE:
Northrop Grumman recently released an awesome series of videos that detail the genesis of the B-2 Spirit—the world's first stealth bomber—via testimony from those who brought it to life. The videos also include a bunch of historical images and video taken during the flying wing bomber's development. One of these images grabbed my eye as it looked like no Advanced Technology Bomber—the program that gave birth to the B-2—cockpit concept I have ever seen. I reached out to Northrop Grumman about the puzzling photo and what I got back confirmed my suspicions.
In the previous article, in which I questioned the photo's origins, I wrote:
"Second is this image of the mock-up of a cockpit. The panel layout is vaguely similar to the one that made it into the B-2 but the B-2 has a two-crew side-by-side cockpit. Was this for a technology demonstrator that predated the actual B-2 itself? Maybe the single station was going to be mirrored for the actual aircraft, but there are other oddities. For instance, the panel is smaller, lacking the two lower side-by-side cathode ray multi-function displays. It also has a 'canopy severance' handle. The B-2 doesn't have a canopy but it does have hatches that its ejection seats fire through. A central windscreen support structure also seems to indicate that this is a single seat cockpit concept, or at least a tandem one..."
As I subsequently came to find out, the image made it into the B-2 video presentation by mistake—which would be incredibly easy to make. The photo in question doesn't belong to the B-2 program, at least not directly. Instead, it came about from a previously undisclosed program from the 1990s called the Special Operations Low-Intensity Combat Mission Aircraft.
Could this be the origins of the possible stealth transport spotted over Amarillo several years ago?
READ MORE AT THE WAR ZONE
Uh oh! B-2 Genesis video reveals a mock-up cockpit...
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Number 502 - Rose Royce
Rose Royce
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
Genre:R&B
art by velvet-voices
Update: Foo Fighters performed in Auckland, New Zealand at their sold out show last night. And by all reports "One of the best shows ever to be seen & heard in New Zealand" (!) click here for the review .... & yes, I didn't get to go again. Who has rock concerts on Tuesday nights anyway? Now you're probably looking at this artist Rose Royce at Number 502 and either thinking ..... wtf? or "Why is it not Car Wash?" or "This doesn't look like the Rolling Stones website, for the love of God, gmtfo of here". First of all, the "Car Wash" song sucks chunks. How it ever became a Number 1 hit (yes, it was off a film, thank you) I will never know. But, the track "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" is pure R&B classic & how that song ended up only at number 32 in the charts, well, go figure. Whatever we all think, this has to be Rose Royce's definitive song. Take a look who it's been covered by .... (Morrissey-Mullen, Madonna, I'm Talking, Joe Cocker, Jimmy Nail, Patti LaBelle, Faith Evans, Dallas Green and Jully Black)
Oh, and P.S, down the bottom of each page now, there is a rating you now can give for the post and not just the song ...... please go easy on me! Ah frag it ... go loose.
Whoa! rainbow suits
Rose Royce -- the Los Angeles-based group comprised of Henry Garner (drums), Terral "Terry" Santiel (congas), Lequeint "Duke" Jobe (bass), Michael Moore (saxophone), Rose Norwalt (lead vocals), Kenny Copeland (trumpet, lead vocals), Kenji Brown (guitar, lead vocals), Freddie Dunn (trumpet), and Michael Nash (keyboards) -- was actually formed by Copeland and Garner. Both were preparing for graduation from high school, and contemplating their careers. Joined by Dunn and Moore, the two decided to go the route of the music business under the name Total Concept Unlimited (and later as Magic Wand). They auditioned for Edwin Starr, and he hired them as his backup band.
ezzy voice herself
The group's association with Starr enabled them to interact with numerous music industry personalities. One in particular was Motown producer Norman Whitfield. Whitfield gradually became associated with the group by hiring them for recording sessions; the group also worked with Yvonne Fair, the Undisputed Truth, and the Temptations through Whitfield's influence. After a couple of years of seasoning, the group began production on their debut album under Whitfield's supervision. Also during this time, MCA Records was seeking an artist for the soundtrack to the movie Car Wash. Whitfield convinced executives that the band was more than competent for the job. So the material that Whitfield had assembled for the group's debut album became the soundtrack's material.
when covers were suave
The movie Car Wash and the soundtrack were big hits, and they also propelled the group, now known as Rose Royce, into national notoriety. Released in late 1976, the soundtrack featured three Billboard R&B Top Ten singles: "Car Wash," "I Wanna Get Next to You," and "I'm Going Down." The former was also a number one single on the Billboard pop charts. To offset any negative rhetoric regarding their legitimacy, the group released its follow-up album, Rose Royce II: In Full Bloom, and bloom it did. The group returned to the Top Ten with "Do Your Dance" and "Ooh Boy," silencing all critics. In 1978, they released their third album, entitled Rose Royce III: Strikes Again!, and it featued "I'm in Love (And I Love the Feeling)" and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore." Both singles cracked the Billboard R&B Top Five. The group followed with a string of hits that roamed the charts, but never gained the chart status that their previous songs did. They became very popular in England and remain a marquee attraction there. ~ [Craig Lytle, All Music Guide]
For Foo Fighters in the Definitive 1000 Songs see Number 535
For more Foo Fighters visit Mellow Mix Vol 1 #012
For Madonna in the Definitive 1000 Songs see Number 571
For more Madonna visit Mellow Mix Vol 1 #077
For Joe Cocker in the Definitive 1000 Songs see Number 633
For Edwin Starr in the Definitive 1000 Songs see Number 771
Go on, so what do you think RS?
In the past decade, Norman Whitfield, the great Motown writer/producer ("I Heard It through the Grapevine" and many of the later Temptations' hits) has changed his style little. Rose Royce, the nine-member band that recorded the soundtrack to Car Wash under his direction, sounds like the Temptations with a cotton-candy female lead singer (Gwen Dickey), a technically less facile but more compelling second lead (Kenny Copeland), three horns, two guitars, keyboard and rhythm. The Temptations' "Just My Imagination" is the prototype of Whitfield's ballad style. In Car Wash, its plaintiveness was echoed with uncanny purity in "I Wanna Get Next to You." None of the ballads on the new album can touch it.
The Temptations' "Ball of Confusion," with its spacey instrumentation, disjointed vocals and Sly-influenced guitar twang, is the prototype for Rose Royce's uptempo music. But in Rose Royce's songs, "relevance" has been reduced to spiritual generalities. The strongest new influence on Whitfield is K.C. and the Sunshine Band's minimal disco; "Do Your Dance," a group chant heavily laced with horns, virtually reprises the tune of "Get Down Tonight." The concept Whitfield and Rose Royce convey on In Full Bloom is the same one the Car Wash soundtrack exploited so disarmingly: that the inner city is a zany, but basically tranquil, extended family stabilized by humor and, above all, by a shared sense of funk. It's a fantasy that's as congenial as it is unbelievable. ~ [RS 249 STEPHEN HOLDEN]
For the Temptations in the Definitive 1000 Songs see Number 601 & Number 819
Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (you cant be serious) and the Album ranked at Number (can you?) (deadly)
Rose Royce ~Love Dont Live Here Anymore~
Uploaded by LibertedExpression
Tags:Rose Royce, 1978, R&B, Foo Fighters, Madonna, Joe Cocker, Edwin Starr, The Temptations, YouTube, Music Video, Rolling Stone Magazine, Crowbarred, New Zealand, Crowbarred Unleashed, The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time, Mellow Mix Volume 1, Mellow Mix Volume 2, Mellow Mix Volume 3, Mellow Mix Volume 4, Mellow Mix Volume 5, Mellow Mix Volume 6, Mellow Mix Volume 7, Mellow Mix Volume 9, Mellow Mix Volume 10, Mellow Mix Volume 11, Mellow Mix Volume 12
Labels: Rose Royce 502
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Number 464 - Joe Walsh
"Rocky Mountain Way"
art by faondejade [nice]
Why isn't this song on Guitar Hero? Speaking of Guitar Hero, i just recently purchased the GH Aerosmith version, it's a bit of fun but not exactly got what i was hoping for. Besides the upcoming GH Metallica version i was thinking what else would be a group to cover on GH. Yep, i was thinking the same thing ... Pink Floyd Hoo Ya! Now that would be a cool set to play. Also, i have heard that there might be a Beatles version too! The one to wait for will no doubt be GH4 or otherwise known as "Guitar Hero World Tour" later this year, with a stunning 85 songs to play and not to mention the game includes a drum set [!], bass and mic. It won't be far away till we have a band on MTV playing GH4 instruments with new songs. Lets hope the electric guitar never fades away because i'm starting to fear it just might.
Yeah you
The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get, Walsh's second solo studio album, continues the heavy and light rock mix of tracks found on his previous release Barnstorm. Indeed, the opening two tracks bear this out. The first, perhaps Joe Walsh's most recognized track, "Rocky Mountain Way", comes replete with overly distorted guitars and the obligatory solo. The next song, "Bookends", is a tuneful ode to happy memories. Walsh's ability to swing wildly from one end of the rock scale to the other is unparalleled and makes for an album to suit many tastes. Joe Vitale (drums, flute, backing vocals, keyboards, and synthesisers is a talented man) and Kenny Passarelli (bass and backing vocals) are once again employed, and once again prove themselves adept at handling Walsh's various styles.
Gonna try for CSI
The album sees an addition to the backing band in the form of Rocke Grace on keyboards and vocals. The legendary Bill Szymczyk works along with Walsh to handle the production, and takes care of the mixing. Szymczyk's work on this area is as always astounding. The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get features some of the most remembered Joe Walsh tracks, but it's not just these that made the album the success it was. Each of the nine tracks is a song to be proud of. This is a superb album by anyone's standards. Following 1987's Got Any Gum?, he toured with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band, returning to his solo career for 1991's Ordinary Average Guy. In 1994 he joined the reunited Eagles for their blockbuster Hell Freezes Over tour and remained on the road as a solo act for years to come ~[Ben Davies, All Music Guide]
Triv Time
Lucy Walsh (Joe's daughter) ~ wow!
* ~ Walsh gave his main guitar, a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Sunburst, to Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page
* ~ Walsh appeared in the television series Duckman, as medical video actor in episode 315 - "They Craved Duckman's Brain". Walsh also plays a version of "Life's Been Good" in a Duckman episode. He also appeared on Mad TV in 1995 as a customer at an air guitar shop, and on the comedy game show Street Smarts. Walsh appeared in the audience on the April 10, 2008 episode of the MTV show Rock the Cradle as a surprise for his daughter Lucy.
* ~ Walsh has produced albums for artists such as Dan Fogelberg and Ringo Starr. He was a background musician (1st guitar solo) on Eagles bandmate Don Henley's 1982 hit "Dirty Laundry" (listed as such in the liner notes of I Can't Stand Still and Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits).
* ~ Walsh played guitar alongside Laura Hall in a surprise appearance in Drew Carey's pay-per-view presentation of "Drew Carey's Improv All-Stars" in Las Vegas. He participated in one game in each show, the ending game "biography." He sometimes made guest appearances on the Drew Carey Show as Ed, a laid-back guitarist in a bar band.
* ~ Walsh appeared as a featured performer at the 1992 Seville Expo Guitar Legends with on-stage featured guitarists Nuno Bettencourt, Brian May, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. ~ [Source:Wikipedia]
Roll Call ....
For Metallica see Number 484
For more Metallica visit MM Vol 1 #033 & Vol 2 #136
For Pink Floyd see Number 497
For more Pink Floyd visit MM Vol 1 #138
For Beatles see Number 489, #587, #894 & #947
For Ringo Starr see Number 901
For Eagles see Number 509
For Led Zeppelin see Number 577 & #957
For Brian May see Number 539, #747, #799 & #805
For Joe Satriani see Number 477 & #688
For Steve Vai see Number 896
What does Rolling Toked think about Joe Walsh?
Joe Walsh is out to do the Stephen Stills number by splitting his supergroup and forging out for Musical Freedom and a distinguished solo career (least that's what it says here). Sounds great—only Joe's band, the James Gang, wasn't that super and while Stills has just now completed the process of consuming himself, Joe's already done a pretty good job of it on only his second solo album. "Rocky Mountain Way," with its "The Rocky Mountain Way/Is better than the way we had," is the LP's standout—and it sounds the closest to the old James Gang. It opens a set which dips down into rhythm-led power tunes, reggae leanings, close-harmonied ballads and acoustic pieces, but never seems comfortable with anything. Ex-Amboy Duke Joe Vitale remains from Barnstorm, with keyboard man Rocke Grace and bassist Kenny Passarelli now added: All are properly subdued, with the exception of Vitale's tasteful flute work on "Midnight Moodies." Mostly, however, the playing is of a detached nature, professional but uninspired. ~ [Source:Rolling Stone #143]
For Stephen Stills see Number 660
Rolling Stone magazine deemed their '464th Song of all Time' was "Standing In The Shadows Of Love" by The Four Tops. The Four Tops has not appeared in The Definitive 1000.
Other songs with reference to Joe Walsh #622
Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (Joe who?) and the Album ranked at (what band is he from?)
This song has a Definitive 1000 rating of 76.6 out of 108
Joe Walsh - Rocky Mountain Way
Uploaded by clydeascope
Tags:Joe Walsh, 1973, Rock, Metallica, Aerosmith, Guitar Hero, Beatles, Pink Floyd,YouTube, Music Video, Rolling Stone Magazine, Crowbarred, New Zealand, Crowbarred Unleashed, The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time, Mellow Mix Volume 1, Mellow Mix Volume 2, Mellow Mix Volume 3, Mellow Mix Volume 4, Mellow Mix Volume 5, Mellow Mix Volume 6, Mellow Mix Volume 7, Mellow Mix Volume 9, Mellow Mix Volume 10, Mellow Mix Volume 11, Mellow Mix Volume 12 Joe Walsh, 1973, Rock, The Eagles, Lucy Walsh, Ringo Starr, Led Zeppelin, Crowbarred, The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time
Labels: Joe Walsh 464
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Language of document : English French ECLI:EU:T:2019:161
JUDGMENT OF THE GENERAL COURT (Sixth Chamber)
13 March 2019 (*)
(Access to documents — Decision 2004/258/EC — Documents relating to the ECB’s decision of 1 August 2014 concerning Banco Espírito Santo SA — Partial refusal to grant access — Exception relating to the confidentiality of the proceedings of the ECB’s decision-making bodies — Exception relating to the financial, monetary or economic policy of the European Union or of a Member State — Exception relating to the stability of the financial system in the European Union or in a Member State — Exception relating to the protection of commercial interests — Exception relating to documents intended for internal use — Obligation to state reasons)
In Case T‑730/16,
Espírito Santo Financial Group SA, established in Luxembourg (Luxembourg), represented by R. Oliveira, S. Estima Martins and D. Duarte de Campos, lawyers,
applicant,
European Central Bank (ECB), represented by F. von Lindeiner and S. Lambrinoc, acting as Agents, and by H.-G. Kamann, lawyer,
defendant,
APPLICATION pursuant to Article 263 TFEU for annulment of the ECB’s decision of 31 August 2016 refusing in part to disclose certain documents relating to its decision of 1 August 2014 concerning Banco Espírito Santo SA,
THE GENERAL COURT (Sixth Chamber),
composed of G. Berardis, President, D. Spielmann and Z. Csehi (Rapporteur), Judges,
Registrar: P. Cullen, Administrator,
having regard to the written part of the procedure and further to the hearing on 17 May 2018,
gives the following
Background to the dispute
1 The applicant, Espírito Santo Financial Group SA, is a company incorporated under Luxembourg law, which has been the subject of insolvency proceedings since 10 October 2014. It held shares, directly and indirectly, in the capital of Banco Espírito Santo SA (‘BES’).
2 From May 2014, BES came under financial pressure and its liquidity position deteriorated, inter alia, as a result of difficulties faced by other companies affiliated to the same group. In view of that situation, BES had recourse to Eurosystem credit operations and, from 17 July 2014, started to receive emergency liquidity assistance from Banco de Portugal, the Portuguese central bank.
3 On 23 July 2014, the European Central Bank (ECB)’s Governing Council (‘the Governing Council’) decided not to oppose, until its next ordinary meeting, the granting of emergency liquidity assistance to BES up to a certain limit.
4 Acting on a proposal from the Executive Board of the ECB of 28 July 2014 (‘the proposal of 28 July 2014’), the Governing Council decided, on the same day, to maintain BES’ access to ‘monetary policy credit instruments’, while ‘freezing’ the existing credit provided to BES, its branches and its subsidiaries through such instruments ‘at the current level’ (‘the decision of 28 July 2014’). As a consequence, the amount of credit provided to those entities through Eurosystem credit operations was capped at the level of 28 July 2014. That decision was recorded in minutes, which also referred to the amount of the credit in question.
5 Acting on a proposal from the Executive Board of the ECB of 1 August 2014 (‘the proposal of 1 August 2014’), the Governing Council decided, on the same day, inter alia, to suspend access by BES and its branches, with effect from 4 August 2014, to monetary policy credit instruments, on grounds of prudence, and ordered that BES repay, no later than the same date, all the credit granted to it within the framework of the Eurosystem (‘the decision of 1 August 2014’). That decision was recorded in minutes, in which the ceiling for the emergency liquidity that could be granted by Banco de Portugal to BES was also stated.
6 In that context, the Portuguese authorities decided to make BES the subject of a resolution procedure, which involved the creation of a temporary credit institution, the ‘bridge bank’ named Novo Banco SA, and the transfer of BES’s sound business activities to the latter.
7 On Sunday 3 August 2014, following notification by the Portuguese authorities, the European Commission adopted Decision C(2014) 5682 final on State aid SA.39250 (2014/N) — Portugal, Resolution of Banco Espírito Santo SA, by which it concluded that the notified measure, namely the injection of EUR 4 899 million capital by the Portuguese authorities into Novo Banco by means of the Fundo de Resolução (Portuguese Resolution Fund), along with the undertakings given by those authorities, constituted State aid compatible with the internal market under Article 107(3)(b) TFEU. According to those undertakings, the sale of Novo Banco was to be completed by August 2016 at the latest. On 21 December 2015, the Commission extended that deadline, the new date of which was kept confidential.
8 On 3 August 2014, Novo Banco was created by the Portuguese authorities. Various BES assets, liabilities, off-balance-sheet items and assets under management were transferred to Novo Banco.
9 On 15 September 2015, Banco de Portugal decided to suspend the sales process relating to Novo Banco.
10 On 29 December 2015, Banco de Portugal approved a number of decisions supplementing the resolution measure relating to BES and made an adjustment to the assets, liabilities, off-balance-sheet items and assets under management transferred to Novo Banco.
11 On 15 January 2016, Banco de Portugal announced that the process for the sale of Novo Banco was to be resumed and, on 31 March 2016, the selling arrangements were published.
12 By letter of 7 April 2016, the applicant requested that the ECB grant access to the decision of 1 August 2014, and to ‘any other decisions and/or [any other] documents issued by any of the ECB bodies, either prior or subsequent to the [decision of 1 August 2014], as well as any communications exchanged with [Banco de] Portugal, which are in any way related to the [decision of 1 August 2014]’.
13 By letter of 10 June 2016, the ECB replied to that request and granted the applicant full or partial access to a number of the documents it had requested (‘the decision on the initial application’). In particular, it granted partial access to extracts of the minutes recording the decisions of 28 July and 1 August 2014 and to the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014.
14 By letter of 6 July 2016, the applicant sent a confirmatory application to the ECB, in which it requested disclosure of the amounts which had been deleted from the extracts of the minutes recording the decisions of 28 July and 1 August 2014 provided to it, namely the amount of the credit provided to BES, its branches and its subsidiaries through Eurosystem monetary policy instruments and the amount of the ceiling for emergency liquidity that could be granted to BES by Banco de Portugal. Moreover, with regard to the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014, the applicant considered in particular that the reasons given by the ECB in the decision on the initial application to justify the refusal to disclose parts of those proposals were too vague and general and requested broader access to those documents. As regards the proposal of 28 July 2014, the applicant requested, inter alia, access to information concerning the solvency of BES, the estimate of BES’s indirect exposure, the guarantee granted by the Republic of Angola to Banco Espírito Santo Angola SA and financial stability issues. As regards the proposal of 1 August 2014, the applicant sought, inter alia, access to information concerning the creation of the ‘new bank’.
15 On 13 July 2016, BES’ banking authorisation was withdrawn and it is currently in liquidation.
16 By letter of 31 August 2016 (‘the contested decision’), the ECB confirmed its refusal to disclose the amounts redacted from the extracts of the minutes recording the decisions of 28 July and 1 August 2014 and the passages deleted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014, pursuant to Article 4 of ECB Decision 2004/258/EC of 4 March 2004 on public access to [ECB] documents (OJ 2004 L 80, p. 42).
Procedure and forms of order sought
17 By application lodged at the Registry of the General Court on 13 October 2016, the applicant brought the present action.
18 The parties did not submit a request for a hearing.
19 On hearing the report of the Judge-Rapporteur, the Court (Sixth Chamber) decided to open the oral procedure and, by way of measures of organisation of procedure provided for in Article 89 of its Rules of Procedure, requested the parties to lodge certain documents and to answer certain questions in writing. The parties complied with those measures of organisation of procedure within the time allowed.
20 At the hearing on 17 May 2018, the parties presented oral argument and replied to oral questions put by the Court.
21 The applicant claims that the Court should:
– annul the contested decision;
– order the ECB to pay the costs.
22 The ECB contends that the Court should:
– dismiss the application;
– order the applicant to pay the costs.
23 The application for annulment of the contested decision is based on six pleas in law.
24 The first two pleas relate to the amounts which were deleted from the extracts of the minutes recording the decisions of 28 July and 1 August 2014 sent to the applicant and allege, respectively, infringement of the obligation to state reasons and infringement of the first, second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258. The four other pleas relate to the information redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 provided to the applicant and allege, respectively, infringement of the obligation to state reasons, infringement of the second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, infringement of the first indent of Article 4(2) of that decision and infringement of Article 4(3) of the decision.
25 First, it is appropriate to examine the arguments put forward by the applicant in connection with the first two pleas challenging the refusal to grant it access to the amount of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity that could be granted by Banco de Portugal to BES indicated in the minutes recording the decision of 1 August 2014 (‘the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question’). Next, the Court will go on to examine the arguments put forward by the applicant in its first two pleas calling into question the refusal to grant it access to the amount of credit indicated in the minutes recording the decision of 28 July 2014 (‘the amount of credit in question’). Lastly, it will be necessary to examine the applicant’s pleas challenging the refusal to grant it greater access to the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014.
The refusal to grant the applicant access to the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question
26 In its first plea, challenging the refusal to grant it access to the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question, the applicant maintains that the contested decision does not provide adequate reasons. In the second plea, it contends that the ECB infringed the first, second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
Breach of the obligation to state reasons
27 The applicant submits that the ECB put forward only generic considerations as regards the exceptions relied on in refusing to grant access to the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question. It states that the contested decision does not indicate how disclosure of that ceiling, in 2016, could undermine the effectiveness of monetary policy and financial stability.
28 The ECB disputes those arguments.
29 As a preliminary point, it should be noted, as the ECB explained in the contested decision and in its written pleadings, without being contradicted by the applicant, that the provision of emergency liquidity consists in the exceptional provision, under national law, by the central bank of a Member State whose currency is the euro (‘the NCB’) of central bank money and any other form of assistance which may lead to an increase in central bank money to a solvent financial institution that is facing temporary liquidity problems, although such operations do not form part of the European Union’s single monetary policy. However, under Article 14.4 of Protocol (No 4) on the Statute of the European system of central banks and of the ECB (OJ 2012 C 326, p. 230, ‘the ESCB and ECB Statute’), the Governing Council may assess whether such national operations interfere in any way with the objectives and tasks of the European system of central banks (‘the ESCB’). Although the Governing Council does not decide whether emergency liquidity assistance should in fact be given, it has the power to prohibit ex ante the provision of emergency liquidity by an NCB or to make it subject to certain conditions, if the provision of such assistance will interfere with the objectives and tasks of the ESCB.
30 It should also be noted that, pursuant to the second paragraph of Article 296 TFEU, legal acts are to state the reasons on which they are based.
31 The statement of reasons for a decision must be appropriate to the act at issue and must disclose in a clear and unequivocal fashion the reasoning followed by the EU institution which adopted the measure in question, in such a way as to enable the persons concerned to ascertain the reasons for the measure and to enable the EU judicature to exercise its power of review (see judgment of 4 June 2015, Versorgungswerk der Zahnärztekammer Schleswig-Holstein v ECB, T‑376/13, EU:T:2015:361, paragraph 32 and the case-law cited).
32 The requirements to be satisfied by the statement of reasons depend on the circumstances of each case, in particular the content of the measure in question, the nature of the reasons given and the interest which the addressees of the measure, or other parties to whom it is of concern, for the purpose of Article 263 TFEU, may have in obtaining explanations. It is not necessary for the statement of reasons to specify all the relevant matters of fact and law, since the question whether the statement of reasons meets the necessary requirements must be assessed with regard not only to its wording but also to its context and to all the legal rules governing the matter in question (see judgment of 4 June 2015, Versorgungswerk der Zahnärztekammer Schleswig-Holstein v ECB, T‑376/13, EU:T:2015:361, paragraph 33 and the case-law cited).
33 With respect to the legal framework applicable to the right of access to ECB documents, it must be observed that the second paragraph of Article 1 TEU enshrines the principle that the European Union’s decision-making process must be open. In this respect, Article 15(1) TFEU states that, in order to promote good governance and ensure the participation of civil society, the Union’s institutions, bodies, offices and agencies are to conduct their work as openly as possible. According to the first subparagraph of Article 15(3) TFEU, any citizen of the Union, and any natural or legal person residing or having its registered office in a Member State, is to have a right of access to documents of the Union’s institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, whatever their medium, subject to the principles and the conditions to be defined in accordance with that paragraph. Moreover, according to the second subparagraph of Article 15(3) TFEU, the general principles and limits on grounds of public or private interest governing this right of access to documents are to be determined by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, by means of regulations, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure. The third subparagraph of Article 15(3) TFEU provides that each institution, body, office or agency is to ensure that its proceedings are transparent and is to elaborate in its own rules of procedure specific provisions regarding access to its documents, in accordance with the regulations referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 15(3) TFEU. The fourth subparagraph of Article 15(3) TFEU states that the Court of Justice of the European Union, the ECB and the European Investment Bank (EIB) are to be subject to that paragraph only when exercising their administrative tasks.
34 The rules applicable to the ECB in this area are governed by Decision 2004/258, which it adopted on the basis of Article 12.3 of the ESCB and ECB Statute and Article 23 of Decision 2004/257/EC of 19 February 2004 adopting the Rules of Procedure of the ECB (OJ 2004 L 80, p. 33). Decision 2004/258 was amended most recently by Decision (EU) 2015/529 of the ECB of 21 January 2015 (OJ 2015 L 84, p. 64).
35 Decision 2004/258 seeks, as recitals 2 and 3 thereof state, to authorise wider access to ECB documents than that which existed under the system established by Decision 1999/284/EC of 3 November 1998 concerning public access to documentation and the archives of the ECB (OJ 1999 L 110, p. 30), while at the same time protecting the independence of the ECB and of NCBs, and the confidentiality of certain matters specific to the performance of the ECB’s tasks. Article 2(1) of Decision 2004/258 thus gives any citizen of the European Union, and any natural or legal person residing or having its registered office in a Member State, a right of access to ECB documents, subject to the conditions and limits laid down in that decision.
36 That right is nonetheless subject to certain limits based on reasons of public or private interest.
37 More specifically, the first, second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258 provide for exceptions to the right of access to a document where disclosure of the document would undermine the protection of the public interest as regards the confidentiality of the proceedings of the ECB’s decision-making bodies, the ECB Supervisory Board or other bodies established under Council Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013 of 15 October 2013 conferring specific tasks on the ECB concerning policies relating to the prudential supervision of credit institutions (OJ 2013 L 287, p. 63), the financial, monetary or economic policy of the European Union or of a Member State and the stability of the financial system in the European Union or in a Member State.
38 The reasons for any decision on an application for access to documents adopted by the ECB on the basis of the exceptions set out in Article 4 of Decision 2004/258 must be stated (see, by analogy, judgments of 1 July 2008, Sweden and Turco v Council, C‑39/05 P and C‑52/05 P, EU:C:2008:374, paragraph 48; of 11 March 2009, Borax Europe v Commission, T‑121/05, not published, EU:T:2009:64, paragraph 37; and of 12 September 2013, Besselink v Council, T‑331/11, not published, EU:T:2013:419, paragraph 96).
39 If the ECB decides to refuse to grant access to a document which it has been asked to disclose, it must, in principle, explain how disclosure of that document could actually and specifically undermine the interest protected by the exception provided for in Article 4 of Decision 2004/258 that it relies on (see, to that effect, judgment of 29 November 2012, Thesing and Bloomberg Finance v ECB, T‑590/10, not published, EU:T:2012:635, paragraph 42).
40 It is therefore for the ECB to provide a statement of reasons from which it is possible to understand and ascertain, first, whether the document requested does in fact fall within the area covered by the exception relied on and, second, whether the need for protection to which that exception relates is genuine (see, by analogy, judgments of 26 April 2005, Sison v Council, T‑110/03, T‑150/03 and T‑405/03, EU:T:2005:143, paragraph 61, and of 12 September 2013, Besselink v Council, T‑331/11, not published, EU:T:2013:419, paragraph 99).
41 It is in the light of the above considerations that it is necessary to examine whether, in the present case, the reasons given to the applicant were sufficient to justify the refusal to grant access to the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question.
42 In the decision on the initial application, confirmed by the contested decision, the ECB claims that disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question would undermine the protection of the public interest as regards, first, the confidentiality of the proceedings of the ECB’s decision-making bodies, the ECB Supervisory Board or other bodies established under Regulation No 1024/2013, second, the financial, monetary or economic policy of the European Union or of a Member State, and, third, the stability of the financial system in the European Union or in a Member State. According to the ECB, the refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question was therefore justified under the first, second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
43 Moreover, the ECB explained in greater detail, in the contested decision and the decision on the initial application, why it considered that disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question might damage the interests protected.
44 In particular, the ECB indicated, in the decision on the initial application, that the decision of 1 August 2014 was recorded in the minutes of the Governing Council’s meeting of 1 August 2014 and that the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question was protected as confidential under Article 10.4 of the ESCB and ECB Statute and Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258. In the contested decision, the ECB stated that decisions adopted by the Governing Council are recorded in minutes setting out the outcome of the proceedings. As regards Article 10.4 of the ESCB and ECB Statute, the ECB stated that that provision established the principle that the proceedings of the Governing Council are confidential in order to ensure that its decision-making process is effective and to safeguard the independence of its members. It also indicated that that provision gave the Governing Council absolute discretion as to whether to make the outcome of its deliberations public. Moreover, it considers, in essence, that the objective pursued by Article 10.4 of ESCB and ECB Statute was set out, in Decision 2004/258, by the exception laid down in the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) thereof, as is apparent from recital 3 of that decision.
45 As regards the exceptions set out in the second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, in the contested decision the ECB simply stated that disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question would undermine, for the reasons given in the decision on the initial application, the effectiveness of monetary policy and financial stability.
46 In the decision on the initial application, first, the ECB expressed the view, in essence, that disclosure of ceilings for the provision of emergency liquidity could trigger an undesirable response from the market and that, in the light of the systemic relevance of the credit institution in question, as well as other considerations, such as the general situation in the banking sector during the period in question, such disclosure could threaten financial stability and, as a consequence, undermine the smooth implementation of monetary policy. It stated that even ex post disclosure of ceilings for the provision of emergency liquidity could have an adverse effect on its conduct in similar cases in the future. It claims that market operators would be able to infer from specific decisions concerning ceilings for the provision of emergency liquidity the way in which the Governing Council might act in similar situations in the future. Moreover, given the consequences of disclosure of the ceilings in question for financial stability, the ability of the Governing Council to oppose operations for the provision of emergency liquidity which would interfere with ESCB objectives and tasks would be diminished.
47 Second, it is apparent from the decision on the initial application that disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question could affect the stability of Novo Banco and thus undermine the stability of the financial system as well as the process for the sale of that bank, which had been relaunched. The ECB also stated that Novo Banco was operating in still fragile market conditions and that it was of systemic relevance for the Portuguese economy.
48 In response to the arguments put forward by the applicant, it must be noted that the exceptions laid down by Decision 2004/258 on which the ECB based its refusal to grant access to the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question, which was redacted from the extracts of the minutes recording the decision of 1 August 2014 disclosed to the applicant in response to its request, are abundantly clear from the reasons given to the applicant.
49 It should also be noted that the ECB did not simply rely on the claim that disclosure of the amount in question would undermine the protection of the public interest as regards the confidentiality of the proceedings of its decision-making bodies, its Supervisory Board or other bodies established under Regulation No 1024/2013, the financial, monetary or economic policy of the European Union or of a Member State and the stability of the financial system in the European Union or in a Member State. On the contrary, it also provided certain specific reasons in that regard.
50 In the light of the case-law cited in paragraphs 38 to 40 above, it is therefore necessary to ascertain whether those reasons provide an adequate explanation of how disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question could specifically and actually undermine the interests invoked, as protected by Article 4 of Decision 2004/258.
51 In the first place, with regard to the exceptions set out in the second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, the ECB explained, inter alia, that disclosure of ceilings for the provision of emergency liquidity might have specific negative effects on the stability of the financial system and, as a consequence, on the ECB’s conduct of monetary policy (see paragraph 46 above). Furthermore, it stated that disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question would affect the stability of Novo Banco and, as a result, undermine the public interest as regards the stability of the financial system in Portugal (see paragraph 47 above).
52 It follows that the ECB indicated the reasons why it considered that access to the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question would specifically and actually undermine the interests invoked.
53 In the second place, with regard to the exception set out in the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, the Court finds that it is not possible to ascertain clearly, on the basis of the reasons given to the applicant, which are based, inter alia, on Article 10.4 of the ESCB and ECB Statute (see paragraph 44 above), whether the ECB is relying on the confidentiality of the proceedings of the Governing Council or that of the decisions taken by that body, to justify its refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question.
54 Furthermore, and in any event, it must be concluded that the ECB simply put forward very generic considerations concerning the nature of the document, only part of which was disclosed to the applicant. In the light of the case-law cited in paragraphs 38 to 40 above, such reasons are insufficient.
55 The ECB has failed to provide any explanation as to how disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question, the amount of which was included in the minutes that were provided to the applicant in the form of extracts, from which that amount had, however, been redacted, could specifically and actually undermine the protection of the public interest as regards the confidentiality of the proceedings of the Governing Council. It merely referred, in essence, to Article 10.4 of the ESCB and ECB Statute and to the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
56 In that connection, it is appropriate to point out that the authors of the FEU Treaty clearly intended to ensure that the ECB should be in a position to carry out independently the tasks conferred upon it by the Treaty. The most direct evidence of that intention is in Article 130 TFEU. First, that provision expressly prohibits the ECB and the members of its decision-making bodies, when exercising the powers and carrying out the tasks conferred on the ECB by the FEU Treaty and the ESCB and ECB Statute, from seeking or taking instructions from EU institutions, bodies, offices or agencies, from any government of a Member State or from any other body. Second, it prohibits those institutions, bodies, offices or agencies and such governments from seeking to influence the members of the ECB’s decision-making bodies in the performance of their tasks. Article 130 TFEU therefore seeks, in essence, to shield the ECB from all political pressure in order to enable it effectively to pursue the objectives attributed to its tasks, through the independent exercise of the specific powers conferred on it for that purpose by the FEU Treaty and the ESCB and ECB Statute (see, to that effect, judgment of 10 July 2003, Commission v ECB, C‑11/00, EU:C:2003:395, paragraphs 130, 131 and 134).
57 Following that line of reasoning, the first sentence of Article 10.4 of the ESCB and ECB Statute provides that the proceedings of the meetings of the Governing Council are confidential. The purpose of that provision is to protect the deliberations of the Governing Council in order to ensure that its decision-making process is effective and to safeguard its independence, as submitted, in essence, by the ECB. Furthermore, it should be noted that those legitimate interests of the ECB are protected, under the regime established by Decision 2004/258, in particular by the first indent of Article 4(1)(a), as that provision lays down an exception to the rule that access will be given to a document where such disclosure would undermine the protection of the confidentiality of the proceedings of the ECB’s decision-making bodies, which include the Governing Council.
58 It follows that access to the minutes of meetings of the Governing Council may be refused in accordance with Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, which must be interpreted and applied narrowly (see, to that effect, judgment of 4 June 2015, Versorgungswerk der Zahnärztekammer Schleswig-Holstein v ECB, T‑376/13, EU:T:2015:361, paragraph 73), in so far as they reflect the conduct of the proceedings within that council.
59 However, the situation is different as regards decisions taken by the Governing Council and, as a consequence, also as regards the minutes recording those decisions.
60 Indeed, under the second sentence of Article 10.4 of the ESCB and ECB Statute, the Governing Council may decide to make the outcome of its deliberations public. Therefore, its decisions do not enjoy absolute protection in so far as concerns their disclosure, and, where an application is made for disclosure of such a decision, it must be examined in the light of the conditions laid down by the Governing Council in Decision 2004/258.
61 In the present case, it follows that the ECB should have, first, explained why the amount not disclosed to the applicant, when giving only partial access to the document requested, fell within the area covered by the exception provided for in the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258 and, second, provided a statement of reasons making it possible to understand and verify how, specifically and actually, disclosure of that information would undermine the public interest as regards the confidentiality of proceedings of the ECB’s decision-making bodies. Such justification was all the more necessary as the amount in question was indicated in the extracts of the minutes recording the outcome of the Governing Council’s deliberations, not the conduct of the proceedings as such.
62 Even if the ECB relied on the existence of a general presumption that disclosure of the minutes of meetings of the Governing Council would undermine the confidentiality of the proceedings of the ECB’s decision-making bodies as justification for the refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question — as it stated, inter alia, at the hearing — it is sufficient to note that the purpose of the general presumptions upheld by the EU courts as regards certain categories of document is to allow the institution concerned to derogate from the requirement that there should be a specific individual examination of each document sought and to rely on general considerations applicable to certain categories of document (see, to that effect, judgments of 1 July 2008, Sweden and Turco v Council, C‑39/05 P and C‑52/05 P, EU:C:2008:374, paragraph 50, and of 28 June 2012, Commission v Éditions Odile Jacob, C‑404/10 P, EU:C:2012:393, paragraph 116) and that the documents covered by those presumptions fall outside the obligation to disclose, in full or part, their content (see, to that effect, judgments of 28 June 2012, Commission v Éditions Odile Jacob, C‑404/10 P, EU:C:2012:393, paragraph 133, and of 14 July 2016, Sea Handling v Commission, C‑271/15 P, not published, EU:C:2016:557, paragraph 61).
63 Accordingly, given that, in the present case, the ECB partially disclosed to the applicant the extracts from the minutes indicating the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question and therefore, de facto, carried out an individual specific examination of the document which it had been requested to disclose, it was also required, in the light of the case-law cited in paragraphs 38 to 40 above, to provide specific justification as regards the exception set out in the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
64 In the light of all the foregoing, the applicant’s arguments alleging breach of the duty to state reasons cannot be accepted in so far as they relate to the exceptions laid down in the second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
65 With regard to the Court’s finding that adequate reasons were not provided in respect of the exception under the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, it will be necessary, before determining the possible consequences of that finding, to examine whether the other exceptions invoked by the ECB — which the applicant claims are unfounded in its second plea — may justify the refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question.
Breach of the second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258
66 In its second plea, the applicant maintains, inter alia, that the ECB was incorrect to base its refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question on the exceptions provided for in the second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258. It claims, in essence, that the ECB’s arguments that disclosure of that ceiling could undermine the financial, monetary or economic policy of the European Union or of a Member State and the stability of the financial system in the European Union or in a Member State are vitiated by manifest errors of assessment.
67 As a preliminary point, it should be noted that, in the decision on the initial application, to which the contested decision refers, the ECB developed two distinct lines of argument to justify its refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question under the second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
68 First, the ECB stated, in essence, that disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question could undermine the public interest as regards the stability of the financial system in Portugal (see paragraph 47 above). In particular, it maintained in that regard that disclosure of that amount could have a negative impact on the stability of Novo Banco and the process for the sale of that bank. The ECB also indicated that Novo Banco was operating in still fragile market conditions and that it was of systemic relevance for the Portuguese economy. Those arguments relate to the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
69 Second, the ECB argues, in essence, that disclosure of ceilings for the provision of emergency liquidity could have a negative impact on its conduct of monetary policy in future cases (see paragraph 46 above). That argument relates to the second indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
70 It is necessary to examine first of all whether the refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question and, therefore, the partial rejection of the application for disclosure of the decision of 1 August 2014, are justified under the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
71 The applicant disputes the claim that disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question, which relates to BES, may affect the stability of Novo Banco and have the effects on Portugal claimed by the ECB, as market participants or potential investors have at their disposal much more recent, relevant and reliable financial information on Novo Banco. It states that, between the decisions of 28 July and 1 August 2014, on the one hand, and the contested decision, on the other, BES was the subject of a resolution procedure which involved the creation of Novo Banco, to which the BES assets deemed non-problematic were transferred. The applicant adds, in essence, that the economic situation of Novo Banco, an entity separate from BES, changed in the course of the two years during which it operated and that it is seeking disclosure of an historic figure from which it is not possible to draw any meaningful conclusions concerning the current situation of Novo Banco or the Portuguese financial market. The applicant also notes that, as early as 3 August 2014, Banco de Portugal had already disclosed the amount actually paid to BES in respect of emergency liquidity assistance and that the factual circumstances surrounding the resolution of BES had been made public. Moreover, it states that it did not ask for information on how the provision of emergency liquidity in question varied over time and that, as a consequence, disclosure of the data in question could not have effects on financial stability such as those claimed in the decision on the initial application.
72 The ECB disputes the applicant’s arguments.
73 It should be noted, first of all, that the ECB enjoys wide discretion when determining whether disclosure of information contained in the documents requested by the applicant could undermine the public interest as regards the area covered by the exception laid down in the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258. The EU judicature’s review of legality in that regard must therefore be limited to verifying whether the procedural rules and the duty to state reasons have been complied with, whether the facts have been accurately stated, and whether there has been a manifest error of assessment or a misuse of powers (see, to that effect, judgment of 4 June 2015, Versorgungswerk der Zahnärztekammer Schleswig-Holstein v ECB, T‑376/13, EU:T:2015:361, paragraph 53 and the case-law cited).
74 Furthermore, it is clear from the case-law cited in paragraph 39 above that, if the ECB decides to refuse access to a document which it has been asked to disclose under Article 4(1) of Decision 2004/258, it must, in principle, explain how disclosure of that document could specifically and actually undermine the interest protected by the exception — among those provided for in that provision — upon which it is relying. The likelihood of that interest being compromised must be reasonably foreseeable and not purely hypothetical (see judgment of 29 November 2012, Thesing and Bloomberg Finance v ECB, T‑590/10, not published, EU:T:2012:635, paragraph 42 and the case-law cited).
75 It is in the light of those principles that the Court must ascertain whether the arguments put forward by the applicant are such as to establish that the ECB made a manifest error of assessment in taking the view that disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question might undermine the protection of the public interest as regards the stability of the financial system in Portugal.
76 As indicated in paragraphs 47 and 68 above, the ECB claimed that disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question might have an adverse effect on the stability of Novo Banco and on the process for the sale of that bank and, ultimately, on the stability of the Portuguese financial system, in view of the systemic relevance of Novo Banco for the Portuguese economy and the vulnerability of the market environment. It stated, in general terms (see paragraph 46 above), that market operators would be able to infer from ceilings for the provision of emergency liquidity the liquidity position of a credit institution and trigger an undesirable response from the market. It added that, in the light of the systemic relevance of the credit institution in question and other considerations, such as the general situation in the banking sector at a given time, such disclosure could undermine financial stability.
77 The ECB therefore took the view, in essence, that disclosure of the figure in question might, first, give rise to speculation as to Novo Banco’s liquidity position and its financing needs and generate unwarranted funding pressure, and, second, have a negative impact on the process for the sale of that bank, thus giving rise to the risk that the public interest might be undermined as regards the stability of the financial system in Portugal.
78 It should be noted in that regard that, as acknowledged by case-law, it is common for market participants to use the information disclosed by central banks, since their analyses and decisions are considered a particularly important and reliable source for assessing current and prospective financial market developments (see judgment of 4 June 2015, Versorgungswerk der Zahnärztekammer Schleswig-Holstein v ECB, T‑376/13, EU:T:2015:361, paragraph 78 and the case-law cited).
79 In the present case, it should be observed that Novo Banco is a bank that was created as part of the procedure for the resolution of BES resulting from the latter’s financial difficulties. Moreover, a number of assets, liabilities, off-balance-sheet items and assets under management were transferred from BES to Novo Banco and the process for the sale of the latter was still ongoing when the contested decision was taken.
80 The Court also observes that the applicant has not put forward any arguments or evidence capable of calling into question the ECB’s contention that Novo Banco was of systemic relevance for Portugal’s financial system and that, at the time the contested decision was adopted, it was operating in fragile market conditions in Portugal.
81 Moreover, it is apparent from the contested decision — and is not disputed by the applicant — that the process for the sale of Novo Banco was especially important for the stability of the financial system in Portugal. Against that background, it should be noted, as observed by the ECB in reply to a question put by the Court, that the conditions for the sale of Novo Banco were likely to have repercussions on Portugal’s public finances and on the Portuguese banking system. First, as is apparent from Decision C(2014) 5682 final, the Portuguese authorities granted credit to the Portuguese Resolution Fund, which subsequently injected capital into Novo Banco, and, second, the funds injected into Novo Banco were also to be repaid by means of contributions made by other Portuguese banks to the Portuguese Resolution Fund.
82 In the light of the foregoing, it was reasonably foreseeable, as the ECB maintains, that disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question was likely, at the time the contested decision was adopted, to open the door to speculation by market participants as to Novo Banco’s liquidity position and its financing needs and thus generate unwarranted funding pressures for it, or to have, in essence, a negative impact on its sale process, thus giving rise to the risk of undermining the public interest as regards the stability of the financial system in Portugal.
83 The arguments put forward by the applicant cannot alter that finding.
84 First, as regards the argument that Novo Banco is a new entity whose financial position is very different from that of BES and that market operators have more up to date information on Novo Banco’s financial position, it should be noted that, as is apparent from Banco de Portugal’s decision of 3 August 2014, Novo Banco is a bridge bank in relation to BES and was created against the background of the liquidity crisis faced by BES (see paragraphs 2 to 6 above) in order to protect, inter alia, depositors and, ultimately, to ensure the stability of the financial system in Portugal.
85 Moreover, even if it were apparent from the information on its financial situation disclosed by Novo Banco that its liquidity position and financing needs were different from those of BES in July 2014, disclosure of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question — information not available to market operators — could have had a negative impact on the perception of Novo Banco’s financial situation by those operators, as a number of BES assets, liabilities, off-balance-sheet items and assets under management had been transferred to Novo Banco, the liquidity crisis faced by BES before it was placed under a resolution procedure was considerable and the process for the sale of Novo Banco was still ongoing.
86 Admittedly, as the applicant has pointed out, approximately two years elapsed between the decision of 1 August 2014 and the contested decision. Nevertheless, in the absence of any other factors, that is not sufficient for the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question to be regarded as a historic figure with no possible bearing on the assessment of Novo Banco’s financial situation at the time the contested decision was adopted.
87 Secondly, as regards the argument that, by 3 August 2014, Banco de Portugal had already disclosed the amount actually provided to BES by way of emergency liquidity assistance and the fact that the factual circumstances surrounding the resolution of BES had been made public, it is sufficient to point out, as the ECB was correct to observe, that the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question was not disclosed by Banco de Portugal and that Banco de Portugal’s decision of 3 August 2014 concerning the creation of Novo Banco gives only an approximate figure for the amount paid to BES in respect of emergency liquidity assistance, namely EUR 3.5 billion.
88 Third, in so far as the applicant claims that it did not request information on how the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question varied over time and, as a consequence, disclosure of the information sought could not have effects such as those described in the decision on the initial application, that argument cannot call into question the reasons given by the ECB in the decision on the initial application.
89 In the paragraph referred to by the applicant, the ECB did not simply mention the effects on financial stability of the possibility for market operators of monitoring how the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question developed over time. The ECB also stated that market operators would be able to infer from ceilings for the provision of emergency liquidity the liquidity position of a credit institution, which could trigger an undesirable response on the market and have an adverse effect on financial stability. It is specifically in that context that the ECB adopted a position on the consequences of it being possible for market operators to monitor developments in ceilings for the provision of emergency liquidity over time.
90 Therefore, as regards the ceiling for provision of emergency liquidity in question, the ECB concluded, without making any manifest error of assessment, that the requirements laid down in the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258 were met.
91 Furthermore, as regards the applicant’s argument concerning the disclosure of the approximate percentage of the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question that the amount actually paid by Banco de Portugal to BES represented, and therefore its claim, in essence, that broader access should have been given to the figure at issue on the basis of Article 4(5) of Decision 2004/258, under which it is possible to gain partial access to the document requested if only part of it is covered by one or more exceptions, it should be noted, without there being any need to rule on the admissibility of the argument in question, that that provision does not require the ECB, where an application for access to documents has been addressed to it, to replace the parts of those documents for which disclosure is legitimately refused, in accordance with the exceptions set out in that decision, by ranges where the data concerned are in figures (see, by analogy, judgment of 13 September 2013, Netherlands v Commission, T‑380/08, EU:T:2013:480, paragraph 94).
92 It is clear from all the foregoing that the second plea must be rejected in so far as it is directed at the refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question on the basis of the exception provided for in the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
93 It also follows that there is no need to adjudicate on the arguments based on the second indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258. Indeed, under the overall scheme of Article 4 of Decision 2004/258, refusal to grant an application for access is justified where the requirements laid down by one of the exceptions provided for in that article are met. In the present case, such a refusal may be based on the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258. Therefore, even if the complaints directed against the second indent of Article 4(1)(a) of that decision were well founded, they would not be such as to call into question the justification for refusing to disclose the figure in question.
94 The same applies with regard to the consequences of the failure to state adequate reasons in the contested decision established in paragraphs 53 to 63 above in connection with the exception provided for in the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, as well as the applicant’s arguments alleging breach of that provision, raised in the second plea.
The refusal to grant access to the amount of credit in question
95 In order to challenge the refusal to disclose the amount of credit in question, which was granted to BES, its branches and subsidiaries through Eurosystem monetary policy instruments, the applicant relies on the same objections as those put forward in contesting the refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question. In particular, in the first plea, it contends that the contested decision does not provide adequate reasons and, in the second plea, it maintains that the ECB infringed the first, second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
Breach of the duty to state reasons
96 As with the refusal to grant access to the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question, the applicant contends that, in the contested decision, the ECB set out only general considerations regarding the exceptions relied on in refusing access to the amount of credit in question. It states that the contested decision does not indicate how disclosure of that amount in 2016 could have undermined the effectiveness of monetary policy and financial stability.
98 As a preliminary point, it should be noted that, in order to achieve the objectives of the ESCB and to carry out its tasks, Article 18.1 of the ESCB and ECB Statute authorises the ECB and NCBs to, inter alia, conduct credit operations with credit institutions and other market participants, with lending being based on adequate collateral. Those Eurosystem credit operations take the form, inter alia, of temporary transfer operations for the provision of liquidity.
99 It should also be noted that it is in the light of the considerations set out in paragraphs 30 to 40 above that the Court must examine whether, in the present case, the reasons given in the contested decision were sufficient to justify the refusal to disclose the amount of credit in question.
100 In the contested decision, the ECB argued that disclosure of the amount of credit in question would undermine the effectiveness of monetary policy and financial stability for the reasons given in the decision on the initial application. Furthermore, with regard to decisions adopted by the Governing Council, in the contested decision it invoked the exception set out in the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
101 Therefore, as established in connection with the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question, the ECB based its refusal to disclose the amount of credit in question on the exceptions laid down in the first, second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
102 As regards the reasons justifying its claim that disclosure of the amount in question would undermine the protection of the interests invoked, it should be noted that, with regard to the second indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, concerning the protection of the public interest as regards the financial, monetary or economic policy of the European Union or of a Member State, the ECB simply indicated in the decision on the initial application that disclosure of the amount of credit in question could have a significantly adverse effect on the operational activities of the Eurosystem, but did not provide any details as to how, and on what grounds, such disclosure might affect those activities.
103 In the defence, the ECB states, in essence, that if the amounts granted in Eurosystem credit operations were to be published, credit institutions might be deterred, having regard to the risks associated with the interpretation of that information by third parties, from participating in such operations, which could have detrimental effects on the money market, and that it would be more difficult, or even impossible, for the Eurosystem to conduct its monetary policy operations effectively.
104 It should be noted in that regard that that line of reasoning was put forward neither in the contested decision nor in the decision on the initial application and cannot be aired for the first time before the Court. As observed above, according to case-law, save in exceptional circumstances, the reasons for a decision have to appear in the actual body of the decision and cannot be explained for the first time ex post facto before the Court (see, to that effect, judgment of 27 November 2007, Pitsiorlas v Council and ECB, T‑3/00 and T‑337/04, EU:T:2007:357, paragraph 278 and the case-law cited).
105 Moreover, in so far as the ECB maintains in the defence and the rejoinder that disclosure of the amount of credit in question could also have undermined the financial, monetary and economic policies of Portugal, as key stakeholder in the process for the sale of Novo Banco, it is not possible to infer such a line of argument, which is based on the exception set out in the second indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, from either the contested decision or the decision on the initial application.
106 In those circumstances, it is clear that the ECB did not provide the applicant with any explanation as to how disclosure of the amount of credit in question could actually and specifically undermine the interest protected by the exception set out in the second ident of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258 and, therefore, failed to have regard to its duty to state reasons in that connection.
107 Next, as regards the exception set out in the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, concerning the protection of the public interest as regards the stability of the financial system in the European Union or in a Member State, it should be noted that, in the part of the decision on the initial application partially refusing access to extracts of the minutes recording the decision of 28 July 2014, no mention is made of that exception or of any considerations connected with financial stability.
108 Nevertheless, the ECB stated, in the context of the reasons given in the decision on the initial application concerning the refusal to grant the applicant access to the information which had been redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014, that disclosure of ‘the amount of overall credit provided by the central bank’ would open the door to speculation by market operators as to the liquidity position of Novo Banco, which was undergoing a sales process, and its financing needs. It also stated that disclosure of that amount would, as a consequence, entail the concrete risk of undermining the public interest as regards the stability of the financial system in Portugal, which is protected by the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258. Moreover, in the contested decision, the ECB indicated, with regard to the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014, that any information concerning Novo Banco’s liquidity position, including information on the assets transferred by BES, could be prejudicial to the process for the sale of Novo Banco and, as that bank was of systemic relevance for Portugal and was operating in fragile market conditions, to the stability of the Portuguese financial system.
109 Accordingly, the ECB stated, to the requisite legal standard, the reasons why it refused to disclose the amount of credit in question, which was omitted from both the extracts of the minutes recording the decision of 28 July 2014 and the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014, in reliance on the exception set out in the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
110 Lastly, with regard to the exception set out in the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, concerning the protection of the public interest as regards the confidentiality of the proceedings of the ECB’s decision-making bodies, the ECB Supervisory Board or other bodies established under Regulation No 1024/2013, the ECB stated, in the contested decision, that decisions adopted by the Governing Council are recorded in minutes which set out the outcome of the proceedings. As regards Article 10.4 of the ESCB and ECB Statute, the ECB stated that that provision establishes the principle that the proceedings of the Governing Council are confidential in order to ensure that its decision-making process is effective and to safeguard the independence of its members. It also indicated that that provision gave the Governing Council absolute discretion as to whether or not to make the outcome of its deliberations public. Furthermore, it took the view, in essence, that the objective of Article 10.4 of the ESCB and ECB Statute was set out, in Decision 2004/258, by the exception laid down in the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) thereof, as is apparent from recital 3 of that decision.
111 As those reasons are in essence the same as those relied on to justify the refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question under the exception laid down in the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, it is clear, in the light of the case-law cited in paragraphs 38 to 40 above and the considerations set out in paragraphs 53 to 63 above, that such a statement of reasons is not sufficient to justify a partial refusal to disclose extracts of the minutes of decisions of the Governing Council on the basis of the exception put forward. Indeed, the ECB should have, first, explained the reasons why the amount not disclosed to the applicant, when giving partial access to the document requested, fell within the area covered by the exception provided for by the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258 and, second, provided a statement of reasons that would have made it possible to understand and verify how, specifically and actually, access to that information would have undermined the public interest as regards the confidentiality of the proceedings of the ECB’s decision-making bodies.
112 In the light of all the foregoing, the applicant’s arguments alleging breach of the duty to state reasons cannot succeed in so far as they relate to the exception provided for in the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
113 With regard to the Court’s finding that the ECB failed to have regard to its duty to state reasons with regard to the exceptions provided for in the first and second indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, it is necessary, before going on to determine the possible consequences of that failure, to consider whether the exception laid down in the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of that decision, which is challenged by the applicant in the second plea on the basis that reliance on that exception is unfounded, is capable of justifying the refusal to disclose the amount of credit in question.
Breach of the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258
114 The applicant maintains, inter alia, in the second plea, with regard to the amount of credit in question, that the ECB was incorrect to base its refusal to disclose that amount, which was redacted from the extracts of the minutes recording the decision of 28 July 2014, on the exception provided for in the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258. It argues, in essence, that the reasons given by the ECB, namely that disclosure of the amount of credit in question could undermine the stability of the financial system in the European Union or in a Member State, are vitiated by manifest errors of assessment.
115 As with its arguments concerning the refusal to disclose the ceiling for the provision of emergency liquidity in question, the applicant does not accept that disclosure of the amount of credit in question, which relates to BES, may affect the stability of Novo Banco and have the effects on Portugal alleged by the ECB, as market participants or potential investors have at their disposal more recent, relevant and reliable financial information on Novo Banco. It states that, between the decisions of 28 July and 1 August 2014, on the one hand, and the contested decision, on the other, BES was the subject of a resolution procedure which involved the creation of Novo Banco, to which the BES assets deemed non-problematic were transferred. The applicant adds, in essence, that the economic situation of Novo Banco, an entity separate from BES, changed in the course of the two years during which it operated and that the applicant is seeking disclosure of an historic figure from which it is not possible to draw any meaningful conclusions concerning the current situation of Novo Banco or the Portuguese financial market. It also notes that the factual circumstances surrounding the resolution of BES were known to the public.
116 The ECB maintains that those arguments are unfounded.
117 The ECB contends that it enjoys a wide discretion in determining whether disclosure of documents relating to the fields covered by the exceptions referred to in Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258 will undermine the public interest protected. It also maintains that the applicant’s reasoning is based on incomplete facts. In the ECB’s view, Novo Banco, formally an entity separate from BES, essentially carries on the business of BES and only a limited part of the assets, liabilities and off-balance-sheet items of BES were carved out from the transfer to Novo Banco.
118 Furthermore, the ECB submits that it could have reasonably expected that market operators would use the information on the amount of credit in question, if disclosed by the ECB itself, as an essential source for assessing Novo Banco’s financial situation, and that they would start to speculate on Novo Banco’s liquidity position and financing needs. This would have led to unwarranted funding difficulties and affected the stability of the bank, the process of its sale and the stability of the financial system. According to the ECB, those risks were reasonably foreseeable and disclosure of the amount in question would have undermined the stability of the financial system in Portugal, bearing in mind also the still vulnerable market environment and the systemic relevance of Novo Banco for the Portuguese economy.
119 Moreover, the ECB observes that Banco de Portugal, in its capacity as resolution authority, decided on 3 August 2014 to disclose the approximate amount of Eurosystem credit granted to BES in very specific circumstances and for its own reasons. It maintains that the effects of Banco de Portugal’s decision to make public that information cannot be compared to the effect of disclosure by the ECB of the exact amount of the credit extended through monetary policy instruments to individual credit institutions.
120 It is necessary to verify, in the light of the principles referred to in paragraphs 73 and 74 above, whether the ECB was entitled to refuse to disclose to the applicant the amount of credit in question on the basis of the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258 and to grant only partial access to the extracts of the minutes recording the decision of 28 July 2014.
121 As indicated in paragraph 108 above, the ECB essentially took the view that disclosure of the amount of credit in question would entail a concrete risk of undermining the public interest as regards the stability of the financial system in Portugal, on the ground that it would open the door to speculation by market participants as to the liquidity position of Novo Banco, a bank of systemic relevance, and its financing needs, and could have a negative impact on its sale process.
122 In that regard, it should be recalled that the ECB and NCBs may, in accordance with Article 18.1 of the ESCB and ECB Statute, conduct credit operations with credit institutions and other market operators in order to achieve the objectives of the ESCB, as laid down in Article 127(1) TFEU and Article 2 of that statute. Those operations also include temporary transfer operations for the provision of liquidity.
123 Furthermore, as noted in paragraphs 4 and 5 above, the Governing Council decided, on 28 July 2014, to maintain BES’s access to Eurosystem credit operations and, as a consequence, to retain its status as an eligible counterparty for participation in such operations. Nevertheless, the amount of credit provided to BES, its branches and subsidiaries through Eurosystem credit operations was capped at the level at which it stood on 28 July 2014. Subsequently, on 1 August 2014, that is, four days later, the Governing Council suspended access by BES and its branches, with effect from 4 August 2014, to monetary policy credit instruments, on grounds of prudence, and ordered BES to repay, no later than the same date, all of the credit granted to it in the context of the Eurosystem. It may be inferred from the information before the Court that the debt corresponding to that credit was transferred to Novo Banco.
124 Moreover, as stated in paragraphs 79 to 81 above, Novo Banco is a bank that was created as part of the procedure for the resolution of BES resulting from its financial difficulties, and the process for the sale of that bank, which was still ongoing when the contested decision was adopted, was of particular importance for the stability of the financial system in Portugal. It should also be recalled that Novo Banco is a bank of systemic relevance for the Portuguese financial system and that, at the time the contested decision was adopted, it was conducting its business in fragile market conditions in Portugal.
125 In the light of those circumstances and the case-law cited in paragraph 78 above, disclosure by the ECB of the amount of credit in question might therefore have been used, even at the time the contested decision was adopted, by market participants to evaluate Novo Banco’s financial position.
126 However, in a case such as the present, it was not reasonably foreseeable that disclosure of that amount, at the time the contested decision was adopted, would have had the consequences claimed by the ECB and risked undermining the public interest of Portugal as regards the stability of its financial system.
127 In the first place, it should be noted that, according to case-law, in assessing whether there is a risk that the public interest concerned may be undermined, account must be taken of the fact that the essential content of the information requested has already been made public (see, to that effect and by analogy, judgment of 3 July 2014, Council v in ’t Veld, C‑350/12 P, EU:C:2014:2039, paragraph 60).
128 In the present case, in its decision of 3 August 2014 relating to the creation of Novo Banco, Banco de Portugal publicly disclosed the approximate amount of credit granted to BES under the Eurosystem, that is, approximately EUR 10 billion. That circumstance and the fact that that decision was in the public domain are not contested by the ECB.
129 Admittedly, as the ECB indicated in its written pleadings, Banco de Portugal did not disclose the precise amount given in the minutes recording the decision of 28 July 2014, merely indicating an approximate figure.
130 However, that fact cannot alter the conclusion that, at the time the contested decision was taken, the approximate amount of the credit in question had already been made public (see, to that effect, judgment of 26 April 2018, Espírito Santo Financial (Portugal) v ECB, T‑251/15, not published, under appeal, EU:T:2018:234, paragraphs 143 and 144) and had been a matter of public record for approximately two years.
131 The ECB’s other arguments cannot call into question that conclusion.
132 In so far as the ECB claims that it was not consulted before publication of Banco de Portugal’s decision of 3 August 2014 on the latter’s website and that it had no means of determining whether Banco de Portugal’s decision to disclose the approximate amount of credit granted to BES under the Eurosystem was lawful, it is sufficient to note that those arguments are ineffective, as the fact that such disclosure may have been unlawful is irrelevant for the purpose of assessing whether there was a risk of undermining the public interest in question (see, by analogy, judgment of 3 July 2014, Council v in ’t Veld, C‑350/12 P, EU:C:2014:2039, paragraph 60). Furthermore, the ECB does not specify the provisions which, it alleges, would have prevented Banco de Portugal from making public the approximate amount of the credit granted to BES under the Eurosystem or which required the prior consultation of the ECB in that regard.
133 In the second place, in view of the importance of Banco de Portugal’s decision of 3 August 2014 concerning the creation of Novo Banco and intended to stabilise the financial crisis affecting BES, the ECB could not have been unaware of the fact that the approximate amount of the credit in question had, at the time the contested decision was adopted, been made public.
134 Furthermore, in so far as the ECB claims that the effects of disclosure by Banco de Portugal cannot be compared with the effect which disclosure by the ECB would have had, it is obvious that Banco de Portugal is a national authority which plays a vital role in protecting the stability of the financial system of Portugal and, as a consequence, the public interest which, in justifying the refusal to disclose the amount of the credit in question, the ECB claims must be protected.
135 Moreover, the ECB has not argued that disclosure of the approximate amount of the credit granted to BES under the Eurosystem by Banco de Portugal in August 2014, that is, two years before the adoption of the contested decision, undermined the stability of the financial system in Portugal.
136 In those circumstances, the ECB cannot claim that disclosure by it of the amount of credit in question at the time the contested decision was adopted could have given rise to speculation as to Novo Banco’s financial situation and have had a negative impact on its sale process, as well as undermining, as a consequence, the public interest as regards the stability of the financial system in Portugal. The ECB should have taken account of the fact that, at the time the contested decision was taken, the approximate amount of the credit granted to BES under the Eurosystem had already been in the public domain for more than two years, as a result of the information disseminated by Banco de Portugal on 3 August 2014, which was intended, inter alia, to stabilise the financial crisis affecting BES and to bolster the markets’ confidence in Novo Banco.
137 It follows that the second plea is well founded, in so far as it concerns the amount of credit in question, which was deleted from the extracts of the minutes recording the decision of 28 July 2014, and alleges breach of the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258.
Conclusion to be drawn from the refusal to disclose the amount of credit in question
138 In the light of all the foregoing considerations concerning the refusal to disclose the amount of credit in question, it must be concluded that the contested decision is not supported by a statement of reasons of the requisite legal standard as regards the exceptions provided for in the first and second indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258. Furthermore, the ECB cannot base its refusal to disclose the amount of credit in question on the other exception relied on, namely that laid down in the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of that decision. Accordingly, the contested decision must be annulled in so far as it refuses to disclose to the applicant the amount of credit in question, which was deleted from the extracts of the minutes recording the decision of 28 July 2014 provided to the applicant.
The refusal to disclose the information redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014
139 As mentioned in paragraph 24 above, the third, fourth, fifth and sixth pleas concern the information that was redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 as provided to the applicant and allege, respectively, infringement of: (i) the duty to state reasons; (ii) the second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258; (iii) the first indent of Article 4(2) of that decision; and (iv) of Article 4(3) of the decision.
140 It is appropriate to examine first of all the third plea, which is divided into five parts and formally alleges only breach of the duty to state reasons.
141 In the first part of the third plea, which it is appropriate to examine first, the applicant submits, in essence, that the contested decision is vitiated by an inadequate statement of reasons, in so far as the ECB based the contested decision on vague grounds and did not give specific reasons in relation to each passage redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014. The applicant maintains that it was therefore not in a position either to ascertain the type of information the redacted passages contained or to determine whether the four exceptions relied on by the ECB to justify their non-disclosure had been applied correctly. In the reply, the applicant argues, inter alia, that the fact that, in the defence, the ECB provided certain explanations in that regard does not make up for its failure to comply with the obligation to state reasons in the contested decision.
142 The ECB disputes the applicant’s arguments.
143 It maintains that the reasoning for each of the redacted sections and in respect of each of the exceptions it relied on may be easily ascertained from a reading of the contested decision in conjunction with the decision on the initial application and the sections of the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 that were not disclosed. It states that, in the contested decision, it listed the abstract categories of information contained in the redacted parts of the proposals in question. It adds that it redacted parts of the documents concerned in such a way that the applicant should have been able to understand the type of information that was not disclosed in the redacted sections and to infer without difficulty the exceptions applied in respect of each redacted item.
144 In the rejoinder, the ECB contends that it did not supplement the grounds of the contested decision in the defence and that it simply supported its arguments by use of examples.
145 Moreover, the ECB claims that the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 are covered, subject to Article 4(5) of Decision 2004/258, by the exception provided for in Article 4(3) of that decision, which is intended to protect Executive Board proposals as documents containing opinions for internal use in connection with deliberations and preliminary consultations within the ECB or with NCBs. It concludes from this that, irrespective of the fact that the redacted parts of the proposals at issue may be covered by other exceptions provided for in Article 4 of Decision 2004/258, they are protected under Article 4(3) of that decision. It adds that, for the same reasons, it was not required to provide more detailed explanations in the contested decision.
146 As a preliminary point, it should be noted that it is in the light of the considerations set out in paragraphs 38 to 40 above that the arguments raised by the applicant in the first part of the third plea must be examined.
147 It should also be noted that, by the contested decision, the ECB confirmed its refusal to disclose the passages that had been redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 (see paragraph 16 above).
148 In the contested decision, the ECB indicated the abstract categories of information contained in the redacted parts of the proposals at issue and stated that those parts, first, refer to internal procedures directly connected with the operational implementation of monetary policy within the Eurosystem in that specific case, second, contain information concerning the liquidity position of the ‘new institution’ and its financing needs with regard to BES, and, third, contain, inter alia, information of a preliminary nature for internal use received in the context of internal consultations between the ECB and Banco de Portugal, as well as internal observations and assessments concerning, inter alia, eligible assets and those actually used as collateral in Eurosystem credit operations.
149 Moreover, the ECB stated that disclosure of the redacted parts of the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 would undermine, first, the protection of the public interest as regards the financial, monetary or economic policy of the European Union or of a Member State (second indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258), second, the protection of the public interest as regards the stability of the financial system in the European Union or in a Member State (seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258), third, the protection of the commercial interests of a natural or legal person (first indent of Article 4(2) of Decision 2004/258) and, fourth, in essence, the protection of documents containing opinions for internal use (Article 4(3) of Decision 2004/258).
150 In the decision on the initial application and the contested decision, the ECB also provided a number of clarifications concerning the exceptions relied on.
151 With regard to the interests protected under the second indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, first, the ECB stated, in the decision on the initial application, that the smooth implementation of its monetary policy and its effective transmission to the real economy relies, to a large extent, on the financial soundness of its counterparties and, more broadly, on the financial soundness of the financial system that the Eurosystem serves. The ECB also explained how the system relating to eligible counterparties functions and stated that the Governing Council may, to ensure prudent risk management, apply a discretionary measure on the grounds of prudence when it considers, for instance, that a counterparty is no longer financially sound. It added that such measures were implemented, on the basis of the principle of decentralisation, by the NCB concerned, namely Banco de Portugal in this instance. Moreover, the ECB indicated that the single monetary policy calls for harmonised counterparty eligibility criteria, including the criterion of financial soundness, and that ECB Guideline (EU) 2015/510 of 19 December 2014 on the implementation of the Eurosystem monetary policy framework (OJ 2015 L 91, p. 3), which replaced ECB Guideline 2011/187/EU of 20 September 2011 on monetary policy instruments and procedures of the Eurosystem (OJ 2011 L 331, p. 1), now contains more detailed provisions concerning the notion of financial soundness and the types of discretionary measure. Next, it stated that the redacted parts of the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 which refer to internal procedures complementing Guideline 2015/510 and, before that, Guideline 2011/187, could not be disclosed as they relate directly to the intra-Eurosystem operational implementation of monetary policy and public disclosure of those parts could jeopardise the effectiveness of the internal operational activities of the Eurosystem.
152 With regard to the interests protected by the seventh indent of Article 4(1)(a) and the first indent of Article 4(2) of Decision 2004/258, the ECB expressed the view, in the decision on the initial application, that disclosure of the ‘amount of overall credit provided by the central bank’ would open the door to speculation by the market participants as to the liquidity position of Novo Banco, which was undergoing a sales process, and its financing needs, therefore giving rise to the concrete risk of undermining not only the public interest as regards the stability of the financial system in Portugal but also Novo Banco’s commercial interests. The ECB stated that it had not identified a public interest that would justify disclosure of that information and that it was not possible to grant partial access to the information requested without undermining the interest protected by the first indent of Article 4(2) of Decision 2004/258.
153 In the contested decision, the ECB claimed that the information concerning BES could not be regarded as historic. It stated that any information regarding the liquidity position of Novo Banco, BES’s successor, including the assets transferred by BES, could jeopardise the process for the sale of Novo Banco and, as the latter was of systemic relevance for Portugal and operated in fragile market conditions, also affect the stability of the financial system in Portugal. It also stated, without providing further clarification in that regard, that some of the redacted parts of the proposals in question contained information relating to the exposure of other financial institutions to the BES group.
154 With regard to the exception provided for by Article 4(3) of Decision 2004/258, the ECB indicated in the decision on the initial application that the undisclosed parts of the Executive Board’s proposals contain, inter alia, information of a preliminary nature for internal use, received in the context of internal consultations between the ECB and Banco de Portugal, as well as internal views and assessments concerning, in particular, assets used as collateral and exposures. It also considered that disclosure of the redacted parts of the documents requested would adversely affect the ability to freely submit uncensored advice to its decision-making bodies and the potential for an effective, informal and confidential exchange of views within the decision-making bodies, thus limiting the ECB’s ‘space to think’. It stated that it could not identify an overriding public interest justifying disclosure of the passages in question. That assessment was, essentially, repeated in the contested decision.
155 It should be noted in that regard that it is apparent from paragraph 149 above that the ECB clearly indicated the exceptions on which it based its partial refusal to grant access to the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014, that is, the exceptions set out in the second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a), in the first indent of Article 4(2) and in Article 4(3) of Decision 2004/258.
156 Moreover, the Court finds that, contrary to what is claimed by the ECB, the explanations given to the applicant with regard to the exception provided for in Article 4(3) of Decision 2004/258 did not cover all the information redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014.
157 It is apparent from both the contested decision and the decision on the initial application that the undisclosed parts contain ‘inter alia’ information of a preliminary nature for internal use, as well as internal views and assessments.
158 The wording used by the ECB in a paragraph of the contested decision in response to an argument made by the applicant concerning disclosure of the ‘conclusions of discussions which led to the proposals for decisions submitted to the Governing Council’ cannot alter that conclusion.
159 Admittedly, that paragraph is drafted more broadly and refers, inter alia, to the nature of the proposals of the Executive Board and, in general terms, to the redacted parts of the documents requested. Nevertheless, given the context in which those observations were made, the findings in paragraph 157 above and the ECB’s specific, individual examination of those documents, to which it draws particular attention, the Court finds that the applicant was not in a position to understand that the ECB was relying on Article 4(3) of Decision 2004/258 in connection with all the redacted data or that it had based its decision on a possible general presumption which permitted it to derogate from the obligation to carry out a specific, individual examination of each document requested and to rely on general considerations applicable to a particular type of document.
160 Accordingly, the Court rejects the ECB’s argument that it was not required to provide more detailed explanations as to why the redacted parts of the proposals in question were also covered by exceptions other than those set out in Article 4(3) of Decision 2004/258.
161 With regard to the other exceptions on which the ECB based its partial refusal to disclose the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014, it is apparent from both the explanations provided to the applicant and the ECB’s pleadings that those exceptions were not put forward in relation to all the undisclosed information.
162 In that regard, it should be noted that, in accordance with Article 4(5) of Decision 2004/258, if only parts of the requested document are covered by any of the exceptions referred to in that article, the remaining parts of the document are to be released. It is clear from the very wording of that provision that the ECB is required to consider whether it is necessary to grant partial access to documents which it has been asked to disclose and to limit any refusal to information covered by the relevant exceptions. The ECB must grant partial access if the aim pursued in refusing access to a document may be achieved where all that is required of the institution is to blank out the passages which might harm the public interest to be protected (see, by analogy, judgment of 7 October 2014, Schenker v Commission, T‑534/11, EU:T:2014:854, paragraph 112 and the case-law cited).
163 It should also be noted that, when assessing an application for access to documents which it holds, the ECB may take into account more than one of the grounds for refusal set out in Article 4 of Decision 2004/258 (see, by analogy, judgment of 3 July 2014, Council v in ’t Veld, C‑350/12 P, EU:C:2014:2039, paragraph 100 and the case-law cited).
164 It follows that, where the ECB grants, pursuant to Article 4(5) of Decision 2004/258, only partial access to the documents which it has been asked to disclose, confining its refusal to the information covered by one or more of the exceptions invoked, it is required to give reasons that will make it possible to understand to which passages redacted from the documents concerned the exceptions invoked relate and how disclosure of that information could undermine the interest protected by the exception relied on.
165 In the present case the ECB did not explain to the applicant, in a clear and comprehensible manner, to which passages redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 the exceptions invoked related. An explanation of that kind was particularly important because, in its confirmatory application, the applicant complained to the ECB that its decision on the initial application was not supported by a statement of reasons of the requisite legal standard, it being understood that, whilst the context in which a decision is adopted may make the requirements to be satisfied by the institution concerned lighter as regards the statement of reasons, it may, conversely, also make them more stringent in certain circumstances (judgment of 6 April 2000, Kuijer v Council, T‑188/98, EU:T:2000:101, paragraph 45).
166 Accordingly, in the light, in particular, of the case-law cited in paragraphs 39 and 40 above, the reasons given in the contested decision, interpreted in the light of those given in the decision on the initial application, were not sufficient to enable the applicant to understand the grounds on which the ECB had refused to grant it access to the information redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014.
167 That conclusion is not called in question by the ECB’s arguments.
168 Admittedly, as is apparent from paragraphs 147 to 154 above, the contested decision and the decision on the initial application provide certain explanations and clarifications as regards the exceptions relied on by the ECB and categorise the information redacted in an abstract manner.
169 Nevertheless, contrary to what the ECB claims, the applicant was not in a position to understand with any degree of certainty, on the basis of the information disclosed, to which passages redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 the exceptions invoked related.
170 Some of the redacted passages are relatively long and the reasons given in support of the exceptions relied, as well as the categorisation of the redacted information, are not sufficiently clear to substantiate the ECB’s argument that the applicant could grasp the type of information not disclosed in the parts that had been redacted and infer without any difficulty the exceptions applied for each such redaction. Moreover, the ECB’s own view of the exceptions applied to each redacted item, which it set out in the form of a table in response to measures of organisation of procedure adopted by the Court, reinforce the conclusion in paragraph 169 above. Indeed, in that table the ECB also refers to the exception provided for in the first indent of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258, which is not mentioned anywhere in the contested decision in connection with the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014. Furthermore, the ECB maintains, notwithstanding what is clearly apparent from the decision on the initial application (see paragraph 152 above), that the exception set out in the first indent of Article 4(2) of Decision 2004/258 was applied to many more passages than those which referred to the ‘amount of overall credit provided by the central bank’. Contrary to what appears to be the case from the contested decision and the decision on the initial application (see paragraphs 157 to 159 above), the ECB also maintains that Article 4(3) of Decision 2004/258 was invoked in connection with all the data redacted.
171 As the ECB has indicated to the Court that more than one exception was relied on in relation to some of the redacted information, it should be noted that, assuming this to be the case, that makes the burden the ECB seeks to impose on the applicant of ascertaining the exception the undisclosed information falls within all the more difficult.
172 In that context, it should also be noted that, given the wide discretion enjoyed by the ECB as regards the exceptions laid down in the second and seventh indents of Article 4(1)(a) of Decision 2004/258 and the subsequent limited scope of the review that may be conducted by the EU courts, the ECB’s compliance with its obligation to provide an adequate statement of reasons in relation to those exceptions takes on even more fundamental importance (judgment of 4 June 2015, Versorgungswerk der Zahnärztekammer Schleswig-Holstein v ECB, T‑376/13, EU:T:2015:361, paragraphs 53 and 54). As those exceptions were relied on in the present case, there is reason to find fault with the ECB’s incomplete statement of reasons as regards its partial refusal to disclose the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014.
173 The ECB’s argument that the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 are covered, subject to Article 4(5) of Decision 2004/258, by the exception provided for in Article 4(3) of that decision, and that, therefore, the parts redacted from the proposals in question are protected under Article 4(3) must also be rejected.
174 As explained in paragraph 157 above, the ECB relied on the exception laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 2004/258 only in respect of certain non-specified passages in the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014.
175 Moreover, it is not unequivocally clear from the contested decision that the reasons why the ECB refused to disclose the information redacted were based on the existence of a general assumption that the proposals of its Executive Board are protected under Article 4(3) of Decision 2004/258.
176 In any event, as the ECB gave partial disclosure to the applicant of the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014 and, as it therefore de facto carried out a specific, individual examination of those documents, it cannot, for the reasons given in paragraphs 62 and 63 above, justify the partial refusal to grant access to those documents on the basis of the claim that there is a general presumption in relation to the type of document in question.
177 The Court therefore upholds the first part of the third plea and, accordingly, annuls the contested decision in so far as concerns the refusal to disclose the information redacted from the proposals of 28 July and 1 August 2014, without there being any need to consider the other parts of the third plea or the fourth, fifth and sixth pleas.
178 Under Article 134(3) of the Rules of Procedure of the General Court, where each party succeeds on some and fails on other heads, the parties are to bear their own costs. However, if it appears justified in the circumstances of the case, the Court may order that one party, in addition to bearing its own costs, pay a proportion of the costs of the other party.
179 In the present case, the applicant has been partially successful in its application for annulment of the contested decision. Accordingly, in the light of all the circumstances of the case, each party is to be ordered to bear its own costs.
On those grounds,
THE GENERAL COURT (Sixth Chamber)
hereby:
1. Annuls the decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) of 31 August 2016 partially refusing to disclose certain documents relating to its decision of 1 August 2014 concerning Banco Espírito Santo SA, in so far as it refused to disclose the amount of credit indicated in the extracts of the minutes recording the decision of the Governing Council of the ECB of 28 July 2014 and the information redacted from the proposals of the Executive Board of the ECB of 28 July and 1 August 2014;
2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder;
3. Orders Espírito Santo Financial Group SA and the ECB to bear their own costs.
Berardis
Spielmann
Csehi
Delivered in open court in Luxembourg on 13 March 2019.
E. Coulon
G. Berardis
* Language of the case: English.
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FNE at Cannes 2016: Graduation
Region 2016-05-20
CANNES: Romanian director Cristian Mungiu’s Romanian, French and Belgian coproduction Graduation screens in Competition in Cannes.
FNE at Cannes 2016: Review: The Last Face
CANNES: The Last Face which screens in competition is Sean Penn’s fifth outing as a director and unfortunately it also might just be his least successful film to date.
FNE at Cannes 2016: Review: Personal Shopper
CANNES:Celebrity and actress Kristen Stewart must enjoy the irony of playing a much beleaguered celebrity slave as she has taken on the job once again for her role in Olivier Assayas’s Personal Shopper.
FNE at Cannes 2016: Review: Toni Erdmann
CANNES: The highly unlikely 162 minute German Toni Erdmann which screens in competition in Cannes is director Maren Ade’s third and undoubtedly most accomplished film to date which is saying a lot after her critically acclaimed previous work.
FNE at KVIFF 2016: Prize Winners
Czech Republic 2016-07-11
KARLOVY VARY: The 51st Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, which was held from 1-9 July 2016, awarded its top prize the Crystal Globe to the Hungarian film It’s Not the Time of My Life directed by Szabolcs Hajdu. Best Director went to Damjan Kozole for the Slovenia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina coproduction Nightlife.
FNE at KVIFF 2016: Lux Film Prize Unveils Official Selection
KARLOVY VARY: The 10 films of the 2016 Lux Film Prize Official Selection for 2016 have been announced at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
FNE at MIFF 2016: Moscow Film Festival Prize Winners
MOSCOW: The 38th edition of the Moscow International Film Festival held from 23-30 June awarded its top prize, the Golden St George, to the Iranian film Daughter directed by Reza Mirkarimi. It was the second win in Moscow for Mirkarimi who won the MIFF Grand Prix in 2008 for his film As Simple As That. Both films are family dramas about family values set in Iran.
FNE at Valletta Film Festival 2016: Prize Winners and Small Nations Conference
Malta 2016-06-13
VALLETTA: The second edition of the Valletta Film Festival (VFF), held from 3 to 11 June in the Maltese capitol, wrapped with The Yard (Sweden) directed by Mans Mansson taking the prize for Best Film in the main competition as well as picking up the prize for Best Cinematography for Ita Zbroniec Zajt.
FNE at Valletta IFF 2016: Conference Cinema of Small Nations Kicks Off
MALTA: A conference entitled The Cinema of Small Nations is being organised by the Film Grain Foundation in conjunction with the Malta Film Commission and will be held in Valletta, Malta between the 9th and 10th of June 2016 as part of the second edition of the Valletta Film Festival (VFF).
FNE at MIFF 2016: Films from Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Poland Score Competition Slots
MOSCOW: The 38th edition of the Moscow International Film Festival will go on from 23-30 June presenting a vast selection of programmes and films despite running two days less than usual again this year due to budget cuts.
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Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany
KPWilhelm.jpg
Crown Prince Wilhelm
Template:House of Hohenzollern
Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Prussia (6 May 1882 - 20 July 1951), Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor August Ernst Kronprinz von Preussen, was born 6 May 1882 at Marmorpalais, Potsdam, Germany. He was the son of Wilhelm II of Germany (1859-1941) and his first wife Augusta of Schleswig-Holstein-Augustenburg (1858-1921). He was the last crown prince of Prussia and the German Empire.
Around 1901-1906 he had a brief affair, which initiated a lifelong friendship, with opera singer Geraldine Farrar (1882-1967).
On 6 June 1905 at Berlin he married Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (20 September 1886 - 6 May 1954), the daughter of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1851-1897) and his wife Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia (1860-1922)
Their children were:
Wilhelm (1906-1940)
Louis Ferdinand (1907-1994)
Hubertus (1909-1950)
Alexandrine (1915-1980)
Cecilie (1917-1975)
He had received little command experience when he was given charge of the Fifth army in August 1914, shortly after the outbreak of World War I. After a quick victory in Ardennes his military reputation rose. During the remainder of the war he served on the western front. While on the Western front he notably headed the Verdun offensive against the French in February 1916. Despite a German victory in May 1918, Wilhelm realized that defeat was just a matter of time. After the abolition of the German monarchy in 1918 he fled with his father to Doorn in the Netherlands on November 12, 1918. He signed an abdication renouncing his rights to the throne.
He returned to Germany in November 1923 after he had assured Chancellor Gustav Stresemann that he would not participate in any political affairs. There was some discussion of his running in the 1932 presidential election, as the candidate of the Harzburg Front, but his father refused to allow it, and he passed up the opportunity, ultimately endorsing Hitler. He soon fell out with the Nazis, and refused to join the Nazi Party. He died 20 July 1951 at Hechingen of a heart attack.nl:Wilhelm van Pruisen de:Wilhelm von Preu�en pl:Wilhelm von Hohenzollern
Retrieved from "http://footwww.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Crown_Prince_Wilhelm_of_Germany"
Categories: 1882 births | 1951 deaths | Princes | House of Hohenzollern | Heirs apparent who never acceded
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Get-Smarter.com Special Education Services
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In the seven years since enactment of No Child Left Behind Act, the number of academically troubled schools identified for turnarounds has grown steadily.
The federal money for the work of turning around them hadn’t—until now.
The change came last month when President Barack Obama signed the economic-stimulus measure into law. The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will give states a previously unexpected $3.4 billion to spend on improving the schools that are farthest from reaching the NCLB law’s goal that all children be proficient in reading and math by the end of the 2013-14 school year.
“With these kind of revenues, you can do some things that had been on the table but weren’t attainable,” said Peter McWalters, Rhode Island’s commissioner of education. He listed options such as summer professional development for teachers, leadership training for principals, and academic and leadership coaches for struggling schools.
Help on the Way
Federal money for school improvement projects will rise dramatically this and next fiscal year.
SOURCE: Education Week
Note: Totals include money appropriated specifically for school improvement and money reserved for that purpose under the NCLB law’s Title I.
Other state leaders are mulling similar ways to use the $3.4 billion in stimulus money for school improvement over the next two years.
Such comprehensive approaches are important, one researcher said, because schools identified for help under the program need comprehensive and sustained interventions for them to succeed.
“It’s a really complex problem, and no single thing … is guaranteed success,” said Caitlin Scott, who has studied states’ school improvement efforts for the Center on Education Policy, a Washington-based research and advocacy group that is tracking implementation of the NCLB law. “There’s not just one thing you can purchase.”
Big Pay Day
As with several other K-12 programs, the so-called school improvement section of the NCLB law will receive a sudden infusion of money that many in the education field could not have expected before the nation’s economy fell into crisis, prompting the stimulus package.
The new measure appropriates $6.5 billion in fiscal 2009 and again in fiscal 2010 for the NCLB law’s Title I program, which serves schools with high numbers or percentages of disadvantaged students. In each fiscal year, $1.5 billion is reserved for the so-called school improvement program under Title I.
And of the $5 billion remaining each year, the No Child Left Behind law requires states to reserve 4 percent for improving schools that have persistently failed to make adequate yearly progress, or AYP, under the 2002 law and to provide other technical assistance to districts.
In all, that will give states $1.7 billion in fiscal 2009 and fiscal 2010 for school improvement.
What’s more, states will receive another $1.1 billion for school improvement efforts under the fiscal 2009 omnibus spending bill that President Obama signed last week. (“Winners vs. Losers In 2009’s Budget,” this issue.)
With a total of $2.8 billion allocated in fiscal 2009, and probably at least that much again in fiscal 2010, states’ school improvement efforts will receive a dramatic influx of cash over spending levels from two years ago.
Using that money to fix struggling schools will be a key part of the Obama administration’s efforts, federal officials say, to reduce the dropout rate and increase the number of students earning college degrees.
“Stemming the tide of dropouts will require turning around our low-performing schools,” President Obama said in a March 10 speech at a meeting of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
And in guidance released March 7 on how to spend the stimulus money available for education, the U.S. Department of Education underscored the emphasis on school improvement efforts by saying it would not grant states’ requests to spend the improvement money on other priorities in the Title I program.
Working With Districts
Under the NCLB law, states must allocate 95 percent of such improvement money to districts. So far, states have taken several approaches to spending it, according to Ms. Scott of the Center on Education Policy, who has studied such efforts in five states.
Most states send a team of experts to review a school who recommend and monitor changes. In that process, the team or other consultants provide professional development for teachers and principals. Some states hire academic coaches for teachers or mentors for principals, with the aim of helping them improve their instructional strategies and leadership.
Arkansas, for example, is using America’s Choice, a school improvement model developed by the National Center for Education and the Economy, based in Washington.
But critics say such approaches have been inadequate so far.
“By and large, most cities feel that [states’ help] isn’t meeting their needs, is weak, is not focused, and is not terribly effective,” said Michael Casserly, the executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, a Washington group that represents about 60 of the nation’s largest urban districts.
Big Task
At the end of the 2007-08 school year, about 3,600 public schools—or 4 percent the total—had failed to make adequate yearly progress for five or more years. That number had doubled by 2008-09. (“Schools Struggling to Meet Key Goal on Accountability,” Jan. 7, 2009.)
And states may end up considering drastic steps in schools failing to show signs of improvement.
Those steps could include closing poor-performing schools and converting them to charter schools, or using school interventions that have proved successful elsewhere, said Alex Medler, the vice president of research and analysis for the Colorado Children’s Campaign, a Denver-based advocacy group that helps run school improvement programs.
Without such aggressive moves, improvement efforts could result in little change or progress, said Rae Belisle, a member of the California board of education.
“We keep doing the same old thing out there,” said Ms. Belisle, who is the chief executive officer of EdVoice, a Sacramento-based nonprofit organization that links donors with parent groups working to improve California schools.
“They piddle this money away,” she said of her state’s efforts under the NCLB law and state programs.
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Jürgen Elsässer: “The CIA Recruited and Trained the Jihadists”
In his latest book, “How the Jihad Came to Europe”, German journalist Jürgen Elsässer unravels the Jihadist thread. Muslim fighters recruited by the CIA to fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan were used successively in Yugoslavia and Chechnya, still supported by the CIA, but perhaps sometimes out of its control. Basing himself on diverse sources, mainly Yugoslavian, Dutch, and German, he reconstructed the development of Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants at the side of NATO in Bosnia-Herzegovinia.
Silvia Cattori:Your investigation into the actions of the secret services makes a frightening report. We discover that since the 80’s the United States has invested billions of dollars to finance criminal activities and that by means of the CIA they are directly implicated in the attacks attributed to the Moslems. What is the contribution of your book?
Jurgen Elsässer: It is the only work that establishes the tie between wars in the Balkan of the 90’s and the attack of September 11, 2001. All the large attacks, in New York, in London, in Madrid, would never have taken place without the recruitment by the American and British secret services of these jihadists who have been blamed for the attacks. I bring a new light on the manipulations of the intelligence agencies. Other books than mine have noted the presence of Ossama Ben Laden in the Balkans. But their authors presented the Moslem fighters in the Balkan as enemies of the west. The information that I collected from multiple sources, demonstrate that these jihadists are puppets in the hands of the west and are not, as one pretends, enemies.
Silvia Cattori:In the case of the war in the Balkan, the manipulations of various States are clearly designated in your book. The United States supported Ben Laden whose work was to form the Mujahidines. How can anyone continue to ignore that these attempts that horrify public opinion would never have existed if these «terrorists» had not been driven and financed by the western intelligence services?
Jürgen Elsässer:Yes, indeed, it is the result of facts that one can observe. But one cannot say that the western intervention in ex – Yugoslavia had for objective to prepare attack of September 11. To be precise: these attacks are a consequence of western politics of the 90’s because NATO put these jihadists in place in the Balkans and collaborated with them. The Moslem militants who have been designated the persons responsible for the attacks of September 11 were part of this network.
Silvia Cattori:According to you, what was the interest of the United States and Germany to set the people of the Balkans one against the other?
Jürgen Elsässer: The west had a common interest to destroy Yugoslavia, to dismember it, because, after the end of the soviet bloc, it would have been a model of the intelligent combination of capitalist and socialist elements. But the west wanted to impose the neoliberal model on all countries.
Silvia Cattori:Is not Europe itself imprudently committed to a war manipulated by the neoconservatives?
Jürgen Elsässer: It is difficult to say. I believe that in the 90’s, the politics of the United States was inspired by their victory against Soviets in Afghanistan. It was the model that they wanted to apply in Balkans. If, during those years, the economy of the United States had not fallen into depression, maybe the more realistic politicians, such as Kissinger, could have kept control of American politics. I think that the coincidence between the economic depression and the aggressiveness of the neoconservative school determined what happened.
Silvia Cattori:Do you think that a leader like Blair, for example, once embarked in the neoconservative project, has become a hostage to a certain point?
Jürgen Elsässer: I don’t know the position of Blair enough well. It is easier to see what goes on in the United States. One can see that Bush is the hostage of those around him. And, as he is not very intelligent, he is not able to take decisions and must follow ideas of his entourage. It is clear that his father was against the attack on Iraq in 2003.
Silvia Cattori:Wasn’t the first Gulf war part of a plan aiming to trigger other wars thereafter?
Jürgen Elsässer: No, there was no tie with the war in Iraq in 1991. There were two phases. Until the end of the Clinton period, the politics of the United States were imperialistic, but at the same time, pragmatic. They chased the Soviets out of Afghanistan. They defeated Iraq in 1991. Their war stopped once Kuwait was free. Then they attacked Bosnia and Yugoslavia; but it occurred stage by stage. Everything went out of control after September 11.
Silvia Cattori:The neoconservatives don’t count for anything?
Jürgen Elsässer: The neoconservatives, grouped around Pearl, had written a document one year before September 11, according to which America had need of a catalyzing event similar to the attack on Pearl Harbor. September 11 was this catalyzing event. I believe that people around Pearl wished for the attacks of September 11.
Silvia Cattori:What was the objective pursued by the United States in attacking Serbia? Was it merely about, as is indicated in your book, the US getting itself installed in a strategic region situated on a transit line for the oil and the gas of central Asia? Or did the alliance of the United States with the Moslem fighters directed by Izetbegovic have a second objective: to create a Moslem extremism at the doors of Europe in order to make use of it in the setting of terrorist manipulations? And, if yes, towards what goal?
Jürgen Elsässer: The United States wanted, as did Austria at the end of the 19th century in Bosnia, to create a “European” Islam to weaken the Islamic states in the Middle East, meaning, at that time, the Ottoman empire, and today, Iran and the Arab states. The neoconservatives had other plans again: to construct a clandestine network of “fundamentalist” puppets to do the dirty work against “old” Europe.
Silvia Cattori:The result, a terrifying civil war. How could Europe have participated in the destruction of Yugoslavia, which appeared as an example of the perfectly successful cohabitation between ethnic groups? By making the Serbians the guilty party, didn’t Europe destroy a country that was one of the major constructions of the postwar era? On what legitimacy did Europe base its intervention?
Jürgen Elsässer: First, in the beginning of the 90’s, Germany led the attack based upon the principles of the self-determination of ethnic groups: in other words, Hitler’s old ruse against Czechoslovakia and Poland in 1938/39. Then, the United States took the relay and praised “human rights”, an obvious swindle.
Silvia Cattori:In your investigation Israel is never mentioned. Have you not minimized the importance of pro-Israeli neoconservatives inside the Pentagon, who serve interests of Israel more that those of the United States?
Jürgen Elsässer: There are Israelis who collaborated with the neoconservatives; it is a fact. But I am not sure of the role played by Israel in this business. Sharon was against NATO support for the Albanians of Kosovo. And, in 1998, he expressed his worry over the idea that NATO support the setting up of pro-Islamic elements in the Balkan. I also believe that he was not favorable to this war the following year.
Silvia Cattori:Don’t you see ties between the Israeli secret services and the attacks of September 11, 2001?
Jürgen Elsässer: There are ties, but I didn’t analyze the character of these ties. For example, immediately after September 11, a certain number of Israeli agents were arrested in the United States. They were present in places where the attacks were prepared. There are analysts who say this is proof that Israel was directly implicated in these attacks. But it could also mean something else. It could be that these agents were watching what happened, that they were aware that the American secret services supported these “terrorists” in the preparation of these attacks, but that they kept their knowledge to use it at the appropriate moment, and to be able to use it as blackmail when the moment came: “If you don’t increase your support for Israel, we are going to hand over this information to the media”. There is even a third possibility: that these Israeli spies wanted to warn about the attacks but failed. At the moment, we only know that these types were there and that they were arrested. Supplementary investigations are necessary.
Silvia Cattori:Do these ties put in evidence that the attacks of September 11, 2001 were part of a plan conceived a long time before?
Jürgen Elsässer: I am not certain that a plan had been established for a long time. It could be that people such as Richard Perle improvise a lot and use criminal elements that they put in place but that they don’t permanently control. As, at the time of Kennedy’s murder, it is clear that the CIA was implicated, but one doesn’t know if it had been planned at the top, at Langley [the headquarters of the CIA], or if it was conceived among the most violent Cuban exiles working for the CIA, the headquarters of the CIA limiting themselves to tolerating it.
Silvia Cattori:If tomorrow these characters grouped around Pearl were removed, would that stop the anti-Muslim war strategy of the United States and the manipulations that justify it?
Jürgen Elsässer: It stops when they lose a war.
Silvia Cattori:The war, didn’t they lose it in Iraq?
Jürgen Elsässer: The war will only be lost when they leave the country, as in Vietnam.
Silvia Cattori:These Moslems who, like Mohammed Atta, were just ordinary citizens before being enlisted by the CIA, how could they be driven to such terrifying actions, without knowing that they were being manipulated by intelligence agents of the opposite camp?
Jürgen Elsässer: There are some youth that can be turned into fanatics and manipulated very easily by intelligence services. High-placed characters are not unaware of what happens and know by who they are hired.
Silvia Cattori:Ben Laden, for example, did he know that he served the interests of the United States?
Jürgen Elsässer: I didn’t study his case. I studied the case of Al Zawahiri, Ben Laden’s right arm, who was the chief of operations in the Balkans. In the beginning of the 90’s, he traveled all through the United States with an agent of the US Special Command to collect money for the Jihad; this man knew that he participated in this collection of money as an activity that was supported by the United States.
Silvia Cattori:All of this is very troubling. You bring the proof that that attacks that have occurred since 1996 (attacks in the subway of Paris), would never have been possible if the war in the Balkan had not taken place. And you impute these attacks, that left thousands of victims, to western intelligence services. Has opinion in West therefore been deceived by governments that have embarked on terrorist actions?
Jürgen Elsässer: The terrorist network that the American and British secret services formed during the civil war in Bosnia and later in Kosovo provided a reservoir of militants that we find implicated later in the attacks in New York, Madrid, London.
Silvia Cattori:How did this happen concretely?
Jürgen Elsässer: Once the war was finished in Afghanistan, Osama Ben Laden recruited these jihadist militants. It was his work. It was he that trained them, partially with the support of the CIA, and put them in place in Bosnia. The Americans tolerated the connection between the President Izetbegovic and Ben Laden. Two years later, in 1994, the Americans began to send weapons, in a common clandestine operation with Iran. After the treaty of Dayton, in November 1995, the CIA and the Pentagon recruited best of the jihadists that had fought in Bosnia.
Silvia Cattori:How does it happen that these Moslems got into the hands of services that served ideological interests opposed to theirs?
Jürgen Elsässer: I analyzed testimonies given by some jihadists interrogated by the German judges. They said that after the treaty of Dayton, which stipulated that all foreign ex-fighters had to leave the country, they didn’t have any more money and had nowhere to go. As for those that could remain in Bosnia, because they had been provided with Bosnian passports, they were without work and without money. The day when the recruiters came and rang at their doors and proposed to pay them 3000 dollars a month to serve in the Bosnian army, they didn’t know that they were recruited and paid by emissaries of the CIA to serve the United States.
Silvia Cattori:After, when they were sent to prepare the attacks in London in July 2005, for example, did they not become aware that they were in the hands of western intelligence agents who manipulated them?
Jürgen Elsässer: It is not clear that it was really the young Moslems from the suburbs of London that committed the attacks, as the police claim. There are other indications according to which the bombs were fixed under the trains. It is possible the bombs were attached under the trains without these young men knowing about it. In that case it is not sure that the young Moslems, incriminated by the investigation, committed these attempts.
Silvia Cattori:It is hard to understand the goal that the western States pursue when they engage their services in criminal manipulations?
Jürgen Elsässer: This is not easy to say. Remember Kennedy’s murder. Who did it? It is certain that it was people from the CIA that supported the second killer, it is certain that Oswald was murdered by a man who had been mandated by the CIA. What is not clear is if these men recruited by the CIA acted on order of Johnson or Dulles, or if they were link to the milieu of extremist Cuban exiles, which means affiliated to the mafia. I don’t believe that Bush or Blairs are chiefs. I don’t believe in the theory of the big conspiracy. I believe that the secret services hire men who are ordered to carry out the dirty business; these agents act as they want. Perhaps you know that on September 11, 2001, someone tried to kill Bush. What does it mean? It is difficult to explain.
Silvia Cattori:Do you mean that Bush is, for example, himself hostage of the people who, inside the Pentagon, form a State within the state, one that also escapes the command of the American army?
Jürgen Elsässer: Yes. Bush is stupid. He is a tool in the hands of other people.
Silvia Cattori:Are you thinking about people that are under the direct influence of characters such as Pearl, Wolfowitz, Feith? Do you think that it is they who, after the war of the Balkan, would have been the real backers of these attacks and that these attacks are not separate from each other, that there is a link between Madrid and London? Does it mean that the Americans are ready to ally with the devil to sow chaos everywhere under the pretext of this anti-Muslim, anti – Arabic war waged under the banner of terrorism? A fabricated terrorism?
Jürgen Elsässer:Yes, there is a duplicate government that escapes Bush’s control. It is the neoconservatives, such as Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Pearl, the people tied into the oil and the military industries,. The global chaos is in the interest of the military industry: when there is the chaos all over the world, one can sell weapons and oil for a bigger price.
Silvia Cattori:Youssef Asckar described this State within in the state very well, to which you give credit [1]. Isn’t Israel the first country interested by this strategy of chaos, therefore by the manipulation of terrorist attacks? Doesn’t the propaganda of the pro-Israeli lobby have the tendency to make us believe that Israel is threatened by Arabs fanatics?
Jürgen Elsässer: It is not certain that this strategy can serve the interests of Israel because, if things continue this way, the whole Middle East will be in flames, including Israel. They used the same process during the war in Bosnia. In order to demonize the Serbs, the western media invented stories of concentration camps and made photo montages that compared the Serbs to the Nazis. This propaganda aimed to win opinion over to the war against Serbia, but, with regard to the United States, it was not nourished necessarily by the Jewish lobby, but by the Christian and atheist strategists. These strategists play the “Jewish” card. That is my thesis. One sees it currently with the propaganda against Iran; strategists of the war play the “Jewish” card to impress people that have more morals than intelligence.
Silvia Cattori:The recent manipulations confirm, in part, your thesis: at the same moment where the United States wanted the Security Council to pass sanctions against Iran, a Canadian newspaper wrote that Iran wanted to force Iranian Jews to wear the equivalent of a yellow star [2]]]. But I refer to these openly pro-Israeli personalities that, in France for example, play an important role in the formation of opinion because they occupy some strategic positions in the media, and whose community allegiance psuyhes them to support the policies of Israel and the United States, even if it is criminal. Remember the active support brought to Izetbegovic in Bosnia by Bernard-Henri Lévy and Bernard Kouchner. As soon as Serbia was on the knees, they immediately turned their propaganda against Arabs and Moslems; this time it was to mobilize opinion in favor of the so-called “war of civilizations”. When they spoke of “concentration camps” to associate the Serbs with Hitler, didn’t they participate in manipulations of NATO?
Jürgen Elsässer: We watched the same phenomenon in Germany. The Jewish journalists that supported the war against Yugoslavia had access to the televised studios. But the journalists that were against, whether they were Jewish or not, were excluded from the debate. I think that the media and politicians use the Jewish voices for geostrategic stakes.
Silvia Cattori:So, as you see it, what happened in the Balkan was only the repetition of what had happened in Afghanistan, what followed was part of the same process. Do you think that our authorities know risks of the wars provoked by their intelligence agencies?
Jürgen Elsässer: My hope is that there is a reaction on behalf of the military in the United States. There are among them people who know very well that all these wars are not intelligent. They know that the United States is going to lose this war. In the American army, they are imperialistic but they are not crazy, they don’t agree with what is happening. But the neoconservatives are crazy, they want to wage the Third World War against all Arabs and all Moslems, just like Hitler who wanted to kill all Jews and to attack all other countries; the German generals had warned Hitler of all that he risked.
Silvia Cattori:Is your hope that a change occurs unexpectedly?
Jürgen Elsässer: To stop this madness I see possibility of change only among those forces that remained rational. The high command of the American army wrote a letter to Bush to say that it doesn’t want to participate in an attack against Iran with nuclear weapons. Maybe Bush will attack; but the consequences would be more serious than in the case of Iraq. The same thing happened with the Nazis: they attacked, they attacked, and one day there was Stalingrad and the beginning of the defeat. But this adventure cost the lives of 60 million human beings.
Silvia Cattori:Is that what motivated your effort while writing this book: to alert people’s consciences in order to avoid new disasters and new suffering? Moreover, that after Iraq it would be Iran’s turn?
Jürgen Elsässer: Yes. But characters like Bush don’t care about all of that. I am not completely pessimistic on Iran: one could see a repetition of the Paris, Berlin, Moscow axis. Our chancellor, who is normally a puppet of the United States, offered strategic cooperation with Russia, because Germany depends entirely on Russian oil and gas. It is a strong argument. Germans are imperialists, but they are not crazy.
Silvia Cattori:In the Balkans, was it not Germany that opened the door to the war?
Jürgen Elsässer: Yes, it is true. But, today, you see that Joschka Fischer and Madeleine Albright have sent an open letter to Bush to tell him not to attack Iran. Mrs. Albright specified that one cannot attack all the people that one doesn’t like. It is rational.
Silvia Cattori:Were you able to collect these elements that illustrate the actions of the intelligence agencies because, today, people, worried of the evolution of international politics, are beginning to speak?
Jürgen Elsässer: Yes. I depended a great deal on information from people that work in the belly of “the beast”.
Silvia Cattori:Everywhere in the world?
Jürgen Elsässer: I can only tell you that it is people from Western Europe. It is people that haven’t stopped using their heads.
Silvia Cattori:To obtain the proof of the manipulations surroundeding the “Gulf of Tonkin Incident”, the incident that permitted the United States to unleash the war against the Vietnamese people, it was necessary to wait a long time. Have things therefore changed today, permitting a response in time?
Jürgen Elsässer: There is a big difference between the situation in the 60’s and the one today. In the Federal Republic of Germany, they were, for example, at that time in favor of the war against Communists in Vietnam. The official version that said our republic was in danger of being attacked by Communists was shared by a big part of public opinion. What has changed is that, today, the majority of the population is against the war, without discussion.
Silvia Cattori:You rightly underline the extremist religious character of Bosnia-Herzegovina under Izetbegovic, but, whereas you doubt the support of Israel to this sort of draft of the emirate of the Talibans, don’t you overvalue the role of Iran and Saudi Arabia? Richard Perle was the principal political advisor to Izetbegovic. Didn’t the Iranians and the Saudis raise the ante on the question of Islam hoping to take the control of a Moslem regime that only took its orders from Tel Aviv and Washington? In fact, was Izetbegovic not an agent of Israel?
Jürgen Elsässer: The Mossad helped the Bosnian Serbians, they even provided them weapons. There is nothing that indicates that the Israeli government helped Izetbegovic. It was supported by Americans, and Clinton depended upon the Zionist lobby in the United States, but this lobby didn’t have the support of the Israeli government during the war of Bosnia.
Silvia Cattori:With regard to some of your sources, can one grant credit to the assertions of Yossef Bodanski, director of the Working Group on Terrorism and Non-Conventional war close to the American Senate?
Jürgen Elsässer: I don’t trust anybody. They claim that Bodansky has ties with sources in Mossad and it renders a number of his findings suspect. On the other hand, he brings to our knowledge a lot of interesting facts that contradict the official propaganda. In my book I show the contradictions within the dominant elites of the United States, and, in this respect, Bodansky, is very interesting.
Silvia Cattori:It says in your book: “Terrorism exists in Kosovo and Macedonia, but in its majority it is not controled by Ben Laden but by US intelligence”. Do you doubt the existence of Al Qaeda?
Jürgen Elsässer: Yes, as I wrote it in my book, it is propaganda manufactured by the west.
Silvia Cattori:One has a bit the impression that, to go to the end of its logic, your investigation is not finished. Certainly, Yugoslavia was a laboratory for the manufacture of the Islamic networks, and your book shows well that these networks serve the interests of the United States. However, you seem to believe in the existence of international Islamic networks who would have a popular base in the Moslem world, whereas at the same time your research demonstrates that these networks are only mercenaries of the United States and that they have never done anything for the Moslems?
Jürgen Elsässer: Look at the example of Hamas: in the beginning of the 80’s, it was fomented by Mossad to counter the influence of the PLO. But thereafter, Hamas developed its own popular base and, now, it is part of the resistance. But I bet that there are still foreign agents inside Hamas.
Silvia Cattori:You mentioned that the inspectors of the United Nations are infiltrated by spies from the United States. Could we have some precisions?
Jürgen Elsässer: Some blue helmets of the UNPROFOR in Bosnia transported weapons to destinations of the Mujahidines.
Silvia Cattori:When Peter Handke affirms that Serbs are not the only guilty party, that they are victims of the war of the Balkans, one banish it. Who is right in this business?
Jürgen Elsässer: On all sides – Serbs, Croatians, Moslems – the ordinary people have all lost. Moslems won the war in Bosnia with the help of Ben Laden and Clinton but, now, their country is occupied by NATO. They have less independence today than at the time of Yugoslavia.
Silvia Cattori:How does your research relate to that of Andreas Von Bülow and Thierry Meyssan?
Jurgen Elsässer: We share the same opinion on the events of September 11, 2001: we think that the official version is not true. All this combined research is very useful to be able to continue to deepen the reality of the facts. My specialty is to have made the link between wars of the Balkans and September 11, while Thierry Meyssan analyzed the attack on the Pentagon to demonstrate that it was due to a missile and not to a plane, and Von Bülow arrived at the conclusion that planes were guided by a beacon.
Silvia Cattori:To having put into question the official truth, Thierry Meyssan was discredited and blocked by the media. Are you going to escape that?
Jürgen Elsässer: There is also a blockage against my book. It is not possible for one author alone to break this blockage. However, it can’t prevent our theses from making their path. The public is not in agreement with what the media says: in spite of their blockage 35 to 40% of people don’t believe what media tells them. There is the example of Kennedy’s assassination: today, 90% of people don’t believe in the official version and think that Kennedy’s murder was an action of the CIA.
Silvia Cattori:Isn’t it dangerous to uncover the manipulations of States that use their intelligence services in criminal ways?
Jürgen Elsässer: I believe that the danger only comes when one sells more than 100 000 books. In Germany, in eleven months, my book has only sold 6 000 copies.
Author: Silvia Cattori
Translated by Signs of the Times.
Source: Voltaire.net
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In the immediate wake of the 9/11 attacks, George W. Bush stated in no uncertain terms that “State sponsors of terrorism” would be considered as “terrorists”. “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them”. But there is always an “Exception that the Proves the Rule” and that is George W. Bush himself. When George W. Bush respectfully kisses King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, does this mean that Dubya could–by some stretch of the imagination– be considered a “suspected terrorist”, who should never have been elected president of the United States of America? The answer ...
Trump, Empire and Our Long Retreat to Tyranny
There has been a lot of worry about the Constitution and basic democratic rights since Trump’s election. And worry we should. But, Trump did not fall from the sky, he is a product of our history. Over the long course of human history, there has been nothing more hostile to democracies and constitutional republics than empire. Empires destroys republics from the inside out.[1] And, empires demand and create enemies. In the opening act of our empire we fought our race enemy: the natives we tried to assimilate or eliminate. In the climactic scene of empire building after WWII we fought another “red ...
U.S Military Bases Worldwide: 682 Military Bases in 63 Countries
The first panacea for a mismanaged nation is inflation of the currency; the second is war. Both bring a temporary prosperity; both bring a permanent ruin. But both are the refuge of political and economic opportunists — Ernest Hemingway Military spending is the second largest item in the US federal budget after Social Security. It has a habit of increasing significantly each year, and the proposed 2019 defense budget is $886 billion (roughly double what it was in 2003). US military spending exceeds the total of the next ten largest countries combined. Although the US government acknowledges 682 military bases in 63 countries, ...
Being the Only Candidate: DPS is Losing Elections in Niksic (Montenegro)
As the Niksic (Montenegro) local elections approach, the situation is becoming more and more fascinating. On one hand, the Montenegrin opposition, aiming at the transparency and integrity of the government, boycotted the plebiscite in the country's second largest city and turned it into a show – elections with no choice. On the other is the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists which has been forming the conditions for its unlimited rule while violating the interests of the Montenegrin people. Exploiting its ultimate power, DPS withdrew the immunity of the opposition leaders and is set to win the elections with simply no rally. The ruling ...
The New Global Economy: Rise of China and Decline of USA
There is a limit to economic manipulations by empires. All empires have perished due to economic hardships. The Ottoman, Soviet and the British empires were no exception in the past century. Waste was the key product of these empires. Whether the only empire – the US – understands it or not, the fact is that its economy is being undermined due to its wasteful policies, living beyond its means and by dictating it’s economic and foreign policies on free nations and by treating them as satellites. The US has used economic sanctions (strangulation) against countries to gain an advantage but ...
America’s Forever War Strategy
America is unique among history’s warrior states – prioritizing endless wars, not ending them to achieve a new era of peace and stability. The notion is anathema to the nation’s military, industrial, and media establishment. Wars are waged for power and profits, no other reasons. All post-WW II US wars were and continue to be acts of naked aggression against nations threatening no one – raping and destroying them, the human cost incalculable, the villainy unprecedented. Throughout its history, America has been perpetually at war at home and/or abroad, never a time of peace and stability – a shocking indictment of its abhorrent ...
Zbigniew Brzezinski – War Criminal Supreme
Brzezinski’s death at 89 years of age has generated a load of propaganda and disinformation, all of which serves one interest group or another or the myths that people find satisfying. I am not an expert on Brzezinski, and this is not an apology for him. He was a Cold Warrior, as essentially was everyone in Washington during the Soviet era.For 12 years Brzezinski was my colleague at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where I occupied the William E. Simon Chair in Political Economy. When I was elected to that chair, CSIS was a part of Georgetown University. ...
Crimes against Humanity: Britain’s Complicity in Saudi Arabia’s Terror Campaign against Yemen
The ‘mainstream’ Western media is, almost by definition, the last place to consult for honest reporting of Western crimes. Consider the appalling case of Yemen which is consumed by war and an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. Since March 2015, a ‘coalition’ of Sunni Arab states led by Saudi Arabia, and supported by the US, Britain and France, has been dropping bombs on neighbouring Yemen. The scale of the bombing is indicated in a recent article by Felicity Arbuthnot – in one year, 330,000 homes, 648 mosques, 630 schools and institutes, and 250 health facilities were destroyed or damaged. The stated aim of ...
Understanding Jewish Power: Who has Helped Create a War-Addicted America?
I recently was asked to speak at an online conference entitled Deep Truth: Encountering Deep State Lies. My panel addressed Understanding Zionism: Deconstructing the Power Paradigm and my own topic was How Jewish Power Sustains the Israel Narrative. Working on my presentation, I was forced to confront the evolution of my own views on both the corruption of government in the United States and the ability of powerful domestic lobbies to deliberately distort the perception of national interests to benefit foreign countries even when that activity does terrible damage to the U.S. My personal journey began half a century ago. I ...
Totalitarian Rule in America
Every day signs are looming larger than life as we know it in the wealthiest nation on earth that it’s about to crash and burn, forever changing not for the better. The latest wake-up call arrived in a Guardian article earlier this week. The story features a secret prison not unlike the CIA torture detention centers all over the world whereby the Chicago police hold rounded up US citizens for hours or days at a time for interrogation. The same internationally illegal roundups of suspected “potential terrorists” (which by latest Gestapo America standards can easily be you or me) that the CIA ...
The Failure of US Democracy
I am now convinced that the Oligarchy that rules America intends to steal the presidential election. In the past, the oligarchs have not cared which candidate won as the oligarchs owned both. But they do not own Trump. Most likely you are unaware of what Trump is telling people as the media does not report it. A person who speaks like this: - is not endeared to the oligarchs. Who are the oligarchs? — Wall Street and the mega-banks too big to fail and their agent the Federal Reserve, a federal agency that put 5 banks ahead of millions of troubled American homeowners who ...
What Should We Expect from the Talks on Syria in Astana?
At the beginning of March 2017, it will be exactly six years since the beginning of the conflict in Syria. Some journalists even make unfavorable forecasts wondering about the very possibility of reconciliation. Complicated by the foreign intervention on the part of Israel war in Lebanon, for example, had been for about 15 years. But even a six-year term it is too long. That is why we may hope that the meeting in Astana scheduled on January 23 will eventually lead to a positive result. And then there will be an occasion to consolidate the success of the negotiations in Geneva ...
The Srebrenica Massacre: Some Victims are More Equal than Others
Last month was the 18th anniversary of the attack on the Serbian village of Kravica committed by Moslem forces from Srebrenica under the command of Naser Orić on Orthodox Christmas day, January 7, 1993. Several dozen villagers were killed in the attack, the remaining Serbian population was forced to flee to safety, and many homes were pillaged, demolished and torched during the several weeks that Kravica was forcibly occupied by neighbours from nearby Srebrenica. Regardless of arcane debates of who started the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on a human level the attack on the village of Kravica and the ...
Kosovo is not Serbia’s Kurdistan, but Balkan’s IS/Daesh
In the article “Kurdistan – Turkey’s Kosovo” Prof. Sotirović compared different aspects of Turkish Kurdistan case to the Kosovo one, found some parallels and pointed out Turkey’s hypocrisy.While Prof. Sotirović is right in his assessment that Turkey is hypocritical to say at least, he failed to expose the fundamental differences between Kurdistan and Kosovo. His article contains some inaccuracies, misinterpretations and lacks in detail. Such an imprecise comparison may lead a reader who is not familiar with Balkans to acquire a false impression. A reader might come to conclusion that Kosovo Albanians had experienced the same level of suffering and ...
Fallujah: A Symbol of US War Crimes
No city in Iraq is more symbolic of the criminal consequences of the US invasion of Iraq than Fallujah. Prior to 2003, the 300,000-strong, prosperous, predominantly Sunni Muslim community on the Euphrates River, one of humanity’s oldest continuous urban settlements, was known as the “city of mosques.” After 13 years of destruction at the hands of the US military and its client state in Baghdad, it is today a labyrinth of ruins, a city of the dead. Following weeks of air strikes by US, British and Australian bombers, a combination of Iraqi government forces and Shiite militias is reportedly on the ...
What’s Behind Time Magazine’s Putin Demonizing?
“Russia Wants to Undermine Faith in the U.S. Election. Don’t Fall For It.” Thus reads the cover ofTime magazine with a photo of Vladimir Putin on the cover staring at me from shelves as I sit in an airport. Genuinely curious, I check out Massimo Calabresi’s article online. Of course, U.S. elections are almost completely unverifiable and do not even pretend to meet international standards. Jimmy Carter doesn’t even try to monitor them because there’s no way to do it. Much voting is done on machines that simply must be trusted on faith. Whether they accurately count the votes entered is ...
Did the Cold War Ever Really End?
The official end of the Cold War era in 1989 brought during the first coming years a kind of international optimism that the idea of the „end of history“ really could be realized as it was a belief in no reason for the geopolitical struggles between the most powerful states. The New World Order, spoken out firstly by M. Gorbachev in his address to the UN on December 7th, 1988 was originally seen as the order of equal partnership in the world politics reflecting „radically different international circumstances after the Cold War“.[1] Unfortunately, the Cold War era finished without the „end ...
Posted in ISIS and Tagged CIA, ISIL, Pentagon, USA.
Nightmarish Global Military Agenda
Ukraine, America’s “Lebensraum”: Is Washington Preparing to Wage War on Russia?
Donald Trump: Ruling Class President
Trump is Advised by Liars, Like Bush Was
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Time is Running Out For Pax Americana’s Apologists
The paradox of the current global crisis is that for the last five years, all relatively responsible and independent nations have made tremendous efforts to save the United States from the financial, economic, military, and political disaster that looms ahead. And this is all despite Washington’s equally systematic moves to destabilize the world order, rightly known as the Pax Americana (“American peace”).
Since policy is not a zero-sum game, i.e., one participant’s loss does not necessarily entail a gain for another, this paradox has a logical explanation. A crisis erupts within any system when there is a discrepancy between its internal structure and the sum total of available resources (that is, those resources will eventually prove inadequate for the system to function normally and in the usual way).
There are at least three basic options for addressing this situation:
Through reform, in which the system’s internal structure evolves in such a way as to better correspond to the available resources.
Through the sy stem’s collapse, in which the same result is achieved via revolution.
Through preservation, in which the inputs threatening the system are eliminated by force, and the relationships within the system are carefully preserved on an inequitable relationship basis (whether between classes, social strata, castes, or nations).
The preservation method was attempted by the Ming and Qing dynasties in China, as well as the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan. It was utilized successfully (in the 19th century) prior to the era of capitalist globalization. But neither of those Eastern civilizations (although fairly robust internally) survived their collision with the technologically more advanced (and hence more militarily and politically powerful) European civilization. Japan found its answer on the path of modernization (reform) back in the second half of the 19th century, China spent a century immersed in the quagmire of semi-colonial dependence and bloody civil wars, until the new leadership of Deng Xiaoping was able to articulate its own vision of modernizing reforms.
This point leads us to the conclusion that a system can be preserved only if it is safeguarded from any unwanted external influences, i.e., if it controls the globalized world.
The contradiction between the concept of escaping the crisis, which has been adopted the US elite, and the alternative concept – proposed by Russia and backed by China, then by the BRICS nations and now a large part of the world – lay in the fact that the politicians in Washington were working from the premise that they are able to fully control the globalized world and guide its development in the direction they wish. Therefore, faced with dwindling resources to sustain the mechanisms that perpetuate their global hegemony, they tried to resolve the problem by forcefully suppressing potential opponents in order to reallocate global resources in their favor.
If successful, the United States would be able to reenact the events of the late 1980s – early 1990s, when the collapse of the Soviet Union and the global socialist system under its control allowed the West to escape its crisis. At this new stage, it has become a question of no longer simply reallocating resources in favor of the West as a collective whole, but solely in favor of the United States. This move offered the system a respite that could be used to create a regime for preserving inequitable relationships, during which the American elite’s definitive control over the resources of power, raw materials, finance, and industrial resources safeguarded them from the danger of the system’s internal implosion, while the elimination of alternative power centers shielded the system from external breaches, rendering it eternal (at least for a historically foreseeable period of time).
The alternative approach postulated that the system’s total resources might be depleted before the United States can manage to generate the mechanisms to perpetuate its global hegemony. In turn, this will lead to strain (and overstrain) on the forces that ensure the imperial suppression of those nations existing on the global periphery, all in the interests of the Washington-based center, which will later bring about the inevitable collapse of the system.
Two hundred, or even one hundred years ago, politicians would have acted on the principle of “what is falling, that one should also push” and prepared to divvy up the legacy of yet another crumbling empire. However, the globalization of not only the world’s industry and trade (that was achieved by the end of the 19th century), but also global finance, caused the collapse of the American empire through a policy that was extremely dangerous and costly for the whole world. To put it bluntly, the United States could bury civilization under its own wreckage.
Consequently, the Russian-Chinese approach has made a point of offering Washington a compromise option that endorses the gradual, evolutionary erosion of American hegemony, plus the incremental reform of international financial, economic, military, and political relations on the basis of the existing system of international law.
America’s elite have been offered a “soft landing” that would preserve much of their influence and assets, while gradually adapting the system to better correspond to the present facts of life (bringing it into line with the available reserve of resources), taking into account the interests of humanity, and not only of its “top echelon” as exemplified by the “300 families” who are actually dwindling to no more than thirty.
In the end, it is always better to negotiate than to build a new world upon the ashes of the old. Especially since there has been a global precedent for similar agreements.
Up until 2015, America’s elite (or at least the ones who determine US policy) had been assured that they possessed sufficient financial, economic, military, and political strength to cripple the rest of the world, while still preserving Washington’s hegemony by depriving everyone, including (at the final stage) even the American people of any real political sovereignty or economic rights. European bureaucrats were important allies for that elite – i.e., the cosmopolitan, comprador-bourgeoisie sector of the EU elite, whose welfare hinged on the further integration of transatlantic (i.e., under US control) EU entities (in which the premise of Atlantic solidarity has become geopolitical dogma) and NATO, although this is in conflict with the interests of the EU member states.
However, the crisis in Ukraine, which has dragged on much longer than originally planned, Russia’s impressive surge of military and political energy as it moved to resolve the Syrian crisis (something for which the US did not have an appropriate response) and, most important, the progressive creation of alternative financial and economic entities that call into question the dollar’s position as the de facto world currency, have forced a sector of America’s elite that is amenable to compromise to rouse itself (over the last 15 years that elite has been effectively excluded from participation in any strategic decisions).
The latest statements by Kerry and Obama which seesaw from a willingness to consider a mutually acceptable compromise on all contentious issues (even Kiev was given instructions “to implement Minsk “) to a determination to continue the policy of confrontation – are evidence of the escalating battle being fought within the Washington establishment.
It is impossible to predict the outcome of this struggle – too many high-status politicians and influential families have tied their futures to an agenda that preserves imperial domination for that to be renounced painlessly. In reality, multibillion-dollar positions and entire political dynasties are at stake.
However, we can say with absolute certainty that there is a certain window of opportunity during which any decision can be made. And a window of opportunity is closing that would allow the US to make a soft landing with a few trade-offs. The Washington elite cannot escape the fact that they are up against far more serious problems than those of 10-15 years ago. Right now the big question is about how they are going to land, and although that landing will already be harder than it would have been and will come with costs, the situation is not yet a disaster.
But the US needs to think fast. Their resources are shrinking much faster than the authors of the plan for imperial preservation had expected. To their loss of control over the BRICS countries can be added the incipient, but still fairly rapid loss of control over EU policy as well as the onset of geopolitical maneuvering among the monarchies of the Middle East. The financial and economic entities created and set in motion by the BRICS nations are developing in accordance with their own logic, and Moscow and Beijing are not able to delay their development overlong while waiting for the US to suddenly discover a capacity to negotiate.
The point of no return will pass once and for all sometime in 2016, and America’s elite will no longer be able to choose between the provisions of compromise and collapse. The only thing that they will then be able to do is to slam the door loudly, trying to drag the rest of the world after them into the abyss.
About the author: Rostislav Ischenko is the President of Centre for System Analysis and Forecasting (Kiev) currently living in Moscow.
Source: Oriental Review
Origins of images: Facebook, Twitter, Wikimedia, Wikipedia, Flickr, Google, Imageinjection & Pinterest.
Journey to Aleppo: Exposing the Truth Buried under NATO Propaganda
Aleppo has become synonymous with destruction and “Syrian state-generated” violence among those whose perception of the situation in the war-torn nation is contained within the prism of mainstream media narratives. The NATO-aligned media maintains a tight grip on information coming out of this beleaguered city, ensuring that whatever comes out is tailored to meet State Department requirements and advocacy for regime change. The propaganda mill churns out familiar tales of chemical weapons, siege, starvation, and bombs targeting civilians–all of which are attributed to the Syrian government and military, with little variation on this theme. The purpose of this photo essay and my ...
Albanian Terrorists as Official NATO Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo Members
Remember watching ancient Orthodox Christian monasteries in flames in Kosovo dozen times. Old, noble constructions, spiritual and historical testimonies of past times. I also remember that majority of Orthodox Christian monasteries, churches and relics has been attacked and destroyed after NATO forces (officially: KFOR) took full control of the Serbian province. It amazed me to see how Western soldiers, under full equipment and heavy armament, often didn’t make a single move to stop Albanian violence; over 200 000 Serbs had to flee, in order to save their bare lives, bearing whole their lives in few suitcases if they were lucky enough. It turned out ...
Edward S. Herman: The Srebrenica Massacre was a Gigantic Political Fraud
Eleven Years ago: 11 July 1995, The Srebrenica Massacre First published by GR in February 2013. Renowned author Dr. Edward Herman spoke with John Robles of the Voice of Russia regarding the facts surrounding the Srebrenica Massacre, the pretext for the “humanitarian” invasion of the former Yugoslavia, and takes apart the “official” ; version that has always been promoted by the West. Dr. Herman reveals that there were in fact multiple massacres at Srebrenica, and that the killing of Bosnian-Muslim soldiers at Srebrenica (the West’s pretext) was in response to the killing of over 2,000 Serb civilians, mostly women and children, at ...
Mass Murders of Serbs in Kosovo Town of Pec in 1998
During the Albanian Muslim secessionist and separatist war in the Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija, Kosovo Serb civilians were targeted for murder and expulsion. December 14, 2010 marked the 12th year anniversary of the mass murders of six Kosovo Serbs in 1998 by Kosovo Albanian secessionists and separatists. The cold-blooded murder of the six youths was a horrific and shocking mass murder. The killers were Albanian Muslim separatists, suspected members of the KLA, which U.S. special envoy to the Balkans Robert Gelbard described in 1998 as “without any question, a terrorist group”: “I know a terrorist when I see ...
Hitllary Clinton Plans to Destroy Russia
Leaked emails are filling in the picture of a Bill-and-Hillary-Clinton plan to destroy Russia – a plan which had originated with US President George Herbert Walker Bush in 1990, and which has been followed through both by his son George W Bush, and by both of the Clintons, but which has only recently started to become documented by leaked publications of personal communications amongst the key operatives who were the insiders running this operation behind the scenes, and who include Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, George W Bush, Victoria Nuland, Jeffrey Feltman, Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan al-Saud, Saudi Crown Prince ...
Proxy Wars: Kosovo and South Ossetia
Yada…yada…yada. The discussion on the unprovoked and planned aggression by Georgia on South Ossetia is futile and moot because Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced last week that the Russian Government would recognize the independence and freedom of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. On August 25, 2008, both houses of the Russian Parliament or Duma voted unanimously to recognize the independence of both South Ossetia and Abkhazia. On August 26, 2008, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced that the government of the Russian Federation officially recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Save your rhetoric. Georgia has lost those areas permanently. Ossetians and ...
Bosnian Muslim Genocide against the Serbs in Srebrenica Municipality in 1992-1995 (Photo Album)
A Serb from Bosnia, General Mladic, protected Muslims civilians and gave them buses, food and water for to leave fighting zones (as you can see). There was no genocide over Muslim population in Srebrenica like main stream media want you to believe – there was no genocide over Bosniaks because all Bosnian Muslims victims were jihad fighters who had been killed during fight (in war). Even the so called „tribunal“ in The Hague for ex-Yugoslavia admitted that there was no genocide! The President of Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 1990s, Alija Izetbegović In Srebrenica, there was a massacre over Serbian civilians: youngest victim was ...
Kosovo and Systematic Persecution by KLA
The former Yugoslavia was engulfed by many conflicts and ethnic and religious differences tore away at the very fabric of this nation. Like all wars, atrocities took place on all sides but the mass media in general focused on Serbian atrocities, while neglecting brutal crimes committed against the Serbian community. This certainly applies to the glossing over of war crimes done by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). However, more and more evidence is coming to light about brutal KLA death camps and killing people for organs. Therefore, will former KLA members be charged with war crimes and will the “real truth” ...
A Short History of Kosovo & Metochia (not approved by Noel Malcolm!)
Dechani monastery in Metochia - one of the most important shrines of Serbian Orthodox Church (14th century) The region of Kosovo & Metohija was a political center of mediaeval Serbia and makes the very essence of Serbian spiritual and cultural identity and statehood since the Middle Ages up today. The biggest and the most important number of Serbian Orthodox mediaeval monasteries and churches (for instance, Gračanica, Pećka Patrijaršija, Bogorodica Ljeviška and Visoki Dečani) are built exactly in Kosovo & Metohija and the headquarters of the Serbian Orthodox Church – Patriarchate established in 1346 was located (till 1766) in the city of ...
CIA Discovered Who Helped Hitler to Win Elections in Germany and to Become a Chancellor in 1933
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Five Facts about Kosovo the #Fakenews Media is Lying to You about
1. Kosovo is not ancient Albanian landIts very name comes from the Serbian word “kos,” meaning blackbird. Its Albanian name, “Kosova,” means nothing whatsoever.Kosovo was the heartland of medieval Serbian state and the site of the 1389 battle in which both the Serbian prince and the Ottoman sultan died, checking the Turkish expansion into the Balkans for almost 70 years. Ethnic Albanians were settled there by the Ottomans over the intervening centuries, and became a majority due to pogroms and persecution of Serbs – which began under Ottoman rule but continued under Austro-Hungarian occupation in WWI and German/Italian occupation in ...
NATO’s War Crimes: The Crime of Propaganda
The NATO military alliance is a world encompassing threat. It is now conducting various forms of hybrid warfare against Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and most of Africa. They have destroyed directly or are largely responsible for the destruction of the socialist nations of the USSR, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and too many to name in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Destruction is the fate that each nation on earth can expect unless it pays homage and obeisance to these neo-feudal overlords who promise protection in return for national servitude, in return for the complete ...
IntroductionThe fundamental aim of the text below is to deal with the concept and models of global security as one of the crucial topics of global political studies. We have to keep in mind that a term and notion of security usually imply a kind of sense of protection and safety from different possible harms coming from „outside“. Therefore, it can be generally acceptable and understandable that the states want to protect their own territories by expanding great resources in making their territorial safe. Security topics are of very different kind, ranging from the causes of conflict between states to ...
Yet Another President Commits the Ultimate War Crime of Launching a “War of Aggression”
President Donald Trump campaigned last year making the sensible argument that the US should no longer engage in a policy of regime change, and should attempt to have friendly relations with other countries like Russia and China. Yesterday he blew those ideas out of the water by launching 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airbase and by calling for the removal of Syria’s leader, Bashar al Assad. The pretext for the US cruise missile blitz, an alleged attack on a rebel-held town called Khan Shiekhun in Idlib province, where some 70 people, including children, were reported to have died from illegal ...
A Collection of Thoughts about American Foreign Policy
Louis XVI needed a revolution, Napoleon needed two historic military defeats, the Spanish Empire in the New World needed multiple revolutions, the Russian Czar needed a communist revolution, the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires needed World War I, Nazi Germany needed World War II, Imperial Japan needed two atomic bombs, the Portuguese Empire in Africa needed a military coup at home, the Soviet Empire needed Mikhail Gorbachev … What will the American Empire need? I don’t believe anyone will consciously launch World War III. The situation now is more like the eve of World War I, when great powers were armed and ...
Secret History: The U.S. Supported and Inspired the Nazis
Unless We Learn Our History, We’re Doomed to Repeat It Preface: I am a patriotic American who loves my country. I was born here, and lived here my entire life. So why do I frequently point out America’s warts? Because – as the Founding Fathers and Supreme Court judges have explained – we can only make America better if we honestly examine her shortcomings. After all: “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” Only when Americans can honestly look at our weaknesses can we become stronger. If we fail to do so, history will repeat … While Americans rightly condemn the Nazis as monstrous people, ...
Independence and Self-Determination: Weapons for Empire Building or National Liberation?
Since World War II most of the world’s conflicts have revolved around struggles for independence against Western and Japanese colonial/imperial regimes. Following formal independence, a new type of imperial domination was imposed – neo-colonial regimes, in which the US and its European allies imposed vassal rulers acting as proxies for economic exploitation. With the rise of US unipolar global domination, following the demise of the USSR (1990), the West established hegemony over the East European states. Some were subject to fragmentation and sub-divided into new NATO dominated statelets. The quest for a unipolar empire set in motion a series of wars and ...
On the Centenary of the Greek Genocide
Hannibal Travis, "On The Centenary of The Greek Genocide", AHIF Policy Journal, American Hellenic Institute Foundation, Inc., Vol. 8, Spring 2017, pp. 14 Origins of images: Facebook, Twitter, Wikimedia, Wikipedia, Flickr, Google, Imageinjection & Pinterest. Read our Disclaimer/Legal Statement! Donate to Support Us We would like to ask you to consider a small donation to help our team keep working. We accept no advertising and rely only on you, our readers, to keep us digging the truth on history, global politics and international relations.
Posted in America, USA, World and Tagged America, CIA, Pentagon, USA, Washington, White House, World.
Why America is a Dictatorship
Pages Purged by Facebook Were on Blacklist Promoted by Washington Post
Libya: Ten Things about Gaddafi They don’t want You to Know
US, UK and Anglosphere: Human Rights Abuses and War Crimes Trash Magna Carta 800th Anniversary
USA: False Flags and Fake Reality
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331 Japanese Investors Recorded At Least $1 Million In Profit
By Hannah May 29, 2018 Digital Currency No Comments
According to leading media channels in South Korea and Japan JoongAng and Nikkei have claimed that the National Tax Agency (NTA) of Japan is up to date with the fact that 331 investors in the Japanese cryptocurrency sector made a profit of $1 million via trading, gaining over $331 million.
Reports from NTA states that towards the ending of 2017, 21.98 million in Japan confirmed taxes to the government, creating over 41.4 billion yen. The NTA disclosed that the overall taxes it generated last year increased over 3 percent from 2016, mainly as a result of the expansion in Japan’s economy.
549 out of the 21.98 million people that declared taxes to the government recorded a non-operational or non-working profit of $1 million, which is usually gathered by investments in stocks, assets, commodities, and properties. Additionally, out of the 549 people, 331 were cryptocurrency investors that profited more than a million dollars in profit in the Japanese cryptocurrency market.
The Japanese government, Financial Services Agency (FSA), and NTA revealed that local monetary authorities would levy the tax of up to 55 percent on non-operational profit obtained by investments.
However, the Japanese government did not give further details on its policy on cryptocurrency taxes and investors confirmed their doubts in the cryptocurrency market.
Blockchain technology consultant Hiroyuki Komiya stated, “The government hasn’t clarified certain details, so you’re left unsure whether you’ve got it right or not.”
In countries such as the US, tax agencies and local financial authorities had earlier on challenged companies such as Coin base to track cryptocurrency investors to gather taxes. Yet in Japan, the NTA said that all 331 investors confirmed their profits from cryptocurrency investments to the government and it still holds doubts towards the tax declaration of cryptocurrency investors.
However, the industry noted that the number is relatively too low to be real and highlighted that they believe that a larger number of investors have not confirmed their profits.
“If the rapid growth of the cryptocurrency sector in late 2017 is considered, 331 is a number that is simply too low to be true. A large portion of cryptocurrency investors probably did not declare their earnings to the government,” said one analyst.
Bitcoin Receives Support From Public Intellectuals
Social worker, Mom,Right-Handed, Christian, Food Lover, Perfectionist, Workaholic.
Crypto Market Cap Drops as Bitcoin Prices Fall
Coinbase Explore Getting Federal Bank Licenses
WePower ICO Turns Into Investors First Choice After Successful Presale
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7/20/1969: Apollo 11’s crew successfully makes the first manned landing on the Moon
7/20/1969: Apollo 11's crew successfully makes the first manned landing on the Moon
Apollo 11 was the spaceflight that landed the first two humans on the Moon. Mission commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Buzz Aldrin, both American, landed the lunar module Eagle on July 20, 1969, at 20:18 UTC. Armstrong became the first to step onto the lunar surface six hours later on July 21 at 02:56:15 UTC; Aldrin joined him about 20 minutes later. They spent about two and a quarter hours together outside the spacecraft, and collected 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg) of lunar material to bring back to Earth. Michael Collins piloted the command module Columbia alone in lunar orbit while they were on the Moon's surface. Armstrong and Aldrin spent just under a day on the lunar surface before rendezvousing with Columbia in lunar orbit.
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In this highly acclaimed history of the national parks, Alfred Runte takes us from Yosemite and Yellowstone to Alaska on a journey of discovery of the American land. Also a prominent adviser and on-camera personality in the Ken Burns documentary, The National Parks: America's Best Idea, Runte reminds us what it means to have national parks in a country equally committed to economic achievement. In this fourth edition, there are many new photographs and some old favorites—including an eight-page color portfolio. The text has been revisited in its entirety and a majority of the chapters extensively revised. The book concludes with a hard-hitting assessment about the future, noting that civilization is the problem parks solve. If the park idea America started is to survive, the world must continue to embrace it, too.
About Runte, Alfred
Alfred Runte received his Ph.D from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is the author of Yosemite: The Embattled Wilderness, Trains of Discovery: Western Railroads and the National Parks, and Allies of the Earth: Railroads and the Soul of Preservation. He lives in Seattle, Washington.
Nature's Steward Penniman, Nick
American Icons: Yellowstone National Park None
Historic Denali National Park and Preserve Salcedo, Tracy
Open Season Worcester, Daren
A Worthy Expedition None
The Everglades Douglas, Marjory Stoneman
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16/05/2013 Diaspora News, Top No comments
Australian politician speaks on Western Armenia visit
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, Walt Secord, who is also the Deputy Co-Chair of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Armenian Group, delivered a powerful speech in Parliament recounting his recent visit to Western Armenia, armenia.com.au reports.
Secord made history in 2011 by becoming the first Australian politician to visit the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. And in December 2012, Secord returned to Armenia to take part in an expedition to Western Armenia and visit towns and cities, which were completely emptied during the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
The tour, which commenced in Yerevan, took Secord north through Gyumri, into the heavily Armenian populated region of Javakhk in Georgia, and then onto the cities of Kars, Van, Ani, Idgir and Akhtamar.
Upon his return to Australia, Secord remarked: “My visit to western Armenia was the most interesting study tour I have undertaken in my life.”
The seven-day visit, which was organized and partially funded by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia), allowed Secord to continue his “exploration of the Armenian genocide”, and allowed him to “see modern Turkey within the context of the interaction between Islam and the West”.
The trip put into perspective the extensive destruction of the Armenian populated regions during the Armenian genocide.
In his speech in Parliament, Secord said: “Of course, official denial is a vital component of oppression and genocide. This is why I will never apologise for my inquiry into the Armenian story or my support for the Armenian community. As I have said in Yerevan, in the Parliament of New South Wales and on many other occasions, it is repugnant for Turkey to deny the deaths of the 1.5 million Armenians.”
Executive Director of ANC Australia, Vache Kahramanian thanked Secord for his continued support to ensure the recognition of the Armenian genocide and for his continued support of the Armenian-Australian community.
“We are grateful for Mr. Secord’s continued efforts in ensuring the just recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” Kahramanian said.
“This trip allowed for the Honourable Member to experience first hand the destruction that fell upon the Armenian people nearly a century ago. Mr. Secord is a dear friend of the Armenian-Australian community and a true champion of human rights.”
Walt Secord will again visit Armenia as part of the New South Wales Parliamentary Friends of Armenian Group delegation in July this year.
PanARMENIAN.Net
(Արևելահայերեն) Ամերիկահայությունը հորդորել է ԱՄՆ Պետդեպարտամենտին բարելավել սիրիահայերին հատկացվող օգնությունը
(Արևելահայերեն) Նախագահ Սերժ Սարգսյանը հանդիպում է ունեցել ուրուգվայահայ համայնքի ներկայացուցիչների հետ
Young Diaspora Armenian participants of “Baze 2014” Pan-Armenian Youth Reunion visit the RA Ministry of DiasporaYoung Diaspora Armenian participants of “Baze 2014” Pan-Armenian Youth Reunion visit the RA Ministry of Diaspora
(Արևմտահայերեն) «Ամերիքանա» Ներողութիւն Կը Խնդրէ Ցեղասպանութեան Նուիրուած Շապիկներու Վաճառքը Արգիլող Որոշումին Համար
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Home / Nutrition & General Wellness / Wellness Library / Behavior
All About LSD
LSD is a type of psychedelic drug that can lead to hallucinations. It’s also called acid. LSD alters a person's ability to think and feel. It can cause changes in sensation and emotions.
In its pure state, LSD is a white, odorless powder. It's often sold in liquid form or as tablets or capsules. It's often put on absorbent paper. This paper is then cut into small, decorated squares. Each square is one dose.
LSD is very powerful. Small amounts can cause strong effects. These effects are hard to predict. They often start 30 to 90 minutes after taking the drug. They are strongest 3 to 5 hours later. They can last for up to 12 hours.
The typical effects of LSD include the following:
Intense sensory experiences (brighter colors, sharper sounds)
Mixing of the senses (colors are heard or sounds seen)
Distorted sense of time and space (minutes can seem as long as hours)
Distorted body image (a person feels as if he or she is floating or being pulled down by gravity)
The physical effects of LSD include:
Dilated (enlarged) pupils
Raised body temperature
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Shaking (tremors)
Unpleasant and intense
While using LSD, or “tripping,” a person may feel anxiety or fear. The hallucinatory effects can be unpleasant, such as spiders crawling on the skin. Or they can be so strong the person feels like he or she is losing control.
Having a bad reaction to LSD and similar drugs is common. The scary sensations may last a few minutes or several hours. They can be mildly frightening or terrifying. The user may feel panicked, confused, suspicious, anxious, and helpless.
Often the bad feelings go away when the drug wears off. But some people have them for several days after. Sometimes these effects can last weeks or months.
Some people can have a flashback. They may have a repeat experience of the effects days, weeks, or even years after using the drug. The user may see intense colors and other hallucinations. The flashback can seem pleasant. Or it may produce severe anxiety.
Flashbacks most often occur in people who used LSD over a long period. But they can happen in people who only use the drug now and then. Heavy users may develop brain damage, such as problems with memory and attention span.
Effects vary
LSD's effects vary from person to person. They depend on many factors. These include the person's size, weight, and health. It also matters how much of the drug is taken, the quality of the drug, and if it is used with other drugs.
It's not safe to drive after using LSD. Sensory and perceptual distortions may cause the user to "see" things that impair driving.
If someone has a bad reaction to LSD, seek medical help right away. Stay with the person until he or she receives care.
Online Medical Reviewer: Eric Perez MD
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Sutton 19, Millbury 6
Thursday, May 15, 2014, at Sutton
Matt Faucher had three hits, including a two-run homer, two-run double and five RBIs to power the host Sammies (13-5) past the Woolies (10-7). Sutton belted 17 hits, including Adam Graves with three doubles, four RBIs and three runs and Keith Dombroski with two doubles, three RBIs and three runs. Millbury's Rich Jolly had two hits, including a two-run homer, and Anthony DiStefano was 2 for 3 with a double.
Millbury 2 0 0 0 3 1 0 6 8 2
Sutton 3 3 0 4 6 3 0 19 17 1
M — Joe Kozlowski, Richard Jolly (3), Lorenzo Secola (6) and Ryan Ward
S — Billy Bilodeau, Logan Nellis (6) and Keith Dombroski
Updated: Thursday, May 15, 2014, 7:09 p.m.
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Home| About Us | Gallery | Notification| Pharmacy Act State Rules| Various Forms| Head Profile| Contact Us
Next CPE Program is going to be held on 21.07.2019 in MAHARAJA AGGARSAIN AUDITORIUM of VAISH INSTITUTE OF PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION & RESEARCH Rohtak, Behind Railway Station, Rohtak. Fee should be deposited online before 18.07.19 upto 05:00 PM It is to inform to All Registered Pharmacists that they have to get their Renewal of Registration done before 31.07.2019 due to elections is to be held in future. It is to inform to All Registered Pharmacists that they have to get their Mobile Number updated with Haryana State Pharmacy Council at the earliest. President will be available in HSPC Office on Wednesday & Thursday only All the pharmacists who have uploaded their documents for New Registration on www.hspc.in are advised to visit Haryana State Pharmacy Council, Plot No. C -15, Awas Bhawan, IInd Floor, Opp. Haryana Police Head Quarter, Sector 6, Panchkula alongwith their all original documents on any working day for further action on the council’s end. Registrar, HSPC, Panchkula The Office of Haryana State Pharmacy Council has been shifted to Plot No C 15, Awas Bhawan, IInd Floor Opp. Haryana Police Head Quarter, Sector 6, Panchkula Enquiry on Telephone No 01722587622 09:30 to 13:15 and 14:15 to 16:30 only Under any circumstance, Any Fees such as New Registration Fees, Renewal Fees or any other type of Fees, paid to Haryana State Pharmacy Council can’t be refundable. All Registered Pharmacists, who want to open / work in Jan AushadhiKendras under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), Kindly contact to HSPC Panchkula Demand Draft drawn from Gramin Bank will not be accepted. For Renewal of Registration Certificate , Applicant must submit Original Two CPE Certificates, Payment Slip, Two Photos with Online Application Form. It is for the information of General Public and Registered Pharmacists that Aadhar Card is mandatory for Renewal as well as New Registration. Audit Report till FY 2014-15
Procedure for New Registration
Procedure for Renewal of Registration
Approved Colleges
Migration to HSPC
Pharmacy Act 1948
Pharmacy Act 1948 (As modified up to the 1st April, 1987)
[Subordinate legislation being published separately]
Ministry of Law and Justice
LIST OF AMENDING ACTS AND ADAPTATION ORDERS :-
The adaptation of Laws Order, 1950.
The adaptation of Laws (No. 3) Order, 1956.
The pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 1959 (24 of 1959)
The Delegated Legislation Provisions (Amendment) Act, 1985 (4 of 1986).
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED
Abbreviation Full Form
A.O. 1950 Adaptation of Laws Order, 1950.
Cl. Clause.
Ins. Inserted.
P. Page.
Pt. Part.
Reg. Regulation.
S. Section.
Sch. Schedule.
Sec. Section.
Subs. Substituted.
w.e.f. with effect from.
THE PHARMACY ACT, 1948
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Chapters Direct link for Acts
Chapter 1 1, 2
Chapter 2 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
Chapter 3 19 , 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 , 26 , 27 , 28
Chapter 4 29, 30 , 31 , 32, 33 , 34 , 35, 36, 37, 38 , 39 , 40
Chapter 5 41 , 42 , 43 , 44, 45 , 46
Pharmacy Act 1948 - CHAPTER 1
(1) This Act may be called the Pharmacy Act, 1948.
(2) (It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
(3) It shall come into force at once, but Chapters III, IV and V shall take effect in a particular State from such date3 * * * as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint in this behalf :
(4) (Provided that where on account of the territorial changes brought about by the reorganisation of States on the 1st day of November, 1956, Chapters III, IV and V have effect only in a part of a State, the said Chapters Shall take effect in the remaining part of that State from such date as the State Government may in like manner appoint.)
In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-
(a) ''agreement'' means an agreement entered into under section 20;
(b) "approved'' means approved by the Central Council under section 12 or section 14;
(c) ''Central Council'' means the pharmacy Council of India constituted under section3;
(d) ''Central Register'' means the register of pharmacists maintained by the Central Council under section 15A;
(da) ''Executive Committee'' means the Executive Committee of the Central Council or of the State Council, as the context may require ;3 of 1956
(e) ''Indian University'' means a University within the meaning of section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 and includes such other institutions, being institutions established by or under a Central Act, as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf;)
1. For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Gazette of India, 1947, Pt. V, p.469; and for Report of Select Committee, see ibid., 1948, Pt. p.6.
The Act has been extended to Dadra and Nagar Haveli by Reg. 6 of 1963, s.2 and Sch. I; to Pondicherry by Reg. 7 of 1953, s.3 and Sch. I; to Goa, Daman and Diu by Reg. 11 of 1963, s.3 and Sch. and to Lakshadweep by Reg. 8 of 1965, s.3 and Sch.
The Act has been modified in its a pplication to the States of Maharashtra, Gujrat, Mysore and Rajasthan by S.O. 2814, dated 14-8-1964, Gazette of India, 1964, Extraordinary, Pt. II, Sec. 3(ii), p. 717.
The Act has been modified in its application to the State of Tamil Nadu by the Madras Adaptation of Laws (Central Acts) Order, 1957 and the Madras Adaptation of Laws (Central Acts) Order, 1961.
2. Subs. by Act 24 of 1959, s. 2, for sub-section (2) (w.e.f. 1-5-1960).
3. The words ''not later than three years from the commencement of this Act,'' omitted by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-5-1960).
4. Ins. by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-5-1960).
5. Subs. by Act 70 of 1976, s. 2, for caluses (c), (d) and (e) (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
1 [(f) "medical practitioner'' means a person-
(i) holding a qualification granted by an authority specified or notified under section 3 of the Indian Medical Degrees Act, 1916, or specified in the Schedules to the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956; or
(ii) registered or eligible for registration in a medical register of a Statement for the registration of persons practising the modern scientific system of medicine; or
(iii) registered in a medical register of a State, who, although not falling within sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) is declared by a general or special order made by the State Government in this behalf as a person practising the modern scientific system of medicine for the purpose of this Act; or
(iv) register or eligible for registration in the register of dentists fro a State under the Dentists Act, 1948; or
(v) Who is engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine and who possesses qualifications approved by the State Government;)
(g) ''prescribed'' means in Chapter II prescribed by regulations made under section 18, and elsewhere prescribed by rules made under section 46;
2 ((h) ''register'' means a register of pharmacists prepared and maintained under Chapter IV;
(i) ''registered pharmacist'' means a person whose name is for the time being entered in the register of the State in which he is for the time being residing or carrying on his profession or business of pharmacy;
(j) ''State Council'' means a State Council of pharmacy constituted under section 19, and includes a Joint State Council or Pharmacy constituted in accordance with an agreement under section 20;
(k) ''University Grants Commission'' means the University Grants Commission established under section 4 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.)
THE PHARMACY COUNCIL OF INDIA
The Central Government shall, as soon as may be, constitute a Central Council consisting of the following members, namely;-
six members, among whom there shall be at least one teacher of each of the subjects, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacy, pharmacology and pharmacognosy elected by the 4(University Grants Commission) from among persons on the teaching staff of an Indian University or a College affiliated thereto which grants a degree or diploma in pharmacy;
six members, of whom at least 5(four) shall be persons possessing a degree or diploma in, and practising pharmacy or pharmaceutical chemistry, nominated by the Central Government; one member elected from amongst themselves by the members of the Medical Council of India.
1. Subs. by Act 24 of 1959, s. 3, for cls. (f) (w.e.f. 1-5-1960).
2. Subs. by Act 70 of 1976, s.2, for cls. (h), (i) and (j) (w.e.f.1-9-1976).
3. Cl. (k), ins. by the A.O. 1950 was omitted by Act 24 of 1959, s. 3 (w.e.f. 1-5-1960).
4. Subs. by Act 70 of 1976, s.3, for ''authority known as the Inter-University Board'' (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
5. Subs. by s.3 ibid., for ''three'' (w.e.f. 1-9-76).
the Director General, Health Services, ex officio or if he is unable to attend any meeting, a person authorised by him in writing to do so;
1((dd) the Drugs Controller, India, ex officio or if he is unable to attend any meeting, a person authorised by him in writing to do so;) the Director of the Central Drugs Laboratory, ex officio;
2((f) a representative of the University Grants commission and a representative of the All India Council for Technical Education;
one member to represent each 3* * * State electea 4(from amongst themselves) by the members of each State Council, who shall be a registered pharmacist;
one member to represent each 3* * * State nominated by 5(the) State Government, who shall be 6* * * a registered pharmacist :
7(Provided that for five years from the date on which the pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 1976 comes into force the Government of each Union territory shall, instead of electing a member under clause (g) nominate one member, being a person eligible for registration under section 31, to represent that territory.)
The Council constituted under section 3 shall be a body corporate by the name of the Pharmacy Council of India, having perpetual succession and a common movable, and shall by the said name sue and be sued.
(I) The President and Vice-President of the Central Council shall be elected by the members of the said Council from among themselves.
(2) 10(The President) or Vice-President shall hold office as such for a term not exceeding five years and not extending beyond the expiry of his term as member of the Central Council, but subject to his being a member of the Central Council, he shall be eligible for re-election :
11(Provided that if his term of office as a member of the Central Council expires before the expiry of the full term for which he is elected as President or Vice-President, he shall, if he is re-elected or re-nominated as a member of the Central Council, Continue to hold office as president or Vice-President for the full term for which he is elected to such office.)
Electiions under this Chapter shall be conducted in the prescribed manner and where any dispute arises regarding any such election it shall be referred to the Central Government whose decision shall be final.
1 Ins. by Act 24 of 1959, s. 4 (w.e.f. 1-5-1960).
2 Sub. by Act 70 of 1976, s.3, for cl. (f) (w.e.f. 1-9-1976)
3 The word and letter ''Part A'' omitted by the adaptation of Laws (No. 3) Order, 1956.
4 Ins by Act 70 of 1976, s.3 (w.e.f. 1-9-1975).
''each such''.
6 The words ''either a registered medical practitioner or''
omitted by Act 70 of 1976, s.3 (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
7 Subs. by s.3, ibid., for the former proviso (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
8 Explanation omited by s.3, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
9 Proviso omitted by Act 24 of 1959, s.5 (w.e.f. 1-5-1960).
10 Subs. by Act 70 or 1976, s.4 for ''An elected President'' (w.e.f 1-9-1976).
11 Added by S.4, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
Subject to the provisions of this section, a nominated or elected member nomination or election or until his successor has been duly nominated or elected, whichever is longer
A nominated or elected member may at any time resign his membership by writing under his hand addressed to the President, and the seat of such member shall thereupon become vacant.
A nominated or elected member shall be deemed to have vacated his seat if he is absent without excuse, sufficient in the opinion of the Central Council, from three consecutive meetings of the Central Council or if he is elected under clause (a), (c) or (g) section 3, if he ceases to be a member of the teaching staff, Medical Council of India or a registered pharmacist, as the case may be.
A casual vacancy in the Central Council shall be filled by fresh nomination or election, as the case may be, and the person nominated or elected to fill the vacancy shall hold office only for the remainder of the term for which the member whose place he takes was nominated or elected.
No act done by the Central Council shall be called in question on the ground merely of the existence of any vacancy in, or any defect in the constitution of, the Central Council.
Members of the Central Council shall be eligible for re-nomination or re-election.
The Central Council Shall-
appoint a Registrar who shall act as the Secretary to that Council and who may also, if deemed expedient by that Council, act as the Treasurer thereof;
appoint such other officers and servants as that Council deems necessary to enable it to carry out its functions under this Act;
require and take from the Registrar, or any other officer or servant, such security for the due performance of his duties as that Council may consider necessary; and with the previous sanction of the Central Government, fix-
(i) the remuneration and allowances to be paid to the President, Vice-President, and other members of that Council,
(ii) the pay and allowances and other conditions of service of officers and servants of that Council.)
(1) The Central Council shall, as soon as may be, constitute an Executive Committee consisting of the President (who shall be Chairman of the Executive Committee) and Vice-President, ex officio, and five other members elected by the Central Council from amongst its members.
(2) A member of the Executive Committee shall hold office as such until the expiry of his term of office as member of the Central Council, but, subject to his being a member of the Central Council, he shall be eligible for re-election.
(3) In addition to the powers and duties conferred and imposed upon it by this Act the Executive Committee shall exercise and discharge such powers and duties as may be prescribed.
1 The words, ''other than a nominated President'' omitted by Act 70 of 1976, s.5 (w.e.f.15-9-1976).
2 Subs. by s. 6, ibid., for s 8 (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
1(9A. (1) The Central Council may constitute from among its members other committees for such general or special purpose as that Council may deem necessary and for such periods not exceeding five years as it may specify, and may co-opt for a like period persons, who are not members of the Central Council, as members of such committees.
(2) The remuneration and allowances to be paid to the members of such committees shall be fixed by the Central Council with previous sanction of the Central Government.
(3) The business before such committees shall be conducted in accordance with such regulations as may be made under this Act.)
(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Central Council may, subject to the approval of the Central Government, make regulations, to be called the Education Regulations, prescribing the minimum standard of education required for qualification as a pharmacist.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, the Education Regulations may prescribe-
(a) the nature and period of study and of practical training to be undertaken before admission to an examination;
(b) the equipment add facilities to be provided for students undergoing approved courses of study;
(c) the subjects of examination and the standards therein to be attained;
(d) any other conditions of admission to examinations.
(3) Copies of the draft of the Education Regulations and of all subsequent amendments thereof shall be furnished by the Central Council to all State Governments, and the Central Council shall before submitting the Education Regulations or any amendment thereof, as the case may be, to the Central Government for approval under sub-section (1) take into consideration the comments of any State Government received within three months from the furnishing of the copies as aforesaid.
(4) The Education Regulations shall be published in the Official Gazette and in such other manner as the Central Council may direct.
(5) The Executive Committee shall from time to time report to the Central Council on the efficacy of the Education Regulations and may recommend to the Central Council such amendments thereof as it may think fit.
At any time after the constitution of the State Council under Chapter III and after consultation with the State Council, the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare that the Education Regulations shall take effect in the State :
Provided that where no such declaration has been made, the Education Regulations shall take effect in the State on the expiry of three years from the date of the constitution of the State Council.
(1) Any authority in a State 2* * * which conducts a course of study for pharmacists may apply to the Central Council for approved of the course, and the Central Council, it satisfied, after such enquiry as it thinks fit to make, that the said course of study is in conformity with the Education Regulations, shall declare the said course of study to be an approved course of study for the purpose of admission to an approved examination for pharmacists.
1 Ins. by Act 70 of 1976, s. 7 (w.e.f. 1-9-1976)
2 The words ''of India'' omitted by the A.O. 1950
(2) Any authority in state 1* * * which holds an examination in pharmacy may apply to the Central Council, if satisfied, after such enquiry as it thinks fit to make, that the said examination is in conformity with the Education Regulations, shall declare the said examination to be an approved examination for the purpose of qualifying for registration as a pharmacist under this Act.
(3) Every authority in the States 1* * * which conducts an approved course of study or holds an approved examination shall furnish such information as the Central Council may, from time to time, require as to the courses of study and training and examination to be undergone, as to the ages at which such courses of study and examination are required to be undergone and generally as to the requisites for such courses of study and examination.
(1) Where the Executive Committee reports to the Central Council that an approved course of study or an approved examination does not continue to be in conformity with the Education Regulations, the Central Council shall give notice to the authority concerned of its intention to take into consideration the question of withdrawing the declaration of approval according to the course of study or examination, as the case may be, and the said authority shall within three months from the receipt of such notice forward to the Central Council through the State Government such representation in the matter as it may wish to make.
(2) After considering any representation which may be received from the authority concerned and any observations thereon which the State Government may think fit to make, the Council may declare that the course of study or the examination shall be deemed to be approved only when completed or passed, as the case may be, before a specified date.
The Central Council, if it is satisfied that any qualification in pharmacy granted by an authority outside the 2(territories to which this Act extends) affords a sufficient guarantee of the requisite skill and knowledge, may declare such qualification to be an approved qualification for the purpose of qualifying for registration under this Act, and may for reasons appearing to it sufficient at any time declare that such qualification shall be deemed 3(subject to such additional conditions, if any as may be specified by the Central Council,) to be approved only when granted before or after a specified date :
Provided that no person other than a 4(citizen of India) possessing such qualification shall be deemed to be qualified for registration unless by the law and practice of the State or country in which the qualification is granted, persons of Indian origin holding such qualification are permitted to enter and practice the profession of pharmacy.
All declarations under section 12, section 13 or section 14 shall be made by resolution passed at a meeting of the Central Council, and shall have effect as soon as they are published in the Official Gazette.
5(15A. (1) The Central Council shall cause to be maintained in the prescribed manner a register of pharmacists to be known as the Central Register, which shall contain the names of all persons for the time being entered in the register for a State.
(2) Each State Council shall supply to the Central Council five copies of the register for the State as soon as may be after the first day of April of each year, and the Registrar of each State Council, shall inform the Central Council, without delay, all additions to, and other amendments in, the register for the State made from time to time.
1 The words "of India" omitted by the A.O. 1950.
2 subs. By the Adaptation of Laws (No. 3) Order, 1956, for "Part A States and Part C States" which had been subs. By the A.O. 1950, for "Provinces of India".
4 Subs. By the A.O. 1950, for "British subject of Indian domicile".
(3) It shall be the duty of the Registrar of the Central Council to keep the Central Register in accordance with the orders made by the Central Council, and from time to time to revise the Central Register and publish it in the Gazette of India.
(4) The Central Register shall be deemed to be public document within the meaning of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and may be proved by the production of a copy of the Register as published in the Gazette of India.
15(B). The Registrar of the Central Council shall, on receipt of the report of registration of a person in the register for a State, enter his name in the Central Register.)
(1) The Executive Committee may appoint such number of Inspectors as it may deem requisite for the purposes of this Chapter.
2. An Inspector may-
(a) inspect any institution which provides an approved course of study;
(b) attend at any approved examination;
(c) inspect any institution whose authorities have applied for the approval of its course of study or examination under this Chapter, and attend at any examination of such institution.
(3) An Inspector attending at any examination under sub-section (2) shall not interfere with the conduct of the examination, but he shall report to the Executive Committee on the sufficiency of every examination he attends and on any other matter in regard to which the Executive Committee may require him to report.
(4) The Executive Committee shall forward a copy of every such report to the authority or institution concerned., and shall also forward a copy together with any comments thereon which the said authority or institution may have made, to the Central Government and to the Government of the State in which the authority or institution is situated.
(1) The Central Council shall furnish copies of its minutes and of the minutes of the Executive Committee and an annual report of its activities 1* * * to the Central Government.
(2) The Central Government may publish in such manner as it may think fit any report, 2(or copy), furnished to it under this section or under section 16.
3(17A. (1) The Central Council shall maintain proper accounts and other relevant records and prepare an annual statement of accounts, in accordance with such general directions as may be issued and in such form as may be specified by the Central Government in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.
(2) The accounts of the Central Council shall be audited annually by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or any person authorised by him in this behalf and any expenditure incurred by him or any person so authorised in connection with such audit shall be payable by the Central Council to the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.
(3) The Copmtroller and Auditor-General of India and any person authorised by him in connection with the audit of the accounts of the Central Council shall have the same rights and privileges and authority in connection with such audit as the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India has in connection with the audit of Government accounts, and in particular, shall have the right to demand the production of books of accounts, connected vouchers and other documents and papers.
1 The words "together with an abstract of its accounts" omitted by Act 70 of 1976, s. 10 (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
2 Subs, by s. 10, ibia., for "copy or abstract" (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
3 Ins. by s. 11, ibid (w.e.f. 1-9-1976)
and Auditor-General of India or any person authorised by him in this behalf together with the audit report thereon shall be forwarded annually to the Central Council which shall forward the same with its comments to the Central Government.)
(1) The Central Council may, with the approval of the Central Government, 1(by notification in the Official Gazette,) make regulations consistent with this Act to carry out the purposes of this Chapter.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such regulations may provide for-
(a) the management of the property of the Central Council;)
(b) the manner in which elections under this Chapter shall be conducted;
(c) the summoning and holding of meetings of the Central Council, the times and places at which such meetings shall be held, the conduct of business thereat and the number of members necessary to constitute a quorum;
(d) the functions of the Executive Committee, the summoning and holding meetings thereof, the times and places at which such meetings shall be held, and the number of members necessary to constitute a quorum;
(e) the powers and duties of the President and Vice-President;
(f) the qualifications, the term of office and the powers and duties of the (Registrar, Secretary), Inspectors and other officers and servants of the Central Council, including the amount and nature of the security to be furnished by the 4(Registrar or any other officer or servant).
5(g) the manner in which the Central Register shall be maintained and given publicity;
(g) constitution and functions of the committees other than Executive Committee, the summoning and holding of meetings thereof, the time and place at which such meetings shall be held, and the number of members necessary to constitute the quorum.)
(3) Until regulations are made by the Central Council under this section, the President may, with the previous sanction of the Central Government, make such regulations under this section, including those to provide for the manner in which the first elections to the Central Council shall be conducted, as may be necessary for carrying into effect the provisions of this Chapter, and any regulations so made may be altered or rescinded by the Central Council in exercise of its powers under this section.
1 (4) Every regulation made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the regulation or both Houses agree that the regulation should not be made, the regulation shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that regulation.)
1 Ins. by Act 4 or 1986, s. 2 and the Sch. (date to be notified).
2 Subs. by Act 70 of 1976, s. 12, for Cl. (a) (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
3 Subs, by s. 12, ibid., for "Secretary" (w.e.f 1-9-1976).
4 Subs, by s. 12, ibid., for "Treasurer" (w.e.f 1-9-1976).
5 Ins. by s. 12 ibid., (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
STATE PHARMACY COUNCILS
Except where a Joint State Council is constituted in accordance with an agreement made under section 20, the State Government shall constitute a State Council consisting of the following members, namely:-
(a) six members, elected from amongst themselves by registered pharmacists of the State;
(b) five members, of whom at least 1(three) shall be persons possessing a prescribed degree or diploma in pharmacy or pharmaceutical chemistry or 2(registered pharmacists), nominated by the State Government;
(c) one member elected from amongst themselves by the members of each Medical Council or the Council of Medical Registration of the State, as the ease may be;
(d) the chief administrative medical officer of the State ex. Officio or if he is unable to attend any meeting, a person authorized by him in writing to do so;
3(dd) the officer-in-charge of drugs control organisation of the State under the 4(Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940), ex. Officio or if he is unable to attend any meeting, a person authorised by him in writing to do so;)
(e) the Government Analyst under the 4(Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940), ex. Officio, or where there is more than one, such one as the State Government may appoint in this behalf :
Provided that where an agreement is made under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 20, the agreement may provide that the State Council to serve the needs of the other participating States also shall be augmented by not more than two members, of whom, at least one shall at all times be a person possessing a prescribed degree or diploma in pharmacy or pharmaceutical chemistry or a 5(registered pharmacist), nominated by the Government of each of the said other participating States, and where the agreement so provides, the composition of the State Council shall be deemed to be augmented accordingly.
(1) Two or more State Governments may enter into an agreement to be in force for such period and to be subject to renewal for such further periods, if any as may be specified in the agreement, to provide-
(a) for the constitution of a Joint State Council for all the participating States, or
(b) that the State Council of one State shall serve the needs of the other participating States.
(2) In addition to such matters as are in this Act specified, an agreement under this section may-
(a) provide for the apportionment between the participating States of the expenditure in connection with the State Council or Joint State Council;
(b) determine which of the participating State Governments shall exercise the several functions of the State Government under this Act, and the references in this Act to the State Government shall be construed accordingly;
(c) provide for consultation between the participating State Governments either generally or with reference to particular matters arising under this Act;
(d) make such incidental and ancillary provisions, not inconsistent with this Act, as may be deemed necessary or expedient for giving effect to the agreement.
1 Subs. by Act 70 of 1976, s. 13, for "two") (w.e.f. 1-9-1976.)
2 Subs. ibid., for "members of the pharmaceutical profession" (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
3 Ins. by Act 24 of 1959, s. 7, (w.e.f. 1-5-1960).
4 Subs. by Act 70 of 1976, s. 13, for "Drugs Act, 1940" (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
5 Subs by s. 13, ibid, for "member of the pharmaceutical profession" (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
(3) An agreement under this section shall be published in the Offical Gazettes of the participating States.
(1) A Joint State Council shall consist of the following members, namely :-
(a) such number of members, being not less than three and not more than five as the agreement shall provide elected from amongst themselves by the registered pharmacists of each of the participating States;
(b) such number of members, being not less than two and not more than four as the agreement shall provide, nominated by each participating State Government;
(c) one member elected from amongst themselves by the members of each Medical Council or the Council of Medical Registration of each participating State, as the case may be;
(d) the chief administrative medical officer of each participating State, ex. Officio, or if hi is unable to attend any meeting, a person authorized by him in writing to do so;
1(dd) the officer-in-charge of drugs control organisation of each participating State under the 2(Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940), ex. Officio, or if he is unable to attend any meeting, a person authorized by him in writing to do so;)
(e) the Government Analyst under the 2(Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940), of each participating State, ex. Officio, or where there is more than one in any such State, such one as the State Government may appoint in this behalf.
(2) The agreement may provide that within the limits specified in clauses (a) and (b) of sub-section (1), the number of members to be elected or nominated under those clauses may or may not be the same in respect of each participating State.
(3) Of the members nominated by each State Government under clause (b) of sub-section (1), 3(more than half) shall be persons possessing a prescribed degree or diploma in pharmacy or pharmaceutical chemistry or 4 (registered pharmacists).
Every State Council shall be a body corporate by such name as may be notified by the State Government in the Official Gazette or, in the case of a Joint State Council, as may be determined in the agreement, having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power to acquire or hold property both movable and immovable and shall by the said name sue and be sued
(1) The President and Vice-President of the State Council shall be elected by the members from amongst themselves :
Provided that for five years from the first constitution of the State Council the President shall be a person nominated by the State Government who shall hold office at the pleasure of the State Government and where hi is not already a member, shall be a member of the State Council in addition to the members referred to in section 19 or section 21, as the case may be.
(2) 5(The President) or Vice-President shall hold office as such for a term not exceeding five years and not extending beyond the expiry of his term as a member of the State Council, but subject to his being a member of the State Council, he shall be eligible for re-election :
3 Subs. by s. 14, ibid., for "at least half" (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
4 Subs. by s. 14, ibid., for "members of the pharmaceutical profession" (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
5 Subs. by s. 15 ibid., for "An elected President" (w.e.f. 1-9-1976).
1 (Provided that if his term of office as a member of the State Council expires before the expiry of the full term for which he is elected as President or Vice-President, he shall, if he is re-elected or re-nominated as a member of the State Council, continue to hold office for the full term for which he is elected as President or Vice-President.)
Elections under this Chapter shall be conducted in the prescribed manner, and where any dispute arises regarding any such election, it shall be referred to the State Government whose decision shall be final.
(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, a nominated or elected member, other than a nominated President, shall hold office for a term of five years from the date of his nomination or election or until his successor has been duly nominated or elected, whichever is longer.
(2) A nominated or elected member may at any time resign his membership by writing under his hand addressed to the President, and the seat of such member shall thereupon become vacant.
(3) A nominated or elected member shall be deemed to have vacated his seat if he is absent without excuse sufficient in the opinion of the State Council from three consecutive meetings of the State Council, or if he is elected under clause (a) or (c) of section 19 or 21, if he ceases to be a registered pharmacist or ceases to be a member of the Medical Council or Council of Medical Registration of the State, as the case may be.
(4) A casual vacancy in the State Council shall be filled by fresh nomination or election, as the case may be, and the person nominated or elected to fill the vacancy shall hold on, only for the remainder of the term for which the member whose place he takes was nominated selected.
(5) No act done by the State Council shall be called in question on the ground merely of the existence of any vacancy in, or any defect in the constitution of, the State Council.
(6) Members of the State Council shall be eligible for re-nomination or re-election.
The State Council may, with the previous sanction of the State Government–
(a) appoint a Registrar Who shall also act a s Secretary and, if so decided by the State Council, Treasurer, of the State Council;
(b) appoint such other officers and servants as may be required to enable the State Council to carry out its functions under this Act;
(c) fix the salaries and allowances and other conditions of service of the secretary and other officers and servants of the State Council;
(d) fix the rates of allowances payable to members of the State Council :
Provided that for the first four years from the first constitution of the State Council, the Registrar shall be a person appointed by the State Government, who shall hold office during the pleasure of the State Government.
2 (26A. (1) A State Council may, with the previous action of the State Government, appoint Inspectors having the prescribed qualification for the purposes of Chapters III, IV and V of this Act
(2) A Inspector may-
(a) inspect any premises where drugs are compounded or dispensed and submit a written report to the Registrar;
(b) enquire whether a person who is engaged in compounding or dispensing of drugs is a registered pharmacist;
1Added by Act 70 of 1976, s. 15, (w.e.f. 1-9-1976)
(c) investigate any complaint made in writing in respect of any contravention of this Act and report to the Registrar;
(d) institute prosecution under the order of the Executive Committee of the State Council;
(e) exercise such other powers as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of Chapters III, IV and V of this Act or any rules made thereunder.
(3) Any person willfully obstructing an Inspector in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by or under this Act or any rules made thereunder shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine not exceeding one thousand rupees, or with both.
(4) Every Inspector shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.)
(1) The State Council shall, as soon as may be, constitute an Executive Committee consisting of the President (who shall be Chairman of the Executive Committee) and Vice-President, ex. Officio, and such number of other members elected by the State Council from amongst themselves as may be prescribed.
(2) A member of the Executive Committee shall hold office as such until the expiry of his term of office as member of the State Council, but, subject to his being a member of the State Council, he shall be eligible for re-election.
(3) In addition to the powers and duties conferred and imposed, upon it by this Act, the Executive Committee shall exercise and discharge such powers and duties as may be prescribed.
(1) The State Council shall furnish such reports, copies of its minutes and of the minutes of the Executive Committee, and abstracts of its accounts to the State Government as the State Government may from time to time require and copies thereof shall be sent to the Central Council.
(2) The State Government may publish, in such manner as it may think fit, any report, copy, abstract or other information furnished to it under this section.
REGISTRATION OF PHARMACIESTS
(1) As soon as may be after this Chapter has taken effect in any State, the State Government shall cause to be prepared in the manner hereinafter provided a register of pharmacists for the State.
(2) The State Council shall as soon as possible after it is constituted assume the duty of maintaining the register in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
(3) The register shall include the following particulars, namely :-
(a) the full name and residential address of the registered person;
(b) the date of his first admission to the register;
(c) his qualifications for registration;
(d) his professional address, and if he is employed by any person, the name of such person;
(e) such further particulars as may be prescribed.
(1) For the purpose of preparing the first register, the State Government shall by notification in the Official Gazette constitute a Registration Tribunal consisting of three persons, and shall also appoint a Registrar who shall act as Secretary of the Registration Tribunal.
(2) The State Government shall, by the same or a like notification, appoint a date on or before which applications for registration, which shall be accom0anied by the prescribed fee, shall be made to the Registration Tribunal.
(3) The Registration Tribunal shall examine every application received on or before the appointed date, and if it is satisfied that the applicant is qualified for registration under section 31, shall direct the entry of the name of the applicant on the register.
(4) The first register so prepared shall thereafter be published in such manner as the State Government may direct, and any person aggrieved by a decision of the Registration Tribunal expressed or implied in the register as so published may, within sixty days from the date of such publication, appeal to an authority appointed by the State Government in this behalf by notification in the Official Gazette.
(5) The Registrar shall amend the register in accordance with the decisions of the authority appointed under sub-section (4) and shall thereupon issue to every person whose name is entered in the register a certificate of registration in the prescribed form.
(6) Upon the constitution of the State Council, the register shall be given into its custody, and the State Government may direct that all or any specified part of the application fees for registration in the first register shall be paid to the credit of the State Council.
1(A person who has attained the age of eighteen years shall be entitled ) on payment of the prescribed fee to have his name entered in the first register if he resides, or carries on the business or profession of pharmacy, in the State and if he-
(a) holds a degree or diploma in pharmacy or pharmaceutical chemistry or a chemist and druggist diploma of an Indian University or a State Government, as the case may be, or a prescribed qualification granted by an authority outside 2* * * India, or
(b) holds a degree of an Indian University other than a degree in pharmacy or pharmaceutical chemistry, and has been engaged in the compounding of drugs in a hospital or dispensary or other place in which drugs are regularly dispensed on prescriptions of medical practitioners for a total period of not less than three years, or
(c) has passed an examination recognized as adequate by the State Government for compounders or dispensers, or
(d) has been engaged in the compounding of drugs in a hospital or dispensary or other place in which drugs are regularly dispensed on prescriptions of medical practitioners for a total period of not less than five years prior to the date notified under sub-section (2) of section 30.
(1) After the date appointed under sub-section (2) of section 30 and before the Education Regulations have, by or under section 11, taken effect in the State, 3(a person who has attained the age of eighteen years shall on payment of the prescribed fee) be entitled to have his name entered in the register if he resides or carries on the business or profession of pharmacy in the register if he resides or carries on the business or profession of pharmacy in the State and if he-
(a) satisfies the conditions prescribed with the prior approval of the Central Council, or where no conditions have been prescribed, the conditions entitling a person to have his name entered on the first register as set out in section 31, or
(b) is a registered pharmacist in another State, or
(c) possesses a qualification approved under section 14 :
1 Subs. by Act 24 of 1959, s. 9, for :A person shall be entitled." (w.e.f. 1-5-1960).
2 The words "the Provinces of" omitted by the A.O. 1950.
3 Subs. by Act 24 of 1959, a. 10, for "a person shall on payment of the prescribed fee" (w.e.f. 1-5-1960).
Provided that no person shall be entitled 1(under clause (a) or clause (c) ) to have his name entered on the register unless he has passed a matriculation examination.
(2) After the Education Regulations have by or under section 11 taken effect in the State, a person shall on payment of the prescribed fee be entitled to have his name entered on the register if he has attained the age of 2(eighteen years), if he resides, or carries on the business or profession of pharmacy, in the State and if he has passed an approved examination or possesses a qualification approved under section 14 3 (or is a registered pharmacist in another State).
4(32A. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 32, a State Council may also permit to be entered on the register-
(a) the names of displaced persons who have been carrying on the business or profession of pharmacy as their principal means of livelihood from a date prior to the 4th day of March, 1948, and who satisfy the conditions for registration as set out in section 31;
(b) the names of citizens of India who have been carrying on the business or profession of pharmacy in any country outside India and who satisfy the conditions for registration as set out in section 31;
(c) the names of persons who resided in an area which has subsequently out in section 31;
(d) the names of persons who carry on the business or profession of pharmacy in the State, and
(I) would have satisfied the conditions for registration as set out in section 31, on the date appointed under sub-section (2) of section 30, had they applied for registration on or before that date; or
(ii) have been engaged in the compounding of drugs in a hospital of dispensary or other place in which drugs are regularly dispensed on prescriptions of medical practitioners as defined in sub-clause (iii) of clause (f) of section 2 for a total period of not less than five years prior to the date appointed under sub-section (2) of section 30;
(e) the names of persons who were qualified to be entered in the register for a State as it existed immediately before the 1st day of November, 1956, but who, by reason of the area in which they resided or carried on their business or profession of pharmacy having become part of a State as formed on that date, are not qualified to be entered in the register for the latter State only by reason of their not having passed either a matriculation examination or an examination prescribed as being equivalent to a matriculation examination or an approved examination or of their not possessing a qualification approved under section 14;
(f) the names of persons-
(I) who were included in the register for a State as it existed immediately before the 1st day of November, 1956; and
(ii) who, by reason of the area in which they resided or carried on their business or profession of pharmacy having become part of a State as formed on that date, reside or carry on such business or profession in the latter State;
(g) the names of persons who reside or carry on their business or profession of pharmacy in an area in which this Chapter takes effect after the commencement of the Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 1959, and who satisfy the conditions for registration as set out in section 31.
1 Subs, by Act 24 of 1959, s. 10, for "under this sub-section" (w.e.f. 1-5-1960)
2 Subs, by s. 10, ibid., for "twenty-one years" (w.e.f. 1-5-1960)
3 Ins. by s. 10, ibid., (w.e.f. 1-5-1960)
(2) Any person who desires his name to be entered in the register in pursuance of sub-section (7) shall make an application in that behalf to the State Council, and such application shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee.
(3) The provisions of this section shall remain in operation for a period of two years from the commencement of the Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 1959;
Provided that the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, extend the period of operation of clause (a), clause (b) or clause (c) of sub-section (I) by such further period or periods, not exceeding two years in the aggregate, as may be specified in the notification.
Explanation 1. - For the purposes of clause (a) of sub-section (I), "displaced person" means any person who on account of the setting up of the Dominions of India and Pakistan or on account of civil disturbances or the fear of such disturbances in any area now forming part of Pakistan, has, on or after the 1st day of March, 1947, left or been displaced from his place of residence in such area and who has since then been residing in India.
Explanation 2. - For the purposes of clauses (b), and (g) of sub-section (I), the period referred to in clause (d) of section 31 shall be computed with reference to the date of application.]
1[32B. (I) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 32 or section 32A, a State Council may permit to be entered on the register-
(a) the names of persons who possess the qualifications specified in clause (a) or clause (c) of section 31 and who were eligible for registration between the closing of the First Register and the date when the Education Regulations came into effect;
(b) the names of persons approved as "qualified persons" before the 31st December, 1969 for compounding or dispensing of medicines under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the rules made thereunder;
(c) the names of displaced persons or repatriates who were carrying on business or profession of pharmacy as their principal means of livelihood in any country outside India for a total of not less than five years from a date prior to the date of application for registration.
Explanation,- In this sub-section,-
(I) "displaced person" means any person who, on account of civil disturbances or the fear of such disturbances in any area now forming part of Bangladesh, has ,after the 14th day of April, 957 but before the 25th day of March, 1971, left, or has been displaced from, his place of residence in such area and who has since then been residing in India;
(ii) "repatriate" means any person of Indian origin who, on account of civil disturbances or the fear of such disturbances in any area now forming part of Burma, Sri Lanka or Uganda, or any other country has, after the 14th day of April, 1957, left or has been displaced from, his place of residence in such are and who has since then been residing in India.
(2) The provisions of clauses (a) and (b) of sub-section (I) shall remain in operation for a period of two years from the commencement of the Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 1976.]
(1) After the date appointed under sub-section (2) of section 30, applications for registration shall be addressed to the Registrar of the State Council and shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee.
(2) If upon such application the Registrar is of opinion that the applicant is entitled to have his name entered in the register under the provisions of this Act for the time being applicable, he shall enter the name of the applicant in the register :
1 Ins. by Act 70 of 1976, s. 17 (w.e.f. 1-9-1976)
Provided that no person whose name has under the provisions of this Act been removed from the register of any State shall be entitled to have his name entered in the register except with the approval of the State Council recorded at a meeting.
(3) Any person whose application for registration is rejected by the Registrar, may within three months from the date of such rejection appeal to the State Council, and the decision of the State Council thereon shall be final.
(4) Upon entry in the register of a name under this section, the Registrar shall issue a certificate of registration in the prescribed form.1
(1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that for the retention of a name on the register after the 31st day of December of the year following the year in which the name is first entered on the register, there shall be paid annually to the State Council such renewal fee as may be prescribed, and where such direction has been made, such renewal fee shall be due to be paid before the first day of April of the year to which it relates.
(2) Where a renewal fee is not paid by the due date, the Registrar shall remove the name of the defaulter from the register :
Provided that a name so removed may be restored to the register on such conditions as may be prescribed.
(3) On payment of the renewal fee, the Registrar shall 2[issue a receipt therefor and such receipt shall be proof of renewal of registration.]
A registered pharmacist shall on payment of the prescribed fee be entitled to have entered in the register any further degrees or diplomas in pharmacy or pharmaceutical chemistry which he may obtain.
(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Executive Committee may order that the name of a registered pharmacist shall be removed from the register, where it is satisfied, after giving him a reasonable opportunity of being heard and after such further inquiry, if any, as it may think fit to make,-
(I) that his name has been entered in the register by error or on account of misrepresentation or suppression of a material fact, or
(ii) that he has been convicted of any offence or has been quilty of any infamous conduct in any professional respect which in the opinion of the Executive Committee, renders him unfit to be kept in the register, or
(iii) that a person employed by him for the purposes of his business of pharmacy 3[or employed to work under him in connection with any business of pharmacy] has been convicted of any such offence or has been guilty of any such infamous conduct as would, if such person were a registered pharmacist, render him liable to have his name removed from the register under clause (ii) :
Provided that no such order shall be made under clause (iii) unless the Executive Committee is satisfied -
(a) that the offence or infamous conduct was instigated or connived at by the registered pharmacist, or
(b) that the registered pharmacist has at any time during the period of twelve months immediately proceeding the date on which the offence or infamous conduct took place committed a similar offence or been quilty of similar infamous conduct, or 1 In its application to the State of Andhra Pradesh, s. 33A has been inserted by the Andhra Adaptation of Laws (Second Amendment) Order, 1954.
In its application to the State of Madras, S. 33A has been inserted by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1954 and later subs, by the Madras (Added Territories) Adaptation of Laws Order, 1961.
2 Subs, by Act 24 of 1959, s. 12, for "in the prescribed maner endorse the certificate of registration accordingly" (w.e.f. 1-5-1960)
2 Ins. by, s. 13, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-5-1960)
(c) that any person employed by the registered pharmacist for the purposes of his business of pharmacy 1[or employed to work under him in connection with any business of pharmacy] has at any time during the period of twelve months immediately preceding the date on which the offence or infamous conduct took place, committed a similar offence or been guilty of similar infamous conduct, and that the registered pharmacist had, or reasonably ought to have had, knowledge of such previous offence or infamous conduct, or
(d) that where the offence or infamous conduct continued over a period, the registered pharmacist had, or reasonably ought to have had, knowledge of the continuing offence or infamous conduct, or
(e) that where the offence is an offence under the 2[Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940], the registered pharmacist has not used due diligence in enforcing compliance with the provisions of that Act in his place of business and by persons employed by him 3 [or by persons under his control].
(2) An order under sub-section (I) may direct that the person whose name is ordered to be removed from the register shall be ineligible for registration registration in the State under this Act either permanently or for such period as may be specified.
(3) An order under sub-section (I) shall be subject to confirmation by the State Council and shall not take effect until the expiry of three months from the date of such confirmation.
(4) A person aggrieved by an order under sub-section (I) which has been confirmed by the State Council may, within thirty days from the communication to him of such confirmation, appeal to the State Government, and the order of the State Government upon such appeal shall be final.
(5) A person whose name has been removed from the register under this section or under sub-section (2) of section 34 shall forthwith surrender his certificate of registration to the Registrar, and the name so removed shall be published in the Official Gazette.
The State Council may at any time for reasons appearing to it sufficient order that upon payment of the prescribed fee the name of a person removed from the register shall be restored thereto :
Provided that where an appeal against such removal has been rejected by the State Government, an order under this section shall not
take effect until it has been confirmed by the State Government.
No order refusing to enter a name on the register or removing a name from the register shall be called in question in any Court.
Where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Registrar tat a certificate of registration has been lost or destroyed, the Registrar may, on payment of the prescribed fee, issue a duplicate certificate in the prescribed form.
(1) As soon as may be after the 1st day of April subsequent to the commencement of the Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 1959, the Registrar shall cause to be printed copies of the register as it stood on the said date.
(2) The Registrar shall thereafter cause to be printed as soon as may be after the 1st day of April in each year copies of the annual supplement to the register referred to in sub-section (I), showing all additions to, and other amendments, in, the said register.
1 Ins. by Act 24 of 1959, s. 13 (w.e.f. 1960)
2 Subs, by Act 70 of 1976, s. 18, for "Drugs Act, 1940" (w.e.f. 1-9-1976)
3.Ins, by Act 24 of 1959, s. 13 (wq.e.f. 1-5-1960)
4 Subs, by s. 14, ibid., for s. 40 (w.e.f. 1-5-1960)
(3) (a) The register shall be brought up-to-date three months before ordinary elections to the State Council are held and copies of this register shall be printed.
(b) The provisions of sub-section (2) shall apply to the register as so printed as they apply to the register referred to in sub-section (I).
(4) The copies referred to in sub-section (I) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) shall be made available to persons applying therefor on payment of the prescribed charge and shall be evidence that on the date referred to in the register or annual supplement, as the case may be, the persons whose names are entered therein were registered pharmacists.
(1) If any person whose name is not for the time being entered in the register of the State falsely pretends that it is so entered or uses in connection with his name is son entered, he shall be punishable on first conviction with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees and on any subsequent conviction with imprisonment extending to six months or with fine not exceeding one thousand rupees or with both :
Provided that it shall be a defence to show that the name of the accused is entered in the register of another State and that at the time of the alleged offence under this section an application for registration in the State had been made.
(2) For the purposes of this section –
(a) it shall be immaterial whether or not any person is deceived by such pretence or use as aforesaid;
(b) the use of the description "pharmacist", "chemist", "druggist", "pharmaceutist", "dispenser", "dispensing chemist", or any combination of such words 3[or of any such word with any other word] shall be deemed to be reasonably calculated to suggest that the person using such description is a person whose name is for the time being entered in the register of the State;
(c) the onus of proving that the name of a person is for the time being entered in the register of a State shall be on him who asserts it.
(3) Congnizance of an offence punishable under this section shall not be taken except upon complaint made by order of the Sate Government or 1[any officer authorized in this behalf by the State Government or by order of] the Executive Committee of the State Council.
(1) On or after such date as the State Government may by notification in the Official Gazette appoint in this behalf, no person othe than a registered pharmacist shall compound prepare, mix, or dispense any medicine on the prescription of a medical practitioner 2* * * :
Provided that this sub-section shall not apply to the dispensing by a medical practitioner of medicine for his own patients, or with the general or special sanction of the State Government, for the patients of another medical practitioner :
3 [Provided further that where no such date is appointed by the Government of 4[eight years] from the commencement of the Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 1976.
1. Ins. by Act 24 of 1959, s. 15 (w.e.f. 1-5-1960)
2. The words "except under the direct and personal supervision of a registered pharmacist"
omitted by s. 16, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-5-1960)
3. Added by Acty 70 of 1976, s. 19 (w.e.f. 1-9-1976)
by Act 22 of 1982, s. 2, for "five years" (w.e.f. 1-9-1978)
(2) Whoever contravences the provisions of sub-section (I) shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine not exceeding on thousand rupees or with both.
(3) Cognizance of an offence punishable under this section shall not be taken except upon complaint made by 1 [order of the State Government or any officer authorised in this behalf by the State Government, or by order of the Executive Committee of the State Council.]
(1) If any person whose name has been removed from the register fails without sufficient cause forthwith to surrender his certificate of registration, he shall be punishable with fine which may extend to fifty rupees.
(2) Cognizance of an offence punishable under this section shall not be taken except upon complaint made by an order of the Executive Committee.
The State Council shall before the end of June in each year pay to the Central Council a sum equivalent to one-fourth of the total fees realised by the State Council under this Act during the period of twelve months ending on the 31st day of March of that year.
(1) Whenever is appears to the Central Government that the Central Council is not complying with any of the provisions of this Act, the Central Government may appoint a Commission of Enquiry consisting of three persons, two of whom shall be appointed by the Central Government, one being the Judge of a high Court, and one by the Council; and refer to it the matters on which the enquiry is to be made.
(2) The Commission shall proceed to enquire in such manner as it may deem fit and report to the Central Government on the matters referred to it together with such remedies, if any, as the Commission may like to recommend.
(3) The Central Government may accept the report or remit the same to the Commission for modification or reconsideration.
(4) After the report is finally accepted, the Central Government may order the Central Council to adopt the remedies so recommended within such time as may be specified in the order and if the Council fails to comply within the time so specified, the Central Government may pass such order or take such action as may be necessary to give effect to the recommendations of the Commission.
(5) Whenever it appears to the State Government that the State Council is not complying with any of the provisions of this Act, the State Government may likewise appoint a similar Commission of Enquiry and pass such order or take such action as specified in sub-sections (3) and (4).
(1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of Chapters, III, IV and V.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for –
(a) the management of the property of the State Council, and the main tenance and audit of its accounts;
(b) the manner in which elections under Chapter III shall be conducted;
1 Subs. by Act 24 of 1959, s. 16, for "an order of the State Government" (w.e.f. 1-5-1960)
(c) the summoning and holding of meetings of the State Council, the times and places at which such meetings shall be held, the conduct of business thereat and the number of members necessary to form a quorum;
(d) the powers and duties of the President and Vice-President of the State Council;
(e) the constitution and functions of the Executive Committee, the summoning and holding of meetings thereof, the times and places at which such meetings shall be held, and the number of members necessary to constitute a quorum;
(f) the qualifications, the term of office and the powers and duties of the Registrar and other officers and servants of the State Council, including the amount and nature of the security to be given by the Treasurer;
1 [(ff) the qualifications, powers and duties of an Inspector;]
(g) the particulars to be stated, and the proof of qualifications to be given, in applications for registration under Chapter IV;
(h) the conditions for registration under sub-section (I) of section 32;
(I) fees payable under Chapter IV and the charge for supplying copies of the register;
(j) the form of certificates of registration 2* * *;
(k) the maintenance of a register;
3[(kk) the conduct of pharmacists and their duties in relation to medical practitioners, the public and the profession of pharmacy;]
(l) any other matter which is to be or may be prescribed under Chapters III, IV and V except sub-sections (1), (2), (3) and (4) of section 45.
4[(3) Every rule made by the State Government under this section shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made, before the State Legislature.]
2. The words "are the manner of endorsement of renewals thereof" omitted by Act 24 of 1959, s. 17 (w.e.f. 1-5-1976).
3. Ins. by s. 17, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-5-1960)
4. Ins. by act 4 of 1985 s. 2 and the Sch. (w.e.f. 15-5-1986)
Head Office Haryana State Pharmacy Council
Plot No. C 15, Awas Bhawan, IInd Floor, Opposite Haryana Police Head Quarter, Sector 6, Panchkula.
Ph. - 0172-2587622, 08699055894
(For Enquiry 09:30 to 13:15 & 14:15 to 16:30 only)
Email - haryanastatepharmacycouncil@gmail.com
Nominated Members
Ex-Officio-Members
Pharmacy Act
Addition of Qualification Certificate
Good Conduct Certificate
Change of Residential Address
Restoration of Registration Certificate
Surrendring or Death of Pharmacists
WWW.HSPC.IN
Disclamer | Copyright 2015 | Developers:-RBB Technologies Pvt. Ltd. | Pharmacy Council of India | haryana.gov.in | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
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InDepthNH.org (http://indepthnh.org/2018/10/23/president-forester-jane-difley-to-retire-in-2019/)
President/Forester Jane Difley to Retire in 2019
By News release | October 23, 2018
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Jane Difley
Concord, NH —The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests announced Tuesday that Jane A. Difley, President/Forester, intends to retire from the Forest Society on Oct. 1, 2019.
“It’s been a privilege to lead the Forest Society for the last 22 years,” Difley said. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished during that time, and I want to thank all our members, trustees and staff for making it possible.
“But for me personally, I’m ready to spend more time enjoying the New Hampshire forests that I’ve spent 22 years helping protect,” said Difley. “And from the organization’s standpoint, I think this is a good moment in time to transition to new leadership. The Forest Society is on a stable footing with a great board and experienced staff.”
During Difley’s tenure, the Forest Society focused on increasing the pace of land conservation in response to the loss of forests to development. The organization’s 2001 strategic vision, New Hampshire Everlasting, called for protecting up to 40 percent of the land area in every town.
In the past 22 years, the Forest Society more than doubled the size of its conserved Forest Reservations to 56,000 acres and was involved in protecting more than 290,000 acres overall including the Connecticut Lakes Headwaters in northern New Hampshire.
The Forest Society played a lead role in establishing the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) and implementing a dedicated source of funding. The Forest Society also helped lead the defense of New Hampshire’s scenic landscapes from the proposed Northern Pass transmission line.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank Jane for her invaluable leadership and contributions to not just the Forest Society, but to the State of New Hampshire,” said Deanna Howard, chair of the board. “I don’t doubt that Jane will have us achieving great things right up to her last day nearly a year from now.”
Howard said that the Trustees will be convening a committee of the board to begin a search for a suitable person to lead the organization forward.
Prior to coming to the Forest Society Difley was the Executive Director of the Vermont Natural Resources Council. Before that she was with the American Forest Foundation as Vice President of Forestry Programs and National Director of the American Tree Farm system. She was also the first woman elected President of the Society of American Foresters, the national professional association for forestry. As a graduate student, Difley worked at the Forest Society as an intern.
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InDepthNH.org (http://indepthnh.org/2018/11/01/mass-ag-healey-to-trump-withdraw-proposal-to-replace-clean-power-plan/)
Mass. AG Healey to Trump: Withdraw Proposal To Replace Clean Power Plan
By News release | November 1, 2018
Mass. Attorney General Maura Healey
Joining AG Healey in filing the comments are the attorneys general of New York, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota (by and through its Minnesota Pollution Control Agency), New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia, and the cities of Boulder (CO), Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, and South Miami FL., and Broward County, FL.
AG HEALEY CALLS ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO WITHDRAW ITS ILLEGAL PROPOSAL TO REPLACE THE CLEAN POWER PLAN
BOSTON – Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey joined a coalition of 26 states, counties, and cities in calling on the Trump Administration to abandon its illegal and dangerous proposed rule to replace the Clean Power Plan.
While challenging the rollback, the group is fighting to implement and strengthen the existing federal rules that limit pollution from coal, oil, and gas-fueled power plants – the world’s largest sources of the carbon emissions that are causing climate change.
“Every word of this plan was written by the coal industry lobbyists to allow their companies to continue to poison our air and our climate,” said AG Healey. “Replacing the Clean Power Plan will cause tens of thousands of asthma attacks, missed school, and lost work days, and raise American rates of heart and respiratory disease. I will never back down while the Trump Administration threatens the health of our children, the quality of our air, or the clean energy jobs of Massachusetts.”
In extensive comments submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday, the coalition argues that the agency’s unlawful replacement proposal ignores EPA’s clear responsibility under the federal Clean Air Act to set nationwide limits reducing greenhouse gas emissions and would result in substantially more air pollution and in thousands of deaths every year. The replacement proposal would allow dirty and aging coal fired power plants, which should be closed, to extend their lives and increase harmful pollution by making upgrades that do not cut emissions.
The coalition makes clear in its comments that the proposed rule will lead to more than 1,600 premature deaths, 120,000 asthma attacks, 140,000 missed school days, and 48,000 missed school days in 2030 in comparison to the Clean Power Plan. The attorneys general also argue that the rule will lead to a rise in heart and lung disease.
EPA estimates that up to 61 million more tons of carbon dioxide would be emitted from the power sector under the proposed rule in 2030, as compared to the Clean Power Plan, and thousands of tons of additional air pollutants.
In its comments, the coalition makes clear that EPA is required by law to justify its proposed rule in light of the serious public health and environmental harms posed and may not simply abandon the rule to appease industry lobbyists.
According to the comments, the replacement proposal fails to address the urgent threat of climate change, which is already harming states across the country, including Massachusetts. The comments note that Massachusetts could experience more than 10 feet of sea-level rise by 2100 (relative to the 2000 level). This month’s report and dire warnings by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emphasize the critical importance of strengthening greenhouse gas emission regulations.
Today’s comments argue that the agency failed to consider relevant evidence regarding proven systems to reduce power-plant pollution, such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which has reduced power-plant carbon emissions by more than 40 percent in Massachusetts and other participating Northeast states without impeding economic growth or affecting electric grid reliability.
The Clean Power Plan, finalized in 2015 under the Obama Administration, is the culmination of a decade-long effort by EPA to partner with states and cities to require mandatory cuts in the emissions of climate-warming pollution from fossil fuel-burning power plants under the Clean Air Act. The Clean Power Plan, along with a companion rule applicable to new, modified, and reconstructed power plants, would set limits on the amount of carbon pollution that power plants can emit. The Clean Power Plan’s emission limits for existing plants were projected to eliminate as much carbon pollution as is emitted by more than 160 million cars a year—or 70 percent of the nation’s passenger cars.
On Aug. 21 — the day the Trump Administration revealed its replacement proposal—AG Healey announced her staunch opposition to the proposal. In her statement, AG Healey said the proposal “deserves to be tossed in a recycling bin,” and was written to “suffocate clean energy companies that are growing more competitive every day.”
AG Healey has long been an advocate of combatting climate change and expanding Massachusetts’ clean energy economy. For years, the Massachusetts AG’s Office has been a leader in pursuing federal regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, including leading a coalition of states, in coordination with numerous environmental groups, in Massachusetts v. EPA. Together with other state AGs, AG Healey insisted on a robust public process for the proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan and is committed to fighting the repeal in court. AG Healey is leading a coalition of states who have pledged to sue the Trump Administration over its environmentally-destructive and costly plan to roll back federal limits on greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks.
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Home » Washington Not Happy About New China Focus on Central America
Washington Not Happy About New China Focus on Central America
As it becomes clear that the Trump Administration support, so far unsuccessful, for regime change in Venezuela is also very much about targeting the huge financial presence of China with the Maduro regime, recent news of a major Chinese oil success in Cuban waters will clearly deepen the geopolitical tensions. And it involves not only Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil .
China’s major state-owned oil company, CNPC, through its subsidiary, Great Wall Drilling, has begun exploring for oil off Cuba’s coast in a joint venture with state-owned oil firm Cuba Petroleum Company (CUPET), according to an April 16 report in the China state news agency, Xinhua. Great Wall has been engaged in oil exploration in Cuba since 2005, but this is the most promising result to date. Advanced drilling technology from CNPC has opened the prospect of major oil off Cuba for the first time.
The news comes as Washington sanctions target Venezuela oil earnings and also its agreements to supply Cuba with low cost oil. While the Maduro government continues to insist it will deliver oil to Cuba despite sanctions, clearly the security of supply is becoming riskier and supply less.
On April 21 US National Security Adviser John Bolton announced that Washington will use a heretofore unused sanction law that allows legal action in US courts to sue foreigners using property seized by the communist regime. While it’s not clear how hard that will hit Cuba, it will clearly chill foreign companies looking to invest in Cuba.
Cuba is well-known to have provided large-scale military assistance as well as thousands of Cuban doctors and medical personnel to support the Maduro presidency in Venezuela. What is less well-known and perhaps an unspoken motive behind the Bolton declaration is the presence of China in both countries.
China presence in Cuba
Details of Chinese loans to the Cuban economy are classified state secret and not disclosed. Clearly though, Beijing has quietly been increasing its presence in the Caribbean island, a country which during the Cold War Fidel Castro era had become a close ally of the Soviets, putting them then at odds with China. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, despite several attempts by Russian companies such as Norilsk Nickel to gain a presence in Cuba again, financial restraints have hindered any strong new Russian presence.
China appears to have no such problems, and has been investing in a number of key areas in Cuba’s liberalizing economy. Since Cuba trade liberalizations over the past two years, China has sold Yutong buses, Sinotruk trucks, YTO tractors, Geely cars, Haier domestic appliances to Cuba along with 100 railroad locomotives.
Huawei is building internet hotspots on the island and discussions are underway, though with no result to date, for $600 million Chinese investment in a China-Cuban joint venture at the Las Camariocas Cuban nickel processing plant that was left unfinished by the Soviets. Cuba has the world’s third-largest nickel reserves. In 2017 Haier opened a Cuban computer assembly plant with an annual capacity of 120,000 laptops and tablets and a ship container terminal Santiago de Cuba, financed by a $120 million Chinese development loan.
Currently Beijing is Cuba’s largest trading partner and Havana’s largest creditor, with Cuba importing major supplies of Chinese rice, along with thousands of China tourists, a business that brings Cuba an estimated $2 billion annually. Sugar and nickel are the two major Cuban products sent to China amid a trade imbalance in China’s favor.
If China now develops major offshore oil resources in Cuba, their presence will significantly increase and the decline of Venezuelan oil to Cuba as a kind of barter payment for the military and medical and other support, will be eased. Until now Russia’s Rosneft has filled the oil import gap for Cuba.
A Chinese Caribbean?
China is well-established as the major foreign creditor as well to Venezuela with some estimates putting their debt as high as $61 billion. Venezuelan oil is clearly at the heart of the relationship, but there are indications Chinese companies also are looking to exploit untapped gold and coltan resources there. Since the Washington declarations in support of Guaido, China has been unusually outspoken in defense of Maduro, unusual for a state that claims never to involve in local politics.
With details of the extent of Chinese investments in Venezuela not fully clear, China has also made a major presence in neighboring Guyana, since 2018 officially welcoming the small former British colony to join the Belt, Road Initiative, sometimes called China’s New Economic Silk Road. That is indeed far away from an original Beijing infrastructure project, first unveiled by Xi Jinping in Kazakhstan in 2013 that proposed to link all Eurasia from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic in a dual network of deep-water container ports and high-speed railways. As it unfolds, the China BRI clearly is developing global perspective, and this is clearly beginning to unsettle some in Washington.
In Guyana Chinese companies and Chinese money are presently building a highway link from Manaus in Northern Brazil through Guyana, giving Brazil far more efficient access to the Panama Canal, cutting thousands of miles off the shipping route. Talks are reportedly also underway for China to build a deep-water port in Guyana’s northern coast to link to China’s highway to the Brazil Amazon region bordering Venezuela, with its vast untapped mineral riches. People in Guyana say the road-port will benefit China far more than Guyana. In any case, it would enable efficient ship transport from the Amazon through the Panama Canal to China.
And Panama…
If we add to the quiet but growing Chinese economic presence in Cuba, Venezuela and Guyana, the recent actions of Beijing in the strategic Panama Canal it begins to explain part of Washington’s growing alarm over developments in Venezuela and Cuba.
In 2016 China’s Landbridge Group bought Panama’s Margarita Island Port in the Colón Free Trade Zone, the largest port, on the canal’s Atlantic side, giving the Chinese company intimate access to one of the most important goods distribution centers in the world. They have made major expansion since using by state-owned China Communication Construction Corp., today the world’s largest infrastructure and engineering company.
Already in 1997 China’s Hutchinson Whampoa took control of the American-constructed ports of Balboa and Cristobal in a 50-year contract. Today Hutchison Whampoa is owned by Cheung Kong Holdings of the family of Chinese billionaire Li Ka Shing.
In 2017, Panama delivered a shock to Taiwan, and to Washington, and withdrew its earlier recognition of Taiwan in favor of Beijing. In early April, this year Panama’s President Juan Carlos Varela was in China to discuss formally joining the China BRI. In December, 2018 China’s Xi Jinping paid an official visit to Panama as well. Beijing has put Panama high on its priority list. Chinese goods are the second in volume to those of the USA going through the canal.
In addition to Chinese ownership of vital Panama container ports such as Margarita Island Port, China is proposing to build a $4.1 billion 243-mile high-speed rail line from Panama City to its border with Costa Rica —under the rubric of the Belt and Road.
As these relationships develop, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said he is considering joining Belt and Road.
In this strategic setting, it becomes clearer why Washington is beginning to react more strongly in its backyard, Central America, by invoking the 19th Century Monroe Doctrine, a de facto empty shell of rhetoric. What is desperately lacking is a series of positive economic initiatives from Washington to provide the means to help those countries develop critical infrastructure across Central and South America, a stark departure from earlier Gunboat Diplomacy. Were that to begin, the climate in the region could become much more friendly to cooperation with Washington.
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September , 2011
From Hellcat to Mainstream
JAM Magazine Interviews Al Barr
In 1998, when singer Al Barr decided to foresake the ‘oi' punk roots of The Bruisers for a more Celtic route with the Dropkick Murphys, little did he realize how much his life would change. Up to that point, he'd been the leader of the band and its singular voice. With one phone call, a decade of highs and lows would become nothing but a footnote in Boston music history.
There were no tears for Barr to shed as he unceremoniously said goodbye to his past. The future was so bright he literally had to wear shades. The invitation founder Ken Casey extended to the singer lifted a tremendous burden off his shoulders. Surrounded by musicians that believed as fervently about a career in music as he did, the creative environment Barr found him self in rejuvenated his once sagging spirits. Over the next several years, the lineup in the Dropkick Murphys would undergo some changes, but the hungry attitude remained the same. And let's face it, when you inadvertently are responsible for lifting the dreaded ‘curse of the Bambino' from the Boston Red Sox organization, your street cred goes through the roof.
This past year, the staunchly Democrat Murphys offered one of their songs, "Take Me Down," to the Wisconsin Public Union members to rally around. The protests centered on the new Republican governor's insistence that state workers contribute to their pensions and health care to help plug the $3 billion dollar budget the state was facing. It was also done as a way to avoid massive layoffs and pay cuts. Wisconsin state union workers didn't care. They were adamant they should not have to pay a dime toward their own health care or retirement no matter who it hurt. To make a long story short, the state union lost its fight, and their collective bargaining rights. Wisconsin balanced their budget
Recently, the Dropkick Murphy's performed two sold-out shows at the venerable Fenway Park. A portion of the proceeds went toward the Massachusettes 9-11 fund to help support families of victims of the terrorist attack.
JAM: Did the Dropkick Murphy's rise through the independent ranks of the music business turn out to be a great asset to the band when technology, i.e. the Internet, totally transformed the way labels and groups had to survive in today's wired world?
Al Barr - That's a loaded question my friend.
JAM: You're in the perfect position to answer that question considering your history in the music business.
I can remember when the whole Napster thing came out, and everyone was up in arms because of what was at stake. There was all this talk about how the free downloading of music was only going to affect the big guns - not the little people - which turned out not to be true. It ended up affecting every artist in the business. Today, artists and bands alike are wondering how they are going to sell their music in this digital age we live in. I understand there are good things about downloading. But myself, I am old school. If I like a band, I go out to a store and buy the record. I want to look at the artwork, read the lyrics. I want to know who wrote the songs. There used to be a ritual to purchasing music. That custom has been lost to this gigabyte, download generation of kids. There's no face that purchases music any more. Where is the human factor that goes into buying music these days?
JAM: You started out in the music business with your original band, The Bruisers, hustling records, selling tickets to your shows, passing out flyers, whatever you needed to do in order to get the word out. Did that sort of self-sufficient leg work carry over to the Dropkick Murphys and help the band absorb the upheaval that took place in the music business a few years after you joined them?
That's not something I could just answer off the top of my head. I think in some ways it probably did. It's hard to chisel away at that question. For example, in today's world, if someone had never heard of the Dropkick Murphys, they could instantly check us out on the Internet. That is definitely cool because if they like us, more than likely they'll buy a ticket to see us in concert. Seriously though, I think the Internet, overall, ended up hurting everybody. People had no idea what was going to happen with all this technology at their fingertips. This thing of people purchasing one song off your record instead of the whole thing - that was weird. Again, I'm more of a traditionalist. If you like the band, buy their record. Three years ago, I finally got my first computer because my wife refused to answer any of my emails until I got my own computer.
JAM: When the Dropkick's entertained the idea of hooking up with Warner Bros and abandoning their independent roots, was the band conceding a fact they needed the big boys to cope with the changing conditions in the music business?
Well, we aren't on Warner Bros.
JAM: It says you are on your Wikipedia page.
Well, there you go! The fucking Internet! By the way, it is also a great source of misinformation which I will now point out. We never signed with Warner. The Dropkick Murphys only have a distribution deal with the company. This band has its own record label, Born & Bred Records, that is run how we see fit. We've hired people to help us out with it, but we certainly haven't signed with any major label. The Murphys have never waved any white flag. Let me tell you something, I live in New Hampshire where the motto is "Live Free or Die!" Surrender is not in my blood brother.
JAM: Well, that clears up that confusion on your Wiki page. By the way, how did the Dropkick Murphys become the unofficial band of the Boston Red Sox?
Initially, we got involved with them early on in 2004. We resurrected the old Red Sox fight song, "Tessie". It was something that got us deeply involved with the organization. Some of the people there at the Red Sox front office pitched us the song. We thought it was a great idea. At the time, the band was touring Europe. They sent us a cassette of the original version. The music was like barbershop quartet stuff, written before rock and roll ever existed. I remember all of us sitting around listening to the tape. We looked at each other and said, "How in the hell are we going to deal with this? It's terrible, there's nothing we can do with it." Trust me on this one. There was a lot of work on our part that went into the reconstruction of that song. "Tessie" ended up being our ticket into the organization.
JAM: When did you perform the song at Fenway Park?
It was July of '04. The front office wanted us to perform our version of "Tessie" during of all things, a Sox and Yankees game. Let me tell you, nobody in that sold-out crowd wanted to see the fucking Dropkick Murphys. They were there for the game. We went out on the field and the guy on the P.A. says, "Now back from a world tour, the Dropkick Murphys!" Literally, you could have heard a fart it was that quiet. Slowly but surely after that, the song started to take off. Also, the Red Sox fortunes on the ball field changed as well. The people of Boston had lived with the ‘curse of the Bambino' for decades, so whether or not bringing back this song changed anything is up for debate. A lot of people will say 2004 was Boston's year, but here is one fact I know. The Red Sox had not won a World Series in the previous 86 years. That song had never ever been performed at games during that entire time. Well, boom, we sing the song and things started to change. The Red Sox come back from a 3-1 deficit against the Yankees to win there way into the World Series. From there, they dominated and finally win the whole thing.
JAM: I thought the punk scene in Orange County had died out in the early 90s when bands like Rancid and Social Distortion more or less went corporate. I was sort of shocked to learn that Boston had a thriving punk scene of its own in the ‘80s. Your original band, The Bruisers, was in the middle of it.
There was a big thriving scene there, but as you well know, everything was always word of mouth. When I was buying punk records, I wasn't actually buying them per se but rather trading tapes in the mail. Unfortunately, grunge came along in the early ‘90s and redefined the music. When the press started saying Nirvana was a punk band, the movement was literally swallowed up in the process. Nobody ever saw Nirvana as a punk band. I never lost my eye on the prize for the ten years I headed up The Bruisers. I lived through the era where punk got big in Boston then died down
JAM: It's kind of strange how a defining type of music can get watered down by a sub genre here or a sub genre there.
When you are a fan of a particular style of music, you just hope those bands stick to their guns and do what they do. People are always going to classify you no matter what. I've heard people call the Dropkick Murphys an Irish punk band from Boston. Actually, we are a very diverse seven-piece group. Our audience loves it when we play a hard core song, or a punk song, yet we can also play a traditional Irish ballad as well. Fortunately, this band isn't stuck in any mold. In terms of sub genres, that whole thing is confusing as hell to me.
JAM: Sometimes it's the quirkiest of situations that can lead a musician down the path of success or failure. Over the years, have you noticed that directions you took with your career actually panned out despite the anxiety you felt when you made the decision? I mean, abandoning the Bruisers to go with the Dropkicks had to be a total change in direction for you.
You're right about that, it was. The Bruisers was what you call an ‘oi' street rock and roll band. The Dropkicks was an Irish influenced punk rock band. The staccato of the singing was always off a beat whereas the Bruisers style was right in the pocket. The old singer in the band had a totally different way of approaching the Murphys' music. The transition took a bit of getting used to for both of us.
JAM: Why did you entertain the idea of switching gears back then? After all, you were The Bruisers.
I had done The Bruisers for a decade, and it was toward the end of the ten-year plan I had with the band. I had gone through 17 line-up changes myself. I was the only original member left. In terms of commitment from the other band members, in terms of getting from point A to Be, I didn't feel it was really there. That said, it wasn't like I sought out the singing gig from the Murphys. Ken Casey, the bass player and founding member of the band, called and said their singer, Mike McColgan, had quit the group unexpectedly. They had already written a new album, (The Gang's All Here), and they were trying out new singers. Everybody in the band had heard my voice and knew I was doing The Bruisers thing. They weren't trying to steal me. They just wanted to hear a voice to go along with the songs they had written. At the time, unbeknownst to them, I was dealing with this internal stuff with my band that wasn't public knowledge.
JAM: When you say stuff, does that mean you were basically fed up with the whole situation?
The Bruisers were finished as a group. I had told the other members I was not going to do the band anymore. It was by sheer coincidence I received the phone call from Ken. I drove down to there rehearsal studio and sang half of one song. All the sudden they stopped playing and sent me out of the room. I thought, "Damn, that didn't go well at all." Then they opened the door and said the job was mine if I wanted it. Now it's not like I jumped into a tour bus and landed this dream situation by any means. Basically, a car door opened and inside there were these talented guys. They were willing to do what I always thought had to be done to succeed in this business, and that's throw out any caution to the wind and go for it. That's what it takes to at least get your foot into the game. That's the story of how I ended up in the Dropkick Murphys.
JAM: You went from a being footnote in the Boston punk scene with The Bruisers to the unsupervised pages of Wikipedia as a Dropkick Murphy.
Don't get me wrong about The Bruisers. I was surrounded by some great guys, and I loved them all, but they weren't willing to take that leap of faith with me. They couldn't fully commit to tour solidly for a year. A lot of times they could only get time off from work to do tours here and there. What I wanted to do would require them to quit their good jobs. We may not make any money. We might lose our apartments, it doesn't matter. We have to go out and do this. I'm not going to blame anybody for not being able to make that type of commitment.
JAM: I think every musician, in the course of his or her career, is faced with the ‘what if' moment that literally is going to change their lives. I'm assuming the invitation to join the Dropkick Murphys was yours?
Yes it was indeed. I almost had a panic attack when they asked me if I wanted to be a part of the group. I remember telling my wife I'd been asked to join the Dropkick Murphys. At the time, she didn't even know I had talked with Ken about coming down to sing some of their songs. Jessica, my wife, had been with me through nine of the ten years with the Bruisers and didn't have a clue as to what was going on. I went home after accepting the offer, walked into our living room where she was sitting and said, "Listen, the Dropkick Murphys have just asked me join their band. I want to do it."
JAM: I bet the look on your wife's face was priceless when that nugget of information landed at her feet.
Jessica looked at me and goes, "Baby, ever since I've been with you, The Bruisers has been your thing. It has always been your dream." I knew what she's talking about, but here's the thing. The Bruisers had just come back from a European tour and we had nothing to show for it. Already, I was going to have to change out two members. It was like pushing a giant boulder up the hill once again. I was growing tired of it. Then I flat out told her I wanted to have children one day, and maybe buy a house. I felt the Dropkick Murphys was the best way we could have that silly little thing called the American dream. I wanted a family, but I didn't feel I could do that with what I was doing. That was my "what if" moment where I decided to go for it with the Dropkick Murphys. For sure it was a scary moment because of the uncertainty, but something inside was telling me you've got to do this.
JAM: I want to congratulate you on finding the right woman to marry. I've never met or even spoken with you before, but I can say without a doubt, if it wasn't for your wife, I wouldn't be talking to you today.
You are absolutely right. It's cool you are able to pick up on that. I'm coming up on my 18th wedding anniversary Aug. 7.
JAM: To find someone who understands, and accepts, the lifestyle involved with the music business is very difficult. The fact you met and married her during your underground punk phase is even more amazing.
I am very blessed and extremely lucky to be doing what I'm doing right now. The fact I have someone to share this with, well, I can't even put it into words.
JAM: Does the calmness your wife provides on the personal side of your life, carry over to the business side as well, most notably the songwriting?
She has definitely been something of an inspiration to my songwriting. For instance, the song "Forever" off the Sing Loud Sing Proud album, was one of the first originals I ever wrote for the Dropkick Murphys. My wife inspired the song. I definitely am very lucky and grateful to have a solid family base that is very supportive of my dream. Now I am able to take care of them. It's an amazing thing. Listen, I know that nothing lasts forever. Maybe one day I'll have to be in the 9-5 world. Right now, I am thankful to be able to do music with a group of guys with the same tenacity and commitment to go for it that I have.
JAM: Where did you meet your wife, at a Bruiser's show?
No, no, we never met chicks at a Bruiser's concert (laughing). I mean the women that showed up at our shows weren't the kind you take home. It's funny, but Jessica worked at a store in town that had a lot of cute girls in there. I knew one of the manager's and he would let me put up flyers advertising our shows. I was coming home from my shift at a dishwashing job, and had these flyers for an upcoming Bruisers concert I was passing out. I stopped in the store and gave her one. Apparently I made quite an impression on her with the smells of my job - you know salad dressing and soap. This October, we will have been together for 22 years – 18 years of it marriage and we have two children. I always felt like I hypnotized my wife by softly saying, "You love me, its okay. You love me."
JAM: Today's music fans have the attention span of a gnat, literally, because of the wide variety the Internet offers them. What challenges does that pose to the Dropkick Murphys and you as a songwriter?
Actually, I think the instant accessibility has been a benefit to this band. I remember in my teens, when I got into punk rock, the only thing I listened to was the hardcore stuff. If a song was more than a minute long, I lost interest in it. Nowadays, you have the Facebook thing, MySpace, and you can check people out on YouTube. People listen to all types of music these days. In the last couple of years, besides our core audience, we have been drawing a cross section of people, almost like a working class crowd, to our shows.
JAM: When the term Celtic punk is used to describe the sound of the Dropkick Murphys, the description almost compels people to check out the band because it is such an unusual musical reference.
It definitely has piqued the curiosity of people. I know that we have fans that only listen to us as far as punk goes. They listen to the Murphys exclusively because they like our particular take, or style, on the music. In the early days, before the Internet became a key source of information, we wouldn't have had the opportunity to spread our wings because we had to rely strictly on word of mouth. We used to call ourselves the "dude band" because that's the only type of audience we could draw. I remember back in 2000 when we did this Punk-o-Rama tour. We were on the road with the Bouncing Souls, The Dwarves and The Distillers. We were headliners and the Souls would go on before us. When they performed, the chicks would be all over the place, especially up front watching the band. I'd see the crowd from back stage and think we'd be playing to a roomful of girls. I was wrong. Right before we went on stage, our manager whispered in my ear, "Hey Al, it's about time for the penis show." He was right. As soon as the Souls left the stage, the girls totally disappeared and the guys were the only one's left in the audience. The routine repeated itself the entire tour. Finally, when the band started writing slower songs, including ballads, we started getting some girls to finally hang around and watch our show. Then we noticed that the more chicks that showed up, more guys would follow. It was an interesting phenomenon.
JAM: Since you're grounded in reality, I want to ask you this question. I have grown quite weary of successful artists succumbing to alcohol and drugs, and the music world mourning their fate like the screwed up Amy Winehouse. When do musicians take responsibility for themselves, and their fate, of living a dangerous lifestyle that isn't glorious no matter how you spin it?
Honestly, that's a tough one to answer. As human beings, we just have to take responsibility for the part we play in this world. It's not so much a musician thing. Listen, the Amy Winehouse thing was indeed a tragedy. She somehow slipped through the cracks. Yes, you can say what you will about her, and go on about her addictions, but here's the thing. This woman was not in control of herself. Somewhere along the line, you surrender to that part of yourself. Yes, you can say she was to blame for her situation, but at some point, your family, friends and business partners have to step in and say enough. People around Amy were too greedy to realize the woman was too fucked up to go on stage. All they saw was the money being made, not the person who was slowly dying inside. By the time they figured it out, she was dead.
JAM: I don't mean to rant here Al, but coming up the way you did through the punk scene, you saw it all.
It's sad when death, especially preventable ones, happen. Hell, it's sad when anyone dies from an alcohol or drug overdose. When you talk responsibility, you're right about one thing. The addictive person has to be held accountable for placing themselves in that situation in the first place. There's a large amount of people in this country that are alcoholics. I'm not preaching here, but it is a disease. I'm not saying put a band-aid on a shotgun wound, or try to water down this problem by any means. Educating people to the evils of alcohol and drugs needs to be an ongoing process. One thing that especially needs to happen is teachers talking about this problem in classrooms. When an Amy Winehouse or Kurt Cobain, someone in the public eye that makes a big impression with the youth of America, dies from a drug overdose or takes their own life, it needs to be discussed in an open forum. This is something that shouldn't be internalized, or even allowed to be seen as cool in any way. The last thing you ever want to do is romanticize these senseless tragedies.
JAM: If any musician should have died from excess, it was Mike Ness of Social Distortion. It's a miracle this guy survived. But he took the responsibility to clean himself up after hitting absolute rock bottom.
He got help as well. Mike Ness didn't clean up on his own. There was help out there, he sought it, and it saved his life. You have to sincerely want the help as well. Johnny Cash was another one that was able to pull his self up by the bootstraps.
JAM: There are two things about the music business that bugs me. First, I don't give a damn about any musician's sexual preference. It's their music that interests me, not what sex they decide to sleep with. Second, musicians getting themselves involved with politics. I don't understand any reasoning behind it. I noticed the Dropkick Murphys found themselves in the middle of the Wisconsin political protests. Why?
I don't feel we got involved with politics. If you go back to the beginnings of the band in the mid ‘90s, one of the band founder's, Ken Casey, his grandfather started the first cold-storage union in Boston. He went up and down the East Coast fighting union busters, the Klan, you name it to make people aware of what he was representing. The Unions have always been in the Dropkick Murphy's blood. When the shit went down in Wisconsin, it was a natural thing for the band to get involved. It wasn't about politics so much as it was about supporting our union brothers and sisters.
JAM: These protests weren't being threatened with a loss of their livelihood. The governor of that state wanted public union employees to start paying a small percentage of their income to health care and there pensions. It would preserve jobs and avoid pay cuts. What's wrong with that?
We saw an injustice and we weren't going to keep quiet about it.
JAM: The fight in Wisconsin was totally about the fact state union workers didn't think they should have to pay a dime toward their own health care or retirement. The state couldn't afford it any more. That's why they were $3 billion in the red. That's why the people elected a Republican governor and legislature to tackle the state's budget problems. Exactly where is the injustice in asking these union members to pay a small portion of their salary instead of nothing at all? Why should the private sector, which pays the salaries of the state union workers, also shoulder the entire financial burdens of their retirement and health care?
We did what we thought was right. I will leave it at that.
JAM: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me.
Well, thank you. It's a pleasure to talk to somebody who is a thinker instead of someone reading off a list. This was a nice discussion so thank you.
JAM: See, you can get a long with a conservative Republican and you didn't even know it.
There you go. I think Johnny Cash said it best, "If you got political in you, keep it to your self and everybody will get a long." I am a card carrying NRA member that voted for Obama and practices yoga, so you are talking to a multi-faceted individual. Some may call me confused, but I feel pretty confident I'm not.
101 E. Corporate Dr #300 Lewisville, Texas 75067 • 972-315-8406
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Welcome to the Kiwi Bird Page!
The "kiwi" (shown above) is a flightless New Zealand bird. (New Zealanders also like to call themselves "Kiwis".) The kiwi (bird) is unusual in at least two respects. First, it is the only bird in the world that has its nostrils at the end of its beak. Second, the female kiwi has the largest egg, in proportion to its body size, of any bird in the world (except possibly for the hummingbird). Kiwi are about the same size as chickens, but their eggs are almost as big as those of ostriches! Kiwi birds have been designated as New Zealand "honorary mammals". The only real native mammals in New Zealand are two kinds of forest-dwelling bats. Biologists and the like please note: the kiwi is a member of the order Apterygiformes and comes in six species, including (Apteryx mantelli, Apteryx australis, Apteryx oweni, and Apteryx haasti). Recent research seems to indicate that the kiwi evolved after New Zealand broke away from the ancient Australia/Antarctica supercontinent. However, kiwi left Australia for New Zealand at some point, possibly on land links via New Caledonia. So, although there are no wild kiwi left there, Australians may also proudly point to the kiwi as "their bird". You may see many beautiful New Zealand birds here, including a picture of a white kiwi and some information on how kiwi raise their young. Operation Nest Egg has a recording of the kiwi bird's voice. Caution! Turn your computer's speaker DOWN before visiting it. The male kiwi has a very loud voice!
The difference between "kiwi" and "kiwifruit"
The "kiwi" is not to be confused with "kiwifruit" - the brown furry fruit with the green flesh. Kiwifruit (Actinidia Chinesis) is a native of the Yangtse Valley in south central China where it is known as Yang Tao, or "monkey peach". The fruit was originally called a "Chinese gooseberry" in English. Sometime in the 1960s, kiwifruit farmers in New Zealand decided to market the fruit around the world, but decided to give it another name. "Chinese gooseberries" sounded sour, and were associated with the then-dreaded "Red China" plus the name was just not "sexy"! To help identify the fruit with New Zealand, the much cuter name "kiwifruit" was chosen.
Some people refer to kiwifruit as "kiwis", but this is incorrect. (New Zealanders also find this very irritating!) A "kiwi" is a bird, a human New Zealander,or me (my nickname is "Kiwi Bird", and I'm a native St. Louisan). The kiwi bird's name comes from the Maori language, and imitates the cry of the male kiwi during the mating season. The first European settlers to encounter the kiwi very sensibly used the Maori name, which is probably thousands of years old, rather than trying to rename the bird. So, remember, that little brown berry is a "kiwifruit", not a "kiwi"! If my page doesn't convince you, see this side-by-side comparison.
Helping Kiwis
The kiwi is an endangered species. It's disappearing at a rate of 5.8 % per year, threatened by imported predators.such as dogs and stoats and by loss of habitat. If you'd like to help, visit the Kiwi Recovery Program at the Bank of New Zealand. There's lots of information there, plus a really cute (though large) kiwi screen saver! A particularly wonderful article about kiwi birds and how they are being saved is at the Smithsonian Magazine web site. You can find news from one Kiwi Sanctuary here, and regular updates about kiwi are available from KiwiNewZ. Another fascinating sanctuary, Kakapo Recovery, has a beautiful site here.
Could I have a kiwi bird as a pet?
I've received email from people who wonder if I think that kiwi would make good pets. In a word, no! For one thing, I don't approve of keeping endangered species as pets. As you can tell, I love the kiwi dearly, but I'd never take one away from the wild or a zoo to make it my companion. It just wouldn't be fair. Kiwi don't talk, or sing pretty songs. They won't sit on your lap or learn to do tricks. Kiwi are very strong and often extremely bad tempered. Adult birds use their razor sharp claws to defend themselves. Extremely territorial, they protect their territories by calling, or chasing an intruder and kicking it. Furthermore, nocturnal pets are not all that much fun for most people. Do you really want to get up in the middle of the night to see your pet during the only hours when it's awake and active? You could spend an enormous amount of money to build a "reversed lighting" setup for your kiwi, but this is such a daunting project that not even many zoos have done it. Enjoy kiwi birds on line, in zoos, or in the wild, and consider finding toys and collectibles at such sites as e-Bay if you just have to own one of your own.
Kiwi Bird Fun!
Since most of this page is sort of serious, I've collected some kiwi bird fun here. Please let me know if you find more kiwi bird fun sites!
Seeing Kiwi in the U.S.A.
Several zoos in the United States have kiwi birds on display. Since the kiwi is a nocturnal animal, some of the habitats have "reversed diurnal" lighting, i.e., the lighting in the enclosure looks like night to the kiwi, and no daylight is allowed in. The National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. has such an exhibit, as well as a weekly "Meet a Kiwi" session. The Brookfield Zoo near Chicago, Illinois, is no longer using the reversed diurnal method, since they are hoping that their pair will breed under more natural conditions. You'll need to visit their "Be a Bird" display after 2 p.m. in order to see the kiwi awake and moving around. You may wish to take binoculars with you, as the kiwi are difficult to see against the mulch which covers the floor of the exhibit.
You can also visit kiwi at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California. If I've missed any good kiwi exhibits in the U.S., please let me know! You can find a list of zoos in other countries with kiwi exhibits courtesy of the Kiwi Recovery Program.
One of the nicest zoo pages I've found with information about kiwi is at the Auckland Zoo. If you'll search on kiwi birds, you'll find a wonderful picture of a kiwi bird and some information on the kiwi who live there.
If you're like me, you wonder what kiwi birds who live in zoos eat, since you usually don't find worms indoors. According to Operation Nest Egg, kiwi chicks being hand-raised start on ox heart cut up into "worms", greens, fruit and vitamin and mineral supplements. When they are older, worms and berries are sometimes put into their enclosure for them to sniff out.
Student Researchers, Please Note!
A special note to students doing research for school papers: The word "research" does not mean "getting someone else to do your work for you". Please do not write me notes such as "please send me everything you know about kiwi birds plus lots of pictures". I do NOT have any other pictures or information to send you. I am neither an expert nor in the high-priced business of writing term papers. All the information I have on kiwi is either on these pages, or can be accessed by clicking on the links shown in blue. This site is intended as a gateway, rather than a source of authoritative information. If you do have further questions, be sure to actually go to those linked pages and read them before asking me anything other than very simple questions. You can find real experts on those pages who can answer more complicated questions. Plus, you are really supposed to do your homework yourself!
Please send comments about this page to Kiwi Carlisle who warns you that you should read the paragraph above the green bar before sending any mail. Snippy and/or abusive email will be handled appropriately. By the way, we filter out all spam!
This site last modified 4/29/03. Visitors 494458
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Government temporarily banned exportation of bovine raw hides and skins
The Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of 16 November 2018 No 836 set out a temporary ban for the exportation from the Republic of Belarus of raw hides and skins of bovine (heading 4101 of the Common Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity of the Customs Union) outside the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union from 24 November 2018 till 23 May 2019. The ban does not apply to the export of bovine skins and hides to the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Georgia, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and the Republic of Serbia.
The Resolution also provides that the export of tanned leather or tanning crast of hides and skins of bovine (heading 4104 of the Common Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity of the Customs Union) from Belarus outside the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union shall be carried out under one-time licenses to be issued by the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade.
The Resolution was officially published in Russian on the National Legal Internet Portal of the Republic of Belarus on 20 November 2018, entered into force from 24 November 2018 and will be effective for six months.
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Chronic PainFibromyalgia
Marijuana Rated Most Effective for Treating Fibromyalgia
Angus McBride · June 13, 2015
Medical marijuana is far more effective at treating symptoms of fibromyalgia than any of the three prescription drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat the disorder.
That is one of the surprise findings in an online survey of over 1,300 fibromyalgia patients conducted by the National Pain Foundation and National Pain Report.
The FDA has approved only three drugs – Cymbalta, Lyrica and Savella — for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Although they generate billions of dollars in annual sales for Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Forest Laboratories and other drug makers, most who have tried the medications say they don’t work.
The National Institutes of Health estimates that 5 million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia, a poorly understood disorder characterized by deep tissue pain, fatigue, headaches, depression, and lack of sleep. There is no known cure and the disorder is difficult to treat.
“Fibromyalgia is devastating for those who must live in its grip. There is much we do not understand. We need innovative ‘out of the box’ solutions that change the face of this disease,” said Dan Bennett, MD, an interventional spine and pain surgical physician in Denver, Colorado, who is chairman of the National Pain Foundation.
Many who responded to the survey said they had tried all three FDA approved drugs.
“The prescriptions that are available for treatment have more negative side effects than positive aspects,” said one fibromyalgia sufferer.
“I haven’t found anything! Please find a cure or at least a medicine that will take our pain away,” said another.
Asked to rate the effectiveness of Eli Lilly’s Cymbalta (Duloxetine), 60% of those who tried the drug said it did not work for them. Only 8% said it was very effective and 32% said it helps a little.
Among those who tried Pfizer’s Lyrica (Pregabalin), 61% said it did not work at all. Only 10% said it was very effective and 29% said it helps a little.
Asked to rate the effectiveness of Forest Laboratories’ Savella (Milnacipran), 68% of those who said they tried the drug said it didn’t work. Only 10% said it was very effective and 22% said it helps a little.
About 70% of the people who responded to the survey said they had not tried medical marijuana – which is not surprising given that it is still illegal in most states and many countries. But those who have tried marijuana said it was far more effective than any of the FDA-approved drugs.
Sixty-two percent who have tried cannabis said it was very effective at treating their fibromyalgia symptoms. Another 33% said it helped a little and only 5% said it did not help at all.
“I’ve found nothing that has worked for me, apart from marijuana,” said one survey respondent.
“Nothing but medical marijuana has made the greatest dent in the pain and mental problems,” said another.
“Marijuana does help a LOT it numbs the pain. But it doesn’t last long and it makes your brain foggy,” wrote another fibromyalgia sufferer.
Survey respondents said massage, swimming, acupuncture, muscle relaxers and other alternative treatments also helped relieve their symptoms. Many said they take opioids to relieve their pain – although narcotic painkillers are generally not prescribed to treat fibromyalgia.
Other survey findings:
Four out of ten (43%) fibromyalgia sufferers feel their physician is not knowledgeable about the disorder.
Over a third (35%) feel their physician does not take their fibromyalgia seriously.
45% feel their family and friends do not take their fibromyalgia seriously.
Nearly half (49%) said their fibromyalgia symptoms began at a relatively young age (18-34).
Only 11% were diagnosed with fibromyalgia within the first year of symptoms.
44% said it took five or more years before they were diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
Many survey respondents lamented that the disorder had taken over their lives, leaving them socially isolated, fatigued and in constant pain.
“I was once an active person and have now virtually become a hermit due to this disease,” said one.
“The worst thing about having fibromyalgia is disappointing loved ones when I can’t do things with them,” wrote one fibromyalgia sufferer.
“Having fibromyalgia is a life sentence. One simply cannot have a productive life living with this disease,” said another.
The 1,339 people who participated in the survey were self-selected as fibromyalgia sufferers. Ninety-six percent of them were female.
This was the second online survey of pain patients conducted by the National Pain Foundation and National Pain Report. The first survey found that over half of patients worry that they are perceived as “drug addicts” by pharmacists. Eight out of ten said they had stopped seeing a doctor because they felt they were treated poorly.
Source: National Pain Report
Tags:Fibromyalgia
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Medical Marijuana Changed My Life
I have fibromyalgia and I guarantee that on the days I can’t walk or am shaking too much that fibromyalgia controls my day. Marijuana is the only thing that gets me back in control of my own being. I then have family courts threatening to take my child of me for being a drug addict which I am not. Please help me be able to use my medicine to live life to the fullest and not be afraid that I am going to loose my babies.
Thanks for sharing your story, Karlene! Glad to hear you’re finding relief with cannabis. Keep up the good fight, and blessings to you!
I too have fibromyalgia for a about 30 years and have suffered immensely. I have been accused of drug addiction it’s all in my head. That there is nothing wrong with me. It took about 10 years to be diagnosed. I have suffered all these years have tried every drug have tried every thing the doctors have suggested physical therapy exercise you name it I’ve tried it. The marijuana is the only thing that has helped with the pain and I have more freedom of movement and can actually enjoy doing something. I do not like smoking it. I don’t like the high but in Oregon it is now legal and I have tried a syrup that is amazing. I have very very little high it numbs the pain it gives me more energy because I’m in less pain and I take Cymbalta and methotrexate for my RA and am considering slowly getting off both and drinking the syrup because it is so much better as far as side effects I don’t feel any side effects I truly call this my miracle drug just hope other people Will consider this. I know a lot of people have a problem because it’s been illegal for so long but I am 64 years old and I will continue to use it
Thanks for sharing your testimony, Grace! So happy to hear that cannabis is working for you. Bless you!
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13 Facts About Steve Irwin and The Crocodile Hunter
BY Jennifer M Wood
Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
In 1996, Australian wildlife expert Steve Irwin—who is the subject of today's Google Doodle—came from seemingly out of nowhere to become one of the world’s most famous television stars. The Crocodile Hunteraired its final episode on September 4, 2007, one year after Irwin was killed when a stingray pierced his chest during the filming of a documentary, Ocean’s Deadliest. Yet Irwin’s legacy has carried on, both through repeated viewings of his hit series and with the help of his family: wife Terri, daughter Bindi Sue, and son Bob. Here are 13 things you might not have known about The Crocodile Hunter.
1. Steve Irwin grew up at a zoo.
Steve Irwin discovered his love of animals, and talent for handling them, at an early age. “My dad was a wildlife expert,” Irwin told Larry King in 2004. “His field was herpetology, one who studies reptiles, and my mom was a wildlife rehabilitator.” When Irwin was still a child, his family moved to Beerwah, near Queensland, Australia, to open the Beerwah Reptile Park in 1970. Steve spent his formative years helping to run the park, including feeding the animals, and eventually became its owner. It’s still in operation, but is now called the Australia Zoo.
2. Steve Irwin met his wife, Terri, at the Australia Zoo.
Though Steve Irwin was the indisputable star of The Crocodile Hunter, his family—including his wife, Terri—played an integral role in the series. Much like her husband, Terri discovered her love of animals at an early age. She was born in Eugene, Oregon, where her family ran a trucking business and her father would regularly bring home injured animals he’d come across on the road. In 1986, Terri opened Cougar Country, a facility that helped rehabilitate foxes, raccoons, bobcats, bears, and, of course, cougars and release them back into the wild.
In 1991, Terri took a trip to Australia and visited the Australia Zoo, where she first laid eyes on Steve during one of his crocodile shows. “I was absolutely floored,” Terri told Barbara Walters in 2006. “That was it. This man was a real-life hero. I fell then and there, love at first sight, not a problem. I said to my friend, ‘I got to meet this guy.’” The couple got engaged just four months later.
3. The first episode of The Crocodile Hunter was filmed during Steve and Terri Irwin's honeymoon.
Appropriately, Steve and Terri spent their honeymoon traveling around Australia trapping crocodiles for relocation. Then they got a call “that there was a crocodile that needed help,” Terri recounted to Scientific American. “We dropped our honeymoon, we went to north Queensland, and we helped this crocodile and filmed a documentary on the premise that the cameraman just chases Steve around. Steve hadn't been to acting school, he had no preconceived notions. His background was exactly what you see on television, he's done that all his life. We thought we'd do one show. What happened was, it did really well, so we did a part two. And from then on, we found that Steve's natural behavior in the wild happens to be fascinating!” Recognizing that Steve’s enthusiasm would be a huge draw for audiences, Animal Planet picked up The Crocodile Hunter as a regular series.
4. Irwin believed his enthusiasm was the key to The Crocodile Hunter's success.
When asked by Scientific American about what he attributed the show’s immense popularity to, Irwin quipped, “Nothing to do with my looks, that's for sure! Yeah, I normally get a big croc out in the foreground of any filming.” But he did have a real theory: “You know what I reckon it is? My belief is that what comes across on the television is a capture of my enthusiasm and my passion for wildlife. Since I was a boy, from this house, I was out rescuing crocodiles and snakes. My mum and dad were very passionate about that, and I was lucky enough to go along. The first crocodile I ever caught was at 9 years of age, and it was a rescue. So now what happens is the cameras follow me around and capture exactly what I've been doing since I was a boy. Only now we have a team of, you know, like 73 of us, and it's gone beyond that.
"As the audience, I want you to come with me, right? So we get cameras, every one of us, if we've got a four- or five-man film crew, including myself and Terri. Every one of us can use a camera. I have one in my green backpack that I pull out for the hardcore shots where you've gotta get right in there, so the camera's always right there, in there, while I'm doing my thing. So when I'm talking to the camera, I'm talking to you, in your living room.”
5. The show's popularity spread far beyond America.
Though The Crocodile Hunter was a huge hit in America as well as in Irwin’s native Australia, its popularity reached far beyond those two countries. The series was seen, and beloved, by more than 500 million people in 130 countries around the world.
6. Creating awareness about conservationism was the show's main goal.
While many viewers tuned into The Crocodile Hunter to witness Irwin’s zany antics while going head-to-head with some of the world’s most feared creatures, Irwin’s main goal was to educate the public about these animals and dispel the many myths surrounding them.
“I've always seen Jacques Cousteau as a hero,” he said. “He's a legend, like my dad, just a legend. And so what he did for conservation in the '60s through the '70s was just phenomenal. And I want to be just like him, you know? I want to have a milestone, you know? I want to create history. So we've gone beyond the media that we're working with now, and we're taking the media, we're taking the ‘Croc Hunter’ message, we're taking conservation, and the greening of our planet to kids’ toys, to shirts, you know, our shirts will be an advertisement of conservation. It's like we're taking it to the nth degree. In fact, we probably won't stop there either. If there's another medium where we can just get people excited about conservation we'll take it, we'll run with it.”
7. The Crocodile Hunter's popularity allowed Irwin to expand the Australia Zoo.
The success of The Crocodile Hunter allowed Irwin to fulfill one of his lifelong dreams by expanding the Australia Zoo to include a “Crocoseum.” The space gives visitors the chance to see how crocodiles behave in nature by housing them in clear water ponds. “Crocodiles use the murkiness of the water in their territory to camouflage from their prey,” explains the zoo’s website. “By using clear water, we can highlight for you the dangers that can be lurking just below the surface of a seemingly serene billabong.”
8. Irwin was no stranger to being bitten by the animals he handled, and knew it made for great television.
It's only natural that some of Irwin’s animal co-stars would make their reluctance to be put in front of the cameras known. "Steve Irwin's all pretty interesting on the telly or in the movie and that, but by crikey, it's great when he gets bitten," Irwin told ABC Australia. "Now and again I do get bitten ... And it's that, you know, that sense of morbidity that people do have. There's no use sticking your head in the sand and going, 'Oh, no, they're only here because, you know, I talk well.' Nah, man, they wanna see me come unglued.”
9. Irwin caused a major controversy when he fed a crocodile while holding his infant son.
In 2004, during a live show, Irwin caused a media stir when footage and photos of him emerged feeding a chicken carcass to a croc with one hand while holding his one-month-old son, Bob, in the other. Comparisons were quickly made to the time, two years earlier, that Michael Jackson had dangled his newborn son, Prince Michael II, over a hotel balcony. But Irwin was quick to dismiss the allegations that he had put his child in harm’s way. He claimed that the photo that surfaced was actually just taken at an amazingly great angle, which made it appear as if his son was much closer to the croc than he ever actually was.
“They were very lucky,” Irwin told Larry King of the photographers who snapped the photo. “They, out of those three news crews, they showed it at the head and saw this stacked vision and they're like, wow, this is great stuff! Bam! That was it. It just went.” When King asked whether Bob was ever in danger, Irwin said, “Not once, ever never. The funny thing is I've been doing it with Bindi for like five odd years and I would never endanger my children.”
When King asked why Irwin had gone on the TODAY Show to apologize for the incident if Bob was never in danger, Irwin insisted that, “I was apologizing for scaring people. That was never my intention. My intention was strictly and only to show people, here's my little baby boy. I would never endanger my son as you wouldn't yours nor any good father.”
10. Parrots were the one animal that terrified Irwin.
Though Irwin wasn’t afraid to face off against some of the world’s most terrifying reptiles, he wasn’t totally fearless when it came to animals. When asked if there was any type of animal that did frighten him, Irwin admitted that, “The only animals I'm not comfortable with are parrots, but I'm learning as I go. I'm getting better and better at 'em. I really am … For some reason parrots have to bite me. That's their job. I don't know why that is. They've nearly torn my nose off. I've had some really bad parrot bites.”
11. He discovered a new species of turtle.
By Jtlloyd at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
While on a fishing trip with his dad, Steve caught a turtle on his line that didn’t look like any creature either Irwin had ever seen before. So they took some pictures and sent them off to herpetologist John Cann, who confirmed that the animal was a never-before-discovered species. In honor of its discoverers, Cann named the species Elseya irwini, or Irwin’s snapping turtle. (Baltimore’s National Aquarium is the only place you can see one outside of Australia.)
12. There's a snail named after Irwin and his famous catchphrase.
You didn’t have to watch much of The Crocodile Hunter to learn that Irwin was famous for shouting the phrase “Crikey!” In 2009, Dr. John Stanisic, a scientist at the Queensland Museum, discovered a new type of tree snail and named it crikey steveirwini. Stanisic told ABC Australia that the creature was "a colorful snail, with swirling bands of creamy yellow, orange-brown and chocolate giving the shell an overall khaki appearance” and that “It was the khaki color that immediately drew the connection to the late Crocodile Hunter." Crikey!
13. Robert Irwin is following in his father's footsteps.
Whatever your opinion on the controversy that swirled around Steve feeding a crocodile while holding his infant son, one person who clearly wasn’t frightened was Robert Irwin himself. Now 15 years old, Bob—who appeared alongside his mom Terri and sister Bindi on Steve Irwin's Wildlife Warriors and co-hosted Wild But True for Discovery Kids Channel in 2015 and 2016—is clearly looking to follow in his famous father’s footsteps. In 2017, he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he introduced the host to a handful of animals (including a cuddly sloth).
Bindi Sue has also become a television staple. Beginning in 2007, Bindi had her own Discovery Kids series, Bindi the Jungle Girl. She also starred with her brother on Growing Up Wild for The Pet Collective YouTube channel. In 2015, she showed off her dancing skills when she was crowned the winner of the 21st season of Dancing With the Stars.
Animals crocodiles Lists Pop Culture tv
Pottery Barn Is Launching a Friends-Inspired Furniture Line That Includes Rachel’s Iconic Apothecary Table
BY Ellen Gutoskey
Gga2015, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0
To celebrate this fall’s 25th anniversary of the premiere of Friends in 1994, Pottery Barn is releasing a line of furniture inspired by the beloved NBC sitcom, Deadline reports.
The collection will feature accessories, furniture, and tabletop items, including Central Perk mugs. One highlight is a replica of the apothecary table that made a name for apothecary tables everywhere with its spotlight-stealing performance in the season 6 episode “The One with the Apothecary Table.” In it, Rachel purchases an apothecary table from Pottery Barn and, when she finds out Phoebe hates Pottery Barn, tells her the table is an antique from the “days of yore.” It gets more complicated (and hilarious) from there.
According to BuzzFeed, the episode was actually part of a product placement deal with Pottery Barn, and Entertainment Weekly even ranked it first on their “Best Product Placement” list for Friends.
You can shop the collection beginning on July 30, with prices starting at $12.50. If you’re a diehard Friends fanatic looking to celebrate its 25th anniversary in a way that Rachel Green would be proud of, you can also enter Pottery Barn’s sweepstakes for a chance to win a free trip for two to Los Angeles, complete with a $1000 shopping spree to Pottery Barn and a Warner Bros. Studio Deluxe Tour which includes, of course, a visit to the Central Perk set.
And, if you haven’t seen “The One with the Apothecary Table,” you can watch it on Netflix before Friends leaves for WarnerMedia’s new streaming service HBO Max in 2020.
[h/t Deadline]
entertainment fun furniture News Television tv
Target Has Launched a Harry Potter Line of Clothing, Accessories, and Home Goods
BY Jessica Bowman
No more blending in with the mediocre Muggles—now wizards can decorate and accessorize like the magical creatures they are with Target's brand-new line of Harry Potter clothing and home goods.
Target shoppers will feel like they’ve stepped through Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station as they wander the Harry Potter-stuffed aisles. Popsugar reports that Target will carry more than 500 Harry Potter-themed items, including socks, lanterns, pillows, dolls and much more.
You’ll be able to wake up in your Hogwarts sheets, have your morning coffee in a Slytherin mug, and take a ride on a foam Nimbus 2000 replica while rocking a Potter t-shirt. Not sure what house you’re in? No sweat! Target is even carrying a real-life sorting hat.
Whether you need a gift for the kiddos, or just want to treat your inner witch, Target is sure to have the perfect find in its Wizarding World line.
entertainment Harry Potter News shopping
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War-Treaty of Versailles 1919.
It was a Peace Treaty;
It was all about World War 2 and how and where it should begin.
People behind Treaty of Versailles;
Treaty of Versailles signed on 28th June 1919 was the work of International Bankers. They took all the measures necessary to ensure the next WW2. The British Prime Minister, Lloyd George, wrote: 'The international bankers swept statesmen, politicians, journalists and jurists all to one side and issued their orders with the imperiousness of absolute monarchs. Upon returning from the unsuccessful Peace Conference at Versailles, President Wilson stated, "There is a secret force at work in Europe which we were unable to trace."
The secret force was Rothschild clan, which dominated the conference
The American President, Woodrow Wilson, was "advised" at Versailles Conference by Bernard Baruch, The British Prime Minister, Lloyd George, was "advised" by Alfred Milner, Rothschild employee, and Sir Phillip Sassoon, a direct descendent of Mayer Amschel Rothschild, The French leader, Georges Clemenceau, was "advised" by his Minister for the Interior, Georges Mandel, whose real name was Jeroboam Rothschild. (Fritz Springmeier, Illuminati Bloodlines). The interpreter was Mantoux; and the Military Adviser was Mr. Kish. Interestingly all the advisers were Jews mostly representing International Bankers. These Jews met at 6 p.m. in the evenings to plan next World War and as bankers nothing can be more profitable than a great War; and accordingly, mapped out the decisions for the following day's conference of the "Big Four". To create new boundaries is to create new wars. The one follows the other.
Germany’s Territorial Losses:
Under the World War 2 Treaty of Versailles, Jewish International Bankers cut Germany in several pieces and gifted it to other European Countries. A piece of Germany - Alsace-Lorraine was given to France, A piece of Germany Saar Region of Coal mines was forcibly brought under French Protectorate, a piece of Germany – Eupen, Malmedy, Moresńet, and St. Vith was given to Belgium, a piece of Germany - Northern Schleswig was given to Denmark, pieces of Germany - Hultschin and Opava was given to Czechoslovakia, several pieces of Germany - West Prussia, Danzig, Posen and Upper Silesia was given to Poland, several pieces of Germany – Rhineland and Memel were brought under the League of Nations. League of Nations also took control of land won by Germany under treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Some of this land was given to Poland and some made into new states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latavia.
Territorial Losses of Austria-Hungary.
Jewish International Bankers also cut Habsburg empire in several pieces. First it was cut into two separate countries ; Austria and Hungary who then had to sign two separate treaties;-
Austria was forced to sign Treaty of Saint Germain
Hungary was forced to sign Treaty of Trianon
and then a large piece were further cut out of the Empire to form a totally new country Czechoslovakia.
Several Pieces of Habsburg empire i.e. Bohemia, Moravia, Opava Silesia and the western part of Duchy of Cieszyn, Slovakia and Carpathian Ruthenia formed a totally new country Czechoslovakia.
Several Pieces of Austria i.e. Galicia, eastern part of Duchy of Cieszyn, northern County of Orava and northern Spisz were gifted to Poland.
Several Pieces of Austria - Bolzano-Bozen and Trieste were gifted to Italy.
Several pieces of Hungary - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia-Slavonia, Dalmatia, Slovenia, and Vojvodina were gifted to Serbia to form the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later Yugoslavia. (Several ethnic minorities were deliberately merged in Yugoslavia by International Bankers so that they can earn money from future wars between these ethnic minorities). Several pieces of Austria-Hungary - Transylvania and Bukovina were gifted to Romania.
Divide and Rule and Bankers Make Profits from Wars and Death;
All states of Eastern Europe became hub of large national minorities. One eighth of German population found themselves in the newly created countries as minorities. One third of ethnic Hungarians found themselves living outside Hungary as minority. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from 325,111 square kilometers to merely 93,073 square kilometers. It also lost 64% of its total population, which was reduced from 20.9 million to 7.6 million, and 31% (3.3 out of 10.7 million) of its ethnic Hungarians, who suddenly found themselves living outside the newly defined borders of Hungary. Hungary lost five of its ten most populous cities and was deprived of direct access to the sea and some of its most valuable natural resources.
Military losses.
The German army was reduced to 100,000 men, and conscription was disallowed.
No tanks, aircraft or heavy artillery were to be manufactured for the German armed forces.
German navy reduced to: six battleships, six light cruisers, twelve destroyers, and twelve torpedo boats. Germany had to build ships for the Allies.
Reparations;
The total sum due to be paid by German as war reparations was decided by an Inter-Allied Reparations Commission at 269 billion gold marks (the equivalent of around 100,000 tonnes of pure gold).
Plans for World War -2
Under the War Treaty/Dictate of Versailles Poland was gifted (Danzig) a "corridor" to the Baltic Sea, along with large areas of West Prussia that were populated by Germans. This "corridor" completely separated East Prussia from the Reich, making trade and communication difficult or impossible. During Allied discussions on the peace treaty, Lloyd George, the British Prime Minister during the First World War, tapped this spot on the map and echoed the words of his secretary "This is where (we have planned) the next world war will begin!" Unknown to Hitler, this was how International Bankers had planned 2nd World War to begin 20 years earlier on 28th June 1919.
Wilson's former friend Edward Mandell House, present at the negotiations alongwith Jew Bernard Baruch , wrote in his diary on 29 June 1919:
"I am leaving Paris, after eight fateful months, with conflicting emotions. Looking at the conference in retrospect, there is much to approve and yet much to regret. It is easy to say what should have been done, but more difficult to have found a way of doing it. To those who are saying that the treaty is bad and should never have been made and that it will involve Europe in infinite difficulties in its enforcement, I feel like admitting it. But I would also say in reply that empires cannot be shattered, and new states raised upon their ruins without disturbance. To create new boundaries is to create new troubles. The one follows the other. While I should have preferred a different peace, I doubt very much whether it could have been made, for the ingredients required for such a peace as I would have were lacking at Paris."
This cartoon made in 1920 depicts that the naked Child left behind represents Germany whose all wealth has been stripped away. the word 1040 class represents that the child of 1920 and the treaty will provide the fodder for this child to become a cannon in the year 1940. The words attributed to Georges Clemenceau projects the cruelty of big bully towards a naked child.
Before World War I, it was said that "Barney" Baruch was worth a million dollars or more. After World War I was over, it was alleged that he was worth about two hundred million dollars, a suitable figure for a Titan.
Source; Curtis Dull; “FDR My exploited father-in-Law”
Upon returning from the unsuccessful Peace Conference at Versailles, President Wilson stated, "There is a secret force at work in Europe which we were unable to trace." (Source; Curtis Dull; “FDR My exploited father-in-Law”)
Reactions in Germany
The Fourteen Points speech given by United States President Woodrow Wilson to a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1918, became the basis for the Armistice with Germany 10 months later but those 14 points were nowhere in the Treaty. On April 29, the German delegation under the leadership of the Foreign Minister Ulrich Graf von Brockdorff-Rantzau arrived in Versailles. On May 7, when faced with the conditions dictated by the victors, including the so-called "War Guilt Clause", von Brockdorff-Rantzau replied to Clemenceau, Wilson and Lloyd George: "We know the full brunt of hate that confronts us here. You demand from us to confess we were the only guilty party of war; such a confession in my mouth would be a lie."Because Germany was not allowed to take part in the negotiations, the German government issued a protest against what it considered to be unfair demands, and a "violation of honor", soon afterward withdrawing from the proceedings of peace conference.
Conservatives, nationalists and ex-military leaders condemned the proposed treaty and democratic Weimar politicians, socialists, communists, and Jews were viewed by them with suspicion, due to their supposed extra-national loyalties. It was stated that the Jews had not supported the war and had played a role in selling out Germany to its enemies. Those who seemed to benefit from a weakened Germany, and the newly formed Weimar Republic, were regarded as having "stabbed Germany in the back" on the home front, by either opposing German nationalism, instigating unrest and strikes in the critical military industries or profiteering.
What led to Germany Signing the Treaty?
The Fourteen Points speech given by United States President Woodrow Wilson to a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1918, became the basis for the Armistice with Germany 10 months later. When Germany signed the armistice on November 11, 1918, its armies were still on French and Belgian territory. Furthermore, on the Eastern Front, Germany had already won the war against Russia and concluded the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. In the West, Germany had seemed to have come close to winning the war with the Spring Offensive earlier in 1918.Its failure was blamed on strikes in the arms industry at a critical moment of the offensive, leaving soldiers with an inadequate supply of materiel. The strikes were regarded by nationalists as having been instigated by Jews. Similarly The Imperial Naval Command in Kiel under Admiral Franz von Hipper, planned to dispatch the fleet for a Final battle against the British Navy in the English Channel. The sailor’s revolt started on the Schilling Roads off Wilhelmshaven, where the German fleet had anchored in expectation of a planned battle. During the night from 29 to 30 October 1918 some crews refused to obey orders. On board of three ships from the Third Navy Squadron sailors refused to lift anchor. On board of the battle ships from the First Navy Squadron SMS "Thüringen“ and "Helgoland" outright mutiny and sabotage occurred. As of 4 November delegations of the sailors scattered out to all larger cities in the country with the cry of 'freedom, beauty, and dignity'. Already by 7 November the revolution had seized all larger coastal cities as well as Hanover, Brunswick, Frankfurt and Munich. In Munich a Workers' and Soldiers' Council forced the last King of Bavaria, Ludwig III, to abdicate. And for all practical purposes War was over. The words 'freedom, beauty, and dignity' symbolize the Rothschild led Jewish Conspiracy.
“The Jewish led ‘revolution’ in Germany during 1918-1919 left Berlin once a symbol of power and splendor to then in total ruins. Wolves had been turned into deer. A small minority in Berlin kept the German people in suspense. What do they want? that they seek it through violence, through revolution, through murder and homicide..”
Berlin became the center of the Communist social democratic movement and the trade union movement. It became headquarters of the Social Democratic Workers Party, founded by a militant Marxist group formed by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, later a Jew agitating for the overthrow of the Kaiser and the end of the war. The war effort Germany was finally hampered when 300,000 workers in all its armaments factories went on strike in January 1918. Later there was a naval mutiny and a strike of the dock workers. Finally, on November 9, 1918, Philipp Scheidemann, the left wing leader of the Social Democrats, proclaimed the first German Republic from a window of the Reichstag building in Berlin, while the heroic German army was still in enemy territory.
The Kaiser was forced to abdicate in November 1918 and the government was taken over by the SPD (Social Democrats). The Jewish leader Friedrich Ebert was installed as the first president of the new Republic. After the Armistice, Berlin was in total chaos; the city resembled a war zone with revolutionaries fighting in the streets. Before a new democratic constitution could be written, a militant group of leftists, called the Spartacus League, attempted to set up a soviet government, along the lines of the Communist revolution in Russia in October 1917. Their leader, Karl Liebknecht, proclaimed another Republic from the balcony of the imperial palace in Berlin. (The Soviets tore down the palace, but preserved the section where the hero Liebknecht proclaimed the Communist Republic.)
June 21 1919; In protest to the proposed Treaty of Versailles, Admiral von Reuter scuttles the German fleet off Scapa Flow, Scotland. Six squadron cruisers, six battle cruisers, 84 light cruisers and 50 destroyers are sunk.
There is anger and outrage throughout Germany today at the publication outlining the conditions of this treaty. Germany has been betrayed by this diktat. The German people have been betrayed , we neither started the war and we did not lose the war. The German nation was led to believe the Versailles negotiations were to be a conference for peace, not surrender. Our navy has responded by sinking our own ships in protest. Our enemies have declared Germany has 24 hours to sign the treaty or they will resume hostilities and have threatened to bring the fighting onto German soil. Chancellor scheidemann has resigned in protest and the chief of our army, Von Hindenburg has also resigned. President Ebert has agreed to sign the treaty but all Germans are united in their belief we have been humiliated, betrayed, and stabbed in the back by their 'own'.
On June 28, 1919 Democratic Weimar politicians, socialists, communists, and Jews then signed the treaty at Versailles. There were Massive anti-treaty demonstrations in Germany and Berlin to the signing of the “most foul treaty” to have been ever drafted which had no other purpose than to have another War.
Who is Responsible for World War 2?
Posted by kapel de at 12:00 AM 11 comments
Aggregate Expenditure Multiplier
What is Aggregate Expenditure Multiplier?
Aggregate expenditure (AE) is the sum of consumption, investment, government purchases, and net export. Of these four sectors, the consumption represents the largest share.
The consumption function: C = Co + MPC (Yd)
C = total consumption
Co = autonomous consumption whose amount is independent of disposable income
MPC = marginal propensity to consume. This is a fraction between 0 and 1; and MPC is equal to change in consumption brought about by a change in disposable income.
(MPC = change in C / change in Yd )
Yd = disposable income.
A similar concept as MPC is MPS: marginal propensity to save. It is equal to change in savings (S) brought about by a change in disposable income.
(MPS = change in S / change in Yd)
Since all income must be either consumed or saved, then any change in income must also be consumed or saved. Therefore: MPC + MPS = 1
The average propensity to consume (APC) is the portion of income spent on consumption.
(APC = C / Yd)
The average propensity to save (APS) is the portion of income saved.
(APS = S / Yd)
Again, APC + APS = 1
The slope is referred to as MPC (marginal propensity to consume). It's a number between 0 and 1 that refers to how much of each dollar you spend. Say the number is 0.90... then if you get an additional dollar, then you spend 90 cents of it and save 10 cents.
How is it related to the multiplier? If the government gives me $100 for some service, then GDP increases by $100... but what do I do with the $100? I spend 90% of it and save 10%. So I spend 90 dollars .... but that means GDP has now increased by $190 in total! I spend it on something (let's say a hooker!) ... she gets the $90 and spends 90% of it and saves 10%. So, GDP increases by another $81. And the process goes on and on until we are left spending pennies. When you look up the multiplier equation, it's just the short cut to get the overall net increase that GDP goes through from that initial $100 spent by the government.
Multiplier = 1/(1-MPC)
Or in my example it would equal 10 ... since 1/(1-0.90) = 10
So, that $100 actually causes GDP to increase by $1000 once it goes through every single one of those spending 'rounds' I mentioned above (the equation for the multiplier actually assumes an infinite number of rounds).
with help of illustrations from ect5150
Kaps.
How to live a happy Life
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Mein Kampf Excerpts Vol II Ch 7a Bourgeois, National socialist and Marxist public meetings
Mein Kampf is unintelligible ravings of a maniac.
Now the Truth; Read and know. VOL II CHAPTER VIIa-THE CONFLICT WITH THE RED FORCES
Part (a) Bourgeois, National socialist and Marxist public meetings;
In 1919-20 and also in 1921 I attended some of the bourgeois meetings. Invariably I had the same feeling towards these as towards the compulsory dose of castor oil in my boyhood days. It just had to be taken because it was good for one: but it certainly tasted unpleasant. If it were possible to tie ropes round the German people and forcibly drag them to these bourgeois meetings, keeping them there behind barred doors and allowing nobody to escape until the meeting closed, then this procedure might prove successful in the course of a few hundred years. For my own part, I must frankly admit that, under such circumstances, I could not find life worth living; and indeed I should no longer wish to be a German. But, thank God, all this is impossible. And so it is not surprising that the sane and unspoilt masses shun these 'bourgeois mass meetings' as the devil shuns holy water.
I came to know the prophets of the bourgeois WELTANSCHAUUNG, and I was not surprised at what I learned, as I knew that they attached little importance to the spoken word. At that time I attended meetings of the Democrats, the German Nationalists, the German People's Party and the Bavarian People's Party (the Centre Party of Bavaria). What struck me at once was the homogeneous uniformity of the audiences. Nearly always they were made up exclusively of party members. The whole affair was more like a yawning card party than an assembly of people who had just passed through a great revolution. The speakers did all they could to maintain this tranquil atmosphere. They declaimed, or rather read out, their speeches in the style of an intellectual newspaper article or a learned treatise, avoiding all striking expressions. Here and there a feeble professorial joke would be introduced, whereupon the people sitting at the speaker's table felt themselves obliged to laugh--not loudly but encouragingly and with well-bred reserve.
And there were always those people at the speaker's table. I once attended a meeting in the Wagner Hall in Munich. It was a demonstration to celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig. (Note 17) The speech was delivered or rather read out by a venerable old professor from one or other of the universities. The committee sat on the platform: one monocle on the right, another monocle on the left, and in the centre a gentleman with no monocle. All three of them were punctiliously attired in morning coats, and I had the impression of being present before a judge's bench just as the death sentence was about to be pronounced or at a christening or some more solemn religious ceremony. The so-called speech, which in printed form may have read quite well, had a disastrous effect. After three quarters of an hour the audience fell into a sort of hypnotic trance, which was interrupted only when some man or woman left the hall, or by the clatter which the waitresses made, or by the increasing yawns of slumbering individuals. I had posted myself behind three workmen who were present either out of curiosity or because they were sent there by their parties. From time to time they glanced at one another with an ill-concealed grin, nudged one another with the elbow, and then silently left the hall. One could see that they had no intention whatsoever of interrupting the proceedings, nor indeed was it necessary to interrupt them. At long last the celebration showed signs of drawing to a close. After the professor, whose voice had meanwhile become more and more inaudible, finally ended his speech, the gentleman without the monocle delivered a rousing peroration to the assembled 'German sisters and brothers.' On behalf of the audience and himself he expressed gratitude for the magnificent lecture which they had just heard from Professor X and emphasized how deeply the Professor's words had moved them all. If a general discussion on the lecture were to take place it would be tantamount to profanity, and he thought he was voicing the opinion of all present in suggesting that such a discussion should not be held. Therefore, he would ask the assembly to rise from their seats and join in singing the patriotic song, WIR SIND EIN EINIG VOLK VON BRÜDERN. The proceedings finally closed with the anthem, DEUTSCHLAND ÜBER ALLES.
[Note 17. The Battle of Leipzig (1813), where the Germans inflicted an overwhelming defeat on Napoleon, was the decisive event which put an end to the French occupation of Germany.
The occupation had lasted about twenty years. After the Great War, and the partial occupation of Germany once again by French forces, the Germans used to celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig as a symbol of their yearning.]
And then they all sang. It appeared to me that when the second verse was reached the voices were fewer and that only when the refrain came on they swelled loudly. When we reached the third verse my belief was confirmed that a good many of those present were not very familiar with the text.
But what has all this to do with the matter when such a song is sung wholeheartedly and fervidly by an assembly of German nationals?
After this the meeting broke up and everyone hurried to get outside, one to his glass of beer, one to a cafe, and others simply into the fresh air.
Out into the fresh air! That was also my feeling. And was this the way to honour an heroic struggle in which hundreds of thousands of Prussians and Germans had fought? To the devil with it all!
That sort of thing might find favour with the Government, it being merely a 'peaceful' meeting. The Minister responsible for law and order need not fear that enthusiasm might suddenly get the better of public decorum and induce these people to pour out of the room and, instead of dispersing to beer halls and cafes, march in rows of four through the town singing DEUTSCHLAND hoch in Ehren and causing some unpleasantness to a police force in need of rest.
No. That type of citizen is of no use to anyone.
On the other hand the National Socialist meetings were by no means 'peaceable' affairs. Two distinct WELTANSCHHAUUNGen raged in bitter opposition to one another, and these meetings did not close with the mechanical rendering of a dull patriotic song but rather with a passionate outbreak of popular national feeling.
It was imperative from the start to introduce rigid discipline into our meetings and establish the authority of the chairman absolutely. Our purpose was not to pour out a mixture of soft-soap bourgeois talk; what we had to say was meant to arouse the opponents at our meetings! How often did they not turn up in masses with a few individual agitators among them and, judging by the expression on all their faces, ready to finish us off there and then.
Yes, how often did they not turn up in huge numbers, those supporters of the Red Flag, all previously instructed to smash up everything once and for all and put an end to these meetings. More often than not everything hung on a mere thread, and only the chairman's ruthless determination and the rough handling by our ushers baffled our adversaries' intentions. And indeed they had every reason for being irritated.
The fact that we had chosen red as the colour for our posters sufficed to attract them to our meetings. The ordinary bourgeoisie were very shocked to see that, we had also chosen the symbolic red of Bolshevism and they regarded this as something ambiguously significant. The suspicion was whispered in German Nationalist circles that we also were merely another variety of Marxism, perhaps even Marxists suitably disguised, or better still, Socialists. The actual difference between Socialism and Marxism still remains a mystery to these people up to this day. The charge of Marxism was conclusively proved when it was discovered that at our meetings we deliberately substituted the words 'Fellow-countrymen and Women' for 'Ladies and Gentlemen' and addressed each other as 'Party Comrade'. We used to roar with laughter at these silly faint-hearted bourgeoisie and their efforts to puzzle out our origin, our intentions and our aims.
We chose red for our posters after particular and careful deliberation, our intention being to irritate the Left, so as to arouse their attention and tempt them to come to our meetings--if only in order to break them up--so that in this way we got a chance of talking to the people.
In those years' it was indeed a delightful experience to follow the constantly changing tactics of our perplexed and helpless adversaries. First of all they appealed to their followers to ignore us and keep away from our meetings. Generally speaking this appeal was heeded. But, as time went on, more and more of their followers gradually found their way to us and accepted our teaching. Then the leaders became nervous and uneasy. They clung to their belief that such a development should not be ignored forever, and that terror must be applied in order to put an end to it.
Appeals were then made to the 'class-conscious proletariat' to attend our meetings in masses and strike with the clenched hand of the proletarian at the representatives of a 'monarchist and reactionary agitation'.
Our meetings suddenly became packed with work-people fully three-quarters of an hour before the proceedings were scheduled to begin. These gatherings resembled a powder cask ready to explode at any moment; and the fuse was conveniently at hand. But matters always turned out differently. People came as enemies and left, not perhaps prepared to join us, yet in a reflective mood and disposed critically to examine the correctness of their own doctrine. Gradually as time went on my three-hour lectures resulted in supporters and opponents becoming united in one single enthusiastic group of people. Every signal for the breaking-up of the meeting failed. The result was that the opposition leaders became frightened and once again looked for help to those quarters that had formerly discountenanced these tactics and, with some show of right, had been of the opinion that on principle the workers should be forbidden to attend our meetings.
Then they did not come any more, or only in small numbers. But after a short time the whole game started all over again. The instructions to keep away from us were ignored; the comrades came in steadily increasing numbers, until finally the advocates of the radical tactics won the day. We were to be broken up.
Yet when, after two, three and even eight meetings, it was realized that to break up these gatherings was easier said than done and that every meeting resulted in a decisive weakening of the red fighting forces, then suddenly the other password was introduced: 'Proletarians, comrades and comradesses, avoid meetings of the National Socialist agitators'.
The same eternally alternating tactics were also to be observed in the Red Press. Soon they tried to silence us but discovered the uselessness of such an attempt. After that they swung round to the opposite tactics. Daily 'reference' was made to us solely for the purpose of absolutely ridiculing us in the eyes of the working-classes. After a time these gentlemen must have felt that no harm was being done to us, but that, on the contrary, we were reaping an advantage in that people were asking themselves why so much space was being devoted to a subject which was supposed to be so ludicrous. People became curious. Suddenly there was a change of tactics and for a time we were treated as veritable criminals against mankind. One article followed the other, in which our criminal intentions were explained and new proofs brought forward to support what was said. Scandalous tales, all of them fabricated from start to finish, were published in order to help to poison the public mind. But in a short time even these attacks also proved futile; and in fact they assisted materially because they attracted public attention to us.
In those days I took up the standpoint that it was immaterial whether they laughed at us or reviled us, whether they depicted us as fools or criminals; the important point was that they took notice of us and that in the eyes of the working-classes we came to be regarded as the only force capable of putting up a fight. I said to myself that the followers of the Marxist Press would come to know all about us and our real aims.
One reason why they never got so far as breaking up our meetings was undoubtedly the incredible cowardice displayed by the leaders of the opposition. On every critical occasion they left the dirty work to the smaller fry whilst they waited outside the halls for the results of the break up.
We were exceptionally well informed in regard to our opponents' intentions, not only because we allowed several of our party colleagues to remain members of the Red organizations for reasons of expediency, but also because the Red wire-pullers, fortunately for us, were afflicted with a degree of talkativeness that is still unfortunately very prevalent among Germans. They could not keep their own counsel, and more often than not they started cackling before the proverbial egg was laid. Hence, time and again our precautions were such that Red agitators had no inkling of how near they were to being thrown out of the meetings.
This state of affairs compelled us to take the work of safeguarding our meetings into our own hands. No reliance could be placed on official protection. On the contrary; experience showed that such protection always favoured only the disturbers. The only real outcome of police intervention would be that the meeting would be dissolved, that is to say, closed. And that is precisely what our opponents granted.
Generally speaking, this led the police to adopt a procedure which, to say the least, was a most infamous sample of official malpractice. The moment they received information of a threat that the one or other meeting was to be broken up, instead of arresting the would-be disturbers, they promptly advised the innocent parties that the meeting was forbidden. This step the police proclaimed as a 'precautionary measure in the interests of law and order'.
The political work and activities of decent people could therefore always be hindered by desperate ruffians who had the means at their disposal. In the name of peace and order State authority bowed down to these ruffians and demanded that others should not provoke them. When National Socialism desired to hold meetings in certain parts and the labour unions declared that their members would resist, then it was not these blackmailers that were arrested and gaoled. No. Our meetings were forbidden by the police. Yes, this organ of the law had the unspeakable impudence to advise us in writing to this effect in innumerable instances. To avoid such eventualities, it was necessary to see to it that every attempt to disturb a meeting was nipped in the bud. Another feature to be taken into account in this respect is that all meetings which rely on police protection must necessarily bring discredit to their promoters in the eyes of the general public. Meetings that are only possible with the protective assistance of a strong force of police convert nobody; because in order to win over the lower strata of the people there must be a visible show of strength on one's own side. In the same way that a man of courage will win a woman's affection more easily than a coward, so a heroic movement will be more successful in winning over the hearts of a people than a weak movement which relies on police support for its very existence.
It is for this latter reason in particular that our young movement was to be charged with the responsibility of assuring its own existence, defending itself; and conducting its own work of smashing the Red opposition.
The work of organizing the protective measures for our meetings was based on the following:
(1) An energetic and psychologically judicious way of conducting the meeting.
(2) An organized squad of troops to maintain order.
In those days we and no one else were masters of the situation at our meetings and on no occasion did we fail to emphasize this. Our opponents fully realized that any provocation would be the occasion of throwing them out of the hall at once, whatever the odds against us. At meetings, particularly outside Munich, we had in those days from five to eight hundred opponents against fifteen to sixteen National Socialists; yet we brooked no interference, for we were ready to be killed rather than capitulate. More than once a handful of party colleagues offered a heroic resistance to a raging and violent mob of Reds. Those fifteen or twenty men would certainly have been overwhelmed in the end had not the opponents known that three or four times as many of themselves would first get their skulls cracked. Arid that risk they were not willing to run. We had done our best to study Marxist and bourgeois methods of conducting meetings, and we had certainly learnt something.
The Marxists had always exercised a most rigid discipline so that the question of breaking up their meetings could never have originated in bourgeois quarters. This gave the Reds all the more reason for acting on this plan. In time they not only became past-masters in this art but in certain large districts of the REICH they went so far as to declare that non-Marxist meetings were nothing less than a cause of' provocation against the proletariat. This was particularly the case when the wire-pullers suspected that a meeting might call attention to their own transgressions and thus expose their own treachery and chicanery. Therefore the moment such a meeting was announced to be held a howl of rage went up from the Red Press. These detractors of the law nearly always turned first to the authorities and requested in imperative and threatening language that this 'provocation of the proletariat' be stopped forthwith in the 'interests of law and order'. Their language was chosen according to the importance of the official blockhead they were dealing with and thus success was assured. If by chance the official happened to be a true German--and not a mere figurehead--and he
declined the impudent request, then the time-honoured appeal to stop 'provocation of the proletariat' was issued together with instructions to attend such and such a meeting on a certain date in full strength for the purpose of 'putting a stop to the disgraceful machinations of the bourgeoisie by means of the proletarian fist'.
The pitiful and frightened manner in which these bourgeois meetings are conducted must be seen in order to be believed. Very frequently these threats were sufficient to call off such a meeting at once. The feeling of fear was so marked that the meeting, instead of commencing at eight o'clock, very seldom was opened before a quarter to nine or nine o'clock. The Chairman thereupon did his best, by showering compliments on the 'gentleman of the opposition' to prove how he and all others present were pleased (a palpable lie) to welcome a visit from men who as yet were not in sympathy with them for the reason that only by mutual discussion (immediately agreed to) could they be brought closer together in mutual understanding. Apart from this the Chairman also assured them that the meeting had no intention whatsoever of interfering with the professed convictions of anybody. Indeed no. Everyone had the right to form and hold his own political views, but others should be allowed to do likewise. He therefore requested that the speaker be allowed to deliver his speech without interruption--the speech in any case not being a long affair. People abroad, he continued, would thus not come to regard this meeting as another shameful example of the bitter fraternal strife that is raging in Germany. And so on and so forth.
The brothers of the Left had little if any appreciation for that sort of talk; the speaker had hardly commenced when he was shouted down. One gathered the impression at times that these speakers were graceful for being peremptorily cut short in their martyr-like discourse and not thrown down the stairs.
Therefore, our methods of organization at National Socialist meetings were something quite strange to the Marxists. They came to our meetings in the belief that the little game which they had so often played could as a matter of course be also repeated on us. "To-day we shall finish them off." How often did they bawl this out to each other on entering the meeting hall, only to be thrown out with lightning speed before they had time to repeat it.
In the first place our method of conducting a meeting was entirely different. We did not beg and pray to be allowed to speak, and we did not straightway give everybody the right to hold endless discussions. We curtly gave everyone to understand that we were masters of the meeting and that we would do as it pleased us and that everyone who dared to interrupt would be unceremoniously thrown out. We stated clearly our refusal to accept responsibility for anyone treated in this manner. If time permitted and if it suited us, a discussion would be allowed to take place. Our party colleague would now make his speech.... That kind of talk was sufficient in itself to astonish the Marxists.
Secondly, we had at our disposal a well-trained and organized body of men for maintaining order at our meetings. On the other hand the bourgeois parties protected their meetings with a body of men better classified as ushers who by virtue of their age thought they were entitled to-authority and respect. But as Marxism has little or no respect for these things, the question of suitable self-protection at these bourgeois meetings was, so to speak, in practice non-existent.
When our political meetings first started I made it a special point to organize a suitable defensive squad--a squad composed chiefly of young men. Some of them were comrades who had seen active service with me; others were young party members who, right from the start, had been trained and brought up to realize that only terror is capable of smashing terror--that only courageous and determined people had made a success of things in this world and that, finally, we were fighting for an idea so lofty that it was worth the last drop of our blood. These young men had been brought up to realize that where force replaced common sense in the solution of a problem, the best means of defence was attack and that the reputation of our hall-guard squads should stamp us as a political fighting force and not as a debating society.
And it was extraordinary how eagerly these boys of the War generation responded to this order. They had indeed good reason for being bitterly disappointed and indignant at the miserable milksop methods employed by the bourgeoise.
Thus it became clear to everyone that the Revolution had only been possible thanks to the dastardly methods of a bourgeois government. At that time there was certainly no lack of man-power to suppress the revolution, but unfortunately there was an entire lack of directive brain power. How often did the eyes of my young men light up with enthusiasm when I explained to them the vital functions connected with their task and assured them time and again that all earthly wisdom is useless unless it be supported by a measure of strength, that the gentle goddess of Peace can only walk in company with the god of War, and that every great act of peace must be protected and assisted by force. In this way the idea of military service came to them in a far more realistic form--not in the fossilized sense of the souls of decrepit officials serving he dead authority of a dead State, but in the living realization of the duty of each man to sacrifice his life at all times so that his country might live.
How those young men did their job!
Like a swarm of hornets they tackled disturbers at our meetings, regardless of superiority of numbers, however great, indifferent to wounds and bloodshed, inspired with the great idea of blazing a trail for the sacred mission of our movement.
As early as the summer of 1920 the organization of squads of men as hall guards for maintaining order at our meetings was gradually assuming definite shape. By the spring of 1921 this body of men were sectioned off into squads of one hundred, which in turn were sub-divided into smaller groups.
In the autumn and winter of 1920-1921 our meetings in the Bürgerbräu and Munich Kindlbräu had assumed vast proportions and it was always the same picture that presented itself; namely, meetings of the NSDAP (The German National Socialist Labour Party) were always crowded out so that the police were compelled to close and bar the doors long before proceedings commenced.
Labels: Mein Kampf
Truth about Treblinka
"There is nothing more frightening than active ignorance." -- Goethe
"The search for truth is never wrong. The only sin is to lack the courage to follow where truth leads." -- Duke.
Treblinka was an extermination camp where hundreds of thousands of Jews were exterminated.
Now the truth ;
Treblinka was a work and transit camp used temporarily to house prisoners on their way to other camps in the German system. It was located 62 miles northeast of Warsaw. The buildings included barracks, bakery and storage buildings.
Treblinka was made up of two separate camps. Treblinka I was a penal work camp that wasn't at all secret. The 1941 directive announcing the establishment of the "Treblinka Labor Camp" was published in both Polish and German in widely distributed official journals. Poles and Jews worked in a large sand and gravel quarry at the Treblinka labor camp.
Treblinka II, the so-called "extermination" camp, was located about a mile and a half UP from the rail spur from Treblinka I. As wartime aerial reconnaissance photographs clearly show, Treblinka I was at the end of the rail spur on which Treblinka II was also located. This fact strengthens the thesis that the Treblinka II camp was not particularly secret, since penal labor prisoners being taken by train to and from the publicly known Treblinka I camp passed directly by the supposedly top secret Treblinka II "extermination" camp.
So what was Treblinka II? Simply a transit camp for prisoners going to others areas.
Most prisoners of Treblinka came from the Warsaw Ghetto from July to October, 1942. Others came after the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in may of 1943.
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
To understand what happened in the Warsaw ghetto in April-May 1943, it is important to know why the Germans decided to launch a police operation. In the city’s 'Jewish quarter' or 'ghetto' were 36,000 officially registered residents, as well as, in all probability, more than 20,000 clandestine inhabitants. The ghetto was, in a sense, a city within a city, administered by a 'Jewish Council' (Judenrat), and a Jewish police force, which collaborated with the German occupation authorities, even against Jewish 'terrorists.' Many thousands of Jewish workers toiled in ghetto workshops and factories, supplying products vital to the German war effort.
Following the first Soviet air attack against central Warsaw on August 21, 1942, bomb shelters were built, on German orders, everywhere in the city, including the ghetto, for the protection of the residents. The Germans furnished the Jews with the cement and other necessary materials for these shelters, which legend has transformed into 'blockhouses' and 'bunkers.' So extensive was this 'network of subterranean refuges and hiding places' that, according to one prominent Holocaust historian, 'in the end, every Jew in the ghetto had his own spot in one of the shelters set up in the central part of the ghetto.'
Small armed Jewish groups, numbering no more than 220 persons, were active. The most important of these was the 'Jewish Combat Organization' (JCO), whose members were mostly young men in their twenties. Its 'general directives for combat' specified 'acts of terror' against the Jewish police, the Jewish Council, and the Werkschutz (protection service for the factories and workshops). This JCO directive stated specifically: 'The general staff works out the central plan of action — sabotage and terror — directed against the enemy.'
Accordingly, these 'fighters' or 'terrorists' used 'sabotage and terror' to shake down Jewish ghetto police, Jewish Council officials, and workshop guard. The 'terrorists' also profited from the ghetto’s intensive industrial and commercial life, shaking down merchants and other residents by threat and blackmail, even holding them prisoner in their homes for ransom. They were able to buy weapons from soldiers stationed in Warsaw, who, like troops stationed elsewhere well behind the front lines, often served in patchwork units, ill-trained and poorly motivated. The ghetto 'terrorists' even carried out murderous attacks against German troops and Jewish collaborators.
The ghetto became increasingly insecure. Because of this, the Polish population became more and more hostile to its existence, while the Germans, for their part, feared that it could become a threat to the city’s important role as a rail nexus in the war economy and as a hub for transport of troops to the Eastern front. Himmler therefore decided to relocate the Jewish population, along with the workshops and factories, to the Lublin region, and to raze the ghetto, replacing it with a park. At first the Germans tried to convince the Jews to voluntarily accept relocation. But the 'terrorists' refused to accept this, aware that such a transfer would mean for them losing, simultaneously, their financial base as well as their freedom of movement. They devoted all their efforts to opposing this, until on April 19, 1943, a police operation to forcibly evacuate the remaining Jews was begun on Himmler’s order.
At 6:00 a.m. that morning, troops under the command of SS Colonel Ferdinand von Sammern-Frankenegg entered the ghetto, supported by a single tracked vehicle (captured during the invasion of France) and two armored cars. Initially the 'terrorists' or guerrillas offered stiff resistance, wounding 16 German SS men, six Ukrainians (so-called 'Askaris'), and two Polish policemen. One Polish policeman was killed.
Himmler, eager to minimize casualties, was angered. That same morning, he relieved von Sammern-Frankenegg of command and replaced him with SS General Jürgen Stroop. Stroop, ordered to carry out the operation slowly to minimize casualties, did so in the following manner: each morning, the troops would enter the ghetto, clear buildings of their residents and use smoke candles (not poison gas) to drive out the Jews hiding in the air-raid shelters; the buildings were destroyed as they were evacuated. Each evening the troops sealed the ghetto so that nobody could escape during the night.
Skirmishes lasted from April 19 to May 16, 1943, so that altogether the operation required 28 days. On the third day, many of the Jewish armed fighters tried to escape, most whom where shot or captured. Contrary to some reports, the German command never called for air support to destroy the ghetto, and the operation involved no aerial bombardment.
The number of Jewish dead is unknown. An often-cited figure of 56,065 is, in fact, the number of Jews who were apprehended. The great majority of these were deported, many to the transit camp at Treblinka from where they were taken to Majdanek (Lublin). German deaths in the operation totaled 16. (This included one Polish policeman.)
One should not doubt either the courage of the Jewish resistance in the ghetto or the tragic nature of the whole affair, with the civilian population trapped in the cross-fire between various heterogeneous German units and small groups of Jewish guerrillas scattered throughout the ghetto. Contrary to some grandiose propaganda claims, though, what took place was far from an 'apocalyptic' revolt, as one writer has recently called it, particularly when one is mindful of the tens of thousands of deaths, civilian and military, that occurred during those same 28 days, on battlefields around the globe and in European cities bombarded by British and American air forces. Full text can be seen here; . http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v14/v14n2p2_Faurisson.html
In August 1943, the prisoners in the work details rebelled. They seized small arms, sprayed kerosene on all the buildings and set them ablaze. In the confusion, a number of German soldiers were killed and many of the prisoners. The camp ceased operation soon after. Two months later the revolt at Sobibor occurred.
After the revolt, it was decided to shut down the camp since the fire had badly damaged the structures.
Jewish Version
Treblinka was one of the most important extermination centers during WW II. Between July 1942 to September 1942, three hundred thousand Jews were transported from Warsaw to Treblinka. Later, in May of 1943, the entire population of the Warsaw ghetto was liquidated and most were transported to Treblinka. By July 11,1945, when Soviet troops entered Warsaw, more than 700,000 Jewish men, women, and children had been murdered at Treblinka.
OUR NOTE: From July 1942 to November 1943 it is claimed that over 870,000 Jews were killed at Treblinka. We just can't help ourselves -- that's over 51,000 per month. Just how did the Germans manage to murder that many people in a month? How could they possibly dispose of that many bodies in such a short period of time? You just can't burn bodies that fast! You can't bury people that fast! This accusation is so ridiculous it's laughable, except Germans were executed based on this accusation. Germans are vilified based on this accusation. The lie continues to this day!
Under the command of Franz Stangl, the killing process at Treblinka was very similar to that of Belzek and Sobibor. Upon their arrival by railway freight cars, the victims at Treblinka II were separated by sex and adults from children. They were told that they were being transported to other work camps but first they had to bathe and be disinfected. They were stripped of their clothing and other possessions, marched into buildings containing "bathhouses," and gassed with carbon monoxide poison produced by diesel engines and pumped in through ceiling pipes camouflaged as shower heads. The route from the selection area to the gas chambers passed through a narrow fenced-in passage known as "the tube." Many realized that they were going to their death and, when they resisted, were beaten, clubbed with rifle butts and whips by the camp staff. In September, 1942, several new and larger gas chambers were constructed.
Treblinka was such a non-issue that the 1965 World Book Encyclopedia. Has no entry for it!
Then Jewish propaganda took hold
Wartime Aerial Photos of Treblinka Cast New Doubt on "Death Camp" Claims
by Mark Weber and Andrew Allen
Treblinka is widely regarded as the second most important German wartime extermination center. Only Auschwitz-Birkenau is supposed to have claimed more lives.
Treblinka became the focus of worldwide attention in 1987-1988 during the 14-month trial in Jerusalem of John (Ivan) Demjanjuk, a Ukrainian-born American factory worker. As Treblinka's "Ivan the Terrible," Demjanjuk supposedly operated the machinery used to gas hundreds of thousands of Jews there. Citing testimony by Jewish survivors, the Israeli court that condemned him to death in April 1988 declared that more than 850,000 Jews were killed at Treblinka between July 1942 and August 1943.
After the death sentence was handed down, Demjanjuk's family was able to discover previously suppressed evidence-- much of it from Soviet Russian archives -- indicating that the real "Ivan the Terrible" was another Ukrainian named Ivan Marchenko (or Marczenko). This new evidence discredited the courtroom testimony of five Jewish camp survivors, each of whom had "positively" identified Demjanjuk as the sadistic mass murderer of Treblinka.
As historians know, and as common sense would suggest, such decades-old testimony is far less trustworthy than contemporary records or forensic evidence.
And yet, Treblinka's reputation as a mass extermination center is based almost entirely on precisely such subjective and unprovable testimony by former prisoners -- evidence that has proven to be notoriously unreliable in several major trials of alleged "Nazi war criminals."
There is no documentary evidence that Treblinka was an extermination center. In fact, contemporary records suggest that the camp had a very different function.
Aerial reconnaissance photographs taken in 1944 of the Treblinka "death camp" site -- and forgotten for almost 45 years in the National Archives in Washington, DC -- cast serious doubts on the widely accepted story that it was a mass extermination center.
Discovered in 1989, and published here for the first time in the United States, these German reconnaissance photos corroborate other evidence indicating that Treblinka was actually a transit camp.
Moreover, the camp's burial area quite obviously appears too small to contain the hundreds of thousands of bodies supposedly buried there.
'Steam Chambers'
The generally accepted story today is that hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed at Treblinka in gas chambers with poisonous exhaust from engines. But the "original" Treblinka extermination story was that Jews were steamed to death there in "steam chambers."
According to an "eyewitness" account received in November 1942 in London from the Warsaw ghetto underground organization, Jews were exterminated in "death rooms" at Treblinka with "steam coming out of the numerous holes in the pipes." In August 1943, the New York Times reported that two million Jews had already been killed at Treblinka by steaming them to death. People such as Albert Einstein, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and others "sponsored" other Treblinka steam stories in 1943.
According to a 1944 "eyewitness" account compiled by the OSS, the principle US intelligence agency, Jews at Treblinka "were in general killed by steam and not by gas as had been at first suspected."
American prosecutors at the main Nuremberg trial supported the steam story. An American prosecutor quoted from this report during his address to the Tribunal on December 14, 1945.
Although no reputable historian now supports the "steam" story, and little has been heard of it during the last several decades, it was revived in a widely-circulated booklet published in 1979 and 1985 by the influential Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith.
Diesel Gassing
In recent years, the most widely-circulated story has been that Jews were gassed at Treblinka with carbon monoxide from the exhaust of a diesel engine.
However, as American engineer Friedrich Berg has established, this story is improbable for technical reasons. In spite of the obnoxious odor of diesel exhaust, diesel engines produce much smaller quantities of toxic carbon monoxide than ordinary gasoline motors. It would thus be difficult efficiently to gas large numbers of people using diesel exhaust. A normal gasoline engine would be much more logical.
It is important to keep in mind that the "evidence" now usually cited for diesel gassing at Treblinka is no more credible than the evidence that was once presented for steaming and suffocating. Apparently the steaming and suffocating stories have been dropped for the sake of credible consistency.
Solid evidence for gassings at Treblinka has proven to be very elusive. For example, it turned out that none of the witnesses in the 1951 West German "Treblinka" court case ever actually saw anyone being gassed. "The type of gas used to kill the people there [Treblinka] cannot be determined with certainty because none of the witnesses was able to witness this procedure," the judges declared in their verdict. At least some former Treblinka prisoners testified in postwar West German trials that they not only never saw a gas chamber, but did not even hear about gassings from others.
Treblinka Labor Camp
About one mile (1.5 km) from the "extermination camp," which was known as "Treblinka II," was a penal labor camp for Poles and Jews known as "Treblinka I." It was not at all secret. The 1941 directive announcing the establishment of the "Treblinka Labor Camp" was published in both Polish and German in widely distributed official journals. Poles and Jews worked in a large sand and gravel quarry at the Treblinka labor camp.
As wartime aerial reconnaissance photographs clearly show, the Treblinka T-I labor camp was located at the end of the rail spur on which the Treblinka T-II "extermination" (transit) camp was also located. This fact strengthens the thesis that the T-II camp was not particularly secret, since penal labor prisoners being taken by train to and from the publicly known T-I camp passed directly by the supposedly top secret T-II "extermination" camp.
Documents found after the war confirm that large numbers of Jews were deported to Treblinka in 1942 and 1943. German railway records report the transfer of trainloads of "settlers" ("Umsiedler") and "workers" to Treblinka from various places in Poland and from other countries.
In July 1942, a senior German railway official reported to the chief of Himmler's personal staff that 5,000 Jews were being transported daily to Treblinka. An August 3, 1942, German "Ostbahn" railway directive similarly reported that special trains would be carrying "resettlers" from Warsaw to Treblinka daily, until further notice.
German railway records have been cited as evidence that hundreds of thousands of Jews were exterminated at Treblinka. While there is little doubt that these documents are genuine, and that they confirm transports of Jews to Treblinka, they are not proof of an extermination program.
Transit Camp
If Treblinka was not an extermination center, what was it? As already mentioned, the balance of evidence indicates that Treblinka II -- along with Belzec and Sobibor -- was a transit camp, where Jewish deportees were stripped of their property and valuables before being transferred eastwards into German-occupied Soviet territories.
The generally-accepted story is that Treblinka II was a "pure" extermination center, from which no Jew was permitted to leave alive. However, credible reports of deportations of Jews from Treblinka refute the allegation that all Jews sent there were destined for extermination, and indicate instead that the camp functioned as a transit center.
Letters and postcards that arrived in the Warsaw ghetto from Jews who, by all accounts, had been deported to Treblinka, indicate that the camp was a transit center from where Jews were resettled in the occupied Soviet territories. These messages, which arrived from settlements and camps in Belarus (Byelorussia), Ukraine, and even Russia proper (near Smolensk), were written by Jews who had been deported in 1942. Some letters and cards had been sent by mail and some had arrived through the underground. Many mentioned that the senders were working hard, but confirmed that they (and often their children) were being fed.
Completely contrary to its supposed character as a top secret extermination center, Treblinka was neither secret nor even closely guarded, as both former inmates and officials have confirmed. "Secrecy? Good heavens, there was no secrecy about Treblinka," Jewish prisoner Richard Glazer later testified. "All the Poles between there and Warsaw must have known about it, and lived off the proceeds. All the peasants came to barter, the Warsaw whores did business with the Ukrainians -- it was a circus for all of them." Polish farmers worked the fields that directly adjoined the camp. "And many others," said Jewish survivor Berek Rojzman, "came to the fence to barter, mostly with the Ukrainians, but with us too."
In spite of its often inconsistent, contradictory and implausible character, testimony indicating that many Jews lost their lives at Treblinka cannot easily be dismissed. Many Jewish prisoners doubtless perished during their rail journey to the camp site, and were almost certainly buried there. Furthermore, it is plausible and even likely that hundreds and perhaps thousands of Jews who were too weak or ill to continue the eastbound journey from the camp were killed there by officials acting on their own authority.
All the same, there is no hard or compelling evidence that Treblinka was a mass extermination center where hundreds of thousands of Jews were systematically put to death. To the contrary, credible reports of transfers of Jews from Treblinka eastwards to the occupied Soviet territories, the relative lack of secrecy and security in the camp, and the small size of the area where the bodies were supposedly buried, all suggest instead that this was a transit center.
to http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v12/v12p133_Allen.html
After the August of 1943 revolt, the camp was dismantled and the ground used for farm land. The remaining prisoners were transferred to Sobibor, where that camp had an uprising in October. The last prisoner left Treblinka in November of 1943.
Mein Kampf Excerpts Vol II Ch 7a Bourgeois, Nation...
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Tom Wright Hoping For Title Fight For UFC 193 @ Melbourne Stadium
Tom Wright seems to be optimistic about the UFC’s return to Australia in Novemeber, he even went on to say that the country consistently “punches above its weight.”
As the organization announced this past month, UFC 193 is slated for Sunday, Nov. 15, in Melbourne. Due to the time change, the pay-per-view card airs in the U.S. on Saturday, Nov. 14.
According to Wright, the managing director of UFC operations for Canada, Australia and New Zealand, it should be a major event thanks to Australia’s – and neighboring New Zealand’s – strong MMA support. Heres what he had to say:
“To borrow a line from boxing, MMA punches above its weight, and it does so in New Zealand, as well, still have come challenges, some issues that are all about trying to grow and develop the sport. Because, you’ve got to remember, it’s still young. And while globally, we’re just a teenager, here in New Zealand and Australia, I’d say we’re three to five years behind of the development of the sport in other areas, particularly North America. We’ve got Etihad Stadium held, and we’ve got Rod Laver Arena held, We’ve got options. First and foremost, we’re going to bring a major, global pay-per-view event to this country and to the city of Melbourne, … When you bring a pay-per-view to any market, you guarantee at least one, and maybe two championships, which is really important. And you’ve always heard me say that we’ve got one chance to make a first impression – and Victoria is a big state. The city of Melbourne is a global city, and it really is in many ways the sporting capital, certainly of Australia. So we really want to bring a big event. We don’t know what kind of card is going to be available, We don’t know whether it’s going to be heavyweights and maybe Ronda (Rousey), or it could be another championship. So depending on the card, I think it’s prudent planning on our part to have some flexibility. We don’t know who’s going to be available. You don’t know who’s going to be ready. You just don’t know what’s going to happen.”
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Patsy Reihl
Patsy Reihl grew up in Rock Hall, MD and attended Rock Hall Elementary School during World War II. In this interview, Patsy recollects the tribulations her family experienced following the death of her Uncle Preston who served in the Engineering Corps in North Africa. She also discusses the lack of technology doing WWII, which resulted […]
Patsy Reihl grew up in Rock Hall, MD and attended Rock Hall Elementary School during World War II.
In this interview, Patsy recollects the tribulations her family experienced following the death of her Uncle Preston who served in the Engineering Corps in North Africa. She also discusses the lack of technology doing WWII, which resulted in many people not knowing about the events that occurred during war. Patsy recalls her experience in elementary school an the precautions she, her fellow classmates, and her teachers had to take as a result of the war.
http://storyquestproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Patsy-Reihl-Uncle-Preston.mp3
Patsy’s Uncle Preston
I have that vision. My mother had a phone call and she picked it up and she began to cry. She had received word that Uncle Preston was dead. We did not know anything except he had died and he had died on May 10th. But we didn’t know that it was May 10th. She was never notified until the middle of June. Later, and she was told in the letters, in the official letters from the war department, “We can’t send the body back; war is on.” We can’t send -well that’s terrible to say, “We can’t take time and ships to send bodies back. We’ll let you know, we’ll let you know when.” In the meantime, she waited and waited, and there’s nothing she could do about it. Each time her letters came, he had been buried four different places. Where he died, [he was] buried because they had to bury them right away. And when they moved on to someplace else, he was buried. I have pictures of four different burial sites. After the war, they began the battle cemetery, the National Cemetery, National Cemetery and now they’re all over. He is buried in North Africa American Cemetery where five to six thousand tombstones are there and many are missing because many went down on ships in the Mediterranean. [My] grandmother decided, “Don’t bring him back; bury him in North Africa.”
http://storyquestproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Prestons-grave-in-North-Africa.mp3
Preston’s Grave in North Africa
My husband and I, seven or eight years ago, being the first in the family to ever say it. We wanted to go to Tunisia. But Tunisia is not the place. We can’t just buy a ticket and fly into Tunisia because there’s always been turmoil. It’s not safe. There were no tours to Tunisia but I wanted to get there. My grandmother was gone, but I -my mother and my aunt were still living. I wanted to go there for them, to see it. So I happened to be looking through cruise books, and there was the cruise. Tunisia. It stopped there for the day. I said to my husband “God, wonder how – how could I get if I got off the ship in Tunisia, the port, where is this cemetery? How could we get there?” It took almost a year of writing letters to the National Cemetery Committee, writing why I wanted to get to the North Africa[n] [Cemetery]. So it ended up that the superintendent of the North African Cemetery assured us that he would pick us up at the dock and take us to the cemetery. When we got off the ship, pretty soon I see a man over there[who] looks like any of us. I said “oh that can’t be him, that can’t be him.” He has a sign, and he’s holding the sign up – “Mr. and Mrs. Reihl.” I go down the plank and introduce myself. He lives in Virginia; he’s from Virginia! He is the superintendent. He says, “Welcome, you are the fourth one – it was in May – “to come to this cemetery. This cemetery has very few visitors. Everybody wants to go to- and it’s easy to get to Normandy. You know, no conflict there. Here, there’s conflict. “Welcome.” Well, it was an oasis. As you rode out there, it was just a terrible place – trash, junk, poor, poor. And then you open the gate, a paradise — water fountains, flowers. I had sent money beforehand because they said if you want some flowers to put on the grave – and all these thousands, hundreds of thousands of flowers. When I walked in the gate, there’s Preston’s flowers right there, just heartbreaking!
http://storyquestproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Patsy-Reihl-Getting-Prepared-mb.mp3
Preparing for Disaster
I was there, Rock Hall Elementary School, during World War II. Now the war began December 7th with Japan. We’re talking about Rock Hall – there were naturally no televisions, some people had radios, very few people got a subscription to the newspaper. You just couldn’t go to the store and buy them. So news was not always, but they had heard about it, but they really didn’t know. And I can remember my parents talking about, “Where is Hawaii? Where is Pearl Harbor?” No one traveled there; we didn’t know where it was. It was far away, and we were really not going to be confronted with it at all. So, nothing was mentioned in 1941 on December 11th because universally, I mean they heard bits and pieces, but not enough. The community were a class of people that were hardworking, I don’t want to call Rock Hallers poverty, but during the Depression time, people didn’t have money. They had barely enough to eat. The first time was in January 5th, 31 days later! The Board of Education had to have approved this. They asked for all schools. This is Kent County as a school in every county and also in Rock Hall, there were five or six one-room schoolhouses, very close by. They were not all consolidated. They announced that medicine cabinets should be filled in every classroom with essentials in case of emergency. War was not mentioned. And the teachers also had to supply several buckets – and I want to say galvanized buckets – fill them with sand and keep them in your classroom in case of an incendiary bomb if the school was bombed. Now, we’re very close to the Chesapeake Bay. We’re right on the bay, we’re right across from Baltimore City, and Baltimore City is ship building. If they’re coming over, they’re not just going to be bombing us. Also, a couple miles away on the other direction of the Chesapeake was Washington D.C., the capital. So it’s very possible. So close to Baltimore, so close to Washington. Who knew what was going to happen? The Germans, we thought, were going to come right across, and they’re certainly going to get rid of the children.
Patsy Reihl with Washington College interview team.
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Is Russia really hacking our elections?
Brett Carson and Eric Couves, Centre For Disinformation Studies April 25, 2019April 25, 2019 Brett Carson
It is no secret that Russia has been engaging in efforts to influence elections across the Western world in recent years. The governments of France, the UK, Germany, the US, and many others have provided evidence of Russian attempts to influence their elections. Intelligence services believe that Russia’s ultimate goal is to destabilize the US-led liberal democratic order by dividing its citizens and undermining public faith in democratic institutions.
One of the components of this Russian influence campaign has been the use of trolls on social media. On social media, a ‘troll’ is being defined as a person who posts and comments on social media to either elicit a reaction from other users or move the conversation towards a more inflammatory direction. For better or for worse, most people today get their news, at least partially, from social media sites like Facebook or Twitter. The goal of this series is to use publicly available data to assess the validity of Western intelligence claims that Russia is actively attempting to undermine liberal-democratic values via social media.
The data used in this analysis was compiled by professors Darren Linvill and Patrick Warren at Clemson University. Twitter provided Congress with a list of confirmed troll accounts affiliated with the Saint Petersburg based Internet Research Agency (IRA). Linvill and Warren then collected every tweet associated with these accounts. The data can be found here.
To begin, we will be looking at the use of IRA Twitter trolls during the 2016 US election and afterwards.
Graph 1:
Graph 1 shows the frequency of tweets per day from March 1st, 2015, to January 1st, 2018. The tweets used in this graph and the following graph have been filtered to include only English-language tweets associated with accounts masquerading as American individuals or organizations. The variance in the data is massive, with Russian troll activity averaging 572 tweets per day, but with spikes on some days reaching up to 17,186. These spikes on the graph have been correlated with controversial news events that occurred on or around the same day. This correlation supports the conclusion of US intelligence agencies that Russian trolls were interfering in the 2016 election and capitalized on divisive issues and events in an effort to further polarize American society.
In the next graph, we we will be looking at the 15 days that saw the highest volume of Russian troll activity, to get a better sense of the events that may have driven the increase in activity.
Graph 2 shows the 15 days with the most Russian troll activity. These days represent outliers. The range during these 15 days was between 3164 to 17186 tweets. These 15 days with the most troll activity correspond to nine notable news events. These nine events fall into three broad categories: important days in the US 2016 election, divisive events, and events relevant to Russian foreign policy.
The days which fall into the category important days in the US 2016 election are Trump and Clinton being formally invited to the presential debates, the Wikileaks DNC email dump, and Access Hollywood tapes being released. The reasoning behind the spike on election day is self-evident, and the spike when the debates were announced could be explained by the Russians wishing to instill outrage that the third-party candidates were not included, or cast doubt on the fairness of the debates. The Wikileaks DNC email dump and the tweets on that day and the following day could have been an attempt to distract from the Access Hollywood tapes story. Interestingly, the biggest spike in tweets occurred the day before DNC Chairman John Podesta’s emails began to be leaked and when the Washington Post published the infamous Access Hollywood tapes. This could indicate that the Russians had advanced knowledge of the story, however, this is impossible to prove with publicly available information.
The divisive events category are all events where there was a clear partisan divide or events which could be easily exploited via disinformation to create resentment towards particular communities, for example Muslims and people of colour. These include the EU rescuing 5000 migrants from the Mediterranean, the Dylann Roof indictment, Paris Attacks, Brussels Bombings, New York and New Jersey Bombings, Access Hollywood tapes being released, and the aftermath of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The terrorist attacks, and the EU saving migrants at sea, likely resulted in spikes of troll activity in an effort to stir up resentment towards Muslims. The Dylann Roof indictment could have been exploited to energize white supremacists, as with the aftermath of the Unite the Right rally.
The last category, events relevant to Russian foreign policy, include former US Secretary of State John Kerry leaving for Moscow for talks on Syria and Donbass, and the Obama administration mistakenly killing over 100 Syrian government troops in an airstrike (Russia is a key ally of the Syrian government). It is possible that the tweets corresponding to these events were meant to engender support from the American public for Russian foreign policy objectives, or simply reduce the American public’s support of US foreign policy objectives.
It seems clear that these spikes in Russian troll activity are not random, as they align closely with events about which Russia may have an interest in spreading disinformation, and could be used to further polarize American society. If Russia’s goal is to exacerbate tensions within the US, and NATO members more generally, then the findings in this analysis seem to support that conclusion. However, since the content of the tweets was not analyzed in the current study, a concrete conclusion cannot be drawn. Future analysis will look at the content of these tweets to confirm whether or not the tweets on these specific days do, in fact, discuss the events outlined in this analysis.
Featured image: Protesters and police at the ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Disclaimer: Any views or opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the NATO Association of Canada.
About Brett Carson
Brett Carson is an MA candidate at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. His research interests include the geopolitics of cyberspace, data analytics, and the use of disinformation on social media as a political tool. This summer he will be continuing his research on disinformation while participating in a field research course in Moscow. He will then finish his MA degree at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a career in security and defence, either with the Canadian government or a multilateral institution. View all posts by Brett Carson →
Slovakia’s New President: Hope for NATO Values?
Women and Disasters: Letting Women Take the Lead
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Our history, our heroes and more about our game – Netball.
Our Netball Heroes
NNZ Awards
What is Netball?
Rules of Netball
Netball Oceania
Netball is an integral part of New Zealand’s dynamic sporting culture. Steeped in history, it was introduced to New Zealand as ‘women’s basketball’ in 1906 – a nine-a-side game played on grass, with baskets tied to posts at either end of the court.
Netball History
Silver Ferns win Commonwealth Games Gold, in Delhi defeating Australia in the Gold Medal Match. Silver Ferns win back-to-back titles at the Netball World Series (FASTNET) in Liverpool beating England in the final.
Silver Ferns win the silver medal at the World Netball Championships in Singapore, beaten by Australia in the final. Waimarama Taumaunu is announced as new Silver Ferns coach following the departure of Ruth Aitken, becoming just the ninth coach of the national team since 1938.
Netball New Zealand restructures and creates five Netball Zones throughout the country to administer, promote and develop the game at both an elite and community level. New clothing sponsor Canterbury of New Zealand announces a three-year deal with Netball New Zealand. Silver Ferns win the inaugural ‘Quad Series’ competition between New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and England played in both Australia and New Zealand. Silver Ferns win the New World Netball Series for the Constellation Cup for the first time. Kia Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic wins the ANZ Championship – the first New Zealand team to do so.
Chief Executive Raelene Castle announces her resignation to take up a job in Sydney as Chief Executive for NRL club Canterbury Bulldogs. New NNZ Chief Executive Hilary Poole starts. Pita Pit, House of Travel and Trilogy join the family of sponsors at Netball New Zealand. NZU21 team win the World Youth Netball Championships in Scotland defeating Australia in the final. FAST5 Ferns win back to back FAST5 Netball World Series titles at Auckland’s Vector Arena. NNZ undertakes a nationwide review of the Junior Netball Programme.
NNZ Chief Executive Hilary Poole begins the process to develop the Whole of Netball plan, a plan that will provide the strategic direction for the Whole of Netball in New Zealand. Silver Ferns legendary shooter Irene van Dyk retired from the Silver Ferns prior the Commonwealth Games. The Silver Ferns won silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. The FAST5 Ferns win the FAST5 Netball World Series for the third year in a row. Netball New Zealand Board Chair Raewyn Lovett’s completed her 9 year tenure on the Board and was replaced with John Bongard and NNZ President Sheryl Lady Wells completed her four year term as NNZ President.
The Whole of Netball Plan was launched incorporating the four key pillars of the plan for the sport going forward to Grow, Win, Connect and Sustain. Netball New Zealand Board Chair John Bongard was reappointed to the NNZ Board for a further three years continuing in his role as Chair. Beverley Douglas was elected as the new Netball New Zealand President, and NNZ Life Member Dawn Jones was awarded the Halberg Life Time Achievement award. The Silver Ferns under the leadership of head coach Waimarama Taumaunu and assistant coach Vicki Wilson won silver at the Netball World Cup in Sydney. Taumaunu and Wilson also both finished in their Silver Fern management roles later in 2015. In November, long time Silver Ferns captain Casey Kopua announced her unavailability for the Silver Ferns in 2016 after confirming her first pregnancy. In November Netball New Zealand held the inaugural NZ Netball Awards hosted at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. In December Janine Southby began her new role as Silver Ferns head coach.
2016 saw the launch of the new Beko Netball League, the amateur competition that sits underneath the ANZ Championship with its key purpose to provide a platform for the next tier of athletes, coaches and management to gain the week in week out experience through the league. This has proved to be a year of change in Netball with the conclusion of the ANZ Championship, with both NZ and Australia opting to create separate National competitions in 2017. New Zealand has added a sixth NZ team to be based in greater Auckland (Northern Stars) to add a further dynamic to the 2017 ANZ Premiership. NNZ confirmed it will also host an International Component that will follow the new NZ League with further details to be confirmed. Hilary Poole resigned in her role as Chief Executive to move into more governance roles, with Jennie Wyllie taking on the role.
A new era of elite level domestic competition was unveiled in 2017 with the inaugural edition of the ANZ Premiership. The return, after nine years of participating in a trans-Tasman competition, to a unique standalone domestic showpiece heralded the emerging depth of young talent in New Zealand. It also introduced new entity, the Northern Stars, based out of South Auckland, and started from scratch specifically for the new six-team competition. The individual highlight of 2017 was the success of the NZU21 team in winning the Netball World Youth Cup in Botswana, the first time New Zealand had won back-to-back titles at this level. Involving New Zealand’s top three teams and five other club sides from around the world, the successful launch of Netball Super Club was heralded in 2017. The Netball community and beyond were deeply saddened at the sudden passing of former Silver Fern Tania Dalton at just 45. Netball also mourned the passing of two other inspiring figures during the year, Joyce McCann and Shirley Annan. Captain Katrina Grant joined a select group when she became just the seventh Silver Fern to reach the 100-Test milestone.
A run of disappointing results for the Silver Ferns, including a fourth-place finish at the Commonwealth Games and a drop to third in the world rankings, prompted the launch of an extensive independent review. The depth of feedback provided by the review highlighted key recommendations from the review panel which NNZ embraced. The NZA programme was re-established, a world-class high performance campaign plan was instigated and former Silver Ferns captain Bernice Mene was welcomed to the NNZ Board. Noeline Taurua was appointed the 11th coach of the Silver Ferns while Laura Langman assumed the captaincy. Playing her 146th Test during the Constellation Cup, Langman became the most capped player in Silver Ferns history. The FAST5 Ferns continued their strong record in the shortened version of the game to secure a seventh Fast5 Netball World Series title. Allison Ferguson was appointed the new NNZ Board Chair when John Bongard completed his tenure after completing his full term of nine years.
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Ecumenical Patriarch
Orthodox News
The Geopolitics of the Orthodox Church
http://radio.myocn.net/podcast/OCN_Now_2018/Elizabeth%20Podromou%20181003.mp3 Join OCN Now as Dr. Elizabeth Prodroumou discusses what geopolitics are and how it relates to the Orthodox Christian church. From Ukraine to Turkey to Russia to Greece Dr. Prodroumou describes the role the Orthodox Church plays in regional and international politics. She also sheds light on the autocephalous...
Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople Voted Bishop Gregory to be Elevated to Rank of Metropolitan
On August 29, 2018 The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople voted to elevate His Grace, Bishop Gregory to the rank of Metropolitan. Axios! Axios! Axios! In a special Archpastoral Letter to the Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese, Bishop Gregory of Nyssa shared, “I was stunned and nearly speechless...
‘Every act of violence, religious intolerance or injustice is not merely an insult to humanity, but a sin against our Creator’
Address at the start of proceedings at the 10th Dialogue, organized jointly in Jerusalem by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, on the occasion of the 40 years of dialogue between Orthodoxy and Judaism. Tuesday 5 December 2017 Today, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew opened the proceedings...
Admonishment Is Not the Same as Excommunication
Earlier this month, news broke that the Ecumenical Patriarch had sent a letter to the Archbishop of Athens asking to “…depose and excommunicate leading hierarchs and clergy of the Church for their opposition to the ‘Council’ of Crete and its innovative organization and decisions.” The “council” they are referring to...
Understanding the Role of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
http://radio.myocn.net/podcast/CRTL/On_Air/crtl060416.mp3 Are you familiar with the Christian persecution currently taking place in Turkey? Fr. Chris has invited Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis to tell us more about the work of the Archons, members of the Order of St. Andrew, which is an honor bestowed to laymen. With 5 major initiative, the...
This Week in Orthodoxy
This Week: Pope, Patriarchs, Martyrs, and Youth Ministry
February 19th, 2016 Welcome to This Week in Orthodoxy, the world’s only online video newscast focused on events in the life of the Orthodox Church. I’m Emmy Louvaris. These are some of the stories making headlines this week. Pope Francis Meets Russian Orthodox Patriarch in Cuba Remembering the 21...
The Sounding Blog
A role in dialogue For the past several years as the then Executive Director and now the Founding Father of the Orthodox Christian Network (OCN) I had the privilege to work with several teams of professionals covering the 50th Anniversary Gathering of the lifting of the Anathema’s celebrated...
The Green Patriarch (Documentary)
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew insists that we must take care of the environment, an insistence that has earned him the title, “The Green Patriarch.” The documentary above shows some of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s endeavors to protect the environment. Just a few minutes into the film, His All Holiness...
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s Response to Pope Francis’ Climate Encyclical
NEW YORK – TIME magazine website published today an exclusive article outlining the response of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the Climate Encyclical Letter of Pope Francis Laudato Si’, presented this morning at the Vatican. The article starts with the words of His All-Holiness as follows: In a series of seminars organized...
TIME: Ecumenical Patriarch Responds to Pope’s Climate Encyclical
Pope Francis’s recent encyclical on climate change has garnered international attention and response. Now, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew offers his thoughts on the Pope’s words. See his article in Time Magazine. Exclusive: Patriarch Bartholomew on Pope Francis’ Climate Encyclical Ecology, Economy and Ecumenism In a series of seminars...
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792 Comments / Books / By Norman Maclean
Revelation Set in the Mediterranean of the first century A D the book takes as its theme the production of Revelation last book of the Bible but in a manner that dismisses the conventional view of this document
Title: Revelation
Author: Norman Maclean
Set in the Mediterranean of the first century A.D the book takes as its theme the production of Revelation last book of the Bible but in a manner that dismisses the conventional view of this document as mystical prophecy.Rather, it reflects the chaotic disruption of its era, particularly the devastation of Judaea under Rome and the behaviour of early Christian communitiSet in the Mediterranean of the first century A.D the book takes as its theme the production of Revelation last book of the Bible but in a manner that dismisses the conventional view of this document as mystical prophecy.Rather, it reflects the chaotic disruption of its era, particularly the devastation of Judaea under Rome and the behaviour of early Christian communities enduring persecution towards the end of the first century.The novel is written in the first person the narrator and protagonist, a Hellenised Jew who eventually finds himself exiled then confined to the Aegean island of Patmos where he encounters one, Yohanan, John another imperial exile Yohanan is the antagonist he is penning a lengthy letter in code to seven urban communities of Asia Minor.This is the acknowledged content of Revelation, the Biblical book which historians have long recognized is allegory, cipher and an amalgam of apocalyptic literature but which millions still regard as some form of handbook to a future slipping towards cosmic conclusion.Much of the novel is retrospective the protagonist, confined to the island of Patmos reflects on the events that have brought him to this location and the reasons for his loss of status.Revelation as a novel breaks new ground to the best of my knowledge there is no fictional title dealing with the production of this document and the background events that shaped it The book would therefore find no market among Christian conservatives but would, I believe, find a niche market for the majority outside of such a category.
Free Read [Sports Book] ✓ Revelation - by Norman Maclean ✓
Norman Maclean 397 Norman Maclean
Title: Free Read [Sports Book] ✓ Revelation - by Norman Maclean ✓
Posted by:Norman Maclean
About "Norman Maclean"
Norman Maclean
Librarian Note There is than one author in the GoodReads database with this name See this thread for information.Born in Clarinda, Iowa, on December 23, 1902, Maclean was the son of Clara Davidson 1873 1952 and the Rev John Maclean 1862 1941 , a Scottish Presbyterian minister, who managed much of the education of the young Norman and his brother Paul 1906 1938 until 1913 The family relocated to Missoula, Montana in 1909 The following years were a considerable influence on and inspiration to his writings, appearing prominently in the short story The Woods, Books, and Truant Officers 1977 , and semi autobiographical novella A River Runs Through It 1976.Too young to enlist in the military during World War I, Maclean worked in logging camps and for the United States Forest Service in what is now the Bitterroot National Forest of northwestern Montana The novella USFS 1919 The Ranger, the Cook, and a Hole in the Sky and the story Black Ghost in Young Men and Fire 1992 are semi fictionalized accounts of these experiences.Maclean attended Dartmouth College, where he served as editor in chief of the humor magazine the Dartmouth Jack O Lantern the editor in chief to follow him was Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr Seuss He was also a member of the Sphinx senior society and Beta Theta Pi He received his Bachelor of Arts in 1924, and chose to remain in Hanover, New Hampshire, and serve as an instructor until 1926 a time he recalled in This Quarter I Am Taking McKeon A Few Remarks on the Art of Teaching He began graduate studies in English at the University of Chicago in 1928 Three years later he was hired as a professor at University of Chicago, where he received three Quantrell Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching On 24 September 1931 Maclean married Jessie Burns died 1968 , a red headed Scots Irish woman from Wolf Creek, Montana They later had two children a daughter Jean born in 1942 , now a lawyer and a son, John born in 1943 , now a journalist and author of Fire on the Mountain The True Story of the South Canyon Fire 1999 , and two other books, Fire Ashes 2003 and The Thirtymile Fire A Chronicle of Bravery and Betrayal 2007.In 1940, Maclean earned his doctorate from the University of Chicago where during World War II he declined a commission in Naval intelligence to serve as Dean of Students During the war he also served as Director of the Institute on Military Studies, and co authored Manual of Instruction in Military Maps and Aerial Photographs At the University of Chicago, Maclean taught Shakespeare and the Romantic poets, and he produced two scholarly articles, From Action to Image Theories of the Lyric in the Eighteenth Century and Episode, Scene, Speech, and Word The Madness of Lear The latter essay elaborates a theory of tragedy that Maclean would revisit in his later work the essay is available here From approximately 1959 to 1963, Maclean worked on a book about George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn that he never completed, but from which excerpts were recently published During his last decade on the Chicago faculty, Maclean held an endowed chair as William Rainey Harper Professor of English After his retirement in 1973, he began, as his children Jean and John had often encouraged him, to write down the stories he liked to tell His most acclaimed story, A River Runs Through It and Other Stories was published in 1976, the first work of original fiction published by the University of Chicago Press This title was nominated by a selection committee to receive the Pulitzer Prize in Letters in 1977, but the full committee ignored the nomination and did not award a Pulitzer in that category for the year A River Runs Through It was adapted into a motion picture directed by Robert Redford
792 thoughts on “Revelation”
Conflict in Afghanistan: Studies in Asymetric Warf...
Red Rover: Inside the Story of Robotic Space Explo...
Mr. Darcy's Refuge: A Pride & Prejudice Variation
After the Rodeo
Boys without Names
O Marinheiro
Perfect Christmas
Mousekin's Golden House
Hexbound
Last Train to Toronto: A Canadian Rail Odyssey
Copyright © 2019 Revelation | Powered by Norman Maclean
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Minority support Iraq mission
April 7, 2015 @ 11:59 AM | Filed under: National
Few approve of extending mission to Syria
TORONTO March 31st, 2015 - Just 4-in-10 express approval for our mission in Iraq (39%), while disapproval is common to almost half (48%). One sixth don’t have an opinion (14%). Approval is highest among males (47%), in Alberta (48%) and among Conservatives (71%). This stands in comparison to November, 2014, when the mission was in its infancy, and two thirds gave it their support (66%), while 3-in-10 did not (30%).
The majority of Canadian voters oppose extending our mission into Syria (55%), and this is especially the case among the youngest (61%), the least wealthy (65%), in Atlantic Canada (65%), among Liberals (65%) and New Democrats (72%) and among the best educated (post grad (62%). Just one third approve of the mission extension (32%), especially among males (41%) in Alberta (41%) and among Conservative voters (62%).
"Before our mission started, support was high, but now it has waned, possibly due to the unfortunate death of Sergeant Doiron. With an election approaching, this issue will be test of who the true Conservative believers are," said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.
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Omaha Chamber Singers
David Batter, Conductor
6/14/03: Choral Kaleidoscope
12/11/05: Gaudete: An OCS Christmas
3/2/06: NC-ACDA (Omaha)
6/3/06: Sing We Merrily
6/3/07: Song of the Soul
2/25/07: Double Choirs
3/16/08: Abendmusik
3/5/10: NC-ACDA (MSP)
David Batter is the founding conductor of the Omaha Chamber Singers. He is Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Columbkille Catholic Parish in Papillion. Batter has served as adjunct faculty at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, conducting choral ensembles and teaching conducting and singers' diction. Batter has prepared choruses for the Omaha Symphony. He has been Director of Music and Choirmaster at several Roman Catholic parishes in Omaha, and assisted in the initial formation of the Saint Cecilia Schola Cantorum at Saint Cecilia Cathedral.
Batter received the Bachelor of Music degree in music education and voice from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and the Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Kent State University. He pursued further graduate studies at the University of Iowa.
Batter has taught music at the elementary and secondary levels in the school districts of the Omaha Public Schools, Millard Public Schools, Council Bluffs Community Schools, and at Duchesne Academy. He has taught at the collegiate level at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, College of Saint Mary (Omaha), Kent State University, and University of Iowa. Batter serves as a clinician and adjudicator in both Nebraska and Iowa. He has sung in the choruses of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and Opera Omaha, was a tenor soloist at the Mostly Mozart Festival at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City with the Robert Shaw Workshop Choir at Westminster Choir College, and was a chorister and section leader of the acclaimed Robert Shaw Festival Chorus at Carnegie Hall for ten years under the baton of the late Robert Shaw. In 1996 he was selected as a member of the Grammy Award winning Robert Shaw Festival Singers. Batter has served as a singer and section leader for the annual Carnegie Hall Festival Chorus under the leadership of conductors James Conlon, Charles Dutoit, Sir Neville Marriner, Andrè Previn and Helmuth Rilling performing classics of the choral/orchestral repertoire with the Orchestra of St. Luke's.
Batter is a past board member of the Nebraska Choral Directors Association and served on the steering committee for the 2006 North-Central American Choral Directors convention in Omaha. He was named Outstanding Choral Director of the Year in 2007 by the Nebraska Choral Directors Association.
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U.S. National
Images Of The Day
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for "Veep" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images)
Lorne Michaels and the cast of "Saturday Night Live" accept the award for outstanding variety sketch series for "Saturday Night Live" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images)
Donald Glover accepts the award for outstanding directing for a comedy series for the "Atlanta" episode "B.A.N." at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Actor Alec Baldwin accepts Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for 'Saturday Night Live' onstage during the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Oprah Winfrey presents the award for outstanding drama series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images)
Nicole Kidman accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or a movie for "Big Little Lies" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: (L-R) Actors Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda speak onstage during the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Kate McKinnon accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for "Saturday Night Live" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Audrey Morrissey accepts the award for outstanding reality-competition program for "The Voice" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Elisabeth Moss, center, accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "The Handmaid's Tale" while Tatiana Maslany, left, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, right, look on at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Host Stephen Colbert speaks onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)
Sean Spicer speaks at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Shailene Woodley, from left, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern and Zoe Kravitz present the award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
John Lithgow accepts the award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for "The Crown" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Reed Morano accepts the award for outstanding directing for a drama series for "The Handmaid's Tale" episode "Offred (Pilot)" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Viola Davis introduces a performance by Christopher Jackson at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Sterling K. Brown accepts the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for "This Is Us" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Priyanka Chopra, left, and Anthony Anderson present the award for outstanding variety talk series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Rashida Jones, left, and Mark Feuerstein present the award for outstanding directing for a drama series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, left, accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for "Veep" from Debra Messing, center, and Chris Hardwick at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images)
Norman Lear, left, and Carol Burnett present the award for outstanding comedy series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Frank Rich and cast accept the award for outstanding comedy series for "Veep" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Nicole Kidman, accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or a movie for "Big Little Lies" as Jason Bateman, center left, and Sarah Paulson look on at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Comedian Dave Chappelle (L) and actor Melissa McCarthy speak onstage during the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Christopher Jackson sings as a picture of Jerry Lewis appears onscreen during an in memoriam tribute at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Christopher Jackson sings as a picture of Adam West appears onscreen during an in memoriam tribute at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Christopher Jackson sings as a picture of Bill Paxton appears onscreen during an in memoriam tribute at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Elisabeth Moss accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "The Handmaid's Tale" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Jim Parsons, left, and Iain Armitage present the award for outstanding writing for a comedy series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Host Stephen Colbert performs at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Issa Rae, left, and Riz Ahmed present the award for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Hayma Washington, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy, speaks at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Kaitlin Olson, left, and Tracee Ellis Ross present the award for outstanding writing for a variety series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
John Oliver accepts the award for outstanding writing for a variety series for "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Aziz Ansari, left, and Lena Waithe accept the award for outstanding writing for a comedy series for the "Master of None" episode "Thanksgiving" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Director Jean-Marc Vallée accepts the Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special award for "Big Little Lies" onstage during the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Actors Anna Faris (L) and Allison Janney speak onstage during the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Nicole Kidman, center left, Reese Witherspoon, center right, and cast and crew accept the award for outstanding limited series for "Big Little Lies" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Dave Chappelle, left, presents the award for outstanding directing for a comedy series for the "Atlanta" episode "B.A.N." to Donald Glover at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
The band Stay Human performs onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)
Alec Baldwin accepts the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for "Saturday Night Live" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Ann Dowd accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for "The Handmaid's Tale" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Host Stephen Colbert dances onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)
Seth Meyers, left, and James Corden present the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Lea Michele, left, and Kumail Nanjiani present the award for outstanding reality-competition program at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Jimmy Kimmel, left, and host Stephen Colbert drink in the audience at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Jessica Biel, left, and Joseph Fiennes present the award for outstanding lead actor in a limited series or a movie at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Laura Dern accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie for "Big Little Lies" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Actors Alexis Bledel (L) and Gerald McRaney speak onstage during the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: EY (Ernst & Young) representatives appear onstage during the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for "Veep" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Debra Messing, left, and Chris Hardwick present the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Seth Meyers (L) and James Corden speak onstage during the 69th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)
Anika Noni Rose, left, and Cicely Tyson present the award for outstanding limited series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Sarah Paulson, left, and Jason Bateman present the award for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or a movie at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Charlie Brooker accepts the award for outstanding television movie for "Black Mirror: San Junipero" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Seth MacFarlane, left, and Emmy Rossum present the award for outstanding writing for a limited series, movie or a dramatic special at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Oprah Winfrey, left, embraces Elisabeth Moss after "The Handmaid's Tale" wins outstanding drama series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images)
Craig Robinson, left, and Adam Scott present the award for outstanding directing for a variety series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Nicole Kidman reacts onstage while accepting the award for outstanding limited series for "Big Little Lies" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Edie Falco, right, and Alec Baldwin present the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Bruce Miller and the cast and crew accept the award for outstanding drama series for "The Handmaid's Tale" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Norman Lear, center, and Carol Burnett, right, present the award for outstanding comedy series for "Veep" to Julia Louis-Dreyfus at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
PHOTOS: 2017 Emmy Awards Show
Posted by mvelasquez on 09/17/2017 6:53pm PDT tags: 2017 Emmy Awards, 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Show
The biggest night in Television has arrived. Who will be the night’s big winners at the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards – Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” HBO’s “Westworld,” or TV darling NBC’s “This is Us”?
Photos: Redskins Defeat Rams 27-20
Photos: 2017, 69th Emmy Awards fashion on the red carpet at the Microsoft Theater in LA
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Photos: Illusionist Siegfried Tieber
Latest Headlines from Daily News :
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Caroline Woolard on Wound Study Center
November 14, 2016 Pranav Joneja Leave a comment
“WOUND is a study center for practices of listening, attention, and collaboration. The study center is pronounced /waʊnd/, as in: the clock has been wound. WOUND aims to mend time and attention by providing (1) practice spaces for groups, (2) a study center for sculptural tools, and (3) trainings in practices of listening, attention, and collaboration.” - http://woundstudycenter.com/
by Emma Faith Hill (Art ’17)
Photo provided by Caroline Woolard.
Your title in conjunction with the show is Director. Can you speak about what the role means for you? How it differs from the title of Artist or Curator?
At this time, a Curator or an Artist is often understood to be a person whose individual expressions, labor, and critical thought enable a project to exist. But I want to create projects that exist beyond my initial vision; that can be modified and renewed with the energy of the people who are working on them, over years. So I am the interim Director of the Study Center because I am currently the primary person who is responsible for the long term mission of the space. The Study Center aims to mend time and attention by providing (1) practice spaces for groups, (2) a study center for sculptural tools, and (3) trainings in practices of listening, attention, and collaboration. The Director must change for the project to live on, over time, in adaptation to local contexts, so I look forward to transitioning out of this role.
By naming my role within the Study Center, I am articulating the tasks that I carry out at this time, while also opening up these tasks to people in the future. I am interested in naming titles and roles that comprise the systems that I create because this allows for visible accountability and training for people who wish to move into these roles. When someone hears the title of Director, they imagine that it stands for a series of responsibilities and tasks in service to a broader mission, while an Artist or Curator is likely imagined to be responsible to their own vision, a vision that can change from every season. While I hope that the ways we understand the titles of Artist and Curator transforms in time, at this moment, the term Director conjures up associations that align more closely with my goals for longevity and strategic action.
If most New Yorkers have no
experiences of democracy at work,
at home, in school, or online,
how will we learn to work together?
I aim to co-create both discrete works of art and also institutions for the solidarity economy. My method is to enjoin objects to their contexts of circulation. For example, I build sculptures for barter only as I also co-create international barter networks that continue to grow; I fabricate model Shaker housing and I also convene organizers of community land trusts. I am currently working with Susan Jahoda and Emilio Martinez Poppe on a book and a card game about the commons, which could eventually live in the Study Center. But at the moment, we lack nuanced dialog and critical reflection about group work in the visual arts. This Study Center provides a space for reflection among peers, which lays the groundwork for additional feedback and deep thought about the card game and book. I find that many emergent projects make sense within collective work or institutions that must be established.
As well as directing Wound, you also contributed many Ladder Chairs to the show. Could you expand on where the design of these chairs came from?
I want to furnish gathering spaces with objects that are as inspired as the conversations that occur in those spaces. Ladders, like the sculptural tools in the Study Center, have functioned historically in artworks as both designed objects and also as cultural symbols. I made the ladder furniture to connect the spatial dividers of the Study Center to this long lineage of ladders from Dada, Constructivism, Bauhaus, Fluxus, and Conceptual Art. I am thinking of one of the last sculptures that Joseph Beuys made before his death (Scala Napoletana, 1985), Mel Bochner’s measurement of a ladder’s shadow (Measurement: Shadow, 1969), Man Ray’s photograph of a miniature ladder engulfed by a human foot, Alexander Rodchenko’s photographs of ladders, Yoko Ono’s ladders (Ceiling Painting, 1966, Golden Ladders, 2015), and Alma Buscher’s ladder chair (Ladder Chair for Children’s Room, 1923). Ladders have been used to stand in for aspiration, for getting ahead, and also for temporary stability, for construction of the new.
The image I created for the show, which circulated months before on a postcard, is of a ladder, tipped on its side, being used as a compass. The rungs become available for the compass point as well as the tip of a mark making material. The ladder chairs I made also have a small piece of graphite, making the careful observer imagine the furniture on its side, drawing a six-foot circle. The inability of the two points—the point that creates the center of the circle and the point which draws the circle—to connect is often my experience of communication in groups. People circle around one another, unable to hear what they do not already know or think. As the Study Center is dedicated to group work in the visual arts, this concept of division through aspiration and verbal disconnect seemed important.
The columns are made of turned poplar, and can be used for meetings, or they can stack to form a 10-foot column. This sculptural furniture is meant to point toward the classical forms that structure social life and social space in academic settings and to the smugglers of antiquities who broke ancient columns into sections. I hope that visitors will practice assembling and disassembling these forms while thinking about the design of spaces for learning.
In an arts ecology that privileges
individual success, and that rarely flies collaborators
around the world for public talks,
conversations about political economy become primary.
In addition to the turned poplar edition of the furniture, I have made a version that is an open source file for people with Computer Numerical Control machines to adapt. The CNC version is an example of what I call an Open Source Systems and Art project. I made the designs, files, and assembly process for this and (also for my Queer Rocker) available for use and modification because I learn by doing and by uniting research with action. I hope to add spaces of reflection and healing to social movements, so many of which are, at present, focused on protest and progress. Many students, activists, and grassroots organizations cannot afford to purchase furniture, but they may have time to create things with the materials around them. My aim with open source projects is that through communal production and alteration, an embodied politics will emerge.
The tools in the show are labelled as either “On View” or “In Use”. What classifies a tool under one of these two terms? And how does the label of ‘tool’ rather than ‘sculpture’, ‘piece’, or ‘artwork’ transform the objects?
A tool “In Use” is an object that will be touched, activated, and used during the time it is at Cooper Union. For example, Adelheid Mers’ The Braid is “In Use” both during her training in notation and communication methods and also throughout the duration of the Study Center’s hours at Cooper Union. Conversely, Paul Ryan’s Rose Window is “On View” because it is a delicate model that cannot be remade, so it cannot be used at this time. By referring to the objects in the Study Center as tools, I hope to trouble the autonomy we often associate with sculptures. What would it mean to see all objects in exhibitions as both formal experiments in material and scale and also objects that need to be understood within a community of practice? Stamatina Gregory and I made a decision not to show any documentation (photography, video, interactive websites) of the tools in use, because we wanted to emphasize the importance of demonstration, of experience as a criterion of knowledge. In this way, all objects have the potential for use, but may be resting at this time.
Collaborative time is a part of the study center’s vocabulary (used in wall text and online), and is “a time which is specifically marked by our engagement with one another.” This definition felt related to the goal of solidarity economies, where the gains made are produced from non-for-profit exchanges. For you, are these two models (collaborative time and solidarity economies) integral to one another?
The term “solidarity economy” emerged in the global South (economia solidária) and is known internationally by different names: the workers’ economy, the social economy, the new economy, the circular economy, the regenerative economy, the local economy, and the cooperative economy. It is recognized globally as a way to unite grassroots practices like lending circles, credit unions, worker cooperatives, and community land trusts to form a powerful base of political power. The solidarity economy is a system that places people before profit, aiming to distribute power and resources equitably. In this way, collaboration is always already a component part of the solidarity economy.
Caroline Woolard notes: As Marco Arruda of the Brazilian Solidarity Economy Network stated at the World Social Forum in 2004: “A solidarity economy does not arise from thinkers or ideas; it is the outcome of the concrete historical struggle of the human being to live and to develop him/herself as an individual and a collective… innovative practices at the micro level can only be viable and structurally effective for social change if they interweave with one another to form always-broader collaborative networks and solidarity chains of production-finance-distribution-consumption-education-communication.”
When an issue is your focus, group work becomes obvious, because the group will keep the issue alive. When we collaborate, we have to articulate our process to others, and therefore to ourselves, as well. This allows us to understand our own work and to refine our thought in debate and in encounters with difference—difference of experience, of perspective, of values. When we collaborate, we also have to accept different approaches to allocating time and money to projects, as collaborators attempt to agree upon which resources to share. In an arts ecology that privileges individual success, and that rarely flies collaborators around the world for public talks, conversations about political economy become primary. By articulating a collaborative economy of shared time and resources, students of collaboration also become students of solidarity economies, looking at shared livelihoods as always already part of shared production.
The Wound Study Center is made to be on-going, (which seems inherent to the study center, since the facilitators chosen to participate engage in long-term practices). Where do you see the Study Center next, and how malleable is its format as it transitions locations and institutions? How important is it that the study center operate in an art-related environment?
It is not important that the Study Center operate in an arts environment, but it is important to recognize that no new models for economic justice will be created without the arts. I see the arts as the center of all interdisciplinary work. To my mind, institutions like community land trusts, cooperative finance, and other brilliant, beautiful, systems-thinking models require the arts to envision, implement, and celebrate the unknown. The practices that the Study Center honors enable people from law, policy, finance, health, and planning to come together to create innovative models. While we see these models of credit unions, worker cooperatives, and community healing spaces, we might not realize that what brings interdisciplinary teams together are arts practices. Lastly, the arts are often the best place to test ideas for long term institutions. I have done much of the research and development of long term institutions within arts spaces.
The Study Center could take a variety of forms, ranging from (1) a small display case of tools in a community center or public library to (2) a week-long study seminar for groups with daily trainings using sculptural tools. In the best case scenario, the Study Center will (3) become a permanent space for group work in the visual arts. Just as dancers take classes throughout their lives, the Study Center would be a place to take classes or use meeting spaces on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. I would run into other members of collectives, groups, and cooperatives in class, knowing that the musculature of dialog, attention, and listening has to be practiced to become strong. For this to function, I will need to move the collection to a permanent space. I am currently in dialog with the New York Public Library and also the Brooklyn Commons about this possibility.
As (4) a group of practitioners, the Study Center can exist as a consortium that offers meeting-facilitation and collaboration trainings to corporate clients as well as community based organizations using sculptural tools in unconventional environments. For example, Project 404 could teach members of a worker-owned business how to focus on a single image on their smart phone in a gallery. The Extrapolation Factory could provide futurist scenarios for activists in the basement of a museum.
If most New Yorkers have no experiences of democracy at work, at home, in school, or online, how will we learn to work together? This Study Center provides a practice space for joint work and joint decision making. Whether the Study Center becomes a small display case, a week-long institute, a permanent space, or a consortium of practitioners, I know that this is the work that is necessary for the cooperative culture and the solidarity economy that I want to see. ◊
Wound Study Center is open by appointment until Friday, November 18 (email info@woundstudycenter.com).
11-14-201696-5
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Palin Derangement Syndrome: When It's Time for a Long, Long Rest
The time is long past due for certain writers to go into temporary retirement at a minimum, to engage in the process of rigorous self-assessment and of regaining perspective, and to find a new approach for commentary on current events. Perhaps foremost among the candidates for such a program is Andrew Sullivan. The only evidence I require for my judgment is this extraordinary post. I'll get back to that in a moment. First, let's consider some general background issues.
There is no question that much of the reaction to Sarah Palin, and to Hillary Clinton as well, is rooted in one of the foundational beliefs of our culture, and not simply that of the United States but of the West itself. I stated that belief as follows:
You need to understand one very simple foundational point: Women are evil. More than that, women are the ultimate source of all evil in the world.
Almost no one will admit the belief in this form, but this is what most people in the West believe, to one degree or another. Western culture is saturated with this perspective; it directs and finds expression in our films and television, in books, in our relationships, in business -- and in our politics. Whatever one may think of their political convictions (and I myself would never vote for either of them), Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin both represent historic candidacies. It is the belief that women are evil that underlies the blindingly intense hatred directed at them.
As I noted, this belief is very rarely stated explicitly, but that essay discusses the source of that belief and how it influences our cultural attitudes and behavior in countless ways. I have written quite a lot about many manifestations of that belief over the last year and a half, and you'll find many of the links in that earlier piece. And here's a post concerning a recent horrifying example of the same dynamic: "A Depraved, Violent and Indifferent Culture."
I also wrote an entry comparing certain statements offered by Palin and Biden in their vice presidential debate. For our concerns here, this passage is of most relevance:
Palin speaks comparatively plainly, using straightforward, everyday expressions. But her views are clear, and there is nothing notably "stupid" about what she says or how she says it -- unless, that is, you have become so accustomed to Washington-speak that you have rendered yourself incapable of recognizing more normal human expression. Yet it is altogether remarkable how much time and concentration so many people devote to demonstrating how much smarter they are than Sarah Palin. Obviously, Palin is not any kind of "intellectual" (also an unqualifiedly admirable attribute in my view), and she is not an Einstein. So let me rephrase the point more colloquially: if you have to devote so much time and energy to proving you're smarter than Sarah Palin, how pathetic are you? Here's your answer: very pathetic. Most of those who repeatedly engage in this kind of Palin-bashing are nothing more than bullies. They're the kind of people who, given half a chance, might torture small animals or pull the wings off flies.
Apply these observations to the example under current examination as you think appropriate, and deserved.
Beyond these issues and going much more deeply, there is another one of critical importance in assessing Palin or any other candidate put forth by the two major parties in our current system. Chris Floyd explained this aspect of the problem with his usual perceptiveness and eloquence, in a post from August 2008:
I must say that I strongly disagree with the argument that Sarah Palin is not qualified to be president of the United States. Such a stance betrays a lamentable misperception of the true function of the office in these modern times. It also ignores the craven nature of our political and media establishments, which has been on such brazen display for lo these many years.
First of all, what do you think would happen in the not-unlikely-event that an aged, ailing President McCain either died or became incapacitated? The very instant that Palin assumed the presidency, the aforesaid establishments would surround her with an aura of substance, seriousness, and respect. She would become..."The President"...her title invoked with the same frisson of pleasurable self-abnegation that accompanied every utterance of the holy phrase on "The West Wing." The media would find hidden reservoirs of charisma and command suddenly coming to light. We would hear stories of her folksy charm, her steely resolve, her self-deprecating wit, her surprising grasp of complex issues.
It doesn't matter what kind of poltroon parks his or her butt in the Oval Office, or how they get in there; they will be presented to the people as a figure of moral authority and gravitas -- and be accepted as such by large swathes of the public. ...
And haven't the past eight years been a painfully glaring demonstration of the undeniable fact that the office of the presidency is -- or certainly can be -- the emptiest of empty shams, a front behind which powerful elite factions shelter as they push their self-serving and undemocratic agendas? Yes, yes, yes, there are tussles and disagreements, even blood feuds, among the elite, there are narrow areas in which marginal differences in policy approaches might come into play. But no one -- no one -- becomes president or vice-president who has not already bought into the basic package: militarism, empire and continual state intervention in the economy on behalf of the rich and powerful.
Anyone who regularly writes about current politics should have at least a minimal appreciation of how these dynamics work. To rephrase Floyd's argument in terms of any alleged "threat" that one might consider Palin to be: given the operation of the current system -- and in light of the fact that these mechanics are entrenched and embedded throughout that system in a multitude of ways -- even a President Palin would not make any difference in any significant way. This is precisely the point that I recently made about Obama and his full embrace and even expansion of all those policies of the Bush administration that he had repeatedly pledged to change or reverse. That post also analyzes the progressives' complete failure to oppose Obama's supposed "capitulation" in any meaningful manner.
And the truth is that Obama isn't "capitulating," for he never opposed our corporatist-authoritarian system. He's the perfect embodiment of that system, a point I have been making for well over a year. The ultimate explanation will again be found in the nature of our current system of government itself:
Any individual who rises to the national political level is, of necessity and by definition, committed to the authoritarian-corporatist state. The current system will not allow anyone to be elected from either of the two major parties who is determined to dismantle even one part of that system.
All of this applies to Obama, and it also applies to Sarah Palin.
Against all this, we have that current entry from Sullivan. I could highlight the entire post as evidence for my argument (and please consider it so highlighted), but let's note just a few critical sentences.
For example, this one: "When dealing with a delusional fantasist like Sarah Palin, it takes time to absorb and make sense of the various competing narratives that she tells about her life."
And this one: "She is a deeply disturbed person which makes this work of fiction and fact all the more challenging to read."
And then this passage:
Since the Dish has tried to be rigorous and careful in analyzing Palin's unhinged grip on reality from the very beginning - specifically her fantastic story of her fifth pregnancy - we feel it's vital that we grapple with this new data as fairly and as rigorously as possible. That takes time to get right. And it is so complicated we simply cannot focus on anything else.
I try to resist "psychologizing" about writers -- that is, speculating about a person's motives, even in the absence of or in contradiction to the available, relevant evidence -- but in rare cases, certain psychological issues scream at you from the page. This is such a case. (Along the identical lines, see this more recent Sullivan entry.)
There may be "a deeply disturbed person" involved in this controversy, an individual exhibiting an "unhinged grip on reality," but that person would not appear to be the one identified by Sullivan. As noted above, the operation of our current system of governance severely limits the effect any one individual can have, even if that person is the president. And in the case of Palin, certain evidence Sullivan himself cites argues strongly against her representing any particular danger -- for example, her high unfavorability ratings. Facts such as that one, again set forth by Sullivan himself, make one look at the intensity and comprehensiveness of Sullivan's obsession and simply go, WTF?
As to the specific reason(s) for Sullivan's obsession, I can offer no explanations at all. Given the realities of American politics and in light of critical relevant facts that Sullivan himself must acknowledge, his purported explanations make no sense at all. But all that isn't my problem, or yours. But I would submit that it is Sullivan's problem, and I wish he would take the time to try to figure out its causes, for his own sake in the first instance.
And I would not want to make the same error myself, by focusing on Sullivan's failures to a degree that isn't warranted. I address this issue and Sullivan's most recent behavior in large part because I want again to make the broader points about our deep cultural loathing of women, an issue of immense importance that should always be among our primary concerns. But I will take the opportunity to repeat that this extraordinarily peculiar obsession of Sullivan's is of a piece with his continuing failures of analysis.
I've discussed Sullivan's inability to appreciate his own ongoing errors with regard to foreign policy; as one example, see, "Undying Myths, and Sullivan's Lies on the Path of Penance." Of still greater significance is what I consider his entirely erroneous approach to the question of torture. Because Sullivan and I both emphatically condemn torture, the profound difference between my perspective and his is one I consider of special importance, so I addressed it in considerable detail -- here and here. Toward the conclusion of the second of those essays, I summarized my argument this way:
This is why, even though I agree with his ultimate condemnation, I reject Sullivan's approach and the means by which he arrives at his conclusion absolutely, and across the board. He is incapable of seeing what the critical question is: he cannot understand the roots of such violence, nor can he see that our current foreign policy itself embodies that same violence. In the end, his condemnation is irrelevant and futile. People who condemn torture for the reasons Sullivan does do nothing to stop the violence that threatens to engulf the world.
To return to this specific controversy: Sullivan's continuing, unrelenting obsession with Palin is bizarre in the extreme. I would also suggest to The Atlantic that they do no good service for Sullivan or themselves by allowing this to continue. Episodes of this kind are the sort of thing one might encounter in a textbook on psychology, one with a heavy emphasis on aberrant behaviors. It is not behavior one expects or hopes to find in a mainstream publication; I say that even as someone with a notably low opinion of the content of all such publications. Still, to hope for certain limits would not seem to be beyond the bounds of reasonable expectations.
A long, long rest is indicated, and time for some desperately needed reflection.
P.S. To dispel any possible confusion in my concluding paragraphs (although no such confusion should arise from a careful reading of my comments), I state that I am absolutely, unequivocally opposed to censorship in any and all forms. See this essay, as just one example out of many. It should be painfully obvious that The Atlantic magazine is not the government -- although I cannot resist noting that if certain of The Atlantic's writers view their role as akin to that of government propagandists, that would explain a great deal. Pointing out that a magazine might think better of providing an outlet for a continuing stream of unreasoning, frequently incoherent commentary targeted at one particular individual, and on grounds which are highly dubious -- especially when that individual merits no special concern for the reasons outlined above -- has nothing whatsoever to do with the advocacy of censorship, whatever the wretched justification might claim to be. I leave that to others; unfortunately, there are far too many others eager and willing to take up that cause.
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Following Behind with the Bucket
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The Fuck You Act
Tribalism and the Destructive Politics of Demoniza...
The Seductions of Proximity to Power
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Rejeanne Alomenu
Primitivo Garcia Elementary School, Principal
Rejéanne Alomenu is the Principal of Primitivo Garcia Elementary School. Prior to coming to Kansas City, she was the Assistant Principal of Community Elementary School in Coffeyville, KS for four years. While serving in that position, she worked with teachers in designing and implementing interventions for struggling students. One of the proudest achievements was crafting an equity policy that was adopted by the school board. Prior to beginning her career as a school administrator, she taught middle school math, science and social studies in her hometown of Parson, KS. As a teacher, she took additional leadership roles within the building, including serving as an advisor for the Black Student Union and serving as the program administrator for a 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant. Rejeanne earned a B.S. in Business Management and Finance from Park University, a M.A. in Teaching from Pittsburg State University and a M.S. in Educational Leadership, also from Pittsburg State University. She is currently pursuing a M.S. in Language and Literacy from Park University and is a fellow with Relay’s Graduate School of Education.
Dr. Jimmie Bullard
Longfellow Elementary, Principal
Dr. Jimmie Bullard has over 20 year’s experience in the field of urban education. She has a strong background in educating the urban learner and is a proud product of the Kansas City Missouri Public Schools. Dr Bullard received her Bachelor’s degree in elementary Education and Masters of Education degree from Lincoln University. She completed her second Master’s degree in school administration from William Woods University and completed her doctorate in Urban leadership from University of Missouri in Kansas City.
Dr Bullard has served as an elementary teacher, education consultant and college professor. She writes poetry and is completing a book on effective classroom strategies for teaching urban children.
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KIPP KC Elementary School, Principal
Kurt Bunnelle is the principal at KIPP KC Elementary School, which serves over 300 students in grades Kindergarten through fourth grade. He began his teaching career as a middle school science teacher in Oakland, California, and has been an instructional coach with Teach For America Kansas City. Kurt is a native of Mundelein, Illinois and attended Carleton College in Northfield Minnesota.
KIPP KC is a second home to Kurt, and he is inspired on a daily basis by the students, staff, and families with whom he works.
Luis Hinojosa
East High School, Principal
Luis Hinojosa has over 19 years experience as an educator. He knew in seventh grade that he wanted to be a teacher, and years later, he delights in creating science experiments with his instructors, like throwing boiling water up in the cold air to create snow or creatively enhancing teaching skills by using the synonym game “Password.” He’s taught middle school, served as a high school assistant principal and elementary principal, and is currently the Principal at East High School, the largest high school in the district. Hinojosa was named the 2018 Principal of the Year by the Kansas City Public School’s Division of Academics. He is currently pursuing his doctorate degree at Kansas University. He is married and has 3 children.
Jarius Jones
Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary, Principal
A Kansas City, Kansas native and 17-year veteran educator, Jarius Jones is presently serving as the Principal of Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in the Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS). Prior to transitioning into his current role, Jarius served as a Vice Principal at Northeast High School in the Kansas City Public Schools in the 2016-2017 school year. Jarius has been actively involved in various afterschool programs throughout the last 17 years; particularly, the Kansas City Kansas Urban Academies, the Science Education Partnership Award program (SEPA); additionally, he assisted with the coordination of the initial Summer Academy Programs for Kauffman Scholars, Inc.
In July of 2016, Jarius completed his second and final three-year term as a member of the Kansas National Education Association, Board of Directors. He has also been appointed to serve on various Kansas State Department of Education committees/initiatives geared towards improving conditions and opportunities for teachers and students. As the husband of his college sweetheart Kim (Guthrie) Jones, and the proud father of his amazing five children (Mija, Jarius, II, Olivia, Alexandria and Victoria), Jarius is committed to providing opportunities for all students to extend their learning beyond the scheduled school day and he is a relentless advocate for all learners reaching their highest potential.
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Faxon Elementary, Principal
Kathleen Snipes is a 29 year veteran with the Kansas City Public schools. Her love for education started at a very young age because of the caring educators in her schooling. She has served as a classroom teacher, mentor, instructional coach, and assistant principal. She has been the Principal at Faxon for the last seven years and loves every minute of it! Mrs. Snipes earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Northeast Missouri State University. She continued her education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City receiving a Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and an Educational Specialist degree in Urban Leadership. Mrs. Snipes is currently taking classes for her Doctorate degree in Leadership. A mother of two, she keeps herself busy going to volleyball games, watching her daughter cheer on Friday nights and visiting her son at Central Missouri State.
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Emmanuel Macron to criminalize anti-Zionism as hate speech
By َQudsN / February 23, 2019
France (QNN) – French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday he plans to criminalize anti-Zionism as a form of anti-Semitism, in response to a surge in hate crimes targeting Jews.
Speaking at a dinner for a French Jewish association, Macron announced the new definition as part of a set of measures to combat anti-Semitism, which he said had reached a level that was “probably unprecedented” since the Second World War.
Macron said the government would adopt the definition of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance to help public officials respond to anti-Semitism, which is illegal in France.
While the intergovernmental organization’s definition doesn’t explicitly mention Zionism, it says anti-Semitism can take the form of “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, eg by claiming that the existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavor.”
The move has sparked debate in France, after a group of lawmakers proposed a bill Monday that would make anti-Zionism a criminal offense. Some critics have warned against conflating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism, saying it could suppress legitimate criticism of “Israel” and would be an undue restriction of free speech.
“It’s historical illiteracy, or worse, stupidity,” said French journalist Dominique Vidal to France 24. “The confusion between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism allows [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu], who is concerned about his own image, to silence his opponents.”
VIDEO| One killed and 24 injured during “Loyalty to the Martyrs of Al Ibrahimi mosque” march
Political prisoner from Jenin marks 19th year in Israeli jails
VIDEO| One killed and 24 injured during "Loyalty to the Martyrs of Al Ibrahimi mosque" march
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American girl mckenna shoots for the stars full movie free
American girl mckenna shoots for the stars full movie free. Rent An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars (2012) on DVD and Blu 2019-02-16
Saturday, February 16, 2019 11:34:39 AM Jessie
An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars
McKenna falls and breaks her ankle. In the movie, this is a planned annual event. Toulane explains that she'll be on the podium with her gold, and McKenna next to her with her silver. The next day, McKenna comes to school, and Mr. She comes to the very end of her practice and decides to disobey the coach by doing the back handspring. We've listed a number of streaming and cable services - including rental, purchase, and subscription alternatives - along with the availability of 'An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars' on each platform.
An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars (2012)
. Toulane is very upset that McKenna lied to her. McKenna gets caught by Mr. McKenna refuses and promises to bring her grades up as there's going to be a science quiz the next day. Brooks tries to convince Mrs.
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After Sierra leaves, Josie tries to tutor McKenna. The film revolves around the life of McKenna Brooks, as she struggles to balance her time at school and in her career as a. Then coach tells her to just stretch. When McKenna goes up, she does everything perfectly. Trouvez la meilleure choix de catégories pour obtenir une liste de tous les films disponibles dans Family, Drama.
Rent An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars (2012) on DVD and Blu
Brooks tells Maisey and Mara to go to their room while she and Mr. She storms out of the library and asks Mr. Violence In one scene, a horse becomes agitated and begins to buck, which makes a nearby horse holding a wheelchair-bound girl start to move, making it seem like the horse is going to throw her off. Archived from on January 2, 2013. She tears down most of her posters, and cries. Wu, McKenna's 4th Grade teacher who also went to gymnastics at McKenna's place.
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Soon, McKenna realizes that she should go and does. McKenna's dream is to go to the Olympics; however, her coach tells her that she needs to focus on the smaller things for now. In the book, Toulane, Sierra and McKenna were the top three finishers at the qualifying meet. Wu to find her a new tutor. Sierra takes Toulane's place on the team with McKenna.
Watch McKenna Shoots for the Stars (2012) Full Movie Online Free
McKenna makes the regional competitive team, and does well during her presentation at school. She then gets on about how the two of them will get into the Olympics in 2016. McKenna is soon forced to go back with Josie. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl also advertised as Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Mystery is a 2008 American comedy-drama film directed by Patricia Rozema. McKenna gets caught by Mr. McKenna needs to focus on her strengths to overcome her weaknesses and with the help of her family and true friends, find a way to believe in herself and become strong and whole again. Brooks tells Maisey and Mara to go to their room, while she and Mr.
The fact that Josie is in a wheelchair teaches McKenna and hopefully the audience not to prejudge or pity those who are different. McKenna tells her that she'll get a gold instead. McKenna's parents believe that she's spending too much time on gymnastics and not enough time on school. She starts to read the science book, but doesn't understand it and quits. Brooks' business, and how her guitarist quit on her.
Watch An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars Online
When the twins leave, McKenna thinks it's about her accidentally feeding the class pet. In the end she realizes who the real stars in her life really are. Wu to find her a new tutor. At the presentation run, the Shooting Stars Gymnastics Team preform for the parents. Brooks are at the table and talking about Mrs.
McKenna Shoots for the Stars
Brooks are at the table and talking about Mrs. The next day, McKenna comes to school, and Mr. McKenna first agrees, but then remembers she gets her cast off the same day. Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty of how you can watch 'An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars' right now, here are some specifics about the Martin Chase Productions children flick. McKenna still goes on a camping trip with Josie. McKenna Brooks is an aspiring gymnast, Level 4 at 9 years old, and destined for the competitive team by the time she turns 10. At home, McKenna, Maisey, Mara, Mr.
However, in the books, Toulane and Sierra found out about the tutor before McKenna got her cast and they both got mad, and McKenna's broken ankle helped them forgive her. The screenplay was written by Jessica O'Toole and Amy Rardin. When the twins leave, McKenna thinks it is about her accidentally feeding the class pet. On top of needing a tutor, her friends being frustrated with her, teetering grades, and constantly trying to hide it, a bad fall at the gym seems to nearly knock her literally out of bounds. On top of that, an injury at the gym pushes McKenna to the sidelines, keeping her from practicing for the competitive team. Set in Cincinnati at the height of the Great Depression, Kit Kittredge, a resourceful young girl, helps her mother run a boardinghouse after her father loses his job.
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Andrea Riedel
As a postpartum and newborn nurse Andrea has a passion for caring for moms and babies. She has lived in San Antonio over 25 years. Andrea her husband Greg have two boys, Luke (10) and Bryce (6). Having suffered a miscarriage between their living children, Andrea also understands that the journey to growing your family can be very difficult and painful. She is honored to have the opportunity to bring Share to San Antonio. Having a community of people who can support and understand each other fosters hope and healing for everyone involved.
Andrea has a BSN from UT Health Science Center San Antonio.
Lauren VandeBerg
Lauren saw a great need for a community of support in the San Antonio area due to her own experiences with pregnancy and infant loss.
Lauren and her husband James sadly experienced the death of their daughter after birth in 2007, the stillbirth of another daughter in 2010 and also have suffered three miscarriages. Being a bereaved parent herself, Lauren has made it her mission to help others in need of support who have suffered a pregnancy or infant loss. She was drawn to Share by the opportunity to combine her love for helping others and passion for connection through sharing stories. Lauren’s mission is to provide hope, support and community to families affected by pregnancy and infant loss.
Lauren and James feel very fortunate to have three living children (Clayton-11, Suzanne-10, and Charlotte-6) and have built their family primarily through the gift of adoption. They also have two very spoiled dogs who they adore and have lived in the San Antonio Area since 2007. As a family, they enjoy outdoor activities and traveling anywhere!
Lauren has a background in elementary education and received a BS in Early Childhood Education from Texas A&M university in 2001.
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The company traces its roots to the Schwarzchild & Sulzberger company (later changed to Sulzbeger & Son’s) based in New York City that operated meat packing plants in New York, Chicago and Kansas City. Sulzberger founded the Ashland Manufacturing Company in 1913 to use animal by-products from its slaughterhouses. It started out making tennis racket strings, violin strings, and surgical sutures but soon expanded into baseball shoes and tennis racquets. In 1915, Thomas E. Wilson, former president of meatpacker Morris & Company, was appointed President and renamed the company Thomas E. Wilson Company. The company acquired the Hetzinger Knitting Mills to produce athletic uniforms and a caddie bag company which produced golf balls but soon expanded into footballs and basketballs. In 1918, Wilson left to concentrate on the beef-packing business, changing the Sulzberger company to Wilson & Co. (which would ultimately become Iowa Beef Packers and then be taken over by Tyson Foods). The packing company continued to have control in the company until 1966 when it was sold to LTV. Under new president L. B. Icely it acquired the Chicago Sporting Goods Company and struck a deal to supply the Chicago Cubs. It also hired Arch Turner, a leather designer who would design the leather football.
In 1922, it introduced the Ray Schalk catcher’s mitt which became the standard. It worked with Knute Rockne to introduce the double-lined leather football and first valve football and the first waist-line football pants with pads. In 1925, it was renamed Wilson-Western Sporting Goods following a distribution agreement with Western Sporting Goods. After Rockne’s death, the company focused on golf, introducing the R-90, a sand wedge golf club inspired by Gene Sarazen’s victory in the 1932 British Open. In 1931, it renamed itself Wilson Sporting Goods Company. During World War II it introduced the Wilson Duke football, featuring the best leather, ends that were hand-sewn, lock-stitch seams, and triple lining, which was adopted as the official ball of the National Football League. Horween Leather Company has supplied Wilson with pebbled cowhide since 1941. Wilson is Horween Leather Company’s largest customer, using the company’s leather in manufacturing footballs and basketballs. After the war it focused on tennis and signed Jack Kramer who developed its line of Jack Kramer signed tennis rackets.
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WowBB Forums > Sports And Wrestling > Sports Talk > 2013 MLB thread
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2013 MLB thread Rating:
Posted: Sun Oct 21st, 2012 04:13 am
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Benlen
Joined: Sun Oct 21st, 2007
Location: Milpitas, California USA
The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired reliever Heath Bell, who struggled mightily in the first year of his three-year, $27 million contract with the Miami Marlins, while shipping away disappointing outfielder Chris Young to the Oakland A's.
Further details also have the Diamondbacks acquiring infielder Cliff Pennington from Oakland .They will also accept 22-year-old shortstop prospect Yordy Cabrera from Oakland.
Only thing harder than achieving excellence is maintaining it.
Dream Well. It may come true.
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2nd Post
The Arizona Diamondbacks picked up the $6.5 million contract option of closer J.J. Putz on Saturday, according to MLB.com.
If the team did not pick up the option, Putz would have been owed $1.5 million.
Putz saved 32 games in 37 opportunities this season with a 2.82 ERA.
After a slow start in which Putz had ERAs of 4.70 and 7.71 in April and May, he turned the corner in June with a 2.25 ERA and did not allow a run in July or August.
Posted: Mon Oct 22nd, 2012 03:22 am
3rd Post
Mike Aviles: Sent To Blue Jays As Compensation For Farrell
Posted: Wed Oct 31st, 2012 02:06 am
4th Post
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- The Texas Rangers declined a $9.25 million club option for Scott Feldman and a $1.2 million option for Yoshinori Tateyama on Tuesday, making both right-handers free agents.
Texas also reinstated right-hander Neftali Feliz from the 60-day disabled list and purchased the contract of right-hander Justin Miller from Triple-A Round Rock.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Oakland Athletics pitchers Dallas Braden and Joey Devine have cleared outright waivers and chosen to become free agents rather than accept assignments to Triple-A Sacramento.
The AL West champion A's made the announcement Tuesday. Both pitchers missed the 2012 season because of injuries that required surgery.
ATLANTA (AP) -- The Braves have exercised options on catcher Brian McCann, right-hander Tim Hudson and left-hander Paul Maholm.
McCann, a six-time All-Star, will earn $12 million next season instead of receiving a $500,000 buyout. McCann had surgery after the season to repair the labrum in his right shoulder that could force him to miss the start of the season. He is expected to return to light baseball activities in about four months and could receive full clearance in April.
McCann hit a career-low .230 with 20 homers.
The 37-year-old Hudson will earn $9 million instead of getting a $1 million buyout. He was 16-7 with a 3.62 ERA.
Maholm, 30, will earn $6.5 million rather than receiving a $500,000 buyout. Atlanta acquired Maholm from the Cubs on July 30, and the left-hander was 13-11 with a 3.67 ERA.
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Dodgers are bringing Brandon League back to their bullpen, signing the free agent right-hander to a three-year deal on Tuesday.
League, acquired by the Dodgers from the Seattle Mariners at the July trade deadline, went 2-1 with six saves and a 2.30 ERA in 28 appearances with Los Angeles. He was especially effective over the final 1 1/2 months of the season, posting a 0.55 ERA in 15 appearances in September and October, sixth-lowest in the National League during that stretch.
CHICAGO (AP) -- Pitcher Jake Peavy and the Chicago White Sox agreed Tuesday to a $29 million, two-year contract.
The right-hander will receive $14.5 million in each of the next two seasons. Peavy would receive a $15 million option for 2015, depending on innings during the next two years.
Chicago also exercised a $9.5 million option on right-hander Gavin Floyd, declined a $10 million option on right-hander Brett Myers and turned down a $13 million option on third baseman Kevin Youkilis. Myers gets a $3 million buyout and Youkilis $1 million.
Floyd was 12-11 with a 4.29 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 29 starts last season, his fifth straight year with double-digit wins.
Youkilis helped solidify third base for the White Sox after a trade from Boston in late June and batted .236 with 15 home runs in 80 games for Chicago.
Myers was 3-4 with a 3.12 ERA in 35 relief appearances with Chicago after being acquired from Houston on July 21.
The New York Mets picked up their 2013 contract options on third baseman David Wright and right-hander R.A. Dickey, Fox Sports reported.
The moves were widely expected, and the team likely will continue to negotiate with the two key players in an attempt to keep them beyond next season.
Wright, 29, will make $16 million in 2013, while Dickey, 38, will earn $5 million. Both would become free agents after next season unless they agree to contract extensions.
CBSSports.com recently reported that the Mets were prepared to retain Wright "for life" by offering a contract worth approximately $100 million.
Wright had a strong first half this season before tailing off after the All-Star break. He finished with a .306 average, a .391 on-base percentage, a .492 slugging percentage, 21 homers and 93 RBI in 156 games.
10th Post
The Tampa Bay Rays will pick up the $10.25 million option on pitcher James Shields, according to a Tampa Bay Times report.
The Rays haven't made an official announcement, but have told Shields' agent, the paper said.
The righty posted a 3.52 ERA in 30 starts this season.
Last edited on Wed Oct 31st, 2012 02:18 am by Benlen
The Dodgers have declined the 2013 contract options for Todd Coffey, Juan Rivera and Matt Treanor, Dylan Hernandez. The players are now free agents.
The A's announced that they exercised their club option for Grant Balfour and declined their side of Stephen Drew's mutual option . Balfour will earn $4.5MM to return to Oakland in 2013. Drew, whose option was valued at $10MM, will hit free agency and obtain a $1.35MM buyout.
Posted: Wed Oct 31st, 2012 10:24 pm
CanadianHorseman
Joined: Fri Nov 2nd, 2007
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
The LA Angels have traded P Ervin Santana to KC for minor league LHP Brandon Sisk.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Royals have declined their 2013 option on Joakim Soria after he missed all of last season because of Tommy John surgery, making the former All-Star closer a free agent.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have picked up the option on third baseman Pedro Alvarez and parted ways with catcher Rod Barajas.
The 25-year-old Alvarez enjoyed a breakout season in 2012, batting .244 with a career-high 30 home runs and 85 RBIs in 149 games. His home run total was 10th best in the National League, though he also led NL third basemen in errors with 27 and finished second in the NL in strikeouts with 180.
Barajas, who signed with the Pirates as a free agent last winter, struggled at the plate and on defense. The 37-year-old hit just .206 with 11 homers and 31 RBI and threw out only six of 99 base stealers.
Pittsburgh also released reliever Hisanori Takahashi, who posted an 8.64 ERA in nine appearances.
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Robin Fox, anthropologist, historian of ideas, occasional poet and essayist, is University Professor of Social Theory Emeritus at Rutgers. Born in England in 1934 he was educated at the London School of Economics and Harvard, with post-doctoral work at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He did fieldwork among the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico and Arizona, and with the Gaelic-speaking Irish of Tory Island off the coast of Donegal in Ireland. He also worked with primate groups (Macaques and Vervets) in Bermuda and the Caribbean. After teaching at the universities of Exeter and London in the UK, where he revived Edward Westermarck’s ideas on incest avoidance (the “Westermarck Effect”) he came to Rutgers to start up its department of anthropology in 1967. With his colleague Lionel Tiger (Men in Groups) he was a director of research for the H. F. Guggenheim Foundation for twelve years and helped start up the revolution of ideas about social behavior now known as Sociobiology. Together they wrote The Imperial Animal (1970), which introduced modern evolutionary and ethological thinking to the social sciences. He has written or edited nineteen books, the best known of which is probably Kinship and Marriage:An Anthropological Perspective (1967), which in all its editions and translations remains one of the most widely used anthropological texts in the world. His autobiography (of his first 40 years) was published in 2000 as Participant Observer: Memoir of a Transatlantic Life. His latest two books are The Tribal Imagination: Civilization and the Savage Mind (Harvard 2011) and Shakespeare’s Education: Schools, Lawsuits, Theater and the Tudor Miracle (Laugwitz Verlag 2012), reflecting his life-long interest in the Shakespeare authorship question. He currently works on the archaeology of the Calusa Indians in SW Florida, and the light this can shed on the origins and failures of complex societies. In 2013 he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in the anthropology and evolutionary biology sections.
"We are a species among all the others, rather a special one, but one that will be judged like the others. We have no dispensation from nature; we are not cut loose from the requirements of natural selection; intelligence is not peculiar to us, nor does it guarantee our superiority or our success; we must measure up or join her list of interesting but extinct experiments in living and reproducing. Our only uniqueness is that if we go, it will be in full consciousness of what we do, which is no compliment to our uniqueness."
From: Final paragraph of The Red Lamp of Incest: An Enquiry into the Origins of Mind and Society.
Apes with existential questions
And did some sly, malicious god
when an ape first stood and faced the sky,
prepare a two-edged gift, a rod
it sought to cure this hubris by?
It did, and so the creature choked,
then straining through its tears it croaked
the first, pathetic "why?."
From: The Passionate Mind: Sources of Destruction and Creativity (reproduced in The Character of Human Institutions.)
LONGER BIO
The following section starts as a publisher's summary, so please bear with the impersonal style.
Robin Fox was born in the Yorkshire Dales at the height of the Great Depression in 1934. His first home was in the Brontë village of Haworth (the hamlet of Crossroads) in the Pennines of West Yorkshire. He had very little formal schooling during WWII, moving all over England with his soldier father (ex-Indian Army - landed in Normandy on D2) and his mother, then an army nursing aide. (See the dedication to Kinship and Marriage.) The Church of England, the Army, public libraries, the Cubs and Scouts and the BBC, substituted for school. He survived a close encounter with a German bomb in Hull, then through a series of scholarships (including one to the Grammar School in the village of Thornton where the Brontës were born and Billie Whitelaw was a pupil) he made his way to the London School of Economics in1953 (State Scholarship). He did his undergraduate degree in Sociology (B.Sc. 1st class honors) including a heavy dose of Philosophy (Karl Popper, Ernest Gellner, Morris Ginsberg) and Social Anthropology (Raymond Firth, Isaac Shapera, Maurice Freedman.)
He went to Harvard University for graduate work in the Department of Social Relations (Clyde Kluckhohn, Dell Hymes, Paul Friedrich) and - through the good offices of Evon Vogt - found himself in New Mexico studying language and society among the Pueblo Indians. He concentrated on the Pueblo of Cochiti, on the Rio Grande, on which he wrote his Ph.D. thesis (London University - external examiner Edmund Leach) a revised version of which was published as The Keresan Bridge: A Problem in Pueblo Ethnology, 1967. He worked for one year as a research associate with John Whiting at the Harvard Laboratory of Human Development (Palfrey House).
He returned to England where he taught for four years at the University of Exeter, starting fieldwork on Tory Island – a remote Gaelic-speaking community off the coast of Donegal in Ireland, and writing his first museum-series publication: Kinship and Land Tenure on Tory Island. His work on the island eventually resulted in a book The Tory Islanders: A People of the Celtic Fringe (1978), for which the University of Ulster awarded him a doctor of science (D.Sc.) degree. He returned to the LSE for four more years, lecturing mainly on kinship, and producing the widely used text Kinship and Marriage: An Anthropological Perspective (1967.) He published what became a seminal paper "Sibling Incest" in the British Journal of Sociology (1962), where he revived the work on incest avoidance of Edward Westermarck and coined the term "Westermarck effect" (as opposed to "Freud effect"): a term now standard in anthropology.
Under the influence of such figures as John Bowlby, David Attenborough (his student for a while) Robert Ardrey, Niko Tinbergen, Desmond Morris (then curator of mammals at the London Zoo), primatologists John Napier and Michael Chance, and Canadian sociologist Lionel Tiger, he became interested in Ethology – the science of the evolution of behavior. He and Tiger wrote a paper on "The Zoological Perspective in Social Science" (1965.) This was one of the first salvos in the great debate on the nature/nurture issue that was to flare up in the sixties and seventies. He and Napier jointly taught a course on non-human primate societies, the first of its kind at the School. He and Tiger helped Attenborough and Morris launch their venture into human behavior in their LIFE: In the Animal World, BBC TV program. During this time he saw three daughters into the world, Kate, Ellie and Anne. (See the dedication to Encounter with Anthropology.)
Rutgers University offered him a chair of anthropology in 1967, and the chance to start a new department, including Tiger. This has grown to be a major research department and graduate program. In 2010 its two degree programs (evolutionary anthropology - including the Center for Human Evolutionary Studies, and cultural anthropology) were ranked in the top ten in the country by Academe, the journal of the American Association of University Professors. He and Tiger completed their joint work, The Imperial Animal, in 1970, a book that galvanized the nature/nurture debate and provoked a mix of enthusiasm and vituperation. He spent an academic year at Stanford University School of Medicine (Department of Psychiatry) as an NIMH special fellow, studying behavioral biology and the brain with David Hamburg and Karl Pribram.
In 1972, The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, through its president Mason Gross (ex-president of Rutgers) made them joint Research Directors, and started a program of support for work particularly on violence and dominance. (See "Guggenheim Foundation")The list of their grantees is a Who's Who in the early development of what came to be known as Sociobiology: E. O. Wilson, Jane Goodall, Richard Dawkins, Robert Trivers, Napoleon Chagnon, Michael McGuire (who discovered the correlation between rank and serotonin), Robert Sapolsky, Martin Daly, and Herb Terrace and the chimpanzee Nim. It also included such people as Daniel Kahneman, who received the Nobel Prize for economic sciences in 2003, Eugene Redmond and the now famous International Primate Research Center on St. Kitts WI, and leading kin-selection theorist W. D. Hamilton with whom he helped to found the Human Behavior and Evolution Society (1988).
He and Tiger worked for twelve years with the Foundation, sharing time with Rutgers, and during that time he did original research among Macaque monkeys on an island off Bermuda, with Dieter Steklis, and produced several books including Encounter with Anthropology, Biosocial Anthropology (editor), The Red Lamp of Incest, and Neonate Cognition (edited with Jacques Mehler of CNRS.)
During this same period he was a visiting professor at Oxford (Institute of Social Anthropology), Paris (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales), California at San Diego, and the Universidad de los Andes in Bogatá, Colombia, where he did a participant observer stint as a bullfighter. (See "The Bulls" in Participant Observer.) In 1985 Rutgers made him a University Professor, the highest honor it can give a faculty member. He wrote The Search for Society, his "equal time response" to the interpretive anthropology of Clifford Geertz, and The Violent Imagination, a book of essays, verse, satire, drama and dialogue.
He was then a Senior Overseas Scholar at St. John's College, Cambridge, and wrote a series of related collections of his essays. The first was Reproduction and Succession, relating his part in both the appeal of a Mormon policeman to the Supreme Court, and the famous "Baby M" surrogate-mother trials in New Jersey. Then followed The Challenge of Anthropology, and Conjectures and Confrontations. In 2001 he added significantly to the material in The Violent Imagination, plus a foreword by his neighbor and friend Ashley Montagu, which came out as The Passionate Mind. He has published a number of papers on contemporary affairs in The National Interest – nationalism, the nature of war, the Northern Ireland problem, and a series of exchanges on human rights, with Francis Fukuyama and Amnesty International ("Is there a human right to revenge?")
(Now I am in my own voice again.) The dry bones of biography do not convey the richness and excitement of a life lived between the two worlds of Europe and America, and among some of the most energizing ideas of the century. To try to capture some of this I have completed a memoir of the first forty years of my "accidental life," called Participant Observer: Memoir of a Transatlantic Life (see "Participant Observer" under "Publications").
Readers may note in glancing at my CV that 1997 and the years after showed a break in active participation in the academic world. The 'reactive arthritis' (it used to be called 'Reiter's Syndrome') that had first been diagnosed in my late thirties became a total hindrance to travel and adventure and led to heart problems that laid me pretty low and left me weak. Enough of that, but curious readers might wonder so I tell it. It cut me off from several interesting possibilities like the Board of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany which required too much travel. It coincided with my distancing from the American Anthropological Association and its continuing retreat from science and its political persecution of Napoleon Chagnon.
Meanwhile I live near Princeton, New Jersey, on a small farm (corn, rye, soybeans, timber, bees, wildlife - including a family of foxes, a herd of deer and a clan of marauding woodchucks) with my wife Lin, a former associate professor of health sciences at Kean University NJ. (See the dedication to The Passionate Mind. - originally The Violent Imagination). We have a winter retreat on Sanibel Island in S. W. Florida, where I pursue a research interest in the archaeology of the Calusa Indians with the help of local boatmen and sailors. When not working I try my hand at art (pastel and watercolor - see "Verse/Art"), music (choral singing - from barbershop to oratorio, classical guitar, songwriting,) and follow college football, especially the Scarlet Knights: an acquired passion replacing ancestral Rugby.
Lin, who was a longstanding member of the U. S. Green Building Council, developed a project to educate us on "The Healthy House." Two of my daughters, after education in England, France, the USA and Ireland, live and work in England. Kate is a director of the Social Issues Research Center in Oxford, and has written a best-seller: Watching the English. Kate is married to Henry Marsh CBE, who was the subject of the award-winning film The English Surgeon and is now the author of the best-selling memoir Do No Harm, and its sequel Admissions. Anne, having studied Russian at George Washington University and in the old USSR (Leningrad State University) founded and runs Galahad SMS Ltd., a social-science research firm. She has completed a doctoral dissertation for London University on the drinking culture of the British army, and produced my latest grandson. Ellie lived for nine years in the Bekaa Mountains of Lebanon with her husband and my other four grandsons (and now two great-grandsons). She and they speak fluent Arabic. They were rescued from the beaches in the great escape of 2006 and now live in New Jersey. (See the dedication to Reproduction and Succession.)
I have recently worked on a revised view of the advantages of inbreeding and the relationship between consanguinity and fertility (with M. L. Herbert) , on animal dispersion and human sectarianism, and the origins and failures of civilization. I have, thanks to the courageous work of younger scholars, found a renewed interest in Amerindian languages and what they can tell us about the history of the American Southwest. I have most recently taught courses on the history of anthropology, comparative mythology, incest in literature, and American Indians (see "Courses.") My latest book is The Tribal Imagination: Civilization and the Savage Mind (Harvard 2011.) (See "Publications")
I am also working on my interest in the Shakespeare authorship question ( I favor Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, as the alternative candidate) especially his possible education and the role of the Grammar Schools in the making of the Tudor miracle and the modern world. A book of essays on the issue has been published as Shakespeare's Education. A festschrift edited by Michael Egan is called The Character of Human Institutions. (See "Publications")
In response to the events of 9/11, I became an American citizen in 2002: better late than never. I am deeply fond of, and grateful to, the USA, and especially Rutgers (where I have spent the last 50 years and only reluctantly mooted retirement ) for the chances and rewards it has given me, while never losing my affection for my native British Isles. To crown the whole unlikely episode, in April 2013 I was elected a member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the highest honor the national community of scientists can bestow: an especially moving moment of acceptance and recognition for an immigrant!
I hope you enjoy my ideas and read my books. Thank you.
"If you wish to be believed you must accept the burden of falsifiability. You must accept that your statements are hypotheses that are in principle subject to refutation. If you refuse to accept this burden, on any grounds whatsoever, then there is no reason why we should pay any further attention to anything you say, since you could just as well utter complete nonsense or gibberish; it would make no difference." (Conjectures and Confrontations, 182, quoted on website of David Jenkins.)
Top Withins today. The roof is gone. The trees and moors remain.
Some Personal Pictures: since I don't have social media.
With Lin, 25th wedding anniversary
With Anne, Kate and Ellie, 80th birthday, 2014
With Alexander on the farm, looking for bobcats.
The Family: four generations down to Jason and Priya (and now Aidan).
Including Lin's mother, we have five living generations
Jason and Aidan, who are Anglo-Irish-Welsh-Lebanese-Punjabi-American
Children of the Twenty-first Century
Some more (intellectual) biography taken from a draft for The Tribal Imagination.
A little background is in order to put these essays into context, both personal and professional. I have been intrigued by the rise and fall of civilizations since a schoolboy interest in Arnold Toynbee in post WWII England, when we were desperate to know what went wrong. A second-hand copy of the abridged edition of A Study of History was the most thumbed and annotated tome in the small collection that my very small allowance permitted. This was augmented by Edward Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (school library) and H. G. Wells’ The Outline of History (a gift from my mother), and the game was afoot.
Also, a short time later, I bought at a second-hand book-stall in Ireland two precious volumes of Montesquieu’s The Spirit of Laws. (The bookseller had no idea of their value.) This was an English translation published in Dublin in 1751, with “corrections and additions” by the author, and bearing the owner’s signature “Henry Hamilton 1776.” (The Hamiltons were a prominent Scots-Irish family, but the notorious Governor Henry was off fighting the American Revolutionaries in Canada on that date. Could it have been his father who was aso Henry? No. He died in 1743. Mystery.) These leather-bound, faded volumes seemed to speak to me directly from the eighteenth century as I struggled to understand them. They gave me an emotionally powerful connection to the philosophers of the Enlightenment and their driving ambition to find the causes for the rise and decline of civilizations.
What was civilization? Was its appearance inevitable? How had it risen from the primitive tribal condition and why did it seem so vulnerable and so inevitably to fail? Was civilization indeed an advanced stage that left the tribal behind, or was the tribal always with us in some form, beckoning us back? How far from the tribal state could we stray without going adrift and foundering? For Toynbee the threatening tribes on the fringes of civilization (the “external proletariat”) were never so dangerous as the “failure of will” inside civilization itself.
Well-stocked public and college libraries sent me to Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, to Hegel and Marx (and more interestingly Engels), to Sartre, Schweitzer, Freud and Spengler, and produced a lot of information and even more puzzlement. I was immensely fortunate to find a sympathetic degree course in sociology at the London School of Economics in the early 1950s. We were encouraged to read the philosophers of history even though the prevailing empiricism did not hold their methods in high regard. I had to deal directly with Karl Popper and his criticisms of Historicism. I was smitten with Popper and took his point, but still thought the questions could be asked in a way that was subject to falsification. Popper himself, as we shall see in Chapter 12, asked them in his own way, which became my way.
I did not find either British Empiricism or Continental Existentialism much help in this matter, but I did find the Sociology of Knowledge and Comparative Sociology more than enough to compensate. I was led to Max Weber and Herbert Spencer, to Emile Durkheim and the developmental anthropologists, particularly E. B. Tylor and James Frazer. I was in fact specializing in social anthropology, but found to my disappointment that in the form of Functionalism it had not only abandoned the questions that drew me to the study of the tribes, but it positively banned them. There was no point, I was told, in dealing with known error, however interesting it might be. So Freud and Jung were out too. Meanwhile I was almost embarrassingly over educated in scientific method, statistics, social psychology, criminology, demography, moral and social philosophy, and, of course, economics.
At Harvard in the late 1950s, in Talcott Parsons' gallant attempt to create an integrated social science, I found the questions still alive among the Americans, (Sorokin, Kroeber, Steward, White.) Freud was front and center, but mostly the clinical Freud not the philosopher of history. In any case I got skillfully sidetracked to the Pueblos of the Southwest and socio-cultural anthropology and, to be fair, it has made me a decent living. But the questions still nagged. As I watched anthropology drift further and further away from them, I finally, in the London of the 1960s, discovered Darwin and the relevance of Darwinism to the questions. It was meeting John Bowlby, Desmond Morris and Lionel Tiger that gave me the nudge that turned into a push that became a vocation. (See Participant Observer for details.) Anthropologists, embarrassed by the laissez-faire capitalist propaganda of Social Darwinism (so-called) and by the ugly use of Darwinism in Germany and among advocates of racism generally, scooted in the other (ideologically safer) direction, energetically disavowing their own heritage and their purpose and status as a science.
But my curiosity was still there with Toynbee and Spengler and Spencer and Morgan, with Freud and Popper and all those for whom the question of the origin, nature and viability of civilization was an issue that could not be avoided. I found through the amazing upsurge of developments in social biology and evolutionary science, combined with comparative ethnography (anthropology’s precious archive of human social behavior in pre-literate societies) a route back to the question of civilization and the savage mind. I have been exploring it ever since. What we have in this book (Tribal Imagination) then, are a few more explorations in that same direction.
1st 15
Tiger & Fox, New York, 1970
Original CUP edition
Canadian Edition 1971
Top Withins - the inspiration for Emily Brontë's
Wuthering Heights, near the village of Haworth, W.Yorkshire, UK. (Photo c. 1930) The landscape of early childhood.
School Play: (At Thornton G. S.) Young Marlow in Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer - c.1950
TGS alumna
Billie Whitelaw
"The perfect actress"
LSE, London, Houghton Street, Aldwych
Pueblo Indian Corn Dance (Cochiti NM)
Tory Island - approach from the mainland (Donegal)
(Getty Images)
Desmond Morris and Friend
Bermuda Macaques (Stumptails)
"El Gringo Blanco"
Novillado in Mario Laserna's ring
Altamira de Coelho, Calí, Colombia, 1982
With the King of Tory Island, Patsy Dan Rogers (Padraic Domhnal MacRuaraigh), U of Ulster, 1997
RUTGERS, Old Queens, Winter.
Olivetti Lettera. On one of these beautiful machines the early stuff was written, during sandstorms in the desert Southwest of America and gales in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Ireland. The prototype is rightly on exhibit in MoMA, NYC. Mine (a 21st birthday present from my parents) was stolen in a burglary in Princeton NJ. I still miss it.
First intercollegiate football game:
Rutgers vs Princeton 1869,
Rutgers 6 Princeton 4
With Alex (grandson) on Johnie's Honda
Henry (son-in-law) preparing to operate.
Aboard the LunaC in Pine Island Sound FL.
Gift to me from Geeta and the family when in recovery from heart surgery (2016) and bearded like the pard.
Man the Hunter
Priya and Uncle Lionel
Local Bambi. We love our deer but they carry the Lyme Disease tick. We love them at a safe distance.
Imperial Animal - Japanese Vol.1
K & M French edition
Gaillimard Les Essais CLXVII
Bibliographical Bio
The following section was written for the “Prologue” to The Tribal Imagination —it was intended to show how Robin Fox's other works were a prelude to this latest book. In the end it was not included, so we can use it here to fill in the details and bring the story up to date (It was included in The Character of Human Institutions, edited by Michael Egan.) At the end is a review of Hank Whittmore's book on the meaning of "Shakespeare's" sonnets, to represent that area of my interests.
“Many of the things I have written earlier would sit happily with this volume in spirit if not in detail (new findings pour in daily). These perhaps start with my essay on “Sibling Incest” in 1962 where I proposed a “law” of incest avoidance (see the chapter by Maryanski and Turner here) and tried to reconcile Freud and Westermarck on the incest taboo. This was followed by Kinship and Marriage (1967) a book mistakenly assumed by many to be a “textbook” conveying received wisdom. While it is an introduction to the study of kinship it is also an original contribution which argues that human kinship rests logically on the playing out of four simple premises: (1) women bear the children, (2) men impregnate the women, (3) men exercise control, (4) primary kin do not mate with each other: gestation, impregnation, domination & hybridization. The basic human relationship, I argue, is the mother-child unit not the nuclear family. This position, was arrived at on logical not biological grounds; it was nevertheless dear to John Bowlby, the Darwinian psychoanalyst who had introduced me to the idea of Ethology—the science of the evolution of social behavior. He liked a paper I had written on the success of healing rituals in the Pueblos (1960), but insisted I should understand the evolution of the emotions that these rituals tapped into. I never looked back.
“All of The Red Lamp of Incest, for example, where I maintained, following Freud and triangulating him with Darwin and Lévi-Strauss, that ‘we constantly reproduce that which produced us’ belongs in this company. I tried to marry Freud (on the emotions) and Lévi-Strauss (on the intellect,) to the process of evolution and what we then knew of primate behavior and behavioral neurology. I argued that the crucial factor in human evolution—and particularly the rapid evolution of the brain—was the growth of neo-cortical control over the emotional system. This was an outcome of the struggle between older and younger males for control of the females, and was the source of the arch-rule of the incest taboo. This process underlay the propensity to make and follow rules in general and kinship rules in particular. It was, as the subtitle says, “the origin of mind and society,” and much of what is constant in human mental and social systems derives from it.
“Most commentators, even the friendly ones, didn’t seem to get it, treating the book solely as a contribution to the incest question rather than the question of the evolution of mind and the force of the moral imperative: the question posed by Hume to Kant, Kant to Durkheim, Durkheim to Bergson, Bergson to Lévi-Strauss…The Harvard philosopher Willard van Orman Quine however thought the chapter on ‘The Matter of Mind’ was completely compatible with his own materialist views on the subject. Mind as we know it had to come from somewhere. The edited volumes Biosocial Anthropology (on primate kin and human kinship) and Neonate Cognition (where I inverted Descartes: ‘Sumus Ergo Cogitamus’) belong here, as does the early collection Encounter with Anthropology (‘The Cultural Animal’). The Keresan Bridge (1967), while concerned with a seemingly narrow problem in Pueblo ethnology (and the famous puzzle of ‘Crow-Omaha’ kinship systems) still stresses the fact that human kinship systems evolve in predictable patterns and that we cannot escape the deep-time dimension by a simplistic appeal to social functions or acculturation.
“The essays from Reproduction and Succession on ‘The War between Kinship and the State’ (Mormon polygamy, surrogate mothers, Greek tragedy, especially Antigone, and the avunculate—the special relationship between a man and his mother’s brother) have a place here. The book was in fact a commentary on Sir Henry Maine’s theory of the historical shift from the law of status to the law of contract. The Search for Society, where it was the issue of ‘Consciousness out of Context’—my own phrasing of the ‘novel environment hypothesis’—also belongs. The further we move away from the Paleolithic norm, the more extreme become the conflicts that consciousness faces.
“I introduced the idea of the ‘ethosystem’ in which the organism and the environment that it modifies with its behavior, exist in a positive feedback loop: an idea that has been re-invented recently as ‘niche creation.’ I tried to trace the history of ideas on individualism and society to see where the empiricism, progressivism and relativism of the social sciences came from. I started with Bacon, Hobbes and Locke and the idea of the mind as a tabula rasa—a blank slate, and hence the hostility to ‘innate ideas’ (or innate anything). In the process I tried to reconcile the division between the Durkheimian and Darwinian views of social life—a division which underlies the schism in the social sciences, by showing how “social facts” can also be biological facts. There also I defined instinct as ‘the organism’s demand for an appropriate environment.’ An inappropriate environment can wreck the patient work of natural selection. Nature and nurture need each other; there is no ‘nature/nurture question’ except for the question of how they interact.
“In place here would be the subjects from Conjectures and Confrontations: bureaucracy, nationalism, innovation, self-interest, sexual conflict in literature, the moral sense, and left-wing archaeology. In ‘The Biosocial Orientation’ I invoked Robert Merton’s distinction between ‘theory’ and ‘orientation’ and it holds here. I am not pushing any kind of systematic theory, only suggesting an intellectual orientation, which may draw on many theories. Go where the questions lead; use what theories and data you need. Add also the essays on food, sex, orgasm, incest, menstruation (in Macaques), aggression, myth, rules and war in The Challenge of Anthropology, where I re-iterated my ‘law of the dispensable male.’ This book includes my personal favorite: ‘Prejudice and the Unfinished Mind,’ which held that prejudice is not so much an abnormal form of thinking as thinking is a normal form of prejudice.
“That particular essay took off from the early work of Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and his colleague the late Amos Tversky, which was revealed to me in Jerusalem. There (in the essay, not in Jerusalem) I investigated, with the help of David Hume, Paul Robeson, Charles Lamb, Captain Kirk, and Mr. Spock, four insistent mental Drumbeats. These are: (1) that we must make causal connections; (2) that we must attribute responsibility for actions; (3) that we must think in terms of stereotypes; (4) that we must prefer intuition to logic in uncertain situations. Note the ‘must’—that is the link and the nub.
“Even The Tory Islanders , a study of the social structure of a remarkable Irish island people, fits in here. At its core is the analysis of how family, clan, marriage and household articulate around the inheritance of land and the manning of boats. The fulcrum on which this pivots is the brother-sister bond and the mother-child bond, and the tension between the consanguine family and the necessity of marriage: many married couples did not move in together; each partner stayed in the natal home— ‘natolocal residence.’ It thus explores these universals in their Celtic particulars.
“The verse, drama and essays in The Passionate Mind (incorporating The Violent Imagination) have their place on the list, perhaps especially the dialogue ‘Design Failure’ on the tyranny of ideas, and the opener on ‘The Conference of Foules’ where the battery hens gather to analyze their sad condition, or the story of the crucial stages in evolution told in ‘Evolutionary Poetics.’ My personal favorite is ‘The Jesus Tapes: We Are Not Alone’—a blank-verse monologue in the style of Browning where Jesus is revealed to be an alien spirit trapped in a human body in a vain attempt to elevate mankind. Jesus has little sympathy with anyone except Pilate and Judas. The readers might prefer ‘The Trial of George Washington’—which is what it says. The trial is for treason of course.
“And there is always the impudent attempt to solve it all at one fell swoop that Lionel Tiger and I bounced off the world in The Imperial Animal (1970), in those verdant years when it all looked so temptingly easy. Our notion of a ‘behavioral biogrammar’—inspired by Noam Chomsky’s theory of generative grammar, (we even proposed a ‘culture acquisition device’) was not so far off the mark. The basic grammar of behavior was given by evolution but it could produce an infinite number of behavioral languages. This might have been a better model than the ‘software’ analogies that became popular with the advent of computers, although we couldn’t resist the metaphor of behavioral instructions as being ‘in the wiring’ of human nature.
“Much of what follows in this book is about what Tiger and I called ‘behavioral gibberish.’ This results when you feed organisms information that does not accord with the biogrammar. Garbage in: gibberish out. We looked at the ‘primate baseline’ and its transformation by the ‘hunting transition’ to what was the human default system of tribal society and mentality. Then we tried to see how the industrial world was either in synch with or inimical to this default system. It is that simple and that complicated. Our epigraph from Jacques Monod’s Chance and Necessity, that ‘every living being is also a fossil’ is at the very heart of it. We put it in French because Monod’s book hadn’t been translated when we were writing. This gained us no brownie points with the yahoos of course, who saw it as up-front proof of our unregenerate élitism.”
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Hands-on With the Nexus One
By Peter Ha Jan. 05, 2010
Here it is, folks. The Nexus One.
We’ll keep this at a minimum for now and lay down the facts about what’s new with Android 2.1 and what you need to know about the hardware.
(More on Techland: Live: Google’s Android Press Event )
What we didn’t know about v2.1 of the Android OS revolves heavily around voice implementation. Because of this there’s really no reason to lament on about the lack of a physical keyboard. You can now dictate all text fields (e-mail, Twitter, Search, etc.), but not address fields. Like Google’s Voice Search, the device will learn your speech patterns as time goes on. It appears to work well but I’ve had very limited time with it.
Android 2.1 also replaces the standard slide menu system with a grid icon and now includes 5 pages for widgets and apps rather than the traditional 3. The photo gallery has also been updated, but we’re not spending too much time with it for right now. And then there are the “live” or “interactive” wallpapers. This is enabled by the combination of the Snapdragon processor and 2.1 for better 3D processing. Corporate e-mail and contacts are supported but not calendar because it’s linked to your primary Gmail account.
(More on Techland: Nitty Gritty on the Nexus One)
On the hardware front, the Nexus One has an aluminum unibody-like frame. The 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor is blazingly fast. The AMOLED screen should conserve battery power, but it’s too soon to say. The key factor with the Nexus One’s screen is its width. All other Android devices including the Droid have a narrow screen, which, in turn, gives users a cramped keyboard in portrait view. I would have preferred to see HTC’s Sense keyboard rather than the generic Android keyboard, though.
Many of you have asked over the last few weeks which Android device to go with: Nexus One or Droid. Well, from a software standpoint, the Droid will get its 2.1 update in a matter of days so that point is moot. As far as hardware goes, the Nexus One lacks a physical keyboard and comes with a larger screen. The camera also seems to work much better right out of the gate. It boils down to hardware preference – do you need a physical keyboard? Does carrier matter to you? The Nexus One will work on AT&T because it’s an unlocked GSM device, but it doesn’t work with AT&T’s 3G frequency, so it’ll run on EDGE. Google/HTC will push out a CDMA variant in the spring with Verizon. There’s a reason why Verizon has been pushing the Droid and Droid Eris as a buy-one-get-one-free deal the last few months. The Nexus One will eat Motorola’s cake unless Moto manages to push out an even better device before the spring.
We’ll have a full review of the device in the next week, but feel free to drop questions in comments and we’ll be sure to answer them as best we can.
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Record-breaking year for student support and alumni giving
By Julia Ann Easley on October 2, 2013 in
UC Davis was included on lists of national universities where students graduate with the least debt, and of "Best Value" colleges.
Nearly 40,000 donors committed $149.1 million to UC Davis during the 2012-13 fiscal year, surpassing the previous year’s total of $132.4 million and marking the seventh consecutive year that philanthropic gifts exceeded $100 million.
The university had a record breaking year for student support having raised $21.7 million for student scholarships, fellowships, awards and activities, more than double the previous year’s total. Additionally, this past fiscal year was the best year on record for giving by alumni, with more than $17.4 million raised to support UC Davis students, faculty and programs, including a $1 million gift from UC Davis alumna Ann Pitzer to support scholarships through the UC Davis Education Abroad Center.
“Philanthropic support plays a critical role in helping UC Davis be a leader in addressing some of the world’s most important and complex challenges,” said UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi. “It also makes a tremendous difference in the lives of our students and faculty by advancing the student experience and our stellar academic and research programs. That is why we are so grateful to our donors for their continued support.”
UC Davis received gifts from donors in all 50 states (and the District of Columbia) and 37 countries during the 2012-13 fiscal year. Californians donated $74.7 million, while nearly $5.6 million came from donors in New York and $3.5 million came from residents of Virginia. Within California, the largest amount of donations, nearly $19 million, came from San Francisco donors. Donations from other California counties include: Yolo, $8.1 million; Alameda, $6.4 million; San Diego, $5.5 million; Sacramento, $5.3 million; and Los Angeles, $2.9 million.
Eleven donors made cumulative gifts of $1 million, and $46.7 million came from gifts under $100,000.
“We are thankful to each and every one of our donors for their support of UC Davis,” said Shaun Keister, vice chancellor for development and alumni relations and president of the UC Davis Foundation. “We are especially pleased by the show of support from our alumni donors who are truly living the Aggie tradition of giving back in a big way.”
Here are some of the year’s philanthropic highlights:
Current and past members of the UC Davis Foundation Board of Trustees and UC Davis administrators personally gave more than $1 million to create The UC Davis Foundation Matching Fund for Student Support, allowing the university to raise about $4 million and create 40 endowed scholarships and fellowships.
The university hosted its first Stride for Aggie Pride 5K run, which was organized by students and raised about $17,500 for student emergency aid through We Are Aggie Pride and scholarships through the ASUCD Awards Endowment Fund.
UC Davis reached a milestone of having 150 endowed chair positions. This accomplishment comes just four years after the university celebrated its 100th endowed faculty position, a milestone that took 100 years to achieve.
The university raised $30 million in 30 days from Dec. 15, 2012 to January 15, 2013.
The largest amount of philanthropic support, $60.3 million, came in for research; the largest gift from a private foundation was a $10 million gift to the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences from the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation.
Each of UC Davis’ 10 colleges and professional schools received philanthropic contributions.
The School of Veterinary Medicine garnered the largest amount of philanthropic support, having raised $35.8 million, more than double the amount raised by the school in 2011-12 and the largest fundraising year for the school in the past 10 years. The School of Education celebrated the greatest year of fundraising in its history, raising more than $4.5 million.
The UC Davis Health System raised $23.3 million in philanthropic support during 2012-13 and achieved the highest employee giving rate of the UC campuses with a health system. Additionally, the UC Davis Health System celebrated the grand opening of the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center expansion project. The project was made possible in large part because of the philanthropic support of nearly 1,000 donors who committed more than $9.5 million toward the expansion project during a 10-year period.
This year’s philanthropic support is part of the university’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign — The Campaign for UC Davis — which publicly launched in October 2010. As of June 30, 2013, the university raised $973.4 million through The Campaign for UC Davis in support of its students, faculty, staff and programs.
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Julia Ann Easley, General news (emphasis: business, K-12 outreach, education, law, government and student affairs), 530-752-8248, mobile 530-219-4545, [email protected]
Sarah Colwell, Development and Test Relations, 530-752-9842, [email protected]
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Student’s ‘Technical Writing’ Helps His Baby Boy
Top UC Davis Graduate Aims for State Legislature
Updated Statement Regarding Aggie Band
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Board index ‹ Reference Materials ‹ A Growing Corpus of Analytical Materials
National Petition to Stop Twitter Rape Threats Starts in Por
Gathered together in one place, for easy access, an agglomeration of writings and images relevant to the Rapeutation phenomenon.
by admin » Mon Oct 23, 2017 10:30 pm
National Petition to Stop Twitter Rape Threats Starts in Portland
by Nina Mehlhaf
KGW.com
© 2017 KGW-TV
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
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Portland, Ore -- Hundreds of thousands of signatures can speak volumes to someone like the CEO of social media site Twitter.
That's who a Portland-area woman is targeting in a nationwide petition to shut down accounts of people who make online rape threats.
Brenda Tracy is a beautiful, strong mother, nurse and victim's advocate. So it's hard to imagine someone tweeting messages like this to her: "Do you want to be raped?" as one man wrote a few weeks ago.
"I've been raped, so when you threaten me with rape, I know what that means," said Tracy when we caught up with her [at] the Portland Airport.
Tracy is flying to Boulder, Colorado this week to talk with college athletes and the administration at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She started a speaking tour three years ago when she began openly sharing her story of being gang raped and drugged allegedly by a group of Oregon State football players. The players were charged and evidence was collected, but she was ultimately too scared to press charges in 1998.
Now, she has a powerful voice. And she's using it to stop online threats.
"I've been threatened with death, 'You should jump off a bridge,' 'You should have killed yourself,' and rape threats. I would say probably 99 percent of the time, I'm okay, and I push through it because I know this is something that would happen when I came forward with my story. But 1 percent of the time, I'm not okay."
A quick search on Twitter shows the horrible things people write to women. KGW found messages reading, "Trash like her deserve to be raped on a consistent basis. I'm not joking." Others say, "Doesn't she deserve to be raped and murdered?" Or, "You deserve to be degraded. To be raped and bred in front of your family."
Tracy says Twitter must shut these accounts down.
"Twitter should be listening to their female users. We are a huge part of their base," Tracy said. "It's not fair that we're being run off of Twitter. They should be doing more to protect us, especially with the specific threat of rape. This should not be something that is protected by free speech."
A few months ago, she started a petition on Change.org to get the attention of CEO Jack Dorsey.
"I hope that what he sees is number one, people want this," she said.
In 2015, Twitter started to shut down over 300,000 accounts linked to terrorism, but so far, the company responds by saying these kind of rape threats don't violate their rules.
"I'm hoping the Twitter folks will really sit down with someone like me, especially a survivor. I think that knowing what rape does to you and the after-effects and consequences, I think it's important for them to understand."
Tracy was inspired by a famous singer in India, Chinmayi Sripaada, who started the same Change.org petition right before Tracy and is getting signatures from around the globe. They're now working together. Each petition says it has a goal of 300,000 but once reached, Tracy says Change.org will up the goal once again. At some point, the website will send the signatures to Jack Dorsey.
Return to A Growing Corpus of Analytical Materials
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lack of principle at the prosecution office
I feel that while I’ve encountered prosecutors who are principled as individuals, in general, I have been really shocked by the lack of principle of the Prosecutor’s Office whether we’re talking about the Prosecution Office in a major city or we’re talking about the Prosecution Office here.
And it filters down. Obviously not every prosecutor thinks the same way. I’m talking about policies of the Prosecution Office. I have, I just believe that the prosecution, I mean, even, even, you know, in a place like New York City, you know, the prosecution in, in New York City, as a policy certainly doesn’t know the weight of a case.
I mean it’s clear from the indictments. It’s clear from the cases come through arraignments, they – and it’s clear from the offers they make at arraignments. They don’t know the weight of a case. So their sense of what they’re doing is totally skewed. They have no judgment. And it's not the individual 25-year-old assistant DA who’s standing up in the middle of the night because it’s his, he or she has no seniority.
But I’m telling you, the policy comes from that office and that senior person and I have, and I mean I couldn’t work. I, I couldn’t work, there’s, there’s no principle. There’s no adhesion in general to the law and the principles of law, and there’s no (__), and, and depending on where it is and, and where the offices are – there is no, there is no diligent effort to apply the rule of law equally.
And that’s true. That’s the argument here, failure to prosecute the RPF. But it’s true in, in, in various state and, and smaller jurisdictions. I mean, not every one, but it’s rare that you, you would, one would find. And I haven’t been to every place, but I’m looking for some fairness and some accountability and some equal application of the rule of law.
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Space Application
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New collaboration between the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency and MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates
MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) has obtained three contracts from the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency (MRSA) related to RADARSAT-2 satellite. The first contract refers to installing a ground station in 2016 for receiving and processing information captured by the satellite; the second to providing RADARSAT-2 data in advance of the station becoming operational; and the third to a training course in order to develop products to support several applications.
The aim of the MRSA with these contracts is to use the information gathered by the satellite for flood monitoring, maritime and agricultural monitoring, natural resource management, and in the development of... read more
Publishing Date: 10/07/2015
Malaysia: New Flood Mitigation Research Centre
On 16 January 2014, the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the establishment of a new Centre of Excellence for Research on disaster management and flood mitigation.
The Center will be financed by the Long Term Research Grant Scheme and Fundamental Reserach Grant Scheme to advance research in the fields of disaster management and flood mitigation in the country.
The great importance of the Centre for enhancing disaster management in the country was emphasized Muhyiddin: "Landslides, haze and floods often occur in our country, and there needs to be a... read more
Malaysia: Head of Space Agency promotes satellite technology for disaster management
The Director-general of the Malaysian National Space Agency (Angkasa), Dr Noordin Ahmad, highlighted the importance of satellite technology in the pre- and post-disaster management phases, as well as during the occurrence of an emergency.
In an interview for the Sun, referring to the National Security Council of the Prime Minister Department, Ahmad stated: "We have engaged them on how best to use and promote the use of satellite technology in mitigating disaster. One way will be to use satellite images in the pre-... read more
International Charter activated for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370
The International Charter: Space and Major Disasters was activated yesterday to provide satellite images and image products in search of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The international mechanism was triggered by China Meteorological Administration, which will also do the project management for the activation.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared from radar over the South China Sea on 7 March 2014. The jet was carrying 239 people (12 crew and 227 passengers) and has yet to be found despite a multi-national search.
Crowdsource mapping in search for the Malaysian Airlines flight
As UN-SPIDER reported yesterday, there have been calls for using satellite data in the search for the Malaysian Airlines Flight which went missing on 8 March. The American company Tomnod has now launched a satellite imagery crowdsourcing platform to support the search and rescue teams, as IRevolution reported.
The platform is built on Digital Globe images dated 9 March covering over 1,000 square miles. The area is... read more
Satellites could help locate missing Malaysian flight
The Beijing-bound Malaysian Airlines flight MH730 disappeared on 8 March 2014 over the South China sea.
GeoSage, a company specialized in developing image fusion and spectral transformation analysis, is suggesting to use Landsat-8 satellite imagery to analyze the surrounding ocean area, where the plane lost contact.
The experts compiled a list of relevant scenes. The 15-m Landsat-8 images could be used to concentrate the search and rescue to a specific area and exclude others, as the company proposes.
Southeast Asian Nations collaborate on satellite fire data
Future.gov reported that the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have formally agreed to adopt the haze monitoring system and share satellite data to help locate fires.
The $100,000 monitoring system developed in Singapore will be implemented in Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand. By comparing high resolution imagery with land use and concession maps of fire-prone areas, the system will help locate fires.
Malaysia: Launch of geospatial services portal
The Malaysian Centre for Geospatial Data Infrastructure (MacGDI) has launched the Malaysia Geospatial Online Service (MyGOS). This portal will host crucial geospatial services and information.
The website futuregov.asia reported that the portal "allows users to create groups and invite others to work together on projects, and to share maps, data, and other content. Furthermore, users can also create public groups so that they can share data outside of their organisation." Information in the portal include: The 1Malaysia map, Air Pollutant Index and Management System, 2013 General Election, hotspots, Malaysian standard geographic information, MyGeoName, and Road Networks.
Satcom Capability Vital For Malaysia, Says Inmarsat
Having satellite communication (Satcom) capability is vital for Malaysia for interoperability and as part of any multinational force for the future security of the region.
Lizzie Greenwood, Inmarsat Plc's Director for Government Services in the Asia-Pacific said the Malaysian Navy and Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency are of particular note, as they require Satcom capability when out of coastal range and engaged in exercises with other nations. Being the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, Greenwood said Inmarsat has had a... read more
The 2020 Asia Pacific Science and Technology Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (APSTCDRR)
The APSTCDRR 2020 aims to provide an opportunity to the science, technology, and academia community in Asia and the Pacific to continue the much-needed science-policy dialogue to ensure that implementation of disaster risk reduction measures is based on reliable science, technology and innovation. Successful applications of science and technology in preventing and mitigating risks from different types of hazards including flood, earthquake, drought, health and other climate related hazards will be showcased.
There will be a focus on the application of science, technology and innovation for local and inclusive action to build disaster... read more
Technology & Applications of Disaster Management International Conference 2015 “Managing Disaster Efficiently with Technologies”
This conference will bring together leading technology companies, government bodies and agencies, stakeholders, decision makers, policy makers, researchers, engineers, scientists and public to have an open forum discussion and advance our knowledge in the area of disaster management technology and applications.
This conference will be an avenue for all participants to share and gain technical knowledge on the availability and usage of engineering technologies and applications in disaster management focusing on... read more
Training Course on Emergency Disaster Response and Recovery
1. Essentials for Humanitarian Practice
· Disaster management principles and framework
· Minimum standards and indicators
2. Response: Assessment and Coordination
· Essential components of assessments
· Assessment team roles and responsibilities
· SPHERE guideline
· Information Management
· Reporting procedures
· Simulation exercise
· Response... read more
Safe Cities Asia 2015
Safe Cities Asia 2015 is the region’s largest and most comprehensive smart resilience conference, bringing together 350 senior professionals. With over 70% of the audience from the public sector including Mayors, Chief Information Officers, Chief Security Officers, Chief Data Officers, Heads of IT and Heads of Police, Fire,... read more
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Posted on January 28, 2017 by Ray Starmann
Trump to Pentagon today: Give me a plan in 30 days to destroy ISIS
President Trump signed executive action Saturday ordering the Joint Chiefs of Staff to immediately develop a plan to defeat the Islamic State, sending a message to the world that obliterating the terrorist army is a top priority for the U.S.
“This is the plan to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, in other words ISIS,” he said as he singed the document in the Oval Office. “I think it’s going to be very successful. That’s big stuff.”
The president issued the order in the form of executive action to send a message, said a senior administration official.
“Obviously that executive order will represent a profound statement on the part of the United States that we are committed to ending this atrocity,” said the official.
The Joint Chief will have to present options for the destruction of ISIS to Mr. Trump within 30 days. Anticipating the order, military leaders reportedly have already begun to devise new strategies.
Mr. Trump signed two other executive actions.
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European Elections 2019 - Greens, Liberals and Nationalists stay afloat in churning electoral waters
After the last five years, it's not surprising that the old centrist parties of left and right faced a slip in support - to the extent that the big two of the EPP and S&D can no longer command a majority on their own - but their votes held up a bit more than might be expected. The nationalists and far right had a very mixed night, advancing in Italy and Germany while falling back in Denmark and the Netherlands. The big winners were the Greens and the liberals, winning an extra 57 seats between them and giving them a strong position in the upcoming coalition horsetrading.
The results are still to be fully confirmed, and some of the national parties may still switch between the European blocs (Orban's Fidesz party is currently suspended by the EPP and may decide to switch to the ECR), but at the time of writing the results are:
European People's Party 178 seats (-35)
Socialists & Democrats 153 (-34)
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats - 105 (+30)
Greens / EFA - 69 (+17)
European Conservatives and Reformists - 63 (-13)
Europe of Nations and Freedom - 58 (+22)
Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy - 54 (+13)
European United Left / Nordic Green Left - 38 (-14)
Non-Attached Members - 8
New Members (yet to join one of the blocs) - 25
Turnout across the EU was up for the first time after years of continuous decline from 43% to 51%, giving a huge boost to the legitimacy of the Parliament, but the Spitzenkandidat process seems to have made less of an impact than in its first outing in 2014 - except perhaps in the Netherlands, where Timmermans led a revival in S&D fortunes.
What's the Story?
The election brought such differing results that no Europe-wide narrative could really be drawn from them. The Greens, Liberals and nationalists had good nights in certain areas, though the nationalist right will be disappointed that it hasn't done as well as expected. The Greens made great progress in Germany, France, Finland and Ireland, while the far right scored successes in Italy and Britain (making modest gains in Germany and Spain, where they underperformed their previous national support, and standing still in France). The Liberals did well in France, Britain, Czech Republic, Romania and the Nordic countries. Meanwhile, the centre-left managed to hold on or revive itself in Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal.
Proportional representation means that there is always going to be a certain kaleidoscopic quality to the results, but the electoral churn this year is particularly perplexing. It seems that the liberal/far right populist divide has polarised pro- and anti-European feeling, leading to mirroring support for those movements in certain countries, and that the Greens are stepping in as an alternative to the old centre-left in countries where the established left is struggling to revive itself. Both developments will have a big impact on politics at a European level, as MEPs more self-consciously pitch themselves to these audiences, and nationally, as Green issues are taken ever more seriously and certain countries are absorbed in culture wars (particularly France, Italy and the UK).
Tilting left: where now for the Parliament?
Overall the Parliament has started to tilt ever-so-slightly leftwards. Now the big two have lost their majority, the Liberals and the Greens are increasingly important in forming a stable coalition. Coalitions aren't as important as at the national level as they can be formed more easily on issue-to-issue votes, but there needs to be a sufficient level of stability and cohesion to elect a college of commissioners and help pick the top EU jobs.
The Parliament website has a useful tool for calculating potential majorities. The main ones are:
EPP + S&D + ALDE - 436 seats
EPP + S&D + Greens - 400 seats
EPP + S&D + ALDE + Greens - 505 seats
EPP + ALDE + ECR + ENF - 404 seats
The last of these potential coalitions, EPP + ALDE + ECR + ENF, is highly unlikely as ENF houses France's National Rally party and would be considered unacceptable as a coalition partner. However, it illustrates how difficult it is constructing a coalition on the right as the ENF and EFDD are not only difficult partners politically, but they have very low levels of voting cohesion (this also applies to the far-left EUL/NGL bloc).
The weakness of both the EPP and S&D, coupled with the shift towards the Liberals and Greens, means that the political balance has started to shift leftwards, which may impact on the shape of future Eurozone and other economic legislation. It would also add weight to arguments on civil liberties. The four-bloc pro-EU coalition has a very large majority, showing that on issue-to-issue votes, ad hoc coalitions necessary to get amendments and legislation through can afford to err more on the left of an argument. The ability of the EPP to maintain its own cohesion on votes and the economic positioning of the Liberals will be key in determining how far the leftward shift can actually go. The left is, after all, very divided and will need to have a clearer idea of where it wants to go to make an impact.
Labels: ALDE, EFDD, election 2019, election campaigns, EPP, European elections, European Greens, European Parliament, PES
European Elections 2019 - Greens, Liberals and Nat...
#EU09vsEU19 - What's changed in EU politics and so...
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Towards a Definition of New Testament Prophecy
Richard M. Blaylock
Richard Blaylock is a PhD candidate in Biblical Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
Despite a number of recent proposals, scholars have yet to reach a consensus regarding what the New Testament prophets were actually doing when they prophesied. In this essay, I attempt to make a contribution to New Testament studies by working towards a definition of New Testament prophecy. I proceed in three steps. First, I survey five different views on the nature of New Testament prophecy. Second, I analyze relevant texts from the New Testament to answer the question: what kind of an activity was New Testament prophecy? Third, I evaluate the arguments made for both limited prophetic authority and full prophetic authority. On the basis of the study, I conclude that prophetic activity in the New testament (1) is a human act of intelligible communication that (2) is rooted in spontaneous, divine revelation and (3) is empowered by the Holy Spirit, so that prophecy (4) consists in human speech or writing that can be attributed to the members of the Godhead and (5) that always carries complete divine authority.
Many evangelicals might be surprised to discover that prophecy remains an elusive concept among academics.1 Despite a number of recent proposals, scholars have yet to reach a consensus regarding what the New Testament prophets were actually doing when they were prophesying. I attempt to address this problem by seeking to answer two questions. First, what kind of an activity was NT prophecy? Second, what kind of authority did NT prophecy involve?
1. The Activity of NT Prophecy: Recent Proposals
In the past fifty years, various attempts have been made to define NT prophecy. Of these, five suggestions stand out for their influence or their originality. While much of the work behind these studies is stimulating and judicious, I hope to demonstrate that each of these proposals is ultimately found wanting.
1.1. Prophecy as Inspired Exegesis
Earle E. Ellis has contributed to the discussion of prophecy by hypothesizing that the interpretation of Scripture is a key feature of prophetic activity.2 He argues that there is OT precedent for this view in the work of Daniel and in other instances of OT prophets making use of OT texts. He notes that the evidence from Qumran should caution scholars from distinguishing too sharply between prophetic functions and teaching functions, thus undermining the argument that biblical interpretation belongs to the latter. He suggests that Jesus’s common practice of expositing Scripture in the synagogue reflects his role not only as teacher, but also as prophet. Ellis also understands James to be prophesying at the Jerusalem council, and he thus concludes that the decree of Acts 15 serves as evidence that prophecy involves biblical interpretation.3 Lastly, Ellis contends that the many instances of NT interpretation of the OT are prophetic because (1) NT prophets would have had similar hermeneutical convictions to the teachers at Qumran and (2) introductory formulas like λέγει κύριος (“the Lord says”) functioned to mark prophecy.4
Though carefully argued, Ellis’s proposal falls short of being persuasive. An examination of the verb προφητεύω (“to prophesy”) in the NT reveals no clear references to charismatic exegesis.5 In fact, Ellis does not provide a NT example wherein the exposition of Scripture is explicitly tied to the act of prophecy.6 While Ellis has shown that prophets do interpret the Scriptures, he has not demonstrated that they do so specifically as an expression of their prophetic role. As he himself is aware, many leaders of the early church wore multiple hats. To prove that prophecy can be synonymous with biblical interpretation, he would have to demonstrate that Paul, Barnabas, Peter, James, and others exposited the Scripture as an expression of their prophetic office; needless to say, Ellis does not prove this point.7 Lastly, Aune and others have rightly argued that λέγει κύριος often marks a simple reference to Scripture.8 Thus, it seems unwarranted to call charismatic exegesis (in-and-of itself) prophecy.
1.2. Prophecy as Pastoral Preaching
David Hill has argued that NT prophecy should fundamentally be understood as pastoral preaching.9 Hill begins by explaining that a functional approach to the question is most likely to bear fruit.10 He therefore focuses on the activities of those he identifies as NT prophets in order to determine their essential function.11 First, he looks at the book of Revelation and concludes that paraenesis is basic to John’s understanding of prophetic activity.12 Second, Hill argues that, in the book of Acts, prophetic ministry always involves pastoral encouragement.13 Third, Hill reads 1 Corinthians 14:3 to equate prophecy and exhortation.14 On this basis, Hill explores the use of παρακαλέω (“to exhort”) and παρακλήσις (“encouragement”) in Paul’s letters and posits that these have a special connection with prophecy.15 Lastly, Hill cites the book of Hebrews itself as an example of prophecy because it is called “the word of exhortation” (τοῦ λόγου τῆς παρακλήσεως, Heb 13:22).16 These sorts of arguments lead Hill to conclude that “as pastoral preachers the New Testament prophets teach and give instruction on what the Christian way requires of individual believers and of the community as a whole.”17
As others have noted, Hill’s definition of prophecy is not without problems. First of all, much of his case is built upon what Moo calls “argument by association.”18 That is to say, Hill assumes that the mention of phenomena associated with the prophets or with prophetic activity (like the Holy Spirit for example) also implies the presence of prophecy; the conclusion however does not necessarily follow.19 Second, his definition does not account for all the data.20 In fact, several prophetic activities in the NT call his definition into question. To provide just two examples, it is hard to see how Agabus’s famine prediction (Acts 11:28) or his foretelling of what would befall Paul (Acts 21:11) could be thought of as pastoral preaching.21 Lastly, Hill’s argumentation seems circular at a few points. So for instance, Hill cites Acts 13:17–41 as part of his argument for characterizing prophecy as exhortatory preaching. He notes that nothing about the form of the homily suggests a prophetic character and yet, based solely on “the presence of the exhortation to repentance and obedience,” he says that “we can discern the utterance of a prophetic spirit.” This is hardly convincing in my estimation.22 These shortcomings make it unlikely that Hill is correct to define prophecy as exhortatory preaching.
1.3. Prophecy as Exposition of the Kerygma
A third approach to the problem is espoused by Thomas W. Gillespie.23 He believes that prophecy (at least in Paul) must be understood as the inspired exposition of the ethical and theological implications of the kerygma.24 Gillespie argues that Paul sets the gospel itself as the criterion for judging prophecy, which then implies that prophecy must itself be gospel proclamation.25 He reads 1 Corinthians 12:1–3 as teaching that the gospel-confession “Jesus is Lord” is what marks all true prophecy.26 Additionally, Gillespie believes that in both Romans 1:2 and 3:21, Paul closely associates OT prophecy with gospel proclamation.27 Lastly, Gillespie relies on 1 Corinthians 14:3 to further his case, as he states that edification (οἰκοδομή), exhortation (παρακλήσις), and comfort (παραμυθία) name “the action of the Spirit that is grounded materially in the gospel and mediated through its proclamation.”28
Though Gillespie’s case is appealing, it too faces difficulties. To begin with, Gillespie defines prophecy in a way that would imply that Paul was at odds with other OT and NT writers. After all, both the OT and the NT recount prophetic activities which would be difficult to describe as gospel proclamation.29 Second, Gillespie’s argument from Paul’s references to the OT prophets in Romans 1:2 and 3:21 is unconvincing because in both texts, Paul likely speaks of the OT canon as a whole.30 Lastly, the premise that the kerygma is the criterion by which one identifies true prophecy does not logically necessitate the conclusion that prophecy is itself kerygmatic proclamation. A criterion may limit a concept without necessarily defining that concept. So for instance, the author of the Didache distinguished between true and false prophets by claiming that the former never received payment. However, it would be a mistake to conclude on the basis of this criterion that prophetic ministry is to be equated with unpaid ministry. Unfortunately, Gillespie’s construal of prophecy is the result of this kind of misstep.31 These points lead me to reject Gillespie’s definition of prophecy despite its initial appeal.
1.4. Prophecy as Interpretation of Inspired Thoughts
Terrence Callan describes prophetic activity by saying, “Prophecy was the result of inspiration in the form of an inner, divine ‘voice,’ comparable to one’s ordinary thoughts and differing from them mainly in being sent by God rather than arising in the usual way. The prophet then interprets these inner promptings, chiefly by expressing them in speech.”32 Wayne Grudem explains NT prophecy similarly. He argues that 1 Corinthians 13:9 implies that the prophet had to interpret the revelations he received, and that he in fact did so with great difficulty.33 Thus, with respect to Acts 21:10–11, Grudem says “Agabus had a ‘revelation’ from the Holy Spirit concerning what would happen to Paul in Jerusalem, and gave a prophecy which included his own interpretation of this revelation (and therefore some mistakes in the exact details).”34 Reports by charismatics of their own experiences of prophecy reveal similar ideas regarding prophetic activity.35
The view that prophecy refers to interpreted divine revelation is intriguing but speculative. While Callan and Grudem are right to tie prophecy and revelation together, the NT itself does not disclose the “psychological” relationship between the two. Furthermore, the few glimpses we have into the inner-workings of prophecy (like Acts 21:11 and Rev 2–3) run counter to their suggestion that prophecy involves the fallible human interpretation of divine revelation. In addition, Grudem’s proposal regarding 1 Corinthians 13:9–12 is problematic because, if it is correct, then Paul indicts his own prophetic ministry: in these verses, Paul uses first-person plural verbs (γινώσκομεν: “we know”; προφητεύομεν: “we prophesy”; βλέπομεν: “we see”) and a first-person singular verb (γινώσκω: “I know”). Significantly, 2 Peter 1:20–21 explicitly states that “no prophecy of Scripture ever came about by someone’s own interpretation; for no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”36 For these reasons, I have little confidence that prophecy should be defined as the human interpretation of divinely inspired thoughts.37
1.5. Prophecy as Mediation
Perhaps the most provocative proposal comes from Clint Tibbs, who defines prophecy as “the gift of becoming a medium through whom spirits can speak the mother tongue of the spectators.”38 Tibbs regrets that 1 Corinthians has been read through 4th century Trinitarian lenses;39 as a result, interpreters blind themselves to the “spiritism” which characterizes Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 12–14.40 According to Tibbs, anarthrous occurrences of πνεῦμα must mean “a spirit” rather than “the Spirit.”41 Even when “spirit” is accompanied by the article in fact, no reference to “the Holy Spirit” is intended;42 instead, Paul must be speaking of “the spirit world” because “in the NT, the world of good spirits was frequently denoted as a corporate plurality.”43 Tibbs also points to 1 Corinthians 14:12 and 32 for corroboration, arguing that πνεύματα cannot be understood as anything but “spirits.”44 Further evidence comes from first-century figures like Plutrach, Josephus, Philo, and Pseudo-Philo, who all testify to spirits speaking through human mediums.45 Tibbs concludes therefore that prophecy is the work of various holy spirits who possess mediums in order to proclaim Christ.
Tibbs refers to his own work as a “maverick interpretation.”46 It most certainly is maverick, but it is also untenable. His grammatical arguments fail because anarthrous nouns are regularly definite, especially when they occur in prepositional phrases or when they are modified by a genitive noun.47 He provides little-to-no evidence for his claim that τὸ πνεῦμα should be read as a collective noun referring to the spirit world.48 Despite his best efforts, Tibbs cannot account for the fact that Paul speaks of “the same Spirit” and “one and the same Spirit” in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11.49 He does not take into account the OT testimony to the unique Spirit of God.50 He simply assumes that Paul would conceive of prophecy similarly to Plutarch, Josephus, Philo and Pseudo-Philo, when in fact, Paul demonstrates vast differences from the four on the topic of prophecy.51 Lastly, Tibbs flounders to explain how the early church fell upon the idea of “the Holy Spirit” if in fact “a unique, uncreated Holy Spirit … is neither a tenable prospect for πνεῦμα in the NT nor indigenous to the NT period.”52 For all these reasons, Tibbs’s treatment of prophecy has little to commend it in my estimation.
2. The Activity of NT Prophecy: Analysis of Biblical Evidence
As I have shown, several attempts have recently been made to define NT prophecy. However, my survey of these proposals suggests that a truly satisfying definition has yet to be formulated. Thus, there remains a need to revisit the NT afresh in order to answer the question, “what kind of an activity was NT prophecy?”
In order to maintain a proper focus on prophetic activity, I have considered two kinds of NT texts: those which refer to prophecy explicitly and those which do so implicitly. On the one hand, texts in which either the verb προφήτευω or the noun προφήτεια occur are obviously crucial to exploring the meaning of prophecy in the NT. On the other hand, some passages without the words προφήτευω or προφήτεια may still involve prophetic activity. In order to determine when this is the case, I have employed two criteria: (1) the text must refer to an activity performed by a person designated a “prophet” (προφήτης or προφῆτις), and (2) the activity reported must share significant similarities with the kinds of activities referred to by the verb προφήτευω or the noun προφήτεια. The first condition provides an objective, lexical basis for narrowing the scope of potentially relevant passages. However, since prophets presumably engaged in prophetic as well as non-prophetic activity, the first condition is not sufficient by itself to ensure that a passage involves prophecy. Therefore, the second condition must be added. By using these two criteria, I hope to include implicit references to prophecy while also guarding the study from the taint of false positives.53
2.1. Prophetic Activity in the Synoptics and Acts
The synoptic writers refer to prophetic activity several times in their works.54 Each of them indicate that prophecy involves a miraculous element.55 The events after Christ’s trial testify to this point, as Jesus was asked to demonstrate his prophetic abilities by identifying his assailants without the normal means of doing so.56 Matthew 7:22 associates prophecy with casting out demons and performing miracles, while Acts 2:17–18 links it with the reception of dreams and visions. In addition, Luke highlights the involvement of the Spirit of God in the act of prophesying.57 Thus, the gospel writers seem to agree that prophecy is supernatural.
These writers also concur that prophecy was an act of communication. Matthew (13:14, 15:7) and Mark (7:6) refer to Isaiah’s speech as prophecy. In Matthew 26:68 and Luke 22:64, Christ’s abusers imply that prophecy involves communication when they ask him to prophesy by identifying who hit him. In Luke 1:67, Zechariah prophesies by announcing the meaning and significance of his son’s birth. If Judas and Silas are prophesying in Acts 15, they do so with “many words.”58 Furthermore, there is some evidence that the Holy Spirit is ultimately responsible for the words of prophetic communication. So for example, provided that Acts 13:2 refers to prophecy,59 Luke says that “when they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul….” And again, in Acts 21:11, Agabus introduces his prophecy with the formula, “The Holy Spirit says this” (τάδε λέγει τὸ πνευμα τὸ ἅγιον). 60 And though the Holy Spirit is not explicitly credited with the prophetic words in both Luke 1:67 and Acts 11:28, he is depicted as closely involved in both prophecies. Lastly, Luke intimates that prophecy could be delivered spontaneously. So for instance, Zechariah’s prophetic speech in Luke 1:67 was clearly unprepared and unrehearsed. The prophecies in Acts 19:6 were delivered suddenly, through a dramatic work of the Spirit. And while we cannot be sure, it is certainly possible that Agabus prophesied spontaneously in Acts 11:28 and 21:10–11.61
This overview provides enough information to make three broad statements regarding prophecy according to the synoptic writers. First, prophecy is miraculous and could be spontaneous. Second, prophecy is an act of communication. Third, prophecy involves the work of the Holy Spirit, which may extend to the actual words spoken by the prophet.
2.2. Prophetic Activity in Pauline Literature
Paul provides much information regarding prophetic activity. To begin with, he clearly views prophecy as an act of communication. The apostle makes this explicit when he says in 1 Corinthians 14:3, “The one who prophesies speaks to men.” Several other Pauline texts serve as further evidence: (1) as seen in 1 Corinthians 14:1–6, Paul prized prophecy above tongues because the former was intelligible while the latter was not; (2) according to 1 Corinthians 14:20–25, unbelievers who enter the assembly may comprehend prophecies, but they may see tongues as evidence of insanity; 62 (3) in 1 Corinthians 14:31, prophecy results in learning and in encouragement; (4) prophecy can be “weighed” by “others” (1 Cor 14:29), which probably implies a judgment based on content; and (5) the prophecies received previously by Timothy could be recalled and were about him (1 Tim 1:18–19).63 Prophecy according to Paul therefore undoubtedly referred to the communication of intelligible content.
Like the Synoptic writers, Paul also ascribes prophecy to the power of the Holy Spirit. Prophecy is among the χαρίσματα (“gifts”), which are distributed by “one and the same Spirit.” It is included among the πνευματικά (“spiritual gifts”; cf. 1 Cor 14:1), indicating a close connection with the Spirit. Furthermore, Paul’s instructions in 1 Thessalonians 5:19–20 seem to link quenching the Spirit with despising prophecy.64 Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 12:7–11 that prophecy is one manifestation of the Spirit’s power for the common good. This link between prophecy and the Holy Spirit need not imply a “possession trance,”65 or a state of ecstasy;66 prophets still had full control of their faculties, which is why Paul expects them to maintain order when the church gathers together (1 Cor 14:29–33).
In several texts, Paul also ties prophecy to divine revelation (ἀποκάλυψις). For example, 1 Corinthians 14:29–30 says, “Now let two or three prophets speak and let the others distinguish. If [something] is revealed to another while he is sitting, let the first be silent.”67 This text also suggests that the revelation is spontaneous: it is not the direct result of preparation or study.68 The connection between prophecy and revelation is also indicated in 1 Corinthians 14:6, where an abab pattern links revelation with prophecy and knowledge with teaching.69 And despite being hyperbolic, 1 Corinthians 13:2 also suggests that prophecy involves receiving revelation. However, given the dominant characterization of prophecy as communication, it seems safe to conclude that revelation by itself is not prophetic: prophecy always involves the communication of said revelation.
On the basis of this overview, I suggest that the activity of prophesying according to Paul (1) involved the communication of intelligible content, (2) was empowered by the Holy Spirit, and (3) was done in conjunction with the spontaneous reception of divine revelation. Paul, therefore, presents prophetic activity similarly to the Synoptic writers.
2.3. Prophetic Activity in Johannine Literature
The beloved apostle is a unique source of information on the nature of NT prophecy.70 In fact, John has bequeathed to the church its only sure and lengthy example of prophecy from the NT period: the book of Revelation.71 Given its significance for the topic at hand, I will begin my study of John’s writings with his Apocalypse.
Let us begin with the obvious: according to John, prophecy originates in divine revelation. The opening of the book makes this crystal clear: “The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him in order to show his servants the things which necessarily will come to pass soon.” This verse establishes that the entire work, which John calls a prophecy (see Rev 1:3, 22:7, 22:10, 22:18–19), is based on divine revelation.72 Like Paul, John indicates that God is the ultimate source of the revelation (Rev 1:1). Uniquely however, John tells the recipients of the letter that Christ mediated the revelation to the church. Thus, both God (presumably the Father) and the risen Lord act in revealing these mysteries to John.73 In addition, John also hints at the involvement of the Spirit in the revelation; for he says in 1:10, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet.”74 Revelation 1:10–20 also implies that the revelation came spontaneously: John did not come to the disclosure little by little, but it came to him suddenly and unexpectedly. John therefore agrees with other NT writers that prophecy includes a spontaneous element (i.e. the ἀποκάλυψις), but he uniquely emphasizes the Trinitarian character of the prophetic act.
To state a second self-evident observation: the book of Revelation as a whole demonstrates that prophecy is an act of communication. According to Revelation 1:3, prophecy consists of words which can be read, heard, or written down.75 John’s statements in 22:7 and 22:10 have a similar import. Revelation 10:11 implies that prophecy has communicable content because John is to prophesy “concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”76 Prophecy in John however is not just any communication; it is sacred communication. In 22:18–19, John sternly warns the recipients of the book not to treat the words of this prophecy with contempt or with apathy.77 John demands that this book be revered because he is not Revelation’s ultimate author; John’s prophecy is simultaneously his message (Rev 1:4), “the word of God” (Rev 1:2), “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:2; cf. 19:10), and “what the Holy Spirit says to the churches” (Rev 2:11, et al.). This tells us two things: (1) prophecy is Trinitarian at heart, and (2) prophecy embraces the actual words used by a prophet.78
Up until this point, John’s testimony has closely resembled what we’ve seen in other NT writings. The beloved apostle does however make two idiosyncratic statements regarding NT prophecy. First, he seems to call the universal church’s testimony to Christ prophecy. He does this in Revelation 11:3–13, where the church is depicted as two witnesses prophesying for the duration between Christ’s resurrection and his return.79 In all likelihood, this text should not be understood to refer to the spiritual gift of prophecy.80 After all, John speaks of the prophets as though they were a distinct group within the church (Rev 11:18, 16:6, 18:20, 18:24, 22:9),81 while Paul explicitly asserts that the gift of prophecy is not given to all Christians (Rom 12:3–8; 1 Cor 12:27–31). Thus, in Revelation 11:3, John is probably using the language of prophecy in a figurative or expanded sense in order to describe the church’s role as Christ’s spirit-empowered witness in the world.82 The second example of John’s unique testimony is found in John 11:51. Here he records the curious case of Caiaphas, who unwittingly “prophesied” regarding Christ’s substitutionary death. I have not found any other cases of inadvertent prophecy in the canon. This seems to be another example of analogical language; John uses the word “prophecy” to claim that, through divine providence, Caiaphas spoke better than he knew.83
In sum, John confirms much of what we have already seen while adding his own nuance to our study of prophetic activity. First, he affirms that prophecy originates in spontaneous revelation. Second, he agrees that it is an act of communication. Third, he posits the Trinity to be ultimately behind the prophetic act. Lastly, he credits God with responsibility for the very words of the prophecy.84
2.4. Prophetic Activity in the Rest of the NT
Of the remaining NT materials, only 1 Peter 1:10, 2 Peter 1:20–21, and Jude 14–15 directly describe or report prophetic activity. Though none of these verses focus specifically on NT prophecy, they may still provide information relevant to the topic at hand. For this reason, I will deal with each text briefly.
First Peter 1:10–11 provides a fascinating glimpse into OT prophecy. Peter notes that the Holy Spirit was directly involved in revealing a message to the prophet, even as the prophecy’s most intriguing details remained obscure. He also claims that prophecy had cognitive content, as it concerned “the grace which was for you” (περὶ εἰς ὑμας χάριτος) and “the sufferings of Christ and glories which come after these things” (τὰ εἰς Χριστὸν παθήματα καὶ τὰς μετὰ ταυτα δόξας). A complementary picture emerges from 2 Peter 1:20–21. Peter explicitly denounces the notion that prophecies are the result of human will or interpretation. Instead, the Holy Spirit controls the prophetic activity so that those prophesying “spoke from God.” Jude meanwhile provides less information regarding prophecy. Nevertheless, we can deduce from Jude 14 that it involved supernatural communication, as he believes words spoken hundreds of years before were being fulfilled in his present day.85 Thus, Peter and Jude describe prophecy in a similar manner as the other NT writers.
2.5. Summary of Findings
Thus far, my study has shown that the NT writers understood prophetic activity similarly. In fact, enough unity exists to posit a working definition for NT prophecy. NT prophecy can be defined as (1) a miraculous act of intelligible communication, (2) rooted in spontaneous, divine revelation and (3) empowered by the Holy Spirit, so that (4) the prophetic words spoken (or written) could be attributed to any and all members of the Godhead. However, in order to round out this definition, there is one more key issue that must be examined.
3. The Authority of NT Prophecy
Scholars do not only debate the nature of prophetic activity; they also disagree with respect to the extent of prophetic authority. On the one hand, some propose that NT prophecy was a mixed phenomenon that carried different degrees of authority.86 On the other hand, several scholars contend that NT prophecy was always entirely authoritative.87 If my analysis of prophetic activity is accurate, the NT data would seem to support the latter position. But before a conclusion can be reached, it will be necessary to examine the arguments made on both sides.88
3.1. NT Prophecy with Limited Authority
Proponents of the limited authority view regularly put forward the following arguments to make their case. First, they claim that prophecy throughout biblical times has always functioned with different levels of authority.89 Some who make this argument claim that the OT texts themselves reflect different levels of authority;90 others disagree, asserting that the canonical OT writers always prophesied with divine authority.91 Nevertheless, these scholars all argue that OT prophecy was not always authoritative and that NT prophecy should be understood similarly. Unfortunately, little evidence has been mounted to demonstrate the existence of non-authoritative OT prophets. The OT passages put forward as proof of non-authoritative prophecy are inconclusive at best (e.g. Num 11:24–30, 12:6; 1 Sam 10:5–13, 18:10–11, 19:20–23; 1 Chr 25:1–7). Since none of these verses actually mention downgraded authority, appeals to such texts are not compelling.92 Additionally, no biblical author acknowledges the existence of genuine OT prophecies that lacked authority.93 Thus, I suggest that more evidence would be required for this argument gain traction.
As a second argument, some have suggested that the NT counterparts for the authoritative OT prophets were the apostles rather than the prophets.94 On the one hand, Grudem appeals to Luke 11:49 and 2 Peter 3:2 in order to argue this point.95 On the other hand, Carson describes the NT prophets as being afforded less respect than NT apostles; this is taken to mean that the former enjoyed less authority than the latter.96 The problem with this line of argumentation is similar to the last: greater evidence is needed to warrant such a conclusion. The burden of proof weighs heavily as the very choice of the term προφήτης strongly suggests that NT prophets were the counterparts of the OT prophets. Luke 11:49 may not even be referring to OT prophets (the use of the future tense suggests a reference to NT prophets; see also Matt 23:34–36) and 2 Peter 3:2 does not actually speak to the relationship between OT prophets, NT prophets, and the apostles. In addition, even if the apostles were presented as counterparts to the OT prophets, that would not require the conclusion that NT prophets did not prophecy with divine authority. The positive statement that apostolic ministry corresponded with OT prophetic ministry need not imply the negative statement that NT prophetic ministry did not.97 As for Carson’s suggestion that NT prophets were not afforded respect, Paul himself had to defend his authority on numerous occasions (1 Cor 4:1–5; 9; 2 Cor 10–12; Gal 1–2). Thus, even if Carson is correct in his reconstruction of the setting behind 1 Thessalonians 5:20, it would not prove his point.98
Third, several proponents of the limited authority view find support in texts that teach the church to test prophecies.99 According to their reading, these verses (especially 1 Corinthians 14:29) instruct the congregation to discern which parts of each prophecy were true and which parts were false. However, 1 Corinthians 14:29 probably refers to making distinctions between prophecies rather than within prophecies.100 This type of instruction would be expected given the dangers of false prophets.101 And in light of the repeated warnings regarding this threat, it is telling that the apostles never provide explicit indications that true prophets may be dangerous as well.102 Moreover, when the Bereans sifted the apostles’ message in Acts 17:11, their authority was not thereby called into question.103 In fact, Paul himself admits that his proclamations needed to be consistent with the gospel if they were to be received (Gal 1:8–9).104 On analogy then, the testing of prophecies does not necessarily imply the existence of non-authoritative prophets.
Fourth, Grudem argues that the silencing of prophets in 1 Corinthians 14:30 would be deeply troubling if they spoke God’s actual words. He believes it more likely that Paul’s willingness to lose these prophecies evinces their limited authority. As Grudem says, “If prophets had been thought to speak the very words of God, we should have expected Paul to show more concern for the preservation of these words and their proclamation.”105 But if this argument holds, it would prove too much because the vast majority of Jesus’s words have not been kept either. Furthermore, it seems undeniable that the apostles made decisions as to which of Christ’s discourses to relay and which ones to omit. Thus, one cannot argue that Paul’s instruction necessarily implies a low view of NT prophecy. Instead, the instruction in 14:30 reflects Paul’s desire that no prophet dominate the congregation and that the church remain sensitive to the stirring of the Spirit.106
Fifth, several scholars believe that the prophecy of Agabus in Acts 21:11 confirms the limited view. They claim that the prophet was wrong to predict that Paul would be bound by the Jews and handed over to the Gentiles; according to their reading, the apostle was in fact bound by Romans who rescued him from the Jews. It is argued that such inaccuracy must exemplify fallible NT prophecy.107 Several problems plague this line of argumentation. First of all, the prophet explicitly claims that he spoke the words of the Holy Spirit (τάδε λέγει τὸ πνεῦμα). If Agabus prophesied falsely, it becomes difficult to avoid the conclusion that the Holy Spirit was also culpable.108 Second, Luke seems to portray Agabus in light of the OT prophets by reporting the sign act that he performed. If this is true, it is highly unlikely that Luke thought of his prophecies as being inaccurate. Third, as Robertson points out, there is no guarantee that Paul was not in fact bound by the Jews and handed over to the Romans.109 Paul’s words in Acts 28:17 may echo Agabus’s prediction, indicating that the apostle was satisfied with the prophet’s accuracy.110 Finally, as many have noted, this interpretation is in danger of resulting in a kind of pedantry that would also call into question canonical prophecies. As Gentry warns, “if [Grudem’s] argument were valid, then much of predictive prophecy from the Old Testament could be discounted (and has been discounted by liberal theologies) on this basis.”111
The final argument put forward for the limited authority of NT prophecy involves Acts 21:4. Some see Paul’s response in this verse as a deliberate repudiation of a prophetic word.112 At this point, Luke reports that some disciples told Paul “through the Spirit” (διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος) not to proceed to Jerusalem. Paul however decides not to heed their warning, which suggests to some that NT prophecy is not always authoritative.113 This is perhaps the strongest argument in favor of this view. However, it is not altogether clear that this verse refers to prophecy at all. The speakers are identified as disciples, not prophets. The phrase “through the Spirit” is used only four times in Acts, making it difficult to claim a technical function for the construction.114 Furthermore, Acts 21:11–14 seems to report a similar situation, thereby illuminating the circumstances of 21:4.115 In Acts 21:11, Agabus predicts the suffering that will befall Paul in Jerusalem. In response to the Holy Spirit’s words, the disciples plead with Paul to remain. And when they see his resolve to proceed, they submit to God’s purpose saying “Let the will of the Lord be done.” It is likely that a similar scenario was playing out in Acts 21:4. Perhaps a prophet among the disciples prophesied that suffering awaited Paul. Because of their love for him, the disciples responded to this divine disclosure by imploring him to avoid the road to Jerusalem. If this reading is faithful to Luke’s intention, then these verses do not in fact report Paul disobeying a prophetic word. At the very least, Acts 21:4 cannot be said to provide a clear example of prophecy with limited authority.
Despite the popularity of the position, the evidence in favor of NT prophecy with limited authority is slim. At the end of the day, the case rests too heavily on arguments from silence, on an over-reading of texts, and on a selective use of data. But can a better defense be mounted for the full authority of NT prophecy? I believe this question can be answered in the affirmative.
3.2. NT Prophecy with Full Authority
There are at least four reasons to believe that NT prophecy should be viewed as fully authoritative. First, the book of Revelation stands as an argument for authoritative NT prophecy. Revelation should not be treated as a “special case.”116 It is significant that John, though an apostle, did not appeal to his apostolic office to assert the authority of his words; instead, he emphasized their prophetic character.117 The best explanation for this is that the NT church understood genuine prophecy to be entirely authoritative. Furthermore, as Aune and others have noted, the distance between John and the rest of the NT on the matter of prophecy has been greatly exaggerated.118 The book of Revelation functions to exhort, encourage, and comfort saints under persecution, which is precisely what we would expect given Paul’s description of prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14:3.119 The fact that some churches were slow to accept Revelation into the canon may suggest that it too was tested, which would be consistent with Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 14:29 and 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21.120 Also, since other NT prophets spoke the words of the Spirit (Acts 13:1–2, 21:10–11), we cannot assume that this was unique to John. I thus conclude that Revelation is representative of NT prophecy, which should therefore be understood as authoritative.
Second, some scholars argue that Peter’s announcement of the fulfillment of Joel 2:28–29 strongly suggests the divine authority of NT prophecy.121 They rightly point out the unlikelihood that Joel had in mind the kind of prophecy described by Grudem and others. Ironically in fact, Grudem himself makes this point when he says, “The distinguishing characteristic of a true [OT] prophet was said to be this: he did not speak his own words or ‘words of his own heart,’ but words which God had sent him to deliver.”122 If this is true (and I believe it is), could it really be the case that Joel was predicting that God’s people would be provided with prophets who would at times misinterpret divine revelation? It is more likely that the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy involved authoritative NT prophets.
Third, in addition to the book of Revelation, the other examples of NT prophecy recorded in the Scriptures also attest to divine authority. Agabus’s prediction of the famine in Acts 11:28 is said to have come to pass in the days of Claudius. The words of the Holy Spirit for Barnabas and Saul are relayed by prophets in Acts 13:1–2. Agabus is recorded as speaking the words of the Holy Spirit in Acts 21:11. Since the NT does not present these as special cases, it seems best to view them as representative of NT prophecy.123
Lastly, the foundational role assigned to the NT prophets in Ephesians 2:20 suggests prophecy with divine authority.124 Ephesians 2:19–20 says, “Therefore then, you are no longer strangers and aliens but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, because you have been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.” It seems unlikely that the prophets would be afforded such a crucial ministry in the life of the church if their prophecies could be mixed with error.125
3.3. Refining the Definition
It seems then that we can add one more nuance to our definition of NT prophecy. NT prophecy can be defined as (1) a miraculous act of intelligible communication, (2) rooted in spontaneous, divine revelation and (3) empowered by the Holy Spirit, which (4) results in words that can be attributed to any and all members of the Godhead and which therefore (5) must be received by those who hear or read them as absolutely binding and true.
In this study, I have attempted to define NT prophecy by answering two fundamental questions: (1) what kind of an activity was it? and (2) what kind of authority did it involve? After interacting with recent scholarship and exploring the data afresh, I believe I have arrived at a definition that better captures what prophetic activity consisted of during NT times. If my proposal is correct, then NT prophecy should be understood to refer to the authoritative disclosure of God’s words. This in turn has ramifications for other discussions related to the matter of prophecy.126
[1] I’d like to express my deepest thanks to both Tom Schreiner and Jarrett Ford for their feedback on an earlier draft of this article. I am also grateful to Brian Tabb for his helpful suggestions and for his generosity in providing me with an early manuscript of his book All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone.
[2] Though charismatic interpretation does not exhaust prophecy in his view, Ellis’s inclusion of inspired exegesis within the umbrella of prophetic activity separates his perspective from that of other scholars. For a more complete account of his understanding of prophecy, see E. Earle Ellis, Prophecy and Hermeneutics in Early Christianity: New Testament Essays, WUNT 18 (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1978), 130–44.
[3] See Ellis, Prophecy and Hermeneutics, 134–38.
[4] Ellis, Prophecy and Hermeneutics, 148–50, 172, 184.
[5] The verb occurs 28 times in the NT and in only one of these occurrences is it possible that the verb refers to the interpretation of Scripture: Luke 1:67–79. However, it is more likely that Zechariah was demonstrating that his prophetic word regarding John was the fulfillment of God’s promises of old; it does not seem to be the case that the prophecy itself consisted of the interpretation of the OT.
[6] As Forbes states, “The weakness in Ellis’ position is that he can find no cases in Acts (his chosen field) in which anyone both functions as an expositor of Scripture and is described as a prophet. Nor, for that matter, is the role of biblical exposition ever directly linked with a person being described as a prophet in Acts.” For his full critique, see Christopher Forbes, Prophecy and Inspired Speech in Early Christanity and Its Hellenistic Environment, WUNT 2/75 (Tübingen: Mohr, 1995), 232–36.
[7] So also Forbes, Prophecy and Inspired Speech, 233.
[8] David E. Aune, Prophecy in Early Christianity and the Ancient Mediterranean World (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1983), 343–45; David Hill, New Testament Prophecy (Atlanta: John Knox, 1979), 106–7; D. A. Carson, Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12–14 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1987), 92; Wayne Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today, rev. ed. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2000), 135–36.
[9] See Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 128. Both Martin and Garland basically adopt Hill’s views; see Ralph P. Martin, The Spirit and the Congregation: Studies in 1 Corinthians 12–15 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984), 14; David E. Garland, 1 Corinthians, BECNT (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003), 632. For a more recent defense of this position, see Chris Knights, “Prophecy and Preaching: Does What Paul Calls ‘Prophecy’ in 1 Corinthians 14 Include What We Would Today Call ‘Preaching’?,” ExpTim 130 (2018): 72–79.
[10] For the full discussion regarding his adopted method, see Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 2–9.
[11] Hill is aware of one weakness of his own approach: namely, that it allows one to confuse a prophet’s activities with prophetic activity. After all, not everything a prophet does should be called prophecy. Thus, Hill rightly notes that researchers themselves must decide how they are to identify what is fundamental to prophetic activity. For his part, Hill believes that he can overcome this difficulty by comparing prophets to see which activities distinguish them from other functionaries. See Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 4–5.
[12] Hill also says that in Revelation at least, prophecy involves (1) the interpretation of history in light of redemptive history and (2) pronouncements of divine judgment. See New Testament Prophecy, 85–87.
[13] According to Hill, Acts depicts Stephen, Philip, Paul, Barnabas, and Agabus as prophets. Both Stephen and Philip are included because each is said to be full of the Holy Spirit. In addition, like the prophets of old, Philip experienced the “sudden and dramatic interventions of the Spirit’s action.” For the full discussion, see Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 99–109.
[14] Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 122–23.
[15] This connection leads Hill (New Testament Prophecy, 128) to claim that 1 Thessalonians 2:12 bears witness to Paul’s prophetic ministry in Thessalonica. At this point, Hill seems to build upon Ellis’s prior work on παρακλήσις and prophecy. See Ellis, Prophecy and Hermeneutics, 130–32; Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 101–3, 122–29.
[16] Hill also suggests that Barnabas, the son of encouragement (ὁ υἱὸς παρακλήσεως, Acts 4:36) could have been the author of the book. Thus, if Hill is correct about Barnabas’s prophetic ministry in Acts, it becomes more likely that Hebrews is an act of prophecy. See Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 141–46. The problem with his suggestion of course is that it is unlikely that the debate regarding the authorship of Hebrews will ever be resolved.
[17] Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 129 (Emphasis original).
[18] Douglas J. Moo, “New Testament Prophecy,” JETS 23 (1980): 164.
[19] So for instance, Hill (New Testament Prophecy, 99–100) uses the link between prophecy and the Holy Spirit to demonstrate that Stephen and Philip are prophets since they are both filled with the Spirit. But this does not follow, for the Spirit in Luke-Acts empowers different kinds of activities (see Max Turner, “The Spirit of Prophecy and the Power of Authoritative Preaching in Luke-Acts: A Question of Origins,” NTS 38 [1992]: 72–76). A similar critique can be made regarding Hill’s use of παρακαλέω and παρακλήσις to define prophecy. As Godet (Commentary on First Corinthians [Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1977], 695–96) says of arguments of this sort, “This reasoning is as just as it would be to say: he who runs, moves his legs; therefore whoever moves his legs, runs.”
[20] Unfortunately, Hill seems to commit the fallacy of selective and prejudicial use of evidence. See D. A. Carson, Exegetical Fallacies, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1996), 54–55.
[21] Furthermore, neither the Sanhedrin nor the chief priests (Matt 26:68; Mark 14:65; Luke 22:64) were asking for an exhortation when they mockingly commanded Christ to prophesy.
[22] See Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 121. For a similar critique, see also M. Eugene Boring, “New Testament Prophecy,” JBL 100 (1981): 301.
[23] Though sharing some similarities with the previous proposals, Gillespie still charts an original course. Unlike Ellis, Gillespie posits the kerygma itself as the object of the prophet’s interpretation, not the Scriptures. And Gillespie distances himself from Hill when he says, “prophetic proclamation, at least according to Paul, was related to the gospel materially in a way that escapes attention when it is defined as pastoral preaching, and is thus tilted in the direction of moral exhortation that merely presupposes the basic kerygma of the early church.” See Thomas W. Gillespie, The First Theologians: A Study in Early Christian Prophecy (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994), 28.
[24] As he states, “According to the apostle Paul, the early Christian prophets were interpreting theologically the inherent implications of the kerygma when they were prophesying.” See Gillespie, The First Theologians, 32.
[25] Gillespie believes that both Romans 12:6 and 1 Thessalonians 5:21 set content-restrictions on prophecy. Romans 12:6 is especially important to Gillespie’s argument. He interprets the phrase κατὰ τὴν άναλογίαν της πίστεως as a reference to the standard regarding what must be believed (“according to the analogy of faith”). The content of this “faith” is then drawn from Galatians 1:23, Romans 10:8, and Philippians 1:27, leading Gillespie to conclude that “when Paul uses hē pistis to denote the content of Christian belief, he has in mind the substance and structure of the gospel.” See Gillespie, The First Theologians, 56–61.
[26] Gillespie presents a novel historical reconstruction to explain 1 Corinthians 12:1–3. In sum, he believes that the Corinthians did not distinguish between tongues and prophecy. Even more, they assumed that unintelligible, inspired speech served to validate prophetic declarations. This resulted in much confusion when a prophet cursed Jesus and confirmed his prophetic word with glossolalia. As a result, Paul had to write a letter to convince them that tongues and prophecy were separate, that the former did not validate the latter, and that the gospel was the criterion by which they could determine who was speaking from the Spirit. See Gillespie, The First Theologians, 78–96.
[27] Gillespie, The First Theologians, 134–36.
[28] Gillespie (The First Theologians, 142–50) reasons that prophecy must involve the proclamation of the gospel since edification is tied closely to the gospel (Rom 15:20; cf 1:15) and prophecy must produce edification.
[29] The OT for instance refers to predictions and to announcements of judgment as prophecies (examples include 1 Kgs 22:12; Jer 14:14–15, 19:1–20:1, 25:30–38, 26:9–11; Ezek 20:45–48, 21:2–17; Amos 7:10–17). Deuteronomy 18:22 asserts that, at least part of the time, prophecy will involve foretelling; the activity of several OT prophets confirms this reading (see 1 Kgs 13:1–25, 21:17–24, 22:17–18). In the NT, Luke described Agabus as a prophet though his prophecies in Acts 11:28 and 21:10–11 did not seem to include gospel explication. In Matthew 13:14–15, Jesus cites Isaiah 6:9–10 as a prophecy, though it would be difficult to read the latter text as an explication of the gospel.
[30] Thomas Schreiner says that Romans 1:2 “should not be limited to only a portion of the OT Scriptures. The intention here is to designate all of the OT as prophetic in nature” (Romans, 2nd ed., BECNT [Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018], 42n29). That Paul believed that the prophetic writings as a whole (i.e. the OT) testified to the gospel does not imply that he also thought every occurrence of prophecy involved an explication of the gospel. See also Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996), 43–44.
[31] Another clarifying example can be found in Deuteronomy 18:21–22, where Moses makes future fulfillment a criterion of true prophecy. It would be wrong to conclude from this that prophecy is prediction. The Didache also includes various criteria for true prophets (Did. 11:8–12).
[32] Terrance Callan, “Prophecy and Ecstasy in Greco-Roman Religion and in 1 Corinthians,” NovT 27 (1985): 138.
[33] Wayne A. Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians (Washington, DC: University Press of America, 1982), 149–50. It is important to note that Grudem’s description of prophetic activity is closely related to his perspective on the authority of NT prophecy. He argues that it is theoretically possible for prophecy to carry an “authority of general content,” which refers to an authority limited by the fact that “only the general content of [the prophet’s] prophecy was of divine origin.” This would mean that the prophet may misunderstand what was revealed to him and that his prophecies could be errant. See The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 9–10.
[34] Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy, 81; see also Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 135; Carson, Showing the Spirit, 97–98.
[35] Mark J. Cartledge, “Charismatic Prophecy: A Definition and Description,” Journal of Pentecostal Theology 2.5 (1994): 82–88.
[36] All translations of texts are my own.
[37] Grudem (The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 175) argues that 2 Peter 1:20–21 has no bearing on the question of NT prophecy, because it speaks of OT prophets. Though Peter undoubtedly had OT prophets in mind, it is unwarranted to limit the import of his statement since he says “no prophecy was ever produced (ἠνέχθη … ποτέ) by the will of man.” Furthermore, to adopt Grudem’s explanation, one must already be convinced that either (1) a disjunction as to the nature of prophecy exists between the OT and NT, or (2) that essentially different kinds of activities were called prophecy in the OT and NT. I find neither proposal promising. So also F. David Farnell, “The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament,” Master’s Seminary Journal 25.2 (2014): 61–62; Kenneth L. Gentry, The Charsimatic Gift of Prophecy: A Reformed Response to Wayne Grudem, 2nd ed. (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 1999), 48–50; O. Palmer Robertson, The Final Word: A Biblical Response to the Case for Tongues and Prophecy Today (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2011), 98–126.
[38] Clint Tibbs, Religious Experience of the Pneuma, WUNT 2/230 (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2007), 207.
[39] Tibbs, Religious Experience, 70.
[40] According to Tibbs, Paul did not use πνεῦμα not to refer to “the Holy Spirit,” but to speak of a “spirit world.” The spirit world was inhabited by both good and evil spirits, which could take possession of a medium’s vocal chords to deliver messages. Tongues were messages spoken by a spirit in a foreign language, while prophecy referred to spirit-messages delivered in the congregation’s mother tongue. See Tibbs, Religious Experience, 182–84, 219–27.
[41] So for instance, Tibbs translates 1 Corinthians 12:3, “For this reason, I want you to know that nobody through whom a spirit of God is speaking can say, ‘Jesus is accursed,’ and only a holy spirit speaking through someone can say ‘Jesus is Lord.’” For his defense of this translation, see Religious Experience, 170–74.
[42] Tibbs (Religious Experience, 272) goes so far as to say that “πνεῦμα in the texts of the NT reflects little, if any, of the fourth-century theology on the Deity and Personhood of the Holy Spirit.”
[43] Tibbs, Religious Experience, 14; unfortunately, no references to biblical texts are provided.
[45] Tibbs, Religious Experience, 115.
[47] As a result, Tibbs’s translation of 1 Corinthians 12:3 is at best unlikely. See Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), 245–54; A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research, 3rd ed. (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1914), 790–96; Herbert Weir Smyth, Greek Grammar (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1920), 288–89.
[48] His treatment relies on speculation and bare assertions. To provide just one example: even after acknowledging that in 1 Corinthians 12:8–10, πνεῦμα is “active and personal,” he concludes that “this source [of spiritual gifts] may be construed as a spiritual ‘realm’ of spirit beings.” I fail to see how a ‘realm of spirit beings’ can actively and personally distribute endowments to Christians. See Tibbs, Religious Experience, 181–84.
[49] Tibbs (Religious Experience, 188–95) claims that the expressions refer to the unity of the spirit world.
[50] Wilf Hildebrandt counts 107 references to the Spirit of God in the OT. See “Spirit of Yahweh,” in Dictionary of the Old Testament Prophets, ed. Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012), 747–48.
[51] For instance, Pseudo-Philo (LAB 28:10) claims that inspiration leads to the mind’s departure so that one does not remember what was said or seen during that state; no such notions are found in Paul. Philo celebrates Bacchic frenzy and commends the abandonment of reason (see Her. 69–71); Paul does no such thing. Josephus (Ant. 4.6.5) claims that a man inspired by “a spirit of God” is no longer conscious of what he says or does; Paul expects prophets to remain orderly and in control (1 Cor 14:29–33). For the many differences between NT prophecy and the Greco-Roman perspective, see especially Forbes, Prophecy and Inspired Speech, 288–315.
[52] Amazingly, Tibbs claims both that (1) no NT support for the idea of the Holy Spirit exists, and that (2) the fourth-century church came to this “theological invention” through exegesis. See Tibbs, Religious Experience, 70–71.
[53] The inclusion of extraneous materials is no benign matter, but could unduly influence one’s understanding of prophecy. In fact, I would argue that studies on prophecy which take a purely functional approach have been particularly prone to making this mistake. For a similar perspective, see Ulrich Luz, “Stages of Early Christian Prophetism,” in Prophets and Prophecy in Jewish and Early Christian Literature, ed. Joseph Verheyden, Korinna Zamfir, and Tobias Nicklas, WUNT 2/286 (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2010), 60.
[54] In keeping with my adopted method, I include in my purview Matthew 7:22, 11:13, 13:14, 15:7, 26:68; Mark 7:6, 14:65; Luke 1:67, 22:64; Acts 2:17–18, 13:2, 15:32, 19:6, 21:9–11.
[55] Other texts in the gospels and Acts associate prophets with miracles (see Mark 6:14–15; Luke 7:12–16, 24:19). Furthermore, Luke 7:39 suggests that prophets were expected to have access to supernatural knowledge. For a defense of the miraculous nature of prophecy, see F. David Farnell, “When Will the Gift of Prophecy Cease?,” BSac 150 (1993): 171; Farnell, “The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament,” 45–55.
[56] For a similar reading, see Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 14–28, WBC (Dallas: Word, 1995), 802.
[57] Examples of this connection would include Luke 1:67, Acts 2:17–18, 11:27–28, 13:1–2, 19:6, 21:10–11.
[58] While there is not enough data to be certain, two observations suggest that Judas and Silas were prophesying. First, Luke explicitly designates them to be prophets before describing their actions. Second, Paul ties the work of encouragement closely to the act of prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14:3. The matter is not crucial however, as Acts 15:32 does not contribute anything original to the discussion.
[59] There are two reasons this statement should probably be understood as a prophecy: (1) Luke explicitly designates the five men involved in this episode as prophets in verse 1, and (2) Luke has already established a close relationship between prophecy and the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:17–18, 11:27–28, 13:1–2, 19:6, 21:10–11). See Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 46; Thomas R. Schreiner, Paul, Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 361; Aune, Prophecy in Early Christianity, 265; Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 105; Craig Keener, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2012–2015), 2:1993–94; John B. Polhill, Acts, NAC (Nashville: Broadman, 1992), 289–90; James D. G. Dunn, The Acts of the Apostles, Narrative Commentaries (Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press, 1996), 173.
[60] Almost all scholars acknowledge that Acts 21:11 depicts a prophetic word. There are at least four reasons that this assessment is correct: (1) Agabus is explicitly identified by Luke as a prophet, (2) Agabus models himself after the OT prophets by performing the symbolic act of tying his hands and feet, (3) Luke associates the Holy Spirit closely with the gift of prophecy, and (4) OT and NT literature include predictions within prophetic activity.
[61] Contra Turner, “Spirit of Prophecy,” 74. It is noteworthy that prophecy in the Synoptics and in Acts never occurs as a result of preparation or study. For similar conclusions, see Schreiner, Paul, 361.
[62] It seems likely that Paul’s use of μαίνεσθε in 1 Corinthians 14:23 refers to insanity. For those who take this position, see Forbes, Prophecy and Inspired Speech, 173n52; Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., Perspectives on Pentecost: New Testament Teaching on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1979), 104; Schreiner, Paul, 365; Laura Nasrallah, An Ecstasy of Folly: Prophecy and Authority in Early Christianity, HTS 52 (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2003), 73; Tibbs, Religious Experience, 255; Garland, 1 Corinthians, 651–52; Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, PNTC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010), 704–6; Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 133, 155.
[63] I understand 1 Timothy 1:18b to read, “according to the previously delivered prophecies concerning you” (ἐπὶ σέ). BDAG notes that when ἐπι takes an accusative, it can indicate “the one to whom, for whom, or about whom something is done” (emphasis mine). Smyth agrees as he lists “reference” as a category for ἐπί with the accusative; see Greek Grammar, 379. This is significant as it shows that the content of prophecy was not limited to the interpretation of Scripture or the exposition of the gospel.
[64] So also F. F. Bruce, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, WBC (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 125.
[65] For a discussions of “possession trance,” see Aune, Prophecy in Early Christianity, 86; Robert R. Wilson, “Prophecy and Ecstasy: A Reexamination,” JBL 98 (1979): 325–28.
[66] See Grudem’s excellent discussion in The Gift of Prophecy, 103–8.
[67] Paul is not explicit regarding the object and the import of διακρίνω (“I distinguish”). Unsurprisingly, commentators disagree over how to understand the apostle’s statement. For my discussion of this issue, see page 18.
[68] See James D. G. Dunn, Jesus and the Spirit (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975), 228; Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 117; Forbes, Prophecy and Inspired Speech, 228; Schreiner, Paul, 261. Strangely, Knights overlooks 1 Corinthians 14:30 in his study; as a result, he mistakenly downplays the importance of spontaneous revelation with respect to prophecy in “Prophecy and Preaching,” 76.
[69] So also Tibbs, Religious Experience, 224; Schreiner, Paul, 360–61; Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 47; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, trans. John Pringle, Calvin’s Commentaries 20 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2009), 438.
[70] I am assuming the traditional position on the authorship of Revelation. For a defense of this position, see Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction: Hebrews to Revelation (Chicago, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1962), 254–69. For alternative views, see Raymond E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, ABRL (New York: Doubleday, 1997), 802–5; David A. deSilva, An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods and Ministry Formation (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004), 893–96.
[71] Texts like Revelation 1:3 indicate that the book as a whole is prophetic. It reads, “Blessed is the one who reads and who hears the words of the prophecy and who keeps the things written in it, for the time is near.” See Richard Bauckham, The Theology of the Book of Revelation, NTT (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 1–5.
[72] As Boring states, “The prophet is one who speaks because he or she has been given his or her message directly from God. The prophet speaks on the basis of revelation.” See M. Eugene Boring, Revelation, Interpretation (Louisville: John Knox, 1989), 24–25.
[73] See Craig R. Koester, Revelation, AB (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2014), 211. The fact that other mediators are involved does not detract from the divine disclosure. Even though Christ sends his angel to bring the message to John (Rev 1:1), the prophecy is still “the word of God” and “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:2). Revelation 10:8–11 may reflect similar ideas, although the identities of the different persons involved are debated.
[74] See also Revelation 4:2, 17:3, and 21:10. Brian J. Tabb helpfully argues that the phrase “in the Spirit” (ἐν πνεύματι) functions to reinforce John’s status as a true prophet. See All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone, NSBT 48 (London: Apollos, 2019), 70–72.
[75] I tend to agree with Wallace and Aune that the construction τοὺς λόγους της προφητείας (“the words of the prophecy”) employs a genitive of apposition. Thus, the written words of the book of Revelation are an example of NT prophecy. For substantiation, see David E. Aune, Revelation 1–5, WBC (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), 7; Wallace, Greek Grammar, 95–100.
[76] I agree with BDAG that ἐπί in this instance is referential. Though it is possible that John was to prophesy “against many peoples and nations and tongues and kings,” the allusion to Revelation 5:9 and God’s overall attitude towards these groups keep me from adopting this interpretation. See also Koester, Revelation, 493–94.
[77] I agree with commentators who view the warning as directed both towards readers and towards scribes. See Koester, Revelation, 845; G. K. Beale and David H. Campbell, Revelation: A Shorter Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015), 524–27; David E. Aune, Revelation 17–22, WBC (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998), 1231.
[78] As Revelation 1:1–3 and 22:18–20a indicate, the very words of the book were divinely authored. See also Aune, Revelation 17–22, 1230; G. B. Caird, The Revelation of St John the Divine, 2nd ed., Black’s New Testament Commentary Series (London: A & C Black, 1984), 288; Boring, Revelation, 225; Beale and Campbell, Revelation: A Shorter Commentary, 527. Bauckham also perceptively notes that John models his own accounts of his prophetic experience after the OT prophets; by doing so, John seems to portray the entirety of his work as being inspired by God’s Spirit (The Theology of the Book of Revelation, 4–5, 116–17).
[79] See Bauckham, The Theology of the Book of Revelation, 113–15; Tabb, All Things New, 72; Koester, Revelation, 496–97; Beale and Campbell, Revelation: A Shorter Commentary, 220–22; Caird, Revelation, 134.
[80] Contra Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 89–90.
[81] See Bauckham, The Theology of the Book of Revelation, 119–20.
[82] Such figurative language would be in keeping with the highly symbolic nature of the section (see Bauckham, The Theology of the Book of Revelation, 84–88).
[83] I agree with John Calvin, who says of this verse, “[Caiaphas] spoke what was his own opinion. But the Evangelist means that a higher impulse guided his tongue, because God intended that he should make known, by his mouth, something higher than what occurred to his mind. … God turned his tongue to a different purpose, so that, under ambiguous words, he likewise uttered a prediction.” See John Calvin, Commentary on the Gospel according to John, trans. William Pringle, Calvin’s Commentaries 17 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2009), 453. Keener claims that he has found other cases of unwitting prophecy in other first century sources. For his discussion, see Craig S. Keener, Gospel of John: A Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003), 2:856–57.
[84] Revelation also suggests that the spontaneous element within prophetic activity refers to the divine revelation and not necessarily to the delivery of the prophecy. Since the book of Revelation is a literary work, it seems reasonable to conclude that reflection and forethought were required to write it. At the same time, Revelation is rightly called prophecy because it is rooted in spontaneous divine revelation and because the very words written by John could be attributed to God. See Richard Bauckham, The Theology of the Book of Revelation, 2–5.
[85] Space does not permit the discussion of the problems created by Jude’s citation of 1 Enoch. Bauckham is insightful when he says, “While this word indicates that Jude regarded the prophecies in 1 Enoch as inspired by God, it need not imply that he regarded the book as canonical Scripture.” See his discussion in Richard J. Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter, WBC (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983), 96. For early evidence that Christian scribes did not believe 1 Enoch to be canonical, see Charles E. Hill, “‘The Truth Above All Demonstration’: Scripture in the Patristic Period to Augustine,” in The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2016), 68–69.
[86] See Carson, Showing the Spirit, 94–100; Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 55–113; Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 135; John Penney, “The Testing of New Testament Prophecy,” Journal of Pentecostal Theology 5.10 (1997): 36; Gerhard Friedrich, “προφήτης,” TDNT 6:849; Martin, The Spirit and the Congregation, 80; Cartledge, “Charismatic Prophecy,” 19; Garland, 1 Corinthians, 662; Fee, God’s Empowering Presence, 252.
[87] See Gaffin, Perspectives on Pentecost, 59; Robertson, Final Word, 14–18; Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 2; Schreiner, Paul, 362–63; Farnell, “The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament,” 45–46; R. Fowler White, “Gaffin and Grudem on Eph 2:20: In Defense of Gaffin’s Cessationist Exegesis,” WTJ 54 (1992): 313–15; Calvin, First Corinthians, 461; Robert L. Thomas, Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Verse-by-Verse Study of 1 Corinthians 12–14, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1999), 133–42.
[88] It goes without saying that others deny the legitimacy of any claims of prophetic authority. For a representative of this perspective, see Nasrallah, Ecstasy of Folly, 1–26.
[89] See Penney, “Testing,” 38–46; Carson, Showing the Spirit, 98; Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 33–38.
[90] See Penney, “Testing,” 38–46.
[91] Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy, 21–26; Carson, Showing the Spirit, 98–99.
[92] Additionally, there is some question as to whether Numbers 11:25–26 and the sections from 1 Samuel are portraying prophetic activity at all. In these verses, the verb נבא is used in the hithpael stem. Wilson (“Prophecy and Ecstasy,” 330–37) has argued that in the hithpael, verbs with nominal counterparts (like נבא) often mean “to act like” something; in this instance, “to act like a prophet.” If he is correct, then most of these verses just mentioned would not even be relevant to the discussion of prophetic authority.
[93] Likewise, I do not know of any examples in the OT of Israelites refusing to heed prophecy without negative consequences. Additionally, Jesus and the apostles give no indication that they saw differing levels of authority in the prophets of old.
[94] See Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy, 27–49; Carson, Showing the Spirit, 94.
[95] See Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy, 28–29.
[96] Citing 1 Thessalonians 5:20, Carson infers that the prophets possessed such a low profile that Paul actually had to instruct the church not to treat their prophecies with contempt. He sees a similar reality behind 1 Corinthians 14 (Showing the Spirit, 96–97).
[97] In fact, NT prophets are reported doing the same things that OT prophets did. They predict the future (Acts 11:27–30), speak the words of God (Acts 21:10–11, Rev 22:18–20), and they write canonical books (i.e., Revelation).
[98] For a different historical reconstruction, see Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 65–66.
[99] Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 58–67; Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 135; Martin, The Spirit and the Congregation, 80; Anthony C. Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, NIGNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000), 1140; Penney, “Testing,” 60–61; Fee, God’s Empowering Presence, 252; Garland, 1 Corinthians, 632.
[100] See Gaffin, Perspectives on Pentecost, 70; Robertson, Final Word, 101; Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 68–69; Campbell, “Charismata,” 9; Luz, “Stages,” 67; Gene L. Green, “‘As for Prophecies, They Will Come to an End’: 2 Peter, Paul and Plutarch on ‘The Obsolescence of Oracles,’” JSNT 82 (2001): 121; Hays, First Corinthians, 242; Calvin, First Corinthians, 461; Dunn, Jesus and the Spirit, 235.
[101] See Matt 7:15; 24:11, 24; Mark 13:22; Acts 20:28–30; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 John 4:1; Rev 16:13.
[102] I would also point out that warnings against false prophets continue in the post-apostolic church; I am unaware however of any instructions given that the proclamations of true prophets are to be sifted as well. In fact, the Didache explicitly forbids judging a prophet while he was prophesying (Did. 11:11). For a discussion of the evaluation of prophets in the early church, see Aune, Prophecy in Early Christianity, 225–29.
[103] Gaffin, Perspectives on Pentecost, 71.
[104] As others have noted, OT prophecy was also subject to testing. See Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 68–69; Schreiner, Paul, 363.
[105] Grudem The Gift of Prophecy, 62–63.
[106] As Dunn helpfully states, “The authority of the prophet was authority to prophesy under inspiration; his authority was the authority of his inspiration and did not extend beyond his inspiration.… Hence, too, one prophet must give way to the inspiration of another – the individual prophet as prophet was subject to the charisma of prophecy.” See Jesus and the Spirit, 281.
[107] Carson (Showing the Spirit, 97–98) goes so far as to state, “I can think of no reported Old Testament prophet whose prophecies are so wrong on the details.” See also Penney, “Testing,” 67; Hill, New Testament Prophecy, 107–8; Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy, 77–83.
[108] Grudem’s treatment of this passage is unpersuasive. In his dissertation, he argued that Agabus falsely portrayed himself as carrying the authority of OT prophets (The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 81–82). Nothing in the book of Acts however hints at a criticism of Agabus’s character. In a later work, Grudem speculates that the phrase τάδε λέγει τὀ πνευμα τὸ ἅγιον may mean “this is generally (or approximately) what the Holy Spirit is saying to us” (The Gift of Prophecy, 81–83). This is unlikely since, as Wallace (Greek Grammar, 328) notes, “The pronoun [i.e. ὅδε] is used to add solemnity to the prophetic utterance that follows.” In fact, in the LXX, the expression commonly introduces the very words of God. Grudem’s argument that the phrase τάδε λέγει also is used to quote human speech is irrelevant; what he must demonstrate is that the phrase occurs without its solemn tone and without the expectation of complete accuracy in the reported speech. Grudem provides no evidence of the sort. Furthermore, every other occurrence of τάδε λέγει in the NT involves the disclosure of divine words (Rev 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, and 14). Thus, to import a sense of vagueness into Agabus’s speech can only be described as special pleading. For more convincing readings of Acts 21:10–11, see Darrell L. Bock, Acts, BECNT (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), 638; Schreiner, Paul, 361–63; Gaffin, Perspectives on Pentecost, 65; Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 41–43; Thomas, Understanding Spiritual Gifts, 137–38; Mikeal C. Parsons, Acts, Paideia (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008), 297; Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts, ZECNT (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012), 857.
[109] Robertson, Final Word, 113.
[110] Gaffin, Perspectives on Pentecost, 65–66.
[111] Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 42; see also Schreiner, Paul, 361–63; Robertson, Final Word, 114; Gaffin, Perspectives on Pentecost, 65–66.
[112] See for instance Carson, Showing the Spirit, 97; Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy, 75–77.
[113] See Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy, 75–77.
[114] As Longenecker points out, διά could be functioning to indicate that the disciples were responding to the Holy Spirit’s unction regarding the suffering that awaited Paul. See Richard N. Longenecker, The Ministry and Message of Paul, Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971), 78.
[115] So also Thomas R. Schreiner, New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008), 447; Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 39–41; Robertson, Final Word, 111; Gaffin, Perspectives on Pentecost, 66.
[116] Grudem for instance says, “Because its author was an apostle, and because it is unique, it does not provide information directly relevant to the gift of prophecy as it functioned among ordinary Christians in first-century churches.” This casual dismissal of Revelation is unwarranted and unfortunate. Aune has in fact persuasively shown that the Apocalypse is a representative example of NT prophecy. See David E. Aune, “The Social Matrix of the Apocalypse of John,” in Apocalypticism, Prophecy and Magic in Early Christianity, WUNT 199 (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2006), 180–82.
[117] I assume the traditional position that the apostle John penned Revelation. However, it is worth pointing out that the authorship of Revelation is disputed, even among evangelicals. Those who deny the apostolic character of Revelation have even less reason to distance the work from NT prophecy in general.
[118] See Aune, “Social Matrix,” 182; Luz, “Stages,” 65.
[119] See Thomas R. Schreiner, The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013), 617–29; G. K. Beale and Sean M. McDonough, “Revelation,” in Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, ed. G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), 32–34.
[120] See Aune, “Social Matrix,” 181–82.
[121] Robertson, Final Word, 11–12; Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 8; F. David Farnell, “Fallible New Testament Prophecy/Prophets: A Critique of Wayne Grudem’s Hypothesis,” Master’s Seminary Journal 2.2 (1991): 170–71; see also Dunn, Jesus and the Spirit, 170–74.
[122] Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 15.
[123] It is gratuitous to suggest (as Grudem does in The Gift of Prophecy, 47–49) that there were at least two kinds of prophets in the NT: authoritative prophets and non-authoritative prophets. Since every example of prophetic ministry recorded in the NT fits nicely with the former group, the latter group seems to be superfluous.
[124] Schreiner, Paul, 362.
[125] Grudem (The Gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians, 97–105) famously argues that the construction τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητων (“the apostles and prophets”) should be rendered “the apostle who are also prophets.” Wallace however has shown that Grudem’s grammatical argument is flawed. See Wallace, Greek Grammar, 284–86.
[126] For instance, the conclusion raises questions for those who argue that the continuation of NT prophecy throughout the church age does not threaten the unique authority of the Scriptures. If my work is on target, continuationists will have to reassess how the existence of authoritative prophecy does not undermine the place of the Bible. For arguments against the continuation of the gift of prophecy, see Thomas R. Schreiner, Spiritual Gifts: What They Are and Why They Matter (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2018), 155–69; Gaffin, Perspectives on Pentecost, 93–102; Gentry, Charismatic Gift, 26–35; Robertson, Final Word, 115–16; White, “Gaffin and Grudem on Eph 2:20”; Farnell, “When Will the Gift of Prophecy Cease?,” 171; Luz, “Stages,” 74.
Disputation for Scholastic Theology: Engaging Luther’s 97 Theses
Finessing Independent Attestation: A Study in Interdisciplinary Biblical Criticism
Biblical Words and Theological Meanings: Sanctification as Consecration for Transformation
The Boundaries of the Gift of Tongues: With Implications for Cessationism and Continuationism
Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning
That Hideous Strength: How the West Was Lost: The Cancer of Cultural Marxism in the Church, the World and the Gospel of Change
Reading Genesis Well: Navigating History, Poetry, Science, and Truth in Genesis 1–11
Paul and the Greco-Roman Philosophical Tradition
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A Postcolonial Reading of the Acts of the Apostles
Rubén Muñoz-Larrondo
Studies in Biblical Literature 147. Frankfurt: Lang, 2012. xiv + 249 pp. $80.95.
This book slightly reworks the author’s doctoral dissertation at Vanderbilt University under the supervision of Professor Fernando Segovia. The aim of the work is primarily hermeneutical, and that in two ways. First, it attempts to shed light on the Acts of the Apostles by subjecting it to an alternative reading. Second, this alternative reading is used to interpret the interpreters of Acts and the biases that inform their interpretations of the biblical text. The particular reading that Muñoz-Larrondo employs is Postcolonial criticism.
The first chapter of the book, therefore, explains what Postcolonial criticism is. I can only summarize the author’s summary given limitations of space. Muñoz-Larrondo wisely indicates that there is not such a thing as a dominant definition of Postcolonial criticism. Rather, it is better to view it as “a way of reading, a criticism, an optic that intends to decolonize the theories and practices of biblical interpretation and theology from the centers of the West, compared and contrasted with the readings of base communities or of social-groups, and ‘from my place’” (p. 7). Further, he speaks of Postcolonial strategies that “embrace the premise that many dimensions exist in the text that have been overlooked if not ignored by the traditional historical critical approaches” (p. 37). To that end Postcolonial criticism engages a number of categories that can, positively, fill gaps in more dominant methods (read historical-critical) and, negatively, “disturb” and “interrogate” the imperial presuppositions carried by the more dominant methods. Muñoz-Larrondo develops five categories: hybridity, diaspora-alterity, mimicry/mockery, identity, and race in imperialism and colonialism (pp. 9–24). The author suggests that these categories help to unmask the imperialistic presuppositions that dominate the representation of the Other on the part of European interpreters and thereby help to read the text of Acts in a more inclusive manner. He completes the chapter by providing brief descriptions of ancient “imperialistic” strategies. In particular, he attempts to place Acts in the context of ancient labeling of barbarism as done by the Greeks, Romans, and Jews. As a community that inhabits the margins of ancient society, the readers of Acts must learn to legitimize themselves in the crucible of these three cultures.
Chapter two serves as the entry to the exegesis of Acts. Here Muñoz-Larrondo examines Acts 12:20–24, which describes the death of Herod Agrippa I. Again, the analysis has a double foci: criticism of previous interpretations of the passage that have been blinded by European-centric presuppositions (i.e., historical-critical method) and retrieval of a meaning less tainted by invalid presuppositions. The author views Acts 12:20–24 as not having received enough attention (despite a full-length monograph by Wesley Allen) and as playing “a key role in Acts” (despite the fact that it is only five verses). His argument is the following: “Luke uses Herod’s death as a type-scene to represent the destiny of the Empire and of anyone who shows allegiance to those who call themselves divine and rulers of this world” (p. 45). The Acts 12 passage is thus important in itself; but it is also a nudge to the readers of Acts to be on the alert for similar dynamics in the rest of the narrative. But we have said that Muñoz-Larrondo’s aim is not just an interpretation of the text of Acts but also a questioning of previous readings of Acts, so the next chapter tackles this issue.
Chapter three examines Roman imperial worship and previous interpretations of it. The subject, as Muñoz-Larrondo admits, is immensely complex. Again, I can only summarize his conclusions, which build primarily on the work of Barbara Burrell. The imperial cult was not just adulation on the part of the populace but a sincere religious act; the emperor was truly viewed as divine; it was broad enough to affect just about every dweller of the Roman Empire. This is vital for Muñoz-Larrondo’s thesis, for he will argue that this is the sort of emperor worship that Acts is decrying “between the lines” of its narrative.
Chapter four turns to the portrayal in the book of Acts of the institutions of Judaism. Here Muñoz-Larrondo examines a number of passages in Acts that show the Christians (to be viewed as a “manifestation” of first century Judaism) interacting with the institutions of Judaism, primarily the Sanhedrin. There is some intriguing discussion of Paul’s relationship with the leaders of the Jerusalem church, where Muñoz-Larrondo pits Paul against the leaders.
The final chapter, in my opinion the most persuasive, debunks the idea that Roman authorities are presented in toto as benevolent. Rather, the tendency of Acts’ presentation is to show the authorities as false, partial, and in some ways dominated by the power of Satan.
To summarize (pp. 230–35): Muñoz-Larrondo argues that by using Postcolonial criticism it is possible to see Luke presenting “a hidden transcript of resistance” against the claims of the Roman Empire, particularly when it seeks to appropriate for itself divine attributes. Luke does this by his narration of Herod Agrippa’s punishment, which, for the readers of Acts, demonstrates that a similar fate awaits those who seek to take on divine prerogatives. Using this same Postcolonial reading helps in examining the reception of Acts’ scholarship in a European-centered mode of exegesis. It helps in uncovering the biases of such exegesis, thereby clarifying some crucial aspects of the narrative of Acts.
Muñoz-Larrondo has succeeded in demonstrating that Acts is, in some ways, not a politically innocent text. It surely does not call for revolution; but there are sufficient clues—for those with eyes to see—that indicate that when imperial powers attempt to usurp the authority that alone is God’s by repression of the Jesus movement, judgment and destruction awaits them. What Muñoz-Larrondo does not succeed in doing is showing that a Postcolonial reading significantly clarifies this picture. In other words, although the method is helpful, it is not as powerful in uncovering new dimensions of Acts in the way the author implies in the first chapter. There are other problems with this work that could be developed (e.g., lack of interaction with primary sources, lack of interaction with secondary works in foreign languages [surely a doctoral dissertation must include research in languages such as French and German, which is essentially non-existent in this work], exaggeration on the importance of Acts 12:20–24), but I focus on two that I am afraid may jeopardize the credibility of this work as a whole.
First, as I mentioned earlier, one of the most significant chapters in the book is that on imperial worship. Muñoz-Larrondo is aware of the complexities of this matter in both classical and NT scholarship. He opts for what I would call the maximalist view (see above). But to debunk the other view, he engages in a crass ad hominem argument. Those scholars who support the minimalist view do so because they “try to safeguard their reputations as postmodern, free-thinkers, and want to appear unbiased regarding such claims of divinity. Though they find enough evidence . . . in the end they refrain from reaching a conclusion and leave the case ambivalent. It seems to me that they do not want to be the laughing-stock of the rest of their peers” (p. 115). This is simply breathtaking. That as scholars we do not want to be ridiculed and that this sometimes distorts our scholarship, I do not doubt (we are humans); but to make a sweeping generalization that those who do not agree with Muñoz-Larrondo’s view of the nature of imperial worship do so because of deep-seated psychological insecurities is not scholarship.
The other significant problem that I find in this work is its conclusion vis-à-vis other scholarship on Acts. Here is what Muñoz-Larrondo says about his contribution in using Postcolonial criticism: “Such a reading is not better or worse than others, but it is a reading from my particular location” (p. 230, my italics). I thought the author had labored on more than 235 pages because he wanted to persuade me that his reading was an improvement on previous European-centered (and therefore biased) appraisals of Acts. At the end, what matters is that this is his reading. How one can engage in critical dialogue with this posture I do not know.
Osvaldo Padilla
Beeson Divinity School
Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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National Association of (Amateur) Base Ball Players – 1858
The Rules of 1858
SOURCE: Eric Micklich, with slight modifications based on the reprint of By-Laws of the Independent Base Ball Club embracing the Rules and Regulations as adopted by the National Association of Base Ball Players, March, 1858.
Section 1. The ball.
The ball must weigh not less than six nor more than six and one-quarter ounces avoirdupois. It must measure not less than ten nor more than ten and a quarter inches in circumference. It must be composed of India rubber and yarn, and covered with leather, and in all match games shall be furnished by the challenging Club, and become the property of the winning Club, as a trophy of victory.
Section 2. The bat.
The bat must be round and must not exceed two and a half inches in diameter in the thickest part. It must be made of wood, and may be of any length to suit the striker.
Section 3. The bases.
The bases must be four in number, placed at equal distances from each other, and securely fastened upon the four corners of a square, whose sides are respectively thirty yards. They must be so constructed as to be distinctly seen by the umpire, and must cover a space equal to one square foot of surface. The first, second, and third bases shall be canvas bags, painted white, and filled with sand or sawdust; the home base and pitcher’s point to be each marked with a flat circular iron plate, painted or enameled white.
Section 4. Position of the bases.
The base from which the ball is struck shall be designated the Home Base, and must be directly opposite the second base; the first base must always be that upon the right hand, and the third base that upon the left hand side of the striker, when occupying the position at the home base.
Section 5. The pitcher’s position.
The pitcher’s position shall be designated by a line four yards in length, drawn at right angles to a line from home to the second base, having its center upon that line, at a fixed iron plate placed at a point fifteen yards distant from the home base. The pitcher must deliver the ball as near as possible over the center of said base, and for the striker.
Section 6. Delivering the ball.
The ball must be pitched, not jerked nor thrown, to the bat; and whenever the pitcher draws back his hand, or moves with the apparent purpose or pretension to deliver the ball, he shall so deliver it, and must have neither foot in advance of the line at the time of delivering the ball; and if he fails in either of these particulars, then it shall be declared a balk.
Section 7. Balking.
When a balk is made by the pitcher, every player running the bases is entitled to one base, without being put out.
Section 8. Foul and fair hit balls.
If the ball, from a stroke of the bat, is caught behind the range of home and the first base or home and the third base, without having touched the ground, or first touches the ground behind those bases, it shall be termed foul, and must be so declared by the umpire, unasked. If the ball first touches the ground, either upon or in front of the range of those bases, it shall be considered fair.
Section 9. Scoring a run.
A player making the home base, shall be entitled to score one run.
Section 10. Running on third strike.
If three balls are struck at and missed, and the last one is not caught, either flying or upon the first bound, it shall be considered fair, and the striker must attempt to make his run.
How batsmen are put out.
Section 11. Caught foul ball.
The striker is out if a foul ball is caught, either before touching the ground or upon the first bound;
Section 12. Three strikes.
Or, if three balls are struck at and missed, and the last is caught either before touching the ground or upon the first bound;
Section 13. Caught fair ball.
Or, if a fair ball is struck, and the ball is caught without having touched the ground or upon the bound;
Section 14. At first base.
Or, if a fair ball is struck, and the ball is held by an adversary on the first base, before the striker touches that base;
Section 15. Touched with ball.
Or if, at any time, he is touched by the ball while in play in the hands of an adversary, without some part of his person being on a base.
Section 16. Running on fair and foul balls.
No ace nor base can be made upon a foul ball, nor when a fair ball has been caught without having touched the ground; and the ball shall, in both instances, be considered dead and not in play, until it shall first have been settled in the hands of the pitcher. In either case the players running the bases shall return to them, and shall not be put out in so returning unless the ball has been first pitched to the striker.
Section 17. The batsman’s position.
The striker must stand on a line drawn through the center of the home base, not exceeding in length three feet from either side thereof, and parallel with the line occupied by the pitcher. He shall be considered the striker until he has made the first base. Players must strike in regular rotation; and after the first inning is played, the turn commences with the player who stands on the list next to the one who lost the third hand.
Section 18. Forced off a base.
Players must make their bases in order of striking; and when a fair ball is struck, and not caught flying nor on the first bound, the first base must be vacated, as also the second and third bases, if they are occupied at the same time. Players may be put out at any base, under these circumstances, in the same manner as the striker when running to the first base.
Section 19. Running out of line of bases.
Players running the bases must, as far as possible, keep upon the direct line between bases; and should any player run three feet out of this line, for purpose of avoiding the ball in the hands of an adversary, he shall be declared out.
Section 20. Interfering with fielder.
Any player who shall intentionally prevent an adversary from catching or fielding the ball, shall be declared out.
Section 21. Obstructing baserunners.
If the player is prevented making a base by the intentional obstruction of an adversary, he shall be entitled to that base, and not be put out.
Section 22. Illegally stopping the ball.
If an adversary stops the ball with his hat or cap, or takes it from the hands of a party not engaged in the game, no player can be put out unless the ball shall first have been settled in the hands of the pitcher.
Section 23. Caught fly balls.
If a ball, from the stroke of the bat, is held under any other circumstances than as enumerated in Section 22, and without having touched the ground more than once, the striker is out.
Section 24. No run scored.
If two hands are already out, no player, running home at the time a ball is struck, can make an ace, if the striker is out.
Section 25. End of innings.
An inning must be concluded at the time the third hand is put out.
Section 26. The game.
The game shall consist of nine innings to each side, when, should the number of runs be equal, the play shall be continued until a majority of runs, upon an equal number of innings, shall be declared, which shall conclude the game.
Section 27. Eligible players.
In playing all matches, nine players from each club shall constitute a full field, and they must have been regular members of the club which they represent, and of no other club, for thirty days prior to the match. No change or substitution shall be made after the game has been commenced, unless for a reason of illness or injury. Position of players and choice of innings shall be determined by captains, previously appointed for that purpose by the respective clubs.
Section 28. Duties of the umpire.
The umpire shall take care that the regulations respecting the ball, bats, bases, and the pitcher’s and striker’s positions are strictly observed. He shall keep a record of the game in a book prepared for the purpose; he shall be the judge of fair and unfair play, and shall determine all disputes and differences which may occur during the game; he shall take especial care to declare all foul balls and balks immediately upon their occurrence, unasked, and in a distinct and audible manner.
Section 29. Selection of umpire/scorers.
In all matches, the umpire shall be selected by the captains of the respective sides, shall perform all the duties enumerated in Section 28, except recording the game, which shall be done by two scorers, one of whom shall be appointed by each of the contending clubs.
Section 30. Betting prohibited.
No person engaged in a match, either as umpire, scorer, or player, shall be directly or indirectly interested in any bet upon the game. Neither umpire, scorer, nor player shall be changed during a match, unless with the consent both parties, except for a violation of this law, and except as provided in Section 27, and then the umpire may dismiss any transgressor.
Section 31. Suspending and completing game.
The umpire in match shall determine when play shall be suspended; and if game cannot be concluded, it shall be decided by the last even innings, provided five innings have been played, and the party having the greatest number of runs shall be declared the winner.
Section 32. Special ground rules.
Clubs may adopt such rules respecting balls knocked beyond or outside of the bounds of the field, as the circumstances of the ground may demand and these rules shall govern all matches played upon the ground, provided that they are distinctly made known to every player and umpire previous to the commencement of the game.
Section 33. Interfering with participants.
No person shall be permitted to approach or to speak with the umpire, scorers or players, or in any manner to interrupt or interfere during the progress of the game, unless by special request of the umpire.
Section 34. Eligible umpires and scorers.
No person shall be permitted to act as umpire or scorer in any match, unless he shall be a member of a Base Ball Club, governed by these rules.
Section 35. Forfeited game.
Whenever a match shall have been determined upon between two clubs, play shall be called at the exact hour appointed; and should either party fail to produce their players within fifteen minutes thereafter, the party so failing shall admit a defeat.
Section 36. Ineligible players.
No person who may be in arrears to any club he may have belonged to previous to the one he is then a member of, shall not be competent to play in a match unless such arrears are paid.
Section 37. Calling strikes.
Should a striker stand at the bat without striking at good balls repeatedly pitched to him, for the purpose of delaying the game, or of giving advantage to a player, the umpire, after warning him, shall call one strike, and if he persists in such action, two, and three strikes. When three strikes called, he shall be subject to the same rules as if he had struck at the three balls.
Interpretation Notes
Nearly all Midwest groups that started in the 1980s and early 1990s adopted the 1858 rules interpretation originally used at Ohio Village. The 1858 rules are commonly thought of as the “gentleman’s” rules, a style of play based on the “Old Knick” club of gentlemen players in New York. After the Civil War these gentlemens’ clubs had passed out of fashion.
Places where these are the home rules.
Beautifultrobaughfield, home of the The Rock Spring Ground Squirrel Base Ball Club, at Homestead Prairie Farm, Rock Springs Center, Decatur, Illinois.
Grinder Field, home of The Grinders, at Woods Historic Grist Mill, Deep River County Park, Hobart, Indiana.
Eastman Field, Mary’s City of David, Benton Harbor, Michigan, home of the The House of David Echoes
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THE "SUMMA THEOLOGICA", ST. THOMAS AQUINAS' MASTERPIECE
VATICAN CITY, 23 JUN 2010 (VIS) - In today's general audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope delivered the last in a series of three catecheses on the figure of St. Thomas Aquinas.
The Holy Father explained how St. Thomas' masterpiece, the "Summa Theologica", contains 512 questions and 2,669 articles in which the saint "precisely, clearly and pertinently" outlines the truths of faith as they emerge from "the teachings of Holy Scripture and of the Fathers of the Church, especially St. Augustine". This exertion "of the human mind was always illuminated - as St. Thomas' own life shows - by prayer, by the light that comes from on high.
"In his 'Summa'", the Pope added, "St. Thomas starts from the fact that God exists in three different ways: God exists in Himself, He is the principle and end of all things, so all creatures come from and depend upon Him. Secondly, God is present through His Grace in the life and activity of Christians, of the saints. Finally, God is present in a very special way in the person of Christ, and in the Sacraments which derive from His work of redemption".
"St. Thomas dedicates special attention to the mystery of the Eucharist, to which he was particularly devoted", said Benedict XVI, encouraging people "to follow the example of the saints and love this Sacrament. Let us participate devotedly in Mass in order to obtain its spiritual fruits; let us feed from the Body and Blood of the Lord that we may be incessantly nourished by divine Grace; let us pause willingly and often in the company of the Blessed Sacrament".
The Holy Father went on: "What St. Thomas explained with academic rigour in his main theological works such as the ' Summa Theologica' was also expressed in his preaching", the content of which "corresponds almost in its entirety to the structure of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Indeed, in a time such as our own of renewed commitment to evangelisation, catechism and preaching must never lack the following fundamental themes: what we believe, i.e., the Creed; what we pray, i.e., the Our Father and the Ave Maria; and what we live as biblical revelation teaches us, i.e., the law of the love of God and neighbour and the Ten Commandments".
"In his brief 'Devotissima expositio super symbolum apostolorum', St. Thomas explains the importance of faith. Through it, he says, the soul is united to God, ... life is given a clear direction and we can easily overcome temptations. To those who object that faith is foolish because it makes us believe something that does not enter into the experience of the senses, St. Thomas offers a very detailed response, claiming that this is an inconsistent objection because human intelligence is limited and cannot know everything.
"Only if we were able to have perfect knowledge of all things visible and invisible would it be foolish to accept truth out of pure faith", said the Pope. "Moreover, as St. Thomas observes, it is impossible to live without entrusting ourselves to the experience of others, when our personal knowledge does not extend far enough. Thus it is reasonable to have faith in God Who reveals Himself, and in the witness of the Apostles".
Commenting on the article of the Creed concerning the incarnation of the Divine Word, St. Thomas says that "the Christian faith is reinforced in the light of the mystery of the Incarnation; hope emerges more trustingly at the thought that the Son of God came among us as one of us, to communicate His divinity to mankind; charity is revived because there is no more evident sign of God's love for us than to see the Creator of the universe Himself become a creature", said the Holy Father.
"St. Thomas, like all saints, was greatly devoted to the Blessed Virgin", Pope Benedict concluded. "He gave her a stupendous title: 'Triclinium totius Trinitatis'; in other words, the place where the Trinity finds repose because, thanks to the Incarnation, the three divine persons dwell in her as in no other creature, and experience the delight and joy of living in her soul full of Grace. Through her intercession we can obtain any kind of help".
Published by VIS - Holy See Press Office - Wednesday, June 23, 2010 2 commenti
THE "SUMMA THEOLOGICA", ST. THOMAS AQUINAS' MASTER...
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PRAYER, COMMITMENT AND FRATERNITY FOR SYRIA
Vatican City, 21 June 2012 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received participants in the annual general meeting of the Reunion of Organisations for Aid to the Oriental Churches (ROACO).
In his remarks to the group Benedict XVI mentioned the social and economic crisis which, "due to the global dimension it has taken on, does not spare the more economically developed parts of the world and, even more worryingly, also affects the most disadvantaged areas". Above all in the East, "homeland to ancient Christian traditions", this process "generates insecurity and instability also at the ecclesial level, and in the ecumenical and inter-religious fields. These factors nourish endemic wounds of history and make dialogue, peace, coexistence among peoples and authentic respect for human rights even more fragile, especially the right to religious freedom for individuals and communities".
In this year's meeting, representatives form the Holy Land were joined by prelates from the Syro-Malabar Church in India, the Greek-Catholic Church of Ukraine, the apostolic nuncio to Syria and the president of Caritas in Syria.
"This", the Holy Father said, "is an occasion to reaffirm my closeness to the great suffering of our brothers and sister in Syria, in particular the young innocents and those most defenceless. May our prayers, our commitment and our concrete fraternity in Christ ... help them not to lose the light of hope at this moment of darkness; and may God give wisdom of heart to those in positions of responsibility, that all violence and bloodshed may cease".
The Pope went on: "May the international community spare no effort to help Syria emerge from its current situation of violence and crisis, which has already gone on a long time and risks becoming a generalised conflict which would have highly negative consequences for the country and the entire region. I also make an urgent and heartfelt appeal that, in the face of the dire need of the population, the necessary humanitarian assistance be guaranteed, also to the many people who have had to abandon their homes, some of whom have taken shelter in neighbouring countries. Human life is a precious gift which must always be protected".
In closing Benedict XVI called on the members of ROACO to be "eloquent signs of the charity that pours from Christ’s heart" and to "present the Church to the world in her most authentic identity and mission". He concluded by expressing the hope that the Virgin would give them hope and watch over his own forthcoming trip to Lebanon.
Published by VISarchive 02 - Thursday, June 21, 2012 0 commenti
AUDIENCE WITH PRESIDENT OF MONTENEGRO AND RATIFICATION OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN HOLY SEE AND MONTENEGRO
Vatican City, 21 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:
"This morning 21 June 2012 the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Filip Vujanovic, president of Montenegro. The president subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
"The principal reason for the visit was to exchange the instruments of ratification of the Basic Agreement between the Holy See and Montenegro, something the cardinal secretary of State and the president of Montenegro duly did at the end of their meeting. With that exchange the Agreement comes into force, pursuant to article 21.
"The Agreement was signed in 2011 and is the result of the excellent relations between the Holy See and Montenegro, which have been established ever since the country gained its independence. The document recognises the juridical status of the Catholic Church and her principal institutions in civil society, her liberty and independence in apostolic activity and in regulating matters that specifically concern the Church, as well as freedom of worship, and freedom of action in the fields of culture, education, pastoral care and charity.
"During the cordial discussions it was noted that the Agreement represents a positive development in the consolidation of the rule of law and democratic principles, upon which Montenegro wishes to base its future. Moreover, a fruitful exchange of opinions took place on current international issues and the regional situation. with particular appreciation being expressed for the way in which the Holy See is following Montenegro's journey towards full European integration. Finally the parties stated their desire to keep the spirit of collaboration alive through constructive dialogue on areas of mutual interest for the Church and State".
PRESENTATION OF THE YEAR OF FAITH
Vatican City, 21 June 2012 (VIS) - A press conference was held this morning in the Holy See Press Office for the presentation of the Year of Faith which is due to last from 11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013. The conference was presented by Archbishop Rino Fisichella and Msgr. Graham Bell, respectively president and under secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation.
Archbishop Fisichella also presented the website and logo of the Year of Faith, and outlined the calendar of events due to take place in Rome during that period.
"In his Apostolic Letter 'Porta fidei' Benedict XVI speaks ... of the need to rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ", the archbishop said. "For this reason he called the Year of Faith, which will also coincide with two anniversaries: the fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of Vatican Council II and the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. ... The Year of Faith aims, above all, to support the faith of believers who, in their daily trials, never cease to entrust to entrust their lives to the Lord Jesus, with courage and conviction. Their precious testimony, which does not make the news, ... is what enables the Church to present herself to the world today, as she did in the past, supported by the strength of the faith and the enthusiasm of ordinary people.
"The Year of Faith", Archbishop Fisichella added, "falls into a broader context which is characterised by a generalised crisis that also touches the faith. ... The crisis of faith is a dramatic expression of an anthropological crisis which has abandoned man to his own devices. We must overcome the spiritual poverty affecting so many of our contemporaries who do no longer perceive the absence of God from their lives as a void that needs to be filled. The Year of Faith, then, is an opportunity which the Christian community offers to the many people who feel nostalgia for God and who desire to rediscover Him".
The programme of events for the Year "touches the daily life of all believers and the ordinary pastoral care of the Christian community, in order to rediscover that genuine missionary spirit which we need in order to give life to the new evangelisation". In this context, the archbishop announced that the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has approved the formula for a special "Mass for New Evangelisation". This, he said, is a sign that during the Year of Faith "priority will be given to prayer, and especially to the Eucharist as source and summit of all Christian life".
The president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation then went on to present the logo of the Year of Faith in which the image of a ship symbolises the Church. The mast of the vessel is a cross with full-blown sails which form the monogram of Christ (IHS) and in the background is a sun representing the Eucharist. The website of the event (www.annusfidei.va) is available in various languages and can be consulted by smartphone and tablet. The Year also has an official hymn entitled: "Credo, Domine, adauge nobis fidem". A multilingual pastoral guide entitled "Living the Year of Faith" is due to be published in early September and pilgrims will receive an image of the Christ from the cathedral of Cefalu in Sicily, with the Creed written on the back.
Finally Archbishop Fisichella turned his attention to the most important events of the Year of Faith, those to be celebrated in Rome in the presence of the Holy Father: They include the opening, which "will take place in St. Peter's Square on Thursday 11 October, fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of Vatican Council II. There will be a solemn Eucharistic celebration concelebrated by the Synod Fathers, the presidents of the world's episcopal conferences and by Council Fathers who are still alive".
Sunday 21 October will see the canonisation of seven martyrs: Jacques Berthieu, Pedro Calungsod, Giovanni Battista Piamarta, Maria del Carmen (born Maria Salles y Barangueras), Kateri Tekakwitha, Maria Anna Cope, and Anna Schaffer. On 25 January 2013, during the traditional ecumenical celebration at the Roman basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, participants will pray that, "through their joint profession of the Symbol, Christians ... may not forget the path of unity". On 28 April the Holy Father will impart the Sacrament of Confirmation to a group of young people, while 5 May will be dedicated to expressions of popular piety.
On 18 May, the eve of Pentecost, Catholic movements, both old and new, will gather in St. Peter's Square. On 2 June, Corpus Christi, the Blessed Sacrament will be adored at the same time all over the world. Sunday 16 June will be dedicated to the Gospel of Life. On 7 July seminarians and novices from all over the world will conclude their pilgrimage by gathering in St. Peter's Square. The 29 September will be dedicated to catechists on the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and 13 October will focus on the presence of Mary in the Church. Finally, the closing celebration of the Year of Faith will take place on 24 November 2013.
The Year of Faith will also include a number of cultural events including an exhibition on St. Peter to be held at Castel Sant'Angelo from 7 February 2013 to 1 May 2013 and a concert in St. Peter's Square on 22 June 2013.
CARDINAL WOELKI TO TAKE POSSESSION OF HIS TITULAR CHURCH
Vatican City, 21 June 2012 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that at 7 p.m. on Saturday 30 June Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, archbishop of Berlin, Germany, will take possession of the title of St. John Mary Vianney in Via Lentini 6, Rome.
Vatican City, 21 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops.
AUDIENCE WITH PRESIDENT OF MONTENEGRO AND RATIFICA...
CARDINAL WOELKI TO TAKE POSSESSION OF HIS TITULAR ...
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Watch: The cool, creepy opening credits for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Staff Reporter | On 25, Oct 2018
Reading time: 10 mins
This weekend finally sees the arrival of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix, and to whet your appetite, Netflix has unveiled the creepy, cool opening credits for the series.
Pitched somewhere between Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, with a hint of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Netflix’s companion show to Sabrina reimagines her origin and adventures as a dark coming-of-age story, as the 16-year-old wrestles to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.
“With a determined spirit and boldness, Sabrina Spellman v.2018 represents a smart 21st century updating, and a decidedly feminist one,” we wrote in our spoiler-free review of the series. “Funny, dark, politically-charged, weird, subversive, spooky, occasionally violent and always compelling, this reboot is another big winner for Netflix.”
And all of that is crammed into the show’s opening titles, which use the actual artwork from the Archie Comics the show is based upon, managing to combine chilling and dark imagery with a spry sense of humour, knowingly camp production values and a wonderfully eerie main theme from composer Adam Taylor (The Handmaid’s Tale, Before I Fall).
You can watch the whole of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix from Friday 26th October. Until then, watch the titles below – or head this way to read our full review.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina shows its human side in new clip
“You cannot simply postpone your 16th birthday. Especially when it occurs on the eclipse of a blood moon.” That’s Miranda Otto’s stern Aunt Hilda in the new clip from Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, when Sabrina (Kiernan Shipka) dares to suggest delaying the sacred ritual that is her baptism.
Netflix’s series, a companion piece to The CW’s Riverdale, is “tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist”, and the show’s marketing so far has focused on that sinister streak, with a host of disturbing images and creepy music. This new, and likely final, glimpse of the show before its release gives us a taste of the more human side of Sabrina’s story – after all, this is a coming-of-age story at its core, albeit one that traffics in the occult.
Mad Men’s Kiernan Shipka stars as Sabrina, and already looks at home in the creepy role – accompanied by Otto and Lucy Davis as her caring aunts, Richard Coyle as Father Blackwood – and there’s the mention of Harvey Kinkle, Sabrina’s timeless crush, who will be played by Ross Lynch. (For a full look at the show’s cast, click here.)
Can Sabrina reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit? Find out on Friday 26th October, when Chilling Adventures of Sabrina finally hits Netflix. Until then, here’s the clip:
Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina gets a darkly funny new trailer
“I’m not an evil person. But these are desperate times.” That’s Sabrina Spellman introducing herself in the bad-ass new trailer for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Netflix’s take on the familiar teenage witch imagines her origin and adventures as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, this adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.
How do you balance Rosemary’s Baby and a teen-oriented comedy? The new trailer gives us a taste of how Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who also serves as chief creative officer of Archie Comics, will juggle the tone – and from the music choices to the cast (led by Kiernan Shipka), it all looks promisingly sweet and sinister in equal measure.
The whole series premieres on Netflix on Friday 26th October, just in time for Halloween and hot on the heels of a new season of Riverdale. Here’s the video:
Watch: First trailer for Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
The first trailer for Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina has landed and the series is shaping up to be a long way from the Nickelodeon show of your childhood.
Netflix describes the series, a companion piece to The CW’s Riverdale, as “tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist”, and the trailer isn’t kidding, backing up those claims with some disturbing images and a sinister vocal rendition of Happy Birthday to You – sung to Sabrina as she presumably comes of age and enters a whole new world of horror.
Imagining the origin and adventures of the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in the occult, the adaptation of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s comics will see Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.
Mad Men’s Kiernan Shipka stars as Sabrina, and already looks at home in the creepy role – accompanied by Miranda Otto and Lucy Davis as her aunts, Richard Coyle as Father Blackwood, High Priest of the Church of Night and Dean of the Academy of the Unseen Arts, and Michelle Gomez as an evil high school teacher – and, of course, Ross Lynch as love interest Harvey Kinkle. (For more on the show’s cast, click here.)
The series premieres on Netflix all at once on Friday 26th October, just after the debut of Riverdale Season 3 and just in time for Halloween. Here’s the video – or read on below for the poster.
Netflix drops first images of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina are drawing near on the horizon, and now, we’ve got our first proper look at the cast in action.
Netflix has dropped two official pictures from the set of the drama, which imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, the adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.
Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who also serves as chief creative officer of Archie Comics, penned the script for the series. He’s already assembled in impressive cast, including Mad Men’s Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina, Miranda Otto and Lucy Davis as her aunts, Richard Coyle as Father Blackwood, High Priest of the Church of Night and Dean of the Academy of the Unseen Arts, and Michelle Gomez as an evil high school teacher – and, of course, Ross Lynch as love interest Harvey Kinkle. (For more on the show’s cast, click here.)
The two images give us a proper look at Shipka’s Sabrina, both in an ominous-looking forest and during her dark baptism, which also features her two aunts and Coyle’s Father Blackwood. The series premieres on Netflix all at once on Friday 26th October, just after the debut of Riverdale Season 3 and just in time for Halloween.
Read on for the pictures – or head this way for more details on the show’s release and a poster.
Netflix’s Sabrina series gets a poster
Netflix’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch series has got a poster, and it’s a beautiful bit of atmospheric art.
First lined up at The CW as a spin-off from Riverdale, the show is based on Roberto Aguirre Sacasa’s graphic novel The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. It reimagines the origin and adventures of the eponymous teenage witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, it finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.
Mad Men’s Kiernan Shipka will play Sabrina, with a cast that includes Richard Coyle as Father Blackwood, High Priest of the Church of Night and Dean of the Academy of the Unseen Arts, and Michelle Gomez as an evil high school teacher. Other cast members include Ross Lynch as Sabrina’s love interest, Harvey Kinkle, and Miranda Otto and Lucy Davis as her aunts, Hilda and Zelda.
We’ve already been given our first look at Salem the cat, Harvey, an episode’s script, and Kiernan Shipka herself in the lead role. Now, showrunner Aguirre Sacasa has unveiled a new poster to boot. The artwork, which incorporates the silhouette of Salem, a pair of red lips and Sabrina’s signature haircut, is a delightfully retro affair that suggests Sacasa has lost none of his passion for the classic horror that has heavily influenced Riverdale over its first two seasons.
First Look: Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Netflix has given us our first proper look at Kiernan Shipka in its new Sabrina the Teenage Witch series – and the show’s got an official title too.
Based on Roberto Aguirre Sacasa’s graphic novel The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the show imagines Sabrina’s origins as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, it finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.
Shipka is joined by Ross Lynch as love interest Harvey (read on for your first look at them together), and Richard Coyle as Father Blackwood, High Priest of the Church of Night and Dean of the Academy of the Unseen Arts, plus Michelle Gomez as an evil high school teacher, not to mention Tati Gabrielle as nemesis Prudence, and Miranda Otto and Lucy Davis as her aunts, Hilda and Zelda.
As for the title? Why, the show’s called the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, of course.
First look: Netflix’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Harvey
Sabrina the Teenage Witch is heading to Netflix later this year, and we’ve got our first look at the new incarnation of the iconic character – complete with romantic interest Harvey.
Harvey was originally played by Nate Richert, who became something of a heartthrob in the 1990s, when he acted opposite Melissa Joan Hart as the teenage witch. In 2018, Netflix’s Sabrina reboot is taking a darker approach, with Mad Men’s Kiernan Shipka stepping into Sabrina’s shoes, with Ross Lynch playing Harvey.
Based on graphic novel The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the new series imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, it finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.
The first picture, unveiled by showrunner Roberto Aguirre Sacasa on Twitter, immediately captures the show’s new vibe, with Harvey’s costume reminiscent of Jughead in Riverdale, the CW series from which Sabrina spins off.
Shipka and Lynch are described by Sacasa as “ADORBS”. They’ll be joined by Richard Coyle as Father Blackwood, High Priest of the Church of Night and Dean of the Academy of the Unseen Arts, and Michelle Gomez as an evil high school teacher, as well as Tati Gabrielle as nemesis Prudence, and Miranda Otto and Lucy Davis as her aunts, Hilda and Zelda.
What do you think? Can anyone ever replace the Harvey and Sabrina of your youth?
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Netflix
Babou Ceesay to star in BBC One’s Dark Mon£y
The A List: BBC’s answer to Riverdale hits iPlayer
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Netflix unmasks final trailer for Mindhunter... October 9, 2017 | Staff Reporter
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« 6 reasons why you’d be crazy to buy an electric car | ecomento.com
BMW i8 plug-in hybrid goes on sale in July from $135,700 »
Nissan Leaf Electric Car to Race in Australia
While some people who drive the electric-powered Nissan Leaf regularly sing its praises, they would be hard-pressed to call it a racy, high-performance car. But the slow sedan’s image could get an upgrade when the Leaf Nismo RC competes against gasoline-powered cars on Australia’s famous Adelaide Parklands circuit.
The car’s appearance is part of the run-up to Sunday’s Clipsal 500 race, an event in the V8 Supercars Series that is somewhat similar to Nascar stock-car racing in the U.S.
Its development is significant to racing fans because a number of car makers including Porsche, Audi and Toyota have begun using electric power in hybrid race cars, and racing rules increasingly reward fuel efficiency. A growing ”green” movement in top-tier racing could result in more electric-powered competition in the next several years.
The specially designed Leaf race car will compete against a Nissan Altima V8 Supercar and a Nissan GT-R road car in the Nissan Time Attack, an event meant to show off the electric car’s performance.
More wsj.com
February 27th, 2014 | Category: Events, EVs and Plugins
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Best Ice Hockey Players 2017
in Ice Hockey 129 Views
The year 2017, in my opinion, had the Olympic Winter Games as a central event, relegating the importance of the Stanley Cup to good effect. Clarified the criterion of evaluation, below the post is the section of comments to leave pitheads and threats. Thank you, come back soon (?)
Especially Mention Teemu Selanne
Including Selanne within the ranking would not have been fair with the ten listed here but obviate it in a summary of the year would not have been fair with the wonderful 8 Finns. In the year of his retirement he played a good season in the NHL but his highest point was the tournament in Sochi. On Russian soil, Selanne scored 6 points in 6 matches and 4 assists and 2 assists. He was an undisputed leader on the field and had his pinnacle in the tournament for the bronze medal in which he scored two goals and Suomi’s lion crushed the American team. From here we congratulate the eternal Teemu and we are very happy for his career and his last game, I say partidazo.
Those who stayed out because I have no heart and did not want to stretch the ranking to fifteen, are: Semyon Varlamov, Jeff Carter, Ryan Getzlaf, Henrik Lundqvist and Tuukka Rask.
Ice Hockey Players
10) Erik Karlsson
The current Senators captain had a good year, especially at the Sochi Olympics, where he finished in the ideal team and scored a good number of goals (4 goals and 4 assists in 6 games). He has a more prominent role in the Swedish national team, not to mention his presence in Ottawa, where he was named captain after the departures of Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza. The small spot to his year lies in not having played the playoffs of the Stanley Cup.
9) Nathan Mackinnon
The Colorado youth had an exceptional season, not without being drafted first in the 2013 draft. He was a Calder Trophy winner for the season’s best rookie and broke Wayne Gretzky’s record for most consecutive games by scoring points for A rookie. It is the representative in the ranking of the surprise of the season that were the Avalanche, directed by Patrick Roy.
8) Niklas Kronwall
Kronwall in the n ° 8? Yes sir. If Davor can fill all the rankings with Celtics players, I can do it with Red Wings players. The Kronwall case has its main point of support in its work as the leader of two campuses plagued by key and unfortunate injuries: Detroit and the Sweden Selection (those who share a considerable number of players). In the Olympic games had to assume the role of captain, after the injury that took to Henrik Zetterberg of the match. He had a very important tournament, allowing Erik Karlsson to score in powerplay and consolidating the defensive pair with Jonathan Ericsson – his companion in the Red Wings.
Relevant:- What Is Ice Hockey – Ice Hockey Rules
In Detroit he had the complex task of leading a team injured by injuries (he has a record number of games / man lost in a season due to injuries). Zetterberg’s long absences – also captain of Detroit – and Pavel Datsyuk – the other A of the squad – led him to lead the team in points and in time on court; Allowing not only to fire their young teammates but also to classify the Red Wings to the playoffs.
7) Duncan Keith
What about “2” that has not been said before? The Blackhawks defender completed yet another high-level season, won the Sochi gold medal, won the Norris Trophy to the season’s best defender and was a constant guarantee for Chicago. If it is not in higher positions it is because we are accustomed to seeing it at the elite level.
6) Sidney Crosby
Possibly being unfair to the best player in the world; But as happened with LeBron James in the NBA post, there is a similar scenario. Crosby was awarded the Hart Trophy to the most valuable player of the season and won a gold medal in Sochi. However, at the beginning of the season such goals were reasonable goals for the No. 87; Resulting in the problem to place him in a higher position, the work of his team in the last playoffs.
5) Patrice Bergeron
The high that fixes the rod the center of the Bruins is such that managed to defer to excellent players like Toews and Kopitar in the vote for the Selke Trophy to the best defensive striker. Bergeron had a huge season, which moved to the Olympic, what is icing in hockey? For the Canadian team to retain the gold medal conquered in Vancouver 2010. The weak point of the season Bergeron comes by the bruins quick exit of the Canadiens in the playoffs .
4) Anze Kopitar
The Slovenian striker was a finalist for the Selke Trophy and managed to give himself the privilege of playing for the first time in the history of his country in an Olympic game – creating an interesting participation. As indicated above, the winner of the Selke was Bergeron but Kopitar is placed above him because he won the Stanley Cup with the Kings, again.
3) Jonathan Toews
The podium begins with one of those players who not only mark a season in the league but redefine the trajectory of a team for decades. The Blackhawks captain is one of those players that I would love to have on my team, even to play another sport or to work in an office; Is not only complete on the pitch but also influences the team and club that is in the same line of leadership as they had – I stand – Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom. As for the year of “Captain Serious”, he was very good with the Blackhawks reaching the conference final – Chicago was eliminated in the seventh game with the later champions, Los Angeles Kings – and is currently having very outstanding performances, as usual In it, in the current season.
Undoubtedly the highest point of his season was the gold medal in Sochi: he played a major tournament, agreed to have a less leading role in cartel on a star-studded campus and gave six master classes on what he has to do A two-way forward on the entire track. Ah, a detail that makes it honor to his excellent tournament: in the final was who made the first goal, which would turn out to be the game winning goal.
2) Drew Doughty
Drew doughty is best ice hockey player. Taking into consideration the last two winter Olympic Games, Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014, it has become a habit that Doughty figures quite high in the rankings of the best players of such years. In 2014 he had a very high level, which allowed him to hang the gold medal, for second consecutive Olympic game, and to raise the Stanley Cup.
Beyond the importance of repeating the most important trophy at the club level, in my opinion – possibly influenced by my footballing prejudices and the devotion of European players to their selections – the most relevant competition of the year was the Winter Olympics. In that tournament the presence of Doughty was key in bringing to the Canadian selection to another gold medal: it played a first superlative round and in each of the eliminatory crosses it had very good parties. The defensive pair that formed with Marc-Eduard Vlasic was a pleasant surprise – all credit of the Canadian trainer Mike Babcock -, allowing him to take more offensive roles from the blue line, managing to score four goals in the tournament.
Having won the two tournaments and that plus of performance when the Canadian team was questioned, they place it above Toews on this list.
1) Mike Babcock
Is the best ice hockey player a technical director? Manteca, are you in fart? Do you want to know why I put Mike Babcock in the No. 1 spot? BECAUSE I CAN.
The alma mater of the Canadian machine of 2010 and 2014 is this gentleman who has consolidated a team full of stars and future members of the hall of fame. He managed to convince a whole team to adopt a style of play and play for and for that. Sidney Crosby made a discreet tournament in terms of numbers but at all times maintained the conviction that the function that was developing was the most convenient to win – a small gesture that graphs enough the cohesion generated in the squad occurred when Crosby was designated captain of the selection. The Penguins center called to Toews, the other more likely to be captain, to ask if he gave his “blessing” to bring the “C” -.
Previous: What Is Ice Hockey – Ice Hockey Rules
Next: Ice Hockey World Cup 2016 – World Hockey Championships
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Government and Extremism, a continuation
The last blog contained some thoughts on government and extremism, which will continue here based on remarks made in my classes.
My earlier blog began with some stuff from the NY Times that struck me as odd, viz., that according to the Times, the U.S.'s "overriding concern is that the same people who are clamoring for change [interesting choice of words here] could choose leaders who are hostile to the U.S., or are even extremists."
So, two possibilities scare us: hostility to the U.S., whatever that means, and "extremism." Now, first, the hostility part, whatever that might mean. I mean I have some hostility to the U.S. and especially its government. Apparently, even the Fox News people have some hostility toward the U.S. these days, no? Certainly Tea Partiers and even or especially "liberals" have hostility, are hostile to the U.S. these days too, no?
My point? What kind of standard is this? Either it is meaningless or it is meant to conjure up pictures of gun-wielding fanatics or crazies, like Loughner, who have, quite inexplicably not realized that the U.S. is on a mission that will benefit the entire world, if not the cosmos as well! How could anyone, especially in the Middle East [as we call it; they who live there call it "home"], be hostile to the U.S? I mean, after all, we just got through with invading Iraq and killing thousands of its civilians to "help them" and to make "the world safe for democracy." Is this the thanks we get - "leaders who are hostile to the U.S."? And this is especially troubling in Egypt where we have spent billions helping to prop up Mubarak and his rather repressive regime over the course of the last 30 years. Talk about being ungrateful!
But the other standard - "extremism" - got me thinking - or asking: "Who are the extremists here, the protesters, the rebels, or Mubarak and his government?" And because this seemed to me like a strange question to ask, I asked another: "Why does it seem so strange to ask if those in power, those in government, are extremists, and not those in the streets?" Then I thought: "Hey, maybe this has something to do with the idea, the phenomenon of 'government' itself." That is, maybe the connection, blurred as it is, between "government" and "extremism" is not an accident or an aberration.
Then I thought about Machiavelli, whom I consider the creator or inventor of "government," at least in the modern sense of that phenomenon. After all, Machiavelli is known as "a realist," that is, as one who knew what had to be done to get where we - that is, we human beings - want to go or get to how we want to live. [The latter question was not difficult for Machiavelli: Human beings, most of them, want to live comfortably, relatively freely, while perhaps enjoying some glory or grandeur that comes from living in a "great nation," that is, one noted for its power, its prosperity, and its development, a lot like ancient Rome. I will return to this question soon.]
Maybe Machiavelli was a realist because he knew, "discovered" might be too strong a word, that extremism is absolutely essential as the foundation of any decent, that is, relatively stable, prosperous, and free, society. Also, Machiavelli realized that what was necessary at the outset is also necessary at other times, times of danger, or that is all the time because dangers are always present or almost present. The "best" statesmen see these dangers coming and act against them when others don't see them. A chilling thought if you think about it.
Ah, but here a difficulty arises: Extremism is, willy-nilly, threatening and people, at least most people, shy away from it, a behavior that seems to make sense given the dangers of extremism. So extremism needs to be hidden, not to say domesticated. [An important distinction I suspect, but only suspect now.] Where can we hide the necessary extremism, the necessary extremists? Answer: Government. More particularly, in a powerful and/or energetic government which will draw those attracted by extremism into it and foster or strengthen their tendencies, their desire for extremism. Here it is hard to beat Alexander Hamilton in the Federalist, speaking about the love of fame: "...the love of fame, the ruling passion of the noblest minds,...prompt[s] a man to plan and undertake extensive and arduous enterprises for the public benefit...." And, of course, for his fame or glory or even his immortality. [We are still quoting Hamilton!]
So, draw these types into government and their extremism may be made to look like something else entirely - for example, necessity or rationality. It might go something like this: "Hey, I hate to torture human beings or kill innocent civilians, but I have to do so. You cannot make mayonnaise without breaking some eggs. You cannot create and maintain a decent society without breaking some heads. It takes great courage or resolve for me to behave like this, but I will do it - and let the consequences be damned."
And there is or could be considerable truth to this speech as a troublesome issue raises itself: What if we human beings have "souls" and these "souls" are harmed by doing injustice? This was the basis for the question Socrates bugged everyone with: Is it worse to suffer or to do injustice? Our answer, like Machiavelli's and the Athenians: It is worse to suffer injustice and, hence, we allow ourselves to kill, maim, and torture innocent human beings because this is "realistic."
But even Socrates' question gets lost in the business of government, which is I think precisely what Machiavelli intended. There is work to be done, "extensive and arduous enterprises for the public benefit" that must be undertaken, even if the cost to ourselves or "souls" is dear. Extremism lies hidden in the recesses of our government, of any modern government and this is what the Egyptians in the streets are rebelling against. It is most interesting that in taking what is labeled a "careful" or "prudent" stance toward the events in Egypt that our president is seen not as a supporter of extremism but as a moderate. And the beat goes on.....As Jefferson said, a little revolution every so often is a good thing. He knew, I think, from whence he spoke.
Government and Extremism
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice." Barry Goldwater, 1964
"A little revolution every now and again is a good thing, as healthy in the political world as storms are in the natural world." Paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson, circa 1776.
Sometimes what is written in a newspaper is most revealing about our blindness. For example, in the New York Times, dated Saturday, January 29, 2011, the following paragraph appears: “In each case [Middle Eastern countries], the overriding concern is that the same people who are clamoring for change could choose leaders who are hostile to the United States, or are even extremists.”
A couple of things at least. First, do those people “clamoring for change” view themselves as “extremists?” I don’t think that they do. I think that they think that Mubarek, the leader of Egypt, is the extremist. And, of course, there are some pretty good reasons to think that they are correct. After all, Mubarek has ruled Egypt for 30 years but only with the help of rigged elections – where he garners something 88% of the vote – and with the help of his “secret” police – who are of course not “secret” to the Egyptian people!
But, of course, those “clamoring for change” must be extremists because they are out in the streets and, worse than that, refusing to obey the duly constituted authorities. However, again, this is illusionary because according to those in the streets, there are no “duly constituted authorities” in Egypt. The government is illegitimate and oppressive or it is illegitimate because it is oppressive, a thought that should not be strange to a people who began their “peoplehood,” as it were, with a Declaration of Independence justifying treasonous war in the face of similar oppression.
This points me in the direction of another observation, more interesting to me than the first one: Government is a way of hiding extremism and extremists. I would argue that this is precisely what Machiavelli understood about government, as well as others like Max Weber [who understood modern bureaucracy better than most]. That is, government disguises extremism and extremists, making them look like the “duly constituted authorities” even while they pursue schemes and projects and policies that can only accurately be described as extreme.
Don’t believe me? Well, ask yourselves: Isn’t a war waged against a tactic, say “terrorism,” extremist, as well as one waged to eradicate evil or “a war to end all wars” or “to make the world safe for democracy?” All of these justifications have come from the “duly constituted authorities” in the United States. But what about “a war on poverty,” or “a war on drugs,” or “a war on crime?” [For those in my presidency class this semester, a question: Is the office of the presidency an excellent way of disguising or hiding, by legitimizing, extremism? Sounds like a good final exam question to me.]
Or, to take another example, one that hits closer to home for me and where I work and live: Who are the extremists on college campuses, the students or those BOBs – Basic Old Bureaucrats – who are trying to change what they call “student culture,” a “culture” that seems rather impervious to the BOBs attempts to change it? As I just realized, it is the students who are presented to us as extremists, that is, they allegedly go to extremes when it comes to sex, drinking, and even apparently “freaking out,” if the latest survey on student “stress” is to be believed. But isn’t this like saying that it was not Socrates’ proposal in the Republic for the rule of philosopher kings, including the arranging of marriages, that was radical but, rather, those who would resist such rule? This seems to be a wee bit insane, does it not?
But aren’t those BOBs who are most committed to their project of rationalizing life at Assumption College, and at other colleges and universities that tolerate and promote what is called the “Student Life” movement, the extremists? After all, what sane person would think that it is possible, to say of nothing of desirable, to rationalize human life on a college campus where young people congregate not to be “socialized” but, rather, to be free one last time before they enter what is called “the real world?”
And isn’t this true of those who would rationalize human life generally, whether that rationalization is seen as the work of “the free market” or the work of a pervasively powerful government as allegedly proposed by liberals?
Ah yes, they are extremists. But put these people in a government, make them “officials,” and watch what might well be called “a magic show:” The extremists disappear into “government officials” or BOBs or others who have committed themselves to participating in the attempt to rationalize human life. The point here is: The extremists disappear into the government and reappear in those who resist! And, of course, perhaps the worst of the newly created extremists are those who point out, call out, this “magic show.” So, those who see most clearly are called extremist. But then Plato/Socrates knew this too as illustrated by the Republic. And don't forget what happened to Socrates!!
Obama's State of the Union
A Story and A Point
Based on Walter Karp’s book Buried Alive
The story first:
“Once, on a radio discussion show, the moderator, vexed with me for ‘tearing down America,’ began delivering a long harangue about the horrors of dictatorship in Yugoslavia, a country he had recently visited. How then, he asked in conclusion, could anyone really criticize American politics when you compare our freedom with Tito’s repressions? That is the true internationalist voice of the nationist. He extols liberty in America by comparing it with despotism abroad. The republican, by contrast, compares liberty in America with one standard only, the one established in the principles and promise of the American republic itself. To the nationist, new-fashioned patriot of the twentieth century, American is always a nation among nations.”
From what I gather Obama, in his State of the Union address, compared the United States with, among other nations, China to show that we are lagging behind. That is, Obama did not compare the US to China to “extol” us but to criticize us, to show that we needed to “shut up and get to work.” [Obama of course used code for this latter phrase.]
Now, by doing this, notice how Obama mimicked or copied the moderator mentioned in Karp’s story, and also spoke as a “nationist” and not as a “republican.” [The small “r” is crucial here because even Republicans are “nationists.”]
And think about it: What questions disappear as a result of Obama’s argument? [One possibility: Distribution of wealth in this “republic.” Another possibility: The state of our political order today, ala’ the Tea Partiers’ concerns.] What questions become prominent? [One possibility: How to make sure that when more people go to college so they can compete in the “new” globalized world economy their education will be sufficiently vocational or useful.]
Generally speaking, is the rhetoric of our presidents “republican” in the sense of being focused on whether or to what extent “We the People” or our government are reaching those standards “established in the principles and promise of the American republic itself?” Or is it “nationist” in the sense that it directs our attention overseas and makes us think that our greatest challenge[s] are abroad, thereby blinding us to the challenges that confront our republic here at home?
A few passages from Karp with relevance today
“the citizen-turned-nationist,” Karp, pp. 19-20, Buried Alive
“The virtues of the citizen-turned-nationist would be simple, logical, and straightforward. For the sake of the nation, whose strength abroad demands ‘complete internal peace,’ he would do all that ‘internal peace’ requires. He would forego the exercise of his liberties – to speak, to act, to voice independent judgments – and urge his fellow citizens to do likewise, for the sea of liberty is turbulent and weakens the nation in the performance of its ‘international duties.’ For the sake of internal peace he would rest content with his lot and cease dividing the counsels of the powerful with selfish demands upon his government. In domestic affairs he would mind his own business and ask for nothing. In foreign affairs he would mind everyone else’s business and call hotly for action. Eternal vigilance, liberty’s steep price, he would willingly abandon because only a people that shows ‘confidence’ in its rulers can provide them with the power to act forcefully abroad. Mutual respect, which citizens pay to each other simply because they are fellow citizens, he would replace with the patriotism of mutual suspicion – ‘positive polarization,’ as a presidential administration would call it fifty five years later. His own ‘vital patriotism’ he would display by condemning as ‘disloyal’ and ‘un-American’ those who still cherish the republic and still fought to preserve and perfect it. Sedition, the crime of weakening the nation by critical words, he would undertake to root out among his neighbors (‘America – Love it or leave it’), although officially no such crime exists in America. Such was the new-molded citizen envisioned by the warmongers of 1916 and extolled every since by the promoters of nationism.”
Think of JFK’s inaugural address and the famous line “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” [Recall another possibility, one a citizen might ask: What is my government doing to me? Ah, but of course this possibility falls outside the purview of a president who was said to head an administration popularly referred to as “Camelot”!]
And keep in mind that a colleague of Dr. Schultz has characterized him, jokingly, as being “anti-American.” Of course, that colleague is correct if being an American means being what Karp calls a “nationist” or what I would call a “nationalist.”
The Two Americas
Walter Karp, a favorite here, has written of the "two Americas," the republic and the nation. Evidence of this duality is present, he argued, in the pledge of allegiance, where we pledge our allegiance to "one nation, under God" but also to the "flag and the republic for which it stands." For Karp, our political drama is, pretty much, a drama that revolves around these two possibilities, these two, very different aspirations, as it were. Karp thought that it was pretty amazing that the nation was not easily defeated by the republic, but here I think he could have been wrong or less than persuasive. There is something about "nationalism," just as there is something about war, that appeals to human beings, appeals to them deeply and strongly. And, of course, I make the comparison to war because, as Karp realized, war is the blood of any nation, the force that gives nationalism its appeal and meaning, to take some words from Chris Hedges and his book, "War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning."
But that is a line of speculation for another day. Today it occurred to me that these two Americas are also embedded in our Constitution as well. Particularly, I was thinking about the presidency and, more particularly, about the impeachment process. My recent research has convinced of at least two things, First, there has been a political campaign, at least since the impeachment of Richard Nixon, to lay the impeachment provisions of the Constitution to rest, to kill them, to render them moot. As a result, Nixon argued before he resigned that a president could only be impeached and tried for crimes, that is, statutory crimes. Presidents could not be impeached and tried for what might be called "political offenses," such as violations of the principles of the Constitution as interpreted by the Congress. Moreover, in this light, Nixon's decision to resign is significant but more significant was the decision of the House leadership not to pursue impeachment after Nixon had resigned. By this logic, impeachment is about removal from office, not about accountability in office. For most practical purposes, this guts the impeachment process as it was conceived by the men who helped create it, men who were after accountability as well as removability.
And this is the second thing I have concluded about the impeachment process: That it was intended to be a tool by which government officials, and especially presidents, could be held accountable for their actions while in office. And this accountability need not eventuate in removal from office. In fact, the tool works best in ensuring accountability if it is clearly disengaged from removability. For example, Clinton's impeachment would have made much more sense had the Congress adopted what was clearly the intention of the Constitution, viz., that conviction for "impeachable offenses" need not result in removal from office. Clinton's behavior certainly did not warrant removal from office, at least not for most people, but it did warrant castigation or condemnation, even a public shaming as it were. Half joking, maybe a scarlet letter would have been appropriate!
So understood, the impeachment process is clear evidence that there are two presidencies or two presidential possibilities embedded in the Constitution. There is the presidency of, say, Richard Nixon, where the underlying principle is: "If the president does it, that means it is not illegal." This is the presidency that is above the law and even above legal standards, perhaps even those embedded in the Constitution itself. This is a reflection of Hamilton's "energetic executive," an executive capable of and encouraged to act with "secrecy and dispatch."
Then there is the presidency of impeachment provisions, an office that can and should be held accountable for its occupants actions, and not merely those actions that violate the law. This presidency would have to answer for its actions, such as Nixon's "secret bombing" of Cambodia [an article of impeachment that was not approved by the House against Nixon] and the Reagan administration's actions "supporting democracy" around the world, actions which were described by none other than Ollie North as much more controversial than the diversion of funds during the Iran-Contra scandal. This presidency is a reflection of Hamilton's argument in the Federalist that the impeachment process was created to be "a national inquest," that is, an inquest into what Hamilton labeled "political offenses," not criminal offenses.
Anyway, worth thinking about on this snowy Friday when classes have been cancelled and I am waiting to blow some snow!! Go Jets!!! Go Bears!!!
Surprise, Surprise
Oh, surprise, surprise, the Tea Partiers have finally realized that they are getting screwed - just like the rest of us. Great article in today's [01/02/11] New York Times entitled, "As New Congress Begins, Actions of GOP Leaders Anger Tea Party Activists." From the first paragraph: "As Tea Party politicians prepare to take their seats..., they are already taking issue with Republicans for failing to hold the line against the flurry of legislation enacted in the waning weeks of Democratic control of the House...and for not giving some candidates backed by Tea Party groups powerful leadership positions." [p. 13]
Well, the latter point was obvious when Michelle Bachmann was not given a leadership position earlier. And, of course, for loyal readers of this blog, if there are any, they know that the Republican leadership is now in process of disciplining the insurgents of the Tea Party backgrounds. These insurgents represent a threat to the "regulars" who control the Republican Party, just as the Blue Dog Democrats represented a threat to the "regulars" who control the Democratic Party - and we saw what happened to most of those Democrats in the last election. They are gone, baby, gone - and good riddance from the point of view of the regulars - while Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are back in control! My guess is that the Republican Party will put up a weak candidate for president in 2012, someone with some identification with the Tea Party, so when that candidate loses, the regulars can say: "You see, be realistic. The American people don't want insurgents, they don't want 'radicals'. They want us, the regulars." Which is, of course, Obama's message since the Democrats' "defeat" in the last election: "You see don't you, that Americans want bipartisanship and I can do that."
There you have it, American politics in a nutshell. Smoke and mirrors, just smoke and mirrors.
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Jack Owens
From Snoutslouts
Revision as of 11:50, 1 July 2011 by Ranga (Talk | contribs)
Glenelg, 1924 - 1935
827 goals
Captain 1933, 1934
Captain of first premiership team for Glenelg 1934
Ten time Glenelg leading goal kicker
SANFL leading goal kicker 1927, 1928 & 1932 (tied with Ken Farmer, North Adelaide)
Kicked 102 goals in season 1932
Played 9 matches for South Australia
Inducted SANFL Hall of Fame 2002
Inducted Glenelg Hall of Fame 2002
Jack Owens was originally from Broken Hill.
He was a prolific left footed full-forward who excelled despite playing much of his career in what was then the League's weakest team. He favoured the screw punt when he lined up for goals and it was effective as he topped Glenelg's goal-kicking every year from 1924 to 1932 as well as for a tenth time in 1934. On three of those occasions he was the league's leading goal scorer, outright in 1927 and 1928 with 80 and 83 goals respectively while he tied for the mantle in 1932 with Ken Farmer on 102 goals.
Towards the end of his career Glenelg began to improve and in 1934 he captained the club to their inaugural SANFL premiership. He was also South Australian captain for interstate matches in 1933 and 1934. In all he appeared for his state team on nine occasions and kicked 26 goals.
See also Gallery Jack Owens
1. Wikipedia article
2. The South Australian Football Story, Bernard Whimpress, 1983
Retrieved from "http://wiki.snoutslouts.org/index.php?title=Jack_Owens"
Categories: Players | Premiership Players | Captains | Hall of Fame
About Snoutslouts
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Window on Eurasia: Russia’s Muslims Begin Talking about a ‘Muslim Russia’
Vienna, December 18 – Russia’s Muslims are beginning to change the way they talk about the relationship between their religious community and their country, a shift that reflects their own growing self-confidence but one that frightens many ethnic Russians who see it as a threat to their own status.
Until recently, Daniyal Isayev writes in a commentary on the Islam.ru portal, the Muslims of Russia, like most analysts who discuss their community, typically spoke “about ‘Islam and Russia,’ ‘Islam in Russia,’ and even ‘[non-ethnic] Russian Islam.” But they “never” referred to “’Muslim Russia.’”
Now, he writes, ever more of the faithful there are doing just that, a reflection of “how much is changing both in the world and in Russia itself” -- and “especially in the consciousness, self-conception and position of Muslims” living in that country (http://www.islam.rupressclub/analitika/bumora/?print_page).
This shift does not represent a split in Russian society, the Muslim commentator insists, but rather represents an affirmation that Islam is “an inalienable part of Russia” and that “Russia as a state and civilization could not exist without Islam and the Muslims.”
The Islamic community emerged “on the territory of contemporary Russia not only centuries earlier than in many other regions of the world which today are considered traditionally Islamic but centuries before the appearance of the [ethnic] Russian people and [ethnic] Russian and [non-ethnic] Russian statehood.”
“Muslim Russia,” he writes, “is Derbent, Kazan, Astrakhan, Ufa, Tyumen, Orenburg and so on. Today, this is also Moscow and St. Petersburg. {It] is the creativity of Pushkin, Lermontov, and Tolstoy, … an enormous territory and peoples of Northern Eurasia who were drawn together by the Golden Horde.”
Moreover, “Muslim Russia is [also] the victories on the fronts of the First and Second World Wars, gold medals at the Olympics and scientific achievements of recent years.” And the future of Muslim Russia, Isayev suggests, is certain to be even richer and more beneficial to the country.
That is because “Muslim Russia is not a finished or finally completed phenomenon. [It] is a dynamically developing present and a magnificent future of our country,” one in which Russia’s Muslims “every day acquire ever greater certainty in their own strength, in their own goals, and their own future.”
In many ways, Muslims today are playing in Russia the role of the creative minority that the English historian Arnold Toynbee suggested every country needs. And by doing so, they are thus helping others in Russia to overcome the “deep crisis” that many have been experiencing.
Of course, Isayev concedes, “Muslims of Russia are a religious minority,” but that should not disturb them at all. “In this there is nothing strange or out of the ordinary. The entire history of Islam was written by Muslims who were [at one point] minorities in their own motherland,” whether that was in Mecca or somewhere else.
And precisely because Russia’s Muslims live today “not only on the borders with non-Muslim societies but also on the borders of a new, post-industrial world, which puts before Islam ever new challenges,” they may have a special role to play not only for Russia itself but for the entire Muslim world.
Indeed, in this, the 21st century, it is entirely possible that “Muslim Russia can become the advance guard of the development of Islam in Northern Eurasia” and even of the development of the Islamic community of the entire world. “Only Allah knows,” Isayev concludes, just what role in the future Muslim Russia is fated to play.”
But there is one role that “Muslim Russia” is already playing: as a bogeyman to many non-Muslim Russians who feel that the rapid growth of the Islamic community in their country at the present time represents a threat not only to their way of life but even to the existence of the Russian state itself.
Indeed, in the words of one Russian nationalist writer, Russians today “no longer feel themselves masters in their own house” but rather like unwelcome and even temporary guests in a country that they had always assumed to be theirs alone and certainly not a Muslim one (http://www.apn.ru/column/article18631.htm ).
Many other Russian commentators feel the same. One suggests that that the Russian government is increasingly opposed to ethnic Russians either to curry favor with the West, avoid violence or win support from the significantly more pliant non-Russian communities (http://www.apn.ru.opinions/print18645.htm).
Another suggests that non-Russians are allowed to attack Russians in ways that Russians are not, something that not only drives many Russians out of non-Russian regions but fuels the anger of even those Russians who live in still predominantly Russian rgions (http://rus-proekt.ru/people/2652.html).
And yet a third uses openly racist language to insist that ethnic Russians are being overwhelmed by what he calls “hot southern blood” and are now reduced to identifying themselves as ethnic Russians when they seek housing in a country that is named after them (http://www.gazetanv.ru/article/?iod=5143).
The existence of these two sets of attitudes, the increasingly self-confident Muslim one, on the one hand, and the increasingly defensive ethnic Russian one, on the other, points to more conflicts ahead, unless the authorities and cooler heads on both sides pull back a little and reflect on just how dangerous such clashes could be.
Posted by Paul Goble at 10:11 AM
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Window on Eurasia: Fearful Superiors Won’t Back Them Up, Some Moscow Militiamen Refuse to Suppress Ethnic Clashes
Vienna, June 20 – In what one Moscow news outlet says is “a new fashion in Russia,” some rank-and-file militiamen in Moscow are refusing to obey orders to leave their stations and suppress inter-ethnic clashes, fearful that their superiors will fail to back them up, either because of pressure from well-connected ethnic diasporas or a desire to be politically correct.
How widespread this phenomenon is and how justified the militiamen involved are in such feelings – militiamen are notorious for attacking minorities – is unknown, but any such refusal to obey orders at a time of growing tensions represents a serious threat not only to public order but, if it becomes widely known, political stability.
In the current issue of “Russky reporter,” Dmitry Vinogradov describes what he says is “the latest corporative scandal with an inter-ethnic cast” in the Russian capital. After “an entirely ordinary drunken clash” between Armenians and Chechens,” a group of militiamen found themselves charged with a crime (www.rusrep.ru/2009/23/news_konflikt/).
As a result, these militiamen, people who form the front lines of the defense of public order in contemporary Russian society, Vinogradov continues, “are refusing to go out to deal with any manifestation in which people from the Caucasus are taking part,” lest they be blamed for their actions.
This particular story began in Mitino, a drab micro-rayon of the capital, on the night of January 24 of this year. The militia received reports of a clash between Chechens and Armenians, but by the time officers arrived, the Armenians had fled the scene. All sides agree on that much, the “Russky reporter” journalist says.
But then the versions of what occurred diverge. According to the militiamen, the Chechens attacked them, but according to the Chechens, the militiamen were to blame. Whichever version was true, only one person suffered a trauma – militia sergeant Yury Uvarov – although some of the Chechens were detained and brought to a militia station.
After that, the situation became much more complicated. It turned out that one of the Chechens under arrest, Mansur Aslakhanov, was not only a militiaman himself but a relative of Omsk Senator Aslambek Aslakhanov. And probably because of that, senior militia officers ordered the Chechens released.
Before they left the station, however, the Chechens wrote complaints about the actions of the militia, apparently a normal practice, if Vinogradov is to be believed. And he adds that the militiamen expected the complaints to be dismissed by their superiors as being without foundation, again an apparently normal practice.
This time, however, things did not work out as the militiamen expected. Four months later, four Mitino militiamen were “suddenly arrested,” the result, their colleagues are certain, of a decision from on high to move against militiamen after the recent and lethal violence by one officer in a Moscow supermarket.
Again and “however that may be,” Vinogradov continues, the only people who stood up in behalf of the militia were Russian nationalists who began to disseminate stories in the Internet and the regular media that the Caucasians had exerted covert pressure on the militia hierarchy. As a result, the officers were released, but the criminal case against them was “not closed.”
The four met with Vinogradov and told him that the case prosecutors have worked up against them is completely absurd. Would militiamen beat someone when there were “40 witnesses around?” they asked rhetorically. “What do you think we are, idiots?”
In the past, they continued, “we had faith in our legal system and in the law enforcement organs, but now we don’t.” Ordinary militiamen, they said, can no longer count on the authorities to back them up, and consequently, they have decided that the best course of action is to refuse orders to suppress ethnic clashes lest one find oneself accused of a crime.
For their part, the Chechens, with whom Vinogradov spoke, defended themselves and said that the militia had violated the law by its actions and should be punished, thereby creating a situation in which it is impossible to know “where in this story is truth and where is a lie,” according to the reporter.
Given the record of the Moscow militia in dealing with “persons of Caucasus nationality” and the support they have received from the highest levels in the Russian government to treat such citizens of the Russian Federation badly, one can only welcome efforts by the authorities to try to improve the situation by enforcing the law on those whose job it is to be law enforcers.
But at the same time, if this is done in a clumsy way or -- as may be the case in this instance -- as the result of the personal intervention of someone with power, then there are real risks that the chain of command in the militia could break down, leaving the powers that be in Russia with fewer tools to prevent a collapse of order and of law.
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You are here: Home / PrevEvents / WFF CSW60 parallel event
WFF held an event during the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women on March 23rd. Thousands of women gathered from around the world to review progress towards gender equality and the empowerment of women at the CSW from March 14 to March 24.
It was a very timely event and a good opportunity that we were present. Women from Lebanon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, United States participated in our event and were looking for solutions to the problems. The participants were from 5 different continents, NGO’s and different embassies staff whom many actively joined the discussions during the event.
Antonia Felix, an acclaimed biographer of American women leaders including Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke about women’s struggle in Iran and Afghanistan against extremism.
Fran Belisle, former Political Officer at the Embassy of the U.S, to Algeria and Consular Officer in Turkey explained about programs and progress of women in Algeria and Morocco.
A PhD student from Indonesia whose thesis was on women and extremism in Indonesia joined the discussion by explaining about what actions are taking place in her country to combat this phenomenon. She posed questions to the panelists and asked what advice they would give to the women in Asia.
Another student from Lebanon shared the difficulties and barriers of women in Lebanon with the audience and asked for solutions.
WFF played an important role in bringing attention to this solution during the CSW60 review:
First of all, a tolerant culture is needed to socially and ideologically defeat Islamic extremism;
Secondly, women must have an equal and active role in political leadership to fight misogyny and create a positive culture;
Thirdly, a democratic interpretation of Islam is a must to develop democracy and freedom.
May 13, 2016December 2, 201610
By adminIn PrevEvents, United Nations Events
Report on CSW60 EventInvitation to CSW60 program – March 23 2016
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Author: Boris Hänßler
The robot surgeons
Published by Boris Hänßler
In some German clinics it is already a common view: The patient lies on the operating table. Above him are four sterile robot arms. A few feet away from the table, the surgeon sits in a kind of cockpit, concentrating his head in an opening in the apparatus, where he sees images of the patient’s body magnified up to tenfold. With control handles, the surgeon operates the arms of the robot, performing mainly prostate, bladder and kidney surgery. The logo always says “da Vinci” on the robots. The US company Intuitive Surgical has built a monopoly since its approval in 2000 with this system and made a huge business. Now, however, a whole series of robots are in the starting blocks, which make da Vinci competition with more intelligence. One reason for this is that relevant patents have expired. However, caution should be taken with the coming robot boom: Surgeons say that the robots make some operations easier, but not all, and the high cost of a robot could lead clinics to use the technique …
The Current State of Medical AI
A life is said to have been saved by Watson, after all: In 2016, he was presented the case of a Japanese patient on whose condition the doctors puzzled. Only the AI system of the IT company IBM was able to diagnose a rare leukemia, the woman was cured. That’s exactly what IBM promised. The doctor only has to enter the symptoms into the computer, Watson suggests the diagnosis and a tailor-made therapy. The AI would better than any human being take into account the current state of knowledge, automatically evaluate medical databases, studies and patient records. But it stayed with the anecdote. So far, IBM has not yet exposed its system to many independent studies. The online medical magazine STAT even reported that doctors in Denmark were convinced of Watson’s diagnosis in only 33 percent of the cases. In other countries, Watson’s proposals would have covered more than 90 percent of doctors’ diagnoses. However, they wondered, why should they need a system do if it at best confirmed a verdict? The revolution in medicine …
I’m Boris Hänßler, a freelance writer with a focus on information technology, especially robotics and artificial intelligence. I’m currently writing a book about the influence of robotics and artificial intelligence on medicine.
More about me:
boris-haenssler.de
Copyright © 2019 Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.
Theme: Zuki by Elmastudio.
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Thursday, October 11, 2018 | Sacramento, CA | Permalink
The Williams family from American River College's production of "West Side Story." Pictured left to right are David Williams, Sarah Williams-Souther, Sam Williams and Isaac Williams.
Courtesy of the Williams family
American River College Theatre’s fall production of “West Side Story” will honor the show's composer, Leonard Bernstein, who would have been 100 years old this year.
The play also features several talented members of the Williams family, who joined Insight to tell audiences what they can expect from this version of the American classic. The show runs through Oct. 28.
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Steven Isserlis & Kirill Gerstein - Britten, Schumann & Rachmaninoff - 01/06/10
Britten: Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 65
Schumann (arr. Isserlis): Sonata No 3 for Violin and Piano in A Minor
Rachmaninoff: Sonata for Cello and piano in G Minor, Op. 19
Now that we have entered this brand new year (this brand new decade!) it is high time to get back into the groove of live musical performances again. So last night, for the first time in a while, I walked the familiar road to the Kennedy Center for a recital by internationally renowed cellist Steven Isserlis and recent Gilmore award recipient pianist Kirill Gerstein, who were performing at the Terrace Theater as part of the much appreciated Kennedy Center Fortas Chamber Music Concerts series. An attractive, international program was on hand with sonatas by Britten, Schumann and Rachmaninoff, all of them highlighting the less often enjoyed piano-cello combination. And the fact that the works would be presented by such a distinguished Russian connection was a decidedly most auspicious way to start a brand new musical year.
Especially written for Rostropovich by Britten after the Russian cellist insistently requested something for the cello during their first encounter, it was premiered by both masters in Aldeburg in 1961 and would also mark the beginning of a long, solid and productive friendship. The five movements of the sonata have very distinct personalities, from aggressively fragmented to beautifully heart-felt, and form an original musical arch. Undaunted, the two musicians authoritatively took charge of the demanding work and delivered a colorful, virtuosic interpretation of it.
After Britten’s modern, occasionally grating, piece we moved back in time and crossed the pond for a rarely heard composition born in unusual circumstances. It all started when Schumann, Brahms and Dietrich, a student of the latter, decided to collaborate on a sonata for violin and piano for the violinist Joseph Joachim, even calling it the “F.A.E.” (Frei aber einsam – Free but alone) Sonata as per the recipient’s motto. After its first performance, Schumann quickly added an opening movement and a scherzo to his intermezzo and finale before having the cataclysmic breakdown from which he would never fully recover. The sonata was consequently never published, but luckily for us Steven Isserlis has deemed it highly worthy of the spotlight and arranged it for the cello. Yesterday evening, the result turned out to be an often restless but fully engaging work, which was performed with just the right amount of energy and harmony.
And the evening kept on getting better. After the intermission, we all quickly became enthralled by Rachmaninoff’s beautifully expressive Sonata for Cello and piano in G Minor. The Russian composer wrote very little chamber music, but he still infused this piece with his trademark gentleness and melancholy, giving both instruments plenty of opportunities to shine. The piano may have been the leader here, but the cello melodic lines came up so starkly lyrical, beaming with rich dark hues, that they magnificently rose and soared, bringing us all to this ever-elusive higher ground.
A pared-down, magically etheral version of Elgar's "Nimrod" concluded this most satisfying recital, one that will be remembered as a decidedly promising start of a new year. Onwards and forwards!
National Philharmonic - Mussorgsky, Prokofiev & Tc...
NSO - Bernstein, Tchaikovsky & Dvorak - 01/29/10
WPAS - Radu Lupu - Janacek, Beethoven & Schubert -...
WPAS - Jeremy Denk - Bach, Ives, Berlioz and Meyer...
NSO - Bach, Mozart and Mahler - 01/22/10
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Schoenberg, Boulez...
Met - Carmen - 01/16/10
NSO - Barber, Beethoven & Sibelius - 01/15/10
Met - Der Rosenkavalier - 01/09/10
NSO - Elgar & Holst - 01/07/10
Steven Isserlis & Kirill Gerstein - Britten, Schum...
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Tip: High Bracket. In 1944, the highest federal income tax bracket was 94%. It applied to all income above $200,000 a year and applied to all taxpayers, regardless of filing status.
Source: Tax Policy Center, 2017
By any measure, the tax code is huge. According to Commerce Clearing House's Standard Federal Tax Reporter it's up to 74,608 pages in length.¹
And each Monday, the Internal Revenue Service publishes a 20- to 50- page bulletin about various aspects of the tax code.²
Fortunately, it’s not necessary to wade through these massive libraries to understand how income taxes work. Understanding a few key concepts may provide a solid foundation.
One of the key concepts is marginal income tax brackets.
Taxpayers pay the tax rate in a given bracket only for that portion of their overall income that falls within that bracket’s range.
Tax Works
Fast Fact: First Brackets. In 1913 — immediately after the 16th Amendment gave Congress the power to levy taxes on income — the government set up a system of seven federal income tax brackets with rates ranging between 1% and 7%. Less than one in 100 people had to pay even the lowest rate.
Source: OurDocuments.gov, 2017; IRS, August 6, 2017
Seeing how marginal income tax brackets work is helpful because it shows the progressive nature of income taxes. It also helps you visualize how your total tax rate can be calculated. But remember, this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. Please consult a tax professional for specific information regarding your individual situation.
How Federal Income Tax Brackets Work
Say a married couple, filing jointly, in 2018, had a taxable income of $200,000. Each dollar over $165,000—or $35,000—would fall into the 24% federal income tax bracket. However, the couple's total federal tax would have been $36,579—just under 20%, of their adjusted gross income.
This is a hypothetical example used for illustrative purposes only. It assumes no tax credits apply.
2018 Federal Income Tax Brackets
Your federal income tax bracket is determined by two factors: your total income and your tax-filing classification.
For the 2018 tax year, there are seven tax brackets for ordinary income — ranging from 10% to 37% — and four classifications: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, and head of household.
Washington Examiner, April 15, 2016. (Lastest data available.)
Internal Revenue Service, 2018
For homeowners who think their property taxes are too high, there are ways to appeal.
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SHARON OSBOURNE Issues Statement: BRUCE DICKINSON Tried To Ruin OZZFEST For Everyone
Sharon Osbourne has issued the following statement via the official Ozzfest web site, Ozzfest.com:
"IRON MAIDEN were chosen for the Ozzfest tour because the Ozzfest committee felt they were a good band, plus the fact that they had not done shows in the U.S. for some time. From day one, Bruce Dickinson started berating Ozzy and belittling the Ozzfest audience. He stated he 'didn’t need a reality show to give him credibility'; 'We're not just some f*cking reunion band'; and continuously complained about the sound system, saying that when he comes back to America he'll have a better one. I understand he hasn't toured in the U.S.in these size venues in a while and no longer understands the political structure of things. Out of 200-plus bands over the last 10 years, he has been the only person who hasn't had the Ozzfest spirit. He thought he was at a battle of the bands, always making other comments about the other artists.
"Might I say, the rest of the band are gentlemen and have a great professional attitude. The crew are absolutely great. But how sad it was, after 10 years, that this little man tried to ruin it for everyone. The bands of Ozzfest don't even look at Ozzfest as touring, but as its heavy metal summer camp. Bruce is in fact a jealous prick and very envious. None of his tirades were directed at SABBATH, only Ozzy. Steve Harris [IRON MAIDEN's bassist] personally came to Ozzy in San Bernardino and apologized for Bruce's behavior this summer, stating that he and the rest of the band were 'embarrassed' by their own singer. It also offended me every night how he took out the English flag in America. There are American boys going to war alongside the English boys every day. How dare he forget the American troops on their home turf? He has had no respect for the American audience he has been playing for, stating in an interview, 'When you do the 'hits' tour here [in the U.S.], the audience is smug, and there's a sense of self-satisfaction, like, 'We got what we wanted…I'm looking at an audience that is self-satisfied and happy and fat, and getting what it wants and isn't prepared to get off its ass..'
"Before there was SAMSON, there was SABBATH!
"Ozzfest 2005 continues on with our summer of fun with the addition of VELVET REVOLVER. This is where the fun begins….."
JOSH TODD Says BUCKCHERRY 'Wanted To Step It Up' On New Album 'Warpaint'
First-Ever Heavy Metal Knitting Championship Held In Finland (Video)
ARMORED SAINT Performs 'Underdogs' Live For First Time In 32 Years (Video)
SAXON's BIFF BYFORD: 'We're Still Making Great Metal Albums'
STEVEN ADLER Performs Live For First Time Since Stabbing Incident (Video)
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Arbitration is the resolution of disputes between parties by a neutral third person or persons who will hear both sides, make a determination, and render a decision and award. Arbitration has proven to be an effective way to resolve disputes between litigants, or potential litigants, privately, promptly and economically, and is frequently the resolution of choice in disputes involving contracts, personal injury, property damage and matrimonials. The Arbitrator acts as the judge of the conflict between the parties. The Arbitrator presides at a hearing at which the parties may testify under oath. They may call other witnesses and produce documentary evidence that is relevant and material to the dispute, and they may produce such other evidence as the arbitrator may deem necessary for him or her to reach an understanding and determination of the conflict. In arbitration, the proceedings are less formal and the rules of evidence are more relaxed than those of the courtroom. After all evidence has been submitted, the Arbitrator will render a decision and make an award based on the facts and evidence as presented. In most instances, judicial review of an arbitrator's determination is limited.
Attorneys Who Practice in this Area
Maryann Saccomando Freedman
Daniel R. Connors
James J. Nash
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Berries galore: Parsons’ Blueberry Festival to help fight cancer
Thursday, June 22, 2017 - 9:39am
Coastal Point • File Photo: The Parsons Family Farm Blueberry Festival will be held on Saturday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Parsons Farm Produce in Dagsboro.If the antioxidants in blueberries prevent cancer, then the Parsons Family Farms Blueberry Festival could be viewed as an antioxidant to help the U.S. fight cancer.
The Dagsboro festival will be held Saturday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Parsons Farm Produce in Dagsboro. A portion of proceeds will be donated to American Cancer Society.
Family-friendly activities include blueberry U-pick, blueberry pie-eating contest, haywagon rides, face painting, petting zoo, moon bounce, a “Hope” blanket raffle and more. Beebe Healthcare will provide screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
Local artisans will sell handmade crafts and products. Guests can grab lunch from Hocker’s BBQ, Nothing Better, the Corn Exchange and Juicebox.
Live music includes country music by the Dirt Road Outlawz and a special noontime performance by Bob Lougheed, local Elvis tribute singer and cancer survivor. People can bring lawn chairs or blankets to watch the show.
The Cancer Support Community in Delaware (“a hidden gem,” Carol Hudson said) will also have a table to share information on their free activities and counseling for cancer patients and caregivers. People can also reserve a butterfly in honor or memory of a loved one, to be released at the Wings of Hope in September in Rehoboth Beach.
Local cooks can break out their best blueberry recipes. The Great Blue Ribbon Blueberry Bake-Off is a community cooking contest. People should submit their favorite blueberry dish and a copy of the recipe for judging at the market on Friday, June 23, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The winner will be announced at the festival.
Gate admission costs $7, which includes a bracelet that grants access to the music, programs and activities. Children 2 or younger can attend free of charge. Guests can also bring extra money to purchase food or gifts from vendors.
“It’s really reasonably priced. It’s priced with families in mind,” said Skyler Hudson, a co-organizer and recent high school graduate. “It definitely has a lot of stuff for every audience and helps toward a great cause.
Parsons Farms Produce is located at 30381 Armory Road (Route 20), Dagsboro, Del. Details are available by calling (302) 732-3336 or online at www.facebook.com/ParsonsFarmsProduce/events.
Good day for a good cause
Near the Parsons Family Farm, the Hudson family of Frankford have deeply felt the cruel and persistent bite of cancer.
Their husband and father, Michael Hudson, passed away from pancreatic cancer in April of 2016. He was 59. Skyler, his youngest son, was still a high school junior.
“All cancers are personal, they really are,” said his wife, Carol Hudson. “And everybody’s fight is so personal, because you think of one cell in millions that just decided to go rogue and grow out of control in your body … when you think of your body killing itself…”
His family promised to keep fighting for the American Cancer Society and against pancreatic cancer, which has a particularly high mortality rate but lower funding and awareness.
Cancer has cut through four generations and 20 members of the Hudson family, starting with Michael’s grandmother in the mid-1900s. Since then, the family has suffered cancers of the lung, thyroid, uterus, colon, bladder, breast, prostate, skin, thyroid and ovary and more, down to Michael’s siblings and their children.
Michael Hudson had previously had non-Hodgkin lymphoma in his 30s and 40s.
The pancreatic cancer was diagnosed in his 50s, and it moved fast. That year, his springtime CAT scan appeared perfectly normal. But, by September, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.
Located in the abdomen, the pancreas is a 6-inch gland surrounded by the stomach that aids in digestion and blood-sugar regulation.
This year, an estimated 54,000 people will develop pancreatic cancer. That’s 12th on the American Cancer Society’s list of most common cancers.
But 43,000 will die from pancreatic cancer this year. It ranks third for estimated deaths, after lung/bronchus and colorectal cancers.
Although statistics vary, this much is certain: Less than 10 percent of pancreatic cancer patients are expected to survive the five-year mark. But treatment and medication can still nearly bankrupt a family, even with health insurance.
Skyler switched schools from Georgetown to Dagsboro, partly just to help tend to his father after school.
“My dad, before he passed, said he wanted us to do an event like this,” Skyler Hudson said. “And cancer has heavily affected my direct and extended family.”
Skyler called his father “very honest and very hardworking. His main job was taking care of the farm and house. The old house that we had owned before we moved, he had built. … He was a big family-man. He was really involved with myself and my two brothers,” he said of his brothers Michael and Devin.
Carol and Skyler Hudson spent the whole school year helping plan this event.
“We had known the Parsons for a while, and they had already been planning a blueberry festival, so we asked them about it, so they agreed to work with us on that,” Skyler said.
The family said they’re looking forward to this money doing good work.
The American Cancer Society helps with research causes and treatments; fights for policy changes; provides both emotional support and statistics; and helps run the Hope Lodge, which provides lodging for families during treatment in certain cities.
Although losing a beloved husband and father to cancer is painful, the Hudsons are trying to make a difference.
“Retreating’s not an option, you know?” Carol Hudson said. “But I will never accept that one cell in your body can take away all your dreams and all your passions and the plans we had made. I will not accept it, so we fight for it every day.”
It’s not just the Hudson family. Carol Hudson said she believes the whole Frankford area is very much at risk of cancer, as she rattled off a list of neighbors suffering the disease.
“It’s everywhere. It’s definitely a cluster, for whatever reason,” she said.
But they’re looking forward to a fun Blueberry Festival, hoping that it will “be a fun community event that it raises money for the American Cancer Society, that it brings awareness to the group of Cancer Support [Community] of Delaware,” Carol Hudson said.
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Home / News & Updates / Columbia Ranked Fourth by U.S. News & World Report
Columbia Ranked Fourth by U.S. News & World Report
Columbia has been ranked fourth place in U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of National Universities for the second year in a row. Harvard and Princeton are tied for first place this year, followed by Yale. Five schools are tied for fifth place: CalTech, MIT, Stanford, UChicago and UPenn. Duke is in tenth place. U.S. News' "Best Colleges 2012" rankings were released on September 13.
U.S. News’ ratings were begun in 1983 and are based on peer evaluations, graduation and freshman retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and alumni giving rate. Last year, the methodology was adjusted to add high school counselors to the peer evaluations and to give more weight to graduation and retention rates.
Columbia is listed under the "National Universities" category, which include universities that offer a full range of undergraduate majors, master's, and doctoral degrees, and are committed to producing ground breaking research. The University climbed from eighth place to fourth place last year.
For more information and to see the full list of rankings, visit http://www.usnews.com or http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best colleges/rankings/national-universities.
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With: Mark Frechette, Daria Halprin, Paul Fix, G.D. Spradlin, Bill Garaway, Kathleen Cleaver, Rod Taylor
Written by: Michelangelo Antonioni, Franco Rossetti, Sam Shepard, Tonino Guerra, Clare Peploe
Directed by: Michelangelo Antonioni
Zabriskie Point (1970)
What's the 'Point'?
In the middle of his three-film English-language excursion, the Italian master Michelangelo Antonioni succumbed to the hippie movement, and made this existential puzzler that divided audiences in its day and continues to divide them.
It was arguably Antonioni's biggest flop, and was infamously included on the 1978 book of the fifty worst films of all time by Harry Medved, with Randy Dreyfuss and Michael Medved. But still others, like critic Jonathan Rosenbaum, are among its defenders.
The plot features Daria (Daria Halprin), who works for some kind of big company, being asked to drive cross-country to a meeting in Phoenix. (Rod Taylor, from Hitchcock's The Birds, plays her boss.)
Meanwhile, Mark (Mark Frechette) becomes involved in some kind of violence during a campus protest. He steals a plane and flies away. On the road, he buzzes Daria's car, and when he lands, she gives him a ride. They stop at 'Zabriskie Point,' in Death Valley (I think). They walk around, talk a lot, and have sex. Then Mark decides to fly the airplane back.
The long beginning up until the point at which the lovers meet, and then the conclusion, did nothing for me. These moments are dull, aloof, obtuse, and awfully dated. But the desert sequences start to show off a kind of visual poetry, in which thoughts, physical expression, and landscape all come together in a satisfying way. Unlike the rest of the movie, it's uncluttered.
As a fan of Antonioni's other works, I'd have to say that, of the ones I've seen, Zabriskie Point ranks near the bottom. But completists, as well as people that are curious about filmmaking in America in the 1970s, should see this; it's a good measuring stick against everything else.
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Reader's Diary #1778- Gabrielle Bell: Everything is Flammable
I'm always a little torn about autobiographical comics. On the one hand, I think everyone's life could be a story. On the other, I often find such comics self-indulgent. It took me a while to decide how I felt about Gabrielle Bell's Everything is Flammable.
It began with small anecdotes about Gabrielle's life, most of which seem to have no real conflict or resolution, barely connected to the other quasi-anecdotes, and it felt somewhat dull and unnecessary. Like reading someone's doodle journal.
However, when the book became more about her mother who lives, I want to say on the outside-of-society, I felt the book had more of an anchor or at least a focus. I was then much more interested and found the writing at turns poignant, provocative, or funny. She especially had a knack for exploring complex human relationships.
The art is fine, a bit sketchy and therefore fitting for a book with a diary-type feel, and coloured in flat pastels like Tintin comics.
Posted by John Mutford at 3/31/2018 No comments:
Labels: 2017, ABM, Gabrielle Bell, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Memoir, Nonfiction, Uncivilized Books
Reader's Diary #1777- Bev Sellars: They Called Me Number One
Bev Sellars' They Called Me Number One is one of a handful of residential school memoirs that I've read. Rather than getting any easier to handle however, it gets increasingly difficult. I admit that I have the luxury of pacing myself, of choosing lighter fare to read in between, and so on. While they may have an emotional impact on me, I recognize my privilege that these painful memories are not mine.
It gets increasingly difficult even when many details are disturbing similar. The nuns and priests who had no experience raising children of their own and were racists to boot; the litany of the abuses they inflicted; the devastating impacts that continue to be felt today in terms of anger, mistrust, mental health issues, alcoholism, and so on. Even the small moments of solace the children were resourceful and optimistic enough to find within these conditions; these are all commonalities I've come across in most if not all the residential school memoirs I've read.
And yet, as Bev Sellars points out in her introduction to They Called Me Number One, her story is uniquely hers and it is important to recognize such differences, not just in occasional details but also in her personal takeaways and the lessons she wishes to impart.
I think it was this that I appreciated most about Sellars' book; her adherence to education and life-long learning. It's inspiring that she was able to retain this despite the efforts of the so-called teachers at residential school to either suppress learning and/or define it in colonial terms.
Labels: 11th Canadian Book Challenge, 2013, Bev Sellars, FNMI, Nonfiction, Talon Books
Reader's Diary #1776- Mark Evanier (writer), Steve Uy (artist): Grumpy Cat / Garfield
I wasn't expecting an Earth-shattering Eisner winning comic with the Grumpy Cat / Garfield crossover. To be honest, I wasn't even sure it really fit the definition of crossover as until then I didn't even know there had been comics based on the internet-famous meme cat and I so I was thinking it was more of a cameo-type deal. It turns out there is a Grumpy Cat comic strip. It also turns out that it's not half bad. No, it won't win awards but for the younger folks, I'll bet they'll be entertained.
As for this older folk, I was interested in seeing how Mark Evanier would extend Jim Davis's creation, Garfield, into a full length story versus the usual three panel strips. I was also looking forward in seeing how he'd manipulate the plot to bring the two characters together in the first place. Finally, I wanted a chance to see how they'd interact, how their personalities would work together (or not).
Extending Garfield to a full length story didn't appear to be a huge challenge for Evanier. He had enough gags throughout to keep the punchlines more or less three panels apart while not losing sight of the larger arc involving an evil pet company who have kidnapped the titular cats. On that note, the meet-up assumes that Garfield and Grumpy Cat actually inhabit the same world. They've been selected as victims based upon their sour personalities as the company has a new device that they need to test on them. The device will hopefully transform them into being more loyal and lovable, more like dogs. The idea is that if it can work on these two it will work on any cat. So again, it's a pretty juvenile concept but to be honest, superhero crossovers always resort to multiple-universe collisions and at least this has a bit more originality. As for the personalities working together, that's probably the weakest part of the book. It seems like Evanier took more time to learn Garfield. He comes across very much as the cat from Jim Davis's strips and as such he's a bit more defined. Grumpy Cat on the other hand is just, well, grumpy. Not being as familiar with that character, I might suppose that he's just that great of a character. In any event, it's hard to generate much interest in the usual crossover constructs (1. they don't get along at first and 2. then they are forced to worked together and appreciate one another more) especially when a half of the equation is pretty flat.
The art is bright and not bad, though a bit inconsistent. Garfield and Grumpy Cat look different but as they're based upon their original comic characters that's fine. But the human characters have yet a third style, similar to manga characters, and I'm not sure it all blends that well.
Still, it's all a fun diversion if not perfect.
Labels: 2017, Crossover, Dynamite, Garfield, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Grumpy Cat, Humour, Kaboom, Mark Evanier, Steve Uy
Reader's Diary #1775- Terry Fallis: One Brother Shy
Not having read anything by Terry Fallis before, I've certainly heard a lot of praise about his brand of humour and knack for political satire. I thought it was high time I give his writing a shot. I almost went with The Best Laid Plans as that seems to be his most popular title, but I've been terribly bad keeping up with new releases (not a great look on a librarian!) and so went with 2017's One Brother Shy instead.
If he's best known for political satire, I'd say this is isn't terribly representational of his work. However, it is amusing and there are definitely satirical elements, so perhaps some of his more avid readers would a make a better assessment.
One Brother Shy revolves around an awkward 20-something year old programmer named Alex MacAskill. Alex's life suddenly takes a left turn as his mother dies and posthumously reveals a family secret. There's also a mysterious subplot involving an incident known as "Gabriel" that has somehow damaged Alex terribly.
There are a lot of wild twists and turns that, along with the light humour, make for a very entertaining read. I've read some other reviews complain that there too many convenient coincidences and while I can see where they are coming from, I didn't think there was anything completely implausible.
I also appreciated some of the brushes against larger topics. Alex's shyness for instance, especially in certain circumstances made me consider the spectrum of assertiveness. Psych 101 classes often label us Type A or Type B, introverted or extroverted, but Fallis hints at a more realistic and fluid approach, one that considers other variables such as the situation, current moods, and so on.
As well, there are a lot of references to modern technology and I found myself wondering about the longevity of such novels. With the pace of technology going the way it is, will this book hold up in 10 years? In 20? In 100? Will readers get enough of the references? If they don't, will they understand the plot? And is this even a concern of Fallis? On the flip side, without such references, the world he's created wouldn't have rang nearly as true.
Finally, and while I said above that I didn't have issues with implausibility, I did note one plot hole that could have decreased my enjoyment more had it not been for the way Terry Fallis kindly responded to my question via Twitter. I won't get into too much as it would involve a spoiler, but if you're interested, you can read the Twitter thread here.
Posted by John Mutford at 3/28/2018 2 comments:
Labels: 11th Canadian Book Challenge, 2017, McClelland and Stewart, Ontario, Terry Fallis
Reader's Diary #1774- Jay Disbrow: Monster Invasion
It's futile but nonetheless a fun exercise to wonder what the North American comics scene would look like had Frederic Wertham not published Seduction of the Innocent in 1954. His scathing and unfair attack on comics led to industry-wide censorship. Horror comics, which were enormously popular just prior, was one of the biggest victims. Superheroes remained, however, largely unscathed and today the most recognizable genre of the medium, at least in the western hemisphere. Were horror comics a passing craze or would they, had Wertham not intervened, be every bit as popular today? Would Jay Disbrow have been a household name like Stan Lee?
Monster Invasion is a collection of cult-legend Jay Disbrow horror and sci-fi comics from back in the day (late 40s, early 50s), lovingly compiled by Craig Yoe. Interestingly, they're pretty tame and according to Disbrow in an opening interview, not just by today's standards. (He states that he'd have refused to go as gross as Bill Gaines.)
I can see why Disbrow still enjoys a fan-following today. His writing, it should be acknowledged is ridiculously cheesy. You could do a drinking game and be quite pleasantly sloshed by doing shots every time a monster walks with "prodigious strides." But this inadvertently humorous quality is no doubt part of its charm for many.
The art, however, is quite great. Characters have the semi-realistic look of superheroes and they're expressive and full of movement. The monsters are the real delight though; complete with fur and fangs and slime.
Labels: 2017, Craig Yoe, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Horror, IDW Publishers, Jay Disbrow
Reader's Diary #1773- Manuel Gonzales: Blondie
When someone new moves into our cul-de-sac my wife likes to meet them and welcome them to the court. It's neighbourly and puts everyone off on a good foot, even if I couldn't make such an assertive move if my life depended on it.
Manuel Gonzales's "Blondie" opens with a couple delivering brownies to their new neighbours two houses down. I hope to god that's where the similarities between us and any character in this story end.
They've heard that the new neighbours are neo-Nazis. Still they're showing up with brownies.
Okay... so maybe they're hoping they're not actual neo-Nazis, maybe they've been given faulty intel. Give them the benefit of the doubt and all that. Alas, no, they seem to accept that they're neo-Nazis and go to meet them anyway. Not so they can give them a piece of their mind but because they somehow, in their warped just-as-bad-as-being-actual-neo-Nazis way, decide the new neighbours still can be decent folks. Yes, decent neo-Nazis, as if that could even be a thing!
Gonzales ups the discomfort by playing with this supposedly generic scene, planting horrific images that should be innocuous. A rope hanging from a tree is meant for a swing but...
Labels: Buzzfeed, Manuel Gonzales, Short Story
Reader's Diary #1772- Alootook Ipellie: Arctic Dreams and Nightmares
Not one to normally appreciate magical surrealism, I nonetheless quite enjoyed Alootook Ipellie's Arctic Dreams and Nightmares which is rife with it.
It's still difficult at times to see a larger picture, connections between stories, or even to fathom some of the supernatural elements. Granted, by Ipellie's own description it is meant to be a smorgasbord of ideas based upon his own dreams and nightmares, Inuit legends and myths, and more. Some of my confusion, I don't doubt, is due to my not being part of the Inuit culture.
Still, none of this bothers me or detracts from my enjoyment. Each story in the collection stems first from Ipellie's fantastic (both in the fantasy and the great sense) lined drawings. The cover, if you can see it, features a man with faces on each of his fingertips. This is one of the more tame drawings. On that note, the sheer creativity alone is entrancing. But it also helps that there's a sly sense of humour throughout, especially when Ipellie subverts typical European culture to blend in with the northern Inuit worldview. Christianity, the Russian ballet, Shakespeare, and Brigitte Bardot are but few of such topics that are blended in with hilarious and/or provocative results. But it is still, fortunately, the Inuit culture that is front and center, celebrated, challenged, and explored.
Labels: 11th Canadian Book Challenge, 1993, Alootook Ipellie, FNMI, Northern Books, Nunavut, Theytus Books
Reader's Diary #1771- Kanako Inuki: School Zone Vol. 1
Well, this was a disappointment.
Known as the Queen of Horror Manga, I thought for sure I'd enjoy Kanako Inuki's School Zone, Vol. 1. Unfortunately, this collection of stories set in a haunted school was not scary and poorly drawn.
See that wide-eyed, open-mouthed girl on the cover? She looks terrified. But when every character looks like that all the time it kind of takes the oomph out of it when something meant to be truly scary happens.
As for the stories themselves, the best I can say is that they got better as the volume progressed. The first ones are hard to follow and seem to be missing info. In fact, a couple of times I flipped back thinking I'd accidentally skipped a page or two that might have explained what had happened or why the character focus suddenly switched.
Labels: 1996, 2006, Dark Horse Comics, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Heidi Plechl, Horror, Japan, Kanoko Inuki, Manga, Translations
Reader's Diary #1770- Abhishek Singh: Krishna A Journey Within
Abhishek Singh's Krishna: A Journey Within is another suggestion that came to me via Paul Gravett's Mangasia as an example of a religion/mythology based comic (which are popular across much of Asia) and as an example of Indian comics.
Krishna: A Journey Within is stunning to look at. While the characters are sometimes Disney-esque, the backdrops, the colours, the patterns, and inventive layouts are just gorgeous.
Story-wise, I wasn't always clear what was going on and the book seemed to fade in and out of straightforward narratives (of a battle, for instance) to poetic religious philosophy. I am sure more of it would have been clearer had I better understanding of Krishna or Hinduism, but I'm not sure that the book is meant to act as a primer on the subject anyway.
Labels: 2012, Abhishek Singh, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Hinduism, Image Comics, India, Religion
Reader's Diary #1769- Cecil Castellucci (writer), Marley Zarcone (art): Shade The Changing Girl Vol. 1 Earth Girl Made Easy
My favourite corner of DC Comics by far has been the weird Justice League Dark stories. It was here that I first encountered the Shade the Changing Man (Dac Shade). I don't recall much about him, but I did quite enjoy this passing of the torch, or jacket as it were, to Loma Shade. Like Dac, Loma Shade is an alien from the planet Meta, but Loma is an Avian (basically a humanoid bird). Loma is tired of her life and looking for a change, takes up residence in the comatose body of a teenage Earth girl named Megan.
She seems to be making the most of her time in this body, except that apparently Megan was a bully and Loma needs to navigate that and her new, complicated relationships with Earthlings. To further her difficulties, some of Megan's negative energy has residual effects on Loma's psyche, Megan's spirit is trying to reclaim her body, and the dimension-transporting jacket that Loma used in the first place tends to make its wearers go insane. Still with me?
Yes, it's bizarre. But it relishes in the bizarre, with fast pacing and psychedelic art and funky colours. Plus the "finding oneself" takes on more poignancy with the teenage angle as it's typically a time of self-discovery anyway. Strong, defined characters and complex friendships help ground the weirdness without diminishing the fun.
Labels: 2017, Cecil Castellucci, DC Comics, Marley Zarcone, superhero, Young Animal
Reader's Diary #1768- Yusei Matsui: Assassination Classroom
The first volume of Yusei Matsui's Assassination Classroom is the most fun I've had with manga in quite some time.
This came as a pleasant surprise when I wasn't entirely sure of the premise. A story built around a class of kids trying to kill their teacher? In the wake of all of the school shootings in the U.S., it sounded distasteful to say the least. Fortunately, this isn't real world violence at all.
The teacher, it turns out, is some sort of ultra-powerful supernatural being who has already destroyed most of the moon and plans to do the same to the Earth by the end of the school year. However, first he (or she? or something else?) has decided to be the teacher for a low performing class of kids. He's given them the assignment to assassination him by the end of the year. The world's governments and military have thus far been powerless to stop him and thus they not only give into the bizarre demands to become a teacher but to also offer an additional reward: 100 Million to any student that can pull it off.
Its quirky, somewhat dark sense and occasionally self-aware humour, is prevalent throughout as students try and fail to take this teacher down. But more than just fun murder attempts, there is a surprising amount of character building in the book, not the least of which involves the enigmatic teacher who bizarrely seems to care for his students and their learning, despite his promise to destroy their entire planet. Who is he and what is his motivation?
I also quite enjoyed the art. You'd not know it from the teacher who is essentially a smiley face with tentacles, but the scenes are often finely detailed.
Labels: 2014, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Manga, Shonen Jump, Viz Media, Yusei Matsui
Reader's Diary #1767- Li Kunwu and P. Otie: A Chinese Life
Another book brought to my attention courtesy of Paul Gravett's Mangasia book was A Chinese Life written and illustrated by Li Kunwu with assistance from P. Otie. Gravett had used it as an example of historical comics, a genre that enjoys popularity across a large swath of Asia.
It's interesting to note that A Chinese Life is also Kunwu's autobiography as I found myself questioning his role as history teacher. Documenting China from 1949 (creation of the People's Republic of China) to the present, it is through one individual's eyes; one who was a celebrated propaganda artist for the Republic and became a member of the Communist Party. P. Otie, who is French, states in his intro that he tried to balance patriotism against fact, propaganda against critique. And while I'd suggest that they succeed on that front, I wondered if one man out of a billion would be representative. I'd be okay if he wasn't (it's A Chinese Life after all, not Chinese Life), but when all was said and done, I do feel that I have a better sense of China as a whole, rather than just of Li Kunwu.
This period of history is fascinating and like nothing I can compare it to in Canada. The overt and sudden upheavals brought on with Mao, the adoption of Communism, the Cultural Revolution, felt almost shocking in its intensity. Children ratting out adults resulting in imprisonment, outright disdain for cultural history, modern technology coming almost shockingly late compared to most of the world, the hybrid of socialism and capitalism that they have currently adopted... it's all so very overwhelming.
Li Kunwu's art is perfect for this story. It actually (and this will probably seem like an odd comparison) reminded me of Jim Unger's Herman cartoons. This was in the inky, rough, caricatures. Clearly the roughness was intentional. Describing his time as a propaganda artist, Kunwu shows some of his Mao art and we can see that he is quite capable of refined line work. But there's something more truthful about the roughness. It also seems at times like Kunwu barely raises his pen, and it gives the history more of a connection, more of a natural fluidity.
Labels: 2012, ABM, Autobiography, China, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Li Kunwu, Nonfiction, P. Otie, Self Made Hero
Reader's Diary #1766- Molia Dumbleton: If She Were to Lay Down
Molia Dumbleton's "If She Were to Lay Down" is a quietly beautiful story of a woman working through her attraction toward a man who is asleep on her couch.
At the very beginning there's a slight implication that she doesn't find him physically attractive, perhaps even finds him a bit on the simple side. But as the story progresses, we (and she) begin to understand just what she does like about this man.
It's thoughtful, full of purposeful imagery, and overall, quite lovely.
Labels: Molia Dumbleton, Short Story, Short Story Monday
Reader's Diary #1765- Rob David and Larry Goldfine (writer), Freddie E. Williams II (artist): He-Man/ Thundercats
I was a huge He-Man fan back in the day, spending any chore money I had on the dolls, refusing to let go when all my friends had moved on to G.I. Joe. Somehow though I don't have any recollection of the Thundercats. Looking them up, I see that they first aired just a couple of years after He-Man, when I was still a Saturday morning cartoon junky, so I must have encountered them, but even this crossover comic between Thundercats and He-Man didn't jog any memories.
I did learn a little about a few Thundercat characters and the mythology through this book, enough to find it even stranger that I wasn't into them back in the 80s. My favourite He-Man characters were the animal based ones (Buzz-Off, Stinkor, Clawful) and Thundercats were all cat-based He-Man-looking heroes. Again, how did I miss these??? Was my childhood retconned?
Despite being impressed with the Thundercats though, the crossover comic by Rob David and Larry Goldfine didn't do a lot else for me. The story, which revolved around Skeletor and Mumm-Ra, the main villains of both franchises, teaming up to take over the world was pretty obvious for a crossover comic. That is to say, it was fine, but nothing terribly original. Likewise, all the typical crossover tropes were there. There's a contrived scene where the heroes turn on each other, that sort of deal. There wasn't much of the background characters either, which in old He-Man cartoons I always found more interesting than He-Man himself.
There were some small problems that perhaps would have been overlooked with a stronger story. For instance, there are attempts at narration, basically the heroes offering their philosophical interpretations, but it's completely unnecessary and distracting. Also distracting is the busy art. Normally I like watercolours, but combined with Freddie E. William's abundance of lines and panels, the pictures were a bit over-complicated.
There were a few fun moments here or there. In the final comic, for instance, they explore the multiverse. In one world and making the best of their home at DC Comics, we see Prince Adam/ He-Man as Clark Kent/ Superman. In another we see a world where the Thundercats and He-Man characters are all morphed into hybrids. I would have liked a visit to Etheria and a meet-up with She-Ra as well, but I guess I couldn't have it all.
Labels: 2017, Crossover, DC Comics, Fantasy, Freddie E Williams, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, He-Man, Lloyd Goldfine, Rob David, superhero, Thundercats
Reader's Diary #1764- Inhae Lee: My Milk Toof
Finally, a photocomic more aligned with what I was imaging the form could be. Finally a writer that takes the time to create stories, takes the time to create photos that help tell the story.
My Milk Toof, which began life on a blog, tells of two baby teeth who move back in with the adult (unseen, except for a hand now and then) who'd lost them in her youth. This collection is subtitled, The Adventures of Ickle and Lardee, and based on these character names, you'd be correct to assume that the book can be on the cutesy side.
So, it's a little more saccharine than I'd normally choose, but it's occasionally funny. Plus, I appreciate the creativity and effort that went into it.
Labels: 2011, Chronicle Books, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Inhae Lee, photocomics, webcomics
Reader's Diary #1763- Jordin Tootoo, with Stephen Brunt: All the Way
Two huge takeaways for me from Jordin Tootoo's autobiography All The Way: My Life on the Ice are Jordin's love for his brother Terrence, who committed suicide in 2002, and how much of an advocate for communication Jordin is.
I don't have a lot to add about Terrence's suicide except that I was living in Rankin Inlet when it happened at went to a very emotional service in the middle school. I was new to the town at the time and didn't really know the Tootoos, but the impact of Terrence's death on the town (everyone went to that service) was palpable and has stuck with me. Sadly, suicide, as I would soon learn was a very common tragedy in Rankin and the rest of Nunavut.
Perhaps related to that is the issue of communication. Jordin describes being a young boy when him and Terrence would escape the house to avoid his parents' alcoholism and abuse. They'd be playing outside at all hours with other young friends who, in hindsight, he figures were also avoiding trouble at home. Still, that fact he has to figure is underscored by the fact that they didn't talk about it. To be fair, they were kids looking to escape. Who'd want to talk about crap going on at home? That said, even as adults there was a lot being hush-hushed, too much being kept in secret, bottled up until it exploded. I wonder if this is yet another terrible side-effect of colonization of the north.
Jordin's book is almost immediately shocking from the very first chapter in his unflinching openness. Right away he gets into his troubled relationship with his parents, their drinking, their abuse. I've met both parents and didn't know this. I didn't hear it talked about. I've seen Jordin touring the town with his father and things looked great. I found myself wondering what the effect of this book was. How did they feel when they read it? I think a follow-up book is necessary. I would imagine that emotions were initially negative, some sadness, some anger, but I would also imagine that Jordin's dragging the past out into the light is an important first step toward healing.
I'm not much of a hockey follower, but I found All The Way to be a compelling human story with important messages.
Labels: 11th Canadian Book Challenge, 2015, ABM, Autobiography, FNMI, Jordin Tootoo, Nonfiction, Northern Books, Nunavut, Penguin Canada, Stephen Brunt
Reader's Diary #1762- Michael Deforge: Sticks Angelica, Folk Hero
I was a few pages into Michael Deforge's comic Sticks Angelica, Folk Hero before I was confident that it was meant to be funny.
That might sound like an attack on his writing or comedy, but it's not meant as such. It is, however, meant to convey how wry and idiosyncratic it is. It's also sometimes witty, sometimes silly. There's a species of snake in the book called a Harmless Snake but they are deadly poisonous and have given themselves the name as a "form of camouflage". If you don't "get" the humour right away, if you're like me, it will quickly grow on you.
Most of the book is told in page length strips but nonetheless, characters become well-defined. They're flawed characters but I came to appreciate them.
The art matches the style in quirk and is coloured in black, white, and pink.
Labels: 11th Canadian Book Challenge, 2017, Drawn and Quarterly, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Humour, Michael Deforge, Ontario, webcomics
Reader's Diary #1761- Kentaro Miura: Berserk Vol. 1
I became aware of Kentaro Miura's Berserk manga series thanks to the 11th Annual Graphic Novel and Manga Challenge where another participant has been enthusiastically reviewing the series.
I wish I could share the enthusiasm, but I suppose I can help balance it out with a dissenting voice?
While I'm terrible at finishing any manga series, even if I wasn't I don't think I'd be continuing with this one. I found it hyper-masculine and gratuitously violent and while I thought I could appreciate the humour of how over-the-top it all was (the main character's name is Guts and his sword is ludicrously big), the novelty of that wore off very quickly. It then seemed like cheap shock tactics.
I also didn't really like the art which reminded me somewhat of Hajime Isayama's work in Attack on Titan. In both I found the body proportions to be often slightly amateur-looking and off, a head sometimes too small, fingers occasionally too short, people bending stiffly, that sort of thing.
If I was to name one positive feature, I did enjoy the horror. It's largely a fantasy based tale but touches of the grotesque added a more interesting element. Plus, if it's a monster, it's hard to argue that the proportions are wrong.
Labels: 2003, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Japan, Kentaro Miura, Manga, Translations
Reader's Diary #1760- Jesse Jacobs: Crawl Space
Jesse Jacob's Crawl Space is unlike anything I've ever seen or read before. Even if I didn't wind up enjoying the book, I'd have to give credit for originality.
The graphic novel begins with what appears to be a bunch of random colourful squiggles and circles falling into place to form a (still abstract) picture. I was nervous after the very first page that I was not going to get this.
Soon, some of the shapes form into a couple of humanoid figures. There were still psychedelic backgrounds but the vague, now talking figures, was enough to land some comprehension. Later, the colours and shapes fade in and out of this bizarre world with a more traditional cartoon world.
There's a surface story about a character introducing another to a new found world and experience, eventually sharing it with a slightly larger group of their peers. There may be a metaphor about drugs, religion, or just general open-mindedness or it might just be meant to be a weird little story.
It's certainly eye-catching and engaging and awesome.
Labels: 11th Canadian Book Challenge, 2017, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Jesse Jacobs, Koyama Press, New Brunswick
Reader's Diary #1759- Doretta Lau: Best Practices for Time Travel
It's kind of fascinating to me that Doretta Lau's short story "Best Practices for Time Travel" opens with a quote from Louis C.K. I cannot find a year on the story, but I believe it was written in 2016. It was only last year that the revelations about Louis C.K.'s repulsive behaviour hit mainstream media, though many remarked at the time that it hadn't exactly been a close guarded secret. Whether Lau had heard of it when she wrote the story or not, it makes for an even more powerful statement in 2018 to open with one of his quotes. It certainly accentuates the theme of the story.
For those expecting a sci-fi story, as I was, you may be disappointed that it doesn't quite deliver on that front, but you might also be pleasantly surprised, as I was, in the idea behind the story: would a woman or minority even want to time travel? Things aren't exactly great for them in the present, would the past be even worse?
The story serves as an important reminder of things (pressures, prejudices, etc) that others (such as white males like me) often take for granted. Even among minority groups that may relate on many things (in the story they all advise against reading the comments), each person is still an individual with unique questions and struggles.
I also enjoyed the story as a chance to "eavesdrop" on a discussion I'd normally not be a part of. Though, I also like the point in the story when the narrator talks about fetishism of other cultures.
It's a very thought provoking piece.
Labels: Doretta Lau, Room, Short Story, Short Story Monday
Reader's Diary #1758- Tony Isabella (writer), Trevor Von Eeden (artist): Black Lightning 1
Less familiar with DC Comics' superheroes, it wasn't until this year's TV adaptation of Black Lightning that I became aware of the character though he's been around since the 70s.
This is a collection of these early days and as such should also be prefaced with a few disclaimers. Created by Tony Isabella, who's not black, Black Lightning is nonetheless a black character. In the introduction to the collection, Isabella recalls his motivation in the first place. Specifically, he noted the few black superheroes, fewer still at DC than at Marvel, and sought to remedy that. So, I suppose, the intentions were fine. That said, if DC really wanted to support the idea, it would have probably been a safer bet to go with an actual black writer.
Much has been said about a much more offensive character named Black Bomber who DC had been eyeing as a headliner before settling on Black Lightning. To be sure, that character was much, much worse (he was a white racist who turned black when stressed). But, Isabella's stereotyping doesn't get him off the hook completely. Black Lightning was a schoolteacher by day, Afro-wig wearing, jive-talking superhero by night. And while I'm certainly no expert on 70s slang, especially urban black slang, I think some of Black Lightning's "authentic" dialogue was dubious at best.
Another, but less important issue considering how often the two companies did it to one another, is the ripping off of Marvel. While there's not a perfect carbon copy of Black Lightning at Marvel, other ideas and characters in Black Lightning's world seem lifted from there. First off, Black Lightning is presented as a street level alternative to the world-saving exploits of Superman, set in the Suicide Slum quarter of Metropolis. Clearly this a take on Marvel's heroes of Hell's Kitchen. Speaking of which, one of Hell's Kitchen's most notorious baddies, Kingpin, is clearly the inspiration behind Black Lightning's nemesis Tobias Whale. One difference between these two villains, and an unfortunate aspect they kept for the TV show, is Whale's albinism. Why are so many albinos presented in the media as villains? Oh wait! I forgot. Different = evil.
All of these issues aside, it's a fun introduction to the character even if, I'm told, much of his origins and superpowers have since been retconned. It's a 70s superhero comic so the stories are exactly profound, but they are entertaining. Also like other 70s DC and Marvel outputs, there's too much talking, the colours are garish and flat (the shading is all done with line work), but from a 2018 perspective this level of cheese is fun in itself.
Labels: DC Comics, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, superhero, Tony Isabella, TPB, Trevor Von Eeden
Reader's Diary #1757- Keiji Nakazawa: Barefoot Gen
Reading Paul Gravett's Mangasia recently, Keiji Nakazawa's Barefoot Gen came up as a particularly notable example and trendsetter of political and historical Asian comics. It tells of Nakazawa's experiences pre, during, and post the bombing of Hiroshima. This first volume that I read is predominately pre-bomb but it is dropped before the book ends.
Much controversy of Barefoot Gen seemed to be around the harsh critique Nakazawa makes on Japan at the time. Largely, to be fair, it is demonstrated not by Nakazawa who was only a child at the time but by his father who was particularly against Japan's propaganda and war-mongering. I suppose some readers felt this was not the time or place to criticize Japan. Clearly the bomb dropped by the US was horrendous and nothing could justify it. Perhaps Nakazawa's critics felt he was making a "both sides" argument similar to Trump's recent remarks regarding white supremacists in Charlottesville?
I'm not sure. In any case, I found the portrayal of WWII era Japan fascinating and certainly important. I've been to Japan, and a brief visit would lead one to believe it to be one of the most peace-loving countries on Earth. Perhaps they are. If so, they certainly weren't always that way (generally, speaking) and there's a hopeful message here that even the most militant of peoples can change. Hopefully, of course, it doesn't take an atomic bomb to learn such a valuable lesson and I suppose if one must have something positive to come from the tragedy that was Hiroshima, that would be it. It also doesn't, by any means, absolve the U.S..
At first Nakazawa's account seems uneven. While his father is being critical of Japan's jingoism, such political messages as these are pushed somewhat to the background and belied by the over-the-top emotions and physicality of Nakazawa and his younger brother. These kids reminded me a little of old Astro Boy cartoons. I couldn't often tell if it was meant as comic relief, perhaps a cultural difference I didn't understand, or an outdated style but there seemed to a lot of leaping into the air, a lot of big, unrealistic reactions to small things.
Then the bomb hits and it all makes sense. These scenes are horrific.
The earlier silliness is suddenly more understandable in retrospect. Yes, leading up to the bomb was a very serious time, but Nakazawa was still a child and much was shown through his eyes. He didn't always appreciate the magnitude of what was happening. What seemed important to him prior to the bomb was not necessarily of true importance. Nakazawa's own hindsight would come with and after the bomb.
Barefoot Gen, like my visit to Hiroshima, will stick with me for a very long time.
Labels: 2004, ABM, Japan, Keiji Nakazawa, Last Gasp of San Francisco, Manga, Memoir, Nonfiction
Reader's Diary #1756- Saladin Ahmed (writer), Christian Ward (artist): Black Bolt Hard Time Vol. 1
The hype for Saladin Ahmed's Black Bolt: Hard Time run was well deserved.
Black Bolt is not an easy character to write and, as the recent tv Inhumans show proved, when he's adapted poorly he comes across as a dud, though he's supposed to be one of Marvel's most powerful superheroes. The challenge comes with his main power, a voice that can flatten buildings with as much as a whisper. He cannot, however, control when his voice has force and it always does. This means that the character cannot talk most of the time and in TV or comics, where dialogue is typically relied upon heavily to tell a story and to give insight into a character, options are limited. (In the TV show the actor raised an eyebrow now and then which... didn't cut it. Like at all.)
In the first chapter of Hard Time, Ahmed uses skilled narration to do the work.
Black Bolt wakes in filth. He does not know where he is. He does not know how he got here. He only knows... that he is leaving.
Written narration isn't new to comics of course, but I find it less common now than it was in the 70s and earlier and when you read some of those older comics, it makes them seem dated. It also makes it feel like the writers didn't trust the artists to get their points across and the results were often redundant. Ahmed's narration, however, works with the art. He pulls back when the art pushes the story forward and steps in when it does not.
In later chapters, Ahmed "cheats" a little by having Black Bolt and his fellow prisoners (the overarching story is essentially a prison break-out) discover that their powers have been stripped away leaving Black Bolt free to talk without hurting anyone.
Likewise the art by Christian Ward is most fascinating in the first chapter, full of futuristic, pyschedelic shapes, angles, and colours. In later chapters this is all toned down a little.
But while I may feel the first chapter was the strongest, it's not like the collection ever goes off the rails. It remains an engrossing, exciting story with wonderful character building. The friendship that forms between Black Bolt and Absorbing Man is a beautiful thing.
Posted by John Mutford at 3/09/2018 1 comment:
Labels: 2017, Black Bolt, Christian Ward, Inhumans, Marvel Comics, Saladin Ahmed, superhero, TPB
Reader's Diary #1755- Michael Avon Oeming (writer), Mel Rubi (artist): Spider-Man/ Red Sonja
Webcomics, photocomics, old-timey comics, lesser-known-superhero comics, non-Japanese manga... I'm starting to have a lot of comic obsessions. My latest is crossover comics, particularly crossovers between publishing companies, so expect a lot of those in upcoming months.
Bringing me to Spider-Man/ Red Sonja, a crossover between Marvel and Dynamite back in 2007, with the trade collection in 2008. This is not the first time these two characters have met and fortunately, this trade also includes that first encounter from 1979. I don't really consider that a crossover, however, as at the time Red Sonja was a Marvel property.
Being set in a fictionalized, medieval time, with no superpowers beyond being a skilled fighter, Spider-Man doesn't seem like an obvious choice for a Red Sonja crossover. She's more akin to Conan the Barbarian (who she's already crossed over with). From Marvel's roster, I'd think Ka-Zar or Shanna the She-Devil would be better fits. Then, those are hardly household names and I suppose the Spider-Man pairing was a better financial bet. Besides, as a fan of musical mashups (and essentially crossovers are mashups), it's sometimes the less obvious mixes that are the most interesting.
In Spider-Man/ Red Sonja, Michael Avon Oeming uses a slight resemblance between Spider-Man's girlfriend and Red Sonja to work the story (they both have red hair). Red Sonja's nemesis Kulan Gath recalls his previous attempt to take over modern day New York and how it was thwarted by Red Sonja and Spider-Man. This time he's planned a rematch but schemes to pit his two adversaries against one another as a distraction. To do so, he transposes a medieval version of New York over the modern one, affecting almost everyone inside with the inexplicable exception of Spider-Man. This is when Mary Jane becomes Red Sonja, or becomes trapped inside of her...
Okay, so it's not high art, not the most literary comic I've ever read, but it was fun and as such does what a good crossover should.
The art is decent, though as I've complained before, I'm never wild about the sexist way Red Sonja is typically portrayed.
Labels: 2008, Crossover, Dynamite, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Marvel Comics, Mel Rubi, Michael Avon Oeming, Red Sonja, Spider-Man, superhero, TPB
Reader's Diary #1754- Antony Johnston (writer), Sam Hart (artist): Atomic Blonde
I was excited to see a spy book with a female lead though in hindsight, I've never been a huge fan of the genre and so I'm not entirely sure why I thought having a female protagonist would change that.
My biggest issue has never been the sex of the spy but that I tend to find espionage plots confusing. This was the case with Atomic Blonde as well. I started off okay; the initial plot involves an MI6 officer named Lorraine Broughton (who isn't blonde by the way, the title was changed from its original The Coldest City to capitalize on the recent film adaptation starring Charlize Theron) heading off to East Germany in 1989 to get back a list that threatens to blow the covers of all the good spies. Then it turns out there was no list and a couple of double crosses and questionable motives later and I was thoroughly lost.
So, after I was done and still scratching my head, I decided to see if someone else online could explain it to me. It turned out it wasn't just me and my usual trouble with spy books, but plenty of others were left bewildered by just what the heck happened in the second half of the book.
I did diverge somewhat from other reviewers though as it seems plenty of others also didn't enjoy the art. I actually did. It's heavily inked in black and white but still without a lot of detail. It looked at times like wood prints. The cold effect created by such a stylistic choice fit the setting, fit the plot heavy (vs character driven) story, and any more detail would have been too distracting for what was already a difficult to follow tale.
Labels: Antony Johnston, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Oni Press, Sam Hart, Spy Novel
Reader's Diary #1753- Eric Grissom (writer), William Perkins (artist): Gregory Suicide
In a lot of ways, Eric Grissom and William Perkins' Gregory Suicide felt like a Black Mirror episode. Dealing with artificial intelligence, the sci-fi aspect was definitely there. But it also has the mystery element; where the plot is a bit confusing at first but then the pieces start to fall into place (and new mysteries begin to pop up).
The titular Gregory in this story is the early version of an AI program. This was in earlier, friendlier times. Now the new AI robots and the humans are hellbent on wiping one another out and Gregory is caught in the middle.
It's stark in a near apocalyptic sort of way both in themes and art. Perkins work is reminiscent of Jeff Lemire's with just the slightest bit more refinement, fitting of a dystopic, futuristic tale. The colours, too, which are mostly monochromatic, fit well.
It's instantly engaging and provocative throughout, complete with interesting, well-defined characters.
Labels: 2017, Dark Horse Comics, Eric Grissom, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, William Perkins
Reader's Diary #1752- Charlotte Ashley: Sigrid Under the Mountain
I don't read a lot of fantasy, but Charlotte Ashley's "Sigrid Under the Mountain" has convinced me that I should read more.
Like good sci-fi, good fantasy came make a reader reflect upon the current world while offering an entrancing alternative reality. That's exactly what "Sigrid Under the Mountain" did for me. I was completely invested in this rich world and its mythical creatures, the cultures, the geography. Remarkable that it could be so richly developed in the space of a short story.
And then the strong themes of feminism and prejudices? I think fantasy is often written off as mere entertainment. While "Sigrid Under the Mountain" is certainly entertaining, it was also thoughtful, provocative.
The titular Sigrid is a strong character who is frustrated by her husband, by the mysterious kobolds, by an oncoming war. She takes matters into her own hands...
Labels: Charlotte Ashley, Fantasy, Short Story, Short Story Monday
Reader's Diary #1751- Spike Steffenhagen (writer), Joe Paradise and Larry Nadolsky (artists): Joan Jett and the Runaways
A fan of the Runaways, Joan Jett, Lita Ford and rock biographies, I had much higher hopes for this book than I was ultimately delivered.
First, it's quite short. There are three stories in here, the first about the Runaways, then Joan Jett and Lita Ford's solo careers respectively and the whole thing is just 30 pages long. If you've seen the Runaways movie a few years back, you won't likely learn anything and beyond an interesting factoid or two and not a whole lot more about the two successful solo breakouts.
The art is also a mixed bag. The Runaways story is drawn by Joe Paradise and while technically better than Larry Nadolsky's work on the follow-up stories, it's also wildly offensive. The women are consistently objectified (which renders the criticisms over their then manager Kim Fowley's sexism as hypocritical) and in one scene set in Japan a fan is drawn with exaggerated buck teeth, bald head, slanted eyes, and big ears a la WWII anti-Japanese propaganda. Larry Nadolsky's work on the other hand looked far more amateur. It was, however, less offensive and I kind of felt that it looked like fan art which suited the book anyway.
An additional troublesome feature were the occasional condescending and disrespectful "edits" by Jay Allen Sanford. In the worst of these he feels the need to jump in regarding Runaways lead singer Cherie Curie stating that her only talent is being photogenic. How rude.
Labels: Biography, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Nonfiction, Rock Book, Tidal Wave Productions
Reader's Diary #1750- Warren Ellis (writer), Gerardo Zaffino and Roland Boschi (artist): Karnak The Flaw in All Things
Last year Marvel Comics seemed to be pushing a few more Inhuman titles. Notable the Karnak: The Flaw in All Things and the Black Bolt: Hard Time runs had some critical acclaim. Perhaps they were trying to capitalize on the new tv show. Pity then it was so god-awful. And that's coming from a hard core Marvel fan who even enjoyed the much maligned Iron Fist show on Netflix.
My knowledge of Karnak was largely based, unfortunately, on the TV show. (I read a Inhumans trade a while back, but I've largely forgotten it.) There are very few similarities between Karnak of this comic and the one played by Ken Leung on television except that both are unlikable. The biggest difference is that Karnak on TV had superpowers while the one in the comic doesn't (on tv it's Maximus who is powerless, though in the comics he has super intelligence).
As for him being unlikable in his own solo series comic, that's fine, I suppose, though I did at times find the comic trying a bit too hard to be gritty (a la Alan Moore or Frank Miller). Still, when we finally see an ounce of doubt or humility, really any human emotion besides smug detached superiority, the payoff is bigger.
The story involves Karnak being asked by SHIELD to help track down a new inhuman who has been abducted by a cult. This inhuman is either powerless or one of the most powerful they have ever encountered.
It's not a bad series overall. Again, I didn't necessarily like Karnak but he's an interesting sort of character and decently developed. He's a bit of a rational philosopher. The story was compelling and the art by Zaffino or Boschi is suitably gritty. I liked the occasional use of ben day dots, looking like it was coloured on newsprint and had just leaked through-- a nice nod to the "flaw in all things" theme.
Labels: 2017, Gerardo Zaffino, Inhumans, Karnak, Marvel, Roland Boschi, superhero, Warren Ellis
Reader's Diary #1749- Pab Sungenis: I Can Has Empire?
Moving along in my exploration of photocomics, I'm also able to overlap with my study of webcomics thanks to Pab Sungenis and I Can Has Empire? the 2nd printed collection of his The New Adventures of Queen Victoria series which first appeared online.
Getting a bit of the negative out of the way first, this publication by Lulu is of very poor quality. The images and font are too small and often blurry which is frustratingly distracting.
That said, I did enjoy Pab Sungenis's work more than my more recent look at Joey Comeau and Emily Horne's Anatomy of Melancholy. Besides being just funnier, it felt more like an actual comic (versus captioned pictures). Also, the gutters of Sungenis' strip were real and had the usual comic implications.
The New Adventures of Queen Victoria still doesn't, unfortunately, much lift the reputation of photocomics as being a bit lazier, less work than drawn comics. To be fair, Pab Sungenis does put some work in. He writes the speech balloons and chooses old stock images of Queen Victoria and other historical figures to pose. Sometimes he even draws on expressions. Still, it's a far cry away from my idea to have people pose, carefully choose settings, select appropriate lighting, etc.I think a good photocomic can be just as much work if not more than a drawn one.
As a side note, I once again found myself thinking of Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics. He does a chapter on the somewhat counter-intuitive role of simple cartooning. I believe his theory goes that we're often more able to relate to, see ourselves in, simpler cartoon faces than more realistically drawn ones, the ones we tend to see as others, as characters. It will be interesting to reflect upon this as I read more photocomics. It doesn't get much more realistic looking than a photo! This would also suggest that photocomics would work better from some stories than others.
Labels: 2007, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Humour, Lulu, Pab Sungenis, photocomics, webcomics
Reader's Diary #1748- Sina Grace (writer), Alessandro Vitti (artist): Iceman Thawing Out Vol. 1
Iceman, until recently, hasn't been the most respected X-Men character, but last year he was making headlines and starred in a critically acclaimed series that even drew attention from outside typical comic circles. Largely this was because the series dealt with the character finally coming out.
Iceman is not the first gay superhero, not even for Marvel (Canada's own Northstar got married to another man all the way back in 2012), but he is one of the better known characters. Plus, while it's nice to have comics where being gay is just another character fact, coming-out stories are still important.
Interesting about the X-Men is that their story about being accepted/ not accepted for who they are has often been used as a parable for the LGBTQ community. In this series, Iceman has to deal with both prejudices. He now needs to come out to parents who already don't accept him for being mutant.
Not having lived such an experience, I can't say that the story would read as sensitive or authentic to someone who has, as an adult, come out to his parents. (I have since read though that Grace himself is gay, so I am thankful that Marvel chose a writer that would at least have a clue as to what he's talking about.) It felt real in any case. Well, the non-superhero parts anyway. Not that the superhero parts weren't welcomed; they provided a good reminder that everyone has value and worth regardless and not necessarily related to their sexual or gender identity, and they provided some more fun elements for what could have been too heavy of a story.
That all said, I really did not like the art. Specifically, the colouring looked like the original artwork was heavily spray painted over with a software program and the line work was re-added very poorly.
Labels: 2017, Alessandro Vitti, Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge, Iceman, Marvel Comics, Sina Grace, superhero, X-Men
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William Bradley Pitt was born on December 18th, 1963. He is an American actor and producer and someone who really does not need an introduction but we're going to do it anyway. He is most known for his roles in 1999 movie Fight Club, 2009 movie Inglorious Basterds, 2013 movie 12 Years a Slave, 2011 movie Moneyball and 2001 movie Ocean's Eleven to name a few. He has done a few TV series in his early career and made his first TV appearance in 1987 series Dallas in which he appeared as Randy.
Brad Pitt Religion
Brad grew up in a very conservative Christian family in Shawnee, Oklahoma. His family was devout Mid-Western Baptist and attended church every week. Growing up in such a disciplined and strict way has definitely had an adverse impact on him. He is now an atheist despite her ex-wife having faith in some sort of higher power. He has completely rejected his strict Christian upbringing.
Brad Pitt Political Views
Brad Pitt himself is a Democrat and has supported the previous two Democratic presidents of the USA. Of recent, he said that he didn't understand why anyone would vote for Donald Trump. There were articles later that claimed that Brad Pitt had supported Donald Trump later on but it was later found out that they were probably faked as there have been no audio or video sources. He has spoken in support of environmental policies, against poverty and for legal marijuana.
Brad's dating life has been the subject of talks at dinner tables all over. His marriage to Angelina Jolie in 2014 was playfully termed as "Brangelina". The star has 6 kids with Angelina Jolie out of which 3 are adopted and 3 are biological. The couple stayed together for ten years in total, married in 2014 and filed for divorce in 2016.
Prior to Angelina, Brad was married to Jennifer Aniston from 2000 to 2005.
He has also been engaged to Gwyneth Paltrow from 1996 to 1997 and Jill Schoelen in 1989.
He has had numerous past relationships and the women he dated are, Kate Hudson in 2016, Claire Forlani in 1998, Demi Moore in 1998, Thandie Newton from 1994 to 1995, Jitka Pohlodek in 1993, Julia Ormond in 1993, Geena Davis from 1990 to 1991, Juliette Lewis from 1989 to 1993, Elizabeth Daily in 1989, Christina Applegate from 1988 to 1989, Shalane McCall in 1987 and Sara Hart.
Brad has been quite the player throughout his career and if rumours are to be counted, we suspect that we wouldn't be able to fill all those on this page.
Brad Pitt Hobbies
Apart from his good looks, he is also quite a sportsman. He was a part of his high schools' golf, swimming and tennis teams so we can say that he definitely likes to play those in his free time in his mansion. He also likes to play the guitar, says that he owns Taylor guitars specifically. He also has a single engine pilot license and possibly likes to fly a plan like that too.
He had to pay $29 million as divorce settlement to Jennifer Aniston in 2005.
He has been banned from China because of his role in the 1997 movie Seven Years in Tibet.
He dropped out of Missouri School of Journalism where he was pursuing journalism major with a focus on advertising.
Ironically, he tore his Achilles tendon during the production of the 2004 movie Troy in which he plays the role of Achilles.
His high school name was Brad the "Pitt-bull".
His favorite actress is Dianne Wiest.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Pitt
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Chefelf.com Night Life: Star Trek Into Darkness - Chefelf.com Night Life
> Night Life Multimedia Extravaganza
> Movie Theater
Star Trek Into Darkness To boldly do what exactly?
#1 Just your average movie goer
Country:Nothing Selected
When I saw the last J.J. Abrams Star Trek (let's call it Star Trek 2009 to avoid potential confusion), I thought it was an incoherent mess. It raced along at breakneck speed from inane plot point to inane plot point, allowing no time for anything to register and blinding the viewer with all the lens flares. When it finished, I was unaware of how much time had just passed and left wondering what on earth I'd just watched.
A fresh start by needlessly connecting it to the previous series? Destroying Vulcan? But hang on... doesn't that planet play a large role in all things Star Trek? Kirk being chased through the snow by a monster clearly designed for a hot climate? Some interminably long scene with Scotty going through water pipes in a beer factory... or was that the engine room of the Enterprise?
It was a mess. So when I went to see Star Trek into Darkness, I wasn't expected much. Especially since Damon Lindelof was involved and I have no fond memories of his work on Prometheus, which was an even worse mess than Star Trek 2009.
Surprisingly, I enjoyed it when I saw it in the cinema. It was apparent that it was something of a switch-your-brain-off movie but it was much more coherent, from a story telling perspective, than Star Trek 2009.
Here, I need to make two points. When I saw it in the cinema, I knew next to nothing about Star Trek and I was a Star Wars fan (maybe one with little interest in it these days but a fan nonetheless). In hindsight, I'd say that would make me fairly close to J.J. Abrams' target audience (although I'd imagine he'd prefer a less critical viewer).
The second point is that seeing the movie the first time, I was unaware of what the ground rules were so I couldn't recognise when they were being broken. This is important, as you'll see.
Now, between my first and second viewing, I checked out a lot of Star Trek. I've seen all the good movies: Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and Star Trek VII: First Contact. And I've seen one of the bad movies, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. It's necessary to watch this once as a bridge between The Wrath of Khan and The Voyage Home and it's not that bad. I've also seen some of the better regarded episodes from the original series (Balance of Terror, Space Seed, City on the Edge of Forever and The Trouble with Tribbles to name a few). I checked out the Borg episodes of The Next Generation and Voyager, along with some of the Worf focused stories of The Next Generation. And finally, I've seen most of Deep Space Nine, which - despite its attempts to continually shoot itself in the foot* - is awesome.
*With that Bajoran religious/Emissary nonsense (I was willing to forget the writers put it in there if they were), Ferengi episodes (with the exception of Little Green Men), the Orion syndicate (yawn) and DS9's sorry attempts at getting in on the fun of the mirror universe (the original series' Mirror Mirror does this best and Enterprise's In a Mirror Darkly does a much better job too)
What does this all mean, apart from the fact that my newly found Trekkie credentials are off the charts? It means that my second viewing of Star Trek into Darkness was going to be a very different experience from my first. Now, does this mean that I was now sure I was going to hate it? Of course not. I'd already seen it once so I knew what kind of movie it was and I knew it was very much a different beast from what had come before. To judge it negatively because it's different would be like saying you hated Aliens because it wasn't a carefully paced suspense film like the original Alien. So when I saw it again, I was still judging it on its own merits but seeing Star Trek done better (yes, even in Voyager and Enterprise) certainly changed my perspective.
The other thing that changed my perspective was seeing it on the small screen rather than in a cinema - and I'll explain why that is as well.
This post has been edited by Just your average movie goer: 10 October 2013 - 11:19 PM
Now, the second viewing... Shall we begin?
1. The opening act. Kirk and Spock save a primitive culture from an erupting volcano. Spock goes into the volcano to set off a cold fusion bomb or something like that. Kirk leads the members of the culture on a merry chase to get them away from the volcano. The Enterprise is hiding under the sea. It gets seen by the locals because Kirk takes it flying in to rescue Spock when something goes wrong. And so on an so forth.
The first time I saw the movie, I'd clean forgotten about Star Trek transporters - beaming people and things up and down to planets. Sure, Spock is beamed to safety at the end of the sequence but the movie largely got away with it because of my ignorance of that technology until that point.
This time around, there was no such luck. So throughout the entire sequence, I knew that the Enterprise could have remained in orbit and a cold fusion bomb could have been beamed down into the volcano, sparing us all the shenanigans. The only reason for any of the opening act to exist was to set up the plot point about Spock not understanding human emotions.
2. ... and that was daft, I now realise. Having seen the original Star Trek series and movies, I rather get the impression that Spock understands humans quite well. He just thinks they're a bit illogical sometimes. This allows the writers to use Spock to make interesting observations on humanity and it's pretty cool. However, the inability of this new J.J. Abrams TM Spock to understand human behaviour just makes him seem dumb.
3. Khan's magical transporter that whisks him all the way from Earth to the Klingon homeworld instantly makes space travel rather redundant, doesn't it? Also, if the technology to transport a person all the way there exists, then Section 31 (which has the technology under wraps as well) could presumably transport a whole lot of nuclear warheads there as well and end any potential Klingon threat. This technology is over the top.
4. When Kirk and friends go to the Klingon homeworld, Kirk takes great pains to make sure the Klingons don't know that a Starfleet vessel is behind their borders as this could provoke a war. It's a good idea but unfortunately, it's completely undermined when Sulu, on Kirk's orders incidentally, sends a hailing message to Khan, clearly identifying himself and his ship as Starfleet. Presumably, no Klingons intercepted this transmission but still... that didn't strike me as a clever way of keeping a low profile.
5. And Klingons... I thought Klingons looked stupid in the previous version of Star Trek but compared to what J.J. Abrams turned them into, they were the height of style. But then again, I suppose that's to be expect after Abrams turned the intelligent and highly cultured Romulans into tattooed thugs in Star Trek 2009.
My second viewing of Star Trek into Darkness was not off to a good start.
Watch this space for the next lot of points, coming sometime later today.
2.5. I missed this in the previous post but near the beginning of the movie, Khan coerces a Starfleet officer into committing a terrorist act by way of an exchange - he will save the life of the officer's daughter and the officer will blow up the headquarters of Section 31. The problem I have with it is that Khan did his part of the deal first, which meant that the officer could have easily reneged on his part. The man's daughter had been saved already so there was no need for him to blow up anything. He could just have easily walked into Section 31, explained what had happened and arranged protection for his family on the chance that Khan tried to pay him back for reneging on the deal. Instead, like an idiot, the guy walks into the place and blows it up. Plausibility be damned! On with the plot!
Okay, now where were we?
6. I really didn't like the way Kirk punched Khan repeatedly after the man had surrendered. This is not what respectable leaders do in any situation. It wasn't quite as bad as the extended edition of Return of the King when Aragorn killed Sauron's emissary perhaps but that's not saying much.
7. Khan's background. The second time I saw Star Trek into Darkness, I understood that the backstory of Admiral Marcus finding Khan and his people frozen in stasis and reviving him mirrored the original series episode Space Seed where Kirk found Khan. Now, in the original series, the fact that Kirk and Khan have that shared history makes their conflict in The Wrath of Khan more meaningful. But in this movie, Kirk and Khan have no history. And this is a problem. It seems that J.J. Abrams is taking a shortcut. He wants to have the feud between Khan and Kirk but he doesn't want to take the time to establish a reason for it. He wants the payoff without putting in the setup and it doesn't work that way.
8. Carol Marcus' underwear scene. A lot has been said about this already. By many people. Now, I could talk about the cringe-worthy treatment of female characters in this movie or how gratuitous this particular scene is. But I'll keep it short. This scene was presumably intended to be sexy but instead, it was just flat-out embarrassing.
9. Admiral Marcus. This character didn't work well for me in my first viewing. In my second, he was just unwatchable. Not only was he a completely cardboard character, he was also just generally loud and annoying, shouting basically every line of dialogue he had. And I don't know exactly how he thought his plan of blowing the Enterprise up was going to work without repercussions when he was attacking it in plain view of Earth, which brings me to my next point...
10. Distances. Do they mean anything in this movie? When the Enterprise flees Admiral Marcus and heads back to Earth from the Klingon homeworld, the trip takes fifteen seconds. And this isn't fifteen seconds of movie time. This is actual time within the movie we're talking about here. The ship goes to warp. Carol Marcus tells Kirk that her father's ship can still catch them and the moment the words are out of her mouth, Admiral Marcus' ship does catch up with them. Several shots are fired and then... viola! They're right next to the moon.
Then, when torpedoes blow up on that big dreadnought later in the movie, the Enterprise is knocked all the way from the moon into the Earth's gravity well and it plummets into the atmosphere. Now, I'm no astrophysicist or what-have-you but I've always been under the impression that the moon is far away from the Earth. Further apart than New York and Boston even. So how in the hell does a blast knock the Enterprise from the moon to the Earth?
And at this point, I gave up on the movie. The thing was just turning into a massive frenetic action sequence without pause. Ships falling. Ships crashing. Spock pummelling the hell out of Khan. It was tiring. And it was then that I realised that J.J. Abrams is really no better than Michael Bay. He peppers his movies with a bit of characterisation out of some sense of obligation to doing the right thing but really, deep down, he'd rather just have two hours of fighting and explosions.
Now, that wasn't all I found wrong with the movie but I think that's enough. The bottom line was that I really didn't like this movie much the second time round. At all.
There's something I haven't addressed yet though and that's about the transition from watching it on a big screen to watching it on a small screen. Basically, the point I wanted to make was that a lot of the things that worked on the big screen didn't work after the transition. I remember really enjoying the scene where Kirk and Khan are soaring through space to land in the hangar of the dreadnought for instance but it did nothing for me the second time around. For a little while, I wondered why. And then I figured out the answer. J.J. Abrams clutters the screen. There's just too much in the frame and it's an eyesore. This isn't as bad on the big screen because there's more room for everything but on the small screen, it's fatal. The battle debris that Kirk and Khan fly through wasn't that distracting in the cinema but on the small screen, there was no space for... well, space. The scope of all that emptiness between the Enterprise and the dreadnought was completely lost on my TV screen. But it doesn't have to be that way. For a comparison, check out the asteroid chase in The Empire Strikes Back. I've seen that on the big screen and the small one and both work well.
Another problem is that individual scenes are too short. This isn't a problem specific to Star Trek into Darkness - it's a problematic trend in a lot of movies - but J.J. Abrams is certainly guilty of it here. The problem with short scenes is that you can never really get invested in them. They never have time to get interesting. Right before they do, the movie skips ahead to another scene and the feeling I personally get from this is one I liken to channel surfing.
One might ask then whether Star Trek into Darkness still works on the level of a brainless action movie. However, because the screen's frequently too cluttered and the action scenes drag on too long, wearing the viewer down instead of entertaining them, I'd argue that it doesn't.
One might also ask whether it's at least interesting seeing an attempt to bring something new to Star Trek but honestly, I can't see anything interesting being brought to the table. Sexing the franchise up? Well, that's nothing new. The original series was full of gorgeous women and that was continued through all the later shows. Making Star Trek more action packed? That's nothing new either. The cartoonish Voyager had Captain Janeway and her crew blowing up practically everything in the Delta quadrant, along with the increasingly neutered Borg. Enterprise is pretty action packed - and it also seems to be designed to cater to the same demographic that J.J. Abrams is aiming for, which makes his new movies even more redundant. And as I've mentioned earlier, Deep Space Nine has a lot of action... and it's a great show too, which is an added bonus.
So it's hard to see what the point of the Star Trek reboot is. It's not modernising the old series with updated production values. It's not charting new territory. So what's the point? Why don't the filmmakers follow the established precedents of the TV series and just make new stories about a new group of people. If they want action movies, maybe they could have a squadron of ships sent to the Delta quadrant, with the crew in hibernation. Then when they get there, they can wake up and embark on a mission to completely eliminate the Borg. Far-fetched, sure, and very possibly stupid but at least it'd be something new. What J.J. Abrams was up to with his reboots however is anyone's guess, possibly including his.
However, giving credit where credit is due, Star Trek into Darkness got me interested in Star Trek in general and led me to discovering the old movies and the awesomeness of Deep Space Nine. So I am grateful for that.
And also, it gave us these great videos:
How 'Star Trek into Darkness' should have ended
Honest Trailers: Star Trek into Darkness (featuring 'How it should have ended')
This post has been edited by Just your average movie goer: 11 October 2013 - 08:09 AM
#4 civilian_number_two
Canada's Next Top Model.
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Posted 25 November 2013 - 04:19 AM
Well don't say no one warned you:
http://www.chefelf.c...topic=9938&st=0
"I had a lot of different ideas. At one point, Luke, Leia and Ben were all going to be little people, and we did screen tests to see if we could do that." -George Lucas, in STAR WARS: the Annotated Screenplays (p197).
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