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Mark Power
As a child, Mark Power discovered his father’s home-made enlarger in the family attic, a contraption consisting of an upturned flowerpot, a domestic light bulb and a simple camera lens. His interest in photography probably began at this moment.
He then worked in the editorial and charity markets for nearly ten years, before he began teaching in 1992. This coincided with a shift towards long-term, self initiated projects which now sit comfortably alongside a number of large-scale commissions in the industrial sector. For many years his work has been seen in numerous galleries and museums across the world, and is in several important collections, both public and private, including the Arts Council of England, the British Council, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Milwaukee Art Museum, and Marrakech Museum of Photography and Visual Art.
To date Power has published eight books: The Shipping Forecast (1996), a poetic response to the esoteric language of daily maritime weather reports; Superstructure (2000), a documentation of the construction of London’s Millennium Dome; The Treasury Project (2002), about the restoration of a nineteenth-century historical monument: 26 Different Endings (2007), which depicts those landscapes unlucky enough to fall just off the edge of the London A-Z, a map which could be said to define the boundaries of the British capital; The Sound of Two Songs (2010), the culmination of his five year project set in contemporary Poland following her accession to the European Union; Mass (2013), an investigation into the power and wealth of the Polish Catholic church; Die Mauer ist Weg! (2014), about chance and choice when confronted, accidentally, with a major news event – in this case the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Destroying the Laboratory for the Sake of the Experiment (2016), a collaboration with the poet Daniel Cockrill about pre-Brexit England.
Mark Power joined Magnum Photos as a Nominee in 2002, and became a full Member in 2007.
www.markpower.co.uk
Diary of a Pandemic
Magnum photographers
Magnum Photos
The Covid-19 outbreak has imposed restrictions in movement. As part of an ongoing initiative, Magnum photographers are sharing information...
Civilization: The Way We Live Now
Sep 13, 2019 – Feb 2, 2020
National Gallery Victoria
An international photography exhibition of monumental scale, featuring over 200 original photographs by over 100 contemporary photographers from Africa,...
Good Morning, America / Vol. 1
The first in a series of five books by Power created as the result of this ongoing 10-year project,...
Art Book Publisher
Writer / Playwright
Museum / London
Gallery, Magazine / Paris
Letizia Battaglia
Luca Sola
Photographer / Journalist
Photo Boite
A new agency
Writer / Director
Matthias Bruggmann
Helene Schjerfbeck
The Anonymous Project
Anonymous, this is not about any one person or a particular artist. This project is akin to finding fading pages from an anonymous diary and placing them in a time capsule for future generations.
The Post-War Dream
Journey into the Anthropocene
Alessandro Zanoni
In the late summer of 2016, I spent six weeks in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region where I documented the transformation of some of the most influential cities in the region: Ordos, Hohhot, and Baotou. While looking back on the images I had taken, I was unexpectedly reminded of post-war Italian cinema (more…)
Chantal Joffe brings a combination of insight and integrity, as well as psychological and emotional force, to the genre of figurative art. Hers is a deceptively casual brushstroke. (more…)
Flavio-Shiró
A Documentary
Margaux Fitoussi & Adam Tanaka
Flavio-Shiró is a cult artist, a painter’s painter. His work defies categorization or association with any artistic group or movement. For more than six decades, his work has simply been modern.
On the Periphery
by Sinziana Velicescu
Forward by Matthew Hong
Sinziana Velicescu’s work is a minimalist and abstract approach, a modern chronicling of a quiet land surveyor, completely separated of sentimentality. The publication of her series is a documentation of time, bracketed in images of framed surfaces of space.
Prager’s works are in collections of National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, Kunsthaus Zürich, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
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14 °F / -10 °C
Kazakh-Italian cooperation offers immense unexplored opportunities, says top Italian official
By Aidana Yergaliyeva in International on 19 November 2019
NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan and Italy can offer each other huge opportunities for growth – it is just a matter of time until the two build stronger relations, said Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Manlio Di Stefano in an exclusive interview for this story.
Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Manlio Di Stefano.
Kazakhstan is seeking ways to diversify its oil-based economy, while Italy is looking for new cooperation opportunities in areas such as agribusiness, technology, cybersecurity and aerospace. These can create a good match and “we just need to choose where you want to add cooperation,” he noted.
The countries already enjoy “a good framework of bilateral agreements. Therefore, there is nothing huge to reform,” he added.
The door to new opportunities will open with the EPCA (Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement), an agreement between Kazakhstan and the European Union (EU).
“The Italian parliament just approved the ratification of the EPCA. This is an agreement that could bring some new opportunity for the country,” said Di Stefano.
The agreement is awaiting the signature of Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
“This (agreement) obviously will boost and improve cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union,” he added. “I think that now it is just the matter of insisting and stressing on the projects, because there is the demand; there is the market and you need to just put them together.”
Agriculture is one of Italy’s key economic sectors, accounting for 2.1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), reported export.gov.
“We are inter-domestically pushing a lot on innovation, what we call Industry 4.0. It is like a big set of reforms to have companies digitalise and to be able to be more interconnected at the global level, then we are pushing a lot on cybersecurity and aerospace, for example. But the reality is that we are starting from a very small company working on agriculture and on to the defence industry; we are trying to innovate every process,” said Di Stefano.
In recent years, Kazakhstan has initiated a plan to develop and digitise its farms and agricultural investment support has increased every year. Investments in fixed assets nearly doubled to 263.7 billion tenge (US$678.8 million) in the first eight months of 2019.
To grow its agroindustry, Kazakhstan needs more foreign investment and, most importantly, more experienced partner companies, Di Stefano noted.
“This will obviously help the management of all the relationships with the local bureaucracy administration and governance. What we are trying now at the [Kazakh-Italian Business] forum is to match companies, Italian companies with local companies, and start some joint ventures,” he added.
Di Stefano noted Kazakhstan is making an effort to provide a comfortable environment for foreign investors and companies. The government, however, still needs to revise its legislation on the way foreign business should operate in the country. The government needs “to create a domestic framework of rules that are internationally recognised, that can protect the investment, and some simplification of the bureaucracy in order to speed up everything,” he said.
“In Italy, we have a few big companies and most of them are already based here. But the reality is that more than 90 percent of our economy is made of small and medium enterprises. Small and medium enterprises, they cannot have risks. They are not used to taking risks, because their budgets are not so big. When they try to work abroad, they need to have a certain framework of rules that protect their own investment. That’s what I am discussing with your government to fix the procedure that is not in the standard of the union approach in order to facilitate this,” he added.
Another deterrent is the lack of a general understanding of what Kazakhstan and the countries in Central Asian represent. For Italian business circles, it is not the fear of the “stans,” but simply the lack of awareness about the possibilities of doing business in the region.
“I think that sometimes there is no consciousness of what the ‘stans’ are. We are talking about the countries in terms of logistics – that are huge in some way and are far away from Italy, but they have a huge potential. We are trying with our government to create some consciousness about it,” he said.
While on his November business trip to Central Asia, Di Stefano intends to introduce Italian businesspeople to the region and its many opportunities, he said. The country’s business community will have a better chance to become acquainted with everything Central Asia has to offer at the Dec. 13 Italy-Central Asia government and business conference in Rome.
“What we want to have is a conference that is not just commercial, but it is also about business, culture, science and, in general, political cooperation. And what you want is to make it periodic – every couple of years, for example. So, we want to create this consciousness in Italy to make companies understand that the ‘stan’ countries are a huge possibility,” said Di Stefano.
At the political level, this will also be a means of keeping Central Asia closer to the EU.
“We think that this is a good environment for everyone. You are straight in the centre between Europe and Asia. So, we think that already now, but mostly in the future, you can have a strategic goal for the so-called Eurasian connectivity. So, the more we keep you close to the European Union, the better it is, I think,” he added.
The first seed of business cooperation between the countries came at the Kazakh-Italian Business Forum Nov. 13 in the capital. The session gathered approximately 200 representatives of business circles to discuss coordination possibilities in renewable energy, petro chemistry, manufacturing and agribusiness.
Italian energy company GSE signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation with Kazakhstan’s AREK energy utility company. In addition, certain businesses have already shown some interest in horse meat processing.
Cooperation between the nations has been strengthening each year since a strategic partnership was formed 10 years ago and Italy is Kazakhstan’s second biggest trade partner overall. To date, Italy has invested $6.6 billion in the Kazakh economy and approximately 270 companies using Italian capital operate in the country.
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5.8 Earthquake In Virginia Felt In Maryland
Filed Under:Earthquake, Maryland, Shaking, Tremors, Virginia
"Felling the tremor; walls desks and ground shaking as if there was a train coming through the building!"-Alex Pratzer
BALTIMORE (WJZ/AP)– A 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Virginia is felt in Maryland.
It happened around 1:51 p.m. Tuesday.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was half a mile deep. Shaking was felt at the White House and all over the East Coast, as far south as Chapel Hill, N.C. People also felt it in New York and Rhode Island. Parts of the Pentagon, White House and Capitol were evacuated. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The quake was centered near Louisa, Va., in Louisa County, which is northwest of Richmond and south of Washington.
Fire department spokesman Chief Kevin Cartwright says there have been widespread evacuations throughout the city. He says since there hasn’t been any indication of damage to buildings, officials feel it’s safe for people to return to their homes.
Many people who fled downtown high-rises were trying to reach friends and family by cell phone, but service was interrupted.
There has been damage reported in Southeast Baltimore near Bank Street where a spire from a church collapsed onto the road. There are no reports of any injuries there.
“We have been in contact with all local jurisdictions and a number are reporting damage to some infrastructure,” said MEMA spokesperson Ed Hopkins. “Fortunately, they’re not reporting any serious injuries.”
Even though there aren’t normally earthquakes in Maryland, Hopkins said that each jurisdiction does have its own plan.
Earthquake Hits Maryland:
Adam May reports in the WJZ newsroom, strong shaking was felt. People went under doorframes for safety and some people left the building. Some lights and televisions went off during the shaking.
Kai Jackson reports many buildings and courthouses in the area were evacuated.
Hundreds of people stayed outside on the sidewalks in downtown Baltimore, not wanting to return to their high-rise buildings.
“I’ve never felt anything like it in Baltimore. I lived in California and I felt one there but not here,” said Johns Hopkins employee Rafael Irizarry.
“I didn’t know what was going on,” said one woman.
“5.8, that’s big. Maybe something else is coming we should be on the lookout for,” said Mark Richey.
“I was sitting on the marble ledge and the whole thing started shaking,” said a man. “And then it got stronger and stronger and stronger.”
“I was in Mercy Hospital and the whole building started shaking,” said one man. “Everyone got really scared and started running outside.”
“Everything started shaking and then it stopped and then it got really bad and I started screaming and ran out of the building,” said a woman. “It was panic.”
Once people got outside and realized the worst was over, many of them started to feel a lot better.
Delays are reported in commuter service throughout Maryland.
In downtown Baltimore, the subway system was temporarily shut down and traffic is “a mess.”
All MARC train service was suspended.
Amtrak reports train service along the Northeast Corridor between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., is operating at reduced speeds.
Amtrak says its crews are inspecting stations and railroad infrastructure before returning to normal operation. The rail service says no injuries have been reported but passengers should expect delays.
Mayor Discusses Earthquake:
Weijia Jiang spoke with the mayor.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake activated the city’s Emergency Operations Center Tuesday afternoon and is meeting with city agencies to assess any issues related to the earthquake. She announced that nonessential city employees are authorized to leave work early.
Rawlings-Blake has also sent people to check out all bridges around the city and ordered police officers to check the traffic patterns downtown and help people get home safely.
There were no mandatory evacuations but many chose to leave the downtown area.
“There have been no reports of major injuries in Baltimore and 911 is fully operational and responding to all emergencies,” said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
In the Washington area, Metro appears to have emerged from the earthquake unscathed. Dan Stessel, spokesman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, says there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage to the area’s extensive metro rail system. But he says all trains have been slowed to 15 m.p.h. and officials are performing a system-wide track inspection.
Maryland state employees have returned to the statehouse after an evacuation lasting roughly 30 minutes due to the earthquake.
Raquel Guillory, a spokeswoman for Gov. Martin O’Malley, says staff in a meeting on the second floor thought something was falling off the building. She says the room she was meeting with other staffers was shaking.
Several staffers said they initially thought scaffolding around the statehouse dome, which is being repainted, had collapsed. One staffer hid under a desk, and others stood in a doorway before they left the building.
Rick Abbruzzese, a spokesman for O’Malley, says: “We really felt like it was going to come through the ceiling at any second.”
The East Coast gets earthquakes, but usually smaller ones.
The National Weather Service’s West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said the location of the quake was far enough inland that it didn’t threaten to trigger a tsunami on the coast.
Director Paul Whitmore said the center has gauges up and down the East Coast and none of them were detecting tsunami activity.
Federal officials say two nuclear reactors at the North Anna Power Station in Louisa County, Va., were automatically taken off line by safety systems around the time of the earthquake. Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Roger Hannah says the agency was not immediately aware of any damage at nuclear power plants in the southeast.
NRC officials are still assessing the situation.
The U.S. Park Service evacuated and closed all National Mall monuments and memorials.
At Reagan National Airport outside Washington, ceiling tiles fell during a few seconds of shaking. Authorities announced it was an earthquake and all flights were put on hold.
More than 12 million people live close enough to the quake’s epicenter to feel shaking, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The agency said this quake was in the yellow alert category for economic damage, meaning there was potential for local damage but it would add up to far less than 1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.
East Coast earthquakes are far less common than in the West, but they tend to be felt over a broad area. That’s because the crust is not as mangled and fractured, allowing seismic waves to travel without interruption.
“The waves are able to reverberate and travel pretty happily out for miles,” said U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Susan Hough.
Click here for a slideshow of the damage.
Click here for closings.
Police are asking residents not to call 911 to report an earthquake unless there is an emergency.
More Eyewitness Accounts:
Mike Hellgren spoke to residents in Annapolis.
This was the equivalent of more than 10,000 tons of dynamite. People panicked, unsure of what was happening. Many evacuated buildings as the ground rumbled.
“Suddenly the house was moving this way and that way,” said a woman.
“Everything just started shaking and falling. I thought I had knocked something down,” said one man.
“Chairs started to rumble a little and then all of a sudden, some trophies started to rattle. We realized it was an earthquake,” said one woman.
The State House in Annapolis doesn’t appear to have suffered any damage.
“It startled me,” said one person.
“Now I can say I’ve lived through an earthquake,” said another.
Stay with WJZ.COM for the latest in this developing story.
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WATCH LIVEPurple Pregame Show: WJZ Is Live From Buffalo
'Feelin' Cute. Might Start A Revolution': Virginia Man Jacob Hiles Posted On Facebook As He Allegedly Stormed U.S. CapitolAnother Virginia man has been arrested for his alleged role in the U.S. Capitol riots last week.
Reports: Ravens' Marcus Peters Fined $15K For Stomping On Titans LogoRavens cornerback Marcus Peters was fined $15,000 on Saturday for taunting during the team's win over the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card Round last week, according to reports.
Excitement Builds As Ravens' Lamar Jackson, Bills' Josh Allen Set For Playoff Showdown In BuffaloRavens coach John Harbaugh was immediately impressed by Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen's competitive fire following their first face-to-face encounter in an NFL setting.
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QBs Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson Set To Star As Ravens Visit Texans
Filed Under:Baltimore, Baltimore Ravens, Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans, Local TV, NFL, Talkers
HOUSTON (AP) — Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson was torn when asked if he enjoys matchups such as Sunday’s against the Houston Texans and fellow talented and mobile quarterback Deshaun Watson.
“That’s a great quarterback we’re going against (so) I say no, because of how dynamic he is, and our defense has to prepare for him,” he said. “But (yes), you could say that. You could say that, yes.”
So, while Jackson is looking forward to showcasing his talents in a game against Watson, he knows dealing with Houston’s star will be a tall task for his defense.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh agreed with his quarterback and raved about Watson.
“He’ll throw it to anybody. He’ll throw it deep. He’ll throw it short. He’ll throw it to every different receiver — you saw that last week — and he’ll run,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a big concern for a defense — a major problem for any defense and we’re working to try to figure it out this week.”
(For more in-depth coverage of the NFL, listen to the AP Pro Football Podcast apple.co/3iGiX8a)
Of course, the Texans are in the same boat in figuring out ways to slow down Jackson after last season’s MVP threw for 222 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 79 yards in Baltimore’s 41-7 rout of them last year.
“He’s just got a very unique skill set,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “Obviously he’s very fast, he’s very quick. Over time he’s become a better passer. He’s a very accurate passer. He does a really good job using all the people around him. They have a great scheme … he’s the MVP, so we’ve got … a big challenge ahead of us.”
It’s the second game to start the season where the Texans will face an MVP quarterback after they lost 34-20 to 2018 winner Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl champion Kansas Chiefs last week.
The Ravens easily handled Cleveland 38-6 in their opener last week behind three touchdown passes from Jackson. The victory extended Baltimore’s regular-season winning streak to an NFL-best 13 in a row, which is the league’s longest run since Carolina won 18 straight in 2014-15.
O’Brien likes the challenge his team is facing early this season.
“That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “You’re going up against the best. We were a playoff team last year. We played the Super Bowl champs last week and now we’re playing a team that was 14-2 last year.”
EMPTY STADIUM
There won’t be any fans at NRG Stadium on Sunday because of the coronavirus. Team officials made the announcement last month and said at the time that some fans could be allowed at later games if conditions in the area, which has been a COVID-19 hotspot, improve.
Houston star defensive end J.J. Watt said he can’t remember a time he played a game at any level without a crowd. He reminisced about hearing his grandfather “going nuts” in the stands when he played youth football in front of a small crowd. But he then added that the lack of fans on Sunday really shouldn’t impact anyone’s performance.
“As an athlete, if you can’t get yourself ready and amped up to compete against another team and to compete at the highest level, then you really probably shouldn’t be out there in the first place,” he said.
DREAM START
Ravens rookie linebacker Patrick Queen played a major role in his NFL debut, leading the team in tackles at middle linebacker and adding a sack.
“He showed his explosive speed a couple times, where he went and made some plays,” Harbaugh said. “He didn’t panic at all. I felt like that was the best thing about it as a start. And he should only improve from here.”
Queen starred at LSU before being selected by Baltimore in the first round of the NFL draft. He stepped right in as a starter at a key position in the middle of the defense.
“It’s what I expected,” Queen said of his first game as a pro. “I wanted to do better than I did, but I’m grateful for what I got. I prayed about it, slept on it, dreamed of making plays.”
PLENTY OF PLAYMAKERS
The Texans don’t have DeAndre Hopkins anymore, but Will Fuller stepped up last week with eight catches for 112 yards against Kansas City.
“He’s a go-to receiver, for sure. Very talented, very fast, definitely someone that we have to mark,” Harbaugh said.
Even though Baltimore held the Texans to a single touchdown last year, Harbaugh knows the Texans can ring up points through the air.
“They have four really good receivers who are all high-end receivers in the National Football League,” he said. “They have two excellent tight ends and two running backs who are excellent receivers. So, they have a lot of weapons in the passing game to go with Deshaun Watson.”
(© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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HBO Max’s ‘Looney Tunes’ Is the Best Reboot of 2020
Even amidst a pandemic and worldwide protests against systemic racism, online headlines on June 8, 2020 was dominated by... an 80-year-old cartoon series.
The Looney Tunes, one of the longest-running properties in the history of animation, was suddenly back in the news because the creators of the series’ latest iteration — a new batch of shorts titled Looney Tunes Cartoons that recently premiered on HBO Max— revealed in a New York Times profile that their new Tunes contained no guns whatsoever. “Cartoony violence” was okay, said executive producer Peter Browngardt. But Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam would no longer chase Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck with hunting rifles or six-shooters.
The announcement was a dream come true for internet headline writers, who know that few things spark outraged clicks faster than a pop-culture classic everyone knows and loves getting “ruined” by political correctness run amok. A Twitter search turns up dozens of angry tweets insisting that without guns the new Looney Tunes “will suck.” One article claimed Looney Tunes without guns “makes no sense” because (and yes, this was a real argument against the change) “Elmer Fudd is a hunter, not a wheat farmer, after all.”
While I am a stickler for extremely accurate depictions of hunters in cartoons about talking rabbits, I finally decided to check out the new Looney Tunes this weekend. They are, without question, the best anything made with Bugs, Daffy, and the rest in decades. Even without the guns, they’re also the most authentic Looney Tunes since the glory days of Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng.
I know because I’ve been watching them with my kids on HBO Max, which has an entire subsection of Looney Tunes as part of its streaming library. After my two young daughters showed an interest in slapstick comedy — first in The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking, and then in Home Alone — my wife and I decided to let them watch some Looney Tunes. And sure enough, they were an immediate hit.
After sampling a few of the dozens of classic Looney Tunes on HBO Max, I started trying some of the other series and films the site had available. They were moderately entertained by The Looney Tunes Show, a buddy sitcom starring Bugs and Daffy that aired in the early 2010s on Cartoon Network. They got a couple chuckles out of Tweety’s High-Flying Adventure, a direct-to-video feature from 2000 about Tweety (their favorite Looney Tune) on a trip around the world. We didn’t even make it 15 minutes into 2003’s Looney Tunes: Back In Action before they asked to turn it off.
After that, we stuck with the shorts — both the originals and the new ones by Peter Browngardt and his team. Surprisingly, my kids’ favorite Looney Tunes short out of the dozens they’ve watched so far is a new one: “Boo! AppeTweet,” where Sylvester mistakes a cupcake that looks like Tweety for the real thing, eats it, and then thinks a flour-covered Tweety is a ghost haunting him. Hilarious hijinks ensue:
The ironic part of some fans’ freakout about the lack of guns is that the current Looney Tunes Cartoons are among the bleakest in the franchise’s history. While “Boo! AppeTweet” begins with Sylvester mistaking a flour-covered Tweety for a ghost, it ends with the cat’s accidental suicide, followed by the actual ghosts of his nine lives attacking him, followed by Tweety delivering his “I tawt I taw a puddy tat!” catchphrase with his eyes stark-white with terror. Several other shorts feature gags where the characters get flayed alive, leaving just their skeletons behind.
For another example, check out “Wet Cement,” where Daffy Duck — who hasn’t been this “daffy” in many years — begins messing Porky Pig as he tries to smooth a fresh square of pavement. The end of this short is like something out of a mob movie.
The new toons’ twisted sense of humor and rubbery animation remind me of underground comics, so it’s not completely shocking to see that the Looney Tunes Cartoons’ story editor is Johnny Ryan, the creator of notably f—ed-up books like Angry Youth Comix and Prison Pit. They may look cute, but these Cartoons have some serious edge. That’s why, guns or no guns, Looney Tunes Cartoons is one of the best reboots of an old property in years and years. If anything, these shorts are more subversive without guns — because removing that one potentially controversial aspect has given the creators cover to do all kinds of “inappropriate” content beneath the veneer of family-friendly entertainment.
Browngardt told the Times that his pitch for the series was “What if Warner Bros. had never stopped making ‘Looney Tunes’ cartoons?’” If my kids’ reactions are any indication, they achieved their goal. As far as they’re concerned, there’s no discernible difference between “old” Looney Tunes and “new” Looney Tunes; to them, they’re all just Looney Tunes. (If they’ve taken note that Elmer doesn’t have a gun anymore, they haven’t mentioned it.) That’s probably the highest compliment I can give the new Cartoons: They feel like a seamless continuation of the old, updated for 2020 tastes. Browngardt and his team hit the nail right on the head — and then dropped an anvil on it.
Gallery — The Best TV Shows of the Year So Far:
Source: HBO Max’s ‘Looney Tunes’ Is the Best Reboot of 2020
Filed Under: HBO Max, Looney Tunes, Looney Tunes Cartoons
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Top 10 Entrepreneurs Under 30
Published December 16, 2013 by Aaron Hoddinott
Category: Culture of Capitalism, Influence, MotivationTagged entrepreneur, successful entrepreneurs, social media, work ethic, niche, Motivation, passion, Mark Zuckerberg, subprime meltdown, rapid growth of the internet, millionaires, billionaires, wealthy entrepreneurs under the age of 30, entrepreneurs under the age of 30, young entrepreneurs, net worth, David Karp, Tumblr, Rent the Runway, Jennifer Carter Fleiss, Adam D'Angelo, Quora, Mashable, Pete Cashmore, Scribd.com, Trip Adler, LearnVest.com, Alexa Von Tobel, Ben Kaufman, Quirky, Cameron Johnson, entrepreneurial success stories, younger generation of entrepreneurs, online businesses
Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2014
The NFL Is On The Verge of Being Regulated To Death
In the last decade, due to the rapid growth of the internet and technology as a whole, the young minds of our society have been benefiting more than ever – to the extent where some have become millionaires, and even billionaires, from their intuitive ideas.
These success stories of wealthy entrepreneurs under the age of 30 are all by-products of talent and extremely strong work ethic.
Most success stories make for interesting reading because they can provide a burst of inspiration and motivation. In turn, you can visualize yourself one day achieving the success some of these youngsters have achieved. Winning is a choice. It’s a choice to use your talents, in combination with a fierce work ethic, to achieve greatness. And that’s precisely what these ten entrepreneurs under the age of 30 did.
So without further ado, here are the 10 most successful entrepreneurs who made it to the big time before the age of 30:
Mark Zuckerberg (29 years old)
One of the most notable, if not the most notable, young entrepreneurs of the current generation is Mark Zuckerberg. He is a Harvard dropout who pursued a project that ended up changing the world. He created Facebook, which currently has 1.19 billion users, and he has a net worth of $19 billion. This level of wealth is a direct result of creating a product that people have a real desire for (spying on their friends…just kidding); and because of the nature of the internet, the product was very quickly put in front of the entire human population.
The point of Facebook (not that it needs any introduction) is to provide a way for people anywhere in the world to communicate and share pictures and videos. It is the way a lot of people communicate nowadays, and has driven the telephone closer and closer to extinction. Zuckerberg saw an opening in the communication space, and transformed the way the majority of internet users stay in touch.
David Karp (27 years old)
The guy responsible for Tumblr is David Karp. He founded the company and built it into the $1.2 billion takeover target of Yahoo. As of this moment, Tumblr hosts 159.1 million blogs and 70.2 billion posts.
David dropped out of school at the age of 15, but then got an internship at Frederator Studios. He currently has amassed a fortune of over $200 million, and due to the popularity of Tumblr, that number is only set to grow.
http://youtu.be/P1nCdGKj450
Tumblr has reached as many as 170 million people worldwide, and it is a micro blogging and social media site. The company currently has more than 85 employees, and their creative design team is constantly churning out new ideas. Now owned by Yahoo, it will be very interesting to see how Tumblr leverages itself off the internet giant.
Jennifer Carter Fleiss (29 years of age)
The company Rent the Runway was created by Jennifer Carter Fleiss and Jennifer Hyman. It allows women to rent high-end clothing for as long as 4 to 8 days. This is aimed at women who cannot afford to buy every dress they like (so basically, every woman on the planet other than perhaps Oprah), but it does allow them to wear a variety of dresses for a cheaper price.
To men, at least me, this idea seems rather peculiar. Wearing the clothes another man has already worn kind of worries me, to be frank. But, as it turns out, I’m not their target market. Rent the Runway was such a good idea, in fact, that it secured $15 million dollars in funding from Bain Capital Ventures and Highland Capital, which means that it was able to take its operations to the next level. Two years after its inception, Rent the Runway was reported to have earned over $20 million in revenue for 2011.
The company is still in its infancy, but the future looks very promising.
Adam D’Angelo (29 years old)
Adam D’Angelo is the founder of Quora, and is now its CEO. Quora is a website where users can go to ask questions and get answers. The success of Quora is due to its novel concept and rapidly expanding user base, which is estimated around 10 million.
I love the website’s slogan: “Quora is your best source for knowledge”
So simple, and yet it explains exactly what it is, leaving me enticed to peruse.
Adam D’Angelo was previously the Chief Technology Officer at Facebook. He graduated from the California Institute Of Technology in 2006 with a Computer Science degree. He currently has a net worth of around $680 million, and as Quora continues to grow, that number could very easily rise in the coming years.
Pete Cashmore (28 years old)
Pete Cashmore – founder of Mashable.com
image source: en.wikipedia.org
The creator of Mashable.com is Pete Cashmore. I’m a huge fan of this guy, and absolutely love the creative writing, humor, and grittiness on Mashable, which is one of the top 10 blogs in the world and attracts as many as 50 million page views every month.
For all of you content publishers with your own online businesses, Pete Cashmore is one entrepreneur you need to read about. The quality control behind the content posted on Mashable is a cut above. And with such a staggeringly huge following, it is no wonder this young entrepreneur has managed to obtain a fortune of roughly $95 million.
Mashable is a blog where the latest social media and technology news is discussed and dissected. A large portion of the many page views it gets per month are from repeat visitors. Again, this goes back to the quality of the sites content that is published on a daily basis.
Trip Adler (29 years old)
Trip Adler is responsible for Scribd.com, which is a social reading and publishing website that stores some of the tops books, research papers and magazines. Simply put, Scribd is pretty damn cool. The company has been able to gain such an impressive level of popularity because of the need for a single location to contain such a wealth of literature that is easy to access. Scribd is the online solution of going to the library.
Tip Adler is estimated to have a net worth of around $26 million. He currently lives in San Francisco.
Ryan Allis (28 years old)
Ryan started iContact in 2003 with Aaron Houghton. iContact assists businesses in improving their efficiency with regards to email marketing. Google Adwords was its main source of advertising when the company started, and it now has over 100,000 clients with more than 300 employees.
Ryan is also the CEO of Connect and is an investor. His broad profile of activities is just a reflection of the fact that he has sound entrepreneurial instincts which have allowed him to become successful in a number of different ventures. Diversification is key after making a large sum of money, and Ryan has spread his eggs around, to say the least.
Ryan has a degree in economics from the University of North Carolina and was born and raised in Pittsburgh. His net worth is estimated at $40 million.
Alexa von Tobel (28 years old)
The founder of LearnVest.com is Alexa Von Tobel, who is also its CEO. The company was founded in 2007 and serves as a personal finance website geared toward educating women. It is the first subscription-based online financial planning service of its kind – a true trailblazer.
If you have trouble planning your finances, then LearnVest wants to be your go to place for education. The site’s software is revolutionary because of the ease of which people have been able to use it efficiently, regardless of their lack of experience. Von Tobel has been dubbed the next ‘Suze Orman’, and rightly so. She is a former trader for Morgan Stanley and was able to raise $25 million to start her site.
Given the timing of LearnVest’s launch (around the subprime meltdown), it is safe to say Alexa combined timing and education perfectly. As people became more focused on their personal finances after the Great Recession, LearnVest was there to educate.
Ben Kaufman (27 years old)
Ben Kaufman is the man responsible for Quirky, which is a company located in New York that uses crowdsourcing to help bring products to market. Essentially, users and the staff of Quirky take a vote on what design features a certain logo or product may have, and the one that gets the most votes has the go-ahead. It is a social product development company and has worked tremendously well.
It’s obvious where Ben got his idea to start Quirky. In his senior year of high school he got a second mortgage on his parents’ home to create an accessory to the iPod, known as mophie – ‘twas a huge success. And the rest, as they say, is history. Ben’s company now helps other inventors get their ideas off the ground and gives them the best opportunity at success.
This wonderkid has amassed a fortune estimated around $90 million.
Cameron Johnson (27 years old)
At the age of 9 Cameron Johnson launched a business out of his parents’ house. It was a business that centered around making invitations for holiday parties. Within a year he managed to generate $50,000 in revenue, which is amazing considering he was only 10 years of age! At 15 it was reported that he was making $300 to $400 thousand per month, and at 19 he made his first million.
Cameron’s accomplishments landed him on Oprah’s Big Give and a spot on the board of directors of a Tokyo-based company when he was just 15.
Cameron’s story shows that age is not a barrier, especially in today’s fast moving economy. His net worth reportedly stands at around $5 million.
What we can learn from most of these entrepreneurial success stories is that the internet and technology is responsible for the rapid wealth creation amassed by the younger generation of entrepreneurs. These are the top ten entrepreneurs under 30, but their age is really irrelevant. These people are doers. They’ve found a passion, and then cornered a niche that plays to that passion. If you want to be the next big thing, and reinvent the wheel like these young millionaires have, then maybe you too should look at conquering a corner of the internet that has not yet been explored. Make your own niche that plays to your life’s passion.
There are so many more services to provide, and so many new ideas to come up with, that it is only a matter of time before we hear about the next big young entrepreneur who has made it onto the billionaires’ list. No reason why it can’t be you.
Stay hungry,
The NFL Is On The Verge of Being Regulated To DeathTop 10 Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2014
Aaron Hoddinott
Investor and marketer willing to take big swings at bold ideas.
More from Aaron:
Getting Comfortable with Chaos
Disruption Comes from the Outside
Are You Willing to Pay the Price?
The Missing Human Element
Our Unhealthy Obsession with Being Right
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Our Framers
Uziel Orozco
“I illustrate aspects of time, space, and nature challenging my viewer to look inward and find balance through the chaos of paint I set before them. I elaborate on my experiences through color, often relying on my feeling and intuition to compose my work.”
Muralist Guillermo Uziel Orozco uses impasto and texture to expand the properties of paint to elaborate on his ideas. He strives to make his work be about the paint, as if the paint itself has an emerging, conscious life of its own. Through anthropic reasoning, he allows the paint to open up his practice and further expand on his work’s therapeutic nature, using it as a tool to help self-heal.
Orozco was born in 1985, in Brownsville Texas, a first-generation American to Mexican immigrants seeking a better life. His family settled in Houston, where he spent his childhood. His love of drawing as a young boy and into high school led to him participating in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s student art exhibitions. In 2004, Orozco enlisted in the US Army where he served as a Chemical Operation Specialist. There, he was given the opportunity to paint two Murals and a few smaller projects for his units. One mural was painted at LSA Anaconda, Balad, Iraq in 2006. After a 2015 injury in Afghanistan, he returned home as a Sergeant to complete his enlistment and then to begin studying fine arts at the University of Houston. Orozco describes ‘stellar professors’ at the UH painting department who helped mold him to further refine his craft, which always stood out among his peers. In 2020, he received a BFA in painting and a minor in art history, cum laude. Currently, Orozco lives in Utah with his wife and son, working from his home studio in Hooper.
Guillermo Uziel Orozco
Late Winter
Brushworks Gallery, Salt Lake City, Utah :: ©2020
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Britt Lind
Josh Sibley, singer/songwriter, is handsome, talented, smart and headed for oblivion. Alcohol provides relief when his demons threaten to overwhelm his every effort to break free of his past. When his friend Jennie Seger arranges for him to write songs for a multi-million-dollar feature, all his doubts and fears fall away, and he embraces the opportunity like a starving man who has found a bounteous feast during a famine. Lightning strikes his lonely heart in the form of singer/actress Lila Levy who is married to the producer of the movie and flaunts her sexuality at Josh knowing her breathtaking beauty more than makes up for her lack of talent. Knowing his love for Lila is doomed from the start, he overlooks her shortcomings and keeps his feelings under wraps as he teaches her to sing his songs. But this is Hollywood, and nothing is as it seems. Lila has secrets that Josh cannot begin to fathom and doesn’t want to know. When her husband Stan is murdered, Lila disappears and Josh is confronted by the woman determined to track her down - Sergeant Rosemaria Baker of the Beverly Hills Police Department. Rosemaria is the opposite of Lila; hates show business and considers Josh a delusional loser. When the cops track down Lila and bring her in, Lila declares herself innocent and the fight for the soul of Josh Sibley begins.
Britt Lind is an actress, singer and writer who has performed in television shows, movies and on stage in Los Angeles, New York and Vancouver, B.C. She has written several screenplays and came in as runner-up in the Washington State Screenwriting Competition for her screenplay A Light in the Forest. Britt lives in Thousand Oaks, California with her husband, Nick Alexander, a screenwriter, and their three feral cats, Teeny, Toughie and Baby Hughie who used to live a hardscrabble life in the cold and rain in the frozen north of Washington State and now enjoy a life of luxury in the sun as is their due. Britt is also president of a nonprofit, People for Reason in Science and Medicine, a pro-health, pro-environment, anti-vivisection organization. Her inspirational memoir Learning How to Fly that was a winner in the 2019 Beverly Hills Book Awards in the Performing Arts Category, is available on Amazon. Her website is www.brittlind.com To find out more about PRISM, please go to www.peopleforreason.org and www.facebook.com/gotoprism Follow PRISM on Twitter @gotoprism
Amazon Barnes&Noble GooglePlay IndieBound Kobo
During this downtime period in the movie/TV industry actors have had to do a lot of self-taping. One casting director asked that we just talk about ourselves and share who we are with them – roles we’d like to play and so forth. I did that and told stories of how sometimes I did everything I was asked to do in an audition – knew my lines perfectly but because someone threw a wrench into the process I lost those roles. I told of how Alan Jay Lerner, composer of My Fair Lady and other big musicals, wanted me to play Gigi in the stage version at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion but Katherine Hepburn wanted her protégé to do it. They argued and Alan lost and so did I. I was asked to audition for Gypsy at the Music Center with Debbie Reynolds as the star. They wanted me, but Debbie said if her daughter Carrie didn’t do it, she would drop out. They didn’t want Carrie and the show was never done. At the time I was heartbroken but if you hang on to frustration and bitterness it is said that it’s like drinking acid and hoping the other person dies. Good things are always ahead of you. No need to drink acid for anybody.
The Universal Grill at Universal Studios was crowded, and Stan was fifteen minutes early. Erik, the maître ’d, had been kind enough to seat him anyway and the wait was made more tolerable by the companionship of a vodka on the rocks. He nodded now and then to familiar faces, willing them not come over to the table. He was in no mood to have a forced conversation.
The only person he wanted to talk to now was Jennie, the one person who would understand—a fact that would sound strange to anyone who knew him for the dyed-in-the-wool chauvinist that he was. He wasn’t sure if the film business bred them, or if chauvinists were attracted to the business because the multitude of beautiful, untalented, ambitious, so-called actresses made it easy for men to use and discard them like so much soiled toilet paper. On second thought, it was undoubtedly the same in any business.
If women thought they could get what they wanted by making themselves available for their boss or forced themselves to put up with unwanted advances out of fear of losing their jobs, then that’s what some women were going to do. They would make it rough for decent, hardworking women like Jennie. Of course, he could never reveal that kind of traitorous thinking to Sonny and Maury and the rest of the New York contingent at the studio. With those guys, the only accepted mode of behavior was getting loaded after work, hitting on barhops, and talking macho bullshit all evening before going home to the wife and passing out. Bedding down an occasional actress who wanted her SAG-AFTRA card in the worst way was par for the course. He himself had enjoyed introducing several actresses to the Screen Actors Guild—a practice he had cut down on drastically since he married Lila.
No, having a meaningful discussion about your fears and insecurities was not something you did with Sonny and the rest of them unless you wanted to become the butt of jokes for the next ten years. Better to talk to Jennie, who he knew would understand and care. He smiled to himself. If his best friend was a woman, maybe he wasn’t the chauvinist they thought he was or used to be. The slim possibility was there.
As an actress, Jennie was mediocre; as a friend, there was no one better. She would do a lot better in the business if she would just concentrate on her behind-the-camera skills and forget about acting but she wanted too badly to perform, and he had stopped trying to dissuade her. He wanted her to be happy, so whenever a small, undemanding role came up, he would let her audition and hope she wasn’t too disappointed that he never considered her for the larger parts she craved.
Stan glanced anxiously at his watch. He had to be back on the set in an hour and a half. They were shooting the last few location scenes of the season of his cop show, Tanner, in a nightclub downtown and traffic on the Hollywood freeway would be murder. Moe Tayler, his transportation captain, had volunteered to take him back to the studio to look at dailies and have lunch. Moe could give you a heart attack the way he wove in and out of traffic, but you knew you would get where you were going on time and this way he could spend more time with Jennie.
Moe had also witnessed the ugly scene in Stan’s trailer this morning when Howard had caught Stan taking a hit. The self-righteous bastard had exploded and threatened to fire Stan off the feature and reveal the reason why, if he had to. Howard was making a big deal out of nothing. Stan had made sure there was no one around before taking out the cocaine. It had just been bad luck that Howard had chosen that moment to look for him and had seen him slip surreptitiously into his mobile home. Moe had been following Stan to ask a question about one of his drivers and had heard every word. But he was no problem since, up until last week, it had been one of Moe’s relatives from Las Vegas who was his main supplier. This was before Lila went ballistic in front of everybody. Howard, however, had the power to destroy him, and Stan had to beg and plead and call on all their years of friendship to get him to agree for Stan to stay on. On top of that, he had to promise to lay off cocaine as long as they were in production, and Stan knew that was impossible. He would just have to be a lot more discreet and not get caught next time.
For a guy who used to have a habit ten times worse than Stan, Howard had turned into a real narrow-minded prick, but the two of them had worked together on a lot of TV shows. Howard knew Stan had made a lot of shitty shows and scripts better because he knew how to get the best out of their writers. Together, they were going to finally get the break they had been waiting for. Stan could hardly wait to find out if the actors he wanted would accept the offers that had already gone out. The two stars were set, but Stan loved getting the most out of character actors who usually were the heart of the movie. The only iffy part about the whole deal was Lila. He’d heard her practicing her song and it was pathetic. He only hoped that Josh could work with her and then Stan would have the impossible job of making her look like a band singer. If Howard nixed her, Lila would raise holy hell and probably leave him—not a bad outcome, actually.
Lila. He needed to find out what Jennie knew about Lila. He had suspected for months that she was seeing someone and toyed with the idea of hiring a private detective to find out. But that seemed too pathetic and insecure, so he dismissed the thought immediately. Maybe Jennie’s friend, Vanessa, had told her who it was. Vanessa knew Lila from acting class and you never knew what women might talk about. But first, he needed to talk to Jennie about this morning. She would know how to reassure him and lay his fears to rest, if only for a few moments.
He finally saw her approach the maître ‘d, who directed her in Stan’s direction. Her face lit up with genuine pleasure when she saw him wave to her. It was this sweetness in Jennie that had drawn him to her, not just her pretty face…the sweetness he had thought that Lila possessed in the beginning, but which had proved to be a short-lived cover-up for her all-consuming ambition.
He stood up and hugged her in greeting, longer and harder than he usually did, and she looked at him questioningly when he released her. He took her hand and didn’t let go, even as they sat down. Soon, he would tell her how he felt about her, but right now, there was too much to be resolved.
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NY Supreme Ct.
IN RE: NEW YORK STATE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, New York.
IN RE: NEW YORK STATE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, INC., et al., Appellants, v. NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH et al., Respondents.
Decided: April 07, 2016
Before: Garry, J.P., Egan Jr., Lynch, Devine and Clark, JJ. Sheehan Greene Golderman & Jacques, LLP, Albany (Lawrence H. Schaefer of counsel), for appellants. Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General, Albany (Allyson B. Levine of counsel), for respondents.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
Calendar Date: February 11, 2016
Appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court (Elliott III,
J.), entered July 30, 2014 in Albany County, which dismissed
petitioners' application, in a proceeding pursuant to CPLR
article 78, to review a certain regulation promulgated by
respondent Commissioner of Mental Health.
Petitioner New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, Inc. (hereinafter NYSCOPBA) represents certain personnel at psychiatric centers operated by respondent Office of Mental Health (hereinafter OMH). Petitioner Richard McPhillips is employed at Mid–Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center. In December 2013, OMH promulgated an emergency regulation that required personnel in psychiatric centers operated by OMH and psychiatric facilities licensed under Mental Hygiene Law article 31 who had not been vaccinated against influenza to wear face masks in areas where patients might be present during influenza season (see 14 NYCRR former 509.4[c] ). Petitioners thereafter commenced this CPLR article 78 proceeding contending, as pertinent here, that the emergency regulation was arbitrary and capricious. Respondents answered and sought dismissal of the petition. Supreme Court dismissed the petition and petitioners appeal.
Initially, we find that petitioners' claims were not rendered moot by the expiration of the emergency regulation and OMH's subsequent adoption of a permanent regulation that incorporates the mandatory mask-wearing requirement into its rules pertaining to the prevention of influenza transmission (see 14 NYCRR part 509).1 A proceeding is not moot when “the rights of the parties will be directly affected by the determination of the [proceeding] and the interest of the parties is an immediate consequence of the judgment” (Matter of Hearst Corp. v. Clyne, 50 N.Y.2d 707, 714 [1980]; accord Matter of King v. Jackson, 52 AD3d 974, 975 [2008] ). Here, petitioners challenged the permanent regulation by commencing a separate special proceeding in Supreme Court, which has been marked off the court's calendar pending the outcome of this appeal; petitioners assert—and respondents agree—that a determination upon the merits in this appeal will also decide the outcome of the challenge to the permanent regulation.
The adoption of a new law does not moot a challenge to the validity of an older law, even when the older law has been superseded, when both laws suffer from the same alleged infirmities such that a challenge to the new law will be affected by the resolution of the claims regarding the older law (see Matter of City of Glens Falls v Town of Queensbury, 90 AD3d 1119, 1120 [2011]; Matter of Westbury Trombo v Board of Trustees of Vil. of Westbury, 307 A.D.2d 1043, 1045 [2003] ). Here, as originally enacted, the language of the permanent regulation, codified at 14 NYCRR 509.4(c), was identical to that of the emergency rule. Thereafter, minor amendments somewhat narrowed the scope of the regulation (see 14 NYCRR 509.4[c][1], [2], [3] ). However, as this Court recently determined in an analogous case, these alterations neither “meaningfully change[d] the mask-wearing requirement for non-vaccinated personnel” nor “adversely affect[ed] or change[d] the basis of petitioners' challenge to the regulatory requirement” (Matter of Spence v. Shah, 136 AD3d 1242, 1244 [2016]; see 10 NYCRR 2.59[d][1], [2], [3] ). Here, as in that matter, personnel who are currently subject to the permanent regulation will be affected if petitioners are successful in challenging its predecessor. Thus, the matter is not moot.
Turning to the merits, petitioners contend that the mandatory mask-wearing requirement is arbitrary and capricious because it fails to take into account the special circumstances present in psychiatric facilities.2 “[OMH] is entitled to a high degree of judicial deference, especially when act[ing] in the area of its particular expertise, and thus petitioners bear the heavy burden of showing that [the regulation] is unreasonable and unsupported by any evidence” (Matter of Nazareth Home of the Franciscan Sisters v Novello, 7 NY3d 538, 544 [2006] [internal quotation marks, ellipsis and citation omitted]; see Matter of Consolation Nursing Home v Commissioner of N.Y. State Dept. of Health, 85 N.Y.2d 326, 331 [1995]; Matter of Brooklyn Hosp. Ctr. v Shah, 101 AD3d 1546, 1547 [2012], lv denied 21 NY3d 851 [2013] ). Petitioners assert that the job responsibilities of the affected personnel include such functions as assisting psychiatric patients in their treatment and rehabilitation, maintaining their safety and security and modeling appropriate behavior, and that the mask-wearing requirement interferes with their ability to communicate with patients, act as effective role models and otherwise perform their job responsibilities.
In support of the rationality of the challenged regulation, OMH submitted, among other things, the affidavit of Lloyd Sederer, the Chief Medical Officer for OMH, who averred that, in promulgating the emergency regulation, OMH was “following the lead” of the Department of Health (hereinafter DOH), which had recently promulgated a rule pertaining to the use of masks to prevent influenza transmission in health care facilities. Notably, this Court recently determined that the DOH regulation was not arbitrary, capricious, irrational or contrary to law (see Matter of Spence v. Shah, 136 AD3d at 1246). Sederer averred that OMH relied upon the knowledge and expertise of DOH clinicians in deciding to adopt a similar regulation, including Emily Lutterloh, a DOH physician with expertise in infectious disease control and epidemiology. By an affidavit included within the record, Lutterloh describes DOH's reasons for adopting the mask-wearing requirement, including the significant annual mortality and morbidity associated with influenza, the serious risk it poses to persons in health care facilities, and the high risk of influenza transmission from health care personnel to patients. According to Lutterloh, workers who have been infected with influenza may expose patients to the disease by working before symptoms appear or while suffering from a mild form of the illness, and wearing a mask is an effective alternative to vaccination in reducing the risk of influenza transmission under such circumstances. In addition to relying upon the expertise of DOH, OMH also considered research and recommendations from various authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration pertaining to the use of face masks to control the spread of disease. OMH also drew from its own particular expertise in treating the mentally ill in concluding that individuals with chronic and serious mental illness suffer higher rates of chronic physical illness than other persons and that recent influenza seasons had been more severe than in the past. Based upon the anticipated severity of the influenza season and the high rates of preexisting physical illnesses among OMH patients, OMH determined that the adoption of an emergency regulation to control influenza transmission was imperative to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of patients.
Sederer addressed petitioners' specific concern that the use of masks hampers the ability to communicate with psychiatric patients, opining that masks do not significantly impede verbal or nonverbal communication, as any slight muffling of the voice can be overcome by minimal voice modulation, and the wearer's eyes, eyebrows, hands and body posture remain visible. Contrary to petitioners' contention, masks do not create blind spots in the wearer's vision, cover his or her eyes or block peripheral vision; Sederer noted that masks were worn at all times by clinicians in operating rooms, who required use of their full range of vision. As for petitioners' contention that masks detract from a worker's ability to be an effective role model for patients, Sederer opined that, on the contrary, wearing masks sets a good example by showing concern for the patients' health and welfare. Finally, Sederer disagreed with the contention that a metal nose band in the masks—which he described as “small, soft, flexible and flimsy”—could be fashioned into a weapon capable of inflicting serious harm.
Petitioners contend that the OMH regulation is arbitrarily enforced in that contractors, attorneys and visitors who enter psychiatric facilities are not required to use masks. Contrary to petitioners' claim, contractors are not exempt from the mask-wearing requirement; instead, the express terms of the regulation include “contract staff” in the definition of personnel who are subject to the mask-wearing requirement, along with employees, medical staff, volunteers and others, so long as they “engage in activities such that if they were infected with influenza, they could potentially expose patients to the disease” (14 NYCRR 509.3[e] ). As for visitors and attorneys, OMH took into account the fact that patients have statutory rights to receive visitors and have contact with their attorneys (see Mental Hygiene Law §§ 33.02[9], [13]; 33.05; 14 NYCRR part 527), and further noted that visitors and attorneys typically spend a limited amount of time in psychiatric facilities and see only one patient at a time, thus diminishing the risk that they will transmit influenza. OMH concluded that the potential harm resulting from infringing upon patients' rights to interact with visitors and attorneys outweighed the risk of influenza transmission, and made a reasoned, rather than arbitrary or capricious, decision to exclude visitors and attorneys from the mask-wearing requirement.
Taken as a whole, the record demonstrates that OMH did not disregard the special circumstances present in psychiatric facilities, but instead weighed these circumstances carefully and reached the reasonable conclusion that any disadvantages associated with mask-wearing in psychiatric facilities were outweighed by the substantial advantages they offered in preventing or reducing the transmission of influenza. Accordingly, petitioners did not meet their burden to demonstrate that OMH acted arbitrarily, capriciously or unreasonably in promulgating the challenged regulation (see Matter of Spence v. Shah, 136 AD3d at 1246).
Egan Jr., Lynch, Devine and Clark, JJ., concur.
ORDERED that the judgment is affirmed, without costs.
Robert D. Mayberger
FN1. The emergency regulation expired by its terms 90 days after it was enacted.. FN1. The emergency regulation expired by its terms 90 days after it was enacted.
FN2. Due to the promulgation of the permanent regulation, petitioners are no longer seeking relief based upon OMH's alleged failure to comply with statutory procedures in adopting the emergency regulation.. FN2. Due to the promulgation of the permanent regulation, petitioners are no longer seeking relief based upon OMH's alleged failure to comply with statutory procedures in adopting the emergency regulation.
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Intersection of Science and Engineering, and the Arts and Humanities Is Subject of 2016 Scholz Symposium
"The Intersection of Science and Engineering, and the Arts and Humanities" will be the subject of the 2016 Paul D. Scholz Symposium on Technology and its Role in Society to be held from 5:00 to 5:50 p.m. Thursday, April 7, at Macbride Hall Auditorium. The symposium will include panelists who will talk about their work and experiences. They include Steve McGuire, UI professor of metal arts and 3D design and studio division coordinator in the School of Art &
Art History, College of Engineering NEXUS director Deanne Wortman, and Engineering alumnus Robert (Bob) Campbell, the architect behind the new Voxman music building.
Graphic design students and engineering students also will share some work they have been doing for a national poster design competition. For more on Steve McGuire, go to http://www.art.uiowa.edu/people/steve-mcguire. For an Iowa Engineer magazine story on the college's NEXUS program and Deanne Wortman, go to http://www.pageturnpro.com/University-of-Iowa-College-of-Engineering/70647-Iowa-Engineer,-2016-No-1/index.html#12. And for more on the architectural work of Bob Campbell, published in Iowa Engineer, go to http://www.pageturnpro.com/University-of-Iowa-College-of-Engineering/70647-Iowa-Engineer,-2016-No-1/index.html#8.
The free, public symposium was named in 1993 to honor the late Paul Scholz, 20-year Tau Beta Pi advisor and associate dean of the UI College of Engineering (1979-1992). Scholz was inducted as a member of the Legacy of Iowa Engineering (http://www.engineering.uiowa.edu/alumni-friends/honor-wall/legacy-iowa-engineering-members/paul-d-scholz) in 2006. Co-sponsors are the UI Tau Beta Pi chapter, Tau Beta Pi alumni and the College of Engineering.
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Evidence Causes Effects Scientific Consensus Vital Signs Questions (FAQ)
Is the ozone hole causing climate change?
Yes and no. The ozone hole is not causing global warming, but it is affecting atmospheric circulation.
detailed answer
What’s the difference between climate change and global warming?
“Global warming” refers to the long-term warming of the planet. “Climate change” encompasses global warming, but refers to the broader range of changes that are happening to our planet, including rising sea levels; shrinking mountain glaciers; accelerating ice melt in Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic; and shifts in flower/plant blooming times.
Do scientists agree on climate change?
Yes, the vast majority of actively publishing climate scientists – 97 percent – agree that humans are causing global warming and climate change.
What’s NASA got to do with climate change?
NASA’s role is to make observations of our Earth system that can be used by the public, policymakers and to support strategic decisions. Its job is to do rigorous science. However, the agency does not promote particular climate policies.
What is the greenhouse effect?
The greenhouse effect is the way in which heat is trapped close to the surface of the Earth by “greenhouse gases.”
How do we know what greenhouse gas and temperature levels were in the distant past?
Ice cores are scientists’ best source for historical climate data. Other tools for learning about Earth’s ancient atmosphere include growth rings in trees, which keep a rough record of each growing season’s temperature, moisture and cloudiness going back about 2,000 years. Corals also form growth rings that provide information about temperature and nutrients in the tropical ocean. Other proxies, such as benthic cores, extend our knowledge of past climate back about a billion years into the past.
Why does the temperature record shown on your "Vital Signs" page begin at 1880?
Three of the world’s most complete temperature tracking records – from NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climactic Data Center and the UK Meteorological Office’s Hadley Centre – begin in 1880. Prior to 1880, temperature measurements were made with instruments like thermometers. The oldest continuous temperature record is the Central England Temperature Data Series, which began in 1659, and the Hadley Centre has some measurements beginning in 1850, but there are too few data before 1880 for scientists to estimate average temperatures for the entire planet.
Is the Sun causing global warming?
No. The Sun can influence Earth’s climate, but it isn’t responsible for the warming trend we’ve seen over the past few decades.
What’s the difference between weather and climate?
“Weather” refers to the more local changes in the climate we see around us, on short timescales from minutes to hours to days to weeks. Examples are familiar – rain, snow, clouds, winds, thunderstorms, heat waves and floods. “Climate” refers to longer-term averages (they may be regional or global), and can be thought of as the weather averaged over several seasons, years or decades.
Is it too late to prevent climate change?
Humans have caused major climate changes to happen already, and we have set in motion more changes still. Even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases today, global warming would continue to happen for at least several more decades, if not centuries.
May I use content and imagery from your website? If so, to whom do I credit them?
Unless otherwise noted, you may use our content and imagery without permission, as long as you provide due credit.
What do volcanoes have to do with climate change?
Overall, volcanoes release less than 2 percent of the equivalent amount of CO2 released by human activities. Quite small.
Can you explain the urban heat island effect?
While urban areas are warmer than surrounding rural areas, the urban heat island effect has had little to no effect on our warming world, because scientists have accounted for it in their measurements.
What happens if the next solar cycle becomes less active? Will we go into a new ice age?
No. Even if the amount of radiation coming from the Sun were to decrease as it has before, it would not significantly affect the global warming coming from long-lived, human-emitted greenhouse gases. Further, given our greenhouse gas emissions to date and those expected to come, the evidence points to the next “ice age” being averted altogether.
Has Earth continued to warm since 1998?
Yes, evidence shows warming from 1998 to the present, with the six most recent years (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019) being the six warmest years globally since 1880.
Are the land-based ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica continuing to lose mass (ice)?
Data from NASA's GRACE satellites, which measured Earth’s gravity field, show that the land ice sheets in both Antarctica and Greenland have been losing mass (ice) since 2002.
Which measurement is more accurate: taking Earth’s surface temperature from the ground or from space?
Since satellites technically measure neither temperature nor the surface (where people live), it’s safe to say that ground thermometers are more accurate than satellite measurements.
How are Earth’s mountain glaciers faring in a warming world?
On average, most of Earth’s mountain glaciers are continuing to melt.
How is Earth’s sea ice faring in our warming world?
Arctic sea ice volume and extent have been declining since record-keeping began in the late 1970s and prior. Antarctic sea ice extent is currently below the long-term average of prior decades since 1979.
Is the ocean continuing to warm?
Yes, the ocean is continuing to warm. Notably, all ocean basins have been experiencing significant warming since 1998, with more heat being transferred deeper into the ocean since 1990.
Less frequently asked, but interesting
Which is a bigger methane source: cow belching or cow flatulence?
Contrary to common belief, it’s cow belching due to enteric fermentation.
If all of Earth's ice melts and flows into the ocean, what would happen to the planet's rotation?
Melting land ice, like mountain glaciers and the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, will change the Earth’s rotation only if the meltwater flows into the oceans. For example, if the Greenland ice sheet were to completely melt and the meltwater were to completely flow into the oceans, then global sea level would rise by about seven meters (23 feet) and the Earth would rotate more slowly, with the length of the day becoming longer than it is today, by about two milliseconds.
Melting sea ice, such as the Arctic ice cap, does not change sea level because the ice displaces its volume and, hence, does not change the Earth’s rotation.
How do I cite your website?
It depends on the style you’re using. Read on for a few examples.
How global temperatures are studied
Can scientists use the data as is?
No. To understand why not, imagine you're a nurse checking a patient's chart. You find the following temperature readings (Fahrenheit) for the last few hours: 99.2, 99.8, 1000, 101.4. You'd know immediately that the third number was a mistake. To make a realistic assessment of the patient's condition, you'd have to either adjust it or throw it out.
Once the mistakes are eliminated, are the data ready to use?
Not yet. They have to be adjusted to account for all the changes that happen over time. Read on to learn more about those changes.
What kinds of data do scientists use to study climate?
Climate researchers use every possible direct and indirect measurement to study the full history of Earth's climate, from the latest satellite observations to samples of prehistoric ice extracted from glaciers.
How do scientists know their data-processing techniques are reliable?
The records of global temperatures calculated by U.S. and other major climate research organizations are remarkably similar, despite the different data-processing techniques used. The techniques used by NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and other respected groups are peer reviewed, and the processed data sets have undergone many peer-reviewed analyses as well.
Where do the data come from?
Modern observations mostly come from weather stations, weather balloons, radars, ships and buoys, and satellites.
How do scientists deal with these changes?
Major climate research organizations worldwide have developed mathematically rigorous, peer-reviewed data processing methods to identify and compensate for changes in observing conditions.
Does data processing destroy the original data?
No, the original records are preserved and are available at no cost online. You can access the National Climatic Data Center's (NCDC) U.S. and global records here.
Does data processing make temperature data warmer?
Almost half of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) corrected data are cooler than the original records. NOAA's corrections of temperatures over the oceans — done to compensate for changes in methods of observing the temperature of water at the surface of the ocean — reduced the warming trend in global temperature.
We'll consider including your question - and an answer - in this section.
Video: Ozone Watch 2018
Earth 360 Video: The Call of Science
Video: For 15 years, GRACE tracked freshwater movements around the world
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Tackling the global water challenge
In a speech on March 22, 2012, marking World Water Day, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton launched a new partnership to improve water security. The U.S. Water Partnership is a public-private partnership that seeks to mobilize U.S.-based knowledge, expertise and resources to improve water security around the world, particularly in those countries most in need.
NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver joined Secretary Clinton and representatives of other U.S. government and private sector entities for the World Water Day event at the U.S. Department of State in Washington as the partnership was announced.
As one of the new members of the Partnership, NASA brings a variety of expertise, ingenuity and resources to the challenge.
NASA satellite data helps to track water resources worldwide and the impact of either too much or too little water on food security and natural disasters like floods. Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
In response to widespread famines in Africa in the 1980s, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) created an early warning system to provide timely information about drought and famine conditions. The system has since evolved into a worldwide Famine Early Warning System Network that uses data from NASA and others to classify food insecurity levels and alert authorities to predicted crises. NASA's data on long-term changes in rainfall, vegetation, reservoir height and other climate factors enhance USAID's ability to accurately predict food shortages and disseminate these findings to a broad audience around the world.
In April 2011, NASA and USAID signed a memorandum of understanding to expand their joint efforts to overcome international development challenges such as food security, climate change, and energy and environmental management. The agreement formalized ongoing agency collaborations that use Earth science data to address developmental challenges, and to assist in disaster mitigation and humanitarian responses.
Another NASA-USAID partnership, SERVIR, is bringing Earth observation information to local decision makers in targeted areas of the world to address threats related to climate change, biodiversity, and extreme events such as flooding, forest fires, and storms. SERVIR, which comes from the Spanish word meaning "to serve," features web-based access to satellite imagery, decision-support tools and interactive visualization capabilities to put previously inaccessible information into the hands of scientists, environmental managers, and decision-makers.
Regional SERVIR hubs are located at the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean in Panama, the Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development based in Kenya, and the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development in Kathmandu, Nepal. SERVIR was developed by researchers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.
The SERVIR program brings satellite information to local decision makers to address threats related to climate change, biodiversity, and extreme events. University of Alabama-Huntsville scientist Danny Hardin (left) trains researchers from El Salvador to use SERVIR. Credit: SERVIR.
NASA’s Earth observation research capabilities in space are also contributing new knowledge to tackle the global water challenge. In 2009, researchers using data from the NASA/German Aerospace Center Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite showed that groundwater in northern India had been disappearing. The research, lead by Matt Rodell of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., showed that the water was being consumed primarily to irrigate cropland faster than the aquifers were being replenished by natural processes.
Data on the depletion of groundwater around the world using GRACE observations is also contributing to public awareness of the global water challenge. Starting today, World Water Day, graphic displays of changes in global groundwater supply appear on a huge electronic billboard in New York City’s Time Square.
U.S. Water Partnership
Thirst for Knowledge: NASA Eyes World’s Water (World Water Day 2011)
NASA Projects Improve Famine Predictions Worldwide
The SERVIR Program
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Driver, 21, Charged After Fleeing Police, Causing Fatal Crash In Bridgeport
Joseph Guzman-Rivera Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police
The fatal crash occurred at Railroad Avenue and Iranistan Avenue in Bridgeport on Thursday afternoon. The suspect's car also hit two pedestrians. Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — A woman is dead and two pedestrians were “severely injured” Thursday after a driver fled from a State Trooper on Interstate 95 and sped down Bridgeport streets, causing a fatal crash, police said.
At about 1 p.m., a State Police trooper from Troop G was pursuing a black Infiniti when it stopped in a southbound traffic lane on the highway, State Trooper Kelly Grant said.
When the trooper asked the driver, later identified as Joseph Guzman-Rivera, 21, of Colorado Avenue, Bridgeport, to move to the shoulder, he sped off the ramp of Exit 28 to South Street, she said.
The trooper gave chase and saw Guzman-Rivera's car plow into a car driven by a woman at Iranistan and Railroad avenues, Grant said.
Sybil Hopkins, who lives on Iranistan, said she didn’t see the crash, but she heard the commotion.
“So many sirens kept going off,” she said. “I’m, like, something terrible has happened.”
The trooper stopped to treat the woman, who has not yet been identified, and saw Guzman-Rivera continue to drive, hit two nearby adult pedestrians and then flee on foot, Kelly said.
While the trooper was tending to the victims, state K-9 Nero tracked Guzman-Rivera to a basement in a home on Lewis Street. Guzman-Rivera did not know the owners, she said. He was apprehended by state troopers and Bridgeport police and placed under arrest, Kelly said.
The woman driver was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.
Guzman-Rivera physically assaulted Nero and was taken to Bridgeport Hospital, where he was treated for injuries sustained in the crash, police said.
He was also found in possession of heroin, crack cocaine and powder cocaine, Grant said.
Upon release from the hospital, Guzman-Rivera was transported to Troop G-Bridgeport where he was charged with three counts of possession of narcotics, three counts of possession of narcotics with intent to sell, three counts of possession of narcotics with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school, illegal injuring of a police service animal and second-degree burglary, police said.
Guzman-Rivera was held on $500,000 bond and is scheduled to appear at Bridgeport Superior Court on Friday, Aug. 11.
More charges will likely follow from the Bridgeport Police Department, which is investigating the crash and fatality, she said.
Av Harris, a city spokesman, said the two pedestrians were “severely injured” and transported to the hospital.
At about 4 p.m., Bridgeport police were still on the scene, working to reconstruct the crash. The road reopened just after 5 p.m., in time for the afternoon rush hour.
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Glaukos Co. (NYSE:GKOS) Shares Acquired by Strs Ohio
Posted by Maddie Sorensen on Jan 2nd, 2021 // Comments off
Strs Ohio grew its holdings in Glaukos Co. (NYSE:GKOS) by 900.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,000 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after purchasing an additional 900 shares during the quarter. Strs Ohio’s holdings in Glaukos were worth $49,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. US Bancorp DE boosted its position in Glaukos by 137.9% during the third quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 590 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 342 shares during the last quarter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA boosted its position in Glaukos by 240.6% during the second quarter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA now owns 831 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 587 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace North America L.P. purchased a new position in Glaukos during the first quarter worth approximately $55,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new position in Glaukos during the second quarter worth approximately $104,000. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its stake in Glaukos by 99.6% during the second quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,735 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $105,000 after purchasing an additional 1,365 shares during the period.
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A number of equities analysts have weighed in on GKOS shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of Glaukos from a “neutral” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $50.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Oppenheimer started coverage on shares of Glaukos in a research note on Tuesday, December 8th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $73.00 price target on the stock. Citigroup Inc. 3% Minimum Coupon Principal Protected Based Upon Russell raised shares of Glaukos from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $50.00 to $72.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 16th. BidaskClub downgraded shares of Glaukos from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their target price on shares of Glaukos from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, November 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $58.09.
GKOS opened at $75.26 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $69.50 and a 200 day simple moving average of $46.60. The firm has a market cap of $3.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -45.61 and a beta of 1.87. Glaukos Co. has a twelve month low of $23.31 and a twelve month high of $76.20. The company has a current ratio of 9.73, a quick ratio of 9.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37.
Glaukos (NYSE:GKOS) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The medical instruments supplier reported ($0.09) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of ($0.46) by $0.37. The business had revenue of $64.83 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $53.74 million. Glaukos had a negative net margin of 33.61% and a negative return on equity of 7.99%. The business’s revenue was up 10.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned ($0.10) EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Glaukos Co. will post -1.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
In other Glaukos news, Director William J. Phd Link sold 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.97, for a total transaction of $3,398,500.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 10.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Glaukos Profile
Glaukos Corporation, an ophthalmic medical technology and pharmaceutical company, focuses on the development of novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders, and retinal diseases. It offers iStent and iStent inject micro-bypass stents that enhance aqueous humor outflow inserted in cataract surgery to treat mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma.
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Strs Ohio Takes Position in Liberty Global plc (NASDAQ:LBTYA)
Squarepoint Ops LLC Sells 48,520 Shares of DURECT Co. (NASDAQ:DRRX)
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NHTSA says users are to blame for reports of Teslas suddenly accelerating
Igor Bonifacic
·Contributing Writer
January 8, 2021, 2:10 p.m. ·2 min read
Following a nearly year-long investigation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says Tesla vehicles don’t have a design flaw that makes them prone to sudden and unintended acceleration. The federal agency began looking into the issue last January after it was petitioned to do so in 2019. As part of the investigation, the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) examined a total of 246 incidents, 203 of which involved a crash of some kind.
“There is no evidence of any fault in the accelerator pedal assemblies, motor control systems or brake systems that has contributed to any the cited incidents,” NHTSA said. In fact, it states that in every instance where event data was available, it found that “pedal misapplication” was the cause of what went on to happen.
For Tesla, today’s decision will come as vindication. When the news of the petition first came out, the company said it was “completely false,” and went on to claim it was a ploy by a “short-seller” to make some money off of its misfortune. At the time, Tesla claimed it had already designed its cars to avoid any potential issues with unintended acceleration. Each one of the company’s cars comes with two pedal position sensors that will automatically shut off motor torque if they detect “any error.” That failsafe is complimented by the company’s Autopilot system, which it designed to catch any pedal abuse.
The person who had petitioned the NHTSA to look into the incidents had asked that the agency recall all Model S, X and 3 vehicles if it found any safety issues. As such, Tesla has avoided a potentially devastating recall, but that’s not to say the automaker is in the clear for good. The NHTSA said it could revisit the issue in the future (or any other problem, for that matter) if new information comes to light.
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Only 6 of 315 areas of England have had a fall in COVID cases
Emily Cleary
January 8, 2021, 12:41 p.m. ·3 min read
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has declared a 'major incident' as the capital's hospitals face being overwhelmed (REUTERS/Hannah McKay)
As the new variant of coronavirus continues to spread across the UK, new data suggests the scale of the problem is so grave the virus is in decline in only a fraction of areas in England.
Only West Devon, North Devon, West Lindsey and Boston in Lincolnshire, Richmond upon Thames in London, and Hastings in East Sussex have seen a fall in infection numbers according to the latest data published on gov.uk.
The figures, for the seven days to 3 January (the latest dates for which full data is available) are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community.
Barking & Dagenham in London continues to have the highest rate in England, with 3,331 new cases recorded in the seven days to 3 January – the equivalent of 1,564.5 cases per 100,000 people.
This is up from 1,147.0 in the seven days to December 27.
Coronavirus cases continue to rise across Great Britain according to the latest government data (gov.uk)
Thurrock in Essex has the second highest rate, up from 1,314.1 to 1,494.2, with 2,605 new cases.
Redbridge in London is in third place, where the rate has increased from 1,191.9 to 1,467.1 with 4,478 new cases.
Data published by the Office for National Statistics on Friday revealed that one in every 50 people in England is infected with coronavirus.
In London the figure is one in every 30 and mayor Sadiq Khan has declared a ‘major incident’ as the capital’s hospitals face becoming overwhelmed.
Khan suggested the figure could be closer to one in 20 in some boroughs.
The new variant of coronavirus is rising across England, most prominently in London and the East of England (gov.uk)
A major incident is any emergency that requires the implementation of special arrangements by one or all of the emergency services, the NHS or the local authority.
It means the emergency services and hospitals cannot guarantee their normal level of response.
Government figures show a sharp rise in the number of cases of coronavirus in England (gov.uk)
Currently, there are more than 7,000 people in London hospitals with COVID-19, the mayor said.
This is a 35% increase compared to last April's peak of the pandemic, he added.
Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden, a senior intensive care registrar at Royal London Hospital, tweeted: "We tried. We really tried. NHS staff pleaded with people that Christmas is not worth it. Now one in 30 people in London have COVID and ICUs are overwhelmed. My heart is broken."
Ambulances are parked outside NHS Nightingale Hospital at the ExCeL centre as a 'major incident' is declared in London due to the number of coronavirus cases (REUTERS/Hannah McKay)
Figures published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) on Friday put the R rate for the whole of the UK between 1.0 and 1.4 meaning that, on average, every 10 people with COVID-19 will infect between 10 and 14 other people.
The most recent R, recorded 16 days ago, was between 1.1 and 1.3.
The latest R of between 1.0 and 1.4 means that on average, every 10 people with COVID-19 will infect between 10 and 14 other people.
Since then, the new coronavirus variant has caused record daily infections and record hospitalisations. On Thursday, the second highest daily death toll of 1,162 was recorded. All four nations are under national lockdowns.
Watch: What you can and can’t do during England’s third national lockdown
a few seconds ago
WASHINGTON — The Latest on the fallout and increased security efforts after the attack of the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump loyalists (all times local): 7:20 p.m. Police have arrested a man with a handgun and 500 rounds of ammunition at a checkpoint in Washington set up ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. Wesley Allen Beeler of Front Royal, Virginia, was charged with carrying a pistol without a license after being stopped at the checkpoint near the U.S. Capitol on Friday. Court documents say Beeler approached the checkpoint but did not have a valid credential for that area. An officer noticed he had “firearms-related stickers” on his vehicle and asked him if he had any weapons inside. The papers say Beeler told the officers he had a handgun under the armrest and police detained him at the scene. They searched his car and found a high-capacity magazine in the 9mm handgun, along with more than 500 rounds of ammunition in the vehicle. Authorities said he didn’t have a license to carry the gun in Washington. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Associated Press
Avenue Beat scored a breakout hit with the pandemic anthem F2020. So what do they do next?
Wilmington 1898: When white supremacists overthrew a US government
In 1898 a white mob stormed Wilmington, North Carolina and forced locally elected leaders to resign.
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Tagged With "Affordable Care Act" | Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Tag: Affordable Care Act
Tagged With "Affordable Care Act"
Resources - Images
Resources - Videos
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Finding Accurate Research Information
AAFA Community Services · 11/1/176:06 PM
Please watch this video and answer the following questions. Your responses are anonymous. By answering these questions, you are participating in asthma research! Access to information helps you be an active part of your medical care. But not everything you read is accurate. Learn some basics on how to find information you can trust. Watch video on YouTube Watch the next video in this series - Understanding Research Outcome Measures
Survey Featured
What type of provider manages your asthma?
Kathy P · 9/21/171:12 PM
It's important to work with your health care provider to create a personalized plan for managing your asthma. Who do you see who helps you manage your asthma?
10 Health and Medical Organizations Strongly Oppose the Trump Administration’s Plan to Revoke Cleaner Cars Standards
“This proposal from EPA and NHTSA would dismantle fair, achievable pollution limits with a track record of success, limits that will help protect Americans from the life-threatening health impacts of climate change. The proposal would also preempt the ability of states to protect the health of their residents by curbing greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. If these vehicle standards are weakened, the nation loses a crucial tool to fight climate change."
Blog Post Featured
13 Ways to Recognize Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America wants you to get involved with us during May 2016 for Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. Bring attention to the issues surrounding allergic diseases and the challenges of asthma. We make it easy: 13 Ways to Take Action for People with Asthma and Allergies You can make a difference for people living with asthma and allergies. We list 13 things for you to do, including joining our Advocacy Network , meeting us in St. Louis for Strides for Safe Kids...
2016 Spring Allergy Capitals Report Ranks The Most Challenging Cities Nationwide For Allergies
Today, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a leading patient advocacy organization in the United States representing nearly 61 million Americans who experience asthma or allergies, released its annual Spring Allergy Capitals™ report. The report identifies the 100 most challenging places to live with spring allergies in the U.S. Jackson, MS is the most challenging U.S. city to live for the second year in a row based on higher than average pollen scores, higher than average...
2018 Asthma Capitals Report Identifies Nation’s “Asthma Belts”
AAFA Community Services · 5/1/189:54 AM
About 25 million Americans have asthma. There is no cure. But you can manage it with a proper treatment plan and by avoiding triggers. But there might be one thing out of your control that can make managing asthma a challenge: where you live. Today, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released the 2018 Asthma Capitals™ report. This report ranks the top 100 cities in the U.S. where it’s challenging to live with asthma.
2018 Fall Allergy Capitals Report: Is Your City on Our List?
Ragweed and other fall allergens are found throughout the U.S., but some areas feel the effects more than others. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released the 2018 Fall Allergy Capitals™ report.
2018 Spring Allergies Capitals Report: How Does Your City Rank?
As many in the U.S. put away their winter coats, they pull out the allergy medicines. The onslaught of pollen that comes each spring affects millions of Americans with seasonal allergies. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released the 2018 Spring Allergy Capitals™ report that ranks the top 100 cities in the nation for spring allergies
2019 Spring Allergy Capitals: See If Your City Made Our List
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released the 2019 Spring Allergy Capitals™ report to look at why some locations are more affected than others. Our report ranks the top 100 cities in the nation for spring allergies.
38 Products Get CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly®
AAFA Community Services · 12/20/184:33 PM
Thirty-eight products earned the asthma & allergy friendly® CERTIFIED certification so far this year. They each passed scientific tests to ensure the products meet our standards to reduce asthma and allergy triggers. Take a look.
3 New Studies Shed Light on Penicillin Allergy
At some point you may have had a reaction to penicillin and were told you were allergic. And there’s a good chance it has stayed in your chart throughout your childhood and into adulthood. But 9 of 10 Americans who think they have a penicillin allergy have either outgrown it or never had it in the first place. That said, it’s important to get tested by an allergist to know if you have a true penicillin allergy so you know whether to avoid the drug.
3 Ways Humidity Affects Asthma
Allergens, chemicals and strong scents are common triggers for the almost 25 million Americans with asthma. But high humidity can be just as troublesome. People with asthma have inflamed airways that are sensitive to things that may not bother other people. That’s why humidity, and all that comes with it, can be a problem for people with asthma. 1 Here are some reasons why. 1. Humid air feels harder to breathe in. Some believe moist air is heavier and harder to breathe. Heat and humidity...
4 Things You Must Know About the Flu If You Have Asthma
Flu season is here and already making headlines. During the 2017-2018 flu season, it is estimated that more than 80,000 people died from the flu or flu complications . More than 900,000 were hospitalized. These numbers are the highest we've seen in decades. Everyone needs to take steps to protect themselves for this flu season now before it peaks, especially people with asthma . As you prepare to deal with co-workers who come to work sick, kids who bring illnesses home from school or germy...
5 Ways to Show Your #TealLove to Someone With Asthma or Allergies This Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is the time of year when you show your loved ones how much they mean to you. However, many typical gifts and activities can be asthma or allergy triggers. #TealLove means choosing gifts that are allergy and asthma friendly.
Fun Ways to Teach Children About Asthma
Young children with asthma may not always understand what it is and what's going on when they have symptoms. But teaching your child about asthma at a young age can help them communicate better with you, teachers and other caregivers when they do have symptoms. Plus, this will help prepare them for self care as they get older. Here are some resources specially created to teach young children about asthma. These links include games, printable activity sheets, videos with fun characters,...
A Declaration on Climate Change and Health
June 19, 2017 As leading public health, patient advocacy, nursing and medical organizations, we reiterate our longstanding commitment to addressing climate change as a public health issue. The statement below articulates our consensus on the health impacts of climate change and the need for action to protect the public’s health. The health impacts of climate change demand immediate action. The science is clear ; communities across the nation are experiencing the health impacts of climate...
A Family Gives Meaning to a Life Lost to Asthma
AAFA Community Services · 12/21/1612:30 PM
Michelle lost her sister, Tiffany, when she died from asthma in 2014. Tragically, Tiffany had suffered her first-ever exercise-induced asthma attack. After the devastating loss of her sister, Michelle and her family wanted to make sure that no other family had to lose a loved one like their family did. Michelle and her family now raise awareness about asthma and support AAFA because of AAFA’s mission to improve the lives of people with asthma and allergic diseases through education, advocacy...
A Higher Education in Self-Management: Sending Your Teen With Asthma to College
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has created a series of videos for teens with asthma who will be starting college or are in their first year. Each animated video is short and easy to understand.
A Positive Outlook and Determination Help Teenager Overcome Asthma and Beat the Odds
During National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, there are many ways to educate others about asthma and allergies and what it’s like to live with them. We offer several tools and ideas to help you get involved. As part of this year’s focus, More Than Asthma, we want to highlight Leo Ignacio "Nacho" Adams. Faced with severe asthma from since he was an infant, Nacho's determination helped him become an active teenager, despite the odds.
AAFA Action Alert: Protect Your Health and Keep Access to Health Insurance
Congress is rushing to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without a plan in place to ensure Americans will continue to have access to the insurance they need to stay healthy. Learn how to take action.
AAFA and Allergy Standards Host Allergy Summit to Elevate Industry and Consumer Perspectives to Improve Products for Allergy Aware Consumers
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) in partnership with Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) announced findings from a new market research survey aimed at better understanding patient and consumer awareness, perceptions and values of certified products and the asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program, as well as buyer behaviors and demands.
AAFA Applauds DOT Warning About Denial of Preboarding to Family With Food Allergies
AAFA applauds the warning the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued to American Airlines in response to American Airline’s denial of the right to pre-board a family of a child with food allergies. However, AAFA calls on the USDOT and Congress to take even stronger actions to protect the rights of airline passengers with allergies and all disabilities.
AAFA Brings Perspective of Asthma, Allergy Patients to FDA
What is it like to have food allergies, asthma, or nasal allergies? What do patients need and want from their treatments? How can we improve allergy care? The chief executive officer of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America spoke about these issues at a recent FDA advisory committee meeting. Dr. Cary Sennett spoke to the Allergenic Products Committee about the everyday challenges of life with food allergies, asthma and other allergies. Dr. Sennett attended the meeting to represent...
AAFA Celebrates the National Launch of the All of Us Research Program
On May 6, 2018, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) joined in nationwide celebrations for the launch of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s) All of Us Research Program. This program is a large-scale effort to gather data from 1 million or more people living in the United States.
AAFA CEO Shares Patient Concerns About Restrictions to Allergen Immunotherapy
AAFA does not support the changes proposed by USP because we believe they pose a real threat to quality of care. We strongly urge the USP to keep existing guidelines for allergen immunotherapy in place so that millions of patients across the United States can continue to receive the treatment they need.
AAFA CEO to Bike Across Michigan for Asthma and Allergy Awareness
AAFA President and CEO Dr. Cary Sennett and his wife Sara are about to bike through Michigan. They are partnering with AAFA’s Michigan Chapter, to raise awareness (and funds) to improve the lives of people with asthma in Michigan and across the country.
AAFA Co-Sponsored Report Provides Recommendations for Food Allergy Research, Treatment, and Policy
[Press Release] PR Contact: Adam Bailine, Vice President, Marketing & Communications (202) 466-7643, ext. 254 abailine@aafa.org AAFA Co-Sponsored Report Provides Recommendations for Food Allergy Research, Treatment, and Policy With support from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine releases a monumental report that makes recommendations to increase our understanding of and approaches to food allergies November...
AAFA Co-Sponsors Congressional Briefing on Asthma and Allergy Research
AAFA Community Services · 5/13/1611:52 AM
There is no cure for asthma or allergies, which is why research is so important. AAFA supports research that will lead to better care, more effective treatments and, one day, a cure. Since May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to spotlight health research and how it can help those with asthma and allergies. On Friday, May 13, AAFA is co-sponsoring a Congressional briefing , From Discovery to Delivery: Research at Work Against Allergies and Asthma . The briefing...
AAFA Delivers the Facts on Allergy Shots
In January we told you about proposed regulations that could limit your access to allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots). The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is proposing rules that would likely limit the ability of allergists to mix allergen extracts for their patients. That may mean that allergy shots are simply not available to many people - or are available, but not covered by insurance. The insurance coverage of this treatment may also be restricted. The Asthma and Allergy...
AAFA Elevates Patient Voice in ICER Review of New Peanut Allergy Treatments
On June 11, 2019, in Oakland, California, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) and its California Technology Assessment Forum (CTAF) met to assess the clinical effectiveness and value of treatments for peanut allergy. The review examined two new technologies to induce immune tolerance — Viaskin® Peanut (DBV Technologies) and AR101 (Aimmune Therapeutics) — as well as non-commercialized oral immunotherapy (OIT).
AAFA Explains: Can Vitamin D Help My Asthma?
With all the benefits vitamin D is thought to have, can it help your asthma? Here’s what you need to know.
AAFA Explains: What Is the Difference Between Alternative and Complementary Medicine?
What is the difference between alternative, complementary and integrative medicine? The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) wants you to know what these mean so that you can make informed healthcare choices. Complementary medicine refers to something you do or take along with treatment your doctor tells you to follow. Alternative medicine refers to something you do or take instead of your regular treatment. Integrative health care is the practice of combining complementary and...
AAFA Joins 96 Other Patient Groups to Oppose Rule That Would Harm People With Chronic Conditions
The I Am Essential coalition, submitted comments, signed by 97 patient groups, to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in opposition to the Trump Administration's proposed rule that would expand the scope and applicability of short-term, limited-duration insurance plans (short-term plans). The rule, if finalized, would have a crippling effect on individuals' healthcare.
AAFA Joins Groups Opposing the EPA's Efforts to Weaken Carbon Pollution Limits Which Could Impact All Americans, Especially Those With Asthma
Today the acting administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Andrew Wheeler, announced a proposal to dramatically weaken the Carbon Pollution Standards for New, Modified and Reconstructed Power Plants, which are protections against carbon pollution that have been in effect since 2015. Fifteen groups sent this letter in response.
AAFA Joins Other Patient Groups to Voice Concerns Over Health Care Ruling
Access to proper health care coverage is essential and life-saving for people with asthma and allergies. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has joined other patient groups to make up the I Am Essential coalition to advocate against changes that could threaten health care coverage for those we serve. This press release outlines the coalition's concerns about these proposed changes.
AAFA Joins With Others to Ask for Continued Patient Protections, Health Care Access Under ACA
Asthma and allergies are among this country’s most common and costly chronic diseases. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America joined with 200 other organizations to urge the Trump administration to ensure that all patients have affordable health insurance coverage and access to quality care and treatment. AAFA co-signed a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Price, asking that he continue the patient protections of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).
AAFA, Med-IQ Introduce Managing Your Child’s Asthma: Ask the Experts
Nearly 10% of children in the U.S. have asthma.¹ About 60% of these children had an asthma attack in the last year, one-half of whom needed emergency care.² Is your child one of them? How can you help get their asthma under control? AAFA is teaming up with Med-IQ, a company that provides continuing medical education to doctors. Together, we’re bringing families an audio-enhanced educational website called Managing Your Child’s Asthma: Ask the Experts . The website offers information about...
AAFA Mourns the Passing of Congressman Elijah Cummings, Asthma and Allergy Advocate
On Oct. 17, 2019, Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD) passed away. Representative Cummings was an influential voice in support of people with asthma and allergies.
AAFA Offers Free Online Course for Severe Asthma
Severe ASTHMA (Asthma Symptoms, Treatment, Health Management and Activities™) Care for Adults is a FREE self-paced course that helps adults and their caregivers learn how to manage severe asthma. It explains severe and uncontrolled asthma, the impact of severe asthma, asthma management plans and severe asthma treatments.
Weakening the Clean Air Act Will Worsen Asthma for Millions
Ozone is a gas that can irritate the lining of the lungs, causing damage. It can reduce lung function and make it harder for you to breathe deeply. Car exhaust, chemicals and industrial facilities create ozone. High temperatures from climate change make ozone worse. Ozone contributes to what we call “smog.” 1 As ozone increases, so do asthma rates. Research has directly linked ozone to asthma attacks. 2 High levels of ozone even affects people with healthy lungs. Unless we take action now to...
AAFA Responds to New Study on Changing Trends in Childhood Asthma Prevalence
By Cary Sennett, MD, PhD AAFA’s president and CEO, Dr. Cary Sennett, wrote these comments in response to a study published this week in the Journal Pediatrics. A study released this week (December 28 th ) by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that there is good news: after years of increase, the prevalence of asthma in children appears to be falling. Why that is so—and whether this is the beginning of a trend, or an anomaly—remains to be...
AAFA Issues Statement on FDA Approval of Primatene Mist for Mild Asthma
People with asthma have more treatment choices than ever before, and the FDA recently announced approval for the readmittance of Primatene Mist – an over-the-counter (OTC) epinephrine inhaler. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) cautions patients to not stop their current asthma treatment nor start taking this OTC option without talking to their health care provider first.
AAFA Study Highlights Negative Impact Eczema Can Have on Quality of Life
If you’ve never suffered from eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, you probably aren’t aware of the negative impact it can have on quality of life. The severe itching, redness and excessively dry skin all make life miserable for those who suffer from the allergic disease.
AAFA Study Shows a Higher Burden of Disease for Patients with Adult- and Late Childhood-Onset Atopic Dermatitis vs. Patients with Early Childhood-Onset Atopic Dermatitis
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Study Shows a Higher Burden of Disease for Patients with Adult- and Late Childhood-Onset Atopic Dermatitis vs. Patients with Early Childhood-Onset Atopic Dermatitis WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 4, 2018) - The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) today announced data demonstrating a higher burden of disease for patients with adult- and late childhood-onset atopic dermatitis (AD) vs patients with early childhood-onset AD. These results are from...
AAFA Tackles Childhood Asthma and Allergies
Asthma and allergies impact one in five children in the United States. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) exhibited at the 2019 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) conference to learn the latest news in pediatrics and to talk to health care providers about the programs and services we offer.
AAFA Thanks President Trump for Highlighting America’s Need for Affordable Health Care
On behalf of the more than 60 million Americans with asthma and allergies – many of whom depend on life-saving medications – the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) thanks President Trump for including pre-existing conditions and affordable health care in his State of the Union address.
AAFA Unveils New Respiratory-Focused Patient Education Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Partners with AHIP’s Coalition for Medicare Choices to Create New Respiratory-Focused Patient Education Resources Landover, M.D. June 6, 2016: Today, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation (AAFA) unveiled new resources created in collaboration with America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Coalition for Medicare Choices (CMC). Throughout May, which was Asthma and Allergy Awareness month, AAFA worked with the CMC’s Medicare Advantage...
AAFA Wants to Hear from You About Asthma Concerns
Your answers will help us gain a better understanding of asthma research and how it applies to your daily life. Your answers will also help us create a training program for people with asthma.
Act Now to Help Protect National Asthma Control Program
Congress just cleared its final fiscal year 2018 spending bill. The bill included $29 million for the National Asthma Control Program (NACP). This program is run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This important action reverses the president's proposed cut of nearly $4 million to the program. And it actually gives a slight increase to the NACP above what the program got in the 2017 fiscal year.
Act Now to Help Save Health Care Protections for Those With Asthma and Allergies
On Sept. 13, 2017, Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced a new bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA includes protections for those with pre-existing conditions. Their goal is to vote on the repeal before Sept. 30, 2017. This bill, commonly called the Graham-Cassidy bill, could cause millions of Americans to lose health insurance. If passed, health insurance could become unaffordable for people with chronic conditions and low incomes.
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EU negotiating success in Washington
26 Jul 2018 10:36|Marcin Lipka
"The expectations of economists and observers of the global political scene before the Trump-Juncker meeting in the United States capital were extremely low. All the more, the agreements made between the U.S. and EU leaders should be regarded as positive information for both economies. It is also worth noting that it was the Union that benefited chiefly from Wednesday’s talks. Why?" asks Marcin Lipka, Conotoxia Senior Analyst.
A few hours before the start of trade negotiations between the members of the EU and U.S. administration, the editors at Washington Post, citing three people who were acquainted with the matter, predicted that President Donald Trump was planning to introduce 25% customs duty on car imports worth 200 billion USD a year.
According to the Department of Commerce data, in 2017, the United States imported passenger cars worth 191 billion USD (including 42 billion from the EU). The Washington Post reports therefore suggested that all car imports into the U.S. (including from the EU) would be subject to 25% customs duty. This would mean a tenfold increase in duty (currently 2.5%) on German cars, among others.
A positive surprise after the joint statement
Of course, in addition to media reports, concerns about trade relations between Washington and Brussels were serious due to a series of tweets from President Donald Trump expressing dissatisfaction with current EU-US trade relations and reports after the recent G7 and G20 summits, where it was even difficult to formulate a laconic message.
It was therefore more surprising that yesterday evening (Polish time), a joint press conference between Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission and President Donald Trump, provided optimistic information. These included greater economic cooperation, the desire to reform the World Trade Organisation, and the opening of negotiations to reduce most of the customs and non-tariff restrictions.
But also so much acting
It is worth noting, however, that it is Juncker rather than Trump who may feel like the winner. The U.S. President perceived the prospect of a significant increase in liquefied petroleum gas (LNG) exports to the EU as his negotiating success. However, this process is already taking place and it's not the result of the talks over the last few hours, but of the U.S. energy revolution from the last few years.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), LNG exports from the U.S. have increased forty-fold in three years. In just one year (the difference between 2016 and 2017), exports to Spain grew 10-fold and 5-fold to Portugal. Poland also started importing LNG from the U.S. in 2017. EIA estimates also show that LNG terminal export capacity in the U.S. is expected to be 10 times higher (almost 10 billion cubic feet per day) by the end of next year, than it was at the beginning of 2016.
The same applies to the issue of soya beans imported by EU countries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data shows that the share of U.S. soybean in EU imports is steadily increasing. In the 2012/2013 season it was about 3 million tonnes, and in 2016/2017 it was almost 5 million tonnes. American soya beans are more competitive for Europeans than those from Brazil, this trend is likely to continue regardless of Wednesday’s declarations.
EU success
For the Union, the most important issue was to prevent the imposition of additional duties on passenger cars. This goal was achieved by the the Head of the European Commission's team. Jean-Claude Juncker stated that "no other duties will be imposed during the negotiations".
This is the key point of the conference on Wednesday. It should ensure that the current conditions for the European car industry in the U.S. are maintained. The negotiations referred to by Juncker will concern the reduction of customs duty to zero, the removal of non-tariff barriers to trade and the abolition of subsidies to industry (except for cars). However, these negotiations can last for years and few will elaborate on them extensively. The most important thing, therefore, was that they were launched, as they guarantee the Union (as far as possible under the current conditions) access to the U.S. automotive market on the current terms.
Failure of China?
In addition to the EU success, the withdrawal from the dangerous ideas from the U.S., one could have an impression that China’s position for negotiating had weakened considerably. This is not only the result of the Brussels-Washington truce, but also of both parties' plans to reform the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
President Trump spoke of the WTO addressing "unfair trade practices" such as "theft of intellectual property, forced technology transfer, subsidies to industry, disturbances created by state-owned enterprises, and overcapacity". Although China is not directly mentioned in this context, usually, the majority of these allegations are made against the Middle Kingdom.
The result is that the Union has managed to maintain its position as a relatively impartial supporter of free trade and to avoid a wider confrontation with the aggressive U.S. negotiating strategy. Taking the events from recent months into account, it can be concluded that Brussels is currently in the best position and Beijing is probably in the worst.
Coffee at its cheapest in years. What about in Poland?
You are on holiday and your employer calls. What next?
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Why is Turkey falling into an economic abyss?
Prices of agricultural commodities are very low. This is a result of the trade war
Trouble in Iran could mean trouble for the world
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BROKEN RECORDS: THE SECRETARY OF SECRECY, PART III
Written by ANDREW QUEMERE Posted May 25, 2016 Filed Under: News, NEWS+OPINIONS
Testimony from state’s agency that oversees the public records law shows how little they care about the public’s access to records
Ed note: This column was written prior to Monday, when the Legislature unveiled the final draft of the public records bill, which the House is slated to take up on Wednesday. However, the arguments in it are still worth discussing. In fact, the Legislature failed to adopt two of the three reforms discussed in the column, which underscores how disappointing it is that the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office and Attorney General’s office did not campaign for tougher enforcement measures. Both mandatory referrals to the AGO and mandatory attorney’s fees were scrapped.
For months, government transparency advocates have waited patiently as a joint committee of state senators and representatives work out a final bill to update our state’s outdated public records law, which is one of the weakest in the country. While the committee has attempted to iron out the differences between the House and Senate bills, it has heard testimony from many members of the public and other stakeholders, including the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office. Secretary William Galvin oversees the records law and is responsible for ensuring that the public has access to government records, but his office testified against the three most important proposed reforms.
Galvin’s office opposes requirement to do its job
One of the most important proposed reforms is to mandate that Galvin’s office refers cases of agencies refusing to comply with the public records law to the attorney general’s office. Under the current law, responsibility for enforcement is split between the two agencies. If an agency refuses to comply with a records request, a requester can file an appeal with Galvin’s office, then Galvin’s office will issue a ruling. If the agency does not comply with the ruling, Galvin’s office has the discretion to refer the matter to the AGO, which has the power to sue the agency or file criminal charges.
Galvin’s office opposes making referrals mandatory, but did not provide much of an explanation in its testimony, which merely states that leaving the office with “discretion … is preferred to allow the [supervisor of records] the necessary flexibility when seeking enforcement of orders.” But it seems the real reason Galvin’s office opposes this change is that it wants to maintain a status quo in which the public records law isn’t enforced.
Galvin almost never refers orders to the AGO. His office actually stopped doing so entirely for about five years when Martha Coakley was attorney general. Since Maura Healey took office last year, Galvin’s office has only referred a single order. Galvin has complained that past attorneys general have often disagreed with his office’s interpretation of the law and refused to act on the referrals. But Galvin gave up his right to complain when his office joined the AGO in shirking its responsibilities. Since his office has abused its discretion by simply choosing to not do its job, taking that discretion away has become a necessary step towards making the system work in the future.
Galvin’s office opposes real deadlines for turning over records
Under the current system, there is no accountability for agencies that do not respond to records requests or turn over records in a timely manner—or even for agencies that refuse to respond at all. If an agency does not provide a response in 10 days, you can file an appeal with Galvin’s office. It can take several weeks or even months for it to issue a ruling. When it does, it actually provides the agency an extra 10 days to provide a response rather than ordering the agency to provide a response or turn over the records immediately. As we explained earlier, if the agency refuses to comply, Galvin’s office won’t refer the matter to the AGO, so the requester will be out of luck.
One idea proposed in the Senate bill to help fix this problem is not allowing agencies to charge fees if they fail to respond to requests or turn over records in a timely manner. Galvin’s office is opposed to this reform: “[I]f a town, in good faith, responds to a highly complicated response [sic] that is estimated to cost $1000 in 16 calendar days rather than 15 they would be prohibited from recouping any costs associated with the provision of records. It seems to either encourage records access officers to rush through a response or play it safe and request a time extension even when it actually may be unnecessary.”
This complaint shows Galvin’s office did not care to review the bills thoroughly enough to understand them before testifying. The Senate bill requires that agencies provide a response in 10 days, not 15 (which is the amount of time the agency would have to turn over records). This hypothetical town would be six days late in providing a response, not one. Furthermore, there’s no need for agencies to “rush” on providing responses because they already only have 10 days to provide a response under the current law; nothing extra is being asked of them.
Lastly, the concerns about agencies seeking to extend their time to respond are also unwarranted, because both bills would only allow agencies to request extensions on furnishing records, not providing responses. An argument Galvin’s office might have made if it understood the Senate bill is that it provides an incentive for agencies to improperly grant themselves 30 days to furnish records instead of 15. The bill allows agencies to do this without seeking a formal extension, but let’s be realistic—agencies will always drag their feet for as long as they can, something anyone who makes records requests in Massachusetts can attest to.
The testimony from Galvin’s office cuts to the heart of how Massachusetts has become one of the worst states for public access to records: The people tasked with enforcing the law don’t take it seriously and refuse to enforce it. Galvin’s office is tasked with upholding the law, but instead trumpets the notion that agencies can act “in good faith” while violating the law and therefore shouldn’t face any consequences for doing so.
Galvin’s office opposes mandatory attorney fees
Another major reform in both bills is providing attorney’s fees to people who successfully sue agencies over public records access. Unlike 47 other states, successful litigants are never awarded attorney’s fees under the current law. Hiring a lawyer for one of these suits can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more, which means suing is unrealistic for most people, even in slam dunk cases.
The Senate bill would mandate that judges award attorney’s fees, with several exceptions; even if any of the exceptions existed, judges would still have the discretion to award fees. The House bill would leave the awarding of attorney’s fees completely up to judicial discretion. Galvin’s office said it has “[n]o strong preference,” but prefers the House version. The rationale given is that “the House version grants the court more discretion to determine whether the awarding of attorney fees and costs to the requestor is in the best interest of the taxpayers, who will ultimately be required to pay these fees and costs.”
Any money the taxpayers spend on paying attorney’s fees in these lawsuits will be money better spent than funding Galvin’s do-nothing office. The whole point of updating the law is to provide enforcement, and since Galvin and the AGO have shown they have no interest in making the system work, the most important reform is giving the public a more realistic way of enforcing the law without their help. Every step away from mandatory fees toward discretionary fees makes lawsuits more of a gamble, which defeats their purpose by making them less feasible.
The point of awarding attorney’s fees isn’t necessarily to increase the number of lawsuits that are actually filed, but rather to change the incentive structure so that agencies will follow the law. If agencies face a significant likelihood of being sued when they break the law, it will give them more of an incentive to just comply in the first place to avoid being dragged into court.
BONUS: The AGO’s testimony
We also obtained testimony from the AGO, but decided it wasn’t worth writing a whole story about. That’s because unlike the testimony from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, which discussed specifics, the AGO’s testimony was full of nothing but platitudes. The testimony states that the AGO “believe[s] that the reform efforts undertaken by the House and Senate will ensure that members of the public will continue to have access to a responsive, open government.” However, it fails to acknowledge the many differences between the bills or to explain which versions of the various provisions the AGO prefers. Most notably, the testimony made no mention of the proposed reform to require Galvin’s office to refer violations of the law to the AGO. It’s pretty clear that Healey, the state’s other enforcement arm of the records law, put little thought into the testimony, which isn’t surprising since she’s shown almost no interest whatsoever in enforcing the law during her tenure thus far.
“Broken Records” is a biweekly column produced in partnership between the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism, DigBoston, and the Bay State Examiner. Follow BINJ on Twitter @BINJreports for upcoming installments of Maya and Andrew’s ongoing reporting on public information.
ANDREW QUEMERE
https://digboston.com/author/andrew-quemere/
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Filed Under: News, NEWS+OPINIONS Tagged With: Beacon Hill, Broken Records, Commonwealth, house, Mass Municipal Association, Massachusetts, MMA, public records, public records reform, Secretary of State, senate, William Galvin
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APPOINTED SOMERVILLE OFFICIAL SPURS OUTRAGE WITH TWEETS FROM DC MOB SCENE
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Desarrollo de composites magnetostrictivos de FeAl y FeGa para su aplicación en sensores de deformación
Riesgo García, Graciela
Elbaile Viñuales, Laura ; García Díaz, José Ángel
Centro/Departamento/Otros:
Ciencia y Tecnología Náutica, Departamento de
Propiedades mecánicas de materiales
Descripción física:
The control of stresses and deformations in the hull of a ship is vitally important for the safety of navigation as well as for its proper functioning. Currently, the control of the good condition of the ship's structure is carried out by the Classification Societies during the regular reviews of the ships, based on the reports prepared by the on-board personnel after visual examinations in all accessible parts of the ship. In some cases, mainly in tanker vessels, this control is carried out through the use of strain gauges. However, this procedure is not very suitable due to the marine environmental conditions that affect the proper functioning of strain gauges. In the present work a study of the effect of reverse magnetostriction on Fe-Al/polyester, Fe-Al/silicone and Fe-Ga/silicone composites is carried out for its subsequent use as a sensor element of a magnetostrictive sensor, which may allows us to measure the stresses and deformations. The magnetic particles of the composites have been obtained by grinding, in an Attritor mill, and another in a Planetarium mill, of ribbons of the same composition obtained by melt spinning technique. The reason for using these ribbons is that, as indicated in the literature and as we have verified so, the Fe-Al ribbons obtained by melt spinning have a high magnetostriction. The first results we have obtained indicate that there are two effects that affect inverse magnetostriction (Villari effect) which are: a magnetic one, due to the dipole-dipole interaction of the magnetic particles, and another mechanical one, due to the easy deformation of the elastomeric materials. It has been found that when the isotropic composites (random orientation of the magnetic particles) undergo a magnetic field of 1T, the composites continue to have an isotropic distribution but remain in a state of magnetic remanence. This has allowed us to obtain a signal of the Villari effect without the need to apply a magnetic field in the measurement process. This fact is of the utmost importance when developing a magnetostrictive sensor using these composites as a sensor element, since it avoids the use of the primary coil. Due to the different origins of magnetostriction in these materials, it is very complex to develop a model that explains the results of the Villari effect. In Fe75Ga25 / silicone composites we have verified that the variation of the magnetic flux due to the tension in the sample, is caused by the variation of the cross-section of the composite when subjected to a tension. A simple model based on this variation has been developed and it explains the results obtained. We have also verified that this model does not explain the results in other composites. However, the influence of mechanical properties on the Villari effect is checked. The Young's modulus of the composites has been measured by microindentation (P-h curves) and the results obtained show the close relationship between the Young's modulus and the Villari effect. Finally, a proof of concept has been carried out to verify the suitability of magnetostrictive sensors based on these composites for the measurement of deformations in the structure of a ship. For this reason, a sensor prototype has been developed, which has been applied to naval steels of different thicknesses that had been deformed by a tensile tests. The measurements obtained show the suitability of this prototype and are very promising to develop a definitive sensor model.
Notas Locales
DT(SE) 2019-183
Tesis [6388]
Tesis doctorales a texto completo [1394]
TD_GracielaRiesgoGarcia.pdf (11.01Mb)
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Home > Archives > PUBLIC_RELATIONS > Press Releases > 138
Georgia Law sweeps regional moot court competition
Office of Communications and Public Relations
WRITER: Julie Camp, 706/542-5172, lawcomm@uga.edu CONTACT: Kellie Casey Monk, 706/542-2739, krcasey@uga.edu
ATHENS, Ga. – Third-year students Erik S. Johnson and Brian P. Watt won all three categories in the regional round of the National Moot Court Competition held Nov. 12-13 in Atlanta.
The team, sponsored by the Atlanta law firm Hawkins & Parnell, won Best Team and Best Brief. Also, Johnson was named Best Oralist. In the preliminary round, Johnson and Watt defeated teams from Barry University, Emory University and the University of South Carolina. The team outargued Mercer University in the semi-finals and Florida International University in the final round. Johnson and Watt will compete in the national tier of the tournament in January.
“This is a great start for our advocacy season,” School of Law Director of Advocacy Kellie Casey Monk said. “Once again, Georgia Law students have excelled in the regional round. This speaks volumes about the caliber of our students.”
This is the fifth consecutive year Georgia Law has captured the regional title in the National Moot Court Competition. Last year’s team also won Best Brief in the regional round and made it to the quarterfinals in the national tier.
The National Moot Court Competition is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious moot court tournament. Teams from more than 160 law schools enter the competition, sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers and the New York City Bar’s Young Lawyers Committee.
Office of Communications and Public Relations, "Georgia Law sweeps regional moot court competition" (2004). Press Releases. 138.
https://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/press_releases/138
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DigitalCommons@NYLS
Home > Journal_of_International_and_Comparative_Law > Vol. 5 > No. 1 (1983)
Zimbabwe's Land Resettlement Program: Lessons from Kenya and Algeria
Gary Sampliner
Sampliner, Gary (1983) "Zimbabwe's Land Resettlement Program: Lessons from Kenya and Algeria," NYLS Journal of International and Comparative Law: Vol. 5 : No. 1 , Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/journal_of_international_and_comparative_law/vol5/iss1/4
Masthead Archive
All Issues Vol. 22, No. 1 Vol. 16, No. 3 Vol. 16, No. 1 Vol. 15, No. 2 Vol. 15, No. 1 Vol. 14, No. 2 Vol. 14, No. 1 Vol. 13, No. 2 Vol. 13, No. 1 Vol. 12, No. 3 Vol. 12, No. 1 Vol. 11, No. 3 Vol. 11, No. 1 Vol. 10, No. 3 Vol. 10, No. 2 Vol. 10, No. 1 Vol. 9, No. 2 Vol. 9, No. 1 Vol. 8, No. 3 Vol. 8, No. 2 Vol. 8, No. 1 Vol. 7, No. 2 Vol. 7, No. 1 Vol. 6, No. 3 Vol. 6, No. 2 Vol. 6, No. 1 Vol. 5, No. 2 Vol. 5, No. 1 Vol. 4, No. 3 Vol. 4, No. 2 Vol. 4, No. 1 Vol. 3, No. 3 Vol. 3, No. 2 Vol. 3, No. 1 Vol. 2, No. 3 Vol. 2, No. 2 Vol. 2, No. 1 Vol. 1, No. 2 Vol. 1, No. 1
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By: Dipa Sanatani January 4, 2017 January 8, 2017
The Traveller's Diary, Thoughts on LifeChinese culture, Social Media, taipei, taiwan
What will people think?
1 January 9.50am: I’m currently at Taoyuan International Airport waiting for my flight back to Tokyo. I went to bed around 2am yesterday and woke up at 6am. I’m on my second cup of coffee. I should hurt real bad, but instead I feel pumped. Ready to go. Renewed. Reenergised. 2017 is finally here.
My yummy New Year’s gift from Delta Airlines.
Like 400,000 other people, I spent New Year’s Eve waiting for the fireworks that palm-treed their way out of the iconic Taipei 101 Tower. Honestly, I would have rather been in bed sound asleep, but life had other plans.
I tuned out the loud concert music and observed the world around me. I was baffled. I really was. Instead of spending quality time with their loved ones – a majority of people were taking videos of the fireworks; or worse, trying to get a selfie of them with the fireworks. Who is it for?
This superficial nonsense that social media encourages is exactly what made me go off Facebook for three years. The amount of utter BS that’s on it is just astounding. Too many people are more concerned about how their lives look to others than the reality of the lives they’re actually living.
WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK? It’s a thought that’s probably crossed your mind a million times. But really…
“Who are these people?” I ask Charmaine Yam.
“They’re around us, they’re everywhere,” Charmaine says. “I believe that people just like to gossip. It’s human nature. People like to take joy in talking about someone’s mishaps. I don’t really understand these people who say ‘what will people think’? If people have formed an opinion of you – especially if it’s an acquaintance – it’s quite shallow anyway.
“A lot of people are concerned about their families think. I think if you’re thinking about what a family really is – it’s people who are very close to you, love you and only want you to be happy. They should not be people who want you to fit a certain mould. But unfortunately, it’s not always the case.
“I don’t understand why people are so conscious about what others think of them. It comes down to living someone else’s life. Not following convention does not equate to being irresponsible. This idea is very common amongst Asians.”
“To many Asians, ‘we’ always comes before ‘me’,” I say. “Is Asian culture changing?”
“Asian cultures have nice values,” Charmaine says, “but in my view it’s good to be a bit balanced. Keep some traditions: like responsibility and respect. Older generations always talk about ‘back in our day’. It’s a totally different world now. We don’t have war or those same hardships. We should keep some traditions, but make it more relevant to our current circumstances.”
“What is something about Asian culture that you’d like to see change?” I ask.
“I’d like to see people being more open minded,” Charmaine says. “I don’t want people to judge future generations because they didn’t follow the path their parents wanted them to take. I would like to change what Asians view as a ‘successful life’ – getting married, having kids and buying a house.
“I would like individuality to be more recognised. That way more people can follow their own path instead of follow what tradition views as the right path and right life because I don’t think there’s such a thing.”
Long story short: people are going to think what they’re going to think. Pretending your life is something that it’s not is a futile exercise. At the end of the day, you have to live with your own reality – no matter how good you manage to make your life look on Facebook.
Growing up in Two Old Worlds in a New Country: Indian, Chinese and Singaporean
The Ultimate Japanese Winter Comfort Food: Oden
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‘Outliers’ Anthology Series From Brian Grazer & Malcolm Gladwell In Works At HBO Max With Dr. Anthony Fauci As First Subject
By Nellie Andreeva
Nellie Andreeva
Co-Editor-in-Chief, TV
@DeadlineNellie
More Stories By Nellie
The Wild Story Of Laila Bertheussen, Convicted Partner Of Ex-Norwegian Minister, To Become Anonymous Content Nordic Limited Series
Justin Hartley To Star In ‘The Never Game’ TV Adaptation In Works At 20th Television, Will EP With Ken Olin
Sage Grazer/Celeste Sloman/Shutterstock
EXCLUSIVE: HBO Max has put in development Outliers, an anthology series based on Malcolm Gladwell’s New York Times bestselling book. It hails from Brian Grazer, Imagine Television Studios and CBS Television Studios. Greg Walker, showrunner of the DC Universe series Titans, will write and executive produce the series, with Gladwell also executive producing.
Outliers will take a detailed look at why people are successful, what makes them successful and at what cost. Part historical drama, part biopic, each season will profile individuals through an unique lens, looking at the specific historical situation which led to their outsized imprint on society and what ultimately makes them an Outlier.
'Godzilla Vs. Kong' Jumps Up To March In HBO Max & Theatrical Debut
The first season will focus on Dr. Anthony Fauci, pioneer and leading expert in the field of Immunology, and lead member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. It will be based in part on Michael Specter’s New Yorker article, “How Anthony Fauci Became America’s Doctor.”
Over the past 35 years, Dr. Fauci has advised six Presidents on HIV/AIDS and many other domestic and global health issues. He was one of the principal architects of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that has saved millions of lives throughout the developing world. He is one of the country’s most trusted medical experts, credited with being pragmatic and adhering to the facts.
There is no talent attached yet. Dr. Fauci famously quipped in a CNN interview earlier this year that he would like Brad Pitt to portray him. The Oscar winner obliged in a skit on Saturday Night Live.
Imagine’s Brian Grazer (Genius), Ron Howard (Genius), and Samie Kim Falvey will executive produce with Walker and Gladwell. James Seidman will oversee project for Imagine.
“I am thrilled to be working with my longtime friend Malcolm Gladwell on this creative collaboration,” said Grazer. “Malcolm and I have known each other for over fifteen years, and every time I speak to him, I find it to be a richer day. I’ve been a fan of all his books, and Outliers provides the perfect framework for a groundbreaking series.”
Outliers in paperback spent 274 weeks on the NY Times bestseller list and has been translated to 34 languages. It profiles a number of successful people, including Bill Gates. (Fauci was not featured in it.)
“The point of my book Outliers was that we need to tell the story of success in different ways, looking at the way talent is affected by luck and circumstance and culture and context. I’m thrilled that Imagine wants to take the same approach to storytelling on television,” said Gladwell.
In addition to Outliers, Gladwell is the author of four other New York Times bestsellers: The Tipping Point, Blink, What the Dog Saw and David and Goliath. He is the host of the podcast Revisionist History and is a staff writer at The New Yorker.
Walker is showrunner and executive producer of the DC Universe series, Titans, from Greg Berlanti and Akiva Goldsman, which is heading into its third season. Previously, he showran Vegas, Extant and Without A Trace. Walker is also currently developing Ten Borders at Nat Geo with Tom McCarthy and Scott Free, based on a New Yorker article detailing on Syrian refugee’s journey across ten borders to gain safety.
“We are thrilled to bring Malcolm’s definitive book on achievement to TV. He and Greg have crafted a series that tells truly unique and often unknown stories about figures who’ve shaped our modern world,” said Falvey.
Imagine Television Studios’ slate includes the recently announced Joe Exotic series starring Nicolas Cage, Wu-Tang: An American Saga for Hulu, Why Women Kill for CBS All Access, Swagger for Apple and Filthy Rich for Fox.
10 L.A. County Surpasses 1 Million Coronavirus Cases; Public Health Officials Identify First Case Of U.K. Strain
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The Use of Drones A farmer’s friendly eye in the sky
By Mark H. Stowers
Louis Wasson, Mississippi State Senior Extension Associate whose specialty is Unmanned Aerial Systems in Agriculture noted that farmers have been “promised a lot” from drone manufacturers and sales people but he’s searching for the truth.
“There is a lot of hype associated with using aerial vehicles in agriculture. A lot of people are just trying to sell you something that hasn’t simply proven to be true or effective,” Wasson says. “I’ve been getting through the hype to get to what is practical and applicable for the grower that he can use every day.”
Drones are most useful for farmers to get a “bird’s eye view” of their row crops and other areas of the farm that they’d previously have to pay an ag pilot to fly over and look at or just do a lot of walking across thousands of acres of rice, beans, corn, cotton and more.
“First of all, it’s very convenient for him to get out of his truck and put it together and within five minutes being flying a drone over his field and get real-time information,” Wasson says. “The multi-rotor aircraft (a DJI Phantom) have become safe to fly. Normally you can see more than 10 to 15 feet from the turnrow but now you can actually see to the middle of the field. They know their fields better than anybody and know the hot spots and green spots but if there is something unusual they can look at it.”
Damage done by deer or wild hogs or even storm damage can be immediately assessed to quickly get on the road to fixing the destruction.
“When stuff like that happens in the middle of the field this is very handy and convenient. Rice growers use them to check levees and their gates. It saves them a lot of steps. Soybeans growers use them to check pivots. One soybean grower flies his drone out to figure out what tools he needs to take out to fix it and not make two trips,” Wasson says.
Farmer Bill O’Neal has been using a DJI Phantom IV drone to survey his acreage and it has become a handy tool.
“We use it for scouting fields and accessing areas of the field by air to look at things quickly,” O’Neal says. “We look at our center pivots and irrigation systems. We use it to look at damaged areas of the fields if at harvest time we have rice to get blown down – just basically field scouting a large area in a short period of time.”
O’Neal has been using his drone for the past two years and guides it using his IPad.
“It has a camera on the drone and is flown by an App on my IPad. The camera on the drone is your eye that you fly by,” he says. “When you see something, you can either take a still photo or a video and then download that. I download it to the IPad.”
Etymologists are using the information gathered by the drones to help farmers work on insect control more efficiently as well. Wasson explains that those scouting the field “only see about five percent of the field as you walk through scouting but decisions based on that five percent can cover hundreds of thousands of acres. How much herbicide do I use? How much pesticide do I use? But now with the drone you pop it up in the air and see the whole field, not just five percent.”
O’Neal combines the drone with scouting to find problems quickly.
“If he sees something in the field that I need to be aware of like chemical damage or maybe a thin stand, he’ll tell me where the area is and I’ll fly the drone to that area and get an overall view of the affected area. Where it’s really been beneficial is actually seeing what percentage of the field is affected,” O’Neal says.
Wasson notes that drones are beneficial before planting in finding spots in fields where drainage is poor or where erosion is taking place.
“This is the time for the grower to address that. Even now in post-harvest when we get rains you can see channeling and ponding of water,” he says. “And that water is carrying weed seeds. It could be from the road or the forest of your neighbor’s fields. Ponding can have some nematode effect later in the year.”
Michael Aguzzi of Aguzzi Farms knows they are just scratching the surface in the use of drones.
“We honestly don’t use it to its fullest potential,” Aguzzi says. “One instance in particular has been to fly over and check rice levees if we suspect a break in one.”
Though the technology is useful, it hasn’t taken off as quickly as drone selling operations had predicted.
“It’s not the 80 percent that was forecasted it’s more like 20 percent. But they are starting to use them,” Wasson says. “And if farmers or scouts don’t want to take on the drone usage and getting the proper licensing, then there is an industry that has sprouted – UAS scouting. They go fly the field and turn the information over to the scout or the farmer.”
Before farmers can use a drone, they are supposed to have FAA permission through a remote pilot certificate. Wasson explained it’s easy to get in trouble.
“You need a FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot certificate. It’s all about safety. I strongly emphasize that people need to understand the airspace. These crop dusters are coming in over the tree tops at 150 miles per hour and they don’t see us. So, we’re working with them as well making up safety procedures. But the common grower needs to know he’s not up there all by himself. Safety is really important. There is study material on the FAA website to download so you can take the test,” he says. “But if you hire it out, make sure the first question you ask them is do you have your remote pilot certificate?”
Drones – even as useful as they are – are just tools for the farmer, according to Wasson.
“Drones will never replace the scout,” he says. “It cannot tell you what’s wrong. It gives you the picture but you have to decipher the picture and go out in the field and see.”
There are other technologies that can be added to a drone but the costs start to multiply quickly.
“If you have the typical multi-rotor drone, that’s about $1,500 with a good high-resolution camera. If you add thermal, that’s another $6,000. If you add NIR – new infrared – that’s like $4,000. If you have multispectral, that’s another $5,000 or $6,000. But then you have to get those images interpreted. That’s why I advise farmers not to fall into the multispectral. Your eyes are the best camera in the world, so use them. Your brain is the best computer in the world, use it.”
With the eye in the sky helper, farmers are able to make more realistic claims with crop insurance.
“Now when you submit a claim you can show the adjustor exactly what you see. This isn’t guessing form the ground and you can see it too,” Wasson says. “It makes everybody’s jobs easier.”
The technology continues to improve and Wasson noted that image processing is getting better.
“That has revolutionized everything. The processing software and the speed that they are doing it is incredible. And every three months it gets better and better,” Wasson says.
High flying technology helping farmers farm a bit better each day—drones.
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New Year's Day College Football Playoff Semifinals: Open Thread
It's the first year for the new college bowl game playoff system. What do you think?
Welcome to the new College Football Playoff semifinals where we'll have #2 Oregon vs #3 Florida State in the Rose Bowl and #1 Alabama vs #4 Ohio State after which the two winners will meet for the National Title game.
At this point Vegas is leaning for the underdogs.
The early money in Las Vegas was on the underdogs in the College Football Playoff semifinals. But it was all square.
That was the story coming out of sportsbooks heading into Thursday. The majority of the money that had been wagered on the semifinals was on Florida State and Ohio State, but it was all small public bets. The big money, according to the books, hadn't arrived yet.
That could change, as book managers estimate that 80-90 percent of the action on the New Year's Day Bowls will be placed Thursday.
The action on the Sugar Bowl between Alabama and Ohio State mirrored that of the Rose Bowl, with public bettors siding with the underdog Buckeyes heading into game day. Alabama was an 8.5-point favorite over the Buckeyes almost everywhere in Las Vegas as of Thursday morning. It's the 68th consecutive game the Crimson Tide have been favored, a streak that dates back to the 2009 SEC championship game against Florida.
There are plenty of other bowl games being played today also so have at it.
How do you like the new system and who will win?
2014 New Year's Bowl games, rose bowl, Sugar Bowl
A Vegas Insider's Guide To New Year's Day Bowl Games
The final games of NCAA football this season, from the host of ESPN's Las Vegas Sportsline.
By LeftOfCenter
New Year's Day Bowl Games Open Thread
Good Morning! Are you ready to start the year with some FOOTBALL?
2014 Sugar Bowl, Alabama Vs. Oklahoma: TV Time, Team Profiles And more
The Sugar Bowl is set and it's Alabama vs. Oklahoma.
2019 New Year's Day Bowl Games Thread
It's a day for football...
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Tag: Joe Strummer
What are you working on right now and why are you excited about it? Right now, I’m writing, writing, writing. The Claudettes already finished our third full-length album (our first two albums and EP are here), which will come out later this year. It was produced by Black Keys/Old 97’s producer Mark Neill. It’s something special, I can’t wait for people to hear it. But I’m so inspired by how the four-piece (two-singer) lineup of the Claudettes has come together over the past 12 months that I’m now really dialing in how to write for THIS assemblage. That’s the ticket to the best music right there: not just having songs and parts you write just to be writing, or because you have ideas that excite you, but also knowing the musical strengths and sweet spots of the musicians and singers who are actually in the band with you RIGHT NOW. I like to quote Duke Ellington, who said he scored all those hits because he always asked himself, “What do THESE guys do well?”
Did you grow up with music in your family? My mother listened to a lot of classical music, but loved rock music, too. My uncle played and worked in music, and still does. I never stopped playing after I started classical lessons at age 8 (continuing to age 13, at which point I had bands for the rest of my life).
Was there a live concert experience that impacted you early on? The aforementioned uncle was a road manager and significant creative influence for the Cars. I went to see them in Philly, where they opened for Foreigner. Seeing Ben Orr backstage with a feather boa, sunglasses and a woman on each arm…even at age eight, I said to myself, “That looks cool. I want that.” As of now, my personal record is one woman. But I’m working on better and better songs all the time.
What was your first public performance? I remember playing Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” at a piano recital, and I messed it up badly. The demon in my head kept asking, “Hey, buddy boy? What’s the next chord? I bet you’ll forget it and blow the whole thing.” To this day, live performance for me is still a contest with that demon. As long as I don’t provoke him into asking me those questions, all goes beautifully…but it does happen sometimes, at which point I just smash all the keys and proceed with anger at myself as my primary motivation.
How do songs come about for you? Very often, I have words in a notebook that develop from a single lyric to a full song. Sometimes, I then write music to accompany those words. Other times, I spontaneously come up with new music (often by just happening on one unusual or even accidental chord change), then go upstairs to flip through my notebook and see if I’ve got something that seems like a match.
Do you have any day-of-show (or pre-show) rituals that help you get in the right mindset to perform live? Truth be told, I like a couple drinks. My drink is two drinks: a bourbon and a beer. It puts me just right. There is DEFINITELY such a thing as too much, and it turns me into a sloppy player. There’s good sloppy, as in the best blues, but then there’s just messy. I do like to remind my band mates to not worry about perfection…it’s much, much, much better to put your whole heart, soul, joy and sadness into this performance than it is to get all the parts and changes right. That kind of perfection without a wellspring of emotion is boring to the audience and it’s especially boring to me.
Who is on your musical Mount Rushmore? My teenage musical heroes were Junior Wells (the blues band I was in at age 16 in Philly took 2/3 of our repertoire from Junior Wells’ “Hoodoo Man Blues”and “South Side Blues Jam” albums and his other recordings), Mike Watt (of Minutemen and fIREHOSE) and Joe Strummer (The Clash, of course). I managed to join the Junior Wells band soon after I finished college (I met him in NYC, then moved to Chicago when he asked me to join the band) and I got to tour with him for three years, and record with him, too. My band oh my god ended up opening for Mike Watt at the Double Door and his band mates told me that we were the best band they’d played with on that tour (which was probably around 70 dates). Mike and the band slept at my house once (on another occasion, when I just went to see them at Double Door). Mike stayed up late with me, talking about music, Minutemen and D. Boon. I gave him bad parking advice (I found out that night that the Ford Econoline is a bit taller than the Dodge RAM; as a result, they had to park on the street), and their van was ticketed and was just about to be towed when Mike walked over to the van to check on it. Great job impressing your heroes, dufus. And oh my god was on the short list to open up for Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros when I was driving home from the dentist and heard a Clash song. Then, I changed stations…and heard another! “Yes!” When the third station I flipped to was playing the Clash, my heart sunk…after the song, they announced that he had just died at age 50. I was so, so sad that he was gone, and that I didn’t get to complete my triumvirate of wished-for hero experiences.
What advice do you give to young musicians seeking their path? I’m not qualified to offer advice, ’cause I’m not satisfied yet myself. Just practice a lot, record the practices and know that those practice recordings don’t lie. If the Jimi Hendrix Experience made a basement tape, guess what? They wouldn’t be saying, “Oh, you can’t really hear the bass, that’s why this doesn’t sound that good.” Nah, the best artists sound spectacular, no matter what the mix. To sing or play the best, you need to do it a lot. Ray Charles practiced scales when he was 65 years old…daily, so he said.
You are to perform at the Grammy’s but they want you to do a cover, what tune do you choose and why? I don’t know. I feel like I’d promise a cover and then switch over to my most demented instrumental…you know, Elvis Costello SNL-style. I think this cover-song culture we’re in is weak and lame. People singing “Superstition” on “Vermont’s Got Talent.” “Oh, he’s WON-DA-FUL!” The world needs a new crop of songs and singers…get to work…
You and a friend are given to access to a time machine called ‘The Day Tripper’ in which you can attend any concert in history — what are your coordinates and who do you bring with for the ride? I’d probably set the machine for ‘Pedro in the early ’80s and see the Reactionaires evolve into Minutemen, and talk to D. Boon a lot after the sets. I wouldn’t need to bring anyone with me, I’d just go talk to the band about tones and chord changes and influences and great records.
May 2, 2017 May 2, 2017 CHICAGO 'N BEYONDBen Orr, Black Keys, Day Tripper, Double Door, Duke Ellington, Elvis Costello, Ford Econoline, Joe Strummer, Johnny Iguana, Junior Wells, Mark Neill, Mike Watt, Mount Rushmore, The Clash, The Claudettes, The Grammys, The MinutemenLeave a comment
What earlier Mr. Henry record has the most in common with your new project Waiting For Henry, Ghosts & Compromise?
Man, I hope it’s not a cop out to pick two… but I think Ghosts falls somewhere between the first couple of Mr. Henry albums. It has the grit and new-band-energy of As Good as the Ground, but I feel like it also has the song strength of Jackhammer.
You took a brief-to-longer-than-expected hiatus from playing live, recording and touring until now: does the material and lyrics on the disc tell any part of that story?
Yeah I did and yeah it does. Story’s in the title song… “Let’s raise a toast, to everybody’s ghost.” For me, so much of this album is about coming to terms with the reality that a lot my life is now to be looked back on. But it’s also about not being scared of the related ghosts – in my case, musical – that won’t disappear. Doing the ‘band-thing’ once more is really like a born-again experience. Like I had this phantom muse, packed into the closet with all the backup guitars and broken amps… and somehow it came back to life. Musicians are like wolfmen… once you’re bitten it’s in you.
Elevator pitch, in one sentence: what’s your favorite thing about how the disc it turned out?
I always feel like a it’s a success if I come up with a recording that sounds like something I would buy myself… and I think I’d buy this one. Or at least bootleg it.
Why did you record down in Freehold, NJ when you live so close to so many great studio’s in New York?
Definitely the food. They have awesome take-out Chinese in Freehold. No, actually it’s kind of a cool story… for me at least. We set out trying to work with Josh Jakubowski, who recorded the first Gaslight Anthem album “Sink or Swim”. It’s the best and best sounding punk album of the past decade. The tracks are beautiful, but bombastic. Kinda like The Replacements’ “Tim.” Anyway, our schedules couldn’t connect, but through the Josh search, we connected with one of his old partners in crime, Joe Dell’Aquila at Exeter Recording in Freehold. First off, we were blown away by Joe’s sounds and mixes on his website samples. We knew, even before seeing the studio that he was the guy. Went in sight unseen and Joe rocked it. Then, to ice the cake, we thought the whole ‘ghost’ thing of recording in the same town where Springsteen grew up, couldn’t hurt the vibe. And it didn’t. Was great.
Man, Hurricane Sandy …..what a nightmare. Jersey’s known for bad hair and really bad McMansions, but not hurricanes. And it wasn’t just Sandy, in the 18 months we were recording down by the Shore we also got hit with Irene. Thankfully, the studio – and our tracks – survived. My house just lost some roof, although I have friend whose roof lost its house!
Anyway, a coupla weeks ago, I was with a group doing volunteer clean up work in Lavallette, a town that got mauled, and came up with the idea of turning “Here Comes the Rain” into a video fundraiser. Working on that now. We’re gonna donate all the proceeds from related downloads of “Here Comes the Rain” to Restore the Shore related charities. Hope to have it up on the website this summer. There’s a lot of folks who still need help and will for a long time.
You have amassed a nice guitar and amp collection over the years, what did you play on the new record?
Yeah, a nice collection of beaters from the guitar shop on the Island of the Misfit Toys. Main electrics were a ’67 Epiphone Riviera 12-string, run as a six and an old Gibson SG Junior. They’re always my go-tos, gritty but super warm. Acoustic was a rebuilt Gibson dinosaur from the 50’s that I adopted from Texas. Sounds amazing. Ampwise, the main criminals were an ’82 JCM800, ’65 Fender Vibrolux, a Goodsell and a Samamp. The Marshall saw the most action, since we were trying to put a big Buffalo Tom guitar sound into an Americana setting. I think it worked.
Any rules you try to follow when writing a song or are they all ‘works in progress’?
Main rule is, when it comes grab it. Otherwise you’ll be haunted for years. Most of the songs on the album were one-shot deals. Something sparks at 11pm and by 3am there’s a song. Then there was Here Comes the Rain, which I started 15 years ago and never grabbed it. Took a recession and Hurricane Irene to reignite the muse and find the lyric on that one.
Is a return to the road or the drive to play events like SXSW again on your radar or ‘in the rear view’?
Would love to, but you’ll have to talk to my wife about that.
What is your fondest single memory from touring with Mr. Henry?
Too many to pick one. But up there would be opening for Iggy Pop at Birmingham, AL’s City Stages, playing with Counting Crows at the Beacon in NYC, our first SXSW and of course all those nights humping gear into a motel room at 4am. Then there was the day we couldn’t get out of the motel parking lot in Jackson, MS, cuz the innkeepers were cooking nan bread on the hot asphalt.
What’s the first record you ever bought and what’s the best cut on it?
Elton John’s Greatest Hits. Best cut, definitely “Border Song.” “Holy Moses, I have been removed.” It’s the song no one knows. Have no idea how it made it to his Greatest Hits album, but thank God it did.
What’s the best concert you ever attended and what strikes you most about it now?
There’s two. As a kid I got into see The Clash at one of the famous Bond’s Casino shows in NYC. One of the dates was an all-ages matinée. Me and my friend Dan pushed our way to the front and were getting crushed against the stage. The roadies pulled us up before we got killed, and rather than throwing us out, they left us onstage and we got to sing into the mic with Joe Strummer. Even have one of Joe’s broken guitar strings from that gig. Was magic. The other was The Replacements at the old Ritz in NYC in ’85. Was one of Bob Stinson’s last shows. I never heard them before that show, but my buddy got tix. Was totally awestruck. Left knowing I had just seen the greatest rock band ever.
April 3, 2013 August 3, 2017 CHICAGO 'N BEYONDAlt-country, amps, Colgate, Exeter Recording, Freehold, Gaslight Anthem, guitars, Hurricane Sandy, Iggy Pop, Joe Dell'Aquila, Joe Strummer, Michael Chun, Mr. Henry, Ney York, NoDepression, REM, Repercussions, Replacements, Singer/Songwriter, Waiting For HenryLeave a comment
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Tag: music scene
How did your love affair with rock & roll begin? As a kid listening to Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Elvis, Jerry Lee and more on 104.3 the oldies station in Chicago. My Dad was/is a big oldies fan and that radio station was all he ever listened to. “Smoke on the Water,” “Wild Thing” or “Iron Man” are the first songs most guitarists learn. Mine was “That’ll Be The Day” and “It’s So Easy”.
What were the first three albums you ever purchased and which of those holds up best today to you? Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Run DMC Raising Hell and Motley Crue’s Dr. Feelgood. Thriller holds up best to me, hands down.
When did you start writing songs and how do they ‘come together’ for you most often? 7th/8th grade with my very first band, Vertigo. Songs come in many ways. Sometimes I’ll be driving a melody with pop in my head, or, I’ll hear a phrase that I like and will write a song around it. Sometimes, I’ll be jamming with other musicians and we write the music and then lyrics will follow.
You’ve managed to carve out a nice niche on the north shore by being a respected ‘jack of all trades’, how has your business model evolved over the past few years ? My business model hasn’t changed all that much. With the internet and all of the social media resources as my disposal, communicating with fans is much easier on one hand and on the other takes three times as long. I literally work all day to book shows, promote shows, create content to increase my brand awareness, etc..
What advice do you give to young bands trying to build a following and, in turn, get better gigs? A few thing. The BIGGEST thing is to be friendly and outgoing. I try to meet as many people at gigs as possible. Anytime someone gives me a tip, a compliment, a thumbs up, a high five, anything, I make sure to introduce myself and ask them their name. A 30 second engagement can mean a new long term fan. Your fans can be and are your biggest promoters. The more people that come to your shows, the better the bigger the gigs will grow, the more opportunities will open up along with making more money.
Do you have to become Facebook (say hey to Matt) exhibitionists to play the game? If you are not on social media, you are at a severe disadvantage. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.. Ever walk into a bar to play a gig and everyone is staring at their phones and not you. Chances are they are on one of the previously mentioned sites. Get your “b(r)and” in front of as many eyeballs as possible. A large number of the population spends hours a day staring at their electronic device.
Years ago it seemed as if the Chicago music media shunned artists / bands that came out of the north shore as if they didn’t deserve the coverage; in fact many bands sought to hide the fact so they weren’t labeled as ‘rich brats: does this hold true at all today? Ya know, the scene is so much different these days. Music oriented local Chicago media has shrunk considerably in the last 10 years. Local Anesthetic on WXRT is only 30 minutes on Sunday nights (does anyone listen to terrestrial radio anymore?). Illinois Entertainer only seems to cover the south and western suburbs. Cover bands are a PLENTY these days.
In Chicago, much as in NYC, often musicians get put in one category or another: either your a working musician or an artist…. Is one the dream job and the other vehicle? I’ve been struggling with that for YEARS and I think I’ve finally found a balance. I have two very different song writing styles. One of very acoustic based and the other electric guitar/keys/synth based. I market them differently. I do my acoustic singer/songwriter originals and covers thing in the suburbs where you can make money and use some of that money to pay for my “original artist” project called Monsoons. I keep specific email and facebook lists that are geographically based. I rarely send updates regarding my acoustic covers thing to gatekeepers and decision makers in Chicago and abroad, I send them Monsoons updates. It’s not an easy thing to do and it takes a lot of time, but, it’s doable. My gigs at local restaurants and bars in the burbs has paid for the recording sessions & music video first few Monsoons songs. In fact, producer/mix wizard Sean O’Keefe (Fallout Boy, Plain White T’s) is mixing the first single. – Matt Feddermann
October 3, 2015 August 3, 2017 CHICAGO 'N BEYOND& BEYOND, Beatles, Brad Elvis, Buddy Holly, guitarist, IE, Illinois, Linda Rondstadt, Local Anesthetic, music scene, North Shore, NYC, Sean O'Keefe, Singer/Songwriter, Smoke On The Water, Wild Thing, WXRTLeave a comment
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After debate, Trump says he raised $13 mln
By AFP  September 28, 2016 | 08:15 am GMT+7
Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump shakes hands with Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at the conclusion of their first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, U.S., September 26, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Lucas Jackson
He tweeted with the hashtag #MAGA, referring to his slogan "Make America Great Again".
Key quotes from the first Clinton-Trump debate
Trump to give speech on illegal immigration on Wednesday
Trump says he would implement 'extreme vetting' of immigrants
Trump calls Obama, Clinton Islamic State 'co-founders', draws rebuke
One-in-five US Republicans want Trump to drop out
A day after his debate clash with Democrat Hillary Clinton, Republican Donald Trump said he had raised $13 million for his White House campaign.
Clinton was calm and well-prepared and, according to many analysts, victorious in the first presidential debate against Trump on Monday night, ahead of the November 8 election.
"In the last 24 hrs. we have raised over $13mln from online donations and National Call Day, and we're still going! Thank you America! #MAGA," the Republican tweeted. MAGA refers to his campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."
In the last 24 hrs. we have raised over $13M from online donations and National Call Day, and we’re still going! Thank you America! #MAGA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27, 2016
It was a big fundraising haul for the Republican billionaire, who has spent a lot of his own money on his campaign.
In August, Hillary Clinton raised $143 million dollars for her campaign to become the first woman U.S. president and for the Democratic Party. Trump brought in $90 million.
This first of three presidential debates was watched by more than 80 million people, U.S. media reported, citing an early Nielsen tally.
Clinton's showing injected new energy into her campaign, as the 68-year-old mixed appeals to women and families and Hispanics, and touted her vast experience in public service.
Trump, 70, weathered allegations of bigotry and sexism to triumph in a vicious Republican primary campaign, and now has a real shot at being sworn in as the 45th U.S. president on January 20.
> Key quotes from the first Clinton-Trump debate
> Trump to give speech on illegal immigration on Wednesday
> Trump calls Obama, Clinton Islamic State 'co-founders', draws rebuke
Reading: After debate, Trump says he raised $13 mln
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The Benefits and Side Effects of Daily Kratom Use
Written on September 18, 2020 .
It’s no secret that Kratom is incredibly popular in the United States and abroad.
Millions of people say that kratom has given them a new lease on life, and many use it to help them manage chronic pain, anxiety and depression and help them kick their addiction to opioids.
For those who have severe chronic pain, or who have been addicted to opioids recently, they may fall into a population of people with whom daily kratom use is part of their routine.
If you’re considering using kratom routinely, it’s sensible to understand the benefits of using it so often. Additionally, anything we ingest has the potential to be harmful. Therefore, it is important that you understand the risks that may go with using it so often.
Read on for more information on the benefits, as well as the side effects of daily kratom use.
Before we dive into the benefits and side effects of taking kratom, let’s briefly discuss what it is.
Kratom is derived from a tree called the mitragyna speciosa, which is in the same family as coffee plants. The tree thrives in hot and humid environments, and as such, is indigenous to Southeast Asia.
When people ingest kratom, they are ingesting ground-up powder from the tree’s leaves. The leaves are, unsurprisingly, where all of the effects are.
In Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia and Malaysia where the tree gross naturally, kratom has become a part of the culture. In places where many working-class people performed heavy manual labor for several hours a day, they often chewed kratom leaves to make it more tolerable. The leaves both gave them a euphoric effect, and lessened the pain they felt in their body as they worked. It also upped productivity because of this.
The leaves are used in everything from a cure for stomach problems to a balm for wounds in these countries’ folk remedies.
It is also very popular as a tea in these countries. While the leaves themselves taste quite bitter, with a tea some sweetener, and a little bit of extra flavor, can mask the taste. It’s sometimes used as part of rituals of ancestor worship and as a sign of hospitality to guests.
When drunk as a tea, one can still feel the effects of it.
How Do You Take Kratom?
Kratom comes in a variety of forms, and you can take kratom in a few ways. In the west, kratom most often comes in powders, which are the most versatile. Powders can allow you to make capsules, to take it straight, or to make a tea out of it. You can also make teabags out of the powders, which allows you to make tea out of it whenever you wish easily.
Additionally, you can also put kratom in a variety of foods, which help mask the taste of it. It is most commonly put in yogurt and smoothies.
What Does Kratom Do to the Body?
We know kratom is incredibly popular, especially as an alternative to prescription drugs. So, what does it do to the body that makes people with chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD and other ailments find it beneficial?
Kratom acts as an agonist, and it binds to the mu-opioid receptors in the brain. Unsurprisingly, this is the same thing that happens when you take opioids or even harder drugs like heroin. That’s why kratom has similar effects as opioids.
Although kratom hasn’t been studied extensively to date (there are several studies going on at the moment, but not much data yet), the theory is that the mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine in the kratom attach to the proteins known as opioid receptors. Much like opioids themselves, when this happens, it changes the way the mind perceives pain. As such, instead of feeling pain as something unpleasant, it doesn’t feel it at all.
Since kratom is naturally occurring, unlike opioids that are synthetically produced in a lab, many people prefer to use it. It may also help people who have an opioid addiction come off the opioids. Instead of trying to go cold turkey, using kratom to mitigate the cravings is something some people choose to do.
Other Benefits of Kratom
The benefits of kratom are almost all due to the fact that it acts similar to opioids. For the majority of people who take it, this is the reason they do, and the main benefit of kratom for them. For these individuals, kratom does its job by helping relieve them of pain without having to use synthetic substances.
Kratom can also help people with digestive issues, and although this isn’t one of the main uses for it, some people do use it to help control minor bowel problems.
It can also lower your blood pressure, which makes it an alternative to help people who have high blood pressure.
It may also help control diabetes and can even act as a cough suppressant. The latter should not be much of a surprise, as codeine, another opioid, also acts as a cough suppressant.
Some people find that kratom can help them with anxiety and depression. As the drug can give people a feeling of sedation, this can also help relax people. This can be beneficial for those who suffer from insomnia, especially if the insomnia is related to PTSD or other forms of anxiety. As people who suffer from anxiety often struggle with a form of hyperarousal that makes them on guard all of the time, kratom can help relax them.
Short-Term Side Effects of Kratom
Like anything you put in your body, there is always a risk of side effects. Some of these side effects may be pleasant, such as the benefits we’ve discussed. Other side effects may be less so.
It is important to remember that, again, as with anything you put in your body, the effects will be different for every person. Just because you know someone who felt amazing on kratom, or someone who had a terrible experience, it doesn’t mean you’ll feel either way. As such, it is important to go into it with your eyes open.
In the short-term, side effects are often: feeling calm, alternatively, feeling euphoric, feeling talkative, dry mouth, constipation, nausea, itching, sweating, losing your appetite, sweating, sensitive skin.
Long-Term Side Effects of Daily Kratom Use
There is a marked lack of study when it comes to kratom and its use. As such, there is not a lot known about the effects of daily kratom use. One 2019 study, however, found that daily kratom use was not necessarily adverse.
Many people, it found, who took kratom daily, were also productive members of society. Very few who participated in the study were unemployed, and almost none were because of their habitual use of kratom. Indeed, kratom users live productive, and quality lives with their jobs and their families.
However, long-term use of anything comes with some consequences, and there are some suggestions of long-term effects of kratom on the body.
Taking kratom habitually over a long-term period may lead to a chronic loss of appetite, which is defined as anorexia. This is different from anorexia nervosa, as it is not due to a psychological disorder but a physical use of the drug.
It may also lead to constipation, frequently urinating, constipation and discoloring of the face and cheeks. In some instances, it may also lead to psychotic symptoms, such as delusion, confusion and hallucinations. The latter does not seem to be a frequent occurrence, but it is worth noting that it can happen and you should be aware of it.
If you plan to take kratom, especially daily, it is important that you do research on it. It is also important that you speak to your doctor about using it, and understand the risks and implications. As with any substance, the benefit of the kratom should always outweigh the risk of taking it. For many people, it certainly does.
Is Kratom for Me?
Is daily kratom use for you? This is a question that only you can answer. It may be the answer to some of your health issues and problems. But, it also may not be for you. Everyone reacts differently to kratom, with some people having positive experiences, and other people having very negative experiences. Only you can decide if it may be something that can help you.
If you do buy kratom, make sure you purchase it from a reputable retailer. Kratom bought illegally may be “cut” with other substances, making it dangerous to ingest.
Browse our shop for a large selection of kratom strains, and lots of pure kratom products.
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Taking over at a time when BCCI image has got hampered: Ganguly
The new BCCI president-elect Sourav Ganguly on Monday said "it's a great opportunity for him to do something good" as he is taking over the reigns of the board at a time when it's image has got a serious beating.
Ganguly pipped Brijesh Patel in a see-saw battle and is expected to be the only presidential nominee.
"You need to wait till 3 pm in the afternoon," Ganguly told PTI during an interaction.
"Obviously, it's a great feeling as I have played for the country and captained the country.
"And I am taking over at a time when BCCI has not been in greatest of position for the last three years. Its image has got hampered quite a lot. It's a great opportunity for me to do something good," said the former India captain, who will have to demit office in July, due to compulsory cooling off period.
Ganguly also said his first priority in the short tenure would be to look after "first-class cricketers".
The 47-year-old plans to meet all the stakeholders in Indian cricket and wants to do something that Committee of Administrators (CoA) didn't do for 33 months.
"We will speak to everyone first as we take a decision but my biggest priority will be to look after first class cricketers. I had requested that to the CoA for three years and they didn't listen. That's the first thing I will do, look after the financial health of our first-class cricketers," said Ganguly, who scored more than 18,000 international runs.
Being selected unopposed is a big responsibility, he admitted.
"Whether unopposed or not, there has to be responsibility as it is the biggest organisation in world cricket. Financially, India is a cricketing powerhouse, so it will be a challenge," he said.
Does he regret that the term will be only for nine months? "Yes, that's the rule and we will deal with it."
For someone, who has won many close ODIs for India, Ganguly was emotionally intrigued by how the board room politics worked.
"I didnt know I would be the President when I came down. You (reporter) asked me and I told you it's Brijesh and when I went up and I came to know it has changed. I have never been in a BCCI election and I never knew it worked like this," he said.
He had a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday and when asked about whether he will have to campaign for BJP in Bengal, he answered in the negative.
"No, no nothing of that sort. Nobody told me anything," Ganguly said.
Jagmohan Dalmiya has pulled off some amazing board room coups and talking about the late BCCI boss, Ganguly got emotional.
"I have never imagined so (that I will be in shoes of late Jagmohan Dalmiya). He has been like a father to me. There has been some great presidents of BCCI, Mr Srinivasan, Anurag, who have done great job," he said.
So will it be different from captaincy? Ganguly answered, "Nothing can beat being an India captain." PTI
Ganguly to be discharged from hospital tomorrow
Ganguly as BCCI chief, Dravid at NCA best for Indian cricket: Shastri
Sourav Ganguly takes over as 39th BCCI president
Need to set the house in order, says Ganguly
Remembering the hand of God - Revenge of the colonised
Ramesh explains what it’s like covering Asian Games even before he turned 18
Sanju says he keeps forgetting negative things for a positive mindset
Sachin And The “Cricket Maddy”
Former national athletics champ from Agali doing odd jobs for a living
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Geosciences, School of
GeoSciences PhD thesis and dissertation collection
Assessing uncertainty in models of the ocean carbon cycle
Scott2010.pdf (6.872Mb)
Scott, Vivian
In this thesis I explore the effect of parameter uncertainty in ocean biogeochemical models on the calculation of carbon uptake by the ocean. The ocean currently absorbs around a quarter of the annual anthropogenic CO2 emissions to the atmosphere [Scholes et al., 2009], slowing the increase in radiative forcing associated with the increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration. Ocean biogeochemical models have been developed to study the role of the ocean ecosystem in this process. Such models consist of a greatly simplified representation of the hugely complex ocean ecosystem. This simplification requires extensive parameterisation of the biological processes that convert inorganic carbon to and from organic carbon in the ocean. The HadOCC ocean biogeochemical model is a Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton-Detritus (NPZD) model that is used to represent the role of the ocean ecosystem in the global carbon cycle in the HadCM3 and FAMOUS GCMs. HadOCC uses twenty parameters to control the processes of biological growth, mortality, grazing and detrital sinking that control the uptake and cycling of carbon in the ocean ecosystem. These parameters represent highly complex and in some cases incompletely understood biological processes, and as a result are uncertain in value. A sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the HadOCC parameters that due to uncertainty in value have the greatest possible effect on the exchange of CO2 between the atmosphere and the ocean—the air-sea CO2 flux. These are found to be the parameters that control phytoplankton growth in the well lit surface ocean, the formation of carbonate by marine organisms and the sinking of biological detritus. The uncertainty in these parameters is found to cause changes to the air-sea CO2 flux calculated by the FAMOUS GCM. The initial effect of these changes is equivalent to the order of the error of current estimates of the net annual carbon uptake by the ocean (2.2 ± 0.3 Pg C y−1 [Gruber et al., 2009], 2.2 ± 0.5 Pg C y−1 [Denman et al., 2007]). This indicates that while the effect of ocean biogeochemical parameter uncertainty is non-negligible, it is within the bounds of the uncertainty of the total (inorganic and organic) ocean carbon system, and is considerably less than the uncertainty in the carbon uptake of the terrestrial biosphere [Houghton, 2007]. However, as the ocean plays a crucial role in the global carbon cycle and the regulation of the Earth’s climate, further understanding and better modelling of the role of the ocean ecosystem in the global carbon cycle and its reaction to anthropogenic climate forcing remains important.
Modelling the diurnal-variation of sea surface temperature using a one-dimensional ocean turbulence model
Hallsworth, Stephen (The University of Edinburgh, 2005)
Modelling ocean circulation processes in the MIT general circulation model using nen
Barnshaw, Heather E (24/09/2007)
Previous work by Reitsma and Albrecht (2005, 2006) and Reitsma and Dubayah (2006) documented the development and implementation of a new process-based data model, called nen. This paper extends that work by applying the ...
Dynamical method for assimilation of altimeter data into ocean models
Cooper, Michael (The University of Edinburgh, 1995)
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Interim Business Change and Transformation Services
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Tag Archives: Goldman Sachs promotions
Change Practitioner of the Month – November 2015
Posted on December 6, 2015 by Facilitate4me
There is no doubt that the working environment has changed inexplicably in the last 30 years or so, with business actively seeking to address big issues such as flexible working and increased diversity within the workplace. This month Facilitate4Me rewards a world-renowned company for its efforts to address one of the most contentious issues within the working environment…the issue of gender equality.
The Facilitate4Me Change Practitioner of the Month for November goes to… Goldman Sachs!
Goldman Sachs is an international investment banking firm, offering services in asset management, securities and commercial banking, amongst other things. The world-famous bank is one of the most prestigious, with some of its former executives having gone on to serve in government positions, including Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, and Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister of Australia.
The investment banking sector is notorious for its isolating, macho perception of an ‘old boys club’. Its gruelling long hours has always made it difficult for female bankers to climb up the corporate ladder. As such, the most senior level roles are often occupied by men. But Goldman Sachs seems to be actively trying to readdress this balance, recently promoting a record number of women to the positions of Managing Directors. Of the 109 European employees recently promoted to the level of MD, just one rung down from partner, 30 were women (27.5%). Two years ago this was only 16%.
So What? Is having more women in senior leadership better for business?
The answer is YES…..for the following reasons
The business world and future generations need positive role models
The importance of having female MDs and other senior female employees in order to inspire the future generation, cannot be understated.
When Lia Larson, one of the recently promoted Managing Directors, joined the bank in 2005 as an analyst, there was just one female vice-president in investment banking for her to look up to. “I used to watch everything she did’, says the MD. “What she wore, how she acted, how she was with clients. That was the only example I had”.
The sad part of this is that we are talking 2005 (barely 10 years ago), in a developed society and not 1805!
Visible women leaders gently challenge our underground perceptions.
The banking environment, like most male dominated environments, is a tough one, particularly for women who may face sexist attitudes that can make them feel like they don’t belong. Though trading is and has always been perceived as a male bastion, there are positive signs of a shift in gender perceptions. This, according to another female MD, is largely thanks to female traders going to university careers fairs. Shrut Kalra believes that the increasing visibility of female bankers at such events is a powerful tool to encourage female students seeking to go into the banking industry of their capability to do so. “This is dramatically changing the perception that traders should be big, macho men’, she says. “No one says, ‘That’s a man’s job’, which is a big switch from 10 years ago. Is it a bit macho? Yes, probably, but that’s not to say women don’t fit it”.
Women leaders reverse the talent drain
It is widely accepted that diversity (in all its forms) facilitates better decision making and better businesses. The lack of women in senior roles has continued to be the subject of contention, particularly for those who want to start a family. Whilst it is widely recognised and accepted that some women simply do not wish to pursue a senior level role, there is no doubt that some women often find it difficult to reconcile the desire to progress professionally with the demands of raising a family. Long, unsociable hours, a highly pressurised environment and time off work for maternity leave often means women have to sacrifice career progression in favour of having a family, a sacrifice that men incidentally do not have to make.
Goldman Sachs has attempts to fix this problem. As part of their strategy to offer everything a person would need in a single building, they have a crèche in their basement, and staff receive 20 days per year of free childcare for children up to the age of 12. In addition the company offers an on-site doctor, dentist, dry-cleaner and gym. The thinking behind housing such services presumably is to provide a helping hand to parents (particularly women) who must balance a highly-demanding job with the necessities of daily (family) life. Latifa Tefridj-Gaillard, an MD working in equities and returning from her second maternity leave, has certainly found the crèche particularly useful. “To have your child on site just make it so much easier. The staff will go out of their way to find you if there’s an emergency”.
The world is changing. The economic, social and global challenges are changing and mutating and to quote Einstein, “we cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them”. As women make up 50% of the world population, we cannot afford to blindly endorse or create conditions for the shameful disregard of such vital (women) resources. Goldman Sachs has thrown down the gauntlet and
has made some vital strides towards enabling more women to contribute at the top of the corporate ladder. How soon before other industries start to look beyond their noses and implement practical changes to do the same?
Well done Goldman Sachs. Well done ladies!
Ebony is a legal secretary and a 2:1 law graduate. She has a passion for law and sports, and writes her own sports blog at ebonylovessports.blogspot.co.uk.
About Audrey Ezekwesili
Audrey Ezekwesili is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management and a Business Change Management registered Practitioner with over 20 years corporate experience from public and private sectors. She is the author of the books "Developing People - Top 10 tips for New and Middle Managers" and "Behind Every Successful Woman is...the good, the bad and the mundane that women navigate through to succeed" She is a Change and Transformation Director at Facilitate4Me.
(c) Facilitate4Me
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Last Judgment
religious term
(Redirected from Doomsday)
Last Judgment or Judgment Day is the final and eternal judgment by God of every person or society, a concept found in all Abrahamic religions, and elsewhere in faiths like Zoroastrianism and the Ancient Egyptian religious traditions about the Duat.
When, O crowned Jesus; when, O loving Saviour; when, O patient and just Judge — when wilt Thou come forth from Thy hiding, and change tears to smiles, and groans to joys? ~ Henry Ward Beecher
Kill not the Moth nor Butterfly,
For the Last Judgement draweth nigh. ~ William Blake
I have not judged with undue haste. ~ 42 Confessions to the Goddess Maat in the Papyrus of Ani
Alphabetized by author or source
Glorious transformation! glorious translation! I seem already to behold the wondrous scene. ~ Henry Melvill
I warrant you, if he danced till doomsday, he thought I was to pay the piper.
This well may be
The Day of Judgment which the world awaits;
But be it so or not, I only know
My present duty, and my Lord's command
To occupy till He come. ~ Abraham Davenport, as portrayed by John Greenleaf Whittier
With all reverence, I would say, let God do His work, we will see to ours. Bring in the candles. ~ Abraham Davenport, as portrayed by John Greenleaf Whittier
Extenuating circumstance to be mentioned on Judgment Day: We never asked to be born in the first place. ~ Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Those who have deprived themselves of this Resurrection by reason of their mutual hatreds or by regarding themselves to be in the right and others in the wrong, were chastised on the Day of Resurrection by reason of such hatreds evinced during their night. Thus they deprived themselves of beholding the countenance of God, and this for no other reason than mutual denunciations.
The Báb, in the Kitáb-I-Asmá (The Book of Names), XVI, 19.
When, O crowned Jesus; when, O loving Saviour; when, O patient and just Judge — when wilt Thou come forth from Thy hiding, and change tears to smiles, and groans to joys? When shall that choral song burst forth, sweeping through the air, and circling about Thy throne, which shall proclaim the redemption of the world to the Lord God?
Henry Ward Beecher, as reported in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895) by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, p. 410.
Day of judgement, god is calling
on their knees the war pigs crawling.
Begging mercy for their sins,
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings...Oh lord, yeah!
Black Sabbath War Pigs Paranoid written by Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward
For the Last Judgement draweth nigh.
William Blake, "Auguries of Innocence" (ca. 1803).
But this we may positively state, that nobody has made any progress in the school of Christ unless he cheerfully looks forward to the day of his death and to the day of the final resurrection.
John Calvin, Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life, Page 78.
N'attendez pas le Jugement dernier. Il a lieu tous les jours.
Do not wait for the Last Judgment. It takes place every day.
Albert Camus, The Fall (1956)
Variant translations:
Do not await the last Judgement. It takes place everyday.
You needn't await the Final Judgment. It takes place every day.
I shall tell you a great secret, my friend. Do not wait for the Last Judgment. It takes place every day.
Cependant la terre chancelle sur ses bases, la lune se couvre d'un voile sanglant, les astres pendent à demi détachés de leur voûte: l'agonie du monde commence. Tout à coup l'heure fatale vient à frapper; Dieu suspend les flots de la création, et le monde a passé comme un fleuve tari.
Alors se fait entendre la trompette de l'ange du jugement; il crie: Morts, levez-vous! Surgite, mortui! Les sépulcres se fendent, le genre humain sort du tombeau, et les races s'assemblent dans Josaphat.
Le Fils de l'homme apparaît sur les nuées; les puissances de l'enfer remontent du fond de l'abîme pour assister au dernier arrêt prononcé sur les siècles; les boucs et les brebis sont séparés, les méchants s'enfoncent dans le gouffre, les justes montent dans les cieux; Dieu rentre dans son repos, et partout règne l'éternité.
Meanwhile the globe begins to tremble on its axis; the moon is covered with a bloody veil, the threatening stars hang half detached from the vault of heaven, and the agony of the world commences. Then, all at once, the fatal hour strikes; God suspends the movements of the creation, and the earth has passed away like an exhausted river.
Now resounds the trumpet of the angel of judgment; and the cry is heard, "Arise, ye dead!" The sepulchres burst open with a terrific noise, the human race issues all at once from the tomb, and the assembled multitudes fill the valley of Jehoshaphat.
Behold, the Son of Man appears in the clouds; the powers of hell ascend from the depths of the abyss to witness the last judgment pronounced upon the ages; the goats are separated from the sheep, the wicked are plunged into the gulf, the just ascend triumphantly to heaven, God returns to His repose, and the reign of eternity commences.
François-René de Chateaubriand, Le génie du Christianisme (1802), trans. Frederic Shoberl, part VI, book VII: Le dernier jugement.
William Congreve, Love for Love (1695), Act II, scene ii.
These predictions of gloom and doom are largely the product of fear-mongering by all and sundry when they are not the deliberate creations of those nefarious forces who seek always to keep humanity enthralled. There will indeed be climatic change, upheaval and difficulties in many parts of the world, but not the exaggerated portents of catastrophe and disaster. It would almost seem that we cannot get enough of disaster to satisfy the emotional requirements of some people. The media play a huge part in the dissemination of this catastrophe syndrome by their sensational reportage. It must be good for the sale of newspapers and magazines. Change is always difficult for people, whether it is small changes or large changes. Changes of the kind which are transforming the world are particularly frightening for many people...
Maitreya said: “Have no fear. The end is known from the beginning. All will be well. All manner of things will be well.”
Benjamin Creme in The Awakening of Humanity (2008)
I am against an adjournment. The day of judgment is either approaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause of an adjournment: if it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. I wish therefore that candles may be brought.
Abraham Davenport, in a response to a call for adjourning the Connecticut State Council on New England's Dark Day (19 May 1780), because of fears that the deep darkness might be a sign that the Last Judgment was approaching, as quoted by Timothy Dwight, Connecticut Historical Collectons 2d ed (1836) compiled by John Warner Barber, p. 403.
Dies iræ, dies illa
Solvet sæclum in favilla
Teste David cum Sibylla
Day of wrath! O day of mourning!
See fulfilled the prophets' warning,
Heaven and earth in ashes burning!
Dies Irae, 13th century, traditionally attributed to Thomas of Celano; trans. William Josiah Irons (1849).
Now shall the promises made to Christ by God the Father before the foundation of the world, the promises of the covenant of redemption, be fully accomplished. Christ shall now have perfectly obtained the joy set before Him, for which He undertook those great sufferings in His state of humiliation. Now shall all the hopes and expectations of the saints be fulfilled. The state of the church before was progressive and preparatory; but now she is arrived at her most perfect state of glory. All the glory of the church on earth is but a faint shadow of this her consummate glory in heaven.
Jonathan Edwards, A History of the Work of Redemption including a View of Church History (1839).
Winds, storms, tempests, thunders, lightnings, raging flames, dissolving elements, the archangel's trump smiting the silence of the tomb, the universal air blazing with disastrous splendors, "the tribes of the earth mourning and beating their breasts," the wicked calling on rocks and hills to fall upon them and cover them, the shouts of the saved, the howlings of the damned — all, all will then utter one voice, all will pierce our very souls with their tones; all will repeat these words, "God alone is great, and God's salvation alone deserved the cares, toils, sacrifices of an immortal spirit."
Richard Fuller, reported in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895) by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, p. 359.
We are all approaching that dread tribunal. However diversified our paths, they all converge toward that common centre. The young, with their elastic tread, are striding to the judgment; the old, with their tottering limbs are creeping to the judgment; the rich in their splendid equipages are driving to the judgment; the poor, in rags and barefooted, are walking to the judgment. The Christian making God's statutes his song, is a pilgrim to the judgment; the sinner, treading upon the mercy of Jesus, and trampling upon His blood, is hastening to the judgment. "We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ."
Standing on my watch-tower I am commanded, if I see aught of evil coming, to give warning. I solemnly declare that I do discern evil approaching; I see a storm collecting in the heavens; I discover the commotion of the troubled elements; I hear the roar of a distant wind — heaven and earth seem mingled in the conflict — and I cry to those for whom I watch, " A storm! A storm! Get you into the ark or you are swept away." Oh! what is it I see? I see a world convulsed and falling to ruins — the sea burning like oil —nations rising from under ground — the sun falling — the damned in chains before the bar, and some of my poor hearers among them! I see them cast from the battlements of the judgment scene. My God! the eternal pit has closed upon them forever!
Edward Dorr Griffin, Sermons, vol. II (1839), sermon XXXIX: "The Watchman".
For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Epistle of James 2:13, NKJV
There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?
Not every one that saith unto Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works?” And then will I profess unto them, “I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.”
Jesus, in Matthew 7:21-23
The deeds we do, the words we say,
Into still air they seem to fleet;
We count them ever past;
But they shall last —
In the dread judgment they
And we shall meet.
John Keble, "Early Warnings," from Lyra Innocentium (1846).
Certe adveniente die judicii, non quæretur a nobis quid legimus, sed quid fecimus; nec quam bene diximus, sed quam religiose viximus.
At the Day of Judgement we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done; not how well we have spoken, but how holy we have lived.
Thomas à Kempis, Imitation of Christ (c. 1418), Book I, ch. 3.
When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of his glory: And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And He shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in; naked, and ye clothed Me; I was sick, and ye visited Me; I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.” Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, “Lord, when saw we Thee hungry, and fed Thee? Or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? Or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee?” And the King shall answer and say unto them, “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and ye gave Me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in; naked, and ye clothed Me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not.” Then shall they also answer Him, saying, “Lord, when saw we Thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee?” Then shall He answer them, saying, “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me.” And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Glorious transformation! glorious translation! I seem already to behold the wondrous scene. The sea and the land have given up their dead! the quickened myriads have been judged according to their works. And now, an innumerable company, out of all nations and tribes and tongues, ascend with the Mediator towards the kingdom of His Father. Can it be that these, who were born children of earth, who were long enemies to God by wicked works, are to enter the bright scenes of paradise? Yes, He who leads them has washed them in His blood; He who leads them has sanctified them by His Spirit.
Henry Melvill, Sermons 1833-8, vol. II (1870), sermon VII: "The Ascension of Christ".
Then, when the glorious end,
The day of God shall come,
The angel reapers shall descend,
And heaven sing, "Harvest-home!"
James Montgomery, "The Field of the World" (1832), from Original Hymns (1853).
Avoid cruelty and injustice for, on the Day of Judgment, the same will turn into several darknesses; and guard yourselves against miserliness; for this has ruined nations who lived before you.
Muhammed, Riyadh-us-Salaheen, Hadith 203.
The ink of scholars is weighed on the Day of Judgement with the blood of martyrs and the ink of scholars out-weighs the blood of martyrs.
Muhammad, as quoted in Al-Jaami' al-Saghîr by Imam al-Suyuti, where it is declared a "weak Hadith".
I have not shut my ears to the words of truth.
I have not blasphemed.
I am not a man of violence.
I am not a stirrer up of strife.
I have not judged with undue haste.
I have not pried into matters.
I have not multiplied my words in speaking.
I have wronged none, I have done no evil.
Confessions 26 - 33 of the 42 Confessions to the Goddess Maat in the Papyrus of Ani (c. 1240 BC).
Oh, on that day, that wrathful day,
When man to judgment wakes from clay.
Be Thou, O Christ, the sinner's stay,
Though heaven and earth shall pass away.
Walter Scott, The Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805), canto VI, stanza 31.
Oh, remember that as certain as the historical fact,— He died on Calvary; so certain is the prophetic fact, He shall reign, and you and I will stand there. I durst not touch that subject. Take it into your own hearts, and think about it,— a kingdom, a judgment-seat, a crown, a gathered universe; separation, decision, execution of the sentence.
Alexander Maclaren, Sermons Preached in Union Chapel, Manchester (1859), sermon XIII: "The Dying Thief".
We should not hold on so strongly to those who are going to leave us some day anyway. We should not feel excessive attachment for them. We have to keep it in moderation. But there is One who will never leave us, One who will never perish. God will never leave us, not in the kingdom of heaven, nor in the kingdom of hell, nor in this world. And since judgment is in His hands, He is the only attachment we must have. If we hold on to only that one attachment, then we will have joy throughout our lives and even at the time of death. On Judgment Day we will know that joy, because we will be with Him.
Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, Questions of Life Answers of Wisdom (2001), Vol. 1.
In the ailments of the body there are sundry differences, some admitting of an easier, others requiring a more difficult treatment. In these last the use of the knife, or cauteries, or draughts of bitter medicines are adopted to remove the disease that has attacked the body. For the healing of the soul’s sicknesses the future judgment announces something of the same kind, and this to the thoughtless sort is held out as the threat of a terrible correction, in order that through fear of this painful retribution they may gain the wisdom of fleeing from wickedness: while by those of more intelligence it is believed to be a remedial process ordered by God to bring back man, His peculiar creature, to the grace of his primal condition.
St. Gregory of Nyssa, The Great Catechism, Chapter VIII.
"Judgement day," he said in a mocking voice. "Ain't no judgement day, old man. Cept this. Maybe this here judgement day for you."
Flannery O'Connor, "Judgement Day," Everything That Rises Must Converge (1965).
Surely they think it to be far off, and We see it nigh: on the day when the heaven shall be as molten copper, and the mountains shall be as tufts of wool, and friend shall not ask of friend (though) they shall be made to see each other.
Qur'an, Sura 70:6-11.
Wearily have the years passed, I know; wearily to the pale watcher on the hill who has been so long gazing for the daybreak; wearily to the anxious multitudes who have been waiting for his tidings below. Often has the cry gone up through the darkness, "Watcher, what of the night?" and often has the disappointing answer come, "It is night still; here the stars are clear above me, but they shine afar, and yonder the clouds lower heavily, and the sad night winds blow." But the time shall come, and perhaps sooner than we look for it, when the countenance of that pale watcher shall gather into intenser expectancy, and when the challenge shall be given, with the hopefulness of a nearer vision, "Watcher, what of the night?" and the answer will come," The darkness is not so dense as it was; there are faint streaks on the horizon's verge; mist is in the valleys, but there is a radiance on the distant hill. It comes nearer — that promise of the day. The clouds roll rapidly away, and they are fringed with amber and gold. It is, it is the blest sunlight that I feel around me — Morning! It is Morning!"
William Morley Punshon, reported in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895) by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, p. 410.
When the sun is overthrown, and when the stars fall, and when the camels big with young are abandoned, and when the wild beasts are herded together, and when the seas rise, and when souls are reunited, and when the girl-child that was buried alive is asked for what sin she was slain, and when the pages are laid open, and when the sky is torn away, and when hell is lighted, and when the Garden is brought nigh, (then) every soul will know what it hath made ready.
When the Judgment Day comes civilization will have an alibi, "I never took a human life, I only sold the fellow the gun to take it with."
Will Rogers, as quoted in The Quotable Will Rogers (2006) by Joseph H. Carter.
“When you see a slave woman giving birth to her master-that is one sign; when you see barefooted, naked, deaf and dumb as the rulers of the earth-that is one of the signs of Doom. And when you see the shepherds of the black camels exult in buildings-that is one of the signs of Doom” (6).
The Meaning of the Last Judgement. The Last Judgement is one of the greatest threat concepts in man’s perception. This is only because he does not understand it. Judgement is not an essential attribute of God. Man brought judgement into being only because of the separation. After the separation, however, there was a place for judgement as one of the many learning devices which had to be built into the overall plan.
Just as the separation occurred over many millions of years, the Last Judgement will extend over a similarly long period, and perhaps an even longer one. Its length depends, however, on the effectiveness of the present speed-up. We have frequently noted that the miracle is a device for shortening but not abolishing time. If a sufficient number of people become truly miracle-minded quickly, the shortening process can be almost immeasurable. It is essential, however, that these individuals free themselves from fear sooner than would ordinarily be the case, because they must emerge from the conflict if they are to bring peace to other minds. p. 42
Helen Schucman in A Course in Miracles, (1976)
The Last Judgement is generally thought of as a procedure undertaken by God. Actually it will be undertaken by man, with my help. It is a Final Healing, rather than a meting out of punishment, however much man may think that punishment is deserved. Punishment is a concept in total opposition to right-mindedness. The aim of the Last Judgement is to restore right-mindedness to man.
The Last Judgement might be called a process of right evaluation. It simply means that finally all men will come to understand what is worthy and what is not. After this, their ability to choose can be directed reasonably. Until this distinction is made, however, the vacillations between free and imprisoned will cannot but continue. The first step toward freedom MUST entail a sorting out of the false from the true. This is a process of division only in the constructive sense, and reflects the true meaning of the Apocalypse. Man will ultimately look upon his own creations and will to preserve only what is good, just as God Himself looked upon what He had created and knew that it WAS good. p. 43
The term “Last Judgement” is frightening not only because it has been falsely projected onto God, but also because of the association of “last” with death. This is an outstanding example of upside-down perception. Actually, if the meaning of the Last Judgement is objectively examined, it is quite apparent that it is really the doorway to life.
No-one who lives in fear is really alive. His own last judgement cannot be directed toward himself because he is not his own creation. He can, however, apply it meaningfully and at any time to everything he has created, and retain in his memory only what is good. This is what his right-mindedness cannot but dictate. The purpose of time is solely to “give him time” to achieve this judgement. It is his own perfect judgement of his own creations. When everything he retains is loveable, there IS no reason for fear to remain with him. This is his part in the Atonement. p 44
That last day of judgment, with its everlasting issues; that day unlooked for by the nations, the theme of their derision, when the world hoary with age, and all its many products, shall be consumed in one great flame! How vast a spectacle then bursts upon the eye! What there excites my admiration? What my derision? Which sight gives me joy? Which rouses me to exultation? — as I see so many illustrious monarchs, whose reception into the heavens was publicly announced, groaning now in the lowest darkness with great Jove himself, and those, too, who bore witness of their exultation; governors of provinces, too, who persecuted the Christian name, in fires more fierce than those with which in the days of their pride they raged against the followers of Christ. What world's wise men besides, the very philosophers, in fact, who taught their followers that God had no concern in ought that is sublunary, and were wont to assure them that either they had no souls, or that they would never return to the bodies which at death they had left, now covered with shame before the poor deluded ones, as one fire consumes them! Poets also, trembling not before the judgment-seat of Rhadamanthus or Minos, but of the unexpected Christ! I shall have a better opportunity then of hearing the tragedians, louder-voiced in their own calamity; of viewing the play-actors, much more dissolute in the dissolving flame; of looking upon the charioteer, all glowing in his chariot of fire; of beholding the wrestlers, not in their gymnasia, but tossing in the fiery billows... What quæstor or priest in his munificence will bestow on you the favour of seeing and exulting in such things as these? And yet even now we in a measure have them by faith in the picturings of imagination.
Tertullian, The Shows, Chapter 30
Extenuating circumstance to be mentioned on Judgment Day: We never asked to be born in the first place.
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., in Timequake.
"It is the Lord's Great Day! Let us adjourn,"
Some said; and then, as if with one accord,
All eyes were turned to Abraham Davenport.
He rose, slow cleaving with his steady voice
The intolerable hush. "This well may be
To occupy till He come. So at the post
Where He hath set me in His providence,
I choose, for one, to meet Him face to face, —
No faithless servant frightened from my task,
But ready when the Lord of the harvest calls;
And therefore, with all reverence, I would say,
Let God do His work, we will see to ours.
Bring in the candles." And they brought them in.
John Greenleaf Whittier in his poem "Abraham Davenport" first published in The Atlantic Monthly (May 1866); later published in The Tent on the Beach, and Other Poems (1867).
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
Are full of passionate intensity.
William Butler Yeats, "The Second Coming", lines 1–8, in ed. Peter Allt and Russell K. Alspach, The Variorum Edition of the Poems of W. B. Yeats (1957), pp. 401–2.
Due to the lack of experienced trumpeters, the end of the world has been postponed for three weeks.
Author unknown; found on a handmade cardboard sign hung in the United States Capitol, House Rules Committee chambers, c. 1970. Photocopies of this sentence have appeared on the walls of other work areas in the Capitol. Reported in Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations (1989).
The world must be coming to an end. Children no longer obey their parents and every man wants to write a book.
Author unknown, attributed (perhaps spuriously) to the writing on a tablet, unearthed not far from Babylon and dated back to 2800 B.C.; reported in Leewin B. Williams, Encyclopedia of Wit, Humor and Wisdom (1949), p. 299. Reported in an expanded version as "Our earth is degenerate in these latter days; there are signs that the world is speedily coming to an end; bribery and corruption are common; children no longer obey their parents; every man wants to write a book and the end of the world is evidently approaching", attributed to an Assyrian stone tablet of about 2800 B.C., reported in William L. Patty and Louise S. Johnson, Personality and Adjustment (1953), p. 277. Possibly related to Ecclesiastes 12:12, "of making many books there is no end".
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fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the entirety of the individual or society's knowledge and point of view
A world view (or worldview) is the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the entirety of the individual or society's knowledge and point-of-view, including natural philosophy; fundamental, existential, and normative postulates; or themes, values, emotions, and ethics.
Man's general way of thinking of the totality, i.e. his general world view, is crucial for overall order of the human mind itself.
- David Bohm (1980)
AEdit
Every culture has a shared pattern of thinking. It is the cement that holds a culture together, gives it unity. A culture's characteristic way of thinking is imbedded in its concept of the nature of reality, its world view.
Russell L. Ackoff (1999) Re-Creating the Corporation, p. 4.
A change of world view not only brings about profound cultural changes, but also is responsible for what historians call a "change of age." An age is a period of time in which the prevailing world view has remained relatively unchanged.
World views, as related to the sciences, ethics, arts, politics and religions, are integral parts of all cultures. They have a strongly motivating and inspiring function. A socially shared view of the whole gives a culture a sense of direction, confidence and self-esteem. Moreover, interactions between cultures change constantly.
Diederick Aerts, Leo Apostel, Bart De Moor, Staff Hellemans, Edel Maex, Hubert Van Belle & Jan Van der Veken (1994) World views. From Fragmentation to Integration. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, VUB Press. p. 8.
A world view is a coherent collection of concepts and theorems that must allow us to construct a global image of the world, and in this way to understand as many elements of our experience as possible.
Societies, as well as individuals, have always contemplated deep questions relating to their being and becoming, and to the being and becoming of the world. The configuration of answers to these questions forms their world view. Research on world views, although we are convinced of its practical value and necessity, will always be primarily an expression of a theoretical interest. It reflects the unlimited openness of the human mind to reality as a whole. Even if this research would not appear to be of any immediate value or necessity – quod non – we still should promote and encourage it energetically, because it also expresses the most unselfish striving of humanity “the desire to know,” a property of “Homo sapiens sapiens.”
Diederick Aerts et al. (1994) World views. From Fragmentation to Integration. p. 8.
A world view is a system of co-ordinates or a frame of reference in which everything presented to us by our diverse experiences can be placed. It is a symbolic system of representation that allows us to integrate everything we know about the world and ourselves into a global picture, one that illuminates reality as it is presented to us within a certain culture.
By spreading logical culture, we prepare the foundation for a scientific world-view and by doing this we enable development.
Kazimierz Ajdukiewicz, (1985b, 142), as cited in: Dariusz Łukasiewicz, "Kazimierz Ajdukiewicz on the concept of the world-view and the rationality of religious beliefs." Studies in East European Thought 68.1 (2016): 85-99.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
Louis Armstrong What a Wonderful World
BEdit
Clancy's got a very simple view of the world. Good versus evil. Evil seems to get the upper hand. Good triumphs with vastly superior automatic weapons!
Bill Bailey, as quoted in "Spooks, Kooks, Spies and Lies" by Les Marcott in Scene4 Magazine (May 2007).
Systems philosophy brings forth a reorganization of ways of thinking. It creates a new worldview, a new paradigm of perception and explanation, which is manifested in integration, holistic thinking, purpose-seeking, mutual causality, and process-focused inquiry.
Béla H. Bánáthy (1991) Systems design of education. p. 31-32.
There are apartments in the soul which have a glorious out-look; from whose windows you can see across the river of death, and into the shining city beyond; but how often are these neglected for the lower ones, which have earthward-looking windows!
Henry Ward Beecher, Life Thoughts (1858), p. 16.
No one, who knows what the difficulties are, now believes that the crisis of physics is likely to be resolved by any simple trick or modification of existing theories. Something radical is needed, and it will have to go far wider than physics. A new world outlook is being forged, but much experiment and argument will be needed before it can take a definitive form. It must be coherent, it must include and illuminate the new knowledge of fundamental particles and their complex fields, it must resolve the paradoxes of wave and particle, it must make the world inside the atom and the wide spaces of the universe equally intelligible. It must have a different dimension from all previous world views, and include in itself an explanation of development and the origin of new things. In this it will fall naturally in line with the converging tendencies of the biological and social sciences in which a regular pattern blends with their evolutionary history.
John Desmond Bernal (1959/1969) Science in history Vol 3. p. 862; cited in: Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1968) General System Theory. p. 5-6.
Man's general way of thinking of the totality, i.e. his general world view, is crucial for overall order of the human mind itself. If he thinks of the totality as constituted of independent fragments, then that is how his mind will tend to operate, but if he can include everything coherently and harmoniously in an overall whole that is undivided, unbroken and without border (for every border is a division or break) then his mind will tend to move in a similar way, and from this will flow an orderly action within the whole.
David Bohm (1980) Wholeness and the Implicate Order.
I think the reason I choose the comic approach so often is because it's harder, therefore affording me the opportunity to show off. Also, a comic vision is my natural world view, but I've grown up in spite of myself and I can pass the comic twist if it detracts from what the characters need. Yes, the life of a saint is hard.
Rita Mae Brown (1989) Starting from Scratch.
Reader and author alike have their own personal preferences, but what is important to the next world-view and way of thinking is accommodating to the still-widespread longing to believe in a "supreme being" while at the same time, not adopting anything which can disturb natural order and natural cause...
Charles Brough (2006) Untwisting the Social Sciences p. 142.
If physics leads us today to a world view which is essentially mystical, it returns, in a way, to its beginning, 2,500 years ago. [...] This time, however, it is not only based on intuition, but also on experiments of great precision and sophistication, and on a rigorous and consistent mathematical formalism.
Fritjof Capra (1975) The Tao of Physics. Ch. 1, Modern Physics, p. 19.
While the new physics was developing in the twentieth century, the mechanistic Cartesian world view and the principles of Newtonian physics maintained their strong influence on Western scientific thinking, and even today many scientists still hold to the mechanistic paradigm, although physicists themselves have gone beyond it.
Fritjof Capra (1975) The Tao of Physics. p. 93.
The new paradigm may be called a holistic world view, seeing the world as an integrated whole rather than a dissociated collection of parts. It may also be called an ecological view, if the term "ecological" is used in a much broader and deeper sense than usual. Deep ecological awareness recognizes the fundamental interdependence of all phenomena and the fact that, as individuals and societies we are all embedded in (and ultimately dependent on) the cyclical process of nature.
Fritjof Capra, Gunter A. Pauli (1995) Steering business toward sustainability. p. 3.
Let me start a different/ analysis by recalling an idea from Max Weber. He characterized cultural modernity as the separation of the substantive reason expressed in religion and metaphysics into three autonomous spheres. They are science, morality and art. These came to be differentiated because the unified world-views of religion and metaphysics fell apart. Since the 18th century, the problems inherited from these older world-views could be arranged so as to fall under specific aspects of validity: truth, normative rightness, authenticity and beauty. They could then be handled as questions of knowledge, or of justice and morality, or of taste. Scientific discourse, theories of morality, Jurisprudence, and the production and criticism of art could in turn be institutionalized...
Manuel Castells (1983) Modernity — An Incomplete Project.
Putting the right book in the right kid’s hands is kind of like giving that kid superpowers. Because one book leads to the next book and the next book and the next book and that is how a world-view grows. That is how you nourish thought.
Cecil Castellucci, “Better to Light a Candle than to Curse the Darkness” on the LA Review of Books blog
The systems approach goes on to discovering that every world-view is terribly restricted.
C. West Churchman (1970) cited in: Michael C. Jackson ( 1992) Systems Methodology for the Management Sciences. p. 137.
It is not easy to see how the more extreme forms of nationalism can long survive when men have seen the Earth in its true perspective as a single small globe against the stars.
Arthur C. Clarke, The Exploration of Space (1951), p. 187
It has been argued from world view theory that fundamental beliefs about the world exert a powerful influence on how sense is made of events in the world. However, the nature of that influence has remained enigmatic. Hannah Arendt's distinction between thinking and comprehension, and knowing and apprehension provides a clarification. Thinking is the epistemological path to conceptual comprehension. Knowing is the metaphysical path to apprehension - to the acceptance of a concept as true or valid. Comprehension does not necessitate apprehension. One may reject a fully understood concept.
William W. Cobern (1993) "World View, Metaphysics, and Epistemology". p. 2.
DEdit
What is interesting about the scientific world view is that it is true, inspiring, remarkable and that it unites a whole lot of phenomena under a single heading.
Richard Dawkins in: Kam Patel (1995-04-28). "Going the whole hog". Times Higher Education.
[Though computer science is a fairly new discipline, it is predominantly based on the Cartesian world view. As Edsgar W. Dijkstra has pointed out] A scientific discipline emerges with the - usually rather slow! - discovery of which aspects can be meaningfully 'studied in isolation for the sake of their own consistency.
Edsger W. Dijkstra (1982) as cited in: Douglas Schuler, Douglas Schuler Jonathan Jacky (1989) Directions and Implications of Advanced Computing, 1987. Vol 1, p. 84.
Asked where he came from, he said, "I am a citizen of the world."
Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 63
How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it. But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people — first of all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent, and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy...
Albert Einstein (1931) Mein Weltbild (My World-view).
FEdit
A scientist, an artist, a citizen is not like a child who needs papa methodology and mama rationality to give him security and direction, he can take care of himself, for he is the inventor not only of laws, theories, pictures, plays, forms of music, ways of dealing with his fellow man, institutions, but also entire world view, he is the inventor of entire forms of like.
Paul Karl Feyerabend (1978) Science in a Free Society.
We have always had a great deal of difficulty understanding the world view that quantum mechanics represents. At least I do, because I'm an old enough man that I haven't got to the point that this stuff is obvious to me. Okay, I still get nervous with it.... You know how it always is, every new idea, it takes a generation or two until it becomes obvious that there's no real problem. I cannot define the real problem, therefore I suspect there's no real problem, but I'm not sure there's no real problem.
Richard Feynman, in Simulating Physics with Computers appearing in International Journal of Theoretical Physics (1982) p. 471.
Conceptions of control refer to understandings that structure perceptions of how a market works and that allow actors to interpret their world and act to control situations. A conception of control is simultaneously a worldview that allows actors to interpret the actions of others and a reflection of how the market is structured. Conceptions of control reflect market-specific agreements between actors in firms on principles of internal organization (i.e., forms of hierarchy), tactics for competition or cooperation, and the hierarchy or status ordering of firms in a given market. The state must ratify, help to create, or at the very least, not oppose a conception of control.
Neil Fligstein, "Markets as politics: A political-cultural approach to market institutions." American sociological review (1996). p. 658
One has to stress once again, that the mechanical world view and psychophysical interpretation accompanying it are based not on the instructions of the philosophizing mind, but on the clear and accurate facts discovered by experiment and observation; and in the cases of noncorrespondence (very rare, fortunately) between the requirements of the mind and the facts, reason must adjust to the facts, and not vice versa.
Yakov Frenkel (1894 -1953) as quoted Viktor Yakovlevich Frenkel (1996). Yakov Ilich Frenkel: his work, life, and letters. Birkhäuser. pp. 25-26. ISBN 3764327413.
Ninety percent of [contemporary philosophers] see their principle task as that of beating religion out of men's heads. … We are far from being able to provide scientific basis for the theological world view.
Kurt Gödel in "Logical Dilemmas: The Life and Work of Kurt Gödel" by John W. Dawson Jr.
Especially now when views are becoming more polarized, we must work to understand each other across political, religious and national boundaries.
Jane Goodall reported in Elizabeth LeReverend, "The Irrepressible Dr. Jane Goodall", Verge Magazine (2010).
Might there not be a connection between the attempt to eradicate religion and the loss of freedom? It is unlikely that Mao, who launched his assault on the people and culture of Tibet with the slogan "Religion is poison," would have agreed that his atheist world-view had no bearing on his policies.
John N. Gray (2008) "The atheist delusion," The Guardian, 2008-03-15.
HEdit
In Nietzsche’s view nihilism is not a Weltanschauung that occurs at some time and place or another; it is rather the basic character of what happens in Occidental history.
Martin Heidegger (1961) Nietzsche p. 26.
Metaphysics reflects on the nature of the existent and on the nature of truth. Metaphysics lays the foundation of an age by giving it the basis of its essential form through a particular analysis of the existent and a particular conception of truth. This basis dominates all the phenomena which distinguish the age. Conversely, it must be possible to recognize the metaphysical basis in these phenomena through sufficient reflection on them. Reflection is the courage to question as deeply as possible the truth of our own presuppositions and the exact place of our own aims.
Martin Heidegger M. Grene (1976) "The age of the world view". In Boundary. 2, 1976.
Science, and physics in particular, has developed out of the Newtonian paradigm of mechanics. In this world view, every phenomenon we observe can be reduced to a collection of atoms or particles, whose movement is governed by the deterministic laws of nature. Everything that exists now has already existed in some different arrangement in the past, and will continue to exist so in the future. In such a philosophy, there seems to be no place for novelty or creativity
Francis Heylighen (2001) The science of self-organization and adaptivity p. 253.
If we are to change our world view, images have to change. The artist now has a very important job to do. He's not a little peripheral figure entertaining rich people, he's really needed.
David Hockney Interview with Paul Joyce, New York, (September 1986) quoted in Hockney on Photography, ed. Wendy Brown (1988).
I share the belief of many of my contemporaries that the spiritual crisis pervading all spheres of Western industrial society can be remedied only by a change in our world view. We shall have to shift from the materialistic, dualistic belief that people and their environment are separate, toward a new consciousness of an all-encompassing reality, which embraces the experiencing ego, a reality in which people feel their oneness with animate nature and all of creation.
Albert Hofmann (1980) LSD : My Problem Child Foreword.
Objective reality, the world view produced by the spirit of scientific inquiry, is the myth of our time.
KEdit
[Kearney (1984) refers to worldview as] culturally organized macro-thought: those dynamically inter-related basic assumptions of a people that determine much of their behavior and decision making, as well as organizing much of their body of body of symbolic creations... and ethnophilosophy in general."
Michael Kearney (1984) World view. p. 1; as cited in: Kenneth G. Tobin (1993) The practice of constructivism in science educaction. p. 58.
This lack of a conceptual framework has been one of the main obstacles to the study of particular worldviews and their cross-cultural assessment. Therefore, as a contribution to the theory and study of world view, and also as a means of organizing this book, I am presenting a model of human world view. Though by no means comprehensive, this model does address the major issues having to do with the nature and role of culturally organized macro-thought: those dynamically interrelated basic cognitive assumptions of a people that determine much of their behavior and decision making, as well as organizing much of their body of body of symbolic creations - myth, religion, cosmology - and ethnophilosophy in general.
Michael Kearney (1984) World view. p. 1.
It happens at times that a person believes that he has a world-view, but that there is yet one particular phenomenon that is of such a nature that it baffles the understanding, and that he explains differently and attempts to ignore in order not to harbor the thought that this phenomenon might overthrow the whole view, or that his reflection does not possess enough courage and resolution to penetrate the phenomenon with his world-view.
Søren Kierkegaard (1938) The Journals of Søren Kierkegaard. Pap. V B 53:20 1844 The Concept of Anxiety, Nichol p. 188.
The notion of "system" has gained central importance in contemporary science, society and life. In many fields of endeavor, the necessity of a "systems approach" or "systems thinking" is emphasized, new professions called "systems engineering," "systems analysis" and the like have come into being, and there can be little doubt that this this concept marks a genuine, necessary, and consequential development in science and world-view.
Ervin László (1972) Introduction to Systems Philosophy: Toward a New Paradigm of Contemporary Thought. xvii.
The worldview of the classical sciences conceptualized nature as a giant machine composed of intricate but replaceable machine-like parts. The new systems sciences look at nature as an organism endowed with irreplaceable elements and an innate but non-deterministic purpose for choice, for flow, for spontaneity.
Ervin László (1996) The systems view of the world: A holistic vision for our time p. 10-11.
When the classical worldview was applied to social science, the dominant notions turned out to be struggle for survival, the profit of the individual, with at best an assumed automatic coincidence of individual and societal good (through Adam Smith's "invisible hand"). When the systemic vision inspires the theories of social science, the values of competition are mitigated by those of cooperation, and the emphasis on individualistic work ethos is tempered with a tolerance of diversity and of experimentation with institutions and practices that foster man-man and man- nature adaptation and harmony.
Ervin László (1996) The systems view of the world: A holistic vision for our time p. 12.
My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.
Jack Layton "A letter to Canadians from the Honourable Jack Layton." 20 August 2011.
Released upon his death.
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.
H.P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu (1926)
Whereas the particular conception of ideology designates only a part of the opponent's assertions as ideologies — and this only with reference to their content, the total conception calls into question the opponent's total Weltanschauung (including his conceptual apparatus), and attempts to understand these concepts as an outgrowth of the collective life of which he partakes.
Karl Mannheim (1929) Ideology and Utopia.
NEdit
I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard. Always taking constant care not to break something. To break someone. Never allowing myself to lose control, even for a moment, or someone could die.
George Newbern as Superman in Justice League Unlimited's Destroyer written by Dwayne McDuffie
Mesarovic and Pestel are critical of the Forrester-Meadows world view, which is that of a homogeneous system with a fully predetermined evolution in time once the initial conditions are specified
New Scientist. Vol. 66, nr. 947. May 1, 1975. p. 272.
OEdit
We look at this as the best of all possible worlds, but the French know it isn't, because most people speak English.
Mark Olson at the "Histories: The Way We Weren't" panel at Boskone 28.
The purpose of Newspeak was not only to provide a medium of expression for the world-view and mental habits proper to the devotees of Ingsoc, but to make all other modes of thought impossible.
George Orwell Nineteen Eighty-Four
Both Religion and science require a belief in God. For believers, God is in the beginning, and for physicists He is at the end of all considerations... To the former He is the foundation, to the latter, the crown of the edifice of every generalized world view. ~ Max Planck.
Modern man lacks a unified conception of the world. He lives in a dual world: in his environment, which is naturally given to him, and, at the same time, in the world which since the beginning of the modern era has been created for him by sciences founded upon the principle that the laws of nature are, in essence, mathematical. The non-unity which has thus come to penetrate our entire life is the true source of the spiritual crisis we are going through today.
Jan Patočka, cited in: Paul F.H. Lauxtermann, "Kant, Goethe, and the Mechanization of the World-Picture." in: Schopenhauer’s Broken World-View. Springer Netherlands, 2000. p.9
Both Religion and science require a belief in God. For believers, God is in the beginning, and for physicists He is at the end of all considerations... To the former He is the foundation, to the latter, the crown of the edifice of every generalized world view.
Max Planck Religion and Natural Science (Lecture Given 1937).
Two opposing world-views — the technological and the traditional — coexisted in uneasy tension. The technological was the stronger, of course, but the traditional was there — still functional, still exerting influence...
Neil Postman (1992) Technopoly: the Surrender of Culture to Technology
To become a token woman—whether you win the Nobel Prize or merely get tenure at the cost of denying your sisters—is to become something less than a man … since men are loyal at least to their own world-view, their laws of brotherhood and self-interest.
Adrienne Rich As quoted in Ms. magazine, p. 44 (September 1979).
A rigid, blinkered, absolutist world view is the easiest to keep hold of, whereas the fluid, uncertain, metamorphic picture I've always carried about is rather more vulnerable.
Salman Rushdie Address at Columbia University (1991).
The systematic perversion and reinterpretation of the values themselves is much more effective than the “slandering” of persons or the falsification of the world view could ever be.
-- Max Scheler (1912)
A crisis in doctrine occurred when they discovered that the square root of two was irrational. That is: the square root of two could not be represented as the ratio of two whole numbers, no matter how big they were. "Irrational" originally meant only that. That you can't express a number as a ratio. But for the Pythagoreans it came to mean something else, something threatening, a hint that their world view might not make sense, the other meaning of "irrational".
Carl Sagan (1990 Update) Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.
World view theory has its roots in anthropology and Kearney (1984:10) suggests that there are three basic problems in the study of world view:
- What are the necessary and therefore universal types of images and assumptions which are part of any world view, and what are the specific contents of these universals?
- What relationship do these images and assumptions have with the world they represent?
- What influence does this world view have on behaviour?
There has been growing interest in world view theory in science education research Cobern (1993a, 1993b, 1994, 1997) in particular has embraced the notion of world view in arguing the importance of fundamental beliefs with respect to learning science.
Marc Schäfer (2004) "World view theory and the conceptualisation of space".
Max Scheler (1912) Das Ressentiment im Aufbau der Moralen'. 'L. Coser, trans. (1973), pp. 76-77.
In 1925, the world view of physics was a model of a great machine composed of separable interacting material particles. During the next few years, Schrodinger and Heisenberg and their followers created a universe based on super imposed inseparable waves of probability amplitudes. This new view would be entirely consistent with the Vedantic concept of All in One.
Erwin Schrödinger in Schrödinger: Life and Thought (1989) Walter J. Moore eds.
Resignation as to knowledge of the world is for me not an irretrievable plunge into a scepticism which leaves us to drift about in life like a derelict vessel. I see in it that effort of honesty which we must venture to make in order to arrive at the serviceable world-view which hovers within sight. Every world-view which fails to start from resignation in regard to knowledge is artificial and a mere fabrication, for it rests upon an inadmissible interpretation of the universe.
Albert Schweitzer (1923) Kulturphilosophie.
World-view is a product of life-view, not vice versa.
According to the academic world view that markets are efficient, only the revelation of a dramatic piece of information can cause a crash, yet in reality even the most thorough post-mortem analyses are typically inconclusive as to what this piece of information might have been.
Didier Sornette (2003) Why Stock Markets Crash - Critical Events in Complex Systems.
Even the seeming remoteness of Pythagorean teaching helps one to realize that the current world view, while it seems destined to dominate the planet, is fleeting and temporary and, like others before it, will pass.
John Strohmeier and Peter Westbrook. (1999) Divine Harmony : The Life and Teachings of Pythagoras.
In spite of the dominance of mechanistic thought in the contemporary world, a perplexing residue of the magical tradition still survives in the form of several issues, solutions to which do not appear possible within the context of a purely mechanical view of the world.... It is important to recognize that the materialist, scientific paradigm that dominates the late twentieth century world and provides the basis for its dominant institutions, has its basis in the life and work of Pythagoras, one of the most significant representatives of the perennial philosophy and a founder of the magical tradition. This spirit, which gave rise to our world view, is a spirit that must be recaptured if our civilization is to flourish. The choice is a clear one to many, and was summed up in a book title by the late Pythagorean and futurist Buckminster Fuller, Utopia or Oblivion.
John Strohmeier and Peter Westbrook, in Divine Harmony : The Life and Teachings of Pythagoras (1999).
Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.
Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:9; Yerushalmi Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin 37a.
TEdit
World view, a concept borrowed from cultural anthropology, refers to the culturally dependent, generally subconscious, fundamental organization of the mind. This conceptual organization manifests itself as a set of presuppositions that predispose one to feel, think, and act in predictable patterns.
Kenneth G. Tobin (1993) The practice of constructivism in science educacion. p. 58: Talking about world view theory.
VEdit
Our secular constitution has enabled people of all world views to coexist in harmony, undivided by sectarian strife...
Jesse Ventura (2002) Indivisible Day Proclamation
WEdit
I tell my students, with a feeling of pride that I hope they will share, that the carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen that make up ninety-nine per cent of our living substance were cooked in the deep interiors of earlier generations of dying stars. Gathered up from the ends of the universe, over billions of years, eventually they came to form, in part, the substance of our sun, its planets, and ourselves. Three billion years ago, life arose upon the earth. It is the only life in the solar system.
George Wald in: Louis C. Reichman, Barry J. Wishart American politics and its interpreters, W. C. Brown Co., 1971, p. 80
Under the world view possessed by medieval scholars, the path of learning was a path of self-deprecation.
Richard Weaver (1948) Ideas have Consequences. p. 72.
I must confess that I lost faith in the sanity of the world.
H.G. Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau
ZEdit
Math is perfect (in principle), but mathematicians are not (because they are humans), hence the mathematics that (human) mathematicians do is influenced by the weltanschauung of the people around them.
Doron Zeilberger "Computerized Deconstruction". Appeared in Adv. Appl. Math. v. 31 (2003), 532-543.
A frog in a well cannot conceive of the ocean.
Zhuangzi (c. 369-286 BC) : Of a person who has limited life experience and hence world view
Futures studies
Universalism
What is a world view? at Principia Cybernetica Web
Diederick Aerts et al. (1994) World views. From Fragmentation to Integration. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, VUB Press.
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Federal pardons in the United States
The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (January 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
US pardons by the federal government
A federal pardon in the United States is the action of the President of the United States that completely sets aside the punishment for a federal crime. The authority to take such action is granted to the president by Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution. A pardon is one form of the clemency power of the president, the others being commutation of sentence, remission of fine or restitution, and reprieve.[1] A person may decide not to accept a pardon, in which case it does not take effect;[2] according to a Supreme Court majority opinion a pardon "carries an imputation of guilt; acceptance a confession of it".
Under the Constitution, the president's clemency power extends to all federal criminal offenses.[3] All requests for executive clemency for federal offenses are normally directed to the Office of the Pardon Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice for investigation and review,[4] but the president is free to bypass that office.[5]
The president's pardon power is limited to federal offenses; the Constitution only grants the president the power to pardon "[o]ffenses against the United States."[3] An offense that violates state law, but not federal law, is an offense against that state rather than an offense against the United States.[3][6]
The full extent of a president's power to pardon has not been fully resolved. Pardons have been used for presumptive cases, such as when President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon, who had not been charged with anything, over any possible crimes connected with the Watergate scandal,[6] but the Supreme Court has never considered the legal effectiveness of such pardons.[7] There is disagreement about how the pardon power applies to cases involving obstructions of an impeachment.[8] Also, the ability of a president to pardon themselves (self-pardon) has never been tested in the courts, because, to date, no president has ever taken that action.[9]
1 Constitutional provision
3 Early history
4 Modern process
5 Limitations
5.1 Acceptance by the recipient
5.2 Residual effects of convictions
5.3 Self-pardons
5.3.1 Against self-pardon
6 Controversial use
7 Symbolic use
Constitutional provision[edit]
The pardon power of the President is based on Article Two of the United States Constitution (Section 2, Clause 1), which provides:
The President ... shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of impeachment.
The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the provision to include the power to grant pardons, conditional pardons, commutations of sentence, conditional commutations of sentence, remissions of fines and forfeitures, respites and amnesties.[10]
A pardon is an executive order granting clemency for a conviction. It may be granted "at any time" after the commission of the crime.[11] As per Justice Department regulations, convicted persons may only apply five or more years after their sentence has been completed.[3] However, the President's power to pardon is not restricted by any temporal constraints except that the crime must have been committed. A pardon is an expression of the President's forgiveness and ordinarily is granted in recognition of the applicant's acceptance of responsibility for the crime and established good conduct for a significant period of time after conviction or completion of sentence. It does not signify innocence.[3] Its practical effect is the restoration of civil rights and statutory disabilities (e.g., firearm rights, occupational licensing) associated with a past criminal conviction.[3] In rarer cases, such as the pardon of Richard Nixon, a pardon can also halt criminal proceedings and prevent an indictment, though this has not been tested in court.
A reprieve is a temporary postponement of a punishment (refer to pardon/related concepts).
A commutation is the mitigation of the sentence of someone currently serving a sentence for a crime pursuant to a conviction, without cancelling the conviction itself.[3]
Early history[edit]
Alexander Hamilton defended the pardon power in The Federalist Papers, particularly in Federalist No. 74.
At the Virginia Ratifying Convention, the delegate George Mason argued against ratification partly on the grounds that "the President ought not to have the power of pardoning, because he may frequently pardon crimes which were advised by himself."[12]
Pardons granted by presidents from George Washington until Grover Cleveland's first term (1885–1889) were hand written by the president. After typewriters came to be used for regular White House business, pardons were prepared for the president by administrative staff requiring only that the president sign them.[13]
Modern process[edit]
All federal pardon petitions are addressed to the President, who grants or denies the request. Typically, applications for pardons are referred for review and non-binding recommendation by the Office of the Pardon Attorney, an official of the United States Department of Justice. The number of pardons and reprieves granted has varied from administration to administration. Fewer pardons have been granted since World War II.[14]
A federal pardon can be issued prior to the start of a legal case or inquiry, prior to any indictments being issued, for unspecified offenses, and prior to or after a conviction for a federal crime.[15] Ford's broad federal pardon of former president Richard M. Nixon in 1974 for "all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974" is a notable example of a fixed-period federal pardon that came prior to any indictments being issued and that covered unspecified federal offenses that may or may not have been committed.[15]
The Justice Department normally requires that anyone filing a petition for a pardon wait five years after conviction or release prior to receiving a pardon.[16] The constitutionality of open pardons, such as Ford's pardon of Nixon, has never been judicially tested in the Supreme Court and is open to question.[7]
While clemency may be granted without the filing of a formal request, in most cases the Office of the Pardon Attorney will consider only petitions from persons who have completed their sentences and, in addition, have demonstrated their ability to lead a responsible and productive life for a significant period after conviction or release from confinement.[3]
The Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Wilson (1833) that a pardon could be rejected by the convict. In Burdick v. United States (1915), the court specifically said: "Circumstances may be made to bring innocence under the penalties of the law. If so brought, escape by confession of guilt implied in the acceptance of a pardon may be rejected, preferring to be the victim of the law rather than its acknowledged transgressor, preferring death even to such certain infamy." Commutations (reduction in prison sentence), unlike pardons (restoration of civil rights after prison sentence had been served) may not be refused. In Biddle v. Perovich 274 U.S. 480 (1927), the subject of the commutation did not want to accept life in prison but wanted the death penalty restored. The Supreme Court said, "Just as the original punishment would be imposed without regard to the prisoner's consent and in the teeth of his will, whether he liked it or not, the public welfare, not his consent, determines what shall be done."[17]
Limitations[edit]
Federal pardons issued by the president apply only to federal law; they do not apply to civil, state, or local offenses. Federal pardons also do not apply to cases of impeachment. Pardons for state crimes are handled by governors or a state pardon board.[3]
One limitation to the president's power to grant pardons is "in cases of impeachment." This means that the president cannot use a pardon to stop an officeholder from being impeached, or to undo the effects of an impeachment and conviction.[18]
Acceptance by the recipient[edit]
A pardon can be rejected by the intended recipient and must be affirmatively accepted to be officially recognized by the courts. George Wilson was convicted of robbing the US Mail in Pennsylvania and sentenced to death. Due to his friends' influence, Wilson was pardoned by President Andrew Jackson. Wilson refused the pardon and in 1833, the United States Supreme Court held in United States v. Wilson that his rejection—and consequently the pardon not being introduced to the court by "plea, motion, or otherwise" as a point of fact and evidence—was valid and the court could not force a pardon upon him.[2]
According to Associate Justice Joseph McKenna, writing the majority opinion in the U.S. Supreme Court case Burdick v. United States, a pardon "carries an imputation of guilt; acceptance a confession of it."[19] The federal courts have yet to make it clear how this logic applies to persons who are deceased (such as Henry Ossian Flipper, who was pardoned by Bill Clinton), those who are relieved from penalties as a result of general amnesties, and those whose punishments are relieved via a commutation of sentence (which cannot be rejected in any sense of the language).[20] Brian Kalt, a law professor at Michigan State University, states that presidents sometimes (albeit rarely) grant pardons on the basis of innocence, and argues that if a president issues a pardon because they think an individual is innocent, then accepting that pardon would not be an admission of guilt.[21]
Residual effects of convictions[edit]
A presidential pardon restores various rights lost as a result of the pardoned offense and may lessen to some extent the stigma arising from a conviction, but does not erase or expunge the record of the conviction itself. Therefore, a person who is granted a pardon must still disclose their conviction(s) on any form where such information is required, although the person may also disclose the fact that they received a pardon.[4] Also, as most civil disabilities arising from a criminal conviction, such as loss of the right to vote and hold state public office, are imposed by state rather than federal law, they may be removed only by state action.[4]
Self-pardons[edit]
The legal and constitutional ability of a president to pardon himself (self-pardon) is an unresolved issue. During the Watergate scandal, President Nixon's lawyer suggested that a self-pardon would be legal, while the Department of Justice issued a memorandum opinion on August 5, 1974, stating that a president cannot pardon himself.[22] The 1974 memo laid out a scenario in which, under the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the president could declare himself unable to perform his duties and could appoint the vice president as acting president. The acting president could then pardon the president and "thereafter the president could either resign or resume the duties of his office."[22] The Nixon memo only address the presidential self-pardon in 69 words with no citations, and thus lacking legal analysis, is no more authoritative than a memo from President Trump’s assistant attorney general stating, with no evidence to support the claim, that a president can issue a self-pardon.[9]
The issue arose again in 1998, during the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.[23]
On July 22, 2017, President Donald Trump tweeted, "While all agree the U.S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS", prompting a series of news article and online commentary regarding the president's ability to pardon relatives, aides, and possibly even himself in relation to the 2017 Special Counsel investigation, which ultimately concluded President Donald Trump could not be indicted at the time.[24]
Against self-pardon[edit]
Arguments against self-pardons include constitutional themes of self-judging and self-dealing, however this is flawed as constitutionally, a president is not barred from pardoning partners-of-crime and as the chief law enforcement officer, has prosecutorial discretion to make decisions against himself, which do not violate the Constitution on the grounds of self-dealing, and likewise a self-pardon.[9] Calder v. Bull is the Supreme Court case most often used to establish that one cannot be a judge in his own case. However, the case has nothing to do with a president’s constitutional pardon power. Furthermore, a pardon is an executive action, not a judicial one, and so a self-pardon is not an act of self-judging.[9]
Anti-self-pardon arguments such as the unjust nature of the president being above the law as violations of the public trust, are also flawed in the fact that pardons are part of the legal system, and by definition every pardon would be a violation of public trust as it serves to stop the consequences of the execution of laws. Additionally, as the Constitution's pardon clause allows a self-pardon, a president who pardons himself cannot accurately be said of not faithfully executing the law.[9]
Controversial use[edit]
The pardon power was controversial from the outset; many Anti-Federalists remembered examples of royal abuses of the pardon power in Europe, and warned that the same would happen in the new republic.[25] Critics such as the Anti-Federalists have argued that pardons have been used more often for the sake of political expediency than to correct judicial error.[26]
In the 18th century, George Washington granted the first high-profile federal pardon to leaders of the Whiskey Rebellion on his final day in office.[27]
In the 19th century, Andrew Johnson controversially issued sweeping pardons of thousands of former Confederate officials and military personnel after the American Civil War.[28]
In the 20th century, Gerald Ford pardoned former President Richard Nixon on September 8, 1974, for official misconduct which gave rise to the Watergate scandal.[29] Polls showed a majority of Americans disapproved of the pardon, and Ford's public-approval ratings tumbled afterward.[30] Other publicly controversial uses of the pardon power include Jimmy Carter's grant of amnesty to Vietnam-era draft dodgers on his second day in office, January 21, 1977;[31] George H. W. Bush's pardons of 75 people, including six Reagan administration officials accused or convicted in connection with the Iran–Contra affair; and Bill Clinton's commutation of sentences for 16 members of FALN in 1999.[32]
In the 21st century, Clinton's pardons of 140 people on his last day in office, January 20, 2001, including billionaire fugitive Marc Rich and his own brother, Roger Clinton, were heavily criticized.
President Donald Trump issued his first pardon to former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio on August 25, 2017;[33] Arpaio had been convicted of criminal contempt in federal court.[34] The pardon of Arpaio was relatively unusual in being issued early in Trump's presidency. It was met with widespread criticism from political opponents. On November 25, 2020, Trump announced, via Twitter, that he had pardoned former General and Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.[35] Flynn had pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to the FBI, an offense which prompted Trump to fire Flynn as his national security advisor 23 days after taking office.[36] On December 23, 2020, Trump pardoned 26 friends and allies, including his longtime ally Roger Stone, former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and Charles Kushner, his son-in-law's father.[37]
Symbolic use[edit]
A symbolic use of the presidential pardon is the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation in November, in which a domestic turkey is pardoned from being killed for Thanksgiving dinner, and is allowed to live out its life on a farm.[38]
law portal
List of people pardoned or granted clemency by the president of the United States
List of people granted executive clemency by Donald Trump
^ "Office of the Pardon Attorney". US Department of Justice. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
^ a b "United States v. Wilson: 32 U.S. 150 (1833)". Justia.com. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
^ a b c d e f g h i "Frequently Asked Questions". Department of Justice - Office of the Pardon Attorney. January 8, 2021. Archived from the original on November 28, 2017.
^ a b c "Pardon Information and Instructions". US Department of Justice - Office of the Pardon Attorney. November 23, 2018.
^ Reinhard, Beth; Gearan, Anne. "Most Trump clemency grants bypass Justice Dept. and go to well-connected offenders". Washington Post. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
^ a b "Presidential Pardons – ABA Legal Fact Check – American Bar Association". www.abalegalfactcheck.com. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
^ a b Duker, William F. (1976). "The President's Power to Pardon: A Constitutional History". Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 18: 475–537. The Supreme Court never has been called upon to judge the validity of an open pardon like the Nixon pardon. If it must do so in the future and if it continues to view Article II, section 2 in light of the meaning the framers intended it to have, the evidence raises a reasonable doubt of the constitutionality of the Nixon pardon.
^ Martin H. Redish, "The President’s Pardon Power May Be Weaker Than It Seems", The New York Times, Dec. 5, 2019, Accessed 12/16/2019
^ a b c d e Conklin, Michael (April 28, 2020). "Please Allow Myself to Pardon . . . Myself: The Constitutionality of a Presidential Self-Pardon". University of Detroit Mercy Law Review. 97. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3587921. ISSN 1556-5068.
^ Ruckman, P. S. Jr. (1997). "Executive Clemency in the United States: Origins, Development, and Analysis (1900–1993)". Presidential Studies Quarterly. 27 (2): 251–271. JSTOR 27551729.
^ "Ex Parte Garland". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved February 6, 2017. The power thus conferred is unlimited, with the exception stated. It extends to every offence known to the law, and may be exercised at any time after its commission, either before legal proceedings are taken or during their pendency or after conviction and judgment.
^ "The Traditional Interpretation of the Pardon Power Is Wrong". The Atlantic. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
^ Ruckman Jr., P. S. (November 4, 1995). "Federal Executive Clemency in United States". Archived from the original on March 26, 2011. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
^ Ruckman, P. S. Jr. "Presidential Pardons by Administration, 1789–2001". Rock Valley College. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
^ a b Kalt, Brian (May 19, 2017). "Can Trump Pardon Himself?". Foreign Policy. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
^ "28 C.F.R. § 1.2 Eligibility for filing petition for pardon". Retrieved September 5, 2017.
^ Biddle v. Perovich 274 U.S. 480 (1927), at 486
^ Amar, Akhil (2005). America's Constitution: A Biography. New York: Random House. p. 187. ISBN 978-0812972726.
^ "How the Nixon Pardon Strained a Presidential Friendship". December 13, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
^ see Chapman v. Scott (C.C.A.) 10 F.(2d) 690)
^ Kalt, Brian. "Five myths about presidential pardons". The Washington Post. Washington Post. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
^ a b "Presidential or Legislative Pardon of the President" (PDF). August 5, 1974. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
^ "Can President Clinton Pardon Himself?". December 30, 1998. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
^ Baker, Peter (July 22, 2017). "Trump Says He Has 'Complete Power' to Pardon". New York Times.
^ Trickey, Erick (April 21, 2019). "'The President himself may be guilty': Why pardons were hotly debated by the Founding Fathers". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
^ Crouch, Jeffrey (December 2008). "The Law: Presidential Misuse of the Pardon Power". Presidential Studies Quarterly. 38 (4): 722–734. doi:10.1111/j.1741-5705.2008.02674.x. ISSN 0360-4918. JSTOR 41219712.
^ "Whiskey Rebellion | Definition, History, & Significance". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
^ Johnson, Andrew. (December 25, 1868). Proclamation 179 – Granting Full Pardon and Amnesty for the Offense of Treason Against the United States During the Late Civil War. presidency.ucsb.edu. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
^ "Ford Gives Pardon To Nixon, Who Regrets 'My Mistakes'". The New York Times. September 9, 1974. Archived from the original on June 12, 2013. CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ Inc., Gallup. "Gerald Ford Retrospective".
^ GLASS, ANDREW (January 21, 2008). "Carter pardons draft dodgers Jan. 21, 1977". POLITICO.
^ Chris Black (September 5, 1999). "First lady opposes presidential clemency for Puerto Rican Nationalists". CNN. Archived from the original on March 3, 2006. Retrieved June 9, 2007.
^ Liptak, Kevin; Diaz, Daniella; Tatum, Sophie (August 27, 2017). "Trump pardons former Sheriff Joe Arpaio". CNN. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
^ Megan Cassidy, Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio found guilty of criminal contempt of court, The Arizona Republic (July 31, 2017).
^ "Michael Flynn: Trump pardons ex-national security adviser". November 26, 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
^ Herb, Jeremy; Polantz, Katelyn; Perez, Evan; Cohen, Marshall (December 1, 2017). "Flynn pleads guilty to lying to FBI, is cooperating with Mueller". CNN. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
^ Brown, Pamela; LeBlanc, Paul; Polantz, Katelyn; Liptak, Kevin (December 24, 2020). "Trump issues 26 new pardons, including for Stone, Manafort and Charles Kushner". CNN.
^ "Eight years of Obama's turkey pardons". Reuters. November 23, 2016.
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American utility company
NextEra Energy, Inc.
NYSE: NEE
DJUA component
S&P 100 component
Juno Beach, Florida
James L. Robo (President and CEO of NEE and Chairman of FPL)
John W. Ketchum (Executive Vice President, Finance and CFO of NEE and FPL)
Eric E. Silagy (President and CEO of FPL)
US$ 19.20 billion (2019)
US$ 5.35 billion (2019)
US$ 117.7 billion (2019)
US$ 41.4 billion (2019)
~14,800 (total, 2019)[2]
~8,900 (FPL, 2019)[2]
~5,000 (NEER, 2019)[2]
NextEra Energy Partners[3]
NextEra Energy Resources[3]
NextEra Energy Services[3]
nexteraenergy.com
NextEra Energy, Inc. is an American energy company with about 46 gigawatts of generating capacity, revenues of over $17 billion in 2017, and about 14,000 employees throughout the US and Canada.[4][2] It is the largest electric utility holding company by market capitalization.[clarification needed] Its subsidiaries include Florida Power & Light (FPL), NextEra Energy Resources, NextEra Energy Partners, Gulf Power Company, and NextEra Energy Services.
FPL, the largest of the subsidiaries, delivers rate-regulated electricity to approximately 5 million customer accounts, or an estimated 10 million people, across nearly half of Florida and is the third largest electric utility company in the United States.[3] NEER, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun.[5] In addition to wind and solar, NextEra Energy Resources owns and operates generating plants powered by natural gas, nuclear energy, and oil.[3] The company ranked 167th on the 2018 Fortune 500 of the largest United States corporations by revenue.[6]
1 Corporate history
2 Mergers and acquisitions
3 Corporate affairs
3.1 Board of Directors
3.2 Litigation
3.4 Politics
3.5 Charitable causes
Corporate history[edit]
See also: Florida Power & Light § History
The predecessor company Florida Power & Light Company was founded in 1925.[2] The holding company FPL Group Inc. was formed in 1984, after the company began efforts to diversify its business. [1] FPL Group changed its name to NextEra Energy Inc. in March 2010. At this time, the stock ticker symbol also changed from FPL to NEE.
Nextera Energy is incorporated in Florida.[7]
Mergers and acquisitions[edit]
In March 2000, FPL Group and Spanish company Iberdrola SA were reported to be in "extensive merger discussions".[8] The talks were terminated and the merger transaction was not consummated due to opposition from Iberdrola's board, according to news reports. [9]
In July 2000, FPL Group and Entergy Corporation announced plans to merge. The companies terminated the merger in April 2001.[10]
In June 2005, FPL Energy, a subsidiary of FPL Group, acquired Houston-based Gexa Energy in June 2005 for $80.6 million.[11]
In December 2005, FPL Group announced an $11 billion all-stock acquisition of Maryland-based Constellation Energy Group.[12] The companies mutually agreed to terminate the sale in October 2006 due to uncertainty over regulatory and judicial matters in Maryland.[13][14][15][16]
On December 4, 2014, NextEra Energy announced its plans to purchase Hawaiian Electric Industries for $4.3 billion.[17] However, in July 2016, Hawaii's Public Utilities Commission rejected the offer in a 2-0 vote over doubts of NextEra Energy's commitment to the state's renewable energy goal, which terminated the merger agreement.[18] The proposed merger had support from over 25 local groups, including the Hawaii State AFL–CIO and the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce.[19]
NextEra Energy and Energy Future Holdings, parent company of Texas-based utility Oncor Electric Delivery, reached a $18.7 billion merger agreement on July 29, 2016, but the agreement was terminated in July 2017 after the Texas Public Utility Commission rejected the offer over disagreement on the control of Oncor's board of directors. Two other competing bids were submitted in July 2017 for purchasing Oncor, including a $17.5 billion bid from Berkshire Hathaway Energy and a $18.5 billion bid from Elliott Management Corporation.[20]
In January 2018, NextEra Energy expressed interest with members of the South Carolina Senate over a possible purchase of SCANA and Santee Cooper. Dominion Energy offered $14.6 billion to buy SCANA, but South Carolina lawmakers harshly criticized the proposal over a lack of future taxpayer relief.[21] In February 2018, NextEra Energy floated a $15.9 billion proposal to buy Santee Cooper and briefed South Carolina lawmakers.[22]
In May 2018, NextEra Energy announced that it planned to buy Gulf Power Company, the largest electricity producer in Northwest Florida, from Southern Company in a $6.4 billion deal, pending approval from regulators.[23] The acquisition, which expanded NextEra Energy's combined residential customer base in Florida to approximately 51 percent of the state's population, was completed on January 1, 2019.
Corporate affairs[edit]
Board of Directors[edit]
As of 8/16/20:[24]
Sherry Barrat, former Northern Trust executive
James Camaren, former chairman and CEO of Utilities, Inc.
Kenneth Dunn, former dean of the Tepper School of Business
Naren Gursahaney, former president and CEO of ADT
Kirk Hachigan, former chairman and CEO of Jeld-Wen
Toni Jennings, former lieutenant governor of Florida
Amy Lane, former Merrill Lynch executive
David Porges, former chairman and CEO of EQT
James Robo, chairman, president, and CEO of NextEra
Rudy Schupp, former president and CBO of Valley National Bank
John Skolds, former Exelon executive
William H. Swanson, former chairman and CEO of Raytheon
Darryl Wilson, former GE Power executive
Litigation[edit]
In January 2018, NextEra Energy, along with Entergy, withdrew from the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) over disagreements on the trade group's agenda.[25] In February 2018, NextEra Energy filed a lawsuit against NEI, accusing the trade group of "retaliatory action" and "extortion", claiming that NEI revoked its ability to access the Personnel Access Data System (PADS), the nuclear industry personnel database, unless $860,000 was paid. The president and CEO of NEI responded that the organization "vehemently denies all of the allegations in NextEra’s lawsuit and will vigorously defend our position in court" and that "NextEra lost the ability to participate in PADS upon choosing to discontinue its NEI membership".[26]
In June 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit rejected NextEra Energy's claim for a $97 million tax deduction for $200 million paid in contract fees to the federal government toward the Nuclear Waste Fund. NextEra Energy sought to deduct payments made between 2003 and 2010 for "the disposal of radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants operated by subsidiaries Florida Power & Light Co. and NextEra Energy Resources", but the court reasoned that the contract fees "do not qualify as specified liability losses”.[27]
In August 2018, NextEra Energy received a cease and desist order by Oklahoma state officials concerning the construction of wind turbines violating state law. The Oklahoma state law, which took effect in May 2018 to protect open air space, states that developers obtain either a "no hazard" determination for each turbine from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or work out a mitigation plan with the United States Department of Defense (DoD), and then submit notification of such with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission before construction may begin. NextEra Energy had filed obstruction evaluation cases for the construction of wind turbines in Oklahoma with the FAA in March 2018, but the FAA had yet to issue determinations at the time that the cease and desist order was issued.[28]
Finances[edit]
For the fiscal year 2017, NextEra Energy reported earnings of US$5.378 billion, with an annual revenue of US$17.195 billion, an increase of 6.4% over the previous fiscal cycle. NextEra Energy's shares traded at over $261 per share, and its market capitalization was valued at over US$117 billion at the end of 2019.[29]
Price per Share
in USD$
2005 11,846 901 32,990 27.18
2006 15,710 1,281 35,822 29.78
2013 15,136 1,908 69,306 68.93 13,400
2016 16,155 2,912 89,993 113.00 14,700
2018 16,727 5,776 103,702 179.41 14,200
Politics[edit]
During the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, NextEra Energy donated $1 million to a Super PAC supporting Jeb Bush's presidential candidacy.[30]
Charitable causes[edit]
In September 2017, the NextEra Energy Foundation, the charitable arm of NextEra Energy, donated $1 million to the Florida Disaster Fund and matched individual contributions of employees in the wake of Hurricane Irma.[31]
^ a b Salisbury, Susan (March 21, 2010). "Juno-based FPL Group to become NextEra Energy". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on 2016-03-11. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
^ a b c d e f g h i "NextEra Energy, Inc. – United States Securities and Exchange Commission Annual Report, Form 10-K (2017)". NextEra Energy, Inc.
^ a b c d e "Our Subsidiaries". NextEra Energy, Inc. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
^ "Company Information". NextEra Energy, Inc. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
^ Nicholas, Simon (February 16, 2018). "World's #1 Renewable Energy Installer, NextEra, Powers on with Renewables Despite Trump". CleanTechnica. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
^ "Fortune 500 Companies 2018". Retrieved March 18, 2019.
^ "10-K". Retrieved 1 June 2019.
^ Deogun, Nikhil. "Spain's Iberdrola Is in Discussions To Acquire Florida Utility Parent". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
^ Deogan, Nikhil. "Effort by Iberdrola to Buy FPL in U.S. Runs Afoul of Board of Spanish Firm". Retrieved 18 January 2020.
^ Sidel, Robin. "FPL, Entergy Blame Each Other As They Call Off $8 Billion Merger". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
^ "FPL Energy to acquire Gexa for $80.6 million". Houston Business Journal. March 28, 2005. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
^ Smith, Rebecca; Berman, Dennis K (December 19, 2005). "FPL Unveils Acquisition of Constellation Energy In an $11 Billion Deal". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
^ "Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2006". Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
^ "FPL Group and Constellation Energy Call Off Billion Dollar Merger". T&D World Magazine. December 1, 2006. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
^ Humber, Caroline (October 25, 2006). "FPL, Constellation scrap $12.5 billion merger". Reuters. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
^ "Constellation, FPL cancel giant energy merger". USA Today. October 25, 2006. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
^ Chediak, Mark; Goossens, Ehren (December 4, 2014). "NextEra Buys Hawaii's Biggest Utility in Green Energy Test". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
^ Staff Writer (July 18, 2016). "NextEra Ends Merger Deal, Will Pay Hawaiian Electric $95 Million". The Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
^ Staff Writer (November 30, 2015). "Support for Proposed Merger of NextEra Energy and Hawaiian Electric Industries Grows". Maui Electric. Archived from the original on March 18, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
^ Hurtibise, Ron (July 10, 2017). "Texas Utility Formally Ends $18.7 Billion Merger with NextEra Energy". The Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
^ Staff Writer (January 26, 2018). "#NukeGate: SC Senator in Talks With NextEra Energy". FITSNews. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
^ Wilks, Avery G. (February 15, 2018). "NextEra Energy Floats $15.9 Billion Proposal to Buy Santee Cooper after Nuclear Fiasco". The State. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
^ Klas, Mary Ellen (May 23, 2018). "FPL Parent Wants to Expand its Florida Footprint with New Purchase". The Miami Herald. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
^ http://www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/corporate-governance/board-of-directors NE
^ Pierobon, Jim (January 18, 2018). "Two Utilities Withdraw from Leading Nuclear Energy Trade Group". Southeast Energy News. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
^ Pyper, Julia (February 5, 2018). "NextEra Sues NEI, Citing Efforts to 'Distort Electric Energy Markets'". Greentech Media. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
^ Tucker, Katheryn (June 29, 2018). "11th Circuit Shuts Down $97M Tax Refund for NextEra". Fulton County Daily Report. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
^ Cameron, Alex (September 7, 2018). "NextEra Energy Receives Cease and Desist Order After Violating OK Law". News 9 Now. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^ "Annual Reports". www.investor.nexteraenergy.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
^ Staff Writers (February 9, 2016). "Million-Dollar Donors in the 2016 Presidential Race". The New York Times. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
^ VanSickle, Erin (September 15, 2017). "ICYMI: NextEra Energy Foundation Donates $1 Million to Florida Disaster Fund for Hurricane Irma Relief and will Match Donations by Employees of Florida Power & Light and other NextEra Energy Companies". VolunteerFlorida. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
Business data for NextEra Energy:
NextEra Energy Annual Report 2018
Dow Jones Utility Average components
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American Water Works Company
Atmos Energy
Consolidated Edison
Edison International
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Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NextEra_Energy&oldid=996018496"
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Nord Stream 2 – the monument of Russian kleptocracy
Maciej Zaniewicz
According to research by investment bank Sberbank CIB, all of Gazprom’s mega-projects, that is Nord Stream 2, Turkish Stream and Power of Siberia, may be paid back in several decades and are against business rules. They were decided to be run for a different purpose which is associated with Putin’s fiends. Energetyka24 portal examined the document in detail which was shortly after removed from the bank’s website and author of which was as quickly fired from the job.
At the end of May the report published by investment bank Sberbank CIB (investment arm of Sberbank) was published. The document, showing off the nature of Gazprom’s huge projects, was issued for the bank’s clients thinking of purchasing Gazprom’s shares. Although majority shareholder of Sberbank is the Russian state, the content of the report is crushing for the Russian concern.
Conclusions are clear – investors should keep far from Gazprom since the concern is more aware of subcontractors’ pockets than anything else. Yet, what is the more important from the Polish perspective, the report has proven that there is no economic reason for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
The power of absurd
Power of Siberia was the first project examined by the authors of the publication. Planned pipeline with a total length of 2158 km will have to link Kovyktinskoye field and Chayandinskoye field with China. Gazprom presents Power of Siberia as an example of exports diversification and a way for making Russia less dependent on gas exports to Europe. Apart from all, the project is being said to make profits in the future.
In the opinion of Sberbank’s experts the reality is totally different. In accordance with the report, the project is illogical and has no grounds from the economic point of view. The cost of construction is about $ 55 billion (34% of CAPEX for 2018-2022) and causes many inconveniences.
Firstly, gas should be cleaned of impurities, especially from helium, before exporting. Therefore, it is necessary to build dedicated and expensive infrastructure. Secondly, the pipeline need to be built in hostile environment with low temperatures and ground freezing. All of these have negative impact on extraction costs. Finally, in order to fulfil Power of Siberia with gas, it is necessary to invest in new deposits which are characterised by low reservoir pressure.
Analytics have presented Altai pipeline, also known as Power of Siberia 2 or Western Power of Siberia, as an example of alternative solution. The main advantage of Altai is lower cost. Instead of $60 billion, it would require only $10 billion for investments. This would also avoid all of the inconveniences associated with construction of Power of Siberia – gas would be transmitted from deposits already in operation, purified in existing plants and the pipeline would be constructing alongside existing infrastructure which would ease the whole process.
Another problem with Power of Siberia are contractual provisions. According to Sberbank’s estimates, gas transmitted via the pipeline will be sold to China without downside protection, at a simple slope between 10% and 11% to the oil price. It is worth highlighting that profitability of the contract was estimated with price per barrel to be $65. This means time required to amortise the investment has significantly extended. Currently this time is about 16 years, analytics reported.
What is more, with current natural gas prices on the world market and new sources of supply to China, we cannot exclude that the price will be unattractive for the Middle Kingdom which will demand the rebate.
Bypassing Ukraine… and logic
Other projects analysed in the Sberbank’s report, Turkish Stream and Nord Stream 2, are closer geographically to our market. In official Russian narratives Nord Stream 2 is especially non-political and profitable.
CEO of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, has convinced that shortening transport routes to Germany and omitting transit charges (which stand at about $2 billion annually) makes possible to return construction costs of Nord Stream 2 very soon. The same with Turkish Stream – omitting Ukraine on route to Turkey would allegedly give huge savings.
Authors of the report have torn this arguments to shreds. According to Sberbank’s calculations, Nord Stream 2 will not recoup investments for 20 years, even assuming 60% capacity utilisation! That is not so bad compared to Turkish Stream that will not break for a half of the century!
However, analytics do not limit themselves to objections of economic nature only. In their opinion even completion of Nord Stream 2 on time does not guarantee using of the pipeline’s transmission capacity. Putting into service of Eugal pipeline, which will have to transmit additional volumes of gas from the coast to interior, before 2020 is still in question.
Crony Gazprom
If none of Gazprom’s mega-projects has economic justification, why are they implemented? The easiest answer is… because Putin ordered so and the concern is his foreign policy instrument. It is only partly true, yet especially clear in the context of Ukraine. The conclusion is also close to authors of the report. But why it was decided to pump billions of dollars into Power of Siberia?
Looking for modus operandi of Gazprom, authors suggest to abandon corporate logic according to which a company is focused on making up EBIDTA to satisfy its shareholders. But the concern, which maxim is ‘Gazprom – national treasure’, is giving up on the logic.
Analysts argued that Gazprom has acted in favour of the contractors hired to build the pipelines, not Gazprom itself or its shareholders. We are going to examine the three of projects in this way.
Power of Siberia, unlike Altai pipeline, lies entirely within the border of Russia. The investment requires about $55 billion, out of which 27% covers the pipelines, 43 % - commencement of production and 30% - gas station Amur GPP. China offered its participation in the project but Russia rejected the idea. In results, Stroytransgaz and Stroygasmontazh remained the chief contractors.
Golden Friends
The first one is controlled by Gennady Timchenko, number 5 on the list of the richest Russians by Forbes with about $16 billion. His business career started in 80-ties when Mikhail Gorbachev weaken the state monopoly on the oil refining sector. He jumped from the Ministry of Foreign Trade to the private sector, taking position in the refinery near Leningrad.
Timchenko, taking advantage of KGB support, started selling oil products to the West. Up to now Gunvor, which was a true gem among his companies, is one of the biggest traders in the world. Yet, starting cooperation with Vladimir Putin, at this time engaged in international cooperation in mayor office, was a decisive moment in his career.
Together they set up a company Golden Gate, responsible for implementation of the Oil for Food Program, based on the barter exchange. However, although oil was indeed exported, no food ever came to Russia, and Timchenko was the one who made profits. The story tied him and Putin. Nothing was more in value for the newly born Kremlin’s elites than details on Putin’s scams.
Genaddy Timchenko and Vladimir Putin
Over next years the oligarch back Putin up, obeying him in every case and – in return – cashing in on contracts with state-owned companies, including Gazprom. At the moment among the most important companies in which Timchenko holds shares are Gunvor, railway operator Transoil, Stroytransgaz, gas producer Novatek and many more.
Sparring partner in business
The second contractor is Stroygasmontazh run by another Russian oligarch, Arkady Rotenberg, whose private properties are valued for $3 billion. The very beginning of his career is dated to 60-ties when he was just a teenager. That is when he joined judo and sambo courses and got to know Russia’s future president.
The friendship of these two appeared to be really strong. In 90-ties Rotenberg was Putin’s sparring partner. In 1998 he set up judo club Yawara Neva, of which Putin became the honorary president. A co-owner of the club was another close friend of Putin, Gennady Timchenko.
Arkady Rotenberg, along with his brother Boris, is the owner of Stroygasmontazh and a shareholder of some other enterprises. The fact that his company received lucrative contacts for construction of the infrastructure for the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi (of which costs exceeded a few times estimated budget) may speak about his position.
The well-functioning mechanism of Kremlin
Considering close relation of two oligarchs with Putin, they were put in the sanctions list. Despite popular opinions, sanctions indeed hit their purses. Throughout the year Timchenko’s fortune shrank by $4,6 billion (30%) and Rotenberg’s decreased by $2,6 billion (almost 60%). Experts in Kremlinology have started to consider possible collapse of Putin’s system due to dissatisfaction of harmed oligarchs.
This is the point when we touch the very essence of Gazprom’s mega-projects and other undertakings, like the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, bridge between Crimea and Russian mainland or football championship. All of them required huge investments on which Putin’s fiends made profits. Timchenko and Rotenberg are in the core of the group.
Russian president has been a guarantee of their wellbeing, while they have guaranteed him their support and loyalty. The system is circular and contracts for mega-projects’ implementation only sustain its existence.
If we look at Gazprom’s investments from this perspective, they appear to be logical. Companies run by Timchenko and Rotenberg are involved not only in construction of Power of Siberia. The rest of mega-projects are designed to become profitable for certain people.
In Turkish Stream case the investment in offshore transition network is worth about $10 billion. Nord Stream 2 requires immediate construction of 1000 km gas pipeline which will consume additional $5 billion. The contract has been awarded without open binding to Stroytransneftegaz, a subsidiary of Stroytransgaz.
Non-political project?
Russian diplomacy has repeatedly promoted official narratives on Nord Stream 2 as exclusively economic project, having nothing in common with politics. Recently the same view has been expressed by Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary for the President of Russia. Yet, the report has showed the opposite is true. Nord Stream 2 and other mega-projects projects are not beneficial even to Gazprom. They have another purpose which is satisfying needs of Putin’s friends and – in consequences – strengthen the oligarchic system.
Whoever speaks differently and indicates evidence, is severely punished. Author of the report, Alex Fak, as well as his supervisor Aleksandr Kudrin, is no longer Sberbank’s employee. Igor Bulantsev, CEO of Sberbank CIB, described Fak’s behaviour as unprofessional and ‘violating ethical standards’.
The sharp reaction of Kremlin is no surprise. Nord Stream 2 needs to be built since it is necessary for the proper functioning of the Russian system. Still, in the West the project has to be presented in a specific way, preferably appealing to ecology and profitability. As it appears, Poland along with Baltic states have been right to oppose Nord Stream 2.
The pipeline is going to harm everyone, including Russian taxpayers. Who can benefit? Only Putin and his closest friends.
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Tarak Naiya
Q. Tell us about how you started working at Anuschka.
A. I was enrolled for my master in education, but had to leave halfway through because my father couldn’t afford to pay my education fees any further. In the meantime, I got introduced to Samaresh Mondal who was an artist at Anuschka and referred me here.
Q. Do any of those first moments at Anuschka really stick out in your memory?
A. The day when our main artist Soumitra Roy approved my work sample and truly appreciated it. His kind words and approval means a lot to me.
“People may simply not believe that it is done by hand, the work is so neat and elegant - it will mesmerize them."
Q. What do you love most about what you do?
A. I just love to hold the product in my hands and see the art once it is fully completed, be it my work or anyone else’s. It is an undefined ecstasy for me.
Q. What makes working at Anuschka so special?
A. It has enabled me to set some money aside to cover the cost and fees to finish my master’s degree. Anuschka has also given me the opportunity to be independent. I used to have to borrow money from my father and he always gave it to me in spite of all of his difficulties. Today I feel really happy that I have become financially capable of helping my father and take care of myself.
Q. As an artist, where do you find inspiration?
A. I get all of my inspiration from Mr. Soumitra Roy, our main artist. I also believe in being regular and punctual to work. Being consistent at work helps me to be aware of everything that is going on in the workshop, and makes me dependable so I don’t miss out on anything related to my work or craft.
Q. What’s your most valued possession?
A. My work stool. It was gifted to me by my trainer here, Mr. Sanjoy Chowdhury.
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Nissan 30th Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix open for submissions
on 5 July, 2013 at 10:34
The 30th Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix is open to submissions from aspiring writers starting July 5. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the Grand Prix was first organized in May 1984 by the International Institute for Children’s Literature-Osaka. The Grand Prix is a way to identify talented writers and illustrators of children’s books. It offers them a platform to showcase their works, and has been the beginning of successful careers for several past winners. Winning works in the Nissan-sponsored competition, which now attracts close to 3,000 entries each year, are published.
Applications will close on Thursday, October 31, 2013. Further details are available at the following website (in Japanese only). As part of its corporate philanthropic initiative, Nissan will fund the publication and distribution of the winning works to approximately 4,100 locations, including libraries, kindergartens and nursery schools near Nissan offices/plants in Japan, in cooperation with BL Publishing Co., Ltd.
READ U.S. production for the all-new 2018 Nissan LEAF with ProPILOT Assist technology begins in Tennessee
NissanStorybook
Create studio shots at home with Portrait Lighting from Sony for NEX-5R and NEX-6
New Casio PRO Trek watch warns of a sudden rise or fall in atmospheric pressure
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russ.farrar@farrar-bates.com
Since 1992, Russ has served as a co-founder and senior partner at Farrar & Bates, where he practices in the areas of insurance defense, municipal liability defense, civil rights defense, police liability defense, governmental tort liability defense, employment law, employment discrimination, workers’ compensation, administrative law, governmental relations, real estate errors and omissions, entertainment law, trial and appellate litigation, and business law. Since 2002, Russ has been rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™, the only nationally recognized attorney rating service, and he was the recipient of the 2018 William (Bill) Tune Award for Excellence in Real Estate Education from the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.
Prior to joining Farrar & Bates, Farrar served as assistant commissioner and chief legal counsel for the Tennessee Department of Labor and as director of the Department of Labor’s Division of Employment Codes.
Russ obtained his Juris Doctor degree with high honors, Order of the Coif, from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1984. He received his Bachelor of Science degree with highest honors from the University of Tennessee in 1980.
Russ currently serves as general counsel and senior lobbyist for the 25,000-plus member Tennessee REALTORS®; general counsel for Public Entity Partners, which insures more than 90 percent of Tennessee’s local governments; and chairman of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development TOSHA Review Commission.
University of Tennessee College of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 1984, High Honors, Order of the Coif, American Jurisprudence Award in Property, Family and Administrative Law
University of Tennessee, Bachelor of Science, 1980, Highest Honors
Presentations and Seminars:
Frequent guest lecturer for the Tennessee Municipal Attorneys Association, the Tennessee Public Risk Management Association, the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police and numerous realtor groups across the state
Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act, Tennessee Young Lawyers Journal (2000)
Liability of a Municipality for Injuries to a Passenger in a Fleeing Vehicle in a High-Speed Police Chase, Tennessee Bar Journal (2001)
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HomePosts tagged 'British colony'
Significant Number Factoid Friday – Today The Number Is Fifty 50
January 25, 2013 January 25, 2013 fasab Factoids, Numbers, Uncategorized, Unusual .50 caliber, 1960, 50 Ale, 50 Cent, 50 cubits in width, 50 degrees east, 50 degrees west, 50 First Dates, 50 Gates of Impurity, 50 Gates of Wisdom, 50 stars, 50 ways to leave your lover, 50 Ways To Say Goodbye, 50 Words For Snow, 50%, 50/50, 50th state, Adam Sandler, alchemists, Anaheim, apostles, Argonauts, Assis, atomic number, Bahrain, Belgium, Bill Barilko, Book of Genesis, books, Brazil, Brighton & Hove, British colony, British Columbia, Browning M2, Brussels, California Angels, canada, Christian feast, coach Jimmie Reese, Cologne, Czech Republic, Dammam, David Robinson, Desert Eagle, Easter, education, England, Entertainment, Exeter, factoid, facts, Fairchild 24, fifty, Fifty shades of grey, flag of the United States of America, focal length, Frankfurt, Germany, Gold wedding anniversary, Golden Fleece, Groundhog Day, Hall of Famer, Hawaii, Hawaii Five-O, Heckler & Koch, Henry Roth, HK33, Holy Ghost, Howdah Hunter, Howdah pistols, IMI, India, information, Israel, Israel Military Industries, James Bay, Jason, jersey, Jewish summer feast, jubilee, Kabbalah, Kamloops, Kate Bush, Ken Strong, Kharkov, Kiev, King James Bible, Kraków, Labatt, light infantry tank, longitude, Los Angeles Angels, M107, Maastricht, magic number, Major League Baseball, Manama, Messier 50, MiG-29, Militaria, military, MKEK, movies, music, NBA, Netherlands, New York Giants, NFL, NHL, Noah's ark, nuclear physics, number, numbers, Old Testament, Open star cluster Messier 50, Passover, Paul Simon, Pentecost, photography, Plymouth, Poland, politics, Portsmouth, Prague, Pythagorean, Random, Regina, religion, Resurrection of Christ, Russia, Russian, Samara, San Antonio Spurs, Saskatchewan, Saudi Arabia, São Paulo, science, significant numbers, Smith & Wesson, Smith & Wesson 50 calibre Revolver, Sn, Soviet Union, sport, Stanley Cup, stealth jet, Su-27, Sukhoi PAK FA, Sukhoi T-50, T-50, technology, the number 50, Timmins, tin, Tineke Hybrid Tea Rose, Toronto Maple Leafs, train, Turkey, tv, TV show, Ukraine, Union, West German, Whitsunday, work, working, world war ii
This week’s significant number is fifty, perhaps one of the most used numbers of them all. Maybe we are so used to having it around that we don’t pay it much attention at all.
The Number 50
The 50th word of the King James Version of the Bible’s Old Testament, Book of Genesis is “light”;
There are 50 chapters in the book of Genesis in the Old Testament;
Noah’s Ark was 50 cubits in width. “The length of the ark shall be 300 cubits, the breadth of it 50 cubits, and the height of it 30 cubits.” (Genesis, VI.15);
Pentecost in Greek means “50th”;
Pentecost is a Jewish summer feast held on the 50th day after the Passover;
Pentecost is also called Whitsunday, a Christian feast, which commemorates the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, 50 days after Easter (Resurrection of Christ);
50 is also said to be one of the holiest numbers, being the sum of the squares of the sacred Pythagorean 3-4-5 triangle, i.e., 9 + 16 + 25 = 50;
In Kabbalah, there are 50 Gates of Wisdom (or Understanding) and 50 Gates of Impurity;
The traditional number of years in a jubilee period.
In science and technology
50 is the Atomic Number of Tin (Sn) (one of the seven metals of the alchemists).
50 is the fifth magic number in nuclear physics.
Open star cluster Messier 50
50th Space Wing
The 50th Space Wing (50 SW) is a wing of the United States Air Force under the major command of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was activated on 30 January 1992, replacing the 2nd Space Wing, which was inactivated on the same date.
The unit is the host wing at Schriever Air Force Base, located east of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Their primary responsibility is to track and maintain the command and control, warning, navigational, and communications satellites for AFSPC. The 50th Space Wing also manages the Global Positioning System.
Typical satellite monitoring tasks such as tracking and telemetry are the main part of their mission, and in so doing, they employ more than 5600 personnel (active duty military, guard and reserve, contractors, and DoD civilians.)
Hawaii was the 50th state to enter the union in 1960;
There are now 50 stars on the flag of the United States of America, each representing one of the 50 states. The stars are arranged in 9 rows staggered horizontally and 11 rows staggered vertically. Diagonally they are: 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 9 + 7 + 5 + 3 + 1 = 50.
The jersey number 50 has been retired by a number of North American sports teams in honor of past playing greats or other figures.
In Major League Baseball: the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, for coach Jimmie Reese, who served with the team when it was known as the California Angels.
coach Jimmie Reese California Angels
In the NBA: the San Antonio Spurs, for Hall of Famer David Robinson.
San Antonio Spurs Hall of Famer David Robinson
In the NFL: the New York Giants, for Hall of Famer Ken Strong.
New York Giants Hall of Famer Ken Strong
No NHL team has retired the number, which is not frequently issued.
Bill Barilko, was a hockey player whose final goal won the Toronto Maple Leafs the Stanley Cup. Four months and 5 days after he scored the winning goal to clinch Toronto’s seventh Stanley Cup, Barilko boarded a Fairchild 24, single-engine plane piloted by his friend Henry Hudson. He was returning home to Timmins from a fishing trip on James Bay. The plane vanished between Rupert House and Timmins. No trace of Hudson, Barilko or the Fairchild was discovered for 11 years, despite massive search efforts. The Maple Leafs were so distraught and unwilling to accept the tragedy that Barilko’s equipment remained in his usual locker room stall at the opening of the 1951 fall training camp. Rumors began circulating that Barilko, of Russian decent, had defected to the Soviet Union to teach his skills to young Soviet players. Finally on June 9, 1962, bush pilot Gary Fields came upon the wreck of a Fairchild 24, approximately 100 kilometers north of Cochrane, Ontario. Barilko was finally laid to rest in Timmins; the year that the Leafs won their first Stanley Cup since his disappearance 11 years earlier.
The story of Barilko’s 1951 Stanley Cup heroics and his mysterious disappearance were the inspiration for The Tragically Hip song “Fifty Mission Cap”. The song appeared on the Canadian band’s third full-length album Fully Completely, and is often credited with reintroducing Barilko’s story to a younger generation.
Sukhoi T-50
The Sukhoi PAK FA is a twin-engine jet fighter being developed by Sukhoi for the Russian Air Force. The Sukhoi T-50 is the prototype for PAK FA.
The PAK FA is one of only a handful of stealth jet programs globally.
The PAK FA, a fifth generation jet fighter, is intended to be the successor to the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian inventory and serve as the basis of the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA being developed with India.
The T-50 prototype performed its first flight 29 January 2010.
By 31 August 2010, it had made 17 flights and by mid-November, 40 in total. The second T-50 was to start its flight test by the end of 2010, but this was delayed until March 2011.
The Russian Defence Ministry will purchase the first 10 evaluation example aircraft after 2012 and then 60 production standard aircraft after 2016.
The first batch of fighters will be delivered with current technology engines.
The PAK-FA is expected to have a service life of about 30–35 years.
T-50 light infantry tank
The T-50 light infantry tank was built by the Soviet Union at the beginning of World War II. However it was complicated and expensive, and only a short production run of 69 tanks was completed. Furthermore, even before it was ready for mass-production wartime experience invalidated the underlying concept of light tanks.
MKE T 50
The HK33 is a 5.56mm assault rifle developed in the 1960s by West German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K), primarily for export.
Capitalizing on the success of their G3 design, the company developed a family of small arms (all using the G3 operating principle and basic design concept) consisting of four types of firearms: the first type, chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, the second—using the Soviet 7.62x39mm M43 round, third—the intermediate 5.56x45mm caliber and the fourth type—chambered for the 9x19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge.
The HK33 series of rifles were adopted by the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira or FAB), the armed forces of Thailand and Malaysia where they were produced under a license agreement. The rifle was also license-built in France by MAS and in Turkey by MKEK. The HK33 is no longer manufactured or marketed by Heckler & Koch.
The M107, with a family of ammunition, enables sniper teams to employ greater destructive force at greater ranges and complements the anti-personnel precision fire capability of the M24 (7.62mm, bolt action) Sniper Weapon System (SWS).
The primary mission of this rifle is to engage and defeat materiel targets at extended ranges to include parked aircraft; command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) sites; radar sites; ammunition; petroleum, oil and lubricants; and various other thin skinned (lightly armored) materiel targets out to 2000 meters.
The M107 can also be used in a counter sniper role taking advantage of the longer stand off range and increased terminal effect when opposing snipers armed with smaller caliber weapons out to 1000 meters.
It is a semi-automatic, air-cooled, box magazine-fed rifle chambered for .50 caliber ammunition and with a 10-round removable magazine. This rifle operates by means of the short recoil principle, rather than gas.
Browning M2 .50 caliber (12.7mm) Machine Gun
The Browning M2 .50 caliber (12.7mm) Machine Gun, is an iconic World War II era automatic, belt-fed, recoil operated, air-cooled, crew-operated machine gun. It is currently fielded by 20 different militaries around the world.
The M2 machine gun is crew transportable with limited amounts of ammunition over short distances. The M2 HB machine gun is used to engage dismounted infantry, crew-served weapons, ATGM teams, light-armor vehicles, and aircraft.
It fires from the closed-bolt position and is belt fed, recoil operated, air cooled, and crew operated. By repositioning some of the component parts, ammunition may be fed from either the left or right side. A disintegrating metallic link-belt is used to feed the ammunition into the weapon. The gun is capable of single-shot (ground M2), as well as automatic fire. The AN/TVS-5 night-vision sight can be used with the M2 machine gun.
Howdah Hunter
During the first British colony government period in India, starting from 1840, the Howdah pistols were preferred by the army officers detached in the widest territories of the Empire.
It is a classic large caliber double barrel pistol in the English gunsmith school style, used at close range to stop tigers which commonly leaped upon elephants carrying hunters in a Howdah in the far away colonial territories.
It is normally finished with blued barrels, engraved locks featuring wide animals in their natural habitat, and case hardened color finish. The walnut pistol grip stock is checkered and finished with a steel butt cap. Barrel Length 11 1/4″. Weight 4.41 lbs. (20 ga), 5.07 lbs. (.50)
Although an American idea, the “Desert Eagle” was developed in Israel by the IMI (Israel Military Industries) in the early 1980s. The first Desert Eagles were manufactured in Israel and started appearing on gun dealers’ shelves in the US around 1985. Following a problem in meeting demand for the pistols in 1992 (and probably fearful of the prospect of government import limitations), Magnum Research started assembling parts of the gun in the US and currently is working toward full assembly and possibly manufacture of the guns stateside.
Given the fact that the IMI is best known for the Uzi series of submachine guns and the Galil rifles, it isn’t surprising that the Desert Eagle departs radically from many other semi auto pistol designs, though the exterior belays this. The basic layout is like that of most other modern semi auto pistols (with the magazine release on the side of the grip, slide release on the left side of the frame, and a thumb-activated slide safety).
Internally it is different. The pistol is gas-operated with a system that is more like a rifle than the delayed blow-back systems used with most other semi auto hand guns. The gas system employs a fixed, shrouded barrel which stays in position on the frame during firing, with gas coming up a port just ahead of the chamber to operate a three-lug rotating bolt that rides in the slide assembly. The fixed barrel gives the gun a lot of potential accuracy, a potential realized with most of these pistols when fired with quality ammunition.
In addition to .357 Magnum, .41 AE, .41 Magnum, and .44 Magnum chamberings, the Desert Eagle is also available chambered for the .50 AE (Action Express).
The Smith & Wesson 50 calibre Revolver
Billed by Smith & Wesson as the most Powerful Production Revolver in the World Today, this S&W revolve uses the massive .500 S&W Magnum® Cartridge with 2600 ft/lb. Muzzle Energy.
It is designed as a hunting handgun for any game animal walking.
In books, tv, movies and music
The TV show Hawaii Five-O and its reimagined version, Hawaii Five-0, are so called because Hawaii is the last (50th) of the states to officially become a state.
From the tv show, the term 5-O (Five-Oh) has become slang for police officers and/or a warning that police are approaching. Derived from the television show Hawaii Five-O
50 First Dates. A Groundhog Day type of movie starring Adam Sandler as Henry Roth, a man afraid of commitment up until he meets the beautiful Lucy. They hit it off and Henry think he’s finally found the girl of his dreams, until he discovers she has short-term memory loss and forgets him the very next day.
50/50. Inspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis, and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.
Fifty shades of grey, the mummy-porn novel that became a huge seller in 2012
Nickname of famous hip hop / rap legend 50 Cent.
Paul Simon 50 ways to leave your lover
50 Ways To Say Goodbye by Train
Train frontman Pat Monahan penned this song with Espionage, the Norwegian production duo that helped pen “Hey Soul Sister.”
Espionage is made up of Espen Lind and Amund Bjørklund and amongst their other credits are Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable” and Chris Brown’s “With You.”
The song follows a similar theme to Paul Simon’s “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover,” though in this instance it’s the narrator’s pride that has been hurt as he looks for excuses to tell his friends why she’s disappeared from his life.
50 Words For Snow Kate Bush
50 Words For Snow comprises seven songs “set against a background of falling snow.” The album was released through the singer’s personal imprint, Fish People.
Speaking to American radio station KCRW, Bush said that the idea for this song came from thinking about the myth that the Inuit Eskimos have 50 words for snow. She then decided to make up increasingly fantastical words herself, and recruited actor and writer Stephen Fry to recite the 50 synonyms. They include such words/phrases as “spangladasha,” “mountain-sob, “blown from Polar fur,” and “shimmer-glisten.”
Whilst the Inuit did have about as many words for snow as the English (and now a lot less after Bush’s verbal creations for the frozen precipitation), the Sami in Finland have in excess of 50.
In other stuff
Cities located on latitude 50 degrees north include Cologne and Frankfurt, Germany; Brussels, Belgium; Maastricht, Netherlands; Portsmouth, Exeter, Plymouth and Brighton & Hove, England; Regina, Saskatchewan, and Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada; Kiev, Ukraine; Prague, Czech Republic; Kraków, Poland; and Kharkov, Ukraine.
Cities located on longitude 50 degrees west include Assis, São Paulo, Brazil.
Cities located on longitude 50 degrees east include Dammam, Saudi Arabia; Samara, Russia; and Manama, Bahrain.
The percentage (50%) equivalent to one half, so that the phrase “fifty-fifty” commonly expresses something divided equally in two; in business this is often denoted as being the ultimate in equal partnership.
In millimeters, the focal length of the normal lens in 35 mm photography.
Gold wedding anniversary celebrates 50 years of marriage.
The Roman numeral for 50 is L.
A Canadian brand of beer called 50 Ale created in 1950 by Labatt breweries to commemorate 50 years of partnership. It is a popular brand still sold today.
The speed limit, in kilometers per hour, of Australian roads with unspecified limits.
Jason and 50 Argonauts sailed on the ship Argo on a quest for the Golden Fleece in Colchis (Black Sea).
Tineke Hybrid Tea Rose has 50 double broad petals.
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Noelle Connell June 22, 2016 Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test, K-drama, TV
The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test: Beautiful Mind – Season 1, Episode 2
Jin-Sung was determined to take Young-O down in the second episode of Beautiful Mind, but as she soon came to realize, not only would her murder case not be solved so simply, but Young-O was not all that he appeared to be as well.
The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test
Episode 2 passed the race test but it did not pass the Bechdel or Russo test.
Young-O is determined to prove a point.
Episode 2 passed the race test, and the episode passed this test because there were many instances where non-White individuals talked to each other without mentioning White people as the entire cast was Asian and none of the characters ever mentioned White people.
As to the Bechdel test, episode 2 did not pass this diversity test. Why? Because while there were a couple of named women in this episode, there was never an instance where two or more named women talked to each other.
Episode 2 also failed to pass the Russo test, and the episode did not pass this diversity test because there were no LGBTI characters in episode 2.
*The Bechdel test entails three requirements:
1. It has to have at least two (named) women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man
**The Vito Russo test entails three requirements:
1. The show contains a character that is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and/or transgender
2. The character must not be solely or predominately defined by her sexual orientation, gender identity and/or as being intersex
3.The character must be tied into the plot in such a way that her removal would have a significant effect
***The race or people of color (POC) test has three requirements:
1. It has two people of color in it
3. About something other than a White person
****Just because a show passes the Bechdel, Russo and race test does not mean that it is not sexist, heterosexist, racist and/or cissexist, etc. The Bechdel, Russo and race test is only a bare minimum qualifier for the representation of LGBTI individuals, women and people of color in television. The failure to pass these tests also does not identify whether the central character was a woman, a person of color or a LGBTQI individual and it does not dictate the quality of the show.
Posted in Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test, K-drama, TV and tagged Beautiful Mind, Bechdel, K-drama, Race Test, TV, Vito Russo. Bookmark the permalink.
The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test: The 100, "Ye Who Enter Here" - Season 3, Episode 3
The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test: Oh My Venus - Season 1, Episode 15
The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test: Doctor Crush – Season 1, Episode 1
The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test: Lucky Romance – Season 1, Episode 9
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‘A Toxic Combination’– The health impacts of the TPPA
Newtown public meeting on the TPPA
Notes of a talk given at public meetings in Newtown, Lower Hutt, Otaki and Wainuiomata organised by TPP Free Wellington and the Horowhenua TPPA Action Group, January 2016. Reprinted from Grant Brookes’ NZNO blog.
Kia ora koutou. Good evening. My name is Grant Brookes. I am a Registered Nurse, and the President of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation.
NZNO is the leading professional association and union for nurses in Aotearoa New Zealand, representing 47,000 nurses, midwives, students, kaimahi hauora and other health workers. NZNO embraces Te Tiriti o Waitangi and works to improve the health status of all peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand through participation in health and social policy development.
I was invited along tonight to give an expert opinion on the health impact of the TPPA. But I need to stress that my areas of expertise – in nursing, and health policy – are not sufficient, in themselves, to provide this. Having read the 599 pages which comprise the core of the agreement (excluding side instruments and some of the annexes), it is abundantly clear that legal expertise in the interpretation of international treaties is also required.
A full, peer-reviewed analysis of the health impact of the TPPA by suitably qualified experts is yet to be published for the New Zealand setting. But with these large caveats in mind, I will offer a few thoughts on the topic.
Let’s recap. Over the course of seven years of negotiations, attention on the health impacts of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in New Zealand focused heavily on a few aspects of healthcare provision – specifically the cost of medicines – and on a handful of regulatory issues in public health – especially tobacco control.
The potential health impacts of the TPPA are not limited to these matters. But I will talk about them, before touching briefly on some of the more far-reaching implications for health in the agreement. The complexity of the document is such that understanding the issues requires in-depth examination. So I hope you will bear with me as I go into some detail.
Health fears muted?
When negotiations concluded in Atlanta last October, government politicians rushed to declare that the health concerns which critics had been raising were fully addressed in the final agreement. By and large, media reports reflected this government line.
So for example, Patrick Gower told viewers of 3 News that “the TPP was nowhere near as bad as Labour made it out to be. The big fears have been muted: the PHARMAC model is looking intact and there are restrictions on tobacco corporations suing the Government.”
Meanwhile, Fairfax political reporters Jo Moir and Laura McQuillan announcedthat:
“New Zealanders will not face increased medicine costs as a result of the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal. Australian officials took an ANZAC approach to patent protections on biologics over the last three days and dug their heels in on the issue on behalf of Australians and Kiwis. Groser said Kiwis will not pay any more for medicine as a result of the TPPA and the “cost of the subsidy bill will not go up [by] any large extent”. It will cost roughly $4.5 million in the first year to set up the software to provide the additional information that negotiating partners wanted. After that operating costs will be about $2.5m a year – a “tiny rounding error” on what is a large health budget, he said.”
These TPPA boosters were able to point to clauses in the final text to support their claims. For example, they highlighted “ANNEX 26-A. TRANSPARENCY AND PROCEDURAL FAIRNESS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS AND MEDICAL DEVICES”
That part of the agreement says that, “The Parties are committed to facilitating high-quality healthcare and continued improvements in public health for their nationals, including patients and the public.”
Alongside commercial affirmations about the “the need to recognize the value of pharmaceutical products and medical devices through the operation of competitive markets”, the text acknowledges “the importance of protecting and promoting public health and the important role played by pharmaceutical products and medical devices in delivering high-quality health care” and “the need to promote timely and affordable access to pharmaceutical products and medical devices”.
Significantly, the Annex says that, “The dispute settlement procedures provided for in Chapter 28 (Dispute Settlement) shall not apply” to PHARMAC, “with respect to PHARMAC’s role in the listing of a new pharmaceutical for reimbursement on the Pharmaceutical Schedule”.
Then there is “CHAPTER 29: EXCEPTIONS AND GENERAL PROVISIONS”.
“Article 29.5: Tobacco Control Measures” says that, “A Party may elect to deny the benefits of Section B of Chapter 9 (Investment) with respect to claims challenging a tobacco control”. In other words, tobacco companies can be barred from suing governments over their smokefree policies, via the notorious Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) process.
The inclusion of ANNEX 26-A and Article 29.5 is testament to the efforts of those of us who have campaigned for years against the TPPA in the name of public health. But is it true, as media and politicians would have us believe, that these clauses are enough to safeguard health and mitigate the impacts of the TPPA on healthcare provision, and on public health regulation?
Healthcare provision – medicines
To answer that question, we have to understand how PHARMAC works.
The Pharmaceutical Management Agency (commonly known as PHARMAC) successfully manages the cost of medicines in New Zealand, through a range of mechanisms. For example, under the PHARMAC model, generally only one brand of each medicine is subsidised at any given time. If a prescriber writes a community pharmacy script specifically naming a different brand (which they can still do), the patient will pay the full price at the chemist, rather than the usual $5 per item. As a result, very few unsubsidised brands are prescribed. This means that PHARMAC can force pharmaceutical companies to compete, driving down prices.
New Zealand’s pharmaceutical budget of $800 million (or around $200 per person, per year) is low by international standards. The media reports were accurate when they said that this model will remain under the TPPA, and that one-off compliance costs of $4.5 million and increased operating costs of around $2.5 million a year represent a tiny proportion of PHARMAC’s budget.
However, tendering out the right to be the sole subsidised brand in this way is not possible if a single pharmaceutical company holds the patent for a particular drug. In that case, the company can effectively set the price at which New Zealanders can access that medication. Therefore, longer patents mean higher medicine costs – and potentially, much higher costs.
Currently in New Zealand, patents on most medicines expire after 20 years, while for a new class of medicines, known as biologics (sometimes called “specialty drugs”), patent protection lasts for five years.
The TPPA will result in longer periods, due to a host of provisions in “CHAPTER 18: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY”, “Subsection C: Measures Relating to Pharmaceutical Products”
For example, a drug company will be able to patent “new uses of a known product, new methods of using a known product, or new processes of using a known product” (Article 18.37.1). This is what’s known as “evergreening” patents.
Consider what this means. For many decades, aspirin was used to relieve pain and fever. Then, in the early 1970s, studies found that aspirin was also effective in reducing the incidence of heart attacks and strokes. Under the provisions of the TPPA Intellectual Property Chapter, the drug company Bayer (the original patent-holder) could potentially have applied for a new patent for this new use for aspirin, and ratcheted up the price.
This is not an isolated example. The history of medical practice is full of drugs which were developed to treat one condition, and later put to new uses. In my field of psychiatry, for instance, first-line therapy for the treatment of bipolar mania is a drug called valproate – which was initially used to treat epilepsy. Prochlorperazine – initially used in the treatment of schizophrenia – is now more commonly prescribed in low doses for nausea (including morning sickness during pregnancy). Prazosin, an anti-hypertensive drug used to treat high blood pressure, has recently been found to be effective in reducing the severity of nightmares associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and so on. Under the TPPA, all of these developments could potentially have resulted in higher medicine costs.
The greatest impact on PHARMAC, however, will probably come from extended market exclusivity for new kinds of medicine called “biologics”. This new class of drugs are derived from biological processes, instead of being created in the lab through chemical interactions. Biologics include so-called “specialty drugs”, some of which are enormously expensive. Perhaps the best known example is pembrolizumab, marketed under the brand-name Keytruda, which was the subject of a petition and extensive media coverage last year. This melanoma drug saves lives, but patent-holder Merck charges $300,000 per patient.
New York Times biotechnology correspondents Andrew Pollack and Katie Thomas have reported that last year, the “specialty medications accounted for one-third of all spending on drugs in the United States, up from 19 percent in 2004 and heading toward 50 percent in the next 10 years, according to IMS Health, which tracks prescriptions. The trend has led to a corresponding boom in the specialty pharmacy business, which by one estimate grew to $78 billion in sales last year from $20 billion in 2005”
In Australia, meanwhile, monopolies on just ten biologic drugs listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme cost taxpayers over $205 million in 2013-14.
As mentioned previously, New Zealand laws currently give a five year monopoly to drug companies holding patents in biologics, during which they can name their price.
According to former trade minister Tim Groser, patent terms for biologics will not change under the TPPA. His view is not shared by US Deputy Trade Representative Robert Holleyman, who told the US Chamber of Commerce 2015 Global IP Summit last year that: “TPP will require, for the first time in a trade agreement, Parties to provide an extended term of effective market protection for biologic medicines”.
There has been speculation that pharmaceutical companies may pressure US representatives to renegotiate parts of the Intellectual Property Chapter, or seek other assurances, to “clarify” that. But to my eyes, it seems pretty clear that Article 18.52 of the TPPA, as it stands now, means that Robert Holleyman is right and that “effective market protection” for biologics will be extended to eight years.
Each additional year added to the monopoly period today would “add tens of millions of dollars” to New Zealand’s drug bill. But if prescribing trends here follow those predicted in the United States, then the TPPA’s extended market protections (patents, in other words) for biologics could be costing taxpayers (or patients, or both) hundreds of millions of dollars a year, within a decade.
Healthcare provision – DHB services
But while the cost of medicines has received the greatest attention, it is far from the only aspect of healthcare provision which could be affected by the TPPA.
As the executive director of the ASMS senior doctors union, Ian Powell, has recently commented, the TPPA could reach right into the heart of our health system:
“The Government appears to be sidling back to a market-driven approach to the provision of public hospital services… The Government’s health funding review, whose controversial recommendations were leaked to the media last year, underpins the draft updated health strategy. This strategy document clearly points to a competitive market model of health service provision…As the executive director of the ASMS senior doctors union, Ian Powell, has recently commented, the TPPA could reach right into the heart of our health system:
“Proposals currently being considered by the Government include opening up DHB services to competitive tendering.”
If these changes went ahead, then large parts of our health system could become subject to TPPA “CHAPTER 10: CROSS-BORDER TRADE IN SERVICES”. This chapter applies wherever a service is supplied on a commercial basis or in competition with one or more service suppliers.
Article 10.3 (National Treatment) says: “Each Party shall accord to services and service suppliers of another Party treatment no less favourable than that it accords, in like circumstances, to its own services and service suppliers”.
As Ian Powell points out, this “opens the doors to more involvement of multi-national health insurance companies… Multi-national companies can afford to make loss-leading bids to secure a contract, with the aim of making a profit over the longer term by cutting costs. As a country we really don’t want to be going down that track, especially under the deeply flawed Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. The wrong move could prove very costly for New Zealand because once multi-national companies get their hooks into our public health service contracts, they may be very difficult to dislodge.”
Public Health – tobacco
The assurances from politicians and media commenatators that tobacco control will be unaffected under the TPPA, sadly, are also less reliable than they appear.
Analysis of the text by Louise Delany and George Thomson, of the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, has revealed what the so-called “tobacco carve out” really means for public health.
They identify a number of issues. Firstly, “Article 29.5: Tobacco Control Measures” is not compulsory, and the New Zealand government has not yet announced whether it is opting in to this exemption from ISDS provisions for policies to reduce smoking.
Secondly, while this Article means that tobacco companies can be barred from suing governments under ISDS provisions, the rest of the TPPA still applies. And the TPPA provides mechanisms to pursue complaints for breaches of its obligations, apart from the ISDS process. So for example, another government could still initiate complaints (perhaps acting on behalf of domestic tobacco interests) that New Zealand’s smokefree laws breach the TPPA.
In addition, “CHAPTER 25: REGULATORY COHERENCE” says that, “in the process of planning, designing, issuing, implementing and reviewing regulatory measures in order to facilitate achievement of domestic policy objectives… The Parties affirm the importance of… taking into account input from interested persons in the development of regulatory measures” (Article 25.2). And to be clear, “person means a natural person or an enterprise” (Article 1.3).
In other words, under the TPPA our government must allow interested enterprises – cigarette companies – to have input into the planning, designing, issuing, implementing and reviewing of our smokefree policies.
As Delany and Thomson comment: “The obligation to allow industry stakeholders a place at the table when control measures are being developed is highly retrograde. This provision is inconsistent with Article 5.3 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (the World Health Organization treaty, of which NZ is a signatory). This requires the removal of such tobacco industry influence on the policymaking of states…
“The outcome of the TPP for tobacco control is that governments will continue to be vulnerable to pressure from the tobacco industry over tobacco control measures. No matter how ill-founded industry legal arguments may be, they may result in a perceived need for caution, may lead to expensive disputes, and lead to delay or permanent postponement for such measures.”
Other Public Health issues
“We may think that barring big tobacco from using the ISDS clauses has put the issue to bed”, comments Public Health Association Chief Executive Warren Lindberg. “It hasn’t”. He goes on to mention that “there remain plenty of other multinationals prepared to further their own interests at the expense of smaller economies like ours – such as big pharma, big food and big energy.” And there are no exemptions at all to protect Public Health from these others.
The real problem for Public Health in the TPPA lies at the heart of the document, in “CHAPTER 9: INVESTMENT”. The scope of this chapter is very broad. It states, “Investment means every asset that an investor owns or controls, directly or indirectly, that has the characteristics of an investment, including such characteristics as the commitment of capital or other resources, the expectation of gain or profit, or the assumption of risk.”
The chapter says that governments must not “expropriate or nationalise a covered investment either directly or indirectly… except… on payment of prompt, adequate and effective compensation” ( Article 9.7). The banning of “indirect expropriation” can potentially mean that governments can be sued for any “action or series of actions” which has an “economic impact” affecting an investors “expectation of gain or profit” (Annex 9-B Expropriation).There might appear to be a Get Out of Jail Free clause, for “regulatory actions by a Party that are designed and applied to protect legitimate public welfare objectives, such as public health”. But the footnote makes it clear that, “For greater certainty and without limiting the scope of this subparagraph, regulatory actions to protect public health include, among others, such measures with respect to the regulation, pricing and supply of, and reimbursement for, pharmaceuticals (including biological products), diagnostics, vaccines, medical devices, gene therapies and technologies, health-related aids and appliances and blood and blood-related products.” In other words, they do not include the vast bulk of what we consider Public Health regulations.
So it is easy to see Coca-Cola suing any government trying to bring in a sugar tax to tackle obesity, for example, on the basis that lost sales were an indirect expropriation of their investment. Tighter regulation of casino operators to reduce the harm from problem gambling, although hard to imagine under the current government, could be the subject of a future claim for compensation from offshore investors. Japan’s Kirin Holdings, which owns breweries responsible half of New Zealand’s beer output, would be in prime position to sue if government regulated to reduce alcohol consumption and harm.
Even policies such as the removal of GST on fruit and vegetables, designed to promote consumption of fresh, healthy foods in place of processed foods, could see our government targeted by multinational food and beverage manufacturers.
The TPPA, therefore, will put a chill on almost any effort to regulate for Public Health. Little wonder that World Health Organisation Director-General Dr Margaret Chan has spoken of the “particularly disturbing trend [involving]… the use of foreign investment agreements to handcuff governments and restrict their policy space.”
Social determinants of health.
I’d like to conclude by looking briefly at some of the health issues which have not been a major focus of attention so far, but which are possibly the most far-reaching of all. They are the impacts of the TPPA on the social determinants of health.
In 2005, the New Zealand Public Health Advisory Committee said: “It is increasingly accepted that the health of the population is not primarily determined by health services or individual lifestyle choices, but mostly by social, cultural, economic and environmental influences.”
The World Health Organization Commission on the Social Determinants of Health lists some of these influences: “the conditions of early childhood and schooling, the nature of employment and working conditions, the physical form of the built environment, and the quality of the natural environment in which people reside… The poor health of the poor, the social gradient in health within countries, and the marked health inequities between countries are caused by the unequal distribution of power, income, goods, and services… This is the result of a toxic combination of poor social policies and programmes, unfair economic arrangements, and bad politics.”
The Commission has drawn attention to the role of agreements like the TPPA in creating this toxic combination. “A key recommendation from the Commission is that caution be applied by participating countries in the consideration of new global, regional, and bilateral economic (trade and investment) policy commitments”.
On the face of it, there are chapters in the TPPA apparently protecting these social determinants of health. To address the quality of the natural environment in which people reside, the TPPA has “CHAPTER 20: ENVIRONMENT”. For employment and working conditions, there is “CHAPTER 19: LABOUR”. The unequal distribution of power, income, good and services – within and between countries – could be seen as covered by “CHAPTER 21: COOPERATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING” and “CHAPTER 23: DEVELOPMENT”.
But what do these chapters actually say?
World Health Organisation has called climate change “the greatest threat to human health this century”. The TPPA Environment Chapter says nothing about climate change. On the contrary, ISDS processes like the ones in the TPPA are being used right now to challenge government action protecting the climate.
Last November, US President Obama announced that the Keystone XL pipeline, designed to facilitate the extraction of oil from vast tar sands in Northern Canada, would not go ahead. Climate campaigners around the world breathed a sigh of relief. NASA climate scientist James Hansen had earlier saidthat if Keystone XL went ahead and all the Canadian oil reserves were extracted and burnt, then it would be “essentially game over” for Earth’s climate. Yet investors in the TransCanada pipeline company are suing the US government for $15 billion compensation, alleging that their investment has been expropriated as they were denied the right to cook the planet to death.
What the Environment Chapter does say is that, “The Parties recognise that flexible, voluntary mechanisms… market-based incentives, voluntary sharing of information and expertise, and public-private partnerships, can contribute to the achievement and maintenance of high levels of environmental protection… Therefore… each Party shall encourage… the use of flexible and voluntary mechanisms to protect natural resources and the environment.” (Article 20.11)
The so-called Environment Chapter is actually about the removal of environmental regulation and empowering investors to sue governments for tackling climate change.
“CHAPTER 19: LABOUR”, meanwhile, commits Parties to respect the rights upheld by the International Labour Organisation: “freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour; the effective abolition of child labour… the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.” (Article 19.3)
That sounds fine, except that the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association has repeatedly found that labour laws in the United States fail to uphold rights enshrined in ILO conventions, including those in a recent case brought by twelve Charge Nurses at the Oakwood Heritage Hospital in Michigan.
Nurses in Los Angeles protest US labor laws denying freedom of association, 2006.
ILO rights, such as freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, have not been adequately reflected in US law since 1947. If the US has denied basic labour rights for 70 years, does anyone think they will start honouring them because they’ve signed the TPPA?
In New Zealand, the Employment Contracts Act introduced by the previous National Government in the 1990s was also found to be in breach of ILO conventions. The government essentially ignored the ruling. It is arguable that today’s Employment Relations Act, as repeatedly amended under the current government, also breaches the labour rights proclaimed in Chapter 20 of the TPPA.
On closer inspection, the three Chapters which might be seen as addressing the social determinants of health have two things in common. Firstly, they all contain a clause stating: “No Party shall have recourse to dispute settlement under Chapter 28 (Dispute Settlement) for any matter arising under this Chapter.” In other words, they’re toothless.
Secondly, they’re short – taking up just 21 pages, in total, in the 599-page agreement. In other words, they’re little more than window-dressing.
But they do contain a revealing statement of the ideology on which the TPPA is based.
Article 23.3 in the Development Chapter declares: “The Parties acknowledge that broad-based economic growth reduces poverty, enables sustainable delivery of basic services, and expands opportunities for people to live healthy and productive lives.”
“Economic growth reduces poverty” – this is the same tired, old story we’ve been told for the last 30 years. Repackaged time after time, who remembers these versions? “A rising tide lifts all boats”, “the best way to get a bigger slice for the poor is grow the pie”, “support the wealth-creators and the wealth will trickle down”.
Meanwhile, as deregulation and trade liberalisation rolled onwards over these 30 years, the unequal distribution of power and income grew worse. Social determinants of health – in schooling, working conditions, and the quality of housing and the natural environment – deteriorated. Health inequalities have grown dramatically. Non-communicable diseases and diseases of poverty have mushroomed.
As mentioned at the outset, I am not qualified to give a comprehensive expert opinion. But I can confidently say this: the health impacts of the TPPA will be more of the same.
Filed Under: TPPA
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Home » Authors » JOHNNY SACHU » The Device » Chapter 1
The Device
Copyright© 2013 by JOHNNY SACHU
David Evans rode out the storm of deductions in his mind only to have logic tell him, for the umpteenth time, that it would not work. Logic said in wouldn't but his idea and his new math, said it should. He knew the figures were correct. He knew it.
His abilities in mathematics, physics and, most importantly, their practical application, was his talent. I just wish I could come to the corner and turn it, he thought. I'm right there, right freaking there, but I can't find the way to walk around it.
He'd been working on an idea concerning time for sixteen months. To stop it or slow it to a point, that it would seem stopped. Every professor he'd spoken to, on three separate campuses, merely smirked as if to say, How cute--you dumb kid, and then dismissed him and his idea as a dreamer's foolish thought; Or had been just as sickeningly condescending.
"You'd have to have more electrical power than three States could generate to do anything with time," one of them had told him, "to even consider stopping or slowing it down. To hold time in place, as you suggest and try to move through it, would probably kill you. You wouldn't be able to breathe much less maneuver through the air molecules. I'd give up that thought, son, and move on to something more challenging. Don't waste your time," the closed mind of one professor had warned.
'Challenge'! The dolt didn't know the meaning of the word.
David knew that once gained, stasis inside the stoppage of time could safely be negotiated. "It wouldn't be much more different than normal time except you'd be the only mover through it, as long as you had the device on you," he'd tried to tell them; but they wouldn't listen. But the, 'Don't waste your time, young man, ' the professor had counseled, kept David determined and going these many months. Like most upper classes the professors taught, they were almost always a disappointment to him. With two doctorates under his belt, and a third assured, David had little use for professors anymore, except Professor Stiles, who'd become a kind of friend.
But the condescension of other professors only made David that much more determined. Almost every Prof' he'd dealt with or met had no feel for theoretical physics, in his mind, stuck in the accepted ideas of the day. And they're all wrong, he determined. I know they are and I know I'm right. You can't lie to mathematics. It'll catch you every time.
Perhaps it was my presentation? he smoldered. I won't actually be stopping time, just my passage through it. I'll be isolating myself from the general movements of the local quantum world. David had proven this to himself, if to no one else. He had the figures in a folder each time he met with one of the 'elite' of the college professors, to try to prove it to them. But the old men and women wouldn't even look at the math and figures and scoffed when he'd reluctantly admitted he had made up his own branch of math to solve his theory. It hadn't been that hard, for David, because he'd done it before with a subroutine on the same project, but hadn't told anyone. Specialized math for specific problems was not an accepted field, either. But it was only the practical application that was hindering his progress at the moment. Stumping him for the time being.
David knew it to only be the process, this frustration to discovering his goal, but was anxious to find the solution and gain his deserved relief.
After graduation and three dozen companies vying for his brain, and particularly the U.S. Air Force, he'd put his life on hold at the ripe old age of twenty. He'd been able to concentrate on the problem fully the last couple of months of the Spring, but he had to come up with something soon, before this month was out because, I'm running out of money to live on. I'll have to take that stupid assistant teaching job for Professor Thompson, when I do, if I haven't got this thing solved by then.
David looked at the milling machine in the college's engineering facility and again at the new component part he'd just finished, that night. He questioned if he'd made the last mill correctly, concerning the new part, and checked it again with the micrometer. It measured, "Right on the money," he mumbled.
The thought of money made David think again about what Professor Stiles, his friend, and mentor, in the early days of school, had said: "Say you could stop time, David. What would you do with it? Steal money? Watch women take showers? Take revenge on some bully with less abilities than yourself? There's no real reason to stop time. Not an honest one."
"It could give us an advantage in national and international security," he countered.
"What, sell it to the CIA, the FBI? And the government wouldn't take advantage of it, would they?" Professor Stiles suggested. "They would use your genius to disrupt the world to their own particular brand of philosophy?" Professor Stile's position on government grants was well established. He thought they were bad ideas with too many strings attached. "It would be too dangerous an ability for any man, or group of men, to own, not to mention a government."
And that made David think twice, for Stiles, himself, had been burned on two occasions by the military complex that had used his ideas to make who knew what. Weapons were usually the ticket.
David had made his decision, shortly after his excited announcement and subsequent rejection that this invention would be for him. And "Why not," he said to his reflection, shaving one day. "I don't have anything. And it's my idea. I tried to make them see and they refused. Even professor Stiles."
He quickly reassembled the parts, all seven of them, and tested it. Nothing. The clock on the wall's second hand was still moving. He took the rather simple construction apart, again, and laid them out once more, thinking. "What am I missing?" he asked himself. "It's right here in front of me and I can't see it."
Frustrated, David sighed. He reassembled the pieces once more and decided to call it a night. His back was aching and his eyes kept watering behind his round lensed granny glasses, like his father used to wear; "When I was a hippy," Dad used to say. Both he and his mother taught mathematics, though she taught at a Jr. college.
David looked at his watch. It was a little after one a.m., now.
The device was the size of an old silver dollar and about three times as thick. It was an elegant looking piece of machined metal. The case was made from an exotic stainless steel, very expensive, and smooth as polished chrome. It had one push button, he'd modeled after an Omega stop watch from the pawn shop, along with a small protective hanger loop for the lanyard. David had made the lanyard from an old hiking boot, an old shoe string. It was thick and black, but it wouldn't unravel at the tie and was strong as hell. He kept the device hung around his neck at all times, except when he was working on it.
On one side of the disc, David had inserted a protective clear crystal and beneath it a small electric scanner that read his own particular code to his body. It wasn't DNA--exactly. That would have been too complicated and taken too long to cycle. It was something entirely different. That's what his other branch of math had been created for. The scanner merely prevented anyone else from using it. It was something, again, he'd figured out and wasn't telling anyone it's details about, like the device, and both being relatively simple ideas, to him. The hardest part of the whole operation was machining the stainless metal, to make it water proof, as well as figuring out exactly how to place the various items in the containment field of the steel casings. The seals that kept the device water proof was a major pain in the butt. David had finally got it but it had been hard to accomplish and very time consuming.
The thinking of the consul, he received from various minds, was so very wrong, David thought. It wasn't about electricity. All one had to do was distort one very small molecule, isolated and held in place with magnets, holding the device, and you and anything nearby could be immune to the restrictions of normal time. Everything else around you would cease to move and the barer would be immune to aging within its field. It was too simple. Way too simple and David couldn't figure why anyone in history hadn't thought of it before this.
He gathered up his things and stuffed them into his narrow hydration backpack, including the small booklet of coded tech data, in mathematics. He put the device around his neck, as usual. Then took his red Firenze bicycle, he'd found in a dumpster and had fixed up, converting it to a single speed from a fifteen for simplicity, and because it was cool, and rolled it to the door. Propping the door open, he went out, locking the shop then dropping the keys in the outside key box. David put on his leather gloves and knitted watch cap as it was a bit too cool to ride without them. It was already approaching Spring, there, near to the border of Canada, on the U.S. side, yet, not quite warm enough for David.
He liked to go through town along Highland Drive, at night. It was the most lit up and he didn't have lights on his bike. They always got stolen when he'd parked the bike outside, as a student. He peddled through the thick cool air, enjoying the feel of the Canadian wind blowing off Superior and on to his face. Peeling off on 29th street he went uphill, two blocks, till he got to his little apartment complex, off campus. He shouldered the bike and was about to climb the stairs to the second floor when he thought of the bike frame and how it hurt his shoulder. It dug into his tendon.
The shoulder-- The Shoulder. YES! THAT WAS IT. He'd solved it.
David put the bike down, almost dropping it, and sat on the steps under the yellow lamp light of the porch. He took off the device and opened the back. With his Swiss Army knife, David adjusted the shoulder about seven degrees more to the right of the stop pin via the concentric screw. If that isn't it, he thought, then I'll just go back one degree at a time. It's somewhere in there. He screwed the back on again and swallowed. This was it, he told himself. Now! Where's a car when you need one.
Hurriedly, David bombed back down hill to Highland Drive on his bike and waited for a couple of minutes before a car appeared in the early morning air. Anxious, he shifted his weight from foot to foot, time and again, till the car was half a block away. Gently, he pushed the button on the device.
Nothing. The car was still coming.
David pushed the device again, harder. It was a stiff spring. The car stopped. The device worked. He yelled and jumped for almost a minute, yahooing and whooping like a lunatic. He pushed the button, once again. The car moved as David bent over laughing.
There was an all night gas-n-go, a block down the road, and David pedaled like mad to it. The attendant was reading, he noticed, riding into the lot. David punched the device then pulled down his ski-mask. The guy hadn't moved or seen him park his bike against the glass or walk in.
"Hello," David said. There was no response. He took the magazine, laying on the counter in front of the guy, and turned it upside down, went to the back of the store and watched. He punched the device. The guy drew back, seeing the upside down magazine. He straightened it and David hit the button again. He repeated the sequence twice more, laughing more each time. He took a picture of the guys frozen face as he left. He always had a little digital camera in his tee shirt pocket. Then he took off.
When he had ridden up the street some distance, he stopped the bicycle and pulled the device out, again. David let time return to normal, pushing the button, lifted, and refolded his ski-mask. There were cameras inside and he didn't want his face recorded, even for this. I don't know what kind of tech is being invented everywhere, all the time. I've got to be extra careful. They just might be able to reconstruct a blur. You never know.
The following morning, David realized his need for money, again. David had less than three hundred dollars in his account.
The First National Bank of Ireland had done him a number the first year of college, at the tender age of 13, and David had never forgotten it. The bank itself had nothing whatsoever to do with Ireland, he'd found out long ago, just a snappy commercial name to make some fat cats fatter. David chose them for his little joke and that very morning, after just four hours of inadvertent anxious sleep, he went down town.
As before, he wore his gloves and ski mask pulled down, a block before he got there, even though it was getting warm. Stopping time, he walked into the bank and then the vault and took bundles of ones and fives, denominations that would less likely be on record. Some bundles were the badly worn ones, some were new, and some just wrinkled. He stuffed them all in a big backpack and left on his bicycle. He did this once on that bank, then rightly considered, If I come back to the same place, every day, they might start recording the numbers. So for almost three weeks straight, he went to a different bank each time, collecting small bills only, and caused quite a ruckus in the papers, but he'd amassed a small fortune by then. He'd quit when he'd had enough, depositing only a few ones in his little account, in small increments, though, it now amounted to quite a sizeable figure of almost a thousand dollars. That was enough for day to day bills. But he had amassed almost a hundred thousand altogether. It looked more innocent that way, too. The bulk of his money, he kept in safe deposit boxes scattered all over the city.
David's apartment had gotten too small for him and he rented a medium size house and filled it with stuff he'd always wanted. All the silly dreams he'd ever had concerning material goods had been fulfilled, especially with computers and games and almost anything electronic. There were comic/movie conventions he'd never been able to attend and there was always one, somewhere. He took advantage of his new wealth in sci-fi and gaming gatherings, in computers and DVD's, and sci-fi books, wide screen TV's, and one gigantic stereo system that was guaranteed to cause deafness in three hours or less, and of course, a dream motorcycle, which he thought long and hard about.
He always wanted a Harely-Davidson Sportster like his dad once owned. He liked the old style racy look of the engine and their sound. David had seen something on TV, last year, about the worlds fastest street Sportster. It was a dragster, but still, something like it could be made street usable. He thought, before he'd ordered it, "What's stopping me?" He called up the shop, in California that had built the dragster. After almost an hour of talking and idea exchanging, David had made arrangements for one to be built somewhat along the same lines as their 'naked bike', the drag bike, only he wanted an engine less racy and more dependable--and licensed for the street. "Money was no object," he'd told them and suddenly, they were very very cooperative, extending the call to get more and more detail out of him. They had now been working on it for over six weeks and it wasn't suppose to be finished for a month or more. It was very specialized, what he'd asked for, and couldn't wait to take delivery.
David had been an avid fan of bikes, for years. He'd done research, interviews, and followed motorcycle racing, flat-track and road racing, mostly, making notes, piecing together his dream bike but never having the money to get it built, though hoping he would, someday, when he was done with school. He had stacks of performance magazines scattered all over the place, dreaming about it, but now that he could actually afford one, he was excited, to say the least.
David went home, after one shopping spree for video games, thinking about his dream bike, and ordered a full set of custom made leathers via the Internet. They were street-racing leathers called the, Stealth-Combo. They were the very best for motorcyclist riding on the road, in his opinion, but unlike out and out racing leathers, they were a two piece system with built in armor and vents for hot weather, a zipper, built in belt connected the pants and jacket pieces. And they were skin tight. They looked sick. He got knee high racing shoes, too, that covered his shins. They were dirt bike boots but he liked the look of the five buckle straps on the side and they matched the black theme of the outfit. A thousand dollar black helmet and gauntlet gloves, from Japan, rounded out the riding leathers. The helmet, especially, looked great and was the best he knew of. It weighed less than two pounds. He was gonna be bad looking.
David wanted desperately to tell Professor Stiles of his success, that the device actually worked like he said it would, but couldn't, now. He was a thief and living on stolen money. David felt some shame concerning the matter. "No. This was best. But I can never tell anyone about the device." He didn't want for anything. Except, maybe, a girlfriend. But that would come when the time was right. He was only twenty after all. "I'm having too much fun without one," he thought. "'Women just confuse you and take you from the things you love doing'." He'd heard it a thousand times before, from other students more experienced than himself. But he still liked looking at them. Often, after buying things down at the mall, he'd just sit on a bench and watch girls, his age, prancing by in their summer-light clothes. Often he'd take detailed digital photographs of them, after stopping time. "Something about them always gets to me," he thought. "Bouncing boobs, mostly, I suppose." But even women got boring after a time, and irritating. They just couldn't keep from constantly chattering away about nothing.
Something Professor Stiles had told him once came to mind, one day in the mall, watching girls. Why he'd thought of it then, David didn't know. He'd said to him, "Everything in nature or a person's life has an opposite: Light and dark; Pleasure and pain; Ease and difficulty..." It gave David pause thinking how easy getting the money had been. If what Stiles said is true, then I'm due for some kind of balance. Some kind of trouble. This HAS been way too easy. It worried him not just a little. But wasn't the difficulty getting the device to work, his balance? He respected Stiles and his thoughts but he wasn't certain about any of it. He had been right, after all, about the idea of stopping time. There was no honest reason for trying to make it happen, even though he'd succeeded in making his device a reality. He shrugged it off, forgetting about it, as two pretty girls approached.
Playing a driving motorcycle video game at the mall, another day, David realized something, mumbling to himself. "Waite a minute. I don't really know how to ride a motorcycle."
He dropped what he was doing and went to the local Kawasaki shop and talked to a sales person about learning. She was a girl and claimed to have a racing license. She had no boobs, he couldn't help but notice, and wondered why athletic women never did. He told her about his ignorance of riding and she signed him up for a riding course on the spot. Then she sold him an Enduro style street/dirt bike. It took three days to complete the course and then he took delivery on his bike.
It was a medium size motor, in c.c.'s, (cubic centimeters), just a 650, but a tall bike. At five ten, David was just the right size for it. It had plenty of power to learn with. As his salesperson had said, "It's something you can grow into. Just respect the power of it, at first, and you'll slowly get a good feel for what you can and can't do, and how to maneuver the bike safely in traffic. Practice as much as you can in the dirt. It'll teach you skills you'll need for the street."
And learn, David did. He was out in traffic somewhere every day or in the hills east of town. He got so he could fish-tail the rear, do U-turns on the spot, hop it, jump over rises, maneuver around objects, and almost do a feet up donut. They were the hardest. He saw what other riders were doing, out there and tried doing the same, practicing the things he saw them do over and over. He even got to the point where wheelies were easy because they were. Like doing wheelies on his old BMX bike.
He rode out into the country side, too, on and off roads, learning the joy of fast high speed touring. He camped out in national forests and campgrounds learning what it was to ride solo. And what it was like be your own independent man, at one with your machine and the landscape. He was having a ball.
He went through one front and two rear tires before the phone rang one day from California. His Sporster was done. Ecstatic, David dropped the video controls, for a game he was on the verge of cracking the final sequence to, and made a call to one of the airlines. Tomorrow at eleven he'd leave to get his new bike, his dream machine.
The flight was inconsequential except for the woman who got on in Los Vegas. She was shorter than David so when he looked in her direction, all was revealed. She wore a low cut flimsy dress with her deep cleavage falling out of her thin as paper bra that seemed to show every contour and image of her breasts. They were very distracting on the way to L.A. She was always leaning over for this or that in her hand bag at the right of her feet giving David full views. David naturally gawked but looked back into his paperback book when she began to straighten back up. He almost wanted to talk to her and get to know her better, but he was way too shy. Plus, she had to be at least fifteen or twenty years older than he was. Boobs or not, that was way too old for him.
It was almost fun, not caring about money, on his trip. He flashed it around without a care, taking a taxi seventeen miles to the shop near long beach, paying in cash. Arriving at 3:37 p.m. that afternoon. He lavishly tipped the driver a hundred dollars with twenty fives.
The shop, from street side, was particularly unimpressive, even with three finished, shiny racing bikes on display in the small front lobby. It belied the fact of the garage area, where he was taken, after paying for all the odds and ends and final payment for the bike. It took long enough to count it all out. All he had was a big bundle of fives. But everything in the shop was clean and professional looking, as if it, in its self, were the showroom.
A checkerboard tiling covered the floors and with red tool boxes, chromed air and hand tools, the place was striking in its noise and impressive to David, in their professionalism. They really seemed to know what they were doing. Road racing bikes, street bikes, drag bikes, classics of all kinds were up on short hydraulic lifts as well as hot rodded older bikes like the old British upright twins and special Japanese and Harely Davidson models. The twenty or so mechanics David could see were all tenaciously busy at work.
The shop had sent him email's with pictures of his completed bike and it seemed to be what he'd ordered, but when he saw it in person, it took his breath away. It was almost exactly as he'd asked them to build it. In tech details and with the sketches he'd sent, and with little variation, they'd done a beautiful job.
It was painted a deep as water, glassy and glossy black, with a polished and chromed, custom made chrome moly frame, slightly taller than usual because David didn't want to be laying flat on the thing in a full racing crouch. Being taller and riding it on the street with those clip on handle bars, it would be a beautiful ride. With geometry and suspension components set up for the track, it would still handle like a race bike on the road.
It's enormous, glossy black, nine gallon fuel tank, that bulged up over the motor and down the back bone of the plated frame, looked like a spare hump off a buffalo, sort of, but it was very practical considering David's intended usage and the thirsty nature of the high performance, big cubic inch motor. He thought it beautifully sculpted and artistically rendered. Wherever there was aluminum, it was polished, even the engine cases, and where there was steel, it had either been painted black, chromed, or was nickel plated to accent the theme of silver and shadow. In fact, that was its name, The Silver Shadow, as painted on the back-spare fuel tank, a mere bump that held only a gallon and a half. The bike, as a whole, truly looked like a piece of jewelry. The entire package weighed a little better than four hundred pounds, dry, they'd mentioned in the email's. That was much less than a stock Sporster, and the bike was probably capable, they told him, of about 160 or 165, top end.
"Miles per hour?" David asked, amazed.
"Yeah!" said the smiling chief mechanic. "We could easily make it a faster machine, but you said you wanted it dependable, right?"
"Yeah. It won't do me much good to have a bitchen bike if I'm broke down in the desert, or someplace else I can't ride it."
"That's what we designed it for, to get you through anything. It's light, but it's built like a tank. Now let me explain a little something. This baby'l out accelerate any stock super bike. Any of them. But it doesn't have their top speed. Every big Japanese bike has got you by 20 or thirty miles an hour, but they'll have to catch up to you first. So don't go putting any big money down on street racing above a half mile. And it'll handle as well as any racing bike. We've tested it, but it's a rough ride with that racing suspension. That's what you said you wanted."
"Yes. I want to take it on any twisty roads, just for fun, but I don't think it wise, racing others."
"Okay, that sounds great. I think we all do that, the smart ones, at least. It's a little on the dumb side to race on the street, anyway. Here's all the paper information you asked for, what kind of modifications were done to the engine, where to get replacement parts for everything, the vender's names, part numbers, all the tech data and we threw in our own mini shop manual on how to work on the engine and other things. It's nice and compact so it'll fit into your day pack just fine with room to spare. Is that really all you brought?"
"Yeah. That and my helmet and leathers. I'm traveling pretty light."
"Okay. That's always smart. Now, let me point out some of the things you'll need to know for getting around, maintenance and security things, and a bunch of other stuff you're going to want to know. Oh! You got a voice recorder, that's a good idea. The bikes been run in, so don't be too concerned about getting right on the pipe. You won't burn up the engine. This little tube here, with the door, it's your tool box, just turn this access screw and..." the foreman went through the whole bike and David absorbed what he said like a dry sponge in water. He had the recorder on to back up anything he might forget.
An hour later, he pulled out of the back alley of the shop in his slim, body-fitting leathers and blue mirrored helmet, the small backpack hugging his back like David had grown a hump. A small crowd of mechanics had gathered when he'd fired it up. It was the last time they'd see their handiwork. His street clothes and money were in the backpack and it thrilled him to hear the sound of the big twin bike echoing down the concrete alleyway. David had changed out the hot gauntlet black gloves, for short, white, racing gloves in Southern California's heat. He liked them because it gave him an unconscious indicator of where his hands were while keeping his eyes forward.
David blipped the throttle as he came to the street and traffic, shifting down from second gear. The roar was nearly deafening. He pulled out into traffic smoothly, then goosed it as he shifted up. The thing accelerated like a high velocity bullet. He was on his way.
After three hundred miles and a refill of gas just off of old highway 395, David did a bit of walking and rubbing away at his butt. The racing suspension was stiff and he tended to feel the bumps at slower highway speeds. He had taken the fast Harley-Davidson up to a fast clip, here and there, when he thought there were no California Highway Patrol around, and it felt better like that, but he couldn't do that all the way back to the mid-west. The fact remained, he may have made a mistake asking for the suspension to be as hard as it was.
He rolled his bike away from gas pumps and opened his back pack to checked out the manual the shop had given him. There was a short section in there on adjusting suspension. It looked amazingly easy, and David read every world.
Opening his tool box, David found the two necessary tools and went to work. The sun was scorching hot and he stripped off his leather jacket, down to his white t-shirt, as well as opening his side vents to his black leather pants. He pored bottled water into his underwear, front and back and onto his t-shirt. He doused water on his long sleeved street shirt, from the backpack, with water and wiped his face and neck. It didn't take long to adjust the suspension down about twenty percent. Back on the road, the Harley felt perfect and comfortable.
In Bishop, California, David took highway six out of the city. He was tired of crowds and traffic. He wanted a road that took him nowhere for a while. The bike was too fun to ride, and he wanted to see what it could do without any cars on the road.
Highway 6 took him east, off in the general direction of the upper west and then the mid-west, so there was no concern about direction or being exact, at this stage of the trip home. He experimented with real speed and just wanted to have some fun. In Tonopah, David got more gas and checked all the Allen nuts and bolts for tightness on his bike. He checked the oil and cleaned the dust off with his street shirt, having put it on instead of his upper leathers. He also bought a Nevada road map. He sat in the shade of a tree, at the one park in town, to see where he was headed on highway 6--and discovered something uniquely exciting. He was north-west of Area 51 and Groom Lake.
The wheels started turning. Now that would be something, wouldn't it? Go see what very few other people have. Maybe take a picture or two. Was there anyone more stealthy in the world, than he was?
He made a decision, hoping he wouldn't regret it. He was having too much fun with money and his new toys. Why potentially spoil it? But the lure of the possible wonders at the base, the secret aircraft in development, the facilities themselves, the hidden aliens and their space craft, ha-ha, everything, it was too laughable while being intriguing not to investigate the admittedly hidden premiere testing and development aircraft base of the United States. Even if the flying saucer TV programs had made everything happening in there, ridiculously fantastic, the idea of going in for a private look was very very appealing. At least he would know things few others did.
When David got to the town of Warm Springs, he filled up with gas, bought a tuna sandwich and three bottles of water. He paid for his things, keeping his visor down, and paying in cash. He rolled the bike quietly around the back of the filling station and sat down in the shaded dirt, leaning against the building as he ate and drank. Finishing, he mounted the bike, put on his helmet and pulled the device out of his leathers. David pressed the button down after the engine was already started. The engine stayed at its uneasy, near race, lumpy idle. The bike and he were isolated and safe, now, within the confines of the device and its operating field.
Approaching Rachel, on highway three seven five, he kept his eyes open. Supposedly there was a Black mail box near the entry road. A big one. Its was, supposedly, a ranchers mail box. He'd seen it when they mentioned it on TV and thought he'd be able to recognize the turn off. The road that led into the desert, next to it, took you to the secret base known by the public as, Area 51. Surely it had another one, a real name, a military designation, but that of course, would be classified and secret.
If he was going to learn anything, in his little visit, it was what the latest spy plane looked like, the SR-71 having been retired for some years. Some people called it the Aurora, but David was certain, that wasn't its name. That name had to have been leaked, to throw people off. It was something else, for sure, and whether it was a single plane or a two systems plane arrangement, as some speculated, to get it up to speed and air born, it was simply another little secret that would be fun to learn about. David's natural curiosity was tweaked and he wanted to know.
Finding the black box, down highway 375, the mail box, David turned off the highway and rode down the dirt road. He noticed right away that the dirt and sand he hit felt exactly like pavement, under the influence of the device. There was no sliding or sinking to worry about but the road was a little rough so he went leisurely down its winding path at a sane pace. Then, having second thoughts, David stopped the bike and tied his long sleeved shirt around and around the license plate, where it wouldn't come off. Who knew what kind of surveillance they had in there?
He passed the patrol trucks, up on top of their hills, and a lot of electronics, here and there, up on the sandy slopes, surveillance units no one could defeat. He kept going, though, wondering what he would see next.
Topping a rise, he saw the long dirt road crossing a wide valley. The base wasn't near any public road so he kept at it. He'd never had the device on this long, before, and wondered if it would disturb it in any way. He doubted it. With seven little parts and a solar cell to charge it for up to eight days at a time, with an exposure rate of only a minute and a half of sunlight to recharge, it was a tough little bugger to deplete. No. He had every confidence in it, thinking it through.
After about an hour and peaking another rise, David stopped to look at the base spread out in the distance. It was a huge complex and that one runway seemed to go on forever as he took dozens of digital photos on zoom.
He dropped down into the dry lake and drew in closer, traveling slow. Something about the place gave him the creeps and he stopped the bike in the middle of the road. He knew the punishments for coming here were some of the most severe any civilian could encounter, as well as the right for them to kill you if they didn't like what you were up to.
"This may have been a stupid idea," he told himself. The sound of his voice beneath his full coverage helmet seemed to give his words more weight with their severity of volume and closeness. The thought of someone chasing after him, scared the hell out of David. But sitting there, with the engine of his Sporster idling defiantly, gave him the courage to go on.
The road ended at one of the runways and David crossed them all and dove just outside one of the open hangers. It had several types of aircraft inside and three helicopters. People were walking around, working, and frozen in their tracks all over the place. They looked like mannequins. He slowly dove into the hanger, staying on his bike with the engine running. He didn't want to be caught, somehow, with his pants down, so to speak. The running Sportster's engine gave him that kind of confidence.
He drove from building to building and in one hanger, taking pictures along the way, he saw a particularly unique plane. This had to be the aptly named, Aurora, even if it wasn't what it was really called. There were five of them in there, all of them being worked on by only a few people, all of them looking as if they were slightly different than the next. They were exotic things. Like needles with wings, small, but wickedly formed. He shot lots of pictures and got out of there, but not before he got off his bike to check some papers. He found out it was designated the RS-788. On other sheets they mentioned the name, Stratos, RS-788. Not a very cool name, he thought. SR-71 Black Bird sounded so much better.
He was getting bored with the heat and all the things he saw, which he hadn't expected, but went up to a bunker on the hillside with a lot of cars parked in front. The place seemed interesting. He got into it by getting off his bike and walking in, feeling braver, using some pass tags from people frozen in time, just inside, and he passed through various gates without worry. But inside it, he began to have second thoughts about the wisdom of being in there, even though he had propped open every door. It seemed like a prison and he finally left, but before leaving, he thought he caught a glimpse of something strange. Little suites of white about the size of a child, hanging up in one of the halls. For aliens? Yeah, right!
David had seen enough and decided to leave, drinking a couple bottles of water before starting the Sportster. He saved the empty bottles in his back pack, not wanting to leave anything behind, and exited the valley and its secrets, leaving those people and their toys to themselves.
On the way out, though, he noticed a single stripe in the sand that had slowly depressed. It was his track as he came in. They must have slowly settled, in slow motion, after he'd gone through. The sand wasn't completely, hard, was it? That made him a bit nervous. It was leaving a trail. But there was nothing to be done and he continued on his way. It took him an hour, again, to get back to the main road and head north.
He stopped at the Warm Springs gas stop, again, and went around back, as if he had always been there and started time, again, even though he'd been away from there for probably three or four hours, the time was the same for them. He felt tired, drinking his last bottle of, now warm, water and slipped his camera out of his t-shirt pocket, sliding down the backside of the building, to sit on the ground, he went through the pictures he'd taken. Everything was fascinating and so neat to see, but David wondered if he should erase them all, or even throw the camera, away. It was really incriminating.
Just on a whim, feeling hungry and thinking to go back inside the gas stop to get some more water and sandwiches, he saw a ledge on the upper edges of the slanted metal roof. He slipped the camera up between it and the side walls, in a gap that couldn't be seen, easily, just so he wouldn't have the camera on his person. He could easily reach up and retrieve the camera when he left, but at least it wouldn't be on him now. He was getting paranoid. And man, was it ever a hot Nevada day.
David went into the little store, bought a couple of sandwiches and some pastry snowballs, the white ones, then came outside again to eat the food. He'd also grabbed four more bottles of water. He was very thirsty.
He sat in the shade of the building, once again, and began eating his chow. He had finished his first sandwich and two of the bottles of water when he heard helicopters coming in fast. He didn't like the sound of them coming over this little nowhere area he was at and rapidly pulled the device out from beneath his sweaty t-shirt and pushed the button wildly.
As it turned out, he was just in time to save his butt from being seen. He put his helmet on and dropped the metallic face shield so he couldn't be seen, in case those military boys had some kind of unknown quick retrieval camera and I.D. machine that could pick up his image, in some unknown, to him, way. He wasn't the only genius around, he realized, and why they had come so directly his way after his turning off the device was quite weird and beyond a coincidence.
The choppers were right around the side of the building, too. Up in the air, of course, but coming his way and coming in low, looking for something. They were Apache attack helicopters, too. Sheeze! These guys weren't messing around, were they? In the distance he saw a larger aircraft coming his way, too. It was too far away to tell what it was but it looked as if it was coming in hard. Yes, they were all frozen in time, or he was, but they were looking for something and David was in no mood to get the back of his neck stepped on by some over trained, over zealous Marine that had no more care about shooting or roughing him up than David did about pushing his little device's button.
It was time to get the hell out of there and leave Dodge, as the saying goes.
He went back inside and got more water, stealing it this time by not daring to switch on time and got five more bottles. He stowed the other sandwich and three waters in his backpack. He gulped down the last snow ball and stowed the wrapper. Two of the bottles wouldn't fit in his backpack so he donned his leather jacket and slipped them inside the coat. They felt good there, being nice and cold. He fired up his exotic machine and drove around the building and onto the asphalt road, gunning the bike's engine. It screamed like a banshee as the rear tire smoked and the front wheel came up then and in almost every gear until he hit fifth.
The road back to civilization was a fast run, and he crossed the Pancake Range of mountains as quickly as he could, jumping through Black Rock Summit like an eagle on wheels. He by-passed the little town of Currant on his way to Ely, Nevada, then drove north like a bat out of hell to Wendover, Utah. He almost hit a coyote frozen in time, crossing the road. If he had, it wouldn't have done either of them any good.
David was frightened and concerned as he filled up in Wendover, the town that was half in Utah and half in Nevada. He was scared of what might have happen to him or may yet be in his future. Did they somehow see him, invisible in his own time stoppage, or was he just being a little wimp? No. Not him, actually. But he figured they knew something. Why else would they come directly towards him, up to Warm Springs from the base?
He suddenly had another item to worry about. He'd forgotten to retrieve his camera. It was just a little 12 Meg digital and was no great loss, but he wondered if they could trace it to him, if found?
Naw. He'd paid cash for it. Piece of cake. But wait a minute. They have cameras in stores with the time and date of when they sold it and those little digital cameras had serial numbers on it that could be traced back to where it was sold. He thought it through and felt a little better, knowing it was well hidden. Crap! There was too much to think about. If nothing dramatic occurred within the next month, he'd go back and get the camera.
That time, when he absolutely had to sleep, he crashed in a motel in Salt Lake City, there in Utah, sliding in under the cover of the device. He got a great nine hours of sleep and when he awoke, got up and went to a restaurant and ate somebody's food that had just been served. He tossed the empty dish in the washer, back in the kitchen. He wanted to stay off camera and off the grid, as far as visuals went. He wasn't going to trust anyone till he got back home. Anyone he tried to meet, that was new in his life, back then, he'd shun them. This was serious stuff. It was indeed a stupid prank to pull, even though he now felt safer, being so far away. He made it back to the Midwest in another fourteen hours and was exhausted.
He rolled his bike up into his house and parked it in the living room. It was still beautiful but dirty, now. He'd clean it up sometime later. Right now all he could think about was sleep and he fell into his bed like a man shot through the heart.
David stayed out of view of the windows for the next several days and read books. He wanted to hear any noise that was unusual. And after a week had passed, he slowly edged back into his life, riding only his bicycle.
He had found one side effect, however, to his device that he couldn't explain and which shocked the heck out of him when he got up, the morning after arriving back home. He looked like he was fourteen. Using the device for extended times, did the opposite of aging you. He'd have to be careful for that in itself, would present a few new problems, living alone as he was and looking as young as he now appeared to be. Rats!
Professor Stiles had been right. There's always a price to pay, wasn't there, having your fun, and opposites to everything.
Home Top JOHNNY SACHU's Page
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Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Arrivals
DFW Arrivals
USA Airports
Departures Dallas Fort Worth Airport
Address: 2400 Aviation Dr, DFW Airport, TX 75261, United States
IATA Airport Code: DFW
ICAO airport code: KDFW
Alias: Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport is located in the state of Texas, northwest of the city of Dallas and northeast of the city of Fort Worth. The airport has five terminals (and 1 satellite terminal) and seven runways. The terminals are connected by means of the DFW Skylink, an automated people mover. The Skylink stops twice per terminal and runs in a circuit, in both directions, past all terminals. The airport has two train / light rail stations, one for the train to Dallas and one for the train to Fort Worth. The train to Fort Worth departs from Terminal B and the train to Dallas departs from Terminal A.
A new terminal called Terminal F will open around 2025. This will yield about 24 extra gates.
Terminal A is used by American Airlines for domestic flights and the occasional international arrival or departure. Terminal B has the most gates with American Eagle as the largest user. Terminal C is used by American Airlines just like Terminal 1. Terminal D is for the international Dallas Airport arrivals used by more than 10 million people a year. British Airways, Aeromexico, Air Canadan, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa and Korean Air have many arrivals at DFW Airport. Terminal E (plus satellite) is the most used by Delta Air Lines, US Airways and Spirit Airlines. Most DFW Arrivals are from Los Angeles and Chicago-O-Hare. International arrivals are mostly from Mexico City and London-Heathrow.
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About turbulence
This article will be useful for the beginners who want to learn more about the turbulent flow and pitfalls encountered during its modeling. We'll go through:
the definition of turbulence
approaches to turbulent flow modeling
recommendations for turbulence modeling in FlowVision
Let's start with the Breadshow definition of turbulence:
Turbulence is a three-dimensional unsteady motion in which, due to the extension of the vortices, a continuous distribution of chaotic pulsations of the flow parameters (velocity, pressure, etc.) is created in the range of wavelengths from the minimum determined by viscous forces to the maximum determined by the flow boundary conditions.
In other words turbulent flow is a flow in which motion is random in time and space.
The turbulent flow by Leonardo da Vinci
The laminar flow, in contrast to the turbulent one, is structured. The medium in this flow moves by layers, without mixing and pulsations. The figure below shows the laminar-turbulent transition in the flow: the processes of intensive mixing and vortex formation occur during the transition.
Changing the flow from laminar to turbulent
LAMINAR AND TURBULENT FLOW velocity PROFILES
Let's consider the flow in a pipe of circular cross section and infinite length.
Jean Louis Poiseuille determined that the laminar flow has a parabolic velocity profile. The velocity profile changes to some other form during the transition to a turbulent flow. Changes in the velocity profile are caused by inertial forces acting on particles in the flow. In other words, the profile of the averaged velocity of the turbulent flow in pipes or channels is characterized by a rapid velocity increase near the walls and less curvature in the central part of the flow.
Laminar flow in tube Turbulent flow in tube
Velocity profiles for laminar and turbulent flow
For a turbulent flow velocity is described by a logarithmic law (that is, the velocity linearly depends on the logarithm of the distance to the wall) except a thin layer near the wall.
Reynolds number
Usually, when somebody speaks about a turbulent flow, one immediately recalls the Reynolds number (Re). In fact, it is the ratio of inertial forces to viscous friction forces.
Here ρ - density, V - velocity, l - characteristic geometric size, μ - dynamic viscosity of the medium (table value).
For a flow characterized by a low Reynolds number, the stream will mainly depend on the viscous forces. At high Reynolds numbers, the influence of inertial forces prevails, and as a result turbulences arise.
To determine the boundary between the laminar and turbulent flows, the concept of the critical Reynolds number is introduced (Recr):
Characteristic Re < Recr – laminar flow
Characteristic Re > Recr – turbulent flow
The critical value of the Reynolds number for different medium will differ:
water: Recr ~ 2200
air: Recr ~ 105
Where do the turbulent flows appear in the real life
As it was noted earlier, the turbulent flow differs from the laminar flow not only by the velocity profile, but also by the presence of intense vortex formation. Therefore, the phenomenon of turbulence significantly affects the calculation results and must be taken into account.
The fields of application for turbulence are endless: aircraft, automotive industry, shipbuilding - modeling air motion around airplanes/cars/ships, ventilation and air conditioning - modeling air flows in rooms, ventilation shafts, aircraft and automobile cabins; a separate vast area is represented by biomechanics - blood flow modeling in the chambers of the heart, around heart valves, etc.
turbulence modeling
There are three main approaches for mathematical description of the turbulent flow:
Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS);
Turbulent flows are simalated by solving the Navier-Stokes equations directly. The three-dimensional non-stationary equations are used for modeling regardless to the flow nature. This approach requires a sufficiently accurate resolution of the computational grid in all areas where vortex formation occurs, therefore its application is limited by the performance of computer technology. The grid step in this case should be of the Kolmogorov scale.
The concept of Kolmogorov scale
According to the Kolmogorov hypothesis, the lower bound on the magnitude of the structures involved in the process of energy dissipation may be estimated.
The scale ηĸ, that is called Kolmogorov, characterizes the linear dimensions of structures, on which viscosity still has a significant effect.
, where ν -kinematic viscosity, ε - energy dissipation.
Large Eddy Simulation (LES);
This approach is between the DNS and RANS approaches. The filtering of turbulent flow characteristics from short-wavelength inhomogeneities is used in it. That is, the averaged Navier-Stokes equations are solved (as in RANS), but averaging is made over regions with sizes of the filter. A system of averaged Navier-Stokes equations is formed after the filtering procedure. This system is applicable to regions larger than the filter. The averaged equations are closed using the “subgrid” turbulence model. The vortex structures with dimensions exceeding the dimensions of the filter (computational grid) are resolved accurately, and smaller vortex structures are modeled.
Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) – approaches based on averaging the Navier-Stokes equations over the Reynolds number. To take into account the energy loss due to vortices that are not resolved by the computational grid, the concept of averaged velocity is introduced (this is described in details below). A new unknown - the Reynolds stress - arises during the equations averaging. So it becomes impossible to solve the Navier-Stokes equation with the continuity equation. Therefore, turbulence models are additionally introduced to close the system of equations (for determining the Reynolds stress).
Turbulence model is a mathematical model that allows to describe the flow behavior with the desired accuracy. As applied to RANS approaches, the turbulence model is a set of additional equations designed to close the Navier-Stokes system of equations after it has been averaged over Reynolds.
The turbulence models differ in the constants that are set in these models, as well as in the turbulent viscosity determination. The constants are predominantly empirical, and they are selected according to the characteristics of the particular task. Turbulence models can include from one to several equations, and the more equations there are, the more computing resources are required.
RANS approach allows to obtain only an averaged flow and describe it if there are pulsations in the velocity around a certain average value. This approach allows to get good results on a coarse mesh. The LES approach allows to resolve vortices that affect the nature of the flow. The results of this analysis will be more accurate, however, a larger number of calculation cells and a smaller time step will be required. To resolve all the vortices and pulsations, it is necessary to solve the equations directly (DNS): to create a fine mesh, the cell size of which will allow to resolve one vortex by several cells. The time step, respectively, should be such a value that the vortex rotation period will be also time-resolved by several steps. This approach is extremely resource-intensive and is rarely used in engineering calculations.
The difference in approaches on the example of the flow velocity
The main concepts
ENERGY DISSIPATION
The energy transfer in a turbulent flow occurs in a cascade manner: energy comes from the averaged flow to the largest vortices and is subsequently transferred to more and more small vortex structures. As a result, it reaches ultrasmall vortices (with Kolmogorov scales). They dissipate kinetic energy and transfer it to a thermal state.
Cascade energy transfer in a flow
PUlsations
The transition from laminar to turbulent flow is characterized by vortex formation. The result of the chaotic motion of particles participating in turbulent mixing is the pulsation of their velocity. Therefore, in RANS approach the velocity projections can be divided into the average component and the pulsation additive:
The pulsating motion of particles, in its turn, is a source of pressure, temperature and density pulsations. The degree of flow turbulence is a measure of pulsation intensity.
The momentum transfer through the vortices is taken into account due to the additional turbulent viscosity. If we substitute the expressions for the averaged velocities into the Navier-Stokes equation and transform them, in the end some terms will be reset to zero, but the product of the averages and the product of the pulsating components will remain. The product of the pulsating components - a new unknown - is called the Reynolds stress. With this new unknown it is impossible to solve the Navier-Stokes equation together with the continuity equation. Therefore, the system of equations must be closed.
For this, the Businesk hypothesis was introduced: to consider the Reynolds stress approximately the same as the friction stresses that are associated with viscosity, i.e. like a certain viscosity, multiplied by the flow deformation. Therefore, a new variable appears - turbulent viscosity, which makes it possible to take into account the additional integral effect of the vortices, although they are not resolved by the grid.
TURBULENCE KINETIC ENERGY
The concept of kinetic energy of turbulence (k) was introduced by Prandtl. It is, in fact, the specific kinetic energy of vortices in a turbulent flow or the root-mean-square velocity pulsation.
Prandtl noted that the pulsation along y axis in the flow, which consists of the turbulent layers with vortices, is the same as along the x axis. A vortex can change its gradient in velocity and is proportional to the turbulence scale. It was proposed to consider the path length of the vortex mixing as a turbulence scale.
interaction of FLOW and WALL - what is Y+
The flow near the wall looks like a laminar one - everything moves in layers, then vortices appear, their number increases and the turbulent flow is already observed in the flow core.
Considering the coordinate of the distance from the wall in the coordinates (x, y), one can see various regions of the boundary layer. There are:
viscous sublayer, where absolutely laminar flow is observed.
the buffer layer - the mixing zone, where the Reynolds number begins to influence the flow and a turbulence appears.
turbulent core (inertial layer and upper boundary layer) - the development of a turbulent layer, where the viscosity forces and the influence of the wall are already insignificant.
The layers scheme in the boundary layer
Considering the velocity profile in dimensionless coordinates, one can determine a number of quantities that describe the flow in the boundary layer:
dimensionless velocity, which is equal to the ratio of the local velocity to dynamic velocity, determined only by shear stress on the wall.
dimensionless velocity: dynamic velocity:
dimensionless coordinate Y+ - distance to the wall reduced to dimensionless value due to the velocity of dynamic friction. The parameter Y+ can be considered as the local Reynolds number in the cell.
dimensionless distance to the wall:
If the center of the first cell is located in the zone where Y+< 5, then it is a viscous sublayer and the flow is laminar — the profile is a parabola and also there is a parabola in the logarithmic coordinates. If 5 < Y+ < 15 then it is the mixing zone - in this place you need to connect two profiles: one is laminar, the second is turbulent. If Y+ > 30, then this is a zone of turbulence - and there is a straing line in thelogarithmic law. Depending on the region in which the center of the first cell is located, the appropriate approaches to modeling this region should be applied.
Two approaches to the modelling
high-reynolds approach
It is characterized by the fact that the wall region is poorly resolved by the grid and the center of the first cell does not fall into either the viscous or buffer sublayer (Y+ > 5). In this case, a relatively coarse mesh is constructed and nobody knows what happens in the boundary layer region. Then the near-wall functions are used for the near-wall flow calculation .
Coarse computation grid. The dot shows the center of the first cell
Wall functions are some empirical and semi-empirical dependencies designed to determine the velocity profile in the wal region.
FlowVision implements 2 models of wall functions: WFFV (Wall Function FlowVision) and WFS (Wall Function Standard). Read more about wall functions here.
Low-reynolds approach
It is realized if the center of the first cell lies inside the boundary layer. In this case, the wall region has a good mesh (Y + <1), the center of the first cell is obviously in the laminar zone. So, there is no reason to use near-wall functions, because in the center of each cell the velocity profile is constructed by the numerical solution.
The flow with a fine mesh near the wall
turbulence modelling in FlowVision
turbulence models in FlowVision
FlowVision implements 7 different turbulence models. You may use one of them depending on your task:
KES (k-ε) – standard turbulence model. Its application is possible only in high Reynolds calculations (on a relatively coarse grid with wall functions)
KEAKN (Abe, Kondoh, Nagano) – low-Reynolds model, which is recommended for use in low-Reynolds calculations (on a grid allowing a viscous sublayer near the wall, without wall functions).
KEFV – k-ε model upgraded by FlowVision developers. The KEFV model may be used in both low-Reynolds and high-Reynolds calculations. In the first case, the laminar sublayer is meshed (wall functions are not used), in the second case, the laminar sublayer is not meshed (wall functions are used). This model satisfactorily predicts the position of the laminar-turbulent transition on a solid surface. In low-Reynolds calculations, it is necessary to specify the oncoming flow turbulence.
KEQ (quadratic model) - the most full, but also the most "capricious" of all models. It considers a special element - the element of the vorticity tensor. This model is used for especially swirling turbulent flows, flows behind a back step and may only be used in high-Reynolds calculations.
SST (Menter model) - is known for combining both the k-ε model and the k-ω model, which was developed for approaches to resolving the wall region. In this model, a new value - ω - specific dissipation of vortices - appears. The equations of the k-ω model are solved for this model in the wall region, and the equations of the k-ε model are solved in the region far from the wall.
SA (Spalart-Allmares model) - one-parameter model that has been developed for aerospace applications. It gives good results for boundary layers characterized by positive pressure gradients. It can be used both in low-Reynolds and high-Reynolds calculations. Traditionally, this model works effectively in the low Reynolds case.
Sm (Smagorinsky model) - algebraic model that does not require solving convective-diffusion equations. Sm model can be used only in low Reynolds calculations on a fine mesh.
how to set TURBULENCE IN FLOWVISION
It is necessary to set the physical process of Turbulence in the Phases tab by selecting one of the proposed turbulence models.
Turbulence models in physical processes
Turblence is set as pulsations and turbulent scale ( Prepocessor -> Models -> Initial data). These parameters determine the degree of the flow turbulization.
Pulsations: Turbulence scale:
Formulas for calculating the input pulsation parameters and turbulence scale
Read more about turbulence setting here.
At the boundary conditions in turbulent flow, the determining parameters are set: TurbEnergy and TurbDissipation. TurbEnergy can be defined as Pulsations: TurbEnergy = Pulsations. A TurbDissipation as a turbulent scale: TurbDissipation = Turbulent scale
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE wall FUNCTIONS APPLICATION IN FV
Recommendations for the use of wall functions in FV are determined by the Y+ value. On the base of it we can formulate some recommendations on the use of turbulence models and the wall functions. However, it must be borne in mind that the limits of models applicability for different tasks may vary.
The equilibrium wall functions WFFV are set in the FV interface by default.
Об авторе / About the author
Author: Elena Ovsyannikova
Bauman Moscow State Technical University (BMSTU). Expert in FSI, CFD and study of strength of materials
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Woman as Alien in Dorothy Arzner’s ‘Christopher Strong’
The Hollywood of the 1920s and 1930s was an unsurprisingly male-dominated space, with men like Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Jean Renoir, and countless others receiving credit for their illustrious place in film history. But, there was one woman making films during this time period whose work is woefully understudied and underappreciated: Dorothy Arzner.
The only female director whose work moved from the silent era into sound, she also has the largest oeuvre of any female filmmaker. She made films about women for women and addressed the many facets of being a woman, from societal standing to romantic relationships to what it means to work. Arzner was also a lesbian filmmaker, which can be seen in her critiques of heteronormative relationships and their consequences, particularly in her 1933 film Christopher Strong.
Christopher Strong is a look at the gender dynamics of the 1930s when women were beginning to become more independent and defiant of societally imposed gender roles. In this changing world, Katharine Hepburn’s aviatrix Lady Cynthia and Colin Clive’s married Sir Christopher Strong develop an illicit relationship. Lady Cynthia begins the film as a single woman who flies planes, goes to parties, wears pants, and doesn’t worry about finding a husband. However, as she enters this affair, her strength begins to wither away as she is controlled by a man who sees her as something to be possessed and coveted, rather than a real person.
This shot marks the beginning of their affair, as well as the beginning of the end for Lady Cynthia’s power as she is rendered into a genderless object that is being desired, chased, and eventually caught. Previous to this shot, Lady Cynthia is established as a more masculine figure and an equal to the men around her; she is independent and powerful, able to function on her own without the help of a man. However, this shot negates the previous representation of a powerful woman as she is transformed through a fantastically alien costume.
The dress is a spectacle, which is emphasized as she takes visual dominance of the frame in multiple ways. Not only does her sparkling dress draw the eye, but she is also literally standing above Christopher Strong. Her position on the top of the start enforces a temporary dominance as she looks down at him, revealing her alien-like body and commanding his attention. Christopher fades into the foreground and for a brief moment, Lady Cynthia shines.
This reveal of Lady Cynthia’s dress, as well as the dress itself, is pivotal to this scene. Previously, Lady Cynthia has been seen as more masculine: wearing pants, driving fast cars, and flying planes. However, now she seems to be that woman’s antithesis, a form that almost defies gender definition. She is not in the typical dress that accentuates her feminine body. Rather, she is in something that almost completely hides it; she looks nothing like herself. She is not the typical image of a sexual object. Rather, she is something more alien, antennae and all. However, she is still an object of Sir Christopher’s desire as he calls her “something exquisite.” He does not use a word to address her personhood but instead describes her as a thing. In this moment, with her womanhood and sexuality obscured, she is no longer a woman, but an object to be captured, like a moth.
This is a turning point for the entire film, marking the beginning of Lady Cynthia and Sir Christopher’s affair. This is also the first iteration of the specific space of Lady Cynthia’s apartment, a place that becomes important twice more in Christopher Strong. It is a place that marks temporality in their affair: the beginning, the middle before she flies around the world, and the end when she sees him for the last time. While Lady Cynthia stands at the top of the stairs in this shot, displaying power over Sir Christopher, only to have that collapse into close up, she cannot maintain that power dynamic and ultimately gives in. The final iteration, while in the same physical space, is framed completely differently, with no dialogue on the stairs. It is just the two of them on the couch, talking about her pregnancy, and what they should do. That final moment displays that Lady Cynthia no longer has any power in this relationship.
In a single shot, and by extension in this sequence, Arzner is able to capture the tone of gender tensions of the 1930s. Single women were objects to be caught and displayed, a feat of endurance and strength by the man who wins her. Christopher Strong is a tragic look at those tensions and how women are often destroyed by the whims of men. One dress that looks like something out of a science fiction movie encapsulates just how men of that time period regarded the female body: spectacular, alluring, and easy to trap.
It looks like the Pixel 5 will be way cheaper than the iPhone 12
A neurology expert shares the 5 ways she avoids brain fog
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The universe is ours, and also yours — Star Control: Origins E3 2018 hands-on
By Sean Anthony
The universe is big. There are millions upon millions of possible life forms out there. Stardock has created a new way to experience the possibilities of space by bringing back an old experience with a twist. During E3 I was given the opportunity to check out Star Control: Origins, a reboot of the early 90’s strategy game series
During the demo, I was shown a glimpse at how the main game begins. I was a member of Star Control, and we had just begun our journey to explore the stars when an alien crash lands on a nearby planet and needs our help. From here, I could fly around our solar system and land on planets or moons to collect resources, or search for this alien’s missing ship parts.
After the “brief” mission in our solar system, the rest of the universe opens up. The whole thing feels alive, with aliens on the other side of the universe moving around while you’re doing your own thing alone. Each alien race has their own quirks along with with surprisingly decent voice-acting and plenty of humor.
Star Control: Origins has a story, but players don’t have to follow that. Even after the Scryve have been dealt with, the universe is still waiting for the player to explore each corner. The longevity of the game, however, is the crafting aspect, which can expand the universe to near-infinite possibilities.
The crafting system in the game is incredibly in-depth. Players can design their own ships, races, planets, or even scenarios piece by piece. This opens up the game to almost endless possibilities. Each ship can be customized with a multitude of weapons ranging from weak lasers to massive black hole generators.
These ships came into play in fleet battles. When an alien wanted to take me on, I could fight them in a one on one battle, choosing someone from my fleet, or using my flagship, which is powerful, but risky, because losing that ship means game over.
Stardock has also separated fleet battles into their own mode. Before the battle begins, both players have the opportunity to choose their fleet. Each fleet has its own set of points with stronger ships taking more points and weakers ships costing less. This means you can either have a small fleet with a few strong ships, or a fleet with many weaker ships. The player can balance their ships to their own strategic playstyle.
The actual fighting is interesting. Using controls similar to the old arcade game “Asteroids,” players fly around the map, avoiding space junk and firing at their opponent. Each battle is a 1v1 showdown, and each ship has their own arsenal of attacks. Most of the ships have a basic shot, but some will shoot seeking missiles or even mini black holes. Most ships have secondary attacks as well. One of the smaller, weaker ships can use this attack as a self-destruct, taking out any ship caught in the explosion.
Star Control: Origins has an incredibly high amount of potential. The “full” game will be released on September 20th, 2018, but crafting possibilities will make it endless. We’re still not done with our coverage of E3, so stay tuned to Gaming Trend for more information on these titles and more.
Related Articles: E3, Star Control: Origins
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gavc law – geert van calster
A boutique blog and legal practice on niche areas of the law. Recent developments in conflict of laws; WTO law; environmental law.
Mini me. Recent practice instructions and short bio.
Tag: Winrow v Hemphill
Rome II: A manifestly closer connection overrides common habitual residence. The High Court in Marshall v MIB.
Marshall v MIB [2015] EWHC 3421 (QB) involved a road traffic accident that occurred in France. On 19th August 2012 an uninsured Peugeot motor car registered in France driven by Ms Bivard, a French national, hit Mr Marshall and Mr Pickard, both British nationals, as they were standing behind a Ford Fiesta motor car and its trailer, while it was being attended to by a breakdown recovery truck on the side of a motorway in France. The Ford Fiesta motor car was registered in the UK and insured by Royal & Sun Alliance (“RSA”), and the recovery truck was registered in France and insured by Generali France Assurances (“Generali”). The Peugeot then collided with the trailer shunting it into the Ford Fiesta which in turn was shunted into the vehicle recovery truck. Mr Pickard suffered serious injuries. Mr Marshall died at the scene.
This case raises points about among others (1) the law applicable to an accident involving a number of persons and vehicles; and (2) the application of the French Loi Badinter to the facts of this case, if French law applies: The second main issue is if French law applies, whether the Ford Fiesta motor car and recovery truck are “involved” within the meaning of the Loi Badinter, which it is common ground is the applicable French statute. If those vehicles are “involved” it is common ground that RSA, as insurer of the Ford Fiesta, and Generali, as insurer of the recovery truck, are liable to Mrs Marshall, and that Generali, as insurer of the recovery truck, is liable to Mr Pickard.
Two actions were commenced. The first by Mrs Marshall (Mr Marshall’s widow) against the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (“the MIB”). Mrs Marshall relied on relevant English 2003 Regulations. The 2003 Regulations make the MIB liable in respect of liabilities of compensation bodies in other EEA states for losses caused by uninsured drivers. The relevant compensation body in France responsible for such losses is the Fonds de Garantie (“FdG”). The MIB denied liability, contending that the FdG would not be liable to Mrs Marshall because under the Loi Badinter Mr Pickard and RSA, as driver and insurer of the Ford Fiesta, and Generali, as insurers of the recovery truck, were liable. The second action was brought by Mr Pickard against the Motor Insurers’ Bureau relying on the 2003 Regulations. The MIB deny liability and contend that Generali, as insurers of the recovery truck, are liable to Mr Pickard.
The High Court was asked (1) what law applies per Article 4 Rome II, and (2) whether under the circumstances, Article 4(3) Rome II might have any relevance.
Save for Mrs Marshall’s claim for dependency which if English law applies is under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 (“FAA 1976”), it is common ground that the direct damage occurred in France for all of the claims, including Mrs Marshall’s claim on behalf of Mr Marshall’s estate. In respect of the FAA 1976 claim, RSA (Mr Marshall’s insurers) submits that the direct damage occurred in the location where Mrs Marshall has suffered her loss of dependency, which is in England and Wales. Dingemans J resolves this issue of ricochet damage with reference to the AG’s Opinion in Lazar: the CJEU’s judgment in same was issued about a month after the High Court’s judgment in Marshall. The Advocate General, having regard to the relevant principles of consistency, foreseeability and certainty, in his opinion considered that “the damage occurs” for the purposes of a claim such as an FAA 1976 claim where the relevant death occurs. The AG noted that different EEA states took different approaches to the characterisation of a dependency claim. For example in both England and Italy it is considered that the damage for a loss of dependency occurs in the country where the dependant is situated, but that this is not a European wide approach. The opinion, Dingemans J notes, shows that the Advocate General was influenced by the need to avoid different Courts in different EEA states adopting different solutions to applicable law in fatal accident cases, which would lead to a diversity of approach in different jurisdictions.
The action between Mrs Marshall and Mr Pickard triggers Article 4(2) of the Rome II Regulation, identifying as applicable law the law of the country were both the ‘person’ claimed to be liable and the ‘person’ sustaining damage, are habitually resident at the time the damage occurs. Dingemans J rightly (at 17) dismisses the suggestion (made in scholarship) that the moment more than two ‘persons’ are involved, Article 4(2) becomes inoperable.
Turning then to Article 4(3), the escape clause of a ‘manifestly closer connection’. Dingemans J entertains the interesting proposition that Article 4(3) has to lead to a law different from the law which would be applicable per Article 4(1) or (2). This in particular would mean that once Article 4(2) is engaged, it cannot be undone by recourse to Article 4(3). Dingemans J insists that Article 4(3) must be employed generally, even if it leads to a resurrection of Article 4(1), and goes on to find French law to be applicable (at 19-20):
In my judgment this case provides an illustration of when French law is provided as the governing law under article 4(1), excluded (for part of the claims) under article 4(2), and then required again under article 4(3).
It is also common ground that article 4(3) imposes a “high hurdle” in the path of a party seeking to displace the law indicated by articles 4(1) or 4(2), and that it is necessary to show that the “centre of gravity” of the case is with the suggested applicable law. In this case there are a number of circumstances which, in my judgment, make it clear that the tort/delict is manifestly more closely connected with France than England and Wales. These are: first that both Mr Marshall and Mr Pickard were hit by the French car driven by Ms Bivard, a national of France, on a French motorway. Any claims made by Mr Marshall and Mr Pickard against Ms Bivard, her insurers (or the FdG as she had no insurers) are governed by the laws of France; secondly the collision by Ms Bivard with Mr Marshall and Mr Pickard was, as a matter of fact and regardless of issues of fault or applicable law, the cause of the accident, the injuries suffered by Mr Marshall and Mr Pickard and the subsequent collisions; and thirdly any claims that Mr Marshall and Mr Pickard have against Generali, as insurers of the vehicle recovery truck, are also governed by the laws of France.
This judgment to my knowledge, with Winrow v Hemphill is one of few discussing Article 4(3)’s escape clause in such detail. (The add-on being that in Marshall Article 4(3) was found as being able to override Article 4(2). A judgment which, like Winrow, does justice to both the exceptional nature of the provision, and the need to consider all relevant factors.
Geert.
Ps very soon the Supreme Court will hear further argument on the application of the Rome II Regulation in Moreno v MIB.
European private international law, second ed. 2016, Chapter 4, Headings 4.5.1 and 4.5.2
Winrow v Hemphill: The High Court emphasises exceptional nature of ‘manifestly closer connected’ in Rome II. Clarifies ‘habitual residence’.
Winrow v Hemphill ([2014] EWHC 3164), involved a road traffic accident that occurred in Germany on 16 November 2009. The claimant was a rear seat passenger in a vehicle driven by Mrs Hemphill (‘the first defendant’), which collided head on with a German vehicle. The defendant admitted fault for the collision. As a result of the collision, the claimant sustained personal injury, for which she received some treatment in Germany and further ongoing treatment in England. She and her husband returned to live in England in June 2011, earlier than planned. ‘Second defendant’ was the German insurer of the first defendant.
The following was agreed between the parties:
iii) Since the claimant’s husband was due to leave the army in February 2014 after twenty-two years’ service he would have returned to England one and a half to two years before that date to undertake re-settlement training. It was always their intention to return to live in England.
ii) At the time of the accident the claimant was living in Germany, having moved there in January 2001 with her husband who was a member of Her Majesty’s Armed Services. Germany was not the preferred posting of the claimant’s husband, it was his second choice. He had four separate three year postings in Germany.
i) The claimant was a UK national.
iv) Whilst in Germany, the claimant and her family lived on a British Army base where schools provided an English education.
v) While in Germany, the claimant was employed on a full-time basis as an Early Years Practitioner by Service Children’s Education, (UK Government Agency).
vi) The claimant claimed continuing loss and damage including care and assistance and loss of earnings. She asserted that the majority of her loss has been and will be incurred in England. The claimant alleged continuing pain, suffering and loss of amenity.
vii) The first defendant was a UK national and an army wife, with her husband serving with the Army in Germany. She had been in Germany for between eighteen months and two years before the accident. She returned to England soon afterwards.
On the habitual residence issue, Rome II corrects the overall lex loci damni rule in cases of joint habitual residence between tortfeasor and victim (which was argued to be the case here). Habitual residence was also argued to play a role in the ‘closer connection’ test (see below).
Rome II, the Regulation of the law applicable to non-contractual obligations, does not define ‘habitual residence’ for individuals acting in their personal capacity. The matter therefore is one of national conflicts law. The habitual residence for a natural person is only defined by ht Regulation when it comes to his acting in the course of his business activity. ‘Habitual residence’ is a concept which is not used in Brussels I, however it is used in the Brussels II bis Regulation on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matter of parental responsibility, where it is left undefined, and in the Rome III Regulation (an instrument of enhanced co-operation and hence not applicable in all Member States) implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of applicable law to divorce and legal separation, where, too, somewhat oddly given its date of adoption (after Rome I and II) it is left undefined.
The Court of Justice has defined ‘habitual residence’ in Swaddling, Case C-90/97, within the context of social security law (entitlement of benefits subject to a residence requirement) as the place ‘where the habitual centre of their interests is to be found. In that context, account should be taken in particular of the employed person’s family situation; the reasons which have led him to move; the length and continuity of his residence; the fact (where this is the case) that he is in stable employment; and his intention as it appears from all the circumstances.’
Undoubtedly the context of the adjudication needs to be taken into account, such as in Swaddling, a social security case, in which the seeking of holding of employment is likely to have a much greater relevance for determining habitual residence than in the context of, say, maintenance or parental responsibility (where, for instance, the interest and ‘anchorage’ of the child is likely to be much more relevant). [See also House of Lords M v M, [2007] EWHC 2047 (Fam), a case referred to in Winrow]. Moreover, the Court of Justice itself has warned that its case-law on habitual residence in one area, cannot be directly transposed in the context of any other (Case C-523/07, A).
It is obvious however that the ‘centre of interest’ test which in one way or another finds its way into habitual residence in all relevant EU law, includes a subjective element: the intention of a person to be anchored in a particular place. This was argued to be relevant in the case at issue, because both victim and tortfeasor were resident in Germany on account of their husbands’ military posting there.
Slade J in my view justifiably held that having regard to the length of stay in the country, its purpose and the establishing of a life there, habitual residence of the Claimant at the time of her accident was Germany. It is not because she followed her husband who was posted in Germany on Army business, that she was in Germany involuntarily.
On the issue of manifestly closer connected per Article 4(3) Rome II, the High Court first of all confirmed the exceptional character of the escape clause, however emphasises, and I have great sympathy for this view, that in reviewing that exceptional possibility, there should be no limitation in principle of factors that can be taken into account: Article 4(3) clearly is an exception to the EU’s mantra of predictability in EU private international law, however one which even the European Commission foresaw and which is inherent to the very nature of the exception. Hence the High Court considered inter alia the joint nationality of the victims (with an interesting discussion on whether United Kingdom nationality may be relevant for the consideration of English law being applicable – there is no such thing as ‘English’ nationality); habitual residence at the time of the accident and subsequently; location of subsequent consequences (the victim now suffering those in England; loss of earning occurring in England), etc.: even what a particular court in a particular Member State may consider to be relevant for the application of 4(3) may be very unpredictable indeed may also be disparate across the EU.
However on balance Slade J held that the balance was in favour of not applying the escape clause, particularly in view of the period of time of habitual residence in Germany, and subsequent continuing residence in that country (ia for follow-up treatment). Final holding therefore was
Factors weighing against displacement of German law as the applicable law of the tort by reason of Article 4(1) are that the road traffic accident caused by the negligence of the First Defendant took place in Germany. The Claimant sustained her injury in Germany. At the time of the accident both the Claimant and the First Defendant were habitually resident there. The Claimant had lived in Germany for about eight and a half years and remained living there for eighteen months after the accident.
Under Article 4(3) the court must be satisfied that the tort is manifestly more closely connected with English law than German law. Article 4(3) places a high hurdle in the path of a party seeking to displace the law indicated by Article 4(1) or 4(2). Taking into account all the circumstances, the relevant factors do not indicate a manifestly closer connection of the tort with England than with Germany. The law indicated by Article 4(1) is not displaced by Article 4(3). The law applicable to the claim in tort is therefore German law.
This judgment to my knowledge is one of few discussing Article 4(3)’s escape clause in such detail. A judgment which does justice to both the exceptional nature of the provision, and the need to consider all relevant factors.
PIS v Al Rajaan. An intensive Brussels Ia and Lugano choice of court (by incorporation) and anchor defendant discussion. 13/01/2021
TWR v Panasonic. Obiter consideration of A34 Brussels Ia forum non light. Hamburg court likely to have to take up that baton in some form. 08/01/2021
The Court of Appeal in Etihad v Flother finishes the job on rendering Italian torpedoes harmless; puts the spotlight on Hague and BIa differences on choice of court. 08/01/2021
Seven swans a-swimming. The Hard Brexit for judicial co-operation in civil matters. 04/01/2021
ING v Banco Santander. Deferring to extensive discussion of national law on the insolvency exception, and a bit too rich a pudding on privity of choice of court. 23/12/2020
Categories Select Category Conflict of Laws /Private international law Environmental law – EU Environmental Law – International EU law – General General Trade law Uncategorized WTO
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humor, news, Philippines, politics, public affairs
More Napoles News and Jokes
August 31, 2013 ralphierceFort Sto. Domingo, humor, Janet Napoles, jokes, Joseph Estrada, Laguna, Lourd de Veyra, Makati, Makati City Jail, Malacañang Palace, Manila, memes, Million People March, Philippines, pick-up lines, Pork Barrel, Sta. Rosa, T3: Reload, TV5, Word of the Lourd Leave a comment
The week in news is all about the Pork Barrel, and its whistleblower Janet Napoles. Monday witnessed the Million People March at the Quirino Grandstand, then Wednesday night saw the voluntary surrender of Napoles at Malacanang. The narrative did not end there, however.
On Friday night the court finally approved the transfer of Janet Napoles from the Makati City Jail to the Fort Sto. Domingo facility in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. It was the same complex that housed former president and Manila mayor Joseph Estrada during his plunder case a decade ago. The court approved the move citing security concerns within the Makati City Jail.
Throughout the week all major television networks extensively the issue of Pork Barrel and the surrender of Janet Napoles. Some segments took exception to the issue by presenting it in a light-hearted manner. On the TV5 program T3: Reload, the Tulfo brothers Ben, Erwin and Raffy decided to make fun of the issue with the use of social media, presenting memes and pick-up lines relating to Janet Napoles and the Pork Barrel scam. Then on the ‘Word of the Lourd’ segment by Lourd de Veyra, he presented a photo of Napoles and asked several people to identify the subject, with one mistakenly identifying the subject as the Korean rapper Psy.
Despite the serious nature of the issue, people still found a way to lighten up the mood of the nation by presenting them in a humorous manner. That ability to construct humor amidst the negativity of the situation enabled the Philippines to rank among the top 10 in the happiest countries poll last year. And that humor overcomes all the poverty and hardship that the country experiences these days.
Meanwhile, more news about Janet Napoles’s transfer will be reported over the next few days, so stay tuned.
music, news, Philippines, politics, songs
In 100 Words: Gusto Ko Ng Baboy
August 30, 2013 ralphiercecorruption, government, greed, Gusto Ko Ng Baboy, Janet Napoles, Lourd de Veyra, Million People March, PDAF, Philippines, Pork Barrel, Radioactive Sago Project Leave a comment
Twelve years ago, reggae/rock band Radioactive Sago Project released a single called ‘Gusto Ko Ng Baboy’ (I Want Pigs). The song was described as a protest against greed and corruption, hence the emphasis on the word ‘baboy’ throughout the song as a way to depict power-hungry and avaricious officials.
These days, frontman Lourd de Veyra is a host and news anchor at TV5. Perhaps he should have reunited Radioactive Sago Project and perform during the Million People March as a way to drum up national interest. Still, even with the band not performing, ‘Gusto Ko Ng Baboy’ should be appropriate for the ongoing national situation, one embroiled with the arrest of Janet Napoles and the recent abolition of the Pork Barrel.
Billboard Hot 100 – September 7, 2013
August 30, 2013 ralphierceAvicii, Billboard Hot 100, Capital Cities, Cedric Gervais, Daft Punk, Imagine Dragons, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke, T.I., Top 40 1 Comment
Here are the Top 10 songs from the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of September 7, 2013.
1. Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell – Blurred Lines. No. 1 last week.
2. Katy Perry – Roar. No. 2 last week.
3. Miley Cyrus – We Can’t Stop. No. 3 last week.
4. Lady Gaga – Applause. No. 6 last week.
5. Imagine Dragons – Radioactive. No. 4 last week.
6. Jay-Z feat. Justin Timberlake – Holy Grail. No. 5 last week.
7. Avicii – Wake Me Up!. No. 11 last week.
8. Capital Cities – Safe And Sound. No. 10 last week.
9. Lana Del Rey & Cedric Gervais – Summertime Sadness. No. 15 last week.
10. Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams – Get Lucky. No. 7 last week.
news, Philippines, public affairs, talk show, television
Cancellation of Kape at Balita on GMA News TV
August 29, 2013 ralphierceABS-CBN News Channel, AksyonTV, Breakfast, GMA, GMA Network, GMA News TV, Good Morning Club, Kabayan, Kape at Balita, Misteryo, Saksi sa Dobol B, Studio 23, TV5, Umagang Kay Ganda, Unang Hirit 14 Comments
GMA News TV’s ‘Kape at Balita’ aired its final episode on August 16, 2013, finishing its 10-month run.
From August 19 onwards, many viewers of GMA News TV noticed a change in the early morning timeslot. Instead of the early morning newscast ‘Kape at Balita‘, the said network have been airing repeats of documentaries such as ‘Hamon ng Kalikasan’ and ‘Misteryo‘. No explanation was given regarding the cancellation.
The second incarnation of ‘Kape at Balita’ started to air on October 22, 2012 as an alternative program to the big networks’ morning shows such as ‘Umagang Kay Ganda‘, ‘Good Morning Club‘, and ‘Unang Hirit‘. The program’s basic fare featured mostly current news events, spiced up with commentaries and interviews from various sources. In short, ‘Kape at Balita’ was more akin to the morning news and commentary shows on radio such as ‘Kabayan: Kapangyarihan ng Mamamayan, Balita at Talakayan’ and ‘Saksi sa Dobol B‘.
This was GMA News TV’s second attempt at a morning show. Previous to that they aired a simulcast of DZBB‘s ‘Saksi sa Dobol B’, before giving way to ‘Kape at Balita’. Morning shows on television were usually the most difficult and expensive to produce, and with the domination of the morning shows on the big networks, the others struggled to keep pace. One example is Studio 23‘s defunct morning show ‘Breakfast’, which struggled with viewership because the format is more akin to middle and upper class viewers.
These days both ABS-CBN and TV5 simulcast their morning shows on their sister news networks. ‘Umagang Kay Ganda’ is also seen on the all-English cable network ABS-CBN News Channel, while ‘Good Morning Club’ is simulcast on the UHF AksyonTV. GMA would have loved to do the same thing with ‘Unang Hirit’, but since their sister network GMA News TV is also a VHF channel, it is very unlikely.
At the moment it is unclear whether or not GMA News TV will produce another morning show. For now, they revert back to airing past documentaries, something the network will never want to do after all my criticisms against the network.
news, Philippines, politics, radio, television
Napoles Surrenders, and Media Takes Notice
August 29, 2013 ralphierceABS-CBN, Bandila, Benigno Aquino III, GMA, Janet Napoles, Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Pilipinas News, Pork Barrel, Saksi, TV5, Twitter Leave a comment
If you were watching late night news yesterday, you were informed about this very important news that Janet Napoles, the Pork Barrel whistleblower, has voluntarily surrendered to the authorities. Leading up to the surrender, all of Napoles’ accounts were frozen to the point she cannot afford any food and gas for herself, her passports were cancelled, and then President Noynoy Aquino offered a P10M reward for her arrest. But instead of getting captured, Napoles decided to submit herself.
As early as 11:00 p.m., GMA’s ‘Saksi‘ and ABS-CBN’s ‘Bandila‘ officially reported the news of the surrender, while TV5’s ‘Pilipinas News‘ followed suit. The coverage continued into early Thursday morning, with all of the morning shows on television and radio providing additional coverage of the Napoles surrender. Elsewhere, social media netizens who remain awake before midnight gave their own views and opinions of the surrender, with several terms related to Napoles and Pork Barrel trending on Twitter.
Print and online media were also active during the late hours of August 28. Front pages of today’s editions of The Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and the Manila Bulletin focused on Napoles’s surrender, while online news sites such as Rappler, InterAksyon, ABS-CBN News Online and GMA News Online also emphasized on the said news.
Many who criticize the Pork Barrel saw this news as a partial victory. But stay tuned for more news regarding the surrender and other related events, through all media outlets.
Still No Beautiful Endings for Mundo Mo’y Akin
August 28, 2013 ralphierceAlden Richards, Angelika dela Cruz, Gabby Eigenmann, GMA, GMA Network, Jolina Magdangal, Lauren Young, Louise Delos Reyes, Mundo Mo'y Akin, Sunshine Dizon Leave a comment
‘The Beautiful Ending’ gone wrong: ‘Mundo Mo’y Akin’ continues to air for a few more weeks despite teasing viewers that the story is about to conclude.
Over the past month, GMA promotes its teasers for ‘Mundo Mo’y Akin’ as a ‘Beautiful Ending’, implying that the teleserye is in its final few weeks. Despite that, the program continues to air extensively and add more intriguing twists and turns to a story that never seems to end after all.
Before I go to the criticism of GMA’s promotion, here’s how I looked at the teleserye. ‘Mundo Mo’y Akin’ appears to be a sequel of a prior teleserye called ‘Bakekang‘; Sunshine Dizon played the ugly duckling in the latter, and then played the role of a mother in the former. The similarities between the two teleseryes was clear from the start: the ugly character as the protagonist getting beat up by the more beautiful antagonist, until a life-changing surgical procedure changed the protagonist’s outlook.
Young actress Louise Delos Reyes played the main protagonist Marilyn on the show, and Lauren Young played the main antagonist Darlene. Dizon played Marilyn’s mother Perlita, while Angelika dela Cruz played Darlene’s mother Giselle. Alden Richards played Gerald, the love interest of both Marilyn and Darlene. Supporting roles were provided by Jacklyn Jose, Jolina Magdangal and Gabby Eigenmann.
During the month of July, GMA began promoting ‘Mundo Mo’y Akin’ as having ‘The Beautiful Ending’. The teasers and subsequent episodes witnessed the physical and emotional transformation of Marilyn into a beautiful and strong individual, one that never backed down from any challenge. The way I saw it, GMA was promoting the teleserye as if it was on its final weeks. However, subsequent plot twists in later episodes, such as Marilyn’s breakup with Gerald, proved that ‘The Beautiful Ending’ isn’t about to end soon.
I think GMA’s promotion of ‘Mundo Mo’y Akin’ was pure alienation. Why call it a ‘beautiful ending’ when in fact the stories only continue to go back and forth? The ‘beautiful ending’ I looked at was when the main character received life-changing surgery, then gained a measure of revenge on the antagonist, before finally falling in love with the man she was cared for. However, the addition of a breakup angle, followed by the antagonist’s revenge, ensured that the teleserye continues on.
It was a mistake that GMA management will never forget. If her transformation was a ‘beautiful ending’, why did they add more twists and turns to the story? ‘Mundo Mo’y Akin’ deserves a better and simpler ending than this, not one with additional storylines that only frustrates the viewers. This only underscores the fact that GMA’s teleseryes, other than ‘My Husband’s Lover’, are falling way behind from ABS-CBN’s own, viewership-wise and production-wise.
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Home Business Banking PASOK In Panic Over Papandreou Defiance
PASOK In Panic Over Papandreou Defiance
Andy Dabilis
PASOK chief Evangelos Venizelos (R) and previous leader George Papandreou don’t see eye-to-eye
PASOK’s once-dominant Socialist party is in almost completely disarray in the aftermath of its former leader and previous Greek premier George Papandreou in an almost-open rebellion against the current leader, Evangelos Venizelos.
Papandreou voted against a key banking article in a reform bill filed by the coalition government of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, the New Democracy Conservative leader.
PASOK is a coalition partner in the administration and Venizelos was named Deputy Premier/Foreign Minister after backing austerity measures.
But unable or unwilling to eject Papandreou, or Apostolos Kaklamanis, another PASOK MP who defied voting orders, Venizelo was left to deliver a stinging rebuke against the former premier, widening a schism in the party that boiled over when its MPs disbanded a meeting even before it began on April 1 because the tension was so high.
The meeting of the party’s parliamentary group ended when Thanos Moraitis and Costas Triantafyllou walked out after complaining that the criticism being aimed at Papandreou from other deputies was unfair and damaging for the party’s unity, it was reported.
Other lawmakers expressed dismay at Papandreou and Kaklamanis’s failure to support both articles of the omnibus bill although some other PASOK MPs said they were also going to vote against the bill because of reservations they had, before relenting, even though one said he couldn’t be persuaded and dared Venizelos to eject him.
Papandreou’s decision to oppose legislation that allows the Hellenic Financial Stability Facility (HFSF) to suffer a loss on the shares it has bought in Greek banks reopened a long-running and bitter dispute with Evangelos Venizelos, his successor as PASOK leader and the coalition’s deputy prime minister. The latter allegedly launched a stinging verbal attack against Papandreou at his office in Parliament and criticized both dissenting MPs publicly.
Venizelos stopped short of ousting the two lawmakers as that would have led to the government losing its parliamentary majority. Papandreou insisted that he has no intention of threatening the coalition’s stability but his vote against the article was a “principled stance,” which he didn’t allow other PASOK MPS to make when he was imposing pay cuts, tax hikes and slashed pensions on orders of the Troika of the European Union-International Monetary Fund-European Central Bank (EU-IMF-ECB).
“I did not and I would not jeopardize the majority in Parliament,” he told Bloomberg TV. “This was a personal vote, a political vote and it was of course a statement on some of the things which I think that we need to see not only in Greece but in Europe,” he said.
Papandreou insisted that the government could see out its four-year term, which ends in 2016. But the latest round of infighting has prompted concern about whether PASOK will be able to be a steady coalition partner, especially if it performs poorly as part of the Olive Tree alliance at the May 25 European Parliament elections.
With PASOK polling 3-5 percent, Venizelos has desperately attached himself to the new center-left movement but the newspaper Kathimerini said it was told by sources it didn’t name that Venizelos suggested Papandreou is deliberately trying to undermine the Olive Tree, which he has refused to back. Sources close to the ex-premier, though, argued that Venizelos is simply trying to find excuses because he knows the election results will be disappointing.
Former PASOK MP and minister Theodoros Pangalos suggested he might not even vote for the Socialist party. “I am in half a mind to vote for [New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras to ensure there is political stability,” he told Vima FM.
While Papandreou and Venizelos had been careful to appear united during public appearances, there is long and deep-seated enmity between them, especially after Venizelos tried to topple Papandreou from the party’s leadership when the former premier had lost twice to New Democracy’s then-leader Costas Karamanlis for the Prime Minister’s post.
Apostolos Kaklamanis
Costas Karamanlis
Costas Triantafyllou
Evangelos Venizelos
PASOK
Thanos Moraitis
Theodoros Pangalos
Polycrates Apr 2, 2014 at 10:16 am
Boys, boys please stop fighting. With 3-5% you are near extinction levels and reaching out to the Olive Tree suggests a parasitic means to survive a little longer. In the end PASOK will die of natural causes and their millions in outstanding debt will become our responsibility just as everything else has. A parting farewell from the party that ruined Greece.
MSMlies Apr 2, 2014 at 10:25 am
“Venizelos stopped short of ousting the two lawmakers as that would have led to the government losing its parliamentary majority.”
That is how close the Venizelos-Samaras Junta is to collapse! A mere 2 resignations! With so many disgruntled PASOK & New Democracy MP’s it is inevitable that more resignations will occur. Since the sleazy New Democracy-Pasok coalition regime was formed in June 2012, a total of 27 coalition MP’s have either resigned, or have been sacked for disobeying Venizelos, or Samaras. Once the results of the May municipal and EU parliamentary elections roll in, the double humiliation will ensure more coalition MP’s resign, & the hated Venizelos-Samaras Junta will collapse. MAY IS COMING!!!
Once ND’s MPs submit their resignations they must be prepared to align themselves either as opposition to ND or become a splinter group. All too often MPs like Dora Bakoyannis leave only to find it a harsh world and come running back to safety and position.
Last count there were at least 16 new parties all vying for position and the oxygen of publicity to survive. To Potami through it’s connections enjoys the most media support, but so far it has proven to be a party about nothing, for nothing and is nothing. May is indeed coming, the question is how big will be the fallout and which party will the disenfranchised coalesce around.
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Grade School Science and Grade School Bullies
Because climate often gets lumped into the science and technology sections of newspapers and bookstores, there’s a widespread misperception that global warming is a fast changing topic with revolutionary new research being published all the time. It’s certainly true that global warming is being studied around the clock by countless researchers, scientists, engineers, and other brainy types, but the basics of the field haven’t changed in decades. We teach most of it to fifth graders, even if we don’t come right out and call it climate education.
Herein is the short version of how we got to where we are. Don’t worry, though, there won’t be a test, you can’t get detention, and nobody is going to take your lunch money.
What I Did On My Summer Vacation
“The land turtles crawled through the dust and the sun whipped the earth, and in the evening the heat went out of the sky and the earth sent up a wave of heat from itself.” – John Steinbeck, boat enthusiast
It is the summer of 1988, and I am eight years old. For those too young or too senile to remember, that summer was one of the hottest and driest on record. Billions of dollars of damage was sustained, there were dust storms on a scale unseen since the 1930s, and 5,000 people(!) died in heatwaves (that’s 2,000 more dead Americans than the terrorist attacks of 2001).[1] It was also the year the world learned definitively about global warming.
In Washington D.C., a scientist named Dr. James Hansen testified before Congress that NASA was now scientifically confident (“certain”, in non-tech speak) that global warming had begun thanks to the greenhouse effect, a term The New York Times still saw fit to encase in scare quotes in its story. “Global Warming Has Begun Expert Tells Senate” was the three column, front page headline for Friday, June 24th. Nestled beneath it was a two column story entitled, “Drought Raising Food Prices; Inflation Effect Seems Minor”.
I spent a lot of that summer outside, under a hugely ancient maple tree in the back yard. My friends Aaron and Mike* and I had turned a picnic table into a giant Lego platform, and we passed our days in the shade as the grass out back withered into a scratchy, yellow-brown carpet that hurt to walk on. And while I didn’t read the Times that day, I was already enough of a news junkie and science geek to grasp the basic concept: our way of life was going to change.
(*Hi, guys!)
In the three decades since that summer, I have watched our government, our society, and us as individuals grapple with this most unpleasant of realities. In all that time – a span that includes the end of my childhood, as well as all of my adolescent and adult years – no adequate response to that threat has yet been attempted. There has been denial and fear and anger and all the other stages of grief as the reality of the mess we’ve made imposes itself upon us more and more each year. There have been more meetings and declarations and treaties and legal changes than can be meaningfully cataloged. Yet despite all the solemn pledges and dire warnings, every year of my life the scientific prognosis has grown worse.
There is no doubt in my mind that the great mechanisms of our civilization are slowly responding. We are getting more of our power from renewable sources. The amount of energy it takes to wash our clothes and light our homes keeps going down. Our social norms have even begun to adapt, as wastefulness is increasingly looked down on and more people strive to be ‘green’.
Despite that progress, we are still on course for disaster and devastation. Within the lifetime of today’s adults, unlucky places will be wiped out in storms or become uninhabitable thanks to some combination of flooding, drought, and plain old heat. Luckier places will have to contend with a steady and ever increasing flow of refugees while weathering their own economically costly droughts, floods, storms, and heatwaves. The speed and severity with which these events and their aftermaths (recessions, famines, etcetera) will affect you depends on where you live and how rich you are, but everyone is already feeling it.
That all sounds bad, and it is; but there is a golden lining, possibly the greatest blessing in disguise in all of human history. Daily life in a United States that’s genuinely dealing with climate change would be the very pinnacle the American Dream: work less, eat better, play more.
That’s not the message people usually get when they read about climate or see a documentary about slushy glaciers and rail thin polar bears, but it is the bedrock truth. Moreover, it is the vital context for seeing climate not as a civilizational death sentence, but rather as the next step in human progress.
How we take that step remains to be seen. But what cannot be denied is that here at the dawn of the 2020s, more than three decades since the furnace summer of 1988, global warming has killed lots of people and ruined the lives of many more. However happy or sad the eventual outcome, it will continue killing and ruining for the rest of my time on Earth. Each of us deals with that realization in our own way.
I have always found study and thought and experience to be the surest antidotes to fear and anxiety and despair. The more you know about anything, the less scary it gets. And the better you understand something, the more jokes you can crack about it. This book is my way of doing both.
The bleakly funny truth is that we had warning, we had opportunity, and we fucked up anyway. It’s not ha-ha funny, but it *is* funny. And besides, there’s no sense crying about it now. Our homework is already thirty years overdue.
With three decades of insignificant action behind us, and the most critical thirty years in the history of our species ahead, the time has come for major reforms, some earnest understanding, and plenty of gallows humor.
Continue to Chapter 1 – Climate Change And You: Forget 2100 (We’ll All Be Dead By Then), Let’s Talk 2030 and 2050
Endnote:
[1 – https://www.hsdl.org/c/tl/1988-u-s-droughtheatwave/]
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Greenwich Free Press (https://greenwichfreepress.com/news/obituaries/douglas-david-dandrea-62-114141/)
Douglas David D’Andrea, 62
By: greenwichfreepress | October 28, 2018
Douglas David D’Andrea, the son of the late Rocco V. and Eulalie D’Andrea, passed away on Saturday, October 13, 2018 from an automobile accident near Ketchum, Idaho.
He was born on September 8, 1956, and grew up in Riverside, CT, attended Riverside Elementary School, Eastern Junior High and graduated from Greenwich High School in 1975.
He was an accomplished athlete, an outstanding wrestler, and the star pitcher on the baseball team. At a young age, Doug was written up in Sports Illustrated for his pitching abilities.
He graduated from Dean Jr. College in 1977, worked for over 15 years with his father at Rocco V. D’Andrea, Inc. as a land surveyor. In 1993 he moved to Ketchum, Idaho, where he worked in construction as a master craftsman, where he demonstrated his creative talents. He worked with his friend Spyder at Spyderworks constructing and installing cabinets, and drove limousines to the airport in his free time.
He was proud of the time he volunteered at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY. Besides the love Doug had for his family and many friends, playing golf, the New York Jets and the New York Yankees, he had great culinary abilities and always had something cooking, or a roast in the oven.
In the past several years, his favorite pastime was growing and harvesting his peppers. His 9th generation hot peppers were his “babies”. He started them from seed every year, growing the plants and sharing the produce after drying, jarring and freezing the peppers.
On September 27, 2013, Doug had a Hole In One at the Bigwood Golf Course in Ketchum, which was a great thrill for him and one of his ultimate goals.
He was very involved with and proud of his participation with The Camp Rainbow Golf Tournament which benefitted Idaho children with cancer, and their families, as well as many other charitable events.
Survivors include four sisters: Florence (John) Verrier and children Leslie (Kerry), Gavin, and Elizabeth (Matt) Holcomb of Old Greenwich, CT; Eulalie “Lulu” (Phil) Walklet and children Eric (Chey), Nick (Lauren), Courtney and Caleigh (who had a special connection to Doug as his god-daughter) of Fairfield, CT; Alicia (Doug) Melillo and children Andrew and Sarah (Travis) of Stamford, CT; Laura (Bob) Keane and children Maxx, Chelsea, Samantha of Fairfield, CT.
Also included are four brothers: Tony (Martha) D’Andrea and children Craig and Christopher of Riverside, CT; Ron (Emily) D’Andrea and children Kathryn, Becca and Matthew of Darien, CT; Leonard (Mary Lou) D’Andrea and Denise L’Hommidieu of Stamford, CT; and Donald (Suzanne) D’Andrea and children Morgan and Sydney of New Canaan, CT and his deceased brother Rocco’s wife Mary D’Andrea and children David (Angela) and Meghann of Eagleville, PA.
In addition, there are 21 nieces and nephews, and seven great nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Rocco and parents Rocco and Eulalie D’Andrea.
A service will be held at 12:30 pm, Sunday, November 4, 2018 at The First Congregational Church of Greenwich, 108 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich, CT.
There will be a brief burial of ashes immediately after the service, followed by a reception in the Church hall.
If one wishes to make a donation in Doug’s memory, please consider:
Camp Rainbow Gold @ Camprainbowgold.org, Lustgarten Foundation for
Pancreatic [email protected] www.lustgarten.org, or BCRF-Breast Cancer Research Foundation @ [email protected] bcrf.org or online at www.woodriverchapel.com
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Barbara’s memory to The American Cancer Society.
Joseph C. Tranfo, 89
Maria Lucia DiPaola, 89
View all Obituaries Posts →
Greenwich Ranked Safest Among Communities with 50,000+ Residents
Cos Cob Man Charged with Risk of Injury to Minors After Argument Involving Knife
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Crude on the tracks: Oil spills from trains skyrocket
By Claire Thompson on Jul 19, 2013
As more oil is being shipped by train across North America, more oil is being spilled from trains. EnergyWire reports:
The number of spills and other accidents from railroad cars carrying crude oil has skyrocketed in recent years, up from one or two a year early in the previous decade to 88 last year.
Most of the spills are relatively small — nothing like the deadly disaster in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, earlier this month — but with oil shipments on the rise, there’s cause to be concerned.
Oil production has increased thanks to fracking and other drilling technologies, but North America’s pipeline network hasn’t kept up, so railroads are stepping in to fill the void, especially in areas not served by pipelines. Rail transport is more expensive, but it doesn’t require new infrastructure or permits. U.S. railroads have already moved 40 percent more crude and refined product this year than in 2012.
Reuters reports:
With that growth has come a number of high-profile spills and accidents, many on Canadian Pacific Railway’s network, which runs through Alberta, the largest oil exporter to the United States, and the Bakken field [in North Dakota].
Canadian Pacific suffered the industry’s first serious spill in late March, when 14 tanker cars derailed near Parkers Prairie, Minnesota, and leaked 15,000 gallons of crude. Regulators have not released the results of their investigation into the incident, and Canadian Pacific declined to comment.
Critics point out that old tank cars can puncture easily, and that trains carrying heavy oil loads can wear down railroad tracks.
But it’s difficult to compare the safety of railroad shipments versus pipeline shipments. Edward Whittingham, director of the Canadian environmental group Pembina Institute, told The New York Times earlier this month that the methods are “equally unsafe.” While rail spills are more frequent, they generally result in less oil spilled. In comparison, pipeline spills can be both more difficult to detect and greater in volume. More from EnergyWire:
Federal law requires railroads to report smaller crude oil spills than pipelines, which rail officials say makes their total numbers look higher. Pipelines must report spills of 5 gallons or more. Of the 88 rail spills last year, 23 were 5 gallons or more.
Gee. If only there were some source of energy that didn’t need to be transported thousands of miles and didn’t pose a constant risk of mass ecological contamination. Let me know if you hear of one.
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Youngstown, Ohio, voters on fracking: “Yes, please”
By John Upton on May 8, 2013
Jason Shenk
On Tuesday, voters in Youngstown, Ohio, gave the fracking industry carte blanche to continue pumping chemicals into the ground beneath them and pumping natural gas out.
A city charter amendment that would have outlawed hydraulic fracturing in the city was rejected by voters, with the unofficial final vote tally showing 3,821 votes against and 2,880 in favor. The ballot measure would also have banned new pipelines in the city and prevented oil-field waste from being transported through the city.
A fracking boom is underway in Ohio, especially in its east, where Youngstown is located. But the boom has not brought with it many jobs for Ohioans, despite promises otherwise, as most of the work is being done by specialists who’ve come in from other states. It has, however, brought with it water pollution problems.
Opposition to the ballot measure was spearheaded by a business-backed group calling itself Mahoning Valley Coalition for Job Growth and Investment. That group was formed especially to defeat the ballot measure, and it easily outspent the measure’s backers. In campaigning, the business group had described the ballot measure as unconstitutional, far-reaching, and unenforceable, and claimed it would send the wrong kind of message to the business community.
From the Youngstown Vindicator:
Susie Beiersdorfer, a member of the Community Bill of Rights Committee that supported the amendment, said, “It’s a sad day for democracy. With the resources we had, it was an incredible effort, but we were outspent by the opponents.”
But this isn’t the end for the committee, many of whom also are members of Frack Free Youngstown.
“We’re going to have to work a little harder the next time,” said Beiersdorfer, who also won the Green Party’s primary Tuesday for Youngstown council president. “We’ll be back. We’ll regroup and figure out what we’re doing. We’re going to continue to fight to protect health and public safety.”
“With tonight’s vote, the people of Youngstown have announced that the city is open for business,” Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber President Tom Humphries said in a statement after the votes were tallied. Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman David Betras said the results demonstrated “the voters had no sympathy for those who want to hold us back.”
The city is open alright — wide open and ready for the injection of fracking chemicals.
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Golf, Both Big And Small, Carries a New Era Into a New Year
As much as a golf nerd like myself hates to admit it, there have been some dark moments for the game in the 21stcentury. There have been times where the energy around the sport felt stagnant, like the humid and still summer air before an impending storm.
I think back to the late-2000’s into the start of the 2010’s when the professional game, although sometimes buoyed by its two aging megastars in Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, was completely bereft of young, marketable and exciting talent. At the same time golf on TV felt stale, legions of courses were shutting their doors after far too many — and far too difficult courses — were built in previous eras. About 1.1 million golfers left the game in 2013. People were leaving in droves and there were days when few seemed to care.
I think back to countless headlines of how the game was officially dead. If you were to quickly search “millennials killing golf”, you will find a never-ending slog of articles from several years ago that claim there is no way out for such a traditional and stuffy game.
For most of my life as a 28-year-old PGA Professional who has played competitively, written about the game, taught people how to play or been glued to the TV for every second of my favorite tournaments, there have also been consistent warning sirens of how drastic measures need to be taken to make sure golf survives.
In short, golf has made a living playing defense.
Now, for maybe the only time I can remember, golf is playing offense.
The PGA Tour teed off this week in Hawaii with a majority of its stars, and while there will be few fans watching the action in person for at least the first handful of months to the year, the energy heading into 2021 is palpable. For one, the top spot in the world is up for grabs to a handful of players who are in the prime of their careers and have each won a lion’s share of significant events — Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka are all deserving of being the best player in the world.
Johnson, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, has just won his second major and threatens to be an even more dominant force. Rahm is desperately searching for his first major and continues to fight the drama around whether he can manage his emotions in big moments. Thomas has flashed brilliance each year of his career and is on the precipice of a 5 or 6-win season where the golf world revolves around his swag. McIlroy is the one hoping to regain the glory of when he won four majors from 2011-2014.
DeChambeau is the shiny new toy who may do the unthinkable in becoming the first PGA Tour player to average over 330 yards per drive in a season, a goal he would easily crush if the year came to a close today. Schauffele is the wild card, a player with no weakness and the propensity for showing up time and time again when the spotlight is brightest. And then there is Koepka, a villain to some and the “cool guy in a leather jacket with a cigarette” to others; is his run of brute force in the majors a thing of the past or have injuries simply caused a detour that is bound to subside now that his hip and knee are healed?
While all of these are exciting, I am particularly inspired by the next generation after them. Collin Morikawa has already won a PGA Championship, Matthew Wolff is coming off of a top-5 in the PGA Championship and U.S. Open, Viktor Hovland is a two-time PGA Tour winner and Sunjae Im seems to play (and contend) every week.
Golf is always better when its victors are young and energetic like these four players who are barely drinking age. And those standouts have plenty of company. Consider the stat below:
Percentage of PGA Tour Winners age 25 and Younger
2005 to 2008: 7.9%
2013 to 2016: 17.4%
The youth movement is real, and it has a new generation of fans excited about the game. Golf on TV, while still a niche sport in comparison to giants like the NFL or NBA, has been a major success story throughout the pandemic. For example, the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, an event with a great field but certainly not at the level of the Masters or a U.S. Open, beat every NBA game it went up against in ratings at that time. And when ESPN took over the PGA Championship last year, the first round saw its best ratings in five years while the second round saw its best ratings in 10 years.
Of course the TV market will always revolve around Woods, and he will likely play about 10 events this year if he stays healthy. Anything golf receives from Tiger (and Mickelson, for that matter) at this point in his career should be considered gravy.
But the real reason for optimism as golf launches into 2021 goes far deeper than the thriving professional game. As we all know, the pandemic has brought the silver lining of additional family time, increased savings due to lack of travel and a desire for fresh air. While the entertainment and restaurant industries, to name just two, have been in freefall, golf has been an unlikely hero to many during this time, and the numbers are eye-popping.
I recently opened up this email from the National Golf Foundation, an organization that works tirelessly to track how the golf industry is performing:
“Rounds played in October came in 32% higher than last year, according to Golf Datatech’s latest report, raising the national year-to-date filgure to +10.8%. Several multi-course operators we checked in with recently told us that the surge in play continued in November, putting us on track for an annual increase of somewhere around 50 million rounds over 2019. Pretty amazing. Record setting? Not quite.
Can you guess the last (and only) time we had an increase bigger than that? It was Tiger’s breakout year – 1997 – when the number of rounds jumped up 63 million over the year before. Rarely has coming in second place felt so good.”
Not only were far more people heading out to play golf, but golf retail sales surged to levels we have never seen. As an example, overall sales this August were at $331 million — up 32 percent over the same month in 2019 and far greater than the previous record of $287 million back in 2006.
The pandemic is eventually going to come to a close and, as the saying goes, water will find its level. However, there have been millions of people introduced or re-introduced to the game since last March and I believe they will stick with the game even when masks have returned to closet drawers and social distancing is a remnant of the past.
That is where Graff comes in. We are a part of a revolution within the game — and I don’t use that word lightly — where golf is transitioning from the days when a scorecard and pencil were the only tools considered to enjoy the game.
Now we are in a time when practicing or playing a round no longer has to be a frustrating and vague endeavor with little understanding of why you performed the way you did. You can gain immediate feedback, served directly to your phone, whenever you want it. And when patterns emerge within your game, we are going to help you discover the most streamlined and effective ways to come out on the other side so you can enjoy this incredible game. Here at The Club, we are building a podcast, as well as Q&As and other columns, that delve into how to improve in the age of analytics by talking with the brightest minds in the game. Here you will find answers, interesting discussions on the latest trends and a new appreciation for how to golf smart.
As more people discover golf and the professional competition side of the equation hits a golden age, it doesn’t matter how good you are or how long you have played. The door is open and the possibilities are limitless.
To all of the above, I say this with unbridled enthusiasm: there has never been a better time to love this game.
Published by Sean Fairholm in Weekly Column
Tags: Analytics, golf, Graff Golf, new era, new year, PGA Tour
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« More on the claims of Oxford bias against certain groups | Main | Its Hour Come Round At Last? Reflections on the Abortion Referendum in Ireland »
Safe, Legal and Very Common - The Abortion Epidemic . (Originally published in 2007)
I thought this might be a good moment to republish this posting from October 2007 on the Abortion controversy:
Hardly anyone says or thinks that abortion is a good thing in itself. Even its supporters accept that this is a nasty procedure. Hillary Clinton, for instance, has frequently declared that it should be "safe, legal - and ...(pause for effect) rare".
But that is the problem. If it is safe and legal, it is likely to become more common. And so it has, with the figures in Britain creeping ever closer to the 200,000 a year mark despite (or in my view because of) sex education, readily-available contraceptives and the increasing ease of obtaining the morning-after pill. One of the problems of this argument is that there is no reliable information about the true state of affairs before abortion was legalised in Britain 40 years ago. Whose word would you trust on this matter? Pro-abortion propagandists talk of tens of thousands of bloody back-street abortions, and in the 1960s estimated these at anywhere up to 250,000 a year. How did they know?
Were backstreet abortions widespread before 1967?
At the time that the Bill was going through Parliament, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said of such claims:'These are without any secure factual foundation of which we are aware. The incidence of criminal abortion varies widely from city to city . . . in the experience of many gynaecologists working outside large cosmopolitan cities the occurrence is relatively uncommon and, when it does happen, the abortion is more often induced by the woman herself than by some other person.' See British Medical Journal for April 2 1966,
The report said there were, on average, 50 fatal abortion attempts each year in England and Wales. Of these, 30 followed criminal acts. 'If there are 100,000 criminal (including self-induced) abortions being performed annually this means that they are attended by a mortality rate of only 0.3 per 1,000. The risks of criminal abortion are established to be high, so the known number of deaths suggests that the total number of such cases must be considerably less than that alleged.' The only alternative explanation for the lack of fatalities, said the doctors, was that criminal abortions in back streets must be safer than legal ones in hospitals. Not very likely, is it?
Abortion was in fact legal before 1967, and many thousands of abortions took place in hospitals.
What is also forgotten is that abortion was effectively legal before 1967, in certain closely defined circumstances, thanks to the 1938 case of Dr Aleck Bourne, who performed an abortion on a 14-year-old girl who had been gang-raped by a group of soldiers just off Whitehall (The details are all coldly recorded. The crime was real and can be checked in the archives. The men were caught, tried and imprisoned at hard labour, which was what you got in those days for doing something seriously wrong. The girl's identity has never been revealed, but she was referred to in court as 'Nellie').
Dr Bourne then reported himself to the authorities, a courageous act of principle typical of a man who was always true to himself (as we shall see). He faced a possible life sentence under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act. His clever barrister, Roland Oliver, advised him to plead not guilty on the grounds that, while he admitted that he had done the operation, he did not accept that it was unlawful. His argument was simple. The 14-year-old girl would have gone out of her mind if compelled to carry the baby to full term. His plea had powerful support. The then King's personal physician, Lord Horder, went into the witness box to support him.
The Judge, Mr Justice McNaghten, as good as told the jury to acquit Dr Bourne, telling them that he had in effect saved the girl's life. He said 'If the doctor is of opinion, on reasonable grounds and with adequate knowledge, that the probable consequences of the pregnancy will be to make the woman a physical and mental wreck, the jury are quite entitled to take the view that the doctor, who under these circumstances, and in that honest belief, operates, is operating for the purpose of preserving the life of the mother.' The jury took 40 minutes to bring in a not guilty verdict and the BMA conference, then in session at Plymouth, erupted in cheers when they heard the news.
The courage - and caution - of Dr Bourne
The success of this defence meant that any doctor, from then on, could cite Dr Bourne's case if he acted in the same way. He might face prosecution, might even be tried - but if he could show that there was a serious justification for what he did, he would not be convicted. This allowed abortions in such serious cases, but did not create a free-for-all of the kind that exists now.
Listen to the Royal College again, discussing the operation of the law 40 years ago. They said: 'We are unaware of any case in which a gynaecologist has refused to terminate pregnancy, when he considered it to be indicated on medical grounds, for fear of legal consequences.' And those who believe legal abortion on the NHS was introduced only after David Steel's 1967 Abortion Act will be surprised to learn that there were 1,600 legal ' therapeutic' abortions in NHS hospitals as early as 1958, and 2,800 in 1962. The doctors accepted these figures were an underestimate, not least because other abortions were taking place in private hospitals. Some researchers believe there were as many as 21,400 legal abortions in England and Wales in 1966, when Steel's Bill was still fighting its way through Parliament, eventually becoming law the following year.
The Royal College said at the time (April 1966) that its members were quite content with the state of affairs which followed Bourne's trial. They felt they need not fear prosecution provided they honestly believed they were acting to save the mother's sanity – a very flexible rule. (No doubt the Royal College is now firmly in the hands of the Cultural Revolution, and supports existing policies. I quote its evidence given 41 years ago to show that this was not always so, and may not always remain so). So you might think that Dr Bourne would have been a fervent supporter of David Steel's 1966 Bill to legalise abortion, if doctors agreed that carrying the baby to term could endanger the mother's health.
Absolutely not. During the controversy which led to the current law coming into force in 1967, he declared: 'Abortion on demand would be a calamity for womanhood.' He also predicted 'the greatest holocaust in history' if the Bill were passed. Was this exaggeration? In terms of numbers, the killing of unborn babies in Britain and the USA since the relaxation of abortion laws in the 1960s must be approaching several million in total. He can hardly be accused of overstating the danger. He revealed that many women had come to him asking him to abort their babies in the years following his trial, thinking he would oblige because of his generous and brave treatment of 'Nellie'. To their surprise, he had refused, and did not regret having done so. He recalled: 'I have never known a woman who, when the baby was born, was not overjoyed that I had not killed it.'
The RC Church is right about the beginning of life. What then should we do?
Personally, I think the Roman Catholic Church (to which I do not belong) is right to point out that we have no objective, indisputable scientific way of judging at what point a fertilised egg becomes human, and that we must therefore grant it human nature from the beginning. This is a troubling fact, and if we take Christian morality seriously, it makes it impossible wilfully and consciously to destroy such a life. That is a matter for each of us and his or her conscience.
In drafting the law of a country which is not officially Roman Catholic, and barely Christian, the problem is different. Provided we leave doctors and nurses wholly free to abide by their consciences, we are compelled in practice to be utilitarian. I might like a total prohibition on abortion, but I have to recognise that we would need a vast moral reconstruction to make such a ban - with all its implications - effective. People would have to want to keep sex within marriage, for a start. There are, in our society, going to be unwanted pregnancies. There are going to be abortions, legal or not. What should the law say about them, if we really wish to discourage abortion and make it less likely?
The real problems of rape victims
I appreciate the grave problems of rape victims being made to carry unwanted babies to term, for after all, it was these dangers that led the courageous Dr Bourne to perform his famous abortion in 1938. But would the birth and subsequent adoption of such a baby by one of the many parents unable to conceive, be so much worse than the surgical extinction of life, an operation so grisly that it is about the only form of violence which is never shown on TV or in the movies? I do not think this is an easy question to answer, and mistrust glib replies from either side.
In any case, it is a momentous decision for any individual to take, which may look very different years later (when it is irrevocable) from the way it looked at the time (when it wasn't irrevocable). In 1990s America, a brilliant if cruel TV commercial portrayed a woman in a park, holding out her arms to catch a child running towards her, only for the child to vanish at the last second, a painful portrayal of the late realisation what has been lost.
And let us not assume that all cases are of equal urgency. A rather small number of abortions are performed on women who have been raped. In most cases, the sexual intercourse involved was voluntary and intentional. Yet sexual intercourse is known to lead to pregnancy. Should we really encourage people to believe that the two things are so separate that they are licensed to extinguish any life which results from sex that was meant to be recreational, and turned out to be reproductive? This is of course the effect of propaganda portraying sex with condoms as 'safe’. Safe from what, exactly? It also has something to do with the growing fear of parenthood in prosperous, self-indulgent societies such as ours - the reverse of the attitude in peasant civilisations, where children represent security in old age.
There is more than one way in which an unborn baby can endanger the mental health, and general wellbeing, of its mother. One of them is by not being born, and being subsequently regretted forever. (See above). I do not believe the current position, where the supposed danger to the mother's mental health is given as the reason for huge numbers of abortions, many of them second or third terminations performed on the same woman, takes the question seriously enough.
We made the wrong reform in 1967
My feeling is that we made the wrong reform in 1967. The propaganda film 'Vera Drake' which seeks to make a heroine out of a back-street abortionist in 1950s Britain, does strike one heavy blow. It portrays the deep divide between rich and poor. A well-off 'respectable' family could easily persuade a private doctor to sign the necessary papers and arrange an abortion in cleanliness and relative comfort. Whereas the poor must either bear their unwanted children, or put their lives in the hands of untrained, unqualified quacks who could quite easily kill them.
Perhaps, if the NHS had been permitted and encouraged to offer the same limited service as private doctors then provided, more readily and universally, free of charge, but under close restrictions which could land the doctor in court if he took them too laxly, the inequality could have been removed without signalling to the world that abortion would henceforth be a backstop form of contraception. For this is, without doubt, what it has become.
If you really want abortion to be rare, then this law is the wrong one.
Perhaps it was just that the change coincided with the campaigns of the Kinsey-inspired sex maniacs across the Western world to bring 'sex education' into schools, put it on TV, and distribute contraceptives to the unmarried on the assumption that they were all having sex outside wedlock. These campaigns, supposedly aimed at reducing unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, have in fact been followed by increases in both. Does that mean that sex education increases unwanted pregnancy and STDs? I am not sure. But I am quite certain that what we have now is unendurably bad, and must be reformed. And if people such as Hillary Clinton mean it when they say that they want abortion to be rare, then they must accept that it is now much too legal.
May 28, 2018 Comments (40) Categories: Abortion | Permalink
[399 Words]
>> by: Beaufrere 28.05.2018 @15:44 PM:
>> "I have to recognise that we would need a vast moral reconstruction to make a [total ban on drugs] effective...There are going to be [people who use drugs], legal or not. What should the law say about [drug use], if we really wish to discourage [drug use] and make it less likely?"
> 'I suspect Mr Hitchens doesn't *wish* to see the resemblance between his way of thinking and that of his opponents on other matters on which he has strong views.'
> 'If we are lucky we will get to see Mr Hitchens at his ingenious and eloquent best explain how this obvious resemblance does not exist, and merely appears to exist by some fault in perception or logic.'
> 'I look forward to being educated as usual.'
No, your "logic" is:
"have to recognise that we would need a vast moral reconstruction to make a [total ban on recreational drugs/ medicinal drugs/ murder/ capital punishment] effective...There are going to be [people who use recreational drugs/ medicinal drugs/ murder/ capital punishment], legal or not. What should the law say about [recreational drugs/ medicinal drugs/ murder/ capital punishment use], if we really wish to discourage [recreational drugs/ medicinal drugs/ murder/ capital punishment use] and make it less likely."
You are equating apples and oranges, or sheep and goats, or criminals and victims!
> By Quraishi:
> 'Posted by Beufrere'
> 'I think you have made a very good point and Peter Hitchens should really reconsider his line of reasoning.'
> This same Illogical reasoning is given by the gun rights advocates who want to do absolutely nothing in response to gun violence. It goes something like "the criminals won't obey the law anyway, so why bother?", which might be true, but rapists and murderers don't care about laws against rape and murder either.'
No, it's a very bad point.
And no, that's absolutely not what the gun rights lobby reason, want, or "go like"!
Are you sure you're in the States?
Trump is very much against abortion.
The Constitutional problem with Roe v Wade is that it's not, as healthcare also isn't, a Federal issue.
And the reason voters 'put soooooo much emphasis on whether a candidate holds a "pro life" or "pro choice" position' is because it demonstrates a candidates morality, and whether they uphold the Constitution!
Posted by: Jeremy Bonington-Jagworth | 14 February 2019 at 11:55 AM
No matter what euphamism is used Abortion is just aborting (killing) a human lifie before it is due to be born.Heart beating, features being formed.etc
I cannot see the justification for the people of Eire to see this as a cause of celecbration -disdusting.
Posted by: Rosemary Robson | 03 June 2018 at 05:01 PM
i was disgusted by the celebration of Abortion on demand in Ireland
Murder most foul ,the least able to defend ,unborn.
some Progreessives you must be so proud ,killing human life in the womb, how clever .how modern.
Peter Hitchens wrote:
“There are, in our society, going to be unwanted pregnancies. There are going to be abortions, legal or not. What should the law say about them, if we really wish to discourage abortion and make it less likely?”
If, as you put it sir, “we” wish to discourage the practice of deliberately-induced abortion, then clearly our law which once forbade them should not have relaxed its veto. Why should not the law-courts be held as competent to arbitrate on infringements of that law, as they are on other laws?
If the law-courts are held competent to arbitrate on other forms of destruction of life, such as murder or manslaughter or causing death by negligence, why in the case of one particular such law should they be held incompetent so to do?
Posted by: Peter Preston | 02 June 2018 at 11:45 AM
Contributrix Elaine Quraishi, whom I thank for kindly replying, asked:
" how can you be "pro life" and want to take away access to health care? "
I feel certain, ma'am, that by "you" (above) you were not referring to me personally but to people generally. I personally have always in any case distrusted the idea of people grouping together into "pro-this" and "pro-that" units and prefer not to 'hunt', so to speak, with any 'pack'.
You don't seem to say, however, which people you are describing as wanting “to take away access to health care”. Far from wanting any such thing, I personally want health care to be extended also to antenatal infants.
Later you add, ma'am:
“….we've seen improvements in reducing income inequality before...”
But have people by now been pretty well 'programmed' to believe – or at least to accept - that “equality” must by its very nature automatically be a good thing? If so, might not a persuasive weapon have thereby been offered to anyone wicked enough to hate the idea of family life but clever enough to exploit the weapon thus offered.
If we talk about “income inequality”, the word “inequality” at once makes us suspect that, whatever it means, it must be something bad, simply because “different” incomes have now become “unequal”. There are, I suggest, very few things in which human beings – or even the citizens of any country – are equal, and income is most certainly not one of them.
Even if by some miraculous political enterprise it could be arranged that every citizen of a land would at breakfast time tomorrow have precisely the same amount of wealth, by lunchtime that land would once more have rich and poor citizens. Some would save, some would invest, some would squander and there would inevitably appear those willing to manage and control the resulting cash-flows.
Might not “income inequality”, at least between married couples and by extension between the sexes in general, actually tend to promote family life itself. Let me hastily add, before 'les tricoteuses' rush to grab their knitting needles, that it would in this connexion matter little, whether wives thus became financially dependent on husbands or husbands on wives (or - best of all - both), provided that there was at least some inter-dependence between them. Might not the very preoccupation of some modern societies with 'equal pay for equal work' ideas, benevolent though its originators might well have been, turn out to be actually and actively hostile to family life itself?
Spouses at least to some extent dependent on spouses are, I suggest, much less inclined to see in temporary squabbles and disagreements, which happen even in the best and most durable marriages, reasons for 'moving on to pastures new'.
What is harder than stone? What softer than a wave?
Yet hard rocks are hollowed out by soft water.
Peter Preston
Thank you for this Mr. Preston
I'll have to admit that I didn't quite get it at first, but I found an explanation for the quote somewhere.
I don't disagree that with persistence many small movements can, overtime exact great change. (I'm hoping that the same thing might happen with gun control)
I know we have to keep trying and I support measures like, requiring counseling and a waiting period before abortion. These things do make some difference in mitigating the damage.
But it's just not likely that a case would even make it's way to the Supreme Court, which might overturn Roe V. Wade.
However, I have to make a correction. It wasn't completely accurate of me to say that the "States would just legalize abortion anyway". I read up on it some more and found that only 21 states would keep it legal, 20 would make it illegal and with the other 9 it could go either way. Utah would make it illegal. Nevada wouldn't. But a six hour drive is not a huge obstacle to overcome for someone that wants an abortion. So, it would probably reduce the number of abortions but they wouldn't stop.
I also know that moral values shape our laws and laws can shape our values.
Better economic policy could reduce them also. 75% of women that get abortions in the US are poor. The poor will always be among us, but I don't think the Republican economic policies (or lack thereof) help. We'll never be like Norway. We have too much immigration and too much racial and ethnic diversity. But we've seen improvements in reducing income inequality before and they've come from Democratic initiatives. (during the FDR and LBJ years)
And seriously, how can you be "pro life" and want to take away access to health care? And if the Republicans were really "pro family" they would be trying to keep families together (and I won't even get into a President that paid off a porn star while he was married)
So, in my opinion, the Democratic policies are overall more "pro life" and more "pro family" than the Republican ones.
Posted by: Elaine Quraishi | 01 June 2018 at 05:52 AM
Bill – ‘if we are all to rub along in this increasingly over-populated world then we need to respect the positions of others.’
Well, certainly, but there has to be some limit to this respect. Ought we to respect the practice among some cultures of removing parts of young girls’ genitalia, or killing women who bring dishonour to their families? Generally, the limiting principle for respect in liberal societies is something like the harm principle: my right to swing my arm ends where your nose begins. On the pro-life account, abortion involves very real harm – murder, in fact – to a human being. Which is why it isn’t enough just to appeal to ‘respect’; there is a fundamental disagreement here over whether abortion falls into the category of ‘differences we ought to tolerate’ or the category of things like honour killing and genital mutilation.
‘it is difficult to deny that Hindus give more weight to a cow's rights than to a human's’
An odd example, since you presumably think the practice of suttee was rightly stamped out and that the Hindu view of cows as more important than women is mistaken. The existence of different moral views doesn’t prove that all such views are equally valid, let alone that we should tolerate practices that strike us as deeply immoral.
‘As an atheist I do not believe that there is any such thing as a soul, and that is certainly the mainstream view of scientists’
I’m using ‘human being’ here as a scientific category, not a moral or metaphysical category. I don’t believe there’s such a thing as the soul, either. Nonetheless, the foetus clearly has human DNA from conception. That doesn’t of course mean it has the same moral status as an adult human; I think the confusion here lies in the fact that you are using ‘human’ as a moral category. As the notoriously pro-abortion philosopher Peter Singer points out, humanity is conceptually distinct from moral status – what he calls ‘personhood’ – hence, on his view, it’s worse to kill certain animals than it is a new-born, which lacks personhood.
‘While the foetus still has no more brain cells than a tadpole it is really difficult to see why it should be accorded any special treatment’
My answer would be that, if nature is left to run its course, the foetus has a future as a human being and, other things being equal, it’s wrong to deprive someone or something of a valuable future. Again, I would recommend to you Don Marquis’ ‘Why abortion is immoral’ – a short essay available to read free online.
Posted by: Joshua Wooderson | 31 May 2018 at 12:49 PM
An unborn human is a "person" - "an individual human being". In OED terms: the single embryonic cell is individual, is human, is a being (in the dictionary definition of being). A single cell is 100% human and unique individual even at this early stage of development.
Posted by: adeledicnander | 31 May 2018 at 12:21 PM
Contributrix Elaine Quraishi wrote:
"Which makes me wonder: if there is no practical way to stop abortion (by way of the law) then why put soooooo much emphasis on whether a candidate holds
a "pro life" or "pro choice" position? It seems to me to be motivated either by naivete or bigotry.
Naïve, if they actually think that the politician can change the law.............Bigoted, if they know they can't but still place so much importance on what they believe."
The old 1st century BC Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso, much admired by Shakespeare, may, I think, have answered your question, ma'am, - on behalf of those of us at least who prefer not to 'hunt with the pack', so to speak - and he did so in a beautifully crafted elegiac couplet into the bargain:
"quid magis est saxo durum? quid mollius unda?
dura tamen molli saxa cavantur aqua"
(What is harder than stone? What softer than a wave?
Yet hard rocks are hollowed out by soft water.)
Posted by: Peter Preston | 31 May 2018 at 09:39 AM
I happily agree with Mr Wooderson who writes,
"Bill – your preoccupation with the beliefs of ancient Zulus is odd, and its relevance to this discussion not entirely obvious. I think modern science supports the view that the foetus is human from conception, rather than the Zulu view that a child becomes ensouled on its first birthday. Do you disagree with this?"
I just want to add the Japanese traditional view on new born children - they were counted as one year old when they were born. And there are small figures, in many Buddhism temples, to which women and men offer flowers, baby clothes so on in order to 'comfort' the souls of children who died before their birth by abortion or sickness.
Posted by: Ky | 31 May 2018 at 12:25 AM
Joshua Wooderson | 30 May 2018 at 10:41 AM writes that my "preoccupation with the beliefs of ancient Zulus is odd, and its relevance to this discussion not entirely obvious".
My purpose was to point out that not everybody in every culture agrees with the Judaeo/Christian position - if we are all to rub along in this increasingly over-populated world then we need to respect the positions of others. (If we don't, what are the chances that they will respect ours?)
Perhaps it was confusing of me to have chosen a minority culture such as the Zulus. So let's choose one roughly the same size as Christianity: Hinduism.
To this day, woe betide anyone who harms a cow in a Hindu community. On the other hand, suttee was practised almost into living memory (and if the British Raj hadn't stamped it out, it probably still would be). With those two facts in mind, it is difficult to deny that Hindus give more weight to a cow's rights than to a human's (well, anyway, a female human's.)
Mr. Wooderson says "I think modern science supports the view that the foetus is human from conception, rather than the Zulu view that a child becomes ensouled on its first birthday" and asks "Do you disagree with this?".
Yes, I do disagree. As an atheist I do not believe that there is any such thing as a soul, and that is certainly the mainstream view of scientists, though no doubt many exceptions can be found.
The gene commonality of a human and, say, a dog, is greater than 95%. When those two foetuses are at an early stage of development it would take an expert to tell the difference.
While the foetus still has no more brain cells than a tadpole it is really difficult to see why it should be accorded any special treatment. That immediately begs the question as to when should it be accorded any special treatment?
The answer is necessarily arbitrary, but so are many such answers. (When are you old enough to get married without your parents' permission? The law says that at 20 years and 364 days you are not; one day later you are. A line has to be drawn somewhere.)
Posted by: Bill | 30 May 2018 at 09:56 PM
William, "I don't consider myself to be a prude but I find something rather shocking and distasteful when I see crowds of people whooping with delight at a ruling which legalising termination of a life." ..."I don't get it.( As I don't get that many of those celebrating this are homosexual groups!!)."
I didn't see this but I agree with your sense of disgust. As to the over zealous nature of the support and that from homosexual groups too, I would suggest it could have been the feminists again, those who's personal demands and freedoms outweigh everything else. Once they give their inevitable support, it's not much of a stretch to include other groups who feel minimised in some way. I think that's what it was about. So much for the gentler sex.
Posted by: Vikki b | 30 May 2018 at 07:16 PM
I apologise to vehement anti-abortionists. As an excuse, I offer the suggestion that there is a difference between the meaning of "appropriate" and "wrong".
Posted by: Frank Finch | 30 May 2018 at 01:36 PM
It seems that even the most vehement "anti-abortionist" would acknowledge that there can be circumstances under which it becomes appropriate.
***PH: This is not so. The absolute position, to which I hope I would subscribe under all circumstances, says that intentional abortion is always wrong. This means (for instance) that if an abortion *unintentionally* results from a procedure to save life, it is excusable. But that is all. The question of pregnancies resulting from rape and incest is a very difficult one, but the fact remains that the resulting child has done no harm, is being destroyed(if so) in retaliation for the crimes of another -and any woman who prefers to go to term with such a child is behaving in a moral fashion and should be supported in every possible way. That does not mean that a woman who feels unable to go through with such a pregnancy should, in my view, be condemned in any way. The decision is entirely hers. See my essay about Dr Bourne. But it should not be assumed that she must be expected to desire the death of the child.****
Debating what might make it appropriate is not going to have quite the same thrust as stating quite simply that it is not a valid alternative to contraception.
This is a distillation of what Mr Hitchens seems to be saying and what many contributors have also said. Abortion as a form of contraception is yet another expression of our species' determination to deny the facts. It seems that we set ourselves against Nature and are determined to deny our place in the creation of which we are merely a very small part.
I am reminded that one of the Popes once spoke on the subject of contraception. He said, though not in these words, that it was the act of conscious [pro]creation which sets humankind apart from the beasts. Being something of a beast myself... and having met a few very self-conscious pro-creators... it has not bothered me overmuch that I paid little heed to his words. However, I was touched by the wisdom of those words... and I have remembered them.
Make no mistake... the developing ethos in which abortion is regarded as simply an alternative form of contraception will very soon recognise that it also makes an enormous amount of sense to introduce euthanasia at the other end of life. This becomes essential in a world where the unborn are killed... the old "peasant model" in which younger generations support the old will no longer work. Interim measures whereby the "robber state" impoverishes the population (under the pretence that it will look after them) and seduces their children into "glittering careers" of irrelevance will make euthanasia the only option.
Posted by: Frank Finch | 30 May 2018 at 11:00 AM
Bill – your preoccupation with the beliefs of ancient Zulus is odd, and its relevance to this discussion not entirely obvious. I think modern science supports the view that the foetus is human from conception, rather than the Zulu view that a child becomes ensouled on its first birthday. Do you disagree with this?
To be clear, I am neither a Catholic nor a ‘religionist’ of any stripe. My misgivings about abortion derive from the sorts of philosophical consideration I referred to before (and which you have to address if you want to be taken seriously).
My reference to the Pope was meant only to explain why I thought that from his perspective, ‘minding his own business’ on the subject of abortion doesn’t make sense. (Would you ‘mind your own business’ if you thought your next-door neighbour was beating his children?)
Posted by: Joshua Wooderson | 30 May 2018 at 10:41 AM
Bill .
We make the assumption that the foetus is human , of course it is , its not martian .
Given a fair chance it will turn into a person , maybe a poet , a scientist , a philosopher , an economist , a train driver , or labourer , maybe a deadbeat that does nothing productive with their life .
This possibility is removed from them , without their consent or any thought of their civil liberties or human rights .
I have mentioned before the fact that one wing of a hospital spends time & money removing life from children , while another wing spends time & money creating them , interesting example of diversity or is it a paradox in choice , don't you think ? For myself I label it lunacy .
Posted by: David Taylor | 30 May 2018 at 10:05 AM
I have never heard you justify your reasons for why you think we should intervene when a parent kills his/her child at that age-whatever it is- in which you *do* think we are entitled to intervene?
What are your reasons?
Or can parents kill their children up until any age? and we should all 'butt out', especially when you consider the zulus etc?
Posted by: Rick Green | 30 May 2018 at 10:04 AM
Joshua Wooderson | 29 May 2018 at 03:21 PM writes that "The views of ancient Zulus on that matter don’t hold much sway with me, I’m afraid".
Mr. Wooderson: Has it ever occurred to you that your views don’t hold much sway with ancient Zulus?
Mr. Wooderson goes on to suggest that "abortion is a grave sin, equivalent in seriousness to infanticide".
Well, here's another Zulu custom: if twins are born they knock one on the head, which I assume qualifies as infanticide.
The logic - if we may grace it with that title - is that there is only one soul per birth. If there are two babies then the soul will not know which one to inhabit, and that will lead to an unhappy ghost wandering the village - and we religionists all know what unhappy ghosts do.
Perhaps that sounds daft to you - but it is no more daft than the Pope's contention that if he eats a biscuit and quaffs some red wine then he is eating the body of an imaginary man in the sky. (Does that make him a cannibal?)
Mr. Wooderson: Perhaps you should join the Pope in minding your own business with regard to other peoples' beliefs and customs?
@Bill 29th May 2018 at 12:35PM
Of course, the foetus is a human. From the moment of conception, it contains all the human DNA that it will ever have, or require. Nothing further is added from that moment and nothing is taken away. Its hair colour and texture, eye colour, skin colour, the shape of its face, even genetic predisposition to certain diseases, everything innate is determined at that moment and only environmental factors will then alter the way it develops.
This development is a seamless process which continues throughout pregnancy and continues after birth, through babyhood, the toddler stage, into adolescence and, ultimately, into adulthood. There is no point in the ante-natal or post-natal development which can be said to define that development more than any other. Some babies are less developed at birth than others still in the womb.
There is no cut-off point, after the moment of conception, which can be said to define its humanity, any more than it was defined at that moment.
Posted by: Mike B | 29 May 2018 at 08:02 PM
Bill – the foetus is quite obviously human in the scientific sense; it has human DNA. The views of ancient Zulus on that matter don’t hold much sway with me, I’m afraid.
The salient question here is whether foetuses have the property (whatever it is) that we suppose makes it wrong to kill fully developed human beings. On that point, I find the philosopher Don Marquis quite persuasive. He argues that the most plausible account of why it’s wrong to kill people ordinarily is that it deprives them of ‘a future like ours’: a future full of the valuable experiences that constitute a normal human life. And the foetus, he argues, is equally deprived of that future by being aborted.
Your suggestion that the Pope should mind his own business just begs the question in favour of the pro-choice position. If the Pope is right that abortion is a grave sin, equivalent in seriousness to infanticide or murder, then it would be remiss of him not to try to stop it.
As for your ‘one law for the rich, and another law for the poor’ argument, I don’t find it especially compelling. It’s probably easier in general for the rich to evade justice, but that’s not a good reason to stop enforcing laws against murder, assault, theft, etc.
All these people posting against abortion make the assumption - some explicitly, some implicitly - that a foetus is a human.
Not everybody agrees. For example, the Zulus of southern Africa are deeply religious, but believe that the soul does not enter a baby until it first birthday. So the loss of an infant of less than one year is no more upsetting than if the family cat gets run over. The loss of a foetus is even less important.
I have no problem with the Pope, or for that matter the leader of any other religious movement, ordering his own flock not to have abortions.
But I object strongly when he tries to enforce that prohibition on people who do not subscribe to his beliefs.
Mr Pope: Mind your own business! (Or as our American cousins more forcefully express it: Butt out!)
Peter Hitchens touches on one of the major arguments for legal abortion, though he doesn't quite get there: "A well-off 'respectable' family could easily persuade a private doctor to sign the necessary papers and arrange an abortion in cleanliness and relative comfort. Whereas the poor must either bear their unwanted children, or put their lives in the hands of untrained, unqualified quacks who could quite easily kill them".
A well-off woman need not persuade a doctor to sign papers which, if he chose to report it, would certainly end her chances of getting a termination done by anybody else (and, I think, would land her in hot water with the law.)
All she needs do is travel to a jurisdiction which does permit abortions. There always have been such jurisdictions and I expect there always will be.
We have seen this happening for many years, with a stream of young women from Eire coming to England for "short holidays".
When I reached puberty, back in the 1950's, you had to travel a good deal further than Dublin to Liverpool for this purpose, and consequently the woman concerned needed to be wealthy, not merely well-off.
Net result (in practice):
one law for the rich, and another law for the poor.
"I have to recognise that we would need a vast moral reconstruction to make a [total ban on drugs] effective...There are going to be [people who use drugs], legal or not. What should the law say about [drug use], if we really wish to discourage [drug use] and make it less likely?"
Posted by Beufrere
I think you have made a very good point and Peter Hitchens should really reconsider his line of reasoning.
This same Illogical reasoning is given by the gun rights advocates who want to do absolutely nothing in response to gun violence. It goes something like "the criminals won't obey the law anyway, so why bother.", which might be true, but rapists and murderers don't care about laws against rape and murder either.
So, I don't know if this will be helpful but in the United States I don't foresee a way to make abortion illegal in the near future because even the two conservative Supreme Court Justices appointed by George W. Bush and Donald Trump (John Roberts and Neil Gorusch) have said they wouldn't overturn Roe V. Wade (the decision that legalized abortion)
And I have heard legal experts say that even IF it were overturned individual states would just legalize it by state.
Which makes me wonder: if there is no practical way to stop abortion (by way of the law) then why put soooooo much emphasis on whether a candidate holds
a "pro life" or "pro choice" position? It seems to me to be motivated either by naivete or bigotry. Naïve, if they actually think that the politician can change the law. (and especially ridiculous to believe that Donald Trump could have cared about it at all)
Bigoted, if they know they can't but still place so much importance on what they believe.
Posted by: Elaine Quraishi | 29 May 2018 at 05:57 AM
It is heartbreaking to see the shadow of this evil spreading across Ireland.
Posted by: Christine | 29 May 2018 at 04:36 AM
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Lessons of Successful Entrepreneurs
by Sean Silverthorne
The best way to become an entrepreneur is to jump into the water and get your feet wet, said several successful businessmen at the Harvard Business School Entrepreneurship Conference.
Successful businessmen told a roomful of students that ultimately, the world outside the classroom will be their best teacher in entrepreneurship.
"If you are taking an entrepreneurship class, you want to be a venture capitalist," said Andrew J. "Flip" Filipowski, chairman and CEO of Silk Road Technologies. For the true entrepreneur, he continued, reality is the superior teacher; and school is an excuse to delay failure.
Although their topic was "Post Boom Internet Opportunities," panelists spent most of the time at the 2005 Entrepreneurship Conference, held March 3rd at Harvard Business School, discussing their successes and failures as entrepreneurs.
The common themes: Jump in, take risks, challenge yourself, trust your instincts, and learn from both experience and the experienced.
I've Got An Idea!
If he were starting up a new business today, said David Fialkow, managing director of General Catalyst Partners, he would first employ the "earnest young man routine" to get an interview with an old guy in business who could explain the ins and outs of the industry. "Keep your hand out of your pocket, show up, and be prepared to listen," said Fialkow, a college dropout who helped create UPromise and a number of other successful ventures.
The goal is to get to market as quickly as possible, Fialkow continued. If you have a good idea, put smart people around a table for a few days, give them good food, and let them figure out the business model, he continued. He also said start-ups should spend more time on market verification and market feedback than on the "front office" issues of building a business.
Fialkow's lessons included trust your instincts; develop solid mentors; hire young, smart people; and pick industries that are going through a sea change. He recalled how a two-dollar ATM fee he once paid at an airport spurred him to start his own ATM network featuring out-of-town banks. Other ventures he helped create were a credit card processing center for supermarkets, duty-free shops on cruise ships, and his current stint at General Catalyst, a private equity fund.
Filipowski, who founded software maker PLATINUM Technology and sold it to Computer Associates International in 1999 for approximately $4 billion, said one ingredient for his entrepreneurial success was doing enough deals to get lucky every once in a while. He still receives royalty checks in the millions of dollars each year from a $40,000 investment he made in a pet business, which he thought had no chance of succeeding.
HBS professor Thomas Eisenmann, who moderated, asked panelists about the "Get Big Fast" strategy popular in the 1990s—which essentially meant buying or otherwise acquiring many customers as quickly as possible.
"You don't want to be in a business model that acquires customers cold," said Fialkow. His UPromise received some $100 million in financing and spent half of that in customer acquisition activities, he said. "That's nuts."
Steve Hafner, founder and CEO of Kayak.com, an online travel information site, said an alternative to growing your own customers is to secure distribution through partnerships, such as Kayak's partnership with AOL.
But there are times when a customer acquisition strategy might be sound given the circumstances of the moment, said Filipowski. "I believe in assessing the current environment and taking advantage of it."
In a discussion on the pluses and minuses of receiving venture capital, Hafner said his company sought funding not so much for the money as for the expertise—"We wanted adult supervision." Entrepreneurs run incredibly fast and focused, leaving little time for thinking about strategy and tactics to respond to events happening in the industry.
Entrepreneurs should be wary if they decide to go the VC route, said Fialkow. "They're smart, but not smart about what you're talking about." The best source of information and funds, he added, is angel investors with domain expertise.
The conference was sponsored by the Entrepreneurship Club at Harvard Business School.
Thomas R. Eisenmann
Howard H. Stevenson Professor of Business Administration
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Tag: Taylor Schilling
The Public (2018) BluRay 720p DTS x264-MTeam
The Public (2018)
An act of civil disobedience turns into a standoff with police when homeless people in Cincinnati take over the public library to seek shelter from the bitter cold.
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Emilio Estevez, Jena Malone, Taylor Schilling, Christian Slate, Gabrielle Union, Jeffrey Wright , Michael Kenneth Williams, Rhymefest, Jacob Vargas
Director: Emilio Estevez
Tags: Alec Baldwin, Christian Slate, Emilio Estevez, Gabrielle Union, Jacob Vargas, Jeffrey Wright, Jena Malone, Michael Kenneth Williams, Rhymefest, Taylor Schilling
The Prodigy (2019) BluRay 720p DTS x264-MTeam
Horror • Movie • Thriller • Western
Horror | Thriller
A mother concerned about her young son's disturbing behavior thinks something supernatural may be affecting him.
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Brittany Allen, Jackson Robert Scott, Colm Feore, Peter Mooney, Olunike Adeliyi
Director: Nicholas McCarthy
Tags: Brittany Allen, Colm Feore, Jackson Robert Scott, Nicholas McCarthy, Oluniké Adeliyi, Peter Mooney, Taylor Schilling
Orange Is the New Black S06 720p WEBRiP DD+5.1 x264-NTb
Comedy • Crime • Drama • TV Show • Western
Orange Is the New Black (TV Series 2013- )
Comedy | Crime | Drama
Piper Chapman’s wild past comes back to haunt her, resulting in her arrest and detention in a federal penitentiary. To pay her debt to society, Piper trades her comfortable New York life for an orange prison jumpsuit and finds unexpected conflict and camaraderie amidst an eccentric group of inmates.
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Uzo Aduba, Danielle Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Selenis Leyva, Nick Sandow, Michael Harney, Taryn Manning, Dascha Polanco, Yael Stone, Lea DeLaria
Creator: Jenji Kohan
TVDB Info
Tags: Danielle Brooks, Dascha Polanco, Jenji Kohan, Kate Mulgrew, Lea DeLaria, Michael Harney, Nick Sandow, Selenis Leyva, Taryn Manning, Taylor Schilling, Uzo Aduba, Yael Stone
The Titan (2018) 720p BluRay DTS x264-HDS
Posted on May 10, 2018 | 2 comments
Movie • Sci-Fi • Thriller • Western
The Titan (2018)
Sci-Fi | Thriller
A military family takes part in a ground-breaking experiment of genetic evolution and space exploration.
Starring: Sam Worthington, Taylor Schilling, Tom Wilkinson, Agyness Deyn, Nathalie Emmanuel, Corey Johnson
Director: Lennart Ruff
Tags: Agyness Deyn, Corey Johnson, Lennart Ruff, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sam Worthington, Taylor Schilling, Tom Wilkinson
Orange Is the New Black S05 720p WEBRiP DD5.1 x264-NTb
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Michael Harney, Kate Mulgrew, Uzo Aduba, Danielle Brooks, Dascha Polanco, Selenis Leyva, Nick Sandow, Yael Stone, Taryn Manning, Lea DeLaria
Take Me (2017) UNRATED 720p WEB-DL DD5.1 H.264-HD4FUN
Comedy • Crime • Exclusive • Movie • Western
Take Me (2017)
Ray is a fledgling entrepreneur who specializes in high-end simulated abductions. He jumps at the chance when a mysterious client contracts him for a weekend kidnapping with a handsome payday at the end. But the job isn't all that it seems.
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Pat Healy, Alycia Delmore, Jim O'Heir, Mark Kelly, Toby Huss, Alejandro Patiño
Director: Pat Healy
Tags: Alejandro Patino, Alycia Delmore, Jim O'Heir, Mark Kelly, Pat Healy, Taylor Schilling, Toby Huss
Orange Is the New Black S04 720p REPACK WEBRiP DD5.1 x264-NTb
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Michael Harney, Kate Mulgrew, Danielle Brooks, Uzo Aduba, Dascha Polanco, Samira Wiley, Selenis Leyva, Nick Sandow, Yael Stone, Taryn Manning, Lea DeLaria
Tags: Danielle Brooks, Dascha Polanco, Jenji Kohan, Kate Mulgrew, Lea DeLaria, Michael Harney, Nick Sandow, Samira Wiley, Selenis Leyva, Taryn Manning, Taylor Schilling, Uzo Aduba, Yael Stone
The Overnight (2015) 720p WEB-DL DD5.1 H.264-HD4FUN
Comedy • Exclusive • Movie • Mystery • Western
The Overnight (2015)
Alex, Emily, and their son, RJ, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on.
Starring: Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman, Taylor Schilling, Judith Godrèche
Director: Patrick Brice
Tags: Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche, Patrick Brice, Taylor Schilling
Orange Is the New Black S02 720p BluRay DD5.1 x264-VietHD
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Michael Harney, Kate Mulgrew, Uzo Aduba, Danielle Brooks, Dascha Polanco, Samira Wiley, Nick Sandow, Selenis Leyva, Yael Stone, Taryn Manning, Lea DeLaria, Joel Marsh Garland, Catherine Curtin
Tags: Catherine Curtin, Danielle Brooks, Dascha Polanco, Jenji Kohan, Joel Marsh Garland, Kate Mulgrew, Lea DeLaria, Michael Harney, Nick Sandow, Samira Wiley, Selenis Leyva, Taryn Manning, Taylor Schilling, Uzo Aduba, Yael Stone
Orange Is the New Black S03 720p NF WEBRiP DD5.1 x264-NTb
The 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2014) REPACK 720p HDTV x264-2HD
Awards • TV Show • Western
The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards 2014 (TV 2014)
The 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are a ceremony held to honor the best in U.S. prime time television programming from June 1, 2013 until May 31, 2014, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ceremony was held on Monday, August 25, 2014 at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, California, and was broadcast in the U.S. by NBC. Comedian and Late Night host Seth Meyers hosted the ceremony for the first time. The Primetime Emmys coincide with the 66th Creative Arts Awards ceremony, which was held the previous weekend on August 16.
Starring: Uzo Aduba, Sara Bareilles, Halle Berry, Stephen Colbert, Bryan Cranston, Billy Crystal, Viola Davis, Zooey Deschanel, Chris Hardwick, Woody Harrelson, Lena Headey, Katherine Heigl, Allison Janney, Keegan-Michael Key, Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Levine, Lucy Liu, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julianna Margulies, Melissa McCarthy, Matthew McConaughey, Debra Messing, Seth Meyers, Joe Morton, John Mulaney, Kate Mulgrew, Hayden Panettiere, Jim Parsons, Sarah Paulson, Jordan Peele, Amy Poehler, Julia Roberts, Andy Samberg, Taylor Schilling, Liev Schreiber, Octavia Spencer, Gwen Stefani, Sofía Vergara, Kate Walsh, Kerry Washington
Emmys Info
Tags: Adam Levine, Allison Janney, Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Billy Crystal, Bryan Cranston, Chris Hardwick, Debra Messing, Gwen Stefani, Halle Berry, Hayden Panettiere, Jim Parsons, Jimmy Kimmel, Joe Morton, John Mulaney, Jordan Peele, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julia Roberts, Julianna Margulies, Kate Mulgrew, Kate Walsh, Katherine Heigl, Keegan Michael Key, Kerry Washington, Lena Headey, Liev Schreiber, Lucy Liu, Matthew McConaughey, Melissa McCarthy, Octavia Spencer, Sara Bareilles, Sarah Paulson, Seth Meyers, Sofía Vergara, Stephen Colbert, Taylor Schilling, Uzo Aduba, Viola Davis, Woody Harrelson, Zooey Deschanel
MTV Video Music Awards (2014) 720p HDTV x264-2HD
The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 24, 2014 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. It was the 31st annual MTV Video Music Awards. American singer Beyoncé and Australian rapper Iggy Azalea lead the nominees with eight nominations while American rapper Eminem is behind them with seven.
Starring: Nina Dobrev, Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift, Dylan O'Brien, Taylor Schilling, Ariana Grande, Uzo Aduba, Laverne Cox, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé Knowles, Kim Kardashian, Rita Ora, Iggy Azalea, Gwen Stefani, Chelsea Handler, Chris Brown, Usher Raymond, Trey Songz, Lil' Wayne, Ed Sheeran, Kelly Rowland, Wiz Khalifa, Lorde, Jessie J, Austin Mahone, Jason Derulo, 5 Seconds of Summer, Maroon 5, Jordan Houston, Fifth Harmony, Michelle Williams, 2 Chainz, Tyga, Angel Haze
Tags: 2 Chainz, 5 Seconds of Summer, Angel Haze, Ariana Grande, Austin Mahone, Beyoncé Knowles, Chelsea Handler, Chris Brown, Demi Lovato, Dylan O'Brien, Ed Sheeran, Fifth Harmony, Gwen Stefani, Iggy Azalea, Jason Derülo, Jessie J, Jordan Houston, Katy Perry, Kelly Rowland, Kim Kardashian, Laverne Cox, Lil Wayne, Lorde, Maroon 5, Michelle Williams, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Nina Dobrev, Rita Ora, Taylor Schilling, Taylor Swift, Trey Songz, Tyga, Usher Raymond, Uzo Aduba, Wiz Khalifa
Orange Is the New Black S01 720p BluRay DD5.1 x264-NTb
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Danielle Brooks, Taryn Manning, Jason Biggs, Natasha Lyonne, Danielle Brooks, Uzo Aduba, Samira Wiley, Dascha Polanco, Nick Sandow, Selenis Leyva, Yael Stone, Taryn Manning, Laura Prepon
Tags: Danielle Brooks, Dascha Polanco, Jason Biggs, Jenji Kohan, Laura Prepon, Natasha Lyonne, Nick Sandow, Samira Wiley, Selenis Leyva, Taryn Manning, Taylor Schilling, Uzo Aduba, Yael Stone
Stay (2013) UNRATED 720p WEB-DL DD5.1 H.264-HD4FUN
Drama • Exclusive • Movie • Western
Stay (2013)
A woman finds out she's pregnant and returns home when the expected father wants nothing to do with her.
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Aidan Quinn, Michael Ironside, Brian Gleeson, Carrie Crowley, Barry Keoghan
Director: Wiebke von Carolsfeld
Tags: Aidan Quinn, Barry Keoghan, Brian Gleeson, Carrie Crowley, Michael Ironside, Taylor Schilling, Wiebke von Carolsfeld
The Lucky One (2012) 720p BluRay x264 DTS-WiKi
The Lucky One (2012)
A Marine travels to North Carolina after serving three tours in Iraq and searches for the unknown woman he believes was his good luck charm during the war.
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner, Adam Le Fevre, Robert Hays, Joe Chrest
Director: Scott Hicks
Tags: Adam Le Fevre, Blythe Danner, Joe Chrest, Robert Hays, Scott Hicks, Taylor Schilling, Zac Efron
Atlas Shrugged Part 1 LIMITED (2011) 720p BluRay x264 DTS-WiKi
Posted on November 8, 2011 | One comment
Drama • Movie • Mystery • Sci-Fi • Western
Atlas Shrugged: Part I (2011)
Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi
It was great to be alive, once, but the world was perishing. Factories were shutting down, transportation was grinding to a halt, granaries were empty–and key people who had once kept it running were disappearing all over the country. As the lights winked out and the cities went cold, nothing was left to anyone but misery. No one knew how to stop it, no one understood why it was happening – except one woman, the operating executive of a once mighty transcontinental railroad, who suspects the answer may rest with a remarkable invention and the man who created it – a man who once said he would stop the motor of the world. Everything now depends on finding him and discovering the answer to the question on the lips of everyone as they whisper it in fear: Who *is* John Galt?
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Grant Bowler, Edi Gathegi, Jon Polito, Patrick Fischler, Armin Shimerman, Matthew Marsden, Paul Johansson
Director: Paul Johansson
Tags: Armin Shimerman, Edi Gathegi, Grant Bowler, Jon Polito, Matthew Marsden, Patrick Fischler, Paul Johansson, Taylor Schilling
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Home— Neighbouring countries concerned about the risk of a Belgian nuclear meltdown
— Neighbouring countries concerned about the risk of a Belgian nuclear meltdown
January 20, 2017 admin Belgium, Doel, evacuation, Nuclear Transparency Watch, precautionary principle, terrorism
By Nick Meynen
The Ecologist 19 January 2017
It’s not the metaphorical political meltdown of Belgium that neighbouring governments fret about, but a nuclear meltdown. The Netherlands, Luxemburg and Germany have all asked Belgium’s government to close its most risky reactors with immediate effect. The city of Aachen and 30 other major cities and districts are also suing Belgium for not closing them. The German government no longer trusts the Belgian Nuclear Safety Agency and wants permission for its own agency to do safety checks. So far, foreign pressure is falling on deaf ears.
Belgians have even more reasons to worry. On 10 January 2017 a new emergency plan was presented in a commission in Belgium’s Parliament. The evacuation perimeter was conveniently halved to 10km to avoid an evacuation of Belgium’s second and third cities in case of a meltdown. Nuclear Transparency Watch, a European organisation created by Members of the European Parliament of all political colours, called Belgium’s plans totally inadequate and incoherent.inad
So rather than signing agreements with Belgium about sharing information, where are the sanctions for Belgium? There are both EU and UN regulations that could shut the reactors down, as more than a million people requested a year ago. Belgium’s neighbours have reasons to get tough.
Belgium is your backyard
Belgium’s recent nuclear history reads like a mirror of Germany’s, where the highest court decided that Merkel’s decision to speed up the nuclear phase-out after the Fukushima incident was justified. Belgium did just the opposite. The Belgian government reversed a nuclear phase-out law from 2003 only a year after the Japanese reactors exploded, pushing retirement back from 2015 to 2025. The last bill to postpone retirement with 10 years was approved at the end of 2016. The Government can ‘take comfort’ at the fact that 2017 started better than 2016: in 2016, the first ‘incident’ happened just two days into the New Year on January 2; in 2017 the first incident (in which one person got severely injured) took place eight days later on January 10 with an unexpected shutdown as result.
Yes, the protesting former president of the European Parliament Martin Schulz was born and raised close to Belgium’s border and yes, I was born and raised 15 km from four nuclear reactors in Doel, in the city of Antwerp (half a million people). But before you call us NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) activists: our backyard contains six to seven million people that in the event of a nuclear meltdown would never be able to go home again. Depending on the wind direction on the day of a meltdown, a radioactive cloud will poison additional people in London, Paris, Amsterdam or Aachen as well. The possibility of that scenario has increased in recent years.
Cracks, extortion and sabotage
In 2012 it became known that the mantle around the old Tihange 2 reactor shows signs of erosion. Further research in 2015 concluded that there are thousands of cracks of up to 15 cm. Later that year, 10 security incidents were recorded in Tihange in just six weeks, leading Belgium’s nuclear safety agency to suspend four members of staff and raise serious questions about the safety culture. In 2015, Belgian’s nuclear plants spent longer in shutdown or “maintenance” than in being operational.
Who said nuclear energy was a reliable source of energy?
But it is the Doel plant that reads like the script of an apocalyptic Hollywood blockbuster, part one. The plant was sabotaged in 2014. The sabotage was found before things spiralled out of control, but the culprit(s) remain unknown. A year later, police found hidden cameras that followed the movements of a nuclear researcher, raising alarming questions about criminals extorting staff. Research also revealed a staggering number of cracks in the mantle that is supposed to keep the Doel 3 reactor in check: 13,047. The cracks are on average 1 to 2 cm wide, but the largest ones are up to 18cm. And with 35 years of operational history, the researched Doel 3 is the second “youngest” of Doel’s four reactors. Belgium’s nuclear safety agency concluded after the tests in Tihange and Doel that the erosion of the mantle was due to normal reactor activity. They can thus be expected to be present in all plants in the world of similar age and to keep multiplying through normal reactor use.
The economic and terrorist threats
In terms of potential economic impacts, Doel is by far number 1 in Europe. The major Fukushima disaster knocked 2 to 10% from Japan’s GDP, but when Doel goes into meltdown, the cost is estimated to be 200% of the GDP of Belgium. In such a scenario, GDP won’t really mean much. Most of Flanders and the capital of Europe will become inhabitable zones, sending millions of refugees to France, The Netherlands, Germany and the UK. Will they open their borders for a flood of immigrants from Belgium?
And then there’s terrorism. For the last two years, Belgian authorities have claimed we are living under emergency level 3, just one notch below the State of Emergency that France is living under. This means a terrorist threat is “serious” and an attack “probable”. France has already experienced a series of undeclared drone flights over various nuclear power stations. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists later explained that the danger of that is not about drones carrying small explosives and crashing on the plant because in theory a nuclear plant can cope with a jumbo jet crash (although this has never been tested). But drones can easily carry AK47s and drop them inside the territory of the plant, even at night.
In another scenario laid out by the atomic scientists, drones can attack the power lines and then the diesel generator back-up system. It requires a bit more organisation than driving a truck into a crowd, but less than teaching a terrorist team how to fly a jumbo jet, hijack several at the same time and fly them into the two WTC towers and the Pentagon. As we have learned the hard way in recent years, Belgium also happens to be a favourite hide-out for terrorists. Belgium’s authorities want us to believe that the terrorist risk has never been so high, but they don’t want you to connect that with our nuclear plants and with unexplained drone flights over nuclear plants.
Corrupted centralised power plants
All this raises the question: is it still smart to count on a few vulnerable centralised power plants? And what about the waste of state money that seems to come hand-in-hand with nuclear power? Bulgaria wasted 1,221 billion euro on a plant that never materialized. Bulgaria is also still spending money to deal with the legacy of uranium mining, even though the last mine closed in 1992. When I visited the surroundings of the now closed Buhovo mine, stones of a size that would fit a child’s hand showed radiation 100s of times above normal. They were ready to be picked up and played with at a popular local picnic place.
Conflicts against nuclear power plants and the formulation of constructive alternatives are popping up outside Europe as well: from India to Japan. So are the conflicts and externalised costs around the uranium that now feeds most of our reactors, from Niger to Namibia. Although there’s one other country that has become the EU’s main supplier: Russia. But as environmental justice, geopolitical weakening or financial debacles don’t seem to stop the nuclear addiction: will it have to take another meltdown? Policymakers seem to have forgotten that our countries signed up to the precautionary principle, which the EU still has in its Treaty. Maybe it’s time that the Germans, who are kicking nuclear out of their country, march once more on Belgium. As a Belgian citizen I do kindly request to come in peace and only armed with the renewable energy solutions that swept your country.
Nick Meynen was the organiser of a 72km long anti-nuclear energy march from Doel to Brussels. He works for the ENVJUSTICE project and writes articles and books on environmental issues.
The original source of this article is The Ecologist
Copyright © Nick Meynen, The Ecologist, 2017
http://www.globalresearch.ca/neighbouring-countries-concerned-about-the-risk-of-a-belgian-nuclear-meltdown/5569937
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— Feds declare salmon and crab failures for nine fisheries in Alaska, Washington and California →
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To empower Mr. C. to manage his healthcare after he was diagnosed with multiple cancers, requiring care from multiple specialists.
The Caregivers:
Over 18 healthcare professionals in all, including a primary care physician, surgeon, oncologists, urologist, diagnostic testing facilities, visiting nurse agency and others.
A combination of coaching, education, research, documentation and attendance at medical appointments.
Thanks to active communication, support and caregiver coordination, Mr. C. was able to live well for an additional two years until his passing.
Two Signs of Unexpected Illness
At the age of 71, Mr. C. had enjoyed a lifetime of good health and continued to work full-time as a laborer in a foundry. When he decided to undergo a free prostate-screening test, Mr. C. was told that he had an elevated PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) and that he required follow-up care with an urologist.
With no regular doctor, Mr. C. first needed to find a primary care physician, something that his adult daughter helped with. His new physician recommended that he undergo routine screenings, including his first colonoscopy. Unfortunately, Mr. C. was diagnosed with colo-rectal cancer and urged to see a surgeon.
Confusion and Unanswered Questions
Understandably, Mr. C. was anxious and confused. Did the elevated PSA mean he had prostate cancer in addition to colo-rectal cancer? How did one condition relate to the other? How would the specialists who treated him coordinate his care? He turned to Healthassist for answers.
Clear, Open Communication With Doctors
Healthassist coached Mr. C. to assume primary responsibility for communication about his care to his entire healthcare team – and not to assume they automatically updated one another. As a result, he called his primary care physician whenever he received new information from his specialists, enabling his doctor to see the big picture and remain an active participant in his care.
Getting It All In Writing: Insurance Review and Documentation Services
Healthassist conducted a review of Mr. C.’s medical insurance plan to ensure he would receive maximum coverage for his medical procedures and office visits. In addition, we organized Mr. C.’s growing healthcare information in one place so that no detail would be lost, requesting copies of test results and office visits from each of his physicians, as needed. Mr. C. took this file with him to appointments, minimizing delays or setbacks in care due to lost or missing information.
Attendance At Appointments
Based on Healthassist’s research of his insurance coverage, we suggested that Mr. C. consult with an in-network surgeon who had years of experience with colo-rectal tumors. Healthassist accompanied Mr. C. to appointments and documented the proceedings. The surgeon recommended that Mr. C. undergo radiation treatment and chemotherapy prior to undergoing the surgical procedure to remove the tumor. The surgeon referred him to a Radiation Oncologist and a Medical Oncologist. Healthassist educated Mr. C. about these specialists and the treatment they would provide.
Advocacy During Treatment
Over the three months required to complete radiation and chemotherapy treatment, Healthassist remained in close phone contact with Mr. C. Our discussions focused on his progress, any complications, his questions and concerns. Because the elevated PSA screening had taken a back seat to the colo-rectal cancer diagnosis, Healthassist reminded Mr. C. to request a referral from his primary care physician to an urologist and to inform his surgeon of the appointment.
A Second Cancer Diagnosis
The urologist suggested a prostate biopsy; this confirmed that Mr. C. had prostate cancer unrelated to his colo-rectal cancer. The urologist, who was aware of Mr. C.’s colo-rectal cancer and upcoming surgery, recommended hormonal therapy as the preferred treatment option.
Support Before Surgery
In preparation for Mr C.’s colo-rectal surgery, Healthassist accompanied him to his pre-op appointment with the surgeon. Here, to our surprise, it became clear that there had been no direct communication between the surgeon and Mr. C.’s urologist. Healthassist relayed the information about Mr. C.’s prostate cancer diagnosis and proposed treatment, and urged the surgeon to call the urologist for more details, which he did immediately. The decision was made to proceed with the surgical procedure for Mr. C.’s colo-rectal cancer.
Preparation For a Hospital Stay
Healthassist reviewed Mr. C.’s pre-operative instructions and talked with him at length to help him prepare for his hospital experience. After reviewing Mr. C.’s recommended diet regimen, we researched and provided sample menus that accommodated his new dietary restrictions.
Support Through Ongoing Treatment
After Mr. C.’s recovery, he received numerous protocols of chemotherapy. Through all the stages of his diagnosis and treatment, Healthassist was there to anticipate potential side effects and to help recognize complications that had to be reported to his physicians. Healthassist also helped facilitate all the necessary communication among the many medical team members. Throughout Mr. C.’s illness, Healthassist ensured that he was able to assert his independence, attend family gatherings and maintain many of his favorite activities.
Healthassist Services Overview
Education to ensure clear, open communication among 18 physicians and caregivers.
Attendance and advocacy at medical appointments.
Maintenance of complex medical records, retrieval of diagnostic tests and a review of medical insurance.
Assistance in identifying appropriate specialists and facilitating communication between them.
Advocacy during treatment and management of side-effects.
Preparation for hospital stays and support during recovery.
Support for Mr. C.’s circle of caregivers, including his daughter and other family members.
Identification and selection of appropriate hospice care and its coordination with at-home family members.
Despite his multiple cancer diagnoses, Mr. C. was able to life well for two years, including the achievement of one of his major goals: Walking his only daughter down the aisle at her wedding. Mr C passed on 11 months later, shortly after learning that his first grandson was on the way.
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MD’s cigarette tax is saving lives
By Editorial Board December 27, 2014
AMID AN electoral backlash against high taxes in Maryland, anti-smoking advocates have abandoned a campaign to raise the state-imposed levy on cigarettes. Politically, that makes perfect sense. As public-health policy, it is foolish.
A new study by Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shows that the state’s drop in teen smoking rates, already steep following three sharp tax increases since 1999 on a pack of cigarettes, has continued in the past few years.
The rate of cigarette smoking among underage youth in the state has fallen from 23 percent in 2000 to just 11 percent last year. Since 2008, when the per-pack levy was doubled, to $2, smoking among high school youth has fallen by about a third; according to the state study, for the first time, slightly more teenagers now smoke cigars than smoke cigarettes.
Adult smoking has also fallen by about a fifth since 2000. Smoking among both youth and adults in Maryland is considerably below the national average, which is about 16 percent for youth and 18 percent for adults.
No doubt, the anti-tax mood in Maryland was central to Republican Larry Hogan’s upset victory in November’s gubernatorial election. That sentiment notwithstanding, the smoking numbers are a strong argument for leaving in place the state’s relatively high levies on tobacco products, which are not just a revenue source but also a means of saving lives.
According to the state study, hospital admissions to treat tobacco-related cancers in Maryland have fallen by 11 percent from 2000 to 2011, saving more than $102 million in hospital charges in 2011 alone.
The state study also showed a strong link between youth smoking and other forms of substance abuse. Minors who smoked were three times more likely than non-smokers to have used alcohol in the past 30 days, five times more likely to have used marijuana, six times more likely to have used other illegal drugs, and nine times more likely to have used — or, more likely, abused — prescription drugs.
It’s no coincidence that states that have been loath to offend the tobacco or anti-tax lobbies by raising the tax on cigarettes have significantly higher smoking rates. As we’ve noted before, a case in point is Virginia, where the per-pack levy is among the lowest in the nation, the price of a pack of cigarettes is $2 lower than in Maryland and the smoking rate is much higher. For continuing to bow before the throne of King Tobacco, the Old Dominion will pay a price in the public health of its citizens.
As smoking rates nationally have fallen, the use of e-cigarettes among high school-age youth appears to be rising. That’s a worrying trend, given that e-cigarettes also contain nicotine, which is highly addictive, and could promote the use of cigarettes and other harmful substances.
You don’t have to be enamored of the nanny state to recognize that tobacco use, especially cigarette smoking, correlates directly with lung cancer and other diseases and is a major threat to public health. Nor is there any serious doubt that tax increases have played a critical role in cutting cigarette use, especially among price-sensitive teens.
If Mr. Hogan intends to cut taxes, as he has promised, the tobacco tax is one he’d be well advised to leave intact.
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News & Recognition
Leaders in Innovative Urban Housing Solutions
We lead the industry in mixed use urban housing, green building strategies, digital design, manufacturing, and robotics in timber construction.
Our Urban Housing Solutions
Embody Our Founding Principles
We believe people are our most important asset.
We ensure a safe work environment to protect the health and well-being of everyone.
We are honest, trustworthy and respectful in everything we do.
We foster new ideas and strive for excellence in every project.
We care about the environment and work actively on sustainable solutions.
We value teamwork in all aspects of our business.
Founded in 2008, Intelligent City’s mission is to empower people to live better urban lives. The company has been a leader in innovative urban housing, sustainability, building technology and design methodology and has gained municipal approvals and broad government support for its mass timber building system and technology development. Through the convergence of high-rise mass timber, design engineering, automated manufacturing and parametric software, the company is introducing a sustainable, adaptable, and product-based paradigm for the delivery of urban housing solutions.
We are a team of ambitious, open-minded, and motivated architects, designers and engineers. Drawing on a multi-faceted range of interests and qualifications, we create innovative, uniquely sustainable urban living solutions. A new kind of integrated and design- and technology-driven company, we offer unique opportunities. We bring together a diverse, highly skilled team united in the belief that technology innovation can enable an ecological, economical, and sustainable future.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Oliver Lang is a German-Canadian architect and urban entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience. He is a recognized leader in design innovation and integration of complex urban projects, mixed use housing, advanced prefabrication and green building strategies.
Prior to founding LWPAC and Intelligent City, Oliver researched and practiced in digitally assisted design and fabrication. He also taught advanced design and digital technology at SCI_ARC, the Berlage Institute, TU Berlin, UTF Santa Maria and University of British Columbia (UBC).
Co-Founder and Chief Culture Officer
Cindy Wilson is a Canadian designer and cultural entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience. She holds a professional Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of British Columbia.
Cindy has a broad and profound understanding of the cultural forces that shape our societies. She is active in urban and market research, building analysis, strategic planning, design and definition of livability, interior design, materiality and overall project quality control.
Oliver David
Oliver David Krieg is an expert in computational design and digital fabrication in architecture and timber construction. At Intelligent City, he leads the development of parametric design methods and automated manufacturing technology for the company’s multi-storey, high-rise, mass timber construction systems.
Oliver's focus is on enabling reciprocities between design, technology and materiality in order to re-conceptualize how architecture can be designed, fabricated, and constructed.
David was most recently VP Finance and CFO for Aquatic Informatics, where he spent 12 years helping grow the company from 5 employees to over 120. He took a key lead position in supporting the company through a corporate merger and sale of the business to a private equity firm. Over his 12 years at Aquatic Informatics he served in various roles including leading finance, accounting and human resources, and lead positions in operations, marketing and business development.
Warren is a high-tech executive with experience at both small startups and multi-national organizations. Most recently at quantum computing company D-Wave Systems, he managed all internal operations as COO and then as EVP Corporate Affairs, he built relationships with governments, universities and industry partners across Canada. Prior to D-Wave, he held multiple senior technology executive positions at Electronic Arts.
Cowper-Smith
Maria is a proud Canadian immigrant who specializes in corporate finance. Her experience in international compliance, government subsidy, planning and tax for US and Canadian corporations allowed her to create long term multi-jurisdictional financial and tax plans for global corporations with revenues in the hundreds of millions.
She obtained her degrees in Economics, Public Policy and Finance from the University of Calgary and Harvard University.
Director of Sustainability
Clayton is a Vancouver born Canadian architect and an expert in high performance buildings, ecological design, as well as building information modelling. He has ten years of experience designing prefabricated mass timber buildings including innovative modular housing, community and educational facilities. He is a certified passive house designer. Prior to joining LWPAC and Intelligent City, Clayton worked on several mass timber projects at Perskins+Will.
Willette
Director of Manufacturing Technology
Aaron is an experienced designer and technologist with an expertise in developing relationships between design and industrial production.
He leads Intelligent City’s manufacturing initiatives, including the deployment of the manufacturing processes and facilities. Prior to joining Intelligent City he was working with the manufacturing development teams at WeWork and Apple.
Christopher has 20 years of experience in Business Development, Sales and Marketing. Christopher’s recent experience has focused on housing affordability and sustainability in the construction industry. In 2018, his innovative approach to achieve client goals around affordability and employment led to his recognition as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner for Business and Growth. A passionate community contributor and housing advocate, Christopher also volunteers his time as a Board Director for The Bloom Group in Vancouver BC, and Amity House in Edmonton AB.
Shaique
Uddin
Senior Designer, Digital Development
Shaique has over 8 years of experience working as a project and design architect in India, Germany and Middle-east. He is an expert in computational tools for resolving complex geometries, coordinating with different consultant teams in design development, and working closely with on-site engineers in the execution of projects.
His portfolio includes a variety of building programs, ranging from hotels, offices, interiors, and master plans. He has been regularly involved in academics, organizing workshops and collaborating with architectural institutes.
Intern Architect
Tania Pilon graduated with her Master’s in architecture from McGill University. She competed in the Solar Decathlon China 2018 with TeamMTL where they designed and built a flexible and adaptable net-zero prefabricated row house. She worked on exhibition designs, logistics, the construction and gave a presentation at the Sustainable Development Center in Montreal. She took a PassivHaus designer course and is LEED AP BD + C accredited. Her thesis investigated the role of an architect as a translator and the influence of Indigenous cultures on architecture. She worked in Montreal and Mexico City before moving to Vancouver.
Designer, Advanced Systems Development
Stuart Lodge is graduate of the Masters of Architecture program at the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture (SALA). His thesis project focused on the intersection of 3D printing, materiality and architectural components. Before joining Intelligent City and LWPAC he worked at Michael Green Architecture. In addition, he is currently also completing a Masters of Advanced Studies in Architecture focusing on non-linear additive manufacturing using organic compounds and materials.
Architectural Design Technologist
Ryan holds a Bachelors Degree in Architectural Science and a Diploma in Architectural Building Technology from the BCIT. He joined LWPAC in 2017 and has been involved in various multi-family projects and with research and development.
Oniyangi
Computational Designer
Tola is a dual degree Masters graduate of Architecture and Urban Planning from Columbia University GSAPP. Her interests and design approach revolve around enhancing the human experience of space through design, data and technology. Tola previously worked as a computational designer on Delve, a Sidewalk Lab's Generative Design product.
With a background in Architecture and Mechanical Engineering, Nicholas has focused his personal design philosophy on the intersection between digital fabrication and detail-oriented assemblies. As an MArch and MEDes graduate from the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at the University of Calgary, he wrote his thesis on parametric tool design and cross laminated timber supply chains. Before joining the Intelligent City and LWPAC team, he worked at SAPL’s digital fabrication laboratory and Calgary-based firm Studio North as a parametric designer.
Coop Computational Design
Fiona Lang is completing her bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics at the University of British Columbia. Fiona is interested in using software as a tool to improve processes and in applying mathematical analysis and technical solutions to problems of design.
Zoie
Zoie is completing her degree in Engineering Science with Robotics Specialization at the University of Toronto. Zoie is motivated to further develop her skills in software, manufacturing, and mechanical engineering, and to use the technical skills to improve daily lives and better the world at large.
Controller and Bookkeeper
Jodi Williams is responsible for the office finances.
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Department of Sociology and Anthropology /
Canadian Studies in Population /
B. Ram (Bali), Ram, S.S. (Shefali S.) and Yadav, A. (Awdhesh)
The Effect of Child’s Body Size at Birth on Infant and Child Mortality in India
Canadian Studies in Population
Low birth weight is one of the strongest predictors of infant mortality, especially in the neonatal period. In this paper, we use data from the 2015–2016 India’s National Family Health Survey to examine the effect of mother’s assessment of child’s body size at birth on four measures of mortality: infant mortality, neonatal mortality, post-neonatal mortality, and child mortality. Using the Cox proportional hazards model, we found that small babies were slightly more than one and a half times and very small babies nearly four times more likely than average or larger size babies to die in the neonatal period. This was true even when potential confounders were held constant. However, the effect of child size on mortality risk became progressively weaker, though highly significant, in the post-neonatal and early childhood periods. We also found that, in spite of significant sex differences in mortality during infancy and early childhood, boys and girls were equally sensitive to the harmful effects of smaller body size at birth on mortality risks.
Keywords Child mortality, Child’s size, Infant mortality, Low birth weight, Neonatal mortality, Post-neonatal mortality
Persistent URL dx.doi.org/10.1007/s42650-019-00009-4
Journal Canadian Studies in Population
Organisation Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Ram, B, Ram, S.S. (Shefali S.), & Yadav, A. (Awdhesh). (2019). The Effect of Child’s Body Size at Birth on Infant and Child Mortality in India. Canadian Studies in Population. doi:10.1007/s42650-019-00009-4
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Track: Mystical Spirituality as a Link between World Religions
Mystical Spirituality as a Link Between World Religions
We are all aware of the fact that in our world today, religions often contribute to discord and war. Those who work for world-peace instinctively look elsewhere. H. H. the Dalai Lama in his Appeal to the World puts it succinctly: “Ethics is more important than religion.” And yet, realistic hopes for peace and cooperation must be based on psychological dynamics that stand behind the term Religion. Therefore, this talk will explore the distinction between Religion and the religions, suggest the connection between them, and attempt to show that basic human religiousness – mystical spirituality – is a power that can bring about wholeness on all levels. In the process, we will have to clarify terms like religion, spirituality, mysticism, and wholeness within the context of transpersonal psychology, and examine them above all from the point of view of personal experience. The move beyond materialism towards wholeness is no longer merely a topic for academic discussion, but has become a matter of survival of the human family. Whatever we say about it must therefore help us face the challenge of personal commitment to wholeness.
Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1926, David Steindl-Rast studied art, anthropology, and psychology, at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts (MA) and the University of Vienna (PhD). In 1953, he joined Mount Saviour Benedictine Monastery. There he was sent by his abbot to participate in Buddhist-Christian dialogue, for which he received Vatican approval in 1967. In 1975 he received the Martin Buber Award for his achievements in building bridges between religious traditions.
For decades, Brother David has divided his time between periods of hermit’s life, writing, and extensive lecture tours on five continents.
His books Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer and A Listening Heart have been reprinted, translated and anthologized for more than three decades. Brother David co-authored Belonging to the Universe, with physicist, Fritjof Capra. The Ground We Share: Buddhist and Christian Practice, co-authored with Buddhist Robert Aitken Roshi. His most recent books are Words of Common Sense; Deeper than Words: Living the Apostles’ Creed; 99 Blessings: An Invitation to Life; and The Way of Silence: Engaging the Sacred in Daily Life.
Brother David serves a worldwide Network for Grateful Living, through www.gratefulness.org, www.dankbar-leben.org, and www.viviragradecidos.org, a network of interactive websites with thousands of daily participants from more than 240 countries and territories.
Photographer: Diego Ortiz Mugica.
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Home » Infidels » Newsletter » 1996 »
Internet Infidels Newsletter
New Additions to the Secular Web
Theistic Sites Which Recognize Secular Sites
Martin and Stein Respond to SCCCS
The Hovind-Patterson Debate
The Internet and the "Real World"
The alt.religion.scientology Spam Attack
Internet Infidels Supporters
We have been busy uploading several new documents to the Secular Web:
There has been a fascinating exchange between Michael Martin and John Frame over transcendental arguments. John Frame wrote "A Brief Response to Michael Martin's 'Transcendental Argument for the Non-Existence of God'", which prompted Martin's "A Response to John Frame", which prompted Frame's "Second Response to Martin".
"Two Ways of Proving Atheism" by Quentin Smith
"Internet Infidels Supporters"
"Quotations that Support the Separation of State and Church" by Ed and Michael Buckner
"Why I Left the Ministry and Became an Atheist" by Vincent Runyon
"Beyond Born Again: Towards Evangelical Maturity" by Robert M. Price
In the near future, we hope to add the following to the Secular Web:
"The Saladin-Gish II Debate" transcribed and annotated by Kenneth Saladin
Jeffery Jay Lowder
The title of this article was originally going to be, "Theistic sites which refuse to link to secular sites," but as I started compiling a list of one-sided sites, I quickly realized there were so many I would have to use an entire newsletter to list them all. So I instead decided to take a more positive approach and list the few theistic sites which do link to opposing websites:
Answers in Action
Christian ThinkTank
Science and Christianity Mailing List
Stand to Reason
We congratulate all of the above web sites for their open-mindedness!
A small but vocal group of Christian theists -- "presuppositionalists" -- reject traditional theistic arguments and instead defend what is known as the "transcendental argument for God's existence" (TAG). They are launching presuppositionalist home pages on the World Wide Web, where they not only promote TAG, but attack atheism and its defenders, including Michael Martin and Gordon Stein.
The purpose of this article is not to refute TAG, but rather allow Michael Martin and Gordon Stein the chance to respond to their presuppositional critics.
Until his death in 1995, Greg Bahnsen was one of the two leading proponents of presuppositionalist apologetics. (The other was and still is John Frame.) Bahnsen's ministry, the Southern California Center for Christian Studies (SCCCS), has a special interest in refuting atheism. Bahnsen conducted two high-profile, oral debates on the existence of God (the 1985 Bahnsen-Stein Debate and the 1993 Bahnsen-Tabash Debate); a third debate, which was scheduled for 1994, was cancelled for reasons which will be discussed below.
In 1995, SCCCS established a home page on the World Wide Web. SCCCS, which markets and sells Bahnsen's materials, included their catalog on their home page. This catalog lists, among other things, the Bahnsen-Stein Debate (2 cassettes), the Bahnsen-Tabash Debate (2 cassettes), and various materials attacking Michael Martin (14 cassettes).
(Other presuppositionalist sites followed, including Contra Mundum and Jon Barlow's "Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics". Barlow's Center hopes to become a non-profit organization and is planning a major refutation of Martin's books.)
The catalog does not have anything positive to say about Stein, Tabash, or Martin. Concerning the Bahnsen-Stein Debate, the catalog reads, "the university's own student newspaper reported that atheism suffered a defeat in this exchange." Edward Tabash is "arrogant," has not wrestled with "fundamental philosophical questions," and "could not even make sense of brushing his teeth" "apart from the Christian worldview." And Michael Martin is a "philosophically competent antagonist to Christian theism" who is "prejudiced" and "ineffective." Moreover, we are told that Martin backed-out (read: chickened-out) of a debate with Bahnsen because "he did not want the debate recorded."
The Secular Response
Out of curiosity, I decided to contact Martin and Stein to get their response. The comments which follow are based upon my telephone interviews with them.
Gordon Stein concedes that Greg Bahnsen was able to catch him off-guard with TAG (although Stein says he now has a refutation of the argument); he was even more surprised to learn that SCCCS was marketing tapes of the debate. Stein claims that the agreement he signed with Bahnsen allowed each debater to record the debate for their own personal use, but contained no provisions whatsoever for mass-duplication and distribution. Stein does feel this constitutes good grounds for a lawsuit, but does not have any plans to sue SCCCS.
Michael Martin said that the debate with Bahnsen was scheduled four months in advance. Three weeks before the debate was to take place he was informed for the first time that Bahnsen would not debate unless Martin gave written permission to SCCCS to tape the debate. The tape would be sold to support SCCCS. Although SCCCS did offer joint rights to the taped debate, Martin rejected the offer because he did not want SCCCS to profit from his participation. He made it clear that he was willing to debate if the debate was not taped and that he never would have agreed to debate had he known the conditions required by SCCCS. However, SCCCS refused to let Bahnsen debate without the debate being taped. The debate was canceled.
Shortly after the cancellation SCCCS issued a press release accusing Martin of cowardliness. Marty Field, the debate organizer and a Christian, was mortified by SCCCS' action and expressed amazement that Christians could act in such a unChristian way. He said his organization was distancing itself from SCCCS because of the press release. However, he defended Bahnsen saying that he could not believe Bahnsen approved of SCCCS's action and even suggested that the press release might not have been authorized by the officials of SCCCS. Martin said that he pointed out to Mr. Field that Bahnsen had offered no apology for the press release and, until he, Martin, received evidence to the contrary, he had every reason to suppose that the press release was officially sanctioned and had Bahnsen's approval.
Bahnsen showed up at the appointed site of the debate -- at the exact time the debate was scheduled -- and delivered a lecture attacking Martin. Before Bahnsen spoke Martin requested that a written statment he had prepared giving his reasons for not debating and expressing his dismay concerning the SCCCS press release be read to the audience. (Whether this statement was actually read he does not know.) Although it did not mention the press release, Bahnsen's lecture was filled with innuendoes concerning Martin's motives for not debating. Martin described his experiences with SCCCS as one of the most unpleasant in his life. Because of it he now refuses to engage in oral debates with theists on the existence of God.
In 1994, the theme of Bahnsen's summer seminar was "Michael Martin Under the Microscope." Both the lecture delivered at the debate site (2 cassettes) and the seminar (12 cassettes) are available from SCCCS; the former for $13 and the latter for $68.
The upshot is that Martin is now publishing articles on the existence of God and transcendental arguments. He has already published one article in the New Zealand Humanist & Rationalist , "Transcendental Argument for the Non Existence of God," and is allowing the Internet Infidels to republish it on the Secular Web (now available on the Secular Web at <URL:http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/tang.html>). Moreover, Martin says he has been hard at work on a major refutation of TAG for CODESH's Free Inquiry. During the course of his research, Martin has been unable to find any article on TAG in any peer-reviewed philosophical journal.
Ron Patterson
On Saturday night, April 20, I debated Dr. Kent Hovind, a young earth creationists and dinosaur hunter. Dr. Hovind freely admits that creationism is not science but is instead, religion. Dr. Hovind does not strive to get creationism in schools, he just wants evolution out of public schools. That was the topic of our debate, "Evolution Should not be Taught in Alabama Public Schools."
Dr. Hovind had nothing new other than a few weird claims that any intelligent being would reject. Then he rehashed the same old arguments that have failed many times before. Like most other creationists, he seems to think that evolutionists claim that evolution is driven by macro mutations in a single animal. Of course, no evolutionist since Richard Goldschmidt, in the early part of this century, has ever advocated such a thing.
He kept hammering on the difference between "micro evolution", which he believes in, and "macro evolution" which he does not. Like other creationists he cannot understand that macro evolution is nothing more than a lot of micro evolution over the entire population of a species. One is at a loss to explain why creationists cannot understand that enough "micro changes" equals "macro change". That is, if there are enough small changes, you would have an entirely different species.
It is ironic that in one sense, Hovind and his followers are stronger evolutionists than the evolutionists. According to Hovind, all several hundred thousand species living today evolved from just a few hundred "kinds" that were aboard the Ark. All of this happened in about four thousand years. No self respecting evolutionist would claim that so much evolution could possibly happen in such a short period of time. It must be asked, what was the driving force behind the creationists "super swift evolution"? If it was not survival of the fittest, then what? Also, they are always bad mouthing "mutations". How did they have evolution without mutations?
The most remarkable thing about Kent Hovind and his followers, is their extreme gullibility. It seems that they will believe anything, absolutely anything, as long as it fits their make-believe model. Among the many absurd things that Hovind expressed in this debate and previous seminars and debates were:
Noah was probably twelve feet tall and probably had an IQ of about four hundred.
Six or seven twelve foot human skeletons were found in a coal mine in West Virginia.
A ninety foot plumb tree, complete with fruit was found frozen in the ice, north of the Arctic Circle.
A man was swallowed by a whale and lived in his stomach for two days before the whale's stomach was cut open to free the man. Hovind says the man completely recovered in about two weeks.
The leg bones of the Australopithecine "Lucy" were found a mile and a half from the head bones, in strata 200 feet deeper.
Living dinosaurs can be found in many places on the earth. Hovind admits however, that he has never found any.
Living sea monsters can be found in many lakes through the world.
Twelve pharaohs, listed in chronological order by the Egyptian calendar, were all pharaohs at the same time and ruled over different parts of Egypt.
Modern evolutionists say "no missing links can be found", they say "maybe a reptile laid an egg and a bird hatched out."
The geological column does not exist.
NASA says that the earth's magnetic field has a half life of eight hundred and thirty five years.
Ice becomes magnetic at three to four hundred degrees below zero and the ice ages were probably caused by a comet that blew apart when it approached the earth. The earth's magnetic field pulled the ice to the poles.
Ice at the South pole is fourteen thousand feet deep but it never snows there.
Thomas H. Huxley said: "The reason we have chosen evolution is because of our sexual freedoms we get with this lifestyle." In other words, this devoted family man, Thomas Huxley who argued the "evidence" of evolution at every opportunity, publicly stated, during the height of Victorian times, that the real reason he believed in evolution was that it allowed him to be sexually promiscuous.
The story of Jacob placing striped, speckled and spotted sticks before animals when they mated and therefore causing them to have striped, speckled and spotted offspring, (Gen. 30:37-39) is just an example of "artificial insemination." (Yes, believe it or not, he actually said that and I have it on tape to prove it.)
All the above claims are pure fiction, yet Hovind's audience seemed to believe his every absurd proclamation. Hovind has stopped telling the story of Lucy's bones and the story of the ninety foot plumb tree. Not that he has admitted that they were bogus, but in his own words, he no longer advocates these things. The rest however, are still part of his fantasy world.
In summary, I thought the debate went very well. Hovind claiming the most absurd things, the audience, which were mostly creationists, were lapping it up like it was the inspired word of God. His major claim was that evolution was a religion and should be removed from all schools and textbooks. Most rationalists at the debate felt that I won and most of the creationists felt that Hovind won. But isn't that the way it always goes, the scientifically illiterate cheers every absurdity while the scientifically literate shake their heads in disbelief.
I pointed out that evolution is part of virtually every field of science, astronomy, geology, and nuclear physics as well as biology. I pointed out that Hovind even wished to alter history to show that no civilization could have existed before 4000 BCE. This was his whole motivation behind the "twelve pharaohs" story. The audience did not seem to care if Hovind was successful in changing all history books, just as long as he made it fit the Bible story.
In the words of Stephen J. Gould, "Human gullibility has cash value, and enormous amounts of money can be made by any skilled manipulator.... When people learn no tools of judgment and merely follow their hopes, the seeds of political manipulation are sown." Kent Hovind is a skilled manipulator and can readily sway any audience as long as they are extremely scientifically illiterate. I do mean EXTREMELY scientifically illiterate for anyone even moderately literate in science would laugh at Hovind's absurdities.
Kent Hovind has not proven that evolution is religion but he has shown that creationism is religion, pure religion. Without religion, the creationists would be a laughing stock. Hovind is doing his best to make them a laughing stock, even with their religion.
"Creationism is wrong; totally, utterly, and absolutely wrong. I would go further. There are degrees of being wrong. The creationists are at the bottom of the scale. They pull every trick in the book to justify their position. Indeed, at times they verge right over into the downright dishonest. Scientific Creationism in not just wrong, it is ludicrously implausible. It is a grotesque parody of human thought, and a downright misuse of human intelligence. In short, to the believer, it is an insult to God."
Michael Ruse: Darwinism Defended.
Ron O. Patterson
277 Stephens Rd.
I have heard some people say that we Internet freaks should turn off our modems and go out and smell some flowers.
Well, I spent much of last weekend pulling weeds, visiting a nursery, planting, mowing, and watering the gardens around our house. While I was working, I was simultaneously doing two other things.
First, I was mentally working over possible lyrics for a new song based on Robert Ingersoll's insightful freethought observation that the one who pulls up weeds is just as much a gardener as the one who sows the seeds.
Second, I was cultivating freethought on the World Wide Web. I knew that while I was away from the office, where FFRF's computers were turned off for the weekend, the Foundation's Web Page was still awake on the server at "www.infidels.org." Like a flower that opens up to attract insects, the Secular Web is constantly drawing visitors into rational thought.
This endeavor is not happening in a fake world. Real, flesh-and-blood people view our pages and many of them respond by e-mail or by regular mail. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has heard from many hundreds of serious prospects since we went online in June 1995. These are people who indentify themselves as freethinkers, who support our cause, and who give us their name and physical address. The last time I checked (March 1996), more than 50 of these people had become dues-paying members of the Foundation. These are real people who sent us real checks to join us and help us keep state and church separate. Many of these new members, plus others who have not joined yet, have purchased freethought products from us--products that help to advertise freethought in the "real world."
The Foundation actually had a presence on the Internet long before we went online. Jeff Lowder, a Foundation member and perhaps the most infamous of the Internet Infidels, had already added FFRF, Inc. to the "Organizations" page of the Secular Web and had graciously keyed in a number of FFRF's documents and speeches. By the time I took over maintaining the page, in June 1995, the Foundation had already been picking up new members and contacts. This was one of the facts that made it easy to sell the concept of having a Web Page to FFRF's Executive Council.
All of us Internet Infidels have had the satisfaction of hearing from readers who write to say, "Thank you for providing this information. It has helped me tremendously." I can recall a number of e-mail messages from people saying, "I had some questions, but now I can proudly call myself an atheist," or something to that effect.
Besides attracting members and educating the public, FFRF's Web Page has made other differences in the real world. The following story, reported on the front page of the May 1996 Freethought Today, is a poignant example.
A few months ago I received an e-mail from Adam Butler, a high-school senior in Alabama, an atheist happy to have found the FFRF Web Page. (He had done a search on the word "atheism.") He was wondering what he could do to further freethought. I gave him some suggestions, including the possibility of starting an atheist/agnostic/humanist club on campus in order to provide a counter to the ubiquitous Bible Clubs and Christian Ministries that hound most public high schools, especially since the Mergens "Equal Access" decision that permits such groups to meet. (The Supreme Court basically said that a public high school can not prohibit a religious student group from meeting on-campus if it allows other non-curricular activities.) I thought it would be interesting to test the fairness of such a practice in the real world. To my knowledge, there has never been an Atheist Club or Freethinker's Club on a high-school campus in this country.
We sent Adam some freethought literature, including many of our nontracts and samples of Freethought Today. A few weeks later Adam agreed to try to form a freethought club on campus. He had been angered by an aggressive Christian student organization that was placing posters around campus advertising prayer. I put Adam in touch (via e-mail) with FFRF's Alabama chapter near Birmingham, and Adam went to their very next meeting. The chapter director, Pat Cleveland, gave Adam some pointers and put him in contact with other freethinking and state/church separationist individuals in the area.
Adam then approached the principal of Pelham High School asking for a freethinkers club. After a few more meetings of stalling and stonewalling, the principal finally told Adam, "There will be no Freethinker's Club at PHS."
Undaunted, Adam contacted us. FFRF President Anne Gaylor and our Alabama chapter contacted the principal advising him that he was in violation of the Equal Access Act. Pat Cleveland also alerted the ACLU about the problem.
On April 8, the principal reversed his decision, and the Freethinker's Club of Pelham High School has been meeting ever since.
Who says the Internet is not the "real world"?
[Dan Barker, a former fundamentalist minister, is now Public Relations Director of the Freedom From Religion Foundation in Madison, Wisconsin. His book, Losing Faith In Faith: From Preacher To Atheist, was published by FFRF, Inc. in 1992. He can be reached at (email address removed). Adam Butler can be reached at (email address removed)]
[The following article is a text-only version of document originally written in HTML. Some of the references will not make sense unless you view the original page: http://www.bway.net/~keith/spam/spam.htm ]
Scientology ® and some Scientologists have exhibited antagonism to the discussion, on the newsgroup alt.religion.scientology (a.r.s.), of the ideas of L. Ron Hubbard and the tactics of Scientology. Ron Newman has chronicled this battle on his Scientology versus the Net page.
On 19 May, 1996, the already high volume of a.r.s. was boosted considerably by "Chris Maple" , who posted a large amount of Scientology copyrighted material to the newsgroup, in many separate messages. Here is a sample message. Most of the text of these messages is taken directly from Scientology's public relations pieces. The introduction accuses a.r.s. of being rife with falsehoods, however the poster does not choose to address specific alleged inaccuracies, but only seems to wish to flood news servers with propaganda.
'Chris Maple' posted through a mail-to-news gateway (which allows internet e-mailers access to Usenet) at Yale University. Initially, Yale blocked posting from 'Chris Maple,' though after further abuse of the gateway, Yale restricted posting to a.r.s. entirely.
'Chris Maple' was followed by a series of accounts posting the same or similar material, one usually starting within minutes after another ended. Sometimes this material was quoted in full from prior messages and followed up with characteristic one-line Scientology cheerleading such as "Great!" Those posting the Scientology spam have not undertaken to address any issues, answer any questions, or indeed produce new material to significantly alter their repetitive messages. They have merely continued to pump news spools and newsreaders around the world with thousands of copies of identical posts. Ron Newman provided a sample listing of headers for posts by some of the Scientology-materials-spammers.
Some accounts or faked accounts used to post these identical messages include:
"Chris Maple"
(Dennis Goldwyn)
(Shirley Lemaine)
(Aline Gervais)
(Nathan Slade)
(ARS INFO SERVICE)
(gordon e. jones)
(Emily Faulkner)
(jeremy rojas)
"Jamie Bryson" (mach1.directnet.com!)
Deana Holmes posted an analysis of the volume of the repetitive flooding posts to a.r.s., as did Frank Copeland. Dave VanHorn posted about the volume of spam at his site.
Here is a screenshot of my newsreader looking at a small portion of spam. Each thread (group of messages beginning with a name in the "Subject" column) comprises identical Scientology-materials messages posted by each of those listed in the "From" column. And here is another newsreader screenshot showing repetitive postings by the pseudonymous "ARS INFO SERVICE."
The sheer volume of this flooding is a hardship to Internet Service Providers and Usenet users, whose newspools, bandwidth, newsreaders, and wallets are straining under the weight of megabytes of repetitious--and probably semi-mechanically posted--materials.
Are these actions sanctioned by Scientology? To date, lawyers representing the cult have not responded to this message, nor to this one alerting them to the massive repetitive posting of their copyrighted materials.
On the other hand, this attack does appear to be consistent with messages from Scientologist Russell Shaw, other scientologists and from an agent of Scientology's Office of Special Affairs (the cult's dirty tricks and PR wing), Elaine Siegel, though her flooding plans were apparently officially disavowed by Scientology.
One effective method of boosting the signal to noise ratio on a.r.s. has been proposed by a.r.s. regular Sherilyn and dubbed the "Sheri Convention." It calls for:
posting with SUBJECT: lines containing the word "Xenu," which is the name of the evil galactic overlord in one of scientology's formerly secret scriptures.
crossposting mesages to alt.religion.scientology.squick.squick.squick, alt.religion.scientology.xenu, and possibly talk.religion.misc, as well as other appropriate groups based on the content of the post.
For those who believe that one copy of each message is enough, consult your newsreader's help file, or here is information on filtering and killfiling.
To Marina Chong's large collection of links about Scientology and related matters.
This page created by Keith Spurgeon. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and are not necessarily shared by bway.net nor any other individual or institution.
Dan Barker, Freedom From Religion Foundation
Taner Edis, Iowa State University
Greg Erwin, Humanists of Canada
Tim Gorksi, Freethought Exchange and Freethought Observer
R. Joseph Hoffmann, Oxford
Doug Jesseph, North Carolina State University
Jim Lippard, Skeptics Society
Tim Madigan, Council for Secular Humanism
Molleen Matsumura, Free Inquiry
Robin Murray O'Hair, American Atheists
Keith Parsons, University of Houston at Clear Lake
Quentin Smith, University of Western Michigan
Gordon Stein, American Rationalist
Vic Stenger, University of Hawaii
Farrell Till, Skeptical Review
Spike Tyson, American Atheists
Corey Washington, U. of Washington
Frank R. Zindler, American Atheists
The opinions expressed in the Internet Infidels Newsletter are not necessarily those of Internet Infidels, Inc.
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Category: Local Business News States of Jersey
Jersey Library announces phased reopening
The Town Library will partially reopen from Friday 12 June, as the Island moves into Phase 2 of the Safe Exit Framework. During this first phase of reopening, the Town Library will be open between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Saturday.
To keep library users safe, new physical distancing and hygiene measures have been introduced, including:
Visitors will be asked to use hand sanitiser when they enter the building, and keep their visits timely
People will be asked to visit the Library alone where possible and avoid gathering in large groups
Limits on the number of people allowed in the building at any one time
New queuing systems to maintain physical distancing
All returned books and other resources will be quarantined for 72 hours – this means some titles are not immediately available to borrow
Alongside this reopening, Jersey Library will continue with the services which have been introduced in the last 12 weeks, including a daily Facebook storytime, a home delivery service, and popular online resources. The amnesty on fines – which was introduced early in March – will also continue, to support people who may not be able to return items to the Library.
During the first phase of reopening, there will be no access to the first floor for study, research, and computer use. The public toilet and baby change facilities will also remain closed.
The Les Quennevais Branch Library and Mobile Library will remain closed to the public. Both closures will be reviewed as the Island continues to move through the Safe Exit Framework, and re-opened when it is safe and practical to do so.
Ed Jewell, Chief Librarian, said, “Friday 12 June marks a first step back to normality for Jersey Library. While it’s not yet possible to re-open the full range of the Library’s activities and services, we can set its collection of 250,000 books, audio books, DVDs and other resources free for the general public to use.
“While we work through the stages of the Safe Exit Framework, the Library team will continue to find new, creative, and safe ways, to make reading, learning and information accessible to the Island’s communities.”
Government of Jersey News Release.
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Added on January 12, 2021 KV Network
Hopeful of solution; ready to deal with any eventuality: Army Chief on eastern Ladakh standoff
New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane on Tuesday said he was hopeful that India and China will be able to reach an agreement to resolve the eastern Ladakh standoff but at the same time asserted that Indian troops will maintain a high state of combat readiness to deal with any eventuality.
Addressing a press conference ahead of the Army Day, Gen Naravane said the operational preparedness of the Indian armed forces has been of very high level and they will continue to hold onto their ground.
“We are prepared to hold our ground as long it takes to achieve our national goals and objectives,” he said.
Talking about increasing security challenges at the Line of Actual Control, the Chief of Army Staff said a need was felt about “rebalancing” of troops along the northern borders, adding “that is what we have put in place now.”
The Chief of Army staff said he was hopeful that India and China will be able to reach an agreement for disengagement and de-escalation based on an approach of mutual and equal security.
“I am confident of finding a solution to the issue on the basis of mutual and equal security,” he said.
Gen Naravane said there was no reduction in deployment of troops by both India and China in eastern Ladakh.
The Chief of Army Staff said Indian troops are maintaining high level of alertness all along the Line of Actual Control and not just Ladakh.
Nearly 50,000 troops of the Indian Army are currently deployed in a high state of combat readiness in various mountainous locations in eastern Ladakh in sub-zero temperatures as multiple rounds of talks between the two sides have not yielded concrete outcome to resolve the standoff.
China has also deployed an equal number of troops, according to officials.
Last month, India and China held another round of diplomatic talks under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs.
The eighth and last round of military talks between the two sides had taken place on November 6 during which both sides broadly discussed disengagement of troops from specific friction points.
India has all along been maintaining that the onus is on China to carry forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation at the friction points in the mountainous region.
Following the sixth round of military talks, the two sides had announced a slew of decisions including not to send more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground and avoid taking any actions that may further complicate matters.
This round was held with a specific agenda of exploring ways to implement a five-point agreement reached between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at a meeting in Moscow on September 10 on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) conclave.
The pact included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the LAC.
KV Network
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← Way of the World – The Beginnings of Hate — TRANSCRIPT
Patrick Little — Interview with Newsweek, Apr 30, 2018 — TRANSCRIPT →
Patrick Little — Interview with Yahoo News, May 1, 2018 — TRANSCRIPT
[Patrick Little, a 33-year-old married White, a USMC veteran of Afghanistan, and an experienced IT engineer is running for US Senate in California. He’s been censored off from social media after trying to start a discussion about the jewish supremacist control of many critical institutions of the United States and her government.
Here he is interviewed by an un-named female Yahoo news reporter on his Senate run and how he came to hold his views, and his desire to liberate America from the Zionist Occupational Government! He explains how the high number of White people that feel systematically discriminated against, and who turned out to vote for Trump, was what motivated him to run.
What’s great about this interview is Little clearly identifies organised jewry as the power that has got a stranglehold over America and the West, and is systematically destroying White societies.
— KATANA]
Interview with Yahoo News
Click the link below to view the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrYvnsA5hlU
Published on May 1, 2018
pat 2018
Interview with yahoo news 20180501
Little: How are you?
Interviewer (older sounding female): Good. And how are you?
Little: Good. And you’re good with me recording this, correct?
Interviewer: Yeah. You mind if put my recorder on as well?
Little: No, that’s fine.
Interviewer: Okay. Hold on one second please.
Little: Sure.
Interviewer: Okay. Are you there?
Little: Yep.
Interviewer: Okay. Thanks. I just have a couple quick questions that I wanted to ask. As to the recent poll that came out showing you leading the other Republican candidates for the California Senate race. I’m curious whether you have had any interactions with the California Republican party. And the response they have had to your campaign. If you have had any engagement with them?
Little: Nope! I called a whole bunch of County Republican executive committees, a month, or two ago, and none of them returned my call. So, at this point, I’m just doing word-of-mouth, and I think it’s working.
Interviewer: And why do you feel that your campaign, … Why do you want to align your campaign with the Republican party?
Little: Third parties tend not to win.
Interviewer: Okay.
Little: I mean, you’ve got some cases in Vermont where you’ve had an independent governor and an independent senator, but that’s the exception to the rule. And also Donald Trump was dog whistling about jewish supremacism during his campaign, so, I’m doing more than dog whistling.
Interviewer: That is for sure! And you haven’t run for office before, have you? I’m sorry I haven’t, …
Little: No. I’ve never run for elected office before. Maybe in school, I don’t remember if I did or not.
Interviewer: Okay. And so what exactly made you decide you wanted to run this term round. First one in?
Little: Well, I was very focused on earning money, and I wanted that McMansion when I was, uh before I woke up to the jewish Question. Donald Trump, during his run, engaged me in a way that I hadn’t been engaged since the Tea Party. And at that point when he was running, and right after the election, when I realized that he was appointing a bunch of neoconservatives, people that were not putting America first, I started asking why that was. And I got presented with this book “Culture of Critique” and I read it. And it turned my world on it’s head! I quit my job, and spent 12 months [03:01] studying the people that run this country. And then I decided to announce my candidacy, I think it was October, but I planned on running since July of 2017.
Little: So basically to liberate America from the Zionist Occupational Government! That was my motivation.
Interviewer: Okay. Can you just elaborate a little bit on when you said that Donald Trump “spoke to you“, during his campaign? What specifically, what was some of the things, I don’t know if you’ll remember them off the top of your head, but certain things that he said during his campaign that really spoke to you?
Little: Well, he talked about the “forgotten man” and the “forgotten workers”, that type of thing. He was talking about White working-class people. And he must have been reading the polls, because there’s a recent poll where 55% of White Americans feel that they’re systematically discriminated against. And Trump caused Whites that hadn’t voted [04:02] ever, or the hadn’t voted since the eighties to come out and vote. And he restored the White man’s and the White woman’s, well White people’s faith in the electoral system for the first time since, I don’t know, George Wallace.
Interviewer: And you said that he was doing some dog whistling, and you’re doing more than that. Do you feel like his election sort of created more of a platform, or a stage, for someone like you to run that campaign for Senate?
Little: No. I wouldn’t say that it created a space. No. But what it did show me was how many Americans were concerned with issues facing Whites. And when I realized that’s enough to get into the top two, based on how many candidates would be running, that’s when I decided to run.
Little: The “forgotten voter” and all that stuff, he’s talking about the White people that feel systematically discriminated against, which is the majority of Whites in this country. So when I realized the percentage was that high, and when I realized they would actually turn out, I decided to run. They turned out for Trump, because he was a great White hope!
Interviewer: And do feel like he’s still is, or not as much because you have said you have been all disappointed with the people he’s put in his cabinet?
Little: Oh yeah! I have a few different theories, but the most plausible one that I have as to why he hasn’t implemented any of his America First policies is, because, once he got into power he realized just how powerful the jewish control of this country is. I can go into that more if you want, but that’s my primary theory on why he hasn’t lived up to pretty much any of his campaign promises that he made to the White Americans.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. All right. I had another question that came up while you’re talking about that and then I forgot about what it was. But, I’ll just let it go.
Interviewer: Was there anything else that you wanted to mention about your campaign, or how it’s going so far?
Little: Sure. Well, I’ve been pretty much a one-man campaign for this whole time, but I’ve set up some stuff where I’ll be able to take on the volunteers and use them in a productive fashion now. Everybody in politics knows that the jews runs things.
If you look at the Nixon tapes, he talked privately much differently than they talked publicly. I talk privately the same way I talk publicly. And I would encourage Donald Trump to start talking about who controls this country, and just what he meant when he said “globalists” and “banksters” and this type of thing.
My message to White Americans is that, do not dismay! Things are very bad for us right now. Our suicide rate among White males is very high. Single motherhood is very high among Whites now, compared to where it was. Families are breaking down. White’s are dropping like flies to the opioid epidemic. I’ve lost four high school people that I was with, to opiates, since I graduated high school. And we’ve got a whole lot of rural Whites that are hurting from these jewish wars of aggression in the Middle East. And if they help me get into this Senate seat, I will do everything I can to put all these zionist pigs in jail, or execute them, if we can find them guilty of treason!
Now, everyone in politics knows that the jews are in charge, and talking about jewish power is the hardest thing you can do! Everybody in the media, and everyone in politics knows about it! But they won’t talk about it publicly!
The most important thing in the US political system is jewish power! And if I say something in a way you don’t like it, at least I’m top trying to talk about it. I mean, I posted a story about a congressman that got driven out of politics on a rail for bringing up a jewish power. Pat Buchanan’s political career was pretty much ended when he started talking about Zionist control of our government. Kennedy talked about shutting down the jewish banks. They put a bullet in his head! Nixon started talking about his problems he had the jewish media, and he got destroyed. He won a 48th state landslide, but was impeached for stuff that both parties were doing.
There hasn’t been a party that represented White people in a very, very, long time in this country. And African-Americans feel comfortable asking for the African-American vote. Hispanics have no problem asking for the Hispanic vote. Asians have no problem asking for the [09:00] Asian vote. And Whites have no problem asking for the black vote. What’s wrong with a White man asking for the White vote? It’s time to end these double standards.
Let’s work on getting that percentage of Americans who feel systematically discriminated against from that strong majority of 55% down, a little bit lower. Let Whites that want to vote with their feet to be among other Whites, which most of us do when we have the money to, when we’re about to have kids. Let’s make White flight something you don’t have to do every ten years when the section eight house housing comes to town. When you retreat to a homogenous area and want to build that strong high trust community, where your children can flourish. I’d like to help you once you’ve made all that time and money in investment in setting yourself up in that nice White community that you’ve retreated to. I’m gonna do whatever I can to help you keep it that way. So, yeah, White people stop running! That’s pretty much all I have to say to the White voters out there. And I’m polling high with the Asians. They’re not happy.
The Asians are very intelligent people, especially the East Asians. And they score very high in the IQ tests and they’re very, very, high-scoring on their science and math tests and such. But, you know, 67, according to Hillel last year, 67 percent of the graduate students at Harvard were ethnic jews. But, you know, jews are only 2% of the country, and they’re less than 3% of top performing high school students. So the Asians understand what I’m talking about.
The people that are hurt more than anyone else right after the Whites by this jewish supremacism, is the Asian community. And I’d like to help, walk hand in hand with those Asians in solidarity against jewish supremacism. And I’d like to see those jewish admittance rates go down to about 5, or 10% of what they’re at now, maybe two, or three percent of what they’re at now. And let’s see if we can’t increase that White and Asian merit-based admittance to colleges.
Interviewer: Okay. Are you getting any support from the Asian communities, or Asian groups?
Little: I’m polling well with them and the people, … I was out driving ride-share for a bit after I quit my job, because I wanted to figure out, …
Interviewer: Where did you work before? Sorry, what was your business before this?
Little: I was a network engineer at a start-up.
Little: It was a Y Combinator startup. I was working, so my combined income, if you want to count in the equity value and all that happy stuff, was a little over 100 [$100,000 per year]. I was doing very well. You know, I’m married. I was on my way to that McMansion in the suburbs. And, I’m making a huge sacrifice here. But, you know, when 55 percent of your people feel systematically discriminated against, a civil rights advocate needs to step up and [12:00] offer a way to represent them, and shine a light on those oppressors, those jewish supremacist, that are holding us down.
And yeah, the Asians are hearing my message too. So I did some ride-sharing before I decided to run in the spring. I was reading a lot, and sometimes I leave my audio books playing during the ride-share. And I listened Dr. Kevin MacDonald’s “Cultural of Critique”. I was listening to some other stuff. And the easiest people to discuss jewish power with, were Asian males. They [chuckling] will very quickly admit:
“Oh my god! There’s a White man that admits that the jews control this country!”
And I talked to some White friends that had been to Japan and China, and one of the top questions that people ask when you’re at a karaoke bar, or when you get a drink into one of them is, one of the first questions that the Asians will ask you is:
“Why do you let the jews run your country?”
So it’s very obvious to everyone overseas! It’s only, because of this “Holocaust” propaganda and jewish control of the media, that we don’t get these questions [13:02] discussed openly in public. And yeah, it’s time to undo some of that jewish media programming that this country suffering from, and start talking objectively about the issues facing those who are being oppressed.
Interviewer: Um, okay! Well thank you for taking the time to talk to me this evening. I appreciate that. And I guess that answered all my questions.
Little: Okay. Hey, it was a pleasure talking with you! I’ve got another 15 minutes, or so, if you’ve got any other questions for me, I’d be happy to answer them, or if you just want to shoot the breeze?
Interviewer: [slightly flustered] Um, I think you’re, you read the book “Culture of Critique”. You were motivated to read it because of the Trump campaign? Is that right? Or there were someone who told you about it?
Little: Well, Paul Nehlen and I were both part [14:00] of the group WeSearchr, which is a research tank, that leaked stuff to the media once we find stuff out. And I had done a WeSearchr bounty trying to get Danny Williams DNA, trying to harm the Clinton campaign by showing that potentially Bill Clinton had fathered an illegitimate son. And Paul Nehlen had worked to help expose voter fraud in Philadelphia, which he exposed quite a bit of it, with his group, his branch of WeSearchr. And leading up to the campaign through the summer, through the early fall, I had been pro-Israeli. And I think he had been with his handle as well. He was pro-Israeli as well. And so there were zionists in there, and Peter Bella was pretty much the administrator of the group, the chat channel we had. And there, people who were awoke to the jewish Question, were allowed to be in there. They were balanced out by Zionists and such in there.
But, so there were Twitter trolls. I think one of them was a [15:00] Reactionary Tree and some other top Twitter trolls that were pressed into service, that were volunteering for WeSearchr. And they started dropping hints to people like Nehlen and I, that we should really question our unbridled support for Israel, and start looking at the tragedy happening in Palestine, the genocide the jews are committing there. And told us about that several dozen million White Christians that were killed in a real “Holocaust” before World War Two. Where the jewish police — 85% of the USSR’s secret police before World War II was ethnically jewish — was directly responsible for the deaths of over 20 million White European Christians.
CHEKA: see Book – The Myth of German Villainy – Part 05 – The Red Terror
So I said:
“This doesn’t sound, this sounds impossible to me! This is a lie!”
“I pro-White and I’m against what’s happening to Europe with this migrant invasion. But, you know, what? I’m gonna prove you guys wrong! Israel, so I was saying at [16:01] the time, Israel’s our greatest ally!”
And so they said:
“Fine! Read the book. Show us wrong!”
And so finally around the election, I started perusing it. And right after the election I hunkered down, and I got a little bit into it, and I called my job and I said:
“I need two weeks off.”
They said:
“You can’t have it!”
And I said:
“I quit!” [laughing]
And yeah, I spent two weeks trying to disprove it. I got through the chapter on the Frankfurt School, and I had looked up everything that sounded controversial to me. And yep, lo and behold, psychoanalysis, the destruction of the family unit, it was all engineered by jews, and it was all by design.
And I didn’t believe the quotes that Dr. Kevin MacDonald had there in the citations, so I went ahead and looked them up. And halfway through the book — this is a big book — two weeks of reading and researching all day, I hadn’t been able to disprove a single thing! And at that point I stopped fact checking, because I didn’t have another two weeks to finish the book, and yeah, lo and [17:00] behold, after that, my life was turned on it’s head! I needed a few weeks just to try and put things in perspective, so I spent a lot of time on my boat, just kind of drifting off the bay, trying to put things in perspective, trying not to scream! [laughing]
All of the puzzle pieces I’d been missing my whole life trying to understand what was happening to Europe, what was happening to America. The systematic anti-White programs. The destruction of South Africa. The marginalization of all historic White populations. The attribution of a horrible, horrible, deeds to our people that we didn’t do! It all made sense! And I realized it hadn’t been any lack of intelligence, or any lack of integrity on my part that had led me to ignore the jewish question before, it was emotional programming, knee jerk reactions.
When I had raised concerns about what was happening in Europe and showed support for the BNP, I had a problem. The BNP is the British Nationalist Party. [18:00] They are the ones that exposed the child grooming in Rotherham. Over 1,400 young White girls were gang-raped by a non-White immigrants in Britain in this one town. Anyhow they were the only ones talking about it! But, you know, at every, tenth or twelfth sentence there was stuff I considered to be anti-semitic. And I thought, you know, why don’t you just leave the stuff about jews to the side and just address the issues facing Whites?
And I wound up walking away from political advocacy and pro-White stuff prior to my enlistment the Marine Corps, because I didn’t have a “Findes Bild”, that is German for “picture of the enemy“. I had no coherent picture of this amorphous group behind all of this anti-White stuff. I wound up turning to all these different sources that said it was one conspiracy sounding thing, or another.
And, you know, the best I could do when I tried to objectively size it up without [19:00] looking into the jews, was say it’s some sort of Marxist, liberal, group of people [chuckling] that’s pushing the stuff, and constantly subverting the will of the populations that vote in referendums and such! It’s all over-turned by the courts and the politicians commit political suicide knowing they’re going to lose in an election and still do stuff that’s anti-White. And, you know, the politicians lied about the 1965 Hart Celler Act that has turned the country from the, … But they said it would have no demographic repercussions. And Whites went from 90 percent of California to people under age 30 that are White in California like 25 percent now, so.
Yeah, none of this made sense to me until I understood the jewish Question. And none of it’s going to make any sense to you, unless you read a book like “Culture of Critique”. Do you know, how I functioned politically and socially in terms of addressing social issues, before I read this book? And I wasn’t aware of this before I read the book.
I functioned by “virtue signaling”. So someone says something bad about jews; knee jerk reaction! Someone says something that is considered racist, which you learned that it was actually jews that popularized the phrase in the Soviet Union, you have a knee-jerk reaction. And you distance yourself. I realized that calling someone “racist”, or “anti-semitic”, or something, was the equivalent nowadays of what calling someone a witch in the 16th century had been. And it’s just as illogical. So it’s called Pavolvian conditioning.
The Realist Report Interviews Paul Nehlen – Mar 2018 — TRANSCRIPT
Interviewer: I have a question for you. I wonder if you, you were talking about Trump dog whistling during his campaign, and you mention Paul Nehlen, … [garbled] and the things that you say about jews, about issues that White Americans, that maybe Trump didn’t say directly. Do you think those things are going to be controversial, during, obviously they’re going to be controversial, that either that they are going to be reception to those ideas in your campaign?
Little: Oh yeah, reverberating among Whites. The amount of anonymous support I get. So, here’s the thing. Most of my supporters I’ll never get to see face to face, but I tell you one thing, when I’ve gone into some events and questions some Zionist narratives at young conservative events, and Republican ones, that I went in my own volition to. I’ve had people come up to me and, you know, under their breath say thank you, you know, give me a little thumbs up, in a way where their clothing’s hiding it, so no one else but me can see it. I’ve had support from Hispanics, and I’ve had support from Asians.
I’ve had support from African-American! If you look on my website, there was a young African-American gentleman named by the name of Maxwell, RC Maxwell, and he interviewed me and I woke him up to the jewish role in slavery. He was shocked to learn that less than 1% of Whites, European blooded Americans, owned slaves before the Civil War, but over 40 percent of ethnic jews owned slaves before the war! But, in school we all learned about, you know, Whites and, you know, historical racism, because of the legacy of slavery, when it turns out the jews owned the ships that brought the slaves over here. They manned the ships that brought the slaves over here.
And not only that, jews have historically owned the African slave trade in Arabia, in northern Africa. And jews were also historically the ones that ran these slave trades in the Balkan areas and even the White European slave girl trade from the Barbary pirate [23:00], not the Barbary pirates, the pirates that were coming up the coast from North Africa and capturing White women from Ireland and selling them in the millions during the Middle Ages on slave markets in North Africa and the Middle East. Jews were the middlemen and the merchants in that too! So, you know, that’s an example of an African-American male that was, I hope, awakened to the jewish Question. At least internally. I don’t think he’s come out publicly with it.
Interviewer: Right, okay. I’ve got to leave, because it’s a little late over here. I’m in New York.
Little: Okay.
Interviewer: Unfortunately the day is ending, but, this has been great, I really appreciate you, … Yeah, if I have any other questions is your email the best way to get hold of you?
Little: Yeah, that’s the best way. And I’m looking at the last name. Is that Scottish there?
Interviewer: Yeah, I think it is. Yeah, sort of combination Scottish, Irish, …
Little: Okay, yeah, the spelling on the first name is Gaelic too. All right, well it was a pleasure talking to you and, you know, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to my email. I’ll give you a call, and really this has been one of the more pleasant conversations I’ve had with the media.
Interviewer: Oh! I’m glad to hear it. I appreciate it. Thanks a lot. Have a good night. I will reach out if I have any other questions.
Little: Very well, you too. Bye.
Interviewer: Great.
Patrick Little — Twitter Protest, Dec 19, 2017 — TRANSCRIPT
Patrick Little — Speaks After Getting Kicked Out of GOP Convention, April 5, 2018 — TRANSCRIPT
Patrick Little — Interview with Newsweek, Apr 30, 2018 — TRANSCRIPT
Patrick Little — Interview with Radcapradio, May 13, 2018 — TRANSCRIPT
Patrick Little Returns with Luke Ford, May 28, 2018 — TRANSCRIPT
Patrick Little – Interview with Dennis Fetcho, May 31, 2018 — TRANSCRIPT
Patrick Little – Duels with Nick Fuentes, Jun 9, 2018 — TRANSCRIPT
Version 1 — May 5, 2018
* Total words = 4,323
* Total images = 10
* Total A4 pages = 29
Click to download a PDF of this post (1.6 MB):
Patrick Little — Interview with yahoo news 20180501 – TRANSCRIPT
Version 2: May 5, 2018 — Added PDF of post for download.
Version 1: May 4, 2018 — Published post.
This entry was posted in Afghanistan, America, Bk - Culture of Critique, BNP, Brainwashing, Cheka, Clinton - Bill, Deception, Holocaust, Holohoax, Jew World Order, Jewish Bolsheviks, Jewish Problem/Question, Jewish Supremacism, Jews - Hostile Elite, Media - jewish domination, Mind Control, Multiculturalism, New World Order, Patrick Little, Political Correctness, Propaganda, Race, Red Terror, Republican Party, Slavery, Soviet Union, Third World Immigration, Transcript, Twitter, Western Civilization, White genocide, White Nationalism, Zionists. Bookmark the permalink.
1 Response to Patrick Little — Interview with Yahoo News, May 1, 2018 — TRANSCRIPT
Pingback: Patrick Little — Interview with Yahoo News, May 1, 2018 — TRANSCRIPT | The New Nationalist
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Edtech platforms step up while Indonesia shuts downs schools in major cities
Written by Khamila Mulia Published on 16 Mar 2020
Ruangguru and Zenius Education are offering free programs to help students keep up with classwork at home.
Indonesia is one of the last countries in Southeast Asia to report cases of patients sick with COVID-19. Its first two cases were confirmed on March 2, and the disease is now spreading at a fast pace. Two weeks since then, five have died and 117 people have tested positive as of March 16. One of the infected patients is the country’s transportation minister, Budi Karya Sumadi.
Although Indonesia has not declared a national lockdown, President Joko Widodo urged the public to limit activities in public spaces, and to work and study at home. Schools in major cities like Greater Jakarta, Bandung, and Yogyakarta are closed for the next two weeks to limit transmission of the virus.
With millions of students confined to their homes, edtech platforms are stepping up by offering free services. Ruangguru launched programs where students can access live teaching sessions from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., according to an announcement made by Ruangguru CEO Belva Devara on the company’s Instagram account. The platform is providing 15 live teaching channels that are guided by selected teachers, covering all subjects between elementary level and grade 12. Students can also access the question bank and online practice exams for free.
Ruangguru is also offering online teacher training courses for free for a month. Trainee teachers have access to 250 training videos and modules covering basic competency materials in the pedagogical and professional fields, such as skills for managing classrooms, developing learning plans, and implementing project-based learning.
Similarly, Zenius Education is opening access to its 80,000 instruction videos to help students prepare for the upcoming national exams. According to its official statement, the platform will offer a free online practice exam session on the Zenius app and website on March 26. Also, teachers can share Zenius’ content with students and their parents through various social media platforms.
The president’s order to keep students at home is supported by the minister of education and culture Nadiem Makarim. In the minister’s official press statement, Nakarim said that he appreciates the support of tech companies that are helping students continue with their education during this time of crisis. In addition, the education ministry is developing a learning app called Rumah Belajar (home of study) that can be accessed through the ministry’s website.
It is not certain whether Indonesia will ever declare lockdowns—like those in China and Italy—due to the coronavirus’ rapid spread. However, with policies that encourage people to remain inside their homes as much as possible, the demand for online services such as learning apps and productivity tools will certainly increase. It won’t be surprising to see a significant surge in their traffic and user counts. In China, an education app called Xueersi saw a drastic increase in daily active users—nearly 27 times—after the Lunar New Year’s Eve.
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February 12, 2019 by Kington History Society
From the Extraordinary General Meeting in September it was clear that a merger with Kington Museum was likely, due mainly to the lack of interest from the membership in helping to run the Society. In particular, since Nancy Wheatland resigned as our programme secretary, nobody has been willing to take this on, so we had no programme beyond the Annual General Meeting. At this point a working group was formed to look at the way ahead and to consider the steps needing to be taken, however the final vote went. This group comprises Julia Reid, Margaret Atkinson and Alan Stoyel, all of whom serve on both committees, Nick Robinson who is on the History Society committee, and led by Denise North, a Museum committee member with considerable experience of charities management. A ballot was held at the end of the History Society’s Annual General Meeting in October. The choice was a stark one – either the Society was to merge with the Museum, or be disbanded. By the time all the votes had been received, including those sent by email or post, the final result was 46 in favour of a merger and 3 against.
This confirmed that, from the History Society’s point of view, an amalgamation of the two bodies would be the better outcome. Caroline Giles and Mary Tolhurst did put themselves forward as being willing to be part of a group to plan any future talks and visits, but this had no bearing on the result. The working group has had a subsequent meeting at which the next steps were formulated. The reasons received from any members as to why they had voted against the merger were discussed.
It was now up to the Museum to determine the feelings of its committee, friends and volunteers. On November 20th, at its AGM, another ballot was held, and the results favoured an amalgamation.
In the meantime, since the Society had no ongoing programme, Vera’s quiz and the Christmas social were brought forward to occupy the space that, in the past, would had been occupied by a talk. This was the very last meeting of the Society, and an opportunity to socialise, but it was poorly attended. Many members missed a particularly good quiz and excellent refreshments. As usual we have John Rerrie to thank for providing the drinks.
At the Annual General Meeting our treasurer, John Potts, resigned, both from the treasurership and the committee. We owe him a tremendous debt of thanks for so many years of service. Our thanks, too, go to his wife Thelma, who, along with John, has done so much to further the interests of the Society in so many ways. We are fortunate in having Margaret Atkinson to take his place. Margaret is also treasurer of the Museum, and is to be assisted by Gill Wilson, the Museum’s former treasurer, who will be doing all the book-keeping.
From the two bodies will emerge a single organisation, and the working group will guide both committees through this transition, ensuring that every step is democratic, that all statutory regulations are followed, and that it is in the common interest. For the last three years I had had in my mind that this was likely to be the way ahead, and subsequent developments have shown that this has to be the best outcome.
Now that this stage has been reached, I have resigned from the chair of the Museum, and Denise North has taken the position on. She is younger and more able to see things through, and I am confident the new organisation has an exciting future, combining the assets of both bodies. What is important to us all is that precious local records and artefacts stay here in Kington for the benefit of the Kington area’s inhabitants and visitors.
In due course a further updating Bulletin will be circulated.
(Alan Stoyel, chairman)
WISHING ALL MEMBERS A HAPPY CHRISTMAS
Museum & KHSoc News No. 1 →
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Outfitting Self-Driving Cars With AI Ethics Tuning Knobs
Oct 23, 2020·12 min read
Increasingly, AI developers are being asked to carefully design and build their AI mechanizations by ensuring that ethical considerations are at the forefront of the AI systems development process.
When fielding AI, those responsible for the operational use of the AI also need to be considering crucial ethical facets of the in-production AI systems. Meanwhile, the public and those using or reliant upon AI systems are starting to clamor for heightened attention to the ethical and unethical practices and capacities of AI.
Consider a simple example. Suppose an AI application is developed to assess car loan applicants. Using Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL), the AI system is trained on a trove of data and arrives at some means of choosing among those that it deems are loan worthy and those that are not.
The underlying Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is so computationally complex that there are no apparent means to interpret how it arrives at the decisions being rendered. Also, there is no built-in explainability capability and thus the AI is unable to articulate why it is making the choices that it is undertaking (note: there is a movement toward including XAI, explainable AI components to try and overcome this inscrutability hurdle).
Upon the AI-based loan assessment application being fielded, soon thereafter protests arose by some that assert they were turned down for their car loan due to an improper inclusion of race or gender as a key factor in rendering the negative decision.
At first, the maker of the AI application insists that they did not utilize such factors and professes complete innocence in the matter. Turns out though that a third-party audit of the AI application reveals that the ML/DL is indeed using race and gender as core characteristics in the car loan assessment process. Deep within the mathematically arcane elements of the neural network, data related to race and gender were intricately woven into the calculations, having been dug out of the initial training dataset provided when the ANN was crafted.
That is an example of how biases can be hidden within an AI system. And it also showcases that such biases can go otherwise undetected, including that the developers of the AI did not realize that the biases existed and were seemingly confident that they had not done anything to warrant such biases being included.
People affected by the AI application might not realize they are being subjected to such biases. In this example, those being adversely impacted perchance noticed and voiced their concerns, but we are apt to witness a lot of AI that no one will realize they are being subjugated to biases and therefore not able to ring the bell of dismay.
Various AI Ethics principles are being proffered by a wide range of groups and associations, hoping that those crafting AI will take seriously the need to consider embracing AI ethical considerations throughout the life cycle of designing, building, testing, and fielding AI.
AI Ethics typically consists of these key principles:
1) Inclusive growth, sustainable development, and well-being
2) Human-centered values and fairness
3) Transparency and explainability
4) Robustness, security, and safety
5) Accountability
We certainly expect humans to exhibit ethical behavior, and thus it seems fitting that we would expect ethical behavior from AI too.
Since the aspirational goal of AI is to provide machines that are the equivalent of human intelligence, being able to presumably embody the same range of cognitive capabilities that humans do, this perhaps suggests that we will only be able to achieve the vaunted goal of AI by including some form of ethics-related component or capacity.
What this means is that if humans encapsulate ethics, which they seem to do, and if AI is trying to achieve what humans are and do, the AI ought to have an infused ethics capability else it would be something less than the desired goal of achieving human intelligence.
You could claim that anyone crafting AI that does not include an ethics facility is undercutting what should be a crucial and integral aspect of any AI system worth its salt.
Of course, trying to achieve the goals of AI is one matter, meanwhile, since we are going to be mired in a world with AI, for our safety and well-being as humans we would rightfully be arguing that AI had better darned abide by ethical behavior, however that might be so achieved.
Now that we’ve covered that aspect, let’s take a moment to ponder the nature of ethics and ethical behavior.
Considering Whether Humans Always Behave Ethically
Do humans always behave ethically? I think we can all readily agree that humans do not necessarily always behave in a strictly ethical manner.
Is ethical behavior by humans able to be characterized solely by whether someone is in an ethically binary state of being, namely either purely ethical versus being wholly unethical? I would dare say that we cannot always pin down human behavior into two binary-based and mutually exclusive buckets of being ethical or being unethical. The real-world is often much grayer than that, and we at times are more likely to assess that someone is doing something ethically questionable, but it is not purely unethical, nor fully ethical.
In a sense, you could assert that human behavior ranges on a spectrum of ethics, at times being fully ethical and ranging toward the bottom of the scale as being wholly and inarguably unethical. In-between there is a lot of room for how someone ethically behaves.
If you agree that the world is not a binary ethical choice of behaviors that fit only into truly ethical versus solely unethical, you would therefore also presumably be amenable to the notion that there is a potential scale upon which we might be able to rate ethical behavior.
This scale might be from the scores of 1 to 10, or maybe 1 to 100, or whatever numbering we might wish to try and assign, maybe even including negative numbers too.
Let’s assume for the moment that we will use the positive numbers of a 1 to 10 scale for increasingly being ethical (the topmost is 10), and the scores of -1 to -10 for being unethical (the -10 is the least ethical or in other words most unethical potential rating), and zero will be the midpoint of the scale.
Please do not get hung up on the scale numbering, which can be anything else that you might like. We could even use letters of the alphabet or any kind of sliding scale. The point being made is that there is a scale, and we could devise some means to establish a suitable scale for use in these matters.
The twist is about to come, so hold onto your hat.
We could observe a human and rate their ethical behavior on particular aspects of what they do. Maybe at work, a person gets an 8 for being ethically observant, while perhaps at home they are a more devious person, and they get a -5 score.
Okay, so we can rate human behavior. Could we drive or guide human behavior by the use of the scale?
Suppose we tell someone that at work they are being observed and their target goal is to hit an ethics score of 9 for their first year with the company. Presumably, they will undertake their work activities in such a way that it helps them to achieve that score.
In that sense, yes, we can potentially guide or prod human behavior by providing targets related to ethical expectations. I told you a twist was going to arise, and now here it is. For AI, we could use an ethical rating or score to try and assess how ethically proficient the AI is.
In that manner, we might be more comfortable using that particular AI if we knew that it had a reputable ethical score. And we could also presumably seek to guide or drive the AI toward an ethical score too, similar to how this can be done with humans, and perhaps indicate that the AI should be striving towards some upper bound on the ethics scale.
Some pundits immediately recoil at this notion. They argue that AI should always be a +10 (using the scale that I’ve laid out herein). Anything less than a top ten is an abomination and the AI ought to not exist. Well, this takes us back into the earlier discussion about whether ethical behavior is in a binary state.
Are we going to hold AI to a “higher bar” than humans by insisting that AI always be “perfectly” ethical and nothing less so?
This is somewhat of a quandary due to the point that AI overall is presumably aiming to be the equivalent of human intelligence, and yet we do not hold humans to that same standard.
For some, they fervently believe that AI must be held to a higher standard than humans. We must not accept or allow any AI that cannot do so.
Others indicate that this seems to fly in the face of what is known about human behavior and begs the question of whether AI can be attained if it must do something that humans cannot attain.
Furthermore, they might argue that forcing AI to do something that humans do not undertake is now veering away from the assumed goal of arriving at the equivalent of human intelligence, which might bump us away from being able to do so as a result of this insistence about ethics.
Round and round these debates continue to go.
Those on the must-be topnotch ethical AI are often quick to point out that by allowing AI to be anything less than a top ten, you are opening Pandora’s box. For example, it could be that AI dips down into the negative numbers and sits at a -4, or worse too it digresses to become miserably and fully unethical at a dismal -10.
Anyway, this is a debate that is going to continue and not be readily resolved, so let’s move on.
If you are still of the notion that ethics exists on a scale and that AI might also be measured by such a scale, and if you also are willing to accept that behavior can be driven or guided by offering where to reside on the scale, the time is ripe to bring up tuning knobs. Ethics tuning knobs.
Here’s how that works. You come in contact with an AI system and are interacting with it. The AI presents you with an ethics tuning knob, showcasing a scale akin to our ethics scale earlier proposed. Suppose the knob is currently at a 6, but you want the AI to be acting more aligned with an 8, so you turn the knob upward to the 8. At that juncture, the AI adjusts its behavior so that ethically it is exhibiting an 8-score level of ethical compliance rather than the earlier setting of a 6.
What do you think of that?
Some would bellow out balderdash, hogwash, and just unadulterated nonsense. A preposterous idea or is it genius? You’ll find that there are experts on both sides of that coin. Perhaps it might be helpful to provide the ethics tuning knob within a contextual exemplar to highlight how it might come to play.
Here’s a handy contextual indication for you: Will AI-based true self-driving cars potentially contain an ethics tuning knob for use by riders or passengers that use self-driving vehicles?
Let’s unpack the matter and see.
As a quick clarification, true self-driving cars are ones that the AI drives the car entirely on its own and there isn’t any human assistance during the driving task.
These driverless vehicles are considered a Level 4 and Level 5, while a car that requires a human driver to co-share the driving effort is usually considered at a Level 2 or Level 3. The cars that co-share the driving task are described as being semi-autonomous, and typically contain a variety of automated add-on’s that are referred to as ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems).
Self-Driving Cars And Ethics Tuning Knobs
For Level 4 and Level 5 true self-driving vehicles, there won’t be a human driver involved in the driving task. All occupants will be passengers. The AI is doing the driving.
This seems rather straightforward. You might be wondering where any semblance of ethics behavior enters the picture. Here’s how. Some believe that a self-driving car should always strictly obey the speed limit.
Imagine that you have just gotten into a self-driving car in the morning and it turns out that you are possibly going to be late getting to work. Your boss is a stickler and has told you that coming in late is a surefire way to get fired.
You tell the AI via its Natural Language Processing (NLP) that the destination is your work address.
And, you ask the AI to hit the gas, push the pedal to the metal, screech those tires, and get you to work on-time.
But it is clear cut that if the AI obeys the speed limit, there is absolutely no chance of arriving at work on-time, and since the AI is only and always going to go at or less than the speed limit, your goose is fried.
Better luck at your next job.
Whoa, suppose the AI driving system had an ethics tuning knob.
Abiding strictly by the speed limit occurs when the knob is cranked up to the top numbers like say 9 and 10.
You turn the knob down to a 5 and tell the AI that you need to rush to work, even if it means going over the speed limit, which at a score of 5 it means that the AI driving system will mildly exceed the speed limit, though not in places like school zones, and only when the traffic situation seems to allow for safely going faster than the speed limit by a smidgen.
The AI self-driving car gets you to work on-time!
Later that night, when heading home, you are not in as much of a rush, so you put the knob back to the 9 or 10 that it earlier was set at.
Also, you have a child-lock on the knob, such that when your kids use the self-driving car, which they can do on their own since there isn’t a human driver needed, the knob is always set at the topmost of the scale and the children cannot alter it.
How does that seem to you?
Some self-driving car pundits find the concept of such a tuning knob to be repugnant.
They point out that everyone will “cheat” and put the knob on the lower scores that will allow the AI to do the same kind of shoddy and dangerous driving that humans do today. Whatever we might have otherwise gained by having self-driving cars, such as the hoped-for reduction in car crashes, along with the reduction in associated injuries and fatalities, will be lost due to the tuning knob capability.
Others though point out that it is ridiculous to think that people will put up with self-driving cars that are restricted drivers that never bend or break the law.
You’ll end-up with people opting to rarely use self-driving cars and will instead drive their human-driven cars. This is because they know that they can drive more fluidly and won’t be stuck inside a self-driving car that drives like some scaredy-cat.
As you might imagine, the ethical ramifications of an ethics tuning knob are immense.
In this use case, there is a kind of obviousness about the impacts of what an ethics tuning knob foretells.
Other kinds of AI systems will have their semblance of what an ethics tuning knob might portend, and though it might not be as readily apparent as the case of self-driving cars, there is potentially as much at stake in some of those other AI systems too (which, like a self-driving car, might entail life-or-death repercussions).
If you really want to get someone going about the ethics tuning knob topic, bring up the allied matter of the Trolley Problem.
The Trolley Problem is a famous thought experiment involving having to make choices about saving lives and which path you might choose. This has been repeatedly brought up in the context of self-driving cars and garnered acrimonious attention along with rather diametrically opposing views on whether it is relevant or not.
In any case, the big overarching questions are will we expect AI to have an ethics tuning knob, and if so, what will it do and how will it be used.
Those that insist there is no cause to have any such device are apt to equally insist that we must have AI that is only and always practicing the utmost of ethical behavior.
Is that a Utopian perspective or can it be achieved in the real world as we know it?
Only my crystal ball can say for sure.
The Tesla Model Y Is Set To Be The Future Of The Electric Vehicle
Joshua Hou in The Startup
Using The Versions Of Self-Driving Cars To Have Self-Driving Cars Predict Each Others Driving…
Smart Summon And The Issues With Self-Driving Cars
Vince Tabora in 0xMachina
Why Tesla, Not Waymo, is the Leader in Self-Driving Car Development
Yarrow Eady
What the Self-Driving Future Means for Human Drivers
Matthew Pettigrew in Predict
Elon Musk’s Dumb Lie About Smart Cars
inc. magazine in Inc Magazine
Jointly developing driverless vehicles and cities of tomorrow
How Covid-19 preselects the winners in the race for autonomous vehicles
Chris Lichtmannecker in The Startup
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Home / Blogs / Nate's blog
Socialist electoralism and the capitalist state
This blog post raises some questions posed by the election of Kshama Sawant to Seattle City Council and related developments, questions for people who are pro- and who are anti- this kind of electoral effort.
Some of my friends and comrades have written about the election of Kshama Sawant to Seattle City Council and related developments, here and here. I wrote this because I want to think some more about this election and many leftists’ response to it. It seems to me there are two basic reactions by people on the left. Some people see important possibilities in efforts to elect candidates like Sawant - I’ll call these people electoral optimists, and some people don’t see such possibilities - I’ll call these people electoral pessimists. I have the pessimistic response. The normal functions of the capitalist state will only ever result in creating or maintaining some version of capitalism. As such, I think electoral optimists are mistaken in their belief that they can still use the state for worthwhile radical political purposes in a non-revolutionary time.
That said, I think we should discuss this across different positions on the left. One of the unfortunate aspects of the left is that it’s hard to have conversations about these issues across different political perspectives. A lot of people on the left tend to limit who they talk with about these issues, talking about this stuff mostly with people they agree with. In some cases, comrades are in organizations that deliberately restrict who and how their members discuss ideas like this, which is very unfortunate. (This is one of many problems with democratic centralism.) It’s also hard to discuss these issues because of the short term stakes: the need to win an election can crowd out any discussion of the issues involved. I know some of my friends who have expressed skeptical views have had people get frustrated with them for expressing the skepticism, because it can detract from the effort to win these elections. That’s very unfortunate, and we should discuss this stuff anyway.
For the electoral optimists, above all, I want to ask you: comrades, what are your goals? Where do you think all of this is going? And what do you think will accomplish aside from your goals? After all, as Marx put it, people make history but not in the manner of our own choosing: most human efforts produce effects beyond those we want and intend. How will you deal with those additional effects? What's your plan? I don't know the answer to these questions, and I would like to. I also am very interested in hearing what ideas and writings inform your thinking on these matters. We come from different experiences of political traditions and organizations, so some references that may be obvious to you are not obvious to me. So, if I want to understand your outlook, are there things I should read?
For my fellow electoral pessimists, I think we have some work to do as well, to better articulate the reasons for our pessimism and our arguments as to why others should share our pessimism. I should add, I’m a state pessimist generally. I’m suspicious of the idea that the state can be used for any emancipatory political purposes. At the same time, I’m not sure I know how to articulate this in a way that will convince people who are optimistic about the state. I also think that there are important differences in the particulars - being optimistic about elections in the capitalist state in non-revolutionary times is different from being optimistic about, say, seizing state power in revolution, or being optimistic about the possibilities for a good
society to exist after a revolution while still having a state. These are related issues, but different ones, and I would most like to discuss the issue of electoralism. I think too often some of us rely on criticisms of other scenarios in order to criticize elections, as if a criticism of the direct seizure of state power automatically does all the work of a criticism of electoral participation. (I should also add, I may mostly be reflecting the gaps in my own reading and thinking here and unfairly attributing those failures to others. If so - someone school me!)
Anyway, for my fellow electoral and state pessimists, I would like to know, how do you argue for your pessimism? What do you recommend people read on this? My own views on this are primarily informed by various marxists who are skeptical about the state (I particularly like the short discussion of the capitalist state in Michael Heinrich’s recently translated book) and by parts of volume 1 of Marx’s Capital. I’m interested in other comrades’ go-to ideas on how to understand the state. I also think we should gather up as many of the current and historical arguments we can find that argue in favor of radicals pursuing elections in the capitalist state as a tactic, in order to evaluate and respond to those arguments. (I touch on these themes in some other blog posts, like "Workers, the state, and struggle," and "Navigating negotiations.")
In the rest of this post, I lay out two general theoretical points about the capitalist state and the state in general. I argue first that people who try to make use of the state will find that they end up becoming different people as a result of their efforts. I then talk about what I think is the general role of the state in capitalist society.
As far as I can tell, the comrades I’ve called electoral optimists believe it is possible to make some kind of politically worthwhile use of the capitalist state at a time like today, when there's not a revolution happening. That's what I want to talk about, which means I'm not going to talk about the relationship between states and ongoing revolutions, ideas about revolutionary states, or ideas about states after the revolution. Those are important ideas that are worth discussing but they're not my topic here.
The State As Tool And As Activity
When politicians and state institutions use phrases like "we, the people" and "the public" and so on, those phrases are supposed to make it sound like the state represents everyone's interests and is basically neutral. People on the left are relatively good at seeing through those kinds of claims about the neutrality of the state. As Engels put it, the state is "the state of the most powerful, economically dominant class, which through the medium of the state, becomes also the politically dominant class." Leftists tend to agree with Engels's basic assessment, but tend to disagree on some important details.
A key area of disagreement among leftists is about using the state to accomplish political goals. The idea of using the state implies that the state is a tool people can use. It's a thing which can be picked up and put down, or a place which can be occupied. That understanding makes sense. At the same time, there is another important understanding of the state: the state is an activity, many activities, actually. That is, the state is a social practice, a social relationship. This phrasing sounds awkward, but in a way, the state is something people do: people do the state, people act the state, the state is a collection of processes that people do.
The idea that the state is a thing that can be used is sometimes called the instrumentalist idea of the state, the idea that the state is just a tool to make use of. From that perspective, the state is used by the capitalist class to accomplish its goals. In his recently translated introduction to Marx's Capital, Marxist economist Michael Heinrich writes that it is definitely true that parts of the capitalist class sometimes succeed in using the state for their purposes. "The question," Heinrich asks," is whether or not this gets at "the fundamental characteristics of the modern bourgeois state." Heinrich answers no. The idea of the state as an instrument focuses only on "the particular application of the state" but neglects the state as a kind of social relationship and social practice.
A narrow focus on what Heinrich calls the application of the state instead of thinking of the state as a social practice leads some leftists to neglect at least two important aspects of the state that I want to highlight here. First, it neglects the effects of doing state activity on the people who do that activity. Second, it neglects the relationship between state activities and the maintenance of capitalism.
Making Use of the State Makes You A Different Person
Doing state activity shapes the person doing that activity. Who we are is partly the result of what we do. For example, workers bodies are shaped by the work we perform, and our emotions and ideas are shaped by the experiences of taking orders and in some cases giving orders to others. (We are also shaped by our experiences of race, gender, sexuality, and other aspects of social life.) Capitalists are similarly shaped by being capitalists: their experiences and activities shape their consciousness and their way of being in the world - shape who they are as people.
Imagine that a sincere radical won the lottery, then used that money to buy a factory. Would that person's ideas and outlook change as a result of their new social position and their new experiences? It seems very likely. At the least, they would face pressures to be a different person and would face difficult decisions about what kind of person they want to be. If they prioritized their financial interests as a factory owner, they would become a different person. The same thing happens at a smaller level: workers who get promoted to positions at work where they are supervisors and managers begin to become different people as a result of their new experiences of giving orders and facing resistance to their orders. (Or, again, they at least face pressures to become different people, and hard choices about what kind of person they want to be, being pulled between their priorities and interests as a boss and their other values and commitments. This is part of why leftist bosses in union drives tend to act basically like any other boss. The realization that they are acting basically like any other boss, and so are not living up to the person they want to be, tends to be unpleasant for them and is a realization they often try to hide from.) The same thing happens to workers who become small business owners and/or landlords.
What do we expect will happen when leftists become part of the state? I think we can expect the same sort of results, and I think the historical record supports this. When leftists become state personnel, they eventually become different people. Or at least, when leftists become state personnel they face pressures and have to make decisions about what kind of person to be, and it is very difficult to not become at least a somewhat different person as a result. These dynamics are more intense the more decision-making power someone has within the state. I can imagine a response which says "Yes, when we become part of the state, we take these risks, because being a radical means taking risks and making unpleasant choices." That's fair. But I wonder, what is the plan, comrades, for those of you who seek to be part of the state or who seek to help another comrade become part of the state? How will you deal with these transformations or pressures to transform who you and your comrade are as a person? The idea that we can become part of the state without becoming different people strikes me as utopian, just as utopian as saying we can become capitalists or landlords or police without becoming different people. People who seek to use the state to accomplish radical goals will very likely find that they become different people as a result. Making use of the state eventually makes you a different person.
Capitalists And The State, Production and Reproduction
The idea of using the state to accomplish leftist political goals tends to involve some understanding that the current state favors some groups over others. Leftists efforts to use the state involve forcing the state to change how much it favors different groups. As Michael Heinrich puts it, "the instrumentalist conception of the state usually leads to the demand for an alternative use of the state: the claim of common welfare should finally be taken seriously and the interests of other class more strongly taken into consideration." The idea that the capitalist state can be used for radical political purposes outside of revolutionary times seems to involve this kind of understanding of the state: under the right circumstances, the state can be used for other purposes than just serving capitalists' interests.
Above all, the role of the state in capitalist society is to keep society capitalist. As Engels put it, the state is the "ideal personification" of the capitalist class. As Michael Heinrich puts it, this means the state serves the general interest in capitalist society, which means a specifically capitalist version of the general interest, or the general interest of the capitalist class. That does not mean all capitalists get what they want. That doesn't necessarily even mean that any capitalists get what they want. The capitalist class's most basic interest is that it continue to exist as a class, which is to say, the capitalist class's most basic interest as a class is that our society remain capitalist. That continued existence of capitalism explains why the state sometimes acts in opposition to the desires or interests of particular groups of capitalists.
Capitalists tend to focus on their own short-term interests. They are not automatically class conscious, nor are they automatically loyal to their class. Just as some workers will sometimes betray each other and their class by serving as scabs and police informants or by otherwise harming other working class people, similarly sometimes individual capitalists will harm other capitalists and the capitalist class as a whole. Indeed, capitalists have to compete with each other as part of their class position, and this competition pushes against capitalist class consciousness and class loyalty. This also means that individual capitalists or groups of don't necessarily seek to preserve capitalism as a whole. The current threats to our planet's environment illustrate this: if climate change gets too intense, we face some terrifying potential futures. This is in part the result of the petrochemical industries. Those capitalists profit greatly through actions that threaten other capitalists and perhaps the continued existence of the capitalist class as a whole.
The possibility of ecological devastation is an example of some capitalists threatening the conditions that make capitalism possible. One of the most basic conditions for capitalism to exist is the existence of the working class. Capitalists pay workers to produce goods and services which belong to the capitalists. Capitalists sell those goods and services. Workers get a portion of the value of what they produce. Workers' portion is smaller than what we contributed. That difference is what Marx called surplus value. Surplus value is key to capitalism, and our labor is what produces surplus value. No workers, no surplus value, and so no capitalism. Each capitalist enterprise is largely focused on the continued production of surplus value at their enterprise and is less focused on maintaing the overall conditions for the existence of capitalism. This is where the state comes in. The state's role is reproductive. The state helps maintain and reproduce capitalism. The state helps make sure that capitalist production can continue. The state's role is to prevent capitalist production from undermining the reproduction of capitalist society. The state is in part an institution for introducing some measure of planning into capitalist society.
If left unchecked, individual capitalists and groups of capitalists tend to threaten the reproduction of capitalism. And so, the reproduction of capitalism requires some control over capitalist production. This is part of the state's role, to govern capitalist production in the interest of the capitalist class as a whole and in the interest of society continuing to be capitalist society. This is part of why we have laws like social security, workers compensation, food stamps, limits on work hours, occupational safety and health regulations, and so on. As Heinrich puts it, these laws "limit capital's possibilities (…) but secure them in the long term." That is, these kinds of laws restrict individual capitalists and groups of capitalists, in order to preserve the existence of capitalism. Individual capitalists and groups of capitalists tend to see these kinds of laws as a limit on them and a cost for them, and they often oppose these kinds of laws. This is part of why it often takes social struggles to create these kinds of laws which improve aspects of workers' lives under capitalism. This does not mean such improvements are necessarily steps toward ending capitalism. In chapter 10 of Capital, Marx describes the English Factory Acts as greatly improving the lives of the English working class by reducing work hours. English capitalists greatly opposed these laws, and they lost. And these laws improving workers' lives pushed English capitalism into an even more profitable form. Marx describes these laws as helping cause a shift from capital accumulation based on what he called absolute surplus value, meaning extension of work time, to accumulation based on what he called relative surplus value, the intensification of labor productivity. That is, what may seem to individual capitalists like a limitation can eventually result in higher profits for capitalists over all, and not just a limitation imposed for the sake of capitalism’s long-term health.
I think this is one possible role that radical involved in efforts like the Sawant election could end up playing. Radicals don’t care about capitalists and their interests. This indifference to capitalists means that radicals are willing to push through limits on current capitalists. Which is to say, radicals in political office are willing to rise above the particular and current interests of individual capitalists and groups of capitalists and to act in line with a larger general interest. In my view, though, this larger interest is always and only going to be a version of the capitalist general interest, at least when exercised through legitimate political offices in the capitalist state. Mamos from Black Orchid Collective refers to “capitalism’s shock absorbers,” which refers to the institutions that govern society in the interests of capitalism. Mamos argues that what made the Sawant election possible is the thinning out of those shock absorbers. I agree with that. I also think, though, that the Sawant election and similar efforts could result in a renewal of existing shock absorbers or the creation of new ones. This is not because of the individual intentions or sincerity or political outlook of the people involved, it’s just what results from the state.
To put the point abstractly: the capitalist state is a set of institutions that organizes the capitalist class and the working class as interest groups within capitalism, that regulates the specific forms of social relations in capitalist society, and that maintains society as capitalist society. The capitalist state is only ever going to produce some version of capitalist society. Individual state personnel having radical ideas will not change that. If anything, state personnel with radical ideas might ultimately improve capitalism, because those radical ideas will help state personnel disregard any particular capitalists’ interests, but the result will
be only a different capitalism.
Nate Hawthorne
state socialism
Nate's blog
This is awesome Nate. If I find some free time, I want to comment a bit more specifically. But for the time being, just know this is awesome.
I agree with Chilli, great piece by Nate.
I also think it's important to dis-aggregate the argument around electoralism in the "here and now", both from other questions around radical transformation to a post-capitalist society (revolutionism & the "transition question") and also from an assumption that anti-electoralism is somehow part and parcel of a left libertarian or anarchist perspective. Certain fascists and authoritarian socialists also advocate anti-electoralism and radical change through violence or insurrection. In fact, if anything, I would guess that most people would associate anti-electoralism as being inherently authoritarian or dictatorial, so assuming an obvious link between anarchist/libertarian politics and anti-electoralism is doubly problematic. Secondly there's no necessary reason why people with reformist agendas that are not fundamentally anti-capitalist, cannot adopt anti-electoralist or even direct action perspectives. We see this a fair amount in the environmental movement, for e.g. So strategic anti-electoralism needs to be argued on its own merits. Both as a strategy for social change in general and as part of a strategy of class recomposition in particular. In the latter case, there are certainly left electoralists who argue for a "left regroupment/unity" electoralism explicitly on the grounds of providing a vehicle for recomposition, so our arguments need to address that.
Finally, just a note on the Kshama thing. One of the editors of spiritofcontradition.eu told me that the recent letter of resignation from the Irish SP by a number of leading cadres was rejected for publication by thenorthstar.info because "Kshama is popular", and she being a CWI member now presumably means that criticism of the Irish (or presumably British) SP therefore cannot be carried. An early example of the "chilling effect" of electoral success.
Very cogently argued, Nate, great job.
Heinrich also more explicitly takes aim at electoralist conceptions in his critique of Die Linke's draft program, available here
Somewhat tangentially related, english translation of José Gutierrez' reflections on the recent Chilean electoral debacle http://www.anarkismo.net/article/26584
I'm an electoral optimist, and I justify my position with the last words of this very interesting article: "a different capitalism". If electoral effort can help moving the balance of the economic system a bit to the left, so be it. I think that a left-wing government is unquestionably better than a right-wing one, although still framed in the statist vision of society. Surely voting won't bring the overcoming of capitalism and the state, but refusing to vote for a left-wing party/coalition/candidate will only help the opposing side, and pretending that the two sides are equally bad is quite foolish. From a certain point of view I'm a pragmatist and I don't see how abstaining instead of voting will concretely help the anti-capitalist cause. If someone thinks otherwise, please correct me.
Mate, I think you'll be getting some correcting...
I'd start with this (it's short, don't worry) if you want to see where most regular posters on this site are coming from:
http://libcom.org/library/state-introduction
so basically whoever you vote for, government always wins
Yes, I'll definitely be getting a lot of correcting, but I was expecting it . Thanks for the link (although I've already read that piece).
From a certain point of view I'm a pragmatist and I don't see how abstaining instead of voting will concretely help the anti-capitalist cause.
You could flip that statement on it's head, though, couldn't you? How can voting concretely help the anti-capitalist cause?
I'm a bit of a pragmatist myself. I'm all for gaining concessions from the state - I'd love a bit more social democracy in my life. It's just how we achieve those concessions that counts.
Solidarity, direct action, and collective activity boost the confidence and combativity of the class. Voting, lobbying, symbolic action, trade union bargaining, etc are, at best, a mediation of the power we actually hold as a class. So why even give validity to a system that is fundamentally against us by voting?
You ever see that quote from solidarity?
"Meaningful action, for revolutionaries, is whatever increases the confidence, the autonomy, the initiative, the participation, the solidarity, the equalitarian tendencies and the self-activity of the masses and whatever assists in their demystification. Sterile and harmful action is whatever reinforces the passivity of the masses, their apathy, their cynicism, their differentiation through hierarchy, their alienation, their reliance on others to do things for them and the degree to which they can therefore be manipulated by others - even by those allegedly acting on their behalf."
I don't vote (think I did it once in a local election and I'm not young) but I'd struggle to pretend that a 'better capitalism' can't make all the difference when you are close to the line and every penny counts. I'm doing ok atm so I can afford not voting.
Living in Sweden I also have to compare getting us getting 480 days of guaranteed leave at 80% pay when we had our kid to the two unpaid weeks or whatever I'd gotten in the UK! Of course you can't claim it's all due to pure electoralism or pretend that Sweden isn't a capitalist shithole in almost every other way. Thing is that a 'small' thing like that makes a hell of a difference to your daily life.
I doubt I'll ever vote but when looking at it coldly it does seem a bit of an abstract political pose.
Actively participating in the electoral circus and putting in work for elections is another issue and perhaps the one the OP is focusing on?
kropotcorn
Yep, great post. I especially like the straightforward language you've used to explain the state as an activity.
Good blog, thanks. Dodgy internet connection so will keep it brief. In England, the most cited example of electoral optimists' is the Militant (now Socialist Party) councillors in Liverpool. Though I think they ended up making mass layoffs. I'd be interested in hearing from people who were around at the time on that.
Currently Brighton has a Green council (they're the biggest party but not a majority, I think that's called a plurality?). We also have the only Green MP. There's already been some big conflicts over attempts to cut council workers' pay, which have lead to strike action.
More to say, will post when I have a better connection.
Cooked wrote:
Yeah that's totally what I meant. I wasn't clear, my fault. And I agree with you that a better capitalism is really better for people in real ways. I definitely didn't mean to suggest otherwise, if I did that's clumsiness on my part. I'm the sole income in a family of four at the moment and we only manage to make ends meet through the assistance of the meager welfare state here. And when my kids were born I got two weeks off and 10 days the second, had to go back to work because we needed the money and I desperately wanted more time off. I've also made really serious life choices, like the timing of when we had our kids, based on access to health insurance. Like Chili said, I'd be up for a bit of social democracy myself, at least in terms of comfort in my life. The thing is though how does all that relate to the stuff in that quote from Solidarity that Chili posted? I'm not convinced it does, necessarily. But yeah, anyway, I really meant doing the electoral work, like campaigning and whatnot. Sorry that wasn't clear.
Thanks the rest of y'all for your kind words, I appreciate it, and your thoughts on this are interesting. I'm pretty sure that the tendency in Liverpool is connected to Sawant's organization, like they're in the same international or something.
What about business union officials? Could we say that pie cards serve the interest of the state as well? I think so. The interest of the business union agent is to ensure that workers pay dues to further the health of the union. So the pie card wants the wages of workers and productivity of their labor to increase in order to serve the ends of their union and the boss. The business union agent negotiates with capital and the state, thus they serve and important role in making capitalism sustainable for the interests of capital and the state.
Nate wrote:
Yeah that's totally what I meant. I wasn't clear, my fault.
Your text is clear about this. The conversation was going elsewhere and I just attempted to steer it back.
The thing is though how does all that relate to the stuff in that quote from Solidarity that Chili posted? I'm not convinced it does, necessarily.
A common analysis of the leftish political parties here is that they need grassroots and radical movements to pressure them leftwards. Movements outside the parties are just as effective. This means that organising according to the solidarity quote above will have positive reformist side effects while building for communism and ignoring electoralism.
I don't know how true the above theory is in todays economy. If it's even possible to have significant reformist gains particularly when taking into account the idea that the main function of the state is maintaining capitalism?
I'm pretty sure that the tendency in Liverpool is connected to Sawant's organization, like they're in the same international or something.
Yup, it's the Committee for a Workers' International. Which is the pet "I-can't-believe-it's-not-the-Fourth-International-(again)" international of the Socialist Party of England & Wales (SPEW), formerly publically known as the Militant Tendency, privately/covertly as the Revolutionary Socialist League (RSL).
See also my note on the censoring of the recent resignation statement by Irish Socialist Party members for fear of offending Kshama supporters in last para of my first comment.
Agent of the In...
Blog Piece of the Year!
Its excellent because it criticizes electoralism in most part through a criticism of the nature of the state and its relationship to capitalism, which is the only way such a critique can go about (at least, from an anarchist perspective). And doing just that have been very rare.
And it comes around the right time, when there is a lot of optimism around left-wing figures like Sawant and Bill de Blasio of NYC. If there have been any criticism of these figures from the left itself, its mostly of the variety, "look, they're betraying their promises". Which leads me to asking, is there any chance this piece can be published in left outlets? Since, after all, it does address their ideas and concerns, and they are the ones who have to hear such a critique.
Thanks Agent. It just got reposted by the North Star which I think it's fair to say has a slightly different audience than libcom - http://www.thenorthstar.info/?p=11739
Cooked, I like this: "organising according to the solidarity quote above will have positive reformist side effects while building for communism and ignoring electoralism." Can you elaborate on this please?
"I don't know how true the above theory is in todays economy. If it's even possible to have significant reformist gains particularly when taking into account the idea that the main function of the state is maintaining capitalism?"
Ocelot, I like your point about chilling effects too. I know friends of mine were hesitant to voice criticisms prior to the elections and did get some frustrated responses from other people for doing so. I'm sympathetic to some of that impulse - there are times for shutting up and getting on board, I think, but it can't be all the time, and I think all or nothing sorts of contests like elections (union certification elections too) maybe make it harder to have conversations about issues like this. I also know that some individuals inside Socialist Alternative (the US one, Sawant's party) have some similar reservations, but they're not supposed to discuss them publicly, and I don't know if they're allowed to form internal political minority tendencies in their organization. That's a different sort of chilling effect, and an unfortunate one because these are issues worth discussing I think.
Jan 3 2014 07:27
Thanks for a thoughtful article.
Leninism (Stalinist/Trot or "anti-revisionist" has apparently returned to the Social-Democracy from which it ancestors sprang. SAlt's victory in Seattle is basically very little different than if CPUSA, SPUSA or Socialist Action's (mainstream Trots) won. They offer slightly left Democrats program or something that is so bizzaro it would fall apart if attempted to be implemented.
But I suggest investigating the impossibilist/radical Socialist experiences to the discussion. Their view was basically accepting the anarchist belief that the state was what gave the capitalist's power. Their view was to stick a stick in it's spokes. Sab it. The best known example of which is Karl Liebknecht's activity in the Reichstag. Also I would include Eugene Deb's campaigns for US President, especially the 1920 one from from prison.
Less known is the "old" Socialist Party of Canada (pre-1931), an impossibilist party elected legislators in Alberta, BC and Manitoba. They viewed their candidates as delegates who were sent by the working class of their ridings. They usually didn't participate in proceedings, unless it benefited the working class. In BC they were best known for accepting a series of major betterment of labor laws in exchange for voting on some procedural matters.
leeeberation
Do we have to chose between "optimism" and "pessimism" about the state? Social reality tends not to be so simple. I'm a pessimist about Blasio in NYC (see how he nominated the fellow responsible for stop and frisk to police chief) but I'm an optimist about any elected official who takes marching orders directly from sections of class conscious workers.
CWI's short term demands are pretty ... meh ... but they reflect the demands of workers in Seattle who have particular needs. I think elected officials can be one of many tools in the toolbox of an activist class. And whatever problems with Trotskyism, they are committed Marxists with a commitment to the working class seizing the MOP. Mrs Sawant recently spoke of Boeing workers expropriating their factory - hardly the words of someone drawn into liberalism through their participation in electoral politics.
I agree with your argument about the nature of the state changing the priorities of the politicians in office. However, there is no way to establish any kind of absolute determinism in that respect. After all, Engels was a factory owner, yet despite that remained a committed revolutionary. Business or the state is not so mystical as to be able to always change the character of people in every situation. Yes it tends to change someone's class interest, especially politicians focused on re-election, but that's not some law of nature. If a politician is elected by a class conscious political base which is independently active, there's no way to be certain that the politician will then go and backstab their constituents.
Really, I think people make too much of electoralism - whether we support the candidate or not. We shouldn't be arguing about whether or not to support the candidate, we should be demanding that the candidate support the working class. Let their actions be the basis for our judgement.
Sanvanlan
Great article Nate, it reminded me of two things I have seen happening in leftist electoralism in student bodies.
In Germany I saw radical leftist groups participating in student elections, the idea being that if they get elected they get office space, some money and other resources, which can then be used for campaigns outside the elected bodies. I didn't speak to them long enough to find out how this worked out, and how this influenced their behaviour unfortunateley.
In the university where I studied, in the Netherlands, I saw a radical group participating in elections. Their first goal was to get access to documents as soon as they were elected. But within a year at least parts of them were deradicalized. Some said they should stay in for the decisions as well, since they could make minor improvements which would matter in the long run. After two years, there was some split since some of them saw the university board no longer as the opponent, but as an ally. Seeing this destroyed my last small bit of hope in electoralism. Unfortunately, once more, I cannot tell what happened in the German case, because when I heard about that the first time it sounded legitimate to me.
leeeberation wrote:
No elected official takes marching order directly from workers, class conscious or otherwise. These aren't mandated delegates. And unless an elected official wants the government that they're now a part of to go bankrupt as a result of capital flight, they'll certainly be inclined toward encouraging capital accumulation.
And whatever problems with Trotskyism, they are committed Marxists with a commitment to the working class seizing the MOP.
Trotskyists (at least the ones who're actually in line with Trotsky's politics) have a commitment to the erection of a party dictatorship and state capitalism. Trotskyism and Leninist variants in general are in stark opposition to communism. Also in sharp contrast with Marx's view that the emancipation of the proletariat is the task of the proletariat itself, and the conception of socialist revolution being lead by a vanguard party of professional revolutionaries that brings "socialist consciousness" to a proletariat unable to develop further than "trade union consciousness" on its own is idealist rubbish.
Fortunately, putting aside that Trotskyists are not a significant political force in the US, most self-described Trots I know are generally ignorant of his reactionary role in the Russian Revolution and probably less in agreement with him than they think.
Really, I think people make too much of electoralism - whether we support the candidate or not. We shouldn't be arguing about whether or not to support the candidate, we should be demanding that the candidate support the working class.
Devoting any amount of time or energy to making demands of politicians does nothing to further the self-organization, confidence, and autonomy of the working class and is generally of very limited usefulness even in terms of accomplishing immediate goals.
blackstarblackfist
I generally lean towards electoral pessimist for many reasons already mentioned but where I see the strongest case for optimism (or pragmatism) is in the idea of privilege. If the goal is revolution or the end of capitalism then forget about it BUT we admit that long term preservation of capitalism involves social policies that benefit the working class then it is up to the working class to deny these benefits and advance revolutionary tactics. It has always felt privileged for me as a white, middle class individual to choose not to engage and put things like food stamps, unemployment benefits at risk which won't affect me, but will undoubtedly affect those less fortunate. At the same time legitimizing the state through participation also causes me grief. Complex issue indeed.
kingzog
Apr 9 2014 20:45
I realize this is an old thread, but.... I'm wondering if the SA is truly reformist in the sense they want to *reform away* capitalism through the state in some sort of peaceful manner, like how some 19th century/early 20th century Social-democrats wanted? Or are they more like orthodox Leninists and Trotskyists? Maybe this is a question worth pursuing?
I mean, it's difficult to figure out. Traditional Leninists and Trotskyist don't believe the state can be used (hence the whole smashing the state deal), but Trots do believe in electing people to office for propaganda purposes. But I think maybe Socialist Alternative has broken with the othrodoxy and feels that society could be changed through the state.
klas batalo
Either they don't know what the hell they are doing (very well possible they are just trying anything) or they do think of this as a propaganda move. Otherwise they are just riding opportunistically on the FF15 thing, which is really more adopted program than their orthodoxy. Though I'm sure they see it as some sort of transitional demand.
Entdinglichung
differs from case to case, e.g. the members of the SAP (USFI) who became elected on the list of the Red Green Unity List to the Danish parliaments try very hard to be constructive MPs while the notion of revolution is probably still hidden somewhere in their head while the newly elected MPs and state assembly members of the FIT (an electoral alliance of PO, PTS and Izquierda Socialista) in Argentine are doing it the classical Liebknecht way
kingzog wrote:
I tried to look up some stuff on their core political positions recently (it might have been when I first saw your question on that) and I couldn't find anything. I have a vague memory that I don't totally trust, that they used to have more stuff on like their general political outlook (like the ISO does) on their web site. If I'm right about that and if that stuff's been taken down now instead of just me being able to find it, that'd be interesting. (I'd appreciate if someone else could doublecheck this by looking at their site, and I should probly use the Wayback Machine to see if older versions of their site really did have more info like this.)
Hmm. I dunno, their "About" and "Publications" pages seem pretty standard for a trot org of the Militant/SP type. "Nationalise the Top 500 companies" (About us), "Lenin, was he just really cool, or like totally fucking awesome?" (Publications - ok, maybe I slightly paraphrased that last one... .
I've been thinking more about this. I think the difficulty of finding out what their program really is, is due to the tradition of the "transitional demand." They make these programs like, "nationalize the top 500 companies" as sort of propaganda demands. They don't think these demands could be realistically met within capitalism but they are not revolutionary demands; they make them to get people excited and riled up and because they don't think average people are ready for a maximum program (a revolutionary program).
"It is necessary to help the masses in the process of the daily struggle to find the bridge between present demand and the socialist program of the revolution." http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1938/tp/index.htm
Sawant talked about using the local government to seize the Boeing plant if the company moved to the south. It's not a revolutionary program, but it's a reform which is clearly unreasonable. So It's transitional-- between minimum program and maximum program.
I'm an IWW member living in the U.S. Midwest, writing about politics and questions I'm trying to think through. I'm also part of the editorial crew at Recomposition.
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Under the Big Black Sun: California Art 1974–81
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
John Divola, Zuma #9 (1978/2006)
Events sometimes tell their own story. 1974: Richard Nixon resigns; Patty Hearst is kidnapped by left-wing terrorists; the U.S. oil crisis continues. 1975: Saigon falls; Gerald Ford survives two assassination attempts, both in California. 1976: Chairman Mao dies. 1977: Elvis Presley dies; Jimmy Carter is sworn in. 1978: Californian cult, the Peoples Temple, commits mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana; Harvey Milk and George Moscone are shot in San Francisco; Proposition 13, limiting Californian property taxation, is passed. 1979: Three Mile Island nuclear disaster; the U.S. embassy in Tehran is seized; revolution in Nicaragua; Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, reigniting the Cold War. 1980: the U.S. and other countries boycott the Summer Olympics in Moscow; John Lennon is murdered. 1981: assassination attempt on the Pope; Egyptian president Anwar Sadat is assassinated; AIDS is identified; Ronald Reagan is sworn in as president.
These seven years in California were, as David Foster Wallace once titled an essay on John Updike, ‘Certainly the End of Something or Other, One Would Sort of Have to Think’.[i] Countercultural icons died, extremist factions became more active, and US popular politics veered to the right. The future no longer inspired confidence, and moral degeneracy (epitomized by Nixon’s disgrace) was thought to be to blame. The Christian right argued for the reuniting of church and state, and was instrumental in bringing Reagan to power. Artists also recognized a need for strong moral voices, many arguing instead for the reuniting of art and life.
The something that ended, curator Paul Schimmel forthrightly states in his introductory essay, was Modernism. The movement had become emblematic of those centralized, authoritative institutions that were so mistrusted. What replaced it was a pluralism of forms, styles, interests and agendas that teemed in the era’s mood of disenchantment and anxiety. Sunshine was obscured by noir, to paraphrase one of the city’s more fatuous characterizations (also echoed by Schimmel in his choice of title, lifted from a 1982 album by Los Angeles Punk band X).
News photographs of the above events are projected throughout the exhibition. Schimmel may be amongst the first to chronicle their impact on American art in the late 1970s.[ii] He is certainly alone amongst curators contributing to Pacific Standard Time (of which this show is a major part) in claiming this narrow window as the source of California’s most underrated contribution to international art discourse. He makes some bold assertions. ‘What cohered as Postmodernism during the 1980s in New York effectively codified ideas and concepts evolving from art made in California between 1974 and 1981,’ he writes.[iii] This specious argument seems to rest on the heterogeneity of the Californian art scene, relatively free from the pressures of the art market and the obeisance to ‘movements’ and trends seen at that time in New York.[iv] While this may have contributed to its ongoing development, Postmodernism is generally thought to have been well underway by 1981, already having assimilated the influence of regions as diverse as Las Vegas, Italy and Japan in fields outside visual art.[v]
The exhibition’s most evident concern is not Postmodernism, but politics. It opens with a draft of Richard Nixon’s resignation speech, on loan from the Nixon Library. Quadruple-spaced in Courier type, formally it resembles much of the text-based art that follows. While options for word processing were vastly more limited in the late ‘70s than they are now, this typographical format came to stand in art for a professional but personal mode of written address: Douglas Huebler, for instance, uses it to explain his procedure for making Variable Piece #70 (In Process): 166A (1975–6), and signs it like a letter at the bottom. As part of My Father’s Diary (1975), Guy de Cointet also types his first-person narrative over four sheets of paper (even today, Courier font is the industry standard for screenplays.) In her collages Downtown and Sunset (both 1980), Alexis Smith pairs typed snatches of Chandleresque narrative with non-sequitur items of bricolage, tempting the detective work to which her vocabulary alludes.
Comparison and allegiance seem to have guided Schimmel’s sprawling hang, which packs MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary – a difficult, warehouse-like space – with over 500 objects by around 130 artists. There is no single path through the show, and alternative routes unfold different associations. His approach is overtly anti-hierarchical, hiding many of the era’s most familiar figures (Paul McCarthy, John Baldessari, Mike Kelley) in the gallery’s farthest reaches. There’s a Hollywood-themed room, in which the lion from Jack Goldstein’s film Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1975) roars impotently alongside William Leavitt’s The Impossible (1980), a fiberglass dungeon wall with an ominously dangling chain. Then there’s a Romantic Conceptualist room, in which Vija Celmins’ cloned rocks (To Fix the Image in Memory, 1977–82) chime with Paul and Marlene Kos’ video Lightning (1976) and Bas Jan Ader’s sea shanties. Nearby are grouped four Bay area artists – Joan Brown, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, Stephen J. Kaltenbach and Linda Montano – who have all been influenced in one way or another by Buddhism. If these groupings affirm certain stereotypical views of Californian life – whether Tinseltown schmaltz or an interest in Eastern spirituality – then their parallel inclusion (and interrelation) complicates a simplistic image of the state. Leavitt and Ader were, for instance, close colleagues, despite Leavitt’s interest in artifice and Ader’s embrace of genuine peril.
Schimmel’s strategy of comparison seems at first somewhat conflicted. If the era’s most enduring legacy was that of diversity, then isn’t it counterintuitive to emphasize similarity? Pluralism, however, was as much about finding kinship as it was about declaring difference.[vi] If minority groups such as African-American, Chicano, Latino, Feminist or Queer artists made their voices heard in the melee, they did so because of strong links among their peers. What is interesting is where we see these identifications fraying; it is revealing to see Chicano collective ASCO espousing a photo-conceptualist approach akin to that of Chris Burden, while white artists such as Jonathan Borofsky or Terry Allen were clearly influenced by Mexican muralists.
While artists saw widely disparate artistic strategies as equally valid, they also realized that the wider public did not yet share this view. Their transgression of aesthetic categories was deliberately confusing. Gorgeous hanging banners by Billy Al Bengston (by reputation one of the more macho Finish Fetish artists) are aesthetically sympathetic to the nearby drawings and fabric works of the younger, Feminist artists Kim MacConnel and Judy Chicago. No indication is given, however, of who influenced whom.
Black and white documentary photography proliferates, both architectural (Lewis Baltz, Judy Fiskin, Joe Deal, James Welling) and social (Chauncey Hare, Ellen Brooks, Allan Sekula). The deluge of similar work makes it difficult to parse the divergences between these artists’ concerns. Welling’s near-formalist compositions, for instance, are very different in intent to the ‘New Topographics’ work of Deal or Baltz. In the cases of Hare and Sekula, their images seem rather co-opted into telling socio-political stories (in the manner of the contextual slideshows through the exhibition) at the expense of their reflections on the nature of their own medium.
Faring better, here, are the artists who, in the manner of the nascent Pictures Generation, approached photography as a field of opaque 2D objets trouvées. Mike Mandel and Larry Sultan, in the often hilarious Evidence (1977), reprinted archival photographs without explicatory text; in another series, Christopher Williams detailed, in tortuously long titles, the source of his images (the John F. Kennedy Library) and the conditions for their selection (shot on May 10, 1963, with the President’s back turned to the camera). Politics, in this work, is inextricably entwined with a commentary on the movement, presentation and interpretation of images.
It is a nice irony that light – California’s most bountiful resource – should remain the primary ingredient in works that are so conceptually and tonally gloomy. Robert Heinecken made Inaugural Excerpt Videograms (1981) by pressing photographic paper to his television screen at key moments in Reagan’s swearing-in ceremony; the blurry faces appear submerged, like Terry Schoonhaven’s nearby painting Downtown Los Angeles Underwater (1979). In his Zuma series (1977/2006), John Divola framed improbable Pacific sunsets within the smashed windows of a derelict Malibu beach house. The flash of his camera makes the ocean light seem all the more unreal – almost toxic.
The influence of Punk is felt throughout the exhibition. Its music andsubculture arrived in California in the mid-1970s, imported from London to L.A.’s Sunset Strip. For many young artists, its energy and danger superseded the increasingly formalized art performance scene. It soon spread to San Francisco, and splintered into diverse subgenres. Raymond Pettibon, whose posters are included here, was famously associated with his brother’s band Black Flag. Artists such as McCarthy, Tony Oursler, The Kipper Kids and Tony Labat all internalized, to varying degrees, the confrontational stance of Punk performance.[vii]
Punk’s DIY attitude encouraged intrepid innovation. Everywhere people were constructing their own platforms for broadcast or exhibition, and speaking directly to their audience. In both Bill Owens and Jim Goldberg’s photo portraits, their subjects address the viewer in accompanying texts. Martha Rosler, Suzanne Lacy and Chris Burden all speak to the video camera as if presenting their own television programmes. New technologies such as the Sony Portapak allowed artists to create videos that were no longer constrained by the brevity and expense of film. In the manner of Burden’s infiltrations into television broadcasting earlier in the ‘70s, for Decoy Gang War Victim (1975) ASCO distributed a photograph of ‘the last gang war victim’ to local TV stations, at least two of which broadcasted the staged image. (The influence of the emerging computer industry, however, was not visible in the arts until about a decade later.)
This emphasis on breadth of activity might lead one to assume the exhibition is more comprehensive than is in fact the case. Many important artists are not included, perhaps because they do not conform to Schimmel’s dirty black picture of the period (where is John McCracken, Robert Irwin or Ken Price, for instance – let alone David Hockney?). Most surprising, perhaps, is the omission of Michael Asher and Thomas Lawson whose work could have contributed to the show’s Conceptual and Pictures-based themes. Perhaps the problem is only that the selection criteria are not apparent to the viewer. Maybe the aforementioned artists are not essential to Schimmel’s argument of pluralism arising from political frustration and the failure of modernism – but then neither is all the work in the show (particularly the abstract and process-led painting that occupies the final, wearying galleries).
These inconsistencies make clear that the exhibition is caught between two contradictory impulses. On the one hand, it states that the most significant contribution of Californian art in this era is that of pluralism – a post-historical plethora of equally valid but divergent practices. On the other, in order to convince that this moment was culturally coherent – that it was indeed an identifiable ‘moment’ – it has to emphasize continuities between disparate practices, and disregard relevant work inconveniently made outside of its seven-year remit.[viii] What ‘Under the Big Black Sun’ ultimately achieves is a comprehensive recalibration of California’s public image, even if that involves layering just one more fiction over a city already well known for its narrative prowess.
[i] David Foster Wallace, Consider the Lobster And Other Essays, 2005, Little, Brown & Company, New York, p.51
[ii] Douglas Ecklund’s 2009 exhibition ‘The Pictures Generation, 1974–1984’ at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and Lynn Cooke and Douglas Crimp’s ‘Mixed Use Manhattan’ (2010) at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, were more conceptually focused precursors. (Crimp, it should be noted, curated the original ‘Pictures’ exhibition in 1977.)
[iii] Lisa Gabrielle Mark and Paul Schimmel eds., ‘Under the Big Black Sun: California Art 1974–1981’, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and DelMonico Books • Prestel, Munich, London, New York, p.16
[iv] ‘Mixed Use Manhattan’ proposed that approximately contemporaneous artistic activity in New York was far more coherent in its attention to photography and the subject of urban public space, despite the curators’ claim for the simultaneous diversification of art practices.
[v] Glenn Adamson and Jane Pavitt, the curators of the 2011 exhibition ‘Postmodernism: Style and Subversion, 1970–1990’, at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, go so far as to admit that many of its key practitioners, such as Robert Venturi or Ettore Sottsass, had made important work even before 1970. Glenn Adamson and Jane Pavitt eds., ‘Postmodernism: Style and Subversion, 1970–1990’, 2011, V& A Publishing, London, p.9
[vi] In her catalogue essay, Rebecca Solnit notes that, as a teenager, her wry assessment of adherents of the burgeoning Punk scene was that they were ‘Different like everybody else’. Mark and Schimmel eds., Ibid, p.92
[vii] Catalogue essayist Thomas Crow makes an insightful comparison between Iggy Pop’s violent and self-abasing performances and Paul McCarthy’s video-performance Sailor’s Meat (1975), which is featured in the exhibition. Mark and Schimmel eds., Ibid, p.51
[viii] A concurrent Pacific Standard Time exhibition, ‘State of Mind: New California Art Circa 1970’, at the Orange County Museum of Art, reveals both a continuity in Conceptual practices in the region prior to 1974, and an alternative reading of work by many of the same artists as ‘Under the Big Black Sun’.
First published: Texte zur Kunst, Issue 84, December 2011
Filed Under: Review, Texte zur Kunst
Tags: John Divola : los angeles : moca : pacific standard time : Paul Schimmel : PST : Punk : Under the Big Black Sun
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Book Reviews / 09 Mar 2018
The Principles of Sufism
By A’isha al-Ba'uniyya. Edited and translated by Th. Emil Homerin. New York: New York University Press, 2014. xii+210 pp. $ 30.00 (cloth).
A’isha al-Ba'uniyya (d. 923/1517) was an exceptional Damascene scholar and Sufi, perhaps the most prolific premodern female writer and poet in the Arabic language. After having translated one of her collections of Sufi poetry, Emanations of Grace (Fons Vitae, 2012), Th. Emil Homerin went on to bring to light her valuable prose work, The Principles of Sufism. Aside from the value of the book’s contents, to which we will return, perhaps the book’s greatest value is in what it represents. Female Muslim scholars are not at all rare in the premodern period, and Dr. Mohammad Akram Nadwi’s forty-volume biographical dictionary of female scholars of hadith is sufficient to show that.1 However, as Homerin stated in an interview with the work’s publishers, it was very rare for a Sufi woman— or perhaps any kind of Muslim woman—to compose her own original work. Al-Ba 'uniyya does just that, and confidently asserts her mastery in assessing and commenting upon the wisdom of her predecessors, after which she always concludes with her own unique contributions. Perhaps even more important still is that in this work al-Ba'uniyya assumes the role of a spiritual mentor and guide, in a time in which female sheikhs of tarbiya (spiritual upbringing) are almost unheard of.
Looking at an early biographical work like that of al-Sulami’s Early Sufi Women, a great number of women were indeed recognized as consummate spiritual masters and knowers of God. More importantly, however, we see some of these women actively involved in the spiritual upbringing of other women (and possibly men); that is, they were sought out as guides on the Sufi path. For example, Shabaka of Basra oversaw the spiritual growth and progress of her disciples (muridat) in underground cells beneath her house.2 Likewise, Shawana preached to the public, and her sessions were attended by spiritual masters, aspirants, and ascetics.3 The biographer Ibn Sa d also tells us that Mu adha al- Adawiyya, who according to Ibn al-Jawzi was a direct student of the “mother of the believers” A’isha, would sit with her legs drawn up, “discoursing to a group of women who surround her.”4 Throughout al-Sulami’s work we see entries on women who were either the teachers or disciples of other women mentioned in the same work, giving us a picture of a time in which women took charge of the spiritual upbringing and guidance of other women (and sometimes men). The famed Rabi 'a al- 'Adawiyya herself had women who served her in order to learn from her, while others, like the great jurist Sufyan al-Thawri, visited her seeking her counsel. Al-Thawri referred to her as “the mentor” (al-mu’addiba).5 Clearly it was a time when women sought other women to be their spiritual guides and mentors, and were not in any way dependent on men. One could even argue that there was a chain of female teachers starting with A’isha, wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), after whom came Mu'adha al- Adawiyya and her female disciples. Mu 'adha died in Basra around the time of Rabi a al- Adawiyya’s birth in the same city, and though no famous teachers of Rabi'a are known, she may have met some of her predecessor’s disciples.
After that early period documented by the likes of al-Sulami, Ibn al-Jawzi, and Ibn Sa'd, we do not hear of such female mentors who attracted and guided disciples for several centuries. Perhaps the first name we hear of is the Qadiri Nana Asma’u (d. 1864), who started the Yan Taru movement of female scholars and preachers whom she sent to educate women in different villages and towns within the Sokoto Caliphate. An unbroken line of female scholars from that movement survives until today. More recent is Munira al-Qubaysi (b. 1933) of Damascus whose Qubaysi movement of female teachers bears a very close resemblance to the Yan Taru. Sheikha Munira was ranked the eighteenth most influential Muslim alive today in the 2014/15 edition of The Muslim 500, and the most influential Muslim woman. Almost a millennium seems to have passed in between those early Sufi women and these more recent movements, without any prominent female Sufi guides. They did exist, of course, and we get glimpses of some of them here and there. For example, Muhyi al-Din ibn Arabi used to visit Fatima bint ibn al-Muthanna of Cordoba, who used to tell him that she was his spiritual mother, while his actual mother, Nur, was only the mother of his earthly body. She used to address his mother and say, “O Nur, he is my son,” and she seems to have had other people also serve her in order to learn from her. Ibn Arabi described her as a lover and knower of God.6 At the same time, Ibn Arabi’s contemporary Shams al-Tabrizi denied that women could act as sheikhs on the path, stating that even if God opened for them the door of spiritual illumination, they would remain hidden and out of sight, “behind the spindle in the corner of the house”.7
Similarly A’isha al-Bauniyya’s younger Egyptian contemporary Abd al-Wahhab al-Sharani (d. 973/1565) denied that women had the capacity to guide aspirants along the spiritual stations of wilaya (proximity to God). “It never reached us,” he added, “that any woman from the pious predecessors assumed the role of guiding spiritual aspirants,” and that their furthest extent was to be devout worshipers and ascetics “like Rabia al-Adawiyya”.8 It seems that despite being a biographer of the Sufis, al-Sharani was not aware of the role of Rabia or her contemporaries and predecessors in the spiritual upbringing of other women. This is why a work like al-Bauniyya’s is so valuable. The difference between the views of Ibn Arabi and al-Bauniyya on one hand, and that of Shams and al-Sharani on the other, could be down to local culture. Ibn Arabi came from Andalusia where society was far more open regarding the public role of women, and where he could meet women who acted as spiritual guides. On the other hand, cultural norms in Shams’s Persian lands and al-Sharani’s Egypt may have prevented women from assuming such roles. We know from al-Sharani’s own celebrated Sufi guide book, al-Anwar al-qudsiyya, that it was not common practice for women in Egypt to formally enter a Sufi tariqa, and that when it did happen, it was looked down upon by other Sufi scholars because it could lead to a blurring of boundaries between the sheikh and his “spiritual daughters”.9 On the other hand, we know from the case of A’isha al-Ba uniyya that she did formally enter a Sufi tariqa at the hands of a male sheikh. Of course, Sufis never claimed that formal association with a Sufi path was a prerequisite for proximity to God, but ever since the emergence of the Sufi tariqas, the role of spiritual mentorship was much more closely dependent on attachment to one of these channels of spiritual grace and the authorization of a previous master. That would explain why al-Sharani may have never met or seen a female spiritual guide.
A’isha al-Baniyuya was raised in a prominent scholarly family in Damascus, and received a high level of scholarly learning, which she even supplemented at an older age studying jurisprudence with a number of scholars in Cairo during her three-year stay there. She took the Qadiri path from a male sheikh whom she praised greatly and who eventually became highly regarded in her time as a Sufi master. The Mamluk sultan al-Ghawri even met with her before he set off for war against the Ottomans, possibly by way of seeking her blessings.
Many Sufi masters left a great number of disciples, but not works. Others had a more limited number of disciples, but left works that continued to inspire and guide Sufi aspirants and masters alike for centuries. That al-Bauniyya acted as a Sufi guide through her written works would have been rare enough for a woman in her century (and many preceding and following centuries). However, it appears from The Principles of Sufism that she may have also had direct disciples during her lifetime. The first clue is from her introduction, which states that one of the ahbab (admirers), who is clearly a male based on the passage, requested “instruction in the way of realisation and for guidance to the right path”. Homerin translated “one of the ahbab” as “one of the dear friends”, because the word ahbab may also mean someone dear to her or whom she loved. Yet the passage seems to support the idea that this was someone who admired her and loved her as a spiritual master, who remained “waiting at [her] door with his head on [her] doorsteps”, requesting her guidance (2). Similarly in her final passage, she prays for her “children and the ones [she holds] dear in [God]” (164). This passage could have two meanings. In the first, she would be praying for (a) her actual children, and (b) those she held dear in God. The second possible interpretation is that she was praying for (a) her children in God (i.e., her spiritual disciples), and (b) those she held dear in God. In any case, the passage in the introduction shows that she was sought out for spiritual guidance by those who deemed her a spiritual master. For that reason, she penned down her book as a guide.
The Principles of Sufism deals with what al-Ba 'uniyya regards as the four main principles of the spiritual path: repentance, sincerity, remembrance, and love. Each of these sections is larger than the one that precedes it. The work is conceived as a selection of the finest sayings on each of the four topics. In each chapter she begins with verses from the Qur’an, supplemented with subtle mystical allusions and remarks from al-Qushayri’s Sufi commentary on the Qur’an, and other sources like al-al-Sulami’s commentary. She then provides an impressive selection of prophetic traditions followed by her beautiful selection of the teachings of Sufi masters. Most of the quotes she chooses come from the early masters like Dhul Nun, al-Bistami, al-Karkhi, and the like, but she also included some teachings from later masters of the Shadhili path, as well as the Andalusian Ibn al- Arif (d. 536/1141). Al-Ba'uniyya shows her mastery by commenting on these teachings of her predecessors, assessing them, and comparing them. She then confidently concludes each chapter with her own authoritative teachings, both in poetry and prose, thus presenting herself as a muhaqqiqa, a master who can assess the teachings of their predecessors and then bring forth their own conclusions. In other words, she always has the final say, which she attributes to inspiration and illumination (fath).
This text is part of the Library of Arabic Literature series, which presents Arabic editions of classical works along with their translations. It should be noted that the first print of The Principles of Sufism, to which I had access, had an unusually high number of errors in the Arabic text, which were quickly corrected in a subsequent print. The Arabic and English fonts are simple and elegant. Homerin’s introduction is very brief, dealing mostly with the author’s life and works about which very little is known. Homerin is a skilled and experienced translator of Arabic poetry, and his area of expertise is Sufism and love poetry, having produced several works on the Sultan of the Lovers Umar ibn al-Farid. His translation makes this work very easy to read, considering the difficulty of translating many Sufi expressions dealing with love and experiential knowledge of God. However, there are several passages, often some of the more sublime and beautiful, where Homerin seems to have missed the subtle meanings intended. Similarly, in one passage that incorporates several Qur’anic expressions, a mistake in translation caused several of al- Ba uniyya’s statements to be paired with the wrong verse (146). Perhaps the translation here was rushed, and a pause for reflection would have alerted him to the running error. Despite these few mistakes, the translation is true to the original and would appeal to the spiritually inclined, as the work is full of gems of wisdom and beauty that anyone, whether or not they would call themselves “Sufi”, would find inspiring and beneficial.
Samer Dajani, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, University of London
A’isha al-Bauniyya
Reviewed By : Samer Dajani
1 A summary of the findings of this work has been published as al-Muhaddithat: The Women Scholars of Islam (Oxford: Interface Publications, 2013).
2 Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami, Early Sufi Women (Louisville, KY: Fons Vitae, 1999), 91.
3 Ibid., 107.
4 Ibid., 88 n. 28.
5 Ibid., 77.
6 Muhyi al-Din ibn Arabi, al-Futuhat al-makkiyya (Cairo: Dar al-Kutub Arabiyya al-Kubra, 1329/1911), 2:347–9.
7 Shams-i Tabrizi, Me and Rumi, trans. William C. Chittick (Louisville, KY: Fons Vitae, 2004), 268.
8 Abd al-Wahhab al-Sharani, al-Mizan al-kubra (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, 1998), 2:260.
9 al-Sharani, al-Anwar al-Qudsiyya (Beirut: al-Maktaba al- Ilmiyya, n.d.), 1:47.
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Duncan v. Louisiana
PETITIONER:Duncan
RESPONDENT:Louisiana
LOCATION: Plaquemines Parish
DOCKET NO.: 410
LOWER COURT:
ARGUED: Jan 17, 1968
DECIDED: May 20, 1968
Gary Duncan, a black teenager in Louisiana, was found guilty of assaulting a white youth by allegedly slapping him on the elbow. Duncan was sentenced to 60 days in prison and fined $150. Duncan’s request for a jury trial was denied.
Was the State of Louisiana obligated to provide a trial by jury in criminal cases such as Duncan’s?
Number 410, Gary Duncan, appellant versus Louisiana.
Mr. Sobol.
Richard B. Sobol:
Mr. Chief Justice, and may it please the Court.
This case is here on appeal from the Supreme Court of Louisiana.
And it raises the issue that was to a logic stand assumed in the case immediately preceding, namely whether the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment secures the right to trial by jury in state criminal proceedings.
The appellant in this case was charged in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana with the crime of simple battery, which is defined in the Louisiana Code, as the intentional use of force or violence upon the person of another without a dangerous weapon.
This offense in Louisiana includes all batteries other than those committed with a dangerous weapon and is punishable by two years imprisonment without hard labor and a $300.00 fine.
In Louisiana, there are four categories of crimes for purposes of trial by jury.
In capital cases only, a jury of 12 all of whom must concur in a verdict is provided, that is the common law constitutional jury.
In cases in which imprisonment must be at hard labor, a 12-man jury is provided, but nine jurors are sufficient to return a verdict.
In cases in which imprisonment may be at hard labor, a five-man jury is provided and included in that category are such serious crimes as aggravated criminal damage to property which is punishable by 15 years, aggravated battery punishable by 10 years in forgery punishable —
Must the five-man jury be unanimous?
Yes it must.
The fourth category and that in to which this case falls —
[Inaudible] didn’t do it the right to the sentence.
No sir, no sir.
Each criminal provision —
If that’s worked hard labor and then you turn that jury job to the —
And whether it says may be at hard labor or must be at hard labor would determine whether it’s a five-man jury unanimous or a 12-man jury, nine of whom must concur.
The fourth category of crimes in Louisiana, and that in to which this case falls, the cases in which no provision is made in the statute for hard labor and the Constitution of Louisiana and Article 779 of the Criminal Code expressly provides that there shall be no jury in such cases.
And that category includes such serious crimes as aggravated battery resulting from the breach of the peace which is punishable by 10 years, simple battery, the crime in this case punishable by two years, and aggravated assault punishable two years.
What would you say about 10 years?
There is a —
Would it be possible to send a man to jail for 10 years without a jury of trial?
Yes sir, under a charge of aggravated battery resulting from a breach of the peace, I should make clear that’s not this case.
But that is —
Yes, I understand that.
Yes sir, because that is a misdemeanor in Louisiana because there’s no provision in the statute for hard labor.
That is the division and I want to call that point of the Court’s attention because there’s a good deal of use of the word “misdemeanor” in a federal constitutional sense as if it means something when of course, I think it’s clear in light of this record that it does not.
That the inquiry of the Court must be to the essential elements of the crime and the potential maximum imposed.
Because of the condition of Louisiana Law, therefore, there was no right to trial by jury under Louisiana Law on the charge against the appellant.
But not withstanding Louisiana Law, he filed a demand for trial by jury before trial basing his contention on the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to United States Constitution.
This demand was rejected by the trial judge expressly on the ground of state law and the case was tried to a judge.
Witnesses were presented on both sides; four witnesses for the prosecution and three witnesses for the defense.
There was a factual dispute as to whether a battery had been committed.
The judge resolved the factual dispute in favor of the state and found the appellant guilty.
What’s the maximum sentence to this crime?
The maximum potential sentence is two years and a $300.00 fine.
He got two months and a $150.00 fine with a provision that if the fine was not paid, 20 additional days would be added.
The appellant was released on $1500.00 bond pending appellant procedures in the Supreme Court of Louisiana and in this Court.
An application for a writ of certiorari was made to the Supreme Court of Louisiana which refused to hear the case holding in a memorandum opinion appearing on page 14 of the record, that there was no error of law in the ruling complained of.
Now it is, of course, the premise of appellant’s position in this Court that simple battery as defined under Louisiana Law is a crime and not a petty offense within the meaning of the petty offense exception to the Sixth Amendment jury trial right.
We think this point is quite clear but appellee takes exception and argues extensively to the contrary, and I would like briefly to deal with that question.
The court has it seems to me fashioned three independent tests for the determination of whether a charge constitutes a crime or a petty offense.
And there are clear indications in the cases specifically D.C. against Colts, and D.C. against Clawans that anyone of these tests being satisfied would take an offense into the crime rather than the petty offense category.
The three tests alright, it seems to me the potential maximum sentence and I think Cheff against Schnackenberg, and D.C. against Clawans and Cheff’s reliance on 18 U.S.C. 1 makes clear that the Court has at least adapted the six-month rule on that question and has indicated that any offense regardless of other factors where the potential maximum is over six months would be considered a crime for the purpose of interpretation of a Sixth Amendment jury guarantee.
In fact I think the question is left open by D.C. against Clawans as to whether that maximum may not be somewhere beneath that.
In Clawans, the Court held that three months for an offense that was clearly otherwise a petty offense which was selling unstamped (Inaudible), that they said three months is not free from doubt as to whether three months is too much and reserved the question as to whether any more than that, but I think the very least Cheff makes clear that six months is the upper most maximum.
Secondly, the Court has referred particularly in D.C. against Colts to the test of whether the crime was in diabolic common law and in our brief, we discussed the common law authorities and our main brief and reply brief which we think clearly indicates that battery was an indictable offensive at common law.
And the third test is the test of Malum in se interesting for malum prohibitum and I think there can be a little doubt that the charge of intentionally using force and violence upon the person of another is malum is a crime which is malum in se within the meaning of that term.
Now in order to avoid the logic and I think the inevitable thrust of the Court’s decision in this area, the appellee has argued that Cheff against Schnachenberg has abrogated these tests and instead, has created a test which looks to the sentence actually imposed.
The argument essentially is the appellant’s right to a jury trial at the beginning of the trial depends on the sentence imposed by the Court at the end of the trial.
In response to that let me say that Cheff was an expansion of the jury trial right without meaning to get into the controversy of the preceding cases to whether that was a constitutional expansion or a supervisory power expansion.
It was an expansion and it applied to jury trial right to an area where it had not previously been applied by the Court.
I think in that background, it is hard to interpret Cheff as severely contracting the jury trial right, narrowing the jury trial right in all non-contempt cases which the Court would certainly be doing if it substituted the prior existing test for one that looks to actual sentence.
But more important than that, I think there was a practical problem in Cheff that induced the Court to look to the —
Abe Fortas:
What’s that last thing you said Mr. Sobol?
I said I think it would be odd to interpret Cheff where the Court went further and applied the jury trial right in an area where it had not been applied before.
To mean that in the non-contempt area, the right would be radically constricted because a test that looks to actual sentence imposed is one which would provide even if it could be implemented, jury trial in thought fewer cases than a test based on the maximum potential.
And that I gather you mean, Mr. Sobol, that would have to be in the federal system.
That in fact that argument would mean what you say that in the federal system no matter how much of a sentence that the statute has permitted a maximum, if in fact the sentence imposed was something less than six months and then there was no right to jury trial.
Your Honor, I believe that is the argument of the appellee.
Secondly, the Court was faced with a practical problem in Cheff and that there is no potential maximum sentence in contempt in federal courts.
And that if the rule was based on potential maximum sentence, the Court would be faced with a situation where it would be applying the jury trial the right to every contempt no matter how minor.
Now that was the position contended for by some members of the Court, but one could understand why the Court would want to not reach that position in Cheff.
I think the practical problem is very important there.
But I think the most important consideration about Cheff is mechanically the rule is workable in the contempt situation, because the trial judge is required to issue the rule to show cause with a citation, before the contempt, the criminal contempt proceeding begins and therefore, has occasion to determine based on his analysis of the facts presented to him whether there is a likelihood of an imposition of sentence in excess of six months.
Of course in a non-contempt regular criminal trial area, there is no occasion.
We think the rule in Cheff, if that is a rule that could not possibly work in any other area.
And we think for those reasons, Cheff is not applicable to the determination of the petty offense crime question in this case.
In sum we think that on the basis for the Court’s decision, this case is clearly a crime.
I think it would be easier for me if you tell me what you think we ought to decide, what rule should this Court adopt?
What rules are you urging us to adopt?
As to state criminal proceedings, Your Honor?
As to this one, yes, as to Louisiana.
Your Honor, the rule we are contending for is a rule that would apply the Sixth Amendment right to state criminal proceedings in its full force.
Well what does that mean?
You seem to be arguing — you’re saying that there’s no category of petty offenses in Louisiana?
There is no category of petty offenses.
So just what — how do you suggest we describe it if we would go along with you?
There is a constitutional category of petty offenses carved out by this Court.
I think it’s clear that that category is as not as clear cut and plain as it might be.
And I think if the Court is going to apply the jury trial rights to the states, the Court is obligated to make plain what the line would be.
And I would propose as a rule to adopt the rule of the Court seems to be moving to in Cheff, which is to take the definition in 18 U.S.C. 1.
And it perhaps except in extraordinary circumstance where an offense with a potential less than six months might for some reason be considered a crime, say that anything over six months would definitely be considered a crime.
Well now, let’s see where we are then.
What you’re suggesting is that, we say that the Sixth Amendment guarantee of jury trials applies to the states.
And that the dividing line which every state has to observe is the federal dividing line as stated as indicated by Cheff; namely six months potential punishment.
If we can assume —
Six months actual or six months depends?
In Cheff, the Court was talking about the actual, but it was referring to the petty offense definition of the U.S.C.
I understand that, what do you ask?
What are you referring to?
Oh I think a test based on actual sentence is impossible.
I’m talking about a test based on potential maximum sentence for the crime which —
In other words, we are to lay down a rule that’s applicable to all of the states in which we say that if a potential sentence exceeds six months, then the jury trial requirement of the Sixth Amendment has to be observed by each state?
Your Honor, that’s the position we’re contending for.
But I would like to make this reservation in the right to counsel area, which I think presents similar practical problems.
The Court in Gideon did not choose to make plain at the time Gideon was decided, the lower most reach of the right and indeed, the Court has declined on subsequent occasions to make that determination clear.
I’m referring to the denial of certiorari in Winters against Beck.
I think there is a certain advantage to that procedure in an area where the Court is not fully aware, or may not be fully aware of the practical problems it may be reaching.
Judge Jones in the Connell v. Moore in the Fifth Circuit said that he sees the logic of applying the right to counsel on —
You’re saying that number one, you think it’d be nice if we said that if we announce six-month rule is applicable to the states.
Number two, if we don’t want to be that bold, we can adopt the Gideon approach.
Yes sir and I think if —
And leave it for the future?
And I think —
Now I want to ask you another question.
Does your analysis mean that the states would have to adopt a 12-man jury system and unanimous verdict?
Yes sir, on that point.
It does?
Yes sir, on that point —
In other words the Louisiana System, jury system, would have to give way to the federal system?
I look at the issue of scope of the decision really in two ways, if I may pursue this for a moment.
One is the question as to when there is a case to which the Court holds the Sixth Amendment jury right applies whether it earmarks the jury and I think the Court has so often held that when the Constitution uses the word jury, it means a certain thing.
In Patten against the United States, the Court said “An 11-man jury is not a jury.
It’s just the same as no jury at all.”
And there is a great deal of authority which we have cited in our brief for the proposition that a jury within the meaning of the federal Constitution and we are asking that that meaning be applied to the states mean 12-man and an unanimous verdict.
Well the rational is to overrule precedents, black precedents in this Court?
Yes sir, I was about to reach that, that’s true.
If I may just presume it to Mr. Justice Fortas’ point one step further.
I think there is a room based on Gideon and the lower court treatment of Gideon, for the Court to wait until a misdemeanor, by that I mean a federal misdemeanor, less than a year comes before it and perhaps at that time, there will be information before the Court which — on which it could base a determination as to whether this can be handled.
I think I was persuaded, for example, by a comment of Judge Jones of the Fifth Circuit in McDonald v. Moore where he held that the right to counsel rule applies to a misdemeanor.
But just in a passing observation, he said frankly he doesn’t know how it’s going to work because in his hometown of Jacksonville, there are more JP courts than attorneys.
And they all sit on Monday morning, but he said that because of the earmarks of that particular offense, the right was applied.
I think those are problems the Court obviously has to think about.
If in New York City for example has an amicus brief before the Court in this case on this point, if in some sense mathematically, a jury could not be made available for the 12,000 cases that were tried that Mr. Leftwood refers to, I would think the Court would want to consider that in reaching a judgment.
In sum, I’m saying that I think to the extent there is room to — for caution and to wait, I think the room has to be on the depths or how farther right goes.
I don’t think based on the history of the interpretation of the jury trial right in this case and the court’s history whenever a right isn’t going to be applied to the state that it’s not the water down right but it is a full right.
That it means whatever the federal right means, I don’t think this rule applies.
I appreciate that Mr. Sobol.
May I ask you just one other question?
I don’t want to interrupt you any more than I have to.
Do I correctly recall that somewhere in your brief, you discount the effect of the civil law tradition on the jury trial provisions that obtained in Louisiana?
In our brief, in Appendix C, we make to a point that until 1898 and 1899, there was a federal 12-man unanimous verdict in Louisiana in every case.
I’m not certain about that date it maybe 1880.
But for a good substantial period after Louisiana was admitted to the Union, we made that presentation to dispel whatever weight there may be and the idea that this is an unbroken history in Louisiana of reliance on the civil law tradition.
But to directly answer your question on law, I don’t believe I affirmably discount it but I do discount it.
You do?
You don’t think that the present system of dispensing or with jury trial — with full jury trial right is an outgrowth of the civil law system as it applied in Louisiana?
I’m sorry, Your Honor, I didn’t understand the question.
I say, you don’t believe that the present system with respect to jury trials in Louisiana is really sort of a natural growth —
— of the civil law system?
No, when Louisiana was admitted to the Union, the law at that time either by virtue of the Admitting Act or the constitution non-existing, there was a 12-man unanimous verdict.
That point is made I think of the briefs on both sides.
Mr. Sobol, if we adopt your rule, how would that apply to the rule in many states that the drunken driver’s sentence is 30, 60 and goes up as high as nine months, jury trial?
Well I imagine Your Honor —
If you make just anything over six months, you mean anything over six months?
Oh, yes sir!
It was over six months.
You have to get jury trial —
I would say that that is the outermost thrust of our position.
— and the drunken driver is —
In D.C. against Colts, the Court held with a 30-day maximum that this Court held, with a 30-day maximum potential penalty, the crime was so serious after a warrant the jury trial, but that is the thrust of our position, yes sir.
Your idea of seriousness says this is the amount of time?
I think the idea is an alternative idea which is reflected very clearly in the decisions of this Court.
I didn’t I understand you to say that you wanted us to adopt the limit that if the crime would get more than six months, you had have a 12-man jury?
Yes sir, which would not —
Regardless of what the crime was?
That is the reach of our position, I —
Well Mr. Sobol, may I ask you, I take at this case presents only the narrower question whether an offense punishable up to two years requires a jury trial?
We don’t have to decide today.
In this case at least, do we, that that means a 12-man jury a unanimous verdict that all offenses carrying more than six months?
No sir.
We don’t have to reach any of those, do we?
Definitely not, and that is the point that I was trying to make in response to Mr. Justice Fortas’ questions that I think with the precedent of the right to counsel case at Gideon, that that is the way the Court treated it there.
I think there’s a good deal of wisdom in that —
Your thesis has adopted the next logical kind of applicable step would be opted to say that the Seventh Amendment was incorporated to impose a jury trial with a $120.00 lawsuit in the state?
No sir, I don’t think that’s the logic of our position because I think that the Court and the common law has placed different guarantees in connection to criminal matters than to civil matters has —
Had you incorporated the Sixth Amendment, the jury trial provision, but did that stop you from incorporating the Seventh Amendment?
Our position in this case certainly does not involve the logic that the Seventh Amendment necessarily follows and nor does our rationale.
We’re talking and I mean to refer that the —
I refer to petitioner.
I admit to this provision so a right —
Well the —
— accept the premises of incorporation.
Well the Court has said recently that the way to pick and choose is by examining the fundamental nature of the right, and whether it’s essential to a fair trial.
And it’s a due process though and not the incorporations.
Well, I’m referring to the opinion of the Court in Washington v. Texas and to the opinion of the Court where in discussing the incorporation of the compulsory process provision, the Court did say that without implying, I don’t believe that every provision of the Bill of Rights applies to the states that we are — that the Court will look to the question of fundamentalness and essentiality and I think in those cases, the Court has put special weight on the criminal trial.
I think that while there is great weight to idea that what the Court has done so far in the criminal procedure area in incorporating due process — the Bill of Rights protections may well lead you to the conclusion that all the criminal procedures are incorporated, which is not necessarily our position in this case.
I think that the rule in civil cases could well be different.
I think there are different considerations which this Court has noted.
Talking about the Constitution, what provision does the Constitution says that some of these provisions, the Bill of Rights go in right standing there of the state [Inaudible]
Well none says that, but the Court has interpreted the words due process in connection with applying Bill of Rights guarantee.
That’s a different concept.
Corporations have not been positive.
No but the Court —
Corporation involves if there’s something in the Constitution that despite the language of the Bill of Rights limiting those protections to the federal authority, there’s something in the Constitution that breaches the Bill of Rights also [Inaudible] law enforcement into operation against the states.
My question to you is, how can you separate division of the Bill of Rights from the other [Inaudible] corporation?
I would rely in answer to Your Honor’s question on the decisions of this Court which have looked to – have made a judgment as to the fundamentalness and the essentiality of the right.
What cases?
Washington against Texas, Pointer v. Texas, Klopfer v. North Carolina, and I think Gideon.
What about Palko, and what about Twining and what about Gideon?
Palko and Twining go the other way.
After what they could apply?
They apply the same test and they apply–
They apply the selective test, didn’t they?
Didn’t Palko introduce the selective test?
And found it not to apply, yes sir
To some, but as to others it sound it did apply.
Yes sir, that’s correct.
And has the Court done anything else but that?
No I don’t believe it has sir.
Well isn’t there a distinction between the Seventh and the Sixth —
I certainly think there is a distinction between the Seventh and the Sixth.
And I think there is — that is the one example which I think the distinction is the greatest, because I think there is a great deal of room to make distinction between civil and criminal trials in applying that test of selectivity.
Incidentally Mr. Sobol, do you get any comfort now on the issue as you agreed with me earlier is the only one before us namely whether an offense that carries two-year minimum requires a jury trial.
From our decision last term in Parker and Gladden?
Yes sir I do.
Do you think we crossed best bridge in Parker and Gladden?
Except for the facts of case Your Honor, I think the opinion certainly indicates that the Court has made that assumption that the jury trial right of the Sixth Amendment does apply in the state.
Except there was a confrontation point of that one?
Yes sir, I don’t — that’s what I mean by the —
Didn’t reach the jury thing at all?
The court needn’t have reached it, but the Court —
As a matter of fact it relied on the words that you said both?
The court said both.
But the point is that because there had been so many of these decisions relating to the impartiality of a jury without referring to the Sixth Amendment right.
The use of that language I think could be interpreted and we have suggested it maybe interpreted to have applied the right.
I’d like to just pursue a matter one second more as to what is before the Court.
I do think the question of a 12-man jury in this case is before the Court, because of the condition of the Louisiana law.
If the Court would have to say there is a federal jury trial right in this case, but not made clear what right the Court is referring to in terms of the scope, the 12-man, under Louisiana law.
The next step up is a five-man jury and the case will be coming back up again.
And I think that if the appellant were to be convicted again, the Court in terms of a remand as to this case, I think should make clear what this case calls for.
And in that sense I think the question of —
And what about all the other men that are being tried today in Louisiana under the five-man jury, would that be all set aside too while we are at it?
I don’t think you have to set them aside.
I think the retroactivity cases of this — the Court has handed down or in several recent areas would indicate that there is a good deal of room not to apply the case retroactively.
I think that —
On what basis?
Well the Court in Stovell and in the Johnson v. New Jersey has said that — as I understand those decisions that because the right that it’s being defined does not go to the central core of the fact finding process the right need not be applied.
I do want to say I —
Well then why in the selective approach would you say this is a very fundamental matter?
Well I wanted to get —
If that’s to go to the heart of the trial, it doesn’t affect the integrity of the criminal trial.
Well I think it does.
And all I was saying in response to the —
Well then how come your argument wouldn’t be retroactive?
I was answering Mr. Justice Marshall in a manner which I said precedence in the Court that I think could be used, I believe that like the Gideon case that the lack of jury trial is central to the fact finding process.
Our position before the Court, Mr. Justice White would be, that because it is central to the fact finding process and because some practical considerations go into the reach of the rule where I think that it could be developed before the Court that the question would not involve the release of many good long sentence prison.
There are other factors in the retroactivity case besides the integrity of the —
— process, would you —
Reliance?
Reliance to the number of settled cases.
Reliance on the — Maxwell and Dowd and the other cases that —
Yes sir and I think that one of the considerations here is certainly after the cases in which there have been no jury, the penalties have been on the low side of the scale and you don’t have men who’ve been tried many, many years ago or men convicted of what the Court would consider very heinous crime and it would have to be retried.
But I do think and in response to Mr. Justice White and can I clear my answer to Mr. Justice Marshall, I do believe that the logic of the central fact finding function would apply here.
There are practical considerations which I think the Court should meet on a record where those questions are fully briefed and presented to the Court as it has in the —
I still don’t understand Mr. Sobol why you think we have to reach the 12-man jury.
As I understood your exposition of the system, I gather there’s a 12-man jury in certain types of cases?
Is it a 12 with a nine vote —
Except in capital cases, it’s 12 with a nine vote where hard labor must be imposed with —
Yes and there’s a five-man in certain category cases?
And here there’s no jury with the crime at all?
Now if we were to send this back without deciding, well what the number should be on the jury, how are we to know that Louisiana might not apply the 12-man?
It would involve a radical change in Louisiana law to apply the 12-man in this case.
Well wouldn’t it require — I know, but I take it the legislature of Louisiana would have then to make up its mind what kind of jury it was going to provide, wouldn’t it?
It would take a legislative action, wouldn’t it?
It would take unless this Court said that consistent with due process appellant couldn’t be tried other than by a 12-man jury.
Well I appreciate that but I’m just — this isn’t just clear to me why we have to reach this question at this time?
Well let me answer it this way.
I don’t think it’s indispensable to reaching a determination.
I think the state would be entitled to know what it’s required to do to meet the standard laid down by the Court.
And I wouldn’t argue this in a state where the only two kinds of jury when no jury or 12-man unanimous jury because of the condition of Louisiana Law, I think it’s reasonable to assume that.
Yes but we do have other states, Mr. Sobol, Oklahoma for example as I understand from these appendixes.
They have a five-man jury for certain types of offenses.
Up to one year.
Well, six whatever it is —
Whether a three quarter vote of six, I think that means five out of six or something and there are other states too that have these things, are they not?
Mr. Sobol, is the thrust of your argument mean that in the segregation case, let’s say where the Court has entered an order for school desegregation or what not, and there’s disobedience of that order that the subsequent contempt proceeding would have to be — that have be a jury trial?
This is a federal court?
Well, I’m taking both ways.
I’m taking it from the state court.
In Louisiana, there aren’t too many segregation — desegregation on what is coming out of state courts but I —
Well let’s take a state —
Right, I think the —
The state court that had issued such an order?
I do not believe anything in our case would indicate that result, no sir.
I’m not asking about anything in your case.
I’m asking about the reason —
I don’t think the reason —
You have vigorously advocated here.
I meant to answer that way sir.
I don’t believe the reasoning of my case applies to the —
Because I think the question of the Court has struggled with in the contempt cases is a different question and that is whether a contempt is a crime.
And without expressing any opinion on that and I think it’s a close question, I don’t think anything we’re talking about involves getting into that question.
What we have here is a crime.
If the Court should determine in the Bloom Case that contempt is a crime and that I think these cases have to be fit together.
I have to win first, I think, except for your honest theory of return of theory of Bloom and then in —
Give me an answer to this question, will you?
What is your view as to the thrust of your argument with respect to a contempt order entered by a state court in a segregation case?
The thrust of my argument is that it does not reach criminal contempt, because the Court has not determined whether a criminal contempt is a crime within the meaning of the constitutional standard.
Suppose the Court should determine?
If the Court —
Should determine that it is a crime for purposes of jury trial and then what?
Then I think that the thrust in my position is that the jury trial right would apply.
The jury trial would have to be given in the segregation cases in the contempt proceeding in the state segregation case.
Yes, unless some rule was fashioned by the state which established a concept of petty contempts with a six month maximum by which an alternative procedure —
Is that contempt of a segregation order a criminal contempt?
My experience is they have all been civil.
No matter how far your argument goes, it doesn’t reach civil contempt?
Yes sir, that is correct.
Do you know of any constitutional reason why people charged with contempt entitled to a jury?
That right shouldn’t be accorded to segregation cases as well as all the others?
No sir, I don’t.
Well Mr. Sobol, if the Court said nothing at all about the size of the jury whether it need be unanimous or not and simply said that in this case a jury trial would — a jury trial was required?
There are other cases in this Court that have already said what the jury has to be.
And so the only reason for reaching this question in this case is that if you wanted to vary from the old cases and I think that you don’t want to do that?
Thank you, sir.
Very well Mr. Sobol.
Ms. Wolbrette.
Dorothy D. Wolbrette:
Wolbrette.
Ms Wolbrette.
May it please the Court.
The facts of this case are exceedingly simple.
The simple facts as shown by the record make it clear that appellant who was 19 years old, even according to his own testimony, made an intentional bodily contact on the victim who was 14 years old without his consent.
The simple facts of this case show that the appellant committed a simple battery of misdemeanor.
That he was given a fair trial and that he was sentenced to 60 days in the Parish Jail, and a $150.00 fine.
The 60-day sentence for a simple battery brings this case squarely under this Court’s decision in Cheff versus Schnackenberg, if the Sixth Amendment jury trial right applies to the states.
Cheff held that the imposition of an actual sentence of six months or less is constitutionally permissible under Article III and the Sixth Amendment without a trial by jury if the inherent nature of the offense charged is that of a petty offense and Mr. Justice Brennan, that answers your question about the federal system.
It would have to be a serious, I mean, it would have to be a petty — the nature of the offense would have to be petty.
Therefore, it could not involve any crime in a federal system with more than a year penalty because if you have more than a year penalty, you go to the federal — you may go to the federal penitentiary and this Court has held that that is an infamous offense in the federal system.
Are you saying that you’ve got to wait about determining whether you have a right to jury trial under the cases tried to see how much the judge contributes?
That’s what Cheff said.
I’m not saying it, Cheff said it.
In other words, you can’t know at the beginning whether you’re entitled to a jury trial or not.
Well, Your Honor —
(Voice Overlap) you got to wait and see what the judge does with him?
There’s no difference Your Honor, as between contempt and other crimes there are crimes with indefinite sentences.
I’m not talking about contempt or anything else?
Because as I understand this —
Well I’m not saying it this is what Cheff held.
I’m telling you what Cheff held.
But as I understand it, maybe I’m wrong.
You were saying, is that regard to contempt in murdering?
Any crime —
Anything else —
That the rule which Cheff put up is what you just said. Now New York does this very thing and so does everyone (voice overlap)
What I’m asking you is you’re arguing to us that a defendant cannot learn whether he’s entitled to a jury or not until he’s tried by a judge, and convicted, and given less than a year?
Well, I am merely stating to you what this Court in its latest decision on this particular point held and that’s Cheff.
This is exactly what Cheff held.
And as I started to point out to you, New York uses this very system.
But wouldn’t that be a —
For its misdemeanor.
Wouldn’t that be a very silly ruling in a court?
New York doesn’t think so and England doesn’t think so.
England uses this very system for simple batteries.
Do they use it to determine what you can give them when you start to try them, or what you have given them after the judge decides?
They use it to determine — what happens is, you go into the inferior court, the judge listens to some of the testimony.
If he decides it from the circumstances, in his opinion it’s a more serious offense than should be tried summarily without a jury.
He then sends it out to a higher court where he’s tried by indictment with the jury.
That’s the system.
Do you agree that this man could’ve been given two years?
In the Paris Jail, of course.
How can I deny it?
That’s the penalty.
And yet you say that he could’ve been given two years.
And he get nevertheless, you want a judge as so, he could’ve been only been given a year or six months?
Six months, that’s the test which —
Because the judge happened to give him that?
Well Your Honor, Cheff did not consider the potential sentence at all.
The penalty for criminal contempt in the federal courts is unlimited.
And as you pointed out in your dissent in Cheff, federal courts have been known to give sentences for criminal contempt as long as four years.
So you had the same problem there.
Now under Cheff, my appreciation of the – yes, Your Honor.
May I ask you first, do you have double jeopardy clause in your Constitution?
Yes, yes sir we do.
Well how then could a judge partially try a man for a crime of that kind and then conclude that the punishment would have, or ought to be more than six months, and then send it to a grand jury for indictment?
Well he would not have determined guilt at that point and it wouldn’t be double jeopardy.
Well I thought when a man was placed on trial, witnesses had been summoned against him that he was in jeopardy?
Well we obviously haven’t reached that problem yet.
But I’m sure if we did, I believe that the Court would say that this is not what is determined to be double jeopardy.
I’m sure New York has solved that problem.
Now under Cheff, the test recognized that —
Well now, on what theory would they say that?
I thought it was common knowledge every place that when a man was placed on trial and witness is sworn against him that he was in jeopardy?
Well frankly Your Honor, I haven’t researched that point.
I’m sure that New York has met that problem because that is the system that they use if we will refer to the amicus brief of New York you will see that this is what New York uses.
And I’m sure that there would be some cases then in New York State.
And if you want, I’ll submit you a supplemental memorandum on that particular point, but you’re asking me something that I haven’t really researched.
Now under Cheff, the test recognized for determining of petty offense are one, the actual sentence imposed is six months or less and two, the character of the offense charged must be petty.
This prosecution meets both tests of Cheff because the sentence actually imposed was 60 days and the offense charged simple battery as defined in Louisiana is a petty offense.
Simple battery in Louisiana is the intentional use of force of violence upon the person of another without the consent of the victim, and without a dangerous weapon.
Intent to injure, actual bodily injury and the use of a dangerous weapon are not elements of simple battery.
Consent to the victim is a defense so that the identical conduct with the victim’s consent is not a crime in Louisiana.
Suppose the judge had given him seven months here instead of two, would your argument be the same?
Well of course.
Well I mean, I would not argue that I fit it under Cheff now.
What would you put it on?
What would I put my argument on?
Well of course I’m going — then I would go into my — Oh!
I know what you’re talking about.
Then you’re talking about with the two-year maximum potential penalty, if it was seven months, would the —
Seven months instead of two, yes.
Yes, with my two-year maximum penalty of my statute then deprive him of due process, or would it require a jury.
And of course it would not, because you’re not —
It would not you say?
You say it would not deprive him in a jury.
He ought to have a jury trial?
It would not require a jury, certainly not.
The potential maximum sentence of two months would not require a jury.
No I said if it was seven months that he had given him instead of the two.
What would your position be?
My position would be I would not be under Cheff, because the actual sentence would be more than six months but my position would be, that he would still not require a jury.
What basis would you shift to then from Cheff?
Well then I would have to look at the maximum.
That’s what I was trying to say.
I skipped a step on it.
I would have to look at the maximum.
Well in addition to many other factors I’d have to look at the inherent nature of the offense, but I would also look at the maximum potential sentence.
Now as pointed out by Frankfurter & Corcoran in their article which has been cited by this Court and recognized, there are many — there have been many —
You mean adopted by this Court?
Cited.
What do you mean by recognized?
Used as a basis for your opinion in District of Columbia versus Collins.
Cited, and used as authority.
There are many —
Why did you stop with cited [Laughter]?
Well, it is certainly recognized as an authoritative work on what is a serious crime, what was a serious crime at common law, and then the colonies at the time of the adoption of the Sixth Amendment.
For example, they point out that Orsen (ph) was not triable by jury.
That it carried a penalty of seven years transportation or one and half years at hard labor, robbery, and indefinite confinement at hard labor an innkeeper allowing tippling an indefinite confinement, vagabondage a severe whipping in confinement pending sessions, producing illegitimate children, an indefinite confinement, robbery, one month at hard labor and a severe whipping.
Now today, a severe whipping would be considered cruel and inhuman punishment.
Vagrancy 31 lashes.
In New York, any offense less than grand larceny would take an indefinite penalty.
And Your Honor, I have a whole bunch of them listed.
I really would rather not take anymore time, but I —
Did you leave out the one for hanging cattle thieves?
[Attempt to Laughter] I don’t think he put that in sir, I don’t recall that one.
New York, three years for vagrancy was cited in the Clawans Case.
So I say that even if you look at the maximum potential penalty, our man still does not require a jury trial.
He does not go to the penitentiary.
He goes to the Parish Jail which is a substantial difference.
What difference is there between the Parish Jail and the penitentiary?
There’s a lot of difference.
You have civil disabilities for one thing that result when you’re convicted of a felony.
What other difference is there?
Well at hard labor, what are the differences?
It’s the difference in treatment and the difference in hard labor that things that a person has to do.
And it is certainly a more disgraceful thing to go to the penitentiary considered that way in a community than to be sentenced to Parish Jail.
May I —
Did I understood Mr. Sobol to say that some of these crimes that were without hard labor called for punishment up to 10 years?
Oh no sir!
That is absolutely wrong.
That is aggravated battery resulting from breach of the peace which is Section 34.1 of the Louisiana Criminal Code.
Now aggravated battery resulting from breach of the peace is not a misdemeanor, it is a felony.
The source Act of Section 34.1 is Act 69 of 1960 and under that Act, aggravated battery resulting from breach of the peace is a felony.
It is not a misdemeanor.
That all must tried with a jury?
We’ve never had a prosecution under it.
But as a felony, it would have to be tried by a jury.
Never had an aggravated battery in Louisiana?
We’ve had aggravated battery as defined in Section 34 which is general type of aggravated battery, but we have never —
What is the maximum punishment for that?
Ten years.
How about did —
And that’s trial by jury, of course.
Well that’s what I asked.
Yes, You asked about the one – I’m sorry I thought you were talking about the one that he referred to as a misdemeanor.
There are two aggravated batteries.
There’s Section 34 which is aggravated battery which requires the use of a dangerous weapon and then there’s 34.1 which is aggravated battery resulting from breach of the peace which requires bodily injury and they are both felonies.
Well Mr. Sobol said that 34.1 does not provide for hard labor, and therefore it is not a felony under Louisiana law.
Is that incorrect?
That is incorrect because the Source Act is Section is Act 69 of 1960.
And the Source Act provides that it is — that that particular crime is a felony.
And there is no provision for hard labor?
No, but it’s a felony.
But it is —
Oh! Definitely it is a felony, yes.
Do you disagree with Mr. Sobol that generally where the Louisiana law does not provide for hard labor, the defined crime is not a felony?
Generally, yes.
But this is an exception.
But this is an exception, because it specifically provides that it is a felony in the Source Act.
What is the maximum term of imprisonment provided under any of the criminal statutes that is not a felony?
The maximum — that is not a felony?
There’s one for three years which is wearing a hood in the streets except on Mardi Gras.
[Laughter] It takes three years and it’s a misdemeanor.
How much do they get for wearing it on Mardi Gras?
Nothing, nothing.[Laughter]
Your party said you don’t wear one on Mardi Gras.
Your Honor, we say that simple battery is a trivial offense enacted under the state’s police power.
It’s not too offensive to the community’s moral purposes.
It’s not too close to society’s dangers and these are tests which have been used by this Court in determining what is a minor offense.
We say that there is a substantial difference between simple battery or misdemeanor in Louisiana, and aggravated battery which is a felony.
Aggravated battery in Louisiana involves serious conduct and as a felony, it is triable by jury.
It’s punishable in the penitentiary, and it necessarily involves the laws of important Civil Rights such as the right to vote.
Simple battery involves minor conduct and of course, it’s a misdemeanor.
And the conviction of a misdemeanor does not involve the laws of any Civil Rights at all and it is not punishable in the penitentiary.
Historically, conduct constituting simple battery has been treated as a petty offense, not only in Louisiana, but also throughout the United States and in England as authorities in our brief show.
The Frankfurter & Corcoran Article which was cited, in the District of Columbia versus Clawans mentions assault and battery as a petty offense triable without a jury.
Throughout the United States, simple battery is a typical petty offense as our brief shows.
In England, when the Sixth Amendment was adopted, simple battery was a minor offense triable without indictment and without a jury, as our brief demonstrates.
Mrs. Wolbrette, are you arguing to us that regardless of the term or circumstances of imprisonment that the determining factor is a nature of the offense?
No, I’m not.
I’m arguing that that is one of the important factors.
Alright, now what’s the other one?
Well the Court has looked at the maximum potential sentence and that has been modified in Cheff by saying that when the actual sentence is six months or less.
Are you saying that anything up to three years that if the nature of the offense is wearing of a hood or a simple battery and if the maximum period of confinement should be three years, then you don’t have to have a jury trial?
Well I am saying the Court doesn’t have to go that far.
The only point to which the Court has to go on this case is the two-year maximum.
I know, but I invite you to assist us in terms the theory because we do have to consider that what of course is involved here.
Well as pointed out in D.C. versus Clawans, there was a three-year maximum penalty for vagrancy in New York.
How about five years?
Suppose it was five years, what would the difference with that?
I really couldn’t answer that, Your Honor.
I’ve just considered really two years and possibly three years.
I don’t know of that five years.
What’s your principle for what you’re arguing?
That’s what I fail to get here.
Do you say (voice overlap)
I tried to apply — go ahead.
Do you say that under no circumstances, should the federal constitution operate so as to require a state to provide a jury trial?
Or, are you saying that under some circumstances, the federal constitution does require a state hold a — to grant jury trial?
I’m saying that the state may modify the scope of jury trial and that Louisiana has modified the scope of jury trial within whatever limits maybe provided by the Constitution.
Suppose it’s a capital offense?
Well the question there would — it takes two parts.
Could a judge try a capital offense fairly?
Yes he could.
I’m not asking you that.
I’m asking you whether the federal constitution, whether there’s anything in the federal constitution that would make it unlawful under our system of government, or a state to provide for capital — for a trial of capital case without a jury?
Your Honor, Louisiana provides for the trial of a capital case with a jury.
Yes ma’am.
Is that your total answer ma’am?
I’m trying to find out what your view of the principle is (voice overlap)
Well I tried to answer you but you said that that wasn’t the answer.
But if that’s your answer to it, then that’s alright.
I said that the test is a fair trial.
Now, can a judge give a fair trial in a murder case?
Then I say, of course a judge can give a fair trial in a murder case.
Now of course, if you want to look at history, I don’t believe there is any precedent for a capital crime being tried or not much precedent for a capital crime being tried without a jury.
So on the basis of history it is quite possible that we could say that it would not be proper to try without a jury.
But I’m saying that a state has the right to modify the scope of jury trial as Louisiana has done in this case.
I’m also saying that because the decision of the decision in Cheff, this Court need not reach the constitutional question and hopefully will decide this case on the narrower ground that appellant’s prosecution was for a petty offense, which is exempted from the Sixth Amendment jury trial under the Cheff decision.
But in the alternative, if this Court deems it necessary to reach the constitutional question of applicability to the states of the Sixth Amendment jury trial right, then we maintain that the Sixth Amendment does not apply directly to the states.
In deciding this issue, we call this Court’s attention to Patton versus the United States and the consequences Mr. Justice Brennan, of requiring all the states to try crimes by 12-man unanimous jurors.
This would be a necessary incident of a crime with Sixth Amendment directly to the states.
Since the Barron decision in 1833, this Court has held in an unbroken line of decisions that the Bill of Rights applies only against the federal government and not against states.
Are those decisions anymore unchangeable than the ones that the defendant here asked us to overrule about the applicability of the Sixth Amendment?
Are those changed — are those?
Well the courts also held in a line of cases that the jury trial provision doesn’t apply to the states at all.
But what I’m pointing at, I’m going from general to specific if you will allow me.
The fact that certain rights have been found fundamental and applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment does not mean that all are.
The fact that certain restrictions are placed on the federal courts does not mean that the same restrictions must be imposed on state courts.
Unlike the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, the Sixth Amendment jury trial right is not an abstract declaration of the rights of man based on fundamental fairness.
The Sixth Amendment jury trial right deals only with the preservation of a concrete institution, the common law 12-man jury as it existed in 1787.
Under the Sixth Amendment change in the common law jury is impossible.
It isn’t reasonable to argue that such a rigid unchangeable institution as the 18th Century common law jury in which procedural reform is impossible represents a fundamental right which is necessary to a fair trial in state court.
Jury trial exists in federal court by reason of Article III and the Sixth Amendment.
Jury trial exists in state court by reason of state law.
The only vehicle for applying the federal jury trial right to the states is the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and due process does not demand trial by jury.
The test under due process is whether a jury is essential to a fair trial.
Contrary to appellant’s arguments, recent decisions of this Court —
What kind of trial would that be Ms. Wolbrette, where a jury trial is essential to a fair trial?
What kind of trial would it be?
As I say —
You say it’s only applicable to cases where a fair trial would be — would —
No, no I’m saying that —
— would require a jury.
No sir, I’m saying that the only test under due process is whether a jury trial is essential to a fair trial.
When would that be?
Oh, you mean in any — I don’t think it would be necessary in any case as far as a fair trial is concerned, I believe that a judge certainly can try any defendant fairly.
Contrary to appellant’s argument, recent decisions of this Court have not undermined the validity of Maxwell versus Dow.
In following the rationale of Hurtado versus California, Maxwell versus Dow applied the test of fundamental fairness to determine that due process required neither an indictment nor a jury trial in state prosecutions for robbery.
This is the same test which is applied by this Court today, and that is, is the right which has been denied essential to a fair trial which is inherent in due process.
In the case at bar, it would be necessary to find that failure to a court appellant a jury trial necessarily deprived him of a fair trial.
Neither logic nor history supports a holding that failure to a court appellant a jury trial deprived him of a fair trial.
There is no rational basis for declaring that a judge cannot dispense with the same fairness and impartiality which could be expected of a jury acting under a judge’s instructions both as to the law and the facts.
Certainly, it can’t be logically argued that it was fair in District of Columbia versus Clawans for federal judge without a jury to impose a 60-day sentence on the accused for selling property without a license, but that it was not fair in the case at bar for a state judge without a jury to impose a 60-day sentence for simple battery.
Certainly it can not be —
We’re not talking about dispensing justice of the generality.
We’re talking about the particular function that a jury has of finding the facts of — and the theory if that one was supposed as behind that 12 of a defendant’s peers are perhaps better equipped as fact finders than a single judge.
Not with a generality of dispensing justice.
But Your Honor, you’re talking about desirability.
Desirability is not a case for constitutional mandate.
I’m trying to ask you whether you think that it’s sufficient for you to argue as you’re now doing in terms of the general administration of justice, because the jury, the jury has a specific function to play traditionally in that administration of justice and that is in the role of a fact finder.
Well, and the judge has a traditional role to play in that of a fact finder.
Judges find facts all the time in equity —
Well not under the Sixth and Seventh Amendment.
It’s the jury that’s the fact finder unless it’s waived.
But our point is that the Sixth Amendment — you’re talking about Sixth Amendment, I’m talking Fourteenth and I’m talking fairness under the Fourteenth.
You’re talking Sixth Amendment which applies only to the federal courts.
And I’m talking fairness under the Fourteenth.
And they’re summing in the Magna Carta about juries?
[Attempt to Laughter] Your Honor, Magna Carta did not guarantee jury trial to anybody.
I think I have a very pretty good idea what Magna Carta says, but in some reference to the jury trial?
Under Magna Carta, the citizen was entitled to the protection of either judgment of peers or the law of the land.
Now this meant that parliament had the right by positive law to diminish the general right of jury trial for specific offenses.
Parliament used this right extensively by providing for the summary disposition of many different offenses without juries.
The English tradition of the general right of jury trial —
Yes ma’am, but that does indicate that at least there were some old fellows in the 13th Century who thought that the jury was a fairly valuable institution.
And the law of the land too.
And maybe times have changed in this rather so solely —
Your Honor they —
— then I certainly don’t press the point that that’s dispositive, but there is a kind of tradition, or folklore whichever you want to call it, to the effect that the jury is an important institution in a man who searched for freedom and fairness.
It’s variable.
We don’t deny.
(Voice Overlap) ma’am?
We don’t deny the value of jury trial.
We just say that it may be variable, but it is not essential.
Maybe I misunderstood the thrust from your argument.
Oh no, indeed!
After all, we provide for more serious offenses.
So we couldn’t deny the value.
We just say the value and desirability is not constitutional mandate.
But you’re still prepared as a theoretical matter to say that the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantees would permit a state to try a capital offense and sentence a person to execution without a jury?
That is not essential to the holding of this case, Your Honor.
I know that, but isn’t that the thrust of your argument?
I’m saying that possibly history could give you an apt, because as a practical matter, I mean as a matter of history, I can’t think of many capital crimes that have ever been tried without jury.
But this is not so in offenses of a less serious nature like simple battery.
And as I’m trying to explain to you, the English tradition under the Magna Carta of the general right of jury trial existing side by side with legislative power to provide summary, non-jury process for a specific offenses was brought from England and adopted by the colonies, and used whenever the circumstances called for it.
In the years before the adoption of the Sixth Amendment, almost on more than half the colonies had constitutions of the Magna Carta type.
And they interpreted this language as allowing legislative diminution of the right to jury trial.
Moreover, the 1780 constitution of Massachusetts and the 1784 constitution of New Hampshire allowed a trial by jury to capital or infamous offense.
I see the red light is on, Thank you.
Washington v. Davis – Oral Argument – March 01, 1976
Apodaca v. Oregon
Apodaca v. Oregon – Oral Reargument – January 10, 1972
Permian Basin Area Rate Cases – Oral Argument – December 06, 1967 (Part 2)
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University degrees are recognised by the University of St.Gallen if the following formal and country-specific requirements are met.
Degree recognition checklist
For a degree to be recognised by the University of St.Gallen, it must meet the following requirements:
Your final degree certificate was awarded by an institution of higher education which is recognised in the country where you attended the course. (A list of approved, accredited Swiss institutions can be found on swissuniversities.)
You have completed at least 80% of your course work at institutions of higher education which are recognised in the country of teaching.
Your final degree certificate fulfils the country-specific provisions for recognition. Minimum grades may be required. For degrees with a classification at least “second class, upper division” is required.
Additional requirements for Bachelor’s degrees
Your degree is the highest possible Bachelor’s degree within the discipline in the country in question (depending on the education system only a four-year course worth 240 ECTS credits, or honours degrees may be recognised).
In your degree-awarding country, your degree qualifies you for studying at a recognised university on a programme with compulsory attendance that is equivalent to a University of St.Gallen master’s degree. A corresponding proof may be required.
Additional requirement’s for Master’s degrees
You have completed your Bachelor's and Master's degree programme in the same discipline (consecutively).
Your Master’s degree programme amounts to a minimum of 90 ECTS credits.
University degree versus university of applied sciences degree
Prerequisites for classification: University degree
A University is an officially recognised or state-accredited institution of tertiary education which is entitled to award nationally recognised degrees.
Institutions of tertiary education shall be deemed to be universities when they are entitled to award doctor’s degrees and primarily conduct basic research.
A comparable study programme is offered by a Swiss University.
In countries whose education system does not recognise the institutional distinction between the types of higher education institutions existing in Switzerland (university, university of applied sciences, university of teacher education), a degree is assigned to a type of higher education institution according to the comparable course of study in the Swiss education system.
At least 80% of the course work has been taken at a university type institution (not university of applied sciences, not university of teacher education).
Additional requirements for the recognition of a university of applied sciences Bachelor`s degree for admission to the Master's degree programmes (MBI, MIMM, MUG, MAccFin, SIM, MBF)
Internship credits must not exceed the workload of 20 ECTS credits
The minimum grade average of 5.00 (not rounded) Swiss grading system (German/Austria 2.00, Netherlands 7.5) in the degree certificate is fulfilled.
Degrees with a dual character (cooperative state universities «Duale Hochschule», universities of applied sciences) that meet above requirements can only be admitted to non-specialised Master's programmes in business administration and only via the Master's preparatory courses.
Country-specific requirements
For admission to Master’s degree programmes, a “Bachelors’s degree with Honours” with a classification of at least “second class, upper division” is required.
Only holders of degrees awarded by "211 Universities" are eligible to apply. For definitive admission, students have to submit an APS certificate.
The degree must have been awarded by a tertiary institution that is a member of one of the following three conferences: Conférence des Présidents d’Université (CPU), Conférence des Directeurs des Ecoles Françaises d’Ingénieurs (CDEFI), Conférence des Grandes Ecoles (CGE)
Bachelor’s degrees awarded by the Grandes Ecoles have to be fully accredited by the French state: Diplômes visés par l’Etat.
All recognised German tertiary institutions are listed under www.hochschulkompass.de. Institutions are classified as university institutions if they possess the right to confer doctoral degrees.
All accredited courses of study offered by universities of applied sciences are listed at www.akkreditierungsrat.de.
Recognized are degrees from UGC accredited universities and colleges. The teaching institution must be accredited by NAAC with the Grade "A".
A recognised Bachelor’s programme must be at least 4 years long. Three-year programmes can be recognised on the basis of a single assessment.
A minimum grade average of 60% is required for admission to the Master's level.
For admission to the Master's level, a Bachelor's degree with a grade average of at least 5.00 is required.
For admission to Master’s degree programmes, a classification of at least “second class, upper division” is required.
For admission to Master's degree programmes, a Bachelor's degree with at least a "second class, upper division" classification is required.
Only degrees and academic achievements from universities listed under "recognised bodies" are recognised.
For admission to the Master's level, a Bachelor's degree with at least a "second class, upper division" classification is required.
Only degrees and academic achievements from universities that are accredited by a “Recognized Regional Accreditation Organization” are recognised.
Bachelor’s degrees from Colleges can be recognised on the basis of a case-by-case assessment.
Admission to a Master's degree programme
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Share this Story: Bailey signs new contract with Riders
Bailey signs new contract with Riders
Feb 08, 2018 • February 8, 2018 • < 1 minute read
Devon Bailey has signed a new contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Photo by Peter Power /The Canadian Press
National wide receiver Devon Bailey has signed a contract extension with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Bailey, 26, was eligible to become a free agent on Tuesday.
Bailey signs new contract with Riders Back to video
The 6-foot-5, 202-pounder played in six games with the Roughriders last season, catching five passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns. He spent his first three CFL seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos before becoming a Roughrider in August.
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TV Book Reviews: Jan-Michael Vincent and Steven Bochco
October 14, 2016 October 14, 2016 by Lee Goldberg
I recently read the stories of two TV celebrities.. one a star in front of the camera (Jan-Michael Vincent), one a star behind it (Steven Bochco). One is a biography, the other a memoir…and both were fascinating.
Jan-Michael Vincent: Edge of Greatness by David Grove
Grove missed his calling. He should have been a novelist. Thanks to Grove’s vivid prose and keen eye for emotional detail, Edge of Greatness reads much more like a tragic novel than the standard biography of a mildly talented actor’s rapid rise and horrific downfall. This is the all-too-familiar story of a self-destructive actor undone by all the temptations of Hollywood — sex, drugs, alcohol — and his own hubris.
The book tracks Vincent from his humble beginnings in the central California farming community of Hanford, through his years of stardom, and up to his current squalor, which is physical, mental and financial. As Grove puts it:
“A black Mustang convertible and a patch of roses out front offer the only clues to his past life, when his aquamarine eyes, chiseled features, and sun-streaked hair sang of creamy sand and sweet sex. He has long ceased being beautiful or strong.”
Vincent today is confined to a wheelchair. He has lost a leg, the result of peripheral artery disease, and he struggles with diabetes, epilepsy, and the ravages of “countless episodes of alcoholic poisoning and toxic shock.” Grove goes on to say that Vincent “barely weights 100 pounds, his teeth dangle in his jaw, brittle and emaciated” and that the condition of his liver “has moved far beyond the simple characterization of cirrhosis. It’s a celebration of rot.”
And all of those quotes are just from page one, effectively setting the stage for the tragic story to come. Sure, he gives away the ending, but it puts the actor’s entire rise and fall into horrific perspective that haunts the book. What makes this tragedy compelling reading, as opposed to the literary equivalent of watching a train wreck, is Grove’s writing and reporting skills. Perhaps that’s due to this startling admission from the author, at the very end of the book, when he asks himself if he likes Vincent:
I don’t like myself, which is what we have in common and why I was drawn to him.
And he goes on to conclude:
It’s obvious now that he was not born; he was invented. I thought there would be more, but this is it. He got what he deserved.
Wow. It’s hard to turn your eyes away.
Truth is a Total Defense by Steven Bochco
Bochco is one of the most talented, influential, and deservedly celebrated writer-producers in the history of television. It’s not hyperbole to say he has reshaped the medium, not just through the ground-breaking dramas that he wrote and co-created (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue), but also by virtue of the many amazing writers that he discovered and nurtured (like David E. Kelley and David Milch). I’m among his biggest fans, speaking both as an appreciative viewer and a TV writer/producer who was inspired by him (and yet never rose to anywhere near his level of success, creatively or otherwise). That said, while there is much to learn from his revealing memoir, this self-published book is difficult to read, not because of the subject matter, but because of crippling editorial issues.
But let’s talk about the pluses first. The memoir works not just as the story of one writer’s rise through the television industry — from Universal Television staff writer to a celebrity show runner — but also as insider’s look at the massive changes that have happened in the industry and how it has affected programing. It’s also an in depth, inside look at how television shows are conceived, developed, written, and produced from the creative, business and political sides. Bochco not only examines how his shows succeeded… but also how and why they failed. And he can be brutally honest about it.
He goes into detail about his working and personal relationships with actors, directors, network and studio executives…and doesn’t always come out looking very good himself (more about that later). There are many memorable stories in the book — one of my favorites is the one about why he fired actor Daniel Benzali from Murder One. All I’ll say is that it comes down to when and where Benzali wanted to take a crap. Another favorite is the story of his encounter with William Paley, who ran CBS. Those are just a few of the great anecdotes in book that, as far as I know, haven’t been shared before. But Bochco also goes into more well-known controversies, like replacing David Caruso on NYPD Blue, and talks candidly about his intimate working and personal relationship with writer David Milch, who he discovered on Hill Street Blues and who battled with many demons, including a gambling addiction.
Now let’s go into the negatives, which are substantial and detract from what otherwise could have been a great book, perhaps one of the best ever written about the TV business.
The book is amateurishly produced on every level. The title of the book, at least on the cover and on the spine, is Truth Is a Total Defense. The title of the book on the two title pages, however, is Truth is a Total Defense: My Fifty Years in Television. That’s a minor quibble, but it’s your first clue that this is not a professionally published book (it’s also missing a copyright page, which is pretty astonishing in itself).
caption: Daniel Benzali Photo: Tony Esparza/CBS
©2002 CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved
Bochco is a very wealthy man, as he often mentions in the book. So I don’t understand why didn’t spend the money to have the book professionally edited. For a guy who prides himself on his attention to detail in his shows, he doesn’t exhibit the same care when it comes to his book. He appears to have done little or no copyediting. For example, titles of shows are not italicized or in quotation marks… though sometimes, for no reason at all, they are in all-caps. It’s a very strange choice and makes it difficult to read the book.
Typos and other errors abound. He refers to John Wells, executive producer of ER as “John Welles.” He even misspells the names of characters he created, alternating between “Goldblume” and “Goldbloom” when talking about the character from Hill Street Blues.
There are also a lot of factual mistakes. For instance, Bochco was a story editor on McMillan and Wife, which he describes as Rock Hudson playing “the D.A. of San Francisco” when, in fact, he played the Chief of Police. He mentions releasing David Caruso from a clause in his post-NYPD Blue agreement, one that prevented him from doing another series for five years, to let him do a CBS pilot. He says the CBS pilot didn’t sell, but that the next show Caruso did was CSI Miami, and it was a big success. Actually, the CBS pilot did sell. It was called Michael Hayes, and the series ran for 21 episodes before being cancelled. There are errors like this throughout the book that could have been easily avoided if he’d hired a professional copy editor.
There’s also an interesting omission. He talks about nearly every show he worked on at Universal Television… and says the first show he ever created was Griff in 1973. And yet he never mentions that in 1969 he co-created The New Doctors segment of The Bold Ones, the most successful series spoke in that drama wheel. I wonder why he completely skipped over that.
He does something in the book he would never do on his TV shows — he uses lots of cliches, like “moved so fast our heads were spinning,” “it was no day at the beach,” “I didn’t want to rock the boat,” “necessity is the mother of invention,” etc. It’s laziness he would never tolerate in a script but lets slide in the book. I mention it not to be petty, but because its a sharp contrast to what he says throughout the book about his standards of good writing.
Structurally, the book is mess. He starts with the moment, a few years ago, that he learned that he had leukemia, and then goes into his disappoint and anger that his sister wouldn’t donate bone marrow. From there, he shifts into the story of his TV career, jumping forward, backwards, and sideways so it’s often hard to keep track of where you are in his career and personal timeline. And then he returns to his leukemia, and his difficult battle over the disease. As part of that story, he shared the emails he wrote to his family and friends while he was being treated…some of them cringe-inducing, particularly those where he rips his sister yet again for not giving her bone marrow to him. Is this his autobiography? A book about his career in television? Or a book about his battle with leukemia? He can’t seem to decide. This is where a strong editor would have really helped the book.
He likes to depict himself as a nice guy, someone who is supportive of other writers and who strives to bring out the best in everyone around him. Often, he probably is the person he describes…and there are plenty of examples of that kindness and supportiveness in the book. But he also clearly delights in trashing people, particularly network and studio executives, some of them by name, who had the temerity to disagree with him or pass along notes from their bosses. Many of the people he trashes are small fish, individuals far less powerful and wealthy than he is….and, as a result, he comes across as a bully taking advantage of his stature to beat on those who aren’t able to defend themselves.
He repeatedly claims he doesn’t carry a grudges, but he clearly does. He rips into his first wife’s boyfriend, actors Kiel Martin, Daniel J. Travanti, and Daniel Benzali, writers Mike Kozoll (co-creator of Hill Street Blues), Terry Louise Fisher (co-creator of L.A. Law), Eric Lodel (co-creator of Murder in the First) and David Milch (co-creator of NYPD Blue) to name just a few of the people who get singled out for his righteous and often brutal wrath. Some of them undoubtedly deserve his harsh words, and this is his memoir after all, but he doesn’t come out looking particularly good himself in many of these stories. He also repeatedly savages, perhaps rightfully so, his sister for not donating bone marrow to him when he needed it (also trashing her husband, actor Alan Rachins, in what can best be described as collateral damage).
So when all is said and done, yes, Truth is a Total Defense, is a fascinating book for anyone interested in Steven Bochco and the business of television. There’s is much to learn from the book about writing, show running, and the television business. But it’s also a deeply flawed work that’s in desperate need of professional editing.
Categories Book Reviews Tags Airwolf, Daniel Benzali, David Caruso, David Milch, Hill Street Blues, Jan-Michael Vincent, mystery writing, NYPD Blue, screenwriting, Steven Bochco, TV Books, TV writing, writing for TV Post navigation
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4 thoughts on “TV Book Reviews: Jan-Michael Vincent and Steven Bochco”
Great read Lee!
So I don’t understand why >hepounds<, his teeth dangle in his jaw, brittle and emaciated” and that the condition of his liver “has moved far beyond the simple characterization of cirrhosis. It’s a celebration of rot.”
Even great writers make mistakes. . . ))
And, yes Bochco's tome is a mess.
Rock Hudson played the Police Commissioner of San Francisco.
Mike Doran
When I saw that Steven Bochco’s book was available on Amazon, I ordered it immediately.
I admit to collecting books of this nature.
One thing I’ve noticed lately is that many of these memoirs seem to be self-published.
This is territory that you’ve covered in other parts of your blog; I have most of my education about this from you (for which, thanks).
I have enough of these books that I can make comparisons; in this case, I used Peter S. Fischer’s ME AND MURDER SHE WROTE as a control, to compare with the Bochco book.
I was aware that Fischer, in collaboration with his son, had formed an actual publishing company to put out his novels as well as his memoir; thus, professional look and feel in the finished product.
The Bochco book reminds me of a vanity press book from a bygone era. The absence of a publisher’s name, let alone a copyright page, to say nothing of no photo illustrations, give this the feel of having been printed up in somebody’s basement ( OK, a pretty upscale basement, but still …).
Mind you, the book is still worth it to have any way you can get it, but I do wonder why someone with Steven Bochco’s CV in the business couldn’t interest a professional publisher in his memoir.
Or is that (as Mr. Kipling said) another story?
Bochco repeatedly had fillings-out with co-creators of his shows: Kozoll of Hill St. and Fisher of L.A. Law are the most notable, and they were forced off their respective shows. That says something about the man.
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Altered Carbon Review – Episode 3: In a Lonely Place
By Julian Watkins On February 10, 2018
Recently, I dove into the Netflix-original series Altered Carbon, posting my thoughts about the first two episodes.
Well, here we are again, with the third episode in Netflix’s much-ballyhooed Frankenstein of a science fiction show. You probably recall that I was pretty dismissive of the first two episodes, but I was also hopeful that things would pick up as the show gathered a little steam. In some ways, Episode 3 definitely points in a more defined direction for the show.
The only problem is this direction doesn’t bode very well. I watched Episode 3 with my partner, and she was quick to lament about fifteen minutes in, “This is pretty cliché.”
I laughed, but I couldn’t agree more.
The one nagging feeling I get from all of the bizarre camera movements and strange angles is that this feels like a Fox show with just an influx of hard swearing and superfluous nudity (mostly breasts). And although that isn’t a make-it-or-break-it delineation for me, it is a bit puzzling why the quality of original shows on Netflix can vary so widely. Maybe it’s because they commission content without enforcing a clear continuity like Fox or NBC would?
Regardless of the content of the individual programs on major cable and network channels, everything has an overarching aesthetic, much like the Marvel movies. Each network seems to put their own stamp on their products so nothing feels out of place. This can be an issue in and of itself, but it becomes glaringly obvious when a content provider, such as Netflix, doesn’t adhere to this framework.
That’s how you get a show as polished as House of Cards (although still vapid) or Daredevil (Season 1 is practically a masterpiece), which both feel incredibly cinematic. But then you also get a show like Travelers (a personal favorite of mine) that resembles something from the network template. This can lead to unique and interesting programming, along with a great deal of freedom for content creators, but it can be jarring when the content varies in aesthetic quality and vision so wildly. It makes it hard to know what to expect, and even harder to compare the individual offerings as a whole.
But I digress. We were talking about Altered Carbon.
And I must say, this show is very much lost in the world it is creating.
The problem with a lot of science fiction programming is that the grander and more encompassing the world, the larger the budget required. This is a genre that can be uniquely slavish to technology — an interesting note in a genre that is oftentimes about technology. Altered Carbon‘s budget constraints — although I’m sure the budget is still impressively high — keep the show looking downright silly and cheap at times.
When we see Takeshi Kovacs (portrayed by Joel Kinnaman) strolling through a section of the housing area built up on the Golden Gate Bridge in broad daylight, it looks like he wandered onto the backlot of the Syfy-original Defiance. This is not a compliment. The quality, as is the case with so many shows post-pilot, drops noticeably.
At the end of Episode 2, Kovacs sleeps with Miriam Bancroft (Kristin Lehman, yet again acting through her nipples), who is the wife of Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy), the man whose murderer Kovacs was hired to find (my head is already spinning). We learn this was being secretly recorded, which, of course, cannot be a good thing.
And where does Episode 3 take us?
To a party at the home of Laurens Bancroft in his tower above the clouds. It’s the perfect excuse to get everyone that wants Kovacs dead in the same place so he can do a little sleuthing. This seems like a promising premise, since he’s done so poorly at what little sleuthing he’s bothered to do up to this point.
To be fair, he did have a nice bit of clever detective work in Episode 2 at a quaint little mom-and-pop club called Jack It Off. while investigating the death of Lizzy Elliot, Vernon’s daughter, he convinces one of the dancers that he is in fact Lizzy’s mother in a different sleeve, gone undercover to find her daughter. It’s a touching scene that has promise for a decent payoff later on.
And of course Detective Ortega is also invited to the party. Her ulterior motive is that she’s trying to solve a completely different woman’s murder.
If you’re anything like me, at this point you’ve got at least three spreadsheets going so you can keep track of all the proverbial balls this show is juggling. Showrunner Laeta Kalogridis must be trying to set a record for number of plates spun while true developments are coming at a crawling pace. Having written numerous Hollywood screenplays, including Shutter Island, she clearly has a knack for macabre sleight-of-hand. Unfortunately, in Altered Carbon this tendency can be far more frustrating than rewarding.
Everything feel so disjointed. Characters that seem pivotal to the moment are suddenly woefully underrepresented with screen time, making it feel like actions that should be happening simultaneously are in fact happening in broad, rigid steps.
For example, Kovacs hires Elliot to watch his back at the party. Yet when Elliot infiltrates a restricted area with laughably little effort, he seems to be in a position that will allow him to come to Kovacs’ rescue moments later — yet he doesn’t. He finally emerges later, only to be stripped of his weapon so that Detective Ortega can save Kovacs instead.
But there are also some real highlights from this otherwise lukewarm bottle-light episode. When the show bothers to address philosophical and religious themes inherent to a world that allows people to potentially live forever, it gains a lot of traction.
For example, the Bancroft son is a perpetual asshole because, with a line of clones of himself from his late-teen years, he will never grow or mature into manhood. Kovacs comments on the frustration of forever being viewed as the boy your body resembles instead of the adult that inhabits the sleeve. It’s an interesting idea, but much like the rest of the deeper quandaries in this series, it’s only commented on in passing en route to the next scene.
The Bancroft daughter sneaks into one of her mother’s back-up sleeves to go around getting her rocks off, in this case banged in a secret chamber by a bodyguard. The idea on display here is pretty fucked up, and Kristin Lehman’s performance is spectacular when her personality shifts from faux Miriam to teenaged Bancroft daughter (herself over 60 years old).
It’s creepy. It’s fucked up. More importantly, it’s interesting, but it’s ultimately discarded for another Kovacs one-liner. Like when Kovacs encounters the bodyguard and says, “Only way you stay is if you’re unconscious. This is your call.” Well, actually that was pretty badass.
Where do we end up?
Nowhere really. At least, nowhere closer to resolving the main mystery or any of the side mysteries. We do have a better idea of character motivations and moral codes, but nothing much really happens here.
Elliot gets a little more screen time and gets a few chances to display more than just a look of rage and/or confusion. Ortega comes closer to being likeable, but she is still played as the icy foil for reasons I’m sure will become more evident later on. The Bancrofts are still dicks.
There’s a moment when the guests at the party reveal the gifts they brought for show and tell, an apparent tradition in these parts. One woman shows off a snake, which she’s uploaded the essence of a rapist/murderer into. This is an interesting aside and it’s played perfectly, but it’s yet another idea that we’re only ever allowed to scratch the surface of.
It is when Bancroft reveals his gift, however, that we get a little focus into the kind of world the super-rich inhabit. Bancroft’s gift is Kovacs himself, brought to life to be put on display. Once a hero, he is now seen simply as just another item to be bought, owned, and discarded at the whim of the purchaser.
I’m still not sold on Altered Carbon as anything more than just another middle-of-the-road distraction. I’m interested enough to see where it all leads and still hopeful for a surprise uptick in quality.
“In a Lonely Place” Tidbits and Takeaways:
At the party, the guests are eating freshly shaved slices of tiger meat. The animal is presented on a platter much like a pig at a luau. It’s fucking gross.
How much bare ass body doubling has there been for Joel Kinnaman up to this point? Netflix really likes to double down on the gratuitous nudity in their original programming. Altered Carbon is getting up there with Sense8, and that’s no small feat.
Everyone is orange in this episode.
The party had a really nice dream aesthetic when Kovacs arrived, a rare example of great camera work for this show.
Thus far, there hasn’t been much in the way of cool future tech or ideas — something of a surprise for a sci-fi serial — but the gun that can suck bullets back in is proper dope.
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Home Music Jess Gillam: From busking to the Proms – interview
Jess Gillam: From busking to the Proms – interview
Paul Clarke
There are not many musicians who start their career in a carnival street band and end up playing at the legendary Last Night of the Proms but that’s exactly what saxophonist Jess Gillam did.
Jess is on a mission to popularise the sax, which has fallen out favour in pop circles in recent years, and her second album Time is a clever mix of minimalist giants like Philip Glass and the pop acts she listens to.
The new album was partly recorded in Abbey Road studios where The Beatles worked their magic, but when Jess first picked up a sax in the community centre in Barrow in Furness where her street band practised she never dreamed where it would take her.
“My dad was teaching percussion there and I just had to go to work with him every week after school” recalls Jess of her introduction to the sax. “I’d tried everything there – stilts, dance, percussion – and finally picked up a sax, and fell in love with it.
“I had my first tuition there, and we played a bit of pop and some Brazilian samba in different carnivals around the country. Everything was just about joy and being part of a collective.”
Gillam went onto to become the first saxophonist to make the final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year, but then dropped out of her undergraduate course at the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music to concentrate on her recording career.
That proved to be a very wise move as her debut Rise went to number one in the Classical Charts. This new album is a carefully curated collection of songs from Michael Nyman to Thom Yorke she was keen to reinterpret.
“I think I wanted it to be as authentic as possible to reflect the kind of music I love, and that I listen to, which I think works well on the saxophone. The lyrical side to the sax and the vocal quality to the sound suits a lot of that music, so trying to emulate Thom Yorke or Bjork’s voice on the saxophone was a great challenge.
“This is the first time I’ve recorded with my new ensemble, I think being with a collective of musicians who I’m close to both as friends, and musically, who have a similar passion for music can push things in a new direction to try things out in the studio.”
In a real statement of intent, Gillam commissioned two original pieces, and Australian minimalist composer Luke Howard contributed Dappled Light as the album’s first single, which feels like a dreamy meander through a person’s day.
“I’d heard some of his film music, for me it was really evocative, transcendent and beautiful,” notes Gillam. “I’d not heard any of the music he wrote for saxophone, and I was interested to see how he wrote for the instrument, and whether he would write for it similar to a voice, or piano. It had a bit of the neo-minimalist thread to some of the music and so I thought he would be a great fit for the Nyman and the Glass.”
“The piece he wrote ended up being quite mediative. and he wrote wonderfully for the saxophone. It tries to capture the constant cycles that are happening everywhere, so you get lots of these repeated motifs in minimalism and patterns that change ever so slightly and go round – that’s how we live life with these constant cycles going round all the time.”
In almost direct contrast Gillam also asked Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory to create a more edgy piece, Orbit, that could sit just as easily with his own band’s output.
“I’d been a fan of Goldfrapp for some time, I listen to them a lot and loved how he and Alison Goldfrapp combined the electronic and acoustic sounds to create this kind of kaleidoscope. You’re not quite sure when you’re listening to an acoustic instrument or something electronic. The energy and drive they have is brilliant, I also knew he was a saxophone player, and had played with some of my favourite artists like Peter Gabriel.”
“He wanted to write something for alto, for me there’s more grit and drive in some of the alto sounds. He just writes with such a great groove and feel.”
As well as a smart reworking of James Blake’s pop anthem Retrograde, the South Cumbrian also decided to take on one of Bjork’s most sonically challenging numbers using the lyricism of the sax to give Venus As A Boy a more soulful feel.
“With Bjork it was some of her musical ideology I had really taken to, so she talks a lot about creating a microcosmos within music and a piece. You can go inside, exist within it and look around rather than being an active part of the narrative as the listener. That was really what I was trying to create on the whole album, so I wanted some of her music on there to respect that ideology.”
“Venus As A Boy has so many different components and layers to it, and great rhythm. It is just one of the best ever songs.”
There is not an artist who has walked through the doors of Abbey Road who hasn’t felt the history in the walls of the world’s most famous studio where the Fab Four created their masterpieces. Gillam was no exception as she used that legacy to raise her game in Studio 2.
“To be in Abbey Road, I think the word honour can be overused, but it was a genuine honour to be in a studio with such a rich history. As soon as you walk into that building you are aware of how special an opportunity it is, and all my senses became heightened, so I wanted to be as musical as possible.”
And if that wasn’t enough Gillam was invited to take her sax to London to play at the Last Night of the Proms, so performing at classical music’s biggest night of the year must have been something of an out of body experience?
“It was completely surreal as I think I was 20 when I did it, and it was an honour I never expected to have that so early in my career, never mind have it at all. It was a real privilege to play at such an event as I love playing in the Royal Albert Hall. It is such an amazing venue with such an incredible legacy, but I enjoyed it so much.”
Time is out now at Decca Records.
You can follow Jess Gillam on Facebook and Twitter.
Words by Paul Clarke, you can see his author profile here.
Jess Gillam
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Blue Rose Code: Online Album Launch and Performance – live review
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Reclaiming the history of the NHS’s migrant workforce
Julian M. Simpson, author of Migrant architects of the NHS
Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) turns 70 on July 5, 2018. It is traditionally seen as a ‘typically British’ institution. But that’s only true if we are prepared to revisit our understanding of what Britishness is…
There is an exchange in Hanif Kureishi’s screenplay for the film My Beautiful Laundrette where one of the South Asian characters discusses his nephew’s new business venture (the laundrette of the title) and mentions that ‘He’s hired someone else to do the work’. Another Asian character sarcastically replies: ‘Typically English if I can say that’. And, in fact, the NHS is only ‘typically English’ (or British) in that sense. The UK, over the past seven decades, has got someone else to do the work of providing care for the most vulnerable sections of society by relying on its imperial links and the labour of migrant healthcare workers.
The legacies of Empire
In my new book Migrant architects of the NHS: South Asian doctors and the reinvention of British general practice (1940s-1980s), I draw on 40 interviews with the first generation of South Asian GPs to work in the NHS and a range of archival material to show how migrant doctors who became GPs were at the heart of delivering what the NHS was set up to do.
I chose the title ‘Migrant architects of the NHS’ deliberately to emphasise that migrants were doing more than just providing additional labour and filling gaps in the workforce. It was also a way of challenging traditional narratives that portray figures such as the Labour Minister Aneurin Bevan and William Beveridge, author of the Beveridge report, as ‘architects of the NHS’. The architects of an institution are also those who served to make it a reality on a day-to-day basis.
Two core characteristics of the NHS were that it was set up to ensure access to treatment for the poorest sections of society and structured around general practice where most care was delivered. Migrant architects shows that Britain was only able to have this kind of healthcare system because it could draw on the labour of migrant South Asian doctors.
The British Empire in India only formally came to an end in 1947 and the NHS was launched the following year. But the close connection between these two stories has remained largely hidden from history. South Asian medicine was profoundly shaped by the British Empire and remained under the influence of the former colonial power after independence. Vast numbers of young doctors left India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to go and work in the NHS with the aim of training as specialists. They initially took up junior posts in hospitals and helped to underpin the British hospital system. By then settling in Britain and becoming family doctors, thousands of these medical graduates helped prevent a GP recruitment crisis. Professional discrimination meant their career options were limited. General practice in industrial areas and inner-cities offered them a professional lifeline.
[pic Dr Rao. Caption: South Asian medical schools remained heavily influenced by British medicine after independence. Raman N. Rao on his graduation day in the 1950s in India.]
At the heart of the NHS
For millions of people, particularly in working-class communities across Britain, accessing care meant going to see a GP from the Indian subcontinent – by the 1980s around one GP in six in England and Wales was South Asian. South Asian doctors were mostly concentrated in inner-cities and industrial areas like the South Wales Valleys. In some parts of England, such as Walsall in the Midlands or Barking and Havering in Greater London, more than half of GPs were South Asian.
Doctors from the Indian sub-continent were not just contributing to the NHS, they were its very lifeblood. They kept general practice going – particularly in the working-class areas where the need for care was greatest. They were at the heart of developments in general practice which came to be seen as the ‘cornerstone’ of the National Health Service.
South Asian doctors have also historically been over-represented in fields like mental health and care for the elderly. In other words, everywhere where the core work of the NHS is done, caring for the least affluent and most vulnerable sections of society, staff from overseas have played a key part in delivering services.
[Picture: Krishna Korlipara plans for health centre. Caption: Plans for the building of a surgery in Horwich, Greater Manchester, under the supervision of Dr Krishna Korlipara]
Empire, migration and the making of modern Britain
As we mark the 70th anniversary of the NHS it is important to acknowledge migrants were amongst its architects. Not least because if the institution is to continue to function and make care accessible to millions of people in Britain, those running it will need to reflect on how best to attract and deploy the migrant workers who have always underpinned it. My work has mainly focused on doctors, but migrant nurses often took on specific roles too and future histories of other migrant workers in the NHS might well bring to the fore other aspects of this history we are currently unaware of.
Historians have a key role to play in informing policy by exploring the myriad ways in which that which seems ‘typically British’ is in fact the product of imperial legacies and population movement. We need to understand this past if we are to plan for the next 70 years of the NHS. More generally, public debate in the UK would benefit from greater engagement with histories of the interaction of migrants with the mainstream of British society and more awareness of how the imperial past has shaped the present. This would help reclaim Britishness as a complex and fundamentally cosmopolitan notion.
The official launch of Migrant architects of the NHS and of an exhibition based on Julian M. Simpson’s research takes place on April 25, 2018 at the Royal College of GPs in London.
Migrant architects of the NHS is available now. Read a sample chapter here.
By Rebecca Mortimer
Category: Blog, History, Medicine, Social History 0 Comments.
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One to Watch: Shaun Brown
BY A.J. Pelaez | March 13, 2017 | Feature Features
With three new movies on his resume and a TV show on his plate, UM grad Shaun Wilson is a busy star on the rise.
Former Miamian Shaun Brown will soon become a familiar face to film and TV lovers.
When Shaun Brown was pursuing his acting degree at the University of Miami a few years back, his extracurricular activities were few. “I was always in the practice room going over my monologues, my songs, my dances, so I didn’t get to explore the city too much,” he says. “I never got to fist-pump at the nightclubs that I heard were popping. I was so focused on making this a reality, I didn’t let myself have any distractions.”
“This” is a red-hot career that includes a role in the CBS sitcom The Great Indoors with Joel McHale and three very different parts in a trio of films set for release this year, starting with this month’s Wilson, directed by Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins) and starring Woody Harrelson. “Working with Woody was a master class in acting,” says Brown, whose short but pivotal scene with Harrelson at the start of the movie is being called one of its highlights. “I don’t want to give too much away, but [our scene] establishes how much of a douchebag Woody’s character is... it was crazy, but very funny.” The feature, about a man trying to make amends with his disconnected family and friends, is just one of the ways we’ll see Brown on screens this month.
In FFC, soon to be on-demand, he breaks out a British accent as the announcer of an all-female fight club. Later in the year, audiences will see Brown’s dramatic side in Heart, Baby, the true-life story of George Lee Martin, a man who became a legend as an unbeatable boxer while incarcerated and shocked the world when he turned down the chance to compete in the 1984 Olympics. “I play the main character’s childhood friend, which I loved because he goes from a boy to a man in the course of the film,” says Brown. “That shoot was a beautiful experience.”
And if Brown keeps playing his cards right, perhaps just one of many more to come.
Photography Courtesy Of:
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Married Wiki
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Home Article Singer Anabel Englund is still single and is not dating anyone; She was in a relationship with Jesse Rutherford: Currently, is focused on her career
Singer Anabel Englund is still single and is not dating anyone; She was in a relationship with Jesse Rutherford: Currently, is focused on her career
Updated On 08 Dec, 2017 Published On 31 Jan, 2017
Anabel Englund and Jesse Rutherford had broken up since 2014. And now both of them are happy in their life.
The very beautiful American singer and songwriter Ananbel Englund is best known for her collaborative work with electronic music group Hot Natured.
Regarding her personal life, she prefers to keep mum on this topic. Her relationship with the lead singer Jesse Rutherford of the band The Neighborhoods grabbed everyone attention but the duo is no longer together.
Well, today we are going to provide every scoop of information regarding Anabel and Jesse's relationship. So, stay with us!!!!
Anabel Englund And Jesse Rutherford's Relationship
Both Anabel and Jesse belong to the entertainment fraternity that might be the reason for their relationship, however, they never spoke about their dating life.
During the concert of the band The Neighbourhood of Rutherford, Anabel was there before the band even took the stage.
Source: Tumbler
After that concert people assumed that, Rutherford’s heart tattoo on his shoulder was dedicated to his lady love ‘Ananbel Englund’.
Source: CBS Local
As per some sources, Anabel and Jesse were in an on-off relationship for several years and in 2014 they officially broke up.
After their breakup, Anabel is not linked with anyone officially whereas Rutherford’s has been in a relationship with ‘Devon Lee Carlos’, co-founder of ‘Wildflower cases’ since 2016.
Though both of them are not together anymore they are always gonna loved by their fans.
Rutherford was arrested by police
In December 2014, Rutherford’s was arrested by police at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport for drug possession.
Source: TMZ
According to police, Jesse was spotted by TSA agents while he was trying to ditch a bag of marijuana in the terminal’s food court. Rutherford’s was nabbed and walk in shame in an airport.
Anabel Englund; Quick Facts
She was born on September 1, 1992, in New York City and raised in Los Angeles to a musical family.
She is the granddaughter of the director-producer George Englund and Academy Award-winning actress Cloris Leachman; daughter of popular American singer and actor Morgan Englund.
She started her career at the age of 16, as a performer at the Christian youth group. Later, she became a singer and songwriter at Disney-owned US TV network ABC Family.
In 2014, she revealed that she had signed a record deal with ‘Three Six Zero’, in a partnership with ‘Warner Bros’. She also signed a modeling contract with Britain’s leading agency Models.
She began her own event that same year titled Gari Safari.
#anabel englund
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A Montreal winter: 'Resorts' will be set up across the city, parks will remain open for sports
Published Thursday, November 26, 2020 1:53PM EST Last Updated Thursday, November 26, 2020 7:13PM EST
MONTREAL -- In an effort to draw Montrealers outdoors, the city is setting up "winter resorts" in 17 boroughs in time for the holidays, Mayor Valerie Plante announced on Thursday.
The installations will include outdoor furniture, coloured lights and aim to brighten up the public spaces they inhabit -- whether that's a public square, park, or parking lot.
The @MTL_Ville is proud to present a diversified winter program 2020-2021 adapted to the current health crisis, which aims to support Montreal merchants and brighten your days during the cold season! 25 winter stations will be built to make local shopping more enjoyable! (1/2) pic.twitter.com/sdeA2rF9eO
— Valérie Plante (@Val_Plante) November 26, 2020
The goal? To encourage Montrealers to visit main arteries in the city, in hopes that they'll support local businesses struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I doubt that people will sit there for hours, because it's winter, but we want it to be fun and enjoyable," Plante said of the resorts.
With a $600,000 price tag, the stations were designed by local architects and designers who are with the city's design bureau.
"In addition to the winter resorts, the population will be able to enjoy many Christmas markets all over Montreal," Plante said. "There will be something for everyone and we strongly encourage Montrealers to visit their shopping streets for their holiday shopping."
In addition to measures to draw crowds to downtown arteries, the city has also come up with a sports program that will allow Montrealers to "stretch their legs and get some fresh air" this winter season.
Plante said all the major parks in the city will offer trails for cross-country skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing, and outdoor rinks will be available in several boroughs.
“A great way to bring some happiness into our lives during the winter is to make sports a part of our routine," Plante said. "Thanks to our large parks, Montrealers will be able to practice winter sports all over the island."
People will be able to reserve rental equipment online for Park Jean-Drapeau and other parks in the city's network -- and equipment will be free for those under 18.
Over the past month, the city also announced that downtown parking will be free for certain periods of time until the new year.
The city of Montreal will set up 'winter resorts' for the holiday season in 17 boroughs across the city / Courtesy of the City of Montreal
Montreal makes downtown parking free after 6 p.m. until 2021
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"Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" Announces Full Cast—Tickets On Sale Now
Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group which recently opened its 20th Anniversary Season with a critically acclaimed run of Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, has announced the full cast of its next production, the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award winning Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which continues its run on Broadway.
Joining the previously announced Kayla Rivera and Nick Varricchio, who will be playing Carole King and Gerry Goffin respectively, are some of the country’s most acclaimed upcoming theatre stars. Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante, last seen on the Atlantis stage as Lauren in Kinky Boots, will play Cynthia Weil, Carole’s friend and rival. George Schulze, last seen as Earl in Waitress, will play Barry Mann. Gab Pangilinan, currently starring in Ang Huling El Bimbo, will play the lead singer of The Shirelles and Marilyn Wald.
READ: Celebrating 20 Years Of Atlantis Productions With Relevant And Stirring Theater: A Review Of 'Angels In America'
Jill Peña, who last appeared in Side Show plays one of the Shirelles and Janelle Woods. Teetin Villanueva, who previously appeared in Waitress, will play Little Eva and one of the Shirelles. Maronne Cruz, fresh from her critically acclaimed performance as Dawn in Waitress, will be playing Betty, Carole’s childhood best friend. Among the actors who will be playing The Drifters are; Tim Pavino, who recently played the title role in Miong; Arman Ferrer, who last appeared in Side Show; Jep Go, who recently appeared in Eto na! Musikal nAPO!; and Markus Mann, last seen as Judas in Godspell in Florida. Nelsito Gomez, who recently concluded his critically acclaimed turn as Louis in Angels in America, will play a number of roles including Neil Sedaka. Rhenwyn Gabalonzo, who last appeared in Kinky Boots, will play one of the Righteous Brothers. Joining them are Gabby Padilla, Dean Rosen and Alex Reyes.
READ: Pumapatak Na Naman Ang Mga Hit Songs Ng APO: A Review Of "Eto Na! Musical nAPO"
Theatre veterans, Jamie Wilson and Carla Guevara-Laforteza, who are currently performing in Ang Huling El Bimbo, also join the cast as Don Kirshner and Genie Klein.
READ: Theater Icon Lea Salonga Is Up For A Grammy Award And Is A New Sweeney Todd Star!
With a book by Douglas McGrath, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical has been thrilling theatregoers with the inspiring true story of one woman’s remarkable journey from teenage songwriter to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. From the string of pop classics she wrote for the biggest acts in music, to her own life-changing, chart-busting success with Tapestry, Beautiful takes you back to where it all began – and takes you on the ride of a lifetime. Featuring such unforgettable classics as “You’ve Got a Friend,” “One Fine Day,” “So Far Away,” “Take Good Care of My Baby,” “Up on the Roof,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” and “Natural Woman,” this Tony, Olivier and Grammy Award-winning musical phenomenon is filled with the songs you remember – and a story you’ll never forget. Beautiful continues to run on Broadway and on US National Tour.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is the second show in Atlantis’ 20th Anniversary Season, which opened with the critically acclaimed production of Tony Kushner’s epic masterpiece Angels in America: Millennium Approaches. The season closes with Stephen Sondheim’s musical thriller Sweeney Todd, starring Lea Salonga and Jett Pangan.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical runs from June 14 to July 7 at the Meralco Theater, Pasig City. Tickets are now on sale at www.ticketworld.com.ph or 891-999.
Beautiful Musical
Are You A Fete De La Musique Virgin? Here’s How To Make The Most Out Of The Biggest Music Party Of The Year
Broadway’s Nick Varricchio Lands His First Lead Role In Manila With "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical"
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Hollywood Actress Aryana Chawn inspires Millions of Followers to Work On Acting Skills During Covid
When most people hear the word “acting,” they think about emotions, entertainment, or maybe exciting characters. The world is full of a lot of actors who are known because of character play in a specific show, like World Smith, Jessica Marie Alba, Mila Kunis, Drew Barrymore, and many more who have right acting skills and played great roles in a famous TV show, movies and seasons. They are evergreen influencers. A lot of new influencers are grabbing the attention of the audience through their amazing acting skills. Aryana Chawn has blown up the internet more times than fans can count on with her fetching bikini pictures and twirling videos that she’s taken all over the world. She is Los Angeles native. She made a name for herself by quitting her 9 to 5 and networking her way into internet fame. She has amazing acting skills, and through her real emotions, she made her name in acting. I was gone through her Instagram and found a lot of videos, and I found an actor with full of emotions in her. As an experienced actor and artist, Aryana firmly believes that the most important aspect is to build connections with the people who care and love to explore new talent. And of course, if one have acting skills, one can grab public attention and efficiently convey the message.
Aryana has made a lot of IGTV and YouTube videos for fans. And everyone appreciates Aryana’s acting skills; she is pretty non-descriptive in the videos, wearing casual clothing and not always put a ton of make on the face. Her videos show the feminine side of her, and she always comes up with a beautiful smile. Through her body language and talking style, she seeks attention to the public. People are definitely beginning to notice Aryana’s talents. In addition, her acting videos have done well over 100,000 views in just the first week. And every expression is just amazing and getting 5K likes in only a few days. What surprising-insights Aryana is getting! Unbelievable!
She said, “Everyone has an artist inside. You have to explore it and show its real face to the world. So people know about you, your goals, and your personality”.
Learn and create an opportunity to grow
A lot of artists such as Teyana Taylor, Kygo, admire Aryana’s acting skills after spending so much time and getting fame around the globe she said, “I have always been so motivated and determined by the many endowed artists that we’ve all seen and making a great effort to make good vibes for us. I’d be honored and would love to be able to team up with them in the future, and you know to bring something new to people”.
One may contact on Instagram or website to know more about and get in touch with Aryana Chawn.
Aryana Chawn Instagram: @aryana.tv | https://www.instagram.com/aryana.tv/
Company Name: Entertainment 258 Agency Inc
Contact Person: Aryana Chawn
Website: https://www.instagram.com/aryana.tv/
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New book “What Did You Think Was Going to Happen?” by Clinton E. Galloway is released, a deep exploration of racism and institutional corruption in South Central Los Angeles
“What Did You Think Was Going to Happen?” by Clinton E. Galloway has been released worldwide. This 194-page nonfiction study examines over forty years of problematic socioeconomic and political history in South Central Los Angeles. The author uncovers numerous factors that helped create a corrupt city government and impoverished population, as well the abysmal pattern of civil rights for the area’s people of color. Unflinching, unapologetic, and extremely revealing, Galloway digs into essential questions about the events in South Central, and what continues to happen across the US today.
What Did You Think Was Going to Happen? (ISBN: 9781735707600) can be purchased through retailers worldwide, including barnesandnoble.com and Amazon. Wholesale orders are available through Ingram.
The Court Case You Never Heard of, and Why the Ruling Remains Relevant Today
In City of Los Angeles v. Preferred Communications, the US District Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the US Supreme Court all agreed that the City had violated the civil rights of half a million people for ten years and had refused to comply with a 9-0 decision by the Supreme Court of the United States.
Like a made-for-TV movie that’s all too real, this injustice to the Black community includes a corrupt big-city mayor, unethical city and country officials, and a dishonest federal judge who deprived the poorest citizens of Los Angeles the right to have cable television. And when the case was finally settled decades later, the side of right won and the author and his minority business investors were awarded a dollar in damages. A dollar.
Yet the true cost was the loss of the rights of free speech and free press (education and internet) to the impoverished citizens of South Central LA – as generations of injustice were perpetuated and continue to play out on the mean streets of one of America’s largest cities.
A dollar. Injustice. Black America. Media. Corruption at the highest levels of government. This is the case you never heard of – until now. What did you think was going to happen?
Clinton E. Galloway was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but moved shortly thereafter with his family to New York City. He attended Northern Arizona University with the assistance of a baseball scholarship. After getting his CPA license in the late 1970s, he relocated from a large international accounting firm in San Francisco to a major international investment banking firm in Beverly Hills.
Today, he is a Certified Public Accountant with a practice in Marina del Rey, California. He is also a registered securities principal and runs a registered securities broker-dealer licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
His first book is titled Anatomy of a Hustle: Cable Comes to South Central Los Angeles (2012). This is his second book.
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Neil Wilby
Journalist and Justice Campaigner
Tag: Elizabeth Belton
Kerry Perkins -v- West Yorkshire Police
Please Note: An Order under Section 4(2) of the Contempt of Court Act has been applied to the reporting of this case. A copy has been posted in the court precinct and in the press office. Details of the restriction cannot be published, but may be obtained from the county court office. The Order has been sent to the Legal Department of the National Union of Journalists with a view to a challenge.
This court report is arranged in reverse chronological order. Latest post appears at the top. Daily updates, where possible, will be provided at lunch adjournment and after court rises at the end of each sitting day:
Tuesday 3rd December, 2019
HHJ Neil Davey QC has found in favour of West Yorkshire Police. ‘Both causes of action fail and the claim is dismissed’. He set out his reasons in a detailed judgment handed down orally in open court, taking just under an hour.
For the second time in just over two months, I’ve sat in this same court in Bradford and listened to a judge deliver ‘cherry-picked’ findings that appear to be from a different trial to the one I’ve sat through from start to finish. The other was Dr Abdul Rashid -v- WYP and the full report of that trial can be read here. That judgment is presently the subject of a permission appeal to the High Court. Manifest, and admitted, breaches of policy, procedure and, arguably, the law were all overlooked. Most incredibly, the judge accepted the proposition that the misconduct of PC Perkins (as she was then), which received the minor sanction of a written warning.
So, West Yorkshire Police remain at large, as an organisation, to cut a swathe through more or less any piece of legislation, such as PACE; CPIA; DPA; and FOIA, as they frequently do on the watch of this court reporter. Authorised Professional Practice, Code of Ethics and their own internal policies are, also, often treated with scant regard. That is a formidable, but not exclusive list. It does not serve the public interest at all well if the judiciary see, as part of an unspoken public policy, to not only ‘whitewash’ these failings, but lionise those officers at the very heart of such breaches. There may be the noble intention of ‘maintaining public confidence in the police service’ but all it does is, conversely and perversely, undermine confidence in the civil and criminal justice systems.
The bereaved families and survivors of the Hillsborough Disaster, and at least two of the journalists who attended Preston Crown Court for all or much of the proceedings, in the re-trial of ex-Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield, are of much the same mind. Whilst the scale of the Bradford trial involving West Yorkshire Police, and what was in issue, is miniscule in comparison to Hillsborough, the principle is the same: The State protects its own.
No written version of the judgment, either in hard copy or electronic form, was provided to either the police lawyers, Miss Perkins’ legal team or the press. An anachronism that has no place in the present court system and smacks of laziness on the part of a judge, whom, given his fine reputation, really should have done better. Particularly, as hearing this claim is a post-retirement sinecure without the huge caseload that besets sitting circuit judges.
Central to the judge’s findings was the proposition that a ‘major criminal investigation’, involving twenty-one officers, many of senior rank, into Miss Perkins was necessary and proportionate, and that justified the covert surveillance and obtaining over a year’s worth of data from the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system. The suspected offence was claimed to be Misconduct in Public Office, one of the most serious non-violent offences on the statute book with, consequently, a very high evidential threshold. It carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. That proposition, and the evidence heard from the various police witnesses on that topic, notably retired inspector John Rogerson, viewed from the press seats at least, was nothing short of preposterous. The judge failed to note that the concept of the Misconduct in Public Office offence never featured in any of the contemporaneous, substantive, extensive, wide-ranging, police correspondence or notes, or in Rogerson’s witness statement filed and served in January, 2019. The first Miss Perkins’ legal team heard of this allegation was during Rogerson’s live witness evidence last week.
Despite this, one might think, catastrophic flaw and a generally unconvincing witness box performance throughout (he was shaking like a leaf for the last twenty minutes of it), Rogerson was accorded star witness status by the judge. Along with Karen Gayles, a retired superintendent who signed the ANPR authorisation. The latter features elsewhere on this website. The scandal outlined there, and Mrs Gayle’s role in it, lay to waste much of what she expounded from the witness box (read more here) and does not assist her reliability, or credibility. However, emboldened by that evidence she gave in Court 5 at Bradford Law Courts she may now emerge from her shell and renew her pursuit of her former colleague, Mabs Hussain, now an assistant chief constable in Greater Manchester Police, with the same rigour as she applied to Miss Perkins – and assist with establishing the truth of what appears to be a very troubling matter.
Permission to appeal the judgment, submitted orally by Sarah Hemingway on behalf of Miss Perkins, on the grounds that policies and guidance were not followed on surveillance, was refused by the judge. Ms Hemingway represented her client with commendable tenacity and, together with counsel for the police, Olivia Checa-Dover, was warmly commended by the judge for the assistance given to the court throughout the proceedings.
Costs in the sum of £1,000 were awarded against Miss Perkins. West Yorkshire Police had filed a costs budget of around £60,000 with the court. The taxpayer meets the shortfall, on top of the estimated internal costs of £100,000 that the investigation, and all that followed, has cost the police.
Kerry Perkins said after the verdict: “As a medically retired police officer with 16 years service, the judge’s one-sided assessment of the my former colleagues’ live evidence and his interpretation of the applicable law, guidance and policy is seriously troubling. The possibility, and funding, of a permission appeal to the High Court in Leeds is presently under consideration. I will not be making any further statement until that process is exhausted’.
Monday 2nd December, 2019
Court is not sitting today.
Operation Lapmoor has been referred to a number of times in these proceedings, in open court. In response to a freedom of information request made publicly, via the What Do They Know website, in September 2018 (read full correspondence here), West Yorkshire Police, after the usual stalling tactics, said they could neither confirm nor deny the existence of this investigation, relying on exemptions at Sections 30(3), Section 31(3) and Section 40(5) under FOIA.
Disclosure of the following information was sought:
1. Name of Gold Commander, or names of Gold Group.
2. Name of Senior Investigating Officer.
3. Dates upon which they were appointed.
4. Date operational codename requested.
5. Date police operation commenced, concluded.
6. Policy book, or log. Sometimes known as Blue or Gold book.
a. Date of first entry
b. Date of final entry
c. Number of actions
7. Number of officers deployed on the operation.
It is now known that there was no Gold Commander; no nationally accredited Senior Investigating Officer appointed; the investigating officer was acting inspector John Rogerson, a neighbourhood police officer; there was no policy book kept where decision makers recorded their actions and the rationales for them; the investigation appeared to commence in April, 2014 and completed with a successful appeal by Kerry Perkins against a misconduct meeting finding in April 2015; it appears that the number of officers deployed is TWENTY-ONE, the eight who gave live evidence plus Detective Superintendent Simon Bottomley, Superintendent Pat Casserley, Chief Inspector Suzanne Akeroyd, Chief Inspector Jim McNeil, Detective Chief Inspector Elizabeth Belton, Inspector Dave Bugg, Inspector Grant Stead, Inspector Ian Croft, Detective Constable Iain Harper, Reviewing officer Sarah Morris. The latter seven all worked in the Professional Standards Department either at HQ or District. Senior Human Resources officers, Helen Parkinson, Jayne Christopher, Judith Walker all appeared to be closely involved with Sergeant Astill and A/Inspector Rogerson in the investigation. In summary, there were ten senior officers involved and eleven of lesser ranks: four superintendents, three chief inspectors and four inspectors. All ranged against a part-time, female, disabled police constable who was also a single mother with two small children.
Part of the police case in defending this claim is that the Lapmoor investigation, into a fellow officer’s horse riding hobby, and dog walking, both admitted by police to be in her own time, was lawful, necessary and proportionate.
To her credit, the acting chief constable at the time, Dionne Collins, also became personally involved after a heartfelt plea from Miss Perkins. But, to be fair, it cannot be said that the chief was involved in the investigation.
It does not go to the evidence, or the determination of the Kerry Perkins claim by the judge, but one might argue that WYP hid behind three FOIA exemptions and a misconceived public interest test to conceal from view yet another of their investigations that didn’t even meet the basic tenets of approved professional practice. Another recent and glaring example was Operation Thatcham (read more here).
Conversely and perversely, a freedom of information request seeking almost exactly the same information was answered in its entirety (read more here).
Again, it does not go to the evidence in this claim, and the incidents occured well after the material times in the claim, but John Rogerson’s brother, David, who works in the same police staion at Havertop, near Normanton, featured in this widely shared scandal (the YouTube clip has received approaching 1 million views). Many officers at Normanton refused to identify David Rogerson, including his brother and a number of PSD officers, prior to an information being laid at Kirklees Magistrates Court for an alleged assault on a member of the public in the police station precincts in full view of the CCTV cameras. The district judge issued a warrant against Rogerson, he was summonsed and a trial date was fixed. The Crown Prosecution Service, under relentless pressure from both the Police Federation and PSD, took over the case two days before the trial and discontinued it on public interest grounds. The private posecution had met the evidential part of the Full Code Test. The full story can be read here.
Friday 29th November, 2019
Having heard all the evidence in the claim, the last live testimony having concluded on Thursday aftenoon, closing submissions were heard by the judge, HHJ Davey QC, from counsel for both parties. Sarah Hemingway representing the Claimant, Kerry Perkins, and Olivia Checa-Dover appeared for the Defendant, West Yorkshire Police. Judgment will be handed down in open court next week.
During the evidence, HHJ Davey will have formed his own view on the credibility of witnesses and the reliability of the facts as presented on behalf of Miss Perkins and the police. Eight serving or retired officers gave evidence for the Defendent and one retired police officer, who was also a Police Federation representative, gave evidence for the Claimant.
Ms Hemingway submits that it remains a fundamental right in this country to go about one’s business free from state surveillance, unless such action can be lawfully justified. Furthermore, one’s personal data must not be unlawfully processed and private information must not be misused. Safeguards protecting such principles must be effective in any democratic society.
The court is being asked to make findings on two issues in this case: (i) whether there has been a breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 in relation to a police investigation into the private life of Miss Perkins, a part-time police officer, following a horse-riding accident in September 2013; and (ii) whether the police misused her private information.
It is noteworthy, submits Ms Hemingway that it has not, at any time, throughout the investigation into her hobby, or since, been asserted by the police that Miss Perkins was horse riding when she should have been at work. This is an activity that was always done in her own time outside of agreed working hours.
It should be noted that further evidence as to the extent of the police investigation into Kerry Perkins has only come to light at trial this week. Firstly, she was not aware that retired inspector, John Rogerson (who gave evidence on Tuesday and Wednesday), had attended at her children’s school, or telephoned the school, to make enquiries about her children. This was understandably upsetting for the Claimant, given her valid concerns about the impact of this investigation on her children. Secondly, the subject matter of the Public Interest Immunity evidence given by two surveillance officers had a considerable impact on her, given that she thought that the police had been absolutely clear, following an number of data requests and conduct complaints, that there had been no other forms of surveillance done on her. Thirdly, the lead surveillance officer’s evidence (heard on Wednesday) that he had entered onto the private land behind her home, in the early hours of 10 June 2014 and in order to identify her vehicles, while she and her two young children were sleeping in the house, without any lawful authority to do so, has caused further upset.
This case, Ms Hemingway went on to say, appears to be ‘exceptional’ in that no officer giving evidence this week has been able to say with any real certainty that they know of any more than one other misconduct investigation that has involved such methods of surveillance on a serving police officer. James Carter (who gave evidence on Wednesday) of the force’s Central Authorities Bureau went so far as to say that there may have been one case every 4 – 5 years, revised to 3 – 4 years, but was unable to give any specifics. The consequence, therefore, of any finding in favour of the Claimant is unlikely to extend beyond the specific facts of this case, given its highly unusual features.
The police have a duty to maintain an efficient and effective police force, consequent to sections 39 and 39A of the Police Act 1996. Ms Hemingway submitted that suspected breaches of the Code of Ethics must be dealt with by way of an investigation, but only to the extent that any formal investigation is lawful and necessary for a legitimate purpose and is not excessive. The investigation in this case was initiated (by Rogerson) due to concerns that Miss Perkins was suspected of horse riding and driving more than she professed to be able to. In relation to horse riding, Miss Perkins never sought to hide the fact that she had got back in the saddle after her accident and rode, occasionally, in her spare time when she felt up to it. She had posted pictures about it on Facebook (a social media wesite), with some of her Facebook friends, quite naturally, being police colleagues. She stabled her horses at the same place as her friend Inspector Lynne Proctor. And when approached by a local community support officer, Ken Short, she openly told him that she was out on her horse. A statement about this was, eventually, taken from PSCO Short in October 2014. 11. Had Miss Perkins been asked by Sgt Astill (now inspector), Detective Sergeant Bainbridge (now chief inspector), Rogerson, or any other officer, she would have told them that she rode her horse. Yet, each police officer, when cross-examined, admitted they had not sought to take make that obvious, and reasonable, enquiry. Indeed, Ms Hemingway recalls, Rogerson contended in his evidence that he would not have even contemplated doing so, as he ‘would have needed to gather as much information as possible as part of the investigation in order to put all the evidence to Miss Perkins and ask questions under caution’. Other witnesses, including Mr Carter, and retired superintendents Simon Whitehead (who gave evidence on Wednesday) and Karen Gayles (who gave evidence on Thursday), operated on the assumption that she must have been asked, but had not given an answer.
It was further submitted by Ms Hemingway, the police’s own Occupational Health Unit provided a medical opinion (by Dr Williams, Force Medical Advisor) that, “When her symptoms allow, there is no medical reason to debar her from pursuing this activity” and went on to advise “In periods when Kerry is subject to a flare-up of back symptoms I anticipate that horse riding would not be advised, nor indeed possible in the event of a flare-up being severe”. However, that simple request for OHU advice was not made by Rogerson until at least five months after the investigation began. Counsel added to this point by saying that, had these simple initial steps been taken at the outset, it would have negated any reason to conduct an investigation for the purpose of establishing whether Ms Perkins was horse riding, where she kept her horses or whether a back injury would necessarily preclude her from horse riding. Miss Perkins accepts, had those enquiries been made and she had refused to answer, then that would, of course, have been a different matter. But it is submitted that the police cannot reasonably justify such an exceptional Professional Standards Department misconduct investigation, as did take place, in the absence of such attempts to obtain information in a less intrusive manner. In relation to driving, Ms Perkins maintains that she had always explained when questioned that she had good days and bad days as a result of flare-ups of her back condition and that made it difficult for her to commit to commuting to Castleford on every duty day. She explained that she could drive on a longer journey if having a good day but would be limited if having a bad day, which she was unable to predict. Ms Perkins disputes that she ever said that she could not drive any distance, which is how it was presented to other officers involved in the investigation by Mr Rogerson. It is submitted that the UPP process was the most appropriate way to deal with any concerns that the police had about Ms Perkins’ return to her regular part time operational role at Castleford. Nonetheless, even if it was necessary to conduct any formal investigation into her driving abilities, any such investigation, which may well have involved checks on the PNC for DVLA and MID information and reference to ANPR must have been conducted in compliance with the DPA and common law. It is submitted that there were significant contraventions in this case.
Such checks about car details and insurance details were done on both vehicles belonging to Miss Perkins as part of the Rogerson investigation, providing basic data required for Operation Lapmoor (under the Covert Activity Policy) and the ANPR data trawl and analysis.
Ms Hemingway says the answers to the three specific questions is, therefore, contingent upon the learned Judge’s finding in relation to the ANPR and surveillance issues.
(1). In respect of ANPR was processing done lawfully? The written authority was not clear and did not in fact, lawfully, authorise the ANPR data collection, unless the court accepts the evidence of John Rogerson that he was conducting a major investigation into Misconduct in Public Office (which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment). Mrs Gayles’ evidence was that such a major investigation was never mentioned by Rogerson during the briefing and, given that such a purpose was not mentioned in his witness statement or in any other relevant documentation, it is submitted that it is unlikely that was the stated purpose of the application. The fact that PSD felt urged to make enquiries as to whether ANPR searching can be used in a misconduct investigation indicates that the law was not clear. Moreover, the answer to that question was ‘There is no definitive answer which states ‘yes’ or ‘no’ specifically in relation to using recorded ANPR data in a misconduct investigation’. The local WYP policy provides that ANPR can be used in the investigation of crime. It does not refer to investigations into alleged breaches of the code of ethics, or any non-crime related investigations. The Home Office National ANPR Standards states access to data must be solely law enforcement and investigation purposes. Such investigations to fall within three main categories: Major investigations, serious investigations, priority and volume investigations. Mrs Gayles stated that she considered this case to fall within that third category, which includes ‘non-crime issues such as anti-social behavior, vehicle excise offences, road traffic offences and missing persons’. That document does, however, make reference to investigations into alleged breach of the Code of Ethics. It is the only place in the document, or any other relevant policy, that does so and it is unclear how that fits with the three main categories set out above. Nor does it specify the age of the data to be mined as a result of the authority. The Surveillance Camera Code of Practice covers ANPR data. It is submitted that, contrary to Guiding Principles, the rules were not sufficiently clear on who can gain access and for what purpose, when the national standards were considered in conjunction with the local policy and the applicable authorisation form.
(2) Was the processing of data done for a legitimate aim? John Rogerson stated (repeatedly) that the aim of obtaining the ANPR data was in order in investigate Miss Perkins for a major crime, namely Misconduct in Public Office. That was the box that was ticked on the relevant form and, he says, that was the thrust of the briefing he gave to Mrs Gayles, the authorising officer. Mrs Gayles refutes that a major investigation into Misconduct in Public Office was ever discussed in the briefing. Instead, she proceeded on the basis that the investigation was in order to establish whether there had been discreditable conduct/dishonesty on the part of Miss Perkins. However, she accepted undr cross examination that the authorisation form does not reflect that purpose.
(3) Was processing of the data done adequately, relevantly, not excessively? Even if the police can properly rely on the investigation into alleged breaches of Code of Ethics, there is no indication as to how much data (for example, age of data) can be accessed – that box in the table on the (wrong, out of date) form used by Mrs Gayles was left blank. She stated that as authorising officer it would be open to her to determine the age of data to be collected and she would ensure that the scope of the request was proportionate. She authorized the amount of time requested by Rogerson, that is to say, more than one year. It is submitted that, in the circumstances of this case, it was not proportionate to harvest over a years’ worth of data, in any event, but certainly not dating back to a date prior to the injury that occurred on 1st September, 2013. Principle 3 of the Data Protection Act, which is addressed specifically in the WYP local policy on data protection, advises ‘When police computers are designed, consideration is given to information to be held and any forms to be used in collecting it. So long as you stick to information the computer is designed to hold, it would be difficult to argue it is excessive or not relevant’. It is submitted that the relevant form in this instance did not provide for ANPR data collection of over one year in relation to misconduct investigations because it was not considered in developing the local policy and as such the authorisation was not relevant to the data that was collected. It is further submitted that the data, once collected, was then improperly disclosed as part of a misconduct interview on 6th November. 2014.
OPERATION LAPMOOR/ CAP ‘Reconnaissance’ by Rogerson on 29th April, 2014. Whilst Rogerson initially stated that he had ‘driven past PC Perkins’ home address’, when questioned it became clear that he had parked outside Ms Perkins’ home to observe for a unspecified amount of time, he had then driven to her children’s school (though could not recall whether he attended the school to make enquiries about her children or had telephoned the school), and he had also driven around the area in an attempt to locate the riding stables. It is submitted that enquiries made at the school were unlawful as it constituted collateral intrusion upon the private lives of her young children.
Surveillance on 10th June 2014:
(1) Was processing done lawfully? Ms Hemingway submits that, in this case, the CAP did not indicate with sufficient clarity the scope and manner of exercise of the discretion conferred on the police to conduct surveillance and to store data pertaining to Miss Perkins’ private life. According to Mr Carter’s evidence, the CAP has since been amended, by the police, in order to make it clear. It is submitted that Mr Whitehead did not understand the policy, in particular the distinction that has been made by the police in that Directed Surveillance should come under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) regime. This is not clear in the CAP policy and he, unwittingly, made an authorisation under the CAP for ‘Directed Surveillance’. It is submitted on behalf of the Claimant that the domestic legal framework, outside the RIPA framework, falls back on to the DPA 1998. In the specific circumstances of this case, it was entirely unclear in reference to the policy under what circumstances the police could resort to such covert measures, which do on the face of it appear to engage Directed Surveillance. The CAP is neither legally binding, nor directly publicly accessible. It, therefore, follows that the interference in this case was not in accordance with the law and thus an Article 8 violation. In such circumstances, it also follows that the interference was in breach of the DPA principle of being in accordance with the law. Furthermore, it is submitted that the process of applying for authorisation under the CAP was not even done in compliance with the force’s own procedures. Mr Carter’s evidence was that PSD investigations under CAP are ‘Level 2’, along with major investigations. Such a level of authorisation would require an Authorising Officer to make the decision as to whether to grant authority on an objective basis in a quasi-judicial capacity. However, in this case, for reasons specific to this case, it was decided that District Superintendent Whitehead would authorise the CAP.
(2) Was processing done for a legitimate aim? The ostensible aim of the police, in conducting the Lapmoor operation, was in pursuant to the duty to maintain an effective and efficient police force, which is of course a legitimate aim. Steps taken in that regard, such as the Unsatisfactory Performance Process (UPP), would, no doubt, be justifiable under that stated aim. However, there is evidence in this case that the purpose in setting up Operation Lapmoor went beyond that legitimate aim. The purpose in this case was set out to some extent in the email from Detective Inspector Grant Stead (who did not give evidence) to Stuart Bainbridge (who gave evidence on Wednesday), dated 4th October, 2014. It was suggested that it would be an ideal opportunity for observation training to be utilised, for a successful operation to be used as an example to how to get the message across to the wider force, and to illustrate how PSD assist District with such matters. Such objectives fall outside of the ‘legitimate’ aim and illustrate that the investigation was not motivated solely by a desire to address the specific issues arising in Miss Perkin’s case.
(3) Was processing done adequately, relevantly, not excessively? In any event, Ms Hemingway submits that the nature of the covert surveillance operation was disproportionate in the circumstances. In emails sent to and from John Rogerson on 10/6/14 and 12/6/14 respectively [E:21-22], it is clear that a little research on open source material / google search was sufficient to find the information sought and rendered operation Lapmoor unnecessary. Such a reasonable step to ‘investigate’ such a matter was not done. Such information had been available on open sources, yet instead a decision had been made to obtain a broad ranging authorisation for covert surveillance, involving not insignificant policing hours (including the time it would have taken otherwise busy police staff and a senior officer to consider and draft the appropriate paper work, plan the operation, allocate the resources as well as over 9 hours of police hours in conducting the surveillance on 10/6/14). 42. On any reasonable analysis, it is submitted that such a step was disproportionate and excessive in the circumstances. Information obtained from friends and associates 43. Speaking with friends/ associates at the riding club constituted an interference with Ms Perkins’ Article 8 rights private life. Such steps were excessive and unnecessary given that such information could have been obtained from the outset by simply asking Ms Perkins. Information regarding Ms Perkin’s health and disability 44. This information constituted sensitive personal information under the DPA 1998 and as such had to comply with at least one of the conditions in schedule 3. It is accepted that information relating to Ms Perkins’ health and disability were required in order to make an assessment and assist her back to work, part of which would have included providing a suitable workspace (lumbar support chair and riser desk), albeit that took over a year to source. 45. It is contended that the police were not entitled to medical records from the GP in order to make an assessment in relation to a misconduct investigation. Rather, the reports from OHU and the report from the GP received on 10/11/14, attaching the MRI scan report, was sufficient for the purposes of the misconduct proceedings. 46. Such information in relation to Ms Perkin’s condition however was distributed to an excessive amount of personnel within the police force, in particular during the course of the CAP application. If the learned Judge finds that Operation Lapmoor was unnecessary and / or disproportionate in the circumstances, then it follows that the information relating to Ms Perkins’ health and disability that was distributed by way of emails and reports for the purposes of the investigation was equally unnecessary and disproportionate. What is the extent of the private information obtained and was it misused? 47. Ms Perkins accepts that the information she posted on her facebook page and the information about her competing at a horse-riding event on 22/2/14 do not constitute private information.
MISUSE OF PRIVATE INFORMATION In relation to the questions the judge needs to answer regarding misuse of private information, Ms Hemingway submits that they are: 1) Whether there was a reasonable expectation of privacy? 2) If yes, how should the balance be struck between rights of Miss Perkins and duties of the police? In answering this second question, the judge was invited to take into account the following factors: a) Attributes of Miss Perkins b) Nature of activity c) Place it was happening d) Nature and purpose of intrusion e) Absence of consent f) Effect on Miss Perkins g) Circumstances in which, and purpose for which. info came into hands of the police h) Public interest. The judge was invited to apply the latter test to all categories in the schedule, as agreed between both counsel. In this case, Miss Perkins was horse-riding in her own time, a leisure and sporting activity which can gives rise to a reasonable expectation of privacy, as in the cited authority of Hannover v Germany, wherein Princess Caroline of Monaco brought a claim against the German media that had published photographs of her engaging in leisure activities. On the occasions that Miss Perkins did ride, it was mainly on private farm land near her home. It is accepted that there is no reasonable expectation of activities relating to public events that are likely to be reported in different forms of media. That concluded Ms Hemingway’s submissions
Miss Checa-Dover, on behalf of the police, summarises her client’s position to the effect that the investigation into Miss Perkins was lawful, compliant with the Data Protection Act, 1998 and her reasonable expectation of a right to privacy. The chief constable, through her, also contends that the Claimant’s data was processed lawfully and that the misconduct investigation, into alleged breaches of the Code of Ethics, was lawful, necessary and proportionate in order to maintain public confidence in an efficient and effective police service.
The reader is reminded again that the burden of proof in this claim is for the police to prove the lawfulness and proportionately of their actions.
Thursday 28th November, 2019
First witness was retired sergeant, James Carter, who now works as a civilian in the force’s Central Authorities Bureau. His evidence, under cross-examination by Sarah Hemingway, counsel for Miss Perkins, covered complex and, sometimes, conflicting and confusing areas of law and policy, relating to investigatory powers, directed surveillance and covert policing activity. The court heard that Mr Carter had worked in the Bureau for around 10 years, reporting to an officer called Lynton Patz who manages the bureau, and that he was able to assist with the classification of the seriousness of surveillance between Level 1 (lesser crime) and Level 2 (serious crime and Professional Standards investigations) and the difference between ‘directed surveillance’ and ‘surveillance’, in a policing context, and how both were balanced against data protection and Article 8 Convention rights that lie at the heart of this case. Mr Carter told the court that he had actually filled in the Covert Activity Policy application form relating to the surveillance on Kerry Perkins, the Claimant in this case. The applicant was Inspector John Rogerson from whom the court heard quite extraordinary evidence on Tuesday and Wednesday. He had given Mr Carter a verbal briefing and there were no records of notes or documents that supported the application, the court heard. Mr Patz had reviewed the application form and approved it. Ms Hemingway asked Mr Carter why no written application was made by Rogerson, he stated he was ‘not sure that a written memo, in form of email, wasn’t received from him’. No such document has been disclosed to the Defendant’s legal team. The court also heard that this CAP authorisation is one of only two Mr Carter has dealt with against a police officer in his ten years in the Bureau, whom, to his knowledge of the activities of all the other members of his team, dealt with them once every four or five years. He agreed with Ms Hemingway that such action was ‘exceptional’. It also emerged in evidence that he couldn’t recall a discussion with Rogerson regarding enquiries being made directly of PC Perkins (as she was then) regarding her horse riding. He did recall, however, being told she was ‘unco-operative’ over her medical condition. His own policy, as an experienced police officer and Bureau official, he told Ms Hemingway, was to look for less intrusive means of obtaining data, evidence before authorising a CAP.
Next in the witness box was retired superintendent Karen Gayles, who features prominently elsewhere on this website (read more here). In the light of her evidence to the court that article now assumes higher relevance. The court heard that Mrs Gayles was the officer who authorised Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) surveillance on PC Perkins and the harvesting and processing of data from that computerised system for at least 12 months across three counties. Under cross-examination it emerged that Mrs Gayles had relied only on a verbal briefing from an officer whom had plainly, on his own evidence heard in this court earlier in the week, become obsessed by criminalising Miss Perkins; used the wrong form for the authorisation; did not accept that such use made the authorisation unlawful; ticked the box for ‘major criminal investigation’ despite maintaining repeatedly it was ‘a misconduct matter’; at first relied on the premise that the justification for the surveillance was volume or urgent crime, later resiled to alleged breach of Code of Ethics (misconduct by another name); this was the only authorisation she ever made for ‘misconduct’ in her career; authorised at least 12 months of surveillance and would have been prepared to authorise it for 5 or 6 years as a means of ‘being fair to Kerry’; did not know that the vehicles to be surveilled were insured for multiple drivers and, therefore, the objective of the surveillance could not possibly be achieved; did not ask if less intrusive means of surveillance were available; claimed reasonable adjustments had been made for PC Perkins regarding her disability; did not retain her day book as she was required to do under force policy; could not recall if there was an entry in that day book relating to the authorisation; made no notes or minutes of the briefing with Rogerson; did not accept that there were no safeguarding processes in place to check the validity of her actions (or inactions); asserted that her motivation for a ‘robust’ approach to the authorisation, and the proving of misconduct, or otherwise, was ‘austerity’; wrongly claimed that PC Perkins was earning £25,000 per annum. Throughout the cross-examination, Mrs Gayles forcefully repeated that the authorisation was ‘necessary and proportionate’, was lawful and complied with policy.
The last witness to give evidence in this claim was the second surveillance officer known to have attended at Miss Perkins’ home on 10th June, 2014. He cannot be named, for legal reasons, and is referred to here as Detective Y. Most of his evidence was heard in camera; the only question raised in public session was whether he knew of a third vehicle that may have attended at her home on that morning. He said he ‘couldn’t remember’.
Testimony from the three West Yorkshire Police witnesses today completed the evidence in this trial and the case for the defence.
It does not go to the determination of the issues in this trial, but of far wider public concern and a troubling feature, almost throughout this hearing, has been what appears, at close quarters, to be the general conduct and selective memory of serving and retired officers giving witness box evidence, on oath. This particularly applies to the two surveillance officers: Why would a police force continue to deploy specialist, expensively trained officers where core competencies have to be obeying lawful orders; good, clear recollection of events; and accurate recording and/or note taking.
It was revealed in court that Detective Y had received a ‘de-brief’ from Detective X about the latter’s evidence (given on Wednesday afternoon) before the former appeared in the witness box (on Thursday afternoon). At the time of the briefing, Detective Y said he did not know he was to give live evidence, although he had filed a witness statement and was on the original list of those officers expected to appear at the hearing.
Wednesday 27th November, 2019
Proceedings resumed at 10.45am with retired detective inspector John Rogerson continuing his evidence after a dramatic afternoon in the witness box yesterday afternoon.
He was questioned by counsel for the Claimant, Sarah Hemingway, on a number of matters relating to his characterisation of the alleged misconduct Kerry Perkins as ‘a major criminal investigation’. He confirmed that he had told the authorising officer, Superintendent Karen Gayles, of his view on the scale and type of the operation, but such an assertion did not appear anywhere in his witness statement. When it was put to him, he denied that he had ‘shoehorned’ this into his evidence yesterday to fit the contemporaneous documentation. He had no answer to the point that a major criminal investigation, according to national policing policy, would require a nationally recognised and PIP Level 3 accredited Senior Investigating Officer (read more here). The judge, HHJ Neil Davey QC, crystallised this point: WYP’s Professional Standards Department had assessed the matter as misconduct, Mr Rogerson thought they (PSD) had got that wrong and it was a major criminal investigation.
He also confirmed to the court that he had no experience, or knowledge, of the ACPO Code of Practice in relation to accessing the Police National Computer for information extracted from the DVLA or the Motor Insurance Database. Or, indeed, had he ever seen West Yorkshire Police’s own policy document relating to this issue. His strong view was that all his actions relating to the covert surveillance of a junior colleague on his team, including the harvesting, storage and processing of ANPR data across three counties and for over a year, were necessary, proportionate and fell within the ambit of a proper policing purpose. Even though it is an agreed fact in that case that the subject vehicles were insured for multiple drivers.
John Rogerson signed off his evidence by asserting, with some force, when questioned by counsel, that an intrusive and far-reaching investigation into their mother, a serving police officer, over whether, or not, she was driving a horsebox or walking her dog, that he classified as a major criminal investigation, would have impact on two young children or breach their Article 8 Human Rights: “I didn’t see that then, and I don’t see it now. Why would an investigation into a parent have an impact on children?”
Evidence was then heard from Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Bainbridge. It was drawn out in cross-examination by Ms Hemingway that a written assurance given by Inspector Grant Stead to Kerry Perkins turned out to be untrue. It concerned a request regarding his independence and impartiality in connection with an investigation into complaints raised by Miss Perkins. Stead assured her that he had no previous involvement in any misconduct matters pertaining to her. He was, it was heard, the PSD officer who managed the covert surveillance on her and communicated with Mr Bainbridge, his immediate subordinate, by email, on this particular point.
The court also heard that Mr Stead had told the surveillance team headed by Mr Bainbridge that there was to be no mobile surveillance. That instruction, the court heard, was ignored and the two operatives under Bainbridge’s command carried out mobile surveillance, for which one of the two operatives, who will be referred to in these reports as Detective Y, was even not trained. The objective was to find the location of the stables where Miss Perkins kept her horse. When asked by Ms Hemingway if the officers investigating her, Sergeant Astill (as he was then) and Inspector Rogerson (from both of whom the court has already heard) could simply have asked her where the stables were, rather than an expensive, resource intensive policing operation, he said: ‘Possibly, yes’. The court heard that the information the police required regarding the stables was obtained by a Google search undertaken shortly after the initial surveillance activity, which was, the court heard, carried out at the wrong time of day and when Miss Perkins was on police duty. Mr Bainbridge maintained that the surveillance operation against her was necessary and proportionate. He said that Inspector Rogerson, an experienced Professional Standards detective sergeant before he was promoted to neighbourhood inspector, had tried different ways to obtain the information and failed. He did not elaborate on that but it was heard that they did not include asking Miss Perkins, or an internet search. Mr Bainbridge told counsel that he didn’t ask his former PSD colleague where the riding stables information came from when the authority to carry out surveillance was cancelled by a superior officer. The court heard that Mr Bainbridge made no notes pertaining to this surveillance in his pocket note book, as he is required to do under Police Regulations.
The next witness cannot be named for legal reasons. He is referred to here as Detective X. Part of his evidence was heard in camera. The report on his evidence will be necessarily brief to avoid the possibility of jigsaw identification. Detective X couldn’t explain to Ms Hemingway, when questioned, why mobile surveillance was carried out against specific written orders from Inspector Stead, or why he went at the opposite end of the day to that discussed between senior officers and recommended by Inspector Rogerson. He also couldn’t explain why his surveillance partner was deployed although not trained for what he was asked to do and no notes of the operation were made in his pocket book. He told the court that he did not know that he had been deployed on private land, in a location identified by Inspector Rogerson, for which he did not have authority. He did agree with counsel when asked about the requirement to assess the necessity and proportionality of what he was doing but could not answer when asked about the experience and training of his fellow operative, DC West.
The last witness of the day was retired chief superintendent, Simon Whitehead. The court heard that he was the senior officer who had authorised the Covert Activity Policy (CAP). His career had included a spell in PSD as a chief inspector. When asked by Ms Hemingway if he took CAP authorisations seriously he said, ‘Yes’, but then said he had made no notes of the process in his day book, as required and he had received only a verbal briefing from Inspector Rogerson, whom, the court heard, did not produce a single document in support of his request for authority and, similarly, had no written record of the meeting. Mr Whitehead’s understanding of the central issue was that Miss Perkins couldn’t perform operational policing duties but was horseriding as a hobby. Alleged dishonesty was never raised as an issue with him by Rogerson. However, he described the horseriding as ‘significant allegations (sic)’ that could ‘adversely affect the reputation of West Yorkshire Police’. He told the court that he had considered an authority under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) but it was not a criminal investigation, a point clarified by the judge. He also said that he had performed the balancing act over Article 8 rights and proportionate action and the scales came down on the side of intrusive surveillance. This was shortly after he told the court that he would have expected Sergeant Astill to have asked PC Perkins where her stables were. He had not checked that was the case before signing off the CAP authority. Mr Whitehead could not assist with the question of whether CAP was a policy that applied across the wider police service and he wasn’t familiar with the statutory framework. In answer to Ms Whitehead, he told the court that he didn’t recognise the West Yorkshire Police Data Protection policy to which he had been directed in the bundle. He agreed that unlawful processing of data would reflect badly on West Yorkshire Police and harm their reputation.
Tuesday 26th November, 2019
Proceedings under way at 11.20am. The judge allocated a later start than usual to allow counsel from both parties to continue discussions, carried over from yesterday afternoon, aimed at crystallising the status of the data and information still under consideration in this trial. It is worth repeating that this is a ‘liability only’ trial.
On a point of housekeeping, permission was granted by the court for Matthew Stringer, a witness on behalf of the Claimant, Miss Perkins, to rely on his second witness statement, filed at the beginning of November, 2019. His first witness statement was dated 14th December, 2018.
A retired South Yorkshire Police constable, and former Police Federation representative, Mr Stringer is the first witness to give live testimony in this case. Much of his evidence had fallen away as the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) is no longer in issue in this claim. With regard to the alleged helicopter surveillance, denied by the police, that had troubled Miss Perkins so much, he advanced the view that ‘there was no smoke without fire’. Reference was made by Mr Stringer to known misuse of police aircraft by his SYP colleagues and the judge clarified that he was alluding to the infamous case of flying over people sunbathing in their back garden. Counsel for the Defendant characterised that part of his evidence as reckless and made without access to the full facts. Mr Stringer, in response said his evidence was given with an honest perspective. He also told the court that he had never come across covert surveillance of a fellow officer in all his years as a Fed rep.
That completed the case for the Claimant. The court having adopted her witness statement as her evidence in chief and there being no cross-examination required by the police.
The Defendant opened its case with evidence from a serving West Yorkshire Police inspector, Mike Astill, who was the first witness for the Defendant. He was a sergeant working in the Castleford neighbourhood policing team at the time Kerry Perkins suffered her back injury in February, 2013. He confirmed that she had an unblemished police career. Under questioning from her counsel, it emerged that Mr Astill was her line manager, and one of the driving forces behind disciplinary measures that were instituted whilst she was still under the care of both her own doctor and the police force’s occupational health unit. He agreed with counsel that reasonable adjustments for Miss Perkins’ injury, such as a lumbar support chair and a riser desk were not made for over a year. Asked about an email he had sent to colleagues that opened with ‘Kerry is a problem child and top of my hit list’, he denied that was a signal of his intention to make life difficult for Miss Perkins and remove her from his team. When questioned about why he chose to deliver a formal disciplinary notice at 9.30pm to Miss Perkins’ home, where she lived alone with two young children, he couldn’t explain why he chose that hour to complete the task. Mr Astill also said that ‘it was not his finest hour’ when he wrote derogatory comments about Miss Perkins in an email sent to Chief Inspector McNeill. It also emerged in cross-examination that the core allegation that led to those disciplinary proceedings was the fact that she could ride a horse, but not commute to the police station near Castleford, from her home in South Elmsall, on a daily basis. A secondary allegation was that she had been seen walking her dog. Mr Astill could not explain why that process commenced when it ran counter to the findings of two doctors, one of whom was employed by the police.
The second police witness was retired detective inspector, John Rogerson. He was the neighbourhood inspector at Castleford at the time the dispute arose with Miss Perkins and, it soon became evident, the other driving force behind the proceedings being taken against her and the covert, but seriously intrusive, surveillance that formed part of those actions. Under careful and forensic questioning from Sarah Hemingway, it emerged that Mr Rogerson, absent of the medical facts and none too careful about how he went about it, became obsessive about proving that there was serious wrongdoing attached to the horse riding hobby of one of his junior officers, given that, although on duty, her injury meant she was unable to commit to a significant daily journey to a station remote from her home. He variously claimed that it could amount to gross misconduct, potentially leading to dismissal from the force, or the criminal offence of misconduct in public office that carries a maximum prison sentence of life imprisonment. Conversely, it emerged that a Professional Standards Department reviewing officer questioned whether, in fact the horseriding was an issue at all, but Mr Rogerson ploughed on regardless. When seeking formal authorisation from a senior officer for covert surveillance he ticked the box marked ‘Major Investigation’, normally reserved for murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, infanticide, terrorist activities, kidnapping. Asked by counsel if he maintained that position in the case of Miss Perkins, her back injury and horse riding, Mr Rogerson confirmed that he did. The surveillance that was authorised at his request is now known, from the evidence, to include checks on the school of Miss Perkins’ children; undercover officers stationed at the rear of her house; contact with neighbours and riding school colleagues; aerial photographs of her home; monitoring of her social media accounts and ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) across three counties without time limit. He maintained all this was necessary to ‘build up a picture of her lifestyle’ and was necessary and proportionate to aid the disciplinary proceedings. Mr Rogerson flatly rejected the question by Ms Hemingway that there were much easier ways to obtain the information he was seeking, almost all of via open source.
The court adjourned at 4.50pm with Mr Rogerson’s evidence part heard.
Monday 25th November, 2019
The trial opened today in Bradford Combined Court Centre to decide a civil claim brought by a retired police officer against her former employers, West Yorkshire Police. It is expected to take up seven court sitting days with judgment scheduled to be handed down on Tuesday 3rd December, 2019.
The Claimant, Kerry Perkins, who lives in the Pontefract area and served 16 years with her local force as a police constable, before retiring on medical grounds, claims that the Defendants seriously breached her data protection and privacy rights. The police are resisting the claim.
Miss Perkins is represented in court by Sarah Hemingway of counsel, instructed by John Hagan of DPP Law. WYP are represented by Olivia Checa-Dover of counsel, instructed by Prue Crossland of the force’s Legal Services Department.
The claim will be heard by HHJ Neil Davey QC, who has returned to judicial duty having retired in June, 2019 from full time service on the bench.
In the first instance, this is a trial of breach only. The Claimant seeks damages from the Defendant for personal injury, but matters of causation and quantum will be dealt with seperately, if the judge finds in favour of Miss Perkins on liability.
The claim arises out of an investigation conducted by the police into the private life of Miss Perkins after it came to light that she had resumed horse riding, despite the fact that she was on restricted duties at work as a result of a back injury.
As part of that investigation, West Yorkshire Police collected information about Miss Perkins from various sources, including DVLA and Motor Insurance Database, from the Police National Computer (PNC), social media and by directly contacting her friends and associates at various riding stables and clubs.
The police also authorised Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) analysis and a Covert Activity Policy (CAP), in order to assess whether she was falsely claiming that she was injured, or unfit for routine policing duties as an operational officer. It was considered by senior officers in the Professional Standards Department that proof of such alleged deceit may amount to discreditable conduct.
In the light of some of the information obtained by the police, misconduct proceedings were initiated and Miss Perkins was eventually issued with a written warning. A minor sanction that decays after 18 months, if there are no other misconduct findings during that period.
Miss Perkins has always maintained that horse riding was not inconsistent with her inability to return to regular duties. This belief was supported by both the Force Medical Advisor and her own doctor.
Miss Perkins disputes the purpose, proportionality and lawfulness, of the methods used by her colleagues to investigate her private life and, thereafter, retain and process her personal data. She initially believed that, as part of the internal investigation, she had been surveilled by police helicopter, and by undercover officers in cars that she had noticed, in suspicious circumstances, near the stables and in other locations close to her home.
The police vehemently deny the use of covert surveillance, admitting only a single episode, on 10th June 2014, and they have produced a number of officer statements to support this position. In light of that, and following the completion of the pre-trial disclosure process, Miss Perkins has withdrawn those elements of her claim, whilst maintaining that she did genuinely believe that such covert activities had taken place and for which she kept detailed event logs with a large number of entries on each.
Eight witnesses, including some very senior serving and retired officers, are due to give live evidence on behalf of the force. The total legal costs of both sides are expected to be in the order of £150,000.
In the course of a brief court day, the court heard submissions from counsel on three preliminary issues:
Permission to amend particulars by the Claimant’s, concerning sensitive personal information pertaining to Miss Perkins, openly accessible on police computer systems, was refused on the ground that the proposed amendment came too late for the police to properly address the issues raised.
Counsel for the police submits that there are concerns over the two witness statements of Matthew Stringer, a former Police Federation representative, who will give evidence on behalf of Miss Perkins: It is now agreed that the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act does not apply to this claim and, as such, there are ‘unhelpful, irrelevant, inadmissible paragraphs’ in Mr Stringer’s evidence. HHJ Davey took the view that the statements should remain in the bundle and the matters raised by Miss Checa-Dover could be dealt with by way of cross-examination or in closing submissions.
During discussions prior to the commencement of the hearing, counsel for both parties were able to narrow the factual disputes in the claim. It is now agreed that Facebook data obtained from the social media account of Miss Perkins, during the internal investigation, did not constitute a privacy breach.
Counsel for the police told the court that, as such, Miss Perkins may no longer have to give live evidence in these proceedings.
Page last updated: Tuesday 3rd December, 2019 at 1900 hours
Photo Credits: Kerry Perkins
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Author Neil WilbyPosted on November 25, 2019 December 5, 2019 Categories FOI and DPA, West Yorks Police, WYPCCTags Elizabeth Belton, HHJ Neil Davey QC, James Carter, John Hagan, John Robins, John Rogerson, Karen Gayles, Ken Short, Kerry Perkins, Lynne Proctor, Lynton Patz, Matthew Stringer, Michael Astill, Olivia Checa-Dover, Operation Lapmoor, Prue Crossland, Sarah Hemingway, Simon Whitehead, Stuart Bainbridge, West Yorkshire Police2 Comments on Kerry Perkins -v- West Yorkshire Police
Will ‘sex in sauna’ officer slip off disciplinary hook again?
In April 2012, Chief Inspector Elizabeth Belton of West Yorkshire Police achieved national notoriety as the ‘Sex in the sauna’ cop.
The incident resulted in a punch-up between Chief Superintendent Ian Whitehouse and Ms Belton’s husband, Sergeant Chris Beddis and was splashed on the front page of the Yorkshire Post newspaper. National newspaper coverage soon followed [1].
This steamy tale was one of a number of exclusive pieces upon which I worked with the award-winning investigative journalist, Rob Waugh. Another major scoop was the outing of convicted paedophile, Mick Vause, who, at the time, was a long-serving detective constable in the force’s perenially disgraced Professional Standards Department [2].
Following the sauna debacle, Ms Belton, a graduate of Brigshaw Comprehensive School on the outskirts of Castleford, took on extra duties which included responsibility for the Standards Unit for North East Leeds, signing off investigations into complaints made by members of the public.
She also chaired misconduct meetings with officers whose fell foul of police regulations. West Yorkshire Police clearly didn’t see the irony in either of those two situations.
Mr Whitehouse retired in 2016 from his job as Director of the National Police Air Service (NPAS), having transferred out of his role as Divisional Commander of the North West Leeds Division, based at Weetwood, shortly after the sauna incident. NPAS are currently mired in their own sex scandal as lurid allegations emerge of South Yorkshire Police officers using an aircraft to film members of the public having sex, or sunbathing naked.
A Professional Standards Department (PSD) source has also revealed that the police helicopter has, allegedly, been used on covert surveillance of at least one fellow officer. It is also said that the necessary authorisation to do so was not lawfully obtained. This impropriety would involve criminal prosecutions of those responsible – and a bigger story than the ‘sex in the sky’ farrago. There is no suggestion that Whitehouse knew of the deployment of the aircraft for this purpose. The information to hand suggests that the helicopter crew were deployed on ‘pre-planned operations’ tasked by PSD. Many flights are involved.
Ms Belton has said on social media that Ian Whitehouse definitely did not know about this misuse of police resources.
At the time of the ‘sex in the sauna’ scandal, West Yorkshire Police and their Police Authority, after the damaging story reached the press, focused on trying to root out my ‘whistle blowers’ rather than imposing either criminal, or disciplinary sanctions upon either Whitehouse, Ms Belton or the unfortunately cuckolded Mr Beddis.
The decision not to pursue the three officers was taken by Deputy Chief Constable John Parkinson (who retired from the force shortly afterwards after a brief, but troubled, spell as chief constable) and nodded through by the current Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson.
Instead, an enquiry, believed to be headed up by another chief inspector, Jim Dunkerley, was later launched against me to try to uncover police whistle blowers – and stem the flow of information that was leading to damaging press, radio and TV coverage of misconduct within the force. There was also widespread opprobium brought about by the launch of the uPSD whistleblowers website [3] and, particularly, on social media as scandal after scandal surfaced.
Allegedly based in an outbuilding in the car park at HQ, and reporting to Deputy Chief Constable John Robins, the investigation is believed to have involved intrusive surveillance and RIPA authorisation. A matter always denied by the force when I have pressed them on this.
In a face-to-face encounter with his Command Team colleague, Assistant Chief Constable Andy Battle at police HQ in 2015, I was asked to leave the inner sanctum of the Laburnum Road, Wakefield building on the basis that I was a ‘security threat‘. Invited to add substance to his claim, Battle declined to do so.
The uPSD website has been subject of repeated denial of service attacks over the past two years. The perpetrators have a very high level of technical sophistication, according to the webmaster and a security specialist consulted over the issue (he provides services to police forces as a retired intelligence officer).
In March 2017, Liz Belton hit the headlines, again, for all the wrong reasons. It was revealed, in a series of national newspaper stories, that she had been placed on ‘restricted duties‘ following a complaint over an alleged racist remark made at a detectives’ three day Christmas celebration.
By this time, she was a senior investigating officer (SIO) in West Yorkshire Police’s elite Homicide and Major Enquiry Team (HMET) and was leading the cold case enquiry into the historic, and high profile, murder of Wakefield teenager Elsie Frost in 1965, as well as a probe into the murder of 27-year-old Nicholas Dean Williams, who was found murdered in his home in Stanley, near Wakefield.
It was a blow to the Frost family, who are known to have built a good, and fruitful, relationship with the SIO. It is also well known, locally, that this was regarded by DCI Belton as a seminal case in her career and she was very hopeful it could be solved.
Just a week later, it was revealed that the West Yorkshire Police press office had, not for the first time, misled both the media and the public: Ms Belton had, since a Regulation 15 notice was issued in January 2017, alleging gross misconduct, been arrested in a pre-dawn raid on her family home. She was detained on suspicion of two criminal offences: Misconduct in public office and police computer misuse. She was suspended whilst those criminal investigations continued.
According to a well placed source, a section 32 search was also carried out after the arrest, that included vehicles and outbuildings, as well as Ms Belton’s house. It is believed that she was taken to Huddersfield police station and held there all day.
Given what is at stake both for the force and, more particularly the officers concerned, it has to be assumed that officers with exemplary records, and the necessary investigative competency and rigour, have been deployed by the chief constable. Otherwise, the twin pillars of reassurance, and public confidence, would crumble.
In July, 2017 Chief Inspector Belton appeared in the dock at Leeds Magistrates Court along with two other police officers. PC Judith Mulligan and Sergeant Mohammed Gother. They are all charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Allegations relate to an investigation into a burglary at PC Mulligan’s home in 2013, in which it is claimed that the victim, an officer who began her service 27 years ago at Morley Police Station, was shown a photograph of suspects ahead of an identification procedure
Ms Belton is also accused of seven offences of breaching data laws. It is said that she misused police computers knowingly, or recklessly, obtaining personal data in relation to four named individuals.
A plea and case management hearing took place in August, 2016. Two subsequent hearings were listed in March and April 2017, and then vacated at short notice due to disclosure issues.
All three police officers deny the charges and a trial is set for 11th September, 2017 before the Recorder of Leeds, His Honour Judge Peter Collier. The accused are all on unconditional bail.
In the usual course of events, a pre-trial review (PTR) would be listed by the court around six weeks before the trial start date. As of 24th July, the court confirmed to me that no Order concerning a PTR had been made. This may well be connected to the long-running police/CPS disclosure issues that have, so far, dogged the process.
The September trial concerns only the perverting justice charges. No date has been set for the data breach hearing.
Mr Gother has now retired from the force, having completed 30 years service. A fourth officer, PC Chris Davey, a neighbourhood patrol officer based at Pudsey police station – and a subordinate of Sergeant Gother at the time – was also arrested in the early morning raids, and detained as part of the same investigation, but no charges were laid against him.
A source close to the gross misconduct investigation into Chief Inspector Belton, the subject of the first round of press coverage in March 2017 [4], claims that there was reluctance from a number of officers present at the Lake District Christmas junket to give evidence against a fellow officer. This included the well-liked junior detective at the centre of the ‘racism’ furore, PC Bud Wasti.
It is understood that PC Warsi was not the complainant against Ms Belton, in any event. The officer mainly involved was the aforementioned DCI Dunkerley, together with another senior officer, Superintendent Mark Ridley (since promoted to chief super and Head of HMET).
After this article was first published an informant came forward and advanced the proposition that two senior officers (both of superintending rank) had ‘suggested strongly‘ to PC Wasti that he was to become ‘a victim‘. That does not give the impression that an investigation was being conducted at the necessary levels of independence and procedural rigour. If this allegation – and it is no higher than that at present – were found to be true, then the entire misconduct investigation would be tainted.
It has also been alleged that during a very lengthy drinking session, a female officer, not Ms Belton, lifted her dress in the public area of the hotel, and revealed a pair of very skimpy, designer brand (according to the exhibitionist) knickers. Whilst that might be considered perfectly normal behaviour in some social circles, it could be construed unseemly when you are known to be part of a large group of West Yorkshire Police employees occupying a significant portion of an upmarket Lake District hotel?
This officer, it is said, was not the subject of any misconduct proceedings or even informal words of advice. Which, given the furore caused nationally by the Greater Manchester Police ‘Boobgate‘ scandal, might strike the reasonable minded, independent observer as concerning.
In any event, it certainly sounded as if the detectives’ party went with a swing, reminiscent of the Wakefield CID days of yore.
The Belton probe was downgraded to misconduct after the first round of witness statements had been taken. The racism allegations were not proven. The usual sanction in those circumstances is ‘words of advice‘ or, in the police vernacular, a ‘standards awareness meeting‘.
It is also also understood that the internal investigation fell short of the required standard on a number of other levels, including failure to sieze CCTV and other documentary evidence from the Red Lion in Grasmere; and interview independent, non-police witnesses who were on hotel premises at the time.
This ‘investigation’ was, according to another well placed source, carried out by Chief Inspector Simon Bottomley and Detective Sergeant Penny Morley. Both, to my certain knowledge, work in the force’s discredited Professional Standards Department, and have featured in a number of investigations of which I have close knowledge.
In 2010, Mrs Morley was found by a judge, His Honour Peter Benson, at Bradford Crown Court, to have lied in her evidence during a voir dire and, as a result, stopped a criminal trial concerning another West Yorkshire Police officer, PC Kashif Ahmed, as an abuse of process [5].
It is claimed by Mrs Morley, that no disciplinary proceeding, or criminal prosecution, was mounted against her following a three year investigation, involving many officers, and a collapsed trial that was reported to have cost the taxpayer over £500,000.
I recently had her removed from one investigation, where I act as complaint advocate. Her unwillingness to consider CCTV, Go-Pro Film evidence of alleged assault and criminal damage, led to an information being laid at Kirklees Magistrates Court by the victim and a warrant being issued against the perpetrator, Acting Inspector David Rogerson: Dealing with an officer, such as Mrs Morley, who lied in a a criminal trial is not something either the complainant, or myself, was willing to countenance.
Mrs Morley’s husband, Jon, is a retired police officer cum civilian investigator (by a curious twist of fate employed in HMET). A situation which must create certain tensions, both professionally and domestically, when one of them is a proven liar. Her close friendship with another well known PSD miscreant, Superintendent Steve Bennett, certainly caused tongues to wag at the time of the Ahmed case, especially after she escaped sanction for her perjured evidence. But allegations of any improper relationship came to nothing.
In 2013, Mr Bottomley had an adverse finding made against him, by his own PSD colleagues, concerning mis-handling of evidence and breach of a legal undertaking. Since then he has been at the forefront of an alleged force wide cover-up over the John Elam miscarriage of justice [6]. A matter presently being considered by the Criminal Case Review Commission.
Mr Bottomley has also been responsible, in a field of plenty, for one of the worst complaint investigations I have ever seen concerning a filmed assault on Huddersfield businessman, Stephen Bradbury, and, in yet another ‘cover-up’ farrago, attached himself, outwith the relevant statutory framework, to a ‘love triangle’ investigation into Police Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson.
In December 2015 I sought, but failed, to have Mr Bottomley removed from any involvement in Operation Lamp, the Greater Manchester Police investigation into the infamous PC Danny Major ‘cover-up’ by PSD [7]. His presence, in my entrenched view, taints the process and I recused myself from it a short time afterwards.
Simon Bottomley was also involved in beating off whistleblower submissions made by a management rank detective, with 30 years exemplary service, over well-rehearsed concerns about the provenance of the investigation into the a murder of a male in Headingley, Leeds and flaws in the investigation of the murder of another male, in the Leeds Road area of Bradford, that led to the conviction of three Asian men. The latter case is known by campaigners as the The Bradford Three [8].
The whistleblower’s identity is known to me. He claims he is in fear of his life after the disclosures made in meetings with Mr Bottomley and the SIO on the Bradford Three investigation, ex-Chief Superintendent Andy Brennan. The latter exited the force, under very strange circumstances, shortly afterwards and re-surfaced as Head of CEOP at the National Crime Agency.
The same whistleblower supported the miscarriage of justice campaign around the John Elam case. As part of his specialist role within the force, the whistleblower had been involved on that investigation in a significant role.
It is not known whether either Mrs Morley, or Mr Bottomley, was involved in the criminal investigation that followed the dramatic arrests and searches of homes, police premises and equipment that has led to the impending court case. That would, no doubt, be revealed at trial if it were the case.
So it seems, for a second time, at the very least, Ms Belton has escaped disciplinary sanction after high jinx involving other senior officers. It is believed that Ian Whitehouse was also present at the HMET party.
In a dramatic turn of events, news reached me, from a number of police sources, that on Friday 7th July, 2017 the force had circularised all officers with information to the effect that DCI Elizabeth Belton had ‘resigned’. Which, in all the circumstances, would be extraordinary under the new Police Conduct Regulations, specifically framed to prevent officers leaving the police force when facing gross misconduct disciplinary proceedings, or criminal investigation. There are special exemptions to those Regulations, but it is not known if these were engaged.
It is a move by the DCC Robins, as Command Team PSD portfolio holder, that is certain to attract a great deal of controversy. It also begs the question as to why a senior officer would ‘resign’ over misconduct matters that are largely unproven and likely to be disposed by way of words of advice?
The Red Lion in Grasmere. Scene of a controversial 2016 West Yorkshire Police Christmas party.
A counter-allegation by Ms Belton of sexual assault, by a senior male detective (whose identity is known to me), at the same Christmas party, has been recorded as a crime but the present status of that investigation is not known. But, as actus reus was in Cumbria, it is assumed that the county police force there is handling the investigation.
There has also been a employment tribunal claim issued by Elizabeth Belton against West Yorkshire Police over alleged sexual discrimination. This pre-dates her arrest, or the misconduct investigation. It is believed that this action may be connected to a promotion board for a vacant Superintendent post. The aforementioned Jim Dunkerley was also an applicant. It appears that neither got the job.
Ms Belton could not be contacted for comment on the misconduct or tribunal matters.
The force press office issued a terse one line statement: “As proceedings are legally active in this case, we are unable to comment further“. They refused to be drawn on the apparent contradiction in the Regulations concerning the ‘resignation’ (or retirement) of Ms Belton.
The Police Commissioner’s press officer, Dee Cowburn, did not respond to a request for comment.
The force’s chief constable, Dee Collins, has recently issued a press statement, along with Mark Burns-Williamson, saying some of her officers are ‘exhausted‘. A three day drinking and partying spree by her top detectives might add some context to those remarks.
Page last updated 1950hrs on Monday 7th August, 2017
Corrections: Please let me know if there is a mistake in this article — I will endeavour to correct it as soon as possible.
© Neil Wilby 2015-2017. Unauthorised use or reproduction of the material contained in this article, without permission from the author, is strictly prohibited. Extracts from and links to the article (or blog) may be used, provided that credit is given to Neil Wilby, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
[1] Yorkshire Post: [Exclusive] ‘Probe after steam rises at police gym’ 19th April, 2012′
[2] Yorkshire Post: [Exclusive] ‘Ex-detective admits string of child porn offences 9th June 2012’
[3] uPSDWYP: Home page
[4] Daily Mail: ‘Murder detective placed on restricted duties after ‘making a racist comment at her force Christmas party’, 25th March, 2017
[5] Telegraph and Argus: ‘Bradford police officer tells of his relief’, 11th March, 2011
[6] Hansard: Adjournment debate – Gerry Sutcliffe MP, 28th January, 2014
[7] Neil Wilby: ‘Operation Lamp – A Major corruption scandal’, 29th April, 2016
[8] uPSDWYP: ‘The Bradford Three’, 12th March, 2014
Author Neil WilbyPosted on July 14, 2017 August 7, 2017 Categories West Yorks Police, WYPCCTags ACC Andy Battle, Acting Inspector David Rogerson, Andy Battle, Chris Beddis, DCC John Parkinson, DCC John Robins, DCI Jim Dunkerley, DCI Liz Belton, Dee Collins, Dee Cowburn, Elizabeth Belton, Elsie Frost cold case, Elsie Frost murder, HHJ Peter Collier, Ian Whitehouse, Ian Whitehouse NPAS, Jim Dunkerley, Liz Belton, Mick Vause, Mick Vause paedophile, Operation Lamp, PC Bud Wasti, PC Chris Davey, PC Danny Major, PC Judith Mulligan, PC Kashif Ahmed, PCC Mark Burns-Williamson, Penny Morley, Recorder of Leeds Peter Collier, Red Lion Grasmere, Rob Waugh, Sergeant David Rogerson, Sergeant Mohammed Gother, Sgt Penny Morley, Simon Bottomley, Stephen Bradbury, Supt Simon Bottomley, West Yorkshire Police HMET, West Yorkshire Police press officeLeave a comment on Will ‘sex in sauna’ officer slip off disciplinary hook again?
Review of 2020 – The two that got away? December 29, 2020
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The beginning of the end December 10, 2020
An exercise in futility December 8, 2020
Say one thing, do another December 4, 2020
‘Get the white vote angry’ November 26, 2020
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of Western New York
North Towns Office: (716) 838-3188
South Towns Office: (716 ) 712-0864
Dr. Maria C. V. Del Castillo
Dr. George N. Marinides
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Dr. Arundathi Namassivaya
Dr. James E. Ryan III
Dr. Imad Ahmed
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George N. Marinides, MD, PhD, FASN
Nephrology Associates of WNY
1306 Sweet Home Rd
Dr. Marinides was born and raised in Greece where he finished Medical School. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo and a fellowship in Nephrology at SUNY at Buffalo from 1984-1985. He continued with a research fellowship (experimental work) at the University of Utah Medical School in Salt Lake City, UT for 3 years. He received a Ph.D. in experimental Nephrology in 1990.
In 1990, he became an Assistant Professor at the Medical School of SUNY at Buffalo, Division of Nephrology. He did research as well as patient care at the Veterans’ Administration Medical Center in Buffalo for 4 years. He was the director of the Peritoneal Dialysis Unit in that hospital during that time.
In 1994, he joined Nephrology Associates of WNY and has been a partner of the group since then. He is the medical director of the Suburban Dialysis Unit in Amherst NY.
He has maintained an affiliation with the SUNY at Buffalo Medical School as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine and has been active in teaching residents and medical students. He has published original articles, and reviews in various medical journals, and has written medical book chapters. He has lectured repeatedly to physicians, other health professionals and the public.
He is the recipient of the 2008 Gift of Life Award from National Kidney Foundation, WNY chapter, and of the 2013 Gift of Life Award of the Northeast Kidney Foundation of Greater Buffalo.
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Dwivedi and Srinath help enable young Indian scientists to thrive through Khorana Program
Har Gobind Khorana was born in Raipur, a small village in Punjab, which is now part of eastern Pakistan. He was home-schooled by his father, the village tax clerk. He went on to study at Punjab University and then left India in 1945 to pursue his PhD at the University of Liverpool. Early in his career, Khorana performed some of his most groundbreaking work, which would lay the basis for modern molecular biology. The great achievement of this work was almost immediately recognized with the Nobel Prize in 1968, which he shared with Robert Holley and Marshall Nirenberg.
In 1970, Khorana moved his home to MIT, where he stayed for nearly 40 years until retiring in 2007. Beyond his profound contribution to the field of biology, Gobind was an active member of the MIT community with a passion for mentoring young scientists. Aseem Ansari, who was a postdoc at MIT, knew of Khorana’s accomplishments and his commitment to education and mentoring and was inspired to found a program in his name. The Khorana Program was founded in 2007 by Ansari at the University of Wisconsin. The program allows India’s highest ranking undergraduate students to do research for a summer term at a top U.S. university.
Uttam RajBhandary’s deep friendship with Khorana spurred his active involvement, along with Mandana Sassanfar, in forming the MIT chapter of the Khorana Program in 2012. And in 2013, the program hosted 35 students across 10 different institutions. For these students, this is more than just a research opportunity; it is a chance at gaining experience and connections to make them eligible candidates to pursue graduate studies in the U.S. As one scholar phrased it, “It is really a make it or break it opportunity for us.” Vivek Dwivedi and Chetan Srinath, respectively in their third and second years of the biology PhD program, are both Khorana alumni who feel a sense of commitment to the program and to helping future generations of Khorana Scholars. Every year when new scholars arrive, Khorana alumni and other current students serve as mentors to help the new scholars transition to life in Cambridge and to performing full time research. They are also able to provide invaluable scientific guidance and advice for graduate school admissions. Continue reading at MIT News.
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Omniloquence
Global Conversations Beyond Discipline
Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery Education Approach in Sri Lanka
Cricket stadium restored after Tsunami. Image by Suren Ladd
During a recent field research trip to Sri Lanka (December 2014), I spoke to experts in the field of Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery Education, with a view to understand the shape of the sector a decade after the Indian Ocean Tsunami. It was a privilege speaking with Dr Godwin Kodituwakku, an expert in the field of educational research in Sri Lanka. Dr Kodituwakku worked at the National Institute of Education (NIE), as the director of Research and Development from 2005 to 2013.
I sat down with Dr Kodituwakku to discuss his views on the current state of the Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery Approach in Sri Lanka from an educational perspective. These are some of the excerpts of his thoughts.
Q: What are some of the needs from an educational perspective after a disaster for the community?
Dr Kodituwakku suggested that Mental Health & Psychosocial Support is important in the overall response to the approach in helping affected communities in the short and long term. Dr Kodituwakku also pointed out the importance of educating the parents, because he believes that parents’ ideas will help shape children’s behaviour positively. He suggested that this can be completed through the non-formal education methodologies.
Q: What do you believe are some of the strengths of the Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery Approach in Sri Lanka from an educational perspective?
Dr Kodituwakku pointed out that although there were some aspects of natural disasters in the curriculum before 2004, there had been an increase of disaster risk reduction topics in the curriculum, for example an increase in the questions at the ordinary level and advanced level exams. Dr Kodituwakku pointed out that some basic concepts are introduced from primary to secondary levels under subjects such as social science, science subjects and sometimes in the Sinhala lessons.
Dr Kodituwakku further pointed out that Sri Lanka has an institutional framework in place to assist with this. He suggested that the stakeholders can use this framework more efficiently to further the message and learning process for Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery Education. Dr Kodituwakku expressed that there are approximately 10,000 schools in the island and these schools can be geared to train the students to bring greater awareness in society.
Q: What do you believe are some of the challenges of the Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery Approach in Sri Lanka from an educational perspective?
“Community’s lives depend on their individual situations. Sometimes people live where disasters can occur. But people still live there as they do not have options in life. So this is a big challenge to the policy makers and the people. How do we develop options for the people? How can we guide the communities to live in more suitable areas and how can we give them better options?”
Dr Kodituwakku raised the question that, from an educational perspective, “how can we send out the message to children? How can we convey the real feelings of facing a tsunami, flood, earth slips etc?” He argued that, unfortunately, “we can give them the knowledge, but the real experience is hard to simulate. We can teach but we cannot give the reality. Even the teachers cannot teach it properly if they do not have any experience about these disasters. The severity is not translated to the community on disaster.”
Q: What do you believe are some of the threats for the Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery Approach in Sri Lanka from an educational perspective?
Dr Kodituwakku suggested that in the aftermath of a disaster, some children become orphans and they lose everything. Dr Kodituwakku believes that although stakeholders can intervene, he is doubtful that they can help them fully recover from that part of their life.
Dr Kodituwakku also highlighted that, “we believe in religions too much.” He pointed out that religions shape our inner being and will not come to anyone’s aid at the time of a disaster. His point is that blaming fate, karma, or disasters being the Will of God will not avoid or mitigate further destruction of such disasters, but that the community should have a scientific knowledge about disasters and that a knowledge based approach & scientific thinking process should be developed in Sri Lanka’s culture.
Q – What in your view are some of the best practices and lessons learnt that have been adopted into the curriculum for Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery?
Dr Kodituwakku is of the view that the best practice was the affected community’s quick recovery from the tsunami. The problem according to Dr Kodituwakku is that there is a lack of knowledge and methods to capture these lessons learnt and best practices for academic, educational development purposes. Dr Kodituwakku pointed out that, “we recovered from the tsunami very quickly but there are limited documents, research papers to document these accounts of the community, which is a weakness.”
Q: What areas would you like to see more focus on in the Disaster Risk Reduction Educational Approach in Sri Lanka?
Dr Kodituwakku is of the view that Mental Health & Psychosocial Support programs are implemented by training the teachers. He is of the view that, culturally, there is a challenge to implement programs from a Western perspective, i.e. having students in counselling is a challenge due to the shame, stigma in society. Dr Kodituwakku is of the view that education should be geared towards memorisation and examination results, and not the holistic development of children, which should be the methodology.
Dr Kodituwakku also pointed out that the media should not only focus on the disaster incidence but also play a wider role in educating the public on better choices of building homes, through Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery education. He points out that the media coverage only focuses on the disaster and the relief efforts and then they move on.
Finally, I asked Dr Kodituwakku what he thinks could be the optimal situation for Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery from an educational perspective in Sri Lanka?
His answer was really unique. He said, “[i]n our lives we get up in the morning, have breakfast and go to work and do all the daily activities, and only think of disasters when they occur, but if we can think that disaster is part and parcel of our life, that is the optimal situation.”
Suren Ladd works as an assistant lecturer at a Business College and as a development researcher/consultant in International Development & Education. His research interests include the role of education and sport in emergency contexts.
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Higgs contest: the hard way to return to top 3
Now it's a good (but not stellar) moment for the Higgs ATLAS-Kaggle challenge. If you look at its leaderboard, only one minor permutation of the top 7 rankings (879 teams compete in total) has occurred in the last 7 days:
Due to a permutation of the top 2 places exactly 7 days ago, this screenshot became a bit obsolete minutes after I posted it.
And – the T.A.G. duo will surely agree – it is a small change in a good direction. ;-) And it was so hard to achieve this small change of the AMS score! What have I done?
I decided that one particular algorithm isn't good enough. It's better to write a code that simulates many programmers who are programming machine-learning algorithms and who are killing the programmers who are not good enough.
So I downloaded a Windows desktop OS emulator for Nokia Lumia 520, installed VirtualBox under this Windows system, along with Ubuntu Linux. In that system, I programmed a virtual empire that I call "The Matrix String".
This string-like landscape is a very nice environment for the programmers who live there. The inhabitants have to enjoy something that looks like an exciting life to them. Otherwise, as I realized, they don't perform too well.
Of course, their ultimate job is to write down an algorithm to optimally classify the 550,000 events in the contest. But they don't really know.
There are 220 copies of a city called Székesfehérvár – it's one of the Hungarian words I am proud to have mastered. If you have trouble with the name of the town, just call it "Stool Belgrade" which is the English translation. I am building five new copies of the town every day.
There are many T.A.G.'s hanging everywhere in the cities but I hope that they are not too important anymore! ;-) More importantly, there are numerous copies of two programmers over there. Their names are
Gábor "Neo" Melis
Morphine "Northern Lights Haze" Morpheus
They are designed to resemble the top two contestants in the contest as accurately as I could imagine them. Mr Morphine is trying to convince Gábor "Neo" Melis that he (Neo) is "the One". And make no doubts about it, I also think that Gábor Melis is "the One".
Today, in order to improve the top score by 0.006, after 10 days or so with no improvements, I had to fight against Gábor "Neo" Melis. It was tough. It seems to me that he has won again.
If I happened to win, to be eligible for the prize, I would have to reproduce the exact algorithms that generated the winning submission. So it's important to remember every motion of my hands in the fight against Melis, and so on. Weeks ago, it would have been impossible. Right now, however, it seems that I have gotten more disciplined in creating backups. So all the copies of Gábor "Neo" Melis that had to fight have a code that is saved somewhere, much like the program that determined every motion of the hands in the fight above.
As usually in the morning, I have run out of my limit of 5 submissions per day. But the new 3.76704 submission is relatively new and opens an uncharted territory so it is remotely conceivable that there exists a very minor modification of this code that improves the score sufficiently to beat the real leaders, "Neo" and "Morphine".
"Morphine" is the current leader whose AMS score is 0.03951 above mine. It's just slightly above one percent of my score. To beat him or her (there is at least one woman in the contest, Tatiana Likhomanenko is 20th after 3 submissions only, scary!), one has to improve the score by more than one percent.
It means to increase the number (well, the total weight) of true positives \(s\) by one percent while not increasing the \(b\), or to decrease the number of false positives (well, their total weight) \(b\) by two percent (because AMS is essentially \(s/\sqrt{b}\) while not lowering \(s\), or some linear combination of these options.
It may be done. Maybe.
Of course, the temporary leaderboard may be a misleading benchmark to estimate the final score which will be calculated exactly from the 450,000 test.csv collisions that are not included among the 100,000 collisions used to calculate the preliminary leaderboard. It is plausible that the "differences between AMS of two contestants" will change by 0.1 in average (root mean square) relatively to the preliminary leaderboard so it's possible everyone in the top 20 or 50 has a significant chance. I could do calculations and simulations that would clarify these matters but I think it's better to spend time on improving my (at least temporary) AMS score.
But while "the Matrix String" technology to optimize the machine learning hasn't produced a truly remarkable improvement in the preliminary AMS score, one that could beat "Neo" and "Morphine", for example, I have some reasons to think that its underlying idea is so robust that it could achieve a higher final score than other algorithms (and perhaps other contestants' algorithms).
Fer137 Jul 3, 2014, 11:16:00 AM
Why there are 42 contestants with 3.0006 ?
Luboš Motl Jul 3, 2014, 1:03:00 PM
Dear Fer137, it's the standard XGboost package that I would use at some point, too.
https://www.kaggle.com/c/higgs-boson/forums/t/8184/public-starting-guide-to-get-above-3-60-ams-score
Dilaton Jul 3, 2014, 1:46:00 PM
Could the Matrix String technology be useful to look for some "SM" signals in THE landscape too ...?
I know that such an "artificially intelligent" approach is not much less ugly (and uninteresting from a physics point of view) than throwing in the towel for anthropic reasons, but I am just curious :-P
Cheers and congratulations to your return to position 3 :-)
Ann Jul 3, 2014, 1:51:00 PM
Go Lubos!
Uncle Al Jul 3, 2014, 5:11:00 PM
Motl Magnus! Motl Magnus!
TRIZ: Do it the other way. An insoluble problem simply lacks a proper point of view. Copper phthalocyanine is soluble in boiling concentrated sulfuric acid. A 30 wt-% solution in solid Plexiglass is trivially achieved...using metallurgy (verified by its optical spectrum, Single molecules are different even from pairs).
"This is not the solution we are seeking." Tough noogies.
zbynek Jul 3, 2014, 5:12:00 PM
Hi - just a - probably silly question- rather than "many worlds" - could there be "many times" - i.e. more time dimensions, say one photon and one double slit experiment but in time x it goes through one slit and in time y goes through the other and the interference is the overlapping border of these time-different events?
Dear Dilaton, thanks for your idea. It would be great if it were useful for that.
The ideas - that I obviously try to cover up a little bit, but when the details are released, people will recognize that the popular description has a lot to do with the actual algorithm ;-) - are of the kind that they could be useful for almost any type of machine learning, not necessarily just physics.
I actually don't see how your proposed application may be converted to an example of "machine learning" at all but maybe it can! ;-)
Ron Maimon Jul 3, 2014, 10:20:00 PM
Decoherence is there from beginning to end, I can't give you page number (I don't remember, I read it more than 20 years ago) but the wording Everett uses is that the "branches become effectively non-interacting/separately-evolving once they are in the thermodynamic limit" or some such thing, and he justifies it rather simply, and this is what decoherence tries to make mathematically rigorous (for no good reason, because it is completely obvious).
This non-interacting nature is what allows classical data (the classical data stored in computers, aka, plastic deformations of the environment, measuring devices, computers, and human brains) to get called a branch-label for a quantum state. The branch-labelling is what others would call a "decoherent history description", or an "ein-selected state". Everett called it a "branch". Others call it a macroscopic superposition.
You need to read the thesis. Really. It's not that long, and it's got real results. It also shows a tremendous talent, it's one of the best theses in history. It also speaks well of Wheeler, to get two theses of this magnitude (one out of Feynman, one out of Everett, on obviously related topics).
The concept of "decoherence" as stated and elaborated in the 1980s was ACKNOWLEDGED by the authors to be an extension of Everett's work. People don't acknowledge prior work for no reason. Gell-Mann has patiently explained this many times, it is a fact of literature dependence, the original source of Decoherence in Everett '57.
It is true that Gell-Mann rederived Everett's ideas for himself in 1960 or so, so what. Everett is the original. Gell-Mann's "consistent histories" is a variation on Everett, as he says both in citations and in person, in recorded interviews.
Wigner's published his "Wigner's friend" in 1962. The trick with "Wigner's friend" is HAVING THE BALLS TO PUBLISH, of course people were thinking about this in 1935. What makes it publishable is that it creates a contrast with many-worlds--- the observer's information is treated as "conscious" and different from a computer's information. Everett treats all classical information the same, whether inside a computer or inside a human.
Wigner didn't want to upset the Bohr, and saw an opportunity in 1962 to publish some old ideas that would never get into print. Everett was willing to upset the Bohr, and so got sacrificed in Denmark. Everett was the first to publish clearly the ideas involved.
He was also the first to state and argue the information theoretic uncertainty principle (it's in his thesis, and it's a great result):
I(x) + I(p) > C
Where C is e\pi or something like this, it's what the inequality evaluates to on Gaussians. Everett showed that Gaussians are local minima of this inequality, and that there are no other local minima, strongly suggesting it is an exact inequality (it's hard to prove, it wasn't proved until 1975, by Beckner).
where I(x) is the information in the x-distribution of psi-squared, and I(p) is the information in the p distribution of psi-squared. This is the first "correct" statement of the uncertainty principle.
John McVirgo Jul 3, 2014, 10:50:00 PM
Here's a link to his thesis:
http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/manyworlds/pdf/dissertation.pdf
Ron Maimon Jul 4, 2014, 4:03:00 AM
Having access to the thesis, the discussion of decoherence is in the fifth section, after the presentation of the interpretation. It begins with the Heisenberg-like analysis of the H-atom on page 86, and the discussion is particularly relevant toward page 99.
The relevant discussion of the information theoretic Everett uncertainty principle is on page 129.
Luboš Motl Jul 4, 2014, 5:42:00 AM
Dear Ron, the claim "the insight is there from the beginning to the end" is just like some new-age religion or global warming that also has "evidence of a looming catastrophe everywhere where you look". This is meant to convince a gullible, confused person to jump with his eyes from one place to another so that he doesn't look at anything carefully. If one actually looks carefully, there is no evidence whatsoever.
The proposition that "parts of the system then evolve de facto independently" is equally valid for phase transitions in classical physics where the phase space for many molecules gets disconnected into different basins with different phases, and it's "valid" in dozens of other completely different settings to express completely different ideas. You surely don't want to say that such a claim clarifies any of the subtle issues in quantum mechanics, do you?
Moreover, the word "non-interacting" for the branches is totally and fundamentally wrong, and Everett should be fired from school just for this blunder. Terms in the wave function are *always* non-interacting. Interactions are something completely different - they're the dependence of the Hamiltonian on two degrees of freedom in a nonlinear way, like psi.psi.A in QED. There is never any interaction between "branches" of the wave functions, before or during or after decoherence, never. The correct thing would be to talk about interference, of the branches, right? You see that Everett himself was already confused about the totally basic things in quantum physics such as the difference between interference and interactions, and all the deluded Everettian have the same trash in their skulls.
The actual rule is that quantum mechanics never leads to such a separation's being exact so the sentence you said is really wrong because it completely distorts the fundamental status of the rules of quantum mechanics how they behave in Nature. To be exact about the origin of such approximations, what is approximate and what is exact, is damn important exactly when one is trying to put the foundations on a firm ground, isn't it?
As I said, many people talking about "decoherence" say lots of complete bullšit, too, so your connections between some decoherence people's citations of Everett don't help to argue that any of this makes any sense.
The point is that quantum mechanics with the exact rules as formulated in Copenhagen is right and also correctly deals with the classical-quantum boundary and its (non)reality and (non)objectivity. Quantum mechanics never leads to an exact separation of "worlds", to an exact splitting into worlds that don't interfere with each other at all in the future, but that it does allow one to derive classical observers approximately, and those are needed to make firm, classically sounding statements about measured observables.
Blah blah blah. Read the paper, it's linked. Everett doesn't use the words you didn't like, and OBVIOUSLY non-interacting in this context means effectively non-interfering, and OBVIOUSLY it is only asymptotically valid in the classical limit.
I gave more specific spot citations, but really, just read the fucking paper. It's a classic, it's worth it, and it's well written besides.
I've posted this link many times on this blog and elsewhere, and read it.
I've read the paper and told you about that about 3 times already. I won't read it again,it's rubbish, and please don't use excessive capitalization in the comments.
martin Jul 4, 2014, 8:02:00 AM
wow , I'm not a physicist but i think i understand quantum mechanics enough to know Everett is pissing on whole foundation of quantum mechanics in his thesis . he first claim a mess and nonexistent problem in quantum mechanics (copenhagen interpretation) then suggest a solution for it (many worlds interpretation ) that is polar opposite of quantum mechanics .I'm shocked that physicists even mention Everett's thesis as a interpretation of quantum mechanics.
Everett's thesis is not a interpretation of quantum mechanics it is a anti-quantum mechanics propaganda that any crackpot coward that don't like quantum mechanics and don't want to pay price for bashing quantum mechanics hide behind it.
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Published in Significant Areas
Gower Peninsula. In 1956, Gower became the first area in the United Kingdom to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. About 70 square miles (180 km2) in area, Gower is known for its coastline, popular with walkers and outdoor enthusiasts, especially surfers. Gower has many caves, including Paviland Cave and Minchin Hole Cave. The highest point of Gower is The Beacon at Rhossili Down at 193 metres (633 ft) overlooking Rhossili Bay. The interior of Gower consists mainly of farmland and common land. The population resides mainly in villages and small communities. The southern coast consists of a series of small, rocky or sandy bays, such as Langland and Three Cliffs, and larger beaches such as Port Eynon, Rhossili and Oxwich Bay. The north of the peninsula has fewer beaches, and is home to the cockle-beds of Penclawdd.
Published in Points Of Interest
The Cliffs of Moher (Irish: Aillte an Mhothair) are located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland. They rise 120 metres (390 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head, and reach their maximum height of 214 metres (702 ft) just north of O'Brien's Tower, eight kilometres to the north. The tower is a round stone tower near the midpoint of the cliffs built in 1835 by Sir Cornelius O'Brien. From the cliffs and from atop the tower, visitors can see the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, the Maumturks and Twelve Pins mountain ranges to the north in County Galway, and Loop Head to the south. The cliffs rank amongst the top visited tourist sites in Ireland, and receive almost one million visitors a year.
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News Used Car Salesman Gets Jail Time For Defrauding Clients
Used Car Salesman Gets Jail Time For Defrauding Clients
Charles Jolicoeur
A used car salesman in Canada guilty of defrauding clients out of thousands of dollars gets jail time.
Buyer beware. A used car salesman in Nova Scotia, Canada has been found guilty of defrauding 15 clients for a total of $43,310.
Michael David Surette of Darmouth worked at Used Car Factory 21 (doesn’t sound suspicious at all) where he aggressively pursued clients for over three years to collect money on vehicles that didn’t exist or were never going to be delivered. In other words, Surette sold fictional cars and collected from his clients. He then made up excuses and delays to explain why the vehicle hadn’t arrived.
The salesman pleaded guilty to 14 counts of fraud and two counts of breaking his probation back in February. Surette was already convicted of fraud in another industry in the past. He was handed a 44-month sentence but will get 14 months credited for time already spent. He will spend the next 2.5 years in jail.
Judge Frank Hoskins of the Darmouth provincial court said that the vulnerability of the victims and the way Surette hounded them repeatedly played a major part in the harsh sentence. Most of Surette’s victims were buying cars worth less than $4,000.
One of Surette’s victims held a minimum wage part-time job and borrowed $3,900 for a car he never got. He had to walk 30 minutes each way to get to work after, sometimes as early as 5 am.
Is 0% Financing Too Good To Be True?
Along with his prison sentence, Surette will have to reimburse over $38,000 to his victims. The owner of Used Car Factory 21, Joel Sapp, has already provided alternative vehicles or reimbursed some of the victims.
According to judge Hoskins, there were no attenuating circumstances or explanations for the crimes. He noted that Surette had a “stable family background with no history of addiction”.
In other words, Surette is just an idiot. We’re happy to see that his victims will be made whole again. Hopefully this is the last time that they agree to exchange money for a vehicle they haven’t seen yet.
Ford, Hyundai Take 2021 North American Car, Truck, Utility of the Year Trophies
News Evan Williams - January 11, 2021
Ford gets both Utility and Truck awards Hyundai Elantra named Car of the Year The judging is in, and more than 43 vehicles were...
Detroit Auto Show Becomes Outdoor Motor Bella Event for 2021
New format to be more immersive, more pandemic-appropriate Was originally planned as an add-on to 2020 NAIAS The North American International Auto Show, normally...
Lincoln 2021 Lineup: Models And Changes Overview
The Lincoln Corsair receives a Grand Touring variant with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Lincoln Nautilus refreshed with new interior and more modern technology. ...
New 2022 Honda Civic Type R Will Still Be Powered By A Turbocharged Petrol Engine
According to the report, much of the all-new 11th generation Civic’s lineup will be electrified. The all-new Civic will launch this spring. The...
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Charles Jolicoeur was studying to be a CPA when he decided to drop everything and launch a car website in 2012. Don't ask. The journey has been an interesting one, but today he has co-founded and manages 8 websites including EcoloAuto.com and MotorIllustrated.com as General Manager of NetMedia360. He also sits on the board of the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada. Send me an email
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Posts Tagged ‘Martin’
New Materials for 5G Microwave Communications and Beyond
New Materials for 5G Microwave Communications and Beyond by Daisy Hernandez August 20, 2018 A joint team from the University of California, Berkeley, Drexel University, Bar-Ilan University in Israel, the Carnegie Institution of Science, and the University of California, Santa Barbara have made an important observation in the search for next-generation microwave communication materials. The…
Record-breaking Energy Conversion of Waste Heat
Record-breaking Energy Conversion of Waste Heat by Daisy Hernandez April 10, 2018 A team of students lead by Prof. Lane Martin in Materials Science and Engineering and Prof. Chris Dames in Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley have made an important demonstration of novel waste heat to electrical energy conversion based on a process called pyroelectric…
MSE Leads the Way in Safety at UC Berkeley
MSE Leads the Way in Safety at UC Berkeley by Daisy Hernandez February 27, 2018 The laboratory compound run by Professors Martin and Ramesh was named the winner of the UC Berkeley Excellence in Laboratory Safety Award in the Large Physical Sciences category. Professor Martin will represent the laboratory at the award ceremony in Feb.…
Exotic Phase Competition in Ferroic Materials
Exotic Phase Competition in Ferroic Materials by Daisy Hernandez August 17, 2017 A team of students and postdocs lead by Prof. Lane Martin and Prof. R. Ramesh in Materials Science and Engineering and in collaboration with researchers from Pennsylvania State University, Argonne National Laboratory, the National Center for Electron Microscopy and the Advanced Light Source…
Martin and Minor Groups Make Ferroelectrics Go Extreme
Martin and Minor Groups Make Ferroelectrics Go Extreme by Sarah Yang May 12, 2017 A collaborative effort between MSE at Berkeley, the National Center for Electron Microscopy (NCEM) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the University of Pennsylvania has applied advanced growth and state-of-the-art characterization techniques to, for the first time, produce polarization gradients in materials…
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Home Pop Culture People Marshal Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito
1 8 9 3 – 1 9 8 0
Marshal Josip Broz Tito, the founding father of modern Yugoslavia, died aged 87 on 4 May 1980.
Tito had led anti-Nazi partisans during the Second World War and helped liberate the region from the fascist control of the Axis powers. A Croat himself, he had united the different peoples of six republics to establish a Communist state with Soviet help in 1945.
In 1948, however, Tito had separated Yugoslavia from the Soviet Union’s Eastern Bloc of Communist nations, and in the 1950s had become a leader of the group in the United Nations that was not aligned with either of the Cold War foes: the United States and the USSR.
With the death of Marshal Tito, old regional hostilities resurfaced, leading to the break-up of Yugoslavia a decade later as the republics of Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina declared independence and ethnic and religious groups began to fight each other for territory.
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Developed in 1970 by Bob’s Space Racers, the anger-abating coin-operated game Whac-a-Mole did exactly what it said on the tin! There were five holes out...
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