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Submitted by admin on Fri, 2007-02-16 17:34. U.S. News
By Douglas J. Hagmann, Director
16 February 2007: For well over a decade, federal officials, politicians, and members of the major media have gone to absurd lengths to avoid disclosing that Islam has been a motivating factor and a major component in numerous murders, murderous sprees and other acts of violence and sabotage by "lone individuals." It is an undeniable fact that there are Muslims – perhaps not the majority but a significant number – who advocate personal "jihad" in its most literal sense, citing passages in the Qu’ran and Sunnah. It is also undeniable that Arabic language Islamic religious forums, message boards on the Internet actually encourage Muslims to engage in such activities against the infidels, and especially the "Great Satan" and the Jews.
If you dare mention, however, any possible religious motivation when the perpetrator is a Muslim, you are immediately labeled "Islamophobic," the politically correct buzzword that is applied to anyone who conducts a reasonable examination of the evidence and dares to ask whether the crime was rooted in religious ideology. That same media and those same politicians, in contrast, had no problem immediately identifying the religious and ideological convictions of James KOPP, the man convicted in the 1998 murder of a Buffalo, NY doctor who performed abortions, and others adherent to the same ideology. Click "read more" above for complete article.
If Christian zealots who murder because of their religious motivations are considered legitimate fodder for public officials, politicians and media, then why should these same officials, politicians and the media be so opposed to holding Muslims to the same standards of reporting? I agree that the ideology that motivated KOPP to kill the Buffalo physician should be exposed and publicized. The same standards, or considering that we are a nation at war against those who adhere to orthodox Islam, even stricter standards, should apply to all violent crimes committed by Muslim terrorists who are already in this country.
The murderous rampage by Bosnian Muslim Sulejmen TALOVIC at the Trolley Square Mall in Salt Lake City, Utah last Monday, where he murdered 5 people and wounded 4 others is an example of the duplicity of some who are leading this country, others who are protecting this country, and those who are reporting on events taking place within this country. The absence of intellectual honesty exhibited by reporters like Elaine Jarvik and Deborah Bulkeley of the Deseret Morning News pertaining to Monday’s massacre in Utah is widespread and mentally staggering, but not without precedent.
Muslims have been waging their individual Jihad inside the United States for years, although very few in the major media appear willing to identify these religiously motivated murderers unless the whole of America witnesses the attacks on television. Consider the following for examples of this duplicity:
On the evening of November 5, 1990, El Sayyid NOSAIR murdered Jewish Rabbi and political activist Meir Kahne at a New York hotel where he was speaking. Fleeing from the hotel, NOSAIR scuffled and seriously injured a 73 year-old man who tried to stop him, and shot a postal inspector in the chest. The postal inspector survived as he was wearing a Kevlar vest. Within 48 hours of murder, police declared that NOSAIR acted alone and the assassination was not related to Islamic terrorism but to the "mental state" and depression of the shooter. The truth, however, came out five years later during the trial of Shaykh Omar when it was revealed that NOSAIR had been under FBI surveillance since the late 1980’s, and was associated with the terrorists involved in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. In fact, the FBI had photographic evidence of NOSAIR and others convicted of the bombing shooting 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistols and AK-47 rifles at a shooting range on Long Island.
Less than 4 years later on March 1, 1994, a Muslim identified as Rashid BAZ shot into a van carrying Hasidic Jews on the Brooklyn Bridge, murdering one of the Jewish occupants of the van. The FBI attributed the actions of Rashid BAZ as "road rage," and not terrorist related or religiously motivated.
Ten years ago this month, on February 24, 1997, a Muslim identified as Ali Abu KAMAL waged his own jihad from the 86th floor observation deck at the Empire State Building. KAMAL, a 69 year-old Palestinian from Ramallah "made some sort of statement about Egypt" before he began shooting at tourists killing one person and wounding six others. He then shot himself in the head and died 5 hours later at a New York hospital. Witnesses stated that during the shooting spree, KAMAL asked potential victims whether they were from Egypt. Then-mayor Rudolph Giuliani attributed the actions of the gunman to his mental state of mind, while police officials later concluded that KAMAL "acted out of rage at monetary loss."
On October 31, 1999 at about 1:50 a.m., EgyptAir Flight 990, a Los Angeles to New York to Cairo flight dove into the Atlantic Ocean about 60 miles south of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, killing 203 passengers and 14 crewmembers. Investigation by the NTSB determined that relief pilot Gamil al-BATOUTI, a Muslim from Egypt who was at the controls at the time of the crash, turned off the autopilot and deliberately crashed the plane into the ocean. Cockpit voice recorders contained evidence that al-Batouti repeated recited "Tawakalt ala Allah" ("I put my trust in God") while plunging the aircraft into the ocean. Interestingly, it was this very same prayer that the six Imams from Minnesota chanted while aboard a US Air Flight on November 20, 2006 before being asked to leave the aircraft prior to departure.
On January 5, 2002, 15-year-old Charles BISHOP stole a small, single engine plane and crashed it into the side of the Bank of America building in Tampa, Florida. A suicide noe was found in his pocket that stated:
"I have prepared this statement in regards to the acts I am about to commit. First of all, Osama bin Laden is absolutely justified in the terror he has caused on 9/11. He has brought a mighty nation to its knees! God blesses him and the others who helped make September 11th happen. The U.S. will have to face the consequences for its horrific actions against the Palestinian people and Iraqis by its allegiance with the monstrous Israelis who want nothing short of world domination! You will pay -God help you-and I will make you pay! There will be more coming! Al Qaeda and other organizations have met with me several times to discuss the option of me joining. I didn't. This is an operation done by me only. I had no other help, although, I am acting on their behalf. Osama bin Laden is planning on blowing up the Super Bowl with an antiquated nuclear bomb left over from the 1967 Israeli-Syrian war."
On July 4, 2002, a Muslim identified as Hesham Mohamed Ali HADAYET, an Egyptian limousine driver who immigrated to US 1992, opened fire at an El Al ticket counter at the Los Angeles International Airport, killing two people before being shot and killed by a security guard. The FBI reported, at least initially, that the shooting was not terrorist related or religiously motivated. They later reclassified the act as “terrorist related” when HADAYET’s ties to al Qaeda were exposed.
In October 2002, the entire population of the greater Washington, DC area was terrorized by "random" shootings that claimed the lives of 10 people in 18 separate shooting events. Dubbed by the media as "the beltway snipers," police, federal officials and the media blatantly ignored the fact that John MUHAMMAD and Lee MALVO were Muslim converts, despite finding drawings of Osama bin Laden among MALVO’s belongings, and his verbal rants about "jihad." Investigation has documented that John MUHAMMAD and MALVO received assistance from the terrorist organization Jamaat ul-Fuqra, led by Pakistani terrorist Sheikh SyeSyed Mubarik Ali Gilani.
On October 1, 2005, Joel Henry HINRICHS III, a college student at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK detonated a large bomb made of TATP outside of a packed football stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The bomb was so large that it could be heard up to four miles away and shattered windows in a nearby building. Despite police and media reports to the contrary, evidence suggests that this was a failed "homicide bombing."
On December 18, 2005, in a carefully planned attack, Ali R. Warrayat, 24 crashed his car into the Home Depot in Chandler, Arizona where he once worked. Warrayat, a student at Arizona State University in Mesa, blasted his car stereo with Arabic music “to drown out the yells of employees he might ‘encounter,’” had a Palestinian flag and a Qu’ran in his car, and aimed for and successfully struck the store’s flammable paint section after driving through other parts of the store. Once there, he jumped from his SUV, ignited a fire with his lighter, and proceeded to the exit, swiping merchandise from store shelves as he walked toward the door. Once outside, Warrayat sat on the curb and waited for police to arrive. Among other things, Warrayat said that he was mad at the United States for proposing a 700-mile fence along the Mexican border and wanted to make the country "more free." Damage to the store was estimated at $1 million.
Additional: Police seized a computer at the house he shares with his parents, finding a number of pictures of Palestinian men and other Middle Eastern terrorists engaged in different levels of violence, and Arabic martyr prayers, flags and symbols.
On March 3, 2006 a Muslim identified as Mohammed Reza Taheriazar, 23 and native of Iran, rented a Jeep SUV – the largest SUV he could find - with the stated intent to kill as many pedestrians as he could to avenge the treatment of Muslims around the world by the U.S. He injured six before being stopped and taken into custody. A report of this incident can be found HERE.
On July 28, 2006, a Muslim identified as Naveed Afzal HAQ, 30, shouted "I Hate Israel" as he shot and killed one woman and wounded several others, including a pregnant woman at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, 2031 Third Avenue, Seattle, Washington.
On August 29, 2006, a Muslim from Afghanistan identified as Omeed Aziz POPAL, 29, killed one and injured over a dozen other people when he engaged in a murderous spree, using his vehicle to strike pedestrians in San Francisco. The media failed to report that POPAL was an orthodox Muslim, and that religious motivation could not be ruled out as an impelling force for his murderous rampage.
On December 8, 2006, a Muslim man identified as Derrick SHAREEF, a/k/a Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef planned to set off at least four and possibly more hand grenades and improvised explosive devices at the CherryVale Shopping Mall in Rockford, IL. Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef was arrested by FBI agents from the Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force before he could make good on his attacks against non-Muslims on the last Friday before Christmas at the busy shopping mall.
On January 25, 2007, the Northeast Intelligence Network reported on the arrest of Juan Rafael DIAZ, 20, of Kissimmee, Florida. DIAZ threatened to blow up at least one Christian church other locations throughout the Kissimmee area. He left notes on vehicles parked at the Moose Lodge located on North Main Street and on a vehicle parked at the First Christian Church located at 415 North Main Street in Kissimmee. According to police sources, every note left at the various locations referenced al Qaeda along with the threats to detonate explosives at those locations, specifically stating:
"The city of Kissimmee is going to be bombed by al Qaeda, God willing."
Diaz was initially arrested in December 2006 for placing a written note threatening to detonate a bomb at SaveRite, 1532 West Vine Street in Kissimmee. He was out on bond at the time of his most recent arrest. Police have charged DIAZ with threatening to discharge a destructive device and making, possessing and using a destructive device and is now back in the Osceola County Jail.
The above incidents are simply some of the more ridiculously blatant examples of crimes motivated by individuals adherent to the Islamic ideology. The denials, alternative explanations, and excuses presented to the American public are completely inconsistent with reason, logic or common sense, and have become insulting to the American people who are paying attention to the events taking place around them.
The war waged by Islamic fundamentalists is - and has been - on American soil for some time. It is well past time for federal law enforcement officials, politicians, and the media to be honest with themselves, and to the American people.
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Publish Your Work: Insights from Arielle Bernstein
September 13, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
Arielle Bernstein graduated from the AU MFA in Creative Writing in 2009 with a mixed-genre thesis, and she has now joined us as a professorial lecturer.
Arielle’s career – with wide publication in both fiction and nonfiction – offers an example of where AU’s cross-genre focus can lead. Her cultural criticism, personal narrative and reviews can be found on The Atlantic, Salon, The Rumpus, and The Millions. Her short fiction has found homes on the pages of journals like PANK 10, Literary Orphans, The Puritan, The Rattling Wall Issue 4, and Connotation Press. Now, she’s working on a book.
With her varied experience and some heavy-hitting publications under her belt, we thought Arielle might have some advice to share with other writers – and we were right. Below, learn about Arielle’s experiences and get a peek into the nonfiction publishing process.
On Cultural Criticism…
“One of the things I love most about writing essays is the sense that the work I’m doing is actively participating in ongoing conversations about art, culture and politics,” Arielle said.
Writing as a cultural critic means plugging into the zeitgeist – reading widely, keeping up with events and discussions, and honing a perspective that offers something fresh. The pace feels fast, and the work requires stepping into a current that is already flowing.
When Arielle wrote Marie Kondo and the Privilege of Clutter for The Atlantic this past spring, she received messages from readers across the globe – some of whom shared her particular experiences, and others who had different relationships with Marie Kondo’s ideas about minimalism. “As a writer, my goal is to not simply tell my own story, but to use my personal experiences and ideas as a way to talk about current cultural issues,” she said.
“For me, fiction is a much more private experience,” she said. “I’ll work on a story for months and months, and I won’t send it out until I think it’s absolutely perfect.”
As her publishing record suggests, Arielle is comfortable working on multiple projects at once. While she drafts her book, she has shorter pieces underway as well. “I find myself most motivated when I’m engaged in a number of different projects—from solo work to collaboration with artists, writers, and filmmakers,” she said.
On Logistics of Non-fiction Versus Fiction…
While fiction writers need completed stories or books before seeking publication, a brief pitch – often a proposed headline and two or three short paragraphs – serves a first introduction between a freelance nonfiction writer and a potential editor. Some outlets list an email address to which writers should send their pitches, while others list contact info for specific section editors.
Arielle always pitches ideas before drafting articles. “Different magazines have different audiences, and I am conscious of developing my work with that audience in mind,” she said. “I think meeting and talking with other writers is really important, especially when you first start out. Often, people are working on interesting projects and actively seeking talent. As you continue in your writing career, cold-pitching becomes more comfortable, since you can link to previous work and accomplishments. I tend to pitch places where I really love and value the work, and where I can see my writing (both in terms of content and style) fitting in.”
The timelines also differ vastly between fiction publications and cultural criticism. When fiction writers send their stories out for possible publication, they usually wait months to hear whether a journal thinks a piece is a good fit. Because the turnaround time is so long, most literary outlets accept simultaneous submissions: a fiction writer might send her story to ten or more outlets at once, and wait for the responses to trickle back into her inbox.
Pitching cultural criticism is more time sensitive, and editors typically respond within a day or week’s time. Pitching multiple editors with the same idea – without waiting for a response – is considered a faux-paus. Once a pitch is accepted, the process between writer and editor can also feel more collaborative.
“Different editors have different styles. Some will be very hands-off, while others will be very hands-on, wanting to see multiple drafts and making a lot of sentence-level edits,” Arielle said. “In general, it’s very normal to receive editorial feedback and for there to be a lot of dialogue between writer and editor. I find this discussion to actually be very fruitful for my own work—it helps me to develop ideas more fully and also see how different audiences might respond or react to my ideas in different ways.
On the Publication Process…
“The process of writing a proposal is actually incredibly helpful in terms of helping a writer articulate her ideas more fully, as well as think more critically about the business side of things—who the target audience is, for example, and how will you as a writer go about marketing and promoting your work,” Arielle said. “Once you have a solid proposal, you can start sending query letters to agents, which is how I found representation.”
Arielle has recently turned her attention to a longer project: a book-length work of nonfiction. She has devoted some time over the summer to writing a book proposal. While writers of novels and memoirs need to submit full-length manuscripts when seeking representation, writers of other nonfiction need to first grab the attention of a publishing house with a well-written explanation of what the book is about and why it needs to be in the world.
On Advice for Aspiring Non-fiction Writers…
“My biggest advice is to be persistent about topics and ideas that are important to you,” Arielle says.
“If an idea doesn’t work for one venue, it might be a better fit elsewhere. Use the feedback you receive from positive rejections as a way to tailor your work. It really helps to think about framing your ideas in terms of the conversation you are responding to, and how you think your ideas add to that.”
Arielle learned how to navigate the publishing world, in part, through a role as Saturday editor at The Rumpus. “Being on the other side of the desk gave me insights regarding how to make an initial pitch, how to take a positive rejection, and why an editor might want to make certain kinds of edits on a piece,” she said.
“My other big piece of advice is to keep submitting—if an editor seems excited about working with you, but not totally sold on an idea, that means you should read more work that is featured on the site and see if you can come up with an idea that is a better fit. Even when you’ve worked with an editor for a long time, they will occasionally pass on an idea, or ask you to reframe an article in a new direction. The best editors are actively seeking excellent work and will push you to fully develop your ideas. Keep going!”
Keep up with Arielle’s work by following her on Twitter.
Interested in pursuing your own writing career? Learn more about the MFA in creative writing.
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Public Health vs. Health Promotion Management
September 9, 2016 /0 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
Advancements in science, technology and healthcare have made at least one thing crystal clear, it will take everyone’s best efforts to improve health in communities all over the world.
This far-flung realization has led to a wealth of career opportunities for people who are passionate about health. There are many exciting professional paths that center on the singular goal of better health, opening up a broad variety of options.
Understanding the nuances of public health vs. health promotion management helps prospective practitioners expedite and enhance their professional journey.
Defining Public Health vs. Health Promotion Management
From the ever-increasing life expectancy to childhood obesity, global pandemics and even the environment, public health is a concept that touches everyone. It’s a hotbed issue that’s deeply ingrained at the political, organizational and personal level.
“Public health systems are commonly defined as ‘all public, private, and voluntary entities that contribute to the delivery of essential public health services within a jurisdiction, ” says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This includes:
Public health agencies at state and local levels
Public safety agencies
Human service and charity organizations
Education and youth development organizations
Recreation and arts-related organizations
Economic and philanthropic organizations
Environmental agencies and organizations
SOURCE: The CDC
Health Promotion Management
Health promotion is the science and art of helping people, organizations, and communities change lifestyle behaviors to move toward a state of improved health, resulting in decreases in chronic disease and health care costs.
University-level health promotion management programs focus on the development of managerial skills with knowledge in subjects such as exercise physiology, human biochemistry, behavioral psychology and nutrition. Students can pursue an emphasis in areas including:
Discovering the Right Career For You
Public Health Career Opportunities
Virtually anyone within the broad spectrum of the health field could reap benefits from a public health degree program.
While a public health degree certainly can prove useful in private sector positions, it’s particularly applicable in the nonprofit, government and medical sectors.
Health Promotion Management Job Opportunities
For students who foresee a career spent leading and educating people and groups to make better, fact-based decisions to improve their quality of life, a health promotion management (HPM) program often is the best choice. At American University in Washington, D.C., HPM alumni are impacting communities locally, nationally and globally at organizations such as:
Partnership to Promote Healthy Eating and Active Living
Mindfulness Center National
WIC Association
Emphasis on Care vs. Innovation in Education
Addressing Public Danger
The CDC Foundation calls the CDC, “our nation’s premier public health agency.” Most public health degree programs prepare students for careers that are in step with the CDC’s mission: “CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.”
In other words, earning a degree in public health is an important step toward protecting people from a wide variety of health concerns.
Innovative Engagement Through Health Promotion Management
When American University started the first U.S. degree program combining the concepts of health and wellness with the principles of business and management, it put a new spin on public health. HPM students learn about everything from individual decision-making and corporate America to government policy in an effort to promote healthy behaviors and improve quality of life.
Whether serving in a Fortune 500 company’s health and wellness department or as a leading decision-maker at a think-tank, an HPM graduate has the tools to improve health and well-being from the ground up.
If you are interested in the multi-sector impact of a degree in Health Promotion Management, learn more about American University’s Master’s in HPM Program.
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How Do Poets Make a Living?
September 9, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
As Robert Graves put it, “There is no money in poetry, but there is no poetry in money, either.”
Poets don’t pursue poetry for the cash, but the truth is that we all have to make rent and buy groceries.
While it’s rare for a writer in any genre to make a living solely off the sale of their work, financial rewards for excellent poetry are especially hard to come by. At AU, we find ourselves encountering early-career poets eager to hone their craft but nervous about their financial prospects. We hear the same question again and again. How does a poet make a living?
Our goal is to send writers out into the world with talents sharpened and professional opportunities opened. We want our poets to have tools to support themselves so they can sustain artistic lives. Below are some of the ways that our poets go on to support themselves financially as they pursue their art:
Poets write in multiple genres.
Some of the most beautiful prose is penned by poets, with their sensitivity to sound and rhythm. Poets frequently write in multiple genres – and the cash advance that a writer gets when she sells her memoir can sometimes stretch further than the sales of a poetry collection. By writing journalism or creative nonfiction or fiction, poets can diversify their publications in a way that becomes financially sustaining.
AU poetry alumna Sandra Beasley has published three collections of poetry and placed her poems in top journals, and she published a work of nonfiction, a cultural history of food allergies, as well.
When we interviewed Sandra in January, she discussed her experiences at AU taking a class in journalism and a class in translation. “These classes broadened my sense of a literary community, and of what I could do with the degree,” Sandra said. “I can thank Richard McCann for introducing me to the craft of creative nonfiction. Not every program allows students to cross genres so freely. He said you have to find the nerve, the place where it hurts—and then press on it. That advice has stayed with me.”
Our new studio track makes time in students’ schedules for extra creative writing classes, enabling them to receive additional instruction and feedback in their chosen genres.
Poets work a range of professional jobs where their talents are valued.
The MFA is seen as valuable by employers seeking strong communicators. We have written before about non-teaching career paths that our writers pursue.
One alumnus, poet Jay Melder, has lent his skills to the political world, where he currently serves as Chief of Staff at the DC Department of Human Resources. Other alumni have found work as editors, radio producers, coordinators for arts and lectures series, public relations officials and writers in communications and marketing roles.
Our new professional track gives students the chance to take classes that expand their career options by providing supplemental skills and exposure to new work options. The bottom line? An MFA in poetry shows potential employers that you are a serious and accomplished writer—a valuable asset in today’s workforce.
Poets teach creative writing.
Teaching writing is a time-honored tradition among poets. W.H. Auden taught. Elizabeth Bishop taught. Langston Hughes taught. And many of our own graduates teach their craft to other new writers.
A 2009 graduate Jenny Molberg writes poetry, serves as poetry editor for Pleiades, and works as assistant professor of English at the University of Central Missouri.
When we interviewed Jenny in March, she described how she balances her teaching and writing life. “It’s difficult, especially because I am in my first year of a tenure-track job, but I find that I am constantly challenged and inspired by my students, who make me want to go home to write,” Jenny said. “Sending work out and applying for grants and residencies becomes difficult with a very busy teaching load—sometimes I just dedicate a Saturday to reading, writing, and sending out poems.”
Our new teaching track allows students to earn credit toward their MFA while taking classes that will prepare them to teach.
Ready to pursue poetry in the District? Learn more about the MFA in creative writing program.
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5 Accomplished Writers You’ll Connect with at AU
August 19, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
We are proud of our accomplished creative writing faculty, whose achievements include acclaimed publications, national awards and reputations for excellence. There has been a lot of great work published in recent months and years.
If you are applying to, or just considering, our MFA in Creative Writing, we encourage you to check out the work of our teachers and to familiarize yourself with their styles and interests. You’ll get a sense for how they might support your own development, and you’ll gain a well-rounded understanding of how you’d fit into our program—which we hope you’ll detail in your statement of purpose.
Below we’ve gathered just a small sample of recent faculty work, available online for free. Enjoy.
Kyle Dargan, Associate Professor and Director of Creative Writing
Kyle Dargan has published four four collections of poetry with University of Georgia Press, most recently Honest Engine (2015) and Logorrhea Dementia (2010). His first collection, The Listening (2004), was the winner of the 2003 Cave Canem Prize, and his second collection, Bouquet of Hungers (2007), was awarded the 2008 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in poetry. Public Pool recently published a video by Kyle, featuring DC landscapes and Kyle’s reading of his poem on gentrification, “White. Bread. Blues.” From “White. Bread. Blues.”:
“The Islander on U Street will be shuttered says the metro section of the Washington Post. I had my first and last plate of their curry bird after Heroes Are Gang Leaders hit at Howard.”
WASHINGTON, DC-NOVEMBER 6:DC Fiction writer Kyle G. Dargan likes to spend time in the atrium of the National Portrait Gallery to reflect, read and meet up with friends.(Photo by Lucian Perkins /for The Washington Post)
Stephanie Grant, Assistant Professor
Stephanie Grant has penned two novels, The Passion of Alice (Houghton Mifflin, 1995) and Map of Ireland (Scribner, 2008), and has won a number of fellowships and awards. Her essay “Postpartum” explores the experience of reconsidering one’s parents through an adult lens. The essay was published in the New Yorker in December, 2015. From “Postpartum”:
“After my older brother Bill was born, my mother had a devastating postpartum depression: she cried all day, refused to dress, could not take care of the baby. The grandmothers were brought in, and she was sent to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton, Massachusetts, for electroconvulsive therapy.”
David Keplinger, Professor
David Keplinger is the author of four collections of poetry, most recently The Most Natural Thing (New Issues Poetry & Prose, 2013) and The Prayers of Others (New Issues, 2006). His first collection, The Rose Inside (Truman State University Press, 1999), was chosen by the poet Mary Oliver for the 1999 T.S. Eliot Prize. David has also published translations and won a number of prizes for his work. His poem “Wave” was featured as Blog this Rock’s Poem of the Week in 2013. From “Wave”:
“Lincoln, leaving Springfield, 1861, Boards a train with a salute: but it is weak. To correct it, he slides his hand away From his face as if waving, as if brushing The snows of childhood from his eyes.”
Richard McCann, Professor
Richard McCann is the author of the acclaimed linked story collection Mother of Sorrows (Vintage, 2006), and the award-winning poetry collection Ghost Letters. He is also the editor (with Michael Klein) of Things Shaped in Passing: More ‘Poets for Life’ Writing from the Aids Pandemic (Persea Books,1996) and his work has appeared in several esteemed publications. In March 2016, the Washington Post published his essay, “How Bette Davis became a boy’s unlikely pen pal — and, for a time, gave him strength.” From the essay:
“One afternoon, maybe a month after mailing my letter, I came home from school to find in the mailbox a manila envelope, with my name and address written in large letters across the front. I recognized the handwriting at once — the blocky cursive; the oversized letters, drawn with what looked to be a hard and definitive hand; the penchant for fat dots suspended above the i’s and dramatic underscorings.”
Rachel Louise Snyder, Associate Professor
Rachel Louise Snyder is the author of two books: the nonfiction Fugitive Denim: A Moving Story of People and Pants in the Borderless World of Global Trade (WW Norton, 2007) and the novel We’ve Lost is Nothing (Scribner, 2014). She has contributed journalism and commentary to public radio, print and online outlets including This American Life and the New Yorker. In July 2015, the New York Times published her essay “Life, an Unspooling,” on family and parenthood. From “Life: An Unspooling:”
“A marriage proposal for a woman at 38 is rarely really a marriage proposal. Or, rather, it’s not a choice of two people; it’s a choice of child or no child. It’s a last chance. I got engaged on the Mekong River, sitting in the front of a kayak, while my boyfriend attempted to get on one knee behind me.”
Would you like to study with these writers? Start your application or learn more about the MFA in creative writing.
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Q&A with Game Design Student Rae Heitkamp
August 15, 2016 /0 Comments/in Game Design /by American University
Rae Heitkamp is one of American University’s innovative Game Design students. In our interview, she shares what drew her to the program and imparts her wisdom to future applicants. Her student perspective provides a crucial window into the burgeoning field of Game Design.
Your background is in biomedical research. What prompted the switch to Game Design?
One of the realities of research is that it costs quite a lot of money, especially biomedical research, and there isn’t much funding to go around right now. It’s an extremely competitive field with relatively low financial return on time invested, and it seems that scientists spend a lot of time hunting down funding when they would rather be in the lab.
I was thinking of applying for a doctoral graduate program in biology or something similar, but I decided that I needed to find an opportunity with more autonomy and independence. I wanted to be able to get from an idea to an outcome on my own, and I wanted to do it faster than I can in research.
One day in June, I opened my email and I had a message from American University inviting me to apply to their brand-new Master’s program in game design, beginning in Fall of the same year. When I got that message, everything clicked. I applied right away and was accepted. The rest is history.
Has the program met your expectations?
I hoped that I would learn how to design video games, which I definitely did.
What I wasn’t expecting was the amount of time this program devotes to the philosophy of games and play. To make a good game, you have to know how to communicate with the player through the medium of the game. There need to be clues for the player about how the game works, but you can’t give everything away up front. Part of the fun in playing games is figuring out what you’re playing with. The other fun part is getting good at it. The time I spent in this program reflecting on games, video games, interaction and play–in the cmpany of so many bright minds–is something I value a lot.
How has your internship experience helped contribute to your education?
I’m doing an internship right now with a small studio, Molecular Jig. It’s run by Melanie Stegman, who has a doctorate degree in biochemistry. The studio is developing a game called Immune Defense. In the game, you use the cells and proteins of the immune system to capture and kill bacteria and other harmful invaders. Working with Molecular Jig has been a really important experience. I get to see how a small studio is run and how the design process is managed. Their style is very different from mine and it’s been a good test for me to learn how to work with other people on a shared goal. I’m working on level design for that game, but I’m also doing some coding as well. Melanie is a great mentor and I’m really grateful I got the opportunity to work on this game with her and her team.
What classes have stood out for you?
I think Games and Society was the most challenging class for me, but the focus of the class is fascinating. It’s a good first class because it puts what you’ll be doing for the rest of the program into context: Games are intimately woven into human history and culture. Play is an important part of being human.
Two other classes, 3D Modeling with Chris Totten and Game Design with Mike Treanor, were both taught in the same semester and they were both really challenging. In one class, we were learning how to use this complex software to create 3D models. There were all these hotkeys and shortcuts to remember, never mind the challenge of learning how to think about creating an object from nothing in three dimensions. In the other class we were learning another complicated program, Unity, for building 3D games. There were a lot of students taking both classes at the same time, so we all kind of agreed that it would be really cool and make sense for the two classes to have a single final project. That way, we could have our 3D models embedded in a working game–a game with actual polished 3D art. I think a lot of professors would have insisted on separate projects for their own classes, but Chris and Mike really put the best interests of the students first. The results were all-around really impressive.
What has been your experience with schools at AU outside of the Game Design program?
I took two classes outside of the game design program, both also in the School of Communication. Actually, both classes were in strategic communication–one an intro class and the other about advertising. For the advertising class, my final project was a card game called “Pitch It!” and a team of students in the class helped me prepare a strategic advertising campaign for the game. I’m having a prototype of the game produced this summer, with the support of an SOC faculty member. I can’t speak highly enough of the school and the people.
What would you want prospective students to know as they consider applying to the AU Game Design Program?
I would encourage anyone who is interested in this program to check it out. It’s an extraordinarily diverse group of students, with all kinds of academic interests and skills coming in. Don’t be daunted at the thought of programming, you’ll learn.
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Master’s Students Unify Around Art, Science, and Passion to Promote Health
August 8, 2016 /0 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
No university program should use long history and rich tradition as an excuse to settle for the status quo. American University has the oldest master’s in health promotion management program in the U.S. — but also some of the most advantageous, hands-on education activities anywhere.
Some students have been able to dive into data collection for Washington DC’s Healthy Schools Act, many have found exceptional internships, and other take advantage of nearby access to U.S. congressional leaders.
Opportunities such as these draw students from various undergraduate backgrounds — ranging from public health and exercise science to English and history. Together, their tactics and professionals aspirations may differ, but they’re unified around an important goal: for people throughout the world to experience healthier lives through better decisions and instrumental policies.
“We need to go further upstream to help people prevent these kinds of chronic conditions that we see in today’s society,” said Anastasia Snelling, chair of AU’s Department of Health Studies.
Watch the video to hear students talk about the unique benefits of seeking a master’s degree in health promotion management in Washington DC.
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An Interview with Valzhyna Mort, Poet & AU Graduate
July 28, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
When poet Valzhyna Mort arrived at AU as a student, she already had several accomplishments behind her. She had published a collection of poetry, Factory of Tears, in the United States and in Belarus, and been the youngest person ever featured on the cover of Poets & Writers magazine.
Valzhyna has since published another collection, Collected Body (Copper Canyon Press, 2011), and edited two poetry anthologies, Something Indecent: Poems Recommended by Eastern European Poets (Red Hen Press, 2013), and Gossip and Metaphysics: Prose and Poetry of Russian Modernist Poets, with Ilya Kaminsky and Katie Farris (Tupelo Press, 2014). She has received the Lannan Foundation Fellowship, the Bess Hokins Prize from Poetry, and the Burda Poetry Prize in Germany.
During her time in the AU MFA Program, Valzhyna immersed herself in cross-genre workshops and focused deeply on her craft—much as the program’s new studio track will invite students to do.
Now a visiting assistant professor at Cornell University, Valzhyna is an Amy Clamitt Foundation fellow in Lenox, MA. We reached out to her to learn about how her time at AU fed her work and to discuss how she has spent her time since.
I know that you came into the AU MFA program with several accomplishments already—Professor David Keplinger once described you as having come here “fully formed.” What led to your choice to pursue an MFA?
It’s true that when I applied to the AU MFA I already had my first book published in the States and at home, in Belarus. I was mostly confused about what MFA programs entailed. I was convinced that I had to be a published poet in order to be accepted into one. But don’t be fooled by this “fully formed” statement because even now, and perhaps especially now, after years of writing and reading, I have no idea how one writes a poem.
Let me say this, though. I think one does have to come to an MFA program formed, by that I don’t mean that one should have a manuscript ready or a book published, not in the least. But one does have to have a sense of herself as a writer, a vision of one’s voice, even if in a dream. Otherwise, it could be very distracting to hear 10 other writers say to you in a workshop: “you can do this and that in your text.” There are so many things a poem can do, so many directions it can take, and it’s important to keep your own vision in mind. Paradoxically, people who might be told that they have their writing figured out and are “fully formed” would benefit from going through an MFA most.
What was your primary focus during your time at AU?
An MFA program is a time to learn writer’s discipline. Talent is important but it’s nothing without hard work, without daily discipline of reading, of being attentive. Poetry is a religion. You have to practice it—you have to worship. An MFA teaches you this discipline, gives you tools to establish it against the routines of your daily life. In a way, an MFA is a way to delay your daily life, to create a bubble of timelessness within the mercilessly fast time, to say “pause now, let me hear my voice before you sweep me away.” People talk of it as a privilege—to have these few years of focusing on nothing but writing—but I don’t think it’s a privilege, it’s a right of every artist.
Another thing about poetry is that it’s historic—you are always writing after somebody: after Dante, after Rilke. You have to know these poets you are writing after! My favorite thing about the AU MFA is the never-flinching focus on reading. You come here for your own work, but you stay for Elizabeth Bishop, for Gwendolyn Brooks, for C.D. Wright.
What types of classes did you take while you were in the MFA program, and did any make a particular impact?
I took all the workshops—poetry, fiction, non-fiction, translation, journalism. Poetry and translation—with David Keplinger. He is, apart from being the most beautiful poet himself, a very insightful, generous mentor. I still marvel remembering how precisely he got what I was trying to write. All his comments on my work—as if from my future-self that knows better. Non-fiction workshop with Richard McCann was very impactful. He has that best skill of best mentors: to effortlessly mix wisdom with humor.
Every literature class I took at AU, with MA students and as my two independent studies, changed my life, nothing short of it. There are so many gaps in my literary education, such large empty gaps that are like tumors that would silently eat at your writing if you don’t eradicate them. I feel very strongly that without literature classes an MFA is a waste. You have to learn to be a reader as much as a writer.
How has your writing life looked since you finished your MFA? Do you find it challenging to balance your writing with other work, such as your teaching?
I’m writing these responses from Amy Clampitt’s house in the Berkshires. It’s a writing residency I’m holding for half a year—no teaching, no obligations, just poetry. So the challenge of balance has been figured out, at least for half a year. On the other hand, I do love teaching poetry. I can get quite overwhelmed with my love for a certain poem in class, in front of the students. They become the captive audience to my literary passions, so how can I not feel grateful? In return, I make sure that a workshop remains a space where we allow ourselves bad writing days, a space where, even though we are each other’s captive audience, nobody feels pressured to write poems to please anybody present.
What advice do you have for current or prospective MFA students?
Always read crazy dead poets. They will steer you away from writing that special brand of “MFA poems.” Don’t allow any normalcy, any comfort, to settle in your workshops.
If you’re interesting in studying in a variety of genres, and in focusing intensively on your craft, learn more about the new studio track in our MFA in Creative Writing program.
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A Look Inside the District’s Only Creative Writing MFA
The multi-genre focus. The vibrant location. The engaged community of writers with diverse backgrounds and rigorous insights.
For more than 30 years, the District’s only creative writing MFA program has fostered the talents and ambitions of writers who have gone on to make their mark in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction—and to make their mark on their communities.
In the video below, Director Kyle Dargan reads from his own work and offers his take on what sets our program apart.
Interested in joining our community? Start your application or learn more about the MFA in Creative Writing.
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Q&A with Game Design Student Kelli Dunlap
July 22, 2016 /0 Comments/in Game Design /by American University
As a Game Design student and a JoLT fellow, Kelli Dunlap embodies the program’s commitment to socially conscious gaming. We spoke with her about what brought her to AU, her expertise in video game psychology and how joining the Game Lab has prepared her for the future.
Why get a Game Design degree and why choose AU?
It was actually a bit of a serendipitous accident. I graduated from my doctoral program in August 2014 and was looking for a job when I found myself at game-related event hosted by the Red Cross. Lindsay Grace was a speaker there and I had the opportunity to speak with him after the event. He told me about a new program at AU, the Journalism and Leadership Transformation (JoLT) initiative, and that they were looking for people interested in game design, journalism and changing the world. Although I didn’t have the journalism chops, he encouraged me to apply. I did, and received confirmation over Thanksgiving that I’d been selected as a JoLT Fellow. This meant I would enroll as an MA student in Game Design as well as work on projects related to social impact games and the realm of journalism. That’s how I came back to AU!
Would you consider yourself a gamer?
I’ve played video games for as long as I can remember. Gaming was something I did with my brother at home, with friends from school and was a big part of my undergraduate experience at AU. I actually met my current husband playing Halo during undergrad. I was a psychology major and in the Honors program, so when I had to propose an Honors Capstone project, I wanted to do something in the world of psychology and games. That project really fueled my interest in video game psychology as a whole.
Is it necessary to have a special focus before entering the program?
Not at all. I think the program is a good fit for students who have a genuine, broad curiosity about games. Some of my classes involve coding, some involve drawing and art skills and some are research-based. It’s a program for developing a solid foundation in the world of games with flexible personal and academic exploration.
What’s the most valuable skill you’ve learned within the program?
The ability to talk about games and play in a way which addresses common misconceptions about their frivolity or “childishness” has been supremely beneficial. When working with organizations or individuals beyond the Game Lab, I’ve definitely found myself having to address misconceptions about what games are and what play is, and confront negative stereotypes regarding both. This program provides the vernacular to discuss games and play in ways which can be understood outside of the game space.
What class experience outside of the Game Design curriculum stands out?
This past semester I took a Kogod business course with Professor Bradley. Learning to run and market a business was something I felt was important to my future success in the field of games and psychology. Even though it was not a traditional class for a game design student, I was able to seek out a course specific to my training needs.
Have you visited any Game Design Conferences?
Thanks to the Game Lab, I had the opportunity to attend and present at the 2016 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco last semester. Along with the two other JoLT Fellows and Lindsay, we spoke about community management issues and what the game industry and journalism industry could learn from one another on this topic. I’m fairly certain I would not have had a chance to attend GDC, much less present, if not for being part of the AU Game Lab.
Also, I was able to volunteer at the Indie Arcade at the Smithsonian American Art Museum last semester and am currently working on both a game and a conference paper for a developing project at Indie Arcade.
How has your interest in gaming changed your life?
My interest in gaming led me to the Game Design program, and now, I feel equipped to face whatever my future brings. Through this program, I’ve made so many like-minded contacts that finding a way forward doesn’t seem daunting. I’m currently on an internship with the Educational Testing Service for the summer working on projects related to game design and assessment. The knowledge I’ve obtained and the skills I’ve developed as a student in the Game Lab have given me the confidence to talk about game design issues as they pertain to assessment with peers and supervisors, and has given me the unique perspective of someone who simultaneously inhabits both the psychological assessment and game design worlds.
Want to follow in Kelli’s footsteps? Apply to the American University Game Design Program today!
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6 Game Conferences You Should Know About
If you are serious about games, you need to check out the best game conferences. To make the most of your opportunity, it’s crucial that you find the one which is right for you. Luckily, American University’s Game Lab team has checked them all out and can give you the info you need.
1. GDC
The Game Developers Conference, GDC, hosts pros from all corners of the gaming world. Everyone from audio designers to business executives attend. Based out of the tech-hub of San Francisco, GDC is the perfect forum for graduate students to learn and gain access to a wide range of awesome opportunities. The American University Game Lab travels to this conference for those opportunities. Lindsay Grace, founding director of the American University Game Lab and Studio, has even spoken on panels at the conference. He’s a game-creator whose work has been inducted to the Games for Change Festival’s Hall of Fame. What’s Games for Change? Keep reading to find out!
2. Games for Change
Games for Change is a non-profit corporation that puts on a yearly festival specifically for those who believe that gaming should both entertain and be a tool for social progress. Benjamin Stokes, an assistant professor in the AU Game Lab, co-founded Games for Change to bring together forward-thinking designers. Hosted in NYC, this fest is for anyone who has a knack for creating change through games. AU grad students hosted a table in 2015, and are constantly involved in this can’t-miss event.
But what if you’re looking to find the next Braid or Super Meat Boy? Then you need to venture into the realm of indie gaming. Two top indie conferences are Indiecade and Indie Arcade.
3. Indiecade
Indiecade is the largest event of its kind. While there, you’ll get to meet legends of the indie gaming world, and demo over 200 innovative games from around the globe. Maybe you’ll even submit your own work, like Game Lab Assistant Professor Mike Treanor, whose game, Prom Week, was a finalist or Assistant Professor Benjamin Stokes whose game Sankofa Says was featured at the festival.
4. Indie Arcade
With more than 11,000 participants in 2016, Indie Arcade can’t be beat. Supported by the trailblazing team at the AU Game Lab in partnership with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this yearly pop-up arcade celebrates America’s independent game developers and creates a perfect forum for experiencing the future of gaming. For a closer look at the festival in action check out this short video.
5. Magfest
Not your typical conference, Magfest blends gaming with music to provide an awesome mash-up. Chris Totten, Game Designer in Residence at AU, presented his game, Dead Man’s Trail, at the Indie Game Showcase of the 2016 Magfest to rave reviews. Chris and Lindsay Grace have also sat on panels for the event. Its DC location makes it convenient for all members of the AU Game Lab.
6. DiGRA + FDG
How about something brand new? This year, the DiGRA (Digital Games Research Association) and FDG (Foundations of Digital Games) conferences will join forces for their first ever joint international conference. Hosted in Scotland, this collaborative academic conference has six tracks including game design, game criticism and analysis, game technology and artificial intelligence. One of the hallmarks of the event is the Doctoral Consortium, headed by AU Assistant Professor, Mike Treanor, who will work with students in the early stages of their Ph.D. The AU Game Lab is also co-sponsoring a hallmark of the conference, Blank Arcade, being co-curated by Lindsay Grace.
The other hallmark of this event is the diverse workshops it offers. If you can make it, don’t miss the Social Believability in Games Workshops that AU’s own Joshua McCoy helped organize. We all know games are better when the characters are believable, but how do you make an authentic character? Find that answer and more with this immersive workshop at this robust conference.
Interested in the Gaming? Start your path to gamer glory at the American University Game Lab.
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4 Northern Virginia Writers’ Colonies & Conferences to Explore
May 13, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
We’re lucky to be within close proximity to a number of great writers’ colonies and conferences in the Washington, DC, metro area.
Writers’ colonies offer quiet space and solitude to support the creation of new work, and to remove daily distractions like friends and families and routines from the writing process. Workshops and conferences offer the vibrancy of community—energizing conversations, sharp feedback, and inspiring instruction.
Below are a few of the opportunities that we encourage AU students to explore in the area:
Virginia Center for the Arts
Tucked into the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, writers, artists, and composers enjoy private studios, bedrooms, and three meals a day. They spend their days working alone before coming together for dinner to get to know other colony artists.
Length: Offering residencies between two weeks and two months
Cost: Fellows are asked to contribute as they can
Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Weeks
At Howard University in the heart of DC, the Hurston/Wright Foundation offers a safe space for fiction and nonfiction writers, in a week of intensive master classes and workshops. The program includes workshop sessions led by award-winning writers—this year it’s Ralph Eubanks in creative nonfiction and Elizabeth Nunez in fiction—as well as craft talks, public readings, and private writing time to put new learning into practice. Breakfast and lunch are provided.
Length: One week (this year, August 6-August 12)
Cost: $700 tuition (housing not included, but discounted hotel rates are available)
Tinker Mountain Writers’ Workshop
On the campus of Hollins University, writers gather for workshops in a range of genres and forms—novel writing, genre writing, poetry, flash fiction, and more—to receive guidance from experienced teachers and to work alongside other serious writers.
Length: One week (this year: June 12-17)
Cost: $795 tuition (plus additional fees for housing and meal plans)
Virginia Quarterly Review Writers’ Conference
Fiction writers, nonfiction writers, and poets are invited to gather on the historic University of Virginia campus alongside committed writers at various stages in their careers. They participate in workshops and craft talks with distinguished faculty—this year it’s Major Jackson, Meghan Daum, and Bret Anthony Johnson. In the evenings, students and faculty have the chance to explore Charlottesville’s great restaurants and night life.
Length: One week (this year: July 13-17)
Cost: $1,100 (tuition, lodging, and meals included)
You can also build community even without going to a residency or workshop. Get involved with the Inner Loop or explore other literary organizations and activities for DC writers in our previous post.
Interested in joining the DC writing community? Check out the only creative writing MFA program in Washington, DC.
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Global Healthy Workplace Summit Brings Program Innovation to Washington, DC
May 13, 2016 /0 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
By Wolf Kirsten
Regardless of country, historical background, local government, or cultural trends, workplace health promotion is vital. It’s easier than ever to fall into sedentary behaviors and poor eating habits, which is why we need more professionals throughout the world who have the talents, passion, and work ethic to help people, organizations and communities change lifestyle behaviors and improve their health.
The fourth annual Global Healthy Workplace Awards & Summit, set for June 7 in Washington, DC, is an exciting convergence of groups and individuals from across the globe who are taking health promotion to new places in innovative ways.
Although not associated with the World Health Organization, the #GHWAwards follow the WHO’s Healthy Workplace framework—a comprehensive way of thinking and acting that addresses workplace risks, promotes and supports healthy behaviors, and takes into consideration broad social and environmental determinants. The six healthiest workplaces in the world will present their programs in front of a distinguished panel of judges and audience members.
Taking place on the campus of American University—my alma mater—this event celebrates the only global awards program in the field. It’s also an invaluable opportunity for AU students in the Health Promotion Management Program to see not only how their future profession is progressing, but why those in the field believe their messages of health and well-being can and will be heard.
It’s important to remember that workplace health promotion is expanding all over the world—it’s called the “Global” Healthy Workplace Awards & Summit for a reason. No two countries are the same, thus health promotion requires tailored efforts.
Social factors affecting workplace health may vary from country to country, but certain aspects of employer health programs prove important no matter where in the world you are—factors such as:
Support from senior management and leadership. Buy-in from those in charge goes a long way toward workplace health advancement. Without buy-in, such progress is virtually impossible.
Comprehensive and integrated programming. Many modern-day programs address the physical work environment, psychosocial work environment, personal health resources, and enterprise-community involvement.
Worker involvement—from the beginning. Ideally, new employees are educated about workplace health programs during the on-boarding process—and simultaneously inspired to jump right in. In addition, employees’ input on programming needs to be sought from the outset. That’s a how a culture of health and well-being takes shape.
Following a continual improvement process (including evaluation).
Of course, implementing health promotion programs involves much more than simply building employee participation. A program is much more likely to thrive when it fits the organization’s underlying mission and goals.
Measuring success can be tricky, though—especially because health care costs are measured differently in the US than they are in most other countries. Because US employers carry the burden of direct healthcare costs, for them it is all about containing or reducing these costs. In the rest of the world, the drivers behind wellness programs are much broader, including:
Employee morale and engagement
These factors and more can be addressed by improving overall employee health and well-being, which really should be the underlying goal of workplace health programs throughout the world. Rapidly evolving program trends and emerging technologies keep health promotion professionals on their toes. They must be flexible, apt to experiment with communication methods and programming tools in response to the changing world around them. And, maybe most importantly, they must be able to convince their leadership to support and underwrite wellness programs.
When we gather at events such as the Global Healthy Workplace Awards & Summit, we have a prime opportunity to both celebrate and learn from the best and brightest in the field of health promotion management. When we improve, so does the art and science of health and well-being.
About Wolf Kirsten
Wolf is a social entrepreneur and Founder of International Health Consulting based in Tuscon, Arizona and Hamburg, Germany. He is also a proud alumnus of the health promotion management MS program.
Ready to make an impact? Interested in networking at events like #GHWAwards. Join a passionate community of health enthusiasts in master of science in health promotion management at AU.
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Jumpstarting Change: Game Lab Students Showcase Findings on Community Engagement at GDC 2016
May 11, 2016 /1 Comment/in Game Design /by American University
The JoLT initiative started in 2015 with the question, “Do the worlds of game design and journalism have anything to learn from each other?” The answer is yes, and three students from the American University Game Design program got to present the initiative’s findings this year at the Game Developers’ Conference. The conference, known as GDC, is the nation’s premier professionals-only gaming event and attracts over 26,000 people annually to network and share ideas.
AU game design students Joyce Rice, Cherisse Datu, and Kelli Dunlap are JoLT Fellows, which means they work with the JoLT initiative as part of their curriculum. The three women went to downtown San Francisco in mid-March to present their findings in the heart of tech industry territory alongside Game Lab Director Lindsay Grace.
Rice is the Creative Director of Symbolia, a magazine that merges comics and news; Datu is an international journalism professional interested in multi-platform news innovation; and Dunlap has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and focuses on mental health and gaming. Over the course of the past year they created and researched games that promote critical thinking about important world issues.
Their panel, “Community Engagement at the Intersection of Games and News,” explored community engagement both within the game space and without. How do you manage information to guide users to feel a certain way about a cause? What are effective styles to catch consumers’ attention on what was once considered stuffy topics? How can games further a social cause or foundation? Alongside their presentation, the panel featured a roundtable-style feedback session afterwards.
The experience was significant for Rice and company for several reasons. First and foremost, students rarely get to host an event at GDC, and earning the spot shows that their work is innovative and valuable to the community as a whole. Too, GDC itself is a fertile ground to share ideas and learn from industry leaders. It’s also the country’s best networking opportunity for game developers new and old; Microsoft and many other well-known companies are within walking distance.
JUMPSTARTING THE FUTURE OF MEDIA
JoLT is a collaboration between American University’s Game Lab and the School of Communication, and is funded through a $250,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Hosted at AU, JoLT brings together faculty, students, and industry professionals from both worlds.
At first, this might seem like an odd pairing of disciplines, but game designers are very good at engaging their audience in a way that leaves a lasting impression; however, the industry has a longstanding issue with addressing social responsibility. Meanwhile, journalists often center on human-focused issues, but the industry struggles for engagement and guided understanding, as well as lasting impact once away from the article.
JoLT’s first year brought together academics and industry professionals from both sides along with GameLab students to identify what we know, what we didn’t know, and our potential to do great things in the world through gaming. And then, they built games.
WHEN LEARNING IS FUN AGAIN
The JoLT team discovered that when news is changed from a standard, linear narrative to an interactive experience, it can both change people’s perspectives effectively and promote consumer action.
For instance, the game Cow Crusher illustrates the barbaric practices of slaughterhouses in way that is much cuter than real life, but still shifts one’s understanding in a targeted way.
Meanwhile, Factitious, one of the ongoing outreach projects developed through JoLT, uses an online game designed to work in classrooms—it teaches high school students how to spot fake or fabricated news. Such media literacy is crucial to having an educated citizenry, who in turn consume more—and more intelligent—media. Which, at the end of the day, may promote more investigative and social-minded news media being funded and created, which benefits everyone.
Interested in the Game Design MA at American University? Apply today!
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7 Health, Fitness, and Nutrition Blogs You Should Follow
May 2, 2016 /2 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
The rapid expansion of health-related content available on the Internet has its pros and cons. The most notable drawback is that consumers often feel overwhelmed and confused by hundreds of conflicting opinions, which can lead to poor decisions that hinder or at least stagnate health progress.
With all of the fitness and nutrition blogs out there, how do you know which ones to follow? We asked our students and faculty to recommend a few favorites. Here are seven health, fitness, and nutrition blogs you should follow:
Healthy Happy Life
If the vibrant photography and inventive recipes don’t instantly draw you in, the ebullient personality of the author likely will. Vegan blogger and cookbook author Kathy Patalsky—a graduate of the Health Promotion Management Program at American University—drizzles every last drop of positivity and passion into her artfully designed concoctions.
Readers who aren’t vegan might just change their minds after spending a bit of time at Healthy Happy Life blog. Her sincere effusiveness and sunny disposition about creatively healthy fare is on point and looks so, so good.
PlantifulBlog
Devin Ellsworth is another deeply passionate vegan blogger, coming from the unique perspective of a health coach. The PlantifulBlog provides valuable tips and personal stories that can help aspiring plant devotees stay the course.
Fully embracing any new diet/lifestyle can be really difficult, but’s it’s always easier with support from people who’ve walked in your shoes. Devin, who earned a master’s degree in health promotion management from American University, uses understanding, encouragement, and humor to guide people down a healthier path.
For “Type A” vegans, Oh She Glows is a plant-based recipe blog that’s chock full of hearty details and tips. However, it’s much more than that. Angela Liddon, whose blog is read by more than 1 million people per month and who is releasing her second cookbook this fall, strives to inspire healthier eating for people of all backgrounds and beliefs.
“The best part about my recipes is that anyone can enjoy them, from vegans to omnivores alike,” Angela writes, adding that she hopes to inspire major changes such as losing weight, reducing meat consumption, overcoming eating disorders, and changing careers.
Run to the Finish
If variety is the spice of life, the Run to the Finish blog is a full-on spice rack. Amanda Brooks uses her own story and knowledge as a foundation for sharing ideas that reinforce clean eating, fitness, and overall health and well-being.
Run to the Finish zigs and zags through an array of lifestyle topics, including nutritious recipes, workout routines, running tips, motivation, expert interviews, travel, and much more.
Fannetastic Food
As a registered dietician, Anne Mauney uses her blog to share her expertise in healthy, tasty recipes—but Fannetastic Food is about much more than nutrition. Anne, who has a master’s of public health degree, is a marathoner, yogi and CrossFitter, as well as an advocate for outdoors recreation, adventure and travel.
The many photos routinely found in Anne’s posts help illustrate the diversity of daily situations in which solid choices can impact a person’s health.
Minutes Per Mile
Mary from Nashville resonates with people because she talks about the stuff that people who want to stay healthy actually talk about. She shares stories about things that, for many, help make healthy living more fun and easy to embrace, such as:
Cool fitness-related gadgets and apparel
The mind-set of runners—with great tips for success
Mary also keeps her blog funny and honest. She always seems to share about what she’s feeling at that moment, which helps make her words more relatable and easy to integrate into one’s own life.
Coffee Cake and Cardio
Coffee Cake and Cardio is much more about real life than the “perfect life.” Former powerlifter and track and field thrower Ashley talks about struggles, not just victories. She discusses what works and what fails miserably. Perhaps most importantly, she provides a viewpoint that many moms can relate and respond to.
While not fully about fitness or nutrition, Coffee Cake and Cardio consistently takes an honest, positive look at ways to improve well-being and become more self-aware.
You can keep track of news and progress in health and well-being by following American University’s Health Promotion Management Program Facebook page.
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AU Researcher Suggests Avoiding Certain Food Additives Can Alleviate Neurological Symptoms
April 21, 2016 /0 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
Often it’s the hot-button, trendy, social-media-friendly health topics that get the general populace buzzing about health and well-being. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, there’s a wealth of research, strategy, and passion converging in efforts to truly improve the state of health—and not just spur a new crop of popular diet books.
In the work of Dr. Kathleen Holton, a nutritional neuroscientist and Assistant Professor at American University, there is the rare collision of mainstream trendiness and highly substantive research, as she delves into an issue that affects virtually everyone: food additives.
Over the years, the popularity of various sugar substitutes has swelled and waned, over and over again. Today it is found in everything from soda and cookies to gum, breath mints, yogurts, cereals, and even bread. Many people seem to feel a sense of nutrition invincibility when using their sweetener of choice instead of sugar.
On the contrary, Dr. Holton recommends that people avoid all artificial sweeteners. Here are a few reasons why:
Association with many negative health effects
Potential adverse effect on ability to taste natural sweetness in food
Artificial sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, which cultivates increased desire for sweetness in foods
“My goal is to help people eat better, which includes eating more fruits and vegetables,” Holton said. “I want people to be able to taste the natural sugar in these foods, and the best way to do that is to help them reduce their consumption of highly sweet foods.”
Research: Avoiding Food Additives Can Alleviate Neurological Symptoms
Dr. Holton’s research examines the negative effects of dietary excitotoxins on neurological symptoms, as well as the protective effects of certain micronutrients on the brain. The most common dietary excitotoxins in the US. are from food additives used as flavor enhancers, such as MSG, and the artificial sweetener aspartame.
Early in Dr. Holton’s career, she was intrigued by anecdotal reports of neurological symptoms being reduced when people stopped consuming certain food additives. Her research into the chemical composition of these food additives, and the potential biologic mechanism for how these may be able to affect health, led her to create a diet that limited the consumption of certain additives. She has tested this diet in individuals with fibromyalgia, with very promising results, and will be testing the diet as a potential treatment for ADHD in the near future.
“Studying this diet has been amazing on multiple fronts,” Dr. Holton said. “Not only have I seen dramatic improvement in neurological symptoms such as pain, memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and mental health disorders like depression and OCD, but importantly, I have also watched subjects report a huge reduction in cravings for junk food, which may also have important implications for the obesity epidemic.”
Informing the Masses
While phrases such as “dietary excitotoxins” aren’t likely to crack the general public’s lexicon anytime soon, Dr. Holton does hope more people will recognize and respond to the health ramifications of poor dietary choices, including the fact that processed food in our country is not only a source of excess fat and sugar in the diet, but also increases our exposure to food additives. “For instance, in the US we are exposed to more than 3,000 food additives, whereas in Canada and the European Union, people are exposed to less than 500 food additives.”
As Dr. Holton’s research illustrates, there is plenty of work to be done by graduates of health programs such as those at American University. There’s a wealth of knowledge that needs to be communicated through workplaces, nonprofits, governmental agencies, schools and more, to help individuals improve their health.
In the nutrition classes that Dr. Holton teaches at AU, she sees students who are excited to learn about health and who are passionate for the work they will be doing in the future.
“I love hearing about their conversations with friends and relatives and how they are looking at what they eat in a whole new way. Nutrition education is something that can profoundly impact people’s lives.”
Interested in research like Dr. Holton’s on food additives? Learn more about a master’s degree in health promotion management from American University.
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Why Exploring Multiple Genres Matters and Other Insights from Rachel Louise Snyder
April 21, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
A distinguishing feature of AU’s MFA in creative writing program is the opportunity to explore multiple genres, discovering how poetry, fiction, and nonfiction can feed one another and lead to expansive career opportunities.
AU Associate Professor Rachel Louise Snyder has a body of work that embodies our cross-genre values, with achievements in both fiction and nonfiction.
Since receiving her MFA from Emerson, Rachel has written nonfiction for a number of publications including the New Yorker, New York Times Magazine, the New Republic, and Glamour, and contributed to top radio shows including This American Life, Marketplace, and All Things Considered.
Her first book was a work of nonfiction called Fugitive Denim: A Moving Story of People and Pants in the Borderless World of Global Trade (WW Norton, 2008), which was excerpted on This American Life and won an Overseas Press Award.
In addition to her extensive nonfiction credits, she has a novel called What We’ve Lost is Nothing, which follows the aftermath of a crime in an Illinois suburb (Scribner, 2014), and which was named one of Vogue.com’s “Ten Best Suspense Books.”
We connected with Rachel to discuss how cross-genre work has shaped her career.
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as a writer working in multiple genres?
I’ve always moved organically through the genres. I’ve kept journals off and on since I was eight years old, and as a teenager I wrote very bad poetry and fiction. In college, most of the classes I took were in fiction. Early in grad school, I gravitated toward poetry, but had a terrible experience in a class one day with a professor and it scared me away from poetry—which is too bad, really. I always saw myself as a fiction writer, primarily.
My thesis was a book of short stories. But I took one class in nonfiction in my final semester of grad school and published work from that class, so it became a de facto genre, mostly because you could earn money writing nonfiction much more easily than fiction—a fact which holds true still today. So nearly all of what I’ve learned as a journalist has been on the job.
What do you see as the relationship between your novelist self and your nonfiction writing self?
I think all art informs other mediums. I also paint and listen to music like a lunatic, and I consider these almost meditations for my writing. If I’m stuck in a writing project, I will often pop into a museum and study the lines of a painting or some other piece of art that grabs me. But to answer your question, there is a difference not so much between nonfiction and fiction for me, but between fiction and journalism, or nonfiction work that is creative in nature and journalism, which at its core is about someone else, and also about the reportage.
Journalism is more like a math problem. I have to figure out the formula and put everything in a particular order, but there’s not something necessarily for me to discover (beyond the stakes of the piece). With fiction and more personal nonfiction, there is always that discovery, and so it exists in a different place in my mind and body. I can’t work on two creative pieces simultaneously, but I can work on journalism and a creative piece.
How did your own MFA program help you move closer to your writing goals, or shape you as a writer?
I’m glad you asked that, because there is this raging debate going on about whether or not an MFA degree is worth it, and to me it’s sort of a ridiculous question. Maybe some people at 22 years old, or 24 or whatever, have enough confidence in their own abilities to not go through the MFA experience, but I was not one of these writers. I was riddled with self-doubt.
For me, the MFA is about time to develop your writing muscles. Yes, a moment in life when someone will actually care about what you’re writing, but it’s also about cultivating the tools you’re going to need out there in the world of writing and publishing—which can be very cutthroat, and brutal, and unforgiving. It’s about learning self-discipline, learning that rejection is relentless (but hopefully so are you!), learning what writing will and won’t be in your life.
No one ever questions a graduate degree in business, for example, like they do with the arts. Why is that? What do you learn in business school that you can’t learn from experience in the workplace? (Lots of things, is the answer, and in a context in which there are no stakes. It is precisely the same for the arts).
What advice do you have for current or prospective MFA students who are interested in writing in multiple genres?
My first piece of advice is embedded in the question: even if you consider yourself a poet, or a journalist, or a fiction writer, learn other genres. I spent three months last spring reading nothing but poetry and from that experience wrote some of the most powerful nonfiction material I’d ever written.
If you’re naturally inclined toward multiple genres, then you’re already ahead of the game. We don’t live in vacuums and we ought not confine ourselves to them in any of our endeavors, in my opinion. But it’s also hard to find an MFA program that will allow multiple genres in the way that AU does. So that would be one of the primary questions I’d ask any potential program.
If you’re interested in exploring multiple genres, check out the Creative Writing Program at American University.
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3 Tips from Health Promotion Management Alumni
By Stephanie George, MS, CHES
Without question, one of the best parts of my career in health promotion management is the opportunity to meet and encourage my future colleagues in this field—a field defined by true passion for better health and well-being.
Recently I returned to my alma mater for American University’s Annual Alumni Panel for the Health Promotion Management Program. This was a prime opportunity for aspiring professionals to learn different ways their degrees can be utilized to make a difference in the world. Even just the list of panelists is an encouraging indicator of what’s possible for health promotion students:
Jessica Mack (MS ’05): Manager of Corporate Health at Virginia Hospital
Teha Kennard (MS ’08): Senior Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton
Lauren Brayer (MS ’09): Senior Program Manager at Sodexo
Sarah Kuchinos (MS ’13): Fitness Specialist at National Center for Weight and Wellness
Moderator – Sherry Compton (MS ’05): Independent Management Consultant
I graduated from AU with a master’s degree in health promotion management in May 2014 and now work as a Wellness Program Administrator for Navy Federal Credit Union, facilitating their employee wellness programs and initiatives. My fellow event panelists and I may have very different jobs among us, but we were able to agree on several important tips for attendees to both navigate the health promotion job market and maximize their potential in the field they love.
1. When in doubt, network.
College students often are intimidated by the idea of networking and reaching out to people they don’t know very well, but in reality, most professionals are very helpful—if asked. Most people are willing to meet up for coffee and share their experiences. Often the topics range from health promotion trends to intra-office politics and how things actually work behind the scenes. All of it is good to know.
Even the savviest networking efforts don’t always directly lead to a job offer, but the info gleaned is invaluable. Also, the whole process is great practice for interviewing and selecting positions to apply for in the future.
2. Convey your passion for health promotion.
Whether at a casual gathering or in a crowded boardroom, be honest about your passion for health and well-being—and for promoting it. People will respond to your enthusiasm. If you don’t speak up about what you’re interested in, you might miss out on valuable opportunities.
Our panel noted that while there are many variables affecting one’s work in the health promotion field, the main drivers of success include:
Continual learning
Ability and willingness to adapt
3. Seize every opportunity.
It’s impossible to predict the quantity and quality of opportunities you’ll encounter during your career. Perhaps the next one will be the best you ever find.
Take advantage of every opportunity. View every experience as a chance to learn more about yourself and the industry. Even if the process involves stepping outside your comfort zone, you’ll find that it’s worth the effort.
With a master’s degree in health promotion management, there are so many potential paths that lie in front of you. Those paths lead in different directions, with unique twists and turns along the way. You may have to traverse a few of them before finding your niche.
Wherever you end up, we welcome you to the world of health promotion management—where improving health and well-being is equal parts art and science.
Are you considering a career that involves the art and science of health promotion? Learn about achieving a master’s degree in health promotion management from American University.
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How an MFA Professor’s Challenge Led to a Student’s First Book
March 29, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
Written by Glen Finland
American University Professor Denise Orenstein was adamant—“Write about the one thing you don’t want to write about.” It wasn’t easy, but she was right. Once I got up the courage to try it, the truth popped out. Ten years later, Putnam published my book Next Stop.
In 2002, at age 50, I decided to go back to school. I’d taken a decade long kids-raising shift away from journalism and was now keen to step into the world of teachers, visiting authors, and everyday folks like me who simply love the written word. Even though I fit into the category of non-traditional student—shorthand for being the oldest face around the MFA table—I learned to never underestimate how being present in other writers’ lives enriches one’s own. Of course, we all know that writing is hard work and often done in seclusion, so it didn’t happen overnight and it didn’t happen in a bubble. It developed over 10 years inside Washington’s community of writers—and it started with that professor’s dare at AU.
The first time I read my nonfiction aloud to a group of MFA candidates young enough to be any of my three sons, Professor Orenstein came and sat next to me at the start of class. No one could see that under the table she was holding my hand, squeezing me onward, graf by graf.
Over the next three years in that same room, I often witnessed the power of community. With every Can you say more? The genuine curiosity of my fellow writers gave each of us a deeper way into our work. A few were quick to raise a flag over verbal clutter in a work-in-progress or a missed opportunity in a short story; but rather than resentment, the humor and depth of purpose around the table seemed to breed trust. I realized each of us were there to improve our craft. Sitting in that circle forced me to pay more attention to what was not being said, to write more about the ordinary fleas of life.
Some of my best tips came after class, from fellow writers who invited me to bivouac with them in local coffee shops to pick over our stories with tiny, pointed scalpels. Over time, an intimate understanding of each other’s work turned on repeated threads from those stories. This created an intimate trust. Three of us formed an intergenerational writer’s bond that still exists.
After one of my revised pieces was published in the Washington Post Magazine, a New York agent sent me a simple but life-changing email: “Would you consider writing a book proposal?” Yes, I wrote back without hesitation—then turned to my writing club pals and The Writer’s Center to figure out how the hell do I do that! Three months and a book proposal class later, the agent sold my idea to Putnam. Next Stop: Letting Go of an Autistic Son was published in 2012.
That spring I returned to AU as a Visiting Writer to read aloud from my original manuscript. When I finished, I took a deep breath and looked into the generous faces of my fellow everyday writers. No one looked away, and in that moment I knew the writing would hold.
Glen Finland is the author of Next Stop (Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam), a Barnes & Noble Discover Pick and Penguin’s 2012 Book Club selection for National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Glen’s work has appeared in the Washington Post, Family Circle, Revolution, Parenting, American Magazine, Wired, Special Needs, Babble, and Autism Speaks. A featured autism advocate on NPR and CNN, Glen received the 2012 Dean’s Medal for Excellence in Communication from the University of Georgia. The mother of three grown sons, Glen received her MFA from American University in 2006.
If you’d like to experience a writing journey like Glen’s, please check out the MFA creative writing program at American University.
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An Interview with Jenny Molberg, Poet and English Professor
Many graduates of the creative writing MFA program pursue rewarding teaching opportunities to accompany their writing careers. A 2009 American University graduate, Jenny Molberg is a poet, serves as poetry editor for Pleiades, and works as assistant professor of English at the University of Central Missouri.
Jenny’s debut collection, Marvels of the Invisible, won the 2014 Berkshire Prize and is forthcoming from Tupelo Press in December 2016. Her poems appear in The Missouri Review, North American Review, Copper Nickel, Mississippi Review, The Adroit Journal, Poetry International, and other journals. Her awards and honors include the 2013 Third Coast poetry prize, and she was featured in Best New Poets 2014.
After receiving her creative writing MFA from AU, Jenny pursued a PhD from the University of North Texas. She currently teaches creative writing and literature courses. We talked with Jenny over email about her experiences at AU, and how she balances life as a writer and a teacher.
What led you to choose AU for your MFA?
After living in the South, I wanted to experience something different, and focused my MFA applications in that area of the country. I was drawn to AU by the diversity of courses offered in the program—especially translation—and was impressed by the work of the faculty. Once I visited the campus, I knew AU was right for me. Campus was bustling, it was spring in DC, and I felt I would find a home in the program. When I met David Keplinger, who would be my best teacher and one of my greatest friends, I knew I had made the right choice.
What were some of the highlights of your time in the program?
The people I met at AU were the biggest highlight of my time in DC. To this day, those people are my best friends, even though I moved away when I graduated. My favorite classes were my poetry workshops with David Keplinger and Kyle Dargan, and I also really enjoyed my course in translation with David. Keith Leonard taught a class called Performing the Word that blew my mind, and I did an independent study with Erik Dussere on Morrison and Faulkner. My scholarly interest in literature grew immensely with those two courses.
Outside the classroom, two experiences stand out in my mind: I was able to work as an assistant editor for Poet Lore, where I met Ethelbert Miller, from whom I learned a great deal about publishing and contemporary poetry. Then, in 2008, the Obamas hosted a night of poetry, music, and the spoken word at the White House, and I was able to go with a couple of my peers as a local poetry student. That was an amazing experience. We heard an early rendition of a song from Hamilton, James Earl Jones performed a soliloquy from Othello, and Joshua Bennett performed an unforgettable poem. It was an incredible time to be in DC.
In what ways did you grow as a writer during your time in the MFA program?
I think I grew enormously as a writer because of my teachers and peers who held me to high standards and pushed me to want to be better, to out-write my old self. I learned how to obsess (in a good way) over words, thanks to David and Kyle. I grew as an editor, reading the work of my peers, and I also grew more in my passion for poetry. It’s a love that never stops growing. My friends and I used to sit late into the night, drinking wine, reading poems to each other, falling in love with the words.
Please describe your current teaching position. What courses do you teach?
I am an assistant professor of English at the University of Central Missouri, where I teach Advanced Poetry, Introduction to Creative Writing, and modern and contemporary American Literature. I also serve as the poetry editor for Pleiades and the assistant director of Pleiades Press here at UCM.
How do you balance your writing life and teaching life?
It’s difficult, especially because I am in my first year of a tenure-track job, but I find that I am constantly challenged and inspired by my students, who make me want to go home to write. Sending work out and applying for grants and residencies becomes difficult with a very busy teaching load—sometimes I just dedicate a Saturday to reading, writing, and sending out poems.
What experiences from your time in the MFA program have been most beneficial in feeding your teaching career?
Watching and learning from good teachers. I often think WWDD: what would David do? One thing I learned from David that was so invaluable was that you can be positive, excited about poetry, and encouraging to your students, and this will help them grow immensely as writers in ways that harsh criticism fails. Criticism is not always bad, but when you help a young writer to see what they are doing right, they will want to keep doing that thing. I try to help my students to see that. Also, the MFA program helped me to think and talk deeply about literature, to ask the difficult questions, to consider the responsibility of writer to the reader. This kind of thinking helps me (try) to convince my students to fall in love with poetry as I have.
Is there any advice you’d give to prospective or current MFA students about pursuing a teaching career?
Keep reading and writing voraciously. In the job market now, it seems helpful to have a book published, so if you are able to do this soon after you complete your MFA, you will be more competitive on the market. Don’t shy away from sending your work out: rejection is hard, but the validation of seeing your work on the page and joining the creative conversation is worth it. Pay attention to the way your best teachers guide and mentor you. Go to conferences and attend (or participate in) pedagogy panels—this can be extremely helpful, and you will probably pick up great teaching ideas. If you can gain teaching experience while you are at AU through the teaching-track, I’d encourage you to do so, if a future in teaching is one of your goals.
If you’d like to share Jenny’s experiences writing in DC, and perhaps pursue a teaching post in the future, please please check out the MFA creative writing program at American University.
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5 Reasons to Study Health in DC
March 22, 2016 /0 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
No city features a more diverse convergence of richly beneficial internship and service opportunities than Washington, DC. Our graduate students discover many perks while living and studying in the District. So we asked for their thoughts, and they answered. Here are the five most exciting advantages of studying health in DC:
1. Social Justice Opportunities
Social justice means different things to different types of people. Luckily, DC has something for just about everyone. A large amount of nationally known nonprofits are headquartered here, covering just about every issue imaginable.
Naturally, many health promotion management students interpret social justice through the lens of widening opportunities for people to improve their health and well-being. You can easily find dozens of DC-based, health-related nonprofits to volunteer or intern at, including:
Drug Free America
DC Central Kitchen
2. Access to Federal Agencies and Lawmakers
American University students are in close proximity to the lawmakers who shape many critical policies, as well as the national budget. You’ll attend public meetings that provide more than a glimpse into how nation-changing decisions originate and come to fruition.
Federal agencies provide a wealth of potential, too. Enterprising students—often with help from professors and alumni—can seek internships, research materials, informational interviews, and more from impactful agencies such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
3. International Experiences
Washington, DC, also functions as a de facto gateway into international opportunities. This area is a hotbed for internationally focused groups such as the World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
With so many US and international organizations based nearby, AU students with worldwide goals can work to make connections and develop relationships that will help them secure internships or full-time positions overseas after graduation.
4. Vibrant ‘Classroom’ Experiences
In many situations, it’s the university itself that connects health promotion graduate students with unique opportunities in Washington, DC. Health-related advocacy exercises on Capitol Hill. On-campus lectures from global leaders. Off-campus tours of significant organizations. Our students’ experiences go far beyond the pages of a textbook and the edges of a whiteboard.
“Studying in DC gives me access to amazing professionals and staff, internships, volunteering, and networking events,” said Andrea Battaglia, who is working toward a health promotion management master’s degree from AU. “The success that lies within the city is both empowering and motivational.”
5. Clean Living
Beyond the numerous opportunities for innovative learning and career preparation, DC is a great place for health-minded individuals to live, study, work, and play. Andrea said she enjoys how clean the city is, with great weather that draws adventurous, outdoorsy people to the area.
“I love being able to walk around different parts of DC, whether it’s a farmers market or the waterfront, with thousands of people buzzing on the sidewalks,” Battaglia said.
The benefits of studying health in Washington, DC, extend from the classroom to local businesses and agencies to the community’s parks and walkways. It’s a comprehensive experience that serves as a wonderful base for a career spent promoting health and well-being.
If you are interested in pursuing your master’s degree in health promotion management in Washington, DC, please visit our program page to start your application today.
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Notes from Rome: An Interview with MFA Student Nancy Kidder
March 2, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
Last summer, the AU creative writing MFA program launched an annual study abroad program in Rome, through a partnership with John Cabot University’s Institute for Creative Writing and Literary Translation. The program allows our students to spend five weeks with a writer in residence and take literature and writing classes—all while exploring Rome and nearby areas.
Nancy Kidder (center), who will graduate from the creative writing MFA program this spring, participated in the program last summer. She spoke with us over email about her experiences at AU and in Rome.
Tell us us a little bit about your background. What led you to the AU creative writing MFA program?
Despite an early interest in writing, I stopped writing creatively by high school. I thought I needed to be responsible. I went to Duke University, started as pre-med, and ultimately changed my major to English. Yet I never allowed myself to take a writing workshop. I never studied abroad. I got married. Moved to DC. Worked for a senator. Had a daughter. Moved to Ohio. Then moved back to DC. In the spring of 2013, I applied to American University’s MFA program. What had changed? I finally realized why I wasn’t writing: I was scared. I now embrace this fear and try to funnel it into my writing. Yes, I risk ridicule or rejection, but the rewards have been worth it.
What has been your focus in your MFA studies, and how has the program put you in touch with an international writing community?
I chose AU for its impressive faculty and diverse workshop opportunities. Yet, I have discovered so much more. While I came in writing fiction, I later fell in love with creative non-fiction, eventually constructing my thesis from personal essays.
For a translation class, I reached out to and ultimately established a close relationship with a young Turkish poet, Yaprak Oz, who I traveled to meet in Istanbul in early 2015. Oz would later visit Washington, DC, in September 2015 for readings with the AU community and the American Turkish Association.
And I got to write in Rome. During my second year, I learned that the AU MFA program was partnering with John Cabot University. Not only would our credits be transferred, but JCU would provide a discount on tuition, a balance that would help offset travel expenses. In other words, studying in Rome would be essentially the same price as taking a class here in DC. As you can imagine, having missed going abroad as an undergraduate, I was on board immediately.
How would you describe the learning environment and instruction in the Rome program?
One incentive to go to Rome was the opportunity to take a poetry workshop with AU professor David Keplinger. Not only did Keplinger encourage a poetry novice like myself to take risks (I wrote a sestina!), he incorporated the Roman landscape into class, prompting us to roam churches for inspiration and bringing us to the Yeats-Shelly Museum, the final home of young poet John Keats.
Professor Elizabeth Geoghegan’s mesmerizing American literature class, “How to Read Like a Writer,” helped us understand the prose maneuvers of writers such as Flannery O’Conner, Thomas Mann, and Jennifer Egan.
We were also fortunate to have acclaimed nonfiction writer, Edmund White as a writer in residence at JCU. He provided gems of wisdom, including the necessity of a few “dumb sentences.” According to White, a reader sometimes needs a break in order to appreciate the longer, more eloquent phrases.
What was it like to spend time in Italy? How did the landscape and culture inspire your work?
JCU is in the heart of Trastevere, an ancient district of Rome located on the west bank of the Tiber. It is home to ancient homes and churches and winding streets lined with shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars. Walking along these alleyways, ducking past locals and tourists, it’s evident that Rome is a city of noises. From the church bells of Santa Maria, to the scooters whizzing by, to the accordion players stationed in the square, it’s a feast for your ears. My roommate and I would often wake up to children voicing, “Ma-Ma! Ma-Ma!” Later, we’d hear the stomping footsteps of a tour group, the guide describing the everyday lives of our previous medieval homeowners. At night, the cries of seagulls, former ocean dwellers that have recently taken residence in a now saltier Tiber, pummeled through, making known that we were not the only new residents in this city.
We were within walking distance from the Forum, the Colosseum, the Vatican, and the Spanish Steps. The Termini train station was a long walk or short taxi ride away, allowing for easy access to other cities. During my stay, I visited Florence, Venice, Pompeii, Sardinia, and Barcelona. I have been back for eight months and I still have mountains of writing material to unpack.
How would you describe your immersion in the city? Do you have any advice for other student travelers?
From Gio (“Please, don’t call me Sergio”), the bartender at our local espresso bar to Rudy, our favorite waiter at Popi Popi pizzeria, Rome quickly felt like a family. An expat JCU graduate, Jahan Genet, manages a club just off the Piazza Santa Maria and holds weekly readings for students. I am proud to say almost everyone from AU read some of their work. A couple of us even played guitars.
As for how to navigate Rome, four words: sit back and wait. Everything will take forever. Restaurants, stores, wi-fi, travel. But it’s worth it. Not only will you eat some of the best food and view some masterpieces, you’ll start to enjoy the “dolce far niente,” which translates to “sweet doing nothing.” Unlike the urgency of the Beltway, Romans take pleasure in doing less.
Would you like to see what Rome can do for your writing? Learn more about studying abroad with the AU creative writing MFA program.
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Five-Year Report on the Healthy School Act
February 15, 2016 /1 Comment/in Health Promotion /by American University
For the past five years, American University has worked with the Kaiser Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic States to assess the success of the 2010 Healthy Schools Act (HSA) in Washington, DC. The District Council enacted the HSA to help make schools healthier environments in which to learn and work.
It’s essential to ensure students’ well-being during the school day. The HSA supports that schools are just as responsible for children’s nutrition and health as they are for success in reading, math, and other traditional subjects.
To measure the impact of the HSA in its initial five-year period, campus researchers in the Health Promotion Management Program conducted a longitudinal analysis of six areas listed below. Here are some of the most encouraging success stories from the report.
The percentage of schools that indicated their meals met or exceeded HSA requirements rose from 90 percent in 2010-11 to 100 percent in 2014-15.
School Gardens & Farm to School
The HSA initiated funding for school gardens, which boosted the prevalence of such gardens by about five percent in five years. Additionally, reporting requirements regarding processed foods helped the region attain an intriguing statistic: 95 percent of schools reported serving locally grown and/or locally processed and unprocessed foods during meal times.
Wide-ranging expansion of federal goals for local wellness policies fostered stronger partnerships between parents, administrators, and other involved parties. Anecdotal evidence shows unique strides ranging from new on-campus green spaces to fun family exercise nights.
Given their role as the link between family, community, school personnel, and healthcare providers, school nurses were identified as a key priority in the HSA. As a result, the percentage of schools with either a part-time or full-time nurse rose in both public schools and public charter schools.
Physical activity is critical to optimizing cognitive function during the school day, which is why the HSA made consistent physical education time a priority. In five years, the average minutes of physical education per week for middle-schoolers rose by more than 30 minutes.
The success of the Healthy Schools Act has united local leaders and parents in their support of continued focus and effort toward better health and wellness for children. Much work lies ahead, yet clear strides thus far have shown that the HAS is on the right track for long-term impact.
Interested in more information on the HSA report results?
The Washington Post delves into the link between physical education and math test scores.
Another story takes an honest look at what’s working—increased prevalence of school nurses and on-site gardens, for instance— and what should improve, such as the average time students spend in PE.
For more data about how DC schools are improving opportunities for healthy lifestyles among students, download the full Five-Year Report on the Healthy School Act.
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New Tracks in the Creative Writing MFA
February 11, 2016 /2 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
The Creative Writing Program is pleased to introduce a slight change: the addition of tracks of study in the MFA that will help our students clarify their goals and prepare for their post-MFA lives.
The addition of tracks will clarify the options available for our students and enable them to more specifically direct their studies from the moment they enter the program.
What will the tracks look like?
Students can direct six credits toward one of the following three tracks:
Professional Track: Apply six credits toward one or more internship; or combine these six credits with elective credits and work toward a graduate certificate in another field, such as arts management or audio production.
Teaching Track: Put six credits toward the “teaching of composition” sequence, LIT-730: Teaching Composition and LIT-731: Teaching of Writing Practicum.
Studio Track: Take six credits of additional writing workshops and literary craft classes.
When will the tracks go into effect?
Students will be able to choose tracks starting in May 2016.
Why are we making this change?
As the creative writing MFA program continues to admit larger numbers of students with varied academic backgrounds, the expectations and expressed needs of the program’s population have changed.
With students seeking diverse outcomes from the program, distinct tracks within the existing curriculum not only make it easier for faculty advisers to guide students, but also encourage students to begin thinking about their post-MFA options earlier.
Our hope is that tracks will enable our students to design and plan the degree experience that best supports their distinctive professional and artistic aims.
How will this change distinguish the AU creative writing MFA?
While most creative writing MFA programs offer tracks related to the genre of writing a student may study, AU has always allowed students to work in multiple genres. This is one of our program’s selling points, and often enables our students to launch more diversified careers (for one example, check out our interview with poet and nonfiction writer Sandra Beasley).
By adding tracks that focus on outcomes separate from genre, AU sets itself apart in yet another way. We’re focused on helping our students with their professional development in addition to their writing, and these tracks highlight the flexible, customizable nature of the creative writing MFA at AU.
We hope that the new tracks—in addition to our existing MFA curriculum—will support you in reaching your goals. If you’re interested in learning more, please check out the MFA Creative Writing Program at American University.
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5 Reasons to Get Your MFA in Creative Writing
February 2, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
Looking to connect with a community of writers? American University offers the only MFA in creative writing in the District. You’ll find lawyers, journalists, poets and authors collaborating in workshops on our campus.
The priority deadline for fall 2016 enrollment is just around the corner. Get started on your application today.
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Earn Your Degree in Health Promotion Management
February 1, 2016 /0 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
Health promotion students are passionate about health and fitness. They’re on campus brainstorming marketing plans and strategies for health promotion. They’re out in the District community impacting corporate health and wellness for local companies.
Ready to join our community? The priority deadline for Fall 2016 enrollment is just around the corner. Get started on your application today.
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2016 Health Trends from American University
January 29, 2016 /0 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
This time of year, many people invest a great deal of time, thought, money, and effort into ways to improve their health and well-being. This pervasive openness to new health ideas draws people to a wide variety of health-related trends—from weight-loss programs and diet fads to exciting exercise routines.
Research in our Department of Health Studies focuses on trends in nutrition and fitness that can help people, organizations, and communities change lifestyle behaviors to move toward a state of improved health. Here are a few key 2016 trends we’ve been discussing on campus:
As more people look to take their short- and long-term health into their own hands, the field of health coaching should continue to expand.
Foundationally, health coaches are trained professionals who provide mentoring, motivation, and personalized support to empower individuals to make beneficial health choices. Training programs throughout the US offer health-coaching certification.
We already see the influx of health coaches working with independent corporations, insurance companies, workplace wellness programs, and similar groups. In 2016, we envision healthcare clinics, patient-centered medical homes, and healthcare-at-home delivery organizations will utilize health coaches and patient advocates more than ever before.
In response to growing demand, new health coach training programs will arise, and existing programs will become more advanced.
Interactive Health Data
The availability of “big data” has industries and individuals clamoring for tools to analyze and respond to statistics. The rampant popularity of wearables doesn’t appear to be waning, and new tools will be increasingly interactive. Instead of simply tracking data, self-health, and fitness technology—wearables, mobile apps, and health-related games—will evolve to provide responsive coaching and granular analytics that are customizable to the user.
The sharing of personal health data via interactive technology continues to draw skepticism, but for many the benefits of personalized self-health outweigh such fears. We anticipate more healthcare facilities developing ways to integrate behavior-tracking technology into their patient care models.
Research indicates that stress levels in the workplace are at an all-time high. In efforts to allay the myriad of minor and major health problems stemming from stress, many companies will encourage their employees to take stress-reduction breaks, exercise regularly, and eat nutritious foods at the office. Stress-mindful businesses can greatly reduce long-term healthcare costs for the business and their staff members.
Workplaces with excellent communication between managers and their teams thrive at minimizing stress. Approximately 70 percent of individuals complain that their boss is the number one cause of their stress.
Intuitive Eating Rather than Weight Obsession
While losing weight can be an excellent boon for your health, it’s also important to address the underlying approach you take to eating. Intuitive eating enables people to develop a symbiotic relationship between their food, mind, and body. By respecting your cues for taste, hunger, and satisfaction, and by limiting negative distractions, you can improve your health without engaging in militant, potentially harmful dieting practices.
Expanded View of Overall Well-Being
With issues such as mental health and gun violence planted squarely in the public’s line of sight, 2016 will present ample opportunities for thoughtful, fair-minded discussions about overall health and well-being. As a result, we hope for strong decisions—at the individual and governmental levels—and community partnerships that cultivate healthier, safer lives throughout the world.
Interested in researching and leading change towards positive health trends in the US and throughout the world? Learn how a master’s degree in health promotion management from American University can help you reach your goals.
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4 Tips for Writing a Successful Personal Statement
January 27, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
A promising creative manuscript is the key to a successful MFA program application. But, as the admissions committee reads applications, they know they are selecting more than good writers: they are also selecting members of the program community.
Your personal statement plays a critical role in showing the admissions committee who you are and how you’d fit into that community. So, how best to tackle it?
Kyle G. Dargan is the director of the MFA program in creative writing at AU, and he has read stacks of personal statements over the years. Below, he offers his top four tips for crafting a personal statement that stands out.
Advice from Kyle G. Dargan:
Tip #1: Tell us what or who you are currently reading or have read in the past. How has your reading influenced what you are attempting to, or what you want to, write?
Writers are readers first and foremost. One comes to an MFA program seeking a literary community, and one of the clearest ways of assessing what kind of literary community member an applicant will be is to get a sense of how and why she or he reads. Don’t worry if you have not read “the classics.” We aren’t interested in assembling a group of budding writers who have all read the same canon. We want to know what sincerely inspires and challenges you as a unique voice.
Tip #2: Articulate what it is that you want to do with the MFA degree.
An MFA is not a plug-and-play degree with a select set of professional outcomes. The opportunities are wide open, but one needs to be proactive about curating an MFA experience that will lead to opportunities to satisfy her or his own interests (as well as earning a living to support one’s writing). Even if your plans are not firm, throwing out some ideas will help us develop a sense of how we can guide you and allow us to begin considering you for certain opportunities.
Tip #3. Avoid telling us about how you’ve wanted to be a novelist since you were three years old (which many applicants actually do).
Even if you’re being sincere, telling us about your kindergarten stories and poems won’t particularly endear us to your application. You are likely a much different person now than you were as a child. We are particularly interested in what is bringing you to apply for an MFA at this point in time. That may, of course, include some of your personal history, but tell us what specifically is motivating you at this moment.
Tip #4. Convey that you know us.
We’re becoming familiar with your work via your writing sample. You should consider taking some time to familiarize yourself with our faculty—specifically those writers with whom you want to, or will likely be, in workshop. We want to know that you want to work with us. One’s experiences in writing workshops are very sensitive to the dynamic between the writer and the workshop leader. It helps to be familiar with the work of an MFA program’s faculty.
Ready to tell us about yourself? Get started with your application for the MFA Creative Writing Program at American University.
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An Interview with Sandra Beasley, MFA Graduate & DC Writer
Poet and nonfiction writer Sandra Beasley graduated from the AU creative writing MFA program in 2004, and she has continued to make her home in Washington, DC, in the years since.
In addition to her three collections of poetry—Theories of Falling (2008), I Was the Jukebox (2010), and Count the Waves (2015)—Sandra’s memoir, Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales From an Allergic Life (2011), offers a cultural history of food allergies. She attributes her movement toward creative nonfiction to her cross-genre workshop experience in the MFA program.
Sandra’s poetry has appeared in such magazines as Tin House, The Believer, and Ploughshares, and her nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post Magazine, Oxford American, and the Wall Street Journal. Her numerous honors include a 2015 Literature Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
A strong voice in the DC literary community, Sandra gives readings, visits schools, and coordinates events for the Arts Club of Washington.
We reached out to Sandra over email to find out more about her time at AU, and to get her advice for writers looking into MFA programs or launching writing careers in DC.
What led you to choose AU’s MFA program?
In the spring of 2002, I was finishing my degree at the University of Virginia, and I wanted to build on the mentorship I’d found in workshops. I applied to programs all over the country, but I felt a pull toward home in the DC area. At UVA, I’d interviewed Henry Taylor* for 3.7, a literary journal. Our scheduled hour turned into an afternoon-long conversation that included discussion of Henry’s own UVA memories, how writing had anchored him during a battle with cancer, and the craft of sonnets and clerihews. So when Henry left a message on the voicemail in my dorm room—saying he had reviewed my application, asking if I’d come study poetry with him—that settled it. All young writers dream of being heard. The American University community made me feel like my voice could matter.
[* Henry Taylor taught literature and co-directed the MFA program in creative writing from 1971–2003.]
What were your most meaningful experiences in the program?
Thanks to the Visiting Writer Series we had incredible authors come through, such as Nick Flynn and Thomas Glave. But what really stayed with me were two unique components of the program’s requirements for study: the journalism class, taught by Henry Taylor, and the exposure to world poetry and poetry in translation, taught by Myra Sklarew. These courses should be part of every MFA curriculum. These classes broadened my sense of a literary community, and of what I could do with the degree. I can thank Richard McCann for introducing me to the craft of creative nonfiction. Not every program allows students to cross genres so freely. He said you have to find the nerve, the place where it hurts—and then press on it. That advice has stayed with me.
How has the MFA program made a difference in your career since graduation?
You don’t need an MFA to be a great writer. But an MFA-vetted manuscript can provide the basis for your first book, as it was for me with Theories of Falling. You can use an MFA as a foundation for a career—especially in cities such as Washington, DC, where a terminal degree is highly valued. My MFA was taken as a qualification for consultation opportunities, and my alumni community continues to provide connections to readings and freelancing. At American University, I was the editor-in-chief for Folio; when I later worked at The American Scholar, I applied the layout and correspondence skills I’d honed at the journal.
Don’t fixate on perfecting the draft at hand. Focus on acquiring skills to revise. The tough thing, after the indulgence of a graduate-level workshop, is learning to be your own best editor. That means conceptualizing the upper level of questions and proofing line by line. Be open to writing and learning in all genres, because you never know where career options will veer. Identify a few friends you might want to keep in touch with beyond the program, to trade manuscripts and moral support. Don’t be afraid to ask your professors frank questions about the publishing world—conference experiences, agent relationships, even finances. That’s not a “dirty” or shameful topic. That’s part of the business at hand, if you aim to support yourself though your writing.
How would you describe your involvement in the DC writing community? How has living in the District influenced or inspired your work?
For me, to be a writer is to be a writer in DC. Washington is where I write poems; it’s the place where I find myself in situations, realistic and surreal, that inspire poems. Sometimes the texture is subtle, in the form of referring to a bus line or a neighborhood cemetery. But where else are you going to find yourself in the same theater as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, taking in an evening show?
Washington is where my readers are, and I’ve been fortunate to receive financial support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. I host a literary series at the Arts Club of Washington, and I try to make as many readings as I can around town. If I’m in Dupont Circle, I swing by Kramerbooks. If I’m up on Connecticut Avenue, I drop in to Politics & Prose. If I’m getting my shoes repaired at Philip’s, I walk across the street to Upshur Street Books. If a local school asks me to visit, I say Yes whenever I can.
If there’s ever a chance to champion this town in print, I do, because DC deserves more credit for what it offers artists. Music, sculpture, dance, theater: it’s all here. And often free.
What advice do you have for writers looking to become more involved in the DC writing community?
DC is full of places in which to participate. There’s no “one” scene. On a given night, there might be readings going on at five different places. Check out Bridge Street Books and the Folger Shakespeare Library’s O.B. Harrison series, if you haven’t already. Workshop with kids at 826DC, step up to the open mic at BloomBars, or absorb a lecture at Georgetown University. Just look around. When you do attend something, be sure to introduce yourself to the organizer or host. We remember your face—and we appreciate making the connection. One last thing: find a friend who agrees to meet up, and hang out for sushi before or a martini afterwards. DC is my home, and there’s tons to do, but even for me it can get lonely. You have to create community within the crowd.
If Sandra’s experiences in the MFA program and in the DC community sound like experiences you’d like to share, please check out the MFA Creative Writing Program at American University.
Interested in working with Sandra? Join her for a poetry intensive on March 13 at The Writer’s Center.
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Join Us: A Literary Evening with a Cause
January 6, 2016 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
We hope you’ll join us on January 27 for our Annual Faculty Benefit Reading, the only MFA faculty group reading of the year.
We’re supporting an excellent cause: the important wok of 826DC—and we plan to have a good time doing it. 826DC is a nonprofit that supports students ages 6 to 18 with their writing, and helps teachers inspire their students to write.
Everyone is welcome at the benefit reading: current students, MFA applicants, and anyone who wants to check out our writing community.
What: The Annual Faculty Benefit Reading, a special night in our Visiting Writers Series, features the faculty in our MFA program—and raises funds for an amazing cause. The suggested donation is $5. Donations can also be made online.
Where: 826DC, in their brand new location on the Mezzanine level of the Tivoli Theater (across from their old location), 3333 14th St. NW, Suite M120. They’re a block away from the Columbia Heights Metro station, on the green and yellow lines.
When: January 27, 2016, 8:00 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.)
Who: A lineup of six accomplished MFA faculty members, listed alongside their most recent books:
-Kyle Dargan, author of the poetry collection Honest Engine
-Stephanie Grant, author of the novel Map of Ireland
-David Keplinger, author of the poetry collection The Most Natural Thing
-Rachel Louise Snyder, author of the novel What We’ve Lost Is Nothing
-Richard McCann, author of the linked short story collection Mother of Sorrows
-Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of the novel Balm
The Work of 826DC
We’re proud to support 826DC, a vital community resource for the District.
826DC is one of eight affiliates of 826 National, which was co-founded by author David Eggers and by veteran educator Ninive Calegari, with the goal of working alongside teachers and students on exciting, meaningful writing.
The staff at 826DC offers drop-in tutoring, field trips, after-school workshops, in-school tutoring, help for English language learners, and assistance with student publications. They also collaborate with teachers to design workshops, project-based learning opportunities, and more.
Now in a new location, the organization also has a new storefront: Tivoli’s Astounding Magic Supply Co., where the magicians among us can pick up the essentials—capes, gloves, and far beyond.
Our Visiting Writers Series
While this particular reading highlights our own faculty, we’re also proud to mention writers on this year’s lineup, such as Claudia Rankine and Alexander Chee. The full schedule can be seen online.
Would you like to join our writing community? Learn more about the MFA creative writing program at American University.
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AU Students Do Their Part to Build Healthy Communities and Give Back in DC
December 21, 2015 /1 Comment/in Health Promotion /by American University
Written by Dr. Anastasia Snelling
Each year the students, faculty, and staff in the Health Promotion Management Program select a holiday community service project. In the past, we have adopted families from a local maternal and childcare clinic and surprised them on Christmas morning with gifts for children and/or their homes.
In 2014, we donated over 25 teddy bears to children at the local Ronald McDonald House. This year we collected canned goods for the Arlington Food Assistance Center. Over 50 students, faculty, and staff, contributed hundreds of canned goods to stock the shelves of the local food bank.
Our program is committed to addressing health disparities by partnering with local community health agencies and organizations. Health Promotion Management students make it their mission to give back to the Washington DC area with active volunteerism throughout the year.
JR Denson, an incoming master’s student, had the opportunity to work on a project with Dr. Elizabeth Cotter in Arlington. JR, Dr. Cotter, and six other graduate students worked with the Arlington community to create a community garden. Together with the residents of the neighborhood, the group built plant beds filled with vegetables that were harvested at the end of the summer.
The following spring, JR was awarded a grant from AU’s Eagle Foundation. The goal of the grant was to collaborate with a local organization, Little Lights, a non-profit located in Southeast DC, which offers after school tutoring and mentoring to children living in nearby public housing.
JR was inspired by his community garden project in Arlington. Armed with a few gardening skills and a generous budget, JR worked with Little Lights staff and children to create an on-site teaching garden. Similar to the project in Arlington, JR and the team worked together to construct and harvest a garden that brought together people in the local community. At the end of the summer, JR was able to lead elementary-level cooking lessons with the children.
I’m proud to be a part of the strong community in the Health Promotion Management Program where students like JR are doing their part to take lessons learned in the classroom and apply them to give back to our community.
Looking for a graduate program that gives you the opportunity to make a difference in the local community? Learn more about the health program management MS program at AU.
Dr. Anastasia Snelling is a professor and chair of the Department of Health Studies at American University. Her research aims to understand the impact of food policy and programs on health and weight status of students and teachers in the school environment.
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5 Nutrition and Health Tips for the Holidays
Even the most ardent nutrition advocate is susceptible to treat-induced slip-ups and skipped workout sessions during the holiday season. From sugary beverages and baked goods, to high-fat savory dishes, there’s a bevy of food-related obstacles to avoid. Plus, with all that eating, who has the time and willpower to stay active?
You do! With firm goals, knowledge, and cool technology, you can change your behaviors to move toward improved health and well-being. In the spirit of change and personal responsibility, here are five nutrition and health tips for the holidays.
Change the Recipes, Not the Items
Many traditional holiday favorites are fairly healthy when prepared certain ways, yet quite unhealthy when other recipes are applied. Cranberry and sweet potato dishes are among the items that tend to have wide-ranging nutritional value, depending on the cook’s plan of action.
In the same vein, seasonally popular holiday meats such as ham, turkey, and goose serve as robust sources of protein. However, for these meats, strive to find recipes that minimize additional sugar, fat, and salt.
Savor Moderation
At this point, most people seem to understand that almost any food item is better for you in moderation than in vast supply—especially foods that lack nutritional benefits. However, getting people to discipline themselves to eat moderate amounts of food during the holidays is easier said than done.
Self-control during the holidays is made easier when we embrace the pleasure of smaller quantities and take great care to think about and experience the flavors intertwined in each bite. When you eat less and reduce bloating, you free yourself up to be more active during the holidays too. It’s a win-win!
Exercise in Spirited Spurts
The holiday season can be a tricky time to get in those regularly scheduled workouts. Between travel, family outings, parties, and general hustle and bustle, getting to the gym can be difficult.
It works out well that shorter, significantly strenuous exercise sessions arguably are the best kind for your health and well-being. Obviously 20-minute workout sessions are easier to fit into the day planner, or even spur of the moment. More importantly, studies show that high-intensity bursts of fitness help burn fat faster and improve fitness.
Focus on Meals instead of Snacks
One of the most common and easily taken for granted nutrition traps is snacks. As people mill around living rooms and holiday parties, chatting, and laughing with friends or relatives, it’s all too easy to down a platter’s worth of cocktail wieners, seasonal cookies, and the like—perhaps without even realizing it.
If you can resolve yourself to become satiated during healthy, tasty square meals during the holidays, hopefully you’ll be less likely to aimlessly stuff yourself during the snacking hours.
Use Technology to Your Advantage
The popularity of fitness and nutrition technology has skyrocketed as of late. While the sheer quantity of health-related apps and gadgets boggles the mind, zeroing in on one tool that fits your unique needs can be a great help.
The various fitness apps for mobile devices cater to a wide array of people. Some focus on motivating the user, while others are all about monitoring data such as daily steps, calories burned, heart rate, and much more. Goal-setting is another key function of many apps.
To improve nutritious and ramp up healthy eating, cooking gadgets often motivate people to try healthier options than they’re used to. If you have an immersion blender, oil mister, or handheld chopper, what’s standing in your way?
The holidays don’t have to be defined by unhealthy overeating and lack of exercise. With the right goals, plan of action, and even technology, you can change your behaviors and move toward a state of improved health.
Learn about how a master’s degree in health promotion management from American University can help you impact the world and change health behaviors.
Photo: Markus Spiske
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5 Podcasts All Writers Should Know About
December 14, 2015 /0 Comments/in Creative Writing /by American University
Podcasts carry value for writers that goes well beyond entertainment.
They highlight poetry readings. Author interviews. Vivid narratives.
Not just a writer’s goldmine, podcasts are also a platform for showcasing a writer’s work. Most narrative podcasts accept story pitches, and as you publish, podcasters may be interested in interviewing you for a show.
The five podcasts below are hand-picked recommendations from Kyle Dargan, creative writing MFA program director, and offer a solid start for writers’ listening.
Library of Congress Poet and the Poem
Produced by the Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress, this DC-based podcast has featured accomplished AU alumni, including Abdul Ali and Sandra Beasley.
Award-winning poet and playwright Grace Cavalieri hosts the (approximately) monthly podcast. Recent episodes interviewed poet Kwame Alexandre, DC resident and author of 10 books, and Carlos Parada Ayala, recipient of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Larry Neal Poetry Award.
Make/Work Podcast
This monthly podcast explores the ever-present question for writers and artists: how can we balance the relationship between time spent writing and time spent working? Hosted by Scott Pinkmountain and produced by The Rumpus, Make/Work features discussions with both emerging and established artists working in multiple creative mediums—focusing on how they sustain their creative practice.
The most recent episode features Abeer Hoque, a Nigerian-born writer with Bangaldeshi roots who now lives in New York. After recently publishing her new book in India, Abeer discusses the long road to publishing, the publishing landscape in India, and more. Make/Work also sometimes produces more focused sub-series, such as one that zeroes in on the unique challenges and rewards encountered in romantic partnerships between artists.
Poetry Off the Shelf
This weekly podcast from the Poetry Foundation “explores the diverse world of contemporary poetry,” and puts poetry and culture in conversation. Right now, they have a mini series running, in which poets take over mic to discuss hot topics. Recently, Franny Choi and Saeed Jones discussed “Social Media, Race, and Disney Princesses,” and Erika L. Sánchez and Jacob Saenz had an episode on sex in music and poetry. Past episodes include an introduction to Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, and a recommended selection of poems to read at gay and lesbian weddings.
Not just for poets, this podcasts keeps writers immersed in the conversations happening around the writing world.
RISK!
Produced by Maximum Fun, each episode of RISK! is a place “where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public.” The host, Kevin Allison, performed with the TV sketch comedy troupe The State. RISK! featured Janeane Garofalo, Lisa Lampanelli, Kevin Nealon, Margaret Cho, Marc Maron, Sarah Silverman, and many others telling candid, raw stories in entertaining ways.
Hosted by Glynn Washington, this weekly podcast boasts a “stories with a beat.” Glynn told the Guardian, “We want to get into these societal fault lines of race, class, gender, culture. We want to do deep dives to help people really understand another person’s experience. The only way to report that is through storytelling—what happened to one person.”
Recent episodes of Snap Judgment include stories of elementary school crossing guards, the haunting aftermath of a car accident involving a clown car, and a record collector’s best find in decades. This is the perfect podcast for your walking commutes—putting a beat in your step and passing the time with vibrant stories.
Our MFA program is home to a community of interesting people, listening to interesting podcasts (among many other activities). Interested in joining us? Learn more about the creative writing MFA program at AU. We also offer a graduate certificate in audio production for writers who want to produce their own podcasts and other audio recordings.
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Finding Community in Your Grad Program
November 23, 2015 /0 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
People find their passion and purpose at different stages of life. For students like Jen Fields, those points intersect amid the art and science of the Health Promotion Management Program at American University.
Jen already had a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology when she arrived at AU, but it’s her postgraduate education that is giving her a renewed sensed of community and vision as she moves toward a career centered on improving health and well-being.
By the time she was finishing up her bachelor’s degree in 2013, Jen knew she was interested in exercise—she’s a part-time personal trainer—nutrition and research. However, she wasn’t aware she could combine all those passions in a hands-on master’s program such as the Health Promotion Management Program at American University.
“I didn’t even know I could get a degree in that,” she said, adding that the personal attention she received from an AU adviser while researching the program was very encouraging.
“I was just a number” as an undergraduate, Jen said. But it was different when she arrived at AU. One of her professors knew her by name from her first week on campus—before they’d even officially met.
Her classmates were just as easy to connect with, partly because many of them were taking the same classes together. From social events each semester to community service events to annual holiday gatherings, the health promotion management students are more supportive than competitive.
Jen and her peers feel comfortable enough with each other to routinely share job opportunities back and forth—the type of reciprocal respect that stems from each student having a unique set of talents, skills, passions, and goals.
One of the most advantageous aspects of the program is being able to infuse their own interests and career aspirations into the coursework, Jen said. Her de facto area of emphasis is sports nutrition, which she is exploring within a wide-ranging curriculum. As a health promotion management student, her coursework has included:
Getting a firsthand look at real-world health policy on Capitol Hill
Planning an end-to-end social marketing campaign
Developing infographics, other marketing tools, and more
After completing her master’s degree, Jen’s aspirations include earning a PhD and becoming a professor. She is excited to share the knowledge she’s gathered about how sports nutrition and exercise can improve our world.
“I just want to teach the information I love,” said Jen, who yearns to see vast improvements in the way the general public integrates important health information. With huge swaths of skewed opinions and purported facts available on the Internet, Jen envisions better public knowledge on topics such as how to affordably eat healthful foods.
“People will spend $5 at McDonald’s rather than go to the grocery store and buy produce,” she said. “It’s ultimately about educating people.”
Do you want to use your passion for health and well being to improve the world? Learn about a master’s degree in health promotion management from American University.
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Film by Best-selling Author Validates Art and Science of Health Promotion
With the presence of several hot-button, controversial health issues at the forefront in our country and world, it’s easy to lose sight of the depth and breadth of factors affecting health and well-being. It’s about much more than insurance coverage and calorie counting.
As best-selling author Tom Rath addresses in his book and documentary Are You Fully Charged?, improving health and well-being is a complex, multi-faceted endeavor. Through his research, Rath has unearthed factors that indicate a “fully charged” day-to-day life. He found amazing stories of healthier choices, interactions that strengthen relationships, and the pursuit of meaning over happiness.
A recent showing of Rath’s documentary on campus at American University—where he helped launch our new Department of Health Studies—sparked discussions and ideas among students, professors, and others about how they can change the world around them. The movie provided powerful, inspiring examples of how actions that improve someone else’s life and that spur positive moments are connected to better mental and physical health.
Rath’s book and movie resonate with students and staff from the Health Promotion Management Program at American University, because his research helps validate what we have made our mission in life. While our areas of emphasis vary a great deal, the underlying goal that drives us also unites us: We are determined to help people, organizations, and communities change lifestyle behaviors to move toward a state of improved health.
Much like the science and art of health promotion that we learn and teach about daily, the type of work that Rath discovered during his research gives framework and definition to intangible concepts that we hold dear:
A church giving its members $500 to spend on others
A gardener planting vegetables in abandoned lots
A nonprofit helping thousands of low-income students go to college
To add remarkable credibility to his assertions, Rath turned to world-renowned experts in behavioral health, the psychology of spending, social networks, decision-making and behavioral economics, willpower and the role of meaning in the workplace. The result is a thought- and effort-provoking documentary that proves there are practical ways to energize your life.
These real-world success stories encourage our MS in health promotion management students to continue striving. At the moment, they are studying what they can do to make a difference in fields ranging from corporate health and personal nutrition to global health policy.
Soon, their ideas, goals, and hard work will yield “fully charged” personal lives, careers and surrounding communities—and we’ll all be better for it.
Are you ready to turn your passion for health and well-being into a world-changing career? Learn about our master’s degree in health promotion management from American University.
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These Health Promotion Alumni Are Making A Difference With Their Degrees
October 19, 2015 /0 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
The students in our health promotion management master’s program go on to do incredible things in areas including corporate health, exercise physiology, health communication, health policy, global health, and nutrition.
Here are a few examples of American University alumni who are applying their knowledge and passion to truly benefit the communities around them:
Kristen Cox (Class of 2008)
Title: Senior Director, Policy & Advocacy, Cancer Support Community
Kristen Cox left the health promotion management program with an understanding of health behaviors, the healthcare system, policy, and “hot topics” in the industry.
These bricks of her health promotion management education gave her a strong foundational starting point when building policy positions, white papers, and talking points were needed.
In her current role as senior director of policy and advocacy for the Cancer Support Community, Kristen works to support people living with cancer, as well as their families. Her work is promoting health—in a powerful way—by:
Convening experts in the cancer field to come to consensus on timely topics
Advocating for increased access to cancer care, pain management, and hospice and palliative care
Raising awareness about cancer prevention
Abigail Walsh (Class of 2014)
Title: Wellness Program Analyst, Bon Secours Health Systems
From developing stages of change within programs, to learning about the new national and local healthcare policies, Abigail Walsh puts theory—and her training from AU’s master’s program—into practice on a daily basis.
Bon Secours, a nonprofit healthcare system in Virginia, has been a great place for Abigail to utilize the communication concepts she learned in the Health Promotion Management Program. Having professors at AU with extensive experience in the health promotion field helped smooth the transition from studies to “real-world” work, she said.
“There is only so much you can learn from a textbook. Having professors with real life experience enables us to see the paths that others have traveled,” Abigail stated. The graduate program work was important because every single class, research paper, and task was directly related to a topic she likely would encounter in her upcoming career.
Now, right in the middle of that “real world” work, Abigail is ardently trying to move the needle on health risk factors that employees across Virginia encounter. As she helps people manage pre-existing conditions, she also keeps preventive healthcare measures at the forefront of her efforts.
“The total savings for the employee and the employer are incredible. Plus, there are some things that can’t be measured on a monetary scale, such as a longer life with an improved quality of living and an increase in productivity at work.”
Brian Katzowitz (Class of 2011)
Title: Health Communications Specialist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
As a health communications specialist at the CDC, Brian Katzowitz’s background in health promotion management enables him to consider the principles of behavior change theory when determining communication strategies. He uses his health promotion training to interpret scientific manuscripts and translate complex data into relevant information for consumers.
Brian’s job isn’t the run-of-the-mill public relations gig. He fulfills an integral role in public health initiatives.
“On a day-to-day basis, the outcome of my work can be seen when traditional news outlet like the Washington Post or New York Times publish stories featuring CDC spokespeople, new research, or information on disease outbreaks,” Brian said.
Laurie DiRosa (Class of 2000)
Title: Assistant Professor, Rowan University
Laurie DiRosa, a professor of health promotion and wellness, prepares students to go forth and change lifestyle behaviors throughout the world.
Specifically, going through the thesis process at American University continues to influence how Laurie mentors and guides her own students—both undergrads and graduate students—in their research and capstone projects.
“I still pull out my textbooks from AU when I’m helping students or preparing for classes,” Laurie said. “I feel that the rigorous program at AU was one of the guiding forces for me to continue on to doctoral studies.”
Ready to influence healthy lifestyle behaviors?
Learn more about how a master’s degree in health promotion management from American University can help you impact the world and change health behaviors.
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Students Learn From Health Promotion Leaders at HERO Forum
September 30, 2015 /0 Comments/in Health Promotion /by American University
Conferences come and go. There are thousands of them every year. However, for our students who are attending the annual Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) Forum on Employee Health Management Solutions on Sept. 29 through Oct. 1, it’s not “just another conference.”
For the American University students who are pursuing an MS in Health Promotion Management, the HERO Forum is a rare chance to hear from the type of world-changers they themselves are striving to become—the type of professionals who are helping communities change lifestyle behaviors toward a state of improved health.
In other words, our students view this as part of their life’s work, not just a place to view PowerPoint presentations and nab a few business cards.
AU student Katherine Richards is most excited about the keynote address, “How we are Building a Culture of Health in America.” It will cover the many inter-related factors involved in health and well-being, including “where we live, how we work, the soundness and safety of our surroundings, and the strength and resilience of our families, our communities, and our economy,” according to the event website.
“I am anxious to learn how different industries and companies are contributing to create a culture that is centered on wellness,” said Katherine, whose classmate Mara Metroka is particularly interested in a talk by Tanya Gilbert titled “A Health Promotion Consultant on Improving Mental Strength to Promote Weight Loss.”
“I am very passionate about positive self talk and the power of ‘change your mind, change your life,’ so I am looking forward to hearing what she has to say!” Mara said.
Many of the topics Katherine and Mara will be engaged in are quite similar to what they find daily in their AU master’s program in health promotion management. For instance, both the program and the HERO event are fully focused on how various aspects of healthy lifestyle efforts work in unison to create a culture of wellness. Employee health is just one of the many components—but an important one, Katherine said.
“Employers have a wonderful opportunity to encourage their employees and employees’ families to live healthy lives. As a result, both the employee and the employer benefit,” Katherine said. Other key aspects of improved health and well-being include exercise physiology, human biochemistry, behavioral psychology, global health, and nutrition.
HERO’s message of health and performance through employer leadership resonates with Mara, who once spent an overworked, exhausting year working in the hospitality industry.
“The employees I was managing were often sick, or unhealthy—not performing at their top level,” Mara said. “Through this experience I realized the need for a healthy work life balance, and how in so many corporations it is lacking. I want to change that.”
It would not be unprecedented for an AU graduate program student to make that type of difference. For example, Jennifer Flynn (MS ’97), an AU grad and a HERO Forum speaker this year, is a strategy consultant for Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions. She went from writing papers to literally helping save lives.
Katherine, Mara, and their peers are making their own strides toward such world-focused success. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s coming. Their presence will be felt. Health and well-being across this world will be revolutionized.
Are you interested a master’s degree in health promotion management? Learn more about the MS program at American University.
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Research Shows Link Between Health and Successful Learning
From preschoolers picking out colored pencils to graduate students upgrading their old laptops, back-to-school shopping remains in full swing.
It’s an exciting time of year, with plenty of fun items to purchase. It’s also a great opportunity for parents—and students of all ages—to place healthy lunch items and a comfortable pair of shoes for exercise atop their shopping list.
Why is it so important? Long gone is the notion that eating poorly only affects us from the waist down. Now, it’s quite clear—based on both data and anecdotal evidence—that health and learning are intimately linked.
Even with the knowledge that healthy children are better students, we need more student-level research to address the relationship between obesity and learning. It’s an urgent concern for researchers, policymakers, teachers, children, families, and health promotion professionals.
Fortunately, there are encouraging signs that health’s relationship to education is beginning to receive the attention it deserves.
Wellness Policies
Federal legislation that was enacted more than a decade ago has led to relatively new wellness policies—mostly about curbing obesity—at schools throughout the US. The challenge is that the nuances of these policies and their results widely vary. Factors such as nutrition value of cafeteria meals, amount of time devoted to physical education, and cultivation of health-enhancing environments for teachers and students are different at virtually every school.
What is lacking is a deep understanding of the effects of school-by-school health policies at the student level. The more often and thoroughly that we can compare the health consequences of various lifestyles, the better.
Change on the Menu
Lunch hour is being revamped, too. The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act upgraded nutrition and monitoring standards that are part of the USDA School Lunch Program. Schools are striving to comply by providing new meals that are both tasty and healthy, but parents and students will take some convincing.
The USDA’s Economic Research Service is poised to do just that, particularly through funding for “behavioral economics” studies. The most recent report, released in August, revealed that while the majority of principals and foodservice managers who responded agreed that “Students generally seem to like the new school lunch,” the participation rate for paid school lunches has been on the decline since FY 2008.
It’s a frustrating divide, but it’s not insurmountable. At schools in Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, DC, our research has shown that by engaging students in selecting how vegetables are prepared or pairing a fruit and vegetable, we can increase the consumption of healthful foods.
These are all important findings to consider, but we must be vigilant with continued research and response. The work has only just begun.
Strong Muscles, Thriving Minds
The playground presents another important opportunity to address the whole child—from physical and mental health to academic performance. The recent push by everyone from First Lady Michelle Obama to professional football players to ramp up physical education time among children isn’t just about strong muscles. It’s about healthy, thriving minds.
Now it’s our task to put clear numbers behind those well-known faces. Fortunately, the body of research linking PE time and well-being is growing.
It’s increasingly evident that time is a key factor. In a study titled “Evidence based physical activity for school-age youth” in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers reviewed more than 850 experimental studies and concluded that additional physical education boosts academic performance, physical fitness level, concentration, memory, classroom behavior, and intellectual performance.
Our own study found a higher rate of math proficiency on Washington, DC’s standardized tests by elementary schools that offer nearly 90 minutes of PE per week. That’s powerful data, and it begs this question: How far could we move the needle if more schools were to increase the amount of gym time?
The good news: There is a sizable appetite for new research on health and student performance and vigilant advocacy to improve the way we serve children.
Interested in a career in health promotion management?
The more passionate health promotion management professionals we can train to lead the way, the better individuals and families will be positioned to thrive for years to come.
Want to get involved in the conversation and make a difference in health and wellness on a larger scale? Learn more about the Health Promotion Management Program at American University.
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6 Cool Health Promotion Organizations You Should Know About
Our students in American University’s master’s degree in health promotion management have a unique opportunity. While learning about the art and science of health promotion from esteemed experts in the field, students also can reap all the resume-building benefits of living in the nation’s capital.
Washington, DC, is awash in meaningful, effective nonprofits that choose true impact over lip service. From internships to volunteerism and full-time job opportunities, AU health promotion graduate students should be aware of these six DC nonprofits that are improving health in this region and way beyond:
Partnership for a Healthy America
Based in DC, Partnership for a Healthier America is leveraging the power of private partners to make healthier choices more affordable and accessible to families and children across the country. Leaders such as Michele Obama, companies such as Nike and Dannon, and nonprofits such as YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs of America lend exceptional credibility to the organization.
The work is vast and wide-ranging. For example, American University (AU) joined 25 other campuses and PHA for the Healthier Campus Initiative. These schools are adopting new guidelines around nutrition, physical activity and programming for students and staff.
DC Greens & FoodPrints
Dr. Stacey Snelling, director of AU’s Health Promotion Program, works with DC Greens and FoodPrints to infuse six DC-area public schools with fresh fruits and vegetables into school systems.
Actually, it’s a two-pronged approach. DC Greens supplies the food while FoodPrints integrates gardening, cooking, and nutrition education into the curriculum.
The reach of each of these small but substantive organizations goes far beyond this school program—and both have plenty of room for volunteers and interns alike.
A Wider Circle
Mark Bergel, who earned an MS in health promotion management from American University, received the prestigious CNN Hero Award in 2014 for starting A Wider Circle in 2001. The mission is simple but powerful: “to end poverty for one individual and one family after another.” Through various community programs, A Wider Circle provides basic need items, education, and long-term support.
A Wider Circle also is a great source of health promotion internship and job opportunities—for students intrigued by bold, committed work.
National Business Group on Health
The National Business Group on Health, which launched more than 30 years ago, comprises mostly Fortune 500 companies with a clear focus: Provide and promote practical solutions to companies’ most important health care problems.
These companies believe controlling health care costs and improving patient safety and quality of care helps the whole world, not just a few select industries or a certain demographic. They fully understand that health and wellness are vital for individuals, communities and society.
For more than 40 years, CSPI has been using science and data to advocate for key health-related efforts at the national level—for instance, issues such as soda consumption and the unhealthiness of “kids meals.”
In 2013, CSPI demonstrated that 97 percent of restaurant children’s meals are unhealthy. That alarming statistic led to a campaign urging eateries to improve the nutrition value of these meals and to stop marketing unhealthy food to children.
The Washington, DC, area features some of the most effective health promotion organizations in the US. These groups, which help keep critical needs at the forefront, also serve as abundant learning tools for the health promotion management students at American University.
“The opportunity for research, internships, and hands-on experience that is connected with this graduate program is unmatched,” said Annessa Bontrager, a 2015 MS graduate who already has begun full-time work at Partnership for a Healthy America. The professors in the Health Promotion Management Program have a genuine desire to positively impact the surrounding community, and that is infectious.”
Interested in helping or working for organizations like these?
Read more blog posts and learn how the Health Promotion Management Program at American University prepares students to make a difference.
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Health Promotion Managers Change the World
For many, the components are all there. Deep devotion to health and well-being. Innovative ideas for improving the system. Clear goals rooted in firm ideals.
For people who pursue careers in health promotion management, it takes all these factors together, working in unison, to make a significant difference in the world.
Health promotion management is the convergence of it all. It’s the business, science, and art of helping individuals, communities, and society be healthier.
There are hundreds of backgrounds and experiences that lead people into health promotion management careers. They’re so different, but there’s also a common thread: passion.
Triumph Through Challenge
Passion is evident in the woman who grew up suffering from a disease that forced her to embrace a carefully constructed, health-conscious diet. Now she’s made it her mission to inform people about the relationship between diet, exercise, genetics and chronic illness. She wants to improve lifestyle behaviors for people from all socioeconomic sections of life.
It’s easy to see the passion in those who have organizational change in mind. You know the type: wellness cheerleaders who understand that entire companies can improve their employees’ lives through simple, yet powerful, options.
These are the experts who begin change within companies—often starting a decades-long commitment to employee health. The result can be dozens if not hundreds or even thousands of people with better habits and lower risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and diabetes.
Active Business Acumen
Passion drives the guy who struggled with self-confidence until late high school, when he began working out at the local gym. He knows the emotional and health benefits of staying active, and he wants to encourage others to join him. After earning a bachelor’s degree in business, he’s looking to merge his fitness acumen with his professional training.
Shifting Governmental Policies
Helping one person, family or company at a time is much needed, but some people envision and reach toward something broader. They are eager to turn their lofty ideals into prudent, efficient governmental policies and international programs. They realize it will be a long road, but they’re eager to start the journey.
These different types of future leaders are passionate about health promotion because they understand its long-term importance. In other words, they know that health affects everything from a fifth-grader’s academic performance to a Third World country’s economic stability to an elderly person’s quality of life.
Beyond passion, the reason health promotion managers are so well suited to lead the personal health responsibility revolution is that they are so well trained. They are specialists who can implement knowledge from exercise physiology and to behavioral psychology and nutrition.
For many college students, their major or area of emphasis means little more than a ticket to a diploma and a black robe. But for those who pursue a master’s degree in health promotion management, their field of study has potential to shape their lives—and many, many others—every single day.
Interested in American University’s MS in health promotion management program? Learn more today!
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Xi Jinping Sends Message of Condolence to Indonesian President Joko Widodo over Plane Crash（2021-01-11）
Wang Yi: China Holds the Principle of Diplomacy That All Countries, Big or Small, are Equal（2021-01-09）
Foreign Minister Wang Yi Articulates a Seven-Point Proposition to Upgrade China-Africa Cooperation（2021-01-09）
Wang Yi Holds Talks with Tanzanian Foreign Minister Palamagamba Kabudi（2021-01-09）
Tanzanian President John Magufuli Meets with Wang Yi（2021-01-09）
Seychellois President Wavel Ramkalawan Meets with Wang Yi（2021-01-09）
Wang Yi Holds Talks with Seychellois Foreign Minister Sylvestre Radegonde（2021-01-09）
Remarks by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang YiAt a Joint Press Availability with Tanzanian Foreign MinisterPalamagamba Kabudi（2021-01-08）
Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi Meets with Wang Yi（2021-01-07）
Wang Yi Holds Talks with Botswanan Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation Lemogang Kwape（2021-01-07）
Wang Yi: China and Africa Sign the 46th Bilateral Agreement on BRI Cooperation（2021-01-07）
Wang Yi: China Welcomes the DRC as Its 45th Partner in Africa in BRI Cooperation（2021-01-07）
Wang Yi Holds Talks with DRC Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs Marie Tumba Nzeza（2021-01-07）
DRC President Felix Tshisekedi Meets with Wang Yi（2021-01-07）
Wang Yi Holds Talks with Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama（2021-01-06）
Rise to the Challenges, Serve the Nation and
Embark on a New Journey for
Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics
State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of
The People's Republic of China
In 2020, our world went through a pandemic and global changes, both of a scale unseen in a century. It was truly an extraordinary year for both China and the world.
Over the past year, the momentum of human progress suffered a setback and humanity faced consequential choices. COVID-19 caught us all by surprise. It threatened lives and public health across the world. People's livelihood and well-being was hit hard by the ensuing economic recession. In an increasingly fluid and changing world, anachronistic practices of unilateralism and protectionism were on the rise, driven by resurgent power politics and Cold War mentality.
At the same time, the evolution of the international landscape was speeding up. The new scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation were gathering momentum. Humankind gained a more profound appreciation of the need for embracing a shared future. At this watershed moment, the vast majority of the international community are calling for solidarity over division, openness over isolation, and cooperation over confrontation.
Over the past year, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese nation overcame tough challenges and opened up new prospects for the future. Facing the devastating impact of COVID-19 and a complex international environment, the entire nation rallied behind a common purpose under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. China was the first to contain the virus, to pursue international cooperation against COVID, to reopen the economy safely and to restore economic growth. The country met the historic target of ending extreme poverty on schedule and secured decisive achievements in fully establishing a moderately prosperous society. Such progress has put China on course to realize its First Centenary Goal.
The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee set out a great vision for China's development in the next five years and beyond and launched a new journey toward fully building a modern socialist country, marking a giant step toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Over the past year, China pursued major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and made solid progress. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, and with presidential diplomacy charting the course, we in the diplomatic service focused on forging a joint international response to COVID-19 and met the challenges head on. We rose to the occasion with proactive steps and fought the coronavirus and the "political virus" at the same time. We took concrete actions as a major, responsible country to advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Our actions helped to create a sound international environment for national development and rejuvenation and made new, major contributions to world peace and development.
Presidential diplomacy and leadership has set the direction for China's external relations, sending a strong message of solidarity in a challenging time. It provides a source of strength and stability in a time of enormous uncertainty. After the onset of the once-in-a-century pandemic, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the history of human civilization is also one of fighting diseases and disasters. Virus does not respect borders, nor does it distinguish between races. Humankind is a community with a shared future, and solidarity and cooperation is the most powerful weapon to defeat COVID-19.
With global vision and responsibility as the leader of a major country, General Secretary Xi Jinping engaged in intensive diplomacy. He held 88 meetings or phone calls with world leaders and heads of international organizations and attended 23 multilateral events, including the Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit on COVID-19, the 20th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the 12th BRICS Summit, the 27th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and the 73rd World Health Assembly. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed building a global community of health for all, and called for fighting an all-out global war against COVID-19, making a collective response at the international level, supporting the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international organizations, and enhancing macroeconomic policy coordination. These proposals guided China's diplomatic outreach throughout this period, added new dimensions to China's relations with other countries, and helped to build the broadest possible consensus on fighting COVID-19 together. They were warmly received by the international community.
We have carried out anti-COVID diplomatic actions in the spirit of compassion and humanitarianism, demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility. As a Chinese saying aptly puts it, "A just cause finds great support and compassion knows no borders." Since the start, China has worked with WHO and the international community in an open, transparent, science-based and responsible manner. Being the first to report cases, China has since publicized key information including the genome sequencing and published guidelines for treatment and containment at the first opportunity. We have organized over 100 video meetings with experts of other countries and opened an online knowledge center for sharing experience of COVID response with all countries. We have firmly supported the lead role of WHO, and provided funding to the organization and the UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan.
At a time when our country was still grappling with the virus, we launched the largest humanitarian campaign since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. We have provided assistance to over 150 countries and 10 international organizations and sent 36 expert teams to 34 countries in need. As the world's largest manufacturer of medical supplies, we have provided countries around the world with over 220 billion masks, 2.3 billion protective suits and one billion testing kits. We have also advanced R&D collaboration on drugs and vaccines and cross-border prevention and control. These are but a few examples of China's strong desire to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
We have stood at the forefront of fighting for our country's rights and interests with firm and robust diplomacy. In everything we do, we bear in mind the big picture and the fundamental interests of our country. We have taken a clear stand against misguided US moves to politicize and label the virus and pushed back against the "political virus". We have refuted slanders and smears against China's political system and path and defended China's political system and the leadership of the Party.
We have thwarted attempts to meddle in China's internal affairs through issues relating to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet. We have upheld China's sovereign independence and the basic norms governing international relations. We have taken firm and proper steps in the handling of disputes over territorial boundaries and maritime rights and interests, resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. With justice on our side, we have exposed disinformation, scapegoating and blame-shifting and set the record straight, leaving behind an objective and truthful account of what has happened. We have taken firm counter-measures against unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction" on the spurious grounds of "national security", thereby protecting China's dignity and the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and citizens.
We have deepened opening-up and cooperation, reinforcing our commitment to mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. The tides of reform are sweeping across China. Reform and opening-up is accelerating across the board, as evidenced by the implementation of the new Foreign Investment Law and the further shortening of the negative list for foreign investment to just 33 items. With these steps, China is opening its door even wider to the world. We have set out to foster a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other. By vigorously boosting domestic demand, we are providing greater market opportunities for the world and broader space for international cooperation.
China's mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries has continued to move forward despite COVID-19, providing an important underpinning for global recovery. The Belt and Road cooperation has demonstrated great resilience and vitality. The China-Europe Railway Express has hit new records in both the number and the volume of freight services. It has been compared to a "steel camel fleet" that vigorously supported COVID response by countries along its route. At a high-level video conference on Belt and Road cooperation held recently, the participants agreed to work toward a Silk Road for Health, adding another building block to high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The third China International Import Expo was a success. It was attended by over 3,600 companies from more than 150 countries and regions and resulted in intended deals worth US$72.62 billion. The China market is increasingly becoming a boon for the world, shared by all and accessible to all.
We have advanced relations with major countries in a holistic manner, upholding the overall framework for strategic stability. Mutual trust is essential in major-country relations. The unity and friendship between China and Russia is rock-firm and unbreakable. General Secretary Xi Jinping has had five phone calls with President Vladimir Putin, which guided the continuous growth of China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. The two countries have steadily enhanced cooperation in COVID response and many other areas, and worked in concert to uphold the victorious outcome of World War II as well as international fairness and justice. Together, China and Russia have become pillars of stability in a fluid international landscape.
Celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties, China and the European Union (EU) have strengthened coordination and cooperation, deepened mutual trust, upheld multilateralism and tackled global challenges together. The two sides signed an agreement on geographical indications and decided to build partnerships for green and digital cooperation. Negotiations for the China-EU investment agreement were concluded on schedule. Closer cooperation in all these areas is adding new dimensions to the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.
The past year witnessed the most challenging situation in China-US relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties over four decades ago. In response to US bullying and provocations, China took justified, firm and proportionate counter-measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty, security and development interests, to firmly uphold the norms of international relations and international fairness and justice, and to vigorously safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of many countries, developing countries in particular. In the meantime, China's policy toward the United States is stable and consistent. Determined and cool-headed, China has handled and managed its differences with the US in a constructive fashion, and made its contributions to strategic stability in the international system.
We have deepened and expanded partnerships, taking global cooperation to a higher level. Solidarity and mutual help are crucial in trying times. During 2020, we took new steps toward building a community with a shared future with our neighbors. We realized a stable transition in China-Japan relations despite a change of administration, handled China-India relations with prudence, and engaged in productive cooperation with the Republic of Korea on resuming economic interactions in the context of COVID-19. General Secretary Xi Jinping's visit to Myanmar ushered in a new era for the bilateral ties. Building a community with a shared future has become a broad consensus in Asia-Pacific cooperation. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was signed. This major development, together with China's announcement of favorably considering joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), are a strong boost to confidence in eventually building a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific. Premier Li Keqiang attended the leaders' meetings for East Asian cooperation. China and ASEAN marked a historic milestone of becoming each other's largest trading partners. China and the five Central Asian countries launched a mechanism of foreign ministerial meeting.
Solidarity and cooperation between China and other developing countries showed new vibrancy. The Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 was a success. There were productive interactions under dialogue mechanisms with Latin American and Caribbean countries and with Arab states. China supported other developing countries with needed medical and other supplies, and pushed for the accessibility and affordability of COVID vaccines in the developing world. China also took an active part in developing and implementing the G20's Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI), and co-hosted with the UN a high-level video conference on poverty eradication and South-South cooperation. From fighting the coronavirus and restoring the economy to building a shared future, China worked closely with its neighbors and fellow developing countries, thus enhancing mutual solidarity and friendship through a challenging period.
We have pushed global governance forward against all odds, demonstrating the power of multilateralism. As the saying goes, one needs to stand tall and see far, through the obscuring mist. In the face of pushback and setbacks to global governance, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made China's proposition clear at several major multilateral meetings. He elaborated on China's firm commitment to multilateralism, to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and to building a community with a shared future for mankind. pointing the way forward for the global governance reform.
Working with the rest of the international community, China has firmly upheld the international system with the UN at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the multilateral trading regime with the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the cornerstone. We have supported efforts to bring more democracy to international relations and make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all.
China has followed the tide of history. It has taken part in international cooperation on climate change in a responsible manner, and undertaken to strive to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. This is China's contributions to global ecological preservation. In the same spirit, China has proposed a Global Initiative on Data Security aimed at fostering an international cyberspace featuring peace, security, openness and cooperation.
China has stood on the side of international justice. It has firmly upheld the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear issue and put forward a constructive proposal of building a platform for multilateral dialogue for the Gulf region. China has continued to advocate the phased and synchronized approach to achieve the two goals of denuclearization and establishment of a peace mechanism on the Korean Peninsula. China has supported advancing intra-Afghan talks and mediated between Bangladesh and Myanmar in addressing their disagreements. Through these efforts, China has explored a distinctive Chinese way of resolving hotspot issues.
We have worked all out to serve the development of our country, breaking new ground in people-centered diplomacy. The people's wish is what we should strive for. In the early days of the epidemic, we helped mobilize life-saving medical supplies from around the world to address the pressing needs back home. With infections rising globally, we worked with fellow Chinese at home and abroad to build a strong line of defense at our borders and preserve the hard-won gains in containing COVID-19 at home. As the economy gradually reopened, we took creative steps to open "fast tracks" and "green lanes" for the movement of people and goods, which has helped to keep industrial and supply chains stable and open and bolster domestic economic recovery and social development.
We have stayed committed to the people-centered principle in our work, kept in mind the safety and well-being of every fellow countryman and woman abroad, and carried out consular protection missions across the world. We urged the governments of host countries to pay more attention to addressing the difficulties encountered by overseas Chinese citizens. We set up online telemedicine platforms and offered prompt support to those infected. We delivered more than 1.2 million health kits to overseas Chinese students, sent emergency medical supplies to our nationals in 100-plus countries, and arranged over 350 ad hoc flights to bring home stranded fellow countrymen. With our consular protection hotline 12308 operating 24/7, we have extended the bond of love linking overseas Chinese with their motherland to every corner of the world, and conveyed the solicitude of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to everyone.
The year 2021 will be a year of historic importance in China's national rejuvenation. It will be the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China and the inaugural year of China's 14th Five-Year Plan. China will embark on a new journey toward fully building a modern socialist country and realizing its Second Centenary Goal.
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, we in the diplomatic service will build on our past achievements and continue to forge ahead. We will explore new opportunities and break new ground amid crises and changes, and make new contributions to realizing China's national rejuvenation and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
We will stick to the overall direction of our diplomatic work. Adhering to the CPC leadership and socialism with Chinese characteristics is a built-in, defining feature of China's diplomacy. We will unswervingly strengthen the Party's centralized, unified leadership in foreign-related work and wholeheartedly serve presidential diplomacy to demonstrate the unique appeal of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era. As we celebrate the 100th birthday of the CPC, we will better communicate to the world the CPC's track record of governance, the Chinese people's extraordinary journey toward the Chinese dream, and China's commitment to peaceful development. Through better communications, we hope the world will get a more accurate understanding of the CPC's original aspiration and mission and of socialism with Chinese characteristics. China will increase friendly interactions with the rest of the world to enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust between the Chinese and the peoples around the world.
We will do our best to serve our national development strategies. We will foster a keen awareness of the features of China's new development stage and promote the new development philosophy. We will better integrate the domestic and international markets and resources to create a favorable external environment for fostering a new development paradigm and launching the 14th Five-Year Plan. We will support both epidemic control on an ongoing basis and economic and social development. While locking in the gains in fighting COVID-19, we will open more "fast tracks" for travel and "green lanes" for shipments of cargo, establish joint pandemic response mechanisms with more countries, and advance global vaccine cooperation. We will host a new round of events to present Chinese provinces and economically important regions that have emerged stronger from the test of COVID-19, and help build bridges with the world for the opening and development of our country and its different localities. We will develop an all-round consular network to protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese citizens and institutions.
We will keep fostering a new type of international relations. We will deepen comprehensive strategic coordination with Russia to form a bulwark for peace, security and strategic stability in the world. We will work for an upgrade in our relations with Europe by enhancing mutual trust, increasing consensus and expanding practical cooperation. A US return to a more sensible China policy should be encouraged. We hope the US will work with China to review experience and lessons and, on that basis, reopen dialogue, resume cooperation and rebuild trust. It is time for the two countries to jointly build a strategic framework for the sound and steady growth of the bilateral relations and find a path for countries of different social systems to live in peace.
We will take solid steps to advance international and regional cooperation. We will work for the early entry into force of the RCEP agreement, push forward the China-Japan-ROK free trade process, and advance the building of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Economic Development Belt. We believe these efforts will help cultivate greater awareness of an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future. We will step up the building of China-Africa, China-Arab and China-Latin America and Caribbean communities with a shared future to enhance China's solidarity and friendship with fellow developing countries. We will contribute our share to the poverty alleviation, debt reduction and disaster mitigation of other developing countries, and support them in building capacity for self-generated development. We will keep our commitment to make COVID-19 vaccines, once available, a global public good.
We will scale up openness and cooperation. China will stay committed to fostering a new system of open economy of higher standards to fully unlock the potential of its vast market and domestic demand. China will contribute to global recovery with its own development and share more development opportunities with the world. China will stay firmly opposed to protectionism of whatever forms, and work with other countries to keep the global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth as part of an open world economy. We will advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and accelerate the development of the health Silk Road, digital Silk Road and green Silk Road to benefit more countries and peoples.
We will take a proactive part in the reform of global governance. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of China's lawful seat at the UN and the 20th anniversary of its accession to the WTO. China will continue to uphold multilateralism, follow the principles of openness and inclusiveness, carry out mutually beneficial cooperation, and move forward with the times. We will give full play to the central position and role of UN agencies in international affairs. As the host of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity next year, China will endeavor to make the meeting a success and join other parties in exploring new strategies for global biodiversity governance and building a shared future for all life on Earth. China will enhance cooperation within the frameworks of the G20, APEC, the SCO and BRICS to address global challenges such as climate change, cybersecurity and public health. We will call for joint efforts to draw up rules on global digital governance and develop a more equitable global governance system.
We will endeavor to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Since General Secretary Xi Jinping propose the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, the initiative has been constantly enriched both at the conceptual level and in diplomatic practices. From China's old friends to new cooperation partners, from China's neighborhood to the wider regions of Asia, Africa and Latin America, and from bilateral relations to multilateral issues, this important vision has been expanded in both scope and depth, and gained growing understanding and support. We will continue to call on all countries to rise above differences of ideology, social systems and development stages, uphold the values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom shared by all countries, and work together for an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity.
Having reached the centennial milestone, we will remain true to our original aspiration and step up to our responsibilities for the great journey ahead. We in the diplomatic service will rally more closely behind the Party Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping at its core, keep firmly in mind the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, uphold the leadership core and keep in alignment, reaffirm confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position in both the CPC Central Committee and the CPC as a whole and uphold the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Central Committee. Bearing in mind our mission of striving for the well-being of the Chinese people and contributing to the progress of humankind, we will continue to shoulder our responsibilities for our country and for the world, open new ground in advancing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and make new and bigger contributions to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
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Brian Marchini October 5, 2019 no Comments
In this paper, we discuss the cognitive learning strategy of game based cooperative learning in its many forms. Discussions include the benefits and challenges associated with this strategy, and we review a detailed example of its use within a high school classroom environment.
Game based cooperative learning is a cognitive learning strategy that employs the use of games as the delivery mechanism for education. There are many different approaches to incorporating games into education including role-playing games (Jong 2013), competitive trivia games (Bicen 2018), traditional video games incorporating educational elements (Huang 2013), simulation games (Anderson 2012), et al.
By itself, gamification is a learning strategy where the focus is to improve the motivation of students through motivation (Banikowski & Mehring, 2017). This can be accomplished by playing on the brain’s reward system of dopamine delivery when goals or milestones are reached which further drives students to continue seeking new rewards. This feedback loop acts as a hook that strongly engages the student to maintain their motivation and attention on reaching escalating higher levels of accomplishments.
Bin-Shyan Jong (Jong 2013) focused on several components necessary to for a success game based cooperative approach. First, the type of game needs to be tailored to age and learning needs. For example, elementary students tend to have more engagement with individualized environments while college students thrive in environments that incorporate a social, cooperative component having developed a higher level of social skills. Meanwhile, highschool students can incorporate some social aspects, but they also need incorporation of mixed media components in order to be fully engaged. Jong further states that for every age group, game based learning needs to be informal in nature (Jong 2013).
Diane Ketelhut (Ketelhut & Schifter, 2011) notes that today’s students are born and raised in a world where technology and access of information is common place, and as such, students prefer to learn multiple concepts in parallel in contrast to the traditional classroom which uses a more sequenced approach to education. She states that game based learning more closely aligns with how these newer generations prefer to learn (Ketelhut & Schifter, 2011).
While game based learning appears to improve learning in students when done correctly, many educators are apprehensive to adopt this strategy into their lesson plans for a variety of reasons including a lack of technical skills needed to a misunderstanding of the necessary components (Ketelhut & Schifter, 2011). To address this concern, Ketelhut advocates a “train-the-trainer model” having faculty teach fellow faculty members rather than having this come down as a new directive from school administrations. Taking this approach has shown a much higher level of adoption among faculty and subsequent inclusion within the classroom (Ketelhut & Schifter, 2011).
Paul Andersen (Anderson, 2012) was honored as the Teacher of the Year in 2011 in Montana and as a finalist for the National Teacher of the Year in 2011. Anderson graduated from Montana State University and teaches AP Biology. Anderson began by investigating how students cooperated together when he left them alone to play Angry Birds in his classroom, and he was surprised by the levels of fun and cooperation used by his students. Seeing how excited his students were to cooperatively play games, he developed a game based curriculum for the following year.
Anderson designed his game to allow students to move at their own pace with a focus on mastery through repeated attempts rather than focusing solely on initial success. He accomplished this by creating a game “level up” component that continually challenged students. In addition, he focused on learning by making grade accumulation gradual in aligned with the gaming levels rather than telling them they all started with a perfect score with points lost as the semester progressed.
His game, Biohazard 5, included both a narrative and social component where the students worked in the same environment and could see each other progress. In order to maintain an adaptive pace, he created podcasts for lessons that the students were able to access after prerequisite level completion. He also incorporated activities from the game into the classroom with an emphasis on their application in the real world (Anderson, 2012).
To emphasize learning through failure, Anderson promoted immediate feedback and adaption from the students by allowing repeated attempts at quizzes with no penalty. He had them start the game at level zero, referred to as “Primordial Soup” and built their way up by level ranks such as “Dumbo Octopus” or “Mountain Gorilla (Anderson, 2012). Students seeing their rank in comparison to their peers which fostered both cooperation and competitiveness.
While Anderson had a great deal of success in terms of engagement, there were some faults in his initial approach. His approach was to allow to students independence in their progress, and while some students found success in this, other students who struggled fell behind as a result of a lack of pacing structure. Furthermore, students whose learning preference skewed towards visual learning struggled as most materials were text based. Most importantly, he began by focusing on individual learning, but given that humans are social in nature, he found that he had more success later in the program with the incorporation of more social aspects (Anderson, 2012)
Impacts on learning
Anderson states that the key benefit of game based learning is that it makes learning fun (Anderson, 2012). It encourages failures as positive steps toward success as opposed the traditional system which tends to focus solely on success. In the standard classroom approach, pacing is aligned with the average learning which leads to frustration for some challenged learners and boredom for faster learning. He states that this approach helped solve the problem associated with this pacing challenge. In addition, Anderson states that the greatest driver for continued student achievement was through the competitive checking of the classroom ranking system which motivated students to advance more quickly through levels (Anderson, 2012).
Jong notes students are more likely to review concepts that relate to goals of the game, and given the nature of games, the instant feedback provided by a game allows students to adjust your future strategies and approaches. In addition to this benefits, a cooperative approach also encourages students to work together on a solution by sharing their own successes and missteps. Jong agrees with Anderson in that students tend to thrive in situations where learning is informal and social in nature.
Nienke Vos (Vos, van der Meijden, & Denessen, 2011) suggests that game based cooperation introduces several additional benefits for learning. Vos suggests that students develop a sense of mutual dependency that spurs on group discussion. These group discussions often lead to what Vos describes as “deep learning” (Vos, van der Meijden, & Denessen, 2011, p. 128). When deep learning occurs, students need to fully understand the concept in order to apply it to other application with member interaction and peer assistance filing in any gaps in information. This leads to students having a much stronger overall grasp of the course concepts.
In conclusion, cooperative game based learning is a strategy that promotes students to work together in either collaboration or competition to achieve goals with learning being the tools needed for success. This approach inspires motivation through emotion and creates a learning environment that is both engaging and fun. Difficulties of this approach include the level of set up needed as well as the buy-in of faculty.
Works Referenced
Anderson, P. (2012). Classroom Game Design: Paul Andersen at TEDxBozeman [YouTube Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qlYGX0H6Ec
Banikowski, A. K., & Mehring, T. A. (2017). Strategies to Enhance Memory Based on Brain-Research. Focus on Exceptional Children, 32(2). https://doi.org/10.17161/fec.v32i2.6772
Bicen, H., & Kocakoyun, S. (2018). Perceptions of Students for Gamification Approach: Kahoot as a Case Study. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (IJET), 13(02), 72. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v13i02.7467
Herbet, S. (2018). The Power of Gamification in Education | Scott Hebert | TEDxUAlberta [YouTube Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOssYTimQwM
Jong, B.-S., Chien-Hung Lai, C.-H., Hsia, Y.-T., Lin, T.-W., & Lu, C.-Y. (2013). Using Game-Based Cooperative Learning to Improve Learning Motivation: A Study of Online Game Use in an Operating Systems Course. IEEE Transactions on Education, 56(2), 183–190. https://doi.org/10.1109/te.2012.2207959
Ke, F., & Grabowski, B. (2007). Gameplaying for maths learning: cooperative or not? British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(2), 249–259. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00593.x
Ketelhut, D. J., & Schifter, C. C. (2011). Teachers and game-based learning: Improving understanding of how to increase efficacy of adoption. Computers & Education, 56(2), 539–546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.10.002 Vos, N., van der Meijden, H., & Denessen, E. (2011). Effects of constructing versus playing an educational game on student motivation and deep learning strategy use. Computers & Education, 56(1), 127–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.08.013
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HomeACTIVITIESExplore the emirates
Oct. 03, 2019 at 11:17 am
Explore the emirates
ACTIVITIES 1 year ago no commentAjmanAl Hajar MountainsBurj KhalifaJebel Jais FlightMleihaSir Bani YasUmm Al Quwain
From breathtaking natural wonders to architectural marvels, discover the seven wonders of the UAE’s seven emirates
The UAE is home to a diverse landscape, boasting everything from scenic desert dunes stretching for miles to record-breaking man-made structures piercing the sky. Add to it the stunning coast surrounding the region and the avenues to explore are endless. Best of all, some of the country’s wonders, natural and man-made, are within easy reach and there’s hardly the need to travel far to find them.
/ Dubai: Burj Khalifa
It’s impossible to mention Dubai without this towering landmark springing to mind. A true architectural feat, this gleaming skyscraper, the tallest in the world, stands at an incredible 828 metres. Taking a mere five years to construct, Burj Khalifa officially opened in 2010 and is home to the world’s highest restaurant, At.mosphere, on level 122, the highest observation deck with an outdoor terrace, Burj Khalifa SKY, on level 148 as well as the world’s highest lounge, The Lounge, on level 154.
/ Abu Dhabi: Sir Bani Yas Island
Just a short seaplane flight or boat trip off the main island is one of the capital’s most precious gems. Cherished by the country’s founder, the late Sheikh Zayed, Sir Bani Yas Island is a protected nature reserve, home to an array of wildlife. Here, visitors can embark on a safari, in true African-fashion, and encounter indigenous Arabian oryx and gazelles, in addition to giraffes, cheetahs and hyenas. Boasting more than 10,000 animals roaming freely in the natural habitat, these desert-dwelling creatures take up more than half the island.
/ Ras Al Khaimah: Jebel Jais Flight
Soaring 1,680 metres above the ground on the world’s longest zip line has become a bucket-list item for adrenaline enthusiasts in the country. Set amidst the UAE’s highest mountain, Jebel Jais Flight sees thrill seekers tearing through the air at a speed of up to 150 kilometres per hours. The 2.8-kilometre zip line takes just two to three minutes to complete but offers the rush of mountain winds and the stunning vistas as you fly through the skies.
/ Umm Al Quwain: Wetlands
A truly spectacular spot, the wetlands of Umm Al Quwain are a nature lover’s wonderland. Surrounded by several little islands, the spot attracts thousands of birds as well as other wildlife. For an even closer look at this emirate’s thriving eco-system, explore this picturesque setting by boat or kayak through the mangroves.
/ Sharjah: Mleiha Archaeological Centre
From Bronze Age tombs to stargazing opportunities, Mleiha Archaeological Centre is a historical treasure trove. Tucked away in the picturesque setting of Sharjah’s golden desert, the centre gives an insight into life dating back to the Paleolithic period and delves into the region’s history spanning millions of years. Through exhibits, interactive displays, artefacts and more, visitors can uncover the past of the UAE’s bedouins. From flora and fauna workshops to fossil hunting, and even space camp, there are activities for children and adults, exploring the region’s history from sea to sky.
/ Fujairah: Al Hajar Mountains
Located on the country’s east coast, this mountain range, with its ocean proximity, is the perfect destination for the outdoor lover. With some interesting and challenging hikes, coursing through rocky terrains, past farms and ruins, and the area’s rare wild inhabitants, it could be mistaken for walking on the moon. There is little greenery but the setting is magical in its vastness.
/ Ajman: Ajman Museum
Despite being the smallest emirate in the UAE, Ajman’s laid-back vibe and sprawling beach means it has plenty to offer. Much like its neighbouring emirates, the city also has a proud heritage to share. Gain an inside look at the city’s past with a visit to Ajman Museum. Housed in an 18th-century fort, it is brimming with an eclectic range of photographs, manuscripts, weapons, archaeological artefacts as well as reconstructions of the region’s traditional way of life.
Tags :AjmanAl Hajar MountainsBurj KhalifaJebel Jais FlightMleihaSir Bani YasUmm Al Quwain
Get the weekend rolling
ACTIVITIESESCAPESWHAT'S NEW
Letisha Pereira 2 hours ago
ACTIVITIESWHAT'S NEW
Calum Scott set to perform at Dubai Opera
Enjoy all-day access to Laguna Waterpark for AED50
Palazzo Versace Dubai unveils a new live act
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Home Air DRDO’s AAD Endo-atmospheric Ballistic Missile Interceptor Hits Bullseye
DRDO’s AAD Endo-atmospheric Ballistic Missile Interceptor Hits Bullseye
Saurav Jha
After demonstrating a hit-to-kill interception with its PDV exo-atmospheric anti-ballistic missile (ABM) missile in February, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has followed up that success by executing an intercept mission with its AAD endo-atmospheric interceptor earlier today. The AAD test vehicle achieved a terminal intercept of the target missile at an altitude of 15 km. The AAD configuration for this test was similar to what would be offered for production and deployment. DRDO believes that this test takes Phase-I of India’s Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) very close to the finish line.
Today’s intercept mission was as an explosive intercept, with the pre-fragmented warhead on-board the AAD being made to explode using the missile’s radio proximity fuze (RPF).
AAD was initially guided by its on-board inertial navigation system (INS) which received continuous updates about the incoming target’s trajectory from ground-based radars through a secure data link. After that, a radio frequency (RF) seeker in AAD’s nose cone section tracked the target while an intercept course was plotted by its on-board computer (OBC)
The single-stage target missile (see the image below) used in this test is based on a Prithvi booster and is capable of mimicking the re-entry characteristics of a medium range ballistic missile (MRBM). In order to successfully simulate the angle of attack and re-entry velocity usually associated with a MRBM, this target missile has an apogee greater than that of a standard member of the Prithvi missile family. Incidentally, the target missile also boasts a ring-laser gyroscope (RLG) based INS.
Image: The target missile takes off
About AAD
Image: AAD takes off for today’s mission
AAD is a single-stage missile powered by solid propellants delivering high specific impulse values. The missile has a length of 7.32 metres, diameter of 420 mm and a weight of 1275 kg. Its guidance package has a fibre optic gyroscope (FOG) with 0.1 degree/hr drift at the heart of an INS which receives updates from ground based radars such as the Long Range Tracking Radar (LRTR) and the Multi-function Fire Control Radar (MFCR). Both of these radars were initially developed by DRDO’s Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), Bengaluru with foreign collaboration. For the end-game, AAD uses a RF seeker with considerable tracking range. AAD can intercept targets at altitudes between 15 to 25 km. In the course of flight, AAD achieves high supersonic speeds and the efficacy of its thermal protection systems as well that of its actuation system has been demonstrated repeatedly.
The version of the LRTR used in today’s AAD mission is an L-band array that can track a ballistic target with a radar cross section (RCS) of 0.1 sqm from over 1500 km away. MFCR, which is a S-band array has a tracking range of over 370 km for a target with a RCS of 0.3 sqm. Both radars are capable of variable track rates.
The ground based launch control elements for AAD are the same as that for PDV.
The Mobile Launcher
Today’s test was conducted from a mobile launcher that can house a total of 6 AAD interceptors in canisterized configuration (see the video below). The launcher has been built by Tata Power SED and can also be used to launch the Prahar short range surface to surface missile which has air frame commonality with AAD. Overall, today’s AAD was tested in what is essentially going to be its deployed system configuration. (Although, only one canister was loaded onto the launcher frame for today’s test.)
As such, scientists associated with Programme AD i.e India’s BMD programme overseen by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat seem quite upbeat about the progress of their recent efforts. A couple of more AAD trials are likely to conducted in the coming months after which the Government of India will take a final call on ordering the system for serial production.
All photos courtesy DRDO
Ballistic Missile Defense
Indigenization
LRDE
MRBM
Programme AD
SRBM
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Pig In The Eagle's Shadow
I have no idea how this slipped past my radar until today (except for the fact that I live in total oblivion to almost everything) but back in 2008 Portland Grindhouse founder and unwavering champion of exploitation cinema Dan Halsted was mistaken for a graffiti "tagger" while walking home from a pub and unceremoniously tackled from behind by police on a dark Northeast Portland city street. The cops failed to introduce themselves or even ID him before throwing him to the ground and tasing him five times (FIVE TIMES! The generally recommended maximum use of force with a taser is no more than three times). Naturally, after the beating Dan was arrested for resisting arrest. Read the story here. Yesterday the City of Portland quietly agreed to pay Dan $250,000 in damages under the condition that Dan not pursue any further action against the city. In court the City of Portland's attorney attempted to use Dan's love for kung fu films and his Portland Grindhouse events as evidence that he is prone to violence. If you've ever met Dan you know the only person he's ever threatened are the assholes who heckle the movie screen during Don't Go In The House (1980). Portland Grindhouse just got about $250,000 richer! By the way, don't miss Squirm (1976) when it returns to the bigscreen on May 29th!
Black Vomit Of Doom said...
Goddamn that's fucked up. I would sue the hell out of those fuckers. Glad he is alright. Don't Go In The House rules by the way.
SWXIII said...
First time I ever googled Dan that image/story popped up. Ever since, I just assumed that the settlement is how he afforded the purchase of the Vancouver film trove. Seeing as though the settlement is just now being reached, I stand corrected.
Dennis Dread said...
Rian: Actually, the story of how Dan launched Grindhouse is way more interesting and AWESOME than getting beat up by cops. Most of his films were salvaged from the basement of the former Shaw Brothers theater in Vancouver, BC. It's any film collector's wet dream. Check out the story: salvagingshaolin.blogspot.
Neil O. said...
Too bad he didn't hold out for more. I guess 250 large is hard to turn down when it's in your hand. Good story. Squirm huh... I remember that on TV back in the late 70's, on a Saturday afternoon. Ahead of its time.
Stefan Poag said...
I guess I can understand why a cop who gets in trouble for having attacked someone at random makes up a story to try to cover his own ass (I don't like it or accept it; I just understand why it happens), but how do you make the initial mistake that led to the tasering and beat-down?
The idea that the cops are tasering and beating people for painting on a wall is indefensible --- but the idea that they say that they tasered and beat him because they thought he was someone who had painted on a wall --- where is the logic in that?
The most sinister aspect of this story for me is how the attorney attempted to present Dan's interest in violent/exploitation cinema (i.e. art) as a character flaw that somehow justified the police officers' totally inappropriate use of excessive force and wrongful arrest. Remember, this dude didn't actually break any laws. He was walking home from a bar.
The idea that the victim likes movies is used to attempt to justify the fact that he was beaten for no reason makes it much worse... it would have been much less scary if they just said, "We messed up." But after I heard that a woman in Florida was arrested for 'child pornography' because she took a photo of her husband giving their infant daughter a bath, I guess I'm surprised that the mendacity of people in power still surprises me.
WALPURGISNACHT ON THE LEFT
MYTHOLOGICAL METAL MONSTERS
HEMISPHERE OF SHADOWS
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Longwood Central School District » Community » Longwood Journey » Time Periods » Civil War » Homan, William
WILLIAM HOMAN
57th New York Volunteers
Company I
57th New York Volunteers, Company I
William Homan was born in Yaphank on December 3, 1839. He worked as a farmer until he enlisted in the army at the age of twenty-one. At that time, Homan stood five feet nine inches tall and had brown eyes and black hair. When he applied for a pension many years later, he wrote, "I enlisted in Company I 57th NY Volunteers May 7th 1861. I was mustered in US service on August 14, 1861 at Dobbs Ferry."
The 57th NY Volunteers spent two months organizing in New York City, beginning August 12, 1861. On November 14, the regiment left by rail for Camp Wilder in Washington, D.C. The 57th broke camp on November 28 and marched to Camp California in Virginia singing "Dixie" as they marched. Homan finally received his first army pay while at Camp California.
On March 3, 1862, the 57th began a three-day march to Manassas in Virginia. The regimental band played as the men sang the Star Spangled Banner and Yankee Doodle while they marched. Their time in Manassas was uneventful. In May, they moved to Fair Oaks, Virginia. While there, Homan visited the camp hospital from May 14-17 where he was treated for diarrhea.
By this time, President Lincoln and General McClellan had decided that the Army of the Potomac would enter Virginia by way of a peninsula southeast of Richmond. Known as the Peninsula Campaign, their goal was to capture Richmond.
The 57th began a series of battles with Confederate forces on June 1, 1862. Homan was with the regiment at Fair Oaks where they lost seven men and eleven were wounded. Soon after, he came down with typhoid fever, and was admitted to the hospital from June 13-21.
Homan returned to the unit in time to participate in the Seven Days' Battle, which began at Gaines Mill and ended at Malvern Hill. Even though Union forces defeated General Robert E. Lee's forces at Malvern Hill, they were unable to capture Richmond. As a result, they were forced to pull back. The Seven Days' Battle resulted in over 16,000 Union casualties and 20,000 Confederate casualties. The 57th suffered fifty-two casualties.
In September of 1862, Robert E. Lee, feeling confident after his decisive victory over the Federals at the second battle of Bull Run, decided to move northward. He crossed the Potomac into Maryland, hoping to bring that border state into the Confederacy. Union General George McClellan moved his forces to meet this challenge. On September 17, 1862, both armies met at a place called Sharpsburg.
Main Street in Sharpsburg. Robert E. Lee and his troops marched down this street on their way to Antietam Creek.
The 57th engaged in combat on Thursday, September 17, at a place known locally as the Sunken Road. The road had been worn down over the years by the weight of wagons and by erosion so that it lay several feet below the bordering fields. Sunken Road at first made a perfect rifle trench for concealed Confederate troops. By the end of the day, however, it acquired a new name, Bloody Lane.
Corporal Joel Ruland of Manorville. Ruland was one of several local men, who enlisted in Company I, of the 57th New York. Ruland was killed in action at Antietam. A soldier next to Ruland heard him exclaim "My God I am dead" as he was shot. Photo from the collection of Nate Carter.
Union troops, led by the 69th NY, advanced on the Sunken Road and their concealed enemy. As they closed in, the Confederates opened a deadly fire into Union troops. The 69th suffered 540 casualties and were forced from the field. A hill overlooking the Sunken Road gave Union soldiers a clear firing zone into the Confederate trenches. As a result, the Confederates suffered staggering losses. With Confederate losses mounting, Union forces, including the 57th NY, charged across the Sunken Road.
Confederate dead piled up on "Bloody Lane."
On June 29, 1863, the 57th NY began a two-day forced march to Gettysburg. On July 2, the second day of the battle, they were deployed to the left center of Cemetery Ridge. Earlier in the day, General Dan Sickles, commander of the III Corps, made a controversial move with his troops. Seeking higher ground, he moved his troops forward to the Emmitsburg Road, far in front of Union lines. This move left his right flank exposed. Confederate forces were able to break through, crossing a peach orchard, the woods, and the Wheatfield, to a little stream called Plum Run. Here they ran into Union reserves and a fierce battle ensued.
At 4:00 in the afternoon, the 57th NY received orders to engage the enemy. General Samuel Zook led the 57th across the Wheatfield under intense fire. During this initial charge, Zook was shot and killed. The Wheatfield was the scene of intense fighting, and control of the field changed many times. Combat was so close that it was often hand to hand fighting. At one point, the Confederates were pushed back into the woods; they regrouped and pushed the 57th back to a stone wall on the field. During this withdrawal, Homan was slightly wounded. Worse, he was captured. The 57th suffered thirty-four casualties that day at Gettysburg.
57th New York Regiment lined up during an ambulence drill. Members of the regiment are lined up behind the ambulances.
Homan spent the rest of the war, twenty months, in Confederate prisoner of war camps. He was first confined at Richmond, Virginia, and on March 14, 1863, he was moved to the infamous prison of war camp at Andersonville. Homan suffered greatly while there. The unsanitary conditions, poor food and constant exposure to the elements affected him the rest of his life. Homan was paroled from Andersonville on March 2, 1865. He was discharged from the army two months later, on May 8, 1865.
William Homan returned home to Yaphank. He married Isadore Hawkins just a few months later, in September of 1865, at the Middle Island Presbyterian Church. William and Isadore had two children: Effie, born in 1866; and Llewelyn, born in 1873.
When Homan applied for a pension after the war, his physician, Dr. Louis Terry, sent the following deposition:
Before the war William Homan enjoyed good health. But since his return from the service he has suffered a great deal from pectoral trouble and fever, which he no doubt contracted during the war and the result of continuous exposure and imprisonment for 20 months at Andersonville.
Homan returned to Gettysburg in 1893 for the unveiling of the monument of the 57th NY Volunteers. He and fifty-nine other members of his regiment received bronze medals for their participation in the Battle of Gettysburg.
In 1890, Homan moved from Yaphank to serve as the Postmaster in Brooklyn. He returned to Yaphank six years later, after retiring from the post office. His wife, Isadore, died in 1906. At the age of seventy-five, Homan married his second wife, Ruth Hammond, on September 9, 1914.
William Homan passed away January 7, 1920, at his home in Yaphank.
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Rivera-Martinez v. Kern County
United States District Court, E.D. California
CYNTHIA RIVERA-MARTINEZ and ARTURO MARTINEZ, Plaintiff,
KERN COUNTY, et al., Defendants.
SCHEDULING ORDER (Fed. R. Civ. P. 16)
JENNIFER L. THURSTON UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
I. Date of Scheduling Conference
II. Appearances of Counsel
Rebecca Lack appeared on behalf of Plaintiff.
Kathleen Rivera appeared on behalf of the County of Kern, the Department of Human Services, and Stephanie Meek.
Andrew Weiss appeared on behalf of Phillip Hyden.
III. Pleading Amendment Deadline
Any requested pleading amendments are ordered to be filed, either through a stipulation or motion to amend, no later than September 19, 2016.
IV. Discovery Plan and Cut-Off Date
The parties are ordered to exchange the initial disclosures required by Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(1) on or before July 8, 2016.[1]
The parties are ordered to complete all discovery pertaining to non-experts on or before March 10, 2017 and all discovery pertaining to experts on or before May 19, 2017.
The parties are directed to disclose all expert witnesses[2], in writing, on or before March 24, 2017, and to disclose all rebuttal experts on or before April 21, 2017. The written designation of retained and non-retained experts shall be made pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. Rule 26(a)(2), (A), (B), and (C) and shall include all information required thereunder. Failure to designate experts in compliance with this order may result in the Court excluding the testimony or other evidence offered through such experts that are not disclosed pursuant to this order.
The provisions of Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(b)(4) and (5) shall apply to all discovery relating to experts and their opinions. Experts must be fully prepared to be examined on all subjects and opinions included in the designation. Failure to comply will result in the imposition of sanctions, which may include striking the expert designation and preclusion of expert testimony.
The provisions of Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(e) regarding a party's duty to timely supplement disclosures and responses to discovery requests will be strictly enforced.
A mid-discovery status conference is scheduled for November 8, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. before the Honorable Jennifer L. Thurston, U.S. Magistrate Judge, located at 510 19th Street, Bakersfield, California. Counsel SHALL file a joint mid-discovery status conference report one week before the conference. Counsel also SHALL lodge the status report via e-mail to JLTorders@caed.uscourts.gov. The joint statement SHALL outline the discovery counsel have completed and that which needs to be completed as well as any impediments to completing the discovery within the deadlines set forth in this order. Counsel may appear via CourtCall, providing a written notice of the intent to appear telephonically is provided to the Magistrate Judge's Courtroom Deputy Clerk no later than five court days before the noticed hearing date.
V. Pre-Trial Motion Schedule
All non-dispositive pre-trial motions, including any discovery motions, shall be filed no later than June 2, 2017, and heard on or before June 30, 2017. Non-dispositive motions are heard before the Honorable Jennifer L. Thurston, United States Magistrate Judge at the United States Courthouse in Bakersfield, California.
No motion to amend or stipulation to amend the case schedule will be entertained unless it is filed at least one week before the first deadline the parties wish to extend. Likewise, no written discovery motions shall be filed without the prior approval of the assigned Magistrate Judge. A party with a discovery dispute must first confer with the opposing party in a good faith effort to resolve by agreement the issues in dispute. If that good faith effort is unsuccessful, the moving party promptly shall seek a telephonic hearing with all involved parties and the Magistrate Judge. It shall be the obligation of the moving party to arrange and originate the conference call to the court. To schedule this telephonic hearing, the parties are ordered to contact the Courtroom Deputy Clerk, Susan Hall, at (661) ...
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Cuevas v. Hartley
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Saul Garcia Cuevas, Petitioner-Appellant,
James D. Hartley, Warden, Avenal State Prison, Respondent-Appellee.
D.C. No. 2:10-cv-09775-VAP-MLG
Nathaniel H. Lipanovich, Stephen Rossi, and Michael G. Ermer, Irell & Manella LLP, Newport Beach, California, for Petitioner-Appellant.
Xiomara Costello, Deputy Attorney General; Kenneth C. Byrne, Supervising Deputy Attorney General; Lance E. Winters, Senior Assistant Attorney General; Gerald A. Engler, Chief Assistant Attorney General; Kamala D. Harris Attorney General; Office of the Attorney General, Los Angeles, California; for Respondent-Appellee.
Before: Alex Kozinski and Susan P. Graber, Circuit Judges, and Charles R. Breyer, [*] Senior District Judge.
SUMMARY[**]
The panel filed a published order granting an "Application to File an Oversized Replacement Answering Brief."
The panel granted the Application because of the complexity of the case and its procedural history, including the fact that the original brief answered a short pro se filing.
Dissenting, Judge Kozinski wrote that he does not consent to the filing of a fat brief because the state's motion is wholly inadequate. He wrote that in what has become a common and lamentable practice, lawyers, instead of getting leave to file an oversized brief before the deadline, wait for the last minute to file chubby briefs and dare this court to bounce them.
Because of the complexity of this case and its procedural history, including the fact that the original brief answered a short pro se filing, the "Application to File an Oversized Replacement Answering Brief" is GRANTED. The brief tendered July 25, 2016, is ordered filed.
Circuit Judge Kozinski, dissenting.
I do not consent to the filing of a fat brief because the state's motion is wholly inadequate. The state had previously filed a compliant brief that covered many of the same points, but we ordered replacement briefs in light of Daire v. Lattimore, 812 F.3d 766 (9th Cir. 2016) (en banc). The discussion of Daire in the state's oversized brief takes up only 3 pages; the state's lawyer gives no coherent explanation for why she needed to add 14 pages. The state mentions the complexity of the facts it wishes us to consider, but those facts were contained in the earlier version of the state's brief. Its remaining explanations are equally unconvincing. To me, it seems perfectly clear that the state filed an overly long brief because it thought it could get away with it.
This has become a common and rather lamentable practice: Instead of getting leave to file an oversized brief before the deadline, lawyers wait for the last minute to file chubby briefs and dare us to bounce them. Of course, it's hard to decide cases without a brief from one of the parties, and denying the motion usually knocks the briefing and argument schedule out of kilter. Denying the motion is thus more trouble than allowing the brief to be filed and putting up with the additional unnecessary pages. Sly lawyers take advantage of this institutional inertia to flout our page limits with impunity. This encourages disdain for our rules and penalizes lawyers, like petitioner's counsel, who make the effort to comply.
For my part, I don't feel bound to read beyond the 14, 000 words allowed by our rules, so I won't read past page 66 of the state's brief. If counsel for the state wishes me to consider any argument in the remaining portion of her brief, she should feel free to file a substitute brief, no longer than 14, 000 words, which I will read in lieu ...
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Vitalich v. Bank of New York Mellon
United States District Court, N.D. California, San Jose Division
JOHN VITALICH, Appellant,
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, fka BANK OF NEW YORK, Appellee.
ORDER AFFIRMING BANKRUPTCY COURT’S ORDER ON MOTION FOR AN ORDER CONFIRMING NO AUTOMATIC STAY IN EFFECT
BETH LABSON FREEMAN United States District Judge.
Debtor/Appellant John Vitalich, proceeding pro se, has appealed an order of the Bankruptcy Court holding that the automatic stay terminated on December 6, 2015 with respect to the interest of Appellee BNY Mellon[1] in certain property of the bankruptcy estate, specifically, a parcel of real property located in Seaside, California (“the Seaside property”). The appeal turns on the question of whether the Bankruptcy Court properly applied 11 U.S.C. § 362(c)(3)(A) to terminate the automatic stay not only as to the debtor and the debtor’s property, but also as to the property of the bankruptcy estate. For the reasons discussed below, the Bankruptcy Court’s order is AFFIRMED.
Vitalich has filed serial bankruptcy cases and adversary proceedings which have prevented BNY Mellon from foreclosing on the Seaside property for more than eight years. Vitalich filed the Chapter 11 petition in the current case on November 6, 2015. Petition, Appellee’s Suppl. Appx. Tab BDE #1, ECF 27-2.[2] On December 1, 2015, Vitalich filed a “Motion for an Order to Extend or Impose the Automatic Stay in Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362(c)(3) [or (4)], ” stating that absent further order of the Bankruptcy Court, the automatic stay would terminate on December 6, 2015. Motion for an Order to Extend or Impose the Automatic Stay, Appellee’s Suppl. Appx. Tab BDE #21, ECF 27-4. The statute referenced in the caption of Vitalich’s motion, 11 U.S.C. § 362(c)(3), provides in relevant part that when a debtor files a second bankruptcy case within one year after dismissal of an earlier bankruptcy case, the automatic stay “shall terminate with respect to the debtor on the 30th day after the filing of the later case.” 11 U.S.C. § 362(c)(3)(A). Upon the motion of any party in interest, and if notice is given and a hearing held before expiration of the thirty-day period, the court may extend the stay as to any or all creditors if the moving party demonstrates that the filing of the later case is in good faith as to the creditors to be stayed. 11 U.S.C. § 362(c)(3)(B).[3]
Vitalich stated in his motion before the Bankruptcy Court that he had filed a prior Chapter 11 case in August 2015 which had been dismissed in September 2015, less than one year before his filing of the current Chapter 11 case. Motion for an Order to Extend or Impose the Automatic Stay, Appellee’s Suppl. Appx. Tab BDE #21, ECF 27-4. Vitalich stated that as a result of the prior bankruptcy case, the automatic stay in the present case would terminate on December 6, 2016. Id. He requested that the Bankruptcy Court extend or impose the automatic stay as to all creditors. Id. The Bankruptcy Court denied Vitalich’s motion and his subsequent motion for reconsideration of that ruling. BR Docket, Appellee’s Suppl. Appx. Tab BDE DKT, ECF 27-1. Both the initial ruling and the denial of reconsideration were made orally on the record without written order. Id.
On December 8, 2015, BNY Mellon filed a motion seeking confirmation that under § 362(c)(3)(A) the automatic stay had terminated on December 6, 2015, thirty days after the filing of the present bankruptcy case. Motion for an Order Stating no Automatic Stay in Effect or, Alternatively, for Relief from Automatic Stay and Sanctions against the Debtor, Appellee’s Suppl. Appx. Tab BDE #30, ECF 27-6. BNY Mellon alternatively requested relief from the automatic stay. Id.
On December 31, 2015, the Bankruptcy Court issued the written order that is the subject of the present appeal, titled “Order on Motion for an Order Confirming No Automatic Stay in Effect.” Order on Motion for an Order Confirming No Automatic Stay in Effect, Appellee’s Suppl. Appx. Tab BDE #39, ECF 27-7. In that order the Bankruptcy Court held that “the automatic stay provisions of 11 U.S.C. § 362 expired on 12/6/15” with respect to BNY Mellon’s interest in the Seaside property, and that BNY Mellon “may complete its foreclosure of said real property and proceed with post-foreclosure remedies, including any unlawful detainer action.” Id. The Bankruptcy Court did not address BNY Mellon’s alternative request for relief from the automatic stay. Id.
Vitalich timely appealed the Bankruptcy Court’s order and elected to have the appeal heard by the district court rather than the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel. Notice of Appeal and Statement of Election, Appellee’s Suppl. Appx. Tab BDE #43, ECF 27-8. Both the Bankruptcy Court and this Court denied Vitalich’s motions for a stay pending appeal. Order on Debtor’s Motion for Stay Pending an Appeal, Appellee’s Suppl. Appx. Tab BDE #77, ECF 27-10; Order Denying Appellant’s Emergency Motion for Stay Pending Appeal, ECF 23. It is unclear whether BNY Mellon has foreclosed on the Seaside property or otherwise acted to enforce its interest in the property. The bankruptcy case is ongoing.
II.ISSUE PRESENTED
The single issue on appeal is whether the Bankruptcy Court erred as a matter of law in holding that the automatic stay expired as to the Seaside property, which is property of the bankruptcy estate, thirty days after the present bankruptcy case was filed. While Vitalich’s prior filings in the Bankruptcy Court reflected a belief that § 362(c)(3)(A) applied to the Seaside property, he now takes the position that § 362(c)(3)(A) terminates the automatic stay only as to the debtor and debtor’s property but not as to property of the estate.[4]
III. JURISDICTION
This Court has jurisdiction to hear appeals “from final judgments, orders, and decrees” of bankruptcy courts. 28 U.S.C. § 158(a)(1). The Ninth Circuit has “adopted a pragmatic approach to finality in bankruptcy . . . [that] emphasizes the need for immediate review, rather than whether the order is technically interlocutory.” In re Rosson, 545 F.3d 764, 769 (9th Cir. 2008) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted) (alterations in original). “[A] bankruptcy court order is considered to be final and thus appealable where it 1) resolves and seriously affects substantive rights and 2) finally determines the discrete issue to which it is addressed.” Id. (internal quotation marks and citation omitted) (alterations in original).
Neither party addresses the issue of whether the Bankruptcy Court’s Order on Motion for an Order Confirming No Automatic Stay in Effect is a final, appealable order, although BNY Mellon asserts conclusorily that this Court has jurisdiction over the appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 158. The Court has been unable to discover a case specifically addressing the appealability of a bankruptcy court’s order confirming termination of the automatic stay under § 362(c)(3)(A). Unpublished decisions of the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel (“BAP”) have treated such orders as appealable without discussion. See, e.g, In re Genaro, Nos. AK-06-1358-ZRB, 06-00198, 2007 WL 7535064 (9th Cir. BAP 2007). A published decision of the Ninth Circuit BAP addressed the proper interpretation of § 362(c)(3)(A) on appeal, but in the context of an appeal from the bankruptcy court’s order denying the debtor’s motion for damages for violation of the automatic stay, not in the context of a freestanding order confirming termination of the automatic stay. See In re Reswick, 446 B.R. 362 (9th Cir. BAP 2011).
This Court concludes that an order confirming termination of the automatic stay under § 362(c)(3)(A) is final and appealable, as such an order “resolves and seriously affects substantive rights” and “finally determines the discrete issue to which it is addressed.” See Rosson, 545 F.3d at 769. This conclusion is consistent with the cases cited above, and with Ninth Circuit cases holding that “[o]rders granting or denying relief from the automatic stay are deemed to be final orders.” In re Nat’l Envtl. Waste Corp., 129 F.3d 1052, 1054 (9th Cir. 1997). While the Bankruptcy Court’s order in this case did not grant or deny relief from the automatic stay, but rather confirmed its termination as a matter of law, the issues are so closely related that this Court is of the view that the Ninth Circuit likewise would conclude that orders confirming termination of the automatic stay under § 362(c)(3)(A) are final and appealable.
IV. ...
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Search result: 71 articles
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The Common Law Remedy of Habeas Corpus Through the Prism of a Twelve-Point Construct
Journal Erasmus Law Review, Issue 2 2021
Keywords Habeas corpus, common law, detainee, Consitution, liberty
Authors Chuks Okpaluba and Anthony Nwafor
AbstractAuthor's information
Long before the coming of the Bill of Rights in written Constitutions, the common law has had the greatest regard for the personal liberty of the individual. In order to safeguard that liberty, the remedy of habeas corpus was always available to persons deprived of their liberty unlawfully. This ancient writ has been incorporated into the modern Constitution as a fundamental right and enforceable as other rights protected by virtue of their entrenchment in those Constitutions. This article aims to bring together the various understanding of habeas corpus at common law and the principles governing the writ in common law jurisdictions. The discussion is approached through a twelve-point construct thus providing a brief conspectus of the subject matter, such that one could have a better understanding of the subject as applied in most common law jurisdictions.
Chuks Okpaluba
Chuks Okpaluba, LLB LLM (London), PhD (West Indies), is a Research Fellow at the Free State Centre for Human Rights, University of the Free State, South Africa. Email: okpaluba@mweb.co.za.
Anthony Nwafor
Anthony O. Nwafor, LLB, LLM, (Nigeria), PhD (UniJos), BL, is Professor at the School of Law, University of Venda, South Africa. Email: Anthony.Nwafor@univen.ac.za.
Authors Michael Lindemann and Fabienne Lienau
The article presents the status quo of the law of retrial in Germany and gives an overview of the law and practice of the latter in favour of the convicted and to the disadvantage of the defendant. Particularly, the formal and material prerequisites for a successful petition to retry the criminal case are subject to a detailed presentation and evaluation. Because no official statistics are kept regarding successful retrial processes in Germany, the actual number of judicial errors is primarily the subject of more or less well-founded estimates by legal practitioners and journalists. However, there are a few newer empirical studies devoted to different facets of the subject. These studies will be discussed in this article in order to outline the state of empirical research on the legal reality of the retrial procedure. Against this background, the article will ultimately highlight currently discussed reforms and subject these to a critical evaluation as well. The aim of the recent reform efforts is to add a ground for retrial to the disadvantage of the defendant for cases in which new facts or evidence indicate that the acquitted person was guilty. After detailed discussion, the proposal in question is rejected, inter alia for constitutional reasons.
Authors Katrien Verhesschen and Cyrille Fijnaut
The French ‘Code de procédure pénale’ provides the possibility to revise final criminal convictions. The Act of 2014 reformed the procedure for revision and introduced some important novelties. The first is that it reduced the different possible grounds for revision to one ground, which it intended to broaden. The remaining ground for revision is the existence of a new fact or an element unknown to the court at the time of the initial proceedings, of such a nature as to establish the convicted person’s innocence or to give rise to doubt about his guilt. The legislature intended judges to no longer require ‘serious doubt’. However, experts question whether judges will comply with this intention of the legislature. The second is the introduction of the possibility for the applicant to ask the public prosecutor to carry out the investigative measures that seem necessary to bring to light a new fact or an unknown element before filing a request for revision. The third is that the Act of 2014 created the ‘Cour de révision et de réexamen’, which is composed of eighteen judges of the different chambers of the ‘Cour de cassation’. This ‘Cour de révision et de réexamen’ is divided into a ‘commission d’instruction’, which acts as a filter and examines the admissibility of the requests for revision, and a ‘formation de jugement’, which decides on the substance of the requests. Practice will have to show whether these novelties indeed improved the accessibility of the revision procedure.
The Potential of Positive Obligations Against Romaphobic Attitudes and in the Development of ‘Roma Pride’
Keywords Roma, Travellers, positive obligations, segregation, culturally adequate accommodation
Authors Lilla Farkas and Theodoros Alexandridis
The article analyses the jurisprudence of international tribunals on the education and housing of Roma and Travellers to understand whether positive obligations can change the hearts and minds of the majority and promote minority identities. Case law on education deals with integration rather than cultural specificities, while in the context of housing it accommodates minority needs. Positive obligations have achieved a higher level of compliance in the latter context by requiring majorities to tolerate the minority way of life in overwhelmingly segregated settings. Conversely, little seems to have changed in education, where legal and institutional reform, as well as a shift in both majority and minority attitudes, would be necessary to dismantle social distance and generate mutual trust. The interlocking factors of accessibility, judicial activism, European politics, expectations of political allegiance and community resources explain jurisprudential developments. The weak justiciability of minority rights, the lack of resources internal to the community and dual identities among the Eastern Roma impede legal claims for culture-specific accommodation in education. Conversely, the protection of minority identity and community ties is of paramount importance in the housing context, subsumed under the right to private and family life.
Lilla Farkas
Lilla Farkas is a practising lawyer in Hungary and recently earned a PhD from the European University Institute entitled ‘Mobilising for racial equality in Europe: Roma rights and transnational justice’. She is the race ground coordinator of the European Union’s Network of Legal Experts in Gender Equality and Non-discrimination.
Theodoros Alexandridis
Theodoros Alexandridis is a practicing lawyer in Greece.
Transforming Hearts and Minds Concerning People with Disabilities: Viewing the UN Treaty Bodies and the Strasbourg Court through the Lens of Inclusive Equality
Keywords CRPD, Disability Discrimination, ECHR, Stereotypes, Interpersonal Relations
Authors Andrea Broderick
The entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) pushed state obligations to counter prejudice and stereotypes concerning people with disabilities to the forefront of international human rights law. The CRPD is underpinned by a model of inclusive equality, which views disability as a social construct that results from the interaction between persons with impairments and barriers, including attitudinal barriers, that hinder their participation in society. The recognition dimension of inclusive equality, together with the CRPD’s provisions on awareness raising, mandates that states parties target prejudice and stereotypes about the capabilities and contributions of persons with disabilities to society. Certain human rights treaty bodies, including the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and, to a much lesser extent, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, require states to eradicate harmful stereotypes and prejudice about people with disabilities in various forms of interpersonal relationships. This trend is also reflected, to a certain extent, in the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. This article assesses the extent to which the aforementioned human rights bodies have elaborated positive obligations requiring states to endeavour to change ‘hearts and minds’ about the inherent capabilities and contributions of people with disabilities. It analyses whether these bodies have struck the right balance in elaborating positive obligations to eliminate prejudice and stereotypes in interpersonal relationships. Furthermore, it highlights the convergences or divergences that are evident in the bodies’ approaches to those obligations.
Andrea Broderick
Andrea Broderick is Assistant Professor at the Universiteit Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Giving Children a Voice in Court?
Age Boundaries for Involvement of Children in Civil Proceedings and the Relevance of Neuropsychological Insights
Keywords age boundaries, right to be heard, child’s autonomy, civil proceedings, neuropsychology
Authors Mariëlle Bruning and Jiska Peper
In the last decade neuropsychological insights have gained influence with regard to age boundaries in legal procedures, however, in Dutch civil law no such influence can be distinguished. Recently, voices have been raised to improve children’s legal position in civil law: to reflect upon the minimum age limit of twelve years for children to be invited to be heard in court and the need for children to have a stronger procedural position.
In this article, first the current legal position of children in Dutch law and practice will be analysed. Second, development of psychological constructs relevant for family law will be discussed in relation to underlying brain developmental processes and contextual effects. These constructs encompass cognitive capacity, autonomy, stress responsiveness and (peer) pressure.
From the first part it becomes clear that in Dutch family law, there is a tortuous jungle of age limits, exceptions and limitations regarding children’s procedural rights. Until recently, the Dutch government has been reluctant to improve the child’s procedural position in family law. Over the last two years, however, there has been an inclination towards further reflecting on improvements to the child’s procedural rights, which, from a children’s rights perspective, is an important step forward. Relevant neuropsychological insights support improvements for a better realisation of the child’s right to be heard, such as hearing children younger than twelve years of age in civil court proceedings.
Mariëlle Bruning
Mariëlle Bruning is Professor of Child Law at Leiden Law Faculty, Leiden University.
Jiska Peper
Jiska Peper is Assistant professor in the Developmental and Educational Psychology unit of the Institute of Psychology at Leiden University.
Safeguarding the Dynamic Legal Position of Children: A Matter of Age Limits?
Reflections on the Fundamental Principles and Practical Application of Age Limits in Light of International Children’s Rights Law
Keywords age limits, dynamic legal position, children’s rights, maturity, evolving capacities
Authors Stephanie Rap, Eva Schmidt and Ton Liefaard
In this article a critical reflection upon age limits applied in the law is provided, in light of the tension that exists in international children’s rights law between the protection of children and the recognition of their evolving autonomy. The main research question that will be addressed is to what extent the use of (certain) age limits is justified under international children’s rights law. The complexity of applying open norms and theoretically underdeveloped concepts as laid down in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, related to the development and evolving capacities of children as rights holders, will be demonstrated. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child struggles to provide comprehensive guidance to states regarding the manner in which the dynamic legal position of children should be applied in practice. The inconsistent application of age limits that govern the involvement of children in judicial procedures provides states leeway in granting children autonomy, potentially leading to the establishment of age limits based on inappropriate – practically, politically or ideologically motivated – grounds.
Stephanie Rap
Stephanie Rap is assistant professor in children’s rights at the Department of Child Law, Leiden Law School, the Netherlands.
Eva Schmidt is PhD candidate at the Department of Child Law, Leiden Law School, the Netherlands.
Ton Liefaard
Ton Liefaard is Vice-Dean of Leiden Law School and holds the UNICEF Chair in Children’s Rights at Leiden University, Leiden Law School, the Netherlands.
Age Limits in Law: Between Behavioural Science and Human Rights
Keywords age limits, behavioural science, human rights, age, juvenile justice
Authors Frank Weerman and Jolande uit Beijerse
Author's information
Frank Weerman
Frank Weerman is endowed professor Youth Criminology at the Erasmus School of Law and senior researcher at the NSCR (Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement).
Jolande uit Beijerse
Jolande uit Beijerse is associate professor Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure at the Erasmus School of Law.
From Property Right to Copyright: A Conceptual Approach and Justifications for the Emergence of Open Access
Keywords property, intellectual creation, open access, copyright
Authors Nikos Koutras
This article relies on the premise that to understand the significance of Open Access Repositories (OARs) it is necessary to know the context of the debate. Therefore, it is necessary to trace the historical development of the concept of copyright as a property right. The continued relevance of the rationales for copyright interests, both philosophical and pragmatic, will be assessed against the contemporary times of digital publishing. It follows then discussion about the rise of Open Access (OA) practice and its impact on conventional publishing methods. The present article argues about the proper equilibrium between self-interest and social good. In other words, there is a need to find a tool in order to balance individuals’ interests and common will. Therefore, there is examination of the concept of property that interrelates justice (Plato), private ownership (Aristotle), labour (Locke), growth of personality (Hegel) and a bundle of rights that constitute legal relations (Hohfeld). This examination sets the context for the argument.
Nikos Koutras
Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Law, University of Antwerp.
Impact of International Law on the EU Customs Union
Keywords European Union, customs union, international law, customs legislation, autonomous standards
Authors Achim Rogmann
This contribution examines the various international instruments, in both hard and soft law, that have been established by international organisations such as the WTO and WCO and scrutinises how they have been implemented into EU legislation governing the EU Customs Union, thus demonstrating the substantial influence of international instruments on the Customs Union. As the relevant international instruments affect not only the traditional elements of European customs law, but also the EU’s entire export control regime and the framework of the internal market, this contribution demonstrates, moreover, how the Customs Union functions in a globalised world.
Achim Rogmann
Achim Rogmann, LL.M is professor of law at the Brunswick European Law School at Ostfalia Hochschule fur angewandte Wissenschaften.
Authors Karin van Wingerde and Lieselot Bisschop
The increasing volume of waste generated globally is one of the most prominent environmental issues we face today. Companies responsible for the treatment or disposal of waste are therefore among the key actors in fostering a sustainable future. Yet the waste industry has often been characterised as a criminogenic one, causing environmental harm which disproportionately impacts the world’s most vulnerable regions and populations. In this article, we illustrate how companies operating in global supply chains exploit legal and enforcement asymmetries and market complexities to trade waste with countries where facilities for environmentally sound treatment and disposal of waste are lacking. We draw on two contemporary cases of corporate misconduct in the Global South by companies with operating headquarters in the Global North: Seatrade and Probo Koala. We compare these cases building on theories about corporate and environmental crime and its enforcement. This explorative comparative analysis aims to identify the key drivers and dynamics of illegal waste dumping, while also exploring innovative ways to make the waste sector more environmentally responsible and prevent the future externalisation of environmental harm.
The Court of the Astana International Financial Center in the Wake of Its Predecessors
Keywords international financial centers, offshore courts, international business courts, Kazakhstan
Authors Nicolás Zambrana-Tévar
The Court of the Astana International Financial Center is a new dispute resolution initiative meant to attract investors in much the same way as it has been done in the case of the courts and arbitration mechanisms of similar financial centers in the Persian Gulf. This paper examines such initiatives from a comparative perspective, focusing on their Private International Law aspects such as jurisdiction, applicable law and recognition and enforcement of judgments and arbitration awards. The paper concludes that their success, especially in the case of the younger courts, will depend on the ability to build harmonious relationships with the domestic courts of each host country.
Nicolás Zambrana-Tévar
LLM (LSE), PhD (Navarra), KIMEP University.
Right to Access Information as a Collective-Based Approach to the GDPR’s Right to Explanation in European Law
Keywords automated decision-making, right to access information, right to explanation, prohibition on discrimination, public information
Authors Joanna Mazur
This article presents a perspective which focuses on the right to access information as a mean to ensure a non-discriminatory character of algorithms by providing an alternative to the right to explanation implemented in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). I adopt the evidence-based assumption that automated decision-making technologies have an inherent discriminatory potential. The example of a regulatory means which to a certain extent addresses this problem is the approach based on privacy protection in regard to the right to explanation. The Articles 13-15 and 22 of the GDPR provide individual users with certain rights referring to the automated decision-making technologies. However, the right to explanation not only may have a very limited impact, but it also focuses on individuals thus overlooking potentially discriminated groups. Because of this, the article offers an alternative approach on the basis of the right to access information. It explores the possibility of using this right as a tool to receive information on the algorithms determining automated decision-making solutions. Tracking an evolution of the interpretation of Article 10 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Right and Fundamental Freedoms in the relevant case law aims to illustrate how the right to access information may become a collective-based approach towards the right to explanation. I consider both, the potential of this approach, such as its more collective character e.g. due to the unique role played by the media and NGOs in enforcing the right to access information, as well as its limitations.
Joanna Mazur, M.A., PhD student, Faculty of Law and Administration, Uniwersytet Warszawski.
Privatising Law Enforcement in Social Networks: A Comparative Model Analysis
Keywords user generated content, public and private responsibilities, intermediary liability, hate speech and fake news, protection of fundamental rights
Authors Katharina Kaesling
These days, it appears to be common ground that what is illegal and punishable offline must also be treated as such in online formats. However, the enforcement of laws in the field of hate speech and fake news in social networks faces a number of challenges. Public policy makers increasingly rely on the regu-lation of user generated online content through private entities, i.e. through social networks as intermediaries. With this privat-ization of law enforcement, state actors hand the delicate bal-ancing of (fundamental) rights concerned off to private entities. Different strategies complementing traditional law enforcement mechanisms in Europe will be juxtaposed and analysed with particular regard to their respective incentive structures and consequential dangers for the exercise of fundamental rights. Propositions for a recommendable model honouring both pri-vate and public responsibilities will be presented.
Katharina Kaesling
Katharina Kaesling, LL.M. Eur., is research coordinator at the Center for Advanced Study ‘Law as Culture’, University of Bonn.
Armed On-board Protection of German Ships (and by German Companies)
Keywords German maritime security, private armed security, privately contracted armed security personnel, anti-piracy-measures, state oversight
Authors Tim R. Salomon
Germany reacted to the rise of piracy around the Horn of Africa not only by deploying its armed forces to the region, but also by overhauling the legal regime concerning private security providers. It introduced a dedicated licensing scheme mandatory for German maritime security providers and maritime security providers wishing to offer their services on German-flagged vessels. This legal reform resulted in a licensing system with detailed standards for the internal organisation of a security company and the execution of maritime security services. Content wise, the German law borrows broadly from internationally accepted standards. Despite deficits in state oversight and compliance control, the licensing scheme sets a high standard e.g. by mandating that a security team must consist of a minimum of four security guards. The lacking success of the scheme suggested by the low number of companies still holding a license may be due to the fact that ship-owners have traditionally been reluctant to travel high-risk areas under the German flag. Nevertheless, the German law is an example of a national regulation that has had some impact on the industry at large.
Tim R. Salomon
The author is a legal adviser to the German Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) and currently seconded to the German Federal Constitutional Court.
On-board Protection of Merchant Vessels from the Perspective of International Law
Keywords piracy, international law, law of the sea, on-board protection of merchant vessels, use of force
Authors Birgit Feldtmann
The power to regulate on-board protection of merchant vessels lies with the flag state. However, the national models of regulation are not developed in a unilateral vacuum. In fact, the whole concept of flag state jurisdiction and legislative power has to be understood and exercised on the national level in close relation with the general regime of the international law of the sea. The aim of the article is therefore two-fold: first, it aims to provide a background for the country reports in this special issue by giving a brief insight into the problem of piracy in the twenty-first century and the international approaches towards this problem. Here the article also provides an insight into the legal background by presenting the concept of piracy in the law of the sea and connected law enforcement powers. Thus, this part of the article provides the overall context in which the discussions concerning on-board protection and the development of national regulations have occurred. Second, the article analyses the issue of on-board protection from the perspective of the legal framework in international law, as well as relevant international soft-law instruments, influencing the development on the national level. On-board protection of vessels as such is not regulated in the international law; however, international law provides a form of general legal setting, in which flags states navigate. Thus, this article aims to draw a picture of the international context in which flags states develop their specific legal approach.
Birgit Feldtmann
Birgit Feldtmann is professor (mso) at the Department of Law, Aalborg University.
Empirical Legal Research in Europe: Prevalence, Obstacles, and Interventions
Keywords empirical legal research, Europe, popularity, increase, journals
Authors Gijs van Dijck, Shahar Sverdlov and Gabriela Buck
Empirical Legal research (ELR) has become well established in the United States, whereas its popularity in Europe is debatable. This article explores the popularity of ELR in Europe. The authors carried out an empirical analysis of 78 European-based law journals, encompassing issues from 2008-2017. The findings demonstrate that a supposed increase of ELR is questionable (at best).
Moreover, additional findings highlight:
An increase for a few journals, with a small number of other journals showing a decrease over time;
A higher percentage of empirical articles for extra-legal journals than for legal journals (average proportion per journal is 4.6 percent for legal journals, 18.9 percent for extra-legal journals);
Criminal justice journals, environmental journals, and economically oriented journals being more likely to publish empirical articles than other journals;
More prestigious journals being more likely to publish empirical articles than less-prestigious journals;
Older journals being more likely to publish empirical work than younger journals, but not at an increasing rate;
Journals being legal/extra-legal, journals in a specific field, journal ranking, or the age of the journal not making it more (or less) likely that the journal will publish empirical articles at an increasing (or decreasing) rate.
Considering the lack of convincing evidence indicating an increase of ELR, we identify reasons for why ELR is seemingly becoming more popular but not resulting in more empirical research in Europe. Additionally, we explore interventions for overcoming the obstacles ELR currently faces.
Gijs van Dijck
Professor of Private Law at Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Shahar Sverdlov
Law student at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Gabriela Buck
Law student at Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Evidence-Based Regulation and the Translation from Empirical Data to Normative Choices: A Proportionality Test
Keywords evidence-based, regulation, proportionality, empirical law studies, law and society studies
Authors Rob van Gestel and Peter van Lochem
Studies have shown that the effects of scientific research on law and policy making are often fairly limited. Different reasons can be given for this: scientists are better at falsifying hypothesis than at predicting the future, the outcomes of academic research and empirical evidence can be inconclusive or even contradictory, the timing of the legislative cycle and the production of research show mismatches, there can be clashes between the political rationality and the economic or scientific rationality in the law making process et cetera. There is one ‘wicked’ methodological problem, though, that affects all regulatory policy making, namely: the ‘jump’ from empirical facts (e.g. there are too few organ donors in the Netherlands and the voluntary registration system is not working) to normative recommendations of what the law should regulate (e.g. we need to change the default rule so that everybody in principle becomes an organ donor unless one opts out). We are interested in how this translation process takes place and whether it could make a difference if the empirical research on which legislative drafts are build is more quantitative type of research or more qualitative. That is why we have selected two cases in which either type of research played a role during the drafting phase. We use the lens of the proportionality principle in order to see how empirical data and scientific evidence are used by legislative drafters to justify normative choices in the design of new laws.
Rob van Gestel
Rob van Gestel is professor of theory and methods of regulation at Tilburg University.
Dr. Peter van Lochem is jurist and sociologist and former director of the Academy for Legislation.
Authors Stuart Kirsch
Stuart Kirsch
Professor of Anthropology, University of Michigan.
Adjudication and Its Aftereffects in Three Inter-American Court Cases Brought against Paraguay: Indigenous Land Rights
Authors Joel E. Correia Ph.D.
This paper examines three Inter-American Court (IACtHR) cases on behalf of the Enxet-Sur and Sanapana claims for communal territory in Paraguay. I argue that while the adjudication of the cases was successful, the aftereffects of adjudication have produced new legal geographies that threaten to undermine the advances made by adjudication. Structured in five parts, the paper begins with an overview of the opportunities and challenges to Indigenous rights in Paraguay followed by a detailed discussion of the adjudication of the Yakye Axa, Sawhoyamaxa, and Xákmok Kásek cases. Next, I draw from extensive ethnographic research investigating these cases in Paraguay to consider how implementation actually takes place and with what effects on the three claimant communities. The paper encourages a discussion between geographers and legal scholars, suggesting that adjudication only leads to greater social justice if it is coupled with effective and meaningful implementation.
Joel E. Correia Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona.
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Home » Science and Technology » Medicine » Yellow Fever in Alabama
Yellow Fever in Alabama
Deanne L. Stephens, University of Southern Mississippi
Yellow fever is a tropical and subtropical disease that had a significant impact on Alabama's history and early settlement. The exact origins of the disease are unclear, but historians generally believe that it evolved in Africa and spread via colonial trade to the Americas in the sixteenth century. Recorded by the earliest French settlers in Mobile in 1704, the last outbreak was reported in 1905. It earned many nicknames based on its symptoms, including Bronze John, Black Vomit, the Yellow Plume of Death, the Saffron Scourge, and Yellow Jack. The disease still claims lives in many parts of the world, but no deaths have been recorded in North America since 1905.
Yellow fever is an arbovirus infection, meaning that it is caused by a type of virus transmitted by arthropods such as ticks and mosquitoes. Yellow fever is specifically carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, an insect that prefers to feed on people and thus favors urban environments. Yellow fever typically lasts about a week or less. Initial symptoms include severe overall aching and high fever, sometimes in the dangerous ranges of 102 degrees to 104 degrees. After a lull in these symptoms, severe nausea, dramatic jaundice (the source of the disease's most common name), and muscular pains can manifest. In extreme cases, victims also experienced hemorrhaging and then vomiting of semi-digested blood ("black vomit"). Severe cases can damage internal organs, with the liver, kidneys, and heart being most compromised. Death from renal failure, heart failure, or blood poisoning was common in past epidemics prior to modern medicine, but victims who experienced mild cases acquired immunities. Careful nursing care was vital to recovery in milder attacks.
The earliest reference to yellow fever in Alabama was a disease outbreak at the colonial French settlement of Fort Louis de la Louisiane in present-day Mobile in 1704. This epidemic was the only one recorded during the French colonial period in Alabama (1702-1763), possibly because yellow fever was often mistaken for other diseases. Mortality numbers for that outbreak are unknown, but its origin traces to a ship that was transporting French women to the colony and had stopped in Havana, Cuba.
During the early nineteenth century, Alabama's rapid population growth and increased transoceanic trade resulted in a greater frequency of yellow fever outbreaks, particularly in the port city of Mobile. This influx of people had no acquired immunities to yellow fever, and the disease caused many deaths. During the epidemic of 1819, the year of Alabama's statehood, Mobile recorded approximately 430 deaths out of a population of about 1,000. The city established the Church Street Graveyard that year to inter its many Spanish, French, and American victims of yellow fever.
Mobile grew economically in the early nineteenth century, with many immigrants settling there as the Atlantic exchange in cotton expanded. More cities developed around Mobile Bay as economic opportunities afforded new growth. Yellow fever followed that progress. In 1822, the disease appeared in Blakeley, located north of Mobile on the Tensaw River, and its population was decimated, never to recover.
In the 1830s and 1840s, many Irish and German immigrants, as well as others, arrived in coastal Alabama, and all were unacclimated to yellow fever. In an 1839 epidemic, the disease claimed approximately 450 people. To aid victims of the scourge, a group of civic-minded Mobilians created the Can't Get Away Club. This local paternalistic relief society arranged medical care for victims in Alabama and beyond, provided medicine and provisions to those who could not afford adequate care, and also often arranged burials. The organization mirrored the Howard Association of New Orleans, which also aided yellow fever victims across the South during epidemic outbreaks.
Yellow fever continued to occur in Alabama throughout the 1840s and 1850s as steamboat and railroad travel carried people and disease across the state. In 1852, the city of Selma, Dallas County, recorded 53 deaths from yellow fever. An epidemic the following year was the worst antebellum outbreak in the South, killing 7,849 people in New Orleans alone. Mobile's epidemic that year, which resulted in 1,191 deaths, originated with passengers on a ship from New Orleans. The epidemic ran from July to mid-December, when cold weather arrived to kill the swarms of virus-carrying mosquitoes. Spring Hill recorded several deaths, and outbreaks occurred in Montgomery County west to Choctaw County and to the south. In other locales suffering from the epidemic, 74 total deaths were noted.
Physicians in the nineteenth century did not understand how yellow fever was transmitted or how best to treat the disease. In the first half of the nineteenth century, some doctors believed that miasmas or foul emanations from putrefying animals and plants produced the fever, and others thought that person-to-person contact or bodily secretions were responsible. Treatments based on allopathic, homeopathic, and Thomsonian systems of medicine (all of which would be considered "folk or alternative" medicine now) were used by medical practitioners to treat the disease in a wide variety of methods, from blistering (the application of hot mustard or other salves to the skin) to vegetable concoctions and doses of calomel meant to induce vomiting. These were mostly ineffective against the virus. Meticulous nursing care often provided the most successful means of treating a yellow fever patient.
Alabamians continued to experience yellow fever throughout the 1860s and into the early 1870s. Outbreaks in Mobile and Montgomery were the most frequent during that time as these two cities were major transportation routes through which outsiders brought in the disease. In 1873, a severe epidemic affected Alabama from Huntsville, Madison County, in the north, south to Mobile Bay, with approximately 124 deaths across the state. The subsequent 1878 epidemic hit New Orleans (4,000) and Memphis (5,150) particularly hard. Alabama recorded approximately 250 deaths that year, many of whom were refugees fleeing other epidemic-plagued areas. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s, Alabama experienced sporadic occurrences of yellow fever. Cases and deaths were documented at Brewton, Escambia County, (1883), Decatur, Morgan County, (1888), Fort Morgan, Baldwin County (1893), and several other cities during 1897.
In 1875, the Alabama Department of Public Health was organized, mostly by members of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, who recognized the need to combat epidemic diseases, such as yellow fever, more effectively. The state also created county health departments in each of the then 65 counties, making Alabama the first state to have health departments in every county. Therefore, when yellow fever epidemics struck in subsequent years, health departments under the guidance of the Alabama Department of Public Health were able to establish quarantine lines and issue suggestions on how best to combat the disease. Prior to 1875, the Medical Association of the State of Alabama also suggested strict quarantines as a means to prevent yellow fever. Physicians associated with both organizations through the nineteenth century also recommended preventive procedures such as distributing carbolic acid to thwart the spread of the disease. These health organizations also maintained records of statistics of epidemics collected by physicians.
With medical advancements and the introduction of germ theory in the last half of the nineteenth century, physicians and scientists began to study the biological origins of yellow fever. Mobile physician Josiah Clark Nott (1804-1873) lost four children to yellow fever in 1853 and wrote extensively on the disease. But, it was not until decades after his death that scientific study provided an explanation about the transmission of yellow fever. Epidemiologist Carlos Finlay first hypothesized that yellow fever was transmitted by mosquitoes before the Royal Academy of Medical Sciences in Havana, Cuba, in 1881. In 1900, after years of defending his theory, Finlay and an international team of scientists and physicians proved the mosquito theory. Medical pioneers Walter Reed, Aristides Agramonte, James Carroll, and Jesse Lazear worked with Finlay in Cuba to solve the mystery of yellow fever's transmission.
The last cases of yellow fever verified in Alabama occurred in 1905, a few years after the validation of the mosquito transmission theory. Cases were noted in Castleberry, Conecuh County, Montgomery, and at the Mobile quarantine station. No deaths were recorded.
Blum, Edward J. "The Crucible of Disease: Trauma, Memory, and National Reconciliation during the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878." Journal of Southern History 69 (November 2003): 791-820.
Huffard, R. Scott, Jr. Infected Rails: Yellow Fever and Southern Railroads Journal of Southern History 79 (February 2013): 79-112.
Humphries, Margaret. Yellow Fever and the South. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1992.
Published: June 5, 2018 |  Last updated: June 5, 2018
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GARDINER ANGUS RANCH
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View full video presentation of Dennis Dimick’s Oct. 14, 2019 lecture.
Former National Geographic Editor to Outline Human’s Impacts on the Atmosphere
A former executive environmental editor for National Geographic magazine will speak at Kansas State University on Oct. 14 about the effects of modern lifestyles on the atmosphere, and what it may mean for the world’s future.
Dennis Dimick, who worked at National Geographic for 35 years, will present, “Living in the Human Age,” a fast-moving talk and slide show that looks at the unique challenges humans face in a world where the population is growing and the demand for food is greater than ever.
The public talk is the latest in the university’s Henry C. Gardiner Global Food Systems lecture series. It begins at 7 p.m. in K-State’s McCain Auditorium, and admission is free.
“This talk attempts to speak to the idea that, especially since the middle of the last century, we have seen a rapid uptick in human population,” Dimick said. “Our use of hydro-carbon fossil energy from coal, oil and gas has ramped up dramatically and all of that has contributed to the need for and the ability to produce massive amounts of food.”
“For many years, I have given talks and lectures on the challenges that we are facing with climate change, and that has become an incredibly politicized term that has gotten in the way of people understanding the magnitude of the challenges we face because people are retreating into their tribal world views and are incapable of finding common ground. So, I have tried to reframe that whole idea into something much bigger.”
While at National Geographic, Dimick helped to produce numerous features that brought attention to the issues of changes humans were making to the atmosphere. In 2014, the magazine published a “Future of Food” series on global food security, and a project to explore the effects of coal for energy, and on long-term effects of drought and snowpack loss in the United States.
Dimick says he hopes to bring context to issues related to climate.
“I think primarily the idea is to help us understand where we fit into the world as it is today and the trajectory we are on, not just where we are at this moment,” he said. “Then the question becomes, well, each one of us as an individual as a citizen and a contributor to society, can make choices. It’s never too late. Maybe we should have started 20 years ago–that may have been the best day–but then the next best day is today.
“First you have to understand how all these pieces of the puzzle fit together, where we are on the arc of history and where we’re heading, and then what might we do not only individually but collectively–as communities, universities, cities, states and maybe even one day on a national level–to begin to have a coherent, intelligent response to how we’re going to deal with this.”
Dimick and National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson, who lives in Lindsborg, Kansas, will also be speaking with student and campus groups on Oct. 14. They will host a public photo show and gallery discussion at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. that is also free and open to the public.
Learn more about the Henry C. Gardiner Global Food Systems lecture series.
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on August 20, 2004 by Shlomo Schwartzberg
Right from its highly dramatic opening, with the catchy swing song "Sing, Sing, Sing" overlaying a lavish party in 1930s London, it's evident that comic genius/actor Stephen Fry ("Jeeves and Wooster") is also a born filmmaker. "Bright Young Things," based on the novel "Vile Bodies" by Evelyn Waugh, is a fast-moving, smart and very funny satirical look at the last days of England's young upper crust. Nicknamed by the tabloid press the Bright Young Things, their empty-headed lives of drugs, drinking and partying will end with the imminent outbreak of the Second World War. The moral center of the film is Adam Symes (Stephen Campbell Moore), a screenwriter whose first work has just been confiscated by a puritanical British customs officer. The problem is that he owes the script to a bombastic Fleet Street newspaper mogul (Dan Aykroyd) and the setback of losing it jeopardizes his plans to marry the beautiful Nina (Emily Mortimer). Meanwhile, his circle of friends blithely party on, oblivious to the ugly realities just outside their door.
"Bright Young Things" is a gorgeous-looking film with a highly attractive cast--newcomer Fenella Woolgar almost steals the movie as the eccentric flapper Agatha--and some still relevant and trenchant commentary on politics, the press (the leading tabloid is called The Daily Excess), sexuality and Britain's social divide. Only a distinct lack of ambition on Fry's part (the world depicted in "Bright Young Things" is not exactly an unfamiliar one in British cinema) undercuts the film and renders it somewhat superficial. But if Fry aims low in testing the cinematic waters as a director, in all other respects he hits the bull's-eye. "Bright Young Things" is a grand entertainment. Starring Stephen Campbell Moore, Emily Mortimer, Jim Broadbent and Peter O'Toole. Directed and written by Stephen Fry. Produced by Gina Carter and Miranda Davis. A Thinkfilm release. Comedy/Drama. Rated R for some drug use. Running time: 105 min
Tags: Stephen Campbell Moore, Emily Mortimer, Jim Broadbent, Peter O'Toole, Stephen Fry, Fenella Woolgar, politics, sexuality, UK, tabloid, upper-class, adaptation, satire, Dan Aykroyd, business, newspaper, journalist
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Kenneth Alan Ribet presents Fermat’s Last Theorem Archives
September 23, 2014 by David Francis
“Kenneth Alan Ribet” by George Bergman, Berkeley – Licensed under GNU Free Documentation License via Wikimedia Commons –
For over 300 years following the discovery of Pierre de Fermat’s conjecture (famously found scribbled in a copy of Diophantus’ Arithmetica after his death) that:
an + bn ≠ cn for n > 2
the world was fascinated and confounded by this mathematical problem. The most tantalizing aspect to the problem was that Fermat included in his scribbled entry that he had proven this assertion but that the proof was too large to fit in the margins. Reproducing this alleged proof became the fascination of professional and amateur mathematicians for centuries until it was finally solved in 1995.
On September 22nd Ken Ribet of University of California, Berkeley explored the solution of Fermat’s Last Theorem for the Cecil T. and Marion C. Holmes Mathematics Lecture sponsored by the Bowdoin College Mathematics Department. Professor Ribet has a direct connection with the solving of Fermat’s famous theorem as his work in 1986 confirmed a connection between the Taniyama–Shimura-Weil conjecture and Fermat’s Last Theorem. Hearing of this development, Andrew Wiles, an English mathematician long-fascinated with Fermat’s elusive proof began working in secret on proving the Taniyama-Shimura-Weil conjecture as a way of solving the 300 year old mystery.
Ribet is a member of the editorial boards of several book series and research journals. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1997 and the National Academy of Sciences in 2000. He was awarded the Fermat Prize in 1989 and received an honorary PhD from Brown University in 1998. Ribet was inducted as a Vigneron d’honneur by the Jurade de Saint Emilion in 1988. He received his department’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1985.
52 New Classes, From Jane Eyre to the Biology of Sex Differences
Looking for the Effects of Climate Change in One Forest
Yijie Sun ’19 Takes a Bayesian Approach to Urban Rental Markets
Birds, Books, and Neural Networks: a Mathematician’s Perspective on AI
‘Math, Tipping Points, and Planet Earth:’ Your Questions Answered
← Oprah for President? Chryl Laird Assesses the Challenges A Clothesline for Hanging Out the Stories of Gender Violence →
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Case Detail
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Case Title PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC. v. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY
District District of Columbia
City Washington, DC
Case Number 1:2017cv01000
Date Filed 2017-05-24
Date Closed 2020-03-23
Judge Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
Plaintiff PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC.
Case Description The Protect Democracy Project submitted a FOIA request to the National Security Agency for records concerning communications between the NSA and the White House pertaining to contacts between Russian officials and the Trump campaign or Trump administration. The Protect Democracy Project also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, the Protect Democracy Project filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees
Defendant NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY
Defendant OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
TERMINATED: 06/20/2018
Defendant DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Appeal D.C. Circuit 20-5131
Complaint attachment 1
Opinion/Order [42]
FOIA Project Annotation: Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has decided to conduct an in camera review of a memorandum memorializing a conversation between President Donald Trump and Michael Rogers, the former director of the National Security Agency, to determine if the memo is protected by the presidential communications privilege. The Protect Democracy Project submitted a FOIA request to the NSA for the memo, known as the Ledgett Memorandum after the former Deputy Director of the NSA who drafted the memo. The agency issued a Glomar response neither confirming nor denying the existence of records. However, after the memo was identified in the Mueller Report, the agency agreed to process the request. The agency claimed the memo was protected by Exemption 5 (privileges). The Project argued that the disclosure of the memo's contents in the Mueller Report served as an official acknowledgement and waived the privilege. Explaining her decision to order an in camera review, Kollar-Kotelly noted that "the Court must evaluate not only whether the Ledgett Memorandum qualifies for the presidential communications privilege, but also whether the contents of the memorandum satisfy the disclosure/acknowledgment criteria. Complicating this evaluation is the fact that, in general, the presidential communications privilege extends to documents in their entirety. In this case, however, the Project appears to suggest that is not the case, or should not be the case, when some of the contents have been officially acknowledged or disclosed." She pointed out that "in light of [these] arguments and legal principles, making a responsible de novo determination of NSA's exemption claims requires in camera review." Although the NSA had submitted two affidavits, Kollar-Kotelly found neither of them provided sufficient justification for the claimed exemption. NSA argued that in camera review was not appropriate. Kollar-Kotelly indicated that although in camera review was frowned upon, particularly in situations dealing with national security issues, the affidavits that the agency submitted "are too broad and vague to determine whether the [memo] , or portions of it, were properly withheld." She pointed out that "the Court must consider whether the relevant information in the Ledgett Memorandum has been officially acknowledged, which requires close comparison of the relevant information disclosed in the Mueller Report and the relevant information contained in the Ledgett Memorandum. The affidavits do not provide detail on the latter for the Court to make a responsible de novo determination. Revealing enough of those contents via additional affidavits filed on the public docket to facilitate the determination may not be possible and is also problematic for the same reasons that NSA argues the memorandum should be withheld."
Issues: Litigation - In camera review, Exemption 5 - Privileges, Exemption 5 - Privileges - Waiver of privilege
User-contributed Documents
Docket Events (Hide)
Date Filed Doc # Docket Text
2017-05-24 1 COMPLAINT against NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-4965090) filed by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit FOIA Request, # 2 Exhibit NSA Response, # 3 Civil Cover Sheet, # 4 Summons NSA Summons, # 5 Summons Attorney General Summons, # 6 Summons USAO-DC Summons)(Abate, Michael) (Entered: 05/24/2017)
2017-05-24 Case Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. (sth) (Entered: 05/25/2017)
2017-05-25 2 LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC. (Abate, Michael) (Entered: 05/25/2017)
2017-05-25 3 SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Summons, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons)(sth) (Entered: 05/25/2017)
2017-05-26 4 ORDER Establishing Procedures for Cases Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on May 26, 2017. (NS) (Entered: 05/26/2017)
2017-06-05 5 RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 6/2/2017. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 7/2/2017. (Abate, Michael) (Entered: 06/05/2017)
2017-06-05 6 RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY served on 5/31/2017 (Abate, Michael) (Entered: 06/05/2017)
2017-06-15 7 RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 06/01/2017. (Abate, Michael) (Entered: 06/15/2017)
2017-06-30 8 ANSWER to Complaint by NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY.(Motgi, Anjali) (Entered: 06/30/2017)
2017-07-07 ENTERED IN ERROR.....MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file a schedule not later than August 11, 2017. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 7/7/2017. (lcckk1) Modified on 7/10/2017 (znmw). (Entered: 07/07/2017)
2017-07-07 9 ORDER. The parties shall file the schedule not later than August 11, 2017. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 7/7/2017. (lcckk1) (Entered: 07/07/2017)
2017-07-07 Set/Reset Deadlines: The parties shall file schedule by 8/11/2017. (dot) (Entered: 07/07/2017)
2017-07-10 NOTICE OF CORRECTED DOCKET ENTRY: Docket Entry Minute Order was entered in error and was refiled as Docket Entry 9 Order with order attached. (znmw) (Entered: 07/10/2017)
2017-07-24 10 NOTICE of Appearance by Benjamin Leon Berwick on behalf of PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC. (Berwick, Benjamin) (Entered: 07/24/2017)
2017-08-03 11 Consent MOTION to Amend/Correct 1 Complaint, by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Amended Complaint, # 2 Text of Proposed Order Proposed Order)(Abate, Michael) (Entered: 08/03/2017)
2017-08-07 MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received Plaintiff's 11 Consent Motion to File Amended Complaint. The Motion is GRANTED as the Court finds that "justice so requires." Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 8/7/2017. (lcckk1) (Entered: 08/07/2017)
2017-08-07 12 AMENDED COMPLAINT against NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE filed by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC..(znmw) (Entered: 08/08/2017)
2017-08-11 13 Joint STATUS REPORT and Proposed Schedule by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. (Motgi, Anjali) (Entered: 08/11/2017)
2017-08-14 MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 13 Joint Status Report. The parties shall abide by the following schedule. By AUGUST 18, 2017, the parties shall file a proposed schedule with respect to Defendants Department of Justice and Office of the Director of National Intelligence. By OCTOBER 25, 2017, the parties shall file a proposed production schedule with respect to Defendant National Security Agency. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 8/14/2017. (lcckk1) (Entered: 08/14/2017)
2017-08-14 Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties proposed schedule due by 8/18/2017. Parties proposed production schedule due by 10/25/2017. (dot) (Entered: 08/15/2017)
2017-08-18 14 ANSWER to 12 Amended Complaint by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. Related document: 12 Amended Complaint filed by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC..(Motgi, Anjali) (Entered: 08/18/2017)
2017-08-28 MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 15 Joint Status Report and Proposed Schedule for Defendants Office of the Director of National Intelligence ("ODNI"), and the Department of Justice ("DOJ"). The parties shall abide by the following schedule. By OCTOBER 10, 2017, ODNI and DOJ will complete the searches for Plaintiff's FOIA requests made to those Defendants. By OCTOBER 25, 2017, the parties will file a joint proposed production schedule with respect to those Defendants. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 8/28/2017. (lcckk1) (Entered: 08/28/2017)
2017-08-28 Set/Reset Deadlines: ODNI and DOJ will complete the searches by 10/10/2017. Joint proposed production schedule due by 10/25/2017. (dot) (Entered: 09/01/2017)
2017-09-18 Case directly reassigned to Judge Timothy J. Kelly. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly is no longer assigned to the case. (ztnr) (Entered: 09/18/2017)
2017-11-02 17 Case randomly reassigned to Judge Rudolph Contreras. Judge Timothy J. Kelly is no longer assigned to the case. (ztnr) (Entered: 11/03/2017)
2017-11-22 Case directly reassigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. Judge Rudolph Contreras is no longer assigned to the case. (ztnr) (Entered: 11/22/2017)
2017-12-04 MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 16 Joint Status Report and Proposed Schedule for Defendants Office of the Director of National Intelligence ("ODNI"), Department of Justice ("DOJ"), and National Security Agency ("NSA"). The parties shall abide by the following schedule. ODNI shall review for responsiveness and process for production 400 pages of potentially responsive records per month, beginning with a first production on DECEMBER 20, 2017 . ODNI shall produce all non-exempt responsive records by APRIL 2, 2018 . DOJ shall review for responsiveness and process for production 1000 potentially responsive items per month, beginning with a first production on DECEMBER 20, 2017 . DOJ shall produce all non-exempt responsive records by MAY 2, 2018 . NSA shall review for responsiveness and process responsive records on the following schedule: First production on DECEMBER 20, 2017 ; second production on MARCH 20, 2018 ; and final production on MAY 21, 2018 . NSA shall produce all non-exempt responsive records by this final production date. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on December 4, 2017. (lcckk1) (Entered: 12/04/2017)
2018-04-13 18 MOTION for Summary Judgment against National Security Agency by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Statement of Facts, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Abate, Michael) (Entered: 04/13/2018)
2018-04-16 MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received Plaintiff's 18 Motion for Summary Judgment Against National Security Agency. Plaintiff has not given any indication that Plaintiff intended to file such a motion, nor has the Court invited it. The Court's Minute Order of December 4, 2017, set forth a schedule for continued processing and production of non-exempt responsive materials by each of the three Defendants. Of particular note here, Defendant National Security Agency was to make a final production on May 21, 2018, more than five weeks beyond Plaintiff's submission of its 18 Motion on April 13, 2018. The Court expected that the parties would abide by their representation, in their 16 Joint Status Report, that they would "submit a Joint Status Report within thirty days of the final Defendant's final production." As it is now, the Court is unaware of Defendants' views of the status of this case, which may shape the most appropriate means of handling it. Accordingly, in the interest of efficient resolution of this matter, the Court shall DENY WITHOUT PREJUDICE Plaintiff's 18 Motion. The parties shall file a Joint Status Report on or before APRIL 30, 2018 , that, at a minimum, identifies the status of document productions and withholdings by each Defendant, indicates Plaintiff's view as to those productions, and proposes a briefing schedule, if applicable. The Court observes that it is strongly disinclined to resolve portions of this Freedom of Information Act case on a piecemeal basis prior to completion of all processing and production. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on April 16, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 04/16/2018)
2018-04-16 Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/30/2018. (dot) (Entered: 04/16/2018)
2018-04-30 19 Joint STATUS REPORT by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC.. (Abate, Michael) (Entered: 04/30/2018)
2018-05-15 MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 19 Joint Status Report and Proposed Schedule, which indicates that the parties disagree as to whether Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment against Defendant NSA should be briefed before the productions by all Defendants have been completed. While Defendants NSA and ODNI have completed their processing of Plaintiff's request, Defendant DOJ requires an additional four months to do so. Although Plaintiff identifies some basis for asserting economy in bifurcation, the Court remains of the view that it is ultimately more efficient for the Court to resolve one or more motions for summary judgment as to all Defendants at once. See Min. Order of Apr. 16, 2018 ("The Court observes that it is strongly disinclined to resolve portions of this Freedom of Information Act case on a piecemeal basis prior to completion of all processing and production."). Moreover, Plaintiff appears not to have sought expedited treatment for any of the FOIA requests at issue in this case. Accordingly, in an exercise of the Court's discretion to efficiently resolve this case, the Court adopts the following timeline. Defendant DOJ shall complete its processing of Plaintiff's FOIA request by SEPTEMBER 3, 2018 . Based on Plaintiff's interest in resolving this case efficiently, the Court shall, sua sponte , require that Defendants ODNI and DOJ share draft Vaughn indices with Plaintiff by SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 , unless the parties expressly agree to the contrary. The parties shall file a Joint Status Report by OCTOBER 3, 2018 , confirming the status of Defendants' productions and draft Vaughn indices and proposing a briefing schedule applicable to the entirety of the case. If, contrary to appearances, Plaintiff did seek expedited treatment of its FOIA requests by any of Defendants, then Plaintiff may file a notice with the Court by MAY 18, 2018 , indicating those Defendants as to which Plaintiff did seek expedited treatment and describing the resolution of any such request. Upon the filing of any such notice, the Court shall re-evaluate the aforementioned deadlines. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on May 15, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 05/15/2018)
2018-05-15 Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/3/2018, confirming the status of Defendants' productions and draft Vaughn indices and proposing a briefing schedule applicable to the entirety of the case. (dot) (Entered: 05/16/2018)
2018-06-19 20 Joint MOTION to Dismiss Certain Defendants , Joint MOTION to Modify Scheduling Order by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Abate, Michael) (Entered: 06/19/2018)
2018-06-20 21 ORDER. Defendants DOJ and ODNI are DISMISSED from this lawsuit and relieved of all remaining obligations under existing scheduling orders established by the Court. See Order for further details. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on June 20, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 06/20/2018)
2018-06-20 22 SCHEDULING AND PROCEDURES ORDER. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on June 20, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 06/20/2018)
2018-06-20 Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant's Cross Motion due by 8/9/2018; Response to Cross Motion due by 8/30/2018; Reply to Cross Motions due by 9/14/2018. Plaintiff's Summary Judgment Motion due by 6/25/2018; Response to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 8/9/2018; Reply to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 8/30/2018. (dot) (Entered: 06/21/2018)
2018-06-25 23 MOTION for Summary Judgment by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Statement of Facts, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Abate, Michael) (Entered: 06/25/2018)
2018-08-09 24 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Steven E. Thompson, # 2 Exhibit to Thompson Declaration, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Motgi, Anjali) (Entered: 08/09/2018)
2018-08-09 25 RESPONSE re 18 MOTION for Summary Judgment against National Security Agency (Opposition) filed by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Steven E. Thompson, # 2 Exhibit to)(Motgi, Anjali) (Entered: 08/09/2018)
2018-08-30 26 REPLY to opposition to motion re 23 MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC.. (Abate, Michael) (Entered: 08/30/2018)
2018-08-30 27 RESPONSE re 24 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC.. (Abate, Michael) (Entered: 08/30/2018)
2018-09-13 28 REPLY to opposition to motion re 24 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY. (Motgi, Anjali) (Entered: 09/13/2018)
2019-04-25 29 Joint MOTION to Modify Case Schedule by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Proposed Order)(Abate, Michael) (Entered: 04/25/2019)
2019-04-26 30 ORDER. The parties' Motion to Modify Case Schedule is GRANTED. Defendant U.S. National Security Agency shall have until JUNE 10, 2019 , to inform this Court and Plaintiff The Protect Democracy Project, Inc. whether it maintains its Glomar response in this case. See Order for further details. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on April 26, 2019. (lcckk1) (Entered: 04/26/2019)
2019-04-26 Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant U.S. National Security Agency shall have until JUNE 10, 2019, to inform this Court and Plaintiff The Protect Democracy Project, Inc. whether it maintains its Glomar response in this case. (dot) (Entered: 04/26/2019)
2019-06-10 31 NOTICE of Withdrawal of Glomar Response by NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY (Motgi, Anjali) (Entered: 06/10/2019)
2019-06-11 MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received Defendant U.S. National Security Agency's 31 Notice of Withdrawal of Glomar Response, which indicates that in addition to withdrawing its Glomar response, Defendant has "conducted searches for, and located, all responsive materials, and has applied redactions, pursuant to the FOIA's exemptions, where appropriate," to the materials responsive to Plaintiff's Second Amended Request. Defendant has also "referred the responsive materials for a consultation to account for third-party equities but has not yet received a response regarding those equities." Because the parties' pending summary judgment cross-motions turn on Defendant's since-withdrawn Glomar response, the Court shall DENY WITHOUT PREJUDICE Plaintiff's 23 Motion for Summary Judgment and Defendant's 24 Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment. Defendant expects that its consultation regarding referred documents will be finished by June 21, 2019. Accordingly, the parties shall confer and submit a Joint Status Report by JUNE 28, 2019 , proposing a schedule for further proceedings in this case. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on June 11, 2019. (lcckk1) (Entered: 06/11/2019)
2019-06-11 Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/28/2019, proposing a schedule for further proceedings in this case. (dot) (Entered: 06/12/2019)
2019-07-03 MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 32 Joint Status Report, which sets forth the parties' divergent proposed schedules for briefing renewed cross-motions for summary judgment. Plaintiff has not persuaded the Court that Defendant U.S. National Security Agency's sixty-day proposal for its Motion for Summary Judgment is unreasonable. Accordingly, the Court shall adopt a sixty-day timeline in the accompanying Scheduling and Procedures Order. However, in light of Plaintiff's interest in expediency, the Court shall in that Scheduling and Procedures Order adopt a condensed timeline for Plaintiff's response and Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment, as well as the parties' further briefing. Upon receiving Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment, Plaintiff may request an extension of time if the deadline for its response and Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment is insufficient to address Defendant's arguments. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on July 3, 2019. (lcckk1) (Entered: 07/03/2019)
2019-07-03 33 SCHEDULING AND PROCEDURES ORDER. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on July 3, 2019. (lcckk1) (Entered: 07/03/2019)
2019-07-03 Set/Reset Deadlines: Plaintiff's Cross Motion due by 9/26/2019. Response to Cross Motion due by 10/28/2019. Reply to Cross Motion due by 11/12/2019. Defendant's Summary Judgment Motion due by 8/27/2019. Response to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 9/26/2019. Reply to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 10/28/2019. (dot) (Entered: 07/05/2019)
2019-08-27 34 MOTION for Summary Judgment by NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Linda M. Kiyosaki)(Motgi, Anjali) (Entered: 08/27/2019)
2019-09-23 35 Memorandum in opposition to re 34 MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Statement of Facts)(Abate, Michael) (Entered: 09/23/2019)
2019-09-23 36 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC. (Attachments: # 1 Statement of Facts, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Abate, Michael) (Entered: 09/23/2019)
2019-10-28 37 REPLY to opposition to motion re 34 MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration Steven E. Thompson (Supplemental))(Motgi, Anjali) (Entered: 10/28/2019)
2019-10-28 38 Memorandum in opposition to re 36 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration Steven E. Thompson (Supplemental))(Motgi, Anjali) (Entered: 10/28/2019)
2019-11-11 39 REPLY to opposition to motion re 36 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC.. (Abate, Michael) (Entered: 11/11/2019)
2019-11-22 40 NOTICE of Appearance by Emily Sue Newton on behalf of NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY (Newton, Emily) (Entered: 11/22/2019)
2020-03-06 41 ORDER for in camera review. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 3-6-2020. (lcckk3) (Entered: 03/06/2020)
2020-03-06 42 MEMORANDUM OPINION on in camera review. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 3-6-2020. (lcckk3) (Entered: 03/06/2020)
2020-03-23 43 ORDER granting 34 Motion for Summary Judgment; denying 35 36 Motion for Summary Judgment. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on March 23, 2020. (lccck1) (Entered: 03/23/2020)
2020-03-23 44 MEMORANDUM OPINION accompanying 43 ORDER. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on March 23, 2020. (lccck1) (Entered: 03/23/2020)
2020-05-08 45 NOTICE OF APPEAL TO DC CIRCUIT COURT as to 44 Memorandum & Opinion, 43 Order on Motion for Summary Judgment, by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC.. Filing fee $ 505, receipt number ADCDC-7104824. Fee Status: Fee Paid. Parties have been notified. (Abate, Michael) (Entered: 05/08/2020)
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Home » Who We Are
Empowering Youth in Cambodia:
A grassroots organization based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, creating opportunities and support structures for vulnerable children and youth living in urban slum communities.
EYC is a collection of hundreds of talented young people hungry for change and the chance to create a brighter future for themselves and their families.
EYC students range in age from 6 to 24 years old and live in slum communities where their families typically lack job prospects, have low levels of education, have 3-6 children, and live at or near the poverty level.
Despite their circumstances, our students have strength and determination, and we see them thrive when surrounded by like-minded peers in a positive and supportive environment.
With over 50% of our staff made up of current and former students, our team strongly represents the individuals and communities we serve. Our team of paid staff and volunteers are dedicated to helping young people gain the confidence needed to achieve their goals. They are passionate about supporting their communities and contributing to a positive future for Cambodia.
Delphine Vann - Managing Director
In 2001, Delphine moved to Cambodia, drawn by the need to discover the country of her birth and her father’s home country. As a little girl and when war was emerging in Cambodia, she and her family escaped finding refuge in Switzerland, her mother’s country of origin. The urge to “return to Cambodia to help” inspired Delphine in building a career as a humanitarian professional working in war-torn areas, including Bosnia, Rwanda, and Columbia, before returning to Cambodia in 2001.
After fifteen years of working for multiple NGOs, Delphine’s conclusion is that Cambodia’s development lies in the hands of its youth. Delphine’s leadership ensures EYC provides essential education and development opportunities for some very marginalized but deserving youth.
Synoeun Nov - Program Director
A former student, volunteer, Team Leader, Assistant Teacher, School Manager, and Program Manager, Synoeun has made numerous contributions to the organization through her involvement in leadership development of students and programs for youth over the past twelve years.
In 2015 she returned from studying one year at Bridgewater State University in the USA.
She is finishing her degree in Media Communications from Pannasastra University of Cambodia and has stepped into a major management position for EYC as Program Director overseeing all EYC operations. Synoeun wanted to give back to EYC for the opportunities it provided to her, and we are lucky to have her skills, leadership, and perspective. See her story here.
Our Partners & Volunteers
EYC has built a reputation as an effective, professional, and compassionate organization which has enabled us to forge quality partnerships that enhance our work.
With over 35 partner organizations and international volunteers, we are able to deliver expanded programming and opportunities to our students and communities. Our partnerships provide free or reduced medical and dental clinics, English tutoring, music classes, and more.
Formed in 2015, EYC’s Board of Directors is composed of a dedicated group of volunteers both in Cambodia and outside of the country working to support the organization and ensure correct governance and long-term sustainability. Click below to meet our board.
Thoughts From a Board Member
“Last time I was in Cambodia, I asked some of the alumni and students to use one word to describe EYC. Their words best sum up what EYC is: knowledge, leadership, opportunity, skills, community, family, change, commitment, encouragement, compassion, transformation, and gratitude. I am beyond grateful to be a part of this amazing community and the opportunities it creates.”
– Jodi, USA
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"Red Seas Under Red Skies" by Scott Lynch
SDCC 07 Recap + Other Tidbits
SPOTLIGHT: Books of August
Winners of the "Soon I Will Be Invincible" Giveaway!
"The Intruders" by Michael Marshall
Blogging Tips: EDITED
"Death's Head" by David Gunn
San Diego Comic-Con, Halo, Comix Coalition, Curt S...
"Mary Modern" by Camille DeAngelis
Winner of the “Crooked Little Vein” Giveaway!
"Set the Seas On Fire" by Chris Roberson
"kop" by Warren Hammond
Movie Trailers, Books Optioned For Film & More...
"Crooked Little Vein" by Warren Ellis
Interview with Nicholas Christopher
"Exposure" by Kurt Wenzel
Fantasy Feast, Voodoo Child, David Morrell & More...
"The Wanderer’s Tale" by David Bilsborough
"The Devil You Know" by Mike Carey
4th Of July News & Tidbits
"The Dark River" by John Twelve Hawks
"The Judas Strain" by James Rollins
Official Michael Marshall Website
Order “The Intruders” HERE
Read An Excerpt HERE
As much as I love reading fantasy, science fiction and horror, sometimes it’s nice to just sit down with a good mystery thriller and “The Intruders” by Michael Marshall (Smith) seemed to fit the bill perfectly. Already nominated for the Crime Writers Association’s Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award and picked up by the BBC to be adapted into a drama television series, “The Intruders” marks the American hardcover debut for the internationally, New York Times bestselling novelist/screenwriter whose bibliography consists of the Philip K. Dick Award-winning “Only Forward”, “Spares”, the Warner Bros. Pictures-optioned “One of Us”, the acclaimed “Straw Men” trilogy, and various short fiction including “Hell Hath Enlarged Herself” which is currently being developed as a feature film.
As far as crime novels go, “The Intruders” starts out competently enough, if a little conventional. A murder opens the book, characters are introduced—ex-cop Jack Whalen, lawyer Gary Fisher (Jack’s former high school classmate), Jack’s wife Amy, nine-year-old girl Madison, a killer called Shepherd—and mysteries are established including a homicide that Gary believes is much more than the open-and-shut case the police think it is; suspicious activity which points to Amy’s possible disappearance or her having an affair; and a little girl lost from her family who is somehow tied to the dangerous Shepherd. Following the setup, things start to pick up dramatically, threads become connected and by the end of the book readers will discover just how everything fits together. Of course, getting to that point will be a little tricky—and a lot of fun!—since the pathway is a convoluted one, full of red herrings, shocking twists and unexpected revelations, all expertly handled by an author who really knows what he’s doing. In effect, “The Intruders” is the kind of book that lets readers think they have everything figured out when in reality they don’t have a clue. Seriously, at some point in the book the author goes off on a whole other tangent that is mind-blowing. I don’t like ruining surprises though, so all I can say is be prepared.
“The Intruders” is one of those rare books where I don’t really have anything negative to say. For instance, the prose is excellent—whether it’s witty dialogue, insightful commentary, descriptive details or amusing metaphors, Michael Marshall just has a way with words. Characterization is almost as impressive. It doesn’t matter if the author’s writing from a first-person point-of-view (Jack), the third-person, from a villain’s perspective, or that of a little girl, Marshall excels at any format and really captures the essence of each distinctive personality, particularly Jack's. Atmospherically, “The Intruders” does a great job of conveying whatever it is the characters are feeling—fear, paranoia, confusion, sadness, anger, desperation—and it’s hard not to get caught up in the different moods. Of the story, the plotting, pacing, etc., are handled confidently and in a manner that speaks of the author’s obvious experience. In fact, it’s pretty easy to see why so many of Michael Marshall’s works are picked up for movie/TV/comic book adaptation—they’re just expertly-written, highly accessible stories that translate well into other formats. Such is the case with “The Intruders”, which is basically a standalone novel that wraps up all of the major plotlines, but sets up events so the story can continue, explaining why BBC is able to create a whole television series based on just one book. While a TV show is great, I’m personally hoping we’ll get to see a sequel or two ;)
For my first Michael Marshall novel, I have to say that I really enjoyed myself. I was just hoping for a solid crime fiction that I could sit back and relax with. Instead, I got something so much more with “The Intruders”—an intelligent, skillfully composed, exhilarating thriller that exceeded any of my wildest expectations. In short, I’m now officially a Michael Marshall advocate and I cannot WAIT to go out there and pick up the rest of his books. Highly recommended to both fans of the author’s work and especially to readers who haven’t yet had the pleasure…
I'm reading this one at the moment. I'll have to come back and read your review once I've finished.
Katie, very cool. I'll be interested to see what you think of the book. Nice blog btw :D
I loved it. LOVED IT. It was just a great book. I hadn't really expected it to be so good. When it started I thought I had it nailed, like you said the beginning was conventional... but wow it just really picked up.
one of my favorite reads ever.
Katie, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. It's definitely a great book and I hope more people check it out...
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Spotlight on May Books
Interview with Blake Crouch (Interviewed by Mihir ...
“Hounded” by Kevin Hearne w/Bonus Review of “Clan ...
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Hugo and Campbell Award Nominations for Novel with...
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Odds and Ends: A Game of Thrones Debut and a 2011 ...
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Three More Books for 2011: Mann, Anderson, Ballant...
“Heaven’s Needle” by Liane Merciel (Reviewed by Ro...
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“Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2” edited by ...
The Locus Poll 2011 - April 15 Deadline Close + My...
"Spiral" by Paul McEuen (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)
“The River of Shadows” by Robert V.S. Redick (Revi...
"Guardians of the Desert" by Leona Wisoker (Review...
Interview with David Dalglish (Interviewed by Mihi...
"Napier's Bones" by Derryl Murphy (Reviewed by Liv...
“The Unremembered” by Peter Orullian (Reviewed by ...
"The Shadow at the Gate" by Christopher Bunn (Revi...
Three More Books of Interest for 2011, Hoffman, Ba...
“Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2” edited by William Schafer (Reviewed by Robert Thompson)
Official Subterranean Press Website
Order “Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2” HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Review of “Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy”
EDITOR INFORMATION: William K. Schafer is the head editor at Subterranean Press, which was founded in 1995. Schafer’s bibliography includes Embrace the Mutation: Fiction Inspired by the Art of J.K. Potter and the first Tales of Dark Fantasy anthology.
ABOUT SUBTERRANEAN: TALES OF DARK FANTASY 2: Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy—published in 2008 to widespread critical and popular acclaim—provided a unique showcase for some of our finest practitioners of dark, disturbing fiction. This much anticipated second volume more than meets the standards set by its predecessor, offering a diverse assortment of stories guaranteed to delight, unsettle, and enthrall. Volume two proper is a full 20,000 words longer than the first installment in the series.
This stellar collection leads off with Joe Hill’s dazzling “Wolverton Station,” in which a predatory businessman travels to England, and to a primal confrontation he could never have imagined. Elsewhere, a number of contributors revisit familiar, well-established themes and settings. Glen Cook’s “Smelling Danger” gives us a brand new chapter in the long-running annals of The Black Company. “The Passion of Mother Vajpai” is a story of exotic—and erotic—initiation set against the backdrop of Jay Lake’s novel, Green. Kelley Armstrong reenters the Otherworld with “Chivalrous,” the account of a devious—and long-delayed—act of revenge.
And there’s more, much more, including a hallucinatory portrait of guilt, angst, and drug-fueled violence by Caitlin R. Kiernan, and an affecting reflection on love, death, and acceptance by Steven R. Boyett. These stories, together with first-rate work by the likes of K. J. Parker and Norman Partridge, offer provocative, sometimes visceral entertainment. As this rich, rewarding volume amply demonstrates, the tale of dark fantasy is alive and thriving, and continues to develop in new—and unexpected—ways...
FORMAT/INFO: Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2 is 292 pages long divided over eleven stories by eleven different authors. Publication date is April 2011 via Subterranean Press with the anthology available as a fully cloth bound Hardcover trade edition and a Signed leatherbound/custom slipcased edition limited to 250 numbered copies. The limited edition will also feature exclusive full color art not available in the trade edition and a chapbook by Joe R. Lansdale which includes two original short stories (over 15,000 words): “The Case of the Lighthouse Shambler” and “The Case of the Stalking Shadow”. The tales mark the beginning of a new series featuring supernatural sleuth Dana Roberts. Cover art is once again provided by Dave McKean.
ANALYSIS: As far as anthologies go, Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy may have fallen on the short end of the spectrum with only eleven entries—and not all of them of the same quality—but for the most part, the book offered readers a diverse and rewarding selection of stories penned by an impressive mix of established authors and exciting new talent. Looking to improve upon the successful formula that was established in the first anthology, Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2 is certainly longer than its predecessor, featuring an additional 20,000 words of content despite containing the same number of stories, but is it any better?
1) “Wolverton Station” by Joe Hill. What better way to start off an anthology that explores the darker side of fiction than a story by the critically-acclaimed, award-winning author Joe Hill? Or at least that’s what I thought upon opening the book. Unfortunately, while “Wolverton Station” is written with the author’s usual skill and keen insight, the story itself—a Twilight Zone-like tale about an American businessman specializing in franchise expansion who one day finds himself on a train with passengers that are anthropomorphic wolves/werewolves—was a letdown. In fact, “Wolverton Station” is one of the weakest Joe Hill short stories I’ve read, and a disappointing start to the anthology.
2) “The Passion of Mother Vajpai” by Jay Lake and Shannon Page. “Wolverton Station” may have been a disappointment, but “The Passion of Mother Vajpai” certainly made up for it. Set in the same world as Jay Lake’s fantasy novel, Green, “The Passion of Mother Vajpai” is the story of an aspirant who is only a test away from becoming a Lily Blade. Normally, the Seventh Petal involves killing someone, but in this particular case, the aspirant must attend a banquet and deliver a message to the master of the house. Of course the test is not nearly as simple as it sounds, and what follows is a passionate and poignant tale of seduction, love and regret. Now I haven’t read Green yet, but after reading “The Passion of Mother Vajpai”, I definitely want to. As far as Shannon Page, I’ve never heard of the author before, but if she’s even half as talented as Jay Lake, then I need to become more acquainted with her work.
3) “Chivalrous” by Kelley Armstrong. For every anthology I’ve read that included Kelley Armstrong, her contribution always ended up being one of the better stories in the book. This is also true with “Chivalrous”, an Otherworld story about a werewolf just trying to live a normal life, who then becomes involved in a romantic relationship that leads to heartbreak, tragedy, and revenge. Admittedly, “Chivalrous” is a familiar tale with a twist that is fairly easy to predict, but the writing and execution is sharp with the short story serving as yet another reminder that I should be reading more of Kelley Armstrong’s books...
4) “Smelling Danger” by Glen Cook. “Smelling Danger” is basically a sequel to “Tides Elba”, which can be found in the Swords & Dark Magic anthology by Lou Anders and Jonathan Strahan. Like “Tides Elba”, “Smelling Danger” is short on action and heavy on dialogue, banter and things not being what they seem, with the actual plot covering matters that were left unresolved in “Tides Elba” including the mysterious disappearance of the sorcerers One-Eye and Goblin, and incriminating evidence against the Taken Limper. As a fan of the series, I enjoyed the short story even though it’s not one of Glen Cook’s stronger efforts, but for readers unfamiliar with The Black Company, “Smelling Danger” is not a good place to start...
5) “The Dappled Thing” by William Browning Spencer. When was the last time you could say you read a story that channeled H.G. Wells, Rudyard Kipling and H.P. Lovecraft all at the same time? Well that’s exactly what readers can expect with William Browning Spencer’s “The Dappled Thing”, an elegantly written story—“a palpable evil, a malevolent spirit, had settled in his mind with the authority of truth, bringing with it a suffocating terror, a need to run, to flee, but robbing him of volition”—about an aged explorer sent on a mission to rescue a lord’s daughter, the mechanical sphere with tentacles that Sir Bertram Rudge uses for transportation, and a nameless horror that haunts the jungle natives...
6) “Not Last Night But the Night Before” by Steven R. Boyett. Michael can see people’s deaths. Not dead people. Not when a person is going to die or how, but their deaths, which is kind of like a diminished reflection or shadow of a person that is always hanging around, even though it may be entertaining itself by reading the newspaper or watching teevee. Why Michael has this ability isn’t important. What’s important is what happens to Michael after he starts seeing people’s deaths. After he watches someone die and learns the reason his death is always following him. And after he meets Hayley, a nurse who can also see people’s deaths. The end result is a uniquely touching and contemplative examination on life and death...
7) “Hydraguros” by Caitlin R. Kiernan. I love reading Caitlin R. Kiernan’s fiction, I really do, but sadly, “Hydraguros” was one of the author’s weaker offerings. At first I was intrigued by the mystery about the silver liquid and the gritty, hard-boiled narrative—“Nothing pisses me off worse or quicker than some bastard spinning off the rails, running around with that first-person shooter mentality that, more often than not, turns a simple, straight-up hit into a bloodbath. And that is precisely the brand of unnecessary crimson pageantry that me and Joey the Kike have just spent the last three hours mopping up.” But then there was the dream and the obvious reason behind it and the story’s sudden ending, which quickly turned my interest into disappointment...
8) “The Parthenopean Scalpel” by Bruce Sterling. Best known as a co-founder of cyberpunk, Bruce Sterling’s inclusion in Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2 was a bit surprising. Even more surprising was the story he contributed, about an Italian terrorist called “the Scalpel” who takes refuge in Tuscany after a political assassination, where he falls in love with a two-headed woman and crosses paths with an enemy he calls “the Transylvanian”. Sounds interesting, right? Unfortunately, there are so many different ingredients stirring in the pot that I had a hard time figuring out what “The Parthenopean Scalpel” was supposed to be: a love story, a historical fiction set during the First Italian Independence War in 1848, a vampire tale? If Sterling had done more to flesh out the story’s many different elements, then perhaps “The Parthenopean Scalpel” could have been something really special. Instead, “The Parthenopean Scalpel” is a disjointed and ultimately unsatisfying reading experience.
9) “A Pulp Called Joe” by David Prill. You’ve heard this story before. Boy falls for girl who is out of his league, but still thinks he has a chance. But then the old boyfriend—“Mr. Perfect” in every way imaginable—shows up and complicates matters. What happens next is inevitable right? Perhaps in a romance film. Except, “A Pulp Called Joe” is no ordinary tale of romance. Instead, David Prill’s story takes place in a town where the people’s skin has turned into paper. Where the boy of this story is a lowly pulp with untrimmed edges and mildew growing behind his ears while the girl of his dreams, Penelope, is a vellum: “She looked like a supple limited edition, flawless vellum with printed silk panels. I blushed when my eyes drifted down to her peach endpapers.” So even though the plot and themes in “A Pulp Called Joe” are familiar ones, the unique setting transforms an otherwise ordinary story into something extraordinary...
10) “Vampire Lake” by Norman Partridge. One complaint I had about the first Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy was the anthology’s lack of horror. As a result, I was pleased to see Norman Partridge’s inclusion in the new volume. After all, the author is considered a master of dark fiction, and after reading “Vampire Lake”, it’s easy to see why. Combining horror and fantasy within a gritty Western setting—think Jonah Hex meets Preacher meets John Carpenter— Norman Partridge’s unapologetically dark, violent and bloody tale about a bounty killer, a blacksmith, a dynamite man, a preacher and a boy who possesses the second sight, and their suicidal quest to reach Vampire Lake and the vampire queen that resides there, is wickedly entertaining. Easily my favorite story in the anthology.
11) “A Room With a View” by K.J. Parker. Despite repeated efforts, K.J. Parker’s novels have never managed to maintain my interest. The author’s short fiction on the other hand, have been a joy to read and “A Room With a View” is no exception. The story itself concerns an underachieving wizard sent on a menial job inspecting dogs for demonic possession and mentoring a student, only to become involved in matters much more personal and tragic than he ever suspected. “A Room With a View” is probably not the story I would have chosen to conclude the anthology, but it’s a fun read nonetheless, thanks mostly to the story’s humor, imagination and deception...
CONCLUSION: So is Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2 any better than its predecessor? Well, that depends. The anthology is certainly more consistent in quality from beginning to end, with no stories that are only three pages long, or that were noticeably weaker than the others, or were not faithful to the novel’s theme. On the contrary, every single story in the anthology is well crafted and skillfully written, brings something different to the table, and is rewarding in its own unique way. So in that regard, Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2 does indeed show improvement over the first anthology.
On the other hand, there is not a single story in the anthology that I would consider a ‘must-read’, except maybe for Norman Partridge’s “Vampire Lake”, while accomplished authors like Joe Hill, Glen Cook and Caitlin R. Kiernan fail to bring their ‘A’ game. Furthermore, I still believe the anthology could have benefited from a few additional stories. There are certainly plenty of authors out there who fit the bill after all, including Clive Barker, Laird Barron, Alan Campbell, Ramsey Campbell, Mike Carey, Steven Erikson, Neil Gaiman, Christopher Golden, Brian Keene, Sarah Langan, Tim Lebbon, China Miéville, Ekaterina Sedia, Catherynne M. Valente, Jeff VanderMeer and Conrad Williams just to name a few.
Regardless of these issues, Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2 maintains the diversity, creativeness and quality of the first volume, while showing enough improvement to easily justify a third Tales of Dark Fantasy. In the end, highly recommended for fans of the first anthology and anyone willing to explore the darker side of fiction...
I have also done a short review of "A Room With a View" here:
http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/2011/02/three-short-stories-from-kj-parker-amor.html
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“Leviathan Wakes” by James S.A. Corey (Reviewed by Robert Thompson) w/Bonus Q&A
Official James S.A. Corey Website
Order “Leviathan Wakes” HERE (US) + HERE (UK)
Read Excerpts HERE + HERE
AUTHOR INFORMATION: James S.A. Corey is the pen name of Daniel Abraham—award-nominated author of The Long Price Quartet, Hunter’s Run (w/ Gardner Dozois and George R. R. Martin), the short story collection Leviathan Wept and Other Stories, the Wild Cards: The Hard Call comic book miniseries, The Black Sun’s Daughter urban fantasy series written as MLN Hanover, and The Dragon’s Path—and Ty Franck, George R.R. Martin’s assistant. They both live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
PLOT SUMMARY: Welcome to the future. Humanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our reach.
Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for—and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. Soon, war is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why.
Meanwhile, Detective Miller is looking for a girl. One girl in a system of billions, but her parents have money and money talks. When the trail leads him to the Scopuli and Holden, he realizes that this girl may be the key to everything.
Holden and Miller must now thread the needle between the Earth government, the Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations—and the odds are against them. But out in the Belt, the rules are different, and one small ship can change the fate of the universe...
FORMAT/INFO: Leviathan Wakes is 592 pages long divided over a Prologue, fifty-five chapters and an Epilogue. Extras include an interview with the author and an extract from Caliban’s War, the second book in The Expanse series. Narration is in the third person, alternating between Executive Officer James Holden and Detective Miller, except for the Prologue (Julie) and Epilogue (Fred). Leviathan Wakes is mostly self-contained, coming to a satisfying stopping point, but the book is the opening volume in The Expanse series which will have at least two sequels: Caliban’s War and Dandelion Sky.
June 2, 2011/June 15, 2011 marks the UK/North American Trade Paperback publication of Leviathan Wakes via Orbit Books. Cover art is provided by Daniel Dociu.
ANALYSIS: When it comes to reviewing science fiction, I’m hardly qualified considering how little of the genre I read, but even I can recognize great science fiction when I see it, and Leviathan Wakes definitely fits the bill...
Written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck under the pen name James S.A. Corey, Leviathan Wakes is a space opera novel set in a future where humans have colonized the solar system and is on the verge of launching their first generation ship. It’s a future that immediately feels authentic because of the numerous details and believable concepts—Belters with their altered physiques and different worldviews, Inner/Outer planet prejudice, the effects of gravity on spaceships and space stations at different g-force—used by the authors to flesh out the setting. At the same time, Daniel and Ty do an excellent job of making sure the reader isn’t overwhelmed with too much information. So not only is there a sense of realism with the book’s futuristic setting, but it’s also easy to grasp.
As far as characters go, Leviathan Wakes features two main protagonists in James Holden and Detective Miller. Holden is the Executive Officer of an ice hauler, who eventually becomes the captain of the Rocinante, and is defined by his uncompromising moral fiber, a strong sense of loyalty to his crew, and his naiveté towards women and relationships. Miller on the other hand, is a washed up/world-weary detective for Star Helix security, who becomes too close to a case and is willing to do whatever it takes to see things through to the end. Miller is basically the polar opposite of Holden, so even though they are fighting for the same cause, an interesting dynamic arises between the two protagonists, especially regarding morality. Differences aside, both Holden and Miller are deeply compelling characters because of their fully developed personalities—Miller speaks to an imaginary Julie Mao for example—human flaws, and sympathetic dilemmas. At least for me, I found it impossible not to root for the protagonists’ survival and success in matters like solving the Julie Mao case, Holden hooking up with Naomi, and Miller finding absolution. The supporting cast (Naomi, Alex, Amos, Fred Johnson, Julie Mao) meanwhile, is a bit underdeveloped—at least compared to Holden & Miller—but they work well as complements to the main characters.
Story-wise, Leviathan Wakes alternates between the narratives of James Holden and Detective Miller. Holden’s narrative involves broadcasted information that sparks a war between Mars and the Belt and forces the XO and his crew on the run, while Miller’s narrative is heavily influenced by noir with the detective trying to figure out how Julie Mao, the Outer Planets Alliance (OPA), the sudden decline of organized crime on Ceres Station and the Mars/Belt conflict are all connected. With the disintegrating racial tensions between Earthers and Belters added to the mix, Miller’s narrative felt a lot like reading a Richard K. Morgan novel. Once the two narratives converge on Eros and events start escalating however, the action really heats up with the book’s climactic moments on Tycho Station and Eros bringing to mind Neal Asher and Peter F. Hamilton, while the novel’s horror elements involving the protomolecule eerily recalled Ridley Scott’s Alien and the Dead Space video games. Through it all—including moments both epic and intimate, exciting and thought-provoking—Leviathan Wakes is an incredibly well-crafted story highlighted by smart plotting, unexpected surprises, skillful pacing and a rewarding feeling of satisfaction once the book is concluded.
Overall, Leviathan Wakes is an amazing book. In fact, there is not a single negative thing I can say about the novel, which delivers in all phases including setting, characterization, story, pacing, prose, and from a purely entertainment standpoint. Simply put, Leviathan Wakes is the best novel I’ve read in 2011—so far—and arguably the best thing Daniel Abraham has ever written, while introducing a remarkable new talent in Ty Franck. My only concern is with the sequel and whether it will be able to live up to the lofty standards set in Leviathan Wakes, but I’m confident that Daniel & Ty will give it their best shot and I look forward to seeing the results of their efforts in Caliban’s War...
BONUS FEATURE — Daniel Abraham & Ty Franck Q&A (Questions were answered in May):
Q: James S.A. Corey is a pseudonym for Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck with ‘James’ representing Daniel’s middle name, ‘Corey’ representing Ty’s middle name, and the ‘S.A.’ representing your children. Now I’m familiar with Daniel Abraham having read most of his work, but I don’t know very much about Ty Franck, except he’s George R.R. Martin’s assistant and develops settings for role playing games. Could you tell us a bit more about yourself Ty, like the kind of work you do for GRRM, how you first got started in writing, and what you hope to accomplish as an author?
Ty: I'm the office monkey for George. I run the errands, do his bookkeeping, handle his schedule and appointments, and occasionally help with non-writing aspects of his work. For example, I might write up a summary report on the average speeds various army compositions have moved at in history. Or I might give him theoretical numbers on how fast a person can fly without protective gear. I occasionally do some line editing or first draft reading. And now and then I'm the wall ideas get bounced off of.
I first got started in writing when I wrote a short story called “Audience” about ten years ago. On the strength of that story, Orson Scott Card invited me to attend his Writer's Bootcamp. He later bought the story for his online magazine, and for an anthology he edited. I wrote a few other stories after that, but I was working very full time in senior management positions and later with a consulting firm, so writing was very back burner for me. It wasn't until Daniel proposed the idea of novelizing Leviathan that I got serious about it again. As to what I hope to accomplish? Honestly, for Leviathan Wakes all I wanted to accomplish was learning how to write a novel, and not embarrassing myself in the process.
Q: On your website HERE, Ty explains how The Expanse series originated and discusses the collaborative writing process, but how did the series end up at Orbit and what are your thoughts on the publisher?
Ty: Orbit has been amazing. Just let me say that right off the bat. We love them to death. But they bought the book initially when it was making the rounds. Our amazing agents, Shawna McCarthy and Danny Baror, were sending the book around to the usual publishing houses, and Orbit was the one that bit. And not just bit, but bit down with an enthusiasm that really took Daniel and I by surprise. Our editor there, Dongwon Song, has been a superhero in helping us make the book better. And the Orbit marketing department has done an incredible job of getting the book into the right hands, and stirring up a lot of buzz. Also, that cover. That cover still amazes me with its awesomeness. So, yeah, loving the Orbit guys.
Daniel: As far as cover art, I have no idea if we'd have been given input and influence over that, because they showed it to us and we said something like "Ooh. I want to go there." They've been genuinely great when if comes to helping us figure out how to do publicity and supporting not just the books, but us. As far as weaknesses, I would totally say something snarky and coded if I had anything, but these folks have been great.
Q: During the writing process for Leviathan Wakes, Daniel wrote all of the chapters from the POV of the detective Miller, while Ty wrote the chapters from Holden’s POV, before you exchanged chapters and edited each other’s work. Was there a specific reason you chose the perspectives you did, like maybe a certain quality about the character that interested you or reminded you of yourself?
Daniel: Actually, I got Miller because he was the character I played in Ty’s game, and Ty took Holden because he knew the character well and I wasn’t in the games where Holden appeared. That said I think once I spent a year living in Miller’s head, he reminded me of me. That’s usually how it works for me.
Ty: Yeah, that's pretty much it. Holden isn't me, at all. I'm quite cynical actually, and Holden is anything but cynical. But I understand why Holden thinks his view of the world is right, and I can empathize with him.
Q: On the subject of the writing process, what qualities does Daniel bring to the table as a writer? What about Ty? In what ways do you complement and improve each other’s writing?
Daniel: I don’t have any doubt that working with Ty made me a better writer. I can tell just by the kinds of feedback I got when we sent out the manuscript to my traditional first readers. I think I brought a lot of the kind of writerly tricks and technical experience. But Ty brought the world and the characters and the story.
Ty: Working with Daniel taught me how to write a novel. I had no idea how to do that when we started. He'd done it something like seven times when we started writing Leviathan Wakes. If I taught Daniel anything, it's that sometimes you just have to have a gunfight.
Q: I’ll be honest. Leviathan Wakes was one of the best science fiction novels I’ve read in years. How do you plan to top this book in the sequel, Caliban’s War, while staying true to the humanity, emotionalism and moral complexity that was established in Leviathan Wakes?
Daniel: What happens in Caliban’s War is an outgrowth of what happened in Leviathan Wakes. There are some new people who come in, and we’ve lost some of the old ones along the way, but it’s very much the same story.
Ty: Yeah, what he said. The Expanse is one very big story about humans taking their first baby steps into a universe that is far more dangerous and strange than they could ever have known. Caliban builds on what happens in Leviathan Wakes, and adds another layer to that story. Dandelion Sky, the third book, will build on that. But the thing Daniel and I are committed to is keeping the books about the People, not the gizmos. So while the canvas is enormous, the fine brush strokes will always be the internal lives of characters we care about.
Q: Alfred Bester’s “The Stars My Destination”, Ridley Scott’s Alien, Arthur C. Clarke, Larry Niven, and Joss Whedon’s Firefly & Serenity are some of the influences you mentioned behind Leviathan Wakes. Are you incorporating any new influences in the sequel? Speaking of Caliban’s War, could you also tell us how things are progressing with the sequel, maybe talk about the sample chapter from Caliban’s War that was included in the Extras section of Leviathan Wakes, and what else readers can expect from the book?
Daniel: I’d say we added in Rahm Emanuel and John le Carré. Caliban’s War is less of a noir mystery and more of a political gamesmanship novel. And then the third one—Dandelion Sky—borrows more from psychological thrillers while still being overtly sentimental space opera.
Ty: The sample chapter is written from the POV of one of our new characters, a Martian marine named Bobbie Draper. We considered having Holden be our first chapter, but while Holden's story is an important thread running through the middle of Caliban, Bobbie's first appearance just kicks ass, and lets the reader know they're in for a wild ride. So we went with Bobbie.
Q: Leviathan Wakes presents a future where the solar system has been largely colonized and is on the verge of launching its first generation ship. Do you believe these things will one day occur and what science fiction concept would you most like to see become a reality?
Daniel: I don’t think these things will happen. I think the future of space exploration is, for the most part, robotic. We’re sacks of water built for living in the environment we evolved in, and space is a hilariously hostile place. It’s just that I’d love to be wrong.
Ty: The solar system we write about makes not one lick of economic sense. And Daniel is an economics guy, so we probably broke his brain working this project. But I like space ships. I want to live on one. Screw economics. I want to live on the Canterbury.
Q: The idea for Leviathan Wakes originated from Ty’s notes on a RPG game he was designing. With having that kind of experience, working so well together, and Daniel’s willingness to try out different formats and genres (comic books, fantasy, SF, mosaic novels, etc.), have the two of you thought about designing a RPG together? And what do you feel are the keys to designing a successful RPG?
Daniel: We’ve thought about it, but alas Valve wasn’t hiring when we asked. I think it would be a blast to be on a team that was designing a good RPG. The thing that I like most in RPGs—the things that make the really good ones stand out—are smart dialog and choices that carry real consequences. The games where I know it doesn’t matter what I do or say because I’m going to wind up in the same place regardless aren’t as interesting to me as the ones where I’m really paying attention to the conversation trees.
Ty: I've always wanted to write for a game company. Valve or Bioware are welcome to call me any time. Daniel's right about what matters in a good game. So many games concentrate on fancy combat mechanics or cutting edge graphics, and ignore the story and the dialog. But the games I play over and over again are the ones where I find the conversations fascinating, and the choices I make in the game meaningful.
Q: Because of your relationship to GRRM, you both have a unique perspective on HBO’s adaptation of “A Game of Thrones”. What do you think of the adaptation so far? On a related note Daniel, how are things going with the Game of Thrones comic book adaptation, and how will it differ from HBO’s adaptation?
Daniel: I think HBO has done about as good an adaptation as is possible to do. They’ve done really, really good work with that. And of course, it’s a different medium so it makes the story different. I’m old school. I like the books better. The comic book project is actually very different from the HBO adaptation. I hadn’t seen the HBO work when I started the scripts, and I haven’t made all the same decisions that they did. And I have different constraints too. They’re going to look similar because I think we’re all trying to stay as true as we can to the original text, but that’s about all the overlap I expect.
Ty: The show creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, have done an amazing job. They're both really talented writers who care about the source material a lot. And the team they've assembled has just knocked the ball out of the park in things like set design and costuming and casting. Also, is Maisie Williams not the most amazing little actress you've ever seen in your life? I can already tell Arya is going to be a favorite as the series goes on.
Q: Ty, I believe you are working on a zombie novel. Could you tell us more about this book and any other projects you might be working on?
Ty: “Working on” might be a bit generous. I've plotted it out, but I haven't written a chapter yet. I've been in a mad dash to finish Caliban’s War by deadline, so everything else has fallen by the wayside. But in general, my project is about the flaw I see in most zombie stories. The truth is, we'd win in a zombie apocalypse. We have lots of soldiers with guns and tanks, and those things beat zombies every time. But what is the world like in a post zombie event? What's life like when every time someone dies they become a zombie? I think ER doctor's pack heat, for one.
Q: Definitely sounds like a book I would be interested in! You mention a deadline for Caliban’s War. For some authors it’s easier writing their second novel, while for others it’s more difficult. What’s it been like for you so far, especially with the deadline, and in what ways do you think you have improved as a writer compared to Leviathan Wakes?
Ty: Well, our mad dash is entirely our own fault. Daniel and I didn't really get started with Caliban's War until we had just enough time to finish it, and that was a mistake. Of course, he wrote three other books during that lull, while I mostly played Xbox games. But we've learned our lesson, and Dandelion Sky will start getting attention as soon as Caliban is in the can.
Improvement wise, uh, everything? I feel comfortable writing a novel now. I know the process. A lot of the things that Daniel used to have to edit in for me, like sensory detail, I just sort of do automatically now. Working with Daniel for a year has been the best writing course anyone could possibly take.
Q: Daniel, The Dragon’s Path was released in April. Are you happy with the response the book has received so far and how are things going with The King’s Blood?
Daniel: I’ve had a lot of very positive responses to The Dragon’s Path. I was a little worried when I did it that I’d alienate some of the folks who were looking for The Long Price only different, but generally I think I’ve gotten away with it. The King’s Blood is due on June 1st, and I’m expecting to make that deadline. There will still be the runout of editorial notes and rewrite, same as always, but I’m very happy with where that book’s going. I know the last sentence in it. I always like it when I’ve seen exactly where I’m going.
Q: As someone who has written both science fiction and fantasy, what do you feel are the biggest differences between the two genres? Is one genre harder to write than the other, and if so, how?
Daniel: I don't think either is particularly more difficult. There are some different expectations and limitations in them. I'm getting talked slowly into the idea that science fiction isn't a genre but a modality. Science fiction really welcomes other genres in, like the noir mystery part of Leviathan Wakes. I'm not sure that fantasy would accept a hard-boiled detective in a porkpie hat with the same grace.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to say?
Daniel: One of the things that we don’t talk about much is marketing. Ty and I aren’t either one of us very adept at self-promotion. If folks like these books—The Dragon’s Path, Leviathan Wakes, whatever—the single most powerful force in making them successful in the world is readers’ word of mouth. If folks want to see more like these, please tell your friends, blog about it, tweet about it, all that good 21st century stuff. Orbit’s been really amazingly good to us, and apart from my own dreams of world domination, I’d like to see them rewarded for it.
Ty: Yeah, I'm terrible at social media. I'm a hermit by nature, and the constant noise generated by things like Twitter and Facebook just makes me tired. I recognize that this is a failure in our modern society, but I'm too tired to fix it. So, yeah, feel free to tweet on my behalf. If you want to read my occasional sardonic Facebook post, you can always friend James S.A. Corey and try to prod me into interaction.
12:00 PM | Posted by Robert | | Edit Post
I agree. I loved every bit of this book. And top of everything you mentioned... there were some laugh out loud moments where I'm pretty sure something came out of my nose. ;)
Very interesting interview.
Also pointing out that at least in the States, the ebook versions of Leviathan Wakes and The Dragon's Path both come with a copy of the other which makes it just about impossible to resist.
malazan said...
Hi,i am fan of your work,really loved the LPQ series.
must ask u,is the version (Leviathan Wakes) that is included in the Dragon's Path ebook the same as in the individual ebook that will be rlsd on the 15th ? or is it an uncorrected ARC ?
Hi Doug! There were some humorous moments in the book, although it's not one of the things I think about when I look back on the novel. So thanks for bringing it up :D
Cela, is that interesting in a good way or a bad way?
Malazan, I'll let Daniel answer your question because I'm not really sure myself...
@malazan: I can attest to the fact that the ARC of Leviathan Wakes included with Dragons Path reads like a finished product (I don't recall any typos that tripped me up). I'd be surprised if there is much of a difference between it and the ebook due out the 15th.
@Robert: I know I laugh at things that others might not find all that funny, but c'mon... Amos was a laugh-riot! The hilarity of the banter between the various crew-members of the Rocinante was balanced nicely by the noir, deadpan terseness of detective Miller's character. I can't say enough about it, really. I hope it's a huge hit.
I can back up Doug's statements. There are very few, if any noticeable typos in the ARC of Leviathan Wakes...
As to the humor, it could just be me. I mean I definitely chuckled a few times, but that's not the reason I loved the book ;)
I regret I could not add my thoughts to Robert though I did a short post a while ago
http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/2011/01/four-more-notable-2011-upcoming-novels.html
about Leviathan Wakes, but I agree that is a superb book and one of my top A++ novels of 2011
Daniel Abraham said...
@Malazan
Actually, I think that was a different Daniel. But to the question.
Because Dragon's Path came out while LW was still in production, they started of with an uncorrected ARC of LW as the extra. Now that LW's all cleaned up, I believe they're shipping the final versions of both books with whichever one you buy.
Calibandar said...
Very nice interview, I enjoyed reading it. I already intended to pick up Leviathan at some point, but now I will order straight away.
I'm glad you enjoyed the interview Calibander, and I hope you like the book!
Mark Lawrence said...
Great post - I was taken with the cover from the moment I saw it way back & it's good to hear that what waits underneath is top notch stuff as well. If I enjoyed the review/interview so much I expect the book to be a treat!
I hope you get a chance to read the book Mark. It will be worth your time :D
I just got the book from my local library. I wanted to see FBC's review and comments.
As always, this is a quality review. I look forward to reading it!
Thanks Chris! Let me know what you think when you've finished the book :D
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The Great Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off by Mark ...
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The Great Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off by Mark Lawrence & various bloggers
Self-published authors have it quite tough, usually they are disregarded by many readers and review sites. Among the few that do review them, the self-pubbed/indie crowd has tough completion with traditionally published authors and their works. All in all for them, it’s more than just an uphill climb. Which is why I want to thank Mark Lawrence for coming up with this massive idea and blog-off for giving all self-published authors a chance at recognition, reviews and hopefully great press.
Nearly a month ago Mark announced this competition, wherein he asked for author to submit their works to be judged by 10 fantasy review blogs. Previously he had sent out a call for bloggers to participate. In this endeavor, reader & blogger extraordinaire Sarah Chorn of Bookworm Blues admirably helped out with logistics and was the first volunteer blogger to sign up for this.
At Fantasy Book Critic, we have prided ourselves on trying to give Indie and self-published books a fair shake amidst the traditional author books. This has lead us to discover talented folks such as Michael J, Sullivan, Anthony Ryan, David Dalglish to just name a few.
Amid such a fantastic role-call, it was all I could do to not volunteer. Mark was very gracious enough to grant me a place among esteemed bloggers such Ria (Bibliotropic), Bob M. (Beauty In Ruins), Tyson Mauermann (Speculative Book Review) and many others. These bloggers are people whose choices I pay attention to as well as consider them my friends. So after getting close to 300 title entries, Mark disseminated these titles among the 10 of us and I have gotten the following titles allotted to me:
1. Corey Bryers – Scrapper
2. Alex Ziebart – Blood and Masks
3. Beth Lyons – The Soul Thief
4. Scott Warren – Sorcerous Crimes Division: Devil Bone
5. Domino Finn – Shade City
6. David Tatum – The Kitsune Stratagem
7. Charlotte Cyprus – Kiss of the Fae
8. Scott McGowan – Bjorn and Bread
9. Greg James – Under A Colder Sun
10. Andy Crawford – The Pen is Mightier
11. Brian Lynch – King Callie
12. Christopher Ruz – Century of Sand
13. Anthony Lowe – City of Blades
14. Eric Knight – Wreckers Gate
15. Melissa Porter – Purple
16. Rachel Bowden – Artisan
17. Annika Howells – How to disappear completely
18. Wilf Jones – The Best of Men
19. Robert Mullin – Bid the gods arise
20. Sean Moran – A Time of Kings
21. Rob Donovan – Ritual of the Stones
22. Randall Fitzgerald – No One’s Chosen
23. Nat Russo – Necromancer Awakening
24. A. Murtagh – Soldiers
25. Jenny Watson – Spirit’s Mage
26. Ken Lim – The Starfall Knight
27. Victor Salinas – The Sword and its Servant
The idea is for all of us to choose one worthy title among the all titles in our list and then pitch it to the rest of us as to why we feel it as the best. Eventually one winner will be announced among all such worthy titles. I plan to do a major review of the best book I choose and also do as many mini-reviews of the books from the above list. I’ll be stating my reasons for books which I’m not able to finish or didn’t enjoy.
Since I’m a bit strapped for time, I’ll be a bit stricter than I usually am while reviewing titles for FBC. So I hope you all join us bloggers amidst our search for the next fantasy self-pubbed breakout star. Here’s what my compatriots have been up to so far:
Bob Milne of Beauty in Ruins on blurbs, covers, and titles.
Lynn Williams of Lynn's Books reviews His Own Good Sword by Amanda McCrina.
Ria of Bibliotropic on titles, covers, and blurbs.
Sarah Chorn of Bookworm Blues divides to conquer!
Elitist Book Reviews outline their slush-strategy.
An update from Lynn's Books.
Here an 11th man has a sift through the slush.
On The Fictional Hangout Milo reviews Fire and Ice by Patty Jansen.
Ria of Bibliotropic reviews Son of a Dark Wizard.
Ria of Bibliotropic starts an update list.
Elitist Book Reviews like The Thief Who Pulled On Trouble's Braids.
As for me, I’ve already selected my first title among the bunch selected for me. I’m currently reading Sorcerous Crimes Division: Devil Bone by Scott Warren. What drew me to it was the mix of procedural noir and fantasy in its blurb which reminded me greatly of Steven Brust’s Vlad Taltos and Daniel Polansky’s Low Town trilogy. So far I’m very much enjoying it and I’ll be posting my thoughts on it soon.
"Divided: Dualed #2" by Elsie Chapman (Reviewed by Cindy Hannikman)
Visit Elsie Chapman's Official Site HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's Review of Dualed Here
OVERVIEW: The hunter becomes the hunted. . . .
West Grayer is done killing. She defeated her Alternate, a twin raised by another family, and proved she’s worthy of a future. She’s ready to move on with her life.
The Board has other plans. They want her to kill one last time, and offer her a deal worth killing for. But when West recognizes her target as a ghost from her past, she realizes she’s in over her head. The Board is lying, and West will have to uncover the truth of the past to secure her future.
How far will the Board go to keep their secrets safe? And how far will West go to save those she loves? With nonstop action and surprising twists, Elsie Chapman’s intoxicating sequel to Dualed reveals everything.
FORMAT: Divided is the second book in the Dualed duology. It is mostly a dystopian novel with lots of action and a little romance. It stands at 320 pages and was published May 27, 2014 by Random House Books for Young Readers.
ANALYSIS: When I walked away from Dualed, the first novel in the series, I was conflicted. The proposed plot seemed interesting and rather unique, but the stiff writing and lack of world building left me with so many questions that it ruined my experience.
I'll admit I struggled with whether or not to give up on the series. Ultimately, I decided to give book two a try to see if any of my lingering questions were answered and I was surprised with what I read.
Things do start out a big sluggish for Divided. In fact, at one point I gave myself another 20 pages and I was going to put it down if things didn't pick up – which it did. The reason it is important to note this is because people may get a sense that book 2 is just like book 1 and give up. Book 2 really is a lot better, in many ways, than book 1.
One of my biggest complaints about Dualed was there were just so many questions and the world in which the characters lived was so underdeveloped. Chapman really cleared up a lot of questions/confusions from the first book. Was everything cleared up? No, there were still things I had questions on, but things were explained in a way that I felt comfortable with and was satisfied with.
Another area in which I feel Chapman excelled was drawing her character development. In Dualed, I was so frustrated and annoyed with West (our main character). Part of my frustration was due to the fact that I felt nothing for the character. I didn't hate her, I didn't like her. I felt nothing. Divided provided me with an opportunity to get to know West a little better and see different sides to her.
I will admit I don't feel overly close to the characters in the book even after reading the second book, but I feel closer. Character development is a fine art and I really feel Chapman is growing in that area and moving in the right direction.
There were some interesting parts of Divided. I enjoyed the action aspect of it and found the way the world/society unfolded interesting. It is certainly better and more well-written than Dualed. It shows that Chapman is sure to become a wonderful writer, especially in the YA genre.
I should point out that I was a little underwhelmed by the ending. This is being marketed as a duology, but the series sort of ends with no real closure. I'm not sure if there will be a third book, but there is certainly the possibility of a third book. If it was the last book in the series, I really feel it could have ended on a stronger note. I'm not upset about it, but I feel it could have been stronger/better.
Again, if you were to read Divided, I recommend just going along for the ride. Try not to take anything too seriously and just truly read and enjoy. The book turns out better that way, as it isn't a series that is meant to be analyzed (think nice, action-packed read that isn't too intense).
Overall, it was an enjoyable read. It wasn't top of my list of favorites, but it was a good 'in the moment' type read. Just remember to enjoy it and not think too deep into the storyline, and you will be fine.
3:48 AM | Posted by Cindy | | Edit Post
GUEST POST: A Game of ̶T̶h̶r̶o̶n̶e̶s̶ Death by Rob J. Hayes
A few weeks ago I read an interview with the producers of A Game of Thrones (you all know the one, that flash in the pan TV show that we're all SO over) where they stated that events (for the show) may not play out exactly like they do in the books and that some characters who do survive (at least until now) in the books may soon bite the bullet / kick the bucket in the show. Essentially what they're saying there is that we should be warned that no one is safe. Now lets not kid ourselves, they are not about to kill off Tyrion (thankfully) or Daenerys (unfortunately) but some of the lesser characters who do not play so important a role might go before their allotted time.
This statement got me thinking. There is a massive deal about ol' Mr Martin killing off his characters. There's memes all over the internet about his willingness to slaughter the children of his mind (to prove my point here's one of my favourites).
But has it gotten to the point where George is buying into his own legend? Is the sensationalism of killing off characters more important than the story? The same questions need to be asked of those writing the TV show.
Now I'm about to drop a spoiler from A Game of Thrones (the first book / series) so if you're not quite up to date look away now... Eddard Stark's death blew me away. I know I'm not alone in this one. It was so unexpected (some keen watchers of the show may have suspected it by the casting of Sean Bean). It's almost hard-wired into our cognitive processes that the character in a book who gets most face time, and who is just and good and righteous, is the main character and, while that character will be thrown into peril, they will ultimately survive at least until the conclusion. Then GRRM decapitated Ned... The rules changed.
It was a twist and one almost nobody saw coming. But it wasn't just a twist, it was a hook. It was a statement. It was Georgy M saying no one is safe and that he was more than prepared to make you invest in a character on an emotional level just to then take them away from you in one brutal, glorious moment.
Now some authors might have stopped there. They may have established the risk to the characters but then let the others off the hook. The true King of the Iron Throne did not stop there. He did it again with the Red Wedding, and again with the Viper. This brings me to my point. Who will be next? We're all asking it. It's like watching a reality TV show where celebrities compete and get voted off one at a time. We're all tuning in to see who GRRiM offs next.
It isn't really about the story anymore but about which character is going to die and I have to wonder if he (because we all know RR knows it) has changed his vision to sensationally kill off another character or two because that's kind of what A Song of Ice and Fire is all about now.
Even if the GRRM Reaper hasn't changed his story, the writers of the TV show have. They've come right out and admitted it: characters are going to die. Just because they survive the books don't think they're safe. That right there is a sensationalist headline designed to grab attention and keep folk interested and it's working.
So this right here is my question: Are we sacrificing story for sensationalism? Is George Raymond Richard Martin killing off characters now to keep his crown rather than to further his story and are the TV show writers doing the same? Either way, Game of Thrones is a global phenomenon and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.
I really hope a dragon eats Dany.
Sansa for Queen!
Bran... ah, no one gives a crap about Bran.
Order It Takes A Thief To Catch A Sunrise here (US) and here (UK)
Guest Author Information: Rob J. Hayes was born and brought up in Basingstoke, UK. As a child he was fascinated with Lego, Star Wars and Transformers that fueled his imagination and he spent quite a bit of his growing up years playing around with such. He began writing at the age of fourteen however soon discovered the fallacies of his work. After four years at University studying Zoology and three years working for a string of high street banks as a desk jockey/keyboard monkey. Rob lived on a desert island in Fiji for three months. It was there he re-discovered his love of writing and, more specifically, of writing fantasy.
NOTE: Titan Of Bravos and The Red Viper artwork courtesy of Kay Huang.
Mini-interview with Rob J. Hayes (Interviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)
Q] Welcome back to Fantasy Book Critic, while most writers are comfortable writing in their debut milieus, you have gone against the grain and written a standalone story set in a completely different world. What was your line of reasoning behind this bold step?
RJH: Thanks for having me back. I think I wanted to try something a bit different and, after spending the past five years working on the world I created in The Ties that Bind trilogy, I wanted to take a break from it. I have a few worlds swirling about in my imagination, as I would assume most fantasy authors do, and a whole host of stories taking part in those worlds.
While I was writing The Price of Faith I had this idea for a short story involving the two protagonists from IT TAKES A THIEF TO CATCH A SUNRISE and after putting it onto paper I found it so charming that I wanted to take it further and adapt it into a full novel.
Q] "It Takes A Thief To Catch A Sunrise" while being a heist story is also miles away from your grimdark debut with regards to characters, plot bleakness and language. Did you feel that this story needed to be different from your debut or was this just what the story required?
RJH: A little bit of both really. The story itself doesn't call for much violence, sex or harsh language so I made a conscious decision that there would be as little as possible. I think the character's attitude is a reflection of the world; the world I created in The Ties that Bind is dark, hard, cruel and unforgiving and the characters that inhabit it are very much a product of that. The world I created in IT TAKES A THIEF TO CATCH A SUNRISE is full of intrigue, deceit and hope and I think, once again, the characters reflect those qualities.
Q] Please tell us about how "It Takes A Thief To Catch A Sunrise" came to be? What were your inspirations for the story and what were you aiming for with it?
RJH: So it started off as a short story set in a world that I've been designing for a while now to be one part steampunk-esque science, one part elemental magic and one part religious zealotry. A bit of a mash I know but I'm hoping it'll pull together in the end. :D
I love heist capers. From films like Ocean's Eleven to books like The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, I love the idea of a group of thieves overcoming impossible odds and stealing something that cannot be stolen. At the same time I wanted to include the romance of Bonnie and Clyde (only without the rampant murder), with a couple whose lives revolved around the obvious and deep love they have for each other and the thrill of the steal.
Q] Now with this title being re-published, there was a title and cover-art change. Could you walk us through this process?
RJH: I decided I wanted to re-launch The Northern Sunrise with the possibility of sequels and with a more eye-catching cover. I had the image I wanted in my head and found an artist who could do it justice (and he really did). Then I spent about a month trying to come up with a new name for the book. Eventually my sister suggested IT TAKES A THEIF TO CATCH A SUNRISE, and I liked it right away. It gives me the scope to write a sequel (or sequels) and name them IT TAKES A THIEF...
Q] Again in It Takes A Thief To Catch A Sunrise, the characters are the highlight of the story particularly Isabel & Jacques who share a very warm and loving relationship. Also dangerously fascinating were Amaury & Franseza, what's your secret for creating such intriguing & devious people?
RJH: I think growing up with a psychologist for a mother probably helped. :D I try to create realistic characters wherever possible, giving them strengths and flaws, hopes and dreams, and conflicts both with other characters and also with themselves.
Q] Will this be a standalone story, if yes what are you planning to write about next? Will you be returning to the world of The Ties That Bind trilogy? If not what will be your focus for the sequel ?
RJH: At this point in time I do have a sequel planned but it's a ways off yet. It will be set in a different part of the world where elemental magic is a lot more prevalent and will see Jacques and Isabel coming up against some stiff competition. Next up for me, however, is BEST LAID PLANS, a follow-up series to The Ties that Bind, set in the same world with some of the same characters and a lot more pirates.
Q] Thank you once again for your time, what can your fans expect in 2015 and beyond?
RJH: Thanks for having me again. This year sees the re-release of The Price of Faith (Book 3 of The Ties that Bind) by Ragnarok Publications will be out in May and there's always the possibility that the first book of Best Laid Plans will arrive before the year is out.
It Takes A Thief To Catch A Sunrise by Rob J. Hayes (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)
Pre-order It Takes A Thief To Catch A Sunrise here (USA) and here (UK)
OFFICIAL BLURB: It Takes a Thief to Catch a Sunrise is a standalone book by the author of The Ties that Bind trilogy. Set in a new world of corruption, deceit and thievery; mixing magical fantasy and alchemypunk with a healthy smattering of air-shippery.
"There comes a point in every thief's life where one has to take stock of all that they have achieved. We have stolen almost everything there is worth stealing: Prince Henri's Jadefire ring, the Marquisse d'Bola's collection of prized toy soldiers, Elize Gion's Living Autumn, the very first airship schematic, and who could forget we definitely made off with Baron Rivette's pride."
"The trick, I find, is not to break in. No. The trick is to convince the mark to invite you in."
FORMAT/INFO: It Takes A Thief To Catch A Sunrise is divided into twenty-five chapters and an epilogue. The narration is in third person via Isabel de Rosier, Jacques Revou, Shadow Concieller Renard Daron, and Amaury Roche. This book was previously self-published by the author under the name "The Northern Sunrise"
March 20, 2015 marks the US and UK e-book publication of It Takes A Thief To Catch A Sunrise and is being re-published by the author. Cover art is by iGreeny & cover design is provided by Shawn King.
ANALYSIS: After reading Rob J. Hayes’ debut trilogy, I was suitably impressed. With this tale being a standalone and specifically not related to his previous trilogy, I was wondering how this effort would turn out be.
Isabel de Rosier and Jacques Revou are two consummate thieves who have accomplished several different sorts of heists and larceny over a period of time. Their most recent efforts have them squarely in the sights of Renard Daron, the Shadow Conceiller to the king of Sassaille. Isabel and Jacques are forced into a final job for Renard Daron and fiercely watched by Daron's two deadly shadows Franseza Goy & Amaury Roche. Going into a job blind, has never been their sort of thing but with all their bank accounts frozen and with not a single penny to their name. Isabel and Jacques must learn to dance to the Shadow Conceiller's tune however they are not without their own tricks.
This was a very different offering from the author’s debut, and I’m glad for that very reason. So often authors tend to repeat what they have done before and they run the risk of being labeled as one-trick ponies. Rob J. Hayes certainly bucks that trend with this standalone tale about thieves coerced into working with a spymaster for his own nefarious ends. Also this story is a far cry from his previous work which made most grimdark stories look like YA ones.
As with the previous books, the characters are what make this story so enjoyable, beginning with our main duo Isabel and Jacques, who are quite an adorable pair. They keep the story from getting too dreary and also keep the reader entertained with their quips. Another plus point is that the author makes their voices distinct so as to not confuse them. Also with the other POV characters, they are quite individualistic and also make the story that much more intriguing. Ultimately this story is about wills and the deception that people engage in. With Isabel and Jacques, it’s all about their skills in fooling people into believing whatever they want them to. With Daron, it’s basically about the kingdom and its needs, however what Daron thinks what’s best for the kingdom might not be entirely correct.
Amaury and Franseza aren’t given that much space but their motivations and instincts are quite clear to discern. The story is quite fast paced and has a reasonable amount of twists that will keep the readers wanting to know how it will all end. A trick the author utilizes is the use of flashbacks before the start of the chapters, which further help in fleshing out the story and the characters. Another plus point is that the world setting which includes air ships, guns and a remarkable type of creature that the readers will have to find out more on their own. The world technology level is set about a pre-industrial level and the characters and world seems to be based on French culture which is a slightly refreshing change from the usual British one.
I thought this book was a fun read that offered some remarkable twists and ended the tale on a strong note. The ending however also lends to a sequel should the author ever want to revisit the world but the ending I must say is a proper one and the story can be considered complete. In the age of numerous series, it’s very refreshing to see a proper standalone story and in this case, it was good to see a different story from an author whom I have very high expectations for.
CONCLUSION: It Takes a Thief to Catch a Sunrise by Rob J. Hayes is a surprisingly fun thriller even though it deals with deception, spy craft and other dastardly activities. Rob J. Hayes certainly is his own writer and know how to buck reader expectations and give a story which while different is no less a page-turner.
The Red Knight by Miles Cameron (Reviewed by Achala Upendran)
Order The Red Knight here
OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: Twenty eight florins a month is a huge price to pay, for a man to stand between you and the Wild.
Twenty eight florins a month is nowhere near enough when a wyvern's jaws snap shut on your helmet in the hot stink of battle, and the beast starts to rip the head from your shoulders. But if standing and fighting is hard, leading a company of men - or worse, a company of mercenaries - against the smart, deadly creatures of the Wild is even harder.
It takes all the advantages of birth, training, and the luck of the devil to do it. The Red Knight has all three, he has youth on his side, and he's determined to turn a profit. So when he hires his company out to protect an Abbess and her nunnery, it's just another job. The abby is rich, the nuns are pretty and the monster preying on them is nothing he can't deal with.
Only it's not just a job. It's going to be a war...
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Finding a book that plonks itself comfortably into the genre of old fashioned chivalry and heroism, without sounding trite and tried, has become increasingly hard. I was beginning to think that it couldn’t be done, that G.R.R. Martin’s canny, pragmatic, decidedly not-shining protagonists were a sign of where fantasy was going, who our new ‘heroes’ were going to be. And then Miles Cameron showed up with The Red Knight and proved why some fantasy clichés are going to stick around.
Written from a staggering number of viewpoints (think Robert Jordan’s last few Wheel of Time books, or even the increasing number of characters with a voice in Martin’s saga), The Red Knight is set in the tantalizingly familiar land of Alba, where the Wild wages an eternal war against the civilized world. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Anyway, the Wild, after being contained for many years, has surged up again, and this time it’s got a powerful and terrifying leader: the once-human Magus Thorn.
He brings the considerable power of the Wild to bear on the town Lissen Carrock, and its Abbey . To protect her domain, the Abbess engages the services of a band of mercenaries led by the man who calls himself the Red Knight. A young man with a past and power of his own, he and his fellows are tested to their limits in the fight against the Wild.
Cameron’s narrative spins through a world at once achingly familiar to readers of Arthurian fantasy, as well as jarringly different enough to disconcert and intrigue long-time enthusiasts of the genre. For instance, though the social power of chivalry and knighthood has a strong grip on the populace, and the social system is a feudal one, there are strong hints that ‘Alba’ is not an isolated nation. It has ties—both martial and economic—with its neighbours, the France-like Galle, and the Morean Empire. Similarly, though religion is a strong force in this world, it is complemented by the Power, a magic that some of the holy orders display as well.
The characters do, however, have a tendency to be one-dimensional, and I had a problem with the manner in which Cameron tends to sentimentalize their actions and conversations. The Red Knight, for instance, a very compelling character, becomes a bit of a do-gooder in a decidedly sudden fashion, his naivete a startling contrast to the worldliness and cynicism he had displayed at the start of the narrative. Similarly, Harmodius, a court magus, seems to have been set to play the part of the absent minded but powerful mentor, and that is a role he doesn’t stray from at all. He becomes, at points, a caricature that irritates rather than inspires.
The character I absolutely loved, though, was Desiderata, the Queen of Alba. Feisty, amusing and, above all, so obviously out to get her own way, she shone as a brilliant counterpoint to all those others who got weighed down with obvious morality and occasional sermonizing. Desiderata’s sections were effortless in a way that none of the other characters were—maybe because Cameron let her speak entirely for herself and wend her way through her storyline without dumping his own chivalric and religious explication on her.
The book does tend to drag in sections as well, especially for long drawn out battle sequences. It is difficult to write a large-scale battle sequence that holds readers’ attention consistently unless it involves displays of supernatural ability (just ask Robert Jordan) and Cameron does falter at points. But long practice should make him better, and for a first book,the Red Knight doesn’t do all too bad a job.
CONCLUSION: In spite of these drawbacks, I would heartily recommend The Red Knight for all fans of fantasy. It’s obvious that Cameron has constructed his world with great love, and intends to inhabit it for a while. For all their drawbacks, the characters are engaging, and I found myself wanting to know what was in store for some of them in the next installment. Thankfully, there is going to be a next one. What can I say, we fantasy fans truly do believe there is no such thing as a one-hit wonder, and the grass only gets greener three books in.
GUEST POST: Fantastic Economies: A Conversation Between Gabriel Squailia and Karina Sumner-Smith
Gabriel Squailia: Karina, one of the most exciting things about discovering your book on the Talos roster is that we’ve both created worlds with fantastic economic systems completely different from what we’ve got on Earth. In Radiant and Defiant, the first two books of your Towers Trilogy, the economy runs on magic, while my debut Dead Boys presents an underworld with an economy based on time. Before we get into the nuts and bolts, I’m curious: how did you develop that part of your world? Were you interested in messing with money from the beginning, or did it evolve as you wrote?
Karina Sumner-Smith: Foolish as it sounds, when I started writing Radiant I didn’t realize that I was writing a book about money (or social class, or economic power) at all. Instead, the book began with an idea: what if there was a far-future, post-apocalyptic world in which everyone had magic, and magic was used for everything—and the main character was a girl with no magic at all?
Easy, I thought. Straightforward. But the interesting thing in building a fantasy world, I think, is taking what appear to be simple premises and watching them cascade.
It didn’t take me long to realize that this magic, this power that could open (literal and figurative) doors, that ensured health and safety and long life, was money. And if magic/money is something that you are born with, how does that shape your view of the world and your place within it? The “value of a person” suddenly has very literal, very real meaning—and very interesting consequences for concepts of social class, social mobility, and poverty within the world.
And if you have no magic—literally no money, no power, and no ability to earn either—what is your life like? How do you survive? What kind of person does that make you? These are the sorts of questions that really kick my story-brain into gear. And, for me, the best way to discover the answers is to start writing!
But how about you? The idea of the deceased residents of the Land of the Dead using time as currency is a fascinating premise. How does that economic system work, and where did the concept come from?
GS: It’s a startlingly similar origin story. I’d been kicking around the idea of a book set in the underworld for years, but it was only when I broke ground on this draft that I started thinking about money. My characters are all dead, and they all floated in on the River Lethe with whatever they had on them at the moment of death. Occasional floods bring in wrecked buildings and such, but the bottom line is that you’ve got no currency other than the odd bit of pocket change. The corpses of Dead City don’t build or make anything, much less mint currency—they’re a culture of scavengers.
The one thing everyone does have is time. Eternal time, since these corpses decay incredibly slowly. And most of them are spending it drinking, gossiping, and gambling, surefire ways to waste time in any world.
That’s where the notion of time-exchange came in. I needed a city of gamblers, but what would they gamble? Let’s say you start with the coins in your pocket, then lose the buttons on your shirt. You’ve got nothing to do, so you keep going, out of desperate boredom: “I’ll bet you a year I roll a seven next.” And then, when you roll a five instead, you’re my indentured servant for a year.
That’s the mythical textbook version that probably never happened, the equivalent to the barter town where dudes are trading hobnails for pints of mead or whatever. The reality is that once you lose, I don’t want to listen to you complaining for a year, so I trade you in to the guy who owns the gambling halls and keeps the accounts. He takes you, the debtor, into his vast pool of laborers. Then I get a year in my account and gamble it right back into his coffers.
It’s an absurd premise, but it’s how I felt about the debt hanging over me in my twenties: that I’d traded my present for my future, betting that I’d make gobs of money one day even while I suspected it would never happen. That sense of absurdity, coupled with the feeling that all the debt-ridden twentysomethings I knew were supernaturally diminished by the weight of the bills on their backs, was the real genesis of the storyline in Dead Boys.
Once you got in deep, did you discover that the economy of Radiant had similar roots in your own experience?
KSS: Absolutely. I think that when you begin to actively consider the financial and economic aspects of worldbuilding, what you are talking about are resources and scarcity. Who has something of value, what can they do with it, and what will they do to keep control of that resource? And, on the flipside, what happens to those who have few or no resources? What might they do to change their situation, and/or how do they survive?
In other words, when you’re thinking about economics in this way, you’re delving into some of the root causes of inequality within your constructed world—and I think that issues of inequality are inherently deeply personal. I know that a lot of the thematic questions that I end up posing in Radiant and its sequels are ones that I spend a lot of time thinking about. I loved delving into ideas of privilege and poverty, all the ways a person might have value that are in no way reflected by the numbers on their bank statement, and the things we feel that we are owed or have a right to as members of prosperous, developed nations.
Yet these are also the things that can grind us down on a day to day basis. Exploring such ideas in a fantastic setting provides a bit of distance, I think; lets us (as writers and readers both) explore new perspectives and points of view. So instead of talking about banking crises and discrimination, I’m writing about magic and ghosts, a utopian city of floating towers and the lives scratched out of dirt and ruin below them on the ground.
But magic, in my world, is the power of life—it keeps you healthy, heals the sick, and ensures long life, in addition to being used for a myriad of everyday tasks like buying lunch and sending messages. Yet time is such a different form of currency! What’s the value of money to the characters in Dead Boys? What can time buy?
GS: There’s the rub: animate corpses don’t really need much. They don’t eat, they don’t sleep, they don’t require health care. So from the start, I knocked the bottom rungs off of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and focused this economy on desire.
Aside from the booze and gambling, there’s a vast marketplace for the ruined objects scavenged from the River Lethe. Corpses will buy anything that reminds them of their lives, and the jetsam is marked up accordingly. But the big money is in preservation: the dead will pay vast sums of time to look more lifelike, even when the result would be hideous to a living human.
The story’s hero, Jacob Campbell, is Dead City’s most successful preservationist, thanks to his taxidermic acumen, and Dead Boys begins with him spending every moment of his fortune in a bid to find something worth doing for the rest of eternity. His quest takes him away from the economy of time into a way of occupying his afterlife with something meaningful.
But time-as-money, accrued for its own sake, is power, too, and that’s what Jacob’s companion Leopold L’Eclair is after. In the end, time means something different to each of the major characters in the story, so using it in the place of cash often felt like a way to riff on the book’s central obsession.
KSS: What about other interesting economies in SFF? I know when I’m trying to think of great examples of speculative economics, my mind goes right to science fiction. There are lots of great examples of novels and series that show interesting, complex speculation on what how a far-future economy might work, and how economic systems may be impacted by ongoing technological change. Books like Iain Banks’ Culture novels, Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl, and some of Cory Doctorow’s works come to mind.
GS: Neal Stephenson, too, did amazing things with money in his early novels. My great disappointment in REAMDE had nothing to do with what that book was, but with what I’d hoped it would be: the first act seemed to promise his ultimate thesis on economics and culture, and then the plot kicked in.
Samuel Delany also has a wonderful eye for economics, and ever since I read this passage in his introduction to About Writing I’ve been unable to stop thinking about it:
"One way or the other, directly or indirectly, good fiction tends to be about money … about the effects of having it or of not having it, the tensions caused between people used to having more of it or less of it, or even, sometimes, the money it takes to write the fiction itself, if not to live it. Supremely, it’s about the delusions the having of it or the not having of it force us to assume in order to go on. … the economic is, nevertheless, not the most interesting thing to me as a reader personally … But stories that never address money or the process by which we acquire it—if not directly then indirectly—are usually stillborn."
KSS: When it comes to fantasy, I have to point to Elizabeth Bear’s excellent Eternal Sky trilogy as an example of great fantasy-world economics done well. Of course, the books didn’t strike me as novels about trade and economics, so much as stories in which the economic and cultural impacts of trade were a carefully planned and well-integrated part of the story’s whole. The attention to detail here really worked for me.
Or then there’s Terry Pratchett’s Making Money, a book about … well, banking. (Proof that Pratchett can make anything entertaining.) And on the flipside of that coin (so to speak), where do you think fantasy writers go wrong in writing about economies and their consequences in fantastic worlds? What would you like to see done better, or differently?
GS: Fantasy in its epic mode tends to treat money as it would be treated in a D&D campaign. I’m not sure that’s a flaw so much as a habit, but it does cause the issue to protrude. Patrick Rothfuss’ scrupulous accounting of Kvothe’s funds in The Name of the Wind often made me wonder if he had a character sheet. I liked that Kvothe didn’t have much of it, that poverty was a constant threat, as opposed to Harry Potter, who’s just got a bunch of gold in a vault, doesn’t he, for pretty much all seven books? He could’ve benefited from a robbery.
But given how much contemporary fantasy plays with magic—what it is, how it works, what it can do—I’d love to see more active toying with the nature of money itself. Since getting it, keeping it, and getting more of it is one of the primary struggles of our lives, it seems like there’s a lot of room to make some radical changes and see how they affect the rest of the story.
Maybe this is antithetical to what fantasy’s trying to do, though. Epic fantasy seems largely concerned with mutating the past but retaining its essential character, or filtering it through the present, while urban fantasy aims to reflect the moment with more pointed metaphors. Completely alternate visions of reality might not be in fantasy’s wheelhouse. But maybe it ought to be urged in that direction. To me, economics seems like a powerful lever to lean on. It seems like a greater emphasis on action means less room for fiddly bits like economics, but I’d love to be proven wrong on that count.
KSS: Done well, I think an interesting speculative economy could be illuminated by or drive an action-oriented plot. Desperate characters take drastic actions—and what makes a character more desperate than having no money, no resources, and a ticking clock?
For me, I have the greatest trouble with the stories that are about massive wars between nations, armies clashing in huge battles, etc., where it’s clear that the author has never considered how those are paid or fed, who’s funding the rebellion, or how these nations trade and interact outside of the battlefield. For me, that’s not just a matter of attention to detail or rigorous worldbuilding; it’s a key part of creating a story that feels real and true. Political scandals, massive social upheavals, war and rebellion, magic and power—money always plays a part.
I’d also love to see more examples that move beyond metal coins as currency in a feudal society, or variations on modern-day capitalism. Why can’t the economic system of a world be as different, fascinating, and complex as its history, politics, or magical system?
GS: I do feel like we’re at the beginning of a new phase for fantastic writing, with far less attention being paid to homage. Maybe the SF/F answer to Liar’s Poker is in the pipeline as we speak!
KSS: And I, for one, would love to read it.
Order DEAD BOYS here
GUEST AUTHOR INFORMATION: Gabriel Squailia is the author of the dark fantasy Dead Boys, out March 10 from Talos Press. An alumnus of Friends World Program, he studied storytelling and literature in India, Europe, and the Middle East before settling in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. Known locally as BFG, he makes his living as a dance-floor DJ. His ramblings, hinged and unhinged, can be found over here.
Order RADIANT here
Pre-order DEFIANT here
Read Cost And Consequence In The Creation Of A Magic System by Karina Sumner-Smith (guest post)
GUEST AUTHOR INFORMATION: Karina Sumner-Smith is the author of the Towers Trilogy from Talos/Skyhorse: Radiant (Sept 2014), Defiant (May 2015), and Towers Fall (Oct 2015). In addition to novel-length work, Karina has published a range of science fiction, fantasy, and horror short stories that have been nominated for the Nebula Award, reprinted in several Year’s Best anthologies, and translated into Spanish and Czech. She lives near the shores of Lake Huron with her husband, a very small dog, and a very large cat. Visit her online on her website.
NOTE: Netherworld Capital City art by Jesse Van Dijk. Author pictures courtesy of the authors themselves. Samuel R. Delany picture courtesy of Maria Popova & Brain Pickings. Kvothe artwork by Marc Simonetti.
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ISLAM, THE PETRO-DOLLAR AND BEYOND
Categorised Islam and Usury
Our conference must ensure that we explain issues relating to ‘money’ in a manner that can be readily understood, not just by those present in this gathering here in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but also by the hapless multitudes around the world who know little or nothing of this subject, and who look to us for guidance; hence an imperative of ensuring both simplicity and clarity, while avoiding the use of technical jargon. I avoid it to such an extent that those present in this audience will not hear even the words ‘fiat money’ in my presentation.
We must, however, provide an adequate explanation of the term ‘Petro-dollar’, since our view is that it is symbolically present in a Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon him) on which this paper is based. We must reveal the staggering role that it has played and still plays, in sustaining today’s unjust monetary system, as well as the equally unjust international banking system. Both the international monetary system and the international banking system are absolutely unique phenomena in human economic and monetary history. In other words no one in history has ever experienced the unique injustice and oppression that mankind now experiences in the worlds of money and banking. This, perhaps, explains the strange ignorance of the reality of modern money and banking.
Our view is that petro-money has an even more sinister role to play in the new monetary system that will emerge to replace the present one, consequent upon the imminent demise of the US dollar – but more about that later.
The monstrously unjust roles that the international monetary system and the international banking system have played, and still play, in the affairs of the world today, cannot be adequately explained if we restrict ourselves to purely economic and monetary analysis. Rather there are important non-economic and monetary questions which must also be answered if we are to fully understand this subject. For example, gold and silver have continuously functioned successfully as money all through our history as a civilization, until modern western civilization emerged with an agenda of establishing its dominion over the rest of the world. Western wars of aggression then led to colonization of much of the non-European world.
• Is it by accident or by design that decolonization resulted in the rest of the non-European world becoming part of a mysterious and ominous new European monetary system in which, for the first time in human history, mankind was prohibited by international law from using gold as money, and in which money with intrinsic value was replaced by money with no intrinsic value?
• Is it by accident or by design that the new European monetary system supported a European banking system which together operated in such wise that they and their clients grew incredibly wealthy while the rest of the world was imprisoned in increasing poverty and destitution?
• Has that economic impoverishment lead to political servitude?
• Is it true or is it false that modern political servitude invariably implies conformity with a Zionist agenda?
• Is it by accident or by design that European Zionist Jews and Zionist Christians have a firm control over that monetary and international banking system and are using it to the advantage of the state of Israel?
• Is it by accident or by design that the modern secular west continued the Jihad (known as the crusades) waged by medieval Christian Europe to liberate the Holy Land from Muslim rule, until success was finally achieved in 1917? Why did non-European Christians refrain from participating in an ostensibly Christian Jihad? Why did western European Christians fight their eastern Christian brothers-in-faith while making their way (in a Christian Jihad) to the Holy Land?
• Is it by accident or by design that the West then presided over the birth of a State of Israel in the Holy Land some 2000 years after Holy Israel was destroyed by divine decree, and the Jews were then brought back (by hook and by crook) to reclaim the Holy Land as their own some 2000 years after they were expelled from it by divine decree? Did all of the above take place by accident, or was it part of a grand design that would eventually make it possible for Israel to rule the world? Why would Israel want to rule the world?
The Qur’an has declared that it explains all things:
{quran 16:89}
“……for one Day We shall raise up within every community a witness against them from among themselves. And thee [too, O Prophet,] have We brought forth to bear witness regarding those [whom thy message may have reached], inasmuch as We have bestowed from on high upon thee, step by step, this divine writ, to make all things clear (i.e., to explain all things), and to provide guidance and grace and a glad tiding unto all who have surrendered themselves to Allah.
(Qur’an, al-Nahl, 16:89)
Our books and lectures on the subject of Islamic Eschatology – in particular ‘Jerusalem in the Qur’an’ and ‘The Gold Dinar and Silver Dirham – Islam and the Future of Money’ – offer answers derived from the Qur’an and Hadith to all of the above questions.
What these answers indicate is that there is an eschatological dimension to the subject of contemporary world affairs which is absolutely indispensible for a proper understanding of the subjects of money and banking. At the heart of that explanation is the return of the true Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon them both) who would rule the world from Jerusalem, and the advent of a false Messiah who would attempt, prior to his return, to impersonate the true Messiah. In order to successfully impersonate the true Messiah he would have to:
• liberate the Holy Land for the Jews,
• bring the Jews back to the Holy Land to reclaim it as their own,
• restore a State of Israel in the Holy Land and deceive the Jews into embracing it as Holy Israel, and
• cause that imposter Israel to become the ruling State of the world.
I recognize Dajjal the false Messiah as the actor responsible for all of the above. As a consequence of our Islamic Eschatology we were able to understand events unfolding in the world for quite some time now as preparatory to the establishment of Zionist-controlled world government, world economy, and a global currency, etc.
Our eschatology also allowed us to recognize petro-money to be located at the very heart of Dajjal’s quest to rule the world.
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Coronavirus Update: Chief Medical Officer reveals change in the way data is presented
Chief Medical Officer Cecília Müller said today that more information will soon be provided in connection with those who have died of the coronavirus.
Chief Medical Officer Cecília Müller said today that more information will soon be provided in connection with those who have died of the coronavirus. She also added that the number of those infected is most definitely higher than the confirmed number of cases.
Müller said a new system will soon be introduced on the official koronavirus.gov.hu website. “More detailed information will be provided from now on, which will include the age, gender and already existing illnesses of the deceased," she said.
“There are only estimations on the exact numbers so far, but there are several people out there who are infected with no symptoms or people who are already recovered from the virus,” Müller said. "That is why it is extremely important to avoid all contact and slow down the spread of the virus.”
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Government Spokesperson: Sargentini Report presented by LIBE is the work of the “Soros empire”
Zoltán Kovács said that the LIBE Committee had presented the draft of its report on Hungary, which includes serious criticisms, the rapporteur of which is Green Party MEP Judith Sargentini
George Soros Judith Sargentini Soros report Article 7 LIBE
Hungary’s government spokesperson has said the Sargentini Report presented by the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) is the work of the “Soros empire”.
Zoltán Kovács said that the LIBE Committee had presented the draft of its report on Hungary, which includes a number of ill-founded criticisms, the rapporteur of which is Green Party MEP Judith Sargentini.
According to the spokesperson, they are once again attempting what they did not succeed in achieving at the parliamentary elections, namely to break the Hungarian government’s position according to which it firmly rejects the mandatory resettlement mechanism and refuses to become an immigrant country.
He said the writers of the Sargentini Report are tied to the ‘Soros empire’ and during the past eight years have attempted to tarnish Hungary’s reputation on numerous occasions. “Judith Sargentini hasn’t even denied that this is not a legal procedure but a political one,” he said.
Kovács said a political witch-hunt is underway. He objected to the fact that the government wasn’t even invited to the session of the Committee, and that when the foreign minister requested the opportunity to participate and represent the Hungarian government, the request was rejected.
“The government is attempting to prevent the success of the report using all possible means, and its mandate to do so has been further reinforced in light of the result of the recent general election,” he said.
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More Uppity Woman: The 4 Julia's (Part IV) ... the end
Mamaea’s Last Post
Alexander Augustus, may the gods keep you! Persicus maximus, may the gods keep you! Parthicus in truth, Persicus in truth. We behold your trophies, we behold your victories too.
Thus, according to the Roman version of Fox News – the Life of Alexander in Historiae Augustae – the Senate acclaimed the imaginary victories of Severus Alexander. And this was followed, if The Life can be believed, by a triumph in September 233 AD, when Mamaea and her son were briefly back in Rome:
With the greatest glory and accompanied by the senate, the equestrian order, and the whole populace, with the women and children, particularly the wives of the soldiers, crowding about him on every side, he went up on foot to the Palace, while behind him four elephants drew his triumphal chariot. On the following day he gave games in the Circus and spectacles on the stage....
I would take this as the stuff of purest fantasy but for a handful of coins and medallions that vaunt the Emperor’s victories in the east: on one, Alexander is crowned by the goddess of Victory as he tramples on the Tigris and Euphrates; another (pictured left) shows Victory crushing a miniature captive under her shield. Even Mamaea seems to join in the celebration, with coins proclaiming Fortuna Redux (‘Fortune restored’). Given her good sense, I like to think that these coins were issued before 233 – a wish and her prayer, as it were. But I don't know....
No matter. Suspend disbelief, if you like. I’d like to focus instead on what Alexander did immediately after his triumph: in the most unmilitary action imaginable, he “founded an order for [destitute] girls and boys, to be called Mamaeanae and Mamaeani.”
This seemingly innocuous detail stopped me in my tracks.
Not because it’s a post-triumphal let-down. Nor that Alexander probably had nothing to do with it - an emperor is automatically credited with all good deeds done in Rome during his reign (tradition demands it): it was Mamaea, surely, who made the endowments herself. That's hardly surprising. No, what brought me to an abrupt halt is this: charitable institutions for poor children are almost unheard-of in the pagan world. The very words ‘the poor’ is particular to the vocabulary of Christians and Jews: paganism does not have this concept. In a nutshell, it was a very Christian thing to do.
The Poor are always with us.
Rare was the wise man, as Seneca wrote, “who will give a coin to a beggar without dropping it in a contemptuous manner.” Pagans did not give regular alms to the poor or to widows and orphans, but usually abandoned them to their fate without much sign of remorse; and, when they gave up the ghost, their bodies were not buried, but dumped on refuse heaps. Of course, pagan society was not always hard-hearted. Civic-minded rich men (and some women) came to the aid of fellow citizens in times of need, and many undertook public services at their own expense – this was the price of public honour.
Imperial Giving
The imperial Alimenta, which channelled money to poor boys in Italy, is often mistaken for a Roman charity, but that wasn’t really its purpose: although it spread a little relief to some lucky boys, it was a scheme to raise the low birth-rate and produce more citizens. Similarly, when an emperor ‘gave’ a building or an aqueduct or bread & circuses to ‘his’ people, it was meant to reflect his own glory, an act of self-aggrandizement that might have been useful (though often was not). Such aims are far from the Christian ideal of almsgiving out of pity for the disinherited or even the less lofty goal of saving one's soul for the next life – through alms a Christian could redeem a whole lifetime of sins.
In short, pagan benevolence did not run to endowing old people’s homes, orphanages, hospitals and so on – these are institutions that appear only with the Christian epoch.*
So what was Mamaea doing?
Two earlier ‘good emperors’, Antonius Pius and the sainted Marcus Aurelius had made endowments for destitute girls in the names of their wives, Faustina the Elder, who died in 141 AD and was deified, and Faustina the Younger, who joined her in the heavens in 175 AD. So, there was some tradition for ‘good’ Empresses having aided poor girls in Rome.
With two big differences:
1. The earlier endowments were not made by the Empresses themselves but after their deaths.
2. The funds were probably used to dower the lucky Puellae Faustininianae (Faustina’s Girls), the unfortunate daughters of citizens who lacked a patrimony. As a jurist wrote: “it is useful to the state that women should have dowries and so be able to marry” – the tacit agenda being ‘to have lots of children and increase the population’. Thus, these memorials, too, fall within the hoary tradition of civic munificence.
Mamaea, however, was still alive and as active as ever – and her charity was not restricted to the second sex. She was casting a wider net. And this, as far as I know, was unprecedented.
It seems natural to wonder if Mamaea's Girls & Boys reflects in any way her meeting with Origen in Antioch: had those talks with the great Christian teacher made her more sensitive to poverty? For Christians, charity was a moral duty and "the poor" covered anyone who needed alms. Remember that Bishop Eusebius had praised Mamaea as "a religious woman if ever there was one." Was she, in fact, copying Christian practice?
Or was she combatting it?
Did she intend to use her money to fight the Christians with their own weapons – to deny them “the credit they win for such practices,” as Julian the Apostate grumbled more than 100 years later? When he tried to revive the ancient rites, he found that, even then, the pagan priests still neglected and overlooked the poor. They had learnt nothing from the Christian success.
Was Mamaea that much sharper? In the 3rd century, it could still have gone either way. What did she plan for her Boys & Girls - a life as semi-Christians or as pagan religionists? I don't know. Perhaps she didn’t know herself and, now, there was almost no time left.
Make War, Not Love
Having declared victory and left the east, Alexander now had to defend the empire in the west. German tribes, particularly along the Rhine and Danube, had taken advantage of the withdrawal of Roman troops for the eastern war, crossed the rivers and invaded Roman territory.
Reluctantly and sadly (through sheer necessity) Alexander issued the proclamation of a new expedition ... and marched against the Germans.
Mamaea again went with him. Marching northward hastily, the Romans crossed the Rhine on a bridge of boats. In 235, Alexander and Mamaea were in Moguntiacum (Mainz), the capital of Upper Germany. An ambitious offensive campaign was planned.
Either because of his natural docility or cleverly playing for time against just one of the many threats on the northern frontiers, he tried to buy off these barbarians rather than risk the chances of war.
He decided to send a mission to the Germans to discuss peace terms, with a promise to meet all their requirements and saying that he had plenty of money. This was the most effective bargaining counter with the Germans, who were avaricious and always ready to trade peace with the Romans in exchange for gold. But the soldiers bitterly resented this ridiculous waste of time. In their opinion Alexander showed no honourable intention to pursue the war and preferred chariot-racing and a life of ease....
In the army there was a man called Maximinus, from one of the semi-barbarous tribes of the interior of Thrace (nowadays Bulgaria): his father may have been a Goth, his mother of the Alani. In any case, he was of lowly origin, perhaps having started life as a shepherd-boy. When he came of age, he was drafted into the army, where, with the help of a bit of luck, he progressed through all the ranks in the army and was given charge of legions and commands over provinces.
As fighting flared up against the Germans, Maximinus was placed in charge of raising and training recruits. These young soldiers were fiercely loyal to Maximinus, whose four decades of harsh military service placed him in stark contrast to the tender, indecisive Alexander. The troops were ready to revolt, and Maximinus was ready to lead them.
... the young men, of whom the greater majority were Pannonians, admired Maximinus' courage and despised Alexander for being under his mother's control and for the fact that business was conducted on the authority and advice of a woman, while he himself presented a picture of negligence and cowardice in his conduct of the war.
Regular readers of my blog can guess what Maximinus did next. Herodian tells us.
The soldiers found the current state of the empire annoying because of the length of Alexander's rule, and unprofitable now that all his munificence had dried up.... To assure his popularity and their enthusiasm, Maximinus doubled their pay [and] promised an enormous bonus of cash and kind.
The mutiny came in early March 235. The end is really rather sad:
Going out on to the parade ground, Alexander mustered his troops and begged them to fight for him and protect the emperor whom they had brought up and under whose rule they have lived for fourteen years without complaint.... Maximinus' army was by now in sight and the young recruits began to call out, urging their fellow soldiers to desert their '[stingy] little sissy" or "their timid little lad tied to his mother's apron strings" and to come over to the side of a man who was brave ... and devoted to a life of military action.
Trembling and terrified out of his wits, Alexander just managed to get back to his tent. There, the reports say, he waited for his executioner, clinging to his mother and weeping and blaming her for his misfortunes.
Start as you mean to go on
Maximinus didn't do the deed himself but sent soldiers who burst into the imperial tent and slaughtered the emperor, his mother and all those thought to be his friends or favourites. Some of them managed to escape or hide for a brief time, but Maximinus soon caught them and killed them all.
Alexander had reached the age of 26½ years and had been emperor for almost precisely half his life. Julia Mamaea was a little less than 55 years old and had been in or near the purple for most of her life.
I'm going to miss her.
With the accession of Maximinus Thrax, the Severan dynasty came to an end.
* My discussion of Christian versus pagan philanthropy is very much indebted to P. Veyne, Bread and Circuses (London 1976) Ch. 1.
The photographs of Maximinus and Julia Mamaea come from the excellent site of Bill Storage & Laura Maish
at 13:20 1 comment:
More Uppity Women: the 4 Julia's (Part IV) ... still onwards!
Mamaea's Travels in the East
For there flowed to [Antioch] like rivers to the sea, all the soldiers, all the bowmen and horsemen and the horses, both those of the fighting men and those carrying burdens, and every camel and every band of soldiers, so that the ground was covered with men standing and men sitting; the walls were covered with shields hung up and spears and helmets were to be seen everywhere....
This is how the great orator, Libanius, described the situation in his native city as soldiers from all the Roman provinces gathered in the eastern capital, in a force to match the reported size of the Persian invasion.
The catch is that all these troops were assembling more than a hundred years later, in 360 AD, when the Emperor Constantius II was preparing yet another Persian campaign. For the war that Severus Alexander was about to begin would continue, with only intervals of comparative peace, for more than 400 years. Imagine, if you would, a war like Europe's Hundred Years' War, but four times as long – with all the concomitant destruction, slaughter, betrayals, revolts, and plagues, that would mark such endless battles. And, really, in the end, it was all for naught: war between the Romans and Sassanian Persians would drain the lifeblood and treasures of both empires – until the rivalry was finally settled in favour of neither, but by the Arab conquest of the east.
Of course, in the years 230/231 AD, one had reason to be optimistic, even if the whole Roman empire was in a state of complete upheaval. As Alexander and Mamaea journeyed eastward, they collected additional large forces from the Illyrian provinces. The Roman legions were brought up to full strength. The cost of raising the extra troops, however, meant that Alexander had to reverse Caracalla’s double pay for the soldiers – a necessary policy but one that stored up trouble for the future. Still, it must have seemed worthwhile: all who saw the army of Alexander, we are told (and we may well believe):
immediately realized the power of Rome. In short, [Alexander] made every effort to appear worthy of his name and even to surpass the Macedonian king.
And now, if ever, he may have made that puerile boast that there should be a great difference between a Roman and a Macedonian Alexander.
Unlikely words from an unwarlike emperor. Herodian says that he was "naturally gentle and docile," and that "since childhood he had been brought up in conditions of peace and had always been attached to the comforts of the city." It was more in character that he first tried to negotiate with the Persians rather than fight. He sent letters to Ardashir from Rome, and, when this didn't work, he tried again as soon as he reached Antioch:
[sending]another diplomatic mission to the Persians to discuss a peaceful alliance, in the hopes of persuading them or frightening them by his actual presence. But the barbarian king sent back the representatives empty-handed.
Now, he really needed Good Fortune, and she appeared to be at hand. The goddess Fortuna ('Tyche' in Greek) was a colossal bronze statue made for the city of Antioch in the early 3rd-century BC, but, in these times, she took on an entirely new significance: the traditional gods had become much more dubious entities, and of much less significance than the universally recognized and overriding power of Chance. Her statue disappeared long ago: the image at the top of the page shows a Roman marble copy which gives us some idea of how she looked: now magnify it into a bronze female colossus! The goddess was not just Fortune in the abstract, but the fortune of this particular city, Antioch on the Orontes. Her turreted mural crown represents the actual city walls, and the boy river-god swimming out from under her feet is the river Orontes.
I think she was placed at the main city gates.
This medieval parchment is a copy of an ancient Roman map (probably 4th-century AD). Obviously, the artist had never seen the Fortune of Antioch, but he had heard of her: he drew a huge female statue seated on a throne, with a nude boy standing next to her. She is clearly set within the walls and near a great gateway. So, Fortune might well have been the first sight that greeted the imperial eyes as Alexander and Mamaea entered Antioch.
But, as an ancient saying goes, 'What depends on the chances of Fortune is very rarely secure'.
Alexander at War
This was the plan.
The army was divided into three columns, the first having orders to reconnoitre the northern region and, marching through Armenia, attack the Persians in the north. Armenia then, by the way, was not where Armenia is today, but quite far to the south, roughly in the Kurdish-inhabited mountains of modern Turkey and Iraq. This part of the plan made good sense as the Armenian king was a Parthian, related to the dynasty recently deposed by the Persians. He was now a bitter enemy of the Persians, and a Roman ally. The second column probably intended to sail down the Euphrates from Dura Europos to attack the Persians from the southern flank, and later to reunite with the main force of the third column. The third column, the cream of the army, was led by Alexander, and presumably would have entered Persian territory by a central route, meeting up with the southern column once the territory between them was under control.
But, first, the Emperor made a great detour through the desert and came with part of his army to Palmyra.
This time, Mamaea did not go with him.
Perhaps she felt that, being almost 50 years old, she wasn't in shape to prance through the Syrian desert. And, although Antioch was a city of legendary pleasures, I cannot believe she was impressed by that aspect of the city...
...where life was a continuous round of social festivities. So little do [Antiochenes]take exercise, but so much do they enjoy luxury, that they use their gymnasiums as baths, and when they bathe they anoint themselves with costly oils and perfumes, every day, as if it is a feast day. And when they’re not at the baths, they practically live in the eating halls, stuffing themselves with rich foods and wine for the better part of the day.
In keeping with her serious side, we know of only one thing that she did at Antioch and that was absolutely extraordinary: she invited Origen, the most famous Christian teacher of the time to visit her.
Origen, a native of Alexandria, was born of pagan parents (his Egyptian name means 'son of Horus') who converted to Christianity: his father later lost his life in a persecution. Perhaps inspired by his father's martyrdom, Origin adopted a relentlessly ascetic way of life. While still a young man, in an excess of frenzy against the temptations of the flesh, he castrated himself.
This was not a good idea. Besides the obvious disadvantage, it proved a stumbling-block to his career: tradition opposed the ordination of a eunuch as priest. So, he taught instead, attaining such fame that pagans as well as Christians were attracted to his lectures. Where he differed from most Christian teachers is that he was able to accommodate Christian revelation to Greek philosophy. Unsurprisingly, his bishop did not agree: he complained that Origen's work was more fit for a pagan philosopher than a simple follower of Christ. One sees something of his point: Origen believed in an innumerable succession of worlds, in the pre-existence and reincarnation of the soul: if Christ cannot win a human soul in this life, he defers it to the next.
In Alexandria, he was in ecclesiastical disgrace.
So, by the time Mamaea arrived in the East, Origen had moved to the easier religious environment of Caesarea on the coast of Palestine. Here, he founded a school that soon surpassed that at Alexandria in renown.
When the Empress invited Origen, she must have considered him best qualified to explain to her the tenets of Christianity in a language she could appreciate. That he was a eunuch was no obstacle; it might even have reminded her of the eunuch priests of the Syrian goddess and the ecstatic rites in the Emesa in her youth. His teaching was also not utterly opposed to the ideas and values of pagan society. Discussing those who ascribe divinity to the sun and moon, as did the priests of Elagabal, he declared that, although they erred, it was a stage in the process whose culmination was the coming of Christ.
Eusebius, a later bishop of Caesarea [in the early Christian empire (314-340 AD)] records their meeting in his Ecclesiastical History
Origen's fame was now universal, so as to reach the ears of the Emperor's mother, Mamaea by name, a religious woman if ever there was one. She set great store on securing a sight of the man, and on testing that understanding of divine things which was the wonder of all. She was then staying at Antioch, and summoned him to her presence with a military escort. And when he had stayed with her for some time, and shown her very many things that were for the glory of the Lord and the excellence of the divine teaching, he hastened back to his accustomed duties.
This brief report does scant justice to an event without parallel in the history of the Empire -- an official invitation to a Christian leader to confer with the Emperor's mother, who held more effective authority than the Emperor himself. Like her aunt, Julia Domna, Mamaea was interested in ideas, and ready to listen no matter where they came from. While the Christians with whom Julia Domna came in contact repelled her by opposing faith to reason, Origen was able to link revelation to philosophy and fit it into the familiar background of Greek culture.
What would have happened, one wonders, if Mamaea and Origen had been given the time to collaborate, and the new religion had attained recognition in these tolerant times? It was, in any event, a momentous meeting and reason enough not to go with Alexander to Palmyra.
Alexander in Palmyra
As far as we know, this was the first time that Roman legions were at the city. What were they doing there? Was it to warn the Palmyrans not to treat with the Persians - as they might have been tempted to do? For the Persians had already conquered Charax, the port on the Persian Gulf (near modern Basra) which was the departure point for the fleets sailing to India -- perhaps choking off the Palmyran end of the Silk Route. Of course, it might have been merely to give his soldiers training under field conditions. We simply don’t know; but it does seem that Palmyra’s balancing act between East and West was over.
The city’s leading citizen, J. Aurelius Zenobius, gave the emperor a royal welcome to the city, for which he got his statue, raised high above the crowds in the Great Colonnade, and an inscription in Greek and Palmyrene which tells us what he did:
Statue of Julius Zabdilah (Greek: Zenobios), son of Malkho, son of Malkho, son of Nassum, who was general of [Palmyra] at the time of the coming of the divine Emperor Alexander; who assisted Rutilius Crispinus, the general in chief, during his stay here, and when he brought the legions here ... It is why the senate and People have raised this statue) to him to honour him.
This Zenobius, you will recall, is the father of the future queen Zenobia. He will almost certainly have attached his troops to the Roman army and participated in the invasion of Mesopotamia; if he did, it is only too likely that many of them died there. The emperor’s campaign, which began splendidly, soon turned into disaster: as the second column advanced deeper into enemy country, the Persians unexpectedly attacked. Outnumbered, the Romans were unable to stem the attack of the Persian cavalry; firing their arrows from all sides at the encircled soldiers, they massacred the whole army. It was a staggering disaster for Rome.
Alexander had failed to link up with them.
Perhaps it was due to fear -- no doubt he wanted to avoid risking his own life and limb for the Roman empire. Or his mother may have restrained him because of her womanly timidity and excessive love for her son ... convincing him that it was other people's job to take risks for him, not his to get involved in the battle.
But Herodian, in blaming Mamaea, forgot that she was not with the Emperor: in 232/233, she was still in Antioch.
Now Alexander fell seriously ill, as had the greater part of his army. The Mesopotamian climate is often insalubrious, to say the least.
He refused to endure his indisposition and the stifling air any longer. The entire army was sick and the troops from Illyricum especially were seriously ill and dying, being accustomed to moist, cool air and to more food than they were being issued.
Alexander led his own force back to Antioch, and many of them perished too, while the first column, caught between the mountains and plains (somewhere between modern Mosul and Kirkuk) was almost totally destroyed and only a handful of those who started the march managed to reach Antioch.
"Mission Accomplished"
Both Alexander's judgment and his luck had failed, with the result that of the three ... army groups he had lost the greater part in a series of different disasters, disease, war and cold.
Despite the reality of "this terrible disaster, which no one likes to remember", Alexander took on the titles of Persicus Maximus (Conqueror of Persia) and Parthicus Maximus (ditto of Parthia?!?), and now devoted himself to enjoying the pleasures which Antioch offered. He -- or was it Mamaea? -- attempted to restore the morale of the soldiers and calm their anger with a generous distribution of money, believing this to be the only remedy which would restore his popularity with them. For a time, it seemed to work.
But, then, dispatches arrived from the governors in Illyria that the Germans were on the march across the Rhine and Danube, devastating the Roman empire. The presence of Alexander and the entire army, they said, was essential.
As another old saying has it, 'Fortune is not content with hurting anyone once'
Next, Mamaea's Last Posting.
More Uppity Women: the 4 Julia's (Part IV) ... onwards!
MAMAEA'S TRAVELS
I entered [Alexandria] by the Sun Gate, as it is called, and was instantly struck by the splendid beauty of the city, which filled my eyes with delight. From the Sun Gate to the Moon Gate – these are the guardian divinities of the entrances – led a straight double row of columns, about the middle of which lies the open part of the town, and in it so many streets that walking in them, you would fancy yourself abroad while still at home.
(Not an extract from Mamaea’s diary, but from Leucippe and Clitophon, a late-2nd-century potboiler written by Achilles Tatius, a native of “the most glorious city of the Alexandrians”.)
Sometime between August 228 and August 229, when her son was not quite 21, Mamaea apparently dared to leave Alexander alone in Rome and took herself off to Alexandria. We have no idea why she travelled to Egypt, but there must have been a more compelling reason than sightseeing, despite the city’s many famous monuments (affairs of state would have been put aside, however, for a visit to the pyramidal tomb of Alexander the Great: could she have shared the dream of her son’s foolish boast – that there would be “a great difference between a Roman and a Macedonian Alexander ”? If he truly said it, it boomeranged: the difference, indeed, would soon become stark).
Turning round and round to face all the streets, I grew faint at the sight and at last exclaimed, like a luckless lover, ‘Eyes, we have met our match.’”
The Empress, too, must have been impressed, for she celebrated her visit by giving the city a gift: this Alexandrian coin* (which dates her visit) shows her holding the model of a gateway with two arches and three towers. This is numismatic shorthand for saying that she had a gateway built in the city, presumably inscribed with her name to record the gift for all posterity.
Mamaea thus seems to have been the only Empress between the very early days of empire and the time of Constantine to initiate a public building project. Urban embellishments and imperial gifts were the perogative of Emperors, not their females – even if emperors built rather more rarely than we suppose (outside Rome at least) and grandly put their names on monuments very often constructed with local money.
A Palmyran Visitor?
I just wonder, without any evidence at all, if J. Aurelius Zenobius, the father of Zenobia, travelled to Alexandria to meet the Empress. He was governing Palmyra in the year 229, so he would have been likely to lead any official embassy, such as might be sent to convey his city's greetings to the Empress. Especially since he was a distant relative of hers, having two Emesene paternal ancestors: one a Samsigeramus, a traditional name in Emesa’s once-royal family, and a C. Julius Bassus, whose name recalls that of Julius Bassianus, high priest of the Sun at Emesa, and the father of Julia Domna.
The idea of their meeting is a pleasant conceit.
Meanwhile, back in Rome
Sometime in 228 Cassius Dio returned to Rome after having governed wild Upper Pannonia [roughly present-day Hungary, with chunks of Slovenia and Croatia] where he had kept his troops under firm discipline and managed to suppress a mutiny without being killed (“I ruled the soldiers in Pannonia with a strong hand.”). He was rewarded by the emperor by being appointed consul, with the Emperor himself as his colleague, and entered office, no doubt with appropriate fanfare, on January 1, 229. This was Dio’s second consulship, a great honour ... and his political swan song.
It may be that Mamaea had judged him a safe and trusted pair of hands, thus freeing her to travel to Egypt. Dio had served in high positions under the family since the early days of Septimius Severus (as praetor, proconsul of Africa, Dalmatia, and lately Upper Pannonia). Best yet, he was in his seventies and unlikely to change either his life-style or his loyalties: a devoted public servant, keeping a fatherly eye on Alexander, and controlling the Praetorian Guards as he had controlled the soldiers in Upper Pannonia.
If so, a sound plan went awry. She probably had to cut short her trip.
The Awry Praetorians
The Praetorians were unhappy about Dio’s appointment as consul. Dio himself tells us, in the last book of his Roman History, about their antagonism:
The malcontents evinced displeasure at this, and they demanded my surrender, through fear that someone might compel them to submit to a régime similar to that of the Pannonian troops.... [Severus Alexander] became afraid that they might kill me if they saw me in the insignia of my office, and so he bade me spend the period of my consulship in Italy, somewhere outside of Rome. And thus later I came both to Rome and to Campania to visit him, and spent a few days in his company, during which the soldiers saw me without offering to do me any harm.
He didn't push his luck, but prudently asked to be excused, and "set out for home, with the intention of spending all the rest of my life in my native land" [in far-away Bithynia], leaving Homer's words behind:
...out of range of the missiles. Out of the dust and the slaying of men and the blood and the uproar.(Il. XI 189-92)
Imperial Pork
Despite this unfortunate precedent, Mamaea planned a second trip to Egypt, this one with Alexander in tow, for the year 333 AD.
After arriving at Alexandria, the imperial party apparently intended to sail down the Nile at least as far as Middle Egypt. Two papyri attest to this expected itinerary. One instructs the local governors and royal scribes of Middle Egypt to prepare for the visit.
In the second, an overseer of pigs informs the governor of the Oxyrhynchite nome, under oath, that he has on hand:
the pigs which are being prepared for the propitiously impending visit of our lord Imperator Severus Alexander and his mother Julia Mamaea Augusta ... I have with me the collected pigs, numbering forty, each weighing 50 pounds, totalling two thousand pounds
Small pigs (but not unlike the lean pigs in Coptic villages today); yet the overseer must have had a very experienced eye to round out the chubby and the thin, and take his oath on exactly 2,000 pounds of pork. It was also his job to maintain the pigs at this or better weight until the imperial visitors and their party reached the nome capital, where they presumably were to be fed and entertained.
They never got there.
Regime Change in Iran
In 228 the Persian vassal king of the Parthians overthrew his master in battle and proclaimed the new Persian empire. Whereas the Parthians had often been content to defend themselves against attack, the Sassanian Persians – as they are known – were just as aggressive as the Romans. They were out for conquest, not defense. Ardashir, their first king, took on the title King of Kings and claimed the inheritance of his imagined forefathers whose kingdom Alexander the Great had destroyed. He boasted that he would win back everything that the ancient Persians had once held as far as the Grecian Sea – Anatolia, Syria, and all of the East. Two years later, he drove the Romans out of Mesopotamia...
One of Cassius Dio’s last thoughts in the Roman History reads
The danger lies not in the fact that he [Ardashir, king of the Persians] seems to be of any particular consequence in himself, but rather in the fact that our armies are in such a state that some of the troops are actually joining him and others are refusing to defend themselves.
He was wrong about the first danger, right as rain about the second.
Severus Alexander was forced to attempt to recover the lost territories with the army he had (not the army he needed). In the spring of 231, he made a generous distribution of money to the soldiers and, with tears in his eyes, left Rome, arriving in Antioch by the late summer. His mother went with him. A tiny detail preserves a record of their route: a milestone appears in Thrace with the name of Mamaea upon it – the first recorded case of a milestone with the name of an empress.
I think she was enjoying herself.
Next, Mamaea’s Travels In The East
* I apologise for the poor quality of this photograph (though I've Photoshopped it to bits): it was taken in 1917, and I haven't found a more recent image. You'll probably have to take my word for the arches and towers, or believe, if you prefer, J.G. Milne, the eminent numismatist who originally published it.
[I warmly thank Prof. Peter van Minnen for sending me a copy of his article on the papyrus in the Duke University Papyrus Archive, Imperial Pork, AncSoc 27, 1996.]
More Uppity Woman: The 4 Julia's (Part IV) ... the...
More Uppity Women: the 4 Julia's (Part IV) ... sti...
More Uppity Women: the 4 Julia's (Part IV) ... on...
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duffy, p.f. (52)
the greensboro patriot (52)
greensboro (n.c.) -- newspapers (52)
Title: 1872]
The Greensboro patriot [March 7, 1872]
The Greensboro Patriot
The March 7, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
The Greensboro patriot [March 14, 1872]
The March 14, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
The Greensboro patriot [April 4, 1872]
The April 4, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
The Greensboro patriot [April 11, 1872]
The April 11, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
The Greensboro patriot [February 15, 1872]
The February 15, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
The Greensboro patriot [May 2, 1872]
The May 2, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
The Greensboro patriot [February 8, 1872]
The February 8, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
The Greensboro patriot [May 16, 1872]
The May 16, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
The Greensboro patriot [June 6, 1872]
The June 6, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
The Greensboro patriot [June 13, 1872]
The June 13, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
The Greensboro patriot [July 4, 1872]
The July 4, 1872, issue of The Greensboro Patriot, a newspaper published in Greensboro, N.C. by Duffy and Morehead.
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The Year in Music 2020: Megan Thee Stallion, Beyoncé and Cardi B saved us all
Marcelo CantuWithout a doubt, the women of hip-hop and R&B ruled this pandemic year in 2020.
While COVID-19 claimed over 1.5 million lives worldwide and significantly impacted the music industry,Megan Thee Stallion gave us nothing but Good News and career highlights. At the same time, Beyoncé andCardi B focused on philanthropic efforts and political impact in the U.S.
Good News first. Megan’s debut album saved us all just in the nick of time upon its November 20 release, peaking at the #2 spot on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart. During the week of the album’s rollout, the 5’10 rapper released her size-inclusive Fashion Nova Collection while pursuing health administration studies at Texas Southern University.
Megan’s momentous year began in March, with a string of confident single releases from her Suga mixtape, which featured her first #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit, “Savage” — a taste of the Good News she kept on giving us.
In August, things amped up after her controversial “WAP” collaboration with Cardi B topped several music charts, including the Billboard Global 200 songs chart and Billboard Hot 100, amassing a record number of 93 million downloads in its first week.
Megan’s next highlight came from her powerful “Protect Black Women” performance on Saturday Night Live in October, in response to her shooting incident this past summer.
“I was recently the victim of an act of violence by a man. After a party, I was shot twice as I walked away from him,” wrote Megan in a New York Times op-ed, titled “Why I Speak Up for Black Woman.” “Even as a victim, I have been met with skepticism and judgment.” The essay led to a letter from Rep. Maxine Waters, another highlight for Megan in 2020.
Megan grabbed several other accolades in 2020, including being named one of the most influential people of the year by TIME magazine, GQ magazine‘s Rapper of the Year, and placing on Forbes’ annual 30 under 30 list of influential artists, entertainers, producers and others.
Perhaps topping things off, the Houston Stallion earned four Grammy nominations, including Record of the Year for her “Savage” remix with fellow Houstonian Beyoncé.
Megan also scored a gig as a brand ambassador for Rihanna‘s Savage x Fenty, securing a collab with Rihanna that will likely be another career highlight for Megan. Maybe in 2021?
Before Megan, Beyoncé laid the foundation with her own savage ways, and her sassy, unapologetic and sometimes revolutionary music.
Queen Bey scored nine nominations at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards this year, for a career total 79 Grammy nominations and 24 wins. If she wins eight of those nine nods, Beyoncé will become the artist with the most Grammy wins of all time, beating classical music conductor Sir Georg Solti‘s 31 wins. Just four more Grammys and Beyoncé will pass bluegrass singer/musician Alison Krauss as the woman with the most career Grammy wins.
In 2020, Beyoncé shifted gears towards more philanthropic efforts in response to COVID-19 and other causes, which earned her the Humanitarian Award at the 2020 BET Awards. Beyoncé pledged over $6 million to support mental health relief programs during the pandemic through her BeyGOOD foundation, including launching a mobile COVID testing initiative for the Black community in her hometown in Houston, Texas.
Released on Juneteenth, Bey’s 2020 single “Black Parade” scored four Grammy nominations, including Song Of The Year and Best R&B Song. Proceeds from the song benefit BeyGOOD’s Black Business Impact Fund, which supports small Black-owned businesses.
The “Freedom” singer stood up for the culture again to speak out about the deaths at the hands of police of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, as well as other Black individuals whose deaths drew widespread outcry.
In July, the queen released her short film, Black Is King, to celebrate Black beauty, Black history, Black hair, and Black art. It was inspired by Disney’s 2019 remake of The Lion King and the Beyoncé-curated soundtrack companion album The Lion King: The Gift
“It was truly a journey to bring this film to life, and my hope for this film is that it shifts the global perception of the word Black, which has always meant inspiration and love and strength and beauty to me,” Beyoncé told Good Morning America. “Black Is King means Black is regal and rich in history and purpose and in lineage.”
Grammy-winner Cardi B also had a standout 2020, including her controversial “WAP” collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion winning Favorite Song Rap/Hip hop at the American Music Awards in November.
Despite an outcry from some about the song’s vulgar lyrics, “WAP” made history as the first all-female rap collaboration to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, just a week after its release in August — extending Cardi’s record as the female rapper with the most number-one singles on the Hot 100.
Cardi also used her words instead of her lyrics to start larger conversations about police brutality and voting in support of President-elect Joe Biden during the 2020 election.
Despite being canceled numerous times by fans on social media who criticized her political stance, Cardi prevailed this year. And while cancel culture doesn’t always offer teachable moments, the 28-year-old sought after her own through political conversations and debates with the likes of Bernie Sanders andCandace Owens.
In terms of fashion, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper went from rapping about $1,500 red-bottom Christian Louboutin heels to sitting front row at Paris Fashion Week. The fashionista also used her entrepreneurial skills to launch brand partnerships and deals, including with OnlyFans, adding to her collections with Fashion Nova.
“It’s a lot of game that I have learned. Slowly but surely, I know I’m gonna get better,” said Cardi as one of Billboard’s Women of the Year honorees for 2020. “I know the value I bring to a company, and that’s one thing artists have to understand. I feel like in 2021, I’m gonna come up real strong.”
By Rachel George
2020 Beyonce Cardi Megan music saved Stallion
Ariana Grande, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion team up for spicy 34+35 Remix Read More
Cardi B scores her first leading role in new comedy, ‘Assisted Living’ Read More
Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat join the remix of Ariana Grande’s 34 + 35 Read More
Tasha Cobbs Leonard talks fulfilling her God-given purpose outside of music Read More
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Pilot was awarded US$777,000 for safely landing the plane after his co-pilot was ‘sucked halfway’ out cockpit window
◄ Σημείωμα για βόμβα σε αεροσκάφος της United Airlines
Double tire burst on landing of Garuda Airlines Boeing 737 ►
by Kiriakos Tsakiridis - Wednesday, 13 June 2018, 11:17 AM
A Sichuan Airlines pilot has been awarded nearly US$776,912 for calmly landing the flight 3U8633 after his co-pilot was partially sucked out of the cockpit window on May 15, 2018.
The Chinese pilot, Liu Chuanjian, was awarded the nearly five million yuan and the title of “hero captain of China’s civil aviation.” An airbus A319 carrying 119 passengers was cruising at an altitude of 32,000 feet, the right windshield broke loose and a deafening sound tore through the cabin.
The pilot saw his co-pilot was partially sucked out and said “i noticed, my co-pilot had been sucked halfway out of the window” he added “everything in the cockpit was floating in the air. Most of the equipment malfunctioned — and I couldn’t hear the radio.”
The Captain Liu Chuanjian took control of the situation, and safely landed the plane.
The Captain Liu Chuanjian received five million yuan (US$776,912), the second in command, Liang Peng, was awarded two million yuan (US$312,456), 27-year-old co-pilot Xu Ruichen, received one million yuan, (US$156,228), and six other crew members were given one million yuan between them.
https://youtu.be/kAul6HSxt5k?t=9
http://newsinflight.com/2018/06/13/pilot-was-awarded-us777-for-safely-landing-the-plane-after-his-co-pilot-was-sucked-halfway-out-cockpit-window-awarded-777g/
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New York Times - 18 Mar 79
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E06E6DD1E39E732A25755C1A9659C946890D6CF
Nuclear Plant Is Villain in 'China Syndrome':A Question of Ethics
By VINCENT CANBY
THERE'S probably never been an era when some of the people living in it did not believe that things had gone as far as they should go. When the wheel was invented, there was someone, I'm sure, who groaned and said that now everyone could roll toward disaster just that much more quickly. Evolution is scary. Few of us like to acknowledge that we don't represent the perfect end of the process.
In the atomic age, technology has been accelerating at a rate that leaves many of us exhausted, if not fearful. For someone who hasn't yet learned how to dominate a high-spirited electric typewriter, the thought of nuclear energy—with its potential for good as well as for destruction — turns the imagination into a nervous heap.
It's these apprehensions that are called forth by "The China Syndrome," James Bridges's smashingly effective, very stylish suspense melodrama that opens today at the Loews State 2 and other theaters.
"The China Syndrome," written by Mr. Bridges with Mike Gray and T.S. Cook, evokes the spectacle of the terrifying things that might happen should there be a lapse in the safety procedures at an electrical generating plant powered by nuclear energy. The time is now and the place is southern California. The film is as topical as this morning's weather report, as full of threat of hellfire as an old-fashioned Sunday sermon and as bright and shiny and new-looking as the fanciest science-fiction film.
It stars Jane Fonda as a clever, ambitious television news reporter named Kimberly Wells, a woman who keeps a turtle for a pet, who doesn't let her private life take precedence over her public image and who knows she is not going to make big-time network news by doing chatty features about singing messengers. It also stars Michael Douglas as Richard Adams, Kimberly's cameraman, a 60's radical turned into a 70's skeptic, a fellow who sees conspiracies everywhere, who wants to be a part of the establishment but keeps biting the hand that would feed him.
In the best role he's had in a long time, Jack Lemmon appears as Jack Godell, a key official in the nuclear-energy station where Kimberly and her television crew, on a routine story assignment, happen to witness what the public-relations man blithely calls "a routine turbine trip."
On further investigation, the reporters learn that what they saw was, in fact, far from routine and was, instead, in the jargon of the trade, "a potentially costly event." In this case, "event" means a malfunctioning that could have resulted in a "meltdown" - called the China syndrome - leading in turn to the destruction of the plant and the creation of a radioactive cloud capable of laying waste to half of Southern California.
Could this happen? I've no idea, but the film makes a compelling case based on man's not-so-rare predisposition to cut corners, to take the easy way out, to make a fast buck, to be lazy about responsibility and to be awed by the authority representing vested interests.
"The China Syndrome" is less about laws of physics than about public and private ethics. The film isn't only concerned with safety procedures, but also with the ethics of a certain kind of journalism that packages news that won't offend. Also, in the course of the story, both Kimberly Wells, woman reporter, and Jack Godell, who has dedicated his life to the priesthood of technology, must make decisions that have the effect of denying all they've done before.
However, "The China Syndrome" doesn't keep us on the edges of our seats because it's so uplifting. Mr. Bridges, who wrote the screenplay for a fine little sci-fi film called "The Forbin Project" and most recently directed the James Dean elegy, "September 30, 1955," is a gifted and witty melodramaticist. There is suspense almost from the film's start in a television newsroom, and it builds without much letup until the finale. He has an ear for the way people talk, an eye for the pressed-plastic look of our transistorized world and sympathy for minor dishonesties that can suddenly shape the way people behave when faced with major problems.
The three stars are splendid, but maybe Miss Fonda is just a bit more than that. Her performance is not that of an actress in a star's role, but that of an actress creating a character that happens to be major within the film. She keeps getting better and better.
"The China Syndrome," which has been rated PG ("Parental Guidance Suggested"), contains some mildly vulgar language.
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American playmaker Joel Berry is in Beşiktaş! – Last minute Beşiktaş news
2 months ago mbsoccerevents
Beşiktaş Men’s Basketball Team has added US basketball player Joel Berry to its squad.
According to the information on the club’s website, the black and white team signed a contract with playmaker Joel Berry until the end of the season.
Finally, the 1.83-meter and 25-year-old basketball player, who played in Greensboro Swarm, one of the NBA G League teams, enjoyed the world championship with the USA Under 17 team in 2012. Berry, who partnered with North Carolina in the 2017 NCAA championship, signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the NBA teams, during the 2018-2019 season.
Berry then signed with the South Bay Lakers, one of the NBA G League teams. The US player, who played in the Greensboro Swarm in the 2019-2020 season, played averages of 8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 34 matches.
Transfer promise from Çebi to Yalçın! “After the derby …”
Previous Halis Özkahya will blow the whistle in the Napoli-Rijeka match! – Last minute Football news
Next Bursaspor – 1922 Konyaspor | Adanaspor – Sakaryaspor | ZTK live streaming
Last minute Fenerbahçe transfer news: The last 48 hours in Mesut Özil! Official statement …
Besiktas, due to the snowfall, the derby will be out with sticks, not white
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Merkel accedes to request to treat Umerov in Germany
Ukraine elaborates a point.
KYIV (QHA) -
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has reacted positively to the request of Ukraine about the organization of the treatment of the Deputy Chairman of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis Ilmi Umerov in a German clinic, the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Konstantin Eliseev said at the briefing, as cited by LigaBusinessInform
According to Eliseev, Ukraine is now elaborating he technical questions of such treatment organization.
The representative of the Presidential Administration noted that during a telephone conversation with Angela Merkel, the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko "... addressed her with a request to organize the treatment of Ilmi Umerov, being under arrest in Crimea, in one of the medical facilities in Germany. And now we are working actively to implement it."
It was reported earlier that lawyer Mark Feigin, in his comments to QHA, said that Ilmi Umer will be able to travel to Germany for treatment only if the Russian Federation will be under pressure of the international community.
September 17, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel asked her to facilitate the treatment of Umerov in Germany.
Ilmi Umerov has been involuntary confined in a psychiatric hospital in Simferopol for three weeks for compulsory inspection. He was released on September 7. However, Umerov announced his intention to continue to defend his rights.
The criminal case against the Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Ilmi Umerov was launched at the request of the so-called Public Prosecutor’s Office of Crimea. The prosecution alleges that in March 2016, Umerov being in the territory of Ukraine, publicly called to "violate the territorial integrity of Russia" during his live interview with ATR TV Channel.
Merkel Umerov Crimea Poroshenko detention psychiatric hospital treatment
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A New York woman is thanking the makers of an anti-rape device saying that it “saved her from being raped and brutally assaulted.” Michelle Kingston says she was walking home from work in the afternoon on Sunday when a man jumped out of a side alley and grabbed her. “I couldn’t scream, it happened so quick. He put his hand over my mouth and threatened me with a knife. I stayed calm and complied knowing he was about to get the karma he deserved.”
The ‘Karma’ that Kingston describes is a device that was purchased for her by her grandfather. “I wanted my granddaughter to be safe, so I purchased this anti-rape device for her,” said Mitchell Kingston, the grandfather. “She fussed about it, but finally gave in. She’s gorgeous and only 18 and I don’t want her to be taken advantage of or assaulted. She walks to and from work every day in the city, and rapes happen multiple times per day. That punk got would he deserved.”
According to Kingston, the minute he penetrated his victim, the device sliced his genitals with 6 razors in one clean sweep. Then, the device slices down one more time on its way out. The perpetrator fell to the ground screaming in agony, which gave Kingston the time to run and call police on her cell phone. The man, 38-year-old Ronald Steadway, was transported to a nearby hospital where his penis had to be surgically removed. After recovery, police say he will be relocated to the county jail awaiting trial on no bond.
“There is no way to save the penis once it has come across a device like this,” said Dr. Thomas Parque, attending physician. “It is what it is. It’s one less creep off the streets. He’ll never be able to do this to any woman ever again.”
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Tag: Dan Downey
Green Community and Solar Homes Honor Gardener
They are rare in the South: green home builders/real estate developers. Hopefully we’ll see more of them in the future. This is a great start!
Here are some excerpts from an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Link: Residences a new definition for green community | ajc.com.
Weatherford Place in Roswell [GA] is not your usual residential community under construction.
For one thing, there are no Dumpsters on the site. There’s no need because nearly all the excess construction waste is put back to use.
From top to bottom, inside and out, Weatherford Place is developing a new definition for a green residential community. It eventually will have eight homes on 1.6 acres of land bordering Crossville Creek.
The three visionaries behind the development call it a "solar community of net-zero energy homes," built to the greenest building standards. They call their home designs EcoCraft: designed and built to nature’s code.
"This is the first of its kind," says Simone du Boise, an architect specializing in environmental design. "There’s not another neighborhood like this."
Each home is designed to a platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) level and the entire development will be platinum LEED —- the first in the United States, according to business partner Dan Downey.
But it’s the solar power that really sets the development apart.
"Think of each one of these homes as a little power plant," du Boise says. She explains that the solar energy generated immediately gets put on the power grid. Georgia Power credits each home for the power it generates, and du Boise says design specifications show that each home will generate more power than it needs —- which is how they become net-zero energy homes.
"This home will use two-thirds less energy than the typical home," Downey says. "We are using the heat generated from the solar panels to heat the water."
One house, already purchased by an investor, has been built as a model for how the other seven homes will work. Attention was given to every detail: the location of the windows, the wood used, the carpet, the paint, the fixtures (both light and plumbing), the 1,880 gallon cistern placed underground to capture rainwater, and even a manually-operated dumbwaiter to help move groceries, meals, laundry, suitcases and other stuff from floor to floor. The list is endless.
The third visionary behind Weatherford is designer Denise Donahue. She has integrated the project’s themes and philosophy at every level.
For example, there was a "ground blessing" instead of a groundbreaking, held on the summer solstice last summer —- the day with the most light.
The first part of the development was to restore one-third of the land to green space. Workers also stabilized the embankment next to Crossville Creek to prevent runoff of dirt and containments.
Other features include a community gazebo, a back-up generator for the neighborhood in case all the power goes out and a garden overlooking the creek.
Each home will be a living laboratory, equipped with monitors and sensors to track how environmentally friendly these homes will be. Developers are partnering with Georgia Power and Kennesaw State University to collect information for energy management and efficiency studies.
Donahue, du Boise and Downey are nontraditional in another way. Their company is called Cadmus Construction, but it actually is a one-stop shop of architectural design, landscape, construction and development.
"We take ownership of doing everything to ensure the integrity of the project," Donahue says. "We don’t think the world needs another developer or builder or general contractor or even another architect. We think the world needs environmental stewards."
These homes are on the market for about $750,000 each and have 2,500 to 3,900 square feet if a homeowner desires a finished basement. According to Downey, the first home already has been appraised at $1 million.
"We are trying to prove that you can profitably build a state-of-the-art green home and sell it at market price," Downey says.
"We really do believe we can do these homes for the low-income, affordable homes so people don’t have to make a choice of heat or eat," du Boise adds.
"We’d like to start a non-profit organization to do affordable homes," says Donahue, looking to the future.
The project is named after Louis Weatherford, who originally owned the property. He was a gardener/farmer who annually would recycle seeds from vegetables and fruit he grew.
Every homeowner will receive a bag of seeds from Weatherford’s garden to continue the cycle of life. The gazebo is in memory of Weatherford’s late wife, Cora, who had always wanted one. It’s built partly with wood from the barn that used to be on the property.
Donahue says every homeowner automatically will become lifetime members of the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (she’s on its board).
Clearly, du Boise, Donahue and Downey have put their hearts and souls into this project. As du Boise said: "Right now, we have put everything we have into this."
Donahue says Weatherford Place is the culmination of their careers.
"When you believe in something, you risk everything," Donahue says. "This is the beginning of a movement. It’s about making something good happen in the world."
For more information, go to www.weatherfordplace.com.
Posted on June 16, 2008 Categories Energy, Environment, WaterTags Cadmus Construction, cistern, Dan Downey, environmental design, Green homes, LEED, Louis Weatherford, Simone du Boise, Solar Homes, Weatherford Place, www.weatherfordplace.com
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Compared to other fruit flies, D. suzukii is a robust fly, but this is difficult to discern unless compared directly to other species. However, a spotted wing drosophila female lays her eggs inside sound fruit before harvest with her saw-like ovipositor, which … Ovipositors are easier to see when extended. Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) fruit fly numbers have been increasing over the past week in most of the sites that we are monitoring. In the Mid-Atlantic region, the spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) larvae first appear in early July, predominantly in raspberries and blackberries. The vast majority of Drosophila flies are associated with rotten or over-ripened fruit… In the lab at constant temperature, one generation takes 50 days at 12°C, 21-25 days at 15°C, 19 days at 18°C, 8.5 days at 25°C, and 7 days at 28°C. 207.933.2100 1.800.287.0279. Larvae develop inside fruit and fruit becomes soft and unmarketable. EM 9097 Published October 2014 2 pages. How it Spreads However, by using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, you can control this pest using organic techniques. Contact extension.highmoor@maine.edu or call 207.933.2100. SWD counts this week have climbed to levels that are considered potentially damaging to ripening berry crops, especially raspberries and blueberries (see table below). The females do not have spots or leg bands. The fly lays eggs in … These holes result from egg laying and are used as breathing holes by larvae. SWD females are able to lay eggs in undamaged fruit before harvest due to a large, serrated ovipositor that is not normally present on other common vinegar fly species.Therefore, larvae may be present in fruit at harvest, reducing fruit quality and yields. It is known to infest thin-skinned fruit. Berry growers should set out traps to monitor SWD populations in their fields. The online version is free and can be viewed here: For more information on identifying spotted wing drosophila (SWD) and updates on populations around the state, visit our SWD blog, Other IPM Web Pages: The flies are most prevalent in the lower, shaded parts of the plants. … Start protective sprays on any berries that have begun to ripen, when more than four spotted wing drosophila flies are caught in a trap, or any larvae are noticed in the fruit. Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is a member of the “small fruit fly” or “vinegar fly” genus Drosophila. For more details on managing this pest in berry and tree fruit crops: Quarantine Regulations We expect populations to increase in the coming weeks as more food (fruit) becomes available for the flies, especially if conditions remain warm and humid. Damage can provide an entry site for infection by secondary diseases. Spotted wing drosophila adults can be blown by wind to nearby locations. A hand-lens or dissecting microscope is needed to confirm ovipositor presence. Adults are also attracted to dropped and decaying fruit and will feed on it. Larvae feed within the fruit, turning the flesh brown, soft, and leaky. The University of Maine is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. It is a pest of soft-skinned fruit. Based on a Japanese publication (Kanzawa 1939), oviposition lasts 10-59 days, with 7-16 eggs laid per day, and averaging 384 eggs per female. Management recommendations include registered insecticides, good harvest and sanitation practices, such as culling soft fruit, destroying culls, and keeping processing areas and equipment free of old fruit. (Final Report, 2010-2015), SWD Monitoring Report for Southern Interior Valleys of B.C. PDF. Spotted Wing Drosophila infestation in fall red raspberries Asked August 26, 2015, 12:33 PM EDT I have heard that if the berries are infected and put in the fridge immediately after picking, the berries are ok to eat. Users of these products assume all associated risks. Refer to the Identification Guide for Spotted Wing Drosophila for additional information on characteristics of this pest: Identification Guide for Spotted Wing Drosophila (PDF, 2.5 MB). Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is an insect pest of economically valuable small fruit and tree fruit crops. Insect: SWD look similar to other vinegar flies. Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is an imported vinegar fly pest that was first found in California in 2008, and first detected in Kelowna in September, 2009. No endorsement is implied nor is any discrimination intended against other products with similar ingredients. Growers and researchers are working together to implement effective pest control strategies. Spotted wing drosophila will complete its development in dropped fruit. Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is an invasive vinegar fly native to southeast Asia. The SWD adults and larvae are very similar in appearance to the common vinegar fly normally associated with over-ripe, decaying or damaged fruit. In Interior B.C, wild hosts confirmed include Oregon grape (Mahonia sp. In addition, these holes provide entry points for diseases such as brown rot and botrytis. Spotted wing drosophila larva in blueberry fruit. Box 179 17 Godfrey Drive A seven-day spray interval should be adequate in most situations, but a five day interval may become necessary if larvae continue to be present in fruit with the seven day interval. cVA is a male-specific attractant, but spotted wing drosophila does not produce cVA although they may have retained the ability to detect it. A TikTok phenomenon has exposed a little-known fly known as the spotted wing drosophila. ), blue elderberry (Sambucus cerulean), Northern black currant (Ribes hudsonianum), Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), Mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb), and golden currant (Ribes aureum) (H. Thistlewood, AAFC, Summerland). Monmouth, ME 04259 Orono, ME 04473 Spotted wing drosophila pupating on the surface of a cherry. Adult flies are 2-3 A simple monitoring Comments will be sent to 'servicebc@gov.bc.ca'. Reviewed: September 2018. Figure 1 – SWD Male vs. Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a fruit fly first found in 2008 damaging fruit in many California counties. One generation, from egg to adult, may occur in … Any 250 - 750 ml plastic container or cup with a tight fitting lid can be used to make a trap for capturing and monitoring adult flies. Many features are typical for Drosophila fruit flies, with a few key differences. Drosophila suzukii, commonly called the spotted wing drosophila or SWD, is a fruit fly.D. The initial oviposition site takes on a sunken appearance. David Handley, Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist; James Dill, Pest Management Specialist, Christina Howard, Produce Safety Professional. Holes the size of pin pricks are evident within the soft areas of infested fruit (figure 3). Spotted wing drosophila emerging in the fall overwinter as adult flies. The fly is a serious pest that could harm a range of fruit crops in New Zealand. Eggs hatch in 2-72 hours, larvae mature in 3-13 days, and pupae reside in fruit or outside of fruit for 3-15 days. Monitor adult flies from mid-May. Monitoring for SWD activity. A: I think you have spotted some larvae of the spotted wing drosophila (SWD). There are approximately 1,500 known species in the genus Drosophila (Markow and O'Grady 2006). Click or tap to ask a general question about COVID-19. Michigan State University, David T. Handley This pest is not regulated in the United States and Canada. Drosophilaflies are sometimes called small fruit flies. The female spotted wing drosophila has a sawlike structure she uses to cut into ripening fruit on the bush or vine to create a cavity in which she will lay her eggs. Those teeny, almost translucently white worms are the larvae of fruit flies. Male and female characteristics are key identifiers for this species. Females lay eggs under the skin of ripe fruit shortly before harvest. Look for fruit flies hovering around fruit and symptoms of premature fruit decay. Two good guides for detecting SWD larvae in fruit samples are available online: Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) Monitoring, Identifying, and Fruit Sampling by the small fruit team from Washington State University and Spotted Wing Drosophila Management Recommendations for Michigan Raspberry and Blackberry Growers by the MSU Extension small fruit team. Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is a fruit fly that's on the move. Generations will likely be overlapping as flies are relatively long-lived particularly at temperatures of 20°C and cooler. The spotted wing Drosophila is highly aggressive, prolific, invasive, and can completely destroy late berry crops. The spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a vinegar or fruit fly native to Southeast Asia. Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) Larvae EM 9096 • October 2014 Figure1a. Suspect fruit can be collected and inspected for larvae. there is much to learn and control recommendations will change as new information becomes available. Larvae: Legless, headless, up to 6 mm long at maturity, white or transparent (figure 5). Questions about the collection of information can be directed to the Manager of Corporate Web, Government Digital Experience Division. Spotted wing drosophila continues to spread, and is now widely distributed globally in most temperate soft fruit producing areas, including North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Many species of fruit flies are present in late summer; most normally infest overripe, fallen, decaying fruit, so are not crop-limiting pests. The larvae may pupate inside or outside the fruit. Eggs: 0.6 mm long, oval, white, 2 filaments at one end (figure 3, 4). In British Columbia, spotted wing drosophila has been confirmed infesting wild and cultivated raspberry and blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, cherry, peach, nectarine, apricot, plum, and suspected in hardy kiwifruit. It is now widespread in Coastal and Interior fruit growing areas of B.C. suzukii, originally from southeast Asia, is becoming a major pest species in America and Europe, because it infests fruit early during the ripening stage, in contrast with other Drosophila species that infest only rotting fruit.. Spotted wing drosophila larva on damaged cherry. Female Photo Credits: Sheila Fitzpatrick, Agriculture & Agri … The flies are most prevalent in the lower, shaded parts of the plants. What is the Spotted Wing Drosophila? B.C. Not only are they larger, but they are common and often important agricultural pests (Green 2002). And unlike other fruit flies that target mostly rotting or fermenting fruit, SWD targets fruit right on the tree, laying their eggs in the young fruit and eventually turning it into a wormy mess. Spotted wing drosophila larva in blueberry fruit, Figure 8. One to many larvae may be found feeding within a single fruit. Larval feeding causes rapid break down of fruit tissues (Fig. Look for fruit flies hovering around fruit and symptoms of premature fruit decay. The eggs hatch in about 3 days, the larvae feed on the fruit and emerge as adults after 6-28 days. *Don't provide personal information . Notable exceptions are New Zealand and Australia, where it is not known to be established. The spotted wing drosophila, also known simply as SWD, is a tiny fruit fly that first came here from Asia in 2008. However, a spotted wing drosophila female lays her eggs inside sound fruit before harvest with her saw-like ovipositor, which contaminates fruit with larvae, and causes it to become soft and unmarketable. Other bait types will work but B.C. Current information on registered pesticides for managing SWD is available in the New England Small Fruit Management Guide. The spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a small fruit fly (vinegar fly) native to Japan.It was first discovered in the western United States in 2008 and has quickly moved through the Pacific Northwest into other parts of the US and northward into Canada. Larvae are off-white and grow from 0.1 mm when they hatch to 2-3 mm when mature. Officers detected spotted wing drosophila larvae in a single fruit from a consignment of oranges from the United States (USA) on 8 April during a routine inspection.. In the fruit growing interior regions, Spotted wing drosophila can be caught in traps from May until November. Spotted wing drosophila is a temperate fruit fly, native to Southeast Asia; preferring temperatures of 20-30 oC. In spring flies become active, mate and lay eggs in ripening fruit. Females have saw-like ovipositors that are used to cut into fruit skin (figure 1). After maturing, the larvae partially or completely exit the fruit to pupate. Small white larvae hatch from eggs within a few days and feed inside the fruit, causing it to soften and collapse around the feeding site. This is a new pest in the Southeast. Spotted wing drosophila and other Drosophila species do not appear to use pheromones as long range attractants, unlike some moths or beetles. Native to Asia, SWD is currently found in most of the primary fruit growing regions of the U.S. Research suggests that when six to ten flies are caught in a yeast-baited trap in a week, larvae will start appearing in the fruit. Area-wide surveillance with apple cider vinegar traps in British Columbia for spotted wing drosophila indicates that flies are present and active throughout the year in the Fraser Valley, though numbers are very low in February through May. Due to various restrictions on our monitoring program as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had to reduce the number of sites we are monitoring this season, but the sites we are able to maintain will hopefully give us a good representation of what is happening around the Southern and Mid-Coast regions with spotted wing drosophila populations. Spotted wing drosophila is a new insect pest in the Pacific Northwest, having arrived in California in 2008. P.O. Image: Matteo Maspero and Andrea Tantardini – Centro MiRT Fondazione Minoprio. Drosophila or pomace flies are small insects commonly found in association with over-ripened or rotten fruits and vegetables. However, long distance dispersal is through transportation of infested fruit to new regions. The spotted wing drosophila’s ovipositor is large and serrated. Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is a vinegar (fruit) fly that was first reported in Britain in 2012. What makes the SWD different is that the female has an enlarged, serrated ovipositor (egg layer) that enables her to lay eggs under the skin of ripening fruits that are otherwise free of damage. Like other vinegar flies, spotted-wing drosophila appears to have a short life cycle (one to several weeks depending on temperature) and may have as many as ten generations per year. Always consult product labels for rates, application instructions and safety precautions. Spotted wing drosophila-infested blueberry fruit with pupae. Monitoring for the fruit flies is a key part of any control program, since you must leap into action immediately after discovering a spotted wing Drosophila on … 2). in 2013 to determine when flies are active in commercial fields. Introduction; Adults; Eggs; Larvae; Pupae; Introduction. Spotted wing drosophila flies can be monitored with apple cider vinegar baited cup-traps. Left: Spotted wing drosophila in ablueberry. Image: Frank A Hale, University of Tennessee. Many species of fruit flies are present in late summer; most normally infest overripe, fallen, decaying fruit, so are not crop-limiting pests. Identification: Spotted Wing Drosophila in Ontario Table of Contents. Spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), a serious fruit fly pest of soft fruit and berries, was first identified in British Columbia in 2009. Start protective sprays on any berries that have begun to ripen, when more than four spotted wing drosophila flies are caught in a trap, or any larvae are noticed in the fruit. Although there has been an immediate response from researchers and growers in California, Oregon, Washington and B.C. After it lays eggs inside strawberries, they hatch and crawl out of … The Spotted Wing Drosophila is one type of fruit fly which is becoming a particular problem. This is not the case with SWD. A spotted wing drosophila are able to lay its eggs in healthy fruit that is still ripening, as opposed to other vinegar flies that only attack rotting fruit. Adult flies are needed to confirm species. Spotted wing drosophila is a temperate fruit fly, native to Southeast Asia; preferring temperatures of 20-30 o C. It is known to infest thin-skinned fruit. Spotted wing drosophila damage in blueberry. “Spotted wing drosophila have small, white legless larvae with no apparent head, and damaged fruit often feels soft and … SWD pierces seemingly healthy fruit, and lays its eggs. Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is an invasive vinegar fly that was first detected in the United States in 2008.Unlike other vinegar (fruit) flies that only exploit overripe and rotten fruit, SWD females can lay eggs in immature and ripe fruit; thus, its larvae can … Spotted wing drosophila is a small vinegar fly from East Asia that lays its eggs in softer, thin-skinned fruits, such as berries. This brief guide illustrates how to test fruit for the presence of larvae from the Spotted Wing Drosophila. Fruit becomes soft, and subject to decay. Right: Spotted wing drosophila larva. Native to southeast Asia, D. suzukii was first described in 1931 by Matsumura. Please don’t enter any personal information. Biosecurity New Zealand officers have stopped an unwanted fruit fly species from entering the country. experience indicates that apple cider vinegar is easy to use and effective. Some Drosophila species use a chemical called 11- cis -vaccenyl acetate (cVA) as a short-range attractant. It attacks soft fruit like raspberry, blackberry, strawberry and blueberry. Where brand names or company names are used it is for the reader’s information. Males have a black/grey spot on the end of each wing (figure 2), as well as two black ‘combs’ or bands on the front legs. Adult SWD are small, 1/16 to 1/8 in long (2‐3 mm) with red eyes and a light brown thorax and abdomen. Employment, business and economic development, Birth, adoption, death, marriage and divorce, Birth, adoption, death and marriage reports, Environmental protection and sustainability, Emergency Preparedness, Response & Recovery, Identification Guide for Spotted Wing Drosophila, Pesticide registrations for SWD control on stone fruit and grapes, SWD Monitoring Report for Southern Interior Valleys of B.C. Larvae are small, legless, up to 1/8 inch long, cream colored and round in shape. include Oregon grape (Mahonia aquafolium), elderberry (Sambucus), currant (Ribes), dogwood (Cornus kousa), mulberry (Morus), salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), salal (Gaultheria shallon), Indian plum (Oemleria cerasiformis), wild Prunus species, and red huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium). Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist, Highmoor Farm Pest Management Unit Surveillance continues in fruit growing regions of B.C. There can be several larvae in a fruit, which hastens softening and fruit collapse. Spotted Wing Drosophila SWD (Drosophila suzukii) Damage: Female flies lay eggs in ripening fruit. Rating Larvae hatch and begin to feed within the fruit, causing softening in the area of feeding. Additionally, the oviposition wound acts as a pathway to secondary infection by other insects and pathogens causing rapid deterioration of the fruit. (2016, Spotted Wing Drosophila in Western Washington, Spotted Wing Drosophila (Eastern Washington), Figure 5. Non-fruit bearing plants are not considered to be of significant risk to transport this pest. Fruit flies (also called vinegar flies) are often associated with damaged, overripe, or rotting fruits and vegetables. The regulatory status of this fly in other countries should be checked with packers. It is a serious pest of fruit because unlike other vinegar flies which attack rotting fruit, female SWD attack healthy undamaged ripening fruit with its saw-like ovipositor (egg laying device). has declared a state of emergency. Sites capturing more than four SWD flies in a week should remain on a protective spray schedule to prevent fruit from becoming infested with larvae. This injury results in unmarketable fruit and economic loss. Pupa: 3 mm long, brown, football-shaped, two stalks with small finger-like projections on one end (figures 6 & 7). Known in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest since about 2009, this species now appears to be established in many fruit growing regions around the country. Generally, soft-skinned fruit become vulnerable to attack as they begin to soften and tur… Enter your email address if you would like a reply: The information on this form is collected under the authority of Sections 26(c) and 27(1)(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to help us assess and respond to your enquiry. Mature larvae form a brown pupal case before transforming into adult flies. However, true fruit flies belong to the family Tephritidae. Spotted Winged Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) (SWD) is a vinegar fly of East Asian origin that can cause damage to many soft skinned fruit crops. Based on climate model predictions, there could be up to 5 generations per year in B.C. Adults: 2-3 mm (1/8 inch) long, brownish with red eyes and clear fly-like wings. Wild hosts confirmed in Coastal B.C. Be sure to read and follow all pesticide product labels carefully, especially in regards to days to harvest restrictions and the number of applications allowed per growing season. Rotate products used regularly to prevent the possible development of resistance. Our response to COVID-19 | Province-wide restrictions. 4-H Camp & Learning Center at Bryant Pond, 4-H Camp & Learning Center at Greenland Point, 4-H Camp & Learning Centers at Tanglewood & Blueberry Cove, Insect Pests, Plant Diseases & Pesticide Safety, Affiliated Programs, Partners & Resources, Non-Discrimination Statement & Disability Resources, Register for Workshops, Classes, & Events, SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: OCTOBER 20, 2020, SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: OCTOBER 9, 2020, SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: OCTOBER 2, 2020, SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 25, 2020, SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 21, 2020, SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 14, 2020, SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: September 4, 2020, Spotted Wing Drosophila Update: August 28, 2020, SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: August 21, 2020, SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: August 14, 2020. Larvae develop rapidly and are typically visible within 3 days of hatching. Hello, I am your COVID-19 digital assistant. In Minnesota, SWD primarily attacks raspberries, blackberries (and other cane berries), blueberries, strawberries and wine grapes. View online. Spotted wing drosophila larva on cherry fruit; note breathing holes (E. Beers, July 2010) Damage is caused by oviposition by the females, and larval feeding in the fruit. Surveillance Unlike most other vinegar flies it can damage otherwise unblemished soft and stone fruit including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, blueberries, grapes, cherries and plums.
spotted wing drosophila larvae
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spotted wing drosophila larvae 2020
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Richard L. “Rich” Gerhold, (PPA #375)
Richard L. “Rich” Gerhold, age 62, of Pickerington, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday February 17, 2009 at his residence.
Born August 14, 1946 in Fremont, Oh., he was a 1965 graduate of Groveport High School and attended Ohio University. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and was a former deputy for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department. He was a retired Learjet Pilot and former flight instructor, was an accomplished painter of aviation, and was an avid motorcyclist.
Survived by his wife of 40 years, Cheryl Gerhold; son, Rich (Fariaty) Gerhold, Columbus; parents, Melvin and Catherine Gerhold, Groveport; sisters, Peg Herdman, Groveport, Valerie Gerhold, Virginia, June Gerhold, Groveport; brothers, Mike (Terri) Gerhold, Florida, Jim (Peggy) Gerhold, Lancaster; father- and mother-in-law, Jim and Mary Webb, Canal Winchester; many nieces, nephews, and other extended family and friends.
Friends may visit 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday at Groveport Zion Lutheran Church, 6014 Groveport Road, Groveport, where a memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. with Pastor Robert Spicer, officiating. Friends who wish may donate to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, 5008 Pine Creek Dr., Suite A, Westerville, Oh. 43081 in Rich’s memory.
Arrangements by DWAYNE R. SPENCE FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY, Pickerington. Online condolences at www.spencefuneralhome.com.
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AIC Blog Archives: Conservators Converse
Former Blog of the American Institute for Conservation
Tag: Art on Paper Discussion Group
45th Annual Meeting – BPG, Art on Paper Discussion Group, June 1, “Multiple Perspectives on the Treatment of Multiples”
Multiple Perspectives on the Treatment of Multiples: Innovative thinking on the conservation of prints
Participants: Judy Walsh, Anisha Gupta, Sarah Bertalan, presenters; Rachel Freeman, Cyntia Karnes, Harriet Stratis, moderators.
This panel offered three presentations followed by a discussion that touched on how we define a group of multiples, how we determine treatment goals and exhibition parameters for the group (i.e. by looking at other examples of the same impressions or by broadening our research to include similar works), and whether or not we should strive to apply consistent treatment protocols to each object in the group.
Judy Walsh, former professor of paper conservation at Buffalo State, presented the complex and nuanced treatments of three fifteenth century copperplate engravings carried out at the National Gallery of Art. Though these works were not identical impressions, nor were they by the same artist, she identified them as belonging to the same “cohort,” meaning that they shared the characteristics of age, materials, process, and in this case, a long tradition of scholarly reference and interpretation. An impression of St. Michael Defeating the Devils from 1467 by the Master E.S. is one of only five known to exist and Man in a Fantastic Helmet c. 1470/80 is unique. The third print, The Virgin and Child by Mantegna c. 1470, was drawing particular attention due to recent revelations about its condition. Ms. Walsh outlined the restrictions placed on all three treatments by NGA curators who were concerned that the prints might deviate too much from their long-published, damaged appearances.
Though the curators at first sought minimal treatment with little to no cosmetic compensation, in each case Ms. Walsh described how she was able to present a logical argument for reducing distracting damages and finding reversible methods of completing each image based on her research into other works in the cohort. Ultimately, her creative solutions allowed the prints to retain their status as time-honored works that presented indelible marks of storied pasts, while at the same time, she was able to stabilize each work and align it more closely with the visual standard of other fifteenth century prints presented in the Gallery.
Sarah Bertalan, conservator in private practice, presented several interesting observations that she has made over the years regarding multiples printed on Van Gelder Zonen, Arches, Rives, Montval, and MBM papers. These papers all have unique characteristics and respond to treatment differently. For many nineteenth century artists in particular, Japanese papers, Arches papers, and aged papers were desirable for printing etchings and drypoints. Sometimes the publishers of artists’ editions selected papers, and some papers were marketed by their manufacturers for specific applications. Rives BFK was originally produced for photographic mounts, for example. Depending on their intended function, these papers could be bulked with fillers, additives, and/or colorants such as yellow ocher or titanium dioxide. Ms. Bertalan wanted to stress that we often don’t know what is in a paper and shouldn’t assume that we can tell by looking or testing in a discrete area only.
Common problems that she has noticed include the development of white spots, generally referred to as “reverse foxing” when Van Gelder Zonen papers are subjected to aqueous treatment, certain Somerset papers preferred by artists like Hockney and Freud turn yellow when they are placed in contact with alkaline material, and some Arches sheets, initially white or off-white, can turn a buff/yellow color over time. This she suspects is due to the presence of titanium dioxide, which is a photocatalyst.
Ms. Bertalan suggested that we don’t necessarily know how or have the means to detect all of the components of any given paper, and that typical treatments may not really be addressing the root of their problems. This lack of understanding can result in reversion or reappearance of stains post-treatment.
Anisha Gupta, Mellon Fellow at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco gave the final presentation of the panel in which she presented a case study of her treatment of 24 Ben Shahn lithographs that had all received extensive, but differential light exposure over the course of 23 years. All were printed on Arches ‘cover’ paper that was specifically manufactured for printing. In this case, all of the works in the group were going to be shown together and moreover, the meaning of each print was directly influenced by those on either side.
Working with a curator, Ms. Gupta determined that light bleaching would be the best course of treatment and what the optimal paper tone would be. She used a spectrophotometer to establish baseline L* values for each of the 24 works, but she said that ultimately as treatment progressed, a sense of unity was more easily achieved visually than numerically. The treatment involved bathing and light bleaching in increments of 3 hours. Though she did note that spectrophotometer readings taken of each work after treatment confirmed that the prints’ L* values had converged.
Following the three presentations, the moderators solicited questions from the audience and initiated a conversation.
Peggy Ellis, Professor of Paper Conservation at NYU, asked Ms. Gupta how she and the curator arrived at the “right color” for the paper tone of the Shahn prints and if she could remember some of the terminology that the curator had used to describe that paper tone. Ms. Gupta replied that the curator had repeatedly referred to the lightstruck prints as ‘dingy,’ and that she would like them to look “more alive.” The optimal paper tone was based on the maximum lightness that could be achieved by light bleaching the darkest paper for a set amount of time. Ms. Gupta mentioned that she thought that at some point, the treatment had hit a plateau and that had further lightening been desirable, she may have explored chemical bleaches, pH changes, or exposing the versos of the prints.
With the general topic of the risk of over-bleaching circulating, Judy Walsh speculated that many 15th century prints that look so bright white today may have been treated to a different standard (what we might now consider over-treating) in the past. She then raised the question of how to integrate current treatment standards and ethics when the challenge is to visually unify works that belong to a cohort.
Sylvia Albro, Paper Conservator at the Library of Congress, brought up the fact that many 15th century prints that have not been removed from bindings are quite white, and that contemporary books in good condition might be useful standards of reference when trying to determine “original” paper tones.
Ms. Walsh also stressed that when trying to determine how prints should look, our own experiences and visual memories are our best assets as conservators. For that reason we should be making more efforts to talk to colleagues in the field, especially those in private practice and at regional centers because they have seen and treated a volume and variety of objects that a museum conservator does not typically experience.
Antoinette Owen, Head of Paper Conservation at the Art Institute of Chicago, offered her personal experience with Van Gelder Zonen papers, saying that there is definitely “something in them” that cannot be identified with XRF, and that whatever it is causes white spots to develop when they are exposed to moisture. Ms Bertalan said that it is unlikely that you would find a measurable difference because the staining is not necessarily related to a higher concentration of iron. She put forth one theory, that perhaps during long print runs paper may have been left to soak for days prior to printing. This situation could lead to fungal growth or other latent changes. Joan Weir, Paper Conservator at the Art Gallery of Ontario, chimed in to say that as a printmaker, she had witnessed some colleagues adding formaldehyde or other biocides to their baths to prevent mold.
Shifting topics slightly, Harriet Stratis, Senior Research Conservator at the Art Institute of Chicago asked for peoples’ approaches to showing (or not showing) individual prints that are part of a series. She wanted to know how other people managed opportunities for differential exposure. Victoria Binder, Associate Conservator at the Fine Art Museums of San Francisco, replied that her institution had recently required half of an Andy Warhol edition requested for exhibition to be swapped with its counterpart halfway through the show so that all prints in the series received equal exposure. This seemed to be a common practice.
Ultimately, the consensus in the room seemed to be that a centralized library of treatment protocols and results would be invaluable. At this, an impassioned plea went up to submit text and images to the Book and Paper Wiki. To contribute to the wiki, contact BPG Wiki Coordinators, Katherine Kelly and Denise Stockman.
Author Mary BroadwayPosted on June 8, 2017 Categories AIC's Annual Meeting, Book and Paper Conservation, Specialty SessionsTags AIC’s 45th Annual Meeting, Art on Paper Discussion Group, Book and Paper, cohort, foxing, light exposure, paper composition, treatments
AIC's 41st Annual Meeting- Art on Paper Discussion Group
The inaugural meeting for this group took place on May 31, 2013 at the AIC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, ID. Organized by Nancy Ash, Scott Homolka, Stephanie Lussier and Eliza Spaulding, the session presented the Draft Guidelines for Descriptive Terminology for Works of Art on Paper which is a project under way at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and supported by an IMLS 21st Century Museum Professionals Grant.
Continue reading “AIC's 41st Annual Meeting- Art on Paper Discussion Group”
Author Eliza GilliganPosted on June 27, 2013 Categories AIC's Annual Meeting, Book and Paper Conservation, Specialty SessionsTags AIC's 41st Annual Meeting, art on paper, Art on Paper Discussion Group, Book & Paper Specialty Group, documentation, terminology guidelines
The AIC Blog has moved!
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You are here: Home / E-2 Visa
E2 Visas
Prepared by Attorney Sasha Westerman-Keuning
The Immigration & Nationality Act provides nonimmigrant visa status to nationals of any of the countries with which the United States maintains an appropriate treaty of commerce and navigation, who is coming to the United States to develop and direct the operations of an enterprise in which the national has invested, or is actively in the process of investing a substantial amount of capital.
Who qualifies for an E2 treaty investor visa?
A person may be issued an E-2 Treaty Investor visa if: 1. The individual or firm has the nationality of the treaty country (at least half of the company must be owned by nationals of the treaty country). 2. The individual or the company is in the process of making a substantial investment (generally in excess of $100,000 at risk depending on type of business) in a business in the United States. The investment must be sufficient to ensure the successful operation of the enterprise. The percentage of investment required for a low-cost business enterprise is generally higher than the percentage of investment required for a high-cost enterprise. 3. The investment must be a real operating enterprise. Speculative or idle investment does not qualify. Uncommitted funds in a bank account or similar security are not considered an investment. 4. The investment may not be marginal. It must generate significantly more income than just to provide a living to the investor or the family, or it must have a significant economic impact in the United States. 5. The investor must have control of the funds, and the investment must be at risk in the commercial sense. Loans secured with the assets of the investment enterprise are not allowed. 6. The individual is either the principal investor, who will develop and direct the enterprise, or an executive, manager or employee with special skills essential to the company. Ordinary skilled or unskilled workers do not qualify.
How long can an E2 Visa holder remain in the U.S.?
The duration of an E visa depends on the reciprocity schedule of the treaty country. They are generally issued for a period of between two and five years. Extensions of stay in the United States may be granted as long as eligibility continues and the treaty remains in force. At the border, E visa holders are admitted to the United States for two years. Extensions of stay in the United States may be granted for up to two years at a time from the appropriate service center. Spouses and children (under 21 years old) of any nationality may receive derivative E visas in order to accompany the principal alien to the U.S. They may attend school. Spouses may obtain permission to work in the United States.
Countries with E2 Visa Treaties
Albania, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, China (Taiwan only), Columbia, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Rep, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Gibraltar, Grenada, Honduras, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldavia, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Poland, Romania, Senegal, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Western Sahara and Zaire.
A full list of E2 treaty countries is available here: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/treaty.html
EB-5 Investor Visa Program extended till Dec 8, 2017September 27, 2017 - 3:05 pm
U.S. Consulate in Russia reduces issuance of visasAugust 23, 2017 - 10:33 am
USCIS Denies Citizenships (N-400) for Fathers Who Cannot Prove Child Support Payments!December 20, 2016 - 12:42 pm
Why does Congress continue to give temporary extensions to the EB-5 program?December 14, 2016 - 1:26 pm
EB-5 Investor Visa
EB-5 is a United States government immigration program, which allows foreign nationals to obtain a permanent resident status (Green Card) in return for making a qualified investment in the U.S. economy, which creates at least 10 jobs.
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About Kyle MacFarlane T here's no doubt that many people suffer from digestive disorders such as Crohn's, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Gastroparesis, all of which can be treated with medication. For Kyle MacFarlane, however, his digestive disorders have not yet been fully diagnosed. He lives with symptoms that keeps his body from digesting the nutrients from food, leaving him at times in a situation where he can dramatically lose weight and his body can starve to death. At age 29, MacFarlane has been living with a dangerous and undiagnosed digestive problem since he was 14. "I was going in and out of hospitals and seeing multiple doctors who were misdiagnosing me with all sorts of different digestive disorders," said MacFarlane. "This was going on for five years and at one point, doctors thought it was my gallbladder and removed it. That unfortunately ended up not being the problem." Most of the doctors that Kyle saw were unable to correctly diagnose his digestive disorder and prescribed medication intended to help him digest his food. While the medication did aid his digestion, it also caused Kyle to develop Type 1 Diabetes. Frustrated with the lack of help and some doctors who simply thought he was faking a sickness to get medications, MacFarlane found help with Dr. Linda Nguyen at Stanford University Medical Center. Dr. Nguyen helped him learn that eating a healthy diet, could ease his symptoms and keep him from relapsing into a dangerous malnutrition situation. Learning to cope with his symptoms, MacFarlane wanted to create awareness towards digestive diseases and inform others about what he's learned along the way. "The Kyle MacFarlane Foundation began with family members, friends, and professionals who helped me along the way," said MacFarlane. "They joined me in bringing awareness to digestive diseases and gave support to those that need help. In my experience fighting this disease, I've learned that digestive issues are what lead to other diseases such as diabetes and even cancer." The Kyle MacFarlane Foundation is a true homegrown start-up, and has already earned the Robert Wood Johnson President's Grant Fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation. The Kyle MacFarlane Foundation is actively promoting new programs such as Digest This! Magazine, to demonstrate the importance of eating healthy, and its relationship to digestive disorders. "Every day I see a growing number of digestive diseases, and education is what's needed," said MacFarlane. "So the idea of Digest This! Magazine is that it be a digital publication that is free and available to everyone via their mobile device, laptop, or tablet. Our media partners will be working on stories and updates on digestive diseases, including updates on my own condition and what doctors are doing to find out what I have. "By bringing awareness of digestive disorders and raising money to find cures, we can make a difference," said MacFarlane. "It's also my personal goal to help those that don't know where to get help, and not have to go through what I did." KM FOUNDATION 2 DiGEST THIS
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An online publication from the students of Cathedral Prep
2020-21 Rambler Staff
Athlete of the Month: September
Evan Rowane was great for Prep golf in the month of September, which has earned him The Rambler‘s Athlete of the Month distinction for the month of September. Rowane was a medalist in four out of eight events Prep golf took place in. He started off with a 73 at the Corry North Hills Invitational and didn’t look back from there. He went on to receive medalist honors in three more events. And when he wasn’t a medalist, he was not far from it either, finishing 2 or 3 strokes away.
“My mindset going into each event is to have fun and enjoy the golf courses I’m playing,” Rowane said, “My teammates have helped me by always being supportive. We all want each other to do well and we’ve really become close as a team.”
Rowane has been golfing since 1st grade, as he was influenced by his older friends who later became his teammates here at Prep. Rowane has been involved with the Prep golf team for all four years of high school. In that time there has been a lot of work getting to be the player he is now.
“My training consists of a lot of practicing on the driving range, putting green, and on the golf course,” Rowane said. “I will generally train for 4-6 hours a day.”
All that hard work has paid off as Prep looks to continue their strong play into the playoffs.
“I really believe we can make a good run at the state championship,” Rowane said.
Michael Parks has played a key role in Prep football’s recent games. Over the course of 3 games, Parks has 52 carries for 460 yards. He also has 4 touchdowns this year. Parks was putting on a clinic in their game against Erie High with 19 carries for 257 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Matthew Loza was one of the key additions to the Prep hockey team, and he has proven he can add to the Ramblers offense with 6 goals and 5 assists in 9 games. In the Ramblers second game against Meadville, he had 3 points, scoring 1 goal and assisting on 2.
Jack Foht recently scored his 100th career goal with Prep soccer. But he seems like he’s aiming for 150 career goals this year. Foht has 10 goals in 5 games, and he scored 5 goals against Harborcreek in an 8-1 win.
Student Profile: Anthony Morgan
Student mental health affected by COVID-19 lockdown
No Shave New Year replaces No Shave November
Prep Hockey Preview
Dustin Johnson wins the Masters
Athlete of the Month: October
Golf team invited to national tournament
Golf team wins state championship
Rambler Rants Podcast
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Edinboro University & Northwestern Pennsylvania High School Journalism Competition: First Place (Daniel Anthony, Opinion Category); Fifth Place (Brendan Jubulis, Sports)
Edinboro University & Northwestern Pennsylvania High School Journalism Competition: Third Place (Website)
Student Keystone Press Awards Honorable Mention (Website)
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TARDIS Talk: “The God Complex” (Series 6.11)
Caveat lector: “TARDIS Talk” treats everything officially aired through the most recent episode as fair game, so here there be spoilers!
You Gotta Have Faith… Right?
As its title might lead you to expect, “The God Complex” offers a fair amount of grist for a sci-fi Christian’s theological mill. The minotaur-like monster at the episode’s center preys on people of faith: not only conventional religious faith (Rita, winsomely portrayed by Amara Karan, seems to be the first professing Muslim character in Doctor Who, or at least the first to be portrayed in a positive light) but also faith in luck, crazy conspiracy theories, or even certain Time Lords of our acquaintance.
As survival strategies go, it’s a pretty good one. Most everyone has faith in something or someone. Former Roman Catholic nun and popular religion author Karen Armstrong explains: “Homo sapiens is also Homo religiosus. As soon as we became recognizably human, men and women started to create religions. We are meaning-seeking creatures.” Our ongoing quest for meaning means the minotaur need never worry about it’s next meal.
Not all faiths are equally valid. Just ask the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18), among other idolaters in Scripture. Augustine famously prayed, “Lord, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Everyone may be “religious” (even those who say they’re “just spiritual”), but Christians believe the only worthy object of trust and devotion is the God of Israel, most fully revealed in Jesus Christ. We’re all guilty at times of “limping with two different opinions” (1 Kings 18.21), hoping and trusting in idols of others’ or our own making. In the end, however, Christ calls and commands us to follow him, and him alone.
Were we trapped in the minotaur’s prison ship, of course, not even well-placed faith would spare us a grisly end. We would have seen our deepest fear; by God’s grace, we would have turned to our faith in Jesus; and the minotaur would still have fed on that faith, as it feeds on any other. We would have been saved for eternal life, but as for this life? Well, miracles don’t seem to happen in the Doctor’s universe; as he told Rory in “The Pandorica Opens,” “Nine hundred years and I’ve never seen one yet.” Real faith, however, doesn’t depend on miraculous escapes. I’m always impressed by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s defiant profession of faith when faced with the flames of Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace: “If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us… let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods” instead (Daniel 3.17-18).
Does this episode present faith in a positive or a negative light, or neither? Remember that the minotaur is as trapped as his victims. Like so many Doctor Who “monsters,” he is not evil, just instinctual. Even so, the refrain of those the minotaur possesses—“Praise him”—could be construed as a conscious parody of the language of the psalms. When Joe tells the others they are too “distracted” for the minotaur to come and get them, I think of Jesus’ gentle rebuke of Martha: “you are worried and distracted by many things” (Luke 10.41); and Joe’s mention of a room for everyone reminds me that Jesus promised “many mansions” in his Father’s house (John 14.2, KJV). Poor Howie’s effusive praise of the creature—“His love was a beacon that led me from darkness to light… Let his breath on my skin be the last thing I feel…”—could contain echoes of the Song of Solomon, often read as an allegory of human love for God, as well as many texts about conversion, especially 1 Peter 2.9. Add to this mix the fact that only Rory, whom we are told isn’t “superstitious or religious” (as though the two are equivalent), sees an exit. The Doctor declares that only a “secular and advanced” civilization could construct the prison ship, a tacit rejection of faith in favor of science and technology (as though the two are incompatible). Can an episode that depicts faith, including faith in God, as an Achilles’ heel really be neutral on the subject?
Confession is Good for the (Time Lord’s) Soul
“Do not put your trust in princes,” the psalm-singer warns us, “in mortals, in whom there is no help” (Psalm 146.3). In “The God Complex,” Amy learns this lesson the hard way. I winced when the Doctor, immediately impressed with “right clever clogs” Rita, jokingly tells Amy, “You’re fired.” Remember, last week the Doctor was willing to lie to and sacrifice Amy-Then in order to save Amy-Now—the Amy he now “teasingly” threatens to replace with a fresher and, he insinuates, smarter companion? Ouch.
Amy’s profession of faith in the Doctor—“He’s never let me down”—only makes sense if she either doesn’t know about or is willing to overlook the way he let her future self down back at Two-Streams. (I suppose it’s still a factually true statement from Amy-Now’s perspective; however, I had trouble believing she’d say those words so easily and without irony if she knew the full story, as we viewers do.)
Fortunately, this week’s episode, while not a direct sequel to last week’s, does overlap with it at the crucial moment. When the minotaur charges into room 7, the Doctor comes clean with Amy—and with himself. “I took you with me because I was vain, because I wanted to be adored.” He is talking about whisking her away from Leadworth the night before her wedding, but he could also be talking about choosing Amy-Now over Amy-Then. As my wife pointed out while watching the episode, “He wanted young Amy because old Amy wouldn’t adore him.”
The Doctor continues, “I’m not a hero. I really am just a madman in a box.” What a perfect callback to his final line in “The Eleventh Hour.” He told Amy she needed to remember that fact because one day her life could depend upon it. Well, that day has come. What were once words of whimsy are now words of confession.
Whether we’re kneeling in the privacy of a booth, reciting a corporate penitential prayer in a congregation, or silently groaning in our hearts for grace, we Christians tend to think of “confession” as owning up to and asking forgiveness for our sins. We’re not wrong to do so. Jesus himself taught us to pray for God’s forgiveness (Matt. 6.12; Luke 11.4). I think the Doctor not only confesses his sins against Amy—“I stole your childhood, and now I’ve led you by the hand to your death”—but also resolves to go and sin no more by leaving Amy and Rory safe and sound. The open acknowledgment of our sin, however, occurs because confession is ultimately about telling the truth once we’ve seen it. We can only see and tell the truth about ourselves once we’ve seen and have told the truth about God: “in your light we see light” (Ps. 36.9b).
During the past two years, much of Doctor Who has been about seeing clearly. From spying Prisoner Zero out of the corner of one’s eye in “The Eleventh Hour,” to seeing the impossible truth in a glass of water in “The Beast Below,” to keeping a steady gaze on the Weeping Angels, to looking at a starry night in “Vincent and the Doctor,” to seeing past perception filters as recently as “Night Terrors,” to the “close-up of the Doctor’s eye as he peers through a peephole this week—all these cues call the audience’s attention to the importance of learning how to see the world and one’s place in it clearly. The Doctor’s confession marks the culmination (for now) of this theme. In his words to Amy, “It’s time we saw each other as we really are.”
Seeing Amy Off
The Doctor’s words mean the clear sight must be mutual. Amy sees the Doctor as he really is (not an infallible hero worthy of her ultimate faith), and the Doctor sees Amy as she really is: seven-year-old Amelia Pond, sitting on her suitcase. The shifts between Karen Gillan and Caitlin Blackwood during the scene drive this point home. Outward appearances aside, she hasn’t grown up. (Again: “I stole your childhood.”) If Amy is to survive this crisis—if she is to live—she must.
This episode’s moving conclusion took many fans by surprise, myself included. It’s been public knowledge for weeks that Karen Gillan will be back for series seven. What, then, do we make of Amy and Rory’s departure from the TARDIS?
Head writer Steven Moffat has said his version of Doctor Who is a “dark fairy tale.” The controversial but influential psychoanalyst Bruno Bettelheim argued in his book The Uses of Enchantment (1976) that adults tell children fairy tales (most of which contain plenty of darkness in their original, pre-Disney versions) in order to help them integrate the disparate parts of their pysche and grow up. Perhaps, then, Amy’s departure means she has grown up (or is well on the way to doing so).
The Doctor tells her, “It’s time to stop waiting”—for him. He calls her, for the first time, by her married name: “Amy Williams.” Name changes don’t happen lightly in literature—or in well-written television. While I would argue a mature Amy could easily keep her maiden name, I appreciate the thematic point being made: Amy needs to enter fully her adult life with Rory, and she can’t do so as the Doctor’s continuing companion. As the Doctor tells Amy outside that beautiful new house, “Maybe there’s an even bigger, scarier adventure waiting for you in there.”
The moment may also mark some growth on the Doctor’s part, too. He would prefer to keep “the glorious Pond” and, I think, even Rory, with him (watching the men’s friendship develop over time has been one of the joys of the Moffat era); but for Amy’s own emotional and developmental good (let alone her and Rory’s physical safety), he knows he must let her and her husband move on.
One important detail about that house, though: its front door is blue. TARDIS blue, in fact. I think that door’s color gives us hope that, unlike the last time she grew up (before the universe was rebooted), Amy has now grown up (or is growing up) in a way that won’t force her to leave those stories of “the raggedy doctor” completely behind. She will no longer be childish, but perhaps she can still be child-like.
Jesus calls his followers to live that way: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18.3). Jesus is speaking primarily about humility, an attitude of utter dependence upon God. But I think he’d also affirm the importance of traits we often associate with childhood today: imagination, wonder, delight in the world—all traits we’ve seen Amy exhibit during her time with the Doctor. Might that TARDIS-blue door mean that, even though Amy cannot remain with the Doctor, the positive aspects of her time with him will remain with—not childish things to be put away, but a pure, child-like part of who she is?
Except where noted, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version.
Categories: Sci-Fi,
# Doctor Who
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7 comments on “TARDIS Talk: “The God Complex” (Series 6.11)”
Budd Sep 26, 2011
I hate that we don’t get to see their rooms though. I am guessing the Doctor saw the Daleks, but I wonder what Amy Saw.
Bettleheim requires transformation for a story to be a fairy tale, Amy growing up could be that tranformation.
Michael Sep 26, 2011
I’m not done with Bettleheim’s book yet, but one thing about fairy tales, he says, is that the transformation is only temporary, and then the transformed person returns to his or her everyday life better equipped to handle it (much as, he argues, the tale’s reader is supposed to). I think Amy’s transformation has been her time in the TARDIS, and the result of that is that she has grown up. Maybe. The fact that we know she’s going to be back puts a wrinkle in things, although I suppose she wouldn’t have to be back in a strictly chronological way. Timey-wimey, and all that.
The Doctor hear the cloister bell tolling when he looked into his room. The last time we’ve heard that in the new series (I think) was when the TARDIS was regenerating in “The Eleventh Hour.” I don’t know what, if any, its associations are from the classic series.
Max Sep 28, 2011
Mike, another brilliant article. Sarah and I have both noticed that you do an amazing job at seamlessly intertwining the themes of the show with the themes of the Bible, among other works. This was a fantastic episode and I am really looking forward to the finale. Keep up the good work!
P.S. – I think that the Doctor saw himself in the room.
Mike Poteet Sep 29, 2011
Max – First, you’re far too kind (but thanks!). It has always been my dream to preach to a congregation of geeks, so I guess I am doing that vicariously here at the SFC 🙂
Second, I think you are right: what else could really scare the Doctor but himself? What did he see himself doing, or see himself as, though? I can’t help but think whatever and however he saw himself, it qualfies as part of, if not the nadir of, him “falling further than he ever has” – although he seemed to take it in stride, didn’t he? “Of course? Who else?” (Which echoes River’s comment as she was trying to shoot the Impossible Astronaut: “Of course.”)
I trust Moffat implicitly. Saturday night is going to be Amazing, no matter how it all works out.
Katie Oct 20, 2011
Though I admit I liked the fact that the Doctor was humbled, owning up to the fact that he can’t save everyone or do anything, I was confused by the premise and intent of the episode, and its views on faith as a whole. I feel like all throughout series 5 & 6 Moffat has been taking subtle digs at Christianity… as if trying to prove how much more superior it is to have scientific knowledge like the Doctor, rather than trusting in God.
Anyway, great article!
Michael Oct 21, 2011
Thanks, Katie, for both the compliment and the thoughtful comment. Every now and then I think I see digs at religion in general and Christianity in particular as well (the whole concept of the “church militant” from last year’s Weeping Angels episodes and this year’s “Good Man Goes to War,” for instance, seem pretty hard to see as anything but!). I’m not sure, though, that scientific knowledge is held up as the superior alternative, since the Doctor’s science is (just as Arthur Clarke told us it would be) indistinguishable from magic.
I really wish the Doctor had answered Amy’s question in this episode: “What do Time Lords pray to?” I have a sneaking suspicion (based also on the theory that the Doctor saw himself in Room 11) that the answer is, “Themselves.” Surely, we saw that Time Lord society got felled by hubris in the Time War; and we’ve seen how the Doctor himself isn’t immune (“The Waters of Mars” is very chilling in that regard). I hope this theme will be revisited; but now that the Doctor claims to be over having gotten “too noisy, too big,” I don’t know if it will be.
What say you long-time Whovians out there? Does the show as a whole have any perceptible attitude toward religion?
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Reading Military Grave Markers
When you walk around a cemetery, you can look at the grave markers to get a sort of capsule biography of the people buried under them: the name, dates, usually a religious symbol and sometimes a few words from a grieving family member. Sometimes you can imagine a little bit about them from these words.
Military markers are much less personal and just tell you the equivalent of name, rank and serial number. Well, maybe not the serial number, but certainly more information about the deceased’s military service than anything else.
Take a look at the marker below, one of our Confederate markers commemorating a man who fought in the Confederate army. This is one of several markers placed by Colonel John Masters, a member of the Sons of the Confederacy, in the year 2000 to mark the burial place of some of St Augustine’s Confederate soldiers. It is a Veterans Administration marker and reflects the current format for such markers.
We see that it belongs to Second Lieutenant Charles D. Segui (the latter is a Minorcan name). Above his name and rank is what is referred to as the Southern Cross of Honor, originally created by the Congress of the Confederate States in 1862 and intended to be the equivalent of the US Medal of Honor. It is now approved by the Veterans Administration for placement in the “symbol of belief” area of the marker, which is usually for religious symbols, and can be placed on the marker of anyone who served honorably in the Confederate Army.
Underneath, we see the abbreviations indicating that he was in Company B, 3rd Florida Infantry, Confederate States of America.
And last of all, his dates. Charles Segui was only 31 when he died, but it was several years after the Civil War ended, so we know that he was not a battlefield casualty. And other than the above details, we learn nothing more about him: no wife, no children are listed as grieving for him; no parents as having predeceased him; no hopes of Heaven or fond remembrance. But what we see is really the sum of what we know about anyone buried under a military marker.
Posted by Elizabeth at 3:54 PM 1 comment:
Matthew Kear’s Book Arrives!
It’s here! Matthew Kear’s 2009 Cornell University thesis on Tolomato Cemetery, which was instrumental in the formation of the Tolomato Cemetery Preservation Association, is now available to anyone and everyone on the Internet publisher Lulu.com.
The book is available in printed format or in the immediately downloadable PDF format, which can also be read on your Kindle or any e-reader that you possess. I already had a copy of the print version, so I bought the Kindle (PDF) format version and was impressed by the clarity of the photos and maps (when you zoom in on them). They display beautifully and full-size on a Kindle DX or any other larger device that can display a full-size page.
The print copy is $29.99, and they will deliver it to you very rapidly and efficiently. The Kindle/PDF copy is $12.99 and you can download it right then and there.
This is a very comprehensive view of Tolomato. It gives you a good overview of the history, enough descriptions of the people buried there so that if your interest is in the existing marked burials, you can do more research, and a very good description of the existing markers, their condition, and the overall condition of the space (although another tree has fallen since Matthew wrote his thesis). Go to Lulu now!
White Bronze?
Most of the existing markers at Tolomato Cemetery are carved tablets, usually of marble, although other materials appear. The one that is unique is the marker of John and Mary Reyes and Mrs. Mary Ponce, also known in the cemetery inventory as “No. 86.” It’s made of a material referred to by its manufacturer as “white bronze” – which was actually plain old zinc, but just sounded a little classier.
The marker surmounts a brick barrel vault; most of the vaults at Tolomato probably had tablets on them originally, but many of them have disappeared over the years and the inhabitants of the vaults are no longer identified. This one, however, was particularly durable.
“White bronze” was made and marketed by one manufacturer, the Monumental Bronze Company, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, starting in 1879.
The technique for making the white bronze markers was actually developed in 1873. It involved using a full-size wax model to make a plaster cast, which was then cut into sections and used for casting the zinc. The zinc sections were fused together with melted zinc, producing a hollow monument. In the case of the Mary Ponce marker, the name is cast as part of the marker, but separate nameplates could be screwed on if there were subsequent burials under the same marker. The Monumental Bronze Company closed in 1939 and manufacture of this type of marker seems to have ceased.
John Reyes died in 1875, his wife died in 1876, and Mrs. Mary Ponce died in 1883, just before the cemetery was closed to burials. We assume that the marker was put up shortly after her death.
As you can see, there is a hole in the base of the marker. This is dangerous to the marker, since it permits water to enter and will degrade the zinc. We hope to have it repaired.
Matthew Kear, in his thesis In Reverence, explains the marker very well. He writes:
No. 86 bears great significance as a blending of two architectural traditions. Mounted on the parapet of a masonry barrel vault, it represents a blending of a southern funerary architectural tradition with one of the great northern technological innovations in American monumental industry in the nineteenth century.
And You Think Tolomato Has Problems…
On the last day of my stay in New Orleans, I decided I had to do the tour with the Save Our Cemeteries (SOC) guide, so I went back to St. Louis No. 1. The guide, a volunteer named Adam who is also a professional tour guide elsewhere, was great and it was a factual but entertaining tour.
The SOC group has about 30 docents, many of them professional tour guides, who lead trips to two of the historic cemeteries, St Louis No. 1 and Lafayette. The tours last one hour and cost $12-15 dollars, with the money going to their preservation funds. I didn’t have time to get to Lafayette, but visiting St Louis No. 1 with an SOC guide definitely made up for it. Here is Adam with a “table tomb.”
One interesting difference between the St Augustine cemeteries and the New Orleans cemeteries is that the latter are still open and still have burials. There is a great deal of public access as a result, and since there is no permanent caretaker or guard stationed there, visitors occasionally run riot.
Below is the tomb of Marie Laveau, who is known as the “voodoo priestess.” This is despite the fact that her obituary, which was published in the New York Times when she died in 1881, highlighted her life as a good Catholic and woman known for her charity to Church causes. Whatever the true story, obviously the “voodoo priestess” shtick attracted more tourism, and that has been the focus for many a long year now.
People come out to visit her tombs and leave trinkets. But they also scrawl three x’s on it, despite the fact that this amounts to desecration – this photo was taken only a couple of weeks after one of the SOC volunteers had repainted the tomb and left it sparkling white.
The wall vault below is decorated on a regular basis by a man whose grandmother – if I recall correctly – is buried there. He changes the décor to fit the season.
There are, of course, the usual results of neglect, in the case of families who have died out and left no one to maintain the tomb. There has also been vandalism and the theft of artifacts for the purpose of selling them. And we can’t forget the rather lurid scenes from Easy Rider that were filmed at night – without the knowledge of the Archdiocese – in St Louis No. 1.
But probably one of the oddest is the tomb of the actor Nicholas Cage. No, he’s not dead yet, but he recently built this hulking pyramid with its Latin motto (meaning “all comes from the one”) so he’d be ready when the time came. Fortunately, a celebrity construction is one thing we don’t have to worry about at Tolomato.
St Louis Cemetery No. 1 - NOLA
Despite the warnings of the dangers of visiting St Louis Cemetery No. 1, located on the rather seedy, skid-row like Basin Street in New Orleans, I found myself walking by it and simply couldn’t resist going in. Fortunately, it turned out to be quite safe, filled not only with organized tours but with large numbers of “Razorbacks,” that is, fans of the Arkansas football team, who are in town for the Sugarbowl game tonight.
The tombs are above-ground vaults, not because of the water-table, but simply because that was the custom of the Spanish and French families whose members are buried in the cemetery. It was founded by Spanish royal decree in 1789. Over the years, space needs resulted in the construction of St Louis Cemetery No. 2 and No. 3, located some distance from No. 1. They are owned and administered by the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
Referred to as the Cities of the Dead, they are composed of house-like individual vaults and the so-called “oven tombs,” which were columbaria or huge vaults with doors opening onto niches for individual burials. People are amazed at Tolomato’s 1,000 burials – but St Louis has some 100,000 burials in its relatively small space, about 4 times the area of Tolomato. This is because, as at Tolomato, graves and vaults were reused; when the body had become skeletalized, the bones were either removed to a corner or buried under the floor of the tomb, thus making way for the subsequent burials of other deceased family members.
Many of the tombs and fences were in rather rough condition, although signs indicated that a restoration project had been undertaken in the 1980s. However, a complete job would certainly require a massive endeavor and investment of money, and there are no doubt more pressing needs at the moment.
Interesting people are buried there, including Homer Plessy, who challenged the segregation laws of the South in a case which went all the way to the Supreme Court in 1896. Unfortunately, he lost and the Court upheld the “separate but equal” policy.
There is also the tomb of the so-called “voodoo priestess,” Marie Laveau. Voodoo entered New Orleans with the flood of Haitian refugees from the Haitian rebellion in 1804, by which time NO was part of the United States. Marie Laveau’s tomb is now the centerpiece of the ghost tours of New Orleans – even more omnipresent than the ghost tours of St Augustine. Tourists leave bizarre trinkets at her tomb and scrawl three x’s on it, presumably for good luck. There was a similar tomb, below, although I wasn’t sure who it belonged to; possibly her daughter, also a voodoo practitioner?
I had a number of questions about St Louis, but, judging by the bizarre stories I heard tumbling from the mouths of the guides of the tours that were tramping through the cemetery, a tour would not be the way to get them answered. But there is a local group called “Save Our Cemeteries,” and tomorrow I hope to be able to do one of their tours of another historic cemetery, Lafayette. They seem to be similar to the TCPA and promise to provided accurate information! More on this tomorrow.
New Orleans Cathedral Burials
I’m in New Orleans for a few days, and of course I thought I’d visit their historic cemeteries. But the cemetery I wanted to see is reputedly so dangerous that visitors are encouraged to go only in the company of a tour group, and there is no tour planned until later in the week…so I took a walk through the French Quarter. And what did I see?
The beautiful St Louis Cathedral. And in it? 18th and 19th century burials in the Cathedral.
These reflect Spanish burials from New Orleans’ Spanish period (1765-1803), but I think I also glimpsed some plaques representing French burials. People buried in the churches at that time were usually especially important people, in this case, governors and military officials. Spain officially stopped burying people under the church floors in about 1788, but obviously the news hadn’t made it to the colonies – or perhaps it was such an established practice that the law was meaningless.
As we all know, there are 3 people buried under the floor in the Cathedral of St Augustine: Miguel Isnardy, who was the general contractor and died around 1800, and Fr. Pedro Camps and his successor, Fr. Narciso Font, Minorcan priests who were first buried at Tolomato and then reinterred in the Cathedral around the time that the building was completed (1797, although evidently work continued for a few years after its official dedication).
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David O. Carter, PhD
David O. Carter, PhD is Director and Associate Professor of Forensic Sciences at Chaminade University of Honolulu. Dr. Carter received his B.S. in Anthropology from the University of Idaho in 1999. In 2011 he earned his M.Sc. in Forensic Archaeology from Bournemouth University, United Kingdom. And in 2005 he earned his PhD from James Cook University, Australia.
Dr. Carter’s primary area of research and consulting expertise is in the decomposition of human remains, particularly estimating postmortem interval. Much of Dr. Carter’s research focuses on the analysis of the postmortem microbiome and its use as spatial and temporal evidence. In addition, Dr. Carter has a strong interest in getting science and technology into the hands of the First Responder and investigators.
Dr. Carter has served as editor for books on forensic taphonomy and forensic microbiology and published more than 30 peer-reviewed publications over the last 15 years. Carter has consulted on death investigations, domestic and abroad, for over 10 years while contributing expertise in taphonomy and microbiology to the training of crime scene and medicolegal death investigators as well as forensic pathologists.
Carlos A. Gutierrez, MSFS
Charlotte Carter, M.S., D-ABMDI
Kamalu J. Beamer, M.S.
Jennifer F. Brynes, PhD
Ron Becker, J.D.
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Events and Comments
Research and Discussion
Sunday, January 17, 2021, 18:54 (GMT+7)
Wednesday, March 15, 2017, 08:21 (GMT+7)
Upholding, developing and flexibly applying Marxism-Leninism into Party building and rectification
Our Party affirms that “It embraces Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought, considering them ideological foundation and lodestar for its every action”. Thus, studying, developing and flexibly applying Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought are foundations to make our Party really knowledgeable, moral and civilized, deserving the people’s faith and authorization for the leadership over the State and the society.
In the 19th century, while the capitalism developed rapidly, it exposed severe economic, social and political contradictions, indicating a new social revolution. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels studied and comprehensively summarized capitalism, introducing a set of guiding theoretical viewpoints on a revolution to build a new social regime in which socialism and communism would take the place of capitalism. That was called Marxism. Lenin studied the components of Marxism, strongly confirmed the scientific and practical values of the doctrine. Moreover, Lenin developed Marxism in the early phase of the 20th century when capitalism transformed into imperialism, invaded and ruled colonies for the sake of exclusive profits of capital groups. The creatively theoretical development and the direction of Lenin and the Russian Bolshevik Party brought the Russian October Revolution to victory. Devotion of Lenin was confirmed in both theoretical development and pracctice. Also, he made new developments on the settlement of national and colonial matters, opening a sound revolutionary path for colonial nations to struggle for national liberation.
Vietnam, an independent feudal country, after being invaded on September 1st 1858, became a colony of France on June 6th 1884. Patriotic movements against the French broke out repeatedly in late 19th century and early 20th, but in vain, due to the lack of a scientific theory and the leadership of a revolutionary political party. On his journey to find way to save the country, Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh came across Marxism-Leninism and found out the sound, practical revolutionary path. He founded the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3rd 1930), and the Party chose Marxism-Leninism as the ideological foundation and the lodestar for its actions. Upholding, flexibly applying and developing Marxism-Leninism into the country’s reality, the Communist Party of Vietnam laid down clear-sighted platform and guidelines leading the Vietnam revolution to incessant victories (gaining national independence, defeating invasions of colonialists and imperialists, unifying the country, building and safeguarding the Homeland, successfully carrying out the cause of reform).
Ho Chi Minh always stressed that studying Marxism-Leninism is to grasp its revolutionary and scientific nature to flexibly apply into Vietnam’s reality, not to learn it by heart. He stated: “It is necessary to study the spirit of Marxism-Leninism; study viewpoints and methods of Marxism-Leninism to apply those into the settlement of practical issues of our revolutionary cause”; “We should study Marxism-Leninism more thoroughly, using its viewpoints and methods to sum up our Party’s experience and analyze our country’s specific characteristics. Only by doing so could we gradually understand the rules of development of the Vietnam revolution and set out concrete guidelines and steps for the socialist revolution in accordance with our country’s situation”. His instructions remain valid, which directs the studying of Marxism-Leninism in the cause of socialism construction today. During his process of leadership over the Vietnam revolution, Ho Chi Minh flexibly applied and developed Marxism-Leninism, combining it with his independent thinking and the crystallization of values of the nation and the times to constitute Ho Chi Minh’s thought. His thought has been manifested in the Party’s Platform and guidelines, forming revolutionary and scientific nature of the Party. Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought are the Party’s ideological and theoretical foundation specified in the Platform for National Construction in the Transitional Period to Socialism (1991) (supplemented and developed in 2011). The contents of Ho Chi Minh’s thought were summarized and presented basically at the 9th National Party Congress. The Directive No. 05 CT/TW of the Politburo (12th tenure) on acceleration of studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and lifestyle confirmed: “Ho Chi Minh’s thought is the system of viewpoints and thought on national, class, social and human liberation; on national independence in association with socialism; on the combination between strength of the nation and that of the times; on the people’s strength and the national solidarity bloc; on the mastery of the people and the construction of a State of the people, by the people, and for the people; on all people’s national defence, people’s security and building the people’s armed forces; on socio-economic development, unceasingly improving material and spiritual life of the people; on revolutionary morality; on nurturing the following revolutionary generations; on Party building, etc”.
During the process of renewal, especially after the socialist model fell into crisis and then collapsed in Eastern European countries and the Soviet Union, the ideological and theoretical front of the Communist Party of Vietnam faced new challenges and requirements. However, reality has proved the vitality and the durable scientific values of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought. Upholding, firmly protecting the ideological and theoretical foundation, developing and flexibly applying it into Vietnam’s reality and the context of changes in international situation are the basic, focal task and the urgent demand of the Party in order that the Party is always pure, strong, really “moral and civilized”, deserving to be a ruling party with the authorization and faith of the people. To do that, the Party has focused on the following points:
First, continuing to renew the way of theoretical thinking and further clarify the goal of national independence and socialism. Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought by their nature are to thoroughly liberate class, nation and humankind from oppression and inequality. In a country, invaded and ruled by several invaders, like Vietnam, national liberation is the top priority. National independence is the sacred desire and the prerequisite for building and developing the country. From the struggle for national independence of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh came to the truth: Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom. He also emphasized: if the country is independent, but its people can’t enjoy happiness and freedom, that independence is meaningless. Independence, freedom and happiness unite in the lofty goal of Party-led revolution. When applying Marxism-Leninism into Vietnam’s reality, Ho Chi Minh stated that “Socialism is how to make the people wealthy and the country strong”. Socialism is to bring everyone prosperity, freedom and happiness and opportunities to study, to be cared, and to have good accommodations; children are nurtured, and the elderly are taken care. That is Ho Chi Minh’s thought on socialism which has been realized by the Party during the country’s reform process.
From a colony ruled by French Colonialists, Japanese Fascists and US Imperialists, Vietnam resiliently and persistently fought to become a unified, independent country. Nowadays, the national independence is strengthened firmly, and the national interests are of top priority. Independence, sovereignty, unification, territorial integrity, and political regime led by the Communist Party of Vietnam have been built up and developed sustainably. The country has developed socialist-oriented market economy, maintained independence and self-reliance in the context of international integration; peace environment for the people is protected by the constitution and law. The Homeland is firmly safeguarded with the all people’s national defence, the people’s security and the revolutionary, regular, seasoned, gradually modern people’s armed forces. Those are fundamental contents on national independence in association with socialism.
Upholding, developing and flexibly applying Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought, and from practice of national renewal, the Communist Party of Vietnam is increasingly fully aware of socialism and the path to socialism. The whole Party, people and Army are striving to quickly realized Vietnam an industrialized country towards modernity. “The general goal by the end of transitional period of the country is to build an economic foundation for socialism with a suitable political, ideological, cultural superstructure, creating favourable conditions for Vietnam to become an increasingly prosperous and happy socialist country”.
Second, preventing and pushing back the degradation in political ideology among a number of cadres and party members. This is an urgent issue for Party building. Reality shows that a number of cadres and party members are not fully aware of and even have signs of degradation in political ideology. To deal with this problem, the Party issued the Central Resolution No.4 (12th tenure) on strengthening the Party building and rectification, preventing degradation in political ideology and morality, as well as signs of internal “self evolution” and “self transformation”. The Resolution has clearly displayed 9 signs of degradation in political ideology, emphasizing the signs, namely “the deterioration in revolutionary ideal, being inconsistent in the goal of national independence and socialism, being skeptical in Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought”; “Divergence from the Party’s guidelines; having no steadfastness in the path to socialism; encouraging wrongful awareness and viewpoints; “Misunderstanding the significance and the importance of political theory; being lazy in studying Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought, the Party’ guidelines and resolutions, the State’s policy and law”. By analyzing that fact, a part from pointing out the objective reasons, the Party strongly emphasized the subjective reasons: “cadres and party members are in lack of self-improvement; being reluctant in ideological stance, and impacted by external factors”; “the task of political and ideological education for cadres and party members on Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought, explaining and studying the Party’s resolutions have been inadequate and ineffective, contents and methods of education have not been renewed”. To address these issues, the Party drew up groups of tasks and measures, first and foremost on the work of politics and ideology: “Focusing on the leadership and management over raising the entire Party’s awareness of the significance, role, importance and necessity of studying, flexibly applying and developing Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought. Making annual plans on studying and improving political theory for cadres and party members, in line with updating information and new knowledge for each group of people, level, sector and locality”. That is the foundation for enhancing the Party’s revolutionary and scientific nature, the leadership capability and combat strength, while preventing and pushing back the degradation in political ideology among a number of cadres and party members, as well as signs of internal “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”.
Third, resolutely fighting against the hostile forces, protecting the Party’s ideological and theoretical foundation. This is a basic, frequent and important task of the Party building. The threat of “self-evolution” is one of the four threats recognized by the Party in 1994. The 12th National Party Congress claimed that those four threats still existed and even more complicated. The threat of “self-evolution” posed by the hostile forces with new tricks: “particularly making best use of media and the internet to sabotage the Party, and the signs of internal “self-evolution”, “self-transformation” occurring in the political, ideological, economic, cultural fields and lifestyle. But the most dangerous one is in the field of political ideology.
To defeat plots and tricks of the hostile forces, the whole Party should seriously study, flexibly apply and develop Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought, strengthen and firmly defend the Party’s ideological and theoretical foundation to build the socialist regime, to develop a prosperous country, and to ensure the people’s freedom and happiness. Also, it should always heighten vigilance, attach great importance to internal political protection, while resolutely preventing and pushing back the degradation in political ideology, morality and lifestyle among a number of cadres and party members.
Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought equip the Party and every cadre and party member with necessary scientific theory, methodology and revolutionary methods to overcome difficulties and challenges, develop the country in its selected ideal and path.
Assoc Prof. Nguyen Trong Phuc, PhD
Marxism-Leninism,Ho Chi Minh's thought,Party building,rectification
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Promoting tradition, building the Commando’s Staff Department on a par with requirements and tasks
Inheriting the traditional fighting style and forte of the Commando, the Staff Department has actively researched and summarised the theory and practice to advise and propose new, suitable, effective ways of fighting to neutralise the conspiracies and tricks of the hostile forces in new battlefield conditions, at sea, and on islands.
The Naval Zone 4 builds up its cadres and soldiers’ political zeal and combat determination
Division 312 continues enhancing combat power
Following Uncle Ho’s instructions, the Political Officer College strives for “good teaching and good learning”
146th Brigade’s Party Committee leading the enhancement of combat readiness
129th Naval Fleet accompanies fishermen’s offshore fishing
Enhancing the Party's ruling culture
The Provincial Border Guard of Binh Phuoc enhances external affairs
Registered at Ministry of Information and Communications No. 389/GP-BTTTT 01-02-2013.
Editor-in-chief: Major General Do Hong Lam, Ph.D.
Deputy Editors-in-chief: Senior Colonel Nguyen Van Bay, Ph.D., Senior Colonel Ta Quang Chuyen, M.A., Senior Colonel Do Hai Au, M.A., Senior Colonel Nguyen Manh Tuan, M.A.
Copyright © National Defence Journal 2013. All rights reserved
Add: 38A Ly Nam De str – Hoan Kiem dist – Ha Noi
Tel: (84) 38.457.044 – Fax: (84) 37.479.956 - Email: quocphongtoandan@viettel.vn
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Usurped, Erased, and Taken over
Hafez is one of Persia's most influential poets. Too bad many of the quotes and poems attributed to him in English are bogus. Omar Safi, director of the Duke Islamic Studies Center, tells the story about the booming market in counterfeit Muslim poetry:
This is the time of the year where every day I get a handful of requests to track down the original, authentic versions of some famed Muslim poet, usually Hafez or Rumi. The requests start off the same way: "I am getting married next month, and my fiance and I wanted to celebrate our Muslim background, and we have always loved this poem by Hafez. Could you send us the original?" Or, "My daughter is graduating this month, and I know she loves this quote from Hafez. Can you send me the original so I can recite it to her at the ceremony we are holding for her?"
It is heartbreaking to have to write back time after time and say the words that bring disappointment: The poems that they have come to love so much and that are ubiquitous on the internet are forgeries. Fake. Made up. No relationship to the original poetry of the beloved and popular Hafez of Shiraz.
For Safi, it's one more example of Western appropriation:
Part of what is going on here is what we also see, to a lesser extent, with Rumi: the voice and genius of the Persian speaking, Muslim, mystical, sensual sage of Shiraz are usurped and erased, and taken over by a white American with no connection to Hafez's Islam or Persian tradition. This is erasure and spiritual colonialism. Which is a shame, because Hafez's poetry deserves to be read worldwide alongside Shakespeare and Toni Morrison, Tagore and Whitman, Pablo Neruda and the real Rumi, Tao Te Ching and the Gita, Mahmoud Darwish, and the like.
By Véhicule Press at June 17, 2020 No comments:
Arrows That Strike At The Heart Of Readers
Aphorisms, argues Andrew Hui, not only predate Western philosophy, but "constitute the first efforts at speculative thinking." Thinking aphoristically, he says, remains a foundational part of any intellectual tradition. One member of the "cult of the fragment"? Nietzsche:
His philology on fragments became a philosophy of fragments when he abandoned his profession as a classicist in the late 1870s. Rather than just studying aphorisms, he started producing them. In the most fertile stretch of his life, from Human, All Too Human (1878) to Ecce Homo (1888), he composed thousands upon thousands of pithy sayings and maxims. The fragmentary form became the preferred style for the rest of his life. The prophet in Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883-85) speaks in enigmatic dithyrambs reminiscent of the wisdom literature of antiquity.
Nietzsche’s aphoristic form becomes his way of training his readers not to subscribe to a doctrine or a particular Nietzschean view of life, but rather to create and craft their own philosophy of life. He writes that "in books of aphorisms like mine there are plenty of forbidden, long things and chains of thoughts between and behind short aphorisms." What this means is that Nietzsche will not spoon-feed his readers. His method is like Heraclitus’—intense, difficult, aporetic maxims and arrows that strike at the heart of readers, seizing or destabilising their habits of thought. They are required to do much work, to investigate what is "between and behind" his sharp words.
Black Lives Matter in Montreal
While putting together a Black Lives Matter syllabus to celebrate the contribution of Black writers in Montreal, Robyn Maynard looks closely at the city's failure to confront it's own history:
Montreal is often absent from national discussions about race and anti-Blackness, which tend to centre on Toronto and Halifax. This city, home to Black persons for over four hundred years, demonstrates little official recognition of the significant historical and literary contributions of Black writers and scholars. Despite organizing efforts by Black students, including a present-day push at Concordia University, there is no Black Studies program in Montreal, and less than one percent of full-time faculty at the two English universities are Black. Even the basics of Black Montreal history—such as slavery—are still absent or minimized in most school curriculums.
As in other Canadian cities, Black communities in Montreal have been subject to centuries of structural violence, including two centuries of enslavement, ongoing targeting by police, over-incarceration, and over-representation in child apprehensions by welfare agencies. These realities are inextricable from Black visions of past, present, and future Montreal, and continue to inform both non-fiction and creative writing.
The Unluckiest Businessman in the World
Here's a short chapter from Éric Plamondon’s Apple S, translated from the French by Dimitri Nasrallah. Originally appearing in 2013, the novel completes Véhicule Press' publication of the 1984 Trilogy into English. Gabriel Rivages, Plamondon's alter ego, is the the central unifying figure across the trilogy. He performs all the online searches and collects the constellation of facts about Johnny Weissmuller, Richard Brautigan, Steve Jobs—and, this case, Ron Wayne, the little-known Apple co-founder.
Originally, it’s spelled: iota, khi, theta, upsilon, sigma. In Ancient Greek, ichtus means fish. In Roman, it corresponds to the first letters of the following five words: Iêsos Christos Theou Uios Sôtèr (ictus). It means: Jesus Christ, son of God, Savior. That’s how the fish became the symbol of Christ. For Rivages, this all reminds him of his grandmother. She always had the same bumper sticker on her car. It was a sticker in the shape of a fish with Jesus written across it. His grandmother attended mass every Sunday. She never knew that the fish related back to the Greeks. What does that change anyways? Nothing, but Rivages can’t help but uncover origin stories when he wants to understand.
Not much is known about the origins of the April Fool’s tradition. Why do we tell tall tales on that day? Why do we play tricks? Why do we tape paper fish on people’s backs It could connect back to the Zodiac. This would have come about at the time that the Sun rose from the sign of Pisces. There’s also a story that speaks of the end of Lent. Others say that to celebrate the Annunciation people gave presents on the first day of April. They commemorated the day that the Archangel Gabriel tells Mary she’s pregnant.
Apple is officially founded on April 1, 1976. April Fool’s Day. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak own ninety percent of the business. The remaining ten percent belongs to Ron Wayne. He’s the one who draws the company’s first logo with Newton sitting under an apple tree. But two weeks later, Ron changes his mind. He regrets jumping into this adventure. He doesn’t believe in it. Anyways, he doesn’t like the idea of founding a company on April Fool’s Day.
He sees it as a bad omen. He sells his shares back to the two Steves for eight hundred dollars. Thirty years later, they’re valued at three billion. Ever since April 1, 1976, Ron Wayne has the impression that a permanent paper fish has been pasted to his back.
John Barth Was Astonishingly Boring
John Domini does his best to reverse the reputational damage that John Barth, once a towering figure in postmodern American writing, has suffered:
For the better part of 40 years, applause for this author has gone largely unheard. In the Times Book Review, for instance, the novel [Angela] Carter so admired took a loud thwacking. Gore Vidal, both in print and on TV, insisted that Barth was “astonishingly boring.” Long and short, the man couldn’t catch a break. His work suffered worse than that of any writer who followed his lead. Unlike, say, Donald Barthelme, Barth became one of those “no one reads anymore.” First Raymond Carver made him look prissy, then David Foster Wallace rendered him unhip.
Now, the buffeting of cultural winds is always a risk. Arthur Miller, one of our greatest playwrights, saw all his later plays trashed—a damning indictment, according to Tony Kushner, of the critical establishment. To me the case of later Barth looks awfully similar.
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Repairing our National Parks and the Implications of the Great American Outdoors Act
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Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Photo Courtesy of Christina Adele Warburg, U.S. Department of the Interior.
By Davis LaBarre
In the midst of a global pandemic, the one bright spot for many has been spending time outdoors. Increased travel restrictions and cancelled overseas trips have led to packing up the car to visit the beautiful parks our own country has to offer.[1] This summer, Congress passed the Great American Outdoors Act, which became law Aug. 4, 2020.[2] The Act will provide billions of dollars for U.S. national parks to help with repairs and maintenance.[3] However, ensuring that Yellowstone and the other 418 national parks are beautiful for your next family vacation is just the tip of the Glacier Bay National Park iceberg. Linda Bilmes, who served on the U.S. Department of Interior National Parks Advisory Committee, declared that the Act is “the biggest land conservation legislation in a generation.”[4] This post examines two of the larger impacts of the Act: (1) establishing the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, and (2) endeavoring to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (“LWCF”).[5]
The Act establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund.[6] The fund will receive 50 percent of all energy development revenues due and payable to the United States from oil, gas, coal, or renewable energy on federal lands and waters for each of the next five fiscal years.[7] Bilmes estimates this will provide up to $9 billion over the next five years, including $6.5 billion earmarked for the 419 national parks.[8] Funding will improve and repair roads, trails, campgrounds, monuments, fire safety, utilities, and visitor infrastructure—which could include COVID-19 tailored updates.[9] Although the number of visitors has increased over the past decade, the parks’ budget has remained unchanged.[10] Accordingly, this new funding will attempt to decrease a $12 billion backlog of maintenance expenses that parks have incurred.[11] Funding helps more than just the typical outdoor enthusiast. Investing in the maintenance of our national parks will likely create more than 110,000 infrastructure jobs.[12] The creation of the Legacy fund will further ensure that the parks’ maintenance backlog does not remain in disarray while also creating jobs, so that Americans can continue to enjoy the parks for years to come.
The Act also fully funds the LWCF providing that all amounts will be made available “without further appropriation or fiscal year limitation” starting perpetually in 2021.[13] The $900 million represents the ceiling that may be authorized, but in most years, Congress has appropriated less than $450 million to the LWCF.[14] This funding guarantees $900 million per year to be paid for by royalty payments from offshore oil and gas drilling that occurs in federal waters.[15] This money will help fund the four main federal land programs (National Parks, National Forests, Fish and Wildlife, and Bureau of Land Management), which support conservation efforts and protect biodiversity.[16] Money will also be given in the form of grants to state and local governments to acquire land for recreation and conservation.[17] Additionally, the LWCF produces economic benefits because the funds have a direct impact on growing the outdoor recreation economy by “increasing recreational access to public lands in every state.”[18] Further, a recent economic study shows that “every $1 million invested in LWCF could support between 16.8 and 30.8 jobs.”[19] Therefore, investing $450 million more than is typically appropriated to the LWCF could result in upwards of 13,000 new jobs.
Although 2020 may have not been a great year thus far, the Great American Outdoors Act highlights one bipartisan effort Americans should be proud of because the Act will help repair and maintain our national parks, support conservation, and create jobs. If you have not had the chance to visit a national park, get outside and appreciate what Wallace Stegner said is “America’s best idea.”[20]
[1] Yellowstone saw an increase in traffic this summer compared to recent years. Nathan Rott, ‘We Had to Get Out’: Despite The Risks, Business is Booming at National Parks, Nat’l Pub. Radio (Aug. 11, 2020, 5:00 PM), https://www.npr.org/2020/08/11/900270344/we-had-to-get-out-despite-the-risks-business-is-booming-at-national-parks.
[2] See Great American Outdoors Act, 54 U.S.C. §§ 200401–200402.
[3] Dan Harsha, The Biggest Land Conservation Legislation in a Generation, Harv. Gazette (July 27, 2020), https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/07/the-likely-impact-of-great-american-outdoors-act/.
[5] Randy Dann & Lucas Satterlee, Congress Passes Great American Outdoors Act, Rocky Mtn. Min. L. Newsl., No. 3, 2020, at 8–9.
[7] 54 U.S.C. § 200402.
[8] Harsha, supra note 3.
[12] Restoring Parks, Creating Jobs, Cadmus Grp. (Nov. 2018), https://cadmusgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cadmus-PEW-Jobs-Analysis_07122019.pdf.
[13] 54 U.S.C. § 200402(c).
[15] Harsha, supra note 3.
[18] The Great American Outdoors Act Economic Benefits, Nat’l Governors Ass’n, https://www.nga.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GAO-Act-Economic-Benefits-Factsheet.pdf (last visited Sept. 29, 2020).
[19] Heidi Peltier, Employment Impacts of Conservation Spending, Rsch. Gate(May 2020), https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341554349_Employment_Impacts_of_Conservation_Spending.
[20] See Dann & Satterlee, supra note 5.
Tags: fund Legislature National Parks Natural Resources
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Enhancing the Role of Public Interest Organizations in Rulemaking via Pre-Notice Transparency
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By: Richard Murphy*
In 1983, then-Administrator William Ruckelshaus promised that under his leadership, EPA would operate “in a fishbowl.” I wish to reaffirm this commitment and take the opportunity to provide guidelines about how we will ensure transparency in our interactions with all members of the public.
Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator[1]
The basic template for legislative rulemaking under our quasi-constitution of administrative law, the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”), could not be much simpler. The default process for making such a rule is notice and comment. Using this procedure, an agency must give notice to the world of the “subjects and issues involved” in its proposal.[2] It must provide interested members of the public a chance to comment on the noticed proposal.[3] On issuing the rule in its final form, an agency must include a “concise general statement of . . . basis and purpose.”[4] In short, the agency must declare what it is thinking about regulating, give others a chance to say what they think about the agency’s thoughts, and wrap things up by justifying the agency’s ultimate regulatory choice. Back in 1946, the APA’s drafters did not intend for this process to be difficult.[5]
The modern reality of significant legislative rulemaking is well known to be complex, burdensome, and opaque.[6] Much of the opacity arises from the fact that most policymaking decisions are made well before an agency ever issues a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPRM”).[7] Rather than serve as a vehicle for policymaking, the notice-and-comment process is instead, to a rounding error, a means for establishing a record for judicial review of rules.
Much of the complexity flows from efforts made during the great “reformation” of American administrative law in the 1960s and 1970s to open up the policymaking process to greater participation by regulatory beneficiaries.[8] In part as a consequence of adoption of an “interest representation” model of rulemaking, participation in the notice-and-comment process can demand substantial resources—in time, money, information, and expertise—from outside parties seeking to influence regulatory outcomes. Of course, the same might also be said for the judicial review process that follows most significant rulemaking.
Not everyone, however, enjoys the same amount of time, money, information, and expertise. We can thus think of administrative procedural law as handing interested persons (i.e., potential litigants) hammers with which to pound agencies. Common sense, along with a very basic public choice analysis, suggests that regulated parties will generally be able to use these hammers with greater force than public interest groups. A particular regulatory action that threatens the bottom line of a concentrated group of profit-seeking entities will attract their concentrated attention. Such entities will invest in lawyers, consultants, scientists, lobbyists, and politicians to protect their profits. Notwithstanding the strength and sophistication of many public interest groups, in many contexts they simply lack the resources to make for a good fight. Thus, it is possible that changes made to the rulemaking process that were intended, in part, to enable strong public interest group participation may often disfavor such groups.[9]
Part I of this Essay briefly examines the validity of this concern that the rulemaking process as currently structured unduly favors industry over public interest groups. It concludes that this concern has substantial justification. By shoving policymaking into the pre-notice period, the current process tends to deprive public interest groups of information they need in order to attempt to influence regulatory outcomes. Also, the resources necessary to participate in the rulemaking process (from pre-notice all the way through judicial review) naturally tilt the process in favor of those with money and power—namely corporate interests.
Part II then briefly discusses one suggestion for slightly redressing the balance of power: require prompt, electronic, and searchable disclosure of communications to agency officials directly bearing on the merits of potential rulemaking, regardless of whether a notice has been issued. Adopting this type of policy would not, of course, correct the basic problem of the resource imbalance, but then nothing, realistically, could. It would, however, make it somewhat easier for public interest groups to obtain the information they need to influence rulemaking in a timely way before an agency’s policy choices crystallize.
I. Do We Have a Balance of Power Problem?
A. A Quick Review of Our Current Procedural Framework for Notice-and-Comment Rulemaking and How We Got There
The complexity of modern notice-and-comment rulemaking can, to a considerable extent, be laid at the door of the great “reformation” of administrative law that the federal courts led during the 1960s and 1970s.[10] As characterized by Professor Richard Stewart, the basic thrust of this reformation was to push administrative procedures towards an “interest representation” or pluralistic model of legitimacy.[11] To ensure proper representation of all relevant interests, courts aggressively construed agency duties of notice, comment, and explanation to expand opportunities for meaningful participation by outsiders—especially public interest groups—in the rulemaking process.[12]
Prior to the reformation, taking the APA at its word, an agency could issue a sketchy notice of a proposed rule that provided only a “description of the subjects and issues involved.”[13] The agency had to accept comments from the public and was required to “consider[ ] . . . the relevant matter presented,” but the APA provided no express mechanism for enforcing this duty.[14] As part of any rule adopted by notice and comment, an agency was required to include a “general statement of . . . basis and purpose,” but the APA insisted that this statement be “concise.”[15] Regulated parties directly affected by a legislative rule would have standing to challenge it in federal court, but regulatory beneficiaries often did not.[16] Judicial review as to facts and policy was extremely lax, in essence inquiring whether any conceivable set of facts could justify the agency’s policy choice.[17]
During the 1960s and 1970s, the scope of potential regulation vastly increased with the creation of agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”), and the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (“OSHA”). At the same time, concerns deepened that regulated parties had “captured” various agencies, which therefore were adopting policies biased in favor of special interests rather than optimally serving the public interest.[18]
Partially in response to such concerns, the federal courts, led by the D.C. Circuit, dragged a radically different model for legislative rulemaking out of the sparse provisions governing notice an comment in the APA. The courts reasoned that without information concerning agency rulemaking efforts, outsiders can neither know that a rulemaking implicates their interests nor critique the agency’s grounds for action. They therefore cannot meaningfully participate in the comment process—which cannot be right.[19]
To address these concerns, the courts reworked the APA’s notice provisions in two especially notable ways. First, an agency’s final rule must be a “logical outgrowth” of the noticed proposal.[20] The functional idea behind this abstraction is that a proposal should put an interested person who reads it on notice that issues of concern to her are “on the table.”[21] This sort of notice prevents an agency from blocking meaningful comments by sandbagging interested parties with misleading notices.[22] Second, courts insisted that agencies disclose any “scientific data” on which they may have relied in their NPRMs.[23]
Interested outsiders might submit the most insightful comments in the world, but their work will not matter much if agencies ignore them. Courts therefore decided not to take the APA’s admonition that agencies accompany rules with “concise” contemporaneous explanations literally.[24] Instead, such explanations must contain a response to any material comments offered during the notice-and-comment process.[25]
The reformation also included two especially notable changes to judicial review. First, courts enabled regulatory beneficiaries (and public interest groups) to obtain judicial enforcement of these new requirements by relaxing standing rules.[26] Second, courts developed “hard-look” review of agency policy decisions. The conceptual roots of hard-look review can be traced back to the Chenery doctrine, which stands for the idea that the validity of agency discretionary action must rise or fall based on the validity of the agency’s contemporaneous explanation for it.[27] By demanding a “concise general statement of basis and purpose” for rules developed through notice and comment,[28] the APA provided a hook for the Chenery doctrine to apply to rulemaking. As it first evolved, the hard-look doctrine instructed courts to examine such explanations to ensure that an agency itself had taken a “hard look” at the regulatory problems confronting it.[29] Later, the hard-look doctrine came to be associated instead with courts taking a “hard look” at agency policy choices to ensure their rationality.[30] In theory, this form of review is supposed to be quite lax, but in practice, particularly where vague law and politicized courts come into play, one person’s policy judgment may be another person’s clear error.
Presidents and the Congress have also played their part in “ossifying” the rulemaking process. Presidents of both political parties have used executive orders to centralize control of administrative rulemaking in the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (“OIRA”), a subdivision of the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Office of the White House.[31] Satisfying OIRA review requires agencies to prepare cost-benefit analyses for significant regulatory actions.[32] A common criticism of OIRA review is that it is secretive and generally favors regulated interests.[33] Congress has contributed to deliberative burdens by requiring agencies to issue various “impact statements” as part of the rulemaking process in statutes including, among others, the Regulatory Flexibility Act[34] and the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.[35]
The result of all of these encrustations on the rulemaking process is that significant legislative rulemaking via notice-and-comment rulemaking, which was once easy and supposed to be so, is now a complex, time-consuming, resource-intensive procedural maze.
B. Does the Current Model Unduly Favor Regulated Interests?
It bears noting at the outset that it is impossible to find a neutral corner from which to judge whether rulemaking outcomes optimize the “public interest” because the “public interest” is contested in interesting cases—one person’s “capture” sometimes turns out to be another person’s exceptionally well-reasoned policy choice.[36] We should expect people with especially strong commitments to environmental protection, such as staffers at Sierra Club, to place a lower value on economic development than staffers at the United States Chamber of Commerce. Regardless of the technical pretensions of cost-benefit analysis, we lack objective means for precisely balancing the competing, incommensurate preferences of such groups.
That said, one stark difference between regulated parties and public interest groups is that the former seek to influence regulations to protect or enhance their bottom lines. They have money, sometimes lots of it, at stake. As Upton Sinclair observed, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it.”[37] We should therefore expect this profit motive to affect how regulated parties assess not just their own private interests but also how they perceive the public interest—even if they act with the best of faith. It is obvious that, provided the opportunity and the power, profit-driven, regulated parties would not choose to regulate themselves in a socially optimal way.[38] Likewise, given the chance to exercise undue influence, such parties would naturally attempt to persuade agencies to adopt policies that favor corporate interests more than they otherwise would.
It does not follow, however, from the less-than-astonishing fact that regulated entities follow their perceived self-interest that they can succeed in systematically distorting regulatory outcomes away from the public interest. The primary protector of the public interest in a regulatory context should be the agency itself. Agency officials are perfectly aware of the existence and force of industry bias.[39] Moreover, many agency officials identify quite strongly with their regulatory missions; for example, the EPA is the home of many environmentalists.[40] It is therefore possible that any imbalance in the regulatory process between regulated entities and public interest groups is nothing to be too worried about.[41]
Of course, for what it is worth, this hopeful view of the administrators’ power to triumph over special interests in order to serve the public good runs counter to the main underlying premise of the great reformation of American administrative law. Broadly speaking, this premise was that agencies had been “captured” by the industries they were supposed to regulate.[42] The reformation sought to solve this problem by opening up regulatory procedures and judicial review to participation by regulatory beneficiaries (and public interest groups representing them).[43]
Although these reforms expanded the formal powers of regulatory beneficiaries to participate in the procedural moves of rulemaking and judicial review, they did not eliminate some of the root causes of industry influence over agencies. Regulated parties naturally have far more frequent and intimate contact with agencies than public interest groups. Some of these contacts occur as part of the day-to-day process of implementing regulations. Regulated entities seek information concerning regulatory requirements from agencies; agencies inspect regulated parties and converse with them about the results.[44] When an agency turns to policymaking, it must obtain relevant information concerning the problems it confronts. The primary source of this information will generally be, naturally enough, industry contacts.[45] As Professor Stewart observed nearly forty years ago, pushing rulemaking procedures towards an interest-representation model does little to alter this fundamental dynamic.[46]
It is one thing to speculate, however soundly, on the likelihood of industry contacts swamping public interest group contacts in the rulemaking process. It is another to study ninety rules to document it, which is what Professors Wagner, Barnes, and Peters recently did in their study of the rules that the EPA issued between 1994 and 2009 to limit hazardous air pollutants (the “HAPs” rules).[47] They documented that during the pre-notice period, when the bulk of the real policymaking takes place, EPA officials had an average of 178 contacts per rule with interested parties—including regulated parties, public interest groups, and states.[48] A whopping 170 of these contacts were with regulated parties, 9 were with states, and a measly 0.7 were with public interest groups.[49]
This wild imbalance does little to instill confidence in the efficacy of the current procedural model as a means of “ventilating” issues at effective times.[50] That said, one must be careful in drawing too many conclusions from this study. For one thing, one might generally expect some disproportion in pre-notice contacts as part of the natural order of things; if an agency needs information concerning a particular device or process, then it needs to consult with firms that use them. Also, although the HAPs study took an admirable amount of work, it still only surveyed one particular area of rulemaking by one particular agency. Federal rulemaking is a vast and varied enterprise, which is one reason it is hard to study. Agencies can (and sometimes do) go out of their way to seek public input before issuing a formal NPRM.[51]
Even if agency policymaking mostly occurs before a public interest group is likely to be able to participate, one might still conclude that the current model for notice-and-comment rulemaking finds ample justification in the role it enables such groups to play through commenting and during judicial review. Even here, however, there are grounds for concern over the imbalance between the resources of regulated parties and public interest groups. Regulated parties will keep spending on comments and subsequent litigation up to the point that the expected costs to them of such efforts exceed the benefits to the parties. As regulated parties may expect to protect or enhance their profits by successfully pushing regulations in their favor, this conduct is in some part self-financing. Public interest groups, by contrast, must constantly engage in triage (a) to determine which agency regulatory efforts to investigate and track, and (b) to determine which of these regulatory efforts to challenge—whether in the notice-and-comment process or in subsequent litigation. They must, in short, seek maximum legal and policy bangs for their very limited bucks. It is rather as if the current model for judicial review of agency action supplies both regulated parties and public interest groups with guns to fire at agencies without ever noticing that one side in the fight has far fewer bullets than the other. The HAPs study is again highly suggestive in this regard. It found that industry interests submitted, on average, 35 comments per HAPs rule, whereas public interest groups submitted 2.4.[52] Moreover, eighty-three percent of significant changes made in response to comments favored industry.[53]
II. Tilting the Balance a Bit Through Enhanced Pre-Notice Transparency
In truth, it is hard to assess the degree to which notice-and-comment procedures, as currently designed, have contributed to regulatory departures from some pure, Platonic essence of the public interest. Still, if you create a process that costs resources, you should expect interests with more of those resources (e.g., money or information) to dominate that process. We therefore should expect corporate interests to dominate notice-and-comment rulemaking, and the empirical evidence is at least strongly suggestive that they often do.[54] It therefore seems worthwhile to consider how one might, with the right will, redress this imbalance.
A. Many Potential Paths
Given that agency policymaking is such a complex, multi-faceted process, it naturally follows that there are many different approaches one might try to redress the imbalance in power among agencies, regulated parties, and public interest groups. Maybe the best and simplest approach would involve strengthening agencies to decrease their dependence on (and vulnerability to) regulated parties. One might, for instance, properly fund regulatory agencies to enable them to increase their scientific and technical resources. Alternatively, one might increase the effective strength of agencies by decreasing the amount of work it takes to adopt a rule. Many observers of the regulatory process have long claimed that it has “ossified” due to needless burdens on rulemaking created by the courts, Congress, and the President.[55] Steps could be taken to reverse this trend.
One might instead try reducing the power of regulated parties. Reducing the power of the powerful is hard to do—they have, after all, the power. As a political matter, were such an effort to ever get off the ground, it would likely need to involve a generally applicable change to the law that would not, on its face, “pick on” one side or another. Continuing in this speculative vein, it is reasonable to suspect that hard-look style arbitrariness review could systematically favor regulated parties as compared to public interest groups, because it tends toward highly technical, fact-sensitive issues that fall within the special expertise of regulated parties. If this is so, then transforming hard-look review into something more like a “soft look” might tend to favor the public interest by depriving those wishing to challenge agency action of a weapon that regulated parties are generally better able to wield.[56]
Still another set of strategies might involve steps to strengthen public interest groups. For public interest groups to exercise effective influence over policymaking, they need both timely information and the resources to act on that information. It is possible to imagine a world in which the federal government writes large checks to public interest groups to correct the resource problem. The economic and political constraints of the real world, however, make such steps very unlikely. A more plausible strategy might involve changes in the regulatory system to make it easier for public interest groups to gain timely access to information regarding agency regulatory efforts. The next Subpart fleshes out such a strategy.
B. Timely Disclosure of Pre-Notice Contacts
The inspiration for this suggestion is quite simple and direct: On learning that I would be attending a symposium devoted to increasing the influence of public interest groups in rulemaking, I decided to ask a public interest attorney what single change would be most helpful in his work. I spoke at some length with an attorney perfectly suited to answer this question, John Walke, Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Clean Air Program, a person hip-deep in the EPA’s regulatory process.[57] His answer came without a hint of hesitation: adopt real-time, searchable, electronic disclosure of pre-notice contacts intended to influence rulemaking.[58]
This response makes a great deal of sense in light of the well-known fact of administrative life that most of the real policymaking in legislative rulemaking occurs well before an agency publishes an NPRM in the Federal Register.[59] It is also consistent with the finding of the HAPs study, discussed above, that the overwhelming majority of agency contacts during the pre-notice period are with regulated parties.[60] Of course, the basic point of this proposal is to help enable regulatory beneficiaries learn how regulated parties are attempting to influence policymaking before agency views “jell.”[61]
Viewed from a doctrinal standpoint, this proposal would alter the balance between disclosure and secrecy in rulemaking struck several decades ago in the aftermath ofHome Box Office, Inc. v. FCC[62] (“HBO”) and Sierra Club v. Costle.[63] The first of these two cases arose out of a challenge to “pay cable” rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) that restricted the ability of cablecasters to run feature films and sports programs.[64] These rules naturally attracted the concentrated attention of various powerful entities—broadcasters, cable companies, motion picture interests, etc.—who “sought out individual commissioners or Commission employees for the purpose of discussing ex parte and in confidence the merits of the rules” at issue.[65] The D.C. Circuit panel that resolved HBO was particularly impressed that many ex parte contacts occurred after the close of oral argument in the rulemaking proceeding but before promulgation, “when the rulemaking record should have been closed while the Commission was deciding what rules to promulgate.”[66] During this time, the Commission “met some 18 times with Commission personnel, cable interests some nine times, motion picture and sports interests five times each, and ‘public interest’ intervenors not at all.”[67]
Confronted with this information regarding industry contacts, the court noted three concerns. First, consistent with worries over agency capture that inspired the reformation, the court observed that it was “particularly concerned that the final shaping of the rules we are reviewing here may have been by compromise among the contending industry forces, rather than by exercise of the independent discretion in the public interest the Communications Act vests in individual commissioners.”[68] Second, the court insisted that “[e]ven the possibility that there is here one administrative record for the public and this court and another for the Commission and those ‘in the know’ is intolerable.”[69] Among other problems, such secrecy made effective judicial review impossible, for a court could not know whether the public reasons an agency gave for a decision matched its “real” reasons. Given this circumstance, a court would have to “treat the agency’s justifications as a fictional account of the actual decisionmaking process and must perforce find its actions arbitrary.”[70] Third, secret, ex parte contacts foiled an important function of rulemaking, which was to expose information on which the agency relied to “adversarial critique” from the public.[71] Against all this, the court also recognized that “informal contacts between agencies and the public are the ‘bread and butter’ of the process of administration and are completely appropriate so long as they do not frustrate judicial review or raise serious questions of fairness.”[72]
To reconcile these competing concerns, the court held that (a) communications received before issuance of an NPRM generally need not go in a public file, and (b) after issuance of a notice but before issuance of a final rule, “any agency official or employee who is or may reasonably be expected to be involved in the decisional process of the rulemaking proceeding” should refuse to discuss the disposition of the rule with any interested party.[73]
Although HBO has never been formally overruled, its judicialized approach to rulemaking via notice and comment did not last long. Its chief vulnerability is that it is extremely hard to reconcile with the APA’s clear treatment of ex parte contacts. In administrative law vernacular, the APA divides rulemaking into “formal” and “informal” categories. To promulgate a formal rule, an agency must follow the procedures set forth in 5 U.S.C. §§ 556 and 557, which authorize (but for the most part do not require) the use of trial-type procedures. Of most immediate concern, in keeping with the judicial model that underlies formal proceedings, § 557(d) imposes strict limits on ex parte contacts.[74] Notice-and-comment rulemaking is a species of “informal” rulemaking and not subject to § 557(d). It thus seems clear that, in HBO, the D.C. Circuit, by imposing strict limits on ex parte contacts, made a policy choice regarding treatment of notice-and-comment rulemaking that Congress had itself declined to make. Especially in a post-Vermont Yankee world, this kind of judicial creativity (or activism) was not likely to last.[75]
Nor did it. In administrative law casebooks, HBO is commonly paired with its archrival and nemesis, Sierra Club v. Costle, which involved challenges to an EPA rule that promulgated new source performance standards for emission controls of coal-fired power plants.[76] One of the challengers, the Environmental Defense Fund (“EDF”), claimed that the rule was procedurally defective because of a flurry of ex parte contacts (both written and oral) that occurred after the close of the comment period.[77] Rather than apply the APA as interpreted by HBO, the D.C. Circuit Court tested this complaint against the procedural framework established for notice-and-comment rulemaking under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977.[78] As amended, § 307 of the Act now codifies elements of the reformation; unlike the unadorned text of 5 U.S.C. § 553, it requires the EPA to disclose information on which it relies in NPRMs and to respond to any significant comments offered.[79] Significantly, like § 553 of the APA, § 307 does not bar ex parte contacts.[80]
Faced with the EDF’s procedural argument, the court conceded that ex parte contacts can create the danger of “secret record[s]” for those in the know and fake public records for everyone else.[81] Whereas the HBO court found this danger intolerable, the Sierra Club court was far less concerned. It stressed that the scope for politics to distort technical decisionmaking was limited by the requirement that the EPA provide a public justification for its ultimate decision.[82] Realistically, that public justification would not provide a full explanation of everything that affected the agency’s decision-making process. The EPA would likely not explain, for instance, that “we softened some emissions requirements because, according to our best analysis, Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, where there is an awful lot of coal, is a United States Senator.” This, however, is life in a democracy.
The court also stressed that agency contacts with industry are both practically important for effective regulation and play a key role in legitimating the entire regulatory enterprise:
Under our system of government, the very legitimacy of general policymaking performed by unelected administrators depends in no small part upon the openness, accessibility, and amenability of these officials to the needs and ideas of the public from whom their ultimate authority derives, and upon whom their commands must fall. As judges we are insulated from these pressures because of the nature of the judicial process in which we participate; but we must refrain from the easy temptation to look askance at all face-to-face lobbying efforts, regardless of the forum in which they occur, merely because we see them as inappropriate in the judicial context. Furthermore, the importance to effective regulation of continuing contact with a regulated industry, other affected groups, and the public cannot be underestimated. Informal contacts may enable the agency to win needed support for its program, reduce future enforcement requirements by helping those regulated to anticipate and shape their plans for the future, and spur the provision of information which the agency needs.[83]
Everything in the preceding quote seems true. Also, the United States Chamber of Commerce probably could not have said it better itself.
The court concluded that the EPA’s treatment of post-comment-period contacts from industry groups was well within the law. Section 307 of the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to include in its rulemaking docket as soon as possible “[a]ll documents which become available after the proposed rule has been published and which the Administrator determines are of central relevance to the rulemaking.”[84] The EPA had gone the extra mile to honor this requirement by docketing all written comments it had received as well as most oral meetings.[85]
Most to the present point, the court disposed quickly of the EDF’s plea for an extension of HBO’s bar on ex parte contacts:
Lacking a statutory basis for its position, EDF would have us extend our decision in Home Box Office, Inc. v. FCC to cover all meetings with individuals outside EPA during the post-comment period. Later decisions of this court, however, have declined to apply Home Box Office to informal rulemaking of the general policymaking sort involved here, and there is no precedent for applying it to the procedures found in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977.[86]
The court further stated that:
Where agency action resembles judicial action, where it involves formal rulemaking, adjudication, or quasi-adjudication among “conflicting private claims to a valuable privilege,” the insulation of the decisionmaker from ex parte contacts is justified by basic notions of due process to the parties involved. But where agency action involves informal rulemaking of a policymaking sort, the concept of ex parte contacts is of more questionable utility.[87]
Bars on ex parte contacts make sense for judicial action, not legislative action. To the degree an agency is acting like a court, they should apply; to the degree an agency is acting like a junior varsity legislator, they should not. In general, informal rulemaking involves broad policymaking—in other words, quasi-legislative action. Therefore, except in unusual situations where an agency is using notice-and-comment rulemaking to determine “conflicting private claims to a valuable privilege” that implicate due process,[88] there is no basis for courts to impose a bar on ex parte contacts in notice-and-comment rulemaking.[89]
The courts’ unwillingness to follow HBO’s lead and severely limit ex parte contacts in the rulemaking process has left agencies with discretion to control such contacts largely as they see fit. A grand survey of how all regulatory agencies have used this discretion is beyond the scope of this Essay. If, however, the EPA, FCC, Department of Transportation (“DOT”), and Department of Energy (“DOE”) are representative examples, then it seems that many agencies are striving to ensure transparency of contacts after some formal, public step has been taken to initiate a rulemaking process.[90] These policies do not, however, directly address the problem of influence occurring before such steps are taken.
Starting with the EPA, this Essay opened with a quote from Administrator Jackson’s “Fishbowl Memo” that she distributed to EPA employees soon after she began her tenure.[91] The Fishbowl Memo has the following to say about transparency in rulemaking:
It is crucial that we apply the principles of transparency and openness to the rulemaking process. This can only occur if EPA clearly explains the basis for its decisions and the information considered by the Agency appears in the rulemaking record. Therefore, each EPA employee should ensure that all written comments regarding a proposed rule received from members of the public, including regulated entities and interested parties, are entered into the rulemaking docket.
Robust dialogue with the public enhances the quality of our decisions. EPA offices conducting rulemaking are therefore encouraged to reach out as broadly as possible for the views of interested parties. However, while EPA may and often should meet with groups and individuals, we should attempt, to the maximum extent practicable, to provide all interested persons with equal access to EPA. In addition, it is essential to ensure that the public receives timely notice, as far as practicable, of information or views that have influenced EPA’s decisions. This means that EPA employees must summarize in writing and place in the rulemaking docket any oral communication during a meeting or telephone discussion with a member of the public or an interested group that contains significant new factual information regarding a proposed rule.[92]
Certainly the tone of the Fishbowl Memo strongly favors transparency. A close reading of these two quoted paragraphs, however, suggests that the agency has, in essence, reaffirmed the approach to ex parte contacts approved by Sierra Club. The memo emphasizes that “it is essential to ensure that the public receives timely notice, as far as practicable, of information or views that have influenced the EPA’s decisions.”[93] The means for providing this notice, however, is docketing, and the memo’s docketing requirements for both documents and oral contacts apply to “proposed rules.”[94] They do not appear to apply during the pre-proposal stage where much of the real policymaking occurs. Pre-notice contacts may nonetheless find their way into the rulemaking docket, albeit perhaps in digested form, insofar as the agency must “explain[ ] the basis for its decisions and the information considered.”[95] At that point, however, notice to the public is no longer timely insofar as decisions have, in practice, been made.
The FCC—the agency on the receiving end of the HBO decision—has promulgated an extensive, complex set of rules governing ex parte contacts.[96] As applied to informal rulemaking, the upshot of these complex rules seems close to that of the Fishbowl Memo. The FCC categorizes agency actions into “exempt,” “permit-but-disclose,” and “restricted” proceedings.[97] Generally speaking, ex parte contacts can be freely made and need not be disclosed during “exempt” proceedings; they can be freely made but must be promptly disclosed during “permit-but-disclose” proceedings; and they are barred during “restricted” proceedings.[98]
Notably, informal rulemakings under § 553 fall into the permit-but-disclose category.[99] Thus, once an NPRM has been issued, a party making an ex parte contact with a decision-making official at the FCC is under an obligation to submit a record of that contact to the agency,[100] which discloses such contacts at least twice weekly.[101] Provisions are made for limiting distribution of confidential information.[102]
By contrast, notices of inquiry (“NOIs”) fall into the exempt category.[103] The FCC uses an NOI to alert interested persons that the agency is seeking information regarding a particular topic.[104] The information gathered may later be used to fashion an NPRM. If the pre-NPRM period accounts for the bulk of real policymaking, however, then the FCC’s detailed ex parte rules seem to avoid forcing disclosure just when it may be most needed.
The DOT has operated under an order governing disclosure of ex parte contacts for over forty years. This brief order provides in most pertinent part:
When the contact takes place after the issuance of a notice of proposed rule making in the subject matter, the report should be made and included in the public docket promptly following the contact. When the contact takes place before the issuance of a notice of proposed rule making and when the substance of the contact forms one of the bases for issuance of the notice, the substance of the contact should be discussed in the preamble to the notice. If in any case there is a legitimate reason for not discussing the prior contact in the preamble to the notice, then a report of the contact should be made and placed in the public docket when the notice is issued.[105]
This policy’s treatment of pre-notice contacts is broadly consistent with the disclosure requirements that the reformation imposed on NPRMs in cases such as United States v. Nova Scotia Food Products Corp.[106] Under the DOT policy, if a pre-notice contact provides information that forms the basis of a proposal, then the NPRM must disclose the “substance” of that contact. But once again, if policies tend to “jell[ ]” prior to issuance of the notice,[107] then such disclosures will often come too late to help groups that are “outside the loop” to influence policy.
For a fourth example of an agency’s treatment of the problem of ex parte contacts, consider the DOE’s Guidance on Ex Parte Communications.[108] Generally speaking, the DOE, borrowing the FCC’s phrase, takes a “permit-but-disclose” approach to ex parte contacts once it has taken some formal, public step to indicate that it has initiated a rulemaking. This step may take the form of an “advanced notice of proposed rulemaking, a notice of public meeting or, if neither of those documents are utilized, the notice of proposed rulemaking.”[109] An “advanced notice of proposed rulemaking” (“ANPRM”), as the name suggests, is a step that the DOE takes to gather information concerning a potential rule before the agency is ready to issue an NPRM. It thus may play an analogous role to the FCC’s NOIs. The DOE, however, takes transparency a step further than the FCC insofar as the former imposes ex parte limits on contacts made after an ANPRM, but the latter treats post-NOI contacts as exempt.
Still, there are limits to the DOE’s greater openness. The Guidance declares:
Phone calls that DOE employees or contractors initiate to gather information as part of the rulemaking process need not be memorialized. If new data is obtained as a result of such contacts after issuance of the notice of proposed rulemaking, it may be necessary to seek public comment on the data for DOE to rely on the data in the final rule.[110]
It is understandable that the DOE would excuse its own employees from a duty of summarizing and docketing their efforts to gain information. Any system for disclosing ex parte contacts in rulemaking must balance the burden it creates on the administrative process against potential gains in legitimacy and effectiveness. That said, this exception obviously leaves considerable room for obscuring information that might be better brought to light early in the process.
To summarize, each of these four agencies requires docketing of ex parte contacts at some point in the notice-and-comment process for informal rulemaking, broadly construed. For some agencies, this rule applies after issuance of an NPRM. For others, it may come earlier—for example, the DOE applies a docketing rule after issuance of an ANPRM. Some agency policies expressly recognize that, where an agency relies on information gained from a pre-notice contact to form a proposal, this information should appear in the NPRM. The reformation’s approach to agency duties of notice, however, would seem to demand such disclosure in any event.
Each of these policies fails to address an important gap in disclosure requirements. Rulemaking, in the broadest sense, begins when an agency confronts some sort of policy problem. At the very beginning of this process, an agency may not know very much about the problem—how serious it is, whether it justifies the use of limited agency resources, etc. For any problem that eventually does lead to a rule, there must come a point where the agency recognizes that rulemaking is a serious prospect and then begins to devote substantial resources to exploring the policy choices that the hypothetical rule might adopt. After this point, policy decisions are more likely to begin to jell.
Excluding those situations in which an agency is under a statutory obligation to engage in a particular rulemaking, determining the point at which the agency is serious enough about a potential rule to justify imposing docketing of ex parte contacts calls for judgment—it is not a bright line sort of inquiry.[111] Still, for its own organizational purposes, an agency must decide at some point to place a rulemaking on its internal agenda for the purpose of determining whether to proceed with more formal steps, such as an NPRM, ANPRM, or NOI, as the case may be. The EPA, for instance, treats a rule as having reached the “Pre-Proposal” stage once its Regulatory Policy Officer has determined that a rulemaking has commenced.[112] Also, agencies already labor under statutory and executive obligations to publish regulatory agendas identifying at least some potential rules.[113] Agencies, in short, have to determine whether they are engaged in rulemaking well before an NPRM is ever issued. At the point an agency makes this internal determination, it should announce that fact and impose docketing requirements on ex parte contacts.
Of course, expanding docketing requirements would create a new burden on agencies (and on parties that contact them). Some agencies have already, however, developed means for managing such burdens in rules governing ex parte contacts that are already in place. For instance, such rules may contain provisions for dealing with confidential information.[114] They may require that parties making oral contacts provide written summaries to an agency promptly.[115] They may provide for sharing of information in electronic form.[116] They may exclude casual contacts, among other categories.[117]
Suppose, however, for the sake of argument, that too aggressive an approach to docketing pre-notice contacts would be overly burdensome. Even so, the broader point here is that at least some greater disclosure of ex parte contacts earlier in rulemaking proceedings should be eminently manageable. Suppose, for instance, that it would be too burdensome for agencies to require written memorialization of oral contacts, which would therefore be excluded from disclosure. Such an exclusion would create an obvious route for gaming the system; regulated parties, if they did not know already, would learn that some things are better left unwritten. Still, especially when dealing with highly technical matters, some communications, to be effective, need to be in writing. Requiring prompt, electronic, searchable docketing of all written communications once a rulemaking has become “serious” would mark a major advancement over the current system, helping public interest groups—assuming they have the resources, which is a very big assumption—to find out how regulated parties are attempting to influence policymaking before those policies are effectively chosen.
Regulation attempts to control the powerful, who do not much care to be controlled. We should not therefore be terribly surprised when the powerful use the tools at their disposal to fight back against regulatory controls. One of the tools for this fight has been administrative procedural law. The great reformation of American administrative law of the 1960s and 1970s attempted to tilt the law’s balance more towards regulatory beneficiaries, adopting an interest representation model of rulemaking. For public interest groups to play a serious role in this process, however, they need both information and other resources (funding, staff, etc.). The reformation did not correct the problem of resource imbalance. Also, its efforts to promote transparency have been stymied to a large degree because the APA requires disclosure of ex parte contacts during informal rulemaking only after an agency issues an NPRM, by which time much of the real policymaking has likely already occurred. Responding to this information problem, to lessen to some small degree the power imbalance in rulemaking, this Essay suggests requiring prompt, electronic, searchable disclosures of contacts with agencies that occur after “serious” rulemaking efforts have begun but before issuance of an NPRM. The precise scope of this disclosure duty could be the subject of debate and experiment but should involve considerably greater and more effective disclosure than occurs now.
* AT&T Professor of Law, Texas Tech University School of Law. This Essay is based on a presentation made at a symposium, The Asymmetry of Administrative Law, held at Wake Forest University Law School on March 30, 2012. Many thanks to the Wake Forest Law Review and to Professor Sidney Shapiro for organizing this event and for being such splendid hosts.
[1]. Memoradum from Lisa Jackson, Adm’r, EPA, to EPA Employees (Apr. 23, 2009), http://blog.epa.gov/administrator/2009/04/24/memo-to-epa-employees-transparency-in-epas-operations/.
[2]. 5 U.S.C. § 553(b)(3) (2006) (requiring notice of “either the terms or substance of the proposed rule or a description of the subjects and issues involved”).
[3]. Id. § 553(c).
[5]. Cf. Am. Radio Relay League, Inc. v. FCC, 524 F.3d 227, 248 (D.C. Cir. 2008) (Kavanaugh, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part) (noting that the APA contemplated a “simple and speedy practice” for rulemaking that courts have transformed “into a laborious, seemingly never-ending process”).
[6]. For a prominent statement of this critique, see Richard J. Pierce, Seven Ways to Deossify Agency Rulemaking, 47 Admin. L. Rev. 59, 65 (1995) ( “[C]ourts have transformed the simple, efficient notice and comment process into an extraordinarily lengthy, complicated, and expensive process . . . .”). Along these lines, in a recent conversation with the author, a senior agency official in charge of legal oversight of rulemaking at his agency explained that, given the various statutes, executive orders, guidance documents, and court decisions that have accumulated over time, the set of requirements and related guidance he keeps for agency rulemaking now fills six thick, three-ring binders. The size of this pile is all the more impressive given that these binders do not include court decisions.
[7]. See, e.g., E. Donald Elliott, Reinventing Rulemaking, 41 Duke L.J. 1490, 1492 (1992) (describing notice-and-comment rulemaking as Kabuki theatre, “a highly stylized process for displaying in a formal way the essence of something which in real life takes place in other venues”); Richard B. Stewart, The Reformation of American Administrative Law, 88 Harv. L. Rev. 1669, 1775 (1975) (“Indeed, the content of rulemaking decisions is often largely determined in advance through a process of informal consultation in which organized interests may enjoy a preponderant influence.”).
[8]. See generally Stewart, supra note 7 (characterizing changes in administrative law that expanded participation rights of regulatory beneficiaries as a great “reformation”). For a brief summary of the reformation’s manifestations in the notice-and-comment rulemaking process, see infra Part I.A.
[9]. For an especially pointed analysis of the unintentional consequences of pluralistic reform of rulemaking, see Wendy E. Wagner, Administrative Law, Filter Failure, and Information Capture, 59 Duke L.J. 1321, 1324–25 (2010) (contending that reforms designed to shed sunlight on the rulemaking process have enabled regulated industries to overwhelm agencies with technical information, leading to “information capture”).
[10]. For the seminal article on the “reformation,” see generally Stewart, supra note 7.
[11]. Id. at 1712.
[12]. See United States v. Nova Scotia Food Prods. Corp., 568 F.2d 240, 251–52 (2d Cir. 1977) (insisting, notwithstanding the absence of supporting language in the APA itself, that an agency’s notice of a proposed rule must include any scientific information on which the agency relied in fashioning the proposal); Portland Cement Ass’n v. Ruckelshaus, 486 F.2d 375, 393–94 (D.C. Cir. 1973) (imposing on agencies a duty of responding to comments that “step over a threshold requirement of materiality”), cert. denied, 417 U.S. 921 (1974).
[13]. 5 U.S.C. § 553(b)(3) (2006).
[14]. Id. § 553(c).
[16]. See Peter L. Strauss, Changing Times: The APA at Fifty, 63 U. Chi. L. Rev. 1389, 1401–05 (1996) (explaining the relatively restrictive approach to standing under the APA that courts applied until Ass’n of Data Processing Serv. Orgs., Inc. v. Camp, 397 U.S. 150 (1970)).
[17]. See William Funk, Rationality Review of State Administrative Rulemaking, 43 Admin. L. Rev. 147, 149 (1991) (noting that prior to the seminal case of Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, Inc. v. Volpe, 401 U.S. 402 (1971), which required “searching and careful” review of facts necessary to justify rulemaking, federal administrative law simply presumed the existence of such facts).
[18]. See Sidney A. Shapiro, Administrative Law After the Counter-Reformation: Restoring Faith in Pragmatic Government, 48 U. Kan. L. Rev. 689, 693 (2000) [hereinafter Shapiro, Counter-Reformation] (discussing the diagnosis of agency “capture” by regulated interests that helped justify the “reformation”).
[19]. United States v. Nova Scotia Food Prods. Corp., 568 F.2d 240, 252 (2d Cir. 1977) (“To suppress meaningful comment by failure to disclose the basic data relied upon is akin to rejecting comment altogether.”).
[20]. See Jack M. Beermann, Common Law and Statute Law in Administrative Law, 63 Admin. L. Rev. 1, 7–8 (2011) (discussing the lax approach that courts took to the notice requirement in the years immediately following adoption of the APA and identifying the “logical outgrowth” test for adequacy of notice as a nonstatutory test developed by the courts as they tightened their control over rulemaking).
[21]. See, e.g., Am. Med. Ass’n v. United States, 887 F.2d 760, 768 (7th Cir. 1989) (“[T]he relevant inquiry is whether or not potential commentators would have known that an issue in which they were interested was ‘on the table’ . . . .”).
[22]. See, e.g., Chocolate Mfrs. Ass’n of U.S. v. Block, 755 F.2d 1098, 1104 (4th Cir. 1985) (stating that agencies do not have “carte blanche” to issue rules that vary from original proposals and requiring that notices “be sufficiently descriptive to provide interested parties with a fair opportunity to comment and to participate in the rulemaking”).
[23]. See, e.g., Nova Scotia, 568 F.2d at 251–52.
[24]. See Pierce, supra note 6, at 65 (“To have any realistic chance of upholding a major rule on judicial review, an agency’s statement of basis and purpose now must discuss in detail each of scores of policy disputes, data disputes, and alternatives to the rule adopted by the agency.”); Wagner, supra note 9, at 1355 (“Even for the minor rules, the EPA typically prepares a one-hundred-plus-page report on its response to comments, as well as anywhere from a few to dozens of pages of ‘significant changes’ in the small, three-column type of the Federal Register.”(footnote omitted)).
[25]. Portland Cement Ass’n v. Ruckelshaus, 486 F.2d 375, 393–94 (D.C. Cir. 1973) (requiring agencies to respond to material comments), cert. denied, 417 U.S. 921 (1974); see also, e.g., La. Fed. Land Bank Ass’n v. Farm Credit Admin., 336 F.3d 1075, 1080 (D.C. Cir. 2003) (declaring that agencies must respond “to those comments which, if true, . . . would require a change in [the] proposed rule” (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting Am. Mining Cong. v. EPA, 907 F.2d 1179, 1188 (D.C. Cir. 1990))).
[26]. See Strauss, supra note 16, at 1401–05 (discussing the Court’s shift in its approach to standing and connecting this shift to the “reformation” of administrative law toward an interest representation model).
[27]. SEC v. Chenery Corp., 318 U.S. 80, 95 (1943).
[28]. 5 U.S.C. § 553(c) (2006).
[29]. Greater Bos. Television Corp. v. FCC, 444 F.2d 841, 851 (D.C. Cir. 1970) (observing that it is a reviewing court’s task to ensure that “the agency has . . . really taken a ‘hard look’ at the salient problems, and has . . . genuinely engaged in reasoned decision-making” (footnote omitted)), cert. denied, 403 U.S. 923 (1971).
[30]. See Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Ass’n v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 463 U.S. 29, 43 (1983).
[31]. Shapiro, Counter-Reformation, supra note 18, at 707–09.
[32]. See Regulatory Planning and Review, Exec. Order No. 12,866 § 6(a), 58 Fed. Reg. 51,735 (Oct. 4, 1993); Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review, Exec. Order No. 13,563 § 1(b), 76 Fed. Reg. 3,821 (Jan. 18, 2011).
[33]. See, e.g., Rena Steinzor et al., Ctr. for Progressive Reform, Behind Closed Doors at the White House: How Politics Trumps Protection of Public Health, Worker Safety, and the Environment, White Paper # 1111 4 (2011), available at http://www.progressivereform.org/articles/OIRA_Meetings_1111.pdf (“[E]very single study of its performance, including this one, shows that OIRA serves as a one-way ratchet, eroding the protections that agency specialists have decided are necessary under detailed statutory mandates, following years—even decades—of work.”); cf. Richard L. Revesz & Michael A. Livermore, Retaking Rationality: How Cost-Benefit Analysis Can Better Protect the Environment and Our Health 171–83 (2008) (proposing reforms to OIRA to enhance transparency and correct anti-regulatory bias while maintaining cost-benefit analysis as tool for review of rules).
[34]. 5 U.S.C. §§ 603–05 (2006) (requiring agencies to prepare impact statements discussing the effects of rules on small businesses at the proposal and final issuance stages of rulemaking).
[35]. 2 U.S.C. § 1532(a) (2006) (detailing impact-statement requirements for “any Federal mandate that may result in the expenditure by State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100,000,000 or more (adjusted annually for inflation) in any 1 year”).
[36]. Cf. Sidney A. Shapiro, The Complexity of Regulatory Capture: Diagnosis, Causality, and Remediation, 17 Roger Williams U. L. Rev. 221, 223–24 (2012) [hereinafter Shapiro, The Complexity of Regulatory Capture] (noting that the concept of capture is “elusive” and suggesting defining it operationally “as occurring when agencies consistently adopt regulatory policies favored by regulated entities”).
[37]. Upton Sinclair, I, Candidate for Governor: And How I Got Licked 100 (1935).
[38]. See, e.g., Edmund L. Andrews, Greenspan Concedes Error on Regulation, N.Y. Times (Oct. 23, 2008), http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24
/business/economy/24panel.html (reporting Greenspan’s rueful admission at a congressional hearing on the collapse of the housing bubble that “[t]hose of us who have looked to the self-interest of lending institutions to protect shareholders’ equity, myself included, are in a state of shocked disbelief”).
[39]. See, e.g., Shapiro, The Complexity of Regulatory Capture, supra note 36, at 228–29, 234–41.
[40]. Steven P. Croley, Regulation and Public Interests: The Possibility of Good Regulatory Government 49 (2008) (noting that many administrators are primarily motivated by “some philosophical commitment to the agency’s regulatory mission”).
[41]. Cf. id. at 5 (contending that the “cynical” view of dysfunctional government inspired by public choice theory is oversold and that under conditions that “are plausible given the real-world legal-institutional environment in which federal administrative agencies operate—regulatory outcomes can and sometimes do advance broad social interests and increase social welfare”).
[42]. Shapiro, Counter-Reformation, supra note 18, at 693.
[43]. Id. at 693–94.
[44]. Cf. Sierra Club v. Costle, 657 F.2d 298, 401 (D.C. Cir. 1981) (“Informal contacts may enable the agency to win needed support for its program, reduce future enforcement requirements by helping those regulated to anticipate and shape their plans for the future, and spur the provision of information which the agency needs”).
[45]. See, e.g., Steven Croley, White House Review of Agency Rulemaking: An Empirical Investigation, 70 U. Chi. L. Rev. 821, 834 (2003) (noting the concern that agency dependence on industry for information may help the latter capture the former).
[46]. Stewart, supra note 7, at 1777 (observing that, notwithstanding greater use of formal procedures, “agencies will continue to be exposed to intensive pressures from regulated or client groups, on whom the agencies must rely for information, political support, and other forms of cooperation if the agency is to survive and prosper”).
[47]. Wendy Wagner, Katherine Barnes & Lisa Peters, Rulemaking in the Shade: Empirical Study of EPA’s Toxic Emission Standards, 63 Admin. L. Rev. 99, 128–29 (2011).
[50]. See Stephanie Stern, Cognitive Consistency: Theory Maintenance and Administrative Rulemaking, 63 U. Pitt. L. Rev. 589, 600 (2002) (surveying sources indicating that industry insiders, lawyers, and empirical studies all agree that pre-notice contacts are a far better means to influence agency policy than post-notice comments).
[51]. For instance, the Department of Energy holds public meetings to discuss “framework documents” and seek public input for development of energy conservation standards for appliances before issuing an NPRM. See, e.g., Energy Conservation Program: Public Meeting and Availability of the Framework Document for High Intensity Discharge Lamps, 77 Fed. Reg. 11,785–86 (Feb. 28, 2012) (to be codified at 10 C.F.R. pt. 431).
[52]. Wagner, Barnes & Peters, supra note 47, at 128–30.
[54]. See, e.g., supra notes 47–49, 53–54 and accompanying text.
[55]. See generally Pierce, supra note 6.
[56]. Cf. Sidney A. Shapiro, Substantive Reform, Judicial Review, and Agency Resources: OSHA as a Case Study, 49 Admin. L. Rev. 645, 652–54 (1997) (favoring a moderate “soft-look” approach to judicial review, which he designates “pass-fail” review).
[57]. See John Walke, John Walke, Clean Air Director/Senior Attorney, Washington, D.C., Switchboard: Nat. Resources Def. Council Staff Blog,http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jwalke/ (last visited July 10, 2012) (explaining that Mr. Walke “work[s] on national legislation, litigation and Environmental Protection Agency rulemakings that will have the greatest impact on ensuring clean air for all Americans. . . . [H]e frequently challenge[s] EPA rulemaking in federal court for running afoul of the Clean Air Act and failing to protect the public.”).
[58]. For a similar proposal, see Cary Coglianese et al., Transparency and Public Participation in the Federal Rulemaking Process: Recommendations for the New Administration, 77 Geo. Wash. L. Rev. 924, 950 (2009) (“Although it may be difficult to establish a bright-line rule for when the development of a new rulemaking begins, the agency should nevertheless attempt in good faith to disclose all pertinent rule-related contacts as early in the process as possible.”).
[59]. Elliot, supra note 7, at 1494 (observing that, under the current legal framework, “public input through formal notice-and-comment rulemaking must come relatively close to the end of the agency’s process, when the proposed rule has ‘jelled’ into something fairly close to its final form”).
[60]. See supra notes 48–49 and accompanying text.
[61]. Elliot, supra note 7, at 1494.
[62]. 567 F.2d 9 (D.C. Cir. 1977) (per curiam), cert. denied, 434 U.S. 829 (1977).
[63]. 657 F.2d 298 (D.C. Cir. 1981).
[64]. HBO, 567 F.2d at 18–19.
[74]. See 5 U.S.C. § 557(d)(1)(B) (2006) (barring ex parte contacts during formal proceedings between “interested persons outside the agency” and persons within the agency who are or “may reasonably be expected to be involved in the decisional process”).
[75]. See generally Vt. Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Natural Res. Def. Council, 435 U.S. 519 (1978) (insisting, in no uncertain terms, that courts should not create additional procedural requirements for notice-and-comment rulemaking under the APA beyond those imposed by Congress).
[76]. Sierra Club v. Costle, 657 F.2d 298, 312 (D.C. Cir. 1981).
[77]. Id. at 386 (noting the EDF’s claim that the EPA had weakened its rule “as a result of an ‘ex parte blitz’ by coal industry advocates conducted after the close of the comment period”).
[79]. 42 U.S.C. § 7607(d)(3), (6) (2006).
[80]. Sierra Club, 657 F.2d at 395 (“In contrast to other recent statutes, there is no mention [in § 307] of any restrictions upon ‘ex parte’ contacts.”).
[81]. Id. at 401 (“The possibility of course exists that in permitting ex parte communications with rulemakers we create the danger of ‘one administrative record for the public and this court and another for the Commission.’”) (quoting Home Box Office, Inc. v. FCC, 567 F.2d 9, 54 (D.C. Cir. 1977)).
[83]. Id. at 400–01 (footnotes omitted).
[84]. 42 U.S.C. § 7607(d)(4)(B)(i) (2006).
[85]. Sierra Club, 657 F.2d at 387, 397–400, 400–04 (noting that all written comments were docketed, approving of the EPA’s treatment of written comments, and approving of the EPA’s docketing of oral meetings).
[86]. Id. at 402 (footnotes omitted).
[88]. See Sangamon Valley Television Corp. v. United States, 269 F.2d 221, 224 (D.C. Cir. 1959) (establishing that “basic fairness” justified a bar on ex partecontacts during ostensible rulemaking used to conduct the essentially adjudicative task of resolving “conflicting private claims to a valuable privilege”).
[89]. See Elec. Power Supply Ass’n v. Fed. Energy Regulatory Comm’n, 391 F.3d 1255, 1266 (D.C. Cir. 2004) (declaring that “[HBO] was based on the due process clause”).
[90]. According to one senior agency regulatory official’s sense of the matter after discussions several years ago with contacts at other major rulemaking agencies, about one-half of these agencies have limits on ex parte contacts. E-mail from Neil Eisner, Assistant Gen. Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement, U.S. Dep’t. of Transp. (Apr. 18, 2012) (on file with author).
[91]. See Jackson, supra note 1.
[96]. Ex Parte Rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200–1.1216 (2011), available at http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/ex-parte-rules-2011.
[97]. Id. § 1.1200(a).
[99]. Id. § 1.1206(a)(1).
[100]. Id. § 1.206(b).
[101]. Id. § 1.206(b)(4).
[102]. Id. § 1.206(b)(2)(ii).
[103]. Id. § 1.1204(b)(1).
[104]. For an explanation of the FCC’s use of NOIs, see Rulemaking Process at the FCC, FCC Encyclopedia, http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/rulemaking-process-fcc#q4 (last visited July 10, 2012).
[105]. Dep’t of Transp., DOT Order 2100.2 § 3(b), Policies for Public Contacts in Rule Making (1970) (emphasis added), available athttp://regs.dot.gov/requirements/DOT2100-2.pdf.
[106]. 568 F.2d 240, 251–52 (2d Cir. 1977).
[107]. See Elliot, supra note 7, at 1494.
[108]. Guidance on Ex Parte Communications, 74 Fed. Reg. 52,795 (Oct. 14, 2009).
[109]. Id. at FAQ 2(ii).
[110]. Id. at FAQ 8.
[111]. See Coglianese et al., supra note 59, at 950 (noting that “it may be difficult to establish a bright-line rule for when the development of a new rulemaking begins”).
[112]. See Regulatory Development and Retrospective Review Tracker: About Reg DaRRT, EPA, http://yosemite.epa.gov/opei/RuleGate.nsf/content/about.html?opendocument (last viewed June 30, 2012) (discussing EPA’s Regulatory Development and Retrospective Review Tracker) .
[113]. See Coglianese et al., supra note 59. In this regard, Executive Order 12,866 requires that:
Each agency shall prepare an agenda of all regulations under development or review, at a time and in a manner specified by the Administrator of OIRA. The description of each regulatory action shall contain, at a minimum, a regulation identifier number, a brief summary of the action, the legal authority for the action, any legal deadline for the action, and the name and telephone number of a knowledgeable agency official.
Exec. Order 12,866 § 4(b), 58 Fed. Reg. 51,735 (Sept. 30, 1993).
[114]. 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2)(ii) (2011), available at http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/ex-parte-rules-2011 (specifying the FCC’s instructions for submitting confidential information in permit-but-disclose proceedings).
[115]. Guidance on Ex Parte Communications, 74 Fed. Reg. 52,795, FAQ 7 (Oct. 14, 2009) (requiring interested parties to prepare memoranda memorializing in-person meetings and telephone contacts within one week for placement in the DOE’s public docket).
[116]. 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2)(i) (2011) (requiring submission of documents to FCC for docketing in electronic form where feasible).
[117]. Id. § 1.1202(a) (excluding from the definition of “presentation” various types of contacts, e.g., “communications which are inadvertently or casually made, inquiries concerning compliance with procedural requirements if the procedural matter is not an area of controversy in the proceeding, statements made by decisionmakers that are limited to providing publicly available information about pending proceedings”).
Murphy_LawReview_10.12
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The Catch-22 of the COVID-19 Remote Workforce: A Payroll, Income, and Unemployment Tax Nightmare
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By Alex Lewis
Working remotely has become the new normal, and it may stay that way after COVID-19.[1] Although many professionals enjoy the safety, freedom, and flexibility that comes with remote work, a potential tax nightmare may be around the corner for some in 2021. If employees did not switch over their withholding once they started working remotely in a different state, those individuals could incur a higher tax bill in their resident state and possibly incur penalties.[2] Additionally, companies that now have employees working in states other than the business’s home office may unintentionally trigger income or sales tax nexus in their employees’ home states.[3] These employers may also be required to pay unemployment insurance tax in those states that employees now call home.[4] Although some state legislatures have released guidance for determining nexus and apportionment of income due to remote workers, many states have yet to address the issue.[5] Out of all the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, one thing is clear—preparing and paying income, payroll, and unemployment tax for both individuals and corporations could be complicated and expensive.
Individual Income Tax Implications
Typically, the state in which a taxpayer resides taxes all of their income, regardless of where it is earned.[6] Additionally, when a taxpayer works in more than one state during a year, the individual must, in most states, allocate their income to the respective state in which it was earned.[7] When this happens, the taxpayer’s resident state will give a tax credit to the taxpayer for the state income taxes paid to another state.[8]
When employees began working remotely due to COVID-19, the taxpayer may now have less income to allocate to the state in which they normally worked (if it is located in another state).[9] Since less income will be allocated to the state in which they normally work, the amount of taxes due and the amount of credit that the taxpayer will be able to claim on their resident state income tax return will be lower.[10] The smaller credit could cause the taxpayer to have a much higher income tax liability in their resident state, which could result in tax penalties for failing to make estimated payments in their resident state.[11]
Although some states have exempted income earned in the state because of COVID-19,[12] others have not.[13] Thus, employees should check with their employer and change their withholding requirements to their resident state to ensure that they do not incur tax penalties as a result of working remotely.[14]
Business Income/Payroll/Unemployment Tax Implications
Businesses that allowed their employees to work remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic may face far more challenges. There are a variety of ways that states require businesses to apportion income.[15] Most states require businesses only to apportion income based on the sales made within the state.[16] Those states will likely be unaffected by the COVID-19 remote workforce. However, other states apportion income with a multi-factor model, which allocates income based on sales, property, and payroll.[17]
The remote workforce will change these calculations because remote employees will change the amount of payroll allocated to each state. Some states have released guidance exempting income earned by employees in the state that were relocated due to COVID-19.[18] Under these exemptions, income earned by remote workers due to COVID-19 will not be included in the apportionment calculation.[19] Other states only allow an employer to exempt payroll from the apportionment calculation during periods when a government shelter-in-place mandate was in effect.[20] Thus, a business may need to determine the specific dates employees worked remotely and cross-check those dates with shelter-in-place mandate dates to calculate the payroll factor appropriately. In rare situations, a company may trigger nexus in a state, and an additional filing requirement, simply because they had a remote worker in the state, even though the business did not have any sales or property in the state.
States that do not have traditional corporate income tax regimes could cause further issues for companies. In extreme circumstances, companies may be required to register and pay certain income and other taxes.[21] For example, in Texas, a non-Texas entity does not have to pay their corporate franchise tax unless it (1) has over $500,000 of gross receipts from doing business in Texas; (2) obtains a use tax permit; or (3) has physical presence in the state.[22] Establishing physical presence includes having employees or representatives doing business in the state.[23] So, if a company normally does not have over $500,000 in gross receipts in Texas, but now has an employee working remotely in the state due to COVID-19, the entity must now pay Texas franchise tax. Washington’s business and occupation tax (“B&O”) has similar tax characteristics.[24] In Washington, a business must pay B&O tax if it (1) has physical presence nexus in Washington; (2) has more than $100,000 in combined gross receipts sourced to Washington; or (3) is organized or commercially domiciled in Washington. Thus, a remote worker could trigger nexus for a company even if they do not normally meet the $100,000 threshold.[25]
Finally, companies that now have employees working remotely could cause the employer to pay unemployment insurance tax in the state in which the employee relocated.[26] Some states require an employer to file with the state and begin paying unemployment insurance tax once an employer has one employee working in the state.[27] In some circumstances, an employee may be exempt from triggering unemployment insurance taxes.[28]
With so many changes happening for employers and workers, many taxpayers may not yet be worried about their next tax bill in 2021—but maybe they should be. Making sure that employers are withholding income to the correct state could alleviate future tax issues. Also, for businesses that are merely trying to stay afloat during the pandemic, the potential additional filing requirements will be an unwelcome surprise next year. Although some states have offered guidance on how to allocate payroll to the state, the nonuniformity in tax laws across states creates a hassle and could lead to a higher tax bill (or, at least, a higher tax preparation bill). States still have time to issue helpful guidance to employers regarding their payroll allocation. If corporations are lucky, some states may entirely waive the physical presence threshold that would otherwise trigger a filing requirement. Conversely, since most states are facing severe budget deficits, they may be less forgiving and will not waive any remote work performed by employees.[29] If more states follow Georgia’s guidance, employers will undoubtedly incur additional headaches trying to cross-check governmental shelter-in-place mandates with specific dates that employees worked remotely.[30] Nevertheless, with some employers now embracing remote work as a permanent solution, Americans may feel the pandemic’s tax effects for years come.[31]
[1] Why Remote Working Will Be the New Normal, Even After COVID-19, EY (Sept. 7, 2020), https://www.ey.com/en_be/covid-19/why-remote-working-will-be-the-new-normal-even-after-covid-19.
[2] Katherine Loughead, In Some States, 2020 Estimated Tax Payments Are Due Before 2019 Tax Returns, Tax Found. (May 22, 2020), https://taxfoundation.org/2020-quarterly-estimated-tax-payments-2019-tax-returns/.
[3] Daniel N. Kidney, State and Local Tax Implications of Remote Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Wipfli (June 19, 2020), https://www.wipfli.com/insights/articles/tax-covid-19-remote-employee-nexus (stating that nexus is typically created by having “physical presence” in the state).
[4] Larry Brant, Having Employees Working Remotely May Become the New Norm—There May Be Tax and Other Traps Lurking Out There for Unwary Employers, Foster Garvey (May 26, 2020), https://www.foster.com/larry-s-tax-law/tax-traps-remote-employees-covid19.
[5] Coronavirus Tax Relief FAQs, Ga. Dep’t of Revenue, https://dor.georgia.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-faqs (last visited Sept. 16, 2020).
[6] See Idaho Code § 63-3011; see also Credit for Taxes Paid to Another State, Va. Tax, https://www.tax.virginia.gov/credit-for-taxes-paid-to-another-state (last visited Sept. 16, 2020).
[7] See Mont. Admin. R. 42.15.110(3) (requiring an employee to only allocate income that is “sourced” to the respective state); see also Or. Dep’t of Revenue, Publication OR-17 Individual Income Tax Guide 47 (2019), https://www.oregon.gov/dor/forms/FormsPubs/publication-or-17_101-431_2019.pdf (requiring an employee to apportion income by taking the number of days worked in the respective state divided it by the total number of days worked everywhere in a year).
[8] Idaho Code § 63-3029(1).
[9] See Or. Dep’t of Revenue, supra note 7, at 47.
[10] Idaho Code § 63-3029(3)(a)(i).
[11] See Loughead, supra note 2 (stating that Delaware, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island require estimated state income tax payments).
[12] FAQ Articles, N.D. Tax, https://www.nd.gov/tax/faqs/articles/412-/ (last visited Sept. 16, 2020).
[13] Guidance for Individuals Temporarily Living and Working Remotely in Vermont, Vt. Dep’t of Taxes, https://tax.vermont.gov/coronavirus#temporarily (last visited Sept. 16, 2020).
[14] For example, assume an individual taxpayer normally lives in New York, but works in Massachusetts and has a taxable income of $100,000. In a normal year, the taxpayer will pay $5,050 (calculated using the 5.05 percent Massachusetts individual income tax rate) in tax to Massachusetts. Thus, the taxpayer will be able to claim a $5,050 credit for taxes paid to another state on their New York return, reducing the amount of taxes owed to New York. Now, assume that because of a stay-at-home order, the taxpayer works at home for 75 percent of the year, and only 25 percent of its income will be allocated to Massachusetts. Then, the taxpayer will only receive a $1,262.5 credit on their New York tax return, causing the taxpayer to underpay their taxes substantially unless a withholding change is made. If no change is made, the taxpayer may incur penalties. See 2019 Personal Income Tax Rates, Mass. Dep’t of Revenue, https://www.mass.gov/info-details/major-2019-tax-changes#2019-personal-income-tax-rates- (last visited Sept. 16, 2020) (providing Massachusetts state income tax rates); Who Must Make Estimated Tax Payments?, N.Y. State Dep’t of Tax’n & Fin. (Aug. 5, 2020), https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/estimated_tax/who_must_make.htm.
[15] State Apportionment of Corporate Income, Fed’n of Tax Adm’rs (Feb. 2020), https://www.taxadmin.org/assets/docs/Research/Rates/apport.pdf.
[18] See Frequently Asked Questions About the Income Tax Changes Due to the COVID-19 National Emergency, Neb. Dep’t of Revenue, https://revenue.nebraska.gov/businesses/frequently-asked-questions-about-income-tax-changes-due-covid-19-national-emergency (last visited Sept. 16, 2020).
[20] See Coronavirus, supra note 5.
[21] Texas: Franchise Tax, Economic Nexus Rule is Finalized, KPMG (Dec. 20, 2019), https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/us/pdf/2019/12/19611.pdf
[22] 34 Tex. Admin. Code § 3.586(f).
[23] Id. § 3.586(d)(5).
[24] Out of State Business Reporting Thresholds and Nexus, Wash. State Dep’t of Revenue (Apr. 2020), https://dor.wa.gov/education/industry-guides/out-state-businesses#:~:text=1%2C%202020%2C%20a%20business%20must,sourced%20or%20attributed%20to%20Washington (last visited Sept. 16, 2020).
[25] Wash. Admin. Code § 458-20-193(102)(a)(ii) (stating that even the “slightest presence” of a single employee may trigger the physical presence nexus).
[26] Stephen Miller, Out-of-State Remote Work Creates Tax Headaches for Employers, SHRM (June 16, 2020), https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/compensation/pages/out-of-state-remote-work-creates-tax-headaches.aspx.
[27] Out-of-State Employers with Employees Living in Idaho, Idaho State & Fed. Res. for Bus. (July 30, 2020), https://business.idaho.gov/out-of-state-employers-with-employees-living-in-idaho/.
[28] Occupations Exempted from Unemployment Insurance Coverage, Wash. State Emp. Sec. Dep’t https://esdorchardstorage.blob.core.windows.net/esdwa/Default/ESDWAGOV/employer-Taxes/ESD-exempt-professions-chart.pdf (last visited Sept. 16, 2020).
[29] States Grappling with Hit to Tax Collections, Ctr. on Budget and Pol’y Priorities (Aug. 24, 2020), https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/4-2-20sfp.pdf.
[31] Why Remote, supra note 1.
Tags: coronavirus Employment Law tax code tax law
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COVID-19 Stimulus Package: What CARES Act Rebates Mean for Immigrants
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By Agustin Martinez
Across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated many lives,[1] including those of immigrants living in the United States.[2] U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) recently announced that it “will neither consider testing, treatment, nor preventative care (including vaccines, if a vaccine becomes available) related to COVID-19 as part of a public charge inadmissibility determination . . . even if such treatment is provided or paid for by one or more public benefits” as defined by the new public charge rule.[3] USCIS’s announcement came days after several congressional leaders asked the Trump Administration to rescind the new public charge rule altogether, in light of the rule’s chilling effect on immigrants seeking COVID-19-related medical assistance.[4]
USCIS’s announcement clarified that obtaining COVID-19-related testing and treatment will not factor into a future public charge analysis, even if such testing or treatment is publicly-funded. But what about the payments that millions of Americans will receive as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) that was recently signed into law by President Trump?[5] Some immigrants, for example, recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, are expected to receive CARES Act payments.[6] Will accepting these federally-funded payments negatively affect these immigrants’ chances of obtaining lawful permanent resident status (i.e., a green card) in the future as a result of the new public charge rule? Although USCIS has not yet directly answered this question,[7] the answer is “no” based on existing law. Immigrants who are eligible for CARES Act payments should rest assured that receiving this economic relief will not negatively impact any public charge determination in the future.[8]
Under American immigration law, a person deemed likely to become a public charge is inadmissible, meaning that the person can be denied a green card, visa, or admission into the country.[9] The new public charge rule does not change this basic principle.[10] But it does significantly expand the types of publicly-funded programs that USCIS may take into account when assessing whether a person is likely to become a public charge in the future.[11] Consequently, the new rule may cause immigrants who are eligible for CARES Act payments to think twice before accepting these publicly-funded payments.
The new public charge rule’s definitions[12] and USCIS’s policy manual[13] help answer whether an immigrant’s acceptance of a CARES Act payment will, in turn, be deemed acceptance of a public benefit as defined by the new rule. Under this regulatory guidance, CARES Act payments are not public benefits, and therefore, USCIS should not consider acceptance of such payments during future public charge determinations.
The new public charge rule generally defines a public benefit as “[a]ny Federal, State, local, or tribal cash assistance for income maintenance (other than tax credits),” “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),” “Section 8 Housing Assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher Program,” “Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance,” “Medicaid,” or “Public Housing under section 9 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937.”[14] At first glance, it would seem that CARES Act payments fall within the “Federal, State, local, or tribal cash assistance for income maintenance” public benefit category. That, however, would be an incorrect interpretation of the new rule for the simple reason that CARES Act payments are considered tax credits under the Act.[15] Indeed, Congress specifically referred to these payments as tax credits within the CARES Act’s text.[16] Thus, since the new public charge rule expressly excludes “tax credits” from its definition of public benefit, a CARES Act payment is not a public benefit as defined by the rule.[17]
USCIS also confirms, in its policy manual, that tax credits are not public benefits under the new rule.[18] The agency further explains that “[c]ash emergency disaster relief – Stafford Act disaster assistance including financial assistance provided to persons and households under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individuals and Households Program and any comparable disaster assistance provided by State, local, or tribal governments” does not mean “cash assistance for income maintenance”[19] This “cash emergency disaster relief” carveout, along with USCIS’s decision to exclude COVID-19-related testing and treatment from future public charge determinations,[20] likely means that the agency will not interpret CARES Act payments as public benefits.
But even if a CARES Act payment was erroneously deemed a public benefit in an individual case, it is highly unlikely that the payment, alone, would result in the recipient being deemed a public charge. That is because public charge determinations are, by law, forward-looking and based on the totality of the immigrant’s circumstances.[21] It would be quite surprising—not to mention, inconsistent with both the Immigration and Nationality Act and the CARES Act—for a one-time payment, authorized by Congress to provide assistance in the midst of a global pandemic, to negatively impact a person’s green card eligibility in the future. To remove any chilling effect[22] and alleviate fear in the immigrant population, USCIS should confirm, like it did for COVID-19-related testing and treatment, that CARES Act payments are not public benefits as defined by the new public charge rule. Even without this additional guidance, however, the law is clear that there should be no public charge repercussions when eligible immigrants receive CARES Act payments.
[1] See Ed Yong, How the Pandemic Will End, Atlantic (Mar. 25, 2020), https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/03/how-will-coronavirus-end/608719/.
[2] See Miriam Jordan, ‘We’re Petrified’: Immigrants Afraid to Seek Medical Care for Coronavirus, N.Y. Times (Mar. 18, 2020), https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/18/us/coronavirus-immigrants.html.
[3] Public Charge, U.S. Citizenship & Servs. [hereinafter Public Charge] (emphasis added), https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/public-charge (last visited Apr. 4, 2020). There are actually two new public charge rules. One, which was promulgated by the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), applies to cases adjudicated by USCIS. Public Charge, Immigrant Legal Res. Ctr. [hereinafter Immigrant Legal Res. Ctr.], https://www.ilrc.org/public-charge (last visited Apr. 4, 2020). The other, which was promulgated by the Department of State (“DOS”), applies to cases involving individuals who go through a process outside the United States, at a consulate or embassy, to obtain lawful permanent resident status. Id. This article refers to a single “new public charge rule,” since both the DHS rule and the DOS rule are virtually identical. Id.
[4] Press Release, Torres: As USCIS Ends Public Charge Rule for Coronavirus Cases, Every American is Safer, Congresswoman Norma Torres (Mar. 16, 2020), https://torres.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/torres-uscis-ends-public-charge-rule-coronavirus-cases-every-american.
[5] See Tara Siegel Bernard & Ron Lieber, F.A.Q. on Stimulus Checks, Unemployment and the Coronavirus Plan, N.Y. Times (Apr. 3, 2020), https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-stimulus-package-questions-answers.html. These cash payments are known by different names, including “economic impact payments,” “recovery rebates,” and “stimulus checks.” Libby Kane & Tanza Loudenback, Everything We Know About the Coronavirus Stimulus Checks that Will Pay Many Americans Up to $1,200 Each, Bus. Insider (Apr. 3, 2020), https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/coronavirus-stimulus-check-questions-answers-2020-4.
[6] See Understanding the Impact of Key Provisions of COVID-19 Relief Bills on Immigrant Communities, Nat’l Immigration Law Ctr. 12 (Apr. 1, 2020) [hereinafter Understanding the Impact of Key Provisions], https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/COVID19-relief-bills-understanding-key-provisions.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2yiNB-kyhr-33bQTVp7YcdNBZ4LeBbia6JUIzbGOhf6d1jJYY9Rzgjs_c (explaining the eligibility requirements for CARES Act payments, which include having a valid social security number); see also Monique O. Madan, Millions of Immigrant Families Won’t Get Coronavirus Stimulus Checks, Experts Say, Miami Herald (Mar. 26, 2020), https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article241531211.html (“Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders would be able to qualify for the money because they are issued Social Security numbers.”).
[7] See Public Charge, supra note 3 (explaining USCIS’s position as to COVID-19-related testing and treatment, but not CARES Act payments).
[8] The question of which immigrants are eligible for CARES Act payments is beyond the scope of this article, but the sources cited supra note 6 provide some guidance on this question.
[9] See 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(4)(A) (2018) (“Any alien who, in the opinion of the consular officer at the time of application for a visa, or in the opinion of the Attorney General at the time of application for admission or adjustment of status, is likely at any time to become a public charge is inadmissible.”); 8 C.F.R. § 212.21(a) (2019) (“Public charge means an alien who receives one or more public benefits, as defined in paragraph (b) of this section, for more than 12 months in the aggregate within any 36-month period (such that, for instance, receipt of two benefits in one month counts as two months).”); Immigrant Legal Res. Ctr., supra note 3 (“[Immigration] law says that those who are viewed as likely to become dependent on the government in the future as a ‘public charge’ are inadmissible.”).
[10] See Immigrant Legal Res. Ctr., supra note 3 (providing basic background of public charge law before the new rule was implemented).
[11] See 8 C.F.R. § 212.21(b) (listing the benefits that are considered “public benefits” for purposes of the new public charge rule); Immigrant Legal Res. Ctr., supra note 3 (“The rules expand the list of publicly-funded programs that immigration officers may consider when deciding whether someone is likely to become a public charge. Under the new rules, federally-funded Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps), Section 8 housing assistance and federally subsidized housing will be used as evidence that a green card or visa applicant is inadmissible under the public charge ground.”).
[12] 8 C.F.R. § 212.21.
[13] Chapter 10 – Public Benefits, U.S. Citizenship and Servs. [hereinafter Chapter 10 – Public Benefits], https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-8-part-g-chapter-10 (last visited Apr. 4, 2020).
[14] 8 C.F.R. § 212.21(b)(1)–(6) (emphasis added).
[15] See Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, H.R. 748, 116th Con. § 2201 (2020) (providing that the Internal Revenue Code will be amended to state that “[i]n the case of an eligible individual, there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by subtitle A for the first taxable year beginning in 2020 an amount equal to the sum of—(1) $1,200 ($2,400 in the case of eligible individuals filing a joint return), plus (2) an amount equal to the product of $500 multiplied by the number of qualifying children (within the meaning of section 24(c)) of the taxpayer”) (emphasis added); see also Kane & Loudenback, supra note 5 (“The payment . . . is technically an advance tax credit meant to offset your 2020 federal income taxes.”) (emphasis added).
[16] See H.R. 748 § 2201.
[17] 8 C.F.R. § 212.21(b)(1).
[18] Chapter 10 – Public Benefits, supra note 13 (“Other benefits not considered public benefits in the public charge inadmissibility determination include, but are not limited to . . . Tax Credits . . . .”) (emphasis added).
[19] Id. (footnote omitted).
[20] Public Charge, supra note 3.
[21] See 8 C.F.R. § 212.22(a) (“The determination of an alien’s likelihood of becoming a public charge at any time in the future must be based on the totality of the alien’s circumstances by weighing all factors that are relevant to whether the alien is more likely than not at any time in the future to receive one or more public benefits, as defined in 8 CFR 212.21(b), for more than 12 months in the aggregate within any 36–month period (such that, for instance, receipt of two benefits in one month counts as two months).”).
[22] See Jordan, supra note 2.
Tags: COVID-19 Federal Regulation Immigrant Immigration tax code tax law
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TCJA: Teaching a Code Just Adopted
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Rebecca Morrow*
In early January 2018, I emailed my incoming Federal Income Tax students to welcome them to the course and tell them how to buy the outdated textbook. “What an exciting time to be taking Tax!” I wrote. I was excited, too—if you count being nauseous.
The spring 2018 class started just three weeks after President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) in to law. Prior to the TCJA, we had called the Tax Code “the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.” This reference made sense because the Reagan-led tax reform of 1986—a reform that followed years of deliberation and expert input, was partially bi-partisan, and centered on a guiding principle of broadening the tax base while lowering tax rates[1]—was so extensive that later changes to tax law were seen as mere amendments to the 1986 reform. After the TCJA, it wasn’t even clear whether we would still refer to the Code that way.
II. Rush Shipping of an Unwanted Christmas Present
Like the 1986 reform, the TCJA was sweeping. Unlike the 1986 reform, it followed a rushed and often closed process, passed via a party-line vote in the House[2] and Senate,[3] and was not anchored to a guiding principle.[4] At one point, Paul Ryan argued that the TCJA aimed to promote “traditional” families and increase the birth rate.[5] Where’d that come from? A goal of lowering taxes certainly motivated the TCJA.[6] But then a slew of apparently competing goals led to a slew of unrelated and sometimes competing changes.[7] Many opponents have levied substantive criticisms at the TCJA because of its rushed process, partisanship, and lack of a guiding principle.[8] For purposes of this reflection, these features simply made it more difficult to make sense of the new law quickly. Law professors had little time to learn the new law in advance of it being passed. Legislative history explaining the new provisions was sparse. And the lack of a guiding principle meant that we had to read the new law without a frame for interpretation. Lawyers and accountants of course faced the same challenges, as did taxpayers. The TCJA was a radical change, and we were missing some tools (lead time, legislative history, and guiding principles) that had helped make sense of the 1986 reform.[9]
However, now that several months, and even a summer, has passed, I can see that teaching tax in a semester that began less than a month after the TCJA passed had some huge advantages from a pedagogical perspective. The main purpose of this article is to reflect on those advantages.
III. It Was Just Us and the Statute
First, my primary objective in Federal Income Tax is to teach students to read the Code. In my syllabus, I ask students to “make friends with the Tax Code,” explaining that “while treatises, textbooks, cases, and other sources can be helpful . . . [t]o understand federal income tax and keep up with changes in tax law, students must become comfortable reading the Tax Code.” The Tax Code is popularly viewed as incomprehensible gobbledygook. However, as I assert to students, “while the Tax Code can be dense and detailed, it is also precise and often logical.” Teaching students to rely on the Tax Code as a primary authority is difficult for the same reason that it is important. Second and third year law students—the students who are eligible to take Federal Income Tax—are often quite good at making sense of case law, making sense of textbooks, and applying both to factual scenarios. Their first-year classes taught them these skills. However, first year classes—and law school generally—teaches too little about how to read statutes. Criminal lawyers, immigration lawyers, family law lawyers and others primarily work in statutes. Thus, the most important job of my class is to teach students how to read, interpret, and apply the complicated statute that is the Tax Code.
Reading statutes is different. Statutes cannot be skimmed. When a statute says, “for purposes of this Title,” it means something very different from “for purposes of this section.” Statutes require attention to cross references that are often as sparse as “for purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a).” Statutes require attention to structure. Paragraphs are parts of subsections. Thus, a student reading paragraph (2) needs to realize that she is reading (h)(2), meaning that any limiting language in (h) will also apply to (2). And most importantly, statutes require that readers follow the first rule of statutory interpretation, “keep reading.”
Since I have always viewed Federal Income Tax as a unique opportunity to teach students statutory interpretation skills, and since I aim to test what I teach, in past semesters I have told students in advance that the final exam may require them to interpret a Code provision that they have never encountered before. They must apply their statutory interpretation skills in a new context. I consider this approach fair game—transfer of learning, in pedagogical terms—but the timed nature of an exam limits how extensively I can use it. Post TCJA, the approach of using unfamiliar Code provisions was unnecessary. Students had no choice but to develop and repeatedly practice statutory interpretation skills and to demonstrate those skills on the final. There was no E&E, no model answers, no Nutshell—in other words, no legal Cliff’s Notes for tax that incorporated the TCJA. Indeed, students knew that the TCJA had changed tax so extensively that secondary sources and already-written outlines would be of little help. Their only choice (and mine) was to rely primarily, and overwhelmingly, on the Code itself.
IV. The First Rule of Statutory Interpretation is Keep Reading
As for the first rule of statutory interpretation, “keep reading,” the TCJA hit this home. In prior semesters, I would use an example like section 165 to show that the Tax Code often states a general rule like the rule of 165(a) that losses are deductible as though it is absolute, but then includes a later provision to turn that general rule nearly on its head. Section 165(c), for example, provides that for an individual, losses are deductible only if they are trade or business losses, investment losses, or casualty or theft losses. Losses in value on the cars taxpayers use to commute, homes taxpayers live in, and jewelry taxpayers wear are nondeductible despite the broad language of 165(a). As I explain, the Code often states a general rule as though it is absolute and has a later provision that nearly turns the general rule on its head because many Code provisions apply to many types of taxpayers. Section 165(c)’s loss disallowance nearly reverses 165(a)’s loss allowance “for an individual.” For a corporation, which also uses section 165, section 165(c) does not apply and the 165(a) general loss allowance rule does more work.
The TCJA is written into the Code in a way that hits home the necessity that students “keep reading.” As a general matter, the TCJA’s provisions are not subsection (a) of their relevant sections. They are 1(j) (imposing new rates that cap at 37%) and 67(g) (eliminating miscellaneous itemized deductions) and 68(f) (providing that section 68’s limitation on itemized deductions, the so-called Pease limitation, is eliminated) and 151(d)(5) (noting that the personal exemptions detailed in 151 do not, in fact, exist). The TCJA hides out in subsections like (j), (g), (f), and (d)(5) for a very important reason. The TCJA is not a new, permanent law with respect to individual taxpayers. Instead, the overwhelming majority of the TCJA’s provisions for individual taxpayers apply “[i]n the case of a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2026.” The pre-TCJA provisions still live in the Code because they will, by operation of law, automatically apply again in tax years beginning 2026. Now, to be fair, it is unlikely that the pre-TCJA Code will spring back in full force and effect in 2026. There are many years between now and 2026 for those provisions-in-waiting to be amended. Taxpayers will grow accustomed to the benefits that they have received under the TCJA and demand that many of those benefits be made permanent. The more accurate reason that the pre-TCJA provisions live in the Code is that the proponents of the TCJA had to pretend that those provisions would spring back into full force and effect in tax years beginning 2026[10] in order to achieve the budget numbers they needed to make the TCJA an act that could be passed with only 51 Senate votes.[11] Because the TCJA does not add to the federal deficit outside of a ten-year budget window, it complies with the Byrd Rule[12] and qualifies as a reconciliation bill. Thus, passing the TCJA “require[d] only a simple majority to pass, debate time in the Senate [was] limited, amendments [were restricted], the bill [could] not be filibustered, and final passage require[d] a simple majority.”[13]
V. The Best Teacher is a Student
Finally, teaching Federal Income Tax weeks after the TCJA passed was humbling. I spent hours trying to distinguish between drafting errors and simply unfortunate or frustrating features of the new Code.[14] It is good to be reminded of the difficulty of a subject while teaching it. This reminder encourages a desirable and a deserved empathy with students. It improves the ability to identify which concepts are difficult and require slow, clear coverage and opportunities for repetition. While teaching Federal Income Tax post-TCJA, I was simultaneously learning a great deal.
VI. Marketability High and Increasing
In addition to offering pedagogical advantages, the TCJA made my class even more valuable for students anticipating the job market. Tax professors like it when our students decide to pursue careers in tax law. We know that tax lawyers tend to be in demand, protected from economic downturns, highly regarded, and often professionally content.[15] The TCJA only increased the advantages of becoming a tax lawyer, particularly for new lawyers. As corporate tax lawyer, David Miller explains,
It’s really the best time to be a young tax lawyer. . . . First, the new law will create tremendous demand for a young lawyer’s services, and it’s always nice to be appreciated. Second, although I’ve practiced for more than 25 years, I know no more about the new tax law than a first-year associate who has been following it closely. In an instant, they can catch up to my career’s worth of knowledge.[16]
In sum, my first semester teaching Federal Income Tax post-TCJA, revealed considerable pedagogical advantages of the post-TCJA tax law teaching world.
VII. But Pedagogy is not Everything
Unfortunately, pedagogy is not everything. Although I can see the TCJA’s impacts within my classroom as positive, its external impacts are overwhelmingly negative. Tax professors may feel the harms of the TCJA personally. As Parker Palmer describes in The Courage to Teach, we professors “were drawn to a body of knowledge because it shed light on our identity as well as on the world.”[17] Tax law shed light on my identity and my view of the world. Unlike some of my peers in other legal fields, I’ve never been a perfectionist. I admire vast regimes that do a lot of work.[18] I like detail, rigidity, and complex systems. I think of tax, as Sam Donaldson so beautifully described it, as like the human body:
The Code is a carefully crafted work of political compromise. Like all of us, it contains some fat that could be trimmed, an organ or two that could be severed without damage to the body, and maybe some features that are less appealing to look at than others. It also has an inner beauty and an intricate structure that generally works to raise revenues for the many programs that benefit the taxpayers from whom it collects. While there are many exceptions to the basic themes, the Code is generally predictable to one who understands the themes and the political pressures that shape the exceptions.[19]
I lament that the words of the Internal Revenue Code—complicated and imperfect though they may have been—were treated so recklessly by the TCJA. The TCJA seems an ill-considered, prominent, and regrettable tattoo.[20]
And worse than a self-imposed harm to a carefully crafted statute, the TCJA will do real, irreparable damage. It will take one of America’s greatest failings—income inequality—and dramatically exacerbate it.[21] Under the TCJA, owners won and laborers lost;[22] high earners won and low earners lost;[23] and perhaps most significantly, the currently affluent won while the future needy lost.[24] As President Trump declared, the TCJA was not a reform, it was a “cut, cut, cut.”[25] In the end, Spring 2018 was a semester in which the subject that chose me let me down, but the students who chose my class buoyed my optimism for the future.
* Professor of Law, Wake Forest University. I would like to thank Mike Garrigan for encouraging me to write this reflection and for improving its content, Sara Kathryn Mayson for assisting me with research, and my Spring 2018 tax students for making teaching a joy.
See infra note 4. However, at least one important change that reflected the base-broadening approach of the 1986 reform—the elimination of a preferential rate for capital gains—was short lived. By 1990, capital gains were again taxed at preferential rates. ↑
163 Cong. Rec. H10214 (daily ed. Dec. 19, 2017). Every member of the House of Representatives who voted for the TCJA (227 yea voters) was Republican. Every Democratic member of the House of Representatives voted against the TCJA, as did 12 Republican representatives (typically from blue states) for a total of 203 nay voters. ↑
163 Cong. Rec. S8141–42 (daily ed. Dec. 19, 2017); Jasmine C. Lee & Sara Simon, How Every Senator Voted on the Tax Bill, N.Y. Times (Dec. 19, 2017), https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/19/us/politics/tax-bill-senate-live-vote.html. All 51 Republican Senators voted for the TCJA, except for Senator John McCain, who was undergoing cancer treatment. All 48 Democratic Senators voted against the TCJA. ↑
Angela Morris, Brew a Pot of Coffee, This Big Law Tax Attorney is Burning the Midnight Oil, Law.com (Dec. 20, 2017) (“The biggest difference between the 1986 act and the current tax bills is that the 1986 act was preceded by two years of detailed proposals; the tax policies behind the 1986 proposals were relatively clear; the tax community had the opportunity to comment on the proposals; and Congress was responsive to the comments. The current [TCJA] bills have been drafted in a matter of months; there is no evident tax policy underlying some of the proposals; and Congress has not asked for comments or been responsive to them. As a result of these differences, the current bills will give rise to unexpected consequences—some of which taxpayers will exploit and others of which will create unintended tax liability.”). ↑
Paul Ryan, House Speaker Weekly Briefing, C-Span (Dec. 14, 2017), https://www.c-span.org/video/?438578-1/speaker-ryan-representative-farenthold-made-right-decision-retire (“This is going to be the new economic challenge for America: people. Baby boomers are retiring—I did my part, but we need to have higher birth rates in this country.”); see also PBS NewsHour, What You Need to Know Now That the GOP Tax Bill Is Law, YouTube (Dec. 20, 2017), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0DVS_GwKxw (observing that the TCJA “actually does a great deal for traditional families” following Speaker Paul Ryan’s position that child birth rates need to increase in the U.S.). ↑
See Tara Palmeri, ‘The Cut Cut Cut Act’: Trump, Hill Leaders Differ on Tax Overhaul Bill’s Name, ABC News (Nov. 2, 2017, 9:48 AM) https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-hill-leaders-disagree-upcoming-tax-reform-bill/story?id=50863220 (“President Donald Trump had told senior congressional leaders that he wants to name the bill “the Cut Cut Cut Act . . . .”). ↑
For example, the TCJA introduced a new and complicated deduction to incentivize certain forms of income-seeking, section 199A, while simultaneously eliminating a long-standing and simple deduction that previously incentivized taxpayers to move for higher paying jobs, section 217. See 26 U.S.C.A. § 217(k) (West 2017) (suspending the deduction for moving expenses through 2025). In an apparent effort to simplify tax law, the TCJA eliminated personal exemptions including for taxpayer’s dependents, but then expanded and added complexity to the child tax credits that taxpayers receive for many of the same dependents. See id. § 151(d)(5); id. §24(h). And while the TJCA aimed to dramatically cut taxes across the board, it increased taxes for certain taxpayers by capping the deduction for state and local taxes and changing the rules for the treatment of alimony payments. See id. § 164; id. § 215. ↑
See, e.g., Brian Faler, ‘Holy Crap’: Experts Find Tax Plan Riddled with Glitches, Politico (Dec. 6, 2017, 5:04 AM) https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/06/tax-plan-glitches-mistakes-republicans-208049 (“‘The more you read, the more you go, “Holy crap, what’s this?”’ said Greg Jenner, a former top tax official in George W. Bush’s Treasury Department. ‘We will be dealing with unintended consequences for months to come because the bill is moving too fast.’ . . . What is unusual is the sheer scope of the legislation now before lawmakers, and the speed with which it’s moving through Congress. . . . That breakneck pace means there hasn’t been much time for feedback from experts outside the Capitol. . . . Some of the fixes could be expensive, potentially throwing lawmakers’ budget numbers out of whack.”). ↑
This is not to say that the 1986 reform was a model tax reform. Many economists fault the 1986 tax reform for increasing income inequality, forcing damaging cuts to government programs, and expanding the deficit. ↑
See Bob Bryan, Here’s Why Senate Republicans are Making Tax Cuts for Average Americans Temporary, Business Insider (Nov. 15, 2017, 12:08 PM) https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-gop-tax-plan-senate-bill-why-individual-tax-cuts-temporary-2017-11 (“Sen. Orrin Hatch, chair of the Senate Finance Committee and author of the bill, has admitted that the original version of the Senate’s TCJA did not meet such a requirement. Making the individual cuts temporary could allow the bill to meet those requirements.”). ↑
Jeff Stein, Republicans explain why their tax cuts are temporary, but not really temporary, Wash. Post: Wonkblog (Nov. 30, 2017), https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/11/30/republicans-explain-why-their-tax-cuts-are-temporary-but-not-really-temporary/?utm_term=.9aa1287a9d92 (explaining that Republican lawmakers made individual tax cuts temporary so that the TCJA would not “drive up the deficit 10 years after passage,” would therefore comply with the Byrd rule, and could therefore be passed with a simple majority. However even before the temporary cuts were passed, Republican lawmakers expressed their collective intent that these cuts would later be extended, noting that “it would be extremely difficult not to continue” tax cuts for individuals). ↑
2 U.S.C. § 644 (2012). ↑
Tori Gorman, S. Comm. on the Budget, 114th Cong., Bulletin on Reconciliation Debate, Byrd Rule, 2016 Budget Process (2015), https://www.budget.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Reconciliation%20BB062315[1].pdf. ↑
One unfortunate feature of the TCJA involves the brackets for various preferred rates applicable to long-term capital gains and qualified dividends. Under prior law, the 0% preferred rate applied whenever ordinary income was taxed at 10% or 15%; the 15% preferred rate applied whenever ordinary income was taxed at 25%, 28%, 33%, or 35%; and the 20% preferred rate applied whenever ordinary income was taxed at 39.6%. Pursuant to the TCJA, the preferred rates now break at points that are $100 or $200 off the breaking points for ordinary income rates. So, for example, an unmarried individual goes from the 0% to 15% preferred rate at $38,600 of taxable income but goes from the 12% to 22% ordinary income rate at $38,700. Compare 26 U.S.C.A. § 1(j)(5)(B)(i)(III) (West 2017) (beginning the 15% preferred rate at over $38,600) with 26 U.S.C.A. § 1(j)(2)(C) (West 2017) (beginning the 22% ordinary income rate at over $38,700). Similar $100 or $200 mismatches appear on the tax rates for all filing statuses and are certainly an unfortunate feature of the new Code that makes teaching it, and understanding it, more difficult without much justification. Another unfortunate feature of the new Code is section 199A, which NYU Tax Law Professor Daniel Shaviro described prior to its passage as the “worst provision ever even to be seriously proposed in the history of the federal income tax.” Daniel Shaviro, Apparently income isn’t just income any more, Start Making Sense (Dec. 16, 2017, 10:30 AM), http://danshaviro.blogspot.com/2017/12/apparently-income-isnt-just-income-any.html. ↑
Linda Galler, Why Do Law Students Want to Become Tax Lawyers?, 68 Tax Law. 305, 309 (2015) (“Given the substantive difficulty of tax law, expertise matters. Therefore, time invested in learning new concepts or techniques can pay dividends over the course of a career. . . . Moreover, tax law is relevant in both good economic times and bad; there are tax issues in mergers and acquisitions, and there are tax issues in bankruptcy and foreclosures. So it is likely that one can make a living over the long haul.”); id. (“[Tax lawyers’] expertise is invaluable to clients and colleagues, when we talk, people listen.”); id. at 310 (“Recent studies of the relative levels of contentment of lawyers in many areas of practice confirm . . . that tax lawyers are likely to be at the top.”). ↑
Morris, supra note 4. ↑
Parker J. Palmer, The Courage To Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life 26 (10th Anniversary ed. 2007). ↑
Organizations like federal, state, and local governments and broad exempt organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Way that do the hard work of balancing competing demands rather than the easier work of advancing single policy goals. See What We Do, Bill & Melinda Gates Found., https://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do (last visited Oct. 17, 2018) (advancing causes in five diverse program areas spanning six continents); Our Focus, United Way Worldwide, https://www.unitedway.org/our-impact/focus (last visited Oct. 17, 2018) (focusing philanthropic efforts in three areas: education, income and health). ↑
Samuel A. Donaldson, The Easy Case Against Tax Simplification, 22 Va. Tax Rev. 645, 745–46 (2003). ↑
As wise people often say, nothing good happens after midnight. See, e.g., Phil Mattingly, et al., Senate Approves GOP Tax Plan, House to Revote Wednesday, CNN (Dec. 20, 2017), https://www.cnn.com/2017/12/19/politics/republican-tax-plan-vote (“In a vote in the early Wednesday morning hours, the Senate approved the final version of the first overhaul of the US tax code….”); See also Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott), Twitter (Dec. 19, 2017, 12:48 AM), https://twitter.com/senatortimscott/status/943357328702824449?lang=en (“Great news! The Senate just passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.”). ↑
Cong. Budget Office, The Distribution of Household Income, 2014, at 31 (2018), https://www.cbo.gov/system/files?file=115th-congress-2017-2018/reports/53597-distribution-household-income-2014.pdf (“The increase in income inequality over the 36-year period examined here largely stems from the significant increase in inequality in market income—labor income, business income, capital income (including realized capital gains), and other nongovernmental sources of income—which has been driven primarily by substantial income growth at the top of the distribution.”). ↑
Annie Nova, New tax law takes a hatchet to these worker expenses, CNBC (Feb. 1, 2018, 2:49 PM) https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/01/unreimbursed-employee-expenses-could-hurt-taxpayers.html (quoting Seth Harris, a deputy labor secretary under President Barack Obama) (“The really big story of the tax bill is that it favors capital over labor . . . . It’s heavily skewed to benefit people who get money without working, as opposed to those who labor for a living.”). ↑
Tax Policy Center, Distributional Analysis of the Conference Agreement for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, at 1 (2017), https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/distributional-analysis-conference-agreement-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act/full (“In general, higher income households receive larger average cuts as a percentage of after-tax income, with the largest cuts as a share of income going to taxpayers in the 95th and 99th percentiles of the income distribution. On average, in 2027 taxes would change little for lower- and middle-income groups and decrease for higher-income groups.”). ↑
Joint Comm. on Tax’n, JCX-69-17, Macroeconomic Analysis of the Conference Agreement for H.R. 1, The “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” at 9 Table 1 (2017) (initially projecting that the TCJA would cause $1.071 trillion less revenue to be collected from 2018-2027). More recent projections are worse. See, e.g., Letter from Keith Hall, Director, Congressional Budget Office to Kevin Brady, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives (Dec. 15, 2017) (https://www.cbo.gov/system/files?file=115th-congress-2017-2018/costestimate/53415-hr1conferenceagreement.pdf) (“According to CBO’s and JCT’s estimates, enacting H.R. 1 [the TCJA] would reduce revenues by about $1,649 billion and decrease outlays by about $194 billion over the period from 2018 to 2027, leading to an increase in the deficit of $1,455 billion over the next 10 years.”). To cover the resulting deficits, future generations will face cuts in government programs, tax increases, or both. ↑
See supra note 6. ↑
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CSWG Statement on Japan 1325NAP
on Dec 17, 2015 (1725 reads)
Statement of the Civil Society Working Group
on the official announcement of Japan’s National Action Plan on
The Japanese Government made public its first National Action Plan (NAP) on “Women, Peace and Security” (WPS) for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on 29 September 2015, on the occasion of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s address at the Seventieth Session of the UN General Assembly.
Following the Government’s March 2013 announcement that it would begin formulation of Japan’s 1325 NAP, 39 NGOs jointly called on the government to ensure a transparent and participatory drafting process in a letter sent in August 2013. It is highly appreciated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took this request sincerely and made great efforts to maintain an unprecedentedly close policy dialogue between the government and civil society, by establishing a “Small Group” comprised of representatives of the Civil Society Working Group (CSWG), academics and relevant government offices to prepare the NAP draft over 12 meetings, as well as organizing 6 local consultation meetings in different parts of Japan. The final draft compiled by the Small Group in January 2015, following a process to receive “public comments” in September-October 2014, included a number of important features as follows:
- Under each of the five pillars of the NAP (namely, Participation, Conflict Prevention, Protection, Humanitarian and Reconstruction Assistance, and Framework for Monitoring, Monitoring and Evaluation and Review), the draft plan clearly specified Goals, Objectives, and corresponding concrete Actions and Indicators;
- The NAP covers not only issues relating to international cooperation but also a number of domestic issues;
- Not only armed conflicts but also natural disasters are covered as situations which impact security and gender;
- The draft plan also mentioned the necessity of addressing the needs not only of women and girls, but also those of diverse vulnerable groups such as refugees and internally displaced persons; ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities; people with disabilities; children without parents; female-headed households; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other sexual minorities;
- In the area of Protection, the importance of “thorough dissemination of the International Code of Conduct” and “introduction of the Sphere Standard and other existing international standards for humanitarian aid” was confirmed;
- Engagement of civil society in the process of monitoring, evaluation and review was clearly ensured.
We highly appreciate that such a progressive final draft was able to be prepared through the above-mentioned participatory process. However, we find it deeply regrettable that the Japanese Government made alterations to parts of the final draft at the last stage, without the knowledge of the Small Group or the CSWG. Major alterations made to the final draft after March 2015, without civil society consultation, include:
1. The term “gender” was deleted almost completely in the Japanese language version and replaced by other terms with different implications and connotations.
This may lead to those implementing the plan in Japan to have a narrow understanding of the issue, thus failing to pay sufficient attention to the socially differentiated positions and needs of both men and women. Further, replacing the term “gender-based violence (GBV)” with “‘seibetsu’-based violence” (where seibetsu could be interpreted as “distinction of sex”) may prevent Japanese practitioners from recognizing the need for prevention of and protection from violence based on the internationally shared understanding of the social causes of sexual violence.
2. The role of civil society in the monitoring and evaluation process became less clear.
For example, it must be ensured that the replacement of the term “civil society” with “experts (including representatives of civil society and NGOs)” will not restrict participation of the wider civil society, especially grassroots women’s organizations in light of the purpose of UNSCR 1325.
3. Reference to the responsibility of Japan in relation to the past war, including wartime sexual violence, was deleted from the Preamble.
The CSWG proposed that the Japanese NAP should clearly state in its Preamble recognition of and remorse over the fact that Japan caused mass-scale violence against women during its past colonial rule and military aggression, affirming that such recognition and remorse should be a prerequisite for Japan to prepare its NAP on Women, Peace and Security. Even the single phrase in relation to this which remained in the draft for public comment, the tone of which had been considerably weakened during negotiations with the Japanese Government, was eventually removed from the final document.
4. Other items deleted from the final draft are as follows:
- Prevention: an Action against “hate speech” based on race and gender in Japan;
- Protection: Actions addressing sexual violence committed by foreign armed forces stationed in Japan;
- Protection: An indicator on support to GBV victims for access to legal justice.
In the field of international cooperation, comprehensive support for GBV victims should cover medical, economic and legal support. Lack of access to legal justice may prevent victims from recovering from the stigma, putting the blame on victims and rendering access to other services more difficult.
The Japanese Government should fully implement the NAP in consultation with civil society both in Japan and overseas, while following international discussions on the WPS agenda, such as the outcome of the High-level Review of UNSCR 1325 at its 15th anniversary in October 2015. We, as civil society, will also actively engage in monitoring implementation of the NAP, as well as in the evaluation and revision process, pursuing realization of the principles and goals of UNSCR 1325 on WPS.
With regard to the process, we request the following of the Japanese Government:
- To ensure civil society participation in the monitoring, evaluation and revision processes, in a transparent and accountable manner. In particular, the nature and detailed activities of the Evaluation Committee should be considered and decided upon in consultation with civil society.
- To implement the NAP in line with international standards, reflecting the latest discussions and developments in the field of WPS.
- To implement the NAP according to the original aspirations and international standards regarding gender, even if the term “gender” is not used in the Japanese language version.
- Issues deleted in the final document of the NAP to be reconsidered in the revision process, taking into account the discussions which took place during the drafting process.
Civil Society Working Group on UNSCR1325 NAP Japan
To download the statement, here
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effects of feminism on the family
Walker, A. J. (2000). Gender and family relationships. To Somerville, many feminists have failed to acknowledge progress for women such as the greater freedom to go into paid work, and the greater degree of choice over whether they marry or cohabit, when and whether to have children, and whether to take part in a heterosexual or same-sex relationship or to simply live on their own. What does that make a stay-at-home mother? The fight for women’s rights has actually turned into a fight against the family. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Reinforcing separate spheres: The effect of spousal overwork on men’s and women’s employment in dual-earner households. Blume, L. B., & Blume, T. W. (2003). But what was the cause of all the unhappiness? In S. N. Hesse-Biber (Ed.). No they’re not. Experts agree that the industrial revolution produced families with absentee fathers. Multicultural and critical race feminisms: Theorizing families in the third wave. Baber, K. M. (2004). Janet Saltzman Chafetz plenary: Discussant comments. Martin, B. Family values as practiced by feminist parents: Bridging third-wave feminism and family pluralism. 9 essays/ essay plans spanning all the topics within the families and households topic. (2007, August). Children need to learn how to be successful. Under pressure: Gender differences in the relationship between free time and feeling rushed. Did this solution produce the desired result? Feminists claim the women’s suffrage movement as the beginning of modern feminism. (2010). In S. A. Lloyd, A. L. Few, & K. R. Allen (Eds.). Rivara, F. P., Anderson, M. L., Fishman, P., Bonomi, A. E., Reid, R. J., Carrell, D., et al. Stanley, L., & Wise, S. (1990). Theorizing gender in intimate partner violence research. (See also – A Radical Feminist Perspective on the Family for more depth). In the 1960s, the women’s liberation movement was organized and became active. (2007). Hurtado, A. Without the work that women do for free, the markets would be on their knees in a day. When it was discovered that so many American women were unhappy, the women’s liberation movement assumed that the role of wife and mother was the cause of all the unhappiness; the solution to the problem was to have women reject the role of wife and mother. These cookies do not store any personal information. Who is responsible for responsible fathering? The Combahee River Collective Statement, 1977. Radical feminists argue that all relationships between men and women are based on patriarchy – essentially men are the cause of women’s exploitation and oppression. Bianchi, S. M., & Milkie, M. A. Over 10 million scientific documents at your fingertips. The movement is now best defined, not as we, but me! Smith, D. E. (1993). Shifting horizons: Reflections on qualitative methods. This requires experience and activities. Women’s marital naming choices in a nationally representative sample. “[V]acuuming the living room floor—with or without makeup—is not work that takes enough thought or energy to challenge any woman’s full capacity. It is estimated that as many as 60 percent of American children do not have full-time parental supervision. Despite this, however, ‘women are angry, resentful and above all disappointed in men.’ Many men do not take on their full share of responsibilities and often these men can be ‘shown the door’. Chafetz, J. S. (2004). Today, it is considered a great shame to be a wife and mother only. One does not work without the other.” (2010). Experts are looking for causes and solutions. (See also – A liberal Feminist Perspective on the Family for more depth). Tucker, P. (2005). Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. Refracted knowledge: Viewing families through the prism of social science. (1994). Dill, B. T., McLaughlin, A. E., & Nieves, A. D. (2007). “WAAAAHHHH WWWWAAAAAAHHHHH” threatened by the fact that this patriarchal BS is crumbling little by little and you’re losing your power. Although slight differences of definition depend here upon the parents’ grasp of cultural values, the general effect of uniformity is achieved, to be further reinforced through peers, schools, media, and other learning sources, formal and informal. Children have been left at home alone. The children of working mothers always suffer. Best, A. L. (2006). (2008). pp 139-158 | If the family is run by a single parent, that parent (whether male or female) is working. Cha, Y. You are so scared, it’s hilarious. ), Women absorb anger – Think back to Parson’s warm bath theory. In this chapter, we address the contributions and potential of feminism as theory, method, and practice in family studies and assess its centrality for critique and transformation of this interdisciplinary field of study. This one verse reveals that man by himself was not complete. Hi – I think as long as you quote me then it’s fine to use it. Has the feminist movement, so proudly praised for servicing women, done a disservice to the family? Severe fatigue plagues many working mothers. The Marxist-Feminist interpretation of this is that women are just absorbing the anger of the proletariat, who are exploited and who should be directing that anger towards the Bourgeois. Walker, A. J. Not affiliated In S. N. Hesse-Biber (Ed.). The throne’s foundation has cracks! In fact, it demanded that women could only find fulfillment through a career outside the home.
Neon Green Top, Whats The Time Mr Wolf Instructions, Tema Port Expansion Project Ghana, Everlasting Comfort Seat Cushion Review, 13 Pounds To Dollars,
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Address of the President of Al-Azhar University
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Cairo hosts the Maiden 2019 African Universities Olympics
Teams, coaches and spectators from 27 African countries, 17 African universities and the 5 regions of Africa thronged Cairo this week to participate in the African Universities Olympics organised by the Association of African Universities, Al-Azhar University and All Africa Students Union – supported by the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Thursday 14th March 2019 will remain imprinted on the minds of many – this is the day when the maiden 2019 African Universities Olympics event was officially opened during an electrifying, superbly organized and glamorous ceremony held at the Main Sports Stadium of the Military College in Cairo, Egypt. The 3,500-seater indoor stadium was packed to capacity and the mood was that of jubilation, excitement and expectancy.
The opening ceremony featured the Egyptian National Anthem, AAU Anthem, the African Olympics Song, parading of the participating nations, Olympics touch relay show, military music band show, percussion show, and sports shows by Physical Education students from Al-Azhar University and Helwan University. Congratulatory speeches were made by the President of the Parliament of International Students, the Secretary General of the All Africa Students Union (Mr Peter Kwasi Kodjie), representative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the Arab Republic of Egypt (Dr Amal Gamal), AAU Secretary General (Prof Etienne E. Ehile) and the President of Al-Azhar University (Professor Mohamed El-Mahrasawy). Professor Yousuf Amer the Vice President of Al-Azhar University raised the championship flag whilst the President of Al-Azhar University declared the African Olympics officially launched.
The Olympics will run from the 15-18 March 2019. The sports categories include football, basketball and athletics. The athletics events cover 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 4*100m, triple jump, high Jump, long jump, shot put throw, discus throw and javelin throw. The events are featuring male and female teams / competitors.
The 27 countries that are represented at the maiden event are Algeria, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana, Lybia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia
In an interview with Mr Kwesi Acquah Sam who coordinated the logistics from the Association’s side and Prof Amany El-Sharif who coordinated the logistics from Al-Azhar University’s side, they indicated that the benefits of the African Universities Olympics are envisaged to be manifold. Some of the expected positive outcomes include:
Increased cooperation across the African continent among African Youth through the building of networks during and after the Olympics events
Improved self-discipline and self-esteem of the young African people
Promotion of tolerance of diverse cultures and religious affiliations
Promotion of language learning
Improved Physical health
Increased teamwork and problem-solving skills
Reduction of pressure and stress – hopefully reducing cases of drug abuse and depression
The African Universities Olympics enjoys the patronage of the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who was recently appointed the Chair of the African Union Commission. The African Universities Olympics is a key strategy for promoting the integration of the continent through sports – and this is in-line with the African Union Agenda 2063’s aspiration of “an integrated continent, politically united, based on the ideals of Pan Africanism and the vision of Africa’s Renaissance”.
Listed below are some of the short video clips recorded during the African Olympics Opening Ceremony:
https://youtu.be/uEXV8F6-2lI
https://youtu.be/dGm5Gr2ZWhQ
https://youtu.be/eSShEv1Ms2U
https://youtu.be/8aTL06N3z6A
https://youtu.be/r0lGaufbUhQ
https://youtu.be/xJlxZEn3GEI
https://youtu.be/_uVkWs4RiLo
https://youtu.be/lUIrv6BOc60
https://youtu.be/t84qaNRB4Ns
https://youtu.be/gpCKHF4bBOY
https://youtu.be/NGKTVLRndkQ
https://youtu.be/03K49GN0bO
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Stephen F. Austin Monument
Angleton, Texas
A statue of Stephen F. Austin located on highway 288 in Angleton, Texas is dedicated to the man most consider to be the "Father of Texas". The monument is 76' from the base to the top and is one of the largest statues ever made of a living person. The base is engraved on all four sides and is surrounded by a large star which represents the Lone Star. On the back side of the monument is a brief biography of Austin, a local map with points of significance in Brazoria County and a brief description of the monument. On one side of the base are listed the the names of the settlers who came to Brazoria County to settle Texas. The other side of the monument lists the contributors who built the monument.
The Stephen F. Austin Monument.
In his hand he holds the 1823 agreement which allowed him to settle 300 families in Texas.
Close-up of the base.
All photos © 2011 Michael W. Pocock
and MaritimeQuest all rights reserved
Page published Apr. 5, 2011
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Bath & North East Somerset Conservatives
The online home of Bath and North East Somerset Conservative Group
B&NES rules-out reintroduction of Dorchester Street Bus Gate
Posted on September 11, 2015 by webmaster
Councillors in Bath and North East Somerset have voted to rule-out the reintroduction of a controversial Bus Gate on Bath’s Dorchester Street.
The decision was at a Full Council meeting last Thursday, 10th September, after Conservative Councillors tabled a proposal which called upon the authority to rule-out any prospect of the Bus Gate being reintroduced for the foreseeable future.
The Bus Gate was introduced on a trial basis by the Council’s former Lib Dem administration in January last year, despite warnings at the time that the Bus Gate would be confusing to motorists and could result in additional traffic being displaced onto nearby roads.
However, the trial was abandoned after just four months amid a storm of protests, with motorists accusing the Liberal Democrats Council of using the scheme as a deliberate ‘cash cow’. The saga ended with the Council having to refund over £220,000 worth of fines to motorists caught breaching the Bus Gate.
At the time, the Council said it would review the data gathered during the trial and take a final decision over the Bus Gate’s future after roadworks taking place on the nearby Rossiter Road and Widcombe Parade had been completed.
With work on Rossiter Road now complete, Conservatives, who took over the running of the Council in May, have said it is time to put the issue to bed.
The Conservative proposal was passed by the Council despite Lib Dem Councillors all voting against ruling-out the Bus Gate’s reintroduction – leading to accusations that the Lib Dems have learnt ‘no lessons’ from the Bus Gate fiasco.
Councillor Matt Cochrane (Cons, Bathwick), the Council’s Cabinet Assistant for Transport, who tabled the proposal which called for the Bus Gate not to be reinstated, said:
“We brought this issue to be debated at a Full Council meeting due to the controversy caused by the Bus Gate at the time and so that all views could be aired before taking a decision over its future.
“The Dorchester Street Bus Gate caused immense damage to the reputation of both the Council and to Bath as a visitor destination, making headlines in the national media. It caused great ill-feeling amongst residents and motorists who were caught unawares by the Bus Gate, and resulted in the Council having to refund more than £220,000 in fines.
“Even if the Bus Gate had removed traffic from Dorchester Street, it would simply have added to congestion on the A36 through Widcombe.
“We believe it’s right that we draw a line under this issue and for the avoidance of doubt categorically rule-out the prospect of the Bus Gate being reintroduced. Instead, we have asked the Council’s traffic officers to look at whether any steps can be taken to improve the flow of traffic on this street to make it easier for buses, cars, cyclists and pedestrians to use this busy street.”
Councillor Anthony Clarke (Cons, Lansdown) added:
“I welcome the outcome of the Council vote on ruling-out the reintroduction of the Bus Gate on Dorchester Street. What’s needed is a strategic approach to improving transport and tackling congestion, not the piecemeal tinkering we have seen in recent years.
“Unfortunately the Lib Dems appear to have learnt no lessons whatsoever from the Bus Gate fiasco, and refused to rule-out its reintroduction.”
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Foreign worker curbs ‘to reduce income disparity’
The income disparity between blue-collar jobs and higher-paying ones will decrease in future with the tightening of Singapore’s foreign-worker policies, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Grace Fu on Sunday (Jan 18) in a community dialogue.
Citing the example of Australia, where plumbers are the highest-paid workers over weekends, Ms Fu said Singapore “is going to be like that because we are not going to have so many work-pass holders to come in (to) do construction or plumbing jobs”.
She added: “So if you have skills like this, you’re going to demand better pay and that’s really the future of Singapore, where the disparity is not as great as now. What would be blue-collar jobs will get better pay.”
Ms Fu was speaking to residents and students while on a ministerial community visit to Tampines East. During a 70-minute dialogue, questions about foreign labour, the integration of immigrants here and opportunities for Singaporeans dominated proceedings.
SINGAPOREANS COME FIRST
The starting point of Singapore’s policies on foreign labour is the interest and benefit of Singaporeans, said Ms Fu, who is also Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, as well as Foreign Affairs.
Singapore has to be economically attractive, remaining open, so companies will continue to invest here and provide jobs and options for locals, she noted.
While the Government is creating more education opportunities for Singaporeans – through the setting up of the Singapore University of Technology and Design, as well as the Singapore Institute of Technology, for example – the bigger question is whether a university degree trains people appropriately for jobs here.
Through initiatives such as SkillsFuture, the Government is encouraging students to pick up skills that are relevant to the jobs out there and ensuring opportunities to upgrade as they go.
“(If) you deepen your skills, you can become an expert and there are very well-paying jobs waiting for us,” she said.
BLACK SHEEP ON BOTH SIDES
Two student participants noted that social tension and unhappiness could arise between Singaporeans and foreigners here, as shown by the outcry that followed a Filipino nurse’s recent online remarks calling Singaporeans “loosers” (losers) in their country.
Ms Fu urged Singaporeans to take a firm stand against insensitive comments made by a minority, but remain calm, cool-headed and united. There are black sheep among both Singaporeans and foreigners who make insensitive comments about others, she added.
However, other fault lines, such as those along race and religion, may also surface. “Our position is that we must, first of all, be sensitive to one another. There’s a certain limit when we talk about freedom of speech. You have to take into consideration (the relationship among different races and religions) in Singapore, so be careful when you make the remarks,” she said.
Asked whether there were people who had left after taking up Singapore citizenship, Ms Fu said the number is “very low” and has been stable for a long time.
New citizens may come to Singapore for economic opportunities – as did many immigrants in the early days – but many become “valuable, really good Singapore citizens who put their heart and soul in this place”, she said, urging Singaporeans to give them a chance.
The Government has also raised the requirements for one to be considered for citizenship, added Ms Fu.
Asked after the dialogue about issues being raised on foreigners, Ms Fu told reporters those are perennial issues that merit the reiteration of mutual respect when incidents arise and said she was glad the youth are taking interest in such issues.
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Media release: Go Swim Loch Lomond – a new, open water event for Scotland
DURTY Events, organisers of award-winning multisport events throughout Scotland, and Triathlon Edinburgh have joined forces to launch Go Swim Loch Lomond, a packed programme of open water swimming events for all ages and experience levels at Loch Lomond on Saturday 07 September 2019.
In the stunning surroundings of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, there will be open water swimming events for all ages and standards of swimmers, including the family-friendly 250-metre option for those aged eight+ (when accompanied by an adult) and 750 metre and 1,500 metre options for those just starting out in open water swimming.
For the more experienced swimmer, 3,000 metre, 5,000 metre and 10,000 metre options are available; and all distances include generous cut-offs to allow for those who want to take it a bit easier.
With the support and backing of Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority, Go Swim Loch Lomond will follow in the footsteps of the successful Great Scottish Swim after the popular event was cancelled earlier this year.
Paul McGreal, from Durty Events, said: “We’re really excited to be able to continue the tradition of fantastic swim events at Loch Lomond. We know thousands of people have enjoyed the previous races and the absence of a major swimming event this year was met with a great deal of sadness, so we really wanted to create something that replicates that experience.
“It’s a great fit for what we offer and believe in at Durty Events – amazing people doing amazing things in amazing places. We just love seeing people get out there, set themselves challenges, and have an adventure and Go Swim Loch Lomond certainly meets that criteria!
“We’ve got a wealth of experience with open water swimming as the organising team behind dozens of the biggest, best and award-winning triathlons in Scotland over the last 20-plus years.
“Some of these events have had Loch Lomond as a venue and include event management for the open water swimming events at the 2018 European Championships. You can count on us for Go Swim Loch Lomond to be well-organised, and for safety to be a priority to enable swimmers to relax and enjoy the day.
“We’re proud to be working alongside Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park on this important and exciting project!”
Gordon Watson, chief executive of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, said: “Loch Lomond is an iconic location and a world-class venue for open water swimming as demonstrated by hosting last year’s European Championships televised around the globe. We want people of all ages and abilities to continue to have the opportunity to enjoy the fantastic atmosphere and wonderful experience of a mass participation event in this special place.
“Triathlon Edinburgh and Durty Events have put together a great event with something for everyone and we’re delighted that the tradition of high-quality open water swimming events in Loch Lomond will be continuing this year in the lead up to the Year of Coasts and Waters 2020.”
Entry prices for Go Swim Loch Lomond start from £10. All entrants will receive an official chip time, finisher’s medal, event t-shirt and custom event swim cap for optimal bragging rights. For further information, prices and to enter a swim distance at Go Swim Loch Lomond 2019, visit http://go-swim.uk/
Paddy Cuthbert | Littlehouse Media | E: paddy@littlehousemedia.co.uk | M: +44 (0)7913 951717
Images of previous open water swimming events organised by Durty Events can be downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/m8vf4i9mbnlnps0/AAAWKouvioTnO1WaKjAx5fYKa?dl=0. Please credit Andy Upton.
Durty Events have over ten years’ experience organising and running sports events in Scotland that are safe, professionally-organised, inclusive and great value for money.
Website https://www.durtyevents.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/durtyevents/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/durtyevents/
Triathlon Edinburgh has four years’ experience organising sporting events in Scotland including Aberfeldy Multisports Festival and IRONMAN 70.3 Edinburgh.
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park:
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park was Scotland’s first National Park established in 2002.
The National Park encompasses around 720 sq miles (1,865 sq km) of some of the finest scenery in Scotland.
The National Park attracts around four million visitors a year.
For more information and safety advice on swimming in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park go to https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/things-to-do/water-activities/swimming/
Website www.lochlomond-trossachs.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/lomondtrossachs
Twitter @lomondtrossachs
Instagram @lomondtrossachs
MEDIA RELEASE issued by Littlehouse Media. You too can share your stories (aka press or media releases), on this site. Email here for more information.
Check out too twitter.com/allSportsPR and twitter.com/allOutdoorsPR.
Littlehouse Media contact details…
Contact: Paddy Cuthbert
Email: paddy@littlehousemedia.uk.com
Website: http://go-swim.uk/
By PaddyCuthbert · April 12, 2019 at 10:00 · Comments Off
Littlehouse Media · Swimming and diving · Scotland-wide
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American Yawp / Feedback
A free and online, collaboratively built American history textbook
01. The New World
02. Colliding Cultures
03. British North America
04. Colonial Society
05. The American Revolution
06. A New Nation
07. The Early Republic
08. The Market Revolution
09. Democracy in America
10. Religion and Reform
11. The Old South
12. Manifest Destiny
13. The Sectional Crisis
14. The Civil War
15. Reconstruction
16. Industrial America
17. Conquering the West
18. Capital and Labor
19. American Empire
20. The Progressive Era
21. World War I & Its Aftermath
22. The Twenties
23. The Great Depression
24. World War II
25. The Cold War
26. The Affluent Society
27. The Sixties
28. The Unraveling
29. The Rise of the Right
30. The Recent Past
¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 “School Begins,” Puck, January 25, 1899.
¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 *Click here to view the current published draft of this chapter*
¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 “Empire” might most readily recall ancient Rome, military conquests, the British Empire, the mercantile capitalism of the British East India Company, the partitioning of Africa or the Middle East into colonies, military and administrative occupations, resource exploitation, and generally a model in which some central power exploits peripheral colonies to advance its own interests. But empires can take many forms, and imperial processes can occur in many contexts. 100 years after the United States won its independence from the British Empire, had it become an empire of its own?
¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 In the decades after the American Civil War, the United States exerted itself in the service of American interests around the world. In the Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East, and most explicitly in the Spanish-American War and the foreign policy of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, the United States expanded upon a long history of exploration, trade, and cultural exchange to practice something new, something that looked much like empire. The question of American imperialism, then, seeks to understand not only direct American interventions in such places as Cuba, the Philippines, Hawaii, Guam, and Puerto Rico, but also the deeper history of American engagement with the wider world, and the subsequent ways in which American economic, political, and cultural power has shaped the actions, choices, and possibilities of other groups and nations.
¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 2 But as American exerted itself abroad, it received ever more numbers of foreign peoples at home. European and Asian immigrants poured into the United States. In a sense, imperialism and immigration raised similar questions about American identity: who was an “American,” and who wasn’t? What was the nation’s obligations to foreign powers and foreign peoples? And how accessible –and how fluid—should American identity be for newcomers? All such questions confronted late-nineteenth-century Americans with unprecedented urgency.
¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 0
II. Patterns of American Interventions
¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 1 American interventions in the Mexico, China, and the Middle East reflected a new eagerness of the United States to intervene in foreign governments to protect American economic interests abroad.
¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 1 The United States had long been involved in Pacific commerce. American ships had been travelling to China, for instance, since 1784. As a percentage of total American foreign trade, the Asian trade remained comparatively small, and yet the idea that Asian markets were vital to American commerce affected American policy and, when those markets were threatened, prompted interventions. In 1899, Secretary of State John Hay articulated the “Open Door Policy,” which called for all western powers to have equal access to Chinese markets. Hay feared that other imperial powers—Japan, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Russia—planned to carve China into spheres of influence. It was in the economic interest of American business to maintain China for free trade. The following year, in 1900, American troops intervened to prevent the closing of trade. American troops helped to put down the Boxer Rebellion, a movement opposed to foreign businesses and missionaries operating in China. President McKinley sent the U.S. Army into China without consulting Congress, setting a precedent for U.S. presidents to order American troops to action around the world under their executive powers.
¶ 9 Leave a comment on paragraph 9 0 The United States was not only ready to intervene in foreign affairs to preserve foreign markets, it was willing to take territory. The United States acquired its first Pacific territories with the Guano Islands Act of 1856. Guano—collected bird excrement—was a popular fertilizer integral to industrial farming. The Act authorized and encouraged Americans to venture into the seas and claim islands with guano deposits for the United States. These acquisitions were the first insular, unincorporated territories of the United States: they were neither part of a state nor a federal district, and they were not on the path to ever attain such a status. The Act, though little known, offered a precedent for future American acquisitions.
¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 1 Merchants, of course, weren’t the only American travelers in the Pacific. Christian missionaries soon followed explorers and traders. The first American missionaries arrived in Hawai’i in 1820 and China in 1830, for instance. Missionaries, though, often worked alongside business interests, and American missionaries in Hawai’I, for instance, obtained large tracts of land and started lucrative sugar plantations. During the nineteenth century, Hawai’i was ruled by an oligarchy based on the sugar companies, together known as the “Big Five.” This white American “haole” elite was extremely powerful, but they still operated outside for the formal expression of American state power.
¶ 11 Leave a comment on paragraph 11 0 As many Americans looked for empire across the Pacific, others looked to Latin America. The United States, long a participant an increasingly complex network of economic, social, and cultural interactions in Latin America, entered the late-nineteenth century with a new aggressive and interventionist attitude toward its southern neighbors.
¶ 12 Leave a comment on paragraph 12 0 American capitalists invested enormous sums of money in Mexico during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, during the long reign of the corrupt yet stable regime of the modernization-hungry president Porfirio Diaz. But in 1910 the Mexican people revolted against Díaz, ending his authoritarian regime but also his friendliness toward the business interests of the United States. In the midst of the terrible destruction wrought by the fighting, Americans with investment interests plead for governmental help but the United States government tried to control events and politics that could not be controlled. More and more American businessmen called for military intervention. When the brutal strongman Victoriano Huerta executed the revolutionary, democratically elected president Francisco Madero in 1913, newly inaugurated American President Woodrow Wilson put pressure on Mexico’s new regime. Wilson refused to recognize the new government and demanded Huerta step aside and allow free elections take place. Huerta refused.
¶ 13 Leave a comment on paragraph 13 0 When Mexican forces mistakenly arrested American sailors in the port city of Tampico in April 1914, Wilson saw the opportunity to apply additional pressure on Huerta. Huerta refused to make amends, and Wilson therefore asked Congress for authority to use force against Mexico. But even before Congress could respond, Wilson invaded and took the port city of Veracruz to prevent, he said, a German shipment of arms from reaching Huerta’s forces. The Huerta government fell in July 1914, and the American occupation lasted until November, when Venustiano Carranza, a rival of Huerta, took power. When Wilson threw American support behind Carranza, and not his more radical and now-rival Pancho Villa, Villa and several hundred supporters attacked American interests and raided the town of Columbus, New Mexico, in March 1916, and killed over a dozen soldiers and civilians. Wilson ordered a punitive expedition of several thousand soldiers led by General John J. “Blackjack” Pershing to enter Northern Mexico and capture Villa. But Villa eluded Pershing for nearly a year and, in 1917, with war in Europe looming and great injury done to U.S.-Mexican relations, Pershing left Mexico.
¶ 14 Leave a comment on paragraph 14 0 The United States’ actions during the Mexican Revolution reflected longstanding American policy that justified interventionist actions in Latin American politics because of their potential bearing on the United States: on citizens, on shared territorial borders, and perhaps most significantly, on economic investments. This particular example highlights the role of geography, or perhaps proximity, in the pursuit of imperial outcomes. But American interactions in more distant locations, in the Middle East, for instance, look quite different.
¶ 15 Leave a comment on paragraph 15 1 In 1867, Mark Twain traveled to the Middle East as part of a large tour group of Americans. In his satire The Innocents Abroad, he reflected on his experience, writing, “the people [of the Middle East] stared at us everywhere, and we [Americans] stared at them. We generally made them feel rather small, too, before we got done with them, because we bore down on them with America’s greatness until we crushed them.” American notions of superiority, then, were long-standing as Americans intervened in the Middle East.
¶ 16 Leave a comment on paragraph 16 1 The U.S. government had traditionally had little contact with the Middle East. Trade was limited, too limited for an economic relationship to be deemed vital to the national interest, but treaties were nevertheless signed between the U.S. and powers in the Middle East. Still, the majority of American involvement in the Middle East prior to World War I came not in the form of trade, but in education, science, and humanitarian aid. American missionaries led the way. The first Protestant missionaries had arrived in 1819. Soon the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and the boards of missions of the Reformed Church of America became dominant in missionary enterprises. Missions were established in almost every country of the Middle East, and even though their efforts resulted in relatively few converts, missionaries helped to establish hospitals and schools and their work laid the foundation for the establishment of universities, such as Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey (1863), the American University of Beirut (1866), and the American University of Cairo (1919). The American University of Beirut was long the most modern and Western university in the Middle East.
¶ 17 Leave a comment on paragraph 17 0
III. 1898
¶ 18 Leave a comment on paragraph 18 0 Uncle Sam, loaded with implements of modern civilization, uses the Philippines as a stepping-stone to get across the Pacific to China (represented by a small man with open arms), who excitedly awaits Sam’s arrival. With the expansionist policy gaining greater traction, the possibility for more imperialistic missions (including to conflict-ridden China) seemed strong. The cartoon might be arguing that such endeavors are worthwhile, bringing education, technological, and other civilizing tools to a desperate people. On the other hand, it could be read as sarcastically commenting on America’s new propensity to “step” on others. “AND, AFTER ALL, THE PHILIPPINES ARE ONLY THE STEPPING-STONE TO CHINA,” in Judge Magazine, 1900 or 1902. Wikimedia.
¶ 19 Leave a comment on paragraph 19 0 Although the United States had a long history of international economic, military, and cultural engagement that stretched back deep into the eighteenth century, the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars (1898-1902) marked a crucial turning point in American interventions abroad. In pursuing war with Spain, and then engaging in counterrevolutionary conflict in the Philippines, the United States expanded the scope and strength of its global reach. Over the next two decades, the U.S. would become increasingly involved in international politics, particularly in Latin America. These new conflicts and ensuing territorial problems forced Americans to confront the ideological elements of imperialism. Should the United States act as an empire? Or were foreign interventions and the taking of territory antithetical to its founding democratic ideals? What exactly would be the relationship between the US and its territories? And could colonial subjects be successfully and safely incorporated into the body politic as American citizens? The Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars brought these questions, which had always lurked behind discussions of American expansion, out into the open.
¶ 20 Leave a comment on paragraph 20 0 In 1898, Americans began in earnest to turn their attention southward to problems plaguing their neighbor Cuba. Since the middle of the nineteenth century, Cubans had tried unsuccessfully again and again to gain independence from Spain. The latest uprising, and the one that would prove fatal to Spain’s colonial designs, began in 1895 and was still raging in the winter of 1898. By that time, in an attempt to crush the uprising, Spanish general Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau had been conducting a policy of reconcentration—forcing Cubans living in certain cities to relocate en masse to military camps—for about two years. Prominent newspaper publishers sensationalized Spanish atrocities. Cubans in the United States and their allies raised cries of Cuba Libre! And While the United States government proclaimed a wish to avoid armed conflict with Spain, President McKinley became increasingly concerned about the safety of American lives and property in Cuba. He ordered the battleship Maine to Havana harbor in January 1898.
¶ 21 Leave a comment on paragraph 21 0 The Maine sat undisturbed in the harbor for about two weeks. Then, on the evening of February 15, a titanic explosion tore open the ship and sent it to the bottom of the ocean. Three-quarters of the ship’s 354 occupants died. A naval board of inquiry immediately began an investigation to ascertain the cause of the explosion, but the loudest Americans had already decided that Spanish treachery was to blame. Capitalizing on the outrage, “yellow journals”—newspapers that promoted sensational stories, notoriously at the cost of accuracy—such as William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal called for war with Spain. When urgent negotiations failed to produce a mutually agreeable settlement, Congress officially declared war on April 25.
¶ 22 Leave a comment on paragraph 22 1 Although America’s war effort began haphazardly, Spain’s decaying military crumbled. Military victories for the United States came quickly. In the Pacific, on May 1, Commodore George Dewey engaged the Spanish fleet outside of Manila, the capital of the Philippines (another Spanish colonial possession), destroyed it, and proceeded to blockade Manila harbor. Two months later, American troops took Cuba’s San Juan Heights in what would become the most well-known battle of the war, winning fame not for regular soldiers but for the irregular, particularly Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Rides. Roosevelt had been the Assistant Secretary of the Navy but had resigned his position in order to see action in the war. His actions in Cuba made him a national celebrity. As disease began to eat away at American troops, the Spanish suffered the loss of Santiago de Cuba on July 17, effectively ending the war. The two nations agreed to a cease-fire on August 12 and formally signed the Treaty of Paris in December. The terms of the treaty stipulated, among other things, that the United States would acquire Spain’s former holdings of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
¶ 23 Leave a comment on paragraph 23 0 Secretary of State John Hay memorably referred to the conflict as a “splendid little war,” and at the time it certainly appeared that way. Fewer than four hundred Americans died in battle in a war that lasted about fifteen weeks. Contemporaries celebrated American victories as the providential act of God. The influential Brooklyn minister Lyman Abbott, for instance, declared that Americans were “an elect people of God” and saw divine providence in Dewey’s victory at Manila. Some, such as Senator Albert J. Beveridge of Indiana, took matters one step further, seeing in American victory an opportunity for imperialism. In his view, America had a “mission to perform” and a “duty to discharge” around the world. What Beveridge envisioned was nothing less than an American empire.
¶ 24 Leave a comment on paragraph 24 0 A propagandistic image, this political cartoon shows a before and after: the Spanish colonies before intervention by America and those same former colonies after. The differences are obvious and exaggerated, with the top figures described as “oppressed” by the weight of industrial slavery until America “rescued” them, thereby turning them into the respectable and successful businessmen seen on the bottom half. Those who claimed that American imperialism brought civilization and prosperity to destitute peoples used visuals like these, as well as photographic and textual evidence, to support their beliefs. “What the United States has Fought For,” in Chicago Tribune, 1914. Wikimedia,http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Free_from_Spanish.jpg.
¶ 25 Leave a comment on paragraph 25 0 But should the United States become an empire? That question was sharply debated across the nation in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War and the acquisition of Hawaii in July 1898. At the behest of American businessmen who had overthrown the Hawaiian monarchy, the United States annexed the Hawaiian Islands and their rich plantations. Between Hawaii and a number of former Spanish possessions, many Americans coveted the economic and political advantages that increased territory would bring. Those opposed to expansion, however, worried that imperial ambitions did not accord with the nation’s founding ideals. American actions in the Phillippines brought all of these discussions to a head.
¶ 26 Leave a comment on paragraph 26 0 The Phillippines were an afterthought of the Spanish-American War, but, when the smoke cleared, the United States found itself in possession of a key foothold in the Pacific. After Dewey’s victory over the Spanish fleet in the Battle of Manila Bay, conversations about how to proceed occupied the attentions of President McKinley, political leaders from both parties, and the popular press. American forces and Philippine forces (under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo) were in communication: would the Americans offer their support to the Filipinos and their ongoing efforts against the Spanish? Or would the Americans replace the Spanish as a colonial occupying force? American forces were instructed to secure Manila without allowing Philippine forces to enter the Walled City (the seat of the Spanish colonial government), hinting, perhaps, at things to come. Americans wondered what would happen next. Perhaps a good many ordinary Americans shared the bewildered sentiments of Mr. Dooley, the fictional Irish-American barkeeper whom humorist Finley Peter Dunne used to satirize American life: “I don’t know what to do with th’ Ph’lippeens anny more thin I did las’ summer, befure I heerd tell iv thim…We can’t sell thim, we can’t ate thim, an’ we can’t throw thim into the th’ alley whin no wan is lookin’.”
¶ 27 Leave a comment on paragraph 27 0 As debates about American imperialism continued against the backdrop of an upcoming presidential election, tensions in the Philippines escalated. Emilio Aguinaldo was inaugurated as president of the First Philippine Republic (or Malolos Republic) in late January of 1899; fighting between American and Philippine forces began in early February; and in April 1899, Congress ratified the 1898 Treaty of Paris, which concluded the Spanish-American War and gave Spain twenty million dollars in exchange for the Philippine Islands.
¶ 28 Leave a comment on paragraph 28 0 Like the Cubans, Filipinos had waged a long war against their Spanish colonizers. The United States could have given them the independence they had long fought for, but, instead, at the behest of President William McKinley, the United States occupied the islands and from 1899-1902 waged a bloody series of conflicts against Filipino insurrectionists that cost far more lives than the war with Spain. Under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo, Filipinos who had fought for freedom against the Spanish now fought for freedom against the very nation that had claimed to have liberated them from Spanish tyranny.
¶ 29 Leave a comment on paragraph 29 0 The Philippine Insurrection, or the Philippine-American War, was a brutal conflict of occupation and insurgency. Contemporaries compared the guerrilla-style warfare in challenging and unfamiliar terrain to the American experiences in the Indian Wars of the late-nineteenth-century. Many commented on its brutality and the uncertain mission of American troops. An April 1899 dispatch from a Harper’s Weekly correspondent began, “A week has passed—a week of fighting and marching, of jungles and rivers, of incident and adventure so varied and of so rapid transition that to sit down to write about it makes one feel as if he were trying to describe a dream where time, space, and all the logical sequences of ordinary life are upset in the unrelenting brutality of war.” John Bass described his experiences in detail, and his reportage, combined with accounts that came directly from soldiers, helped to shape public knowledge about the war. Reports of cruelty on both sides and a few high profile military investigations ensured continued public attention to events across the Pacific.
¶ 30 Leave a comment on paragraph 30 0 Amidst fighting to secure the Philippine Islands, the federal government sent two Philippine Commissions to assess the situation in the islands and make recommendations for a civilian colonial government. A civilian administration, with William H. Taft as the first Governor General (1901-1903), was established with military support. Although President Theodore Roosevelt declared the war to be over in 1902, resistance and occasional fighting continued into the second decade of the twentieth century
¶ 31 Leave a comment on paragraph 31 0 Debates about American imperialism dominated headlines and tapped into core ideas about American identity and the proper role of the United States in the larger world. Should a former colony, established on the principles of freedom, liberty, and sovereignty, become a colonizer itself? What was imperialism, anyway? Many framed the Filipino conflict as a Protestant, civilizing mission. Others framed American imperialism in the Philippines as nothing new, as simply the extension of a never-ending westward American expansion. It was simply destiny. Some saw imperialism as a way to reenergize the nation by asserting national authority and power around the globe. Others baldly recognized the opportunities the Philippine Islands presented for access to Asian markets. But critics grew loud. The American Anti-Imperialist League, founded in 1899 and populated by such prominent Americans as Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie, and Jane Addams, protested American imperial actions and articulated a platform that decried foreign subjugation and upheld the rights of all to self-governance. Still others embraced anti-imperialist stances because of concerns about immigration and American racial identity, afraid that American purity stood imperiled by contact with strange and foreign peoples. For whatever reason, however, the onset or acceleration of imperialism was a controversial and landmark moment in American history. America had become a preeminent force in the world.
¶ 32 Leave a comment on paragraph 32 0 Tailor President McKinley measures an obese Uncle Sam for larger clothing, while Anti-Expansionists like Joseph Pulitzer unsuccessfully offer Sam a weight-loss elixir. As the nation increased its imperialistic presence and mission, many like Pulitzer worried that America would grow too big for its own good. John S. Pughe, “Declined With Thanks,” in Puck (September 5, 1900). Wikimedia, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:McKinleyNationalExpansionUncleSamPulitzer.jpg.
IV. Theodore Roosevelt and American Imperialism
¶ 34 Leave a comment on paragraph 34 0 Under the leadership of President Theodore Roosevelt, the United States emerged from the nineteenth century with ambitious designs on global power through military might, territorial expansion, and economic influence. Though the Spanish-American War had begun under the administration of William McKinley, Roosevelt, the hero of San Juan Hill, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Vice-President, and President, was arguably the most visible and influential proponent of American imperialism at the turn of the century. Roosevelt’s emphasis on developing the American navy, and on Latin America as a key strategic area of U.S. foreign policy, would have long-term consequences.
¶ 35 Leave a comment on paragraph 35 0 In return for Roosevelt’s support of the Republican nominee, William McKinley, in the 1896 presidential election, McKinley appointed Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. The head of the department, John Long, had a competent but lackadaisical managerial style that allowed Roosevelt a great deal of freedom that Roosevelt used to network with such luminaries as military theorists Alfred Thayer Mahan and naval officer George Dewey and politicians such as Henry Cabot Lodge and William Howard Taft. During his tenure he oversaw the construction of new battleships, the implementation of new technology, and laid the groundwork for new shipyards, all with the goal of projecting America’s power across the oceans. Roosevelt wanted to expand American influence. For instance, he advocated for the annexation of Hawaii for several reasons: it was within the American sphere of influence, it would deny Japanese expansion and limit potential threats to the West Coast, it had an excellent port for battleships at Pearl Harbor, and it would act as a fueling station on the way to pivotal markets in Asia.
¶ 36 Leave a comment on paragraph 36 0 Teddy Roosevelt, a politician turned soldier, gained fame (and perhaps infamy) after he and his “Rough Riders” took San Juan Hill. Images like the poster praised Roosevelt and the battle as Americans celebrated this “splendid little war.” “William H. West’s Big Minstrel Jubilee,” 1899. Wikimedia, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:West_minstrel_jubilee_rough_riders.jpg.
¶ 37 Leave a comment on paragraph 37 1 Roosevelt, after winning headlines in the war, ran as Vice President under McKinley and rose to the presidency after McKinley’s assassination by the anarchist Leon Czolgosz in 1901. Among his many interventions in American life, Roosevelt acted with vigor to expand the military, naval power especially, to protect and promote American interests abroad. This included the construction of eleven battleships between 1904 and 1907. Alfred Thayer Mahan’s naval theories, described in his The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, influenced Roosevelt a great deal. In contrast to theories that advocated for commerce raiding, coastal defense and small “brown water” ships, the imperative to control the sea required battleships and a “blue water” navy that could engage and win decisive battles with rival fleets. As president, Roosevelt continued the policies he established as Assistant Naval Secretary and expanded the U.S. fleet. The mission of the Great White Fleet, sixteen all-white battleships that sailed around the word between 1907 and 1909, exemplified America’s new power.
¶ 38 Leave a comment on paragraph 38 0 Roosevelt insisted that the “big stick” and the persuasive power of the U.S. military could assure U.S. hegemony over strategically important regions in the Western Hemisphere. The United States used military intervention in various circumstances to further its objectives, but it did not have the ability nor the inclination to militarily impose its will on the entirety of South and Central America. The United States therefore more often used informal methods of empire, such as so-called “dollar diplomacy,” to assert dominance over the hemisphere.
¶ 39 Leave a comment on paragraph 39 0 The United States actively intervened again and again in Latin America. Throughout his time in office, Roosevelt exerted U.S. control over Cuba (even after it gained formal independence in 1902) and Puerto Rico, and he deployed naval forces to ensure Panama’s independence from Colombia in 1901 in order to acquire a U.S. Canal Zone. Furthermore, Roosevelt pronounced the “Roosevelt Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine in 1904, proclaiming U.S. police power in the Caribbean. As articulated by President James Monroe in his annual address to Congress in 1823, the United States would treat any military intervention in Latin America by a European power as a threat to American security. Roosevelt reaffirmed the Monroe Doctrine and expanded it by declaring that the U.S. had the right to preemptive action through intervention in any Latin American nation in order to correct administrative and fiscal deficiencies.
¶ 40 Leave a comment on paragraph 40 0 Roosevelt’s policy justified numerous and repeated police actions in “dysfunctional” Caribbean and Latin American countries by U.S. marines and naval forces and enabled the founding of the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This approach is sometimes referred to as “gunboat diplomacy,” wherein naval forces and marines land in a national capital to protect American and Western personnel, temporarily seize control of the government, and dictate policies friendly to American business, such as the repayment of foreign loans. For example, in 1905 Roosevelt sent the marines to occupy the Dominican Republic and established financial supervision over the Dominican government. Imperialists often framed such actions as almost humanitarian. They celebrated white Anglo-Saxon societies such as found in the United States and the British Empire as advanced practitioners of nation-building and civilization, helping to uplift debtor nations in Latin America that lacked the manly qualities of discipline and self-control. Roosevelt, for instance, preached that it was the “manly duty” of the United States to exercise an international police power in the Caribbean and to spread the benefits of Anglo-Saxon civilization to inferior states populated by inferior peoples. The president’s language, for instance, contrasted debtor nation’s “impotence” with the United States’ civilizing influence, belying new ideas that associated self-restraint and social stability with Anglo-Saxon manliness.
¶ 41 Leave a comment on paragraph 41 1 Dollar diplomacy offered a less costly method of empire and avoided the troubles of military occupation. Washington worked with bankers to provide loans to Latin American nations in exchange for some level of control over their national fiscal affairs. Roosevelt first implemented dollar diplomacy on a vast scale, while Presidents Taft and Wilson continued the practice in various forms during their own administrations. All confronted instability in Latin America. Rising debts to European and American bankers allowed for the inroads of modern life but destabilized much of the region. Bankers, beginning with financial houses in London and New York, saw Latin America as prime opportunities for investment. Lenders took advantage of the region’s newly formed governments’ need for cash and exacted punishing interest rates on massive loans, which were then sold off in pieces on the secondary bond market. American economic interests were now closely aligned with the region, but also further undermined by the chronic instability of the region’s newly formed governments, which were often plagued by mismanagement, civil wars, and military coups in the decades following their independence. Turnover in regimes interfered with the repayment of loans, as new governments would often repudiate the national debt or force a renegotiation with suddenly powerless lenders.
¶ 42 Leave a comment on paragraph 42 0 Creditors could not force settlements of loans until they successfully lobbied their own governments to get involved and forcibly collect debts. The Roosevelt administration did not want to deny the Europeans’ rightful demands of repayment of debt, but it also did not want to encourage European policies of conquest in the hemisphere as part of that debt collection. U.S. policy makers and military strategists within the Roosevelt administration determined that this European practice of military intervention posed a serious threat to American interests in the region. Roosevelt reasoned that the U.S. must create and maintain fiscal and political stability within strategically important nations in Latin America, particularly those affecting routes to and from the proposed Panama Canal. As a result, U.S. policy makers considered intervention in places like Cuba and the Dominican Republic a necessity to insure security around the region.
¶ 43 Leave a comment on paragraph 43 0 The Monroe Doctrine provided the Roosevelt administration with a diplomatic and international legal tradition through which it could assert a U.S. right and obligation to intervene in the hemisphere. The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine asserted that the United States wished to promote stable, prosperous states in Latin America that could live up to their political and financial obligations. Roosevelt declared that “wrongdoing, or an impotence which results in a general loosening of the ties of civilized society, may finally require intervention by some civilized nation, and in the Western Hemisphere the United States cannot ignore this duty.” President Monroe declared what Europeans could not do in the Western Hemisphere; Roosevelt inverted his doctrine to legitimize direct U.S. intervention in the region.
¶ 44 Leave a comment on paragraph 44 3 Though aggressive and bellicose, Roosevelt did not necessarily advocate expansion by military force. In fact, the president insisted that in dealings with the Latin American nations, he did not seek national glory or expansion of territory and believed that war or intervention should be a last resort when resolving conflicts with problematic governments. According to Roosevelt, such actions were necessary to maintain “order and civilization.” Then again, Roosevelt certainly believed in using military power to protect national interests and spheres of influence when absolutely necessary. He also believed that American sphere included not only Hawaii and the Caribbean, but also much of the Pacific. When Japanese victories over Russia threatened the regional balance of power he sponsored peace talks between Russian and Japanese leaders, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1906.
V. Women and Imperialism
¶ 46 Leave a comment on paragraph 46 0 With great self-assurance of how she looks in her new hat, Columbia puts on her “Easter Bonnet” shaped as a warship labelled “World Power.” By 1901, when this political cartoon was published, Americans were feeling rather confident in their position as a world leader. Ehrhart after sketch by Dalrymple, “Columbia’s Easter bonnet”, in Puck (April 6, 1901). Wikimedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Puck_cover2.jpg.
¶ 47 Leave a comment on paragraph 47 0 Debates over American imperialism revolved around more than just politics and economics and national self-interest. They also included notions of humanitarianism, morality, religion, and ideas of “civilization.” And they included significant participation by American women.
¶ 48 Leave a comment on paragraph 48 0 In the fall of 1903, Margaret McLeod, age twenty-one, originally of Boston, found herself in Australia on family business and in need of income. Fortuitously, she made the acquaintance of Alexander MacWillie, the top salesman for the H. J. Heinz Company, who happened to be looking for a young lady to serve as a “demonstrator” of Heinz products to potential consumers. McLeod proved to be such an attractive purveyor of India relish and baked beans that she accompanied MacWillie on the rest of his tour of Australia and continued on to South Africa, India, and Japan. Wherever she went, this “dainty young girl with golden hair in white cap and tucker” drew attention to Heinz’s products, but, in a much larger sense, she was also projecting an image of middle-class American domesticity, of pure womanhood. Heinz saw itself not only as purveying economical and healthful foodstuffs—it was bringing the blessings of civilization to the world.
¶ 49 Leave a comment on paragraph 49 0 When commentators, such as Theodore Roosevelt in his speech on “the strenuous life,” spoke about America’s overseas ventures, they generally gave the impression that this was a strictly masculine enterprise—the work of soldiers, sailors, government officials, explorers, businessmen, and scientists. But in fact, U.S. imperialism, focused as much on economic and cultural influence as military or political power, offered a range of opportunities for white, middle-class, Christian women. In addition to working as representatives of American business, women could serve as missionaries, teachers, and medical professionals, and as artists and writers they were inspired by, and helped to transmit, ideas about imperialism.
¶ 50 Leave a comment on paragraph 50 0 Moreover, the rhetoric of civilization that underlay imperialism was itself a highly gendered concept. According to the racial theory of the day, humans progressed through hierarchical stages of civilization in an orderly, linear fashion. Only Europeans and Americans had attained the highest level of civilization, which was superficially marked by whiteness but also included an industrial economy and a gender division in which men and women had diverging but complementary roles. Social and technological progress had freed women of the burdens of physical labor and elevated them to a position of moral and spiritual authority. White women thus potentially had important roles to play in U.S. imperialism, both as symbols of the benefits of American civilization and as vehicles for the transmission of American values.
¶ 51 Leave a comment on paragraph 51 0 It is also important to note that civilization, while often cloaked in the language of morality and Christianity, was very much an economic concept. The stages of civilization were primarily marked by their economic character (hunter-gatherer, agricultural, industrial), and the consumption of industrially produced commodities was seen as a key moment in “savages’” progress toward civilized life. Over the course of the nineteenth century, women in the West, for instance, had become closely associated with consumption, particularly of those commodities used in the domestic sphere. Thus it must have seemed natural for Alexander MacWillie to hire Margaret McLeod to “demonstrate” catsup and chili sauce at the same time as she “demonstrated” white, middle-class domesticity. By adopting the use of such progressive products in their homes, consumers could potentially absorb even the virtues of American civilization.
¶ 52 Leave a comment on paragraph 52 0 In some ways, women’s work in support of imperialism can be seen as an extension of the kind of activities many of them were already engaged in among working-class, immigrant, and Native American communities in the United States. Many white women felt that they had a duty to spread the benefits of Christian civilization to those less fortunate than themselves. American overseas ventures, then, merely expanded the scope of these activities—literally, in that the geographical range of possibilities encompassed practically the entire globe, and figuratively, in that imperialism significantly raised the stakes of women’s work. No longer only responsible for shaping the next generation of American citizens, white women now had a crucial role to play in the maintenance of civilization itself. They too would help determine whether civilization would continue to progress.
¶ 53 Leave a comment on paragraph 53 0 Of course, not all women were active supporters of U.S. imperialism. Many actively opposed it. Although the most prominent public voices against imperialism were male, women made up a large proportion of the membership of organizations like the Anti-Imperialist League. For white women like Jane Addams and Josephine Shaw Lowell, anti-imperialist activism was an outgrowth of their work in opposition to violence and in support of democracy. Black female activists, meanwhile, generally viewed imperialism as a form of racial antagonism and drew parallels between the treatments of African-Americans at home and, for example, Filipinos abroad. Indeed, Ida B. Wells viewed her anti-lynching campaign as a kind of anti-imperialist activism.
VI. Immigration
¶ 55 Leave a comment on paragraph 55 1 For Americans at the turn of the century, imperialism and immigration were two sides of the same coin. The involvement of American women with imperialist and anti-imperialist activity demonstrates how foreign policy concerns were brought home and became, in a sense, domesticated. It is also no coincidence that many of the women involved in both imperialist and anti-imperialist politics organizations were also very much concerned with the plight of new arrivals to the United States. Industrialization, imperialism, and immigration were all linked. Imperialism had at its core a desire for markets for American goods, and those goods were increasingly manufactured by immigrant labor. This sense of growing dependence on “others” as producers and consumers, along with doubts about their capability of assimilation into the mainstream of white, Protestant American society, caused a great deal of anxiety among native-born Americans.
¶ 56 Leave a comment on paragraph 56 0 Between 1870 and 1920, over twenty-five million immigrants arrived in the United States. This migration was largely a continuation of a process begun before the Civil War, though, by the turn of the twentieth century, new groups such as Italians, Poles, and Eastern European Jews made up a larger percentage of the arrivals while Irish and German numbers began to dwindle. This massive movement of people to the United States was influenced by a number of causes, or “push” and “pull” factors. In other words, certain conditions in their home countries encouraged people to leave, while other factors encouraged them to choose the United States for their destination. For example, a young husband and wife living in Sweden in the 1880s and unable to purchase farmland might read an advertisement for inexpensive land in the American Midwest and choose to sail to the United States. Or a Russian Jewish family, eager to escape brutal attacks sanctioned by the Czar, looked to the United States as a land of freedom. Or perhaps a Japanese migrant might hear of the fertile land and choose to sail for California. Thus, there were a number of factors (hunger, lack of land, military conscription, and religious persecution) that served to push people out of their home countries. Meanwhile, the United States offered a number of possibilities that made it an appealing destination for these migrants.
¶ 57 Leave a comment on paragraph 57 0 The most important factor drawing immigrants to the United States between 1880 and 1920 was the maturation of American capitalism into large industrial complexes producing goods such as steel, textiles, and food products, replacing smaller and more local workshops. The influx of immigrants, alongside a large movement of Americans from the countryside to the city, helped propel the rapid growth of cities like New York, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. By 1890, in most large northern cities, immigrants and their children amounted to 60 percent of the population, sometimes reaching as high as 80 or 90 percent. Many immigrants, particularly those from Italy or the Balkans, hoped to return home with enough money to purchase land. But those who stayed faced many challenges. How did American immigrants adjust to their new homes? Did the new arrivals join a “melting pot” and simply become just like those people already in the United States? Or did they retain – and even strengthen – their ethnic identities, creating a more pluralistic society? The answer lies somewhere in the middle.
¶ 58 Leave a comment on paragraph 58 0 New immigrant groups formed vibrant societies and organizations to ease the transition to their new home. Some examples include Italian workmen’s clubs, Eastern European Jewish mutual-aid societies, and Polish Catholic churches. These organizations provided cultural space for immigrants to maintain their arts, languages, and traditions. Moreover, these organizations attracted even more immigrants. Thus new arrivals came directly to American cities where they knew they would find someone from their home country and perhaps even from their home village or family.
¶ 59 Leave a comment on paragraph 59 0 Although the growing United States economy needed large numbers of immigrant workers for its factories and mills, many Americans reacted negatively to the arrival of so many immigrants. Nativists opposed mass immigration for various reasons. Some felt that the new arrivals were unfit for American democracy, and that Irish or Italian immigrants used violence or bribery to corrupt municipal governments. Others (often earlier immigrants themselves) worried that the arrival of even more immigrants would result in fewer jobs and lower wages. Such fears combined and resulted in anti-Chinese protests on the West Coast in the 1870s. Still others worried that immigrants brought with them radical ideas such as socialism and communism. These fears multiplied after the Chicago Haymarket affair in 1886, in which immigrants were accused of killing police officers in a bomb blast.
¶ 60 Leave a comment on paragraph 60 0 Nativist sentiment intensified in the late nineteenth century as immigrants streamed into American cities to fuel the factory boom. “Uncle Sam’s Lodging House” conveys this anti-immigrant attitude, with caricatured representations of Europeans, Asians, and African Americans creating a chaotic scene. Joseph Ferdinand Keppler, “Uncle Sam’s lodging-house,” in Puck (June 7, 1882). Wikimedia, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_F._Keppler_-_Uncle_Sam%27s_lodging-house.jpg.
¶ 61 Leave a comment on paragraph 61 0 In September 1876, Franklin Benjamin Sanborn, a member of the Massachusetts Board of State Charities, gave an address in support of the introduction of regulatory federal immigration legislation at an interstate conference of charity officials in Saratoga, New York. Immigration might bring some benefits, but “it also introduces disease, ignorance, crime, pauperism and idleness.” Sanborn thus advocated federal action to stop “indiscriminate and unregulated immigration.”
¶ 62 Leave a comment on paragraph 62 0 Sanborn’s address was aimed at restricting only the immigration of paupers from Europe to the East Coast, but the idea of immigration restrictions were common across the United States in the late nineteenth century, when many variously feared that the influx of foreigners would undermine the racial, economic, and moral integrity of American society. From the 1870s to the 1920s, the federal government passed a series of laws limiting or discontinuing the immigration of particular groups and the United States remained committed to regulating the kind of immigrants who would join American society. To critics, regulations legitimized racism, class bias, and ethnic prejudice as formal national policy.
¶ 63 Leave a comment on paragraph 63 0 The first move for federal immigration control came from California, where racial hostility toward Chinese immigrants had mounted since the mid-nineteenth century. In addition to accusing Chinese immigrants of racial inferiority and unfitness for American citizenship, opponents claimed that they were also economically and morally corrupting American society with cheap labor and immoral practices, such as prostitution. Immigration restriction was necessary for the “Caucasian race of California,” as one anti-Chinese politician declared, and for European Americans to “preserve and maintain their homes, their business, and their high social and moral position.” In 1875, the anti-Chinese crusade in California moved Congress to pass the Page Act, which banned the entry of convicted criminals, Asian laborers brought involuntarily, and women imported “for the purposes of prostitution,” a stricture designed chiefly to exclude Chinese women. Then, in May 1882, Congress suspended the immigration of all Chinese laborers with the Chinese Exclusion Act, making the Chinese the first immigrant group subject to admission restrictions on the basis of race. They became the first illegal immigrants.
¶ 64 Leave a comment on paragraph 64 0 The idea of America as a “melting pot,” a metaphor common in today’s parlance, was a way of arguing for the ethnic assimilation of all immigrants into a nebulous “American” identity at the turn of the 20th century. A play of the same name premiered in 1908 to great acclaim, causing even the former president Theodore Roosevelt to tell the playwright, “That’s a great play, Mr. Zangwill, that’s a great play.” Cover of Theater Programme for Israel Zangwill’s play “The Melting Pot”, 1916. Wikimedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TheMeltingpot1.jpg.
¶ 65 Leave a comment on paragraph 65 0 On the other side of the country, Atlantic seaboard states also facilitated the formation of federal immigration policy. Since the colonial period, East Coast states had regulated immigration through their own passenger laws, which prohibited the landing of destitute foreigners unless shipmasters prepaid certain amounts of money in the support of those passengers. The state-level control of pauper immigration developed into federal policy in the early 1880s. In August 1882, Congress passed the Immigration Act, denying admission to people who were not able to support themselves and those, such as paupers, people with mental illnesses, or convicted criminals, who might otherwise threaten the security of the nation.
¶ 66 Leave a comment on paragraph 66 0 The category of excludable people expanded continuously after 1882. In 1885, in response to American workers’ complaints about cheap immigrant labor, Congress added foreign workers migrating under labor contracts with American employers to the list of excludable people. Six years later, the federal government included people who seemed likely to become wards of the state, people with contagious diseases, and polygamists, and made all groups of excludable people deportable. In 1903, those who would pose ideological threats to American republican democracy, such as anarchists and socialists, also became the subject of new immigration restrictions.
¶ 67 Leave a comment on paragraph 67 0 Many immigration critics were responding the shifting demographics of American immigration. The center of immigrant-sending regions shifted from northern and western Europe to Southern and Eastern Europe and Asia. These “new immigrants” were poorer, spoke languages other than English, and were likely Catholic or Jewish. White Protestant Americans typically regarded them as inferior, and American immigration policy began to reflect more explicit prejudice than ever before. One restrictionist declared that these immigrants were “races with which the English-speaking people have never hitherto assimilated, and who are most alien to the great body of the people of the United States.” The increased immigration of people from Southern and Eastern Europe, such as Italians, Jews, Slavs, and Greeks, led directly to calls for tighter restrictive measures. In 1907, the immigration of Japanese laborers was practically suspended when the American and Japanese governments reached the so-called Gentlemen’s Agreement, according to which Japan would stop issuing passports to working-class emigrants. In its 42-volume report of 1911, the United States Immigration Commission highlighted the impossibility of incorporating these new immigrants into American society. The report highlighted their supposed innate inferiority, asserting that they were the causes of rising social problems in America, such as poverty, crime, prostitution, and political radicalism.
¶ 68 Leave a comment on paragraph 68 1 The assault against immigrants’ Catholicism provides an excellent example of the challenges immigrant groups faced in the United States. By 1900, Catholicism in the United States had growing dramatically in size and diversity, from one percent of the population a century earlier to the largest religious denomination in America (though still outnumbered by Protestants as a whole). As a result, Catholics in America faced two intertwined challenges, one external, related to Protestant anti-Catholicism, and the other internal, having to do with the challenges of assimilation.
¶ 69 Leave a comment on paragraph 69 0 Externally, the Church and its members remained an “outsider” religion in a nation that continued to see itself as culturally and religiously Protestant. Torrents of anti-Catholic literature and scandalous rumors maligned Catholics. Many Protestants doubted whether Catholics could ever make loyal Americans because they supposedly owed primary allegiance to the Pope.
¶ 70 Leave a comment on paragraph 70 0 Internally, Catholics in America faced the question every immigrant group has had to answer: to what extent should they become more like native-born Americans? This question was particularly acute, as Catholics encompassed a variety of languages and customs. Beginning in the 1830s, Catholic immigration to the U.S. had exploded with the increasing arrival of Irish and German immigrants. Subsequent Catholic arrivals from Italy, Poland, and other Eastern European countries chafed at Irish dominance over the Church hierarchy. Mexican and Mexican American Catholics, whether recent immigrants or incorporated into the nation after the Mexican American War, expressed similar frustrations. Could all these different Catholics remain part of the same church?
¶ 71 Leave a comment on paragraph 71 0 Catholic clergy approached this situation from a variety of perspectives. Some bishops advocated rapid assimilation into the English-speaking mainstream. These “Americanists” advocated an end to “ethnic parishes”—the unofficial practice of permitting separate congregations for Poles, Italians, Germans, etc.—in the belief that such isolation only delayed immigrants’ entry into the American mainstream. They anticipated that the Catholic Church could thrive in a nation that espoused religious freedom, if only they assimilated. Meanwhile, however, more conservative clergy cautioned against assimilation. While they conceded that the U.S. had no official religion, they felt that Protestant notions of the separation of church and state and of licentious individual liberty posed a threat to the Catholic faith. They further saw ethnic parishes as an effective strategy protecting immigrant communities and worried that Protestants would use public schools to attack the Catholic faith. Eventually, the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIII, weighed in on the controversy. In 1899, he sent a special letter (an encyclical) to an archbishop in the United States. Leo reminded the Americanists that the Catholic Church was a unified global body and that American liberties did not give Catholics the freedom to alter church teachings. The Americanists denied any such intention, but the conservative clergy claimed that the Pope had sided with them. Tension between Catholicism and American life, however, would continue well into the twentieth century.
¶ 72 Leave a comment on paragraph 72 0 The American encounter with Catholicism—and Catholicism’s encounter with America—testified to the tense relationship between native-born and foreign-born Americans, and to the larger ideas Americans used to situate themselves in a larger world, a world of empire and immigrants.
VII. Conclusion
¶ 74 Leave a comment on paragraph 74 1 While American imperialism flared most brightly for a relatively brief time at the turn of the century, new imperial patterns repeated old practices and lived on into the twentieth century. But suddenly the United States had embraced its cultural, economic, and religious influence in the world, along with a newfound military power, to exercise varying degrees of control over nations and peoples. Whether as formal subjects or unwilling partners on the receiving end of TR’s “big stick,” those who experienced U.S. expansionist policies found confronted by new American ambitions. At home, debates over immigration and imperialism drew attention to the interplay of international and domestic policy, and the ways in which imperial actions, practices, and ideas affected and were affected by domestic questions. How Americans thought about the conflict in the Philippines, for example, was affected by how they approached about immigration in their own cities. And at the turn of the century, those thoughts were very much on the minds of Americans.
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Shane Landrum August 22, 2014 at 6:40 am
Typo fix: “As AMERICA asserted itself abroad”
Reply to Shane Landrum
Subject-verb agreement: “What WERE the nation’s obligations…?”
1 Comment on paragraph 7
Kevin Baker September 14, 2014 at 2:41 am
“American interventions in the Mexico, China…”
Remove “the”
Reply to Kevin Baker
Alan Baumler March 11, 2015 at 1:19 pm
Was preventing a closing of trade really the motivation for joining the Boxer Expedition? I think “saving civilization and protecting missionaries” sounds more like it, but I am a China person and not very up on how it was presented in the U.S. If you are going to mention the precedent of sending in troops without Congressional approval, you might also mention that they were part of a multinational force, something that would become more common after 1900.
Reply to Alan Baumler
1 Comment on paragraph 10
” but they still operated outside for the formal expression of American state power”
replace “for” with “of”
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0 Comments on paragraph 11
“American notions of superiority, then, were long-standing as Americans intervened in the Middle East.”
Confusing sentence.
“The American University of Beirut was long the most modern and Western university in the Middle East.”
Consider removing the word “modern” from this sentence.
“Rough Rides”
“that sailed around the word between 1907 and 1909”
“that sailed around the world between 1907 and 1909”
“Latin America as prime opportunities for investment.”
Perhaps: “Latin American countries as prime opportunities for investment”
“He also believed that American sphere”
He also believed that the American sphere
Gregory Moore July 12, 2015 at 7:01 pm
Having discovered this project while preparing an online class in 20th century American History, I was excited to be able to utilize the materials presented within as part of the reading assignments for my students.
However, in this chapter I find no discussion of the Open Door Policy. Having just published Defining and Defending the Open Door Policy: Theodore Roosevelt and China, 1901-1909, I would be willing to contribute a paragraph about the Open Door and the efforts on the part of the U.S. to uphold it in this time frame.
Gregory Moore, Ph.D.
South Euclid, Ohio 44121
Reply to Gregory Moore
Ben Wright July 13, 2015 at 2:04 pm
See paragraph 8. If you think more is needed send me an email, and I can talk it over with the chapter editors.
Reply to Ben Wright
“both imperialist and anti-imperialist politics organizations”
“both imperialist and anti-imperialist organizations ” or “both imperialist and anti-imperialist political organizations”
“By 1900, Catholicism in the United States had growing”
By 1900, Catholicism in the United States had grown
“Whether as formal subjects or unwilling partners on the receiving end of TR’s “big stick,” those who experienced U.S. expansionist policies found confronted by new American ambitions.”
“Whether as formal subjects or unwilling partners on the receiving end of TR’s “big stick,” those who experienced U.S. expansionist policies were confronted by new American ambitions.”
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Zavier H Howard
Hunter and others were beaten by the Hell’s Angels. Hunter was pulled from a speaker and beaten and as he ran away from the gang and was trapped, he held his gun in the air hoping to stop being pursued. He was beaten more after being stabbed and refused help by others there.
In the last sentence, there is a confusing word “en masse.” This would need to be changed into a word that would be easier to understand.
A graph that shows what women could do and couldn’t do is an easy way to understand the concept and grasp the idea of what’s being said. Could do- educate children and maintain household (cook, clean). Couldn’t do- vote and work.
Jakob Cummings
I Believe that the American Yawp is a very well-done and revised book on american history. Even though is it really well done, the american yawp needs to have first hand accounts more and more documents instead of propaganda art and pictures. the american Yawp needs more documents so the reader can fully understand what was going through their mind at the times and the hardships and circumstances they faced.
When the assassination of Abraham Lincoln was mentioned in this chapter there was little historical background and no mention on the Background of John wilks Booth who had a huge part on the down-spiral of the movement of reconstruction. in this chapter, they talked a lot about what Andrew Johnson was Executing and ratifying but instead they weren’t talking about what the African Americans were being denied as human citizens of the U.S.. It explains that Andrew Johnson refused to grant them (African Americans) any rights beyond legal freedom, but what are those rights he is denying? the rights he is denying is not very clear and could mean many different ones, such as human rights or just the rights to be a citizen. Legal Freedom only consist of not being owned, not all of the other natural rights you are granted to live as a U.S. Citizen.
Gray Overton
I love the introductions to each chapter, the one thing that does bother me with this specific introduction is the language. Specifically “Foodstuffs” this word could be specified to a specific foods that are later explained in the chapter.
Although this word was chosen probably to save space and leave the reader on some what of a cliff hanger. It could use some specifics that are not necessarily “deep”. An example of this word to use “crops” and then in the body paragraph go into detail about what crops were used. This method of could be used 2-3 times instead of “foodstuff.”
In closing foodstuff can literally be anything without context clues. The reader needs to know some context not that they were just eating. Me being a reader I know that they got food stuff; it’s also informal maybe try “while a variety of foods contributed Europeans population boom.”
Kristen Coats
I think that the photographs in this chapter relate to the text but does not explain how it relates to the text. When I look at the picture I want it to summarize some of the text but in this case I do not think that these photographs match up to the text.
Philip D Lamb
The abundance of large forest mammals including deerk, elk, moose, and caribou
Deer is misspelled and says Deerk.
Emily Lindy
While Edison’s contributions were critical to commercializing electric power, his focus was on direct current. Today, thanks to the work of George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla, we use mostly alternating current.
I think a paragraph discussing the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago should be inserted. This was a turning point for our history. Westinghouse, Tesla, and Edison came together to showcase AC versus DC.
Edison believed direct current was more efficient because it runs in a single direction. However, Tesla (using Michael Faraday’s Laws of Electromagnetism) believed that changing the current’s direction a certain amount of times per second allowed for the current to be easily converted from high and low voltages. This was important because you did not want a power plant close the town and you did not want high voltages at the plant or close to homes due to increased dangers. With alternating current, the voltages can be low at the plant, converted to high for transport and then converted back down to low in the town, all without loss of power. Edison did not agree with Westinghouse and Tesla. Alternating current resulted in reduced power loss over time allowing Westinghouse to secure the winning bids for the Fair and also the Niagara Falls Company that year.
You may not want all of that information in your text since this is history book after all. It was more for your information. I just wanted to stress the importance of Westinghouse and Tesla. Please consider adding some information.
Joseph Locke
Thanks, Edwin!
Simply in the interest of accuracy, I’d suggest changing the language quoted from the Declaration of Independence to reflect what actually is written: “All men ARE created equal.” If it’s important to put the section in past tense, I’d suggest, “All men [were] created equal.” It indicates that a word was changed though the context remains the same.
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June 12, 2009 in News
Modeling the Interior of the Princess Elisabeth Station
Over the last school term, a class of 5th graders at the European School of Brussels looked into energy-saving as a way to cut greenhouse emissions. Their teacher, Ms. Hazel Lewis, signed them up for a series of educational workshops on the subject of energy and led a classroom project on the Princess Elisabeth Station.
The children were given all the tools they needed to imagine and reproduce the various rooms inside the Princess Elisabeth Station: a movie featuring the Princess Elisabeth Station, resources available on the Station's official website and a guided tour of the "House of the Future" in Vilvoorde (Belgium). "The objective of our study was energy-saving but when I heard about the Princess Elisabeth Station and its zero emission features, I thought what a great idea it would be to have the children actually design and build model rooms for the Station and then display them at the Expo-Science fair held in Heysel during the month of March. The Station reflected exactly the energy-saving concept we were studying in class," says Hazel Lewis.
The result was indeed very successful: the children were committed and creative, and the models reflected just how well they had assimilated the subject. The models featured wind turbines for electricity production, rain/snow water collectors, solar panels to heat the water, etc. During the Heysel exhibit, the children also went a step further by asking the public to prioritize the energy consumption of the Princess Elisabeth research station - it was sort of like playing the role of a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or "smart grid", the Station's energy management computer.
This Princess Elisabeth Station classroom project was a first for the European School of Brussels but will certainly be carried through again next year, says Hazel Lewis.
Author: IPF
Picture: Pupils from the European School of Brussels - © International Polar Foundation
Journalists and other press members can get in touch with our press officer for pictures, interview requests or other material.
press@polarfoundation.org
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Home > News and Events > Orientation to Ontario program launches Bilingual Chatbot
ORIENTATION TO ONTARIO PROGRAM LAUNCHES BILINGUAL CHATBOT
COSTI is proud to announce the launch of the Orientation to Ontario (O2O) Bilingual Chatbot. Funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and the Province of Ontario, the chatbot is the newest addition to O2O’s client-centered user experience, where newcomers can access standardized information about settling in Ontario and connecting to community services as soon as they arrive, while accessing print and online resources, on-demand webinars and workshops, at any time.
Dr. Rupa Banerjee, together with post-doctoral fellow Leslie Nichols, received a grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research to develop a digital solution to address a pressing social need of a vulnerable population in the community. The digital solution prototype, a chatbot that would reach newcomers and provide settlement information in an accessible way through mobile devices, was presented to a panel of expert judges at the Hacking Health Conference in June 2017. The digital prototype received the “Most Scalable Idea” Award for its capacity to be widely applied across multiple platforms. A member of the expert judges, Cossette Health (an app development firm now known as Gene Global) expressed its interest in working on the initiative by offering its services and expertise pro bono.
“We are thrilled that COSTI’s Orientation to Ontario program was selected to partner on the development of the Chatbot,” says COSTI’s Executive Director, Mario J. Calla. “The program has a tradition of offering newcomers a variety of in-person and online tools and resources catering to the different learning styles of newcomers. The O2O Bilingual Chatbot is a complementary component to existing O2O resources and services available, allowing tech savvy newcomers to learn more about Ontario, and explore and receive answers to their settlement questions at any time.”
“Being a recent immigrant myself, I appreciate how the O2O Chatbot serves as a one-stop-shop for all settlement needs of newcomers. Its layout makes searching for information easy and pleasant,” comments Damira Karimova, a graduate of Seneca College’s Social Work program. “While studying at Seneca, I did my internship at COSTI’s O2O program. At that time, O2O was undertaking beta testing of the chatbot. I thought it was a great tool and suggested that we conduct one focus group at Seneca College. When presented with the chatbot by the O2O team, all the focus group participants loved it! This was pre-COVID. Now, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the chatbot has become even more important.”
Bonaventure Otshudi, Director of Newcomer Services at the Centre de santé communautaire Hamilton/Niagara, adds “the O2O Chatbot is a very useful tool that increases the accessibility of French-speaking newcomers to settlement information and resources in Ontario. We live in a digital world that depends on technology and our mobile devices. The chatbot will help newcomers access information at their fingertips. It is important to popularize the chatbot to make the Francophone community aware that such a resource exists at no cost."
The O2O Chatbot also connects users to local settlement service providers, 211 Ontario and settlement.org. If users require additional information not included in the pre-defined responses, the chatbot also includes an option to contact the O2O Program Team.
The O2O Chatbot can be accessed on COSTI's website and O2O's website http://settlement.org/o2o/ and is available at all times.
Cathy Woodbeck, Executive Director of the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association, an O2O service delivery partner, shares her views and comments on the benefits of the chatbot for newcomer clients. View Cathy Woodbeck’s comments here.
Learn more about how the chatbot works here.
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Observations in and Around the UN Broadband Commission
Towards gender equality
The 7th meeting of the UN Broadband Commission in Mexico City was again a good combination of announcements about new plans, results of previously undertaken activities, and views on the future of broadband. Very noticeable was the enthusiasm and acknowledgement of the impact of ICT, and of broadband in particular.
In September 2012 the Commission launched its working group on gender equality. Research undertaken by the various members of the workgroup provided somewhat similar results:
Globally there is a 21% gender gap in relation to access to mobile phones, although in South-East Asia this gap is 37%.
40% of women in developing economies find a job due to ownership of a mobile phone.
The global gap for internet access is 25%, while in the sub-Saharan countries this is 45%.
There are most likely thousands of gender equality pilots. Of these pilots, those that are now delivering results need to move on to the implementation stage.
Only 29% of the 119 national broadband plans around the world include policies for gender equality.
Empowering young people to adopt ICT will give them the ability to teach their parents, and the reverse of this will also apply.
A full half-day of the two-day meeting of the Commission was dedicated to gender equality in broadband. The following day the full Commission endorsed the goal set by the working group calling for global equality in broadband access by 2020. Women are key in household and community development, and gender equality will add between US$13 and US$18 billion to economic GDP (Intel. 2013).
7th Broadband Commission for Digital Development Meeting – Mexico City, Mexico, 16-17 March 2013.
Photo: ITU (Click to Enlarge)The Commission also specifically mentioned that gender equality should not be, or become, a separate single issue. It is not another 'ism'. It should automatically be included in all aspects of ICT, broadband and policies in general. At the moment, technology is not gender-neutral.
An unexpected good news story came from Iraq. In 2011 only 20% of women in that country had access to a mobile phone. Thanks to a new mobile package specifically designed for women by mobile operator Asiacell (part of the Qtel Group) 40% of Asiacell's subscriber base are now women, and an additional 1.8 million of them will have access to a mobile phone by the end of 2014. The package specifically addresses the cultural aspects of womanhood in an Arab country — for example, female sales assistants, access to an all-female call centre, blocking of calls and SMS from certain people — and the way women use mobile — e.g., reduced tariffs for longer calls. It is to be hoped that the ideas and success of this initiative will spread.
The issue of violence against women was highlighted. Worldwide there are most likely hundreds of millions of women who suffer abuse, and this was highlighted with shocking examples from the Syrian refugee camps in Jordan, where girls as young as 12 years will be forced to sell themselves in order to survive. Radio and TV programs are used by the Jordanian government to try and empower these girls, but ICT, and mobile phones in particular, can be used to break through this cycle of abuse.
One million ICT-empowered community workers
In January 2013 the One Million Community Workers program, aimed at providing one million smartphones to community workers — predominantly in the sub-Saharan countries, which has the largest group of least developed countries in the world — was officially launched and adopted by the African Union. Nine countries have already signed up to the program, with another six in the pipeline and more to follow. Both the smartphone vendor community and the mobile operators — MTN in particular — have given their support to this program. This is critical as rural mobile coverage will have to be extended in these countries and low-cost smartphones need to be made available (Huawei announced that by the end of the year there will be a US$50 smartphone).
In relation to healthcare, the UN Foundation (UNF) mentioned that there is huge shift in providing healthcare rather than bringing people to it. Through m-health, healthcare will increasingly be delivered to the people. The UNF recently also launched a report on standards and interoperability in e-health.
New projects of the Commission
New projects that received support from the Commission included:
A commitment to promote digital accessibility for the one billion people with disabilities worldwide, similar to the gender equality goal stimulating the development of policies that will lead to equality in relation to ICT access. Between 30%-50% of people with disabilities do not have access to the internet. In all developing economies, people with disabilities, together with older-aged people, form by far the largest unconnected segment.
Youssou N'Dour – New AfricaCommissioner Youssou N'Dour, the famous African musician and Minister of Tourism of Senegal, received support for his project 'New Africa 2014'. I would like to recommend this very moving video clip to you. His aim is to encourage the use of ICT and broadband by the youth of Africa, through his music. Several Commissioners will attend and speak at his concert in Dakar, Nigeria.
The Commission also launched a new Task Force on the post-2015 development agenda and the future Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — or as some prefer to call them Continuous Development Goals. The initiative aims to leverage the huge installed base of mobile handsets to bring new services to communities globally, particularly in the world's poorest countries. ITU's m-Powering Initiative, seeks to act as a catalyst to achieve sustainability, harnessing the power of state-of-the-art ICTs and smart solutions to meet new Sustainable Development Goals.
The Commission's working group on Youth will lead a Global Youth Summit on technology issues, to be held in Costa Rica in November at the invitation of President Laura Chinchilla. Interesting research presented at the meeting by Alcatel-Lucent indicated that in countries with high youth unemployment (Spain, Bangladesh, India, Ghana) 30% of young people indicated a willingness to become an entrepreneur by using their mobile phone and ICT skills.
As young people are quickly becoming tech-savvy it is critical to launch 'train-the-trainer' projects — train community workers, etc. The recently announced educational reforms in Mexico are a good example of a positive direction, as they include a much larger role for ICT in education.
The future of broadband
Last but not least, the future…
While promoting the development of national broadband access and affordability policies continues to be the key goal for the Commission, the focus is starting to shift towards 'broadband as a catalyst for social and economic transformation'. According to Ericsson, 6.5 billion people will be connected to the internet by 2018, and by that time 95% of the global population will have access to mobile technology, with the majority having access to a smartphone.
Several Commissioners were very pleased that access is well and truly underway in many developing countries, and noted that policy development now needs to encompass the demand side (services and applications). While progress has been made in bridging the digital divide, there is now a growing policy gap. This exists particularly in relation to government policies towards the development of e-health, e-education, e-government and e-commerce. There is increased awareness among governments and politicians that their citizens have a right to information, but the problem is that most of that information is not yet available. There is an urgent need to ensure that the supply side in relation to the broadband revolution is addressed as well.
This was demonstrated by an example from India, where the government is presented with one million questions per day. A reply often takes 90 days or more, and, depending upon who answers it, the same question can supply different answers. Imagine the costs that can be taken out of the economy if e-government was widely available.
To illustrate the transformative impact of broadband, Ericsson reports that villages in the Amazon that have a mobile base station saw their GDP increase by 300%. This is done through a completely private project known as Amazon Connect.
On the other hand, the American government has calculated that not being connected to the internet creates an extra cost to the economy of $70,000 per year per family. Internet access allows families and the government to remove costs from their social and economic expenditure.
Another interesting observation is that there has been much faster growth in technology than there has been in the generation of government policies. Governments need to be made aware of the rapidly increasing gap between technology and policy. While this is an international problem — western governments are also struggling with such policies — the gap is growing most quickly in the least developed economies, and the Commission is committed to placing its full network of Commissioners behind the notion of assisting these countries in policy development. The key here is to lower the costs and give these countries complete solutions.
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ICANN, WSIS and the Making of a Global Civil Society - Part I
By Geert Lovink
This is the first part of a two-part series interview by Geert Lovink with Milton Mueller discussing ICANN, World Summit on the Information Society, and the escalating debates over Internet Governance. Read the second part of this Interview here.
In 2002 MIT Press published Milton Mueller's Ruling the Root, one of the first detailed investigations into the Internet domain name policies. In it Mueller describes the history of the Internet address and name space and the root zone file and root name servers, without which the Internet would not be able to function. Ever since the birth of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) in 1998, the private company that oversees 'name space', issues are becoming less technical and more political. Governments seek more influence in a world that is traditionally run by a select group of engineers and corporate managers. Milton Mueller is professor at the School of Information Studies, Syracuse University (NY) and director of the Convergence Center. He has widely published about regulatory issues in the global telecommunications industry. Milton Mueller is also editor and regular contributor to the ICANNwatch website.
GL: In Ruling the Root you mention the Internet's technical cadre's 'allergy to democratic methods and public accountability.' You mention that Internet pioneers, such as Jon Postel, refused to run for office in any electoral system. Those who ran the Internet in the early days were supposed to be selected with the consensus of the 'community'. Would you say that this mentality, being a mixture of male engineering and hippie culture, is lying at the heart of the ICANN controversies? Would a cultural genealogy help us to understand the current situation?
MM: The "community consensus" idea of the early days of the Internet (1986 - 1996) was indeed part of a specific culture that developed among the (mostly male) engineers. Like all social groupings, that culture developed its own pecking order and ruling elite, but it also had communitarian, democratic and liberal elements. Democratic in the sense in which the Magna Carta was democratic - peers demanding that their prerogatives not be impinged on by the King. Liberal in that they supported open systems and resisted the state. Communitarian in that there was a strong sense of collective identity and responsibility and because one of the key issues for them was whether you were inside or outside their community. Among these types of homogeneous cultures with shared norms, you can develop a rough community consensus.
You do need to understand this culture and history if you want to delve deeply into the politics of DNS and the Internet (not just ICANN). By that I mean if you want to engage in Internet politics at the level of meeting and persuading individual people, then you need to know who are the anointed elders of this culture and what kind of norms exist among this community. But I would not say that this culture is any longer at the HEART of the controversies. It was from 1995-97, but gTLD-MoU and the creation of ICANN was basically the process by which this community came to terms with other political, social and business interests. "Community consensus" after that became a ridiculous and hypocritical notion.
As the theorists of institutional development have demonstrated, the process of forging new institutions is all about fighting over distributional effects-who is favored and who is disadvantaged when rules are defined and governance structures are erected. Of course there could be no consensus at that point. For example, any policy or rule that was favored by Network Solutions could not be agreed by the IAB-IETF elders, and any policy or rule favored by the trademark interests could not be agreed by the civil libertarians. So the invocation of this notion after 1998 shows that either the person is ignorant of what is going on or was trying to appropriate the legitimacy and the norms of the engineering community in a fundamentally dishonest way.
GL: Would it make sense to analyse ICANN (and its predecessors) as a test model for some sort of secretive 'world government' that is run by self appointed experts? Could you explain why governments are seen as incapable of running the Internet? This all comes close to a conspiracy theory. I am not at all a fan of such reductionist easy-to-understand explanations. However, the discontent with 'global governance' discourse is widespread and it seems that the International Relations experts have little understanding how the Internet is actually run. Where do you think theorization of Internet governance should start?
MM: ICANN is a test model for a global governance structure based on contract rather than territorial jurisdiction. That is an experiment worth having. The problem with ICANN is not that it is secretive. It is far less so than most international intergovernmental organizations. ICANN is in fact very political. It poses governance problems of the first order and directly involves states. It legislates rights, regulates an industry, allocates resources, and is trying to set de jure standards. So there must be political accountability. That means membership, elections, or something.
As for the "governments are incapable of running the Internet" part, the consensus is widespread because of direct experience and deeply engrained memories. Start with the OSI vs. TCP/IP controversy of the 1980s. Then move to Yahoo vs. France, which regardless of which side you take indicates a jurisdictional problem that must, if taken to its logical conclusion, point either toward globalism or toward re-engineering the Internet to conform to territorial jurisdictions.
Now move to the present, as governments start to get aware of ICANN and more involved in it, what do they do? What is the first thing they ask for? Is it defending consumer rights, end user civil liberties? Better representation for the public? No. All they are asking for is their own pound of flesh. Governments want special rights to country names in new TLDs. Intergovernmental organizations want special protection of their acronyms in the name space. Government law enforcement agencies want untrammelled access to user data via Whois. In WSIS, they ask for making ICANN into an intergovernmental organization, so that states can control it, and presumably kick civil society out of all serious deliberations, as they do in WSIS.
This behavior is not an accident or an aberration. Governments participate in Internet governance to further their own power and pursue their own organizational aggrandizement. The emergence of countervailing power centers such as the tech community and ICANN is a good thing.
You'd be surprised at how much of the world is run by small interlocking communities of experts, and naive leftists would no doubt be thoroughly surprised at how poorly the world would work if that were not the case. For example, think of the importance of WiFi standards-those are set by IEEE committees which are non-political and self-governing. Or think of how self-governing the academic community is or wants to be. Usually these kinds of systems work well and stay in the background until their operations create some kind of political problem demanding a more public resolution. This can happen in two ways: a public disaster which causes people to point fingers at responsible parties, or some kind of property rights conflict, which requires public and institutional solutions.
The real issue here is raised by your statement that "International Relations experts have little understanding how the Internet is actually run." True. The intimate relationship between technical knowledge and governance structures that Lawrence Lessig wrote about creates a space where technical experts assume political power, or policy requires deep knowledge of the technical system. Theorization should start by investigating the way complex, distributed technical systems respond to shape international rules and norms, and vice versa.
GL: In 2000 ICANN organized so-called Membership at Large elections to have members of the Internet community on its board. Soon after they were cancelled. How do you look back at this experiment?
MM: I do not consider it a failure. It was an experiment that succeeded. It clearly revealed the preferences of the wider public following Internet governance, and for that reason, it was killed. Everyone involved in ICANN up to that point knew how artificial the representational structure it created was, and how that structure distributed power to a very small, unrepresentative, insulated group. We knew all along-in every forum, from IFWP to the DNSO to the Board selections-that ICANN was under the control of a small, self-selected clique dominated by Joe Sims. It was stunningly obvious to me, at least, that if there ever was a fair and open election conducted among the people involved that this clique would receive an overwhelmingly negative vote.
So the ruling party lost the election. That was perceived as a problem by ICANN management, and the solution was to eliminate elections. The fact that so many have accepted the ex post construction of this, that the election was a "failure," shows how effective they have been in papering over the message that was sent. I recognize that when some people refer to the "failure" of the elections they are referring to mechanical problems, or more subtly and significantly, to the incursion of nationalistic competition that occurred in Europe and Asia. But again, I would argue that these phenomena were signs of success, not failure.
The mechanical problems occurred because more people registered to vote than ICANN was prepared for. The level of participation surprised even me. Think about the implications of that — a global electorate. Of course, election opponents could have claimed — more reasonably — that a small turnout was a symptom of failure too. If you look at the regional results for Africa, where something like 35 people appointed an ICANN Board member, you get a sense of what a failed election might have looked like.
The election also revealed some issues regarding mass voter registration in China and Japan. But it was unclear whether this was due to attempted manipulation or to language problems, which required Asian voters to go to English-language web sites to be enfranchised. Either way, the mechanical and verification issues could be solved. At what price? That was the only real criticism that was ever made of elections. Could ICANN afford to do them? One could debate cost-benefit here, but that was not the debate we had.
As for nationalistic competition (e.g., ICANN membership races between Germany and France, or between China and Japan) here again the election simply revealed in a realistic way the ways in which voters define their preferences. In many parts of the world people still define their identity in national terms and would prefer a candidate from their "own" country. The same was true of any democratic experiment — in U.S. Presidential elections, people are more likely to favor candidates from their own state. So what? One of the most intelligent things that Esther Dyson ever said about ICANN was her comment that the only solution to this was the development of the Internet-governance equivalent of political parties. This would have to occur over the long term, obviously.
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Dedicated to Clients
CCMET GroupBy Robert Hoshowsky
Canadian Construction Materials Engineering & Testing is a company that specializes in services ranging from materials inspection and testing, to concrete restoration, environmental consulting, quality management, materials engineering consulting, geotechnical engineering and geoscience consulting.
The company was created in 1987 and renamed The CCMET Group of Companies in 2016 to represent its increased services better. It has received numerous awards as one of the top companies in British Columbia, and much of its business comes from long-time repeat customers sharing their positive experiences with others.
“Most people who are looking for a testing company when they are starting new construction know the name Metro Testing Laboratories and CCMET and what we have to offer them,” says company President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Gilbert, “so a lot of it is brand recognition and word-of-mouth in the industry.”
CCMET (formerly known as the Metro Group) works with developers, contractors, and owners of construction sites, roadwork and civil projects, including Municipalities, the Ministry of Transportation and British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. It performs work on structures like buildings and docks requiring repair. Services include but are not limited to field testings of concrete, asphalt and soils and other specialized services. CCMET has fourteen divisions at thirteen locations that cover Western Canada from Vancouver Island and Victoria to Campbell River, Fort St. John, Edmonton and Calgary.
Gilbert became President and CEO of the privately-owned Canadian company – which still has many employees as shareholders – last August, taking over from founder Harry Watson, an entrepreneur experienced and internationally recognised in this field. Gilbert has dedicated much of his career to large analytical laboratories working primarily on the environmental testing side and now continues to lead a team of about 250 that swells to approximately 300 during the busy season.
CCMET’s main expertise centers on materials testing, but Gilbert says the business is about much more than producing numbers and conducting field tests and includes many materials engineering services, such as the ability to troubleshoot and fix problems.
“We have a lot of very specialized expertise where we can cover the construction business almost from the first shovel going into the ground to the last pour at the construction site,” he says. CCMET is skilled in environmental consulting, geotechnical engineering and a great deal of restoration work and repairs on older concrete structures via its own construction restoration group. “Those are just some of the areas of expertise that differentiate us.” CCMET’s focus on standardizing its offerings makes it able to ensure that all clients receive a consistent approach to innovative solutions.
Canadian Construction Materials Engineering and Testing Inc. acquired Kamloops-based KamTech Consulting in March of this year to expand its services and coverage further. The acquisition of eight-year-old KamTech, when added to CCMET’s divisions in Kamloops and the Shuswap Testing and Engineering division in Salmon Arm means the company will be able to serve clients throughout B.C.’s south-central interior.
“Both companies take great pride in their technical abilities and their commitment to excellent customer service,” Gilbert said in a media release at the time. “It’s a great combination, and we are delighted to be able to give our joint customers, both public and private, an even wider range of services.”
Like CCMET, KamTech was founded to offer services such as quality control management and materials testing for the concrete industry, road construction and civil engineering clients in the B.C. interior, and as KamTech’s services already included materials testing and developing asphalt and concrete mix designs, the acquisition made sense.
The acquisition, maintaining all the KamTech staff, will allow CCMET to expand its Western Canada operations, particularly in British Columbia and, specifically, Kamloops. “Now that we have this secured, we feel that we can cover the majority of the province the best we can,” says Gilbert.
From its diverse range of services to safety, there are many reasons why clients choose CCMET over the competition. Its materials testing laboratories are certified by the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL), and CCMET has more CCIL-certified technicians than anybody else in the industry within Western Canada. It is dedicated to regularly updating its laboratory procedures and requirements, calibrating equipment and ensuring all testing procedures are in accordance with recognized specifications.
“One thing that does separate us from our competitors is the size of our offerings and what we are able to do in the field, especially in the lower mainland area from Squamish to Abbotsford, where we may have anywhere from fifty to seventy field technicians covering this area,” says Gilbert, “so we are certainly the biggest by far on the field testing side of things.”
CCMET’s trained technicians test materials such as concrete, asphalt and soils, and the company’s sheer size enables it to send out crews and respond quickly, through its dispatch system deploying its fleet strategically by finding the nearest available truck in the area.
“One of the big things that separate us is our abilities as a one-stop-shop,” comments Gilbert, “along with our staff experience, many years in business and our reliability. Industry knows they can rely on us; we never turn away work, and we do our very best to accommodate our customers.”
Canadian Construction Materials Engineering & Testing employees often work under harsh conditions, and never take safety for granted. A Certificate of Recognition (COR) playing a critical role in workplace safety and, in B.C., CCMET Group Inc. and all of its Division Subsidiaries have achieved the COR Certification with WorkSafeBC and BCCSA; in Alberta, both Calgary and Edmonton have begun their evaluation process of achieving SeCOR. CCMET plans safety on sites prior to project commencement. This includes field level risk assessment (FLRA) on every work site by its own safety and innovation team.
The company has taken safety a step further with the development of a smartphone app, which allows users to input and submit FLRA’s easily. This provides a consolidated location “where employees can quickly and easily complete and submit their reports” with just a touch of a button, in real time. Workers can review the status of their FLRA and determine if any areas are still under review by safety officers, resulting in the highest degree of on-site safety possible.
The team at Canadian Construction Materials Engineering & Testing is proud of its thirty-one-year-long history and looks forward to taking on projects from repeat and new clients alike.
“We are really trying to look towards the future and try to understand the needs of our customers the best we can,” says Gilbert. “That means a lot of innovation in the way we deliver our results and how we interact in the field. We work a lot on creating innovative apps that are able to immediately deliver results in the field. So we are looking for very innovative solutions for the businesses that we serve and giving expert advice and great customer service.”
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UNESCO » Culture » World Heritage Centre » About World Heritage » Funding » International Assistance
Advanced Manage
Europe and North America
Amount Approved
Funded by Committee Italy (2008-2019) India (2011-2019) Partnerships (2013-2018) Finland (2013-2019) Rep. of Korea (2013-2019) Philippines (2015-2019) Turkey (2015-2019) Czech Rep. (2004-2005) Germany (2017-2017)
No Funding
Result Publish
Amount Requested
Decision Dates
Year of creation 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978
Year of submission 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978
Year of Decision 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978
Year Terminated 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978
Budget Year 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978
Revision of the Tentative List
Creation of the Tentative List
Preparation of Nomination
Prep. of Technical cooperation request
Not approved
Reapprovals
Original approvals
Final Reapprovals
Finals and originals
Type & Category
Consolidation and restoration of the Cathedral of Arequipa
State Party
Approved amount
Properties: Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
Decision: Approved
Decision by: Bureau
Approved amount: 75,000 USD
Decision Date: 30-Jun-2001
Committee Decisions
Decision 25BUR VII37 (2001)
See more about Decision 25BUR VII37
(iv) Emergency Assistance
Peru - "Consolidation and restoration of the Cathedral of Arequipa"
VII.37 The Bureau approved this request for an amount of US$ 75,000, and requested the Secretariat that the assistance be implemented through the UNESCO Representative in Lima who should be requested to release funds on the basis of detailed budget and work-plans and who should carefully monitor and report on the execution of the works.
Amount Requested: 0 USD
Type of Assistance: Cultural / Emergency
Previous Id: 2001-577
World Bank: LMC
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Honorable Greed
The disintegrating relationship between ethics and business
Corporate Ethics: The barrel is rotten not the apples
Unethical corporate behavior does not begin and end at the executive level. All employees of businesses are capable of making unethical business choices. Most recently, studies have been conducted to examine how this behavior can be eradicated from the cor porate structure. This week, I entered the blogosphere once again and found two blogs that discuss current dilemmas concerning the integration of ethics into corporations. In the blog "Governance Focus," author Onesimo Alvarez-Moro, a 20-year veteran of international investment banking, stresses the need for universities to incorporate ethics training not only as an introduction course in his post "Teaching Business Ethics: A critical need." The second blog I commented on is by Leon Gettier, a senior journalist at the Australian business journal The Age. His blog, "SOX First" focuses on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its integration into businesses. More specifically in his post, "Ethics Watch," Gettier comments on the great corporate illusion of ethical codes.
Thank you for bringing this issue to light. Teaching "ethics and responsible behavior" is crucial to equipping students as they graduate and move into the business world. However, I believe ethics is more than just a class or a curriculum. Ethics is a habit and a way of life. Most people are able to recognize what is right and wrong in life. Yet making ethical decisions is often complicated when employees are challenged with pressure from executives, confronted with added monetary bonuses for covering up issues, or burdened with peer pressure. The Institute for Corporate Ethics, comprised of CEO's fro m top Fortune 500 companies, has generated a report, urging university business schools to develop ethical leadership classes and divisions, emphasizing ethics as a core discipline of business. "The best metric for assessing the worth of business schools is whether or not we are preparing emerging leaders to be good creators and stewards of value." The University of Southern California is at the forefront of student awareness on ethical education. The performing arts center adapted a new play "The Voysey Inheritance," a retelling of Victorian business ethics that "rings with echoes of modern-day corporate excess." Let's hope other universities can follow this trend and maybe take it to the classsroom soon.
First of all, I want to applaud your blog and your most recent post. I would like to expand on some of the issues you address concerning enforcement of codes of ethics. The CFO's Europe Research study that you name says that because America has criminal penalties involved with unethical practices, "American companies seem to have in place more ethical laws." However, ethical laws are not the issue. The federal government has the Sarbanes-Oxley, Whistle blowing acts, the Ethics Commissions, and the FBI. CFO's "are the keepers of the corporate conscience," however ethics need to come from the ground up in an organization. Enron, WorldCom-they have the codes merely to serve as smoke and mirrors. What corporate America needs is a movement for restructuring the business pyramid, starting with educating employees on the importance of ethics from the onset of employment. BusinessWeek columnist Vivek Wadhwa argues "'company leaders' reinforce corporate values by making these an integral part of how success is measured and rewarded. Performance reviews and bonuses tied to corporate goals can be very effective." The issue does lie in the barrel, not the apples. Corporations need reform from the ground up.
Posted by KGP at 8:00 PM 2 comments:
Labels: corporations, Enron, ethics
October: A Month to Think Before you Pink
As the month of October comes to an end, the leaves change color, children go out and buy fun Halloween costumes, and the holiday spirit begins to pervade the air. It is a month to celebrate life and also Breast Cancer Awareness. The Pink Ribbon campaign has invaded consumer culture. People buy these goods because they think that they are benefiting breast cancer research, and thus they want to do their part to help. What many people do not realize is that commercial support of Breast Cancer Awareness month and the pink ribbon are tactics that businesses construct to rally consumers around illness marking.
The pink ribbon began as the breast cancer symbol in 1990, inspired by AIDS activists who used to wear red ribbons. After a photograph was taken of an actor sporting the red ribbon at the Tony Awards, breast cancer foundations realized the marketing tool they had on their hands. In 1991, breast cancer survivors wore the pink ribbon in the New York City race, and since then the symbol has ignited national recognition.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month was actually started by AstraZeneca, "a pharmaceutical company that also manufactures an herbicide known to cause cancer. In 2003, the company settled for $355 million after illegally marketing a prostate cancer drug. The non-profit company Breast Cancer Action has labeled AstraZeneca and other companies like them "pinkwashers."
While all the publicity surrounding the Pink Ribbon campaign has undoubtedly raised awareness, it has also raised concern among women. And consequently with this concern, women are fearful that they may contract cancer or someone they love might. They want to do whatever they can to help the fight. However, corporations actually raise very little money for breast cancer foundations compared to the large-scale funding necessary for their research. What is even more important is that the companies who do support the Pink Ribbon Campaign are companies whose products may contain cancer-causing materials or may have a cancerous side effect in the future.
This month, Yoplait distributes their pink yogurt products tagged with the slogan, "Save Lids to Save Lives." For each pink lid mailed to the company, Yoplait donates ten cents to Susan Komen for the Cure. That would mean that a woman would have to consume 3 yogurts per day to donate $36 dollars for the month. Yoplait's cows are also treated with rBGH, which from recent studies has been linked to increasing the risk of breast cancer. "These pink ribbon campaigns often mean more to the corporate bottom line then they do to people living with breast cancer," said Barbara Brenner of Breast Cancer Action.
Several beauty companies have also created pink products. This month, Esteé Lauder is donating $500,000 from its Pink Ribbon Collection sales to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, yet its products still contain the chemical parabens, which has been linked to breast cancer. Revlon is also sponsored a breast cancer walk while its products contain cancer-causing chemicals. Karen Grant, a senior beauty analyst from NPD group asks, "Really and truly , is it really heightening awareness? Or is it just companies using this as a vehicle to promote their own sales?"
In one of my previous posts, I talked about "greenwashing." That phenomenon is not much different than "pinkwashing." Global warming and breast cancer are two topics of great concern among people today, and companies can play off of people's fears in order to sell products. People need to recognize what is happening around them instead of falling into to a popular culture trap. Critics of the movement for breast cancer research are asking whether money should be going towards finding a cure or eradicating the disease. The FDA and drug companies are focused on finding the right drug to cure the disease instead of stopping it in general. The FDA approves new drugs frequently. They pave the way for drug companies to make more money when really the FDA should focus more efforts on ending the disease. When it comes to preventing cancer, the cancer industry remains silent on prevention solutions. "All they have to do is keep their mouths shut about what causes cancer, and wait for new customers to fill the cancer centers."
At the close of the largest annual medical awareness campaign month, it is a time for us to stop, pause, and think about the ramifications and true intentions behind this and other awareness events. Breast cancer is the poster child disease for illness marketing. It does not kill as many women as lung or heart disease, but it directly affects the most visible symbol of our female sexuality. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is an organization who just began a study to find the causes of breast cancer, but it is estimated to take ten years. We cannot stop breast cancer by shopping and eating. More funding needs to be awarded to eradicate breast cancer, not further drug company profits.
Labels: breast cancer, Greenwashing, pinkwashing
Whistleblowing: Hollywood takes a stand
A few days ago, I went to see George Clooney's newest thriller, Michael Clayton. To my surprise, Clooney produces a compelling and provoking film that demonstrates how different businesspeople handle the weight of ethics in their demanding corporate lives. Michael Clayton speaks not only to ethical dilemmas present for corporate employees, but also brings to light the current context on the pressing issue of whistleblowing.
The title character Michael Clayton (Clooney pictured left) is a burned-out and divorced father who works as a "janitor" for one of the most powerful Manhattan law firms. Clayton is called in to clean up the complex mess that ensues after one of the firm's top attorneys (Tom Wilkinson) has had a psychotic meltdown in the midst of a deposition for chemical giant U-North. In the process of trying to keep Edens away from the media, Clayton finds evidence that U-North may have knowingly and recklessly endangered the health of an entire Wisconsin community. This both pushes him toward a moral crisis and puts his law firm in danger of losing the biggest case of its life.
Clooney's character is paralleled by U-North's general counsel, Tilda Swinton. While both lawyers are on the same team, they choose different ethical paths to follow. Swinton's primary goal is to keep people from discovering U-North's corporate conspiracy. Clayton instead has to make the choice between outing U-North and remaining quiet so that his law firm can win the case. Harvard Law's The Record says the film "asks its audience to consider some difficult moral problems, but it does so in an unassuming way that leaves its audience satisfied in questioning the motivations and actions of these lawyers at the end." While Clayton blows the whistle on U-North at the end, it leaves one wondering if people actually find the courage to do so in corporate reality.
The term "whistleblower" originated hundreds of years ago and continues to be prevalent today. In early 2007, the Supreme Court ruled that government employees did not have protection from retaliation by their employers under the First Amendment of the Constitution. In response however, Congress introduced the Whistleblower Protection Act of 2007 (sarcastic advertisement to the right), which had significant bipartisan support. However, President Bush promised to veto the bill if it was actually enacted by Congress. The bill is still on hold today. Without protection from their employers, employees who out their companies will not feel safe to do so and therefore more corporate fraud and corruption will continue to infest the economy.
Previous legislation has given too many loopholes to corporations. After the end of the 90s and early 2000s with Enron and WorldCom, Congress passed the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which largely failed due to the Department of Labor regulations and various judges' interpretations. Rulings on the SOX act have been so varied that private employees "who expose wrongdoing are likely to suffer punishment and get the cold shoulder from the federal government." University of Nebraska College of Law found that employees win only 1 in 25 cases brought under the SOX Act.
After an employee discovers and reports an ethical dilemma in the company, what happens to their job? Hopefully, legislation like the Whistleblower Protection Act will pass but in the mean time, where do employees turn? A few days ago, the famed "Walmart Whistleblower" Chalace Lowry was given a job back within Walmart after she reported what she thought was insider training by a senior executive. Walmart gave her 60-90 days to find another job. However, Lowry reapplied to over 30 positions within Walmart, the very corporation she reported. "I acted in good faith, just pointing out that there might have been some wrongdoing," said Lowry in June. Lowry is now assisting a legal team, ironically led by the woman tasked at Enron with reassigning their whistleblower, Sherron Watkins, to a new position.
In an MSNBC article, "Whistleblowers who made their mark," government affiliated agencies are the most reported organizations, highlighted in the last several days with the CIA. They are investigating one of their own employees, who has been reporting negatively on the C.I.A.'s detention and interrogation programs. These people who speak out most of the time in a negative light on the corporation, like the CIA agent, cannot fade away into the media landscape. Citizens who have the courage to stand up and speak out need to be protected, so that there can be some system of controlling money mongers without consciences.
Labels: Bush, CIA, government
Chevron: Welcome to the American Greenwash
A two-minute television commercial debuted during CBS primetime's 60 Minutes last week, including shots of blue skies, loving families, cuddly animals, and amputees running sprints. No it is not an advertisement promoting non-profit donation or Pacific Life insurance. This $15 billion advertisement is the firepower of Chevron Oil for their "Power of Human Energy" campaign. The campaign began last Sunday in an effort to show the oil giant's dedication and recognition of the need to investigate future energy supplies. The mogul's campaign, which argues "humanity needs alternative energy sources, but it still needs fossil fuel," is being lambasted throughout the media for its hypocritical smoke screen. Shot in twenty-two locations in thirteen countries, the ads include actors as well as Chevron workers.
The "Power of Human Energy" campaign is an ambitious public relations move for the oil giant to recast itself as an environmentally responsible citizen. Although it touches on a topic the oil industry once hated to discuss, the ads never use the terms global warming or climate change. The more attention the public pays to alternative energy and the environment, the more important it becomes for oil companies to be seen taking an active role in the debate. Chevron's commercial plays off public emotion and tries to tug at viewer's heartstrings. Environmental groups, like the Sierra Club, have pinpointed Chevron's advertising techniques and called them "greenwashing," a term describing "actions of a company, government, or other organization which advertises positive environmental practices while acting in the opposite way." Recently many corporations producing harmful products have used advertisements to try and reshape their reputation. BP coined "beyond petroleum", Royal Dutch Shell attached a caring DVD to National Geographic magazines, and even President Bush's "Clear Skies Initiative" is arguably making way for a more polluted sky. These corporations with busting bank accounts can pay their way through any public relations campaign to try and twist their image in the eyes of American consumers.
The problem is that Chevron's poor corporate citizen stretches worldwide, not to just American consumers. Last Tuesday, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled th at Chevron should be held responsible for Nigerian military attacks in the late nineties. International military entanglements do not end there. Due to a grandfather clause exempting Chevron from Clinton's legislation in 1997 stopping investments in Burma, the oil mogul's natural gas operations have continued to bring upwards of $2.16 billion in taxes to the military government the last few years. By doing so, they are supporting the human rights violations of the Texas-sized nation in the last few weeks and its military buildup of the last few years. The current government in Burma freely murders pro-Democracy protestors and Chevron should stand up for the political ideology that allowed it to become a multi-national corporation based in the United States.
It is no mystery that Chevron, like other oil companies, is trying to stay afloat in the changing eco-friendly "green" world. Clearly companies such as Chevron, BP, and Royal Dutch Oil are creating these emotionally-charged green campaigns to do what they can given their harmful industries. Chevron is arguing that the economy needs oil but perhaps there are other sources of energy that are not being explored. For instance, a proactive website "Will you Join Us," funded by Chevron, focuses on different forms of energy like renewables, nuclear power, and hydrogen. Yet Chevron needs to stretch itself farther than creating a website dedicated to energy reforms. They need to pressure the Burmese government to change their oppressive regime. Clearly Chevron is only willing to go so far and when profits could be damaged, human rights may be the opportunity cost.
Oil is not the only industry that faces this issue. The tobacco industry is notorious for funding initiatives and research to prevent smoking. The irony is almost too much to handle, but in today's world, everyone is generally more conscious of the environment and health so companies have to respond to that. Philip Morris USA's new campaign has been a multi-million dollar investment in Potentially Reduced Exposure Products (PREPS), a supposedly less carcinogenic cigarette. While global issues are of the utmost concern, companies like Philip Morris and Chevron can inch their way into the limelight to downplay their products' role in the global problems and instead promote a "globally conscious initiatives." Clearly, the environmental campaigns from Chevron and Philip Morris have been called cynical. The issue again comes down to profit. When companies are responding to shareholders and looking out for personal gain, human greed takes the drivers seat and ethics rides in the trunk. So will the people watching this commercial respond favorably to the advertisement or will they write Chevron off as hypocritical? Chevron Brand Manager Helen Clark says that "it doesn't matter what we say-they're going to feel that way. But there is a large faction in the middle that is really open." With hybrid car sales rising, peaking at an average growth of 81% in 2004, hopefully people will not depend on oil as much in the future.
Labels: burma, Bush, Greenwashing
Bush Administration Outlines 2008 Budget: Paves the way for more White Collar Crime
The Bush administration ignited a bruising battle with Congress last week, demanding the mammoth sum of over 190 billion dollars to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While the Bush administration is clawing deeper into the government's pocket for the War on Terror, they are neglecting crucial programs at home. With the allotted 190 billion dollar budget, the FBI will lose critical funding for their criminal program, which Congress believes will cripple the bureau's ability to tackle white-collar fraud and other criminal injustices on the rise within the United States. White-collar crime has been on the rise in the last couple of years. Since September 11, many corporate criminals have escaped prosecutions because Bush has drastically shifted his funding programs towards increasing militarization and security as a result of the War on Terror. However, if he continues to do so as his 2008 budget outlines, corporations will take advantage of the loopholes.
President Bush has made, what esteemed blog "Comments from the Left Field" says is, a "wholesale shift" from domestic issues. The threat of terror abroad frightens the public, yet what they do not realize is that many corporations are stealing and defrauding them without their knowledge. White collar crime, defined as a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation, costs the United States government $300 billion dollars annually. Already, thousands of criminals have escaped the federal pros ecution since September 11. According to the justice department, there has been a 34% drop in white-collar crime cases reported to the federal government and a 30% decline in convictions. The Internet is a threatening gateway for white-collar criminals to exploit the public, having simple one-click access personal and financial information. Former FBI congressional liaison Charlie Mandigo believes that cutting agents will leave the door open for crime to become global and make it more difficult "to address interstate crime where local police do not have the capability, resources and jurisdiction."
Bush and convicted white-collar criminals are far too friendly, especially Enron. The White House and Enron have at times seemed interchangeable, both financially and politically. According to political author Sander Hicks, Vice President Cheney and Bush's campaign advisor Karl Rove previously consulted with Enron Chair Ken Lay on energy policy. Lay also gave suggestions to Rove on government nominations, creating a revolving door of personnel: five former Enron employees work in the White House and Cabinet. Enron donated almost "$2.4 million to federal candidates, and $2 million to Bush alone. They were in turn rewarded with legislation that allowed them to profit off the deregulation of state-run power industries," according to Hicks. Bush's tax cuts are designed to benefit his wealthy contributors, so that by 2010 the top 1 percent of Americans will have received 51.8 percent of the total tax cut and the bottom 20 percent will have received 1.2 percent. When money and politics meet, money prevails over ethics. Entanglements with white-collar crime do not begin and end with the Republican Party, however because Bush is in the executive chair right now, he has come under fire. Currently, the Democrats have united against Bush in Congress and are vehemently opposed to his tax cuts in many areas, FBI funding included.
Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., is leading the Congressional effort against the new budget. Democrats and many Republicans have asked Bush to reexamine his tax cut policy. Murray claims that if Bush is willing to take money from the FBI for programming, he should be willing to change his tax cut proportions and reallocate the money. She approached the FBI and also implored the President to increase funding. In 2005 Washington sent only 28 white-collar cases to the federal government, which was a 90% drop from the year before. Bush has already transferred 2,400 agents since 2001, and if Bush takes more agents to his counterterrorism squad, the impact will affect the American people nationwide. Murray, however, is treading lightly. There is a fear the Bush will exercise his veto power. Because legislative and executive branches are politically misaligned, there is a significant power struggle and fear of the other gaining more power. Peter L. Strauss, a professor at Columbia Law School, said the executive order "achieves a major increase in White House control over domestic government. Having lost control of Congress, the President is doing what he can to increase his control of the executive branch."
Throughout the upper half of the last century, corporations, led by the contagious disease of greed, have sought emphatically for loopholes to cheat the system. Author Terry Leap argues in his book Dishonest Dollars: The Dynamics of White Collar Crime that "greed is difficult to understand, attributable to compulsive behavior and psychological behavior that can distort a person." Allowing adequate funding for the enforcement policies of white-collar crime is necessary to further democracy at home, regardless of what is happening abroad.
Posted by KGP at 11:30 AM 3 comments:
Labels: Fraud, government, White Collar Crime
The American Government: A fair and just business
The Forefathers had the idea to create a fair and just government, reflecting the feelings and sentiments of the majority of the people. However, over time this ideal has become warped. Through profit motivation and greed innately present in human nature, the ideals of "fair and just" have not fully materialized. Recently, some actions of the government have reflected more like those of a business. This week I have entered the blogosphere to find some other relevant opinions on the ideas of g overnment and business. I commented on two blogs, which referred to different news topics but which I related to a broader common theme: the American government often operates as an unethical business. Both blogs received high authority ratings from Technorati and also follow the IMSA criteria evaluation standards for blogs. Author Edward Morrissey, a conservative Minnesota radio host of a respected talk show, writes a stimulating post titled "Celebrity endorsements, Political Contributions, and Hsu" on his blog Captain's Quarters. Through this post, Morrissey explores how Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (pictured above) used money from an unethical source in order to fund her political campaign. I also responded to a second post, titled "Feds Target Blackwater in Weapons Probe," from another conservative blog Texas Fred. I argue with this author in his post, where he comments on Blackwater USA (soldiers pictured with Blackwater weapons above), a United States military weapons contractor who is allegedly being investigated for illegally smuggling weapons into Iraq.
"Celebrity endorsements, Political Contributions, and Hsu"
Comment to Captain's Quarters:
Firstly, I find your post extremely thought provoking. Although you say that you believe Clinton must have known about Hsu's past, I believe that her knowledge of Hsu's illegal scam is practically irrelevant. Even if she did not know, it shows she did not care enough to deeply investigate Hsu, who was one of her biggest fundraising contributors. Her motivation was to get the money for her campaign; the work and time to look deeper into Hsu's background was clouded by the necessity to get campaign funding. I think it is really important to see that getting the people's votes in America has become a business, teeming with unethical interactions. Pretend for a moment that Hsu did not fraud $23 million from investors and did not have a shady past, Hsu was in charge of getting money for Clinton from investor groups for her campaign. For decades and possibly centuries, candidates have been garnering money from politically charged factions that later require some sort of favor. The accepted American system of electing members of government is not conducive to a just and fair way of governing.
As you stated, Hsu had celebrity endorsements: "Tobey Maguire got caught up in the spider web as well. Stephen Spielberg's close encounters with Hsu convinced investors that Hsu was on the level." These celebrities, who have general public support and are respected figures helped Hsu raise money. They too did not really have an idea who they were helping. However, when it comes to politics, it is obvious that getting elected has become a business. The candidate hires a "professional" like Hsu, they "find" money in order to make their product sell, even if the product could be our next just and honorable president.
"Feds Target Blackwater in Weapons Probe"
Comment to Texas Fred:
I agree with your support of the troops and your strong nationalism toward our government. However, I believe when profit is at stake, people will follow unethical and unjust means in order to accomplish their ends. That is why in this case, the United States Attorney General needs to conduct a deep probe into Blackwater USA. Looking at Blackwater's history, it does not provide a clean slate on which to evaluate them. I am looking at this situation from an business viewpoint, and when a contracted government company is perhaps violating ethical standards, a huge red flag needs to be waved. I am skeptical of Blackwater in general, who the Associated Press in an article titled "'Cowboy' Aggression Works for Blackwater" outlines its in depth involvement with the Republican party. The article says, and I believe you also say, that Blackwater has one task: to protect state department diplomats. As part of their contract, they do abide by this principle. However, does our country want such an organization that compromises ethical behavior in order to not only protect lives but also make money at doing so? Putting aside their recent media storm, at the beginning of last year, two former Blackwater employees pled guilty possessing stolen firearms. The firm is also entangled in GOP fundraising campaigns, giving more than $200, 000, which according to the AP article has allowed Blackwater to operate in a "murky legal world" during the Republican reign.
By using Blackwater, the government becomes twisted into their transactions. Hopefully this issue can be resolved as justly as possible, and the government will let the situation unfold and hold Blackwater accountable as the legal system outlines.
Posted by KGP at 5:34 PM 1 comment:
Labels: business, CIA, ethics, government
Job Outsourcing: Hindering the Growth of the American Economy
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration announced a plan to begin outsourcing more than 300 jobs overseas, alarming Congressmen and informed Americans. Michigan Congressmen John Dingell and Bart Stupak spearheaded the opposition immediately after the announcement was made. While some economists feel job outsourcing actually increases wealth in the United States, outsourcing (pictured here with Mattel's toy company) in fact is hindering economic growth and fostering unethical practices among corporations.
Economists who are proponents of outsourcing stipulate that outsourcing is another form of free trade. It gives American companies a cheaper alternative to production and therefore stimulates the production of goods flowing into the United States. However, what would happen when people cannot afford the goods flowing into the country? Many of the jobs that are taken overseas could have been given to blue-collar workers inside the United States. Outsourcing "refers to the delegation of non-core operations from internal production to an external entity to perform specific tasks that the entity once performed itself." Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan believes that while the economy can recover from losing jobs overseas, it is "not without a high degree of pain for those caught in the job-losing segment of America's massive job-turnover process."
In fact, an even more frightening trend has happened in the last several years. Companies are now outsourcing white-collar jobs, as seen with the FDA's recent media storm.
Keeping this in mind, I cannot imagine how the FDA would consider transferring crucial jobs that handle the American people's safety to other nations with far inferior regulations. According to the Congressmen, the FDA has lost credibility in the last several years, including the tainted spinach scare only a year ago. "It is truly incomprehensible why the agency would again consider reducing the expertise and institutional knowledge of the FDA at a time with the FDA's credibility with the American people is at an all time low," said in a statement from Dingell and Stupak.
The National Treasury Employees Union said that the FDA came to them with a list of jobs it would be outsourcing, most likely to India. These jobs included lab technicians who handle food safety regulations. After outcries from the NTEU, the FDA suspended the closures of 13 facilities.
I believe that the Congressmen's investigation into the FDA is an interesting campaign. Both Dingell and Stupak are from the state of Michigan, a dominantly blue-collar state. Their states' interests lay in protecting the American worker and thus began their whistle-blowing probe into the FDA's outsourcing plan. Boston-based consultancy Forrester estimates that 400,000 service jobs have been lost to outsourcing since 2000, with jobs leaving at a rate of 12,000 to 15,000 per month, says John McCarthy, the company's director of research. Other estimates say up to 20,000 jobs a month may be moving overseas.
When corporations are looking to please shareholders and to increase their profit margins on their books, a cheaper alternative is always the right alternative. Having this goal is not conducive to safe and healthy regulations, nor towards a more ethical America. If the American people are buying Barbie products, are they buying a doll certified through American safety regulations or Chinese safety regulations? Profit can motivate people to do almost anything. (Pictured here is a map of the countries with the most job outsourcing).
Now that the FDA has made indications of moving jobs to other countries, whether that be actual safety jobs as Dingell and Stupak claim or administrative jobs as the FDA is now claiming, union representatives from the AFL-CIO are fighting on Capital Hill to keep labor inside the United States. One would hope that there would be a code of ethics, in the sense of stronger morals and upholding the value of each person, that all businesses would follow, where CEO's protected the little guys, working the factories and making the products.
Imagine a sort of fraternal system within the corporation where people took care of each other and looked out for everyone's best interests. This model seems unrealistic and far too ideal. Yet, what corporate America faces now is a greedy world where there is only a number one. There is not an easy answer to the outsourcing problem. If one company were to decide to keep its jobs in America, then it would be losing a lot more money compared to its competitors. It is a vicious cycle of competition.
With outsourcing, it is clear that cheaper labor makes more products. But are they better products? The old adage of quality versus quantity holds true here. If corporations held each other to higher standards of ethics, where the interests of people gained more importance than profit, then maybe Mattel, the FDA, and other companies would not have these global scandals.
Labels: Dingell, Mattel, outsourcing, Stupak
I am a senior at USC. I am graduating like everyone else this year into a bleak and formidable reality. This is about me speaking out about our situation.
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The WSSU Master of Science in Nursing Program, which is fully accredited by The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), focuses on the preparation of Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP) and Advanced Nurse Educators (ANE). FNP graduates are prepared to provide comprehensive primary care to all patients, across a broad range of health care settings, especially underserved and disadvantaged patients, and those of diverse ethnicity. The ANE concentration is designed to prepare graduates to teach in undergraduate nursing programs, and to fulfill clinical education and staff development positions in hospitals and other health care organizations. Dedicated to the advancement of health and knowledge, both of these programs are built on a strong foundation of science, health policy, health promotion, methodology and research. Graduates achieve a personal and intellectual transformation, a global perspective, and a creative approach to meeting the changing needs of the community and society.
A newly developed post-bachelor’s certificate program equips Baccalaureate nurses for teaching positions in educational and service settings.
Provide primary health care including health promotion and disease prevention in order to improve health outcomes for patients and families in all economic levels.
Develop collaborative relationships with other health care providers to improve quality of care and access to health care for diverse and underserved populations.
Function as expert clinicians in managing both acute and chronic physical and/or mental illness in a variety of settings.
Utilize research findings, evidenced-based practice strategies, technology, and creativity to improve the delivery and outcomes of health care.
Use ethical principles, standards of safe advanced nursing practice, and caring relationships to promote health and/or dignified death.
Stimulate change within the profession and improve management of the health care delivery system by addressing legal and economic policies and the psychosocial, cultural, and environmental factors that affect health care.
Demonstrate role development and commitment in the selected advanced practice role.
Synthesize a wide range of theories from nursing and other related disciplines and apply to practice.
Family Nurse Practitioner Track (FNP)
Graduates of the Family Nurse Practitioner track will be able to demonstrate the following specific competencies:
Competence in the domain of management of patient/illness.
Competence in the domain of the nurse practitioner-patient relationship.
Competence in the domain of teaching-coaching function.
Competence in the domain of professional role.
Competence in the domain of managing and negotiating health care delivery.
Monitoring and ensuring the quality of Health Care Practice
Cultural competence and spirituality
Advanced Nurse Educator Track (ANE)
Graduates of the Advanced Nurse Educator Program will be able to meet the following Outcome-Learning objectives which are based on the NLN core competencies:
1) Facilitate learning, 2) Facilitate learner development and socialization 3) Use assessment and evaluation strategies, 4) Participate in curriculum design and evaluation of program outcome, 5) Function as a change agent and leader, 6) Pursue continuous quality improvement in the nurse educator role, 7) Engage in scholarship, 8) function within the educational environment.
Apply critical thinking when making effective decisions and solving problems creatively with students, colleagues, administrators, and members of the interdisciplinary team
Formulate learning objectives, learning strategies and activities in relationship to theories of teaching/learning.
Evaluate therapeutic nursing intervention of students to facilitate role development in the delivery of health care.
Collaborate and communicate effectively with students, colleagues, and administrators.
Integrate the role of scholarship, teaching, and service that foster improvement and innovation with health care nursing education environments.
Analyze economical, political, ethical, legal, and regulatory standards, which influence nursing and nursing education with the focus on the needs of rural, diverse, vulnerable, and aging populations.
Provide evidence-based teaching and practice the use of information technology.
Learn curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation.
MSN Program
Complete School of Graduate Studies and Research Application
Three letters of reference (forms provided in the Graduate Application)
Satisfactory GRE or MAT score
Brief professional resume
Official transcripts from all previous academic work
Copy of North Carolina or Compact State Nursing License
A baccalaureate degree with an upper division in nursing from a program accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body
A grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 or greater
Undergraduate courses in statistics, research, and health assessment with a grade of C or higher. The health assessment course must have been completed within the last 5 years of the program start date.
One year full-time clinical nursing experience
The requirement for at least one year of clinical experience as a registered nurse will be waived for graduates of the WSSU Honor’s Program.
International applicates must submit an official TOEFL score report with a minumum score of 550 for the paper-based test or 231 for the computer-based test. Transcripts from outside the United States must be evaluated by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc (ECE).
Provisional admission may be granted to applicants with an overall GPA of 2.7 or better. Students with provisional admission must earn a grade of “B” or better in the first nine (9) hours of course work and may take no more than six (6) credit hours per semester for the first nine (9) hours of course work.
Applicants to the Nursing program must submit completed applications by July 15th for fall admission. Applications can be obtained and should be sent directly to: Winston-Salem State University Graduate School, Suite C017 Anderson Center, Winston Salem, NC 27110.
Subject to approval and review of transcript, up to 7 hours of graduate transfer credits may be applied to the Advanced Nurse Educator track and 9 hours of graduate transfer credits may be applied toward the Family Nurse Practitioner track. Transfer credits will only be granted for graduate level courses completed with a grade of “B” or higher within the last five (5) years.
A total of thirty-six (36) credit hours and three hundred twenty (320) practicum hours are required for completion of the ANE track; a total of forty-nine (49) credit hours and seven hundred (700) clinical hours are required for completion of the FNP track.
Time Limits for Completion
The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program can be completed within two years of full-time study. A student may not take longer than six years to complete the curriculum.
Gohar Karami Department Chair, Professor
BSN, Shiraz University; MSN, PhD, Catholic University of America;
Post-Graduate Certificate, University of Maryland
Diane Barber Assistant Professor
BSN, MSN, FNP, Winston Salem State University
Post Master Certificate - PM HNP/CNS UNC Chapel Hill
Sharyn N. Conrad Assistant Professor
BSN, University of Pittsburgh
MSN, FNP, University of South Carolina
Alfreda Harper-Harrison Instructor
BSN, Albany State University, MSN GA College & State University
EdD, University of Georgia
Joanette Pete McClain Professor of Nursing
BSN, Mount St. Mary’s College; MN, University of California at Los Angeles
MSN, University of Alabama; MEd, University of West Florida; PhD, University of Miami
LaShanda B. Penn Instructor
BSN, Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill;
MSN, Duke University
Dionne D. Roberts Assistant Professor
BSN, Winston Salem State University; MSN, Howard University
PhD, Hampton University
Dennis R. Sherrod
BSN, Barton College (formerly Atlantic Christian College;
MSN, East Carolina University; PhD, Hampton University
Betty Martin-Watson Instructor
APRN, Forsyth Technical Community College;
BSN, Winston Salem State University;
MSN, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
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Home Technology Mobile Payment Firms Struggle To Dethrone Cash In Southeast Asia
Mobile Payment Firms Struggle To Dethrone Cash In Southeast Asia
May 23, 2018 Technology,
Signs accepting WeChat Pay and AliPay are displayed at a shop in Singapore May 22, 2018. Picture taken May 22, 2018. REUTERS/Edgar Su
By Aradhana Aravindan and Khanh Vu
SINGAPORE/HANOI (Reuters) – Bui Mai Phuong is an avid online shopper, ordering anything from clothing to personal-care products from her smartphone. But she prefers to pay with cash.
She is among hundreds of millions of people whom firms such as Softbank Group-backed Grab and China’s Tencent want to win over as they try to tap into Southeast Asia’s burgeoning internet sector.
More than 70 percent of the region’s 600 million-plus people do not use banks – higher than the global average of about 30 percent – and e-commerce is projected to hit $88 billion by 2025.
But convincing consumers like Phuong, who lives in Hanoi, could be tricky.
“I have never tried using mobile payments because I don’t know how to use it and it seems a bit complicated to use,” said Phuong, 36, a manager at a construction material supplier in Vietnam.
Mobile payments are ubiquitous in China; a consumer can spend a day without using cash at all in Beijing or Shanghai, and even some beggars accept mobile payments. But cash remains king in Southeast Asia.
Hard currency, paid on delivery, accounted for 44 percent of total e-commerce transactions last year and is likely to remain the most popular payment option for at least the next three years, according to data by research firm IDC.
“The biggest challenge for users and merchants to adopt cashless is the fact that cash remains ubiquitous, easy to use and inexpensive,” said ride-hailing firm Grab, which has ventured into e-wallets.
And the mobile payment marketplace in Southeast Asia remains wide open, with no dominant players.
Indonesia’s ride-hailing firm Go-Jek’s Go-Pay, Singapore-based Grab’s GrabPay, Japan’s messaging app Line’s Line Pay, Momo e-wallet owner M_Service in Vietnam and Voyager Innovations, which operates Paymaya in the Philippines, have all entered the fray. The gaming company Razer Inc has also indicated it is eager to play a role.
Cash on delivery costs e-commerce businesses more than other payment methods, said Alibaba Group Holding-backed e-retailer Lazada Group.
For example, sometimes a customer does not have enough cash on hand, or is not home to pay for the delivery. In those cases, the product must be sent back to the seller, adding logistical costs, Lazada said.
Mobile payments address some of those problems. They can also benefit buyers by keeping payment in escrow and releasing it only on delivery.
But it can be difficult to persuade users to switch from cash when they earn about $200 on average a month in economies like Vietnam and Indonesia, according to economic data provider CEIC.
“To break habits of using cash, Grab is creating more daily use cases for cashless payment – commuting, food delivery, paying at food and retail stalls – to drive more usage of the GrabPay e-wallet,” Grab said in an email.
Mobile payment companies bet they can transform their platforms into financial supermarkets, offering everything from loans to insurance on top of payment options.
SLOW GOING
At the moment, usage is spotty. E-wallets will account for 16 percent of total e-commerce transactions in Southeast Asia by 2021, up from last year’s 9 percent, according to IDC.
In countries like Vietnam, where the informal economy has long been a key part of the social fabric, many consumers do not bother to get a bank account.
Some want to stay under the taxman’s radar or, like Quang Thi Si, simply do not see the need for a bank.
Si, a 48-year-old scrap collector near Ho Chi Minh City, said her business is all cash.
“Sometimes I need to send money to my relatives at home, and I often send in cash through my friends,” she said. “I don’t think I will have a bank account in the future because I don’t think I need it.”
But Si does have a smartphone. More than 90 percent of Southeast Asia’s internet access comes through mobile devices, according to a Google-Temasek study.
Even so, in countries like the Philippines, which is known for having some of the slowest Internet speeds in Asia-Pacific, connectivity is a major hurdle for digital payments to clear.
‘LATE TO THE PARTY’
Such challenges are likely to pose a setback to Ant Financial and Tencent, which are looking outside China for growth.
Ant, which has 600 million customers and aims to reach 2 billion worldwide in the next decade, has stepped up investments in the region, including a stake in Thai financial technology firm Ascend Money.
But its services are largely limited to Chinese tourists.
“Most of our customers are from China and they are usually very happy to know that we accept AliPay and WeChat Pay. This makes them more willing to spend money too,” said Daphne Tan, a staff member at a shop selling durian-flavored coffee and snacks in Singapore’s Chinatown.
Tencent plans to make its first foray outside China with an e-payment license in Malaysia for local transactions.
The Chinese players are “kind of late to the party,” said Michael Yeo, research manager for IDC.
“By the time they come in with a local version, if they do, the local players will have a significant advantage,” said Yeo.
Razer, which said last month it would buy the remaining stake in payments processor MOL Global that it did not already own, also signed a deal with Singtel to link its e-payments network with that of the telco.
Other recent deals in the sector include Go-Jek’s acquisition of three financial technology businesses, while Grab’s purchase of a handful of companies as well.
“It’s a highly fragmented market. Later on, there will be acquisitions, there will be shutdowns, there will be mergers,” IDC’s Yeo said. “The market will consolidate.”
Tags # Technology
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Daoud Kuttab’s bio
عــــــــــــربي
The burden of sirens in the PA
Published by admin at 12:00 am under Articles,Palestinian politics
My friend Khaled Batrawi is a civil engineer working in Ramallah. I went to see Khaled on Tuesday night and found him frustrated with the weak internal response to the current situation. Among other things, Khaled is angry because he feels local officials of the Palestinian Authority are not doing enough to prepare Palestinians for the current onslaught of heavy mortar and missile attacks.Â
Local municipal ordinance doesn’t issue building permits with the condition that the buildings have shelters. As a result, almost all Palestinian homes and apartment buildings simply have no place for people to go once shelling begins.
Khaled has met with the governor of Ramallah and other officials, and has suggested to them that underground parking lots be converted into temporary shelters by adding bathrooms and kitchens, as well as storage space for non-perishable items.
Radwan Shalbi is a musician and composer. He was at home, in his fourth floor apartment, with his wife and baby son last week during the shelling of Ramallah.
Without any shelters in the building the Shalbis simply decided to stay where they were and take their chances. They heard a loud thump on the roof but thought little of it. The next day the family went up to the roof only to find an unexploded shell; they are sure they would have been killed had it exploded.
There are many other such stories of people with nowhere to go when the shelling begins.
Another concern of Khaled’s is the lack of a siren with which to warn the public of an imminent raid. He worries that if – for any reason – Israel would shell a particular area in the middle of the night, for example, people might be killed in their beds as a result of failure to warn them to move to a safer location.
Sixty-four-year-old Hebronite Abdel Aziz Abu Sneneh was asleep at home when a shell hit his house, killing him instantly.
The idea of a siren seems surreal. Countries with proper borders use sirens.
Palestine is not a state, and by international law Israel is still responsible for the overall safety of Palestinians living under its occupation, albeit in enclaves controlled by the Palestinian Authority.
Countries with sophisticated tracking devices can monitor the approximation of enemy planes, and sirens can be utilized to allow civilians ample time to reach shelter. We saw this when Scud missiles were fired from Iraq; and regularly when Katyusha rockets were fired at northern Israel.
Palestinians have no tracking or monitoring devices; they are in regular contact with Israelis through the liaison committees.
After the killing of the two Israeli soldiers in the center of Ramallah, Israel informed the Palestinian Authority of its intention to bomb their headquarters. This has previously been the drill, but with time such coordination has evaporated, and Israel is increasingly shelling residential areas without prior warning.
I have been so fascinated by the siren idea that I decided to pursue it with a number of PA officials. I called Sami, a former head of the east Jerusalem fire brigade, who has worked in Jerusalem as part of the Israeli national emergency network. He received training in Israel and in the United Kingdom.
Now retired, Sami has been asked by the PA to assist in the department for civil defense. He was appointed the number two man in the West Bank, and given a rank of a colonel in the Palestinian Police.
Since Sami was unavailable I spoke to his boss, Brig.-Gen. Abdel Hay Abdel Wahed, the director of the Civil Defense Unit in the Palestinian Public Security. Wahed welcomed the idea of a siren and said that he has been thinking about it but that he needed presidential approval.
“Why do you need President Arafat to approve something like this?” I asked.
Wahed explained that since sirens can actually scare people, they might be counter-productive. He also highlighted the need for distinct chimes for different emergencies. Wahed spoke of organizing a national training program in cooperation with local television and radio stations.
An electronic infrastructure system with a central command must also be put into place. With Gaza and the West Bank cut off from each other, this would be difficult, so it might be necessary to opt for a local siren system. Each city would be responsible for its own sirens.
I have no idea whether Brig.-Gen. Abdel Wahed will be able to get to President Arafat, and if he does, whether he will receive the approval and the necessary funding for the implementation of a national network of sirens, or even for local ones.
What is clear in my mind is that the Palestinian people are in no way, shape, or form ready for the kind of shelling that is taking place, sometimes daily, in and around most major cities.
What happened to 64-year-old Abu Sneneh and what could have happened to my friend Radwan and his family are nothing short of war crimes. Nevertheless, the burden today is no less on the Palestinian leadership to protect the civilian population from such criminal Israeli actions.
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Home Business Abu Dhabi’s Dh1b waterfront project on track for year-end completion
Abu Dhabi’s Dh1b waterfront project on track for year-end completion
Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi’s newest waterfront destination, Al Qana is on track for completion by the end of Q4 this year, with the project costing over Dh1 billion to construct so far.
Under development by Al Barakah International Investment, the waterfront location will include attractions such as the region’s largest aquarium, a virtual reality zone, and an E-Sports arena along with Abu Dhabi’s largest standalone cinema. The site will also feature a first of its kind wellness hub.
“The project has a clear plan and timeline in place despite the pandemic. By following guidelines from the relevant authorities, we have also successfully maintained very high health and safety measures for our office and construction site workers,” said Fouad Mashal, CEO at Al Barakah International Investment, highlighting how the project has managed to carry on without delays brought on by the coronavirus.
“Al Qana will support the transformation of Abu Dhabi’s landscape. It’s a destination for the whole family where the great diversity of the capital will be celebrated,” Mashal said.
Construction at the site has so far completed 90 per cent of The National Aquarium, 80 per cent of the cinema, and completion of all four pedestrian bridges and basement parking facilities.
All major entertainment attractions at Al Qana have also been leased out according to its developer, and are currently being fitted out.
“We have managed to adapt to the situation and found new modes of working to ensure that there is continuity for the project’s construction and operations management,” said Stuart Gissing, general manager at Al Qana.
“Now, more than ever before, Al Qana will be more relevant to the situation post-Covid 19 as people seek safe outdoor spaces and healthier lifestyle choices,” he added.
When completed, Al Qana will be the first-ever Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model implemented by the Abu Dhabi Municipality (ADM).
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Kenya’s Kipkoech Ruto and Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Ayantu Dakebo Win the 2016 Pittsburgh Marathon
On the 2016 Pittsburgh Marathon, which was dominated by Ethiopian and Kenyan Runners, Kipkoech Ruto and Hailemaryam Ayantu Dakebo took the men and women titles, respectively.
By Andrew Erickson | Triblive
Kipkoech Ruto reached the apex of the dreaded Forbes Avenue hill near the 12th mile of the Pittsburgh Marathon course Sunday with no challengers on the horizon.
It looked like it was going to be a lonely morning for the Kenyan. Then he added some company.
Ruto built a lead of more than 30 seconds by Mile 12, but was caught by Werkuhah Aboye Seyoum of Ethiopia less than nine miles later. A duel emerged for several miles then evaporated, as Ruto made his final push on a Liberty Avenue straightaway two hours into his race.
The Kenyan, who had looked over his shoulder on Fifth Avenue near Central Catholic High School and again at the 19th mile marker as his lead diminished, was all alone once more as he broke the tape on Boulevard of the Allies, winning the 2016 Pittsburgh Marathon in 2 hours, 17 minutes and 27 seconds.
“It was good, it was a very good race,” said Ruto moments after he was handed an enlarged $8,000 check. “I feel very good because I won.”
Seyoum took second in 2:18:42, followed by American Tyler Jermann, who crossed the line in 2:20:37.
Hailemaryam Ayantu Dakebo of Ethiopia was the first woman across the line in 2:39:18. Bizuwork Getahun Kasaye, who is married to Seyoum, finished second in 2:42:47 and Phebe Ko, an American from San Francisco, took third in 2:48.
Ruto reached the race’s halfway point in 1:06:29, but began to log slower miles thereafter. He ran miles 18 and 19 in 5:20 and 5:22, respectively, before Seyoum caught him as Bryant Street met North Negley Avenue in Highland Park.
“It was a push,” Seyoum said. “At 20 miles, that push came on.”
Neither made a significant move as the race’s pace slowed. The two runners ran the downhill 24th mile in 5:00, but scaled back to 5:41 for the next mile. Ruto said he wasn’t tired, instead feigning fatigue to preserve energy before his final sprint.
“I decided to relax,” he said.
Seyoum, who took third last year in Pittsburgh, didn’t say much when asked about Ruto reclaiming the lead. Instead, he patted his quadriceps, which took a pounding on a steep descent down Liberty Avenue as he unsuccessfully tried to build on a lead of a few yards.
“The course is so much up-down, up-down,” Seyoum said. “(But) yes, I’m happy. I’m happy.”
Jermann, who graduated from Iowa State in 2015 and now trains in Flagstaff, Ariz., said Pittsburgh was his fourth marathon in the last eight months. He ran with fellow Americans Tony Migliozzi and Jed Christiansen, the assistant track and field coach at Thiel College, early and made his charge in the back half of the race.
“It was more the hills that I was worried about. I heard it gets real hilly in the second half,” said Jermann, who finished 36th at the U.S. Olympic Trials in February. “It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. We went through halfway together and then made a little move. I saw the guys up front, smelled a little blood and got aggressive.”
Ko took second in the Pittsburgh Marathon in 2009 and ‘10. She briefly stepped away from full-time training to complete her residency in anesthesiology, but said she now finds the time for high-intensity training, even as a full-time anesthesiologist.
“It’s hard when you’re on call, but I feel like (running) helps balance me out,” Ko said. “It makes it less stressful in a sense, because you’re like, ‘Well, running’s not everything.’ ”
Running might not be everything in Ko’s busy life, but it was in the closing stretch of the Pittsburgh Marathon, with the bronze medal just strides away.
“I got really, just like, ‘Don’t panic, keep going,’ ” Ko said. “You don’t really know what you have until the last mile, and then I could just see the finish line.”
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Gravity Magazine
Pop Culture & Lifestyle Blog
Why autonomous vehicles may prove a must-buy for the elderly
There is so much going on in the automobile industry regarding self-driving vehicles at the moment. Tesla has already tested its driverless Autopilot system on roads across the UK, Google is trialing its automated technology in real-world situations and both Mercedes and Lexus have detailed how they are working on their own autonomous car technology. If rumors are to be believed, Apple and BMW have teamed up to develop a car that might be automated in its setup too.
While various manufacturers in the vehicle industry appear to be giving their backing to self-driving cars though, members of the public don’t seem as sure about the technology. In fact, a survey by AAA suggested that around 75 per cent of the public are currently fearful about riding in a self-driving car.
Many groups seen in our society could see their lives transformed for the better with the launch of autonomous vehicles though, including senior citizens. This is especially apparent when considering the Surface Transportation Policy Project titled ‘Aging Americans: Stranded Without Options’. This study revealed that 20 per cent of Americans over 65 do not drive at all. Here, innovative stairlifts manufacturer Acorn Stairlifts explores further about just how driverless cars have the capability to assist older citizens…
How Waymo has led the way with the development of self-driving cars
When thinking about the innovators of autonomous vehicles, Waymo must make the list. A company which started out as the autonomous car division at Google, the firm’s driverless cars have already been driven at least 3.5 million miles in 22 test cities — with one test seeing a blind man successfully being able to complete a test ride by himself.
Waymo has been successful at including several eye-catching design elements into the development of their self-driving vehicles. These features have the intention to help the elderly, as well as individuals with disabilities, when they are heading out on a road trip.
Screens which are the size of a laptop computer’s screen found within the vehicle’s cabin are sure to be appreciated by those on-board who are hearing-impaired, for example. These screens allow individuals to follow a route, as well as view selected information such as any traffic signals, crosswalks, pedestrians, cyclists and other road users encountered while getting from A to B.
We must also shine the spotlight on a collection of buttons which have been placed onto the dashboard of a Waymo autonomous vehicle. People who are familiar with cars which have rolled off production lines over the past few years are likely to have already come across a ‘Start’ button. However, Waymo vehicles also come complete with a ‘Pull Over’ button and a ‘Help’ button that will begin a two-way voice communication connection with a control center when pressed.
Don’t think you need to wait years to start getting to grips with one of these driverless vehicles either. After all, plans are in place for Waymo to launch the world’s first commercial driverless car service any day now!
The AARP’s opinions
Before we get too ahead of ourselves, however, the executive vice president of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Nancy LeaMond, acknowledged that elderly people must be thought about during the design stages of any self-driving vehicle.
“This is a critical part of livable communities as we talk to mayors and other officials around the country. To be successful, people of all ages will need to trust the machine to do the driving and right now there is a very significant trust gap. A full three-quarters of U.S. drivers of all ages report feeling afraid to ride in a self-driving car,” Ms LeaMond stated while speaking at an AARP panel discussion which formed a part of the 2018 North American International Auto Show.
The panel discussion included an interesting speech by Elizabeth Macnab, of the Ontario Society of Senior Citizens’ Organizations, too. She pointed out that there are a few considerations which must be made to ensure driverless cars are indeed appealing to elderly people, including:
The vehicles should be affordable to senior citizens on a fixed income.
The vehicles should be accessible to senior citizens who need to use mobility aids and walking devices to get around.
The manufacturers of autonomous vehicles should commit to providing training to elderly people about how to correctly use a driverless car.
The British Transport Secretary’s opinions
What about the thoughts of those on the other side of the Atlantic? The British Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, has gone as far as to claim that self-driving cars will transform the lives of the elderly and the disabled. Promoting the benefits of this new form of transport on both the economy and society in a speech made at the Association of British Insurers’ annual conference in London, Mr Grayling said: “The potential benefits of these new technologies for human mobility — and for wider society — are tremendously exciting.
“Many who can’t currently drive will be able to take to the road. Elderly people or people with disabilities which prevent them from travelling today will discover a new sense of freedom and independence.”
Another benefit of self-driving cars, according to the British Transport Secretary, is that “self-driving cars should make road travel far safer by eliminating the biggest contributory factor in accidents today — human error”.
If autonomous vehicles can indeed assist senior citizens and other demographics, then shouldn’t the release of these automobiles be a development that we certainly should be ready to back?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/driverless-cars-promise-far-greater-mobility-for-the-elderly-and-people-with-disabilities/2017/11/23/6994469c-c4a3-11e7-84bc-5e285c7f4512_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.3dcca6e508d6
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5052809/Self-driving-cars-set-transform-lives-elderly.html
https://www.autotrader.com/car-shopping/self-driving-cars-elderly-could-be-first-embrace-a-266938
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/autonomous-vehicles-for-seniors-1.4490431
https://www.drivesweden.net/en/autonomous-vehicles-can-benefit-seniors-all-over-world
https://www.alphr.com/cars/1001329/driverless-cars-of-the-future-how-far-away-are-we-from-autonomous-cars
Gravity Magazine 27th March 2019 age, cars, technology
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Hatem Bazian
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On Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and Fictitious Alliances – Muslims and Jews in America – what is the way forward?
March 14, 2017 | Articles & Papers |
Photo by Fibonacci Blue
The complex and often contentious relationship between American Jews and Muslims witnessed two momentous events that produced divergent results and emotions. On the one hand, anti-Semitic attacks on a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, brought about a rapid $120,000 online fundraising drive in the Muslim community and hundreds of volunteers to repair damage to the cemeteries and express solidarity. On a national level, Muslims mobilized to visit local synagogues and demonstrate their solidarity with American Jews in a time of rising anti-Semitism and threats directed to their houses of worship and cemeteries.
On the other hand, we have an extremely discordant event – the campaign against the candidacy of Representative Keith Ellison for the Democratic National Committee chairmanship. The outcome of the election is that Ellison lost in favor of Tom Perez, the choice of the party establishment, and the wounds of the campaign will not be easily healed. It was abundantly clear that the mainstream organizations of the American Jewish community heavily mobilized to defeat Ellison by utilizing directly and indirectly the charge of anti-Semitism so as to discredit him and his campaign. Let’s be clear, the creation of the new DNC deputy chair position and appointment of Ellison to this never before existing post was an attempt to dress-up another ugly smear campaign against an African American Muslim candidate to protect Israel’s influence over the Democratic Party.
What happened in the lead-up to the vote and why did mainstream American Jewish organizations oppose and work hard to defeat Keith Ellison? At this juncture, it is important to ask if a mainstream Jewish-Muslim alliance against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism would succeed if the effort is directed on a superficial level while the structural empowerment of Muslims is sacrificed for Israel’s interests in the United States.
At the outset, let me be clear that the American Jewish community is very diverse and no single monolithic characterization can be used to describe it. The line of demarcation in the community covers the full spectrum from far right to far left on all issues. However, recently one can observe a gap emerging between the older and more established mainstream groups that have unquestionable commitment to Zionism and Israel as the focal point of their identity and politics, and a critical mass of post- (and one may say anti) Zionist young Jewish Americans that no longer consider Israel and attachment to it as the issue that defines their identity and politics. As a matter of fact, and across the country, many of the leaders within the ranks of Students for Justice in Palestine are themselves young Jews who represent this readily observable shift.
I, for one, have seen this and can attest to the development, and I have a close alliance and organizing working relationship with Jewish Voice for Peace, a large group that has many differing points of view on a number of issues including how to think of Israel and Palestine. Likewise, I have worked and coordinated activities with the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network as well as worked and partnered with Jewish liberation theologians and academics on a number of projects. As a matter of fact, Bernie Sanders’ campaign victory in Michigan was a clear evidence that Muslim communities rallied to support a national Jewish American candidate based on shared progressive values and an embrace of the issues of common concern, which include a critique of U.S.’s one-sided policy in the Middle East that favor Israel. Initially, Sanders did not have a close relationship with Arab, Muslim or Palestinian communities but the Michigan win and grassroots pressure from communities of color influenced Sanders change of strategy and approach to these communities. However, the forged relations between Sanders and members of the Muslim community including Keith Ellison himself was met with alarm and opposition from mainstream American Jewish organizations.
What I write below is a critique of mainstream American Jewish organizations that are still bound to the Zionist old guard framework and have a singular outlook in approaching the complexity of the current period. I write this to point out the contradiction inherent in attempting to forge a Muslim-Jewish alliance that intends to silence the critical questions on Zionism, Israel, BDS, and the prevalence of Islamophobia within mainstream American Jewish organizations including the AIPAC, ADL, JCRC and AJC. How can we begin to address Islamophobia without challenging its purveyors, who posit demonization and marginalization of Muslims as the best way to protect Israel’s interests in the U.S.?
Haim Saban, the Israeli-American businessman and major Democratic Party and Clinton donor, came out early in opposition to the candidacy of Congressman Keith Ellison to DNC’s chairmanship, labeling him “an anti-Semite and anti-Israel individual” whose election as chairman of the Democratic National Committee would be a “disaster” for the party’s relationship with the Jews. Saban’s relations and work within the Democratic Party is of long standing and he has contributed greatly to bolstering Israel’s outsized position in the political arena. In 2002, for example, he contributed $12.2 million to the party, $7 million of which went to build the party’s Washington DC headquarters.
Then we have Israel’s defender, the liberal warmonger Alan Dershowitz who, in a vicious op-ed for The Hill, attacked Ellison’s “long history of sordid association with anti-Semitism.” In the same op-ed, Dershowitz declared his intention to leave the Democratic Party if Ellison is elected, saying “My loyalty to my country and my principles and my heritage exceeds any loyalty to my party.” Dershowitz is a regular at AIPAC’s conventions, is at ease in throwing the anti-Semitic charge on anyone critical of Israel, and attacks almost daily, Students for Justice in Palestine and the BDS movement. However, you will not find him attacking the Christian Right for their deeply held theological anti-Semitism because they “love” Israel, host many fundraising dinners to support the IDF and send thousands to visit the Holy Land so as to help Israel’s tourist industry.
Saban’s attack was echoed in an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) press release on the 1st of December 2016, in which Jonathan A. Greenblatt, the organization’s CEO, stated that “new information that has come to light since Rep. Keith Ellison’s announced candidacy for chair of the Democratic National Committee raises “serious doubts” about his ability to faithfully represent the party’s traditional support for Israel”. Greenblatt’s statement, indirectly and in a more sophisticated manner, tarred Ellison with the anti-Semitism brush. Claiming that “whether intentional or not, his words raise the specter of age-old stereotypes about Jewish control of our government, a poisonous myth that may persist in parts of the world where intolerance thrives, but that has no place in open societies like the U.S.”. According to Greenblatt, “These comments sharply contrast with the Democratic Committee platform position.”
While Ellison did get support from J Street, Jewish Voice for Peace and 300 Jewish leaders from liberal leaning groups, the mainstream American Jewish organizations rallied to oppose Ellison’s election. The division between the older and younger generations in the American Jewish community was reflected in the DNC chairmanship campaign and, despite the outcome, it will be hardly resolved in the near future.
Mainstream organizations of the American Jewish community took a very antagonistic and hostile stand against one of the two national Muslim elected political figures in Congress at a time that called for rallying to his side in a critical period in the history of this country. Indeed, Israel’s interests are apparently far more important to them than standing on principle. One may ask the question of the same groups that attacked Ellison regarding their views on Steve Bannon and the Alt-right in the White House, including Dershowitz, who mounted a vociferous defense of Bannon on CNN.
Keith Ellison’s attempt at securing the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee was foiled by pro-Israel groups and their allies who engaged in a systematic campaign of defamation to disrupt the rise of the highest-ranking Muslim serving in a public office in today’s America. The campaign took shape despite Ellison’s hard work and, may I say wrongly, to please the pro-Israel crowd by issuing a troubling statement on the BDS movement and coordinating his position on Israel with NY Senator Chuck Schumer.
Mainstream American Jewish organizations stood in vehement opposition to Ellison because they deemed him “not good for Israel,” which would be the only measure for acceptability by the avowed Zionist crowd. While I strongly disagreed with Ellison’s statement on BDS and the framing of the Palestine-Israel problem in the campaign effort this does not mean that I will not defend him when it comes to charges of anti-Semitism and the attempt to squeeze more political concessions in Israel’s favor.
While ADL’s case might be understood given its long history of policing Israel-related matters, the opposition from the American Jewish Committee raises serious questions regarding the viability of the newly formed Jewish-Muslim advisory council. An email that circulated from the American Jewish Committee illustrated a similar line of attack directed at Ellison, which urged a vote against him for the DNC chair. Thus, the AJC’s effort to forge an alliance with American Muslim communities to counter Islamophobia and anti-Semitism stands hollow considering the frontal assault on Ellison’s candidacy and the attempts at tarnishing his character. What is the point of creating an alliance to counter Islamophobia if AJC is committed to countering the empowerment and civil society visibility of American Muslims?
In an article by Rafael Medoff from the 28th of November 2016, New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind asks “Does Senator Schumer actually believe that there is literally not a single other person in the Democratic Party, anywhere in the country, who would be a better choice than Ellison? Why is Schumer in such a rush to support a candidate who is so unfriendly to Israel?”. The same article quotes Dr. Harold Brackman, “a scholar of black-Jewish relations and expert on the Nation of Islam,” who says “that Ellison’s “near-miss” should be “disconcerting, not only to friends of Israel, but to those concerned about indications of a rising tide of anti-Semitic incidents in this country as well as worldwide”. In this article, a link is drawn between Ellison’s campaign and the rise of anti-Semitism without taking a minute to address the rise of the Alt-right all the way into the White House.
The organized opposition against Ellison also included a petition initiated by the Hindu-Jewish Alliance, which – in urging people to sign – referenced a long statement by the Hindu American Foundation and the ADL’s own press release. The Alliance’s petition read in part: “We wish to acknowledge the deep and abiding ties that the Hindu-American and Jewish-American communities have to India and Israel, as well as the long-standing and loyal support that members of both these communities have given to the Democratic Party in the U.S. political arena.” It is clear that a coordinated campaign to defeat and demonize Keith Ellison on the basis of anti-Semitism was afoot with the intense participation and engagement of key mainstream American Jewish organizations.
Critically, the material that was used by the ADL and referenced by mainstream American Jewish organizations like AJC and others originated in Steve Emerson’s neo-McCarthyite outfit, the Investigative Project on Terrorism. For a long time, mainstream American Jewish organizations like the ADL and AJC have been incubators for Islamophobia and provided civil society legitimacy to well-known and well-documented members of the Islamophobia industry, including Emerson himself, Daniel Pipes, and Frank Gaffney, to name some of the best known. Accountability on Islamophobia and defamation of American Muslim organizations and leaders can’t be erased or forgotten by merely attending a rally, or showing up at a mosque or an airport steps. What is needed from the leaders of ADL, AJC and JCRC is to publically dissociate their organizations from individuals and groups that demonize Islam and Muslims on a daily basis. In this case, the right action from American Jewish organization would have been to rally around Keith Ellison and the American Muslim community and reject Emerson’s neo-McCarthyite defamation.
Muslims will defend and work to protect Jewish communities because it is the right thing to do and I do believe that American Jews will do the same in defending mosques and religious institutions. The time for alliances based on sound universal principles and indivisible justice worldview is inescapable. Countering Islamophobia means rejecting the structural silencing of Muslim voices including their much-needed past and present critique of Israel. Defeating Keith means that the Clintons’ machine, which moved the Democratic Party to the right will continue to hold the reign of power while essentially becoming indistinguishable from the Republican Party. Here, the mainstream American Jewish organizations are participants in cementing the weakening of the Democratic Party in return for preserving Israel’s interests in the U.S. while shifting to embrace America’s rightwing worldview for the same reason.
I do believe that the moment for a courageous political, social, and economic faith based coalition is upon us in the U.S. but a litmus test on Israel is no longer a viable or defensible position. What benefits Israel does not benefit American Jews, American Muslims or the working class across the country. Trump’s election should be a wake-up call to everyone, signaling that the existing political machine is broken and a new direction should be developed. During the development process, an honest and open debate on Israel as a domestic, disrupting factor should be undertaken as a progressive and faith-based agenda is not possible without addressing the Israel elephant in the room.
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Ancient Greek Identity
9:50 PM Ancient Egypt No comments
Greek Identity
During the time of the city-states, Greeks did not think of themselves as belonging to a single country. People identified only with their city-state. However, the Greek people did feel a strong cultural connection, or cultural identity, with one another. Having a common ancestor, language, and religion brought the Greeks together.
The hero Hellen was believed to have been the ancestor of all Greek people.
A Greek myth, or story passed down about a god or a hero, said that Hellen alone survived an ancient flood. The religion the Greeks shared also set them apart, in their minds, from other peoples who lived along the Mediterranean.
The Greek cultural identity was seen in various activities. The Olympic Games, for example, brought the city-states together in peace. Beginning about 776 B.C. Greeks met every four years to honor the god Zeus by competing in athletic contests. The Greeks believed that Zeus and their other gods controlled daily events in the world.
A common written language also helped bring the city-states closer together. In the 700s B.C. the Greeks developed an alphabet based on the alphabet of the Phoenicians. Like the Minoans long before them, the Phoenicians were traders and needed a writing system to keep track of their trade. Phoenician writing used symbols to stand for single sounds rather than whole ideas.
The Greeks changed this system to fit their needs. They called their first letter alpha and their second letter beta. Our word alphabet comes from the names of those Greek letters.
What helped the Greeks feel a cultural identity?
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Home India ‘US varsities register drop in Indian student applications’
‘US varsities register drop in Indian student applications’
US universities have registered a sharp decline in the number of applications from Indian students after a spate of hate crimes and fear and anxiety about potential changes to visa policies by the Trump Administration.
According to the preliminary results of a survey of more than 250 American colleges and universities conducted by six top American higher education groups, students from India this fall registered a 26 per cent decline in undergraduate applications and 15 per cent decline has been reported in graduate applications.
Image courtesy: careerindia.com
The full version of the ‘Open Doors 2016’ report is slated to be released later this week.
Watch here for our latest video update
These higher educational institutions reported a drop of an average of 40 per cent application from international students.
The report said that India and China currently make up 47 per cent of US international student enrollment, with almost half a million Indian and Chinese students studying in the US.
China reported a drop of 25 per cent application in undergraduate studies and 32 per cent from graduate studies, said the survey report.
The survey was conducted jointly by American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, the Institute of International Education, Association of International Educators, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and its focus subgroup International Association for College Admission Counseling (ACAC).
The most frequently noted concerns of international students and their families, as reported by institution-based professionals, include perception of a rise in student visa denials at US embassies and consulates in China, India and Nepal and perception that the climate in the US is now less welcoming to individuals from other countries.
It also includes concerns that benefits and restrictions around visas could change, especially around the ability to travel, re-entry after travel, and employment opportunities and concerns that the Executive Order travel ban might expand to include additional countries.
“I’d say the rhetoric and actual executive orders are definitely having a chilling effect on decisions by current applicants/admitted students, and by extension are likely to affect future applicants as well,” Wim Wiewel, Portland State’s president, who was recently in India told Inside Higher Education.
“India’s demonetisation policy and the weakness of the value of the rupee against the dollar,” are other factors according to Wiewel, the news report said.
The Portland University has registered 27 per cent drop in Indian students this fall.
“However, we were struck by how much US higher education is still considered the holy grail, and that especially in the southern half of India almost every middle class family seems to have a relative in the US… Thus, if nothing too bad happens in the future we will recover from this, but people are watching,” he noted.
A lot of universities are concerned about declines in master’s students from India, John J Wood, the senior associate vice provost for international education, at the State University of New York at Buffalo, was quoted as saying by Inside Higher Education.
“A lot of the master’s students coming from India are ultimately hoping to get on the job market here through OPT (Optional Practical Training) and eventually H-1B,” Wood said.
The optional practical training programme allows international students to work for one to three years on their student visas after graduation.
“There’s a lot of fear and anxiety about potential changes to H-1B and/or OPT that would limit their opportunities. Making the decision to invest in a master’s program when the uncertainty on the other end is there is an issue for a lot of students in India,” he was quoted as saying by the report.
Recent killing of an Indian engineer in Kansas and other hate crime is another factor that would have an impact on application of students from India, Woo said.
“Those events affect us, whether we like it or not. The impact is not just going to be on Indian nationals. It could impact other students from other countries who may now be concerned about coming,” Ahmad Ezzeddine, associate vice president for educational outreach and international programs, at Wayne State University, told a media outlet that focuses on higher education.
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Blog, Civil Rights, Criminal, Legal News, Supreme Court
Don’t Change the Legal Rule on Intent
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD DEC. 5, 2015
Congress is achingly close to passing broad, bipartisan legislation that would reform the federal criminal justice system. There is widespread agreement among liberals and conservatives that many parts of the system — particularly federal drug sentencing laws — are overly harsh and fall disproportionately on minorities.
So it is troubling that the whole enterprise may now be in jeopardy because of an unrelated issue: the dispute over whether prosecutors should be required to prove that corporate defendants knowingly violated laws protecting, among other things, the environment and public health and safety.
While most criminal laws require the government to prove “mens rea,” or intent on the part of the defendant, some do not, and the proposed change would apply indiscriminately to all of those. Ignorance of the law is generally not an excuse for breaking it, and it certainly should not be turned into an excuse when the action inflicts serious harm to large numbers of people or to the environment.
Leading the charge to change the standard are the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Koch Industries, the conglomerate owned by David and Charles Koch, who have also supported the wider criminal-justice reforms.
If the new provision becomes law, corporate actors could avoid prosecution by claiming, as they commonly do now, that they didn’t know what they were doing was illegal. And corporations that now go to great lengths to train employees on their legal responsibilities would have far less incentive to do so.
The proposed provision would require that prosecutors prove that a defendant “knew, or had reason to believe, the conduct was unlawful,” if a “reasonable person” would not have had reason to believe it was unlawful. This confusing standard would create endless litigation as the government and defendants argued over how, exactly, to meet it in each new case.
If anything, it is still too hard for prosecutors to go after corporate bad actors who endanger the health and safety of the public or the environment. And when they do bring charges, they’re generally doing so with good reason. A University of Michigan study examining almost 700 prosecutions brought under federal environmental laws between 2005 and 2010 found that virtually all involved one or more of the following: repeat violations of the law, deceptive or misleading conduct, a refusal to follow regulations at all, or actions that caused significant harm to the environment or to public health.
It is true that many federal laws are sloppily drafted, and some may need to be re-examined and rewritten. But a broad, sloppy fix is not a solution, especially when it is pushed through without meaningful deliberation.
Bipartisan agreement on any major legislative package is a rare and fragile thing these days. Congressional leaders should not allow the proposed “mens rea” provision to scuttle criminal-justice reforms the nation desperately needs.
Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter.
A version of this editorial appears in print on December 6, 2015, on page SR8 of the New York edition with the headline: Don’t Change the Legal Rule on Intent. Today’s Paper|Subscribe
Full article on – http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/06/opinion/sunday/dont-change-the-legal-rule-on-intent.html
bipartisan legislationcongresscriminal defense newsfeaturedfederal criminal justice systemintentionsKoch Industrieslaw of intentlaw of intentionslaws on intentlegal intentorganized crime legal news
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Student ADHA
Mandatory Continuing Education
Temporary Employment Agency
LIDHA Board Members
In June and July 2020, LIDHA spotlighted a local AAS and BSDH Class of 2020 graduate. Our intention was to spotlight our colleagues as they achieve continued success in the dental hygiene profession. We hope to encourage membership in the ADHA and active community participation through example and support.
• June 1st Spotlight:
Marissa Burke has been an orthodontic assistant for four years. She received her AAS in dental hygiene at Farmingdale State College in May of 2020. She is continuing her education towards earning her Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene!
• June 2nd Spotlight:
Georgia Doulos is a Class of 2020 graduate of the Dental Hygiene program at Farmingdale State College. She is “beyond excited to enter this rewarding career and cannot wait to see what the future holds as a dental hygienist.”
• June 3rd Spotlight:
Iris Quintanilla has been a dental assistant for nine years. She received her AAS in dental hygiene at Farmingdale State College in May of 2020. She would like to become a team member in private practice. She would also like to participate in community outreach programs.
• June 4th Spotlight:
Georgia Marinakos is a graduate of the Dental Hygiene Program at Farmingdale State College. She has been working in the dental field for the past 7 years and has previously completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences in 2018.
Corinn Kennedy is a recent graduate from Farmingdale State College’s Dental Hygiene Program. During her time in the program, she was secretary for the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association. Corinn and her research group won first place at Farmingdale’s research symposium for their poster presentation titled “Triclosan: Are there more risks than benefits?”. She had gone on to present with her group their poster at the Greater New York Dental Meeting as well as the New York Dental Hygiene Association Saratoga conference. As Corinn is very excited to join this profession, she is hoping to continue to participate in the community by practicing on a mobile dental unit as well as work clinically in periodontics.
Liliya Pletmin has been working in the dental field for about 15 years and is very proud to have graduated with an AAS in Dental Hygiene from Farmingdale State College in May. She is very excited to start a new career!
Alexis Volka graduated from Farmingdale State College’s Dental Hygiene program in May. She achieved Dean’s List status during her time there and was awarded 1st place during Farmingdale’s research symposium for her chosen topic on the risks and benefits of triclosan. Before beginning the dental hygiene program, she worked as an assistant with expanded function for 8 years. She found it rewarding to provide care to those with dental anxieties. Now that Alexis has made the transition into dental hygiene, she hopes to enhance patient experience and remove the stigmas attached to the dental hygiene appointment. She is excited to embark on this new journey and looks forward to her future as a dental hygienist.
Amber is a people person who is passionate about helping others. It has been her dream to do dental missions in underserved countries. She had the privilege of being president of her graduating class and hopes to further her skills as a leader in the future. Although Amber is new to the dental field, she feels right at home in her new profession and thinks it is a great fit for her. She is quite eager to finally practice as a dental hygienist very soon.
Kerrin Poidomani was a dental assistant for 2 years before starting the Dental Hygiene Program at Farmingdale State College. She is eager to start her career “in this rewarding field as a hygienist!”
• June 10th Spotlight:
Zarmina Sajjad has been working in the dental field as an assistant for six years. She has attended Stony Brook University and received her Bachelor of Science degree. She received her AAS in dental hygiene at Farmingdale State College in May of 2020. Her volunteer work includes Doctors Without Borders and Give Kids a Smile. In her spare time, she loves traveling, reading, and dancing.
Christine is a graduate of the Dental Hygiene program at Farmingdale State College. She received her AAS in Dental Hygiene in May 2020 and is excited to continue her education for a Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene.
Nidia Arita is a graduate of the Dental Hygiene Program at Farmingdale State College. She has worked as a dental assistant for nine years and is passionate about the dental field. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Arts from St. John’s University.
Rebecca Desson is a graduate of the Dental Hygiene Program at Farmingdale State College. During the program, Rebecca and her group won first place at Farmingdale’s research symposium! Their poster title was “Triclosan: Are there more risks than benefits?” They participated in the GNYDM and NYDHA Saratoga conference. Rebecca is very excited to start her rewarding career as a dental hygienist!
Fatemasugra Rehmatulla received her AAS in Dental Hygiene at Farmingdale State College in May of 2020. She loves working with children and is also interested in participating in community outreach programs providing care for underserved populations especially in her home country in East Africa.
Jessica Knowles graduated with an AAS degree in Dental Hygiene from Farmingdale State College in May. She is looking forward to working as a dental hygienist in an environment where she can grow professionally while providing exceptional treatment to patients. She has previously achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.
Katrina Mok has recently graduated from the Dental Hygiene Program at Farmingdale State College. Throughout the past two years she has been shadowing and assisting in two different offices. She is extremely grateful for the people that have guided her to where she is today. As a recent graduate she is eager to start her career and is looking forward to the upcoming challenges that may cross her path.
Catherine Cubias has been a dental assistant for 5 years and is excited to continue in the field as a dental hygienist. Now that she’s done with school, she can’t wait to get back to Citi Field (once social distancing rules no longer apply) and cheer on her favorite baseball team. Catherine adds “Let’s Go Mets!”
Kristen Retus has been working in the dental field for 9 years. She is excited to begin this new journey as a dental hygienist and to make smiles brighter!
Diana Vidal recently graduated from the Dental Hygiene program at Farmingdale State College and received her AAS this May 2020. She is the first of her family to graduate from an institution of higher learning as she comes from immigrant parents. She is extremely excited to start this journey into such a fulfilling and rewarding field.
Nicole Dezendorf just graduated with an AAS in Dental Hygiene and earned a BA in English with a minor in Creative Writing from SUNY New Paltz in 2011, allowing her to clean your teeth and talk to you about literature simultaneously. She has been a dental assistant for 9 years, which led her back to school in pursuit of a new career. She is especially grateful for the encouragement and support of her fellow hygienists, as well as her family, friends, coworkers and classmates. This has also been her second time in college during a pandemic [H1N1,] which she thought was noteworthy. Nicole is excited to continue in the dental field as a hygienist and keep the world smiling bright. “What’s madness but nobility of soul at odds with circumstance?” -Theodore Roethke, “In a Dark Time”
• July 1st Spotlight:
Nicollette Micozzi just graduated in 2020 with her Bachelor Degree in Dental Hygiene. Upon completing her Associate Degree in 2018, she knew right away that she wanted to continue her education. Nicollette wants to participate in community events and her dream goal is to volunteer on a dental missions trip!
Action Center! ADHA Congressional Campaign (3/24/2020)
SADHA and LIDHA Winter Coat Drive 2019
Registration Form for All-Day CE 1/19/20
Tickets Available for All-Day CE Conference!
Action Call
About LIDHA
The Long Island Dental Hygienists' Association (LIDHA) is the local component of the New York State Dental Hygiene Association (NYDHA) which, in turn, is a constituent of the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA).
Latest from ADHA
American Dental Hygienists' Association to host first-ever, all-virtual Dental Hygiene Leadership Summit, January 15-16, 2021 December 28, 2020
American Dental Hygienists' Association Teams Up with Colgate for National Dental Hygiene Month September 29, 2020
ADHA Announces New Leadership for 2020-21 June 19, 2020
adha water fluoridation
Lighthouse image © squirrel83.
Adapted under the Creative Commons license.
© LIDHA 2016-2020
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Improving Hardship Support In Response To Rates Review
The Andrews Labor Government will introduce reforms to improve the local government rates system in response to a major review.
The Local Government Rating System Review, released today, provides an in-depth analysis of Victoria’s rates system. A 2018 election commitment, the review assessed the fairness and equity of the current system and recommends improvements.
Local Government Minister Shaun Leane has backed the comprehensive examination delivered by the three-member panel, which concluded the rating system aligns with many of the principles that underpin sound revenue management and highlights more can be done to help people who are struggling.
The Labor Government response will support ratepayers in financial hardship, improve transparency and consistent decision-making across councils, and build a fairer system. The Government will adopt 36 of the review’s 56 recommendations in full, in part or in principle.
Among the most significant measures, the Government will improve how the system can better support ratepayers who are struggling to pay their rates and will examine the merits of a valuation averaging mechanism to lessen the impact of sudden property value movements that particularly affect farmers.
The Government will also pursue reforms to system administration and give councils improved tools for waste charges, special rate and charge schemes and more flexible rate concessions.
Enhanced transparency and community engagement requirements in the Local Government Act 2020 will support the implementation of the reforms.
As Victoria’s focus shifts to economic recovery from the pandemic, the Government will not support substantial change to how general rates, exemptions and alternative rating arrangements work, which would risk creating financial uncertainty during the recovery period.
Consistent with previous years, Minister Leane has also announced the Fair Go Rates Cap for 2021-22 will be set at 1.5 per cent – the forecast Consumer Price Index for the period. The rate cap places a limit on the increase in the total amount of revenue raised by councils through rates each year. This is the lowest the rate cap has been set since it was introduced in 2016.
The rate cap mechanism was excluded from the rating system review and will be separately reviewed by the end of 2021, after its first five years of operation.
The report and Government response can be read at engage.vic.gov.au/rating-review.
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Tagsport
Football Career
It's time to take stock of the survey site is NOT about football Footballpersons The most attractive football," which lasted exactly one year from October 2007 to October 2008. It was attended by about a thousand people, each of which could Vote for your favorite football player of the 14 proposed candidates. 1st place "handsome" 2007/2008 found 23-year-old striker Kiev "Dynamo" Artem Milevsky. Belarusian-born, who took Ukrainian citizenship Artem is considered one of the most promising players of Ukrainian Premier League. Most memorable episodes of his career to date, is to win the silver Youth European Championship, where was Artem captain, and even hit the 'Team of the tournament, and mocking a penalty, coolly scored, Artem at the gate at the Swiss World Cup 2006 in Germany. Cabinets may also support this cause. Currently, Artem Milevsky – football ground of "Dinamo" – shows a stable game and does not leave space in the lists of the best players of the month.
Artem never suffered from lack of attention from the girls. Many writers such as kitchens offer more in-depth analysis. His name invariably appears in a variety of sports (and not just sports) forums. The appearance on the field of high-brunet (his height 190 cm), always causes a storm of emotions on the part of cheerleaders. Frequenter of fashionable hangouts Kiev Artem Milevsky – one of the most popular players in Ukraine. Which confirms its position in the poll "The most attractive football," conducted by the site is NOT about football.
2nd place Second place in the list of the most attractive football player takes Dnipropetrovsk "Dnipro" and Team Andriy Rusol. It is noteworthy that until the last minute ahead of Andrew his main rival, Artem Milevsky, but just a few months before the survey has passed their position. This is probably due to the fact that at the end of the summer, Andrei Rusol started a family – he married a girl Olga gave him a son, whose young wife was also named Andrew.
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← This and That
The Scientific Attitude →
Falsifiability and Physics
Posted on April 23, 2019 by woit
Symmetry magazine today published an article on Falsifiability and physics, yet another in the genre of defense of current HEP theory against its critics. As usual, only defenders of the status quo are quoted, the critics remain unnamed and their actual arguments ignored. I don’t completely understand this journalism thing, but if you are writing about a controversy, aren’t you supposed to contact people on both sides?
The problems with this article begin with the misleading subtitle: “Can a theory that isn’t completely testable still be useful to physics?” The problem here is not theories that aren’t “completely testable”, but theories that aren’t testable at all, that make no testable predictions at all.
The article starts out by discussing Popper and the supposed “falsifiability” criterion for what is and isn’t science, leading up to:
But where does this falsifiability requirement leave certain areas of theoretical physics? String theory, for example, involves physics on extremely small length scales unreachable by any foreseeable experiment. Cosmic inflation, a theory that explains much about the properties of the observable universe, may itself be untestable through direct observations. Some critics believe these theories are unfalsifiable and, for that reason, are of dubious scientific value.
Who are these “some critics”? Where do they say that the reason there is a problem with string theory is “unfalsifiability”? For the case of one critic I’m pretty familiar with, chapter 14 of his book is all about how “falsifiability” is not something that can be used to decide what is science and what isn’t.
We’re then told that:
At the same time, many physicists align with philosophers of science who identified flaws in Popper’s model, saying falsification is most useful in identifying blatant pseudoscience (the flat-Earth hypothesis, again) but relatively unimportant for judging theories growing out of established paradigms in science.
Unclear who “many physicists” are, who the “philosophers of science” are, and what flaw in Popper is being referred to.
In an odd move, the article then turns to the topic of SUSY, where the problem isn’t that well-advertised SUSY models (with electroweak scale SUSY breaking solving the “naturalness” problem) aren’t falsifiable, it’s that the LHC has falsified them. As usual in science, if your model gets falsified, instead of giving up and doing something else you can change your model to something less desirable that hasn’t been falsified (SUSY models with symmetry broken at higher energy scales) and keep on going. This is though what philosophers of science call a “degenerating research program”, which is not a good thing.
There’s more in the rest of the article, but actual critics remain invisible and their actual arguments unaddressed.
Update: Will Kinney has some appropriate comments.
Update: Massimo Pigliucci has posted here his contribution to the “Why Trust a Theory?” volume, which discusses “falsifiability” and the “String Wars”.
33 Responses to Falsifiability and Physics
I wouldn’t call the writers for Symmetry “journalists.” They’re not and that’s not their goal or purpose. Symmetry magazine, by design, has an agenda. Moreover, it’s not reader supported:
“Symmetry is a joint publication of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Symmetry receives funding through the US Department of Energy.”
https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/about
GoletaBeach says:
I don’t really see that article via the HEP theory lens. It makes some point or another about how for atoms falsifiability was an inappropriate criterion. I think the accurate point is: atoms were found because experimentalists kept at it and found them. Echoing an old essay by Luis Alvarez…. likely if there had been a review panel of theorists, they’d have never funded the experimental work that led to atoms being discovered, because of some philosophy or theory or prejudice… just like RT Cox’s discovery of parity violation in the 1930’s was not appreciated.
From an experimental perspective, more beam energy has traditionally been the most effective way to make new discoveries. There was not a clear mass target until about the PEP and PETRA eras, where they hoped to make top quarks (and failed).
Somehow the requirement of a vetted mass target seeped in through the review committee process now to all accelerator proposals.
Best to just ignore SUSY or whatever and build the next machine. There will be (and always have been) naysayers who say it isn’t worth it. Well, the marketing budget in the US for tobacco is… almost $10 billion/year. Societally, a 100 TeV machine isn’t expensive. If nothing is discovered, of course, it would have been better to have spent the funds on air conditioners for elderly and impoverished people in US cities… or simple water purity in most of the world. If a shocking discovery that rewrites the foundations of physics is made… well… easily worth more than tobacco marketing.
The distinction I think you’re trying to make between journalism and PR is not so clear here. I’ve dealt a little bit with people at Symmetry, for instance concerning this article
https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/the-coevolution-of-physics-and-math
It’s not so easy to distinguish what they do from what Quanta does (other than that I bet Quanta has a lot more money…), although perhaps the Simons Foundation tries to keep Quanta’s coverage separate from promoting their own research, while Symmetry may try to help promote DOE-funded research.
In any case, even if Symmetry were strongly agenda-driven in support of Fermilab and SLAC scientists, I don’t think it would be hard to find such scientists with critical views of string theory and SUSY. So the question remains, why just report one side of a controversy?
GoletaBeach,
I more or less agree with you: ignore the theorists and, if at all possible, build a higher energy machine. This article isn’t though at all about that, no experimentalists appear. There are lots of topics in the article, some of which have nothing to do with any controversy over falsifiability (e.g. I don’t think dark matter models and testing them is particularly controversial).
Leaving inflation aside, the controversial topics are string theory unification and SUSY, and the fundamental controversy is over how you evaluate the results of this research. The results now look like a failure if evaluated by any conventional scientific standard. The claim that falsifiability is an inappropriate way to evaluate these ideas is not then supplemented by any suggestion of how they should be evaluated. A lot of this article looks like an attempt to basically argue that these ideas should be immune from evaluation.
Amitabh Lath says:
The article points out that for Popper unfalsifiable theories were Freudian psychology and Stalinist history. Surely you don’t think SUSY belongs with them? It is falsifiable, you may need equipment and techniques that are beyond our capabilities (for now) but that’s not the theory’s fault. Neutrinos were considered unfalsifiable by Fermi.
As for string theory, AdSCFT etc. doesn’t pretend to be about our reality so the where do you even start with the falsifiable argument? You could argue it’s been N decades and they really should have gotten the math straight by now and made some testable predictions but they could counter with “there aren’t enough people working on it, we need more string theorists.”
martibal says:
It seems hard to counter with “there is not enough string theorists”. By a very rough approximation, I would say that the number of string theorists is one order of magnitude bigger than the number of people working in the second best known approach to quantum gravity (loop quantum gravity), which is again one order of magnitude bigger than any other approach to quantum gravity/unification (dynamical triangulation, noncommutative geometry etc).
Do the quality of the results obtained in these various theories range in the same order ? Not sure that the number of people working on a theory is such an accurate criteria.
Davide Castelvecchi says:
I enjoy reading Symmetry and I have written for Symmetry earlier in my career. People who work there have standards of integrity. But they are very conscious of the fact that what they are doing is not journalism. It’s science communication, and often of very high quality, but it’s not journalism. Quanta is a whole other story. It is philantropist-sponsored — which comes with its own caveats — and tends to take the side of certain communities, but it still explocitly strives to uphold journalistic standards.
Peter Shor says:
@Amitabh Lath:
If, as you say, “string theory and AdS-CFT doesn’t pretend to be about our reality,” why are so many physicists convinced that AdS-CFT shows that quantum gravity in our universe has to be unitary?
And there aren’t many physicists in Physics departments working on different theories of fantasy physics, while there are tons of them working on string theory and AdS-CFT. Shouldn’t fantasy physics be studied in Philosophy, Mathematics, or Creative Writing departments, rather than Physics departments?
This is just a fairly transparent ex post facto excuse for why string theory and AdS-CFT have failed to say anything useful about physics in our universe.
This paragraph quoted below has me puzzled because it implies that somehow falsification is impeding people working on new ideas they know are likely to be wrong (which tends to take care of the falsification bit it seems to me).
“Tracy Slatyer of MIT agrees, and argues that stringently worrying about falsification can prevent new ideas from germinating, stifling creativity. “In theoretical physics, the vast majority of all the ideas you ever work on are going to be wrong,” she says. “They may be interesting ideas, they may be beautiful ideas, they may be gorgeous structures that are simply not realized in our universe.””
vmarko says:
“One such theory is cosmic inflation, which (among other things) explains why we don’t see isolated magnetic monopoles […]”
All the falsifiability stuff aside, I still find it hard to believe that serious people consider this as a valid argument in favor of inflation. In addition to magnetic monopoles, the cosmic inflation could very well be able to explain why there are no unicorns in nature. Would that increase anyone’s confidence in the theory?
The lack of magnetic monopoles is “explained” (basically by definition) by Maxwell’s classical electrodynamics. A serious scientific/skeptical attitude should be that — absent any compelling arguments that something ought to exist — the default position is that it doesn’t exist. The burden of proof is squarely on the person who claims that something ought to exist, not the other way around.
Of course, the magnetic monopole waters were muddied by the story that GUT’s give a compelling argument that monopoles ought to exist, so their absence becomes something that should be explained. However, by far and large, GUT’s have been falsified by lack of proton decays, which (among other things) disqualifies their argument regarding the existence of magnetic monopoles. You shouldn’t seek to explain something that is predicted by a theory that is known to be wrong.
Are there still that many die-hard GUT-supporters out there, who keep the magnetic monopole argument alive, despite all proton-decay experimental results? Or is it just the case of people parrott-repeating arguments from books which are half-a-century old and haven’t been updated with more recent data? Or am I missing something obvious here?
Best, 🙂
Low Math, Meekly Interacting says:
I find the whole notion of this debate distressing and always have. I know of very few people who are fundamentalist in their belief in the “scientific method”, but for me some hope of contact with experiment is a non-negotiable. I simply can’t fathom the notion of “science” without it.
Of course there needs to be toy models, simplifications, abstractions and so forth to attain the goal of observable consequences. But if the goal of modeling nature as it is, in a both descriptive and predictive manner, is dispensed with indefinitely in pursuit of other criteria for success which are necessarily human constructs, then in my opinion hope is lost. Human judgment simply cannot be trusted indefinitely, and humans should not feel offended by this truth. It is in our nature to err, and we cannot avoid it without external guidance. If the universe exists without us, then it is our only ultimately reliable guide, and if we cannot extract the information we need from it, then I think it is ultimately folly to try.
That might mean giving up on answering some questions. The fact that many find this unacceptable may be a major source of the current predicament.
@Dom:
I think that one of the ways physics has advanced over the years is that people come up with all sorts of crazy ideas (relativity, quantum mechanics, Dirac delta functions, the replica method, Feynman diagrams, all certainly seemed crazy to some people when they were first proposed), and only kept the ones that agreed with experiment. Without experiment, physicists have no way to discard the incorrect crazy ideas and keep the correct ones.
Tracy Slayter objects to using the falsifiable criterion, as it will keep physicists from coming up with crazy ideas in the first place, but I don’t think that’s the real problem.
I am beginning to think that the problem with HEP theory currently is not that physicists don’t discard non-falsifiable ideas, but that without experimental input, they don’t have any reasonable way to vet their crazy ideas, so they end up throwing out the baby and keeping the bathwater. There is certainly some sociological process going on that selects some of the crazy ideas, and reject others.
Amitabh Lath,
As I keep trying to explain, I’ve never been someone who thinks “falsifiability” is the issue here and in particular re SUSY it’s a sterile debate. Amidst SUSY models you can find whatever you want: falsified already, falsifiable now, falsifiable at HL-LHC, falsifiable at FCC-hh, falsifiable a hundred years from now, unfalsifiable. The only clear relevance of the falsifiability criterion here is that people should stop paying attention to the small number of Gordon Kanes of this world who, in the face of repeated experimental falsification of an idea of theirs, refuse to give up on it.
Re SUSY, I think the best advice now for experimentalists is to ignore most of what theorists have to say about the virtues of this or that SUSY model, and just ask the pragmatic question: does the model provide a useful target for designing searches that will be sensitive to a significant range of possible new physics?
vmarko,
Agreed about the weirdness of “inflation explains no GUT monopoles” argument, given that the relevant GUT models have failed other tests, so the simplest explanation for no GUT monopoles is that the GUT models are wrong.
One sorry aspect of these debates is that arguments made long ago for string theory/SUSY/GUTs/etc. do keep getting repeated, long past the time when argument has failed. A lot of this is people just repeating things they read long ago, unaware of what has happened since. Some of it is people who should know better, but for whatever reason can’t let go of a falsified argument.
this might be of interest to you.
Short video. The magnetic monopoles stuff starts at 02:30.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O-5ujTgZiQ
Peter (and the rest):
Why wouldn´t the top theoretical physicists let go of some theories which, according to themselves, do not describe reality?
It´s certainly not because of money (they´re all sorted…).
Can anyone think of another reason?
Finally, this 2014 interview with Susskind is very interesting.
From the 50th to the 55th minute he talks about No Symmetry, No Beauty, and …
letting an idea/theory go when it´s not correct!!
https://7thavenueproject.com/post/93035821815/leonard-susskind-radio-interview
Dom/Peter Shor/LMMI,
I don’t think anyone is seriously arguing that theorists should only work on ideas falsifiable now or in the near future, and I also don’t think those working on highly speculative ideas often argue that it doesn’t matter whether what they are doing ultimately leads to something testable. The real problem is not “falsifiablity”, but how you evaluate the progress of speculative research programs. You can’t do this by demanding an experimental test, but you also can’t just accept theorists’ assurances that people should keep supporting them to continue work on their favorite idea of thirty years ago, despite all evidence it hasn’t worked out.
What’s disturbing to me is that, increasingly, the string unification/SUSY research program seems to have moved from “evaluate us by LHC results or progress on these crucial problems that are in between us and a testable theory” to “there is no way to evaluate us, you just have to believe us, because there are so many of us and we’re so smart.” That’s not the way science is supposed to work, for good reason.
What I’ve learned over the years is that, once people become devoted to a certain idea and invest a lot of their time, energy and public reputation in it, they are highly unlikely to ever abandon it, no matter what new information comes along and no matter how smart they are. The best you can expect is “I still believe there must be something right about that idea, but I’m now spending my time doing something else….”
Your last sentence is key for me.
I´m starting to think that many of the top string theorists have sort of “given up”, and are really working on something else.
Though they don´t want to come out and say it in public, for obvious reasons.
Which, honestly, leaves them in a bit of a dishonest situation.
It will be very interesting to see how many of the Strings 2019 conferences in Brussels next July will focus on ST itself.
Anonyrat says:
IMO, if interesting mathematics is emerging from a speculative line of investigation in theoretical physics, and if “interesting” mathematics has some reasonably objective meaning, then that might constitute a measure of progress sufficient for the decision of whether to fund those theorists.
Anonyrat,
I’m all in favor of supporting theoretical physics work that leads to interesting new mathematics. Keep in mind though that evaluating what is interesting new mathematics is something you need mathematicians for. Most physicists are likely to take the attitude that work that needs to be evaluated by mathematicians should be funded by the mathematics part of NSF. They may even take the attitude that theorists doing this kind of work should be in a math department. There are a few places (e.g. the Simons Center at Stony Brook) where there’s a healthy overlap of math and physics research, but unfortunately that’s not the case most places.
Anonyrat and Peter,
There are some countries (like Portugal) in which the academic system is set up so that any non-experimental physics (i.e. all theoretical physics, not just hep-th) is a part of the math departments, rather than physics departments. IOW, if you want to be in a physics department, you need to be working in a *lab*, and measure something with some equipment. Everything else, any pen-and-paper work, is considered math.
The results of such an arrangement are, mildly put, catastrophic. The applications for projects, results that are obtained, papers that are published, etc., are all evaluated by committees in which theoretical physicists are present, but mathematicians are a majority. A paper published in a journal with “Math.” in its name is more worth than a PRL. And if you ask a mathematician to judge the work done by a theoretical physicist, they will mostly laugh at it. The levels of rigor, precision, and definition-theorem-proof style of writing, that mathematicians are used to, are something a theoretical physicist can never even hope to reach. Mathematicians by and large regard theoretical physicists as amateur wannabe-mathematicians, who are toying with some equations and delude themselves that they are doing something serious. They often dismiss the work of physicists just because it is not formulated as a theorem and proved rigorously, even without looking at what was actually done. And they often have a hard time understanding why the work of a hep-th physicist cannot be formulated as a theorem… I was often asked stuff like “How do you even know what you are doing, if you cannot explicitly spell out all your assumptions for me, before you make a statement what the result is?”
Theoretical physics is not math. The whole math mentality is completely different from physics mentality, with different goals, intuition, background education, ways of thinking, and levels of rigor. There is just no way to consider theoretical physics as part of proper math, and it’s a Bad Idea ™ to even try.
Also, one point you have mentioned ad nauseam that I have never seen been addressed in this or any article is the question of the negative progress rate of String Theory as opposed to whether is falsifiable or not. String Theory could become a falsifiable tomorrow. But it’s pretty clear it won’t be. Not tomorrow, not ever. Every time I read those types of articles people discuss with a straw man never addressing the real issue.
Peter Voit, Peter Schor, the longevity of string theory is not due to the middle-aged practitioners you mention but kids in their early 20s who continue to choose to go into the field. Some of the best undergraduate students in our high energy experiment group have over the years chosen to go to grad school in theoretical physics 🙁
Some go into phenomenology but some are indeed doing string theory.
These students are the most smartest and most sensible I have ever met, the cream of the Garden State. They devour the literature, they are fully aware of the arguments on all sides. I cannot in any seriousness entertain the idea that they are led astray by hyperbole. I believe all the arguments about string theory not having made any progress in decades, not producing any testable results, being stuck in a made-up universe nothing like our own reality; these are not deterrents but attractions to this type of student.
The intended audience for the typical promotional string theory hype-fest piece is not ambitious youngsters considering a career in particle theory, but physicists in other fields, people in other sciences, university administrators, interested laymen, etc. In general, people who might have something to say about whether string theory research gets supported, and aren’t in a good position to evaluate the claims being made themselves. When you’re reading an article supposedly about some controversy, but only one side is quoted, what you’re reading has an agenda behind it.
The topic of what’s going on with talented undergrads who are interested in theoretical physics, want to study it more deeply and possibly go to grad school and try to make a career in the subject is an interesting one, but not so relevant to articles like this. Yes, they aren’t going to impress a smart student seriously studying particle theory, and such students now do hear both sides of the controversy over string theory.
I know quite a few such students, some pretty well, either through teaching them here at Columbia and then following their later progress, or through having students from elsewhere contact me for one reason or another. What I see happening now (at least in the US) is that the best students are, as always, going to a small number of the top graduate programs (e.g. Harvard, Princeton, Stanford), where most of the theory faculty often identify tribally as “string theorists”, but are now working on topics in GR/QFT/quantum information, etc. that have nothing to do with quantized strings or with string-theory based unification. The odd thing I keep hearing is that such students arriving at such a grad program are encouraged to spend a lot of time studying actual string theory (e.g. by reading Polchinski’s two volumes) to prepare to start research, even though the research likely won’t use any of this. My impression is that a lot of the theory faculty are unsure themselves which way the field should be going, and by default are suggesting students start off the same way they did 20 years ago.
Studying theoretical fundamental physics attracts, for good reason, and despite the field’s problems, some of the best students around. Sometimes I do fear though that one reason the field is not generating much in the way of new ideas is not so much that the best students are drinking string theory kool-aid, but that they’re getting their entry into the subject of fundamental theory in a way that hinders rather than helps them come to grips with the real problems of the subject.
Amitabh Lath:
When it looks like two recent papers in a field are incompatible (despite both of them being quite reasonable papers on their own), and talking to some people in the field, nobody even seems to have noticed this fact, I suspect that something has gone seriously wrong with the field.
The two papers are (a) the ones suggesting the the CFT in the AdS-CFT correspondence is a quantum error correcting code and (b) Shenkar and Stanford, “Black holes and the butterfly effect,” which starts out essentially saying “make a small perturbation to the CFT”.
If you make a small perturbation (or even a large perturbation) to a state in a quantum error-correcting code, for any kind of quantum error-correcting code I am familiar with, you are extremely likely to be taken out of the quantum error-correcting code, which means that — as far as I can tell — the rest of the paper doesn’t hold up.
Let me say that I think these are both good papers, but they are essentially starting with two different hypotheses about AdS-CFT, and I don’t see how they can both be applicable at the same time. The fact that nobody seems to have even noticed this is very troubling to me. But maybe I’m too much of a mathematician.
Peter V, I understand your point but the decisions made by these top tier students does much more to sway these “people who might have something to say about whether string theory research gets supported” than some national lab’s public outreach ‘zine.
Every grad program wants these students: sky-high physics-GRE, letters dripping with superlatives, transcripts with half a dozen graduate level courses completed as undergrad. They are courted with fellowships and awards. Their eagerness to join the field is seen as proof of vibrancy. If a big-name string theorist leaves your department and the acceptance rate for these blue-chips drops, you know the search committee will form quickly.
Peter Shor:
The Shenker-Stanford butterfly effect has since been independently found in CFT using strictly field theory tools, so I’d say that it’s on a firmer ground than the error correcting code proposal. The HaPPY code’s claim to fame is that you can act on it with operators in the “bulk”, which is equivalent to acting on some “boundary” subregion. People don’t know how to do time evolution in this approach, so they can’t reproduce the butterfly effect from quantum error correction. But if I understood your comment, you’re saying that already acting on the state should take you out of the code.
Blake Stacey says:
Peter Shor asked, “[W]hy are so many physicists convinced that AdS-CFT shows that quantum gravity in our universe has to be unitary?” I have also wondered about this. AdS is said to be “a box to put gravity in”, but that comes at a price: The stability properties of gravitation on AdS are qualitatively different from those for dS or Minkowski backgrounds. The answer to the question “Will doing this experiment make my laboratory collapse into a black hole?” is, in principle, different, precisely because of that convenient boundary that makes for a nice box and gives a place for the CFT to live. This makes it hard for me to accept the reassurance that I was given many years ago, the standard colloquium line that we can put any local physics we want into an AdS box and apply the lessons from that exercise to our own world.
I fear this is the wrong place to debate the issues raised by Peter Shor about CFT and error-correcting codes, partly because the moderator knows nothing about the topic (he would like to someday understand what that’s about, but today is not the day…)
@Mark:
Just to be clear, I have no objections to the Shenkar-Stanford butterfly effect in CFTs that aren’t also error correcting codes.
And probably we should stop any discussion here, to keep the moderator happy.
niels abel says:
CERN has a jpg and a pdf on today’s (2019-04-28) Header Image:
From http://library.cern/archives/history_CERN/historical_images?page=2
Pauli thought Heisenberg’s ‘World Formula’ needed a lot more work, and he made his point graphically. He sent this drawing of an empty picture frame to George Gamow on 1 March 1958 with the caption, ‘This is to show the world that I can paint like Titian … Only technical details are missing.’
http://library.cern/sites/library.web.cern.ch/files/Pauli%20to%20Gamow%201%20March%201958.jpg
https://cds.cern.ch/record/86339/files/gamov_0100-52.pdf
zzz says:
new to me, i apologize if you already saw it
https://richardelwes.co.uk/2015/01/02/the-grothendieck-song/
Pingback: The Scientific Attitude | Not Even Wrong
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FIRST FIVE FINALISTS FOR LANCASTER INSURANCE PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP SPRING FINAL REVEALED
The first Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership final of 2019 is shaping up to be one of most hotly-contested yet, and as anticipation builds ahead of the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, with Discovery, the first five finalists can now be revealed.
Held at Birmingham’s NEC from 22-24 March, the first finalist is the Volkswagen Type 2 ‘Splittie’, loved around the world, and the 21-window De Luxe Micro Bus owned by John Smith since 2015 is sure to attract plenty of attention.
Built in December 1964 as a right-hand drive vehicle for the UK market, power comes from a 42bhp, 1.5-litre engine and it still sports the original factory colour scheme. The subject of a six-year nut and bolt restoration that began in 2004, it has even featured in a German television programme on classic cars.
Annie Lloyd’s 1961 Bond Minicar Model G has been in her family for around 25 years and she inherited the car from her late ex-husband. Keen to keep his name alive, this quirky three-wheeled British classic which the owner calls ‘Mr Bond’ has appeared at numerous shows and always draws a crowd. With the bodywork in need of a refresh it is currently undergoing some restoration, but Annie promises it will be ready for its appearance at the NEC.
Show visitors who prefer a more modern classic certainly won’t be disappointed by Paul White’s 1990 Eunos Roadster. Better known as the Mazda MX-5 in the UK, the car was bought by the current owners’ grandfather in 2002, and when he sadly passed away Paul decided to keep the car in his memory. Having restored the paintwork, it now looks stunning and has won awards at a number of car shows.
No Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership display would be complete without an American classic and the 1970 Dodge Challenger RT owned since 2006 by Robert Nauer is guaranteed to stand out.
The original ‘GoMango’ orange paintwork is certainly striking, but not only has the car covered less than 48,000 kilometres but it is also rare. It is one of the few remaining examples built at the AMAG plant in Switzerland and has appeared at shows on both sides of the Atlantic.
And last but not least is another modern classic in the form of a 1992 Toyota Starlet GT Turbo. It belongs to Sammie-Jo Webster and was bought by her father back in 2006, before being given to her as a 21st birthday present. Once used as her daily driver and in delightfully original condition, Sammie-Jo is keen to promote the ownership of classic cars amongst young people.
Andrew Evanson, Senior Operations Manager at Lancaster Insurance, comments: “This announcement is always exciting and the first reveal of the 2019 Spring finalists has not disappointed. Here is a great selection of classics from around the world and with MX-5s also celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, I can’t wait to see these incredible cars on display and hear the stories behind them.”
A total of 20 wonderful classics will be competing for this year’s Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership spring final, and with fifteen finalists still to be announced visitors to the show can look forward to a tough choice when it comes to voting for their favourite.
For more information on the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, with Discovery, as well as all the ticket prices and booking details, visit www.necrestorationshow.com
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The Effects of 1976 Grunwick Strike on Equality Legislation and Trade Union Policies to Women and Black Workers
The 1976 Grunwick strike was a strike involving the workers of the Grunwick company in Willesden North London, a company that deals in photographic processing and finishing. George Ward, the founder of the company founded it in 1965. In its initial years, the firm operated on a postal basis, which involved the customers mailing of films that were undeveloped along with payment to the laboratory, and received the finished photographs through the same post.In 1976, an industrial dispute occurred involving the trade union recognition at Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories which led to a strike of two years between 1976 and 1978. A previous dispute had occurred in 1973 over union recognition at Grunwick where some workers who joined a workers Union had been terminated from work.The majority of workers at Grunwick were female and of Asian origin, who got a meager wage of £28 per week, compared to the average national wage which was £72 per week. It is evident that the working conditions at Grunwick were simply awful and more so indicative of gender and racial discrimination. Approximately 80% of the employees were of Asian origin, and, 10% were of Afro-Caribbean origin. There were claims of workers treated wretchedly by the management. treating them in an inhumane way and exploited, with working overtime with no additional pay.The dismissal of Devshi Bhudia, for working too slowly, sparked the strike in August 1976. Three other employers supported him by walking out. On the same day of dismissal of Bhudia, another employee got a dismissal in the evening, for merely putting on her coat while preparing to go back home. Her son in support of her walked out. The six then began to picket outside Grunwick. They signed up membership with the APEX, the pickets went back to Grunwick and 50 more workers walked out with demands to join the union. 25 other workers from Cobbold Road premises joined the strike.
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Gender Bias in Hospitality Service
It is believed that women are more likely to have
Assay question i)Wage discrimination against women (ii)Barriers limiting women’s promotion (e g ‘glass ceilings’) (iii)
A feminist model of preferences must be incorporated into policy
Online Behaviour of Young Adults Regarding Luxury Shopping
The phenomenon for luxury goods has changed as there has
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Titanic: Rediscovered, Still Holding Secrets
• Ship Historic Before It Sailed
The giant ocean liner Titanic, which sank on April 15, 1912, was presumed lost for several decades but was eventually discovered in 1985. Since that discovery, several expeditions have brought back artifacts and images galore from the wreckage on the Atlantic Ocean floor.
On September 1, 1985, a team of French and American explorers discovered the wreck. One of the team was Dr. Robert Ballard, a famed underwater explorer who returned the following year in the one-man submersible Alvin and gained further evidence of what happened when the boat sank.
Initial theories were that the boat sank intact. What Ballard and his team saw, however, contradicted that: They saw a ship that had split in two. The bow rested 1,970 feet from the stern, and the two parts faced in opposite directions. The bow was found to be embedded 60 feet into the ocean floor. The stern was found to be more damaged, likely due to an implosion caused by release on impact of air trapped in the decks.
Ballard didn't bring back any artifacts, but other expeditions did. More than 6,000 mementoes now rest in the hands of public and private collectors, most notably the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England.
Film director and adventurer James Cameron, who directed the 1997 hit Titanic, also produced a 2003 documentary titled Ghosts of the Abyss, which featured new footage of the ship from the ocean floor.
Private expeditions, though costing tens of thousands of dollars, are routine.
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The Front Page Rule
Posted by Tim Coles On February 22, 2015 0 Comment
By Kathy Kelly
After a week here in FMC Lexington Satellite camp, a federal prison in Kentucky, I started catching up on national and international news via back issues of USA Today available in the prison library, and an “In Brief” item, on p. 2A of the Jan. 30 weekend edition, caught my eye. It briefly described a protest in Washington, D.C., in which members of the antiwar group “Code Pink” interrupted a U.S. Senate Armed Services budget hearing chaired by Senator John McCain. The protesters approached a witness table where Henry Kissinger, Madeleine Albright and George Schulz were seated. One of their signs called Henry Kissinger a war criminal. “McCain,” the article continued, “blurted out, ‘Get out of here, you low-life scum.’”
At mail call, a week ago, I received Richard Clarke’s novel, The Sting of the Drone, (May 2014, St. Martin’s Press), about characters involved in developing and launching drone attacks. I’m in prison for protesting drone warfare, so a kind friend ordered it for me. The author, a former “National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism,” worked for 30 years inside the U.S. government but seems to have greater respect than some within government for concerned people outside of it. He seems also to feel some respect for people outside our borders.
He develops, I think, a fair-minded approach toward evaluating drone warfare given his acceptance that wars and assassinations are sometimes necessary. (I don’t share that premise). Several characters in the novel, including members of a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, criticize drone warfare, noting that in spite of high level, expensive reconnaissance, drone attacks still kill civilians, alienating people the U.S. ostensibly wants to turn away from terrorism.
Elsewhere in the plot, U.S. citizens face acute questions after they themselves witness remote control attacks on colleagues. Standing outside a Las Vegas home engulfed in flames, and frustrated by his inability to protect or save a colleague and his family, one main character ruefully identifies with people experiencing the same rage and grief, in faraway lands like Afghanistan and Pakistan, when they are struck by Predator drones that he operates every day. U.S. characters courageously grapple with more nuanced answers to questions such as, “Who are the terrorists?” and “Who are the murderers?” As the plot accelerates toward a potential terrorist attack against railway systems in U.S. cities, with growing suspicion that the attacks are planned for Christmas Day, Clarke builds awareness that those who launch cyber-attacks and drone attacks, no matter which side claims their loyalty, passionately believe their attacks will protect people on their own side.
When U.S. media and U.S. government officials ask, “who are the murderers,” the default answer is enemy soldiers. I’m reminded of Senator McCain’s own response to a 2012 prisoner exchange of five Afghan militants, where he was alleged to have exclaimed, “They’re the five biggest murderers in world history! They killed Americans!”
It brings home a core fact about drones: that you can’t surrender to a drone. Enemy soldiers, and people merely suspected of being, or intending to become, enemy soldiers, are killed at home gardening, or eating dinner with their families. At the military base where I was arrested, soldiers drive home every evening from piloting drones in lethal sorties over Afghanistan, Iraq, and presumably a sizable list of other countries less well known to the U.S. public. With no overwhelming zeal to kill civilians, they assist the U.S. in killing many more civilians each year than Al Qaeda and ISIS can collectively dream of doing, in the course of advancing U.S. interests over a whole world region U.S. drones render into one large battlefield. No thinking person would wish that same logic to be visited on these soldiers returning home from daily battle, although Clarke’s novel chillingly imagines the U.S.’ own technology and rules of engagement turned against it. It’s a warning we’re too prone to ignore.
The ‘sting’ of the drone: six year old Sameeda Gul, injured in Pakistan 2009.
In Clarke’s novel, the U.S. drone operators and intelligence officials are smart, efficient, generally honest, caring and often funny. Romance and occasional flings color their lives. The two masterminds of the enemy plot in contrast, are more mysterious. Readers learn almost nothing about their personal lives, although it’s clear that they don’t expect to live much longer. They, too show remarkable expertise exploring high-tech ways to achieve goals. They, too, are clever and terrifyingly competent; personal loss and deeply felt grievances motivate them; like their counterparts, they’ve moved into high positions with increasing wealth and perks. But, unlike the U.S. characters, they express no remorse or second thoughts about killing their targets and strategizing for a major attack.
The fact remains that if we didn’t see enemy soldiers as “murdering terrorists” lacking the human emotions and rights of our own troops, and enemy civilians as “collateral damage” whose deaths are automatically the fault of all who resist us, then there couldn’t be a drone program. There wouldn’t be a technology for eliminating human threats and human obstacles conveniently, cheaply, and instantly from the skies. We would no longer be killing militants and suspected militants unquestioned, too often at the first hint that they might pose a risk to us.
The “means-ends” question intensifies as both sides demonstrate increasingly high-tech ways to thwart and attack each other. One intelligence officer asks how his superior manages to draw the line between what is acceptable and what would be out of bounds when he issues orders that will “take out” presumed enemies.
“It used to be the ‘Front Page Rule,’” the higher official responds. “Assume it will be on the front page of the Post someday and only do it if you could stand that level of exposure. But it’s amazing what has been on the front page without any real consequences: torture, illegal wiretaps, black sites. No one goes to jail. No one gets fired. So I don’t know anymore.”
When Clarke invokes the “Front Page Rule”, it seems to be his acknowledgement that peace protesters like those of Code Pink play a valuable role informing public opinion. Believing that the means you use determines the end you get, they hold out for alternatives to war and killing. Far from being low-life scum, they have distinguished themselves in fields of diplomacy, research, journalism, law and education. More than this, they are distinguishing themselves in service to the victims of war.
I hope that someday Senator McCain will gain the insight to repent of insulting them, just as one of the witnesses that day, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, may now regret having exalted the “indispensable” U.S. nation’s right to lead in using force, having since admitted, “We have been talking about our exceptionalism during the recent eight years. Now, an average American wants to stay at home — they do not need any overseas adventures. We do not need new enemies.”
Militarists trust in weapon strength. Still, though perennially disregarded, another option is readily available, offering much greater safety and letting us insist without self-deception on the respect for life that we invoke in defense of our nation’s drone strategy and its war on terror. It’s the option of treating other people fairly and justly, of trying to share resources equitably, even that precious resource of safety; of trying to see the humanity of our so-called enemies and of seeing ourselves as we’re seen by them.
Clarke’s story moves toward a suspenseful conclusion at the height of the Christmas season, ironically moving toward a day traditionally set aside to herald a new-born as the Prince of Peace.
As drone warfare proliferates, as the stings of the drone become more lethal and terrifying, the peace activists hold a newsworthy message. I’m glad Code Pink members continually interrupt high level hearings. I hope their essential questioning will plant seeds that germinate, take root and gather underground strength.
This article first appeared on Telesur.
Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence (info@vcnv.org), is in federal prison for participation in an anti-drone protest. She can receive mail at:
KATHY KELLY 04971-045; FMC LEXINGTON; FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER; SATELLITE CAMP; P.O. BOX 14525; LEXINGTON, KY 40512
PIPR © 2021
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Retro Review--Ice Climber (NES/3DS)
by Brian LeTendre
As a Nintendo 3DS Ambassador (an early adopter who paid the full $250 at launch for the handheld), I received a bunch of Virtual console games for free via the 3DS eShop a while back. One of those games was Ice Climber, a classic 1985 NES platformer that I really didn't spend much time with back in the day. Revisiting the game now however, I have a much greater appreciation for it.
Ice Climber stars Popo and Nana, blue and pink parka wearing Eskimos, who must scale a series of mountains that constitute the different levels in the game. In the single player mode, players take on the role of Popo, and the two-player mode pits Nana against Popo to see who can scale each mountain first. Standing in their way are eight layers of ice, and players have to break through each layer in order to jump up to the next level. Trying to stop them are yetis, polar bears and birds, who do things like fill in the holes in the ice, or even make the bottom of the screen move up, costing you a life if you're caught at the bottom. You also have to contend with falling icicles and conveyor belt-like patches of ice, all aimed at knocking you off the mountain, messing up your jumps, or running you into trouble. Once the eight layers of ice are navigated, there is a bonus stage where you must platform to the summit and then hitch a ride on a condor to get off the mountain. Falling during the bonus stage doesn't cost a life, but nets you a lot less points. You also get points for collecting vegetables along the way.
While the overall mechanics are simple, there is a lot of precision jumping and timing that goes into successfully making it up each mountain. I got lulled into a false sense of security after the first couple of levels, but the game gets challenging quickly. It's particularly difficult to get to the top of the bonus level of each mountain, something I rarely did.
Like a lot of classic platformers, it's easy to learn and difficult to master. It’s definitely worth checking out, but sadly if you’re not a 3DS Ambassador, you won’t be able to download Ice Climber on the eShop. Your best bets are finding the GameBoy version that was released as part of the NES Classics line, or downloading it through the Wii’s Virtual Console, as it is available there. Also, if you have the Animal Crossing game for GameCube, you can play the entire Ice Climber game within it.
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Life of the Institute
Regulatory and legal acts
General directions
Experimental base
Seismic hazard
Dossier on the bill of the Republic of Kazakhstan. "On the national security of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan as of February 18, 2011 № 407-IV On Science
Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan as of November 24, 2011 № 496-IV On Republican Budget for 2012-2014 (as amended and supplemented on March 16, 2012)
President speeches
Procurement of works and services
State symbols of the RK
Everyone should know
How to be prepared for an earthquake
Booked - so safe
Notice to the public on how to behave in earthquakes
Recommendations to the companies, organizations and institutions located in seismic regions, to make the decisions in the case of a major earthquake
Official website of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Ministry of Emergency Situations
Joint Stock Company "National Science and Technology Holding" Parasat"
The Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan
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SI "Someya RK"
Institute of Physics of the Earth. by O. Yu. Schmidt RAS
Information center for collecting and processing the Special Seismic Information
European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre
Geological Survey of the United States of America
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A Man Like Boaz
My church recently finished a study on the book of Ruth. The timing of the series was so prevalent to the culture we live in as the "Me, too" campaign unfolded. For too long women who have been victimized have been asked questions that implicate them as being in the wrong place at the wrong time, wearing the wrong thing. Even women, who should know better, say stupid things that cast blame on survivors, heaping even more shame on victims already drowning in sea of toxic shame. But the truth is, each person's actions are an indicator of what is in their heart. When a predator preys it is because of his heart, not his victim’s. I definitely believe that women need to raise daughters who walk with strength and dignity and who can command respect because they know they are deeply loved, fully accepted, and chosen by One who gave His life for them. But, that is no guarantee that they won't be harassed, molested, or raped.
We need to quit buying into the lie that men are victims of their bodies and just can't help themselves. We need to teach our sons that they don't prove their manhood by undressing women with their eyes and catcalling at them as they walk down the street. We need to raise our sons to understand they don't prove their manhood by asking women for what is not appropriate outside the marriage covenant. We need to raise sons who understand it is manlier to date and court a young woman with integrity that it is to get her drunk, so he can add another notch to his belt. We need to raise our sons to understand that real men do not wound women through sexual harassment and/or sexual assault. For a while, I thought maybe I was just being unreasonable to expect men to be different; then I read the story of Ruth and came across a man named Boaz.
Ruth was a widow from Moab living in Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, Naomi, who was bitter over the loss of her husband and both of her sons. As was customary, Ruth went to a barley field hoping to glean what the reapers left. She ended up gleaning in Boaz's fields. When he approached the fields, he saw her, and he asked about her. Upon hearing that she was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, he approached her. He was kind as he instructed her to not leave his field for other fields and to stay with the women that were working for him. He provided her with water and with food and even instructed his workers to pull some grain from their bundles and leave it so that she would have ample grain for her and Naomi's needs. He treated the young foreign woman with upmost respect and provided food and drink for her and Naomi. He protected her as she was vulnerable to mistreatment and assault.
I think every woman, at some level, desires to be treated like this. When I was in college, I had to walk by the cafeteria late at night to get back to my dorm after my class. I had been victimized as a child and I was nervous because several women had reported that they had been assaulted by athletes on our campus. As I came around the corner of the building, there was a group of athletes standing there. They started catcalling and I panicked and started walking even faster. When I started walking faster, they took it up a notch calling me all sorts of vulgar names. That night I longed for a Boaz, to step out of the crowd of guys who had enough integrity to speak kindly to me and to offer to walk me through the crowd so that I knew I could safely get home.
When Ruth told Naomi about Boaz's kindness, protection, and provision, Naomi explained Israel's provision for widows through a kinsman redeemer. At Naomi's instruction, Ruth bathed and anointed herself with perfume and went to the threshing floor and uncovered the feet of Boaz and laid there at his feet. He awakened and she asked him to be her redeemer. Even in the darkness of the night with a woman lying at his feet, Boaz integrity shined bright. He could have taken advantage of Ruth, but he listened to her and treated her with respect. He knew there was a closer relative who had the right of redemption, and he wanted to legally take Ruth as a wife without disrespecting the relative who was entitled to do so. As soon as it was light enough for her to go home safely he sent her on her way, protecting both her reputation and her purity. He asked for the right to marry her and it was granted.
So, where did Boaz learn to treat women so well? Why was his heart so open and protective of the foreigner living in his community? I think maybe he learned it from his dad and his mom. His mom was none other than "Rahab the harlot" who was saved when she hung the scarlet chord from her window when the walls of Jericho tumbled down. Some people think that it was one of the spies that she hid that took her as his wife. Maybe Boaz learned from watching his dad demonstrate love and grace to his mom through kind words and protective actions. Or, maybe Boaz learned to be kind and full of integrity in his relationships with women from watching his mom suffer through the leers from men and the gossip of women who knew of her questionable past. Maybe it came from watching his mom be snubbed for being a foreigner living in Bethlehem and from the cruelty he endured as a product of a mixed marriage. We don't know for sure, but we do know that Boaz grew to be man of impeccable integrity and maybe, just maybe, our culture would begin to change if we began to raise each of our sons to become a man like Boaz.
I Love You. I Have Always Loved You
Opposition is Opportunity in Disguise
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Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion; you must set yourself on fire. - Reggie Leach
Optical Illusions Book HOME
Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and Applications
by Matthew Luckiesh
Begin reading the book.
In 1922, Matthew Luckiesh wrote an optical illusions book titled - Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and Applications. It was probably the first book to comprehensively cover the topic of Optical Illusions, or Visual Illusions, as they were called then.
A version of the famous
Endless Stairs Illusion
Years of research preceded the writing of this optical illusions book. During those years the world became engulfed in "The Great War." Mr. Luckiesh worked on ways to camouflage our ships and airplanes using visual illusions. He dedicates a chapter to that topic.
On this optical illusion web site, we present this book to you, chock full of optical illusion information. It will be of interest to both the person who is fascinated by optical illusions and asks, "How do optical illusions work?" and also to the person doing serious research on the science of optical illusions. Some editing of the book has been done.
To navigate through it, click on a chapter link below. Once you have entered the chapter, navigate through the book pages by clicking on the numbers at the top or bottom of the page. The previous page title and the next page title appear as links to the left and right of these numbers.
We hope you enjoy this optical illusions book as much as we have.
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List of reference material along with the original and current copyright information.
Preface - Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and Applications
Matthew Luckiesh wrote this book in 1922 because there did not appear to be any other optical illusions book available which treated the subject in a condensed manner but with a broad scope.
Introduction to Visual Illusions by M. Luckiesh
Only a part of what is perceived comes through the senses from the object. The remainder always comes from within. Artists, architects, stage artists, magicians and camoufleur either take advantage of optical illusions or try to avoid them. They are vastly entertaining, useful, deceiving or disastrous, depending upon the viewpoint.~
Included in the introduction is a history of optical illusions and an initial discussion on understanding optical illusions.
Chapter 2 - The Eye and Optical Illusions
How the human eye works is described. An eye diagram with the structure and parts of the eye is included. The eye anatomy section is followed by a discussion of how the eye plays a part in optical illusions.
Chapter 3 - Vision and Optical Illusions
The sense of sight differs considerably from the other senses. What we see with our eyes inside our head is projected outward and we have little consciousness of anything occurring inside our eyes. This makes it extremely difficult to convince ourselves that it is essentially a subjective sensation.
This chapter discusses how optical illusions are related to binocular vision, perspective, distance and size perception, and depth and stereoscopic vision.
Chapter 4 - Types Of Geometrical Optical Illusions
Many things cause geometrical optical illusions, among them are the location of an object in the visual field, whether the extent of an area is filled or empty, contour, contrast and perspective.
Chapter 5 - Optical Illusions, Equivocal Figures
This chapter of Visual Illusions discusses visual perception and optical illusions. Many figures apparently change in appearance owing to fluctuations in attention and in associations. Our perception is strongly associated with our accustomed ways of seeing objects. When the object is suggested it grasps our mind completely in its stereotyped form, resulting in what we call an optical illusion. The psychology of optical illusions is also discusses. The psychological hypotheses introduce factors such as judgment, will, attention and imagination. The physiological hypotheses depend largely upon such factors as accommodation and eye-movement.
Chapter 6 - The Influence Of Angles On Optical Illusions
Angles play an important part, directly or indirectly, in the production of optical illusions. The overestimation or underestimation of angles can result in what is referred to as a geometrical optical illusion. Discussed in this chapter are the twisted chord optical illusion, the spiral optical illusion, the pinwheel optical illusion along with the Zollner illusion, Muller-Lyer Illusion and the Joseph Jastrow Illusion.
Chapter 7 - Optical Illusions of Depth and of Distance
When any of the ordinary criteria of relief or of distance are apparently modified, optical illusions of depth and distance are possible. There are many illusions of this sort, such as the looming of objects in a fog; the apparent enlargement of the sun and moon near the horizon; the flattening of the "vault" of the sky; the intaglio seen as relief; the alteration of relief with lighting; and various changes in the landscape when regarded with the head inverted. Certain data pertaining to the objects viewed must be assumed, and if the assumptions are incorrect, illusions will result. An increase in the brightness of an object is accompanied by an apparent movement toward the observer, and conversely a decrease in brightness produces an apparent movement in the opposite direction. H. A. Carr's report on optical illusions of distance, motion and movement is discussed.
Chapter 8 - Irradiation and Brightness-Contrast In Optical Illusions
Many interesting and striking illusions owe their existence to contrasts in brightness. A dark line or spot will appear darker in general as the brightness of its environment is increased; or conversely, a white spot surrounded by a dark environment will appear brighter as the latter is darkened. In other words, black and white, when juxtaposed, mutually reinforce each other. The visual phenomenon of irradiation (the apparent enlargement of a bright object when viewed against a dark background) does not strictly belong to this group, but it is so closely related to it and so dependent upon brightness-contrast that it is included.
Chapter 9 - Color and Optical Illusions
There are almost numberless phenomena involving color, many of which are optical illusions, or seemingly so. It will be obvious that many are errors of sense; some are errors of judgment; others are errors due to defects of the optical system of the eye; and many may be ascribed to certain characteristics of the visual process. Substantial glimpses of the more important phases of color as related to illusions are presented in this chapter.
Chapter 10 - How Lighting Creates Optical Illusions
The lighting of objects or of a scene can alone produce an optical illusion. In still more cases, it can be a contributing factor in an optical illusion. All the illusions of brightness-contrast may be produced by lighting. Surfaces and details may appear larger or smaller, harsh or almost obliterated, heavy or light. This chapter of Luckiesh's optical illusion book discussed several aspects of lighting in relation to optical illusions.
Chapter 11 - Optical Illusions Found In Nature
Optical illusions abound everywhere. There are a number of special interest which occur in nature. The apparent form of the sky has attracted the attention of many scientific investigators for centuries. There are many conflicting opinions as to the causes of this appearance of form, but there is general agreement that the sky appears usually as a flattened vault. The flattened vault appearance of the sky is thought by some to explain the apparent enlargement of the sun, moon, and constellations when viewed at the horizon. In discussing the great illusions of nature, it appears appropriate to introduce the mirage. A mirage is not due to an error of sense of judgment. The eye sees what is presented but the inversions and other peculiar effects are due to variations in the refractive index of the atmosphere.
Chapter 12 - Painting and Decorating: Optical Illusions In The Arts And In Decorating
In the arts, forms, lines, perspective, contrasts, color and brightness are so important that it is obvious optical illusions are also important. Sometimes they are problems which must be suppressed. In other cases they are boons to the artist if he or she is equal to the task of harnessing them. Often they appear unheralded and unexpected. All the means for success which the painter possesses are also available to the decorator. However, the decorator may also make use of some of the optical illusions of irradiation, line, form, etc. which the architect uses.
Chapter 13 - Optical Illusions In Architecture
Many illusions are found in architecture. Many of these were recognized long before painting developed beyond its primitive stages. The classic Greek architecture displays a highly developed knowledge of many geometrical illusions and the architects of those far-off centuries carefully worked out details for counteracting them. Drawings reveal many optical illusions to the architect, but many are not predicted by them. The ever-changing relations of lines and forms in architecture as we vary our viewpoint introduce many optical illusions which may appear and disappear. Any view of a group of buildings or of the components of a single building will exhibit some optical illusions. In reality we never see the same relations of lines, forms, colors, and brightnesses as indicated by the drawings or blue-prints. Perhaps this is one of the best justifications for the construction of expensive models of our more pretentious structures.
Chapter 14 - Mirror Trick, Magic Optical Illusion
Many of the more notable magic optical optical illusion tricks were those involving the use of mirrors and the control of light. The mirror magic optical optical illusion has perhaps astounded audiences more than any other magic trick. In this magic optical illusion, a head, not attached to a body, seems to hover in a room. In this chapter you will find the famous magic optical illusion secret revealed.
Chapter 15 - Camouflage Optical Illusions
In this optical illusion book, Matthew Luckiesh discusses camouflage as it occurs in nature and as it was used by the military during World War I. The name was coined by the French to apply to a definite art which developed during the "Great War" to a high state. It was during WWI that camouflage developed as a science. During World War II camouflage was developed to an even greater extent. It covers a vast field of activity in scientifically concealing and deceiving.
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About This Book Preface Chap 1, Introduction Chap 2, The Eye Chap 3, Vision Chap 4, Geometrical Chap 5, Figures Chap 6, Angles Chap 7, Depth/Distance Chap 8 Brightness/Contrast Chap 9, Color Chap 10, Lighting Chap 11, Nature Chap 12, Painting/Decorating Chap 13, Architecture Chap 14, Magic Mirror Chap 15, Camouflage
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The Muse Strikes Back
This was a hard year for me on the writing front (well, all fronts) and damn it, I’m not comfortable with that. Stories have come hard and slow to me, and novel drafts I typically would have dashed out in under a month now take me twice that amount of time. I’m not short of ideas, and I have enough time in my schedule to get these things done. My agent says I am turning in my best work (such as ADRIFT, recently), with each manuscript getting better and better. But for the last several months, it has been as if the passion was sucked out of me. No amount of coffee, tea, or motivational viewings of 2001: A Space Odyssey could lift me from the funk.
I’m sure other writers go through phases where their output waxes or wanes; I know I have. But this time was different. The specter of quitting what I do has never haunted my thoughts, but self-doubt more than took its place. I even took to procrastinating when it came to writing, something I rarely did in previous years.
Either I’m losing my touch, or my mind needs more time to realize these stories on a subconscious level. We write stories based on our experiences in the real world, and I’ve been trying to tackle deeper, more ‘cerebral’ material instead of the action/adventure stories I typically write. Perhaps, in going for more depth, I’ve had to explore my own psychological depths. One would think that requires more gestation time for such stories. This isn’t an excuse for writing less this year: I haven’t lost any of my excitement for the craft, for science fiction and the genre at large, or for fandom.
I’m hoping this is part of my evolution as an author, and that I come out of it stronger and more focused. I intend for it to be.
As this year draws to a close, I’m roughly halfway through another first draft, AFTERWORLD. I wrote a synopsis as a guideline, and I have the overall plot envisioned. Pretty typical for me, since I’m a panster anyway. All I will say about AFTERWORLD is that it’s a ‘post-human’ story, set far into the future at a point where humanity is extinct. The main characters are all biomechanical. This has led me to think more about how we humans express ourselves, how we see the world, and the things we take for granted, more than ever before. Even though I’m well into the first draft, new ideas are still coalescing in my mind. Should I take this narrative route, or that one? I don’t find these questions to be obstacles, but they have caused me to slow my progress and ponder certain issues a little more before returning to the manuscript.
Before this year, I would have cautioned against such a thing. Usually, once I’ve started a new story, I don’t stop until it’s finished. For a novel, that meant not pausing to reconsider character motivations or plot maturation. I simply charged ahead. And that has always given me grief when revising my first drafts into second ones. Maybe now, I’m finally slowing down so that I can craft better stories, and get more of it right the first time around. If I were superstitious, I’d say this is my muse striking back, after I’ve sent her changing through the burning ruins of Pansterville for years.
Anyway. I plan to complete the initial draft of AFTERWORLD before 2017 finally ends. I’m excited for 2018. I’m ready for the muse to kick my ass from one globular star cluster to the next, because, even though I’ve slowed down for a while, I’m not giving up.
When I was in high school, I noticed my classmates had seemingly changed over the summer and entered the new school year as members of certain cliques. People who’d been friends were now too cool to speak to me. Not a fun place to be. In our society this is a part of growing up, unfortunately. Many people mature out of this phase—but many never do. That is how I see the toxic side of fandom.
I was never part of a clique. All I had other than a handful of friends were the science fiction and fantasy books I loved to read, Dungeons & Dragons, and heavy metal music. Little communities I felt part of, separate from those who shunned me in everyday life. I never felt others should be prevented from enjoying these things; the more people I had things in common with, the better. So even though, more than two decades later, I still read SF, still play tabletop RPGs, (my taste in music has since greatly expanded, thankfully), I reiterate that I was never in a clique. A clique is exclusive. It forbids entry to those it considers beneath them. It rescinds membership to any who might be interested but simply doesn’t understand every aspect of said clique’s minutiae.
Many of today’s fandoms contain people who view their favorite films, comics, games, or books as just another clique. To hell with the mundanes who assume they are fans. I know most fans aren’t like this, but enough are to become noticeable. Enough to make the rest of us look bad. They remind me of the cliques in high school that regarded themselves as superior to everyone else—with just as much maturity.
The current outcry over the 13th Doctor getting cast as a woman, the bitching about Ed Sheeran having a cameo in Game of Thrones Season 7, or the vitriol regarding Idris Elba portraying the Gunslinger in the new Dark Tower movie—it all sounds like a bunch of children squabbling over a pie they have always claimed is available to everyone. Star Trek fans say their fandom represents that future utopian society yet some complain when two women of color are cast in the lead roles for the new show Discovery. Star Wars fans love to imagine battling an evil empire in a galaxy featuring countless alien species, but some got butthurt when a POC was cast as a stormtrooper in The Force Awakens. And don’t get me started on the comics industry.
A lot of this can be blamed on simple bigotry and misogyny. Racism and sexism are alive and well in the 21st century, but often in places no one would have suspected. But the more I talk to other writers, the more I learn that this behavior has went on for quite some time. Since I wasn’t among those typically shunned from SF (women, people of color, LGBT people), I never realized how deep some of this went. It’s certainly made me rethink how I see the SF genre and the things I’ve enjoyed for years. How my interest and involvement in them has never been questioned, while the inclusion of others is.
Hey, I get it. You bonded with a certain movie, story, or character that helped you understand yourself and provided insulation from the horrors of the world outside. Something that seemed truly yours, that only you understood. This thing has been there for you when nobody else was. When you laid alone at night, shunned by all else, you still had this one thing that offered comfort and escape. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Telling someone else they can’t have the same thing is not only wrong, it’s hypocritical. It’s selfish. It reveals a lack of empathy, for if this one thing gives you comfort, you wish to keep others from feeling the same. Where you might have turned to fandom to deal with the sanctimoniousness of other cliques, you have contributed to the very same behavior. You assume this identity is yours alone, and all others are thieves, pretenders, or those wishing to use that identity to further a political agenda. But if you’re the one complaining, or trying to prohibit others from finding solace in what you like, you’re the one with the agenda.
The easy thing is to tell these people ‘you should live up to the ideals of your heroes’. That they missed the true message behind Star Trek, Steven Universe, Doctor Who, and others. Sometimes you block them on social media, and in some cases that can’t be avoided. But they never learn what their real problem is as a result.
The real problem is that they don’t understand—or accept—that their hero, their ideal, their one shining thing, can inspire and comfort someone else. Not just them. No single person, group, or community owns these fictional worlds and characters. They belong to all of us. It doesn’t matter if their gender or skin color changes. As long as these worlds and characters remain true to what they represent, what they inspired, then nothing has fundamentally changed. They are the new mythology and change with the times.
They change because we do. Because some of us need them to.
Science Fiction in a Post-Truth World
For decades, science fiction has been the genre of future speculation, hope, and even warning. Though its trends have changed with the times, there remains one constant the genre never abandons: its regard for science, knowledge, and reason. Regardless of whether fans prefer space opera over social SF, or what their politics are, science fiction has remained the champion of forward-thinking in the face of ignorance and zealotry.
Can that still be true in our new, so-called ‘post-truth’ society? Where it is now fashionable, in certain circles, to proudly disregard knowledge and intellect, to give opinion the same weight as fact? When daily, we watch the frightening rise of regressive behaviors such as bigotry, assault on women’s rights, climate change denial, and even those who believe the Earth is flat? Or that we never landed on the Moon? When elected leaders freely cast doubt on what is true or false, for blatant political gain?
What worth can science fiction have in such a society? This question is more important than ever, as the general public’s main exposure to SF is the big Hollywood blockbuster: big explosions, dumbed-down plot, technology akin to magic. When people doubt we ever sent humans into space, while using a mobile phone that receives signals from orbiting satellites. Post-modern ideas claiming science (and thus critical thought) is just another religion. Worst of all, empowered racists that ask if some people can even be considered human beings.
The best way to fight this nonsense is to maintain our standard of knowledge. One that never normalizes ignorance. A standard that science fiction epitomizes.
But wait, I know what some will say: the genre itself has always been politicized. From the Libertarian-tinged works of Robert A. Heinlein, to the feminist perspectives given by Ursula K. Le Guin, science fiction has never been a stranger to controversy (in fact, what works are considered controversial is in itself a controversy). There’s nothing wrong with this; having multiple perspectives on how humans will advance (or not) is what gives the field its strength. There’s something for all tastes, all political persuasions. That doesn’t mean we should normalize racism, sexism, and otherwise hateful material when it arises. Recognizing and calling out such things doesn’t stifle creativity. But abiding them certainly stifles the SF community, and, ultimately, the rest of society.
Yet, for all the friction within SF fandom, we’ve always been united by a respect for learning. I hope this continues. As the cultural wars spill over into the SF community, I fear some authors will assume the same stubborn, ignorant, even petty stances that certain elements of society now espouse. We’ve already witnessed that in regards to the Sad/Rabid Puppies movement. Regardless of where one stands on that issue, it’s mere distraction compared to what is happening around us. What we once read about in SF books, has now, or likely will, come true:
The mass-surveillance state as shown in George Orwell’s 1984;
The rise of corporatism, as depicted in William Gibson’s Neuromancer;
Women as baby-making machines, from Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale;
The deterioration of urban, non-white neighborhoods, from Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower;
Rising sea levels, like those from JG Ballard’s The Drowned World.
There are other examples, but this list suffices to make my point. True, some of these haven’t come to pass, or aren’t as extreme as their fictional counterpart. But the signs are there, much more so than when the author in question penned said work (which is why I didn’t select recent titles). We are walking the razor’s edge, barefoot and blindfolded.
So, what can we, as science fiction writers, do?
Some will say, ‘do nothing, keep it business as usual’. I can’t condemn that. Just because we write SF, that doesn’t make us activists, prophets, or anything bent on swaying another’s thinking. That’s not my intent when I write a short story or novel. Our beliefs, hopes, prejudices, and all else that makes us individuals, will surface in our art, regardless of authorial intent. But there is one thing we can all do: maintain respect for knowledge.
Support reason, praise intellect, require facts instead of opinions. Keep these tenements in your work, subtle or no. Inspire with that sense of wonder, like Arthur C. Clarke did with his work. Foster hope that humanity can overcome these challenges, like Octavia Butler. Challenge our concepts of gender and civilization, like Ursula K. Le Guin or Samuel Delaney. Or, like George Orwell and Margaret Atwood, tell us your greatest fears, so that we might be forewarned.
Never forget that science fiction inspired some of our greatest scientists and inventors; without this genre, rockets and mobile devices might never have left the proverbial drawing board. Our knowledge sets us apart from every other lifeform we currently know; therefore, let us celebrate it, increase it, and most importantly, share it, so that the idea of a ‘post-truth’ era dies like all other ephemeral, meaningless trends. Let science fiction be a pestilence upon ignorance, a poison against irrationality, and an antidote to regressive thinking.
“There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to brighten it everywhere.”
My First Con: Stalking George R.R. Martin
It was a chilly February morning in Roanoke as I entered the hotel where Mysticon 2016 was being held. Dusty, one of my local writer friends, had managed to get me a pass. The rest had sold out weeks beforehand, due to the anticipated appearance of George R. R. Martin. This would be my first ‘con’, short for convention. But, as you’ll see below, it seems as if I stalked poor GRRM the whole time.
After receiving my pass and perusing the vendor displays (I purchased a book and art print by fantasy artist J.P Targete, and a book from fellow HWA member, Pamela Kinney), Dusty and I made our way to the GRRM reading. No electronic devices were allowed; if they saw you so much as check your phone or tablet, the reading would end. I found that a bit harsh, but I waited with everyone else in that crowded room. Including two infants who were most enthusiastic to see the infamous architect of the Red Wedding.
GRRM walked in, wearing that customary hat and suspenders that lend a dark Santa Clause air about him. Well, he was dressed all in black. And lots of characters die in his books. Badly.
He was going to read two chapters from his upcoming novel, The Winds of Winter. You know, the novel all fandom is waiting for, from A Song of Ice and Fire. The passages were interesting, but gave nothing away (and certainly left every mystery unanswered, all of you Jon Snow hopefuls). But that’s all I will say about his text; you’ll have to wait like everyone else to find out what we heard in that room. Though it was cool, finding out something before the rest of fandom, I was glad when GRRM finished, because I’m not fond of readings (much rather be at home, alone, reading, with tea or coffee handy). Dusty almost fell asleep, I think.
From there, we sampled a panel about colonizing Venus. After realizing these people had no idea for how they would deal with planetary surfaces reaching 800 degrees Fahrenheit, much less the massive atmospheric pressures, Dusty and I left. I wish those people luck, but I’m certain we’ll have colonized Io before they convince anyone to live on Venus. And Io’s covered in frigging volcanoes.
By this time, many more attendees had shown up. Cosplayers, fans, and even writers like myself. It felt weird and fun at the same time, knowing these people shared many of my own interests. In my Star Trek t-shirt, complete with the rainbow warp colors, I felt at home. No one realized I was trying to cosplay Neil Gaiman in that leather jacket, though.
Dusty introduced me to a favorite local writer of his, P.S. Belcher, and I purchased one of Belcher’s books to sign, The Six-Gun Tarot. He said he’d heard of my own book, and I simply smiled and said ‘cool’ (Oh shit, did he read the positive or negative reviews? Had he heard good or bad things? Hey, we writers are an insecure lot.). Dusty and I stayed for a few moments as Belcher took part in a panel on beta readers. But, alas, we had to run, to once again trail GRRM through the fan-filled halls of the hotel.
Once we finally found the signing line, our wait was relatively short. That was the good part. The bad? GRRM would only sign one item, without inscriptions, and if I wanted a photo with him, I had to have my camera out and already set to the camera app. This wouldn’t have bothered me if I hadn’t already purchased two copies of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (one for me, one for my cousin, who is a huge GRRM fan) from the Barnes & Noble vendor in the hotel. I pity anyone who bought all five volumes of A Song of Ice and Fire in the hopes of getting them signed.
But that wasn’t the best part. By the time I got to the small room where GRRM was signing, I had the single book out, the camera was ready, and I’d cleared my throat to say something. As GRRM was signing his angular scribble on the book’s title page (I’d have been pissed if he had marred the colorful, illustrated end paper), I said ‘Hello, Mr. Martin.’ Respectful, friendly, not attempting to start a conversation because the con staff wanted us to move our asses faster than a Sand Snake could kill a man. GRRM looked up and said ‘Hello, how are you today?’, and I replied, ‘I’m fine,’ as I took my signed book and retrieved my phone from the con staff member. Once I was away, I examined the picture they’d taken.
Holy shit. It was terrible. But in a way, it was hilarious.
The photo, which I uploaded to social media, shows me apparently frowning down at GRRM, and he’s looking up at me, his pen scratching over that title page. It appears confrontational, like a stare down. Of course, when I uploaded the photo, I typed in a caption: ‘I’m warning you…if Brienne dies, we riot.’ Game of Thrones fans will get it.
After we grabbed lunch at Bellacino’s (excellent toasted subs), we returned to the hotel so that we could listen to the GRRM Q&A. We attended another panel, this one with another local writer, Tiffany Trent, on it (author of The Unnaturalists), who received us warmly, and mentioned seeing my book advertised in the local newspaper. That made me happy and embarrassed at the same time; I’m not accustomed to praise or attention. The panel discussed raising children in a post-apocalyptic world, which I found quite interesting, but—yep, you guessed it—we left early to stalk GRRM one last time.
This time, Dusty and I managed to get a seat just to the left of the Q&A table, being closer to GRRM than anyone else. Yet, when the venerable slayer of favorite characters arrived, he made eye contact with me as he neared the stage. The dude probably thought I was some crazed fan, seeing me once again, but I managed to refrain myself from prostrating. I did smile, though. A Littlefinger kinda smile. Well, not really.
The Q&A was both entertaining and enlightening; GRRM came across as a down to earth guy, and, as Dusty commented, he was very generous with his answers to the audience’s questions. This was easily the highlight for me, for, as I watched and listened, I considered my own writing hopes and dreams. GRRM makes no secret of his dislike for fame, and I got the impression he just wants to enjoy fandom like the rest of us. He really cares about the genre, and about the fans. Yes, it might seem that I complained about the limitations of the book signing, but honestly, there are far less famous and accomplished celebrities out there who charge far more for the opportunity, and GRRM lacked such arrogance. I’d do it all over again. Especially for another photo like that.
I almost got in line to ask him a question, but I couldn’t think of anything worthwhile (I wanted to crack a joke about, ‘hey see you at the next Hugo Loser’s Party’, but that’ll probably never happen for me). I’m not a novice any longer, but I’m far from a master of my craft, and no doubt, there is much GRRM could fill me in on. But I found the best way to learn, in this situation, was to simply listen and observe.
Afterward, as Dusty and I passed through a Roanoke fading into twilight, I knew I would come back to Mysticon, and to other cons. My swag bag may have been filled with signed books, but my mind was filled with the possibility that, yes, I belonged there.
But I’ll try not to creep out the guest author next time.
My First Book Signing
I was nervous as I hurried across the parking lot to Barnes & Noble, wary of holiday traffic and checking to make sure my wife was still beside me. In one hand I carried a small briefcase with my business cards, pens, and tablets (electronic and paper versions). In the other hand I held a cardboard package that contained the blowup of my cover, overnighted to me the day before by my publicist at Penguin.
This was my first book signing, and damn it, I didn’t want to mess it up.
I’d managed to squeeze in a signing at the last minute, thanks to my father-in-law and the local Barnes & Noble manager. Scheduled six days before Christmas and one day after the release of the new Star Wars film, it seemed like a good time to offer my space opera novel to busy shoppers. So without fanfare, I arrived right on time to find a table prepared for me, with my books lined up, as well as a standup flyer with my name on it.
This was the moment I’d only dreamed of. Yes, that’s a cliché spoken by every writer, but it’s true. For someone like me, a book store is both exciting and sacred, a library where proven classics shares shelf space with new blood. And here I was, the new blood, daring to seat myself in the center of such a place.
The store clerk welcomed me and offered to bring me coffee from the instore café should I need it; my wife, a few relatives, and friends took photos, bought a few copies, then left to do some last minute Christmas shopping. I was lucky enough to have an extended conversation with a local author and friend, but soon, even he was gone. I was set adrift in a sea of words and the people who pay their hard-earned money to read them.
But as soon as I sat down at the table, my anxiety disappeared. I don’t know why.
I’d always heard that you should engage people, but not come across too strong or annoying. So I sat there, hemmed in by my books on one side, and my cover blowup on the other, and waited.
It was interesting to watch people pass my table. You could tell who might be interested and who wasn’t. If anyone made eye contact with me, I made sure to say hello, and ask how they were doing. Most people are friendlier than they appear. If someone paused and glanced at my books, or my blowup, then I’d greet them and ask if they like science fiction. If anyone replied in the positive, I would continue my sales pitch (because that’s what it is) and ask if they liked Star Wars or Firefly, if they had a favorite SF author, and so on. This worked almost every time, with the result that I signed a book and garnered a sale at the end of the conversation. There was no median age, gender, or ethnicity; I sold books to the young and the old, men or women, whites and African Americans.
Some were parents shopping for their teenage children, some were buying Star Wars board games and wanted an SF book to go along with it, and some were intrigued enough by my description that they bought a copy. One woman liked my explanation of Kivita and Sar’s romance in my book. A guy mentioned that he liked SyFy’s new show The Expanse, and I mentioned that I watch it too (which I do) and that I tried to follow science much like that show does, by respecting different atmospheres and gravities in my own work. He bought a copy. Then there was the young guy who arrived after I had packed everything up. Wearing a curious smile, he picked up a copy, and soon we were discussing the works of Kevin J. Anderson, Timothy Zahn, and David Brin. I complimented him on his Boba Fett shirt (yes, I like that iconic character too) and the young man finally bought a signed copy.
So yes, I was being a salesman, but I know my genre, and I know my audience. I’m a fan too, and that connection with other fans worked for me.
There’s no doubt that the current popularity of space operas helped me out. But during the signing, the store clerk came by and let me know that I was doing very well. According to her, she’d seen other authors give a signing, sit there for hours, and not sell a single copy. She said I was good an engaging people.
Later that night, as I carried my briefcase and cover blowup back across a darkened parking lot, with my wife in tow, I smiled. The event was a success: over half of the books sold, but most importantly, because I’d proven to myself that I could do it. That I really can talk to strangers, and perhaps, connect their love of science fiction with my own in such a way that they’re willing to buy and read my work. Best of all, my wife and family were very proud. You can’t put a price on that kind of support, and I thank them.
Inherit the Stars: Release Day!
Finally, the day has arrived: November 3rd, 2015. The day I can stop retweeting ‘preorder my book!’, the day I can start worrying about the reviews I’ll get, and the day I’m supposed to gulp down several bottles of champagne.
It’s the day I can honestly say that I am a professionally published novelist. A real science fiction author.
I can remember signing that contract like it was yesterday, wondering if the release date would ever arrive, when would I get to see the cover art, or when would the ARCs go out to interested readers and publications. Now that the big day is here, I feel I have forgotten something, or there’s another task to complete, or I neglected to meet a deadline buried somewhere in my inbox. A writer’s life isn’t filled with celebratory toasts, pats on the back, or ticker tape parades, you know.
On my debut novel’s release day, all I can think about is: what comes next?
The obvious answer is to keep writing, keep submitting. But there are other considerations now. The way people view me, and the way I view myself.
It feels great to sign a copy of my book for someone, but it’s also strange. As my pen scratches my name on the title page, I try to think of clever, meaningful things to say. My cursive is horrible, so I have to print out the message, save for my signature at the end, which, despite practice, still resembles rejected characters from a chicken alphabet. Then it hits me that I really wrote this frigging thing, and I try not to screw up my signature.
Some of my relatives now say ‘hey, I know someone famous!’, but I merely grin and shake my head. I’m not a celebrity by any stretch, but it’s nice to think that anyone would think I’m cool now. I mean, one of my nieces Googled me, so that should mean something, right? Maybe I’ll get a Wikipedia page soon—the goal of all serious novelists.
I won’t know what fellow authors think unless they read my book, but we’re all part of the same club—one in which I can hold my head high, regardless of the novel’s success.
Some people may think ‘hey, you’ve made it!’, but no—all I did was climb a hill that allows me to actually see the mountain of challenges ahead. But the important thing is…now I know that I can climb.
So really, what is next?
I’ve already written both sequels to Inherit the Stars; one is in polished form, the other was written this past August. The story was always meant to be a trilogy, though the setting itself could be expanded in a second series. I have other science fiction and fantasy novels completed that I hope to get published, and I’m gearing up to write a brand new science fiction novel this month. I’d love to pen an epic fantasy saga down the road. There’s no end to the projects I have in mind.
Plus…I have more confidence now. No one can accuse me of pursuing a ‘thankless hobby’—which writing never was to me. Since I started writing seriously, it has always been, and remains, my passion. I have succeeded where many others have failed, and I know all too well just how special any success in this business is.
Now, I have business cards to pass out. I need to schedule myself for cons. I need to book some signings. My philosophy of ‘if you don’t regard yourself as a professional, then no one else will’ is now more important than ever. The pressure doesn’t go away simply because I achieved my first success.
Yet there is still much to celebrate. If writing were always a miserable enterprise, I wouldn’t do it. I love what I do. C’mon, you can order my book from Amazon, it’s on the shelf at Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million, and it got a nice nod from Publishers Weekly! It’s got a great cover and has the thickness of an epic. Wooo! Beyond such achievements, though, is the real release this day: it is the new me, no longer crippled by self-doubt and disillusionment. It is the start of a new chapter in my life, and my career. Inherit the Stars, indeed.
So…anyway. I can’t drink too much champagne, or sing out of tune to ‘We Are the Champions’ all night long. Remember: I’ve got another book to write.
The New Face of Science Fiction
Some people fear change, especially in science fiction and fandom overall. Recent examples:
Star Wars VII accused of promoting ‘white genocide’. Gamergate. The Puppies and the Hugo Awards. The 1-star reviews for Chuck Wendig’s Star Wars novel, ‘Aftermath’. If I wait a few days, there’ll be another controversy in fandom that I can add to this list. But that isn’t necessary. I, like most other writers, readers, and fans, am moving on.
The recent conservative backlashes against changes to fandom—more people of color (writers and characters), more alternate lifestyles, more LGBT representation—shouldn’t surprise anyone. It’s easy to ask, ‘how can sci-fi fans be so racist and backward, when they love aliens, robots, and future worlds’, but really, these social issues transcend fiction. A person will cheer for Lando when he blows up the Death Star in Return of the Jedi, but then stare in distaste as another black character, Finn, removes his Stormtrooper helmet in The Force Awakens. Why?
These early decades of the new millennium are seeing many social changes, and they are coming faster and faster. There remains much to be done about equality, women’s rights, the divide between the rich and poor, the environment, and a host of other issues, but progress is being made. That a black actor can even be on screen as a key character in the new Star Wars film, or that the gaming industry is paying more attention to women after the Gamergate mess, is proof that the real world is slowly becoming more inclusive.
Some people doesn’t want that.
Their mindset reminds me of modern conservative thinking: that America should be like the Andy Griffith Show, or return to its ‘Christian roots’, or have more 1950s-style nuclear families. Reality flash: this country was never like any of those things. That is someone’s twisted, wishful thinking. Some believe this fantasy, often with a fierce, stubborn passion, but they are a minority. The world is leaving them behind. Not because it’s excluding them, but because they don’t want to live in the new one.
This was never a Christian nation. The nuclear family of the 1950s was an irrelevant societal ideal, then and now. And though I find Andy Taylor and Barney Fife’s antics entertaining, in no way would I want to live in Mayberry: everyone is white, Christian, speaks English, there’s no sex, there’s no diversity, and there’s no interest in changing these things. I’m not criticizing the actual television show, which is a classic, but rather, people’s portrayal of it as the perfect community. It isn’t.
The same is true with science fiction. Yes, white male authors and actors have long dominated the field. That too is changing. That anyone would take issue with this is simply immature and bigoted. The sheer amount of conspiracy theories, name-calling, and uncompromising rage that has surfaced reveals an inability to deal with change. Certain (but not all) Puppies during the 2015 Hugos drama exemplified this behavior. Some even had their works on the ballot, and still flung vitriol at critics, presenters, and the award itself.
I mean, damn.
The Puppies, the Gamergaters, the morons who engineered the hashtag boycotting the new Star Wars film—they’re all trying to claim something for their own, that belongs to all of us. There’s no need to be greedy, afraid, or negative. I promise you, there’s plenty of science fiction to go around. But, deep down, people like that already know it. The real issue is a darker one that has long been at the heart of our society: they fear, and thus hate, those different than themselves. Especially when they feel the big, scary, Other is encroaching on ‘their’ territory.
Excuse me, but paraphrasing what Arthur C. Clarke once said: flags don’t wave in space.
One wonders how such people would really handle first contact with aliens. My guess is that they’d react like those militaristic idiots from old UFO films: they’d shoot first, and not even ask questions later. Because if you can’t accept another human being that has a different skin color, speaks another language, believes in a different (or no) deity, or has an alternate sexual preference, then how the hell will you deal with aliens? How will your tiny mind cope with the technological changes we’ll likely see by 2050? How will you interact with the next generation, one reared with ubiquitous access to information?
Maybe these people feel betrayed by a future they didn’t want. They don’t have my sympathies. This year alone has seen the legalization of gay marriage and the Confederate flag receiving its rightful reputation as a racist anachronism. Hatred of science, of knowledge, is no longer in vogue. The public wants humans to land on Mars, it wants to preserve women’s reproductive rights, and it wants to hold civil servants accountable.
People want their entertainment to reflect that. Science fiction has always been about progress, and how we as human beings deal with it. How we ultimately make ourselves better by working with change, not fighting it. Would you cheer for a hero who hates others, derails social progress, prefers argument to discussion, and condemns any who dares challenge an unequal status quo? No, me either.
I say all of this as a straight, white, male author. I say it knowing what I will never experience, or fully understand, the challenges those different than myself face each and every day. I say it because I am cognizant enough of my world to care about the people in it.
The new face of science fiction has no color, no gender. It isn’t looking backward. It’s looking forward. And it represents all of us.
Finding My Author Brand
Discovering how I wanted to present my author persona took several years. Some writers may plan this from the beginning, but not me. I mean, I’ve always known what I wanted to write, but for the longest time I merely called it ‘speculative fiction’. There was a phase where I thought all I was good at was ‘dark fiction’. Like a headless amateur, I would change my website to reflect these allegiances to image, these silly brainstorms I allowed myself to suffer through. In the end, I finally came back to what always mattered to me the most, and what I like: science fiction.
Sounds simple, right? If only. It was only when I’d signed with a major publisher that I knew what I wanted my ‘brand’ to be. Not because ‘hey, I’ve got something people can frigging buy now!’ but because I finally had the confidence to just be myself. As any author will tell you, that first big contract is worth far more than money.
In the early days, after selling my first few short stories, I simply billed myself as a ‘speculative fiction’ writer. I wrote science fiction, fantasy, and horror, so why not? Plus, since I was an unknown, with zero presence on social media, I feared I might sound pompous trying to brand myself. So I stuck with that for a while.
After a couple of years, I focused more on darker stories, particularly in the fantasy vein. My science fiction at that point felt weak and cliché, regurgitating ideas that better authors had already explored. So I billed myself a writer of ‘dark fantasy’. Around that time, I also became a member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA), so I figured, hey, this might be my calling. So I launched my website with all sorts of dark imagery. Ooh, scary. But not in the way I intended. It felt lame. Like I was pretending.
This showed in my work as well. I wrote little actual horror, and most of my dark fantasy was more on the fantasy side. Still, I tried. Halloween is my favorite holiday, after all, and some of my favorite novels are Victorian Gothic fiction. I cut my literary teeth on Stoker, Poe, and Shelley. Yet this brand wasn’t satisfying. It wasn’t me.
During this time, I wrote three science fiction novels, but very few science fiction short stories. Maybe I thought I needed a larger canvas for those works; who knows. More and more, my interest in actual science experienced a resurgence, and for the first time in years, I had hope for the future. All of the things I loved that Arthur C. Clarke, Frank Herbert, and Sheila Finch wrote kept coming back to me. My personal life was changing. I got married. Started raising a child. I recalled my earlier years, when science fiction was my favorite thing to read.
I still wasn’t sure of who I was as an author.
Everything fell into place when Penguin sent me a contract for one of those science fiction novels. Above the understandable euphoria, I sensed something else. My first published book would be a work of science fiction! Not horror or dark fantasy. Not the historical fiction I wanted to write years ago. Instead, I was giving a space opera adventure to the world. And thus, I was giving of myself. My true self.
I didn’t find my author brand. It found me.
That doesn’t mean I’m limiting myself to science fiction. I still have other written works, and other works planned. But science fiction will be my flagship, the banner I carry into the literary world, the badge I’ll proudly wear among my peers. Through science fiction, I can trumpet my ideas that call for reason, for understanding one another, and for hope. So, perhaps my author brand has a positive core, not the brooding, angst-ridden one I thought it was.
Collecting the Past
Over the last couple of years, I have been seeking out books from my childhood that made an impression on me. Books that I don’t currently own, and haven’t read since grade school. There is more than nostalgia at work here, or a science fiction writer’s version of a mid-life crisis. I’m peeling back layers of time to compare what I read in them, with not only the world of today, but the person that I have become.
It’s a journey without roads, or even a map. By finding extant copies of these works, I feel like I am looking through a mirror at the boy I was in the 1980s, gazing back at the foundations that have led me to this point. I am an archaeologist, excavating vignettes from those early years, trying to recall them before time and age makes me forget.
Many of these works were checked out from my grade school’s library, Max Meadows Elementary. I can still remember things that are anachronisms now: the Dewey Decimal System, the card catalogue, as well as the checkout card in the back of each book. On it would be scribbled another child’s name who had perused the same book, taken the same journey. Though many of the books were in library binding, some were falling apart; held together by tape, they were fragile tomes that I probably checked out because I thought the cover looked interesting, or the interior illustrations, if any, caught my attention as I flipped through the musty pages. Eventually I started reading the words. Page after yellowed, musky page. Follow the yellow brick road, indeed.
Now, I’m able to find clean, almost unread copies of these works via internet sellers. They are more than mere trophies for my bookshelf. They are links to that little boy who read and cherished them in that small bedroom of my parent’s house. Who would have thought that such a small space could hold so much imagination, engendered by those books. Perhaps those walls made me look beyond, out to imaginary worlds where there were no boundaries.
First, there was film novelizations. Star Wars, Tron, Star Trek: The Motion Picture—I recall these fondly. In the case of the latter two, I read these books before I ever watched the films, of which I am thankful. Those writers stirred me with these awesome new worlds, whether it was inside a computer, or far out there in space, traveling at warp speed. The novelizations of Alan Dean Foster and Brian Daley grounded those movies in a believable reality. Somehow, even at that age, I knew this was our future as a species; I knew it was my future, though I would never have guessed I would someday be writing science fiction novels of my own.
Though I had to look up the meanings of many words, and many remained obtuse to me, I still read those books, and loved them. I got the gist of them. I belonged in those worlds.
Other science fiction books came—Han Solo and the Lost Legacy, the Star Trek Reader (which introduced me to Kirk, Spock, and McCoy before I watched the original television show)—that cemented my lifelong interest in science fiction.
Next came books on Greek mythology. I loved that subject after my spelling teacher read selected tales to the class from such a book. I was hooked immediately. I’d check out those books, read them, and play out the stories in my backyard at home. I loved the editions written by Olivia E. Coolidge, who didn’t shy away from the darkness within those narratives. I was blown away by characters like Diomedes and Odysseus, who defied the gods before the walls of Troy. I liked the folly, the emotional frailty, of those same gods and goddesses. They seemed like me, capable of love, fear, jealousy, and a whole range of emotions I had yet to experience.
Then there were the Choose Your Own Adventure Books, which I devoured. I read and reread them cover to cover to get to all of the possible endings. Edward Packard and R.A. Montgomery penned those early books; I remember The Cave of Time, Journey Under the Sea, The Third Planet from Altair, Mystery of the Maya, Prisoner of the Ant People—those titles, and more, have a place on my bookshelf now.
Eventually I made my way to the history section, where I discovered the reality behind those Greek myths: the Mycenaeans, the Greco-Persian Wars, and the man who tried to outdo those myths, Alexander the Great. Next came the Roman Empire, and the Crusades. This led me to legends such as King Arthur, Robin Hood, and Ogier the Dane. Being a child enamored of knightly tales and deeds, I would, after reading about the Round Table, play in that backyard again—this time with long gray socks over my arms and legs, representing chain mail, and a thick wooden stick as my sword. That was the first channeling of the influence those stories brought. It’s natural for a child to act out the stories they love, to become that hero or heroine, if just for an autumn afternoon before going to school again the next day. It wasn’t just escapism. It was my way of entwining myself into those stories, making them extensions of my persona.
It was me, doing what writers do, but without words. I was creating.
I still have my Watermill Classics, bought from Troll Books. Titles such as Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, War of the Worlds, Dracula, The Black Arrow, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and others—I never got rid of those, so I still have the originals I read way back then. Complete and unabridged. Books that are nearly three decades old. A lifetime then…barely a second of time in retrospect. Yet an eternity of inspiration.
Reading through these books today is a different experience. Sure, the nostalgia is here, and I grin at returning to familiar passages—but now I’m a writer too, and often the editor in my head gets in the way of my enjoyment. Passing my hands over the volumes on my bookshelf is a primitive way of connecting to those books, as if they are totems in some primeval ritual that has been forgotten. In my library, the setting sun casts orange-red rays through the window, reminding me that I am not getting any younger, that these volumes will be left to my children, and my grandchildren. That’s the fate of stories. They continue, long after we are gone.
But all I have to do is open one of those books, and the light in the window becomes yellow and warm. In that moment I am transported, and those old words inspire me anew. My backyard may have moved, and my toys aren’t gray socks or wooden sticks anymore, but I’m ready to play again. I now make my own roads, draw my own maps. It’s the dawn of a new day.
Politicizing Dead Writers
I seldom talk politics on my blog, but when it affects the writing world, and the science fiction genre & fantasy genres in particular, it concerns me. Though I refrained from commenting here regarding the 2015 Hugo Awards, I voted on them, and let’s just say, I’m not a Puppy supporter. But the Hugos are over and done with until next year, right? All that SJW nonsense faded away, correct?
Wrong. I worry that the Hugo fiasco simply brought certain people out of the woodwork. Unpopular though they may be with fandom at large, writers and readers of that slant have continued to spread animosity. I’m not getting into the reasons, the key individuals, or the rhetoric—you can find that elsewhere, on blogs that do a much better job documenting it than I could.
I’m bothered at how these groups have claimed certain writers as their own, particularly deceased authors whose work still influences the genre. These authors aren’t without controversy—Robert A. Heinlein’s libertarianism, H.P. Lovecraft’s racism—but they’re without a voice, since they are dead. Yet some people love to hold these authors up like an icon reflecting their own politics, usually in the face of criticism.
Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan the Barbarian, is the latest to be hoisted as such an icon. Unfortunately, I feel he won’t be the last. I’ll return to him in a moment. First, a little background.
There are those who think people of color shouldn’t be intruding on a genre where white men have dominated; there are those who claim to be victims of a politically correct system just because their work doesn’t receive accolades. Worse still, these people rail against changes to the status quo, in genres where stories about change and the unknown are the norm. It’s narrow-minded hypocrisy, wreathed in stagnant mediocrity.
Women and people of color have been writing masterpieces of the genre for decades, but in recent years, they have gained more recognition as society itself has changed. That’s a good thing, for diversity, as well as science fiction itself. But what really matters is that they are great writers. That’s ultimately how these individuals got recognized in the first place. When I voted on the Nebulas and the Hugos earlier this year, I favored the stories that moved me, the ones I thought about for days afterward. I didn’t care about who their authors were, their skin color, their sexual orientation, their religion, or their politics. The Puppies asked for the same treatment, but then summarily insulted, bullied, threatened, libeled, and criticized any who disagreed with their tactics, or the slate of sub-par fiction they claimed represented their best. Now those are things that will make me not buy your book—let alone get my vote. However, I read all the entries. Many were bad. I wasn’t alone in that sentiment.
Of course, the Puppies lost. Fandom moved on. Real writers kept writing instead of making excuses, or bitching.
Now, these same types are trying to control the conversation regarding one of my favorite writers, Robert E. Howard. Longtime contributors have been struck from blogs, and their essays removed. Even their pictures have been excised. Again, if you want to find out who and why, look it up. I’m not regurgitating that nonsense on my blog.
Howard’s energy, passion, and existentialism have long been an influence on my writing, but the man wasn’t perfect. There is thinly-veiled, and often overt, racism in several of his stories where people of color are involved. I’m not citing examples; read his work for yourself. Howard often portrayed women as little more than sexual objects; beauties to be saved by the protagonist, or to tempt him. His heroes were larger-than-life men brimming with machismo, who were unstoppable killing machines. It’s easy to see why, on the surface, why a bunch of misogynist regressives would claim Howard as one of their own.
Of course, they’re wrong.
Howard penned several stories that featured sword-wielding heroines (Red Sonja, Dark Agnes, Belit, Valeria) that fought just as well, if not better, than men. They lived life on their own terms, and dared anyone to take that away from them. They were lusty, quaffed alcohol, and refused to surrender to societal norms concerning ‘a woman’s place’. All of which were anathema in the era when Howard wrote these characters.
I’m not saying Howard was some proto-feminist writer, or even a progressive one. I’m not going to use the cliché excuse that ‘he was a product of his time’ either, because that’s a copout to bigotry. Many of his political views are at odds with my own. Howard was an insecure man, living in a conservative town, who learned about the world from colonial, and often racist, writers. He could still write one hell of a story, though, and that’s why his books are on my shelves. It’s the same reason Heinlein and Lovecraft have a place in my library. They knew how to tell a story.
It’s obvious Howard’s not another poster child that the Puppies, Gamergate, and their allies can use to further their agenda. See, I’m not like these other people who try to claim Howard as their own, or that women and feminists have no right to comment on Howard’s work. I’m secure enough with myself as a person, that I don’t need to bully those who dislike my work, that I don’t need to excoriate others because they disagree with me, and that I don’t need to hijack the persona of a long-dead, beloved writer to represent my politics.
Those that do are afraid. Their world is changing, and they don’t like it. I suggest they examine the attitude of Conan, Howard’s greatest creation, who feared no human, beast, or god. He forged on with his existence. Conan didn’t bitch about life; he lived it. To quote:
“I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and am content.”
A person like that lives on their own terms, without trying to prevent others from doing the same. A person like that is more concerned with enjoying life, instead of resisting imaginary assaults upon so-called sacred cows of fandom. Robert E. Howard’s heroes and heroines all fought their own battles, rather than appeal to gods, kings, or flimsy political agendas. They took responsibility for themselves, and their actions. If these Puppies and their allies want something of Howard to champion, if should be that.
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‘Cancel NAFTA! Tear Down the Wall!’
Cathleen Williams | Issue: February | March 2018
Bi-National Conference brings together unions and workers from the United States and Mexico
Bi-National Conference participants challenge NAFTA.
PHOTO: FATIMA GARCIA
“I arrived in this country when I was eight years old. My parents were peasants in Mexico. In 1994, when the NAFTA agreement privatized the lands [the ejidos] in Mexico, they had no choice but to migrate to the United States. The process of destruction of the Mexican peasantry is what’s responsible for the massive migration to the United States.
“In the U.S., my parents – like countless others in their situation – became cheap, easily exploitable labor. They were used to bring down the costs of labor for the entire workforce in this country – all to line the pockets of the transnational corporations and the super-rich.
“That is why we cannot talk about the struggle of the immigrant community without talking about the ‘free-trade’ agreements that destroyed their communities and the very fabric of their societies back home in Mexico and Central America.”
— Luis Angel Reyes Zavalza
Participants of the Bi-National Conference support the Boycott against Driscol.
Reyes, a young Dreamer and immigrant-rights organizer from the San Francisco Bay Area, was addressing the opening of the Bi-National Conference to Cancel NAFTA and Tear Down the Wall, held at California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson in early December and made possible by its faculty association’s support.
Impassioned, committed, united – the conference brought together more than 200 unionists, activists, and youth from the U.S. and Mexico. They included members of four California labor councils – San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno, and Los Angeles – as well as the United Teachers of Los Angeles, California locals 1000 and 87 of SEIU, and UAW 551 from Chicago/Northern Indiana.
The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) and Hermandad Mexicana played key roles in organizing the conference — including LCLAA chapters in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sacramento. Among those issuing the call were the central labor councils of Sacramento and San Francisco, as well as the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo, the most progressive Mexican union federation.
At the conference, Baldemar Valasquez of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee announced that FLOC will begin a boycott of British-American Tobacco and its “Vuse” electronic cigarette. Representing largely Mexican farm-workers at work in North Carolina, Velasquez sits on the AFL-CIO executive board and can call on its many local unions for the transnational solidarity of workers in Mexico and the U.S.
The conference’s internationalism became especially clear when Carmen Mata Spoke for the 80,000 agricultural workers of San Quintin in Baja California, Mexico, urging recognition of their newly formed National Democratic Independent Union of Farmworkers (SINDJA). She called on Americans to boycott the berries grown in the United States and Mexico by Driscoll’s and its Mexican subsidiary BerryMex and other growers in the region.
Driscoll’s is the dominant United States transnational corporation in growing and brokering berries worldwide, Mata said. It maintains “slave labor conditions” — wages of less than $1 an hour, exposure to toxins, polluting the water supply, and retaliating against active unionists.
Mata was part of a delegation of unionists, workers, and students from the border cities of Mexicali, Tijuana, and Ciudad Juarez, including some from low-wage maquiladora factories owned by U.S. corporate investors.
But the United States denied visas to other union delegations, including those from oil, healthcare, and education in Chiapas and neighboring southern Mexican states. To ensure full participation, the next Bi-National Conference, March 17-18, will convene in Chiapas.
The conference’s presenters and panels also targeted the drive to privatize education and health care in the United States And it called for protection of DACA youth and the refugees from Haiti and Central America, who Washington is cutting off from “temporary protective status” and are now subject to deportation.
“This conference represents the embryonic development of transnational solidarity of workers in the United States and Mexico through boycotts of Driscoll’s and British-American Tobacco,” explained Harmandad Mexicana coordinator Nativo Lopez.
“We are challenging NAFTA, we are challenging the corporate assault upon labor and upon the people of both nations.”
Yolanda Catzalco says:
During Gortari’s presidency, the United States and or Mexico also imposed laws that would not allow Mexican farmers to grow corn for food, but for gasoline as well as later not allowing Mexico to grow corn period; instead Mexican farmers had to purchase corn from seeds fabricated in laboratories in the United States. Mexican people had no choice but to immigrate to the United States.
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Blogs > Tag > use
Pallone and Schakowsky Request Amazon Investigate Safety of Its Product Line and Answer Questions Pertaining to Company’s Product Safety and Recall Practices
Posted on October 08, 2020 by Lynn L. Bergeson
By Lynn L. Bergeson , Lisa M. Campbell, and Carla N. Hutton
Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, wrote to Amazon Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chair Jeff Bezos on October 7, 2020, requesting that he launch an investigation into the safety of Amazon’s product line, AmazonBasics, and answer a series of questions pertaining to the company’s product safety and recall practices. The Committee’s October 7, 2020, press release notes that the request comes after a CNN investigation found that many of AmazonBasics’ electronic products “have exploded, caught fire, sparked, melted, or otherwise created hazardous situations at rates well above comparable products.” According to the press release, many of these products were never recalled and continue to be sold.
In addition to their request that Bezos initiate an investigation into the safety of AmazonBasics products, Pallone and Schakowsky also seek answers to a series of questions, including:
What Amazon-owned products are no longer for sale due at least in part to safety concerns?
What products -- both Amazon-owned and third party -- have been officially recalled?
What notification does Amazon provide to customers who have purchased products that are later recalled or found to be unsafe?
In addition to direct notification, what other kinds of consumer or public outreach does Amazon conduct to ensure consumers properly dispose of, repair, or replace an unsafe product?
How can consumers find information regarding recalled products? If information is not readily available, why not, and what plans exist to make it available?
How can consumers report product safety issues to Amazon?
How many staff does Amazon have devoted to ensuring that products sold on its platform follow all applicable laws and regulations, and that Amazon is in compliance with obligations to notify the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) when a product is suspected of being unsafe?
The letter requests a response no later than October 21, 2020.
The letter and request for answers to the questions noted above are another indication of the pressure certain Members in Congress are putting on Amazon to ensure the safety of the products the platform hosts. Amazon is under increasing scrutiny by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in this regard, as reported in our February 16, 2018, and June 17, 2020, blog items, and this Congressional inquiry seems more of the same. These efforts will almost certainly cause more pressure on product manufacturers to ensure the products they offer for sale on Amazon are compliant.
Tags: Amazon, Recall, Safety, Disposal, CPSC, House Committee,
NGOs Challenge EPA’s Methylene Chloride Risk Evaluation
Posted on July 17, 2020 by Lynn L. Bergeson
By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
On July 16, 2020, a coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGO) filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final risk evaluation for methylene chloride. The NGOs seek review of EPA’s determination “that the chemical methylene chloride does not present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment under certain conditions of use” and its decision not to consider “certain uses and pathways through which members of Petitioners are exposed and face risks of exposure to methylene chloride.” The coalition includes the Neighbors for Environmental Justice; the New Jersey Work Environment Council; Sierra Club; the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO; and the Natural Resources Defense Council. According to Earthjustice’s July 16, 2020, press release, the NGOs “represent workers who manufacture and use methylene chloride and communities that are exposed to methylene chlorid[]e from their air and water.”
As reported in our June 25, 2020, memorandum, “Final Risk Evaluation for Methylene Chloride Is First Completed under Lautenberg Act Amendments,” after evaluating 53 conditions of use of methylene chloride, EPA determined that 47 conditions of use present an unreasonable risk of injury to health, while six do not present an unreasonable risk. EPA also determined that methylene chloride does not present an unreasonable risk to the environment under any conditions of use. Release of a final risk evaluation is the last step in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 6(b) process and will guide EPA’s efforts in applying Section 6(a) to reduce human exposure to methylene chloride “so that the chemical . . . no longer presents such risk.” EPA “will now begin the process of developing ways to address the unreasonable risks identified and has up to one year to propose and take public comments on any risk management actions.” EPA could prohibit or limit the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce, use, or disposal of methylene chloride. Any regulatory action will include opportunities for public comment.
Tags: conditions of use, methylene chloride, risk evaluation, Section 6
House Subcommittee Will Hold Hearing on Innovations in Sustainable Chemistry
The House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology will hold a hearing on “Benign by Design: Innovations in Sustainable Chemistry” on July 25, 2019. Witnesses will include:
Dr. Tim Persons, Chief Scientist and Managing Director, Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO);
Dr. John Warner, President and Chief Technology Officer, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry;
Dr. Julie Zimmerman, Professor and Senior Associate Dean, School of Forestry and Environmental Studiesa and Deputy Director, Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, Yale University;
Ms. Anne Kolton, Executive Vice President, Communications, Sustainability, and Market Outreach, American Chemistry Council; and
Mr. Mitchell Toomey, Director of Sustainability, BASF in North America.
Tags: House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology, Sustainable
House Subcommittees Hold Hearing on EPA’s IRIS Program
Posted on March 29, 2019 by Lynn L. Bergeson
By Lynn L. Bergeson, Charles M. Auer, and Carla N. Hutton
On March 27, 2019, the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight and Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing on “EPA’s IRIS Program: Reviewing its Progress and Roadblocks Ahead.” The hearing focused on issues with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Program, as described in two recent reports issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Chemical Assessments: Status of EPA’s Efforts to Produce Assessments and Implement the Toxic Substances Control Act (Chemical Assessments Report) and High-Risk Series: Substantial Efforts Needed to Achieve Greater Progress on High-Risk Areas (High-Risk Report). Please see our full memorandum for more information on what transpired at the hearing, including some background and commentary.
Tags: IRIS, House of Representatives, TSCA, hearing
EPA Issues Final Rule Banning Consumer Use of Methylene Chloride, Issues ANPRM Soliciting Comments on Commercial Use of Methylene Chloride
By Lynn L. Bergeson and Margaret R. Graham, M.S.
On March 15, 2019, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed a final rule prohibiting the manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce of methylene chloride for consumer paint and coating removal, including distribution to and by retailers; requiring manufacturers (including importers), processors, and distributors, except for retailers, of methylene chloride for any use to provide downstream notification of these prohibitions; and requiring recordkeeping. The rule states that EPA has determined that “the use of methylene chloride in consumer paint and coating removal presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health due to acute human lethality.” This final rule does not prohibit the use of methylene chloride in commercial paint and coating removal, however. EPA is instead soliciting comment, through an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) also signed by Administrator Wheeler on March 15, 2019, on questions related to a potential training, certification, and limited access program as an option for risk management for all of the commercial uses of methylene chloride in paint and coating removal. More information will be available on these issuances in a forthcoming memorandum to be available on our Regulatory Developments webpage.
Tags: EPA, methylene chloride, commerical use, consumer use
EPA Sued to Issue Pending Methylene Chloride Prohibition Rule in Final
By Lynn L. Bergeson, Charles M. Auer, and Margaret R. Graham
On January 14, 2019, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont, the Vermont Public Interest Group; Safer Chemicals, Health Families; and two individuals (plaintiffs) followed up on their earlier notice of intent to sue and filed a complaint against Andrew Wheeler and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compel EPA to perform its “mandatory duty” to “address the serious and imminent threat to human health presented by paint removal products containing methylene chloride.” Plaintiffs bring the action under Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 20(a) which states that “any person may commence a civil action … against the Administrator to compel the Administrator to perform any act or duty under this Act which is not discretionary.” Plaintiffs allege that EPA has not performed its mandatory duty under TSCA Sections 6(a) and 7. TSCA Section 6(a) gives EPA the authority to regulate substances that present “an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment” and TSCA Section 7 gives EPA the authority to commence civil actions for seizure and/or relief of “imminent hazards.” Plaintiffs’ argument to direct EPA to ban methylene chloride is centered on the issue of risk to human health only, however, stating that it presents “an unreasonable risk to human health” as confirmed by EPA. Under TSCA Section 20(b)(2), plaintiffs are required to submit a notice of intent to sue 60 days prior to filing a complaint which they did on October 31, 2018.
On January 19, 2017, EPA issued a proposed rule under TSCA Section 6 to prohibit the manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce of methylene chloride for consumer and most types of commercial paint and coating removal (82 Fed. Reg. 7464). EPA also proposed to prohibit the use of methylene chloride in these commercial uses; to require manufacturers (including importers), processors, and distributors, except for retailers, of methylene chloride for any use to provide downstream notification of these prohibitions throughout the supply chain; and to require recordkeeping. EPA relied on a risk assessment of methylene chloride published in 2014, the scope of which EPA stated included “consumer and commercial paint and coating removal.” The proposed rule stated that in the risk assessment, EPA identified risks from inhalation exposure including “neurological effects such as cognitive impairment, sensory impairment, dizziness, incapacitation, and loss of consciousness (leading to risks of falls, concussion, and other injuries)” and, based on EPA’s analysis of worker and consumer populations' exposures to methylene chloride in paint and coating removal, EPA proposed “a determination that methylene chloride and NMP in paint and coating removal present an unreasonable risk to human health.” The comment period on the proposed rule was extended several times, ending in May 2017, and in September 2017 EPA held a workshop to help inform EPA’s understanding of methylene chloride use in furniture refinishing.
No further action was taken to issue the rule in final, however, until December 21, 2018, when EPA sent the final rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. On the same day, EPA also sent another rule to OMB for review titled “Methylene Chloride; Commercial Paint and Coating Removal Training, Certification and Limited Access Program,” which has not previously been included in EPA’s Regulatory Agenda; very little is known about this rule. Plaintiffs do not refer to it in the complaint but there is speculation, based on its title, that this second rule may allow for some commercial uses of methylene chloride.
We recall the lawsuit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Counsel (NRDC) in 2018 challenging EPA’s draft New Chemicals Decision-Making Framework document as a final rule. The current action further reflects the commitment of detractors of EPA to use the courts and every other means available to oppose the Administration’s TSCA implementation efforts. Whether and when this court will respond is unclear. What is clear is that the case will be closely watched, as the outcome will be an important signal to the TSCA stakeholder community regarding the utility of TSCA Section 20(a)(2) to force non-discretionary EPA actions that the Administration may be disinclined to take.
Tags: EPA, final rule, methylene chloride, prohibited uses, complaint
EPA Issues Final TSCA Fees Rule in Federal Register
By Lynn L. Bergeson and Margaret R. Graham
On October 17, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its final fees rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in the Federal Register. 83 Fed. Reg. 52694. The final rule largely tracks the proposed rule. EPA is establishing fees applicable to any person required to submit information to EPA; or a notice, including an exemption or other information, to be reviewed by EPA; or who manufactures (including imports) a chemical substance that is the subject of a risk evaluation. This final rulemaking describes the final TSCA fees and fee categories for fiscal years 2019, 2020, and 2021, and explains the methodology by which the final TSCA fees were determined. It identifies some factors and considerations for determining fees for subsequent fiscal years; and includes amendments to existing fee regulations governing the review of premanufacture notices, exemption applications and notices, and significant new use notices. As required in TSCA, EPA is also establishing standards for determining which persons qualify as “small business concerns” and thus would be subject to lower fee payments. Small businesses will be eligible to receive a substantial discount of approximately 80 percent on their fees. EPA will host a series of webinars focusing on making TSCA submissions and paying fees under the final rule. The first webinar was held on October 10, 2018. The other two webinars will be held on October 24, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (EDT) and on November 7, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (EDT). Our memorandum provides an overview of the final rule with specific information about final fee amounts and timing and a commentary. The final rule is effective on October 18, 2018.
Tags: EPA, User Fees, Section 4, Section 5, Section 6(b), TSCA, final rule
EPA Issues TSCA User Fees Final Rule
Posted on September 27, 2018 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On September 27, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the user fees final rule for the administration of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the fourth and remaining framework rule to be issued in final under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg).
This final rule, that amends 40 C.F.R. Parts 700, 720, 723, 725, 790, and 791, “describes the final TSCA fees and fee categories for fiscal years 2019, 2020, and 2021”; “explains the methodology by which the final TSCA fees were determined”; “identifies some factors and considerations for determining fees for subsequent fiscal years”; and “includes amendments to existing fee regulations governing the review of premanufacture notices, exemption applications and notices, and significant new use notices.” The final rule has not been published yet in the Federal Register so an effective date is not yet available; a pre-publication version is available here.
Specifically, EPA is establishing fees applicable to any person required to submit information to EPA under TSCA Section 4; or a notice, including an exemption or other information, to be reviewed by EPA under TSCA Section 5; or who manufactures (including imports) a chemical substance that is the subject of a risk evaluation under TSCA Section 6(b). EPA is also establishing standards for determining which persons qualify as "small business concerns" and thus would be subject to lower fee payments.
In the press release announcing the rule, EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler states that this rule will “provide resources needed to support the valuable work EPA does to review chemicals for safety, manage risk as required, and make chemical information available as appropriate.” During fiscal years 2019-2021, EPA states it will “work to track costs and will use that information to adjust future fees, if appropriate.”
EPA also announced that it will be hosting a series of webinars focusing on making TSCA submissions and paying fees under the final rule. The webinars are scheduled for October 10, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (EST); October 24, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (EST); and November 7, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (EST).
More information on TSCA implementation is available on our website under key phrase Lautenberg Implementation. A detailed Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) memorandum on the TSCA user fees final rule is forthcoming.
OMB Reviewing Final Rule Regarding TSCA User Fees
On August 31, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review a final rule regarding user fees for the administration of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). As reported in our February 9, 2018, memorandum, “Administrator Pruitt Signs TSCA User Fee Proposal,” as amended by the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, TSCA provides EPA the authority to levy fees on certain chemical manufacturers, including importers and processors, to “provide a sustainable source of funding to defray resources that are available for implementation of new responsibilities under the amended law.” Under the amendments to TSCA, EPA has authority to require payment from manufacturers and processors who:
Are required to submit information by test rule, test order, or enforceable consent agreement (ECA) (TSCA Section 4);
Submit notification of or information related to intent to manufacture a new chemical or significant new use of a chemical (TSCA Section 5); or
Manufacture or process a chemical substance that is subject to a risk evaluation, including a risk evaluation conducted at the request of a manufacturer (TSCA Section 6(b)).
EPA’s February 26, 2018, proposed rule described the proposed TSCA fees and fee categories for fiscal years (FY) 2019, 2020, and 2021, and explained the methodology by which the proposed TSCA user fees were determined and would be determined for subsequent FYs. In proposing the new TSCA user fees, EPA also proposed amending long-standing user fee regulations governing the review of Section 5 premanufacture notices (PMN), exemption applications and notices, and significant new use notices (SNUN). Under the proposed rule, after implementation of final TSCA user fees regulations, certain manufacturers and processors would be required to pay a prescribed fee for each Section 5 notice or exemption application, Section 4 testing action, or Section 6 risk evaluation for EPA to recover certain costs associated with carrying out certain work under TSCA. EPA did not propose specific fees for submission of confidential business information (CBI).
Tags: EPA, OMB, User Fees, Section 4, Section 5, Section 6(b)
EPA Adds Clarity to Interpretation of “Reasonably Foreseeable Conditions of Use”
Posted on August 06, 2018 by Lynn L. Bergeson
By Lynn L. Bergeson, Charles M. Auer, Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., and Oscar Hernandez, Ph.D.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of its Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 5(a)(3)(C) determination for P-16-0510 represents a significant step in EPA’s implementation of the New Chemicals Program under new TSCA. The substance is a polymer (a copolymer of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol end-capped with acrylamide groups). It is intended to be used as a deodorizer in a variety of products, including floor cleaners, cat litter, fabric freshener sprays, and other consumer products.
Notably, EPA’s determination document specifies the conditions of use that are intended, known, and reasonably foreseen. EPA states that there are no known or reasonably foreseen conditions of use other than those intended by the submitter. This may appear to be a controversial statement. Based on EPA’s interpretation of “conditions of use,” it would not pass legal muster to speculate that “anybody could manufacture or use it for anything” and, hence, impose use restrictions to prevent purely speculative applications with no basis in fact or reality. EPA has repeatedly stated that it would base what is reasonably foreseen on information, knowledge, or experience, not on any conceivable condition of use.
EPA identifies the new chemical’s potential health hazard endpoints based on the acrylate/acrylamide category. The concerns are based on acrylamide itself and some low molecular acrylamide analogs and include mutagenicity, developmental toxicity, reproductive effects, neurotoxicity, and a “marginal potential” for oncogenicity. This too may sound alarming. The real question, however, is how toxic is the new chemical and are exposures expected to exceed a “safe” level.
In this case, EPA specifically considers the low-molecular weight (LMW) components of the polymer (i.e., the “worst case”) in its assessment and identifies two analogs of the LMW components. Both analogs have similar structural features (they are end-capped with acrylates), so both are expected to share the same mode of action, and have similar molecular weights as the LMW components of the premanufacture notification (PMN) substance. EPA states that it also considered the toxicity of acrylamide in its assessment. We note, however, that acrylamide is not a good analog because it is substantially lower molecular weight than the LMW components of the PMN substance. Based on the identified analogs, EPA set a no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 250 mg/kg/day for systemic toxicity based on a combined repeat dose/reproductive/developmental toxicity screening test (OECD 422). This study tests for a chemical’s potential to cause toxicity and the primary endpoints of concern relevant to the category (developmental, reproductive, and neurotoxicity). This NOAEL would put the substance in the low-to-moderate toxicity category. Note that despite the nominally alarming set of health endpoints identified in EPA’s category assessment, the 422 study shows the analog is not especially toxic to mammals. By way of contrast, EPA’s most recent Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment of acrylamide identified a NOAEL of 0.5 mg/kg-day.
EPA also identifies ecotoxicity concerns. Using its predictive models, EPA predicts toxicity levels for both acute and chronic effects to aquatic species and sets concentrations of concern (CoC) at 425 ppb for acute exposures and 43 ppb for chronic exposures. These levels put the substance in the “moderate” category for environmental hazard.
EPA then applies exposure modeling to predict exposures to workers, the general population, and consumers. EPA found that predicted exposures are sufficiently below EPA’s concern level to not present an unreasonable risk to workers, the general population, or consumers. EPA even found that at the “worst case” of 100 percent PMN substance, exposures would still be sufficiently below EPA’s concern level. EPA also evaluated surface water concentrations and found that the estimated maximum acute and chronic concentrations did not exceed the CoCs.
EPA reviewed the PMN, reviewed likely and potential exposures to workers, the general population, consumers, and aquatic species, and did not identify any foreseeable conditions of use that would lead EPA to predict that unreasonable risk was likely.
This is a marked and welcomed departure from previous TSCA Section 5(a)(3)(C) decisions. In nearly all cases in the past, EPA only made a not likely determination if it identified a low hazard for both health and ecological effects (“low/low” cases). Absent a low/low finding, EPA seemingly believed that there could be some conditions of use that could contribute exposures that could exceed EPA’s concern levels. Based on our review, EPA did not explain how it differentiated between “any possible/foreseeable” and “reasonably foreseeable” conditions of use. Instead, if EPA could imagine a set of circumstances that could elicit an exceedance, EPA was of the view that new TSCA precluded it from making a Section 5(a)(3)(C) finding. (While some stakeholders might applaud an approach based on concepts such as the European Union’s Precautionary Principle, this is not how new TSCA, or U.S. environmental legislation more generally, is structured.)
In the case of P-16-0510, EPA more carefully applied new TSCA as written when it identified a low/moderate health concern and a moderate eco concern, and nevertheless took a reasonable approach grounded on the law to go beyond mere consideration of potential hazard and to interpret the “reasonably foreseen” conditions of use and assess unreasonable risk as new TSCA requires. We support this more measured approach and believe it better meets the statutory intent and requirements. As we have written previously, in our view, a “not likely” finding is not limited to cases in which toxicity is so low that exceedances are unimaginable. Rather, EPA must limit its consideration to those conditions of use that are reasonably likely to occur and must evaluate unreasonable risks, not merely hazard, and regulate to protect to the “extent necessary” to protect against such unreasonable risks.
We applaud EPA’s more measured approach that likely indicates a maturation of its understanding of what is needed to meet a not likely determination. We urge EPA to articulate its thinking on what is and is not “reasonably foreseeable” and what PMN submitters can do to help EPA understand not only what is intended, but what might be reasonably foreseen to occur.
Tags: Conditions of Use, Premanufacture Notification, PMN, IRIS
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Cooper adding local flavor
Home - Uncategorized - Cooper adding local flavor
New Year’s Eve Roping & Concert to feature Texas-based artists
FORT WORTH, Texas – For most in the rodeo world, the Coopers are the first family of rodeo, with the patriarch being eight-time world champion Roy Cooper, who has shared his lineage with his three sons: Clint, Clif and Tuf.
For Jarrod Morris, Clif and Tuf were just a couple of boys he went to school with in Decatur, Texas.
“It’s funny to me that you go to school with these guys, then when people ask me where I’m from and I tell them, they ask if I know the Coopers,” said Morris, a country artist who will be one of two acts performing at Tuf Cooper’s New Year’s Eve Roping and Concert on Dec. 31 at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth; it’s a family-friendly event all evening.
“When you tell them that you know the Coopers, they just lose their minds.”
He’ll experience it in full force on New Year’s Eve, which will commence with the roping featuring 27 of the top tie-down ropers in ProRodeo at 7:30 p.m., followed by a concert featuring Morris and Shae Abshier and the Nighthowlers starting at about 9:30 p.m.
“This is pretty exciting,” Cooper said. “Jarrod is a hometown guy I grew up with, and he’s an up-and-coming artist. He’s got some good songs out on the radio right now. He’s a good dude. He just doesn’t sing the songs, though; he lives the lifestyle. He shoes horses every day, so it’s great that he’s going to be part of the night.
“Shae grew up in Stephenville, and he’s Texas Country but with a little more rock ’n’ roll twist. The last couple of years, he’s become popular. This thing’s going off into the new year, so I’m sure there’s going to be some night howling.”
That’s the way the evening has been set up from the beginning. Cooper and other organizers – including his mother, Sherry – want event-goers to enjoy some tough competition in a relaxed atmosphere while also partaking in some great regional music.
For Morris, he began his music career while attending college a decade ago, picking up a guitar in his apartment and playing through his free time. Then he started playing for people who are close to him, and it’s taken off from there.
“I have a pretty honest family and an honest friend group, so if you’re not good at something, they’re going to tell you,” he said. “In general, they were pretty positive. It started playing out. I just released my first album at the beginning of this year.
“It was a long process getting to that point.”
Now 28, he’s been focused on performing and writing music for the last four years. When he’s not on the road, he’s found shoeing horses around north Texas, carrying on a trade he learned from his brother-in-law while in high school and college.
“I was living in Florida, and I had quit a job I was working and started playing beach bars,” Morris said. “I knew I had to move back to Texas, because there’s such a good infrastructure for music. I started working for my brother-in-law again and ended up starting my own shoeing business. Now I shoe horses Monday-Thursday, then go do shows for the weekend.”
At the end of December, he’ll share the stage with Abshier and the Nighthowlers.
“Last year’s roping and concert was such a big event that I was tickled to death they would even consider me to play it this year,” Morris said. “Sherry went to my CD release party earlier this year, and I’ve stayed in touch with Clif some, so it’s really cool that they’re having me play it. It’s incredibly humbling.
“This is where tradition country meets rock ’n’ roll. My stuff might be a little more laid back, because I like to talk to people and keep it pretty informal. Shae’s going to play loud and fast.”
It’s also going to be a fun night for the artists, cowboys, sponsors and all the fans who want to take it all in, just as it was intended to be.
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Update: Ex-Peruvian president who shot himself in the head moments after police arrived his home has died
11:36 PM By YOUNG BLIZZY NEWS 0 comments
Former Peruvian President Alan Garcia has died after shooting himself in the head as police arrived at his home to arrest him.
The ex-president was rushed to hospital, but doctors could not save him.
As police officers knocked on his door on Wednesday morning, Garcia shut himself in his room and shot himself in the head. The former leader was rushed to hospital, reportedly suffered multiple cardiac arrests during surgery, and died several hours later.
Peruvian president Martin Vizcarra confirmed Garcia's passing, sending his condolences to the late leader's family and loved ones.
Garcia, who served as president of Peru from 1985 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2011, had been under investigation for bribery.
The former president was one of more than 230 people across Latin America investigated in a corruption case centered on Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht.
The former leader sought asylum in Uruguay last November, after a judge barred him from leaving Peru for 18 months. The asylum request was denied, and a judge in Lima ordered his detention on Tuesday.
Prosecutors say Garcia took bribes from Odebrecht in exchange for a lucrative public transport contract in Lima. Garcia denied the charge, and claimed he was being politically persecuted.
Peru’s last five ex-presidents have all served jail time or are under investigation for corruption.
Garcia’s successor, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, is also being investigated for his alleged involvement in the Odebrecht scandal.
Prosecutors are currently seeking to extend Kuczynski’s detention until he can be brought to trial.
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After taking in its first trailer, I'm still hot to trot for Nippon Ichi's htol#NiQ (Vita)
I'd be even more hot to trot (hotter to trot?) for this upcoming Vita game if said trailer, below, did a better job of showing or explaining how it will play, of course, but even in its current state I'm still pretty hot for it.
The game's full title is Hotaru no Nikki, by the way, which translates to something akin to Firefly's Diary or Firefly Diaries.
A digital version of htol#NiQ will hit the Japanese PlayStation Store (with a price tag of 3,086 yen, or approximately $30) on June 16, while a "premium box" will arrive at retail (for about $58) on the same day.
See also: 'You say htol#NiQ, I say gorgeous Vita game'
Labels: Firefly Diaries, Firefly’s Diary, handhelds, Hotaru no Nikki, htoL#NiQ, imports, Japanese, nippon ichi, portables, PS Vita, sony, trailers, Vita
Obscure Video Games said...
I've only been able to find a little info about this (on siliconera of course), but it sounds like a pretty basic 2D puzzle platformer with a light/dark world-switching gimmick. But it's NIS, it's gorgeous, and we're almost guaranteed to get it in the US. So if they can inject their trademark sense of humor into it, then I'm definitely getting it.
That really looks so nice. I hope the game's as good as the trailer and that they manage to keep that dreamy atmosphere. I love the weird choppy animation they have in some of the scenes of the girl.
Well, not to be snarky, but I don't think Siliconera knows much more about how this game plays than anyone else out there. Yes, the game features touch controls and a light/dark mechanic, but other than that the folks at NIS have been pretty tight-lipped about its content.
For instance, why has it basically been given a "mature" rating? Nothing we've seen so far suggests the game will be overly violent or pervy--although the bit of gameplay that can be found on the game's official site points to the fact that the protagonist can, in fact, die or be killed.
I guess what I'm saying here is that I wouldn't go so far as to describe the game as a "pretty basic 2D puzzle platformer" just yet. Yes, that's probably what it'll be in the end, but we definitely don't know that right now based on the little official info we've been given.
Agreed all around, finchiekins :) I also really like the music that plays throughout this trailer!
Well hopefully you're right, and there is more than meets the eye here. But even if it just plays like an easier version of the Prinny games, I'd be totally fine with that. My guess is that (knowing Japan) the rating you saw would be for blood/gore/violence. They're a lot more touchy about that stuff then we are, so it may not even be that bad. I wouldn't be surprised if we see that innocent little girl suffering all kinds of gruesome deaths (or inflicting it on others). And just the fact that it's a little girl (and not an adult) might make it worse.
Yes, you're right. I do hope there's a bit more to it than guiding the girl around, though. For instance, Dokuro seems to have a bit more depth than what has been implied here, so I'm hoping this game at least matches that game's ambition, if not surpasses it.
I should probably make the PS3 my next console purchase but with games like this, the Vita is becoming mighty alluring.
Hey there, Sam! I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the Vita over the PS3 myself. I just prefer handhelds these days, and the Vita has more than enough games to keep me happy. The question is: when will I finally buy one? I have no idea...
I feel the same way. I love being able to play games where ever in my home I want.
Yep, me, too. And it's nice that both the Vita and the 3DS XL have big enough screens that you don't feel like you have to squint to take in all the action :)
Ah, this looks so interesting! I keep thinking it's like Dokuro but instead of having a little skeleton solve puzzles to rescue a princess, we've now got a firefly guiding a little girl. The light/dark switching might add more variety to it if it is a puzzle-like game... I'm really just drawing on the obvious similarities between the two, though, it's probably not as related to Dokuro as I'm inclined to think
The game information at 2:37 describes it as a "light and shadow action game" which is oh so helpful, haha
Have you played Dokuro, Anne? I can't remember. If so, did you enjoy it?
I ask because it's one of those games I definitely want to get after I buy a Vita--as long as people don't tell me it's a waste of time, etc.
Anyway, yes, I can see how this game reminds of Dokuro--I thought the same thing myself the first time I saw this trailer. I do hope there are some differences between the two, though; it would be too bad if they were overly similar, IMO.
Oh, and I, too, love that the game's genre is described as "light and shadow action game." Wow, so helpful! ;P
Oh yep, I've played Dokuro! I really like it. Definitely one of the more standout Vita titles, in my opinion! The puzzles can get pretty tough!
Shall We Do It? (saying sayonara to Bravely Defaul...
After taking in its first trailer, I'm still hot t...
The day we've all (or at least three or four of us...
It's always a good time for Chrono Trigger fan art...
Manual Stimulation: BurgerTime Deluxe (GameBoy)
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Château Marquis d’Alesme
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The origin of Château Marquis d’Alesme can be traced back to 1585, when the estate was created by François d’Alesme (1535 – 1612), a conseiller in the Bordeaux parliament. Viticulture quickly followed, and records indicate that by 1616, and perhaps before that, the wines of the estate were on the marketplace alongside others from the Médoc. Following the death of François d’Alesme the estate was transmitted through the family, from one generation to the next, although there are few details on exactly who was running it, and what they did to improve the domaine.
The next proprietor of whose identity we can be certain was Pierre-Vincent-de-Paul d’Alesme, a chevalier and Seigneur de l’Estreil, who was made a marquis by receipt of letters from Louis XVI (1754 – 1793), France’s last king before the Revolution. Pierre-Vincent-de-Paul married Marie-Thérèse d’Arche, from a similarly noble family, on March 30th 1772, and their estate then took on the name of Cru d’Arche d’Alesme. The estate seems to have developed a decent reputation, as it soon came to the attention of the courtier Labadie, as he drew up a report on the estates of the region for the Intendant Général of the Guyenne in 1776. He classified this estate as a fifth growth in the commune of Margaux, a judgement he made based on the wine’s sale price of up to 625 to 650 livres per tonneau.
Jan Bekker Teerlink
The property remained in the hands of the d’Alesme family up until 1803, at which point it was acquired by a Dutch négociant, Jan Bekker Teerlink (1759 – 1832). He was one of numerous buyers in the region from among the merchant class, who were ready to fill the ownership void after the region’s nobility lost their heads, their liberty or their wealth (or all three) as a consequence of the Revolution. A number of these merchants were German, such as Herr Lerbs who acquired Château Malescot St-Exupéry, and Jan soon found that his name Bekker had been Germanicised to Becker. Appending this to the name of his new acquisition gives us Château Marquis d’Alesme-Becker, a name by which this estate went for many years.
Jan Bekker Teerlink had married Jeanne Sophie Jaunein, and they had a daughter, Sophie Fanny Teerlink (1810 – 1874). After Jan’s death in 1832 the running of the estate presumably fell to his widow Jeanne and daughter Sophie, but they subsequently sold the estate in 1853. The buyer was one Monsieur Sznajderski, who was therefore in charge when the estate was classified as troisième cru classé in the 1855 classification. He was presumably responsible for the construction of the château, built in 1859, in the style of Louis XIII. This was a relatively diminutive maison, built among the vines to the west of the village of Margaux. These days, however, it no longer serves as the château, nor does it belong to the estate. It sits within the grounds of Château Lascombes, and serves as that château’s offices. I will explain how some of the appellation’s châteaux changed hands as I continue this estate’s history.
Please log in to continue reading about this estate’s history, vineyards and winemaking, followed by my tasting notes and scores:
Margaux Premiers Crus
Margaux Deuxièmes Crus
Margaux Troisièmes Crus
Château Boyd-Cantenac
Château Cantenac-Brown
Château Ferrière
Château Malescot St-Exupéry
Margaux Quatrièmes Crus
Château Pouget
Château Prieuré-Lichine
Margaux Cinquièmes Crus
Other Margaux Crus
Château Labégorce
Château Labégorce-Zédé
Château Marojallia
Château Monbrison
Château Siran
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The New Groovement
Blues / R&B Website Is this you? Click here to claim your profile!
If The Roots had the soul of Aretha Franklin and the energy of Jamiroquai then you'd have The New Groovement. The band seamlessly blends elements of R&B, soul, and hip hop to create a funk-i-fied feast for the ears that is as unique as it is versatile. Punchy horns, sweet vocals, clever rhymes, and tight percussion combine to create energetic, feel-good music that will get you out of your seat and onto the dance floor!
At the forefront of the band are Steph Wisla and her partner-in-rhyme, Danimal House. Together, they can soothe with sultry, sweet ballads or slay with sharp cutting rhymes. Backing them up is a solid rhythm and percussion section that lays down funky beats while the horn section gets crowds going with tasty licks and dance moves that would make James Brown proud.
The New Groovement is a rising star in BC's music scene, currently nominated for Urban Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards, winning Album of The Year at the Vancouver Island Music Awards, performing at all of the region's biggest festivals, touring mainland BC, and receiving regular airplay on campus and commercial radio stations across Canada (including being selected as The Zone band-of-the-month in Victoria). They were also asked to open for critically acclaimed acts such as Five Alarm Funk, and have been praised in prominent print, television and radio media in Victoria for their energetic performances and stellar recorded material. After a successful recent crowdfunding campaign (raising nearly 170% of their goal), the band finished their first full-length studio album (The Orange Album) and released it to a sold out crowd on October 2, 2015. The album was created with the help of well-known Vancouver Island producer, Joby Baker (producer of Alex Cuba's Grammy-winning albums) and has reached the Top 30 charts of campus and community radio stations in several provinces. This up-and-coming group has quickly made a name for itself with its massive shows and energetic parties; it's one band you will not want to miss!
NGM is Reuven Sussman (drums), Tejas Collison (bass), Ben Scotney (guitar), Geoff Mason (timbales), Kim Maddin (congas), Steph Wisla (lead vocals), Danimal House (vocals/emcee), David Chase (trumpet), Jason Dolynny (trombone), Jonnie Bridgeman (sax), and Brad Justason (sax).
Upcoming Events for The New Groovement
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Missing Lubbock Teenager Found With Man in Another State
Jacob Estrada
KAMC News
A Lubbock teenager who disappeared outside of her school has been found in another state after a joint effort by local, state, and federal authorities.
Fourteen-year-old Mattie Worley was last seen on Friday, November 13th, 2020 outside Terra Vista Middle School and then disappeared for eight days, according to her family.
KAMC News now reports that she was found through a joint effort by Lubbock police, federal authorities, and law enforcement from another state.
An organization called Preying on Predators also got involved after police found evidence that Worley had contact with a child predator through the internet and may have been manipulated.
Worley was finally found Sunday, Nov. 22nd, with a man at a home in Alden, Michigan. A Michigan State Police SWAT Team had to be called in to ensure her safety. She was then taken to a hospital for evaluation and will soon be reunited with her parents, according to news reports.
Meanwhile, the man she was with has yet to be publicly identified, but he was taken into custody and could face charges. Police have yet to explain how Worley made her way to Michigan in the first place.
LOOK: 50 photos of American life in 2020
Filed Under: Mattie Worley, Preying on Predators
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46 Years Ago: Waylon Jennings’ ‘I’m a Ramblin’ Man’ Hits No. 1
Scott Harrison, Getty Images
Forty-six years ago today (Sept. 28, 1974) was an important day for Waylon Jennings: It was on that date that his single "I'm a Ramblin' Man," from his The Ramblin' Man album, soared to the top of the charts.
"I'm a Ramblin' Man," which became Jennings' second No. 1 hit, was written by Ray Pennington, who released the song on his own for Capitol Records in 1967. But it was Jennings who made the song a success, singing the lines such as "I've been down to Mississippi / Down through New Orleans / Yes, I have / I've played in California / There ain't too much I haven't seen / No, there ain't / Lord, I'm a ramblin' man / Don't fool around with a ramblin' man" with such an authentic, believable voice that it became one of his signature songs.
Jennings produced his entire The Ramblin' Man album, which also included the follow-up single, "Rainy Day Woman." The Texan included "I'm a Ramblin' Man" on his Waylon Live album in 1976, his Greatest Hits album in 1979 and his Never Say Die album in 2000. It was also included on a posthumous release, Ultimate Waylon Jennings, in 2004.
This story was originally written by Gayle Thompson, and revised by Annie Zaleski.
NEXT: Is Traditional Country Music Dead?
Source: 46 Years Ago: Waylon Jennings’ ‘I’m a Ramblin’ Man’ Hits No. 1
Filed Under: Editor's Picks, waylon jennings
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The Infographic
Estoril Conferences 2019
Global Justice Café
Founding Director of the Tsinghua Institute for Advanced Study in Humanities and Social Sciences
Fields of Expertise: Chinese Studies, Social Theory, Modern Literature
Wang Hui is the founding Director of the Tsinghua Institute for Advanced Study in Humanities and Social Sciences in Beijing and teaches at Tsinghua University as Distinguished Professor of Literature and History. Having earned a PhD in Chinese Literature from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 1988, he went on to serve as the chief editor of Dushu Magazine, the most influential intellectual journal in China, from 1996 to 2007.
Since the early 1990s, Wang Hui has been invited to many universities around the world as both visiting professor and research fellow, including Harvard, Columbia, New York University, Stanford, Tokyo University, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, and Bologna University. He would soon be considered one of the most critical scholars within the fields of intellectual history, social theory and modern literature, and a leading figure of the “Chinese New Left”. Charting the intellectual and political context of contemporary China, his extensive body of work remains deeply engaged with the history and repercussions of Chinese modernity in present times.
His books have been translated into several languages such as English, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, German, Slovenian, and Portuguese. The English language translations include China’s Twentieth Century (2015), China from Empire to Nation-State (2014), The Politics of Imagining Asia (2010), The End of Revolution (2009) and China’s New Order (2003). His four-volume work, The Rise of Modern Chinese Thought (2004), is regarded as one of the most important contributions to modern Chinese scholarship over the past two decades. Wang Hui is the recipient of numerous awards such as the Luca Pacioli Prize, in 2013, jointly with Jürgen Habermas, and Anneliese Maier Research Award in 2018.
All sessions by Wang Hui
Discussing Human Rights and Duties
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Check Shipping of All Intercity Expeditions {Corporate Prices}
The buyer got satisfaction depending on what he had bought (all the goods he wanted were available or not) and how the shopping went. It is the service the person had been rendered at the mall that gives him satisfaction or dissatisfaction at this point. He will experience satisfaction from the goods themselves later on after he has put them to use. If the goods are low quality, however, the wrath of the buyer will lash at both the manufacturer and the mall. There will also be a degree of self-blaming-where were my eyes?!
How much did the manufacturer, seller, and the buyer himself contribute into the final result of the shopping-satisfaction from the bought goods? How should they share responsibility for a product which is not as expected?
Anybody who does something gets a product of his work, cek harga ekspedisi but it is normally somebody else who consumes (uses) that product. Manufacturer’s product is the goods that the buyer buys. The seller’s product is the sales service rendered to the buyer. The buyer consumes those two products: first, he does the seller’s, and then the manufacturer’s. The result depends not only on the quality of the two, but on the way the buyer has used them. Any deli quality food can be laid on the table in such a way that it will ruin everybody’s appetite.
A consumer as he goes shopping at a local mall, or visits a wholesale company, or comes as a client to a sales department, has an idea of the results he wants to get: things he wants to buy, and kind of service he wants to get. Thus the purpose for what the manufacturer and the seller do is defined: to satisfy the customer, their products (goods, services) must meet the customer’s expectations. However, this does not mean that the consumer always knows precisely what kind of product he would like to buy and how he should be serviced in the process of buying to feel satisfied.
In a planned economy or when fulfilling an order, the client sets out design requirements directly. In a market economy, the design, as a rule, is not defined by the client in so many words, it must be fathomed by analyzing the market. It is possible to manipulate the client’s expectations by prompting him to desire new things and thus, as it were, creating new purpose for your business. But in any case, overtly or otherwise, on his own accord or under force, it is the customer that sets down the purpose for both manufacturer and seller.
The manufacturer and seller in turn put the purpose in a more concrete form-objectives-for goods and services they are offering. Henceforth both are answerable to the client for whether they understood the purpose correctly, whether the objectives correspond to the purpose and whether they have been attained. Some forms that responsibility can take are price reduction or even loss of the customer.
If the objectives that the manufacturer and seller come forward with do not meet the purpose set out by the client, the goods and services will not be in demand. What complicates matters, however, is the fact that the objectives cannot precisely meet the purpose, and here’s why.
Besides its production cycle, any company aims to further its existence through reproduction (naturally, we leave out one-day companies that are created for a single deal).
If the production objective is one project or other aimed at manufacturing a product or rendering a service, then the reproduction objective is the future the company sees itself in. As a minimum, it is to ensure that it will be engaged in the same activity tomorrow and get at least the same profit as today.
Reproduction objective always dominates over production objective. The fact of the matter is if a company could have all the benefits from its work without producing anything, most companies would not work at all to produce anything.
In reality, each business has both to manufacture and sell its products to get profit and to ensure reproduction. Accordingly, there are objectives covering products (services) and there are ones for the work the company does to provide for its future.
One peculiar thing about this combination of objectives is that although production objectives are inferior to those of reproduction one in fact can clash with the other.
Example: Company A has bought expensive machinery to better serve its clients (this has led to higher amortization costs and corporate property tax) and used expensive spare parts. Prices are limited by how much consumers can pay. As it slipped into a cash flow deficit, the company has tried to cut costs by reducing employee pay. However, not being paid enough for their work today, the workers will not work their full capacity tomorrow. Conditions for reproduction have not been met. Expensive machinery and spare parts have not allowed the company to ensure high quality of its produce owing to high staff turnover. A management objective has not been attained as it has not been able to reach a compromise between the desire to satisfy clients maximum way possible and meet reproduction requirements.
It is worthwhile to try and reach out to the distant future as well. It is more than just customers that the company needs to survive. Thus, one must speak about social value of the company, or its mission.
Mission is what the company is created for, the final social result that the creator of the business is counting on when he puts together his business concept. One must tell mission from deliverables-the planned direct results delivered to the client. Any company can have a mission. For example, if a company makes ammunition, then deliverables would be ammo for particular types of firearms, whereas its mission would be ensuring that a particular branch of the armed forces has sufficient combat efficiency.
If the mission of a company is well and clearly defined and the company follows it, it means that the goods the company produces are in demand with the public. So, the objectives of the company must correspond to its purpose and reproduction requirements, and deliverables-to be in line with its mission. If this works, each product the company manufactures will be favored by the consumers, or, using an economic term, it will be in demand.
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One of the benefits we can get by joining in berkahpoker vip PKV
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Incident/Accident – Remembering 9A-DLN
By Boran Pivcic February 5, 2014 9A-DLN Cessna Cessna T303 Crusader pad Cessne Vaganski vrh
While I normally shy away from sombre themes, on this one occasion I’ve decided to make an appropriate exception. The unfortunate circumstance that had led to this change of tone is the fifth anniversary of the destruction of Cessna T303 9A-DLN, which had been lost with all on board in a ground impact accident on 5 February 2009.
9A-DLN back in better times. One of two Crusaders to have been on the Croatian register – both of which were lost in fatal accidents – DLN was frequently used for multi-engine and instrument proficiency checks by experienced instructors and captains.
On occasion flying out of Zagreb Intl, DLN’s mission that day was a multi-engine proficiency check, which had called for a cross-country VFR flight to Zadar’s Zemunik Airport (LDZD). The on-board complement had included:
Miljenko Bartolić, Pilot-In-Command, a much-loved examiner and former agricultural and airline pilot who had given me my PPL wings back in 2002
Gerd Govejšek, instructor (manning the co-pilot’s seat), also well known to many generations of student pilots at Lučko
Aleksandar Walter, passenger, a highly experienced former Police helicopter pilot and CO
Zvonko Kelek, passenger, a private pilot with aviation experience dating all the way back to the 80s and Yugoslavia’s national carrier JAT
According to the official accident report – available, in Croatian, here – the flight had proceeded normally until reaching the vicinity of the town of Gospić, located near the foothills of the Velebit mountain range and about 5/6s of the way in towards Zadar. At this point, DLN had entered an extensive area of cloud, moderate icing and mountain waves, eventually ending up in continuous Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). However, the crew had elected to continue their flight to Zadar without a change of route, altitude or flight rules, likely relying on the aircraft’s comprehensive IFR instrument suite and wing and tailplane de-icing systems.
One of the better-equipped twins in Croatia, DLN had sported a complete IFR navigation set, including a Garmin GNS 430 IFR GPS unit.
Approaching the Velebit range at 8,000 ft – a safe terrain clearance altitude even during moderate wind – the aircraft had entered an active military training zone (normally open to civilian traffic and only activated when the Air Force actually needs it), after which it was instructed to descend below the zone, whose lower boundary was at 6,500 ft. This new altitude had put DLN at between 800 and 1,300 ft above the approaching peaks.
Though there is still a degree of uncertainty acknowledged by the report, it states that the prolonged flight in cloud had led to extensive airframe icing, likely starting around the tail. Still flying at 6,500 ft, DLN had then entered an area of severe mountain waves, which had produced a strong and rapidly increasing rate of descent. Iced over and too heavy to counter it, the aircraft had quickly begun to plummet, impacting the mountainside at 4,734 ft, roughly 1,000 ft below Vaganski vrh (Vagan Peak). The final radar contact was recorded at 14:54 local time.
9A-DLN’s actual (green) and planned remainder (yellow) of the route.
The southern end of the Velebit range (where the blue line in the map above ends), with Vaganski vrh visible just below and in front of the wingtip. The range’s steep slopes on both sides give a good indication of the kind of weather phenomena it is capable of producing when the wind picks up…
The report notes that the impact was so violent that the aircraft had virtually disintegrated. The search for the impact site – as well as the subsequent recovery of the wreckage and bodies – was hampered by bad weather for days, in addition to an avalanche that had buried most of the immediate surroundings.
Having lost four of its much loved members in an instant, the aviation community at large fell into a state of shock and bewilderment – a state that persists even today, five years on. The death of four experienced aviators – and the conditions into which they had flown – have left a lasting mark on all of us, now unable to look at the Velebit range the same way ever again…
In memory of Gerd, Miki, Walter & Zvonko
Posted in Incident / Accident
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Under the United States Constitution each state has the freedom to invoke their own tax policy separate from the federal government. With professional athletes playing in multiple states, the definition of state residency may potentially cause them to face resident tax issues in multiple states. State or city residents are required to pay tax on their worldwide income despite where it was earned, while non-residents are only required to pay tax on income earned while in that jurisdiction. Therefore, navigating residency issues for an athlete who earns income in multiple jurisdictions – while potentially having more than one residency is critical to limit their tax exposure. Proper tax planning strategies if put in place early can limit one’s exposure to state taxation and put that athlete into the best-case scenario maximizing the net value of their contract.
Although the definition of state resident may vary amongst the states, there are generally two criteria which will cause residency: physical presence and domicile. Residency through physical presence tends to mean that you are in that state or city more often than you’re not, using 183 days as a determination of factor in determining residency. Since athletes may exceed 183 days in the state or city in which they play – this may cause them to become a resident of that jurisdiction by default. Domicile on the other hand, is where you maintain a permanent residence and when you are away (no matter how long) you intend to return. In other words, domicile is your “home”. Once domicile is established it remains intact until it is either relinquished or another domicile is established elsewhere.
What happens if you play in one city but maintain an offseason home in yet another one?
Since athletes generally play in a different state then they are originally from, and play in multiple jurisdictions throughout a season, it is important to determine residency before the fact rather than trying to determine it when you file your tax returns, or worse, years later in a state tax audit.
How domicile affects your net income
Although a player may not meet the physical presence test, they can still be considered a resident should they maintain domicile within a state.
Take the following scenario: A professional hockey player is born and raised in Minnesota. Each off-season, they return to a summer cottage they own in the state, their automobile is registered in Minnesota and they have a Minnesota driver’s license. Under these set of facts, this player could be considered a resident of Minnesota even if they do not spend over 183 days in the state. How this impacts their net income depends on their specific circumstances and if proper tax planning strategies have been taken.
To help illustrate the importance of residency issues we will look at two case studies to show the financial impact establishing residency in one location versus another could have.
Case Study: Los Angeles Kings
In the first scenario we have a Minnesota native who plays for the Los Angeles Kings. Since the Kings play their home games in California and he may or may not reach the necessary 183 days (depending on his schedule and any playoff games) there is no certainty that they will be considered a resident based on physical presence. Regardless, he will still need to pay tax on the income earned in the state. However, if the player keeps his domicile in Minnesota it would prove to be beneficial. As the table below indicates a player who earns $7,500,000 would save nearly $100,000 by not relinquishing their Minnesota domicile and establishing it in California.
Case Study: Dallas Stars
In the second scenario we have a Minnesota native who is playing in Texas, a state with no income tax. As in the first case study, the player spends most of the tax year (may or may not be over 183 depending on the number of days in the season and post season) in Texas, however, the question remains whether they should keep their domicile in Minnesota? As you can see below, a player earning $7,500,000 will take home nearly 8.5% more of their wages by taking the steps to relinquishing their domicile in Minnesota and establishing it in Texas!
Please note that even though being a resident of Minnesota is not as advantageous in the second scenario, it still is more beneficial to play in Texas and claim domicile in Minnesota as opposed to doing the same and playing in California.
In both scenarios the player will pay the same amount of Minnesota tax on their income, however, in table 1 they will also be subject to California state tax on income earned as a non-resident. Although California tax is a state tax credit on their Minnesota tax return – the fact that California’s tax rate is greater than Minnesota’s causes the credit to be limited. Therefore, the difference between the Minnesota state tax owed in Table 1 is the additional California state tax which exceeds Minnesota’s tax rate for the state tax credit on their Minnesota tax return.
Domicile and residency issues affect more than just the two scenarios we have outlined above, they affect every single individual. Understanding the issues of domicile and addressing them before signing a contract or playing the season is the time to determine your residency as opposed to trying to determine it after the fact. Having a tax accountant who specializes in state tax is important and they should be consulted as you negotiate your contract, because where you play and reside could have a substantial affect on the amount of income you take home.
If you enjoyed this article, we would appreciate you sharing it:
Tags: AFP Tax Consulting, Alan Pogroszewski, Domicile, jock tax, professional athletes taxes, Residency
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Ghana’s royal visitors
Kajsa Hallberg Adu
The contrasting receptions for high profile visitors to Ghana—first Prince Charles and Camilla from the UK, then a group of African-American celebrities from the United States—says a lot.
Image via Instagram.
It’s a hot Saturday evening in the outskirts of Ghana’s capital Accra. On the first floor of a small office complex, a group of people have gathered in a private library called Libreria. This private initiative is needed as state-funded libraries are few and sadly most often poorly equipped. At Libreria, both middle-class Ghanaians and schoolchildren borrow books. The small crowd here this evening includes intellectuals, students and activists. They are gathered to discuss British Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, more popularly known as Camilla, and their four-day state visit to Ghana. Overall, the visit lasted nine-days and included stops in Gambia and Nigeria.
In Ghana, where I live, a comprehensive program was rolled out where school children lined the streets waving British flags. Music artists and the elite received invitations to parties and receptions. Meanwhile, Ghana’s highest state medal was conferred to Prince Charles and a park was named after him in Kumasi. The royal visit was warmly and uncritically welcomed in local media.
In media outside Ghana, I could not find much critical coverage of the visit. The UK media mainly provided photo images and some video footage, but rarely critical or reflective coverage. Predictably, the rightwing tabloid Daily Mail wrote about the visit in a style similar to Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. The paper’s correspondent reported that “local leaders were dressed in bird feathers and leopard skins and went up to the platform where royal visitors sat under gun shooting, exclamation and loud music.”
The state visit can of course be classified into the Brexit afterthoughts category. In his speech, Ghana’s President Akufo Addo promised to remain a friend to Britain. Akufo-Addo is a former diplomat and maintains very close links with European leaders. This time, the President was seen posing side by side with Prince Charles on major billboards across the city with the message “Shared History, Shared Future.” Ghanaian and British flags flew together. This so-called “shared history” of course includes the devastating and exploitative slave trade and vicious colonization of Ghana. It has been only 62 years since Ghana became the first colony in Africa to gain independence from Britain.
What would the Prince and Ghana’s President talk about? In similar language, the Prince in a speech discussed the slave trade as an “appalling atrocity,” that “included” Britain, and thus its “shared responsibility” for it not to be forgotten. Although the statement was a half-hearted attempt at addressing this part of Britain’s dark history, it was also an outrageous understatement, considering that Britain accounted for a large part of all slave trade and only ever compensated slave owners. The subsequent colonization of Ghana was never mentioned in any official communication during the visit. Akufo-Addo also played up the two nations’ “shared” history in his remarks.
African and specifically Ghanaian reactions were muted. Kenyan YouTube TV-show host Dr Mumbi asked of Akufo Addo’s real agenda and Ghanaian artist Fuse ODG complained in an Instagram video that he was “genuinely confused about the fuss that’s being made about Prince Charles visit to Ghana.” But otherwise public figures in Ghana and elsewhere on the continent seemed apathetic and disinterested in the Royal visit or its celebratory framing.
Back in the private library, the discussion about Prince Charles’s attempt at rewriting history is ongoing: “I have so many more important things to think of than what Prince Charles says and does,” says a student and blogger. “It will not affect my life in any way.”
“We have to understand that many Africans in the UK voted for Brexit because they believe this could have a positive impact on African economies by facilitating more trade with the UK,” says a British-Ghanaian woman.
“I was concerned that the prince did not know that Ghanaian students wishing to study in Britain need to take a test to prove that they know English (TOEFL) even though all our higher education courses are in English, our official language!” says a student.
“And that we have to queue in the scorching sun with our documents to apply for a student visa. And yet get rejected so often!” says another student. Their concerns both highlight the uneven power relations between Ghana and the UK, as well as provide examples of the neoliberal environment Ghanaians have to navigate.
In the room, we are now talking about decolonization and whether Ghanaians even know of the concept. In 1986, the Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiong’o wrote the important book Decolonization of the Mind. In the book, Ngugi claims colonization did not cease because the colonial powers left, but that the ideology of racism still controls and influences. It’s like “a cultural bomb”—how we remember our history, values, our world and ourselves. Ngugi writes about the resistance to imperialism on the one hand but also describes supporters:
The imperialist tradition in Africa today maintained by the international bourgeoisie using the multinational and of course the flag-waiving native ruling classes. The economic and political dependence of this African neo-colonial bourgeoisie is reflected in its culture of apemanship and parrotry enforced on a restive population through police boots; barbed wire, a gowned clergy and judiciary; their ideas are spread by a corpus of state intellectuals, the academic and journalistic laureates of the neo-colonial establishment (1986, p.2).
What places need to be decolonized in Ghana? Is it the media that reports uncritically and ahistorically? Is it the universities where a degree from Europe and the US is still more highly valued than one from the African continent? Is it the receptions honoring Prince Charles, where Ghana’s elites take selfies that they then post on Instagram with the hashtag #squadgoalz? Or is it, as Ngugi suggested, the minds, guarding history a little more?
Ghana’s agency should also be highlighted and questioned. Not all the leaders of West Africa smiled and proclaimed friendship during the Prince’s visit. In fact, a traditional leader in Benin asked the Prince to help return the artifacts taken away by the English in 1897, so that the locals could open their own museum.
In contrast, much more discussed was the visit by foreign celebrities to Ghana in December under the heading Full Circle Festival—to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the transatlantic slave trade. The group, led by Hollywood actor Boris Kodjoe (he is of part-Ghanaian descent) and Ghanaian marketing guru Bozoma Saint John, had glamorous African American and Black British celebrities, such as Naomi Campbell, Anthony Anderson, Rosario Dawson and Idris Elba, in tow. The celebs were discreetly bussed around the country to hushed VIP locations, quite contrary to the bombastic public events for the royals with school children lining the streets. However hushed the celebrity trip, the ensuing conversations were more about what was in it for Ghanaians? Or who really benefited from the trip? Or what kind of media coverage it all received.
How can we understand the more critical and free response to Black Hollywood celebrities than to the old colonial power? The answer may lie in cultural, economic and political power because Ghanaians—since Nkrumah and including the young people gathered at Libreria—have looked more across the ocean for inspiration and connection than to the old, colonial power. It is telling that the enstoolment of one of the American visitors—the action star Michael Jai White—as a Akwamu chief got more media attention, outside Ghana’s elites, than Prince Charles’s visit could ever achieve.
Kajsa Hallberg Adu (PhD, African Studies), teaches at Ashesi University in Ghana, co-founded BloggingGhana. She tweets at @kajsaha.
It’s a hot Saturday evening in the outskirts of Ghana’s capital Accra. On the first floor
Anti-black excellence
moshood
In Ghana, political leaders, religious leaders and leading rappers all have one thing in common: internalized anti-blackness.
Ghana–the lynchpin in Israel’s attempt to woo Africans
Caren Holmes
Israeli propaganda in Ghana, and elsewhere in Africa, is aimed especially at evangelical Christians.
Ghana’s President and what the West wants to hear
Dennis Laumann
Many social media users have construed Akufo-Addo’s words in the President of France’s presence, as somehow radical.
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Iran (July 12, 2020)
am 12. Juli 2020 12. Juli 2020 von amortasawiin selected articles, Verfallendes Land
Iran’s Hormuz Peace Endeavor and the future of Persian Gulf security
By Nicole Grajewski
The European Leadership Network (ELN)
„[…] Throughout 2019, the escalation of tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz confirmed that the stability of the Persian Gulf is not simply a regional, but a global problem. Though Iran’s HOPE advances an intra-regional format, any feasible and lasting framework necessitates the involvement of all littoral states including all Persian Gulf littoral states as well as external powers with vested interests in maintaining stability in the region. Europe, in conjunction with regional and external actors, can assume an instrumental role by facilitating dialogue and improving mechanisms for direct communication at the inter-governmental level while also providing a forum for flexible engagement that allows for the exchange of information and dialogue among experts, military officials, and bureaucrats.“
UN expert raps US for arbitrary drone attack that killed Gen. Soleimani
By Press TV
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/11/629385/Callamard-rapporteur-UN-Soleimani-Iran-tweet-international-law-drone-
„A UN special rapporteur has once again lashed out at the United States for breaching international law by assassinating top Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani in a drone attack, warning about the repercussions of unbridled and self-willed use of armed drones. „International law is international. It is not American,“ Agnes Callamard, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said in a post on her Twitter account on Saturday. […]“
2b)
The UN has found that the US killing of Qassem Soleimani broke international law. It’s right, but nothing will happen as a result
By Scott Ritter
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/494185-un-soleimani-killing-result-nothing/
„[…] International law, like the Constitution which imbues it with relevance as far as the US is concerned, only possesses the meaning and legitimacy that a society is willing to vest in it. The US, acting on legislation passed by Congress, has engaged in a whittling away of the rights and protections afforded to Americans and world citizens to the point that neither international law nor the Constitution have much meaning anymore. It is not just the US Congress that has lost its voice when it comes to expressing moral outrage against the murder done in its name. “To date drones’ attacks and targeted killings are not the object of robust international debates and review,” Callamard concludes in her report. “The Security Council is missing in action; the international community, willingly or not, stands largely silent. That is not acceptable.” Seen in this light, the words of Callamard take on a whole new level of urgency. “[T]he targeted killing of General Soleimani, coming in the wake of 20 years of distortions of international law, and repeated massive violations of humanitarian law, is not just a slippery slope. It is a cliff.” “
Will China become a major arms supplier to Iran?
By Jonathan Fulton
The Atlantic Council
„[…] Given the deterioration of the US-China relationship, however, Beijing would likely be reluctant to antagonize Washington for such a minimal return. Despite exaggerated rhetoric about the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, the China-Iran relationship is tremendously one-sided. As this author has argued before, Iran needs China much more than China needs Iran. And China definitely needs a functional relationship with the United States much more than it needs a partnership with Iran. The high-water mark for bilateral trade between Beijing and Tehran this century was in 2014, at $38 billion. In 2019, with China-US relations at a low point due to the trade war, China-US trade was valued at just over $540 billion. That’s not to say that economic considerations are everything, but they are a lot, especially, in China, which has a performance legitimacy model that offers economic growth with no political reform. Selling weapons to Iran, knowing that it is a red line for the Trump administration, would come with a substantial cost to China-US relations. And, with the general election immediately following the end of the embargo, it is unlikely that China would take such an enormous risk. […]“
China Inks Military Deal With Iran Under Secretive 25-Year Plan
By Simon Watkins
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/China-Inks-Military-Deal-With-Iran-Under-Secretive-25-Year-Plan.html
„Last August, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Zarif, paid a visit to his China counterpart, Wang Li, to present a roadmap on a comprehensive 25-year China-Iran strategic partnership that built upon a previous agreement signed in 2016. Many of the key specifics of the updated agreement were not released to the public at the time but were uncovered by OilPrice.com at the time. Last week, at a meeting in Gilan province, former Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad alluded to some of the secret parts of this deal in public for the first time, stating that: “It is not valid to enter into a secret agreement with foreign parties without considering the will of the Iranian nation and against the interests of the country and the nation, and the Iranian nation will not recognize it.” According to the same senior sources closely connected to Iran’s Petroleum Ministry who originally outlined the secret element of the 25-year deal, not only is the secret element of that deal going ahead but China has also added in a new military element, with enormous global security implications. […]“
Iran-China pact turbocharges the New Silk Roads
By Pepe Escobar
„China will invest $400 billion in Iran energy and infrastructure but nothing in strategic pact allows for a Chinese troop presence or island handover. […]“
25-year deal with China is a shrewd, opportune move by Iran: Analyst
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/10/629336/%E2%80%9825-year-deal-with-China-shrewd,-opportune-move-by-Iran%E2%80%99
„The potential 25-year trade and strategic cooperation deal with China is a shrewd, opportune, and necessary move by Iran given the Atlantic world’s betrayal of the Islamic Republic, an international lawyer and political analyst says. Barry Grossman, who is based on the Indonesian island of Bali, made the remarks in an interview with Press TV on Friday. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reportedly told Parliament last week that Iran and China were working on a 25-year trade agreement. China has said it will invest US$400 billion in the Iranian economy. […]“
4c)
Strategic Partnership Agreement With China Represents Lifeline for Iran
The Iran-China agreement appears as a framework for cooperation. Its realization depends on external factors over which Iran has no influence.
By Ali Alfoneh
The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington
„Ever since Chinese President Xi Jinping’s January 22-23, 2016 visit to Tehran and the release of a joint statement following the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, rumors have been swirling as the parties finalize the details as to what the partnership will encompass. What are the exact terms of the agreement? What are the Islamic Republic’s motives for committing itself to this partnership? And what are the prospects for its realization? […]“
4d)
Full text of Joint Statement on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between I.R. Iran, P.R. China
http://www.president.ir/EN/91435
„At the end of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to Tehran, the Islamic Republic of Iran and People’s Republic of China announced that by achieving a major agreement in all areas of bilateral relations and regional and international issues, they have established ties based on “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”. The “Joint Statement on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Islamic Republic of Iran and People’s Republic of China” consists of 20 articles, specifying the roadmap of developing and deepening Tehran-Beijing ties in “Political”, “Executive Cooperation”, “Human and Cultural”, “Judiciary, Security and Defence”, and “Regional and International” domains. The statement was simultaneously published in both countries on Saturday at the end of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to Tehran. […]“
JCPOA: The Deal That Wasn’t
By Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich
https://ahtribune.com/world/north-africa-south-west-asia/iran/4283-jcpoa-the-deal-that-wasnt.html
„July 14th, 2020, marks the fifth anniversary of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Agreement, often referred to as the Iran Nuclear Deal (or simply the Deal) – the Deal that wasn’t. It was yet another attempt at regime change. Of all the plans to control Iran beginning from Operation Ajax to Operation JCPOA and everything in between, the Iran Nuclear Deal was by far the most devious attempt at undermining the sovereignty of Iran – one way or another. The Greek’s Trojan Horse pales compared to this dastardly scheme. Years in the making, the crafty plan even prompted Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) to nominate John Kerry and Javad Zarif to recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. As such, it is high time that the Deal’s planners, their motivations and their associations were discussed in order to grasp the depth of the deception. […]“
Iran explosions: Did Israel and the US just start a cyber war?
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/494383-iran-explosions-israel-us/
„Explosions rocked a pair of Iranian factories involved in the manufacture of centrifuges for its nuclear program, and the development of advanced ballistic missiles. Iran suspects a cyberattack by either the US, Israel or both. […]It is unlikely that Iran would seek to respond to any destructive cyberattack in a disproportionate manner – don’t expect missiles to fly against either Israel or US bases in the region. Instead, Iran will probably deploy its own very capable offensive cyberweapons in targeted retaliation, either against facilities in Israel and/or the US, or against regional targets affiliated with either of those countries. Cyber warfare is a new phenomenon, one which can inflict significant collateral damage on civilian infrastructure both in the targeted nation, as well as third parties not directly involved in the conflict at hand. If Israel and/or the US were, in fact, to have conducted a destructive cyberattack on Iran, there will almost certainly be retaliation. Where this cycle of cyber warfare will end, however, is unknown. Given the complex realities of cyber warfare, where computer viruses are released in a manner conducive to causing a global cyber pandemic, the question must be asked if the outcome achieved at Natanz and Hemmat was worth the potential risk accrued. If history is any lesson, the answer is – and will be – a resounding ‘No.’ “
Mysterious explosions escalate Israel, Iran tensions
Ahead of the US presidential elections, and on the backdrop of mysterious explosions, Israel prepares for various escalation scenarios on Iran’s part.
By Ben Caspit
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/07/israel-iran-us-benjamin-netanyahu-donald-trump-amos-yadlin.html
„Several days after the massive July 2 explosion that destroyed the upper level of Iran’s centrifuge upgrading and uranium enrichment plant in Natanz, reports emerged in Israel that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had asked Mossad Director Yossi Cohen to stay on an additional year once his five-year term expires at the end of the year. However, „the head,” as the spy agency director is known, only agreed to a six-month extension. Shortly after, in the pre-dawn hours of July 3, Israel launched its Ofek 16 spy satellite carried on a Shavit rocket from its Palmachim military base. The satellite significantly enhances Israel’s ability to track events around the world, in particular Iran. […]“
Israel Is Trying To Provoke Iran To Start a War
By Muhammad Sahimi
„[…] In its efforts to push Iran into a war that it does not want, Israel has an ally, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has a long history of demonizing and vilifying Iran and its people, even during the Covid-19 pandemic, and trying to provoke a war with it. In May, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, Pompeo went to Israel to meet with Netanyahu. The goal, as Pompeo put it, was „countering two critical threats: Covid-19 and Iran. Israel and the United States will take on these challenges side-by-side.“ At a time when, more than any other time, the world needs peace, ending hostilities, and helping people who are suffering from Covid-19 pandemic, Pompeo’s priority is to go to Israel to help Netanyahu to provoke a war with Iran. He brazenly lies about Iran all the time. He has accused Iran of being „an accomplice“ in the Coronavirus crisis; of echoing „Hitler’s call for genocide“ against Jewish people – both utter nonsense and fabrication – and demands Iran’s complete capitulations. […]“
5e)
Liberman appears to accuse Mossad head of leaking Israeli role in Iran attack
Without calling out Yossi Cohen by name, Yisrael Beytenu leader places blame on an intelligence official seeking to succeed Netanyahu as Likud head
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liberman-appears-to-accuse-mossad-head-of-leaking-israeli-role-in-iran-attacks/
„Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman on Monday appeared to call out Mossad chief Yossi Cohen for leaking to the press Israel’s alleged role in a blast at an Iranian nuclear facility last week. The right-wing opposition MK did not identify Cohen by name during an Army Radio interview, but hinted at his role. […]“
5f)
Update on Assessing the Detonation at the Natanz Iran Centrifuge Assembly Center: New High Resolution Satellite Imagery Refines Details on the Explosion and Fire
By David Albright, Sarah Burkhard, and Frank Pabian
Klicke, um auf Update_to_Natanz_Explosion_July_9_Final.pdf zuzugreifen
„[…] If the event was associated with a natural gas line explosion, then the possibilities for causation have expanded from our earlier analysis to include:
Purely accidental;
An explosive device was planted that triggered an explosion and fire; or
Some cyber-based attack could have led to a leak that later ignited.“
5g)
Cyber Strike By Foreign Force Caused Iran Explosion: Israeli Experts
Iranian officials confirmed damage to a building built near the Natanz nuclear power plant today, saying an „accident“ occurred. Israel has denied any connection to the huge explosion in the secret facility.
By Arie Egozi
https://breakingdefense.com/2020/07/cyber-strike-by-foreign-force-causes-iran-explosion-israeli-experts/
5h)
Israel response to cyber attack sends clear warning to Iran
The Israeli authorities reportedly took Iran’s cyber attack on its water systems very seriously, retaliating quickly and warning Tehran of its capabilities.
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/05/israel-us-iran-mike-pompeo-aviv-kochavi-cyberattack-port.html
5i)
Israel, Iran trade cyber jabs
The April cyberattack on Israel’s water system and a May attack on an Iranian port might be the opening salvoes of a cyber war between Israel and Iran.
By Mordechai Goldman
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/05/israel-iran-syria-amos-yadlin-cyberattack-port-water-system.html
What Iran Wants in Afghanistan
And What U.S. Withdrawal Means for Tehran
By Colin P. Clarke and Ariane M. Tabatabai
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/afghanistan/2020-07-08/what-iran-wants-afghanistan
„[…] Tehran and Washington have butted heads in many parts of the Middle East, but they share common objectives in Afghanistan. Iran supported U.S. efforts following the invasion in late 2001, helping build the coalition that would replace the Taliban in Kabul. In early negotiations after the invasion, Iranian officials insisted on the importance of holding democratic elections in the post-Taliban era. Today, neither Iran nor the United States has any desire to see Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) grow stronger in the country. […]“
PDF-Version: Iran 12.7.2020
Getreuliche Hoffnung
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