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Land of 10,000 Drinks Map
Recipes & Education
Minnesota Taco Atlas
Ghosts of Maurer’s Saloon: The surprising history of Cuzzy’s in Minneapolis
July 2, 2019 by Andy Sturdevant
Maurer’s Saloon circa 1919 // Photo courtesy Minnesota Historical Society
The women in the Maurer family did not choose to become saloon keepers. It was forced upon them when their husbands committed suicide or were sent to prison.
Elizabeth Maurer’s husband, Louis, was a German immigrant like her. In 1909, his saloon was a Gluek’s-connected establishment on Washington Avenue North in Minneapolis, a commercial stretch packed with factories, railroad warehouses, and the thousands of workers that staffed them. When the steam whistles blew at the end of the shifts, men streamed out into the streets, and then into the bars.
Maurer’s Saloon was one of 86 bars in Minneapolis affiliated with Gluek’s at the time. Louis managed the place well, with the help of his sons, Frederic August “Fritz” and Charles, and his wife, Elizabeth. The saloon business made him a moderately wealthy man and, in addition to the bar, he owned a home in South Minneapolis and a vacation cottage in Medicine Lake. It was at that lakeside cottage on June 25, 1909, that Louis placed a shotgun to his head and pulled the trigger. Elizabeth, Fritz, and Charles were in the next room.
June 25 marked exactly two years since Louis had suffered a severe stroke. His doctor had assured him in the days following that in two years he’d be completely recovered. While Louis had come a long way in the two years since, he was still severely weakened and didn’t feel like he had much chance of recovering further. He was reported to be “partially demented” and “temporarily insane” at the time of death.
Shortly after Louis’ death, Elizabeth went down to city hall to apply for a liquor license. There were few women saloon keepers in the city, and all of them worked alongside their husbands. For whatever reason, the city councilmen, split between wets and drys, made an exception for Elizabeth. Their decision made her the only woman to own and operate a saloon in the city for at least two years.
In 1912, she turned the license over to Fritz. It’s not clear if Elizabeth had intended to run the bar for the long term, or if she was always looking for an opportunity to turn it over to Fritz, but the 23-year-old proved to be a natural frontman for the family business. After the transfer was approved by the city council, they faintly praised Elizabeth as the last and only woman saloon keeper in Minneapolis. “Mrs. Maurer will probably be the last woman to enter the liquor business in the city,” the paper reported. For years to come, that was true.
Fritz was charming, outgoing, and well-connected in the neighborhood. Eventually, he became an alderman on the city council and stayed closely connected to the liquor trade while serving—a little too close, in fact. In 1929, Fritz was swept up in an anti-corruption effort that also involved a number of his fellow aldermen. He was arrested for accepting a $1,000 bribe from one of his colleagues on the city council in exchange for clearing licensure for a northside club called the Stables. Fritz went to prison on a 10-year sentence and ended up serving through the mid-1930s.
His wife, Mabel, would run the store while he was away, it was reported. And so, for the second time in two decades, a Maurer woman was in charge at 507 Washington Avenue North.
Mabel Maurer was 35 years old at the time. Like Fritz, she was personable and active in the community. In addition to running the store, she served as head of the auxiliary post of the Northside American Legion and hosted sewing meetings for the ladies of the post in the upstairs apartment of the store. (In 1929, toward the end of Prohibition, Maurer’s wasn’t serving liquor but instead served meals, soft drinks, and cigarettes.) After Prohibition was lifted, Mabel reapplied for a liquor license. Two decades after her mother-in-law had transferred the license to Fritz, Mabel was granted permission to serve alcohol by the city council.
The Maurers ran the cafe throughout the 1930s and passed away, one by one, in relatively quick succession: Elizabeth in 1941, Fritz in 1943, and Mabel in 1948.
Maurer’s Bar outlasted its namesakes by at least a few decades. Over those years, the building seemed to collapse in on itself as the downtown core around it was hacked away by urban renewal: the 505 half was demolished in 1963, and the second story was removed in 1972. The missing half is, and has been since the early 1960s, a parking lot.
Cuzzy’s at 507 N Washington Ave in Minneapolis’ North Loop // Photo by Tj Turner
Since 1995 it’s been Cuzzy’s, a lone dive-bar holdout on a tidy new Washington Avenue now known for high-end eateries, condos, and gyms. The building that stands on the site today is exactly one-quarter the size of the original Maurer’s and has been painted a loud combination of emerald green and stop-sign red, camouflaging its true age. Though there are a handful of older bars in St. Paul, there aren’t many bars on the Minneapolis side of the river that can claim an unbroken lineage stretching back to the 1880s.
Inside, the bar retains the shape of a classic turn-of-the-century saloon: a tile floor that may very well be left over from the Maurers’ tenure, tables on one side, a wood-topped bar on the other; nearly every surface has been barnacled with signed dollar bills from regulars.
One of Cuzzy’s claims to fame in the 21st century is its resident ghost. The Cuzzy’s menu mentions it, and the bar is a popular destination for ghost hunters; it appears often on online guides to haunted locations around the city. Who knows how these stories get started, whether through hazy memories, coincidence, or some expression of the collective unconscious, but appropriately enough, the ghost’s name is said to be Betsy, for reasons no one can quite remember. According to the literature, Betsy was a woman of ill-repute around the turn of the century.
That could be, and certainly the history of the bar has more than enough death and mayhem in it to play host to any number of spectral forces. The behavior of the ghost, though—moved drinks, switched off lights, “enigmatic hugs”—doesn’t definitively indicate to me, anyway, a “woman of ill repute.”
If it’s anyone, it seems more likely to be Betsy Maurer, a hardworking woman who is still keeping an eye on the family business a century later. She must have had quite a presence in order to keep control of the barroom frequented almost entirely by hard-drinking men. If you believe in ghosts, raise a toast to Betsy.
This article is an excerpt from the book, “Closing Time: Saloons, Taverns, Dives, and Watering Holes of the Twin Cities,” by Bill Lindeke and Andy Sturdevant, coming from the Minnesota Historical Society Press in October 2019.
Filed Under: Arts and Culture, Heritage, Homepage Featured Tagged With: Cuzzy's Maurer's Saloon, history, minneapolis
Issue 80 | August 2020 | Bars
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How the Bigfoot Legend Began
In 1958, journalist Andrew Genzoli of the Humboldt Times highlighted a fun, if dubious, letter from a reader about loggers in northern California who’d discovered mysteriously large footprints. “Maybe we have a relative of the Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas,” Genzoli jokingly wrote in his September 21 column alongside the letter.
Later, Genzoli said that he’d simply thought the mysterious footprints “made a good Sunday morning story.” But to his surprise, it really fascinated readers. In response, Genzoli and fellow Humboldt Times journalist Betty Allen published follow-up articles about the footprints, reporting the name loggers had given to the so-called creature who left the tracks—“Big Foot.” And so a legend was born.
“There are various wild man myths from all over the world,” says Joshua Blu Buhs, author of Bigfoot: The Life and Times of a Legend. In western Canada, the Sts’ailes First Nation have the “Sasq’ets,” the supposed origin of the word “Sasquatch.” However, the modern U.S. concept of bigfoot can be traced quite directly to the Humboldt Times stories in 1958.
“People later go back and dig through old newspapers and stuff and find scattered reports of a wild man here, a wild man there,” he says. “But it doesn’t coalesce into a general discussion until the ‘50s.”
Even though loggers blamed acts of vandalism on Bigfoot, Allen thought that most of them didn’t really believe in the creature. It seemed to her that they were just passing along stories with a “legendary flavor.” Still, the story spread to newspapers all over the country, and the TV show Truth or Consequences offered $1,000 to anyone who could prove the existence of Bigfoot.
A cast of a foot track, obtained in Bluff Creek, California, at the Bigfoot Institute run by Daniel Perez. (Credit: Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“Who is making the huge 16-inch tracks in the vicinity of Bluff Creek?” Genzoli wrote in one of his columns that October. “Are the tracks a human hoax? Or, are they the actual marks of a huge but harmless wild-man, traveling through the wilderness? Can this be some legendary sized animal?”
Once Bigfoot’s story went public, it became a character in men’s adventure magazines and cheap trade paperback novels. In these stories, he—for Bigfoot was definitely a “he”—was a primal, dangerous creature out of the past who lurked in the modern wilderness. By the 1970s, pseudo-documentaries were investigating his existence and films were portraying him as a sexual predator.
In the ‘80s, Bigfoot showed his softer side. He became “associated with environmentalism, and a symbol of the wilderness that we need to preserve,” Buhs says. One big example is the 1987 movie Harry and the Hendersons, which portrayed Bigfoot as a friendly, misunderstood creature in need of protection from John Lithgow and his family.
So why has the Bigfoot legend persisted for 60 years? “It takes on its own momentum because it is a media icon,” Buh suggests.
Just as no one really needs to explain that characters who turn into wolves during a full moon are werewolves, no one needs to explain who a hairy man-ape walking out of the woods would be. “It’s just something that’s easy to refer to,” Buh says. That would be Bigfoot.
Written by Becky Little
History of Ghost Stories
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Graven Image Films, LLC
In Film We Trust (Bios below)
Jon Own Kinney and Geoffrey Bennett Ulrich started Graven Image Films, an underground filmed art distribution company, in 2002.
Jon, a DJ, poet, inventor and musician, grew up in Watts and rural Alabama.
Geoffrey, a humorist, cartoonist and graphic designer with a bachelor's degree in Creative Writing, is from suburban Connecticut (though not the rich part).
They met in Los Angeles in 1993.
Neither one is called President (or Emperor, for that matter)--they are merely Co-Managers, Entrepreneurs and Marketers.
Their film philosophy is more about innovation and diversity then creating titles for themselves.
A "Graven Image" is a false idol like Money, Fame, Gold Statuary or anything upon which someone may fixate as opposed to something really worthy of devotion like Love, Art and Community.
Graven Image Films seeks to deconstruct the notion that film is merely for entertainment and promote the view that movies can enrich the human experience.
This means that there is a diversity in casting, hiring and of stories told. This means there is an eye kept on innovation of technique and subject in order to further film and humanity.
Yeah, pretty big plans, I know, but why bother otherwise? I'm just saying.
So if we make a horror film it's going to be a diverse and innovative horror film. If we make a comedy--again, diverse, innovative. If we make--well, you get the idea.
We still love movies of all kinds, but we just want them to be better. We want ourselves to be better, but we ain't snobby or nothing. We're still gonna make some regular fare, just better, ya dig?
Jon Kinney
As an early writer he had his first work published in 2nd grade at Moffitt Elementary in Norwalk, CA. In the early 80's, getting Word from Afrika Bambaata, he became a young bboy, learning dance, rap, and getting together with people in the name of art.
In mid 80's he moved to a small town in Alabama, where very few black people lived, and had to learn about a different type of living, but as always, he adapted and thrived.
Later in the 90's, after returning to LA, he was reeducated in the Arts once again by Shake City Productions/Zulu Nation and the Black Rock Coalition. Since then he has not only appeared in music videos, movies such as Made of Honor and The People Under The Stairs, and commercials, but has also has earned credits working behind the scenes on projects ranging from Madonna to Jack in the Box as well as building stages with the teams that worked with Cirque de Soleil as well as the West Hollywood Halloween Festival.
As a composer, he's written music for shows such as PGA Golf.
As a poet, he's performed at Lalapalooza, Las Vegas Poetry Jams, trained with poetry legend Jack Grapes and been published in Spillway poetry journal.
As a journalist, he's written articles on music and music history for Wav and Jointz magazines.
As an educator, he's spoken about business incubators at Loyola Marymount University, and taught Virtual- and Augmented Reality in after-school programs in South L.A., including Leimert Park and Crenshaw, sponsored by Sony. He's also taught spoken word poetry and Rap to kids from all around L.A.
As a DJ, he's had Sunset Strip residencies at The Viper Room and The House of Blues as well as many of the coolest underground clubs in L.A. from Venice to Los Feliz. He's performed at patient healing parties for L.A. Mental Health, as well as at events he helped produce with visionary artist, author and teacher, Alex Grey.
As an Emcee, he's hosted long-running open mic nights (House of Green and Venice Mozaic) featuring spoken word poets and singer-songwriters.
As a photographer, he's had his photos in art gallery exhibitions all over the world.
As an avid gamer, he's listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Geoffrey Bennett Ulrich
Described by his New England grade school teachers as having an overactive imagination he was always daydreaming and making up stories.
In junior high, he took an acting class, at first to overcome stage fright, but he took to it quickly.
In high school, he worked behind the scenes doing everything from stage managing and set building to running sound, and lights, which lead to seasonal work with professional theater companies. It wasn’t until he took a playwriting class, however, that he finally saw the career potential.
In college, he wrote and performed comedy on the radio and in coffee houses, published humor and poetry in the literary magazine and the school paper and convinced his advisers to let him write a play for his senior thesis. He graduated with distinction with a degree in Creative Writing and was inducted into the English Honor Society.
After graduation he wrote, directed, starred in and edited comedy skits on public access TV, while saving up money to move to Hollywood, where he knew he’d be able to find a lot more actors and crew to put into his projects, which is where he met Jon.
As a podcaster, he's had a long-running, weekly show called "Inherently Happy" that deals with mood management and outlook improvement, through the use of humor and wit, since education always goes better with entertainment.
As a spoken word poet, he's performed at Jon's open mic nights, and been a guest judge at Slam poetry events in L.A.
As a graphic designer, he created all the posters for the Venice MoZaic monthly showcase of spoken word poets and singer-songwriters in Venice Beach.
As a cartoonist, he's created several comic strips from topics as diverse as justice, the afterlife, Shakespeare, timekeeping and snowmen.
He's also an animator, an emcee, a film editor and a cameraman.
He has worked in video stores, offices, as a film and TV extra on shoestring- as well as big-budget films, he's been a script reader, taken classes in novel writing and line producing, but he learned the most by actually going out and making shorts, music videos and feature length films.
Graven Image Films, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
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Inmarsat aims for SBB Safety Services approval in 2015
A Boeing 767 cockpit.
Inmarsat says testing of aviation safety services for the air transport market over its L-band SwiftBroadband (SBB) solution is under way.
Hawaiian Airlines is believed to be involved in the tests using a Boeing 767-300 aircraft equipped with Cobham satcom equipment.
The FANS (Future Air Navigation) flight tests will ensure that the service meets the ICAO GOLD RCP240 requirements. This means SwiftBroadband will have to meet the stringent efficiency requirement for the passing of air traffic management (ATM) instructions of 99.99% availability.
Other work has included the implementation of Acars Ground Gateways (AGGWs) at Inmarsat’s satellite access stations (SASs) to enable them to carry FANS/ACARS safety messages.
There have also been updates to the Inmarsat voice and data networks to ensure priority for safety services messages.
Once certified, an aircraft using safety services over SBB will have to have two satellite voice channels (with priority given to the cockpit and safety services data), plus ACARS and EFB data.
The ability to pass new ATM procedures over SBB could also radically improve fuel efficiency by enabling “user preferred routes”. Recent initiatives demonstrated that fuel savings of around $500-1000 per flight could be achieved.
The company says it aims to get ICAO certification for air transport safety services over SBB in 2015.
Aviation safety services are currently only approved on Inmarsat’s older “Classic” aero services. With the I-3 satellites coming to the end of their design life the move to SBB over its I-4s will eventually become a neccessity.
One of the key milestones for this to happen was the successful launch of the Alphasat I-XL satellite last year.
Alphasat is a high-power telecom satellite built by Astrium, through a public-private partnership between ESA and Inmarsat.
Weighing more than 6,600 kg, Alphasat is based on the new European Alphabus telecommunications platform developed by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space under joint contract from ESA and the French space agency, CNES.
Alphasat has extended Inmarsat’s current L-band BGAN services, providing an additional 7 MHz of spectrum over Europe, the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia, from its 25 degree East geostationary orbital position.
It is this spectrum, plus SBB’s higher data speeds that make it attractive for safety services. While SBB offers data speeds of up to 432kbps (over a high-gain antenna), Inmarsat’s “Classic” Aero H services over its I-3 satellites only provide packet data rates of up to 10.5kbps for ACARS, FANS and ATN communications and up to 9.6kbps per channel for multi-channel voice, fax and data links through a high gain-antenna.
The Classic Aero H service is due for closure at the end of 2018 – the design life of the I-3 satellites. Users on Aero-H+ will be migrated to the Classic Aero I-4 network.
Inmarsat president Miranda Mills confirmed to Get Connected at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg last month that testing of Safety Services over SBB is ongoing. She also confirmed that there are currently no plans to have aviation safety services certified over its upcoming Global Express Ka-band service over its I-5 satellites.
But she added that there are plans for further L-band (SwiftBroadband) satellite launches in the future.
“The I-4 satellites have a design life of up to 2022-23,” Mills said. “So expect to see a number of Inmarsat I-6 L-band satellite launches towards the end of the decade or in the early 2020s.”
It looks like Inmarsat will keep its Global Xpress Ka-band services over the I-5 satellites for high bandwidth applications, such as streaming video and internet access. The current L-band SwiftBroadband services over the I-4 and Alphasat satellites will be kept for lower-bandwidth applications, including safety services.
Inmarsat is currently advertising for an aviation safety services business manager at its City Road, London, offices to “drive overall revenue performance and growth for Inmarsat’s safety services portfolio”.
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HCHS sending 3 runners to 3A state competition
Published 4:25 pm Thursday, November 2, 2017
One of these days, the Harlan County Black Bears are going to find the success as a team that has eluded them in regional championship meets at Cave Lake Park. The number of times they’ve come close is going to make it that much sweeter.
Like the girls four years ago, the boys squad came up one spot shy of qualifying for the state championship meet as a team, finishing 15 points behind South Laurel for the fifth and final team berth in the Class 3A Region 7 championship Saturday in Wayne County.
“I’m really proud of this team. They did such a great job this season in staying focused on their goals, both individually and as a team,” coach Ryan Vitatoe said. “We had so many obstacles thrown at us this season, but they really did a great job. This group, boys and girls, proved they could compete in this region.”
Two Black Bears did nab individual spots in the state meet. Senior Alex Lewis finished 14th overall with a time of 18:09.57, and junior Josh Lee (18:13.78) finished 18th. The duo took the top two individual spots, awarded to the top five finishers off non-qualifying teams.
“Alex and Josh ran great, and I’m happy for them. They’ve been so consistent this season with training and it paid off for them. I’m glad they will finish their season at state,” Vitatoe said.
Zack Carmical, a sophomore, narrowly missed joining his teammates, posting a 32nd-place finish with a time of 19:09.56 and missing by one spot.
Rounding out Harlan County’s results were Caleb Brock (34th, 19:17.75), Cooper McHargue (47th, 20:12.23), Matt Yeary (55th, 21:45.10) and Andrew Crawford (64th, 25:34.04).
“Zack and Caleb were great today,” Vitatoe said. “And I can’t say enough about Cooper, Matt and Andrew. Their improvement this season was amazing. (McHargue and Yeary) shaved over four minutes off their time throughout the year. Those guys, along with Daniel, have gained valuable experience this year that makes me very excited about our future.”
Madison Central dominated the race, posting the top three finishers and five of the top 10 en route to a 51-point victory over second-place West Jessamine. Garrett Puckett (16:38.19) was the individual regional champion, followed closely by teammates Conner O’Shea and John Gula. North Laurel claimed third place, followed by Pulaski and South Laurel, respectively.
The other three individual spots went to Johnson Central’s Bryson Hackney and Whitley County’s Jackson Estes and Jared Wilson.
Harlan County was without the services of seventh-grader Daniel Joseph, who was injured.
The story on the girls side was similar, with Breezy Epperson nabbing an individual berth and middle schoolers Ariel Madden and Cadance Ferguson coming up just short.
Epperson, a senior, held off a challenge by Whitley County’s Abigail Stone in the home stretch to claim the final individual spot. She finished 33rd overall with a time of 24:33.50.
“Breezy ran a great race today. She was focused and attacked for the entire race, and it paid off for her,” Vitatoe said. “I’m really proud of her; she set a great example for our girls going forward.”
Madden (24:41.13) and Ferguson (25:03.31) finished 35th and 42nd, respectively, and were the second and sixth girls below the cutoff.
Katie Graham (45th, 25:43.82), Shiann Westfelt (46th, 25:49.92), Abby Vitatoe (49th, 27:08.32) and Katelyn Hensley (51st, 27:24.85) also participated for the Lady Bears.
“Cadance and Ariel were on the cusp. They came a long way this season, and their potential as runners is high,” Vitatoe said. “I was proud of Katie, Shiann, Abby and Katelyn as well. They did a great job this year.”
Madison Central defeated second-place Pulaski County by 31 points, led by second-place overall finisher Abby Hill. South Laurel freshman Phoebe McCowan posted a time of 19:15.15 to win the individual title for the second straight year.
West Jessamine, South Laurel and North Laurel finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively, to qualify for the state meet. In addition to Epperson, individual bids went to Madison Southern’s Mary Beth Melhuish and Southwestern’s Jasmine Akin, Kaeona Phelps and Lydia Patterson.
The state championship meet is set for Saturday at the Kentucky Horse Park. The Class 3A girls race begins at 1:30 p.m., followed by the boys race at 2:15.
“I hope to see Alex, Josh and Breezy focused and ready to race one last time Saturday. I know they’re prepared, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they finish the season,” Vitatoe said.
Dragons open playoffs at Pikeville
While their 5-4 record isn’t that impressive and not what you might expect from a Pikeville team only two years... read more
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Rosenberg J, Dreisbach T, Donovan C, Weintraub R. Positive Outlier: Sri Lanka’s Health Outcomes over Time. Harvard Business Publishing. 2018.Abstract
Download ghd-041 Positive Outlier Sri Lanka
This case describes the development and structure of Sri Lanka’s health system, which has yielded health outcomes far superior to any of its South Asian neighbors. The case highlights factors supporting the health outcomes, including the availability of free health services to all citizens, government investment in the health workforce, and the care-seeking behavior of Sri Lankan citizens. After providing an overview of Sri Lanka’s history, geography, demographics, and economy, the case traces the evolution of the public sector health system from the precolonial era through the period of heavy investment in health from the 1930s through 1950s and on into the 21st century. The case describes the management of the system and the relationship between the national health ministry and provincial and local governments. It examines how health professionals are trained and deployed throughout the system, the supply chain, and financing. The case then examines the growing private health sector, its relationship with the public sector, and the role of innovation. After a summary of the country’s health outcomes, readers are pushed to think about what it will take to address the changing epidemiological burden to continue to boast exemplary health outcomes and provide quality health care to those who need it.
Teaching Note available to registered faculty through Harvard Business Publishing or the Case Centre.
A productive class discussion will allow readers to appreciate the capabilities of a public payer system to improve the health of the population; the influence of the private sector in a “single payer system” and the downstream effects on demand and supply of services; the return on investment for a country offering free public medical and nursing education; and the relationship between literacy, demand generation, and health outcomes.
Keywords: Universal health care, health care delivery, health system, health outcomes, social determinants of health.
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Other Issues Affect and Get Affected by Population
This Page Last Updated Saturday, May 05, 2001
This print version has been auto-generated from https://www.globalissues.org/article/215/other-issues-affect-and-get-affected-by-population
How does Human Rights, Conflict, Trade/Development patterns and the Environment come into all this?
Poverty is the number one health problem1, in developing and developed nations alike. Structural Adjustment policies, for example, from the IMF have not helped2 in many situations as social expenditure has had to be cut back. This has led to less investment in health, education and other basic services (the things that have led to a better quality of life in Europe after the second world war). Even the impacts on urban disaster vulnerability is shown to increase3 with structural adjustment policies by increasing urbanization and population movements from rural areas to the cities.
Another effect of reduced investment in these key areas is the reduction in development and potential4 of each person.
With corrupt ruling regimes, human rights have consistently been violated5, often with the "aid6" of Western and developed nations. In an area of increased populations, there may be an increased likelihood of tensions mounting into violence.
In order for nations to remain or increase economic wealth, environmental considerations7 have sometimes also taken a back seat.
A study suggests that increasing food production in developing nations can help in preventing conflicts, even promoting or preserving peace8. However, looking at the root causes of the lack of food production itself may reveal in many places not so much "over" population, but the international trade and economic treaties (or enforcements) that have led to increased exports of basic resources, rather than developing these themselves, of increased dependency via structural adjustment and so on. Tackling these would have a more effective result in poverty and hunger alleviation. Tackling symptoms only leads to maintaining and not questioning the underlying structures.
Similarly, with increased consumption (in the wealthier countries, which is not where the majority of the world's population is to be found), and the way that products are produced, consumed and thrown away have an impact on the environment around the world, because production is often in the developing countries (where the majority of the world's populations are to be found). As a result of degradation to the environment, tensions can increase.
0 articles on “Other Issues Affect and Get Affected by Population” and 2 related issues:
Human Population
Last updated Thursday, June 13, 2002.
Read “Human Population” to learn more.
Populations: A Numbers Game
Population and Feeding the World
Stress on the environment, society and resources?
Effects of Over-Consumption and Increasing Populations
Gender and Population Issues
Population Links for More Information
Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares?
Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/newsid_89000/89378.stm
https://www.globalissues.org/issue/2/causes-of-poverty
http://www.id21.org/zinter/id21zinter.exe?a=g&w=s9bmh1g1&d=a
http://www.cgg.ch/econtex1.htm#three
https://www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/HumanRightsForAll.asp
https://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/Geopolitics.asp
https://www.globalissues.org/EnvIssues/EnvIssues.asp
http://www.oneworld.org/ips2/feb99/09_35_014.html
Created: Tuesday, December 01, 1998
Last Updated: Saturday, May 05, 2001
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Global Warming, Spin and Media
This print version has been auto-generated from https://www.globalissues.org/article/710/global-warming-spin-and-media
Source: Matthew Glover, Global Warming – the debate 1, Renegade Conservatory Guy, July 30, 2010
Despite the strong consensus from climate scientists of man-made global warming, a vast portion of the mainstream media and public remain skeptical.
How did we get to such a situation? While the exact percentages aren’t as important as the overall trend that is shown, the answers to this question involve years of politics.
Climategate ; the scandal that wasn’t
Changing Business Interests?
The US and Climate Change
Policy Strategy
Step 1: Deny it
Step 2: Fight it
Step 3: Dilute it
Step 4: Delay it
Steps 5 and 6: Do it and Market it
Bush Administration Accused of Silencing its own Climate Scientists
Bush Administration also accused of interfering with UK’s attempts to tackle global warming
US 2007 State of the Union speech on being greener: policy turn or spin?
Some US States and businesses defy Bush Administration’s position
Putting Climate Change Policy and Science on Public Trial?
Suppressed climate dissenter was not suppressed
British Governments’s attempts faltering, despite rosy spin?
Great Global Warming Swindle Documentary itself a Swindle
Some rich countries blame developing countries such as China and India. A diversion tactic?
Media Reporting
Criticism and ridicule of Climate Change concerns, initially
Media False Balancing Allowed Extreme Views to be Treated Same as Scientific Consensus
Scientists show more certainty of human-induced climate change, media reporting increases. Will further spin follow?
A challenge for the mainstream media
Accompanying the concerns of climate change and global warming is the media spin, propaganda, and special interests. For many years in some countries, scientists and environmental groups raising concerns about climate change faced stern opposition, and at one time, ridicule. Initially, many big businesses and countries such as the United States were openly challenging concerns of climate change. Industry coalitions and lobby groups have also been accused of misinforming the public or pressuring media into false balancing.
In recent years, many large businesses have distanced themselves from those previous positions and some have even openly accepted climate change and global warming concerns, even asking for governments to provide regulation and guidance on the matter.
Yet, even into the mid-2000s by which time climate change and global warming had finally been accepted as real by the most suspicious governments, some such as the then US’s Bush Administration were accused of silencing those who spoke out about the problem, including leading government climate scientists who warned of consequences from global warming.
Increasingly, a number of governments such as those from the US, Australia and elsewhere have become fearful of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets that they have long been subjected to (but not ever achieved) if large developing countries such as China and India are not subject to them as well. Developing countries correctly note that they were not the ones who pumped most of climate change-inducing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere during the last few decades and centuries.
As further reports regarding climate change impacts reveal a bleaker future, there are concerns that there will be accompanying fear-mongering by environmentalists, green washing by some business interests, and spin by governments to show reductions in emissions.
Some feel global warming is one of the biggest frauds of our era, with some even believing it is designed to harm the US economy and make the UN more powerful. Others feel it is simpler than that, and instead, climate scientists are able to make a lot of money by using fear as a tool to earn more research grants.
Such a vast, global conspiracy of scientists, the United Nations and environmental groups/lobbies does seem a bit far-fetched given that far more resourceful, powerful and immensely wealthier corporations and governments (with their access to, and influence on, the media2) would surely be able to counter such a tactic (and have indeed been involved in their own spin/propaganda attempts, which, even with their resources, are failing to hide the reality).
A lot of time appears to have been wasted, and political spin on issues such as describing a reduced rate of greenhouse emissions as an actual reduction, risks is a false sense of hope and achievement.
This article, explores these issues further, also drawing in details which have been raised in other parts of this web site.
In November 2009, servers at the University of East Anglia in UK were hacked into and emails were stolen. A selection of emails between climate scientists were published on the Internet and a few quotes used out of context to claim global warming was all just a vast conspiracy. This incident was nicknamed Climategate.
Despite a vast media frenzy, a number of independent investigations all cleared the scientists of any wrong doing; many quotes were taken out of context, such as hide the decline , statistical tricks 3, can’t account for lack of warming4 to make it look sinister and many media outlets were unable to explain this allowing conspiracy claims to go unchallenged.
More information about all the investigations from skepticalscience.com (which, unlike its name suggests, tackles all climate skeptic and denialist arguments head-on):
What do the Climategate hacked CRU emails tell us?5, John Cook, July 9, 2010
Did CRU tamper with temperature data?6, James Wight, December 24, 2010
The Fake Scandal of Climategate7, James Wight, November 20, 2010
Media Lens also provides a useful article with a number of links from another authoritative web site: RealClimate8, a site run by climate scientists at the forefront of climate research. But what was also interesting from Media Lens was the quote they got from James Hansen, the US scientists who brought climate change to the world’s attention in 1988:
The media have done a great disservice to the public. This mess should be cleared up in the next year or so, although the damage may linger a while, because some people who paid attention to sensationalism may not bother with accurate explanations of the truth.
The impression left from this affair is that there are some parts of the media that care less about responsible reporting than about selling newspapers or other ware. Some of the problem may be honest ignorance, as the quality of science reporting has declined in recent decades. And of course some media are controlled by people who have a political axe to grind.
James Hansen, email to Media Lens, Gates of Delusion; Media Distortions And Real Climate Scandals9, Media Lens, February 22, 2010
As much as Climategate was a non-issue, it seems that an anti-climate campaign scandal has been uncovered.
In February 2012, leaked internal documents from the right-wing organization the Heartland Institute appeared to show that rather than being a think tanks, it was more like a lobbyist, funded by many large corporations and individuals10 with an aim to discredit climate change science and propagate denialist views (amongst many other campaigns). They also pay some scientists and others because they are skeptical on climate change. It was even planning a school curriculum to keep teachers from addressing climate science.
And the documents have also revealed the value of disseminating denial messages to influential business outlets:
Efforts at places such as Forbes are especially important now that they have begun to allow high-profile climate scientists (such as Gleick) to post warmist science essays that counter our own. This influential audience has usually been reliably anti-climate and it is important to keep opposing voices out
Heartland Institute Exposed: Internal Documents Unmask Heart of Climate Denial Machine11, DeSmogBlog.com, February 14, 2012 (Emphasis by DeSmogBlog)
(DeSmogBlog exposed the leaked documents and provides far more details.)
Initially, many large businesses, mostly from the energy and transportation sectors, were hostile to the idea of climate change and therefore against any action to address it.
For many years, talk of climate change led to a lot of skepticism and denial, typically from corporate-backed interests such as energy companies. For example, just recently, the British Royal Society, and separately, the Union of Concerned Scientists reported on ExxonMobil waging a campaign of disinformation on global warming12 between 1998 and 2005, funding right wing think-tanks and journals such as the American Enterprise Institute, the George C. Marshall Institute, and the Competitive Enterprise Institute. And with the help of right-wing media, such as the Wall Street Journal, … columnists deliberately spread disinformation about climate change.
As another example, the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) revealed that some business lobby groups have influenced the Australian government to prevent Australia from reducing greenhouse gas emissions13. This lobby group included interests from the coal, electricity, aluminum (aluminium), petroleum, minerals and cement industries. The documentary exposing this revealed possible corruption within government due to extremely close ties with such industries and lobby groups, and alleged silencing of government climate scientists.
Often funded by such corporations, many lobby and interest groups tried to undermine reports of climate change14 and its impact, for it threatened their position and economic future. For example, noting the above ExxonMobil case, Alden Meyer, the Union of Concerned Scientist’s director of strategy and policy says, These groups promote spokespeople who misrepresent peer-reviewed scientific findings or cherry-pick facts in an attempt to mislead the media and public into thinking there is vigorous debate in the mainstream scientific community about global warming, when in fact there is none.
Professor Matthew Nisbet notes the influence of conservative think tanks in science and environmental skepticism15. Writing in ScienceBlogs he notes A new study16 by a team of political scientists and sociologists at the journal Environmental Politics concludes that 9 out of 10 books published since 1972 that have disputed the seriousness of environmental problems and mainstream science can be linked to a conservative think tank.
Other times, some scientists in earlier years showed skepticism based on science, but as data and research improved over time, most changed their positions to indicate some sort of concern or agreement about climate change and human effects/causes.
In more recent years, many large companies that have formed these coalitions or funded such lobby groups have now distanced themselves from those past positions, either as they accept climate change is happening or because they see their reputation being damaged by such association (or both).
Furthermore, some businesses are urging world leaders to tackle climate change. Some are even asking for regulation to help reduce their economic uncertainty, to provide a level playing field (so as to try and take measures but not lose out to competition form a rival that may not take such a view).
In countries, such as the United States, that have been openly hostile toward actions on climate change in the past, local governments, states, and businesses have started to take action anyway, showing that buy-in and support from industry is a key to tackling these concerns.
However, some are still trying to undermine climate change action through deception. As the British paper, the Guardian reports, scientists and economists have been offered a lot of money to undermine a major climate change report 17 in February 2007, from the IPCC (this report is mentioned further below). The American Enterprise Institute (AEI), an ExxonMobil-funded thinktank with close links to the Bush administration was accused of such practices.
(This site’s article on Reactions to Climate Change Negotiations and Action18 has more details.)
Some countries, of which the US is the most influential and powerful, have been accused of being counter-productive during climate change negotiations.
When the Kyoto Protocol was written in 1997, it was mainly the US and its business lobby that vehemently opposed the protocol based on economic concerns.
While the Clinton Administration signed and ratified the protocol, the Republican majority Congress, was opposed to this. When Bush came to power, he eventually withdrew from the international agreement.
President Bush cited a number of concerns, along the following themes:
Economic concerns;
That the Kyoto protocol was a political document;
That it is unfair that countries like China and India do not emission reduction targets.
But are these concerns and reasons justified or legitimate?
In a June 2000 presentation, the World Resource Institute (WRI) asked what is fair concerning developing countries and climate change19.
WRI noted that there has often been a strong push by big business lobbies and related interests when environmental regulation is attempted. The resulting environmental policy strategy20 tends to have the following steps:
Deny it
Fight it
Dilute it
Delay it
Market it
These steps have also applied to climate change discussions:
With this step, we saw a lot of skepticism initially coming from US-based scientists, many accused of reporting for big business interests, such as oil and automobile industries.
With step 2, and with climate change, WRI notes that step 2 has become blame someone else for it , referring to Bush’s attempts to criticize the Protocol for not imposing reductions on developing countries.
With step 3, it is interesting to note that the climate change negotiations that led to the Kyoto Protocol involved extremely heavy concessions on steps and measures to take, in order to get the United States in on the agreement. To criticize later the Kyoto Protocol for being a political document (see below) is a cruel irony.
With step 4, many have criticized the US and others of delaying effective action or in other ways attempting to derail effective action.
Steps 5 and 6 still have to unfold for the climate change issue. At the same time, while the Bush Administration has at least admitted it is not against action on climate change (just that it opposes the Kyoto Protocol), it is spending money on research and technology.
Yet, combined with delay tactics, this may be a way to ensure the US doesn’t lose its position of power by implementing climate change measures. If its companies can find ways to be more efficient and clean, then it can gain clout and prestige and recognition of help save the world.
By going its own way, it is ignoring international issues and concerns, and so this can be seen as a political move to ensure economic and geopolitical success on this major environmental issue without consideration of the rest of the world. Unfortunately it is often this go it alone approach that also creates a lot of resentment against the US in the eyes of many around the world.
As revealed towards the end of January 2006, NASA’s top climate scientist says NASA and the Bush Administration have tried to silence him 21.
While NASA said this was standard procedure to ensure an orderly flow of information, the scientist, Dr. James Hansen disagreed, saying that such procedures had already prevented the public from fully grasping recent findings about climate change that point to risks ahead.
Dr. Hansen, according to the New York Times reporting this, noted that these were fresh efforts to silence him because he had said that significant emission cuts could be achieved with existing technologies, particularly in the case of motor vehicles, and that without leadership by the United States, climate change would eventually leave the earth a different planet. (By contrast, the Bush administration’s policy is to use voluntary measures to slow, but not reverse, the growth of emissions.)
Furthermore, After that speech and the release of data by Dr. Hansen on Dec. 15 showing that 2005 was probably the warmest year in at least a century, officials at the headquarters of the space agency repeatedly phoned public affairs officers, who relayed the warning to Dr. Hansen that there would be dire consequences if such statements continued, those officers and Dr. Hansen said in interviews.
Earlier, in 2004, Dr. Hansen fell out of favor with the Bush Administration for publicly stating before the presidential elections that government scientists were being muzzled and that he planned to vote for John Kerry.
The New York Times also notes that this echoes other recent disputes, whereby many scientists who routinely took calls from reporters five years ago can now do so only if the interview is approved by administration officials in Washington, and then only if a public affairs officer is present or on the phone.
Furthermore, Where scientists’ points of view on climate policy align with those of the administration, however, there are few signs of restrictions on extracurricular lectures or writing.
And in terms of media manipulation, the Times also revealed that at least one interview (amongst many others) was cancelled because it was with NPR, which the public affairs official responsible felt was the most liberal media outlet in the country. This implies a political bias/propaganda in terms of how information is released to the public, which should be of serious concern.
At the beginning of June, 2006, the BBC Panorama documentary followed up on this and found that many scientists felt they were being censored and that various reports had been systematically suppressed, even altered. In one case, a major climate assessment report was due out a month before the 2004 presidential elections, but was delayed because it had such a bleak assessment, and the Bush administration did not want it to be part of the election issues. It was released shortly after the elections were over.
Panorama also interviewed a pollster who had advised the Bush Administration when they came into power in 2000 to question global warming, that humans caused it if it existed at all, to hire skeptical scientists, and play down its impacts. (The advisor has now distanced himself away from the Bush Administration’s stance today because he felt the science was more certain than it was in 2000.)
Just weeks before hurricane Katrina22 devastated parts of Southern United States, Panorama reported that Another scientist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) … had research which established global warming could increase the intensity of hurricanes. He was due to give an interview about his work but claims he was gagged. After Katrina, the NOAA website said unusual hurricane activity is not related to global warming. When a leading scientist was asked why NOAA came out with such a statement, he suggested it was ideologically driven.
(The BBC Panorama documentary is called Climate chaos: Bush’s climate of fear23 and as well as a summary, you can watch the actual documentary online.)
Despite attempts to discredit global warming concerns, the Bush Administration has now conceded that there is climate change and that humans are contributing to it, but Panorama reports that a lot of vital time has been lost, and that some scientists fear US policy may be too slow to carry out.
Almost a year after the story about attempts to silence NASA’s top climate scientist, many media outlets have reported on a new survey where hundreds of government scientists say they have perceived or personally experienced pressure from the Bush administration to eliminate phrases such as climate change and global warming from their reports and public statements. A US government hearing in the US is also pursuing this further24 as the seriousness of climate change is becoming more accepted.
The build-up to the 2005 G8 Summit25 was billed in the United Kingdom as a key moment for Tony Blair’s leadership on climate change and his special relationship with the United States to bear fruit. Yet, this meeting saw the US’s position on climate change quite clearly, as reported by the Observer :
Extraordinary efforts by the White House to scupper Britain’s attempts to tackle global warming have been revealed in leaked US government documents obtained by The Observer.
… The documents [part of the Bush administration’s submission to the 2005 G8 action plan for the Gleneagles G8 Summit] obtained by The Observer represent an attempt by the Bush administration to undermine completely the science of climate change and show that the US position has hardened during the G8 negotiations. They also reveal that the White House has withdrawn from a crucial United Nations commitment to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions.
The documents show that Washington officials:
Removed all reference to the fact that climate change is a serious threat to human health and to ecosystems ;
Deleted any suggestion that global warming has already started;
Expunged any suggestion that human activity was to blame for climate change.
Among the sentences removed was the following: Unless urgent action is taken, there will be a growing risk of adverse effects on economic development, human health and the natural environment, and of irreversible long-term changes to our climate and oceans.
Another section erased by the White House adds: Our world is warming. Climate change is a serious threat that has the potential to affect every part of the globe. And we know that … mankind’s activities are contributing to this warming. This is an issue we must address urgently.
Earlier this month, the senior science academies of the G8 nations, including the US National Academy of Science, issued a statement saying that evidence of climate change was clear enough to compel their leaders to take action…. It is now clear that this advice has been completely ignored by Bush and his advisers.
Mark Townsend, New US move to spoil climate accord 26, Observer, June 19, 2005
In the 2007 State of the Union speech at the beginning of January that year, President Bush announced various strategies and investment plans for cleaner technology and reduce US greenhouse gas emissions. Was this part of the steps 5 and 6 mentioned above? Or was there some spin associated with the announcements?
The Worldwatch Institute and others criticized the proposed measures as being too little27.
As the BBC notes, some terminology has been used very misleadingly. For example, claims of emissions reductions may actually involve emissions rises, but just at a slower rate. Hence, while scientists talk about emission reduction as actual reductions, politicians talk about future reductions based on current emissions, which sounds positive, but is misleading compared to the intents and actual advice of climate scientists.
The BBC correspondent noting this warned,
The publicity from [US Energy Secretary Samuel] Bodman and his benevolent business allies spoke of reducing emissions… It is a linguistic trick of huge importance to … everyone else who is likely to be at the sharp end of some climate-related impact in the coming years. We should all observe its emergence, document its every use, and fear it like the plague.
Richard Black, The semantics of climate change28, BBC, February 3, 2007
Furthermore, while talking about energy conservation, Bush’s speech in this area appeared put more emphasis on reducing foreign energy dependency29 (i.e. from the Middle East in particular), than on addressing climate change (though his administration does now accept that climate change is happening).
Some states, cities and businesses in the US have decided to take action against climate change even if the federal government will not. For example, in California, the California Global Warming Solutions Act was agreed to in mid-August, 2006. Hundreds of cities have also committed to reducing carbon emissions. In the north east of the US, several states have also committed to greenhouse gas emission reductions, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.
The largest American business federation, the US Chamber of Commerce, a lobby group, recently called for a public trial on both the US policy decision to regulate CO2 emissions and the science behind climate change concerns. It would seem to be a spin tactic that reaches out to popular notions of fairness.
However, as science and technology site Ars Technica argues, putting climate change on trial is a terrible idea30 because, The sort of arguments that make for good courtroom statements tend to obscure the details of science, and the specific example proposed by the Chamber clearly indicates that they do nothing for the public’s understanding of science.
The lobby group’s hostility to climate change science and action has got to the point that a number of high-profile multinational companies have pulled out of the US Chamber of Commerce31 as they have become uncomfortable with the organzation’s hard-line opposition to measures tackling climate change. Big names include Nike and Johnson & Johnson amongst others.
In what would seem to be a twist to suppression of government reports, it was widely claimed around the end of June 2009, that the US Environmental Protection Agency had suppressed a report that was skeptical of climate change.
However, it turns out that while the report was written by an employee on EPA time, it was on his own initiative and not solicited to do so by the agency, and so couldn’t be published by the EPA and therefore was not suppressed32.
Furthermore, as the previous link finds, the report contained large pieces of plagiarism. In addition, the report was flawed as RealClimte.org , a blog maintained by well-regarded climate scientists, quickly showed, ending with this:
Finally, they end up with the oddest claim in the submission: That because human welfare has increased over the twentieth century at a time when CO2 was increasing, this somehow implies that no amount of CO2 increases can ever cause a danger to human society. This is just boneheadly stupid.
So in summary, what we have is a ragbag collection of un-peer reviewed web pages, an unhealthy dose of sunstroke, a dash of astrology and more cherries33 than you can poke a cocktail stick at. Seriously, if that’s the best they can do, the EPA’s ruling is on pretty safe ground.
Gary Schmidt, Bubkes34, RealClimate.org, June 26, 2009
The headlines about this episode talked of suppression and would likely increase the view amongst those still skeptical about climate change. Corrections to those headlines have been few, and less prominent, by comparison.
On March 5, 2007 the UK’s Channel 4 broadcast their Dispatches documentary. This one was about greenwashing and climate change and how the British government’s attempts to tackle climate change are faltering once you look through the spin.
George Monbiot, a writer on various global issues, and Channel 4’s Dispatches commissioned a team of environmental scientists at University College, London to conduct a peer-reviewed audit of the government’s planned greenhouse gas reductions. The results are staggering, Monbiot noted in his blog entry, Just a lot of hot air35.
The audit revealed that:
The government’s assessment of its own policies is wildly optimistic
Instead of a 29-31% cut by 2020, it is currently on course to deliver a reduction of between 12% and 17%
At this rate the UK won’t meet its 2020 milestone until 2050.
How has this happened? Monbiot asks. You don’t have to look very far to find out. In almost every sector, government programs have been characterized by voluntarism, vacillation and surrender to industrial lobby groups.
In transportation for example, they found that
There was an understating of the expected rise of flights (while not counting international flights at all, which will account for an estimated 97% of flights in the UK)
A voluntary agreement with car makers in 1998 (who promised they would bring the average emissions from new cars down from 188 grams per kilometer to 140 in ten years) was way off target: The deadline is 2008 by which they will miss their target by half: the real figure is likely to be 164 grams per kilometre.
Vehicle taxes supposed to discourage gas guzzlers are hopelessly cheap for those who can afford such thirsty vehicles. (And furthermore, there are currently no cars (at time of the broadcast) in the UK that fit into the tax-free band they have created!)
The shift to biofuels (diesel or alcohol made from plants), which the US, Europe and some others have embraced is also hugely controversial, as Monbiot explained:
Beyond a certain point the production of fuel begins to compete directly with the production of food. A study conducted last year by Sarasin, the Swiss bank, placed the present limit for the environmentally and socially responsible use of biofuels at roughly 5% of current petrol and diesel consumption in the EU and US.
… the new market has stimulated a massive expansion of destructive plantations, especially of oil palm. Palm oil planting is the major cause of tropical deforestation in both Malaysia and Indonesia. As the forests are cut down, the carbon in both the trees and the peat they grow on turns into carbon dioxide. A study by the Dutch scientific consultancy Delft Hydraulics found that the production of every tonne of palm oil causes 33 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. This makes oil palm 10 times worse than petroleum.
George Monbiot, Just a lot of hot air36, March 5, 2007 [Emphasis added]
The limited use of biofuels is in sharp contrast to the amount of attention it has received in the mainstream as a viable alternative.
And it was not just in transportation that these problems were found. In every sector the audit found similar oversights, elisions, and deceptions.
And the often-used double accounting trick has appeared in climate change related estimates too (though it is not clear if it is deliberate or a genuine mistake). The government claims that Phase 2 of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (which allows power companies to buy and sell permits to pollute) will cut carbon emissions by 8 million tonnes against 1990 levels. [The audit] found that the cut appears to be not a reduction in absolute emissions, but a reduction in future gases which might have been released if the scheme did not exist.
Monbiot’s final warning on the seriousness of the implications is also of interest:
And even if the official aim—of a 60% carbon cut by 2050—were met, it would, I believe, be too little, too late. Climate scientists warn us that if global temperatures rise by two degrees or more above their pre-industrial levels, the warming is likely to trigger runaway feedback. We are already beginning to see some signs of this. In parts of the West Siberian peat bog, the permafrost has begun to melt, releasing methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. The more methane escapes, the more the planet warms, so the more methane escapes. The West Siberian bog alone is believed to contain 70 billion tonnes of the gas whose liberation would equate to 73 years of current manmade CO2 emissions.
If runaway feedback sets in on a large enough scale, the biosphere takes over from human beings as the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions. At that point the problem is snatched from our hands—there is nothing more we can do.
(Channel 4 also published the audit report38 on their web site.)
Just two days after the above documentary, Channel 4 then aired The Great Global Warming Swindle , a documentary to show the scientific consensus that anthropogenic greenhouse gases are primarily responsible for climate change was a lie.
The documentary interviewed prominent scientists who challenged the notion that humans may be to blame for climate change. Key issues included that the sun was the cause of climate change, that models were notoriously error prone and reflected only what the modeller put in as variables, that climate change was only popular because of enormous funding available, and that all environmentalists wanted to deny the poor countries a chance to develop.
The documentary sounded very plausible on initial reaction. However, it employed some techniques that were questionable for a documentary about scientific issues, such as making the situation seem black and white (e.g. all environmentalists wanted to deny the poor countries a chance to develop, all environmentalists were hostile to anyone that denied climate change), using smear and polemic (e.g. you are being told lies ) and so on.
Given the IPCC report (written by some of the leading climate scientists) feels there is some 90% certainty of human-induced climate change, and that the vast majority of climate scientists feel this to be the case, it would seem important for such a documentary to include their views.
For example, on the counter argument that the sun is to blame (a common point from skeptics), the documentary did not mention research to the contrary or that the research by some of the scientists presented were actually proven incorrect later. For example, the science journal, Nature , published a paper in September 2006 in which researchers reviewed existing evidence and found that known variations in the sun’s total energy output could not explain recent global warming 39. In addition, observations about the sun affecting many planets is also inconclusive40 as it may be coincidence and some planets and moons may be warming due to other localized reasons.
Some documentaries have tried to scare people into doing something about climate change and themselves have used propaganda techniques. That too should be frowned upon. That does not excuse this documentary to ignore the goal of invoking debate, and aim for politicization instead.
The next morning, many British newspapers were taken in by the documentary commenting that this was a major story.
It turns out, however, that much of the documentary itself was a swindle, or, as media watchdog, Media Lens described, Pure Propaganda. For example,
Some theories had long been discredited
At least one scientist was misled about the nature of the documentary and his views were edited to suit the message of the documentary
Misleading graphs
Why Channel 4, often known for its good documentaries, would air such a flawed film, is unclear. It also turns out that the producer has been found to mislead other interviewees about the purpose of the documentary. Channel 4 was asked to apologize then and yet continued to air another of his films without, it seems, much scrutiny. A summary from The Independent noted,
one of the most distinguished scientists that it featured said his views had been grossly distorted by the film, and made it clear that he believed human pollution did warm the climate.
Professor Carl Wunsch, professor of physical oceanography at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said he had been completely misrepresented by the program, and totally misled on its content. He added that he is considering making a formal complaint.
A Channel 4 spokesman said: The film was a polemic that drew together the well-documented views of a number of respected scientists to reach the same conclusions. This is a controversial film but we feel that it is important that all sides of the debate are aired. If one of the contributors has concerns about his contribution we will look into that.
Geoffrey Lean, Climate change: An inconvenient truth… for C441, The Independent, March 11, 2007 [C4 is often the short name used for Channel 4]
Given that two days earlier it reported on the British government’s spin on the issue, perhaps Channel 4 thought this was an example of balancing? It may be an honest mistake given that many other journalists writing the next day were also taken in by the documentary. But it is also an example of false balancing.
As the philosopher Bertrand Russell once wrote, If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. ( Roads to Freedom )
In that regards, many who naturally hope that global warming is not going to happen may want to believe this documentary. Indeed, from the personal accounts experienced shortly after the documentary, that is happening for many people.
Furthermore, as mentioned later on this page, there is another fear that some claims of climate change effects are fear-mongering, exaggerating or being used as part of some spin, which are also dangerous. Channel 4 therefore has responsibility to ensure that any critical documentary is of decent quality. This is not saying that the voice of deniers should not be censored. On the contrary, their voices should be heard. On this topic, being scientific in nature, and coming from an extremely minority point of view, the documentary clearly needed to further balance out the views with responses and findings from the mainstream scientific consensus.
An interesting side note about censorship is that the documentary made points that deniers were all being silenced, that all environmentalists were hostile to their views, etc. It is probably an unfortunate reality that there will be some (maybe many) who will be very cynical of counter views, and will be hostile. Yet, as George Monbiot notes (see link below), it seems criticism is being confused with silencing: This is the best example of manufactured victimhood I have ever come across. If you demonstrate that someone is wrong, you are now deemed to be silencing him.
For more details, see the following:
Pure Propaganda: The Great Global Warming Swindle42 is a short, yet detailed look by MediaLens, including many links explaining some of the above issues further.
Channel 4’s Problem with Science43 by George Monbiot, provides a number of examples about how discredited theories were being used to present the case, and this was not noted to the public.
Swindled!44 from RealClimate.org (a site by climate scientists) looks at some of the false arguments made.
The Great Global Warming Swindle45, a critique by Sir John Houghton, former chair of Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), looks at most of the issues in the documentary and criticizes the points made.
Facts and fictions about climate change46 from the Royal Society, which serves as the academy of sciences in the UK, addresses key criticisms from climate change skeptics in general. (This is also written by Sir John Houghton.)
One other area of interest that this documentary noted was the impact on developing countries: The documentary tried to claim that it is only the deniers of anthropogenic climate change that have the interests of the poor countries at heart. But this was more propaganda and spin:
For years (and many years before climate change was accepted in the mainstream media at all), environmentalists and others spoke of the importance of climate justice (that developing countries should be allowed to develop for it is not the fault of all humans)
That the basis of international agreements had common but differentiated responsibilities at its core
As this site has also argued for many years, Western mainstream talk of climate change has indeed ignored the impact of developing countries. This has made made spin by Bush, Blair and others that China and India must be subject to emission targets more easily accepted, without knowing the context. However, this is not the position of all environmentalists and climate scientists, as the documentary made it out to be. Furthermore, there seem to be more political and economic agendas behind such a position and this is discussed further below.
Politically, it has long been established and agreed that it is the industrialized nations that are responsible for the anthropogenic aspect of climate change and that developing nations have only recently entered industrialization phases. Therefore, it was internationally agreed that there would be common but differentiated responsibilities and that industrialized nations would need to reduce their emissions, while developing countries should continue down the path of development but avoid the polluting route of today’s industrialized countries.
However, a combination of lack of action by richer nations (who have been increasing emissions) with the realization that the climate is already changing has at least created a sense of urgency amongst some richer nations. But the additional line coming from governments of countries such as the US, Australia, and even the UK (where climate change is accepted and recognized as something that needs urgent addressing) is that little can be achieved without large developing countries such as India and China being part of the solution.
As larger developing countries are clearly industrializing and using more and more resources, they will be increasing their greenhouse gas emissions. However, as detailed further on this site’s section on global warming and population47, given their late entry into the industrialization phase, such countries’ emissions (and per person) are far lower than industrialized nations and they have not been the primary cause of climate change. Politically then, such countries will find it hard to accept emission caps without the industrialized countries showing some progress.
Another concern is not so much with those developing countries themselves, but that large polluting industries from the West may be encouraged to move to countries that are not subject to emission reduction targets. The complication here, at least from the developing world’s perspective would be that targets for emission reductions because of this reason may be unfair as their entire nation would be penalized for a problem caused by the rich countries and their corporations. It is perhaps one of the many weaknesses of the Kyoto Protocol then, that businesses themselves aren’t specifically targeted, but only countries.
From the perspective of developing countries, it may appear that the rich countries are attempting to minimize the changes they have to make, even though they are the primary cause of climate change, and then getting the developing countries to make a larger set of changes than they otherwise would have had to. After all, the world has known for over two decades (even three) that changes are needed, and instead, most of the rich world has only managed to slow down its rate of emission increase, not actually reduce them. These perspectives are rarely mentioned in western mainstream media, whereas the concerns of population growth, China and India’s rise, are.
The types of issues raised above have an impact on the media reporting. More recently, the mainstream media has generally been looking more and more at climate change, its effects, and what people are doing. The measures and tactics employed by businesses and governments in the past may not be as successful in the future, potentially. Is this a positive turn, or could there be other forms of spin and green washing ?
Throughout the 1990s, especially in the United States, but in other countries as well, those who would try and raise the importance of climate change, and suggest that we are perhaps over-consuming, or unsustainably using our resources etc, were faced with a lot of criticism and ridicule 48. The previous link is to an article by George Monbiot, writing in 1999.
In 2004, Monbiot notes a similar issue to the above, where media attempts at balance has led to false balancing. Disproportionate time is given to more fringe scientists or those with less credibility or with additional agendas, without noting so, and thus gives the impression that there is more debate in the scientific community about whether or not climate change is an issue to be concerned about or not:
Picture a situation in which most of the media, despite the overwhelming weight of medical opinion, refused to accept that there was a connection between smoking and lung cancer. Imagine that every time new evidence emerged, they asked someone with no medical qualifications to write a piece dismissing the evidence and claiming that there was no consensus on the issue.
Imagine that the BBC, in the interests of debate , wheeled out one of the tiny number of scientists who says that smoking and cancer aren’t linked, or that giving up isn’t worth the trouble, every time the issue of cancer was raised.
Imagine that, as a result, next to nothing was done about the problem, to the delight of the tobacco industry and the detriment of millions of smokers. We would surely describe the newspapers and the BBC as grossly irresponsible.
Now stop imagining it, and take a look at what’s happening. The issue is not smoking, but climate change. The scientific consensus is just as robust, the misreporting just as widespread, the consequences even graver.
The scientific community has reached a consensus, the [U.K.] government’s chief scientific adviser, Professor David King, told the House of Lords last month. I do not believe that amongst the scientists there is a discussion as to whether global warming is due to anthropogenic effects.
It is man-made and it is essentially [caused by] fossil fuel burning, increased methane production… and so on. Sir David chose his words carefully. There is a discussion about whether global warming is due to anthropogenic (man-made) effects. But it is not — or is only seldom — taking place among scientists. It is taking place in the media, and it seems to consist of a competition to establish the outer reaches of imbecility.
But these [skeptical and illogical points against climate change] are rather less dangerous than the BBC, and its insistence on balancing its coverage of climate change. It appears to be incapable of running an item on the subject without inviting a skeptic to comment on it.
Usually this is either someone from a corporate-funded thinktank (who is, of course, never introduced as such) or the professional anti-environmentalist Philip Stott. Professor Stott is a retired biogeographer. Like almost all the prominent skeptics he has never published a peer-reviewed paper on climate change. But he has made himself available to dismiss climatologists’ peer-reviewed work as the lies of ecofundamentalists.
This wouldn’t be so objectionable if the BBC made it clear that these people are not climatologists, and the overwhelming majority of qualified scientific opinion is against them. Instead, it leaves us with the impression that professional opinion is split down the middle. It’s a bit like continually bringing people on to the program to suggest that there is no link between HIV and Aids.
What makes all this so dangerous is that it plays into the hands of corporate lobbyists. A recently leaked memo written by Frank Luntz, the US Republican and corporate strategist, warned that The environment is probably the single issue on which Republicans in general—and President Bush in particular—are most vulnerable… Should the public come to believe that the scientific issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly. Therefore, you need… to make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue.
George Monbiot, Beware the fossil fools49, The Guardian, April 27, 2004
Eric A. Davidson notes similar things about false balancing and is also worth quoting at length:
The media likes to present both sides of any issue as if they were boxers of equal stature and strength, and so scientists with opposing points of view are interviewed as if they held equal stature and respect within the scientific community. In terms of strength of argument and credibility, the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change created by the United Nations] scientific consensus about the importance of global warming is a heavyweight compared to the bantam weight of the handful of dissenting scientists. Unfortunately, the well-funded and ideologically and financially motivated bantams are running circles around the pensive, cautious, lumbering heavyweight, and the impact of the bantams’ clever program of misinformation far exceeds their numbers or their scientific credentials. Their strategy has been to find little chinks in the armor of the global warming evidence, draw attention to these minor points, blow them out of proportion, and thereby gain publicity in the popular press that cases doubt on the strong mainstream scientific consensus on global warming. When subsequently debated in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, these issues are usually put to rest, but by then, the damage has already been done in the popular press, and the global warming naysayers achieve their goals of undermining confidence in the science behind the global warming consensus.
Eric A. Davisdon, You Can’t Eat GNP: Economics as if Ecology Mattered, (Perseus Publishing, 2001), pp. 110 - 111
If these issues had been mostly recognized and the media and public discourse had moved on, then that would be fine. However, this has not really been the case.
Gary Schmidt50 is a leading climate researcher working for NASA. He is also a contributor to RealClimate.org, a blog by climate scientists that attempt to dispel misinformation by climate skeptics and provide background information often missing in mainstream media. In one of his posts, he laments at the continual diversion caused by misinformation:
Recently there has been more of a sense that the issues being discussed (in the media or online) have a bit of a groundhog day quality to them. The same nonsense, the same logical fallacies, the same confusions – all seem to be endlessly repeated. The same strawmen are being constructed and demolished as if they were part of a make-work scheme for the building industry attached to the stimulus proposal.
Gary Schmidt, Groundhog Day51, RealClimate.org, June 8, 2009
For many, many years, then, organizations with political agendas to stifle climate change action (who also claim that there is a vast global conspiracy perpetrated by climate change scientists with a goal to get more funding!) have diverted time and effort from action to inaction.
Furthermore, as subsequent pages mention, at major UN meetings on climate change in the recent past, the mainstream media often failed to report on it, or placed it much lower in priority than other stories, with even celebrities getting more media coverage at times.
This isn’t just a media/propaganda issue, it is a time issue; the warnings from scientists since even the 1980s was that urgent action was needed. It is not humanity proving once again that we cannot come together and deal with issues, it is powerful interests proving a historical pattern.
Leading climate scientists at the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have released major, definitive reports detailing the progress in understanding climate change. From the outset they have recommended that there be emission reductions. This body is comprised of hundreds of climate scientists around the world.
At the beginning of January 2007, the IPCC’s fourth major report summarized that they were even more certain of human-induced climate change than before. They were 90% certain that warming since industrialization had been due to human activity.
As the IPCC’s fifth major report draws to a conclusion in 2013 it notes that scientists have increased that certainty to 95%, or extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century , as summarized52 by the IPCC.
As their fifth report started to come out, a number of climate skeptics and media outlets were arguing that the slowdown shown in surface temperatures in recent years proved global warming had stopped or paused. Yet, this slowdown was in surface temperatures only even though the overall trend (using a more longer period which is more valid in climate change analysis) showed an increase in temperatures. Two simple graphs help illustrate this:
Source: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis 53, IPCC Working Group I contribution to the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, September 2013. Chapter 3. [Note, graph modified to add the zoomed in portion highlighting the area skeptics use to claim climate change has stopped.]
The next graph is an animation from Skeptical Science showing how time-frames to interpret climate data is significant:
Source: The Escalator54, Skeptical Science, last accessed October 19, 2013
For further information on the above see also Does the global warming pause mean what you think it means?55, from Skeptical Science.
In recent years, it is noticeable how much climate change related concerns are entering mainstream discourse as this realization is becoming more widespread. Governments, businesses, public sector and others are all talking about it in some way or another, it seems.
Even in the US, perhaps the most vocal about questioning climate change consensus, most major media outlets have been accepting it and quickly moving on to discussing ways forward. Columbia Journalism Review notes,
And the media are, despite Huggins’s criticisms, slowly but surely eliminating false balance when addressing human activity’s role in global warming. According to Boykoff’s more recent work (pdf)56, “balanced” coverage of the anthropogenic contribution to climate change tapered off from 2003 to 2006 in the five largest American papers in favor of stories that depicted it as undeniably significant. Furthermore, stories that depict man’s contribution to warming as negligible have all but disappeared from news pages. Regional papers seem to be improving as well. According to Krosnick, though, misunderstanding persists due to the early problems.
Our research suggests that there’s actually kind of a carry-over, that people don’t forget that quickly, he said. … Americans heard a lot skeptics in a lot of news stories for a lot years, and the impact of those skeptics doesn’t disappear simply because the skeptics aren’t being mentioned any more.
Curtis Brainard, Public Opinion and Climate: Part II; Where’s the consensus, and where does it end?57, Columbia Journalism Review, August 27, 2008
And, Inter Press Service (IPS) reports that environmentalists are warning of more spin on climate change action58, that with the stark realisation that global warming is transforming our world, there will be [a] crazy new era of greenwashing , desperate geo-engineering schemes, grandfathering of newly-built coal power plants and carbon-credit profiteering .
Geo-engineering schemes are large-scale attempts to manipulate the environment to produce environmental change, such as
Injecting chemicals into the atmosphere;
Putting reflectors into orbit to deflect some of the sunlight away from the earth;
Dumping tons of iron into the oceans in the hope that phytoplankton will boom and absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
There’s a little bit of panic brewing, governments are taking these wacky ideas seriously, says Pat Mooney of the Canadian-based NGO, the ETC Group. The U.S. government has been lobbying the IPCC to include geo-engineering in the third part of its report to be released in May on ways to mitigate the impacts of climate change adds IPS .
Some recent studies found geoengineering would be fraught with unintended and unexpected consequences59.
As another example, Knowing the green tide is rising, there is a major rush in the US to build new coal-fired power plants before any carbon emissions caps are passed into law, says David Archer, a climatologist at the University of Chicago. IPS adds that Once built, such power plants can operate for 50 or more years. In the past, whenever tougher new pollution rules came into place, existing plants were usually grandfathered , meaning they were exempted from having to comply with the new regulations. And that is a major concern. Some 150-160 such plants are being proposed to meet US energy demands.
In Europe, a carbon trading scheme has received a lot of attention, but as IPS also reports, the ETC Group, a Canadian-based non-governmental organization, says that the it is a failure because it simply slows down the pace of emissions.
In relation to that, as already mentioned above, the intentional misuse of the phrase emission reduction to mean reducing the rate of emission increase, rather than an actual reduction, may also lead to a false sense of hope.
The above-mentioned IPS article notes other ways that spin and dirty fuels will still likely be employed.
Media critics at Media Lens noted a questionable mix of a news story on climate change accompanied by advertisements for car essentials and cheap holidays abroad at the UK’s Independent newspaper. In addition, as their main story, the Independent’s on Sunday Supplement even had a report by a journalist suggesting that, Alarmed by global warming, shocked by the imminent mass extinction of species and distraught at the environmental damage wreaked by mass tourism, I have decided to act before it is too late. Yes, carbon-neutral travel can wait. I’m off to see polar bears, tigers and low-lying Pacific atolls while they’re still there .
Media Lens found this objectionable given that the World Health Organization had estimated 150,000 deaths and 5 million illnesses each year from global warming, and wrote in asking Given this extraordinary and rising level of suffering, what is the moral justification for today’s front cover?
Their initial article60, the response from the Independent together with Media Len’s response to that61 is worth taking into account in regards to media reporting of climate change.
As more companies attempt to become carbon neutral , some will attempt to become so by offering to plant trees or contribute to forest schemes. This sounds green and useful, but environmentalists are concerned that this may not lead to actual (or substantial) reductions in emissions. Furthermore, these carbon sinks are controversial, for while they can soak up excess carbon dioxide, they can also burn (if, for example, global warming contributes to more forest fires). This aspect has been a concern for many years, and still not discussed in length in many mainstream outlets (or at least certainly not contributing to prime time news/headlines). See this site’s sections on Flexibility Mechanisms62 and Carbon Sinks, Forests and Climate Change63 for more details.
Some time ago, the NGO PANOS wrote:
Climate change is, in theory, the perfect topic for an international environmental agreement. All countries are affected by, and contribute to, the build up of greenhouse gases, and should be willing to join in the effort to stop it. However, it is far from easy to agree what to do, and how to do it….
Just a Lot of Hot Air? A close look at the Climate Change Convention 64, PANOS, November 2000
Similarly, it is a safer political topic for the media to cover than many other issues.
It is promising that recent mainstream attention seems to have turned towards actions and solutions, but can a mostly corporate-funded mainstream media be part of the solution, or will some of the more business-impacting measures be likely toned down? Will consumers be willing to change their life style if technology and industry cannot find some quick energy-related solution?
At the same time, will the developing world once again face the blames for the world’s problems? Will China, India, and others allow themselves to be easy targets for time-wasting diversion, or will they have the ability to pursue a more sustainable path to development compared to what they are doing now?
Media manipulation and fake news 65 has hit many media outlets in recent times on various issues, including in countries such as the US and UK—often perceived to have a good quality mainstream media. The pressure to satisfy advertisers while media companies are downsizing and increasing operating efficiency in reality has often meant less independent and diverse journalism, as detailed further on this site’s mainstream media66 section.
And what of media reporting? Some fear that too much reporting of climate change in headlines will lead to a kind of climate fatigue whereby people are desensitized to the issue. Yet, just as it is common to have a sports segment in many broadcasts, why not more topical issues? Granted, with pressures to reduce news time and coverage it would not be easily, but if the headlines at the time of writing this managed to include a celebrity with a drug problem, surely a small note about global issues such as climate change or poverty could be added more regularly?
As also seen with other global issues, and discussed elsewhere on this site, another problem is what makes climate change a headline-worthy item: if a major report or a world leader says something about an issue, or if it is sensational enough, then it seems to make news headlines. If they do not, then it seems not to be newsworthy. In other cases, if a particular country faces a heat wave or other extreme weather, then climate change may be discussed in that context, but what when that is gone, and we continue spewing out greenhouse gases? This is a generalization for sure, but it is hard to see issues like climate change or global poverty and third world debt covered at other times in immense depth.
Yet, as some scientists have warned to the BBC, there is a fear of overplaying the global warming message which risks confusing the public about the threat67. Reactionary documentaries on the other side, as described above in the UK section (about the supposed swindle ) shows that the public may be further confused if sensationalism on all sides wins over proper debate and understanding.
As well as overplaying, there is also concern that some media may be understating the impact of climate change 68.
No doubt that many media outlets are responding to this, as the above-mentioned Australian Broadcasting Company exposé of corruption and lobbying of the Australian government shows. Newspapers, with more pages to cover such topics, for example are also writing more about these issues than before. However, television news is still (for now) the major source of information about the world for most people. Yet, if history is any indicator, even at (or perhaps because of) such challenging times, propaganda, spin and misdirection will perhaps be the norm unless democracies can become more democratic and the mainstream media reports issues more thoroughly.
0 articles on “Global Warming, Spin and Media” and 3 related issues:
The climate is changing. The earth is warming up, and there is now overwhelming scientific consensus that it is happening, and human-induced. With global warming on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing. Many are agreed that climate change may be one of the greatest threats facing the planet. Recent years show increasing temperatures in various regions, and/or increasing extremities in weather patterns.
This section explores some of the effects of climate change. It also attempts to provide insights into what governments, companies, international institutions, and other organizations are attempting to do about this issue, as well as the challenges they face. Some of the major conferences in recent years are also discussed.
Read “Climate Change and Global Warming” to learn more.
Last updated Sunday, March 04, 2012.
Read “Mainstream Media” to learn more.
Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
Reactions to Climate Change Negotiations and Action
Action on climate change is cheaper than inaction
Climate Justice and Equity
Climate Change Flexibility Mechanisms
Carbon Sinks, Forests and Climate Change
Climate Change Affects Biodiversity
Global Warming and Population
http://renegadeconservatoryguy.co.uk/global-warming-the-debate/
Note, if the above link has expired, please try the following alternative locations:
PDF version of the infographic has links to the data sources
http://renegadeconservatoryguy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Climate-Change-Infographic.jpg
An alternative site for the same graphic
http://www.skepticalscience.com/news.php?n=296
Global Issues: “Corporate Influence in the Media”, Last updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012, https://www.globalissues.org/article/158/corporate-influence-in-the-media
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Global Issues: “Hurricane Katrina”, Last updated: Sunday, November 13, 2005, https://www.globalissues.org/article/564/hurricane-katrina
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Global Issues: “Climate Change Flexibility Mechanisms”, Last updated: Monday, April 02, 2012, https://www.globalissues.org/article/232/flexibility-mechanisms
Global Issues: “Carbon Sinks, Forests and Climate Change”, Last updated: Tuesday, October 29, 2002, https://www.globalissues.org/article/180/carbon-sinks-forests-and-climate-change
http://panos.org.uk/resources/just-a-lot-of-hot-air/
http://panos.org.uk/wp-content/files/2011/03/just_lot_hot_airTKNMlw.pdf
Global Issues: “Media Manipulation”, Last updated: Monday, April 17, 2006, https://www.globalissues.org/article/532/media-manipulation
Global Issues: “Mainstream Media”, Last updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012, https://www.globalissues.org/issue/156/mainstream-media
Pallab Ghosh, 'Caution urged on climate “risks”', BBC, March 17, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/6460635.stm
'The Asymmetric War on Climate Change: No Cause for Alarmism?', Skeptical Science, September 27, 2010, http://www.skepticalscience.com/news.php?n=390
http://www.skepticalscience.com/freudenburg.html
Created: Wednesday, February 14, 2007
October 19, 2013 Added some graphs and charts showing climate change has not stopped despite recent slowdown trends in surface temperatures, because ocean temperatures and a more appropriate time-frame shows otherwise.
March 5, 2012 Added notes about Climategate and about the Heartland Institute funding climate changed denial views.
September 27, 2010 Small note about some media outlets understating climate change impacts
August 10, 2010 Added an info graphic contrasting scientific consensus on global warming vs media reporting and public perceptions. Also added a small note about some geoengineering projects having unintended consequences.
October 4, 2009 Added a small note about conservative think tank influence on climate skepticism and the US Chamber of Commerce wanting to put climate change policy and science on trial
July 6, 2009 Added small notes about how a suppressed report was not actually suppressed
August 30, 2008 Added a small note about improving media coverage of climate change issues in the US
March 18, 2007 A documentary claimed that global warming was a great swindle. Turns out that the documentary itself was a swindle. It got mainstream airing and was well received, despite that
March 6, 2007 Added a section on UK and Climate Change
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Home :: Military :: World :: Vietnam :: Introduction :: History :: Republic of Vietnam - 1954-1975 :: RVNAF - Armed Forces ::
Army Ranger Command
Deputy Senior Advisor, Senior Officer Debriefing Report June 1968 to 30 April 1969, III Corps Tactical Zone
Army of the Rapublic of Vietnam (ARVN) - Luc Quon
I Corps
Airborne Division
II Corps
22nd Division
23rd Division
III Corps
5th Division
IV Corps
21st Division
The Army of the Republic of Vietnam was created on May 23, 1948 (celebrated as Armed Forces Day) by decree of Bao Dai, who had earlier abdicated as Emperor but retained power as chief of state until Ngo Dinh Diem's election to the presidency of the First Republic. In 1954 the Army of South Vietnam was a collection of former French colonial troops with little command experience and no support forces worthy of mention. From a small, polygot force of fewer than 100,000 men -- some units tracing their lineage back to Vietnamese units operating as part of the French Union Forces and some created by Bao Dai's decree -- the ARVN developed-into a modern, well-trained and aggressive army of professional soldiers.
After the 1954 Geneva Agreement partitioning Vietnam at the 17th parallel, it was the army that prevented the South from falling into petty warlord fiefdoms. Its first fight as the official Army of the, Republic of Vietnam was against the bandit fiefdom of the Binh Xuyen gang, and later it defeated the independent armies of the Hoa Hao sect, bringing that community of, three million Delta residents into cooperative loyalty to the Saigon government. It was the army that prevented the subsequent Viet Cong insurrection from sweeping the country. The army toppled Diem's mandarin dictatorship that was losing the war in 1963.
The Vietnamese in late 1955 were unprepared to assume logistical responsibility for their army, and the limited number of U.S. logistical advisers could do little to offset the lack of Vietnamese experience. After January 1956 the accelerated withdrawal of the French forces further aggravated an already complex situation. The French literally dumped mountains of equipment upon the Vietnamese. Most of this materiel was improperly packed, indiscriminately piled, often placed in outside storage, and controlled by inadequate or meaningless inventory records. To add to this confusion, the Vietnamese were prone to open all packages to ascertain their contents. It is questionable whether the Vietnamese could have handled this situation properly even if they had been better trained.
With regard to the quality of the equipment, consideration must again be given to the circumstances of the French withdrawal. The French were confronted with a rapidly deteriorating situation in North Africa, which required increasing quantities of personnel and equipment. Therefore, they were primarily concerned with salvaging the best equipment for their own use. With this end in mind, the French were able to exploit the agreement which authorized their removal of MAP-type equipment based on a proportionate input. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam was never reduced to a force goal of 100,000. In light of the rapid withdrawal of most of the French forces, continued Viet Cong buildup, and the civil war against the dissident sect forces, Military Assistance Advisory Group, Vietnam, took the position that such a force goal was inadequate. With the concurrence of the U.S. Embassy in May 1955, the advisory group proposed a 150,000-man force goal to be reached by 1 July 1956, and this proposal was subsequently approved.
By September 1959 the South Vietnamese Army had been organized into seven standard divisions of 10,450 men each and three Army corps headquarters. Each division consisted of three infantry regiments, an artillery, a mortar, and an engineer battalion, and company-size support elements. The airborne troops were organized into a five-battalion group and the armor branch into four armored cavalry "regiments" (approximately the equivalent of a U.S. Army cavalry squadron), each containing one squadron (U.S. troop) of M24 light tanks and two squadrons of M8 self-propelled 75-mm. howitzers. The eight independent artillery battalions were equipped with U.S. 10-mm, and 15-mm. pieces. Tactical control was divided between I Corps at Da Nang for the northern and central areas, II Corps at Pleiku for the Central Highlands provinces, and III Corps at Saigon for the southern part of the country. Saigon city remained a special military district.
Gradually and despite a considerable degree of political and social instability, the Army, with strong American assistance, was molded into an effective fighting force by the efforts of Vietnamese leaders. by the end of 1963 the South Vietnam Army, comprising the bulk of the regular forces with 192,000 men, was now organized into 4 corps, 9 divisions, 1 airborne brigade, 1 Special Forces group, 3 separate regiments, 1 territorial regiment, 86 Ranger companies, and 19 separate battalions and associated support units. After 1960 the South Vietnamese Army also acquired a counterinsurgency capability, but by 1965 increased political turmoil had undermined its effectiveness and necessitated the intervention of strong US combat forces.
From 1965 to 1968, while US forces bore the brunt of the fighting, the South Vietnamese slowly regrouped and, with increasing American advisory assistance and matériel support, once again became an effective fighting force. During this period the military provided security for the civilian population and administration and, in schools and training centers, laid the basis for a larger and more responsive military force.
Until the Communist Tet offensive in 1968, the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces [RVNAF] was not doing well. This was especially true of the Army of the Rapublic of Vietnam (ARVN). No army in a newly developing country that tries to be a democracy has done very well. There are many reasons for this, most of them obvious. But after Tet of 1968, the RVNAF did better. In fact, ARVN improved so much since 1968 that units were hardly recognizable. Part of the increase in morale and efficiency cames from four more years of experience in combat. But better training at several levels had also baen beneficial.
From 1970 on, there were four armor brigades, one per corps. Each headquarters was highly mobile, track-mounted, packed with radio gear, and manned by a carefully selected, battle-tested staff. Designed to control up to six maneuver battalions (a division hasnine) the brigades had no organic units but were "task organized" by their corps commanders according to the mission at hand: sometimes with as many as 18 battalions!
The tragic death of General Do Cao Tri in a helicopter crash in February 1971 marked the turning point of the war in South Viet Nam. LTG Nguyen Van Minh, succeeding General Tri as III Corps Commander, made mistake after mistake from the very start. Because of his weakness, the ARVN suffered many setbacks and, little by little, lost the initiative to the enemy. After the victory near Krek in November 1971, General Minh dispersed the resources of the III Armor Brigade and completely disbanded the III Corps ATF. When the battle of An Loc — Binh Long broke out violently during the summer of 1972, the Armor units of III Corps were completely paralyzed.
In spite of a progressive disengagement of US forces, the South Vietnamese Government appeared on 29 March 1972 to be more sacure than it had been since 1962. Then, the Communists launched their Easter offensives. Months later, the RVNAF had taken 50,000 casualties, but, during that time, had chewad up all 12 North Vietnamese Army (NVA) divisions. In fact, the Communists may have lost more men - at least 40,000 killed - for leas tangible gains than they made in their 1966 Tet efforts. Notably, the South Vietnamese were fighting the ground battles themselves.
The war in Indochina makes for a long story, but two facts stand out. In 1965, the US had to go in on the ground to prevant a complate RVNAF defeat. In 1972, the US was able to continue the ground pullout in spite of the NVA attacks. The South Vietnamese were fighting much better - the foremost reason for this may be better training. There were improvements in facilities and professionalism at all levels, and military security. New structures of all kinds were more numerous in some training centers than in others, but all had them. Since 196S, every RVNAF military installation had improvad its field fortifications. The training establishments were well designed, secure and habitable.
The RVNAF approach to training changed. ARVN Regional Force (RF) and Popular Force (PF) recruits all look the same and receive nearly identical basic instruction. In 1968, most instructors, and even some training center commanders, were essentially school teachers with little combat experience. By 1972, most of the instructors and all the commanders were combat veterans. Most were proven professionals. Emphasis had shifted from the quantity of men trained to the quality of training. Things like rifle marksmanship were not perfect, but are much better than before. As of 01 September 1971 there were 1,400 US officers and men assisting the Republic of Vietnam training organization.
The ARVN, once a loose force of diverse troops left to their fate by the retreating French, developed during 20 years of bitter fighting into an effective, highly motivated army, and it was equipped to fight a modern war. Its improvement particularly since the Tet offensive had been exceptional, and that improvement continues month by month. Australia's Army Minister P. R. Lynch, reporting to the House of Representatives in Canberra after a 1969 Tet anniversary tour of Vietnam's battlefields, said: "In the past 12 months the ARVN forces have become better equipped than ever before. Their officer training programs are of a high quality. The Vietnamese Army has grown considerably in strength and in operational efficacy.''
It is noteworthy that this assessment, like those of many other observers of the Vietnam scene, stresses that the time of the Tet offensive was the turning point. The communists may have won propaganda advances around the world when they launched that offensive, but in Vietnam they lost the battle. For that was the time when the government and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam turned the corner. Now both are viable, strong and growing more efficient as they gain more confidence with each passing month. The Saigon government, backed by an army that proved itself capable of defeating the heaviest blows the enemy could hurl against it, seemed destined to continue to gain strength until no neighbor again will dare to send invading troops across its borders.
But the areas in which the ARVN made the most improvement -- firepower and mobility -- were still the areas of its greatest weaknesses. The ARVN was quite capable of fighting and defeating the 20,000 main force Viet Cong troops and the 70,000 local force VC guerrillas in the country. In open combat on a designated battlefield the ARVN could defeat the 110,000 North Vietnamese Army regulars now in the South, despite their modern Chinese and Soviet-bloc weapons. But with the ARVN's basic responsibility for territorial defense that the NVA did not have, and with the NVA's proclivity for regrouping in inaccessible sanctuaries, it would be a formidable task for the ARVN to drive the NVA back to Hanoi. It could not conceivably do so without the helicopter, jetstrike, artillery, communications and logistics support now provided by U.S. forces.
With the signing of the cease-fire on 25 February 1973 and its effective date on 28 February 1973, the United States involvement in Vietnam came to an end. With American air power denied them, Vietnamese forces would turn more and more to their artillery to fill the gap in fire power. During the last three years of that involvement, efforts were concentrated on preparing the Vietnamese to defend their country without active American participation. Despite the adoption of program after program to assist ARVN forces in becoming proficient in all phases of fire support, little improvement was to be seen in combat. In retrospect, it is apparent that in almost all the field artillery programs that were cited as successful during the Vietnamization period, American units were actively involved, providing labor and material. The Vietnamese were merely recipients of a service. By providing services to the Vietnamese, the American command failed to involve the Vietnamese actively and therefore failed to teach them how to perform the work themselves or convince them of tie program's value. American units did the work while the Vietnamese sat idly by.
As the Americans withdrew, South Vietnam's combat capability declined. The United States furnished its allies the heavier M48 tank to match the NVA's T54 tank and heavier artillery to counter North Vietnamese 130mm. guns, though past experience suggested that additional arms and equipment could not compensate for poor skills and mediocre leadership. In fact, the weapons and equipment were insufficient to offset the reduction in U.S. combat strength. In mid-1968, for example, an aggregate of fifty-six allied combat battalions were present in South Vietnam's two northern provinces; in 1972, after the departure of most American units, only thirty battalions were in the same area. Artillery strength in the northern region declined from approximately 400 guns to 169 in the same period, and ammunition supply rates fell off as well. Similar reductions took place throughout South Vietnam, causing decreases in mobility, firepower, intelligence support, and air support. Five thousand American helicopters were replaced by about 500. American specialties - B-52 strikes, photo reconnaissance, and the use of sensors and other means of target acquisition - were drastically curtailed.
Between 1973 and 1975 South Vietnam's military security further declined through a combination of old and new factors. Plagued by poor maintenance and shortages of spare parts, much of the equipment provided Saigon's forces under Vietnamization became inoperable. A rise in fuel prices stemming from a worldwide oil crisis further restricted ARVN's use of vehicles and aircraft. South Vietnamese forces in many areas of the country were on the defensive, confined to protecting key towns and installations. Seeking to preserve its diminishing assets, the South Vietnamese Army became garrison bound and either reluctant or unable to react to a growing number of guerrilla attacks that eroded rural security. Congressionally mandated reductions in U.S. aid further reduced the delivery of repair parts, fuel, and ammunition. American military activities in Cambodia and Laos, which had continued after the cease-fire in South Vietnam went into effect, ended in 1973 when Congress cut off funds. Complaining of this austerity, President Thieu noted that he had to fight a "poor man's war." Vietnamization's legacy was that South Vietnam had to do more with less.
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Mobashar Jawed Akbar
Minister of State for External Affairs of the Government of India
Shri M. J. Akbar was born on 11th January 1951 in Telinipara, West Bengal. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in English at the Presidency College in Kolkata. He is married to Smt. Mallika Akbar and has two children, a daughter, Mukulika and a son, Prayaag.
Shri M. J. Akbar is a distinguished writer who has authored several internationally acclaimed books, mainly on the Indian subcontinent’s complex history and the turbulent interaction between faith and definitions of nationalism. They include India: The Siege Within; Nehru: The Making of India; Kashmir: Behind the Vale; The Shade of Swords: Jihad and the Conflict between Islam and Christianity; Tinderbox: the Past and Future of Pakistan; and Blood Brothers, a novel. In addition, there have been four collections of his columns, reportage and essays. His books have been translated into many languages.
His contribution to contemporary debate has been widely acknowledged. Among other things, in 2004, he was named a member of the Forum of Islamic Scholars and Intellectuals set up by Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah to draft a ten-year charter for Muslim nations at a special conference in Mecca. In March 2006, he joined The Brookings Institution in Washington, as a Visiting Fellow in the Brookings Project on U.S. Policy towards the Islamic world. He also serves as Chairman of the trust for the Calcutta Muslim Orphanage.
Shri M. J. Akbar has also had an illustrious career as a journalist and editor. In 1976, he launched, as Editor, India’s first weekly political news magazine, Sunday, which quickly became a household presence. He started two daily newspapers: The Telegraph in 1982 and The Asian Age in 1994. He has served as the Editorial Director of India Today, Headlines Today and as the editor of the Deccan Chronicle and The Sunday Guardian.
Shri M. J. Akbar entered public life in 1989, when he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kishanganj, Bihar. He went back to media in 1993, and returned to public life in March 2014, when he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and became the party’s national spokesperson. He was elected as MP to the Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand in July 2015. In July 2016, he was elected for another term as MP from Madhya Pradesh.
He assumed charge as the Minister of State for External Affairs on July 6, 2016.
A brief sample of reviews indicates the acclaim for his books:
“I was soon captured by the tale and kept on reading it with interest. It is a fascinating and wonderfully written story. I enjoyed it very much,”-Dr. Henry Kissinger, Former Secretary of State, United States, on “Blood Brothers”
“How graphically and skillfully the real problems are described…the book is likely to have a considerable influence both in India and Britain” -Michael Foot on “India: The Siege Within: Challenges to a Nation’s Unity”
“A skillfully crafted family saga down three generations packed with information of events in the country and the world, particularly changing Hindu-Muslim relations. It could be a textbook on how to write, mix fact, fiction and history. It is beautifully written; it deserves to be in Category A1” – Khushwant Singh on “Blood Brothers”.
“An unbelievably sophisticated work that is terribly daring… An innovative and lucid religious history of ideology, idolatry, betrayal and violence”-Seymour Hersh, Pulitzer Prize winner, on “The Shade of Swords: Jihad and the conflict between Islam and Christianity”
“…I have rarely come across a book that contains so much of everything that Islam has given to the world, told so artistically with the creative ability for which Akbar is famous. No wonder the book has created a storm both among the intellectuals and in the marketplace here and abroad” – Dr Rafiq Zakaria on “The Shade of Swords: Jihad and the conflict between Islam and Christianity”
“To understand the complex forces – religious, political, and historical – that have fuelled the fervor for Jihad, read this book”- Fareed Zakaria on “The Shade of Swords: Jihad and the conflict between Islam and Christianity”
“A truly magnificent book…. should be read by every Indian who is concerned about the unity of his country”- Prof. Ravinder Kumar on “Nehru: The Making of India”
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NewsProperty
news, property,
Overlooking the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria, 8 Olivette Ave, Upper Ferntree Gully is possibly one of the country's most sustainable homes. Built with sustainability in mind 12 years ago by builder Anton Englemeyer and his wife Mel it is affectionately called the 'House with the Green Heart'. It features both rooftop and indoor gardens, solar panels, water tanks and is built from sustainable materials. After more than a decade in the home, the Englemeyer's eco-house is going under the hammer in room on July 23 at 7pm through Ray White Forest Hill Director Hugh Francis. The Olivette Avenue ode to environmentally conscious living won the Five-Star Sustainability Excellence Award at the Continuing Professional Development awards in 2011. The house also won the Master Builder's Excellence in Housing Awards in 2013 for the most sustainable house. "We based the construction on green star ratings to get the best result. The features of the home are all there to add to the air quality and help conserve energy as well as being made from high quality and long lasting materials," Mr Engelmeyer said. "Sustainability to me is building something that lasts longer and if you use good quality materials then you don't have to do anything. It has timeless features and no trendy stuff that ages quickly." Mr Englemeyer said much of his inspiration for the home came from European designs but the couple made the choice to stay closer to home when it came to planting the many gardens on the property. "In the gardens, we made a conscious decision to use indigenous and native plants to blend in with the area but we also chose to use bromeliads because we like them," he said. While the eco duo are ready to move on to their next project, Mr Englemeyer said there is plenty they will miss about the house which he considers his "own Machu Picchu". "We love all the rock work which came from existing rock upcycled from the previous site's groundworks done by the owner before us," he said. "The views are also spectacular - you can see 100km into the distance and nature is a big part of it. We get a lot of beautiful wildlife here from birds to kangaroos and echidnas. "It is an amazing place to live and whoever buys it will be the next custodian of the house. "We have built this property in indemnity, it's like Machu Picchu, it will be around for ages and the next buyers won't want to leave." With a price guide of $2.3 million to $2.5 million, the Forest Hill Director expects some competitive bidding on the niche property. He said his perfect client for the eco-friendly retreat is someone that has an interest in sustainability or owning a green space. "I would be surprised if it was a local buyer, it will be someone who has an interest and a passion for that sort of thing, someone who will identify with it and respect the man hours and labour of love," Mr Francis said. Contact Ray White Forest Hill for more details.
/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/32Ehza3xXJYSshHEKQz9wjj/1b9289b0-f3ab-41c1-8627-c8e180384dfd.jpg/r7_156_2994_1844_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
July 7 2020 - 2:19PM
One of the country's most sustainable homes goes under the hammer
Photos supplied by Ray White Forest Hill
Overlooking the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria, 8 Olivette Ave, Upper Ferntree Gully is possibly one of the country's most sustainable homes.
Built with sustainability in mind 12 years ago by builder Anton Englemeyer and his wife Mel it is affectionately called the 'House with the Green Heart'. It features both rooftop and indoor gardens, solar panels, water tanks and is built from sustainable materials.
After more than a decade in the home, the Englemeyer's eco-house is going under the hammer in room on July 23 at 7pm through Ray White Forest Hill Director Hugh Francis.
The Olivette Avenue ode to environmentally conscious living won the Five-Star Sustainability Excellence Award at the Continuing Professional Development awards in 2011.
The house also won the Master Builder's Excellence in Housing Awards in 2013 for the most sustainable house.
"We based the construction on green star ratings to get the best result. The features of the home are all there to add to the air quality and help conserve energy as well as being made from high quality and long lasting materials," Mr Engelmeyer said.
"Sustainability to me is building something that lasts longer and if you use good quality materials then you don't have to do anything. It has timeless features and no trendy stuff that ages quickly."
Mr Englemeyer said much of his inspiration for the home came from European designs but the couple made the choice to stay closer to home when it came to planting the many gardens on the property.
"In the gardens, we made a conscious decision to use indigenous and native plants to blend in with the area but we also chose to use bromeliads because we like them," he said.
While the eco duo are ready to move on to their next project, Mr Englemeyer said there is plenty they will miss about the house which he considers his "own Machu Picchu".
"We love all the rock work which came from existing rock upcycled from the previous site's groundworks done by the owner before us," he said.
"The views are also spectacular - you can see 100km into the distance and nature is a big part of it. We get a lot of beautiful wildlife here from birds to kangaroos and echidnas.
"It is an amazing place to live and whoever buys it will be the next custodian of the house.
"We have built this property in indemnity, it's like Machu Picchu, it will be around for ages and the next buyers won't want to leave."
With a price guide of $2.3 million to $2.5 million, the Forest Hill Director expects some competitive bidding on the niche property.
He said his perfect client for the eco-friendly retreat is someone that has an interest in sustainability or owning a green space.
"I would be surprised if it was a local buyer, it will be someone who has an interest and a passion for that sort of thing, someone who will identify with it and respect the man hours and labour of love," Mr Francis said.
Contact Ray White Forest Hill for more details.
This story You wish: Eco-house with green heart goes under the hammer first appeared on Port Macquarie News.
Free grant writing workshops for Mid Coast
Brian and Phil take top spot in the fairway
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Hope Fund Helps Mother of Three Focus on Getting Better
Belinda BrownblessingCancerchemotherapychildrendiagnosisdonorhopeHope Fund WeekLouisianaradiationstressWomen's & Children's
On Christmas Eve 2015, Belinda Brown, Medical Staff Coordinator at Women’s & Children’s Hospital in Lafayette, Louisiana, was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. At first she didn’t know how to react.
“I was more in shock than anything else,” she says. “I lived a healthy lifestyle; I’d rarely been hospitalized before. I just couldn’t believe it. How did this happen to me?”
Brown had to take short-term disability while undergoing chemotherapy and missed 12 weeks of work. Even after returning to work she was forced to remain in isolation due to her compromised immune system. A mother of three, Brown was concerned about how she would pay even the smallest expenses while still getting the treatment she needed.
“I needed help to pay for my rent, household items and medical bills,” she says. “My focus was on getting better, but I was worried about how I’d be able to pay off the debt.”
Despite having donated to the Hope Fund in the past, Brown was hesitant about applying at first. Her supervisor encouraged her to consider one more time. The Hope Fund has now given Brown the financial support she needed, and she intends on using her experience to help others who may benefit.
“I want people to know that help is available,” she says. “Having the Hope Fund kept me from feeling even more stress. There are others who can benefit from it. It really helped me during a stressful time and turned into a blessing for me and my family.”
Brown completed her chemotherapy treatments in early May and will begin radiation therapy. She is expected to make a full recovery and her goal now is to get back to the life that she had before her diagnosis.
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Hope Fund steps in to help when a sinus infection turns into brain surgery – Lindsey White’s Story
Hope FundillnessLindsey WhiteParallonParallon Business Performance Group
Kids get sick, so when Lindsey White’s son Jayland had a sinus infection, she took him to the doctor, got some antibiotics and thought everything was under control. But his headaches persisted, and so finally the family made a trip to the emergency room. A CAT scan threw them for a loop.
“It showed that there was a large mass almost covering his entire frontal lobe,” recalls Lindsey, a Clinical Appeals Analyst with Parallon Business Performance Group. “The infection had moved through his sinus cavities and found its way into his brain. He underwent a full craniotomy to remove the infection, as well as nasal surgery to remove his frontal sinuses.”
Needless to say, she was out of work for several weeks to deal with Jayland’s post-op care. He has had as many as three doctor’s appointments per week, and the piece of his skull surgeons removed is still being treated for infection. It will eventually be replaced; for now, he has titanium mesh in place. All this has meant a hit to family finances, but the HCA Hope Fund provided some desperately needed help.
“I was out for several weeks following his surgery,” Lindsey says. “My sister, who also works for HCA, advised me about the fund and encouraged me to apply. It was extremely fast, and that alone says a lot. It’s wonderful that HCA has this kind of program; it shows that the company really cares about its employees and will do anything possible to help them. I’ve never worked for a company that offers something like this, and it truly is wonderful.”
As for Jayland, he’s still resting up and getting ready for surgery to restore his missing piece of skull once it, his brain and his sinuses are deemed to be infection free. He’s also enjoying being home-schooled for the moment, his mother says. “He’s doing really well, and having some fun,” Lindsey reports. “But I think he’s ready for it all to be over with as well.”
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One of the biggest challenges people talked about is how their injury makes them feel inside and changes to their sense of self. Participants described feeling uncomfortable in their skin, frustrated, angry, and even afraid. Some said their injury led to career changes which impacted their self-esteem. Others described a disconnection to hobbies they once enjoyed, feeling less social, or changes to their mood or temperament.
Not being able to do what you once could
Many Veterans described the difficulty of not being able to do what you once could, “feeling like an idiot” when they couldn’t remember what they did 15 minutes ago, having more limitations than before their injury, or being “at a deficiency compared to most people my age, my gender and my working class.”
John says that for many of the younger guys, it is like going from Superman to half man.
But initially, it’s the fact that you feel like an idiot, because you can’t remember your family’s name, you can’t remember what you did fifteen minutes ago, and words escape you, words you know, and you’re like and you can’t bring a word up, and then you lose it entirely. So, you go through that, and then eventually, you know the brain’s pretty talented, it starts to reconnect some of the synapses so you get better. I think for the young guys the hard - I was 41-years old when it happened - for the young guys it’s going from Superman to half man, and I was a little bit more mature so it wasn’t easy for me, but it’s got to be devastating for them. Because things you should know and should be able you don’t know. You can’t remember, you can’t keep a coherent thought for even a short period of time, and concentrating actually will cause you, the stress, causes you headaches, so you suffer from headaches.
Before her injury, Jessica says she felt like a superhero who could do all and see all, but now she has a lot more limitations.
I felt like superhero in some ways, before I feel like I could do all see all. There’s nothing that I couldn’t do before, and I feel like I kind of left that girl on the pavement. I was going to school, I was working full time, I was joining the army, I was doing a whole lot of things at once and since then it’s been a little bit harder. I’ve learned there’s a lot more limitations after you’ve had a head injury. So yeah, it’s a lot harder is the biggest limitation. Limitations.
I: Yeah what do you think are the things that are, what are the biggest limitations?
Um, clearly there’s a lot of physical components that go along with it. A lot of emotional components that go along with it as well. I just feel like, I don’t know, I don’t know that I can pinpoint one particularly I just know that I have to take things one thing at a time now instead of doing everything at once.
Richard describes feeling like damaged goods, but learning to accept his strengths and weaknesses.
I got in touch with my mortality, and I was pretty messed up for a while. Coming to that realization was not easy, at all. I have a lot friends who helped me. And, yeah, without them I don’t know what -
I: Can you tell us a little bit about the ways that they helped?
It’s not unusual, after you suffer serious head injury, to become suicidal and I became suicidal. And, I have become suicidal since. You know, it’s just you’re damaged goods and you have to accept that. I’ve got some strengths and some weaknesses. Yeah, I’m a pretty good writer, and keep that going, yeah, so…
Impact on career, self-esteem, and identity
Some Veterans talked about needing to change careers or give up on the career they had hoped to pursue. Although he had planned to become a teacher once retiring from the military, one Veteran told us that “the more stress I’d take on, the worse it got. And that’s when they initially screened me for TBI and, you know, all the red flags were in place. And they said, ‘Even if you did graduate with your Master’s degree, how good of a teacher would you be if you can’t remember anything?’” Others talked about needing to alter their career plans, or not being able to keep up with the demands of their job, which led to diminished self-esteem and confidence.
After coming home, William didn’t feel capable of finishing his PhD, which really hurt his confidence level.
So, I just had a rough go at it and it really hurt my confidence level. Coming back, I already knew I was brain damaged enough. You know, I knew I was diminished in my capacities and I really wanted to finish my PhD and I couldn’t. I don’t feel capable of doing that. So I just got an article published recently about Iran and its involvement in Iraq. And when I write, I’m about to publish a book too. But when I write, it takes me forever to write. Not just the emotional, but the cognitive ability is diminished. So I have an editor and she’s, she’s just a big asset to me. But she’s basically – because I’m a blown-up vet - I mean she’s helped me that way. I mean, my writing sucks and it’s really hard. And I miss words and you know, it’s not just the vision but it’s just difficult in my writing. In my job now, once I left the ROTC – I just quit. I just like – can’t deal with their shenanigans and it’s not worth it for me to deal with that kind of stuff. So I just walked away.
Margaret felt like she lost her sense of self-esteem after giving up her career as an ER nurse.
I think that the major, major blow to my lifestyle. You know I had to give up my career. I was a nurse. And that’s a blow. I liked being a nurse.
I: Did you end up going on disability or how how did that sort of -
How did that come about? No, no, not for this. Hu uh. Uh uh.
I: Did you do other work?
I ended up being able to do, I was a telephone advice nurse for a while, so I sat at a desk with headphones and, yes, I did that and I could do that. Yeah. But it, but I’m an action person, I mean I’m an ER nurse, I’m used to getting in there. And now I’m sitting, giving advice to people about their headache. Excuse me, but, it was a big, big change. I wasn’t happy. I lost, I felt like I lost my sense of self-esteem, you know. I was no longer the - I don’t like to call it that but you know - the, hot shot kind of nurse. Now that’s all gone. That was gone.
Impact on hobbies and finding new interests
Others described not being able to pursue hobbies that they once enjoyed due to changes in their physical or mental capacity, or not feeling an emotional connection to the hobbies and interests they had before their injury. Several Veterans described trouble with depth perception – discovering that they could no longer do things like hit a baseball or other moving targets - that made it difficult to participate in sports. Others described having trouble developing new skills and interests since their injury.
Jessica talks about no longer having an emotional connection to the hobbies and interests she had before her injury.
So, and that I think goes along with the art and music, I had all of my belongings in storage and I didn’t go in there for a couple years, and I remember unpacking boxes and my very, very first major was baking of pastries, and I remember unpacking boxes and saying to my family, I bake? Like with a question mark, like, and then I was like oh I baked but I have like no emotional connection to the pre-head injury interests. So, everything like afterwards that I started doing I have strong emotional connections to, like I know that I did show choir type competitions all my life, like I know intrinsically like I did all these things but like I don’t feel a strong emotional connection to all of that but I do have an emotional connection to all of the post-head injury.
I do attribute quite a bit of it to the head injury only because I did lose a lot of that emotional connection because I was still, like I tried to double major for a little while and I was going to school and enlisting and doing that all at once, so I feel like I was able to maintain that balance of a life style before. And I feel like I lost a little bit of me there. Like I really don’t think my ex-husband would know me now. Like even talking to him sometimes he tells me stories about, about me and I’m like “oh yeah, I am that way, oh yeah I do feel that way.” It’s always so shocking. To think that it’s like, oh you were a bleeding heart for animals, like I know I am but I feel like I’ve become a lot more callous. I never thought I could work with homeless people, like I used to cry when I saw a panhandler and now I work with homeless every day, so. It’s a crazy shift in my personal views and everything, like it’s really strange.
After his injury, Andrew was embarrassed when he discovered he could no longer hit a softball.
It shows in embarrassing ways. For instance, after I had my TBI I think it was a couple - it was like 1992 or something - I hadn’t played baseball in years, and all of a sudden, we went out to play softball and I could not hit the ball. I can’t do it anymore. There’s something about the way I perceive it that’s gone, and that was really embarrassing. Everybody’s laughing, “Strike out,” and you’re like - you can’t tell them, “Well I have TBI, and that’s why I screwed up.” You just kind of suck it up and say, “Yes, okay. I’m worthless,” and then you find a different sport to play. Because I used to be pretty good at softball or baseball, but now I’m - I don’t know. You get tired of telling people, “I have TBI,” or, “I have diabetes.”
Jason has adapted by finding new things to do, but says that everything feels a “lot more bland.”
It’s got, I mean it’s gotten a little bit better since then, but for the most part I’ve been kind of, for the most part it’s just trying to find a new, just new ways of doing things. And just trying to, because there’s certain things that I’m not going to be able to do, so I’m just physically not going to be able to do. As far as career, a lot of career thinking things, so it’s finding, it’s adapting and finding your crutch I guess is the best way to kind of put it. You gotta kind of find your crutch.
I: Has it sort of changed, the things that you like to do in life, like in your spare time, and sort of your overall sense of just well-being?
Yeah, in some ways. I like to think I have, you know, a fairly healthy well-being mentally but a lot of the things that, you mean as far as my level of enjoyment or?
I: Yeah, yeah. Just sort of how you’re feeling in life?
That, I would say as far as my ability to enjoy a lot of things, it, it makes, things aren’t as, experiences are a lot more tasteless, I guess everything’s a little bit bland. I wouldn’t say that everything’s gray or dark or anything but it, my capacity to, to feel a lot of intense emotions and stuff like that, or my capacity to be able to feel, you know, extreme happiness or connections in a lot of ways, that I know for a fact is lessened. It’s a, there’s a lot of a, like I said, everything’s a lot more bland.
Sam talks about his difficulty learning new things and how that impacts his ability to develop new hobbies.
So, information that I retain before I went to deployment, because I was twenty-four when – twenty, no I was twenty-two when I started going on to Iraq. And information that I retained before doing that, I still retain it and I retain it pretty well. Like it’s compartmentalized and all this other stuff. So, any hobbies that I developed before I was twenty-four is very easy to do. So, like working out, going outside, running around, hiking, videogame playing, reading fiction, you know, books, sci-fi books and stuff like that. Like I never, I still don’t find it hard to do. Like it’s easy to do all those things. It’s when I’m trying to develop new stuff, like learning to cook better, or learning to do art and all this other stuff. I’ll have like moments of brilliance, and then like I’ll come back and try to replicate that brilliance and it’s not there. And I’ll be like, “What happened? I was doing so well.” And so, it’s, it’s almost like a weird re-learning thing? It’s like my hand thinks it knows what it’s doing sort of thing, like whatever’s controlling my hand to make it do these shapes is doing it well, but my brain’s just like not able to put it into the right way that it was before. Maybe that goes with art, but then with cooking like I try to replicate what I did before, don’t remember, stuff like that.
Changes to mood and temperament
Several participants discussed changes to their temperament and feelings of frustration leading to outbursts of anger, sometimes irrational or uncontrollable. One described having frequent “anger flashes” and another said that “he used to be a mellow guy” but since his injury he can go from “0 to 60” quite easily and explained that “when your heads gets rattled a little bit…things fire differently.” One Veteran said that his constant feelings of anger were “doing nothing but tearing him up inside, and it affected my family, it affected my relationship with my family because being angry at them for something that was totally not their fault, just being angry at the world.”
Sarah talks about having severe mood swings and feeling like there is a “switch” that goes off that makes her “see red.”
Really severe mood swings beyond just like I’m anxious and upset. It’s like a switch. Like when I get - and it doesn’t even have to be anything serious. It’ll be something just really like small that like normal people don’t get super upset about, but like I will see red, and it’s just like an instantaneous switch, and then afterwards I’m like “Why, why did I get so upset about that? Like that shouldn’t have been something that triggered that”
Matt has noticed differences in his temperament, including being more watchful and easily angered.
My, my temperament. I was easily angered. Always super watchful. After a time that kind of has eased a little bit. Kind of figured out how I need to do it to control my anger. Because usually if somebody did something that would irritate me I’d just lash out right away and now I’ve gotten to where I can actually sit there and take a breath, think about it, you know, is this something worth getting totally irritated and pissed off about?
…I just don’t like large crowds because it’s usually large crowds where something bad’s going to happen. I’ve had incidents over in Afghanistan where part of our job was to inspect vehicles before they came to base. Found rockets, grenades, land mines, whatever, set up in the vehicles. Sometimes you could check a vehicle, Bob could check it, and would catch nothing. Then it goes to the next gate and gets checked and they could find, they could hit on something totally different. Had incidents where I’ve had to, actually because I’m probably like one of the smaller guys there, I had to stick my arm down in a gas tank and feel around for a land mine or something, where it did show up on the screen as something in the gas tank, so it’s like well, got to check it out somehow. I’ve just seen too many incidents where things happened and possibly could happen. I just don’t like being in places where I can’t control my surroundings that much.
Others noted changes in their desire to go out and be with friends, explaining that they tended to isolate themselves and didn’t want to talk about their struggles with others. One Veteran told us that he mostly stayed at home playing video games after returning from his deployment, while another Vet recalled not socializing for a whole year and spending most of her time in her room smoking cigarettes.
Before his TBI, Erik was really social, but now he spends most of his time by himself or with other Veterans.
Before my TBI, I was really social. I didn’t have time – I loved working on cars back then, but I just didn’t have time to because I was so social. And so, but now it’s kind of the opposite. I need to be more social, but I find myself being solitary because I don’t feel embarrassed when I’m by myself. You know, there’s no one to, no one to let down, or – I feel like a lot of my friends, they feel sorry for me and I don’t need their pity. I, I know I’m screwed up. We all know I’m screwed up, but I don’t need the, the kid gloves, you know? So that’s why it’s more comfortable being around Veterans because they’re in the same boat I am with their own issues.
(See also: Impact on Cognitive Function; Ongoing Physical Symptoms; Impact on Work; Navigating Social Relationships; Internal Coping Mechanisms; Coping with impacts on Memory & cognitive function; Services & programs for Veterans; Positive Changes, Moving Forward, & Finding New Meaning)
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Library Podcasts O11ycast
Ep. #26, Unknown Unknowns with Parveen Khan of Square Marble Technology
Guests: Parveen Khan
In episode 26 of o11ycast, Charity and Shelby speak with Parveen Khan of Square Marble Technology. They discuss Parveen’s journey into observability and the insights she’s gained as a test engineer and quality advocate.
About the Guests
Parveen Khan is a Senior Test Engineer at Square Marble Technology.
How Do I Get My Team Into Observability?
Parveen at OQConf
Episode 16 w/ Abby Bangser
Parveen Khan: I think I have a very interesting story to tell, like how I got into observability, because like I usually--
When I'm unable to attend some conferences or something, what I do usually is like, I try to follow the tweets or hashtags of the conferences.
So it was something like I was following tweets from one of the conference where Abby was doing her workshop about the observability.
Shelby Spees: This is Abby Bangser?
Parveen: Yeah. It's Abby Bangser.
Shelby: Yeah. We've had her on o11ycast before.
Parveen: Yeah. That's where I got introduced to this term.
Like until then I never knew something called observability.
So after like getting to know about that, like first word encounter, and then I was like, okay, you know, like I'm a tester.
So we're always very curious to find what if we find something new.
So it was like, what is this observability all about?
And that's where I started to like, you know, dig more into it, try to find what it is and it was such a coincidence that I was at a new company.
I joined at a new company at that period of time and I was working on a completely new product and like within the new team, and it was such a balance that I was facing those similar situations where like observability was needed and that's where I came across this term, trying to learn about it.
So it was a very nice combination of, at the right time getting to know this thing and that's where I started to learn about it and I think I was on my testing tour at that point where I was trying to pair up with different testers and developers and different topics basically.
Charity Majors: A testing tour? What is that?
Parveen: It's like pairing up with different testers by having different sessions like with anyone across the globe basically.
I can pair up with anyone for an hour or two where I'm exploring or learning about or sharing about one particular topic by picking up one each topic, the different testers and developers across the globe.
So I was trying to do that.
That's where I thought, "okay, can I ask Abby, like if I can pair on trying to learn about observability."
And it started falling on, you know, I paired with Abby and it was like, you know, she introduced me to this new world of like the whole infrastructure and observability.
She taught me how to get into this, comfortable into learning this new term and getting to learn about dealing with infrastructure and, you know--
That's where, as soon as I was getting into this, I came across a lot of tweets from Charity and that's where like everything fall in place and I still remember reading the blog post which you were sharing, like, you know, like giving questionable advices.
Like I remember that blog post when I read. So you know introduced like how to introduce observability within the team.
So I read that. So that's where my journey started into observability and it's like still, trying to learn more about it.
Charity: This feels like a great time for you to introduce yourself.
Parveen: So yeah, I am Parveen Khan and I'm a senior tester at Square Mobile Technology, which is based in London and I am more like, you know--
I call myself like as a quality advocate and because I've been mostly a solo tester on a team where I'm trying to drive the quality.
It's like trying to work with every member of the team, not just the developers, but all OPS and product managers and prod owners and trying to figure out the risks from the product and trying to bring in the quality aspect.
So I think this is what I try to do, being a tester.
Shelby: I think it's really interesting being sort of responsible and having ownership of a service when you're not the one writing the code or managing the infrastructure and so what is that like when you, I love the term quality advocate because it's, you know, this is important stuff for the business.
Parveen: Yeah. I think it's not about just having the ownership, but for me, like, you know, when I look at this observability and having the ownership of the services, I feel like--
You know, we, as a testers, we are so great at being very curious and asking different questions and I feel like observability is all about, trying to find unknown unknowns and being able to ask those questions.
So I think it is going to be so much powerful for testers if we have the ownership of those, you know, of those services and trying to work out with different tools.
Charity: Without observability, how would you find the answers to these questions?
Parveen: After knowing this, I feel like I was completely blind.
After knowing this, like, I feel like there was nothing I could know, like, you know, and one thing I would say is like, because I am a tester, like on my current team, I get access to all the tools earlier.
I would never have that access to the tools. So I was completely relying on like, what I see.
It's not about trying to find out any question or any answer about anything, but it was all about trying to see from the UI, like only see from, hardly I could go into the network tab. That is it, but now.
Charity: So you can look at the-- believe that the application was behaving for anomalies but you couldn't track it down below the surface is what you're saying.
Parveen: Yeah. If anything goes wrong, it's just like, okay, I don't know, what's gone wrong.
It has gone wrong. I don't know what has gone wrong behind it.
Charity: And that's when engineers started building like sand castles in the sky, just trying to understand, because you can look at the code and you could look at the output but everything that happens in the middle, like what the user is doing, the infrastructure that it's running on, what the code is actually doing when the user is using it on the infrastructure, that moment is opaque.
So you kind of have to like trace it through in your mind and humans are terrible at this.
Like, we are really bad at looking at code and understanding because it's too complicated.
We can't, you know.
Like a chess board has what, you know, hundreds of thousands of possibilities, well code plus infrastructure plus users has trillions of possibilities.
Like you can't model it in your head.
You can barely remember like what infrastructure changes have happened and like what components it might be hitting, you know?
Like we just have no hope, without tools.
Shelby: There's so many moving parts and I also think about like communication, even if you find an anomaly just from probing like the output of a system, and you have to communicate that over the developer team, there's so much like it's lost in translation.
I don't know if you've ever had that happen where you go back and forth and back and forth talking about a bug or something versus like being able to it's like, you see something weird you're like oh, I wonder what's happening under the surface and being actually investigate that yourself as a tester which you have the domain knowledge to be able do so.
Like this like my chip in my shoulder, where it's like, people talk about being technical and stuff, and it's not.
You don't have to write code to be technical.
We had Heidi Waterhouse a couple episodes ago talking about what it's like to be a developer advocate who doesn't write code and so I think there's this whole swath of opportunity for people who are technical and don't necessarily get to manage code changes and infrastructure changes that you can still investigate and interrogate into the system.
Charity: You can still understand what's the best of them.
Like writing a code is just one way to learn about how systems actually work.
Parveen: Yeah. That's so true. Like you don't know what's going on under the hood.
Like, you know, how many services. Like when we have these ability to look through the system, like for me as a tester, like you know.
You know which services are talking to what and how it's behaving, like, what is it happening and especially when you are raising any issues, it's not just saying that, oh there's something wrong.
It's about trying to figure out all the information and saying, okay, this is talking to this and this is what is happening and trying to give extra information, like trying to provide more information and more help.
It's not about just raising it and leaving it but it's about providing that extra bit of information so that it's more helpful for the developer or anyone who is looking into it basically.
So this kind of like, you know, it allows me to look into that and it's also about like, you know, for me, like, I think what I'm trying to see at in my guaranteeing, like when I'm working, it's like more about like trying to be more proactive rather than reactive, you know, trying to, when I'm looking at something, I know something is going wrong because I have that information, because I can see that.
So and then trying to figure out what is it affecting and how is it affecting instead of like waiting for someone like, you know, for a user to come and say, like something is wrong and that's where we dig into it.
So it's more about trying to be proactive rather than being reactive.
Charity: Yeah, it reminds me a lot of operations.
This for a long times, operations didn't write code, we were expected to run it, you know.
And so it was all about figuring out what was happening in these black boxes and the only thing that was available to us then was these low level system metrics, which we got very good at reading and interpreting, but it's like Daniel says.
His analogy is, "Yes, you could probably measure someone's heart rate or something and if you know what you're looking for, then you can tell that they broke their arm, but wouldn't it be easier if you could just look at their arm and see if it was broken, right?"
There are all of these little systems metrics that will go haywire when something is happening and, we've often like memorize like certain combinations of like, it's like scar tissue, right?
Like events, we've had outages before in the past and we've noticed a certain constellation of behaviors in our metrics.
So we remember that and like if it happens again and go oh, I know what this says but you're not actually looking at the problem.
You're not actually diagnosing it by looking at directly and that's because like the domain that most of us live in now is as much higher level domain. We're not looking at little systems.
That's Amazon's job, that's as your job, right?
We are looking at code, we're looking at lines of code and that means we need to speak the language of endpoints, variables, you know, function names, stuff like that and that hasn't really been available to us.
You know, I've been thinking a lot lately about how, for most of my career, you know, most of the engineers at any company, we're not working on things that move the business forward, they were working on infrastructure.
They were working on the databases or fracking servers or imaging EC2 instances or something.
And only like, 10% of engineers might be working on the business problems and over the course of my career that 10% has expanded, right?
Because now, there are so many infrastructure companies that write the components and now mostly you are living in the land of APIs and plugging things together but like this explains why the tools that we have that are mature, our infrastructure tools, and the thing about observability is because it lives in that high level of domain of, you know, the way you're writing the software that your business consists of it's time right?
It's time for observability. The only aggregation that observability performs, is around the request path, right?
Everything else is raw. Around the request path it's aggregated and that's because that is what corresponds to the user's behavior.
Parveen: Yeah, and it's funny, like, you know, for me, like the way I have come across this and the way I see this as a more value because I've seen the problems, like, as I said, like I joined this new team.
So it was like every issue we were facing, we didn't knew what's going wrong because we didn't have the ability to look into the system.
We could not figure out. It's like everything we were coming across we've been marking it as like blocked because we didn't know what's happening.
I think we would spend around a week or so, and try to figure out what's happening but then there were no answers because there's nothing we can look into it.
That's how much we can look into it because there's, we don't have that ability.
So that's where I was like, what do we need?
Like, you know. That's where I was trying to figure out like these questions about like, what do we need for this?
And that's, that's exactly like the way I tried to come across this is like seeing the problem and then trying to find out, okay, this is exactly what we need on our product.
So that this is exactly what will help us and that's where I think, even though lot of people know, I think somehow it's like different term or something.
Like, for example, like we know that we need some kind of visibility into our system, but how, like, you know, what do we need that like, do we need logging.
If we need observability, there's lot of changes, which we need to do on our current code and we need to redeploy it and we don't want to break anything.
That's the biggest challenge.
Shelby: When you trying to investigate something when things are already degraded and so you don't want to change anything in an order to be able to investigate it better.
I've totally been in that situation. I've been in a situation where like, it's so expensive to send certain kinds of data.
Like if you want more verbose logs, or if you want metrics on certain like, you know, variables, so they'll turn it off most of the time and then when something goes wrong, they'll turn it back on and pay a little bit extra instead of like having that data all the time.
So then you can go back in time and look like oh. Like, being able to investigate an incident that happened yesterday or a week ago or a month ago, or trends over time.
Like and so when you're flipping on and off your data spew, in order to like gulf your observability or your monitoring spend, like you lose out on a lot of that, like capability, that ability to investigate.
And so there's so many of these teams that are in this, like this place of like, you know, you just have these ongoing problems, it's a known issue and you don't know the impact of it and you don't really know how to solve it and so it's just like, this is just a bad part of the app for months, right?
And that's not production excellence, that's not what we going for and it just feels like, you know, people bend over backwards to make things work with StatsD or make things work with their logging tools but you end up having to do all this work later on to connect the dots and so just having your data be good to start with, and then being able to like ask three questions.
Charity: And I understand why we used to do this because hardware was expensive.
You know, storage was expensive. We didn't have high throughput networks, but now all that stuff is really cheap.
You know, there's no reason that we can't afford it.
You know, Honeycomb makes it so that everyone retains 60 days, no matter what because you need that in order to investigate trends.
And it feels like the pricing models of companies haven't really caught up to the modern era because they're still like trying to charge by megabyte or by gigabyte or by C or something when you know, all of that data is easy and cheap.
What is not cheap is your attention and your time.
Shelby: And I always makes me like mad, but in like it's like angry laughter when companies won't spend, the price of a laptop per year to have better observability when they'll spend their engineers like hours and hours and hours over months.
Charity: Yeah, their life force.
Shelby: And it like burns people out, you know, like, especially, it's always the people who care the most who burn out the fastest.
Yeah, and so it's just, it just makes me angry and it's like such a huge cost on the human side and also on the business side, you know, like if your employees, if your engineers can. and like, and everyone on your team, like if your product managers or your BI people.
Charity: It impacts your customers, you know.
Shelby: Yeah.
Charity: And it's very shortsighted. It's not really expensive compared to people's time.
Replacing people who have gotten burned out and quit is far more expensive.
There are good tools out there and yet, you know, it's easier to get head count than it is to just spend on a tool.
I think that this kind of comes back to the, you know, not understanding our total cost of ownership over the lifetime of software.
Like it is incredibly cheap to write software compared to how expensive it is to maintain it over the long run.
Shelby: Yeah, that was something that I was very lucky to learn just from, you know, big speakers and writers, like very early in my career about like how 99% of the life of a software service is in like the maintenance mode. Right?
So like yeah it's important to design things well up front to make things easily changed and maintainable but most of the cost comes from that longterm maintenance and it's not yet on a maintenance thing where you just like, put it on ice.
It's an active ownership, right? It's an active and I think.
Charity: It's like a garden. You have to prune it. You have to like, make it grow to living thing.
Shelby: And I think that's where like a culture of observability extends beyond the developers, especially is if you design a system, that's observable.
If you write your data to actually map to what matters for your business, then your product managers can go on and observe things in production, your BI people can go in and ask questions.
It's like, why are things bad for this customer?
Well, let me go look it up and so that starts to get into this like, you know, if you're designing things well on the code side, then it can become much more accessible to the technical people who don't write code.
Charity: Yeah. The production adjacent teams need to understand production just as much as the people who are writing the code. Yeah.
Shelby: And then everyone's just like in the same boat, you know, and we're all working towards the same goal.
And so that's, that's what I, you know, I get so excited about this stuff because I've been so lucky to work with people who really care and that's what sounds like Pervin like, what you're doing at your company is you care so much and you're trying to move the needle for your team. Just like, look what's possible.
And so like how have you gone about like, trying to like convey this to your teammates?
Charity: I feel like the biggest thing that we have to fight, and I'm sorry I cut you off there but like the biggest thing that we have to fight is like learned helplessness, is just this idea that this is just what it's like working with computers.
You're just never going to know what's going on and it's just going to be shitty and your production is just going to be like this hairball of shit that like got coughed out one day, nobody ever expected to understand it.
You know, people get so cynical and the reason they get cynical is because they've told it couldn't be better before and they've been burned and they get tired of believing, right?
And I do think there's a lot of truth in the idea that, for you to really go through the cognitive exercise of learning something new, it has to be order of magnitude better than what you had before, because you know how to use the stuff you've got now right?
And I feel like the constellation of tools around deploying better and more safely and understanding your systems has only recently kind of crossed that threshold of being an order of magnitude better until it, until now it's been like 20% better, 50% better.
You know, even if it's like twice as good, is that really worth, you know, forcing everyone to like throw out the known stuff and then like it dots something new and unknown.
It's kind of not, you know, and I think that if you look at The Dow Report year over year, what you're starting to see just in the last two years, the tooling has gotten to a place where is an order of magnitude better and the teams that do start to adopt it, do see just like compounding benefits and they can move dramatically faster and more safely with more confidence than teams that don't use it.
So, sorry Parveen, up to you.
Parveen: Yeah, as I said, like, I've seen this as similar to how the DevOps movement is like, you know, it's not about getting the tools and saying that we are following DevOps.
So it's something similar for me like as far as I know, like, you know, I feel like it is something like, it's not about having some tooling in place and saying that yeah, we are following observability.
For me like, again, it is a cultural shift. It's a cultural change which needs like, you know, to come from leadership basically.
Charity: I think that it can come either top-down or bottoms-up. We've seen it both ways.
Parveen: Yeah. I think I say that majorly because for me, like me being a tester and trying to bring in the change because I come from using that observability point of view and not trying to implement point of view.
So I'm not a technical person, or I can't say that because I cannot do it and show it like, okay, look, this is what it will bring.
So I am trying to come from a point where like, okay, look, if we try to implement this, this is what we are going to get into our system and this is what we can save and this is what we can learn about a system.
We can't just say that our system is so complex that's the reason why we are not trying to figure out what's going on under the hood. It's about try to build the right thing under the hood so that we can get those answers like, you know, and partly because me being the tester, trying to get this word out.
So the way I tried was like I know like a lot of people in my team, they know about the logging and all that stuff, but I kind of organize a lunch and learn session.
So I've said, okay, let me try to introduce this term. Let me get this term out in my team.
So I tried to give that and then I'm trying to use a sample so that I can show like, you know, show what does this bring the value?
Like, you know, so that I can bring in the change basically.
So that's the reason why I said it's like, not just, it is the change can come from anywhere, but because I think it's majorly because me as a tester, trying to bring this value within the team.
So that's the reason why I said like it needs to be not just from me, not just from anyone from the team, but.
Charity: I think you're right, like there is like a pecking order within technical assistance teams and that's, you know, it shouldn't necessarily be there, but it is true.
Like the people who write code are the top of the heap, and the people who have been there longer, who are more senior at the top of that heap. Right?
And the people who don't write code are lower you know and I think that you said there's something there, like, it's not that just anyone can bring something in, like you have to have credibility with the team and it's only, that's only partly under your control.
That's partly under other people's control. So that is very valid.
But I do think that, like, I think even there, if you can band together with a critical mass of people, you know, like you can kind of overcome some of that.
I think that you can start persuading, you know, people who, the people in the team who seem more pro-tool, who are more open to new ideas, the people in the team who love geeky out over understanding systems because it's not all of them, but some of them--
I think that like lunch and learns are awesome, but I think you also often have more success if you take them privately and just like, get them excited about something, you know, and then they go and championing it.
Parveen: Yeah.
Charity: I do think that it's too early to give up on bottoms-up as a concept because some of the most successful teams we've seen, have been ones where it is usually the developers but the developers bring it in because we're writing a tool for developers, you know, has ancillary benefits for other teams.
But we're writing this tool for the people who are writing the code, who need to understand it in production, like they're our use case.
So I just don't want to people to be left with the idea that if it doesn't come from leadership too late, you know, leave your job because a lot of teams do have a lot of great successes bringing it in showing that it works and then, pitching it to higher-ups.
Shelby: And I think that's how you get buying from leadership, is as you get enough developers and you get enough people on the team to be like, "Oh, like, this is, this is where we should go."
And the hard part is if you're not in a position to add instrumentation to code, then it's very hard to show the impact of that and start getting more people to start getting involved with that.
It's exactly what happened on my last team where I was lucky enough that one of the developers looked at Honeycomb.
I was like oh okay this is exactly what I've always wanted and just dove in head first and just, I mean, he'd start spending nights and weekends, like getting instrumentation working and stuff and that's also not always like a good path for people.
I don't want people to be spending nights and weekends to get to further their observability journey, but you know, this person's also just that enthusiastic.
And I think this is where it's important, where for teams to make space for people to explore, because that's how you find these, you know, these impactful changes and that's how you can test them out and so what we're trying to to do at Honeycomb and just in general and in the observability community is make it easier for people to try things out and make it easier to get started.
And just see how different it is compared to the status quo of monitoring and logging and tracing tools and if the three pillars type stuff where you're sending your data separately and having to connect the dots later on.
Like, what if you just sent data that's like structured to start with and just see the difference there and so having that, that self-serve option can really make a difference for a lot of developers who are just like, oh, this observability thing seems cool, but I don't want to spend my entire weekend getting at working.
Charity: Yeah. We've actually put a lot of engineering effort into making it pretty turnkey, you know, so that all you have to do is install a library or you know, link to an implementation.
Like we gather up all of the information for you.
We, provide a framework so that it's basically like doing a print ad, if you want to append more data to it and this is why, because almost nobody adopted it until we did all that stuff to make it, you know, pretty magical for them.
You know and partly this is a shame.
What this tells me is that, vanishingly few people have seen the impact of good instrumentation and over the course of their career. They don't know what a difference it makes.
They think that the magical stuff that they're being, you know, sent by, you know, all the vendors are just like, just give us millions of dollars.
We'll do all the work for you and then you don't have to know how to instrument your code, which is a fucking trap because your vendors do not know your business use case and observability is all about your business use case.
We can provide helpers, we can provide stuff that guesses, we can provide stuff that gives a lot of the defaults.
We can do stuff around the structure of, you know, the parameters that are passed in the underlying systems, but only you know what you're trying to do with your code and only you know what you should capture in order to really shine a light on what you're trying to build for your business.
Shelby: Mm-hmm. And that's exactly what I was talking about, where like, if you're designing your code to be observable, then it can be much more self-serve--
Like it answers the business questions that people who don't live in the code will be asking and so then they can self serve start running those queries and getting those questions answered and they don't have to bug your engineers, you know, four times a day, every time something's weird.
And that requires writing good instrumentation and writing instrumentation that sends the data that's meaningful to your business.
Charity: And it kind of has to be done by the person who is implementing the business logic, you know. It has to be done at that time.
I don't believe it's possible to go along years after code was written and reinstrument it in as good of a way as you could do while you're writing it.
I think instrumentation should be seen just like commenting your code.
Right, is commenting your code. It's just including a little bit of reality in there because it's common that your code emits from deep inside of your infrastructure, right?
Which is like, when you don't have that original intent in your head, when you don't know what you're trying to do, how can you write good comments about it?
You know, you can come along later, you can guess what they were trying to do.
You can often guess pretty well, but you can't ever guess perfectly and sometimes you guess badly.
Shelby: Mm-hmm.
The connection between commenting and instrumentation reminds me of like what I learned at my first job when I had to give a whole lot of technical presentations to non-technical managers and the advice that they gave me was like, don't just talk about like what you implemented, talk about the so what, like why is this important?
Why do I care? What's the business impact? And that's really what we should be thinking about when we're writing our code.
Like, what's the point of this? Like, so what, like, why is this code even exist?
Well, that's what goes in your comments and that's what goes in your instrumentation.
Parveen: Yeah. And I think that's really a good point where you mentioned that okay, look, it's about giving the ability to anyone who can just run the query and find out what's going on.
Like, you know, it's about like, like for example like we have on our team, like we have, ours is a multitenancy product.
So we have multiple project managers who always have some questions.
They want to know certain things when something is not working.
They have such a great questions. Like, you know, they have such a great questions, but then they need some time from the engineer.
So to answer those questions, so we like we are not full blown, like, you know, we are not completely there yet, but we are taking step by step approach where we have some structured laws in place.
A bay we can query and find out what's going on.
So we are trying to give that ability to our project managers so that they can, you know, if they are interested--
Like it's not about forcing them, but it's about if they're interested to finding out what's going on, you know, giving that power to them as well.
Charity: Everyone does a better job if they can self-serve from production, if they can get real answers from prod without having to have a translator there in place.
Shelby: And I think that's like another of the failings of these complicated tools where you have to learn their bespoke query language in order to parse, you know, the log spew from production.
And then it's like a 32nd, like turnaround time to get an answer from your query and so you never really learned the query language because it's like the terrible feedback loop and so frustrating.
You know, product managers and all these folks like they're technical, like the, you know, they go in and they write these Excel macros that like blow my mind.
It's not that they can't go in and investigate a system and learn these tools, it's the tools don't allow you to learn them.
And so that's why I think like, like at Honeycomb we've a relatively strict as I love for career results because we want that feedback loop to be really tight, you know and I think it's helped me learn our systems better because I can just go in and just start investigating and poking around and it's like, "Oh okay, well that wasn't, you know that wasn't the right thing to ask. Let me ask a new question," and that's how we learn as humans.
Charity: Yeah. You definitely shouldn't have to like compose a query and then go get coffee then like by the time you've gotten back, what even were you thinking? You know, it really does have to be rapid in order for you to iterate on it.
Praveen: Yeah.
Charity: This is something that like we rarely call out and when we're talking about Honeycomb, because it seems so obvious to us, but so many times new people start using Honeycomb and that's the thing that they're most blown away by. They're just like, how is it so fast?
Shelby: Yeah and so it's just, I think about all, I mean, I have a background in like education and I was a teacher and stuff.
So I think a lot about just like the learning process and the onboarding process for like new tools and new paradigms and it's really important to have those feedback loops.
And, you know, when I was working in a job where like I was making changes to Chef cookbooks and it was like a five, 10 minute like feedback loop, like I would forget what I was doing by the time I got the result of my change.
And like, this is like, you know, we are making a lot of big, heavy changes.
We were upgrading our Chef version and it was really important for me to like, know what broke and stuff and so, and it was, gets really, really frustrating.
And so, you know, not having to change context, switch context between asking your question and getting your answer. It's just important across the board.
Charity: Well, what would you say to other testers who haven't tried observability yet or who maybe are the very, you know, just hearing about it for the first time and what would you tell software engineers who I guess listen to testers more?
I don't know. What rants do you have for your software engineers?
Praveen: Yeah, I think for testers that this is something completely new and I think we are still in the early stages of trying to understand.
Like, you know what, like it's something like, oh, is this for us? Like, do we have to learn this? Is it something for us or not?
Because I see this thing, like, you know, when I'm trying to learn, so I want to attend lot of like webinars or like now we are all virtual, so virtual conferences to like, learn more about it.
So it's about like, when I was trying to register myself, like, you know, you have those options about like, what do you do?
Like, you know, most of the options were like SRE, Ops or a developer.
So I used to feel like oh, even we, as a testers want to learn about this. So we should have that option for sure.
So I feel like for any testers like we are very good at having, you know, having to learn new tools, so which can help us in building our quality.
So, I really like to say this to any testers, who are trying to explore about this observability is like it is about, we trying to learn another thing.
So that that helps us in delivering better quality and this is something very new for us as a testers basically.
So that's the reason why I think I am trying to learn and share about what I'm trying to learn about observability and I think I try to blog about it to say, like, just sharing my viewpoints and my experience about how I'm learning and what I'm trying to get out of it basically.
Shelby: Well, thank you so much for joining us today. Oh and Parveen, you're giving a talk on observability in a couple of months, right?
Parveen: Yeah, I'm just sharing how I try to learn and what I'm trying to do so just again as like sharing my experience so that any testers like, if they're interested, they can learn from.
You can know I can share what I'm learning.
So yeah, I'm trying to share my journey so far, how I learn and what I'm doing with observability.
So I'm doing this at another conference in couple of months.
Charity: Awesome.
Shelby: And cool we'll be sure to link to that in the show notes.
Charity: Thanks for that.
Shelby: Thanks so much.
Praveen: Thank you so much for having me. Thank you.
O11ycast
Exploring the observability side of software development.
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Charity Majors CTO & Co-founder, Honeycomb.io
Liz Fong-Jones Principal Developer Advocate, Honeycomb.io
Shelby Spees Developer Advocate, Honeycomb.io
Ep. #21, Managing Security with Cybersecurity Leader and DevSecOps Practitioner Julie Tsai
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Join us in welcoming our newest member Avo, a company that enables teams to manage their product and user-behavioral analytics from the top-...
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“FATHER, FORGIVE THEM” by The Rev. Dr. Frank G. Tunstall, A Contributing Writer for Hugh's News
The Rev. Dr. Frank G. Tunstall
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34 NIV).
Arguably, betrayal is the hardest of all emotional wounds to heal. Betrayal by its very nature assumes a traitor has won confidence and was in a meaningful relationship of trust. Absalom the traitor was a son whom King David loved (see 2 Samuel 16). Ahithophel had been a brilliant personal counselor of King David but became a traitor. He had worked his way up to the highest level of David’s government. Ahithophel had become special counsel to the king. David trusted him with the most closely held secrets of the realm. But Ahithophel betrayed His king (see 2 Samuel 17).
With Jesus, it was Judas, a disciple whom the Lord had personally and prayerfully chosen, and even trusted him enough to make him His treasurer (John 12:6; 13:29; 22:48).
It can also be an employee who has earned trust and advanced to a position of high responsibility. He is given opportunity, but he turns and betrays the person that believed in him and promoted him. For another example, infidelity sends down deep roots into the soil of betrayal.
Jesus had many enemies, but it was an insider who betrayed Him.
Yes, in the pantheon of painful human emotions, the feelings associated with betrayal hurt the most and leave the worst scars over the longest period of time.
Our awesome Lord’s first recorded statement from the cross was, "Father, forgive these people, for they don't know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34, TLB).
Forgiveness is the crown jewel of the Gospel. God always responds to repentance with forgiveness – even for traitors.
Forgiveness, however, does not immediately restore trust. Trust is like money. You work to earn it, and when you’ve earned it you can spend it all. But when you have spent it, it is gone and you cannot call it back. All you can do is earn more trust, and that takes time. Trust usually comes in the slow process of line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little (Isaiah 28:10-13).
Forgiveness does, however, open the door of opportunity to earn more trust.
Was Jesus willing to forgive Caiaphas? Yes.
Annas? Yes.
Pilate? Yes.
The members of the Sanhedrin? Yes.
Judas? Yes.
Peter? Yes.
Among this list of primary actors in the drama of Calvary, however, only Peter actually repented with bitter tears (Matthew 26:75; Luke 22:62).
God will always respond with forgiveness to the repentance that produces a broken heart (2 Corinthians 7:10). Always. A trillion times out of a trillion!
What did Jesus know that helped Him forgive while on His cross?
Jesus did not live with rose colored glasses that minimized evil and winked at sin. But He did live with a marvelous attitude that left the door wide open for His enemies to repent and become His friends. This is expressed in the Prophet Zechariah’s prediction of how Messiah would be brutally betrayed and mistreated: “One shall say unto Him, ‘What are these wounds in Thine hands?’ Then He shall answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends’” (Zechariah 3:6 KJV).
Jesus said ignorance played a role in the choices of His enemies who committed the crime of the ages that put Him on the cross (Luke 23:24). Ignorance always seems to be a factor at some level when most sin is committed. Many, who violate God and others, if they fully comprehended all of the consequences, would change their course. That’s the ignorance factor.
Others, however, curse the consequences and plunge headlong into the pit of evil.
Our Lord is long suffering and not willing for anyone to perish. Instead, He wants everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Jesus loves all His enemies in every generation and wants to see them saved. That is true even of traitors.
THINK ABOUT IT: God will always respond to repentance with forgiveness. Always. Yes, the forgiveness that follows repentance is the crown jewel of the Christian faith.
When you are dealing with violated trust, two principles stand out from the life of Jesus. First, always leave the door open for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to motivate repentance that produces a change of heart. Said another way, release the matter to God who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). When change happens, forgiveness and reconciliation can follow. Then the process of rebuilding trust can begin.
Second, keep your own heart open to accept that even traitors can become friends of the people they so deeply wounded. Achieving this open-heart attitude is aided by the solemn recognition that “we all like sheep have gone astray.” Each of us has turned to our own way, “but the Lord has laid on [Jesus] the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).
My chains are gone.
I've been set free.
My God, my Savior has ransomed me.
And like a flood His mercy reigns.
Unending love, amazing grace.
Chris Tomlin, 1972
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i4 Business i4biz
Linda Ferrone – Orlando Utilities Commission
Linda Ferrone currently serves as president of the board of the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), the 14th largest public power utility in the United States. OUC’s five-member governing board is responsible for setting the utility’s rates and operating policies. Ferrone was appointed to serve a four-year term in 2011 and reappointed in 2015. Under her leadership, OUC has furthered its sustainability focus and achievements, while successfully balancing record reliability.
Ferrone is also a vice president for the Florida office of The North Highland Company, a global, employee-owned consulting firm that delivers strategic business solutions to Fortune 1000 clients, government agencies and non-profits. Previously, she served in leadership positions with Ernst & Young, Pepsico and Radiant Systems.
Ferrone is an active public speaker on sustainability, leadership, and women in business topics and a recognized business leader with more than 25 years of experience working with entertainment, hospitality, utility, and consumer products companies on strategic planning, transformation, and executive alignment.
Ferrone has been recognized with numerous awards, including Consulting Magazine’s Women Leaders in Consulting and Client Service Delivery Excellence awards. She is passionate about serving her community and has extensive board leadership experience with organizations, including the Orlando Science Center, the LPGA, the Mennello Museum of American Art, and United Arts of Central Florida.
100 W. Anderson Street
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Matt Armstrong
Partner, Corporate, M&A and Securities Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP “Professionally, one of the most important things...
i4 Business
i4 Business magazine has become one of the most trusted voices for and about the Central Florida business community. Each month through our print and digital platforms, we provide access to meet, to learn from and to learn about some of the incredible entrepreneurs and business leaders who are shaping our region.
Lorna C. Donatone – Sodexo – Schools Worldwide
Katherine Diaz Gonzalez – IQ Orlando
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Filters: Author is Macedo-Ribeiro, S. [Clear All Filters]
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Scarff, C. A., Sicorello, A., Tomé, R. J. L., Macedo-Ribeiro, S., et al. (2013). A tale of a tail: Structural insights into the conformational properties of the polyglutamine protein ataxin-3. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 345-347, 63 - 70.
Corral-Rodríguez, M. A., Macedo-Ribeiro, S., Barbosa Pereira, P. J., & Fuentes-Prior, P. (2009). Tick-derived Kunitz-type inhibitors as antihemostatic factors. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 39(9), 579 - 595.
Gales, L., Cortes, L., Almeida, C., Melo, C. V., et al. (2005). Towards a structural understanding of the fibrillization pathway in Machado-Joseph's disease: Trapping early oligomers of non-expanded ataxin-3. Journal of Molecular Biology, 353(3), 642 - 654.
Almeida, B., Fernandes, S., Abreu, I. A., & Macedo-Ribeiro, S. (2013). Trinucleotide repeats: A structural perspective. Frontiers in Neurology, 4 JUN.
Rocha, R., Pereira, P. J. B., Santos, M. A. S., & Macedo-Ribeiro, S. (2011). Unveiling the structural basis for translational ambiguity tolerance in a human fungal pathogen. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108(34), 14091 - 14096.
Santos, J. A., Pereira, P. J. B., & Macedo-Ribeiro, S. (2015). What a difference a cluster makes: The multifaceted roles of IscR in gene regulation and DNA recognition. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Proteins and Proteomics, 1854(9), 1101 - 1112.
Neto-Silva, R. M., Macedo-Ribeiro, S., Pereira, P. J. B., Coll, M., et al. (2005). X-ray crystallographic studies of two transthyretin variants: Further insights into amyloidogenesis. Acta Crystallographica Section D: Biological Crystallography, 61(3), 333 - 339.
Silva, A., de Almeida, A. V., & Macedo-Ribeiro, S. (2017). Polyglutamine expansion diseases: More than simple repeats. Journal of Structural Biology.
Scarff, C. A., Sicorello, A., Tomé, R. J. L., Macedo-Ribeiro, S., et al. (2012). A tale of a tail: Structural insights into the conformational properties of the polyglutamine protein ataxin-3. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry.
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Coimbra, S., Oliveira, H., Reis, F., Belo, L., et al. (2013). Letter to the editor: A potential mechanism for the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris. International Journal of Dermatology, 52(11), 1429 - 1432.
Coimbra, S., Oliveira, H., Reis, F., Belo, L., et al. (2012). Erythroid disturbances before and after treatment of Portuguese psoriasis vulgaris patients: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 13(1), 37 - 47.
Coimbra, S., Oliveira, H., Reis, F., Belo, L., et al. (2012). Letter to the Editor: A potential mechanism for the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris. International Journal of Dermatology.
Coimbra, S., Figueiredo, A., Castro, E., Rocha-Pereira, P., & Santos-Silva, A. (2012). The roles of cells and cytokines in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. International Journal of Dermatology, 51(4), 389 - 398.
Coimbra, S., Oliveira, H., Reis, F., Belo, L., et al. (2010). Circulating adipokine levels in Portuguese patients with psoriasis vulgaris according to body mass index, severity and therapy. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 24(12), 1386 - 1394.
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Costa, E., Rocha, S., Rocha-Pereira, P., Castro, E., et al. (2008). Altered erythrocyte membrane protein composition in chronic kidney disease stage 5 patients under haemodialysis and recombinant human erythropoietin therapy. Blood Purification, 26(3), 267 - 273.
Costa, E., Rocha, S., Rocha-Pereira, P., Castro, E., et al. (2008). Changes in red blood cells membrane protein composition during hemodialysis procedure. Renal Failure, 30(10), 971 - 975.
Costa, E., Rocha, S., Rocha-Pereira, P., Castro, E., et al. (2008). Cross-talk between inflammation, coagulation/fibrinolysis and vascular access in hemodialysis patients. Journal of Vascular Access, 9(4), 248 - 253.
Costa, E., Rocha, S., Rocha-Pereira, P., Reis, F., et al. (2008). DMT1 (NRAMP2/DCT1) Genetic Variability and Resistance to Recombinant Human Erythropoietin Therapy in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients under Haemodialysis. Acta Haematologica, 120(1), 11 - 13.
Costa, E., Lima, M., Rocha, S., Rocha-Pereira, P., et al. (2008). IL-7 serum levels and lymphopenia in hemodialysis patients, non-responders to recombinant human erythropoietin therapy. Blood Cells, Molecules, and Diseases, 41(1), 134 - 135.
Costa, E., Lima, M., Alves, J. M., Rocha, S., et al. (2008). Inflammation, T-cell phenotype, and inflammatory cytokines in chronic kidney disease patients under hemodialysis and its relationship to resistance to recombinant human erythropoietin therapy. Journal of Clinical Immunology, 28(3), 268 - 275.
Costa, E., Rocha, S., Rocha-Pereira, P., Nascimento, H., et al. (2008). Neutrophil activation and resistance to recombinant human erythropoietin therapy in hemodialysis patients. American Journal of Nephrology, 28(6), 935 - 940.
Costa, E., Pereira, B. J. G., Rocha-Pereira, P., Rocha, S., et al. (2008). Role of prohepcidin, inflammatory markers and iron status in resistance to rhEPO therapy in hemodialysis patients. American Journal of Nephrology, 28(4), 677 - 683.
Coimbra, S., Castro, E., Rocha-Pereira, P., Rebelo, I., et al. (2006). The effect of green tea in oxidative stress. Clinical Nutrition, 25(5), 790 - 796.
Coimbra, S., Santos-Silva, A., Rocha-Pereira, P., Rocha, S., & Castro, E. (2006). Green tea consumption improves plasma lipid profiles in adults. Nutrition Research, 26(11), 604 - 607.
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New Protection For Rosewood, The World's Most Trafficked Wild Item
Desire for intricately carved Chinese hongmu furniture, which traditionally uses rosewood, is on the up. Tang Yan Song/Shutterstock
By Katy Evans
If you had to guess, what do you think is the world’s most trafficked wild item? Ivory? Pangolins? Nope, it’s the beautiful warm red tones of the rosewood tree.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) held in Johannesburg this week has put restrictions on the trade of all 300 species of rosewood, in an attempt to crack down on the rampant illegal logging and trafficking of its timber.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, rosewood accounts for 35 percent of all seized wildlife products and is valued at more than elephant ivory, rhino horns, pangolins, lions, and tigers combined.
The demand for rosewood timber has grown exponentially in the last decade, mainly due to the growing wealth and desire of the Chinese middle classes for luxury furniture, specifically the intricately carved hongmu style that traditionally uses rosewood.
The proposal to increase the CITES protection, from the current eight species of rosewood to include all 300, came from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), who highlighted the worrying expansion of the hongmu industry, especially in the last decade.
Having plundered the forests of Southeast Asia to virtual extinction, traffickers have turned to West Africa and Central America for the prized timber, and neither the illegal logging of the wood nor the market for it are showing any signs of slowing down.
According to the EIA, hongmu log imports into China increased by 1,300 percent from 2009 to 2014, with exports from West Africa having grown over 1,000-fold in the last five years. And it is still increasing: In the first half of 2016 alone, China imported on average the equivalent of 350 logs per hour. In fact, the value of the rosewood trade has multiplied 65 times in the last decade, and is now worth an estimated $2.2 billion.
Now, all 300 species of rosewood (Dalbergia) have been included under the CITES Appendix II listing – its second highest level of protection. As per usual, the crux really comes down to the nations it impacts to put these plans into action to make a difference.
“We are really thrilled [with the new Cites protection],” Lisa Handy of the EIA told the Guardian. “It’s really in the nick of time to save them from extinction. The trade has exploded exponentially in the last decade. Now it really comes down to enforcement.”
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Home > Resources > The Pursuit of Gender Equality: An Uphill Battle
The Pursuit of Gender Equality: An Uphill Battle
Gender inequalities persist in all areas of social and economic life and across countries. Young women in OECD countries generally obtain more years of schooling than young men, but women are less likely than men to engage in paid work. Gaps widen with age, as motherhood typically has marked negative effects on gender pay gaps and career advancement. Women are also less likely to be entrepreneurs, and are underrepresented in private and public leadership positions.
The 2013 and 2015 OECD Gender Recommendations provide guidance on how to advance gender equality in education, employment, entrepreneurship and public life; this book discusses recent developments in these areas in one overview chapter and 24 short chapters which each include key findings and policy recommendations. Topics include violence against women, gender budgeting, the unequal sharing of unpaid work, labour market outcomes and migration. The book presents a range of indicators illustrating gender gaps. It also discusses recent policy initiatives, such as pay transparency measures to reduce gender wage gaps and policy reform aimed at fathers taking parental leave. Overall, progress has been slow and there is a strong need for further policy action to close gender gaps in education, employment, entrepreneurship and public life.
The 2013 and 2015 OECD Gender Recommendations provide guidance on how to advance gender equality in education, employment, entrepreneurship and public life; this book discusses recent developments in these areas in one overview chapter and 24 short chapters which each include key findings and policy recommendations.Read More
Visit Link Source: OECD
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| ERROR: type should be string, got "https://www.incomeinvestors.com/triplepoint-venture-growth-bdc-corp-10-6-yield-no-joke/43703/\tTriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp: This 10.6% Yield is No Joke\tJing Pan, B.Sc., MA Income Investors 2018-10-04T09:41:12Z 2018-10-11 16:47:29 Triplepoint Venture Growth BDC Corp Triplepoint Venture Growth BDC TPVG TPVG stock NYSE:TPVG TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp (NYSE:TPVG) stock offers investors a jaw-dropping yield of 10.6%. But is the payout too good to be true? TriplePoint Venture Growth Stock https://www.incomeinvestors.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/TriplePoint-Venture-Growth-BDC-Corp-Stock-150x150.jpg\nTriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp: This 10.6% Yield is No Joke\nBy Jing Pan, B.Sc., MA | October 4, 2018\niStock.com/Indysystem\nSustainable Dividends in the Double-Digits?\nIt’s no secret that most ultra-high yielders in today’s market are not the safest bets. Think about it: if a company offered a payout much higher than its peers and the dividend is safe, investors would rush toward the company, bidding up its price and lowering the dividend yield.\nIn other words, if a company’s yield stays at a very high level, it could be a warning sign.\nStill, there are exceptions, with TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp (NYSE:TPVG) being a very noticeable one.\nThe company’s name is pretty self-explanatory: TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp is a business development company (BDC) that focuses on venture growth-stage businesses. Headquartered in Menlo Park, California, TriplePoint completed its initial public offering (IPO) in March 2014.\nIf you have been following this column, you would know that I’m a big fan of BDCs. As regulated investment companies, these entities must pay out more than 90% of their profits to shareholders. As a result, they often provide dividend yields that are well above the stock market’s average.\nIn the case of TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp, the company currently pursues a quarterly dividend policy of $0.36 per share. With shares of TPVG stock trading at $13.63 apiece, that gives the company an annual dividend yield of 10.6%.\nThis High Dividend Yield Is Surprisingly Safe\nFor those concerned about this high-yield stock’s dividend safety, a look at the financials should be reassuring.\nIn the second quarter of 2018, TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp generated a net investment income of $8.8 million, or $0.50 per share. Considering that the company declared and paid total dividends of $0.36 per share during the quarter, it achieved a safe payout ratio of 72%. (Source: “TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp. Announces Record Investment Income of $16.6 Million and Net Investment Income of $0.50 Per Share for the Second Quarter of 2018,” TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp, August 1, 2018.)\nIn the first six months of 2018, TPVG earned a net investment income of $14.7 million, or $0.83 per share. Again, this provided more than enough coverage of its total dividends of $0.72 per share declared and paid in the first half of 2018.\nSometimes, a company can offer a high yield simply because of its terrible share price performance. However, that’s not the case at TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC.\nWhile TPVG is not exactly a hot commodity, the stock delivered a total return of 33.8% from its IPO on March 5, 2014 to June 30, 2018. To put this in perspective, its BDC peer group returned an average of 31.4% during this period.\nAlso worth mentioning is that since its IPO, the company has never cut back its payout.\nTPVG Stock: A Profitable Lending Businesses\nOne of the secrets behind these outsized-yet-safe dividends is the company’s business model. TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp specializes in lending to venture growth-stage companies.\nThe target company has usually received several rounds of venture capital funding and can generate at least $20.0 million in annual revenues. But because it is not quite as established as public companies and needs more capital for growth, it is willing to pay high interest rates for financing.\nTriplePoint provides short-term secured loans to venture growth-stage companies and earns unlevered returns of between 10% and 18%. To manage the risk, the company targets a loan-to-enterprise value of less than 25%. In other words, if a company is worth $10.0 million, it likely won’t get a loan of more than $2.5 million. (Source: “Investor Presentation,” TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp, last accessed October 1, 2018.)\nTriplePoint diversifies its portfolio across different industries. Its three largest industry exposures by the end of June 2018 were “Financial Institutions and Services” (23%), “Business Applications Software” (19%), and “E-Commerce – Clothing and Accessories” (15%).\nThanks to a steady stream of interest income and an early principal prepayment from one portfolio company, the company’s debt investments had a weighted average annualized yield of 17.2% in the second quarter of 2018. Excluding prepayments, the yield was still at a very impressive 13.9%. (Source: Ibid.)\nThe Bottom Line on TPVG Stock\nAt the end of the day, keep in mind that interest rates play a critical role in the profitability of a lending business. At TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp, 56.8% of its portfolio of loans bore interest at floating rates as of June 30, 2018.\nWhile the company also has floating rate liabilities, management is confident that under a rising interest rate environment, it would generate additional interest income in excess of the additional interest expense.\nManagement has estimated that if the benchmark interest rates go up by 100 basis points, the company would earn an extra $1.5 million in annual interest income while its annual interest expense would increase by just $882,000. That would allow TriplePoint to generate an additional $660,000 in net investment income for the year. (Source: “Form 10-Q,” TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp, last accessed October 1, 2018.)\nSince interest rates are already on the rise, this BDC’s floating rate exposure could turn out to be a catalyst. Adding in the company’s already-safe 10.6% yield, TPVG stock could be an opportunity."
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Illustrations 416 color illus., 27 maps
Height 10.00 Inches (US)
Unit weight 2.7 Pounds (US)
How to Read the American West
A Field Guide
By William Wyckoff
From deserts to ghost towns, from national forests to California bungalows, many of the features of the western American landscape are well known to residents and travelers alike. But in How to Read the American West, William Wyckoff introduces readers anew to these familiar landscapes. A geographer and an accomplished photographer, Wyckoff offers a fresh perspective on the natural and human history of the American West and encourages readers to discover that history has shaped the places where people live, work, and visit.
This innovative field guide includes stories, photographs, maps, and diagrams on a hundred landscape features across the American West. Features are grouped according to type, such as natural landscapes, farms and ranches, places of special cultural identity, and cities and suburbs. Unlike the geographic organization of a traditional guidebook, Wyckoff's field guide draws attention to the connections and the differences between and among places. Emphasizing features that recur from one part of the region to another, the guide takes readers on an exploration of the eleven western states with trips into their natural and cultural character.
How to Read the American West is an ideal traveling companion on the main roads and byways in the West, providing unexpected insights into the landscapes you see out your car window. It is also a wonderful source for armchair travelers and people who live in the West who want to learn more about the modern West, how it came to be, and how it may change in the years to come.
Showcasing the everyday alongside the exceptional, Wyckoff demonstrates how asking new questions about the landscapes of the West can let us see our surroundings more clearly, helping us make informed and thoughtful decisions about their stewardship in the twenty-first century.
William Wyckoff is a professor of geography at Montana State University.
"[Wyckoff] encourages us to see with fresh eyes even as we're barreling down the interstate - to remember to think about the role of time in shaping a landscape, as well as the role of water. He asks us to think about who controls the landscape, and how these places have been shaped by different human interventions. . . . [How to Read the American West] is a marvelous springtime tonic for wanderlust and a wonderful invitation to see our surroundings in a new light."—Barbara Lloyd McMichael, Bellingham Herald
"A field guide unlike any other, with a focus on patterns, variations and the distribution of landscape features....it draws attention to eco-tones, watersheds, settlement patterns and corridors of connection...ultimately, it considers our grip on the land and the land's grip on us."—Michael Engelhard, High Country News
"If you like to travel the American West, put this book on your holiday gift list…even the experienced Western traveler will come away with new ways to look at familiar places."—Carl Abbott, Oregon Historical Quarterly
"Every coordinate on the landscape is much more than an intersection of longitude and latitude: it is a unique location representing the confluence of geography and geology, natural history and—probably most importantly—human history. With its awe-inspiring canyons and imposing mountains, its mesmerizing distances and daunting deserts, the American West has been a meeting ground for diverse populations, a dreamscape upon which one group after another has left its distinctive mark. Across this vast terrain of time and space, William Wyckoff has uncovered patterns in the land and the people who have populated it—and produced this handy field guide for those of us who choose to follow him."—Dayton Duncan, writer and producer of The National Parks: America's Best Idea
"If you want to get the most out of How to Read the American West, please wander its pages in a spirit of play, much as you would the landscape itself…. Once you can identify the various features that William Wyckoff puts before you in these pages, you'll be well on your way to reading the western landscape for yourself, with endless stories waiting to be discovered wherever you look."—William Cronon, From the foreword
"Creative, thoughtful, and compelling, How to Read the American West makes the reader think in new ways about the everyday landscape. It shows a deep and thoughtful knowledge of the diversity of the West, and the engaging 'eye' at work throughout is both trustworthy and provocative. While most books ask you to engage primarily with the book, this book gets readers to engage with the landscape itself. The author has true expertise, but rather than providing all the answers and connections, he pushes readers to develop their own expertise and command of western landscapes."—Kathryn Morse, author of The Nature of Gold
"I don't think there has ever been a field guide quite like this one. Created by one of the leading historical geographers in the United States and drawing on his far-flung travels and his skills as a photographer, it is a truly comprehensive guide to the American West."—William Cronon
Other Titles by William Wyckoff
Montana's Changing Landscape
William Wyckoff, foreword by William Cronon
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Illustrations 1 line drawings, 7 maps,
Height 9.00 Inches (US)
Unit weight 1.36 Pounds (US)
List Prices $25.00 USD, £18.99 GBP
Public Power, Private Dams
The Hells Canyon High Dam Controversy
By Karl Boyd Brooks
In the years following World War II, the world's biggest dam was almost built in Hells Canyon on the Snake River in Idaho. Karl Boyd Brooks tells the story of the dam controversy, which became a referendum not only on public-power expansion but also on the environmental implications of the New Deal's natural resources and economic policy.
Private-power critics of the Hells Canyon High Dam posed difficult questions about the implications of damming rivers to create power and to grow crops. Activists, attorneys, and scientists pioneered legal tactics and political rhetoric that would help to define the environmental movement in the 1960s. The debate, however, was less about endangered salmon or threatened wild country and more about who would control land and water and whether state enterprise or private capital would oversee the supply of electricity.
By thwarting the dam's construction, Snake Basin irrigators retained control over water as well as economic and political power in Idaho, putting the state on a postwar path that diverged markedly from that of bordering states. In the end, the opponents of the dam were responsible for preserving high deserts and mountain rivers from radical change.
With Public Power, Private Dams, Karl Brooks makes an important contribution not only to the history of the Pacific Northwest and the region's anadromous fisheries but also to the environmental history of the United States in the period after World War II.
Karl Boyd Brooks is associate professor of history and environmental studies at the University of Kansas.
"This is an outstanding book, meticulously researched, imaginatively argued, and engagingly written. Skeptics might wonder about the significance and inherent interest of a dam never built. Yet Karl Brooks narrates the story with considerable flair, and he makes a convincing case that the defeat of Hell's Canyon High Dam was a pivotal event in modern hydropower politics. Western historians should place this book at the top of their reading lists."—Western Historical Quarterly
"Nicely written, nuanced study contributes to hydroelectric, Pacific Northwest, and environmental history. Recommended."—Choice
"Brooks' brilliance in this book is in capturing a moment some 50 years ago when, in what is now perhaps the Reddest of states, private business made legitimate claims to represent the public good and helped make public policy more accountable to the public. But Brooks' empirical work suggests that what was important for democracy and environment was not the defeat of federal initiative per se, but rather that private challenge catalyzed political debate. Broader discussions forced needed restraint and a broadening of concerns as part of both public and private policy."—Review of Policy Research
"Brooks' work is a necessary addition to the Weyerhaeuser Book Series because it greatly advances our understanding of the conflict over resources, the consequences of development, and the legal battles between public-private ownership that continue to shape the region today."—H-Environment
"Karl Boyd Brooks has written a masterful book about the politics of hydropower."—Technology and Culture
"Transcending that familiar debate over the preservation of the 'wilderness' of nature, Brooks's examination of this remote Idaho location provides new insight into the origins of the modern environmental movement."—H-Net Reviews
"The author has done a great job as an environmental historian with sharp insights and a perceptive eye to the unknown. He offers valuable new insight into a question that still agitates the country, whether government or private corporations should be in charge of developing our natural resources."—Educational Book Review
"Brooks does a splendid job of showing how the Bonneville Power Administration assumed its roles of partner, planner, and promoter of public power in the Pacific Northwest. The author could tell this story as few others might. Public Power, Private Dams is a fine tale."—Oregon Historical Quarterly
"Public Power, Private Dams provides a thorough discussion of the controversies surrounding the Hells Canyon High Dam, with a detailed examination of the regional and national forces that struggled over the dam, how their differing visions of the future were embodied in developmental alternatives, and how the region's salmon runs and tribes and fishers were the big losers."—Dale Goble, University of Idaho
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DANFS
Princeton IV (CV-23)
Reconnaissance, Explosion, Flags, Fire, Aircraft, Navy Cross, Flag, Leyte Gulf, Event, Casualties, Naval Aviator, Rescue, Rescue
Ship History
A borough in west central New Jersey, scene of the Battle of Princeton (2–3 January 1777) during the American Revolution, in which Gen. George Washington led the Continental Army to a minor victory against a British force led by Lt. Gen. Charles Mawhood, part of an army under the command of Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis. Princeton also marks the birthplace of Como. Robert F. Stockton (20 August 1795–7 October 1866), who advocated for a steam-powered and propeller-driven navy.
(CV-23: displacement 13,000; length 622'6"; beam 71'6"; extreme width 109'2"; draft 26'; speed 32 knots; complement 1,569; armament 22 40-millimeter, 16 20-millimeter; aircraft 45; class Independence)
Tallahassee (CL-61) was laid down on 2 June 1941 at Camden, N.J., by the New York Shipbuilding Corp.; with the fleet requiring additional aircraft carriers, however, the exigencies of the rapid expansion during World War II, and, in particular, the time required to build larger carriers, fueled the decision to convert some of the Cleveland-class ships as smaller carriers that could enter service sooner Tallahassee was therefore reclassified to an aircraft carrier (CV-23) on 16 February 1942; renamed Princeton on 31 March 1942; launched on 18 October 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Margaret S. Dodds (née Murray), wife of Princeton University’s President Harold W. Dodds; completed her preliminary acceptance trials on 22 February 1943; and was commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pa., on 25 February 1943, Capt. George R. Henderson in command.
Caption: Tallahassee under construction at New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J., 1 July 1941. This view looking aft from about amidships shows the keel, double bottom structure, and bottom planking. (U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships Photograph 19-N-44097, National Archives and Records Administration, Still Pictures Division, College Park, Md.)
Caption: Princeton slides down the way as she is launched at her building yard, 18 October 1942. (U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships Photograph 19-N-46451, National Archives and Records Administration, Bureau of Ships Collection, College Park, Md.)
Leaks in Princeton’s gasoline tanks required additional alterations and complete retesting of the gasoline systems, and delayed her preliminary sea trials on 28 March 1943. Princeton trained during the succeeding weeks, and on 1 May, Fighting Squadron (VF) 23, Lt. Cmdr. Henry L. Miller of Fairbanks, Alaska, in command, accomplished carrier qualifications on board the ship. The squadron had been established at Naval Reserve Air Base (NRAB) Willow Grove, Pa., on 16 November 1942, and trained initially in North American SNJ Texans and Grumman F4F-4 Wildcats. One of the highlights of their training period occurred on 14 April 1943, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt inspected Carrier Air Group (CVG) 23, the squadron’s group and also led by Miller who served “double-hatted”, while they trained at Marine Corps Air Station Parris Island, S.C. Fighting Twenty-three boarded the carrier with a dozen Wildcats and a pair of Grumman F6F-3 Hellcats, the latter reinforcing the squadron so that all of the pilots could qualify in them. Composite Squadron (VC) 23, Lt. Cmdr. Martin T. Hatcher, comprised the group’s other squadron, which boarded the ship with nine Grumman TBF-1 Avengers and nine Douglas SBD-5 Dauntlesses.
Caption: A starboard quarter view of the newly commissioned ship as she steams in the Delaware River during her preliminary sea trials, 28 March 1943. (U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships Photograph 19-N-42904, National Archives and Records Administration, Bureau of Ships Collection, College Park, Md.)
Princeton wrapped-up the work and reported for duty on 18 May 1943. The ship then (28 May–3 July) set out for her shakedown cruise and carrier qualifications in the Gulf of Paria off Trinidad in the Caribbean. Each of VF-23’s pilots made a minimum of 30 landings in both types of fighters, including two night deck landings in Hellcats. One or more of the arresting wires broke as an F4F-4 Wildcat (BuNo 12039), flown by Lt. Cmdr. Miller, slammed into the barrier while landing on 20 May, damaging it beyond repair. The ship subsequently transferred the Wildcat to Carrier Aircraft Service Unit 21.
At one point three Wildcats, flown by Ensigns Jack M. Abell, William G. Buckelew of Beaufort, S.C, and Robert S. Tyner, all USNR, ran into heavy weather while flying an intercept problem and lost radio contact with the ship. The trio headed for the nearest land, and eventually made a forced landing on an emergency field in Venezuela. The men overcame severe linguistic handicaps and managed to wire details of their predicament to Port of Spain, Trinidad. The following day Princeton launched Avengers with full bomb bay fuel tanks that enabled the Wildcats to refuel and return to the ship.
A Wildcat (BuNo 03411) flown by Ens. Abell landed on Princeton with a slight bounce on 4 June 1943. The arresting hook also bounced several times and failed to engage any of the wires until the last, causing the Wildcat to slam into the barrier. Investigators discovered that the arresting hook also contained very little fluid and exerted no pressure on the hook. The barrier badly scarred the propeller, and the barrier wire damaged the lower section of the nose cowling and broke the propeller brush engine, causing the engine to suddenly stop. Abell had completed 20 carrier landings.
The voyage did not pass without loss because a Wildcat (BuNo 02008) flown by Ens. Oscar A. Cantrell, USNR, failed to return from a routine training flight on Sunday 6 June. The division flew into some light clouds while climbing, and upon emerging out of the top of the clouds noticed that he was missing. The searchers failed to locate the Wildcat or Cantrell.
On the 13th of that month as well, Ens. Buckelew continued to experience his share of ill fortune when a Wildcat (BuNo 12219) he was flying approached for a night landing slightly to the right of Princeton’s flight deck. The landing signal officer gave him a “cut” signal, but the Wildcat did not land on the center in time. The tail hook struck something solid (undetermined in the inky darkness) on the side of the deck and the impact tore it loose, along with about four feet of the after fuselage. Buckelew maintained control of the plane and rolled up the deck into the barrier. The accident damaged the propeller and engine.
Buckelew had completed 38 carrier landings, however, Princeton recorded that “when approaching for night landing, pilots have a tendency to veer to starboard to permit sight contact of the signal officer, thereby causing an off center landing to starboard. It is the opinion of this board that extending the signal officer’s platform at least three feet to port would permit better visibility for the pilots, thereby causing landings to be effected in the center of the deck. This condition is aggravated by extreme darkness of the flight deck.” The ship also lost an SBD-4 (BuNo 10641) of VC-23 on 22 June. The air group completed 1,242 carrier landings during the cruise, and upon their return flew ashore to NRAB Willow Grove for rest and leave.
Shortly thereafter, on 15 July 1943, Princeton was reclassified to a small aircraft carrier (CVL-23). The ship then (21 July–9 August) embarked CVG-23, with VF-23 replacing its Wildcats with 12 F6F-3 Hellcats, and stood out to sea in company with Belleau Wood (CVL-24), with CVG-24 embarked, to fight the Japanese in the Pacific. The two carriers steamed down the east coast, Princeton launching Hellcats for combat air patrols (CAP), and crossed the Caribbean. The vessels reached the Panama Canal on 26 July, where they rendezvoused with Lexington (CV-16), with CVG-16 embarked. The three carriers passed through the canal and two days later turned their prows westward toward Hawaiian waters.
The Pacific Fleet dispatched a plan to the three ships on 7 August 1943, directing them to stage a simulated attack against Oahu to determine the defenders’ alertness. The staffs carefully planned their raid and an hour before dawn on the 9th, the trio of carriers launched their planes from a position about 100 miles out. The attackers swept in on aircraft installations on the island, and only then did U.S. Army Air Force fighters rise to intercept them. Following the raid, the group temporarily flew ashore to Naval Air Station (NAS) Barbers Point, while the ships put in to Pearl Harbor, T.H., and refueled and provisioned. VF-23 served under the Army’s interceptor command, and at least one division was on alert call every morning and generally scrambled. Between the alerts both of CVG-23’s squadrons trained in group exercises, gunnery, and navigation hops.
Princeton arrived at a time when Vice Adm. Raymond A. Spruance, Commander, Fifth Fleet, ordered a number of operations as part of the Allied drive toward the Japanese home islands. Independence (CVL-22) and Princeton therefore transported naval construction battalion men (Seabees) and those of the Seventh Air Force that occupied Nakufetau and Nanomea in the Ellice Islands [Tuvalu] (18–28 August 1943). The sailors and soldiers immediately began building airfields on the islands to support further battles, and Princeton returned to Pearl Harbor. That day (the 28th) as the ship returned to Hawaiian waters, she lost a TBF-1 Avenger (BuNo 05919) of VC-23.
Princeton sortied with Task Force (TF) 11 on the 25th and headed for Baker Island east of the Gilbert Islands [Kiribati]. The ship left her nine Dauntlesses ashore and embarked a dozen F6F-3s of VF-6 in their place, which temporarily raised the ship’s fighter strength to 33 pilots and 24 Hellcats. The task force intended to land the Army’s 804th Aviation Battalion to occupy the island and construct an airfield there, and Rear Adm. Willis A. Lee Jr., led the vessels from his flagship Hercules (AK-41), a cargo ship converted for the purpose. Rear Adm. Arthur W. Radford hoisted his flag in Princeton in command of the force’s Task Group (TG) 11.2, which also included Belleau Wood, and provided daytime air cover. Lockheed PV-1 Venturas from Canton Island flew night patrols over the ships, and a fighter-director team sailed in destroyer Trathen (DD-530). Ashland (LSD-1) also took part in the operation and pioneered the use of the dock landing ship.
While the transports and Ashland disembarked soldiers and disgorged their cargoes shoreward on 1 September 1943, Trathen directed two VF-6 Hellcats, piloted by Lt. (j.g.) Richards L. Loesch Jr., USNR, and Ens. Albert W. Nyquist, USNR, to a radar contact 32 miles away. The fighters discovered a snooping Kawanishi H8K2 Type 2 flying boat and made a high side run and splashed the Emily, which dived into the water and exploded upon impact. The Americans dispatched the Japanese plane so quickly that the enemy did not have time to send a radio report of the landings. Two days later, Trathen again vectored a pair of Fighting Six Hellcats, Lt. (j.g.) Thad T. Coleman Jr., USNR, and Ens. Edward J. Phillipe, USNR, 20 miles to another Emily, which they also splashed into the sea.
Fighting Twenty-three experienced its baptism of fire at about 1300 on 8 September 1943, when the Japanese persistently sent a third Emily to reconnoiter the task force. Two of the squadron’s Hellcats, Lt. Harold N. Funk, and Lt. (j.g.) Leslie H. Kerr Jr., USNR, were patrolling some distance from Baker Island when Trathen vectored them to the enemy. The fighters sighted the Emily and attacked, bracketing the flying boat from a range of 400–500 yards. The Japanese returned fire but the F6F-3s swept past and flew another run, shooting the plane forward of its cockpit, starting fires in the forward section of the fuselage. The enemy ceased fire as the flames engulfed the entire plane, and plummeted to the water and disintegrated upon impact. The squadron marked the battle as its first combat victory. During these interceptions the Hellcats also photographed the flying boats so that intelligence analysts could examine the planes. The ship lost a VF-23 Hellcat (BuNo 25808), however, flown by Ens. W.A. Davis, on the 11th.
Completing the mission on 14 September 1943, Princeton rendezvoused with TF 15, Rear Adm. Charles A. Pownall, for a series of raids against Tarawa, Makin, and Abemama in the Gilberts (18–19 September). Planners orchestrated the strikes in order to decrease Japanese pressure on the occupation of the Ellice Islands and to provide operational training. Princeton carried out a long day of flight operations on the 18th (0338–1815), and VF-23 logged 170 pilot hours that day alone.
A flight of ten VF-23 Hellcats and five Avengers from Princeton joined another seven TBF-1s of Torpedo Squadron (VT) 16 and SBD-5s of VC-24 from Lexington and Belleau Wood, respectively, as the strike group lifted off before dawn and flew 92 miles to Tarawa. Arriving over the atoll 35 minutes before sunrise, they faced considerable Japanese antiaircraft fire as they bombed and strafed vessels, flak positions, and parked aircraft. The attack sank Japanese motor torpedo boats Gyoraitei and Gyoraitei No. 3, left eight bombers, most likely Mitsubishi G4M1 Type 1 attack plane (Bettys), burning, and started fires in the barracks area. The attackers spotted four Bettys flying in the distance on a retiring course but did not intercept them and the enemy winged off. Two Hellcats of VF-6, flown by Lt. Howard W. Crews and Ens. L.W. Gordon, escorted a pair of VC-23 Avengers as the bombers strafed and set afire three Emilys moored in the lagoon.
Hellcats also provided an umbrella of protection over the task force. That afternoon at 1413, a division of four fighters, flown by Lt. (j.g.)’s John P. Altemus (of VF-6), Leon W. Haynes, USNR, Jack D. Madison, USNR, of Moultrie, Ga., and James W. Syme, USNR, of Albuquerque, N. Mex., were vectored toward a Betty. The Hellcats flew seven runs against the bomber, and after the third pass a fire broke out around the Betty’s starboard engine and flames enveloped the cockpit. When the bomber dropped to only 50 feet above the water, it exploded and crashed into the sea. All of the division’s aircraft took part in the battle, but Madison and Syme were credited with the victory. Three of Princeton’s F6F-3 Hellcats (BuNo 25926 and two others) failed to return to the ship that day. In addition, the Japanese shot down two TBF-1s: (BuNo 05916), flown by Lt. (j.g.) Charles M. Branesfield, USNR, over Tarawa, and a second (BuNo 06193), over Makin.
“Congratulations to all hands,” Pownall signaled Princeton’s air group later that night. “Your alertness to meet the enemy in any way he chooses to fight was one of the many highlights of the day. It was well done.”
Aircraft flew a total of seven strikes over both days, and those from Lexington snapped a set of low oblique photographs of the lagoon side of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll, which helped planners prepare for the landings. The Americans lost four planes altogether. The ships then came about and headed back to Pearl Harbor. On their return cruise they crossed the equator on 22 September 1943, and King Neptune and his Royal Court arrived to enliven the event. The Polywogs, those men who had not yet crossed the line, outnumbered the Shellbacks, those who had, many times over, and VF-23’s historian wryly observed that “hence considerable punishment was meted out on both sides”. The evening before the ship crossed the “Polywogs were duly served with subpoenas, listing individual offenses which had been committed during our sojourn aboard and notification was given of costumes which would be worn the following day. After an adequate performance had been given on the flight deck, culminated by all Polywogs running the gauntlet through a long double line of eagerly awaiting Shellbacks, Neptunus Rex accepted all new hands into his Royal Domain”. The day did not pass without tragedy, however, as the ship lost a VC-23 TBF-1 (BuNo 47441) flown by Lt. (j.g.) John R. Marsh, USNR.
The task force returned to Pearl Harbor and Princeton’s group flew ashore to NAS Pearl Harbor on Ford Island, where the 12 pilots from VF-6 returned to their parent squadron. The ship lost a VC-23 Avenger (BuNo 47578) during a training flight on 27 September. Princeton subsequently switched out her air group and doubled-up on the number of fighters. VF-23 numbered 24 F6F-3 Hellcats, while VC-27 moved its nine SBD-5 Dauntlesses ashore and returned to the fighting with only nine TBF-1 Avengers.
In mid-October 1943, Princeton sailed for Espíritu Santo in the New Hebrides [Vanuatu], where she joined TF 38, Rear Adm. Frederick C. Sherman, on the 20th. Saratoga (CV-3), with CVG-12, embarked, and Princeton sailed together in the Relief Carrier Group, TG 50.4, and took part in Operation Cartwheel, the Allied plan to advance toward Rabaul, on New Britain in the Bismarcks. The Japanese had overrun the islands and heavily fortified and garrisoned them, in particula, turning Rabaul and its environs into a veritable fortress. Cartwheel consisted of a number of phases including Operation Cherryblossom—landings by the Third Marine Division, Maj. Gen. Allen H. Turnage, USMC, of the I Marine Amphibious Corps, Lt. Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift, USMC, at Cape Torokina near Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, on 1 November 1943. Rear Adm. Theodore S. Wilkinson led the III Amphibious Force that landed and supported the marines. Aircraft, Solomons, including the Thirteenth Air Force, naval, marine, and Royal New Zealand Air Force squadrons, hurled planes against enemy airfields, vessels, and troops across the region in the days preceding the landings. Fifth Air Force planes also flew strikes from their fields in Australia, primarily against targets around Rabaul.
The SBD 4 and 5s and TBF-1s of VC-38, Marine Scout Bombing Squadron (VMSB) 144, and Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadrons (VMTBs) 143, 232, and 233, covered by Vought F4U-1 Corsairs of VF-17 and Marine Fighting Squadrons (VMFs) 215 and 221, bombed and strafed the Japanese defenders five minutes before the marines landed. A CAP averaging 38 fighters rotated over the beaches and disrupted major Japanese aerial counterattacks. The cruisers and destroyers of TF 39, Rear Adm. Aaron S. Merrill, also shelled targets in the area, and later bombarded Japanese airfields on Shortland Island in the Solomons. The enemy returned fire and damaged Dyson (DD-572).
Rear Adm. Sherman directed the carriers to launch their planes against Japanese airfields and installations in the Northern Solomons at Buka, which lies across the Buka Strait from Bougainville, and against Bonis on the peninsula of the same name on Bougainville, on 1 November 1943. The admiral and his planners intended for the raids to diminish Japanese aerial resistance against the landings at Cape Torokina. The attackers took off before dawn, which resulted in considerable confusion and delays in effecting their rendezvous. The engine failed on an F6F-3 (BuNo 25814), flown by Ens. Robert S. Tyner, USNR, and the Hellcat crashed into the water, though Tyner was rescued and returned to the ship. In addition, another VF-23 Hellcat (BuNo 25930), flown by Lt. (j.g.) David H. Olin, USNR, crashed but a destroyer also picked up the pilot.
Two TBF-1s (BuNos 24071 and 24176) of VC-23, manned by Lt. (j.g.) Charles C. Dyer, USNR, ARM2c James E. Nutt Jr., and AOM2c Richard G. Reinertson, and Ens. Gordon W. Spear, USNR, ARM2c Raymond G. Marshall, and ARM2c David C. Miller, respectively, collided in mid-air. Both Avengers crashed, killing Dyer, Nutt, Reinertson, and Miller, but Spear and Marshall survived and were rescued.
Planes flying from Princeton bombed and strafed the airfield, antiaircraft guns, and ground installations at Bonis, some of the Hellcats boldly dropping to tree-top level, and attacked an enemy merchantman southeast of Sohano Island. A pair of Hellcats, flown by Lt. Cmdr. Miller and Lt. (j.g.) Joe M. Webb, USNR, made two strafing runs on another cargo ship, and four hours later other planes observed that the Japanese beached her. A fighter flown by Lt. (j.g.) Walter J. Kirschke, USNR, strafed a 200–250-foot long cargo ship, towing two barges. The Hellcat made four runs and the strafing started huge fires, the smoke rising nearly 2,000 feet. Three hours later another plane reported that both the ship and her barges continued to burn furiously. Aircraft sank Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 13 west of Shortland Island.
The ship launched another coordinated strike that afternoon, and the planes attacked antiaircraft guns near the airfield at Bonis, and strafed two medium cargo ships near Buka passage. The Dauntlesses and Avengers catered the runway and damaged several Bettys in revetments with 100- and 200-pound general purpose bombs.
The following day on the 2nd, Saratoga and Princeton sent two coordinated strikes against the enemy airfields. Aircraft from Princeton bombed and strafed antiaircraft positions at Bonis, cut down a number of Japanese soldiers, and set fire to barrels of aviation gasoline stored along the edges of the runway. Hellcats furthermore strafed a couple of cargo ships. The enemy fought back fiercely and their antiaircraft fire, largely from 13.2- and 20-millimeter guns. The second attack that afternoon produced VF-23’s first combat loss when the defenders shot down one of Princeton’s F6F-3s (BuNo 66021), piloted by Ens. Leonard C. Keener, USNR, as the Hellcat flew a strafing run, killing Keener. The pilot hailed from Visalia, Calif., and was temporarily assigned to the squadron from VF-12. Ground fire also holed three fighters.
Rear Adm. Ōmori Sentarō led a Japanese force of two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and six destroyers that attempted to counterattack the transports off Bougainville. Merrill took four light cruisers and eight destroyers and intercepted and turned back Ōmori during the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay on the night of 1 and 2 November 1943. Japanese 8-inch gunfire damaged Denver (CL-58); a torpedo sliced into Foote (DD-511); and enemy gunfire and a collision damaged Spence (DD-512) and Thatcher (DD-514). Charles Ausburne (DD-570), Claxton (DD-571), Dyson, Spence, and Stanly (DD-478) sank Japanese destroyer Hatsukaze, which also collided with heavy cruiser Myōkō; and U.S. gunfire sank light cruiser Sendai and damaged heavy cruisers Haguro and Myōkō. In addition, destroyers Samidare and Shiratsuyu collided during the night surface action. Enemy planes attacked the U.S. ships as they retired and damaged Montpelier (CL-57). Sherman followed suit and launched planes for a second (planned) strike on Buka.
The Japanese sought to prevent the Allies from establishing their air power on Bougainville, and concentrated a number of cruisers and destroyers of the Second Fleet, Rear Adm. Takagi Takeo, in Simpson Harbor at Rabaul. On only 14 hours’ notice, Sherman led Saratoga, Princeton, and their screen northward to attack the fleet, at one point taking advantage of foul weather to mask their approach. On the morning of 5 November 1943, the carriers launched their aircraft from a position about 220 miles south-southeast of Rabaul against the vessels in Simpson Harbor.
“As our planes approached,” VF-23’s historian reflected, “the harbor was protected by an umbrella of terrific anti-aircraft fire, the likes of which our boys had never experienced before, and hope never to see again. Japanese fighter planes swarmed the sky, Zekes [Mitsubishi A6M Type 0 carrier fighters], Tonys [Kawasaki Ki-61 Hiens], Hamps [A6M3-32s]—everything the enemy could get airborne.”
The SBD-5s of Bombing Squadron (VB) 12, and TBF-1s and TBF-1Cs of VT-12, flying from Saratoga, and TBF-1s of VC-23 from Princeton, lashed the Japanese ships and shore emplacements. An hour later on 5 November 1943, 27 Consolidated B-24 Liberators of the Fifth Air Force’s 43rd Bomb Group, escorted by 58 Lockheed P-38 Lightnings, roared over the harbor and pounded the wharf area. The joint raid surprised the Japanese with many of their ships refueling and unprepared to sortie and escape, and with most of their planes initially on the ground.
The Americans damaged five Japanese heavy cruisers. Three 500-pound bombs narrowly missed but damaged Atago, killing her captain and 21 crewmen. Chikuma suffered injury from several near misses. A bomb sliced into Maya above one of her engine rooms, severely damaging the cruiser and killing 70 men. A 500-pound bomb tore into Mogami, setting her ablaze, and the ship lost 19 sailors. Two 500-pounders damaged Takao and killed 23 of her company. In addition, a bomb splashed close aboard light cruiser Agano, damaging an antiaircraft gun and killing a gunner, the attackers struck another light cruiser Noshiro, and finally, lightly damaged three destroyers—Amagiri, Fujinami (which lost one man), and Wakatsuki.
F6F-3s of VF-12 from Saratoga and VF-23 from Princeton flew through withering antiaircraft fire to tangle with the enemy on 5 November 1943, and Hellcats from Fighting Twenty-three claimed to splash ten enemy aircraft.
One of VF-23’s Hellcats, flown by Lt. (j.g.) Stanley K. Crockett, USNR, escorted Cmdr. Henry H. Caldwell, who led Saratoga’s CVG-12 in an Avenger containing photographic equipment. Caldwell’s crew comprised ARMC Robert W. Morey and AOM2c Kenneth Bratton. The Hellcat almost failed to accomplish the mission, however, because it suffered mechanical difficulties that made it impossible to lock the wings. Maintainers pushed it over to the side of Princeton’s flight deck while the other planes launched. Crockett determinedly urged them to make every attempt to put the plane in flying condition, and even though both air groups lifted off, rendezvoused, and turned onto their attack heading as planned, he insisted on launching as soon as the crewmen secured the wings. The fighter pilot raced to catch-up to the strike group and overtook them about 20 miles from the carriers, and maneuvered into position slightly above Caldwell’s torpedo plane and a second Hellcat from VF-12, Ens. Roberts. When the trio reached a point about five miles from Rabaul, they took a corresponding position on the other side of the group, and bore in over the mouth of Simpson Harbor at an altitude varying between 13,000–14,000 feet.
The Avenger began snapping photos while Japanese antiaircraft guns on board ships and emplaced around the harbor opened a thunderous barrage, and fighters began to rise to intercept the Americans. The Hellcats doggedly wove back-and-forth around the Avenger to protect the photographic plane while enemy fighters circled in the vicinity. Caldwell assigned targets to the group and ordered them to attack, and the three planes then turned north and skirted the northern shore of Crater [Gazelle] Peninsula. Together the Avenger and the pair of Hellcats reached Talili Bay, where they turned east to make a daring photographic run across the harbor down to 3,500 feet, flying directly into the flak thrown up by the warships and batteries ashore.
The planes emerged from the barrage over Ropopo Airfield and straight into a Japanese fighter, which attacked and damaged the VF-12 Hellcat, cutting the main battery cable and the plane’s electrical power to the cockpit, compelling the Hellcat to retire. Despite the Avenger’s comparatively slow speed and inferior maneuverability to the enemy aircraft, the remaining two planes turned to a defensive formation and came about to escape. Eight Japanese fighters suddenly dived on them with guns blazing, but Crockett undauntedly weaved back-and-forth to protect the group commander. Enemy fire broke his inner cooler and sprung the cowl flaps open.
The Japanese aircraft climbed and then dived for a second pass on 5 November 1943, and the Hellcat tangled with them, shooting down one of the enemy fighters and damaging one of the others. Japanese rounds lanced the Hellcat’s instrument panel, destroying almost everything except the magnetic compass, and shooting the throttle handle out of his hand. Glass from the hood splattered the deck of the cockpit. The damage to the panel forced Crockett to fly “blind”, and the severe injury to the port wing meant that he needed both hands on the stick. Blood flowed from a wound in Crockett’s head and rendered his goggles useless, hits in his arm covered his hands with blood, and wounds in his shoulder, knee, and leg oozed blood on the deck. The pilot could have flown into some nearby clouds for cover, but instead resolutely stayed with Caldwell until they returned to the carriers. Crockett, in his weakened condition, did not remember landing on Princeton, and he collapsed upon landing and crewmen carried him to sick bay. The Japanese fighters riddled the Hellcat with more than 268 bullets and shells, including 54 holes in the cockpit alone, and 180 in the port fuselage and wing.
“Group Commander sends to Fighter pilot Number Three X Your courage, determination and loyalty will be a lasting inspiration to me”, Caldwell messaged Crockett.
As the first planes began to return to Princeton shortly after noon, crewmen anxiously scanned the sky and counted the returnees. Rumors spread that an entire division went down, but as they made the final count, the ship learned that the battle cost her three Hellcats. One of the planes (BuNo 25946), flown by Lt. (j.g.) Madison, started after a couple of Zekes, but another enemy fighter attacked the Hellcat from behind and shot it down. The Japanese shot down two other Hellcats, (BuNo 25840), Lt. Richard E. O’Connell, USNR, of Minneapolis, Minn., and (BuNo 66011), Lt. James A. Smith III, of Richmond, Va., who also died in the fighting. In addition, the enemy downed three Avengers (BuNos 24219 and 24177), piloted by Lt. (j.g.) George F. Scott Jr., USNR, and Lt. (j.g.) William W. Fratus, USNR, respectively, and a third TBF-1 (BuNo 05920).
The ordeal exhausted the surviving aircrewmen, and Sherman ordered the ships to come about and make speed to the southward to be within range of Allied shore based fighter cover. The raid all but eliminated any major threat to the landings in Empress Augusta Bay, and helped to secure the Allied supply lines in the region.
TG 50.3, Rear Adm. Alfred E. Montgomery, built around Bunker Hill (CV-17), Essex (CV-9), and Independence, along with Sherman’s 50.4, launched a second strike on Rabaul at 0830 on 11 November 1943. Saratoga and Princeton reached a position not far from Green Island, northwest of Bougainville, and heavy weather again covered part of their approach that morning. Bunker Hill, Essex, and Independence maneuvered in an area in the Solomon Sea southeast of Rabaul as they flung their strike group against the fortress.
Planes sank destroyer Suzunami, and damaged light cruisers Agano (torpedoed) and Yūbari, and destroyers Naganami, Urakaze, and Wakatsuki. Curtiss SB2C-1s of VB-17 from Bunker Hill made the Helldivers’ first combat runs. Lt. (j.g.) Eugene A. Valencia, USNR, a Hispanic pilot of VF-9, flew an F6F-3 Hellcat from Essex and shot down a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 0 carrier fighter over Rabaul. Valencia went on to score 23 confirmed victories during WWII and his decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross. The attackers withdrew on southerly courses while the Japanese hurled more than 100 planes against them, but fighters intercepted and claimed to splash 35 enemy aircraft without a single loss. The Japanese withdrew their battered ships to Truk [Chuuk] Lagoon in the Caroline Islands.
Following the raids the group refueled at Espíritu Santo on 14 November 1943, and the next day stood out for Nauru. A Hellcat (BuNo 08991) launched from Princeton on the 15th but failed to return. Pownall led TF 50 in two days (18–19 November) of air attacks on the Japanese in the Gilbert Islands during Operation Galvanic—the occupation of the Gilberts. Bunker Hill, Enterprise (CV-6), Essex, Lexington, Saratoga, Yorktown (CV-10), Belleau Wood, Cowpens (CVL-25), Independence, Monterey (CVL-26), and Princeton comprised the main carriers. Eight escort carriers covered the approach of the assault shipping and the landings.
While Pownall struck those targets, Sherman’s TG 50.4 attacked Nauru in support. Princeton and her consorts refueled at a position not far from Nanomea and then steamed northeast, and covered the garrison groups while they steamed enroute to Makin and Tarawa. The carriers then (on the 19th) launched three strikes that blasted the islands and crated the runways, rendering them unserviceable. In the all-day attack, Princeton’s Hellcats splashed two Japanese fighters that attempted to interfere with the air coverage. The ship lost an Avenger (BuNo 23916), however, flown by Ens. R.S. Bates.
Princeton then supported the V Amphibious Corps against bitter resistance on Tarawa, and the landings on Abemama and Makin Atolls. On 20 November a Japanese aerial torpedo damaged Independence. Through 24 November aircraft flew 2,278 close support, CAP, and antisubmarine sorties. On the 24th Japanese submarine I-175 torpedoed and sank escort aircraft carrier Liscome Bay (CVE-56) 20 miles southwest of Butaritari Island, killing 645 men—272 men survived. The submarine escaped. The F6F-3 Hellcats of VF-1 from Barnes (CVE-20) and Nassau (CVE-16) landed on the airstrip at Tarawa as the first planes of the garrison air force on 25 November. A Hellcat (BuNo. 25822) lifted off from Princeton on the 26th but failed to return. Once the marines secured the islands a carrier group remained in the area for an additional week as a protective measure.
Galvanic included the first attempts at night interception from carriers. Lt. Cmdr. Edward H. O’Hare, Commander, CVG-6, and a Medal of Honor recipient, led two F6F-3s and one radar-equipped TBF-1 of VT-6 from Enterprise for that purpose on 26 November. The fighters flew wing on the Avenger, and the Enterprise fighter director vectored them to the vicinity of enemy land-based bombers that dropped flares and attacked TG 50.2. The fighters relied on the Avenger’s radar to close to visual range but failed to intercept the enemy, and in addition, a Japanese Betty shot down O’Hare. Two days later the Hellcats disrupted an enemy attack during the first air battle of its type, and the men involved nicknamed themselves the “Bat Team”. Princeton launched nine strikes in 19 days. The ship exchanged operational aircraft for damaged planes from other carriers, and on the 29th turned for Pearl Harbor and the west coast.
While Princeton charted courses for home on 5 December 1943, she lost a Hellcat (BuNo 40042), piloted by Ens. James B. Hill Jr. On the 11th the ship lost a trio of fighters (BuNos 04904, 08984, and 66013). Nine days later on the 20th, Princeton marked her final Hellcat (BuNo 40053), Ens. Virgil L. Nicklin, loss of the year when the plane crashed as the ship’s squadrons briefly flew ashore to NAS Puunene on Maui, T.H. The carrier meanwhile continued eastward and accomplished an availability at Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton, Wash., primarily focusing on repairing some shaft vibration trouble.
Caption: A starboard side drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships, circa 1943–1944, for a camouflage scheme intended for small aircraft carriers of the Independence (CVL-22) class. Capt. Henry A. Ingram approves the scheme, Camouflage Measure 33, Design 7A, and the Navy applies it to several carriers, including Cowpens, Princeton, and San Jacinto (CVL-30). (U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-160566, National Archives and Records Administration, Still Pictures Division, College Park, Md.)
On 3 January 1944, the increasingly seasoned warship steamed west, and at Pearl Harbor she rejoined the fast carriers of Rear Adm. Marc A. Mitscher’s TF 58 (formerly TF 50), including Bunker Hill, Enterprise, Essex, Intrepid (CV-11), Saratoga, Yorktown, Belleau Wood, Cabot (CVL-28), Cowpens, Langley (CVL-27), and Monterey. While Princeton trained on 11 January she lost an Avenger (BuNo 23980), piloted by Ens. Elwyn P. Eubank, USNR. On the 19th she sortied with TG 58.4, Rear Adm. Samuel P. Ginder, and also consisting of Saratoga and Langley, as part of the task force, to attack the Japanese garrisons of Kwajalein, Maloelap, and Wotje during Operation Flintlock—the occupation of the Marshall Islands. Land-based planes of TF 57, Rear Adm. John H. Hoover, also supported the landings. Princeton lost an Avenger (BuNo 24343), flown by Lt. (j.g.) J.M. Caldwell on 20 January, and a Hellcat (BuNo 08992) of VF-23 over Kwajalein on the 22nd.
Princeton launched her planes for strikes at Wotie and Taroa (29–31 January 1944) to support amphibious landings on Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls. The raids wiped-out the Japanese air strength on those islands. Light enemy antiaircraft fire hit a VF-23 Hellcat (BuNo 40166), flown by Lt. (j.g.) Buckelew, who made a water landing about ten miles east of the island but failed to get clear of his plane before it sank. Several Hellcats and Avengers circled anxiously and observed the landing, but sadly turned back for the carrier when they became convinced that the pilot failed to surface. Some of the Hellcats flew low and below their recommended speed over Wotje on the 31st in order to draw Japanese fire, which hit six of the planes. The squadron staff afterward surmised that the tactic would have been more effective if they had flown their usual tactics of steeper dives and greater speed.
Aircraft from eight escort carriers flew cover and antisubmarine patrols, and scout planes assisted naval bombardments. On 31 January marines and soldiers landed on islands at Kwajalein and Majuro. Into the first three days of February planes from TG 58.3, Rear Adm. Frederick C. Sherman, attacked Japanese aircraft and airfields at Engebi Island at Eniwetok Atoll, Marshalls. On 1 February additional landings occurred on Kwajalein, Namur, and Roi.
Rear Adm. Richmond K. Turner, Commander, Joint Expeditionary Force, TF 51, led the vessels from amphibious force command ship Rocky Mount (AGC 3). The increasing complexity of amphibious operations necessitated the use of command ships and the Marshalls marked their introduction to battle. Rocky Mount provided improved facilities for Capt. Harold B. Sallada, Commander Support Aircraft, who assumed control of Target Combat Air Patrol—a task previously vested in carriers. A Force Fighter Director on Sallada’s staff coordinated fighter direction.
Planes flying from Princeton photographed the next assault target, Eniwetok, on 2 February and on the 3rd returned and followed Sherman’s raids when they began three days of attacks against the airfield on Engebi. A Hellcat (BuNo 04938) flown by Ens. J.B. Boyd attempted to land on board Princeton’s pitching deck at 0945 on the 5th. The plane bounced over the barriers, the tail hook clearing them by about six inches, and although Boyd gave the Hellcat full gun the fighter barely cleared three other fighters parked at the forward end of the flight deck. One of the Hellcats had just taxied forward and its whirling propeller cut off the landing plane’s tail hook. The Hellcat rose and dropped its belly tank and fired all of its remaining ammunition, and then made a barrier crash landing on board Saratoga. The plane incurred minor damage but Boyd escaped unscathed. The ship also lost an Avenger to an accident. Through 7 February Rear Adm. Ginder’s task group supplemented Sherman. Princeton retired to Kwajalein on the 7th.
Capt. William H. Buracker relieved Capt. Henderson of command of Princeton on 7 February 1944. Originally from Virginia, Buracker had graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1919, and served successively in a number of ships and assignments during the interwar period. As the war clouds loomed, he served on board Enterprise, first as the carrier’s navigator (June 1939–June 1940), and then (until July 1941) as Vice Adm. William F. Halsey Jr.’s tactics officer, following which, he shifted to the admiral’s operations officer through July 1942. Buracker thus fought through the early carrier raids against the enemy-held mandated Pacific islands, the Halsey-Doolittle Raid on the Japanese home islands, and the Battle of Midway, and received the Silver Star for his “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity” during those battles. “While under constant threat of attack by air and submarine, the Task Force to which Captain Buracker was attached repeatedly steamed for protracted periods in enemy waters and in close proximity to enemy territory and bases. Largely due to his skill and determination under fire, only minor damage was suffered. In addition, he contributed materially to the marked success of the actions, through which the Task Force inflicted extremely heavy damage on Japanese installations and shipping.” Buracker had boarded the ship at Pearl Harbor and sailed as an understudy to Henderson. “I was to be a make-you-learn for a short operation prior to relieving” Henderson he later reflected.
Princeton returned to the waters off Eniwetok (10–13 February 1944), where her planes struck the beaches for the invasion force. Aircraft flew 118 sorties from Princeton’s flight deck, dropped 23 tons of bombs, and shot 13,000 rounds of machine gun ammunition in strafing attacks.
Two fast carrier groups operated to the west of Eniwetok to neutralize Japanese air and naval forces capable of defending the atoll. These operations permitted the second phase of the Marshall Islands Campaign earlier than the planned date of 10 May during Operation Catchpole—the seizure of Eniwetok. Princeton set out from her anchorage at Roi on 15 February 1944, her embarked group’s two squadrons counting 25 Hellcat pilots and 12 Avenger pilots. On the 16th and 17th, planes from TGs 58.4 including Saratoga, Langley, and Princeton, and 53.6 including Chenango (CVE-28), Sangamon (CVE-26), and Suwannee (CVE-27) supported landings on Engebi Island, and on 18 and 22 February landings on Eniwetok and Parry Islands, respectively.
Some 24 Hellcats from the carriers strafed Japanese trenches on Engebi on the 16th, along with piers and trenches on Eniwetok, and tanks and positions on Parry Island, and set fire to huts on Japtan Island. A total of 16 Avengers (out of 17 launched) flew five strikes and dropped 134 100-pound bombs on trenches and foxholes on Engebi and 36 100-pound bombs in similar targets on Eniwetok. On Strike 1A a VF-23 Hellcat, piloted by Ens. R.F. Cox, USNR, pulled out from about 1,200 feet from a glide run over Engebi but got hit by a machine gun bullet in his lower jaw. Despite a considerable loss of blood, Cox brought his plane back to Princeton and landed safely. A bullet shattered the panel in an Avenger’s cockpit cover over Engebi that day, though the plane also returned to the carrier.
An Avenger (BuNo 25212), flown by Lt. (j.g.) Spear, USNR, took off at 1442 on the 20th to act as the air coordinator for that afternoon’s strike. The plane’s engine failed to give sufficient power to remain airborne long enough to return to the ship, and the runway on Engebi appeared still too rough to risk a landing there. Consequently, the Avenger landed in the water close aboard Hazelwood (DD-531), and the destroyer lowered a boat and rescued the entire crew, all three of whom survived without injuries. The airmen later transferred to Cummings (DD-365), which returned them to the carrier. The following day on the 21st, the ship lost a Hellcat (BuNo 40136) over Eniwetok.
The air group reported that they required at least 50 per cent spare pilots during these battles but consistently fell short of the mark. Fighting Twenty-three reported on board with 25 pilots, “only 23 of whom were effective”. On more than one occasion, the squadron flew 12-plane patrols followed, after a brief period, by another 12-plane patrol. This compelled the men to fly seven or more hours on a single day with very little rest between flights, and contributed greatly to their “incipient staleness” and fatigue.
Lt. Cmdr. Miller furthermore commented on the morale of his men in a separate report on the strikes against Eniwetok. The “older pilots, and those with experience,” the group’s commander reflected, “always had to substitute for the youth and inexperienced who cracked first when the going got tough. This refutes the theory which is advocated by a great many that all one needs in this fighting game is a youngster with spirit and enthusiasm. Combat flying requires the same amount of experience and common sense as a professional ball club. The pilot who is matured and has the will to win always holds up where youth and enthusiasm fail”.
Princeton marked the anniversary of her commissioning by recording that she had steamed 70,701 miles during the first year of service, and launched 44 air strikes that dropped 440,000-pounds of bombs and torpedoes on the enemy. The carrier continued in the battle until the 28th, and came about and retired to Majuro, where she anchored (1–16 March), and then moved to Espíritu Santo to replenish and hold carrier qualification landings. On 23 March, the ship turned her prow to sea and headed westward for strikes against enemy installation and shipping at the Palaus, and at Ulithi, Woleai, and Yap in the Western Carolines. CVG-23 set out on Princeton with 29 Hellcat and 16 Avenger pilots. The group flew in 11 Hellcats and eight Avengers from Luganville Field on Espíritu Santo, which raised the number of aircraft on board to 25 F6F-3s and nine torpedo bombers (two TBF-1s, three TBF-1Cs, and four TBM-1Cs).
Princeton lookouts sighted four to six Bettys circling the formation at low altitude at a range of about 12 miles near sunset on 29 March 1944. The ship tracked the bombers until they disappeared, but numerous radar reports flooded in. About an hour later, some aircraft attacked the group and another ship splashed one of the intruders, which fell burning into the sea about 3,500 yards of Princeton’s starboard quarter.
Immediately thereafter, a Japanese twin-engine plane attacked Princeton on her port quarter. Ships in company opened fire and set the attacker’s right engine ablaze but it plunged toward the carrier as if it intended to carry out a suicide dive. The after 40-millimeter and 20-millimeter guns splashed the attacker barely 400 yards away and it crashed in flames. The two enemy aircraft burned on the water and illuminated the ship, presenting her as a target. The director failed to detect a third plane when it therefore attacked the ship on her port quarter. As the plane passed along her port side and crossed the bow, one of the 40-millimeter mounts and seven of the 20-millimeter guns, the latter firing special night battle ammunition (not tracer), opened fire but apparently missed the attacker. The Japanese aircraft shot a burst of machine gun fire over the planes parked on the flight deck and then winged off.
Vice Adm. Mitscher led the 11 carriers of TF 58 in a series of attacks that kicked off on 30 March. Planners intended for these strikes to eliminate Japanese opposition to landings at Hollandia on northern New Guinea, and to gather photographic intelligence for future battles. Three of the carriers, Bunker Hill, Hornet (CV-12), and Lexington, launched TBF-1C and TBM-1Cs from VTs 2, 8, and 16 that sowed extensive minefields in the approaches to the Palaus in the first U.S. large scale daylight tactical use of mines by carrier aircraft.
Princeton sent Hellcats aloft in the pre-dawn darkness for a combined fighter sweep with Lexington’s planes over the airfield on Peleliu. The ship’s Hellcats failed to rendezvous with those from Yorktown, however, and proceeded independently to the target. The Hellcats observed five Zekes airborne and splashed two of them, and the remaining three disappeared in the clouds. The American fighters then strafed Japanese aircraft parked along the runways and in revetments, setting six planes afire and holing another ten. That night at 1750, a single-engine plane, possibly a Tony, flew over the task group on a westerly course at an altitude of 20,000 feet. The Tony most likely flew a reconnaissance mission and continued on its way.
The ships launched another strike in the grey, somber pre-dawn of 31 March 1944. A dozen Hellcats lifted off from Princeton for CAP and on one of the fighter sweeps over the airfield on Peleliu at 1130 on the 30th. The weather was three tenths cloud cover with unlimited visibility. Two of the planes suffered engine malfunctions and returned to the ship, but the rest headed toward Palau to join aircraft from the other carriers. Division 1, led by Lt. Cmdr. Miller with Ens. Lawrence F. McWilliams, USNR, as his wingman, reached the airfield at 1240 as the sun shone brightly over the battle and dived to the attack from 11,000 feet. Two of the Hellcats, piloted by Lt (j.g.) Syme, and Ens. Frederick James, USNR, claimed shared credit for splashing a Betty as they dropped from above and shot up the bomber’s engines and wing root.
Division 2, led by Lt. Claude C. Schmidt, USNR, sighted a flight of 15–20 Zekes flying at an altitude of 3,000 feet about five miles away. Schmidt warned Miller by radio, and the Hellcats of Division 1 broke off their strafing runs and climbed to give battle. As the opponents tangled, the Hellcat (BuNo 40653) flown by Syme maneuvered before a division of four Zekes flying above and to the side of the main formation, apparently because Syme failed to spot the additional enemy fighters. One of the enemy fighters lunged for the F6F-3’s tail, but Schmidt’s division dived in and downed the A6M. The Hellcats pulled up and splashed two of the remaining three Zekes.
The rival formations split up as the battle degenerated into a series of dogfights, during which the Japanese shot down Syme’s Hellcat over the southwest part of the lagoon and savagely shot and killed the pilot as he fell to earth in his parachute. The enemy also downed another Hellcat (BuNo 25952), Lt. (j.g.) Joe M. Webb, who also perished. A Hellcat’s engine failed while returning from Strike 3C and the pilot ditched in the water. Stanly rescued the man and returned him to Princeton on 2 April.
A Hellcat piloted by Ens. John R. Hill Jr., USNR, claimed to splash up to three enemy fighters in the dogfighting, and two flown by Lt. Abell and Ens. James each claimed to splash a Zeke in the air and destroy a second fighter on the ground. James also claimed another Zeke in the dogfighting, and shared in the victory against a Betty. Enemy light antiaircraft fire hit two Hellcats, and they, along with three others, experienced some anxious moments as they returned to the carriers low on fuel, and finally landed on board Bunker Hill. One plane touched down with only three gallons of fuel remaining, and another with barely eight. Fragments entered the cockpit of a Hellcat flown by Ens. George B. Muhlfeld, USNR, of Englewood, N.J., and struck him in his head and fractured his leg. Despite Muhlfeld’s loss of blood, he stoically landed on Princeton’s flight deck, slammed into the barrier, but survived. The Japanese fighters that Princeton’s planes splashed also included at least one Kawasaki Ki-45 (Toryu) Nick and a Hamp. CVG-23’s planes claimed to shoot down 17 Japanese aircraft (plus one probable) in the air.
A special flight of four Hellcats later escorted a pair of Vought OS2U-3 Kingfishers from Observation Squadron (VO) 6 flying from battleship Alabama (BB-60) that unsuccessfully searched for Syme in the hope that he survived his descent. “The promptness with which the OS2Us were dispatched on this search,” Miller reported, “and the fact that the search was conducted both within and outside Palau Lagoon, has had a most beneficial effect on pilot morale.”
Planes flying from Princeton dropped 11½ tons of bombs. The raids continued until 1 April 1944, and altogether claimed the destruction of 157 Japanese aircraft, sank destroyer Wakatake, repair ship Akashi, aircraft transport Goshu Maru, and 38 other vessels, damaged four ships, and denied the harbor to the enemy for an estimated six weeks. Despite Miller’s earlier admonishment concerning the younger men under his command, he reported that the “performance of Air Group 23 throughout this operation has been of an exceptionally high order, both in combat and in routine operations”. The force replenished at Majuro, though Princeton lost a Hellcat (BuNo 66094) en route to Majuro on the 3rd.
Mitscher’s TF 58 next supported the assault of the Army’s I Corps at Aitape and Tanahmerah Bay (Operation Persecution) and at Humboldt Bay on Hollandia (Operation Reckless) on the north coast of New Guinea. Princeton and her escorts sortied again on 13 April 1944, and on the 21st five heavy and seven light carriers launched preliminary strikes through foul weather on Japanese airfields around Hollandia, Sawar, and Wakde. Planes from Princeton attacked the Cyclops Airdrome, situated near other airfields at Hollandia and Sentani to the west of Humboldt Bay. The ship’s strike group dropped fragmentation clusters, incendiaries, and 100-pound bombs against the runway and dispersal area, and strafed the runways and dispersal points. The attackers started some fires but because of the smoke, and because several groups attacked the same area and damaged many of the aircraft, could not make accurate battle damage assessments. The following day, the carriers covered landings at Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay, and Humboldt Bay, and on the 23rd Hellcats flying from the ship strafed two Japanese barges and a 125-foot boat at Matterer Bay. Three Avengers dropped nine depth bombs on, and a pair of Hellcats strafed, a concentration of troops and vehicles on the Pim-Hollandia Road. Into the 24th, the ships supported troop movements ashore.
Hellcats flown by Lt. (j.g.) Gregory J. Darby, USNR, Ens. Inmon T. Bledsoe, USNR, of Fort Worth, Texas, Ens. Lawrence O. Brugger, USNR, Ens. Hill, shared in a victory when they claimed to splash a Betty during the aerial fighting on the 24th. That busy day Bledsoe and Hill also claimed a Nick.
Planes from Chenango, Coral Sea (CVE-57), Corregidor (CVE-58), Manila Bay (CVE-61), Natoma Bay, Sangamon, Santee (CVE-29), and Suwannee flew cover and antisubmarine patrols over ships of the Attack Group during the approach, and supported the amphibious assault at Aitape. Princeton and her group then crossed back over the International Date Line to raid Truk (29–30 April). The aircraft concentrated on the Japanese seaplane station on the south tip of Moen [Weno] Island, where they destroyed three floatplanes on the ramp and damaged some of the buildings. Shortly after making these runs, Hellcats splashed a Nakajima Ki-44 (Shōki) Tojo, and a Tony dived on two Avengers but the turret gunners shot down their assailant. Princeton lost a Hellcat (BuNo 04919) over Truk on the first day of the raids.
The carriers launched a further raid against Ponape [Pohnpei] on the 1st of the month. Carrier aircraft claimed to destroy 30 Japanese planes in the air and 103 on the ground altogether during these raids. Princeton launched 548 sorties that dropped 29 tons of bombs and ripped enemy installations with more than 22,000 machine gun bullets (14 April–3 May).
Princeton returned to Pearl Harbor for minor repairs on 11 May 1944, where CVG-23 culminated its successful association with the ship as the group went ashore. The men of the two squadrons then embarked on board Altamaha (CVE-18) and traveled to NAS Alameda, Calif. (13–18 May), where they took “rehabilitation leave” before moving on to various stations for further training.
Following fighting in the South Pacific during the Guadalcanal Campaign, VF-27 had reformed on 15 October 1943, at NAS Alameda, Cmdr. Jack Roudebush in command. The squadron moved to Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Watsonville, Calif., for additional training, while VT-27 shifted to NAAS Hollister, Calif. Both squadrons received an influx of replacements, and the Hellcat pilots qualified on board Copahee (CVE-12) off San Francisco Bay (26–29 February 1944). The following month the two squadrons united at Hollister for further training, and then (23–31 March) boarded Barnes (CVE-20) for the voyage to Pearl Harbor. From there, they flew to NAS Kahului on Maui, from which station VF-27 carried out additional training on board Midway (CVE-63) off Oahu (4–7 May). The two squadrons formed CVG-27, Lt. Cmdr. Ernest W. Wood Jr. The air group reported on board Princeton on the 14th, and the ship began loading the group’s 24 F6F-3s of VF-27 and nine TBM-1Cs of VT-27.
Fighting Twenty-seven’s time on board Princeton began less than auspiciously, however, when the squadron lost a Hellcat (BuNo 42123), Ens. G.J. McCormick, the following day. The carrier then completed an availability at Pearl Harbor Navy Yard (18–28 May), and on the 29th shoved off for Majuro, which she reached on 4 June.
There she rejoined the fast carriers and on that date as part of TG 38.3 pointed her bow toward the Marianas to support Operation Forager—landings in those islands. Princeton joined the other carriers in TG 58.3 in strikes on 11 June 1944, when she sent Hellcats for a fighter sweep against the Japanese forces on Saipan. The following day the ship began a rolling series of raids against the enemy on Guam, Rota, Tinian, Pagan, and Saipan (12–18 June). Mitscher threw some of those strikes against the Japanese garrison on Saipan 13 June, when carrier planes sank aircraft transport Keiyo Maru, which had been damaged in the fighter sweep on 11 June, and annihilated a convoy of small cargo vessels and sank Myogawa Maru, No. 11 Shinriki Maru, Sekizen Maru, Shigei Maru, and Suwa Maru. Hellcats also attacked a Japanese convoy spotted the previous day and damaged fast transport T.1 southwest of the Marianas. Hellcats of VF-27 flying from Princeton splashed a Nick at 0914 at the 12th.
Princeton planes supported the marines and soldiers when they stormed Saipan on 15 June 1944. Aircraft from an initial force of 11 escort carriers covered the landings. Japanese planes operating from ashore attacked the ships that evening at about 1820, and F6F-3s of VF-51 from San Jacinto flying CAP splashed six of seven “dive bombers” -- likely Yokosuka D4Y1 Type 2 carrier bombers, known as Judys -- approaching the carriers at high altitude. At 1909 seven twin-engined bombers -- tentatively identified as Yokosuka P1Y Frances -- attacked from ahead. Some of the attackers dropped torpedoes, at least one of which passed Enterprise close aboard to port. Carrier fighters intercepted the attackers and splashed a number of them. “I recall,” Buracker said, “that there were at least six flaming [Japanese] planes in our immediate vicinity at one time.” In addition, other ships in the formation fired antiaircraft guns and 40 millimeter rounds struck Enterprise several times, killing one man and wounding 26 others, and causing superficial damage to the superstructure. The following day on the 16th planes from Princeton struck Guam, but the Japanese downed two Hellcats: (BuNo 41484), flown by Ens. F. Kleffner, USNR, and a second F6F-3 (BuNo 42066). A destroyer rescued Kleffner and on 15 July returned him to the ship. Five Martin PBM-3D Mariners of Patrol Squadron (VP) 16 began patrolling from seaplane tender Ballard (AVD-10) within range of guns on Saipan on 17 June.
Forager penetrated the inner defensive perimeter of the Japanese Empire and thus triggered A-Go—a Japanese counterattack that led to the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Their First Mobile Fleet, Vice Adm. Ozawa Jisaburō in command, included carriers Taihō, Shōkaku, Zuikaku, Chitose, Chiyōda, Hiyō, Junyō, Ryūhō, and Zuihō. The Japanese intended for their shore-based planes to cripple Mitscher’s air power in order to facilitate Ozawa’s strikes—which were to refuel and rearm on Guam. Japanese fuel shortages and inadequate training bedeviled A-Go, however, and U.S. signal decryption breakthroughs enabled attacks on Japanese submarines that deprived the enemy of intelligence, raids on the Bonin and Volcano Islands disrupted Japanese aerial staging en route to the Marianas, and their main attacks passed through U.S. antiaircraft fire to reach the carriers.
Vice Adm. Mitscher’s TF 58 included Bunker Hill, Enterprise, Essex, Hornet, Lexington, Wasp (CV-18), Yorktown, Bataan (CVL-29), Belleau Wood, Cabot, Cowpens, Langley, Monterey, Princeton, and San Jacinto. The ships steamed west to intercept the Japanese fleet.
Throughout the day on 19 June 1944, TF 58 repelled Japanese air attacks and slaughtered their planes in the ensuing Battle of the Philippine Sea, in what Navy pilots dubbed the “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.” Cmdr. David S. McCampbell, Commander, CVG-15, flew an F6F-3 from Essex and splashed at least seven Japanese planes. Princeton’s planes claimed 30 kills and her guns another three, plus one assist, adding to the ruinous toll inflicted on Japanese aircraft. A Hellcat flown by Lt. Warren E. Lamb, VF-27’s operations officer, sighted a flight of enemy torpedo planes winging toward Princeton, flew on their tails while reporting their approach, and then tore in and splashed at least one of them during the ensuing battle. Another Hellcat, Ens. Gordon A. Stanley, USNR, tangled with the Japanese and claimed to splash four fighters.
The Americans did not attain the victory without cost, however, as the enemy shot down Lt. Cmdr. Wood in his F6F-3 Hellcat (BuNo 42056), west of Guam. The command of Princeton’s air group devolved upon Lt. Cmdr. Frederic A. Bardshar, the commanding officer of VF-27, who then led both the group and the squadron. The ship also lost a second Hellcat (BuNo 42121, Lt. (j.g.) Vanburen Carter, USNR, also west of Guam.
While the formation steered southeasterly courses at 1036, pickets reported Japanese aircraft approaching bearing 265°, distance 53 miles. Some of the planes broke through the CAP and two Nakajima B6N1 carrier attack planes made a torpedo attack on Princeton’s starboard beam, but the ship’s guns splashed both Jills. Shortly after noon, a third Jill roared in from starboard and dropped a torpedo at the carrier. Princeton turned hard right to reduce the target angle and her guns shot off part of the attacker’s wing, and the plane crashed into the water ahead. Albacore (SS-218) and Cavalla (SS-244) sank Taihō and Shōkaku in separate attacks, respectively, and Japanese suicide aircraft narrowly missed Bunker Hill and Wasp.
The following afternoon Mitscher launched an air attack at extreme range on the retreating Japanese ships. The strike sank Hiyō and two fleet oilers, and damaged Zuikaku, Chiyōda, and Junyō. Despite the risk of submarine attacks, Mitscher ordered his ships to show their lights in order to guide the returning aircraft, thus saving lives when the planes consumed fuel. The night degenerated into chaos as pilots desperately sought carriers or ditched in the water, and after the carriers recovered the last of the aircraft, the formation turned to westerly courses. The Japanese lost 395 carrier planes and an estimated 50 land-based aircraft from Guam. The Americans lost 130 aircraft and 76 pilots and aircrewmen.
While the Americans won the Battle of the Philippine Sea the fighting continued ashore. Manila Bay and Natoma Bay (CVE-62) ferried aircraft to operate from captured airfields. On 17 June Stinson OY-1 Sentinels of Marine Observation Squadron (VMO) 4 arrived ashore, followed on 22 and 24 June by USAAF Republic P-47 Thunderbolts and Northrop P-61 Black Widows. Princeton launched planes to support the soldiers and marines, but on the 24th the Japanese shot down a Hellcat (BuNo 42083), piloted by Ens. Anson W. Munson, USNR. An OS2U-3 of VO-6 from Washington (BB-56), however, rescued Munson and returned him to Princeton.
On 29 June 1944 the Navy standardized carrier air groups and CVG-27 became Small Carrier Air Group (CVLG) 27. On Independence Day Japanese antiaircraft fire shot down a Hellcat (BuNo 42107), flown by Ens. Edward W. Lynn, USNR, over Orote, Guam. The following day the ship lost another fighter (BuNo 42112), Lt. J. R. Rodgers, USNR, over the embattled island—Rodgers was rescued. Organized resistance ended on Saipan on 9 July, and Princeton in the interim refueled and replenished.
Returning to the Marianas, Princeton again struck Pagan, Rota, and Guam beginning on 12 July 1944, then replenished at Eniwetok (9–14 July). On 14 July she stood out to sea as the fast carriers returned their squadrons to the fighting for the Marianas to furnish air cover for the assault and occupation of Guam and Tinian. The ships sent their planes aloft for four days straight to crater the runways on Guam and Rota, in order to prevent the enemy from staging their aircraft through the fields. The raiders furthermore bombed antiaircraft gun positions, military buildings, and installations. Japanese flak proved heavy and accurate, and their guns shot down one of the Hellcats (BuNo 41375) of VF-27 flying from Princeton on the 19th, and the following day a second fighter (BuNo 42164). The Americans landed on Guam on the 21st, and three days later on Tinian. Princeton logged the loss of a Hellcat (BuNo 42090) on the 28th.
On 2 August 1944, the force returned to Eniwetok and Princeton replenished, carried out upkeep, and worked on her boilers while anchored there through the 29th. CVLG-27, Lt. Cmdr. Bardshar, counted 25 F6F-3s of VF-27, still also led by Bardshar, and nine TBM-1Cs of VT-27, led by Lt. Cmdr. Sebron M. Haley Jr., USNR. The ship completed her work and then conducted a short period of training exercises. Despite liberating the Marianas, Allied planners believed that a base in the western Carolines would support the advance toward the Philippines and chose the Palau Islands. The Allies therefore carried out a series of wide-flung raids to reduce enemy strength and to divert them from the forthcoming operations.
Princeton sailed with TG 38.3 as part of TF 38 for Philippine waters on 29 August 1944. On the final day of the month the ship lost a Hellcat (BuNo 42045). Princeton crossed the equator while holding a westerly course on 1 September 1944. The carriers then (6–8 September) launched strikes against Japanese airfields and installations on Palau while en route to Philippine waters. An unopposed fighter sweep disclosed extensive damage inflicted by earlier raids. The force steamed onward and then (9–10 September) struck airfields on northern Mindanao in the Philippines. While other carriers hurled their planes against Del Monte Airfield and its environs, Princeton maintained CAP and antisubmarine patrols for the task group. The ship nonetheless lost an Avenger (BuNo 16897) on the 9th, and the next day another (BuNo 45947), flown by Ens. W.J. Burgess. On the following day, 11 September, Enterprise, Lexington, and Princeton launched aircraft that pounded the Visayas. Airplanes from Princeton struck targets as far west as Iloilo on Panay Island, as well as airfields and miscellaneous targets on Negros, Cebu, and Mactan. The raiders destroyed planes on the ground, and set fires in barracks, repair facilities, and oil storage. A Hellcat, flown by Ens. Oliver L. Scott, USNR, was forced down on Japanese-held Masbate, but rescuers retrieved the pilot from his perilous predicament.
Aircraft of TG 38.4 and four escort carriers of Rear Adm. William D. Sample’s Carrier Unit One then (15–18 September 1944) supported Operation Stalemate II—the landings of the 1st Marine Division on Peleliu. The Japanese had prepared their main line of resistance inland from the beaches to escape naval bombardment, and three days of preliminary carrier air attacks in combination with intense naval gunfire failed to suppress the tenacious defenders. The Army’s 81st Infantry Division later reinforced the marines and the final Japanese only surrendered on 1 February 1945.
Princeton returned to the attack against the Japanese forces in the Philippines when she took part in a series of strikes against Luzon, concentrating on Clark and Nichols fields (21–22 September 1944). Bardshar led the initial sweep of 48 fighters from Belleau Wood, Cabot, Cowpens, Langley, Monterey, Princeton, and San Jacinto on the morning of the 21st. The Hellcats strafed grounded Japanese planes on Nichols Field, and some of the surviving enemy fighters rose and the opponents fought a series of swirling dogfights in the skies over the airfield that continued out over Manila harbor and Cavite Island and culminated over Laguna del Ray, to the southeast of Manila.
The fighters flying from Princeton claimed to shoot down 38 Japanese aircraft with the loss of a single fighter (BuNo 43996). Lt. Lamb, who had been promoted to VF-27’s executive officer, made a forced landing on Lake Taal, about 60 miles south of Manila. Hellcats circled defensively overhead to cover Lamb as some men in a small boat, who appeared friendly, approached and spirited Lamb away. The squadron returned to the ship mournfully unaware of Lamb’s fate until he showed up in Pearl Harbor on 18 November. The pilot explained that he spent nearly seven weeks in the bush with Filipino guerilla fighters, and returned with some important intelligence information. Five Hellcats also suffered damage.
Despite the (likely) exaggerated victory claims, a problem common to all pilots, enemy aerial opposition virtually disappeared by the following day, mute testimony to the effectiveness of the raids. The strike group returned to their respective carriers, and Princeton maintainers began repairing the five holed Hellcats. An approaching typhoon compelled the Americans to cancel their planned launches that afternoon, and the vessels came about to evade the tempest.
Pausing only long enough to refuel, the ships continued their raids into the Philippines on 24 September 1944. Aircraft flew from Princeton’s flight deck to join a strike group that bombed Coron on Masbate, and made a fighter sweep over Negros and Panay. The group flew more than 700 miles to Coron and back, and off Calamian Island in Coron Bay sank Japanese flying boat support ship Akitsushima, cargo ship Kyokusan Maru and army cargo ship Taiei Maru; and damaged ammunition ship Kogyo Maru, army cargo ship Olympia Maru, cargo ships Ekkai Maru and Kasagisan Maru, supply ship Irako, oiler Kamoi and small cargo ship No. 11 Shonan Maru. Off Masbate, the planes sank auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 39 and auxiliary minesweeper Wa 7, merchant cargo ship Shinyo Maru, cargo ships No. 2 Koshu Maru and No. 17 Fukuei Maru, and transport Siberia Maru. Altogether the raiders sank 39 Japanese vessels including destroyer Satsuki. An aviator from Princeton made a forced water landing about five miles west of Milagros, and an OS2U-3 of VO-8 from Massachusetts (BB-59) later rescued the man. Not to be outdone, the Kingfisher attacked a damaged Japanese vessel and a pier as it flew the pilot to safety.
Princeton swung around and anchored at Kossol Roads, just north of Babeldaob at Palau, on the 27th. “I might say that we considered it none too secure,” Buracker recalled. “We were only about five miles from the north tip of Babelthuap [Babeldaob] Island, the largest island of the atoll and still inhabited by thousands of [Japanese troops]. Also there were submarines in the vicinity, none inside the anchorage, but some were reported in the immediate vicinity of the entrance. For several days we would use the anchorage during the daytime for logistic purposes, proceeding to sea for the nights.” Princeton thus shifted anchorages and spent the latter part of September at Ulithi for “logistic purposes”, where she took on needed provisions, stores, and replacement aircraft, certain aircraft supplies, and bombs. The reinforcements and replacements that reached CVLG-27 raised the group’s strength to 36 pilots, 18 F6F-3s, and seven F6F-5s of VF-27, and 16 pilots and nine TBM-1Cs of VT-27. A typhoon swept through the area and the warship spent two rough days while she headed out to sea and rode out the storm.
Capt. John M. Hoskins reported on board as Princeton’s prospective commanding officer while she lay at the atoll. A native of Kentucky, Hoskins had attained extensive experience in naval aviation. He served on board Memphis (CL-13) when she carried Charles A. Lindbergh home from Cherbourg, France, following his famed Atlantic crossing in 1927, and a decade later took part in the search for aviatrix Amelia M. Earhart and her crewman, Frederick J. Noonan. Hoskins then served consecutively as the air officer and the executive officer on board Ranger (CV-4) during the early days of World War II. Buracker and Hoskins attended a conference with Rear Adm. Sherman, during which they decided that Hoskins would “ride” with the ship as a passenger for the forthcoming operation, in order to better familiarize himself with the carrier prior to taking command.
Vice Adm. Mitscher then (October 1944) took TF 38 and struck Japanese reinforcement staging areas in the opening blow of the campaign to liberate Leyte in the Philippines. Princeton set out with TG 38.3 on the 5th and rendezvoused with the other three carrier task groups, and proceeded northwest. A Hellcat, Ens. Lyle A. Erickson, USNR, crashed into the water while taking off from Princeton on 8 October, killing Erickson. Aircraft from 17 carriers bombed airfields on Okinawa and other islands of the Ryūkyūs and sank 29 vessels on 10 October. The following day, planes struck airfields on northern Luzon in preparation for raids on the Japanese bastion of Formosa [Taiwan].
From 12 to 14 October 1944 the force then attacked ships, aerodromes, and industrial plants on Formosa and the Pescadores [Penghu] Islands and sank 22 vessels. The ships operated at various distances from the islands, but at times closed until lookouts sighted land on the horizon. Princeton also launched aircraft that flew photographic reconnaissance missions and obtained valuable intelligence data on the enemy forces and positions. The Americans attempted to surprise the Japanese, and although enemy reconnaissance planes sometimes detected the fleet, the carriers launched their strikes unhindered on each of the raids. Princeton recorded the loss of a Hellcat (BuNo 41382) on the 12th.
The carriers sent their strikes aloft without interference but the raids even so drew heavy Japanese aerial counterattacks. Lexington steamed seven miles from South Dakota (BB-57) when she opened fire on the first enemy plane recorded by the battleship at 0545 on the 12th. A Betty dropped chaff, a cloud of tiny, thin strips of aluminum spread as radar countermeasures also known as window, bearing 140°, range 50 miles. The chaff showed only faintly on the SK air search radar and partly deceived the U.S. defenses. Hellcats of VF-27 flying from Princeton nonetheless splashed the Betty at 0825.
On 13 October a kamikaze suicide plane crashed Franklin (CV-13), and the next day bombs damaged Hancock (CV-19), but both ships determinedly battled their damage. Late on the afternoon of the 14th, enemy torpedo bombers launched a coordinated counterattack against the fleet. The planes approached from different directions and dropped a number of torpedoes close aboard Princeton, but the carrier combed the wakes and escaped damage. The ship sent additional fighters into the air just before dark to intercept a Japanese group comprising an estimated 16 Frances’, and they radioed “Tallyho!” as they claimed to splash 13 of the attackers and damaged the remaining three, without loss. The surviving Frances’ jettisoned their torpedoes and came about and escaped in heavy weather. Destroying Japanese air power on Formosa paved the way on 14 and 16 October for USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress raids on aircraft plant and airfield facilities on the island. Princeton and her group came about from the strikes on Formosa and steamed to a position about 300 miles to the eastward for fuel, where they operated in what Buracker termed the “firing line” to support the landings in the Philippines.
Caption: Ships’ antiaircraft guns fill the sky with flak bursts as a Japanese plane crashes not far from Princeton off Formosa, 14 October 1944. The battleship in the distance is most likely Alabama (BB-60) or South Dakota (BB-57). (U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-285050, National Archives and Records Administration, Still Pictures Division, College Park, Md.)
On 14 October 1944, the carriers launched a second raid on northern Luzon, and the following day a sweep over the Manila area. These strikes in total destroyed an estimated 438 Japanese aircraft in the air and 366 on the ground, and in combination with other battles effectively cleared the skies for landings on Leyte. The Army’s 6th Ranger Battalion landed on Dinagat and Suluan Islands at the entrance to Leyte Gulf to destroy Japanese installations capable of providing early warning of a U.S. attack, on 17 October. The garrison on Suluan transmitted an alert that prompted Japanese Commander in Chief Combined Fleet Adm. Toyoda Soemu to order SHO-1—an operation to defend the Philippines. The raid thus helped to bring about the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Adm. Halsey, Commander, Third Fleet, led nine fleet and eight light carriers. Vice Adm. Thomas C. Kinkaid, Commander, Seventh Fleet, led 18 escort carriers organized in Task Units 77.4.1, 77.4.2, and 77.4.3 and known as Taffys 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Japanese shortages of fuel compelled them to disperse their fleet into the Northern (decoy), Central, and Southern Forces that converged separately on Leyte Gulf. Attrition had reduced the Northern Force’s 1st Mobile Force, Vice Adm. Ozawa Jisaburō in command, to carrier Zuikaku and light carriers Chitose, Chiyōda, and Zuihō. In the Sibuyan Sea U.S. planes attacked the Central Force, Vice Adm. Kurita Takeo in command, and sank battleship Musashi south of Luzon. Aircraft also attacked the Southern Force as it proceeded through the Sulu Sea, and sank destroyer Wakaba and damaged battleships Fusō and Yamashiro.
Princeton and TG 38.3 cruised off Luzon, and the ship launched her planes against airfields there to prevent Japanese land based aircraft attacks on Allied vessels massed in Leyte Gulf. The task group comprised four carriers: Essex (in which Sherman broke his flag), Lexington (Mitscher’s flagship), Langley, and Princeton, with CVGs 15 and 19, and CVLGs 44 and 27, embarked, respectively. Princeton lost a Hellcat (BuNo 70412) when two of the planes collided in mid-air while flying CAP, killing one of the pilots, Ens. George E. Arnot, USNR, on the 22nd.
Submarines and planes meanwhile reported the movements of the Japanese vessels toward Philippine waters, and overnight on 23 and 24 October 1944, the task group steamed to a position about 150 miles east of Manila. From that point, the carriers fueled and armed their planes overnight, and prepared for their three-fold task: first, to send a fighter sweep over Manila; secondly, to dispatch air searches about 300 miles to the eastward of the Philippines line; and thirdly, to furnish CAP and antisubmarine patrols. Princeton sounded general quarters at 0520 and set Material Condition Able. Crewmen led out fire hoses in the hangar and on the flight deck, and the cooks prepared to feed the crew at their battle stations, as the ship’s company anticipated a long stretch at general quarters.
The ongoing strikes provoked a Japanese counterattack and enemy aircraft reconnoitered the formation prior to dawn on 24 October 1944, and vectored large attack groups from Clark and Nichols Fields toward the ships. Broken clouds and intermittent rain squalls that drenched the area and impeded operations punctuated the morning. Essex and Lexington launched their own search planes, and Essex sent a strike group of 20 aircraft against Japanese airfields in the Manila area. Langley and Princeton sent their aircraft aloft for patrols, beginning at 0600. Princeton launched eight Hellcats in two divisions for a CAP at 0610, and they intercepted and splashed two Japanese reconnaissance planes that attempted to reconnoiter the task group. Hellcats from Langley also claimed to splash a couple of Japanese reconnaissance planes.
At 0750 radar detected a large formation of enemy planes approaching TG 38.3, and five minutes later a second wave of approximately 40 enemy high level bombers and torpedo-carrying aircraft about 15 miles behind the first formation and 40 miles to the west of the task group. Sherman ordered Princeton to launch three additional divisions of Hellcats, and two aerial battles ensued as fighters from Lexington’s VF-20 and Princeton’s VF-27 intercepted and dueled with their determined foes (0750–0845). Cmdr. McCampbell flew an F6F-3 with his wingman, Lt. (j.g.) Roy W. Rushing, USNR, as they led Hellcats from Essex and broke-up the formation, downing nine aircraft (claiming 15). McCampbell subsequently received the Medal of Honor for this occasion and for the action on 19 June. Hellcats flying from Princeton claimed to splash a number of enemy aircraft. One flown by Ens. Thomas J. Conroy, USNR, claimed to account for six and shared another, while planes piloted by Lt. Carl A. Brown Jr., USNR, Lt. James E. Shirley, USNR, and Lt. (j.g.) Eugene P. Townsend, USNR, claimed to knock down five Japanese aircraft each.
The Japanese shot down one of Princeton’s Hellcats (BuNo 41435), killing the pilot, Ens. Scott. The enemy damaged another couple of fighters, one of which, flown by Lt. Ralph S. Taylor, USNR, landed back on board holed and with a bullet through Taylor’s leg. Two other Hellcats, piloted by Bardshar and Lt. Brown, landed on other carriers badly shot up. The ships began evasive maneuvering, and took advantage of the rain squalls to temporarily evade the attackers.
The Americans meanwhile received word of the Japanese ships crossing the Sibuyan Sea. Some enemy reconnaissance aircraft shadowed the task group from a range of 20–30 miles but the vessels otherwise operated in what appeared to be a clear sky, so Sherman determined to go ahead with the strike he had scheduled for 0900. The carriers prepared to launch their TBM-1C Avengers against the enemy ships, and Princeton’s strike group comprised nine Avengers, escorted by eight Hellcats. In the event that they failed to locate the enemy fleet, they were to attack ships in Manila Bay.
Princeton needed to recover some of the Hellcats she had sent aloft earlier in order to refuel and reservice them for their escort mission. Buracker decided to recover a dozen Hellcats, so that they would have at least eight fighters available for further action. The ship moved into the wind to begin recovering her fighters at 0900, and sailors shifted six fully fueled Avengers, each loaded with a single Mark 13, torpex-loaded torpedo, and carrying wing fuel tanks for extra range, to the fore and aft line on the port side of the hangar deck to make room on the flight deck for the returning Hellcats. Beginning overnight and continuing throughout the morning, sailors stowed nine charged torpedo air flasks in the torpedo stowage C-101B, immediately aft of the hangar. In addition, they moved in an overload of 400 100-pound general purpose bombs and 65 fragmentation clusters, which they had not been able to accommodate in the magazines.
The experienced ship’s captain expected some of the Hellcats to land shot up, and true to form, the first plane that recovered did so riddled, one of the rounds having passed through the cockpit and wounded the pilot’s leg. Buracker grew concerned about the delays in landing the planes, and only ten of the Hellcats landed on board Princeton in rapid succession within the first few minutes, while two more flew protectively.
Essex reported a possible “bogey” (unidentified aircraft) six miles to the northwest at 0912 on 24 October 1944. A fresh breeze touched the air and low clouds drifted over Princeton as she recovered the other two Hellcats and, at 0938, steamed 24 knots off the starboard bow of Reno (CL-96). A lone Japanese plane, tentatively identified by a lookout as a Yokosuka D4Y1 Type 2, suddenly emerged from the clouds above Princeton. The ship turned 20° left rudder and opened fire as the Judy dived and at 1,500 feet the plane released two 550-pound bombs. The first one missed and splashed close aboard the ship but the second hit between the elevators, about 15 feet off the centerline to port at frame 98 on the flight deck. The bomb crashed through the midships of the flight deck, leaving a hole between 14 and 16 inches in diameter, went through an Avenger on the hangar deck, pierced the hangar and main decks, and detonated in B-204-2L on the second deck or between or just above that deck.
The Judy leveled off at 1,000 feet and flew past the formation. Reno also fired at the enemy plane and spotters believed that she hit it. An F6F-3 of VF-19 flying from Lexington later splashed a Judy, which some of the observers involved surmised might have been the one that attacked Princeton.
The bomb’s impact appeared to inflict relatively minor structural damage, and men in the central station felt the impact as a dull jar. “When this bomb hit I felt no immediate major concern,” Buracker reflected. “I saw the hole, which was small…and I visualized slapping on a patch in a hurry and resuming operations.” The attack started a gasoline fire in the wreckage of the Avenger through which the bomb passed, however, and flames shot down through engineering spaces aft and back into the hangar. White smoke emerged from seams in the flight deck by 0945, indicating intense heat in the hangar.
The bomb struck near a damage control station, and thick smoke prevented crewmen from using the station. The blast wounded a phone talker but the man bravely stayed at his station to report the situation as the flames trapped him. The heat drove his two companions from the compartment and they could not save him.
Cmdr. Joseph N. Murphy, the executive officer, manned his battle station in the Combat Information Center when the bomb struck, and proceeded to the scene of the fire to inspect the damage and direct the battle. Lt. (j.g.) Henry O. Auclair, the hangar deck officer, moved to the damage control station on the port side and turned on pressure for two hoses at about 0945, and then ran over to activate the hangar sprinkler systems amidships (near hangar curtain No. 1 and 2 and hangar bay No. 1 located in B-303L). Auclair discovered the hangar sprinkling control switches at frame 74 smoking from an electrical short-circuit, and that the smoke felled the telephone talkers there. Auclair persevered but the delay impeded the crew’s efforts to battle the blaze, and the flames engulfed the damage control station by the time he reported to Murphy.
The communications issues temporarily prevented the executive officer from being in contact with Buracker and the bridge, but Murphy dashed into his cabin nearby and by means of the ship’s service telephone directed the damage control officer, who manned the Central Station, to activate the sprinklers from the manual controls on the third deck. The heat all but boiled the water, however, which ran down watertight hatch 01-66 and began flooding the forward fireroom with water pouring down the port trunk. Black smoke billowed from every access to the hangar deck aft of the island, the hole in the flight deck, and around the forward elevator, and began flowing aft.
Garbled reports reached Buracker and the bridge watchstanders, and hamstrung their efforts to direct the fire-fighters. Buracker thus did not initially know the extent of the blaze as precious seconds ticked away. He conferred with the chief engineer, and discussed slowing or stopping, but said that he considered his immediate priority was to evacuate survivors from below before the heat and smoke overcame them. The captain stood in the Ship Control Station in the island structure and could see the fire raging in the hangar, and the elevator, flush with the flight deck, kept the smoke from rising up over the bridge.
Buracker attempted to improve smoke conditions and turned the ship at 0950 on 24 October 1944, so that the wind was about 45° on the port bow. Two minutes later Sherman designated Reno, Cassin Young (DD-793), Gatling (DD-671), and Irwin (DD-794) to stand by Princeton and assist the damaged carrier, while the rest of the task group continued with their operations. The other ships cleared the immediate vicinity seven minutes later, and during the next few minutes the cruiser and trio of destroyers began protectively circling Princeton.
Despite Princeton fire-fighters’ best efforts, however, the fire spread rapidly and engulfed the hangar by 0953. Men experienced difficulties turning on the hangar sprinkling bays and water curtains; they only reported one of the four hangar sprinkling bays and one of the three water curtains as being definitely turned on, and no one actually saw any of the sprinklers in operation. Sailors finally cleared the engine room of smoke by 0955, but water from the hose teams fighting the inferno filled the bilges and grew dangerously superheated. The heat rose in the engine room and men began passing out. The heat and smoke forced the engineering sailors in the after fireroom and engine room to don gas masks in order to breathe, but finally drove them out of their spaces. Within minutes the fire main aft thus lost pressure, though except for a break in a high pressure air line in the after engine room, there was no derangement of machinery in the engineering spaces. A flash, presumably from the bomb detonation, penetrated the after engine room, and the mechanical supply ventilation systems apparently began to draw in smoke that filled all of the engine rooms and firerooms. Smoke spread to sick bay and drove the medical team from the space. Steering in the pilothouse failed at 0956, and the ship transferred steering to after control. Four minutes later Sherman ordered Birmingham (CL-62), Capt. Thomas B. Inglis, to assume command of the efforts to save the carrier.
The heat or gasoline vapor then (1002–1020 on 24 October 1944) detonated some of the torpedo warheads in Princeton’s hangar in a series of violent explosions. The first blast scythed men down, turned the after elevator on its back, and blew overboard some of the men stationed at the guns on the port side near the after elevator. As the heat ignited the gasoline tanks in the planes in the hangar, the burning fuel fed the conflagration. Ammunition in the machine guns and a reserve amount of ammunition began to explode and added to the confusion.
Caption: Princeton burns as some of the torpedo warheads in her hangar cook off in a horrific explosion, a huge column of smoke rising from the ship, 24 October 1944. A photographer on board South Dakota snaps this picture, most likely just after the first deadly blast. (U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-287970, National Archives and Records Administration, Still Pictures Division, College Park, Md.)
Sailors closed the valves to hangar curtain No. 1 and 2 and hangar bay No. 1 to preserve water pressure for fire hoses forward. Some of the survivors surmised that the heavy explosion in the hangar probably carried away the risers supplying the hangar sprinkling system. Smoke was driven down into the forward fireroom and forward engine room through the ventilation ducts, making these spaces untenable. The intense heat aft and the flames and blasted wreckage prevented many men in those stations from going forward, and forced many of them to descend lines into the water from the ship’s stern. Ten planes from Princeton circled anxiously for clearance to land but their low fuel in the end compelled them to land on board Essex and Lexington.
A second major explosion erupted in Princeton’s hangar at 1003, followed two minutes later by a very severe explosion which ruptured the flight deck abreast No. 1 stack and lifted the forward elevator, leaving it in an inclined position. The blast threw a section of a flight deck girder, about 14 feet long, over the open bridge and onto the flight deck crane arm, where it remained hanging. Fragments sliced into the bridge and cut down a number of men, one of whom, a signalman, died before he could be evacuated off the ship. The explosions knocked out both gyrocompasses. Buracker ordered “All hands topside” just before all communications except the ship’s service telephone failed, and personally directed the chief engineer to get his men out of the engineering spaces. Vibration started the general alarm and some crewmen interpreted this as an emergency signal to abandon ship. The repeated explosions buckled upward most of the flight deck between the elevators.
When the blast threw the forward elevator over it released the inferno within the hangar, and black smoke poured out over the bridge, compelling the captain to order everyone off that area. The heat and smoke prevented them from leaving via the normal access through the island, and Buracker vacated the bridge onto the crane and then down onto the flight deck forward. The flight deck burned furiously, just abaft the island to the stern. The smoke grew until it became so dense and black that it obscured the stricken carrier at times from her consorts.
Just after the 1005 explosion, the chief engineer abandoned main engine control. He glanced at the gages and observed were zero steam pressure aft, 400 psi steam pressure forward, and 90 psi in the center fire main loop. The emergency lighting in the forward part of the ship switched on as the engineering team clambered topside. Intense heat and smoke near the stern after that explosion forced overboard all of the men on the fantail, including a large number of the engineering sailors.
Princeton lost way, took a position across the wind, drifted to leeward, and lost all of her fire main pressure by 1010. Buracker met Murphy on the flight deck, and as a result of the damage and the explosions they agreed to order Salvage Control, Phase I, at 1010, directing 490 men to remain behind to battle the fires and man the antiaircraft guns in case the enemy attacked again, while the balance of the crew secured below and climbed on deck to abandon ship. Princeton gradually slowed during her turn until she was practically dead in the water. Her position drew the smoke and fire aft on the starboard side, which left the portside catwalks free enough of smoke to permit some crewmen passage.
Buracker held an officer’s call and they resolutely concurred that their efforts seemed to be succeeding in getting the fire under control, and recommended taking the ship in tow. Princeton hailed Irwin and the destroyer slid alongside the carrier forward to her windward (port) side to rescue men and battle the blaze. Irwin played several fire hoses on the inferno raging in the forward end of the hangar through the forward elevator roller curtain opening, and began preparations to take the carrier in tow. Men started lowering the wounded onto the destroyer’s forecastle. Some then followed by sliding down lines or jumping. Others threw life rafts into the water and they bobbed in the swells as the destroyers picked up survivors.
Ongoing reports of incoming enemy aircraft induced Reno to focus on antiaircraft defense, to protect the carrier and the other ships while they battled the raging inferno. The cruiser therefore swung over toward the bearing of one of the raids and opened fire at Japanese low-flying planes approaching from starboard at a range of 3,000 yards (1019–1026). Reno splashed two aircraft, which her spotters tentatively identified as a Betty and a Judy. Fighters from the CAP soared toward the battle and intercepted Japanese aircraft as well.
Ammunition stored in the carrier’s ready lockers began to cook off at 1020 on 24 October 1944. The captain ordered Salvage Control, Phase II, which meant that the gunners also joined the exodus. This directive should have left about 240 men on board, consisting mostly of repair party and engineering sailors. Most of the latter, however, had already been forced overboard from the after part of the ship, and due to communication difficulties in the forward part of the ship crewmen received a mistaken order to abandon ship. As a result, more men abandoned Princeton than originally intended for the two phases. When the captain and his officers realized the situation, they ordered all hands on board to remain regardless of their ratings.
Some men sustained injuries as they climbed down lines into the water, and one man attempted to climb down the anchor chain but became entangled and endured an agonizing ordeal as he disappeared beneath the swells as the ship rolled, only to emerge long enough to catch his breath before he went under again.
Cmdr. Bruce L. Harwood, Princeton’s air officer, courageously remained at his station on the port side of the bridge to direct the fire-fighting, despite the danger of imminent detonations. Born in 1910 in Claremont, Calif., Harwood enlisted in the Navy on 6 June 1935. After training as an aviation cadet at NAS Pensacola, Fla., he was commissioned an ensign on 7 July 1939, and began flying in torpedo planes. Harwood received the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism on 24 August 1942 during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, when he led VT-8 from Saratoga in an unsupported aerial torpedo raid against a Japanese task force, pressing home the attack through a hail of antiaircraft fire. Harwood received a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism as VT-8’s commander flying from Hornet (CV-8) against the Japanese (20 September–5 October 1942).
As the fight to save the ship continued, Harwood, on his own initiative, entered the hangar deck in the face of the intense flames rapidly spreading to the torpedo and bomb stowage to determine the extent of the damage. The commander worked diligently throughout the battle, penetrating a number of blazing compartments ahead of other men, and, when the heat or exhaustion overcame some of his men, he personally pulled them out of harm’s way to a place of safety.
Crewmen pushed five Hellcats over the side, and threw ammunition overboard to prevent it from cooking off. A damage control team rigged a gasoline handy-billy from Repair I to pump water to the flight deck, where fire-fighters played a stream down the forward elevator opening. Their efforts marked the only source of water on board Princeton during the battle. Irwin cast off at about 1100, and Birmingham carefully threaded her way through hundreds of Princeton’s men that dotted the water as Inglis lay the cruiser alongside carrier’s port side to furnish a larger volume of water for firefighting
“I found that it was necessary,” Inglis reported, “to run a line to the [PRINCETON] in order to keep the two ships together since the [PRINCETON], with her high sides, made faster leeway than the [BIRMINGHAM]. My plan was to start fighting the fires from the forward end of the [PRINCETON] and as they were extinguished to work aft.”
Caption: Birmingham closes Princeton to assist with the fire-fighting, 24 October 1944. (U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-281660-2, National Archives and Records Administration, Still Pictures Division, College Park, Md.)
Caption: Crewmen on board Birmingham play fire hoses onto the burning carrier as the cruiser closes to render assistance, 24 October 1944. (U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-270357, National Archives and Records Administration, Still Pictures Division, College Park, Md.)
Caption: Birmingham (left) helps Princeton (right) during her ordeal, 24 October 1944. The two ships grind together in the swells, and the cruiser’s starboard side crushes part of the carrier’s portside catwalk and a 40-millimeter gun mount. A flight deck tractor hangs precariously over Princeton’s deck edge, and crewmen position Hellcats and Avengers forward. Birmingham trains her forward triple 6-inch gun turret, surmounted by floater nets and life rafts, to port in order to lay alongside the carrier. (U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-270437, National Archives and Records Administration, Still Pictures Division, College Park, Md.)
The velocity of the wind and the intensity of the smoke prevented effective fire-fighting from the leeward (starboard) side, however, and only the windward (port) side offered the firefighters any chance to battle the inferno. Reno attempted to slip alongside to starboard at 1105 on 24 October 1944, but the heat and smoke rendered her position to leeward untenable. Shortly thereafter at 1115, a Reno lookout sighted a Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 0 carrier fighter emerge from a cloud directly over the cruiser, at an altitude of about 4,000 feet, elevation 80°. Reno’s light antiaircraft guns opened fire on the Zeke as it crossed from starboard to port but the plane escaped.
Birmingham moved aft to fight the fire more effectively in the after end of the hangar. Within a short period of time, the light cruiser sent 14 water hoses and 38 men from her damage control teams over to the carrier. This extra assistance helped extinguish one of the two major fires in the carrier—the fire-fighters made progress battling the blaze in the forward end of the hangar, and extinguished the flames forward by 1130, with the exception of some hydraulic fluid burning in the forward elevator pit. Reno resolutely tried several times to maneuver alongside to starboard and finally pointed her bow alongside Princeton’s port quarter, between the cruiser and carrier at 1156, but by 1202 drifted astern and cleared Princeton again. In clearing the wind breaker structure on Princeton’s main deck at the carrier’s bow, one of Reno’s 40-millimeter gun mounts smashed under protruding sections of Princeton’s port quarter.
At noon meanwhile, Princeton requested that her engineer and some of the artificers who specialized in hull work return to the ship. Morrison (DD-560) complied and attempted to maneuver alongside Princeton on her leeward quarter. Twelve minutes into the afternoon watch, radar operators on board a destroyer reported enemy aircraft approaching from 300° at a range of five miles. Reno took an interposing position to protect the damaged carrier.
Morrison continued to maneuver alongside Princeton but the smoke and heat made her initial position untenable, and at 1245 she took advantage of a momentary break in the smoke and eased alongside to starboard amidships. The destroyermen pushed two hoses into the after elevator pit through the after roller curtain opening. The two ships grinded against each other, however, and within a matter of minutes Morrison became wedged between the carrier’s Nos 2 and 3 stacks and the sponsons of her starboard guns and suffered severe topside damage. A jeep and a tractor used to tow aircraft fell from the carrier’s flight deck onto the destroyer’s bridge, and the pounding knocked Morrison’s foremast and forward director overboard, and badly mauled her stacks, searchlight platform, and the port side of the bridge.
The Japanese aerial attack failed to materialize but they continued to probe the formation’s defenses, and at 1300 radar detected another large group of planes bearing 210° at 60 miles. Sherman directed Reno to take charge of those destroyers not battling Princeton’s flames or rescuing survivors, and to protectively circle the carrier. Birmingham received word that several Japanese planes had broken through the CAP and, almost simultaneously at 1314, Cassin Young reported a submarine contact a mere 2,000 yards away. The cruiser quickly pulled in almost all her fire hoses and at 1332 sheared off to gain sea room for maneuvering. The aerial threat appeared to be increasing, and eight minutes later, Birmingham added her weight to the air defenses as she joined the antiaircraft screen.
While this took place at about 1330, Princeton’s chief engineer lay below and inspected the damage. The officer entered the forward engine room and discovered that all of the steam and fire main gages indicated zero pressure. The forward diesel generator still ran, however, and the emergency system had mostly operated as designed and turned on the battle lights. Smoke nonetheless filled the forward engine room, and he estimated the temperature in the compartment to be a staggering 165°F.
The sound contact proved a false alarm and Cassin Young rejoined the formation at 1345. Debris clogged one of Irwin’s condensers and effectively knocked out that engine, and meanwhile prevented her from rendering assistance to her fellow destroyer. Irwin nevertheless attempted to pass lines to Morrison to enable her to pull away but the lines parted. Morrison’s crewmen laboriously cleared away the jeep, tractor, and other debris, and the ship finally disentangled herself and backed away at 1354 and rejoined the screen. Tragically, the fire-fighters from all the vessels had all but succeeded in getting the fires under control, and the only known remaining fire burned around the torpedo workshop and after elevator pit. Buracker surmised that they could ventilate the spaces below; the engineering sailors would return to their stations, and Princeton would get up steam and come about for repairs. “The ship was not very pretty at that time,” Buracker reflected, “but at least we would bring her back.” When the vessels withdrew their hoses and pulled away, however, the flames blazed up again with renewed vigor.
“Of course, I couldn’t criticize Captain Inglis in the slightest,” Buracker reflected. “I can’t praise too highly his actions, as well as the actions of every other ship that tried to help us throughout the day. My own crew and the crews of all the assisting ships never entertained any thought of personal danger that would interfere with work to save the ship. The first and constant thought in everyone’s mind was to put out the fires and bring [PRINCETON] home.”
A rain squall lashed the area in the early afternoon and dropped the visibility to barely 100 yards, and drove 20 knot winds into the men and their ships. The rain encouraged some of the fire-fighters because they hoped it covered them from enemy air attack, and aided the men in putting out the fires.
A Zeke appeared overhead at 1404, and Reno’s 20- and 40-millimeter guns opened fire on the intruder, which turned away and disappeared into the clouds. Inglis reported to Sherman that they had all but extinguished the flames, and gave a digest of the damage that the carrier and the other vessels sustained. The fire began to increase again, however, and the forward magazine sprinklers failed again. Inglis directed Reno to take the carrier in tow at 1445, but during the raids on Formosa (12–14 October), a Japanese torpedo plane had crashed and exploded on Reno’s main deck aft, destroying the towing equipment. The cruiser consequently did not have a tow line, and her men hurriedly set about making one. Morrison slid alongside the carrier’s port quarter at 1453 to battle the blaze in the after end of the hangar but could not extinguish the intense flames.
Princeton signaled Birmingham to close and take her in tow. The cruiser lay along the carrier’s port side, but the rough seas pounded the ships and it took Birmingham nearly 30 minutes to take station and pass a line to Princeton. The fire gained such headway, however, that the fire-fighters requested a larger ship to battle it. Morrison consequently cast off at 1455, and the cruiser began to approach the carrier to port. Birmingham struggled against the swells and to avoid colliding with Princeton, and following several attempts in which Princeton drifted away, which forced the cruiser to realign herself, at 1515 she finally succeeded in shooting a line over to the carrier.
Just as Birmingham was moving back alongside the carrier at 1522, flames touched off Princeton’s torpedo stowage C-101B, blowing off the entire stern abaft about frame 120 and the structure above the main deck from the stern forward to about frame 105 in a cataclysmic explosion. Capt. Hoskins lost the lower part of his right leg, just above the ankle. The captain courageously applied a tourniquet to the wound and continued to lead the survivors. Hoskins afterward received the Navy Cross for gallantly remaining on board “despite suggestions from the Commanding Officer that he leave with all personnel not required for salvage work. Persevering in his heroic efforts to save the [PRINCETON], he repeatedly risked his life in a valiant attempt to control the raging flames”. The explosion also killed Cmdr. Harwood, as the air officer steadfastly attempted to save the wounded and led the fight against the flames. Harwood posthumously received another Gold Star in lieu of a third Navy Cross, and Harwood (DD-861) was named in his honor.
Steel fragments, wooden planking, and all manner of debris raked Birmingham from stem to stern, cutting down men lining the cruiser’s topside ready to help with fire-fighting and line-handling. The blast killed 233 Birmingham crewmen and seriously wounded 211, with another 215 suffering minor wounds. The explosion struck down Capt. Inglis, and Cmdr. Winston E.P. Folk, the executive officer, assumed acting command of the cruiser. Birmingham’s deck literally ran with blood and her surviving crew threw sand on the deck to provide a firm footing amidst the carnage as in the days of the age of sail. Wounded crewmen selflessly helped their fellows and rendered assistance whenever possible, and extinguished several fires burning topside as the light cruiser limped east out of the battle zone.
Men inspected Princeton aft in the hangar to see if anyone who had been there survived but discovered only mangled bodies. Despite the horrific pounding, Princeton’s stern section broke loose and defiantly floated with the 40-millimeter mount out of the water for about 45 minutes before sinking. In spite of the extensive damage to Princeton, eyewitnesses did not see a noticeable change in the ship’s list or trim, or any new fires break out.
Bogies were meanwhile reported again at 1532. The task group had passed off Reno’s radar screen, and her men believed that the other ships operated approximately 35 miles away. Radio chatter indicated that Japanese aircraft maneuvered in the area. At 1555 a plane flying from Essex relayed a message from Reno, which took over the relief efforts, asking Sherman for another ship to serve as the carrier’s tow.
Efforts to save Princeton continued but the fires ultimately won. Buracker feared that another devastating explosion could occur at any moment, and because of the extensive damage already sustained by the assisting ships while alongside, he did not feel justified in requesting other vessels to render assistance battling the fires. An inferno raged aft and fire-fighters believed that a fire was working forward on the second or third decks. Also, after the blast damaged Birmingham, none of the ships in company were equipped to rig a tow.
The captain therefore ordered all hands to abandon ship at 1604. Gatling and some of the other vessels sent boats to the forecastle as requested. Sailors lowered Hoskins into Gatling’s whaleboat on a stretcher, and assisted the seriously wounded men down the Jacob’s ladder with lines attached to them. By 1634 they evacuated the last of the survivors. Buracker and Murphy carefully looked through the all too brief breaks in the flames and smoke to see if they could see any survivors still on board, and the captain then followed the executive officer off the ship and onto a boat. Buracker ordered the boat to circle the carrier to search for any survivors struggling in the water, and to enable him to make a final inspection of the aft part of the ship to see if she could still be saved.
Caption: Survivors jump from a motor whaleboat to Cassin Young, 24 October 1944. (U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-281662-6, National Archives and Records Administration, Still Pictures Division, College Park, Md.)
The fires raged out of control on board Princeton, the damaged vessels required repairs, survivors and wounded crowded the other ships, and the weather worsened. Moreover, the blazing carrier potentially served as a beacon to guide enemy aircraft to the area. Consequently, Sherman made the grim decision to sink Princeton. Irwin closed and began firing torpedoes at 1706, however, the collision with Princeton had damaged her torpedo director. The first torpedo sliced into the carrier’s port bow but the detonation appeared insignificant. The second and third torpedoes apparently missed, though the visibility problems and the rolling swells continued to plague accurately tracking their wakes. The fourth torpedo ran erratically at 1718, frequently changing course, thereby causing all of the vessels present to maneuver at high speed to avoid being hit.
Irwin fired 27 5-inch rounds against Princeton beginning at 1732 but appeared to hit the ship infrequently and started only some minor fires. An explosion occurred on the carrier’s flight deck forward, most likely set off by planes stowed there earlier in the day. Reno relieved Irwin and fired a torpedo at 2,800 yards at a 12-foot depth setting at 1746, following that a minute later with a second torpedo. Reno reported “a tremendous explosion” that erupted from Princeton at 1749 as the two torpedoes hit in way of the forward magazine and forward gasoline tank, and flames and debris shot more than 1,000 feet into the air. Observers believed that both of the cruiser’s torpedoes struck the ship and detonated. Princeton’s forward section all but disappeared, and her aft section, screws up, appeared momentarily in the lower part of the smoke, but quickly slid beneath the waves, near 15°22'N, 123°35'E.
Caption: Princeton explodes as one of Reno’s torpedoes strikes home, scant moments before the stricken carrier takes her final plunge, 24 October 1944. (U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-47305, National Archives and Records Administration, Still Pictures Division, College Park, Md.)
Some of the group’s planes landed on board other ships (or others landed on Princeton in the chaos of battle) but a total of 16 F6F-3 Hellcats of VF-27 went down with Princeton (BuNos 41542, 41593, 42003, 42519, 42521, 42548, 42621, 42814, 42830, 42902, 42908, 43037, 43103, 58064, 58080, and 58129), along with a single F6F-5 (BuNo 70126). In addition, eight TBM-1C Avengers of VT-27 (BuNos 17023, 25155, 45560, 45759, 46011, 46068, 46303, and 46832), a TBM-1C assigned to Vice Adm. George D. Murray, Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific Fleet (73173), two TBM-1Cs of VC-5 (46201 and 46202), and a single TBM-1C of VC-68 (46429) also sank with the carrier.
Capt. Buracker received the Navy Cross for “distinguishing himself by extraordinary heroism” while commanding the ship during the battles in September and October 1944. The captain’s leadership of Princeton contributed “directly toward destroying a large part of the enemy’s Navy and Air Force. When his own ship was heavily damaged by enemy attack he made heroic and determined efforts to save her, with utter disregard for his own safety, even in the face of three great explosions, which efforts were continued until the tactical situation demanded that she be sunk. At all times his conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service”.
In addition, Buracker received the Legion of Merit for “exceptionally meritorious conduct”. Buracker exercised “sound judgment and inspiring leadership” and “directed the activities of his ship with consistent skill and superior tactical knowledge throughout numerous vital operations and, by his courageous and brilliant seamanship, contributed materially to the successful prosecution of the war in this highly strategic Area”.
Naval investigators evaluated Princeton’s loss as resulting primarily from the inability to control the fire in the hangar, due in large measure to the series of major explosions there, some possibly produced by the detonation of torpedo warheads, and later in the mass detonation of bombs in the torpedo stowage which forced the crew to abandon ship. Stowing bombs in the torpedo stowage contributed greatly to her loss. The space was not designed to carry explosives, and lacked the protective features of a magazine. Its “use for carrying bombs,” evaluators tellingly summarized, “required the acceptance of considerable risk.” Despite the bombs’ detonation, however, the ship apparently remained seaworthy, but the damage to the other vessels and the tactical situation precluded further salvage efforts. Equally tragically, the threat of attack that compelled Birmingham to pull away from Princeton at 1332 occurred when the fire-fighters had nearly extinguished the fires.
In addition to the fearsome casualties that Birmingham suffered, the blast also heavily damaged the cruiser topside and she lost two 5-inch, two 40-millimeter, and four 20-millimeter guns on the starboard side. Birmingham, Gatling, Irwin, Morrison, and Reno carried the survivors to Ultihi, where Birmingham took most of them to Pearl Harbor. The cruiser reached Pearl Harbor on 10 November 1944, where some of the air group’s survivors embarked on board troopship Matsonia, owned and operated by the Matson Company for the War Shipping Administration, for the voyage to San Francisco (20–24 November), where they were granted leave. Birmingham in the meantime continued on to Mare Island Navy Yard, where she underwent battle damage repairs and conversion into a flagship.
Morrison lost her foremast and sustained extensive damage portside; Irwin temporarily suffered her forward 5-inch mounts and director out of commission, and the ship’s starboard side smashed, with her speed reduced to a maximum of 24 knots; Gatling endured damage from rolling against the stricken carrier; and Reno lost a 40-millimeter mount.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf continued following Princeton’s loss as the Seventh Fleet turned back the Southern Force before daylight in the Battle of Surigao Strait (24–25 October 1944). The Central Force made a night passage through San Bernardino Strait, however, and at daylight off Samar attacked Taffy 3, Rear Adm. Clifton A.F. Sprague in command. Valiant rearguard efforts threw Kurita’s ships into disarray and compelled his retirement despite the Japanese superiority in weight and firepower. The Northern Force decoyed Halsey’s Third Fleet beyond range to protect Taffy 3 but off Cape Engaño aircraft sank all four Japanese carriers, along with some of their cruiser and destroyer screen. The battle effectively finished the Japanese surface fleet.
Princeton was stricken from the Navy Register on 13 November 1944, but on 18 November 1945, Capt. Hoskins gamely ordered the first watch set on board a new carrier Princeton (CV-37) at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.
Princeton earned nine battle stars during World War II.
Commanding Officers Dates of Command
Capt. George R. Henderson 25 February 1943–7 February 1944
Capt. Eilliam H. Buracker 7 February 1944–24 October 1944
Mark L. Evans
Published: Tue Jul 02 12:21:41 EDT 2019
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General Modern
Poldark, Peaky Blinders and 6 other historical TV shows that have tourists flocking to Britain
As the backdrop to Ross Poldark's shirtless shenanigans in the hit period drama Poldark, Cornwall has seen a huge influx of tourists looking to visit the show's scenic filming locations. In 2018, tourism chiefs warned that the BBC television drama is putting the county's coastline at risk of "over-tourism". As the fifth and final series of the drama begins, we take a closer look at 'Poldark effect' and the other shows bringing tourists to Britain…
By Emma Mason
The chief executive of Cornish tourist board Visit Cornwall says the area is struggling to cope with an unprecedented surge in holidaymakers, it was reported in 2018. Visitors were encouraged to look beyond popular Poldark filming locations Porthcurno beach and Kynance Cove, which feature as Poldark’s beloved Nampara. Poldark is reported to have influenced around 14 per cent of all visitors to Cornwall, and businesses have long reported a boost in the number of tourists from overseas because of the so-called ‘Poldark effect’.
Aidan Turner (as Poldark) and Eleanor Tomlinson (as Demelza) in the BBC period drama ‘Poldark’. (Photo by Mammoth Screen/BBC)
Poldark is one of many drama series inspiring so-called ‘TV tourism’: in 2018, in its travel trends report, Trip Advisor found that 1 in 5 global travellers visited a location because they saw it on a TV show. Significantly, says Vogue magazine, “TV’s tourism influence is now rivalling that of film – perhaps even surpassing it”. A report from the University of North Texas found that “TV viewing behaviour is the strongest predictor of entertainment-motivated tourism… television series are often watched on regular basis thus, viewers are more likely to be exposed to the destination image for a longer period.”
The real history behind Poldark’s 18th-century London
Poldark’s Cornwall: the history behind the hit series
Top 10 historical Cornish words
Set in 18th-century Cornwall, the hugely popular BBC One drama Poldark starring Aidan Turner (as Poldark) and Eleanor Tomlinson (as Demelza) draws inspiration from Winston Graham’s 12 novels, which were written between 1945 and 2002.
Here, we look at seven other historical TV dramas that are attracting tourists from Britain and beyond…
***Please note this article contains spoilers ***
Lyme Park in Disley, Cheshire, which starred as Jane Austen’s Pemberley in the BBC’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, enjoyed a 176 per cent increase in visitor numbers after the series aired in 1995. Fans flocked to the lake where, in what has become an iconic scene in television history, Mr Darcy (played by Colin Firth) meets Elizabeth Bennet after emerging from the water in a soaked, clinging white shirt. The scene was in 2013 named the most memorable moment in British TV drama.
Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’. (Photo by Everett Collection Inc/Alamy Stock Photo)
Lyme Park – a stately home on the edge of the Peak District – is still reaping the benefits of Pride and Prejudice 20 years on, the Guardian reported in 2015. “It’s a win-win for us,” said Harvey Edgington, the National Trust’s head of filming and locations. “It’s a very good way of getting people interested in a property.”
The gritty gangster series set in 1920s Birmingham is filmed predominately at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley. Open to the public, the museum’s canal arm features as the famous Charlie Strong’s Yard, with huge factories added using CGI (computer-generated imagery). Tommy Shelby’s iconic walk past the firing furnaces was filmed at the museum’s Rolling Mill, and the dramatic murder of Father Hughes in the finale of season three was shot in the museum’s St James’s School.
Peaky Blinders: behind the scenes with creator Steven Knight
14 of the best historical TV shows on Netflix
Ruby Sparks: the smash-and-grab gangster
Peaky Blinders has also worked wonders for Birmingham’s local economy, with tours, themed restaurants and dedicated pub crawls taking place across the city. One pub in Dale End, in the centre of Birmingham, simply named ‘The Peaky Blinder’, serves a Peaky Blinder cocktail made with whisky and blackcurrant, and its staff dress in Shelby-style attire.
Not exactly a historical drama per se, but the wildly popular Game of Thrones is reported to be worth about £30 million (€34 million) a year to the local economy in Northern Ireland. Tourism NI estimates that around 120,000 Game of Thrones visitors came to Northern Ireland in 2016 to see the real-life Kingsroad or Winterfell, among other sites. Rosemarie McHugh, Tourism NI’s director of product development, told The Irish Times the show has been “transformative” for screen tourism in Northern Ireland.
Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in ‘Game of Thrones’. (Photo by AF archive/Alamy Stock Photo)
The fantasy drama series is also reported to have helped to turn around Iceland’s struggling economy in the aftermath of the 2008 banking crisis by bolstering its tourism sector. According to FocusEconomics: “Game of Thrones is, at the very least, partly responsible for the major uptick in tourism growth in recent years. Many of Iceland’s glaciers, lakes and national parks serve as the backdrop for the ‘lands beyond the wall’ and the popularity of the show has given rise to massive increases in tourism, as the show’s many diehard fans from around the world make pilgrimages, so to speak, to visit the show’s popular filming locations.”
Game of Thrones fans have also been flocking to Dubrovnik, Croatia, which features as King’s Landing. But the mayor of the medieval city last year announced he is considering capping visitors to just 4,000 per day to prevent “ruinous overcrowding”.
Fort Lovrijenac in Dubrovnik Old Town, Croatia, which features as King’s Landing in ‘Game of Thrones’. (Photo by John Dambik/Alamy Stock Photo)
The wildly popular Netflix Original series The Crown, which follows the young Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s through to modern times, is rumoured to have cost a whopping $130 million to produce – making it the most expensive television show ever made. According to a survey conducted by Barclays bank in 2017, the appeal of the quintessentially British biopic abroad is whetting travellers’ appetites for a UK holiday.
Dubbed ‘The Crown effect’, the popularity of the show – plus that of Poldark, Sherlock and Downton Abbey – is encouraging overseas tourists to holiday in places such as the Peak District, the Lake District and the Cotswolds.
Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II and Matt Smith as Prince Philip in ‘The Crown’. (Photo by Robert Viglasky/Netflix)
According to the survey of 10,000 respondents, some 44 per cent of Chinese tourists interested in visiting the UK said television programmes had driven their interest. More than a quarter of Americans planning a UK visit said the same.
The first two series of The Crown star Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth and Matt Smith as Prince Philip. The third series, which will see Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies take over, is expected to air in 2019.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip: 8 milestones in their marriage
Prince Philip: a life of duty and devotion
In profile: Prince Philip
The six-part BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Booker Prize-winning novels Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies was a huge hit both on and off-screen. Starring Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell and Damian Lewis as King Henry VIII, the 2015 drama sent fans flocking to filming locations including Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, the real-life Wolf Hall; Chastleton House in Oxfordshire, which portrayed scenes from Cromwell’s childhood in Putney; and Montacute House in Somerset, which was used as the setting for Greenwich Palace – Henry VIII’s main London seat and the site of Anne Boleyn’s arrest in Wolf Hall.
Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, the real-life Wolf Hall. (Photo by Claudio Beduschi/AGF/UIG via Getty Images)
Around 40 per cent of the shoots in Wolf Hall took place at sites owned by the National Trust, with the location fees providing much-needed income to help maintain the properties. The show’s producer, Mark Pybus, said: “The advantages of filming in a historic location are massive. It also helps the actors, if they’re stepping into the buildings that Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell walked around in it helps bring a realness to the project.”
11 facts about Anne Boleyn
Does historical accuracy really matter in period dramas like Wolf Hall?
Not such a prude after all: the secrets of Henry VIII’s love life
The time-travel drama in which a Second World War army nurse is carried back to Scotland in 1743 has brought tourists flocking to the country’s castles and other spots where much of the three series were filmed.
According to the ONS Travel Trends 2017 statistics, Doune Castle, which features in the series as the fictional Castle Leoch, has seen a 227 per cent increase in numbers since 2013 when Outlander first aired.
The time-travel drama ‘Outlander’ has brought tourists flocking to Scotland’s castles. (Photo by Sony Pictures Television)
The 15th-century Blackness Castle in West Lothian, which featured as the Fort William headquarters of ‘Black Jack’ Randall (Tobias Menzies), attracted a record 43,763 visitors in 2017, while Linlithgow Palace, which is used as Wentworth Prison where Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) is imprisoned, welcomed a record 87,254 – up 17 per cent on the previous year, the Daily Express reports.
Highclere Castle was dangerously unstable and parts of the building were deemed uninhabitable when Julian Fellowes began filming his period drama Downton Abbey there in 2010. The stately home, located five miles south of Newbury in Berkshire and owned by George ‘Geordie’ Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon, was facing a near £12m repair bill.
“It was just after the banking crisis and it was gloom in all directions,” Lord Carnarvon told the Guardian. “Then Downton came along and it became a major tourist attraction.” Visitor numbers doubled, to 1,200 a day, and Highclere is today one of Britain’s most recognisable stately homes.
Highclere Castle, where the ITV period drama ‘Downton Abbey’ was filmed. (Photo by Niklas Halle’n/AFP/Getty Images)
The success of Downton has funded “a rolling programme of building repairs aimed at safeguarding Highclere for the next generation,” the family said.
The Downton cast and crew will return to Highclere in September 2018 to film a feature-length movie.
Have your holidays been inspired by a historical drama? Let us know by tweeting us @HistoryExtra or by posting on our Facebook page. You can also share your holiday photos with us on Instagram.
Emma Mason is the Digital Editor at HistoryExtra.com
More on: Culture
From politics to pleasure gardens: the real history behind Poldark’s 18th-century London
Power plays and scheming queens: the ancient history behind Game of Thrones
The real history behind ‘The Crown’ with Robert Lacey
9 of Britain’s best castles
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Schuylerville in Saratoga County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
USS Saratoga: Turning point in America’s second war with England
By Bill Coughlin, October 16, 2015
1. USS Saratoga: Turning point in America’s second war with England Marker
Inscription.
USS Saratoga: Turning point in America’s second war with England. . . After the American victory in 1777, the name Saratoga became linked to a developing shared American identity. The second war ship christened the U.S.S. Saratoga was a 26-gun corvette built in the spring of 1814 on Lake Champlain for use against the British during the War of 18 12. In 1814, the British planned to invade the Lake Champlain-Hudson River corridor from Canada. The U.S.S. Saratoga controlled the invasion route until the British launched the 37-gun frigate H.M.S. Confiance in late August 1814. Within days, the British staged a land and water invasion into New York. . . On September 11, 1814, the British and American forces clashed at the Battle of Plattsburgh. The naval engagement settled the battle, with the U.S.S. Saratoga capturing the 16-gun brig, H.M.S. Linnet and the H.M.S. Confiance. The fledgling United States Navy defeated the world’s strongest naval power on Lake Champlain! The Battle of Plattsburgh was one of the most decisive battles in American History. Once again, the name Saratoga was connected with the turning point of a war with the British Empire. . This historical marker is in Schuylerville in Saratoga County New York
After the American victory in 1777, the name Saratoga became linked to a developing shared American identity. The second war ship christened the U.S.S. Saratoga was a 26-gun corvette built in the spring of 1814 on Lake Champlain for use against the British during the War of 1812. In 1814, the British planned to invade the Lake Champlain-Hudson River corridor from Canada. The U.S.S. Saratoga controlled the invasion route until the British launched the 37-gun frigate H.M.S. Confiance in late August 1814. Within days, the British staged a land and water invasion into New York.
On September 11, 1814, the British and American forces clashed at the Battle of Plattsburgh. The naval engagement settled the battle, with the U.S.S. Saratoga capturing the 16-gun brig, H.M.S. Linnet and the H.M.S. Confiance. The fledgling United States Navy defeated the world’s strongest naval power on Lake Champlain! The Battle of Plattsburgh was one of the most decisive battles in American History. Once again, the name Saratoga was connected with the turning point of a war with the British Empire.
Topics. This historical
marker is listed in this topic list: War of 1812.
Location. Marker has been reported unreadable. 43° 6.264′ N, 73° 34.779′ W. Marker is in Schuylerville, New York, in Saratoga County. Marker is on Broad Street (U.S. 4) north of Spring Street, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located next to Saratoga Town Hall. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Schuylerville NY 12871, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. British Artillery Park (a few steps from this marker); Site Of Camp of General Burgoyne (within shouting distance of this marker); Camp of General Burgoyne (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Continental Barracks (about 500 feet away); The Surrender Tree (approx. 0.3 miles away); First Bridge (approx. 0.3 miles away); 1755 (approx. 0.3 miles away); Fort Hardy (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Schuylerville.
More about this marker. A map of the Champlain Valley appears on the left side of the marker. A picture of M’Donough’s Victory on Lake Champlain by Nathaniel Currier, c. 1846, appears at the center of the marker. It has a caption of “This print shows the U.S.S. Saratoga between two British ships during the Battle of Plattsburgh. This Nathaniel Currier print was one of 7,000 prints done by his company depicting American life and historic events”. Next to this is “Macdonough’s victory on Lake Champlain and defeat of the British Army at Plattsburgh by Genl. Macomb, Sept. 17th 1814 painted by H. Reinagle; engraved by B. Tanner, courtesy of the Library of Congress”. The caption reads “Macdonough’s victory in Cumberland Bay left the United States unchallenged on Lake Champlain and forced the British to retreat to Canada. The victory weakened the British position in peace negotiations at Ghent (in modern day Belgium) and enabled American commissioners to secure a favorable treaty ending the war. The victory also helped to restore American morale after the burning of Washington, D.C. by British forces three weeks earlier.” At the bottom of the marker is the painting of the “Surrender of Burgoyne by John Trumbull, 1821 from the US Capitol Rotunda, courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol.” The caption says “Since 1777, the American victory at Saratoga inspired the naming of six naval vessels named U.S.S. Saratoga and one U.S. Army transport ship.” A final painting, “Battle of Plattsburg” includes the caption “The Battle of Plattsburgh on September 11, 1814 ended the final invasion of the northern states by the British Empire in the War of 1812.”
4. Marker in Schuylerville
By Steve Stoessel, August 31, 2019
Damaged marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 10, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of North Arlington, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 285 times since then. Last updated on September 2, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 20, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of North Arlington, New Jersey. 5. submitted on September 2, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
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‘Not fast food, good food’
Mar 27, 2019 | Eats | 0
By Brittany Fuller
Family Tree Café offers a family atmosphere
After 20 years together, Nina and Brian Vail stepped out on a limb to bring their specially named gourmet family meals into an atmosphere that would hopefully connect the community by offering a family friendly environment for families with special needs.
Previous vendors at Dodd’s Market Antique and Thrift Store, the Vails are the proud owners of the Family Tree Café on South Main Street in Nicholasville. Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, the cafe is currently closed on Sunday.
Brian said he and his wife have always dreamed of owning a restaurant where families with children of special needs could feel comfortable dining. Both of their daughters, Keely, 13, and Kinsley, 7, have special needs. After losing a job he held for 10 1/2 years, and with limited finances, Brian and Nina opened their restaurant to the Jessamine County community.
Due to medical bills and depleting accounts, they weren’t able to advertise the restaurant or afford kitchen appliances other than what might be in a home kitchen, Brian said. This alone caused a slow start in the business.
With the help of friends like Brad Johnson, for which a bologna sandwich is named, and Jennifer Herrington, who started a GoFundMe page — $5,550 was raised to save the café. Brian said so much business has been pouring into the cafe, the Family Tree Café has been understaffed. They have asked for patience as they work through these kinks, Brian said. They just weren’t prepared for the restaurant to grow this fast.
Coach of the Bluegrass Miracle League, Johnson brags on the Vails.
“Amazing people. They are a blessing on top of good food,” Johnson said. He can be seen eating lunch at Family Tree Café nearly every day. “The food is so good my family was jealous I came for lunch without them so I had to bring them
for dinner.”
With meals priced less than $10, various sized kitchen tables and chairs fill the restaurant, giving it a home feel. Children group up to play games such as table corn hole and Jenga. Inspirational music faintly plays in the background.
Brian and Nina go from table to table interacting with patrons while they serve salads, cold and hot sandwiches, burgers, pies, cookies, dips and spreads and pound cakes.
“All the food is freshly prepared. Potatoes aren’t cut into French fries until the waitress brings the order to the kitchen,” Brian said. “If people want ‘fast food,’ this isn’t the place. We offer good food here.”
Brian explains the connection of members in his family to the names of meals. Meals are named after their children, themselves, siblings and parents.
Walking into Family Tree Café is entering their home, Brian said. It’s not uncommon to see Grandma at a table with Kinsley or Keeley eating her namesake pancakes. Receiving a 100 by the health department, Brian and Nina take pride in their restaurant. They laid a great foundation of love and concern for the community, and in return, they are seeing insurmountable growth, Brian said.
PreviousGood Health
NextIT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR
Brittany Fuller
‘There is no place like home’
Java & Jesus
Welcoming everyone as family
Gourmet Goodies
Recent E-Edition
Why I love Jessamine Life
In my Father’s house
Mental disorders in children
Wilmore’s oldest business
IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR
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7 DAYS SHIRTS
7 EVENINGS SHIRTS
TAILORING AND SUITS
Prefall 2021 collection
FALL/WINTER 2020 COLLECTION
MEN SPRING/SUMMER 2021
WOMEN SPRING/SUMMER 2021
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Good vibrations... Les Paul electric guitar could bring $100,000
This coveted Cherry Sunburst instrument should make a lot of noise at Heritage's upcoming sale
A stunning 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard Cherry Sunburst Electric Guitar is expected to bring $100,000+ when it comes up for auctions as part of the Fine and Vintage Guitar and Stringed Instruments section of Heritage Auctions' Signature Music & Entertainment Auction, February 18-20.
"Whenever one of these early Les Paul Standards shows up it's going to be a big deal," said Mike Gutierrez, Consignment Director at Heritage. "Gibson only made about 1,700 of these guitars over a three-year period, so, subsequently, they have become highly sought-after by both players and collectors."
While not expected to enter the same price realm, a 1961 Rickenbacker 4001 Fireglo Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar, #AK685, a bass that can be traced back to the first month of the first year of production for 4001s, is easily the top bass guitar offering in the auction. It is estimated at $2,000+ and should make an excellent investment.
Rickenbacker 4001s have been played by some of the greatest bassists to ever pick up a four string," said Gutierrez. "Names like Paul McCartney, Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, Roger Waters and John Entwistle all played 4001s. Combine the overall popularity of the model with the unbelievable provenance - this may well be the very first one produced - and you have the makings of a great auction."
Les Paul guitar (est. $100,000)
The auction goes deep in fine acoustic models, with few names more highly prized than that of C.F. Martin & Company of Nazareth, PA. A 1937 Martin D-18 Sunburst Acoustic Guitar, #68135 presents a very appealing opportunity to the discerning player and collector, estimated at $12,000+, in good condition despite its almost 75 years of existence.
A 1931 Martin OM-28 Natural Acoustic Guitar, #47403, a rare Martin Orchestra model, unrestored and never repaired, estimated at $12,000+, gives bidders another chance at a choice early-20th century example from the hallowed guitar maker.
Rickenbacker is represented in the six-string category with a gorgeous 1959 375 Capri Autumnglo/Brown Sunburst Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar, #3V254, an all-original guitar with good neck set and pots dating to the 10th week of 1959. It is estimated at $2,000+.
A 1959 Fender Telecaster Blonde Solid Body Electric Guitar, #38272 (estimate: $3,000+) and a 1959 Fender Esquire Blonde Solid Body Electric Guitar, #37160 (Estimate: $3,500+) represent the top Fender electric offerings in the Beverly Hills auction, with both of these very playable guitars presenting attractive opportunities to the right collectors.
While the 1960 Les Paul Standard Sunburst is the top offering in the instrument section of the auction, several more prime Gibson guitars will have erudite collectors taking notice, especially a beautiful 1965 Gibson Firebird Cherry Red Electric Guitar, #503927, with a special provenance, estimated at $1,800+.
"If you're old enough to have been around the Southern California music scene back in the mid-to-late 1960s, you might have been lucky enough to catch The Traveling Band," said Jonas Aronson, Director of Vintage Guitars at Heritage.
"The group was comprised of six brothers and sisters. One of the brothers played this very Gibson Firebird while one of his sisters played a matching Thunderbird bass, also in this auction."
Collectors interested in classic music memorabilia may wish to take a look at this guitar strap, believed to be the one worn by Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock.
, believed to be the one worn by Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock.
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Southern District of Georgia
Former U.S Attorneys
U.S. Attorneys » Southern District of Georgia » News
Savannah Man Indicted For Historic District Carjacking
SAVANNAH, GA: Earlier today, a federal grand jury in Savannah charged Jaquan Shakur Singleton, 23, with perpetrating an armed carjacking near Forsyth Park on February 12, 2018. The indictment alleges that Singleton brandished a nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol and used force, violence, and intimidation to steal a Honda sedan before transporting the car into South Carolina. Shortly after the robbery, Singleton was arrested at the scene of a single-vehicle accident involving the stolen sedan. A South Carolina Highway Patrol (“SCHP”) trooper recovered a nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol from the vehicle.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southeast Georgia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Savannah Police Department investigated the carjacking. Along with SCHP, Jasper County Fire-Rescue responded to the accident.
If convicted of carjacking, Singleton could be sentenced to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, the defendant faces a consecutive sentence of seven years’ imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Transporting a stolen vehicle across state lines is punishable by 10 years in prison. All federal sentences must be served without the possibility of parole.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine stated, “Working alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, this Office has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to gun violence. We will respond – promptly and sharply – to those who threaten the safety and serenity of our community.”
U.S. Attorney Christine emphasized that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
USAO - Georgia, Southern
If you have knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at: (866) 720-5721 or e-mail at: disaster@leo.gov
Giving Back to the Community through a variety of venues and initiatives.
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Coronavirus Stay At Home Orders Have Reduced Traffic Accidents – But We Still Need To Drive Safely
HomeBlogCoronavirus Stay At Home Orders Have Reduced Traffic Accidents – But We Still Need To Drive Safely
As the United States and California continue to grapple with slowing the spread of COVID-19, we are seeing many reports of a dramatic reduction in traffic accidents and traffic deaths. This is due to most people heeding Gov. Newsome’s stay at home orders. However, there are still many people who use their vehicles every day, as well as those who are out walking or bicycling for exercise. At the Law Offices of Howard Craig Kornberg, we do not want drivers, pedestrians, or bicyclists to be lulled into a false sense of security. Our Los Angeles car accident attorneys want to discuss several safety tips everyone should be following.
Stay at home orders have reduced traffic accidents
To be sure, COVID-19 is negatively affecting this country and state. Many thousands of people have died, and the death toll may rise into the hundreds of thousands. However, since the stay at home orders for California went into effect on March 20, vehicle collisions have been reduced by approximately 50% according to a study from UC Davis. Fraser Shilling, co-director of the Road Ecology Center at US Davis said that “The reduction works out to about 15,000 fewer collisions per month and 6,000 fewer injury accidents per month.”
However, at the Law Offices of Howard Kornberg, we want to warn drivers and pedestrians alike that there is still a risk of accidents, and not to let their guard down. Due to less traffic on the roadway, many drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists may assume they can be less vigilant. That is not the case.
Drivers must take precautions:
Drive at appropriate speeds.
Put away any distractions such as phones and other devices.
Continue to stop at crosswalks.
Never assume a pedestrian or bicyclist sees you.
Pedestrians and bicyclists must:
Continue to follow all traffic laws.
Stop at and use marked crosswalks.
Wear brightly colored clothing, particularly in the evening and at night.
Never assume a driver sees you.
The coronavirus pandemic is going to alter the way we live for some time, but this does not mean we can be less vigilant in and around the roadway. We are all in this together, and we will come out of this COVID-19 pandemic stronger. Let’s all keep each other in mind when we are outperforming essential activities.
We are here to help your case
If you or somebody you love has been injured in a traffic collision that was caused by somebody else’s careless or negligent actions, seek legal assistance today. At the Law Offices of Howard Craig Kornberg, our team is ready to investigate your case and work to secure any compensation you may be entitled to. This could include:
Coverage of your medical bills related to the crash
Compensation for lost income if you cannot work
Pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life damages
Possible punitive damages against a negligent party
When you need a Los Angeles car accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling 310-997-0904 for a free consultation.
Car Accident Attorney, Car Accident Lawyer, Los Angeles
Who Is Responsible For Injuries And Damages Caused By Road Debris In Car Accidents? Apparently, aggressive, drunk and distracted driving on the roads of Los Angeles and all across California are not the only things that can get you... Should Apple Be Held Responsible For Drivers Who Text? Is Apple's iPhone really behind a staggering average of 52,000 vehicular accidents and 312 fatalities per year in California alone? Those are the figures according... More Than Just Physical Injuries With Car Accidents Over the summer, actress Melyssa Ford got into a near-fatal car accident. It has taken her a while to speak out about the incident, but... Life Changing Events Call for Life Changing Lawyers Car accidents happen all the time. Most happen when the driver is under the influence. We all want to party and have fun, but we... Woman Arrested For DUI After Fatal Crash When you are out on the roadway, you know that there are risks and that you do what you can to drive safely. However, you...
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Church nativity scene shows Jesus, Mary and Joseph as caged refugees
LOS ANGELES — A Methodist church in California has unveiled a nativity scene depicting Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees in cages.
The Los Angeles Times reports the display at the Claremont United Methodist Church is stoking debate related to the the Trump administration’s separation policies at the U.S. southern border.
The display shows classic nativity figurines of Joseph and Mary in cages on either side of a cage containing the manger of Jesus.
The Rev. Karen Clark Ristine says the church uses its annual nativity scene to tackle a societal issue, such as the homeless population of Southern California.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Ristine recounted the Bible’s story of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Ristine then asked: “What if this family sought refuge in our country today? Imagine Joseph and Mary separated at the border and Jesus no older than two taken from his mother and placed behind the fences of a Border Patrol detention center as more than 5,500 children have been the past three years. Jesus grew up to teach us kindness and mercy and a radical welcome of all people.”
Ristine says a more traditional nativity scene is displayed inside the church, which serves a congregation of about 300 people.
The Trump administration faced broad criticism for separating children from their families while they were detained at the southern border before the president ordered an end to the practice in 2018.
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Dominican Republic Life and Culture | Punta Cana Guide
Interesting Facts About the Dominican Republic Weather
A historical compilation made by the website specialized in Dominican meteorology, acqweather.com, shows a meteorological report of the country for January 1956. According to the document, by that date there had been another extreme drop in temperature, which was because of that during the month they crossed the island four cold fronts causing two of them general rains in almost all the country during days 1 to 3 and 28 to 31.
A cold fall east of Cape Hatteras, USA, in the first days of the month, caused a decrease in temperatures, registering a minimum of 0.0 ° C in the stations of Hondo Valle and Constanza, and in Ciudad Trujillo (Santo Domingo) the thermometer went down until 11.6 degrees C on January 7.
What is the hottest month in Dominican Republic?
The coldest and hottest temperature ever recorded in Dominican Republic
What is the climate of the Dominican Republic?
What is the average rainfall in Dominican Republic?
Is there a rainy season in the Dominican Republic?
Is it the rainy season in Punta Cana?
What is the best month to go to the Dominican Republic?
What is hurricane season in Dominican Republic?
Does it ever snow in Dominican Republic?
Is the sea warm in Dominican Republic?
Can you swim in Punta Cana in December?
The average temperature of the country is 28 ° C. August is the hottest month, and January is the coolest. In summer, the highest temperature usually reaches 34 ° C and in winter the lowest is 14 ° C, with the exception of mountainous areas where it usually drops to 0 ° C.
The World Meteorological Organization establishes a period of 30 years to make a comparison of temperatures and delimit the maximum and minimum extremes. Thus, according to data from the Department of Climatology of the National Meteorological Office (Onamet), Santo Domingo saw a minimum record of 11 ° C for February 5, 1951 and January 7, 1957.
In the capital, another record minimum temperature has been recorded on the Las Américas Highway, when it dropped to 8 ° C in January and March 2007. In the interior of the country, in Polo, Barahona, the cold was felt at 6 ° C on February 8 and 15, 1951, and in Rancho Arriba, San José de Ocoa, was at 3.5 ° C on January 14, 1956.
According to the data and the period compared, the coldest temperatures were recorded between 1950 and 1980, and January, February, and March have been the coldest months. In Cevicos, in Sánchez Ramírez, it dropped to 2 ° C on December 26, 1979. In San José de Ocoa the climate was at 5 ° C on January 11, 1956.
It is popularly said that the Dominican Republic has only one season: summer, and a little cold at Christmas. That heat felt throughout most of the year has reached peak points, especially between June and September. In March 1952, the inhabitants of San Rafael del Yuma had to wear very fresh clothes to withstand the 42 ° C that was recorded.
The same they had to do in La Victoria, on April 23, 1958 under that same temperature, and in Duvergé in August 1965 when it rose to 42.8 ° C and 42.2 ° C. Others who experienced a stifling heat of 41 ° C were residents in Moca, in May 1997; Elías Piña, in April 1965; in Salcedo, in September 1956; in Bonao, in June of 1950 and Santiago, in September of 1960.
In Pepillo Salcedo there were 41.2 ° C in July 1962 and 40.5 ° C in La Vega in April 1959. According to the Onamet report, Santo Domingo arrived at almost 40 ° C when on May 29, 2002, the temperature rose to 39.5 ° C. Other top records for the Dominican capital have been 36 ° C in July 1995 and 35.7 ° C in July 1990. Santo Domingo approached 40 ° C on May 29, 2002, when the temperature rose to 39.5 ° C.
The dominant climate type in the Dominican Republic is the Tropical Wet of Sabana, but there are also different microclimates. Temperatures above 18 ° C with slight differences in the cold months and low rainfall (observed in Santo Domingo).
The climate is tropical in Santo Domingo. Most months of the year are marked by significant rainfall. The short dry season has little impact. This climate is considered Am according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification. The average annual temperature is 25.7 ° C in Santo Domingo. Precipitation here averages 1661 mm.
As for the rains in the Dominican Republic, along the eastern and southern coasts, there is a rainy season from the end of April to October, while the northern coast, exposed to trade winds, is rainy throughout the year, although on the northwest coast there is a decrease in rainfall from June to September.
The rainy season in Punta Cana covers the months from May to October, the chances of rain are greater during this time than the rest of the year. In addition, humidity sometimes exceeds 80%. Although the climate is warm and tropical during the summer months, June, July, and August can present temperatures above 31ºC, although the months with the highest temperatures are September and October, with a greater probability of rain precipitation, October is also the wettest month of the year.
In the Dominican Republic, the weather is very good throughout the country during February, March and April. If you are interested in visiting Santo Domingo, you should know that the most favorable months at the climate level to go to Santo Domingo are January, February, March, April, November and December.
While on the contrary, it is advisable to avoid the rainiest months in this city are May, July and August. The cities with the best climate are Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Barahona, Montecristi and Sosúa with a favorable climate at least 11 months a year.
From June to November, the Dominican Republic can be hit by hurricanes, tropical cyclones of the Atlantic and the Caribbean, which are however more likely between August and October. Destructive hurricanes, category 4 or 5 are very rare, but when they hit a particular area directly, they can cause considerable damage. More frequent are tropical storms, which are less intense cyclones, and that affect the country on average once every two years.
The country was hit hard by the “1930 Dominican Republic hurricane” in September 1930, by Hurricane David on August 31, 1979, and by Hurricane Georges in September 1998.
However, even the not very intense tropical storms can produce abundant rainfall in the mountainous areas of the interior, which can cause landslides and flooding.
In the Dominican Republic it has never snowed, there are places in the country with very low temperature, where snow-like phenomena have been perceived, such as in the city of Constanza, where the low temperatures cause freezing of water and frost, many people say it is snow but it is only a thin layer of ice that occurs on some surfaces
Constanza is located in the Central Cordillera of the Dominican Republic and is known as the “Switzerland of the Caribbean.” It is the highest town on the island, although Pico Duarte, in the central mountain range is the highest point in the Greater Antilles.
For swimming, in the Dominican Republic, the sea is hot all year round: the temperature ranges from 26 degrees in February and March, to 29 ° C between August and October, as you can take for example the sea temperature near Santo Domingo.
Although December in Punta Cana is one of the months of the year that has the least amount of sun, it is one of the best months for swimming on the beaches, because it is one of the months with the lowest humidity and the minimum temperature of the water is about 26.9 ° C.
Read this article that I wrote if you are interested in knowing more about the weather in Punta Cana.
Dominican Republic Food; Culture and History
Using Your Cell Phone In The Dominican Republic
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Crime and Mystery Author
Pets Are People Too
When you write about people, you make sure to draw them as individuals with a particular combination of likes and dislikes, strengths and foibles. If the people in your story have pets, you should treat them the same way. There is no universal “dog” or “cat” personality, and the key to writing a memorable pet is to make sure they have their own unique flair.
Winston and I attempt a selfie.
If you don’t happen to own the pet in question, looking up traits of the breed will help you with a starting point. Siamese cats are typically quite vocal, for example. Giant dogs—think Mastiffs or Great Danes—tend to be lower energy and obedient because they were bred that way. My own basset Winston shares a common trait with many basset hounds in that he likes to think for himself. He is slow to follow commands because he wants everything to be his idea. Bassets were bred as hunting dogs meant to roam ahead of their people and so their independent streak is strong. How strong? Well, there is one obedience school that simply won’t take bassets. But don’t confuse a basset’s lack of a desire to do what the human says with a lack of love for the human. Bassets are strongly bonded with their people (and other pets in the house) and will follow you from room to room.
But you can also have a 100% pure-bred animal that behaves nothing like its kin. If you don’t happen to have a dog, bird, cat, hamster, etc., you can find discussion forums where people share stories about their pets to learn the range of crazy behaviors that animals will evince. I lived with an average-sized cat for a while who could shake the whole house by “boxing” on a bedroom door that didn’t sit tight in its frame. Another cat I knew would take his human female’s dirty underwear out of the hamper and carry it around with him. He’d also come running like a dog when she returned home, so if she had company with her, they would be greeted by a Calico kitty with a bra in his mouth.
Maybe your fictional rabbit is crazy for green peas. Perhaps the cat in your novel likes to sit on top of the fridge and pass judgment on all your food choices when you open the door. My mother once had a cockatoo who liked to imitate the noise of the doorbell to make the family dog run barking to the front door. Then the bird would laugh and dance. Ha!
Pets = love. Unless your pet is a holy terror. That can be funny in fiction, too.
Winston gives me plenty of ideas for Speed Bump, his fictional counterpart. Winston will go belly-up if you try to pet him. The underside of the dog is the best part for scratching, in his opinion. He smells like a hound, which means he emits an odor reminiscent of corn chips. Speaking of chips, he will wake from a sound sleep at the scent of popcorn. And with his considerable nose, he can detect popcorn from two floors away. However, he hates bananas (but not banana muffins). He loves little kids, whom he views as fellow puppies, but is distrustful of men with beards—not to mention the fearsome plexiglass cow outside the ice cream shop. At doggie daycare, they call him “The Mayor” because he makes the rounds, talking to all other dogs on the premises.
The more individualized you can make your story’s pets, the more they will seem real. You want readers to hear the meows and feel the fur. You want the creatures galumphing, slinking, and skulking right off the page.
Reed and Ellery: Yeah or Nah?
With the advent of All the Best Lies, I’ve been getting more reader feedback on whether Ellery and Reed should be a couple or not. Sentiment runs about 90-95% “They belong together forever” with about 5-10% of readers firmly in the “Ew, that’s gross” category. I feel like both sides have a point, which is why Ellery and Reed are so much fun to write. If they were a perfect couple, they’d be boring. But are they too taboo? Let’s review the evidence on the “Ew, gross” side:
1. They met when Ellery was a kid. She was fourteen and Reed was a grown-ass adult in the FBI. For some readers, understandably, this is a non-starter.
2. He rescued her. This fact, plus the age difference, creates the impression of a power imbalance that is sometimes uncomfortable.
3. They met because of a serial killer. He’s always going to be between them.
Reed and Ellery generate plenty of heat, but should they be a couple?
Meanwhile, the “Aw, they belong together” side has points to offer as well:
1. They understand each other in a way that literally no one else on Earth does.
2. They like each other. You should get to date who you like, as long as everyone is a consenting adult.
3. They are both adults now.
4. They fill in each other’s blindspots. Reed’s monied background means he doesn’t understand what it’s like to go without, and he sometimes misses motivations or part of a case that Ellery sees better. He also has a bit of a “fix-it” complex. Ellery is a constant reminder that he can’t fix everything, nor should he try. Ellery rushes headlong into danger while Reed is more circumspect. She is something of a misanthrope. Reed gives her hope for humankind.
The yin-yang of these two points of view is what makes them interesting to me as a writer. I see the “Ew, gross” side even if I do not completely share it. To me, the deal-breakers would be:
1. If Reed had any authority over Ellery, now or in the past. He’s not her boss. He has no control over her job or her future.
2. They had interacted a lot when she was a kid. As it stands, they met once. It was a dramatic meeting, to be sure, but then Reed disappeared from her life. He had no bearing on the kind of adult she turned out to be. He did not know girl-Ellery in any real capacity. He knows her only as an adult.
3. If she were a new adult. If Ellery was twenty-two or twenty-four, still getting her bearings on the adult world, it would be a different story. Reed would feel like a creepy influence. But she’s thirty and stands firmly on her own two feet.
4. If she had nothing to teach him. If their relationship was all about Reed breaking down Ellery’s walls, if he had no emotional learning to do himself, then the relationship would be hopelessly unbalanced.
So, in sum: those crazy lovebirds. Will they make it or not? I have no idea! Stay tuned.
I get questions about my books all the time, but there is a frequent one that always stumps me: “Is your book scary?” I’m never sure how to reply. To me, they are not scary, but I go to bed each night with Forensic Files reruns on the TV. The first book involves a serial killer, which is a frightening premise and a non-starter for many readers. Yet others who like dark, disturbing stories find it tepid, like a Lifetime movie. There is no slashing of body parts on the page. There is no long internal narrative from the killer about stalking or dismembering the victims.
This creepy house just looks like a scary story waiting to happen.
It’s funny to me that the same book can be described as “a nice, light read” and “relentlessly sinister,” but it all depends on your point of view. I’m a firm believer in letting readers take what they want from a story. My intent shouldn’t matter. That said, I don’t set out with an intent to scare anyone. But the books aren’t meant to be entirely comfortable either.
As I’ve mentioned, Ellery and Reed are very loosely inspired by real people around the edges of the Ted Bundy case. I was reading a book on Bundy years ago and was struck by how he was a wrecking ball through so many lives. There were the murdered victims, of course, and their loved ones left behind. But also: the cops, prematurely aged by what they’d seen; Bundy’s fiancée and her daughter; Bundy’s own daughter, conceived on death row; Carol DaRonch, Bundy’s most famous living victim who ends up in every Bundy movie, even forty years after the fact; the young women in the sorority house in Florida who weren’t attacked the night he went through the place with a log, bashing heads in; the young women who were attacked and lived, including a dancer who could no longer dance.
I even met a man who happened to be named Ted who ended up on the wrong end of a cop’s gun, just because he shared a name with the infamous serial killer.
So, the books aren’t so much about the serial killer himself, at least not to date. They’re about everyone else who has to live with the crater he left behind. You can lock him up or even execute him but it doesn’t undo all the damage. Justice is imperfect.
I guess if I had to declare any kind of authorial intent, I would say I want the books to feel real. Crime is scary, and that fright can linger even after you survive it, even if the fear is mostly in your head. But surviving means you get to experience the other joyous parts of life, too, like sharing a meal with a friend or rubbing a warm dog belly. I make sure to put those parts into the story as well. Does that make it “light”? Or “grim”?
You get to decide.
Storytelling, Writing, Writing Advice
As difficult as it is to begin a book, it may be even more challenging to end one, at least in a satisfying fashion. Not all “good” endings are happy ones, and indeed, if you force a happily-ever-after onto a story that didn’t earn it, the ending is unlikely to leave readers feeling satisfied. Here are some elements to consider when crafting your perfect ending:
Your last words are as important as your first.
1. Has the central tension been resolved? If so, get off the stage as soon as possible. In a mystery, this is usually the point where the villain is revealed. In a romance, this is when the characters get together and admit their love. In a literary novel, the ending can be tougher to spot, but it’s usually when the main character has learned whatever insight they were lacking at the start of the book.
2. Make sure your ending is earned. The rest of the story should be leading to the final point so that when the ending arrives, it seems just. My family watches baking competition shows where someone is eliminated at the end of each hour until finally a champion is crowned. At the start, especially, there are so many bakers that the producers would have hours more footage than they could use. They have to choose which parts to include in the “story.” We joke that so-and-so is getting the “going home” edit, but there is truth in this line. At the end, when a baker is voted off, viewers have to understand why this person is getting the axe. If the producers didn’t show you their struggles and instead focused on a different baker’s lovely meringue technique, you’d be confused when the final vote came in. It’s the same with a book. Your story needs to relate to the ending in a way that makes sense.
3. Don’t tell all you know. It’s a good idea to leave some mystery at the end of your book, even if it’s not a mystery. It can be tempting to wrap everything up in a bow. Have your side characters fall in insta-love. Move your hero into a James-Bond-type pad. Have your heroine’s mother call her up and apologize for all those mistakes from years ago. Maybe the killer is caught but there is a lingering question of whether the dead man’s wife knew him long ago and may have arranged for the murder. Or the couple gets together but her best friend, who pined for the man herself, remains unsettled. Or your hero, who’d believed that money could buy happiness, realizes his error but it may be too late to save his relationship with his son. Readers like endings that make sense, but they also value some open questions. It gives them something to think about when the book is done—and makes for lively book club discussions!
4. Think about your last line. Writers can spend ages tinkering with the opening sentence of a book because it’s your first impression. A killer first line can help sell a novel. Similarly, your last line is also important. It’s your parting shot. Your lasting impression, as it were. If you’re lucky, it can help sell readers on your next story.
When My Best Friend Didn’t Want to Be Friends Anymore
Amy and I were as close as friends could be.
As a kid, I had a close friend, the kind you send BFF messages to on cheap gray school paper when you’re supposed to be listening to the math lesson. We’ll call her Amy since that was her name. Amy and I attended a small elementary school, with only one class per grade, so we were together every year. She was more of a tomboy than I was—good at athletics, never wearing dresses or skirts, her hair styled short like a boy’s might be. We shared a love of scary movies, junk food, and imagination games. She was my only competition when it came to academics. We were the smart kids, constantly measuring ourselves against each other to see which one might be better. If there was any kind of school-related competition that required more brain than brawn, like ‘who can read the most books in one month’ or ‘who can spell the hardest word,’ either Amy or I would take home the title.
Pictures of us back then show two girls with their arms around each other, dressed up in homemade costumes for Halloween. Or the pair of us running into the distance, preparing to roll down some enormous hill. We spent every minute we could together, right up until we didn’t.
The change started when we were eleven and entered middle school, which was filled with older, tougher kids. Amy decided to overhaul her image. She permed her hair and started wearing short skirts and heels. She downplayed how smart she was. I didn’t recognize her anymore, and increasingly, it seemed she no longer recognized me either. We didn’t sit together at lunch. We no longer talked on the phone. Still, I considered her my friend and hoped we might rekindle our relationship. I invited her to my twelfth birthday party. To my wonderment and delight, she said yes.
I felt the old thrill when she agreed to come. It would be like the old days, the two of us making stupid jokes and stuffing ourselves with cake and candy. I’d been wrong to read her chilliness at school as anything personal. She still saw me. She still cared.
The party was a small affair, just a few friends and a cake at my house. The minutes ticked by and Amy didn’t show. Maybe she forgot, I told myself. Maybe she got sick. I would have to call her afterward to make sure she was okay.
Then more than an hour into the party, our doorbell rang. I ran to answer it with hope in my heart, the rest of my party guests hot on my heels. Sure enough, there was Amy on the other side. But she wasn’t alone. She’d brought along a couple of her new friends, popular girls with teased hair and thick makeup. I’m convinced they didn’t even know I was alive until that very moment.
Awkward and stammering, I invited them all in for cake. They didn’t move past the entryway.
“Here’s your present,” Amy said, thrusting a drug store bag at me. “I can’t stay.” She may have even said sorry. I can’t remember. What I do recall with searing clarity is how humiliated and awful I felt in that moment, how stupid I’d been to misjudge our relationship. Amy wasn’t my friend anymore. She hadn’t been for some time. I’d just failed to realize it.
I got the message that day. My mumbled thank-you to her as she and her new crowd departed from my mother’s kitchen were the last words I spoke to Amy, or she to me. True to her new identity, she no longer took classes with the smart kids, not even when we got to high school and there were lots of us—some of whom were even popular and cool.
I wonder about that moment at my party and what Amy’s point-of-view might have been. Had she felt pressured to say yes to my face when she didn’t ever want to come? Had she wanted to come at first but then her new friends convinced it her would be uncool? Did she just feel sorry for me, this person she was leaving behind on her fast-track to middle-school stardom? My guess is that Amy doesn’t have any memory of this party. Maybe she has some alternate moment of truth about our shattered friendship that I’ve completely forgotten because it was not significant to me. Perhaps she glimpsed a ragged stuffed animal in my locker. Maybe she sized up my hopelessly unfashionable clothes. She would have seen that I didn’t have the tools or vocabulary to be the kind of person she was becoming; indeed, I never would.
I think about turning points like this in relationships, and how momentous shifts can sometimes be one-sided. Amy wasn’t trying to be the villain in my story. She just wanted to survive sixth grade. I think about people’s attempts to reinvent themselves and whether that’s entirely possible. Was the Amy I had known and loved still in there somewhere, or did she have to be killed off for Amy to transform? I think about these moments of sudden clarity, how dizzying they can be. How they leave a brand on your memory that feels hot to the touch after decades have passed. I think about how they make for great storytelling, and how we as authors search for these moments to bring our characters to life.
I think about Amy.
Writing, Writing Advice
If all else fails, get yourself a magic laptop like this woman has, where the letters just fly in all by themselves.
Now that we’ve covered the worst writing advice that I’ve seen, here is the flip side: best writing advice I can share. It’s not nearly all the useful tips that you can find, but so much of writing advice is idiosyncratic. Outlines work for some authors but not others. Some writers succeed by writing every day. Others write prolifically in one-month bursts with long breaks “off” in between. As a writer, you have to try out different strategies to find what works for you. However, there are a few pieces of advice that are applicable to just about everyone:
Read widely and with attention. Definitely read the kind of pieces you want to produce, whether that’s poetry, thrillers, romance or memoirs. Study the ones that are popular and/or critically acclaimed and ask yourself: what are the audiences responding to? How did the author successfully tell her tale? What structure did he use? Read outside your area as well to get ideas that will help keep your writing fresh.
Follow the “because” and “but” rule. If you find your story has scenes that are strung together with “and then,” it’s probably not a story. It’s a series of events. To build a narrative arc, the scenes must be linked in meaning, not just chronology. Example: a detective at a murder scene believes the woman who called in the emergency is the killer so he decides to take her downtown for questioning, BUT then a second body turns up two miles away, killed in the same fashion. Or: He takes the woman downtown for questioning, and she confesses BECAUSE he tricks her into revealing her shameful secret past as a unicorn juggler.
Get outside eyes on your work. Ideally, you want someone with editorial experience to critique your work before you trot it out in public. It can also be valuable to have feedback from a few readers who love the genre you are writing in. The editor will hone your prose and spot the plot holes. Readers will tell you whether they are dying to turn the page to find out what happens next.
Pay as much attention to your last sentence as you do your first. It’s imperative to hook your reader on those early pages, but the last pages are what will linger with them after they have finished your story. A successful ending means that your readers are more likely to pick up your next one.
Join a professional writers’ association. If you are interested in publishing, it’s vital to make connections with others in the business. These are people who once stood where you are, and they can offer advice to help you succeed. They’ll point out pitfalls and sand traps and help you figure out what path is most useful to you. Soak in their knowledge, put it to good use, and when the time comes, you can return the favor to another newbie starting out.
The Worst Writing Advice
If you’re an aspiring writer, or even an established one, you run into reams of advice on how to improve your craft, sell more books, hook an agent, etc. Lots of this advice is valuable. Some of it isn’t. Here, I present to you some of the worst writing advice you will find in the industry.
This is me too often, glaring at the page. Why make it even harder than it needs to be?
Write What You Know. This is a hoary chestnut from days of yore, but it still gets repeated often and everywhere. It’s ridiculous. Writers invent stories about realms that don’t exist and tales of adventure from the year 1066 when none of us was there to bear witness. I write about serial killers, and please believe me when I assure that you I’ve never even committed one murder, let alone multiples. This piece of writing advice is backward, you see. It should be: Know What You Write. You don’t need to write about your personal experiences. In fact, if you’re as boring as I am, you probably shouldn’t. But you do need to do your homework. If you’re inventing a new universe, you need to take the time to establish the rules of that world and understand how it works so that you can bring it to life for readers. If you are writing about a historical era, then you have to research that time in detail before you can put your story there.
Don’t Use Adverbs. This piece of advice often gets traced to Elmore Leonard and Stephen King, and it’s just crap. For one thing, both Leonard and King use adverbs in their work. You know why? Because adverbs are an entirely useful part of speech. They add flavor and pizazz. You know who uses copious adverbs? JK Rowling. She seems to be doing okay for herself, writing-wise. Sure, like all words you put in a story, deploy your adverbs with intention, with care. If they don’t enhance the sentence, by all means, cut them out. But don’t toss them out entirely because that’s just silly.
Focus on Building Your “Platform.” The caveat with this one is that for non-fiction authors, a platform is highly valuable. This is because the subject of your book and the subject of your platform are tightly entwined in non-fiction. (Example: mommy blogger puts out a book on parenting tips, or a recipe blogger publishes a cookbook.) But for fiction, your platform just isn’t as important. Your job on social media is to be a person, not a constant shill for your books. As such, social media itself doesn’t move many novels. Having a large audience doesn’t guarantee they will buy your books. A writer I know is friends with a famous comedienne, and he wrote a fairly funny crime novel. She hyped it to her TWELVE MILLION followers multiple times, but the book still tanked. So, don’t worry about amassing likes on Facebook or followers on Twitter. Go to the places where your people hang out and focus on being a person. This won’t get you necessarily build your “likes” but it will make you for-real liked, and it will slowly gain you valuable connections in the industry.
Don’t Publish Until You Have a Bestseller Idea. Oh, that we could all be sure when we had a bestseller idea. The truth is you don’t know. And even if you have the idea, and even write the wonderful book, it doesn’t mean your book will turn into a bestseller. There is alchemy that goes into bestseller books, parts that not even the publisher or author control, and landing one is a little like getting hit by lightning. The best you can do is to go out with your pole in a rainstorm. Your book is your pole. If you keep them hoarded under your bed and never put them out there, then you lose all your chances. Besides, you learn something from every book, knowledge that is rolled into the next one, so if you sit around waiting at the idea stage, you’ll never get that deep knowledge that might transform you into a bestseller one day.
So there you have it. Writing is tough enough without having to worry about any of this stuff. What should you worry about? Stay tuned, and I’ll reveal that part tomorrow.
Family Life, Writing
My family is setting out on a cross-country road trip that takes us almost as far as you can go in the continental United States, from Massachusetts to Southern California. We have a bunch of stops staked out along the way to see sights and spend time with friends, but we don’t have a lot of “must do” on the agenda. I realized as I was planning this trip that it is very similar to how I approach writing a novel.
Our tentative map across the USA, with a few definitive stops marked along the way.
I know the beginning point, the endpoint, and a few “stops” in between. But the precise path I will take to get to these places and the characters I will encounter along the way are a mystery when I start writing. I’ve found that if I know too much about the journey ahead of time, I lose interest in taking it.
Some writers fly almost entirely by the seat of their pants, and they are aptly named “pantsers.” They start with a premise and begin writing with no idea of how the story will turn out. They wait for the characters to tell them the ending. I am in awe of these writers because this whole enterprise sounds terrifying to me. What if the characters never reveal their secret? My book would have no ending!
Other writers are “plotters” who map out every twist and turn before they begin the tale. They take satisfaction in having the bones of the story in place so that they know it will have good structure. They may do full character bios so that they understand their people deeply before writing about them. I admire these folks completely and often wish I could be more like them because the whole business sounds so reassuring. The story is all right there in the outline! All you have to do is hang some words on it! Writers who pen stories rapidly often swear by this method. There is no hem-hawing over a blank page in the morning. The outline tells you exactly what scenes are in front of you that day.
I am, alas, a hybrid of these two groups. The optimist would say I get the best of both worlds, whereas the pessimist would say I get the worst. I say it depends on which day you ask me. I can’t imagine setting out on a long journey, whether that’s a 3000-mile road trip or a 300-page novel, with no sense at all of where I’m headed. I need a destination. I have to know whodunit and why. Likewise, I can’t bear the tedium of having every road mapped out in advance. Where are the surprises? The unexpected stops or character developments you never saw coming? So I am left with my approach, which is to do a rough sketch with a clear beginning, a definitive ending, and a mostly murky middle.
Today we prepare to set out from Boston, and in September, we’ll be in Los Angeles. What happens in between is anybody’s guess! As long as no one is murdered at any point in this story, we’ll count it as a success.
Family Life, Writing Advice
Lessons on Writing from the Piano Man
Friday night, we took our nine-year-old daughter to see Billy Joel perform at Fenway Park. He’s her favorite, you see, because she was born in the wrong decade. The concert shook the baseball stadium as hard as any Red Sox playoff game, and The Piano Man can still tickle those ivories at age sixty-nine. Joel was in a reflective mood as he took us through the songs that made up his career, and I came away feeling inspired as an artist. Here are some of my takeaways from Joel’s wisdom:
Billy Joel performs on stage at Fenway Park.
Not every piece you produce will be a hit, and that’s okay. After opening with a couple of chart-toppers, Joel down shifted into several of his lesser-known songs. At the third one in a row that he introduced by saying, “This one…was also not a hit,” the audience chuckled. Joel protested. “Hey, I spent just as much time writing the non-hits as I did the hits!” It’s hard to know when you produce a story or a movie or a song whether it will resonate with your audience. The best you can do is keep on creating.
How you feel about your work right now may not predict how you feel about it later. Joel performed “The Entertainer,” which he says he wrote during his “cynical period.” The song details all the downsides of being a hit singer—the constant travel, the pressure to conform to a certain popular aesthetic, the sense that you’ve lost control of your art. Decades later, Joel is amazed and grateful that he can still pack a stadium with thousands of fans. “Thanks,” he said sincerely, “for showing up.”
The best way to have a great idea is to generate lots of ideas in the first place. As Joel noted, he’s had more non-hits than hits. But he didn’t give up or go away angry at the first song that failed to make the charts. He kept writing and eventually he created more hits that are still in the rotation on pop stations today. This is a hoary chestnut from the writing world but it remains true: you are only a failed writer if you stop writing.
You never know where you may find your biggest fans. Most of the people at the concert were solidly in Joel’s demo—my age and older. We’re the people who grew up with his music. But we were there because my nine-year-old loves his songs, these pieces written decades before she was born. Once you put your art out there, it can go places you’d never expect, and touch people you’ve never met.
My daughter, rapt, watches Bill Joel perform her favorite songs.
Once you put your art out there, it’s not quite yours anymore. It belongs to the people. “The Entertainer” deals with the frustrating aspects of this truism, but Joel is now in his closing act and he is thinking more of his legacy. The songs aren’t his to keep forever. They are inherited by the fans who will carry them forward.
“Piano Man” is beloved almost to the point of cliché among those of us at a certain age, but one of the reasons it persists is that there are so many places in the song to see yourself. Are you the waitress just trying to do your job while getting hit on by the guys? Maybe you’re the real estate agent who prized career over family, potentially to your regret. Or maybe you’re the bartender, someone could really make a mark if you “could just get out of this place.”
We’re sharing a drink we call loneliness because we’re all lonely at one time or another. No one was lonely at Fenway on Friday, though, when the band cut out and the crowd sang the “Piano Man” chorus in a thundering, unified roar. Joel sat on the stage and took it in, the emotion pouring out at him from these masses who had adopted his song and made a home for it in their hearts.
The Monster at the End of This Book
One of my favorite childhood reads was “Grover and the Monster at the End of This Book.” In the story, Grover the Muppet begs the reader not to turn the pages because he’s heard there is a monster at the end and he’s afraid. The shocking twist is that lovable old Grover is himself the monster at the end! I was thinking of this kids’ classic the other day while reading advice on how to craft a memorable villain. Your book’s monster, according to this advice, should be a reflection of the hero. But what does this mean?
Grover despairs that there is a frightening monster at the end of the book he is in.
Sometimes, it means that your protagonist and your antagonist share the same flaw, especially at the beginning of the story. Maybe they are both stubbornly independent and believe themselves to be uniquely gifted. The villain, however, ends up using his or her powers for evil, whereas the hero overcomes this flaw to band together with others to defeat the villain.
It also means that your villain should have roughly the same power as your hero. There’s a reason Sherlock Holmes goes up against Moriarty, a cunning antagonist who is a worthy foe for someone as brilliant as our iconic detective. It’s also the reason you so often see superheroes fighting some ‘bad’ version of themselves in comic action movies. If you’re a Hulk, then it’s not interesting to see you fight a bunch of little guys. Instead, you get to tango with a tricked-out, mean-tempered version of yourself.
This doesn’t mean that every protagonist/antagonist needs to have literal super-human powers. It just means their skillsets should be evenly matched, whether that’s an actual army or the ability to spread gossip through a small town.
A memorable antagonist should also bring out a unique side of the hero. In the Hulk example, the Hulk is both a villain-fighting hero and a kind of antagonist for Bruce Banner. He forces Banner to wrestle with relatable human problems like controlling one’s temper but also keeps Banner from living the normal existence he often craves.
Another strategy is to give your villain and your hero the same goal or dream, which puts them in natural competition. In Lolita, Humbert Humbert has two primary antagonists—Quilty, who also wants Lolita, and Lolita herself, who wants to get away from Humbert. Giving your hero and villain a shared goal can be a way to flesh out your story as the reader may be forced to question whether the villain or hero’s strategy is the best one. For example, you could argue that Danny Kaffee and Colonel Jessup in A Few Good Men have a shared goal of protecting U.S. troops, but they have very different ideas about what that protection looks like.
All of this is to say that, unlike Grover, your hero won’t find himself literally at the end of the book. But he or she should find a part of themselves, a new understanding that the villain is uniquely designed to precipitate.
Joanna Schaffhausen wields a mean scalpel, skills she developed in her years studying neuroscience. She has a doctorate in psychology, which reflects her long-standing interest in the brain―how it develops and the many ways it can go wrong. Previously, she worked as a scientific editor in the field of drug development. Prior to that, she was an editorial producer for ABC News, writing for programs such as World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and 20/20. She lives in the Boston area with her husband, daughter, and basset hound named Winston.
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A Pioneering City of Art – Lille
15 April 2016 | Europe, France, Places | 8 comments
Lille has long been a city of great art museums. Open in 1809, its world-famous Palais des Beaux-Arts (Palace of Fine Arts), one of the first museums to be established in the aftermath of the French revolution, holds the second largest collection in France after the Louvre. In recent decades, the greater Lille metropolitan area has upheld its pioneering history with the opening of two additional museums that are fast becoming landmarks of the international art scene as well as monuments of contemporary French architecture.
LAM – A Unique Cultural Space
The Metropolitan Lille Museum of Modern Art, Contemporary Art and Art Brut) designed by French architect Roland Simounet .
The Lille Métropole Musée d’Art Moderne, d’Art Contemporain et d’Art Brut (Metropolitan Lille Museum of Modern Art, Contemporary Art and Oustider Art), LAM for short, has its genesis in the donation in 1979 by Jean Masurel, a local industrialist and life-long collector of Modern and Contemporary art, of its monumental (close to 4000 pieces) collection to the Lille urban community. A dedicated museum designed by prominent French architect Roland Simounet is inaugurated in 1983 in a suburban Lille parkland setting of Villeneuve d’Ascq.
Georges Braque, 1908, Maisons et arbre (Houses at l’Estaque),
Then in 1985, L’Aracine, an association of artists and collectors of Art Brut (Outsider Art) gives its collection to the museum. For this, the largest public collection of its type in France (over 3,000 works), a striking extension is designed by Manuelle Gaudrant. Five galleries faced in white precast perforated concrete now wrap around the eastern end of the original building. LAM reopens in 2010 after four years of construction and renovation work. Today, with over 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet) of exhibit space and a permanent collection of over 7,000 works, LAM is a unique cultural space that brings together Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art. And offers over a quarter of a million yearly visitors the opportunity to appreciate a condensed history of art in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries in one collection of international standing.
The LAM Sculpture Garden is an ideal setting for the Calder mobile.
This is where the Masurel collection can be seen in all its jaw-dropping magnificence. Expressionists, Cubists, Fauvisists, Surrealists and all the other “…ists” that shaped twentieth century arts are represented here, in the works of their greatest painters, arranged by their particular style: Braque, Derain, Kansinsky, Klee, Miro, Picasso, Van Dongen. An entire room is dedicated to Fernand Leger, another to Modigliani. And best of all, although predictably popular, the galleries are never too crowded, allowing me to enjoy the moment in a serene atmosphere.
During a recent visit, Modigliani steals the limelight, as with his 1915 Portrait de Chaim Soutine, on loan from the Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen.
This section features, along with Bernard Buffet, Dodeigne and Eugène Leroy, some lesser known but just as influential French and foreign artists. Important abstract painters and sculptors from the second half of the twentieth century are also represented by the likes of Daniel Buren, Richard Deacon, Gérard Duchêne, Pierre Soulages and Jean Dubuffet. An artistic itinerary that illustrates the evolution of art, the major artistic movements, trends and current themes in the contemporary art scene.
Defined by a regrouping of pieces created by non-professional artists, without artistic reference and working outside of the aesthetic norm, Outsider Art is exhibited at the museum via a prism of well-known artists, such as Aloïse Corbaz, Joseph Crépin, Henry Darger, Auguste Forestier and Carlo Zinelli.
Amedeo Modigliani Retrospective
Amedeo Modigliani, 1918, Seated Woman in Blue Dress, on loan from the Moderna Museet, Stockholm
Beyond the treasures of the permanent collection, what brings me to LAM on this latest visit is an exceptional temporary retrospective of the work of Modigliani (on display until June 6, 2016). Although the museum holds one of the finest French public displays of his work in its Masurel collection: six paintings, eight drawings and a rare marble sculpture, this rich exhibit shows the artist in a totally different light (at least for me). Through 23 drawing, five sculptures and 49 paintings, I am introduced to his antique, African and other non-western influences, as well at works by his contemporaries, such Brancusi, Picasso, Chaïm Soutine, Moïse Kisling and Henri Laurens, that nourished his inspiration.
The Louvre-Lens
The Louvre-Lens building, by Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, is itself a work of art.
With the opening of its satellite in Lens in 2012, the Musée du Louvre is no longer confined to its palatial Parisian digs. The building, by Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, is itself a work of art. Located on a 20-hectare (50-acre) former coal-mining site reborn as parkland, it is an ethereal creation of glass and brushed aluminum that reflects the flat landscape and pale skies of northern France. The core of the 360-meter (1,200-foot) long structure is a transparent, oblong 3,600-square meter (39,000-square foot) hall that is the starting point of the various galleries.
The Gallery of Time
The Gallery of Time illustrates the development of contemporaneous ancient civilizations.
The museum’s semi-permanent exhibition is housed in the 120-meter (400-foot) long Galerie du Temps (Gallery of Time). It showcases 250 pieces representing five millennia of art history, from the origins of writing in various civilizations to the nineteenth century. The displays are freestanding, to be viewed from all angles as I wander through time. Although chronological, the artifacts are arranged by themes, to better illustrate the Egyptian influence on Greek sculpture for instance, or how civilizations evolved simultaneously (such as Egyptian Pyramid Period and Mediterranean Cycladic Culture).
Landscape with Paris and Oenone, 1648, Claude Lorrain (Gellee).
My stroll through the history of art goes by “St. Mathew and the Angel,” an awesome Rembrandt that already foretells of Impressionism, and an incandescent “Landscape with Paris and Oenone” by Claude Lorrain, a preview of the JMW Turner skies to come two centuries later, before ending with pieces from the Romantic period. Each year, one third of the collection is rotated back to the Paris mother ship and replaced by new pieces. Side galleries also hold two themed temporary exhibits per year.
La Piscine-Musée d’Art et d’Industrie
La Piscine is a unique Art Deco swimming pool reborn as a municipal museum.
Although not on the scale of its Lille, Lens and Villeneuve d’Ascq cousins, the charming Art Deco gem La Piscine-Musee d’Art et d’Industrie (The Swimming Pool-Museum of Art and Industry) in Roubaix is a not-to-be-missed side trip. Opened in 1932, this municipal swimming pool and bathhouse was much appreciated by the local community for over half a century until its closure in 1985. Mercifully it was reborn as a museum 16 years later after extensive renovations. Although its length was preserved, its Olympic-size pool is now a narrow central stream, its east-west direction facing the grand sunburst stain glass windows representing the rising and setting sun at both ends of the domed ceiling.
The Neptune’s head fountain is sourrounded by mosaics in a wave design.
A collection of sculptures that include four major works by Alfred Boucher (Hope, Faith, Charity and Tenderness) as well as pieces by Rodin and Camille Claudel line both sides of the pool. The original Art Deco mosaics in an ornate swirling wave pattern still outline the basin and the large Neptune head keeps spouting a graceful arch of water. At ground and second floor gallery levels, changing and shower stalls are now the setting for a comprehensive collection of textile industry related items from Roubaix’ heydays.
Getting there – Lille is easily reached by train, with frequent TVG (high-speed train) direct connections throughout the day from Paris (1 hour), Brussels (35 minutes), London, (1:30 hour), Amsterdam (2:40 hours) and other main western European cities. There are two train stations. The new Lille-Europe serves the EuroStar, Thalys and most TGV high-speed lines. Lille Flandre, the original station, now serves a mix of local and high-speed trains. Both are located in the center of town, a 10-minute walk from each other. Lens is located 40 kilometers south of central Lille, an easy 35-minute local train ride to the Lens station. There are also a few daily direct high-speed trains from Paris (1:20 hour). From the station, a twice-hourly complimentary shuttle takes visitors to the museum site.
Getting Around –To get around the metropolitan area, Lille has a comprehensive public transport network (Transpole) with two automatic metro lines, two tramway lined and over 60 bus routes.
From the center Lille to La Piscine – Metro Line # 2 to Gare Jean Lebras or Grand Place, or Bus # 32 to Jean Lebras.
From the Center of Lille to LAM – Metro Line # 1 to Pont de Bois then Bus: Liane # 4, direction Halluin-Gounod to LAM.
Lille Métropole Musée d’Art Moderne, d’Art Contemporain et d’Art Brut, (LAM), 1 Allée du Musée, Villeneuve-d’Ascq. www.Lille-Metropolitan-Museum-of-modern-art.com. Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10:00 to 6:00 P.M. Closed Mondays and some public holidays. Contact: Tel +33 (0) 3 20 19 68 68.
Musée Louvre-Lens, 99 Rue Paul Bert, Lens. www.louvre-lens/en. Open Wednesdays to Mondays from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Closed Tuesdays and some public holidays. Contact: Tel +33 (0) 3 21 18 62 62. Entrance to the Louvre-Lens is free of charge.
La Piscine-Musée d’Art et d’Industrie André Diligent, 23 Rue de l’Espérance, Roubaix. www.La-Piscine-Andre-Diligent-Art-and-Industry-Museum.com. Open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M., 11:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. Fridays, 1:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. Saturdays. Closed Mondays and some public holidays. Contact: Tel +33 (0) 3 20 60 23 60.
A Few Souvenirs
Location, location, location!
davidjkentwriter on 15 April 2016 at 8:28 pm
Great article! I still regret that I never got to Lille when I lived in Brussels. It will definitely be on my day trip schedule when I park myself in Paris for several weeks for a research project.
Josette King on 15 April 2016 at 9:03 pm
The Louvre-Lens is very recent – You would possibly have missed it anyway. But it’s worth waiting for.I look forward to hearing more about this reseach project.
Kathryn on 15 April 2016 at 10:58 pm
Wow. I only need to get to London or Paris. TVGs are the greatest new form of transportation (so I hear, having never taken one, but someday, I will.) Many of these painters were my mother’s favorites, especially Modigliani and Picasso, who she imitated in her paintings that were exhibited at the University of Utah. I won’t be able to get there in the near future, but I definitely want to see this museum.
Josette King on 17 April 2016 at 12:40 pm
I agree – the TGV makes is easy to enjoy more of Europe. I trust you will get there to try it out sooner than later.
Carole Nadeau on 17 April 2016 at 12:27 pm
Ah, Josette! If only I could keep up with you. Once again, an inviting writeup and wonderful shots of a very worthwhile destination.
Thank you – I hope this one gets added to your bucket list.
G.Marie (Marenee) Leaner on 10 December 2017 at 4:59 pm
It is a Sunday in Chicago. The weather is foreboding and I opened my email to find a note from a colleague containing your article, which I immediately consummed. Such pleasure!!
Josette King on 10 December 2017 at 5:10 pm
Thank you for your kind feedback. I hope you will have the opportunity to experience the first class art institutions of the Lille/Lens area in the future.
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African Diaries – Kenya’s Magical Mara
African Diaries — In the Land of Rhinos
African Diaries — Kenya’s Maasai Country
African Diaries — The Other Kenya
African Diaries – Along the Zambezi River
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The animated ‘I Lost My Body’ is no horror movie, but it does star a severed hand
Writer-director Jérémy Clapin gave the name Rosalie to the hand that stars in his “I Lost My Body.”
By Gregory Ellwood
“I Lost My Body” is not your typical animated motion picture. It’s not because the filmmakers are French or that it was produced without the help of a major animation studio. It’s a bit more involved than that.
Jérémy Clapin’s celebrated feature debut tells the story of a severed hand traveling across Paris to reunite with the arm that is the “body” in question. And, no, it’s not a horror film. It’s a moving drama, half of which focuses on, well, a hand. And since the hand is in many ways its own character, Clapin gave it a name you never hear in the film, Rosalie.
“Hand is feminine in French, it’s female,” Clapin says. “That’s why during the [writing] I put a name on the character, Rosalie. Rosalie is doing this. Rosalie is doing that.”
The ’90s period piece is based on “Happy Hand,” a novel by Guillaume Laurant, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of “Amélie.” It features two parallel story lines. One centers on the aforementioned appendage and the other on Naoufel, a young 20-something Algerian immigrant in Paris attempting to escape his dreary existence as a pizza delivery boy.
While Naoufel’s own story involves a childhood personal tragedy and burgeoning modern-day romance, Clapin needed Rosalie’s journey to feature a much different perspective.
“I needed the audience to discover the world as the hand discovers it,” Clapin says. “You have to hide what the hand doesn’t have access to. That’s why I’m always close to the hand and it’s really rare that the camera contextualizes the hand. I have to keep this kind of point of view — very on the ground, not able to see where exactly we are.”
Laurant’s novel is markedly different from the film in a number of aspects. The movie finds Naoufel recording songs on a tape recorder as a child, which becomes a key plot point in the story. There is a wonderfully written sequence on a lobby intercom where Naoufel “meets” his eventual love interest, Gabrielle, for the first time. And the end of the film is substantially different from the book. Clapin says Laurent gave him a tremendous amount of freedom to take the movie in a different direction.
“Guillaume pushed me to push myself more into the film and to betray the book,” Clapin says. “So, one summer I decided to start from scratch. I tried to build my universe much more in the script. For example, I start from the simple concept of the hand trying to reach his body. I build a character around the hand. So, I needed to have similarity between the hand who discovered the world, who’s touching the world, and Naoufel who discovered the world with recording the world. So, there is kind of similar relationship with the world.”
One of the ways Clapin and his team of artists chronicle this relationship is by animating the film to composer Dan Levy’s gorgeous original score. Clapin found Levy somewhat by chance. He emailed three or four composers a brief on the project and asked them to do a demo for the film. He put his phone number at the end of the email in case there were any questions. Levy was the only one who called him.
“We had a long, long talk and I really appreciate the fact that he wanted to learn a bit more than the brief,” Clapin recalls. “He told me he was not comfortable doing the music for the sequence [I sent] but he was prepared to do something not attached to a particular sequence. He sent me 10 tracks, so much more than the other [composers]. I was able to see that the film had found its music, his music.”
Lucky connections like finding Levy are par for the course for what was truly a passion project. There was no French TV channel funding and little public assistance. Producer Marc du Pontavice had a difficult time convincing other production companies to come on board, but eventually he found the money to move forward. And that sort of faith led Clapin to work from 4 in the morning to 8 at night for three years straight to get it finished.
It all paid off, however. “Body” became the first animated film to win Critics’ Week at Cannes and took two major prizes at the prestigious Annecy International Animated Film Festival, including the audience award.
Clapin links the entirety of the experience perfectly to the film itself, noting, “The hand is really a tiny piece of you struggling with the bigger things around you. [It’s] destiny.”
MoviesAwardsOscars
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Republican Kentucky governor faces big decision in contested election
Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin.
(Timothy D. Easley / Associated Press)
FRANKFORT, Ky. —
Republican Gov. Matt Bevin could face a legacy-defining decision when the vote totals from the Kentucky governor’s race are double-checked Thursday — concede to Democrat Andy Beshear or contest last week’s election in a historic move that could put the outcome in the hands of state lawmakers.
Bevin faces a growing chorus of Bluegrass State Republicans urging him to accept the results of the recanvass unless he can point to evidence of substantial voter fraud.
Even some of the governor’s allies acknowledge that the recanvass, which Bevin requested, is unlikely to change the outcome.
During a weekend appearance in California before a group of young conservatives, Bevin defended his refusal to concede while repeating his claim that he wants to ensure the integrity of the election.
“I would rather lose a clean election than to win a dirty election, and I’ll be darned if I want to lose a dirty election,” he said at the Young America’s Foundation event. “So to that end, let’s just make sure it’s legit. And that’s what we’re in the process of doing. And if it is, then great, pass that baton.”
The day after the hard-fought election, Bevin hinted without offering evidence that there had been “irregularities” in voting. A conservative political activist put out robocalls urging Kentuckians to report suspicious activity or voter fraud.
The election results showed the governor — an ally of President Trump, who campaigned for Bevin the night before the election — trailing Beshear by more than 5,000 votes out of more than 1.4 million cast. Beshear’s lead is less than 0.4 percentage points.
Beshear, the state attorney general and the son of a two-term Kentucky governor, declared victory and turned his attention toward the Dec. 10 inauguration.
The Kentucky contest was watched closely for early signs of how the impeachment furor in Washington might affect Trump and other Republicans. Bevin railed against the inquiry and illegal immigration, while Beshear kept his focus on state issues such as education, healthcare and pensions.
Across Kentucky, county boards of election will convene Thursday to check their voting machines and absentee ballots to verify the vote count. This will not be a recount, meaning officials will not check individual ballots.
Bevin would have 30 days to contest the outcome once it is certified by the state Board of Elections, which is scheduled to meet Nov. 21. Contesting an election could put the outcome in the hands of the GOP-led Legislature.
The last time Kentucky lawmakers decided a governor’s race was the 1899 election, in a dispute marked by the assassination of the Democrat who was declared the winner.
“I fully expect the recanvass will confirm the results,” longtime Kentucky political commentator Al Cross said Wednesday. “And at that point, the governor will have to decide whether he wants to put the Legislature through a painful experience and put a cloud over Andy Beshear’s inauguration or act with grace and hand over power.”
Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers said last week that if the recanvass didn’t significantly alter the election count, the governor should concede. Bevin would have to overcome “a very high bar” to have any chance of winning a challenge to the election, Stivers said.
The state’s most powerful Republican, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, said this week that he was “sorry Matt came up short,” adding that the recanvass was unlikely to change the results.
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Artist Formerly Known as Prince Can Still Play Guitar
The Artist Formerly Known as Prince cannot be held liable for infringing a work that was derivative of his own copyrighted symbol and created without his permission, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled. The suit arose after the plaintiff made a guitar in the shape of the ankh-like symbol. He allegedly showed it to Prince, who, some months later, appeared in public playing a similar guitar.
| March 17, 2000 at 12:00 AM
The Artist Formerly Known as Prince cannot be held liable for infringing a derivative work that was created without the permission of the holder of the copyright in the pre-existing work, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed March 14 (Pickett v. Prince, 7th Cir., Nos. 99-2770, 99-2843, 3/14/00).
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Antonio's iconic neon sign on Ventura Boulevard; Credit: James Bartlett
Antonio's in Sherman Oaks Was Once a Miceli's, and Still Has a Ghost
James Bartlett September 12, 2017
One of the oldest restaurants in the Valley, Antonio’s was old-school before old-school was cool, though it might surprise even some regulars to learn that it opened its doors under the name Miceli’s.
Buoyed by the success of their Italian joint on Las Palmas in Hollywood, which had opened in 1949, brothers Antonio and Carmen Miceli — plus Carmen’s wife, Sylvia, and the rest of the Miceli clan – decided it was time to take their brand of Italian food and decor over the hill to Sherman Oaks.
However, it was barely a year after Miceli’s part two opened in 1957 that a rift opened up in the family, as current owner Alex Lunardon explained.
“There was a lot of friction back then,” she said diplomatically. “Carmen and others wanted to change the recipes, start cutting some costs, and basically try to change what Antonio thought was their magic formula.”
Ventura Boulevard, circa 1960; Credit: Courtesy Los Angeles Public Library
The Miceli siblings just could not agree, so they parted ways and Antonio renamed the restaurant after himself, announcing it for all to see in the distinctive green and white neon sign that’s still glowing on the roof today.
“Antonio wouldn’t even sell to his own daughter and her husband, even though they offered more, because he wanted everything to stay just as it was. Instead he met my brother Steve and our father, and then Steve spent six months working alongside him before we took over,” explained Lunardon, 53, who took over the reins alongside Steve, 52, when Antonio retired in 1988.
Alex and Steve’s parents had fled Italy for Argentina when Mussolini came to power, and ran their own family restaurant there before coming to America in 1972. “I had almost every job there,” says Lunardon, “though I learned to speak English here in California.”
Respectful of Antonio’s legacy, they’ve made very few changes to the menu in the last 29 years.
“We added barbeque chicken and Hawaiian pizza, as everyone was always asking for them, though that was after 10 years. We didn’t want to scare the regulars.”
Inside, Antonio’s is a haven for those looking for garlic, live music or the sounds of Sinatra, candles, checkered tablecloths, twinkly lights and empty Chianti bottles, and some classic Italian-American home-cooked favorites (the fried gnocchi is a secret treasure).
The “pasta rosa” (corkscrew pasta with Parmesan, alfredo and marinara sauces, chicken and basil) is a huge favorite, too. “It was a recipe given from my uncle when he visited from London,” Lunardon explains, adding that something new did go on the menu almost immediately: Caesar salad.
She also gamely suggests that gangsters used to meet in the back room here, and that a “kind of drive-by shooting” once gave everyone a scare. The newspapers are silent on that, though Antonio’s did make headlines on one notable occasion.
On Aug. 8, 1964, young people protest being kicked out of Antonio's.; Credit: Courtesy Los Angeles Public Library
In August 1964 a group of cheery, placard-waving students picketed the sidewalk outside the restaurant. It wasn't a civil rights protest — Antonio had been asking them to leave because, as the news put it, they were “shoeless, shirtless and rowdy.”
Lunardon laughs. “I helped fundraise to digitize the old local newspaper archives for the L.A. Public Library and saw that picture! Antonio had told me it was a big hangout for Grant High School kids, especially after Friday night football.”
There's also apparently a picture, taken by a customer, of the resident ghost. “We think it's our mom,” Lunardon says. “She used to come in here and wash dishes after my dad passed away. I believe she is looking after us.”
Antonio's recently celebrated its 60th anniversary with a week of specially priced meals, and, again looking to keep its regulars happy, started selling bottles of its “secret recipe” Italian salad dressing. There was a visit from the local deputy mayor with a certificate.
Did the family ever reunite?
“A few years ago, Antonio’s daughter — the one who had tried to buy the restaurant — came in. She was meeting a friend, but also admitted she was curious. She made the server promise not to say anything, but of course I had to go over. I gave her a quick tour and she said she’d send me some pictures of the old days, but she never did. A couple of years later I heard Antonio had some heart problems and was living with her in San Diego before he died. So it looks like they must have mended fences.”
13619 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks; (818) 788-1103, antoniospizzeriala.com.
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Inside Son of a Gun, where the paper will be up until tomorrow morning.; Credit: N. Galuten
Son of a Gun Opens Tomorrow Night
Noah Galuten February 26, 2011
After much waiting and anticipation, Son of a Gun, the new restaurant from Animal chefs Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook, is opening for business tomorrow night. We spoke with Shook over the phone, who confirmed the opening, and told us that they are “just finishing the final menu today.”
The paper covering the restaurant's windows is set to come down tomorrow morning, and then at 2 p.m. their website will go live and the phone number will be connected. At that point, people can begin calling to reserve a table. Since half of the restaurant is walk-in only, with communal tables, and the other half is for reservations, expect the books to fill up rather quickly.
Hours of operation for Son of a Gun will be Sunday through Thursday, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.; on Friday and Saturday they will be open from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m. In a related change, Animal is reducing their hours to coincide with Son of a Gun, and will now close at 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays as well.
To make reservations after 2 p.m. tomorrow, call (323) 782-9033.
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That's me! Does the audience look spellbound? It looks spellbound, right? I'm spellbinding!
So I have two more book events coming up in the next week -- one at So & So Books on Person Street in downtown Raleigh (at 6 pm Sunday May 19) and one at Regulator Books on Ninth Street in Durham, Tuesday, May 21, at 7.
I tell you about these not just to encourage you to come, though I definitely encourage you to come. It'll be fun! I tell you because I want you to get a sense of what these events are like, at least for me.
Here's the thing. Writing any book is a mug's game. You spend years -- years! -- of your life up to your armpits in interviews, travel, and research into a topic that almost by definition is arcane. I mean, if there isn't already a book on it answering any questions I could likely answer, it can't be that important, right? There's like a skillion books out there, and I'm not so smart. If I looked around and said, "hey, there ought to be a book about ..." it means nobody in all of recorded history has so far thought it important enough to write a book about before now. So it's not likely a topic that's keeping people up night wondering about it, right?
So take a topic that nobody's thinking much about, and then dive into it headfirst and splash around in it for, oh, say a decade. That's how long I messed around with John Lawson and his journey. I stumbled onto him in around 2008 or 2009, while I was researching On the Grid, my book about infrastructure. And A Delicious Country came out a couple months ago, so that's ten years plus I spent on this. Some of it walking the surface of this remarkable planet, to be sure, but an awful lot of it spent holed up in libraries and my office all by myself, poring over books and articles and maps and artifacts and God knows what all else, all with some, commonly tangential, connection to Lawson. With, again, no enormous community tapping their feet and pointing at their watches, saying, "Lawson! Dammit, where's our book on Lawson?"
Ooh, Scott Huler. I've heard he's FASCinating.
But that's books. I take a notion and I spend a decade or so rummaging around in the closets of the culture and I find some stuff and I tell a story, and I trick some publisher into putting it between covers.
And then, finally, I get to have some fun.
Well, no, okay -- I admit. I find the whole thing fun. The hours, weeks, years at the desk? I love that. Developing an entire library on a topic? Check. Talking to people who find this topic as interesting as I do? Walking all over everywhere looking for traces of my topic? Finding freaky pictures and objects that from walls and shelves forever after will remind me of this topic, this project, period of my world? Check.
But, finally, readings.
I love doing readings. I love when I finally get the chance to not just write about my thing but talk about it -- to stand up and pace around and gesticulate like a madperson and regale you with how excited I am about John Lawson and his journey and his time and his contribution, and how much fun I had retracing his steps, and how I learned his surveying techniques and on and on and on. I love to make jokes in my PowerPoint or my list of points to make. I love to stop in the middle and answer a question and go off on a tangent. Which is the best, because there's me, yammering on about a topic I literally wrote the book on, and there's someone else, who is interested enough to say, "Wait a minute, explain." And, well, thats the stuff. Suddenly we're having a conversation, and that's way better than even my usual enormously entertaining palaver.
At bottom, for the tiny moments of readings, I get to live my preposterous dream. All I've ever wanted to do was write books, and now here I am, and I get to stand in front of people and wave in the air copies of ... my books. My first job in publishing was working at a bookstore. We were all nascent writers, and we used to get boxes of books from various publishers and distributors, and when it was time to put price tags on them we'd stroke them, hold them next to our cheeks, caress them. "One day," we'd murmur. "One day, someone will open a box and out will come MY book." And when I do readings I get to remember: that day has come.
It's funny. I taught at a conference once, and during one class one of the students asked me what it was like to get a box at your house and open it up and there's your book. And I was all set to play the cynical aesthete, the over-it author: "Oh, it's really about the work; the book itself is nice, but the point is that you've poured your ..." blah blah blah. Instead, actor and writer Sarah Thyre, also studying in the class, spoke up. She had published a memoir, and she jumped in front of me to answer: "It's as awesome as you thought it would be," she said. And she talked about how thrilling it was, that moment.
And I thought, how generous. Here was I about to try to act like I was all over this moment, but instead she owned it -- and shared it. Since then I've followed her lead, and talked about my old bookstore days and the unadulterated thrill of getting that package full of your books.
I mean it's weird -- you can't fail to have a least a cringe of, "really? all this fuss for something I did? um ... sorry...." plus there's always a fly in the ointment. The delivery driver leaves the book on your porch, and then it rains all day before you get
This map of modern-day Carolina, with pins and a ribbon showing my and Lawson's track, gives a sense of the sort of thinginess of this project. I show it off at readings. Come on out and you can see it too!
home. Or the publisher sends you a box whose packing slip claims it holds the amount of books they owe you, but it's a few short, and then you have to decide whether to go fight with your publisher, or ask your agent to, and you're quibbling over tiny things and it's dispiriting. Or the first page you open to there's a typo, an uncaught copyediting error, a word choice that puts you into total cringe. It's never perfect.
But anyhow there it is. It's a book -- it occupies space, it has weight, it exists, and people can do what you've worked towards and dreamed of, and read what you've written. And then you get to stand up in front of them and share it. You get to say why you think it was worth all this time and effort, what you think you've learned and they'll learn and we'll all learn. And you get to act charming and cut monkeyshines and crack jokes, and sometimes they laugh, and that's ten years of work worth it right in that moment.
Mind you sometimes they don't laugh and sometimes they don't come. Bookstores don't do the publicity you wish they did, publishers don't support your book, the press ignores it (back when there even was a press -- remember the press?), radio and tv shows refuse to book you. You show up at a bookstore for an event and here comes 7 o'clock and there's you and the friend who came with you and one profoundly embarrassed bookstore employee and then after a while you all go home, or you and your friend go out for a beer and a laugh. But the thing is, once that happens -- and it always happens at some point -- then you're inoculated; then nothing can be worse, more surprising. You learn that any book event is not a referendum on whether you're good or whether your book is good or whether the bookstore did sufficient publicity or the publisher spent enough ad dollars or anything else. Sometimes it's just a nice evening -- or a stormy one. Or there's a game on, or just nobody happens to care.
But sometimes people do come, and then you get to talk, and strut, and laugh, and you get to share thing thing that you spent a decade on. And that's just fun. That's all there is to it. It's just fun.
It's not just in-person readings, either. You get to do things like go on the radio -- here with Frank Stasio of WUNC's "The State of Things" or on Walter Edgar's Journal in South Carolina. I will even get to be on TV -- I'll be on the wonderful NC Bookwatch un UNC-TV with DG Martin some upcoming week (we've recorded, but the episode isn't scheduled yet).
But here's the point, or at least I think it's the point. I wrote a book. I noticed a thing, I got all excited about it, and I got my agent and a publisher (and in this case MIT and the Knight Foundation) to agree to give me enough time and money to make a book about it, and now here's the book. And now I get to talk about it, and try to tell you why I think the whole enterprise was worth undertaking.
Come on out and give me a chance to convince you.
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Let Music Be adapts the contract and terms to each session or service. The rates, terms, licenses, and who holds what specific rights to the completed works will vary based on the needs of the job.
Some examples of services include co-writing, which would require my name to be listed as a writer, and the percentage split will be negotiated ahead of time.
Production of a song, for example, adding bass and drums to a track is considered work for hire and all ownership of the song and writing credits would stay with the writer, while production credit goes to Let Music Be.
Mixing and mastering services are a strictly work for hire contract. The rights and ownership stay with the current songwriter and producer.
These are examples of clear situations, and our agreement with you may be different. Please reach out to discuss what you need and we can figure out the best contract terms for your needs. Generally speaking, with the exception of co-writing, you will own the rights to the song, while song production adds a percentage of revenues that are claimed by Let Music Be, you still own all the rights to the song.
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Cognitive Radios Will Go Where No Deep-Space Mission Has Gone Before
Posted on July 26, 2020 by Robin Edgar
Space seems empty and therefore the perfect environment for radio communications. Don’t let that fool you: There’s still plenty that can disrupt radio communications. Earth’s fluctuating ionosphere can impair a link between a satellite and a ground station. The materials of the antenna can be distorted as it heats and cools. And the near-vacuum of space is filled with low-level ambient radio emanations, known as cosmic noise, which come from distant quasars, the sun, and the center of our Milky Way galaxy. This noise also includes the cosmic microwave background radiation, a ghost of the big bang. Although faint, these cosmic sources can overwhelm a wireless signal over interplanetary distances.
Depending on a spacecraft’s mission, or even the particular phase of the mission, different link qualities may be desirable, such as maximizing data throughput, minimizing power usage, or ensuring that certain critical data gets through. To maintain connectivity, the communications system constantly needs to tailor its operations to the surrounding environment.
Imagine a group of astronauts on Mars. To connect to a ground station on Earth, they’ll rely on a relay satellite orbiting Mars. As the space environment changes and the planets move relative to one another, the radio settings on the ground station, the satellite orbiting Mars, and the Martian lander will need continual adjustments. The astronauts could wait 8 to 40 minutes—the duration of a round trip—for instructions from mission control on how to adjust the settings. A better alternative is to have the radios use neural networks to adjust their settings in real time. Neural networks maintain and optimize a radio’s ability to keep in contact, even under extreme conditions such as Martian orbit. Rather than waiting for a human on Earth to tell the radio how to adapt its systems—during which the commands may have already become outdated—a radio with a neural network can do it on the fly.
Such a device is called a cognitive radio. Its neural network autonomously senses the changes in its environment, adjusts its settings accordingly—and then, most important of all, learns from the experience. That means a cognitive radio can try out new configurations in new situations, which makes it more robust in unknown environments than a traditional radio would be. Cognitive radios are thus ideal for space communications, especially far beyond Earth orbit, where the environments are relatively unknown, human intervention is impossible, and maintaining connectivity is vital.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Penn State University, in cooperation with NASA, recently tested the first cognitive radios designed to operate in space and keep missions in contact with Earth. In our tests, even the most basic cognitive radios maintained a clear signal between the International Space Station (ISS) and the ground. We believe that with further research, more advanced, more capable cognitive radios can play an integral part in successful deep-space missions in the future, where there will be no margin for error.
Long-Distance Calls
When astronauts eventually travel to Mars, powerful engines and plenty of fuel will get them there and back again, but it will be their radios that keep them
connected to Earth. The seemingly empty space between planets is actually filled with obstacles to be overcome by any radio transmission.
Illustration: Mark Montgomery
Future crews to the moon and Mars will have more than enough to do collecting field samples, performing scientific experiments, conducting land surveys, and keeping their equipment in working order. Cognitive radios will free those crews from the onus of maintaining the communications link. Even more important is that cognitive radios will help ensure that an unexpected occurrence in deep space doesn’t sever the link, cutting the crew’s last tether to Earth, millions of kilometers away.
Cognitive radio as an idea was first proposed by Joseph Mitola III at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, in Stockholm, in 1998. Since then, many cognitive radio projects have been undertaken, but most were limited in scope or tested just a part of a system. The most robust cognitive radios tested to date have been built by the U.S. Department of Defense.
When designing a traditional wireless communications system, engineers generally use mathematical models to represent the radio and the environment in which it will operate. The models try to describe how signals might reflect off buildings or propagate in humid air. But not even the best models can capture the complexity of a real environment.
A cognitive radio—and the neural network that makes it work—learns from the environment itself, rather than from a mathematical model. A neural network takes in data about the environment, such as what signal modulations are working best or what frequencies are propagating farthest, and processes that data to determine what the radio’s settings should be for an optimal link. The key feature of a neural network is that it can, over time, optimize the relationships between the inputs and the result. This process is known as training.
Source: Cognitive Radios Will Go Where No Deep-Space Mission Has Gone Before – IEEE Spectrum
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Why Lithuania
Where is Lithuania Located?
Global Lithuania
We are Northern Europeans
By the Baltic Sea
Our capital: Vilnius
What is Lithuania
Lithuania celebrates
We love basketball
Hot air balloons above Vilnius
Flyways of rare birds
Amber as our gold
Our language is unique
The only Hill of Crosses
Country of ideas and innovations
All the way to the Black Sea
The last in Europe to convert to Christianity
Travel in Lithuania VR
How to travel?
The Baltic Way
Urban tourism
Unknown towns
Ethnographic regions
European Destinations of Excellence
Old crafts
Undiscovered places
Educational hiking trails
Landscape observation
Places for nature outings
Entertainment in the city
Family tourism
Active recreation events
Resorts and resort areas
Health tourism guide
Amber Road at the Lithuanian seaside
Restored Lithuania's Route
Best camping routes
Virtual route "The Baltic Way today"
Souvenirs from Lithuania
Lithuanian design and boutiques
Unique Lithuanian products
Lithuanian cuisine
National cuisine
Culinary traditions and experiences
Traditional holiday table
Manor cuisine
Ethnic minority cuisine
Beverage traditions
Unexpected gastro experiences
Lithuanian products
Šakotis
Black bread
Apple cheese
Memorable places to stay
Lithuania's tourism brand
Tourism information centers
MICE tourism
Tourism marketing strategy
Go Vilnius
2 DAYS IN VILNIUS
Two days in Vilnius. After a lovely bite of breakfast in one of the centre’s many cosy cafes, you’re all ready to collect some new experiences. With two days in Vilnius, you’ll not only get to know the sights, from the city’s charming UNESCO listed Old Town, to its numerous postcard perfect Baroque churches, and everything in between. You’ll also have time to check out some museums.
1 DAY:
The Cathedral Basilica and Belfry of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus of Vilnius
This temple is a symbol of the Christianization of Lithuania. The Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus of Vilnius was built in the very centre of the city, on the site of a former pagan temple. Standing next to the city's defensive castle, the Cathedral has survived the most celebrated and dramatic events in the history of Vilnius and Lithuania.
The Cathedral has been rebuilt several times over the centuries, attracting the talents of famous local and international architects and artists. The present building is in the Classicism style (created by the architect Laurynas Stuoka-Gucevičius), although its walls contain traces of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture.
In front of the Cathedral stands a 57m high bell tower. This distinctive structure is a popular draw for tourists, who can climb the belfry steps to access a panoramic view of the Cathedral square.
More information – here.
Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
Opened in 2013, The Residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is a modern imagining of the original castle that stood on the site from the second half of the 13h century. This building, the so-called “Lower Castle”, was the seat of successive Lithuanian Grand Dukes, beginning with the Gediminid dynasty. The middle of the 17th century saw its untimely destruction at the hands of the marauding Russian army.
Iš pradžių turėjusi gotikos bruožų, reprezentacinė Lietuvos didžiųjų kunigaikščių rezidencija tapo ištaigingais renesansiniais rūmais. XVII a. vid. Maskvos kariuomenė rūmus nuniokojo, o vėliau ir visiškai sugriovė.
Visually, the modern incarnation of the Palace of the Grand Dukes is a novel potpourri of architecture styles. This reflects the original building, which assumed a number of successive architectural styles in its lifetime, from the Gothic to the Renaissance.
The building’s many grand and spacious rooms now play host to concerts and exhibitions all year round.
Bernardine Gardens
Situated in the heart of Vilnius, between the city’s iconic Gediminas Hill, the Vilnelė River and the Bernardine Monastery, Bernardine Gardens is one of the city’s most popular parks. With its botanical garden, rose garden and monumental fountain, it is the perfect place to unwind after a day exploring the winding side streets of the Old Town. And for arboreal enthusiasts, the park is home to the oldest oak tree in Vilnius, which is approximately 400 years old.
The Republic of Užupis
Užupis may be the smallest district in Vilnius, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in style and character. Nestled on the banks of the Vilnelė River, the area is a hive of creativity and eccentricity, attracting the city’s artists, intellectuals and entrepreneurs. The spirit of the district is best embodied by its constitution, a somewhat ironic list of ordinances that is displayed on the walls as you enter. Sometimes compared to Montmartre in Paris or Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen, it is one of the oldest districts of Vilnius.
A turn down one of Užupis’ cute backstreets will find you in the workshops of one of the area’s many artisans, where you’ll be able to purchase some art, or even have a go yourself. You’ll also find that the area is also rich in quirky boho bars, eateries and cafes, so it’s the perfect destination for a leisurely lunch, dinner or supper.
Užupis is also one of the city’s oldest areas, and a visit to the Bernardine Cemetery, one of the city’s oldest, is highly recommended.
You can’t leave Užupis without a visit to its resident angel. You’ll find her in the square, normally surrounded by tourists or locals enjoying a takeaway coffee from one of the nearby cafes.
Church of St. Anne and Bernardine Church ensemble
This church, which has remained almost unchanged for five centuries, is one of the most beautiful and probably the most famous buildings in Vilnius. It is a masterpiece of the late Gothic style, wrapped in many enigmatic legends. The most famous of which is that upon seeing St. Anne's Church, Napoleon Bonaparte expressed a desire to take the building back to Paris on the palm of his hand.
Literatų street
Rumoured to be named in honour of Adomas Mickevičius, the famous 19th century poet who lived there, Literatai Street is a popular draw for foreign tourists and Lithuanians alike. What attracts the crowds are the unique works of art that decorate the street’s walls. Composed from wood, metal and glass, each individual piece refers to the work of a famous author. This is the perfect spot for any self respecting fan of literature or poetry. You might even find yourself getting inspired.
Pilies street
Pilies Street is the oldest and most ornate street in the old town of Vilnius. Originally part of the road that led from Vilnius Castle in the south towards Poland and Russia, it is now the city’s main tourist thoroughfare. Apart from its central location, the street’s main draw is its eclectic mixture of architectural styles. Both number 12 and number 14 Pilies Street are great examples of the Gothic style, while number 4 is a Renaissance Chapter House. And let’s not forget the Baroque pediment of the Church of. Johns. So, just a short stroll up the street and you’ve already travelled a few hundred years worth of architectural history.
And Pilies Street is also a perfect place for a spot of lunch. Home to a number of small restaurants, delicatessens and coffee shops, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
Office of the President, Vilnius University
Did you know that Vilnius University is one of the oldest universities in the world? With 12 faculties and around 23,000 students, it is one of the country’s leading academic institutions. Vilnius University’s oldest campus, in which the university’s administration is situated, houses 3 faculties: the faculty of history, the faculty of philology and the faculty of philosophy. There is also a library with more than 5 million printings and old manuscripts. Among them is one of the only two copies in existence of the first Lithuanian book, the Catechism of Martynas Mažvydas.
More information - here.
Next to the university, you will find the palatial formal residence of the President of the Republic of Lithuania. Those wishing to take a look at the Presidential premises can register for a free tour of the Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania. The Presidential Palace was built in Simonas Daukantas Square, which is named in honour of Simonas Daukantas, a graduate of Vilnius University who wrote the first history of Lithuania in Lithuanian.
The Glass quarter
Originally a Jewish neighbourhood of goldsmiths, glassblowers, artisans and financiers, this area located between the M. Antokolskio, Gaono, and Žydų streets in the city’s old town became the Glass Quarter in 2018. Now home to a community of boutique owners, jewellers, designers and cafe owners, the Glass Quarter has become synonymous with style and a flair for the fantastic. In fact, during festival times like Christmas and Halloween, you’ll find the streets festooned with lights and decoration. A great place for shopping, or browsing, or cafe hopping, you’ll have the chance to enjoy a luxurious champagne and cake experience under a ceiling of rose petals. The Glass Quarter is a must visit.
Town Hall Square and dinner on Vokiečių street
Once you’ve taken in the culture and sights of the Glass Quarter, the next stop on your itinerary should be the Town Hall Square. Regularly home to the city’s most important fairs, events and concerts, there’s every chance that a trip there will find you in the vortex of the action. You might not get a chance to see the bears that the square was famous for in medieval times, but there’s sure to be enough happening to keep you occupied. Positioned between two busy pedestrian streets, the Square is also a great place to do some people watching.
Start your second day at one of the city’s most famous sites of pilgrimage, The Gates of Dawn. Completed in 1522, it is the only remaining gate of the city’s original defensive walls. As was tradition at the time, an icon of the Sacred Mother was placed above the gate to provide protection for the city. The current icon, an example of the rarer tradition of Black Madonnas, was housed in a specially built chapel above the gate in 1706. The painting is believed to possess mystical healing powers, and is a site of pilgrimage for both the Catholic and Orthodox faiths. Indeed, the Gate has such cultural significance that it even remained through many decades of Soviet occupation.
Halė Market
Looking to get a real taste of the city? To hear the local lingo at its sing-song best? Then there is no place better than Vilnius’ oldest indoor market - Halė Market. After some local delicacies like lašiniai - cured pork fat, or kastinys - a local garlic cheese spread? You’ll find it here. Then there’s honey fresh from the hive, apples from your grandmother’s orchard, and homemade sauerkraut. And let’s not forget the local curd cheese, varškė - a staple of the Lithuanian breakfast table. A trip around the market is pretty much a crash course in Lithuanian cuisine. Not only that, you’ll get a real feel for the locals themselves as they banter and barter in amongst the stalls. And if you start to build up a hunger, the market contains a lot of specialist bistro booths and bars.
MO museum
Designed by architectural wunderkind Daniel Libeskind, the MO Museum is the city’s newest jewel. Its award winning structure is a real eye opener both inside and outside. In fact, the museum’s central staircase, modelled after a DNA sequence, has become a popular site for instagrammers. But it’s not about the building - focusing primarily on contemporary art, the museum hosts a number of exhibitions throughout the year that highlight the best in Lithuanian and Baltic art.
Museum of Occupation
The (KGB) Museum of Occupation and Freedom Fights is the only museum of its type in the Baltic States. Located in the building that was the headquarters of the Soviet punitive authorities (NKVD and NKGB-MGB-KGB) from 1940 to 1991, the museum offers a sobering meditation on the country’s troubled past.
On the first floor of the museum, in the office of the former deputy head of the MGB (KGB) visitors can see documents, photos, maps and other objects that illustrate the Sovietization of the country. Meanwhile, on the same floor, exhibits presenting the territorial structure and military organisation of guerrilla units, give visitors a clear idea of the aspirations of the country’s freedom fighters, as well as their daily activities and mode of life. Continuing on the same floor, the exhibition “An Unequal Fight” lays bare the NKVD-NKGB fight against the country’s armed resistance.
Moving to the second floor, visitors can see displays recounting the experiences of Lithuanian prisoners in the gulags, as well as the deportations of Lithuanian citizens. This floor also contains a reconstruction of a KGB surveillance room, containing authentic listening equipment of the time, as well as the furnishing and interior details that were common in the day.
For visitors looking to fully understand the country’s recent history, this museum is a must.
Gediminas Avenue
The main artery of the centre of Vilnius, Gediminas Avenue runs from Cathedral Square to the Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of Lithuania. Easily the city’s busiest street, it is home to the city’s National Theatre, a chic shopping center, and numerous other shops, cafes and restaurants. The first half of the street becomes fully pedestrianised on weekends, making it a real draw for tourists and locals. But don’t forget to walk the entire street, there’s plenty to uncover and explore. Not only that, Gediminas Avenue connects to the buzzing hub of Vilniaus Street, where the city truly comes to life at night.
1 day in Vilnius
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Make disability a priority for future International Development policy, says new International Development Committee report
Make disability a priority for future International Development policy, says new...
Last week, the International Development Select Committee (IDC) published its report on disability and development. Several charities including Livability submitted evidence to the Inquiry.
The report calls on the Department for International Development (DFID) to make disability a priority for its current and future work and to lead the way globally, re. the disability and development agenda.
The report makes a number of recommendations which include:
The need for DFID to produce a disability strategy and ensure disabled people play a prominent role in its creation- therefore ensuring disability is fully embedded into all DFID’s future work.
To appoint more staff with specialist experience to the team responsible for disability issues.
To make DFID programmes accessible throughout for disabled people and to implement these changes in a sustainable, phased way across 1 or 2 major sectors and in a few countries initially.
To ensure that disabled people are included in the design and delivery of future DFID programmes. This includes working more closely with disabled people’s organisations in developing countries.
To offer more financial support to disabled people’s organisations overseas who often find it difficult to navigate the complex application process to access funding.
To include and improve disaggregated data on disabled people to better inform DFID’s work- similar to the recent efforts made for gender.
To appraise the case for spending more on disability treatment and prevention programmes including rehabilitation and basic care, e.g. for people with spinal cord injuries.
The Prime Minister, David Cameron and the Minister for International Development, Lynne Featherstone, have publicly declared their commitment to ensure disabled people are made a priority within future UK development policy. Prime Minister, David Cameron, who co-chaired the UN High Level Panel on post 2015, stated that ‘no one should be left behind’ in regards to the next global development framework; the Millennium Development Goals have been criticised by some disability charities for failing to include disability.
Stephen Muldoon, Head of Livability’s International disability and development programme, welcomes the report and says
“We are greatly encouraged by this report which adds to the growing body of evidence that international development programmes can and should play a major role in helping people with disability realise their rights and aspirations.
For 20 years Livability’s international work has focused on supporting the development of appropriate, accessible, affordable and sustainable services for people with disability in developing countries. While progress has been made, today there are still far too many people with disability who cannot access the health and rehabilitation services that they need. This situation leads to high rates of preventable complications, social exclusion and ultimately early death. I am particularly encouraged that the report highlights the significant development gains to be made by treating and preventing the conditions that cause disability and with the specific recommendation for DFID to increase its spending on programmes including rehabilitation and basic care, e.g. for people with spinal cord injuries.”
For more information including downloading the report see here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmintdev/947/94702.htm
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TRU Continues China Expansion
Toys ‘R’ Us is continuing its expansion across China with the opening of its first stores in Beijing this weekend. The company will make its debut in Northern China with two new stores on the eastern side of the capital city, with two more ope
Toys ‘R’ Us is continuing its expansion across China with the opening of its first stores in Beijing this weekend.
The company will make its debut in Northern China with two new stores on the eastern side of the capital city, with two more openings slated for next month. By the end of September, the retailer will operate 30 stores in 21 cities throughout the country.
“Our expansion into Beijing is an important next step as we aggressively extend the Toys ‘R’ Us brand throughout Asia,” says Jerry Storch, chairman and chief executive officer, Toys ‘R’ Us.
On Saturday the company will also celebrate the grand opening of its second Toys ‘R’ Us/Babies ‘R’ Us side-by-side store in China, which combines both brands under one roof to create a one-stop shopping destination. The combination model is also being rolled out in the U.S.
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Danilo joins Manchester City
City are delighted to announce signing of Danilo from Real Madrid.
The 26-year-old has signed a five-year deal and has now joined his new teammates on the Club’s pre-season tour of America.
“I am very, very happy to be joining Manchester City,” Danilo told mancity.com after agreeing personal terms and passing his medical.
“There has been strong interest from other Clubs, but it has always been my ambition to play for Pep Guardiola. As soon as I heard of his interest, I knew immediately I wanted to be a City player.
“I can’t wait to get started and I’m looking forward to getting to know my new teammates over the coming weeks.”
City’s Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, says he is delighted to have landed the Brazilian. “Danilo is a fine player who offers great versatility to our squad,” he said. “He can operate in several different roles in both defence and midfield, increasing Pep’s options ahead of the new season.
WATCH: #WelcomeDanilo: First CityTV interview
“We feel he has all the attributes needed to succeed at City and we look forward to helping him develop during his time here.”
Danilo began his senior career at America Mineiro where he played a key role in their promotion from Serie C, before signing for Santos in 2010 where he spent two successful seasons.
Alongside Neymar and Alex Sandro, he was a revelation, and in 2011 he helped them win the Brazilian title and the Copa Libertadores, playing 37 matches in all competitions.
He played in both legs of the Copa Libertadores final - the first in central-midfield and the second at right-back - and scored the winning goal in the 2-1 win over Penarol that saw them lift the most coveted trophy in South American football.
After playing in the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup, he moved to Europe, signing for Porto, and within two years had won back-to-back Primeira Liga titles, with his energy and industry from full-back making him one of the most sought-after players in the Portuguese top flight.
He soon began attracting the attention of Europe’s biggest Clubs, and in the summer of 2015 he moved to Real Madrid for €31.5 million, signing a six-year deal.
In total, he played 55 times for Los Blancos, winning one La Liga title, two Champions Leagues, a UEFA Super Cup and a FIFA Club World Cup.
His squad number at City is yet to be confirmed but will be announced in due course.
Everyone at City is delighted to welcome Danilo to the Club and look out for his first CityTV interview, coming soon.
News Men's Team Real Madrid Danilo
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Landlords “ready to help tenants in trouble”
According to a new survey from the AA, seven out of 10 landlords say they’ve drastically changed their plans in the past year to go and help out a tenant with a household repair.
The research from AA Home Membership, conducted amongst 200 landlords, reveals that in the past year one in five have returned from a holiday early and another one in five has had to find a babysitter. 18% have taken time off work and 16% have left a wedding or other special event.
Helen Brooker, head of AA Home Membership, said: “Being a landlord is time-consuming, especially as they’re ‘on-call’ twenty-four hours a day. Landlords often get a bad reputation for not helping out their tenants when they’re needed, but our research shows that’s often not the case.”
Many tenants feel as though they’re on their own when their landlord is away. A separate survey of 2000 tenants showed that just 27% say they know who to contact in their landlord’s absence.
“Only a third of the landlords we polled use a lettings agent. That means that there are a lot of landlords out there who are the first port of call when their tenant has a problem,” said Brooker, “Giving your tenants a list of other contacts – possibly a family member or tradesmen that you have a good relationship with could be handy. It’ll probably help your relationship with your tenants too.
“At a time when thousands of homes have suffered damage thanks to recent bad weather, it could also be worth giving tenants details of your properties’ insurance and home emergency policies to help deal with an unexpected emergency if you’re away.”
On average, landlords have had to visit their property three times in the past year to carry out repairs which cost an average of £296.81.
The research also highlights the trend of ‘accidental landlords’ – such as those who have moved and had difficulty selling their home, so rent it out instead – showing that just a quarter always intended to ‘buy to let’.
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Ebola: an epidemic made in the capitals of Europe and America
A spoof Daily Mail front page is currently circulating on the internet, screaming that giant Islamic spiders are spreading Ebola in Britain and, what's more, at taxpayers’ expense. It won’t be long before we see life imitating art.
Food and the Socialist Revolution
Americans’ dysfunctional relationship with food is regularly lamented or mocked in the media and in academia. What is never explained is the root cause of this dysfunction. Marxism explains that conditions determine consciousness. Your physical and social environment heavily influences the choices you make by limiting the very choices that are available to you.
The degradation of science under capitalism
Adam Booth
Centuries of scientific research and investigation have helped to propel society forwards and improve the lives of millions. This strength of the scientific method and its ability to discover and innovate has been so great that it has created a mystical sense of infallibility surrounding science. But, as with all other areas of society, the senility and decay of capitalism is now being reflected in the question of science also, and many are starting to worry about the reliability of research.
Karl Marx is the "Best Scientist of Them All"
Joel Ang
Karl Marx has been decried by mainstream economists and news outlets as dead, irrelevant and/or outdated. A new study published by the world’s most reputed scholarly journal, Nature, once again shows that despite the hue and cry of naysayers and those who would revise history, his specter cannot be exorcised.
Quantum physics, dialectics and society: from Marx and Engels to Khrennikov and Haven
Ben Gliniecki
Quantum physics occupies a fascinating place at the cutting edge of modern scientific research. First developed in the early 20th Century, quantum theory is allowing today’s scientists to plumb new depths when it comes to matter and motion. A new book, Quantum Social Science, by Andrei Khrennikov and Emmanuel Haven argues that applying the logic of quantum theory to social systems can take our understanding of human society to a whole new level.
Genetically-modified food: For human need or corporate greed?
Ghiselle Karim
The development of genetically-modified organisms (GMO) has opened up whole new possibilities for improving the nutrition of humanity.For the first time, humans are able to genetically engineer species or organisms by transferring DNA between totally different organisms, potentially allowing for food to be grown in harsher climates, for example, or for existing crops to yield more food. However, under capitalism, GMOs are being abused by large agro-corporations, such as Monsanto, to maximize shareholders’ profits at the expense of ordinary people around the world. Instead, GMOs have reduced the safety and security of the food system for billions of people. What is a working-class
Technology, innovation, growth, and capitalism
The Marxist analysis of history – that is, the dialectical and materialist analysis of history – explains that the main motor force in history is the need for society to develop the productive forces: to increase our knowledge of and mastery over nature; to reduce the socially necessary labour time needed to produce and reproduce the conditions of life; to improve lifestyles and raise the standards of living.
The hunt for Edward Snowden and the hypocrisy of the West
Niklas Albin Svensson
As Julian Assange and Bradley Manning have discovered, being a whistle-blower is not for the faint hearted. Now Edward Snowden has become the latest fugitive of US imperialism, his only crime being that he told embarrassing truths about the US government.
Freedom of research and the quest for freedom: The case of Nicolai Vavilov in the USSR
Lorenzo Esposito and Emanuele Cullorà
Capitalism has become an absolute fetter on the development of the productive forces. This also affects the development of science, which is geared to the profit motive. After the October 1917 Russian Revolution the arts and science experienced a short-lived period of freedom, as the Bolshevik leadership under Lenin and Trotsky understood that this was the only way of moving forward. But as the revolution, isolated in a backward country, underwent degeneration under Stalin, this also affected these recently won freedoms. The fate of Nicolai Ivanovich Vavilov, a brilliant Russian geneticist who ended up in Stalin’s gulags highlights this process.
NSA, Prism and privacy in the age of the Internet
Last week, Edward Snowden became the latest in a long line of whistleblowers. It has been revealed that the US National Security Agency has been given backdoor access to telephone exchanges and a long range of online accounts from major service providers, underlining how the state breaches users’ privacy on a massive scale in order to get intelligence.
The War Against Online Piracy
The cat-and-mouse game between piracy supporters on the one hand and state authorities and major multinational companies on the other is heating up. Over the past few years there has been a marked increase in the persecution of websites and individuals involved in piracy. Democratic rights are being thrown overboard and the full force of the state applied in the media industry’s ruthless pursuit of profits.
[Video] Marxism and science
At a 2013 Marxist Winter School, John Pickard - former editor the Militant - explores the topic of Marxism and Science.
The battle between Apple vs Samsung: The real significance
On the 24th August 2012 Samsung was ordered by a court in San Jose, California to pay Apple just over $1 billion in damages for patent infringement. Apple is now seeking to ban the sale of certain Samsung products in the USA and a hearing is scheduled for 20th September for that claim. This long-running dispute between these technology giants over infringement of smart phone patents shines a spotlight on the failings of a decaying capitalist system.
Marx, Darwin and Gould, The revolution of evolution
Ten years ago the great palaeontologist and evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould died in New York of cancer. It was the second time that Gould had faced this terrible disease and this time he was defeated by it. The name of Gould will always be linked to his “punctuated equilibrium theory”, published in 1977 with his colleague Niles Eldredge.
Modern scientific research has identified the major physiological, neurological, and genetic differences between humans and our biological ancestors. In particular, it has been found that the human brain is qualitatively different in terms of the development of the parts of the brain that control abstract reasoning, social behaviour, and manual abilities. This discovery is yet more evidence in favour of the explanation that Frederick Engels gave for the evolution of humans in his essay “The Part Played by Labour in the Transition from Ape to Man”.
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McGuire Funeral Service, Inc.
Plant a Tree for Preston
Preston V. Lee
Preston V. Lee, 88, was the beloved husband of the late Jackye M. Lee. He was born in Cruger, Mississippi and moved to Chicago, Illinois as a child where he graduated from Crane Science and Technical High School in 1952 and Roosevelt University in 1959. He enjoyed a trailblazing career with the federal government until his retirement in 1993.
He is survived by his five children, Patricia Vanzant, Karon D'Agostino, Preston V. Lee, Jr, Sharon Thompson (Keith) and Patrick V. Lee (Sharkia); 13 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by his beloved mother, Elizabeth Moss; father, Vernon Lee; sisters, Rosietta Granger and Hanan Akbar; and brothers, Jesse C. Sims, John Wesley Cooper and Jimmie Sims.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Preston V. Lee, please visit our floral store.
Services will be private
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The Psychiatrist Who Almost Brought Down the Comic Book Industry
BY Jay Serafino
Sam Howzit/CC BY 2.0
Superheroes are used to dealing with mad scientists, lumbering monsters, and would-be dictators on the page, but in the real world of the mid-1950s, their biggest threat came from the words of Dr. Fredric Wertham, a psychiatrist who led a public crusade that almost destroyed the comic book industry.
Born Fredric Wertheimer in Munich, Germany, in 1895, Fredric Wertham came to the United States in the 1920s to work at the Phipps Psychiatric Clinic at Johns Hopkins University [PDF]. In 1932, he moved to New York City to take a job as the head of the Court of General Sessions psychiatric clinic, which examined every convicted felon in the city. In 1936, Wertham became director of Bellevue’s Mental Hygiene Clinic before moving on to work in smaller clinics. His respected status in the mental health community led to him testifying in a number of high-profile cases, including those of noted serial killer Albert Fish and convicted Soviet spy Ethel Rosenberg (though he did so without ever interviewing her).
Though he spent much of his time running clinics for the city's poor and underprivileged populations, Wertham gained more mainstream notoriety after the publication of his 1954 book Seduction of the Innocent, a study on how the sex, violence, crimes, and drug use in comics led to criminal and delinquent behavior in children. The book was the result of Wertham’s years of work with troubled youths, many of whom were comic book readers.
Flipping through the pages, Wertham determined that the content of these comics must be to blame for the behavior of these kids. Between the book and magazine articles he wrote, plus lectures he gave, Wertham launched a full campaign against the comic book industry, capturing the attention—and fearful imaginations—of parents and elected officials along the way.
Wertham’s tirades focused on everything from the obvious—such as the violence and crime in comics like EC Comics's Tales From the Crypt—to more outlandish claims, like painting Batman and Robin as lovers (a stereotype that would continue for decades). In Seduction of the Innocent, he wrote:
“Sometimes Batman ends up in bed injured and young Robin is shown sitting next to him. At home they lead an idyllic life. They are Bruce Wayne and 'Dick' Grayson. Bruce Wayne is described as a 'socialite' and the official relationship is that Dick is Bruce’s ward. They live in sumptuous quarters, with beautiful flowers in large vases, and have a butler, Alfred. Batman is sometimes shown in a dressing gown. As they sit by the fireplace the young boy sometimes worries about his partner: 'Something’s wrong with Bruce. He hasn’t been himself these past few days.' It is like a wish dream of two homosexuals living together.”
Wertham also mused on the “psychologically unmistakable” lesbian subtext of Wonder Woman. His most audacious claim, though, was thrown at Superman, whom he compared to a fascist on the level of Adolf Hitler, saying of the Man of Steel’s iconic “S” shield: “With the big S on his uniform—we should, I suppose, be thankful that it is not an S.S.”
As ridiculous as it all may sound today, Seduction of the Innocent had a cultural moment in 1954. It was named “Book of the Year” by the National Education Association, and it soon created enough noise to prompt the creation of the United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency, which held hearings on the dangers of comics on April 21 and 22, and June 4, 1954. Wertham, predictably, jumped at the opportunity to speak.
Alan Light via Flickr
During the hearing, Wertham again went over his list of grievances with comic books, showcasing one story in particular from EC Comics, where a dismembered head was used for a game of pickup baseball by some neighborhood children. This prompted the surreal moment where Wertham asked the committee chairman, “They play baseball with a dead man's head. Why do they do that?”
Horror comics came under the most scrutiny. At one point, Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee asked EC Comics publisher William Gaines if he thought the cover of Crime SuspenStories #22—showing a woman’s severed head held up by the hair—was in good taste. Gaines’s reaction was derisive:
“Yes sir, I do—for the cover of a horror comic. A cover in bad taste, for example, might be defined as holding her head a little higher so that blood could be seen dripping from it and moving the body a little further over so that the neck of the body could be seen to be bloody."
In the end, the committee didn’t crack down on the comic book industry in the form of government-mandated censorship. But by this time, the damage was done. Sales toppled, publishers went out of business, and comic books went back into hiding under the mattresses of precocious youngsters. The surviving comic book companies—notably DC, Archie, and Atlas, which would later become Marvel—formed a trade association, the Comics Magazine Association of America, to house the newly minted Comics Code Authority. The CMAA was made up of various publishers and industry veterans, led by the association’s president, and Archie Comics publisher, John Goldwater.
The Comics Code was a way to self-censor and regulate comic books in an attempt to clean up their image and win back the public. To earn the Comics Code seal of approval, a book would have to meet certain standards. Words like “Terror” and “Horror” were forbidden to be used in a book’s title [PDF]; there was to be no more gore, pervasive violence, or illicit sex; crime could no longer be glorified; and elected officials and police officers were to be portrayed with respect. There were also rules against showing vampires, werewolves, zombies, and pretty much any other horror staple imaginable. Many distributors would refuse to stock comics without the Code’s seal of approval, so while the Code Authority had no legal power, a book without its support was likely dead on arrival.
Wertham’s words, and the subsequent Senate hearings, would have ripple effects on the industry in the decades to come. EC Comics publisher William Gaines would eventually close up his comic book business and begin a new publication: MAD Magazine. While MAD began life as a comic, as a magazine it didn’t fall under the Code’s jurisdiction. Horror and crime comics were soon replaced with more innocent fare like romance books and the Archie line. There were also unintended oddities, like the character of Batwoman being introduced to form a romance with Batman, dispelling any unsavory innuendo about the Dark Knight's relationship with Robin.
The Code would be revised over the decades, slowly allowing vampires, zombies, and "Terror" back into comics, but throughout the 20th century, that "Seal of Approval" was front and center on every mainstream publication on comic book store shelves.
Though publishers would bypass the Code at points—most famously in Amazing Spider-Man #96–98 in 1971 and in DC’s "Mature Readers" line in the 1980s—it wasn’t until the 2000s that major publishers began to withdraw from the CCA. Marvel did so in 2001, replacing it with their own rating system, and in 2011, both DC and Archie followed. By this time, though, the Comics Code had loosened its demands to such an extent that it had become an afterthought; simply serving to remind everyone of one of the industry’s darkest moments. Still, removing the Code’s “Seal of Approval” for good was the symbolic toppling of Dr. Wertham and his crusade against comics.
Additional source: Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics
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myscience.ch › news › News 2019 › Preventing tumour metastasis
Preventing tumour metastasis - 22.8.19
Preventing tumour metastasis
22 August 2019 - Deutsch - Français
Pharmacology | Health
Steffen Brünle (right) and Jörg Standfuss at the apparatus they use to separate proteins from each other. For their study, the researchers modified insect cells to produce a human protein. To extract this from the cell, the cell was destroyed, and then the protein, whose structure the researchers have now elucidated, was separated with the help of this apparatus. (Photo: Paul Scherrer Institute/Markus Fischer)
Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute, together with colleagues from the pharmaceutical company F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, have taken an important step towards the development of an agent against the metastasis of certain cancers. Using the Swiss Light Source, they deciphered the structure of a receptor that plays a crucial role in the migration of cancer cells. This makes it possible to identify agents that could prevent the spread of certain cancer cells via the body’s lymphatic system. The researchers have now published their results in the journal Cell.
When cancer cells spread in the body, secondary tumours, called metastases, can develop. These are responsible for around 90 percent of deaths in cancer patients. An important pathway for spreading the cancer cells is through the lymphatic system, which, like the system of blood vessels, runs through the entire body and connects lymph nodes to each other. In the migration of white blood cells through this system, for example to coordinate the defense against pathogens, one special membrane protein, the chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) plays an important role. It sits in the shell of the cells, the cell membrane, in such a way that it can receive external signals and relay them to the interior. Within the framework of a joint project with the pharmaceutical company F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Roche), researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) have for the first time been able to decipher the structure of CCR7 and lay the foundation for the development of a drug that could prevent metastasis in certain prevalent cancer types, such as colorectal cancer.
In the cells of all vertebrates, there are 20 different chemokine receptors that can interact with more than 40 signaling proteins called chemokines. Each of these signaling proteins fits only to very specific receptors. In turn, if one of the signaling proteins binds to a receptor, it triggers processes inside the cell that lead to a specific cellular response to the signal.
CCR7 is one of the receptors that control the movement of cells within the body. As soon as the appropriate signaling protein outside the cell binds to it, a chain reaction in the cell causes the cell to move in the direction of the highest concentration of the signaling protein. The cell follows the track of the chemokine like a hound following a scent. For example, a constant flow of white blood cells, important cells of the body’s immune system, is directed to the lymph nodes.
Cancer cells too can take advantage of CCR7 and misuse the cell receptor for their own purposes. The appropriate signaling protein guides them out of the tumour and into the lymphatic system. Furthermore, they spread in the body and eventually form metastases in other tissues. These daughter tumours drastically increase the mortality risk for those affected.
Artificial agents prevent cells from migrating
To increase the survival rate of cancer patients, it is of great medical interest to suppress the metastasis process. That is why PSI researchers have used X-ray crystallography at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) at PSI to decipher the structure of the CCR7 receptor.
This structure served as the basis of the search, in collaboration with Roche, for corresponding active agents. "The right molecule can prevent the signaling protein from coupling to the receptor and causing a reaction in the cell", explains Steffen Brünle, who conducted the study as a postdoctoral researcher in the PSI-FELLOW-II-3i programme and is one of the first authors of the paper. Deciphering the structure of the receptor was a real challenge. "The difficult thing about it was producing them, in the first place, in such a way that we could examine them with X-ray crystallography", says Jörg Standfuss, co-leader of the project and the Time-Resolved Crystallography research group at PSI. In order to speed up the research process, Roche developed its own new protein-modifying technology modules, so-called crystallisation chaperones.
With information about the precise structure of the receptor, they were able to identify a suitable molecule that blocks the receptor and thus prevents a signal from being transmitted into the cell. "Our experiments show that the artificial molecule, inside the cell, binds to the receptor. This keeps the chain reaction that leads to cell migration from getting started", Brünle says.
The value of scientific collaboration
From millions of molecules deposited in a database at Roche, and using the structure of the drug-bound receptor, Roche scientists used computer simulation to search for fitting agents that could be suitable for blocking the signaling protein, and they identified five compounds as possible candidates for further development of potential cancer therapy drugs.
Also, one of the active agents the researchers discovered in their study is already being tested by the pharmaceutical industry, in clinical trials, as a potential drug against metastasis. Previously it had been thought that this agent binds to a different receptor and thus inhibits another function of the cancer cell. This highlights how insights from such studies can be extraordinarily valuable for pharmaceutical research and development.
The researchers have now published their results in the journal Cell.
Text: Paul Scherrer Institute/Christina Bonanati
PSI, Paul Scherrer Institute
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Posted on January 28, 2019 by Point Pleasant Register
Senate omnibus education bill draws attention
By Phil Kabler - Contributing columnist
Week three of the 60-day regular session saw the unveiling of a massive, 144-page omnibus education bill, whose release had been anticipated since the start of the session.
While it includes a second round of 5 percent on average pay raises for teachers and school service personnel promised by Gov. Jim Justice and legislative leaders last fall, it includes a number of provisions opposed by state teachers’ unions, including:
— Legalizing state-funded charter schools.
— Allowing public funds to be used for private schools and homeschooling.
— Differential pay for teaching math and other subjects with shortages of certified teachers, and in border counties.
— Increasing maximum class sizes for elementary school classes.
— Rolling back seniority rights.
A year after teachers won an initial 5 percent pay raise and the promise of adequate funding for PEIA health insurance benefits following a nine-day statewide walkout, the bill also includes a number of provisions aimed at the teachers union, including requiring union members to annually re-give permission to have union dues deducted from paychecks, and to withhold pay during work stoppages, even if the county superintendent has closed county schools.
Unusually, the bill has a nonseverabilty clause, meaning that if any portion of the legislation is overturned in court, the entire legislation – including the pay raises – would be void.
Initial reaction from leaders of the teachers unions was muted, but a coalition of union leaders and school administrators have scheduled a conference Monday to raise concerns with the bill.
Democratic senators, however, raised objections to the rush to get the bill advanced out of the Senate Education Committee Friday evening, a little over 24 hours after the bill first surfaced.
“I still don’t understand the urgency of this, and the need to rush things through,” said Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, whose request for time to meet with constituents on the bill was rejected. “For the record, I don’t want to be a part of this affront to democracy.”
Senate Finance Chairman Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, whose committee will next consider the bill, argued that the pace was not unusual.
“Just because the bill is that thick, most of the pages don’t have underlines on them,” he said, indicating that large portions of the bill simply restate existing state Code, and are not changes to public education policy.
The omnibus education bill wasn’t the only education legislation moving through the Senate.
A bill to provide free community and technical college tuition to students meeting a variety of criteria, including requirements for drug testing and community service, passed the Senate unanimously, but faces an uncertain future in the House, where a similar bill died last year.
Even before its passage, at least one delegate dismissed the bill as an entitlement, a comment that was rebuked by Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, a leading advocate for the legislation.
“Anyone who wants to construe this as an entitlement is ignorant and uninformed,” he said.
After the bill’s 34-0 passage in the Senate, Carmichael urged delegates to also support the measure.
“If you’re interested in prosperity in West Virginia, this is a yes vote as quick as you can make it,” he said, touting the plan’s potential to provide trained workers to address workforce shortages in parts of the state.
Also during the week at the Legislature:
— While touting accomplishments of the past year, most notably the launch of a state One-Stop Business Center, Secretary of State Mac Warner again called for an investigation of how the state Board of Risk and Insurance Management, which he believes is overly willing to settle claims against the state.
“I think the Senate and House have an obligation to look into that: How many cases are brought, and how many cases are tried,” Warner told the Senate Finance Committee, in his first appearance before the Legislature since BRIM settled 12 wrongful termination lawsuits against him for $3.2 million, stemming from his purge of office employees when he took office in January 2017.
However, Sen. Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, said of BRIM, “It’s their job to protect the state’s money. They believe they’re doing that in a proper way now, as most insurance companies do.”
— The Senate began work on a bill that would cap legislators’ per-day pay for special sessions on the budget bill after five days’ pay (SB 263).
Sen. Roman Prezioso, D-Marion, said the bill is designed to avoid what happened in 2016 and 2017, when legislators drew a total of more than $1.4 million of extra pay during extended budget impasses each year.
“If we can’t get our work done in that period of time, we shouldn’t get paid for it,” he said of the five-day cut off.
http://www.mydailyregister.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2019/01/web1_3.18-PPR-Graphic-20.jpg
By Phil Kabler
Phil Kabler is the Charleston Gazette-Mail Capitol Reporter. This column distributed by the West Virginia Press Association to its members.
Hi! A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: Senate omnibus education bill draws attention. Here is a link to that story: http://www.mydailyregister.com/opinion/36727/senate-omnibus-education-bill-draws-attention
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Greek PM for debate in EU Parliament on debt deal
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday made an impassioned defence of his country’s position to the European Parliament (EP) even as Athens was set a Thursday deadline to come up with a new set of proposals for creditors.
Speaking for the first time at an EP plenary session in his role as prime minister, Tsipras said: “I think the debate we are having today in this chamber should have taken place much earlier. For five months, the negotiations on the future of Greece were held behind closed doors. The European Parliament, instrument par excellence of democracy, must play a more active role in this respect.”
In the wake of two emergency meetings in Brussels, following the “No” vote in Sunday’s referendum, the Greek prime minister offered a political dimension to the Greek question while also attempting to appease his government’s critics, Xinhuia news agency reported.
“Until now, we have been obliged to talk to three institutions whose positions were sometimes different and conflicting. Frankly, if the debate were taking place exclusively between the Greek government and the European Commission, we would not be here today,” he said during a long debate.
“I have no hidden agenda to take Greece out of the eurozone. My country became a field trial for austerity, but we must now look reality in the face: it failed! Europe must be democratic or it will be very difficult to survive the difficult times we are going through,” Tsipras insisted.
“The current Greek government took office five-and-a-half months ago; the bailouts started five years ago. The issues we face do not spring from just these past five months,” he stated.
“We filed a 47-page text, the result of a difficult process of negotiation. Yet an image has been created that Greece had not made any proposals. We submitted a request to the European Stability Mechanism and we will refine our proposals in the next two days. But these proposals must also lead to a commitment to find a lasting solution to the debt,” Tsipras said.
The prime minister emphasised in his speech several times about the need to “find a solution in the interests of Greece but also in the interests of Europe”.
He also raised the issue of German debt after the Second World War by stating that “the greatest moment of European solidarity was the London Conference in 1953 when European countries decided to cancel 60 percent of Germany’s debt”.
The eurozone gave Greece until Thursday to present new proposals to secure a deal with creditors, media reported on Wednesday.
In Brussels on Tuesday, Greece was given an ultimatum that either there would be a deal or Greece and its banks would face the prospect of going bust on Monday (July 13).
On Sunday, a meeting of all 28 members of the European Union EU) will be held — a day after the new Greek proposals are expected to be discussed by the eurozone finance ministers.
In Wednesday’s debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, European Council President Donald Tusk told members of the European Parliament that there were only “four days left” to reach a final agreement, BBC reported.
Meanwhile, another Xinhua report from Athens said Greece’s government pledged on Wednesday the immediate implementation of reforms as soon as next week in exchange for further support via the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to avoid default and Grexit, according to a formal request tabled, a finance ministry statement said.
“Greece seeks from the ESM a loan facility with an availability period of three years… The loan will be used to meet Greece’s debt obligations and ensure stability of the financial system,” read the letter Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos signed, according to the press release.
“Consistent with the principles of this medium- to long-term programme, the republic is committed to a comprehensive set of reforms and measures to be implemented in the areas of fiscal sustainability, financial stability and long-term economic growth,” added the Greek minister.
“Within the framework of the programme, we propose to immediately implement a set of measures as early as the beginning of next week including tax reform-related measures and pension-related measures,” he stressed.
The Greek minister reiterated the country’s commitment to honour its financial obligations to all creditors in a full and timely manner and to remain a member of the eurozone and respect the rules and obligations as a member state.
#Alexis Tsipras #Eurozone #Greece #Greek
Greek parliament okays debt deal, reforms to avert crisis
Greek Leftists lead in national polls: Official estimate
European Commission says Grexit cannot be ruled out
Greek crisis unlikely to spillover to India: Analysts
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Long IslandEducation
More LI districts offering IB program
Sophie Torres, 18, a Long Beach High School graduate, earned an International Baccalaureate diploma this summer. (July 26, 2012) Credit: Newsday/Danielle Finkelstein
By JO NAPOLITANO jo.napolitano@newsday.com Updated July 29, 2012 9:24 PM
Long Island is Advanced Placement territory, with courses in at least 112 public high schools.
But some districts, shooting for something they say is even better, have turned to the Geneva-based International Baccalaureate program in an effort to push students further.
High schools in Hauppauge and Sag Harbor will offer IB this fall, joining seven other districts that have it in place. The Connetquot district, currently at the start of the lengthy certification process, hopes to begin its program in September 2013.
Experts and proponents say the IB high school curriculum gives students an edge because of its global perspective and rigor. Many students strive for the coveted IB diploma, which requires completion of at least seven advanced courses in their junior and senior years, including mathematics, science, English literature and history.
The courses emphasize essays and oral presentations, and a 4,000-word paper and community service are mandated.
The curriculum better prepares teenagers for college, IB's adherents say, and many universities that were reluctant to grant course credit for IB have come around.
John Gratto, Sag Harbor superintendent, said he was drawn to the program in part because he believes the state's Regents diploma represents a "minimal competency."
"We wanted to challenge our students to be among the very best-educated in the world," he said. "The school board looked at this from every angle . . . and decided it was a good move to make, that it will enhance the writing, thinking and problem-solving ability of our students."
IB is in 3,460 schools, serving about a million students in 143 countries. In the United States, 1,370 schools offer it -- double the number in 2006, according to IB.
Jeffrey Beard, IB's U.S.-born director general, came to New York City in January to promote the program, telling a group of educators that it transforms schools.
IB was born in Switzerland in 1968 for the purpose of educating the children of diplomats and business people, but Beard said that, with its rapid spread in public schools, it's no longer reserved for the elite. Any child can do well in the program, he said, describing it as "not hard, but challenging."
What critics say
Still, IB is controversial.
Some taxpayers point to the cost, which is well above that of the AP program. Patricia Sullivan-Kriss, Hauppauge superintendent, said the district worked hard to assuage the fears of some 200 residents who attended a "tense" public meeting on the matter in March 2011.
"We had to put forth the answers as to how we were going to handle this fiscally and instructionally," she said. "And I'm sure, to be honest, that we satisfied many, but probably not all. Until we have our first graduating class, people are going to have questions."
Hauppauge has already paid a $9,500 candidate fee plus $8,200 in conference costs to start. Like all participating districts, it also must pay a $10,400 annual fee as long as it offers the program, in addition to teacher training costs as courses are added. Districts are not charged for offering AP courses or exams, officials said.
A small but vocal group of opponents from across the country say their concerns run deeper than money. They're troubled about IB's ties to the United Nations.
Until 1976, the program was funded in part by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It remains a part of the UN's Economic and Social Council.
Critics are uncomfortable with what they say is IB's progressive bent and call the program humanist, saying it places too little emphasis on the American perspective. Further, some districts aren't upfront about costs, they say.
The New Hampshire House of Representatives recently tried to ban IB, saying, essentially, that its schools couldn't be governed by an overseas entity. The House-passed measure was defeated in the Senate in May.
"It's elitist," said Lisa McLoughlin, a 35-year resident of Bayville and one of IB's best-known critics nationally. "It divides communities and it should be relegated to private schools."
McLoughlin started investigating IB when it came to her district, Locust Valley, in 2004. She details her grievances on truthaboutib.com and serves as the site's administrator.
"It has a social justice agenda," she said in a recent interview, adding that IB's proprietary nature leaves parents in the dark about the specifics of its curriculum.
But students who have taken IB courses said they value the wider perspective it promotes.
"I think that there is no shame in broadening your view of the world and becoming more global and an inquisitive learner," said Sophie Torres, 18, a Long Beach High School graduate. "That was one of the things that was very different and enlightening in the IB experience."
Jay Mathews, a Washington Post education reporter, wrote that truthaboutib.com's "raging paranoia about IB being a threat to American values and U.S. sovereignty is completely divorced from reality," though he praised the website for its fairness in other respects.
Mathews' book, "Supertest: How the International Baccalaureate Can Strengthen Our Schools," lauds IB for its rigor, calling it "slightly better" than AP because the exams delve deeper and because of the 4,000-word essay required for those pursuing the IB diploma.
He said, too, that with the spread of IB, AP is changing its curriculum and testing format to become more like it.
AP's response
AP, run by the Manhattan-based College Board, has long been criticized for having too wide a sweep and for relying heavily on multiple-choice questions in its assessments. A smattering of private schools have dropped the program as a result.
Academically acclaimed Scarsdale High School started phasing out AP five years ago in favor of a more focused, locally designed curriculum.
Auditi Chakravarty, vice president for AP curriculum, instruction and assessment for the College Board, said the changes in AP -- which result in fewer multiple-choice questions and more essays -- stem from criticism from the science community and teachers who say the courses cover too much, not from the success of IB.
International Baccalaureate has "a great model," Chakravarty said, but she noted there isn't one right approach to learning. The two can coexist, she said.
Indeed, many schools keep both programs, at least in the beginning. Sag Harbor will continue with AP but will reassess, depending on what students want, officials said.
West Islip, which started with IB in the 2010-11 school year, will also keep Advanced Placement.
"We allow the students to make their own academic choices," IB coordinator Jim Gilmartin said.
Both programs are stellar, Mathews said, but it will take years for AP to make the same strides as the IB. It can't easily add one of IB's most valuable components -- the extended essay -- because it would place too much of a burden on teachers, he said.
"That would require a real sea change," Mathews said, adding that "people will still be jazzed by IB."
As for another of IB's signature requirements, the famed and dreaded "Theory of Knowledge" course -- which asks students to analyze what they know and how they came to know it -- AP has nothing like it, he said.
Some districts shy away from IB because it calls for wholesale change, said William Stroud, assistant director of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education at Columbia University's Teachers College. He started the Baccalaureate School for Global Education in Queens in 2002 with the goal that every student would earn an IB diploma.
The results so far
IB is the "best educational platform schools can work from," he said, in part because it forces many students to learn time management. "Every school should be doing it."
But IB can be grueling.
Somalia Williamson, 18 and a Long Beach graduate, considered dropping out of the program after two of her peers left because of the workload.
"I ended up doing homework until 2 or 3 in the morning and then taking a shower and getting up just a few hours later to go and do the same thing over again the next day," she said.
Williamson, an aspiring actor headed to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts in New York and Los Angeles, is glad she stayed. The English classes that once overwhelmed her are proving surprisingly useful.
"With acting, you have to be able to understand the literature they are giving you to actually become that character," she said. "It's helped me read between the lines."
Lorenzo Nunez, 18 and a Locust Valley graduate, said IB provided him with tools that he wouldn't have gotten in any other program.
"It makes you dive into subjects and just keeps pushing you and pushing you," said Nunez, who is headed for the Rochester Institute of Technology. "They give you tons of work but they know you can accomplish it if you put in the time."
David Weiss, the superintendent at Long Beach, said IB is more accessible to a wider range of students and it pushes top performers beyond where AP could take them.
But it takes "a full-school commitment to do IB," he said. "You need everybody to buy in."
In Rockville Centre, 11th graders at South Side High School had just one option for English starting last school year: IB Language and Literature, Higher Level, the toughest course around.
Principal Carol Burris recently said the move was a success.
The school's most-struggling students were targeted early for intervention, and 250 of the 251 juniors passed the English Regents in the spring, an achievement officials tied to exposure to IB. Even with the school's traditionally high passing rate, this was unprecedented.
"One thing that was remarkable was that all of our special education students passed the Regents," Burris said. "That was the first time that has ever occurred."
WHAT IS IB?
The International Baccalaureate is a nonprofit educational foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland. Established in 1968, it is aimed at children from ages 3 to 19. IB has elementary, middle school and high school offerings.
The number of schools in the United States offering IB programs has doubled since 2006. Many students strive for an IB diploma, which requires completion of seven courses, including the "Theory of Knowledge" course, a 4,000-word essay and community service. Scores on final exams must be strong enough to amass the number of points required for the diploma. Students can take individual IB classes and receive certificates if they score well enough on final exams.
IB SCHOOLS ON LONG ISLAND
Districts that offer IB and the year they received their authorization:
Rockville Centre, 1981; Commack, 1999; Northport-East Northport, 2002; Locust Valley, 2004; Bay Shore, 2008; West Islip, 2009; Long Beach, 2010; Hauppauge, 2012; and Sag Harbor, 2012.
The Commack school district offers the IB program in its middle and high schools. The other eight districts offer the two-year high school program.
-- JO NAPOLITANO
SOURCE: The International Baccalaureate educational foundation
By JO NAPOLITANO jo.napolitano@newsday.com
Long Island school notebookThe latest in what's going on in schools across Long Island.
2:23 WATCH NOW Molloy College students return to campus for spring 2021 semester
2:23 WATCH NOW College students return to classes, intensive virus testing
1:49 WATCH NOW Students, with more time online, likely are more vulnerable to cyberbullying
1:49 WATCH NOW Educators wary of bullying amid the pandemic
Riverhead restores its spring sports programs
Latest Long Island News
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40 years later, Kings beat Canucks again
On Oct. 9, 1970, the Vancouver Canucks began life in the NHL by losing 3-1 at home to the Los Angeles Kings. Forty years later, wearing the same vintage uniforms, the teams met again -- at least this time, the Canucks went home with a point.
L.A.'s Justin Williams tied the game with 4:05 remaining in regulation, and shootout goals by Anze Kopitar and Jack Johnson gave the Kings a 2-1 victory on Saturday night, spoiling the festive anniversary atmosphere at the newly renamed Rogers Arena.
Kopitar deked and beat goaltender Roberto Luongo with a backhander; Johnson scored with a shot to the stick side. Jonathan Quick, who made 23 saves through 65 minutes, got Mason Raymond to miss and stopped Ryan Kesler's shot.
"It was a hard-fought game both sides, it came down to a shootout," said Luongo, who finished with 31 saves. "When we get into those types of situations, it can go either way and unfortunately for us tonight, it didn't go our way."
It was the Kings' first game since the Canucks eliminated them from the playoffs last spring. Don't think they didn't enjoy exacting a little revenge.
"They booted us out of our ultimate dream last year, and we kind of spoiled their opening night here tonight and we're happy for that," Williams said.
Added Quick: "The boys came in here with a bit of a chip on their shoulder just because of (last season). But at the end of the day it's one game of 82 so take it for what it's worth."
The uniforms were a blast from the past: The Kings, the youngest club in the League with an average age of 25.4, wore their old-time purple and gold while the Canucks' sported the "stick-in-the-rink" stylized C on the front of their white jerseys. In another retro touch, neither team had names on its jerseys.
Most members of the 1970-71 Canucks team were introduced in pre-game ceremonies that included the naming of Henrik Sedin as the club's 13th captain. But just as was the case 40 years ago, the Canucks couldn't put enough pucks in the net.
Christian Ehrhoff did put the Canucks ahead at 11:58 of the second period, shoveling home a power-play rebound in the crease after taking Daniel Sedin's pass with his skate.
That goal looked like it might stand up as the winner when the Canucks limited Los Angeles to just three shots through the first 14 minutes of the third period. But the Kings matched that total on a late power play, and Williams banged the third one past Luongo to tie the score.
"Put pucks to the net, and good things happen if you bang away," Williams said.
The Kings had a great chance to win the game in overtime, but Luongo made six saves as the Canucks had to kill off a 4-on-3 advantage in the extra period.
"Lu was great behind us and obviously kicking rebounds out, anytime you can deflect them out into the corners, it's big for us," defenseman Keith Ballard said. "The three of us just kind of made our little triangle tighter as it went on and tried to keep the shots outside so Lu could see the puck."
Kopitar, who had a 34 goals and 81 points last season, missed part of the second period when he was caught by Manny Malhotra's 's stick while trying to check the Canucks center in the corner.
"Unless you are told not to come back, you don't think there is any doubt (you will return)," said Kopitar, who had a jagged scar running from the middle of his lip to the edge of his mouth. He also lost a tooth. "But a fake one luckily."
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New Orleans cops cleared in bridge shooting
Aug. 13, 2008, 10:10 PM UTC / Source: The Associated Press
A judge threw out murder and attempted murder charges Wednesday against seven New Orleans police officers accused of gunning down two men on a bridge in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
In quashing the indictments, District Judge Raymond Bigelow agreed with defense arguments that prosecutors violated state law by divulging secret grand jury testimony to a police officer who was a witness in the case.
Survivors of the Sept. 4, 2005 shootings have said the officers fired at unarmed people crossing the Danziger Bridge to get food at a grocery store. Ronald Madison, a 40-year-old mentally disabled man, and James Brissette, 19, were shot and killed by police; four other people were wounded.
The officers acknowledged shooting at people on the bridge, but said they did so only after first taking fire.
Katrina struck on Aug. 29, 2005. In its aftermath, levees broke, flooding 80 percent of New Orleans. Chaos gripped the city, and looting was reported in some areas. Rescuers said they thought gunfire was directed at them.
Later investigation revealed at least some of the shooting was by residents trapped by floodwater trying to attract the attention of rescue parties.
Sgt. Kenneth Bowen, Sgt. Robert Gisevius Jr., Officer Anthony Villavaso II and former Officer Robert Faulcon Jr. each faced first-degree murder and attempted murder charges in the case. Bigelow also threw out attempted first-degree murder charges against Officer Mike Hunter Jr. and Officer Robert Barrios and attempted second-degree murder charges against Officer Ignatius Hills.
Faulcon resigned from the police force; the other officers were assigned to desk duty after their indictment.
Bigelow also said Wednesday that prosecutors had wrongly instructed the grand jury, and that grand jury testimony by three of the officers was used against them improperly.
The case was the latest in a series of high-profile, emotional criminal prosecutions tied to Katrina that have fizzled.
Last year a grand jury refused to charge a doctor and two nurses in connection with the deaths of four patients at a New Orleans hospital after the storm. A jury also returned a not-guilty verdict against the operators of a St. Bernard Parish nursing home where more than 30 residents died in the storm's flooding.
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Cuba declines U.S. disaster team after Gustav
Residents of La Palma, Cuba, unload roofing provided by Cuba's government to repair damaged homes after Hurricane Gustav hit. Cuba's former President Fidel Castro said in an essay that repair efforts could cost billions, requiriing more than $350 from each Cuban on an island where the average state salary is only about $20 per month.Javier Galeano / AP
Sept. 7, 2008, 1:55 AM UTC / Source: The Associated Press
Cuba politely declined a U.S. offer to send a disaster assessment team to the island after Hurricane Gustav, saying Saturday it would rather Washington suspend restrictions on travel and the sale of food and other materials it needs to recover.
Cuba's Foreign Ministry did not mention some $100,000 in humanitarian aid that Washington offered to send through nonprofit groups, along with the assessment team. It said in a statement that it appreciated the U.S. government gesture recognizing the destruction that Gustav caused.
The Cuban statement was released as forecasters predicted another powerful hurricane, Ike, will likely sweep across the length of the island early in the week.
"Today when the country's east already is under storm alert with the threat of Hurricane Ike, just as powerful as Gustav, Cuba affirms that in reality the only correct, ethical (action) ... would be the total and definitive elimination of the harsh and cruel economic, commercial and financial blockade applied over nearly a half century against our nation," the statement said.
The Foreign Ministry noted that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has called for a temporary suspension on restrictions on family travel and remittances to the island while Cuba recovers. His rival, Republican John McCain has called for easing restrictions only when the U.S. is "confident that the transition to a free and open democracy is being made."
Currently, people of Cuban origin living in the U.S. can visit the island only once every three years and can send money only to members of their immediate families, excluding cousins, aunts and uncles.
Ailing former leader Fidel Castro wrote this week that recovery from Gustav could cost billions of dollars on an island where the average state salary is only about $20 per month.
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NCDOT
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News»Press Releases»Increased Traffic Expected On I-85 Through Charlotte October 9-12
Increased Traffic Expected On I-85 Through Charlotte October 9-12
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Races at Charlotte Motor Speedway to bring additional traffic to area roads
CHARLOTTE -The N.C. Department of Transportation is preparing for race events at Charlotte Motor Speedway that will generate increased traffic in northeast Mecklenburg County and southwest Cabarrus County Oct. 9-12. The heaviest traffic is expected on I-85, U.S. 29, N.C. 49 and Bruton Smith Boulevard.
NCDOT in recent years has partnered with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the Concord Police Department and Charlotte Motor Speedway to improve traffic ingress and egress patterns, resulting in fewer delays and more efficient traffic flow.
NCDOT will utilize overhead message signs and portable message signs to alert motorists of problem areas and suggested alternate routes around incidents and congestion. The Department advises motorists to "know before you go" by checking real-time travel information online at www.ncdot.gov/traffictravel, by calling 511, or signing up for updates on Twitter.
While the addition of lanes on I-85 North and South at Bruton Smith Boulevard (Exit 49) should help alleviate congestion in that area, officials suggest motorists use alternate routes.
For motorists traveling from South Carolina: Take I-77 North to the I-485 outer loop (Exit 1B) to U.S. 29 North (Exit 32) or N.C. 49 North (Exit 33).
For motorists traveling from west of Charlotte: Take I-85 North to Mallard Creek Church Road (Exit 46), turn right and follow to U.S. 29 North. Another option is I-485 (Exit 48) to U.S. 29 North (Exit 32) or N.C. 49 (Exit 33). Through traffic should remain in the left two lanes of I-85 North to avoid delays near Exit 49.
For motorists traveling from east of Charlotte: Take the I-485 outer loop to U.S. 29 North (Exit 32) or N.C. 49 North (Exit 33).
For motorists traveling from north of Charlotte: Take I-85 South to U.S. 29/601 (Exit 58) or Poplar Tent Road (Exit 52) to Pitts School Road to U.S. 29 South.
Commuters that use I-85 can expect delays on the afternoons of Thursday and Friday, Oct. 9 and 10, and should adjust driving time if possible, or use an alternate route.
Motorists who do not need to travel near the speedway during race events are asked to avoid the area. After race events, all traffic will be directed away from the speedway. Motorists are encouraged to plan where to park before arriving, as they will not be allowed to travel toward the speedway.
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The son is rising in the Solberg household
Triple world champion Petter Solberg will go head-to-head in competition with his 16-year-old son Oliver for the first time this week. And almost certainly lose.
Father and son will compete in the Norges Råeste Bakkeløp – one of Norway’s biggest hillclimb events in the season. The action starts today (July 18) and concludes with the final run up the hill on Saturday (July 21).
Oliver will drive a Citroën Xsara WRC offering 360bhp and total traction via World Rally Championship-honed transmission technology. Petter’s in his Ford Escort RS1800, which is 40 years old and only two-wheel drive.
Predictably, the weekend can’t come soon enough for Oliver.
“From the first time I tested the Xsara, I have been counting the minutes until the start of the event,” said Solberg Jr. “The car is just a little bit crazy, actually it’s mental… and I love it.”
On the question of taking his father on for the first time, Oliver said: “I really should win this one with him driving in the Escort. It’s quite strange to be competing against him – but we’re both really looking forward to it.”
Will Oliver slow down to give Petter a chance?
“No! I want to make the most of this chance,” grinned Oliver. “Driving a car like this, with the power and the paddles, it’s a real dream and I want to make the most of it.”
The hillclimb includes three runs at the three-kilometre course – quite a change from Oliver’s outing at Rally Estonia last weekend.
“I will make the most of every corner this weekend,” said Oliver. “It’s not like a rally, I don’t have Veronica [Engan, co-driver] telling me what’s ahead, so I have to memorise everything.”
Oliver starts his first event in the Xsara on the back of a strong second in class at Rally Estonia.
“Estonia was really good,” he said. “It was a very tricky event, maybe the most difficult I have competed on. The roads were always changing from fast and wide to narrow and technical. I struggled to find a good feeling on the first day, but it worked really well on Sunday. I was quickest [in class] on the first stage and I was very happy from then on.
“I was competing against drivers who have a lot more experience than I do in Estonia, so to get the result I did, I have to say I was a little bit shocked and very happy.
“But now I’m focused on the Xsara…”
And Petter’s focused on his rear-view mirror.
“I think he’s going to be quick,” said PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team owner/driver. “I’ve seen him in testing and he was going well. He’s asked me for some secrets on the set-up and I’ve told him some of them – but I haven’t given them all away; I’ve got to try to give myself a bit of a chance.
“For me I’m going out to enjoy the event. It’s always such a pleasure to drive the Escort – it’s impossible not to have a big smile on your face when you are behind the wheel. We’ve had a great summer break so far and to go to this event with Oliver and I both competing is a real pleasure for Pernilla [Solberg, Petter’s wife and Oliver’s mum] and I.”
The big question – the only question is to ask Pernilla who she’ll be cheering for?
“Oliver, of course,” she said with a smile. “And Petter! It’s fantastic to see both the boys out there competing. We have enough pressure and competition in the year, this week is to have some fun and enjoy ourselves.”
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Some Kids' Books Are Worth The Wait: 'They Do Take Time,' Says Kevin Henkes The Caldecott and Newbery award-winning author says he won't publish anything he isn't proud of. His new picture book is about five figurines on a windowsill who are all waiting for something.
Some Kids' Books Are Worth The Wait: 'They Do Take Time,' Says Kevin Henkes
Some Kids' Books Are Worth The Wait: 'They Do Take Time,' Says Kevin Henkes 7:49
NPR Staff
In Kevin Henkes' new picture book, all of the figurines on the windowsill are waiting for something. "It's really about the concept of waiting," he says. HarperCollins Children's Books hide caption
In Kevin Henkes' new picture book, all of the figurines on the windowsill are waiting for something. "It's really about the concept of waiting," he says.
Kevin Henkes was just a teenager when he decided he wanted to write picture books. He landed his first book contract when he was still in college.
Kevin Henkes won the Caldecott award for his picture book Kitten's First Full Moon and received Newbery honors for his novels Olive's Ocean and The Year of Billy Miller. Michelle Corpora/HarperCollins Children's Books hide caption
Michelle Corpora/HarperCollins Children's Books
Kevin Henkes won the Caldecott award for his picture book Kitten's First Full Moon and received Newbery honors for his novels Olive's Ocean and The Year of Billy Miller.
"People used to assume that I had kids long before I did," he tells NPR's Kelly McEvers. He eventually had children of his own, but that didn't change his writing process the way one might have expected.
"When my wife was pregnant with our first child people would say, 'Oh now you're going to have so many more ideas,' " he recalls. "And it didn't really happen. I think some of the greats in this field were not parents. I think it probably comes from some other place deep inside. I don't think you have to have children to write for them."
The Caldecott and Newbery award-winning author, who has won children over with his lovable cast of characters — Chrysanthemum, Wemberly, Kitten, Lilly — has a new picture book, called Waiting.
On Waiting
Waiting is about five figurines that are sitting on a windowsill — and waiting. Usually my books are about something small writ large and I think of this as something large made small. So it's really about the concept of waiting. It's not about one child waiting for one specific thing. It's bigger and broader than that.
by Kevin Henkes
Hardcover, 32 pages |
On the way adults think about children
Sometimes I think as adults we think of them as — because they're small in size that they're small in all ways — and they're not. They have big feelings, and they have big eyes, they see things, they hear things, they're living life just the way an adult does and I think sometimes as adults we forget that.
On how he became a children's book author
I grew up always wanting to be an artist, and it was in high school when I started to really like writing. I was a junior in high school thinking about what I wanted to do with my life and I thought it would be great if I could find a job in which I could both draw and paint ... and write which was this new thing that I loved. And I thought children's picture books would be the perfect job for me. It was a great combination of those skills and that's when I decided that's what I wanted to do.
On showing up in New York, just after freshman year
I went to New York from Wisconsin the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college. I made a list of my 10 favorite publishers and studied them; I knew who I wanted to be published by. And I was so lucky, my first choice — Greenwillow Books, Susan Hirschman, editor-in-chief — accepted my book while I was in New York and it was one of the most memorable days of my life.
But it's interesting looking back; I think at 19 I had a certain confidence that I don't know if I have at 54. I really thought: I'll fly to New York and I will come home with a contract for a book. I really truly believed it. ... I am less confident now than I was back then.
On why he won't get behind things he's not proud of
There are a lot of things that I've said no to — just to keep it pure. ... After Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, which was very successful for me, I wrote another Lilly book right away and Susan Hirschman, my editor at the time, rejected it, saying: Anyone would publish this, but I don't think it's good enough for you and I think that if we published it you would probably be unhappy down the road.
And I think that was true. I really want everything that's out there with my name on it to be as good as I think it can be. They do take time, there is a lot of waiting in this job. But I do want anything out there to be really, really good ... and so I'll keep waiting until it's right.
On wanting his books to give kids a sense of home
I think books can do lots of things. I think books can open one's eyes to what else is in the world, but it's also nice if one can see oneself. I think as a boy I liked both kinds of books — I liked books that let me see that the world was wide and large but I also loved books where a character might have the same feeling that I had about something — that makes one feel like one is not alone in the world.
And I guess that is sort of a sense of home — that we are at home with one another, and to read a book and to have a deep feeling that someone else — the person who made this book — feels what I feel, can be a great comfort I think.
On whether he read his own books to his own kids
A little bit. Not a lot. I did because I wanted them to know what I did every day up in the attic room. The thing that I started doing was reading to them at breakfast. Reading novels. Which was a great thing because I would read to both of them and my wife would be making the lunches so all four of us had this shared experience. Over the course of weeks we'd have this shared experience where we'd discuss it and talk about it. It was interesting.
My daughter said she didn't want old-fashioned books. But we raced through the Little House books. My son decided he didn't want any books in which the protagonists were girls. But I said let's just try Ramona. And he of course, loved it.
So it was a good experience for them. I think it opened their eyes. ... And we kept track, we made a list in the back hall of every book that we had read together and I think — now they're 20 and 18 — and I think the list was, you know, 120 and some books.
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Home » Latest News in Nigeria » With the return of Abacha's $311 million loot, we can now fight Coronavirus better - Presidency
With the return of Abacha's $311 million loot, we can now fight Coronavirus better - Presidency
Wednesday, May 06, 2020 CuteNaija 1 Latest News in Nigeria
The Presidency has said the repatriation of the money stolen by the late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, has helped the Federal Government in the fight against COVID-19 and providing infrastructure.
According to the Presidency, the coronavirus fight would have been tougher without the money.
The Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Garba Shehu, said this in a statement on Tuesday in reaction to the latest receipt of $311m Abacha loot from the United States.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, confirmed receipt of the money on Monday.
The Presidency said, “These funds have already been allocated, and will be used in full for vital and decades-overdue infrastructure development, the 2nd Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressways; creating tens of thousands of Nigerian construction jobs and local skills, which can then be useful for future projects.
“Part of the funds will also be invested in the Mambilla Power Project which, when completed, will provide electricity for some three million homes – over 10 million citizens in our country.
“The stolen money and the hundreds of millions more that have already been returned from the United Kingdom and Switzerland provides an opportunity for the development of our nation, made far harder for those decades the country was robbed of these funds.”
The Presidency further noted that the recovered money from the US and similar funds previously recovered from other jurisdictions had helped the country to address developmental challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shehu said, “Indeed, previous monies returned last year from Switzerland – some $320m – are already being used for the government’s free school feeding scheme, a stipend for millions of disadvantaged citizens, and grain grants for those in severe food hardship.
“Without these funds, the fight against COVID-19 would be even tougher.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government commended the UK, the US, especially the executive and legislative arms of government in those countries, for making the repatriation possible.
The statement said, “The latest return is a testament to the growing and deepening relationship between the government of Nigeria and the government of the United States.
“Without the cooperation both from the UK Government, the US Executive branch and US Congress, we would not have achieved the return of these funds at all.
“For years many countries deemed successive Nigerian administrations as too corrupt, too venal and too likely to squander and re-steal the stolen monies – so they did not return the funds.
“Today the US, the UK and other jurisdictions have found the partnership with Nigeria they can finally trust.
“The Buhari administration is committed to, and is enacting total and zero tolerance for corruption in politics and public administration.
“The days when government was seen and used by the political class as their personal Automated Teller Machine are over.”
Incidentally, the President Muhammadu Buhari, never believed that Abacha stole the country’s money.
His June 2008 defence of the deceased remains a reference point.
Speaking back then as the presidential candidate of the now-defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, Buhari defended Abacha during his 10th remembrance prayers n Kano.
He said, “Ten years without the late Abacha, the said allegations remain silent because there are no facts. All the allegations levelled against the personality of the late Gen Sani Abacha will remain allegations.
“It is 10 years now, things should be over by now.”
In May 2018, Buhari again praised Abacha for establishing the now-defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund to address infrastructure gaps in Nigeria.
Buhari served under the Abacha regime as PTF chairman.
Speaking while meeting members of the Buhari Support Organisation in 2018, he said, “No matter what opinion you have about Abacha, I agreed to work with him and the roads we did from PTF exist from here to Port Harcourt, to Onitsha, to Benin and so on.”
The Abacha $311 million loot, for crying loud, should not be used to fight Coronavirus, but something that will benefit the populace on a permanent basis. Funds have been made available from both the public and private sectors for the Codid-19, and such funds , if properly managed, should be well enough to control the virus. I once advised that the laudable project at Ajaokuta Steel Mill should be completed before the tenure of PMB expires. This is a spiritual calling and should be respected. The Ajaokuta Steel Mill will provide, at least, two million jobs for our youths. Our youths need such project now that the unemployment rate is out of control. I further look at the by-products that will emerge if the Ajaokuta Steel is commissioned before 2013. Let the administration of PMB be forward looking and dynamic. Undoubtedly, the name of the PMB and his administration will remain indelible and respected by all Nigerians if Steel MIll is commissioned before his tenure expired in 2013. My golden advice to my dear PMB.
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Flexible Deposits, Easy Booking & Safe TravelsKeeping you safe on tour FAQs
/ Experiences - Bucket List Favourites / Top 10 World Festivals
Top 10 World Festivals for 2021
Updated: 16th December 2020
From the colourful fun filled Rio Carnival in Brazil and Holi and Diwali in India, to the Cherry Blossoms in Japan, New Year's in Red Square and the Harbin Ice Festival, here are our top picks for 2021. It's going to be difficult choosing which ones to go to - we did warn you!
The World's Biggest Party...
Rio Carnival in Brazil: Postponed
The captivating city of Rio de Janeiro, home to exotic nightlife, lush mountains and beautiful beaches, hosts the world’s greatest street party. A destination known for its sexy atmosphere and energetic spirit explodes with colour, music and hip swaying for Rio Carnival the weekend before Lent. A spectacular event, across the five days the streets are lit up and filled with revellers in extravagant fancy dress. When you arrive, receive a warm welcome from the Brazilians who are proud to share with you the world’s best party. The highlight of the weekend is the Sambadrome, a spectacular parade of hundreds of marvellous floats travelling down the streets, flanked by dancers in glitter-covered costumes. If you are unable to get tickets to the Sambadrome, you will still have a wonderful time joining in with the street parties dancing to the infectious samba music from dusk till dawn. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Carnival has been postponed indefinitely.
Recommended Tours: The Rio Carnival
A riot of colour and celebrations...
Holi Festival of Colour in India: 28th - 29th March 2021
Holi is a celebration of good triumphing over evil, the importance of love, happiness and new beginnings with the end of winter. With imitation festivals cropping up all over the world, nothing beats the dazzling vibrancy and invigorating energy of the original. Festivities take place all over India on the day after the full moon in March, the streets transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour. The evening before, large bonfires are lit to burn away evil spirits in a ritual known as Holika Dahan. The following morning as soon as you step on to the streets you will be covered in a rainbow of purples, greens, pinks and blues, thrown by children and shopkeepers. A carefree festival, join the locals as they spread coloured powder over their faces, stand under showers of coloured water and dance around water sprinklers.
Recommended Tours: Holi Festival of Colour
A symbol of hope and renewal...
Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan: March - April 2021
One of the most traditional and beautiful sights of Japan is the blooming of cherry blossom. Also known as Sakura, this iconic event is eagerly anticipated not just for its beauty but because it also signals the end of winter and is a symbol of hope and renewal. The blossoming of these delicate buds starts in early February in the southern islands of Okinawa, the opening of the delicate flowers spreading across Japan to reach the northern cape of Hokkaido by the end of May. Hanami is the traditional custom of enjoying the flower, with people spending time in parks, gardens and riversides to enjoy the picturesque settings covered in a gorgeous soft pink hue in the fresh spring weather. Travel to Kanazawa in April, the best time to see the flowers, to appreciate one of Japan’s most impressive gardens Kenroku-en covered in a light rose tint.
Recommended Tours: Cherry Blossom Festival
White Nights and Culture...
Night at the museum in St Petersburg: 15th May 2021
St Petersburg, Russia’s imperial city, is full of cultural treasures waiting to be discovered – fabulous palaces, impressive cathedrals and intriguing museums. On the 21st of May, in what is becoming an annual tradition, the city’s most admired and beloved museums of the city stay open all night from 9pm till 6am the following morning. It is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the sights of the museums with a lack of crowds and elbow bashing, visiting the Planetarium, the Geological Museum, The Gallery of Modern Art and St. Isaac’s Cathedral. To celebrate this event there are special exhibitions and street art performances. The exciting atmosphere of the late night activity is enhanced by the pearly all-night glow of the White Night, when the sun barely sets on this intoxicating city.
Recommended Tours: White Nights and Museums | Night at the Museum
an ancient tradition
Inti Raymi in Cusco, Peru: 24 June 2021
Dating back to the Inca period and first taking place in 1412, Inti Raymi is a festival that celebrates the winter solstice with worship of the sun god. Inti Raymi means 'Sun Festival' in Quechua, an ancient Inca language which is still spoken by around 8 million people. The festival takes places in Cusco and involves colourful Incan rituals, parades and performances in front of a thousands strong crowd. Sapa Inca, the Sun God will also give a rousing speech!
Recommended Tour: Inti Raymi Festival
Mid-autumn celebrations with moon cakes...
Full Moon Festival in Vietnam: 20th September 2021
Travel to the charming and graceful Vietnamese town of Hoi An for the Full Moon Festival which takes place on the 14th day of each lunar month. Vietnamese people paying homage to their ancestors with alters full of flowers, candles and incense as offerings for good luck and prosperity. The old quarters switch off the electrical lights and close the roads to motorised traffic, plunging the streets into darkness and silence to experience the beauty of the flickering candlelight and glow of the multi-coloured lanterns. Stand side by side with the locals along the water’s edge or glide along the water on a sampan ride as hundreds of lanterns are released down the river and into the sky, the luminous lights making an already beautiful Hoi An absolutely extraordinary.
Recommended Tours: Full Moon Festival Hoi An | Full Moon Festival Express
Bi-annual alignment of nature and man-made genius...
Jewel of the Nile Sun Festival in Egypt: 22nd October 2021
Egypt is a utopia of outstanding archaeological monuments. In the village of Nubia you will find Abu Simbel, a colossal structure built into the side of a mountain flanked by six statues, four of these representing the pharaoh Ramses II. One of the world’s greatest examples of architectural precision and manic egotism, Ramses II had the Great Temple aligned so that the sun’s rays would line up twice a year on the dates of his ascension to the throne, 21 February, and his birthday, 21 October. The temple has since been re-located further up the shoreline of Lake Nasser meaning the sun now strikes a day later. However, watching the sun rise and illuminate the inner Hypostyle Hall and the Sanctuary is a spellbinding experience, all the more magical for only happening twice a year.
Recommended Tours: Abu Simbel Sun Festival Oct 2021 | King Ramses Sun Festival | Jewel of the Nile Sun Festival
Largest and brightest Hindu celebration...
Diwali Festival of Lights in India: 4th November 2020
The largest and brightest celebration in the Hindu calendar, Diwali the Festival of Lights is observed all over the world. The most joyous festivities take place in India with homes decorated, gifts exchanged and thousands of lamps lit. Its origins date back thousands of years to when God Lord Rama came home after conquering the demon King Ravana, starting the tradition of jubilation and happiness across five days from the 15th day of the month of Kartika. Firecrackers are set off in the nights to signal the start of colourful revelry including firework displays and wearing garlands of flowers and jasmine. Take a trip to the Birla Temple in the pink city of Jaipur, the gardens lit up and decorated with bright garlands and flowers – a stunning contrast against the stark clean white walls of the temple.
Recommended Tours: Diwali Festival of Lights
Amazing ice sculptures and fun rides...
Harbin Ice Festival in China: December - January
Sun Island Park is blanketed in the winter making it the perfect venue for a multitude of striking ice sculptures. The Harbin Ice Festival is spread out over December and January, the 70 days filled with many activities in this impressive winter wonderland. Visitors will see all manner of bizarre, beautiful and magical sculptures created out of eight metre high ice blocks, the diverse range of designs ranging from a dragon boat to a couple of cupids. The sculptures also include replicas of China’s most iconic attractions including the Great Wall of China and the Emperor’s Summer Palace in Beijing. The frozen beauty of the creations is enhanced with dozens of traditional Chinese lanterns and neon lights illuminating the glistening ice creations.
Recommended Tours: Harbin Ice Festival | Harbin Ice Festival Express
Welcome the New Year with fireworks and vodka...
New Year's Eve in Red Square in Russia: 31st December
Where better to ring in the New Year than Russia’s legendary Red Square, surrounded by the iconic monuments deeply woven throughout the country’s rich and tumultuous history? Moscow is the perfect Christmas destination, wrapping up warm to venture out and discover Russia’s motherland in the crisp weather, the stunning buildings sprinkled with snow. Celebrate the last 12 months and all the possibilities the next year holds in the cobble stone square flanked by some of Russia’s greatest architecture. After a day exploring the mighty Kremlin, spend the evening in the cobble stoned square watching the spectacular firework display as it lights up the colourful domes and torrents of St Basil’s Cathedral. A new year in Russia promises to be one you will never forget.
Recommended Tours: New Year in Moscow
Call us free-phone (from within Canada) on 1-866-890-7038 or email us at info@onthegotours.com
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An appeals court rules Florida can deny felons right to vote if they haven't paid up "every dollar" of their court costs - which is a state secret.
Frank Cerabino
I know a lot of people are unsympathetic about convicted felons getting their voting rights restored.
But if there’s a tiny ember of fairness in your soul, this should bother you.
When 64 percent of Florida voters approved a referendum two years ago that appeared to re-establish voting rights to 1.6 million convicted felons who had served their terms, it was not the last word.
Gov. Ron DeSantis insisted that the amendment had to be implemented through action by the state legislature.
And that led to Senate Bill 7066, a high-hurdled piece of legislation that said Florida felons could vote again only after “all terms of sentence, including full payment of restitution, or any fines, fees, or costs resulting from the conviction” were satisfied.
The law was challenged, and a ruling in May by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle stymied it, calling the law a “pay-to-vote” system that operated as an unconstitutional poll tax.
“A state may disenfranchise felons and impose conditions on their reenfranchiesment,” Hinkle wrote. “But the conditions must pass constitutional scrutiny.
“Whatever might be said of a rationally constructed system, this one falls short in substantial respects.”
Hinkle’s ruling wasn’t the last word, either, because the state appealed his decision to the U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which reversed the decision last week.
The 6-4 ruling authored by U.S. Judge William Pryor found that the requirement to pay wasn’t a poll tax, but part of the criminal penalty owed by the felon.
And the court majority found that Florida’s restrictions on restoring the voting rights of felons was constitutional.
“Monetary provisions of a sentence are no less part of the penalty that society imposes for a crime than the term of imprisonment,” Pryor wrote. “Indeed, some felons face substantial monetary penalties but little or no prison time.”
For the sake of argument, let’s agree with Pryor’s reasoning, and reject the poll-tax finding from the district court.
Let’s say that it’s fair for felons to regain their civil rights only after they pay “every dollar” that the court administrators and prosecutors claim they owe.
We won't call it a poll tax. OK. Fine. Moving on.
So where can felons learn about their so-called LFOs – legal financial obligations – so they can figure out what it takes to get their civil rights restored?
“The amount of financial obligations imposed in a sentence is usually clear from the judgment, which can be obtained by the county of conviction,” Pryor wrote.
But it’s not in Florida.
What Hinkle found after an eight-day trial was that it’s “often impossible” for Florida felons to learn how much they owe. He called Florida’s ability to inform felons how much they owe an “administrative train wreck.”
The court looked at 153 randomly selected Florida felons and found that in only three cases was it clear how much money they owed.
The state has a waiting list of 85,000 felons who have petitioned the state for an answer on how much they owe. And the state admits that it would take years for answers.
Pryor made that reality irrelevant by ruling that Florida has no duty “for locating and providing felons with the facts necessary to determine whether they have completed their financial terms of sentence.”
So to recap: You’ve got to pay “every dollar” before you can vote. But we have no idea how much you owe, and it will take years for us to get you an answer. Unless we decide not to give you an answer at all, since now there’s a legal ruling that says we have the right to demand “every dollar” from you with no obligation to tell you how many dollars that is.
Oh, and another thing: You’d better not try to vote without paying up, because if you do, we’ll charge you with another felony.
Judge Beverly Martin, writing in dissent on the appeals court, found it impossible to sanction this.
“The majority breezes over the infirmities of the process,” Martin wrote. “But I cannot so easily condone a system that is projected to take upwards of six years simply to tell citizens whether they are eligible to vote; that demands of those citizens information based on a legal fiction (of its own making) known as the “every-dollar” method; and which ultimately throws up its hands and denies citizens their ability to vote because the state can’t figure out the outstanding balances it is requiring those citizens to pay.”
How’s that ember of fairness in you? If it’s there, you ought to be able to feel it by now.
It should be burning bright.
fcerabino@pbpost.com
@FranklyFlorida
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Hal Habib
To hear receiver Preston Williams tell it, maybe the New England Patriots should be glad they’re facing the Dolphins in Week 1.
Because as good as Williams has looked this training camp — and he has looked plenty good — he admitted Tuesday he still has a final few steps to go in his comeback from last year’s torn ACL.
“It really doesn’t feel good until a year after your injury,” said Williams, who was hurt Nov. 3 against the Jets. “That’s when it really feels normal again. I know what happened. I know I’m still 10 months out. I can feel it. But I’m used to feeling like this.”
If you didn’t know that Williams missed half of his rookie season after undergoing knee surgery, you never would guess it from his performances in this camp. He has moved well, shown ability to cut on his routes and consistently given Miami’s secondary trouble.
An occasional rest day, as the Dolphins continue to work him back to 100 percent, is the only hint of what occurred last season. Maybe that’s just being cautious in August; maybe it will result in Williams being on a snap count Sunday.
“When my number's called, I just try to perform,” he said. “If it is a certain amount of reps, it's going to be my best reps. If I play the whole game, I'll play the whole game."
Williams said suiting up in Week 1 was a realistic goal dating back to the time of the injury.
"That was definitely in my head,” he said. “If it didn't happen, then in my head I probably didn't work hard enough. I was preparing for Week 1, worked my butt off and we're here this week."
One year ago, Williams was an intriguing, 6-foot-5 rookie out of Colorado State whose off-field behavior caused him to go undrafted despite monster 2018 statistics: 96 receptions, 1,345 yards and 14 touchdowns. It was evident almost from the start that the Dolphins’ gamble would pay off better than they had a right to expect. Williams caught four passes for 63 yards (a 15.8 average) in only his second NFL game — against the Patriots.
He appeared in only eight games but was on pace to make 64 receptions for 856 yards, which would rank among the best rookie receiving performances in team history.
Williams painted a picture of a vastly improved player this year, starting with his ability to read defenses and anticipate what’s going to happen.
“Coach told me I need to have a better jump from year one to year two,” he said. “I've just been focusing, trying to improve my game, learn more positions. This year, there's probably a lot more on the plate. Trying to manage everything, since I was a rookie last year, still getting my feet wet."
The Dolphins have a new offensive coordinator, veteran Chan Gailey, whose system has positive reviews from receivers. They appreciate that Gailey demands they hit an assigned spot on their routes but also gives them freedom to make whatever adjustments necessary to reach that point. More often than not, Williams has gotten there. So has the ball.
More:Miami Dolphins: ‘Long-term' view could sideline Xavien Howard vs. Patriots
“Some days he looks great and other days you could tell he wasn’t 100 percent,” Gailey said. “But there were more really good days than the bad days. We tried to rest him, and I think he’s in a really good place going into the first ballgame.”
Recognizing that his opposite number, DeVante Parker, has had issues of his own avoiding injuries, Williams says he's confident that given a full season together, they can form a dominant tandem.
"We stay healthy, a lot of the numbers are going to speak for themselves,” Williams said.
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M Allard astronomical regulator up 166% on estimate
An M Allard month duration astronomical regulator clock, circa 1825, realised $80,000 at Skinner's November 2 auction in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
It made an impressive 166% increase on its estimate of $20,000-30,000.
The lower rear door of the clock is inscribed: M Allard, Rue St Antoine
Constructed in Paris, the clock features a figured walnut case and an architectural top with a moulded cornice. It has four hands, allowing for the display of hours, minutes, seconds and the equation of time.
Regulators were the most precise clocks available in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
They achieved their accuracy through their pendulums, which adjust in length depending on the temperature - allowing the mechanism to remain consistent.
A Tiffany quarter-chiming tubular bell tall clock, housed in a case attributed to RJ Horner - a popular furniture designer in the late 1800s - made $70,000. It features a mechanism by the Waltham Clock Company and was sold by Tiffany & Co.
The brass dial is marked Tiffany & Co, New York
An almost identical clock, featuring a case by RJ Horner but with a movement by Elite of Germany circa 1890, achieved $60,000.
A circa 1875 E Howard & Company astronomical regulator that stood in the office of the president of the New York Central Railroad for much of its history, made $49,000.
It features the silvered brass dial characteristic of the company's timepieces.
A recent sale saw an E Howard & Co astronomical regulator in a federal walnut case make $130,000.
A Ferrari Dino 246 GT classic car also featured in the present sale, selling for $180,000.
Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for the latest from the world of antiques and other collectibles.
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Telltale Games has an 'original IP' in the works
By Shaun Prescott 13 January 2015
Telltale Games has built a solid reputation adapting existing franchises into adventure games, but according to the studio's new CEO it has an "upcoming original IP" in the works. The news comes as part of an announcement earlier today that the company's president and co-founder, Kevin Bruner, is now CEO. He replaces Dan Connors, who will stay on as an executive advisor.
While corporate musical chairs is interesting to some people, the promise of an original Telltale game inspires hope, as does "unannounced partnerships". Could this mean our long-hoped-for Seinfeld game is happening? Probably not, to be honest.
Here's Bruner's full statement, via GamesIndustry.biz.
"We're thrilled to continue our growth and bring our unique style of scripted entertainment to the next generation of digital media, and do that across thousands of different devices. Our top priority is to continue fostering an environment where the most talented and creative storytellers in the industry are working side by side with the world's biggest creative partners. We're already working on some of the biggest franchises in entertainment, and when you add our unannounced partnerships and upcoming original IP, it's clear the most exciting time to be at Telltale is now, and there will continue to be more and more opportunity to innovate ahead of us."
Following its success with The Walking Dead, Telltale has embarked on serialised adventure games based on The Wolf Among Us, Borderlands and Game of Thrones. Here's what we think they should do next.
The Wolf Among Us
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The PC gaming highs of 2018
All the best parts of the last 12 months.
Every single week we celebrate and commiserate in our Highs and Lows feature, spilling our guts about the best and worst bits of the week that was, or at least the parts we can remember. And now we’re trying to recall the whole year, rounding up the highs and lows of 2018. Below you’ll see all of our high points, but check back tomorrow for the gloomy lows.
Chris Livingston: Store Wars
After simmering for a while, I feel like the fuse has been properly lit. It's hard to envision a true competitor for Steam when it comes to selling PC games—and we're probably still years away from one—but more and more challengers popped up in 2018 and that's a good thing. Joining stores like GOG and Humble is the Discord Store and Epic Games Store, and while the offerings are pretty limited at the moment and there's a major lack of features when compared to Steam, they both still managed to score some exclusive deals, and that's an important first step—even if it doesn't feel like it.
I know the addition of new stores and desktop clients is a bit of a hassle for players. It can be hard to stop relying on Steam and we all feel a bit of reluctance to download a bunch of other clients, set up accounts, and especially to hand our credit card info—and as many as there are now, there will be even more next year and beyond. But competition is always a net good, and we're going to be seeing more exclusives in stores like Epic's and Discord's. I know exclusives can be annoying, too, especially if your Steam wallet is fat with trading card cash, and the game you want is only being sold somewhere else. But at least it's not like console exclusives. If a PC game has an exclusive agreement with a certain store, you can still play it on PC! It's not the end of the world and not as restrictive as it sounds.
The important thing for developers is that they're starting to see better deals than Valve offers when it comes to revenue splits, and stores with a carefully curated selection of games (instead of Steam's massive glut) can mean a better chance to be seen by customers. For PC gamers, all these stores competing with Steam, and each other, will eventually pay off in more discounts and sales. First these new stores will fight for developer loyalty, then they'll fight for customer loyalty. Let the great Store Wars begin.
Jarred Walton: Core Wars
The CPU is the main brain of your computer. It runs your OS and most of the logic in your games. A faster CPU can make everything on your PC run smoother, and competition for the crown of CPU champion has been fierce this year. This all started last year when AMD released its Ryzen processors, significantly closing the performance gap that existed between the old FX-series parts and Intel's Core i5/i7 offerings. The battle has raged on in 2018, and become perhaps even more heated—literally in some cases. But I like competition.
This year, AMD released its second generation Ryzen CPUs, headlined by the Ryzen 7 2700X. Not only is it faster than its predecessor, but it dropped the price to $329. Sure, if you have a top-tier GPU, Intel's CPUs might be a bit faster in games, but for reasonable builds (meaning, $500 or less on the GPU), AMD offers the better value by far. And in non-gaming scenarios, the 2700X typically beats the i7-8700K.
Of course Intel had to respond, bringing out its first 'mainstream' 8-core CPUs with the Core i9-9900K and Core i7-9700K. Both are faster than the Ryzen 7 2700X, in games and in general use. However, these 9th gen Intel CPUs likely wouldn't exist without AMD providing much needed competition. Also, the i9-9900K costs significantly more money.
It's not just the mainstream platform getting some love, however. The HEDT (High-End Desktop) enthusiast platforms also received updates. AMD's second generation Threadripper parts doubled core counts to 32-core/64-thread with the 2990WX. Intel responded… with a slightly faster Core i9-9980XE that's still an 18-core/36-thread part, just like the i9-7980XE. Of course the WX Threadripper parts aren't usually the best option, but I love seeing the boundaries move on what we can expect from modern PC hardware.
James Davenport: Book bath
The Witcher 3 is a few years old now. Yowsa. What I’d give to be able to play it for the first time! Not much, honestly. Not going to sell 10 years of my life to a witch or anything, but I found a wild lifehack that just might do the trick: reading. I’ve been tearing through the Witcher books and I’m impressed how perfectly The Witcher 3 manages to express these characters. I feel like I’m questing again, hanging with Gerry while he slashes bellies and says goofy, dry shit. It’s great. The books are also resetting my understanding of the world of the Witcher. There’s so much to Ciri and Geralt’s journey before the events of The Witcher 3, enough to compel me to play it again. There’s about four more books and the first two games before I manage that, but suddenly it’s become one of my most anticipated games of 2019. If you’ve been missing Geralt and pals, or just want something to do over the holiday break, go pick up The Witcher books. Start with The Last Wish, a series of shorts introducing Geralt and Ciri, or hop right into the novels with Blood of Elves. You’ll feel right at home, I promise.
Wes Fenlon: It's a hunter's world
The highlight of my year has been learning to hunt. Not real animals, lord no: I'm a soft city boy who doesn't want to harm a hair on a poor deer or bunny rabbit's head. But the monsters in Astera? Those I'll gleefully stab, shoot, and capture in electric shock traps (so I can then fight them again in a small arena). It's vicious and I love it. Monster Hunter is one of those series I've wanted to get into for years, because I tend to be drawn to complex, intimidating games that are deeply rewarding once you've gotten over a brutal learning curve. A Capcom action game with complex weapon movesets and dozens upon dozens of varied beasts to fight sounded awesome, but playing that kind of game on a 3DS, or a Wii U with a janky-at-best online system, just never felt worth the effort. When World was announced, I knew it was going to be my in.
And with now nearly 100 hours of hunting under my belt, it's easily the game I've played the most in 2018. I love it just as much as I thought I would, and it's actually the first game I've played that has me logging in regularly for special events so I can unlock a particular sword or armor set. Above all, though, it's been a great multiplayer experience for me: for a few months I was playing with friends almost every night, which was a great way for us to hang out. It's the most fun "social" game I've played in the last year. Few years, even. Special shout out to my friend Steven for showing me the ways of the insect glaive, and Nico for being our monster hunter sherpa. Bring on those arch-tempered monsters!
Tom Senior: Rat’s entertainment!
Damn, Wes took my high of the year. While I still love a good singleplayer RPG or strategy, game, I’ve had the most fun this year playing games co-operatively. Monster Hunter: World is a great example, and I’m so happy the series is on PC—I wonder if the massive expansion due next year will end up in our game of the year estimations once again.
Destiny 2 and Vermintide 2 have also delivered brilliant co-op experiences this year. It can still be hard to get five other people together to go raiding, or even three other people together on an evening to smash up big rats, but it’s totally worth the effort. Vermintide even has a structured campaign that lets you share an ongoing story, and the classes are so varied it’s easy to start again with a new class and a different group of people. While in Destiny I feel like I need to do some grinding to access the cool new stuff, Vermintide is just right there, ready for us to grab our hammers and swords and get chopping again. I can see myself playing a lot of it into 2019 and beyond.
Andy Kelly: With a vengeance
I’ve already written about the Shenmue re-release in my GOTY personal pick, but it’s easily my high of the year. My review and this article cover why I love the game so much in extensive detail, but what’s important is that the thing has finally been preserved in a form that’s easily playable. I no longer have to fire up the old Dreamcast sitting under my TV and hear that disc drive whirr and spin itself to death. I mean, there’s a charm to playing on original hardware, but I think I’ll stick to PC for future replays.
And, of course, next year there’s Shenmue III to look forward to. I’m wildly (but cautiously) excited about Ryo Hazuki’s quest for revenge continuing in a new game. His English voice actor, Corey Marshall, has been tweeting about the recording process, making this impossible sequel feel suddenly real. But even if it doesn’t live up to the hype, thanks to this re-release It’ll be easier than ever to return to Yokosuka and relive the magic all over again. Is there a better Christmas game than Shenmue? I don’t think so.
Fraser Brown: Tactics on top
It’s been an amazing year for tactics games. It’s only really dawned on me now, at the end of the year, how excellent it’s really been. Big, small, traditional and inventive—we’ve seen them all in 2018, and if your backlog is anywhere as bloated as mine, they’ll be keeping us busy well into next year, as well.
At the top of the pile sits Into the Breach, a game that seems simple and bite-sized but is actually a devil sent from the depths of Hell to swallow up your life and sanity as you try, over and over again, to avert disaster. It didn’t need to carry the genre alone, though, and was joined by the likes of BattleTech, Valkyria Chronicles 4, Frozen Synapse 2, Mutant Year Zero, Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus and more. And none of them are alike.
Intro the Breach is a bastard of a puzzler, BattleTech’s a huge mech sandbox, Mutant Year Zero is an adventure-tactics hybrid with a focus on story and Mechanicus sends space archaeologists into dungeons to fight undead robots. These brief descriptions don’t really do the diversity justice, but the important thing is that there are a lot of people out there with a lot of cool ideas about what shape modern tactics games should take. It’s not just that there have been a lot of tactics games, it’s that they’re indicative of a genre that’s agile and experimental and going in more than one interesting direction. It’s exciting!
Samuel Roberts: Cyberpunk 2077 in 2018
Is it a little too easy to pick a game for 2018's high of the year? Honestly, though, Cyberpunk 2077 felt like the biggest deal when it came to reveals over the last 12 months, with Obsidian's The Outer Worlds getting close, too. The level of detail in the footage above is off the charts—to the point where I don't see how it's ever going to run on those five year-old consoles it's apparently destined for. If you were expecting CD Projekt Red to show you a glimpse of how RPGs could look in four or five years, they provided that. Cyberpunk 2077 felt like an event this year, even if it could be a long, long time before we play it.
I saw the demo in Gamescom days before the reveal was streamed online (glad I flew all the way to Germany for that!). I didn't love every part of the demo—the swear-y dialogue and overall tone might take some getting used to—but I can't argue with how nice that world looks, and the potential of those branching quests. As Bethesda's next singleplayer efforts seem years away, barely being shown through (admittedly exciting) teasers during E3, CD Projekt Red stole the year when it comes to the noisy, gigantic game reveals that I still find fun when I'm in the right mood.
Shenmue I & II
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Verizon Wireless Offers Low-Cost Push-to-Talk Phone
Verizon Wireless announced the availability Monday of a new push-to-talk, clamshell-design mobile phone developed by Personal Communications Devices LLC.
The wireless phone, the CDM8975, sells for US$100 after a $50 rebate and requires a new two-year wireless service agreement from Verizon, the company said. It is available now through business sales channels and will be in Verizon stores beginning March 9. Customers with Verizon's nationwide voice service plan can add unlimited push-to-talk capabilities for $5 per month, per user.
Verizon sells other push-to-talk devices, which offer a walkie-talkie instant connection to other users, such as workers on a team who need to coordinate. The CDM8975 represents a low-cost alternative to some other devices in the category. The carrier has made a strong marketing push with push-to-talk in the past year, attempting to cut into a similar offering from Sprint Nextel Corp. , analysts said.
The new device runs on Verizon's EV-DO Rev. A network and supports Verizon's navigation software, VZ Navigator, which provides users with access to audible directions and maps to find business locations. It is Web-enabled, supports Bluetooth, has a 1.3 megapixel camera with the ability to record video and supports voice commands, including voice-activated dialing.
Other features include an internal antenna, V Cast Music and Video, text messaging, expandable memory of up to 8GB with a microSD card, and a bilingual (Spanish and English) interface.
The CDM8975 is 3.7 x 1.9 x .8 inches in size when closed and weighs 3.2 ounces.
This story, "Verizon Wireless Offers Low-Cost Push-to-Talk Phone" was originally published by Computerworld.
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The Trek Saga Re-Begins, Again, But This Time in UHD
J.C. Macek III
The rebooted Star Trek looks and sounds amazing in 4K, but the Ultra High Definition proves even more that the film hasn't stood up to the (brief) test of time.
Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Bruce Greenwood, Eric Bana
Studio: Paramount
Distributor: Paramount
MPAA Rating: PG-13
With the release of Star Trek Beyond (2016), the third film in the rebooted series, looming so close that you can almost taste it, Paramount wisely cross promoted the film with releases of both Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) the week before not merely on Blu Ray or DVD, but on the new, cutting-edge 4K UHDTV format in three disc sets.
The new releases look and sound fantastic and bring the action and excitement to a new level for the audience. And, yes, J.J. Abrams’ rebooted Star Trek is exciting and action packed. The real question, however, remains: is it Star Trek?
This question is especially poignant today, looking back on the first reboot film after seven years (over twice as long as the original series actually lasted). With a new Star Trek TV show on the way and Star Trek Beyond being directed by Justin Lin of the Fast and Furious series, the question of what really is the essence of Star Trek is paramount once again and perhaps, now more than ever.
It's well known that neither J.J. Abrams, nor his producing partner Damon Lindelof, were Star Trek fans before taking on this assignment. In fact, both were Star Wars fans, but knowing that George Lucas would never relinquish the rights to Star Wars they went for the next best thing. Thus, they took a series of elements from the franchise and forced them into this reboot so as to say, “See, this really is Star Trek.”
Lo and behold, in 2012 Lucas did the unexpected and relinquished control of Star Wars to Disney for $4 billion. Abrams was then given the reins to Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) in which he again took a series of divergent elements from that series, forced them into a new movie and called it “Star Wars”.
To be fair, both Abrams’ Star Wars and Star Trek managed to be good films, but now that the dust has settled and the air is all clear we can blow off said dust and take another look at Star Trek (2009) in glorious 4K and we see the film’s biggest issue: it simply hasn’t aged all that well.
This is a surprise as the bulk of the original series films (in which the same characters with older actors starred) are as great today as they were 30 years or more ago. Star Trek (2009) on the other hand, feels less timeless and more a product of its era. Product placement, song choices, vernacular, political references and much more (don’t get me started on the ubiquitous lens flares) set this film less in the far future and more smack dab in the middle of 2009.
As Abrams’ and Lindelof’s TV series LOST (2004 – 2010) was just coming to an end with a surprising alternate universe timeline, the duo dusted off the frequently attempted “Starfleet Academy” prequel film concept (which dates back to creator Gene Roddenberry’s announcement way back in 1968). Naturally, this would require recasting the original crew with younger actors, but the twist is that this isn’t the prequel we were led to expect. Instead this is more of a sequel to The Next Generation in which the elderly Spock (Leonard Nimoy) time travels back into the past, accidentally creating… an alternate universe timeline.
In this alternate universe, Lindelof and Abrams can play as much as they want to without having to worry about pesky things like “continuity”. Lazy filmmaking? Well there is an argument to be made for that, especially with all the various little elements and plot points from different Star Trek tales shoved in as if going by Cliff’s Notes and a checklist.
On the other hand, this recast is well-cast with Chris Pine capably stepping into the uniform of Captain Kirk (without resorting to a William Shatner impression), Zachary Quinto giving us an excellent younger Spock, Simon Pegg becoming a young Scotty and Zoe Saldana making for a wonderful Uhura. The show stealer here (as always) is Karl Urban who was perfectly cast as Dr. McCoy.
Often the film works beautifully as the prequel it could have been, with Bruce Greenwood skillfully taking over the role of Captain Pike (featured in the original Star Trek pilot “The Cage”). So often the director, writers, cast and crew seemed to be perfectly in tune with Rodenberry’s vision for Star Trek and seemed thrilled to make sure this vision was adhered to.
However, just as often the film proves itself to be a popcorn movie meant to sell tickets and a mountain of merchandise to the masses, much more than true Star Trek fans. The cerebral logic of the original saga is exchanged for action and comedy, including forages into the realm of the silly and advancements into the Travesty Quadrant. Many stalwart classic elements are treated as comedy fodder by showing open disdain and disrespect for them. Canonicity (again, explained away by the fact that this is an alternate universe) takes a back seat to contrivance and convenience and there are almost as many elements borrowed from Star Wars (which Abrams really wanted to be -- and eventually would be -- directing) as Star Trek itself.
Even accepting the conceit of the alternate timeline, the film collapses under its own weight around the midpoint and the characters become inconsistent with interchangeably uncharacteristic actions that don’t quite add up. This, coupled with the “because we said so” logic, fizzled and unexplained plot points and convenient storytelling, mar what could have been an incredible film.
However, as it stands, Star Trek is still a good film. Michael Giacchino’s score meshes beautifully with the original theme of Alexander Courage as well as the sound effects by the amazing Ben Burtt. Even when Star Trek gets lost in its own storytelling, Abrams tells it well enough to keep it exciting and we never stop rooting for the characters to come out of this okay. Further, this is Paramount’s property and Paramount has to make money. While it's a shame that the more intelligent and thought-provoking logic and (fictional) science were sacrificed for commercial elements, this is, after all, a commercial enterprise the Enterprise has embarked on, and Paramount is a business.
The 2016 4K release is not only incredible to see and hear, but it's also packed to the nacelles with bonus features and with a price tag of almost $50, it had better). With three total discs, this re-release features commentaries, deleted scenes, gag reels and documentaries. True fans may have already seen (and heard) many of these, but the good news is that the large complement of bonus features has not been whittled down for this release. The 4K HDR edition doesn’t rely solely on its masterful picture and sound to justify its price, the extras are there.
As good as Star Trek is (and it is), it's hard not to think about how much better it might have been. The time travel and deviation from canon are a bit heavy handed and the one trick of “changing the past” is relied upon far too often to explain the holes in the script and the continuity. But under Abrams’ skilled direction and the great and fun performances of the cast (recognizable, but not carbon copies), somehow the film manages to remain a keeper instead of the miscarriage it might have become. Unfortunately it doesn’t quite capture the timelessness of its source material and this adaptation isn’t quite the cerebral and logical force that it could have been.
Then again, as both the box office numbers and the new mainstream fans can attest, this is not your father’s Star Trek (for better or for worse).
The 20 Best Episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series - PopMatters ›
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This Is The Most Promising Lead Yet On A Cure For Alzheimer's
By Harriet Brown
Ethan Hill
Helene DeCoste senses the news could be bad before she and her husband, Russ, even take their seats in the doctor's office. Instead of the one neurologist they expected to see, there are two, and that can't be good. In a moment the couple will have the answer they've been waiting for, an answer that will determine a lot about Helene's future. About their future. The results of a recent scan will tell them whether her brain contains a telltale marker of Alzheimer's disease.
Bad news would not be a shock. Alzheimer's runs through Helene's family like fat marbling a steak, reaching invisibly into each generation. Her mother and an aunt both died from Alzheimer's-like dementia, and Helene's older sister Judith was diagnosed 4 years ago.
Helene's mother, Helen Kelly, in the 1930s
That family history is what brought Helene, 67, to this Boston neurology practice in the first place. She and hundreds of other patients across the United States, Canada, and Australia have volunteered to be screened for admission to a landmark study called Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer's, or the A4 study. While researchers may disagree about what causes the disease and how it might be treated in the future, they agree on this: The A4 could be the vital first step in finding our way out of this mess. Unlike any of the studies that have come before it, the A4 aims to prevent, or at least halt the progression of, changes in the brain that lead to this most feared and most common form of dementia—the very changes that Helene's brain may already have begun to show.
Judith, the "brains" of the family, and her mother, Helen, in 1967
With her white hair and stately posture, Helene looks like a kinder, gentler Barbara Bush, one who's traded her pearls for funky, folksy earrings. She'll tell you that of the three sisters, one got the beauty, one got the brains, and she got the common sense. The family's Alzheimer's nightmare began in earnest 25 years ago, when their father was hospitalized and they realized how impaired their mother, Helen, had become. "By then she was not capable of daily care," Helene says, her strong Boston accent turning not into nawt. It wasn't long before Helen no longer recognized her family. She died in a nursing home in 1993.
MORE: What It's Like To Be Diagnosed With Alzheimer's At 59
Fourteen years after their mother's death, Helene noticed Judith doing some strange things. Once, after missing a grandnephew's birthday party, Judith called to admit that she had driven to the wrong apartment and had no idea where she was. By early 2011, when Helene discovered thousands of pieces of unopened mail all over Judith's house, it was clear something was seriously wrong. Judith was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, a disorder that sometimes precedes Alzheimer's. But Helene worried that her sister was more than mildly impaired. One morning that winter, a nurse making a home visit brought up the subject of assisted living. Rattled and angry, Judith went to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee—and mistakenly ground up cat food instead of coffee beans. ("You're allowed to laugh, because it's hysterically funny," Helene says.) The nurse called Helene, Helene called Judith's doctor, and soon Judith had an Alzheimer's diagnosis, prescriptions for Aricept and Namenda, and a doctor's note suggesting assisted living.
Judith and Helene in the '80s with their parents. Helen was already dealing with the early effects of Alzheimer's.
During those same early months of 2011, a team of scientists a few miles away was working on some paradigm-shifting research. Years of experimental protocols had produced Alzheimer's treatments that barely made a dent in symptoms and did nothing to cure or even slow the disease in patients who showed signs of cognitive trouble. Experts had concluded that the disease, once in progress, could not be treated. But in May 2011, the team, led by Reisa Sperling, director of the Center for Alzheimer's Research and Treatment at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, published a study showing that physiological changes in the brain might be detectable before memory loss sets in—what's known as the preclinical phase of the disease—opening up the possibility of slowing or reversing them before they truly take hold.
"There could be a day when a diagnosis isn't terrifying—a day when, if you're at risk, you might take a drug in your 30s to stop the disease from ravaging your brain in your 60s or 70s."
This bombshell was made possible by new imaging techniques that let researchers observe living brains in real time instead of having to wait until autopsies revealed what lay inside the organs' gray matter. A healthy brain comprises 3 pounds of dense, compact, wrinkly grooves (known as sulci) and ridges (gyri) that look a bit like a neatly wrapped gift. A cross section resembles a head of fresh cauliflower, its springy florets tightly packed together. A brain that's been decimated by Alzheimer's, on the other hand, looks like a package wrapped by a 5-year-old, with holes, shriveled ridges, and spaces gaping between the furrows and coils.
Below the surface of the cerebral cortex lie more differences. Healthy neurons look something like starfish, constantly reaching toward other neurons with feathery dendrites and long, rootlike axons. (The National Institute on Aging's website says, rather fancifully, "Neurons live to communicate with each other.") But the neurons in a brain with Alzheimer's are stuffed with snarls of misfolded proteins called tau, which obstruct the neurons' ability to communicate. These neurons float among tumbleweed drifts of amyloid plaques, damaged proteins that cut them off from other cells. The more plaques and tangles accumulate in the brain, the more deeply people fall into blankness, losing memory, the ability to think, and, finally, all sense of themselves.
Helen's parents, Helen and John Kelly, got married in 1935.
Helene says she's not scared by the prospect of developing Alzheimer's and doesn't dwell on it. "I could be hit by a car tomorrow," she says, shrugging. "I really can't think about Alzheimer's too much." But no one can truly face that kind of prospect without emotion. And while Helene and Russ and their two adult daughters, Aimee and Rachelle, are philosophical when they talk about the future, there are moments when fear shines through. When Rachelle remembers her grandmother, Helen, years ago, deep into Alzheimer's and begging to see her long-dead brother, her blue eyes fill with tears. "I do feel concerned about my mom," Aimee says. "It's there in the back of my mind."
"If I do get Alzheimer's, I don't know when it'll happen. How do you prepare for something like that? Going into this study is my way of dealing with it."
Clearly Helene worries about what her diagnosis could mean for her close-knit family. "Visiting my mother in the nursing home and watching her decline, going through all those emotional ups and downs, I used to tell my daughters, 'Shoot me if this happens to me,'" she says matter-of-factly. Her mother donated tissue from her brain to Alzheimer's research, and as her sister started to decline, Helene, too, felt a desire to help. So when, in 2013, she heard a radio plea for volunteers for the A4 study—which was being led by Boston researcher Reisa Sperling her-self—Helene called the 800 number.
Nearly every Alzheimer's researcher in the country has gotten on board with recruiting patients for the A4 study. "It's incredibly exciting," says Anne M. Fagan, a professor of neurology at Washington University's School of Medicine in St. Louis. "The A4 and other studies on the horizon are the closest the field has come to assessing various drugs' effects before irreparable brain damage has taken place." This hopeful research couldn't be more timely, given that more than 75 million baby boomers have begun turning 65, when the likelihood of developing the disease escalates exponentially. "We have to do something or this will cripple our society," says Jessica Langbaum, a principal scientist at the Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix. "We won't have enough people to care for those with Alzheimer's—it will bankrupt our health care system."
"My mother and her sister were the only two of a family of six children to live beyond their 60s," Helene says, "so we don't know whether the others would have had Alzheimer's, too."
A4 study participants whose scans show elevated amyloid will receive 3 years of monthly infusions of either a placebo or an experimental drug, solanezumab, which has been shown to help clear amyloid from the brain. The hope is that the drug will stop the plaques from proliferating. Solanezumab is what's called a monoclonal antibody, designed to bind to a particular substance—in this case, the main component of amyloid plaques. In mouse trials, solanezumab bonded with amyloids and moved them out of the brain, rendering them harmless. Recent studies on people with Alzheimer's found that it slowed cognitive decline in those with the mildest signs. Researchers believe solanezumab may work best in people with amyloid plaques but no symptoms.
A Brain on Alzheimer's
Or, rather, on the amyloid plaques that can foreshadow dementia to come
A healthy adult brain shows no evidence of amyloid plaque buildup.
Volunteers in the A4 study have elevated amyloid, seen here in red, but aren't showing symptoms yet.
This patient has Alzheimer's dementia—and considerably elevated amyloid.
Amyloid plaques show up on PET (positron-emission tomography) scans, which is one reason the A4 study targets them. (Newer techniques allow researchers to see tau protein building up in the brain, and the A4 study has just started to include tau PET imaging, too.) The higher the level of amyloid, the higher the risk of Alzheimer's. Recent studies suggest that amyloid accumulates in the brain years before symptoms appear. "It's analogous to cholesterol," says Sperling. "We know cholesterol builds up in arteries 20 years before people have a heart attack or stroke. If you can lower cholesterol, you can reduce heart disease. Imagine if we could reduce Alzheimer's dementia by using a similar approach."
If the A4 prevention trial turns out the way it's supposed to, there could be a day when Alzheimer's isn't the terrifying diagnosis it is now—a day when, if you're at risk, you might take a drug in your 30s to stop the plaques from ravaging your brain in your 60s or 70s.
MORE: 4 Simple Ways To Keep Alzheimer's Out Of Your Future
The pursuit of that promising future is precisely what put the DeCostes in the Boston neurologist's office last winter, facing doctors who were recruiting patients for the A4 study. Two doctors. Helene listened quietly as one explained that her brain has elevated amounts of amyloid plaques. She and Russ felt calm. They'd had nearly 3 decades to brace themselves for this.
The results qualified Helene for the A4 study, and she agreed to participate without hesitation. "Recently I had a conversation with my deceased parents—and I'm not like that," she says with a laugh. Then she turns serious. "I said to them, 'You've been through this, so you're gonna help me.' I believe they're up there sending me signals, and that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing."
The A4 is a double-blind study, so no one knows who's getting the antibody and who's not. If Helene ends up with the placebo, she may still be able to take solanezumab after the blinded part of the trial ends. Should she develop symptoms, she'll get referrals to top specialists. She sees this as a bonus. Her optimism doesn't come from some kind of Pollyanna outlook, she says; she's simply been living with the possibility for a long time now. "If it does happen, I don't know when that will be," she says. "How do you prepare for something like that? Going into this study is my way of dealing with it."
"I see her slipping in little ways," Helene says of her sister Judith, "but the doctor says she's doing well."
It's Pie Day at Bridges Memory Care, and Helene is here visiting her sister Judith, as she has for the craft fairs and luaus and pretty much every other family activity at this Hingham, MA, facility. A man with a gray ponytail plays easy listening tunes on a guitar as families spoon pie off paper plates.
Judith's long-term prognosis is both familiar and bleak. But today is a good day, and one thing Helene has learned is that with Alzheimer's, as with everything, the present moment is all there is. So she sits beside her sister, both of them eating pie, and when the guitar player swings into "You Are My Sunshine," they turn to each other and begin to sing. In profile they look even more like sisters, with their short silvering hair and warm blue eyes. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine," they sing, smiling at each other. "Please don't take my sunshine away."
The Bridges activities director, an energetic young woman, rushes over with a camera to capture the tableau. Then she's off to greet another family. Conversation at the table turns to movies. "Did we see Jaws?" Helene asks Russ.
MORE: The Thrilling New Science Of Alzheimer's Prevention That Could Change Everything
"We saw it in New York City. You don't remember?" says Russ. There's a pause, then he says quickly, "That's right, you weren't there." A palpable sigh of relief flows around the table. There are moments now when Aimee, Rachelle, and Russ freeze up, catch each other's eyes, and wordlessly wonder if this is it, if this is the beginning. The answer, for today, is still no.
In 1950, when Helene was 2 and Judith (far right) was 8.
The guitar player shifts into a new melody. Judith listens, then elbows Helene, tilting her head as if to say, "Get a load of this." After a second, Helene laughs out loud, and so does Judith, as the unmistakable notes of "If I Only Had a Brain" from The Wizard of Oz purl through the room. "She gets it. She thinks it's funny," whispers Helene. As Judith laughs and laughs, the look on Helene's face suggests it's some kind of victory. Maybe it is.
55% Of Doctors Keep A Patient's Alzheimer's Diagnosis Secret
9 Warning Signs Of Alzheimer's
5 Surprising Alzheimer's Triggers
What It's Like To Be Diagnosed With Alzheimer's At Age 59
10 Things Every Alzheimer's Caregiver Needs To Know
The Thrilling New Science Of Alzheimer's Prevention That Could Change Everything
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Privacy Policy for Missouri Winery & Event Venue
Company (referred to as either "the Company", "We", "Us" or "Our" in this Agreement) refers to Les Bourgeois Vineyards , PO Box 118, Rocheport, MO 65279.
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Privacy Policy for Volley-Pedia.com
Effective date: January 02, 2019
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Home » Bradford White Corp., Industry Associations Urge Skilled Trades Employers to Focus on Recruiting Next Generation
Bradford White Corp., Industry Associations Urge Skilled Trades Employers to Focus on Recruiting Next Generation
As global economic disruption accelerates during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, leaders in manufacturing, distribution and residential and commercial services are calling attention to overlooked career opportunities in the traditional skilled trades and urging an industry-wide focus on workforce development to close the skilled trades labor gap and recruit a new generation of young workers.
"For young people who are seeking a rewarding career but don't feel like four years of college is the best choice for them, there are some tremendous advantages to seeking a career in the traditional skilled trades, from good starting salaries and job security to a variety of opportunities for advancement," said Carl Pinto Jr., senior director of marketing communications, Bradford White Corp. "Unfortunately, many high school students and recent graduates who would thrive in our industry never consider a career in the trades. This is due in part to the overwhelming message that is being delivered through a variety of channels — college is the only path to success. But recent circumstances have highlighted the fact that manufacturing and residential and commercial service jobs are a critical part of the national economy. Lockdowns and social distancing have created challenges for the industry, but HVAC service and clean hot water have proven to be necessities during a pandemic. An overwhelming number of manufacturers and contractors were quickly identified as essential services and have been operating continuously since the COVID-19 outbreak began."
Pinto and other experts share a concern about the demographics for manufacturing, distribution and skilled trades jobs.
"Everyone has a sweet spot in life and a unique path toward finding the career that best suits them," said Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan. "For some people this might mean pursuing a four-year degree, while for others an apprenticeship might be the answer. Whatever that path may be, it is critical that we look for innovative ways to provide educational opportunities for America's workers and ensure our workforce is prepared for the good-paying jobs of the 21st century."
According to the American Supply Association (ASA), approximately half of the people in those industries are at or nearing retirement age, but only 4 percent are under the age of 26.
"That's our greatest concern, that there just aren't enough people," said ASA CEO Mike Adelizzi. "At the same time, we have to recognize that it's an opportunity, too. With so many people aging out of the industry, a young worker can fast track his or her career."
The ASA and other organizations are involved in ongoing efforts to combat stereotypes about blue-collar jobs. One of ASA's key initiatives is the ASA Education Foundation, which provides innovative tools and strategies to support the preparation of the next generation of leaders and continued support for the next generation of the industry's workforce.
"Our industry offers so much for young workers, but unfortunately there are some persistent stereotypes about manufacturing and trades jobs," said PHCC Executive Vice President Michael R. Copp. "We feel a major responsibility to help our members reach and recruit the best talent. Connecting with the next generation of skilled trades workers not only helps individual businesses succeed, it elevates the industry as a whole."
The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) has made workforce development a strategic priority and is developing a tool kit for its members and their suppliers. PHCC's Workforce Development Center currently provides potential employees, manufacturers, contractors and suppliers with a library of online information and training material, with additional assets in the works. In response to needs that arose during the pandemic, the PHCC Educational Foundation is leveraging its online learning platform to provide alternative methods to help contractors attract and train new employees.
Listen to our PHCPPros Off the Cuff Podcast episode with Carl Pinto Jr., senior director of marketing communications, Bradford White Corp., on the importance of workforce development initiatives on our website and all major streaming platforms.
Associations Business Contractors & Installers HVAC Hydronics/Radiant Industry Community News Plumbing Training & Education
Bradford White Corp. Confirms Commitment to Skilled Workers at White House Ceremony
PHCC, Educational Foundation Unveils Two Career Resources to Attract Next Generation to Skilled Trades
PHCPPros Off the Cuff: Carl Pinto Jr., Senior Director of Marketing Communications, Bradford White Corp.
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Robrt L. Pela
| Nightlife |
Robrt L. Pela | January 22, 2004 | 4:00am
The free music debate rages on, with artists fuming against a digital machine that allows slobs like us to download their music for free. But John-Scott Dixon thinks he has the answer to music-royalty theft. The former senior VP of PC conglomerate Insight has built RateOurBand.com, an Internet battle of the bands concept that he's marketing to large corporations for a monthly fee. Dixon's plan is simple: Big companies will lease his service, which will attract return customers to their Web sites because we presumably want to hear new music from undiscovered talent. Thirty percent of the revenue will go to the artist, whose music (and photo!) receives free exposure and garners reviews from new fans (sample: "YOU GUYS REALLY SUCK -- SERIOUSLY!!!").
Dixon may be on to something. In a little more than two years, his Phoenix-based site has attracted some 2,400 musical acts from 52 countries -- including the Valley's own Namaste, which describes itself as "a band that follows the groove, blending almost every type of musical influence that comes to heart." Whatever, dood. The royalty check's in the mail.
New Times: What the heck are you doing?
John-Scott Dixon: What we're really trying to do is help people connect with brands through new music. We've got more than 2,400 bands on site, and 16 major genres represented. Listeners are reviewing the bands, and the bands are responding to the feedback, and we're building a music community in that way. We're negotiating with large corporations to link a version of our site to theirs, so that when you go to their site, you can listen to and vote on bands. Because a lot of companies -- Coke, Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger -- are using music to connect their brands with people.
NT: What?
Dixon: We want to create something that gets people to return to an Internet storefront. When you're shopping for something, you go to the manufacturer's Web site every day to research or read about it, and then you finally buy the item and you stop going. We're trying to get people to return to that company's Web site by enticing them with free music downloads.
NT: It sounds like a keen way to sell stuff, but how does this address the whole free music debate?
Dixon: We think musicians should get paid, so our goal is to only work with unsigned artists. They don't have record-label contracts, so with us they can make their music available for listening. In most artists' mind, the concept is, "If we play enough venues, and the right guy walks in who's looking for the kind of music we play, maybe we'll get a record deal." There's a lot of luck involved in the whole record industry process.
NT: What about talent?
Dixon: Right. But talent's not a real hard thing to find. What we have is an industry that filters the music, then publishes it. We're trying to change that to "publish, then filter."
NT: The whole free music controversy hinges on the fact that artist royalties don't get paid when music is downloaded for free. So where are the royalties in your system?
Dixon: There's not really a royalty. We're gonna pay them based on a percentage of listens by the consumer. We have an eligibility requirement: 100 listens per month equals a certain amount of revenue.
NT: I wish your eligibility requirement had more to do with listenability. Some of the bands I heard on your site this morning really sucked. Like the Poptart Monkeys. Hello! Who decides who gets to compete?
Dixon: Nobody. The band shows up and says, "We want to participate," and we say, "Sign up." We have bands coming in all the time.
NT: You mean, any band or solo musician that wants to participate in RateOurBand.com can do it?
Dixon: Yes. And what you find is . . . so you listened to some of the music?
NT: Quite a lot of it, I'm afraid. And I guess the fact that there's no one screening these artists explains why I heard so much dreck.
Dixon: You can hear some bad stuff, true. I mean, my favorite horrible band is Dead Kid Harvester, a guy out of New Zealand who plays kitchen utensils. It's the worst stuff on the planet. But there's also Deconstruct, out of Sacramento, who do really artful heavy metal. And we have some fantastic hip-hop groups, like Big Girl for Life. Today alone I downloaded 10 songs off our site that I wanted to keep. Did you hear Venue Connection, out of Spain? Amazing New Age stuff.
NT: Mmm, New Age! I guess I missed that one. So, your project is about new artists. But how is this an answer to the problem that established artists are having with the whole Napster mess?
Dixon: It's not. But this is a huge trend, and so we're paving the way for the established artists of the future. We're hopefully helping to solve the problem or circumvent it.
NT: It's sort of a techno-geek's answer to the free music controversy.
Dixon: Probably. I'd be comfortable with that. But it's one that provides a great service to artists. They can actually track who their listeners are. You can't do that when a record label puts your record out for you. But we can offer a geo-psycho-demographic segmentation, because we have your zip code from our site.
NT: I got this e-mail the other day telling me I was going to be prosecuted for downloading music, even though I never have. Is someone from the Music Police going to show up at my house with handcuffs?
Dixon: It's just spam. But [RateOurBand.com] is an answer to that, because it allows you to discover new music, and download it for free with the permission of the artist.
NT: Wouldn't it be better to entice clients with talented, proven artists? Because I visited the site today, and some of these bands are just plain lousy. I mean, it was like a graveyard of Star Search rejects.
Dixon: Right. But there's some good stuff, too. And it's providing exposure to artists who need it, and they're getting paid for it.
NT: I'll venture to guess they're not seeing any money from it yet.
Dixon: Not yet. But in the meantime, the process is giving them exposure to some of the larger record labels.
NT: My fave contender was Fifi LaRue, doing "Gothic Killer Clown." But do we really need another heavy metal band from Hendersonville, North Carolina?
Dixon: We may. But what I'm telling you is that your iPod is hungry for new music, and it's expensive to fill it up if you're paying for established artists. Discovering new talent is more fun. The year I was born, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles was the number one song. Who knows how many artists were just as good or better than the Beatles that year?
NT: I do. And the answer is "None." Hey, I noticed that some of the bands have these little pop-up warnings on your site.
Dixon: That's got to be there if we're going to sell the idea to corporate America. I'll give you an example, and I'm going to use a word that's pretty horrible. You okay?
NT: I'm bracing myself.
Dixon: We had a band sign up called Cuntgrinder. And there was a picture that looked like chopped-up female components. And if people were to come to the site and had their kid on their lap, it wouldn't be appropriate. I started out saying, "We're not going to do censorship." But we had a few things that got us to thinking about not getting rid of the band but slapping that warning thing on. We had to do that for corporate America.
NT: I guess so. But that's the weird thing about your whole concept, and its presentation on your Web site -- it's very corporate. Which seems kind of the antithesis of rock 'n' roll.
Dixon: I know. But I'm telling you, this is the future of music. And RateOurBand.com is the mother ship.
E-mail robrt.pela@newtimes.com
Robrt L. Pela has been a weekly contributor to Phoenix New Times since 1991, primarily as a cultural critic. His radio essays air on National Public Radio affiliate KJZZ's Morning Edition.
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ProjectSpotter
The Tide Mills Project
LYT Productions, directed by Phil Rose, are currently working on the Tide Mills Project, a major creative heritage enterprise. It is backed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England, and the South Downs National Park. Highly regarded professional artists, designers, sculptors, poets, musicians and writers are collaborating with LYT Productions and the local community to bring Tide Mills back to life. This work will culminate in a celebratory week next September. The event will be free, accessible - and open for everybody to take part.
Although a quiet wildlife sanctuary now, Tide Mills was once a hive of industry. Ruins of an old village, mill and hospital are still visible and one can imagine past lives, before it was deserted. Stables for retired racehorses were once on the site, as was an early radio station and a seaplane station.
The Secret Garden Kemp Town
The Secret Garden, a registered UK charity, run by the Antony Dale Trust, is a unique facility for Brighton & Hove. It is the only garden of its type in the city, and the only place where major outdoor works of sculpture can be shown in a secure setting. It is a ‘secret' because it is a delightful walled garden hidden from view, in the midst of suburban Kemp Town.
ProjectSpotter manage the Secret Garden Kemp Town's publicity and profile raising campaigns year-round, and project managed William Pye: Sculpting with Water, their major sculpture exhibition for 2019. They are currently working in the same role on the upcoming exhibition In Nature, which will open to the public in May 2020.
The Gabo Trust
The Gabo Trust supports and promotes the conservation of modern and contemporary sculpture, internationally, through grants to professional conservators, post-graduate students of sculpture conservation, museums, galleries and other public collections. The Trust is governed by a small board of trustees, made up of the UK’s leading sculpture conservators, curators and Gabo family members.
ProjectSpotter are the Secretary for the Gabo Trust, manage the administration of their grant-giving, run the charity's twitter account and write and design their regular Mailchimp newsletters.
The Halas & Batchelor Collection
Founded in 1940, Halas & Batchelor Cartoons was the largest and most influential animation studio in Western Europe for over 50 years. In that time, they made over 2,000 films and earned an international reputation for fine animation, extending the medium to explain complex ideas with clarity and humour.
The Halas & Batchelor Collection exists to preserve and promote an extraordinary body of work that reflects the social and style changes of half a century.
ProjectSpotter were delighted to assist with the design and launch of the Halas & Batchelor Collection's new website, and to provide ongoing social media assistance.
A Profound Waste of Time Magazine
‘Inspired by videogames’, A Profound Waste of Time (APWOT) is editorially discerning and beautifully designed and plays host to a rich variety of voices from inside and outside the games industry, interwoven with stunning imagery from leading illustrators and artists. The magazine, edited by Caspian Whistler, doesn’t aim to compete with online game review websites and communities, instead it serves to celebrate gaming culture and discussion. The magazine was recently shortlisted for two Stack Awards and was commended in the ‘Use of Illustration’ category.
ProjectSpotter ran a press and media campaign for issue 1 of APWOT, and assisted with social media content for the APWOT accounts in the run up to Christmas. in November and December 2019, ProjectSpotter ran a publicity campaign for the APWOT issue 2 Kickstarter.
Edna Murdoch
Edna Murdoch has been working internationally, with individuals and groups for over 30 years. She is an experienced coach, coach supervisor, stress management consultant, workshop leader and author. Edna has special interest and expertise in working with clients in the mid-life transition and with those moving towards retirement. In 2001 she pioneered the first Supervision-on-Call Service for coaches in the UK and she is a Founder and Director of The Coaching Supervision Academy.
ProjectSpotter assist with Edna Murdoch's social media content across LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Surrealism and the Arts
In 2020, ProjectSpotter are creating a website for Sharon-Michi Kusunoki, as a portfolio showcase of her work as an exhibition curator, writer and conference organiser, specialising in arts projects about the Surrealist movement and contemporary craft.
The website is due to launch in Spring 2020.
© 2020 by ProjectSpotter
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Waymo raises $2.25bn in first external investment round
On Mar 3, 2020
Alphabet’s self-driving car business Waymo has raised $2.25bn in funding from investors including Magna International and Andreessen Horowitz.
Yesterday (2 March), autonomous driving tech development company Waymo, which is owned by Alphabet Inc, announced that it has closed its first round of external funding.
In a statement, Waymo said that it has raised $2.25bn from investors including Silver Lake, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Mubadala Investment Company, as well as Magna International, Andreessen Horowitz, AutoNation and Alphabet.
The investment comes as the company has reached some major operational and technical milestones. It said that the Waymo Driver has now driven more than 20m miles on public roads across more than 25 cities in the US, and over 10bn miles in simulation.
The company did not disclose its latest valuation after the investment round.
Funding plans
With $2.25bn in fresh funding, Waymo now plans to invest in its employees, its technology and its operations. The company is currently providing a self-driving ride-hailing service to customers in Arizona, where Waymo claims to have provided “thousands” of fully driverless rides to users.
The Waymo Driver has been deployed across a variety of vehicle platforms and business applications, according to the company, including the Waymo Via, which is focused on goods delivery.
Waymo CEO John Krafcik said: “We’ve always approached our mission as a team sport, collaborating with our OEM and supplier partners, our operations partners and the communities we serve to build and deploy the world’s most experienced driver.
“Today, we’re expanding that team, adding financial investors and important strategic partners who bring decades of experience investing in and supporting successful technology companies building transformative products.
“With this injection of capital and business acumen, alongside Alphabet, we’ll deepen our investment in our people, our technology and our operations, all in support of the deployment of the Waymo Driver around the world.”
Future follow-ups
According to Business Insider, Krafcik told reporters that this was an “initial” round and that the company has plans for follow-up investment.
The CEO also said that there is a possibility that Waymo could spin out from Alphabet following the success of the round. While that is a possibility, Krafcik also noted that having access to Alphabet’s technological resources represents a “significant advantage”.
Egon Durban, co-CEO of Silver Lake, said: “[Waymo] is the only autonomous vehicle company with a public ride-hailing service, and is successfully scaling its fully driverless experience. We’re deeply aligned with Waymo’s commitment to making our roads safer, and look forward to working together to help advance and scale the Waymo Driver in the US and beyond.”
225bnExternalinvestmentraisesWaymo
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* Featured * General Iceland Politics Politics (Iceland)
The Arctic Council at 20 – View from Iceland
Eilís Quinn, Eye on the Arctic @arctic_eq
The flags of the Arctic Council Member States and Permanent Participants (Indigenous peoples’ organizations). (Linnea Nordström/Arctic Council Secretariat)
The Arctic Council is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month.
The international forum has Canadian roots and was established on September 19, 1996 when the world’s circumpolar nations signed the Ottawa Declaration, outlining the new forum’s focus: sustainable development and environmental protection.
To mark the anniversary, Eye on the Arctic is bringing you a series of interviews this month with northern experts from around the globe. We’re getting their perspectives on the Arctic Council’s successes, stumbles and the challenges ahead. (For our previous interview from Canada, click here; or from Finland, click here.)
Today, we bring you our conversation with Egill Þór Níelsson, executive secretary of the China-Nordic Arctic Research Centre in Shanghai.
He spoke to Eye on the Arctic from Akureyri, Iceland.
Q&A with Egill Þór Níelsson :
Eye on the Arctic: How has the Arctic Council evolved as an organization since its inception?
Egill Þór Níelsson. (Egill Bjarki/Courtesy Egill Þór Níelsson)
Egill Þór Níelsson: Sustainable development of the Arctic and the well-being if its inhabitants are still the prime drivers of the Arctic Council, but of course it’s become a more established unit and the unchallenged leading intergovernmental forum for Arctic cooperation. In that sense, it’s evolved quite a lot: the permanent secretariat in Tromso, having new observers from Asia and the European states – just to name a few factors.
How has the Arctic Council responded to increased international interest in the Arctic?
I think the response has been very good. With observers that can both observe and participate in the working groups or the Arctic Council, it has really opened up to that demand. It’s very important to note that climate change and security issues are still as important as they were 20 years ago, but you see new global drivers such as urbanization around the world, natural resource scarcity and globalization that make the Arctic more relevant, for example, for Asian countries. The fact that you have these global perspectives, and you have the Arctic Council opening up to them, and participating in them, I think that’s a very good blend.
What are some of its other main accomplishments?
The underlying knowledge from all the work that the Arctic Council, especially its working groups, does; for example the Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment. This work has been very important to underline what the region is about; promoting the scientific and knowledge factors of the Arctic.
Another very important factor is the agreements that are negotiated under the auspices of the Council: the oil-spill response agreement and the search and rescue agreement between the eight Arctic States. I think the Arctic Council has played a very important role in facilitating these sorts of cooperation initiatives.
Also, the Arctic Economic Council, although it’s now and probably should be, run by business for business, it’s an idea from the Arctic Council.
What would you like to see the Arctic Council do more of?
It could be better funded, in the sense that you could then have more in-depth research on many other things. When it comes to the ministerials, they provide a lot of good input but they’re not always too high on the agenda of all Arctic states. But I think we’re really seeing a change, with the Arctic becoming a bigger aspect of foreign policy for most of the Arctic states – which is positive.
Why should the world be paying more attention to the Arctic Council’s work?
They’ve been producing a lot of important knowledge-based input for the last 20 years. When it comes to what the Arctic Council is and has been doing, for me, it’s very media-worthy. But it can be hard to grab the attention of the media. And when it comes to the global aspects, obviously the Arctic is in a very different place than it was only five years ago. So the Arctic Council is probably the most important underlying factor of the cooperation that has been facilitated there.
The above Q&A has been edited and abridged.
For Eye on the Arctic’s extended conversation with Egill Þór Níelsson listen here:
https://www.rcinet.ca/eye-on-the-arctic/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2016/09/ENielsson.mp3
Write to Eilís Quinn at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca
Canada: Arctic Council celebrates 20 years of northern cooperation, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: The Arctic Council at 20 – View from Finland, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Arctic Council aims to boost business, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Russia invites Arctic Council on icebreaker tour, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Arctic Council – From looking out to looking in, Blog by Mia Bennett, Cryopolitics
United States: Arctic Council – 20 years in a warming world, Deutsche Welle’s Iceblogger
Asia, China, economy, environment, indigenous, media, military, Russia, Science, United States
← Canada calls for Arctic wildlife enforcement network
Finnish firm creates roofing with integrated solar cells →
Eilís Quinn, Eye on the Arctic
Eilís Quinn is an award-winning journalist and manages Radio Canada International’s Eye on the Arctic news cooperation project. Eilís has reported from the Arctic regions of all eight circumpolar countries and has produced numerous documentary and multimedia series about climate change and the issues facing Indigenous peoples in the North.
Her investigative report "Death in the Arctic: A community grieves, a father fights for change," about the murder of Robert Adams, a 19-year-old Inuk man from Arctic Quebec, received the silver medal for “Best Investigative Article or Series” at the 2019 Canadian Online Publishing Awards. The project also received an honourable mention for excellence in reporting on trauma at the 2019 Dart Awards in New York City.
Her report “The Arctic Railway: Building a future or destroying an culture?” on the impact a multi-billion euro infrastructure project would have on Indigenous communities in Arctic Europe was a finalist at the 2019 Canadian Association of Journalists award in the online investigative category.
Her multimedia project on the health challenges in the Canadian Arctic, "Bridging the Divide," was a finalist at the 2012 Webby Awards.
Her work on climate change in the Arctic has also been featured on the TV science program Découverte, as well as Le Téléjournal, the French-Language CBC’s flagship news cast.
Eilís has worked for media organizations in Canada and the United States and as a TV host for the Discovery/BBC Worldwide series "Best in China."
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JavaScript (js) is a light-weight object-oriented programming language which is used by several websites for scripting the webpages. It is an interpreted, full-fledged programming language that enables dynamic interactivity on websites when applied to an HTML document. It was introduced in the year 1995 for adding programs to the webpages in the Netscape Navigator browser. Since then, it has been adopted by all other graphical web browsers. With JavaScript, users can build modern web applications to interact directly without reloading the page every time. The traditional website uses js to provide several forms of interactivity and simplicity.
Although, JavaScript has no connectivity with Java programming language. The name was suggested and provided in the times when Java was gaining popularity in the market. In addition to web browsers, databases such as CouchDB and MongoDB uses JavaScript as their scripting and query language.
History of JavaScript - In 1993, Mosaic, the first popular web browser, came into existence. In the year 1994, Netscape was founded by Marc Andreessen. He realized that the web needed to become more dynamic. Thus, a 'glue language' was believed to be provided to HTML to make web designing easy for designers and part-time programmers. Consequently, in 1995, the company recruited Brendan Eich intending to implement and embed Scheme programming language to the browser. But, before Brendan could start, the company merged with Sun Microsystems for adding Java into its Navigator so that it could compete with Microsoft over the web technologies and platforms. Now, two languages were there: Java and the scripting language. Further, Netscape decided to give a similar name to the scripting language as Java's. It led to 'Javascript'. Finally, in May 1995, Marc Andreessen coined the first code of Javascript named 'Mocha'. Later, the marketing team replaced the name with 'LiveScript'. But, due to trademark reasons and certain other reasons, in December 1995, the language was finally renamed to 'JavaScript'. From then, JavaScript came into existence.
SQL Tutorial - SQL is a standard language for storing, manipulating and retrieving data in databases.Our SQL tutorial will teach you how to use SQL in: MySQL, SQL Server, MS Access, Oracle, Sybase, Informix, Postgres, and other database systems.SQL (Structured Query Language) is a database management language for relational databases. SQL itself is not a programming language, but its standard allows creating procedural extensions for it, which extend it to functionality of a mature programming language.SQL is not a programming language, it's a query language. The primary objective where SQL was created was to give the possibility to common people get interested data from database. ... So once you learn SQL it should be similar to work across any relational databases.
jquery Tutorial - jQuery is a fast, small, and feature-rich JavaScript library. It makes things like HTML document traversal and manipulation, event handling, animation, and Ajax much simpler with an easy-to-use API that works across a multitude of browsers. With a combination of versatility and extensibility, jQuery has changed the way that millions of people write JavaScript.jQuery is a JavaScript Library.jQuery greatly simplifies JavaScript programming.jQuery is easy to learn.jQuery is an open source JavaScript library that simplifies the interactions between an HTML/CSS document, or more precisely the Document Object Model (DOM), and JavaScript. Elaborating the terms, jQuery simplifies HTML document traversing and manipulation, browser event handling, DOM animations, Ajax interactions, and cross-browser JavaScript development.
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Oppo A91 and Oppo A8 Smartphones Launched, Will Get Waterdrop Notch Display 2020
Leave a Comment / technology / By sanjay
Oppo A91 and Oppo A8 Smartphones
Tech company OPPO has launched the A91 (OPPO A91) and A8 (OPPO A8) smartphones under the A series in the Chinese smartphone market. Users will get HD screen, processor and camera support in both devices. Prior to launching, several reports of these two phones were leaked, in which information about the price and some features was found. At the same time, the company had earlier launched many devices in the smartphone market, which people liked very much. So let’s know about the price and specification of Oppo A91 and A8.
Oppo A91 and OPPO A8 Price
The company has priced 1,999 Chinese Yuan (about Rs. 20,000) for the variants of the A91 with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. Also, customers will be able to buy this phone with red, blue and black color options. On the other hand, the version of Oppo A8 with 4 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage is available in the market with Chinese Yuan 1,199 (about Rs 12,000) price tag. However, the company has not shared official information about the launch of both phones in India.
Specification of Oppo A91
The company has given a 6.4-inch Full HD Plus AMOLED display in this phone, which has a resolution of 1080×2400 pixels. Also, for better performance in this phone, Octacore MediaTek Helio P70 chipset has been given. At the same time, users will get protection of Corning Gorilla Glass for the screen of this phone.
Talking about the camera, users have been given quad camera setup in this device, which has a 48 megapixel sensor, 8 megapixel wide angle, 2 megapixel macro lens and 2 megapixel depth sensor. On the other hand, the company has given a 16-megapixel camera in the front of this phone.
In terms of connectivity, the company has given features like 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and USB Type-C port in this phone. Apart from this, users will get 4,000 mAh battery in this phone, which is equipped with 30 watt fast charging feature.
Features of Oppo A8
Users will get a 6.5-inch HD Plus display in this phone, which has a resolution of 720×1600 pixels. In addition, the company has given the Octacore Media Helio P35 processor for better performance in this phone. At the same time, this smartphone works on Android 9.0 Pie. Talking about the camera, this phone has a triple rear camera setup, which has a 12-megapixel primary sensor, a 2-megapixel wide-angle lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. At the same time, users will be able to click a great selfie with an 8 megapixel front camera. Oppo has provided features such as 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and USB Type-C port for connectivity in this phone. Apart from this, users have got 4,230 mAh battery in this phone without fast charging feature.
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Dave Wannstedt on Jimmy Johnson, Bears
Mike Mulligan and David Haugh were joined by football analyst Dave Wannstedt to discuss LSU quarterback Joe Burrow's sensational performance in a 42-25 win against Clemson in the national championship game Monday night. They also discussed coach Ed Orgeron's journey to LSU, former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Bears tabbing former Bengals offensive coordinator Bill Lazor as their new offensive coordinator. (1/14/20)
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News Sports Business Opinion Go Friday Night Obituaries E-Edition Legals
Live on Abilene, area stages: Take it outside with Aaron Watson
Nathaniel Ellsworth
SWEETWATER — The Experience Texas Outdoor Showcase featuring headliner Aaron Watson starts at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Nolan County Coliseum, 220 Coliseum Drive. The outdoor concert also features Jordan Robert Kirk and Jason Nutt & Highway 70.
Gates will open at 6 p.m., and social distancing measures will be enforced. Tickets are $30, and are available at showcasetx.com.
If you’re a musician who has a gig, or you’re a venue owner who has a musician playing, send us your information. It’s free to be listed here, but we can’t tell everyone who’s playing if no one tells us.
Send your information to publishme@reporternews.com; or via mail in care of the Reporter-News, P.O. Box 30., Abilene, TX 79604.
Deadline is one week before publication.
Firehouse Bar & Grill, 2074 Butternut St. Wildman Karaoke, 9 p.m. Friday and Sept. 25.
Heff's Burgers, 4310 Buffalo Gap Road. South of Mayhem, 9 p.m. Saturday. Brett Patterson, 7 p.m. Thursday.
Lytle Land & Cattle Co., 1150 E.S. 11th St. Garrett Bradford, 7 p.m. Wednesday. James and Ryan, 7 p.m. Sept. 30.
Peoples Plaza, 1290 S. Willis St. Hip Hop Showcase, 9 p.m. Sept. 26, $10.
Play Faire Park, 2300 N. Second St. Rosemary Beach, 7 p.m. Saturday. "Open Mic Knight," 7 p.m. Sept. 20. Eric Logan and AKA, 8 p.m. Sept. 25. MerKaBa, 8 p.m. Sept. 26. Water Grave, 8 p.m. Sept. 28.
P.T. Event Center, 5126 Brick St. Will Banister, 7 p.m. Sept. 25, $15.
Sugar's Smokehouse, 3450 S. Clack St. Parkside, 8 p.m. Saturday.
Taylor County Expo Center, 1700 Highway 36. Coffey Anderson, 9 p.m. Friday. Kevin Fowler, 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
Nolan County Coliseum, 220 Coliseum Drive. Aaron Watson, Jordan Robert Kirk, Jason Nutt and Highway 70, 7 p.m. Thursday, $30.
Note: All live entertainment listings are subject to change without notice.
© 2021 www.reporternews.com. All rights reserved.
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Riverstone & District Historical Society & Museum
Rouse Hill & Aberdoon House
by Jilly H. Warren
The following article was extracted from a booklet on Aberdoon house written for the occasion of its official opening. The complete booklet is available at the Riverstone Museum.
During 2002/2003 Aberdoon House has been restored to its appearance in the 1890s when this area of Rouse Hill was a very busy village, half way between Parramatta and Windsor. Within a few short years, the popularity of the new Railway and the building of the Meat Works in Riverstone saw a decline in Rouse Hill as a village centre. It took almost another 100 years for Rouse Hill to become a vibrant community once again, with Aberdoon House and the new Rouse Hill Community Centre playing an important part in that activity.
The land on which Aberdoon House stands is now only 3.9 acres, (1.54 hectares) a fraction of the original 50 acres granted to Thomas Clower an emancipist, in January 1818. The adjoining property of 35 acres was granted also on that date to former convict William Harvey.
In 1826 Irish emancipist Hugh Kelly of Irish Town (today’s Kellyville) and sometimes referred to as ‘There or Nowhere’, bought both the Clower 50 acre grant and Harvey’s 35 acres. In Hugh Kelly’s will of 1835 he left this 85 acres which he called his Vinegar Hill Farm to his brother ex convict Owen Kelly, who then sold it to another ex convict John McKenzie of Pitt Town in 1840. Shortly after, in 1841, McKenzie sold Vinegar Hill Farm for £150 to brothers, William and Dr. Alexander Gamack. It is the Gamack brothers who first subdivided the land, calling it the Village of Aberdour, named after the village of their birth near Edinburgh, Scotland. The residual of Vinegar Hill Farm, 68 acres 1 rood 2 perches, (the land not part of the village) came into the sole ownership of Alexander Gamack, a surgeon in the Colonial Medical Service, by December 1843.
The Village of Aberdour encompassed approximately the area bounded by today’s Windsor Road, east along the fenceline of Christ Church to Clower Avenue, north following Clower Avenue across Aberdour Avenue to an imaginary fence, returning west to Windsor Road beside today’s butcher’s shop. The park called the Village of Aberdour Reserve was named on the original subdivision as Buchan Square, and was a similar shape and dimension.
In the Australian of April 1841, an announcement is made for the forthcoming sale of the allotments in the newly formed Village of Aberdour: Below is an extract of that advertisement including a cute rhyme:
Messrs. White and Co., on Friday
the 23rd Day of April, this same being St. George’s day:
…this favoured spot of nature, where the surrounding scenery is truly delightful, the land fertile, the air salubrious, the water pure and delicious in the never failing streams which flow on either side of the village, enlivening and ornamenting the landscape, and in the rippling currents fish, such as perch, mullet etc. are numerous and delight to sport in the translucent wave,
Where fish cry out,
“Now come and hook me,
Bring your frying-pan and cook me.”
Alexander Gamack retained ownership of Vinegar Hill Farm until 1875, when he conveyed it to Henry Nicholls for £136. Henry Nicholls’ two sons gained ownership of Vinegar Hill Farm by gift, John receiving over 9 acres outright in 1876 and James receiving the rest of the farm in 1878, his father retaining life tenancy. In 1882 the main farm now reduced to 58 acres 0 roods and 1 perch was sold to Isaac Rhodes Cooper for £450.
I have no information on Isaac Rhodes Cooper and the “NSW Post Office Directory of 1886-7” is no help either, listing him just as Isaac Rhodes Cooper, no profession mentioned. In his third year of ownership, April 1885 he mortgaged the farm, discharging the mortgage just prior to selling it in 1886 for £890 to John Charles Burrell, a Chemist of George Street West, Sydney (today’s Rocks area). It is probable that Isaac Cooper was the builder / refurbisher of Aberdoon as shown by the doubling of purchase price and the mortgage of 1885, although there is also a substantial jump in price from 1875 (£136) and 1882 (£450).
If there was a residence on the original Clower grant, it is not mentioned in any conveyance, nor is the residence we know existed on the Harvey grant, until the sale of the estate after John Burrell’s death. It is in John Burrell’s will we first encounter the name Aberdoon. No explanation for this name can be accounted for except perhaps a corruption of Aberdour. The name Aberdour we know to be correct because of its connection to the birthplace of Alexander and William Gamack. The name Aberdoon has no precedent until the late 1890s, but as can be seen today, this name is clearly visible on the lintel over the western door, accompanied by the date 1887. William Harvey’s residence during the first years of the grant as noted in the General Muster and Land and Stock Muster of NSW 1882, would have been very austere, with no luxuries just basic shelter, built from whatever was at hand. The area at that time was a very inhospitable place a long way from civilization.
There is some evidence to believe that there was a very basic rubble cottage where Aberdoon House stands today. It would have perhaps had a dirt floor, no glass in the windows, solid timber shutters and one or two doors with, in the first instance, a thatched roof, later perhaps one of bark or shingles. This is a conclusion I have made based on the rubble interior of the present house. During refurbishment it was discovered that Aberdoon’s interior (the original 4 rooms and hallway) is cement rendered rubble. It had been supposed that the walls were two layers of stone, rubble filled, the same construction technique used at Rouse Hill House. This is because they both have quoining. Quoining is the smooth stone corner detail on this house, partly a decorative feature, but more importantly a construction technique to strengthen the building. Although rubble was mentioned in the 1950s refurbishment of Aberdoon, it surprised many of us to find the cement render was adhering to rubble only.
In the late 1880s during the first golden period of Aberdoon House and farm, Rouse Hill Public School and a five roomed teacher’s residence was built (1888) on the hill opposite Rouse Hill House. It replaced the earlier church school and later public school of 1875, which was part of the Christ Church Rouse Hill complex of buildings that also included a teacher’s residence. The church had been built in 1863 without a chancel and vestry, which was not added until 1878, the year the church was consecrated. The teacher’s residence was also erected during this period. A Police Station (Watch House) stood from 1842 until the early 1900s, across Second Ponds Creek on the corner of Windsor and today’s Annangrove Road. When the Watch House was built, Annangrove Road did not exist. During the 1880s, also, within the Village of Aberdour, George Whitling built a rather stylish home on the Windsor Road, adding a separate building for the Post Office and General Store. This house, today’s butcher’s shop is all that remains of the original group of buildings. The large verandahs have been demolished, along with the outbuildings, tennis court, neat picket fence, general store and post office. To the south along the Windsor Road across what is today’s Aberdour Avenue stood the stone and weatherboard Emu and Kangaroo Inn and outbuildings. Further along on the Parramatta side of this complex, just past Christ Church, stood the Queen’s Arms Inn, a well patronised coaching inn of two storey brick, stone foundations and verandahs to both storeys. It was here in 1857 that the first post office, known as the Vinegar Hill Post Office began in a back room of the inn. Names associated with this inn are the Retallick and Schofield families although the inn was actually owned by the Hon. Robert Fitzgerald and his family from 1840. There was a short period of other ownership in the middle of the century, with Robert regaining the property by 1853. Robert Fitzgerald was son of ex Irish convict Richard Fitzgerald of Windsor, who reputedly was related to the Earl of Leinster, Lord Fitzgerald a well known United Irishman. Robert married Elizabeth Henrietta, youngest daughter of Richard Rouse of Rouse Hill House. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly and was appointed to the Legislative Council. In 1863, Robert through a deed of gift gave ¾ acre (approx. 3000 square metres) of this land to the Bishop of Sydney to build Christ Church.
The Mean Fiddler was built circa late 1830s and is the same building we view today as the single level stone building at the front of the complex. It at one time had substantial outbuildings including stables, a ballroom and a blacksmith’s. Other names for the inn that operated here for many years were the Royal Oak, and the Half Way House. During the 1970s, it was called Windsor Way when it operated as a restaurant and also as an antique shop. The original grant for this property was to John Davis in January 1818, the same date as that of Clower, Harvey and Thomas Kelly. Thomas Kelly owned the original grant of 46 acres between the Village of Aberdour and The Royal Oak (Mean Fiddler). Later owners of this property are known to have been John Booth and wife Sarah Tighe, John Seath and family and the Petersen Family.
As the Emu and Kangaroo Inn disappeared from the village shortly after the mid 1880s it was the probable source of the stone used to build or refurbish Aberdoon House in 1887. Or perhaps it was stone from the first Vinegar Hill Tollhouse, also long since vanished from the area. It once stood on the hill opposite Rouse Hill House, somewhere in the vicinity of the 1888 Rouse Hill School. Wherever the stone came from historians and the heritage consultants agree that the stone used for the 1887 house appears to be reclaimed stone. It is pigeon picked, a trademark of the convict era.
John Devlin and Margaret Devlin, great grandparents of Elizabeth Plimer of Canberra, (descendent of the Swanns) were the caretakers of Aberdoon during the ownership of John Burrell. It is to Elizabeth we owe thanks for the interesting photo of Aberdoon, used as the template by the Council for the restoration of the house. We have other oral information transmitted via the Swann grandchildren of the happy times spent visiting the Devlin’s at Aberdoon, where John and Margaret spent their later years contentedly growing fruit, vegetables and flowers as caretakers for John Burrell. These items would accompany the grandchildren to their home at Elizabeth Farm, in Parramatta. A close examination of the Swann family photo of Aberdoon reveals that there once was a pseudo widow’s walk of wrought iron to the apex of the roofline, a typical high Victorian architectural device. It is hoped that at a later date this unusual wrought iron decorative feature can be added to the roof. Following the death of John Burrell in 1898, the executors John Devlin and his son-in-law William Swann sold the property, with the proceeds going to John Burrell’s niece in England. It is in John Burrell’s will that we encounter the first official use of the name Aberdoon.
The next owner George Whitling had previously been the coachman for Rouse Hill House, but owing to the Rouse family’s financial difficulties, he was no longer employed by them and had taken the opportunity to set himself up in business as the owner of the General Store and Post Office. The signatures of 1898 preserved on the wall of the present house are Arthur Whitling, Joe & Arthur Sherwood, Billy Chambers, Percy (?) Stranger, the rest indecipherable. Arthur Whitling was the only son of George and Mary Whitling who later served on Baulkham Hills Shire Council for many years, commencing in 1912, retiring in 1941. He also served many terms as Shire President and in other community organizations. A park in the centre of Castle Hill was renamed Arthur Whitling Castle Hill Park, in 2001. Joe Sherwood was employed in the Rouse Hill General Store and I presume Arthur Sherwood is his brother. These Sherwood’s were related by marriage to the Whitmores, who owned 29 acres to the north of Aberdoon and are well known Hills residents. I do not know who Billy Chambers was or who the other person is whose signature looks like Percy Stranger. However, the Strangers are also well known in Rouse Hill and Kellyville.
In 1912 George Whitling died, his wife Mary in 1916, both are buried in the Rouse Hill cemetery. The property was sold to James Hogan, by the executors Arthur Whitling and his brother-in-law Arthur Albert Roberts. James Hogan sold it soon after in 1919 to John (Jack) Campbell Lamont. Jack also owned at this time the Post Office and General Store on Windsor Road. He had the mail contract from Baulkham Hills to Annangrove in the 1920s and operated a Model T Ford Bus, which acted as a school bus for the area. Aberdoon later passed to his son, John Marr Lamont, as a gift, full ownership not being obtained until after his mother Janet released ownership to him in 1932. The Lamonts were well known local people. Doris Lamont, nee Bennett, wife of John Marr was so well respected that the craft pavilion at the Castle Hill Showground was named after her. Several families of Lamonts still live within the shire. Sometime during the early 1900s (Lamont ownership) the slab barn that stands to the south of the house was refurbished. We know it was during the Lamont ownership as the words “Lamont and Riverstone” (the nearest railway station) are still visible on the underside of the corrugated iron roof sheeting.
During the years 1934 – 1938, Aberdoon was leased to a Michael Brown and was believed to have operated as a dairy. John Marr Lamont sold it in 1938 to Caroline Pearce (probably a member of the local Pearce family), pioneers of the Hills District and previous owners of large tracts of land in Seven Hills, Kellyville and Rouse Hill. In 1944 her husband Joseph William Pearce, as executor, sold Aberdoon to Miss Dorothy Frazer of Parramatta. Dorothy Frazer only held Aberdoon for a short time reselling to Dr. Rex Angel Money in 1947. Dorothy remained as caretaker until 1949. A photo of Aberdoon during the ownership of Miss Frazer, in the Money family papers, shows the house minus the verandah, with a filled in skillion of weatherboard to the eastern façade and small square porch to the western façade. There are fixed hooded awnings over the windows.
Dr. Money was an eminent Neurologist, an Australian pioneer in the field of Neuro Surgery. He ran Aberdoon as a hobby farm with a wide variety of animals, including cows, pigs, horses and poultry of various kinds. Dr. Money kept meticulous notes on the health of each animal, their breeding programme, and in the case of their death, performed autopsies to discover the cause, carefully documenting these details in his notebooks. Aberdoon was a happy home for Dr. Rex, his wife Noppy, their two daughters, Angela and Carole, and their many weekend guests. The visitors in the Visitor’s Book constantly praised the fresh country air, wholesome country food and hospitality. In their absence the family relied on the services of a caretaker to look after the farm. During the first years of their ownership, a major refurbishment of the house was undertaken under the supervision of an Architectural firm in Sydney, Fowell Mansfield & Maclurcan. A local builder Gaston Lester of Castle Hill son of a local family who lived in Nelson was contracted to do the work. The rubble interior of the house was a major cause of the delay, as was rising damp and last minute additions to the original plans. Gaston quarried stone for the refurbishment from his family property in Blind Road, Nelson, an area that had been called in the past The Rocks or The North Rocks.
The architects first suggested design for the refurbishment of Aberdoon was for an extension each side to create the complete Regency (George 1V) house. However, this design was never built owing to the high cost and the building material rationing (a result of WW11). Only the northern wing was added. This wing created an ultra modern 1950s home with kitchen, bathroom and laundry/mud room. French doors were added to the two bedrooms on the southern side. The weatherboarded eastern side was stripped and received a delicate verandah embellished with wrought iron posts and lace inserts. The southern elevation received a large pergola on which to train the wisteria already growing. Shutters were added to all the windows and painted dark green and the rather plain exterior was painted with several layers of pale pink lime wash, the recipe of which, Dr. Money had brought back from America. It was said to be the paint used on the White House in Washington.
Major refurbishment to the inside of Aberdoon House was also done at this time. A neat fibro caretaker’s cottage was added to the eastern gateway of the house paddock.
During the next few years, Dr. Money also bought other properties in the village adding about another 20 acres to the property, including the Wright family property known as Araluen. It was Dorothy Wright Haywood who first told me about the wrought iron decoration which had been on the roof of Aberdoon House. Because of these early memories I traced the house to Elizabeth Plimer and her knowledge of her ancestors connection to Aberdoon, although she was unaware of the house name or exactly where it was.
Dr. Rex later changed his land from old systems to Torrens Title and sold in 1973 his bottom paddocks (William Harvey’s land) as Lot 2, to Amalgamated Developments Pty. Ltd., although he retained until the late 1990s the use of that land for agistment. He later sold all the other allotments he owned in the village and more of the original Clower land still attached to Aberdoon House so that at the time the Council bought the house and farm, the land size was a mere 3.9 acres (1.54 hectares). Fortunately the Council also bought the land fringing Caddies Creek, part of William Harvey’s 35 acres (and part of the original Vinegar Hill Farm), for Community Open Space. Retained as a tranquil oasis to regenerate into natural bushland, this reserve connects visually to the newly refurbished Aberdoon House and its curtilage. This particular reserve forms part of The Greenway, a soon to be completed pedestrian and cycling corridor starting at Bella Vista Farm, Norwest and finishing across Windsor Road in the Rouse Hill Regional Park.
If you stand on the verandah and look to the east, towards the William Harvey Reserve you will see the recently completed Cultural Experience of six large standing stones with interleaving smaller stones. These artworks are designed to evoke the “Spirit of Place”, to tell the story of what was, what is and what is hoped for the future. Take time to stop by and feel the “Spirit” of Rouse Hill.
Enjoy also the vista and perhaps a visit to Rouse Hill House and Rouse Hill Regional Park visible on the skyline to the west, and the Rouse Hill cemetery on the right down Aberdour Avenue, just before the shops. Many of the people who lived and worked in the Village of Aberdour, the greater village of Rouse Hill and at Aberdoon are buried there.
Rouse Hill and Aberdoon HouseDownload
Please Note : The names and images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may be contained within this collection.
© 2010 Riverstone & District Historical Society
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Free PC Games •
Crofty Little Devil: Tomb Robber
former Deputy Editor
6th November 2012 / 3:00PM
I spotted Tomb Robber over at Indiegames.com yesterday and meant to post about it then, but something work-related distracted me. It was probably either Mickey Mouse, dragons or space-chickens because I have a very strange job. I’ve managed to focus on the entirely more sensible activity of artefact hunting now, with the demo of this flip-screen adventure. The full version isn’t out yet but this early sample is accomplished. I don’t think Tomb Robber has any anti-aliasing, but it’s enough like the treacherous and superb La Mulana to deserve attention.
If you want to be a successful robber, don’t shoot every snake and scorpion that gets in your way. Even if you hate them and their poison, it’s almost certain that you’ll hate the vomiting mummies more so save precious bullets to kill them. Again.
If you weren’t expecting undead monstrosities then you really shouldn’t have travelled all the way to the tomb. If treasure is buried near dead people, the dead people will wake up and greedily protect the treasure, even though they have no use for it. Filthy lucre, eh? Even if we can’t take it with us, in some ways it often seems to take us with it.
The use of an extra button when reloading makes the revolver actually feel like a revolver. Actually, it makes it feel like there’s an extra button to press on the keyboard to pretend you’re opening up a revolver chamber, it’s not really like holding and loading a gun at all, but it is a fun way to pretend to put bullets in a gun. Also in the plus column, my character’s head came clean off at one point but because I had a first aid kit he tended his wounds and dived straight back into the tomb. Good man.
Tomb Robber is from the developer of The Crypts of Despair, which is condensed roguelike that I played years ago. I’d totally forgotten it existed. Play both!
Tagged with crypts of despair, free games, indie, JTR, tomb robber.
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Sabal Springs Golf & Racquet Club
Get To Us
Golf Latest News
Sabal Springs is pleased to announce that Michael Stewart has joined the course as the course Director of Golf. Stewart is responsible for providing direction in all aspects of the management of the golf facility including general clubhouse operations, golf operations, membership and customer care, overseeing outings and events, community outreach, and merchandising for the 18-hole golf course.
Michael Stewart grew up in Dubuque Iowa, where his golf career began at the young age of 21. He moved down to Florida and began a P.G.A apprenticeship in Miami. After completing his P.G.A. Schools in 1995, Stewart was offered an opportunity to go overseas and work for I.M.G (International Management Group) in Southeast Asia to serve as Director of Golf in Bali, Indonesia. What was originally a 1 year contract turned into 8 years and 15 different countries while managing world class golf resorts. That international experience enabled Stewart the opportunity to meet, teach, and conduct business with some of the world’s most influential leaders; including Former United States President George Bush Sr., Former Prime Minister United Kingdom Sir John Major, Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos, and the King (Amir) of Kuwait.
Due to Anti-American sentiment after the World Trade Center attacks, Stewart moved back to the United States and decided to pursue a career in South Florida. From 2002-2010 he was the Director of Golf at Royal Tee Golf Club in Cape Coral, Florida where he was involved in all aspects of managing a 27-hole golf course.
Dirk Dluhos
Golf Shop Associate
Born in Waukegan, Illinois, and graduated from West High School in 1978. Dirk went to work for a local grocery store and ended up as night manager. The store was bought out by Cub Foods and Dirk did not want to start at the bottom, so he took another job in 1988 in Kansas City, Mo. This new position was a barrel making factory, but then they moved their factory to Cleveland, Ohio in 2012. Dirk did not like Cleveland, Ohio, and moved down to his parents house here in Florida in the Sabal Springs community. He has been working for the Golf Course for almost 3 years now. His hobbies are listening to music, playing jigsaw puzzles, and playing golf!
AI Parchuck
I have been married to Maureen (Mozie) for the past 24 glorious years. Originally from Hudson, New York, but also lived in Methuen, MA for 20 years. Graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a BS degree in Physical Education. A Partner and Manager of Salem Athletic Club, in Salem, New Hampshire for 35 years, before retiring to our beautiful community of Sabal Springs.We bought a home here in 2012 and moved to Sabal in 2015. We live 9 months here in Florida, and spend the other 3 months living on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, on a Boat called The “Mo Money”. We love boating, golfing and the Sabal Springs family. Mo loves to cook and entertain with their many friends. I also enjoy working in the Pro Shop with the staff, meeting new people, and look forward spending the rest of our retirement here at Sabal Springs.
Welcome to the Sabal Springs Golf & Racquet Club!
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Rubio, Hyde-Smith, Wicker, Cotton Introduce Bill to Help Private Forest Owners Recover From Disasters
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the Forest Recovery Act (S.1687), which would amend the U.S. tax code to establish a special rule for losses of uncut timber following natural disasters. Providing a tax deduction for casualty losses would not only help landowners recover, but also encourage investment in reforesting damaged acres.
“Hurricane Michael devastated Northwest Florida’s timber industry,” Rubio said. “I am glad to join my colleagues in proposing legislation to ensure that future timber losses due to natural disasters, like Hurricane Michael, will receive needed tax relief.”
“Not allowing these timber interests, many of whom are family-owned small business operations, to recover their losses doesn’t help anyone—not them, the local economy, or the environment,” Hyde-Smith said. “My bill would create an opportunity to make this right.”
“Mississippi’s millions of acres of forests are our state’s second largest agricultural product by value but are not eligible for tax relief in case of disaster,” Wicker said. “This proposal would provide landowners much-needed relief in the event of a catastrophe and encourage the return of this land to active production.”
“More than half of Arkansas is forestland that supports thousands of jobs and contributes to the state’s natural beauty. This bill will benefit Arkansas’s many family forest landowners and encourage the rehabilitation of our forests after natural disasters,” Cotton said.
The legislation would adjust current tax law, which restricts casualty loss deductions to losses incurred in federally-declared disaster areas. Even when wildfires or floods do not result in a formal disaster designation, federal crop insurance coverage is unavailable for forest lands, and there are no affordable private insurance products.
Specifically, the Forest Recovery Act would:
Modify the tax deduction for casualty losses to establish special rules for losses of uncut timber;
Establish that basis used for determining the amount of the deduction in cases of uncut timber losses from fire, storm, other casualty, or theft may not be less than the excess of the fair market value of the uncut timber determined immediately before the loss was sustained over the salvage value of the timber;
Apply the special rule only if (1) the timber was held for the purpose of being cut and sold and (2) the uncut timber subject to the loss is reforested within five years of the loss; and
Exempt casualty losses from uncut timber from the rule restricting the deduction for personal casualty losses to losses attributable to a federally declared disaster.
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Sheriff Murtha’s Posse Removes “Allegedly,” Convicts Haditha Marines & Undermines America
Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to learn how the politicians who say they “support the troops” actually support them. This is about the incident at Haditha. The word “allegedly” has vanished from our language. Sheriff Murtha, Prosecutor Murtha, and Judge Murtha have declared the Marines at Haditha guilty. The media is preparing logos and themes: “Marine Massacre” all over television. “Is it a cover-up?” is the latest question they’re asking. The spinners are testing focus groups. “What sounds worse: ‘Worse than Abu Ghraib,’ or, ‘Worse than My Lai’?” The LA Times already refers to this as “My Lai” in an editorial today. Let history note something, however. The alleged incident is under alleged investigation. The facts have yet to be checked. The alleged perps have yet to be identified. The alleged superior responsible has yet to be named. The alleged cover-up has yet to be established — and, of course, a defense has yet to be offered.A lot of people are very much concerned about this, but it’s one of these circumstances where we don’t know what happened. But because there are so many people who say they support the troops who want this to be true… It’s typical of the Drive-By Media to report the news that you hope happens, report the news as you wish it to be. It’s already a done deal, and they say — because they hate the US military, and they love military defeats. They love humiliation of the US military because they know and think it’ll make it more difficult to use the military in the future. All the while, these are the people who claim to “support the troops, love the troops but don’t support the mission.” These people want it to be true, and the people that want it to be true are the same kind of people that have no problem with totalitarian regimes and dictators and mass murderers the world over.
The same kind of people who found it difficult to criticize Saddam or who will not criticize Castro or who want to coddle this wacko Hugo Chavez are eager to portray the US military as the focus of evil in the modern world. Remember this: if this turns out to be true, the reason we are shocked and will be shocked is because it is uncommon. It does not happen frequently. This is not what the US military is known for. They do not engage in “murder.” They engage in the killing of war. Michelle Malkin has a great piece on this today and says, “Despite every effort being made to castigate the entire US military today over an isolated incident about which we don’t have the facts, keep in mind that this is the jihadists’ way of life each and every day.”
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El Rushbo Attempts to Translate Kanye in the Oval Office
RUSH: Kanye West is in the Oval Office. He’s sitting across the desk from Trump. There are a thousand media people. Well, not a thousand. But the video frame here is full of nothing but press. Cameras. Trump is sitting there not saying a word. Kanye is just going nuts, being very emphatic about whatever it is he’s saying.
He’s wearing a red Make America Great Again hat. Trump just sitting there with his arms crossed smiling and eating it up and loving it and so forth.
RUSH: Kanye West has taken over the Oval Office. Donald Trump’s smiling, watching, listening. Jim Brown sitting next to Kanye. Kanye does not breathe. I will guarantee you the civil rights coalitions, the CNN people referring to Kanye as a “Trump house Negro,” I guarantee you they are exploding right now. Kanye West is bam, bam, bam, issue after issue after issue, explaining why whatever he’s talking about is good for America, including jobs, things Trump has been doing. Somebody needs to get him a new phone, though. Kanye’s using an old iPhone. I mean, I notice those things.
RUSH: Now, we have the Kanye in the Oval Office sound bites. And we have — let’s see — one, two, three, four five of them. We have not edited this. I mean, there are some questionable terms and words, but Cookie said, “You want to edit it? He says ‘balls’ and ‘BS’?” and I said, “Leave it in. Get it up and running. It’s Kanye West. People know what’s going on.” “But, Rush! But, Rush! It was in the Oval Office!” “I know it was. I know it was. CNN aired it and so forth.”
I guarantee you heads exploding all over the place because of this!
Kanye, at the end of the day, got up and hugged Trump and said, “I love this man. I love this man.” I guarantee you, CNN’s trying to come up with something besides “house Negro” now to describe the guy. That’s how they were trying to denigrate him last night. Jim Brown, the football great from the Cleveland Browns, was sitting there watching all this. Okay, so here we go. They were scheduled to have lunch anyway. But Trump brings Kanye and Jim Brown into the Oval Office — and, as usual, here comes the media, primarily cameras — still cameras and video — and there were some reporters in there. And let’s just get started.
WEST: I think it’s the bravery that helps you beat this game called life. You know, they tried to scare me to not wear this hat. My own friends! But this hat, it gives me power, in a way. My dad and my mom separated. So I didn’t have a lot of male energy in my home. And also I’m married to a family that, um…
THE PRESIDENT: (chuckles)
WEST: You know, not a lot of male energy going on.
WEST: It’s beautiful, though!
WEST: But there’s times where, you know, it’s something about… I love Hillary. I love everyone, right? But the campaign “I’m With Her” just didn’t make me feel, as a guy that didn’t get to see my dad all the time, like a guy that could play catch with his son. There was something about when I put this hat on. It made me feel like Superman. That’s my favorite superhero! And you made a Superman cape for me. Also as a guy, that looks up to you, looks up to Ralph Lauren, and looks up to American industry guys. Nonpolitical. No bullshit! Put the beep on it. However you want to do it.
RUSH: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s kind of odd to hear that in the Oval Office. Cookie said, “But, Rush, he’s nuts!” I said, “That doesn’t matter. He’s our nut today.” But there he is. Notice he says (summarized), “I love Hillary. I love everybody, but that campaign, ‘I’m With Her’ just didn’t make if he feel as a guy that I wanted see my dad and go out and play catch. But when I put on the Trump MAGA hat, I felt like a superhero! I felt like Superman when I put on the Make America Great Again cap.” Oh, they’re gonna hate this. They’re just gonna hate this. He next says… I think Kanye, like pretty much every celebrity and quasi-athlete, has a deal with Nike. But Kanye says that Trump inspired him to move over to Adidas.
WEST: You gave me the heart to go to Adidas. When I went in, in 2015, we were a $14 billion company losing $2 billion a year. Now we have a $38 billion market cap. It’s called the Yeezy Effect, and I went to Kasper [Rørsted] — we had a meeting in Chicago — and I said, “You have to bring manufacturing onshore into the core.” It’s not about the border. It’s the core of Adidas, and Chicago is the core of Middle America. We have to make Middle America strong. So I had the balls, because I have enough balls to put on this hat? The Adidas thing made me a billionaire, and I could have lost $200 million walking away from that deal. It was more important for me to take the chance of walking away from that deal than to have no fathers in Chicago with no homes.
RUSH: You kind of sit there and shudder when Kanye lets loose here, when you gotta have the “whatevers” to go… But what he’s talking about here… (interruption) You game? (interruption) Yeah, I think I know what he’s talking about. You don’t? (interruption) You don’t know what he’s saying here? Okay, let me… (interruption) Okay. Okay. Well, here… (interruption) Here it is. (summarized) “You gave me the heart to go to Adidas. When I went in, we’re a $14 billion company losing $2 billion a year,” meaning he invested in it.
Now Adidas… Because Trump advised him to go to Adidas, now it’s a $38 billion market cap. At a meeting, he told Adidas they gotta bring manufacturing back to America. Following Trump’s initiative, he told Adidas, “You want me in? We gotta manufacture in America so bring it to Chicago. That’s the core of Middle America. We have to make middle America strong,” and he says, “I could have lost $200 million walking away from this. I could have lost those kind…” (interruption) He’s basically trying to say that Trump’s advice helped him save Adidas by bring Adidas manufacturing onshore and took ’em from a net loss to a net positive $38 billion market cap. Then he says, which I’m sure that you’ll have no trouble understanding, is he’s bipolar.
WEST: I was diagnosed as bipolar disorder. I was connected with a neuropsychologist that works with the athletes in the NBA and the NFL, and he looked at my brain. I’m gonna go ahead drop some bombs to you: 98 percentile IQ test. I had a 75 percentile of all human beings, but it was counting eight numbers backwards and I repeated (unintelligible). I’m gonna work on that. The other one 98%, Tesla, Freud. He said that I actually wasn’t bipolar. I had sleep deprivation which could cause dementia 10 or 20 years from now where I wouldn’t even remember my son’s name.
RUSH: So do you understand that? He’s saying some shrink told him he was bipolar. And the shrink was wrong. And they looked into his brain and they found out that he has a very high IQ. He’s up there with Tesla and he’s up there with Einstein — Freud, not Einstein; Tesla and Freud — and then they told him that he wasn’t bipolar, he had sleep deprivation. And that was gonna cause dementia. So he got all that fixed. I don’t know. Sleep deprivation? Maybe was sleep apnea. Who knows what that was.
Trump was just sitting there with his arms folded. (interruption) I don’t know. No, Trump was smiling whale all this was going on. I’ll tell you one thing. I’ll tell you one thing. This was not screened. Obviously, nobody knew what was gonna happen here. They rolled the dice on this. You agree with that? (interruption) Okay. They mocked him on Saturday Night Live. They made fun of him, Kanye, on Saturday Night Live and they constantly do Trump. So now he’s talking about Saturday Night Live and Trump.
WEST: What I need Saturday Night Live to improve or I need the liberals to improve on is, “If he doesn’t look good, we don’t look good.” This is our president! He has to be the president, the fliest, the fliest planes, the best factories, and we have to make our core be in power. We have to bring jobs into America, because our best export is entertainment and ideas, but when we make everything in China and not in America, then we’re cheating on our country and we’re putting people in positions that have to do illegal things to end up in the cheapest factory ever: The prison system!
RUSH: Okay. You’re on your own on that one. (interruption) That one you get? (interruption) It’s okay. Explain that one, that one I don’t get. Tell me what he said. Very quickly, what was he saying? (interruption) Okay. If we don’t have… (interruption) Oh! Okay. If we don’t have jobs, people end up in prison, which is the cheapest factory there is. All right. (interruption) You like that one? (interruption) Okay. (interruption) Well, yeah, yeah. (interruption) Okay. Now final one. When it was over, Trump was almost speechless.
THE PRESIDENT: I tell you what, that was pretty impressive.
GUESTS: (laughter)
THE PRESIDENT: I hate to say this, Jim. You want to say something?
THE PRESIDENT: What do you do after that?
RUSH: Jim didn’t say anything. Jim Brown remained seated, saying nothing. Trump said, “I don’t know what you’re gonna say to that, Jim.” Anyway, so what do you think Kanye’s purpose was here? I think Kanye was attempting to, in his own, show his support for Trump. He got up and hugged him. “I love this man.” I don’t know. These people are always seeking cameras and PR opportunities. You can’t take that out of this equation, either. But say whatever you want, he can’t get there unless Trump invites him, and it was a sc
NY Post: Trump, Kanye West hug during bizarre Oval Office meeting
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Raiders stun 49ers to win Battle of the Bay
Ben Margot/APRaiders tight end Mychael Rivera (81) celebrates after catching a 5-yard touchdown pass against the 49ers on Sunday.
OAKLAND — The Oakland Raiders ended their three-week roller-coaster ride on a high and sent the Bay Area rival San Francisco 49ers to their lowest point under coach Jim Harbaugh.
Derek Carr threw three touchdown passes and the Raiders bounced back from a shellacking last week by beating the 49ers 24-13 Sunday and putting a major dent in San Francisco's dwindling playoff hopes.
The Raiders (2-11) followed their exhilarating first win of the season against Kansas City with a 52-0 loss at St. Louis before delivering their most complete performance of the season against San Francisco (7-6).
“It's great for us to come off of a bye week and perform the way we did today,” said safety Charles Woodson, who sealed the win with a late interception.
“Being able to bounce back from the way we felt last week was big for us. To win this game, the Battle of the Bay, your crosstown rivals, it's a big win for us.”
Carr completed 22 of 28 passes for 254 yards and completely outplayed counterpart Colin Kaepernick in his best performance yet in his rookie season.
With a second straight loss the 49ers (7-6) are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in Harbaugh's four-year tenure. San Francisco trails three teams by two games in the NFC wild-card race with three games remaining after making three straight NFC title games.
“There is no surrendering,” Harbaugh said. “You look for the next thing to win at.”
A Thanksgiving night loss at home to rival Seattle prompted CEO Jed York to apologize to fans on Twitter and raise even more speculation that Harbaugh will not be back next season for the final year of his five-year contract.
Harbaugh even sparked the chatter where he might wind up next season when he walked out of the tunnel and straight to Raiders owner Mark Davis for a quick chat before his first game in Oakland since his tenure as an assistant with the Raiders in 2002-03.
Raiders interim coach Tony Sparano is making his case to keep the job by winning two of the past three weeks, including a 24-20 victory over Kansas City on Nov. 20.
“We said last night in the meeting, that somebody had to step up and make a couple of plays,” Sparano said. “Today I felt a bunch of guys stepped up.”
From Carr's big game to Mychal Rivera's 109-yard receiving day to a pair of sacks from Antonio Smith and Khalil Mack to a dominant offensive line performance that even included a touchdown catch by left tackle Donald Penn, the Raiders had plenty of big performances.
“This week it was preached to us just how important this game was,” Smith said. “This week more and more of us became true Raiders, knowing what the heritage is about, knowing what this game was about, how important it was to this city.”
Carr rarely faced any pressure, giving him plenty of time to find open receivers downfield. He hit all five of his passes for 73 yards on the go-ahead drive capped by a 9-yard pass to Marcel Reece that made it 17-13.
After a three-and-out by the 49ers, Carr led the Raiders to their first consecutive TD drives of the season with a 5-yard scoring strike to Rivera.
“They were able to go out there and take advantage of the mistakes we made,” linebacker Aldon Smith said. “They just made more good plays than we did. He did a good job of getting the ball out and using his protection.”
Kaepernick threw an interception on the first play from scrimmage, was sacked on San Francisco's last and wasn't much better in between. He finished 18 for 33 for 174 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and five sacks as San Francisco failed to score 20 points for the sixth time in seven games.
The Raiders went ahead 10-7 in the second quarter on a 3-yard touchdown pass to the 330-pound Penn, who bowled over Eric Reid at the goal line and leaped into the Black Hole for a beer-doused celebration. It was Penn's third career TD catch and second against the Niners, having also caught one in 2010.
“I'm happy I'm able to live every big man's dream,” Penn said.
NOTES: Niners LB Ahmad Brooks had his streak of 60 straight starts snapped because he missed a meeting Tuesday. Brooks did not play at all in the game. … Carr's 140.2 passer rating was the highest for the Raiders since Rich Gannon posted a 141.9 vs. the Giants in 2001.
Battle of the BayNFLOakland RaidersSan Francisco 49ers
Warriors take control early to win 11th straight
Warriors roll to 13th straight victory
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ShaiLittlejohn
What I Have in Common with Senator Kamala Harris
Yes, I'm Writing About Politics
Because this is a new blog, I'm taking a chance on writing about politics and possibly alienating my readers. Well, I decided that I will blur this line for the following reason: I write this blog to encourage the freedom to be true to oneself. Being free means that we get to be authentic and have a voice. Being true to oneself means we get to stand up for what we believe in and manifest what we want to see happen. I also lived in Washington DC for more than 15 years. Politics runs deep. So, I'm being authentically me, and I'm using my voice to provide perspective on the topics that I care about. This week, I'm excited because in one of the most tumultuous years in our nation's history, we've finally embarked on a wide open field of new possibilities. Frankly, this year has been a hot mess.
Though I'm a registered Democrat, I will always vote for the candidate who most closely matches my values and concerns, no matter the party. If you can't tell already, this means I support equal rights for all people, and I want all people to have a fair shot. I advocate for equal access to good public education and meaningful work opportunities at livable wages. I care about college and non-college options like skilled trades. I care about clean energy solutions and environmental safety in our current energy infrastructure. As a former prosecutor and defense attorney, I care about safety, criminal justice system reform and reforms in policing. There's a lot on the line right now, not limited to our peace of mind and sanity.
The Big Deal About Senator Kamala Harris
I'm not happy to support this ticket because Senator Harris is a woman, or Black or Indian - or a fellow Howard alumna. It's because she's an educated expert, in both law and state and federal government, and a ready-on-day-one candidate who happens to be a woman, Black, Indian and an alumna of Howard University, which has always been more like extended family to me than just an institution. Senator Harris has served as the highest ranking attorney and United States Senator, in California, the most populous state in America. Most of all, she exhibits a willingness to learn, grow and evolve with the times. She becomes more reasoned and authentic with age, like many of us. But I said I wasn't going to go in to all that.
What Senator Kamala Harris and I Have in Common
In addition to the Howard connection, Kamala is in an interracial marriage and step mom to her husband's children, with whom she enjoys a close relationship. This gives her additional perspective. It means something to live in a diverse country and also be a part of a diverse family and have diverse friends. You learn to see things from a greater variety of perspectives. My husband is white, and so are my two "step-sons," though I don't call them that. Just like Kamala's kids call her "Momala", our boys call me "Sha-mom" (kind of like a superhero character! :)). The name "Momala" tells me what I need to know about her heart and compassion. She understood the importance of cultivating a relationship with the kids, and their mother, because they all would also be family.
Honestly, with the glass ceiling, setbacks, and roadblocks that exist for working women - and moms - in America, I'm categorically impressed and proud when I see women accomplish so much and at such high levels. It takes passion, nerves of steel, discipline, commitment, perseverance and grit just to keep a regular J.O.B., let alone serve in one of the most influential positions in the world under the public's critical eye. I strive to be more like these women who put a stake in the ground, fearlessly.
In the end, I will always support women - and great men - who support me and what I value. Come this November 3, the Biden/Harris ticket is my pick.
Be A Good Human
My Plan A Answer for "What's Your Plan B?"
The Best Word for 2021 is GRIT
Five Ways to Empower Your Vision Board
DON'T MISS THE FUN & INSPIRATION
SHOP MY INSPIRATION COLLECTION
ShaiLittlejohn
Rethink what isn't working to find the path that will. Subscribe here.
© 2021 by Shai Littlejohn
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New Michigan pizzeria serves patrons on restricted diets
On behalf of Sheehan & Associates, P.L.C | Apr 11, 2014 | Business Formation & Planning |
New business ideas come from a variety of inspirations. For the co-owner of the new Renee’s Gourmet Pizzeria, the business and its name was inspired by his daughter. The pizzeria, which opened in February, is believed to be the only one in Michigan whose entire menu is both nut-free and gluten-free.
That’s because his 14-year-old daughter is highly allergic to nuts and cannot consume gluten. The latter condition, celiac disease, affects about one percent of all people in the country. He opened the pizzeria in partnership with the other man and a $300,000 investment. It is located in the Cambridge Crossings shopping center.
This was not a spur-of-the-moment decision for the former owner of a Relax The Back franchise in Bloomfield Hills. The man, who had no restaurant experience or training, says it took him a year to develop his pizza dough, which is made from bean flour, tapioca and rice. He wanted to make gourmet pizza that anyone, not just those with dietary restrictions, could enjoy.
Cost can be a challenge for gluten-free bakers. That’s why everything is made from scratch. Pizza is by no means the only thing on the menu. Renee’s offers calzones, chicken strips, baked goods and Hungarian goulash. The owners want to keep their costs competitive with other pizza restaurants.
Renee’s owner learned from his experience eating out with his daughter that there’s more to dining out for those with allergies than avoiding specific foods. Cross-contamination can also be a problem. Signs on the door of Renee’s warn customers against bringing in foods from outside to guard against contamination. One instance of surreptitiously-introduced baby food led to a complete sanitation of the area.
The owner of Renee’s has his sights set on getting his pizza into stores and schools as well. He believes that stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market would be good retail outlets.
As business owners grow and expand their businesses, their financial and legal needs change and often become more complicated. Legal and regulatory missteps can lead to costly fines and litigation. It’s essential that they have a legal team that can advise them as their business develops and changes.
Source: Crain’s Detroit Business, “Troy gourmet pizzeria tests market with menu totally gluten- and nut-free” Bridget Vis, Apr. 07, 2014
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HomeWorldNewsGerman prosecutor Madeleine McCann may still be alive
German prosecutor Madeleine McCann may still be alive
Medellin McCann may still be alive, though police say the German prosecutor has revealed.
An investigation into the disappearance of Priya da Luz from Portugal in 2007 has drawn new attention, with authorities announcing the investigation into a 43-year-old German child sex offender.
The accused is currently serving a prison sentence in connection with the particular case.
Prosecutors have some evidence that Madeleine is dead, but not enough to stand trial, Brunswick Public Prosecutor's Office spokesman Hans Christian Wolters said Monday. But speaking to the Sunday Mirror, he returned.
"Given the lack of forensic evidence, we can expect very little (he is alive)," he told the paper.
“We do not want to kill hope and it is theoretically possible that there is no forensic evidence.
"I knew it was important to the British people when I told her she was dead, but I didn't know it was that important."
Mr. Wolters said it was common to investigate the murder in similar cases in Germany.
Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Times, Mr. Wolters said prosecutors were investigating whether the hotel employee had helped target the McCann apartment in a nearby restaurant.
The kidnapper was reportedly living on the Algarve coast and telephoned his Portuguese mobile phone, Priya da Luz, an hour before Medellin, then disappeared on May 3, 2007.
There is no indication that staff knew about Medellin's kidnapping, and Mr. Wolters said: "The phone call made by the accused may have been between him and the staff who entered McCann's apartment but told him."
He said police did not interview the current accused in the murder of Madeleine at the time because they did not identify the man who called him.
Mr. Wolters told the paper: "The person he was talking to could hold the phone in his hand (which would certainly confirm that he was the accuser he was talking to), indicating that he was present at the time.
We want this to be evidence before an arrest warrant has been issued and interviewed in connection with the murder. It helps to sue him - but we need more evidence. "
In the days following the renewed appeal, Scotland Yard said it had received 400 tips for its Operation Grange team.
As there is no definitive evidence that Medellin was alive or dead, Operation Grange represents an active investigation of the force, which is classified as an investigation into the missing person.
Medellin disappeared shortly before her fourth birthday, when she was 17, the following month, while her parents were having lunch with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.
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16 Great Sons & Daughters of Country Music Greats
Trigger Reviews 52 Comments
Country music isn’t just a genre of music, it is a musical religion, a way of life, a cultural lineage passed down from generation to generation and preserved through the blood and bond of its performers and fans. That’s why it seems country music performers so very often tend to turn out to be the parents of country music performers themselves.
Let’s take a look at some of country music’s greatest sons and daughters.
Son of alt-country pioneer Steve Earle, and middle namesake of the man who was good friends with his father and considered one of the greatest songwriters ever, Justin Townes Earle has spent the last seven or so years trying to live up to the lofty expectations of both names, and has done so valiantly. Releasing a startling debut EP in 2007 called Yuma, Earle and his obsession with the craft of songwriting have led to critical success for the five albums he’s released through Bloodshot Records. Considered by many as one of the biggest names in the new generation of alt-country/Americana performers, Justin has done it not by being a chip off the old block, but by forging his own path.
Justin’s relationship with his father has been rocky over the years. Steve Earle left Justin and his mother when Justin was just 2-year-old, and the younger Earle had a tumultuous, troubled, and at times, drug-fueled childhood. But he has soldiered on to carry a name all his own.
The son of Willie Nelson’s long-time guitarist Jody Payne and Grammy Award-winning country music singer Sammi Smith, Waylon is named after his Godfather, Waylon Jennings. Raised by his aunt and uncle due to his parents’ heavy touring schedules, Payne attended seminary after high school and was on track to become a minister before catching the music bug. For a while Payne was part of the popular Eastbound and Down country night at the King King Club in Hollywood where performers would swap classic country songs. Payne later released the album The Drifter in 2004 through Republic Universal.
Music isn’t Waylon Payne’s only creative calling though. He may be known more as an actor than a musician. In the award-winning Johnny Cash film I Walk The Line, Payne played Jerry Lee Lewis. He also played country great Hank Garland in a small film called Crazy, along with making numerous television appearances, including on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Hank Williams III (or Hank3)
The grandson of Hank Williams and the son of Hank Jr., if there was ever a spitting image of country music’s first superstar, it would be him. He not only carries the visage and build of Hank Sr., but also the voice and writing style when he wants to go in that direction. The youngest Hank though has a hankering to delve into the wild side of music as well, and has released multiple punk albums during his career that has now stretched into two decades.
Hank3 started out playing drums and guitar in underground punk bands, with no real drive to be a part of the country music machine. But when a paternity suit put him in court, he decided to sign with Curb Records, and entered into a tumultuous period with the label that at the least resulted in multiple landmark records, including the neo-traditional country stalwart Lovesick, Broke, & Driftin’, and his double album opus Straight to Hell. Hank3 is now an independent artist, and carries on the family tradition of doing the music he wants and defying expectation.
The granddaughter of Hank Williams, daughter of Hank Jr., and half sister of Hank Williams III has had a somewhat strange musical journey, but one that has seen her bloom recently to become one of the leading females in country/Americana, keeping the music true to its roots while moving it forward.
Holly’s early career saw her sign to major labels like Universal South and Mercury Nashville, trying to break into the big time, but always seemingly with one foot in, and one foot out of that mainstream approach to music. She was also seriously injured in a near fatal crash in 2006 along with her sister Hilary who also is a performer. Then in February of 2013, Holly released The Highway independently, and since then has become a critical darling and a live performer not to miss. Though there were some that at times wondered if Holly was just a famous name, she’s proven recently that she’s so much more.
Ben Haggard
The son of Merle Haggard and an official member of Merle’s legendary backing band The Strangers, Ben is a chip off the old block when it comes to slinging Telecasters and perfecting the West Coast, twangy Bakersfield tradition of loud and electric country music. Patterned in the mold of the pioneer of the craft, the under-appreciated Roy Nichols, Ben can be seen plying his craft and staring at the back of his father on any given night out on the road. This isn’t just your usual slot filled by a family member on stage. Ben’s skills are regarded by his musician peers as being standalone from any famous name.
The only child of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Coulter, Shooter started his musical journey in the rock band Stargunn before signing with Universal South in 2005 and releasing his first country record, Put The ‘O’ Back In Country. He subsequently released two more country records infused with some Southern rock & roll before putting out his rock opus, the experimental album Black Ribbons. Shooter re-established his country roots with the 2012 album Family Man, followed up by 2013’s The Other Life.
Like many of country music’s famous sons and daughters, Shooter Jennings marches to his own drum, but always seems to come back to the country music fold.
Jubal Lee Young
Son of legendary Outlaw country songwriter and performer Steve Young (Lonesome, Onry & Mean, Seven Bridges Road), and songwriter Terrye Newkirk, Jubal Lee Young from Muskogee, Oklahoma put out an album in 2011 called Take It Home that included the song “There Ain’t No Outlaws Any More” that loudly proclaims, “Here comes another badass sellin’ Nashville rock and roll, long hair, denim and tattoos, lookin’ on’ry and mean. Singin’ songs about that lonesome road, some of ‘em might even be true. But there ain’t no outlaws anymore”¦”
The most obvious and most successful of country music’s greatest sons, Hank Williams Jr. is very likely a future country music Hall of Famer, and has won multiple CMA Entertainer of the Year Awards and sold millions of albums. He started out his career as a virtual impersonator of his famous father, but rebelled against this preordained future to become so much more. Hank Jr. took a precipitous fall off of Ajax Mountain in Montana in 1975, landing on his face, and having to go through multiple surgeries before he could return to performing. And when he did, he quickly became known as “Rockin'” Randall Hank as he emerged with a sound that was just as much Southern rock as country.
In the mid 80’s, Hank Williams Jr. was one of country’s biggest stars, and now sits as a legend in the genre. He also is responsible for two other famous country offspring: Hank Williams III and Holly Williams, and a 2nd daughter Hilary Williams has also been a performer.
Georgette Jones
The only daughter of the country music super pairing of George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Georgette was said to have a recording contract on the day she was born. She recorded her first song at the ripe age of ten with her dad called “Daddy Come Home.” From there Georgette began singing backup for her mom, and she has gone on to become an accomplished songwriter and solo performer herself. Georgette has released numerous albums, including three for Heart of Texas Records. Her latest album Til I Can Make It On My Own is a tribute to her mother.
Georgette also appeared in the TV Series Sordid Lives and recorded numerous songs for the soundtrack, including Tammy Wynette tunes. She also recently released a memoir called The Three of Us: Growing Up with Tammy and George, Georgette Jones.
Shelli Coe
Daughter of David Allan Coe, Shelli was born in Nashville and raised in Austin, and appeared at the tender age of 3-years-old on her father’s Family Album project. She later worked as a backup singer for her father before landing in Branson, MO for a while where she performed in clubs, collaborated with other songwriters and appeared on the album Branson Songwriters Out in the Streets. Shelli subsequently returned to Austin where she is known to perform off and on. Her first full-length CD A Girl Like Me was released in 2010, and is worth a listen for folks that like traditional country music.
Lukas Nelson
Surrounded by a bevy of musical siblings and one awfully famous father, the argument can be made that Lukas was the Willie offspring that received the most potent douse of Willie’s musical genes, and has a powerful voice to match his father’s. A dynamic, top-flight performer with a sound that trends much closer to rock than country, but still has an earthy, rootsy feel nonetheless, Lukas is on a fast track to becoming a superstar all his own.
From his towering leg kicks, to playing the guitar with his teeth, at only 23-years-old, Lukas could already be crowned as a guitar god. Leading his band The Promise of the Real, they’ve made waves in the music world on big tours. About the only thing holding the young star back is that rock music is in a weird spot right now, and guitar blazers are not what the masses are particularly looking for. But like his father, Lukas is not worried about anything but following his heart, and he promises to have a very bright future ahead of him with a tower of talent to draw from.
Eddie Shaver
Son of Outlaw country legend Billy Joe Shaver, Eddie Shaver was one of the best country music guitar shredders to ever take the stage. Aside from being his father’s right hand man for many years, Eddie Shaver studied under Dickey Betts of The Allman Brothers, played with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark, The Eagles, and was Dwight Yoakam’s guitar player for the first two years of Dwight’s career.
It’s only because of Eddie’s untimely death that he’s not better known. He was scheduled to release his first solo album in 2001 when he died of a heroin overdose on New Years Eve of 2000. Though Billy Joe Shaver is known most for his songwriting, and Eddie as a guitar slinger, it only takes a glimpse at either to see that the musical talent runs very deep with the Shaver clan.
June Carter
Though one might first think of June Carter as more of a mother of famous country artists instead of a daughter of them, June Carter is arguably the first daughter of country music. Her mother is “Mother” Maybelle Carter, given her nickname for being the mother of her performing daughters, and arguably the mother of country music. June began performing at the age of ten in 1939 as part of the landmark country outfit The Carter Family. It was through their mutual love of country music that she would eventually meet and fall in love with Johnny Cash, and the two went on to be one of country music’s powerhouse couples. June Carter was a muti-instrumentalist with a classic voice, and defines the nexus between country music’s primitive, classic, and modern eras.
It can be easy to overlook just what kind of impact Rosanne Cash has had on American music over the years. She seems to always be overshadowed by her father, by other famous sons and daughters of country legends, measured against them, and dogged by preceding labels that don’t always allow her to be judged on her own merit, while her musical accomplishments veer towards being somewhat misunderstood because she’s not always been nestled smack dab in the country realm as people want, expect, or anticipate.
But Rosanne’s critical and commercial accomplishments are far more than complimentary, they define a very successful career: Eleven #1 country singles, twenty-one Top 40 singles, and thirteen Grammy nominations is nothing to sniff at, and ultimately might at least get her mentions as a potential Hall of Fame inductee.
John Carter Cash
The only offspring between the country music super marriage of Johnny Cash and June Carter, John Carter Cash has spent his time as a singer and performer, but many of his important contributions to country music have come behind-the-scenes as a producer, songwriter, author, and general champion of the Cash estate and all things country music. It’s remarkable how many places you see John Carter’s name attached to projects as his puts effort out to make music happen in whatever capacity he can help in. Like his father, he has that selfless streak of service that surfaces in some of the most generous and cool ways.
Bobby Bare Jr.
Born in Nashville, TN to the original Outlaw Bobby Bare, Bobby Bare Jr. grew up next door to Tammy Wynette and George Jones in Hendersonville, and was nominated for a Grammy next to his father for the Shel Silverstein-written song “Daddy What If” from his father’s tribute album to Silverstein. Fronting roots rock bands like “Bare Jr.” and “Young Criminals Starvation League”, Bare’s career has been the result of avoiding “working a real job at any cost,” despite earning a psychology degree from the University of Tenessee, and not really getting deep into his own music until later in life. His high energy on stage and dark sarcasm in his songs have won him fans worldwide.
Other Famous Sons & Daughters:
Pam Tillis – 1994 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, and daughter of country great Mel Tillis
The Carter Family Daughters – Carlene Carter, Helen Carter, Anita Carter, Rosie Nix Adams.
Jett Williams – Daughter of Hank Williams that found out about her famous father later in life. Jett has been a performer and plays an important role as one of the executors of the Hank Williams estate.
Jesse Keith Whitley – Son of Lorrie Morgan and Keith Whitley
Marty Haggard, Noel Haggard, and Scott Haggard– More performing sons of Merle.
Dean Miller – Son of Roger Miller
Lilly Hiatt – Daughter of John Hiatt
Chelsea Crowell – Daughter of Rosanne Cash and Rodney Crowell
Paula Nelson – Leader of The Paul Nelson Band.
Tyler Mahan Coe – Guitar player and writer who spent years touring in his father’s band.
Folk Uke – Made up Willie Nelson’s daughter Amy, and Arlo Guthrie’s daughter Cathy.
Whey Jennings – The son of Terry Jennings, and grandson of Waylon Jennings.
Lucas Hubbard – Son of Ray Wylie Hubbard who often plays lead guitar with his father.
Lucky Tubb – Not technically a son or daughter, but a great nephew of Ernest.
Bluegrass – There are many performing sons and daughters of famous bluegrass musicians, but for fear of forgetting some and getting yelled at for it, this sentence is in dedication to them all. You rock! Or pick, or strum, or pluck! Go YOU!
Amy Nelson, Ben Haggard, Billy Joe Shaver, Bobby Bare, Bobby Bare Jr., Carlene Carter, Cathy Guthrie, Chelsea Crowell, David Allan Coe, Eddie Shaver, Folk Uke, George Jones, Georgette Jones, Hank Williams, Hank Williams III, Hank Williams Jr., Hank3, Holly Williams, Jesse Keith Whitley, Jessi Coulter, Jett Williams, Jody Payne, John Carter Cash, John Hiatt, Jubal Lee Young, June Carter, Justin Townes Earle, Lilly Hiatt, Lucas Hubbard, Lucky Tubb, Lukas Nelson, Merle Haggard, Pam Tillis, Paula Nelson, Rosanne Cash, Roy Nichols, Sammi Smith, Shel Silverstein, Shelli Coe, Shooter Jennings, Steve Earle, Steve Young, Tammy Wynette, Terrye Newkirk, Tyler Mahan Coe, Waylon Jennings, Waylon Payne, Whey Jennings, Willie Nelson
April 1, 2014 @ 7:12 am
Great list. Waylon Payne bummed a cigarette off a buddy of mine on a trip to Nashville outside The Stage on Broadway a couple years ago, cool guy, he joined the band on stage and sang Great Balls of Fire and Help Me Make It Through the Night.
The only one I’d add would be Jess Keith Whitley, son of both Keith Whitley and Lorrie Morgan, ex-step son of singer/songwriter Jon Randall and Sammy Kershaw.
“The only one I”™d add would be Jess Keith Whitley, son of both Keith Whitley and Lorrie Morgan, ex-step son of singer/songwriter Jon Randall and Sammy Kershaw.”
Good call. 🙂 I’d also add that Lorrie herself is the daughter of “Candy Kisses” crooner George Morgan.
Jenny B
I was visiting Nashville and I could not believe it, I met Lorrie Morgan (who I love) at a restaurant downtown Nashville. She was lovely and she introduced me to her family and friends who were with her. Lorrie and Keith Whitley”™s son Jesse Keith Whitley, cousin Zach, Todd Ashburn and Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus”™s cousin Bobby Cyrus. Everyone was so nice to me, just makes me like Lorrie that much more. Many great family acts stated in this article, I do love the way Lorrie and her son sing together.
I can’t think of any better addition to the strangers than Ben Haggard.
What about Pam Tillis?
paula wiser
Yes and Eddie Lee i saw where he was dna verified as willie nelsons son by a past affair…why cant some of these innocent affair kids by famous singers get noticed and this eddie lee sings and looks like his dad…
vero tex
January 1, 2017 @ 10:09 pm
I totally agree with Paula Wiser. It is a damn shame that no one speaks about the only biological son of Willie Nelson who had a horrible childhood because his father abandoned him. Read the story it will make your stomach turn. If the articles that are out are correct they state that the current sons of Willie are not his but are another country singer now deceased and one of Willies band members.. Eddie Dale Lee Nelson sounds exactly like his father and looks
just like him, but in a better way. He wants his father in his life and someone is not letting Willie get this information that Eddie wants and needs to talk to him. It is all very sad and I hope that a REAL journalist will take this story and get the truth out to the world. Eddie Lee is entitled to have his dad and to be reunited and helped from the mental abuse he has suffered from the lies and abandonment. Please, if there is a real journalist out there you need to get ahold of Eddie – this story is unbelievable. Currently, speaking with Directors and Producers about a movie about this sad story. I hope Eddie gets what he deserves and more importantly he just wants his dad in his life. Please help get this story out. Google it. Spread the word.
archenklos
Django Walker, son of Jerry Jeff. Not sure what he’s been up to lately.
TX Music Jim
Django is concentrating on writing mostly these days and had a cut “something bout a boat” on the last Jimmy Buffett CD that twas also featured on the set list every night on this last tour so he is having some success as a writer.
dwayne albert
you forgot to mention Merle’s other son Marty Haggard..he was and still is a performer as well
BwareDWare94
I’m one of the only people I know who loves Willie Nelson’s album “Heroes” (still have no idea why that album gets hate). The best songs on that record (The Sound of Your Memory, No Wings to Fly) involve heavy doses of Lukas Nelson. Coincidence? I think not.
I love “Heroes” and consider it a comeback album from Willie and regard it as one of his best late-career albums, partly because of the collaborations with Lukas. It’s a great introduction to Lukas for people who want to delve into him as an artist.
I also love “The Scientist” getting to shine, as a song. Coldplay/Coldplay’s singer may have wrote it, but it fit so much better in the hands of Willie and guitar.
ChrisLewisLouie
Not really a son but grandson..Chris Scruggs. I never knew Waylon Payne’s background. I noticed him playing with Tonya Watts alot and seen him in a few movies.
April 1, 2014 @ 10:40 am
One wonders, if so many of his own offspring are featured as well, why Hank Jr. isn’t above them as opposed to being below them? I guess because he’s a rather obvious choice?
I presented the names in no particular order on purpose, and even tried to mix it up to where no order could be implied. My intent here was not to rate the artists in any way, but to spread awareness about them. Some are very well-known, others are worthy artists that deserve more attention.
From a comercial standpoint Hank Jr. may be the most successful of any of the country music offspring.
Sonas
Why is deserving of a mention. Do you really think there is someone reading this site that might not be aware of this?
Perhaps not. However, others mentioned have been extremely comercially succesful as well like Pam Tillis and Lorie Morgan. Therefore, pointing out Hank Jr. success somewhat eclipses the others is not out of line entirely. Some people choose to be snarky in their comments but luckily most people do not.
Norma Steeneck
November 30, 2019 @ 10:33 am
I know this is a few years back, but I was searching for generation family singers and came upon this. Yes someone is readi g this. I have a great interest in Country Music 2nd generations
blue demon
roni , donna & scotty stoneman all children of pops stoneman. id also add carlene carter even though her career was ruined by drug use I think she still produced enough good music to earn a mention.
April 1, 2014 @ 12:43 pm
I mentioned her along with the other Carter daughters in the bottom section. I actually think Carlene boasts a pretty decent musical resume, despite some of the fights with personal demons. I’ve enjoyed a lot of her stuff here and there, and after all, she was the one that coined the phrase “Put the cun* back in country.”
Carter’s duet with Dave Edmunds “Baby Ride Easy” should have been a mega hit. She has made some excellent music, none better than that cut with Edmunds.
Lots of family traditions in country music. My favorite Haggard son is Noel, mostly because he sounds so much like his dad.
Yes and Eddie Lee i saw where he was dna verified as willie nelsons son by a past affair…why cant some of these innocent affair kids by famous singers get noticed and this eddie lee sings and looks like his dad…and scott haggard
EDDIE LEE SON OF WILLIE NELSON
June 8, 2016 @ 11:00 pm
Paula,, Trigger actually called me and did a 2 hour interview with me,, promised to tell the truth of Lukas being Johnny Paycheck’s son,, and myself being Willie’s only surviving genetic son,, guess what,,Trigger lied… and he uses my dad’s guitar name for his show name here.. amazing, ain’t it.. iI’m Eddie Lee son of Willie Nelson
June 9, 2016 @ 9:26 am
First point:
I did not “lie.” I haven’t said anything about the subject yet. Yes, I did interview you, and as I told you that day, I would be reaching out to the other respective parties to get their side of the story before I posted anything, which is only fair. At this point, I haven’t been able to get any response from them, and until I do, I won’t be posting anything. Even if I wait to get an official “no comment.” I never promised to tell the “truth” about Lukas, because I don’t know what the truth is at the moment. I legally can’t post 3rd party conjecture as fact or I can get sued for slander. What I can do is present all the facts as we know them, and if you feel confident your side of the story is true, then that will all come out in the end. But I am still working on putting all the facts together, and this could take months, maybe longer.
Second Point:
This article was posted over two years ago. You weren’t purposefully excluded from it, because I didn’t know you existed. Even now, I still have been unable to corroborate your story. I’m not saying it’s false, but there is no reason to include you on a two-year-old story nobody is reading anymore.
Third Point:
I am not using your dad’s guitar’s name for my pen name. “Trigger” is short of “The Triggerman,” and if you want, you can look into why I shortened the name. Furthermore, Willie Nelson did not coin that name, he took it from Gene Autry’s horse. So did Willie steal it? No, he did it in tribute. Just like I did.
I look forward to possibly speaking to you further on this matter once I’ve heard back from the Willie Nelson estate.
honey B
Trigger, If you listen to Lucas Nelson you will clearly not hear Willie N. in his voice. go research ELNelson find out his story and do an article about it. Attorneys will be sending this story to different media outlets and it will be mentioned that this site knew about ELN and did nothing about it. Is something going on under the table? Or is your organization just scared to bring this story to light. Either way, it seems that you would do the correct thing and research this very interesting story. ELN really has a great voice and sound too much like his father. I am not a WNelson lover so do not really care. ELN does deserve recognition because he is the ONLY BIOLOGICAL SON OF WILLIE. And its a joke when you say LucN sounds like his father – everyone in texas knows the truth and it makes your writings sound a little OUT OF HE LOOP and perhaps a little biased.
Listen,
Don’t come to my website on midnight on New Years Day using multiple aliases and preach to me about journalistic integrity and how I must be bias, and also deliver threats to me about the consequences of inaction. First, I wrote this specific article before I had any knowledge of Eddie Lee’s claims. Also, saying that Lukas Nelson sounds like Willie is an opinion, and has nothing to do with anything but someone’s perspective. I interviewed Eddie Lee for nearly two hours a while back, and as I told him at the time, he was going to have to be patient on this story, and I wasn’t going to be able to post anything without at least speaking to third parties who could corroborate at least some of his claims, or even if they responded with “no comment.” So far, not a single thing Eddie Lee has claimed has been verified by a third party. That doesn’t mean it’s not true, or that it won’t be verified in the future, but I am not in a position where I can post his story as fact. Don’t tell me “Google it,” because all the stories out there are written by Eddie himself. I have worked hours on this story, I have sent out scores of emails out and made multiple phone calls. And as I have told Eddie Lee in the past, I have not ruled out posting about this story. But slandering my name and somehow making me out as the enemy here is doing him no favors. I cannot post a story saying Lukas Nelson is illegitimate and Eddie Lee is Willie’s only son (which Eddie isn’t even claiming, what about Willie’s 1st marriage?) when I cannot verify this information from a 3rd party source. Talk about lawyers, this is the perfect way to get sued for slander. I could lose my website, my house, and my integrity and career.
As I have said multiple times, if and when this story is publishable, I will publish it. I am currently working on it, but it requires the participation of others and may take a long time. If I continue to get attacked as the enemy here, then the story may become something entirely different.
markf
That Holly Williams tune ”¦”¦ so sad/good.
thanks for this, very interesting.
bmmartin@austin.com
January 13, 2017 @ 10:08 pm
Thank you for you hard work and honesty , Triggerman. Apologies are sent to you as well as respect. We will wait, patiently for article. You are not looked liked as the enemy by any means.
Asa Dunn
Unfortunately had a chance run in with Eddie Lee or what ever he is called. He tells anyone his story and how he is entitled to monies due to him. People have tried to explain to him that just because you are not a biological son that does not make you any less loved. Eddy Lee has often called women or his step mom horrible names he is belligerent ugly and foul and there is no wonder there is hate and discontent amongst them. Willie knows what he is doing and Eddie needs to quit blaming Annie for keeping Willie away It’s his own damn fault. ELN is insulting Willie’s wife and boys – so keep him away. We are sure ELN has been with worse women than his step mom. All we e ever seen him with are married bimbos and those that try to poison him. He isn’t allows around his children. Why? There is a reason. He is a known liar cheater and big mouth. He deserves what he gets. Nothing but another mans gold digging worn out wife and nothing from his father. Too bad Eddie Lee – your attitude ruined you.
I’m not familiar with her music, but Chelsea Crowell is the daughter of Rosanne Cash and Rodney Crowell.
Hey, you left out Waylon Jenning’s grandson Struggle! (just kidding)
This is a great, great thread.
Thanks for including the second generation artists who are not your personal favorites.
They are all part of the fabric of country music dynasties.
I would add that I remember 26 – 28 years ago when a young college girl named Deana served beer at the most popular tavern in town.
She told us she wanted to be a country singer, but she didn’t share her last name as I recall.
She doesn’t play my kind of music, but she is part of the Carter/Cash clan.
If you’re referring to Deana Carter, her dad was singer-songwriter / producer / session guitarist Fred Carter Jr. 🙂
The children exceeded the fame of their parents but I’d add Kasey Chambers, daughter of Bill Chambers, and Darrell Scott, son of Wayne Scott.
Man what a good line up. Jubal Lee sounds extremely much like his dad. Thank you Trigg!
Don’t forget Dean Miller… and John Ritter!
I noticed someone conspicuously absent from this article. Dean Miller, who has a new album and video with Kris Kristofferson.
Hello Dean,
Thanks for the information. I have added your name above.
Please appreciate the point was not to exclude anyone from this list, nor was it intended to be an unabridged compendium of any and all performing sons and daughters in the country music realm, because even if I had included twice as many names as I did, many would have still been absent. It goes without saying that one person will not have the knowledge of every single performer in country. The point of this article was to attempt to spread awareness about the artists I was aware of, and in turn, it has helped me increase my awareness of artists I did not know of as well. Ironically, I distinctly remember your video premier with Kristofferson on USA Today I believe a while back, and had it in the site’s news stream and posted it on some social networks at the time. But for whatever reason, I forgot about it when compiling this list.
Unfortunately, many times these types of lists simply become a “Where’s Waldo”-style exercise of people scanning the content for any omissions instead of actually interacting with it to discover new artists. I spent many hours working on this article, and unfortunately, this appears to have been the majority way people decided to interact with it. So it goes.
Nonetheless, I apologize for the oversight.
Guy Nix
What about Robyn Young and Dean Miller? Both of their fathers are surely legends…
You left off Scott Haggard, who actually performed at the benefit for Wayne Mills last month. Just because he isn’t making waves doesn’t mean he is not good. He prefers to play for local spots and not ride his daddies coat tail.
thanks for enlightening me on Scott Haggard. Once again, the point here was not to overlook or exclude anyone. It would be impossible for one person, or even a group of people to know every single offspring of a country artist and include it on a list. The intent is to try to expand the knowledge of as many of these artists as possible.
JoelKaiser
Great article Trig, a lot of discoveries here, and a TON of talent! Much appreciated!
Don’t forget Hank 3’s canine son Trooper. He’s contributed vocals to multiple albums.
Deana Carter, Savannah Welch, Dustin Welch, Hilary Scott…. I could go on. Many, many missing here!
September 22, 2014 @ 9:25 pm
Great article, but you also left out TWO son’s of FAMOUS COUNTRY SINGERS…..
They are RONNIE ROBBINS and BUDDY ALAN OWENS,
Ronnie Robbins at an early age sang country music with his famous dad Marty Robbins…..also Buddy Alan Owen’s, son of BUCK OWENS had a successful career as a mid-level act in the early to mid-70’s on Capitol Records and even charted a top ten duet with his dad Buck with the song; “Let the world keep on a turnin”….Buddy performed as Buddy Alan and even appeared on HEE HAW for many years with his dad and playing with the BUCKAROO”S
nancy williams
what about Ronnie and Robyn Robbins ? children of Marty and Marzona?
December 8, 2019 @ 8:11 pm
What about Michael Twitty , Tre Twitty
Son and grandson of Conway Twitty
Or Taylor Lynn granddaughter of Loretta Lynn
I could name several others also
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Was the Grateful Dead The Most Important American Band of All Time?
Trigger Random Notes 155 Comments
Over the 4th of July weekend at Chicago’s Soldier Field, the four surviving original members of the Grateful Dead, Phish frontman Trey Anastasio, Bruce Hornsby, and Jeff Chimenti will be marking the band’s 50th Anniversary by playing a series of shows in the last setting Jerry Garcia ever performed in before passing away in 1995. A couple of recently-added shows in California notwithstanding, this is the final ‘Fare Thee Well’ to one of America’s most iconic bands.
The Grateful Dead was iconic for sure, but was the band one of the most important American bands in history, if not the most important? Let’s take a look at the band’s legacy and try to answer that question.
It Was One of the Greatest Touring Bands of All Time
When you think of the Grateful Dead, you think of a band with a cult following—not a band that captured the American zeitgeist and held it for an extended period. But the band’s touring success rivals all others, and surpassed any other American band during the height of their era.
The Grateful Dead played to an estimated 25 million people over their career—more than any other band in history. In 1998, The Guinness Book of World Records certified that the band had played the “most rock concerts ever performed” at the time with 2,318. The Grateful Dead played to one of the biggest audiences ever recorded for a live event when they performed at Summer Jam at Watkins Glen in 1973 to an estimated 600,000 people. In the 1990’s, the Grateful Dead made a total revenue of $285 million off of touring, making them the highest-grossing American band of the decade, and the second-highest grossing band only behind The Rolling Stones. What makes that statistic even more remarkable is Jerry Garcia died in 1995, meaning they achieved his feat in the first half of the decade alone. Simply put, the Grateful Dead was a touring juggernaut.
And beyond the astounding statistics and world records, they played countless legendary smaller venues and other important events throughout the country and world. The Grateful Dead played Woodstock. The Grateful Dead played a series of concerts at the pyramids of Giza in Egypt. They were the house band for the Kool-Aid acid tests. They also played an astounding 500 different documented songs during their legendarily improvised concert sets. They also were pioneers and innovators for concert sound. One of the reasons the Grateful Dead was so popular live is because the band just sounded so much better than any other live band. The Grateful Dead were arguably the most important, and most successful live band ever.
It Was The King and One of the Originators of a Musical Era
If you want to be considered the most important American band ever, it’s pretty necessary that you helm an indelible musical movement whose reverberations and relevant contributions can still be felt today, and that’s exactly what the Grateful Dead did with the psychedelic era. Haight & Ashbury in San Francisco was the epicenter of the marriage of psychedelic drugs and music, and the Grateful Dead was the heart of Haight & Ashbury. Hired to play at the Kool-Aid acid tests, Jerry Garcia aptly was named Captain Trips, and the band’s creative marriage of American roots music with nouveau and experimental sounds put it right on the cutting edge of a musical era whose influence would range international, and fuel the dawning of the counterculture.
There were many bands of the psychedelic era that had bigger hits, were more popular, or sold more records. But the Grateful Dead is where it all began. The band’s sophomore album Anthem of the Sun was meant to be listened to while on psychedelics, and married live and studio sounds in a groundbreaking recorded effort. But even though drugs and the Grateful Dead went hand in hand during the mid and late 60’s, even a sober mind could appreciate the inventiveness of the music, and see the creative spark they lit—one that still burns in modern music today.
The Band Mastered So Many Different American Music Genres
As documented above, the Grateful Dead was a pioneering band of the psychedelic era in music, but it began as a blues band. Their first studio record was very much a blues album, and the blues is what the Grateful Dead always came back to during their incredible run. When the appeal for psychedelic music began to trail off, the Grateful Dead went country, and was able to do so with authority since Jerry Garcia had already been working as a steel guitar studio player. Jerry guided the Dead in a country direction and it arguably resulted in the band’s greatest musical era. 1970’s Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty are some of the finest country records ever released, and the band regularly covered songs like Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” and other country standards in their live sets. Jerry Garcia was also later part of the bluegrass supergroup Old and In The Way.
But when it came time for the band to move on from the country sound, they showed their alacrity and prowess as musicians in the jazz album Blues For Allah. They showed their skills with reggae and funk on Shakedown Street. And in 1987, the rock album In The Dark won the group its greatest commercial success, coming in at #6 on the Billboard 200, and giving the Grateful Dead their first #1 (and Top 40) song with “Touch of Grey.”
Representing nearly all of the diverse and important genres that go into making the wider American music tapestry during its run, the Grateful Dead proved not just its proficiency, but its dedication to distinctly American music forms.
They Had A Major Cultural Impact
The importance of a given artist or band is not always best measured in musical parameters. Sometimes it’s important to consider the cultural impact it had outside of music. And from tie-dye T-shirts, to pints of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream, the legacy of the Grateful Dead left a footprint on American culture like few others.
Some bands and artists have garnered huge followings or inspired stylistic shifts in clothing and hairstyles for a short period, but the culture surrounding the Grateful Dead with Deadheads and beyond is its own subset of American life that has lasted generations. The band’s countercultural identity started in the mid 60’s, outlasted the Regan years, stretched into the Clinton era, and still exists today.
Whether you’re a fan or even familiar with the Grateful Dead’s music, you probably can recognize a Steal Your Face sticker. There are certain words and phrases in the American vernacular that are directly tied to the songs and the culture surrounding the Grateful Dead. And let’s not forget that their concert tours led to the explosion of popularity in other jam bands such as Phish, Dave Matthews Band, and inspired many of America’s modern mega-festivals like Bonnaroo.
What American Bands Were More Important?
Did the Grateful Dead have a lot of huge radio hits? No they didn’t. How about gold and platinum albums? Not so much. Did they win many Grammy awards? That would be negative. But taking into consideration all of their contributions to American culture, who are you going to put above them? Aerosmith? Nirvana? Metallica? Were any of these bands’ impact as lasting and influential as the Grateful Dead? How about Guns ‘N Roses, Kiss, or Van Halen? It almost seems silly to ask. The Eagles, The Beach Boys, Credence, or Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers? Okay, maybe a case could be made for these bands. But the Grateful Dead deserves to be in the discussion, and despite officially calling it quits, their legacy, music, and influence will continue on for generations to come.
Jerry Garcia, Merle Haggard, Old and In The Way, Phish, The Grateful Dead
July 5, 2015 @ 6:53 pm
Certainly an intriguing piece. I think a case has to be made for Nirvana. Personally, I’m a bigger Pearl Jam fan than Nirvana, but when it comes to a lasting legacy and impact on culture, Nirvana’s was massive. They took us out of the disgusting Hair Metal era and gave us music filled with actual emotion again. An argument can be made whether or not one likes the grunge genre, but you can’t argue with the dedication and emotion that went into every record. For a decade or so, music meant something again in the mainstream. In terms of a longer lasting impact, the Grateful Dead certainly seem to have a leg up. But I think if you were looking for a debate over the question, Nirvana surely is the best challenger.
The issue I have with Nirvana is that the impact was confined to about half a decade to a decade. I think Nirvana is riding high right now because of the Kurt Cobain doc and the 20th Anniversary and all of that, but in the end, when zooming out and looking big picture, they were kind of a blip. I don’t want to degrade Nirvana at all. I think they were a hugely important band and deserve to be in this discussion. But when you have a band that was one of the most influential in the 60’s, and one of the most commercially successful in the 90’s, that is a lasting impact.
Nadia Lockheart
Yeah, I wouldn’t include Nirvana for much the same reason.
If Jefferson Airplane had maintained their namesake through the Jefferson Starship days, then I would consider them à legitimate contender too. But name changes matter, and Starship really damaged their reputation as did their médiocre 1985 réunion album.
I’d say the Beach Boys would be #1 on the Most Influential American Bands list. But Grateful Dead might be my #2 (it’s between them and The Eagles). The Eagles have thé clear advantage in commercial returns, but I think The Grateful Dead make up for that à huge deal with the culture they’ve inspired around their music, as well as one of the most shamelessly loyal fanbases of all time)
July 6, 2015 @ 6:46 am
I don’t mean to come across as an ass, but the main reasons Nirvana is still prevalent in modern culture has less to do with their music and more to do with the fact that Kurt Cobain ate a shotgun, conspiracy theories run rampant, and the grunge scene imploded overnight just as it had appeared. To imply that Nirvana, a band that only remains in the public consciousness because of outlying factors, is more important than the likes of the Grateful Dead or any of the others that Trigger postulated (that are mostly famous for MUSIC) is really bothersome.
wailingjennings
Sure, there’s a mythos around suicide. But plenty of artists have killed themselves and not had the impact as have Nirvana. Darby Crash and Mindy McCready won’t make the same waves Nirvana did. We’re still in close proximity to that time, so who knows what lasting effects will be. I suspect they’ll be more enduring.
chris evening
I would have to say you are sadly mistaken . Nirvana was a good band but certainly not the best band of all time as far as appearance talent songs and connection with the audience . I wouldn’t even consider nirvana anywhere near the best band ever which is a matter of opinion .they were simply a passing phase that was created on purpose to break up the hair metal scene which had more talent in there left pinky than nirvana had in the whole band.and they just touched a certain segment of the population mainly shitty ass lazy white kids
Guns and Roses was a great band man. Also, it seems like you are judging this thing on longevity and touring stamina. And in those things The Dead can’t be beat. I’d argue that The Beach Boys, credence and Nirvana all had bigger impacts on the culture. Or at least on mainstream culture.
The thing about a band like Nirvana or some others, the cultural impact was big, but was so short lived. The Beach Boys and Credence influence had some serious legs though.
Maybe I’m too young (mid 40s) but to me all I think of when it comes to the Grateful Dead is weirdly obsessed fans that could stand to take a bath and maybe spend a little time in rehab.
As for their music I can honestly say that I can’t name a single song or album by them while I could name many, many songs and albums by the other bands you mentioned.
Can you be the most important American band without having any memorable songs or albums?
I guess that all really depends on perspective. The Grateful Dead were not a radio band, and never were. But the people that did listen to them, that was pretty much all they listened to.
I guess what it comes down to is what is more impactful a wider base of fans or a stronger core of fans.
Admittedly I have never given this topic much thought before now but I think I would go with the Beach Boys because they also have longevity while having a wider cultural impact and for my money ‘Pet Sounds’ is one of the greatest albums ever recorded and ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ is near musical perfection.
The Beach Boys were the other name I kept coming to when pondering this question. I think a fair case can be made for them.
Actually, Trig, GD songs (e.g. Candyman) were played on AM radio when I was a kid.
I’ll bet you’re too young to remember AM radio.
And then they lost radio playtime and became an afterthought to the musical scene until Touch of Grey and then Jerry’s death in 1995.
Rita Heise
I heard the GD on the radio all the time. Am and FM. The fan base was wide open. Anyone from CEO’s of big corporations to the homeless. Family’s brought their kids. It was always a peaceful gathering before and after the show’s.
The music came alive and connected people of all backgrounds. The sad thing was the over indulging in street drugs. The music was uplifting and folk. Easily followed by all ages.
I have to say that no other band can top or compare to what GD was all about.
April 21, 2018 @ 7:14 am
Way off. Listening to The Dead inspires pwople to explore & appreciate all kinds of music, (so does acid). Deadheads listen to everything. The Grateful Dead spawned a culture of innovation in the music world & beyond.
KathyP
A compelling case for the Grateful Dead. I think you covered it pretty thoroughly. Other later bands may have inspired or influenced cultural shifts, but the Dead were the first to do it. Those original Woodstock fans are now in their late 60s, 70s. How’s that for longevity?
ps…I wonder how many readers know what the Kool Aid tests were.
Tunesmiff
Their versions of Marty Robbins “El Paso” Hag’s “Mama Tried”, and Cash’s “Big River” along with the original Old and In the Way vinyl (with Vassar Clements’s fiddle), stopped out on the path Gram Parsons started, bring old school country fresh breath, proving its timelessness and ability to “evolve” while staying true to both their musical character AND the songs’.
Their concerts were, despite the busts for various pharmaceutical indiscretions, notable for being relatively peaceful, and for allowing (and even setting aside an area for) the amateur recordist~ bootleggers~ provided they traded tapes for tapes.
Having been to a few here in Atlanta, there’s a lot the big venue shows today, (and even your unfortunate experience this weekend, Trig), could learn from.
Thanks for sharing this story~ folks like you help make sure “the music~ never~ stops…”
That should’ve read”STEPPED out on the path Gram Parsons started…”
Matty T
Yes. They are absolutely the most important American music group of all time. Despite being an absolute diehard Country-Western fan the Grateful Dead are tied for my all-time favorite band and you make a very good case for why they are the most important. Great article, Trig. In their own way they were partially a country band. They did stellar covers of many country songs especially their take on “Sing Me Back Home” and I’ve said many times that “Friend Of The Devil” is the most underrated country song of all time.
Ditto on “Friend of the Devil” ~ and Lyle Lovett’s cover on the tribute album “Dedicated “is not to be missed.
Longtime readers will vouch that I’m already on record saying “Friend of the Devil” is my favorite song of all time.
July 6, 2015 @ 12:15 am
That’s a damn good song.
“American Beauty” is one of my favorite albums, regardless of genre, of all time.
Interesting. When I try to pick a favorite I always end coming back to Ray Charles recording of the Rodgers and Hammerstein song “Oh What A Beautiful Morning” from Oklahoma, Ray just takes it places you didn’t think the song could go being from a musical.
frank the tank
Until reading this article and the comments, the only Grateful Dead song I could name was Truckin’ (and that’s only from hearing the excellent Dwight Yoakam cover on the Reprise Please Baby box set). I just listened to “Friend of the Devil” on YouTube and it was very good. This led me to the Grateful Dead’s version of “Whiskey in the Jar,” which was incredible! I now know that this is a traditional Irish song, but prior to today, the only version of this song that I had heard was Metallica’s (which is also excellent in my opinion).
Word, amigo, they are the most important band.
John Conquest
Interesting argument but my feeling is that no band has ever been the Most Important for more than a few months or years at a time. It’s all down to individual experience. The Dead peaked for me with Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty, after that I couldn’t care less. For my personal musical development, Ray Charles was the Most Important for a short while, as was Gram Parsons, as was Joe Ely, as was Bobby Charles, as was Townes Van Zandt – whoops just realized that I’m taking about individuals not bands and now I cannot think of a single band that I’d call truly important and that includes CCR who helped me survive the late 60 and most of the 70s.
Steffan May
Great article! Hard to argue with your points, and it’s helps that the Dead are one of my favorite bands. In any case, their commitment to such a breadth of American genres from blues to country to folk rock to jazz, by itself is damn impressive. That and they arguably created an entire genre (“jam bands”) that (like them or not) have taken up or influenced a huge swath of contemporary musicians and songwriters, including bands like Sturgill Simpson.
Hard not to consider the Dead as being in the top tier of great American Bands. I do love their more rootsy stuff such as the Workingman’s Dead/American Beauty era and the live acoustic album Reckoning. Not a huge fan of their more psychedelic and trippy jamming stuff, myself.
The other band that can check many of the same boxes are the Allman Brothers Band. And they got quite the second wind when Warren Haynes and Allen Woody joined up with them around 1990. They put out three strong studio albums in the ’90s and another very good one in the early aughts. Some excellent live albums, too.
ShadeGrown
Allman Brothers Band. They were slipping my mind but they’d definitely be near the top of any list… Metallica and Slayer are both extremely influential and have had longevity. Megadeth as well with their influence on technical metal. All these bands still have cult followings though Metallica would be the only act that draws like the Dead. As for Nirvana, I like them but they were the worst of the Big Four Seattle Bands and hair metal was checking out with or without them. GNR would be high on the list as well simply for how perfect “Appetite…” was/is. And Pantera influenced heavy metal greatly as well. Van Halen isn’t my thing but Eddie’s guitar playing has influenced so many players that they’d have to be high on anyone’s list and their following is still huge. But all this said, considering how many Grateful Dead shirts you see – even though many people wearing them don’t know the bands music – they certainly deserve to be in the discussion.
The Allman Brothers Band is one of those bands that, as much as they obviously deserve immense respect and recognition, wouldn’t rate in the top tier of most important American bands because in my eyes, much like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Credence Clearwater Revival, their appeal is more regional compared to other names being considered who remain influential to the United States as a whole.
Slayer is undoubtedly an important band to heavy metal as a whole, but I just don’t feel like they’re contenders when considering the single most important American bands as a whole. They’re really unsung heroes when you think about it, compared to Metallica, who are heavy metal’s commercial behemoth.
With Metallica, they definitely deserve at least an honorable mention, though I think their latter career releases haven’t been all that kind to them. Most fans would probably tell you “The Black Album” was their last truly great album, but you’d also find a lot of outspoken purists who lash out at them having “sold out” with that album and would insist “…And Justice For All” was their actual last great album. So I’d say their first five albums single-handedly make them a force to be reckoned with, but their latter career efforts may have taken them down a peg or two.
Nirvana wouldn’t even make my Honorable Mentions list. I personally thought “In Utero” was their best album, but it seems “Nevermind” is the only album that’s ever cited among the vast majority these days. It just seems that album stands out as more important than the band itself……………..and when that happens, I fail to see how I could rate a band itself as among the most important.
Same with Guns N Roses. Most listeners remember them solely by “Appetite For Destruction” and a couple other singles, while completely overlooking the “Use Your Illusion” era. Axl Rose undoubtedly has talent on his own, but I think his infamous antics on and off the stage over the past twenty years have tarnished the band’s legacy considerably.
It’s interesting how, as ridiculously successful as Van Halen has been over the years, how I nonetheless almost never hear their name cited when it comes to legacy and cultural influence in recent years. It’s as though they were monumental back in the day, but are kind of an afterthought now. I actually hear David Lee Roth name-dropped more than the band itself these days.
Van Halen’s songs are vapid and lack the depth and seriousness to make them memorable. I like Van Halen, and I am especially awed by Eddie’s guitar abilities. Its almost as if he created a new instrument. But, the songs are C+, at best.
Which is why The Smithsonian featured Eddie Van Halen in its “What is Means to be an American Series”. His contribution to guitar design and playing style were monumental. Regarding pure American rock and roll, Aerosmith’s Rocks was an enormous inspiration for many bands that followed (i.e. Guns & Roses).
If Metallica hasn’t released a great album since #s 4 or 5 they fit right in with every other all-time great band. Sabbath, in my mind peaked with their 6th and Zeppelin with their 4th… Most bands peak and breakup. I commend Metallica for not trying to rewrite the Black album and moving toward a more bluesy direction with Load, though I know many feel that period was where they really “sold out”. Just while typing this another cult band with a great discography came to mind – Tool.
marky mark
On your Zepplin comment, personally i thought Houses of the Holy matched ZOSO and Physical Graffiti eclipsed both in almost every way imaginable. i would argue for Physical Graffiti as one of the five greatest albums of all time (I would include Back in Black and Appetite for Destruction as two of the others).
Nadia, i find your comments almost always reflect my thoughts (so you must be right!). G’n’R sprang to mind on this thread, but although they have been a favorite for 20 years, the output and longevity cut against them in this debate. i do think UYI I&II were as equally great as Appetite, but as a band they were like a brief explosion versus someone like the dead, skynyrd, tom petty and the heartbreakers that all made consistently great albums over a long period of time. I would not consider Nirvana (or even Pearl Jam, who i much prefer of the two), because they really didn’t have the songs. Much like the Sex Pistols, to me they seemed like more of a statement or a scene than a band. i doubt there will ever be a resurgence of the grunge sound, but rock and roll like G’n’R played will always return.
in terms of cult following, I would say Jimmy Buffet is close to being equal to the dead. kiss had their own army back in the 70s, albeit made up of teenagers and preteens. I would say that Lynard Skynard had as much influence as the Dead, and the Stones had way more influence. I only know the song truckin by the dead, which I do not like. I would consider the dead a novelty band at best. A conversation about most important musicians that does not mention Johnny Cash really is no conversation.
Even though this débate is focused on American bands, I absolutely agree he is among the most Influential American entertainers of all time.
Interestingly enough, Jimmy Buffett has also had very limited commercial success throughout his career. In fact, some of his songs regarded as classic now didn’t even chart in their initial commercial runs.
I would concur about including Buffett in this conversation, but I would ads that Buffett’s played Dead songs (“Scarlet Begonias “), but I don’t think the Dead ever played a Buffett song.(Don’t know if that makes or breaks the argument, tho…)
The Beach Boys are thé most Influential American band in history, in my view, for this reason.
In addition to their commercial successes, they inspired à lasting sub-culture surrounding their music. They basically epitomized your summer soundtrack along with Sly & the Family Stone. Then, when it seemed they had plateaued, Brian Wilson wrote “Pet Sounds” and proved they could challenge themselves with their music and more melancholic thèmes too. I still hear plenty of pop acts cite them as influences to this day.
But Grateful Dead and The Eagles would do a cage match for thé #2 Most Influential American Band honor, easily.
Crédence Clearwater Revival deserve an honorable mention, but I’d say their success is a little more regional than the aforementioned names as is Lynyrd Skynyrd. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers would rank #4 I believe.
I’d also give an honorable mention to R.E.M.
College rock and alternative have R.E M. in large part to thank for making both of them viable in thé mainstream from the late 80s onward. I’d dare argue if we were making à more complète listing, R.E.M. would rate above Nirvana and Pearl Jam in thé eyes of most music historians (even despite a string of inconsistent late 90s-00s albums) when it comes to importance.
agun
I agree with Nadia. R.E.M legacy will last forever. They’re mainstream but at the same time they’re also underrated. And remember R.E.M are the architect of alternative-rock. They started from the bottom. One of the pioneer indie scene in America. But influence many great bands such as Radiohead, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth, Pavement, Sonic Youth, U2 and many more pop-rock/alternative/indie-rock and today’s bands.. Clearly, their influence is much wider than The Dead. They’re maybe disbanded by now. But there’s always a chance to get a reunion since the original member still alive and well.
Noah, is that you?
Noah Eaton
Yep! =)
I explained in a reply in the Easton Corbin’s “About To Get Real” thread why I’ve decided to go by my chosen name as a transgender female from this point forward, as well as why I was going by my given name beforehand (mostly out of the concern of having too many thread discussions digress toward me being transgender, but realizing over time that is silly and I just need to speak and address myself as what is true to me) =)
EDIT: Ooooops, I forgot to make the change to my name on my laptop just now as I was posting this reply (I made my earlier comment on my Samsung phone! =P
No matter what name or gender identity you choose, just know that you have my full support 🙂
Thanks sooooooooooo much! =D
Harlem Prairie
When I sang “Friend of the Devil” the other night, had the honky-Tonk crowd swooning. Shall always be an Allmaniac/Deadhead unto the Beyond…the best postwar America’s offered for a shared folkway. And I wish I’d been @ the Acid Test in Watts!
I’ve had the exact discussion with my friends that are music buffs. For me, my vote was Skynyrd. Yes, they were gone too soon, but their impact was monstrous. You still hear their songs constantly today and people still wear their shirts. You see bumper stickers and there are plenty of mimic bands out there. Pearl Jam, while I’m not a fan, certainly is near the top of the list. Van Halen, too. I think Creedence would’ve been the same way if they would’ve made it. Grateful Dead was legendary, but it was just a cult following type of deal. More of an experience, which is fine. GD have their musical place in history but nowhere near the most important.
You make a compelling case for Lynyrd Skynyrd………………and while I agree they are among the most influential American bands, here’s where I would somewhat disagree with you (and the reason is depressing! =( ).
Before that terrible plane crash in 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd were at their peak of popularity. There’s absolutely no doubt about that. “Street Survivors” went double platinum and “What’s Your Name” became their second-biggest career hit (behind the obvious “Sweet Home Alabama”). But it understandably just left everyone who survived shook up and they went on hiatus for a decade. Then, they returned………….and while they’ve been fairly prolific since then……………..I’m sorry, but the post-1977 incarnation has put out a lot of mediocre, disposable material that falls painfully short of their former quality. I especially remember listening to “Vicious Cycle” and by the end felt depressed by how much they plunged from their heightday with so many songs that shamelessly pandered to drinking and jingoism.
Lynyrd Skynyrd post-1977 has just felt more like a facsimile of the band than continuing where they left off. I’ve just rarely heard a lot of soul in this incarnation like I did beforehand. Which is depressing admitting, because who knows what would have happened if that absolute heartbreak never transpired or was averted? Instead, we have a band that was great, but then became painfully mediocre upon regrouping much like Jefferson Airplane in its later incarnations! =(
I must be too cynical to get into a discussion like this. I’m always too taken aback by the bands that have mostly maintained their popularity due to a tragedy at some point that forever fractured the band. In this way, I think music is like love: one needs closure. With bands like Skynyrd and Nirvana, there was none because of what happened (which is also indicative of the whole grunge scene, which was self-destructive). As such, it leaves a bunch of fans in the lurch and pining for the good old days, which breeds second, third and further generation fans that only hear the party line and never any criticism, as it suddenly becomes in poor taste.
And how is Lynyrd Skynyrd’s appeal not regional, but Creedence’s is?
My issue with Skynyrd is that the musical landscape had already been laid by other more important bands by the time they got going, including by the Grateful Dead. The extended jam on “Free Bird” may have never been possible in popular music if it weren’t for the Dead, and the Dead opened a lot of doors for The Allman Brother’s improvisational sets as well, both directly in the California scene, and indirectly with the influence in their music. But again, The Grateful Dead met their commercial success in the 90’s when Skynyrd was basically a tribute act.
I positively love Skynyrd and definitely think they are worth considering in the argument. But I think they fall short in regards to influence, though they certain best the Grateful Dead with hits and commercial appeal.
Good point, and also good to see mention of the Allman Brothers. I’d also like to add to my talkdown of Skynyrd that there’s a subtle, but nonetheless present, difference between popularity and influence. They’re a part of the public mindset, sure, but music that is openly influenced by their style and mission is rare these days.
Same goes for Nirvana, once again. That band, particularly Kurt Cobain, is extremely popular. However, it seems more associational than influential. After all, if you like the “fuck everybody” band you’re suddenly “cool.” The fact that there are Nirvana t-shirts at every department store known to man and Cobain was featured as a possible performer in the video game Guitar Hero 5 a few years ago says it all. These “fans” don’t understand nor appreciate who Cobain was or what he set out to accomplish with his music. He’s not an influential personality so much as a popular one.
You could make a similar case for Skynyrd: they were one of the first bands/musicians to injected that almost arrogant sense of Southern pride into their music. The “redneck and proud” mantra that is so popular in bro-country. However, whereas Skynyrd was simply proud of their roots, as we all know the laundry list lyrics of today are smoke and mirrors. In addition, I always felt like Skynyrd had some sort of class, whereas a lot of that “redneck and proud” stuff comes across more like “white trash and proud” these days.
I don’t know. I can understand Skynyrd to an extent, but I weep for the day that a general consensus brands Nirvana the “greatest American band of all-time.” One wonders where they would be if Cobain hadn’t killed himself and forever launched his legacy into the stratosphere of transcendent “genius.” Even though it’s a bit unfair, I think bands that ended due to tragedy shouldn’t be considered. It’s the ones that endure, that keep on going despite hardship and stylistic shifts and culture wars, that are the true pioneers.
I think there was more of a wit and soul to Lynyrd Skynyrd pre-1978 in terms of their songwriting and craftsmanship. Southern pride was definitely integral to their definitive work, but it was done in a way that generally transcended cliche and the musicianship was top-notch.
From 1987 onward, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s songwriting has been absolutely painful listening to, overall, in how much they’ve drowned in cliches. Seriously: they’ve been no better than your run-of-the-mill corporate country laundry list-songwriting. Songs like “That’s How I Like It”, “G.W.T.G.G.”, “Pick ‘Em Up” and “Homegrown” almost glimpse bro-country later on down the line. Or generic songs about their band roaring into your town that would be just as awful as one of Jason Aldean’s inane rockers like “Rockin’ Little Town” and “Skynyrd Nation”, or absolutely lame attempts at social commentary that just ring hollow like “All Funked Up”.
In contrast, the Allman Brothers Band had never pandered like Lynyrd Skynyrd have. The former has always been more influenced by jam bands like the Grateful Dead to begin with, but their songwriting was also very descriptive and had fresh narration and perspective.
the deserter
Skynyrd is basically a religion in the southeast
CountryKnight
The Beach Boys.
rumham
Country music sucks about as much as Widespread Panic…
the Beastie Boys. and i dont wanna hear no shit about Run DMC and LL Cool J. the Beasties made rap okay for whitey and commercially viable. if Licensed To Ill never happens, hip hop would of quietly went away like the lame ass disco music they were originally rapping over.
Good call! I knew I was forgetting someone, and feel bad they didn’t cross my mind earlier! -__-
Beastie Boys are definitely somewhere in the Top Ten, and I actually scratch what I said earlier about Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers coming in at #4 on my list. I think the Beastie Boys edge Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers there when it comes to cultural importance (not at all diminishing Petty’s immense contributions, surely)
There will never be a group like them again. They never released a mediocre-or-worse album, and are also among the most relevant American bands to have influenced artists on an international scale too…………….not just in hip-hop but in alternative music and even pop music.
I think the Beastie Boys deserve to be in the discussion, especially if we’re going to include rap/hip-hop bands which is only fair.
If Don Henley’s solo contributions are counted, then the Eagles certainly win this category. Henley’s string of hits in the 80s was simply impressive.
if we are counting solo contributions, then we gotta count joe walsh and glenn freys contributions as well, then the eagles would most definitely be number 1.
Another strike in favor of the Eagles: they built a far stronger fan base in the country genre than any of the other bands on the list.
I would also add Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band for their long-term impact. “Born in the USA” remains one of the most culturally resonant songs today, and Springsteen and his band are the #1 go-to rock legends for award shows and benefit concerts.
Bruce Springsteen would be a strong contender among the Top Ten Most Important American Entertainers of all-time to me, though I wouldn’t say Top Five.
Elvis Presley would certainly have to be regarded as #1 in my eyes (personally, I have never cared for his music as much as other legendary acts, but his influence and appeal is undeniable). Bob Dylan would be #2 (though I can see how one can easily make a case Woody Guthrie is actually the more “important” name) and I’d argue Louis Armstrong is #3. Johnny Cash would follow close behind and Aretha Franklin would probably close the Top Five.
After that, it gets rather complicated. “Importance” will diverge in meaning from person to person. On one hand, you have the legendary entertainers James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and Michael Jackson who obviously deserve great recognition here and who have obviously influenced a ridiculous number of artists. Yet, on the other hand, you could think outside the box of show business and argue there were ever more artistic and innovative names that have influenced the whole of American music behind the curtain that are kind of unsung heroes: including George Gershwin, Stephen Foster, Lowell Mason, Billie Holiday and Frank Zappa. And even still, you have names that are in-between like Chuck Berry who obviously was a true innovator.
If you’re gauging “importance” heavily on some degree of name recognition and stage presence, then Bruce Springsteen would probably squeak toward the bottom of the Top Ten in my view. Here’s how I’d rank the Top Ten Most Important/Influential American Entertainers of All-Time:
1: Elvis Presley
2: Bob Dylan
3: Louis Armstrong
4: Johnny Cash
5: Aretha Franklin
6: Michael Jackson
7: James Brown
8: Chuck Berry
9: Bruce Springsteen
10: Robert Johnson
But if we were approaching this outside of the show business box, my thoughts shift remarkably and I’d consider George Gershwin, Lowell Mason, Stephen Foster and probably Duke Ellington and Scott Joplin top candidates. Possibly Lou Reed sneaks in there behind them.
If we include solo singers, the range of possible candidates expands dramatically. This is the one issue that I had in arguing for Springsteen: should he be considered a soloist or a part of the E Street Band?
Definitely solo. I’d say that most casual listeners that aren’t Springsteen aficionados don’t even know his band is considered a separate entity on the bill. Same with Merle Haggard and the Strangers.
I agree with Acca Dacca. All of his albums have his name and his name only on them. Also, he was the sole songwriter for all original songs. Little Steven is a fine songwriter in his own right, but you won’t find any co-writes with Bruce among Bruce’s albums. Also, until Nils Lofgren joined, Bruce was the main lead guitar player in the band. You can contrast this with Tom Petty and the Heatbreakers. Petty is definitely the front man and the primary songwriter, but there were many co-writes with Mike Campbell and Campbell has always been his right hand man.
When I put this together (I don’t think of myself as any expert whatsoever, mind you, this is just my take), I was solely thinking individual “entertainers” as opposed to “bands”.
But, I’d be inclined to think even if I did include bands, the Top Ten would remain stagnant, arguably. I think Robert Johnson’s contributions to American music and culture at large are arguably more important and crucial than those of the Beach Boys
Fuzzy TwoShirts
Robert Johnson is the best! But if we’re talking influential, I would say Leadbelly was more influential, especially across genres, than was Johnson.
RichK
This list of solo singers seems to be saying that when it comes to outsized cultural impact, the U.S. really isn’t about bands after all, right?
Take away sales and the most *influential* U.S. bands: Velvet Underground/Stooges. Ramones. REM.
Greatest U.S. band: The Replacements (closest thing ever to the U.S. Rolling Stones).
I agree the cultural impact of the Dead is impossible to ignore.
But if I was playing favorites Linda Ronstadt would win it for me all but four of her albums went multi-platinum she put some very well know song-writers on the map and worked with any one worth working with. She did jazz, blues, latin, country, pop and managed to dodge disco. She recorded two of the seminal female “go to hell” anthems… “You’re No Good” and “Different Drum”. She didn’t care much about awards and honors and even forgot a Grammy in the backseat of a rental car! For her it was always about the music.
But in my top ten Ray Charles, Prince, The Talking Heads, CCR, Stevie Wonder, Duke Ellington, Carole King, B.B. King, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash
I love Linda Ronstadt and pretty much all her music. She and Nanci Griffith are criminally underrated in my eyes even despite a relative lull during the 80s, Ronstadt’s countless Platinum certifications and Grammy Awards because I rarely hear her name surface when it comes to cultural influence.
I know almost everyone will cite “Heart Like A Wheel” as her definitive album, but I personally think “Winter Light” spoke the most to me. Her duet album with Emmylou Harris, “Western Wall”, is brilliant too.
Shawny
All interesting choices. Indeed Ronstadt is the gold standard for female performers in the rock and roll era. Whether in honky tonk clubs or arenas, rock, country ,rancheras or pre war standards she just grabbed the mike, let the band rip and sang her heart out. Great players swarmed around her for decades. Neil Young, Keith Richards, Rosemary Clooney, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Merle Haggard,Philp Glass,Placido Domingo,among so many diverse others, celebrated and voiced their amazement at her pure natural flexible voice. No vanity in that gorgeous set of pipes. Brought so much music to us that one otherwise would not have discovered. Fame seemed to be a drag , so she walked away from celebrity by choice. Yeah she was a doll to look at as well. No one else like her.
Honestly, I’m surprised by all the Beach Boys love, I’ve never been much of a fan, nor would I have considered them anywhere near groups like Aerosmith and Van Halen. I mean they have nothing in common so it’s unfair to try and compare them, but they just never struck me as a particularly remarkable band. But as for the Grateful Dead, I wouldn’t consider them “the greatest” anything, but the variety of material they covered, and the stylistic liberties they took, I would certainly say they’ve been responsible for, either as a band or individuals, some fantastic material.
Six String Richie
I think the love comes from the “Pet Sounds” album, which is often considered to be the best album ever by an American band. Brian Wilson was a great writer and his knack for melodies may be unmatched. The band had some of the best vocal harmonies in history as well. They also found major success in different decades and continue to play shows to big crowds. Not many ’60s bands are still touring to as big crowds as The Beach Boys.
What you said about the Beach Boys ,Six String . AND the fact that their music has a timelessness that transcends musical trends and generations . There’s an undefinable vibe about Beach Boy / Brian Wilson music…an emotional earmark , a focus , a ‘knowing’ that most bands try to discover in themselves but few have done as successfully .
Even though music is of course not a competition, the question of the most important American band is an interesting discussion. I’ve never realized until now that US musicians with the biggest impact have mostly been solo artists – Elvis, Dylan, Springsteen, James Browne, Johnny Cash…
Regarding the Grateful Dead, i think where they are missing out is international impact. They hardly register over here in Europe.
I guess I’d go for the Beach Boys, too. But then, their phase of greatness (I’d say “Pet Sounds” to “Surf’s Up”) did not really last that long. Their beginnings were pure pop, nice enough, but not really important. And the horrific late stuff they did without Brian Wilson should get them deductions. (I shudder at the thought of “Kokomo”.)
My outside choice goes to The Velvet Underground. Although they had no commercial success at the time, their global influence has proven to be massive.
I think the Grateful Dead had a huge impact in Europe in the 70’s, and their live ’72 double album is arguably their best live album ever.
However in the 90’s and beyond, the Dead’s appeal in Europe may have fallen off simply because the groups touring apparatus was so involved, they really didn’t have the ability to play many tours outside the US. They were a United States band for sure.
I agree with your point though that we can’t just take into consideration the US perspective when having this discussion.
Boatwrong
I like to think about who the greatest American rock band of all time is. My answer has always been Lynyrd Skynyrd. When you get down to the nuts and bolts, they are head and shoulders better than most other American rock bands. They have the classic songs, fanbase, and the story of their rise and fall is almost mythological by now. Listen to “Gold and Platinum” and tell me that their is a better rock band from America. IMO, no one, not the Eagles, not REM, not Nirvana, not Bruce, not even the dead are better than Skynyrd.
To me, what makes Lynyrd Skynyrd stand out are (1) just how many quality songs they had, (2) what a well oiled machine they were as a band, and (3) the gravitas of Ronnie Van Zant. I do love the Allman Brothers, but I would put Skynyrd ahead of them in the songwriting category. And by songs, I mean music with words. The Allmans had some great blues covers and instrumental jams and also some great original songs, but Skynyrd seemed to be all about servicing the songs.
Overall, I would personally would take Bruce’s work over his first six albums (Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ through Nebraska) over Skynyrd’s work over their six studio albums (I’m including the Muscle Shoals album), but it’s a very fair fight.
Great article, Trig! I think the Dead have a strong case to be in this contention…at the very least the Grateful Dead started a musical movement that’s been carried out and continued to this day by the likes of Phish and Dave Matthews Band. Are they the most important American band of all time? Maybe, but I think it’s clear that you can’t answer the question without at least considering the Grateful Dead as an answer.
Also, their two 1970 albums in ‘AMERICAN BEAUTY’ and ‘WORKINGMAN’S DEAD’ are gems! I know they weren’t radio darlings or all that focused on the studio as opposed to the stage, but those two albums are two of the best.
I won’t bore you with my personal feelings about the Grateful Dead’s cultural impact. They do have some great songs and Jerry was an interesting guitar player. I also like some of the New Riders-era stuff. If “most important” means that they had the greatest influence as a BAND, then the Dead are certainly up there. In terms of individuals, then Hank Williams and Jimmie Rodgers are, hands down, the most important to American music. It is interesting that the most influential bands, The Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Who, are all British bands imitating American music. The greatest American band was pre-crash Lynyrd Skynyrd. I don’t consider their music since Ronnie Van Zant died to be the same band,.
Holding all the roses
I saw both dead shows Saturday and yesterday, “tv” liked Saturdays playlist better. Which bands do I think are as important as the dead, The Band, Skynyrd, Beach boys, my 2 cents cheers.
I think you could argue the Beach Boys may be the most important. “Pet Sounds” may be the most acclaimed and important album by an American band. They stayed relevant for several decades, even scoring a #1 hit in the ’80s. They still bring in big crowds when they tour and Brian Wilson is widely considered to be a musical genius.
Actually, if we are talking about influence and impact. Bill Monroe an the Bluegrass Boys heavily influenced the music and harmonies of The Everly Brothers. Who’s music and harmonies heavily influenced The Beatles. The rest is history.
Yep, and don’t forget The Carter Family.
this is an interesting subject with tons of valid viewpoints coming from all angles. I would like to see a follow up thread, most influential song. That would be a hard one to quantify, but I would have to give my vote to house of the rising sun, or stairway to heaven. house because of the gamut of excellent musicians who have recorded it and stairway because of the impact it has had in the last forty years.
They were the band that best leveraged their appearance at Woodstock–I’ll give them that.
But speaking of leverage, Nirvana turned an entire industry inside out. Grunge was more pervasive in its time than the Beach Boys’ surf music was in its time, even.
So yeah, it’s tough to give the ‘Most Important’ sticker to a band that only sits on 2 of the three legs of the stool that is ‘modern’ music–albums (check), tours (BIG check), radio (bzzzzzz).
The Dead’s set at Woodstock was historically awful, and Jerry Garcia was the first to admit that. Their appearance at Woodstock happened when the band’s influence was falling in the music world. They were wildly influential ’65-’67, and then in 1970, but ’69 was sort of a transition year for them. They were trying to find their legs. Yes they’re synonymous with hippies, but overall I think bands like Crosby, Still, and Nash, and Ten Years After received the biggest Woodstock boost. The Grateful Dead was more of an “also ran.” But they were there.
The Dead certainly had an undeniably successful career as a band and an enormous and loyal fan base . How big an influence they were on other bands musically I’m not sure . I believe other American bands may have been more influential to professional musicians and players ( Eagles , Beach Boys , Buck’s Bakersfield sound , CSN etc. . ) .
I was not a fan and couldn’t name 3 Grateful Dead songs at gunpoint . However your article was revelatory to say the least ,Trigger .
Wow, no mention of The Carter Family in the article or these 70 comments. That is quite surprising!
jimmy row
I cried last night when they played “attics of my life”. Thanks for the ride boys!
I wanted to hear box of rain, and brown eyed women, they played brown eyed Friday, my luck I purchased the Saturday and Sunday shows, lol.
Mark f
“There were many bands of the psychedelic era that had bigger hits, were more popular, or sold more records. But the Grateful Dead is where it all began.”
This is just completely wrong. The dead were not a psychedelic band at all.
I was around in those days, listening to the dead, and going to see /hear
Jimi Hendrix, who is absolutely without question the originator and epitome of psychedelic music. and it’s greatest player/singer/writer.
Hendrix was the person that first used a guitar and an overdriven Marshall amp to make music that nobody had ever even remotely thought of or heard before him.
Man, I have to respectfully disagree Mark. I guess it’s just a difference in perspective. Jimi was retooling in the UK while Jerry was playing music for Ken Kesey. I’ve never considered Hendrix having music original influence on the psychedelic movement, though he was certainly a poster boy for it later on.
You certainly make a good case. I guess it depends on how you define importance, how to weigh in the different factors. Grateful Dead are among the best with longevity and touring, but the other factors people might consider I think they fall far short.
Some other names for consideration
James Brown and the JB’s
The Temptations (probably more of a singing group)
Parliament/Funkadelic
Trigger, I wonder if you’d indulge me and read an article or two from another music website (also something of a blog) that I frequent? The writer’s name is George Starostin, and he offers a similar career overview (as introductions) for the hundreds of rock & roll artists he covers. He was none too impressed with the Grateful Dead, nor the Eagles either (it should be noted that he is Russian, but writes fluent English).
Grateful Dead: http://starling.rinet.ru/music/dead.htm
Eagles: http://starling.rinet.ru/music/eagles.htm
His newer site, powered by Blogger, where he hasn’t yet gotten to the Dead yet: http://only-solitaire.blogspot.com/ (However, that’s just for reference. As I said, I’m mainly curious about your take on his initial assessments of the Dead and Eagles if you feel the need to read them).
Davey Smith
Wu-Tang.
Trainwreck92
Ain’t nothin’ to fuck with.
Jim McGuinness
If you truly want to address history, then the most important American bands off all-time are the groups Louis Armstrong recorded with as the Hot Fives and Hot Sevens. Those bands completely changed the face of jazz and American music. In terms of influence, no one else is close. What is so important about the Grateful Dead in comparison?
Ags Connolly
Sorry if anyone has raised this and I missed it in the comments, but I think one factor to be considered here is a band’s influence and general popularity outside of North America.
I’m from the UK and I think if you were to run a poll over here as to who the most important American band of all time were (providing there was an equal age range represented in the voting), the Grateful Dead would not be high in the list. They just didn’t have the same impact here as Nirvana, Guns ‘n Roses, The Eagles or even Metallica.
If I had to pick one though the Beach Boys would be far and away my choice. They were the US answer to The Beatles and their influence is still huge the world over.
Christoph Heuer
What a silly question to ask… There were loads of American bands over the ages of major significance and importance. Which of them was the most important…ridiculous question to answer. I saw GD twice (and most of the above mentioned bands as well) but both times they were something many other bands could never have accomplished: they were fun to watch! For four hours each time!
Nearly impossible question to answer but an excellent question to ask
And a fun one to discuss!
timothy d fisher
I would have to agree with Rich
k, most “influential” Velvet Underground, Ramones
Add Big Star and The Replacements to that list. Several of the most influential never attained widespread popularity. This also made them easy to copy from because nobody would go “hey, that sounds like (band name).”
I think one of the greatest marks against Grateful Dead being the most influential band is that they only have a one Top 40 hit despite a 40-plus-year career. I know they aren’t a “singles band” and are known for their touring, but their lack of hit songs does hurt their reputation a bit because many people can’t even name one Dead song unless they are fans of the band.
I agree, that’s their biggest demerit. If they had just one or two decent hits in the classic era, it wouldn’t be a discussion point. But they didn’t. They just weren’t a radio band.
Top 40 hits, maybe, but when i was growing up they were all over FM radio all the time. Friend of the Devil, Truckin, Sugar Magnolia, Scarlet Begonias, Shakedown Street, Fire on the Mountain, Ripple, Uncle John, Casey Jones, just to name a few. The Dead are not that high on my list of favorites, although i do enjoy them, but to say they had no hits clearly ignores FM airplay. …and most of the top 40 hit makers are forgotten now, but the aforementioned songs still get played regularly. a song with legs like that is more of a hit to me.
Not to mention Touch of Grey, Cumberland Blues, Bertha, Box of Rain, Operator, US Blues, Playing in the Band, their cover of Good Lovin’, etc.
I loved their cover of Good Lovin’. I am pretty sure true deadheads would laugh at me for that, but i thought it was one of their best songs.
Well, they would probably laugh at me for loving their play-it -straight versions of Mama Tried and The Race is On. They introduced me to both of those songs.
Speaking of Bertha, Good Lovin’ and great American bands…
One of my all time favorite American rock bands is Los Lobos. I have seen them do a great version of Bertha. Also, they do a medley of La Bamba and Good Lovin’ that totally works. Their latest live album (Disconnected in NYC) has both songs on it.
Great article, Trig – everything you said in it needed to be said.
Their early embrace of country music, at a time when it was not regarded as “cool”, stands as testimony to their adherance to art and not to popularity.
They were not alone (e.g. Gram and the Band, to name a couple).
And their continuing to play far after their initial, very limited commercial successes, reflects their personal commitment.
They felt like they had a responsibility to their road crew and other employees (in contrast, apparently, to Toby Keith).
I remember seeing Jerry being interviewed on 60 Minutes shortly before he died and the interviewer was shocked that the GD had a separate part of the spacing for “tapers” and that they permitte vendors to sell bootleg shirts.
Jerry told him that it must be working since they were the top grossing tour band that year.
I sure wish that I had been able to go to Soldier Field for the send-off shows, but I am recovering from surgery and didn’t want to get out in a crowd.
I guess I will have to go home and listen to the shows on Archive.org – Live Music Archive.
Hope you recover well CAH!
I don’t have much to add, but I would like to hear more discussion about The Band.
I would say that The Band and The Dead are comparable, save for the Grateful Dead’s longevity factor.
It just occurred to me that all but one member of The Band were Canadian.
At least they’re North American, right? 😉
The original members were Canadians, except for the man behind the drums. But, almost all of the members who joined after the Band’s initial lineup were Americans.
The Velvet Underground is the most influential American band in the history of rock music. They are to indie and alternative rock what Black Sabbath is to metal.
This is my opinion and I don’t want to put any fuel in the fire. I really like the Grateful Dead but it’s not the same without Jerry Garcia. But anyhow I like to keep an open mind about the Dead without Jerry.
Fascinating topic. The issue is what does “Important” mean. if influence is the focus, rather than just strong songs and/or strong albums, i’d say skynyrd and the dead top the list, Eagles not too far behind. The dead created a total scene with their jam band progeny and were relevant for decades even as they switched up musical styles. Skynyrd was the leader in the southern rock movement, is still played and revered today and, like it or not, played a role in the Bro Country sound (current skynyrd singer Donnie said in an interview that Jason Aldean was really just playing southern rock [although i wonder if Ronnie would have said the same thing). Skynyrd also has the songs, Sweet Home Alabama, Freebird and a long list of others that sound as good today as they did back then. The Eagles have a great catalogue of songs that have stood the test of time and, with Hotel California, arguably one of the greatest songs ever. They also clearly lead the country rock sound (note, i did not say invented, they just popularized it). Tom Petty could best them all for his string of amazing albums filled with consistently strong songwriting, but i do not think he really created a sound or a scene. A few others similar to Petty that no one has mentioned are Bob Seger and John Mellencamp, but neither rise to the level of being influential, even though they have a legacy of consistently great albums and songs. i was too young to feel the impact of Credence, but to me they have to be in the conversation too due to the string of amazing albums, hits drawn therefrom, and deep tracks that weren’t hits but that could have been. The strike against them is the short life of the band, three of their 5 or 6 albums were all released within a 12 month period.
i tried to focus on bands relevant to the country scene, since this is after all, the SCM website, but if one considered hard rock and metal, then G’n’R, Metallica and Van Halen should surely be in the conversation. Eddie Van Halen certainly created a monster with his then unique guitar style, Metallica popularized speed/thrash metal and G’n’R brought back sleazy, zep meets stones meets the sex pistols meets elton john style REAL rock and roll just when hair metal needed a good kick in the ass and an injection of realism.
…and then there is Prince! about as far from country as you can get, but damn, what a creative guy with a list of amazing songs and hits. Purple Rain, Little red corvette, Lets go Crazy, When Doves Cry, 1999, and on and on. played every instrument, sang, wrote, produced, he did it all.
Just my random two cents.
I can’t narrow it down to which band and/or performer is the most influential, but I agree that Prince should definitely be in the conversation (as should the Beastie Boys, as noted above). These are two of my all-time favourite non-country artists.
A band that is often overlooked, and possibly because they are seen as derivative, is the Black Crowes. In my opinion, they are in the top five American rock bands of all time. They came later than Lynyrd Skynyrd, G’nR, Aerosmith, Metallica, etc., and they are victims of the decline of rock that occurred midway through their career… Southern Harmony Musical Companion is the best rock album released after Appetite for Destruction. Nothing has touched it since…
I totally agree with you about the crowes and SH&MC, but I feel after Amorica, Chris did too many drugs and the music suffered. Other than a song or two per album, I though most their albums post Amorica were duds.
This is a fascinating discussion. As a Canadian, I’ve been thinking about this from a Canadian artist perspective. What makes this difficult (well, not exactly difficult, but interesting) is that many of the influential Canadian artists became successful (which is different than influential) after leaving Canada for the US. A few that come to mind are: The Guess Who, Neil Young, Ian Tyson, Anne Murray, Shania Twain (like her or not, it’s hard to argue that she wasn’t influential).
The fact that this question is even being asked is sad. Among important American artists (as opposed to just bands), the Grateful Dead aren’t even in the top 100. They probably aren’t in the top 500. To say otherwise is to insult the greatness of American music.
That seems like quite an extreme assessment. I think it stimulated a great discussion, and if for no other reason, that is not “sad.” If you think they are unworthy of the discussion, I can respect that. Saying the discussion is unworthy I think is quite strange given the evidence offered above.
Saying the discussion is unworthy I think is quite strange given the evidence offered above.
My guess is that Jim thinks that those of us who enthusiastically participated in this discussion lack the proper perspective. He probably has a list of artists that we NEED to listen to help us get such a perspective.
Jack, I have a long, long list, as would anyone who claims to be a true fan of American music. You can start with Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters, and James Brown. The idea that the Grateful Dead is on the level of any of those icons is laughable. History says they’re not even close. Some of the other “important” American artists being mentioned (Lynyrd Skynyrd?) are hysterical.
I find your comments hysterical, in the true meaning of the word. Choreographed dance moves does not a good song make. Mindless jibber jabber and repetition of silly slang expressions is not a song.
RD,
Mindless jibber jabber and repetition of silly slang? Apparently you’ve never listened to the three artists I mentioned. Each is a musical icon who greatly enriched our culture. What did the Dead enhance? Why not try doing your homework before posting?
Most of James Brown’s songs could be written on the back of a napkin in 10 minutes or less. The MUSIC is often very good and catchy, but the lyrics are pure crap. Pick up a few James McMurtry albums and listen to what a well-crafted song with good lyrics sounds like.
I own McMurtry albums, and I’m sure he appreciates and understands James Brown’s enormous musical impact. That impact is undeniable. There’s more than one way to approach songwriting. Jazz is largely a wordless medium, yet guys like Armstrong and Monk would rank far ahead of the Dead as songwriters.
A lot of folks have mentioned solo artists as examples of why the Grateful Dead shouldn’t even be considered as one of the best, but solo artists weren’t the premise that was submitted for discussion. I don’t want to discourage people talking about who the greatest solo artists were, and contrasting that against the greatest bands, but saying the Grateful Dead was a terrible band because James Brown was so good sort of defeats the spirit of the discussion. Look, we each have difference musical tastes and experiences, and possibly more than any other band, the Grateful Dead rely on how knowledgeable people are with their music when deciding how important they were. If you don’t think they even belong in the discussion of the greatest American band ever, then hey, I respect that. That’s you opinion. But all the people who gathered in Chicago last weekend, and many of the people who have piped up in this very comments section disagree. And so I think that proves that they are at least relevant to the discussion.
Like I said, the music is often good. Its not music that I particularly like or want to listen to, but I can respect it. The lyrics are puerile nonsense. Silly jibber jabber repeated over and over. One Steely Dan or James McMurtry song has more lyrical content than James Brown’s entire catalog.
RD, I disagree re James Brown’s lyrics. There is nothing wrong with language that is simple and direct, with Hank Williams being further proof. James Brown’s impact runs circles around the Grateful Dead’s. Also, why are you talking about lyrical content on a thread about the Grateful Dead?
I have a long, long list, as would anyone who claims to be a true fan of American music.
Well, hooray for you for being a “true” fan of American music.
You can start with Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters, and James Brown.
I wasn’t actually asking for your list, but thanks anyway. Besides, the discussion was about the Grateful Dead being one of the great American “groups.” Now, I don’t know that the Dead would make my personal top ten of American rock groups, but their Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty albums are among my all time favorites. Also, I find much to enjoy from a roots music fan’s perspective on their Reckoning and Europa live albums. The Ronnie Vant Zant led Lynyrd Skynyrd definitely does make my personal top ten of American rock groups. And if you think that’s “hysterical,” I don’t really care.
Trigger, I mentioned Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five and Hot Seven bands higher up. Those were certainly great bands. Also, popular doesn’t mean good as you’ve alluded to many times over the years (Florida Georgia Line). Post about the Grateful Dead being the best American band ever on a jazz or R&B forum and see how far the idea goes.
I saw that, but I don’t consider backing bands as part of this discussion. It feels like a stretch. And I never said they were the “best” because that is even more subjective than “important.”
I think a lot of jazz fans would be surprised at the artistry displayed on their album “Blues for Allah.”
Also, why are you talking about lyrical content on a thread about the Grateful Dead?
Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter is fairly well respected. For example, Jim Lauderdale has collaborated with him on several albums.
I saw Parliament funkadelic dropped by somebody in the comments. As far as cultural impact they may be the most important of all. P-funk -> G-funk. G-funk -> hip hop/rap as we know it.
It all starts with James Brown. Most important artist of the last 50 years.
Great piece here. My opinion is yes they were without a doubt. They are one of the best bands in the history of music. They are rock, jazz, blues, country, jam and all else wrapped up one beautiful package.
They also proved you don’t need Billboard and radio to be successful. They built a brand on great music and live shows.
Greg B
The Beach Boys were the most important band. Good Vibrations is the closest the US got to something as magnificent as Bohemian Rhapsody. The Beach Boys influenced the Beatles. The Beach Boys’s music is still being played and loved around the world. etc ……. the other bands do not tick as many boxes.
P.S. Thanks you for this website 🙂 it puts a smile on my face.
Jobi Robson
July 11, 2015 @ 4:51 pm
How About The One’s who never got the credit !! Gram Parsons, Tom Fogerty (His own Brother could have been Just a more supportive !), and Yes, of course, members of both, the NGDB and FBBB (GP Again !!) Jus’ sayin’. and I am a die Hard F$#@^ing Skynyrd Fan……..Hmmmm…..But, I Know My Musical History.
Mike Ginsberg
As a first time visitor to SavingCountryMusic.com I have tell you all how refreshing it is to see a friendly and intelligent exchange of ideas on music instead of the usual “I disagree with you/you suck” back and forth you see on so many sites.
I am a diehard Deadhead. I saw them 24 times I coding the night the played Unbroken Chain for the first time. I lost my virginity to Reckoning. My wedding song was “If I Had the World to Give” from side 2 of Shakedown Street and we played the Branford “Eyes of the World” from Nassau to my daughter the last three months she was in utero via headphones to my wife’s belly.
I believe the Dead are the the most live band of all time because of the constant improvisation. You had good shows and not so good shows but they were always shows worth attending as everyone had something to amaze you. Any band can do the same set every night and I loved the surprises every set brought to my ears and continue to bring to my ears via apps on my iPhone.
I can’t be objective about the Dead because their music has been a part of my life for the last 32 years. In terms of importance to American music, I definitely see them among the top 10 along with a Velvet Underground, Metallica, Skynyrd, Florida Georgia Line (just joking to see if anyone’s actually reading this), The Band, and a few others I’m too tired to think of right now.
January 13, 2016 @ 1:30 pm
Paul Revere and the Raiders
Recently started looking into this band after learning that “Freeborn Man”, which I thought was written by Jimmy Martin, was actually written and performed by the Raiders. If you like country songs with a groove, check it out.
14 gold albums. 23 singles in the top 40. Wow! I had no idea this band was so successful. I always thought they were just the guys in the pirate costumes. Their music runs so much deeper, and I was surprised too about how many country songs they cut.
PDBACH
August 30, 2016 @ 12:17 pm
Great Article. Id say the Dead are far and away the most important American Rock Band of all time for all the reasons listed and then some… IMO the most hurculean stat is the fact that they had 120-150 songs that remained in rotation on any given tour, and could go 6 or 8 shows without repeating one… every other band listed as a contender in the article and in any of the comments basically took the same 15-20 songs on tour, played them the same way, with the same number of solo breaks over the same number of measures, in the exact same order, night after night after night after night, from city to city to city… Also worth mentioning is the fact that today in 2016, in just about every major US city you will find at least 2 or 3 GD Tribute bands that regularly play the local music venues and are thriving in them… James Brown tribute? Nirvana Tribute? Beach Boys Tribute? You’re lucky to find one or two inteh whole country and you have to go to Vegas to do so! – Somebody mentioned Songwriting… Garcia/Hunter having just been inducted in the songwriting hall of fame are second only to Lennon / McCartney in sheer volume and I would argue Quality…
Lets see, James Brown writes:
Is going just all right, come over here
Come over here, come over here
And be with me tonight, come over here
And everything will be all right
Come over here, come over here, Yeah
Meanwhile Garcia/Hunter Pen:
There were days
and there were days
and there were days between
Summer flies and August dies
the world grows dark and mean
Comes the shimmer of the moon
on black infested trees
the singing man is at his song
the holy on their knees
the reckless are out wrecking
the timid plead their pleas
No one knows much more of this
than anyone can see
Yeah… My money’s on the Dead for “most Important”.. They truly have no equal.
They are still going strong! Aerial photos from the third Fare Thee Well show at Soldier Field – http://www.performanceimpressions.com/Grateful_Dead_Fare_Thee_Well_GD50/content/index.html
I have seen close to 1,000 concerts ranging from Aerosmith to ZZ-Top. In between there was the Chuck Mangioni, Metallica, Paul simon and Bob Dylan, INXS, The Kinks, Ozzy, Jamiriquai, Rush, Flaming Lips you name the band and I’ve probably seen them. But when I went to my first The Grateful Dead show in Rochester,NY 1988 that was the day that changed my life. Not only are The Grateful Dead the best American band ever they are the Earth’s best band and possibly the entire universe. There is no other band that is even close to their level. It’s The Grateful Dead and then everyone else. If you don’t agree then your just not listening. Get your tickets for this summers Dead & Co.tour or just keep thinking Nirvana or The beach boys are the best american band, Haha yea right!
Jeffree
Without a doubt its the Dead. I’ll admit I’m a bit biased as I’ve seemingly been born into this life a Deadhead and having 35 shows or so in my Jerry days tour career. I’ve seen lots of other bands, lots of other live shows…..no one comes close to the magic this band created. It comes from the heart. For me it was all about “the sound” which made all the rest of it possible. No equal on this earth in terms of the sheer beauty and quality they created and channeled via their sound. Its extremely difficult, in fact impossible I’d say, to fully relate their essence and importance to anyone who wasn’t fortunate enough to see them and really “get it”. All the cultural stuff…..popularity of images, impact of songwriting, radio airplay, tv appearances, t-shirts, number of magazine articles, awards, etc…… is all peanuts compared to the number of hearts and minds they touched through the music. And the band really didn’t care about their “popularity” in the mainstream……unlike much of todays music which is pre-packaged, formulated, homogenized for the masses…….which makes their accomplishments even more impressive. If one is curious and couragious enough the essence of the music can still be experienced live in our present time with surviving members performing in Dead & Company. Catch it while you still can. This band is doing a really fine job of carrying forth the spirit and sound and magic of the music and creating many new fans 50+ years after their beginning. Hows that for dedication, impact, longevity, relevancy, staying power? It all begins and ends with the music…..not stickers, awards, and t-shirts.
Wow, I feel like I’m going crazy. Not one single mention of The Doors on this page?! They would easily contend for a spot in the top 3. Grateful Dead are strangely and famously irrelevant outside of North America, similar to other jam bands. Even a band like Kyuss would seem more immediately impactful from a non-US perspective. (Sorry for commenting on an old piece, I came here by googling why Dead are so unknown in other parts of the world. )
matthew cole
December 3, 2018 @ 10:54 am
Alright, grateful dead .whether an individual knows/likes them or not hands down
2300+ shows. 500+songs
Most respected by far among musicians from Branford Marsalis to Vasser Clements Lyle Lovett bruce hornsby metallica etc etcetera. Beach boys? Check out concert beach boys with grateful dead. Only thing awesome about beach boys is when dead drowning them out. Killer shows!! Glad beach boys were there, but dead was blood in that vein.
Nirvana pearl jam others what the fuck?
They’d be behind Michael fucking jackson for american influence.
Bruce Springsteen? Still not arm wrestling the dead. Allmans skynard awesome, Ccr doors g&r, still nope.
Cash, he’d pick the dead.
Eagles? That’s just dumb.
Van Halen, please.
World stage, remember this is a USA based premise, world stage—- simply put rolling stones or zepplin. Flip a f’n coin.
Country or not the grateful dead will steal your face right off of your head, so sit back contemplate what I have imparted unto you and wake the fuck up. Shoot str8, keep the wind in your face and pay attention, ya’ll are shitty drivers.
And dont be stupid and comment on my spellin’ or grammar. im from Appalachia NC and further more learn how to say Appalachia. or I’ll throw “an apple at ya”. The people in these mountains are the smartest, kindest hearted, self sustainable, tough ass SOB’s left in this country. So dont make fun of how we all talk. And asheville, despite it being present day Soddom and Gomorrah, was historically a major foundation venue medium, whatever the right word for that is, for country music.( long live doc Watson.)
Last thought, if the dead never existed Elvis would be the true answer. Think im crazy? Listen to “Movin’ On” and try not to shit your pants. If u listen and dont shit u ain’t got no soul.
Tom Foolery
I’m a lifelong Deadhead, so there’s a lot I could add; but seeing as how this is a country music website, let’s list the country songs the Dead covered – quite well – over the years.
Big River (Cash)
El Paso (Robbins)
Mama Tried (Haggard)
Me & Bobby McGee (Kristofferson)
Okie From Muskogee (Haggard)
The Race is On (Jones)
Silver Threads and Golden Needles (The Springfields)
Sing Me Back Home (Haggard)
Tomorrow is Forever (Parton)
You Ain’t Woman Enough (Lynn)
You Win Again (Williams)
Mark Mac
GD were the like Beatles or Stones of America. They started as a Jug Band, Played Roots Music , Americana, Blues, Rock and Roll, Country, Jazz type tunes, Bluegrass type tunes and with some great lyrics I might add. Played most live shows ever too.
I wouldn’t want to forget about The Doors. GD probably still takes it though. Although as far as mainstream musical impact, Aerosmith were major players in shaping popular music for 4 decades, from 70s to helping ntroduce hip hop to MTV in 80s to Waynes World and Armageddon. For better or worse their impact was larger than Dead or Eagles to the average american kid for 3 generations… Still not as important as the counter culture phenomenon of The Dead.
I think the Dead definitely take it. Now i am a huge dead head so i am a little biased but still i think they win the day over all the others. The dead may not win when it comes to commercial returns and record sales but that doesn’t really matter at the end of the day. In fact, that’s part of what made them so special; that they weren’t so mainstream and popular as other bands. In fact, it can be argued that a huge reason why Jerry and the band deteriorated and then died was because of their swell in popularity and followers, but that is beside the point. What matters is that they were making great music and influencing people in 1965, and they were doing the same thing in 1995. That is almost an impossible feat that arguably no band has been able to execute in the way the Dead did. Sure there are some old bands who still tour today, but none of them have the musical and cultural impact the dead had until, and even after Jerry died. Aside from their songs, music, and jams being extraordinary, that is why I view them as one of the greatest bands that ever played.
Lil’ D.L.’s Honk on Album Review – Morgan Wallen – “Dangerous: The Double Album”
Steven on Ricky Skaggs Deserves the National Medal of Arts, Not Cancellation
Kathleen Bolton on Dolly Parton Wrote a Song That Won’t Be Released Until 2045
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Matt Tootle On Chesterfield Clash
Defender Says Mood Is Good After Last Two Games
"I see Shrewsbury being a team who can challenge," he said.
"I wanted to come to a side who I felt were signing well, and having spoken to the gaffer and Jacko and looking at the signings they've brought in it was obvious for me really.
"I had a little bit of interest from other clubs as well. When players say it was an easy choice it really was an easy choice with it being local for me as well.
"It was an easy choice for me to come to a team who I feel are going to be challenging."
Tootle signed for Town in the summer from Crewe Alexandra and admits it was an easy decision to move to Greenhous Meadow.
"It's good (the mood) and it's a lot better after the week we've had," said
"The Millwall one was disappointing because I think we knew we were as good if not better than them.
"We just didn't quite get going in that one but then on Tuesday (at Blackburn) and Saturday (at Bradford) we proved what a good side we are.
"Going into Tuesday now I think we know that if we play our game then we'll hopefully get our first win of the season in the league."
And Tootle believes Town proved just how good they are in the last two games.
Despite suffering a narrow defeat at home to Millwall on the opening day of the season, Shrewsbury have responded by knocking Championship side Blackburn Rovers out of the Capital One Cup away from home and battling to a hard-earned point at Bradford City.
Town host the Spireites at Greenhous Meadow in Sky Bet League 1 (7.45pm kick-off) looking to pick up their first three points of the season.
Defender Matt Tootle says the mood in the Shrewsbury Town camp is good heading into Tuesday night's clash with Chesterfield.
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