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Home » Blogs Page » Featured, Picozzi Rock Gossip » He didn’t play on it; but he liked playing it
He didn’t play on it; but he liked playing it
David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” single was released in Britain 50 years ago today (July 11th) Although he isn’t on the record, guitarist Mick Ronson loved playing it live. In a very strange coincidence, the lead guitarist on David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” was in a band called Rats with future Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson. And he was named Mick (Mick Wayne). Ronson, who joined Bowie about a year after “Space Oddity” was recorded, played it live many times during their four years together. He said in 1990 that it showcased one of Bowie’s greatest strengths as a songwriter.
“Great song. Great song to sing. Great song to play. I always like good melody and David’s music was always real interesting melodies. ‘Cause I was brought up as a classical musician. I remember the first piece of music I ever heard, at about 4 years old, that inspired me to want to even play on any instrument was the theme from ‘Limelight,’ the Charlie Chaplin piece of music. And working with David was really good on that level. Some songs were, like, just beautiful, you know. Nice changes.”
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Paulsen, Sanchez producing since All-Star break
in Fantasy Sports, MLB
Injuries and slumps can have a damaging impact on fantasy baseball rosters, especially during this crucial time heading into August. Here are two options who are on the waiver wire and can provide immediate help for fantasy baseball owners.
Ben Paulsen
It might be that you’re still trying to replace Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera or possibly your first baseman has entered a month-long slump; whatever the reason, Colorado Rockies first baseman Ben Paulsen can fill in for the foreseeable future.
Paulsen finished July 26 a double shy of hitting for the cycle when he knocked in four runs on two homers. In the last four games, he’s 7-for-16 with five RBIs and four runs.
In far fewer at-bats than the top first basemen in the last 30 days, Paulsen trails by seven runs behind Major League Baseball’s leader at first base during that time. He also has a .290 batting average, good enough for 10th-best among first basemen in the past 30 days.
Getting enough at-bats could be an issue, but he should see plenty of playing time going forward.
Carlos Sanchez
Here’s a dark-horse candidate for second base in fantasy baseball leagues. The Chicago White Sox are on fire and most of it is due to the sudden resurgence of its offense.
Second baseman Carlos Sanchez is part of that recent upward trend in batting and he’s available in virtually all fantasy baseball leagues.
In the last seven games, Sanchez has six runs, two home runs, a .400 batting average and .423 on-base percentage. This could be a flash in the pan, or it could be a trend.
Since the All-Star break, Sanchez has hits in 11 of 12 games. Among second basemen with at least 10 games played since the break, Sanchez is tied for third in batting average with .386, while his on-base percentage of .413 is ranked eighth among those same players.
The schedule will get tougher for the White Sox, so be tepid with buying up White Sox players. However, Sanchez has shown since the All-Star break this may not be a short-term surge.
Tags: Ben Paulsen — Carlos Sanchez — Chicago White Sox — Colorado Rockies — fantasy baseball — Fantasy sports — Major League Baseball
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Explore Juneau
Destinations > Juneau > Things To Do > Sights & Attractions > Points of Interest
Juneau Points of Interest
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Mendenhall Glacier
This 12-mile glacier is part of Tongass National Forest and its visitors’ center is just a half mile from the glacier’s face. Once dubbed the Auk Glacier by John Muir (after a member of the Tlingit tribe),
This 12-mile glacier is part of Tongass National Forest and its visitors’ center is just a half mile from the…
Dream Trip
Alaska State Capitol Building
Don’t look for a dome and don’t look for big grounds; Alaska’s capitol building is one of the few that have neither. That’s because the territory of Alaska had trouble securing funding and land for the building, relying on local residents to provide funding. Completed in 1931, it housed the federal government until statehood in 1959. Today, the large, boxy More...
Don’t look for a dome and don’t look for big grounds; Alaska’s capitol building is one of the…
Shrine of St. Therese
A highlight for many visitors, this chapel lies 22 miles north of Juneau off of the Glacier Highway. As Juneau’s expensive waterfront homes peter out, the Shrine of St. Therese appears on your left. It’s in a stunning setting, on an island with crashing surf, mountain views, and a rugged coastline, where you can look for humpback whales and sea lions. Take the trail from More...
A highlight for many visitors, this chapel lies 22 miles north of Juneau off of the Glacier Highway. As…
The Fish Cam
An underwater video camera has been set up in Steep Creek to film salmon, trout, and charr entering the creek from Mendenhall Lake. Summertime visitors can watch live footage of this fishy environment in the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center's pavilion.
Fishcam images can also be viewed at:
An underwater video camera has been set up in Steep Creek to film salmon, trout, and charr entering the creek from…
Lena Loop Picnic Area
With large houses on either side of this tucked-away beach, you won’t feel like you’re deep in the wilderness. But visiting offers the chance to see how Juneau’s wealthiest residents live. You’ll also find good views and a beach that’s usually empty—in other words, a good picnic spot. You’ll see the many eagles harassing sandpipers while ravens More...
With large houses on either side of this tucked-away beach, you won’t feel like you’re deep in the…
Echo Cove Via the Glacier Highway
Juneau is one of only two capitols in the United States that isn’t accessed by roads—only boats and planes can reach the city. But there is a stretch of paved road that runs north from town, past Auke Bay and towards Berner’s Bay. You’ll pass the University of Southeast Alaska and the ferry terminal before getting “out” of town. It’s a great More...
Juneau is one of only two capitols in the United States that isn’t accessed by roads—only boats and…
Amalga Harbor
Season: Approximately Jul 15 to Aug 31
Around milepost 24 on Glacier Highway, take a left onto Almaga Harbor Road to enter Ernest Gruening State Park, named after a territorial governor and one of the state’s first senators. In his summer home here, he wrote his 1953 manifesto, “The State of Alaska,” which articulated why Alaska should be a state. (Statehood became official in January, 1959). From the boat More...
Around milepost 24 on Glacier Highway, take a left onto Almaga Harbor Road to enter Ernest Gruening State Park,…
Jensen-Olson Arboretum
A mile past the Shrine of St. Therese is the Jensen-Olsen Arboretum, which is a great place for a picnic. Take in the views of quiet primrose against a backdrop of majestic sea and mountains. Then, walk down to the waterline, crawling with a million tiny shelled snails, which is either fascinating or creepy depending on your More...
A mile past the Shrine of St. Therese is the Jensen-Olsen Arboretum, which is a great place for a picnic.…
Auke Bay Harbor
With great walkways and a close proximity to Juneau’s only Thai restaurant, the harbor’s an ideal location for a meal and a walk. Take a stroll and check out the commercial fishing boats, sport fishing boats, whale-watching boats, and—sometimes—Paul Allen’s yacht. (It’s the one with two helicopters.) The neighboring harbor, Fisherman’s Bend, More...
With great walkways and a close proximity to Juneau’s only Thai restaurant, the harbor’s an ideal…
See More Listings
Sailing & Private Yacht Charters
Canoeing Tours
Sea Lion Haulouts
Roadside Glaciers
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Charleston, Love, and Movies
And when her lips touched mine, I knew that I could live to be a hundred and visit every country in the world, but nothing would ever compare to that single moment when I first kissed the girl of my dreams and knew that my love would last forever." - Dear John, 2010 movie
Charleston is an extremely popular locale for couples to visit, fall in love and to say "I Do." Don't believe me, just watch the movie. South Carolina has seen its share of movie crews throughout the State. (approx 100) With Valentine's Day right around the corner, the love stories interested me the most. (sorry Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls)
Folly Beach, Downtown Charleston, Edisto, Boone Hall, and Cyprus Gardens are all locations that I have enjoyed throughout my dating years. Watching the stars fall in love, share their first kiss, or have their heart broken in the these locations brings the movie to life for me. I have to say that I wish that I had had their scripts for some of the scenes in my life.
For the month of February, enjoy love quotes from movies, books, and songs on A Charleston Event's Facebook and Twitter account. Can you figure out where the quote came from? Play along.
"So it's not gonna be easy. It's going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me... everyday. " - The Notebook, 2004 Movie
"At the end of every day I drive through the city of Charleston and I cross the bridge that will take me home. I feel the words building inside me, I can't stop them, or tell you why I say them, but as I reach the top of the bridge these words come to me in a whisper. I say these words as a prayer, as regret, as praise, I say: Lowenstein, Lowenstein." - The Prince of Tides, 1991 Movie
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For The manuscript text few considerations need to be taken such as writing in English format and providing them in a digital file compatible with “Microsoft Word” (in DOC, DOCX, or RTF format). All figures (including those in layouts/combinations) must be provided in individual and separate files, according to recommendations described under the specific topic. Photographs, micrographs, and radiographs should be provided in TIFF format,. Charts, drawings, layouts, and other vector illustrations must be provided in a PDF format individually in separate files, according to the recommendations described under the specific topic. Manuscripts that do not agree to the Instructions will be refused prior to peer-review.
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This section mainly includes short and separate explanations about the main contents of the article to help reader for getting familiar with whole project, hence, All Original Articles, Brief Reports, Reviews, Meta-analysis should be submitted with abstracts of no more than 250 words. It must be self-contained and clear without reference to the text as mentioned above, and briefly describing the main parts of the manuscript of the study and emphasizing the most significant data. All information reported in the abstract must appear in the text. The abstracts of Case reports should not be structured, nor present headlines.
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The Acknowledgments section should include the names of those people who contributed to a study but did not meet the requirements for authorship. It must be brief, used to thank/quote people, scholarships, projects and support received from organisms of promotion. The names of the financing organizations must be fully written.
References should be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are cited in the text, tables, and legends identified with Arabic numerals. Presentation should be based on the ‘’AMA’’ (American Medical Association). Use Arabic superscript numerals outside periods and commas, and inside colons and semicolons. Journal titles should be abbreviated according to the style presented by the List of Journals Indexed in Index Medicus, from the National Library of Medicine. There will be no restrictions on the reference article source language, despite the recommendation be in English, however the title should be translated and presented in English, between brackets. For all references, the names of the first six authors should be included; beyond six, et al should be indicated after the first six names. Journal references should include the issue number in parentheses after the volume number.
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Diabetes mellitus is associated with a high risk of foot ulcers.1-3
Several interventions have been successful at increasing compliance.11,14-16
The data of Smith et al 18 is further evidence of this effect.
As reported previously,1,3-6
Journal article (1-6 authors)
Hu P, Reuben DB. Effects of managed care on the length of time that elderly patients spend with physicians during ambulatory visits. Med Care 2002; 40(7): 606-613.
Journal article with more than six authors
Geller AC, Venna S, Prout M, et al. Should the skin cancer examination be taught in medical school? Arch Dermatol 2002; 138(9): 1201-1203.
McKenzie BC. Medicine and the Internet: Introducing Online Resources and Terminology. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 1997. p. 230-236.
Guyton JL, Crockarell JR. Fractures of acetabulum and pelvis. In: Canale ST, editor. Campbell's operative orthopaedics. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby, Inc; 2003. p. 2939-2984.
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2003. http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/CAFF2003PWSecured.pdf. Accessed March 3, 2003.
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The history of San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers is a professional American football team . The team is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. They take part in the National Football League as a member club of the National Football conference (NFC) from the West division. They play home games in Santa Clara, California at the Levi’s stadium.
How did the 49ers get their name?
Their name comes from prospectors who arrived in North California in the 1849 Gold rush. When the Gold rush began in 1948, American football was yet to exist. The first fortunate gold miners in California were named ‘forty-niners’. The name came naturally during the foundating period of first San Francisco based football team in 1946. For that reason, the team has never left San Francisco.
San Francisco 49ers History
The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the AAFC . Later on they joined the NFL in 1949 when the leagues joined together. The team first played at Kezar stadium before moving to Candlestick Park in 1970 then later to Levi’s stadium in 2014. The 49ers won five championships between1981 and 1994. The team was the first major league of professional sports team based on the pacific coast.
In the year 1957, the team first enjoyed sustained success as members of NFL. Though the team lost the first opening games of the season, the team won the next games against teams such as the Rams, Packers and Bears. They later returned home to the Kezar Stadium to play against the Chicago bears and fell behind 17-7. At that instant, their owner Tony Morabito (1910-1957) died of a heart attack, when the team learned of his death during the half time, the 49ers scored fourteen unanswered points to win the game 21-17.
During the 1950’s the 49ers were famous for their Million dollar Backfield,’ which consisted of four Hall of Fame future members, quarterback Y.A, Joe Perry, Hugh McElhenny and Henry Johnson. They became the only full-house to be inducted to the Hall of Fame.
Team Ownership
After Tony Morabito’s departure, the team ownership went to Victor Morabito and Josephine Morabito. Other owners include Jane Morabito, Edward DeBartolo Jr, Gideon Yu, Denise Debartolo, John York and Jed York, the current owner. The contribution of the owners in the courses of history of San Francisco 49ers is immense.
There has been 18 coaches in the history of the team. Buck Shaw was the first head coach in 1946 and served for nine seasons. Bill Walsh has coached more games (152) and complete seasons (10) than any other coaches. Major organizations have named Dick Nolan, George Seifert, Jim Harbaugh and Bill Walsh coach of the year. Mike singletary, Jack Christiansten and Bill Walsh are currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
First NFL game
san Francisco 49ers History begins with the initial NFL game taking place on the September 17th, 1950. Throughout the 1950’s the 49ers were famed for his or her Million Dollar Backfield,’ that consisted of 4 future hall of fame members, quarterback Y.A, Joe Perry, Hugh McElhenny and Henry Johnson who became the sole full-house to be inducted to the Hall of Fame. They played against the the New York Yanks, fell short and lost by a score of 21-17. Albeit the previous AAFC teams appeared after all the NFL teams in every single round, the Forty-niners grabbed the Hall of Famer Leo Nomellini throughout the primary round.
Logos and uniforms on the forty-niners
The logos and uniforms of the49ers have been constantly evolving since their inception in 1946. The original logo was of a mustached gold miner dressed in plaid pants and red shirt jumping in the mid air with his shirt falling off with a pistol forming the word forty niners’. The team modified the logo in 1965 with the iconic SF at the center of a red oval. Their current uniform consists of black jerseys and pants with red striping and numerals. The players wear Nike logos in gold and the standard red socks . As per the rule of the league,they wear the uniforms in a maximum of two games annually. the uniforms bear the glorious history of San Francisco 49ers.
Joe Montana the Hall of Fame quarterback led the forty-niners to their first four Super Bowl wins. Steve Young led the 49ers to their most recent victory a good triumph over the San Diego chargers in Super Bowl XXIV. The forty-niners lost their first Superbowl to the Ravens. The team won the trophy in 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990 and in 1995. The 1994 San Francisco frontiers was one of the most impressive in the 49ers history. Because History of San Francisco 49ers marks its NFL fifth Super Bowl championship.
With so many weapons on the team and the inclusion of the premium coaching staff, the team has got a distinctive chance of winning the Super Bowls. Hence he team is one of the fiercest teams in NFL history as the history of San Francisco 49ers imply so.
To know more about The San Francisco 49ers, here are some authentic link below.
History of San Francisco 49ers | Wikipedia
Historical HighlightsSan Francisco 49ers |49ers.com
San Francisco 49ers |ESPN
San Francisco 49ers : Fox Sports
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Bombers dressed as women kill three Afghan officers
Seven suicide bombers dressed as women targeted Afghan police officers about 60 miles from the capital on Tuesday, a police commander said.
Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, the uncle of the groom, did not attend the wedding, according to witnesses. The cause of the explosion, which occurred at 11:10 p.m. in Khan Younis, was not known. Dahlan is the Palestinian Authority’s national security adviser. Details of Tuesday’s explosion were not immediately clear. Dahlan’s associates in recent years have been targeted by Hamas as tensions between the militant group and rival Fatah — the Palestine Liberation Organization’s largest faction — escalated. In January 2007, Hamas gunmen tried to kill Dahlan’s bodyguard. Dahlan was not present at the time of the attack. In that month alone, Fatah and Hamas militants abducted more than 50 members of their rival groups — most of them in the West Bank town of Nablus — according to Palestinian security sources.
Kids TV praises Gaza mom’s suicide bombing
Dahlan’s nephew was kidnapped the next month amid a fragile cease-fire between supporters of Hamas and Fatah. In late December 2006, Hamas accused Dahlan of orchestrating an assassination attempt on its leader Ismail Haniya. Haniya’s son was injured in the attack. Dahlan has described himself to CNN in the past as being involved in directing Fatah’s military response to Hamas’ military “provocation.” Dahlan is particularly disliked by Hamas because during his leadership of the Preventive Security Forces in the 1990s, Hamas members were apprehended and tortured. After a series of suicide bombings in Israel in 1996, Dahlan took a major part in the Palestinian Authority’s effort to crack down on Hamas.
Blast injures 50 at wedding for nephew of Fatah leader
Palestinian groups vow to release prisoners, unify
Hamas, Fatah clash kills six in West Bank
NATO-led troops kill senior Afghan militant
Clinton visits Palestinian leaders in West Bank
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How Google’s Autonomous Car Passed the First U.S. State Self-Driving Test
The Nevada driving test documents show that Google had some control over the test conditions
By Mark Harris, September 1, 2014
Regulations governing Google’s experimental self-driving cars will come into effect on California’s roads starting 16 September. They have driven more than 1 million kilometers since the company started secretly developing them in 2009, but they have been tested only once by a government body on open roads—by Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) officials in May 2012.
IEEE Spectrum has now obtained the driving log of this test, and e-mails referring to it, under Freedom of Information legislation. Some of this information is not new. For example, Nevada officials shared that the Google’s autonomous Toyota Prius passed the test almost immediately. What has not been revealed until now, however, is that Google chose the test route and set limits on the road and weather conditions that the vehicle could encounter, and that its engineers had to take control of the car twice during the drive.
The world’s first self-driving test took place on 1 May 2012 in Las Vegas. Google had previously mapped the area and selected a route for the test, which the DMV agreed to. Chris Urmson, now head of Google’s self-driving car project, was in the driver’s seat in case anything went wrong. Next to him sat engineer Anthony Levandowski. In the backseats were Nevada’s examiners. One was Bruce Breslow, a sportscaster and politician who was then head of the DMV. The other, Nancy Wojcik, is in charge of testing and licensing for the state.
The Nevada DMV designed the test to assess the self-driving car’s performance in common situations. The examiners would grade Google’s car in every scenario, determining whether it operated fully autonomously, needed some assistance from Urmson, or completely handed control over to Urmson. The final check box would show which situations the car had faced. Here, Breslow recorded the Prius negotiating four-way stop signs around Las Vegas’s iconic Strip and its convention center.
In smooth, everyday traffic, the Prius worked perfectly. Breslow noted that the car detected and stopped for pedestrians and merged smoothly onto a freeway up to the local speed limit. At crosswalks, he called it “extra cautious—designed for safety.”
The measured pace of Google’s autonomous Prius may have started to annoy Breslow. “Perhaps overly cautious approaching some lights,” he wrote. The other column shows that Google’s car was not tested on roundabouts. There were similar checks for railroad crossings, unpaved roads, school zones, and shopping centers. In communication with the Nevada DMV before the test, Google said its policy was to prohibit autonomous operation at railroad crossings that lack signals and for human drivers to take over. It also noted: “[Roundabouts are] particularly challenging, where many drivers don’t know the proper rules in the first place.” In an e-mail to colleagues at the DMV, Breslow wrote, “We can’t fail an applicant for not being able to navigate a traffic circle if they say that there [sic] vehicle can’t yet do it.”
What would the Prius do when confronted by something unexpected? That happened several times during the 22-km test drive. At one point, a bicycle weaved in front of the car. The car backed off before passing the cyclist safely. The Prius also correctly anticipated a pedestrian running across the street. Construction work, however, proved trickier. When faced with a partially blocked-off road, the car switched between autonomous and manual modes and then braked to a halt, requiring Urmson, the safety driver, to take control. Wojcik also recorded that the car needed driver assistance with some turns, although she did not note the circumstances.
Before the test, Google had written: “It will be hard to anticipate if the proposed demonstration will encounter several important environmental conditions: rain, snow/ice, fog, and heavy crosswinds. Additionally, the vehicles currently do not operate in snow, ice, or dense fog.” Luckily, Google’s driving software proved better than its weather forecasting. Temperatures in Las Vegas in May average a scorching 31 °C (88 °F), with almost zero chance of rain or fog. Google provided Nevada with written assurances that its vehicles had coped well with rain in California and that they could also operate safely at roundabouts and other road features that did not figure in the Nevada test.
Following the Las Vegas test, the Prius was put through its paces again in the state capital, Carson City. A DMV committee then met and approved the country’s first self-driving vehicle testing license. On 4 May 2012, the Prius was issued special gold-on-red autonomous license plates, number AU-001. However, Google seems to have done little with its historic license plate. Most of the company’s testing has since been focused on California, and when its Nevada license expired in May 2013, Google failed to renew it for at least eight months.
Poll Shows Strong Support for 710 Tunnel!
http://www.710coalition.com/poll_shows_strong_support_for_710_tunnel
Posted by Janice Ochoa, September 10, 2014
We just completed a research poll, and not surprisingly it shows strong support for completing the 710 Noth Freeway. The poll consisted of a public survey that included registered voters throughout Los Angeles and 12 affected areas around the 710. Alhambra City Council-member, Barbara Messina said, “It was gratifying to have confirmed that an overwhelming number of residents in the communities, directly affected by the project, are among the strongest supporters for closing the 710 gap.”
According to the poll, “traffic congestion on local streets is an important issue to 76% of those surveyed.” While there was strong support for the 710 gap closure to begin with, “affected areas support rose to better than 3-to-1” when people learned more about the project.
It's time to put the solution to our traffic problems into action and build th710 tunnel! To show your support for completing the 710 North Freeway gap closure click here. To read more about the poll click here!
What a bunch of bull! It's hard to believe that there is 66% support from South Pas respondents when there are no exits through the tunnel and SP residents wouldn't benefit from it...
An extremely amateurish job. I have seen better statistics in high school projects!
What statistics, there aren't any. This little piece has no content.
Another manipulation. Push poll of the highest order. If the interviewees had the basic info that there would be tolls to use the tunnels, the cost is $5-10 billion and the traffic on surface streets would increase from those diverting to not use tunnels the majority would be against it.
Percentages tell nothing unless they are backed up with Stats like the number polled in each city and standard deviations, confidence limits, etc. A good survey with nothing to hide would also report the polling questions. This is bush league at best.
Would like to see actual poll questions, breakdown of "randomized" registered voters, and breakdown of vote by community (they show breakdown of 2008 measure R only).
Oh, forgot a fact! It would take about 10 years to build according to a study done in 2006.
Don't believe it!
This is where we need to appeal to the cities alliance to do an independent survey and or review. This is a typical PR playbook and as we got tougher, Metro has had to spend more for a better PR firm. An annoying irony in that in fighting to save money, we are making Metro spend more tax money to fight us!
Not surprisingly?
What a sham. However,I will say that this story is so see- through that we could only wish Caltrans/METRO had been this transparent.
I don't consider this an article when it's on the 710 coalition website. It's garbage.
"The 710 coalition paid for the survey and also developed the questions to get the results they wanted."
Study: Los Angeles' bad roads cost drivers $2,500 per year
http://www.losangelesregister.com/articles/study-604726-roads-vehicle.html
By Matthew Fleming, September 11, 2014
It’s no secret that L.A.’s roads are bad – overcrowded and kept in a constant state of disrepair that’s dangerous to both vehicle and driver.
But a study released Thursday actually quantifies just how much Angelenos should hate the roads.
The average Los Angeles driver wastes $2,500 per year in costs associated with the lousy roads, the study estimates. That number accounts for higher vehicle operating costs, accidents and congestion-related delays.
But it’s not just Angelenos who have angered the road gods. The study estimates that California motorists waste $44 billion annually in total.
“A lack of adequate state and local funding has resulted in more than one-third of major roads and highways in California having pavement surfaces in poor condition, providing a rough ride and costing motorist (sic) in the form of additional vehicle operating costs,” the study says.
The higher operating costs are caused by “accelerated vehicle depreciation, additional vehicle repair costs, increased fuel consumption and increased tire wear,” according to the study, which was conducted by TRIP, a Washington, D.C.-based private nonprofit focused on surface transportation issues.
Of the about $2,500 that Angelenos burn each year –$2,458 to be exact – TRIP estimates that Angelenos lose $1,300 annually in wasted fuel and lost opportunities. Ouch. And on top of that, the average Los Angeles driver loses 61 hours annually to congestion – which is longer than the entire “Breaking Bad” TV series.
The study also suggests that fixing the roads would reduce traffic fatalities, noting that one-third of all fatal and serious traffic crashes in California are related to roadway features. It says 14,878 people were killed in traffic crashes in California from 2008 to 2012, averaging 2,976 per year.
“The severity of traffic crashes could be reduced through roadway improvements, where appropriate, such as adding turn lanes, removing or shielding obstacles, adding or improving medians, widening and paving shoulders, improving intersection layout, and providing better road markings and upgrading or installing traffic signals,” notes the study.
The solution comes down to funding. The problem is that it would require an act of Congress.
“These conditions are only going to get worse if greater funding is not made available at the state and federal levels,” said Will Wilkins, TRIP’s executive director. “Congress can help by approving a long-term federal surface transportation program that provides adequate funding levels, based on a reliable funding source.”
US DOT Awards 72 TIGER Grants, But the Program Remains in Jeopardy
http://usa.streetsblog.org/2014/09/12/us-dot-awards-72-tiger-grants-but-the-program-remains-in-jeopardy/
By Tanya Snyder, September 12, 2014
See website for a map.
This afternoon, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx will announce the latest round of TIGER grants awarding $600 million among 72 transportation projects in 46 states and the District of Columbia. You can see all TIGER grants to date or just the latest round — TIGER VI — in this map from Transportation for America.
Here are a few things to know about the state of the program:
Demand for these grants still far outstrips supply. U.S. DOT received 797 eligible applications this time, up from 585 in 2013, requesting 15 times the $600 million available for the program. TIGER fills a significant void in the federal transportation program — it’s one of the only ways cities, metro regions, and transit agencies can apply directly for federal funds, bypassing state DOTs. Plus, the emphasis on non-automotive modes and the availability of small grants make it a good fit for transit improvements and bike and pedestrian projects, which can’t access other federal pots of money so easily.
27 percent of the total funding is going to transit projects. That includes…
$25 million for the construction of Richmond’s 7.6-mile Broad Street Bus Rapid Transit, which U.S DOT says “will connect transit-dependent residents to jobs and retail centers as well as spur mixed use and transit-oriented development in a city with the highest poverty rate in Virginia.”
$15 million for an Omaha BRT line along a corridor where 16 percent of households have no access to a vehicle.
$13 million and $12 million for streetcars in Providence and Detroit, respectively.
Meanwhile, planning projects got 5 percent of the funds, and five bike and pedestrian infrastructure projects received $56 million — 9 percent of the total funding — including $25 million for street safety projects in New York, one of the two largest individual grants. The other $25 million grant is for replacing the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge a rail bridge between Maine and New Hampshire.
Road projects got a sizable chunk too — $221 million or 38 percent of the available funding. The biggest — $20 million — went to rebuilding a mile of Florida’s Tamiami Trail (U.S. Highway 41/State Road 90, connecting Tampa to Miami) to bridge over the water and wildlife habitat of the Everglades. It presently runs through it, disrupting the water flow. Many of the road projects are multi-modal and include active transportation or complete streets components.
TIGER’s future is uncertain. No appropriations bill has become law yet for fiscal year 2015 (which starts in about two weeks), but the House Republicans’ proposal for the transportation budget included just $100 million for TIGER (an 83 percent cut). Even worse, they inserted language stating that TIGER grants must “address critical transportation needs” and no “non-essential purposes, such as street-scaping, or bike and pedestrian paths.” Also ineligible would be transit projects that would be eligible for New Starts or other FTA grants, carpool projects, ADA compliance for sidewalks, highway and transit safety improvements, planning, congestion mitigation, intelligent transportation systems, anything related to congestion pricing (including electric toll collection and travel demand management), or recreational trails.
Though that particular bill doesn’t seem likely to become law, that is what Republicans will be trying to get in future transportation negotiations. Clearly, they want to strangle TIGER.
California Legislation Watch: Weekly Update
http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/09/12/california-legislation-watch-weekly-update-17/
By Melanie Curry, September 12, 2014
Here is Streetsblog’s weekly highlight of California legislation and activities related to sustainable transportation.
With the legislature in recess, Sacramento waits for Governor Brown to decide on hundreds of bills passed by lawmakers before they left town. His deadline is the end of this month, and he has begun signing small groups of bills.
A Win for Bikes on Buses: The governor signed A.B. 2707, from Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-Arcadia), allowing 40-foot buses (not longer) to carry mounted bike racks that can carry three bikes. L.A. Metro, the bill’s sponsor, will be able to add half again as much bike-carrying capacity to more than half of its fleet, including new buses on order, and the new regulation applies to transit agencies throughout the state. See Streetsblog’s coverage here.
Climate Change Conversation: State leaders held a symposium in Sacramento this week to pat themselves on the back for state efforts on climate change. Both former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and current Governor Jerry Brown spoke at the gathering, which also featured talks by climate change researchers and business leaders who are finding ways to thrive under California’s regulations.
The overall themes were: California leads the world; California needs to do more, and soon; the economy will not wither and die if we try to fix climate change; and individuals still do not understand the impact of their individual choices. See Ethan Elkind’s recap of the symposium here.
Bicycling was mentioned twice in the course of the morning. It’s hard to say whether that’s progress: a life-long bicycle activist I spoke to afterwards told me there’s a sense that bikes will never be able to replace long driving commutes and therefore a focus on bikes seems too small and too slow in the face of the enormity of the climate change challenge. But Jim Brown of Sacramento Bicycle Advocates had a different reaction: he was inspired, he said, to focus on what individuals can do now, and on helping them overcome obstacles to doing it.
I think my colleague Joe Linton has it right: put a map on your fridge, draw a two-mile (or one-mile) circle around your home, and commit to walking or biking every trip you make within that circle. You won’t convince me that enough people taking that one individual action won’t make a big difference.
High-Speed Rail Foes Prolong Litigation: The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the Pacific Legal Foundation, and other opponents of California’s high-speed rail program announced they will take their case against the project to the California Supreme Court. They are appealing the recent Court of Appeals reversal of a lower court’s ruling against the sale of bonds to build the train.
Guest Editorial: Urban Change in L.A. – Too Little, Too Slow
http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/09/12/guest-editorial-urban-change-in-l-a-too-little-too-slow/
By Gerhard Mayer, September 12, 2014
Should L.A.’s future look more like the 110 Freeway…
There are many suggestions how to ‘fix’ L.A., but we still fail to connect the financial troubles of our city with its physical shape. Our sprawling urban landscape has a structural land use imbalance that is a major cause for our financial problems; unchanged, L.A.’s urban form undermines our recovery and jeopardizes our future prosperity.
Still, L.A. is improving, and many folks are celebrating our accomplishments. But what is happening is too small, and too cautious for a world class city. We are not changing nearly fast enough to keep up with our many challenges. On the contrary, compared to other cities, we are falling further and further behind.
What we need is a bold urban design strategy paired with an aggressive renewal of much of the city built after WWII. We need to recognize wasteful sprawl as the source of our current problems. We need to invent a new city that lives up to the aspirations and dreams of Angelinos; and then transition into that new city as fast as we can.
The Los Angeles 2020 Commission reports in A Time For Truth [PDF] that we are “a city that is barely treading water while so many other cities are boldly charging forward.” Without action, the commission warned, Los Angeles risks “becoming a city in decline.” The recent 10-million-gallon water eruption in Westwood was just the latest indicator of our state of disrepair. All the while, L.A. does not even have the funds to repair all our potholes.
A root cause for this dire situation is how much land we waste for cars. Standing in a parking lot, or on an arterial boulevard in L.A., you will notice that very little around you generates tax revenue. On the contrary, parking lots, roads, medians, etc… all require scarce resources for maintenance and repairs. Now imagine doing the same in Boston, or in San Francisco…. all around you would see businesses and residences, paying taxes – taxes that can be used to keep a much smaller infrastructure in ship shape!
L.A.’s land use imbalance is acute. In a “normal” city, only approx. one-fifth of the city’s land is dedicated to transportation. Four-fifths of that city is used for buildings that generate revenue – or for open space. Not in LA; here, as much as 60 percent of our land – three-fifths – is used to accommodate our automobiles. Only two-fifths of LA has buildings that generates revenue to maintain, renew and expand our public services.
The car based city cannot not work sustainably, least of all financially. We must simply stop limping along with the city we have, and start building the city we need. In a nutshell, we must reduce land used for streets and parking lots, and instead build more buildings – or create recreational open space (landscaped traffic islands do not count.) And we must get much bolder and innovative in doing so.
…or like CicLAvia?
All we have right now is some good, but timid, first steps:
We rightfully celebrate our CicLAvias, and the fact that we are planning to build 1,684 new bikeway miles. But let’s aim much higher. For instance, let’s look at Copenhagen. Around 60 percent of all Copenhageners commute by bike on a daily basis, much on new bike-dedicated infrastructure, often in inclement weather. We here have the best weather in the world, and a pretty flat city. Why do we not aim to be the bike capital of the world?
It’s also great that we are finally embracing parklets. But – a little patch of grass in the space of a metered parking space does not make an open space strategy for a city like L.A. We need new public open space – let’s find the land on our roads! We already have ambitiously planned to cap some freeways with parks: Park 101, Hollywood Central Park, Glendale Area 134. What is still utopia for us already exists in NY since the 1950s, in Seattle since 1976, in Phoenix since 1990, in Boston since 2008, and in Dallas since last year. And many cities remove freeways all together and replace them with public open spaces. In Portland, since 1974; along San Francisco’s waterfront, since 1991; in Seoul, since 2003; in Madrid, since 2011. When will we start right here?
Finally, we now have partial funding to restore the L.A. River. But why only fix 11 miles of a 51-mile river that runs 32 miles through the city of L.A.? Let’s address the whole river, through the whole city, at once!
And where will we get the money for this?
The answer lies in the private sector. We need to define a new framework for urban development that puts us on a path of economic and ecological sustainability, and then find a way to unleash the private sector to build it for us. There are examples ‘how to’ from all over the world. Until recently, we had our own, very capable method, right here – tax increment based redevelopment! It can be dusted off, refreshed and redeployed to build us the city we need.
Let’s start our new L.A. along the transit corridors. They accomplish something quite marvelous in our mostly car-only city; they revise the status of the automobile from ‘required to live in LA’ to ‘optional’! That is a game changer that allows a complete paradigm shift, and allows a new different neighborhood around each transit stop. If we did this boldly enough, the world would notice us reinventing ourselves, once again.
And, best of all, the more we will rebuild L.A. this new way, the more money we will generate to actually maintain it, afterwards; as well as find more and more personal money in our pockets to enjoy a qualitatively improved and improving city.
So What Exactly Is a 'Road Diet'?
A closer look at what's been called "one of the transportation safety field's greatest success stories."
By Eric Jaffe, September 12, 2014
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced an 18-month campaign to improve road safety across the country. One of the things DOT plans to do is create a guide to "road diets" that it will distribute to communities and local governments. DOT says that road diets can reduce traffic crashes by an average of 29 percent, and that in some smaller towns the design approach can cut crashes nearly in half.
But what exactly is a road diet? A good place to start is the apparent source of DOT's safety figures: a 2013 white paper on road diets prepared for the Federal Highway Administration by Libby Thomas of the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center. While road diets have been around for decades, writes Thomas, it's only in the past 10 years or so that experts have understood just how beneficial they can be:
Road diets can be seen as one of the transportation safety field's greatest success stories.
The concept of road diets emerged as a response to a common practice of expanding two-lane urban arterials into four lanes once vehicular traffic hit a certain point—roughly 6,000 cars a day by some estimates. The original thinking held that wider roads meant better traffic flows, especially at rush-hour, but new lanes also attracted new traffic, and outside the peak periods you'd end up with lots of wasted road space. An analysis of road widening in the small city of Fort Madison, Iowa, showed an increase in traffic volumes, but also delay, speed, and crash and injury rates:
Welch (1999), TRB Circular E-C019
Realizing these unintended outcomes, some localities implemented a type of road diet: reconfiguring the four lanes (two in each direction) into three (one each way plus a shared turn lane in the middle). The change dramatically reduced the number of "conflict points" on the road—places where a crash might occur. Whereas there might be six mid-block conflict points in a common four-lane arterial, between cars turning and merging, there were only two after the road diet:
Iowa Department of Transportation (2001)
Likewise, at an intersection, eight potential conflict points became four after a road diet:
The result was a much safer road. In small urban areas (say, populations around 17,000, with traffic volumes up to 12,000 cars a day), post-road diet crashes dropped about 47 percent. In larger metros (with populations around 269,000 and up to 24,000 daily cars), the crash reduction was roughly 19 percent. The combined estimate from all the best studies predicted that accidents would decline 29 percent, on average, after a four-to-three-lane road diet—DOT's reported figure.
These benefits alone would be enough to merit more road diets, but there were plenty of others. Bicycle and pedestrian traffic tends to soar at these sites, as the recaptured road space gives way to bike lanes or street parking that provides a sidewalk buffer from moving traffic or crossing islands, and as vehicle speeds decline (especially for high-end speeders going more than 5 miles per hour over the limit). Traffic volumes, meanwhile, typically stay even in such a corridor: some drivers diverted to other parts of the street network, while the rest quickly soak up any vacated space.
Best of all, these kinds of changes don't cost much. When timed with regular road maintenance and re-paving, road diet policies require little more than the paint needed to re-stripe lanes. They're about as cheap and cost-effective as infrastructure improvements get, which has led some to wonder why the technique isn't used more widely; here's planner Charles Marohn writing earlier this year at Strong Towns:
Why, when our leadership has expressed so clearly the enormous financial gap we have in funding a "world class" transportation system, are road diets not an obsession of transportation departments everywhere?
One source of the hesitation (aside from general car reliance) may be that the evidence suggests caution when implementing road diets on corridors that carry more than 20,000 cars a day. For sure, some major urban roads can't slim down overnight without creating huge traffic problems. But road diets have also worked in New York City of all places: a 2013 study found significant crash reductions across treated sites.
And improvements can be made even when lanes aren't removed. The NYC DOT recently reported that traffic flows remained strong while safety increased when traffic lanes were narrowed to accommodate bike lanes. That approach might need its own name—call it a lane diet, maybe—but the outcome seems to be the same.
Metro awarded $22 million in two federal TIGER grants to improve station access
http://thesource.metro.net/2014/09/12/metro-awarded-two-federal-tiger-grants-to-improve-station-access/
By Steve Hymon, September 12, 2014
Two projects to improve access to Metro Rail stations were awarded “TIGER grant” funding this week from the U.S. Department of Transportation:
•The Eastside Access Improvement Project will receive $11.8 million to help create a network of sidewalks and bike lanes for pedestrians and bicyclists to access the Regional Connector 1st/Central Station in Little Tokyo.
Proposed improvements include an enhanced network of crosswalks, sidewalks and bike lanes for pedestrians and bicyclists, improved pedestrian lighting, planting and street furniture along nearby streets. The above renderings show some of the possible improvements.
The Regional Connector is a 1.9-mile underground light rail line that will connect the Gold Line to the Blue and Expo Lines in downtown Los Angeles and is forecast to open in 2020. The Connector will allow Eastside Gold Line riders to take the train directly into the heart of downtown without first having to travel to Union Station and transfer to the subway.
•Metro also was awarded $10.25 million to fund a series of improvements for the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station that serves the Blue Line, Green Line, six Metro bus lines and other muni bus providers. The station sits under the 105 freeway, meaning it can be noisy, cavernous and dimly lit — all impacting the “passenger experience,” as Metro’s grant application noted.
Among the improvements to be funded by the grant money: increasing station capacity by lengthening the Blue Line platform and, according to Metro, “enhancing connections between rail, bus, bicycle and pedestrian facilities to create safer access to the station from the surrounding community.”
Metro continues to pursue a larger project that could include a new bus center, sheriff substation and pedestrian plaza. More funding will be needed for those improvements.
Please click here to see the news release from the U.S. Department of Transportation and here’s a nice USDOT map showing TIGER grants awarded around the country. Metro officials said they especially appreciated the support of Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein in securing the grants — the two largest awarded to agencies in the state of California.
Metro CEO Art Leahy letter to stakeholders on SR 710 North study
http://thesource.metro.net/2014/09/12/metro-ceo-art-leahy-letter-to-stakeholders-on-sr-710-north-study/
The letter from Metro Art Leahy was sent to stakeholders on Friday morning:
Dear Stakeholder,
As we approach the fall season, I wanted to provide you with an update on the release of the draft environmental impact document for the State Route 710 North Study.
Using Measure R funds, Caltrans and Metro are studying mobility and traffic congestion relief in the area between east/northeast Los Angeles and the western San Gabriel Valley.
Five alternatives are being equally evaluated: bus rapid transit, freeway tunnel, light rail transit, no build, and local street and intersection improvements.
Altogether, approximately 26 detailed technical studies are included in the draft environmental document that will be released in February 2015. The studies analyze traffic, noise, air quality, cost-benefit, health risk assessments, and other variables.
To provide the public with correct information on the Study, Metro has posted two new documents, Frequently Asked Questions and Fact vs. Fiction on the Metro website.
Caltrans and Metro are fully committed to an open and transparent process. To date, Metro has conducted 92 community meetings, participated in six city-sponsored community forums, and held over 200 briefings with community stakeholders — and we are not done.
In the next several months, Metro will continue to go out into neighborhoods and communities to talk to residents and businesses about the need to address traffic congestion in the area and about the alternatives being considered.
You can help us spread the word and raise awareness by talking to your neighbors, co-workers and fellow students, and by discussing the Study at your club and association meetings. These conversations will help increase public participation in the process and ensure that more people have a voice in this regional issue.
Thank you for your continued partnership in our effort to address traffic congestion. For continuous updates go to metro.net/sr710study, facebook.com/sr710study, or follow us on Twitter @sr710study.
Arthur T. Leahy
How Google’s Autonomous Car Passed the First U.S. ...
Study: Los Angeles' bad roads cost drivers $2,500 ...
US DOT Awards 72 TIGER Grants, But the Program Rem...
Guest Editorial: Urban Change in L.A. – Too Little...
Metro awarded $22 million in two federal TIGER gra...
Metro CEO Art Leahy letter to stakeholders on SR 7...
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PK Carsport returns with high ambitions
The PK Carsport powerhouse will be once again among the contenders for the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series titles and trophies during the 2018 season. Anthony Kumpen and Stienes Longin will defend the colors of the glorious belgian team in ELITE 1, Guillaume Dumarey and Brazilian Felipe Rabello will start in ELITE 2.
The 2018 season of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series can not start fast enough for the Hasselt-based team. “Our ambitions are clear”, says two-time champion Anthony Kumpen. “We want to compete for the title in each category. To achieve this we have two completely reconstructed cars. We tried small things and tested them in Zolder during the winter. The Details can make a real difference, you know.”
The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series has become increasingly stronger in recent years. This is also the case for 2018. “The level keeps getting higher,” Kumpen says. “That’s a good thing for the championship and does not change our ambitions. We can count on our experience. I want to get that ELITE 1 title back. Apparently I can only win it in even years, so I’m fine for 2018. (laughs) No, seriously now: the title is incredibly important. This year I attended Daytona as a spectator, but I prefer to be able to drive myself. And to accomplish that, I will have to become champion a third time.”
However, Kumpen is not the only PK Carsport driver who starts the ELITE 1 season with high expectations.
“In the three full seasons of NASCAR I’ve raced so far, I’ve always achieved my goals”, explains Stienes Longin. “I am well aware that the bar will be even higher this year. I want to score as high as possible, be on the podium as often as possible. We will see how high that will bring me, but I will not rule anything out. The level of the championship is rising again, I think it is an excellent thing. It will also ensure that we ourselves perform better. Last winter I worked hard to prepare myself physically and mentally on this season and that has already produced results. During a test day last week I immediately felt very good at the wheel of the car, I had the right speed to tackle. A good sign, already.”
After a first season in ELITE 2 in 2017 in which he became vice-champion, Guillaume Dumarey would not find it uncomfortable to climb one more step of the ladder this year. “I will do everything I can to achieve that”, says Dumarey. “But in ELITE 2 too, it will be tough. My new teammate Felipe Rabello ended up third in the championship last year, so he also has high ambitions. And then there are the new names for this season. No idea what those guys are worth, but I suspect that the start of the season will not be insignificant. With our experience we should be able to make the difference on those new drivers.”
Dumarey has also focused on a thorough physical preparation in recent months. “I have done a lot of strength training,” says the Eastern Fleming. “An excellent addition to the cardio exercises I have done for some time. Although our races last about 40 minutes, you really have to work hard on the wheel of such a car. Then you better be ready for it. I think I succeeded in that. I am already looking forward to the start of the season in Valencia.”
The new addition to the PK Carsport lineup will be Felipe Rabello, who finished third in point in the ELITE 2 Division and won twice in his oval racing debut. “I learned a lot in my first season and I am feeling very confident this year, working with a great team such as PK carsport. I am very happy to be part of it,” said the Belo Horizonte native. “I believe I will be a strong contender for the title in the ELITE 2 division, but i know that it will be a tough battle because of the high level of the competition. Racing is unpredictable, but we will do our best to achieve our goals. I really enjoy the racing and the organization of Euro NASCAR and I can’t wait to start the season.”
In addition to their ambitions for the ELITE 1, ELITE 2 and team titles, Kumpen & Co also have a side project they set their sights on. “This year, for the first time, there will be a Nations’ Cup in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series”, explains the Hasselt-native. “You can count on us to defend Belgian colors with verve!”
In the run-up to the start of the season in Valencia (April 14-15), PK Carsport will take a final test on the Zolder circuit on March 29th. Two days earlier, on March 27, the cars will be presented to the public in the Heinz Performance workshop in Hasselt in combination with the launch of the new webshop www.powerkit.shop, where Heinz Performance and PK Carsport bundle more than 25 years of racing and tuning experience into products for every car enthusiast. The new merchandising of the team will also be available on the webshop before the start of the season.
Copyright (©) 2003-2019 AnthonyKumpen.com
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A Few Years of Writing
Interspersed with Some Facts of Life
42 ills | 192 pages
Author Robert Maxwell
Contributor Anthony Vidler
With a body of work firmly at the heart of architectural theory and discourse, Robert Maxwell is undoubtedly one of the most respected architectural writers and educators of recent times. Emeritus Professor of Architecture at Princeton University, Robert Maxwell is a scholar known worldwide for critical writing that looks at modern and contemporary architecture in relation to our wider culture, including art, literature and music.
A Few Years of Writing: Interspersed with Some Facts of Life brings together a collection of over 30 of Maxwell's writings from the late twentieth century to the present, through which are woven events and occasions from his own diary that expand on debates in the world of architecture throughout the period. Texts include Richard Rogers: an Evaluation, first published in Casabella in February 1994; Sounds and Sweet Airs at Stuttgart, a review of the Music School at Stuttgart, in the RIBA Journal in October 1996; an obituary of Philip Johnson in The Architectural Review, in March 2005; and Eisenman: The Formal Basis of Modern Architecture, in Building Design in September 2006.
This engaging collection, at once intimate and autobiographical, insightful and perceptive, as well as critical and theoretical, results in a rich description of the culture of architecture across two decades towards the close of the last century and during the early years of the present. A Few Years of Writing: Interspersed with Some Facts of Life is one of two books of Robert Maxwell's writing to be published by Artifice.
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The Founding Myths of Architecture
110 ills | 176 pages
Editors Konrad Buhagiar, Guillame Dreyfuss, Jens Bruenslow
The Founding Myths of Architecture brings together and discusses the work of some of the most influential and intriguing figures in the history of architecture. By returning to the authentic roots from which modern architectural thought has sprung, it explores the signi cance of the discipline in relation to the evolution of mankind.
Kari Jormakka, Fabio Barry, Pedro Azara, Caspar Pearson and Henry Dietrich Fernández are just some of the respected scholars whose writings comprise this authoritative look at the origins of architectural practice and its importance to the development of modern society. The oeuvres of Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, Francesco Borromini, André Le Nôtre, Giorgio Grognet de Vassé and Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, amongst others, are visually referenced in relation to the book topics.
Published in both French and English editions, this collection of essays pushes the boundaries of architectural criticism by encompassing history and anthropology in its analysis of design theory and by moving away from a purely rational and functional understanding of architecture.
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Q. Solid start, slight hiccup on 15 with a birdie on the last. Tell us about your round.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Thanks for reminding me. It was a good start.
Yeah, I played pretty solid. I played consistent. I hit a lot of really solid shots, which was nice, because I felt like I had a really nice warm-up, but I practiced really well yesterday afternoon and I didn't play well in the Pro-Am.
Overall we had such good conditions. It wasn't that easy to make birdies, but I felt, like you say, apart from one hole, I felt like I was really sort of clinical out there and doing a lot of good stuff. Basically made the most of my chances, and did so much good stuff. Just one hole was a little hiccup but apart from that it was really good.
Q. You looked quite relaxed out there. Are you enjoying your experience here at Lahinch?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It's nice to be back. It's nice to be playing in Europe again. Nice to be on links courses again. Lovely weather. Yeah, I was, I was enjoying it. I was enjoying hitting it pretty well. I was enjoying playing that new style of golf.
One of my little targets for today was to make sure you really are conscious of how the course is playing, because we know there's a links season coming up and there's a big event at the end of the month. So I was conscious of that, just making sure that I'm learning from every shot and taking it all in. You know, might have messed one up, but overall, first day, I have a really good sense of what's to come.
Q. The crowds were behind you out there. Describe that experience, especially on the first day?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: The crowds are great. I think it helps playing with, you know, one of the kings of Ireland. But they were lovely, lovely atmosphere, and they are always great crowds to play in front of, the Irish. They are a very individual bunch, aren't they. They are a very unique bunch and that's what we love about it. Yeah, pleasure. I hope I'm on TV the rest of the weekend and I get a lot more support.
Q. What do you take into tomorrow?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Just the same stuff. I'll stay on the same routine I've been on. I'll work this afternoon on my pitching and chipping again. Links golf, different turf, different reactions. Just keep doing the same things and hopefully I can build on this.
Q. Pádraig Harrington spoke yesterday about the unique aspect of this golf course. How did you find it today?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It is unique. I think the main -- there's a lot of blind shot but I think it's really tough to hit fairways. I hit it great off the tee but I was in the semi-rough so often. Lovely golf course. Different test.
I really made sure that I enjoyed it, because you're going to get good bounces and you're going to get bad breaks, as well. You just have to accept whatever comes to you and try to hit good shots and move on from there. For the most part, enjoyed it and did a really good job.
Q. How much of this week is about this week itself and how much is on Portrush in two weeks' time?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, look, The Irish Open is something we would all love to have on our resumé for so many reasons. Rolex Series Event, massive ranking points for The European Tour, which I haven't played on much this year, but overall a quite historic event, as well.
Of course, playing here I think is perfect prep for The Open. Very, very similar. I always feel like Irish links has its own sort of -- it brings its own piece to the game a little bit, and you have to be playing those courses to get the best prep, so I think it is perfect for The Open. Of course, everybody that's in it is going to have one eye on that tournament, but for now, let's concentrate on this.
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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC
Silvis, Illinois
THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Viktor Hovland to the John Deere Classic. He is making his fourth professional start here this week and is coming off a T13 finish at the 3M Open. If we could just get some opening comments about your week here and your tournament debut.
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, it's going to be my fifth week in a row. I've played a lot of golf lately, but I'm really enjoying it, and been able to have a couple practice rounds out here already, and the course is in great shape, and I'm just looking forward to getting started.
THE MODERATOR: You ran into your former teammates and you were walking in here. You saw Matt win last week at the 3M Open. How was it seeing him win last week?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: He won last week? I didn't know that. That was obviously amazing to watch. I knew he was capable of it, and for him to do it in just his fourth start as a professional, that's pretty incredible. Yeah, good for him.
Q. Speaking of the two of you guys, how did you make each other better throughout college? I'm sure you went head-to-head quite a few times.
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I'd say most of the work is being laid when we're just practicing at home at Karsten, just going out to play nine holes with the rest of the guys on the team and just watching what he's doing, we would have numerous times where I'd play good, I'd shoot 3-, 4-under on the front nine and he would shoot 4-, 5-under and then the next day it would be the opposite way. We would just continue to kind of push each other that way, where you think, okay, I'm playing sweet right now, but you still got beat by the other guy on the team, so that just kind of forces you to continue to work harder and get better.
Q. The John Deere Classic is known for young golfers making their big breakthroughs. Do you think this weekend could be your big one, and if so, why?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: I mean, I don't know. It's another week, and I'm just trying to play good golf. I know the course -- I would think it sets up well for me because it's more of a second shot golf course. You kind of have to fit it through narrow gaps off the tee and kind of persist in yourself, and I think that kind of fits my game well. But there's so many good guys out there, I just try to play my best and see how it goes.
Q. Are you content with this first part of your professional career, the way it's going right now, and what did it do to you? Did it change your perspective seeing what Matthew did last week?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: I don't know if I'm content or not. It's gone by so quick, I haven't really been able to think about it too much to kind of evaluate what I've already been doing. But I've obviously played well. I just haven't been able to string together four good rounds. I've had some really good rounds out there, but I'm just trying to continue to improve and then hopefully I can put together four good rounds this week and be in contention.
And obviously seeing Matt and Collin fighting for a victory last week, that's really cool because I've spent so much time around them and seeing if they can do it, I feel like I can do it, as well. But it doesn't come to you easy and you've just got to go out there and get it.
Q. Does that spur you on at all, seeing those guys at the top --
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, for sure, because I know their games so well, and it's cool to see them succeed, so yeah, it's definitely motivating. But it doesn't matter who wins. It's always motivating because I know that, okay, if I play well, I can potentially be that guy. So yeah, for sure.
Q. Just a few months ago we get the press release that yourself and Matthew and Collin were coming in as sponsor exemptions, and fast forward to now, in Vegas you guys are the odds-on favorite to win the John Deere Classic. So you went from sponsor exemptions to favorites. Did you know that, and your thoughts on that?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: I did not know that. Someone texted me yesterday that that was what Vegas put on us, but that's obviously kind of incredible that we're still playing off of sponsor's exemptions, except for Matt, obviously, but to kind of -- I don't know what to say about it, if it's too quick or not. But obviously we've played some great golf, and yeah, I don't know what my thoughts are on that.
I'm just trying to play my best golf. We'll see how it goes.
Q. We'll see if Vegas knows.
VIKTOR HOVLAND: We'll see. We'll see if they know. Stay off the weed.
Q. What's been the biggest challenge of playing five weeks in a row?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Just kind of after a round, figuring out how much I should practice or not, and obviously on the Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesdays when there's a pro-am, there's a junior clinic and that stuff to do, you've got to be really efficient with your time when you're on the course. To be honest, I still haven't quite figured that out yet because I'm the type of guy that likes to just spend the whole day on the course and just chill or not take it to seriously, just be out there and goof off. So I'm going to have to be a little better in that way. But I'm starting to learn a little bit.
Q. How much do you ask some of the veterans on TOUR about maybe their routines when you're playing five weeks in a row or managing your schedule? Do you pick other guys' brains?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: A little bit. I've gotten to play with Charles Howell a lot in the practice rounds, and he's obviously been out here for a while, and if you just kind of look at what he does, he's a professional in every single facet of his life. He seems to just kind of figure it out a routine that works for him. I think that's -- if you ask anyone out here, it's completely different what people do compared to the next person.
So I think the biggest advice is that you need to figure out what you do best and then just stick to that.
Q. Knowing that this is your fifth week in a row, are you limiting your practice rounds to maybe nine holes or are you just going after it?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: Apparently I was just going after it because I played 18 on Monday and I played 18 yesterday, and I got another nine today. So yeah, we'll see how it goes.
Q. Do you and the other younger guys, Matt and Justin and Collin, hang out together off the course? Is there kind of a comfort zone for you guys together?
VIKTOR HOVLAND: We haven't been able to do that the first few weeks now, with kind of how our schedules are. Someone has got a Monday pro-am that's early, someone's late, someone likes to practice in the evening, someone likes to practice in the mornings. We've had a couple practice rounds I remember in Detroit I had with Justin Suh and Matt and got to play with Collin earlier in the year. It's just kind of what our schedules allow for. But we try to see each other just the right amount.
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Public Hearing to Discuss Freight Corridor Project in LA County
February 12, 2019 Azusa Beacon News 0
East Los Angeles Interchange. – Courtesy photo/ Caltrans
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will hold a public hearing Wednesday, Feb. 13, to provide information and receive public comments about a proposed Caltrans Freight Corridor Improvement Project on Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County.
The proposed project involves improvements at bridges on I-5 from State Route 134 (Ventura Freeway) in Glendale to Templin Highway in northern Los Angeles County. It would provide increased vertical clearance of 16 feet, 6 inches at eight bridges in the Sun Valley area of Los Angeles and eliminate load capacity restrictions for heavy loads at the Los Angeles River Bridge, the I-5/Route 134 interchange and the Templin Highway undercrossing.
A report on the project and its effects, called an Initial Study/Environmental Assessment (IS/EA), is available for review online at dot.ca.gov/d7/env-docs/. Studies show the project would not significantly affect the quality of the environment with the incorporation of mitigation measures and other steps.
The public is cordially invited to attend the public hearing to learn more about the project, ask questions and provide comments. The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, at Alliance MIT School, 11933 Allegheny St., Sun Valley CA 91352.
Comments in writing may be submitted until Feb. 25 to Ron Kosinski, Deputy District Director, Caltrans Division of Environmental Planning, 100 S. Main St., MS 16A, Los Angeles CA 90012. Additional information is available by email to Susan.Tse@dot.ca.gov or (213) 897-1821.
The environmental document is available for review at the Sun Valley Library, 7935 Vineland Ave., and the Castaic Los Angeles County Library, 27971 Sloan Canyon Road, Castaic. It is available for review and reproduction at the Caltrans District 7 Division of Environmental Planning Office, 100 S. Main St. in Los Angeles on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Funding for the project is from Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, which will enable Caltrans to fix more than 500 bridges, 17,000 lane miles of pavement and 55,000 culverts by 2027.
Freight Corridor
Upper District Presents Water Education Grants to K-12th Grade Schools
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The town of Moncks Corner, South Carolina most probably takes its name from Thomas Monk, c. 1738. Monk owned and operated Mitten Plantation, a trading post on the Santee River, which later became a railroad depot and eventually the town center.
Moncks Corner, the County Seat for Berkeley County, is located about thirty miles from historic Charleston, South Carolina. It was near here that the legendary Revolutionary War hero, General Francis Marion, came to be called the "Swamp Fox" by the British soldiers. Operating from the Hell Hole Swamp, Francis Marion "outfoxed" and outsmarted his enemy by using unconventional warfare techniques. The movie The Patriot was based loosely on the character Francis Marion and was shot on location in and around Charleston and Moncks Corner.
Moncks Corner and Berkeley County are home to the Berkeley Museum, documenting 12,000 years of the area's history. Exhibits and artifacts focus on Native Americans, General Francis Marion, colonial life, the "War of Northern Aggression" and rural electrification. This is a "must see" for tourists and residents alike. Mepkin Abbey is a Trappist monastery in Berkeley County located near Moncks Corner at the junction of the two forks of the Cooper River, northwest of Charleston. The grounds of Mepkin Abbey are open to the public at certain hours. Tours of the monastery are available as well as self-guided tours of the gardens and cemeteries.
The region is considered a sportsman's delight because of the availability of lakes and forests which create a haven for outdoor activities of all kinds. Man-made Lakes Marion and Moultrie provide boating and water skiing opportunities. The region is also famous for fishing, with record catches of catfish, striped bass, shad and others. The Francis Marion National Forest offers great opportunities for deer and wild turkey hunting, as well as bird watching, camping, biking and exploring.
With a population of nearly 6,000, Moncks Corner boasts two modern medical facilities and a high-rise office complex. The average cost of a home in Moncks Corner is approximately $156,000. Of course, the mild climate year-round makes Moncks Corner and Berkeley County a highly desirable place to live.
Moncks Corner Market Update
Choose a Video: Goose Creek-Moncks Corner Moncks Corner Area Above Oakley Rd.
3001 Bushy Park Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461
2 ½ Baths
241 Spotted Owl Lane Moncks Corner, SC 29461
107 River Oak Court Moncks Corner, SC 29461
2008 Rock Fish Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461
1 Acre
1336 Wood Sorrel Drive Moncks Corner, SC 29461
214 Shelby Shea Lane Moncks Corner, SC 29461
266 Camp Christian Trail Moncks Corner, SC 29461
553 Chaff Lane Moncks Corner, SC 29461
0 Oakley Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461
1104 British Drive Moncks Corner, SC 29461
124 Red Leaf Boulevard Moncks Corner, SC 29461
1064 Ot Wallace Boulevard Moncks Corner, SC 29461
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Women’s basketball sees major changes
By Scout on October 19, 2012
The Bradley women’s basketball program has undergone a tremendous amount of change since its season ended last March.
Gone is 12-year coach Paula Buscher, who compiled a 167-188 record with the Braves before resigning to become the coach at Southern Illinois Edwardsville. In July, Bradley hired her replacement, Michael Brooks, who was an assistant under Buscher for one season.
Brooks said the transition from assistant to head coach has not been a difficult one. He served as co-head coach at Central Methodist University during the 2010-11 season.
“I think the transition for our ladies is the toughest,” he said. “They have to learn to hear my voice in a different realm. As an assistant, a lot of the time you’re the pick me up and as the head coach you’re kind of the hammer coming down. So getting to understand what I want and how I want it, that’s probably been the hardest adjustment for our team up to this point.”
Junior guard Kelsey Budd said Brooks has made a lot of changes around the program in his short time as head coach.
“There’s been a lot of change but I think change for the good,” she said. “Change always kind of takes adjustment. There’s been a lot off the court changes too. The atmosphere coach Brooks brings is something our program definitely needed and is putting us in a position to do well in the season.”
The Braves have moved from a slower, half court orientated offensive game to a more up-tempo, fast paced approach. Brooks also wants the team to be “in the opponents’ grill” defensively when they cross half court.
Brooks said it’s going to take time for the players to understand exactly what he expects from them on and off the court.
“It’s going to be a process,” he said. “Sometimes people forget when you take over a program not only are you changing the plays and the names of the play but you’re also changing the culture and identity for what you want. Not only does the terminology change but also the brand of basketball and how hard you expect them to play and how perfect you expect them to be.”
The multitude of changes have not tempered the team’s expectations for the season. Brooks said he expects this team to be in the top half of the Missouri Valley Conference due to their experienced guard play.
“If we do our jobs, if we play together and play physical we’ll be alright,” he said. “If we’re meeting those things then we should expect for us to be champions. The wins and losses will come from there.”
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2019 #BESPYS Awards
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Sweep brings Bradley to third place
Historic tennis season ends with loss in MVC semifinals
Who is your NFL draft sleeper pick?
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On Easter Sunday, Icelandic Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson Plays Evangelist for Bach
April 24, 2019 / Truman C. Wang
By Truman C. Wang
Photo credit: Ari Magg
Another health setback forced pianist Murray Perahia to cancel his Southern California engagements last week. Filling in for him at the Disney Hall on Sunday, April 21, was a relatively unknown pianist, Víkingur Ólafsson, who was part of last season’s Reykjavik festival and has made a name for himself in his native Iceland playing J.S. Bach and Philip Glass, two unlikely classical music bedfellows.
As it so happens, it was Easter Sunday, and the program was appropriately solemn with a seriousness of purpose. The first half of the recital was dotted with eclectic pieces by J.S. Bach, from the seriously substantial, fifteen-minute, Aria Variata alla maniera Italiana (BWV 989), to the lighthearted three-minute Gavotte, from Violin Partita No. 3 in E (BWV 1006) in the Rachmaninoff transcription. In between, we heard Preludes, Fugues, Fantasias by Bach as well as Romantic transcriptions that made quite an impression on Mr. Ólafsson’s protean modern Steinway grand.
While one missed the ailing Perahia – something of a Bach specialist himself, who recorded the Goldberg Variations twenty years ago that elicited superlatives from critics – Mr. Ólafsson can unabashedly stand on his own considerable merits. He is an interpreter with a rare instinct for living rhythms, pulses and inflections, free in his phrasing of the slow melodies – with freedoms that do no violence to, but enhance, the natural flow of the music – and buoyant in fast numbers. In his playing, one sensed an underlying current of romantic passion that’s in all of Bach’s music, but which fully blossomed in the transcriptions. One also appreciated his wonderful piano tone – rich but not fierce, full in timber but not cluttered, distinct but not dry.
The second half of the recital was devoted to the music of Philip Glass, including his six Etudes. In mood and style, they eerily resemble Bach. The Etude No. 5, for example, has the minimalist, contemplative character of the Bach/Silotti Prelude in B minor BWV 855a. Mr. Ólafsson showed the same virtuosity, athleticism and grace in the Glass works as he did in the Bach.
The two Bach encores – Chorale Prelude “Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ”, BWV 639 (trans. Busoni) and Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 847 (from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, No. 2) – took us back a full circle of this highly enlightening, enriching musical journey that spanned two centuries. At age 35, Víkingur Ólafsson is a marvelous pianist and an intellectual force to be reckoned with.
Truman C. Wang is Editor-in-Chief of Classical Voice, whose articles have appeared in the Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, other Southern California publications, as well as the Hawaiian Chinese Daily. He studied Integrative Biology and Music at U.C. Berkeley.
April 24, 2019 / Truman C. Wang/ Comment
Chamber Music, Los Angeles
Víkingur Ólafsson, Bach, Philip Glass
Truman C. Wang
Tetzlaff Trio at the Wallis, ...
LA Phil Hits High and Low Notes ...
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JUNOs: Michael Bublé beats out Justin Bieber
Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea will be among the presenters at the 2010 JUNO Awards. He's pictured here during a Caribbean cruise in 2008. Photo by Sue Frause.
I'm disappointed that CTV is broadcasting the JUNO Awards on Sunday, April 18, 2010. As with the 2010 Winter Olympics, my TV doesn't get CTV -- only CBC.
The JUNO Awards are the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Awards in the US. Last night in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, the 2010 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards were held. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) honored 32 new JUNO Award winners during an evening saluting the best of Canadian music.
I was pleased that Burnaby, BC "boy" Michael Bublé beat out tween heart throb Justin Bieber. Bublé's chart topping Crazy Love won Pop Album of the Year.
The JUNO Gala was the prelude to CTV’s nationally televised broadcast of THE 2010 JUNO AWARDS at Mile One Centre, where seven remaining JUNO Awards will be presented. Performers on the Sunday night broadcast include both Bublé and Bieber, along with Billy Talent; Blue Rodeo; Classified; Drake; Great Lake Swimmers; K'naan; Metric and Johnny Reid. Bryan Adams will receive the Alan Waters Humanitarian Award.
Wanna see what's in the performers and presenters swag bag? Click here. And CBS is broadcasting the 45th Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday, April 18 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Labels: Media Music Newfoundland
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Erika Goldring/Getty Images
Michael Ray Shares Heartbreaking Déjà Vu
"Those Are Our People," He Says of California Shooting Victims
by Alison Bonaguro 11/9/2018
What happened at the Borderline Bar & Grill on Wednesday night (Nov. 7) reminded so many country fans of what had just happened a little more than a year ago at a country music festival in Las Vegas.
It reminded country artist Michael Ray of that awful night, too.
I talked to Ray before he took the stage at a private Musicians on Call event in Chicago on Thursday night, and he shared what it felt like to hear the news about the shooting in California, and how it sounded much too familiar for him.
“It took me right back to waking up on my bus in the middle of the night after Route 91 happened,” he said. “We’d played Route 91 on that Friday night (two nights before the shooting there), then had stopped in Arkansas, and we were on our way back home. My phone started buzzing on the table by my bed, and I ignored it at first. But then it kept buzzing again and again. When I finally picked up, it was my buddy, and the first thing he said was, ‘Are you OK?’ He told me what had happened, and was still happening, and my heart broke. So today, it breaks again for all the families of those young kids, as they’re trying to piece together why their loved one just went out to have a good time, and then this.” The shooting at the popular country music club left 12 people dead and 23 injured when a gunman opened fire inside the bar.
This time, Ray heard the news while he was starting his day in Chicago. “This morning, while I was making coffee on the bus, I turned on the news,” he said, “and all the sudden and my heart just broke again.
“Because those fans? That’s our family. That’s where the country music family starts: those fans. They’re there having country music be part of their life, whether it’s listening to the music, seeing a band, or taking those line dancing lessons. These were college kids. They are the future of our country. They aren’t even that much younger than me. They’re unwinding, having some wholesome fun.”
The victims of this all-too-familiar tragedy, Ray said, were just doing what they love.
“People save money and vacation days to come to our shows. They let us into their cars when they’re dropping their kids off at school, they listen to us on dates nights,” he added. “Those are the people that tell us their life stories in meet-and-greets that we take and write songs about. Those are our people, so this shakes us to our core. When you see all those cowboys boots and those plaid shirts, that’s exactly what all of us see from the stage. This could easily be Joe’s Bar, 8 Seconds Saloon, and even Boots N Buckles Saloon, where I got my start.”
Even though he was about to go on stage and play a show, I could tell that Ray’s heart was with the victim’s families. “Those families are living through their worst nightmare right now. We want them to know that the country music family is wrapping our arms around them, and we want to be there for them, and let them all know that you shouldn’t let this stop you from living. Don’t let anyone take away your shine.”
As tough as it is to wrap your head around a solution to this kind of scenario, Ray did say that he hopes his team and his music industry peers can take steps to start making a difference: encouraging anyone with mental health struggles to seek help before turning to violence.
“What happened last night, that is something we’ve always talked about with my tour manager and my security guys, but now we are really talking about it. People can say, ’I’ve never had an issue,’ but you’ve never had an issue,” Ray said, “until you have an issue.”
Tags: Michael Ray
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A Critical Collaboration-ECMO Transport
Cpl Meyers' Thank You Message
USAF Care In The Air Exceeds Expectations
Doctors Learn To Transport Wounded Back From War
After The Battle: The Bandage Mission
Airmen Transport Soldier Suffering From Respiratory Failure
When U.S. Marine Cpl. Michael Meyer woke up at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in early May, he remembers being told, “You’re in Iowa.” His first thoughts were “Where?” and “Why?” Iowa, Meyer would find out, was a key destination on a road to recovery from severe respiratory failure that nearly took his life. How he ultimately came to the UI is a story of personal strength, family devotion, and the collaboration between UI Heart and Vascular Center specialists and medical personnel from the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force. For the 23-year-old Meyer—a bright, dedicated, and physically fit Marine from Florida who could easily finish a 15-mile run while he was stationed at Camp Schwab on the island of Okinawa, Japan—what had begun as a cough in early March quickly progressed to a serious lung infection. During a training mission on March 13, Meyer felt winded to the point where he could barely stand. Immediately he was evacuated to U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa.
“I sat down in a wheelchair, and they started taking off my boots. The next thing I know, I was being sedated,” Meyer recalls. “I went from an oxygen mask to anesthesia. I don’t remember a whole lot after that.” Despite being placed on a ventilator (breathing machine) and receiving powerful antifungal and antibiotic medications, Meyer’s health grew worse. His condition was critical, according to his mother, Laurie Meyer Cox, of Pensacola, Fla. The Marine Corps had contacted Cox and Meyer’s father after the Marine was hospitalized and arranged travel visas and transportation for the parents to be at their son’s bedside.
“Being a nurse myself, I knew what the vent settings meant,” Cox says. “Michael needed a lot of oxygen. He was fighting for his life, yet he continued to get sicker and sicker.” Several days later, Meyer “blew a hole in his lung,” Cox says, referring to a pneumothorax, or collapsed lung. It was the first of several serious complications that had the hospital staff working around the clock to keep Meyer alive.
The aeromedical evacuation of a U.S. Marine, March 26, who suffered complications from pneumonia marked the first ever extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, transfer performed with an adult in the Western Pacific region. An ECMO provides cardiac and respiratory oxygen support to patients with damaged or diseased heart and lungs that can no longer function for themselves. To complete an ECMO a surgeon inserts tubes into the large blood vessels of the patient. With the help of blood thinners to prevent clotting, the machine will then pump blood through the patient with a membrane oxygenator, removing carbon dioxide and adding oxygen, returning it back into the patient. The Marine was being cared for at the Lester hospital Intesive Care Unit, Camp Lester, Okinawa, for several days before being transferred to Kadena Air Base and then boarding a C17 that would take him to recieve specialized treatment in Hawaii. The medical team transporting the victim was composed of not only Air Force critical care air transportation nurses, but also Army soldiers who are part of theTripler Army Medical Center joint medical attendant transport team. Although the medical team members did not belong to the same branch of service as the patient, they came together to perform what needed to be done to help save his life.
Aviation Week & Space Technology
Jim Mathews
http://aviationweek.com/defense/usaf-s-care-air-exceeds-expectations
USAF’S ‘CARE IN THE AIR’ EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS
U.S. armed forces quietly made medical history in March, when statisticians recorded zero combat-related fatalities among American service members deployed in Afghanistan. To be sure, the pace of operations has slowed from its peak a few years ago and that can partly account for the drop, but forces continue to engage and troops continue to be in harm’s way. In fact, during that record-setting March, seven American battle injuries were severe enough to require aeromedical evacuation. So far in 2014, 23 U.S. service members have died, and 93 suffered battle injuries that prompted an air evacuation. Even so, the statistics for the duration of the wars show that the risk of dying in combat for U.S. military personnel wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq was almost half that faced by service members wounded in Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s, and about 45% of that for World War II combatants. While there are many reasons for this—simple things such as soldiers’ improved self-care and buddy-care training along with widespread adoption of tourniquets play a role—perhaps the most decisive has been a shift in thinking about how to use helicopters, turboprop transports and long-range airlifters to project very sophisticated and complex medical care deeper into the battlespace than ever before, even to the point of injury. We have spent 13 years developing the most complex and the most effective by far deployed trauma system in the history of warfare,” says Air Force Col. (Dr.) Mark Ervin, a general surgeon who oversees the medical aspects of three Air Mobility Command programs that fuse airpower with doctors, nurses, medics and technicians. The Critical Care Air Transport Team (CCATT) (see WWW.CCATT.INFO), the Tactical Critical Care Evacuation Team (Tccet) (see http://ow.ly/zt1zC) and En Route Critical Care programs send surgeons, trauma nurses, nurse-anesthetists, operating-room technicians and paramedics far forward to deliver care comparable to that received in an intensive-care unit or a Level I trauma center emergency room, either at the point of injury or in the air. It is difficult, complex and—until these conflicts—unheard of. “Part of why we’re so good today is [nearly] 14 years of practice,” says Air Force Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Kory Cornum, Air Mobility Command surgeon. Cornum, a pilot and an orthopedic surgeon by training, shares the concern of many in the military medical community that with the coming drawdown, maintaining that combined clinical and aeromedical evacuation know-how could be a challenge.
CINCINNATI — The soldier on the military cargo plane struggles to breathe. He developed pneumonia while serving in Afghanistan and needs medicine now, but the pump to deliver it won't work properly. "I can't believe I'm still messing around with this pump," the nurse says, speaking on a headset because the three-person crew is surrounded by the constant roar of jet engines even as she struggles with the thin air at 30,000 feet. But those engines aren't real. The "plane" is a simulation center deep inside the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the pump failure orchestrated from a control room next door. The patient is a mannequin. The whole thing, in fact, is a training exercise, with those in the control room recording every word and reaction. "There are communication issues for sure," said Air Force Maj. Daniel Cox after the training exercise is done. "(The doctor) has got to be more vocal." "The cadre," 17 Air Force trainers housed here at the University of Cincinnati, is charged with developing a new generation of war doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists. The university is one of three training sites for Air Force doctors, including those in the National Guard and Reserves, about to be deployed to Afghanistan or other active theater. The other training sites are in Baltimore and St. Louis. Once deployed, the doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists will treat injured service members being flown to other sites in theater or to an American military hospital in Germany. Most have backgrounds in critical care, but they often haven't seen the range of injuries common in America's 21st century wars: blast injuries, amputations, multi-trauma head injuries. "It can be a difficult transition," said Lt. Col. Elena Schlenker, deputy director of the training program, called C-Stars, or Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills. There are all kinds of rules for pilots. How often can they fly? How far can they fly? But there are no rules for the people in the back of the aircraft. Richard Branson, University of Cincinnati surgery professor. Even for doctors and nurses active in the military, the stress, confined space and oxygen-deprived conditions in transport planes can be overwhelming, said University of Cincinnati surgery professor Richard Branson. The experiments hone in on how altitude affects not only the patients, but the caregivers and their equipment as well. "There are all kinds of rules for pilots," he said. "How often can they fly? How far can they fly? But there are no rules for the people in the back of the aircraft."
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — More than 70 years ago, the first flight nurse graduated from the flight nurse course on Bowman Field, Ky. These flight nurses trained to provide a higher level of care to patients while they traveled by aircraft to other medical facilities. Today, the flight nurses and technicians of the 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron keep that level of care going in the skies above Afghanistan. The 455th EAES provides medical and nursing care in flight to ill or injured service members or Department of Defense civilians. They perform their mission on fixed wing aircraft, including the C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules and KC-135 Stratotanker, and can provide extensive critical care capability equal to the level of care that patients receive at the Craig Joint Theater Hospital here. “Our job is to move the sick and injured through the area of responsibility of Afghanistan,” said Col. Edward Farley, 455th EAES commander. “We obviously don’t want to be very busy, because that means that something bad has happened, and we have to move our service members or our coalition partners to a higher level of care.” Farley, deployed from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., leads 48 medical personnel with teams of four basic crews consisting of two flight nurses and three emergency medical technicians. All flight crewmembers received specialized altitude training to become universally qualified to move patients by aircraft. Tech. Sgt. Alejandro Rojas, 455th EAES medical technician, said the hardest part about his job is the uncertainty of the missions, but his team trains for the unexpected. “Each of our teams preps and configures all of our equipment the same way,” he said. “That way no matter what aircraft or patients we get, we are ready.” He also said that even though his unit doesn’t always stay extremely busy, primarily during the winter seasons, the necessity to have them is unquestionable. “We are like life insurance,” Rojas said.
SOUTHWEST ASIA - Eight members from the 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron transported a patient from a forward deployed location in Southwest Asia, to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, Dec. 6, 2013, aboard a C-17 Globemaster III. The patient, a 54-year-old Army soldier, was suffering from respiratory failure when the aeromedical evacuation crew was notified to transport him to the nearest medical treatment facility. "When we landed near the patient's location, we immediately grabbed all of our medical gear and loaded in the back of a (Army medevac) Black Hawk to get to the pick-up site," said Maj. Matthew Pieper, a 379th EAES critical care air transport team physician deployed from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and a St. Louis, Mo., native. "Riding in a helicopter was the quickest form of transportation to the patient." When the CCATT, also including Travis AFB airmen, Maj. Michele Suggs from Flint, Mich., and Tech. Sgt. Athena Sotak from Brownsville, Texas, arrived on scene with the patient, they quickly got him aboard the helicopter, began performing a medical assessment and started a medical ventilator, Pieper said. "Keeping a patient stable in the back of a helicopter is challenging," Pieper said. "There is less space to work, communication is difficult and we had to stay in our seats. We communicated directions with an Army medevac [technician] who was attached to a harness. He had a little more room to move and keep the patient stable." During the helicopter ride back to the C-17, the medical crew swapped out three oxygen tanks to keep the patient breathing through the ventilator. On the third oxygen tank, the patient's oxygen level began to dip as the helicopter was landing, Pieper said. "We ran the patient about 200 yards from the helicopter to the C-17," Pieper said. "The C-17 has more oxygen capacity than the helicopter so we needed to move him as quickly as possible." Capt. Rebecca Wastart, a 379th EAES flight nurse from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., helped set up the plane to receive the patient said,
Front Page Alerts ***LOGIN REQUIRED***
Impact 731 Alert Notice: Software Anomaly May Cause User to Inadvertently Change Device Settings
Problem: In a June 30, 2017, Urgent Medical Device Correction letter, ZOLL states that a software anomaly in the above ventilators may lead to users inadvertently changing the device settings. ZOLL also states that if the device is in the bi-level (BL) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mode and the user selects the mode soft-key and, does not turn the rotary select switch to change the...
Item Update: New Maintenance Label Update
Please help us get the word out to all AE forces that there will be a new DD Form 2163 which will be replacing the old DD Form 2163 and the AF Form 4368 through attrition. I would like to immediately begin phasing in the new DD 2163 sticker and through attrition replace all the old 4368's. Can you put the word out to the AE community that the new 2163 is acceptable and will eventually replace...
Recall Notice: Carefusion SmartSite Needlefree Connector
Recall Notice: Carefusion SmartSite Nedlefree Connector Model 2000E
REASON: The affected SmartSite connector lots may unintentionally disconnect from a female luer, may be difficult to disconnect from a female luer, or may fail to disconnect from a female luer once attached. Leakage may also be observed if the connector disconnects from the female luer durig infusion. An inability...
Recall: Dobutamine Injection, USP, 250mg, 20mL Vial
Hospira Dobutamine 250mg/20mL Vial Recall
Please see attached recall notification issued by Hospira, Inc. for Dobutamine 12.5, NDC 00409-2344-02, NSN 6505014917667. This item is used in the below listed Allowance Standards.
NDC: 00409-2344-02
Expiration Date: 1 Mar 2015
LOT #: 27-352-DK* (*Note: the lot number may be followed by 01)
887A...
Recall Notice: Atrium ATS Drains
Atrium ATS Drains QA MFR Recall
REASON: ATS connection can leak or detach. Atrium Medical has become aware that the force required to detach the tubing from the drain may be lower than our product specifications.
Please have your units check their operational AE and CCATT kits for the
below listed item, Lot numbers affected are listed...
Attending the CCATT Initial Course? Have questions about what to expect and how to prepare? Get all the information you need to prepare right here, just click on the patch!
CSTARS will without a doubt test your readiness to operate as a CCATT team member, which is of course absolutely necessary. Click on the patch to educate yourself on what to expect and how to prepare.
Aerovac World
Welcome to AE World, your #1 stop for all things related to AE. This group is dedicated to thosethat worked, are working or will work in any area of AE. This is a place to share pictures, stories, and network with one another. We use this page to link all related stories to AE and share the incredible missions we have accomplished throughout AE's rich history. So sit back, relax and enjoy the pictures, articles and stories on this group.
Aviator Gear Salutes CCATT
Aviator Gear salutes these brave men and women who willingly put themselves in harm’s way to provide critical medical aid to our troops in combat. Showing our support by providing great quality products at 50% off discounts is our way of showing our appreciation for their stalwart service and dedication to duty.
The Department of Defense, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, or U.S. Marine Corps does not necessarily endorse, support, sanction, encourage, verify or agree with the comments, opinions, or statements posted on this website. Any information or material placed online, including advice and opinions, are the views and responsibility of those making the comments and do not necessarily represent the views of the above mentioned. Furthermore, the appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, or U.S. Marine Corps of non-U.S. Government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although CCATT.info may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.
In other words: This website is not an official United States Air Force website. The content contained herein is reviewed only by the owner and operators of this website, and does not necessarily reflect official or current Air Force positions or guidance on the topics discussed.
Link To Terms of Use & Privacy Policy Agreement
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Acker Bilk : Stranger On The Shore
Not Returnable, Not Cancellable.
'Stranger On The Shore' was written by Acker Bilk for his young daughter and originally titled 'Jenny'. The song was eventually used as the theme for the television drama entitled Stranger On The Shore, which thus became the name of the single when released in October 1961. It would go on to spend more than a year on the singles chart (peaking at #2), topping the American charts and become the signature tune of Acker Bilk. On the strength of the single dictated that the album could not fail and it would ease into the Top Ten in 1962. Hallmark.
Stranger on the Shore
Take My Lips
Is This the Blues?
I Can't Get Started
Carolina Moon
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Cogent Communications CEO to Present at Thomas Weisel Partners Conference, March 8th
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 28, 2006 - Cogent Communications Group, Inc. (AMEX-COI), the largest Ethernet Internet service provider in the United States, today announced that Dave Schaeffer, chief executive officer, will present at the Thomas Weisel Partners Internet & Telecom Conference 2006 on Wednesday, March 8 at The Saint Regis Hotel in San Francisco. Mr. Schaeffer's presentation is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. PST.
Investors and other interested parties may access a live audio webcast of the presentation by going to Cogent's Investor Relations section of our website to access the link to the audio webcast. A replay of the webcast will be available on Cogent's IR website for 30 days following the presentation.
Cogent Communications (AMEX: COI) is a multinational, Tier 1 facilities-based ISP recently ranked by Ovum-RHK as the largest provider of Ethernet services in the United States. Cogent specializes in providing businesses with high speed Internet access and point-to-point transport services. Cogent's facilities-based, all-optical IP network backbone spans 14 countries and provides IP services in over 95 markets located in North America and Europe.
Since Cogent's inception, Cogent has unleashed the benefits of IP technology, building one of the largest and highest capacity IP networks in existence. This network enables Cogent to offer large bandwidth connections at highly competitive prices. Network ownership also enables Cogent to offer superior customer support through end-to-end control of service delivery and network monitoring.
Cogent Communications is headquartered at 1015 31st Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20007. For more information, visit www.cogentco.com. Cogent Communications can be reached in the United States at (202) 295-4200 or via email at Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo..
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eSports & Gaming
Brand Engagements
Our proprietary methods guarantee the success of your event, leaving you and your brand looking like the real rock star.
Discover how our unique approach and refined workflows generate Confidence, Excellence, and Accuracy.
Every great production begins with a big idea, and regardless of whether your goals are clear, we'll walk alongside you and your team to put wings behind the story you're looking to tell. Our team of expert producers has years of experience escorting events from napkin sketches to the international media, and we're ready to do the same for you—setting your story in motion for the live event space.
The technical needs of your show will likely comprise the single most complex part of its creation, and that means it's important that the technical systems be exacting in their design. By utilizing the latest methods of Virtual Reality, CAD, and pre-visualization, our team of technical producers ensures that your event design is accurate, impactful, well-vetted against failure, and most importantly, on-brand.
Production Direction
The success of your event relies on more than just some tech, programming and an audience—it also relies on expert staffing, scheduling, vendor management, permitting, hospitality, and public relations—just to name a few. From soup to nuts, we've helped thousands of events from the inside-out. Whether it's a production team of two or two hundred, find out why we're the go-to name in production direction.
Artist Relations
Few people know where to begin when they're looking to host a professional musician, athlete or celebrity, and that's why they turn to Connors & Co. for expert council and talent acquisition services. Benefiting from top-tier relationships with artists, managers and agencies, we're a one-stop shop for the selection, contracting, hospitality and handling of all types of celebrity elements associated with your event.
Connors & Co., 3820 South Ferdinand Street #202, Seattle, WA, 98118, United States(206) 447-7725info@connorsandco.com
© 2017 CONNORS & COMPANY
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Temple Theology: An Introduction
Author Margaret Barker
London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004
Reviewer Dean W. Collinwoood Reviewer James W. McConkie
In the past two decades, Margaret Barker has managed a miracle: in a prodigious output of a dozen scholarly books and book chapters, as well as numerous articles and conference addresses, Barker, a Cambridge-educated independent scholar, Methodist lay preacher, and former president of the Society for Old Testament Study, has successfully shaken the very foundations of Old Testament and early Christian scholarship. Is it not obvious that the Christianity of Jesus' day and shortly thereafter was heavily influenced by Greek culture? Is it not clear that Jesus' teachings were a product of the Jewish culture, especially the synagogue culture, of his day? "No," says Barker to these claims; it is neither obvious nor clear that Christianity had its origin in these influences. A careful reading of noncanonical sources such as the Enoch literature and the Dead Sea Scrolls suggests that Jesus was influenced by something much more ancient than Hellenistic or synagogue culture. He seemed to have in mind the theology and ordinances of the first Jewish temple, the temple as it had existed before the accretions of paganism and the "reforms" of King Josiah in the seventh century BCE. Indeed, if Barker's thesis holds up to scholarly scrutiny, everyone will be forced to redefine Jesus as a restorer of a religion that had been lost rather than as an inventor of something new.
Such a reworking of centuries of scholarship will not be easy. Think of the scores of German Protestant scholars whose work constituted the academic foundation of intertestamental scholarship throughout the twentieth century and whose labors are now being called into question. Think of the millions of Christians of all stripes who have been taught to believe in a strict trinitarian monotheism—a belief Barker claims is inconsistent with both ancient Jewish religion and the religion Jesus restored. Despite these formidable obstacles, the Germans are diligently reading Barker and are finding much of value, as are the Catholics, the Russian Orthodox, and many others. At least sixty reviews of Barker's works have already been published (including the lead review in the Times Literary Supplement of 2003), and Barker has been asked to speak at conferences and symposia in Europe, Turkey, and the United States, including at a Brigham Young University devotional in 2003 and at the Joseph Smith Conference in Washington, D.C., in 2005.
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STARS /
Athletes /
David Beckham's Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead
David Beckham was spotted cruising Beverly Hills with his three sons in his all-new, already fully customized Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead.
The Drophead rolls on custom-built 24-inch Savini Forged wheels, color-matched exterior trim and Beckham’s “23” embroidered onto the seats. Redefining “bespoke”, Beckham gives the Drophead a more aggressive, yet elegant look.
In 2004, Rolls-Royce unveiled its 100EX, an experimental drophead built to celebrate 100 years of the brand. In its two world tours, the 100EX received positive feedback from customers, and in 2005 the brand announced that a production version would be available by 2007.
When creating the Drophead, the design team drew inspiration from the classic J-class racing yachts of the 1930s. The use of steel and wood—design highlights first seen in the 100EX—cement the maritime theme. Honesty and integrity were paramount in the design process, which is why the Phantom Drophead has a soft-top, rather than a folding metal roof. The hood, which was inspired by the “bare metal” theme in the 100EX, is the largest panel made from anti-corrosion steel in the car industry.
The Drophead’s new face embodies its modern, dynamic spirit while retaining the confidence that has characterized Rolls-Royce for more than a century. The vast Greek temple-style grille is made entirely from stainless steel and its headlights offer an aggressive look to the vehicle. Just as distinctive are those vast rear-hinged coach doors that open to a seating of four.
The engine, the big and silent-smooth direct-injection 6.7-liter, 452-horsepower V12, is identical to the Phantom’s and so is the six-speed ZF autobox. However, the Drophead’s cabin is another departure from the Phantom sedan. The shorter wheelbase reduces rear legroom, yet the twin rear seats have ample legroom for tall people. Instruments are Phantom carryover and minimalist. The upper part of the dash is aluminum while elsewhere features crafted wood.
While the Phantom sedan is a car for everyday use, the Drophead Coupe is more for leisure and a car to enjoy with friends on a warm summer day.
Published in Athletes
More in this category: « Batista Dale Earnhardt Jr. »
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Ghana aims for safer skies with new aviation laws
The new Mabo? $190 million stolen wages settlement is unprecedented, but still limited
In the remote Cambodian jungles, we made sure rare Siamese crocodiles would have enough food
From hospital to homeless: Victoria’s mental health system fails the most vulnerable
Digital Currency/Blockchain/Tokenization Series: Has Goldman Sachs Succumbed to Crypto, Tokenization and Blockchain Trend?
How to exercise in the summer without heat exhaustion
Why South Africa should revert to greater protection for some of its industries
Most adults have never heard of TikTok. That's by design
At least 2% of US public water systems are like Flint's – Americans just don't hear about them
Graffiti in Cyprus paints a rich and complex picture of a divided society
Mexican president López Obrador has a woman problem
Most people think playing chess makes you 'smarter', but the evidence isn't clear on that
Solar weather has real, material effects on Earth
Deeming rates explained. What is deeming, how does it cut pensions, and why do we have it?
Cryptocurrency Derivatives Series: Physically-Settled Bitcoin Futures Trending Topic, VanEck, Bakkt, LedgerX and ErisX Line-up For Offering
At a New York City garden, students grow their community roots and critical consciousness
Zambia slides towards authoritarianism as IMF props up government
There are fears that Zambia is slipping into authoritarian rule under President Edgar Lungu. UN Women/Flickr
By Nic Cheeseman
Wednesday, June 21, 2017 3:45 PM UTC
The speaker of the Zambian National Assembly, Patrick Matibini, has suspended 48 opposition legislators for 30 days as a punishment for unauthorised absence from the parliament. Their offence? To have been missing for President Edgar Lungu’s state of the nation address in March.
The suspension of the MPs does not come as a great surprise. Hardliners from the ruling Patriotic Front have been pushing for something along these lines for some time. The ruling party was quick to try and disassociate itself from the Speaker’s actions. But, as Zambian commentators have pointed out, the action fits into a broader web of measures designed to intimidate those who question the president’s authority.
The most significant was the arrest of opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema, who remains in jail on trumped up treason charges.
While the latest development in Zambia’s growing political crisis doesn’t come as a shock, it will disappoint those who were hoping that Lungu would be persuaded to moderate his position. Instead, it appears that the International Monetary Fund’s decision to go ahead with a bail out package despite the government’s democratic failings has emboldened the president to pursue an authoritarian strategy.
As a result, a swift resolution to the current political standoff seems unlikely.
Roots of the crisis
For some time Zambia was considered to be one of the more competitive democracies in Africa. But a period of backsliding under Lungu has raised concerns that the country’s inclusive political culture is under threat. The current impasse stems from the controversial elections in 2016 when Lungu won a narrow victory that remains contested by the opposition United Party for National Development.
Hichilema, the leader of the United Party for National Development, has stated that his party will not recognise the legitimacy of Lungu’s victory until its electoral petition against the results is heard in court. The initial petition was rejected by the Constitutional Court. But its decision was made in a way that had all the hallmarks of a whitewash. The UPND subsequently appealed to the High Court. Hichilema’s decision to make his party’s recognition of the president conditional on the petition being heard was designed both as an act of defiance, and as a means to prevent the government from simply sweeping electoral complaints under the carpet.
Until the court case is resolved, the opposition is committed to publicly challenging the president’s mandate by doing things like boycotting his addresses to parliament. In response, members of the ruling party have accused the United Party for National Development of disrespect and failing to recognise the government’s authority. It is this that appears to lie behind Hichilema’s arrest on treason charges.
Punishing parliamentarians
The suspension of United Party for National Development legislators needs to be understood against this increasingly authoritarian backdrop. It is one of a number of steps taken by those aligned to the government that are clearly designed to intimidate people who don’t fall into line. Other strategies include public condemnation of the government’s critics and proposals to break-up the influential Law Society of Zambia.
Efforts by the president’s spokesman to disassociate the regime from the suspensions have been unpersuasive. The official line of the ruling party is that the speaker of parliament is an independent figure and that he made the decision on the basis of the official rules. It’s true that the speaker and the parliamentary committee on privileges, absences and support services have the right to reprimand legislators for being absent without permission.
Nonetheless the argument is disingenuous for two reasons. The speaker is known to be close to the ruling party, a fact that prompted Hichilema to call for his resignation earlier this year. And the committee’s decisions are clearly driven by the Patriotic Front because it has more members from it than any other party.
The claim that the suspension was not government-led lacks credibility. This is clear from the fact that Patriotic Front MPS have been the most vocal in calling for action to be taken against boycotting United Party for National Development MPs.
IMF lifeline for Lungu
There are different perspectives on the crisis in Zambia. Some people invoke the country’ history of more open government to argue that Lungu will moderate his position once the government feels that the opposition has been placed on the back foot. Others identify a worrying authoritarian trajectory that began under the presidency of the late Michael Sata. They conclude that things are likely to get worse before they get better.
One of the factors that opposition leaders hoped might persuade President Lungu to release Hichilema and move discussions back from the police cell to the negotiating chamber was the government’s desperate need for an economic bail out. Following a period of bad luck and bad governance, Zambia faces a debt crisis. Without the assistance of international partners, the government is likely to go bankrupt. This would increase public dissatisfaction with the Patriotic Front and undermine Lungu’s hopes of securing a third term.
But the willingness of the IMF to move towards the completion of a $1.2 billion rescue package suggests that authoritarian backsliding is no barrier to international economic assistance. In turn, IMF support appears to have emboldened the government to continue its efforts to intimidate its opponents.
IMF officials, of course, will point out that they are not supposed to take political conditions into account and that their aim is to create a stronger economy that will benefit all Zambians. This may be true, but the reality is that by saving the Lungu government financially the IMF is also aiding it politically. Whatever its motivation, the agreement will be interpreted by many on the ground as tacit support for the Patriotic Front regime, strengthening Lungu’s increasingly authoritarian position.
Nic Cheeseman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.
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No more pay cuts public sector workers in East Dunbartonshire - Jo
Public sector workers in East Dunbartonshire deserve to feel the benefits of the economic recovery by receiving pay increases by at least the rate of inflation, Liberal Democrat candidate and Business Minister Jo Swinson said.
Liberal Democrats in government will ensure employees in the public sector are no longer subject to real term cuts in their pay. This will guarantee an increase in pay to one in 5 workers in East Dunbartonshire.
Commenting Jo said:
“Public sector workers have made enough sacrifices. They have done their bit to help get the country back on track.
“That’s why the Liberal Democrats believe it is time to end the era of pay restraint.
“Under our plans, we will give all public sector workers pay rises which at least keep pace with the cost of living every year.
“No more pay freezes or below inflation pay rises. We can do this because with the Liberal Democrats, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“If you are a public sector worker worried Tory cuts threaten your job, or Labour’s refusal to deal with the deficit means another year of pay cuts, then only a vote for Lib Dem will guarantee you a fair pay deal.”
A balanced approach to the economy – tackling the deficit but doing it fairly – means the Liberal Democrats are the only party that can make this commitment for the next parliament.
The Tories’ ideological cuts to public spending and Labour’s failure to tackle the deficit means both parties will have to make further cuts to real terms pay. Liberal Democrats believe that now is the time to share this prosperity.
Public sector pay has already been set for 15/16 – our policy refers to 16/17 onwards.
Our commitment today is to end the period of pay restraint whereby public sector workers have been given real terms cuts in their pay.
Decisions about public sector pay are informed by the pay review bodies. But our guidance to those bodies will be that there should be no more real terms cuts to pay and that pay should at least keep pace with inflation for 16/17 and 17/18. This means a minimum pay increase of £350 for a nurse on £25,000, an increase of £420 for a police officer on £30,000, and a rise of £490 for a teacher on £35,000 over two years.
Once the books have been balanced, by the end of 17/18, we will ensure investment in public services grows in line with the growth in the economy, so our guidance to the pay review bodies will be that they should deliver real terms increases in pay.
We will also issue guidance to public sector pay review bodies to ensure pay increases at least in line with inflation in 2016/17 and 2017/18. After that, we will be make sure pay review bodies deliver an above inflation increase in public sector pay.
Conservatives and Labour
The Liberal Democrats are the only party that can credibly make this commitment.
The Conservatives have said they will continue with public sector pay restraint for another two years.
The Tories’ decision to veer off right, abandoning the balanced approach of the Coalition, means that our public services will experience far deeper cuts than are necessary, or are deliverable. This means swingeing cuts to the police, social care and education and continued pay restraint for public sector workers.
Labour’s manifesto doesn’t commit to increasing public sector pay.
Labour has committed to cutting the deficit in each and every year, but haven’t said when they will balance the books by. Their refusal to name they date when they will balance the books means they can’t commit to ruling out further real terms pay cuts in public sector pay.
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Stories from Sunday, March 4, 2012
DNR issues waiver to aid in storm cleanup (Local News ~ 03/04/12)
From staff reports JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has waived specific solid waste and air pollution regulations following the recent severe weather. The waiver will give residents and communities in affected counties throughout the state additional flexibility in cleaning up damages associated with severe weather, high winds, hail and tornadoes that started on Feb. 28...
First-ever "Strollerthon" and 5K slated for March 31 (Local News ~ 03/04/12)
By NOREEN HYSLOP Managing Editor "It's all about the children," says Willa Fees, a Dexter native who is organizing a dual 5K run/walk and a "Strollerthon" with proceeds to benefit Dexter Schools' Parents as Teachers (PAT) Program. On Saturday, March 31, the public is invited to take part in either or both events at the city's West Park...
It's all about "Showing up" (Local News ~ 03/04/12)
By NOREEN HYSLOP Managing Editor Just a few days ago, Louis and Tonya Keena were talking of gearing up for the 2012 rodeo season - their fourth. The project has been a work in progress for the past few years, but finishing touches were put on the announcer's stand and cook shack during the 2011 season. ...
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Ipas Official Update
Source: Ipas
Ipas provided the following updates on progress in achieving its FP2020 commitments: Training new cadres of health care workers—4,000 per year—to provide a wider range of sexual and reproductive health services, including post-abortion family planning services: Ipas-supported programs, in partnership with national/regional/state health systems in 17 countries, train clinical providers in safe...
ICRW Official Update
Source: ICRW
The International Center for Research on Women provided the following updates on progress in achieving its FP2020 commitments: Identifying and advocating for evidence-based, practical ways to change policies and programs ICRW’s Asia Regional office has engaged closely with the Government of India, bringing a variety of evidence to inform national reproductive health and family planning policies...
DSW Official Update
Source: DSW
DSW has engaged in the following activities in support of its commitment to FP2020. Advocacy: In Eastern Africa, our advocacy for both greater availability of contraceptives and removal of barriers to access is closely linked to our advocacy on budget allocation and service provision. For more information on these activities, please access DSW’s review of national and district policies and...
Guttmacher Institute Official Update
Source: Guttmacher Institute
Guttmacher Institute has engaged in the following activities in support of its commitment to FP2020. Generating estimates of unmet need: In December 2014, the Guttmacher Institute published Adding It Up: The Costs and Benefits of Investing in Sexual and Reproductive Health 2014, which provides updated estimates of unmet contraceptive need in the developing world and the costs and benefits of...
EngenderHealth Official Update
Source: EngenderHealth
EngenderHealth has engaged in the following activities in support of its commitment to FP2020. West Africa: EngenderHealth has been working intensively in West Africa, where the need for family planning outweighs access to and use of contraceptives. In collaboration with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)/West Africa, and our local partners , EngenderHealth is managing a five-...
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Unwanted, unwelcome, unsafe: Black students and confronting campus racism
By Richard B. Muhammad and J.A. Salaam -Final Call Staffers- | Last updated: Nov 18, 2015 - 9:40:02 PM
Students at University of Missouri protesting and demonstrating against racism, unfair treatment and difficulties they have experienced on campus. Photo: Elizabeth Loutfi / The Maneater
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Kimberlyn Jones graduated from the University of Missouri. With her daughter now attending, she shares a kind of legacy with the school.
It’s doubtful she expected her daughter to experience some of the same difficulties in 2015 that she experienced in the 1980s.
Students at Boston College raise their arms during a solidarity demonstration on the school’s campus, Nov. 12, in Newton, Mass. The protest was among numerous campus actions around the country following the racially charged strife at the University of Missouri. Photo: AP Wide World Photos
The Big Bogeyman on Campus, racism, is back and he’s not a myth, he is as real as the pain and fear Black students suffer and the worries of many parents. And he’s not just at Mizzou, he’s at schools across the country, and Black students are again trying to kill him.
“I was a student at the University of Missouri from 1982-1987 and I experienced some things and had difficulty trying to find tutoring, financial aid and certain classes. I ended up graduating with a business major in 1988,” said Ms. Jones.
She was a member of the Legion of Black Collegians, a Black student group that has led demonstrations and pushed against White supremacy at the flagship state school. She was a Golden Girl and became captain as the only Black on the cheerleading squad.
“I do understand their frustrations and if I was there I would have stood with them in support. What they did brought a major change,” she said.
She recalls Mike Middleton, the new interim university president and a Black civil rights lawyer, teaching classes so popular at Mizzou she couldn’t get in. He was the third Black graduate of the university law school and will be the second Black president in the University of Missouri system.
“I think this is a new day, my parents were of the civil rights movement and to them this is another group trying to get something done to make a difference. It’s the same thing they had to deal with back then. My daughter is a Golden Girl too. She’s one of two Blacks on the squad and after 32 years now they have a second one,” Ms. Jones said during a break at the Missouri-BYU football game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
The Tigers won the game, a game that was crucial to efforts by Black students to bring attention to campus racism and the university president’s failure to admit problems existed—let alone deal with them. Students said their efforts spanned years and little changed.
Concerned Student 1950 group members and supporters celebrate at the Mel Carnahan Quad after Tim Wolfe announced his resignation as University of Missouri president at a UM Board of Curators meeting on Nov. 9. Photos: Alexandria Churchill and Elizabeth Loutfi / The Maneater
In the end, Tim Wolfe was forced to resign as university president and R. Bowen Loftin stepped down as chancellor. Thirty football players had joined protests, backing a hunger strike by graduate student Jonathan Butler, who had vowed not to eat until Mr. Wolfe departed. Later the entire team, with the backing of outgoing coach Gary Pinkel, supported the players, saying they would not play or practice. Mizzou was facing a $1 million penalty if the Saturday evening game against BYU wasn’t played. Soon the top officials were out and an interim president had been appointed. Mizzou won the game 20-16, but the struggle is far, far from over.
For students at Missouri, the personnel change is a beginning but their demands and their concerns remain unmet. In addition, it is not only feeling unwanted or unwelcome that is the problem. Now there is acute awareness they are unsafe. The racial blowback from the Wolfe resignation was swift, and not limited to Mizzou. Threats to kill Black students at Mizzou showed up on Yik Yak, a social media app, and threats were leveled at students halfway across the country at Howard University, a historic Black school in Washington, D.C. Then a swastika appeared on the campus of Bowie State University, a historically Black institution in Maryland.
Missouri Tigers football players gathered to release a statement on Tim Wolfe’s resignation as UM System president and the conclusion of their boycott at Mel Carnahan Quad. Photo: Thomas Oide / The Maneater
Black students at Mizzou complained of hearing gun shots at one location and threats from White students the night of Nov. 10. They complained of Whites in big trucks with Confederate flags on campus and there were unconfirmed reports of the KKK coming to campus. Some students cowered in their rooms. Others offered rides home to classmates to make sure they did not walk alone. The administration, campus police and some professors took the threats lightly, said students. But some parents came down to check on their children or take them home.
Hunter Park, a 19-year-old student from Rolla, Mo., and Conner Stottlemyre, 19, were arrested and charged with making threats.
Tension was high on the main Columbia campus, where Nov. 13 there was an increased police and state trooper presence.
“These threats were fear tactics put out there to make (students) afraid to go to class. Especially when some of the people here don’t have scholarships; they’re paying for the class. Yet they are afraid to go to class and that’s not right. Because that’s not only hurting them, it’s hurting future generations and we can’t let that win. We have to make a stand,” said Jason McCallop. He came to Mizzou for a Friday protest in support of the Black students. Solidarity protests were held on campuses around the country as Mizzou students conducted a “We Are Not Afraid” march at the school.
“At some point there’s gonna be martyrs and I’ve never been afraid if that’s gonna’ be my place then that’s my place. But the point being it is that everybody should take a part. ’Cause we tried to get more people to come with us and unfortunately it was just us,” he said Nov. 13 while walking the campus.
The fight at the university has been and is an ongoing battle, said Mr. Butler. Students are still working on strategies and plan to meet with the football players, he added in a Nov. 12 interview.
“We want to see how the strategy we are planning fits into the bigger picture. So it’s important to know that there are other valuable voices of leaders who are standing up at this time as well and I don’t want to be the sole spokesperson for the movement on campus,” Mr. Butler said.
“My very first encounter with racism on this campus was actually going to one of the frat houses on the other side of campus and being kicked out and called ‘nigger bitches,’ I had support back then so it wasn’t that bad knowing I had it,” said Ayanna Poole, a co-founder of Concerned Student 1950, which has led many of the protests. The group’s name is taken from the date of the first Black student’s entry at the University of Missouri.
“But it could have taken such a bigger toll on me and I would have went back to Texas just because seeing that racial culture was here and it’s been ongoing. Then to see people in administration speak over us about coming up with these ‘ideas’ of how to make this campus better, but these are ideas that LBC (Legion of Black Collegians) released in 1969. These are ideas that the multi-cultural center has been fighting for over and over again. … Black and marginalized communities are suffering very harshly,” she said.
Mike Brown Sr. with activists Anthony Shahid and A. Akbar Muhammad of the Nation of Islam, with St. Louis and Kansas City delegation meets with Concerned Student 1950 and Jonathan Butler. Photo: J.A. Salaam
Blacks are about 8 percent of the student body at Missouri, whose undergraduate population is 79 percent White. In early October, members of a Black student organization said slurs were hurled at them by an apparently drunken White student. A swastika was smeared on a wall in feces and comments from the student government president, a Black male, about being called a nigger went viral this fall. At the homecoming parade Black students blocked Mr. Wolfe’s car, and he would not get out and talk to them. Police removed the protestors. Students demanded Mr. Wolfe resign and “acknowledge his White male privilege.” Concerned Student 1950 also wants a 10-year plan to retain non-White and other marginalized students and more diverse hiring at the university counseling center.
Activism among young people has seen a spectacular increase since the killing of Mike Brown, an 18-year-old unarmed Black male in Ferguson by a White police officer, which sparked a rebellion and heavily armed police, National Guardsmen, nonlethal weapons and tear gas in 2014. Mr. Butler joined those protests.
Mike Brown, Sr. and his wife Cam, along with activist Anthony Shahid and Abdul Akbar Muhammad of the Nation of Islam, were asked by students to come to the campus. They did. Closed door meetings with the students were held.
The delegation from St. Louis came to offer support and to listen to how they could help. Students, one by one, shared some of their ugly experiences, concerns and ideas.
Minister Akbar Muhammad listened as students talked about changing systemic racism they have had to endure.
“This doesn’t happen in a bubble, but this moment God has given to you and you have now begun to rock America and all in the academia is watching what has happened and they are preparing for it,” he said.
The struggle at Mizzou spawned a nationally trending hastag on Twitter, #blackoncampus, where students across the country shared their struggles. There was the ongoing campaign of Black students at Yale to oust the university president alongside resignations or protests at the University of Chicago, Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif., Ithaca College in New York, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., Smith College in Northampton, Mass., and the University of Iowa in Iowa City and the University of Michigan in Flint. Among other places where supportive actions were taken were Columbia University in New York, Syracuse University, Swarthmore College, San Diego State, the University of Southern California, the University of Kansas, Stanford University, Texas Southern University and Georgetown University.
Students at Occidental College in California announced Nov. 16 plans to occupy the college’s administration building for a week. Student leaders said that action follows a four-hour walkout and a Nov. 12 teach-in of over 600 students that ended with an occupation of the college president’s house. “The protest is organized by Oxy United for Black Liberation, a coalition of the Black Student Alliance (BSA) and THE Coalition at Oxy for Diversity and Equity (CODE). In addition to demanding the resignation of the college president Jonathan Veitch and 13 other institutional changes, these actions are in solidarity with University of Missouri and the hundreds of other educational institutions across the country protesting campus racial injustice,” said student leaders in a statement.
“Although there was public support for the walk-out and teach-in from other students and members of the faculty, the backlash from this effort included at least one student organizer receiving a death threat. This is one small example of the various forms of violence—physical, emotional, and discursive—that Black students and other students of color face every day at the hands of this institution,” they added.
“The movement happening across the nation at different campuses alerts me that our struggle (as Black students at PWI’s—Predominantly White Institutions) is not isolated to Oxy. The fact that we are not alone is disturbing because it assures me that the marginalization of students of color, especially Black students, is a systemic issue,” said sophomore Zawadia LeFang.
The 14 demands include the removal of President Jonathan Veitch, “creation of a Black Studies major; the hiring of more faculty of color; an increase in funding for campus organizations run by students of color; and the creation of a diversity training for faculty and students.”
“These demands have been reiterated before and students feel that current efforts by the college are not enough,” said protest organizers.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment in degree-granting institutions hit 17.7 million in 2012. Between 1976 and 2012, the percentages of Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native students increased. The percentage of Black students rose from 10 percent to 15 percent, the center reported. “During the same period, the percentage of White students fell from 84 percent to 60 percent,” the center added.
Black and non-White students are still under-represented on college campuses.
“Unity is needed when making a bridge between different cultures and even schools. As a student at the University of Missouri Kansas City, I traveled to Mizzou to show support for people of color and to stand up for the injustices in the public school system,” said 19-year-old Nakia Brandon.
“Change is needed in this society and it is needed in the classrooms for people of color, for racial segregation, and for the injustices in society. We are tired. Black people are tired. Colored people are tired. It needs to end or like we said in our chant ‘we want a revolution,’ ” she said.
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Tip: Retiring Older.
One survey found 22% of baby boomers have found it difficult to pay mortgages or rent and have postponed plans to retire.
Source: Insured Retirement Institute, 2018
For many people, retirement income may come from a variety of sources. Here’s a quick review of the six main sources:
Social Security is the government-administered retirement income program. Workers become eligible after paying Social Security taxes for 10 years. Benefits are based on each worker’s 35 highest earning years. If there are fewer than 35 years of earnings, non-earning years are averaged in as zero. In 2017, the average monthly benefit was estimated at $1,360.¹
Personal Savings and Investments
Personal savings and investments outside of retirement plans can provide income during retirement. Retirees tend to go for investments that offer monthly guaranteed income over potential returns.²
Traditional IRAs have been around since 1974. Contributions you make to a traditional IRA may be fully or partially deductible, depending on your individual circumstances. Distributions from a traditional IRA are taxed as ordinary income and, if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty. Generally, once you reach age 70½, you must begin taking required minimum distributions.
Roth IRAs were created in 1997. Roth IRA contributions cannot be made by taxpayers with high incomes. To qualify for the tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, Roth IRA distributions must meet a five-year holding requirement and occur after age 59½. Tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal also can be taken under certain other circumstances, such as a result of the owner’s death. The original Roth IRA owner is not required to take minimum annual withdrawals.
Many workers are eligible to participate in a defined–contribution plan such as a 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan. Eligible workers can set aside a portion of their pre-tax income into an account, which then accumulates tax deferred.
Distributions from defined contribution plans are taxed as ordinary income and, if taken before age 59½, may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty. Generally, once you reach age 70½, you must begin taking required minimum distributions.
Defined benefit plans are “traditional” pensions—employer–sponsored plans under which benefits, rather than contributions, are defined. Benefits are normally based on factors such as salary history and duration of employment. The number of traditional pension plans has dropped dramatically during the past 30 years.
Continued Employment
In a recent survey, 68% of workers stated that they planned to keep working in retirement. In contrast, only 26% of retirees reported that continued employment was a major or minor source of retirement income.³
Expected Vs. Actual Sources of Income in Retirement
What workers anticipate in terms of retirement income sources may differ considerably from what retirees actually experience.
Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2018 Retirement Confidence Survey
1. Social Security Administration, 2017
2. Insured Retirement Institute, April 2018
3. Employee Benefits Research Institute, 2018
Three Key Questions to Answer Before Taking Social Security
When to start? Should I continue to work? How can I maximize my benefit?
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the birthday massacre - pins and needles
i can already tell this is going to be a hard one to do. More than any other medium, music is subjective to a heavy degree. Movies and games can be rated on an A-F, 100%, or 5-star system. Music, however, can not. Music has the unique ability to be trash to one person and treasure to another, at least much more than is the case with anything else. Put a triple-A video game in the hands of most gamers and they will all give you a thumbs up. But if you give a Backstreet Boys album to two people, you'll see them argue. Give a Backstreet Boys album to two Backstreet Boys fans and you'll see them argue. Give a Backstreet Boys album to two Backstreet Boys and you will see them argue too. So it's a little difficult for me to rate music like it's of any help to you as a consumer. That's why I won't. I'm not giving it a score, or any other rating. Like Halo and every other piece of media, I will simply be giving my impressions, and maybe an elbow as far as "Hey, buy this".
As mentioned in my metal article, I'm a big fan of The Birthday Massacre (TBM from here) despite every picture of them looking like they are for an audience that is way more punk or emo than I am. In person, at least on stage, they are actually very active, funny and.......... not goth like I'd expected. Their music does kind of lean towards it, but honestly it doesn't hurt it. And I'm not really trying to say goth is bad, I'm just saying that it's not the kind of music that I would expect myself to like. What I really love about them are their vocalist, their keyboardist, and how well the band works together. Like Linkin Park, they blend electronic and instrumental so well that I can't help loving it. Their vocalist blends vulnerability, sadness and playfulness where the instrumentals make you think of a sort of emo-ized interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. They do a really sharp, sad, and lovely kind of sound that I really can't fully put into words, but are also capable of doing something youthful and punky too. You'll just have to sample it. Here's the store sample bundle for their last album, Walking With Strangers.
So now maybe you have a bit of an idea of what this band sounds like. I first heard them on Pandora internet radio, where their album art and initial sound didn't catch my attention. I almost the hit "skip", but I stuck around and I am so glad that I did. My attention span on Pandora is usually really short, and if the song isn't grip me within like 10 seconds I usually skip.
This can be determined within 10 seconds ALL the time
A very lucky break. So they have a new album out now (October 2010), called Pins and Needles. At first listen, honestly I was disappointed. Like with Imogen Heap's Ellipse, this was because I was such a huge fan of the previous album. I had a hard time getting used to the new one, and you've probably encountered this problem before. A band comes out with a new album, they depart from their old sound, and even though you know you'd complain if they just gave you more of the same, you can't help getting over some initial prejudice because they've explored. Like with Imogen, though, after listening to it a few times, it's actually hard to determine which album I like more now. TBM has changed its members a few times, and I'm pretty sure that this album is one of the first to feature the same exact band as their previous effort (Edit: Not true, but I was close). As a result, the band has really had some time to gel together, get used to each other and become more "homogenized". They function more as a single unit now than they did on the last album. Appropriately, then, what we have here is an album that has fewer peaks and valleys, but an overall rise in quality and ability.
Walking With Strangers had some high highs and maybe a few lows (rare if any though), but this album is solid throughout. You can't really find a bad song on this album. It does have it's highs, able to go toe-to-toe with the last album on a per-song basis. But no single riff or melody can stand up to the best from Walking with Strangers. It's like the change from Disturbed's 10,000 Fists to Indestructible, the change from Imogen's Speak for Yourself to Ellipse, from Bjork's Post to Homogenic. It's a stronger album overall, but it won't rock your face the way "that one part" of the last album did. Still, I'm giving it more flak than it deserves; these changes are a good thing, and I'll tell you why in a sec.
Seriously. I usually put a joke here. I got nothing.
Specific tracks that stand out are Always, Sleep Walking, Secret, and Pins and Needles. This really kind of depends on your tastes, though. Those are just my personals. If it matters to you, my sister Jessica really liked In the Dark. When I played it in my car, like that time I played Disturbed's 10,000 Fists, she said "SEE? Why can't you listen to this all the time?" I think she looks at me as a work in progress or something. Anyways, she listens to Avenged Sevenfold and bro-rock like that, so if you share her tastes, try In the Dark instead of the ones I listed. In the Dark is probably the most "radio-friendly" piece on the album, most akin to the likes of Evanescence. It's dark and moody with a little bit of an edge, and will probably be the easiest to use as a "gateway" if you're looking to get somebody into this band. My tastes are more into the sad, pretty and intense, which are how I would describe the tracks Secret, Always and Sleep Walking, in that order.
In general, the tracks on this album are more (I would say) anthemic. The sound is taller and more broad than before, where it used to be a little more pointed. And if that sounds bad, it's not. Where I would definitely say they made a great album with Walking, they seem to have an even better feel for what they're "doing", and what kind of band they are. If you have Disturbed's Indestructible, you know what I mean. The band has matured, and their young sound has gotten relatively older, and they've gotten their collaboration down to a science. They don't seem to be relying on individual notes or melodies for affectation. Instead, they seem to have gone for comprehensive song construction, and it works. Really well. Every piece is incomplete without the other.
If you're a first-timer, I actually recommend picking this one up first. It's a better overall than the last one, and if you give it a listen you're more likely to stumble across a song you like. In this day and age, you don't really need my recommendation because you can just sample it, but if you're still on the fence after that, consider this that last nudge.
Buy Pins and Needles from:
Metropolis (Physical CD)
Amazon MP3 Digital
I hate iTunes
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Netanyahu tells Abbas to 'tear up' pact with Hamas
PLO delegation and Hamas members announcing a reconciliation agreement to end 7 years of schism
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday to "tear up" his pact with Hamas, saying Israel would not take part in Middle East peace talks with a Palestinian government backed by the Islamist group. Netanyahu also said Abbas's comments earlier on Sunday denouncing the Holocaust could not be reconciled with his alliance with Hamas.
"President Abbas has to decide whether he wants a pact with Hamas or peace with Israel. He cannot speak out of both sides of his mouth. He cannot embrace Hamas and say that he wants peace with Israel," Netanyahu said on the U.S. television program "Face the Nation," according to a transcript provided by the CBS network.
In an appearance on the CNN program "State of the Union," Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would not negotiate with a government backed by Hamas.
A historic reconciliation agreement has been concluded between the Islamic Resistance Movement-Hamas and the National Liberation Movement-Fateh party, after nearly 7 years of division.
The agreement was annouced shortly after a delegation of PLO representatives arrived in Gaza yesterday, April 22, with the aim of striking a reconciliation deal with Hamas.
Former agreements between the two movements faltered as several details within the reconcilation issues (PLO restructuring, elections, government, social reconciliation, freedoms) had been disputed over.
However, today's fresh move is said to be conclusive on the implementation steps.
Al Ray contributed to this report.
Israel cabinet divided over Palestinian unity deal
Israeli cabinet ministers on Sunday differed over the likely fallout on the battered Middle East peace process from an intra-Palestinian reconciliation agreement.
Wednesday's surprise deal, which saw Palestinian leaders from the West Bank and the Hamas-run Gaza Strip agree to work together after years of bitter rivalry, was denounced the next day by the Israeli security cabinet.
That cabinet said it would "not negotiate" with any Palestinian government backed by the Islamist movement.
In an address to PLO leaders on Saturday, president Mahmoud Abbas said the new government, which will be made up of political independents, would recognize Israel, reject violence and abide by existing agreements.
But at Sunday's weekly meeting of Israel's full cabinet, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again slammed the rapprochement between the PLO and Hamas, whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel.
"Hamas denies the Holocaust while attempting to carry out a second Holocaust by destroying the state of Israel," he said.
"Abu Mazen (Abbas) must decide between an alliance with Hamas -- a terrorist organisation which denies the Holocaust -- and real peace with Israel."
CNN later quoted Netanyahu saying for peace talks to continue, Hamas must recognize Israel or Abbas must renounce the Islamist movement.
"If one of those things happened, we could get back to the peace negotiations. I hope he renounces Hamas and gets back to the peace table, as I've just said. The ball is in his court," he added.
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, Israel's chief negotiator with the Palestinians, said however that it was crucial to wait and see what sort of government emerged.
"The reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, was quite a disappointment ... but we decided to wait and see what happens on the Palestinian side when a new government is created," she told reporters.
Livni ruled out any talks with Hamas and said the international community must demand that the emerging Palestinian leadership "adopt the requirements" of the Middle East peacemaking Quartet.
"I shall not conduct negotiations -- direct or indirect -- with Hamas," she said, suggesting that the peace process was not yet over.
The Quartet demands that Hamas recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by existing agreements between Israel and the PLO.
Last week, a Palestinian official in Abbas's Fatah movement, which dominates the PLO, told AFP that the incoming government would accept the Quartet conditions.
Finance Minister Yair Lapid also said it was too early to call time on the negotiations.
"If Hamas accepts the Quartet conditions ... it will not, in effect, be Hamas any longer and then there'll be a basis for discussion," he told public radio.
"We don't see it at the moment, but we need to watch and wait and study what's going on."
Bethlehem family condemns daughter's pro-Israel video
A Bethlehem father whose daughter recently released a pro-Israel video has condemned the move, saying that the family "rejects and distances" themselves from the content in a statement made to Bethlehem's Radio Mawwal.
The Anastas family also denied claims that their daughter had been forced to flee, saying that they feared she had been the victim of "entrapment" and was under "pressure" from sponsors who had promised to pay her enrollment fees and housing costs for university in the United Kingdom.
The statement comes after a video featuring their daughter Christy was released on the internet in which she spoke of her belief that "God has given this land to the
Jews as an everlasting covenant," and claimed that she was forced to flee Palestine because of persecution for her beliefs.
The Anastas family expressed their "surprise" at the video, "deploring and condemning" her words, denying that she was ever forced to "flee" but instead that they she had left of her own free will to study abroad.
They added that the video "was a result of direct pressure that Christy is currently experiencing."
They said in a statement that a year and a half ago, a British church official had come to their house and offered to pay for their daughter to attend university in the United Kingdom.
After accepting the offer and traveling to the UK, however, the family said that Christy's behavior had become "incomprehensible and unclear," and claimed that she was no longer enrolled in university.
They did not understand what the men who were paying for her education had done to her, they added.
"For as long as we know, Christy's position was always against the wall and the Israeli occupation, which prevented her from living her childhood," the family said, stressing that she had expressed this point of view "in more than one television interview in the past."
They also said that they feared that Israeli authorities were trying to "exploit" their daughter "in order to weaken us and get us out of our house, which has been the target of the occupation since the construction of the apartheid wall."
The Anastas family live a uniquely nightmarish scenario, as their house is surrounded on three sides by the separation wall and Israeli soldiers have cameras trained on their home 24 hours a day.
According to the family, occupation authorities have for years harassed them and attempted to force them from the home, setting up a military base on their roof and even offering them cash incentives to leave.
Christy Anastas was featured prominently alongside her family in a 2012 episode of the US news program 60 Minutes, in which she and other Palestinian Christians spoke of the suffering they experienced at the hands of the Israeli occupation.
The show was so controversial in the United States that then-Israeli ambassador Michael Oren even intervened and called the chairman of CBS News prior to the episode's release to complain, despite not having seen the show.
In the recently released video, however, Christy Anastas claims that she supports the construction of the wall and would have done it herself if she had the choice.
"If you ask me a simple question: 'If you were the prime minister of Israel, would you put that wall up?' My answer would be yes," she said, even though she claimed that the wall had taken mostly Christian land.
She also called Israel's 1967 victory that led to the occupation of the West Bank "God's hand," and claimed that during the Intifada, Palestinian militants forced Palestinian Christians to pay a "jizya tax," or an Islamic tax historically levied on religious minorities.
"People call them freedom fighters; I call them mafia," she said, claiming that they fired missiles from beside Christian homes "so that the response would come on Christian homes."
Anastas has been active in pro-Israel work in the UK for at least the last year, and is one of the founders of the Emmaus Group, which says it "seeks to build understanding and reconciliation between the Church and Israel in the face of mutual challenges and threats."
The controversy comes amid a wider effort on the part of Israeli authorities to co-opt Christian communities inside Israel and to strengthen support for Israel from Christian communities abroad.
Palestinian Christian activist groups like Kairos and conferences such as "Christ at the Checkpoint" have been organized to spread awareness among Christian communities internationally of the difficult situation Christians -- like other Palestinians -- endure as a result of the Israeli occupation.
Israeli authorities, however, have targeted the community, passing a law in February which defined them as "Christian ethnicity," instead of Arab, in what many Palestinian citizens of Israel claimed was an effort to divide them from other Palestinians.
Israel PM dismisses Abbas Holocaust remarks
The prime minister of Israel on Sunday dismissed President Mahmoud Abbas' remarks mourning victims of the Holocaust as a public relations stunt aimed at placating the international community.
Benjamin Netanyahu also told his cabinet that Abbas should choose between his agreement to form a unity government with Hamas and make a true peace with Israel.
"Instead of issuing statements designed to placate global public opinion, Abu Mazen (Abbas) needs to choose between the alliance with Hamas, a terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of Israel and denies the Holocaust, and a true peace with Israel."
He added: "We hope that he will disavow this alliance with Hamas and return to the path of true peace."
Earlier Sunday in Ramallah, Abbas called the Holocaust the "the most heinous crime against humanity in modern history" and extended his condolences to the "families of the victims and the innocent people who were killed by the Nazis including the Jews and others."
Abbas' remarks, which came on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day, marked one of the most high-profile declarations from a Palestinian leader on the systematic Nazi killing of more than 10 million civilians.
In his own statement, Abbas stressed that the "world must do its utmost to fight racism and injustice in order to bring justice and equality to oppressed people wherever they are."
"The Palestinian people, who suffer from injustice, oppression and denied freedom and peace, are the first to demand to lift the injustice and racism that befell other peoples subjected to such crimes," he added.
The president also touched upon the political moment, saying: "On the incredibly sad commemoration of Holocaust Day, we call on the Israeli government to seize the current opportunity to conclude a just and comprehensive peace in the region, based on the two states vision, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security."
For many Israeli Jews, Palestinian recognition of the widespread killing of Jews in Europe during the Holocaust is considered important because it entails recognition of the historical trauma suffered by the Jewish people.
Palestinian leaders, however, have not historically made statements on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day, pointing out that Palestinians had nothing to do with the tragedy.
Additionally, because Israel often cites the Holocaust as a major reason underlying the need for a "Jewish state" in historic Palestine, many Palestinians are sensitive to potential suggestions that the genocide of Jews by Nazi Germany mandates or justifies their own dispossession by Israel.
Abbas: Holocaust was 'most heinous crime in modern history'
President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday called the Holocaust the "the most heinous crime against humanity in modern history" and extended his condolences to the "families of the victims and the innocent people who were killed by the Nazis including the Jews and others."
The statement, which came on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day, marks one of the most high profile declarations from a Palestinian leader on the systematic Nazi killing of more than 10 million civilians, including the genocide of around six million Jews, during and immediately prior to the second World War.
Abbas stressed in a statement that the "world must do its utmost to fight racism and injustice in order to bring justice and equality to oppressed people wherever they are."
The president also touched upon the current political moment, saying: "On the incredibly sad commemoration of Holocaust Day, we call on the Israeli government to seize the current opportunity to conclude a just and comprehensive peace in the region, based on the two states vision, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security."
The statement came during a conversation with American Rabbi Marc Schneier, and was released in Arabic and English to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is marked in Israel beginning on Sunday evening.
Fatah: Elections date to be announced soon, Abbas is our candidate
Fatah said on Sunday that current Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas is the movement's choice for presidential candidate, and that within the next few days he would set a date for upcoming elections.
The statements come only days after Hamas and Fatah signed a historic national reconciliation agreement, reuniting the two largest Palestinian political parties in a consensus government for the first time in seven years.
Secretary-general of the Revolutionary Council of the Fatah movement Amin Maqboul told Ma'an on Sunday that in the coming days, Abbas would issue two presidential decrees. The first will announce the establishment of a unity government, and the second will set a date for Palestinian Authority presidential and parliamentary elections, as well as PLO National Council elections.
Maqboul said that Fatah's Revolutionary Council decided more than a year ago that Abbas would be the party's candidate in upcoming elections, despite the leader's own insistence in the past that he would not stand for re-election.
Maqboul added that Fatah leaders would hold a meeting in the coming few days to study the decision in light of the reconciliation agreement with Hamas and the fact that presidential elections are nearing.
"The unity government will be headed by president Abbas, but if Fatah decides that Abbas will run for presidential elections, his vice president will head the government, according to the law," Maqboul said.
Maqboul said that Fatah leaders knew that Abbas did not want to run, but insisted that as a public figure broader interests had to be taken into account.
Maqboul added that the Fatah movement will make a final decision on that issue soon.
The Palestine Liberation Organization is an umbrella organization that is the internationally recognized representative of the Palestinian people around the world and includes a wide variety of political parties.
The Palestinian Authority, meanwhile, emerged as a result of the Oslo Accords in the 1990s in order to administer the occupied Palestinian territories, and was intended to form the backbone of the Palestinian state.
Abu Zuhri: Haneyya gov’t to leave on formation of the new gov’t
Hamas movement urged all Palestinian factions to support the latest reconciliation accomplishment and to stop issuing statements that might obstruct the reconciliation process. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, criticized in a statement to Quds Press on Sunday calls by certain factions on Ismail Haneyya, the Gaza premier, to tender his resignation.
He said that such statements were meant to find a role for those factions, adding that resignations were no longer for discussion as the Gaza Declaration clearly stipulated that a new government would be formed within five weeks and thence Haneyya government would be ready to leave.
Hamas: Abbas's speech admitted the failure of the peace talks with Israel
The Hamas Movement said that the speech delivered yesterday by Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas was an admission that the negotiations with the Israeli occupation are a fruitless option and pose a threat to the Palestinian people's rights. Its spokesman Fawzi Barhoum stated on his facebook page on Saturday that Abbas's admission of the failure of the peace process was supposed to be followed by declaring his authority's withdrawal from the talks with the occupation.
Spokesman Barhoum described Abbas's remarks about his refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and his holding on to the right of return, the release of prisoners and the execution of the reconciliation agreement as positive and important, and should be supported.
As for the new Palestinian government to be formed, the spokesman said that this government would be transitional with specific tasks and not affiliated with a political party.
He also said that the Palestinian political issue is the jurisdiction of what he described as the interim leadership framework, noting that Hamas's position on the peace talks with the Israeli occupation did not change and would never provide any political cover in this regard.
Abbas criticized, in a speech before the central council of the Palestine liberation organization (PLO) on Saturday, Israel's labeling of the reconciliation agreement as a deal with "terrorists" and described it as unacceptable.
"You have clinched a deal with them at the time of Mohamed Morsi, so there is no sense in forbidding me now from going to Hamas," Abbas stated.
Abbas also stressed his determination to go on with the reconciliation process regardless of Israel's opposition.
For his part, PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said that Hamas is a Palestinian resistance movement and not a terrorist group, and has a right not to recognize Israel.
Erekat told Erem news website that Israel knows that a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders cannot be established without a reconciliation agreement between the Palestinian factions.
Erekat also demanded Israel to stop its "blatant interference" in the Palestinian internal affairs.
The PLO official accused Israel of using the Palestinian reconciliation agreement as a pretext to end the peace talks, and described its sanctions against the Palestinian Authority as an act of bullying.
He stressed that unless Israel fulfilled its obligations towards the peace process, the PLO would not resume its talks with it.
Nunu denies statement to American paper on recognizing Israel
Taher al-Nunu, the media advisor to Gaza premier Ismail Haneyya, has denied a statement attributed to him by an American newspaper expressing Hamas’s readiness to recognize Israel. Nunu told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) on Sunday that he was not interviewed by ‘Washington Post’ in the mentioned period. He stressed that statements quoting him in this regard were not true.
“We did not discuss the issue of recognizing the Zionist entity, and it is not tabled for discussion on our part in the first place,” he said, adding that the Gaza government would follow up the issue with the American paper.
Hebrew press quoted the ‘Washington Post’ as saying that Hamas might recognize Israel and would discuss the issue with Fatah faction.
Nunu underlined that Hamas was committed to what has been agreed upon with Fatah mainly the formation of a consensus government that would have nothing to do with the political affairs.
He explained that the government would be entrusted with ending the division and preparing for presidential elections while leaving the political affairs to the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Abbas: “No State Without Jerusalem”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated during a meeting of the Central Council of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) that the Palestinians will not agree to an independent state without Jerusalem as its capital.
“Jerusalem is the capital of our state”, Abbas said, “Without it, there can be no state, no peace”.
Abbas added that negotiations mean political action, and that the Palestinians want to achieve their legitimate rights through negotiations, the Milad News Agency has reported.
“The current situation proved to us Israel is not interested in a permanent solution”, he said, “The Oslo Agreement was an agreement on principles, not a permanent solution”.
The Palestinian president further stated that any final status agreement with the Israelis would be subject to a referendum, adding that no leader, or person, can sign a deal without a referendum that includes all Palestinians, wherever they are.
Member of the Palestinian National Council, Salim Za’noun, called for preparing a constitution for the Palestinian State, and called on the Palestinian Authority to file more applications to join international conventions, including the International Criminal Court.
Za’noun added that the Palestinian leadership should also discuss the means to escalate and boost nonviolent popular resistance activities against the Israeli occupation, its illegitimate settlements and the apartheid wall.
Sixty-eight out of the 114 members of the Central Council managed to attend the meeting; the central committee coordinates between the Palestinian National Council and the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
The Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu started a media campaign against the Palestinian Authority and its president Abbas, and started a series of measures meant to isolate the P.A and, once again, withheld the transfer of tax money it collects on border terminals it controls in the occupied West Bank.
Sanctions were imposed against businesspersons, companies and projects that are supposed to boost the Palestinian economy.
Israel wants the Palestinians to continue direct talks without freezing its illegitimate settlement construction and expansion activities, and without recognizing any of the internationally guaranteed Palestinian Rights, mainly the Right of Return of all refugees, and their right to a fully independent and sovereign Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Tel Aviv also wants to maintain control over natural resources, the Jordan Valley, and all vital areas of the occupied West Bank, including all border terminals.
Its illegitimate settlements and Apartheid Wall have turned the occupied territories into isolated cantons, besides leading to the illegal confiscation of Palestinian lands and orchards; large areas of Palestinian farmlands are now completely isolated behind the Wall.
Even during direct political talks with the P.A, the Israeli army continued its invasions, assaults, assassinations, arrests and home demolitions in different parts of the occupied West Bank, including in occupied East Jerusalem.
To Counter Israeli Sanctions: P.A. To Start Austerity Measures, Improve Tax Collection
The Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank is weighing all possible measures to counter Israeli sanctions and restrictions, including initiating austerity measures and advancing tax collection systems, to be able to cover some of the costs needed to prevent its collapse.
The decision was made after Israel imposed sanctions on the P.A, and stopped the transfer of tax money it collects on border terminals leading to the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli sanctions came after the P.A. filed applications to join 15 international conventions and treaties, when Israel refused to release veteran Palestinian political prisoners held since the first Oslo Agreement of 1993. The release was supposed to be implemented on March 29.
Spokesperson of the Palestinian Economy Ministry, Azmy Abdul-Rahman, told the Maan News Agency that, should Israel implement the sanctions, the P.A would have to cut costs in all ministries, and increase tax collection.
He added that the P.A. usually gets around $120 Million a month, and that this amount covers 80% of monthly costs, including paying salaries, pensions and providing basic services.
“Should Israel stop the transfer, the Palestinian economy would be largely impacted”, he said.
Abdul-Rahman warned of the direct impacts of Israeli sanctions, especially since Israel has sole control on all border terminals leading to the occupied West Bank.
He further stated that, according to signed agreements, mainly the Paris Protocol, Israel collects customs and taxes on West Bank border terminals, and transfers them to the Palestinian Authority after deducting a 3% interest.
“Each time Israel withholds the money it violates the Paris Protocol”, he added. “Israel is blackmailing the P.A.”
Israel repeatedly withheld the money in an attempt to pressure the P.A. and force it to refrain from signing international agreements and treaties, and to oblige it continue direct peace talks while Tel Aviv continues its violations, including the ongoing construction and expansion of its illegitimate settlements.
Israel recently decided to sanction the P.A. by imposing further restrictions which could cause the already weak Palestinian economy to collapse. Some of the measures include halting the transfer of tax money, and restricting the movement and trade of Palestinian businesspersons and companies.
The recent sanctions were enforced after the rival Fateh and Hamas movements, with various Palestinian factions, signed a reconciliation and unity agreement that could lead to forming an interim unity government until general and presidential elections are held.
The Israeli Cabinet decided that Tel Aviv will not negotiate with any Palestinian government that includes Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that President Mahmoud Abbas violated standing agreements when he decided to join United Nations institutions and international treaties, and when he held a coalition with the Hamas movement.
The P.A. in the West Bank said it is committed to the political process until signing a comprehensive peace deal with Tel Aviv, but cannot continue these talks while Israel is ongoing with its violations, including ongoing invasions, assassinations and arrests, and that Israel must fully stop its illegitimate settlement construction and expansion activities.
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The Frontier of Cancer Treatment Possibilities
BOZEMAN, Montana, Oct. 1 — Montana State University issued the following news:
An internationally renowned immunologist, cancer researcher and physician, Dr. John (J.J.) Cohen, will be the featured speaker at Montana State University’s second Cafe Scientifique event this fall.
Cohen will present “Stranger than Science Fiction: The frontier of cancer treatment possibilities and the futuristic-sounding biomedical technologies that could change everything” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, at The Baxter in downtown Bozeman. The event is organized by MSU’s Montana INBRE and COBRE programs and is free and open to the public.
Cohen, a professor of immunology, microbiology and medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver, plans to discuss how recent insights into the immune system are upending the cancer research landscape.
“Researchers have suspected for a long time that the immune system played a role in keeping us cancer-free, but all attempts to explain it failed until recently,” he said. “We just didn’t know enough about how to intervene in an orderly way, and researchers eventually gave up on this avenue.”
All of that is changing, Cohen said, thanks to new understandings about how the immune system works and cutting edge biomedical technologies that allow for more precise interventions.
“One potential magic bullet for cancer that’s available now involves synthesizing billions of monoclonal antibodies, or cloned antibodies derived from a single cell,” he said. “If there’s something on a cancer cell that distinguishes it from a normal cell, you can attack it with these types of antibodies, and in some cases it’s proving miraculous.”
Another new and promising therapy, says Cohen, is called checkpoint inhibition immunotherapy.
“When I first heard of this idea, I thought, ‘that’s never going to work,’ but it’s turning out to have a lot of promise,” he said. “The immune system’s job is to destroy cells and tissues that pose threats, so it stands to reason that a system that can do so much damage must have an off switch or a checkpoint.”
According to Cohen, checkpoint inhibition involves artificially blocking that off switch so that immune system cells are more likely to detect and destroy cancer cells.
“Tumors that persist have figured out how to paralyze a person’s normal immune response,” he said. “Once researchers understood that, the idea became, ‘let’s hide the off switch from the tumor and allow the immune system a chance to do its thing.’
“This is a highly promising mechanism we can use to interfere with tumor growth that’s not based on radiation or chemicals,” he added.
The “newest and weirdest” cancer therapy Cohen plans to discuss at the cafe involves genetically modifying a patient’s own T Cells and deploying them like a Trojan Horse to smuggle more cancer-fighting capacity into the body.
“About 10 years ago, someone came up with the idea of taking a T Cell out of a cancer patient, implanting it with anti-cancer antibodies and other genes and creating enhanced T Cells that could bind better to cancer cells,” he said.
“Now we can grow these special modified T Cells, called CAR-T Cells, in a lab and take, say, 10,000 original cells and turn them into several billion super T Cells with enhanced cancer-seeking receptors.”
Cohen added that this type of therapy is most effective when deployed using so-called Killer T Cells – a specific kind of T Cell that has the ability to bind to any cell in the human body and convince it to self-destruct.
“Killer T Cells are really incredible, like something out of a spy movie,” he said. “It takes only about four seconds of contact to get that message across, and the other cell goes into a death spiral over the course of the next minute.
“There’s no drug that is that effective or has anywhere near that potential,” he added.
Cohen was born in Montreal, Canada, and attended McGill University for his bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and medical degrees. He completed a residency at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, followed by postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Colorado Medical School in Denver and at Mill Hill in London, England. As a professor at the University of Colorado, Denver, he has earned the Excellence in Teaching Award 20 times to date and Teacher of the Year honors on five occasions. Cohen was MSU’s inaugural Cafe Scientifique speaker in 2004 and played instrumental roles in founding Cafe Scientifique programs in both Denver and Bozeman.
Cafe Scientifique provides a relaxed setting for people to learn about current scientific topics. The concept started in England in 1998 and has spread to a handful of locations in the United States. Following a short presentation by a scientific expert, the majority of time is reserved for lively conversation, thoughtful questions and respectful dialogue. Refreshments are provided free of charge.
Housed at MSU, Montana INBRE and COBRE are each Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Programs from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant numbers P20GM103474 and GM103500, respectively.
Contact Bill Stadwiser with Montana INBRE at 406-994-3360 or william.stadwiser@montana.edu for more information about the Cafe Scientifique concept or check the web at http://www.inbre.montana.edu/cafe/index.html.
About Life Extension
Life Extensionists are people who believe in taking advantage of documented scientific therapies to help maintain optimal health and slow aging. The medical literature contains thousands of references on the use of antioxidant vitamins, weight loss supplements, and hormones that have been shown to improve the quality and quantity of life. Life Extensionists attempt to take advantage of this scientific information to enhance their chances of living longer in good health.
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Kentucky Christian Takes the Field
While marching in a storied band program with years of history and tradition can be a great experience, being a founding member of a new marching band can be equally exciting and special. The students marching this fall in the Kentucky Christian University (KCU) Marching Knights will have the chance to build a program in its inaugural year.
KCU, a small university in Grayson, Ky., started its football team in 2008 and is now following up with a marching band. “This year for the band, my goals are to develop that we’re an entertainment band that is fun for the students,” says director Tracy Schumann. “I want to make it so that students find it pleasant and exciting, not to say that we don’t work hard. I want to develop a level of excellence that will increase throughout the years.”
Schumann travelled to area high schools to recruit interested students. “We’re able to scholarship our players and offer the same amounts that our football team gets,” he says. “Up to $40,000 over 4 years—even for players who are not majoring in music.”
This year the band includes a full battery and pit and limited winds—for a total of 22 students. They will perform five shows this season, including two in conjunction with local high school bands, using both a chair and a glide step. During the band’s nine-day band camp, members learned both marching styles, and four flutists learned completely new instruments.
Within the next few years, the band hopes to grow in numbers, add a color guard and hire a full-time band director. In the spring they plan to have some small ensembles, a basketball pep band and a concert band including members of the community.
“I have just been really pleased to see how well my students play,” Schumann says. “I didn’t know if we had critical mass to actually do an adequate performance, but as the students got here for band camp and really applied themselves, I’ve been tickled to see that they’re doing an excellent job.”
Tags: marching bandHalftime Magazinemarching artsKentucky Christian University Marching Knightskcu marching band
Las Vegas Percussion Camp
2013 DCI Champions
This past summer saw some of the fiercest competition in Drum Corps International (DCI) history to date. The 2013 season now ranks with the 1994 ...
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7eventh Time Down “Brand New Day” Album Review
By Timothy Yap Feb 21, 2019 04:13 AM EST
Prime Cuts: The 99, I Have Decided, Eyes on You
Overall Grade: 3/5
7eventh Time Down has been around the block since 2011. Throughout the history of the band, they have never felt the urge to deviate from the Gospel. While many of their peers have veered into inspirational pop territory where God is veiled under the generic "he" and the Gospel is watered down into a feel-good empowerment message, 7eventh Time down has been steadfast in the proclamation of their faith. "Brand New Day," the band's fourth release with BEC Recordings, doesn't disappoint either. The boys have no qualms in making it crystal clear the it is Jesus that they are singing about. And they are not coy in delving into the deeper issues of the fish, including commitment ("I Have Decided"), regeneration ("Let Me Tell You"), sin and our lostness ("The 99") and our need to be saved ("Brand New Day").
Being their first album in almost 4 years, the guys are back with a rejuvenated robust verve. On "I Have Decided," for instance, the team sounds so animated that you swear they are about to jump out of the speakers. Discipleship has never sounded more fun and urgent. And such passion reaches its zenith on the title cut "Brand New Day," a rowdy anthem that has every polytechnics (including auto tuning) thrown in. "Eyes on You," with its bubbly pop melody, has an affecting nostalgic 90s boybands throwback feel. "The 99" is arguably the album's best song. Setting to music Jesus' parable of the lost sheep, "The 99" is a powerful depiction of God's love for the lost.
However, the album is not devoid of weaknesses. First, a song like "Trust" is what gives CCM a bad name. Not only is the song stringed together by cliches, but the lyrics are frankly juvenile: "you love me and I love you/you are for me and I believe you." Second, there's a lack of originality. Jesus told over 30 parables. Cory Asbury has recently set to music the parable of the lost sheep with "Reckless Love." As fine as "The 99" is, why can't 7eventh Time Down choose a different parable? Also, not too long go Hillsong Worship utilise the hymn "I Have Decided" as the seed thought to their song "Christ is Enough." Are there no other hymns that 7eventh Time Down can use as the impetus for their song "I Have Decided"?
Third, the album is heavily pop-centric with aggressive guitars, booming percussion and punctuated synth riffs, there's nothing wrong with that. But over the 10 songs they hardly deviate from the same template. This makes the listening experience tedious if you plan on listening to the album straight through. Though "Brand New Day" isn't perfect, the blame shouldn't be solely placed on 7eventh Time Down, such problems are prevalent over the entire CCM genre.
Tags : 7eventh Time Down 7eventh time down new album 7eventh Time Down “Brand New Day” Album Review 7eventh time down news
Previous Jason Crabb and Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus Respond to Grammy Win
A Year of Captivity
Interview with Mikey Howard from 7eventh Time Down
The Story Behind 7eventh Time Down's "Just Say Jesus"
7EVENTH TIME DOWN & Newsboys Tour 2014, "JUST SAY JESUS" Single hits No. 5 on Radio (VIDEO)
7eventh Time Down Release Expanded Edition Of 'Just Say Jesus'
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Airport Commission
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By Todd Luck
Posted Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Tonya McDaniel sworn in as Forsyth County commissioner
Tonya McDaniel became the newest member of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners as she took her oath at an organizational meeting held at the Forsyth County Government Center on Dec. 3.
“I’m the new commissioner that’s elected for the people to provide equity in terms of funding for this county, and I appreciate us truly being able to do this together,” McDaniel told attendees.
McDaniel is a Winston-Salem native who won in this year’s election. She assumed the District A seat that has been occupied by Everette Witherspoon. McDaniel is the Human Resources director of United Health Centers and is second vice chair of the Winston-Salem Chapter of the NAACP. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Winston-Salem State University and a Master in Public Administration from North Carolina Central University. She’s a mother of three and has two grandchildren.
Also during the meeting, re-elected Commissioners Don Martin and Ted Kaplan took their oaths as did Fleming El-Amin, who won his first election after being appointed to fill the seat held by the late Walter Marshall last year. Re-elected Forsyth County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors Toby Bost, Wendell Schollander, III and Elizabeth Tucker also took their oaths. Oaths were administered by District Court Judge Denise Hartsfield and Superior Court Judge Richard Gottlieb.
Dave Plyler was re-elected by his fellow commissioners as chair of the commissioners board and Don Martin was re-elected as vice chair. Plyler used the meeting to briefly reflect on what the commissioners had accomplished in 2018. This included providing incentives for five companies that committed to create 836 new jobs in the county, restoring curbside recycling subscription service to unincorporated areas of the county, reorganizing the Smith Reynolds Airport as a county department, passing a fiscally responsible budget with no tax increase, and consolidating Public Health and Social Services under one board to improve their efficiency.
“I think the citizens that we serve hold to all of us a very high standard,” said Plyler.
More photos from the meeting can be found on the county's Facebook page.
Open Appointments List
Piedmont Baptist College
Forsyth County Government Center
201 North Chestnut Street
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What Was the Best/Worst Movie You Saw During #ScaryMovieMonth?
It was glorious, but now it's over.
Our most successful #ScaryMovieMonth EVER has ended, and thanks to all of your hard work and devotion to watching shit-tons of horror movies it was BIG BIG FUN (also Doug's high school nickname). We can't thank you enough for making this the best place to be on the internet during October and ALL YEAR LONG.
So let's debrief. What's the best movie you saw during #SMM? Was it something new or an old favorite you revisited? What was the worst thing you saw? Did you have a good #ScaryMovieMonth overall? Are you already looking forward to next year's as much as I am?
Thanks again, everyone. You real are the best community we could ever hope to have.
#ScaryMovieMonth 4EVA.
Labels: 2014 scary movie month, horror movies, weekend weigh in
John Murphy November 1, 2014 at 6:29 AM
My favorite new viewing experiences were The Changeling, Nosferatu, Shadow of the Vampire, Black Christmas, House of the Devil, Night of the Creeps, and Tales From the Crypt. Village of the Damned (1960) was also pretty cool, and a movie I will revisit in the future. I got lucky that most of the new stuff I saw was a hit with me.
My favorite things that I saw on re-watch were Carrie, Misery, The Dead Zone and The Shining. Stephen King rules.
Except for Maximum Overdrive, which, unfortunately is of the worst new viewings I experienced this year. But what took the cake this year was Silent Hill: Revelation. That was 90 minutes of pure shit. I also came to the realization that Hammer horror just doesn't do it for me. Even The Vampire Lovers I find pretty boring. Lastly, I found Stage Fright to be pretty dumb. The whole "musical horror" thing, as they presented it, just didn't work for me.
Still, I loved every second of this month. Thanks, everyone!
Gabby Ferro November 3, 2014 at 6:47 AM
Black Christmas was new to me last Scary Movie Month and like you it was a highlight. I am so glad I bought on DVD at the time so I can revisit it.
It was surprisingly good and a neat piece of history as the "true" first slasher movie. I could definitely see the early signs of what would come soon after. I enjoyed it.
Mikko Viinikka November 1, 2014 at 8:15 AM
Pretty happy with my total of 16 movies. I know it's not as much as some of you freaks... I mean aficionados, but still. And now I have a goal to reach next year.
My favorite movies of the month were Sauna, a small Finnish movie, and the crazy John Dies at the End. Also, Berberian Sound Studio was an interesting experience, to say the least.
The worst movie was the 80's campy slasher Aerobicide, but it's the fun kind of bad. You know, with weak plot twists, laughable dialogue and gratuitous shots of girls in skimpy outfits.
Of course, the true highlight of the month was getting a mention on the podcast. I can die happy now.
EliTheButcherBoy November 1, 2014 at 8:15 AM
Picking the best is difficult (Abominable Dr. Phibes was SO GOOD) but I'll have to go with I Saw the Devil. The acting is extraordinary, the violence is some of the most intense I've ever seen, and I had no idea where the story was going, which is a thing I really love about a lot of Korean cinema. It's beautifully shot and there are numerous images that will stick with me.
The worst is easy: Vampire Boys. I found it on iTunes under horror because I was looking for a scary movie with queer protagonists. The very first line, I burst out laughing. I've never laughed so continuously at a movie, ever. The dialogue, the acting, the slo-mo, the abs, my God, the abs--it was terrible on every level and takes itself so seriously. Not scary, not sexy, not even really a movie. Only to be watched ironically with other hipster douchebags.
All in all, though, this has been such an awesome experience. I watched films I never would have normally picked up, finally ventured into the local cult videostore, and went through the books on scary movies that my grandfather left me. The reviews people have left are priceless, and it was great to finally join in on the conversation after listening to the podcast for years. Thank you for a fantastic Scary Movie Month, all.
Also! Thank you so much for the mentions on the podcast. Like Mikko said, that was the definite highight.
I didn't write a review for it because I wasn't sure if it really counted as horror or not, but I, too, saw I Saw the Devil, and it was very, very good. Intense, but good.
Lacey November 1, 2014 at 1:40 PM
Why did I not think to watch I Saw the Devil for #SMM?! Very nice choice!
JP November 1, 2014 at 8:27 AM
The Battery and The Bay were far and away the best of the month for me. The Battery was an incredibly fresh take on zombies, a subgenre I thought was completely tapped out. I watched The Bay a few days ago and I'm still feeling lingering fear from it. So scary.
The worst were The Entity and All Hallows' Eve by a longshot. Ugly, rapey, misogynist garbage movies that exist for no reason other than to be repellant. I want Sondra Locke's character from Sudden Impact to turn her sights onto the people responsible for those movies. That movie is classy in comparison, which if you've seen it should tell you something about how ugly these were.
Adam Riske November 2, 2014 at 6:02 PM
I just saw The Battery last night. It's really f-ing good.
Adam Riske November 1, 2014 at 9:18 AM
I'm really looking forward to the next Scary Movie Month. I botched this one for sure. I realized how much I missed by skipping the MBOH and most of the Massacre this year. It just wasn't the same after that. Also, I had to travel for work a ton this month so it didn't leave as much time as usual in October for horror movies. A little disappointing but I plan to make up for it next year.
The best things I saw were Misery (first viewing) and Asylum. Both were movies I really enjoyed. The worst was obviously The Houses October Built. Ugh. That Movie. Ouija would have been close behind as well.
I love the heck out of Misery. It's tough to call what my favorite King adaptation is, but it's up there, for sure. Kathy Bates gives one of my favorite performances in all of horror, and I enjoy James Caan in just about anything. I'm glad you liked it, Adam.
JB November 1, 2014 at 9:47 AM
Because horror movies are the bestiest, the only downside of SMM was that I, for reasons I still cannot fathom, sat through the Vincent Price House on Haunted Hill four separate times. The highlights were plentiful: Trilogy of Terror and Day of the Dead at the Massacre and Magic in Patrick's basement. And yes, that last one is a euphemism.
Sol November 1, 2014 at 10:10 AM
Though I still enjoyed the hell out of it - the great columns, awesome podcasts and amazing amount of clever 7-word reviews, I would have to call this a slightly botched Scary Movie Month for me as well. It was a busy month and though I did my best - pretty much falling asleep on the couch in front of a movie every night (and then finishing it the next day and falling asleep halfway through a new one, rinse, repeat) - I came nowhere near my goal of watching about a half-dozen different franchises. I didn't even get through all of the Friday the 13th blu-ray set - fell asleep halfway through the last one after coming home from a party last night (I'll finish it today though dammit). But whatever, still fun, but I'm hoping to do much better next year!
Best movie of the month pretty much hands-down was May, followed by (and in a VERY different way) Sleepaway Camp. The worst were a few of the Ft13th movies and though I kind of regret the time I spent with them instead of new stuff, somehow my affection for the franchise as a whole actually grew this year so that was okay too!
Can't wait until next year, but I get the feeling I'll be watching a lot of scary movies (so many intriguing recommendations) in November too! Thanks everybody!
manwithpetgull November 1, 2014 at 10:18 AM
Best SMM Movie? WNUF Halloween Special, by far. A live 1987 news broadcast from a haunted house in Maryland, commercials and all. And all the commercials. Not in the least scary, but the only found footage movie to put the format to intelligent use, and a love letter to vintage TV graphics, attitude, and style. As a matter of fact, I think it was the 3rd best movie I saw this year.
Worst: The Hills Have Eyes (2006). Boring, ugly, insulting, unnecessary, irritating, and overlong. I've never understood Aja's popularity, since it seems the only legitimate movie he's made was High Tension (which I'd never liked either,) and that he's done nothing but hurt horror since. Here's hoping he doesn't botch Space Adventure Cobra; the original was so awesome that doing so would be a cinematic war crime.
JP November 1, 2014 at 11:30 AM
I've heard nothing but good things about WNUF Halloween Special but haven't been able to track down a copy. Do you know where I can find it?
manwithpetgull November 1, 2014 at 12:32 PM
You can't buy a copy from amazon. You can only buy the dvd directly from the distributor at alternativecinema.com. If you don't mind taking food out of the director's mouth, it's all over the file-share-o-sphere as well. In fact, he uploaded it to a few file sharing sites himself, as well as left unmarked VHS copies behind in horror convention bathrooms.
JP November 1, 2014 at 12:43 PM
Not a file-sharing guy, but I appreciate it! I'll definitely go to the distributor's site. Thanks!
manwithpetgull November 1, 2014 at 7:56 PM
One last one: Contracted (2013)
"California deserves whatever it gets." - Don DeLillo
manwithpetgull November 2, 2014 at 1:49 AM
Just finished V/H/S. My second 0/10 of the year, and the 4th worst movie I've ever seen.
Albert Muller November 3, 2014 at 9:17 AM
Funny, I think of New York the way DeLillo thinks of California, but probably more so.
Dennis Atherton November 1, 2014 at 12:06 PM
I watched so many movies I cant even remember which is which. Its a big brilliant messy blur. My highlights were a rainy sunday and not being in work. I felt like I really tried hard and did 6 or 7 movies that day. My lowlight was the next day the 24hr massacre podcast dropped where you did 13 movies. I felt like I wasent trying hard enough ;)
There was lots of bad films so I will just name a few I rediscovered. God told me to, Visiting hours. Night of the Creeps. Halloween 3. The deadly spawn. Demons 1 and 2. But not 3 urrrgggg
The amount of columns and podcasts was amazing. Great work from everyone at the site. I was struggling to keep up with all the podcasts and columns and movies. And if someone went through the effort of writing I want to read them all. Thank you
Matt Sollenberger November 1, 2014 at 12:37 PM
It was a great month! I watched 30 horror movies I’d never seen before (and re-watched one, The Exorcist).
Willow Creek (2014)
Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare aka The Edge of Hell (1987)
King of the Ants (2003)
Bottom 5:
Wolfen (1981)
Mr. Jones (2013)
Bizarre aka Secrets of Sex (1970)
Hatchet III (2013)
The Dark Half (1993)
A highlight of the month was Adam Riske stating he preferred Satan’s Little Helper to Halloween. That takes balls sir. It honestly made me re-evaluate if I had would have the guts to make such a bold claim about any personal favorites… Also getting mentioned on the podcast (a thrill) and reading everyone’s 7 word reviews. I guarantee nowhere else on the internet will you find so many truly clever and hilarious comments. Can’t wait til next year!
Andy Bishop November 1, 2014 at 1:21 PM
This was my first Scary Movie Month, and it was a total blast. Despite the risk of failing several classes, I managed to get in exactly 30 movies, plus one which spilled over into November 1st so I didn't count it. Loved reading all the awesome reviews from everyone else, and actually managed to get one of mine read on the podcast. I watched way more good movies than bad, so it's really hard to pick a favorite but I'll try.
Favorite "re-watch": Psycho. It's my favorite horror movie, and I just never get tired of it. I actually ended up watching it twice because a friend had never seen it. I didn't mind one bit.
Favorite first viewing: The Blair Witch Project. This movie was a sensation when I was a kid, but I never got around to watching it. I figured it would be dated and cheesy, but for some reason it really affected me. I think whether this movie scares you depends alot on how much time you've spent in the woods in your life. As someone who has done my fair share of camping, it really worked for me.
Worst movie: Scream 3. Of all the Scream movies, this one is the least interesting and has the least to say. Scream 4 might be just as bad, but at least it had sort of a distinct personality and tried to change things up a bit. I watched Scream 3 a couple weeks ago, and I honestly don't think I could recount the plot. It's the definition of forgettable.
Overall it was an awesome month! Hope everyone else enjoyed it as much as I did.
My worst viewing is easy : Witchfinder General (first viewing). I am sorry! Not my thing!
My best viewing could be more of a top 10 list, but when I initially read the post I immediately thought An American Werewolf in London. I have to watch it every Halloween.
I am looking forward to next year! Thank you to everyone at F! This Movie and their community for making this one fun October! I enjoyed reading everyone's 7 word reviews.
Also, have to agree with other commenters, what a nice moment to have one of your 7 word reviews mentioned on the podcast! Thank you to the team behind F This Movie for being so engaged with and dedicated to your readers!
The best new-to-me movies this year were CONTRACTED, which totally freaked me out, and STAGE FRIGHT and HAUNTER, which were great "roller coaster ride" horror.
I also really enjoyed 2012's THE POSSESSION. After watching THE CONJURING and both INSIDIOUS movies, I thought, "Great, here's another one of these." But no, THE POSSESSION is very much its own movie. Sure, it borrows heavily from others, but it has an energy and a vibe that is all its own.
Speaking of unique vibes, TWIXT has a reputation of being the worst thing ever, but I actually liked it. I can see why some people wouldn't, but the movie's weird, quirky tone really spoke to me.
As for worst, what can I possibly say about DARIO ARGENTO'S DRACULA? The only explanation I can come up with is maybe, just maybe, Argento is in on the joke? Like he's gone out of his way to make an improbably bad Dracula movie to satirize how there are so many bad Dracula movies? If that's not the case, then I got nothin'.
Also in the "worst" category, I reviewed DRY BONES for DVD Verdict, and it's just the most awful garbage: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/drybones.php
Jason November 3, 2014 at 12:28 PM
I know a lot of folks who love Twixt, Mac!
Brent Petersen November 1, 2014 at 3:05 PM
Vamp (1986)
I CAN'T STOP DOING SEVEN WORD REVIEWS!!!
Myke November 1, 2014 at 3:56 PM
The highlight of my Scary Movie Month was getting to see Psycho in theaters. My favorite movie that was new to me was The Innkeepers, and the worst thing I watched was Troll 2. Obviously.
Chaybee November 1, 2014 at 3:58 PM
Best movie was Housebound. I thought it captured the horror/comedy genre perfectly which is a genre I generally do not like at all. Second, oddly enough, was Suburban Gothic, another horror/comedy with the emphasis on comedy. Demon's Rook comes in at third.
Worst - Oh man this is tough cause I watched a ton of bullshit, awful films. VHS: Viral gets the gas face, Mockingbird, The Houses October Built, Extraterrestrial, Exists all suck. Seriously, I've had it with found footage. I get it, it's cheap and studios love it, but fuck that. Lynch made Eraserhead for like 20 grand or something, Take out a goddamn loan, sell some shit, try the crowd funding thing, even consider renting a freakin' camera and please, please, please just make a friggin' movie. Exists could have been a great Bigfoot genre film had it been an actual FILM.
Sorry for the rant!
Btw - I was looking up a movie on IMDB and noticed a review that said - "Worst movie made in history of movies." Not only did I crack up, but I noticed it was seven words!
Kathy November 2, 2014 at 12:06 AM
But, was Exists as bad as Curse of Bigfoot?
Chaybee November 2, 2014 at 12:14 AM
Hmmmm...I haven't seen that but if it's found footage I'm guessing yes!
OH! The '70's TV movie?! If so, blows Exists away.
Seriously? Worse than a "Bigfoot" with a paper mache head?
I have to see this....
There's a difference between ambitious failure and an absolutely soulless film. Exists only "exists" as "another FF movie", it add's nothing to the genre.
Bad has to go into two categories..
"Bad because no one involved in the thing had any business being near a camera much less making a movie yet not awful enough to be funny"....that would be The Last Slumber Party. There might have been a tie with a Christmas themed slasher film called To All A Goodnight but I never got to finish that.
"Bad and most people involved are talented enough to have known better" goes to Annabelle. One good jump scare does not a movie make. The main characters in this film are not people - they have no family, no friends, no neighbors (except the parents of the kids on the stairs that the husband supposedly knows but we never see him talk to them or hear what the result of that was). No matter how many strange things happen they're wandering around dark basements leaving the baby alone upstairs...which I don't think you do even under normal circumstances....and they run into no one except the lady in the bookshop who somehow knows the answer to all their problems.
Best movies I saw (for the first time) were Don't Blink and Hello Mary Lou, Prom Night II. Plan to watch them again before next SMC.
That latter choice isn't just because Prom Night was so BOR-ING that it benefited by comparison.
Alexander Dodson November 2, 2014 at 1:42 AM
Best viewings? Probably getting to see The Birds in theaters, going through the Classic Universal Monsters blu-ray pack (stand-outs being The Invisible Man and Frankenstein) and stumbling upon the sheer brilliance of Vincent Price in House on Haunted Hill. Also driving over an hour to finally see The Guest aka the best movie of 2014!
Worst viewings: Witchfinder General (sorry Vince :/ ), Piranha and The Frighteners.
This really unlocked my love of horror and I'm already looking forward to next year! But I'll probably never be able to replicate my 58 horror movies in one month record (only logged about half on the site sorry guys!)
http://letterboxd.com/adodson7/list/scary-movie-month-2014/
My rankings on letterboxd (the film lover's dream website). Hopefully it sparks some fun discussion!
Ghost Dinosaur November 2, 2014 at 11:58 AM
You watched an impressive amount of horror movies! Is your Lettboxd list in order of preference?
I also made one to keep track of my SMM!
http://www.letterboxd.com/ghostdinosaur/list/2014-halloween-horror/
Dan Snyder November 2, 2014 at 3:44 AM
My favorite 1st watch for this Scary Movie Month would be a tie between Village of the Damned (1960) and the Phantasm series.
The Worst 1st viewings are also a tie between ABC's of Death, and 3 on a Meathook.
I enjoyed this Scary Movie Month, I didn't participate last year, and regretted it. I'm glad I added some 7 word reviews this year. I watched a boatload of movies, largely consisting of new-to-me flicks. My wife just happens to be out of town for the whole month, so I was able to clear through most of my backlog. I guess my favorite part was reading peoples seven word reviews. There would always be a couple that would make me laugh, or remind me of something I should watch.
Great way to spend October, and I can't wait til next year!
Clint Jones November 2, 2014 at 10:04 AM
My favorite surprise of the month would probably have to be In the Mouth of Madness, which I had never seen before. I thought the Lynchian mood of uneasiness was really effective and pretty damn scary at parts. It might also be one of my favorite John Carpenter movies after the Thing and definitely one his last great films. Sam Neill was fantastic as well and it makes me sad that he wasn't in more stuff.
The worst was probably Maximum Overdrive, but since that isn't an original answer I'll go with Saw 4 or 7. I worked my way through all the Saw movies in the last two days of October, which was a huge mistake because after 3 they all just began blurring into one long CSI style flash and cut montage and I'm pretty sure I dreamt up at least one of the movies, again, not sure which. 3 is my favorite of the series because of some of the themes and it has some of the best acting out of any of the movies. 4 and 7 weren't movies, they were some kind of Jigsaw-like test of my patience.
But great Scary Movie Month! At this pace there will have to be 10,000 7-word reviews by 2020, just in time for V/H/S 9.
This is my first year participating in SMM, but it was a pretty big success. I started out the month swamped with school and work and didn't know how many horror movies I would actually be able to fit into my schedule, but I ended up seeing 26. Not quite the one-a-day I was hoping for, but pretty strong showing considering I couldn't always watch what I wanted. Next year I hope to do even better.
Best first-viewing this year was probably Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Pulse. I'm a big fan of Kurosawa and it's a movie I've been meaning to see for years, so it was nice to finally see it and that it wasn't a let down. I think his play with genre is pretty excellent (the ghost manages to be both comically self-aware and legitimately scary, a balance that is almost impossible to pull off), and I think his ideas about the dissolution of self in the contemporary age are truly terrifying. Existential dread is the best kind of dread.
The worst for me was probably Witching & Bitching, which I feel bad saying because Bromley recommended it and I usually really like Alex de la Iglesia. The Last Circus was one of my favorite movies of the year in 2011, but I think his satire of Franco and the Catholic Church is much more cogent than his ideas on gender politics. I don't think I laughed once in Witching & Bitching, and I cringed a lot.
Patrick Bromley November 2, 2014 at 7:57 PM
I totally understand cringing at Witching & Bitching; it's a mess and a lot of it does't work. Sometimes I have to recommend movies that might be interesting and haven't been recommended by me or anyone else, which gets tough when there's a limited selection on Netflix. I don't see myself going back to the movie, but if it's the worst thing you saw all month you might be pretty lucky.
Thanks for all of your contributions and a great #ScaryMovieMonth!
Jack Dignan November 2, 2014 at 2:30 PM
Like a fair few other people, this was my first SMM too! Got through just over 20 films total!
The best first time viewing was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. A frightening, short, engaging and damn scary horror film, and one of the best of all time. It doesn't quite live up to the standards of The Shining though, which I rewatched for Halloween itself. The worst is a much easier choice: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. That has to be one of the worst films I have ever seen, full of clichés, characters I couldn't care about, unnecessary violence and a stupid plot.
But overall it was an awesome month! Good work F This Movie!
J.M. Vargas November 2, 2014 at 2:55 PM
This was the first Scary Movie Month in a while in which I wasn't sick of horror movies by the end of the month and was actually sad to see it end. Heck, I did a 24-hour 12 movie horror marathon at two separate theaters in NYC (Brooklyn's Nitehawk from midnight to 9AM, then Anthology Film Archives from noon to midnight) the Saturday after Oct. 31st, and I could have still gone for more. I wasn't planning to watch so many horror films, but I got sucked into the joyful vibe that Scary Movie Month had this year.
MONKEY SHINES (1988): I only watched this because "How Did This Get Made?" did its most recent podcast on a flick I've gone out of my way to avoid. Now that I've seen it I'm fascinated by how contradictory it's mere existence is. A bad horror movie is forgettable and doesn't make you want to talk about it, and "Monkey Shines" is anything but those things and yet it's in no way a good horror movie. It's like the most interesting two-star-out-of-four mediocre movie I've come across.
CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (1980): Given its reputation I wasn't expecting the music score of all things to absolutely floor me. It really works as a juxtaposition/complement to the found footage gimmick.
CONTRACTED (2013): Didn't see the final twist coming until just before, and until then it was working too well as just a body horror drama anyone can relate to.
HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP (1980): What cheesy 50's creature features hinted at this 80's sort-of remake shows, from blood & guts to giant girl-raping fish. It wallows in its own depravity and it earns it by being proud and upfront about it.
NIGHTMARE CITY (1980): It's "World War Z" but set in one city and with the zombies aboard the plane instead of Brad Pitt. And are these radiation-created zombies a mean bunch of smart and vicious SOB's! Most out-of-nowhere pleasant find of SMM.
LOW POINTS:
WATCHING FIRST 4 SCARY MOVIES: Why did I do this? :'(
RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE (2004): First "RE" was OK but generic and not too memorable. The first sequel is utter shit though, and what they do to Jill Valentine from the videogame series (she looks like Jill but her character is wrong... 1,000% wrong) and the full embrace of the gravity-defying heroine worship of Milla Jovivich's character make this too painful to sit through again... which I will because there are several commentary tracks.
UNDERWORLD: EXTENDED CUT (2003): See above.
C.H.U.D. (1984): Garbage. Not even John Heard and Daniel Stern mugging for attention can save the other '84 horror flick besides "Ghostbusters" to make the FDA the bad guy.
DR. BUTCHER M.D. (1980): Everything "Cannibal Holocaust" does right this zombie-meets-cannibals mash-up emulated poorly.
DISAPPOINTMENTS:
YOU'RE NEXT (2013): Not a bad movie (far from it), but given the hype preceding it I was disappointed it's more of a cool idea/premise that a good movie that executes said idea/premise.
HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II (1988): Even with most of the movie's first cast and Clive Barker still onboard the "Hellraiser" sequels fall precipitously in quality starting with this one. I prefer "Hellraiser III" to "II," and "III" is pretty terrible in spots.
HIGH TENSION (2003): The love-it-or-hate-it twist (I... still don't know how I feel about it) doesn't redeem the fact Aja Alexander punched his ticket to Hollywood on the strength of how well it was received here.
PSYCHO IV (1990): Both Perkins, the series and Joseph Stephano (who, God bless him, tried really hard) deserved better than this as the swan song.
Forgot one for the low points, which speaks volumes about how little I remember or even want to think about it: V/H/S VIRAL. It doesn't get uglier, less interesting, more forgettable and least-enjoyable in 2014 horror than this clunker.
Thank god you mentioned "You're Next". I love Wingard but I really thought that move was over-hyped as you mention and I was left empty after seeing it. As for High Tension. It's one of my favorite horror movies within the past 15 years, BUT, F- the ending! That film would have vaulted to my top ten horror films of all time but Aja had to go fuck around and put in the twist. I still wonder if that was the studio's call or Aja's. It's probably my number one fail for an ending to a film that totally detracts from how great the rest of it was.
Mikko Viinikka November 2, 2014 at 4:42 PM
I like to play with numbers, cause I'm a nerd, so I went through all the movies in SMC and counted how many watchers each had. Here's the top of the list:
21 Halloween (1978)
20 The Sacrament (2013)
17 House on Haunted Hill (1959)
15 The Exorcist (1973)
15 The House of the Devil (2009)
14 Maximum Overdrive (1986)
14 The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
12 Annabelle (2014)
12 Evil Dead II (1987)
12 Frankenstein (1931)
12 Friday the 13th (1980)
12 The Shining (1980)
12 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
12 You're Next (2011)
11 The Innkeepers (2011)
11 Night of the Creeps (1986)
11 Night of the Living Dead (1968)
11 The Thing (1982)
11 The Wolf Man (1941)
10 Event Horizon (1997)
10 Fright Night (1985)
10 Scream (1996)
10 Stage Fright (2014)
10 V/H/S/2 (2013)
10 Videodrome (1983)
You know, if anyone's interested.
Thanks Mikko! That's pretty awesome actually.
Ghost Dinosaur November 2, 2014 at 11:58 PM
This is pretty great! I only watched three of the tops. The zeitgeist passed me by.
Charles Lewis November 3, 2014 at 2:11 AM
I had a great time watching Night Of The Creeps and House Of The Devil for the first time. I was mildly disappointed by The Sacrament and Black Sabbath. Then there is Monkey Shines. Holy shit.
Brad L November 3, 2014 at 6:10 AM
This one was a bit of a blur for me. Even though I know I watched a bunch, i cant really remember too much to rank them. i had a lot going on this month and the scary movie challenge unfortunately took second place to life.
Boo, life.
I missed the weekly movie from last year which was good fun.
Before doing SMM for the first time I was never really into horror (except for Freddy and Jason), so these last few years have been a great annual education. Its gotten to the point where I see the high rate of repetition and really appreciate when something does something different. Witching and Bitching had that for me this year, mainly with its massive over the top ending. In a time of found footage its so good to have someone actually show (and go all balls out with it too) what the movie had been building to.
Congrats F this Movie on another successful year.
Your Gonna Need A Bigger Site
Favourite new to me movies: Theatre of Blood, Tremors, House of the Devil, Hellraiser (1987), Christine, Dolls (1987), The Red Shoes (2005), Horror Hotel/The City of the Dead (1960) and Child's Play (1988)
Favourite re-watches: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, The Masque of the Red Death, Re-Animator, They Live, The Witches and Gremlins.
Movies that I re-watched that I want to re-watch next October: Sleepy Hollow and The Thing.
Scariest movie: Three Extremes (2004).
I know it isn't the weekend but I had this comment ready to go and something happened so I am glad I copy and pasted into onto word just in case! Other highlights include the brilliant podcasts you put out, the shout outs that I got and put a big smile on my face, reading other people's reviews and comments, hearing people I now think of as my friends getting shout outs, and also getting to have amazing conversations with some of you about Scary Movies. Another great year!
Pubes Crotchwaffle November 3, 2014 at 10:53 AM
Favourite: The Loved Ones, May, WNFU Halloween Special and Lost Skeleton of Cadavra.
Least Favourite: My Soul to Take and Friday 8
Brad L November 3, 2014 at 5:42 PM
If you're a fan of The Loved Ones then you're alright in my book.
This was my first real attempt at SMM, and I got 11.5 a titles in. Which is something, I guess!
Favorite new: The Innocents, which just blew me away. Also enjoyed the original Fright Night, though I stopped a little short of loving it.
Favorite revisit: tie for Carnival of Souls and Night of the Living Dead. The local coffee shop shows horror movies every year, and they always ask me to host the event. They always show Romero's film, since it was filmed about 10 miles away from where I live. I got to pick the second, so I opted for Carnival. What a great double-feature.
Least favorite: Hellbound: Hellraiser 2. Ugh. I'm not a huge fan of the first film in this series, but I think it's super interesting, and it has its own weird take on the genre. The sequel dumbs it up something fierce and inserts a pretty forced good/bad dichotomy. It reminds me of what August Derleth did with H.P. Lovecraft's mythos; after Lovecraft died, Derleth continued writing in Lovecraft's world, but changed the nature of the world so it little resembled HPL's original creations.
Biggest surprise: The Last Days on Mars. This wasn't a good movie by any stretch of the imagination, but I absolutely loved the atmosphere and foreboding in the first 30 minutes.
Joe O'Leary November 3, 2014 at 8:40 PM
Only discovered this site a few months back whilst searching for a decent movie podcast to listen to, I could never have imagined that I'd end up watching over 20 scary movies in a month when I first started listening to the Guardians of the Galaxy episode!
Whilst it definitely wasn't the worst I'd seen on a technical level, Annabelle was the worst scary movie I watched last month and easily the worst new film I've seen this year of any genre. I found it completely bereft of individuality, the two lead characters were flat and uninteresting, and the ridiculous amount of close ups of the motionless doll started to give me the giggles.
The best scary movie by far was The Babadook, I'd been looking forward to it for months and it didn't disappoint; the two central performances were outstanding and so well fleshed out that the majority of the movies scares came from a sense of concern for them and their well being as opposed to jump scares and flashy effects. The actress portraying the mother, in particular, gives an incredible performance. What I appreciated the most about The Babadook was how it explored the relationship between a parent and a child in such an original manner, and how the everyday struggles of life, grief and loss were presented to be just as horrific as the supernatural elements of the movie
The true highlight of SMM for me though was the Monster Squad podcast, it's a film that I loved growing up but never had anyone to discuss it with as I don't know anyone else that's seen it, so it was awesome to hear it discussed in such detail and also hear thoughts about the movie that match my own.
Will See November 3, 2014 at 11:24 PM
This was my first formal Scary Movie Month and I saw a lot of great horror films. It was a great experience overall, as the challenge of crafting the 7 word review helped engage me during films that were less than awesome. Reading everyone's reviews also helped me up my game, as there were a lot of very clever approaches that inspired.
My favorite scary movie for the month was a tie between The Guest & Dead and Buried. I was happy to have avoid learning anything about The Guest before seeing it during its brief run in Seattle: the story was such a delight to watch unfold. There was something so strange and special about the film, something that went beyond its mix of Carpenter and Cameron. Dead and Buried is perhaps the best horror film I've ever seen in terms of presenting something horrific and inexplicable and then gradually unveiling the explanation, which is even more horrible than you suspected. Really haunting stuff.
The worst film I saw was during the only public movie marathon I got to attend this October, a screening of three Italian horror films (The House by the Cemetery, Burial Ground, and Demons) at the Grand Illusion Cinema in Seattle. It was my first introduction to Italian horror, and it did not disappoint....in being very Italian. The worst was easily Burial Ground: it was like a bad pornographic film, with character and plot being ancillary to the money shots. However, every film featured the same problems caused by looping/dubbing all the dialogue and the obvious lack of film coverage, which made the films’ already clumsy blocking seem laughably slow as well because the editor was presumably forced to find extra seconds in every shot that he could in order to extend the length. Demons at least featured some inventive plot elements as well as better cinematography and art direction, but the obvious desire to keep dialogue to a minimum hurt all the films.
Dennis Atherton November 4, 2014 at 10:02 AM
Now as we've chatted about movies how about Death scenes?
Out of all the Deaths we have all watched in October for #ScaryMovieMonth
which one has stood out the most. Been the most shocking or injinuative?
Whats your favourite Death scene from October from which film?
This could be fun
Dennis Atherton November 5, 2014 at 1:06 PM
Mine was The Slayer 1982
A female victim was stabbed with a pitch fork from behind. The prongs went straight through her and came out her chest through her boobs. Lol. Its a classic
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THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED TO ALL-STAR H+P ATHLETES WHO HAVE COME AND GONE! THEY MAY NO LONGER BE TRAINING WITH US, BUT THEIR IMPACT ON THE CLUB AND OUR ATHLETES PERSISTS EVEN TODAY!
THE MVP AWARD IS GIVEN TO THE ATHLETE WHO DISPLAYS EXCELLENCE IN TEAM DEDICATION, ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE/IMPROVEMENT, TEAM SPIRIT, AND WHO HAS HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT THEIR FELLOW H+P TEAMMATES
HALL OF FAMEHealth & Performance2018-12-16T13:50:18+00:00
Inducted May 1st, 2017
H+P career highlights:
One of the original founding members of H+P, he is a staple in all of our early team competitions and rosters. H+P would not be where it is today without Mike!
Mike is always a leader with effort, performance and spirit. He was the front man in many team events/initiatives, including the epic #MikeVsDave challenge of 2014, and coming back from early retirement to help his team win the tightly contested 2016 ENDURrun team competition.
Mike was one of the first runners to be featured in our H+P spotlight.
Performance highlights:
Mike went from being unable to break 20 minutes in a 5K, so running a 17:58PB in 2015.
His 1:26 half and 3:08 full marathon PBs were also significant improvements and top career performances.
Mike has completed a PhD in biochemistry at the University of Waterloo. He is now pursuing a job in his field of work in Welland, Ontario.
Helen Broom
Inducted September 1st, 2015
Was among the top 2 in voting for the H+P MVP award in the first 3 years of its existence, and every year she was with the club (Winner in ’12, ’14; Runner up in ’13)
Assistant coach in cycling- known for her grueling early AM sessions
She was apart of the women’s ENDURrun record breaking team in 2014 and then again in 2015
Dropped her 55minute 10K down to 43:56, and her 30K ATB dropped from 2:46 down to 2:31
She was known for NEVER missing a practice for 4 years, and being a tremendously supportive, loyal and irreplaceable teammate
She has completed a PhD in biochem at UW, and is now pursuing more graduate studies at the University of Toronto.
Heidi Cica
Inducted February 1st, 2015
2xTeam female MVP (2012, 2013)
One of the original founding members, consistently practicing with the team from 2011-2015
Heidi is moving with her family to California to enjoy life on the West Coast!
Pat Mulherin
2014: Part of the YS10K winning team- H+P’s first big-city race victory.
Part of the epic MikeVsDave battle where team Dave won by mere seconds.
Part of the 2nd place winning 2014 H+P ENDURrun team.
He has complete a Masters in UW in engineering, and his pursuing more grad work on the west coast.
Florian Ong
Inducted October 2nd, 2013
2012: Florian competed in 10 duathlons, winning 4 overall, placing 2nd overall in 6. He competed for Canada at the 2012 World Duathlon championships, coming in 2nd for all Canadians in his category.
2013: Florian competed for H+P in the Re-fridgee-8er 8-mile team, breaking 49 minutes, and helping them to a dominant win. He also competed for the H+P men’s team at ENURrun, helping the team finish in 2nd place. Florian also placed 12th at the 2013 Duathlon World Championships, once again placing 2nd out of all Canadians in his AG. As of 2013, he is one of only five H+P athletes to break the 7-minute barrier at the H+P Summer TT.
Florian has completed a post-doc at the University of Waterloo in the field of quantum physics. He is moving on to pursue his research somewhere TBA in Europe.
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The Natural History of Alcoholism Revisited
George E. Vaillant
$37.00 • £29.95 • €33.50
* Academic Trade
14 line illustrations, 82 tables
PSYCHOLOGY: Psychopathology: Addiction
MEDICAL: General
REFERENCE: General
“This is an excellent review and update of past and current thinking about alcoholism. The author uses the full text of his original outstanding work published in 1983 as the background for a presentation of all the research and clinical experience that has taken place in the ensuing almost 15 years. The result is a clear picture of how the thinking in the alcoholism field has progressed, which controversies have been more or less resolved, and where the new clinical developments are heading.” —William E. Flynn, M.D., Academic Medicine
“Not since Jellinek’s The Disease Concept of Alcoholism, published in 1960, has there been a wiser, more comprehensive book on alcoholism.” —Donald Goodwin, M.D., American Journal of Psychiatry
“Vaillant addresses a number of important issues and questions, which are core prerequisites for achieving more precise knowledge about the causes and consequences of alcohol abuse and dependence… These important issues have been reexamined in a thoughtful and scholarly manner. Dr. Vaillant has added new survey data and information to his current text, and he has also expanded and revised his original interpretations. New and original material is based upon scientific information acquired since publication of the original report… This is an outstanding and highly recommended text for medical students and medical educators. It will be especially helpful to practitioners in virtually every field of medicine who treat patients with alcohol-related problems.” —Jack H. Mendelson, M.D., JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association
“Important and thought-provoking… Anybody who reads this journal should read this book if they have not done so already… In the detail of its arguments as much as in the wealth of its data, this book goes beyond simplistic theories about alcoholism to paint a picture of a diverse, often highly distressing, disorder.” —Richard Hammersley, Ph.D., Journal of Studies on Alcohol
“In alcoholism research, where one side regularly parades a new study and the other then vilifies it, Dr. Vaillant’s work can be cited approvingly by both.” —The New York Times Book Review
“[A] remarkable achievement… For anyone who teaches courses or conducts research on alcohol problems and for practitioners who work with alcohol-dependent clients, this book is essential.” —C. Aaron McNeece, Social Work
“The Natural History of Alcoholism Revisited is a revised and updated version of [what] was, and still is, regarded as a classic and certainly broke new ground during the 1980s… The new text provides an update based on developments over the past 15 years; and its importance again derives from the fact that almost all the alcohol abusers identified in the first version have been followed up for an additional 15 years to make 50 years in all. It goes without saying that 50-year follow-up studies are few and far between… Vaillant’s 50-year follow-up now stands as a milestone within the addiction literature… It is required reading… The data are beautifully presented and described and the conclusions eminently reasonable.” —John B. Davies, Times Higher Education
Listen to a 2018 episode of NPR’s podcast Hidden Brain that discusses what the Harvard Grant Study taught us about the importance of emotional health and interpersonal connection in supporting physical health
Awarded the Biennial Jellinek Memorial Fund Prize for the Best Research on Alcohol Abuse in the World
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Turkey will fight terror but not for temporary solutions: Erdoğan
October 01 2014 17:41:00
The president gave a lengthy address to Parliament on the occasion of the opening of the new legislative year. AA Photo
Turkey will not allow coalition members to use its military bases or its territory in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) if the objective does not also include ousting the Bashar al-Assad regime, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hinted on Oct. 1. His words came just a day before Parliament is set to vote on a mandate to allow the deployment of foreign troops on Turkish soil.
“We will never tolerate any terrorist organizations in our lands, in our region or indeed in the world. We are open and ready for any cooperation in the fight against terrorism. However, it should be understood by everybody that Turkey is not a country in pursuit of temporary solutions, nor will Turkey allow others to take advantage of it,” Erdoğan said in his lengthy address to Parliament on the occasion of the opening of the new legislative year.
His message was directed at the U.S.-led international coalition that was recently formed to destroy the ISIL militants in Iraq and Syria. The coalition is pressing Turkey for an efficient contribution to the fight, including opening its military bases, its airspace and pledging training and logistical support to moderate Syrian rebels. Turkey, however, stresses that the campaign should not be limited to the ISIL and should also target regime change in Syria.
“A decisive struggle against all terrorist organizations in the region should be achieved and Turkey’s proposals and warnings should be taken into consideration. Otherwise, tons of air bombs will only delay the threat and danger. This has been the case in Iraq so far,” Erdoğan said. “It is inevitable that temporary solutions will cause Iraq to face such interventions every 10 years. Similarly, ignoring Syria will also delay a proper solution.”
Ending ISIL threat, toppling al-Assad regime
“We will fight effectively against both ISIL and all other terrorist organizations in the region; this will always be our priority. At the same time, it will also be our priority that the refugees whose number has already exceeded 1.5 million in Turkey return to their country or are able to live safely in their country. Again, we will continue to prioritize our aim to remove the Syrian regime, to help protect the territorial integrity of Syria, and to encourage a constitutional, parliamentary system that embraces all the citizens in the country,” he added.
No eye on internal affairs
Having cited these points as priorities, Erdoğan stressed that Turkey has no “intention of intervening in the internal affairs of our neighbors or in any country in the region and nor does it have any plans or intentions for their lands.”
“Turkey is not a country that looks at its neighbors or countries in the region as a means of gaining unilateral advantages,” he said.
Erdoğan calls parties to endorse the motion
Recalling that Parliament is set to vote on a motion authorizing the Turkish army to conduct cross-border operations abroad and to allow the deployment of foreign troops in Turkish territories, Erdoğan indirectly called on all political parties to vote in favor of it, saying Turkey has “no luxury to adopt an indecisive attitude on regional issues.”
“It is unthinkable for us to be indifferent, hesitant or indecisive about which actions to take while complicated crises are happening in the region. All our Muslim brothers, Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens on this side of the border, and our relatives on the other side are seriously affected by these crises. I believe that the memoranda which will be brought to the agenda of the Grand National Assembly will be taken into consideration by you in the light of this understanding,” he said.
Not a by-stander but a playmaker
The Turkish president also reiterated his criticism of the international system, saying it left the fate of millions of people to only five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. “Yes, the world is bigger than the five nations sitting at the U.N. Security Council. Necessary reforms to the U.N. Security Council cannot be delayed. Turkey will continue to stand by its arguments firmly at all costs,” he said.
Erdoğan described Turkey as a “great state” taking the initiatives in crises. “Turkey cannot be content with the current situation and cannot be a by-stander and spectator in the face of such developments. Turkey has risen to a position in which it is a playmaker, takes the initiative, struggles for peace and solidarity; Turkey is aware of its responsibilities and knows fully well that it has to take its goals further,” he said.
‘Objective’ attitude on 1915 incidents
He also emphasized that this year is the 100th anniversary of the First World War, a conflict that precipitated the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and led to the establishment of the Turkish Republic.
“Turkey cannot be indifferent to developments while the region where it is located is being reshaped and transformed after 100 years ... We stand against all forms of discrimination not only inside the country, but in the world as well. We adopt a totally humane, consistent attitude towards countries like Egypt, where the democratic demands of citizens are oppressed with methods supported by a military coup. We fight against all types of violence regardless of who is exposed to it, or who practices it. We adopt a totally objective, constructive and consistent attitude which is in favor of peace regarding the Cyprus issue, the termination of the occupation in the Azerbaijani territories, relations between Turkey and Armenia, and the 1915 incidents,” he said, referring to the massacres of Ottoman Armenians, which many historians say amounted to genocide.
‘New politics’
Comparing what he called the “old Turkey” with the “new Turkey,” Erdoğan argued that a “’new politics’ is inevitable in the ‘New Turkey,’ free of polarization.”
“A politics that focuses on the growth of Turkey instead of terror, violence, weapons, street fights and abuse will elevate Turkey,” he said, calling on lawmakers to “represent the nation in the best way, negotiating in peace, respect, tolerance and empathy instead of fighting.”
“I would like to remind you once more that I will always be at the service of this great nation within the framework of my authority as the 12th President of the Turkish Republic, and as the 1st President to be elected by the citizens of the Turkish Republic. An elected president, an elected government, a constructive opposition will, hopefully, launch a fresh movement in Turkey, carrying the New Turkey to new goals,” he stressed.
Kurdish solution process, new Constitution, ‘parallel state’
Three other main messages Erdoğan conveyed to Parliament were on the continuation of the Kurdish peace process, the need for a new Constitution and the fight against what he calls the “parallel structure.”
“It is my greatest wish to see the peace process carried into the future with determination, courage and patience, as I have carried it with determination to these days, despite the political risks it inherently involves. This honorable nation stands behind the solution process,” he said.
He also accused the “parallel state,” a term used to describe officials in the state apparatus loyal to U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, of attempting to “destroy legitimate and democratic politics.”
“The New Turkey will never give credit to autonomous structures, gangs or mafia-like organizations within the state. Any attempt of such gangs to gain power, particular within the judiciary, or any attempts to design the judiciary and the whole of society will never be tolerated,” he vowed.
On the long-anticipated new Constitution, Erdoğan called on all parties to roll up their sleeves for the new charter to be written immediately after the 2015 parliamentary elections, slated for June 2015.
‘On night of July 15, deputies risked lives’
Erdoğan slams former deputy PM Babacan over his resignation from AKP
Former Turkish Deputy PM Babacan resigns from AKP
Arrival of S-400s is in preparation process: Erdoğan
CHP head pays visit to Istanbul mayor
Erdoğan: Turkey abiding by international laws in East Med
MHP leader slams fresh debates on Turkey’s presidential system
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More Jobs in GeoEye
Posted by GIS talk On Wednesday, October 13, 2010
GeoEye Inc. plans to move its headquarters from Loudoun County to Fairfax County and add 100 jobs over the next three years, according to the report.
GeoEye, an imagery expert in the geospatial industry, outgrew its offices in Loudoun and needed a building that could handle anticipated future growth. This year, Fortune magazine named GeoEye as one of its 100 Fastest-Growing Companies in the U.S.
The new headquarters will include the company’s 230 Virginia-based employees. The company will spend $10 million to move to the headquarters at the Dulles Corner Office Center, The move is expected to take place in early 2011.
“GeoEye has experienced tremendous growth over the past 13 years; our satellite imagery business helped fuel our 84-percent revenue growth from fiscal 2008 to 2009,” Matt O’Connell, GeoEye’s CEO and president, said in a statement. “This move reflects the continuing growth of our company, and it is an important strategic step toward reinforcing our position as a premier provider of satellite and aerial geospatial information technology and services.”
Virginia competed with Colorado and Maryland for the investment.
Gov. Bob McDonnell approved an $84,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to help Fairfax with the project.
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See how nature stays fit
Sometimes a winter walk is the best exercise
The snow, ice and cold might suggest that all is quiet in the woods, but there is plenty happening in the great outdoors in the wintertime.
There is birding potential in New Hampshire all year long, and you can check that out right from your back window. If you want to get some fresh air, you can look for birds and wildlife along open rivers and lakes. And now that there’s some snow on the ground, you can identify animal tracks and follow them, getting a glimpse into the animals’ travels.
A variety of bird species, as well as mammals, like coyote, deer and fisher, remain active all winter long. Particularly in the case of birds, people can spot a number of species right in their back yards. Woodland species are feeding in the forests, as well as at people’s bird feeders.
Deer, moose, fox, coyote, mink, squirrels and fisher are all active in the winter. Animals like woodchucks, chipmunks and, we hope, bears have disappeared in favor of hibernation at this time of year. Don’t expect to see wildlife like deer or coyotes if you’re outside — animals tend to know of people’s presence long before people are aware of a nearby animal. What people can do is identify animal tracks, and even follow them.
“If we get a little bit of snow, it’s wonderful to do tracking,” said Rebecca Suomala, of the New Hampshire Audubon Society. “You can see the signs where they’re active by the tracks they leave in the snow. There are a number of great places to go for tracking.”
Chase Wildlife Sanctuary in Hopkinton and the Deering Sanctuary are both great places to track animals, like rabbits, squirrels, fisher, coyote or fox. Abe Emerson Marsh in Candia and Ponemah Bog in Amherst are also good places. In the Nashua area, the Beaver Brook Association has a lot of land that makes for great places to go in the wintertime if you’re in search of signs of wildlife and tracking.
“If we get a little snow, it’s a great winter nature activity,” Suomala said.
“I think the most interesting thing to do when you’re following tracks is to try to figure out what the animal has been doing,” Suomala said.
Animals are often active at dawn and dusk or at night, so it can be difficult to see the animals. But following the tracks gives people a look into the animal’s world. If you’re following fox tracks, you might see where the fox pounced into the snow to try to catch a rodent, Suomala said.
“You can watch where it’s gone, what parts of the terrain it followed,” Suomala said. “Was it on a trail? Probably not. It was probably checking spots along the way looking for food.”
“You’re piecing together a little bit of a puzzle,” Suomala added. “What did they do? How did they behave? What were they looking for? It’s a chance you seldom get, even when you do see an animal, because when you see an animal, it sees you and it disappears. But the tracks don’t disappear. You get an idea of what it’s doing in nature, unaffected by you.”
Deer and moose are of course active at this time of year. Suomala said it’s fun to track deer because you can look for spots where they bed down, which would be marked by depressions in the snow.
If you are tracking, it’s likely you’d be off the trail, so bring a compass to help you stay aware of your whereabouts, or at least be able to follow your own tracks back to the trail. You need to be able to get back to where you started, Suomala said.
“The chances of coming upon the animal themselves — I never have,” Suomala said. “I’ve always only followed tracks. I’ve never been able to see the animal themselves. … I would expect the animal to see you before you ever see them.”
In the right habitat, trackers could spot bobcat tracks as well, though that wouldn’t be particularly common, Suomala said.
If it’s birds you’re after, New Hampshire has you covered, as feeders stay busy year-round.
Birders can look for two varieties of waxwings, cedar waxwings and a northern visitor, the Bohemian waxwing. Suomala said this time of year is about right for the Bohemian waxwing to show up. They like to eat fruit, so crab apple trees or a bush like winterberry might be a good place to watch for waxwings. Pine siskins, little brown birds, are also around in the winter, though they are more difficult to identify.
They aren’t common, but there have been a few reports of snowy owls so far this year, Suomala said. Common species like bluejays, northern cardinals and chickadees are also regular backyard visitors.
Silk Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Concord is a great place to see any potential winter wildlife along the trails, which begin at the McLane Center on Silk Farm Road. Oak Hill in Concord is another good spot to find wildlife, though the hike is uphill, making it a little more strenuous, Suomala said.
The Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn provides a nice opportunity for winter walking and birds. The Center features trails that go to Lake Massabesic and bird feeders near the Center itself. People can watch birds from inside the Center as they warm up after the walk, Suomala said. People would have a good chance of seeing winter birds, animal tracks in the woods, and birds on the water as long as it’s open.
In late December, there was still a lot of open water, and as long as the waterways remain unfrozen, there is good potential to spot ducks. Once the lake freezes over, the ducks will head out, Suomala said.
Any place where there is open water presents an opportunity to spot ducks and possibly wintering bald eagles. That includes any unfrozen parts of the Merrimack River from Nashua north past Concord. Bald eagles often spend time near dams, where the water tends to remain open. People spot bald eagles along the Merrimack River right off downtown Manchester. The eagles spend much of the winter flying up and down the river in search of food.
“Check out the river where it’s open,” Suomala said. “You might see something.”
If you’re looking for birds, bring a pair of binoculars, and of course, remember it’s cold during the winter — bring warm clothes and dress in layers. Don’t worry about being particularly quiet if you’re looking for birds; just make sure to keep your eyes and ears open, Suomala said.
Something people might not think of in the wintertime is plant identification. Bushes and trees can be identified by their buds. It’s a challenge, for sure, and a whole new set of knowledge. People may know trees and bushes by their leaves, but many enjoy learning how to figure out what is what from the buds, Suomala said. She has a love for birds, so birding tends to be her first focus, but she said she does enjoy looking at everything. There are plenty of resources to help people identify plants. In some cases, you may need a magnifying lens.
“It’s very fascinating,” Suomala said, adding that people can identify plants wherever they are. “It’s an opportunity to look at everything very easily. You can look at plants easily. You can watch the tracks. It tends to be a little quieter in the woods. You can absorb more and look more at the woods.”
If people don’t want to get outside in the winter to look at wildlife, they can still help out New Hampshire Audubon by taking part in the annual backyard bird winter survey, in which people identify and count birds in their yards from inside their homes. The survey takes place on Feb. 11 and Feb. 12. Visit www.nhaudubon.org. Call 224-9909.
®2019 Hippo Press.
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Home / Obits / Cliff Johnson 1935-2018
Cliff Johnson 1935-2018
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 16:35 holtonadmin
Clifton (Cliff) Johnson was born June 13, 1935, in Atchison to Fred and Esther (Hall) Johnson. Cliff had two brothers, Tom and Fred Jr., and two sisters, Catherine and Virginia. Cliff attended Atchison High School.
He enlisted in the Navy in 1952 and retired in 1973. He served 21 years, one month and 21 days. Cliff wed Betty Jean Fitzgerald on Aug. 1, 1954, at Farmington Christian Church in Farmington.
Cliff and Betty raised eight children: Cheryl Sanders (Nortonville), Cindy Edwards (Nortonville), Patty and Roger Mosby (Horton), Brenda Foster (Nortonville), Bob Johnson (Nortonville), Mickey and Sheila Johnson (Nortonville), Liz and Edward Rostetter (Circleville), and Kathy Johnson (White Bear Lake, Minn.).
During his naval career, Cliff served on the following Naval vessels: U.S.S. Cabildo (LSD-16), U.S.S. West Milton (ARD-7), U.S.S. Nitro (AE-23), U.S.S. Renville (APA-227), U.S.S. Dixie (AD-14), U.S.S. Samuel Gompers (AD-37) and U.S.S. Klondike (AR-22).
Cliff and Betty moved to Nortonville in 1971. He resided in the same house until his death on June 12, 2018.
Cliff was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Esther Johnson; his siblings; his wife, Betty, his daughter, Brenda; two of his granddaughters; one grandson; and one great-grandson. He is survived by seven children, 28 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren (soon to be 39) and five great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Friday, June 15 at Nortonville-Pleasant Grove Christian Church. Cremation followed the funeral service and burial will be held in Evergreen Cemetery, Effingham, at a later date.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Jefferson County Hospice or the Pantry of Hope and may be sent to O’Trimble Funeral Home, 329 Main St., P.O. Box 267, Nortonville, KS 66060. Words of sympathy and remembrance may be left online at www.beckerdyer.com
(PAID OBITUARY)
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America's Survival At Stake
Here's the Nonsense: We can fix our country's problems in the next election.
Here's the Horse Sense: We not only face far bigger problems than one election could fix, but most people are too busy focusing on the wrong things to turn our nation around.
What is destroying America is not Barack Obama or the Democrat Party. It is far deeper and more sinister. But instead of understanding that, people think this is just about this president or his party. I came across a perfect example this week. A person who was commenting on one of the almost-too-many-to-count scandals going on in our government said that we shouldn't worry because the next election would fix everything. He said that Americans were waking up and would change everything in the next election so that America could get back to being what our founding fathers intended. I don't know if he was being naive, foolish, or ignorant. His view is not uncommon and does not bode well for America's chance at surviving as a constitutional republic.
Sadly, it's not just some average guy on the street who thinks this way. People who work in conservative media are also guilty of the same thing. America is in far more trouble than one election could fix. That's one of the reasons I wrote a post in January called It's the Ideology, Stupid! We're in the fight of our lives and for the life of our nation, but the vast majority don't recognize it and keep focusing on the symptoms, not the cause of our problems. If a doctor only treats the symptoms and not the cause of a problem we don't get well. The disease continues to spread and eventually we succumb to it.
There are fools like Bill O'Reilly saying that most of our president's have been patriots and Obama is one of those patriots. (Hey Bill, if only "most" of the presidents have been patriots then obviously you think some presidents weren't patriots. Which ones were less patriotic than Obama?)
And we have conservatives watching his show! What stupidity is that? Just because he's on Fox doesn't make him a conservative. I'll go so far as to say that conservatives should not watch his show and when they do they are doing more harm than good. By watching O'Reilly you cause him to retain the high viewership that keeps him in the most powerful time slot on cable news. All you are doing is driving up his ratings. Don't waste your time. I agree with Limbaugh's assessment of O'Reilly being on the level of the Ted Baxter character on the old Mary Tyler Moore Show. If this is what conservatives are viewing, then it's no wonder why they don't understand what's going on in America. And by viewing his show you are supporting him and keeping Fox from choosing a true conservative for a show in the top time slot.
(As a footnote let me say that in fact, Fox is full of people who are not conservative. I remember reading a study from UCLA that said that Fox, while being more to the right in their views than other TV news, is still slightly left of center. It has been reported that during the last election Fox employees gave more money to Obama's campaign than they did to the Romney campaign.)
So, while the fact is that most people just don't get what's going on and that's very depressing, every now and then there is someone who comes along that does get it. And instead of writing any further in this post I want to share with you a link to an article by Daniel Greenfield that everyone should read. He gets it. He understands just how bad things are and what we need to focus on. What he's written is excellent so please click here to go to his article.
Posted by Doug Johnson at 7:04 AM
White House Tells Businesses To Lose Money
Here's the Nonsense: Raising the minimum wage will give low income workers a chance to earn a decent living and get people out of poverty.
Here's the Horse Sense: Raising the minimum wage has never worked and never will. This is about the Democrats trying to make their opponents look bad.
It's reported that the White House has said that businesses should lose money to increase the minimum wage. The White House's push for an increase in the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour to give people a "livable wage" is one the biggest misconceptions they continue to put forth on the American public. If increasing the minimum wage worked, then poverty would have been eliminated decades ago. But with every increase in the minimum wage all that changes is the definition of "livable wage." It fixes nothing and just puts more burden on employers, which results in more burden on citizens as the employers have to pass their costs on to keep their businesses afloat.
Let's take a look at what would happen in a business where the owner has to increase wages. We'll use a fast food restaurant franchise as an example because that industry is where this fight is focused in the news. The average McDonald's franchise brings in $2.3 million per year in revenue and has 50 employees. Let's assume that 10 of those employees are managers, supervisors, and others who make more than $10.10 per hour. That means that 40 employees would get a pay increase under the proposed raise in the minimum wage.
The average hourly worker at fast food restaurants makes about $8.25 per hour. With the new requirements for benefits under Obamacare, most employers are cutting hours to 29 or less per week. While many fast food workers work part time, let's assume that all 40 of these hourly employees work 29 hours. So, here's what we have so far:
40 employees at $8.25 per hour = $303.00 per hour
40 employees at $10.10 per hour = 404.00 per hour
Difference = $74.00 per hour increase
So, the labor costs would go up $74.00 per hour for the franchise. Multiply that by the 29 hours per week the employees work means that pay increase costs $2146.00 per week x 52 weeks = $111,592.00 per year in increased cost to the franchise.
The average profit for these types of restaurants is 2.4%. Based on the average revenue of $2.3 million, that would mean an annual profit of $55,200.00. Now subtract the increased cost of the new pay level, which is $111,592.00 and the business is now losing $56,932.00 per year. ($55,200.00 - $111,592.00 = - $56,932.00)
Increasing the minimum wage would cause this business to lose $56,932.00 per year, and these numbers do not include increased FICA taxes and other costs that the employer will have to pay thereby causing even greater losses.
The employer only has two ways to survive:
1.) Increase prices to cover the additional costs. How much are you willing to pay for your hamburger? And if you won't pay the higher prices to support this, then the business fails and not only does the owner lose, but all the employees lose their jobs, too. Then the taxpayers get to pay unemployment to support those same people who got that minimum wage pay raise because they're unemployed.
2.) The only other choice is to cut costs, which means laying off employees as most businesses like this have little other "cushion" they can cut. They would have to lay off 3.73 employees just to break even. There are 12,804 McDonald's in the U. S. and that would be 12,804 x 3.73 employees to lay off = 47,758 employees laid off at McDonald's alone.
Raising the minimum wage doesn't fix anything. It just burdens all of us and is simply a tool of the Democrats to try to make those opposed to it look like they're villains who want people to starve.
If the Democrats really cared about people, as they say they do, then they'd push legislation that would increase the minimum wage to $100,000 per year so that no one would live in or anywhere near poverty. But they know that won't work so they work under the guise of helping people while really they are only trying to vilify their opponents. They have no solutions, only attacks.
Labels: Democrats, minimum wage, White House
We're In Way, Way, Way Over Our Heads
Here's the Nonsense: America isn't really in such bad financial shape. At least we're not like Detroit.
Here's the Horse Sense: Compared to America's fiscal situation, Detroit is actually in much better shape. Our future is doomed if we don't wake up to how bad things have really gotten.
It gets old hearing people talking about things the government needs to spend money on, let alone asking how the government is going to pay for things. The fact is that our nation is broke and no one seems to care. Not the politicians and not the citizens. I warned in my book, No Tomorrows, that there were 3 core problems America faces that must be fixed to turn this country around. So far, none of them are being addressed (not that anyone's listening to me, but the problems are obvious and should be dealt with just as a matter of common sense). One of those problems that I discussed in that book was our debt. And now it's even worse. Contrary to the CBO's Extended Baseline Forecast a few months ago that showed our debt (including unfunded liabilities) at $47 trillion, their other set of books (they call them the Alternative Fiscal Scenario) show the U. S. at $205 trillion in debt.
The Extended Baseline Forecast of the CBO assumes current law remains in place, with provisions of current law like cuts in Medicare and Medicaid doctor reimbursements, even though they usually change. Even the CBO does not view these as realistic, but they give the public a better feeling about our fiscal situation.
The Alternative Fiscal Scenario forecast is what the CBO actually projects future taxes and spending to be. They include in these projections consideration for how Washington (the President and Congress) have historically been changing the laws. Generally they are seen as much more accurate, but you and I rarely, if ever, hear anyone talk about these numbers.
When people talk about needing to spend money or being upset because something was cut from the budget in a showdown between the Democrats and Republicans the correct response should be, "No, we have no money, we are bankrupt FAR WORSE than Detroit!" ("Showdown" to the establishment GOP means they give up and let the Democrats have whatever they want -- as evidenced by the recent cave on the debt ceiling for which we can thank John Boehner and other Republican leaders.)
That's right, far worse than Detroit. Think about it. Detroit has $18.3 billion debt, which when divided by it's 701,000 population comes out to $26,105 per person. The U. S., on the other hand, is $205 trillion in the hole. Divided by our 317,000,000 population comes out to over $646,000 per person. Hmmm….. seems like our politicians in Washington could learn something from Detroit (sarcasm intended).
WIth the exception of a limited few, who in America can afford an additional $646,000 of debt on top of their lifetime expenses to live? Imagine starting out your life with $646,000 hanging over your head before you've grown up, gone to school, or worked a day in your life. Then add interest to that and all of the other expenses you'll have throughout your lifetime and you're doomed.
It's been reported that the average person with a bachelor's degree will earn about $1,550,000 over their lifetime compared to those with a high school diploma who will average $1,300,000.
Let's say that you're the average person with a college degree and figure out what this means for you:
We have to start by taking your share of the national debt from your lifetime earnings. So, $1,550,000 - $646,000 = $904,000.
A conservative estimate of taxes would be 25%, which is $387,500 ($1,550,000 x 25%). So, let's take those taxes away: $904,000 - $387,500 = $516,000.
Average life expectancy in the U. S. as of 2013 is 76 for men and 81 for women. Let's use the average male lifespan of 76 years.
And let's assume that your parents support you until you're 26, since Obamacare allows you to stay on your parents insurance that long and that would mean you are still a child (hey, don't get offended at me for calling you a child until you're 26, I'm just using the government's definitions here).
Based on that information, that means you have 50 years to support yourself (from age 26 to 76).
Now, we need to take the $516,000 you have left and divide it by the 50 years you must support yourself. So, dividing $516,000 by 50 years we are left with $10,330 per year to live for your entire adult life. (Of course that doesn't deduct the amount you're responsible for of your state and city's debts.)
Now don't be too upset. The good news here is that Obamacare will significantly shorten your lifespan so you won't have as long to live.That means you'll actually have a little more money to live on.
Oh wait, I forgot that the continual printing of money by the government (they call it quantitative easing so you don't think of them devaluing your dollars). That means that your money will be worth less and less each year, too.
Think we're in trouble? If you don't, then you're dumber than the 1 in 4 Americans who, it was just reported, don't know that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
Folks, we're in serious trouble. The future is very dark and getting worse each day we allow this to go on. We need to replace as many of the Democrats and establishment GOP members of Congress as we can in this year's midterm elections. My new book, The Leadership Secret, looks at what is required to be a true leader. We're talking about the kind of leaders that America needs to get out of the mess we're in and turned back to the country we were designed to be. The Leadership Secret shows the secret common denominator found in all true leaders and what their 16 common character traits are. This describes the key for true leaders in all areas of life, whether it's government, business, family, or in service organizations.
Electing the right kind of people in 2014 will give America another chance. If you prefer to live on $10,330 per year, then continue to do nothing. But is that the future you dreamed of for yourself, your children, and your grandchildren?
Labels: America's future, CBO, national debt, unfunded liabilities
Broke The Law 16 Times And Counting?
Here's the Nonsense: The President can change the Obamacare law because it's his law. It's not any business of those in Congress.
Here's the Horse Sense: The U. S. Constitution requires that laws must be passed and changed by Congress, not the President. This president has violated that law at least 16 times with Obamacare alone. It's time to do something about it.
The Washington Post is reporting that the White House has just extended the Obamacare Employer Mandate for medium-sized employers to 2016. The last time he changed the Obamacare law it was reported that not including the times Congress changed the law, that was the 15th time he'd broken the law by making changes without congressional approval. So, that would make this the 16th time that the president has violated the Constitution with Obamacare alone. That doesn't even include all the other times I talked about him violating the Constitution in another post recently. Has anyone in Congress ever heard the term "check and balance system, " or is that just a figment of my imagination?
Concessions, extensions, changes, delays, the Executive Branch can do whatever they want with no fear of anyone stopping them. Sure, Speaker of the House John Boehner makes comments like a little schoolboy muttering under his breath. But he does nothing about any of this. Business Insider reports the Speaker said, "And, once again, the president is rewriting law on a whim. If the administration doesn’t believe employers can manage the burden of the law, how can struggling families be expected to? This continued manipulation by the president breeds confusion and erodes Americans’ confidence in him and his health care law. We need fairness for all, with relief from Obamacare for every American."
No outrage at the president breaking the law. No mention of holding him accountable. Nothing. Only some crack about fairness. Well Mr. Speaker, we don't need fairness, we need accountability!
That's probably why the president said, as quoted by Weekly Standard today, "That's the good thing as a President, I can do whatever I want."
This is the kind of weak leadership in Congress with which Americans are being stuck. National Journal just reported that the CBO has started dancing about it's report that Obamacare would cost 2.5 million jobs. This kind of action only comes where there's been political pressure put on someone to change what they are saying.
Our government is out of control. It's time for Americans to clean house and replace virtually everyone in both parties. The few like Ted Cruz, Louie Gohmert, Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Trey Gowdy and a limited number of others are the kind of people with which we need to be replacing all the others from BOTH parties. The establishment GOP is NO better than the Democrats.
2014 is here. Election day is not that far away. Have you found candidates with which we can replace these weasels? America, it's time to get to work and work VERY hard if we want to save our country.
Labels: accountability, CBO, congress, establishment Republicans, Obama, Obamacare, President
2014 Is The Answer To 2016
Here's the Nonsense: The big money donors are already behind Hillary for 2016. There's no chance conservatives can compete with that.
Here's the Horse Sense: Big money will be behind whoever they think has a chance to win, and Hillary is the favorite in the media. But there is a way around big money.
Conservatives have a big problem: MONEY. Whether we like it or not, money controls politics in America. Without money it's virtually impossible for any political candidate to have a successful campaign. And conservatives are short on that commodity. That, possibly even more than the ill-informed and apathetic state of the electorate, may be the underlying cause of the downfall of America. For 2016, the big money is all lining up behind Hillary Clinton. Can the conservatives successfully fight that?
In an article at NationalReview.com, NBC's Andrea Mitchell is said to have informed viewers on Sunday's Meet the Press that Hillary Clinton has the big donors wooing her for 2016. That should be no surprise to anyone. Let's face it, the media has virtually crowned Hillary the new monarch, er, um, I mean winner of the presidency in the 2016 elections. There is little doubt that should Hillary be the Democrat nominee in 2016, she will be the favored candidate (just like she was in 2008, at least until the media fell for Obama). And big money does not as much follow political party as it follows power. Whoever is seen to have power gets the big money following them.
At this point the Republicans have nothing to compete with the image that the leftist media have built for Mrs. Clinton. Sure, the establishment GOP is trying to build a case for people like Chris Christie (although his days appear to be numbered), Marco Rubio, and Jeb Bush as the best choices as candidates. (Mark my words. If the establishment GOP can have Jeb Bush as their candidate they will be celebrating like there is no tomorrow, all the while eliminating any chance for a GOP victory.) And if one of those candidates shows promise, some big money will line up behind them, too. Big money makes it a point to hedge its bets. They always spread the money around a bit to make sure they're covered in case the other party wins.
But what most big money donors don't do very often is put money behind conservatives.
Conservatives would like to see more support for their candidates but their chances are limited. That doesn't mean they can't win, but they cannot rely on those big money donors to do so. There is only one way they can mount any campaign for the presidency that will have a serious chance at victory. It is to get so many of us average Americans behind the conservative candidate that they are pushed through to win the nomination in the primaries and then on to victory in the general election.
We, as the grassroots, have to rally as many supporters as we can to support the conservative candidates. But possibly even more important than that is that we must decide early on who our candidate will be and get behind him/her. If we repeat the 2012 bloodbath between conservative candidates in the primaries and don't agree to get behind one person quickly, the primaries will do so much damage that, once again, the establishment GOP will determine who the candidate will be and, therefore, virtually guarantee a loss in the election.
What can we do about it? Actually the answer starts this year in the 2014 midterms. If we can be successful and overwhelm the elections with conservative victories in the House and Senate, thereby taking conservative control of both houses of congress we will cause two things to happen. First, we will assure accountability is returned to government with a true check and balance system that will hold the Executive Branch accountable. And second, we will create a groundswell of power for conservatives that will push the conservative candidate for the nomination in 2016 to the forefront.
We must get the establishment GOP on the defensive, on the ropes. And then we cannot let up and must keep driving home our message to keep the establishment GOP on the defensive and conservatives who represent the true views of most Americans will then have a chance to take back control of our nation.
The answer to 2016 is in 2014. Without significant victories this year, 2016 won't matter.
Labels: 2014 elections, 2016 elections, big money, big money donors, conservatives, Democrats, establishment GOP, GOP, Republicans
The Blessing America Received 103 Years Ago Today May Never Be Repeated
Here's the Nonsense: America is in trouble and needs to find another leader like Ronald Reagan to fix things.
Here's the Horse Sense: America's troubles certainly could use a Ronald Reagan to lead us, but that isn't all we need. It will take a change in Americans to save our nation.
Today would have been Ronald Reagan's 103rd birthday. America was blessed with him as a leader who was like none other we've had since his birth. In fact, America may never be blessed again with such a leader. Someone with the communication and leadership skills and convictions of Ronald Reagan comes along very, very rarely. We should be thankful for having been given such a leader.
In my new book, The Leadership Secret, I explore and explain what is needed in leaders, whether it's in government, family, business, or any area of life. It clearly outlines what is required in the people who will lead us. But while it outlines what we need in our leaders, even with great leaders we will not succeed unless our nation abandons its immoral ways and becomes committed to honoring God in our lives.
Our founders said that our government was created for a moral and religious people and would not work if we were not those kinds of people. No longer can we look the other way at wrongdoing. That isn't just when we see corruption in Washington or a crime being committed. It is also when we do all those little things we've come to accept as "okay" but are not worthy of those who honor goodness and righteousness.
Even those who claim to be "religious" are guilty of activity that they would never think of engaging in if God were standing in front of them at that moment. I've got news for them, He is watching at that very moment. He is always watching.
Everything from treating others unjustly, to watching unsavory movies and TV shows, telling unwholesome jokes, telling little "white lies" because we can justify them, cutting corners on our taxes, not obeying the laws of our land, and any other thing that falls short of how God has commanded us to live. We must turn to God and live like He has commanded or there is no hope for America regardless of who we elect to leadership.
While many say we need to search and find another Ronald Reagan, continued failure in our responsibility to God will ensure our destruction.
Labels: leaders, leadership, morality, righteousness, Ronald Reagan, save America
The Blessing America Received 103 Years Ago Today ...
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Secondary School Prospectus
GCSE & A Level Results
If you would like to donate to the Immanuel College fund please contact Lynda Dullop, Director of Fundraising, on 020 8955 8938 or email ldullop@immanuel.herts.sch.uk.
Our vision is that Immanuel College Alumni will be partners with the current College community to help secure and develop Immanuel as a centre of British Jewish independent educational excellence. Alumni have a significant role in securing the future of the College and this can be achieved through participation in current College life and by donations to the Immanuel College Educational Trust. Alumni can help ensure the aims and purpose of the College through making one-off donations or regular monthly donations. The Trust is designed to support the College by becoming a major contributor in providing scholarships, bursaries, delivering building and refurbishment projects, and supporting staff development.
The Trust has a vision to support Immanuel College financially, so that it can fulfil its goals of Torah im Derech Eretz, teaching the ways of a Jewish life in a respectful manner in a British school. In particular, the Educational trust is committed:
to raise, manage and distribute funds that support educational objectives
to play a fundamental role in realising the potential of Immanuel College pupils
to raise funds in a systematic and sustainable way
to maintain and develop the top-class facilities at the Schools
to support and maintain the School’s status as an HMC School and as the leading provider of Modern Orthodox Independent Jewish Education in the UK
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http://www.indian24news.com/world/ethiopian-plane-smoked-and-shuddered-before-deadly-plunge/515370-news
Ethiopian Plane Smoked and Shuddered Before Deadly Plunge
Gara-Bokka (Ethiopia): The Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed killing 157 people was making a strange rattling noise and trailed smoke and debris as it swerved above a field of panicked cows before hitting earth, according to witnesses.
Flight 302 took off from the Ethiopian capital on Sunday morning bound for Nairobi with passengers from more than 30 countries. All on board the Boeing 737 MAX 8 died.
The pilot had requested permission to return, saying he was having problems - but it was too late.
Half a dozen witnesses interviewed by Reuters in the farmland where the plane came down reported smoke billowing out behind, while four of them also described a loud sound.
"It was a loud rattling sound. Like straining and shaking metal," said Turn Buzuna, a 26-year-old housewife and farmer who lives about 300 meters (328 yards) from the crash site.
"Everyone says they have never heard that kind of sound from a plane and they are under a flight path," she added.
Malka Galato, 47, a barley and wheat farmer whose field the plane crashed in, also described smoke and sparks from the back. "The plane was very close to the ground and it made a turn... Cows that were grazing in the fields ran in panic," he said.
Tamirat Abera, 25, was walking past the field at the time. He said the plane turned sharply, trailing white smoke and items like clothes and papers, then crashed about 300 meters away.
"It tried to climb but it failed and went down nose first," he said. "There was fire and white smoke which then turned black."
CHILDREN'S BOOKS, PERFUME AT CRASH
As the plane had only just taken off, it was loaded with fuel.
At the site, Red Cross workers in masks sifted gently through victims' belongings. Children's books - Dr Seuss's "Oh The Thinks You Can Think" and "Anne of Green Gables" - lay near a French-English dictionary burnt along one edge.
A woman's brown handbag, the bottom burnt, lay open next to an empty bottle of perfume.
The aircraft was broken into small pieces, the largest among them a wheel and a dented engine. The debris was spread over land roughly the size of two football fields.
"When it was hovering, fire was following its tail, then it tried to lift its nose," said another witness, Gadisa Benti. "When it passed over our house, the nose pointed down and the tail raised up. It went straight to the ground with its nose, it then exploded."
Local resident Nigusu Tesema helped gather victims' scattered identity papers to hand to police.
"We are shocked and saddened," he said.
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1.5 Assurance
Trust cannot be quantified precisely. System specification, design, and implementation can provide a basis for determining "how much" to trust a system. This aspect of trust is called assurance. It is an attempt to provide a basis for bolstering (or substantiating or specifying) how much one can trust a system.
EXAMPLE: In the United States, aspirin from a nationally known and reputable manufacturer, delivered to the drugstore in a safety-sealed container, and sold with the seal still in place, is considered trustworthy by most people. The bases for that trust are as follows.
The testing and certification of the drug (aspirin) by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has jurisdiction over many types of medicines and allows medicines to be marketed only if they meet certain clinical standards of usefulness.
The manufacturing standards of the company and the precautions it takes to ensure that the drug is not contaminated. National and state regulatory commissions and groups ensure that the manufacture of the drug meets specific acceptable standards.
The safety seal on the bottle. To insert dangerous chemicals into a safety-sealed bottle without damaging the seal is very difficult.
The three technologies (certification, manufacturing standards, and preventative sealing) provide some degree of assurance that the aspirin is not contaminated. The degree of trust the purchaser has in the purity of the aspirin is a result of these three processes.
In the 1980s, drug manufacturers met two of the criteria above, but none used safety seals. [1] A series of "drug scares" arose when a well-known manufacturer's medicines were contaminated after manufacture but before purchase. The manufacturer promptly introduced safety seals to assure its customers that the medicine in the container was the same as when it was shipped from the manufacturing plants.
Assurance in the computer world is similar. It requires specific steps to ensure that the computer will function properly. The sequence of steps includes detailed specifications of the desired (or undesirable) behavior; an analysis of the design of the hardware, software, and other components to show that the system will not violate the specifications; and arguments or proofs that the implementation, operating procedures, and maintenance procedures will produce the desired behavior.
Definition 14. A system is said to satisfy a specification if the specification correctly states how the system will function.
This definition also applies to design and implementation satisfying a specification.
1.5.1 Specification
A specification is a (formal or informal) statement of the desired functioning of the system. It can be highly mathematical, using any of several languages defined for that purpose. It can also be informal, using, for example, English to describe what the system should do under certain conditions. The specification can be low-level, combining program code with logical and temporal relationships to specify ordering of events. The defining quality is a statement of what the system is allowed to do or what it is not allowed to do.
EXAMPLE: A company is purchasing a new computer for internal use. They need to trust the system to be invulnerable to attack over the Internet. One of their (English) specifications would read "The system cannot be attacked over the Internet."
Specifications are used not merely in security but also in systems designed for safety, such as medical technology. They constrain such systems from performing acts that could cause harm. A system that regulates traffic lights must ensure that pairs of lights facing the same way turn red, green, and yellow at the same time and that at most one set of lights facing cross streets at an intersection is green.
A major part of the derivation of specifications is determination of the set of requirements relevant to the system's planned use. Section 1.6 discusses the relationship of requirements to security.
1.5.2 Design
The design of a system translates the specifications into components that will implement them. The design is said to satisfy the specifications if, under all relevant circumstances, the design will not permit the system to violate those specifications.
EXAMPLE: A design of the computer system for the company mentioned above had no network interface cards, no modem cards, and no network drivers in the kernel. This design satisfied the specification because the system would not connect to the Internet. Hence it could not be attacked over the Internet.
An analyst can determine whether a design satisfies a set of specifications in several ways. If the specifications and designs are expressed in terms of mathematics, the analyst must show that the design formulations are consistent with the specifications. Although much of the work can be done mechanically, a human must still perform some analyses and modify components of the design that violate specifications (or, in some cases, components that cannot be shown to satisfy the specifications). If the specifications and design do not use mathematics, then a convincing and compelling argument should be made. Most often, the specifications are nebulous and the arguments are half-hearted and unconvincing or provide only partial coverage. The design depends on assumptions about what the specifications mean. This leads to vulnerabilities, as we will see.
1.5.3 Implementation
Given a design, the implementation creates a system that satisfies that design. If the design also satisfies the specifications, then by transitivity the implementation will also satisfy the specifications.
The difficulty at this step is the complexity of proving that a program correctly implements the design and, in turn, the specifications.
Definition 15. A program is correct if its implementation performs as specified.
Proofs of correctness require each line of source code to be checked for mathematical correctness. Each line is seen as a function, transforming the input (constrained by preconditions) into some output (constrained by postconditions derived from the function and the preconditions). Each routine is represented by the composition of the functions derived from the lines of code making up the routine. Like those functions, the function corresponding to the routine has inputs and outputs, constrained by preconditions and postconditions, respectively. From the combination of routines, programs can be built and formally verified. One can apply the same techniques to sets of programs and thus verify the correctness of a system.
There are three difficulties in this process. First, the complexity of programs makes their mathematical verification difficult. Aside from the intrinsic difficulties, the program itself has preconditions derived from the environment of the system. These preconditions are often subtle and difficult to specify, but unless the mathematical formalism captures them, the program verification may not be valid because critical assumptions may be wrong. Second, program verification assumes that the programs are compiled correctly, linked and loaded correctly, and executed correctly. Hardware failure, buggy code, and failures in other tools may invalidate the preconditions. A compiler that incorrectly compiles
x := x + 1
move x to regA
subtract 1 from contents of regA
move contents of regA to x
would invalidate the proof statement that the value of x after the line of code is 1 more than the value of x before the line of code. This would invalidate the proof of correctness. Third, if the verification relies on conditions on the input, the program must reject any inputs that do not meet those conditions. Otherwise, the program is only partially verified.
Because formal proofs of correctness are so time-consuming, a posteriori verification techniques known as testing have become widespread. During testing, the tester executes the program (or portions of it) on data to determine if the output is what it should be and to understand how likely the program is to contain an error. Testing techniques range from supplying input to ensure that all execution paths are exercised to introducing errors into the program and determining how they affect the output to stating specifications and testing the program to see if it satisfies the specifications. Although these techniques are considerably simpler than the more formal methods, they do not provide the same degree of assurance that formal methods do. Furthermore, testing relies on test procedures and documentation, errors in either of which could invalidate the testing results.
Although assurance techniques do not guarantee correctness or security, they provide a firm basis for assessing what one must trust in order to believe that a system is secure. Their value is in eliminating possible, and common, sources of error and forcing designers to define precisely what the system is to do.
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12 1/2 x 16 x 16 inches
Edition of 3 plus AP
Baccarat Crystal Set
Jeff Koons: A Retrospective. The Centre Pompidou, Paris, France [November 26, 2014 - April 27, 2015] (Edition AP)
Jeff Koons: A Retrospective. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York [June 27- October 19, 2014] (Edition 3)
Jeff Koons: The Sculptor. Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung, Frankfurt, Germany [June 20 - September 23, 2012] (Edition AP)
Mike Kelley / Terence Koh / Jeff Koons. Mary Boone Gallery, New York, New York [April 4 - May 16, 2009]
Jeff Koons. Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago, Illinois [May 31 - September 21, 2008] (Edition AP)
Jeff Koons: Retrospective. Helsinki City Art Museum, Helsinki, Finland [January 28 – April 10, 2005] (Edition AP)
Jeff Koons: Retrospective. Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, Norway [September 4 – December 12, 2004] (Edition AP)
Jeff Koons: Retrospective. Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota [July 10 - October 3, 1993] (Edition 2)
Jeff Koons: Retrospective. Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany [March 12 - April 18, 1993] (Edition 1)
Jeff Koons: Retrospective. Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Aarhus, Denmark [January 22 – February 28, 1993] (Edition 1)
Jeff Koons: Retrospective. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, California [December 10, 1992 - February 7, 1993] (Edition 2)
Jeff Koons: Retrospective. Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands [November 28, 1992 - January 3, 1993] (Edition 1)
Luxury and Degradation. Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles, California [July 19 - August 16, 1986]
Holzwarth, Hans Werner. Koons. Slovakia: Taschen, 2015, p. 33.
Champion, Julie and Nicolas Liucci-Goutnikov. Jeff Koons: La Retrospective: The Portfolio of the Exhibition. France: Centre Pompidou, 2014, p. 57.
Woltmann, Marit. Jeff Koons Retrospektiv. Exh. cat., Oslo: Astrup Fearnley Museet for Moderne Kunst, 2004, p. 42.
Kunsthaus Bielefeld. Jeff Koons: Pictures 1980 - 2002. Exh. cat., Germany: Diese Publikation, 2002, p. 22.
Jeff Koons: Easyfun-Ethereal. Exh. cat., Berlin: Deutsche Guggenheim, 2000, p. 33 (fig. 14), illustrated in color.
Beye, Prof. Dr. P., Dr. W. A. Lbeeren and J. E. Sorensen, eds. Jeff Koons. Exh. cat., Amsterdam: Stedelijk Museum, 1993 [Texts by Wim Beeren, Gudrun Inboden, and Peter Schjeldahl], p. 47.
Sørensen, Jens Erik and Anders Kold, ed. Jeff Koons Retrospektiv. Exh. cat., Århus: Aarhus Kunstmuseum Denmark, 1993, p. 37.
Muthesius, Angelika, ed. Jeff Koons. Cologne 1992, pp. 21 (installation view, Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles, 1986), 84, illustrated in color.
Siegel, Jeanne. Jeff Koons: Unachievable States of Being. Art Magazine October 1986, p. 70, illustrated.
luxury-degradation
Aqui Bacardi
Come Through with Taste - Myers's Dark Rum - Quote Newsweek
Find a Quiet Table
Hennessy, The Civilized Way to Lay Down the Law
I Assume You Drink Martell
I Could Go For Something Gordon's
Stay in Tonight
The Empire State of Scotch, Dewar's
Fisherman Golfer
Pail
Travel Bar
Jim Beam - Model A Ford Pick-up Truck
Jim Beam - J.B. Turner Train
Jim Beam - Baggage Car
Jim Beam - Barrel Car
Jim Beam - Box Car
Jim Beam - Caboose
Jim Beam - J.B. Turner Engine
Jim Beam - Log Car
Jim Beam - Observation Car
Jim Beam - Passenger Car
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Home>Jobs & Tenders> Our Mission and Values
Council’s core purpose is to improve the quality of life of the Knox community. Council realises this mission by:
Providing leadership in building strong alliances, partnerships and networks with other key stakeholders in the community.
Planning for the future growth and sustainability of the city.
Providing high quality services that respond to an identified need which would otherwise not be accessible to the community.
Maintaining city infrastructure and assets on behalf of the community.
Ensuring highest standards of corporate governance.
Making and enforcing local laws.
Providing a voice for the community and advocating in its best interests.
Fostering community cohesion and encouraging active participation in civic life.
Building the ongoing capacity and capability of the community to manage local issues.
Building the ongoing capacity and capability of the organisation.
Values form the basis of our culture; they add meaning to work and they provide a basis for consistent planning and decision making across the organisation. The desired values and behaviours that every employee of Knox is expected to demonstrate in their daily activities, in the way they behave and in the way they make decisions are:
Council will work together in the pursuit of its vision, purpose and goals.
Council will be open to new ideas and will constantly seek opportunities to enhance the quality of life of the Knox community in new, more efficient and effective ways, and strive towards constantly building an adaptable and agile organisation.
Council will strive to be valued and trusted by the Knox community. Council will be respectful, open, transparent and honest in its dealings with the community. It will also be accountable in its objectives and role as a local government.
Enjoying Work
Council will maintain a passionate, highly motivated team that respects and encourages diversity. Energy is directed into achieving clearly articulated direction. Leadership and organisation learning are highly valued.
Council will ensure Council services meet quality, cost and efficiency standards; are responsive to need; accessible to members of the community to whom the service is intended; and demonstrate continuous improvement. Council will also ensure that all of its activities are efficient, effective and aligned to the achievement of Council’s purpose.
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You are currently browsing the archive for the Spirituality category.
March 15, 2017 in Activism, Spirituality | No comments
By Joe Byrne
Lent 2017 is underway. On Ash Wednesday, Joe, along with Sisters Ardeth and Carol, traveled to the White House in Washington, DC, to participate in an Ash Wednesday service organized by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker and other Catholic social justice organizations. The message was repentance for the various social evils for which we of the United States are responsible–the sins of genocide towards First Nations peoples, slavery, ongoing racism, xenophobia, and sexism–including the election of the racist, xenophobic, and sexist Donald Trump as president.
Here is Colleen McCarthy, of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, offering a reflection in front of the White House.
Here Ardeth offers a prayer, with Art Laffin, of Dorothy Day Catholic Worker:
Ardeth and Carol as part of the circle:
The oft-seen and ever-pertinent “Wage Peace, Practice Nonviolence” banner from Dorothy Day House:
Here a child makes hew own contribution to the ash crosses on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House.
Here Pete Perry stands with Ardeth, who is holding up a poster that memorializes Connie, who spent nearly forty years vigiling for peace in Peace Park (Lafayette Park) across from the White House. This is our second Ash Wednesday without Connie. Last Ash Wednesday, Ardeth and Carol distributed some of Connie’s ashes on the White House lawn. Connie presente!
Here I am holding up some of the art work of the beloved and recently-deceased Sally Hanlon. Her message, in the form of her posters and her very distinctive lettering, as well as the memory of her gentle spirit, survives. Sally Hanlon presente!
Friday Evening Sits Continue
February 24, 2017 in Activism, Spirituality | No comments
We continue our Friday sits for justice and peace at various locations in Baltimore.
Two weeks ago we were at the intersection of Roland Avenue and Cold Spring Road. Andy Holter joined Tucker and Joe.
In the picture below, the placard to the right reads: “Suffering has no boundaries, compassion has no borders.”
One of the messages we feel most impassioned about is welcoming, and toleration of, refugees.
Last week we were at Baltimore’s City Hall Park. Joining Joe and Tucker were Melissa Brady, Michael McEwan, and Amy Pucino (who joined us for our first sit, at the North Avenue, Route 83 intersection, three weeks ago.) City Hall is in the background.
Here are the sitters from behind. We were facing the Baltimore War Memorial, meditating for peace!
Our messaging remains the same: compassion and toleration.
We will return to sit at City Hall this evening (Friday February 24) from 4:30pm to 5:50pm. Join us!
Mother of Exiles
February 8, 2017 in Activism, Spirituality | Permalink
By Tucker Brown
This past Friday (2/3/17), from 4 to 6 pm on the grassy knoll at the intersection of North and Mount Royal, we practiced sitting meditation with posters expressing our support for refugees and Muslims and our opposition to Trump’s travel ban.
I have no clue how drivers experienced our witness. But we did speak with someone who approached us after spotting our signs. He mentioned that he’s currently unemployed and lives in a tent with his dog, somewhere in the city. He talked about his struggles and framed them with the same kind of anti-immigrant anger and fear that’s been a core part of Trump’s agenda and worldview.
The man had a lot to say and, to be honest, I really didn’t know how to respond to him. He was convinced that immigrants and refugees steal jobs from U.S. citizens, take away opportunities otherwise entitled to hard-working “Americans,” and breed violence. He also suggested, as Trump does routinely, that the mainstream media are dishonest.
A part of me wanted a debate, but then I concluded that wouldn’t be a skillful response — I don’t consider myself adept at debating anyway. So I just listened, tried to relax my visceral reaction and resistance to his views, and a few things happened. First, I stopped focusing only on the man’s judgments and started paying attention instead to his suffering. By connecting with his emotional experience, I was able to see the desperation beneath his views — as well as how thoroughly Trump and his team have reframed the causes of national wealth and resource disparity (i.e., five years ago we might have joined each other in the occupy movement).
Finding an “other” to blame is of course Trump’s strategy to form group cohesion in the service of his fascistic ends. While I could have argued this point, by recognizing the man’s pain (i.e., communicating that I’d heard the fear and anger underlying his political positions) there was a momentary shift in the conversation. He stopped blaming immigrants and started talking instead about the culture of greed and materialism that necessitates global poverty, structural deprivation, and war.
Of course this line of inquiry is threatening, because to put our economic, political and social systems into question implies a re-evaluation of the values, motivations and myths underlying them. It’s easier to blame others, and the man eventually came back to this strategy and ultimately called upon “National Security” — in this administration, a euphemism for White Nationalism — as a reason to justify the travel ban.
The conversation taught me that, while I might want to argue with the people who support Trump, it’s vitally important for a new kind of intentional engagement with his promoters: hearing and re-framing the fear and anger that often motivates their allegiance so that, at the very least, they’re invited to consider an alternate view of what’s driving their dis-ease.
While the “America First” platform is delusional — and violent, racist, bigoted, etc. — I don’t think it helps to simply argue the points and dismiss the strong emotions fueling them. I wholeheartedly believe and participate in the movement to resist Trumpism AND I think it’s also necessary to make every effort to dialogue with even his fiercest supporters. The way forward, in my view, is through encounter, not just opposition.
There are too many echo chambers, on both sides, and to realize a world without sides we need, I think, to practice dialogue as much as dissent.
I’m also realizing the importance of renewal in these turbulent times: returning to images, stories, symbols and words that inspire the fortitude to persist, to resist.
Amid all the Islamophobia, xenophobia and hate espoused by the Trump administration, and tolerated if not promoted by so many republican politicians, I find it inspiring to read and re-read and reflect on Emma Lazarus’ poem, The New Colossus.
Mother of Exiles. What a vision! And what an indictment of the current administration!
Also, as I suffer and see other people suffering and struggle with my own anger and inclination to act out of it, I take refuge in these words, a prayer of Shantideva’s, a great practitioner of the Bodhisattva vows:
May I become at all times, both now and forever
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.
Of Remnants and Resilience
February 4, 2017 in Spirituality | 2 comments
Recently, following the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States, and in particular his suggestion that he would like to expand the United States nuclear arsenal and his doubts about the reality of climate change, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved its Doomsday Clock thirty seconds closer to midnight. According to that clock it is now two and a half minutes to midnight. That’s the closest we’ve been to Armageddon since 1953, when only three nations had a few atomic weapons, and climate change was far on the horizon. Given Trump’s recent saber rattling over Iran and his order that the EPA may not study or even discuss climate change, the Doomsday Clock will likely be moved even closer to midnight soon.
We may very well be living in the end times. Not the end of life on Earth, nor the end of human life, but the end of civilization–by which I mean industrial, capitalist, democratic, and global society on Earth. If current trends hold, by the end of this present century, due to over-population, resource depletion, and runaway global warming, civilization will collapse. As a result there will be the full menu of apocalyptic woe: war, pestilence, and—mostly—famine. It’s likely that billions of people will starve to death. Not before many more billions of animals will die. Many forms of life on this planet will go extinct. This is already true. As Elizabeth Kolbert argues in her book The Sixth Extinction, civilization has already ushered in the sixth period of mass extinction, with living species—many of them undiscovered and unstudied—going extinct every day.
There will be wars, and rumors of war. We saw in the 20th century war become industrialized, in terms of weaponry, production, and whole-sale destruction. War has become mostly a matter of slaughtering civilians. We’ll likely see this to the nth degree in the years to come. The U.S. military has already identified climate change as a major threat, particularly in the ways global warming—global drought leading to global famine—will lead to mass migrations of hungry people. War has long been a business of controlling resources. With dwindling resources, there will be more, and more desperate, fighting. Given this situation, it is unlikely that the nuclear nations will abolish nuclear weapons; and it is more likely that they’ll be used. I predict that if nuclear weapons are not abolished by 2050, they will be used again in the second half of the century. Some misguided leaders may think that nuclear winter is the perfect solution to global warming. When, in fact, it will only add to the perfect storm: when the radioactive nuclear clouds dissipate, decades later, global warming will be worse. Those nuclear clouds will continue to capture and contain within the atmosphere carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases.
Accompanying the breakdown of society—particularly the breakdown of medical services and research—leading to mass migrations, and mass starvation, there will likely be more mass epidemics. Some of them will be created, and weaponized, by humans. Millions are likely to die as a result.
I say all this is likely to happen, given current trends and what we know of human nature. You may say that, like Donald Trump, I believe what I believe, according to my own “alternative facts.” But, unlike our raving president, I do have evidence. It’s all around us, in the ever-increasing global temperatures, military budgets, and human population. Many experts point out that we are entering—or have already entered—the era of Peak Everything: peak oil, peak natural gas, peak coal, peak water, peak topsoil, peak arable land—peak you-name-it. By the end of the century we will be far past peak. It will nearly all be gone, with a largely diminished human population fighting over scraps—World War IV (we are already fighting World War III) fought on a dunghill.
While I think there is ample evidence that what I foresee will come about, I also claim prophetic license. The biblical prophets didn’t back up their pronouncements with studies and charts. They declared what they believed God had told them to say, in dire visions that are not that far removed from what I’m saying here. I won’t go so far as to say God told me to say all this, but there is certainly biblical precedent for it, and I say it after considering the available evidence (links at the end of this article).
Where is God in all this? This is—will be—the big question as the rest of this century unfolds. Am I describing the biblical Day of Yahweh, Day of Wrath? No. God will not destroy the Earth. God promised not to do that. But God may allow humans to destroy themselves. That is the judgement upon us. That may be our doom. God will allow human free will to play out. God will not save us from ourselves. But, as I discuss in a moment, if humans destroy themselves, God will save a remnant. Some will remain to carry on.
And what of resistance? Can we turn back the flood by organizing, by taking risks, by following the formula of Jonah—preaching repentance in the capital of empire? The people of Ninevah repented, they turned back from their ways of destruction. Why can’t we? And will God truly allow humans to destroy the rest of his Creation? I hold out a sliver of hope that the coming collapse can be avoided. For there is biblical precedent for hope, as well as doom. Perhaps God can inspire us to save civilization, and avoid massive suffering, turning back the Doomsday Clock.
But in the meantime, we would do well to proceed as if the collapse of civilization will be our lot. We need to start thinking about resilience—how to save what we can from the real possibility of cataclysm. Our resistance communities must also become resilience communities. We are given the task of preserving our most precious values: beauty, justice, peace, nonviolent conflict resolution and reconciliation. Even with civilization crashing all around us, we are tasked with the creation of the kindom of God, on Earth as in heaven. We can and must create something that will outlast civilization, keeping in mind that civilization has collapsed many times in human history, and something has always risen from the ashes. Our task is to make sure it is utopia rather than dystopia.
Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12013
1 Corinthians 1: 26-31
Matthew 5:1-12a
Our readings today speak to this task, and this hope. Our first reading is from the prophet Zephaniah—a minor prophet. It is a short book and most of it, unlike the passage in the lectionary, is an apocalyptic account of Yahweh’s Day of Wrath:
The great day of the Lord is near—
near and coming quickly.
The cry on the day of the Lord is bitter;
the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.
15 That day will be a day of wrath—
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of trouble and ruin,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness—
16 a day of trumpet and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the corner towers.
17 “I will bring such distress on all people
that they will grope about like those who are blind,
because they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out like dust
and their entrails like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to save them
on the day of the Lord’s wrath.”
In the fire of his jealousy
the whole earth will be consumed,
for he will make a sudden end
of all who live on the earth. (Zephaniah 1:14-18).
Let’s back up a bit. Zephaniah was active in Judah at the time before and during the reign of Josiah the king of Judah. This was a reformer king, who rediscovered the law of the covenant, but died young with his reforms barely begun. At that time the Southern Kingdom of Judah was a vassal state of Assyria. Two centuries before this the Assyrians had invaded the Northern Kingdom of Israel, reduced it to rubble, and then carted away the rich, the powerful, the nobility, to captivity in Assyria. They left the poor and powerless behind, on the land, as a remnant to carry on. The meek inherited the earth.
Zephaniah, in our reading today, prophesies the same for the Kingdom of Judah. Judah will be destroyed, the elite of the kingdom—the rich, the powerful, the nobility—carried off, leaving the poor behind as a remnant on the land. And so it came to pass in 587 BC. It was the Babylonians, the conquerors of Assyria, who did it. But in any case, God left a remnant. They, unlike their overlords in Judah, in Jerusalem, would “do no wrong, speak not lies” left to their own devices to “pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.” Once again, the meek inherited the earth. Once again, some, chosen by God, had survived the end of the world. And they did fine, until those in the Babylonian captivity returned and re-established “civilization” with its attendant hierarchies of church and state—what Walter Wink calls the “Domination System.” This is what Jesus would come to challenge and replace with God’s compassionate kindom.
Our second reading, from the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, also speaks of a remnant. Paul believed that the end of the world—the end of civilization—was very near. But he also believed God would save a remnant. Paul’s mission was to shape this remnant, to create resilience communities, which would be the basis of a regenerated world. The kindom of God, a world-wide Beloved Community would rise from the ashes of Roman civilization. Paul also believed the meek would inherit the earth. God had called, into the church, as a remnant, the lowly, the weak, the foolish—rather than the ruling class, the powerless, the foolish. God had set aside the refuse of the world, sanctified them, redeemed them, because they knew the true meaning of justice. And this is God’s justice: the first shall be last and the last shall be first.
Though the world didn’t end in the ways we see it in disaster flicks, Roman civilization did collapse. And a remnant survived, the church survived. Much of that survival was profoundly nonviolent, surviving the “barbarians” by patient endurance, presenting a model that was ultimately attractive to the invaders, leading to their conversion. Granted, after Christianity become co-opted by the Roman Empire, there were some Christians who took up the sword to defend themselves. Augustine’s Just War Theory, based on the pagan philosophy of Cicero, an apologist of Empire, was supposedly composed with the “barbarians at the gate,” after Christianity had become the religion of the empire. As many Christians have now concluded, “godly” violence is a perversion of Christ’s gospel. In any case, a remnant survived the colonization and militarization of the Christian church, to carry forth Christ’s gospel of revolutionary nonviolence. We here continue in that line. We are part of that remnant.
Jesus speaks to, and of, that remnant in our gospel today. The beatitudes, at the beginning of Jesus’s revolutionary program presented in his Sermon on the Mount, describe the characteristics of God’s remnant, to God’s remnant—those initiated into Jesus’s program, his disciples.
Some interpret the beatitudes in a pietistic way, as referring to the qualities that earn one a ticket to heaven after death. But I think when Jesus says “the kingdom of heaven,” he means the kindom come, the kindom of God, on Earth as in heaven. He says “blessed ARE” not “blessed WILL BE.” True, he does say they “will be” comforted, satisfied, shown mercy, etc. That is, the kindom has not come quite yet, but is in process.
So who are the remnant according to Jesus?
The poor in spirit, translated as “beggars.” Not just the materially poor; also those who practice poverty, who live by an ethic of simplicity. Who share their resources in a spirit of mutual aid.
The meek, who will inherit the earth. This is the “anawim,” the powerless, the lowly, the “foolish,” the poor—the remnant according to the Apostle Paul and the prophet Zephaniah.
The merciful, those who practice forgiveness, particularly the forgiveness of enemies, whose mission is the reconciliation of warring parties.
The single-hearted (“clean of heart”), those devoted to the gospel of peace and justice. These are those who do no wrong, tell no lies, as described by Zephaniah.
The peacemakers, those who beat their swords into plowshares, who preserve the holy ideal of nonviolence and put it into practice as a tool of social change. Those who preserve the kindom—the family, the children—of God.
Those persecuted for the sake of justice. This follows from the rest. The world—civilization—is opposed to the poor, the meek, the merciful, the single-hearted, the nonviolent. It seeks to wipe them out, to destroy God’s remnant. And yet God’s remnant will survive, because the ideals that the remnant preserve are the only ones worth saving. And, in the end, violence is self-defeating, and nonviolence a better option for solving problems.
The beatitudes describe God’s remnant. For Jesus could see that the end of the world was coming. The end of Roman civilization, certainly, but Christ could also foresee the end of industrial civilization. He could see the strangling roots of that civilization in his own day, he could see how the next 2000 years would play out. That’s why there is a strong apocalyptic strain in the gospels. An end was envisioned, an end will come. And it might possibly happen, as the scriptures say, before the present generation—those who are alive today—has passed away.
I’ve gone on long enough, but I want to mention a few things about resilience communities before I open it up for discussion. What will a resilient community look like? Well, it will look something like what Jonah House is now and envisions for the future.
It will be an intentional community that includes both live-in and extended members who share resources, space, and work. It will be a community that lives on the land, growing its own food, composting, taking care of the soil. It will be a community that powers its tools based on renewable sources of energy. It will be a community that is a node in a larger, but still local, network. If civilization collapses, local economy will be the main economy. It will be a community that lives and survives by the principle of mutual aid. Those who barricade themselves in bunkers, filled with canned goods, guns, and ammunition, will not survive in the long run. Only those who share, and participate in shared defense, will survive. And that shared defense must be nonviolent. We will see, as we’ve always seen, that groups that are organized and resolute, knowledgeable and well-practiced in nonviolent methods, can face down empires, and cause armies to abandon their weapons and either flee or join those they had come to shoot down. In his book Engaging the Powers, Walter Wink provides numerous examples—those who resisted the Nazis, refusing to turn over Jews and other supposed “undesirables”; those who brought down the Iron Curtain in the period 1989-1991. As Wink puts it, “nonviolence generally works where violence would work, and where it fails, violence too would fail…. But nonviolence also works where violence would fail.”
I hope I’ve offered enough hope to help us carry on in the difficult years ahead. We may not live to see it, we may not survive the strife, the collapse that seems to be upon us, but we have the promise of God that a remnant will survive. Our ideals of peace and justice will survive. Some will be resilient and survive the deluge. In fact, our one thing that might save civilization is if the world takes up the sustainable practices of resilience before it’s too late. Whether civilization collapses or not, the world as we know it today will be superseded by God’s kindom of peace, justice, and reconciliation, the Beloved Community. That is the promise of God, the basis of our faith.
Here are just a few articles that consider the collapse of civilization. Each of the articles has links to numerous other articles.
“Human Extinction 2026” by Robert Hunziker
http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/02/03/human-extinction-2026/
“Can a Collapse of Civilization Be Avoided?” by Paul and Ann Ehrlich
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/280/1754/20122845
“Extinction Is the End Game” by “Xray Mike”:
https://collapseofindustrialcivilization.com/2016/12/10/extinction-is-the-end-game/
Jonah House Reflections for Sunday, November 11, 2016
December 15, 2016 in Spirituality | No comments
By Lin Romano
(Sources include the Sunday Website of St. Louis University, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and others not cited.)
Let’s listen to the first two readings from Malachi and the Psalms.
Reading 1: Malachi 3:19-20a
Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
and the day that is coming will set them on fire,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the God of hosts.
But for you who fear my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98:5-6, 7-8, 9
Response: God comes to rule the earth with justice
Sing praise to the Almighty with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the Creator, our God.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
Before the Almighty, for God comes,
for God comes to rule the earth,
God will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
Take a couple of minutes of silence to think about what stood out for you in the readings. Not a word, but a theme. Write it down and hold onto it.
I found in these readings the overriding theme of hope, which I find in short supply since Tuesday. Perhaps for the first time, I appreciate the retributive language that I generally abhor. All the proud and evildoers will be stubble–wonderful! And they will be set on fire, with none left to take their place–marvelous! And yet, and yet . . . . There is the Gospel still to consider, still the word of calm amidst all. While all the signs of devastation of the world surround us, we are to remain sure in faith, steadfast amidst persecution, sure of tongue and wise beyond knowledge.
Let’s hear that reading…
Gospel Luke 21:5-19
While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here–the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”
Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”
He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.”
Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
“Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
Now, make a note if you would change what you wrote, if you see those first readings differently in light of the Gospel. Let’s do a brief go-around to share our first thoughts and any modifications.
I skipped today’s reading from 2 Thessalonians, not because I have always found it annoying (which I have) but because it adds little to the apocalyptic literature that is this Gospel. If you didn’t read ahead, the reading from Thessalonians includes the “if you don’t work you shouldn’t eat” admonition. The fact that members of the early church had stopped working actually related to their belief that the day of the Lord had come and the “curse” of work (Genesis 3) had been lifted. Yippee! They were all but in heaven. The world as we know it was coming to an end. Can you feel the mood in Thessalonica? What the heck, why not just eat, drink and be merry, for the day is at hand! Why go to work?
Please excuse another aside, but I have felt like that at times this week. Minus the merriment. It’s been hard to get out of bed and face the days ahead. It’s hard to acknowledge that the world still need not come to an end, if only we can pedal faster, organize, resist, educate, meditate, believe. (Yet has anyone else wanted to cry out “Redo!” or remain tucked under a blanket?)
Okay, so I’ll dispense with that reading now, and wander back to Luke. More predictions of the end times come first, with Jesus describing the destruction of the temple (a charge later brought against him at trial), explaining that false prophets would appear, and calling for calm during all of the horrible times ahead. While many of these predictions may have come true in the first century AD, it seems that generation after generation can recognize a piece of the end times approaching. We are no different.
Remember the year 2000? The apocalypse was imminent! Not only would digital time stop, but the world as we knew it would end, with power going out globally and missiles being launched uncontrollably. People moved to bunkers in the Midwest, and others sat vigil in prayerful hope of a painless end. Movies and books hyped it all, and ultimately, it was business as usual. Money was made and people were duped. The wheel keeps spinning.
So when Jesus warned of the days ahead, and gave signs to look for, was he talking to everyone in all times or truly predicting the end of the world? His word already has come to be, again and again, yet here we breathe, here we sit, here we read the words again and look to the future. Let’s see: Wars – check! Temples destroyed – check! False prophets! Insurrections, earthquakes, famines, plagues – sadly, very sadly, all checks.
Some say that our years are but a blink of God’s eyes, so if one waits for a literal end of the world based on these signs it could be untold numbers of lifetimes in the coming. But let’s consider another way of looking at this. Could Jesus have been merely giving a worst-case scenario to those following him, so that they would not lose heart when the inevitable occurred? It would help them to remain strong when they were persecuted for their beliefs (imagine the comfort of this when being attacked by hungry lions in a crowded stadium). It would offer some solace when their own families turned on them, giving assurance that their perseverance would net them eternal life.
Remember that when these words were written, probably around 80 or 85 AD, the city and the temple of Jerusalem were already destroyed, and the Acts of the Apostles already written, detailing the difficulties of Jesus’ believers after his death. So were these even predictions, or words attributed to him by a firm believer to increase his stature? Some argue that Mediterranean culture of the time was not so forward-looking. They asked for DAILY bread, as they were primarily present-oriented. Predictions of events in a faraway future to come would not resonate with them. Rather, when Luke’s Jesus later states, “Truly, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place,” it was seen as a present-day statement of the generation contemporary with his ministry. Since the events have come true, Jesus is judged reliable. Those feeling the heat for their beliefs are encouraged by this, assured that standing firm in the face of persecutions would lead to salvation.
Now, let’s circle back to the first two readings.
First, I want to address the predicted violence. I think–I hope–we all will agree that God is non-violent. God does not prescribe violence, and violence should never be rationalized in God’s name. So what about the violence in this scripture and so many others that is attributed to God, or to God’s direct orders?
Didn’t God wipe out the human race, saving only Noah and his family? Didn’t God ask Abraham to kill Isaac, and also plan to destroy Israel before Moses talked him out of it? Didn’t “God’s Law”–Mosaic law, prescribe stoning women to death for adultery? What about the wars fought in God’s name, and even the extremists in Islam today, killing thousands in God’s name? Doesn’t God state that wars and insurrections MUST happen first, before the “day of the Lord” arrives? How do we explain all of this, if we believe in the sacred texts?
Of course I reject any notion that God reacts with, orders, or approves of violence. I see the writers of the texts as taking their own thoughts and feelings and projecting them onto God. We get angry–God doesn’t. We crave vengeance, not God. If we read all of the scriptures literally we turn God into a tribal God, a God opposed to peace. Many of the texts cannot be taken literally–the violence and killing are metaphorical.
So when we are told that we will experience God’s wrath, when we read today that the proud and evildoers will be stubble and that they will be set on fire, we have to understand that God will not have this “sun of justice” arise with its healing rays by first extracting a “pound of flesh for a pound of sin.” (Ron Rolheiser) Walter Bruggeman once commented that “God is in recovery from all the violence that has been attributed to him and done in his name.”
In fact, even the idea of the last judgment as a dire expectation of doom, does not fit in with a God of healing, as God of justice. I do not look forward with joy for a day that slaughters those who erred, but rather to a day when all will ACT justly, LIVE love, and BE peace.
Let’s try this perspective: All of the catastrophes (think climate-change related), wars, insurrections, etc. are NOT signs of the end times, but of how far we are FROM the end. We have not yet succeeded in bringing about justice. There’s an African proverb that says, “When you pray, move your feet;” perhaps we are not moving enough, marching enough, entering the halls of power and military bases enough, and teaching enough to establish God’s kin-dom. When goodness and justice reign we will have entered the end times of the world. And there is nothing to fear about that end.
At Jonah House, we are well-acquainted with people who have walked into situations where they risked persecution at best, and death as a real possibility. Despite sufferings in and out of jails and prisons, their resolves remain firm, their voices speaking truth to power strong, their love of and faith in God firm, and their spirits full of joy and hope. Yes, there is much legal preparation in a trial after an action for justice, but it is the spirit of God that flows through, that offers words to speak in a courtroom and public forums, that provides the “defense” and the potential for conversion of hearts. We just have to keep moving our feet.
So now I suggest that we focus on questions that will have increasingly more meaning as we move forward under a Trump administration and a Republican Congress:
How have you felt sustained by a power greater than yourself during a time of justice-seeking or truth-telling?
How do you see yourself/our communities bringing about the “end times” of justice and peace?
Litany for Today
October 29, 2016 in Spirituality | No comments
When the Turks exterminated millions of Armenians…
Where were you, God?
When millions perished needlessly in World War I…
When Stalin killed millions of his own people…
When the Nazis murdered six million Jews during the Holocaust…
When the Japanese slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Chinese in Nanking…
When Dresden was firebombed during World War II…
When the United States dropped atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki…
When the U.S. destroyed Vietnam in order to save it, killing millions in the process…
When millions were murdered by the Khmer Rouge in the killing field…
When deaths squads killed tens of thousands in Indonesia…
When fanatical Chinese communists killed tens of thousands during the Cultural Revolution…
Where were you God?
When death squads disappeared tens of thousands in Central and South America…
When Hutus went on a genocidal rampage against the Tutsis in Rwanda…
When thousands of gay men were dying of AIDS and the government refused to do anything…
When the U.S. and its allies killed hundreds of thousands through sanctions and occupation in Iraq…
When Catholic priests sexually abused thousands of children…
When Syria slid into a vicious civil war…
When humans built an industrial civilization that poisoned the planet with carbon emissions…
When the world needs compassion…
We are your heart, God
When crimes need to be witness and revealed…
We are your eyes, God
When truth needs to speak to power…
We are your mouth, God
When injustice needs to be confronted…
We are your conscience, God
When the lost need to be gathered and embraced…
We are your arms, God
When those who are suffering need relief…
We are your hands, God
On the long road to peace and justice…
We are your feet, God
Prodigals
September 23, 2016 in Spirituality | No comments
The parable of the prodigal son is perhaps Jesus’s most popular short story. It is used as shorthand for what is best in the Christian religion: generosity, forgiveness, redemption, unconditional love.
I’m not the first person to suggest that in this parable there is more than one prodigal son. Arguably there are two prodigal sons in the parable—and they are prodigal in different ways. I would also suggest there is a prodigal father. And before I’m through I’ll talk about prodigal apostles, churches, nations and gods. Prodigality is my theme. It certainly seems to be the theme that those who chose the lectionary readings want us to consider.
Prodigality is one of the central narratives of Christianity. The Christian path is a wayward path. It is the story of going astray, of taking the wrong path and finding our way back to the right path. In some ways that is the path, and we never find our way to the right path except by wandering off the path first. We find our way in the wilderness, and paradoxically never find the way by hewing to the straight and narrow.
Definitions of Prodigal
Being wasteful of resources; or extravagant generosity.
Engaging in, and then repenting, acts of moral depravity.
In Jesus’s story, the prodigal son is thought to be prodigal according to both these definitions. The father—and by extension, God—is prodigal according to the first definition. And on this fifteenth anniversary of 9/11/2001, I would say that the United States has been prodigal according to both definitions. Just as the prodigal son had his metanoia, his repentance, we must hope that the United States might also change its ways and find its way back to the right path. More on that later.
Confessions of a Prodigal Son
Before that, let me say something about my own prodigality. I consider myself a prodigal son. I certainly felt that way when I returned to the Christian path, and particularly to the faith-based peace movement, after eighteen years in the wilderness. In 1996, I left the Catholic Church. I told people that I was leaving the Church to become a Buddhist, but I wasn’t much of a Buddhist during those eighteen years, though I periodically practiced. I didn’t really leave one church to join another; what I was really doing was trying to live a life unencumbered by dogmas and moral rules. While I didn’t live a life of dissolution, like the prodigal son—I didn’t have half an estate to blow!—I did do drugs and engaged in sexual promiscuity. Some might call this moral depravity; I was certainly wasteful of the gifts God had given me. Eventually, I realized that a life dedicated to hedonism, and a life lived in bitter reaction to the more repressive aspects of religion, was not a very satisfying one. So I came back to the Church, to the faith in which I was raised, the faith that had formed my heart and mind and soul, and my sense of mission in the world. I wouldn’t characterize this return as repentance as such, or as a deep conviction of my sinfulness; I was driven, instead, by a desire to be reconciled to my better nature, and to God.
The same is true of my return to the faith-based peace movement, to the Atlantic Life Community (ALC). After eighteen years away, I naturally assumed that everyone assumed I was a government agent, a spy. Who knows, some in the ALC might still think this. If so, at least I’m a spy with a good singing voice. And I haven’t gotten anyone busted yet.
Let’s turn to the readings. I admit on the outset that this time I’ll be light on the exegesis, and hew instead more closely to my theme.
Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14
In this reading, God complains to Moses about his people. God wonders if they are still His people. They have set up a golden calf and called it God. God calls this “depravity,” when in fact it seems they just wanted a visual representation of God. God says: “Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.” When God says “let me alone,” he is assuming that Moses would challenge God on this. Moses’s role is to speak truth to power, whether he is speaking to his people or to God. After all, God is threatening genocide. But that’s all right, God says; I will wipe out all these people, but I will make of you a great nation. Moses might have thought: where have I heard this before? Didn’t God say the same thing to Adam and Eve, right before he banished them from the garden? Didn’t God say the same thing to Noah after he wiped out all the people in the world, except for Noah and his family? Didn’t God say the same thing to Abraham, right before he ordered Abraham to sacrifice is only son? And now he was saying it to Moses, after threatening to kill the people he had taken so much trouble to liberate from the Egyptians.
Moses dares to point all this out to God, and reminds God that God promised to make the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel “as numerous as the stars in the sky.” God is convinced by Moses. God “relented in the punishment he had threated to inflict on his people.” Older translations say that God “repented” from what he had planned. But it is borderline blasphemous and heretical to say that our perfect, omniscient and all-powerful God “repented,” that he turned away from doing evil (which some older translations also say: that God repented of doing evil). That is what seems to be suggested by those who chose the lectionary readings. All the other readings are about repentance. In this reading, God repents. But is it really heretical to suggest that God learns from his mistakes, that God grows, comes to self-knowledge and consciousness, in the ways that people do? If not, we are faced with the specter of another heresy, that of Marcionism.
According to the ancient Christian writer Marcion, Christianity reveals the true God, the God of love, forgiveness, and compassion; whereas, the God of the Hebrew Scriptures is a false god, a god of vengeance and hatred. This position has been declared heretical by the Church, and rightly so, because it denigrates Judaism and justifies anti-Semitism, anti-Jewish pogroms, and the Holocaust. But how then do we explain the God of much of the Hebrew Scriptures—who is a jealous god, who is sometimes seemingly genocidal and urges a genocidal mentality, ironically enough, upon the Jewish people—compared to the God that Jesus describes, who is a God of infinite love and compassion? And how do we explain a God who is, in the Hebrew Scriptures, a practitioner of conditional love, with the God of Jesus, who practices unconditional love?
One explanation is that God changes, that God experiences metanoia. Another explanation is that it is in fact the human understanding of God that changes, rather than God him/herself. The savage God who sometimes appears in the Hebrew scriptures is really the way God was perceived by a savage, or at least a primitive, people. By the time Jesus came along, these people were no longer savage or primitive; they had come to know God, through the experience of centuries, to be an infinitely compassionate being.
This suggests that the Hebrew and Christian scriptures are fictional in the sense that fiction is an art form by which we come to the truth by means of creative falsity. It is also an art form by which characters come to the truth by way of action in the world, by waywardness, followed by reflection upon action and waywardness. Thus individuals, peoples, and even gods change and become more highly evolved. This takes us a little bit off course, so I’ll leave it there.
Paul’s Letter to Timothy 1:12-17
According to Paul, Jesus came into the world to save sinners. “Of these I am the foremost,” Paul says.
Paul is proclaiming himself a prodigal son: once a just man, a progressive Pharisee, he has become a fanatical persecutor, a murderer, a mass murderer, a serial killer. In doing so, he “acted out of ignorance” in his “unbelief.” But his letter to Timothy suggests that Paul would not be who he was if he had not gone astray. “For that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who come to believe in him.”
Paul does not dwell on his sinfulness but instead on how he has become reconciled. He admits to being an imperfect apostle, and that by way of his imperfection he has come to a more perfect understanding of a compassionate, loving God.
We might say the same thing about the Church. If one of the two inventors of the Church (with Peter) can be imperfect, so too can the Church. And just as Paul—and as God, in Exodus—can gain by going astray, off-path, so too can the Church learn from its mistakes. The current pope has a good grasp of this. He freely admits, and regularly apologizes for the transgressions of the Church. He has done much to heal the damage wrought by the priest sex abuse scandal. Lately, as another example, he has apologized for the persecution of gays and lesbians in the Church. The Church of Pope Francis is a prodigal church, returning to the values promulgated by its founder, such as mercy, compassion, and unconditional love.
Luke 15:1-32 (The Lost Sheep, Coin, Son)
In my discussion of the gospel reading today—which, along with the parable of the prodigal son, also includes the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin—I’ll be drawing upon the work of Amy-Jill Levine. In her book The Short Stories of Jesus, she includes a whole chapter on the cluster of these three parables.
Levine, a Jewish scholar and professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, devotes most of her chapter to answering and arguing against anti-Semitic interpretations of these parables. For instance, some interpreters see the father in the parable of the prodigal son as a representation of God, a God who is loving, and compassionate, and thus radically different from the God of the Hebrew Scriptures. In other words, they suggest an interpretation that is Marcionistic. In fact, Levine points out, this compassionate father is not that different from Jewish fathers of Jesus’s day, and not that different from the loving God who appears in the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly in the prophets.
Levine also argues against the interpretation that sees the parables in today’s gospel reading as being about repentance. Regarding the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, she simply points out that sheep and coins can’t repent. Levine argues that these stories are more about reconciliation than repentance.
Before moving on to the parable of the Prodigal Son, let’s consider the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Are there elements of prodigality in these two stories? I would say, with some back up from Levine, yes. The shepherd is prodigal—that is, he’s reckless and wasteful, in abandoning his ninety-nine sheep to find the one who was lost, and then throwing a party to celebrate finding the one sheep (Levine facetiously comments that she wouldn’t have been surprised if the shepherd had served mutton at the party!). The woman who loses the coin is reckless and wasteful in throwing a party to celebrate finding one coin. The suggestion here is that the party cost her much more than that one coin.
What this illustrates is what the father in the parable of the prodigal son represents—God’s reckless and wasteful dispensation of his/her resources. This is a wonderful definition of God’s grace! The point here is that what causes the celebration is not so much repentance (again, sheep and coins can’t repent) but the joy that results from reconciliation—from finding what was lost, as opposed to the conviction of sin, of guilt.
This is my reading, anyway, of the parable of the prodigal son. The first prodigal son is prodigal in both definitions I set out at the beginning. He is wasteful, and engages in acts of moral depravity. But he returns and experiences his father’s prodigality: the father gives his wayward son the best robe and kills for him the fatted calf. This prodigal son did not deserve it, but such was the unconditional love of his father. In the same way, humans don’t deserve God’s riches, God’s grace, but God recklessly disposes them upon us anyway.
So the father is prodigal in his reckless generosity. Which made me wonder: how did he come about this belief in unconditional love? How do any of us come to such a belief? Often it’s an experience of conditional love that goes badly. Perhaps there was a third son that we don’t hear about in the parable. Perhaps once upon a time this third son performed an act of generosity with his father’s property which angered the father (like what happened to St. Francis of Assisi and his father). This third son might then have gone off and not returned—perhaps he died in a faraway land, unreconciled with his father, leaving the father to lament his lack of generosity and understanding. Such an experience would explain the radical generosity, the unconditional love, of the father in the parable of the prodigal son.
And if we see the father in the parable as a stand-in for God, we might understand Jesus to be representing a God who has learned from his mistakes with the people of Israel, when they were in the desert and more particularly when they were a nation mimicking the empires that surrounded them, worshiping the idols of wealth and power.
What then of the second son? I mentioned that he is prodigal too. He is prodigal in the sense that he has gone astray upon the straight and narrow. He has fulfilled all the commandments, all the law, but lacks the insight and compassion that comes from going off the path, from wandering in the desert.
Our prodigal nation
I end with a reflection upon the terror attacks of 9/11/2001.
I will begin by saying that I’m becoming more and more convinced that those who claim 9/11 was an inside job are right. The arguments of people like David Ray Griffin and Jim Douglass (and our dear friends Kathy Boylan and John Schuchardt) are suggestive and persuasive. It seems impossible to believe that the clinical demolition of the World Trade buildings was done by way of flying planes into them and dousing them with airplane fuel (particularly when one of the fallen buildings was not hit by an airplane). The lack of photographic evidence of a plane crash at the Pentagon is also suspicious. Whether it was the Bush administration that dynamited those buildings, or knew about it and let it happen, the hawkish members of the Bush II cabal certainly used the destruction of the World Trade Center to further their nefarious ends.
But for me the greater crime was to take the country-wide commiseration and camaraderie that followed the killing of three thousand innocent people, and twist it into blood-thirsty revenge, leading the United States into two (at least) wars, and the murder of a hundred times as many innocent noncombatants in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
In the wake of 9/11, the United States has been prodigal in both senses of the definition I used at the outset. Many billions of dollars have been wasted on the destruction of two countries and the deaths of hundreds of thousands. Wasteful and wanton, to say the least. Profligate and morally depraved, for sure.
All that said, I find the “9/11 was an inside job” narrative to be extremely alienating and disempowering. It’s the depiction of a nation that is irredeemable; that is, in fact demonic. I prefer to see our nation as prodigal, rather than demonic. I hold out hope that we as a nation might find ways to use our wealth to aid the poorer nations of the world, rather than destroy them. That we might be recklessly generous with methods of education and enlightenment, modeling the values of nonviolence, of peace with justice, and true democracy.
If metanoia is possible for people, it must be possible for nations as well; it must be possible for worlds such as ours. America the prodigal must be able to step away from the brink, to return from the wilderness, having learned from our grievous mistakes. If not, we are all lost, trapped in a world that is one big prison, in a permanent desert of our own making.
I end this reflection with questions for our discussion. How might our prodigal nation return to the community of nations (rejecting the superpower label, or any notion of empire) and to the values that inspired the American revolution, and inspire the world still. How might we learn from our mistakes since 9/11 and be better for it?
How might our prodigal Church return to the values preached and embodied by Jesus?
How have we experienced our own prodigality? According to which definition (positive and negative sense of prodigality)?
Faith in Action and Relationship
August 13, 2016 in Spirituality | Permalink
By Megan Mundi
The following is a reflection offered by Megan Mundi, a regular participant in the Jonah House Sunday prayer service, on August 7, 2016.
The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Book of Wisdom 18:6-9
Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Today’s readings lead us into a discussion about faith; the merits of faith, the actions of the faithful, the consequences of faithlessness and most importantly the essence of faith. The measure of a person’s faith, how sincerely one chooses to believe and how often/extremely they act or react from a place of faith are often subject to judgment from others, allowing the believers to be viewed as “good” Christians, or otherwise. This quickly becomes problematic. For instance, politicians stand in front of large crowds and claim their “belief in the Lord Jesus Christ” as their motivating factor for any wide range of things they say. Or on the other hand, many “people of faith” allow unjust systems to remain unquestioned because “God always has a plan”.
This view of suggested that faith is a thing to be measured, gained, or believed in – this is not true faith. It allows action to be inserted or left out with almost equal disregard. Understanding faith as something that is optional overlooks it’s fundamental essence. Rather than something we choose to believe, faith is an intrinsic part of our human experience. In his book Dynamics of Faith Paul Tillich suggests “Man is driven toward faith by his awareness of the infinite to which he belongs, but which he does not own like a possession.” Faith should not be understood as belief in our connection to something greater than ourselves, but rather the recognition of that already present connection, and the drive to strengthen it. Having faith is having the willingness to learn and practice the things that deepen our connection with the Divine.
Because of its truthfulness, faith has always been an essential part of the human experience. Karen Armstrong talks about this as “our search for meaning” and documents the acts throughout history that intended to honor that search. In the earliest human societies, toward the end of the Paleolithic age, cave drawings were found and determined to denote places of ritual and honor. These drawings were not connected to any specific “God” that we would understand today, but were signs of faith. They were expressions of awe in the grander order of the world that people were experiencing. These might be the earliest documented expressions of faith, but countless other examples throughout the development of societies make it clear that faith has always shaped how we interact with our world. Armstrong claims that there has always been an awareness of the “the fundamental reality” which eventually came to be called God. She goes onto say that this fundamental reality transcends human concepts and thoughts, and can only be known through devoted religious practice.
The problem is: faith by this definition is exhibited solely through human action and human action is often misguided by ego – even when our intentions are otherwise. Tillich explains faith as an act of the personality as a whole. (Or imagine personality when it’s whole.) He proposes that “we must deny that man’s essential nature is identical with the rational character of his mind”. Therefore we must conclude that faith emerges from the struggle between the true nature of one’s whole self and the rational acts of the mind. True faith based actions are those that bridge our human experience with our divine nature.
But, how can we know what are truly acts of faith? We must start with listening. Listening not with our ears, but with our inner most selves, listening again for that “fundamental reality” from which we have become disconnected. This listening must come from a place of humility and openness. We must sharpen the skill of distinction between acts of faith and acts of ego. This proves time and time again to be extremely difficult for humans. We live a time where countless systems have been developed to distort that skill (possibly it has always been a time when systems were in place to distort that skill). Tillich reminds us that “Many distortions of the meaning of faith are rooted in the attempt to subsume faith to the cognitive function of personal life and emotion and will.” These are distortions that could be avoided through a well developed practice of humbled listening.
The idea that those with the deepest faith are those who have made the choice to believe denotes a deterioration. This idea presumes that we can no longer simply recognize our connection to something greater and search for and practice ways to honor that connection. It implies that we have been conditioned so thoroughly in the rational and ego that we have to take a “leap of faith”, we have chosen to believe in something we cannot see, something we once knew, and felt. A truth we have been conditioned to overlook and suppress in favor of appeasing our ego.
Tillich makes the argument that “Faith is freedom.” The consequences of ill practiced faith are ones we are all familiar with. We have experienced them. They are as often internal consequences and external ones. Tillich explains his sentiment, “In the ecstasy of faith there is an awareness of truth and of ethical value there are also past loves and hates, conflicts and reunions, individual and collective influences. Ecstasy means standing outside of oneself – without ceasing to be oneself – with all the elements which are united in the personal center. Ecstasy means standing outside of oneself – without ceasing to be oneself – with all the elements which are united in the personal center.
Matters of faith are not a choice, rather our natural state. How do we ensure that we are not engaging in things that distract ourselves from this natural state? How do we strengthen our connection to the Divine and come fully back into our whole selves?
Gratitude and Greed – The Legacy of Francis and Gandhi
August 1, 2016 in Spirituality | No comments
By Liz McAlister
Dissatisfaction. A vague hunger. Subtle, nagging, demanding to be filled – seldom strong enough to be the central focus of attention. A vague hunger both blind and lost, that is seduced, distorted, manipulated to define itself in terms of greed, consumption, and wealth addiction. So we seek to fill it – with an excess of food, activity, information, possessions. We want more because what we are getting is not what we need. Now is never enough. Too much is never enough.
The great seducer is the culture. The average North American is bombarded 10,000 times a day with sensory bites. Their thrust:
– to breed dissatisfaction – we aren’t beautiful enough, clean enough, cool enough, smart enough, young enough
– to sell products that will make us beautiful, clean, cool, smart, young.
– to create among us rivalry, competitiveness,
– to sabotage every effort to build the kind of community that can enable us to withstand the
pressures of greed.
– to expect fulfillment in the future, and that future is for sale – if you have enough money, you can buy!
The preaching of the culture is fear: “There isn’t enough to go around.”
Pascal named the awareness of vague hunger the “god-shaped vacuum” within us. We triumph over it when we learn to trust the very hunger and fear we’ve been taught to avoid. Face it! Embrace it! Recognition of it is the juncture at which we choose: either to seek our grounding in materialism; or to move beyond it – and move from the cultural imperative to the spiritual alternative which invites us to enter fully into all that has been given to us.
Gratitude is our response. Gratitude is the antidote to the poison – it is the hidden art, the unrecognized answer. Gratitude has nothing to do with counting our blessings (and being thankful only if the good outweighs the bad). It has to do with walking headlong into the wholeness of life. And with the realization that, hidden in my gratitude for the life within me and before me is the nourishment I seek in vain through acquisitiveness . It is a practice of living fully the miracle of this moment.
What is it that gratitude achieves? If we can understand that our capacity to praise and be grateful for something in this world and nature hinges on our capacity to involve ourselves in that which we extol , then we can understand that the spirit of gratitude draws us out of ourselves and into involvement. It enables us to open ourselves to be able to forget ourselves in unity with others… If expressing gratitude for what is is an act of being alive, then we are dead people most of the time.
I want to dig a little into the hold that greed and property have on us. Let anyone say: “Property is sacred,” and critical thinking is stifled. Because this sacrosanct nature of property in the hands of a few is confirmed by law and sanctioned by state power, even the dispossessed majority tends to accept it. While deefinitions vary, exclusiveness and unlimited disposition are the chief elements of ownership as the term is commonly used. It demands analysis. The thing is – none of its foundations are true.
It was the Ancient Romans who developed the concept of ownership. It was Roman law that legitimized the accumulation of wealth by the few at the expense and impoverishment of the many. From there, private ownership of the land formed the basis of the slave-owning, the feudal, the capitalist, and the state-capitalist economic systems successively. This ownership concept is
a) the root of the present global crisis, in which the rich become richer because the poor become poorer.
b) the root of impoverishment of the land and of society and the ecological crisis we now face.
c) the root of most of our warring.
“But what is the meaning of “mine” and “not mine? …chilly words which introduce innumerable wars into the world.” (John Chrysostom)
(These are the effects of greed that I would have us delve into)
(1) The Roman Law ownership is the root of the present global crisis, in which the rich become richer because the poor become poorer.
What is rarely considered is a philosophical and moral view of ownership: “What is ownership-as-it-ought-to-be?” It’s a question searching for response, especially today among Third World peasants – what is legal does not reflect what is just. They ask:
– Why can we not own the land we till, which our ancestors tilled?
– Whose is the land really? It was there before you and I were born. When landlords and we shall die, the land will still be there.
– What is just with regard to the land?
They look to history for answers. In all primitive societies people exercised collective authority over land. Not until the coming of the Spaniards in this country, was the notion of legal title to land introduced and Roman law of individual ownership propagated. Thus ownership by Spaniards of large tracts of land seized from the natives was recognized as legal.
The urgent question of ownership coming right into the 21st century is essentially the same as the question faced by Christian philosophers in the late Roman Empire. Clement of Alexandria, Basil the Great, Ambrose, John Chrysostom, Augustine – critique private ownership of the means of subsistence and its effect on both rich and poor. While the Roman law has been passed down, and while all are considered great thinkers and saints, their critique has been silenced. The principles they outlined toward a philosophical and moral view of ownership are 2
Self sufficiency as a purpose of property… One who lacks the necessities of life cannot be other than broken in spirit . Property is for our use – to give people moral self-assurance regarding externals and hence free them for service to others… so people can lead a life consonant with human dignity. It is a means! The greedy are “foolish” they treat it as an end.
2.Koinonia as a purpose of property… Goods are called goods because they do good, and they have been provided by God for the good of humanity. Ownership of wealth should not mean the right to do with property as one wills but rather as God wills. And God’s will is manifest in the creation of people as social, as moving toward unity, as community, or koinonia. The purpose of wealth is to foster koinonia – fellowship that abolishes the differentiation between the few rich who wallow in luxury and the all too many in poverty. This aspect of property is reflected in the comment of John Woolman: “The Quakers came to this country to do good; and they have done very well!”
It is not human to regard property as something with which one may do as one likes simply because it is one’s “own.” To be properly human, one must act in a spirit of community – cast aside the prevailing, absolutist, indiviualistic Roman law legitimation of property and embrace a new rationale of ownership, holding things in such a way that they may be common. The basic difference is in fixing the right of ownership in the static order of keeping or holding instead of recognizing it as a dynamic reality: a duty of sharing.
Backing these principles is the observation”
– just as the foot is the measure of the sandal, so the physical needs of each are the measure of what one should possess. Whatever is excessive is a burden for the body.
– just as air, water, fire, the sun, land – are causes of life, they and all the wealth of earth belong to the human family and not to the few.
– the most basic title to property is the title of need. To this need all others are subordinate and by this need the right of ownership is limited. For the rich to share their wealth constitutes an act of restitution because they have accumulated so much that the poor have been deprived of their birthright.
The patristics denounced the status quo because it granting moral legitimation to what is immoral. They tried to reason with exploiting classes that their wealth was the result of theft, with a view to moving them to restore it by redistribution. They taught a philosophy of ownership based on the view that God is parent and giver and provider for all and that the few must cease stealing the food-producing resources that God destined for the use of all. Then everyone could celebrate their effective participation in the same common nature – in the one human family to which all belonged.
Legal arrangements of property rights are of human origin and should be changed as an expression of a faith-informed ethic based on the true meaning of ownership. Justice cannot be realized until humanity has effectively rejected the idolatry of property.
(2) – The Roman Law dealing with ownership is the root of the impoverishment of the land and of the society and the ecological crisis we now face. The possession of large tracts of land by the few not only destroys the many, pushing them into destitution, dependence, crime, it also destroys the land. It has blinded us to our integral relationship with the natural world. We pride ourselves on outwitting nature. We develop technology to transcend the basic biological law – a law of limits. We look to live beyond the limits that are normal and natural to us as human beings. We keep inventing; we keep trying to get beyond the human condition into some kind of wonderworld. But the more we try, the more we waste-the-world, and destroy our whole situation. Greed!
Other societies might be limited by their lack of technological development. Our society burns the energies of the planet, trying to get beyond the planet. We invent things that have immediate advantages; we cling to a short-term view that a moment of security or well-being can be had today without enormous charges against tomorrow.
The earth is what we have in common; we cannot damage it without damaging ourselves and all with whom we share it. When we disturb the outer world, we are destroying living forms – animal, trees, etc. And disturb the land we have! (Wendel Berry) The woods and streams inherit all the harms of human enterprise. We burn the world to live; our living blights the trees . Great machines, herbicides, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, de-forestation, desertification. We are losing probably ten thousand species a year – the greatest set-back to the abundance and diversity of life on earth since the first flickerings of life almost four billion years ago. And when we destroy the living forms of this planet, we destroy modes of God’s presence. If we have a wonderful sense of the divine, if we have refinement of emotion and sensitivity, it is because we live amid such awesome magnificence, it is because of the diversity, the beauty, the rhythmic movements of the world about us. If we grow in our life vigor, it is because the earthly community challenges us, forces us to struggle to survive, but, in the end, reveals itself as benign providence.
(3) – The Roman Law ownership concept is the root of most of our warring. “But what is the meaning of “mine” and “not mine?” …chilly words which introduce innumerable wars into the world.” (Chrysostom). “If we have property, we’ll need walls and weapons to protect it.” ((Francis of Assisi) ) “On account of the things which each one of us possesses singly, wars exist, hatreds, discords, strifes among human beings, tumults, dissensions, scandals, sins, injustices, and murders.” (Augustine) Preparation for nuclear war has turned the whole of North America into a weapons factory in peace time. Mining, milling, and processing; enrichment and nuclear reactors; reprocessing plants that separate out the plutonium; bomb factories for triggers and bomb assembly plants; testing sites for nuclear weapons and nuclear waste repositories. And through all, there is no safe level of radiation.
We’ve set off thousands of nuclear bombs on the planet, over half of them American. We’ve done severe damage to the biosphere and to human health. Subtle and not so subtle damage has happened both to the biosphere and the gene pool. As we produce more radioactive material, we enlarge the susceptible population, we increase the number of children with asthsma and allergies, juvenile diabetes, heart disease, arthritic conditions at age 8 or 9. These children are more vulnerable to a hazardous environment. And we keep enlarging this vulnerable category, even as we increase the toxicity of the environment! That’s a species death process.
We have toxic waste dumps, nuclear power plants, pesticides, herbicides, and defoliants created during the Vietnam War, now used on farms and in cities, plus the radioactive garbage sifting down from the stratosphere (a UN study claims 150 megatons from testing) – and no one keeps track of what is happening.
Luke 12:15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a person’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”
As faith is the antithesis (antidote) to fear, gratitude is the antithesis of greed. Over 100 verses in the Scriptures mandate Thanksgiving. We see it * Ps. 107, 118, and 136. Phil. 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
The central vision of world history in the Bible is that creation is one, every creature in community with every other, living in harmony and security toward the joy and well-being of every other creature. All are children of one family, heirs of one hope, bearers of one destiny – the care and management of God’s creation. This is the root of gratitude – this destiny, this dream of God for us that resists all our tendencies to division, hostility, fear, drivenness, and misery.
Without gratitude our future is complusive drivenness. Without gratitude there is no grounding from which to defy all that must be confronted in this estranged world of ours. Gratitude is a response to two specific life-style decisions: simplicity and service (neither of which is possible without community). These decisions are essential because gratitude is not something we can acquire and then use as if it were a new possession. Gratitude grows from a context of health created by “right attitude” and “right livelihood.”
“Right attitude” and “right livelihood” contradict all those cultural living habits that have to do with maintaining what we have and coveting what we don’t. “The greatest wealth of all is having so little that one must notice how much one has in having life itself.” With little to protect and acquire, life is simple. The answer we seek isn’t in saturation but simple thanksgiving. We become what we think: therefore a mindfulness of/gratefulness for our world family!
When wealth is reckoned in commodities, stashed away for some to have and some not to have; when “know-how” is spohisticated, mystifying, technical – possessed by some and not by others; when a sense of solidarity among persons yields to a kind of individuality; when a sense of belonging with others is diminished and a sense of being apart from others takes its place, when $, access, and knowledge are no longer shared among us but are controlled by some, the natural network of caring community collapses. Let us pray for clarity to see all that lives not as raw materials, symbols, but as sister-presences, independent, called out of nothing by no word of ours, bless`ed, here with us. May we live to breathe air worthy of breath – may we become breathers worth their air, makers worth their hire!
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The tantra yoga practices include asanas and breathing exercises. The Nyingma tradition practices Yantra yoga (Tib. "Trul khor"), a discipline that includes breath work (or pranayama), meditative contemplation and other exercises.[190] In the Nyingma tradition, the path of meditation practice is divided into further stages,[191] such as Kriya yoga, Upa yoga, Yoga yana, Mahā yoga, Anu yoga and Ati yoga.[192] The Sarma traditions also include Kriya, Upa (called "Charya"), and Yoga, with the Anuttara yoga class substituting for Mahayoga and Atiyoga.[193]
Do not take Qsymia if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or become pregnant during Qsymia treatment; have glaucoma; have thyroid problems (hyperthyroidism); are taking certain medicines called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) or have taken MAOIs in the past 14 days; are allergic to topiramate, sympathomimetic amines such as phentermine, or any of the ingredients in Qsymia. See the end of the Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in Qsymia.
Birth defects (cleft lip/cleft palate). If you take Qsymia during pregnancy, your baby has a higher risk for birth defects called cleft lip and cleft palate. These defects can begin early in pregnancy, even before you know you are pregnant. Women who are pregnant must not take Qsymia. Women who can become pregnant should have a negative pregnancy test before taking Qsymia and every month while taking Qsymia and use effective birth control (contraception) consistently while taking Qsymia. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to prevent pregnancy. If you become pregnant while taking Qsymia, stop taking Qsymia immediately, and tell your healthcare provider right away. Healthcare providers and patients should report all cases of pregnancy to FDA MedWatch at 1-800-FDA-1088, and the Qsymia Pregnancy Surveillance Program at 1-888-998-4887.
1 Reference for 5%: Blackburn G. (1995). Effect of degree of weight loss on health benefits. Obesity Research 3: 211S-216S. Reference for 10%: NIH, NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. Available online: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/ob_gdlns.pdf Cdc-pdf[PDF-1.25MB]External
In 1990, professional wrestling promoter Vince McMahon announced that he was forming a new bodybuilding organization named the World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF). McMahon wanted to bring WWF-style showmanship and bigger prize money to the sport of bodybuilding. A number of IFBB stars were recruited but the roster was never very large and featured the same athletes competing; the most notable winner and first WBF champion was Gary Strydom. McMahon formally dissolved the WBF in July 1992. Reasons for this reportedly included lack of income from the pay-per-view broadcasts of the contests, slow sales of the WBF's magazine Bodybuilding Lifestyles (later WBF Magazine), and the expense of paying multiple six-figure contracts while producing two TV shows and a monthly magazine.
The Rigveda, however, does not describe yoga, and there is little evidence as to what the practices were.[7] Early references to practices that later became part of yoga, are made in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the earliest Hindu Upanishad.[67] For example, the practice of pranayama (consciously regulating breath) is mentioned in hymn 1.5.23 of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (c. 900 BCE), and the practice of pratyahara (concentrating all of one's senses on self) is mentioned in hymn 8.15 of Chandogya Upanishad (c. 800–700 BCE).[68][note 8] The Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana teaches mantra repetition and control of the breath.[71] https://www.facebook.com/Buzzing-Offer-Self-Help-342022286679901/
Jain yoga has been a central practice in Jainism. Jain spirituality is based on a strict code of nonviolence or ahimsa (which includes vegetarianism), almsgiving (dana), right faith in the three jewels, the practice of austerities (tapas) such as fasting, and yogic practices.[249][250] Jain yoga aims at the liberation and purification of the self (atma) or soul (jiva) from the forces of karma, which keep all souls bound to the cycle of transmigration. Like Yoga and Sankhya, Jainism believes in a multiplicity of individual souls which bound by their individual karma.[251] Only through the reduction of karmic influxes and the exhaustion of one's collected karma can a soul become purified and released, at which point one becomes an omniscient being who has reaches "absolute knowledge" (kevala jnana).[252]
Sandow was so successful at flexing and posing his physique that he later created several businesses around his fame, and was among the first to market products branded with his name. He was credited with inventing and selling the first exercise equipment for the masses: machined dumbbells, spring pulleys, and tension bands. Even his image was sold by the thousands in "cabinet cards" and other prints. Sandow was a perfect "Gracilian", a standard of ideal body proportions close to those of ancient Greek and Roman statues. Men's physiques were then judged by how closely they matched these proportions.
^ On the dates of the Pali canon, Gregory Schopen writes, "We know, and have known for some time, that the Pali canon as we have it — and it is generally conceded to be our oldest source — cannot be taken back further than the last quarter of the first century BCE, the date of the Alu-vihara redaction, the earliest redaction we can have some knowledge of, and that — for a critical history — it can serve, at the very most, only as a source for the Buddhism of this period. But we also know that even this is problematic... In fact, it is not until the time of the commentaries of Buddhaghosa, Dhammapala, and others — that is to say, the fifth to sixth centuries CE — that we can know anything definite about the actual contents of [the Pali] canon."[92]
Onesicritus also mentions his colleague Calanus trying to meet them, who is initially denied audience, but later invited because he was sent by a "king curious of wisdom and philosophy".[108] Onesicritus and Calanus learn that the yogins consider the best doctrine of life as "rid the spirit of not only pain, but also pleasure", that "man trains the body for toil in order that his opinions may be strengthened", that "there is no shame in life on frugal fare", and that "the best place to inhabit is one with scantiest equipment or outfit".[107][108] These principles are significant to the history of spiritual side of yoga.[107] These may reflect the ancient roots of "undisturbed calmness" and "mindfulness through balance" in later works of Hindu Patanjali and Buddhist Buddhaghosa respectively, states Charles Rockwell Lanman;[107] as well as the principle of Aparigraha (non-possessiveness, non-craving, simple living) and asceticism discussed in later Hinduism and Jainism.[citation needed]
*Pay initiation fee plus first and last months’ dues. Initiation fee ranges between $29.99-$49.99, and monthly dues range between $29.99-$99.99 per month, depending on club location and type. Pay $49.99 Annual Fee once during fourth month of enrollment and annually thereafter. Offer available online or in club. Offer applies to select One-Club Commitment memberships at Sport and Active clubs only. Offer not available at Super-Sport or Ultra-Sport clubs. Excludes All-Club, Basic, Add-On and Limited Term Prepaid memberships. One year commitment required for Commitment memberships. Selected club of enrollment must be within 50 miles of purchaser’s residence. One-Club access is for club of enrollment only. Taxes may apply. Not valid for current members. Dues must be paid by pre-authorized payment (eft). Must be at least 18 years old or 12 with parent. No other discounts with this offer. Incentives may be offered for other memberships. Facilities and amenities vary per location. Kids’ Club, Personal/Group Training, specialty classes and class reservations are available for an additional fee. Not all clubs open 24 hours every day. See club for details. Excludes select Hawaii, San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey Bay Area clubs. Valid through 11:59 (PT) on 6/9/2019. © 2019 24 Hour Fitness USA, Inc. Texas Health Studio #080501. Florida Registration Numbers HS4505, HS4504, HS7025, HS7004, HS7479, HS7621, HS7436, HS7746, HS7663, HS7776, HS7805, HS12038, HS11951, HS12546, HS12661, HS12874.
In the early 2000s, the IFBB was attempting to make bodybuilding an Olympic sport. It obtained full IOC membership in 2000 and was attempting to get approved as a demonstration event at the Olympics, which would hopefully lead to it being added as a full contest. This did not happen and Olympic recognition for bodybuilding remains controversial since many argue that bodybuilding is not a sport.[11]
So there are going to be certain days where I have to go to the gym to lift in the morning, and then eight hours later go to judo. I really want to do this. I want to try and make it work. It doesn't FEEL like it'll be too much, but I'm not sure. Am I being over ambitious? Does this seem like too much? I know it's a broad question, but any input is valuable.
Tantra is a range of esoteric traditions that began to arise in India no later than the 5th century CE.[180][note 17] George Samuel states, "Tantra" is a contested term, but may be considered as a school whose practices appeared in mostly complete form in Buddhist and Hindu texts by about 10th century CE.[182] Tantric texts include yogic techniques, as well as complex rituals, the use of mantras, devotion towards particular deities and various other practices. Tantric yoga developed complex visualizations which included meditation on the body as a microcosm of the cosmos. They included also the use of mantras, pranayama, and the manipulation of the subtle body, including its nadis and cakras. One of the most popular models of the Hindu tantric body is that of the Kubjikamata tantra (10th century), in which six power centers or cakras of the subtle body as seen as six forms of the goddess Kubjika and her consort. This tantra also contains a teaching on the goddess Kundalini, which resides at the base of the spine and through certain visualization exercises may be made to rise up through the central channel to the crown of the head where she is united with Siva. These teachings on cakras and Kundalini would become central to later forms of Indian Yoga.[183]
^ Mangano, Kelsey M.; Sahni, Shivani; Kiel, Douglas P.; Tucker, Katherine L.; Dufour, Alyssa B.; Hannan, Marian T. (February 8, 2017). "Dietary protein is associated with musculoskeletal health independently of dietary pattern: the Framingham Third Generation Study". The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 105 (3): 714–722. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.136762. PMC 5320406. PMID 28179224 – via ajcn.nutrition.org.
The early Buddhist texts describe yogic and meditative practices, some of which the Buddha borrowed from the śramaṇa tradition.[81][82] The Pali canon contains three passages in which the Buddha describes pressing the tongue against the palate for the purposes of controlling hunger or the mind, depending on the passage.[83] However, there is no mention of the tongue being inserted into the nasopharynx as in true khecarī mudrā. The Buddha used a posture where pressure is put on the perineum with the heel, similar to even modern postures used to stimulate Kundalini.[84] Some of the major suttas that discuss yogic practice include the Satipatthana sutta (Four foundations of mindfulness sutta) and the Anapanasati sutta (Mindfulness of breathing sutta).
The Yoga Sutras are also influenced by the Sramana traditions of Buddhism and Jainism, and may represent a further Brahmanical attempt to adopt yoga from the Sramana traditions.[129] As noted by Larson, there are numerous parallels in the concepts in ancient Samkhya, Yoga and Abhidharma Buddhist schools of thought, particularly from 2nd century BCE to 1st century AD.[139] Patanjali's Yoga Sutras is a synthesis of these three traditions. From Samkhya, the Yoga Sutras adopt the "reflective discernment" (adhyavasaya) of prakrti and purusa (dualism), its metaphysical rationalism, as well its three epistemic methods of gaining reliable knowledge.[139] From Abhidharma Buddhism's idea of nirodhasamadhi, suggests Larson, Yoga Sutras adopt the pursuit of altered state of awareness, but unlike Buddhism's concept of no self nor soul, Yoga is physicalist and realist like Samkhya in believing that each individual has a self and soul.[139] The third concept Yoga Sutras synthesize into its philosophy is the ancient ascetic traditions of meditation and introspection, as well as the yoga ideas from middle Upanishads such as Katha, Shvetashvatara and Maitri.[139]
According to Crangle, some researchers have favoured a linear theory, which attempts "to interpret the origin and early development of Indian contemplative practices as a sequential growth from an Aryan genesis",[54][note 4] just like traditional Hinduism regards the Vedas to be the ultimate source of all spiritual knowledge.[55][note 5] Thomas McEvilley favors a composite model where pre-Aryan yoga prototype existed in the pre-Vedic period and its refinement began in the Vedic period.[58]
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Systematic activities to prevent or cure health problems and promote good health in humans are undertaken by health care providers. Applications with regard to animal health are covered by the veterinary sciences. The term "healthy" is also widely used in the context of many types of non-living organizations and their impacts for the benefit of humans, such as in the sense of healthy communities, healthy cities or healthy environments. In addition to health care interventions and a person's surroundings, a number of other factors are known to influence the health status of individuals, including their background, lifestyle, and economic, social conditions and spirituality; these are referred to as "determinants of health." Studies have shown that high levels of stress can affect human health.[15]
The Maitrayaniya Upanishad, likely composed in a later century than Katha and Shvetashvatara Upanishads but before Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, mentions sixfold yoga method – breath control (pranayama), introspective withdrawal of senses (pratyahara), meditation (dhyana), mind concentration (dharana), philosophical inquiry/creative reasoning (tarka), and absorption/intense spiritual union (samadhi).[10][100][104]
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Justin Salhani
Journalist | Writer | Creative
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The white nationalist movement’s favorite philosopher
May 02, 2017 by Justin Salhani
Aleksandr Dugin is a radical, Trump supporting, self-proclaimed philosopher from Russia. Traditionalism and cultural purity are two of his most valued philosophical tenets. And while his influence may be overstated in Russia, his ideology has infiltrated white nationalist circles in the United States and parts of Europe.
One of Dugin’s biggest fans is Richard Spencer, the head of the racist National Policy Institute (NPI) and the man who popularized the term “alt-right.” Dugin’s work has been published on Spencer’s former website Alternate Right. And Spencer’s wife, Nina Spencer (who also goes by the aliases Nina Kouprianova, or Byzantina) has regularly translated Dugin’s work into English on her blog (though the blog gives the disclaimer saying that translated words are not necessarily the views of the translator).
One of those translations was an ode to Igor Strelkov, a former commander of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine who the Ukrainian government has accused of being a Russian agent and war criminal. Strelkov, also known as Igor Girkin, wants a new Russia to one day span all of Belarus and Ukraine. In January, he gave a chilling interview where he said he stopped looting in the Ukrainian city of Slovyansk by executing the looters.
“He is our cultural heritage of enormous value,” Dugin wrote in the piece translated on Nina Spencer’s website. “This is why so many wanted to have him killed, get rid of him, minimize his significance and vulgarize him, and now bring him down even more so. If we allow this to happen, then we are worthless.”
The original piece was written by Dugin in August 2014.
Spencer’s adherence to Dugin’s ideology was shown as recently as last month when he tweeted a message of Dugin’s, using the same “swamp” metaphor that President-elect Donald Trump has employed when pledging to “drain the swamp.”
Spencer invited Dugin to be the keynote speaker at a 2014 conference in Budapest that was set to gather a number of far right wing ideologues, racists, and uber-nationalists. The conference never took place. Dugin was denied a visa; Spencer was detained for 72 hours, then banned from both Hungary and the majority of the European Union for three years. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán — a man with deeply Islamophobic views — personally ordered Interior Minister Sándor Pintér to “use all means available” to prevent the conference, according to the Budapest Beacon.
Prior to the conference’s cancellation, two members of Hungary’s radical nationalist movement Jobbik pulled out. Party chairman Gábor Vona, who has lectured at Lomonosov University in Russia on Dugin’s invitation, and its deputy caucus leader Márton Gyöngyösi — a man who was criticized for demanding Hungary draw up a list of Jews who are “national security risks” — deemed the event too controversial.
Dugin’s ties to the American white nationalist movement go beyond Spencer. Last year, Dugin recorded a speech entitled “To My American Friends in Our Common Struggle" that was played at a conference in California, Business Insider reported. The conference was hosted by Matthew Heimbach, a man the Southern Poverty Law Center describes as “the face of a new generation of white nationalists.” In his video address, Dugin told the California crowd that their way of life was in peril.
“American society in its collective dimension as a community of Anglo-Saxon or European group settlers that have created the states is now endangered, as well as other ethnic or cultural or historic collectivities,” Dugin said. “So the American people is endangered in the same way or maybe more than the rest of humanity.”
Dugin also has links to Preston Wiginton, a 51 year old white nationalist who enrolled at Texas A&U while in his forties with a plan to walk onto the football team (he dropped out after a year). Wiginton invited Spencer to speak at his alma mater this year and invited Dugin to give a Skype address last year, since Dugin is banned from entering the United States by the Treasury Department. Dugin’s talk, entitled “American Liberalism Must Be Destroyed,” drew 17 people.
His speech at Texas A&M was more moderate than others. He denied being a proponent of fascism (despite his prior writings on a “fourth political theory” that fused fascism and communism), and denied wanting to kill Ukrainians (though he is on record saying that there are “terrible people” in Ukraine who must be “killed, killed, and killed.)
At one point in the talk he said he believed, “to be liberal and Nazi is the same.”
Wiginton’s prominence in white nationalist circles also extends to Russia, where, according to the SPLC, he sublets an apartment from former KKK boss and avid Trump supporter David Duke. Wiginton says Russian skin heads are his “best friends.”
Outside of the U.S., Dugin has connections to Nikos Michaloliakos, the jailed leader of Greece’s far right nationalist party Golden Dawn, and met with the party’s representatives in 2014 to discuss the annexation of Crimea. His rhetoric has been echoed by Emmanuel Leroy, a speechwriter for the Front National’s chief Marine Le Pen.
In a 2008 essay, Leroy calls for the European Union to be replaced by “a continental economy…from Brest to Vladivostok” and advocates for “solidarisme”, “a nationalist, economically protectionist ideology derived from the traditional fascist ‘Third Position’,” the Daily Beast reported.
Originally published in ThinkProgress.
May 02, 2017 /Justin Salhani
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Dr. Moshe Kantor
Head of the Kantor Center
Recorded Meetings and Events
A Conference in Honour of the 50th. Anniversary of the Publication of Nostra Aetate (14/12/2015)
Seventy Years without Raoul Wallenberg - A Conference on Diplomacy and Legislative Activity Against Racism (15/1/2015)
A Conference in Honour of Dr. Raphi Vago (6/1/2015)
A Conference on "Israel and Jewish Peoplehood. The place of Israel in the shaping of contemporary Jewish identity" (24/12/2013)
Launching of the first two volumes of "Legislating for Equality" (December 2013)
International Conference on German Jewry (February 2013)
International Seminar on Antisemitism and Xenophobia in Warsaw (15,16,17/11/2012)
An Evening in Honour of Mike Whine, MBE (11/6/12)
Holocaust Remembrance in the Shape of Jewish Identity (19/4/2012)
Seminar: Dilemmas of Jewish Identity in Contemporary Europe (2011-2012)
Seminar: Dilemmas of Jewish Identity in Contemporary Europe - Continuation (2011-2012)
2010 Report on World Antisemitism
Search in Antisemitism Database
Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry
Home > History and Demography > European Jewish Communities > Austria
Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde - IKG
Jewish life in Austria dates back to the times of the Roman Empire, originating with the exodus of clusters of Jews from Roman-occupied Israel and peaking in the early 1930's, when Jews comprised 10% of Vienna's total population. The 'Jewish story' in Austria is defined by the community's fluctuating political status over the ages, with epochs of equality and prosperity and eras rife with pogroms, deportations and anti-Semitism.
In 1781, Emperor Joseph II issued an 'Edict of Tolerance' that eventually led to the emancipation of the Jews and the official sanctioning of an autonomous Jewish religious community in 1849 by Emperor Franz Joseph.
The equal rights status facilitated the establishment in 1852 of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien (IKG)--the Vienna Israelite Community--which serves as the official body that represents Austria's Jewish communities. This was followed by the 1890 'Jewish Law,' a Habsburg statute that codified the relationship between Jewish congregations and the state on a unified legal basis.
Between 1848 and 1938, Austrian Jewry enjoyed a vibrant Jewish life and contributed much to Vienna's reputation as a 'city of intellectuals and artists.' Much credit is attributed to the significant intellectual and cultural achievements of Jewish luminaries such as Sigmund Freud, Martin Buber, Theodor Herzl, Gustav Mahler, Arthur Schnitzler and many others. In the mid-1930s, the Jewish population numbered some 200,000 (180,000 in Vienna). From 1923 to 1934, 10% of Vienna's population was Jewish.
Most Austrians enthusiastically welcomed the Anschluss, Germany's annexation of Austria, in 1938. Austrians joined the Nazi Party and were active in the death camp apparatus in proportionally greater numbers than the Germans. Both Hitler and Adolf Eichmann were Austrian-born. Although many Austrian Jews managed to flee the country after the Anschluss, between 65,000-70,000 were murdered in the Holocaust.
Fifteen thousand Jews live in Austria today, with Vienna the home of the great majority. There are also several smaller communities, none with more than 100 Jews, including Baden, Graz, Innsbruck, Linz, and Salzburg. Present-day Austrian Jewry is primarily composed of Holocaust survivors (and their children), returning Austrian expatriates and refugees from eastern Europe. In recent years, Austria has offered sanctuary to many Soviet and Iranian Jews. Among the newcomers from the former Soviet Union are a large number of Bukharin and Georgian Jews, who have set up their own religious and cultural center.
The Israelitische Religionsgesellschaft, (the Jewish Religious Association) is the primary representative body of Austrian Jewry. It consists of independent individual communities, each one operating as an umbrella organization within a certain constituency (Graz, Innsbruck, Linz, Salzburg). The Sephardi Federation is also part of the Viennese community and cares for the interests of the Jews of Bukharin and Georgian origin.
Austrian Jewry today enjoys an abundance of cultural and educational institutions and looks toward the future: There are four Jewish kindergartens and four day schools offering Jewish education from the 1st - 12th grade, among them the Zwi Perez Chajes School, the Lauder Chabad-Campus and the ultra-orthodox Talmud School "Machsike Hadass", JBBZ, and Lauder Business School (LBS). The Vienna University has an institute for Jewish studies. The Institute for the History of Jews in Austria is located in the former synagogue in St. Poelten. The Jewish sports club S.C. Hakoah has long traditions in Austria and offers facilities for physical training and athletics.
There are also Austrian branches of leading Jewish organizations, such as B'nai B'rith and WIZO. The Zionist Federation is the principal outlet for Zionist activity. Youth movements include B'nai Akiva, Hashomer Hatzair, and the Austrian Jewish Students Union. The Viennese community also operates a home for the aged with an intensive care unit.
The Jews of Vienna publish a number of journals and papers, which also have a wide readership among expatriate Austrian Jews. The two largest are the 2 monthly Die Gemeinde (the official paper of the community), WINA, and the Illustrierte Neue Welt, originally founded by Theodor Herzl himself. The chief rabbi has a radio program.
There is no shortage of religious establishments in Vienna today and the Jewish Welcome Service extends its help to Jewish visitors and newcomers. The only synagogue in Vienna to survive the Shoah is the Stadttempel (built in 1826), where the community offices and chief rabbinate are presently located. There are 13 shtiebelach and prayer rooms catering to various Chassidic groups and other congregations. Prayer rooms can be found in the smaller communities as well. Vienna has four kosher restaurants and four kosher supermarkets, as well as two kosher butcher shops and a kosher bakery. During the summer there is a kosher hotel in the resort of Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
Austria has numerous sites of Jewish interest, including several synagogues and cemeteries. The Jewish Museum of the City of Vienna chronicles the rich history of Viennese Jewry and is responsible for the upkeep of the recently discovered remains of the medieval Or-Sarua synagogue. The Jewish Museum in Eisenstadt is located in the one-time residence of Rabbi Samson Wertheimer, a Hapsburg court Jew and chief rabbi of Hungary. There is also a museum in Hohenems. The concentration camp at Mauthausen, in the Danube Valley near Linz, offers grim evidence of the Holocaust.
Jews in Austria have had to contend with frequent outbursts of anti-Semitism on both a grassroots and state level. These have included vandalism, swastika daubing and attacks in the media. The election campaign of Kurt Waldheim, former U.N. Secretary General, who lied about his Nazi past, was tainted with blatant manifestations of anti-Semitism. However, this episode forced many Austrians to confront their history and laid the foundations for discussions on the restitution of Jewish property. More recently, the success of Freedom Party has been cause for concern.
Austria and Israel enjoy full diplomatic relations. Since Israel's establishment in 1948, 5,400 Austrian Jews have immigrated to Israel.
Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien - IKG
PRESIDENT: Oskar DEUTSCH
SECRETARY GENERAL: Raimund FASTENBAUER
Seitenstettengasse 4
Tel. +43/1/531 04-0
Fax. +43/1/531 04-108
E-Mail: office@ikg-wien.at
www.ikg-wien.at
History and Demography
European Jewish Communities
Other Jewish Communities - Non-European Members of the European Jewish Congress
Other Jewish Communities in Europe - Not Affiliated to the European Jewish Congress
A new book on Being Jewish in 21st. Century Germany
Two Jewish Communities in Three European Cities: Patterns of Integration and Acculturation
Europe Legislation Database
Regulating Online Hate Speech in Europe
Legislating for Equality Series
Countering BDS via Legal Measures
Antisemitism and Racism
Moshe Kantor Antisemitism Database
General Analyses on Antisemitism Worldwide
General Analysis 2018
Papers on Antisemitism and Racism
Articles published since 2014
A Crumbling Taboo? Antisemitism in Austria before and after the National Elections 2017, by Carina Klammer
Are the New Forms of Antisemitism Prohibited in the European Legal Systems?, by Talia Naamat
Antisemitism in the Radical Left and the British Labour Party, by Dave Rich
Between the Far Right and the Far Left: Current Issues of Racism and Nationalism in Greece, by Michal Navoth.
The Nisman Case: Its impact on the Jewish community and national politics in Argentina, by Adrian Gruszniewski and Lidia Lerner
Different Antisemitisms: On Three Distinct Forms of Antisemitism in Contemporary Europe, by Lars Dencik and Karl Marosi
Iranian Negationism and Antisemitic Propaganda Online: Ahmadinejad and His Legacy, by Liora Hendelman-Baavur
Debates on Islamized Antisemitism in Austria in the Wake of the Israel-Gaza Conflict 2014, by Julia Edthofer
Holocaust Memory and Holocaust Denial in Poland and Moldova: A Comparison, by Natalia Sineaeva - Pankowska
The Worrisome Defiance of the Golden Dawn, by Michal Navoth
Antisemitism and the Struggle for the 'Good' Society: Antisemitism in the 2014 Swedish Elections, by Kristin Wagrell
After the Charlie Hebdo Attack: The Line between Freedom of Expression and Hate Speech, by Andre Oboler
Articles published in previous years
Dina Porat on the Working Definition of Antisemitism
The Working Definition of Antisemitism - Six Years After
Mohamed Omar, the Swedish Anti-Zionist Movement and Media Reactions
Honoring the Collaborators - the Ukrainian Case
Antisemitism in Venezuela's Presidential Election
The Rise of the Radical Right in Europe and the Jews
Discrimination against Muslims and Antisemitic Views among Young Muslims in Europe
The Academic and Public Debate over the "New Antisemitism"
Antisemitism during Protective Edge Operation (2014)
Past Bulletins on Antisemitism and Racism
Publications & Documents
Kantor Center and Database Bulletin
Kantor Center & Database Bulletin: Current Edition
Previous Editions of the Kantor Center and Database Bulletin
Kantor Center Annual Newsletter
The “Working Definition of Antisemitism“ - Full original version (EUMC,2004)
A presentation on recent events of the Kantor Center (December 2013), by Prof. Dina Porat
Will ¨Mein Kampf¨ be legally re-printed?
Working Definition of Antisemitism (IHRA, 2016)
More In this chapter
© All rights reserved to The Tel Aviv University| Accessibility| Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry |
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Jack Warner says he cannot be held liable for monies spent on Concacaf
Loop News Created : 11 July 2019 Sport
Jack Warner is accusing Concacaf of blaming its non-performance in the last seven years on the former executive.
Warner's retort comes a day after a judge in an American court ordered the former FIFA Vice President to pay US$79 million in damages in a Concacaf lawsuit.
US District Judge William Kuntz ordered the default judgment against Jack Warner in the 2017 civil action accusing him of embezzling tens of millions of dollars from the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf).
Warner's comments were made via a press release posted to the Facebook page of his Sunshine Newspaper and signed by Triston Bonterre, Corporate Secretary, Legal and Compliance Officer of the Warner Group of Companies.
“The latest salvo of litigation is deliberately intended by a biased and hostile US-Influenced Concacaf executive to promote a narrow agenda and to place the blame for its non-performance in the last seven years on the shoulders of the previous Concacaf executive," the release said.
Stating that Concacaf knew full well that Warner is engaged in extradition proceedings and could not be present for the case which was filed in a US court, the release said that he “categorically denies that he is liable for any of the sums which comprise these default judgments and there is absolutely no account that he received these monies.”
“Concacaf did receive monies, however, not the amount stated in these default judgments. These monies received by Concacaf and the expenditure spans a period of over 21 years. These monies were spent throughout the Concacaf region consisting of some 36 separate countries.
“They were used to build facilities, finance the Gold Cup in the Concacaf region, World Cup finals, World Cup payoffs, Youth tournaments and Women’s football among the various countries of Concacaf and to finance the operations of the Concacaf secretariat and administration in all 36 countries and as well as to meet other recurrent expenditure,” the release said.
It added that the extradition proceedings, as well as the lawsuits, were initiated after the USA and Britain lost their bids to host the 2022 World Cup which went to Qatar and Russia. It said this was part of FIFA’s efforts to strengthen and diversify football participation in the African continent and give Russia an opportunity to participate.
“Jack Warner cannot be held be held liable for all the monies spent on Concacaf,” the release said.
Jack Warner ordered to pay US$79M in Concacaf lawsuit
Canada and Martinique ready to kick off 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup
Kings coach Luke Walton accused of sex assault in lawsuit
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Home > About us > News > A safe, accessible and inclusive family law system
A safe, accessible and inclusive family law system
Australia’s family law system should be accessible, inclusive and equitable, safe for all children and parents, and focused on supporting families to resolve their disputes early when it is safe to do so.
We have suggested ways for the system to realise these goals in our submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission Family Law System inquiry.
Accessible and inclusive
In our view, an accessible family law system would provide an equivalent service at all stages of the process regardless of where people live, it would ensure cost is not a barrier to access and it would include streamlined procedures that reduce cost and respond to the needs of each family to speed up resolutions.
Critically, the family law system should be inclusive, equitable and culturally safe for all individuals, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, those with disability, individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and families in the LGBTIQ+ community.
Resolving disputes earlier
We would encourage a redesigned family law system to focus on supporting families to resolve disputes early, where it is safe to do so, without recourse to the family law courts. Expanding access to legally assisted family dispute resolution (FDR) will be essential to achieve this.
Legally assisted FDR – supported by case management and experienced chairpersons – is already working effectively to help with the resolution of disputes, but it is not available to all who would benefit from it. This includes parents screened out of non-legally assisted models of FDR due to concerns about safety risks.
Close collaboration with community service organisations to help spot family law issues early is also critical so that families can access family law assistance before disputes escalate.
Greater support for families before they end up at court would reduce the costs of court for parties, which are often prohibitive, and would help to ease the workload of family law courts.
This would ensure the court is hearing the cases that are the most complex and difficult to resolve, with family violence often a factor.
Safety and responding to the needs of each family
To more effectively address these complex cases once they are at court, we recommend a single point of entry to the family law system and the introduction of a case management function at court.
This would include triage at the point of intake to spot issues early and ensure cases are appropriately managed for complexity and level of risk. Our submission makes a range of recommendations to improve court processes to better respond to the needs of each family.
Importantly, to ensure the safety of all participants in the family law system our submission advocates for a modern family law system that holds users of family violence to account and prioritises the safety of victim survivors, including children.
We continue to advocate for a legislated ban on direct cross examination in the family law courts where there is or has been a risk of family violence. We also support early court determinations about family violence so that ongoing court proceedings and court orders are informed by factors impacting on the safety of children and parents.
An effective and efficient family law system would draw on the most appropriate and relevant information to make decisions that are in the best interests of children. As well as early court determinations about family violence, our submission makes a number of other recommendations to give effect to this principle, including the sharing of information between different court jurisdictions to assist with informed decision-making in the best interests of the child.
Importantly, it would also improve children’s participation in decision-making, where safe and appropriate to do so, and give a greater focus to the voice of the child.
Our submission draws on our experience as the coordinator of thousands of legally-aided family law services for children and parents each year and our own extensive practice experience as the largest family and children’s law practice in Victoria.
We look forward to continuing to contribute to this important review by the Australian Law Reform Commission.
Read our Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission Family Law System inquiry
Read more about our family law services.
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Katy Dickinson makes mentors shine. Since 2001, she has designed and managed successful mentoring programs in the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia – while holding a variety of senior executive roles in the Silicon Valley. At Sun Microsystems, she created and managed the global Engineering mentoring programs for 10 years, after creating and managing the Sun Labs archiving system, the Software development life cycle process, and other large corporate infrastructure. Katy Dickinson is an Accredited Mentor by the University of the South, was the Process Architect for the first class of the U.S. State Department’s TechWomen mentoring program, a member of the TechWomen Alumnae Council and the Anita Borg Institute Advisory Board, and a lecturer for 12 years for a University of California at Berkeley Engineering class on entrepreneurship. She is part of the team that created the Notable Technical Women cards and posters. She is an author, speaker, and popular blogger on Katysblog.
Jessica Dickinson Goodman bridges the worlds of technology and politics, bringing the best of both to what she does. She seeks to empower amazing women, whether serving as a scheduler for now-US Senator Kamala Harris or as an Impact Coach for #TeamPalestine in the US State Department’s 2017 and 2018 Techwomen programs. Jessica graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Carnegie Mellon University with a BS in Ethics, History, and Public Policy, a minor in Opera, and 3 years of Arabic. She volunteers as Chair of San Jose Human Services Commission, overseeing human rights policy for the one million person city. This spring, she accepted a role as a Technology Fellow with a Harvard University-affiliated think tank, Sense and Sustainability, focused on connecting research-tested solutions to climate change to policy makers. She practices her Arabic daily.
John Plocher is a senior software architect and experienced engineer expert in corporate systems-level problem solving, massive storage systems, open source development and process design. He has deep systems engineering experience; from real-time firmware, drivers and network protocols to clusters; cloud storage and web services; build systems and code repositories; and even embedded Arduino / AVR / PIC microcontrollers.
Mai Temraz is the co-founder of Gaza Geekettes and the former head of Gaza Sky Geeks‘ women’s programming. She is a Fulbright Scholar and TechWoman Fellow. Mai is also the first Palestinian female licensed amateur radio operator. Mai was awarded the best entry level STEM Executive at the Women in STEM conference in Dubai, and the 2015 Change Agent ABIE Award from Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC).
IdaRose Sylvester is the founder and managing director of Silicon Valley Link, a company providing mentorship and hands on business support to companies expanding into new markets, both geographic and commercial. She is also a mentor and project director at the US Market Access Center, a Silicon Valley accelerator exclusively supporting clients from outside the US. Most recently, IdaRose ran the pilot accelerator program for Babson College SF, mentoring 11 teams during the program. She has also taught Global Marketing at the University of California at Berkeley. She holds a Bachelor of Science from UC Berkeley and an Master of Business Administration with a concentration in marketing strategy from the FW Olin School at Babson College.
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Definitions for "Artificial sphincter"
Keywords: incontinent, cuff, encircles, urinary, sphincter
Related Terms: Incontinence, Urostomy, Urinary diversion, Ureterostomy, Pubovaginal sling, Intrinsic sphincter deficiency, Pyeloplasty, Overflow incontinence, Retention, Isd, Urinary retention, Bladder augmentation, Urinary incontinence, Urodynamics, Urination, Stress urinary incontinence, Vesicoureteral reflux, Urethral stricture, Sling procedures, Mixed incontinence, Urge incontinence, Overactive bladder, Detrusor instability, Nephrostomy, Ureterocele, Stress incontinence, Urinary tract, Detrusor, Continence, Residual urine, Micturition, Urography, Posterior urethral valves, Nocturia, Retrograde pyelogram, Urethrotomy, Sling, Cystocele, Hypermobility, Continent, Urinary, Ureteroscopy, Bladder training, Bladder neck, Detrusor muscle, Urinate, Renal pelvis, Hydronephrosis, Urology, Incontinent
Device used for treatment of urinary incontinence. Consists of three components: a pump, balloon reservoir and a cuff that encircles the urethra and prevents urine from leaking out.
urologyhealth.org
Prosthesis or artificial device sometimes used to treat incontinence after prostate surgery. An artificial sphincter substitutes for natural urinary sphincter muscles that normally control the urine flow from the bladder.
a device made of silicone rubber that is used to treat urinary incontinence
health.yahoo.com
an implantable device made of silicone rubber
seekwellness.com
Sometimes complicated cases of incontinence require implantation of a device known as an artificial urinary sphincter. People who might benefit from this treatment include those who are incontinent after surgery for prostate cancer or stress incontinence, trauma victims and people with congenital defects in the urinary system. The artificial sphincter has three components, including a pump, balloon reservoir, and a cuff that encircles the urethra and prevents urine from leaking out. The cuff is connected to the pump, which is surgically implanted in the scrotum (in men) or labia (in women). The pump can be activated (usually by squeezing or pressing a button) to deflate the cuff and permit the bladder to empty. After a brief interval, the cuff refills itself and the urethra is again closed. Because the artificial sphincter is an implant, it is subject to the risks common to implants, such as infection, erosion (breaking down of tissue) and mechanical malfunction. Yet with appropriate pre-surgical evaluation, operative techniques and postoperative follow-up, many problems can be avoided and incontinent patients can experience an improved quality of life with this device.
cornellurology.com
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Started From The Bottom, Now We 'Ere
Alright, so when it comes to quality blog posts, I'll be the first to admit: it's been radio silence around here. Would you believe it if I suggested that after three months, we're still working on getting settled in, here? I say "we" as if maybe "we" are not settled, but actually I think it might just be me.
For whatever reason, this place still doesn't feel like home and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because, for six years, this was where we vacationed and not were we lived, worked and took out the garbage, Maybe I have to shake the vacation-laced schema before going to Meijer will feel like grocery shopping and not just a trip to grab s'more supplies. Maybe it's because it's still summery and all the vacation essentials are right there and I can't feel it until winter comes and wipes away the final vacation feelings.
I don't know. I'm just guesstimating.
In any case, I'm not suggesting that it's not good -- just that something still has to click to make it feel like my real life. I cleaned all of the baseboards in our house yesterday -- and you'd think that something as mundane and tedious and "real-life" as that would do it, but nope.
I'm going to get real sad for a quick second -- maybe it's because Jake's not here. Last time things felt normal, I had three dogs and one of 'em was naughty enough to cause the kind of trouble that is so un-vacation-like, he just kept me rooted. Cleaning up poop in your kitchen will do that for you. The turkey who will find the one piece of rice at the bottom of your trash can -- and rip everything out to get to it -- that's a treasure chest of "this is reality" reminders.
I'm not complaining because when things are so good that you feel like you're on a constant vacation -- well, then maybe you have nothing to complain about. That said, I'm looking forward to when my house feels like home and my city feels like my city.
I guess when things change so drastically, it takes more than a few weeks for the brain to catch up. I didn't just change jobs, I went into an entirely different industry. I didn't just move homes, I took one less personality with me and my family changed. I didn't just leave all of my friendships in Lansing -- I came to a place where I know nobody, and challenged myself to build new ones.
Good things take time, right? And it's probably stupid to expect that three months in one house could come close to feeling like the three years spent in the previous one. Not yet, anyway. You have to build good things. Someday I'll be like Drake and all "started from the bottom, now we 'ere" with brand new memories that feel comfortable and cozy and just like home.
But for now, I'm doing the "started from the bottom" part.
Oh and look at these dorks. Do they just absolutely melt all the sads?
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Appointed Officers
Lodges and Chapters
R.W. Andrew Richardson, P.M
andrewrichardson99@yahoo.com
In some jurisdictions a Deputy Grand Master serves as the Grand Master’s assistant, and is given the authority to act in the Grand Master’s name in his absence.
In England, under the jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England, should the Grand Master be a member of the Royal family, a Pro Grand Master is elected to officiate as Grand Master in his absence on Royal duties.
RW Jermain Henderson, PM, PGWP
R. W. Jermain Henderson, P. M.
jermain_henderson@yahoo.com
The Senior Warden (sometimes known as First Warden) is the second of the three principal officers of a lodge, and is the Master’s principal deputy. Under some constitutions, if the Worshipful Master is absent then the Senior Warden presides at meetings as “acting Master” and may act for the Master in all matters of lodge business. Under other constitutions, only sitting Masters or Past Masters may preside as “acting Master,” and so the Senior Warden cannot fulfill this role unless he is also a Past Master.
In many lodges it is presumed that the Senior Warden will become the next Worshipful Master. In some jurisdictions, the position is an elected office, while in others it is appointed by the Master.
R.W. Ike Rayford, P.M.
R. W. Ike Rayford, P. M.
The third of the principal officers is the Junior Warden (or Second Warden). The Junior Warden is charged with the supervision of the Lodge while it is “at refreshment” (in recess for meals or other social purposes). In some jurisdictions the Junior Warden has a particular responsibility for ensuring that visiting Masons are in possession of the necessary credentials. In others, this is the job of the Tyler. In some jurisdictions the Junior Warden presides if both the Master and the Senior Warden are absent. In some jurisdictions, the position is an elected office, while in others it is appointed by the Master.
The Wardens are regular officers of the Lodge, meaning that the positions must be filled.
R.W. Owen T. Sloan, M.W.P.G.M.
ots65goat@aol.com
The role of the Treasurer is to keep the accounts, collect annual dues from the members, pay bills, and forward annual dues to the Grand Lodge.
The annual presentation of accounts is an important measure of the lodge’s continuing viability, whilst the efficient collection of annual subscriptions is vitally important, as any lapse in payment (deliberate or unintentional) can lead to a member losing voting rights, being denied the opportunity to visit other lodges, and finally even being debarred or excluded from his own lodge.
It is common for the Treasurer to be an experienced Past Master, but this is not required.
R.W. Kenneth F. Reed, P.M.
kenreed@aol.com
The Secretary’s official duties include issuing the summons (a formal notice of an impending meeting, with time, date and agenda), recording meeting minutes, completing statistical returns to the Grand Lodge, and advising the Worshipful Master on matters of procedure. Many individual lodge bylaws add to these duties by mandating, for example, that the Secretary serve on specific committees.
Although any member may hold the office of Secretary, it is typically held by an experienced Past Master.
RW Ramone Hemphill, PM
Grand Lecturer
R. W. Ramone Hemphill, P.M.
ramone.hemphill@gmail.com
The title “Director of Ceremonies” is used in the United Grand Lodge of England and its subordinate lodges, as well as in many other jurisdictions. However, other titles found in other jurisdictions include, “Lecturer,” and “Ritualist.”
Whatever the title, this officer is responsible for the smooth flowing of ceremonial and ritual and may hold rehearsals. He may be responsible for prompting other officers who forget their lines. In some jurisdictions, he directs proceedings during the installation of a new Worshipful Master. He is also responsible for forming processions and introducing visitors, except in those jurisdictions which appoint a “Marshal” for these latter purposes.
Grand Worthy Patron
Eugene Taylor, P.G.M.
A Grand Worthy Patron is the male head of an Eastern Star Chapter. He is a liaison to the Grand Lodge and assists the Worthy Matron with the performance of her duties.
Inaugural Scholarship Golf Tournament
PGM Adolphus Ollison notice June 27, 2019
Weekly Raffle Final – B Armento June 23, 2019
Raffle Winner #19 – Maurice E. June 20, 2019
The Official Website for the MWPHGL of Iowa and Jurisdiction Free and Accepted Masons
Site © 2017, All Rights Reserved • Design by Bro. Ike Rayford, HippieBoy Design
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Nonprofits – International Charity Activities
Published on: August 13, 2015 April 24, 2016 by Gene Takagi Category:INTERNATIONAL CHARITY
A 501(c)(3) organization may advance its “charitable” purpose through international activities. But there is much that needs to be considered when operating in a foreign country, including –
It is very common for a country, state/province, and/or city/municipality to require a foreign nonprofit to register with a governmental agency and be subject to its regulations. Operating without proper registration can result in a warning, a fine, or, in a worst case scenario (as might be the case in Egypt), imprisonment.
It makes sense that a country would want some identification of and control over foreign organizations operating within its borders. It also makes sense that a nonprofit would want to look into applicable requirements of operating in a foreign country and be compliant with such requirements.
For foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) operating in the United States, there are multiple levels of qualifications, registrations, and other filings to be considered. For example, in California, a foreign charitable NGO would need to (1) qualify to do business in the state by filing with the Secretary of State, (2) register with the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, and (3) register with the city or county, as required under local laws. If it wanted tax-exemption, it would need to apply for recognition of exemption from both the IRS and California Franchise Tax Board. But if it wanted to be able to receive deductible charitable contributions, it would be out of luck. Only domestic 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to receive deductible charitable contributions. So, it may make sense for a foreign NGO to set up a domestic “friends of” organization instead of operating itself in the United States.
One big problem with complying with foreign registration requirements is the difficulty in finding then deciphiring the requirements in a particular country at various levels. And in some countries, it may be incredibly burdensome and time-consuming to complete all of the registration requirements, if it’s even possible. The NGO Law Monitor on the website of the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (“ICNL”) serves as a good introductory resource for what may be required in various countries.
For certain activities like the provision of education or healthcare, charities operating abroad must consider the applicable licensing requirements. Simply setting up shop and operating a school or health clinic without proper licensing may result in harsh consequences for the charity and its staff and volunteers.
Anti-Terrorism
U.S. Executive Order 13224, which President Bush issued shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, blocks property and prohibits transactions with persons and entities who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism (“Prohibited Persons”). Donations of articles, such as food, clothing, and medicine, intended to be used to relieve human suffering are included among the prohibited transactions with Prohibited Persons, who include those on the Specially Designated Nationals List regularly updated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). But strict compliance is challenging particularly where there is somebody on the SDN List who has a very common name.
The USA Patriot Act was signed into law shortly after Executive Order 13224 “to deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes.” As described by the Center for Effective Government:
The Patriot Act gives the executive branch largely unchecked power to designate any group as a terrorist organization. Once designated, a group can have all of its materials and property seized and its assets frozen, “pending an investigation.” Assets can be taken even if the organization faces no criminal charges. Once all assets are seized and frozen, an organization can be denied access to evidence (the organization’s computers, files, documents, etc.) that might prove its innocence; the government has authority to withhold this information for “national security” reasons.
In response to concerns of charities and foundations on how to comply with the anti-terrorist laws, the Department of the Treasury issued Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: Best Practices for U.S.-based Charities first in 2002 and a revised version in 2006. A coalition of more than 40 nonprofit organizations led by The Council on Foundations vigorously objected to the original version and produced its own Principles of International Charity.
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) generally makes it unlawful for persons (including employees, officers, and directors of nonprofits) to make, or to offer to make, payments to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business. In other words, it’s unlawful to bribe foreign officials. According to BDO’s Nonprofit Standard:
Violations can result from:
• Making improper payments to obtain government licenses, registrations, special tax or custom treatment which allow a company to do business in a foreign country (i.e., broad application – not just limited to those activities that directly influence the acquisition or retention of government contracts)
• Inappropriate activities conducted by third parties acting on behalf of the company that the company may be deemed to have (or deemed as should have had) knowledge of
• False characterization of improper payments on a company’s books and records – this includes books or records ultimately consolidated for financial reporting purposes
A Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is the Department of Justice’s and Securities and Exchange Commission’s detailed compilation of information about the FCPA.
Sanctioned Countries
OFAC administers a number of different sanctions programs. The sanctions can be either comprehensive or selective, using the blocking of assets and trade restrictions to accomplish foreign policy and national security goals. Among the countries subject to certain sanctions are Burma, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe. See Sanctions Programs and Country Information. American nonprofits must be careful not to violate any restrictions against the transfer of assets to a sanctioned country or operation in a sanctioned country without an appropriate license from OFAC where it is necessary. See Guidance Related to the Provision of Humanitarian Assistance by Not-For-Profit Non-Governmental Organizations (OFAC).
Foreign Bank Accounts
For American nonprofits that maintain foreign bank accounts, it is critical to meet the annual filing requirement of the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (“FBAR”). The Pro Bono Partnership / Atlanta has a good resource on FBAR reporting requirements:
An FBAR must be filed annually by each United States person having an interest in, or a signature authority over, any financial account in a foreign country if the aggregate value of these accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year. FBAR reports are due by June 30 of the year following the year which the account holder meets the $10,000 threshold.
If your organization meets the requirements above, then at least one FBAR must be filed on behalf of the organization. In addition, one FBAR must be filed for each person with signature authority over the organization’s foreign account(s).
Political Activities and Lobbying
The absolute prohibition against political intervention activities applicable under 501(c)(3) applies regardless of whether the election involves candidates for public office in the United States or in any other country. Furthermore, permissible political activities in the U.S., such as nonpartisan voter registrations and get-out-the-vote drives, may not be permissible in another country and could even constitute a crime. American charities must be careful and make sure they know the rules around political activities and lobbying in the context of the laws of each country in which they are thinking about engaging in such advocacy.
American charities operating in foreign countries must be aware that the trademarks they use domestically (including their name and logo) may be infringing on another person’s or entity’s rights in another country. Having trademark rights in the United States does not mean that a charity has such rights in another country. Accordingly, before using a trademark abroad, charities should find out if such trademark is available and, if it is, how it can be protected.
Insurance must also be considered as operating in a foreign country may not be a covered activity, particularly if operating without the required registrations. An American nonprofit should anticipate in advance the risks of an employee or volunteer getting hurt, getting arrested, and/or creating legal obligations for the nonprofit in the foreign country.
A nonprofit may advance its charitable goals in another country by supporting the work of a local NGO qualified to operate there. Such a partnership may be merely a collaborative effort memorialized in a memorandum of understanding or more of a formal joint venture or legal partnership.
There may also be a governance connection created between the nonprofit and foreign NGO. For example, the governing documents of a foreign NGO might provide an American nonprofit with the right to select one or more board members of the NGO. For an American nonprofit that desires the strongest level of governance control over a foreign NGO, a parent-subsidiary structure could be created with the American nonprofit having the right to select all of the board members of the NGO.
Making grants to foreign NGOs is likely the most common way American nonprofits advance their charitable goals in another country. Private foundations must either exercise expenditure responsibility or obtain an equivalency determination in making such grants. While public charities are not subject to the same requirements, their boards are responsible for exercising reasonable care in making grants in part to ensure that the grants are not diverted from their charitable purpose. Accordingly, many lawyers representing public charities advise that they also follow the private foundation rules when making grants to foreign NGOs. The anti-terrorism and political activity issues described above should also be considered in a charity’s grantmaking policies, and OFAC’s Risk Matrix for disbursing funds and resources to foreign grantees is a helpful resource.
While grantmaking may be the most common way American nonprofits support a foreign NGO partner, many also provide operational support to their partners with technical assistance and staffing. In such case, the American nonprofit may be operating in the foreign country and consequently may need to consider all of the above issues, including registration.
In order to avoid operating in a foreign country and triggering the accompanying requirements, an American nonprofit may want to simply maintain a grantmaking relationship with a foreign NGO and supplement the funding with staff and volunteers who will work for the foreign NGO as agents of the NGO (not as agents of the American nonprofit). This distinction must be clear to protect such individuals from penalties for working without due authorization (which of course presumes that the foreign NGO is properly qualified and authorized). One disadvantage to take into account with this structure is the lack of protection that the American nonprofit may be able to provide through insurance where individuals are not acting as agents of the nonprofit, but as agents of a partner NGO.
Many nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations provide funds, goods, and/or services to communities outside of the United States in furtherance of their respective charitable missions. Such work is important on so many levels and is widely understood to benefit our country through the goodwill created internationally. Nevertheless, not all countries’ governments view such assistance as friendly, particularly where it supports advocacy or strengthens individuals that might oppose the status quo. American nonprofits operating abroad must be careful to understand the laws of each country in which they operate, how to comply with such laws, the risks of noncompliance, and how to best protect their employees and volunteers on the ground. We hope this general overview serves as a helpful introduction to such matters. The advice of qualified legal counsel in a foreign country will be invaluable in helping American nonprofits operate there safely.
Principles of Accountability for International Philanthropy, Council on Foundations
Overseas Operations: What Every Nonprofit Should Know Before Crossing U.S. Borders, Venable LLP
Travel Safe: Managing the Legal Risks that Arise from International Operations, Nonprofit Risk Management Center
Deterring Donors: Anti-Terrorist Financing Rules and American Philanthropy, The International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law, vol. 6, issue 2, February 2004
Schedule F, Statement of Activities Outside the United States, Form 990
Foreign Charities Operating in and from Canada, Mark Blumberg
Mexico, Council on Foundations
This entry was posted in INTERNATIONAL CHARITY
Tagged with international charity
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The address of our website is: http://www.oleificiobartolomei.it
Pursuant to Article 13 of Legislative Decree 196/2003 and of art. 13 of EU Reg. 679/2016 (GDPR), this document illustrates the methods and purposes of the processing of personal data which we receive and collect when the services/websites of Oleificio Bartolomei are used, as well as some of the measures we take to protect such data.
In compliance with current legislation, the processing carried out by Oleificio Bartolomei will be based on the principles of lawfulness, correctness, transparency, limitation of purposes and conservation, minimization of data, accuracy, integrity and confidentiality.
The data controller is: Al Vecchio Frantoio F.lli Bartolomei S.a.s. (hereinafter “Data Controller”), with registered office in Montecchio (TR), Via Cagnano n.6, P.I. 01261160558, email: info@oleificiobartolomei.it
Personal data subject to processing
Processing of personal data means any operation or set of operations performed with or without the aid of automated processes and applied to personal data or sets of personal data, such as the collection, registration, organization, structuring, retention, adaptation or modification, extraction, consultation, use, communication by transmission, diffusion or any other form of making available, comparison or interconnection, limitation, cancellation or destruction.
The personal data subject to processing, which may vary according to the requested services, consist of: name and surname, email address, telephone number, tax code/VAT number, location data, an online identifier, purchases made, and other data suitable to make the user identified or identifiable (hereinafter “Personal Data”). The personal data processed through the Website are as follows:
When the user visits the controller’s website, the servers automatically record information such as the URL, IP addresses, browser type, browser language, date and time of the request made. The transmission of this information is implicit in the use of web communication protocols.
This information is not collected in order to be associated with identified data subjects, but by its very nature could, through processing and association with data held by third parties, allow users to be identified.
These data are solely used to compile anonymous statistics on the use of the Website and to verify its correct operation. The data could be used to ascertain responsibility in case of computer crimes against the server. With the exception of this eventuality, these data are kept for 30 days.
Data provided voluntarily by the user
On the website of the Data Controller the user has the possibility of transmitting personal data by filling in forms or sending e-mail messages. The provision of these data takes place on an optional, explicit and voluntary basis, and involves the subsequent acquisition of the email address of the sender, which is necessary to respond to requests, as well as any other personal data entered for the purposes of the service and those further granted by the user. Specific summary information is present on the pages which provide the forms, with the possible indication of the obligatory provision of the data necessary to use the specific service.
The user assumes the responsibilities for the personal data of third parties published or shared by the website and guarantees that he/she has the right to disclose or disseminate such data, releasing the Data Controller from any liability to third parties.
Data with interaction with social networks
In addition to filling in the specific registration form, the user can be allowed to register for the Services, if they have a Facebook profile, by simply clicking on the “Login with Facebook” button. In this case, Facebook will automatically send the website some personal data, specified in the appropriate “pop-up” window which is displayed at the time of the request, and there will be no need to fill out other forms by the user.
Oleificio Bartolomei can use cookies, or a small file containing a string of characters which is sent to your computer when you visit a website, and other technologies to expand your online experience and to understand how Oleificio Bartolomei‘s services are used to improve its quality. According to the Italian law in force, for the use of some cookies express consent of the user is not required. In particular, “technical cookies”, namely those used for the sole purpose of transmitting a communication over an electronic communications network, or to the extent strictly necessary to provide a service explicitly requested by the user, do not require such consent. In other words, these are cookies which are essential for the operation of the site or necessary to perform activities requested by the user.
Among the technical cookies, which do not require consent for their use, the Italian Authority for the Protection of Personal Data, also includes:
“analytics cookies”, where used directly by the site operator to collect information, in aggregated form, on the number of users and how they visit the site itself;
browsing or session cookies (to authenticate the user);
functionality cookies, which allow users to browse the website based on the selected criteria (e.g. language, products selected for purchase) in order to improve the service provided to them.
“Profiling cookies”, vice versa, which are those used to create user profiles and to send advertising messages in line with the preferences expressed by users when browsing the website, require the user’s prior consent.
For the specific information regarding the type of cookies used on this website, the methods of acceptance/rejection/disabling of the aforementioned, the list of cookies present on the website and its controller, as well as the specific functions, consult the “Cookie Policy “, reachable from a special link at the bottom of each page of the website.
The registration on the website and the services offered are aimed at adults: for this reason, the Controller does not knowingly collect data from people under 18 years of age.
The pages which the user visits may contain links to external websites, to offer useful information to users. This information does not apply to sites not managed by the Controller; therefore the user must investigate the procedures relating to the protection of privacy in the external websites themselves.
Purpose of processing
The processing of data, subject to specific consent when required by law, takes place for the following purposes:
registering on the website of the Data Controller
using the services/products offered by the Data Controller
for purposes of checking, research and analysis to manage and improve the technologies and services of the Data Controller
receiving answers to requests addressed to the Controller
receiving information relating to services/products offered by the Data Controller
to fulfil its pre-contractual, contractual, and tax obligations deriving from existing relationships with the Controller
Subject to specific and separate consent from the aforementioned, personal data is collected to:
send newsletters, commercial communications and/or advertising material regarding products and/or services offered by the Data Controller.
Legal basis of the processing
Oleificio Bartolomei processes the user’s personal data should one or more of the following conditions occur:
the user has given consent for one or more specific purposes
the processing is necessary for the execution of a contract or to carry out pre-contractual operations
the processing is necessary to fulfil legal obligations to which the Controller is subject
the processing is necessary for a legitimate interest of the Controller or of third parties
The data subject can however request the concrete legal basis of each treatment.
Optional and compulsory consent to provide personal data
The data subject is free to provide personal data requested from time to time; their lack of, partial or incorrect conferment could make it impossible to use the services requested.
The acquisition of consent to the processing of personal data is necessary for all the processing indicated above which is connected to and/or necessary to fulfil legal obligations, to the community legislation, to perform obligations arising from a contract to which the data subject is a party or for to fulfill, before the conclusion of the contract, specific requests of the contract.
Recipients of personal data
For the purposes described in par. 3 of this information, the user’s personal data may be shared with:
a) subjects who typically act as data processors, i.e.: persons, companies or professional offices who provide assistance and consultancy services to Oleificio Bartolomei in accounting, administrative, legal, tax, financial matters relating to the provision of the Services; subjects with whom it is necessary to interact for the provision of the Services (for example the Hosting Provider), subjects delegated to carry out technical maintenance activities on the servers which host the websites of the Controller;
b) subjects, entities or authorities to whom it is mandatory to communicate the user’s personal data pursuant to legal provisions or orders of the authorities (for example, during criminal investigations, Oleificio Bartolomei may receive requests from the authority judicial system to provide telematic traffic logs);
c) persons authorised by Oleificio Bartolomei to process personal data necessary to carry out activities strictly related to the provision of the Services, which are committed to confidentiality or have an adequate legal obligation of confidentiality, such as the employees/collaborators of the Controller;
d) commercial partners for their own purposes, autonomous and distinct, only if the user has given specific consent.
The processing of personal data takes place at the headquarters of Oleificio Bartolomei and is handled by technical, administrative and commercial personnel for the pursuit of the purposes described in paragraph 3.
Server providers are located in the European territory.
Further information can be requested from the Controller.
Personal data will be processed for the time necessary to achieve the purposes referred to in par. 3 or until the previously expressed consent is revoked.
In any case, the possibility for Oleificio Bartolomei to keep personal data up to the time permitted by Italian law to protect its interests is reserved. Further information on the retention period of personal data and/or the criteria used to determine this period may be requested from the Data Controller in writing.
Oleificio Bartolomei adopts adequate security measures to protect data from any unauthorised access, modification or disclosure or its destruction. These measures include internal controls on data collection, storage and processing methods and on security measures to protect the systems on which personal data are stored from unauthorised access.
Rights of interested parties
The user has the right to ask the Data Controller, at any time, access to his personal data, the correction or cancellation of the same or to oppose their treatment in the cases provided for in Article 20 of the Regulation, he has the right to request the limitation of the treatment in the cases provided for by art. 18 of the Regulation, as well as to obtain in a structured format, commonly used and readable by automatic device, the data concerning it (portability), in the cases provided for by art. 20 of the Regulations, writing to: Al Vecchio Frantoio F.lli Bartolomei S.a.s. (hereinafter “Controller”), with registered office in Montecchio (TR), Via Cagnano n.6, P.I. 01261160558, email: info@oleificiobartolomei.it
The Data Controller reserves the right to modify or simply update the content, in part or completely, of this Privacy Policy, also due to changes in the applicable legislation, giving publicity to users on this page. Therefore, please check this page frequently, taking as reference the “last updated” date shown at the bottom. In case of non-acceptance of the changes made to this Privacy Policy, the user, if registered on the website, can cancel their account or can request that the Data Controller removes their personal data. Unless otherwise specified, the previous privacy policy shall continue to be applicable to personal data from the moment it is collected.
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Gerontology Schools in Hawaii
Hawaii contains one school that offers gerontology programs. Brigham Young University-Hawaii has a total student population of 2,586 and is the 2966th highest ranked school in America.
Gerontology students from Hawaii schools who go on to become gerontologists, physicians, clinical dietitians, medical staff physicians, etc. have a good chance at finding employment. For example, there are 1,308,380 people working as life, physical, and social science employees alone in the US, and their average annual salary is $65,660. Also, Rehabilitation counselors make on average $34,710 per year and there are about 112,690 of them employed in the US today. In fact, in the Hawaii alone, there are 250 employed rehabilitation counselors earning an average yearly salary of $38,650. Life, physical, and social science employees in this state earn $61,540/yr and there are 6,750 employed.
Also, within the gerontology schools in Hawaii, the average student population is 3,134 and average student-to-faculty ratio is 17 to 1. Aside from gerontology, there are 704 total degree (or certificate) programs in the state, with 1,845 people on average applying for a school. Undergraduate tuition costs are normally around $3,000, but can vary widely depending on the type of school.
Hawaii Interesting Facts
"The state of Hawaii consists of eight main islands: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe and the Big Island of Hawaii."
Hawaii is the most isolated population center on the face of the earth. Hawaii is 2,390 miles from California; 3,850 miles from Japan; 4,900 miles from China; and 5,280 miles from the Philippines.
Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee.
More than one-third of the world's commercial supply of pineapples comes from Hawaii.
"From east to west Hawaii is the widest state in the United States. "
Top National Parks in Hawaii:
Ka'ena Point State Park »
Lapakahi State Historical Park »
Pala'au State Park »
Jason Scott Lee »
David Copperfield »
Dwayne Johnson »
Gerontology Information
Salary Details for a Physician
Online Gerontology Schools
Online Gerontology Programs
Online Gerontology Certifications
Related Subjects - Schools in or near Hawaii
Gerontology Schools in Honolulu
Gerontology Schools in Hilo
Gerontology Schools in Kaneohe
Gerontology Schools in Lihue
Gerontology Schools in Pearl City
Select a Level
Brigham Young University-Hawaii
55-220 Kulanui Street, Laie, Hawaii 96762-1294
Hawaii contains one school that offers gerontology programs. Brigham Young University-Hawaii has a total student population of 2,586 and is the 2966th highest ranked school in America.
Cities in Hawaii
States Near Hawaii
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North Park Homes for Sale
North Park, CA
Click the "Listings" tab above and you will see all the NORTH PARK homes that are currently in the market for sale.
North Park is situated to the northeast of Balboa Park, bounded on the north by the canyons overlooking Mission Valley, on the south by Switzer Canyon and the South Park neighborhood, on the east by Interstate 805 and City Heights, and on the west by Florida Canyon and Hillcrest. The pre-Interstate 805 boundary of North Park was widely considered to be 35th Street, which is now part of City Heights.
The large North Park sign can be seen at 30th Street and University Avenue, and this intersection is often considered to be the heart of the neighborhood. North Park includes the sub-neighborhoods and the Morley Field area.
In the summer of 1893, San Diego merchant Joseph Nash sold 40 acres of land northeast of Balboa Park to James Monroe Hartley, who wished to develop a lemon grove. The Hartley family began the process of clearing the land to prepare the earth for the grove, but providing the growing trees with proper irrigation was always a problem. Barrels of water had to be hauled from downtown San Diego up a wagon trail that would eventually be called Pershing Drive.
As the growth of San Diego eventually caught up with the original Hartley lemon grove, it eventually became roughly bordered by Ray Street to the west, 32nd Street to the east, University Avenue to the north and Dwight Street to the south. Hartley deemed his area "Hartley's North Park" - and years later, the name evidently stuck as the City of San Diego referred to the new suburb as "North Park."
In 1911, Hartley's eldest son, Jack, and a relative (brother-in-law William Jay Stevens) developed the plot into one of San Diego's first residential and commercial districts. After first establishing "Stevens & Hartley", North Park's first real estate firm, in 1905, Jack and William built North Park's first "high rise" commercial building, the Stevens building, on the northwest corner of 30th Street and University Avenue (today's "Western Dental" building) in 1912. "Thirtieth & University" became North Park's symbolic place name and within 10 years, this became the heart of the community.
Later in the 1910s, North Park became one of the many San Diego neighborhoods connected by the Class 1 streetcars and an extensive San Diego public transit system that was spurred by the Panama-California Exposition of 1915 and built by John D. Spreckels. These streetcars became a fixture of this neighborhood until their retirement in 1939.
North Park was the site of the crash of PSA Flight 182, California's deadliest aviation accident to date.
Arts, culture and cuisine
An array of restaurants, as well as independent coffee shops, can be found along the main arteries of 30th Street and University Avenue. The area is also houses bars and night clubs that cater to a wide diversity of patrons.
Downtown North Park contains the Ray Street Arts District. Ray at Night is a gallery walk held the second Saturday of every month in North Park. It is the largest and longest running artwalk in San Diego's history.
Nearby, the Birch North Park Theatre reopened after major renovations in 2005. It is the home of Lyric Opera San Diego.
North Park has a Farmers Market every Thursday at the parking lot located at University and 32nd Streets. The Spring/Summer hours are 3pm-sunset, Fall/Winter 2pm-Sunset. They feature over 35 independent vendors; locally grown produce/flowers; gourmet/ethnic foods; arts and crafts; books; and, often, live music.
The San Diego Music Foundation hosts a large musical festival "North Park Music Thing" in the fall on El Cajon Boulevard. This event helps add to the North Park reputation as a great community for the arts in San Diego.
Inquiry for North Park Homes for Sale
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Old Town Homes for sale
Old Town & Bay Park
Click the "Listings" tab above and you will see all the Bay Park homes that are currently in the market for sale.
The Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, located in the Old Town neighborhood is a state protected historical park in San Diego. It commemorates the early days of the town of San Diego and includes many historic buildings from the period 1820 to 1870. The park was established in 1968 In 2005 and 2006, California State Parks listed Old Town San Diego as the most visited state park in Californi
On September 3, 1971, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Old Town San Diego Historic District.
The first European settlement on the West Coast of the present-day United States was the San Diego Presidio, a military outpost of Spanish California, founded by Gaspar de Portola in 1769. Mission San Diego de Alcala was founded by Father Junipero Serra the same year. The Presidio and Mission were originally built on a bluff, Presidio Hill, which is now the site of the city-owned Presidio Park and which is immediately adjacent to Old Town State Historic Park.
After 5 years the Mission moved to a location several miles upriver. Presidio Hill remained the primary settlement for several decades because it was defensible against attack by European enemies or hostile Indians. As the need for defense decreased, settlers preferred to live at the base of the hill because of greater convenience. In the 1820s the town of San Diego grew up at the base of the bluff, at the site commemorated by Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. The Presidio was abandoned and fell into disrepair.
During the pueblo period following Mexican independence, the Old Town area was the commercial and governmental hub of the region, even though its population was never more than a few hundred. San Diego during this period is vividly described by Richard Henry Dana, Jr. in his classic book Two Years Before the Mast. In 1834 the Mexican government granted San Diego the status of a pueblo or chartered town; however, its pueblo status was revoked in 1838 due to declining population. One problem limiting the town's growth was its location far from navigable water. All imports and exports had to be brought ashore in Point Loma and carried several miles over the La Playa Trail to the old town area.
When California was admitted to the United States in 1850, San Diego (still largely limited to the Old Town area) was made the county seat of San Diego County, even though the town's population was only 650.
The Old Town area remained the heart of the city of San Diego until the 1860s, when a newcomer to San Diego named Alonzo Horton began to promote development at the site of present-day Downtown San Diego.
Residents and businesses quickly abandoned "Old Town" for Horton's "New Town" because of New Town's proximity to shipping. In 1871 government records were moved from Old Town to a new county courthouse in New Town, and Downtown permanently eclipsed Old Town as the focal point of San Diego.
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park preserves and recreates Old Town as it existed during the Mexican and early American periods, from its settlement in 1821, through 1872 when it lost its dominant position to Downtown.
Five original adobes are part of the complex, which includes shops, restaurants and museums. Other historic buildings include a schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, San Diego's first newspaper office, a cigar and pipe store, houses and gardens, and a stable with a carriage collection. There are also stores, with local artisans demonstrating their craft. There is no charge to enter the state park or any of its museums.
The commercial facilities in Old Town State Park, such as restaurants and gift shops, are managed by an outside contractor. For more than 30 years the contractor was Bazaar del Mundo ("bazaar of the world"), run by San Diego businesswoman Diane Powers. In a controversial move, the state park agency did not renew her contract but awarded it to Plaza del Pasado ("plaza of the past"), run by Delaware North Companies, in 2005.
The state's goal was to create a more authentic and historically correct understanding and appreciation of life and commerce in San Diego as it was from 1821 to 1872. However, revenue plunged under the new management. In spring 2009, Delaware North withdrew from its contract with the state and management changed hands to the Old Town Family Hospitality Corporation, headed by local restaurateur Chuck Ross. The commercial area is now called Fiesta de Reyes ("festival of the kings").
Inquiry for Old Town Homes for sale
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You are here: Home > Archives for Rabbi Steven Garten
A View from the Bleachers: ‘Who are we to give up on Hope?’
By Rabbi Steven Garten: June 19, 2019
Rabbi Steven H. Garten
In September, Israelis will once again march to the election booths to determine who will lead their democratically elected government. Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was asked to form a government following the April 9 election, he was unable to cobble together a mishmash of right-wing secularists and right-wing religious parties into a majority of 61 Knesset seats. The opposition Blue and White party hopes this time their middle-of-the-road, slightly to the right-of-centre approach will have greater success.
In the second election of 2019, no major party will speak about peace with the Palestinians as a priority. In the months leading up to the election, representatives of the Trump administration will convene a meeting of interested parties in Bahrain to unveil the long-awaited “Trump Plan.” [Read more…]
A View from the Bleachers: ‘Anxiety is on the rise in Canadian Jewish communities’
By Rabbi Steven Garten: May 23, 2019
Gary was my friend, then he was my mortal enemy. How did Gary G. transform from friend into foe? An age-old story: Jewish hatred.
Gary and I went to the same elementary school in Long Branch, New Jersey. It was not uncommon for us to follow the same route home and eventually we started chatting and spending time together. We played baseball in the same summer league and rode our bikes together to and from the games. Most nights we’d stop for soft ice cream on the boardwalk after the game. All this changed in an instant when a schoolyard game turned violent. [Read more…]
A View from the Bleachers: Yom Ha’Atzmaut – Dreams fulfilled and unfulfilled
By Rabbi Steven Garten: May 1, 2019
Happy Birthday, Israel. It’s your 72nd birthday this week. As with most 70-year-olds, you’re celebrating what you have achieved and what you wish to yet achieve.
In honour of your birthday, let’s reflect on your achievements and blow out the candles with some birthday wishes.
Like the birth of a child, your birth was accompanied by exuberant joy. Jews around the world had watched with horror as the nations of the world permitted the destruction of two-thirds of the Jews of Europe, and then watched with surprise and shock as the same nations voted to recreate a Jewish state after a 2,000-year hiatus. [Read more…]
A View from the Bleachers: Let us use tragedies to open dialogue and collaboration
By Rabbi Steven Garten: April 10, 2019
Our people’s history is replete with murderous events. The rampaging Crusades haunted our European ancestors during the Middle Ages. The pogroms of czarist Russia were not simply roughing up exercises as depicted in the musical “Fiddler on the Roof.” Entire communities were looted and hundreds murdered and violated.
The list is endless so one might think that we are collectively immune to the emotional shock that accompanies senseless mass murder. Yet that has not been the case. In the past 18 months, 75 people at prayer have been murdered and it has been a blow to our well defined sense of well-being. The attack at the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City left six worshippers dead and 19 others injured. The murderous intrusion at Shabbat services at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh resulted in 11 deaths and seven injured. On March 15, the world witnessed the massacre of 50 individuals praying at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. [Read more…]
A View from the Bleachers: We must decry racism and bigotry with loud voices
By Rabbi Steven Garten: March 27, 2019
When John Kennedy ran for president of the United States in 1960 he was accused of dual loyalty. His political opponents, and some in the media, wanted to suggest that as a Catholic he would have political allegiance to the Pope in Rome that would interfere with his loyalty to the constitution of the United States.
In the aftermath of the 1995 referendum on Quebec independence, Jacques Parizeau, premier of Quebec, told his supporters that 60 per cent of francophones voted for separation and that he would address French-speaking Quebecers as nous (we), and that they had clearly voted for separation. He then stated that the one thing that stopped the “yes” side was “money and the ethnic vote.” [Read more…]
A View from the Bleachers: I can’t ignore the rehabilitation of Kahanism
It is mid-March and all I want to do is revel in the first signs of spring.
The phenomena know as spring training commenced last month. For the uninitiated or uninterested, this means that professional baseball has awakened from its winter hibernation. Players who have signed major or minor league contracts have gathered in Florida or Arizona to wash off the winter sleep and prepare for the coming season. It is the best of times. No one has lost a meaningful game yet. Past failures or even successes are sublimated to unbridled expectations. [Read more…]
A View from the Bleachers: Israeli TV shows offer different view from nightly news
By Rabbi Steven Garten: February 12, 2019
On April 8, 1903 – Easter Sunday – a pogrom started in the small Russian city of Kishnev. At the end of three days, 49 Jews had been killed, 600 Jewish woman had been raped, and hundreds of others injured. The Jewish world would never be the same.
The aftermath of the pogrom is brilliantly analyzed in Pogrom: Kishnev and the Tilt of History, by social historian Stephen J. Zipperstein. Among many outcomes of Kishnev, Zipperstein tells of two that continue to resonate throughout the Jewish world. Russian Zionists, were horrified by what appeared to be the almost universal lack of resistance of the Jewish community. Chaim Nachman Bialik, the most important of the first generation of Hebrew poets, wrote his famous “In the City of the Killings,” a poem that mobilized many Zionists to action and helped lead to increased aliyah to Palestine. [Read more…]
A View From the Bleachers: Arguing about who and what we are has always sustained the Jewish people
By Rabbi Steven Garten: January 30, 2019
‘American Jews and Israeli Jews are headed for a messy breakup” was the headline of a January 4 column by Jonathan Weisman, deputy-Washington-editor of the New York Times. A long-time observer of Jewish life and politics, both in Israel and the United States, his latest book is (((Semitism))): Being Jewish in America in the Age of Trump. He is a member of a Reform Jewish congregation in Washington, D.C.
The premise of Weisman’s piece is that American Jews, overwhelmingly non-Orthodox, overwhelmingly anti-Trump and vocally non-supportive of the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, are slowly distancing themselves from the policies of the Israeli government. Consequently, American Jews are distancing themselves from Israel and Israelis, in turn, are distancing themselves from American Jews. [Read more…]
A View from the Bleachers: The nature of 21st century Judaism
I witnessed an unusual event in early December. An Orthodox Rabbi stood in a Reform Temple and reviewed a book about the life of Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, the last Lubavitcher rebbe.
The audience included members of many synagogues in Ottawa. As the presentation ended and the questions began, one sensed that there was a serious conversation taking place that Sunday morning concerning the very nature of 21st century Judaism.
It was not a conversation between secularists and religious Jews, but between religious Jews striving to understand the religious nuances that both united them and divided them. It struck me that perhaps this type of conversation last took place in pre-war Berlin when Rabbi Schneerson, philosopher Martin Buber, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Rabbi Joseph B. Saloveitchick had coffee between classes. Or perhaps this was the kind of conversation that took place in first century Judea between the Pharisees, Sadducees and Essences when they were not trying to invalidate each other. [Read more…]
A View from the Bleachers: The mitzvah heroes who make a difference
By Rabbi Steven Garten: December 4, 2018
In 1938, American Jewish writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-American Jewish artist Joe Shuster introduced the world to Superman, a new type of hero. It is universally recognized that Siegel and Shuster were motivated by the plight of European Jews to offer an alternative to common portrayal of Jews as creatures meek, sheep-like and afraid to confront their persecutors. Superman would be by day a timid, shy, self-effacing newspaper reporter, but when confronted with a danger that threatened the people of Metropolis, he was able to leap tall buildings, stop a speeding train and run faster than a bullet. Superman went on to become the star of comic books, radio, television and film.
In 1962, another American Jew, Stan Lee, introduced the world to Spider-Man. Like Superman, this comic book hero would be by day a shy student whose life was filled with teenage angst. However, when needed, he donned his costume and swinging from his secreted webs, fought for justice and the rights of the undefended. [Read more…]
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HomeNewsBuilding Back in Gaza – with Mud Bricks
Building Back in Gaza – with Mud Bricks
Hassan al-Err, aged 67, and his seven-member family are moving into a mud house built by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip, because other building materials are not available.
The two-bedroom house in the Ezbet Abed Rabbo neighbourhood of Jabaliya town, north of Gaza City, is an improvement on the tent in which they had been living – next to the rubble of their former home.
Rebuilding homes damaged in last year’s 23-day war, has been almost impossible because Israel does not allow construction materials such as cement and steel into the Strip, saying they could be used for military purposes.
“I can’t forget how hard the past year has been for me and my family living in a tent in the cold winter and the hot summer,” al-Err told IRIN. “Of course a mud house is much better than a tent, although it’s not a real solution because I can’t build another flat on top of it for my two married sons who live in a rented house in Jabaliya town.”
Al-Err’s previous home in al-Salam neighbourhood, eastern Jabaliya, was one of 4,036 houses in Gaza which were totally destroyed or beyond repair, according to an April 2009 UNRWA and UN Development Programme assessment.
“The UN hopes to build around 120 mud brick houses for dozens of homeless families in the next few months in the Strip. Each house costs about US$10,000 and takes three months to build,” said Adnan Abu Hasna’a, an UNRWA spokesman.
While these houses were not a long-term solution for homeless families, he said, they offered better conditions than tents or partially destroyed buildings. They also provided employment for people UNRWA is training to make mud bricks and homes.
Cement makes up 3 percent of each mud brick, to ensure enough strength, while keeping costs down, officials working on the project said.
International donors pledged US$4.5 billion in aid for the Palestinian Authority, much of it specifically for Gaza, at a conference in Egypt in March 2009, but little has made its way to the Strip because of the continuing blockade and bitter Palestinian divisions between political parties Hamas and Fatah.
“People in Gaza are determined to overcome all hardships and to challenge the Israeli siege imposed on the Strip,” Yousef al-Mansi, Hamas housing minister, said.
(IRIN)
Israeli Academics Snub Settlement College
Army Used to Deport Activists against the Wall
A Note from the Editors: Join Our March for Freedom
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The Patriot Files Forums > General > General Posts
US Navy Admiral Says China Poses Major Threat in Western Hemisphere
By: Frank Fang - Epoch Times - 7-11-19
RE: https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-nav...e_2998708.html
Photo link: https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets...er-700x420.jpg
US Admiral of the Southern Command Craig Faller speaks during a press conference in Quito, Ecuador, on April 25, 2019. (Rodrigo Buendia/AFP/Getty Images)
U.S. Navy Adm. Craig Faller, head of the U.S. Southern Command, recently highlighted China’s threats to U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere during a congressional hearing.
“China is now inside our own neighborhood seeking to displace the United States as the partner of choice and weaken the commitment of our partners to the rule of law and democracy,” said Faller during his testimony at a hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services on July 9.
He referred to the region as America’s neighborhood, where China has been “quietly accumulating unprecedented levels of influence and leverage,” he said.
China has especially developed its interests on the maritime front. According to Faller, Chinese companies currently have over 50 active port projects in the region. Beijing also has increased its regional port calls by 70 percent over the last five years.
“In the future, China could use its control of deepwater ports in the Western Hemisphere to support global military deployments,” Faller warned.
He used the situation in Panama to make his point. He pointed out that Beijing has invested heavily in the country’s infrastructure, security, and telecommunications, while exerting control over key infrastructure in the Panama Canal.
in May 2017, China’s Landbridge Group was awarded the contract to expand Panama’s largest port, the Colón Container Port, for about $1 billion. The firm began construction in June 2017, according to Chinese state-run media.
In July 2018, China’s state-run China Communication Construction and its subsidiary China Harbor Engineering won the bid for constructing a new bridge over Panama Canal, a contract worth $1.42 billion.
In terms of economic engagement, 19 countries in the region have signed up to China’s “One Belt One Road” (OBOR) initiative, according to Faller. In return, Beijing has pledged at least $150 billion in loans for those countries, he said.
Beijing first announced OBOR in 2013, a foreign policy initiative aimed at building up geopolitical influence through trade networks and billions of dollars worth of investments in countries throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. However, the policy has been criticized for putting developing nations into a debt trap.
“Beijing is translating this economic heft into political influence,” Faller said.
Chinese tech companies Huawei and ZTE have also “aggressively penetrated” the region, with commercial and government telecommunication projects in 16 countries, according to Faller.
“If governments in Latin America and the Caribbean continue to gravitate toward using Chinese information systems, our ability and willingness to share information over compromised networks is likely to suffer,” Faller warned.
He also criticized China for financing the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela. The country is currently in a socio-economic crisis marked by food shortages and hyperinflation after more than two decades of socialist policies. The crisis has led to Juan Guaidó, leader of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled National Assembly, to declare himself acting president on Jan. 23.
“China is the single largest creditor of the Maduro regime, saddling the Venezuelan people with more than $60 billion in debt and providing financial lifelines that have helped keep Maduro in power,” Faller said.
In April, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also criticized Maduro, saying that he used Chinese money to “pay off cronies, crush pro-democracy activists, and fund ineffective social programs.”
Personal note: We have nobody to blame but ourselves for allowing China to maneuver their influence because the US wasn't keeping track of their objectives. We didn't think these 3rd world countries would work with these radical Chinese objectives. We became complacent and believed China couldn't produce the results already in place. The US is losing its grip of the NATO and 3rd world countries. Why I think we took too much for granted and they thought the USA didn't take them serious allowing China to walk in show them they could provide security - tools - weapons and any other necessities they needed.
Their process is carefully processed to first show those countries that China can do things for them the US wouldn't provide. Easily swayed and wined and dined the Chinese moved right into favoritism of these small forgotten countries that the US took for granted.
It doesn't take too much for the Chinese they have a way of grooming their conquest with all sorts of special deals (not big) but China shows them that their country is important to them - and they only wish to be helpful. Little do these countries know - that they've fallen into a position they will be hard pressed to get out of - in the near future.
Just my thoughts - Boats
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Environment and WEEE
Our contribution (WEEE)
Through our efforts we are contributing to the re-use, recycling and other forms of recovery of WEEE under thes regulations.
If you have purchased from us, something that could be described as 'E.E.E.'('Electrical and Electronic Equipment') , then when you dispose of it, it becomes 'W.E.E.E.' (the 'W' stands for 'waste') and it therefore needs to be disposed of correctly. You may do this yourself, but if you'd rather not, then contact us, we will dispose of it for you, in the correct way. Which we will do, and we won't charge you for it.
We will ensure that, as far as practicable, every aspect of our activities is conducted in accordance with sound environmental practices. We will achieve this by:
Minimising the consumption of natural resources and energy, whilst consuming material goods in moderation
Reducing the creation of waste by the adoption of improved operating practices and by the recycling of materials whenever practica
Ensuring all waste and effluent is disposed of in a safe and responsible manner
Investing in the development of new products and processes that have an improved performance regarding their impact on the environment
Complying with environmental legislation
Crownhill aims to foster among its staff, suppliers, customers, shareholders and communities local to its operations an understanding of environmental issues in the context of its business. Our collective task is to ensure that we continually improve the environmental impact of our total global activities. By this policy Crownhill recognises its responsibility towards protection of the environment, and issues this statement as a commitment of both management and employees to minimising the environmental impact of its operations.
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Rock & Roll Dance 1956
From the movie: DON'T KNOCK THE ROCK 1956 This number starts as a couples dance featuring dancer/choreographer Earl Barton and actress Gail Ganley ...
Bill Haley Don't Knock The Rock
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Roky Erickson and The Aliens -Don't Knock the Rok ( full album)
Bill Haley & His Comets - "Rip It Up" - from "Don't Knock The Rock" - HQ 1956
Dont knock the Rock (UK tv show starring Gene Vincent, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis).avi
The Treniers - in "Don't Knock The Rock" - HQ 1956
Don't Knock the Rock
Rock! Rock! Rock! 1956 Full Movie | Tuesday Weld, Chuck Berry, Alan Freed, Teddy Randazzo
Little Richard - "Long Tall Sally" - from "Don't Knock The Rock" - HQ 1956
the nights - dont knock the rock (1977).wmv
Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (Don't Knock The Rock UK TV Show)
1956 "Don't Knock The Rock" film trailer
Don't Knock the Rock |1956
Chris Norman - Losing You (Don't Knock The Rock Tour - LIVE)
Bill Haley - Don't Knock The Rock - Hot Dog
Don't Knock The Rock (1964)
Little Richard - Don't Knock the Rock 1964
Dont Knock the Rock
Bill Haley and His Comets - Don't Knock the Rock [Lyrics/Letra]
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Microsoft to make early release of Windows 7 to boost hardware sales amid crisis
Science » Technologies and discoveries
Microsoft may start the delivery of its new operation system Windows 7 already in September 2009, not in the beginning of 2010, as it was previously announced.
Microsoft decided to hurry up with the new release in an attempt to boost the sales of computer hardware against the background of the global recession. The earlier release also demonstrates the intention of the corporation to make many Windows XP users finally switch to a new OS bypassing Windows Vista.
Windows 7 proves to be more powerful than Windows Vista. The reviews of the new system have been generally positive so far. Windows 7 will be available in six different versions. There will be two basic versions of the new system - Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional. The versions will target home and business users globally, spokespeople for Microsoft said.
Windows 7 Home Basic is designed for those people who do not require much from their PCs. Starter Edition will reportedly be available in developing countries only. Enterprise and Ultimate versions will come complete with various applications.
Windows 7 was formerly known as Blackcomb and Vienna. The release date for the new system has not been finalized yet. The commercial release is expected to take place in the beginning of 2010.
The new operation system is based on Windows Vista. All applications made for Vista will work on Windows 7. The compatibility of the two operation systems – XP and Vista sparked criticism all over the world, when users found out that XP applications could not run on Vista.
Windows 7 includes a number of new features, such as advances in touch, speech, and handwriting recognition, support for virtual hard disks, improved performance on multi-core processors, improved boot performance, and kernel improvements.
Many new items have been added to the Control Panel, including ClearType Text Tuner, Display Color Calibration Wizard, Gadgets, Recovery, Troubleshooting, Workspaces Center, Location and Other Sensors, Credential Manager, Biometric Devices, System Icons, and Display. Windows Security Center has been renamed to Windows Action Center (Windows Health Center and Windows Solution Center in earlier builds) which encompasses both security and maintenance of the computer.
The taskbar has seen the biggest visual changes, where the Quick Launch toolbar has been replaced with pinning applications to the taskbar. Buttons for pinned applications are integrated with the task buttons. These buttons also enable the Jump Lists feature to allow easy access to common tasks. The revamped taskbar also allows the reordering of taskbar buttons.
Adjacent to the system clock is a small rectangle button for the new feature Peek. Hovering over this button makes all visible windows transparent for a quick look at the desktop. Clicking this button minimizes all windows.
Unlike Windows Vista, window borders, the taskbar and the Sidebar do not turn opaque when a window is maximized when Windows Aero is applied. Instead, they remain transparent.
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Author`s name Lisa Karpova
U.S. militarization in Latin America condemned
Conference condemns the militarization of Latin America by U.S.
Intellectuals, representatives of social movements and political forces gathered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last Wednesday (1st) to discuss the process of re-militarization of Latin America by the United States. The Continental Conference on Imperialist Militarization was attended by the writer, journalist and member of the Advisory Council of Mopassol, Estella Calloni, who warned about the U.S. military bases installed in Latin America.
It is now necessary to consider the military bases, the actions of paramilitaries in Colombia, the different forms of state terrorism employed, the presence of U.S. troops in Haiti and the situation of Mexico, facing a war between drug trafficking cartels, which has left over 37,000 dead since December 2006.
Estella Calloni positively assessed the realization of the Council of Defence meeting of UNASUL (Union of South American Nations) and the creation of the Center for Strategic Studies of Defense in Buenos Aires. "The CEED was created from the need to consolidate a South American identity on the subject of defense. It aims to build a vision of its own, oriented from the specific needs and common interests of the countries in the region. "
Another participant at the meeting, an anthropologist at the University of Washington, Adrienne Pine, denounced the U.S. role in the coup against the President of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya. Almost two years ago - on June 28, 2009 - Zelaya was deposed from office and sent into exile. In late May, the former Honduran president returned home and was greeted by demonstrations, banners and posters of the Honduran Resistance movement.
Latin American integration
To discuss issues such as national defense, sovereignty and Latin American integration, the Paraguayan general, member of the Center for National and International Studies and the former Defense Minister of Paraguay, Luis Bareiro Spaini, pointed out the geostrategic importance of UNASUL.
"The international scenario is dynamic and is composed of the simultaneous familiarity and the transformation of a bipolar to a multipolar state of affairs, able to include and discuss, unlike the old proposals that had been in favor of a bilateral mechanism, exclusive and clearly hegemonic," he emphasized.
Also during his speech, Spaini quoted a passage from contemporary thinker, Noam Chomsky, to support the values of the sovereignty of countries and peoples. "Sovereignty is no value in itself. It can only be regarded as a value when it is linked to freedom and rights. When you talk about these values, we must bear in mind human beings, not political constructions, such as corporations, states and capital."
For Spaini, the integration must be understood as the sum of national identities, not as the dissolution of the particular characteristics in a single uniform entity. The general also stressed that the issue of the sovereignty of the nation-state in the framework of regional integration in different continents is a constantly updating process.
Alternatives for demilitarization
The president of Mopassol (Argentine entity that integrates the World Peace Council), Rina Bertaccini, presented during a speech a few alternatives to imperialist militarization and disclosed the information that in recent years the number of U.S. military bases and members of NATO in Latin American countries have doubled.
Rina recalled the experience of Mopassol and called the struggle of Vietnamese people during the Vietnam War "unforgettable." For the current situation, Rina said that the need is to minimize and to interrupt U.S. influence in Latin America's regional integration in all spheres - economic, political and cultural. Rina cites the creation of the South American Defense Council, created by UNASUL, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean initiatives as relevant to the ongoing struggle.
Besides these, other more specific measures were noted by the president. "The determination of the Ecuadorian government to get rid of the U.S. base at Manta, and the Argentine government's decision to renationalise the Military Aircraft Factory in the city of Cordoba are part of this transformation process.
Cebrapaz against U.S. war
To analyze the world situation and the role of NATO, the United States and the European Union in Middle East conflicts, the director of Cebrapaz (Brazilian Center for Solidarity and Struggle for Peace), José Reinaldo Carvalho, issued a statement noting that the War against Libya is the "first of the Obama administration, but the third to be conducted, since he inherited the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq from the Bush administration."
"As in all the recent wars of U.S. imperialism and its allies against other nations, a war started under false pretenses and has the complicity of a huge and powerful machine of lies - the media, which prepares the land with arguments concerning alleged violations of human rights, the perpetration of crimes against the civilian population and disobedience to international treaties," he emphasized.
According to Jose Reinaldo, the NATO bombings in Libya are part of an overall global strategy of the imperialist powers to turn to their advantage the events that have shaken the Arab world and all the Middle East, from the victorious demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt.
The director recalls and explains how Cebrapaz has been fighting for peace and harmony between peoples. "When NATO turned 60, the World Peace Council, along with other peace organizations in Europe, participated in two major acts. One of them, in Belgrade, in the course of the 10th anniversary of NATO bombing against Yugoslavia, the Kosovo War. The second act took place in Strasbourg to protest against a NATO summit."
José Reinaldo points out that since its introduction in 1949, NATO has had an aggressive character. He recalls that the alliance was the main instrument of U.S. imperialism with its European allies in the fight against the socialist countries and in their actions to impose the neo-colonial system in the world in the period after the Second World War.
During his speech, José Reinaldo pointed out the historical aspects that helped the geographic expansion of the Alliance and the negative dimension that it has taken over the years. "NATO is responsible and guilty for crimes against peace and humanity. It violated international law, tore up the UN Charter, and has destroyed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and the former Yugoslavia under false pretenses. They are crimes that cannot go unpunished."
To conclude, the director of Cebrapaz ended the speech by highlighting the common goal between NATO and the United States. "This war machine, which serves imperialism, remains with the same goal over the years, plundering the resources of nations and peoples, to control markets and exercise political domination," he reflected.
Translated from the Portuguese version by:
Lisa Karpova
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Protest and Dissent Vienna 2018 Hotel Mercure Wien Westbanhoff Felberstraße 4, 1150 Wien, Austria
01dec8:30 am02(dec 2)6:00 pmProtest and Dissent
The 21st century has seen a resurgence in protest movements and political dissent around the world. Some of these have been multi-national – for example Occupy, Black Lives
The 21st century has seen a resurgence in protest movements and political dissent around the world. Some of these have been multi-national – for example Occupy, Black Lives Matter and #MeToo – whereas others have had more limited or localised scope, focused on issues of political corruption, violence against women, or prison reform. Additionally, the recent success of populist politicians and political movements around the world could be viewed as a form of dissent by those who feel alienated by the status quo.
Protest and dissent are not new: history is full of movements that have brought fundamental change to our societies through protest, as well as those whose dissent was unsuccessful and the issues they challenged still unaddressed. Furthermore, although many popular protest movements have received widespread support, others have been condemned, both by those in power and by societies at large.
This inclusive interdisciplinary project will explore all aspects of protest and dissent, both historical and in the present moment. By bringing together a wide range of scholars, activists, artists, journalists, ngo’s and professionals we hope to consider the myriad of ways protest and dissent can be expressed, why some movements experience widespread popular and support and others do not, the effectiveness of particular tactics in bringing about lasting change, and what in 2018 we can learn from earlier struggles.
For further details and information click here to visit the conference web page.
1 (Saturday) 8:30 am - 2 (Sunday) 6:00 pm
Hotel Mercure Wien Westbanhoff Felberstraße 4, 1150 Wien, Austria
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← What’s New: Canon Wi-Fi Adapter W-E1
Canon’s New W-E1 Wifi Adapter For DSLRs Looks Like An SD Card →
In Depth: 8 things you need to know about the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
The arrival of the EOS 5D Mark IV is a big deal. Canon’s 5D series of DSLRs has been hugely successful, ushering in full-frame photography to a wider audience as well as transforming the video market thanks to their Full HD video capture.
With a range of excellent features backed up by impressive performance, the outgoing 5D Mark III has become a firm favourite among both enthusiasts and professionals, so if it improves on that camera the EOS 5D Mark IV should be pretty special.
Let’s take a look at some of the key features on the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV.
With Canon not wanting to tinker with a successful recipe the 5D Mark IV doesn’t look dramatically different from its predecessors, but it’s actually 60g lighter than the 5D Mark III, and adds improvements to the weather sealing.
2. Image quality
Resolution jumps up to 30.4MP, with an expandable ISO range of 50-102,400, but the bigger news here is Dual Pixel Raw. This clever technology allows the photographer to select a slightly different point at which the image is sharpest after the image has been captured – no more portraits in which the eyes aren’t pin-sharp.
3. Autofocus
The AF system looks to be almost identical to that in the EOS-1D X Mark II (though we’re told some of the components are different); it’s a 61-point AF system, with all points selectable by the user, and 41 of those AF points are cross-type variants for even great accuracy.
To speed things up during Live View shooting and movie capture, the 5D Mark IV also sports Dual Pixel CMOS AF.
There’s a new 3.2-inch, 1,620,000-dot rear display with touchscreen functionality, offering control over focus point selection, menu navigation and image review.
5. 4K Video
It’s hardly a surprise to see 4K video capture come to the 5D Mark IV, offering videographers DCI cinema-type 4K (4096 x 2160 pixels) capture at 30/25/24fps, as well as Full HD at 60fps and HD at 120fps. There are also new timelapse movie and HDR movie mode settings, while there are connections for both headphones and a microphone.
6. Connectivity
The 5D Mark IV features Wi-Fi, enabling both remote operation and secure file transfer (FTPS/FTP) via smart devices using the Canon Camera Connect app. There’s also NFC for instant connection with compatible devices, and GPS to geotag each image in the EXIF data with automatic time updates. For the first time the Mark IV also supports IPTC metadata, enabling you to enter info such as details of a shoot, and automatically embed it in your images.
7. New lenses
Along with the announcement of the 5D Mark IV, Canon has launched two new lenses. The EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM features an improved 4-stop IS anti-shake system and a new video design EDM unit to provide quiet aperture adjustment during movie capture, while the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM features an improved optical design to take advantage of the latest sensors.
The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is expected to start shipping with a body-only price of £3,629 ($ 3,499). We should know the Australian price very soon and will update as soon as we get it.
It will also be sold as a kit with either the EF 24-70mm f/4L lens ($ 4,399, UK pricing to be confirmed) or the new EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens ($ 4,599; again, UK pricing to be confirmed).
Hands on: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV review
This entry was posted in Photography and tagged About, Canon, Depth, Know, Mark, Need. Bookmark the permalink.
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Carbon reduction and efficiency
Environmental tax obligations and breaks
Eligible industries can enter into climate change agreements (CCAs) with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). To be eligible for these agreements an industry should either operate activities listed in the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Regulations or be classed as an energy intensive industry, meeting specific energy intensity criteria.
GOV.UK: CCA Eligibility details
This is a voluntary scheme where eligible industries that meet challenging energy efficiency or emission reduction targets benefit from a discount from the climate change levy of 90 per cent for electricity use and 65 per cent for other fuels . CCAs have a two-tier structure, with agreements established with business sectors (umbrella agreements) and with individual businesses (underlying agreements). Each agreement sets out targets, defines the obligations of all parties to the agreements and the necessary administrative procedures. Targets are negotiated between sector associations and government but it is the responsibility of sector associations to distribute the agreed target amongst their members.
GOV.UK: How to set up and operate a CCA
The scheme currently has 51 participating business sectors, including sectors such as steel, chemicals, paper, cement, food and drink, pigs and poultry.
GOV.UK: List of Sector Associations
The current CCA scheme started on 1 April 2013. In the 2011 Budget it was announced that the scheme will continue until 2023 and that the existing 51 sectors will continue to be eligible for the CCA scheme and climate change levy discount. It was also announced that the climate change levy discount on electricity for CCA participants would increase to 90 per cent from April 2013.
This extension will provide businesses with more certainty to invest in energy efficiency measures with longer payback periods.
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BCC: UK economy continuing to slow under weight of Brexit uncertainty
Commenting on the latest UK GDP and trade statistics, published today by the ONS, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“Although there was an increase in GDP growth between December and January, the data for the longer three-month period recorded an economy that was continuing to slow under the weight of uncertainty over Brexit and weakening global trading conditions. The service sector remains the main driver of UK growth on this rolling three-month measure, with industrial production and construction contracting. Despite a boost in January, the manufacturing sector remains an area of concern with significant cost pressures and moderating demand in key markets weighing on activity in the sector.
“The lack of clarity on crucial aspects of how companies will operate after 29 March, as well as the possibility of a no-deal Brexit, has led many firms having to take drastic action to safeguard their operations, which has resulted in unnecessary costs, diversion of resources and loss of business, subduing overall economic activity.
“The widening in the UK’s trade deficit is concerning and largely reflects both a decline in car exports and a rise in imported vehicles. With businesses mostly in the dark over future trading arrangements and against a backdrop of slowing growth in key export markets, the UK’s net trade position is likely to remain squeezed for some time to come.
“Against this backdrop, it is critical that government and parliament pull out all the stops to avoid a no deal scenario on March 29 as it would significantly damage the UK economy’s ability to grow.”
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How public education cripples our kids, and why (Against School)
by John Taylor Gatto
I taught for thirty years in some of the worst schools in Manhattan, and in some of the best, and during that time I became an expert in boredom. Boredom was everywhere in my world, and if you asked the kids, as I often did, why they felt so bored, they always gave the same answers: They said the work was stupid, that it made no sense, that they already knew it. They said they wanted to be doing something real, not just sitting around. They said teachers didn't seem to know much about their subjects and clearly weren't interested in learning more. And the kids were right: their teachers were every bit as bored as they were.
Boredom is the common condition of schoolteachers, and anyone who has spent time in a teachers' lounge can vouch for the low energy, the whining, the dispirited attitudes, to be found there. When asked why they feel bored, the teachers tend to blame the kids, as you might expect. Who wouldn't get bored teaching students who are rude and interested only in grades? If even that. Of course, teachers are themselves products of the same twelve-year compulsory school programs that so thoroughly bore their students, and as school personnel they are trapped inside structures even more rigid than those imposed upon the children. Who, then, is to blame?
We all are. My grandfather taught me that. One afternoon when I was seven I complained to him of boredom, and he batted me hard on the head. He told me that I was never to use that term in his presence again, that if I was bored it was my fault and no one else's. The obligation to amuse and instruct myself was entirely my own, and people who didn't know that were childish people, to be avoided if possible. Certainty not to be trusted. That episode cured me of boredom forever, and here and there over the years I was able to pass on the lesson to some remarkable student. For the most part, however, I found it futile to challenge the official notion that boredom and childishness were the natural state of affairs in the classroom. Often I had to defy custom, and even bend the law, to help kids break out of this trap.
The empire struck back, of course; childish adults regularly conflate opposition with disloyalty. I once returned from a medical leave to discover that all evidence of my having been granted the leave had been purposely destroyed, that my job had been terminated, and that I no longer possessed even a teaching license. After nine months of tormented effort I was able to retrieve the license when a school secretary testified to witnessing the plot unfold. In the meantime my family suffered more than I care to remember. By the time I finally retired in 1991, 1 had more than enough reason to think of our schools-with their long-term, cell-block-style, forced confinement of both students and teachers-as virtual factories of childishness. Yet I honestly could not see why they had to be that way. My own experience had revealed to me what many other teachers must learn along the way, too, yet keep to themselves for fear of reprisal: if we wanted to we could easily and inexpensively jettison the old, stupid structures and help kids take an education rather than merely receive a schooling. We could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness-curiosity, adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insightsimply by being more flexible about time, texts, and tests, by introducing kids to truly competent adults, and by giving each student what autonomy he or she needs in order to take a risk every now and then.
But we don't do that. And the more I asked why not, and persisted in thinking about the "problem" of schooling as an engineer might, the more I missed the point: What if there is no "problem" with our schools? What if they are the way they are, so expensively flying in the face of common sense and long experience in how children learn things, not because they are doing something wrong but because they are doing something right? Is it possible that George W. Bush accidentally spoke the truth when he said we would "leave no child behind"? Could it be that our schools are designed to make sure not one of them ever really grows up?
Do we really need school? I don't mean education, just forced schooling: six classes a day, five days a week, nine months a year, for twelve years. Is this deadly routine really necessary? And if so, for what? Don't hide behind reading, writing, and arithmetic as a rationale, because 2 million happy homeschoolers have surely put that banal justification to rest. Even if they hadn't, a considerable number of well-known Americans never went through the twelve-year wringer our kids currently go through, and they turned out all right. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln? Someone taught them, to be sure, but they were not products of a school system, and not one of them was ever "graduated" from a secondary school. Throughout most of American history, kids generally didn't go to high school, yet the unschooled rose to be admirals, like Farragut; inventors, like Edison; captains of industry like Carnegie and Rockefeller; writers, like Melville and Twain and Conrad; and even scholars, like Margaret Mead. In fact, until pretty recently people who reached the age of thirteen weren't looked upon as children at all. Ariel Durant, who co-wrote an enormous, and very good, multivolume history of the world with her husband, Will, was happily married at fifteen, and who could reasonably claim that Ariel Durant was an uneducated person? Unschooled, perhaps, but not uneducated.
We have been taught (that is, schooled) in this country to think of "success" as synonymous with, or at least dependent upon, "schooling," but historically that isn't true in either an intellectual or a financial sense. And plenty of people throughout the world today find a way to educate themselves without resorting to a system of compulsory secondary schools that all too often resemble prisons. Why, then, do Americans confuse education with just such a system? What exactly is the purpose of our public schools?
Mass schooling of a compulsory nature really got its teeth into the United States between 1905 and 1915, though it was conceived of much earlier and pushed for throughout most of the nineteenth century. The reason given for this enormous upheaval of family life and cultural traditions was, roughly speaking, threefold:
1) To make good people. 2) To make good citizens. 3) To make each person his or her personal best. These goals are still trotted out today on a regular basis, and most of us accept them in one form or another as a decent definition of public education's mission, however short schools actually fall in achieving them. But we are dead wrong. Compounding our error is the fact that the national literature holds numerous and surprisingly consistent statements of compulsory schooling's true purpose. We have, for example, the great H. L. Mencken, who wrote in The American Mercury for April 1924 that the aim of public education is not
to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence. ... Nothing could be further from the truth. The aim ... is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality. That is its aim in the United States... and that is its aim everywhere else.
Because of Mencken's reputation as a satirist, we might be tempted to dismiss this passage as a bit of hyperbolic sarcasm. His article, however, goes on to trace the template for our own educational system back to the now vanished, though never to be forgotten, military state of Prussia. And although he was certainly aware of the irony that we had recently been at war with Germany, the heir to Prussian thought and culture, Mencken was being perfectly serious here. Our educational system really is Prussian in origin, and that really is cause for concern.
The odd fact of a Prussian provenance for our schools pops up again and again once you know to look for it. William James alluded to it many times at the turn of the century. Orestes Brownson, the hero of Christopher Lasch's 1991 book, The True and Only Heaven, was publicly denouncing the Prussianization of American schools back in the 1840s. Horace Mann's "Seventh Annual Report" to the Massachusetts State Board of Education in 1843 is essentially a paean to the land of Frederick the Great and a call for its schooling to be brought here. That Prussian culture loomed large in America is hardly surprising, given our early association with that utopian state. A Prussian served as Washington's aide during the Revolutionary War, and so many German-speaking people had settled here by 1795 that Congress considered publishing a German-language edition of the federal laws. But what shocks is that we should so eagerly have adopted one of the very worst aspects of Prussian culture: an educational system deliberately designed to produce mediocre intellects, to hamstring the inner life, to deny students appreciable leadership skills, and to ensure docile and incomplete citizens 11 in order to render the populace "manageable."
It was from James Bryant Conant-president of Harvard for twenty years, WWI poison-gas specialist, WWII executive on the atomic-bomb project, high commissioner of the American zone in Germany after WWII, and truly one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century-that I first got wind of the real purposes of American schooling. Without Conant, we would probably not have the same style and degree of standardized testing that we enjoy today, nor would we be blessed with gargantuan high schools that warehouse 2,000 to 4,000 students at a time, like the famous Columbine High in Littleton, Colorado. Shortly after I retired from teaching I picked up Conant's 1959 book-length essay, The Child the Parent and the State, and was more than a little intrigued to see him mention in passing that the modern schools we attend were the result of a "revolution" engineered between 1905 and 1930. A revolution? He declines to elaborate, but he does direct the curious and the uninformed to Alexander Inglis's 1918 book, Principles of Secondary Education, in which "one saw this revolution through the eyes of a revolutionary."
Inglis, for whom a lecture in education at Harvard is named, makes it perfectly clear that compulsory schooling on this continent was intended to be just what it had been for Prussia in the 1820s: a fifth column into the burgeoning democratic movement that threatened to give the peasants and the proletarians a voice at the bargaining table. Modern, industrialized, compulsory schooling was to make a sort of surgical incision into the prospective unity of these underclasses. Divide children by subject, by age-grading, by constant rankings on tests, and by many other more subtle means, and it was unlikely that the ignorant mass of mankind, separated in childhood, would ever re-integrate into a dangerous whole.
Inglis breaks down the purpose - the actual purpose - of modern schooling into six basic functions, any one of which is enough to curl the hair of those innocent enough to believe the three traditional goals listed earlier:
1) The adjustive or adaptive function. Schools are to establish fixed habits of reaction to authority. This, of course, precludes critical judgment completely. It also pretty much destroys the idea that useful or interesting material should be taught, because you can't test for reflexive obedience until you know whether you can make kids learn, and do, foolish and boring things.
2) The integrating function. This might well be called "the conformity function," because its intention is to make children as alike as possible. People who conform are predictable, and this is of great use to those who wish to harness and manipulate a large labor force.
3) The diagnostic and directive function. School is meant to determine each student's proper social role. This is done by logging evidence mathematically and anecdotally on cumulative records. As in "your permanent record." Yes, you do have one.
4) The differentiating function. Once their social role has been "diagnosed," children are to be sorted by role and trained only so far as their destination in the social machine merits - and not one step further. So much for making kids their personal best.
5) The selective function. This refers not to human choice at all but to Darwin's theory of natural selection as applied to what he called "the favored races." In short, the idea is to help things along by consciously attempting to improve the breeding stock. Schools are meant to tag the unfit - with poor grades, remedial placement, and other punishments - clearly enough that their peers will accept them as inferior and effectively bar them from the reproductive sweepstakes. That's what all those little humiliations from first grade onward were intended to do: wash the dirt down the drain.
6) The propaedeutic function. The societal system implied by these rules will require an elite group of caretakers. To that end, a small fraction of the kids will quietly be taught how to manage this continuing project, how to watch over and control a population deliberately dumbed down and declawed in order that government might proceed unchallenged and corporations might never want for obedient labor.
That, unfortunately, is the purpose of mandatory public education in this country. And lest you take Inglis for an isolated crank with a rather too cynical take on the educational enterprise, you should know that he was hardly alone in championing these ideas. Conant himself, building on the ideas of Horace Mann and others, campaigned tirelessly for an American school system designed along the same lines. Men like George Peabody, who funded the cause of mandatory schooling throughout the South, surely understood that the Prussian system was useful in creating not only a harmless electorate and a servile labor force but also a virtual herd of mindless consumers. In time a great number of industrial titans came to recognize the enormous profits to be had by cultivating and tending just such a herd via public education, among them Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller.
There you have it. Now you know. We don't need Karl Marx's conception of a grand warfare between the classes to see that it is in the interest of complex management, economic or political, to dumb people down, to demoralize them, to divide them from one another, and to discard them if they don't conform. Class may frame the proposition, as when Woodrow Wilson, then president of Princeton University, said the following to the New York City School Teachers Association in 1909: "We want one class of persons to have a liberal education, and we want another class of persons, a very much larger class, of necessity, in every society, to forgo the privileges of a liberal education and fit themselves to perform specific difficult manual tasks." But the motives behind the disgusting decisions that bring about these ends need not be class-based at all. They can stem purely from fear, or from the by now familiar belief that "efficiency" is the paramount virtue, rather than love, liberty, laughter, or hope. Above all, they can stem from simple greed.
There were vast fortunes to be made, after all, in an economy based on mass production and organized to favor the large corporation rather than the small business or the family farm. But mass production required mass consumption, and at the turn of the twentieth century most Americans considered it both unnatural and unwise to buy things they didn't actually need. Mandatory schooling was a godsend on that count. School didn't have to train kids in any direct sense to think they should consume nonstop, because it did something even better: it encouraged them not to think at all. And that left them sitting ducks for another great invention of the modern era - marketing.
Now, you needn't have studied marketing to know that there are two groups of people who can always be convinced to consume more than they need to: addicts and children. School has done a pretty good job of turning our children into addicts, but it has done a spectacular job of turning our children into children. Again, this is no accident. Theorists from Plato to Rousseau to our own Dr. Inglis knew that if children could be cloistered with other children, stripped of responsibility and independence, encouraged to develop only the trivializing emotions of greed, envy, jealousy, and fear, they would grow older but never truly grow up. In the 1934 edition of his once well-known book Public Education in the United States, Ellwood P. Cubberley detailed and praised the way the strategy of successive school enlargements had extended childhood by two to six years, and forced schooling was at that point still quite new. This same Cubberley - who was dean of Stanford's School of Education, a textbook editor at Houghton Mifflin, and Conant's friend and correspondent at Harvard - had written the following in the 1922 edition of his book Public School Administration: "Our schools are ... factories in which the raw products (children) are to be shaped and fashioned .... And it is the business of the school to build its pupils according to the specifications laid down."
It's perfectly obvious from our society today what those specifications were. Maturity has by now been banished from nearly every aspect of our lives. Easy divorce laws have removed the need to work at relationships; easy credit has removed the need for fiscal self-control; easy entertainment has removed the need to learn to entertain oneself; easy answers have removed the need to ask questions. We have become a nation of children, happy to surrender our judgments and our wills to political exhortations and commercial blandishments that would insult actual adults. We buy televisions, and then we buy the things we see on the television. We buy computers, and then we buy the things we see on the computer. We buy $150 sneakers whether we need them or not, and when they fall apart too soon we buy another pair. We drive SUVs and believe the lie that they constitute a kind of life insurance, even when we're upside-down in them. And, worst of all, we don't bat an eye when Ari Fleischer tells us to "be careful what you say," even if we remember having been told somewhere back in school that America is the land of the free. We simply buy that one too. Our schooling, as intended, has seen to it.
Now for the good news. Once you understand the logic behind modern schooling, its tricks and traps are fairly easy to avoid. School trains children to be employees and consumers; teach your own to be leaders and adventurers. School trains children to obey reflexively; teach your own to think critically and independently. Well-schooled kids have a low threshold for boredom; help your own to develop an inner life so that they'll never be bored. Urge them to take on the serious material, the grown-up material, in history, literature, philosophy, music, art, economics, theology - all the stuff schoolteachers know well enough to avoid. Challenge your kids with plenty of solitude so that they can learn to enjoy their own company, to conduct inner dialogues. Well-schooled people are conditioned to dread being alone, and they seek constant companionship through the TV, the computer, the cell phone, and through shallow friendships quickly acquired and quickly abandoned. Your children should have a more meaningful life, and they can.
First, though, we must wake up to what our schools really are: laboratories of experimentation on young minds, drill centers for the habits and attitudes that corporate society demands. Mandatory education serves children only incidentally; its real purpose is to turn them into servants. Don't let your own have their childhoods extended, not even for a day. If David Farragut could take command of a captured British warship as a pre-teen, if Thomas Edison could publish a broadsheet at the age of twelve, if Ben Franklin could apprentice himself to a printer at the same age (then put himself through a course of study that would choke a Yale senior today), there's no telling what your own kids could do. After a long life, and thirty years in the public school trenches, I've concluded that genius is as common as dirt. We suppress our genius only because we haven't yet figured out how to manage a population of educated men and women. The solution, I think, is simple and glorious. Let them manage themselves.
Against School, by John Taylor Gatto originally found here.
Written by: John Taylor Gatto
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FCA issues its first perimeter report
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) perimeter determines which firms require authorisation and dictates the level of protection consumers can expect for the financial services and products they purchase. The regulator has issued a first report on the perimeter and how it affects its supervision activities.
Authorised firms can still conduct certain activities that do not fall within the perimeter.
In part, the perimeter is determined by legislation which the FCA cannot directly influence.
When firms design new products, an assessment needs to be carried out of whether these would be regulated, or whether the activity would be non-regulated and fall outside the perimeter.
The FCA is concerned that firms may try to avoid the perimeter, and thus avoid being regulated. It adds that some firms operating on the edges of the perimeter have recently caused serious harm to consumers, such as firms who issue mini-bonds, for which it is generally accepted both that the product is not FCA regulated and also not covered under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). In these circumstances, the FCA comments that investors may be able to pursue legal claims if the information the firm gave them is incorrect or if it conducts its business in a different way from that originally set out.
Technological advances are likely to mean the perimeter is tested more frequently. However, the FCA adds that it is examining whether some FSCS protection may be available to people who purchased mini-bonds, on the grounds that the firm may have given them advice to purchase these products, and of course giving investment advice is a regulated activity.
The actions of tech firms that develop financial services products and services could give rise to a risk of consumer harm, even if the tech firm does not need FCA authorisation.
Even if it is accepted that a particular service carried out by an authorised firm is non-regulated, the FCA can still intervene under its objective to promote effective competition.
The FCA has the power to intervene, using injunctive powers, and enforce sections of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 concerning unfair credit relationships. It can do this even if the credit agreement in question is not FCA regulated.
The Senior Managers & Certification Regime will allow the FCA to take action against an individual at an authorised firm for certain activities that fall outside the perimeter.
If the FCA discovers fraudulent activity in an authorised firm, it may conclude that the firm is not fit and proper, even if the fraud does not relate to its regulated activities. It gives the example of a veterinary practice offering pet insurance. If a fraud was discovered that related to the practice’s core activities, the FCA may still decide that the firm is not fit and proper and would consider removing their authorisation and prohibiting senior management.
The FCA has gained powers to regulate areas such as consumer credit and claims management, and the Government has now proposed adding funeral plan regulation to its remit. The FCA acknowledges that it may in time be asked to regulate additional areas, but that this is an issue for the UK Parliament, and for the EU for as long as the UK remains a member.
The FCA can intervene if an unauthorised firm strays into regulated activity, such as an introducer firm that strays into giving advice and/or arranging.
Some activities that are fully FCA authorised do not provide any FSCS protection, e.g. consumer credit, claims management, some BTL mortgages.
The information shown in this article was correct at the time of publication. Articles are not routinely reviewed and as such are not updated. Please be aware the facts, circumstances or legal position may change after publication of the article.
scottrobert 2019-07-04T14:44:49+00:00
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Tigers Spring Training Questions Not Fully Answered
What did we learn about the Detroit Tigers during Spring Training?
There were several questions going in. Who would be the closer? Were there going to be any surprise additions to the roster? Would Rick Porcello or Drew Smyly become the team's fifth starter? Would Porcello get traded by Opening Day?
These were the story lines that Tigers Manager Jim Leyland had to face daily. In the two games I attended on March 16 in Jupiter versus the St. Louis Cardinals and on March 24 in Port Saint Lucie against the New York Mets, the skipper had no answers during his pre-game meetings with us in the Tigers dugout.
Going into Spring Training, he didn't know much about infielder Matt Tuiasosopo? By opening day, Tuiasosopo made the team's final roster. In 30 games, Tuiasosopo hit .283 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 30 at bats. I saw three of those homers at the games I attended.
Fox analyst Ken Rosenthal told me that he thought the Tigers should make room for both Porcello and Smyly on the roster. A team can never have too much starting pitching on the roster in case of an injury. The Tigers have kept both which was a wise move and one could be traded later to fill a need.
For all of the hype that surrounded Bruce Rondon as the next closer, the Tigers were smart giving him more time to get some seasoning in the minor leagues. Despite a 2-1 record in Spring Training in 13 games in 12.1 innings pitched, giving up 17 hits with a 5.84 ERA would not have accelerated his development.
Now that Leyland knows how to text message, you can rest assure that there will be another outlet for him to find out if his 22-year old right-hander will be pitching in Comerica Park soon.
The Tigers are 7-5 thus far and the expectations have never been higher with the return of Victor Martinez, addition of Torii Hunter, along with a full season of Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez.
Now that the Tigers have signed Justin Verlander to a long term contract, at least they won't have to deal with that question anymore. If Miguel Cabrera doesn't duplicate his triple crown season of 2012, the key will be for him continue to be a threat in the middle of the order with Prince Fielder and now Martinez protecting him.
If Cabrera was playing in New York or Philadelphia, these towns would boo him for not having another Triple Crown or an MVP Season.
It's hard to believe that Cabrera's first season in Detroit produced his lowest average at .292 changing from the National to the American League in 2008. For pitchers to have to face Cabrera when the guy is hitting .324 in 2009, .328 in 2010, .344 in 2011, and .330 in 2012, only one can wonder what the 2013 season will be like.
But for the Tigers home opening season series versus the New Yankees to be televised on Fox and TBS during the weekend, despite the fact that Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez aren't in the Bronx Bombers line-up, this means one thing. Not only are these two teams big rivals, but indeed there are high expectations for Detroit.
When I spoke to Tigers Radio Announcer Dan Dickerson, he felt that former closer Jose Valverde should have signed a minor league contract. Not getting signed by the Miami Marlins (2-10) must have shaken Valverde's ego because now he's back in the Tigers organization having signed that minor league contract.
I will be curious to see which pitcher emerges in the closer by committee. Thus far, no pitcher has emerged in that role. Brayan Villarreal is struggling with an 0-2 record with nine earned runs in four games. Phil Coke and Smyly each have one save and the team has two for the year.
But we've got a long way to go and it's amazing that we don't know anymore now than we did at the start of Spring Training.
Thankfully, at least baseball isn't a 16-game regular season and 162 games gives a team time to come up with answers.
Posted by Scott Morganroth at 10:34 AM
Labels: Brayan Villarreal, Bronx Bombers, Candy Ebling, Dan Dickerson, Ken Rosenthal, Matt Tuiasosopo, Phil Coke
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Primark customer finds human bone inside pair of store socks
A CUSTOMER at a British Primark clothing store made a grim discovery last month after finding a human bone inside a pair of socks, police revealed this week.
The customer made the find at the chain’s Colchester location Dec. 10, Essex police said. The bone “did not appear to be a result of recent trauma,” police added, according to Sky News.
“Detectives are continuing to investigate following the discovery of what is believed to be part of a human bone in a pair of Primark socks,” an Essex police spokesman said in a statement. “The bone does not appear to be a result of recent trauma and had no skin or other particles surrounding it.”
Police were still investigating the incident and will need to conduct further testing to determine how old the bone is, Sky News reported.
Primark said in a statement it was “highly probable” the bone was placed in the socks by some person and the clothing company apologized to the customer.
“Primark clearly takes this matter very seriously and has already carried out an investigation at our supplier’s factory where the socks were made,” a spokesman said in a statement. “No evidence of any kind exists to suggest that any incident has occurred in the factory, so it is highly probable that this object was placed in the socks by an individual for unknown reasons.”
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The United Nations, Global Education and a Courageous Young Girl
President Mandela Knew the Importance of Education
The former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, once remarked, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Mr. Mandela went on to say, "The power of education extends beyond the development of skills we need for economic success. It can contribute to nation-building and reconciliation..." These words should loudly resound in every corner of the globe. Education should be at the top of the priority list for every government around the world. Knowledge is power, and it has the power to transform lives.
The Importance of Education for All: A Young Girl's Mission
The setting was the United Nations General Assembly. The date was July 12, 2013. The audience was filled with youth from over 80 countries around the world, as well as U.N. dignitaries and leaders. It was a Youth Assembly to commemorate Malala Day in honor of Malala Yousafzai, the young 16 year-old from Pakistan who was shot by the Taliban late last year for simply wanting to attend school. Each person in attendance anxiously anticipated what young Malala was about to say. She had already captivated the world by the courage and grace she displayed while recovering from her injuries.
The aim of young Malala was to bring attention to the plight of the 57 million children without access to education.
One of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), set to expire in 2015, is assuring that each boy and girl has the right to a primary education. As the post-2015 planning proceeds, it calls for education and gender equality as part
of the agenda.
So, with the scene set, an inspiring young lady took to the podium to present an equally inspiring message. She spoke with grace and humility; "Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights." The young girl added, "So here I stand...one girl among many. I speak - not for myself, but for all girls and boys. I raise up my voice - not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated."
One certainly has to pause and remember that this is a young girl on her 16th birthday, recently recovering from some horrific injuries, addressing the U.N. General Assembly. In reading her speech, I could not help but think what was I doing at age 16? I can unequivocally say that speaking before the U.N. General Assembly was not one of them. All the more reason to stand and applaud this young lady.
Malala continued by calling upon nations to resolve the global conflicts that are a direct cause of preventing children from attending school. In addition, the scourge of global poverty equally shares in the blame for depriving children of a quality education. All of us, as global citizens, cannot ignore Malala's plea for help in her efforts to heighten awareness of this problem. Are we going to sit silently while children are deprived of an education? I would hope not. Do we turn our backs on the estimated 250 million children who lack the basic skills to read or write? I would hope not. For if we do, what does it say about us as a global community?
Malala is now the face and voice of this issue. A girl with her determination will continue to highlight the struggle for
an equal education for all whenever the opportunity presents itself. She left everyone with one very poignant message at the end of her address when she said, "One child, one teacher, one pen, one book can change the
world. Education is the only solution. Education First."
The U.N. Aims to Work Hard to Realize Malala's Dream
The first important step undertaken by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in realizing Malala's dream of an education for all occurred in July 2012 when he appointed former Prime Minister of Great Britain Gordon Brown as his U.N. Special Envoy for Global Education. Some of the measures the former British Prime Minister has taken, according to an interview he conducted with UN News Centre, include: "A World At School" and "Education
Without Borders, which aims to address the educational gap that occurs to children who live in conflict areas.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/newsmakers.asp?NewsID=92
Mr. Brown added that his plans are to focus on countries like: Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Ethiopia where children are educationally deprived. In addition, Syria is an important country as well where a civil war has left many children unable to go to school leaving another generation of our young falling further behind.
In September 2012, the U.N. Secretary-General launched the Global Education First Initiative making education a major priority of the world body. The initiative has a three-pronged strategy: (1) to put every child in school; (2) improve the quality of learning, and (3) foster global citizenship. http://globaleducationfirst.org/about.html
Education Should Not be Taken for Granted
In about five weeks or so, most children will be heading back to school following the long hot summer. Many, if not all,
will be dreading the day as it quickly nears. However, it would be a good lesson for children as they return to the classroom to watch or read Malala's speech. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5X70VyjU0g. She, and many others like her, would not dread a return to the classroom; to the contrary, they would relish the opportunity and loudly applaud the chance when it comes because they know the power of a good education and how it can transform a
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The U.S. Government is corrupt! I cannot be any more direct! The U.S. Government is operating with a dramatically unbalanced budget that has produced $103 Trillion of US Unfunded Liabilities according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP Accounting). These are Unfunded Liabilities because the U.S. taxpayers are not paying the taxes required to pay for all of the U.S. Government's spending and committing to spend. Therefore the U.S. taxpayers are wealthier by $103 Trillion because they did not pay $103 Trillion of taxes. Deferring these public liabilities to the future U.S. taxpayers is fraud because the future U.S. taxpayers cannot pay these deferred public liabilities.
The U.S. upper class appears to be very very wealthy because the U.S. Government is corrupt. The more corrupt the U.S. Government is, the wealthier the U.S. upper class becomes. The senior officials in the U.S. Government are appearing to get rich by operating with a corrupt and fraudulent fiscal policy. The U.S. upper class is appearing to get very very rich because the U.S. Government is operating with a corrupt and fraudulent fiscal policy.
U.S. Government fraud is giving the ruling class an opulent lifestyle and is giving the upper class a super opulent lifestyle.
The U.S. economy is not producing much if any wealth! U.S. Government fraud is producing massive imaginary-counterfeit wealth.
GAAP Accounting tells us that if the future U.S. taxpayers could just make a balloon tax payment of $103 Trillion we would have a lot of very rich people in the United States. The U.S. Government has a great imagination. The U.S. Government is imagining that the future U.S. taxpayers will find a huge and ever-increasing pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This is why I call this $103 Trillion imaginary-counterfeit money. This is not real money, this is just money that the U.S. Government imagines will be paid at some point in the future. But it is counterfeit money because the future U.S. taxpayers can never pay it (See The Theory of Imaginary Money).
Cash Deficit in FY2016
Unfunded Future Liabilities
US Unfunded Liabilities (GAAP)
$103.0 Trillion
Imaginary-Counterfeit Money
Source: www.usdebtclock.org August 2, 2016
$103 Trillion of Unfunded Liabilities has produced $103 Trillion of imaginary-counterfeit money that has contributed mightily to the private wealth of the U.S. citizens and business shown in the above table as Total National Assets. 84% of the U.S. private wealth has been produced as imaginary-counterfeit money by the U.S. Government fiscal and accounting fraud that I call USAPonzi ($103.0T/$122.8T = 0.839). This U.S. Government fraud has given the U.S. upper class $103 Trillion of imaginary-counterfeit wealth.
The U.S. Government is continuing this fraud and is continuing to create more imaginary-counterfeit money and imaginary-counterfeit wealth every day with GAAP basis deficit spending of $5.73 Trillion in FY2016.
The U.S. upper class is appearing to get rich with faux money that is being artificially produced with fiscal and accounting fraud. The U.S. upper class is appearing to get very very rich with imaginary-counterfeit money produced with GAAP basis deficit spending. Every dollar of GAAP basis deficit spending becomes an imaginary-counterfeit dollar in the pocket of the taxpayer that did not have to pay that tax dollar.
Warren Buffett, Donald Trump, and Hillary Clinton are poster child examples of people that have gotten rich from this U.S. Government fraud. $103 Trillion of imaginary-counterfeit money can make a lot of people appear to be very very rich.
U.S. Government fiscal and accounting fraud produces Public Liabilities which in turn produces counterfeit Private Wealth. The U.S. Government is causing the United States of America to appear to be wealthy and prosperous by putting $103 Trillion on the credit card of the future U.S. taxpayers.
The U.S. Government is simply pretending to borrow imaginary-counterfeit money from the future U.S. taxpayers and giving it to current Americans. This is fraud because the future U.S. taxpayers do not have $103 Trillion.
To eliminate this fraud, the U.S. Government must adopt GAAP Accounting and commit to a balanced GAAP basis budget. I have created a website www.usaponzi.com and have written a book "USAPonzi", available on Amazon, that explain this Ponzi scheme in much more detail.
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I had to pick a song for my English assignment. The song had the lyrics “I won’t let you choke on the noose around your neck” and she said I couldn’t do it because there was just another suicide in my city. Seriously? Sure, I get it, you don’t want people to get upset but it’s not death metal screaming DIE DIE DIE! it’s actually a very happy song and makes me feel better when I’m sad.
Not all death metal says “die die die”.
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Look forward to new prospects for China-France relations
标签: China, France, relations
Paris has already felt the warmth of the spring wind in March. In this beautiful season of the revivification of nature, President Xi Jinping is about to pay his second state visit to France. In March five years ago, President Xi visited France, and the leaders of the two countries reviewed the precious experience of the development of bilateral relations in half a century. Both countries have followed the spirit of independence, mutual understanding, strategic vision and win-win cooperation in developing bilateral ties, a principle providing important guidance to an even brighter future of China-France relations. Today, five years later, our world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. On one hand, the trend toward globalization and informatization is gaining momentum, and countries are increasingly interconnected and interdependent. The historical trend of peace, development, openness, and cooperation is irreversible. On the other hand, amid surging protectionism, unilateralism and populism, as well as growing uncertainty and instability in international situation, the global governance system based on multilateralism is faced with challenges unseen before.
There are certain historic occasions that empower us with the wisdom and strength to move forward. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. President Xi’s visit this time is the first visit to France by a Chinese top leader after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and President Emmanuel Macron’s assumption of office. It is of great significance for promoting the development of China-France and China-Europe relations in the new era. The two countries will take President Xi’s visit as an opportunity to revitalize the spirit of bilateral diplomatic relations, and plan the future of bilateral relations from a historical and strategic perspective to better benefit both countries and people of the world. China and France should continue to respect each other, seek common ground while reserving differences, and set a model of relations between eastern and western major countries. 55 years ago, China and France independently made a great decision to establish ambassadorial diplomatic ties, transcending their huge differences in geography, national conditions, ideology, and political systems and focusing on the common and long-term interests of both sides.
Today, the desire for independence and the pursuit of multi-polarity are still the underlying features of China-France relations, and the inexhaustible energy for boosting closer and sincere bilateral cooperation. China and France should continuously make new progress for mutual benefit and win-win results, and deepen pragmatic cooperation and integration of interests. The two sides will make solid efforts to advance cooperation in traditional fields such as nuclear energy and aerospace, and maintain the prominent characteristics of pragmatic and strategic cooperation. Both sides will also strengthen cooperation in emerging fields such as agricultural integration, digitalization, artificial intelligence, medicine and health, and green development to promote deep integration of development strategies.
Meanwhile, the two countries will also actively facilitate cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative via cooperation platforms in third-party markets, in a bid to chart the course for the BRI cooperation between China and Europe. China and France should uphold openness, inclusiveness, exchanges and mutual learning to further strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation. Both countries should promote in-depth communication and cooperation in a wide range of areas including language, culture, science, education, health and sports, especially exchanges between young people, from a perspective of dialogue between the two civilizations.
By doing so, the two countries will bring closer the hearts of the two peoples, pass on bilateral friendship from generation to generation, and promote exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations in the world for the prosperity of human civilization. Still, further, China and France should stand together with a global perspective to enhance strategic coordination and cooperation. As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and France should take responsibility for speaking with one voice on safeguarding basic norms of international relations, promoting global peace and prosperity, and advancing international unity and justice in an unstable world troubled by mounting unilateralism. The two sides should also intensify communication and coordination to tackle climate change, address the Iranian nuclear issue, promote the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and build broader consensus to safeguard multilateralism and improve global governance. These endeavors will provide solutions to challenges facing the international community and to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Spring is meant to bring people confidence and strength. I look forward to President Xi Jinping’s upcoming historic visit to France, which will bring new prospects for China-France relations and the world.
By Zhai Jun
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The UN’s Green Climate Fund
By Oscar Reyes, February 18, 2014
As the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board prepares to meet in Bali, Oscar Reyes identifies some of the key issues that will shape an institution that is expected to become central in providing international climate finance.
1. Is the GCF a Fund or a Bank?
The main purpose of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), put very simply, is to receive climate finance from developed countries (in accordance with their obligations under the UN Climate Convention) and disburse that money for activities in developing countries. But there are considerable signs of mission creep and the paperwork framing discussions in Bali contains numerous references to the revenue generating capacity of the Fund’s loans, and the potential for bonds, to replenish the Fund’s coffers.
A key part of the value in having a GCF lies in its ability to fund projects and programs that commercial lenders wouldn’t touch. The GCF should not aspire to be a World Bank for Climate Change, let alone its Goldman Sachs. If the GCF focuses on supporting projects that have genuine development benefits, including most of those that address the need for adaptation to the effects of climate change, it’s unlikely that it can at the same time generate sufficient returns on investment to keep the Fund afloat – and nor should it. Climate finance is an obligation of developed countries for their disproportionate role in causing climate change, and the GCF should be based on regular financial replenishments from developed countries, supplemented by innovative mechanisms like Financial Transaction Taxes.
2. Will the GCF fund fossil fuel infrastructure?
It is often difficult to see the wood for the trees within the thicket of paperwork that surrounds GCF Board meetings. But any mention of phasing out fossil fuels through a transition to renewable energy is conspicuous by its absence. Unless there’s a rapid about-turn the GCF could, perversely, become a major source of funding for fossil fuel infrastructure, even as other international financial institutions are belatedly moving to phase out some of the coal-fired excesses of their energy portfolios.
There are still some ways to prevent this fate. The Fund’s “initial results management framework” seeks to measure only tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, but could instead set strict performance standards (or output limits) that would rule out dirty energy. The GCF could draw up an exclusion list of dirty energy project types. It should also adopt strong environmental and social safeguards, so as not to avoid promoting the displacement of people and biodiversity loss that comes with large hydroelectric dams, as much as with fossil fuel projects.
The prospects that the GCF will exclude dirty energy projects look slim, given that its Board contains several members keen to promote fossil fuels (and their proxies like “carbon capture and storage”), while large transnational corporations, including Bank of America (dubbed “the coal bank” by activists), play a significant role in shaping the Fund. But resistance to this corporate capture is growing.
3. Whatever happened to the promise of civil society participation?
The GCF Secretariat recently invited observers to an event in Bali, swiftly followed by two recall messages and an instruction to disregard the first message. This little administrative blunder is an apt metaphor for how the Fund treats currently civil society participation: “invite – recall – recall – please disregard.” The Governing Instrument (in effect, the Fund’s constitution) asks that the Board should “develop mechanisms to promote the input and participation of stakeholders, including private-sector actors, civil society organizations, vulnerable groups, women and indigenous peoples, in the design, development and implementation of the [Fund’s] strategies and activities.” But the proposals tabled for discussion at Bali backtrack on a lot of this.
The proposed process for approving GCF financing gives no clear idea as to when and how the views of “stakeholders” will be considered, not least communities where projects are located. The “no objection” procedure, introduced to ensure active engagement from civil societies in the development of the climate strategies funded by the GCF, is reduced to a box ticking exercise that can assume “tacit” consent for projects. Instead of the “participatory monitoring” that the Governing Instrument suggests, the monitoring of GCF activities could be limited to greenhouse gas calculations and cost-benefit analyses, offering limited insight into the wider benefits (or harms) that a broader, qualitative framing could show up.
Civil society groups are becoming increasingly agitated on these issues as past promises have not been kept. For example, having decided to appoint civil society representatives to its Private Sector Advisory Group, the GCF Board and Secretariat have apparently snubbed the representatives chosen by the coalition of civil society groups observing the Fund. Instead, secretariat staff cherry picked advisors.
4. Will the GCF balance mitigation and adaptation?
One of the key decisions that will be taken in Bali is on “allocation”, setting guidelines for how the GCF’s funding will be distributed. The headline figure here concerns the balance of mitigation (reducing future emissions) and adaptation (tackling climate change impacts that are already happening). An initial assessment by the Fund’s Secretariat suggests that it should aim for “50/50 as the medium-term allocation target.” But the proposal that the Board is being asked to decide upon magically transforms this into a “target range of 30-50 per cent for both adaptation and mitigation.” Fans of math will note that both targets could be hit without adding up to 100 per cent, whilst followers of climate finance have long complained that support for adaptation repeatedly falls short in the finance provided by developed countries and via other international financial institutions.
The Board will also discuss a target of 20 per cent of GCF financing going to its Private Sector Facility. As that’s widely expected to focus on mitigation, that could make any broader balance more difficult to achieve.
5. What protection will GCF environmental and social safeguards offer?
Safeguards set out some basic ground rules to ensure that finance will “do no harm”, a principle that encompasses social, gender, economic and environmental impacts. The GCF is formally committed to building upon the “best practice” elsewhere. Although no decision on safeguards will be taken until May 2014, the meeting in Bali will introduce the first draft of the Fund’s proposed safeguards. To describe these efforts as “disappointing” would be an understatement. The proposed standards offer a short and apparently voluntary set of guidelines based upon the UN’s Adaptation Fund, whose lending practice are far narrower and less risky than what the GCF is likely to engage in. As a broad coalition of civil society has already suggested, any safeguard policy worth its salt will be mandatory, and must be particularly careful in how it treats finance via intermediaries, with the Fund directly disclosing and monitoring the impacts of sub-projects.
6. What are “intermediaries” and why does their role keep expanding?
The role of intermediaries merits just one mention in the GCF Governing Instrument, but the scope and use of the term has grown considerably since then. In setting out how “direct access” to GCF financing will happen, a definition has now been offered of “intermediaries” that widens their scope still to include “financial structuring”, “origination of structured products for financial engineering” and “insurance mechanisms,” as well as other tasks “to be defined as they become relevant and appropriate.”
In the same vein, intermediaries are now defined as “a broad concept not limited to banking institutions.” That’s the equivalent of opening up the GCF to the murky world of shadow banking, where entities such as hedge funds or private equity funds could be recipients of GCF financing. Later in the year, the GCF Board will discuss offering other forms of financing, such as risk guarantees and taking equity (ownership) stakes in companies. It’s a worrying trajectory, although it’s not yet too late for the Fund to take a different path, rejecting a broad role for intermediaries and refocusing on the grant and concessional lending that the GCF has a mandate to engage in directly.
7. How concessional will GCF concessional lending be?
When the GCF finally starts funding projects, it will finance them through a mix of grants and concessional loans. The “concessional” part means offering rates that are more favorable than those available from commercial lenders, but the extent of the concession remain open for debate. The GCF secretariat is proposing to offer “softer” and “harder” concessional loans, but the terms of these compare unfavorably with those offered by the Clean Technology Fund (one of the World Bank-led Climate Investment Funds) and the International Development Association, the part of the World Bank Group that is generally seen as a standard-setter for “concessionality.”
The biggest issue here is that the GCF would set interest rates according to the “benchmark” for a chosen currency – US 10-year Treasury bond rates, or Euribor rates in the Eurozone. While those are at all-time lows, that’s not true globally. For example, benchmark rates in India are currently eight per cent, while in Nigeria they’re 12 per cent and close to 20 per cent in Argentina. By contrast, CTF and IDA concessional lending interest rates don’t rise about one and a half per cent. Adopting “benchmark” rates could discourage lending in local currencies, which is often key to both avoiding public indebtedness and allowing small to medium-sized enterprises to participate without significant risks.
Moreover, no definition is given as to whether interest rates would be fixed or variable during the period of concessional loans: if the latter, changes in interest rates for dollar loans could add billions to developing country debt, as happened following the Volcker shock when US rates rose sharply in the early 1980s. The GCF Board should reject this idea of “benchmark” rates. At the same time, it should also decide a clear policy to insist upon grants for public lending in so-called “vulnerable” countries, so as not to increase indebtedness.
The Green Climate Fund’s 6th Board meeting takes place from 19-21 February in Bali, Indonesia. More details of the IPS Climate Policy program’s work on the GCF can be found at www.climatemarkets.org
IPS associate fellow Oscar Reyes is a writer and activist focussing on climate and energy finance. His recent work includes Power to the People?, which takes a critical look at the World Bank’s Clean Technology Fund, and the co-authored Carbon Trading: how it works and why it fails. He provides research and advice on the economics and politics of climate change to various organisations, including Corporate Europe Observatory, Earthlife Africa and Friends of the Earth UK. He is also environment editor of Red Pepper, a magazine that he previously edited.
Prior to becoming an associate fellow, Oscar was a researcher with Carbon Trade Watch, the Environmental Justice project of the Transnational Institute (TNI), TNI Communications Officer, lecturer in Cultural Studies at the University of East London, lecturer in European Politics at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and co-presenter/producer of a weekly radio show on London’s Resonance FM.
He holds a BA in English Language and Literature from Somerville College, Oxford University and a Masters in Ideology and Discourse Analysis from the University of Essex.
Article courtey of Institute for Policy Studies
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Warriors Recap: Steph Curry Drops 45 & Dubs Demolish Clippers 121-105
The Warriors came into this game against the Los Angeles Clippers knowing they might be without Kevin Durant, but quite frankly they were not going to need them. The Warriors were clearly the better team and unless they were out partying in Los Angeles the night before, this was going to be a victory for Steve Kerr and the boys.
Steph Curry has been playing well and today was no different. His big performance would give the Warriors a comfortable lead and it only took the two-time MVP three quarters to get the job done. The Clippers lost Blake Griffin early, but even then it might not been enough to even make it close with the Warriors.
Here’s a quick breakdown of tonight’s victory against the Warriors:
The Warriors got off to a slow start to start the game and fell behind early. They missed some easy shots near the basket and the Clippers were able to knock down some jumpers. However it didn’t take long for the Warriors offense to start clicking and they rattled off a 9-2 run to give them a three point lead with about half of the quarter remaining. The Clippers were playing with purpose, but you could tell that they were simply not in the same league. Steph was able to knock down a transition triple to extend the lead to five and then proceeded to draw the foul on a three point attempt to earn another three points. All of a sudden is started raining threes at the Staples Center and before you knew it, the Warriors were up 10 in the first quarter. As the quarter was coming to an end, play had to be stopped after Blake Griffin was elbowed by JaVale McGee inadvertently. Griffin had to be taken to the locker room for further evaluation. Lou Williams ended the quarter by scoring five unanswered points, cutting the Warrior lead to only three to end the first quarter.
Again, a little sloppy to start the second quarter. The Clippers were able to cut the lead to a single point in the opening minutes of the quarter, but David West was feeling his jumper and was able to knock down a couple to keep the Warriors ahead. Credit to the Clippers for putting up a fight, especially without their star player. Omri Casspi and West were able to get the Warriors more cushion with some nice and easy baskets, but just when you thought they were going to pull away, the Clippers would manage to string together some baskets and keep the game close. Without Griffin, the Clippers needed to rely on players like Montrezl Harrell and Sam Dekker to keep them in the game, they both were able to get some key buckets, while Steph was trying to put this game away. However, the Warriors went cold and couldn’t knock down the triple. Finally, the Warriors were able to break their slump with both Splash Brothers hitting a three of their own. Curry then took over the game to end the half and in blink of an eye the Warriors were up nine at the break.
This time, both teams came out a little flat to start the second half. The first two minutes they simply traded baskets and the lead remained the same for the Warriors. Another Curry triple would give the Warriors their largest lead of the game, 73-59. Curry was starting to feel it and you could tell he was having a blast out there in the court. He kept knocking down shots and for the second time in the game, he was able to draw a foul and earn another three shots at the charity stripe. Curry was able to get to the 40 point mark with several minutes left in the third and at that point the game was over. The Warriors started rolling behind Curry’s hot hand and the game was quickly out of reach. The fans here at the Staples Center were loving every minute of Curry’s performance. All you kept hearing is “ohhhh” and “ahhhh” every time he had the ball in his hands. The Warriors ended the quarter up 27 points and that was the last we would see of Curry and the rest of the starters.
We all know what happened here. Steve Kerr emptied his bench because this game was over. The rest of the fourth quarter felt like an exhibition match-up. Some good baskets, but a lot of bad misses as well. The crowd was out of it and at this point we were all just waiting for this game to end. The Warriors would finish this game by beating the Clippers 121-105 and Curry led the way with 45 points in three quarters.
Golden State WarriorsLos Angeles Clippers
Steph Curry Saves the Warriors from Collapse
Warriors Outrun Nuggets in 124-114 Shootout
UCLA Alumni with an amazing love for sports.
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Public and private as a topic of a multidisciplinary research
public and private as a topic of multidisciplinary research
The relationship between public and private reflects the state of politics, society, and culture. We can examine it today and throughout the course of history. Hannah Arendt, Hans Paul Bahrdt, Jürgen Habermas, and Richard Sennett place the beginnings of the polarity between public and private in various different epochs, and also define its nature differently. It is therefore all the more interesting to reflect on this polarity from the viewpoint of philosophy, sociology, cultural anthropology, art history, architecture, and literature.
The project is part of “Strategy AV21” within the framework of the research programme “Europe and the State: between Barbarism and Civilisation”. The institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences involved in the project are the Institute of Art History (the coordinating institution), the Institute of Philosophy, the Institute of Sociology, the Institute of Ethnology, and the Institute of Czech Literature.
IN THE FIELD OF ART HISTORY, the theme of public and private is most obviously applicable to architecture and urbanism. Particularly in recent times, the role of public space as a key instrument for improving the quality of the urban environment has become increasingly prominent, while on the other hand fears are growing that it is threatened with disintegration as a result of the commercialisation of public life, the physical and mental mobility of people today, the increasing importance of virtual forms of communication, and so on. We can also often observe around us the blurring of the borders between public and private, with the expansion of private interests into public space. In urbanism and heritage conservation private interests are frequently given priority over public ones. Our society lacks the desire to present itself by means of public buildings, whereas society in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century set great store by such buildings and turned them into icons.
In the sphere of the visual arts the relationship between public and private can be studied both as a theme for works of art and also as the background against which various artistic disciplines are practised or were practised in the past, from the Middle Ages up till the present day. Research in this field covers issues relating to collecting, the history of museums, galleries, and libraries, the activities of artistic associations, groups, and organisations, and educational establishments for artists. It also includes the alternative culture under the former communist regime and the relationship between the official and non-official spheres at that time.
The Institute of Art History, CAS, has devoted many projects to these themes. (One example among completed projects is Urban Public Space.) The Institute has prepared a number of meetings to defend the public interest in heritage conservation issues, dealing for example with saving from demolition the house designed by the architects Kozák and Zasche on Wenceslas Square in Prague, or protecting the town of Horní Jiřetín from surface mining of brown coal. Likewise, during the interdisciplinary symposia in Plzeň dealing with 19th-century Czech society and culture, there are always a number of contributions relating to the theme of public and private (www.plzensympozium.cz).
Contemporary SOCIOLOGY deals with the question of the relationship between public and private in particular in terms of power, ways of negotiating and representing the power of individual groups of the population and politically committed groups, and the material and symbolic changes in spaces which these negotiations bring with them. The key questions are now who has the right to enter the public space and who has this right denied to them, in what ways and on the basis of which ideas this happens, and what are the forms of “resistance” or “subversion” on the level of the ideas and concrete activities of those who are forced out of the public space. In addition to such groups of people, sociologists also take an interest in different types of space and what happens there both materially and socially as a result of new delimitations of the border between private and public (the privatisation and commodification of spaces, for example in shopping centres, the effect of conservative and neoliberal policies in the public sphere, for example the differences in the status of men and women in public institutions such as universities and research centres, etc.).
In the Institute of Sociology of the CAS there are currently several projects under way that deal with similar themes. One example is the project Hobohemia: time and space of homeless persons in a post-socialist city (more information at http://hobohemia.eu/en), which deals with the mobility in time and space of homeless people, how they perceive and make use of places and time, and the everyday experience of existence in a situation that crosses the private-public dichotomy. Another example is the project Between Home and Nature: urban political ecology of allotment gardening in post-socialist city and its urban impacts (more information at http://zahradky.soc.cas.cz/en). This project studies the hybrid space of allotment garden colonies, which cross the border between private and public, and likewise the borders between individual and common, natural and non-natural, urban and non-urban, and where intensive negotiations are taking place about their continued existence and their role in towns.
The Institute of Philosophy of the CAS focuses on themes relating to philosophical and transdisciplinary research into public space. Its primary orientation will be towards authors who delimit or redefine public space in relation to the historically changing civil society and concentrate on the expression of public interests and the role of art and visual culture in public space. The key authors in this regard include J. Habermas, C. Calhoun, N. Fraser, M. Burawoy, S. Benhabib, R. Deutsche, and Miwon Kwon. The initial question is, under which conditions and in what kind of society is public space formed, when individuals join together, put forward arguments in a rational discussion, and articulate general interests in a sphere between the state, civil society, and the market. In order to review the conception of public space it will be important to take into account the processes of globalisation, transnationalisation, and cosmopolitanisation of society. Themes that are related to research into publicness and public space from the perspective of political and social philosophy are part of the annual international conferences entitled “Social and Political Science” that are held in the Lanna Villa in Prague, and of other activities organised by the Institute of Philosophy’s Centre of Global Studies and Department of Moral and Political Philosophy.
At the INSTITUTE OF CZECH LITERATURE of the Czech Academy of Sciences, a project relating to the theme of public and private is the Encyclopaedia of Czech Literary Samizdat, which has been compiled since 2015 by the Literary Lexicography Department of the Institute. The planned Encyclopaedia will include samizdat series of works, magazines, and the most important non-periodical collections in the fields of fiction, literary criticism, and journalism, and may also address the related fields of art and the humanities. It will also contain several entries providing surveys and contexts. The work will be completed and published in book form in 2019.
The nucleus of the editorial team consists of staff from the Institute of Czech Literature of the CAS, and researchers from other academic and non-academic workplaces are also involved in the project. The project has been supported by the Czech Science Foundation and is also part of the COST international project New Exploratory Phase in Research on East European Cultures of Dissent 1945–1989, which is coordinated by the Instytut Badań Literackich Polskiej Akademii Nauk in Warsaw. (More information at http://www.ucl.cas.cz/en/2013-02-14-13-43-23/encyclopedia-of-czech-samizdat).
Akademie věd České republiky
Ústav dějin umění Akademie věd České republiky
Filozofický ústav AV ČR
Sociologický ústav AV ČR
Etnologický ústav AV ČR
Ústav pro českou literaturu AV ČR
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At least 100 migrants walk free from shelled detention centre in Tripoli
TRIPOLI, July 9 (Reuters) – Libyan officials allowed at least 100 migrants to walk free on Tuesday from a detention centre in the capital Tripoli that was hit by a deadly attack last week.
The air strike, on July 3, killed 53 people and injured 130 others, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest death toll on Twitter. It occurred as eastern forces under Khalifa Haftar keep up a ground and aerial offensive to wrest control of Tripoli from the U.N.-backed government.
Officials at the centre, run by the U.N.-backed government in an eastern suburb of Tripoli, said they took the decision after the migrants protested over not being included in an evacuation list by the United Nations’ refugee agency (UNHCR).
Only 55 of the migrants were on the UNHCR list, said a local official at the detention center who requested not to be named.
“We opened the gates and let them go,” he told Reuters.
A resident from Tajoura,a suburb in eastern Tripoli, said migrants were seen marching from the detention centre.
It was not immediately clear where they intended to go.
Following their departure, about 110 other migrants remain at the centre, lying in the open air and using mattresses for shelter from the sun, the official said.
“They don’t want to go back inside the hangar as they’re afraid of any further air strikes,” the official added.
Haftar’s forces and the U.N.-backed government have blamed each other for the July 3 air strike.
Libya is one of the main departure points for African migrants fleeing poverty and war to try to reach Italy by boat, but many are picked up and brought back by the Libyan coast guard, supported by the European Union.
(Reporting by Ahmed Elumami Editing by Gareth Jones)
Guatemalan court halts ‘safe third country’ designation for asylum seekers
Egypt revamps law curbing NGOs, critics unimpressed
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Determined to reach Europe, migrants defy Morocco’s crackdown
By Ahmed Eljechtimi and Ulf Laessing TANGIER, Morocco, July 10 (Reuters) – Senegalese migrant Ismail, 26, is back in the forests around the northern Moroccan port of Tangier, not long after being stopped there by authorities and bussed 872 kilometres south in an attempt to stop him reaching Europe. But his desire to get […]
South Sudan court rules against marriage of girl, 16, in landmark case
By Hellen Toby JUBA, July 9 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A court in South Sudan has annulled a child marriage, in a rare legal case that activists say could signal a turning point for women’s rights in the conservative country. The marriage of a 16-year-old girl, the daughter of a cattle herdsman, to a […]
Gigi Lamayne – “Job Woods”
2019 has been building up to be Gigi Lamayne‘s year. From the success of her Gigi Gang Show to performing at the South African presidential inauguration and she is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. To celebrate this amazing period in her life she provides a teaser of what’s to come from […]
DR Congo: Police Fire on, Beat Protesters
(Kinshasa) – Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo fired live ammunition, killing one person, in dispersing opposition protests on June 30, 2019. They also used teargas, beatings, and arbitrary arrests against protesters in Kinshasa, the capital, and the eastern city of Goma. “Congolese authorities should thoroughly and impartially investigate the alleged excessive use of force […]
Kenya: Nairobi Police Executing Suspects
(Nairobi) – Police in Kenya have killed no fewer than 21 men and boys in Nairobi’s low-income areas, apparently with no justification, claiming they were criminals, Human Rights Watch said today. The extrajudicial killings point to a broader problem of police using excessive, unlawful force in the name of maintaining law and order in Nairobi’s informal settlements […]
Moving on From Ethiopia’s Torturous Past
“I was stripped down to my underwear and whipped with an electric cable every night for a month, all because I participated in protests [against the government],” a man who had been tortured in an Ethiopian police station in 2016 told me. “They removed three of my fingernails with pliers and beat me on the […]
By Daina Beth Solomon TAPACHULA, Mexico, July 5 (Reuters) – Marilyne Tatang, 23, crossed nine borders in two months to reach Mexico from the West African nation of Cameroon, fleeing political violence after police torched her house, she said. She plans to soon take a bus north for four days and then cross a […]
Botswana seeks to overturn court ruling allowing gay sex
GABORONE, July 8 (Reuters) – Botswana’s government will appeal a high court ruling which decriminalised homosexuality, potentially resuscitating a law that punished gay sex by up to seven years in prison. The court’s ruling in June, which was praised by international organisations and activists, meant Botswana joined a handful of African countries that have legalised […]
Disney’s Lion King Soundtrack release date set
South Africa, Johannesburg (July 4, 2019) – Tickets are on sale for “The Lion King,” the Jon Favreau-helmed feature film that brings treasured characters to the big screen in a whole new way. The film—like the original 1994 version—features unforgettable music by an award-winning team, including Oscar® and GRAMMY®-winning superstar Elton John and Oscar and […]
Malawi storm survivors place hope in solar power to switch on ‘new life’
By Charles Pensulo CHIKWAWA, Malawi, July 4 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Residents of Mwalija village received a rude awakening when their homes were rattled and flooded by Cyclone Idai in March. “It was a scary situation and we rushed to the site where there is a solar panel,” said Hannah Longeya, pointing at the fence […]
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Hanson Day 2017
I’ve been very fortunate as a Hanson fan and have found myself in more than a few situations that made me stop and think “If I could tell 9-year-old me what I’m doing right now…” Let’s just say 1997 me would be pretty impressed or in a constant state of disbelief with a lot of the situations I've wound up in over the last decade.
This is the year I would have to break it to 9-year-old Holly that present day Holly would have a ticket to a sold out Dance Party hosted by Taylor Hanson but opted to have donuts and go to bed early instead. I guess the 20th/25th anniversary is a fine time to realize you’re not a kid anymore, and Hanson Day 2017 provided plenty of opportunities to feel old and tired with a jam-packed schedule of events, plenty of which overlapped and ran past midnight. Busy as it was, I’m still on board for the most exhausting vacation I know, and they've obviously worked hard to create an event worth every mile we've traveled to get there.
The Art Gallery/Hanson History
The nostalgia at this Hanson Day weekend was almost as abundant as the lines at this Hanson Day weekend. The Art Gallery included a special look back at the past featuring photographs from every year of Hanson’s career in addition to some beautiful throwback pop-art style paintings from Zac. It was probably my favorite set of paintings to date with all of the bright colors and polka dots. I was super excited to visit the Hanson History portion of the gallery after having mentioned the idea of a "Hanson museum" three years ago on here. The new addition featured props from several music videos throughout Hanson’s career including:
-Furniture from the set of “Weird”
-The Are You Listening piano from "Lost Without Each Other"
-Zac and Taylor’s outfits from the “If Only” video
-Weird Al’s outfit & tambourine and the keyboard used in “Thinking ‘Bout Somethin”
-Some of the costumes worn by the children in the new “I Was Born” video.
All of this led up to the iconic giant pansy backdrop from the “MMMBop” video, which they had set up with a photobooth and props for all of us to pose with. This was such a fun surprise that I think everyone loved. We were given free photo strips and the opportunity to record a short video message to Hanson as well.
My own visit to the gallery was a spur-of-the-moment decision made while decked out in full rain gear simply because we didn’t see a line, but we fully intended to go back the next day dressed like normal people and take better pictures. Unfortunately that didn’t happen, but what we got instead is certainly memorable. My friend Rachel and I just happened to be wearing rain coats that matched the backdrop perfectly. We picked out “wham!” and “ouch!” props and decided to pretend she was punching me in one of the shots. I didn’t realize it was actually a double-sided caption until we were walking away with our pictures and noticed my angry face paired with a perplexing “Poof!” sign. We didn’t get digital copies, I held up the wrong caption, and we look like a North Face ad. It's perfect.
Acoustic Storytellers
The nostalgia reached its peak when the Acoustic Storytellers "Lecture" opened with an acapella rendition of "Rockin' Robin" followed by "Stories." This show was definitely my favorite event of the weekend even though I got more new songs and a better spot at the regular show. This trip was never about ticking songs off of a checklist or going and doing something new; it was about revisiting the music and friendships that have grown to mean a lot to me over the years, and sitting in the back with my friends during this set was a great way to celebrate how far we've come together, both literally and figuratively, Hanson included.
For the third year in a row, Hanson chose to play "With You In Your Dreams" during the lectures. It fit with the rest of the set and is obviously a powerful song in the band's history, but sobbing uncontrollably during WYIYD during the lectures every year is turning into some kind of weird accidental tradition that I don't exactly look forward to. Isaac solo-ing "A Life Without You" directly after didn't really help, but I'm glad so many people who haven't had the opportunity to attend BTTI finally got to hear it. I enjoyed all of the insights and stories they shared and would love to see this event done again with new songs and more details. And the answer we finally got about where Johnny went after all these years? In Zac's words: "Hell if I know."
The best part of the show (aside from Rockin' Robin) was the moment at the end when someone switched on the disco ball during "Been There Before." I had flashbacks to middle school dances with the little mirrored lights bouncing off of the hardwood floors while I stood in the bleachers. It was just one of those great shared moments that you know is unrepeatable and that you somehow already miss while it's still happening.
The main show was almost entirely fan club songs with just a few singles at the end. I don't want to go into too much detail about the new EP songs because they'll get their own separate post soon, but "I Don't Want To Go Home" certainly has the feel of a new fan anthem and I can't stop blasting it in my car. "I Lift You Up" was an interesting deviation from their usual performance style. I think Isaac was holding up his cell phone with Taylor's breathy percussion recording playing into the microphone, and Taylor and Zac were both at the keyboard for the duration of the song, but a spotlight with the intensity of a thousand suns aimed at my face means I can't really tell you what they were doing there. I just know that seeing them both at the keyboard brought back memories of seeing them drum in unison during "Roller Coaster Love" in the same room back in 2013.
Just looking at the setlist, a lot of my favorites that I voted for in the Members Only song poll a few months back made the cut (On and On, Sound of Light, White Collar Crime, and No Rest for the Weary were all near the top of my list), and "Sunny Day" is the only song I can think of that would have made it even better. I'm kind of amazed that with all of the throwbacks and bad weather and the new rain jacket in the store, we didn't get an acapella version of "Rain" anywhere on the setlist, but the set was still solid without it.
Hop Jam
Someone joked that Hanson must have paid off the rain gods for good weather on Hop Jam day this year in exchange for letting the weather be horrible every other day of the event, and I'd believe it. I was a little nervous that I'd be running around doing odd jobs in my rain boots, but the weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was great to see Hanson headline again after taking a year off, and I'm proud to watch the event continue to grow year after year and become an annual staple in the Tulsa festival lineup among the likes of Mayfest and the Blue Dome Arts Festival.
I failed miserably at taking pictures just like I do every year, but most of the best moments can't be captured by a camera anyway. To quote a song I hope to hear a lot more of, I'm more of a "trying to capture each moment like a picture in my head" kind of person.
This year was full of those moments. I'll never forget running for our lives barefoot in a lightning storm arm in arm while getting drenched. There was photobombing a sleeping friend at karaoke, watching a lady with giant rainbow butterfly wings dance around Hop Jam, hauling chairs up a ramp in the rain with a great team of friends, and getting lost in a moment with a cheesy disco ball while wearing an even cheesier pre-fame Hanson t-shirt without apology.
God only knows all the places I'll see, but there's one place I know I'll always go back to.
Labels: Hanson Day, The Hop Jam
It truly was a magical weekend, wasn't it?
Canadianduck55 said...
My favorite part of the weekend was the Lectures as well, during WYIYD and Song to Sing I just let the tears flow while smiling and attempting to sing through tears. There is something special about being with my long-distance friend in the audience and turning to her and smiling during Lectures because I am excited that they are playing her favorite song ('Strong Enough to Break').
It is so special to be able to share such a fun weekend with friends i hardly ever get to see. I feel truly blessed that this band brings us together.
It was so nice to see you and talk to you (even just for a short bit) this year Holly!
Kelly Davis said...
I agree that the acoustic storytellers set made the weekend. Perfect set list and they sounded so good -- my favorite moments were Yearbook (including Zac's lack of explanation re: Johnny ;), Fire on the Mountain, Madeline, Man from Milwaukee and of course Been There Before aka the Disco Ball Moment <3
They didn't play Rain, but didn't Taylor make some kind of joke in the middle of a song during Storytellers about raining or a storm? I'm blanking and it's bugging me, haha.
Jackie Boos said...
Great summary of the weekend! I have a question for you: Did you feel like volunteering at all of the events detracted from your fun at all? I kept seeing all of you street team leaders working your butts off and thought to myself, "I hope they are still making time for fun."
I would love to help them out also, but I feel like I would miss out on my beer-drinking time during Hop Jam. :)
@Jackie It definitely requires balance and some advanced planning to make time for everything I want to do. But for me personally, there are two main reasons I don't feel like it detracts from the fun.
1. I don't like beer. Problem solved for me in terms of not fully participating in the Hop Jam.
2. I've been to Tulsa 11 times in the last 10 years. I love going back, but I had pretty much already done all of the typical touristy fan sightseeing things before Hop Jam and volunteering were even a thing. I like that it gives me something new to do each year.
It's also totally on a volunteer basis and not required, so it wouldn't be a problem to pull back and make more free time if I felt like I needed it. :-)
Hi. I got your link from hnet thread... You blog is awesome.
I just read your review about Hanson day, it is so good!
My friends went there but non of them told all those details you just shared.
I can't wait to go to an Event in Tulsa.
greetings from Chile.
Thanks, Veronica! I hope you'll be able to check out Hanson Day for yourself some time soon.
Middle of Nowhere Acoustic: Ten Years Late(r)
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Constance C Eales
MILO - Constance C. Eales, 79, wife of the late Robert W. Eales, passed away Dec. 15, 2009, surrounded by her family at a Bangor hospital, after a long battle with cancer. She was born Aug. 10, 1930, in St. John, New Brunswick, the daughter of Fred and Margaret (Kingston) Smith. She was a 1947 graduate of McAdam Composite High School and then in 1948, she graduated with high honors from Modern Business College, St. John, New Brunswick. She worked as a stenographer for Irving Oil, St. John, New Brunswick; for Harry A. Corey Lumber Co. and for New Brunswick Electric Power Commission. She married Robert Eales, Sept. 15, 1951, and they lived in Aroostook Junction, New Brunswick; St. John, New Brunswick; Brownville Junction and retired to Milo in 1987. She was a former member of Roxborough LOBA32, Eastern Star Electa Chapter No. 9, St. John Ambulance Association, and Aroostook Literary Club, all in New Brunswick. She was a member of Brownville Junction United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women, where she served as treasurer for 21 years. She was a Sunday school teacher and Sunday school secretary/ treasurer. Mrs. Eales enjoyed crafts of all kinds, knitting, ceramics, and tole and oil painting. She is survived by a cherished daughter, Lori Ellen Ellison and dear son-in-law, Louie Ellison, of Milo; and two cherished granddaughters, Lisa and her husband, Wade Jandreau and their daughter, Adriana Marie, all of Holden, and Lindsay Ellison of Westbrook. The oldest in a family of seven children, Mrs. Eales is survived by three brothers, Donald F. Smith and wife, Wanda, of McAdam, New Brunswick, George E. Smith and wife, Alice, of Toronto and Paul E. Smith and wife, Roberta, of St. John, New Brunswick; two sisters, Barbara J. Swan and husband, Russell, of McAdam, New Brunswick, and Ramona J. McMullin and husband, John, of Christie Ridge, New Brunswick; two sisters-in-law, Ruth Eales and Marilyn Eales, both of McAdam, New Brunswick; many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband of 55 years, Robert; a brother, Wayne G. Smith. Graveside services in the family lot at Evergreen Cemetery will be announced in the spring. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society , One Main St., Suite 300, Topsham, ME 04086-1240 or Brownville Junction Methodist Church, Box 285, Brownville Junction, ME 04415. Arrangements are in the care of Lary Funeral Home, Milo. Messages of condolence and memories may be expressed at www.laryfuneralhome.com.
Previous: Donald George Stiles Memoriam Home
Next: Heikki A. Mannisto
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by: Cyrus Baird
Critter Madness: A Repeat Champion
Critter Madness 2016 has come to a close and the elk are your repeat champions! The tournament started with a field of 16 from all over the country representing the best of the best in game species.
Right out of the gate in round one there were heated battles and huge upsets. The Largemouth Bass splashed out of nowhere to stun the number one seeded Brook Trout, last year’s Cinderella story. The elk barreled through the big horn sheep to set up an interesting “west vs. east” matchup in the next round.
The second round, though a bit calmer than the first, was still met with great matchups. The turkeys strutted past their arch upland foes in the pheasants. The Chinook swam past the blue marlin while the Rainbows edged out the largemouth bass by one vote .
The semi-finals showed just how dominant the elk were, breezing past the turkeys and besting all of their opponents by over 543 votes! The rainbows took down the mighty Chinook to become the only non-one seed to make it to the semi-finals or finals.
The final matchup pitted last year’s victor, the mighty elk against the underdog in the rainbow trout. When it came down to it, the trout never had a chance. A valiant effort on the part of anglers everywhere voting for their favorite fish to claim the crown, but they just weren’t strong enough to beat the king of the West!
Thank you to everyone who voted this year and helped us crown the 2016 champion critter!
Tags: critter madness
1. Critter Madness: A Repeat Champion
3. Glassing The Hill: April 4 – 8
4. Spot the Hoax in Our April Fool’s Day Quiz
5. Compassion: A Surprising Ingredient in the Recipe for Cool, Clean Water
Glassing The Hill: April 4 – 8
The Senate will be in session this week, while House members continue to work in their districts until April 12.
Road blocks continue for the bipartisan energy bill. Consideration of the Energy Policy Modernization Act on the Senate floor has once again been pushed to a later date. As you may remember, the bipartisan energy bill was a potential vehicle for a portion of the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act. Senator Murkowski (R-AK) and leadership have been trying to resolve issues stemming from the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and a legislative hold on the bill from Senator Lee (R-UT) since February. The bill has to come to the Senate floor before May, when the Senate will likely turn its attention to appropriations.
In the meantime, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided to move forward with “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2016” (S. 2658). The FAA bill is certainly not a small issue, since it funds air traffic control and other aviation advancements, so it could potentially occupy the Senate floor for weeks, thereby complicating the path forward for the energy bill.
And, speaking of appropriations… Because of the Republican and Democratic conventions at the end of July and the presidential elections in November, Congress has a narrow window to focus on appropriations. This week, various Senate appropriations subcommittees will continue to examine agency budgets, with an eye towards having individual appropriations bills on the Senate floor in May. Reminder: The goal is to pass the 12 individual appropriations bills needed to fund the government, rather than a sweeping omnibus funding package, by September 30 for the first time in—well, a long, long time.
The House is slightly further along than the Senate when it comes to appropriations, and several subcommittees plan to begin marking up their spending bills as early as next week. The Energy and Water appropriations bill is one of the first, and it’s one to watch because 120 House Republicans are requesting that appropriators add a rider to block funding for the Clean Water Rule that sportsmen celebrated last year.
We’ll be scanning for other riders that are bad for fish and wildlife habitat, access, or conservation funding throughout the appropriations process.
It’s ba-ack: An old threat re-emerges to undo sage-grouse conservation. Last year, Congressman Bishop (R-UT), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, added a greater sage-grouse provision to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in order to give governors veto authority over federal conservation plans aimed at boosting critical greater sage-grouse habitat. Because of good work by lawmakers and sportsmen, the Bishop provision was not included in the NDAA that was eventually signed by the President.
Now, Congressman Bishop has introduced a standalone bill that, while not as sweeping as last year’s efforts, would still potentially jeopardize the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision not to list the sage grouse for Endangered Species Act protection. A mark-up of the bill has yet to be scheduled in the House Natural Resources Committee, but expect a hearing on this issue in the near future. We also anticipate that this provision will be included in the House version of the NDAA, scheduled to be marked up by the Armed Services Committee on April 27.
What We’re Tracking
Budget requests for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and U.S. Forest Service
Rural development programs and their economic impacts, to be discussed by the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy in a hearing about the U.S. Department of Agriculture initiatives
Habitat science and research will be on the table in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on conducting oversight for the U.S. Geological Survey, the agency that collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems.
Water infrastructure and costs, up for debate in a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing
by: Jonathan Stumpf
Spot the Hoax in Our April Fool’s Day Quiz
Did we make up these wacky headlines? Take the quiz to reveal the real stories
Tags: quiz
by: Mia Sheppard
Compassion: A Surprising Ingredient in the Recipe for Cool, Clean Water
Our Oregon field rep hangs up her waders for a high-profile public-speaking opportunity in D.C., where she discovers a spirit of hope for water solutions
Last year, Oregon experienced the worst drought on record, with many adverse effects on our rivers and fish. I saw firsthand the results of drought and dam regulations in my own backyard on the Deschutes River, renowned for its native Redside trout. Water temperatures reached up to 74 degrees as salmon arrived, searching for a cooler refuge from the Columbia River—but the cooler water wasn’t there. The rising water temperatures caused an algae bloom that clung to the banks and rocks. Warm-water macroinvertabrates, such as water skippers, were abundant, but the expected cool-water mayflies and stoneflies were few and far between.
The river I knew was almost unrecognizable.
Image courtesy of Marty Sheppard.
Access to suitable water resources seems like a human right, but our fish and wildlife have rights to clean, cool water, too. As an angler, I know that salmon, steelhead, and trout need the right water conditions to thrive. While there are some policies in place that begin to help during a drought crisis, we need federal decision-makers to prioritize actions that invest long-term in better water quality for healthy, viable rivers and our outdoor recreation opportunities.
I recently hung up my waders to walk the halls of the Eisenhower building, part of the White House complex, in a navy blue suit. And I felt the energy of change, as people hustled around me.
In celebration of World Water Day, the White House convened a water summit where innovators, policy-makers, advocates, and media were gathered to discuss our country’s water future. I was honored to attend and share my personal connection with water through fishing, especially as one of the only representatives of the sportsmen’s community. I had three minutes to reflect on the importance of considering fish, wildlife, and outdoor opportunities in concert with infrastructure challenges, human consumption, and water use for agriculture and forestry. I talked about the Deschutes and found myself getting choked up as I told the crowd, “When fish lose, we lose.” I guess that was the moment that I really felt the impact of what I’d seen during the drought and dam regulators were drawing the warmer surface water of Lake Billy Chinook
I felt confident and composed, however, when I shared that the TRCP’s petition recognizing serious threats to rivers and streams and calling on federal decision-makers for action has been signed by more than 1,000 sportsmen and women. It was nice to know these kindred spirits were standing with me, in a sense, at the podium.
As the summit came to a close, Pueblo Tribal Councilman Nelson Cordova from Taos, New Mexico, recited a prayer in his native tongue asking for the wisdom, strength, and compassion to deal with our water issues. Compassion, which was the last thing I expected from a D.C. crowd in suits and heels, was certainly what I heard from longtime colleagues, strangers, and local anglers after my speech. I’d shown more emotion than I’d intended, but many people assured me they felt the same way.
If you want to learn more about the changing water conditions on the Deschutes River, click here.
Tags: Deschutes River, oregon, White House Water Summit, World Water Day
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Tag: post-apocalyptic
Critically Acclaimed Assaulted Souls FREE
Good day dear readers. As a token of my appreciation for your loyalty and support, I’m giving you a gift. From today until April 30, you can download post-apocalyptic thriller Assaulted Souls FREE.
Here’s a short synopsis:
Nathan King wakes up one day freezing cold and starving with hunger on a tattered mattress in a dark cave, and has no idea where or who he is. He meets Edward Sole, apparently his protector for the last few months, who tells him a nuclear bomb has been dropped and most, if not all of the world, has been destroyed. Slowly the realization sinks in that in this horrific post-apocalyptic landscape, there are no rules, no laws. Cannibalism is rampant, mutant animals and humans are on the attack.
With all communication cut off, and meager supplies, every day becomes a fight for survival and sanity.
To make matters worse, a band of savages called The Neanderthals have emerged who rape, pillage and murder for more than just survival. They enjoy it.
Fighting for their survival and hoping to find a more hospitable island off the coast of Prince Edward Island, Ed and Nathan team up with Cadence Whitaker, Nathan’s girlfriend whom he has no recollection of, and fierce warrior Velvet Jones to try and hatch a plan to escape the island before they’re all killed.
In the meantime, Ed has begun a slow descent into madness, leaving the group wondering who the enemy really is. A lightning-paced, action-packed exploration of a terrifying existence in a wasteland produced by humankind’s stupidity.
My publisher says Assaulted Souls, with its raw and gritty depiction of post-apocalyptic survival, is one of his favorite novels. Ninety-nine per cent of Amazon reviewers have rated it five stars.
Eight Amazon review snippets:
The writing style evokes a lot of tension as Nathan slowly realizes he is living a post-apocalyptic nightmare and every day becomes not only a struggle to remember, but a violent and death-filled struggle for survival. He teams up with his girlfriend and along with tough no-nonsense chick Velvet and Ed, they try to hatch a plan to escape the island and the marauding Neanderthal gang who are out to get kill them.
A well-written story with a powerful shock ending. Really makes you think about the stupidity mankind is capable of. This story does not amble. The action is full throttle from beginning to end. A gifted writer.
The plot is fast paced and there are many points where a struggle or conflict is described in such detail that I can imagine it perfectly without having to fill in any blanks with my own imagination. A very interesting and impressive read. I would recommend this book to people who like fast paced thrillers and enjoy reading of a world with society ripped out from underneath us.
I thought the book also had a surprise ending while teaching a lesson. Enjoy!
Author William Blackwell weaves a Post-Apocalyptic thriller with intriguing twists and turns that will easily captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author paints a raw and graphic dystopian tale in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and integrity. If you’re looking for an action-packed fantasy adventure that’s packed to the rafters with blood, guts and gore, this book has it all…and more.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something different in this dystopian genre.
I have read several of this author’s works and find his writing consistently fast-paced with a variety of plots and sub-plots and fascinating character development. This particular novel contains a fair bit of violence as one would anticipate in this genre. These scenes are vividly described creating a lot of tension and causing the reader to fear for the survival of its main characters… or mankind, in fact. I like the clarity of the writing style and the authenticity of the dialogue. The reader is drawn in from page one and can easily read this book in one sitting. I certainly found it impossible to put down!
I would also call this novel a page-turner. Written with very intense scenes that will slowly but surely wrap you in a spider web of fear and horror. The author has done a brilliant writing job!
I was particularly impressed with Blackwell’s depiction of the action in the novel; the story flowed well, and I found it easy to follow the often vivid and stark scenes of battle. Assaulted Souls does not amble; it is well-defined and moves along. The book offers the reader exactly what the subtitle says, and it does it masterfully. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys post-apocalyptic tales, science fiction, or action-adventure. I look forward to reading more of Blackwell’s works.
There you have it, folks. If you don’t believe me, believe the honest and unbiased reviews. In return for this freebie, I would ask one small favor. If you enjoy Assaulted Souls, please post a review on your favorite Amazon site. I don’t solicit reviews that often, but novel writing is my livelihood and positive reviews drive sales and help me pay my bills. They also help me do what I love to do—entertain you, the reader. I’m not the best self-promoter and I often find soliciting reviews like pulling teeth. Although many people enjoy my novels, most readers don’t bother posting reviews.
I’m not a celebrity author like Stephen King, whose publishing companies spend millions of dollars on book promotion. If I don’t endeavor to put eyes on my novels, with my limited promotional budget, I don’t have a lot of other options. If you’ve already read and posted a review of Assaulted Souls, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your positive comments add fuel to my creative fire.
If raw and graphic post-apocalyptic tales aren’t your thing, I get it. So here’s an idea. Why don’t you forward this email or blog post link to a friend who does enjoy such tales and kindly ask them to post an honest review on Amazon?
Six years ago when I began writing novels full-time, I didn’t have any unrealistic expectations. My publisher, Telemachus Press, said, “You have to remember, this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”
I understand that.
All I’m asking is for you to please give me a little push toward the finish line.
Thanks, dear readers, for your loyalty and support. Have an awesome day. Please click the link below to instantly download your FREE copy of Assaulted Souls.
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/7b7hocxqji
Have you ever had sex in your sleep?
Sexsomnia is a sleep disorder or parasomnia in which a person exhibits sexual behavior during sleep that would normally be associated with wakefulness. A little-understood disorder, it often manifests itself in touching, groping, fondling, masturbation and even actual violent and aggressive penetrative sex with an unwilling participant. According to sleep specialists, when a person wakes up after such an episode, they have absolutely no recollection of it. It’s easy to understand how sleep sex could become a destructive and terrifying experience in one’s life.
In these real-life stories of sexsomniacs, the names have been changed to spare reputations, careers and embarrassment. However, the names of the sleep specialists are real.
A few years ago, Bob, a Vancouver man, was charged with sexual assault after having nonconsensual sex with a woman after crashing out at a party. “It’s the most frightful thing that’s ever happened to me,” he says. “I never really understood fear until it did happen to me.”
Bob had a successful business, a great social life, a bright future and a completely normal life prior to the criminal indictment. But, after the charges were brought forth, which dragged through the courts for almost three years, things spiraled rapidly downhill. In weeks his hair turned gray. He became depressed and suicidal. His life was thrown into utter turmoil. It was like “a hurricane of fear and pain and anguish,” Bob says.
In order for Bob to be acquitted of the sexual assault charges, and the crown attorney threw in a mental disorder charge for good measure, the defense had to prove that Bob’s actions were completely beyond the world of consciousness; that he couldn’t remember it; that he was a sexsomniac.
Enter sleep specialist Doctor Colin Shapiro, who interviewed Bob and had him undergo sleep studies in a sleep lab in the months leading up to the trial. Doctor Shapiro, who testified at Bob’s trial, concluded that Bob suffered from sexsomnia, or “a non-REM sleepwalking disorder.” According to Doctor Shapiro, Bob suffered from an inappropriate sleep behavior which happened to take a sexual form. And since he wasn’t conscious at the time, nor had any recollection of the assault, he should not be held responsible. Evidence showed during childhood Bob suffered from sleepwalking and there was a history of sleepwalking in his family. Other triggers included sleep-deprivation and alcohol consumption.
In the victim’s statement to police she said it was as if she’d woken Bob out of a deep sleep.
In a landmark decision, one of the first of its kind in Canada, Bob was acquitted on all charges. Upon hearing the decision, he broke down in tears of joy and sorrow; joy because he’d beaten the charges, sorrow at the realization that he still carried the heavy and intimidating burden of sexsomnia on his shoulders. Although Bob is now rebuilding his life, he realizes his potentially dangerous sleep disorder is something he has to introduce right away if he decides to get into a relationship. With the possible repercussions too terrifying to endure a second time, it’s not something you tell a prospective partner deep into a relationship.
Two years into his marriage, United Kingdom resident Jim was on top of the world. He and spouse Betty were young, in love, and the future looked bright. Then the sexsomnia started, and would sometimes manifest itself in violent and aggressive sex with Betty, who oftentimes became too terrified to try and stop it. Literally, Jim would sometimes rape her in the middle of the night. Initially Jim refused to acknowledge or believe Betty’s terrifying accounts the morning after. By his own admission, he was selfish and refused to acknowledge he could behave in such a violent, unpredictable and unremembered way. But Betty continued to document the episodes in a diary. As the violence escalated Betty, realizing she was in great danger, refused to sleep in the same bed as Jim and contemplated leaving him. Their relationship reached a breaking point. Finally Jim began to believe his wife and the thought terrified him. He believed he was losing his mind and worse still, might become a risk to others—a sexual predator.
With their relationship hanging in the balance, they sought the help of sleep therapist Doctor Irshaad Ebrahim. Doctor Ebrahim recognized the symptoms and sent Jim to a sleep lab. Tests that measured electrical activity in the brain showed abnormal brain activity occurring during Jim’s sleeping hours. The tests showed that a part of his brain was waking up during these episodes. Further investigation by Doctor Ebrahim revealed that Jim would actually stop breathing an abnormal amount of times in his sleep. Finally Jim was diagnosed with sleep apnea, a condition whereby you stop breathing in your sleep. The condition deprives the brain of needed oxygen and in Jim’s case, according to Doctor Ebrahim, created a state of confusion that induced the episodes of sexsomnia. In Jim’s case the sleep apnea was traced to a blockage in his trachea that required surgery. The doctor also prescribed clonazepam, which prevented Jim from entering a deep sleep, necessary for the episodes to occur.
Three weeks later, the treatment seemed to work and Jim says he has a whole new lease on life. “The biggest thing is we’re now on the road to getting our life back… getting the relationship back to how it was.”
But sexsomnia doesn’t always manifest itself into violent and unpredictable behavior. UK resident Nathan says it has added a new and exciting dimension to his sex life, with many of his past girlfriends enjoying what he calls his “midnight mitten invasions” or “sleep-shagging” sessions. Nathan says his sleep sex persona is likable, not violent or aggressive. If his partners aren’t in the mood, he says, they just gently push him away, tell him to go back to sleep, and he obediently complies. Nathan doesn’t view it as a disorder. On the contrary, as long as the behavior doesn’t escalate into nonconsensual sex, Nathan considers it an added bonus to his sex life.
United States resident Elizabeth wouldn’t be in a position to agree. Her sexsomnia has escalated to the point where she masturbates in her sleep every night, sometimes all night long. It often prevents her husband Rick from getting a good night’s sleep, and also creates feelings of inadequacy in him. Elizabeth has been to numerous doctors, tried various medications and “all known treatments.” None of them have been successful and she’s at the point where she believes there is no solution and she’s ready to give up hope. Her condition has caused several fights and much acrimony in her relationship.
“It’s really depressing to see how much it’s affected our marriage,” she says.
I’ve never met Elizabeth and probably never will. I hope someday modern medicine catches up with the disorder and finds a cure for her. Since her case is a few years old, with any luck she’s already been cured.
According to sleep specialists, since sexsomnia is a relatively new phenomenon, it’s impossible to know how many people are afflicted with it. It’s likely that many, from shame, guilt, revulsion, denial or embarrassment, would not be willing to seek medical help. Sexsomnia causes represent the biggest problems for sleep experts, says Doctor Shapiro. He doesn’t believe, as of now, the medical community can clearly define a typical profile for sexsomniacs. But at least certain patterns are emerging, many of them linked to a family history of sleepwalking.
I once believed nothing could be more terrifying than my frequent nightmares. Nothing could be further from the truth.
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A: To make long distance calls from most homes or businesses, you can use your chosen long distance company. You can also use a calling card (prepaid or from a company that bills you), one of the advertised "10-10" ("dial around") services, or a toll-free telephone number that connects you to a specific long-distance company.
Q: Is a landlord required to allow a cable television company access to a building for the purposes of installing equipment to serve customers residing in other buildings?
A: Yes. New York Public Service Law �228 states that no landlord may interfere with the installation of cable television company equipment in or on his or her building. This includes equipment installed to provide service for cable television company customers in the landlord’s building and in other buildings. A landlord is also required to allow a cable television company access to his or her building for the purpose of conducting a survey of the site or making other preparations for cable television company installations. Cable television companies are required to provide a notice of the request for entry, including a proposed date.
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Adam Kotsko
My research can be grouped into three broad strains. The first is the investigation of pre-modern Christian thought with an eye toward what it can tell us about the genealogical roots and unacknowledged deep structures of modern secular thought. The second consists in expository and interpretive work on contemporary continental philosophy, including translation. The third comprises the interpretation of contemporary culture through television and film. Though I have pursued each strain on its own terms, I have increasingly found myself weaving all three together.
The research for my first major book belonged primarily in the first category. Published under the title Politics of Redemption: The Social Logic of Salvation (Continuum, 2010), this study looked at the various attempts throughout Western Christian history to answer the question—which is absolutely central and yet strangely lacks a definitive “orthodox” answer—of why Christ’s death and resurrection has any saving power for others. I argued that there was an implicit social theory underlying all the major answers, which presuppose some kind of ontological connection among human beings, such that one human being (Adam) can mess things up for everyone and another (Christ) can resolve the problem at a similarly universal scale.
A surprising finding in my research was the central role of the devil in early salvation narratives, a role that was forcefully downplayed by later theologians. This sidelining of the devil corresponded with a major paradigm shift in the theory of salvation, and so I hypothesized that the devil might also serve as a kind of index or “canary in the coalmine” for other major shifts in Christian thought. That thesis guided the research that led to my most recent academic monograph, The Prince of This World (Stanford, 2016), where I use the devil’s shifting role as a way of tracing paradigm shifts on the question of how God governs the world more generally. In this history, the political and the theological are intimately interconnected, as the devil initially emerges as a symbol for oppressive earthly rulers and later, in an ironic reversal, comes to be associated with oppressed and marginalized populations within Christendom. Building on Schmitt’s concept of “political theology,” I was able to trace the sometimes unexpected roots of key modern concepts—such as the social contract, subjectivity, and racialization—to Christian theological discourse about the devil.
In both of my theological studies, I made extensive use of continental philosophy and theory. In Politics of Redemption, my approach was more eclectic and occasional, but by the time I came to write The Prince of This World, my use of these theoretical resources was much more focused and systematic. This reflects developments within my interpretive work on continental philosophy, which began in earnest with an introductory text on Žižek (Žižek and Theology, Continuum, 2008) and continued in the form of diverse essays on Žižek and other figures, appearing in popular venues like The Los Angeles Review of Books in addition to scholarly journals and anthologies. The rise of the philosopher Giorgio Agamben, who works extensively with Christian theological materials, provided an occasion for me to focus on my joint expertise in theology and philosophy. Especially crucial here was The Kingdom and the Glory, his massive study of the concept of divine governance, which was an indispensable point of reference for The Prince of This World but also a major object of critique. That critique comes only after considerable work understanding his project on its own terms, which took the form of translating several of his texts (six volumes published with Stanford, with another in production), composing a series of essays, and coordinating an edited volume on Agamben’s interlocutors.
My translations of Agamben’s work reflect a deep interest in language and translation. I am able to work with texts in a variety of classical and modern European languages, including Attic Greek, Latin, French, German, and Italian. My translation work has primarily centered on Italian, but I recently expanded my published range with a translation of a previously untranslated essay by Nicole Loraux, a major French classical scholar who is among Agamben’s most important interlocutors in one of this recent books. I am currently at work expanding my linguistic reach beyond the European sphere to include biblical Hebrew, which I conceive as a stepping stone to eventually learning classical Arabic. This work will ultimately allow me to include more Jewish and Islamic perspectives in my research on political theology.
My interest in the genealogical roots of modern political concepts is paired with a fascination of contemporary reflections of those logics in popular culture. Upon completing my PhD (by which point I had already published my book on Žižek), I was eager to experiment with a different form of writing that had the potential to reach a broader audience. My first work in this vein was Awkwardness (Zero Books, 2010), which attempted to contextualize and interpret the rise of cringe-based “awkward” comedy in shows like The Office or Curb Your Enthusiasm. This project ultimately grew to become a trilogy investigating what our cultural fascination with anti-social personality traits (such as the sociopathic detachment of anti-heroes like Tony Soprano or the creepiness of the Burger King mascot) can tell us about our social order. In all three works, I used the transition from the postwar Fordist paradigm to the contemporary neoliberal paradigm as my historical framework, arguing that all three of the anti-social traits studied reflect, in their own unique way, a social order that is slowly destroying its own sources of legitimacy.
This critique of neoliberalism, focused on its contemporary cultural manifestations, ultimately led me to my most recentresearch project. Entitled Neoliberalism’s Demons (Stanford, 2018), it brings together my theoretical work on political theology and my genealogical work on Christian thought to argue that neoliberalism is a political-theological order that operates via the mechanism of demonization. Through a close reading of Christian narratives of the origin of the devil and his demonic hordes, I argue that God actually needs the devil to rebel and sets up a scenario where he is all but guaranteed to “freely” choose wrongly—yet still scapegoats the devil as morally blameworthy on the basis of the smallest sliver of free agency. The neoliberal discourse of choice operates similarly, as the social order grants us just enough agency to be to blame for social problems but not enough to actually fix them. I then use this political-theological perspective on neoliberalism to attempt to make sense of the right-wing reaction represented by Brexit and Trump.
My current research extends my investigations in political theology in the direction of a longer-term project that would use the concept of the divine Trinity as the basis for a general theory of governance, investigating questions such as the relationship between sovereignty and law (in theological terms: the relationship between God’s absolute power and his commitment to a series of particular covenants with humanity) and between state and economy (in theological terms: God’s “direct,” visible agency in the form of the Son and his “indirect,” invisible agency in the form of the Holy Spirit). In the summer of 2018, I presented a paper at an international conference in Munich that will provide an initial sketch of the hypothesis motivating this research.
This project on the Trinity would deepen my engagement with and critique of Agamben as well as my work on neoliberalism. I also continue to pursue opportunities to think with and about popular culture, such as the phenomenon of nihilistic animated sitcoms (Rick and Morty, BoJack Horseman) or the resurrection of recent cult classics like Star Trek or Twin Peaks, because experience tells me that such byways can open up productive new routes for thought.
Essay in new Italian anthology on Agamben’s work June 8, 2019
Agamben’s Creation and Anarchy available for purchase June 7, 2019
Upcoming seminar on Heidegger June 7, 2019
German Translation of The Prince of This World May 27, 2019
New Interview on Russia Today May 13, 2019
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Fringe Reviews, Day 3
So today I saw what's pushing the limit of a "fringe play" when I went to see Stand Up Stand Outs, a presentation of acts from four local comics. Basically four mini-shows, and the review hinges on what worked, what didn't, and whether you really want to see stand up in lieu of actual original works of fiction. Remember Rodney Dangerfield's character in Caddyshack? Would you have paid $11 in the theatre to have him do his act? Maybe, but thats the decision you should make before even thinking to see this performance.
Sean Lecomber opens up the show...he has a very easy going style, hits the red-band material on occasion with good results, and a very entertaining show. Sean apparently was declared best new act at Just for Laughs this year, and it shows.
Unfortunately, this leads to what is by far the low point of the show: Kelly Soloduka. Kelly apparently had a bad experience in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He also has trouble letting go. He denounces Edmonton's "Fight violence" campaign as having a stupid slogan, but he should be paying more attention to the province's ad campaign: Cage Your Rage. He trashes Prince Albert. He trashes Saskatchewan. He trashes Albertans. He has 3 caveman impressions used to slander us as "simplistic". I suppose its easier than, you know, writing jokes.
As expected, host and show creator Lars Callioeu stole the show. He didn't bring much in the line of new material, so if you've seen his act before (and most of Edmonton has, I suspect, by this point) you aren't getting your $12 worth. Still, he kept the show together, and its good to see that the material that didn't work for him before has been refined to the point where it does.
The show is closed by Andrew Iwanyk, who apparently is half Chinese and has HIV. Or is playing it for laughs. It's awfully hard to get into an act where the performer announces he's HIV positive. Then tells you how it isn't funny. Then four minutes later claims it was all a joke. Some of his stuff is quite good, but the show sort of fell apart when he had two women Indian leg wrestle over whether to do red band material or not. The material ended up being a "Gangbanging for Beginners" presentation, which was the longest 7 minute setup for a lame anal sex joke imaginable.
Remember how Star Trek movies alternated between bad and good? This show was about the same deal. First performance very good, second very bad, third pretty good, fourth pretty bad. A better bet is to just go to a comedy club. At least there you can drink when the show sucks.
An aside, if you have $10 burning a hole in your pocket (I didn't) or an intense desire to watch all 4 performers again (I didn't) then you can purchase a DVD of their individual Comedy Strip performances (I didn't).
Loved the review! Seriously. I printed it out and put it on my fridge! Thanks for supporting the show.
Lars C.
P.S. Not sure if you picked up on the sarcasm :) Being the 'brilliant' scientist that you are I'm sure you did ;) This was a reply from an successful writer and actor friend of mine that I thought I would share with you... enjoy.
Holy smokes, no big surprise there. Theatre folk have a surprisingly dim view of stand-up comedy for some reason. It's all the same stuff, they just refuse to realize it. I remember a professor asking in class what theatre was. Somehow she came to the conclusion that doing stupid, nonsensical, performance art shit out on the street freaking out strangers counts as theatre (it's called Environmental Theatre), but writing, editing, and performing a comedic monologue, spending years to create 45 minutes of flawlessly timed and acted comedy, doesn't count.
It's partly the fault of comedians though, because they get so good at acting natural, that people buy the illusion that this is just funny people talking off the top of their heads. And that COULDN'T be considered theatre of course, there's no wacky make-up, no interpretive dance, no fake crying about being raped. All the bullshit that theatre assholes say about why theatre is so great, that it's live, that there's a connection with the audience, that's all way more true for stand-up, and they don't realize it. Reviewers are reviewers though. People know what they like, and no doubt they all went home and told everyone about the great jokes, or the uncomfortable gang-bang bit.
It's the same reason why Jim Carrey would never win an academy award for a comedy, but as soon as he does a drama, he's the greatest actor in the world. People love comedy, but have no respect for it as an art. The only thing people genuinely respect about comedians is that it "must take so much guts to get up there in front of people." Never, "wow, you wrote a whole bunch of stuff that I could never think up on my own, and then found a way to perform it in such as way as to make 90% of the population laugh at it, and then make it look like you were chatting at a bar off the top of your head."
"whether you really want to see stand up in lieu of actual original works of fiction" It's all true, man, every word of it. From, "I just got back from the airport" to "it's my anniversary tonight."
"Remember Rodney Dangerfield's character in Caddyshack? Would you have paid $11 in the theatre to have him do his act?" Yes, yes I would have. Many people did, asshole.
To be fair though, to be completely fair, the first time I saw Andrew, I figured he was just some stoner that happened upon a funny joke about bugs in lights. By accident. Then I found out he's actually just a crazy sociopath.
"This seems to me a symbol for what our party shou...
Its things like this that make Toronto think its t...
Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival 200...
The Pembina Institute are idiots
Fringe is here
Question the Second:
Question the First:
A public announcement
Why does Michael Bay get to keep on making movies?...
You're joking, I know it: Notley doesn't do comedy...
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James Thompson, Illinois' longest-serving governor (1977-1991), is chairman of the law firm of Winston & Strawn, headquartered in Chicago. He first joined Winston & Strawn in 1975 and then rejoined the firm as a partner when he left the governor's office in 1991. From 1959 to 1964, he served in the Cook County state's attorney's office, where he argued criminal civil rights cases before the Illinois and US Supreme Courts. He then taught at the Northwestern Law School. In 1971, he became U.S. Attorney for the Northern District, where he established a solid reputation for prosecuting corrupt public officials. He is a member of the Illinois Bar. Thompson is also a director of FMC Corporation, FMC Technologies, Inc., the Chicago Board of Trade, Hollinger International (publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times), Prime Retail Inc., Prime Group Realty Trust, Navigant Consulting Group, Public Review Board HEREIU, Japan Society (New York), and MAXIMUS, Inc. He served on the American Bar Association Commission on Separation of Powers and Judicial Independence from 1996-1997. Thompson was educated at the University of Illinois and Washington University, and received his law degree from Northwestern University Law School.
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“It’s About Transparency and Respect”: An Interview with NAGPRA Liaison Sheila Goff
|In Collections, Education and Interpretation, Exhibits, Best Practices, blog
|By Aja Bain
Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado.
Following a career that involved working with forty-eight tribes, 212 individual human repatriations, 272 funerary object repatriations, and eleven years as History Colorado’s Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Liaison and Curator of Archaeology and Ethnography, Sheila Goff retired in January 2019. History Colorado lauded her as “an industry pioneer who moved culturally-sensitive policies and law forward, while helping History Colorado develop exhibits that are tribally-driven and authentic to the stories of the tribes.” Sheila’s work became a mission to address historical wrongs and to pave the way for more respectful and community-driven archaeology and Native American interpretation in the West.
NAGPRA is a federal law passed in 1990 that provides a process for federal agencies and federally-funded institutions to return Native American cultural items, including human remains, funerary objects, and sacred objects, to descendants or affiliated tribes. The law is intended to return items and individuals taken without permission to their tribes of origin, and to address the colonial collecting practices that led American museums to unethically source and collect Native American items.
Sheila’s experiences as a non-Native curator working with descendants in the NAGPRA and interpretive processes are emblematic of inclusive public history work and its focus on sharing curatorial authority with communities and recognizing their right to tell their own histories. I spoke with Sheila to learn more about her unique perspective as a community-centered curator facilitating meaningful dialogue and connections between museums and tribes.
In your career, how did you use archaeological collections to tell inclusive stories and connect with communities?
The History Colorado archaeology collection is about ten thousand items, and close to half of those originated from the Mesa Verde region in southwest Colorado. In order to comply with NAGPRA, we conducted large numbers of collections reviews where we basically provided all the information that we have to potentially affiliated tribes, and then figuratively (but also literally), open the storage doors and let everybody take a look at what we have. That was useful in terms of identifying items that fall under NAGPRA, but I think more importantly for us, it helped us get more information and greater understanding of what we have in the collection and to be able to use it in exhibits and programming and so on. Tribal representatives have been very generous in sharing information and telling us when we’ve had things identified as X when it was really Y, and so on. It’s just helped us better understand our collections.
What advice do you have for those just starting work with NAGPRA and tribal communities?
It’s important out to reach out and develop relationships with descendant communities, not only for the specific purpose of NAGPRA, but also beyond that for the things you want to do in your museum. If you do a project with a tribe or tribal group, it doesn’t end there when the project is done. It’s important to maintain that relationship beyond just that one project.
Some things I had to learn were to listen, and truly listen, and certainly to respect the knowledge that is shared by elders or whomever you’re working with on these projects.
Be transparent. Never promise something you can’t deliver. When we were working on our project to develop an exhibit, we had to be very honest about how much money we had. We can’t do everything we would all love to do, and we have budgets and timelines. Being honest about all of that is very helpful. Building trust relationships when you begin to do this work with various tribes can take awhile, but it’s certainly doable. It’s about transparency and respect.
Sheila receiving a traditional Bear Dance shawl, a symbol of the Ute culture, at the opening of the “Written on the Land” exhibit. Left to right: Edward Box III, cultural preservation director for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe; Cassandra Atencio, NAGPRA coordinator for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe; Sheila Goff; Garrett Briggs, NAGPRA apprentice for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe; and Betsy Chapoose, director of cultural rights and protection for the Ute Indian Tribe, Uintah and Ouray Reservation. Photo courtesy of History Colorado.
What are some misconceptions that people in the field or the general public might have about your work?
Something that many of us heard when NAGPRA was enacted was that museums were going to be emptied out. And that’s clearly not the case at all. The things that needed to be repatriated are being repatriated. The other things that remain in the museum, all of us working in this area just learn so much more about them. NAGPRA has helped in that respect with understanding collections. The conversations that have taken place as a result of needing to do NAGPRA compliance have built relationships that have made exhibits, programming, archaeology, and interpretation much richer and more accurate. There were fears that negative things would happen after NAGPRA, and frankly, I see predominantly positive things come from it.
Can you remember a specific experience during your career when you thought “This is why I do this”?
With respect to exhibits, we have a current exhibit now that we just opened in December called “Written on the Land” that is about Ute history, culture, and contemporary life. We opened another exhibit like that in our community museum in Montrose called the Ute Indian Museum a year-and-a-half ago.
I was very moved on the day of the tribal opening when one of our tribal reps said in her opening remarks that the museum had become a place where she and her family felt really welcome. That touched my heart, because sometimes I think museums aren’t welcoming to certain groups. When you can accomplish that, you feel really good about the work that has been done.
When we get to the final step in NAGPRA, repatriation, when I can turn over to tribes those things which should be repatriated to them, that’s a rewarding feeling. The repatriation process is pretty lengthy so when you spend several months working with a tribe, hearing their perspective of how important it is to have their ancestors returned to them, and doing the things you have to do for the federal government, when the end that everyone wants is finally reached, it’s a very powerful experience. You know it’s the right thing to do and you know you want to be involved in doing it.
Read History Colorado’s press release here.
community engagement Community Partnership Native American Native American history Working with communities
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Must-see video: Man robbed, Tased, then pushed on transit tracks
MILLBOURNE, Pa. -- Police in Pennsylvania have released video of a robbery and assault that ended with a man being thrown onto the tracks of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's Market-Frankford Line.
The incident happened around 12:50 a.m. Sunday.
Police say a passenger fell asleep on a westbound train, when two suspects approached the man and snatched his bag.
The victim woke up and chased the two suspects, a man and woman, off the train and a struggle ensued.
During the struggle, the video showed the woman pull out a Taser and shock the victim twice in the back and once on the shoulder.
"When he's hit in the shoulder, he almost does a somersault onto the tracks - to the live tracks," SEPTA spokesperson Jerria Williams said.
The victim fell on his head on the tracks as the man and woman robbers were captured on video making their getaway.
Pictured: Suspects in robbery of SEPTA passenger
Meanwhile, with the high risk of a train coming through, there was no one there to help the victim.
After some time, he woke up in a daze. He staggered and then fell right on top of the third rail. He remained there for 90 seconds before getting up.
Apparently he was somehow insulated from the high voltage:
"Fortunately there is a covering for the safety of the third rail from elements, not from people, so he's very lucky," Williams said. "It is absolutely high voltage between 700 to 800 volts of electricity and it is just absolutely amazing that he survived that he was not harmed. Someone was looking out for him."
The victim was hospitalized for concussions and other injuries, but is expected to be alright.
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Home Sports BOYS TRACK: Eight is enough
BOYS TRACK: Eight is enough
Photo by Jeff Helmkamp
Roxana junior Cole Liley will be making his first state track meet appearance next week as he will compete in the high jump in Class 2A.
Andrew O'Keefe of Granite City and Deonte McGoy and Cassius Havis of Alton are heading back to the IHSA state meet at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston next week.
O'Keefe won the 1,600 in 4:18.69, Havis placed first in the 800 in 1:56.68 and McGoy placed second in the 100 in 10.81 seconds at the Class 3A Bloomington Sectional on Thursday. O'Keefe qualified for state for the fourth year in a row, McGoy will be competing in Charleston for the second straight year and Havis will be making his second state trip and his first since his freshman year.
Joining O'Keefe, McGoy and Havis at state will be five area athletes who will compete at Charleston for the first time. They are Joe Morrissey of Alton, Dylan Murray and Cole Liley of Roxana, Dillon Dublo of Civic Memorial and Jake Hewitt of Marquette Catholic.
Morrissey placed second in the 300-meter hurdles in 39.05 seconds at the Bloomington Sectional.
At the Class 2A Springfield Lanphier Sectional on Friday, Murray, a sophomore, placed second in the 100 in 11.20 seconds; Dublo, a sophomore, finished second in the triple jump in 41-1; and Liley, a junior, came in fifth in the high jump in 6-2, equaling the state-qualifying mark.
Hewitt, a sophomore, finished second in the discus in 143-9 in the Class 1A Gillespie Sectional on Thursday to earn a trip to state.
O'Keefe won his third straight sectional championship in the 1,600. He won at Moline in his sophomore year and at Belleville West in his junior season. O'Keefe finished second in the 1,600 at the Collinsville Sectional in his freshman year to earn his first state trip.
Now, the Granite City senior will look to earn an all-state medal in the 1,600 for the second year in a row. Last year, he finished second in the event.
McGoy, a senior, competed at state in the 400 and 800-meter relay events in the 2018, his first year with the Alton boys track team.
Havis, a junior, won his first sectional title on Thursday. He competed in the 4x800 at state as a freshman.
Preliminaries for Class 1A will start on May 23 and for Class 2A and 3A on May 24. Finals are scheduled for May 25.
Photo by Theo Tate
Granite City senior Andrew O'Keefe and Alton junior Cassius Havis will be competing in the Class 3A boys state track meet next week. O'Keefe will run in the 1,600 and Havis will race in the 800.
Marquette Catholic Alton Roxana featured track and field Granite City Civic Memorial High School
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