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Four observations about attraction to trans people
June 13, 2017 June 14, 2017 grvsmth
There have been a lot of arguments over whether it’s okay for some people to not find trans people attractive. I’ve got things to say about that, but first I wanted to get some facts cleared up.
It’s not just trans women complaining about this. Recently a masculine-spectrum friend told me he was upset that a partner of his might not be attracted to him as a man. He wasn’t just personally hurt; he found it transphobic. So despite what you might hear from certain radical feminists, this is not just a plot by “males” to eliminate lesbians. It’s a concern for all kinds of trans people.
Trans people are not inherently unattractive. Just look at the successes of “shemale porn” and Buck Angel if you want counterevidence. There are women who are attracted to trans women, men who are attracted to trans men, and trans and nonbinary people who are attracted to all genders.
Sexual preference is not the only thing that determines attraction. A woman once told me that she was attracted to both men and women, but she didn’t find tall women with big shoulders attractive, or short guys with big hips. Just because people aren’t attracted to you doesn’t mean they’re not attracted to trans people.
Attractiveness is not the same as validation of our gender presentation. Someone can find me intensely attractive because they think I’m a cute guy in a skirt and not because they think of me as a woman. Whether people mind this depends in part on how committed they are to their gender identifications.
Definitions and protections
May 24, 2017 February 6, 2019 grvsmth
I’ve written before about how I would like to find common cause with other people who are critical of essentialist transgender ideology, but I get alienated by the nasty rhetoric that many of them throw around. A case in point is this article by Taylor Fogarty. I follow some people on Twitter who post good stuff, but they also tweeted approvingly about Fogarty’s article, which is
Fogarty begins with a reasonable attack on the concept of gender identity, which I have also roundly criticized on this blog as a faith-based argument masking a prescriptive set of identity-based behavioral expectations. She also critiques the “cotton ceiling” claims of some trans activists, which are not entirely without basis, but still very problematic, and deserving of a more nuanced critique.
The rest of Fogarty’s argument is based on a flawed understanding of how the law protects people from discrimination. It goes something like this: The law mandates punishment for people who hurt others based on their sexuality. In order to establish hurt, we need to define protected sexualities, and in order to do that we need to define sexes, all based on “objective fact.”
I am not a lawyer, but I know this isn’t the way the law works, and with good reason. My father was actually gay-bashed in the 1970s. He was a skinny guy with long hair, and he was waiting to cross Sixth Avenue at Waverly Place when he heard someone yell “Faggot!” and something hit him on the back of the head. He was knocked unconscious, but got stitched up at the hospital. The police weren’t interested, because at the time there were no hate crimes laws, and they didn’t have enough to go on for assault.
My dad was not gay. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, he just wasn’t. Neither was Ever Orozco, who was stabbed to death in Jackson Heights in 2013. But Orozco’s killer accused Orozco of blowing kisses at him, so he was prosecuted for a hate crime.
This is the way it should be, because the problem is not that these classes of people exist out there in some objective reality, and haters are picking one to beat up. The problem is that these categories exist in haters’ minds as threats, and therefore targets. They could construct a nonsensical category including Tibetans, Lutherans, plushies and maybe some Rotarians, and it would be just as destructive as any that Fogarty claims to be based on objective fact.
Fogarty’s logic is not the logic of the law. It’s the logic of fear, where the response to trauma is to divide the world up into the righteous, beleaguered Us and the nasty, savage Them, with strong laws and definitions protecting Us from Them. The idea that a straight man could be the innocent target of anti-gay violence has probably never occurred to her. She might find a way to say that they don’t deserve protections anyway, but maybe she’s better than that.
What microaggressions are and aren’t
May 12, 2017 May 13, 2017 grvsmth2 Comments
A few years ago I was shopping for clothes at a chain store in New York City. I had already tried on several dresses, and had found a nice suit I wanted to buy. As I was handing my discards to the changing room attendant, she said, “You need to use the changing room on the third floor.”
I had a guess as to what that might be about, but it still hurt to get off the escalator and see that the third floor was all menswear. There was no way I was marching in to the men’s changing room in a skirt and makeup. I brought my dresses back down to the first floor changing room. When the attendant saw me she said, “Oh you’re back,” but she still led me to a room.
The winter before last I was in a different store, shopping for a coat, wearing full makeup and jewelry (see the photo above). I went up to the mezzanine, where most of the women’s clothes were. A salesclerk asked if she could help me, so I asked where the coats were. She told me the basement, so I took the elevator down to find only menswear. I went back up and found the women’s coats on the ground floor. I didn’t buy anything.
Instead I went to a different store and found a nice coat. When I got to the counter the clerk looked me up and down, gave me a big smile and said, “You look great, girl! Going out tonight?”
Last week I didn’t even want to go shopping, but my boots were a little too big, so I went looking for some socks. figured it was a good time to buy some of the over-the-calf socks that were in style this winter. I went into a store, but the only women’s socks I saw, a small display by the cash registers, were ankle socks.
I looked around, and found a sign saying that in the basement they had men’s clothes and women’s clothes. I went downstairs, and the only socks I saw were men’s socks. I was heading for the escalator when a salesclerk asked if she could help me find anything.
“Socks,” I said.
“Right over here.” She led me back to the men’s socks.
“Those are men’s socks.”
“Right. You wanted – oh.”
She saw the look on my face and immediately apologized. She asked a co-worker where the women’s socks were, and he told her upstairs, by the register. As she led me back there she explained that she only really knew her department. And she told me I looked very good.
These four experiences have really clarified my understanding of microaggressions. The first experience, being told to change on the third floor, was ambiguous until I saw that the changing rooms on the third floor were for men. Because there was no way to avoid that fact, the attendant’s order was not a microaggression, it was just plain aggression. It was a way for her to tell me I wasn’t welcome in her changing room.
The fourth experience, being led to the men’s socks, wasn’t aggression at all. Women shop for men’s clothes all the time: for themselves, and for their husbands and boyfriends and sons. The salesclerk thought that was what I was doing. It hadn’t occurred to her that I could have been misdirected by the signs. I reacted strongly because I had had two negative experiences before.
The second example, being sent to the basement, is a classic microaggression. As Taylor Jones explained so well, microaggressions require ambiguity and plausible deniability. If I had tried to report the clerk, I’m guessing she would have claimed it was an honest mistake, that she thought I was a man who wanted to buy a men’s coat. To this day I myself still sometimes wonder.
The third example, receiving exaggerated compliments when I was just buying a coat, is a type of interaction that has sometimes been called microaggression. I didn’t really appreciate it because it felt forced, and it felt like the clerk wouldn’t have complimented me that way if she hadn’t thought I was trans. But it wasn’t a microaggression, because there was no possible interpretation that suggested any intent to hurt me. I had the impression that the clerk was not just saying these things to close the sale and make me want to come back, but because she wanted to be nice to a trans person. Again, not ideal, but I’ll take it.
“Microaggression” is a useful term precisely because it is so specific. It covers behavior where the intent may be aggressive, but the speaker can plausibly deny having any such intent. It does not cover situations where aggressive intent can be easily established, or where there is no evidence of any aggressive intent. Including those situations dilutes the concept.
Stop using trans murders
May 2, 2017 May 8, 2017 grvsmth
Lots of people are talking about the New York Times opinion piece, “My Daughter Is Not Transgender. She’s a Tomboy.” by Lisa Selin Davis and the responses to it. I was particularly frustrated with a Medium piece from Chase Strangio. Strangio attacks Davis and her argument from several angles, but the worst is when he privilege-shames her and essentially accuses her of inciting trans murders.
But connecting [questioning gender expression] to the affirmation of trans young people in their genders is reckless and dangerous and wrong. Trans youth are dying because society is telling them, telling us, that we are fake. Trans women and femmes of color are being murdered because the impulse is to believe that trans-ness is fraudulent, that our bodies are threats.
Strangio is a white trans man, not a trans woman or a femme of color, so it’s disingenuous right off the bat for him to refer to “our bodies.” It is not typically bodies like his – or even bodies like mine – that threaten people so much they kill.
Strangio is technically correct that some trans women have been murdered because people thought they were being deceitful, but to simplify the cause of violence against black and latina trans women to accusations of fraud is a gross distortion of the problem. This violence is intersectional: it is mostly directed at people who are seen as nonwhite, poor, immigrant, transgender, feminine, “gay,” and sex workers. Nonwhite poor immigrant feminine gay sex workers who aren’t seen as trans face a level of violence that is barely distinguishable from that faced by those who are trans.
Nonwhite trans women are more likely to be poor and sex workers. Not because they’re seen as deceivers, but because many of them are already in financially precarious positions, and then their families tend to throw them out for wearing women’s clothes. This drives them deeper into poverty and forces them to choose between sex work and hunger.
When a john accuses a transgender sex worker of “being a man,” he’s not just accusing her of romantic deception (if even that), he’s accusing her of fraudulent business practices. Sex workers get killed based on smaller accusations.
Poor communities in the United States tend to be less accepting of homosexual relationships than middle-class ones, which puts pressure on anyone who might be seen being involved with a trans woman. If a man is seen as gay, that can lead to loss of social standing, ostracism and harassment. And if he’s seen interacting with a trans woman, people in those communities will label him as gay. Some courageous men stand up to that kind of attack, but many others will take it out on the trans woman.
Strangio comes to this with an agenda: he wants himself and every trans person to be able to assert a gender without being questioned. I too want to be able to wear a dress without someone shouting “you’re a man!” at me – or even targeting me with microaggressions.
But let’s assume we could bring about Strangio’s vision of the world, where everyone could simply state their gender and receive title to all the roles, spaces and relationships associated with it. Who’s to say that all the dissatisfied johns and intolerant parents out there wouldn’t just move the goalposts and say that it’s okay to beat or kill a sex worker who doesn’t advertise that she has a penis, or to cast out a child who abruptly asserts a new sex without asking?
Still, let’s assume that somehow by legislating acceptance of gender declarations we can somehow prevent nonwhite, poor and immigrant teenagers from being thrown out of their family homes and killed for being feminine and trans. They still may wind up as sex workers because they’re poor, and they still may wind up getting killed because they’re poor, nonwhite and/or immigrants. Strangio seems to hint that questioning people’s gender is tied up in white supremacy, but he doesn’t explain how.
This lecture on privilege was written by a white lawyer with a large readership working for a nationally renowned nonprofit, and widely shared even as he laments that his Medium page is “lesser-read” than the New York Times. If Strangio had really wanted to center the challenges faced by poor, nonwhite trans women, why didn’t he just link to a post by a poor, nonwhite trans woman? If he couldn’t find anything written in response to the article by poor, nonwhite trans women, why didn’t he encourage some of his nonwhite transfeminine friends to write responses and then promote them?
This is not about nonwhite trans women. My feeling is that Strangio finds the article threatening for any number of reasons, so he fights back by saying one of the worst things you can say in his circles: privilege. But here’s the problem: Strangio is a white professional man criticizing a woman, which is one of the most privileged positions you can be in. His trans background is not really enough to overcome the gender difference, and he knows it. So he invokes the sufferings of black and latina trans women.
Can we please not do this? We should absolutely be talking about the murders of trans women and femmes, and what we can do to prevent them. And on this issue we should be letting the people most affected speak, and listening to what they say, as much as possible. But we should not be dragging this issue into an argument between two assigned-female white professionals over a white assigned-female child.
April 23, 2017 April 28, 2017 grvsmth1 Comment
I was very honored that the members of the AURA club at Fairleigh Dickinson University invited me to give a Transgender 101 talk last Wednesday for their Pride Week. Looking over my Skeptical Trans 101 page and imagining how someone in college today would read it, I realized that I’ve learned a lot since I originally wrote it almost four years ago, so I updated it. Here’s the new version:
Why it’s okay to be skeptical about transgender politics, while still being respectful:
As Jamison Green said, “There is NOT one way to be trans.” A story about a single person won’t tell you about everyone.
Lots of people hide their trans beliefs, feelings and actions. We don’t know about them. Anything about transgender issues that contains “most,” “all” or any percentage is probably wrong.
We don’t hold elections. Any person talking to you about their transgender beliefs, feelings or actions is not authorized to speak on behalf of anyone else.
Brain science is not at a point where it can tell us anything reliable. Anything about transgender issues that talks about specific parts of the brain is probably wrong.
People are not reliable – about transgender issues or anything else.
Most people desperately want to be normal, and are willing to lie to themselves and everyone else to feel normal. Anything that makes anyone look normal is probably wrong.
Your beliefs – about gender and everything else – are your own. Don’t let anyone tell you what to believe.
How we use gender:
Every society we know of assigns people to genders. Usually this is “man” or “woman,” depending on the way their genitals look at birth. Some societies have a third gender that involves a combination of the roles of the male and female genders.
Most people have the habit of classifying everyone they meet into one gender or another. Often this is reflected in aspects of language such as pronouns. Some languages, like French, even assign gender to inanimate objects.
Classifying people is a means to an end. Classifying people by gender is a way to figure out whether a person will be safe, a good mate, a good worker, or even someone vulnerable. There will always be many exceptions.
Every society we know of reserves certain roles, spaces and relationships for the exclusive use of one gender or the other, such as jobs, bathrooms and marriages. In these situations, gender is always a shortcut for some harder-to measure criterion, like strength or the ability to bear children.
Every society we know of has gender expression: ways that people identify themselves as one gender or another. Some of these are behavioral, involving habits of speaking or moving. Others involve clothing, accessories and grooming.
Many people fight over gender categories, particularly over who gets any benefits associated with belonging to one category or another, and who gets to speak for one gender or another.
How we react to gender:
Everyone has feelings about their gender. Many people have gender dysphoria: discomfort with the gender they were assigned.
Many people have transgender desire: a desire to be a gender different from the one assigned to them.
Some people experience gender fog: an intense excitement associated with a significant gender event.
Everyone has beliefs about their own gender. Some people have transgender beliefs that conflict with other people’s expectations.
Some people take transgender actions: they are assigned to one gender but take on expressions, spaces and roles that conflict with other people’s expectations. These gender expressions may include modifying their bodies in various ways.
These transgender actions are not new. We find them described for every society, in every time period.
Some bad news about gender:
Some people attack other people for taking transgender actions.
Some people reject their own children for transgender actions.
Some people discriminate against people for taking transgender actions.
Some people commit suicide over the intensity of their transgender feelings, or actions.
Some people take transgender actions and then regret them.
If you have transgender feelings or beliefs:
There is NOT one way to be trans. Base your decisions for your actions on how you want to live your life, not on a category.
Gender fog can impair a person’s ability to make decisions. Avoid making long-term decisions while in a gender fog.
You don’t need to change your gender classification to come out as transgender.
It’s good to experiment with gender, but some experiments can change you permanently, and others can give you unreliable information.
If you’ve decided not to change your gender classification, be aware that taking certain actions might undermine that decision.
How to respect gender:
You will meet people who have strong feelings about their gender. Be sympathetic.
You will meet people whose beliefs about their gender differ from yours. Respect their beliefs, and expect that they will respect yours.
You will meet people who express gender differently from the way you expect. Respect them. Live and let live.
You will meet people who want you to address and refer to them as a different gender than you might otherwise. Honor their desire.
You will meet people who you would normally assign to one gender, but who want to take on roles and spaces that your society reserves for a different gender. Respect their wishes and accommodate them as much as possible.
You will meet people whose sexualities interact with gender in unfamiliar ways. Respect them.
You may be tempted to say something negative or mocking of transgender feelings or actions. Think about how that might be heard. Think about your fellow human beings.
How to help:
Some people spin myths about transgender feelings, thoughts and actions. Some of the most destructive myths are spun by people who are trying to help. Be skeptical, while still being respectful.
There is NOT one way to be trans. Don’t assume everyone with transgender feelings will take the same actions.
Dealing with transgender feelings is hard. Offer support (but not advice unless asked).
We hear lots of nasty things about people who violate gender norms. Say a few nice things.
Some people attack people who violate gender norms. Protect people from these attacks, and speak out against attacks.
Some people discriminate against people who violate gender norms. Help balance that out.
It’s hard for people to find love. Consider loving someone who does gender differently.
Does the Authentic Self even have a gender?
March 29, 2017 grvsmth
I was raised by beatniks in the seventies, and regularly told to be myself. I agreed with this and lived it, and it got me into trouble. I would fight with kids when they told me not to cry, and get punished in school for refusing an assignment that felt too conformist.
In high school one of my classmates went on a long rant about plaid. The next day I dressed for school in a plaid shirt and a homemade button that said “Plaid Rules! If you don’t like it, FUCK OFF!” (I then thought better of it and covered it with a piece of paper that just said “Plaid Rules!” but he ripped the paper off.)
The point of all this is that I had no trouble showing my true self to people, and never have. When I started trying on my sister’s clothes in junior high it was not about identity, it was about loneliness, jealousy and fear.
There is a story trans people like to tell, that gender expression is about bringing out the “authentic self” that we’ve been hiding from others all our lives. This is a cousin of the “woman trapped in a man’s body” story that was popular in the late twentieth century. It’s at best a gross oversimplification of the little we know about the diverse and variable motivations for unexpected gender expression.
Some people talk about my feminine expression as a different person: “When are we going to see Andrea again? Have they met Andrea yet?” I do use a different name and pronouns, and speak and move differently, when I’m wearing a skirt and make-up. But this is not because I am “really” Andrea inside. It’s because I want people interacting with me to have a consistent experience.
The fact is that I feel like the same person no matter what I’m wearing. Maybe if I’m wearing a dress I can express some things I can’t express when people see me as a guy, but that’s true the other way too. Is my true self just too big to fit in one gender?
If it’s not to express my true self, why do I want people to see me as a woman? Honestly, I don’t know, and I don’t know why it matters. All I know is that I treat myself and the people around me with respect and compassion no matter what I’m wearing, and that’s all that should matter.
Part of treating people with respect and compassion is taking their gender presentation at face value. If someone sends me a signal that they want to be treated as a man I’ll treat them as a man. I don’t need to know whether their true self is a man or not.
Does this mean that my authentic self has no gender? Probably. But am I then part of a small minority, in a world full of strongly gendered selves? My conversations with other people suggest otherwise. I’ve known transitioners who were similarly non-conforming before transition, and some who, before transitioning, identified strongly with their assigned genders.
I strongly suspect that the authentic self has no gender. Trans people have a variety of reasons for transitioning – or not. “Being your true self” is either a convenient fiction, like “I’m a man trapped in a woman’s body,” or a religious belief, like “God made me trans.” This particular one resonates with people raised with be-yourself values.
These destiny statements are very useful for transitioners, giving them a story that satisfies at least some of the doubters, and may even quiet their own doubts. They’re not so good for non-transitioners and genderfluid people like me. They do a special disservice to people who are trying to decide whether transition is right for them. Please think about all of us the next time you’re tempted to repeat one of them.
All other things being equal
January 28, 2017 May 8, 2017 grvsmth8 Comments
I’ve said many times before that I don’t believe in second-guessing anyone’s decision to transition. But there are many trans people out there who are still figuring things out, and looking for advice. This is for them, and for anyone who might be in a position of advising them.
I wrote years ago that we can divide trans people into five groups. One group would commit suicide if they didn’t transition, another would commit suicide if they did transition. There are people who might not commit suicide if they didn’t transition, but they’d still be pretty miserable, and people who would be miserable if they did transition. Then there are people who could make it work either way.
I would put myself in the “transition optional” group, and I’ve argued before that it’s probably the biggest group. Note that this grouping is not meant to indicate some essential or immutable qualities. They are states of mind, and people can and do shift from one state to another based on the circumstances in their lives.
There’s something that I think needs to be said, and I don’t think I’ve ever said it before: If you don’t have to transition, it’s not a good idea to transition. Medical procedures (hormones and surgery) will disrupt the functions of your body and leave it more vulnerable to biological and social challenges. Being visibly trans invites harassment and discrimination. The process of transition can alienate friends and family. These social factors may not be fair, but they are there.
Some of you might be thinking, “well, yeah, that’s obvious,” but there are a surprising number of people who act as though transition is always a good idea. Zinnia Jones famously created a site called “Should I Transition?” with one word on the page, “Yes,” indicating that if you’re asking the question then your destiny is to transition. For people like this there are no possible downsides and no false positives. And if any of them have read this far, they’ve probably marked me down already as an Enemy of Trans People for suggesting it.
So let me put my position out there: Should you transition? Only if you would be miserable otherwise.
Envy, glamour and not transitioning
December 29, 2016 December 29, 2016 grvsmth2 Comments
Vee is the spouse of a non-transitioning trans person and a long time reader and commenter of this blog. She writes, “Dealing with feelings of love and commitment to each other yet trying to cope with the envy and enticement of transition. But not wanting to give up our life which we have invested in. How do you cope with envy? Thoughts?”
That is such a good question, Vee, that I felt it deserved its own post. I definitely feel that kind of envy when I see pretty young transitioners all dressed up, dating and having fun, while I get older with bigger shoulders, thicker facial hair and a bigger belly.
As you acknowledge, the first principle of trans stuff is that Nobody Knows What’s Going On. I can’t tell you what will work for your husband. But with that in mind, here are some things that have helped with me.
When I feel this envy, it’s not just garden-variety envy. If I see someone with a fancy new phone, I’ll feel motivated to save up to buy that phone. If I see someone casually picking up heavy things the way I used to do before I hurt my back, I’ll feel wistful. Neither of those are really anything like what I feel when I see a fully-lasered trans woman with long flowing hair giggling with celebrities on television. What I feel at that point is the glamour longing, as described by Virginia Postrel:
By binding image and desire, glamour gives us pleasure, even as it heightens our yearning. It makes us feel that the life we dream of exists, and to desire it even more. We recognize glamour by its emotional effect—a sense of projection and longing—and by the elements from which that effect arises: mystery, grace, and the promise of escape and transformation.
The glamour longing is at its heart a symptom of the desire to escape – to escape from something in our lives which is almost unbearable. It is triggered by these other trans people, who seem to have escaped. But just as a red car is rarely an escape from a dead-end job, a mistress with blond hair is rarely an escape from a loveless marriage, and a bigger house is rarely an escape from feelings of inadequacy instilled by prejudice, transition is very rarely an actual escape from whatever it is that traps us.
One thing that has helped me a bit is to actually live that fantasy for brief periods. I’ve walked through the streets of Manhattan and had people (men and women) say admiring things as I went past. It got me high for a while, but even at the time I was aware of how uncomfortable it was wearing falsies, Spanx, high heels and a ton of makeup. Most women don’t get dressed up like that every day.
After I came down (and boy was it important to come down after that, and it took almost two weeks. Remember to spread out your significant gender events!) I realized that presenting as a woman in public hadn’t really changed anything in my life. I was still married to the same woman, with the same kid, the same apartment and the same job. I’m generally happy in my marriage, but even if I had been looking for someone else, none of the people who showed interest in me were very promising as long-term partners. In a lot of ways, the whole exercise felt like a waste of time.
Another thing that helps is to get to know the people you’re feeling envious of, or to read what they write about their day-to-day lives. These cute, younger trans women are people too. Some of them are doing okay, some are frustrated, some are downright miserable. None of them seem to be having all that much better a time than I am. Transition didn’t magically solve any of their problems.
But you don’t have to go out in public, or even meet anyone else, to deal with this envy. Here’s a key piece that I’ve observed in my own glamour longing: it gets stronger when things are going badly in my life, and it’s weaker when things are going well. This has been particularly true with my romantic life: my interest in being a woman disappeared for several months after the first time I kissed a girl, and the same thing happened after I moved in with my wife.
I’ve heard similar stories from many other trans people, and it makes sense if the envy is really a longing to escape. So here’s my top recommendation for your husband, Vee, and anyone else who’s feeling this way:
Try to change things that make you feel trapped or hopeless.
It could be your job, your parents, your marriage, or anything. It may mean you need a new job or a new spouse, but it doesn’t have to. My wife and I spent years working through issues that had nothing to do with my gender expression. It didn’t make my transgender feelings go away, but it did reduce their intensity.
And to reassure you, Vee, it also doesn’t necessarily mean that the problem is coming from the spouse or the employer or the landlord. It could be the way that the trans person approaches those relationships, and most likely everyone shares some of the blame. The important thing is to figure out what feels hopeless and change it to get the hope back.
This is a part of my recommendation to invest in your masculine identity. If your husband has chosen to live the rest of his life as a man, Vee, he needs to make that a life worth living. It sounds like he has a good partner for that in you.
I wish you the best of luck, and to all the other non-transitioners and partners out there struggling with this. Other non-transitioners and partners reading this: what’s worked for you? What hasn’t?
Don’t recommend Bailey either
December 14, 2016 June 24, 2017 grvsmth3 Comments
If you read my blog at all, you know I have very little patience for transgender dogma. I don’t have much more patience for the Blanchard model either, but it seems to be the most popular alternative. Alice Dreger is right that my “community leaders” have been nasty to Ray Blanchard and friends, but she also seems to think that Blanchard’s theory is actually worth something. Last month I posted about the difficulties of coming out about transvestite sexuality, and I got a very nice email from someone who asked if that was the same as “autogynephilia.” I found the blog of a therapist who questions transition, and she recommends that parents of dysphoric children read Michael Bailey’s The Man Who Would Be Queen.
Of all the books I could recommend to an anxious parent, The Man Who Would Be Queen is one of my last choices. If you forced me to choose between that and a transition-cheerleading book I would probably throw them both in the pulping bin. It’s a nasty, polemical, judgmental screed that offers little hope to any trans people. And that, really, is the message I’ve gotten from the entire Blanchard camp.
Ray Blanchard developed his dichotomy between “autogynephilic” and “homosexual transsexuals” in the 1980s, based on work by Kurt Freund and others in the late 1960s and early 1970s,* when the primary mission of therapists working with trans people was gatekeeping. There was a real danger that people would make all kinds of body modifications, get fired from their jobs and ostracized by their friends and family, and wind up broke and destitute. They found that the “HSTS” were more likely to succeed in their transitions – and in those days that meant blending into society post-transition and being able to live “stealth.”
There was probably some value in the “HSTS/autogynephilia” dichotomy as a gatekeeping heuristic, just like there was some value in the “we’re all women trapped in men’s bodies” idea for getting people to relate to transgender ideas at all, but they’re both based on wild oversimplifications, ignoring a vast quantity of exceptions. Both camps have spun elaborate essentialist theories and spent the past thirty years searching for biological evidence to support those theories, and neither camp has come up with anything particularly satisfactory.
My biggest beef with Blanchard, Bailey and friends is that as far as I’m concerned, they’ve done fuck-all to help me and other trans people to cope with trans feelings. I decided not to transition with no help from them, I came out of the closet a year later with no help from them, and I’ve spent the 21 years since figuring out how to live out and proud without transitioning. Where is their guide to doing that? It’s not there. All they cared about for decades was preventing me from transitioning (didn’t want to anyway), and attacking the Everybody Must Transition dogmatists.
I wish I could offer the therapist a book she could recommend to worried parents instead of Bailey’s book. For that matter, I wish I could offer a book that people could recommend instead of Julia Serano’s book. The problem is that the parents want certainty. They want a book that will tell them How Things Are, and What To Do. But the fact is that when it comes to transgender feelings we don’t know how things are. We don’t know what to do. We’re all fumbling blindly in the dark. The difference is that some of us are prepared to admit it.
* I had originally said that Blanchard developed his taxonomy in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Someone wrote to correct that. I regret the error.
Identity stress and nonbinary identities
December 5, 2016 November 26, 2017 grvsmth
In 2009 I wrote about identity stress, which Norah Vincent captured so strikingly in her book Self-Made man, and Robin Williams dramatized in the over-the-top climactic scenes in Mrs. Doubtfire. Identity stress refers to the difficulty of maintaining two distinct identities, each with its own appearance, voice, movement, name, pronouns, documents, and social relationships. It can be the factor that finally pushes people to transition, even if they decided long ago not to.
It has not escaped my attention that having two separate identities is only one way to deal with conflicting gender feelings. Many people have pointed out that this is one of the approaches that minimize confrontation with the gender binary.
A lot of people I’ve met choose to push back on gender norms and adopt a single nonbinary identity. That can mean either a narrow range of gender presentations focused on traits that are not strongly marked for either gender, or a broad range from high femme one day to extreme butch the next. The key is that the person generally retains the same name, pronouns, voice and gestures regardless of what they’re wearing.
The people I know who adopt nonbinary approaches tell me that there’s a lot of stress involved there as well. They meet a lot of people who have trouble with unfamiliar pronouns or relatively new uses of pronouns. It is common in our society to compliment people by pointing out how well they fit in one gender or another. Some people feel very threatened if they can’t classify a person by gender, just as some feel threatened by people who change gender presentations.
Even with that stress, a single nonbinary identity is probably a lot less stressful and more sustainable than investing a lot of time and energy in two separate identities. I’m glad it works for some people, but it doesn’t fit well with my particular mix of feelings. My desire is not to be a feminine man, but to be a feminine woman.
My solution is to invest most of my time and energy in my masculine identity, while allowing myself to be as feminine as I feel in that identity, and to devote just enough time and energy to my feminine identity to keep myself from feeling resentful and rebelling. So far it seems to be working for me.
As far as I can tell, this is also what other non-transitioning feminine-spectrum trans people have done, like RuPaul and Eddie Izzard. I’ll talk about the implications of that in a future post.
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Rheinmetall AG (RHMG.DE)
RHMG.DE on Xetra
Ulrich Grillo
59 2017 Chairman of the Supervisory Board
Armin Papperger
55 2013 Chairman of the Executive Board, Chief Executive Officer
Rudolf Luz
2013 Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Employee Representative
Helmut Merch
62 2013 Chief Financial Officer, Member of the Executive Board
Michael Salzmann
58 2017 Member of the Executive Board - Human Resources
Peter Ruecker
Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations
Horst Binnig
59 2014 Member of the Executive Board, Chairman of Sector Automotive
Susanne Wiegand
2018 Member of the Executive Board
Roswitha Armbruster
2012 Member of the Supervisory Board, Employee Representative
Klaus Draeger
62 2017 Member of the Supervisory Board
Andreas Georgi
Susanne Hannemann
2012 Member of the Supervisory Board
Daniel Hay
39 2014 Member of the Supervisory Board, Employee Representative
Franz-Josef Jung
Michael Mielke
Detlef Moog
Reinhard Mueller
Dagmar Muth
Markus Schaubel
Sven Schmidt
Klaus-Guenter Vennemann
Marion Weissenberger-Eibl
Mr. Ulrich Grillo is appointed as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft effectively on May 2017. He was Member of the Supervisory Board of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since May 10 2016. He serves as Chairman of the Executive Board Grillo-Werke AG also serves on the Boards of Klöckner & Co. SE, Deutsche Messe AG, Grillo Zinkoxid GmbH, Hamborner Dach- und Fassadentechnik GmbH & Co. KG (Chairman), RHEINZINK GmbH & Co. KG, Zinacor S.A., and Innogy SE.
Mr. Armin Papperger is Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer at Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since January 1, 2013. At the Company he is responsible for Defence, Personnel, Corporate communications, Corporate compliance, Law and internal Auditing. Prior to this, he was Member of the Executive Board and Chairman of the Defence Sector at the Company from January 1, 2012. He is Employee of Rheinmetall since 1990. In addition, he acts as Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, Rheinmetall Defence UK Ltd, RWM Zaugg AG and Nitrochemie Aschau GmbH. He is also President of Nitrochemie AG and Nitrochemie Wimmis AG, among others.
Dr. Rudolf Luz is Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Employee Representative of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since 2013. He is Member of the Personnel Committee, Audit Committee. He has been Member of the Supervisory Board and Employee Representative at Rheinmetall AG since June 1, 2004. He acts as First Delegate of the German Metalworkers Union at Heilbronn-Neckarsulm office. In addition, he serves as Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board at KSPG AG.
Mr. Helmut P. Merch is Chief Financial Officer, Member of the Executive Board of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since January 1, 2013. At the Company he is responsible for Controlling, Accounting, Treasury, Tax and IT. He has been with the Company since 1982, holding various positions within the Group, including Jagenberg AG and Aditron AG. Since 2001, he has been Chief Financial Officer of Defense. He holds a business degree, is responsible for Corporate Finance, Controlling and IT. From the start, he took on various management tasks at subsidiaries, including as a Head of Division and Executive Board member of the former mechanical engineering subsidiary Jagenberg AG and as Vice-Chairman of the former electronics subsidiary Aditron AG.
Mr. Michael Salzmann is Chief Compliance Officer of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft.
Mr. Peter Sebastian Krause is Member of the Executive Board - Human Resources of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since January 1, 2017. He is a Lawyer by profession. He has been a member of the Executive Board of Rheinmetall Automotive AG since July 1, 2007 and a member of the Management Board Defence since January 1, 2014. He represents the area of Human Resources on these boards as well as on the Executive Board of Rheinmetall AG.
Mr. Horst Binnig is Member of the Executive Board, Chairman of Sector Automotive at Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since January 1, 2014. Mr. Binnig has been a member of the Rheinmetall Executive Board since January 2014. He is responsible for the Automotive sector and, at the same time, is the CEO of KSPG AG. Before joining KSPG AG in 1999, Binnig held management positions at small and medium-sized plant engineering firms. His career with Rheinmetall has included management and executive positions at companies in KSPG’s Hardparts division. He was appointed to the Executive Board of KSPG AG since 1 January 2014.
Ms. Susanne Wiegand is Member of the Executive Board at Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft from March 01, 2018. From April 2007 to December 2017, Susanne Wiegand served as managing director of the German Naval Yards (GNY) shipyards group. In this capacity, she successfully welded three longstanding shipyards - German Naval Yards Kiel (the former HDW-Gaarden), Nobiskrug and Lindenau - into a single shipbuilding group. In addition to this, Ms Wiegand was responsible for GNY's defence operations as well as serving as group CFO. Prior to taking the helm at GNY, Ms Wiegand - a business administration graduate - worked in management consulting, at T-Systems and at Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems (TKMS).
Ms. Roswitha Armbruster is Member of the Supervisory Board, Employee Representative of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since May 15, 2012. She is Member of the Audit Committee. She serves as Chair of the Works Council of the Defence Division of Rheinmetall AG, Chair of the Works Council of Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH Mauser location, Deputy Chair of the Rheinmetall AG Group Works Council.
Dr. Klaus Draeger is Member of the Supervisory Board of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since May 11, 2017. He previously served on the executive board of BMW AG.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Georgi is Member of the Supervisory Board at Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since June 10, 2002. He serves as Professor of Leadership and Control Problems in Enterprises, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich, Executive Advisor. He is Consultant. Currently, Prof. Dr. Georgi is Member of the Supervisory Board at Asea Brown Boveri Aktiengesellschaft, Felix Schoeller Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Oldenburgische Landesbank AG.
Prof. Dr. Susanne Hannemann is Member of the Supervisory Board of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since May 15, 2012. She is Member of the Audit Committee. She is Professor of Business Administration, in particular company taxation and auditing, Bochum University of Applied Sciences.
Mr. Daniel Hay is Member of the Supervisory Board, Employee Representative at Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since May 7, 2014. He is also Trade Union Secretary at IG Metall Executive Board. He worked as an attorney in a nationwide law firm from 2010 to 2012, specializing in collective bargaining law. Since 2012, he has been a lawyer on the Executive Board of IG Metall in Frankfurt am Main, specializing in German and European business law. He did his training as a wholesale and foreign trade businessman at MAN Ferrostaal AG from 2000 to 2003, to which he added studies in law at the Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum from 2003 to 2007 and a two-year clerkship at the Oberlandesgericht Bezirk Hamm (Higher Regional Court in Hamm District), Landgericht Bochum (Regional Court in Bochum).
Dr. Franz-Josef Jung is Member of the Supervisory Board of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since May 11, 2017. He was a member of the German government from 2005 to 2009, serving as defence minister and labour minister.
Dr. Michael Mielke is Member of the Supervisory Board and Employee Representative at Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since September 1, 2010. Dr. Mielke serves as Head of Product Division Actuators at Pierburg GmbH, Werk Berlin. He has spent his professional career at Pierburg in Berlin and Hartha. From 1998 to 2002, Dr Michael Mielke ran the plant in Hartha, after which he was the head of the Pierburg plant in Berlin until March 2015. Since October 2008, he has been the head of the business unit actuators of KSPG's Mechatronics division. In mid-2013, Dr Michael Mielke was appointed to the Industry and Research Committee by the Executive Board of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). He will belong to this body initially for four years in an honorary position. DIHK is considered to be an organization representing German economic interests and advises domestic political bodies as well as European ones. In addition, Dr Mielke is a member of the Executive Board of the Gesellschaft für Produktionsmanagement (GfPM). In addition to his membership in VDI, Dr Mielke belongs to the Membership Board of the Metal and Electrical Industry Association. After completing his engineering studies, Dr Michael Mielke joined Pierburg AG as a freelance consultant in September 1990, simultaneously occupying a teaching position. In 1996, Dr Michael Mielke got his doctorate.
Mr. Detlef Moog is Member of the Supervisory Board at Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since July 8, 2010. He is a Consulting Engineer. Mr. Moog served as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH until December 31, 2011 and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH until March 31, 2011.
Mr. Reinhard Mueller is Member of the Supervisory Board, Employee Representative of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since May 9, 2017. . is a Member of the Mediation Committee. He is also Chairman of European Works Council.
Mrs. Dagmar Muth is Member of the Supervisory Board, Employee Representative of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since July 1, 2015. She is Member of the Mediation committee. She serves as Chairwoman of the Works Council of Rheinmetall Defence Electronics GmbH. She also serves at Rheinmetall Defence Electronics GmbH (Vice Chairwoman). She served at Krupp GmbH from 1981 to 1983. From 1983 to 1994, she worked in purchasing as a business employee at Krupp Atlas Elektronik GmbH. In 1990, Mrs Muth was elected to the Works Council of Krupp Atlas Elektronik GmbH and in 1994, she was made a full-time member of the Works Council. She took over as Chairperson of the Works Council of Rheinmetall Defence Electronics GmbH in 2002. In addition, Mrs Muth is the Vice-Chairperson of the Group Works Council as a member of the Works Council of the Defence Division. She did her high school diploma in 1980, Dagmar Muth went through a business training program at Fried.
Mr. Markus Schaubel is Member of the Supervisory Board, Employee Representative of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since July 1, 2014. He serves as Chairman of the Works Council of KSPG AG, Chairman of the Works Council of KS Kolbenschmidt GmbH, Chairman of the Works Council of MS Motorservice International GmbH, Chairman of the Subordinate Works Council of KSPG AG, Vice-Chairman of the Group Works Council of Rheinmetall AG. He also serves on the Supervisory Boards of KSPG AG, KS Kolbenschmidt GmbH (Vice Chairman).
Mr. Sven Schmidt is Member of the Supervisory Board, Employee Representative of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since July 1, 2014. He serves as Chairman of the Works Council of KS Gleitlager GmbH, Chairman of the General Works Council of KS Gleitlager GmbH, Vice-Chairman of the Subordinate Works Council of KSPG AG, Member of the Group Works Council of Rheinmetall AG. He also serves on the Supervisory Board of KSPG AG.
Mr. Klaus-Guenter Vennemann is Member of the Supervisory Board of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since May 10, 2016. He serves on the Boards of Rheinmetall Automotive AG (company associated with Rheinmetall AG), NANOGATE AG, Plastic-Design GmbH (company associated with NANOGATE AG), Dr Rudolf Kellermann GmbH (Member of Advisory Board).
Prof. Dr. Marion A. Weissenberger-Eibl is Member of the Supervisory Board of Rheinmetall Aktiengesellschaft since May 10, 2016. She serves as Head of the Fraunhofer System and Innovation Research Institute (ISI) and also serves on the Boards of HeidelbergCement AG, MTU Aero Engines AG, Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften (acatech), Kuratorium der Steinbeis-Stiftung für Wirtschaftsförderung (StW).
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Home Cyprus US State Department Warns Against Increased Tensions in Mediterranean
US State Department Warns Against Increased Tensions in Mediterranean
Nick Kampouris
Francis Fannon, the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Energy Resources in the US Department of State, commented Thursday on recent Turkish threats over its planned drilling activity inside Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone, or EEZ. The State Department official said that ”the United States was strongly discouraging any activity that could escalate tensions.”
Energy diplomacy and the new geopolitical landscape in the Eastern Mediterranean, coupled with the transformation of the region into an energy hub, were the topics of the latest meeting of the EastMed-New York Investment Summit. Fannon made the comments at the meeting, which was organized by the magazine The Economist.
In answering questions posed to him, the Secretary reiterated the long-standing American position that the US recognizes Cyprus’ right to develop its resources within its EEZ and that resources should be distributed fairly within the framework of an overall solution to the Cyprus problem.
Fannon explained the importance of the Eastern Mediterranean for Washington, and highlighted the need to build on, and further consolidate, the existing alliances in the region.
The State Department official also said that US cooperation with Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean countries was enhanced now due to energy developments in the energy sector.
Fannon also referred to his regular visits to Athens, Nicosia, Jerusalem and Cairo, and his presence at Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s meeting with the three leaders of Greece, Cyprus and Israel in Jerusalem.
Source: CNA
Archbishop Elpidophoros Meets with President Trump at the White House
US State Dept approves possible $600 million sale of MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to Greece
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Visa Invests in Behalf to Support Small Business Financing
Behalf to allow SMBs to pay its merchant partners with Visa virtual cards
Investment is part of Visa's $100M FinTech investment program
TEL AVIV, Israel & NEW YORK & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 7, 2018-- Visa (NYSE: V) today announced an investment and partnership with Israeli start-up, Behalf, to support small business growth through easy-to-access capital and financing. Behalf provides working capital solutions for small businesses and flexible financing for business purchases.
As part of Visa’s investment in Behalf, Visa will offer Behalf’s small-business clients a tokenized Visa Virtual Card, a credit-based payment solution that gives businesses instant financing for their business purchases. The Visa Virtual Card will initially be offered in the United States, with a plan to expand to other markets in the coming months.
This partnership supports Visa’s global strategy to extend its products and capabilities to small businesses through collaborations with start-ups and FinTechs that help redefine and enhance the payments experience. It is also part of Visa’s commitment to invest up to $100M in FinTechs, as announced in June 2018, by Visa’s CEO, Europe, Charlotte Hogg, at the Money 20/20 conference in Amsterdam.
"Behalf has demonstrated a commitment to expanding the purchasing power of small businesses by using digital payments to offer faster, more convenient and secure experiences," said David Simon, global head of small business and medium enterprises for Visa. "This partnership is another great example of how Visa partners with FinTech companies to help improve digital experiences and bring new solutions to market in order to overcome common small business challenges."
"The Behalf platform offers affordable, on-demand purchase financing. Our network of B2B merchants can fit Behalf seamlessly into their eCommerce flow, receive payment immediately and provide their business customers with more buying power and flexible payment options at checkout," said Benjy Feinberg, Behalf’s chief executive officer. "We are proud to partner with Visa with the goal of making purchases easier. I’m excited by the opportunities ahead."
Shahar Friedman, acting general manager for Visa in Israel, said: "Small businesses are the backbone of the global economy, and Visa is committed to enabling new payment experiences for these important customers. This partnership is a result of a close collaboration between the Visa Innovation Studio Tel Aviv and the dynamic Israeli start-up ecosystem to bring the power of the VisaNet global network to promising young companies in Israel such as Behalf."
Behalf is the first investment made by Visa in an Israeli company. It follows the Spring 2018 launch of the Visa Innovation Studio in Tel Aviv.
For an additional look into how small businesses are operating in today’s era of digital commerce, Visa and a consortium of key industry organizations recently released Digital Transformations of SMBs: The Future of Commerce, a first-of-its-kind look at the opportunities and challenges small and medium size business (SMBs) owners face in an increasingly digital world.
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analogue to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit (www.visaeurope.com), the Visa Vision blog (vision.visaeurope.com), and @VisaInEurope.
About Behalf
Founded in 2012, Behalf is a financing provider that facilitates commerce between business to business merchants and their business customers. Driven by data and technology, Behalf allows merchant partners to offer business customers instant credit and flexible payment terms at the point of sale. Once qualified, Behalf customers can use their credit facility to fund purchases with virtually any merchant.
Behalf has offices in Tel Aviv and New York City. Behalf has been recognized as a “Rising Star” among Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50, was named “Best Online Business Lender” at the 2016 Tradestreaming Awards and was chosen as one of the 10 Best Tech Startups in NYC in 2019 by TheTechTribune. For more information on how Behalf is transforming the way businesses buy and sell, visit www.behalf.com.
This article contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that relate to, among other things, Visa’s future operations, prospects, developments, strategies, business growth. Forward-looking statements generally are identified by words such as "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "may," "projects," “could," "should," "will," "continue" and other similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact could be forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control and are difficult to predict. We describe risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, any of these forward-looking statements in our filings with the SEC. Except as required by law, we do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Visa Inc. Media Relations
Rica Squires (Europe), +442072971179
squiresr@visa.com
Aida Hadzibegovic (US), +1-415-805-4242
ahadzibe@visa.com
Visa Inc. Investor Relations
Mike Milotich, +1-650-432-7644
InvestorRelations@visa.com
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AwayPoint
Between An Island of Certainties and the Unknown Shore
Deas and Other Imaginings
Trusting Doubt
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How “Case for Christ” Author Lee Strobel Fabricated His Best-Selling Story—An Interview with Religion Critic David Fitzgerald
Posted on March 20, 2019 by Valerie Tarico
Many Evangelicals think of Lee Strobel as the man who can cure your doubts about their religion. His 1998 book, The Case for Christ, has sold millions of copies, was made into a 2017 movie by the same name, and was recently re-issued in a “new and updated” edition.
The story that Evangelicals find so convincing and delicious is this: Strobel, a tough-as-nails atheist journalist and his atheist family are out to dinner when his daughter is saved from choking to death by an evangelical nurse who felt called by God to go to the restaurant that night. Strobel’s wife converts, and Strobel sets out to prove her wrong, using the same strategy that made him a fearsome investigative journalist. He lines up scholars and theologians and confronts them with the hardest possible questions about their faith—and comes away convinced that the Evangelical view of the Bible and Jesus is true. He accepts Jesus as his savior and proceeds to lay out those persuasive interviews in his book, which goes on, as I said, to become a religion best-seller.
The problem, according to author and religion critic David Fitzgerald (and others), is that key parts of this story are distorted at best and fabricated at worst. Fitzgerald is the author of Nailed and Jesus: Mything in Action, part of The Complete Heretic’s Guide to Western Religion series. In this interview, he discusses how Strobel stretches the truth to the breaking point, and why.
Tarico: Several books point out flaws in the Biblical research and archeology cited by Strobel, including The Case Against the Case for Christ, by New Testament scholar Robert Price, and Challenging the Verdict by Earl Doherty. True believers may be persuaded, but few serious antiquities scholars or educated skeptics take Strobel’s work seriously. Even so, one might argue that Strobel assembled bad evidence in good conscience. You’re not so sure. Why not?
Fitzgerald: I can’t give him the benefit of that particular doubt anymore. Strobel has cultivated a thoroughly bogus image that he happily encourages readers to embrace. His fan base is led to believe he was a diehard atheist who was converted by these interviews. In reality, he was a lapsed Lutheran who became a pastor at a mega-church. It wasn’t until over a decade later—and after writing three books in defense of evangelical Christianity—he had the idea to select a line-up of Evangelical academics who support his view and lob softball questions at them, all under the guise of a “tough skeptic.”
He is careful about what he claims explicitly, but the popularity of his franchise rests on this pivot, the idea of a hard-headed skeptic who set out to prove Christianity wrong but was just blown away by the evidence and had to surrender to Christ. Strobel doesn’t set the record straight. Instead, he has milked it to the tune of millions of dollars, writing book after book with the same formula: He positions himself as the skeptic, and then lo and behold, the evidence for the resurrection or against evolution (or whatever new evangelical theme-of-the week he’s advocating) is just overwhelming.
Even today, he keeps up his “tough skeptic” schtick. This quote from a recent book is typical of Strobel’s rhetoric:
I was determined to reach whatever verdict was warranted by the hard evidence of history and the cool demands of reason.
Yes, I was looking for opinions, but they had to be backed up with convincing data and airtight logic—no rank speculation, no flights of faith. Like the investigations I undertook at the Chicago Tribune, I would have no patience for half-baked claims or unsupported assertions. There was too much hanging in the balance. As the Jonestown victims had chillingly reminded me, my faith is only as good as the one in whom it’s invested.
So why don’t you come along with me on this investigative adventure? After all, as Jesus himself cautioned, what you believe about Him has very real consequences. Let’s resolve to keep an open mind and follow the facts wherever they take us—even if it’s to a conclusion that challenges us on the very deepest levels…
Tarico: The problem with Strobel’s books is pretty easy to spot: It’s confirmatory thinking. Yes, he uses hard questions about Christianity as outlines, but then he searches for any evidence or line of reasoning that might, in any way, allow his version of Christianity to be right. It’s fascinating how he speaks the language of skepticism—and then somehow does the opposite. The skeptical stance is merely a literary device, because he fails to ask the questions or consult the experts who could show him wrong.
But, jumping back, what about this story about him setting out as an investigator to dissuade his newly religious wife?
Fitzgerald: Strobel tells a very different version of events in one of the less-known books he wrote before his blockbuster, Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary: How to Reach Friends and Family Who Avoid God and the Church. It goes like this:
His parents encouraged him to believe in God, and brought the children to Lutheran church regularly. He hated it and was relieved after going through confirmation that he was done with “the religion thing.” As an adult, Strobel didn’t look into the evidence for God—he simply thought the idea of a God, angels and demons were absurd to begin with.
A few years after high school, he married Leslie, his childhood sweetheart. As a child, she and her family attended a Methodist church and later a Presbyterian church with her mother, who would sing hymns to her as a bedtime lullaby. But religion was largely a curiosity for her.
After college, he landed a reporter job at the Chicago Tribune, where he tells us: “I thrived in the cutthroat environment, the adrenaline rush of deadlines, and the get-the-story-at-any-cost mentality. I was known as an aggressive and accurate reporter. There were times, however, when I went over the ethical edge. …like using ploys to mislead crime victims and witnesses . . . “My attitude was ethics were fine to discuss in journalism school, but they shouldn’t get in the way of getting a good story.”
Meanwhile, while Strobel was being a huge a-hole, his wife Leslie became close friends with a neighbor, who one day invited her to come to a new kind of church meeting in a movie theater. She soon rededicated her life to Jesus, and months later, in January 1980, Lee joined her.
Incidentally, the preacher at that church? Mega-church superstar, Bill Hybels of Willow Creek. In 2018, his assistant accused him of sexually harassing her during this same period, and he quickly retired, which prompted ten additional women to come forward and accuse him of sexual harassment. Then, both the pastor who succeeded him and the church board also resigned, admitting they mishandled the sexual misconduct allegations.
Tarico: Gross. Wasn’t Strobel working as a pastor under Hybels when he wrote The Case for Christ? Not that he was necessarily privy to Hybels’ bad behavior. But there is a broad, ugly pattern of Christian leaders with thinly veiled secrets and people looking the other way because they don’t want to interfere with God’s work. There’s also a broad, ugly pattern of stretching the truth—or breaking with truth—to advance the cause of Christ.
When people frame things in terms of eternity, heaven and hell, then all manner of bad behaviors can be construed as a lesser evil in the service of a greater good. Chris Rodda wrote a book called Liars for Jesus in which she takes down David Barton, an Evangelical who has literally rewritten American history to suit the Religious Right. Recently, you have been on the speaking circuit talking about Strobel, and you mention another infamous case, Antony Flew.
Fitzgerald: Oh, don’t get me started on David Barton—his book was so rife with false statements, his own publisher pulled his book off the shelves! As for Antony Flew, he was a respected British philosopher and atheist who ostensibly flipped in his later years—at least according to a book published in his name in 2007: There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind. It’s this same beloved Evangelical trope: the “hard-core atheist” who succumbs to the evidence. But the book was almost immediately exposed as a hoax.
The book’s actual author(s) turned out to be its “co-author,” evangelical promoter and businessman Roy Abraham Varghese, and evangelical preacher Bob Hostetler (who has also written several books with another popular evangelical apologist, Josh McDowell). The pair had taken advantage of Flew, who didn’t write a word of it and was by then suffering from progressive dementia. (At the end of his life, as it advanced, he did begin espouse a rather incoherent Deism, so it’s easy to see what made him an attractive target. But even in his dementia, Flew rejected any belief in a personal god, let alone Christianity.)
Other “tells” were that the book was full of Americanisms; and that the confused Flew himself later couldn’t recognize the arguments attributed to him. Yet despite the hoax being exposed in 2007, almost upon arrival, the film version of Case for Christ goes out of its way to name-drop Flew, and Christians are still repeating the bogus story. In fact, more Christians seem to know “the world’s most notorious atheist” than atheists ever did.
Tarico: You call these easily-debunked defenses of Evangelicalism “comfort food for a desperately grateful Christian readership.” Do you think that’s the whole point? I’ve written about why good Christians do bad things to win converts—things like preying on grade school children (a la Child Evangelism Fellowship) or preying on foreign students via “friendship missions.” I say preying, because the students are lonely, far from parents and far from home, and don’t know American culture well enough to realize they are marks. Is the Strobel/Flew thing the same?
Fitzgerald: It certainly shows the same kind of dubious ethics (if not outright predatory behavior) that we’ve seen in plenty of other religious cases.
Tarico: I guess Strobel’s dubious story wouldn’t matter so much, but you say that he took the same liberties with his defense of Christianity as with his personal narrative.
Fitzgerald: Absolutely. What Christians need to realize is that regardless of whether Christianity is true or not, what Strobel and his team of “experts” are peddling to them so successfully is not. It’s a constant stream of distortions and misinformation.
For example, Strobel’s very first interview is with Dr. Craig Blomberg, a Baptist seminary professor (not a historian).* Dr. Craig Blomberg has since said that Strobel’s write-up of the interview was not verbatim but rather heavily paraphrased and full of what were, in Blomberg’s view, “oversimplifications.” He said his initial impulse when he saw Strobel’s draft was to edit for accuracy, but in the end decided to correct only the worst problems(!). So right out of the gate, we have some serious credibility problems. And the rest of the book is just as full of inaccuracies.
*[Note: Only two out of the 13 experts clearly have history degrees. Dr. Blomberg has published on the historicity of the New Testament, but through his career has held an a priori theological commitment to the idea that the gospels are history. Denver Seminary, where he teaches, requires alignment with this statement of faith: “We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God’s will for salvation, and the supreme and final authority in all matters to which they speak.”]
Tarico: How does the film version of Case for Christ compare with the book?
Fitzgerald: Strobel has claimed that the film is about “80% accurate,” which is completely ludicrous. And I’m not talking about it getting the movie treatment. Of course, like all biopics, they change things around, simplify storylines, blend characters, I get that. That’s not special. But there’s Hollywood bullshit, and then there is a deeper, more insidious kind of bullshit. The film version of Lee Strobel’s spiritual journey bears almost zero relationship to his real life story, but it presents the Lee Strobel Myth™ in every loving detail. It’s the imaginary life he desperately wishes had been the case.
For example, two of the “experts” he “interviewed” and purported to be so impressed with, don’t even exist. “Father Jose Maria Marquez” and agnostic “Purdue professor Roberta Waters” are completely fictitious characters. In reality, all of Strobel’s hand-chosen stable of house experts are evangelical protestant apologists, and only 2 (possibly 3) out of 13 of them even have historical credentials to begin with.
Tarico: What about the points raised by these experts?
Fitzgerald: Strobel doesn’t act like a reporter, and his “historians” don’t act like historians—because he isn’t, and they aren’t. Either they are misquoted by Strobel, as one of them has admitted—or they are acting as flat-out propagandists. Because it’s not just that they are misrepresenting the evidence. It’s the way they do so—deliberate, calculated and shameless. Here’s a prime example:
One of the craziest parts of Case for Christ was Strobel’s citation of “micrographic letters”—handwritten inscriptions on ancient coins too small to be seen by the naked eye—proclaiming Rex Jesus and Messiah and King of the Jews. This idea comes to Strobel second-hand from Baptist preacher and disgraced Mississippi State University archeologist, E. Jerry Vardaman, who claimed to have uncovered a secret history of the ancient world, completely unknown to mainstream academia, in these tiny inscriptions.
Needless to say, this bizarre theory didn’t pan out, and Vardaman was removed from his academic position. Real historians were never fooled—just folks like Strobel and his expert Dr. John McRay, who cites Vardaman’s nonsense with a straight face. What’s more, in Strobel’s “new and updated” edition of Case for Christ, its clear that Strobel has since gotten the memo, since he oh-so-carefully rewrites this section to retroactively distance himself from the ridiculous claim—as if he was skeptical about it all along—but without removing it, or admitting that he knows it has since been completely debunked.
Tarico: You’ve taken some heat for your writings too—especially your argument that the New Testament stories about Jesus are historicized mythology instead of mythologized history.
Fitzgerald: Absolutely, Jesus mythicism is a minority position, and I suspect it always will be. For many reasons, I don’t think there ever was a “Real Jesus”—but whether there was a genuine historical figure or not, our evidence for him is not great, and none of it appears connected to anyone who ever actually existed in the first century. And in any case, the “Jesus of Faith” is a product of theological wishful thinking, every bit as fabricated as Strobel’s Hollywood conversion story—and for the same reason.
Tarico: It makes me think of fan fic.
Fitzgerald: (laughs) Yes! All scripture is fanfic!
Tarico: What do you most wish that Strobel’s readers knew about him or about his books?
Fitzgerald: That he is selling them spiritual junk food, just as hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny. And maybe they should be the ones calling out the David Bartons, the William Lane Craigs and the Lee Strobels, and not leave it to the atheists to do their fact-checking for them. Because if there is a god that’s anything like what Christians preach, he doesn’t need their sleight of hand to prop him up—does he?
Valerie Tarico is a psychologist and writer in Seattle, Washington. She is the author of Trusting Doubt: A Former Evangelical Looks at Old Beliefs in a New Light and Deas and Other Imaginings, and the founder of www.WisdomCommons.org. Her articles about religion, reproductive health, and the role of women in society have been featured at sites including The Huffington Post, Salon, The Independent, Free Inquiry, The Humanist, AlterNet, Raw Story, Grist, Jezebel, and the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. Subscribe at ValerieTarico.com.
About Valerie Tarico
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43 Responses to How “Case for Christ” Author Lee Strobel Fabricated His Best-Selling Story—An Interview with Religion Critic David Fitzgerald
Bill Mathis says:
Great piece. Thank you! I remember being so impressed with Strobel back in my evangelical days. So glad I’m out of that delusion. Love your work!
Bill Mathis
Valerie Tarico says:
Reblogged this on James' Ramblings and commented:
Reblogging for future reference:
Mader James says:
I’m shocked another famous Christian is a liar and con artist for mammon.
Keep up the good work Valerie!
Steve Ruis says:
I guess I am not surprised, but I am disgusted at the behavior of people who tell us constantly that we cannot be moral without their god. Apparently they cannot with it. I was given a copy of The Case for Christ and read about six pages before realizing that it was a bogus effort, a sham. If one knows anything about the Bible, it is easy to see where Mr. Strobel drifted away from the truth.
Bruce Gerencser says:
Wonderful interview, Valerie.
Back in my Bible college days, the chancellor of the college said in a sermon: I’m not preaching now, I’m telling the truth. 😀 40+ years later, I totally understand his statement (even though he was being funny).
Preachers, by design, massage and rewrite the stories they tell. They don’t let facts get in the way of telling a good story. Stories of supernatural conversions sound doubtful or unbelievable, yet congregants holler AMEN! And church members do the same during testimony times.
“Lying for Jesus” is very much a part of Evangelical church life. Strobel, based on David’s observations, is just another “liar for Jesus.” I always doubted his “atheist” story. Goes right along with other testimonies I have heard from preachers about their atheist/mobster/satanist/drug dealer lives before Jesus saved them. An Amish-Mennonite man came up to me years ago and said, “Bruce, I feel bad about not having a dramatic conversion testimony. I was raised in a Christian home and never did anything real bad.” He believed these “liars for Jesus” were telling the truth and their stories made him feel inferior. Many of the wild stories Evangelicals tell are just one person wanting to be viewed as “badder” 😀 than someone else so , to quote the Bible, the grace of God may abound. “Look at how bad I was before Jesus saved me!”
SRJN says:
I really did lead a bad life before The Lord accepted me. And if i was given the choice, I wish i had never done the things i did. Instead i wish i was raised in a home where there was Jesus Christ at the heart of that home. That way there would be much less sin on my behalf. And it wouldn’t be as easy for me to be a wicked man. Christian walk seems tough at times, but easy route leads to nothing good. Maybe y’all should have told that man how blessed he is?
Skeptic42 says:
I’ve seen just the opposite. People raised in a christian home, yet bad. Also people raised in a secular home, and a pillar of the community. So, there never was a guarantee of being good because christ was preached, but being raised to be moral with a sense of responsibility and having empathy. Without those, it doesn’t matter how you were raised.
The “christian walk” is tough because all failures are your, all successes are god’s. It erodes your self-image. But it can also become a form of justification. “I committed this evil, but jesus forgives me.” Robert Deer, the Planned Parenthood, shooter justified exactly this way, the thing is he’s not wrong.
Angle Full of Grace says:
An acquaintance pushed this book on me in her attempts to help me find my way, and though I couldn’t stomach it, let alone finish it, I kept the book for an appropriate amount of time before returning it. Now I chuckle at how shame and guilt worked their wiggly religious fingers into my psyche around the whole thing. I’ve had the thought to push this article on said acquaintance, but I won’t. She will come to the truth on her own eventually. I can’t help but feeling a tad vindicated. Thank you.
thesseli says:
Reblogged this on Thesseli.
I am so very glad I am not Christian.
Sadly, I saw too many examples of Christian leaders stretching the truth to the breaking point for “the cause of Christ.” Too many preacher stories told from the pulpit that I knew weren’t true, for example. It’s one of the things that prompted me to look more objectively for truth. The closing point of the article is right on: why would a supreme being need any extra help to make himself and his will evident? Shading, bending or augmenting the truth is your admission that the truth doesn’t support your views.
Have seen his name thrown around but knew nothing of the guy. This was a great read. Thanks. Often thought, if i didn’t have any morals I’d pen an Atheist-to-Believer book and sell it to evangelicals. I know ALL the arguments and what lights their fire, and what they *want* to hear. Pushing those buttopns would be the easiest thing imaginable…. and lucrative, as you’ve pointed out.
Paul Douglas says:
Excellent read. I appreciate your work so much Valerie.
Jim Lee says:
I can prove Christianity is false just using the New Testament itself. Here is one of my essays. I’ve never had any of my essay printed, as they were during my own studies which led me and my wife out of the Christian faith.
CONCEPTION OF JESUS.
Do you think that Mary and Joseph should have remembered the miraculous events surrounding the birth of Jesus? You would naturally think that when a woman goes through a unique conception, that she would remember it, and that the man who’s wife became pregnant while they were engaged, without any effort on his part, that he would remember it also. It is not something he would easily forget. Yet the gospel writers seem to have strange memory lapses.
According to Luke 2: 42-50, Mary finds Jesus in the temple, she chastises him for causing so much trouble, whereby he replied “Why is it that you are looking for me? Did you not know that I must be concerned with the affairs of my father”. Luke’s gospel adds, “and they (Mary and Joseph) did not understand the saying that he (Jesus) spoke to them.” Mary does not understand, Joseph does not understand, If Mary and Joseph were both visited by angels before the birth of Jesus, how is it that they don’t understand, some twelve years later. Has Mary forgotten that Jesus was supernaturally conceived in such a way as was never experienced by any other person? Is it unlikely that Mary would forget Elizabeth saying to her? “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” “And why is this (granted) to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me.” Luke 1:42-43, and especially Mary’s own words. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my saviour. For he has looked upon the humble state of his slave girl, for, behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things to me, and holy is his name.” Luke 1:46-49,
After all of this Mary does not know what Jesus meant when he said that he must be concerned about the affairs of his father. How could Mary and Joseph forget that the wise men Magi worshipped Jesus as a baby and presented him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Matthew 2:11, They also seemed to forget how an angel appeared to Joseph telling him to go to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. Matthew 2: 13, and that Herod slew all of the children two years of age or under in Bethlehem. Matthew 2: 16. How could they forget that, (apart from the fact that it fulfilled scripture,
Hosea 11:1) Why did they have to flee to Egypt ? Did they go to Egypt? According to Luke 2: 39, they went to Nazareth and were not in the dangerous area of Bethlehem, where it is alleged that Herod had the children slain. This creates another problem Herod died four years prior to when the church originally stated that Jesus was born.
Perhaps Matthew’s placing them in Egypt to fulfill scripture was too quick for Joseph and Mary to remember, for Luke 2: 22, has them in Jerusalem for forty days after the birth to fulfill Leviticus 12:1-8, and then in Luke 2:39, they return to Nazareth. They also seemed to forget how the shepherds, made known the saying which had been told to them about this child, Luke 2: 17. Mary and Joseph even forgot, how they marveled ten months after the angelic visitations, that is, one month after the event surrounding Jesus birth.
At that time they were already surprised when Simeon and Anna, the daughter of Phanvel, spoke of Jesus future while he was yet still an infant. Luke 2:25-38.
If these events are historical, why is it that later, during Jesus active period, no one, not even his family, seem to know of his marvelous origins, Matt.13: 54-55, If a conception took place would not Mary have some idea just as to who Jesus was? Would not she reveal this information to her family? Yet we find that Jesus relatives, who came to seize him, Mark 3:21,31, are not told by Mary his mother, who comes and joins them, that contrary to what they think, Jesus is not crazy.
The gospel of John states “For neither did his brothers believe in him” John 7: 5, Did Mary not inform the rest of her children of Jesus divine origins. It is hard to understand that Mary would not inform them that Jesus was the “messiah” so that they might believe in him and thereby enjoy salvation, and what of Mary’s own reaction towards Jesus. In the few appearances that Mary herself makes in the gospels, during the lifetime of Jesus, there is no indication that she showed any understanding that her son Jesus, was the “son of God.” by means of a unique conception. Mark 3:31-35, John 2:3-4. She, Mary revealed no such understanding to his followers.
Jesus earlier followers said that Jesus became the “Son of God” through the resurrection and they never mentioned a unique conception. Paul declared Jesus to be “Son of God” with power, by the resurrection from the dead. Romans 1: 4, see also Acts 13: 33, Where Psalm 2: 7 is applied to the resurrection.
The doctrine of a unique conception seems to have no effect upon Christian teaching prior to its mention in the last part of the first century.
On the basis of New Testament records it is doubtful that Jesus family, or the early believers, and most of all, even Mary herself did not know about the unique conception she is alleged to have undergone.” Did you not know that I must be concerned with the affairs of my Father?” Strange as it may seem, Mary and Joseph did not know it. They did not know it because they had never heard of their son’s “miraculous conception”. It appears that the unique miraculous conception came into circulation long after the deaths of the people in this story.
Jim. Lee. 9/99.
bbnewsab says:
@Jim Lee: Are your essays available on the web? Please, give us a link to them, if that’s the case. The essay here above is just super! I really like your skillful reasoning.
clubschadenfreude says:
excellent argument, Jim
tredeuce1559 says:
Valerie, a theoretical physicist says your non-believer position is ‘irrational’.
The 2019 Templeton prize winner, Marcelo Gleiser, flatly supports the god is real claim. See the latest issue of the Scientific American magazine.
I contend that his claim ofscience based proof of God is so.much hokum.
Regards.. A
Hmm. Did you read that article. They of course pulled his most controversial statement for the title, but from the context it appeared that he was talking about only positive atheism, meaning an affirmative stance that there is no god, as opposed to simply a lack of belief in the absence of evidence. Also, if I remember correctly, he was pretty clear that all he thinks the scientific method allows for is some prime mover–not the humanoid gods of religions.
Just a quick scan of the article. Thanks, Valerie. I will revisit it.
Do you know anything about the Templeton Foundation? It’s a Christian research org which Sean Carroll noted: “the entire purpose of the Templeton Foundation is to blur the line between straightforward science and explicitly religious activity, making it seem like the two enterprises are part of one big undertaking.” The Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion was renamed in 2001 the Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities.
Greg Geisler says:
Jerry Coyne keeps us apprised of the shady practices of the Templeton frauds on his blog:
https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/?s=templeton&searchsubmit=Find+%C2%BB
I’ll have to go back and double check it too.
Ancient Philosophy Timeline (@AncientTimeline) says:
Dr Craig Blomberg (not Bloomberg) has a PhD in New Testament History from a leading, secular British University. Yet look at how Fitzgerald describes him: Christians need to realize is that regardless of whether Christianity is true or not, what Strobel and his team of “experts” are peddling to them so successfully is not. It’s a constant stream of distortions and misinformation. For example, Strobel’s very first “expert,” Baptist preacher (and non-historian) Dr. Craig Bloomberg’
I also find it amusing that Fitzgerald is chiding Strobel for offering fluff, misinformation and noting his works in need of fact checking given the level to which these traits afflict his own handling of these topics in his book Nailed.
Thank you for the correction. He is indeed ordained as a Baptist minister, and is indeed not a historian. His credentials appear more substantial than implied by Fitzgerald’s description, but hardly more objective.
From Denver seminary: “Dr. Blomberg completed his PhD in New Testament, specializing in the parables and the writings of Luke-Acts, at Aberdeen University in Scotland. He received an MA from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a BA from Augustana College. Before joining the faculty of Denver Seminary, he taught at Palm Beach Atlantic College and was a research fellow in Cambridge, England with Tyndale House.”
From Aberdeen University: “Aberdeen has trained Christian Ministers since Bishop William Elphinstone founded Kings College in 1495. The medieval campus is centred around the beautiful Kings College Campus and Chapel. It is the 5th oldest university in the UK. Bishop Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland wanted to train clergy for communities in the North of Scotland and research and teaching has continued from 1495 to the current day. The University is dedicated to the ‘pursuit of truth and in the service of others.’
. . . The department’s strong links to both church and clinical settings, along with the University’s extensive library holdings, make Aberdeen a dynamic and rich context in which to study theology’s capacity to contribute to the transformation of individual lives and Contemporary society.”
I received my PhD from Aberdeen. Like all ancient universities in the UK (Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews etc) it was set up by church leaders. One famous incident from the University was taken to be at the forefront of signaling the closing of a predominant Christian Britain https://academic.oup.com/ehr/article/CXXVII/525/345/395412 The Divinity department is a leading center for secular Biblical research in the world. Well known secular New Testament scholars such as Professor Steve Mason have recently taught there. It was also one of the first universities to teach courses on secularism (run by Dr Anja Finger), and gave Richard Dawkins an honorary doctorate. It was the first University in the UK to list Carriers’ books on Jesus mythicism in its curriculum. The University is routinely ranked as one of the most prestigious places to study New Testament history in, and recently was honored in this regard by the NTS.
People coming to read your article are told by Fitzgerald that Strobel is interviewing preachers, who have no expertise in New Testament history, and he provides the example of a person who has a PhD in the topic and who publishes in peer-reviewed New Testament journals! That is misleading. Utterly and objectively. But then this is Fitzgerald, the guy who routinely massacres classical history in his polemical books. He has a pretty long and substantiated record of playing loose with the facts in order to score an ideological point (e.g. his use and appeal to Seneca, Philo, Aramaic etc is just as troublesome). The phrase people in glass houses shouldn’t throw bricks rather springs to mind.
Unless you are suggesting all theology departments in secular universities the Anglophone world are not objective, e.g. Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, Yale (etc) your comments above are entirely without merit.
Thank you for the Ms. Knight link. That was fascinating history that I knew nothing about. As to your question above, please see “Rational Human’s” comment below about Hinduism.
Although this grossly oversimplifies, a theologian studies the history within a story, typically within some assumption of the veracity of the story. A historian analyzes the context in which it was written including prior literary/cultural/philosophical influences that shaped the author and story. To my mind it’s the difference between studying the intricate landscape of Middle Earth, the characters and their alliances and the author’s meaning–vs studying Tolkien, WWII, other contemporary and prior influences or the writing and publishing timeline and process.
That said, I claim no expertise in either. I myself am more interested in the psychology and sociology of religion, rather than either of these.
You said, “(when he has a PhD in the *very topic* that is being discussed- the historical Jesus- from a secular university and has peer-reviewed publications on it).” I’ve tried hard to find Blomberg’s exact degree and/or his dissertation topic and can’t seem to find either. All of the sites I’ve seen simply say he has a Ph.D. in New Testament, which could mean either history or theology. I’m not arguing here–just looking for accurate information since I’m not actually interested in hosting information that is inaccurate. Might you be able to point to one of these?
Richard Lansdale says:
Fitzgerald is mistaken. e. g. well known evangelicals critique the secular approach of Aberdeen and other British universities https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gk2PCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA182&dq=geisler+inerrancy+aberdeen+secular&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCzfW-j5fhAhVTXhUIHQtdAxUQ6AEIKTAA#v=onepage&q=geisler%20inerrancy%20aberdeen%20secular&f=false
Mistaken? He made no claims about Aberdeen, and his statements about Blomberg’s credentials were that he is a Baptist preacher (which implies a literalist theological commitment), and that he is not a historian. Although they don’t reflect the theological credentials that Blomberg has, both appear to be true.
Valerie. He is critiquing Strobel for talking to preachers instead of scholars and experts in the field. Fitzgerald is referring to the New Testament, Bloomberg does not have a theology degree, he has a PhD in * New Testament history* from a secular university (check the ethos database, his PhD, it was on the historicity of the gospels) and from one of the most respected universities in the world for NewTestanent scholarship. Aside From Blomberg’s doctorate in the very subject Strobel is asking him about, Bloomberg publishes widely in secular, prestigious, peer-reviewed journals again *in the very field * Fitzgerald is saying Stobel is not talking to experts but “preachers”. Fitzgerald is by any objective standard (again) misleading people and your readers. He is hardly giving a fair or accurate description.
I myself might have called him an ordained Baptist seminary professor and preacher.
That said, here is part of the statement of faith that Denver Seminary requires professors to ascribe to:
“We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God’s will for salvation, and the supreme and final authority in all matters to which they speak.” This kind of a priori faith commitment is fundamentally incompatible with the work of a historian.
As to his credentials. “Ph.D. University of Aberdeen, Scotland (New Testament, specializing in the parables and the writings of Luke-Acts)
MA Trinity Evangelical Divinity School;
B.A. from Augustana College with a triple major in mathematics, Spanish, and religion”
Perhaps also to the point, or more to the point, is that Blomberg had concerns about how Strobel represented his views.
Might I ask why your emotional concerns center on Fitzgerald misleading thousands than on Strobel misleading millions?
This really doesn’t need all this level of wearying explication. Fitzgerald claims that Blomberg is not an expert on this topic (when he has a PhD in the *very topic* that is being discussed- the historical Jesus- from a secular university and has peer-reviewed publications on it). If Fitzgerald wants to say that Strobel only talks to religious, and biased experts fine. He did *not* say that, however. He said Strobel is talking to preachers, and not people who are trained in the topic. A transparent error, and one that is made to make Strobel, and Blomberg, look bad. This has been brought to your attention, yet you seem to not wish to address this in any substantive way (first you did by grant merit to this objection when you had a misinformed view of Aberdeen- one of the most respected secular institutions to study New Testament history in.)
We have a transparent mistake, in an article that is revelling in chastising Christians for producing material wherein ” fact-checking” has to be undertaken for the whole picture to emerge, and that which displays righteous indignation throughout about their “sleight of hand” techniques. Do you see the irony?
I have only a passing awareness of Strobel’s work, but I assure you I have no qualms in calling out apologists for either side. Judging from looking at the table of contents of Strobel’s book it is, barring one exception, a who’s-who of late 1990’s evangelical thinkers who considered the historical Jesus and it is transparently obvious that Strobel has self-selected them to reach a predetermined conclusion of the accuracy of the Biblical Jesus. I have no doubt at all that Strobel is misleading his readers. I have no hesitation about pointing out both sides’ (the Christian and atheist) compulsion to fall for amateur, biased “scholarship”. For years I ran a first year tutorial to history students where I had them go through Fitzgerald’s terrible book Nailed chapter two, and Josh McDowell’s equally misinformed “Evidence that Demands a Verdict” chapter 10, in a class that was devoted on how to properly use secondary literature and spot fraudulent scholarship.
Rational Human says:
The key question for those racing to Blombergs defense – would you accept that a Hindu priest, educated in Hindu theology and history, employed as a teacher of Hinduism, is an “historian”?
Look at it as an outsider. If we are not sure that the New Testament represents actual history, then even the title “NT historian” makes a mockery of real historians.
corbain says:
Enjoyable read. Being a provisional skeptic, I have serious doubts that jesus ever existed. If evidence is found, then I’ll update my beliefs, until then current academia relies on a massive amount of speculation. While investigating this, and reading Erhman’s “The Quest for the Historical Jesus of Nazareth,” as well as Zindler’s conter, “Bart Erhman and the Quest…”, I also came to the conclusion that the gospels (canonical and apocryphal) were probably fan fiction. I like the ending, “if there is a god that’s anything like what Christians preach, he doesn’t need their sleight of hand to prop him up—does he?”
But what’s a little bit of lingual prestidigitation amongst apologists?
Ty says:
Excellent as usual.
Apetivist says:
Reblogged this on Apetivist.
I would not accept a random Hindu clergy member’s views of the historicity of Hinduism as being worthy of mention in a book on their creeds’ historicity. I would however be of the opinion that someone who has a doctorate in Hindu history from one of the leading secular institutions that studies Hindu history, and who publishes in the leading academic outlets on the history of Hinduism to have a legitimate voice, and not childishly try to claim “ah they are just a Hindu clergy member”.
” If we are not sure that the New Testament represents actual history, then even the title “NT historian” makes a mockery of real historians.”
You can conclude the New Testament is entirely fictitious and still be a historian who is an expert in it- e.g. a Homeric historian, or a historian of Platonic mythology, or Quranic historian (of whom many are atheists.)
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John Branyan says:
Is there someplace where David Fitzgerald responds to Strobel’s actual arguments? I’m just curious.
Whole books have been written responding to Strobel’s arguments. E.g. https://www.amazon.com/Case-Against-Christ-Testament-Reverend/dp/1578840058
Also: https://infidels.org/library/modern/paul_doland/creator.html; https://celsus.blog/2013/08/24/another-case-of-apologetic-dishonesty-in-lee-strobels-the-case-for-christ/
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Dualing Holiday Displays at the State Capitol
Holiday Tips, Insights from Trusting Doubt, prefaced by brilliance from Nonstampcollector
The Problem With Fundamentalism
Valerie Tarico – Former Fundamentalist and Author of The Dark Side
Christianity in the Public Square
Cognitive Science and Christianity
God's Emotions: Why The Biblical God is So Very Human
Musings & Rants: Christianity
Musings & Rants: Life
Musings & Rants: Life, Parenting, Relationships
Trusting Doubt: Individual Chapters
Web of Life
biblical literalism
bibliolatry
Christian fundamentalism
Church state separation
LARC
psychology of belief
psychology of Christianity
recovery from religion
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Carla Bruni - Discography
Before fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming a professional singer and songwriter, Carla Bruni had already been included on Business Age's list of the 20 highest-paid models, had appeared in the films Prêt-à -Porter and Unzipped, and had been romantically linked to Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Kevin Costner, and Donald Trump. The heiress of a tire manufacturing fortune, Bruni's family moved from their native Italy to Paris, France, when she was four. After attending boarding school in Switzerland she returned to Paris, where she was encouraged to try modeling as a career by her brother's girlfriend. Paul Marciano -- president and creative director of GUESS? -- picked Bruni's headshot out of a stack of photographs and turned the 19-year-old into an overnight sensation. She kept busy doing photo shoots and runway work for Prada, Chanel, Christian Dior, and Givenchy. In a 1998 interview Bruni declared that the lack of creativity she was experiencing in the fashion world had led her to the decision to only model in special cases. Rare appearances for Yves Saint Laurent and Jean Paul Gaultier kept her in the fashion press, but she was making even more headlines in the gossip world, where she was painted as the woman responsible for the breakups of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall as well as Donald Trump and Marla Maples. In 2003, a reinvented Bruni released her debut album, Quelqu'un M'a Dit. An album filled mostly with songs written by the singer in the style of her idols -- Joni Mitchell and Serge Gainsbourg -- Quelqu'un M'a Dit was an instant hit in France, selling one million copies soon after its release. Her second album, No Promises, appeared in January 2007.
Leech: 0
Seed: 36
130.22 MB 36 0
Carla bruni - Comme si de rien nétait [2008]
66.46 MB 10 0
Carla Bruni - Comme Si De rien nétait [POP][2008]
Mick Jagger-Tokyo Shuffle(1988)
181.05 MB 1 7
Carla Bruni - Little French Songs - 2013
94.15 MB 9 1
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin - 2014
La Bande à Renaud 2014
Formidable 40 Franse Chansons 2014
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Arts Administration, B.S.
Dance Education, BS
MS in Media Management
Theatre, B.A.
Expanding Your Horizons Program
Summer Musical Theatre Institute
Summer Technical Theatre Institute
Audition and Casting
Senior Showcase 2019
The Stanley Drama Award
Rehearsal Production Calendar
WCT LAUNCHES NEW MUSICAL INCUBATOR
THEATRE ALUMNI
MONETTE MCKAY
Monette McKay is a New York native and Broadway artist/activist who has been working professionally for years. Her Broadway credits include Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Memphis (2010 Tony-winning Best Musical), and Mamma Mia!
Monette began as a dancer at an early age and realized her passion for theatre soon after. She won the Paper Mill Playhouse's Rising Star Award and was a ACTF Irene Ryan scholarship nominee while at Wagner College for her performance of Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street. She also loves to teach and inspire students of all ages to find their unique gifts and be the change beyond the stage.
National Tours: Mamma Mia!
Regional credits include: Shakespeare Theatre Company's Kiss Me Kate! (U/s Lois Lane/Bianca), Human Race Theatre's Crowns (Yolanda).
TV: Law and Order: Criminal Intent, HBO's The Night Of, and an upcoming Marvel Netflix series.
Film: the upcoming indie film starring Keke Palmer entitled Pimp.
“Wagner has the best of both worlds for a student trying to find his/her place in it. Quiet campus living and a small community with great one-on-one guidance from teachers as well as access to the greatest city in the world. Specifically for musical theatre students there are Broadway and Off-Broadway shows at your fingertips, dance classes with professionals to see what the competition is really like, and a vast array of museums, cabarets, improv, and festivals are just a few of the attractions to take advantage of during your time.” – Monette McKay ’07
Dance Education, B.S.
Stanley Drama Award
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Home | News | Honoring Mom for Mother's Day
Honoring Mom for Mother's Day
With Mother's Day approaching, the Unity Health Foundation offers a unique giving opportunity through the Mother’s Day Tribute program to honor mothers, grandmothers and other women who have had a strong presence in the lives of community members.
“We celebrate family through donations to the Foundation, especially around Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Giving a tribute like this is a beautiful way to honor moms and carries a lot of meaning with it,” said Unity Health Foundation Executive Director Cassandra Feltrop. “The mission of the Foundation is to provide support for Unity Health through purchasing the latest equipment and special projects that allow the hospital to enhance patient care.”
This year, gifts given to the Foundation for Mother’s Day will benefit the New Life Center of your choice. With the expansion of the Unity Health Foundation into Newport, you can now choose for your gift to go toward the New Life Center on either Unity Health’s White County Medical Center Campus in Searcy or Harris Medical Center Campus in Newport.
“I support the Foundation because we are fortunate to have such a great facility in Searcy. It is a vital part of our community,” said Teresa Blakely, Unity Health Foundation Annual Gifts Committee Co-chair.
In lieu of flowers or chocolate, we hope people consider giving a Mother’s Day gift that will last a lifetime by giving to the Foundation. Gifts can be made in honor, or in loving memory, of mothers, grandmothers or any other special women. On Mother’s Day, the Foundation will publish an ad in local newspapers to acknowledge all gifts of $25, or more, received in the Foundation Office by Friday, April 29.
For more information about how you can honor the special women in your life, or to make a donation, please visit Unity-Health.org/wcmc-foundation or contact the Unity Health Foundation at (501) 278-3186.
ABOUT UNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION
The Unity Health Foundation is a charitable, nonprofit corporation that serves to provide support for Unity Health. Donations to the Foundation provide Unity Health with funding for renovations, state-of-the-art equipment and special projects to enhance patient care. The Foundation extends the mission of Unity Health to create a healthy community through medical excellence and compassionate care.
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Belle Vue Drumbo Park Newcastle Perry Barr Poole Sunderland Swindon
Belle Vue Greyhound Stadium is located in Belle Vue, Manchester. Belle Vue Stadium opened in 1926. The stadium was the first in United Kingdom to hold an oval track race and the very first race was held on 24th July 1926.
Belle Vue meetings take place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Turnstiles open from 18:00.
Adults (18 & over) £7.00 including a racecard. Free admission for senior citizens, children 12-17 years old £3.50, 11 years and under go free.
Grandstand Restaurant & Bar
Opening hours from 18:30 – 23:00.
With full-length glass frontages overlooking the finish line, the Grandstand Restaurant seats 400 people and offers an excellent view of the track. The restaurant has full table service and a tote betting runner. Children are welcome at the Grandstand Restaurant. Under 2’s dine free there is a £10 menu available for 2 to 12 year olds.
There is a large car park with disabled parking that is free for Belle Vue customers.
Accessibility & Other Information
Pushchairs and prams are not permitted in the stadium. Identification and proof of age may be required. There is disabled access available.
For more detail about Belle Vue Stadium, please visit the FAQs section of their website.
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› International
Why al-Qaida is still strong 17 yrs after 9/11 and poised for a resurgence
By Tricia Bacon | The Conversation | Last Updated at September 12 2018 07:38 IST
File photo of 9/11 attacks
Seventeen years ago, on Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaida conducted the most destructive terrorist attack in history.
An unprecedented onslaught from the U.S. followed. One-third of al-Qaida’s leadership was killed or captured in the following year. The group lost its safe haven in Afghanistan, including its extensive training infrastructure there. Its surviving members were on the run or in hiding. Though it took nearly 10 years, the U.S. succeeded in killing al-Qaida’s founding leader, Osama bin Laden. Since 2014, al-Qaida has been overshadowed by its former ally al-Qaida in Iraq, now calling itself the Islamic State.
In other words, al-Qaida should not have survived the 17 years since 9/11.
Much of the credit goes to al-Qaida’s extraordinary ability to form alliances and sustain them over time and under pressure.
In my book “Why Terrorist Groups Form International Alliances,” I examine why a small number of groups, such as al-Qaida and IS, emerge as desirable partners and succeed at developing alliance networks.
Understanding terrorist alliances is critical because terrorist organizations with allies are more lethal, survive longer and are more apt to seek weapons of mass destruction. Though terrorist partnerships face numerous hurdles and severing al-Qaida’s alliances has been a U.S. objective for over a decade, the fact is that these counterterrorism efforts have failed.
ALSO READ: Real lesson of 9/11: Laden's aim was to put US in a never-ending conflict
It was allies that enabled al-Qaida to survive the immediate aftermath of 9/11. The Afghan Taliban stood by al-Qaida after the attack, refusing to surrender bin Laden and thereby precipitating the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Fleeing, al-Qaida was able to turn to allies in Pakistan to hide its operatives and punish the Pakistani government for capitulating to U.S. pressure to crackdown on the group.
It was alliances that helped al-Qaida continue to terrorize. In October 2002, for example, al-Qaida’s ally in Southeast Asia, Jemaah Islamiyah brutally commemorated the first anniversary of 9/11 by bombing a bar and a nightclub in Bali, killing more than 200 people and injuring an additional 200.
And it was alliances that allowed al-Qaida to project viability. With the “prestige” that came with conducting 9/11, al-Qaida was able to forge affiliate alliances in which partners adopted its name and pledged allegiance to bin Laden.
Al-Qaida’s first and most notorious affiliate alliance, al-Qaida in Iraq, was formed in 2004 with Jordanian jihadist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Using the standing he accrued through his role in the insurgency in Iraq, Zarqawi then helped al-Qaida acquire its second affiliate in 2006, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb. Then, in 2009, al-Qaida designated its branch in Yemen and Saudi Arabia as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. Its alliances spanned the Middle East and helped it to project power, despite the U.S. war on terrorism.
A lower profile
While al-Qaida still sought affiliates, by 2010, it changed some aspects of the relationships.
Al-Qaida forged an alliance with al-Shabaab in Somalia, but did not initially publicly announce it or ask al-Shabaab to change its name. Bin Laden justified the shift to a less visible form of alliance as a way to prevent an increase in counterterrorism pressure or a loss of funds from the Arabian Peninsula. He privately expressed concerns that al-Qaida’s name “reduces the feeling of Muslims that we belong to them, and allows the enemies to claim deceptively that they are not at war with Islam.” Bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, saw the move as bin Laden capitulating to members of al-Qaida who worried about “inflating the size and the growth of al-Qaida.” After bin Laden’s death, Zawahiri publicly announced al-Qaida’s alliance with al-Shabaab, though al-Shabaab still did not adopt al-Qaida’s name.
ALSO READ: The Looming Tower: Best depiction of the 9/11 backstory yet
The “staying power” of Al-Qaida’s allies has helped it remain a threat despite the loss of its founding leader in 2011 and the ascent of a far less capable leader. Zawahiri’s rise to the helm of the group was itself the consequence of an alliance between his original Egyptian group, al-Jihad, and al-Qaida. The alliance culminated in a merger in 2001, with Zawahiri becoming bin Laden’s deputy and successor.
Zawahiri lacks bin Laden’s cachet or diplomatic savvy, and his shortfalls are evident in al-Qaida’s alliances. His poor handling of the strife between jihadist group al-Nusra in Syria and its parent organization, the Islamic State in Iraq – previously al-Qaida in Iraq and now known as the Islamic State – led to the alliance rupture between al-Qaida and its affiliate in Iraq.
Zawahiri has also struggled to manage the relationship with al-Qaida’s ally in Syria, the very group that spurred the conflict between IS and al-Qaida. Al-Nusra changed its name, an effort to gain more legitimacy within the conflict in Syria by publicly distancing itself from al-Qaida, which left a smaller faction still allied with al-Qaida.
Al-Qaida organized a new branch, al-Qaida in the Indian subcontinent, in 2014. The branch in South Asia reflected al-Qaida’s success at expanding beyond its predominantly Arab base, particularly in Pakistan, and has allowed the group to expand its activities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
ALSO READ: Even those who witnessed 9/11 often forget threat of terrorism: MJ Akbar
Most of al-Qaida’s alliances have proven resilient over time. This is true despite ample reasons for its partners to abandon ties, such as the heightened counterterrorism pressure that comes with affiliation to al-Qaida; the death of its charismatic leader; and the Islamic State’s efforts to court al-Qaida allies. Even the Afghan Taliban has not severed ties, even though doing so would eliminate one of the major reasons that the United States will not withdraw from the “forever war” in Afghanistan.
There is still a window for the U.S. to damage al-Qaida’s alliances: It has a weak leader and major rival. But that window may be closing as the Islamic State adapts to its losses and al-Qaida appears poised for a resurgence with bin Laden’s son as its future, more inspiring leader.
/> @2018TheConversation
First Published: Wed,September 12 2018 07:36 IST
Prev » 'Bankrupt' Pakistan grid adds to Imran Khan's economic liabilities
Next » India in Trump's list of 21 major illicit drug producing, transit countries
Real lesson of 9/11: Laden's aim was to put US in a never-ending conflict
Fahrenheit 11/9 turns up the heat on Trump, but with a muddled message
The Looming Tower: Best depiction of the 9/11 backstory yet
Even those who witnessed 9/11 often forget threat of terrorism: MJ Akbar
Andy Mukherjee If not quashed, Essar Steel ruling can unravel India's insolvency reform
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Posts Tagged ‘Ben Daniels’
December theater mini-reviews – A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings (Little Angel), Driving Miss Daisy (Wyndham’s) and Judgement Day (Print Room)
It’s nearly the end of the year and I’m realizing that I haven’t been able to keep up reviewing shows this month at all, an unsurprising consequence of thirteen shows, four dinners with friends, three parties, two full days on the road and two evening classes in a twenty-two day period. My time on trains has been used for napping; and my job has been too busy for me to write at work. What’s left? Why, an eight post extravaganza over the Christmas season. Don’t say you weren’t looking forward to it. Everyone else is doing recaps; hell, I haven’t even discussed the shows in the first place!
Right, so first off is “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings,” a collaboration between Kneehigh and the Little Angel. As a Marquez fan, I found much to recommend it: the incredible feeling of sadness (despite the chipper, English seaside setting) of both the angel and the underlying Marquez truth that people are perfectly willing to ignore magic in favor of making money; the lovely puppets; and the moments of wonderful … cinematography? (The scenes of the storm over the ocean and of the hosts of angels singing were particularly good.) It took advantage of its format to tell the story in a way that made the magical realism easy to swallow (and which would be nearly impossible to do with actors). Yet I was frustrated by the pointless songs and the occasional dumbing down of the story – both things that helped make the story more palatable for younger audiences but which I found cluttering. Overall I enjoyed enough lovely moments in this show to find it worth the trip to Islington on a Sunday, but it frustrated me too much to really get behind it as a show. (This review is for a performance that took place on December 11th, 2011: continues through January 29th, 2012.)
Next up was Driving Miss Daisy at the Wyndham’s Theater. I wanted to see this in New York but couldn’t afford it: happily, at the end of the run, 10 quid tickets were available way up in the 2nd balcony – and for that price, I wasn’t going to complain. I mean, Vanessa Redgrave! Darth Vader – er, James Earl Jones! I knew the story generally from seeing the movie, but the undercurrent of the evolution of race relations was stronger than before – the scene where Daisy has her driver leave her at the door so she can attend a Martin Luther King dinner was particularly bitter. I couldn’t help but think of the Cracked magazine article on “Old Timey Prejudices in Movies” and its final assertion, “We Still Don’t Care About History That Doesn’t Involve White People.” This play totally seemed to be drawing from that vein of American popular culture. But still, the other story in this play – the one about aging and independence and friendship – was a joy, and I let myself be completely emotionally manipulated for the entire enjoyable ninety minutes of this show. I didn’t even care that most of the set was cheap projections of the sort that normally piss me off with their obvious cost-cutting; instead, I got into the characters and the story and even got sniffly at the end. Really, it was a perfect after work treat and I’m glad I managed to break away from Christmas programming in time to see this before it closed. (This review is for a performance that took place on December 12th, 2011. The final performance was December 17th.)
Next up was Mike Poulton’s “Judgement Day,” his version of Ibsen’s “When We Dead Awaken.” This was a must-see for me, as I love Ibsen and have never seen this play performed in any version: it got bonus must-see points for being straight through (about 80 minutes I think) and from the latter era of his writing (which I think is stronger) and in a lovely intimate space (the Print Room). However, the play is a bit melodramatic at its heart: an old sculptor (Michael Pennington) has lost his ability to create art anymore, but winds up being tracked down by the muse (Penny Downie) whom he’s convinced stole his artistic soul away – but she thinks he stole hers and is out for revenge. Meanwhile, the sculptor’s wife (Maia, Sara Vickers) is married to someone who doesn’t respect her in the least – a relationship that had me confused as it had very little to do with the central story other than to provide a contrast of a couple who is embracing life (Maia and massive jerk Baron Ulfheim, Philip Correia). The whole thing was so heavily metaphorical that it just didn’t work for me, and while Pennington was perfect, Ms. Downie just didn’t seem to get “crazy.” To be honest, I haven’t seen a crazy person portrayed believably on stage (except by Ben Daniels in Haunted Child) in so long I think maybe actors don’t actually realize how generally sane crazy people are – it’s an important survival tactic if you want to stay out of the loony bin. Anyway, I found myself still getting a bit bored despite what should have been a whip-cracking running time, so I must consider this play to have ultimately been a failure, not helped by the fact that the main characters were just painfully unsympathetic: you shouldn’t be hoping as hard as I was that they’d just fall down a cliff face and be done with it. (This review is for a performance that took place on December 13th, 2011: it closed on December 17th.)
That done, I’ve hit all of the reviews for this year I’m going to write (unless I do a round up of the Suspense Adult Puppetry festival, highly unlikely now that it’s almost two months over): time for the end of the year roundup!
Tags:A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, Ben Daniels, Driving Miss Daisy, I have it as a goal to see all plays by Ibsen, Judgement Day, Little Angel Theatre, Michael Pennington, Mike Poulton, Penny Downie, Philip Correia, The Print Room, When We Dead Awaken
Review – Luise Miller – Donmar Warehouse
It’s hard to figure out how to write a one hundred percent spoiler free review for Luise Miller – the play is hardly a classic (despite being 250 years old) so almost anything I write is going to be a plot reveal (for those unfamiliar with Verdi’s version). I went into this play knowing absolutely nothing about it (other than a quick giveaway about it being 18th century and German). This is, actualy, how I like to experience my plays – totally at the mercy of the playwright and whatever ride he’s going to take me on, trying to see where his hints are (“This will all end in tragedy!” usually seems a pretty solid clue), trying to outguess his twists and turns via leaps of logic (“but if he’s in love with her, too, then he will probably ….”). This is much more of a hair-raising, visceral experience, and while I know there is much to be said for seeing a show you know inside and out so you can truly judge, say, the superiority of a performance or adequacy of a given translation, I say there’s nothing that beats getting that first night’s audience experience. This is one of the reasons I avoid reading most reviews before I go see a show: I really just don’t want to know the details, I just want to know if I should or shouldn’t go! And for those of you who want that kind of review from me, I think I can tell you just enough by saying the production reminds me of The Revenger’s Tragedy meets Sorrows of Young Werther via Dangerous Liaisons, that it’s a solid, middle of the road show that is not outstanding but still entertaining, and that it’s the plot that holds the show back from greatness as I cannot really buy into a show so driven by small-town, 18th century ethics for this play any more than I could for Faust. This is the end of the spoiler-free section of this review; if you were wanting to make up your mind based on the lightest touch of information needed to do so, you now have what you need. Scurry off as I am now about to get down to the meat of the review, and I shall be telling much more than I would have wanted to have heard before I went.
Alright, is this the rest of you, the ones who don’t mind knowing more about a show before you go? Or are you perhaps among those who sat through this tragedy of comic proportions and wanted to see if your experiences matched my own? Well, read on …
Luise Miller is about a young man of noble birth (Ferdinand, Max Bennett) in love with a young woman of low birth (Luise Miller, Felicity Jones) whom he meets while taking violin lessons from her father. The play starts with thick tragedy warnings from the start, made even more alarming once young Ferdinand appears on stage, in his officer’s uniform, with innocent, virtuous, highly religious Luise and promptly appears to be telling her every line of bull in the book about how he absolutely will find a way to make their relationship work. He was laying it on so thick I was expecting Luise to promptly dance herself to death and be brought back by the Queen of the Wilis. Three characters stand in their way: his father (The Chancellor, Ben Daniels), the neighbor in love with Luise (Wurm, appropriately enough, John Light), and the king’s mistress (Lady Milford, Alex Kingston), who wants to marry Ferdinand herself. Leaving still a bit of room for surprise, I’ll say the plot does have a few twists and turns, but ends in keeping with the early expectations, with an overblown, overacted death scene that hit all the buttons if you’re feeling spiteful about all of the sap on stage.
I had some serious problems with the script for this play. A huge gap exists between the people in the world of the court (the Chancellor, Lady Milford) and the world of Luise. On Luise’s side, religion and morality are of utmost importance; at the court, it’s power and getting what you want. And, unexpectedly, it’s the manipulative court people who actually are more interesting. I’m sure Schiller meant our sympathies to be with Luise and Ferdinand, and while I felt sorry for the way their beliefs and sense of honor were used to manipulate them, it didn’t change the fact that they came off as two dimensional. This was especially bad in the case of Bennett, who, as Ferdinand, had a wide range of emotions to cover – passion, happiness, rage, jealousy – and didn’t really seem up to the task (though he did have passion-inspiring shoulders). I wondered if it was just too far removed from his personal experience for him to “get” what he was acting. As for Jones, well, she was sweet, but in her confrontation with Lady Milford she moves beyond sugary into insightful and empathetic – giving Jones more chance to show dramatic range and winning me over as a character and an actress. Sadly, both of the young’uns were weak when they were meant to be crazy … but this was during the point when the religiosity was being cranked up to my breaking point anyway so I was checking out a bit and waiting for the God talk to be over. I’m sure, though, Schiller did NOT mean for me to be humorously indifferent to Luise and Ferdinand’s suffering …. but they did both really need to do some growing up.
Overall, this play was kind of typical of the gloom and doom style I’ve come to associate with the Donmar, but without the really brilliant script to make it all amazing. Still, I walked into the night feeling a sense of joy at having seen the destruction I’d anticipated all night wreaked so thoroughly at the end, and, given that it was just past 10PM as I headed out the door, it seemed like it had been a good evening, but one that definitely called for a bit of ice cream, so off to Scoop I went for a little bit of sweet and cold to end my evening perfectly satisfied.
(This review is for a preview performance that took place on Friday, June 10th, 2011. Luise Miller continues through July 30th.)
Tags:Alex Kingston, Ben Daniels, Donmar Warehouse, Felicity Jones, John Light, Luise Miller, Max Bennett
@Lin_Manuel @VAMNit A SCHMUTZ FANGER!!!! AMAZING! 1 day ago
@psibreaker @LondonLovecraft Cool, thanks! 1 day ago
I am a lunatic. I am doing too much weird stuff. I am living my life in ways I have no pattern to help me understan… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 day ago
@psibreaker @LondonLovecraft That sounds REALLY fun. Suggestions of a good thing to read to get warmed up to the style? 1 day ago
@psibreaker @LondonLovecraft I just write play scripts right now but I _do_ gaming. I don't know how the writing pa… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 day ago
So come see my next show, yeah? camdenfringe.com/show.php?acts_… twitter.com/SpaceAgeLoveSn… 1 day ago
@psibreaker Ooh cool I wish I could help you write that. I write Lovecraft plays (see @LondonLovecraft , I put that on too). 1 day ago
What should I rename my flat (formerly "Toot Suite")? 2 days ago
@AOC Get out there girlfriend. And figure out who killed Sadie Roberts-Joseph. My heart is broken by this. 2 days ago
I can definitively say that trolling through the US news for the last three days was depressing as fuck. I'm going to bed. 2 days ago
Follow @lifecheapseats
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McClure Arctic expedition
Map drawn by Robert McClure detailing the Northwest Passage, including the 1851 route of Investigator.
The McClure Arctic Expedition of 1850, among numerous British search efforts to determine the fate of the Franklin's lost expedition, is distinguished as the voyage during which Robert McClure became the first person to confirm and transit the Northwest Passage by a combination of sea travel and sledging. McClure and his crew spent three years locked in the pack ice aboard HMS Investigator before abandoning it and making their escape across the ice.[1] Rescued by HMS Resolute, which was itself later lost to the ice, McClure returned to England in 1854, where he was knighted and rewarded for completing the passage.
2 The initial voyage
2.1 The Arctic reached
3 The Northwest Passage
3.1 The first winter and summer
3.2 The second winter and summer in Mercy Bay
3.3 The third winter
3.4 Relief and the fourth winter
4 Escape and return
5 Aftermath and controversy
7 Ship located
9 Contrasts with the Franklin Expedition
Preparation[edit]
Lady Jane Franklin pressed the search for the Franklin Expedition, missing since 1847, into a national priority. McClure had served as first lieutenant of HMS Enterprise under James Clark Ross in 1848, which returned in 1849 without discovering a trace of the lost explorer. Faced with a continuing lack of progress, the British Admiralty on 15 January 1850 ordered a new expedition to "obtain intelligence, and to render assistance to Sir John Franklin and his companions, and not for the purposes of geographical or scientific research," although a completion of the proposed Northwest Passage from the opposite direction would not be without merit.[2]
Two ships were assigned to this task. Enterprise was returned to the search under Captain Richard Collinson, and Investigator under Commander Robert J. McClure in his first Arctic command.[3] Extensive repairs were required for both ships, which had already weathered Arctic service, including the installation of a modern Sylvester's Heating Apparatus. Investigator, her figurehead representing a walrus, had been fitted with a 10-horsepower locomotive engine and strengthened extensively in 1848.[4]
Preserved meat was secured from Gamble of Cork, Ireland, and although some spoilage was experienced, it had no major impact on the voyage (subsequently discovered to be the case with Franklin[5]).
Double rations of preserved limes were provisioned to offset scurvy. A seven-month voyage across the Atlantic, through the Straits of Magellan, to Hawaii and through the Aleutian Islands to the Bering Strait was planned to reach the pack ice during the most ice-free Arctic season. The ships were provisioned for a three-year voyage.
The initial voyage[edit]
On 10 January 1850 the rapidly prepared ships set out from Woolwich, England, then completing the loading of supplies in Plymouth on the 20th. The crew numbered 66, including German clergyman John Miertsching, who served as Inuit interpreter.[6] By 5 March they had crossed the equator southward and slave ships were observed in the latitude of Rio de Janeiro,[1] described by the expedition surgeon Alexander Armstrong as 'suspicious.' Their southernmost extent, the Strait of Magellan, was obtained on 15 March, Enterprise always well ahead of the slower Investigator. The two ships lost direct contact after the strait was completed, although McClure reported (by bottle-message) that he considered their company formally parted on 1 February 1850.[7]
Continuing north through several storms, nearly 1,000 lb (450 kg) of stored biscuit was ruined by water leakage,[8] but was later offset by fresh supplies from the Sandwich Islands. On 15 June Investigator re-crossed the equator amid clear skies and tropical birds, already having journeyed nearly 15,000 miles. Spirits ran high, with McClure noting of the crew in his journal, "I have much confidence in them. With such a spirit what may not be expected, even if difficulties should arise?"[9] On 1 July they made port at Honolulu, taking on fresh provisions, and having missed Enterprise by only one day. Five days later McClure set out heading north-west, and aided by prevailing winds made the Arctic Circle on 28 July bypassing his consort ship and HMS Herald. The crew busied themselves by readying the arctic gear as they prepared to explore the Arctic alone.
The Arctic reached[edit]
Rather than waiting to rendezvous with Enterprise, the unusual decision was made to take Investigator alone into the ice near Cape Lisburne. On 20 July McClure had sent a letter (via Herald) notifying the Secretary of the Admiralty of this intent, stating that since Enterprise had already detached from the expedition, proceeding on alone was the best contingency plan available to insure the success of their mission.[10] The ice fields were sighted on 2 August at 72°1' north. Unable to find open leads, they rounded Point Barrow and entered unexplored waters[1] and the first ice floes.
Meanwhile, Enterprise, arriving at Point Barrow about a fortnight later than Investigator, found its passage blocked by ice and had to turn back and winter in Hong Kong, losing an entire season before returning again the following year, this time successfully. The two ships never made contact for the remainder of their journeys, and Enterprise carried out its own separate Arctic explorations.
On 8 August McClure and Investigator made contact with local Inuit, who offered no news of Franklin, and were unaccustomed to seeing sailing ships. Making their way along the coast east of Point Barrow,[11] message cairns were left at the site of each landing, crews occasionally trading with local Inuit but obtaining no news of Franklin. The progress north-west was frustrated by ice and shoals, and at one time Investigator became grounded so firmly that all stores had to be unloaded to her boats (one of which capsized, losing 3,344 lb (1,517 kg) of dried beef) before she could be freed. Alternating between pressing ice floes, then open water, McClure's continued to advance to the north-east, reaching the solid pack ice on August 19.[12]
Contact was made with several groups of local Inuit near Point Warren near the Mackenzie River, one of which reported the death of a European.[13] It was soon determined not to be a member of Franklin's party, but that of an overland expedition of Sir John Richardson two years earlier. The ice to the north remained impenetrable, but they made Franklin Bay to the west by 3 September amid much wildlife in air and sea. After sighting an extent of Banks Island, claiming it as "Baring Land",[14] a brief land exploration was made, presumably the first.[15] A rock formation at a prominent cape was named Nelson Head on 7 September after its imagined resemblance to Lord Nelson. The coast was followed in hopes of access to the north.
Periods of good progress were made, until a wind change caused the ice to close in around Investigator on 10 September just as they had discovered a route of some promise, the Prince of Wales Strait.[3] Their progress through the ice was deliberate and slow, aided at times by the use of ice anchors and saws. Daily temperatures were now around 10 °F (−12 °C). By 16 September, they had reached 73°10'N, 117°10'W, logged as her most advanced position.[16] Just short of Barrow's Strait, the rudder was unshipped and winter preparations were begun. A year's worth of provisions were brought on deck in anticipation of the ship being crushed by the pack ice. The dangerously drifting pack finally ground to a halt on 23 September.
At times violently shifted by the grinding pack ice, Investigator endured just south of Princess Royal Island, the pack becoming less violent by 27 September 1850. On the last day of September, the temperature fell below zero for the first time, as the top-gallant masts were taken down for the winter and the last birds were observed. Periods of calm were often punctuated by violent ice movement. McClure noted "The crushing, creaking, and straining are beyond description, and the officer of the watch, when speaking to me, is obliged to put his mouth close to my ear, on account of the deafening noise."[17] The ship was lifted several feet, and black powder was used to blast any nearby hummocks that threatened.
Several explorations across the ice to land were made, and observations left McClure with no doubt as to the existence of a Northwest Passage.[1][18] In mid-October, formal possession of Prince Albert's Land and several nearby islands was taken. The crew began the routines that would characterise their Winter Quarters, which included lessons in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Hunting opportunities were sparse, although five musk oxen were taken around this time, extending rations (some lost to spoilage) with fresh meat.
The Northwest Passage[edit]
On 21 October Captain McClure embarked on a seven-man sledge trip north-east to confirm his observations of a Northwest Passage. McClure provided that confirmation upon his return on 31 October, having seen an unblocked strait to the distant Melville Island from a 600-foot peak (180 m) on Banks Island. The entry placed in the ship's log read:
"October 31st, the Captain returned at 8.30. A.M., and at 11.30. A.M., the remainder of the parting, having, upon the 26th instant, ascertained that the waters we are now in communicate with those of Barrow Strait, the north-eastern limit being in latitude 73°31′, N. longitude 114°39′, W. thus establishing the existence of a NORTH-WEST PASSAGE between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans." [19]
The first winter and summer[edit]
The sun departed on 11 November with temperatures averaging −10 °F (−23 °C) with the below-deck temperature of 48 °F (9 °C), the crew in good health. Below deck air quality was maintained by increased ventilation and regular airing out of the quarters.[20] 1851 was welcomed in as the crew amused themselves, occasionally catching foxes or spotting seals. Winter temperatures averaging −37 °F (−38 °C), and on 3 February the sun returned after 83 days of darkness. An emergency depot of provisions and a whaleboat were made on the nearby island. Reindeer, Arctic fox, hare, raven, wolf and a polar bear were observed as local expeditions resumed.
As spring returned, the decks of Investigator were cleared of snow and repairs begun. Additional local expeditions were mounted, but none with the object of attempting to meet with concurrent regional rescue expeditions; Resolute under Captain Horatio Austin, believed to be near Melville Island, Assistance under Captain Erasmus Ommanney, the Pioneer under Lt. John B. Cator, and Intrepid under Sherard Osborn as well as more distant ships under Captain William Penney, Admiral Sir John Ross, the expedition under Lt. Edwin De Haven and the overland expedition of John Rae.[21][22] By mid-May, additional hunting and exploration parties were sent out to supplement the provisions as temperatures rose above zero, some returning with frostbitten invalids, one having met an isolated group of Inuit seal hunters. One party went around Banks Island and showed that it was an island. Another party was on the south shore of Victoria Island at about the same time that John Rae (explorer) passed 40 miles to the south. No traces of Franklin were found. As summer returned, the seven-foot thick ice showed signs of diminishing, the surfaces pooling with water. An early break up was anticipated.
Preparations were made for the ship's anticipated release from the ice. Late June temperatures reached a high of 53 °F (12 °C), but the ice maintained its hold on Investigator until it was released on 14 July, soon under sail amid the grinding floe near the Princess Royal Islands. Progress northward was made, the ship often attached to larger floes, and there was even some anticipation of completing the passage in that direction. However, with August this progress slowed to a crawl as the ice offered few chances to advance through the solid northerly ice. On 14 August they attained their northern-most position at 73°14'19" N, 115°32'30" W in the Prince of Wales Strait. It was later suggested that, if Investigator had been equipped with a screw propeller, she could have pressed the 45 miles to Melville Island, completed the Northwest Passage, and returned to the United Kingdom in that same year.[23]
The decision to abandon the strait and proceed around the south coast of Baring Island[24] (his name for Banks Island) led them to open water and a wider area of search. Rounding to the north east, they continued through the loose ice until conditions compelled them to secure the ship to an iceberg for protection. Explorations of the nearby coast were made, revealing abandoned Inuit camps and the unusual discovery of petrified wood from an extensive forest at 74°27' N. As winter showed signs of return, they were threatened by the ice several times while still attached to their iceberg. These events were successfully managed by the crew, often by blasting the ice, but McClure chose not to set off from the iceberg for nearby open water, passing several opportunities to do so.
The second winter and summer in Mercy Bay[edit]
Subsequent efforts to move the ship further eastward made slow progress, but occasional stretches of open water contributed to their progress towards Melville Island. Rather than following the pack ice east, McClure chose to take refuge in an open bay. On 23 September the ice made an end to their progress, as the ship was made ready for a second winter – entering the bay they now occupied was seen by some of the crew as a dire mistake. Ship's surgeon Armstrong went so far as to state "Entering this bay was the fatal error of our voyage."[25] The pack ice would have taken them within 50 miles of Melville Island, and improved their chance of an early break-up in the spring. The location of their wintering was 74°6' N. 118°55' W., and was subsequently named Mercy Bay.
Diminishing provisions, as well as the subsequent caching of food at the Princess Royal Islands left them with fewer than ideal stores. By October, heating was briefly curtailed until the more severe periods of winter, with temperatures below deck holding near −10 °F (−23 °C). Hunting parties were generally successful, although their exploration frustratingly revealed extents of open water that would have provided escape, only 8 miles outside of Mercy Bay. As winter pressed on, the weakening hunting parties frequently required rescue. On 10 November the final 'housing in' of the ship commenced, largely sealing it for the winter. The crew busied themselves in the manufacture of needed items, and adopted patches of gun wadding as their currency. Tedium was severe, with two crewmen briefly going mad with boredom.[3] In December, storms rose up as temperatures continued to fall.
1852 began with the crew generally healthy, maintained largely by the reindeer venison provided by the hunters, temperatures reaching −51 °F (−46 °C). Frequent hunting of nearby reindeer continued to supplement the provisions, although the hunters suffered from the cold and occasionally required rescue. Despite the occasional fresh meat, the crew continued to gradually weaken. Of all the ships searching for Franklin the previous year, now only Enterprise and Investigator, separated, remained in the arctic.[26]
On 11 April Captain McClure led seven men out by sledge with 28 days of provisions to reach Melville Island across the ice, and hopefully to make contact with other British explorers in the area. In late April the first case of scurvy was observed, with several others soon to follow. McClure's party returned on 7 May, relating that poor visibility and soft snow had hampered their progress. They did not reach Melville Island, but obtained enough of a view of the straight and large harbor to determine that Captain Austin's forces were not present. They did, however, find the cairn left by Sir Edward Parry during his 1819–20 expedition, which also contained a June 1851 communication from Captain Austin. This did not, however, include the information that traces of Franklin's expedition had been found the previous year at Beechey Island.
June found the crews preparing for their expected liberation from the ice of Mercy Bay, and although temperatures rose, it was cooler than the previous year. Cases of scurvy continued to increase,[27] although hunting and gathering of the emerging sorrel provided improvement. By mid-month, the ice outside the bay was already in motion, showing some open water by the 31st. The bay ice remained fixed. By September all hopes of freeing the ship had evaporated, and McClure planned for the possibility of abandoning the ship in the spring, writing that "nothing but the most urgent necessity will induce me to take such a step." [28]
The third winter[edit]
On 8 September McClure announced his plan for springtime escape, in which 26 of the crew would make for Cape Spencer (550 miles away), where Austin had left a cache and a boat, and from there, to seek rescue on Baffin Bay. A smaller party of 8 men would proceed back along the shore of Banks Land, to the cache and boat set by McClure in 1851, then making for the Hudson's Bay Company's post on the Mackenzie River for rescue. This would stretch the provisions for the crews remaining on board Investigator. To this end, food rations were immediately reduced, and hunting success became ever more critical, which now included mice.
With October, the health of the crew continued to decline, the coming winter the coldest yet. The ship was prepared for winter as temperatures below deck were below freezing. Full darkness returned on 7 November. Morale and physical activity, including hunting, waned. The officers continued hunting, often requiring rescue as temperatures reached −65 °F (−54 °C). 1852 ended with the crew weaker and more afflicted than ever before, although not a single member of the crew had been lost.
1853 brought the coldest conditions yet, once reaching −67 °F (−55 °C). The crew passed the days with minimal activity, working on small projects of necessity and hunting when possible, since McClure had prepared no diversions for his crew.[3] Rations were thin and the sick bay was full, even minor illnesses bringing exaggerated disability to the weakened crew. McClure continued preparing for his spring escape parties, planning to send the weaker able men in order to improve the long-term chances of those left behind.[1][29] Crew selections were made and announced on 3 March, to the disappointment of those to be left behind. Full rations were restored to those men preparing to set out in mid-April, and their health improved. Still, on 5 April, the first crew member, John Boyle, succumbed to illness, which impacted morale and underscored the dire nature of their situation.
Relief and the fourth winter[edit]
Preparations for the escape parties continued, despite their slim chances for success. On 6 April a detail of men digging Boyle's grave observed a figure approaching from seaward. It was Lieutenant Bedford Pim of HMS Resolute, which was wintering off Melville Island under Captain Henry Kellett 28 days away by sledge. Resolute was accompanied by Intrepid, laying supply depots off Melville Island for the continued search of Franklin and now McClure[30] (having located one of McClure's stashed messages from 1852). Afterwards, Pim described meeting McClure:
"Who are you, and where (did) you come from?"
"Lieutenant Pim, Herald, Capt. Kellett." This was more inexplicable to M'Clure, as I was the last person he shook hands with in Behring's Straits.[31]
Two days later, Pim left for Resolute, about 80 miles east, followed soon by McClure and six men, who would journey for 16 days.
Despite the encouraging news of relief, conditions aboard Investigator were still deteriorating. Scurvy advanced with the reduced rations, and on 11 April another crewman died, and another on the following day. Some exercise was possible for the crew, breathing aided by the modern Jeffreys respirator.
On 15 April the 28-man traveling party, now concentrated on Melville Island alone, set out on three sledges. Four days later, McClure reached the ships and met with Captain Kellett and Commander McClintock.[32] McClure returned on 19 May, with the surgeon of Resolute, Dr. W. T. Domville. A medical survey was made to determine whether Investigator could be adequately manned if freed from the ice. The assessment fell short of the requirements, "utterly unfit to undergo the rigour of another winter in this climate,"[33] making the abandonment of Investigator inevitable, ordered by Captain Kellett of Resolute.[3] The official announcement was made, and all men were put back on full rations for the first time in 20 months. A beach supply depot was established by the end of May, accompanied by a cairn and a monument to the fallen crew members.
On 3 June final flags were raised and the remaining crew abandoned Investigator, travelling by sledge to Resolute, with 18 days of provisions and McClure leading the way on foot. Progress across the thawing pack ice was slow, as the four sledges weighed between 1,200 and 1,400 pounds (540 and 640 kg). The weakened crew made Melville Island on 12 June and reached the ships on 17 June.
A party of invalids had been taken from Resolute to Beechey Island and North Star to be returned to England in October 1853, along with the first news of Investigator and the Northwest Passage to the outside world. Hunting supplemented the provisions while Resolute and Intrepid waited for their own release from the ice. The breakup came on 18 August and the ships followed the edge of the pack ice before becoming fixed in the ice in early November at 70°41' N, 101°22' W. The combined crews prepared for another winter in the ice, while another crewman died on 16 October. Far from shore, no effective hunting could be resumed. With 1854 began the fifth year of Arctic service for the crew of Investigator.
Escape and return[edit]
Plans were made to detach the crew of Investigator to North Star at Beechey Island in the spring of 1854. These three sledge parties set out on 10–12 April. The journey was severe, but the crews were in improved condition. Socks routinely froze to feet and had to be cut off to fight frostbite. Despite these unfavourable circumstances, North Star was reached on 23–27 April by the parties. Even with this relief, another man succumbed at Beechey Island. They occupied themselves searching the surrounding area for additional traces of Franklin, as Beechey Island was now known to be his first winter quarters. Meanwhile, Resolute and Intrepid were themselves abandoned,[34] with their crews joining the Beechey Island camp on 28 May.
An exploration party by Resolute had earlier made contact with Captain Collinson and Enterprise and learned of their own path of search. A report on the condition of Investigator, now abandoned some 12 months, was also obtained and indicated that she was tattered, leaking but otherwise intact and held by the ice – Mercy Bay was still solid. By mid-August, North Star was herself released from the ice, although two other nearby ships (Assistance and her tender Pioneer) were abandoned on 25 August. They proceeded along Greenland and reached the English port of Ramsgate on 6 October 1854, having been gone four years and ten months and losing five men.
Aftermath and controversy[edit]
Upon return to England, McClure was immediately court martialled and pardoned for the loss of the Investigator, according to custom. He was awarded a share of the £10,000 prize for completing a Northwest Passage, knighted and decorated.[35] He never made another Arctic voyage.
Despite this overall success, several points of controversy were raised:
When the ambitious McClure severed contact with their consort ship Enterprise before reaching Arctic waters, he essentially initiated a solo voyage. Described alternately as a combination of faulty communications or outright deception,[3] this decision increased the risk to the expedition by eliminating the benefits of cooperation.
The voyage's September 1851 progress was stalled by McClure's decision not to push more aggressively towards open water. Much effort was made with little advancement after that, which was considered by ship's surgeon Armstrong to be a critical failure contributing to their subsequent problems.[1]
Armstrong also considered the entry into Mercy Bay (which became their second winter quarters and final position) rather than following the coastal ice floes to be a major mistake. It eliminated any possible future opportunities to press towards Melville Island through the pack ice. Failing to attempt a meeting with Captain Austin on Melville Island in April 1851 may also have contributed to the hardships endured.[1]
McClure's two-party escape plan for spring 1853 was viewed by the ship's surgeon as recklessly dangerous, considering the weakened state of the crews and the extents of their proposed journeys.[1] It has also been suggested that the plan was simply a ploy to eliminate the weakest two-thirds of the crew to extend the rations for McClure and his chosen few aboard the Investigator.[3]
Crew[edit]
H.M.S. Investigator[36]
R. J. Le M. M'Clure, Commander
Wm. H. Haswell, Lieutenant
Samuel G. Cresswell, Do.
H. H. Sainsbury, Mate (Died on board HMS Resolute Nov. 14, 1853)
Robert Wynniatt, Do.
Stephen Court, Second Master (Rated Acting Master Apr. 19, 1853)
Alex. Armstrong, M.D., Surgeon
Henry Piers, Assistant-Surgeon
Joseph C. Paine, Clerk in charge
George J. Ford, Carpenter
George Kennedy, Acting Boatswain
Richard A. Ross, Quartermaster (Disrated A.B. Dec. 14, 1850)
John Davies, A.B. (Rated Quartermaster Apr. 15, 1853)
John Kerr, Gunner's Mate (Died on board HMS Investigator Apr. 13 1853)
Henry Bluff, Boatswain's Mate
Samuel Mackenzie, A.B.
Charles Steel, A.B.
Edward Fawcett, Boatswain's Mate
James Evans, Caulker
George Gibbs, A.B.
James Williams, Captain of the Hold
Peter Thompson, Captain of the Foretop
Samuel Relfe, A.B.
Thomas Morgan, A.B. (Died on board HMS North Star May 22, 1854)
John Eames, A.B. (Died on board HMS Investigator Apr. 11, 1853)
William Batten, A.B.
Charles Anderson, A.B.
Isaac Stubberfield, Ship's Cook
Frederick Taylor, A.B.
Henry Gauen, Carpenter's Mate
George Brown, A.B. (Rated Quartermaster Dec. 24, 1850)
Cornelius Hulott, Captain's Coxswain
William Whitefield, Carpenter's Crew
Michael Flynn, Quartermaster
Mark Bradbury, A.B.
James Nelson, A.B.
William Carroll, A.B.
George Olley, A.B.
John Calder, Captain of Forecastle
John Ramsay, A.B.
Henry Stone, Blacksmith
Henry Sugden, Sub. Officer's Steward
Henry May, Quartermaster
Joseph Facey, Sailmaker
James M'Donald, A.B.
George L. Milner, Gun-room Steward
John Wilcox, Paymaster and Paymaster's Steward
Robert Tiffeny, Captain of Maintop
John Boyle, A.B. (Died at Mercy Bay, Apr. 6, 1853)
Thomas Toy, A.B.
Samuel Bonnsall, A.B.
Ellis Griffiths, A.B.
Mark Griffiths, A.B.
John Keefe, A.B.
Thos. S. Carmichael, A.B.
John Woon, Sergeant of Marines
J. B. Farquharson, Corporal of Marines
George Parfitt, Private of Marines
Elias Bow, Private of Marines
James Biggs, Private of Marines (Rated Corporal, Apr. 15, 1853)
Thomas Bancroft, Private of Marines
Thomas King, Private of Marines
James Saunders, Private of Marines
Johan A. Mierching, [Miertsching, missionary and] Esquimaux Interpreter
Ship located[edit]
In July 2010, Parks Canada archeologists looking for HMS Investigator found it fifteen minutes after they started a sonar scan of Banks Island, Mercy Bay, Northwest Territories. The archaeology crew reported no plans to raise the ship, but planned a thorough sonar scan of the area and dispatch of a remotely operated vehicle.[37] Parks Canada archeologists scheduled dives on the Investigator site for 15 days beginning on 10 July 2011 to gather detailed photographic documentation of the wreck.[38] Led by Marc-Andre Bernier, the team of six divers were the first to visit the wreck, which lies partially buried in silt just 150 metres (490 ft) off the north shore of Banks Island.[39]
McClure is credited as being the first to complete the Northwest Passage (by boat and sledge). Despite some questionable behavior, he was granted a share of the £10,000 prize for completing the passage.
The subsequent salvage of metals and materials from the abandoned Investigator is considered a turning point in the material use of the Copper Inuit.
The McClure Strait is named after Captain McClure.
On 29 October 2009 a special service of thanksgiving was held in the chapel at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, to accompany the rededication of the national monument to Sir John Franklin there. The service also included the solemn re-interment of the remains of Lieutenant Henry Thomas Dundas Le Vesconte, the only remains ever repatriated to England, entombed within the monument in 1873.[40] The event brought together members of the international polar community and invited guests included polar travellers, photographers and authors and many descendants of Sir John Franklin and his men and the families of those who went to search for him, including Admiral Sir Francis Leopold McClintock, Rear Admiral Sir John Ross and Vice Admiral Sir Robert McClure among many others. This gala event, directed by the Rev Jeremy Frost and polar historian Dr Huw Lewis-Jones, celebrated the contributions made by the United Kingdom in the charting of the Canadian North and honoured the loss of life in the pursuit of geographical discovery. The Navy was represented by Admiral Nick Wilkinson, prayers were led by the Bishop of Woolwich and among the readings were eloquent tributes from Duncan Wilson, chief executive of the Greenwich Foundation and H.E. James Wright, the Canadian High Commissioner.[41][42] At a private drinks reception in the Painted Hall which followed this Arctic service, Chief Marine Archaeologist for Parks Canada Robert Grenier spoke of his ongoing search for the missing expedition ships. The following day a group of polar authors went to London's Kensal Green Cemetery to pay their respects to the Arctic explorers buried there.[43] After some difficulty, McClure's gravestone was located. It is hoped that his memorial may be conserved in the future.
Contrasts with the Franklin Expedition[edit]
As with the Second Grinnell Expedition, McClure employed an Inuit interpreter. Franklin's expedition included no interpreters or Inuit, whose regional expertise may have enhanced their chances of survival.
Banks Island provided enough game to offset the severest onset of scurvy and wasting. During their voyage, the McClure expedition took 112 reindeer, 7 musk ox, 3 seal, 4 polar bears, 2 wolves, and numerous fox, hares, lemmings, mice and a variety of birds and fish.[1] Franklin appears to have fared much worse, as the game near Beechey Island was more seasonal and sparse. This lack of fresh food, combined with the extensive spoilage of the cheaply canned provisions, were a contributing liability to Franklin's expedition.[5]
McClure also benefited from the regular construction of message cairns along his route – one of which was indeed discovered by the Resolute, leading directly to their rescue. Only one message cairn is known to have been left by Franklin, despite an ample supply of message canisters. Additional messages by Franklin would have corrected many of the search efforts, which incorrectly guessed at his ultimate route.
^ a b c d e f g h i Armstrong, Alexander (1857). A Personal Narrative of the Discovery of the Northwest Passage. London: Hurst and Blackett. Retrieved 2010-04-07.
^ McClure, Robert (1865). The Discovery of a North-West Passage. Londonk: William Blackwood and Sons. p. xx. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
^ a b c d e f g Essay prepared for "The Encyclopedia of the Arctic" by Jonathan M. Karpoff. (DOC format) Archived 2012-11-08 at the Wayback Machine
^ Simpkin, Marshall and Co. (1850). The Nautical Magazine. London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co. p. 8. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
^ a b Keenleyside, Anne; Margaret Bertulli; Henry C. Fricke (1997). The Final Days of the Franklin Expedition: New Skeletal Evidence. Arctic Magazine, Volume 50, No. 1, March 1997.
^ McClure, p. 15.
^ Simpkin, p. 699.
^ Armstrong, p. 148.
^ McClure, p. 107.
^ Osborn, Sherard (1852). Stray Leaves from an Arctic Journal. New York: George P. Putnam. Retrieved 2011-07-19.
^ Agnew, John Holmes; Walter Hilliard Bidwell (1854). The North-West Passage. New York: Eclectic Magazine Volume 31, February 1854. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
^ ASFS (1854). The Sailor's Magazine and Naval Journal, Volume 26. New York: American Seamen's Friend Society. p. 112. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
^ McClure p. 250.
^ McClure, p.267.
^ McClure, p. xix.
^ "Abandoned 1854 ship found in Arctic". CBC News. July 29, 2010.
^ "Arctic search for Franklin's lost ships continues". CBC News. 30 June 2011.
^ "Exploring the wreck of HMS Investigator". Toronto Star. 9 July 2011.
^ Article by Dr Huw Lewis-Jones
^ Online review of recent Service of Thanksgiving
^ Online blog of Service of Thanksgiving
^ Online blog at McClure's Memorial in London
McClure, Robert (1856). Osborn, Sherard (ed.). The Discovery of the North-West Passage. London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, & Roberts.
Royal Navy Arctic exploration
Coppermine (1819)
Mackenzie River (1825)
Rae–Richardson (1848)
McClure (1850)
McClintock (1857)
Pelham Aldrich
Sir Horatio Thomas Austin
Sir George Back
Sir Edward Belcher
David Buchan
Sir Richard Collinson
Samuel Gurney Cresswell
Francis Crozier
Sir John Franklin
Henry Parkyns Hoppner
Sir Edward Augustus Inglefield
Sir Henry Kellett
Skeffington Lutwidge
George Francis Lyon
Sir Albert Hastings Markham
Sir Francis McClintock
Sir Robert McClure
George Mecham
Arthur Fleming Morrell
Sir George Nares
Sir Erasmus Ommanney
Sherard Osborn
Sir William Parry
Constantine Phipps
Sir James Clark Ross
Sir John Ross
Sir Henry Frederick Stephenson
Hecla
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Arctic expeditions
Expeditions from the United Kingdom
1850 in science
19th century in the Arctic
Related to McClure Arctic expedition
The Northwest Passage (NWP) is, from the European and northern Atlantic point of view, the sea route to the Pacific Ocean through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The eastern route along the Arctic coasts of Norway and Siberia is accordingly called the Northeast Passage (NEP).
John Franklin
Sir John Franklin was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer of the Arctic. Franklin also served as Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land from 1837 to 1843. He disappeared while on his last expedition, attempting to chart and navigate the Northwest Passage in the North American Arctic. The icebound ships were abandoned and the entire crew died of starvation, hypothermia, tuberculosis, lead poisoning, zinc deficiency, and scurvy.
HMS Resolute (1850)
HMS Resolute was a mid-19th-century barque-rigged ship of the British Royal Navy, specially outfitted for Arctic exploration. Resolute became trapped in the ice and was abandoned in 1854. Recovered by an American whaler, she was returned to Queen Victoria in 1856. Timbers from the ship were later used to construct a desk which was presented to the President of the United States and is currently located in the White House Oval Office.
Edward Belcher
Admiral Sir Edward Belcher was a British naval officer, hydrographer, and explorer. Born in Nova Scotia, he was the great-grandson of Governor Jonathan Belcher. He was briefly married to Diana Jolliffe, stepdaughter of Captain Peter Heywood, that marriage ending upon her application for legal separation for his having infected her with venereal disease.
Charles Francis Hall
Charles Francis Hall was an American explorer of the Arctic, best known for the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death while leading the American-sponsored Polaris expedition in an attempt to be the first to reach the North Pole. The expedition was marred by insubordination, incompetence, and poor leadership.
Robert McClure
Sir Robert John Le Mesurier McClure was an Irish explorer of the Arctic who in 1854 traversed the Northwest Passage by boat and sledge and was the first to circumnavigate the Americas.
Francis McClintock
Admiral Sir Francis Leopold McClintock was an Irish explorer in the British Royal Navy, known for his discoveries in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. He confirmed explorer John Rae's controversial report gathered from Inuit sources on the fate of Franklin's lost expedition, the ill-fated Royal Navy undertaking commanded by Sir John Franklin in 1845 to be the first to traverse the Northwest Passage.
Horatio Thomas Austin
Vice Admiral Sir Horatio Thomas Austin was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer.
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Richard Collinson
Sir Richard Collinson was an English naval officer and explorer of the Northwest Passage.
Franklin's lost expedition was a British voyage of Arctic exploration led by Captain Sir John Franklin that departed England in 1845 aboard two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. A Royal Navy officer and experienced explorer, Franklin had served on three previous Arctic expeditions, the latter two as commanding officer. His fourth and last, undertaken when he was 59, was meant to traverse the last unnavigated section of the Northwest Passage. After a few early fatalities, the two ships became icebound in Victoria Strait near King William Island in the Canadian Arctic, in what is today the territory of Nunavut. The entire expedition, comprising 129 men, including Franklin, was lost.
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Second Grinnell expedition
The Second Grinnell expedition of 1853–1855 was an American effort, financed by Henry Grinnell, to determine the fate of the Franklin's lost expedition. Led by Elisha Kent Kane, the team explored areas northwest of Greenland, now called Grinnell Land.
Thomas Abernethy (explorer)
Thomas Abernethy was a Scottish seafarer, gunner in the Royal Navy, and polar explorer. Because he was neither an officer nor a gentleman, he was little mentioned in the books written by the leaders of the expeditions he went on, but was praised in what was written and was awarded five Arctic Medals. He was in parties that, for their time, reached the furthest north, the furthest south (twice), and the nearest to the South Magnetic Pole. In 1831, along with James Clark Ross's team of six, Abernethy was in the first party ever to reach the North Magnetic Pole.
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The Elementary Kingdoms
Rudolf Steiner Archive & e.Lib Document
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[ Lecture: S-1633: 4th December, 1907 | Munich | GA0098 ] [ Make Corrections | Help ]
The Nature of the Elementary Beings, Their Activities, and Influence
Schmidt Number: S-1633
The following lecture was given by Rudolf Steiner at Munich, on the 4th of December, 1907. This document is lecture 4 of 18 lectures in the lecture series entitled, The Working of Natural Substance and Spiritual Essence in the Visible World. It was published in German as, Natur- und Geistwesen — Ihr Wirken in Unserer Sichtbaren Welt.
A Lecture given by
Munich, December 4th, 1907
Bn/GA 98
This lecture was translated from shorthand reports, unrevised by the lecturer, by an unknown translator. It first appeared in English translation in the Anthroposophical News Sheet, Volume 4 in 1936. This typescript version is presented here with the kind permission of the Rudolf Steiner Nachlassverwaltung, Dornach, Switzerland. From Bn/GA 98.
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ANTHROPOSOPHIC NEWS SHEET
March 29, 1936, etc.
THE ELEMENTARY KINGDOMS.
THE NATURE OF THE ELEMENTARY BEINGS, THEIR ACTIVITIES, AND INFLUENCE.
Lecture by RUDOLF STEINER, at Munich, December 4, 1907
What has been the generally designated as the Elementary Kingdoms, since the earliest times, is not so easy to understand as we are apt to imagine after a superficial examination. For these Elementary Kingdoms belong to what lies behind the world which we generally perceive — behind the world which forces itself immediately upon our senses.
We can understand such things in the best way, if we proceed from what we can perceive through our senses — from the kingdom of the sense-world, which are accessible to human observation. Here, in the physical sense-world, four kingdoms are spread out before our senses: the mineral kingdom, the vegetable kingdom, the animal kingdom, and the kingdom of man. This is common knowledge. Let us now try to form some clear idea as to the precise nature of these four kingdoms; for this is by no means clear to the average person. And for this same reason, it is also not so easy to gain an insight into the first, second and third elementary kingdoms. It is precisely when we speak of such difficult matters, that we must take great care, from the very outset, to realize that no true goal can be reached, if we believe that a concept which we have, as it were, driven like a stake into the ground, can then be left rooted in this place. This may still be possible within the physical sense-world, for here, things stand one beside another; there is a division between them, just as this book, this piece of chalk, a rose, etc., are distinct and separate from one another. It is possible, in this case, to apply a thought to a single object, for when we have named something, we can be sure that we have before us something distinct and limited. If, however, we send to the astral plane, that world which is immediately beyond our own, and permeates it, as the one nearest to it, we find that this no longer holds true, for, in the astral world, there is eternal movement. If you observe the astral body of man, which floats around him as his aura and is the expression of his passions, etc., you will see that this astral body of man is in a continual movement — it is an ebb and flow, a rise and fall of colors and forms, which change at every moment, for new colors shine forth and others disappear, at every moment. This is what we find in the case of man. But there are other Beings which whirl about on the astral plane. Their astral bodies do not form part of the physical body, although — at the same time — they are nonetheless changeable, for at every moment they have a different shape, color, or luminous force. Everything on the astral plane is the continual manifestation of the inner nature of these Beings. We would, indeed, find ourselves in a difficult position if we were to apply to the astral plane the rigid, unchangeable thoughts of the physical world. We must learn instead to adapt ourselves to the mobility of these shapes — we must acquire mobile thoughts. We should be able to use a concept, once in this way, and once in that.
This is true of the higher worlds to a still greater degree. If we consider the world from a higher standpoint, we find that everything on the physical plane is an expression of forces emanating from these higher worlds. In everything we see about us, such forces and beings lie concealed. It is precisely this fact which explains the great variety among the beings of the physical world. Observe, for instance, the mineral kingdom. All apparently lifeless beings, all minerals, belong to this kingdom. You are told, to begin with, that these minerals upon the earth have no etheric body of their own, no astral body and no Ego. But this is true only within the physical world. We must know this, in order to reach a clear conception of what actually takes place upon the physical plane. But let us now suppose that someone were to say: “The mineral is something which has nothing but a physical body.” This statement is exactly as false, as on the other hand — it would be true, were someone to say: “The mineral kingdom is something which has, upon the physical plane, only a physical body.” For, in the light of a genuine spiritual method of observation, we find that here, upon the physical plane, the mineral has a physical body, but nothing more. If we wish to find its etheric body, we must ascend to the astral plane: there, its etheric body is to be found. The moment that a human being becomes astrally clairvoyant, he is able to see the etheric body of the mineral — there, on the astral plane — and here, on the physical plane, he sees merely its physical body. If we extend our observations still further, we find that the mineral has also an astral body. This body cannot be found, however, upon the astral plane, but must be sought in the lower regions of Devachan. Only in the higher Mental plane, is the Arupa-Mental plane, do we find the Ego of the mineral — and it is from here, that the mineral is directed by its Ego. If you wish to form a rough picture of this, you must say to yourselves: I will try to imagine a human being, whose clairvoyance reaches as far as the higher Devachan. To such a clairvoyance, who is able to see into Arupa, the minerals will appear like the fingernails of the human being — nails of Beings whose Ego dwells in higher Devachan. It is not possible to think of the fingernails without the human being; the same thing must be applied also to the minerals.
Let us suppose that we are observing a rock-crystal here upon the earth. If we now look away for a moment, our clairvoyant gaze discovers the etheric body, which gives life to the physical body, there, in the astral world. Yet it would not be possible to perceive there, that any injury caused to the mineral, also causes it pain. The joy and gladness, pain and suffering of minerals can only be found upon the Devachanic plane — but entirely differently from the way in which we usually imagine this. A mineral's sensation of pain is not like that of an animal; we must not think that a mineral feels pain when we hammer it and break it into pieces. When workmen in a quarry break stone, this actually gives rise to a feeling of pleasure upon the Devachanic plane — it is a true delight for the minerals. Thus, in their case, we find the very opposite of what takes place in the kingdom of man and in the animal kingdom. On the Devachanic plane, it is not merely one mineral which belongs, as it were, to a mineral personality, but rather a whole system of minerals — just as, imaginatively speaking your fingernails do not each possessed a separate soul. If someone were to imagine that everything of an astral nature must be found upon the astral plane, he would be under a delusion. It seems, of course, natural to look for the astral element upon the astral plane — nevertheless, the inner nature of a Being must be distinguished from the environment in which it lives. Just as your Ego has no physical nature, and lives nevertheless upon the physical plane, so the astral body of the mineral does not live on the astral plane but in lower Devachan. We must not have delayed our thoughts according to a system, but must rather work our way through, with the aid of a more precise analysis and understanding of things.
Let us now observe the plant, just as we see it before us. Here, on the physical plane, it has its physical body and its etheric body. It has these two bodies on the physical plane — but where are we to look for the astral body of the plant? We shall find it in the astral world — and the Ego, in the lower Devachan. Let us now go a step further, to the animal. The animal has, in the physical sense-world, a physical body, an etheric body, and an astral body — but it's Ego is on the astral plane. That is to say: just as, here on the earth, defined in the human being as an isolated person, as a single individuality, so you will find the Egos of the animals, as complete, self-contained personalities, upon the astral plane. But we must think of this in the following way: All groups of animals which have a similar form, have also a common Ego. Man, therefore, distinguishes himself from the animals, owing to the fact that every human being has an individual Ego. On the astral plane, we find for instance, that the Ego of the lions, the Ego of the Tigers, etc. There, they are single, self-contained Beings; the single animal group-souls inhabit the physical sense-world. But in the case of the human being, he must recognize the fact that the physical body, etheric body, astral body and the Ego have all descended as far as the physical plane. This is true, however, only when the human being is awake — when he is asleep it is otherwise. The physical and etheric bodies are then in the physical world, whereas the astral body and the Ego are on the astral plane. Thus, during sleep, the fourfold human being is separated into parts, and is to be found partly on the physical plane and partly on the one directly above this — the astral plane. On the physical plane, the human being is then of the same worth as a plant.
Now we have already learned to know, in previous lectures, the nearest ways in which the expressions “astral”, etc. must be used. But we shall attain to a real penetration and insight into these things, only if we realize clearly that we cannot push them about like the men on a chessboard. If we study the human being, we must observe him quite precisely, in the following way: We find in him the physical body, the etheric body, the astral body, and the Ego. It has often been emphasized here, how very important it is to form a clear conception concerning the relation of these four members. It is very easy to imagine that the physical body is the most imperfect and the lowest of these. From a certain aspects, however, it is the most perfect of all — for it has passed through four successive stages of evolution — upon ancient Saturn, Sun, Moon, and upon the Earth. The etheric body has reached its third stage of perfection, for only upon the Sun was added to the physical body. In the future, it will indeed rise to a higher stage — although at present, it is not yet as perfect as the physical body. The astral body was added to the other two bodies upon the Moon, hence it has reached only the second stage of perfection. The Ego is the baby among the four members of man: for it was added only upon the Earth, and is thus only at the beginning of its evolution; it works continually in a corruptive way upon the other bodies. Anyone who studies, from an anatomical point of view, the wonderful organization of the physical body, must be filled with wonder by the perfection of the heart and of the brain. How imperfect, on the other hand are the impulses and passions of the Ego! The Ego craves for wine, beer, etc., whichever destructive influence throughout life — nevertheless, the physical body with stands these attacks for decades! Let us now try to make clear to ourselves how the Ego was inserted, as it were, within the physical body — how it first arose.
To begin with, there was the ancient Saturn-evolution. This was the first stage of evolution for the precursor of our present physical body. At that time man's physical body had the cosmic value of a mineral. If you look at a mineral today, you will see in it a retarded stage of existence; it has remained behind at the same stage which the physical body had reached upon Saturn. But you must not think from this that the physical body had then the appearance of a mineral of today. — this would be quite wrong. The present minerals are the youngest forms in evolution. Upon Saturn, the human body was not so dense; this density of the physical body of man was very slight indeed.
Let us now consider the relation between the various stages of matter. The first is what we call Earth — that is, everything which today may be called a solid body iron, copper, tin, etc. Everything solid is Earth. Secondly, everything liquid is Water for instance, quicksilver. Even iron, in a liquefied state would be Water. From the third-place, if you convert water into steam it becomes Air. Occultism, here goes still further, for it shows that the air may become still more rarefied — may become thinner still. In this case, we must transcend what is physical, in the modern sense — and here the cultist speaks of Warmth-Ether, or Fire. For the occultist, Fire is something distinct within itself, just like Earth, Water, and Air — whereas modern science merely looks upon the fire, or heat, as a state, work condition of matter.
Upon Saturn, heat was the substance of man's physical body. On the Sun, the physical body of man was condensed to air; at the same time, an etheric, or life-body, entered into it, transforming this physical body. We now have a physical body, with an etheric body consisting of one member, and the physical body of two members. In the case of the physical body upon this Sun, we must distinguish a more perfect than the less perfect part — that is to say, one part was not as yet permeated by the etheric body. When picturing to ourselves to physical body upon the Sun, they must realize that the inner part of this physical body has received nothing from the etheric body; it has still the same value as the physical body had upon Saturn. Thus, we have one part which has already attained to the stage of a plant, and this part is at the same time permeated by another part, which is still upon the stage of a mineral: nevertheless, these two parts completely permeate one another.
Let us now consider the physical body upon the Moon. Here, it is already condensed to water, and the astral body is incorporated within the etheric and physical bodies. Thus, we must now distinguish three different parts: One part is permeated by the etheric and astral bodies; another part is permeated only by the etheric body; and a third part has remained at the mineral stage.
And now, let us consider the physical body upon the Earth. Here, the Ego is added. On the Earth, four members are interwoven. One part of the physical body is permeated by the etheric body, astral body and the Ego; a second part, by the etheric body and astral body; a third part, by the etheric body only; and a fourth part remains at the mineral stage. It has the same value as has a mineral, and is still on the stage of the Saturn. These four parts can be clearly distinguished in the physical body. The first part, which contains all four members, consists of the red blood corpuscles. Wherever we find red blood, these four members permit one another.
The nerves on the second part, or member. Where nerves are found, there the physical, etheric and astral bodies permeate one another. Where clans are to be found, the physical and etheric bodies interpenetrate. All the instruments of the senses, all organs which have the character of a physical apparatus, have reached merely the stage of the mineral. They follow exactly the same laws as do the minerals. The eye and the ear, for instance, belong to these mineral parts; also in the brain, we find such mineral parts. Thus you can see for yourselves how easily one may be tempted at times to become a materialist — because of something mineral does actually permeate the whole body. If a materialist declares that the brain is mineral, he is in part right — that is, if he considers merely one aspect of the brain. Particularly in certain parts of the frontal brain — although these are, indeed, permeated by others — mineral forces alone are active. And were we to study the bones and muscles, it would become still more competition. When the human Ego entered into man, it began to work upon the sentient soul, the understanding soul, and the consciousness soul; and at the same time, it formed the bones and muscles. If we wish to observe these things exactly, we need years of study, only to be able to keep them distinct and separate. We must trace one thing after the other, with patience.
If we now have before us a sleeping human being, his physical body and etheric body lie upon the bed. But this physical body is very complicated. When the human being is awake, the astral body and the Ego work within his blood. But what happens when the physical body lies on the bed, in the human being is asleep? The functions of the etheric body are indeed still carried on — yet there can be no blood, unless an astral body and an Ego are active within it. Hence, every night, the blood would be doomed to death, since it is dependent upon the ego and the astral body. But these as we know, leave the body — leave it mercilessly. Also the whole nervous system is mercilessly abandoned, for the nervous system is dependent upon the astral body. Thus, we have before us the strange fact that in reality, the blood and the nervous system would have to die every night — they would fall a prey to death, if they would be obliged to depend entirely upon the human being. Other Beings must come to their aid; other Beings must take over the work of man. From other worlds, other Beings must pour their activity into man, in order to preserve what he so treacherously abandons. We shall not try to explain the nature of these Beings who become active when man is asleep, and to make it possible for him to preserve his blood intact.
We can form an idea of these Beings, if we ask ourselves: where does the human Ego really live, when it lives here, upon the physical plane? In which one of the three kingdoms does it live? And we must ask ourselves further: how much can we really know, without clairvoyant perception? — Without clairvoyance, we can, in reality, gain knowledge only of the mineral kingdom. This is the peculiar characteristic of the human being — that he cannot even grasp the plant completely, as long as he is not astrally clairvoyant. Materialists declare that plants are merely a conglomerate of mineral processes — just because they can see only the plant's mineral nature. When the human beings will have progressed, in their work upon themselves, as far as the first stage of clairvoyance, the life of the plants and the laws of life will then appear to them just as clearly as do now the laws of the mineral world.
If you wish to construct a machine, or to build a house, you must do this in accordance with the laws of the mineral world. Initiates constructive according to these laws of the mineral world; but you cannot construct a plant in this way. If you wish to have a plant, you must leave this work to those Beings which form the foundations of Nature. In the future, it will be possible to produce plants in the laboratory, but only when human beings will regard this as a sacrament, as a holy rite. Only when man has become so earnest and purified, that he looks upon the laboratory-table as an altar, will he be permitted to produce living substance. Until this time has arrived, however, not even the slightest detail concerning the way in which living beings are constituted, will be revealed to him. In other words: The Ego lives, as a cognitive being, in the mineral kingdom, but it will ascend, in the future, to the vegetable kingdom, and it will learn to know this kingdom, just as today, it knows the mineral kingdom. Still later, it will learn to grasp also the laws of the animal kingdom; and finally, those of the human kingdom. All human beings will learn to know and to grasp the inner nature of plants, animals, and of man — these are prospects for the future. Whatever we really understand, we can also produce — for instance, a clock. But the human being of our day will never be able to produce anything belonging to the sphere of living Nature, without the help of the Beings that lie behind nature, as long as such a work has not become for him a sacramental rite. Only then will he be able to ascend from the mineral kingdom to the vegetable kingdom. The human being is already a human being, at the present time; but his knowledge is restricted to the mineral kingdom. The Ego of man lives within a human form, but when this human Ego looks out into the world, its knowledge is limited to the mineral kingdom. The Ego thus possesses only the capacity to vitalize the blood in a mineral fashion — it is unable to do more. Although the Ego lives within the blood, during the day — dwelling within it and vitalizing it — nevertheless it does this merely in a mineral way.
How does it do this? If you look out into the world, your cognitive forces will reveal to you the laws of the mineral kingdom. Try to observe for yourself the peculiar quality of this human activity. You look out into the world through your senses; you grasp the mineral laws, and during your waking hours, you impress these laws upon your blood — you force them into the entire substance of your blood, thus vitalizing it in a mineral way. This is the peculiar process each takes place during the act of cognition. Now imagine to yourselves the human being, in accordance with the following diagram (it cannot be produced here) ... the laws of the mineral world streaming into him from all sides. They do not, however, remain merely within his sense-organs; but while the human being is awake, they stream together with the blood, throughout the whole human body.
Now, what does the plant-world do? You will understand what takes place in the case of a plant, if you bear in mind the following fact: You have often been told that the Ego works upon the man's other bodies and transforms the astral body into the Spirit-Self. In the same degree that this takes place, do the laws of the vegetable kingdom stream into the human nervous system. When the human being has reached the next stage of clairvoyance, the laws of the animal kingdom will permeate his glandular system, and finally, when he is able to work upon the transformation of his physical body, the laws of the human kingdom itself will flow into the human body. All this should be thought of as applying to the waking state and to the various stages of a higher clairvoyant consciousness. Thus we can say that the human being has reached, at the present time, a stage where the Ego permits the laws of the mineral kingdom to stream into the blood. But it is able to do this only during the waking state — for, the mineral laws can enter the blood only while man is awake. While he is asleep however, the blood must also be cared for. And because this blood has been worked upon, throughout four successive stages of evolution, three other powers must now step in with their activity. The first of these is a power which is the most closely related to the way in which the Ego has worked upon the blood — but it is a power which has not descended as far as the physical plane. The blood would be given over to death, did not another Ego work upon it, while the human being is asleep ... another Ego which has remained upon the astral plane, and now intervenes by taking over the work upon the blood. If we observe the human blood, this “peculiar fluid”, we find that while the human being is awake, the Ego of man is active within it, here on the physical plane. During the night however, the blood is worked upon by an Ego which dwells upon the astral plane. For there are such Egos.
Now I have referred, only recently, to Egos living upon the astral plane — namely, to the group-souls of the animals. But in this case we are dealing with another species of Egos, dwelling upon the astral plane, which work upon the human being and vitalize his blood, when the Ego of man has abandoned it. By what means do they accomplish this? And what is it that they bring into the blood? They bring into it that which, ever since the time of Saturn, must always be present in the human body — namely fire, heat. These are spirits which have never descended as far as the physical plane — spiritual Beings that live on the astral plane and have a body of fire. In the mineral kingdom, everything appears to us endowed with a certain degree of heat. Heat is met with as a quality of solid, liquid, and gaseous bodies. But now, try for a moment to think of heat, of warmth, quite independently, quite by itself ... it does not exist as such upon the physical plane. But upon the astral plane, you would meet with such warmth, or heat, streaming there and thither — heat as an independent being — and within it, you would discover Beings embodied, such as we were ourselves upon ancient Saturn. These Beings enter into the blood during the night, and vitalize it with their warmth. But something else must also take place — for the astral body also abandoned the blood, and this body too, is indispensable to it. Thus it is not sufficient if these Ego-beings alone approach man during the night and work upon him with their warmth-bodies — but other beings as well are needed, which work upon the blood in the same way as does the astral body. These Beings have their Ego upon the Devachanic plane, and this Ego possesses a still higher body, which is not even condensed as far as heat. The Ego which I described first, did not descend even as far as the astral plane — for it has remained in Devachan. It permeates the blood and carries on within it, an activity which corresponds to that of the astral body during the day.
Thus you may see how we are cared for and protected during the night by higher Beings which do not live in the mineral kingdom. The human Ego has descended as far as the mineral kingdom, and will later ascend to the vegetable kingdom, etc. These other Egos have remained behind the human kingdom during the successive stages of evolution; they form the hidden kingdoms, the Elementary Kingdoms, which lie behind our physical world, and which work down into it. The first Being which works in our blood during the night, as a body of heat — just as we have a physical body; it permeates the blood which heat — and at the same time, lives upon the astral plane with its body at heat. Through this warmth-body, it belongs to the third Elementary Kingdom. These Beings, belonging to the third Elementary Kingdom, are the companions of the Group-Egos of the animals — they belong to the same region. And what are the capacities of these Egos? They need not have the same capacities as a human Ego, which has descended as far as the physical sense-world; but they are able nevertheless, to act as a substitute for the human Ego, from the astral plane. These Egos work down from the astral plane, in the same way that the animal Group-Egos work down upon the animals; Souls of the animals. In other words, they fill man's astral body with impulses, desires, and passions. If we have before us an astral body — what lives within this astral body? In addition to the Ego, Beings live within it whose Ego dwells upon the astral plane. These Beings permeates the astral body just as maggots live in cheese. This is the third Elementary Kingdom: it is the kingdom which forms impulses and passions of an animal nature.
But behind this kingdom lies another, namely the second Elementary Kingdom. This kingdom is active within a purer element, for it moulds and forms the shapes of the plants. But it's activity extends also to the human being — to his many elements which have a plant-like character — nails, hair, etc. These are not permeated by the astral body, but merely by the etheric body; for this reason they feel no pain. The hair and nails are products from which the astral body has already withdrawn — it is possible to cut them, without causing pain. At an earlier time however, the astral body was also within these. Many things in the human being are of a plant-like nature, and within all these plants-like elements, the Beings of the second Elementary Kingdom are active. Hence, that which builds up the body of a plant consists of the forces belonging to the second Elementary Kingdom. Within the plant are active both the Plant-Ego,, which permeates the etheric and astral bodies and these Beings of the second Elementary Kingdom. Whereas the Ego of the plants works upon the plant from within, these other Beings work upon it from without — forming it, making it grow and blossom. The whole plant is permeated by an etheric body. But it does not possess an astral body of its own; instead the entire astral body of the Earth forms the common astral body of the plants. The Ego of the plants is to be found at the center of the earth. This is true for all plants. For this reason, if you pull up a plant by the roots you cause pain to the earth; but, if you pick a flower, the earth will have a feeling of well-being, as a cow has a feeling of well-being when her calf sucks her milk. It is also a wonderful experience when the corn is moved in the autumn, to see how great waves of well-being streamed over the earth! The Beings which work upon the plants, from out of the second Elementary Kingdom, and help it to take form, fly toward the plant from all sides, like butterflies. The renewal and repetition of the leaves, blossoms, etc., is their work. This is what acts upon the plants from out of the second Elementary Kingdom.
In like manner, there is a first Elementary Kingdom, which gives the minerals their form. The animals received their shape, or form — a form determined by instincts and desires — from the Beings belonging to the third Elementary Kingdom. The leaves, etc., of the plants are formed by the second Elementary Kingdom; this work consists chiefly of repetitions. But performing, shaping forces of the minerals, which workout of the formless element, are to be found in higher Devachan, in Arupa-Devachan. These three Elementary Kingdoms permeate one another, flow into one another. One who imagines everything distinct and separate, will never attain to a living understanding. In the vegetable kingdom, the vegetable and mineral kingdoms permeate one another. In the animal kingdom, the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms interpenetrate. And in a human being, the Ego is added to these. For, with the incomes of the Ego, the human kingdom first arose upon the earth. It is the blood which first makes man a human being; all the kingdoms are contained within it. But the Ego can for the present, penetrate with its cognitive forces only into the mineral kingdom; it must leave the other kingdoms to the Beings of the Elementary Kingdoms. The mineral kingdom contains, besides this mineral kingdom itself, also the first Elementary Kingdom; for this reason, it takes on a clearly defined shape. The plant owes its form entirely to the second Elementary Kingdom — for, without it, it would be spherical. And the animal is endowed with instincts, etc., owing to the added activity of the third Elementary Kingdom. Our world consists of interpenetrating regions; only if we are able to make our thoughts mobile and fluent, shall we gradually be able to understand such things.
If we wish to form a concept of how the third Elementary Kingdom is connected with the animal kingdom, the following example may be helpful. You all know the migrations of the birds! The birds take quite definite courses in their migrations; from the northeast to southwest and from southwest to northeast. But who directs these migrations? It is the Group-Soul of the birds! In these migrations instinct comes to expression. Essentially speaking, they are wedding-flights — for the birds take flight in order to breed in better climates. They are directed by the Souls of the Species, or Group-Soul, of the animal kingdom.
On the other hand, the animals are given their form, which enables him to have certain instincts, and which is the bearer of these instincts, by the Beings of the third Elementary Kingdom — the companions of the animal Group-Souls. If we wish to express this in a somewhat trivial manner, we may say: Those Egos which constitute the animal Group-Souls form one company, upon the astral plane; and the Beings of the third Elementary Kingdom form another. Nevertheless, they must work together in harmony. The one supplies the instincts, the other the bodies, forming and moulding them, so that the instincts may live within them.
The physical forms of the plants originate from the Beings of the second Elementary Kingdom. And in everything which molds and works upon the minerals, the Beings of the first Elementary Kingdom are to be found. The forces of the minerals, active as attraction and repulsion, the atomistic forces, proceed from the groups of minerals. But it is the Beings of the first Elementary Kingdom who form the minerals.
Thus we obtain a perspective which reveals to us where we may seek for the activities of the various kingdoms within our world. We must however, observe these things very accurately. We may say to a plant: You are living being; this you owe to the Plant-Ego. Your form, your shape however, is given to you by the Beings of the second Elementary Kingdom.
Thus we may sum up the four kingdoms as follows. The kingdom of man is the kingdom within which and Ego can work formatively into the human world; the vegetable kingdom is the one within which hands Ego can work formatively in the plant world; the mineral kingdom, the one in which an Ego can build for itself forms in the mineral kingdom. The third Elementary Kingdom cares for the blood during the night, and forms at the same time, the instinctive life of the animals; the second Elementary Kingdom forms the plants; and the first Elementary Kingdom forms the minerals — for instance the crystals. From all this we can see that patience is necessary for the penetration into Spiritual Science. The world is constructed in a complicated way, and the highest truths are not the simplest. It is an utterly senseless way of speaking to declare that the highest things can be grasped with the simplest concepts. This is due only to laziness. It is admitted of course, that it is not possible to understand a clock at once, but the world, people believe, can be understood without any further trouble. If we wish to grasp the Divine, infinite patience is needed for the Divine contains everything. In order to understand the world, people wish to apply the simplest concepts, but this is simply laziness ... no matter how reverently the soul may say it. The Divine element is profound, and an eternity is needed in order to grasp it. Man dares, indeed, the spark of the Godhead within him, but the nature and Being of this Godhead can be understood only by collecting a knowledge of the facts of the world.
The great patience and renunciation which knowledge entails, is what we must learn first of all. We ourselves must gradually mature in order to form judgments. The world is infinite at every point. And we must be modest enough to say that everything is, in a certain sense, only a half-truth. We must transform everything into moral impulses, even the classification of man's being into ten or twelve members. Spiritual Science gives us pictures which we should unite with our feelings. For, Spiritual Science is only of value when we draw from it not merely knowledge, but are filled with the noblest feelings for the profundity of the world around us. All the greater then, will be the longing for the Divine. The very fact that the Divine appears to man so far removed, in distinct height, should incite him so much the more to become strong, in order that he may again find his way thither.
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w57 10/1 pp. 581-583
Finding the Purpose for Living
The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom—1957
MAN-MADE DOGMAS BECLOUD PURPOSE
GOING TO GOD’S WORD FOR LIGHT
A NEW PERSONALITY AND A NEW WORLD
“This Good News of the Kingdom”
Exercise Faith for Everlasting Life
How Strong Is Your Belief in the Resurrection?
The Real Purpose of Life
What is it? How does one find it? Why do we need to find it. What man-made barrier hinders an understanding of it?
MOST people fail to find the purpose of living. They go through life without knowing for what purpose they exist. They may go to church and still not find the purpose of living. Clergymen themselves, strangely enough, have confessed ignorance of this purpose, pointing to what startling degree people go through life like a ship sailing without a compass.
A few years ago a writer for a London newspaper interviewed a retired clergyman, a man of considerable note. He was Dr. W. R. Inge, who, for twenty-three years, was dean of St. Paul’s cathedral. He has written more than twenty books, and his articles in the Evening Standard made him one of the most influential figures between the wars. This former high-ranking clergyman told the interviewer something that surprised newspaper readers.
“All my life,” said the former dean, “I have struggled to find the purpose of living. I have tried to answer three problems which always seemed to me to be fundamental: the problem of eternity; the problem of human personality; and the problem of evil. I have failed. I have solved none of them and I know no more now than when I started. And I believe no one ever will solve them.”—Daily Express, July 13, 1953.
If a clergyman who for twenty-three years was dean of one of Christendom’s most celebrated cathedrals has failed to find the purpose of living, what of the average churchgoer? What of the masses who do not go to church or who are not affiliated with any religion? Obviously something is wrong. What is it? What must one do to find the purpose of living?
People who are looking for the purpose of living have failed to find it because man has built up for himself a system of religion based on tradition and speculation—human wisdom. These man-made dogmas have beclouded the very purpose of living. John Lord, a noted historian, wrote in his Beacon Lights of History concerning some of these man-contrived doctrines, such as trinity and immortality of the soul: “It may not unreasonably be asked, Has not theology attempted too much? Has it solved the truths for the solution of which it borrowed the aid of reason, and has it not often made a religion which is based on deductions and metaphysical distinctions as imperative as a religion based on simple declarations?”
The result has been to turn men from the simple declarations of the Bible to the complex dogmas of men. This, in turn, has confused so many people that they sail their ship of faith not only without a compass but in a fog. Take, for instance, the former dean of St. Paul’s cathedral, who failed to find the purpose of living. Alluding to the immortality of the soul doctrine, he also told the interviewer: “I know as much about the after-life as you—nothing. I don’t even know there is one—in the sense in which the Church teaches it. I have no vision of ‘Heaven’ or a ‘welcoming God.’ I do not know what I shall find. I must wait and see.”
How many people are in the same boat, as it were, when it comes to one’s ship of faith! They are confused and uncertain. But the Bible states simply and clearly concerning those who are dead: “As for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all.” And further: “There is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol.”—Eccl. 9:5, 10.
But man has gone ahead and devised for himself the immortality of the soul doctrine despite another simple Bible declaration: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”—Ezek. 18:4, AS.
Where, then, did this mysterious doctrine come from that has confused so many people? As William Ewart Gladstone, an eminent British prime minister of the nineteenth century, once said: “The natural immortality of the soul is a doctrine wholly unknown to the Holy Scriptures and standing on no higher plane than that of an ingeniously sustained, but gravely and formidably contested, philosophical opinion. It crept into the Church by a back door—the back door of Greek philosophy.”
So no man can find the purpose of living until he gets out of the fog of human speculations, traditions and deductions and comes into the light of God’s Word. Concerning this Word it is written: “Your word is a lamp to my foot, and a light to my roadway.”—Ps. 119:105.
Only in the Bible do we find the explanation, the right one, for why things are as they are in the world. The problems concerning death and a future life are solved. We learn how God created man to live forever amid paradise conditions. Because of Adam’s sin death has come to all men: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.”—Rom. 5:12.
By the Son of God’s coming to earth and his giving up his perfect human life as a ransom sacrifice the way was opened for man to regain what Adam lost for us. Thus Christ Jesus said: “I have come that they might have life and might have it in abundance.”—John 10:10.
Though the Bible shows that a “little flock” or a limited number of true Christians will gain everlasting life in heaven with Christ, the hope of most of obedient mankind is the one expressed by the psalmist: “The meek ones themselves will possess the earth and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” For many this will be through a resurrection from the dead, as Jesus showed: “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.” Those who did vile things ignorantly will not be judged by their past deeds but by their future deeds during Christ’s thousand-year reign.—Luke 12:32; Ps. 37:11; John 5:28, 29.
But there is a great crowd of people today who will never die at all, for their hope is to survive the coming war of Armageddon into God’s new world. That hope can be yours. We are living at a time when this whole evil system of things will come to an end. And no wonder! It is evil, living contrary to the commandments of God. It is evil because it is misled by the “god of this system of things,” Satan the Devil. Though the Bible tells us that “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one,” there is no reason for you to suffer the fate of this world.—2 Cor. 4:4; 1 John 5:19.
At Armageddon Christ Jesus leads heaven’s armies in a righteous war. The result of this “war of the great day of God the Almighty” will be the end of the “heavens and the earth that are now.” A new world of a “new heavens and a new earth” comes in; the new world will be absolutely righteous. It will be the same earth as we live on today, but there will be a new system of things on the earth.—Rev. 16:14, 16; 2 Pet. 3:7, 13.
To gain everlasting life in God’s new world can be the hope of all lovers of righteousness. It is a hope made valid by God’s own promise. To make that hope a power in your life you need accurate knowledge. This is the knowledge of God’s Word. It is the kind of knowledge that helps the seeker of truth solve the problem of human personality. Until one knows God’s purposes and harmonizes his life in accordance with God’s commandments, he has what the Bible calls an “old personality.” This must be changed. It can be. Thus we read: “Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality which through accurate knowledge is being renewed according to the image of the one who created it.”—Col. 3:9, 10.
One with the “new personality” lives for the new world. His hope is not to live just some seventy years and then die but to live forever in God’s new world. So he begins to live now as he will then. He follows the Bible command: “As God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with the tender affections of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, mildness, and long-suffering. But, besides all these things, clothe yourselves with love.” And “this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome.”—Col. 3:12, 14; 1 John 5:3.
No, it is no burden to keep God’s commands. It is a joy. It makes one happy. It honors God and brings glory to the Creator. God’s Word tells us: “You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.” Only those who bring glory to God, by both their words and their conduct, will gain the right to live forever in the new world. What reason there is, then, to heed the command: “Do not become envious of wicked people. For there will prove to be no future for anyone bad; the very lamp of wicked people will be extinguished.”—Rev. 4:11; Prov. 24:19, 20.
Live for the new world now. Put on the “new personality.” Give your life purpose; give it meaning: live to glorify the Creator. Do that by obeying his righteous commands, for when one lives by His Word, he has found the purpose of living: “The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear The [true] God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole [obligation] of man.”—Eccl. 12:13.
[Picture on page 581]
Human wisdom
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Kelly 138: 9/11 Permission For Serco’s Wilbur Greeks, SES Marcy’s Mendenhall Demons, Paddock’s 8(a) CAI Junket-Room Bridge
November 15, 2017 Site Admin
General John F. Kelly
White House Chief of Staff
Open letter from the Cloud Centric Crime Scene Investigators of Abel Danger
Dear General Kelly:
Please accept Brief 138 from Field McConnell – United States Marine Corps whistle-blower and Global Operations Director of Abel Danger (AD) – on a “9/11 Permission” allegedly granted by the UK MoD to Serco shareholders and the Greek Life associates of Wilbur Ross, Serco‘s former investment banker at N M Rothschild & Sons, to stand down New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani aides and his Office of Emergency Management in WTC7 (Salomon Brothers Building) and allow ‘red team’ attacks during the Global Guardian war game of Sept. 10-12 2001.
McConnell believes that in 1978, Nicholas Soames, a former Minister of State for the Armed Forces (1994-1997) and former personal assistant (1976-1978) to U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield, filmed McConnell’s sister Kristine Marcy during a Mendenhall oath ritual which he allegedly developed for use with Serco‘s Demon face recognition software to force Marcy’s Senior Executive Service colleagues to stand down whenever Serco decided to launch red team and/or digital fires attack on the United States.
McConnell alleges that Marcy, a former super grade in the Office of Personnel Management used the late Stephen Paddock, a former auditor of the Defence Contract Audit Agency, to promote 8(a) junket rooms for the federal bridge certification authority which would later allow Ross’s associates in the CAI Private Equity Group, including David Johnston, Patron of SOS Canada, and the late Gen. Al Haig, 7th Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, to stage the “first live-broadcast mass snuff film in human history on 9/11” and bet on the outcome of a war game designed to decapitate America through an SES coup d’état.
Call Field McConnell for a SMEAC – “S” Situation, “M” Mission, “E” Execution, “A” Administration / Logistics, “C” Command/Signal – briefing on the roles of Serco, the Senior Executive Service, CAI and Wilbur Ross’s Greek Life associates in the tracking of Demons through the 9/11 snuff film which might help you understand how to break the 8(a) junket-room alibis of people with Permission 9/11.
Hon Nicholas Soames MP launches the St Ermin’s Hotel Division Bell
Meet Field’s Sister, Kristine Marcy (Sister Abel, Brother Cain)
THE CHILD SOLDIER’S NEW JOB TRAILER
Hotel Ground Zero Documentário Completo
9/11 Alexander Haig Had Inside Knowledge Of The World Trade Center Bombing
BBC Reports 911, WTC 7 Collapse BEFORE it Happens
Las Vegas shooting: Moment police burst into gunman’s room – BBC News
MACAU CASINOS & their strong links to organised crime – ABC 4 Corners – Sep 2014
SERCO GROUP PLC: List of Subsidiaries AND Shareholders! [Note agents for Northern Trust and the Teachers (TIAA) Pension Fund would have met with agents of the government of Saudi Arabia on the 47th floor of WTC 1 on 9/11]
Field McConnell
USMC 0116513
Plum City WI 54761″
“Digital Fires Instructor Serco – [Marine Corps Base] Camp Pendleton, CA Uses information derived from all military disciplines (e.g., aviation, ground combat, command and control, combat service support, intelligence, and opposing forces) to determine changes in enemy capabilities, vulnerabilities, and probable courses of action.”
“9/11 Commission Report …. Chapter 11 FORESIGHT-AND HINDSIGHT … In composing this narrative, we have tried to remember that we write with the benefit and the handicap of hindsight. Hindsight can sometimes see the past clearly-with 20/20 vision. But the path of what happened is so brightly lit that it places everything else more deeply into shadow. Commenting on Pearl Harbor, Roberta Wohlstetter found it “much easier after the event to sort the relevant from the irrelevant signals. After the event, of course, a signal is always crystal clear; we can now see what disaster it was signaling since the disaster has occurred. But before the event it is obscure and pregnant with conflicting meanings.”1
… Considering what was not done suggests possible ways to institutionalize imagination. To return to the four elements of analysis just mentioned:
1. The CTC did not analyze how an aircraft, hijacked or explosives-laden, might be used as a weapon. It did not perform this kind of analysis from the enemy’s perspective (“red team” analysis), even though suicide terrorism had become a principal tactic of Middle Eastern terrorists. If it had done so, we believe such an analysis would soon have spotlighted a critical constraint for the terrorists-finding a suicide operative able to fly large jet aircraft. They had never done so before 9/11.
2. The CTC did not develop a set of telltale indicators for this method of attack. For example, one such indicator might be the discovery of possible terrorists pursuing flight training to fly large jet aircraft, or seeking to buy advanced flight simulators.
3. The CTC did not propose, and the intelligence community collection management process did not set, requirements to monitor such telltale indicators. Therefore the warning system was not looking for information such as the July 2001 FBI report of potential terrorist interest in various kinds of aircraft training in Arizona, or the August 2001 arrest of Zacarias Moussaoui because of his suspicious behavior in a Minnesota flight school. In late August, the Moussaoui arrest was briefed to the DCI and other top CIA officials under the heading “Islamic Extremist Learns to Fly.”24 Because the system was not tuned to comprehend the potential significance of this information, the news had no effect on warning.
4. Neither the intelligence community nor aviation security experts analyzed systemic defenses within an aircraft or against terrorist-controlled aircraft, suicidal or otherwise. The many threat reports mentioning aircraft were passed to the FAA. While that agency continued to react to specific, credible threats, it did not try to perform the broader warning functions we describe here. No one in the government was taking on that role for domestic vulnerabilities.
“TOP DEFINITION Mendenhall To mount someone from behind while they are in the fetal position on the ground. After the deed is complete, you roll them over and see the humiliation in their eyes. This is best accomplished in front of a large audience. That chick was so hot I pretended to trip and totally Mendenhalled her. #dry hump#bareback#doggy#mount#steelers by GoPack! January 25, 2011″
“Now You Can Be Both’ Mother, Professional
By Judy Mann August 8, 1979
Kristine Mary, now a supergrade in the Office of Personnel Management, had her first chile 2 1/2 years ago, when she was a budget examiner in the Office of Management and Budget. At nights she was finishing up her law degree at George Washington University.
“My baby was due the 17th of December. My last exam was on the 15th. I went to work, took off a little early, took my exam, went home,wondering why I felt so bad. Imimmediately, I went into labor. It blew everybody’s mind that I could wrap up everything at work, wrap up everything at school and have my baby. That was of the all-time coup.”
“I was very conscious that all the men whe worked for me would go home and ask their wives what it’s like, so they would know how to deal with me. I assumed that. I don’t know that any of them did. I tried to keep my pregnancy secret as long as possible and have them find out I’ve been pregnant for four months and hadn’t behaved any differently.”
Mendenhall’s baby was due in early August. [????] “I now work from about 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Everybody at work has so afraid of being offensive, that they ignore it.”
“I think the whole society has turned around a great deal, intensively, in the last five years,” says Kristine Marcy, who sees changes in men’s attitudes towards their jobs as well as women’s.”
“Kristine Marcy Board Director The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA)
Kristine M. Marcy served as President and CEO of the National Academy of Public Administration, a non-profit organization chartered by Congress and dedicated to improving Government from January 2011 to June 30, 2011 at the unanimous request of the Board of Directors. Ms. Marcy is a retired federal executive with over 30 years of experience in ten federal departments and agencies including Small Business Administration, Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service, DOJ U.S. Marshals Service, and DOJ Office of the Deputy Attorney General. During her career, Ms. Marcy blended deep technical knowledge with extensive hands-on experience to assist agencies in both operational and leadership positions. Post retirement, Ms. Marcy was an executive consultant for McConnell International, a Government Relations consulting firm, and brought her considerable network of contacts and her direct knowledge of many US federal agencies to help private sector clients develop business strategies.”
“Sir Arthur Nicholas Winston Soames (born 12 February 1948), sometimes known as Nick Soames, is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Mid Sussexsince 1997. He is a grandson of Sir Winston Churchill.
Soames was first elected to Parliament in 1983 for Crawley. He was Minister of State for the Armed Forces from 1994 to 1997 in the government of John Major. His main political interests are defence, international relations, rural affairs and industry.
Early life, education and military service[edit]
Soames was born in Croydon and is a grandson of the British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, the son of Lord and Lady Soames, and a great-nephew of the founders of the Scout movement, Robert Baden-Powell and Olave Baden-Powell. His brother is the industrialist Rupert Soames.
In 1970, he was appointed Equerry to HRH The Prince of Wales; he has remained a close friend of the Prince ever since and publicly criticised Diana, Princess of Wales, during the couple’s estrangement. When Diana first accused the Prince of Wales of adultery with Camilla Parker Bowles, Soames told the BBC that the accusation, and Diana’s fear of being slandered by her husband’s courtiers, stemmed merely from Diana’s mental illness, and “the advanced stages of paranoia”.[5] Charles later admitted his adultery and Soames apologised. When questioned by the inquest into the death of Diana, Soames said that he saw his job as “to speak up for the Prince of Wales”. He denied threatening Diana, and warning her, “accidents happen” in the months before she died.[6]
In 1972, he left Kensington Palace and the army to work as a stockbroker. In 1974, he became a personal assistant; first to Sir James Goldsmith and then in 1976 to United States Senator Mark Hatfield, whose employ he left in 1978 to become a director of Bland Welch, Lloyd’s Brokers. Between 1979–81, he was an assistant director of the Sedgwick Group.[citation needed] He fought Central Dunbartonshire in Scotland in 1979, where Labour’s Hugh McCartney defeated him by 12,003 votes.”
“British defence contractor accused over hiring ex-child soldiers in Iraq
18 APRIL 2016 • 10:32AM
A major British private defence contractor may have recruited former child soldiers to work as security guards on American bases in Iraq, it has been alleged.
The claims against Aegis Defence Services are to be made in a Danish television documentary The Child Soldier’s New Job which is due to be broadcast later on Monday.
The documentary claims that Aegis, which is chaired by Sir Nicholas Soames, the Tory MP and grandson of Winston Churchill, hired some 2,500 mercenaries on as little as £10 a day in order to fulfil contracts to guard US military bases from 2004 onwards.
James Ellery, a former director of Aegis Defence Services between 2005 and 2015, told The Guardian that the company had not checked if the African mercenaries – mostly from Sierra Leone – had previously been child soldiers, and justified the hiring decision on cost.
“You probably would have a better force if you recruited entirely from the Midlands of England,” Mr Ellery, a former British army officer, told the newspaper.
“But it can’t be afforded. So you go from the Midlands of England to Nepalese etc etc, Asians, and then at some point you say I’m afraid all we can afford now is Africans.”
Mr Ellery added that under law child soldiers could not be held responsible for crimes they had committed as children, and that after 18 had a right to seek work freely – which Aegis had no right to deny.
“We would have been completely in error if, having gone to Sierra Leone, we excluded those people,” he added.
Mads Ellesøe, the film’s maker said he made the film because he wanted to make Western audiences “aware of the consequences of the privatisation of war”.
Graham Binns, senior managing director at GardaWorld, a Canadian company which took over Aegis last year, told the Guardian that his company had worked with carefully vetted and authorised local agents in Africa.
“Aegis takes issues pertinent to our industry, such as post-traumatic stress very seriously, and has worked closely with experts in the field to develop and implement procedures for the management of trauma risk,” he said.”
“THE GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA TO SERVE AS PATRON OF SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES
SOS Children’s Villages Canada is pleased to announce that His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M, C.D., Governor General of Canada, has accepted our invitation to become the Patron of SOS Canada.
The Governor General was pleased to lend his endorsement to the important charitable work that SOS Children’s Villages does on behalf of orphaned and abandoned children and vulnerable families in more than 130 countries. This endorsement carries with it a long tradition of support from past Canadian governors general, including the Right Honourable Jeanne Sauvé, the Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc, the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson and the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean.
“Everyone at SOS Children’s Villages Canada is honoured and excited by this recent endorsement. His Excellency’s decision to grant our organization patronage is a wonderful acknowledgement and sign of support for the charitable work that we do on behalf of some of societies most vulnerable,” stated Peter Dudding, SOS Canada’s volunteer President and Chair of the Board of Directors.”
“SOS Childrens Villages Canada – CHILD SOLDIERS
A ‘Child Soldier’ is any child – boy or girl – under 18 years of age, who is forced to join and operate within an armed force or armed group in any capacity. It does not only refer to a child who is carrying, or has carried, weapons.
In the world today there are hundreds of thousands of child soldiers who have been abducted or forcibly recruited, or are driven to join by poverty, abuse and discrimination.
Once recruited, child soldiers may serve as porters or cooks, guards, messengers or spies. These children may even be pressed into combat, as the proliferation of small automatic weapons means that children can easily handle and operate them. Child soldiers are seen are expendable, and may be sent into minefields or other dangerous situations ahead of older combatants. Some have even been used for suicide missions.
Many child soldiers are left “stigmatized” and unable to return to his or her home community.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 38, proclaimed that: “State parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that persons who have not attached the age of 15 years do not take a direct part in hostilities.”
Article 8.2.26 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) entered into force 1 July 2002 states that “Conscripting or enlisting children under the age of fifteen years into the national armed forces or using them to participate actively in hostilities” is a war crime.
Forced or compulsory recruitment of anyone under the age of 18 for use in armed conflict is predefined as one of the worst forms of child labour.
Almost half of the world’s child soldiers are in Africa. Many of these children have been orphaned or abandoned due to AIDs, violence and war.
SOS Children’s Villages engages in rehabilitation programming and family reunification for former child soldiers.
Our rehabilitation and reunification program for each child soldier lasts around ten months. To begin with, the children are reintroduced to everyday life. We give them shelter, food, clean clothes and an education. Many children have never been to school and without an education will never break out of poverty.
SOS Children’s Villages helps former child soldiers to overcome the trauma of war through drawing, drama classes and counseling.”
“SERCO: ‘The biggest company you’ve never heard of’
JULY 7, 2013 BY 21WIRE
As politicians asset-strip the public’s portfolio of properties, infrastructure and services, one multinational corporation has grown as a result – and its scope and reach may shock many people who have not been paying attention.
All around the globe, our governments are busy outsourcing public-sector services like health, education, police, prisons, money delivery and military – to the esteemed private sector. It’s sold to the public as a solution to avoiding higher taxes, while retaining better services. But it’s simply an accountancy shell game, where the government kicks the can down the road by spreading the bill to the taxpayer over a longer period of time, in order to avoid any large upfront payments – all the while, allowing a private corporation to extend its influence over society. This, by definition, is fascism.
They are called SERCO, and they run countries…
As well as thanking God for his success, CEO Chris Hyman is a Pentecostal Christian who has released a gospel album in America and fasts every Tuesday. Coincidentally he was in the World Trade Centre on 9/11 on the 47th floor addressing shareholders.”[including representatives of the British and Saudi Arabian governments]
“As the FBI continues to sift through the past of Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock, an investigative focus has developed on how he earned money and the recent travels of Paddock and his girlfriend Marilou Danley, law enforcement officials familiar with the probe told Yahoo.
At least two points of travel interest were recent trips taken to Dubai and Spain, as well as more than 200 reports detailing large financial transactions Paddock made at casinos since 2014. While Danley has family in Dubai, sources told Yahoo that the FBI is seeking to determine details of all overseas trips involving either Paddock or his girlfriend, as well as any financial transactions that may have taken place on the trips.
Paddock killed 59 people and wounded more than 500 when he opened fire Sunday night on a country music festival from his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Police say Paddock committed suicide before they got to his room, where they found a trove of weapons that included high-powered rifles. Las Vegas police said Paddock’s attack lasted between nine to 11 minutes.”
“Serco farewell to NPL after 19 years of innovation Published: 8 Jan 2015 Serco said goodbye to the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) at the end of December 2014 after 19 years of extraordinary innovation and science that has seen the establishment build a world-leading reputation and deliver billions of pounds of benefit for the UK economy. During that period under Serco’s management and leadership, NPL has delivered an extraordinary variety and breadth of accomplishments for the UK’s economy and industry. Some of the key achievements during that time have been: – The beneficial impact of NPL’s work to the economy is estimated at £2Bn pa. … It has been estimated that work carried out by the Centre of Carbon Measurement at NPL will save eight million tonnes of carbon emissions reductions (2% of UK footprint) and over half a billion pounds in economic benefit over the next decade. .. NPL’s caesium fountain atomic clock is accurate to 1 second in 158 million years and NPL is playing a key role in introducing rigour to high frequency trading in the City through NPLTime.”
“Serco Executive Maureen Baginski Receives FBI Intelligence Analysts Association Award
RESTON, VIRGINIA – May 2, 2011 – Serco Inc., a provider of professional, technology, and management services to the federal government, is proud to announce that Maureen Baginski, Vice President of Serco’s Intelligence Services, received the FBI Intelligence Analysts Association (IAA) Award. The first annual event and ceremony was held on April 12 in Washington, DC.
Ms. Baginski was recognized for her work from 2003 to 2005, when she served as the FBI’s Executive Assistant Director for Intelligence. In that position, she was responsible for establishing and managing the FBI’s first-ever intelligence program. She adapted FBI intelligence capabilities with information technologies to create an intelligence-sharing operation that could identify threats before they became attacks.
During the awards ceremony, James Mackey, a former FBI supervisory intelligence analyst, had these words to say about Ms. Baginski, “Ladies and gentlemen, this person, Maureen Baginski immediately established credibility through hard work the old fashioned way. She became one of the Director’s tugboats, and again, through hard work…she established the FBI directorate for domestic intelligence and brought about fundamental change in the FBI, not only for you, but for the American people.”
Prior to her role with the FBI, Ms. Baginski served at the National Security Agency (NSA) for 23 years, where she held a variety of positions, including Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Director, Senior Operations Officer in the National Security Operations Center; Executive Assistant to the Director of NSA/Central Security Service, Chief Officer of the Director; Assistant Deputy Director of Technology and Systems; and lead analyst for the Soviet Union. As SIGINT Director, Ms. Baginski successfully established and directed a unified program to exploit encrypted or denied information on global networks. Leading the NSA’s Signals Intelligence Directorate, the Nation’s high technology cryptology organization, she managed a complex and geographically dispersed distributed information production enterprise.
“We are truly proud of Maureen and this great honor she received. She has brought to Serco the same can-do attitude she exuded while working for the FBI and she continues to lead her team here at Serco with pride and respect,” said Ed Casey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Serco.”
“Serco Processes 2 Millionth Patent Application for U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
RESTON, VIRGINIA – March 18, 2013 – Serco Inc., a leading provider of professional, technology, and management services to the federal government, announced today that their Pre-Grant Publication (PGPubs) Classification Services team recently processed their 2 millionth patent application for the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO). Each application was also processed within the contractually required 28-day window.”
“The National Crime Squad co-ordinated arrests of suspected paedophiles across 19 separate countries on 28 November using information supplied by Demon Internet.
The Internet service provider was approached by the National Crime Squad and agreed to allow officers to access its servers. This led to the recovery of data showing the activity of nearly 1,500 newsgroups during a two-week period.
From this data, officers established that almost 10,000 Internet Protocol (IP) addresses had accessed more than 30 of the Web sites carrying paedophilia. For operational reasons this number was whittled down to just over 400 addresses of those specifically distributing paedophiliac images.
The information was then distributed via Interpol to the countries identified with the suspects, and evidence packs on each of the targets were distributed to the relevant police forces
Detective Superintendent Peter Spindler, leading the investigation for the National Crime Squad, said: “With the assistance of Demon Internet and the support and guidance of the National High-Tech Crime Unit, we are able to show that those accessing these newsgroups did so regularly and with purpose.
“We also learnt, not surprisingly, that those abusing the Internet have learnt from recent police successes how best to protect their true identities,” he added.
The National Crime Squad and Serco, its IT partner, have developed facial mapping software that they hope to use to identify the abused children featured on the paedophiliac sites.”
“N M Rothschild & Sons Limited or Rothschild Group (commonly referred to as Rothschild) is a British multinational investment banking company controlled by the Rothschild family. It was founded in the City of London in 1811 and now serves as the British division of Rothschild & Co, a global firm with 57 offices around the world. It is the 7th oldest bank in continuous operation in the United Kingdom.
Rothschild’s financial advisory division is known to serve British nobility, including the British Royal Family. Chairman Sir Evelyn Rothschild is currently the personal financial advisor of Queen Elizabeth II, and she knighted him in 1989 for his services to banking and finance.[2]”
“Please find below the key company advisors to Serco:
N M Rothschild & Sons Limited
New Court
St Swithin’s Lane
EC4N 8AL
www.rothschild.com”
“Rothschild Investments [edit]
In the late 1970s, Ross began his 24 year career at the New York City office of N M Rothschild & Sons, where he ran the bankruptcy-restructuring advisory practice.[6][8]
Representation of investors in casinos owned by Donald Trump[edit]
In the 1980s, Donald Trump was in financial trouble because of his casinos in Atlantic City. His three casinos in Atlantic City were under foreclosure threat from lenders. Ross, who was then the Senior Managing Director of Rothschild Inc., represented investors in the casino. Along with Carl Icahn, Ross convinced bondholders to strike a deal with Trump that allowed Trump to keep control of the casinos.[8][9]
Establishment of WL Ross & Co.[edit]
In the late 1990s, Ross started a $200 million fund at Rothschild to invest in distressed assets. As the U.S. bubble began to burst, he decided he wanted to invest more and advise less. In 2000, the 62-year-old banker raised $450 million to buy out the fund from Rothschild and make further investments in distressed assets.[6] The new firm was named WL Ross & Co.[8][6] Staff included four top managers who, along with Ross, make up the firm’s investment committee: David H. Storper, who runs trading; David L. Wax, a longtime workout specialist; Stephen J. Toy, an Asia expert; and Pamela K. Wilson, a J.P. Morgan & Co. veteran.[7] WL Ross & Co. was acquired by Amvescap (now Invesco) in 2006.[10] In August 2016, Ross agreed to reimburse investors $11.8 million and pay a fine of $2.3 million to settle a Securities and Exchange Commission probe into the overcharging of fees by WL Ross & Co. The company had self-reported the issue to the SEC and did not admit any liability.[11]”
http://jitc.fhu.disa.mil/projects/pki/pke_lab/partner_pki_testing/partner_pki_status.aspx
Beginning in 1976, CAC grew to become one of the biggest suppliers of qualified hi-rollers to the international casino gaming houses and developer of international junket marketing programs. The company operated in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Bahamas, Caribbean, Europe, Africa and Australia.
CAC is a pioneer in the development of casino gaming in Canada, starting with the operation of the CNE Casino (Canadian National Exhibition), Ontario’s first mega casino from 1992 until 1996. During that time the CNE Casino expanded from 20 table games to become on of the world’s largest table game casino with 165 Table games.
In 1993, with the success of the CNE Casino, CAC developed and advanced the Roving Charity Casino in Ontario along with an operating partner. These gaming operations were first opened in Toronto and soon expanded into Windsor and Niagara Falls to capture the American markets in Detroit, Buffalo and Niagara Falls USA, setting the table for future commercial casinos in those border cities.
Recognizing the growing demand for casino gambling, the Government of Ontario created a Crown Corporation to develop destination gaming resorts. In response to the bid for Ontario’s first mega casino resort, CAC contracted with Steve Wynn’s Mirage Resorts to bid on the Casino Windsor project. Following a determination by Mirage Resorts to advance projects in other gaming jurisdictions and depart from Ontario, Aubrey Zidenberg, principal of CAC contracted with Carnival Hotels and Casinos (CHC) to jointly develop and operate Casino Rama on the Mnjikaning First Nation Reservation north of Toronto. CHC was later purchased by Penn National Gaming, the third largest gaming company in the United States.
Aubrey Zidenberg is President and CEO of ZAP Casinos Canada, an associated company with Penn National Gaming in the operating agreement of Casino Rama and holds a financial interest in the operating company, Carnival Hotels and Casinos Canada. Formerly joining Mr. Zidenberg as a shareholder and member of the board of directors was retired Brigadier-General U.S. Army – James E. Ritchie (deceased), former senior Department of Justice, Organized Crime Strike Force prosecutor and Executive Director of the U.S. Presidents Commission on Gambling.
Casino Amusements Canada has also participated in the development of the Fort Erie Racetrack Slots project in Fort Erie, Ontario Canada and securing the approvals for the Quinte Exhibition Raceway and Slots at Belleville, Ontario.
Degree Poker Championship
Since 2005 CAC has been the government approved project developer and producer of the Degree Canadian Poker Championship and its national liaison. The DPC is a joint efforts project which includes TSN (The Sports Network), Unilever Canada and CAC. This is Canada’s largest FREE ROLL – no by in tournament and the world’s first hi-definition poker production. For complete information and registration for the Degree Poker Championship please activate the following exciting web site.”
“LAS VEGAS, Oct. 13 (UPI) — Former Secretary of State Alexander Haig Jr. has resigned from the board of MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, the casino said Tuesday.
The MGM Mirage did not give a reason for Haig’s departure. The retired general has served on the MGM Mirage board since May 1990, the Las Vegas Sun reported.
MGM Mirage Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Murren said, “we are tremendously honored that Gen. Haig has played a key role in the direction of our company for the past 19 years.”
“His knowledge and expertise have been instrumental in the success and development of MGM Mirage and we are deeply indebted to him for his contributions to our company,” Murren said.
Haig remains chairman of Worldwide Associates, Inc.
Haig has had a full military and political career, serving as chief of staff for President Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford and Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan. He also served as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Forces, 1974-79.”
“Serco‘s Office of Partner Relations (OPR) helps facilitate our aggressive small business utilization and growth strategies. Through the OPR, Serco mentors four local small businesses under formal Mentor Protégé Agreements: Three sponsored by DHS (Base One Technologies, TSymmetry, Inc., and HeiTech Services, Inc.,) and the fourth sponsored by GSA (DKW Communications, Inc.). Serco and HeiTech Services were awarded the 2007 DHS Mentor Protégé Team Award for exceeding our mentoring goals.”
“Base One Technologies Expertly researches, designs, and develops information security policies that protect your data and manage your firm’s information technology risk at levels acceptable to your business. Performs architectural assessments and conducts both internal and external penetration testing. The results of these efforts culminate in an extensive risk analysis and vulnerabilities report. Develops and implements multi-layer Information Security Solutions, practices and procedures. We deploy Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and IP Security with VPN solutions using Cisco routers, Frame Relay, firewalls, address and port translation, obscurity standards and authentication technologies (AAA, 3DES, TACACS, etcŠ), to enhance and meet the level of Data Security required for global organizations. Conducts IT Security and Risk Assessment in Federal government as well as security testing, implementing security for multiple platforms and operating systems around the world. Ability to conduct business process analysis to provide technical security countermeasures, risk management and data communications security planning for large organizations. Provides computer security integration for web server and traditional client-server based applications. We secure environments up to as many layers as required by our clients’ policies, industry practices, and regulating bodies – including the desktop and user experience as required. Develops, implements and supports Information Security Counter measures such as honey-pots and evidence logging and incident documentation processes and solutions.”
“111 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 Description Base One Technologies, Ltd. is a DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION, located in New York, NY and was formed on Feb 15, 1994. This file was obtained from the Secretary of State and has a file number of 1795583. This business was created 7,695 days ago in the New York SOS Office and the registered agent is C T Corporation System that does business at 111 Eighth Avenue , New York in New York. Principals Liza R Zaneri Chief Executive Officer 15 Irving Place New Rochelle, NY 10801 Registered Agent C T Corporation System 111 EIGHTH AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10011″
“SOURCE: Base One Technologies September 02, 2008 09:00 ET Base One Technologies, Inc. Continues Operations in Government Space NEW ROCHELLE, NY–(Marketwire – September 2, 2008) – Base One Technologies, Inc. is pleased to announce that it has sold its affiliate, Base One Technologies Ltd., to Apptis Inc. Base One Technologies, Inc. will continue to compete in the government space as an 8(a), HubZone and Woman Owned Small Disadvantage Company. Base One Technologies, Inc. is an IT Engineering and Technical Services company founded in 1994. Base One has a Top Secret Facilities Clearance and specializes in: Enterprise Architecture, Network Infrastructure Support, Data Security, Software & Database Services, Disaster Recovery & Contingency Planning, and Independent Validation & Verification. Base One is a privately-held organization with headquarters in New Rochelle, NY. For more information visit: www.base-one.com. Contact Information: Liza R. Zaneri Base One Technologies 914 633-0200 x205 “www.base-one.com“
“In 1967 Paddock completed his studies at Richard E. Byrd Middle School, then graduated from John H. Francis Polytechnic High School in 1971,[13] and from California State University, Northridge in 1977, with a degree in business administration.[14] Paddock worked for the federal government from about 1975 to 1985. He was a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service from 1976 to 1978. After that, he worked for six years as an Internal Revenue Service agent until 1984. Then, he was a federal auditor for one year, in 1985, focusing on defense contractors. Towards the end of the 1980s, Paddock worked for three years as an internal auditor for a company that later merged to form Lockheed Martin.[15]”
“The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense under the direction of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). It was established in 1965 to perform all contract audits for the Department of Defense. Previously, the various branches of military service were responsible for their own contract audits.
The DCAA’s duties include financial and accounting advisory services for the Department of Defense in connection with negotiation, administration and settlement of contracts and subcontracts.
… A report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on July 23, 2008 alleged that DCAA managers threatened a senior auditor with personnel action if he did not remove negative findings from a report criticizing a large federal contractor. The report found a too-cozy relationship between management at the DCAA and some of the contractors they are assigned to audit, including Boeing. GAO also said auditors who complied with the investigation were subject to harassment and intimidation from their supervisors.[13][14][15]”
The DCAA responded on July 25 that it had asked the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) Inspector General (IG) office to investigate the GAO’s claims. “We take the GAO report very seriously,” said April Stephenson, DCAA’s director. US Senator Claire McCaskill said GAO may have uncovered the “biggest auditing scandal in the history of this town,” and asked the DoD to immediately fire the supervisors cited in the report.[16]”
“Support Services for Starwood Hotels Group Starwood Hotels Group, owner of some of the [Innholders] world’s most prestigious hotels, has appointed Serco as preferred bidder for a £7m contract to provide a range of support services to the Sheraton Grand in Edinburgh, the Westin in Dublin and the 5 star Turnberry resort on Scotland’s west coast. The contract, which has a 5 year term, is an extension to services already provided to other hotels in the Starwood Group and includes buildings maintenance and security, engineering support and [WiFi] help desk services.”
“Serco Combined Resilience Exercising
http://www.epcollege.com/EPC/media/MediaLibrary/Downloads/Gold-Standard.pdf
Types of Exercise Workshop Exercises These are structured discussion events where participants can explore issues in a less pressurized environment.
They are an ideal way of developing solutions, procedures and plans rather than the focus being on decision making. Table Top Exercises These involve a realistic scenario and will follow a time line, either in real-time or with time jumps to concentrate on the more important areas. The participants would be expected to be familiar with the plans and procedures that are being used although the exercise tempo and complexity can be adjusted to suit the current state of training and readiness. Simulation and media play can be used to support the exercise. Table-top exercises help develop teamwork and allow participants to gain a better understanding of their roles and that of other agencies and organisations.
Command/Control Post Exercises These are designed primarily to exercise the senior leadership and support staff in collective planning and decision making within a strategic grouping. Ideally such exercises would be run from the real command and control locations and using their communications and information systems. This could include a mix of locations and varying levels of technical simulation support. The GoldStandard system is flexible to allow the tempo and intensity to be adjusted to ensure maximum training benefit, or to fully test and evaluate the most important aspects of a plan. Such exercises also test information flow, communications, equipment, procedures, decision making and coordination.
Simulation and Media Support The method of delivering an exercise is flexible and will be designed with the client to meet their requirements with options ranging from simple paper-based delivery through to full use of their real communications systems [Red Switch Network and Hawkeye onion router surveillance aircraft] and advance computer simulation [In Trump’s death pool and war room suites]. In addition, media play can also be added in the form of news injects and the provision of experienced journalists and television crews to help test procedures and also assist in training key staff.
Gold Standard Emergency Planning College The Hawkhills, Easingwold, York North Yorkshire, YO61 3EG +44(0) 1347 821406 enquiries@emergencyplanningcollege.com www.epcollege.com“
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CamiJoy Barsham
Thanks for all you Do! I may have missed the answer for this question. Was Texas real? Aren’t the bullet holes outside also. I can’t help wondering and questioning the timing after Vegas. The back story, doesn’t make sense! The scene was early like Sandy Hook!¡!
Not to mention TEXAS is GHWBush/GWBush country look ay JFK! I can’t be to off on this I’m WIDE AWAKE now. I’d like to purchase an Abel Danger Coffee Mug
LetFreedomRing
DDrake
Field, could you please write a Book about all this stuff, it’s origins and how it all happened. Something with all the pieces put together. I will gladly buy that book. It would make a greater impact on the truth, I think, giving People a better understanding of what you have worked on and achieved. Thank you. …Oorahh, MARINE CORPS! …”Semper Fidelis” …ALWAYS faithful. …God Bless.
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The key to a long life? Vegetables – fresh ones!
May 2, 2014 Longevity, NutritionMick Daly
For years now, the official recommendation in the USA has been to eat 7 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables every day (7 for a 4 year old girl, 13 for a normally active young man). However, in the UK the recommendation is still the old-school “5 a day”.
But that is changing. “If you want to live longer, eat a lot more than 5”, say researchers in England.
That’s how many daily servings of fruits and vegetables you should eat, according to the Health Survey for England, to more effectively reduce your risk of dying from heart disease, cancer or any other cause.
It has long been known that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables every day is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. This study, performed by researchers at University College London and published recently in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, is the first of its kind to look at a nationally representative sample and clearly link fruit and vegetable consumption with decreases in mortality from “all causes” and, specifically, from heart disease and cancer.
In the study, researchers examined the eating habits of 65,226 British people from 2001 to 2013 and found that, during the course of the study, the more daily servings of fruits and veggies a person ate, the less likely he or she was to die from heart disease, cancer or any cause. Those who ate seven or more servings a day experienced a 31 percent reduction in death from heart disease, a 25 percent reduction in death from cancer and a 42 percent reduction in death from any cause.
“This research clearly shows that there is no point in stopping at five a day. Seven or even 10 would save a lot more lives. It provides useful messages for public health practitioners and policy makers,” said Simon Capewell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University – who led the research.
Eating fewer servings of produce daily still had clear benefits, though not as pronounced as eating seven or more. For example, eating one to three servings a day resulted in a 14 percent reduction in death from any cause, eating three to five servings resulted in a 29 percent reduction in death, and five to seven daily servings reduced the risk of dying by 36 percent.
The researchers also adjusted their findings for factors such as age, sex, smoking status, body mass index, alcohol use and physical activity, suggesting that no matter what your health status or age, there are clear benefits to increasing your fruit and vegetable consumption.
The study also looked at the kind of produce that conferred the most health benefits, and fresh vegetables won hands down, with each daily portion of fresh veggies resulting in a 16 percent reduction in mortality, followed by salad conferring a 13 percent reduction with each daily portion and fresh fruit a distant third, with a 4 percent reduction in mortality.
The study found no health benefit from fruit juice, and canned and frozen fruit actually appeared to increase the risk of death during the study, likely due to the high amounts of sugar in these products.
The lessons from this groundbreaking research are pretty clear. Vegetables are best, and the more, the better. Fresh fruit offers some benefits, though not as much as vegetables. However, for variety and enjoyment of your diet, they are a good choice.
In one of the more than 30 published studies of Juice Plus+, the MD Anderson Cancer Center demonstrated that adding Juice Plus+ and the Juice Plus+ Complete whole-food based shake mix helped ovarian cancer patients achieve a 10-a-day regimen of fruit and vegetable consumption, with significant health benefits resulting.
← Sugar vs Fat: Which is Worse? Togetherness Advances Wellness: Stay Active With Your Family →
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Tag Archives: Steve Sailer
The alt-right defined
Posted by essaybee2012 in alt-right, American renaissance, Andrew Breitbart, anti-Europeanism, cathedrals, college-educated men, culture, dead white males, Donald Trump, intellectual awakening, intellectuals, Jonathan Haidt, language police, middle-American radicals, moral relativism, morality, natural conservatives, new conservative ideology, non-European ethnocentrism, non-violence, Old Masters, regressive Left, scrubbing of western history, symphonies, The Righteous Mind, tribal preservation, western political discourse, white working-class
#NRx, /pol/, 1488ers, 1960s, 4chan, 8chan, 9/11, @PizzaPartyBen, academic writing, academics, African-Americans, Al Sharpton, Allum Bokhari, alt-right, AlternativeRight.com, American renaissance, Andrew Auernheimer (weev), Andrew Breitbart, anime, Anita Sarkeesian, anti-Europeanism, anti-Semites, anti-war left, antiracism, atheism, authoritarian instincts, Baby Boomers, basilicas, beltway conservatives, Betsy Woodruff, big business, bigotry, Black Lives Matter, bloggers, border walls, Bosnian genocide, Breitbart News, BuzzFeed News, caricatures, cathedrals, Cecil Rhodes, censorship, change, cheap foreign workers, Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, cognitive science, college-educated men, Commentary, communities, conservative instinct, conservative press, constituent peoples, contemporary journalism, creativity, cuckservatives, cultural appropriation, cultural consensus, cultural libertarian movement, cultural vandalism, curiosity, Curtis Yarvin, dead dogmas, dead white males, death metal, debate, democracy, Democratic establishment, Democrats, demographic displacement, demographics, Deray McKesson, dissent, distinctiveness, diverse societies, diversity, Donald Trump, doomsday rhetoric, drugs, dynamists, economic man, economic sense, egalitarianism, Eliezer Yudkowsky, Enlightenment, entertainment industry, equality, establishment conservatives, ethnic group, ethnic pride, ethnically distinct, evolutionary safeguards, ex-cons, extremist minority, fact, Father Christmas, fourth-wave feminism, free expression, free love, free market, free trade, French New Right, gamers, gay Jew, gay masculinists, GDP, gender, globalized, globalized societies, God Emperor, GOP establishment, grandparents, grassroots, H.L. Mencken, H1B visas, healthcare reform, heirarchy, hereditary intelligence, heretics, heroes, heroic man, heroic virtues, Holocaust, homogeneity, homogeneous communities, homophobia, homosexuality, hostility, human beings, human bias, human biodiversity movement, human condition, humanism, hypocrisies, identitarians, ideologues, ideology, immigration policy, instinctive liberals, instinctive libertarians, institutions, integration, intellectual awakening, intellectuals, internet history, irreverance, Islam, Islamist killers, isolationists, Jack Donovan, Jonathan Haidt, Julius Evola, Kevin Williamson, KKK, kooks, kumbaya, lack of respect, language police, left-wing feminism, Lefties, LessWrong.com, LGBT, liberal democracy, liberal tribe, liberalism, lifestyles, Live-Action Role Players (LARPers), long hair, lulz, machine intelligence, male suicide rates, manosphere, media personalities, medieval warriors, meme brigade, memes, Mexicans, microagressions, middle-American radicals, Millenial pop culture, Milo Yiannopoulos, minority advocates, mixed-ethnic half-Pakistani, mocking Christianity, monarchy, moral relativism, morality, multiculturalists, Muslims, My Little Pony, national media, National Review, natural conservatives, natural instincts, natural liberals, neoconservative domination, neoconservative interventionism, neoreactionaries, new conservative ideology, new identity politics, New Left, New York Times, Nicholas Wade, Nick Land, noblesse oblige, non-European ethnocentrism, non-violence, norms, nostalgists, Old Masters, online image boards, order, Oswald Spengler, overseas entanglements, paleoconservative movement, parents, Pat Buchanan, pepe the frog, perfect society, philosophy, pieties, plaster saint, political candidates, political consensus, political crusades, political spectrum, political thought, politically disengaged, politics of identity, press, Princeton, pro-Russians, progress, Progressives, promiscuity, provocation, pseudo-religion, public square, Queen Victoria, race war, race-mixing, racial justice, racial violence, racism, radical social change, RamZPaul, rational thought, Reagan-Thatcher, rebels, regressive Left, Remove Kebab, renegades, Republicans, researchers, Richard Spencer, Rick Wilson, rock n' roll, Ron Paul, Rush Limbaugh, Rwanda, Sam Francis, satanists, science, scientific race differences, scrubbing of western history, Second World War, secular heresies, secular religions, self-censorship, self-determination, sexist t-shirts, sexual chastity, sexual orientation, Shlomo Shekelburg, Silicon Valley, skin colour, skinheads, social norms, social psychology, social standing, societies, St. Peter's Basilica, stability, State of the Union, stereotypes, Steve Sailer, Stormfags, Stormfront, strip malls, stucco, subculture, swearing on TV, symphonies, taboo-shattering, Taki's Magazine, The Daily Beast, The Righteous Mind, The Way Of Men, third-wave feminist wackos, traditional family, traditional gender roles, tribal hatred, tribal preservation, tribal psychology, trolling, truly marginalized, Trump Train, Twitter, underground internet, universalism, utopia, value, VDARE, vicious slurs, violent revolution, vloggers, Voltaire 3.0, western European culture, western political discourse, western polities, white supremacists, white working-class, Woodrow Wilson, writers
http://www.breitbart.com/tech/2016/03/29/an-establishment-conservatives-guide-to-the-alt-right/
An Establishment Conservative’s Guide To The Alt-Right
by Allum Bokhari & Milo Yiannopoulos 29 Mar 2016
A specter is haunting the dinner parties, fundraisers and think-tanks of the Establishment: the specter of the “alternative right.” Young, creative and eager to commit secular heresies, they have become public enemy number one to beltway conservatives — more hated, even, than Democrats or loopy progressives.
The alternative right, more commonly known as the alt-right, is an amorphous movement. Some — mostly Establishment types — insist it’s little more than a vehicle for the worst dregs of human society: anti-Semites, white supremacists, and other members of the Stormfront set. They’re wrong.
Previously an obscure subculture, the alt-right burst onto the national political scene in 2015. Although initially small in number, the alt-right has a youthful energy and jarring, taboo-defying rhetoric that have boosted its membership and made it impossible to ignore.
It has already triggered a string of fearful op-eds and hit pieces from both Left and Right: Lefties dismiss it as racist, while the conservative press, always desperate to avoid charges of bigotry from the Left, has thrown these young readers and voters to the wolves as well.
National Review attacked them as bitter members of the white working-class who worship “father-Führer” Donald Trump. Betsy Woodruff of The Daily Beast attacked Rush Limbaugh for sympathising with the “white supremacist alt-right.” BuzzFeed begrudgingly acknowledged that the movement has a “great feel for how the internet works,” while simultaneously accusing them of targeting “blacks, Jews, women, Latinos and Muslims.”
The amount of column inches generated by the alt-right is a testament to their cultural punch. But so far, no one has really been able to explain the movement’s appeal and reach without desperate caveats and virtue-signalling to readers.
Part of this is down to the alt-right’s addiction to provocation. The alt-right is a movement born out of the youthful, subversive, underground edges of the internet. 4chan and 8chan are hubs of alt-right activity. For years, members of these forums – political and non-political – have delighted in attention-grabbing, juvenile pranks. Long before the alt-right, 4channers turned trolling the national media into an in-house sport.
Having once defended gamers, another group accused of harbouring the worst dregs of human society, we feel compelled to take a closer look at the force that’s alarming so many. Are they really just the second coming of 1980s skinheads, or something more subtle?
We’ve spent the past month tracking down the elusive, often anonymous members of the alt-right, and working out exactly what they stand for.
THE INTELLECTUALS
There are many things that separate the alternative right from old-school racist skinheads (to whom they are often idiotically compared), but one thing stands out above all else: intelligence. Skinheads, by and large, are low-information, low-IQ thugs driven by the thrill of violence and tribal hatred. The alternative right are a much smarter group of people — which perhaps suggests why the Left hates them so much. They’re dangerously bright.
The origins of the alternative right can be found in thinkers as diverse as Oswald Spengler, H.L Mencken, Julius Evola, Sam Francis, and the paleoconservative movement that rallied around the presidential campaigns of Pat Buchanan. The French New Right also serve as a source of inspiration for many leaders of the alt-right.
The media empire of the modern-day alternative right coalesced around Richard Spencer during his editorship of Taki’s Magazine. In 2010, Spencer founded AlternativeRight.com, which would become a center of alt-right thought.
Alongside other nodes like Steve Sailer’s blog, VDARE and American Renaissance, AlternativeRight.com became a gathering point for an eclectic mix of renegades who objected to the established political consensus in some form or another. All of these websites have been accused of racism.
Razib Khan, who lost an opportunity at the New York Times over his views on human biodiversity, now writes for the alt-right Unz Review.
The so-called online “manosphere,” the nemeses of left-wing feminism, quickly became one of the alt-right’s most distinctive constituencies. Gay masculinist author Jack Donovan, who edited AlternativeRight’s gender articles, was an early advocate for incorporating masculinist principles in the alt-right. His book, The Way Of Men, contains many a wistful quote about the loss of manliness that accompanies modern, globalized societies.
It’s tragic to think that heroic man’s great destiny is to become economic man, that men will be reduced to craven creatures who crawl across the globe competing for money, who spend their nights dreaming up new ways to swindle each other. That’s the path we’re on now.
Steve Sailer, meanwhile, helped spark the “human biodiversity” movement, a group of bloggers and researchers who strode eagerly into the minefield of scientific race differences — in a much less measured tone than former New York Times science editor Nicholas Wade.
Isolationists, pro-Russians and ex-Ron Paul supporters frustrated with continued neoconservative domination of the Republican party were also drawn to the alt-right, who are almost as likely as the anti-war left to object to overseas entanglements.
Elsewhere on the internet, another fearsomely intelligent group of thinkers prepared to assault the secular religions of the establishment: the neoreactionaries, also known as #NRx.
Neoreactionaries appeared quite by accident, growing from debates on LessWrong.com, a community blog set up by Silicon Valley machine intelligence researcher Eliezer Yudkowsky. The purpose of the blog was to explore ways to apply the latest research on cognitive science to overcome human bias, including bias in political thought and philosophy.
LessWrong urged its community members to think like machines rather than humans. Contributors were encouraged to strip away self-censorship, concern for one’s social standing, concern for other people’s feelings, and any other inhibitors to rational thought. It’s not hard to see how a group of heretical, piety-destroying thinkers emerged from this environment — nor how their rational approach might clash with the feelings-first mentality of much contemporary journalism and even academic writing.
Led by philosopher Nick Land and computer scientist Curtis Yarvin, this group began a gleeful demolition of the age-old biases of western political discourse. Liberalism, democracy and egalitarianism were all put under the microscope of the neoreactionaries, who found them wanting.
Liberal democracy, they argued, had no better a historical track record than monarchy, while egalitarianism flew in the face of every piece of research on hereditary intelligence. Asking people to see each other as human beings rather than members of a demographic in-group, meanwhile, ignored every piece of research on tribal psychology.
While they can certainly be accused of being overly-eager to bridge the gap between fact and value (the truth of tribal psychology doesn’t necessarily mean we should embrace or encourage it), these were the first shoots of a new conservative ideology — one that many were waiting for.
NATURAL CONSERVATIVES
Natural conservatives can broadly be described as the group that the intellectuals above were writing for. They are mostly white, mostly male middle-American radicals, who are unapologetically embracing a new identity politics that prioritises the interests of their own demographic.
In their politics, these new conservatives are only following their natural instincts — the same instincts that motivate conservatives across the globe. These motivations have been painstakingly researched by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, and an instinct keenly felt by a huge swathe of the political population: the conservative instinct.
Acclaimed social psychologist Jonathan Haidt described the conservative instinct in his 2012 book The Righteous Mind.
An establishment Republican, with their overriding belief in the glory of the free market, might be moved to tear down a cathedral and replace it with a strip mall if it made economic sense. Such an act would horrify a natural conservative. Immigration policy follows a similar pattern: by the numbers, cheap foreign workers on H1B visas make perfect economic sense. But natural conservatives have other concerns: chiefly, the preservation of their own tribe and its culture.
For natural conservatives, culture, not economic efficiency, is the paramount value. More specifically, they value the greatest cultural expressions of their tribe. Their perfect society does not necessarily produce a soaring GDP, but it does produce symphonies, basilicas and Old Masters. The natural conservative tendency within the alt-right points to these apotheoses of western European culture and declares them valuable and worth preserving and protecting.
Needless to say, natural conservatives’ concern with the flourishing of their own culture comes up against an intractable nemesis in the regressive left, which is currently intent on tearing down statues of Cecil Rhodes and Queen Victoria in the UK, and erasing the name of Woodrow Wilson from Princeton in the U.S. These attempts to scrub western history of its great figures are particularly galling to the alt-right, who in addition to the preservation of western culture, care deeply about heroes and heroic virtues.
This follows decades in which left-wingers on campus sought to remove the study of “dead white males” from the focus of western history and literature curricula. An establishment conservative might be mildly irked by such behaviour as they switch between the State of the Union and the business channels, but to a natural conservative, such cultural vandalism may just be their highest priority.
In fairness, many establishment conservatives aren’t keen on this stuff either — but the alt-right would argue that they’re too afraid of being called “racist” to seriously fight against it. Which is why they haven’t. Certainly, the rise of Donald Trump, perhaps the first truly cultural candidate for President since Buchanan, suggests grassroots appetite for more robust protection of the western European and American way of life.
Alt-righters describe establishment conservatives who care more about the free market than preserving western culture, and who are happy to endanger the latter with mass immigration where it serves the purposes of big business, as “cuckservatives.”
Halting, or drastically slowing, immigration is a major priority for the alt-right. While eschewing bigotry on a personal level, the movement is frightened by the prospect of demographic displacement represented by immigration.
The alt-right do not hold a utopian view of the human condition: just as they are inclined to prioritise the interests of their tribe, they recognise that other groups – Mexicans, African-Americans or Muslims – are likely to do the same. As communities become comprised of different peoples, the culture and politics of those communities become an expression of their constituent peoples.
You’ll often encounter doomsday rhetoric in alt-right online communities: that’s because many of them instinctively feel that once large enough and ethnically distinct enough groups are brought together, they will inevitably come to blows. In short, they doubt that full “integration” is ever possible. If it is, it won’t be successful in the “kumbaya” sense. Border walls are a much safer option.
The alt-right’s intellectuals would also argue that culture is inseparable from race. The alt-right believe that some degree of separation between peoples is necessary for a culture to be preserved. A Mosque next to an English street full of houses bearing the flag of St. George, according to alt-righters, is neither an English street nor a Muslim street — separation is necessary for distinctiveness.
Some alt-righters make a more subtle argument. They say that when different groups are brought together, the common culture starts to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Instead of mosques or English houses, you get atheism and stucco.
Ironically, it’s a position that has much in common with leftist opposition to so-called “cultural appropriation,” a similarity openly acknowledged by the alt-right.
It’s arguable that natural conservatives haven’t had real political representation for decades. Since the 1980s, establishment Republicans have obsessed over economics and foreign policy, fiercely defending the Reagan-Thatcher economic consensus at home and neoconservative interventionism abroad. In matters of culture and morality, the issues that natural conservatives really care about, all territory has been ceded to the Left, which now controls the academy, the entertainment industry and the press.
For those who believe in the late Andrew Breitbart’s dictum that politics is downstream from culture, the number of writers, political candidates and media personalities who actually believe that culture is the most important battleground can be dispiriting. (Though Milo is trying his best.)
Natural liberals, who instinctively enjoy diversity and are happy with radical social change – so long as it’s in an egalitarian direction – are now represented by both sides of the political establishment. Natural conservatives, meanwhile, have been slowly abandoned by Republicans — and other conservative parties in other countries. Having lost faith in their former representatives, they now turn to new ones — Donald Trump and the alternative right.
There are principled objections to the tribal concerns of the alt-right, but Establishment conservatives have tended not to express them, instead turning nasty in the course of their panicked backlash. National Review writer Kevin Williamson, in a recent article attacking the sort of voters who back Trump, said that white working-class communities “deserve to die.”
Although the alt-right consists mostly of college-educated men, it sympathises with the white working classes and, based on our interviews, feels a sense of noblesse oblige. National Review has been just as directly unpleasant about the alt-right as it has, on occasion, been about white Americans in general.
In response to concerns from white voters that they’re going to go extinct, the response of the Establishment — the conservative Establishment — has been to openly welcome that extinction. It’s true that Donald Trump would not be possible without the oppressive hectoring of the progressive Left, but the entire media is to blame for the environment in which this new movement has emerged.
For decades, the concerns of those who cherish western culture have been openly ridiculed and dismissed as racist. The alt-right is the inevitable result. No matter how silly, irrational, tribal or even hateful the Establishment may think the alt-right’s concerns are, they can’t be ignored, because they aren’t going anywhere. As Haidt reminds us, their politics is a reflection of their natural inclinations.
In other words, the Left can’t language-police and name-call them away, which have for the last twenty years been the only progressive responses to dissent, and the Right can’t snobbishly dissociate itself from them and hope they go away either.
THE MEME TEAM
Earlier, we mentioned the pressure to self-censor. But whenever such pressure arises in a society, there will always be a young, rebellious contingent who feel a mischievous urge to blaspheme, break all the rules, and say the unsayable. Why? Because it’s funny!
As Curtis Yarvin explains via email: “If you spend 75 years building a pseudo-religion around anything – an ethnic group, a plaster saint, sexual chastity or the Flying Spaghetti Monster – don’t be surprised when clever 19-year-olds discover that insulting it is now the funniest f*****g thing in the world. Because it is.”
These young rebels, a subset of the alt-right, aren’t drawn to it because of an intellectual awakening, or because they’re instinctively conservative. Ironically, they’re drawn to the alt-right for the same reason that young Baby Boomers were drawn to the New Left in the 1960s: because it promises fun, transgression, and a challenge to social norms they just don’t understand.
Just as the kids of the 60s shocked their parents with promiscuity, long hair and rock’n’roll, so too do the alt-right’s young meme brigades shock older generations with outrageous caricatures, from the Jewish “Shlomo Shekelburg” to “Remove Kebab,” an internet in-joke about the Bosnian genocide. These caricatures are often spliced together with Millennial pop culture references, from old 4chan memes like pepe the frog, to anime and My Little Pony references.
Are they actually bigots? No more than death metal devotees in the 80s were actually Satanists. For them, it’s simply a means to fluster their grandparents. Currently, the Grandfather-in-Chief is Republican consultant Rick Wilson, who attracted the attention of this group on Twitter after attacking them as “childless single men who jerk off to anime.”
Responding in kind, they proceeded to unleash all the weapons of mass trolling that anonymous subcultures are notorious for — and brilliant at. From digging up the most embarrassing parts of his family’s internet history to ordering unwanted pizzas to his house and bombarding his feed with anime and Nazi propaganda, the alt-right’s meme team, in typically juvenile but undeniably hysterical fashion, revealed their true motivations: not racism, the restoration of monarchy or traditional gender roles, but lulz.
It’s hard to know for certain, but we suspect that unlike the core of the alt-right, these young renegades aren’t necessarily instinctive conservatives. Indeed, their irreverence, lack of respect of social norms, and willingness to stomp on other people’s feelings suggest they may actually be instinctive libertarians.
Certainly that’s the case for a joyful contingent of Trump supporters who spend hours creating memes celebrating the “God Emperor” and tormenting his adversaries, such as Yiannopoulos ally @PizzaPartyBen, who has amassed 40,000 followers on Twitter with his raucous antics.
Were this the 1960s, the meme team would probably be the most hellraising members of the New Left: swearing on TV, mocking Christianity, and preaching the virtues of drugs and free love. It’s hard to imagine them reading Evola, musing at St. Peter’s Basilica or settling down in a traditional family unit. They may be be inclined to sympathise to those causes, but mainly because it annoys the right people.
Young people perhaps aren’t primarily attracted to the alt-right because they’re instinctively drawn to its ideology: they’re drawn to it because it seems fresh, daring and funny, while the doctrines of their parents and grandparents seem unexciting, overly-controlling and overly-serious. Of course, there is plenty of overlap. Some true believers like to meme too.
If you’re a Buzzfeed writer or a Commentary editor reading this and thinking… how childish, well. You only have yourself to blame for pompously stomping on free expression and giving in to the worst and most authoritarian instincts of the progressive left. This new outburst of creativity and taboo-shattering is the result.
Of course, just as was the case in history, the parents and grandparents just won’t understand, man. That’s down to the age difference. Millennials aren’t old enough to remember the Second World War or the horrors of the Holocaust. They are barely old enough to remember Rwanda or 9/11. Racism, for them, is a monster under the bed, a story told by their parents to frighten them into being good little children.
As with Father Christmas, Millennials have trouble believing it’s actually real. They’ve never actually seen it for themselves — and they don’t believe that the memes they post on /pol/ are actually racist. In fact, they know they’re not — they do it because it gets a reaction. Barely a month passes without a long feature in a new media outlet about the rampant sexism, racism or homophobia of online image boards. For regular posters at these boards, that’s mission accomplished.
Another, more palatable, interpretation of these memes is that they are clearly racist, but that there is very little sincerity behind them.
The funny thing is, being Millennials, they’re often quite diverse. Just visit a /pol/ thread, where posters’ nationalities are identified with small flags next to their posting IDs. You’ll see flags from the west, the Balkans, Turkey, the Middle East, South America, and even, sometimes, Africa. Everyone on the anonymous board hurls the most vicious slurs and stereotypes each other, but like jocks busting each other’s balls at the college bar, it’s obvious that there’s little real hatred present.
That is, until the 1488ers show up.
THE ‘1488rs’
Anything associated as closely with racism and bigotry as the alternative right will inevitably attract real racists and bigots. Calmer members of the alternative right refer darkly to these people as the “1488ers,” and for all their talk of there being “no enemies to the right,” it’s clear from the many conversations we’ve had with alt-righters that many would rather the 1488ers didn’t exist.
These are the people that the alt-right’s opponents wish constituted the entire movement. They’re less concerned with the welfare of their own tribe than their fantasies of destroying others. 1488ers would likely denounce this article as the product of a degenerate homosexual and an ethnic mongrel.
Why “1488”? It’s a reference to two well-known Neo Nazi slogans, the first being the so-called 14 Words: “We Must Secure The Existence Of Our People And A Future For White Children.” The second part of the number, 88, is a reference to the 8th letter of the alphabet – H. Thus, “88” becomes “HH” which becomes “Heil Hitler.”
Not very edifying stuff. But if you want to use the 1488ers to tarnish the entire alt-right, you need to do the same with Islamist killers and Islam and third-wave feminist wackos with the entire history and purpose of feminism. Which you might well be fine with — but let’s be consistent.
Alt-right vlogger Paul “RamZPaul” Ramsey describes them as “LARPers” or Live-Action Role Players: a disparaging comparison to nerdy nostalgists who dress up as medieval warriors. Paul even goes as far as to suggest some in this “toxic mix of kooks and ex-cons” may be there solely to discredit the more reasonable white identitarians.
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Updated July 25, 2018 by Melissa Harr
The 10 Best Illustrated Bibles
We spent 43 hours on research, videography, and editing, to review the top selections for this wiki. Enhance your enjoyment of the Scriptures with one of these illustrated Bibles. Their stunning drawings and abundant reference materials should be of interest and of educational value to any theologian. We've also included a few picture Bibles that were specifically created to make religious works more easily accessible to younger readers. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to support our work. Skip to the best illustrated bible on Amazon.
NIV Archaeological Study
JPS Children's
10. NIV Archaeological Study
The NIV Archaeological Study helps readers come to a historical understanding by examining archaeological records, breathing new life into familiar Biblical stories. It’s a reference to return to repeatedly, thanks to essential, well-organized information.
Study notes at bottoms of pages
Thorough charts for crucial subjects
Exceedingly small print
9. DK Family
The DK Family is based on the New International Version, and it could just be your new favorite for bedtime reading. A short explanation follows key stories to help detail the meaning and message, which is an asset to your child’s learning.
Encourages thinking in young readers
Good introduction to the material
Useful notes in margins
DK Publishing Dorling K
8. Zondervan Dictionary
The Zondervan Dictionary includes a number of articles, charts, and colorful images in a true-to-the-original interpretation that traditionalists will enjoy. With information totally founded on the NIV, it’s been cross-referenced to the King James Version.
Replete with maps
Handy scripture index
Kindle version tough to navigate
7. JPS Children's
The JPS Children's was penned by acclaimed Jewish scholar Ellen Frankel, using the 1985 JPS translation of the Hebrew Bible as its basis. Its tales are written in a manner that makes them easy for children to understand, all without any immodest illustrations.
Doesn't rely on personal viewpoints
Author's notebook adds perspective
Leaves out a few key stories
The Jewish Publication
6. The Action Bible
Comic book lovers need look no further than The Action Bible. It's done in a graphic novel style that makes perusal fun, and it’s especially perfect for today’s culture. In it, you’ll find 215 stories placed in chronological order that come to an exciting head.
Writing and illustrations pair well
Bold and emotionally touching
Some images may frighten young kids
5. The Baker Handbook
The Baker Handbook provides up-to-date evangelical scholarship, featuring over 1,000 vividly illustrated pages as well as more than 100 detailed articles covering a variety of key topics. It’s organized logically and should be simple to understand for most readers.
Offers scriptural insights
Written by biblical scholars
Some find historical info lacking
Baker Pub Group
4. The Complete Illustrated Children's Bible
The Complete Illustrated Children's Bible is packed with nearly 300 delightful two-page drawings, which will grab your little one’s eyes and emotions. It's the ideal introduction for young children who may not have the discipline to read longer or more complicated works.
Contains the most-beloved tales
Images look realistic
Binding has quality issues
Harvest House Publisher
3. The New Catholic
The New Catholic helps readers familiarize themselves with the motivating stories of the Bible in a way that makes learning interesting and semi-lighthearted. It’s ideal for younger children, as it has 100 gorgeous illustrations to capture their attention.
Remains faithful to source material
Well bound for ease of reading
Gold foil detailing
TAN Books and Publisher
2. The Complete Bible Handbook
The Complete Bible Handbook is perhaps one of the most comprehensive, yet still easily digestible, versions ever published. It was written by a multidenominational team of experts to try and shed new light on, and give an unbiased look at, well-known religious stories.
Summarizes key subjects
Embraces judaism and christianity
Current-day maps of biblical sites
WaterBrook Press
1. NLT Illustrated Study Bible
The NLT Illustrated Study Bible is all about bringing Scripture to life, which it does through ample and rich infographics, maps, photographs, illustrations, and much, much more. You’ll find that it makes complex themes and information accessible to all who give it a look.
Timelines add perspective
Includes word studies
Profiles of key individuals
Tyndale House Publisher
The Importance Of Bible Study
It is in this half of the Bible where you will encounter the teachings of Christ and the story of his life.
Few documents warrant the kind of rigorous and repetitive study as does the Bible. It is supposedly the best-selling book of all time, though some of those numbers are hard to quantify. Its words are held as the voice of God by millions and millions of people worldwide, and its teachings and philosophies are believed by many millions more the world over. But you don't have to be a religious person to appreciate the Bible, as it offers insight of one kind or another to anyone who opens it.
For anyone of the Christian faith, the importance of the Bible cannot be overstated. It is the central text chronicling the creation of the universe, the earth, and mankind, and tracing our long journey to the present moment and beyond. If you are at all serious about your faith, then studying the Bible is the most effective way to understand your purpose in life.
If you come to know the Bible inside and out, you can turn to it in times of need for guidance in almost any situation. The Old Testament provides some basic laws, many of which have been called into question even by the church itself, but many more of which are grounded in a basic level of respect for your fellow human beings. The New Testament forgoes that basic level of respect in favor of a more profound love. It is in this half of the Bible where you will encounter the teachings of Christ and the story of his life.
For those of you who are skeptical of what the Bible has to offer you, it's important to remember that the sheer force of belief in this book gives it a kind of cultural power that you need to respect. Great writers throughout history have understood this. And if you wish to understand the inner workings of Milton, Melville, Shaw, and dozens of other brilliant artists throughout history, you would do well to have an understanding of the Bible.
Readers of any and all faiths, or even no faith, will agree that the Bible, in parts if not the whole, is particularly well-written. It can get a little boring at times, especially in the beginning when the Book of Genesis details the long and surprisingly incestuous journey of the human race as it sprung forth from the Garden of Eden, but much of the language contained in its pages is elevated and interesting. And like any good book, when carefully read, it isn't hard to find something that speaks to you. Whether it's the poetic musings in the Book of Psalms, the words of Jesus spoken in his Sermon on the Mount, or the brutal descriptions of the Fall of Sodom and Gomorrah, there's a little something for everyone.
Why It’s Smart To Use An Illustrated Bible
Upon first hearing of illustrated Bibles, you’d be forgiven for assuming that these tomes were specifically directed at children. We tend to grow up with picture books, slowly work through a stage of books that contain fewer and fewer images, and eventually graduate to books that have little to no images to speak of. Which is a shame when you think about it because a good picture can convey a tremendous amount of useful information. Moby Dick, to return to Melville for an example, is much easier to understand with a good diagram of a ship with all its important parts clearly labeled. Likewise, a Bible with detailed maps of areas of interest, along with artists’ renderings of important people, can help complete the picture of your Bible study.
Moby Dick, to return to Melville for an example, is much easier to understand with a good diagram of a ship with all its important parts clearly labeled.
That said, there are some great models out there that are intended to ignite children’s imaginations as they make their way through the stories contained in their pages. There’s no arguing that children are particularly imaginative all on their own, but images of the ancient structures of the Old Testament, or of borderline heroic figures like Jesus or Job aren’t there to fill in the gaps in kids’ minds so much as to help keep them engaged in a story the same way that images in other children’s books do.
You'll also notice as you peruse the options on our list, that not all of the illustrated Bibles on the market are simply Bibles with pictures in them. Many contain additional text that doesn't originate in the Bible, but that adds useful information to your reading and interpretation. Much of that information is often supported by images, maps, charts, and more. These Bibles are particularly well-suited individuals who have already read through the text once and would like to go deeper with a little help, as well as those who want their first time through the Bible to be as detailed and comprehensive as possible.
A Moment In History Of The Bible
The history of the Bible is long and storied. It would take far more space than I have to write to give you a comprehensive lineage of its texts and consolidation. What I can do in this short space, however, is give you a glimpse at one of the most fascinating moments in the Bible's history.
The result of this project, completed nearly a decade later, was the work of some 47 translators.
When King James I came to power in England in 1603, an explosion of translations of both secular spiritual and religious texts had begun to upset any attempt at harmony among the various Christian communities in England. In 1604, James sought to unify the translation of the Old and New Testaments in a manner that would please all parties, but that would, most of all, sustain the power structure of the Anglican Church.
The result of this project, completed nearly a decade later, was the work of some 47 translators. It included many books favorable to the Anglican Church, while excluding certain Gospels whose origins and messages were deemed suspect. At this point in history, most readers take this translation at face value as a direct transmission from its first utterance to their very eyes. While the accuracy and intent behind this and other translations can't necessarily be proven one way or another, perhaps the addition of images to the text can help readers’ imaginations create a personalized picture that they can believe in.
Click here to see our #1 pick
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Last updated on July 25, 2018 by Melissa Harr
Melissa Harr is a language-obsessed writer from Chicagoland who holds both a bachelor of arts and master of arts in English. Although she began as a TEFL teacher, earning several teaching certificates and working in both Russia and Vietnam, she moved into freelance writing to satisfy her passion for the written word. She has published full-length courses and books in the realm of arts & crafts and DIY; in fact, most of her non-working time is spent knitting, cleaning, or committing acts of home improvement. Along with an extensive knowledge of tools, home goods, and crafts and organizational supplies, she has ample experience (okay, an obsession) with travel gear, luggage, and the electronics that make modern life more convenient.
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WCG 2012: Grand Finals
Tankers,
Wargaming today announced details of the World of Tanks championship at the World Cyber Games 2012 Grand Finals. Marking the game’s debut as an official eSports discipline, this year`s challenge will be held in Kunshan, China from November 29th to December 2nd.
The tournament will begin with two groups, one of eight and one of seven teams, that will determine the top two competitors that will advance to the single elimination best-of-three bracket.
“We are focused on expanding World of Tanks as a world-wide eSport discipline,'' said Victor Kislyi, CEO of Wargaming. “Events like the World Cyber Games spur growth in it as a eSport by encouraging pro gamers to pump more hours into improvement and helping us find what needs to be changed to enhance the gaming experience."
Fifteen top professional and competitive teams from across Europe, North America, and Asia battled their way through online qualifiers and national finals to compete for the coveted title of World of Tanks World Champion, and hefty prize purses going to the best three teams.
The teams will be playing as following:
Thursday, 29th November
8:00 – 8.30
Stage D
Friday, 30th November
4.30 – 5:00
09:00 – 9.30
Stage A
Saturday, 1st December
The final battles for the World of Tanks grand prize will be held on December 1, 2012. The semi-finals and the 3rd/4th place matches will be held on stage D, while the ultimate encounter will unfold on stage A.
All stage matches of the WCG 2012 Grand Finals will be broadcasted live by Korean Ongamenet, Twitch TV, Daum TV pot and Chinese NeoTV.
Stay tuned for the next update on WCG 2012, the largest gaming festival in the world!
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All Zionist roads lead to genocide
Zionism supporters feel threatened by the intersectional solidarity that women like Ilhan Omar represent.
by Yoav Litvin
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar walks through the halls of the Capitol Building in Washington on January 16, 2019 [File: Andrew Harnik/AP]
Over the past week, yet another recently-elected progressive congresswoman found herself in the eye of a media storm. On February 10, Somali-American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar retweeted a posting by American journalist Glenn Greenwald which criticised attacks on her and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib for their support of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, adding, "It's all about the Benjamins baby."
Shortly after Batya Ungar-Sargon, an editor at the Jewish periodical The Forward, asked Omar to clarify who, she was suggesting, pays US politicians, to which the congresswoman responded with a single word "AIPAC", referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
AIPAC is a right-wing Zionist lobby group, which, as it declares on its website, "advocates pro-Israel policies to the Congress and Executive Branch of the United States". As any other lobbyist operation, it raises funds and uses them to influence politicians. As an Al Jazeera documentary and other investigations have demonstrated, AIPAC leverages its large budget to gain influence over US politics. In this sense, there is nothing factually wrong about Omar's assertion.
Yet Ungar-Sargon was quick to charge Omar with "anti-Semitism", accusing her of peddling anti-Semitic tropes about Jewish conspiracies. A battle of accusations ensued, involving politicians in both the Republican and Democratic parties, as well as the Zionist and anti-Zionist Jewish advocacy groups.
Even US President Donald Trump became involved, hypocritically calling on Omar to resign, claiming "anti-Semitism has no place in the United States Congress".
After facing mounting pressure, Omar caved in and needlessly apologised for her comment. Once again, the US political establishment and the mainstream media demonstrated that they cannot tolerate progressive, anti-Zionist voices like Omar's and will persist in their relentless campaign to silence them with fake accusations of anti-Semitism.
However, this episode also elucidated two important facts: one, that "liberal Zionism" does not differ in substance from "right-wing Zionism"; and two, that intersectionality in politics and advocacy is increasingly becoming a grave threat to Zionists and their supporters in the US.
The 'liberal Zionist' fallacy
That Ungar-Sargon was among the first to accuse Omar of anti-Semitism should not come as a surprise.
The Forward claims to be "the most influential nationwide Jewish media outlet today" providing "rigorous reporting and balanced commentary on politics". It is perceived to be "progressive" or "liberal" due to its occasional critique of Israeli government policies and tokenisation of marginalised voices.
Liberal Zionism presents itself as a left-wing political alternative to its more explicit fascistic version. In a recent article, Ungar-Sargon precisely expressed this false notion by attributing white supremacy exclusively to the right-wing branch of Zionism.
But the "liberal Zionism", which Ungar-Sargon and The Forward represent, de facto serves to grease the machinations of Israel's reactionary politics by sanitising the white supremacist essence of the Zionist movement, concealing its motivations and trajectory.
Thus, it was hardly surprising that Ungar-Sargon chose to accuse Omar of "anti-Semitism" by deploying Zionist propaganda which co-opts Judaism as a weapon of oppression and a shield against criticism, consequently labelling resistance to Zionism and Israeli policies as "anti-Semitic".
As veteran Israeli journalist Gideon Levy has said: "If you remain a Zionist, you can no longer be of the left; if you're of the left, you can no longer be a Zionist."
Or in other words, Ungar-Sargon's feigned liberalism or left-wing slant far better represent oppressive and reactionary Zionist principles peppered with identity politics, than a genuine left-wing Jewish outlook.
All versions of Zionism, including The Forward's liberal sort, lead to the same reactionary end of unbridled expansionism and continued settler colonial genocide of Palestinian people.
Zionism has always been a white supremacist, settler colonialist, anti-democratic, right-wing ideology, which has demanded a loyalty based on nationalist racism. Zionists of all sorts, including of the liberal kind, have collaborated with anti-Semitic forces towards a mutual goal of global apartheid, often at the expense of Jews who live outside Israel.
Zionism and its denialism appeals to white supremacists in the United States who similarly are in denial of the American genocide of Native Americans and enslavement of black Africans.
The 'threat' of intersectionality
This recent attack on Omar is part of the concentrated, fraudulent smearing campaign against her and Congresswoman Tlaib and is directly linked to the targeting of other pro-Palestinian men and women of colour (such as Marc Lamont Hill and Angela Davis).
What all of these people have in common is that they represent intersectional, anti-imperialist, leftist and feminist politics; that is, they all recognise that the sources of oppression they face in their everyday lives are interconnected and interdependent.
For someone like Omar - a black Somali Muslim woman - oppression manifests itself in the white supremacy that seeks to subjugate all non-white races, in the imperialism that has stoked war in her home country Somalia, in the Islamophobia which demonises and marginalises her Muslim community and the patriarchy which constantly tries to relegate women to a secondary, subordinate position in society.
Although she is not Palestinian, her experience of all these forms of oppression cannot but make her sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. This is because all of them - white supremacy, imperialism, Islamophobia and patriarchy - lie at the very core of the Zionist movement which has victimised and brutalised Palestinians for more than seven decades now.
Seeing and resisting oppression through the lens of intersectionality galvanises lessons of past anti-colonial movements and helps break apart the fictitious political narratives of white supremacy, imperialism, racism and patriarchy. Furthermore, the recognition that various oppressed peoples have common enemies serves to reinforce solidarity between them and assists in principled grassroots movements, such as BDS.
The reason why Zionists consider intersectional solidarity dangerous and why they tend to attack viciously those who represent it (such as Omar, Hill, Davis, etc) is because it dispels fragmenting propaganda and empowers Palestinians and pro-Palestinian forces to build a wider front to challenge Zionism and the hegemonic powers which support it. It is able to mobilise an increasing number of people under the anti-Zionism banner who are unified in their call for justice in Palestine.
To maintain this united front, moving forward, it is important to retain clarity of vision and defy the pernicious conflation of Zionism and Judaism or anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism.
As Omar Barghouti, a founding committee member of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel and cofounder of BDS, once wrote: "In response to this fatal alliance of savage capitalism in the West with Israeli racism, exclusion and colonial subjugation, the global movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel presents not only a progressive, anti-racist, sophisticated, sustainable, moral and effective form of civil non-violent resistance, but also a real chance of becoming the political catalyst and moral anchor for a strengthened, reinvigorated international social movement capable of reaffirming the rights of all humans to freedom, equality and dignity and the right of nations to self determination."
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.
Ilhan Omar: No debate on 'whether Trump is a racist'
Yoav Litvin
Yoav Litvin is an Israeli-American doctor of psychology/neuroscience, a writer and photographer.
@ nookyelur
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Kevin Rigdon
Kevin Rigdon is an Associate Director for Design for the Alley Theatre. For the Alley, he has created scenic, lighting and costume designs for 96 productions, including The Humans, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Hand to God, The Nether, The Christians, The Foreigner, As You Like It, Good People, November, What We’re Up Against, The Seagull, The Monster at the Door, August: Osage County, A Behanding in Spokane, Intelligence-Slave, Mrs. Mannerly, Our Town, Mauritius, The Unexpected Guest, Underneath the Lintel, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, The Scene, Death on the Nile, The Clean House, Subject to Fits, Orson’s Shadow, The Pillowman, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Crucible, After the Fall, Life X 3,Topdog/Underdog, Proof, The Greeks, Twelfth Night, In the Jungle of Cities, among many others. He has designed the Broadway productions of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, The Old Neighborhood, Buried Child, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, The Song of Jacob Zulu, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Grapes of Wrath, Our Town, Speed-the-Plow, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Caretaker, and Ghetto. His Off-Broadway credits include Oleanna, Distant Fire, Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants, Orphans, Balm in Gilead, And a Nightingale Sang…, Edmond, and True West. His designs have been seen in the London productions of Waiting for Godot, You Never Can Tell, American Buffalo, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Speed-the-Plow, The Grapes of Wrath, and Orphans. He has designed more than 110 productions for Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, and has designed for organizations including The Peter Hall Company, The Kennedy Center, American Repertory Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, The Center Theatre Group, The Festival of Sydney, and The Cameri Theatre of Tel-Aviv, among others. He is the recipient of two Tony Award nominations, two American Theatre Wing Design awards, and seven Joseph Jefferson awards among many others. Kevin is the Moores Professor of Theatre and head of graduate design at the University of Houston.
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HomeEntertainment8 Horror Movies That Are Based On Real Life Events | AIB
Dec. 26, 2018 at 12:31 pm
8 Horror Movies That Are Based On Real Life Events | AIB
Santhosh DR 7 months ago December 26, 2018 1 comment
Do not worry it’s just a movie! That’s what we usually repeat to ourselves when we watch a horror movie that manages to sow real fear. And repeating that in our heads usually works until we come across a movie that is based on real events.
That’s something that Hollywood is very aware of, which is why there are so many horror films – classic and contemporary – that are inspired by real occurrences. Some of these films move away from the limits of reality, while others remain faithful to their original material. But whatever it is, they are all terrifying in their own way.
What follows is a list of 8 movies based on real events that show that there is nothing more terrifying than a true horror story.
1. The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
Screen fiction: A middle – class family heads to California to spend a quiet holiday with your caravan. Things go wrong when a breakdown forces them to leave the road and go into the desert to seek help. Without knowing it, they have just entered an area that years ago served the army to test nuclear weapons. The Carter family will have to kill a group of mutant cannibals if they want to survive.
The harsh reality: Wes Craven wrote the script after being inspired by the legend of Alexander “Sawney” Bean, head of a clan of the 16th century who lived in caves. They lived there for 25 years, devouring about 1,000 people before being discovered and killed.
2. The Amityville Horror (1979)
Screen fiction: A family moves to a house that begins to show signs of paranormal activity after investigating, its members discover that it was built on an Indian cemetery.
The harsh reality: Ronald DeFeo, Jr. executed his parents and four brothers while they slept. A year later, a family moved to the house where the crime took place and shortly afterward reported that paranormal events were occurring inside.
3. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Screen fiction: A child killer, Freddy Krueger, is released from prison, but the enraged parents of the community decide to take justice into their own hands and burn him alive. Years later, Krueger returns to continue his murderous streak, now from the world of dreams.
The harsh reality: The creator of the saga, Wes Craven, declared that the idea of people killed simultaneously in their dreams and real life came from a series of articles that he read in the 70s about Cambodian refugees who were terrified of the simple notion of sleep. Some of them did not resist and fell asleep never to wake up.
4. Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
Screen fiction: Henry Lee Lucas had an unhappy childhood. He was imprisoned for stabbing his mother. Since his release, he has been killing indiscriminately. He arbitrarily chooses his victims and kills them with a different method each time. One day, Becky, Otis’ sister, a fellow prisoner, arrives and stays to live with them. Soon an attraction is created between Henry and the woman. One night, Otis and Henry kill two prostitutes in an alley, this being the beginning of the end …
The harsh reality: The character of Henry is loosely based on the stories of real-life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, who claims to have killed up to 3,000 people. Although that has not been verified (and Lucas even retracted those testimonies), he was involved in 11 murder cases and defended himself by saying that he had been a victim of “bullying” which was the primary cause that made him a murderer.
5. From Hell (2001)
Screen fiction: A maniac is on the loose in the streets of London in 1888 murdering prostitutes and mutilating their bodies with surgical precision.
The harsh reality: The film is an adaptation of the graphic novel From Hell, in turn, based on the crimes of Jack the Ripper, serial killer that terrorized London in the late nineteenth century and whose true identity could never be proven.
6. Wolf Creek (2005)
Screen fiction: Three young hikers enter the Wolf Creek National Park in a ramshackle ranch that they have just bought from a dubious salesman. After the inevitable breakdown, the boys run into a friendly inhabitant of the area who promises to repair the vehicle in their camp. The trip will become a terrifying crossroads.
The harsh reality: Greg McLean was inspired by Ivan Milat, in the nineties, kidnapped and tortured hitchhikers in the forest. It is believed that Milat spent a lot of time with their victims before dispatching them, offering to take them in their car or spending long moments chatting with them in their camps, as we have seen in the first chapter of the first season of the WOLF CREEK series. Milat’s reign of terror came to an end when Paul Onions, a young British man who managed to escape, identified him and Milat was arrested on May 22, 1994.
7. Hostel (2005)
Screen fiction: A hostel in Slovakia serves as a front for trafficking with people who are sent to a hidden complex in an abandoned factory, in which eccentric millionaires finally torture and murder them after having paid absurd sums of money.
The harsh reality: Eli Roth said he found a motivation to write and direct the film after he accidentally came to a Thai website whose main attraction was to pay a large amount of money to be entitled to kill a person.
8. The Conjuring (2013)
The fiction on screen: A family is besieged by evil spirits that put at risk the integrity of all members, leaving them to hire the services of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The harsh reality: The movie is based on one of the cases of the real Warren, marriage specialized in the paranormal, particularly in demonology and clairvoyance.
Tags :AIBaindiablogfeaturedhorror movieshorror movies based on real lifehorror movies based on true stories
Ryan K Biddulph says:
That Kruger inspiration is haunting Santhosh. Def related to the Khmer Rouge no doubt.
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Adams & Adams Attorneys | News & Insights | Commercial Law | ARE CIPC ANNUAL FEE CALCULATIONS UNLAWFUL?
ARE CIPC ANNUAL FEE CALCULATIONS UNLAWFUL?
Posted on 19 September 2016 by Content Desk
On 5 September 2016 the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (the CIPC) issued a media statement (the Media Statement) stating that over 15 listed companies have been under disclosing or not disclosing their proper annual turnover values and, consequently, have not been paying the correct annual return fees to the CIPC. This, according to the CIPC is an offence in terms of the Act and is punishable by a fine or imprisonment or both.
Section 33(1)(a) of the Companies Act, 2008 (the Act) requires all companies to file an annual return in the prescribed form along with the prescribed fee.
The fee referred to in section 33 of the Act is prescribed in Table CR 2B (Annexure A to the Regulations). In terms of this Annexure the fee for filing an annual return varies according to the company “turnover” and the time of the filing. This begs the question as to how the “turnover” of a company should be calculated for purposes of determining its filing fee. This question becomes particularly relevant when calculating the “turnover” of a “holding company” as a “holding company” normally does not trade and usually has little or no turnover.
It appears from the Media Statement that the CIPC is of the opinion that the annual return filing fee in respect of a “holding company” is calculated based on the gross consolidated turnover of that company and its subsidiaries. The CIPC is ostensibly relying on the Companies Regulations, 2011 (the Regulations) for this interpretation. This view is backed up by Practice Note 1 of 2016 (the Practice Note), published by the CIPC in May 2016.
Both the Practice Note and the Media Statement state that Regulation 164(4) sets out what constitutes turnover for a company and a holding company and the method required to calculate turnover for the purpose of determining the correct annual return fee to be paid to the CIPC.
Regulation 164(4) states that the annual turnover of a “holding company” is the consolidated gross revenue of that company and each of its subsidiaries from income in, into or from the Republic arising from transactions or events such as the sale of goods, as recorded on the company’s most recent annual financial statements.
It is however clear from the wording of Regulation 164 that the Regulation applies in a completely different context and does not apply to the calculation of turnover for purposes of determining a “holding company’s” annual return filing fee.
Regulation 164 refers particularly to Section 175 of the Act (“administrative fines”), which requires the calculation of the turnover of a company in a completely different context, which context cannot be ignored. The context of Section 175 is one in which the “holding company” has contravened a provision of the Act and a subsequent compliance notice and needs to be punished by way of a fine which must be calculated based on that company’s turnover. Section 175 of the Act, however, presents a significant problem in relation to “holding companies”, as a company may not be fined more than 10% of its turnover for the period of the contravention in terms of Section 175(1)(b), whilst “holding companies” normally have little or no turnover. This means that “holding companies” could technically not be fined in terms of Section 175 was it not for Regulation 164(4). It therefore makes sense, in that particular context, for the turnover of the subsidiaries of a “holding company” to be taken into account for purposes of calculating the fine payable by a “holding company” and therefore it makes sense that the Regulation 164 caters for this.
However, in the context of determining the annual return filing fee payable by a “holding company” it makes very little sense to take the turnover of its subsidiaries into account, as each of those subsidiaries have to submit their own annual returns and, accordingly, would each have to pay their own annual return filing fees based on their respective annual turnovers. Accordingly, if the “holding company” of those subsidiaries also have to pay an annual return filing fee based on the turnover values of its subsidiaries, this would constitute a duplication of payments by that particular group of companies. In fact, considering the sliding scale in terms of which the annual return filing fee is determined under table CR 2B, the annual return filing fee payable by a “holding company” goes beyond mere duplication of payments also made by its subsidiaries, but actually exceeds the payments made by the subsidiaries. It is clear from the manner in which Regulation 164 was drafted (read with the other provisions of the Act and Regulations which deal with annual returns and filing fees), that Regulation 164 applies exclusively to the calculation of turnover for the purpose of calculating “administrative fines” in terms of Section 175 of the Act. This is clear in that the Regulation contains numerous cross-references to Section 175, whilst it contains no reference to Section 33 of the Act, nor to Table CR 2B or Regulation 30 in which filing fees are dealt with. Had the drafters contemplated that Regulation 164 should apply to the calculation of filing fees, including cross-references to Section 33 of the Act, Table CR 2B or Regulation 30 would have been the obvious and easy thing to do. Accordingly, there can be no reasonable inference, based on the wording of the relevant provisions of the Act and Regulations, that the provisions of Regulation 164 applies to the calculation of annual turnover for purposes of determining a “holding company’s” annual return filing fee.
Accordingly, a “holding company” should not be treated differently in relation to the determination of its annual return filing fee than any other company and in our view you are not entitled to base a “holding company’s” annual return filing fee on the consolidated turnover of that company’s subsidiaries. A “holding company’s” annual return filing fee should be based on its annual turnover only. In light of this, companies receiving notices from the CIPC should not blindly pay the alleged deficit but should obtain legal advice as to whether they are in fact required to pay.
by Sibusile Khusi | Candidate Attorney
Helgard Janse van Rensburg | Associate
André Visser | Partner
ANDRE VISSER
Commercial Attorney
HELGARD JANSE VAN RENSBURG
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The Adams & Adams Annual IP Crammer
The Annual IP Crammer presented by Adams & Adams took place on 29 October…
ARIPO | 40th ANNUAL COUNCIL SESSION IN HARARE
It may be time to review your policy on Accrued Annual Leave Payments
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Home Campaign Spotlight Campaign Spotlight: Grey London creates Volvo film for Sky Atlantic – The...
Campaign Spotlight: Grey London creates Volvo film for Sky Atlantic – The Unseen Ocean
LONDON – The fight against plastic pollution in our oceans is at the heart of a new film by Volvo Car UK and Grey London, for Sky Atlantic.
‘The Unseen Ocean’ focuses on Tom Franklin, a primary school teacher who also runs City Kids Surfing, a programme that teaches children to swim and surf, and educates them about the environment.
With Tom’s mission to help children from the UK’s cities become future guardians of the world’s oceans, the film follows a group of young children as they travel from south London to the Cornish coast and captures the moving moment they get to witness the natural beauty of the sea, before being given the chance to splash in the waves for the first time in their lives.
As well as feeling the power of the water against their skin, they are also given lessons in its fragility. They collect plastic waste that’s washed up on the beaches and are taught about the impact this has on the delicate ecosystems in and around the planet’s oceans.
Tom, who was a teacher in South London, developed his ocean education programme after realising the future health of the seas lies in the hands of kids who may not have experienced its awesome beauty first hand. He set up his not-for-profit organisation to take children to British coastlines to help them understand their role in protecting it for generations to come.
The campaign supports Volvo Cars’ sustainability programme, which is one of the most ambitious in the automotive sector. Earlier this year, the firm announced that by 2025 it aims for at least 25% of the plastics used in every newly launched Volvo car to be made from recycled material. It has also committed to removing single-use plastics from its offices and events across the globe by the end of 2019. In September, Volvo became the first and only car maker to endorse the G7 Ocean Plastics Charter, which commits governments to take concrete steps towards addressing the issue of ocean plastics pollution.
Tom Franklin said: “We’re never going run out of inner-city children, but we are going to run out of clean, pure ocean. If we put the two together, what a combination that would be, what a powerful force. We’re trying to come up with a truly humanistic approach to ocean sustainability. Helping these kids fall in love with the sea is a vital step in safeguarding our planet’s future.”
Georgina Williams, Head of Marketing Volvo Car UK, said: “At Volvo, we recognise the impact our products have on the environment. It’s why we have one of the most ambitious sustainability programmes in the industry, spearheaded by our aim for at least 25% of the plastics in newly launched Volvos from 2025 to be made from recycled material. But our approach goes beyond merely our products and operations; our desire to help society to think again about the environmental impact of all of our actions is the driving force behind this new campaign.”
Andy Lockley, Executive Creative Director at Grey London, said: “It was a real privilege to tell Tom’s story and we hope it inspires other educators, guardians and parents to promote ocean literacy amongst children. We are an island nation and most of us in the UK live within easy reach of the coast. We more than anyone need to help our kids understand and cherish the ocean.”
‘The Unseen Ocean’, which features the Volvo’s XC90 T8 Twin Engine and V90 T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid vehicles, will air on Sky Atlantic from 1 October as part of Volvo Car UK’s sponsorship deal with the channel and will be available on Video On Demand for a year.
This film, the sixth in the series, was directed by D.A.R.Y.L via Pulse Productions and shot on location South London and Porthcothan Bay, Cornwall. Previous films have been recognised with awards including a D&AD Pencil and Cannes Lions.
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Rio sells Kestrel coal mine for $US2.25b to EMR Capital, Adaro Energy
Timothy MooreOnline editor
Updated Mar 28, 2018 — 3.49am, first published at 3.38am
Rio Tinto said it agreed to sell its 80 per cent stake in Queensland's Kestrel underground coal mine for $US2.25 billion ($2.9 billion) to a group including EMR Capital and Adaro Energy.
The sale is expected to be completed in the second half of 2018 and it requires approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board and the Queensland government, the company said.
The Kestrel mine is located in the Bowen Basin, 40 kilometres north-east of Emerald in central Queensland. Kestrel employs longwall mining to produce high quality coking and thermal coal products for export markets.
Including the pending proceeds from Kestrel, Rio has now announced asset sales worth more than $US11 billion since 2013. Bloomberg
In 2017 the Kestrel mine produced 5.1 million tonnes of saleable coal, comprising 4.25 million tonnes of hard coking coal and 0.84 million tonnes of thermal coal. At the end of 2017, Rio Tinto reported marketable reserves for Kestrel of 146 million tonnes and mineral resources of 241 million tonnes.
Kestrel generated EBITDA of $US341 million and profit before tax of $US258 million, being Rio Tinto's attributable share, in 2017.
"The sale of Kestrel, together with the announced divestments of Hail Creek and our undeveloped coal projects, delivers exceptional value to our shareholders and will leave our portfolio stronger and more focused on delivering the highest returns through targeted allocation of capital," Rio chief Jean-Sebastien Jacques said in a statement.
EMR Capital is a private equity manager. Adaro is an Indonesian coal company.
Rio said the sale of Kestrel will bring the total amount achieved from the recent divestments of Rio Tinto's Queensland coal assets to $US4.15 billion, with the funds to be used for general corporate purposes.
Rio last week sold its Hail Creek and Valeria coal assets in Queensland to Glencore for $US1.7 billion. In the past week, Rio also sold an undeveloped tenement in Queensland to Whitehaven Coal for $US200 million.
Including the pending proceeds from Kestrel, Rio has now announced asset sales worth more than $US11 billion since 2013.
Rio received $US2.69 billion from Yancoal last year for its Hunter Valley coal mine, rail and port assets. The Yancoal transaction followed the $US606 million sale of Rio's 40 per cent stake in the Bengalla coal mine to New Hope, and the $US220 million sale of the Mt Pleasant coal project in NSW in 2016.
Rio said it anticipates that Australian income tax will be payable on the Kestrel sale proceeds which are in excess of the cost base of the assets at completion. The currently estimated tax payable is in the order of $US500 million, however the quantum of tax payable will depend on the final proceeds - after taking into account working capital adjustments, the tax cost base at completion and the total of capital gains and losses realised by the Rio Tinto Australian tax consolidated group as December 31, 2018.
Timothy Moore is an online editor. He also writes on monetary policy, equities, commodities and currencies. Connect with Timothy on Twitter. Email Timothy at timothy.moore@afr.com
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Troy reveals Veterans Memorial North End Zone Facility & Groundbreaking
Posted: Nov 10, 2016 2:46 PM CDT
TROY, Ala. (troytrojans.com) – Troy University will begin construction on a state-of-the-art Veterans Memorial Stadium North End Zone Football Facility immediately following the conclusion of the 2016 football season, Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain announced at a press conference Thursday.
The $24 million facility will provide the Troy football program with over 70,000 square feet of space for student-athletes, staff and fans. Additionally, a 35-by-90-foot video board and 402 new club seats will be included in the project. The facility will be located 30 feet off the backline in the north end zone of Veterans Memorial Stadium and will be four stories high.
The facility is expected to be completed in the spring of 2018 in advance of Troy’s season opener against Boise State on Sept. 1, 2018.
Student-Athletes:
The North End Zone Football Facility will feature a new locker room, strength and conditioning center, athletic training facility, nutritional “fueling station”, mud room with cool down plunge pool and team lounge.
Football Staff:
The North End Zone Football Facility will feature offices for the football staff and meeting rooms with state-of-the-art video technology.
The North End Zone Football Facility will feature 402 new club seats that will provide an excellent vantage point of the game as well as access to exclusive concessions and parking areas. Additionally, fans will enjoy the new 35-by-90-foot video board.
Troy University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr.
Just a moment or two earlier I leaned over to Lamar (Higgins) and I said, “You know who would really enjoy being here today? I mentioned two names. One being Doug Hawkins—and he truly is here in spirit—and I mentioned Coach (Larry) Blakeney.” I was sitting here and they said, “Coach Blakeney is here, he’s just looking for a parking spot.” I thought, “Surely we can give him a parking spot.”
What a pleasure it is. I’ve said so many times over the years that you’re probably tired of hearing me say these things, but great universities stir great emotions. That’s always the case. I think in America with intercollegiate athletics being fairly unique to this country, our emotions are stirred even more. What excitement there is here. I teased Coach Neal Brown a minute ago about all those kids publishing ‘Neal Brown for President’ buttons that I’ve seen that I told him, “This election you may have won.”
Notre Dame Coach Frank Leahy said, “A school without football is in danger of deteriorating into a medieval study hall.” A football program, especially one that is a storied as ours, does stir great emotions. I want to thank Coach Blakeney and subsequently Coach Brown for their contributions and all those who preceded them in building a great program. Intercollegiate athletics are so important and it’s been a pleasure to watch our program over the last 27 years as we evolved from Division II to Division I. Many of us can remember—I know Coach Blakeney can remember—when this stadium would seat 12,000 fans. Then in 1998 we expanded that to 17,500 and in 2003 we took it to 30,000 fans. This weekend we expect all 30,000 of those seats to be filled as we beat Appalachian State on this field. No pressure, Neal.
We have come to a point of great celebration; a point that we’ve discussed so many times over the past several years. Several years ago we went up and almost beat Oklahoma State on their field. We went into their museum and there was a quote by Coach Hank Iba that said, “Football and coaching is no longer about the X’s and the O’s, it’s about the Jimmy’s and the Joe’s. It’s about recruiting and it’s about facilities.” All of these things are interconnected. If we want to be number one, we have to have first-class facilities. That’s why we’re so proud that over the years—and certainly in the last 25 years—we’ve invested about $100 million dollars in our athletic facilities. In the last five years, we’ve seen some major improvements. I think Trojan Arena, which is not many meters away from here, is one of the best places, not only in Alabama, but in this part of the country to watch a basketball game, is a beautiful facility.
What we are about to do here will reflect the good stewardship that we experienced there … it’s a great day for all of us. We hope this north end zone will do exactly what it’s designed to do and first and foremost be for our student-athletes in our efforts to give them the very best we can. God bless you and go Trojans. Thank you.
Troy Football Head Coach Neal Brown
This is an important day. Very early this morning I started to put together some remarks for this, we have a thing or two going on (this week). As I thought about the remarks I wanted to make, I couldn’t help but think about some really important Trojans that we have lost over the last 18 months or so. This would be so special to them. Keep them and their families in your hearts. We appreciate their contributions, and I am glad so many of you can be here to experience this.
This has been in the works for a while and like many good things, it takes time. We feel that through the hard work of a lot of people, we have this project exactly where it needs to be.
This is an important day for not only football, but for our university and athletic department. Two years ago I sat in front of you and talked about a vision of where we had been. I think it is important on a day like today, where we look at the future, that we understand where we have been as a football program, a program that has a deep tradition that we are extremely proud of. It started in NAIA with a national championship, Division II and won two national championships, go up to FCS and have one of the top programs in the country. Coach Blakeney leads that transition to Division I and goes on a run of five consecutive conference championships, that has only been duplicated in this era once by the other Trojans on the other side of the country.
As we look to the future, I think it is important that we recognize that history. When you have these types of moments, I think it is crucial that you do that. We also have to understand what we have to do to take that next step. Anytime you go through growth, we are growing right now as a football team, as a university and as an athletic department, you have to do things that are necessary to stay at that level. If you don’t do that, you get passed by. For us, this north end zone project is absolutely critical.
Recruiting is the lifeblood of your program. It is a game and it is about players. We are having success right now because Brandon Silvers is the best quarterback in our league, Jordan Chunn is an NFL running back, Rashad Dillard is the best pass rusher in our league, Kris Weatherspoon is one of the best safeties in the league. We have really good players at key positions. For us to continue to do that, this for recruiting is absolutely critical. I think you have seen an uptick in recruiting. The small renovations that we did at Tine Davis Fieldhouse has enabled us to get in on some kids that maybe in the past we couldn’t have. We have been selling this vision of this building to guys that we have been recruiting now for almost two years.
Team morale is so important within a program. When you are dealing with so many guys in football, 125 give or take, team morale is crucial. The better you take care of your guys, the better they are going to play. This facility is going to allow our guys to train, to develop, not only football wise but also from a meeting room standpoint, from a body development standpoint in the weight room, in the training room, and nutrition. We have to start developing guys better and I think this facility is crucial to that.
For the fans, we have a premier facility in the Sun Belt Conference. We have one of the top stadiums in all the Group of Five. Now we have increased our game day experience. It will be loud because we are bowled in and the video board is going to add another dimension to our fans. We wanted to be consistent Sun Belt contenders. And we want to be one of the top programs in the Group of Five. We want to be in that discussion about getting a New Year’s Day bowl bid. That is why today is as big of a day as we have had in our programs in a really long time.
A lot of time and effort went into this. I really appreciate Coach Blakeney and his vision on this project. His vision is what has gotten us to this day. Jeremy McClain and Tony Ferrante have done the heavy lifting in this project. They have done a great job getting us to this point.
This facility is huge and times up with our first official visit weekend, the second weekend in December. There is going to be ground movement there and that will be big for those recruits. I want to urge you; we need to continue to have support for this facility. Don’t think just because we are breaking ground that we have paid for it. We need continued support. I know we have some loyal people here, and I appreciate it. On Saturday, we have as big a game that we have played here in a long time. We need as big of a crowd as possible. It is important that we honor our military and we need you to be here and be loud. It is going to be a great college football game.
Troy Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain
What a great day! What great day to be a Trojan, as every day is, but this day is really special. Over the past 15 months, I’ve thought about this day quite a bit. I’m so thankful to be standing up here to make this special announcement. Like I said, the idea and the vision for this was born many years ago and really out of necessity as we’ve really outgrown our facilities. I think that’s a fair way to put it. We’ve really began to outgrow our facilities, we moved it into being an FBS program and a very successful FBS program. While it took some time to get to this point, I do want to share some of the floor plans and the highlights.
What I do know is for the last 15 months, we’ve been laser focused on trying to get this done for every reason that’s been expressed here today. We had a sense of urgency about getting it done. Not only have we gotten it done, I feel like the people involved in this group have made sure we’ve gotten it done right. It’s going to be one of the best facilities within those (Group of Five) programs, there’s no doubt in my mind that will be the case. We’ll take note of that and it’s going to make a huge difference for us in the recruiting process. We had to work through some hurdles. We had some discussions about the foundation, discussion about the budgets, discussions about programming. That’s a typical thing that happens with these types of facilities. I’m thankful for that, because again I’m thinking where we ended up is the right place.
I’m not going to go through room-by-room, but I am going to share some things with you that I think are important to highlight. This building is going to start 30 feet off the back of the end zone. Just think about how close that is. That’s one of the things we talked about early on. I wanted to make sure that we got as close to the field as possible because I want teams when they come in here to play us to know its going to be loud and we’re going to be right on top of them. So we got as close to the field as we could. Thirty feet away from that back end zone is where we’re going to start this building. This building is going to be 370 feet long. Which means it’s going to fill in that entire end zone. We used the term bowl in, that’s what we were trying to do; we want this stadium to feel like it’s bowled in.
It’s going to be a real intimate setting. Opposing teams aren’t going to be excited about coming in here and playing us. The total square footage on the building, including inside the building and the top of the building is about 77,000 square feet. It is a lot of space in that end zone. It’s going to take up the whole end zone and it’s going to be a lot of space that will be utilized by our program.
The other thing I’m really happy about and wanted to make sure we did. When this process start this process started the plan was to take down Tine Davis Fieldhouse and build a larger building here and get all of our administration there, but as we got into it, we started talking about programming. What really made sense was to leave Tine Davis as it was, to make some adjustments and renovations as Neal has talked about and what we wanted to do was connect the two buildings. When you get a chance to look at floor plans, Tine Davis Fieldhouse is connected to this building on both levels.
You’ll see some pictures of the strength and conditioning area around the room. The bottom floor of Tine Davis Fieldhouse will tie directly into that strength and conditioning area. You walk through Tine Davis and right into that space. The upper level of Tine Davis Fielhouse will connect to a lobby, which will connect to the first floor of this new building.
To give you some perspective, the first floor of the building will be strength and conditioning, athletic training space, nutrition space, locker room, team lounge, mudroom and laundry space. That’s really a players space. That’s where they’re going to spend 90 percent of their time, coming and going with strength and conditioning and the locker room to those areas.
The second floor will be all of our football coaches’ offices, all of our meeting space, our recruiting space, our video space. That’s all going to happen on the second floor. The flow of the building is going to be great, but again we’re going to leave our administration in Tine Davis Fieldhouse and I think that was a key to making this project happen and making it fit and the programming be right.
On the third level, we didn’t just want it to be a building, we wanted it to be a center for activity. We’ve got a little over 400 chairback seats in this facility that will be right there on top of that end zone. On top of that we’ll have a terrace space. It will be an opportunity for us to basically have an in-game tailgating experience that we’ll sell to groups and corporate sponsors and things like that per game. It will be a great center for activity.
You’ll also see a scoreboard on top of that building, which is 35 feet by 90 feet. To give you some perspective, our board now is 23 feet by 54 feet. We’re talking about 50 to 60 percent bigger than our current board. We’re going to have both of those boards in play. It’s going to be a great in-game fan experience for us.
Under that scoreboard there’s going to be about a 25,000 square foot club space with high-end concessions and high-end bar. So we will service those 400 seats in that north end zone. We’ll start pushing out the opportunity to purchase seats in this area. I think it’s going to be a great experience and a great place to watch a football game.
We’re thankful we accomplished our football program’s needs from a programming standpoint, nice well-designed space and we were able to accomplish the fact that this is going to be a great fan amenity space and really improve our gameday experience.
Today is a great step forward for our program and really an opportunity to build on our momentum. I don’t know if we could fit more positive energy into this week. You talk about this announcement today, getting ready for a very important game this weekend and where we are at as a program sitting at 7-1.
I do hear our name being mentioned on a national stage. That’s exciting and should be exciting for all of you. When we’re the talk on talk radio and on some of these sport stations. It should feel good for all of us. We’ve got some serious momentum.
This announcement today and this project is going to continue that for us. In my introductory press conference 15 months ago, I talked a lot about where I thought we could go. About having no barriers for success except for those we create. Today is an example of that from a momentum perspective to fill the vision. This is a great step in the right direction for us as a program and as a fan base. I couldn’t be more excited about this.
Tags: troy football
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WESTERN SYDNEY LIGHT RAIL A BOON FOR FANS TRAVELLING TO ANZ STADIUM
Artist's impression of the Western Sydney Light Rail passing close to ANZ Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park. Source: NSW Government.
NSW Government announces light rail connection through the Olympic Corridor will connect Westmead and Parramatta with Rosehill, Camellia, Sydney Olympic Park and Strathfield
Sports fans to get to ANZ Stadium in half the time from Parramatta in the north-west and Strathfield in the south-east
Light rail decision follows Government announcement that a new westbound off-ramp from the M4 will significantly improve road access to and from the major car parking stations in Sydney Olympic Park
Light rail connection combined with the WestConnex motorway to transform the travelling experience to ANZ Stadium and Sydney Olympic Park
Western Sydney transport breakthrough will complement the NSW Government's commitment to redevelop Sydney's Olympic Stadium
See the official NSW Government media release here.
SPORTS and entertainment fans travelling to future events at ANZ Stadium will be the big winners following the NSW Government announcement that a light rail connection will be built through the Olympic Corridor – linking Sydney Olympic Park with Parramatta and Strathfield.
NSW Premier Mike Baird, Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance and Minister for Planning Rob Stokes have unveiled the Greater Western Sydney light rail network, which will drive urban growth and create new jobs along the 22km corridor.
"We’re delivering a modern, efficient and reliable light rail network for Western Sydney," Mr Baird said.
The NSW Government investigated four short-listed corridors for light rail in Western Sydney and the preferred network includes a combination of two of these options.
The spine of the preferred route runs from Westmead to Strathfield via Parramatta CBD, and incorporating Camellia and Sydney Olympic Park. The light rail line will also branch to Carlingford, replacing the existing heavy rail shuttle.
Transport Minister Constance said the two new light rail lines would open up more of western Sydney and connect fans with Sydney Olympic Park.
"It's very pleasing to announce a network and not a route," he said. "From Westmead Hospital to the Sydney Olympic Stadium, this is a win for everybody.
"Light rail can move 10,000 passengers per hour. We have the benefit of linking it to the hospital, through the Parramatta CBD, and of course to other major development precincts along the network. We're going to see a major build happen very quickly."
Mr Baird said the new light rail project would be of great benefit to western Sydney residents.
"Today is a fantastic day for the people of Western Sydney,” he said. "We are bringing the light rail revolution that is going across this great State, here to Parramatta, here to western Sydney."
Daryl Kerry, Managing Director of ANZ Stadium and President of Sydney Olympic Park Business Association, congratulated the NSW Government on its forward planning for Greater Sydney, adding that the light rail route was fantastic news for fans who attend events at ANZ Stadium each year, as well as businesses in Sydney Olympic Park and the fast-developing communities along the Olympic Corridor.
“The light rail connection is a transformational piece of infrastructure for Western Sydney and will be a boon for Sydney sports and entertainment fans who will be able to access Sydney’s major events in faster time and with greater ease,” Mr Kerry said.
“A light rail trip from Parramatta to Sydney Olympic Park is expected to be twice as fast as existing public transport – as will be the case for the trip from Strathfield to the precinct.
“With the NSW Government committed to the redevelopment of ANZ Stadium, linking the major events precinct of Sydney Olympic Park with the city of Parramatta, in particular, makes perfect sense.
“Crucially, the light rail connection to Sydney Olympic Park will also drive what is already one of the fastest growing commercial and residential precincts in the country.”
Mr Kerry said Sydney Olympic Park had hosted 13 million visitors this year, with 1.6 million fans passing through the gates of ANZ Stadium for 52 events, while the precinct was poised to experience monumental residential and commercial growth over the next 10 years.
LIGHT RAIL, WESTCONNEX, NSW BLUES AND STADIUM REDEVELOPMENT
The light rail decision follows a NSW Government announcement that a new westbound off-ramp from the M4 will dramatically improve road access to and from the major car parking stations in Sydney Olympic Park.
Mr Kerry said the new light rail connection – combined with the WestConnex motorway and recently announced westbound offramp from the M4 – would transform the travelling experience to ANZ Stadium and Sydney Olympic Park.
The transport breakthrough in Greater Western Sydney complements the NSW Government’s commitment to redevelop ANZ Stadium – enabling it to become a world-class rectangular stadium – as part of the biggest investment in sport and major event infrastructure in NSW since the Sydney Olympics.
The Government’s stadia funding commitment includes a proposal to redevelop the 80,000-seat ANZ Stadium – bringing fans closer to the action and supercharging the game-day atmosphere.
The transport news also follows the announcement of a $20 million Centre of Excellence for the NSWRL next to ANZ Stadium, with the NSW Blues to benefit from a full-size training field and unprecedented access to their home ground via the same athletes tunnel used during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
The light rail connection is exciting news for all sports and entertainment fans who attend events at ANZ Stadium and Sydney Olympic Park, and will help move the 80,000-plus crowds that pack in to the Stadium for major events like State of Origin.
The light rail route will also link directly to the local areas of NRL clubs the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Wests Tigers on one side of ANZ Stadium, and Parramatta Eels fans to the north-west, while South Sydney Rabbitohs and St George Illawarra Dragons fans will also have exciting new transport options.
BUSINESS BACKS LIGHT RAIL DECISION
Influential business group the WestLine Partnership has welcomed the NSW Government’s decision to establish a light rail connection through the Olympic Corridor, as part of the Western Sydney Light Rail Network, as it will create massive economic, social and urban renewal opportunities.
The WestLine Partnership, established in late 2014 with the aim of helping fast-track the delivery of a light rail route along Sydney’s Olympic Corridor, comprises some of Sydney’s leaders in business, government, sport and property, and believes that this “missing link” will not only improve accessibility, but importantly, support and drive future employment and residential growth.
WestLine Partnership Convenor, and Chair of the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue, Christopher Brown AM, praised the NSW Government for its forward-thinking approach to infrastructure investment and said its decision would catalyse the development of one of the most significant precincts in the country.
“On behalf of the WestLine Partnership, I’d like to thank all of our partners and stakeholders who have played a key role in raising awareness and support for this transformational piece of infrastructure,” Mr Brown said.
“We are proud that the Olympic Corridor light rail project will be used as the test case for how future infrastructure projects will be managed and funded, using a value-capture model, where those that benefit from its development, will also help to reduce the cost to the wider public.
“The NSW Government, and in particular Transport Minister Andrew Constance, should be commended for embracing innovative and inclusive methods of infrastructure funding and for providing a project model that will ultimately deliver a complete, and considered, light rail network in a shorter period and potentially cheaper cost to tax-payers.
“The Olympic Corridor has been an often over-looked region when it comes to transport infrastructure, but all of that is now set to change. Over the next 20 years, with the Government on board, you can expect this precinct to house more than one third of all new jobs and almost 20 per cent of new dwellings.”
LIGHT RAIL TO MOVE 5000 FANS PER HOUR IN BOTH DIRECTIONS
The new light rail connection will be capable of moving 5000 passengers per hour in both directions through the Olympic Corridor – the equivalent to 40 light rail services in place of 200 buses.
ANZ Stadium already benefits from a heavy rail service that can move as many as 27,600 fans per hour.
Transport research shows that up to 76 per cent of all fans who attend major events at ANZ Stadium use public transport, with 62 per cent using the train service to Olympic Park.
More than 92,000 fans of the estimated 150,000 who packed Sydney Olympic Park for the Taylor Swift concert and three other major events on Saturday 28 November travelled by train to and from Olympic Park Station.
RE-ENERGISING THE STADIUM PRECINCT
The NSW Government has already identified and commenced work on new Urban Activation Precincts at Carter St (just behind the western gates of ANZ Stadium) and at Wentworth Point (near the Sydney Olympic Park ferry wharf), precincts that will bring thousands of new residents and new commercial and retail developments.
The Sydney Olympic Park Authority is currently reviewing its masterplan with a view to significantly increase commercial, retail and residential development in Sydney Olympic Park. This will include shops, cafes, bars, eateries and restaurants, which will reinvigorate the Sydney Olympic Park town centre and help create a lively Stadium precinct.
Western Sydney Stadium coming soon: https://yourwesternsydneystadium.com.au/
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Press Release December 2, 2016
Alston & Bird Named to Crain’s New York Business 2016 “Best Places to Work”
Alston & Bird has been recognized by Crain’s New York Business as one of the best places to work in New York City for the third consecutive year.
The firm ranked No. 31 out of 100 employers in Crain’s 2016 “Best Places to Work” survey – one of only five AmLaw 100 law firms recognized by the publication and one of only two firms to appear on both the Crain’s list and Fortune’s 2016 “100 Best Companies to Work For® ."
In an introduction highlighting the rankings, Crain’s noted that all 100 organizations named to the 2016 list have taken “decisive steps to create a workplace where employees are collegial, inspired by their work, empowered to take the initiative and get credit where credit is due.”
Winners were chosen based on the results of a weighted survey of both employees and employers, conducted by Crain's in partnership with Best Companies Group. It is the ninth year Crain's has conducted the survey.
Richard R. Hays
Chairman / Managing Partner
Other Phone: 212.210.9560
Email: richard.hays@alston.com
News & Insights Alston & Bird Named to Crain’s New York Business 2016 “Best Places to Work”
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Home Health The riskiest male sex drives syphilis rates in Europe to rise by...
The riskiest male sex drives syphilis rates in Europe to rise by 70% since 2010
LONDON – Syphilis cases have soared in Europe in the last decade and have become, for the first time since the beginning of the 2000s, more common in some countries than new cases of HIV, experts said today of health.
Reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases have increased by 70% since 2010, showed a report by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) – with the increase driven by more unprotected sex and more sexual behavior risky among gay men.
"The increases in syphilis infections that we see in Europe … are the result of several factors, such as people having sex without condoms and multiple sexual partners, combined with a reduced fear of contracting HIV," he said. Andrew Amato-Gauci, an ECDC expert on sexually transmitted infections.
The European report comes after the World Health Organization declared last month that about a million people in the world every day capture a sexually transmitted infection.
If left untreated, syphilis can have serious complications in men and women, including the death of dead fetuses and neonatal deaths and the increased risk of HIV. Syphilis was a major cause of loss of newborns globally in 2016.
The Stockholm-based ECDC, which monitors health and disease in Europe, said that overall, over 260,000 cases of syphilis were reported from 30 countries from 2007 to 2017.
In 2017, syphilis rates reached an all-time high with over 33,000 reported cases, ECDC said. This means that for the first time since the beginning of the 2000s, the region reported more cases of syphilis than new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS.
But the problem varied significantly by country, with rates more than doubled in five countries – Britain, Germany, Ireland, Iceland and Malta – but with a decrease of 50% or more in Estonia and Romania.
Almost 2/3 of the cases reported between 2007 and 2017 in which the sexual orientation was known concerned men who had sex with men, said the ECDC report, while heterosexual men contributed to the 23% of cases and women 15%.
The percentage of cases diagnosed among men who have sex with men varies from less than 20% in Latvia, Lithuania and Romania to over 80% in France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Great Britain.
Amato-Gauci said that self-satisfaction among men who have gay sex and seem worried about the risks of HIV seems to have fueled the problem. "To reverse this trend, we must encourage people to use condoms consistently with new and random partners," he said. (Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
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What's on More to see and do Five free days out
Five free days out
Feeling the post-Christmas pinch? We bring you five days out you can enjoy without spending a thing.
The Fashion Museum in Bath (Free with National Art Pass) provides the perfect excuse to stare at shoes all day, without maxing out your credit card. Over 30,000 items span textile history from the 16th century to the present, including menswear and womenswear, day and evening dress and examples of alternative and contemporary fashion. Highlights include a group of embroidered waistcoats from 1742 and a collection of work by notable British designers, including Norman Hartnell. From the end of January, you can also enjoy two new exhibitions exploring polite dress in Georgian society and the career of David Sassoon.
Then head to the Grade I listed villa and former hotel, The Holburne Museum, where the permanent collection is admission free. Presented with the help of exhibition designers Metaphor, the approach to storytelling sees 18th-century culture and the rise of consumerism explained through porcelain, paintings and sculpture.
2. Birmingham
Get lost in one of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery's 40 permanent displays, which cover an expansive range of fine art, costume and jewellery, social history, archaeology and ethnography. Highlights include its unrivalled collection of more than 2,000 Pre-Raphaelite works and the ArtFunded Staffordshire Hoard of 7th century treasure. Don't miss the UK's only showing of Photorealism; a comprehensive retrospective charting the development of the movement over three generations, also shown at five other venues across Europe. (Entry to the Gallery is free to all; Photorealism is free with National Art Pass).
Later, join the celebrations at Ikon Gallery (free to all) which marks its 50th anniversary during 2014-15 with a series of specially themed exhibitions and a programme of free events, such as spotlight tours and storytelling performances.
Visit John Keats' former home and see the settings that inspired him to pen some of his most famous lines, such as 'The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine, The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves', from Ode to a Nightingale. Lodging with his friend Charles Brown from 1818 to 1820, it was here the poet fell in love with 'the girl next door' Fanny Brawne, and the place from which he travelled to Rome, where he died of tuberculosis aged just 25. Throughout January, a series of free events take place at Keats House, including live poetry readings and a special display of the writer's rarely seen Dear Sir Letter. (Keats House, free with National Art Pass).
Round off the day with a trip to the unique modernist home designed by Ernö Goldfinger in 1932, 2 Willow Road (free with National Art Pass) or the 17th-century Kenwood House (free to all), which brims with Old Master paintings and antique furnishing – both are just a short journey away via a lovely walk across Hampstead Heath.
4. Manchester
The new year marks the centenary of the First World War, which broke out in 1914. Spend a morning at IWM North (free to all), browsing its important collection of artefacts from the period, including possessions belonging to nurse Edith Cavell, who was executed for helping soldiers to safety, and the revolver owned by author JRR Tolkien while serving as a signal officer at the Battle of the Somme. Also worth seeing during your visit is Catalyst: Contemporary Art and War, which explores the reasons why artists create pieces about conflict, and features an ArtFunded work, Queen and Country, by Steve McQueen.
The Lowry (free to all), which is just opposite, houses an incredible collection of works by the popular 20th-century artist as well as temporary contemporary exhibitions. Currently on display is Performer as Curator: Alison Goldfrapp, for which the pop star has chosen a selection of works that have inspired her music.
5. Cardiff
You could easily spend a whole day in National Museum Cardiff (free to all), where classical paintings by Poussin and Snyders sit alongside works by modern greats such as Cézanne, Van Gogh and Rodin, as well as artefacts of archaeology and natural history. The current Peter Blake exhibition reveals the artist's love of the play Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas and has been timed to coincide with the centenary of the Welsh writer's birth.
For further great days out for free, there are National Museum Wales locations across the country, from an old coal mine that is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Big Pit, to the National Roman Legion Museum that stands on the site of a fortress, first built in AD 75. (See the full list).
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Creative Community Fellows New England to be piloted in 2018
By NAS Nov 2, 2017
National Arts Strategies (NAS) would like to thank the Barr Foundation for their $300,000 grant to support the development of a Creative Community Fellows program for New England that will be piloted in 2018.
Launched in 2014, Creative Community Fellows is designed to support creative individuals working as change agents in their communities. Fellows use arts and culture as vehicles to drive physical and social transformations. Over eight-months, Fellows gain access to tools, training and a community of support that helps to fuel their visions for community change and action.
“Arts and creativity can play a vital role in engaging communities to spark positive change. It’s our privilege to partner with National Arts Strategies to network and support the development of New England change agents who are artists and emerging leaders from other sectors,” said San San Wong, Director of Arts & Creativity at the Barr Foundation.
For the past two cohorts, NAS had the opportunity to establish geo-clusters of Fellows from the same city or region with the goal of increasing collaboration amongst Fellows and encouraging more opportunities for interaction between Fellows who share geographic proximity. The clusters are working. This is why NAS is thrilled to expand this work through the dedication of a cohort entirely from New England, thereby developing regional, place-based cross-sector networks for change. Thanks to the generous support of the Barr Foundation, 25 New England Fellows will receive customized learning on strategy, design thinking and leadership as well as mentorship and one-on-one coaching opportunities.
“This program gave me tools that I needed to amplify my work. Most importantly, it reminded me that I am part of a community, one that believes in the power of creativity as a catalyst for meaningful change. I am excited to learn that this program will be deepening its commitment to the region, investing in more arts leaders across New England,” says Kristina Newman-Scott, Director of Culture for the State of Connecticut and an alumna of the inaugural cohort of Fellows.
NAS is eagerly anticipating the creation of this hub of cultural entrepreneurs throughout the region. Applications will open in the spring of 2018. To learn more about the program visit www.artstrategies.org.
About the Barr Foundation
The Barr Foundation’s mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts. Based in Boston, Barr focuses regionally, and selectively engages nationally, working in partnership with nonprofits, foundations, the public sector, and civic and business leaders to elevate the arts, advance solutions for climate change, and connect all students to success in high school and beyond. With assets of $1.7 billion, Barr is among the largest private foundations in New England and has contributed more than $834 million to charitable causes since 1999. For more information, visit barrfoundation.org or follow @BarrFdn.
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The 7 Levers of Large-Scale Social Change
The Planks for Leading Change
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Home»Company»Board
MARK BRENNAN , Executive Chairman and Founder
Mr. Brennan is a founding partner of Ascendant Resources Inc. and has over 30 years of financing and operating experience in North America and Europe. Mr. Brennan most recently served as President and CEO of Sierra Metals Inc. where he overhauled the corporate structure and led a campaign to rehabilitate the Yaricocha mine, a zinc-lead-silver-copper mine in Peru, and oversaw the growth of the resource base and production at its Cusi and Bolivar mines in Mexico. Prior to Sierra, Mr. Brennan served as President and CEO at Largo Resources Ltd. where he facilitated the acquisition of its flagship Maracas Vanadium Project in 2006 and advanced the project through a maiden resource, definitive feasibility, completion of $300 million of financing and first production. Prior to Largo. Mr. Brennan was a founder or founding member of several resource companies, including Desert Sun Mining, Linear Capital, Brasoil Corporation, James Bay Resources, Morumbi Oil and Gas, and Admiral Bay Resources. Mr. Brennan began his professional career as an investment banker in London, England.
STEPHEN SHEFSKY , Lead Director
Mr. Shefsky is the President & CEO, Founder and Director of James Bay Resources Ltd. and has over 40 years’ experience in the investment and mining industry through Canada and Latin America. Mr. Shefsky’s prior experience includes Verena Minerals Corp, now known as Belo Sun Mining Corp., Cancap Investments Ltd. and Brasoil do Brasil Exploracao Petrolifera S.A.
CHRIS BUNCIC , MBA, CFA, P.ENG , President, CEO, and Director
Mr. Buncic played an instrumental role in the founding of Ascendant Resources Inc. and its acquisition of the company’s flagship operating El Mochito mine from Nyrstar NV in 2016. Prior to founding Ascendant, Mr. Buncic served in senior management roles at several Canadian corporations in the technology and resources sectors. His depth of experience also includes six years in Institutional Equity Research at leading Canadian independent full service brokerage firms Cormark Securities Inc. and Mackie Research Capital Corporation. Mr. Buncic is a CFA Charterholder, has a MBA from Schulich School of Business and B.A.Sc. from the University of Toronto. Mr. Buncic is a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario and the CFA Society.
Mr. Campbell is an exploration geologist with over 40 years experience in mining and exploration industry through Canada, United States and Latin America. He is currently the Vice-President, Exploration at Largo Resources and has prior experience working at major mining companies, most notably Noranda, Lac Minerals and as Vice President of Exploration for Apogee Minerals Ltd. Mr. Campbell holds a M.Sc. in geology from the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario.
PETRA DECHER , CPA , Director
Ms. Decher served as the Vice President, Finance and Assistant Secretary for Franco-Nevada Corporation from 2009 to 2016. She currently serves as Chairwoman of the Board at Red Pine Exploration Inc. and recently served as the Lead Independent Director of Integra Gold Corp. until its acquisition by Eldorado Gold Corporation. Prior to Franco-Nevada, Ms. Decher was President and Chief Financial Officer for Geoinformatics Exploration Inc., an exploration company focused on projects in British Columbia, Nevada, Mexico and Australia. Ms. Decher is a Chartered Public Accountant, and is assuming the role of Chairwoman of the Audit Committee effective immediately.
GUILLERMO KAELIN , Director
Mr. Kaelin is a capital markets professional with over 18 years of experience in private equity, investment banking, research and public securities. Mr. Kaelin is currently the Head of Latin America of Appian Capital Advisory LLP and focuses on originating investments, structuring transactions and selecting management teams within Latin America. Previously, Mr. Kaelin served as a Managing Director with Arias Resource Capital Management LP, a mining focused Private Equity Fund which he joined in 2008. Mr. Kaelin has an MBA from the University of Chicago, an MS in Finance from ESAN (Peru) and a BS in Industrial Engineering from the Universidad de Lima.
KURT MENCHEN , Director
Mr. Menchen has over 37 years' of experience operating and managing mining projects, including over 20 years as General Manager at the Jacobina Gold project in Bahia State, Brazil where he successfully operated the underground project for Anglo American, Desert Sun Mining and eventually Yamana Gold, through low gold price environments. His prior experience includes Anglo American’s Vaal Reefs underground gold mine in South Africa and De Beers Goldfields in Angola. Mr. Menchen holds a degree in mining engineering from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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You are here : Home » News & Reviews » Mclaren's new MP4-12C GT3 begins...
Latest news on Mclaren MP4
Mclaren has pulled the covers off the GT3 version of its new supercar, and begun testing in the UK ahead of a forthcoming competitive debut.
The MP4-12C GT3 has been put through its paces at Silverstone and MIRA's world-famous testing facility.
The car is the result of a joint venture between Mclaren GT and CRS Racing, and is intended to compete in the 2012 GT3 championships.
While sharing many components with the road-going MP4 (including the one-piece carbon fibre MonoCell chassis) the racer gains a specially designed aerodynamics package and boasts a Ricardo-designed transmission.
The 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 has also been tuned to suit race conditions and the GT3 adds bespoke brake and suspension systems. Mclaren has signed Alvaro Parente, a 26-year-old Portugese racing driver, as its official test driver.
The car is expected to continue testing through the spring, and will be involved in a limited number of European races.
Author: autoblog.com | Source: http://uk.autoblog.com/2011/03/11/mclarens-new-mp4-12c-gt3-begins-testing/
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» Mayor honours Fingal Old IRA Commemorative Society
Mayor honours Fingal Old IRA Commemorative Society
The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Darragh Butler, has made a special presentation to the Fingal Old IRA Commemorative Society to mark their contribution to the centenary celebrations of the Easter 1916 Rising. Members of the Society, along with representatives of the Bremore Castle Local Training Initiative, attended the presentation which took place in the Council Chamber at County Hall, Swords, after the Council’s December meeting.
“During 2016, the Fingal Old IRA Commemorative Society has been a leading light in Fingal’s commemorations, participating in a large number of events, the highlight of which was their participation in ceremonies on Easter Sunday as well as their work in raising the profile of the Fingal Battalion, its leader Thomas Ashe and the Battle of Ashbourne,” said the Mayor.
The Mayor also paid tribute to the staff and trainees from the Bremore Castle Local Training Initiative in Balbriggan for the significant part they played in restoring the existing monument at Rath Cross in Ashbourne and completing the long outstanding works, especially relating to the sculptures and detailed stone engraving.
Councillors in attendance included Cllr David O’Connor, Cllr Anne Devitt, Cllr Brian Dennehy, Cllr Joe Newman, Cllr Eoghan O’Brien, Cllr Adrian Henchey, Cllr Anthony Lavin and Cllr Paul Mulville and several of them also paid tribute to the work done during the year by the Society as did the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, Paul Reid.
“They really helped us to tell the story of Fingal and Thomas Ashe in particular,” said Mr Reid. “It was a story that many were not fully aware of but there is certainly much more awareness now both within the county and beyond and we look forward to working with them as we celebrate the centenary of other events which occurred between 1917 and 1922.”
Accepting the Award on behalf of the Society, its chairman, Noel McAllister, thanked the Mayor, his predecessor, Cllr David O’Connor, and Fingal County Council for their support.
“It is a great story and was the only successful engagement of the Rising. Next year is the 100th anniversary of the death of Thomas Ashe and we will continue our work to have him recognised as nationally as a leader of the 1916 Rising,” said Mr McAllister, who also paid tribute to the members of the Society for their work over the last few years.
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FA Cup Preview: Preston North End
Everything you need ahead of Saturday's FA Cup clash with Preston North End.
• Barnet FC will be running a coach service from The Hive to Deepdale. The service will depart at 7.45 am, for more details on how to book please click here.
• Barnet FC are also selling match tickets and you can purchase by clicking here. Tickets will also be available on the turnstile but we advise you to book in advance to avoid any disappointment.
• Heading to PNE on the official coach? Then why not purchase FM 2014 for JUST £19.99 to keep you entertained on the way and who knows you might create some FA Cup history of your own!
• The weather forecast for Saturday’s match at Deepdale is for thunderstorms followed by heavy rain followed by light showers.
• Barnet face Preston North End in the first round of the FA Cup with Budweiser this Saturday at Deepdale.
• The Bees cruised into the first round proper with a 3-0 win over Concord Rangers but the hero from that day, Dani Lopez, will miss out due to a shoulder injury.
• The match will be a tough one for the Bees with Preston currently fourth in Sky Bet League One and unbeaten in four.
• Edgar Davids’ side are however on a great run of their own going unbeaten in their last six matches.
• Keanu Marsh-Brown has a personal score to settle having been knocked out of last season’s competition by the Lilywhites while playing for Yeovil.
• Edgar Davids, Carl Fletcher and Luke Gambin are all expected to be available for selection.
• Elliot Johnson could also return to the starting line-up after making a return to full-fitness in recent weeks.
• Dani Lopez, Jake Hyde and Curtis Weston all miss out through injury, as does Luisma Villa due to a one-match suspension.
• Preston North End expect to have a full squad available.
Skrill Premier
Barnet 1-0 Kidderminster Harriers
Barnet: Stack, Stephens, Saville, Marsh-Brown (Mengerink 94), Abdullah, Villa, Byrne (Acheampong 91), Yiadom, Vilhete, Cadogan, Dani Lopez (Crawford 16).
Subs not used: Jupp, Johnson.
Goals: Villa 25.
Preston North End 1-1 Tranmere Rovers
Preston North End: Rudd, Welsh, Laird, Wright, Huntington, Clarke, Humphrey, Keane, Gallagher (Holmes 60), Hume (Beavon 71), Davies (Garner 71).
Subs not used: Stuckmann, Byrom, Buchanan, Mousinho.
Goals: Garner 90.
• Preston North End formed 150-years ago in 1863. They currently play in the third tier of English football, Sky Bet League One.
• PNE were founding members of the Football league and completed in the inaugural season, going unbeaten and thus becoming the first league champions.
• In the same season they also lifted the FA Cup, without conceding a goal, to become the first club to achieve the English football double.
• Preston’s unbeaten league and cup unbeaten season remains an unequalled feat in English football.
• The Lilyhwhites’ most recent major trophy success came in 1938 when they lifted the FA Cup.
• Based on results achieved during the 112 seasons in the Football League from 1888-89 to 2010-11, Preston were the fourth most-successful team of all time domestically.
• Only Notts County have played more Football League matches than Preston North End.
• PNE’s stadium, Deepdale, was built in 1875 and was first used for association football in 1878.
• The biggest attendance seen was 42,684 for a Division One clash with Arsenal in April 1938.
• The stadium currently has a capacity of 23,404 seats following a complete reconstruction between 1996 and 2009.
• The stadium was also chosen as the location for the National Football Museum due to the club being the first-ever winners of the Football League.
•Having been one of the largest football stadiums in the world when it closed in 2010, it was moved to Urbis in Manchester in 2012.
• Outside the Sir Tom Finney Stand is a statue of the former player himself, this is known as ‘The Splash’ or the ‘Tom Finney Splash’.
Play-Off Heartbreak
• Preston have made the play-offs for a record eight seasons, spanning across all three league divisions, but they have not yet been promoted via this route.
• In the fourth tier they lost 4-2 in the 1994 final to Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley stadium. A year later they were beaten in the semi-final stage by Bury.
• Their next play-off appearance was in the third tier in 1999 where they were beaten by Gilligham in the semi-final. They were promoted automatically the following season and during their first season in the Championship they were beaten in the final by Bolton Wanderers at the Millenium Stadium.
• In 2005 they reached the play-offs once more overcoming Derby County to reach the final where they were beaten by West Ham United. The following season they were beaten in the semi-finals by Leeds United.
• Preston last reached the play-offs in 2009 after narrowly overtaking Cardiff City on the final day of the season. Their elation was short-lived however as they were beaten in the semi-finals by Sheffield United via a Greg Halford goal at Bramall Lane.
• Barnet have faced Preston a total of five times and incredibly they hold the edge with three victories to the Lilywhites’ two.
• The last meeting between the two sides came on 10 February 1996 in the Football League Division Three where a Paul Wilson goal gave the Bees a 1-0 away win.
• The Bees did the double over the Lilywhites that season, winning the reverse fixture by the same scoreline with Paul Wilson again grabbing the goal.
• Two years earlier the Bees again defeated their northern opponents at Underhill as goals from Lee Hodges and Dougie Freedman secured a 2-1 win.
• The first ever meeting between the two sides came on January 30th 1965 in the FA Cup. PNE secured a 3-2 win at Underhill but the spirit and fight shown by the Bees ensured a memorable day for all.
• It was supporter John Williams’ first Barnet match and he described it as the day as ‘the day he fell in love with Barnet FC’. Hear all about his experience by clicking here.
Famous Managers
• Preston North End’s first-ever manager was Charlie Parker.
• Manchester United and England legend Bobby Charlton managed Preston for one season following a 17-year spell as Manchester United manager.
• World Cup winner Alan Ball’s father, Alan Ball senior, manager Preston North End between 1970 and 1973.
• Former Celtic, Preston North End, Arsenal and Chelsea man Tommy Docherty had a brief stint in charge of the Lilywhites in 1981. ‘The Doc’ also managed Manchester United, for seven-years, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Porto, Scotland, Queens Park Rangers and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
• Current Manchester City assistant-manager Brian Kidd took charge of Preston North End for a brief spell in 1986.
• Current Manchester United manager David Moyes began his managerial career with Preston North End. Moyes spent four-years in charge at Deepdale, wunning the second division in 1999-2000, his only honour to date, excluding the 2013 Community Shield.
• Liverpool legend Bill Shankly, who is widely considered as one of the greatest managers of all time, played for the Lilywhites but never managed them. Shankly has a stand named after himself at Deepdale – The Bill Shankly Kop.
Current Manager
• PNE are currently managed by Simon Grayson.
• Grayson was appointed manager in February 2013 and he went unbeaten in his first four matches in charge.
• During his first season he guided the Lilywhites clear of the drop with four matches to play.
• Grayson enjoyed an impressive playing career with the likes of Leicester City, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday, among others.
• Grayson’s first venture into management was with Blackpool, who he ended his playing career with, and he lifted the League One Play-Off title during the 2006/07 season.
• His promotional record continued as Leeds United manager as he finished second and was thus promoted to the Championship once more in the 2009-10 season.
• He was promoted to the Championship for a third time in five-years with Huddersfield Town during the 2011/12 season via the play-offs.
• In total Grayson has been promoted to the Championship three times, twice via the play-offs, which bodes well for PNE who currently play in Sky Bet League One and have never been promoted via the play-offs during eight attempts.
Preview: Crystal Palace (H) - Pre-season Friendly
The Bees return to action as they welcome Premier League outfit Crystal Palace to The Hive tonight.
Preview: Wycombe Wanderers (H) - Pre-season Friendly
The Bees are back on home turf this afternoon as they welcome League One side Wycombe Wanderers to The Hive, hoping to make it two wins on the bounce.
Preview: Berkhamsted (A) - Pre-season Friendly
Pre-season Friendly – Broadwater Stadium – Tuesday 9th July 2019 – KO: 19:45
Preview | Havant & Waterlooville (a)
Vanarama National League – Westleigh Park – Saturday 27th April 2019 – KO: 12:30pm
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The National Museum of Medieval and Modern Art of Basilicata
It is located in Palazzo Lanfranchi, an impressive building commissioned in the 1700s by Archbishop Vincenzo Lanfranchi and used as a seminary.
The museum boasts three galleries: Religious art, Collector’s exhibitions and Contemporary art, which are housed in twelve rooms on the first floor of this extraordinarily beautiful building. At the ground floor, the large painting “Lucania ’61”, made by Carlo Levi for the hundredth anniversary of the Italian Unification, stands in its greatness to welcome the visitor. The Contemporary art section displays a rich selection of paintings by Carlo Levi (1902-1975), some works of Matera’s artist Luigi Guerricchio (1932-1996), and photographs by Mario Cresci, artist and designer among the most outstanding representatives of the Italian photographic research over the last four decades of the twentieth century.
www.artibasilicata.it
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First International Violin Competition, Buenos Aires 2010
The First International Violin Competition, Buenos Aires 2010, organized by Comunidad Amijai and presented by YPF Foundation, was created with the idea of encouraging the study of music in young people, creating a cultural exchange between violinists from around the world.
The Competition's Jury is made up of prestigious artists of international renown, chaired by Maestro Shlomo Mintz, and integrated by international artists: Eduard Grach (Russia), Itzhak Rashkovsky (Israel / UK), David Cerone (USA), Kimiko Nakazawa (Japan), Vera Tsu (China), Rafael Gintoli (Argentina), Pedro Ignacio Calderón (Argentina) and Enrique Barrios (Mexico).
The 23 participants that will arrive to Buenos Aires for Competition, who have been selected for a whole year from around the world, are: Iskandar Widjaja (Indonesia), Francesca Dego (Italy), Sergey Pospelov (Russian Federation), Frederick Nathan (Uruguay), Ayrton Coelho Pisco (Brazil), Maia Cabeza (Canada), Soh-Yon Kim (South Korea) Stefani Collins (USA), Anne-Sophie Lacharité-Roberge (Canada), Jeremy Rhizor (USA), Jinjoo Cho (South Korea), Rachel Ostler USA), Paula Suman (Latvia), Miran Kim (USA), Nigel Armstrong (USA), Betty Zho (USA), Luis Eduardo Cuevas Sanchez (Venezuela), Nobuhiro Suyama (Japan), Artem Kononov (Russian Federation), Mariana Hernandez (Mexico), Dawn Wohn (USA), Kwun Hyuk Joo (South Korea), Xavier Inchausti (Argentina).
The event will formally begin on Saturday, July 10, 2010 with the opening ceremony at Comunidad Amijai, with the presence of jurors, participants of the competition, authorities, media and special guest, and will end on Wednesday July 21, with the winner´s Concert Gala followed by the Awards Ceremony. at Teatro Colon. In this occasion the winners will play accompanied by the Orchestra of the Association of Professors of Teatro Colon. under the direction of Maestro Mintz.
From Sunday 11 to Tuesday 20 the different levels of competition, heats, semifinals and finals, will be open to the public with free admission.
There will also be a day dedicated to tango in which the 12 semifanalists will perform, at "Tango Porteño" and also with free entrance, works by Troilo-Manzi, Piazzolla, Matos Rodríguez-Maroni, Gardel-Le Pera, Marconi, Plaza and Aieta, on transcripts produced for violin, bandoneon and bass.
Schedule of activities
Opening Ceremony - Comunidad Amijai
Saturday 10, 7.30 pm.
Qualifying Rounds - Comunidad Amijai
Works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Eugene Ysaye, Alberto Ginastera and Adam Skoumal.
Sunday 11, 10am to 1pm, and 5pm to 8pm
Monday 12, 10am to 1pm, and 5pm to 8pm
Tuesday 13, 10am to 1pm, and 5pm to 8pm
Semifinals - Comunidad Amijai
Works by Maurice Ravel, Leos Janacek, Karol Szymanowski, Bela Bartok and Niccolo Paganini.
Wednesday 14, 3pm to 8.40pm
Thursday 15, 3pm to 8.40pm
Tango Award - Tango Porteño
The semifinalists will play two tangos transcribed for violin, bandoneon and bass.
Friday 16, 2pm to 7pm
At the end of the day, six finalists and the winner of Tango Argentino will be announced.
Finals - Comunidad Amijai
Works by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Johan Sibelius, Niccolo Paganini, Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven, Bela Bartok, Maurice Ravel and Sergei Prokofiev, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Association of Professors of the Orquesta Estable del Teatro Colon under the direction of Maestro Mint.
Sunday 18, 8.30pm
Tuesday 20, 8.30 pm
Comunidad Amijai, Arribeños 2355, Belgrano
Tango Porteño, Cerrito 570
Qualifying rounds, semifinals, tango award and finals: free access to the public. Space is limited.
Opening ceremony and closing ceremony: access by invitation only.
More information: www.violinbuenosaires.com
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click here to use our advanced search
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Other topics Americana Art, Architecture and Design Autographs & Signed Books Children's Books Literature Music History, Government and Thought Religion Science, Medicine & Natural History Fine Bindings and Sets Sport and Leisure Travel & Exploration Photography
AMAZING ARCHIVE OF 81 PIECES OF CORRESPONDENCE WRITTEN TO IBM PRESIDENT ARTHUR WATSON, INCLUDING SIGNED LETTERS FROM KENNEDY, NIXON, AND 24 LETTERS BY EISENHOWER, 1951-63
(EISENHOWER, Dwight D.; KENNEDY, John F., Jr.; NIXON, Richard; et al.) (WATSON, Arthur). Archive of correspondence. Various places, 1951-63. Fascinating and revealing archive of correspondence written to Arthur Kittredge Watson, President of IBM World Trade Corporation—at the time these letters were written, 1951-63, one of the largest and most powerful corporations in the world—and United States Ambassador to France. Includes signed letters with substantial content written and signed by Kennedy, Nixon, and 24 letters by Eisenhower. $19,500.
“IN MEMORY OF THE LANDING OF THE FATHERS AT PLYMOUTH”
ADAMS, John. Autograph letter. WITH: Oration Delivered at Plymouth. Boston, 1802.
Autograph letter by John Adams, penned by him shortly after his tenure as America’s second President and dated December 22, 1802, expressing regret at being unable to attend “the Anniversary dinner in memory of the landing of the Fathers and Plymouth” at which his son John Quincy was speaking, tipped into a first edition copy in original uncut wrappers of the Oration delivered by John Quincy at the event. $15,000.
"IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE TO HOLD THE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE FOR NEARLY EIGHT YEARS NOW…"
TRUMAN, Harry S. Advance Press Transcript of Truman's Final State of the Union Address, Signed. Washington, DC, January 7, 1953. Eight leaves, mimeographed typescript on versos and rectos for 16 pages.
Advance press transcript of Truman's final State of the Union Address, signed by him, a stirring summation of the challenges and accomplishments of his years in office, and a call to unite behind the efforts of President-Elect Eisenhower. This is a mimeographed advance transcript of the speech, marked "Confidential" at the top, issued in very small numbers for the use of the press—most copies would have been discarded after use. $13,500.
RARE MANUSCRIPT LEAF OF CALCULATIONS, WRITTEN ENTIRELY IN NOBEL PRIZE-WINNING PHYSICIST RICHARD FEYNMAN'S HAND
FEYNMAN, Richard P. Manuscript leaf. No place, no date.
Fascinating and rare manuscript leaf of mathematical calculations, very likely lecture notes for a graduate course that Feynman taught on the mathematical methods of physics at Caltech during the early 1970s, written on the recto entirely in Richard Feynman's hand. $12,500.
THREE REMARKABLE HAND-DRAWN MAPS OF "STONEWALL" JACKSON'S DARING FLANK ATTACK AT THE BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE WHERE HE WOULD BE MORTALLY WOUNDED, ACCOMPLISHED BY THE NEPHEW OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S VICE PRESIDENT, USED BY HIM IN PREPARING HIS 1896 HISTORY OF JACKSON'S ATTACK AND ACCOMPANIED BY THAT BOOK
(JACKSON, Thomas J. "Stonewall") HAMLIN, Augustus C. Three manuscript maps of Stonewall Jackson's attack at Chancellorsville. No place, circa 1890s.
Remarkable set of three spectacular hand-drawn maps documenting "Stonewall" Jackson's daring flank attack at the Battle of Chancellorsville where he would be mortally wounded, accomplished by the nephew of Abraham Lincoln's Vice President: artist, author, and Harvard-educated Union military surgeon Augustus C. Hamlin, and accompanied by his history of the battle, for which he prepared these maps. This battle is one of the most important of the Civil War—considered the high-water mark for Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. $11,500.
“IT’S TAKEN FANCY FAST FOOTWORK IN LOBBIES AND MUSEUMS TO ESCAPE…”
MITCHELL, Margaret. Autograph letter signed. New Orleans, April 1, 1939.
Very rare autograph letter signed from Margaret Mitchell to Harold Latham, who had famously discovered her and her book, about traveling incognito and possibly meeting. Written seven months before the Gone With the Wind premiere. $11,000.
DESSINS, WITH A WONDERFUL ORIGINAL DRAWING BY COCTEAU
COCTEAU, Jean. Dessins. Paris, 1923 [i.e. 1924].
Signed limited first edition, number 44 of only 625 copies, this being one of only 50 copies “sur Hollande Van Gelder,” with a large laid-in original pen-and-ink drawing by Cocteau entitled “Hommage a Paul Morand,” depicting a wealthy woman reclining in a lounge chair, a copy of one of Morand’s books dangling from her hand. $9000.
“NOW THE LEAVES ARE FALLING FAST…”: AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF AUDEN’S POEM AUTUMN SONG, SIGNED BY HIM
AUDEN, W. H. Autograph manuscript poem signed. No place, no date.
Autograph manuscript of the first published version of Auden’s classic poem “Autumn Song” (here untitled) in Auden’s hand, signed by him and with an interesting correction. When Auden initially wrote out the poem, he mistakenly omitted the third verse. He then went on to include this verse beneath his signature, drawing an arrow to its proper place, with his note “Sorry, I forgot this verse (I have no copy here). W.H.A.” $8500.
INSCRIBED AND TWICE SIGNED TO WELLS FAMILY NANNY MATHILDE MEYER AND WITH AN AUTOGRAPH SCORECARD FEATURING TWO ORIGINAL PENCIL SKETCHES BY H.G. WELLS
WELLS, H.G. Floor Games. WITH: Autograph scorecard featuring two original sketches. London, 1911. First edition, presentation copy, of this wonderful children’s book on imaginative play and “floor games,” inscribed in the year of publication to the Wells family nanny: “Mathilde Meyer from H.G. Wells, very best wishes. Dec. 1911,” with photographic print tipped onto verso of frontispiece and pencil signature of H.G. Wells directly below, accompanied by a laid in autograph scorecard from a game of “Racing Down at Easton Globe” played by Wells and his family (including Meyer) written entirely in H.G. Wells’ hand, featuring elaborate original pencil sketches of a card game and a murder scene on recto and verso by Wells. $8000.
"THE REBELS HAD CROSSED THE RIVER BY POINT OF ROCKS AND WERE ON THE MARYLAND SIDE, HAVING ABOUT 2000 CAVALRY…"
(CIVIL WAR) LINCOLN, Benjamin C. Civil War Diary, Archive. No place, 1861-64.
Interesting 1862 Civil War diary and related papers of Union officer and abolitionist Benjamin C. Lincoln, who would become an officer in the 2nd United States Colored Troops, in which he describes the captured home of Robert E. Lee and Jeb Stuart's Chambersburg Raid. $8000.
Search and refine these results Click here
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Vicar St., Dublin
Although a summer arena/shed tour with his legendary band Crazy Horse will begin in June, Neil Young has been steadily weaving his way around Europe, playing solo acoustic shows in more intimate venue
Although a summer arena/shed tour with his legendary band Crazy Horse will begin in June, Neil Young has been steadily weaving his way around Europe, playing solo acoustic shows in more intimate venues.
The smallest of them was Vicar St., a state-of-the art music hall in Dublin's old Liberties quarter that seats 1,000 around its jazz-club-like tables.
By the last evening of his three-night stint here, Young had clearly relaxed into his surroundings, sparring with his audience at regular intervals, happy to trade witty asides and wry observations.
The set was divided into two halves. For the first, Young unveiled his forthcoming concept album, Greendale, in its totality. The second consisted of a greatest-hits segment based around Harvest and After the Gold Rush. It was almost as though Young was rewarding his audience for its patience in soaking up an hour-and-a-half of new material by peppering the latter half of the gig with his most well-known songs.
Although Greendale is also the name of the town where the famous British cartoon character Postman Pat delivers the mail, in Young's world it is a fictional harbor town somewhere on the American coastline.
In a series of overlapping narratives, Young told the story of three generations of the Green family, who seem to represent the best of America—they're by turns kind, loyal, creative, rebellious, and self-possessed.
We heard tales of Grandma and Grandpa Green, and it was almost as if we were back on Sugar Mountain or at home with the Waltons. Yet things took a sinister twist when one of the clan gunned down a policeman after being caught smuggling drugs in his car.
Revisiting territory previously mapped out on "Tired Eyes" from Tonight's the Night, Young then went on to draw an extraordinarily poignant picture of the dead policeman's grieving widow and colleagues in "Carmichael."
Although delivered mostly on acoustic guitar and harmonica, these new songs were satisfyingly complex and emotionally rich.
And yet they seemed sublimely timeless, partly because they are tied to simple old blues and folk arrangements. Of all the new items, the most affecting was "Bandit," with its bittersweet lament: "Someday you'll find everything you're looking for."
Between songs, Young spun a narrative to flesh out both the internal and external lives of the characters, suggesting that they have taken up squatter's rights in his imagination.
The narrative's best character is the beautiful, impulsive 18-year-old, Sun Green, who makes an anti-war statement on the side of a mountain from hay bales for passing airplanes to see, and who takes off to Alaska with a kindred spirit to help save the landscape from polluting industrialists.
After the intermission, Young played a lovely version of "Lotta Love." Then he foraged through a big book of song lyrics that sat on the table beside him and settled on "Horseshoe Man," from 2000's Silver and Gold, which he performed beautifully on the grand piano, his famously fragile voice sounding hauntingly forlorn as he pondered: "Love? I don't know about love."
Back on guitar, "Old Man" took on a delicious irony, with the now 58-year-old Young. He chose the upright piano for a wonderful version of the ballad "Birds."
The highlight was perhaps the rare performance of "Ambulance Blues." Somnambulant and surreal, it found the awestruck crowd rising to its feet before an encore of "Heart of Gold" brought this remarkable trio of gigs to a close.—NK
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Responsible purchasing
Long-term, close relations with a small number of suppliers are central to BioGaia’s business model. In addition to its own subsidiary BioGaia Production in Eslöv, BioGaia works with external suppliers for production, packaging, culture manufacture and analysis services in Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Spain and the USA.
BioGaia has implemented a Code of Conduct as part of business agreements. At the end of 2018 all contract manufacturers for production, packaging and culture had signed up to the Code of Conduct. For suppliers of analysis services the figure was 83 percent, with the remainder in an ongoing process. The Supplier Code of Conduct specifies BioGaia’s minimum requirements within areas such as human rights, working conditions, environment and business ethics/anti-corruption.
The ongoing dialog with suppliers covers sustainability aspects such as quality, safety and environmental impact. BioGaia also conducts regular inspections on site at its suppliers. During these inspections compliance with the Code of Conduct is also checked. Some of BioGaia’s distributors also inspect suppliers as part of their own sustainability work.
Use of material and resource consumption
BioGaia has an ambition to reduce the environmental impact from production and products. This is done primarily through activities to reduce the quantity of material that is used as well as increasing the proportion of renewable material.
Previous life-cycle analyses of packages have shown that small tablet containers have the greatest impact per dose. BioGaia therefore always recommends that distributors choose blister packs for small packages.
The target is that within five years all BioGaia’s packages will be completely biodegradable. The challenge is that probiotics are sensitive and the new packages must meet the same standards as today’s to retain the quality and shelf life of the products.
Safety in production
Manufacture and packaging of BioGaia’s products takes place at six facilities in the USA and Europe of which BioGaia Production in Eslöv is a wholly-owned subsidiary and the others are external suppliers. Issues concerning the work environment and safety are included in the Code of Conduct and also handled through regular supplier inspections.
BioGaia Production in Eslöv has been GMP certified (good manufacturing practice) by the Swedish Medical Products Agency since 2015. At both BioGaia Production and the adjacent laboratory, Center of Excellence, there is systematic work with risk management to ensure that potential risks are handled satisfactorily. For example, in the laboratory work is in progress to automate analysis methods to reduce the risk of workplace injuries.
Targets and results
Suppliers who have signed up to the Code of Conduct. At the end of 2018, 100 percent of BioGaia’s contract suppliers of production, packaging and culture had signed up. Of suppliers of analysis services, 83 percent had signed up to the Code of Conduct.
Renewable material in packaging within five years. The development project started in 2017 continues.
The BioGaia Way
In addition to maintaining high product quality and safety, BioGaia’s product development strives to improve the products from an environmental and ethical perspective.
The corporate culture and values that govern BioGaia’s approach, The BioGaia Way, cover both social sustainability issues and respect for the environment.
The right skills and a good work environment provide conditions for job satisfaction and commitment.
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Tag Archives: photos. rematch
Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin LA Public Work Out Quotes and Photos
CANELO ALVAREZ, Lineal Middleweight World Champion:
Photo Credit: Tom Hogan-Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions
“We’re getting close to the fight, and I feel good. This fight is personal because of all that’s been said, and it will be difficult to regain the respect that we once had. The statements that have been made about me have given me more motivation to train harder. I have watched the first fight several times. The error that I made was that I had opportunities to counter that I needed to have taken advantage of. I need to do that in the rematch.
Like I’ve said many times, the first fight gave me the guideline for the second fight. I know that I can do many things in the ring against him. I know that I can hurt him. I hurt him in the first fight, and I’m going to hurt him even more in the second fight. My objective is the knockout and I’ll be looking for that from the opening round.”
Golovkin knows who I am. He knows who I’m about. Let me put it even better–he still doesn’t know how much more I have left to show. I’m looking forward to showing him that on September 15. I have to win convincingly. It has to be a knockout to erase any doubts. I’m very motivated for this win. I’m confident, but not overconfident about my opponent because I know who he is, but I’m confident in my preparation.
There is no such thing as a Mexican style. There have been many fighters from Mexico with different styles. My style is mine. I’m Mexican and that’s what is important. Maybe Golovkin uses ‘Mexican Style’ to get fans, but he’s a hypocrite. If something were to happen in Mexico, he wouldn’t be there to support them.
GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN, WBC/WBA/IBO Middleweight World Champion:
“Canelo, he is not a champion. He is a liar who has no respect for the sport of boxing or its fans. I want to stay world champion and bring all my belts home. I am ready to star in another Big Drama Show. I do not think about Canelo in training. I am not worried about him. I only worry about doing my job in training camp and doing my job in the ring against Canelo on September 15. In the last fight I did not feel any real power from Canelo. Just slaps. He is not the hardest puncher I have fought, but he is fast and quick. He is the most skilled fighter I have fought. He is a very good fighter.
I am happy to get at Canelo again. It is another big chance to beat him again. Of course I want to knock out Canelo. It would be nice if Canelo came to fight this time. I don’t believe what he says about how he will fight me this time. He said the same thing before our first fight. I will definitely be more aggressive in this fight.
Was I upset that Canelo failed two drug tests? Yes. But I was more upset at Canelo’s team. The excuses they gave, their attitude, and Canelo’s reaction, it showed that they have no respect for the sport or the fans. They showed their real faces. They are fakes. I do
not feel anger toward him because the rematch was canceled the first time.
But I did lose all respect for him. Canelo is not the biggest name in boxing, just the biggest scandal. I feel very comfortable. It has been a great training camp. Abel has had me working on new things which I find very exciting. The cancelation of the rematch in May was a good life experience but it was not a good experience for boxing. I believe new judges and a new referee could be better for boxing and the fans.”
JAIME MUNGUÍA, WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion:
“Fighting on this card is a great opportunity, especially on a date that is so important for Mexicans. I have the obligation to give a great fight to all the fans. I know Brandon Cook is a tough opponent. He is older than me and has a lot of experience. But I think I’m stronger than him and have a reach advantage. I’m confident I’ll walk away with my hand raised.
This fight is an obligation to come in even better than last time. I need to show that I’ve gotten a lot better. I never knew that I would get so far in my career so quickly, but things happen for a reason. The Liam Smith fight gave me a lot of experience. It showed me all the errors I made that I am now working on in the gym.
A lot of fighters would love to be fighting frequently. It’s an opportunity that any fighter would desire. So I have to take advantage of that. If my body allows, I will continue be an active fighter as a world champion.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:
“This fight is something different. This fight is personal. I’ve never seen Canelo so angry. He really wants to knock Golovkin out. As a promoter, I want to see him knock Golovkin out. This fight is every important for Mexican people. This is a Mexican date, and I’m excited we can bring fans an exciting and memorable event during Mexican Independence Day Weekend.”
TOM LOEFFLER, Promoter of Gennady “GGG” Golovkin:
“This is the biggest fight, the biggest boxing event of the year. The two best middleweights going mano a mano for all the marbles. Gennady is going for the all-time consecutive title defense record to further burnish his place as the top pound for pound fighter of his era.
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When it comes to b2b inbound and content marketing, social media is pretty much a given.
After all, if one of your main goals is to reach your target audience (and I hope it is, otherwise we have much bigger problems), then odds are you’re going to find that audience pretty captive on at least one (and probably more than one) social media platform. That’s why social media can be such an effective way to generate leads.
But having a strong social media strategy does not mean having a presence on every social media platform that’s out there.
You only have limited resources (read: time and money) and you don’t want to put those resources where a) they’re not going to reach the audience you want and b) they’re not going to give you the kind of engagement you want.
Not to mention that spreading yourself too thin across too many channels is a great way to lose followers.
But choosing the right channels for your strategy is easier said than done. There’s a lot to consider, from your brand, to your budget, your objectives, your audience, your competitors and even your geographic considerations.
Luckily, we’ve put together the ultimate b2b social media marketing cheat sheet, which gives you the ins and outs of all the biggest social media platforms. If you’re confused about where you should be focusing your efforts to get the biggest rewards, then this guide is for you.
As a b2b business, LinkedIn is in all likelihood going to be one of your most important social media platforms for you, if not the most important.
Which makes sense, considering it’s pretty much built for targeting professionals, high-level decision-makers in particular – according to one study, 91% of executives rated LinkedIn as their number-one choice for professionally relevant content.
Advanced search and ad targeting functions: Targeting prospects is easy with LinkedIn’s advanced search query and ad targeting, which allows you to filter leads and target ads based on industry, location, company size, seniority and so on.
Premium account: Subscribing to LinkedIn’s Premium Account gives you access to a plethora of features, such as InMail (which allows you to directly message anyone on LinkedIn, including those you aren’t connected to), premium search filters and expanded profiles.
Better for lead generation: These types of features makes LinkedIn the leader when it comes to lead generation, with marketers in one survey reporting that 80% of b2b marketing leads sourced through social media came from LinkedIn.
User engagement tends to be lower: Unlike Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn users tend not to check their newsfeeds several times a day; in fact, only 40% of LinkedIn members are daily users.
More expensive to advertise: While LinkedIn’s cost-per-click tends to be higher than Facebook or Twitter, it does often produce better-quality leads.
Great for businesses that …
Are looking to target a highly niche audience: With advanced search functions and ad targeting, and industry-focused groups, LinkedIn makes it easy to zero in on your key demographic.
Want to establish their authority in a field: By providing high-quality content, answering relevant industry questions posed by potential customers, and participating in groups and forums, you can use LinkedIn’s tools and features to set yourself apart from your competition as a thought leader.
Practice account-based marketing: LinkedIn’s advanced ad targeting platform and direct messaging capabilities makes it ideal for account-based marketing.
While Facebook’s reputation has been tainted by the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal, it still remains a social media powerhouse. With 60% of the Australian population being active users on Facebook, it’s simply too big for b2b businesses to ignore.
Pundits are also predicting that augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will be huge trends in the coming months and years, and we expect Facebook to be at the forefront of these trends, particularly with the development of their virtual reality platform, Spaces.
Supports live-streaming: With Facebook Live, brands can easily live-stream product updates and demos, and give a behind-the-scenes peek at industry events.
More engaged users: While LinkedIn is where people go for professional purposes, Facebook is where they go to interact with friends and family, and have leisure time. They are likelier, therefore, to check their Facebook newsfeeds more often and to be more engaged when they do so.
Cost-effective, highly targeted advertising: Like LinkedIn, Facebook has highly targeted advertising, ensuring you can easily get your brand in front of your target audience. Not to mention it has one of the lowest cost-per-clicks (CPCs) of the big social networks.
Hypervigilance about privacy: Facebook users are now particularly wary about privacy and how their data is used by third parties, and so they may be restricting access to their data on this platform more so than others.
Not so hot with Gen Z and millennials right now: Young people are leaving Facebook in droves, and instead favouring platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp.
Want to show off their brand personality a bit more: Facebook is where brands can let their hair down, and show a bit more authenticity to their target audience – all the more important for b2b businesses who want to cultivate long-term relationships with their customers.
Require more touchpoints in the buyer journey: With b2b businesses, there are typically many touchpoints required as the prospect progresses from awareness, to consideration, to their final decision. Considering how much time the prospect is likely spending on Facebook, you’d be crazy not to invest in it.
Twitter has seen a bit of a resurgence since it doubled its character limit to 280, though with 3 million monthly active users in Australia, it still lags well behind the reach of Facebook (15 million) and Instagram (9 million).
Great for engagement: With Twitter, it’s much easier to interact with leads and customers, whether it’s by retweeting posts, answering industry-specific questions, or responding quickly to customer service queries. You can even segment leads and customers into lists for regular monitoring, so you can be even more responsive.
Instant and real-time: Twitter is the ideal platform for breaking news or covering live events.
Less users than other platforms: As mentioned, Twitter does not have the reach of platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Can be time and labour intensive: Tweets are very ephemeral, and people tend to check Twitter quickly, significantly lowering your chances of any individual tweet being seen. It can, therefore, take a long time and constant attention to establish a strong presence on Twitter.
Want to appear cutting-edge and topical: Being highly responsive to events and developments in your industry can help establish you as an authority in the field.
Regularly update products: According to one report, 74% of people who follow SMBs do so to get updates on future products.
Want to boost customer service: Many users use Twitter to flag issues with businesses, so if good customer service is a priority to your business (and it should be), then you should have an active presence on Twitter.
With 9 million monthly active users in Australia, Instagram is a platform that should definitely not be ignored.
There’s also evidence to suggest that millennials are ditching Facebook in favour of Instagram, and as this demographic moves up the ranks and into decision-making roles, it will become all the more crucial for brands to meet them where they are.
Instagram has also recently launched IGTV, a long-form video portal that aims to give YouTube a run for its money. Users will be able to post videos lasting up to an hour, opening up exciting possibilities for b2b marketers.
Makes brands feel more authentic: Instagram Stories allows businesses to produce real-time, ephemeral videos that give a less polished, more authentic peek behind the curtain, making them a great way to inject personality into your brand and engage followers on a deeper level.
Very high level of engagement compared with other platforms: Engagement with brands on Instagram is 10 times higher than Facebook, 40 times higher than LinkedIn, and 84 times higher than Twitter.
Difficult to leverage without compelling imagery: Instagram is first and foremost about images – which might be an issue for some b2b businesses, which may struggle to produce compelling, relevant images at the rate needed to maintain engagement.
Doesn’t really help drive website traffic: With Instagram, you are only allowed one link in your bio, and there are no clickable external links unless you pay for ads. This severely limits the amount of website traffic – and, by extension, leads – you’ll be able to generate via the platform.
Want to target millennials: Even if this demographic isn’t one of your main targets now, they are bound to be in the future, so it may be worth getting on the Instagram bandwagon now to prepare for that eventuality.
Have a more visual product: If you, for example, sell software that helps businesses produce beautiful infographics, then a platform like Instagram is perfect for showcasing exactly what your product can do.
You may be surprised to see Snapchat mentioned here, seeing as Kylie Jenner pretty much declared the platform was dead back in February.
And while Snapchat’s recent redesign was met with ambivalence, the fact that Snapchat is growing into one of the biggest digital hangouts for American teens could be the first signs of a massive comeback.
Snapchat has also grown significantly in Australia, with 6.3 million monthly active users (almost 2 million more than LinkedIn). Could Snapchat claw its way back? Watch this space.
Organic feel: The spontaneous, fun nature of real-time videos means your marketing material doesn’t feel like marketing at all – not to mention Snapchat users are among the most highly engaged.
Location-specific content: With geofilters, users can access overlays for their snaps depending on where they are – and yes, you can create a geofilter for your business too. Snapchat’s Our Stories, in which users can submit snaps about certain events (like conferences or music festivals), which last 24 hours, is another location-specific feature that is incredibly popular – one snap posted in an Our Story can potentially be viewed millions of times. These are great ways to connect with local customers, and can be especially fun tools for event marketing.
Very temporary: By definition, Snapchat is highly time-sensitive – you only have a few seconds to get your message across before it disappears, so you need to make sure it’s specific and very targeted. (If you’re not sure whether this type of messaging is right for you, you might want to test it out with Instagram Stories first, which is fairly similar.)
Perhaps not quite the right demographic – yet: Snapchat definitely skews younger in terms of its users, so, as a b2b business, it’s likely that not many of your key decision-makers are on the platform (not yet, anyway).
Have a younger clientele: It’s about knowing your audience, so if your target audience isn’t on Snapchat, there’s not much point investing resources in it. (Though remember, Facebook was once thought of as a platform for younger people too …)
Regularly hold or participate in events: Snapchat is a fun, quick way to connect with your target audience while at an event, whether it’s by giving a 10-second behind-the-scenes look, sharing limited-time product discounts or other promotions with fellow attendees, or giving a shout-out to a customer or partner.
Keep your ear to the ground
The social media landscape is a capricious one, and things can shift quickly, so perhaps the most important thing to bear in mind is that no social media strategy should be set in stone. Stay on top of current and upcoming trends (by, say, subscribing to this blog!), and let the data guide your way.
If you’re still not sure where to start when it comes your social media strategy, it might be time to call in the big guns – that is, an inbound marketing agency. But which one is right for you? Make sure you pick the agency that is the best fit for your business with our free 7-step checklist to choosing your inbound agency. Download it now!
(Monthly active users statistics compiled by SocialMediaNews.com.au for May 2018. Source: Vivid Social - Social Media Agency. Figures correct as of 31/05/18.)
How to measure the success of your paid social media campaigns
By Zoe Palmer in Social Media on June 28, 2018
by Zoe Palmer June 28, 2018
5 b2b social media fails that are destroying your lead goal
Why you definitely shouldn’t hire an intern to do your social media
Don’t leave your LinkedIn marketing to flounder: 5 quick tips to spruce up your company page
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Here Are The Chinese Companies Developing Android-Backed Smart Phones
The China Perspective
Jan. 20, 2012, 11:17 AM
Not even a week after Apple's botched mainland delivery of its flagship 4S smartphone, two of China's leading internet firms, Sina Corp and Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd, announced their plans to develop their own Android-backed smartphones.
In recent years, both of these firms have risen to become two of the most recognizable names in the Chinese technology world. Sina, of course, is well-known for its popular microblogging platform Weibo, which currently boasts 250 million users according to the company's own data; a substantial figure compared to recent Analysys International estimates, which placed the country's active microblogging population at 254 million as of the end of last year. Shanda, arguably the less internationally recognizable of the two companies, is a popular online gaming and media operator which offers, among its many entertainment products, some of the country's top multi-player role playing games, as well as a wide selection of online literature through its Shanda Literature platform.
Currently, the proposed handsets from both Sina and Shanda are still in the early stages of development; with release dates, pricing and technical specification likely still months away. Yet, in their initial announcements, both companies mentioned that their smartphones will feature specially designed features for their respective online products.
With the explosive growth seen in the country's mobile market in recent years, Sina and Shanda are not the first major Chinese internet firms to have set their sights on the lucrative domestic smartphone market. Last year, for example, Baidu, operators of the country's popular search engine, announced a partnership with Dell to deliver a handset called the Streak Pro, a smartphone which utilizes Baidu's Yi platform, sometime around the upcoming Chinese New Year. Similarly, Alibaba, operators of several of the country's top e-commerce platforms; and Tencent, the company behind QQ, one of the country's most widely-used instant messaging services; have each in recent years taken steps towards entering the mobile market with smartphones and localized apps.
As demand for smartphones declines abroad, growth in the Chinese market is expected to lead the world in the years to come, with inexpensive handsets priced under RMB 2000 ($315 USD) expected to draw the most attention from local consumers. China is currently the world's top smartphone marketplace, with 24 million smartphones shipped in the third quarter of last year, exceeding the 23 million units shipped in the US during the same period according to the Wall Street Journal, citing data from research firm Strategy Analytics.
More: Android Ice Cream Sandwich Google China
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One thing you need to give investors if you want to have a billion-dollar startup
Maya Kosoff
Skye Gould/Business Insider
Billion-dollar companies used to be so rare, they developed a name for themselves: unicorns.
Now these companies are increasingly common. According to The Wall Street Journal's " Billion-Dollar Club" list, 90 companies have billion-dollar valuations.
And if Uber raises yet another round of financing — it is rumored to be raising between $1.5 billion and $2 billion— it stands to become the most valuable private tech company of all time, with a $50 billion valuation.
The law firm Fenwick & West assessed 37 US-based private tech companies that raised money in the past year at a billion-dollar valuation. Of the companies it analyzed, the firm says one-fourth of financings were led by venture-capital firms; the rest were led by other investors (corporate investors, hedge funds, or mutual funds).
The average valuation of the companies the firm analyzed was $4.4 billion, and the median was $1.6 billion.
There was one thing all of the billion-dollar companies the firm analyzed had in common: In each case, investors demanded a liquidation preference, which, if the company gets sold, allows investors to cut the line and get paid before others, such as the company's founder or its executive team.
It is a low-risk, high-reward arrangement for investors: They get paid whether a company is sold for a price lower or higher than the valuation at which the investment put money into the company.
From the survey:
Investors in unicorn financings have significantly more downside protection than public company common stock investors. These protections are especially strong in the event of an acquisition. For example, CB Insights reported that the 10 highest valued unicorns had an aggregate valuation of $122 billion and an aggregate invested capital of $12 billion. Since 100% of the unicorn financings had a liquidation preference, valuations of these companies could fall on average by 90% before the unicorn investors would suffer a loss of their investment, and they could withstand an even greater decline if they had a senior liquidation preference over other series of preferred stock.
Sometimes startups go public at lower valuations than the ones they were given during their private rounds of funding. Investors can protect against this with senior liquidation preference, which means they get paid before common investors and anyone who holds preferred stock in the company.
Fenwick & West reports that investors do this just one-fifth of the time in unicorn companies. And only 16% of investors in these kinds of deals demand a minimum IPO price that is as high as the valuation they paid.
Check out the full survey over at Fenwick & West's website.
SEE ALSO: Which billion-dollar 'unicorn' startups are at most risk of dying? Here's what some data suggests ...
NOW WATCH: 6 ways to master the iPhone calendar app
More: Startups Investing
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Eva Air confirmed to join Star Alliance
29 Mar 2012 by ahmarshah
EVA Air is set to expand its global presence as it has been confirmed to join the Star Alliance, with the process scheduled to be completed next year. In a ceremony attended by EVA president KW Chang (pictured, right), Taiwanese government officials and representatives of many member airlines today (March 29), the alliance’s chief executive Mark Schwab (pictured, centre) formally announced that the board has unanimously accepted the membership application of EVA. “EVA Air is a very good fit for Star Alliance as the airline will add many new routes to our global network, with a specific focus on the Far East,” he said. New destinations that are to be added to the Star Alliance network as a result are Kaohsiung in Taiwan and Surabaya in Indonesia. For Taiwan’s second largest flight operator after China Airlines (a Skyteam member), the new membership not only means the ability to offer its passengers connections to more than 1,300 destinations through 26 other member airlines, including regions previously off limit to EVA such as Africa, but also access to some 980 lounge facilities around the world and more opportunities to earn air miles. Schwab also pointed out that being part of the alliance can help an airline cope with these days of high fuel costs through joint sourcing. “One of the benefits we are able to offer our members is by pooling our purchasing of fuel around the world,” he said. EVA, on the other hand, plans to save fuel by restructuring its deployment of aircraft as new deliveries arrive. The airline has 15 B777-300ERs (see a Tried and Tested review of the product here), with further three on firm order and to be delivered from 2014 onwards, and another four under negotiation. The airline says these aircraft will be deployed for the transit traffic anticipated from the mainland, when the US relaxes visa restrictions for China travellers. EVA has been playing an active role in making Taoyuan airport in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, a transit hub between Southeast Asia and North America, with 45 weekly flights to the latter. EVA president James Jeng, also present at the ceremony, pointed to Mainland China, which has in recent years established direct links with the island, as another major market with potential. “Unfortunately, those passengers holding mainland passports cannot transit in Taipei. This is the most important issue we need to resolve. We are talking to the government and if this burden can be lifted, Mainland China is a big yard for Taipei," Jeng said. The political status of Taiwan, considered by Beijing as a renegade province, has always been a hindrance to its ability to tap into the growing mainland market. Prior to December, 2008, air travel between the two sides was often done via transit in Hong Kong. EVA’s membership to Star Alliance is signifying further improvement in cross-trait relations as it was recommended by mainland’s flag carrier Air China, which is also the mentor airline for the integration process needed for EVA to become a finalised Star Alliance member. EVA’s six MD-90 narrow-bodied aircraft, together another five operated by its sister domestic airline UNI, will be phased out by 2016 and replaced by A320s and A321s. These will provide capability for the airline to fly or increase frequencies to short- to medium-haul routes, including Sydney, a destination it suspended in 2006. It seems that the sky is the limit for EVA, as the government of another of its important growth market, Japan, signed an open sky agreement with Taiwan at the end of last year. Other than Tokyo, Taiwanese carriers are allowed to operate unlimited amount of flights to the rest of Japan. The route between two city airports, Songshan in Taipei and Gimpo in Seoul, is also one EVA is eager to cash in on. EVA was founded in 1989 as part of logistics conglomerate Evergreen Group. It flies to 62 international with 59 aircraft. Last year, it flew 6.7 million passengers and rang in US$3.47 billion in revenues, a 4 per cent year-on-year increase despite load factor having dropped 2 per cent because of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the Bangkok floods. For an interview with President Chang from EVA Air, stay tuned. For more information, visit www.evaair.com and www.staralliance.com Reggie Ho
Tags: EVA Air, Star Alliance, Taiwan
ANA to launch premium economy on London route
China Southern Airlines installs SkyPriority at Beijing
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9 Awesomely Inclusive Ad Campaigns That Show How Varied Families Can Be
By Georgina Lawton
Advertising has come a long way since the catalogues and slogan posters that first characterised the practice when it began to boom in the United States during the 1920s; more and more, we're seeing fantastically inclusive ads on our screens, including many inclusive ad campaigns featuring families that show just how wide the definition of the word "family" is now. It seems like a little thing, who's depicted in an ad and who isn't — but those little things ad up, and the big picture definitely matters.
Although it's still somewhat of a talking point to see commercials about families featuring anything other than white, able-bodied, Western-looking, traditional nuclear units, there are tentative inroads being made to diversify the range of people depicted in them. There are a few reasons for this; of course it's worth remembering that the goal of an ad is to sell us something, but it's significant that advertisers have tapped into the seismic shifts regarding race, sexuality, and family values. The world is a hugely varied place, as are the people who populate it, and it makes sense that our media would want to reflect this.
And Airbnb have just become the latest company to release an advert promoting a diverse and changing version of the modern family. Their clip shows a family comprised of two moms and three kids having what looks to be the best time ever in and around a rented home in L.A. Inclusivity: Fun for everyone!
Airbnb on YouTube
There's still plenty of work left to do, too of course. Although LGBTQ-inclusive adverts like the one above are becoming increasingly common, we could definitely still stand to see more. It's still incredibly rare to see any sort of disability feature in a commercial; and the backlash some have lobbed at some inclusive advertisements are powerful indicators that not all commercials reflect societal views, and vice versa.
However, there are some amazingly inclusive family adverts that have been put out in recent years which will totally give you all the feels. Here are nine of them:
1. National Fatherhood Initiative
Grow To Give on YouTube
Dismantling long-standing, derogatory stereotypes of black fathers is a task that may never be fully completed, but thankfully the non-profit organization National Fatherhood Initiative is doing their bit with this super-sweet "Cheerleader Daddy" commercial. Its humour packs a serious punch and makes an important point all at once.
2. Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo on YouTube
I challenge you not to shed a tear in this powerful commercial, which depicts a lesbian couple working hard at learning sign language in preparation for a new arrival from the adoption agency. SO MANY FEELS HERE.
Weroac Ksamer on YouTube
Camera company Nikon snapped up gay dads Kordale and Kaleb for their "I Am Generation" campaign last year after a photo of their pair doing their daughter’s hair went viral after being posted on Instagram. The advert references the pic, with the couple explaining that "parents that can get up at 5.30 a.m. and do their daughter’s hair, no matter who they are — that’s a family."
4. Campbell
Campbell’s was founded in 1879 and is a family brand embedded in the consciousness of many Americans. What a clever move it was, then, to create a commercial that recalled the connection between good food and family while reflecting what many families look like today. Also, bonus points for Star Wars.
5. Honey Maid
Honey Maid on YouTube
I love how this advert ticks all the inclusivity boxes without being too over-the-top with it. Gay families, mixed families, Latino families — it ain't nothing to Honey Maid, who assures us that all families are "wholesome."
6. Swiffer
Whilst we’re starting to see a lot more LGBT and interracial themes in advertisements these days, those with people who have disabilities are seen a whole lot less. This Swiffer video, though, has managed to create a commercial that includes an interracial family and people with disabilities, making it wonderfully intersectional.
7. Hallmark
Continuing the trend of showing what families actually look like around the world, Hallmark created an advert which encapsulates the chaos of the family Christmas photo for a multi-racial family. It's a subtle nod, too; the concept of race is not used to shock or stun. It's just the way things are — which is just as it should be.
Quarter Coyote on YouTube
The message is nice and direct; also it’s hella cute. It features two sets of couples on holiday, focusing on a man and a woman making small talk about their Kindles whilst lounging on their deck chairs; at first, you assume they are husband and wife, until it's revealed that both are actually waiting for their husbands to return from the bar. There's nothing like a vacation with your partner and your best pals, right?
9. Cheerios
This 2013 Cheerio advert was a landmark for many reasons, but the most important one was the way it simply presented the multi-racial family for what they are: A family. Period.
Image: Airbnb/YouTube
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Eric Trump: My Dad Ran Because The White House Christmas Tree Is Now A “Holiday Tree”
It's still called the "National Christmas Tree."
By Andrew Kaczynski
Andrew Kaczynski BuzzFeed News Reporter
Posted on August 26, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. ET
Yuri Gripas / AFP / Getty Images
Eric Trump, listing off reasons his father is running for president, said in an interview this week that one of the motivations was the renaming of the White House Christmas tree to the "holiday tree."
The tree placed on the White House lawn during the holiday season is still called the National Christmas Tree.
"He opens up the paper each morning and sees our nation’s leaders giving a hundred billion dollars to Iran, or he opens the paper and some new school district has just eliminated the ability for its students to say the pledge of allegiance, or some fire department in some town is ordered by the mayor to no longer fly the American flag on the back of a fire truck," Trump told James Robison in an interview posted this week.
"Or he sees the tree on the White House lawn has been renamed 'holiday tree' instead of 'Christmas tree,'" continued Trump. "I could go on and on for hours. Those are the very things that made my father run, and those are the very things he cares about."
Chain emails that began when President Obama took office falsely claimed that tree had been renamed. A tree on Capitol Hill was briefly called a "holiday tree" in the '90s, but the name was changed in 2005 at the direction of then-Speaker Dennis Hastert.
Andrew Kaczynski is a political reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in New York.
Contact Andrew Kaczynski at andrew.kaczynski@buzzfeed.com.
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Two Ohio Police Officers Have Been Shot Dead In The Line Of Duty
"My husband shot, he shot the police officers."
By David Mack and Salvador Hernandez
David Mack BuzzFeed News Reporter Salvador Hernandez BuzzFeed News Reporter
Last updated on February 11, 2018, at 8:16 p.m. ET
Posted on February 10, 2018, at 3:11 p.m. ET
Courtesy of the City of Westerville
Officer Anthony Morelli (left) and Officer Eric Joering were shot and killed Saturday morning.
Two police officers were shot and killed in Westerville, Ohio, a suburb on the outskirts of Columbus, on Saturday, authorities said.
A Westerville city spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that the pair of officers were responding to a hang-up call that came into the city's 911 dispatch center.
In calls released by the city Saturday night, a woman can be heard crying in the background, but she doesn't appear to respond when a dispatcher tries to ask her what was wrong. When a dispatcher tries to call back, the calls goes to a voicemail.
Police Chief Joe Morbitzer described the incident to media as "a potential domestic situation."
Police had been called multiple times to the home where the shooting took place, according to reports released by the city. Most recently, officers had been dispatched back in November for another domestic situation.
A short time after officers were called to respond to a 911 hangup, someone can be heard in radio traffic yelling, "Shots fired, shots fired."
Morbitzer said the officers, identified as Anthony Morelli and Eric Joering, arrived at the apartment at 12:10 p.m. local time they were "immediately met with gunfire and were shot."
Minutes later, police received another 911 call, apparently from the suspect's wife, who said she was hiding in the bushes near the home. "My husband shot, he shot the police officers," she told a dispatcher. "My daughter is in there, please!"
Joering died on the scene, while Morelli died from his injuries in an area hospital.
"They knew how to do policing right, both of them," a tearful Morbitzer told press. "Both gave their life in protection of others, and that's what they lived and breathed."
He described them as "true American heroes" and "two of the best we have."
"This was their calling," he said, "and they did it right."
Officials identified the suspect in the shooting as 30-year-old Quentin Lamar Smith, who has been charged with two counts of aggravated murder, according to a police statement Sunday. Police have described Smith as a married man with a young daughter who had a criminal record, according to police.
When police responded to another call at Smith's home in November, his wife asked about a protective order against Smith because he had threatened to kill her, their daughter, and himself, according to police reports released Saturday. The woman left the police station without a protection order.
Police tape cordons off the area where two Westerville, Ohio, police officers were shot and killed responding to a hang-up 911 call on Saturday.
Morelli, 54, was described as a 29-year veteran of the department. Joering, 39, had been with the department for 16 years.
A Westerville spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that a suspect was wounded in the shootout and taken to an area hospital. Morbitzer said the Columbus police department would handle the investigation.
He also said he had received messages of condolence from around the country.
"Everyone should be as upset about this as America’s law enforcement officers are," said New York Police Department Commissioner James O'Neill on Twitter. "No cop, anywhere, 'signed up' to be murdered."
Westerville is a northeastern suburb of Columbus and is home to Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
On Twitter Saturday, Kasich said that he had spoken to Morbitzer and Westerville city leaders and offered state resources to support the department's investigation.
John Kasich @JohnKasich
I've spoken with Westerville's city leaders and Chief Morbitzer and pledged whatever support they need from the hig… https://t.co/Ob433aKzmT
President Donald Trump also tweeted his condolences Saturday, and on Sunday he tweeted about calling Kasich and expressing his condolences.
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
My thoughts and prayers are with the two police officers, their families, and everybody at the @WestervillePD. https://t.co/AoingY77Ky
Just spoke to @JohnKasich to express condolences and prayers to all for the horrible shooting of two great police o… https://t.co/X7AhuEYwHI
Salvador Hernandez is a reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in Los Angeles.
Contact Salvador Hernandez at salvador.hernandez@buzzfeed.com.
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Cambridge United FC
Cambridge United's raider of the lost archives
Andrew Bennett has a series of books coming out charting Cambridge United's history
Aaron Mason
Andrew Bennett has written a series of books charting the history of Cambridge United. (Image: Keith Jones)
In Andrew Bennett, Cambridge United have their very own answer to Indiana Jones.
Painstakingly poring over old newspaper microfiches may not have the same immediate adrenaline rush as being chased by a boulder or hanging from a broken rope bridge.
But both Harrison Ford’s fictional hero and United fan Bennett have had the same goals in finding the holy grail.
For Bennett, that has meant trying to track down definitive proof of the origins of the club – and it is a quest that goes on.
He said: “The whole (100 Years of) Coconuts team (Cambridge Fans United’s heritage arm) has been digging around to find more information about how the club started.
“There’s no original document or record surviving at all. The only evidence of them being formed in 1912 was the notepaper from the 1920s.
“My feeling is that they originated at the Abbey Church in Newmarket Road from a lot of kids from the Sunday school just kicking the ball around.
“In that respect, the search still continues and we’re still delving away to find something definite.
“It’s the holy grail and it’s amazing how obscure it is given how clear Histon and Cambridge City’s origins are.”
Andrew Bennett who has written a book on the first 50 years of Cambridge United called Newmarket Road Roughs. (Image: Keith Jones)
Bennett, 56, has spent the last four years researching United’s history after taking early retirement from his job in a bank.
And the first fruits of his “labour of love” is set to emerge with the release of Newmarket Road Roughs later this month.
It will be the first book in a five-part volume, entitled Celery & Coconuts, covering the entirety of the club’s story from its beginnings to what will be the present day when the final edition is published in 2020.
But uncovering the depths of United’s past began just as a personal passion rather than with the intention of writing a book.
Van-tastic gift for Cambridge United kit man Gordon Millar
Bennett, who has been a U’s fan since the Southern League days and a season-ticket holder since 1990, said: “I’ve always been a bit of a statto and I’ve always taken an interest in the history.
“I saw there wasn’t much available information on United’s history – Paul Daw’s book (United In Endeavour) is a good book, but that came out in 1988.
'I didn’t intend to write anything, it was just information for my own use.'
“I wanted to look into the early years more and I spent an awful lot of time looking at the Cambridge Collection and the old Cambridge Evening News archive, and Cambs FA were very helpful as well.
“They let me open their safe and look at things and the more stuff I found, I thought it was a really interesting story.
“I didn’t intend to write anything, it was just information for my own use, but I thought ‘this would make a good book’.
“The more recent you get, the more information there is, it grows and grows, so eventually I thought ‘let’s go the whole hog and get it all out there’. I’ve written up to 2013 so far and the plan is to put out a book every year.
“The next book takes it up to 1970 when United got into the League, then 1989 when John Beck took over and then it’s up to 2005 when we dropped out of the League and nearly went bust.
“It’s definitely been a labour of love – there was a time when I used to go to the library and put four or five hours in there four or five days a week for a couple of years and I’m still doing it now.
“It’s not about making money, I just want to get the story out there and share it with other people.”
The first book tells the story of Abbey United until 1951 when the club changed to its present name and became a limited company to begin the move towards professionalism.
As for the title, Bennett explained: “It dates from the early 1920s when they used to play on Stourbridge Common.
“They used the Dog & Pheasant pub on the corner of Newmarket Road and Water Lane and they’d pick up the kit from there and the goalposts and march down Newmarket Road with it. “People would say ‘they’re a rough-looking lot’ and it all came from that.”
And Bennett hopes supporters will share his fascination with United’s early years. “Little is known about United’s early years – the first 50 years are summarised in a few lines on Wikipedia,” he said.
“There was ambition behind the club even from the early years because once they got going, they got two promotions very quickly. Back then Cambridge Town as City were then the big cheeses in terms of popularity, but they were amateurs.
“United were the first club in the town to turn professional so they gradually became close rivals and, by the early 1950s, there were two big teams in the town, not one.
“I’m still looking for stuff from the early years and we won’t give up, but in the meantime there are great stories here.
“It didn’t start with John Beck or Richard Money, there are some amazing characters people wouldn’t have heard of like Harvey Cornwell and Wally Wilson and their stories deserve to be heard.”
Newmarket Road Roughs is published by Lovely Bunch and is priced £14.99 plus postage and packaging, with a £1 discount for CFU members. The book will be on sale from the CFU caravan on matchdays and online at cambridgefansunited.org/store .
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iMEGA action against UIGEA set down for July 6
17 April 2009 by CasinoListings
In a statement Thursday the Interactive Media & Gaming Association (iMEGA) advised that the US 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals has notified its lawyers and those representing the US Department of Justice that the Court is set to consider iMEGA’s challenge to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA).
In a letter to counsel for both parties, Marcia M. Waldron, clerk for the appeals court, wrote that iMEGA v. Attorney-General USA, et al (Case Number 08-1981) has been tentatively listed on the merits for Monday, July 6,2009, in Philadelphia, PA.
Oral arguments had originally been scheduled for April 2009, but the Court has since sent iMEGA’s motion to supplement the record with news about the impact of the UIGEA in the blocking of state lottery payments to its Merit Panel for a decision. The DOJ opposes the motion.
The Court’s letter stated: “The panel will determine whether there will be oral argument, and if so, the amount of time alloted for each side. No later than one (1) week prior to the disposition date you will be advised whether oral argument will be required, the amount of time allocated by the panel, and the specific date on which the argument will be scheduled.”
iMEGA points out that “judgement on the merits” refers to a judgment, decision or ruling based upon the facts presented in evidence and the law applied to that evidence. A judge decides a case “on the merits” when he/she bases the decision on the fundamental issues and considers technical and procedural defences as either inconsequential or overcome.
For example: An attorney is two days late in filing a set of legal points and authorities in opposition to a motion to dismiss. Rather than dismiss the case based on this technical procedural deficiency, the judge considers the case “on the merits” as if this mistake had not occurred.
This may be significant as iMEGA submitted a motion in March to have the Court record in the case supplemented with news of “over-blocking” of state lottery transactions in New Hampshire and North Dakota by credit card companies trying to enforce the UIGEA. Despite having a clear exemption from UIGEA, the credit card companies nonetheless changed the transaction codes for the lotteries from “government” to one designating online gambling, preventing the exempted transactions from being processed.
The Justice Department opposed the addition of the new information on the law’s effect, stating the news was not submitted to the district court and that the challenge to the law was not an “exceptional case”.
“We’re very happy the Court is moving forward on this, and we’re confident the Court will consider the real-world effect of the law, regardless of the DOJ’s opposition,” said Joe Brennan Jr., iMEGA’s chairman.
Source: InfoPowa News
Recent Gambling News
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PMO Manager - Merseyside
PMO Manager Jobs
A typical project management office (PMO) on a busy project is where the project is designed, implemented and kept on track by a team of analysts and assistants who are constantly monitoring processes and getting involved with the team to ensure smooth running. Keeping on top of this team itself needs a degree of oversight, which is where the PMO manager comes into the equation. He or she is charged with ensuring the change or transformation project stays on track by providing leadership to the team and reporting to the board and the relevant project managers and directors.
The overarching aim of the PMO manager is to ensure quality is maintained throughout the project. Although the PMO manager will probably not be hands-on when it comes to project management or analysis, she or he may be the person responsible for ensuring everyone in the office is up to speed and is performing well, and is therefore judged on the success of the office itself and how it maintains quality throughout a project.
The skills required
The PMO manager is primarily a manager of people. You need to have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as well as a firm understanding of the project, its aims, and the activities being performed by the PMO team. It is your responsibility to ensure best practice is followed where necessary, and supporting and advising those in your team as they go about their business.
Experience of managing a project management office in the same sector is of enormous value. There can be significant differences between public and private sector offices, for example, with varying command structures and manners of working. You are also expected to report regularly to the board and to your line managers on the performance of your team. Some employers require a formal project management qualification such as PRINCE2 for an applicant to be considered for the role.
Find PMO Manager Jobs with Cast UK
With the drive for improvement in change and transformation a constant need, there is always demand for good project management office managers over the whole spectrum of industries. And many of the organizations looking for PMO managers reach out to Cast UK to find them. That’s because at Cast UK, we have a team of dedicated recruitment consultants who only send forward the most appropriate candidates to interview, and it’s a philosophy that employers appreciate.
Whether you’re a PMO manager looking for a change, or you’re on a short-term contract and are researching your next opportunity, call Cast UK on 0161 825 0825 wherever you are in the UK.
PMO Manager Jobs in Merseyside
Situated in the North West of England, Merseyside is a metropolitan county that includes Liverpool as well as St Helens, Sefton, Wirral and Knowsley.
The region is best known for its prominence in the shipping and shipbuilding industry during the 18th and 19th centuries. Indeed, Liverpool was one of the most important ports in the country - and the world - and a huge range of products were imported and exported from the city.
Merseyside played a pivotal role during the Industrial Revolution, as the area was known for its textiles, metalwork and glass and it was also an important part of the UK's coal mining industry. In addition, a network of canals and railways expanded across the region in order to simplify transport.
Today, Merseyside is a thriving area, known not only for its manufacturing and industrial trade, but also its importance in finance, retail, energy, technology and the service sector - and there are many opportunities available for those seeking PMO Manager vacancies in the region.
A number of well-known companies call the area home, including Littlewoods, Lambrini, Sayers and Pilkington, while local car manufacturing facilities assemble Jaguar X-Type and Land Rover Freelander vehicles.
In addition, Merseyside is an important transport hub, with various airports, shipping ports, ferry terminals train lines covering the vicinity.
Cast UK - helping you find fresh opportunities
If you're ready to take your career to the next level with a PMO Manager job, or are seeking other positions in logistics, supply chain and procurement fields, contact Cast UK today.
We have significant experience in the industry and our team of recruitment specialists have a unique understanding of the various roles on offer, ensuring the best match for every vacancy.
What's more, regional experts are on-hand to provide advice and assistance to those seeking roles in specific parts of the country.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you find and recruit candidates within Merseyside or source a new job in Merseyside then contact one of our consultant team on 0161 825 0825.
Related PMO Manager jobs in Merseyside
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Bill Maher to Snoop Lion: 'You Smoke Too Much Pot'
On his HBO show "Real Time," Bill Maher recently joked with Snoop Lion (Snoop Dogg's Rasta alter ego), "I'm getting high just sitting next to you."
Jennifer Lawrence: High in Hawaii
J-Law was recently seen smoking a jay in Hawaii. Paparazzi caught the Oscar-winning actress on a balcony holding a joint and a bottle of red wine.
Rihanna & Chris Brown's Post-Grammys Pot Party
Following the Grammys, Rihanna and Chris Brown headed to Supperclub on Hollywood Blvd., where they were spotted smoking blunts.
Bill Maher: 'I'm Gay for Marijuana'
Pot pundit Bill Maher says he's "gay for marijuana. I'd like to be treated equally under the law. We met in high school and we've been together ever since."
Steve Elliott Arrested for Assault
Blogger Steve Elliott was arrested and charged with domestic assault on Jan. 14. He was arrested again for violating the terms of his release on Feb. 12.
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Bears Prepare For Jekyll-And-Hyde Cowboys Team
Posted: Oct 31, 2018 / 09:16 PM CDT / Updated: Oct 31, 2018 / 09:55 PM CDT
In the spirit of Halloween, this Oklahoma State team brings to mind the tale of Jekyl and Hyde, as one that has seen drastic differences from one week to the next.
The Pokes started the season at 3-0 averaging over 50-points a game. Over the next four games however they went 1-3 stumbling offensively against Texas Tech scoring 17-points and mustering just 12 against Kansas State.
Last week however the Cowboys were back to being explosive, rolling up over 500 yards and 38 points on Texas. Baylor Coach Matt Rhule feels like Oklahoma State is every bit as good as their last performance.
“Once they got that run game going they were able to go tempo and get themselves in a rhythm,” he said. “They’re as creative and good an offense as there is. They made the plays on Saturday against Texas. You could tell they were fired up and excited, had a good plan, looked fresh. They were really just clicking on all cylinders.”
One of the big reasons for Oklahoma State’s success on offense is running back Justice Hill. Rhule impressed with Hill’s versatility and the way Mike Gundy and Company use him within the offense.
“He’s a pro-style running back,” Rhule said. “Oklahoma State is as close to an NFL, pro-style offense. They’re not spread. He is a complete back. He’s dynamic. He’s got great vision, he’s tough, he’s physical, but he also can take it the distance. Their offensive line does a great job at handling movement. They have a nice scheme, but he’s so versatile that they can do a couple different things with him.”
Oklahoma State is still looking for their first win, in Waco, since the Bears moved to McLane Stadium.
ARLINGTON, TX - There were multiple Big 12 story lines at AT&T Stadium, including the Baylor Bears kicking off the 2019 season, with one of the better quarterbacks in the league, Charlie Brewer.
"He does not lack for confidence," Matt Rhule said. "I think we put him in his freshman year, at the end of one of the games, and he said something to Shawn Bell like, 'you'll never take me out again.'"
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Should You Buy or Lease Your Showroom?
Integrator Residential Systems Inc. stops leasing and buys an office/showroom to contribute to a future exit strategy. Results include wealth creation, boost in employee morale, and tax benefits. Let's do the math.
Residential Systems Inc. in Littleton, Colo., spent $700,000 to buy a new 9,000-square-foot building and then $300,000 on improvements. The real estate has already appreciated 7 percent in just nine months.
Credit: Vessi Vlasseva Photography
Photos & Slideshow
Jason Knott · May 8, 2018
With all the ramrodding in the industry about how vital it is for integrators to build recurring monthly revenue (RMR) to create a viable exit strategy, there is another way for integrators to potentially cash-in when the time comes: real estate.
Travis Leo, CEO of Residential Systems Inc. in Littleton, Colo., is a believer. In July 2017, the company shed itself of its lease of a location it has outgrown and took the plunge to purchase its own building.
The team learned several key lessons along the way, but the results speak for themselves…Residential Systems has seen its average ticket sales climb, employee morale spike, gained some tax benefits, and already built substantial equity in just nine months.
“The real estate market in Denver is one of the hottest in the nation with prices rising 15 percent per year, so we had to make a decision on what we wanted to do,” he says. For several years, Residential Systems, a member of the Azione Unlimited buying group, had operated out of a small office in the Denver area, paying a lease at $19 per square foot. The company’s total outlay for the facility was $6,600 per month, or $79,000 per year, according to Leo.
“Our old space was nice but it wasn’t great. It was a little dark. There was a crabapple tree in the front that always dropped crabapples in the spring and created a mess because we would step on them. We had to replace the carpeting every two years.”
Leo set about crunching the numbers on buying versus leasing. “I am a math guy. The numbers don’t lie. We sat down and crunched the numbers on all of our options.”
Option 1: Stay in Current Facility -- The company’s first option was to simply continue to rent at the same location.
“On the positive side, there would be no moving costs, there wasn’t going to be any business disruption, and we would not have to come up with a down payment to buy a new building,” says Leo. “On the negative side, we would not be building any equity in real estate.”
“I underestimated how happy our employees were about it. They felt like this was an investment in them, their future, and the company.”
— Travis Leo, Residential Systems Inc.
Option 2: Lease a New Space -- The company’s second option was to find a brand new space to lease and build it out with a nice showroom.
“We looked at this option quickly. We would have to spend about $250,000 with moving and to improve the space, and the new cost of the lease. There would be a lot of ‘sunk money’ and I would have to get financing for $250,000 but it would be a brand new space,” recalls Leo.
Option 3: Buying a Building -- The third choice for the company was to buy its own facility. The numbers were somewhat daunting. It would require $100,000 in capital as an upfront down payment to purchase a building and have it purpose-built for its custom integration needs.
There also would be business disruption and moving expenses.
Of course, one of the biggest reasons to buy a building versus lease is that it would be purpose-built for custom integration, and you would start building equity in the property. Equity translates to wealth at the time of the sale. In the end, Leo opted to pursue the purchase strategy.
“Business disruption is a real thing. I remember speaking with our real estate broker who told me, ‘Be ready for a rough year. Your attention is going to be elsewhere, and not focused on your business.’ That is definitely a risk,” says Leo.
Choosing Financing
There are two primary ways you can finance a commercial building. The conventional way, similar to a home loan, requires you to put 20 percent down. That way you minimize the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio and avoid paying Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) on the property, which is, in essence, an insurance policy that you pay to protect the lender (not you).
The newly purchased facility was purpose-built for the
company and has resulted in higher average ticket
sales. Monthly costs are $2,100 higher than the
previous lease situation.
The other financing option is through the Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loan program that only requires 10 percent down, so it helps keep your capital in your business. It does have a higher interest rate.
Leo chose to go down the SBA loan path.
“We found a building that had the shell already constructed. We paid $700,000 for about a 5,000-square-foot location. We had to come up with a $100,000 down payment and financed the rest at 5.5 percent. We also spent about $300,000 on tenant improvements,” says Leo.
“Our new mortgage payment is $6,200, plus there are property taxes and HOA fees of $2,500. So our total expense is $8,700 per month. We are effectively paying $2,100 more per month than if we had stayed in our existing space but I am not paying the landlord anymore,” he says.
One of the unanticipated byproducts from the move was a significant boost in employee morale.
“I underestimated how happy our employees were about it. They felt like this was an investment in them, their future, and the company,” says Leo.
Residential Systems has also increased its average ticket sales since moving into the facility.
“Previously, we did not have great demonstration capabilities. Now we can bring people through and show them equipment like the Sonance small aperture speakers, or a Sony projector. Soon, that $30,000 media room is a $50,000 media room,” he notes.
The upgrades took 12 weeks to complete. The new facility is much more open with an open office concept in the back. There is a rollup door on the side of the building for deliveries, which is much more convenient.
Not everything went smoothly… the company had trouble with a concrete stained floor, and also did not build a doorway large enough to get a 44U rack through to control one of the media rooms in the showroom.
“It is not an overly exorbitant showroom. Spending $100,000 on the downpayment was enough so we didn’t go crazy,” says Leo.
Leo learned several key lessons from the experience.
“First, most successful business owners own their own home…they do not rent an apartment. Do the same thing with your business... it’s really silly not to,” he advises.
Leo also recommends integrators form a separate entity for the real estate holding and not hold the mortgage under the same name as your custom installation company. That setup keeps the capital separate.
“The process will take longer and cost more than you think, so put someone in charge of the process."
He also recommends dealers find a bank that specializes in SBA loans. “Our bank was OK at it. We got through the process. But the big banks have specific divisions to handle SBA loans,” he says.
“The greatest lesson I learned from this whole process is what is called a Cost Segregation Study. It basically allows you to accelerate the depreciation of your business due to this investment. We got about $300,000 in tax write-offs in year one and year two that we normally would not have been able to get without doing this study.
"We effectively paid for the down payment on the building with the increased depreciation we were able to get,” he says, noting that it costs about $7,000 to have a Tax Segregation Study conducted.
“The process will take longer and cost more than you think, so put someone in charge of the process. I had my right-hand guy at the company make all the decisions. It was a great opportunity for him and he wanted to step up and do it. It allowed me to keep running the company,” he says.
Despite the warnings he had received about distractions, Residential Systems had a record year in 2017 while it was going through the relocation.
“Buildings appreciate in value… leases do not,” exclaims Leo. “We bought our building in July 2017, and nine months later the building next door closed for 7 percent more than we paid. A 7 percent annual appreciation on a $1 million building is like adding $70,000 to your bottom line every year. The math is pretty simple.”
Jason Knott is Chief Content Officer for Emerald Expositions Connected Brands. Jason has covered low-voltage electronics as an editor since 1990, serving as editor and publisher of Security Sales & Integration. He joined CE Pro in 2000 and serves as Editor-in-Chief of that brand. He served as chairman of the Security Industry Association’s Education Committee from 2000-2004 and sat on the board of that association from 1998-2002. He is also a former board member of the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation. He has been a member of the CEDIA Business Working Group since 2010. Jason graduated from the University of Southern California. Have a suggestion or a topic you want to read more about? Email Jason at jason.knott@emeraldexpo.com
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Posted by chrisspeer on May 9, 2018
Wow. I never cease to be amazed by RSI. Great leadership. I miss it dearly, but am happy to have had the experience and able to impart some of their savvy with another company in a new state. Keep up the awesome work guys!
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“I’m really not,” said Smith, talking about the group’s annual State of the Center City report. “There’s been a deliberate pivot towards urbanity, and Charlotte is really well-positioned to take advantage of that macro-trend. You’re seeing strength in all categories.”
Smith is keeping an eye on problems that go along with construction, like closed streets, and says more can be done. He also said much of the new building now is playing catch-up after development slowed down.
“We dragged along through the first decade of the new millennium, where we only added, I think something like 300 (hotel) rooms,” said Smith. “These are big moves for this place.”
Center City Partners is a development booster group that receives most of its revenue from a special tax on properties in uptown and South End. From the group’s 16th floor offices on South Tryon Street, new developments are visible popping up across uptown: The 33-story Ascent apartments, a new 22-story hotel atop the EpiCentre, new apartments around the BB&T Ballpark.
Smith said one challenge moving forward will be managing all the growth. Roads and lanes have been shut down intermittently for construction, such as Church Street around the 300 South Tryon office tower and the roads around First Ward Park. That’s something Smith expects to continue.
“Part of it will be managing a large construction site,” he said. “We’re going to have to think differently...about the way we close streets and manage access.”
One key difference between the current office boom and past building spurts is who is behind the large projects, Smith said. Past large towers, such as the Duke Energy Center and Bank of America’s offices, were mostly sponsored by large banks.
“That’s a maturing of us as a city,” said Smith. “These are folks that are tapping into large capital markets to get construction financing.”
You can read the full 2016 State of the Center City report online here: http://www.charlottecentercity.org/
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Chemonics News
News: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism
November 10, 2017 | 3 Minute Read
From November 27 to 29, Chemonics joins the U.N. World Tourism Organization, the Jamaican Ministry of Tourism, the World Bank Group, and others in Jamaica to discuss the continued importance of developing partnerships for sustainable tourism and development.
How can strong partnerships support sustainable tourism around the world? What roles should international development practitioners, financial organizations, governments, and the private sector play in tourism development? These are the kinds of questions that participants will tackle at the Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism, which takes place from November 27 to 29 in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Organized by the U.N. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank, in collaboration with Chemonics, this three-day conference looks at how diverse actors are needed to build tourism industries that benefit local populations, promote long-term economic growth, and protect the environment. Other conference partners include the George Washington University, the World Travel and Tourism Council, the Caribbean Tourism Organization, and the Caribbean Hotels and Tourism Association. A significant portion of the conference is dedicated to a “Deep Dive into Core Themes of Tourism Development” panel series, which looks at the five themes of the UNWTO’s International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.
Several development and tourism experts will present on behalf of Chemonics:
Global Overview: Setting the Framework — At this opening plenary session on Tuesday, November 28, President and CEO Susanna Mudge joins representatives from the World Travel and Tourism Council, World Bank Group, and Inter-American Development Bank, among others, to discuss priorities in tourism development.
Deep Dive into Core Themes of Tourism Development: Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth — On November 28, Deputy Chief of Party Ketevan Tchumburidze from USAID/Georgia’s Zrda project presents on economic growth in the Republic of Georgia at this moderated roundtable panel.
Deep Dive into Core Themes of Tourism Development: Social Inclusiveness, Employment, and Poverty Reduction — At another panel session on November 28, Jeff Wuorinen, senior vice president of the Middle East and North Africa region, moderates a discussion on creating jobs and boosting incomes.
Deep Dive into Core Themes of Tourism Development: Resource Efficiency, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change — Ecotourism specialist Steve Johnson shares his experience from South Africa at this third panel session on November 28, joining representatives from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and U.N. Environment Programme, among others.
Deep Dive into Core Themes of Tourism Development: Creative Industries, Cultural Values, Diversity, and Heritage — Maysa Shahateet, team leader from USAID/Jordan’s Building Economic Sustainability through Tourism project, presents on enterprise development in Jordan’s tourism sector at this moderated roundtable on November 28.
Deep Dive into Core Themes of Tourism Development: Mutual Understanding, Peace, and Security — In this final concurrent panel session on November 28, Michele Piercey, senior vice president of the Strategic Solutions and Communications Division, moderates a discussion among government representatives about ensuring that tourism is safe for both local populations and visitors.
The Future of the IY2017 — In this plenary on Wednesday, November 29, Susanna Mudge joins representatives from Hilton, the UNWTO, and PricewaterhouseCoopers to discuss how to continue maximizing tourism’s potential even as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development winds down.
Successful Models of Destination Management — Director Ibrahim Osta moderates this plenary on November 29 about the ways to manage and maximize tourism destinations. Damian Cook, a destination digital marketing expert who has worked with Chemonics, also joins this panel.
Education, Training, and Innovation — Joseph Ruddy, team leader of USAID/Jordan’s Building Economic Sustainability through Tourism project, shares his experience of strengthening Jordan’s tourism workforce in this plenary on November 29, which is moderated by the Jamaican minister of tourism.
Cozumel: Partnerships in Action — In this final plenary on November 29, Michael Brown, director of the Environment and Natural Resources Practice, moderates a discussion on nature-based tourism and engaging local communities in sustainability efforts.
Since 1975, Chemonics’ inclusive and sustainable development has strengthened tourism in more than 56 countries. From marketing activities in Moldova to ecotourism efforts in Colombia to community-based tourism in India, our activities touch on all five of UNWTO’s themes for sustainable tourism for development.
“We often think about tourism from the perspective of a tourist, but it is so much more than that,” explains Chemonics President and CEO Susanna Mudge. “Tourism is a key driver of economic growth around the world. It also protects local environments and empowers local communities so they can serve as stewards. We are proud to sponsor this conference as an opportunity to strengthen international partnerships that will achieve both tourism and international development goals.”
Follow the tourism conversation on social media using #IY2017 and checking @chemonics for updates.
News: Moldova Competitiveness Project Selected as Digital Development Award Winner
From the Peruvian Amazon to the vineyards of Moldova, digital technology has the power to stimulate economic growth, protect public health, promote stability, and lift millions out of poverty. The development sector has increasingly embraced this potential. The Digital Development Awards, presented by USAID, recognize agency projects and activities that model innovative application of digital…
News: Chemonics Gears Up for Major Conferences
As the development community continues working towards the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we look to the global economy to advance our efforts. We know that we will not achieve many of the SDGs without increasing employment opportunities for the world’s population, especially women and youth. How are we responding to the growing demand for…
News: Charting a New Course at #DevexWorld
How can the development community bring stakeholders together to achieve the SDGs? What does a successful public-private partnership look like in today’s development landscape? These are some of the questions that Devex World aims to tackle on June 12 in Washington, D.C. Chemonics is proud to be a Changemaker Partner this year, sharing insight from…
Chemonics’ Approach to Sustainable Tourism Development
A Stronger Tourism Sector in Jordan
Beyond enriching the lives of millions of visitors every year, the tourism sector plays a critical role in Jordan’s economy and requires structured support to achieve its full potential.
Strengthening Jordan’s Economy Through Tourism
With millions of people visiting Jordan each year, the government recognized that the tourism industry is a major asset to Jordan’s economy and should be strengthened.
Boosting Business in Moldova
Since the ratification of two trade agreements in 2014, Moldova has been making steps to better position its brands and take greater advantage of its duty-free access to some of the world’s most prosperous markets.
Involving Local Communities in Kosovo’s Spatial Planning Efforts
With a new law in place, citizens in Kosovo are finding more opportunities to participate in discussions on how public spaces are designed and used.
Transforming Afghanistan’s Future
A unique year-long program is changing the lives of young Afghan women.
With enhanced access to laboratory, veterinary, and education services, Ukraine’s smallholder dairy farmers are elevating the quality of their products and tapping new markets.
Building the Tech Workforce through Private Sector Engagement
Many countries find themselves facing “brain drain” — mass exodus of bright young minds seeking greater opportunities for employment abroad. In the small European country Moldova, for instance, one third of the population has left to find living wages elsewhere. Fortunately, engaging the private sector in technology-related workforce development projects offers a sustainable, market-based solution.…
Coding ‘Thinking and Working Politically’ into a Project’s DNA
For decades, the international development community has struggled to prove its effectiveness by ensuring that programs deliver politically viable solutions that respond to locally led processes. Guaranteeing these principles is a shared responsibility between donors and implementers. While donors need to shed the straitjackets of untested theories of change, pre-established project activities, and onerous reporting…
Laying a Blueprint for Municipal Public-Private Energy Partnerships
Among the top emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, South Africa has redoubled its efforts to reduce emissions by expanding renewable energy generation. Several municipalities have set ambitious local clean energy goals that go beyond national targets. Yet, despite these ambitious aims, many municipalities in South Africa lack the technical capacity, access to finance,…
View All News and Blog
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Chicago women row from water to podium at Head of the Charles
By Derek Tsang
When their boat finished in the middle of the pack at the Head of the Charles Regatta in 2012, Ariel Stevenson and Sara Mohr promised their graduating coxswain that they would win a medal for her.
Now fourth-years and the crew club’s captain and president, respectively, Stevenson and Mohr came through with a second-place finish in the Women’s Collegiate Fours division at last weekend’s Head of the Charles race. Fourth-year Emily Anagnostos, second-year Suzanne Lechner, and fourth-year coxswain Marc Kealhofer rounded out their boat.
The Head of the Charles is the world’s largest regatta, attracting some 11,000 athletes and 400,000 spectators to Cambridge, MA, for 60 races over two days. The Charles is a chance for participants to mingle with Olympic rowers—Stevenson said she made sure to get a picture two years ago—and with alumni. The Maroons were staying with Broadview’s original Resident Heads, and they received their medals from their former coxswain, who was volunteering at the medal stand.
Competing against schools like Trinity, Penn State, and UC Santa Barbara, the Maroons finished in 18:54, about half a minute behind first-place Barry University. Their previous best had been fifth place, in 2011. The team also sent a men’s boat, which finished last out of 44 boats after incurring a penalty for hitting another boat’s oars.
Coach Trish Brubaker said that before the race, she thought the women’s four “had a shot at winning a medal.”
“I’ve worked with all of them for a while, so their potential has always been very apparent to me,” she said.
Before embarking on the Charles’s famously serpentine three-mile course (there is a full 180-degree turn at the two-mile mark, which is rare), boats line up single-file in the order they finished last year. This meant that the Maroons started 12th, behind Lafayette and in front of Illinois. The women’s four has a tendency to “try to crush it,” said Brubaker, so she had them start off slow to keep them relaxed.
But about a mile into the race, the Maroons upped their tempo from 32 to 34 strokes per minute, according to Stevenson. “We passed Lafayette in five strokes, which is impressive.”
The Maroons had a scare under the second bridge, where they got too close to Wheaton’s boat and clashed oars. They found out later, though, that the judges decided to give the minute penalty to Wheaton instead of Chicago. From there, the race was smooth rowing.
“They looked relaxed but powerful and committed,” Brubaker said, who followed the team along on her bike. “A lot of times in head races you can’t really tell how fast your crew is going. In this case, their speed was very visible. With every stroke, you could see the crew gaining on the boats that started ahead of them.”
Mohr deferred credit to the boat’s coxswain, Kealhofer.
“Sitting at the start line, not knowing how well we were going to do, it was very reassuring to know we had someone like Marc, who was in control,” Mohr said. “He steered a perfect course, so we didn’t have to worry about anything, we just had to pull, and we knew Marc was going to get us there.”
The Maroons have two races left in their fall season: a scrimmage against Illinois and the Head of the Hooch at Chattanooga.
The crew team has grown rapidly in the last few years, and Mohr credited some success to that depth.
“To have a fast four, you need more than four women willing to put the work in,” she said. “Our whole women’s team is very strong. We’re committed to that, and we push each other to be better.”
Between that and the club’s improved financial situation—the club is in the black for the first time since a former president put them into debt to buy two boats six years ago—Chicago crew’s outlook for the spring season is quite rosy.
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Lights out for Muscat...
Lights out for Muscat & Qurum City Centre for Earth Hour
60 minutes to promote energy conservation
On Saturday March 29th, millions of people around the world will be turning off their lights for one hour to show their commitment to the planet, and Majid Al Futtaim’s Shopping Malls (including Muscat and Qurum City Centre) are joining the global movement. For 60 minutes from 8:30pm – 9:30pm local time, all non-essential lights such as external signage, landscaping and external floor lights will be turned off at both Muscat City Centre and Qurum City Centre. For customer safety, interior mall lights will be dimmed, and all car park lighting will remain on.
“Muscat City Centre is a proud supporter of Earth Hour, and through our actions we hope to send the positive message to others in the community that together, through simple actions we can help fight climate change,” said Husam Al Mandhari, Senior Mall Manager for Muscat City Centre.
“Qurum City Centre will be making a statement by observing Earth Hour, and we encourage others to join this important initiative by turning off their lights to make a statement and help protect the environment,” said Watfa Humaid Al Harthy, Senior Mall Manager for Qurum City Centre.
“At Majid Al Futtaim, we are keen to adopt and support initiatives that contribute to sustainable development. We focus on raising the profile of the company to the ranks of the most prominent organisations in the world in terms of the sustainability criteria that we adopt. We focus on rational use of water and energy consumption in our assets, and during the past three years we have been able to reduce energy consumption in our shopping malls by more than 8% and water consumption by 19 %,” said Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, Head of Sustainability at Majid Al Futtaim Properties.
Earth Hour is a grassroots movement which was founded in 2007 and has since become a global movement. In 2013 over 7,000 cities and towns in 153 countries participated.
Majid Al Futtaim’s shopping malls across the region in the UAE, Bahrain, Lebanon and Egypt will also be supporting Earth Hour in a joint-initiative to strive for a better future.
For more information about Muscat City Centre please visit: www.facebook.com/MuscatCityCentre and for Qurum City Centre, please visit: www.facebook.com/QurumCityCentre
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“I Hope One Day We Can Be Friends” Gaz Beadle Admits He Messed Up With Charlotte Crosby
1 September 2016, 15:11 | Updated: 4 December 2017, 11:10
Gary only had nice things to say about his ex as he admitted the break up was all his fault.
Relations between Charlotte Crosby and Gary Beadle haven’t exactly been great of late, but the man himself has nothing but good things to say about his former girlfriend.
“I Have A Soft Spot For Her”: Joey Essex Admits He Does Like Charlotte Crosby!
In his appearance on This Morning today, Gaz was quizzed about how he began his career on Geordie Shore, and of course, what had happened between him and Charlotte at the end of their on-off five year relationship.
Gaz explained, “We don't really talk at the minute. Me and Charlotte went through a crazy five years and had a lot of pressure on our relationship. It took one of us to leave so we could move on with our lives. She’s left now… eventually we’re both moving on to the next chapter of our lives.”
The pair split a few months ago after Charlotte dramatically revealed that she had suffered an extopic pregnancy with his child while he was off filming Ex On The Beach and hooked up with three girls behind her back.
Gaz, however, has finally admitted that their breakup was completely his fault, explaining, “It was me that messed up. I'm not going to lie about that. We were kind of seeing each other again. It was kind of make or break.
"Me being me, I got drunk on the first night and slept with someone. I knew straight away that I’d messed things up with Charlotte. If I hadn't done that we would have been fine."
The traumatic time made Charlotte decide to quit the show that had made her famous, while Gaz remains in Geordie Shore’s upcoming series but he hopes that after some time apart the pair can put their differences aside.
“She’s dating now, I’ve started getting with other people.I’ve always got a place in my life for Charlotte, I’m not going to say a bad word about her and I hope one day we can be friends and laugh about it and look back.
“Some of my funniest times on Geordie Shore have been with that girl but I’m happy for her and I hope the dating thing goes well. I want her to find a nice lad. She deserves a nice lad.”
Gaz Beadle’s Moved On To A New Girl… But Charlotte Crosby Still Cries When Asked About Him
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CAPPERTEK << Back to Game Previews / Recaps
NCAAB Game Preview: Gardner Webb vs. Virginia - 3/22/2019 - 3:10 PM EST
Posted: Friday, March 22, 2019 by CapperTekSEO
3/22/2019 3:10 PM EST (116 DAYS AGO) MONEYLINE SPREAD TOTAL
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Mar 19, 2019Over a year removed from being the first No. 1 seed ever to be upset by a 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Virginia is back dancing -- as a top seed once again.For the fourth time in the last six seasons and the seventh time in school history, the Cavaliers are a No. 1 seed in the "Big Dance" and will face South Region No. 16 seed Gardner-Webb on Friday in the opening round at Columbia, S. C."Everyone can play in this tournament. To be a No. 1 seed means it's been a heck of a season," Virginia head coach Tony Bennett said after leading the Cavaliers to their sixth straight tournament appearance. "It doesn't guarantee anything, as we know." Joining Virginia (29-3), Duke and North Carolina also earned No. 1 seeds, as the Atlantic Coast Conference became the first conference since the Big East in 2009 to earn three top seeds.Gardner-Webb (23-11) upset Radford in last week's Big South tournament title game to earn the first NCAA Tournament berth in school history after fully joining the ranks of Division I teams back in 2002. Despite a lack of tournament experience, the Bulldogs make up for it with a veteran-laden crew."Scary, scary," Gardner-Webb head coach Tim Craft said about playing one of the nation's best teams. "But I will say, we're kind of used to being the underdog here, and we were picked sixth in our league and then won our league." The Bulldogs have won five games in a row and eight of their last nine, helping erase memories of an 0-3 start. One of those losses was to Virginia's rival, Virginia Tech, but Gardner-Webb beat the other two ACC teams it faced this season, knocking off Georgia Tech and Wake Forest."Our guys will go in and play with confidence, and I think that's the key," Craft added. "We've got to be loose and confident to even have a chance." Virginia isn't looking past any opponent and knows it will get the Bulldogs' best shot, as all eyes will be on the Cavaliers' redemption quest.After falling to Florida State 69-59 in last week's ACC tournament semifinals, the Cavaliers will have almost a full week to rest and prepare as they are arguably the healthiest they've been in postseason play under Bennett."We played a Florida State team that played really well, and we didn't play our best," Bennett said. "There are some areas we think we need to continue to get better in." The Cavaliers' offense is the most efficient it has been in years, led by Kyle Guy's 15.6 points per game. Guy and the Virginia offense have averaged 71.8 points per contest this season and had made 54.2 percent of 3-pointers over their previous five games before the loss to the Seminoles.Gardner-Webb's offense is led by a pair of career 1,000-point scorers in David Efianayi (18.7 points per game) and D. J. Laster (13.7) and freshman guard Jose Perez (15.1).The winner will advance to the play Sunday against the either No. 8 Ole Miss or No. 9 Oklahoma.--Field Level Media
Game Preview from The Associated Press (AP).
Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved.
Mar 22, 2019COLUMBIA, S. C. No. 1 seed Virginia this time avoided the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history.The Cavaliers rallied from 14 points down Friday to beat No. 16 seed Gardner-Webb 71-56 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.Virginia was the top overall seed last year but lost 74-54 to 16th seeded UMBC. It was the first - and still the only - time in 35 years one of the top four teams in the tournament has fallen in their opening game.The Cavaliers trailed 30-16 with 6:42 left in the first half of the South Region opener but rallied and cut the Runnin' Bulldogs (23-12) lead to six at halftime. Virginia (30-3) then opened the second half with a 25-5 run that ended any ideas of another 1-and-done.The Cavaliers used their trademark stifling defense to force 11 Gardner-Webb turnovers in the first 12 minutes after the break.De'Andre Hunter, who missed last year's upset after breaking his wrist In the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, led the Cavaliers with 23 points, including a layup and free throw after he was fouled that put Virginia up for good. Mamadi Diakite added 17 points on 8 of 10 shooting and nine rebounds.Virginia coach Tony Bennett responded to last year's loss by showing his team a motivational video about how a bad situation can be turned into an opportunity for growth. He encouraged his team to talk about happened and answer the questions that came at nearly every news conference.Jose Perez scored 19 points and made 4 of 6 from behind the arc for Gardner-Webb, which was playing in its first NCAA Tournament. David Efianayi added 12 points.BIG PICTUREGardner-Webb: Not many No. 16 seeds can claim a double-digit lead over a No. 1 seed. The Runnin' Bulldogs may have fallen short, but had an amazing season by any measurement, winning their first Big South Conference title and NCAA bid by beating the top two seeds in the league on the road and knocking off Wake Forest and Georgia Tech on the road.Virginia: Being down 14 to a No. 16 seed isn't going to make anyone feel more comfortable about Virginia's chances to finally make a Final Four under Bennett. But Virginia's ability to not wilt under all that pressure is a credit to Bennett's work on his team's psyche over the past year.UP NEXT:Gardner-Webb: The season is over.Virginia: The Cavaliers face No. 9 seed Oklahoma in Sunday's second round, which has been a land mine for Virginia too. Back in 2017, the 5th seeded Cavaliers lost 65-39 to No. 4 Florida.---More college basketball: https://apnews.com/MarchMadness and https://twitter.com/-Top25
Game Recap from The Associated Press (AP).
NCAAB Game Preview: Gardner Webb vs. Virginia - Date: 3/22/2019 Mar 19, 2019Over a year removed from being the first No. 1 seed ever to be upset by a 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Virginia is back dancing -- as a top seed once again.For the fourth time in the last six seasons and the seventh time in school history, the Cavaliers are a No. 1 seed in the "Big Dance" and will face South Region No. 16 seed Gardner-Webb on Friday in the opening round at Columbia, S. C."Everyone can play in this tournament. Top Rated Sports Services. To be a No. 1 seed means it's been a heck of a season," Virginia head coach Tony Bennett said after leading the Cavaliers to their sixth straight tournament appearance. "It doesn't guarantee anything, as we know." Joining Virginia (29-3), Duke and North Carolina also earned No. 1 seeds, as the Atlantic Coast Conference became the first conference since the Big East in 2009 to earn three top seeds.Gardner-Webb (23-11) upset Radford in last week's Big South tournament title game to earn the first NCAA Tournament berth in school history after fully joining the ranks of Division I teams back in 2002. Despite a lack of tournament experience, the Bulldogs make up for it with a veteran-laden crew."Scary, scary," Gardner-Webb head coach Tim Craft said about playing one of the nation's best teams. "But I will say, we're kind of used to being the underdog here, and we were picked sixth in our league and then won our league." The Bulldogs have won five games in a row and eight of their last nine, helping erase memories of an 0-3 start. One of those losses was to Virginia's rival, Virginia Tech, but Gardner-Webb beat the other two ACC teams it faced this season, knocking off Georgia Tech and Wake Forest."Our guys will go in and play with confidence, and I think that's the key," Craft added. "We've got to be loose and confident to even have a chance." Virginia isn't looking past any opponent and knows it will get the Bulldogs' best shot, as all eyes will be on the Cavaliers' redemption quest.After falling to Florida State 69-59 in last week's ACC tournament semifinals, the Cavaliers will have almost a full week to rest and prepare as they are arguably the healthiest they've been in postseason play under Bennett."We played a Florida State team that played really well, and we didn't play our best," Bennett said. "There are some areas we think we need to continue to get better in." The Cavaliers' offense is the most efficient it has been in years, led by Kyle Guy's 15.6 points per game. Guy and the Virginia offense have averaged 71.8 points per contest this season and had made 54.2 percent of 3-pointers over their previous five games before the loss to the Seminoles.Gardner-Webb's offense is led by a pair of career 1,000-point scorers in David Efianayi (18.7 points per game) and D. J. Laster (13.7) and freshman guard Jose Perez (15.1).The winner will advance to the play Sunday against the either No. 8 Ole Miss or No. 9 Oklahoma.--Field Level Media
CLICK HERE TO GET FREE PICKS / ODDS FOR THIS GARDNER WEBB VS. VIRGINIA GAME
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Care2 Causes | Freedom's New Frontier: A Guide to Animal Rights
Freedom’s New Frontier: A Guide to Animal Rights
By: Angel F.
with Dan Cudahy
The movement for animal rights is perhaps one of the most misunderstood social phenomena of the 21st century. Despite the sincere efforts of an increasing number of individuals willing to speak up on behalf of the animals who suffer at the hands of humans, our cause continues to be misconstrued, misrepresented, and maligned.
Admittedly, the blame for this lies partially with the movement itself, or at least with certain organizations and individuals perceived to be at the helm, who seem to create their own PR nightmares, or to be so off course that one sometimes wonders if they could actually be working for the other side.
This may come as a surprise to some, but for those of us who view animal rights as the most pressing social justice issue of our time, the antics of the large organizations are often as embarrassing as they are hurtful to the animals they purport to serve. Sadly, these groups have a monopoly on not only the available funding, but subsequently, to a large degree, the hearts and minds of those watching and listening, making it painfully obvious why the animal rights movement has gained such a poor reputation.
Meanwhile, in 2012, while many of our society’s advances progress ever more rapidly, our behavior toward animals is more objectionable than ever. Despite the emergence and growth of an entire industry devoted to providing excellent alternatives to virtually everything we obtain from animal exploitation, the number of animals enslaved and killed every year is greater than at any time in history.
Even to those of us who are deeply involved with animal rights and vegan education, a brief look at the math veritably boggles the mind.
Every year around the world, for no purpose other than providing food alone (food which is not only inappropriate for human physiology, but actually contributes significantly to many of the most significant global health crises), approximately 56 billion nonhuman animals are intentionally bred, raised, and killed.
This entirely unnatural population of living beings not only causes our planet to strain under the weight of so many individuals, each requiring food, water and land that could otherwise be used much more efficiently, but also produces so much pollution and waste that the planet simply cannot recycle it fast enough.
The number of 56 billion does not even include those animals who live in water*, or those who are killed for other reasons, such as for clothing, experimentation or “sport”. In the US alone, we kill 10 billion land animals for food every year; far more than the entire current human population.
At this rate of killing, the number of deaths is greater in five days than the deaths we’ve inflicted on humans in all wars and all genocides in recorded human history (approximately 619 million). Even if every non-vegan cut their current animal product consumption by 90%, it would take us only about 41 days to kill as many sentient nonhumans as we’ve killed humans in recorded history.
* It is hard to find accurate figures with regard to the number of fishes and other aquatic animals who are killed by humans every year. However, a conservative estimate would likely be around 100 billion, making the total number of animals killed for food at least three times as much (156 billion annually).
How did we come to this? It’s obvious that the situation has been made much worse by the disastrous combination of continually increasing human population growth, technological advancements, industrial capacity, and economic demand during the 20th century and continuing into the 21st. However, all of this is occurring on top of a deep social and cultural prejudice against sentient nonhuman beings that is exacerbated by the fact that we humans are frighteningly indulgent of our destructive habits; willing to persistently put our frivolous desires above the indisputable needs and rights of those we oppress.
To animal advocates faced with the harsh reality of this situation, it is abundantly clear that we have an enormous amount of work to do to shift society’s current paradigm from one of unimaginable and extreme violence to one of relatively peaceful sanity. Shifting away from the common belief that other animals are renewable resources – objects, insentient ‘things’, and economic commodities fit to be owned as property – will lead to a new perception that recognizes other animals as the conscious, feeling, innocent individuals they are.
Following is a collection of articles written for those who are interested in understanding what this movement for animal rights is all about, as well as for those who are trying to figure out how to most effectively inform public opinion. We hope that these will offer some inspiration and clarity, so that together, we will be able to elevate the collective consciousness, bringing about a paradigm that will one day grant animals freedom from persecution and slaughter. And that is a freedom one surely cannot deny they deserve.
The Importance of Being Vegan
Veganism is not a fringe philosophy – it is a moral baseline that is consistent with beliefs that most of us already hold. Veganism is a simple matter of refraining from participating in unnecessary and harmful use of sentient beings. As most people are naturally opposed to unnecessary violence, becoming and staying vegan is not a matter of changing any of our basic moral beliefs. It simply requires us to be willing to change the habits we have developed that prevent us from living according to our principles.
Legal Slavery in the 21st Century
As surely as the abolitionists of the past knew that no man or woman should be the property of any other, the abolitionists of today know that the legal property status of animals stands in the way of their ever receiving any meaningful rights or protection, let alone being granted the freedom to live according to their own needs and desires.
A Matter of Life and Death
We consider killing humans to be wrong regardless of the individual’s cognitive abilities, moral capacity, mental health, sex, race, nationality, age or sexual orientation. It doesn’t matter whether the person in question is terminally suffering from dementia, psychologically ill, severely retarded or a productive genius – we believe it to be seriously wrong in all cases… By stark contrast, the majority of us act as if there is absolutely nothing wrong with unnecessarily killing a member of certain other species of sentient beings. But what rational basis do we have for such a discrepancy in our perception? What quality is found in all and only humans that could possibly point to the conclusion that the lives of other animals are unimportant?
Animal Cruelty: Who Is to Blame?
There is something very unjust about the fact that we delegate the most obscene work of our society to a select few who are emotionally hardened enough to carry it out, only to later denigrate them for their disconnection from their natural sense of empathy. When thinking about it honestly, most of us would be hard-pressed to find it in ourselves to slaughter an animal – or to rip off her skin, or slice open her body to remove the entrails, or butcher her flesh into supermarket-sized pieces… And yet, we continue to ask others to do it for us, while most people refuse to even watch these things on video or hear others describe them.
Speciesism and Veganism: Transcending Politics and Religion
Speciesism, racism, sexism, and other prejudices rely on a morally irrelevant criterion (in this case, species) as the basis on which to deny the interests of an individual belonging to a different ‘group’, even if those interests are more significant than one’s own. As such, speciesism is simply a different form of the same underlying wrong at the foundation of all prejudices. It really doesn’t matter which morally irrelevant criteria we base our prejudice on – sex, race, skin color, age, sexual orientation, species – it is ethically wrong to use such arbitrary criteria to deny the rights of others.
Making a Killing with Animal Welfare Reform
Animal advocacy organizations work side by side with the animal industry in developing and promoting “humane” labels for animal foods. Not only does this sort of “product development” consulting provide invaluable public relations assistance for these companies, but it also effectively gives these products the “animal people” stamp of approval when they reach the consumer. Although these programs may appear on the surface to offer greater protection for animals, it is painfully clear that they are designed as an (albeit very clever) PR campaign to increase sales, by making consumers feel better about using animal products. These labels, which include Certified Humane Raised & Handled, Humane Choice, Freedom Food and the Whole Foods 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards, could quite reasonably be viewed as the ultimate betrayal from the perspective of the victims.
Are Anti-Cruelty Campaigns Really Effective?
Because animals are property and economic commodities, we have a wide divergence of social acceptability regarding the treatment of animals. On one hand, the law permits extreme cruelty for the most trivial of economic benefits, as long as the end use is socially acceptable. On the other hand, most people would be horrified to see a dog – especially their own dog – endure what animals raised for food or used in experiments endure. Single Issue Campaigns reinforce these irrational dichotomies by singling out specific uses of animals as though they are worse than others. When we campaign to eliminate one branch, such as the fur or seal-clubbing industries, while ignoring other branches, such as the leather, egg, and dairy industries, we send a message to the public that certain forms of exploitation are worse than others.
Taxpayers Fund Animal Cruelty and Environmental Devastation
Not only do such colossal government handouts artificially affect supply, these subsidies also lower the prices of animal products, which would be close to three times as high without subsidies. Considering the exorbitant costs of animal agriculture to the environment; and the costs of saturated fat, cholesterol, and excess sodium to human health, a responsible government would tax, not subsidize, animal products, even if the rights of animals were not an issue.
A Beginner’s Guide to Creative, Non-Violent Vegan Advocacy
During the past few years, the call to reduce our consumption of animal products has grown tremendously. There is a great deal of diversity amongst the individuals and organizations behind this appeal, as well as in the reasons and benefits they point to, and most of them are not vegan. However, there is one thing they have in common, and that is that they are all making it easier for people to be vegan for life. Indeed, the movement away from animal use is shaping up to possibly be the most significant social phenomenon of the 21st century.
Opposition Confirms My Purpose
“I found the minds of the people strangely indifferent to the subject of slavery. Their prejudices were invincible—stronger, if possible, than those of the slaveholders. Objections were started on every hand; apologies for the abominable system constantly saluted my ears; obstacles were industriously piled up in my path… What was yet more discouraging, my best friends—without an exception—besought me to give up the enterprise! It was not my duty (they argued) to spend my time, and talents, and services, where persecution, reproach and poverty were the only certain reward. My scheme was visionary—fanatical—unattainable… But opposition served only to increase my ardor, and confirm my purpose.”
~ William Lloyd Garrison (July 14, 1830)
Angel Flinn is Director of Outreach for Gentle World – a vegan intentional community and non-profit organization whose core purpose is to help build a more peaceful society, by educating the public about the reasons for being vegan, the benefits of vegan living, and how to go about making such a transition.
Dan Cudahy is author of Unpopular Vegan Essays: Unpopular Essays Concerning Popular Violence Inflicted On The Innocent.
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W. Cabout a year ago
William Cabout a year ago
Thanks for caring.
Magdika Cecilia Perez6 years ago
Diane L6 years ago
C. Ruth, this is sort of an "old" discussion, but you're absolutely right on. Care.2 USED to be a place to get a bit "off beat" news or the stories that simply didn't make the nightly TV or front page, and allowed us as people to share our opinions on the issue. Lately, it's become a place to VENT hatred and hurl insults at anyone who thinks differently or has another opinion or belief. The name-calling and judgemental nonsense is astounding. I've read posts demanding DEATH to others for disagreeing on a subject!
Connie Wagar6 years ago
Wow, the folks here have completely stopped communicating and just gone to hate ..I am not a vegan, nor am I a person who would let an individual harm an animal for the sake of the pleasure it brings. I do not stop hunters who hunt for food. I do for those who hunt for pleasure and pelts. I am against removal of predatory animals from the land, and for the limited use of the wild lands we have left. I do not believe folks moving to the wilds, and then complaining the wild animals are eating their pet "Persy" have a reason to complain, Nor do I believe the that we should be encroaching on the few lands where the predictors still live and allowing humans to decide how many breeding animals of a species should be allowed to exist. Wolves should be in nearly all 49 states (sans Hawaii ) and we should ban hunting with planes or any other mechanical method to arrive at a hunting area. IT should not be a way for earning a living by taking a rich man to hunt from the comfort of a plane Helicopter or even a 4 wheeler. I think if you NEED to hunt, then you NEED to walk in to the area you want to hunt. That alone would prevent hunters from entering the deeper areas and allowing natural selection to occur and the animals to be able to replenish themselves. Humans should not decide on what animals can live or die in an area. They have placed so many on the extinct list and now are attempting to add wolves yet again because they are competing for game animals? We should not hunt game an
federico b7 years ago
Grazie delle notizie.
Carrie-Anne B7 years ago
interesting article thanks for sharing :)
Lynda GettingBetter7 years ago
Thanks, Caroline! I couldnt agree more.
Eddie, if you want to wallow in your dark place, go ahead, but please dont pull everyone down with you. For some reason you choose a negative persona, but others who are genuinely depressed could read your perpetual doom-and-gloom and decide they cannot cope with the misery of this world any longer.
Im not saying you or anyone should turn a blind eye to the bad things that are happening in this world, but I know firsthand how overwhelming it is. And when we are overwhelmed, we become paralysed, depressed and lose all hope. That isnt healthy, and it isnt going to save the animals or the planet.
We simply need to change what we can change, and accept what we cannot. We can look at our own lives and consumption and make positive changes there - as you have done - and feel good about that. We can lead others by example and encouragement, not hand-wringing and blame. We can add our support to organizations who are working on the big problems that individually we can do little about. And we need to stop the them and us attitude; of assuming if they aint fer us, theyre agin us. Were all US: this is OUR planet, and these are issues that WE can and should be able to discuss in a friendly, positive manner.
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Over nine working days lost each year due to office tech fails
UK workers are losing on average nine working days due to technology failing around the office, a new survey by Ebuyer.com has revealed.
The survey of UK office workers, conducted by the UK’s largest independent online tech retailer, revealed that one in ten workers wastes up to 30 minutes a day due to technology not working in the workplace, with the average time lost totalling 15 minutes and 17 seconds.
With 253 working days in 2018, this totals over nine working days being lost next year - a staggering number, especially for small businesses.
Workers in the legal sector lost the most amount of time each day due to technology issues, spending an average of 17 minutes and 10 seconds waiting for issues to be resolved. Those working in the IT industry lost on average 17 minutes. Engineering and manufacturing workers also featured in the top three, losing on average 16 minutes, 44 seconds.
The industries that saw workers lose the most time due to office tech fails were:
Legal (17 minutes, 10 seconds)
Information technology (17 minutes, 2 seconds)
Engineering and manufacturing (16 minutes, 44 seconds)
Recruitment and HR (16 minutes, 26 seconds)
Marketing, advertising and PR (15 minutes, 59 seconds)
Accountancy, banking and finance (15 minutes, 40 seconds)
Property and construction (15 minutes, 28 seconds)
Healthcare (15 minutes, 23 seconds)
Teaching and education (15 minutes, 9 seconds)
Public services and administration (15 minutes, 8 seconds)
In an ever increasing digital world, it is no surprise that internet connectivity issues was the most common tech fail in UK offices, with 44% of workers claiming this has affected them in the last six months. Computers and laptops crashing was the second most common tech fail (41%), followed by the printer breaking (40%).
As businesses look to implement measures throughout the company in line with GDPR, which comes into effect from May 2018, a worrying amount of workers claim they have accidentally sent an email to the wrong person (15%), with a further 7% losing time at work due to the work system being hacked. Over 6% of workers have accidentally clicked on a spam email - a sure fire way to cause a headache for the company’s IT team.
Dave Jones, product buyer at Ebuyer.com, said: “The research we conducted has revealed some really shocking figures. Over nine working days lost to technology is sure to have a huge impact on businesses, especially small businesses and start-ups.
“Making sure that technology is regularly updated will stop issues with computers regularly crashing, and having systems backed up on servers should keep time lost to a minimum. Keeping equipment around the office updated and replacing old and slow technology may cost in the short term, but the time saved will soon balance this out.
“Keeping office supplies stocked is also a quick and easy way to keep time lost to a minimum, as over one in seven (13%) workers lost time in work due to the printer running out of paper!”
Modern record for Ayr
RNLI needs tech help to boost funds
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Davidson, Russell W.
Victoria; University of Edinburgh (Scotland), 1954; former surgeon-lieutenant, Royal Navy; general practice. Died Sept. 2, 2018, aged 87. Survived by his wife, Mary-Wynne Ashford, his first wife, Patricia, 4 daughters, 3 stepchildren and 10 grandchildren. “After completing his training he did 3 years of service in the Royal Navy on HMS Warrior. He observed the hydrogen bomb tests at Christmas Island, an experience so horrifying that he never forgot it. He immigrated to Canada in 1959 and practised family medicine in Victoria. He loved his patients and found medicine a deeply satisfying career for 40 years.” A former patient wrote: “He treated his staff and patients like family because he cared.”
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This is Albie Louw - Part One
By: Jamal Booker | Jan 3, 2012
About a month ago, when we found a 1959 record album with Coca-Cola artwork on the cover, we asked the question, “Who is Albie Louw (the recording artist)?” I wasn’t sure we’d get an answer. Lo and behold not only did we find out who he was, but a blog reader actually put us in touch with him! Mr. Louw is now 85 years old, living in South Africa and still playing piano gigs weekly! We’ll share the complete story of Mr. Louw, the Coca-Cola album cover, and even his memories of Coke growing up in two parts. Here’s part one:
Mr. Louw started playing the piano as early as age 6, and began taking lessons at age 9. He became a very popular player while in college and he was unofficially dubbed “Cape Town’s Keyboard King.” Eventually, Mr. Louw landed a record deal to make somewhere in the neighborhood of ten albums for his recording label. His first album was entitled, “In Tune with South Africa”, and he continued each year with a new volume of the “In Tune” series.
The album with the Coca-Cola cover – “Wonderful One”
“Wonderful One” was Volume 9 of the “In Tune” series, distributed internationally on the EMI label “His Master’s Voice” beginning in 1959. We have letters in our files from the Coke offices in both Argentina and South Africa about the record’s release in each respective country. The letter dated December 30, 1959 was sent to the international marketing department and it reads, “Enclosed herewith, I am sending you a jacket of a phonograph record recently released by Columbia Records in Argentina. You will notice that the illustration on the front of the jacket is a reproduction of a color photograph from our 1958 Pattern Campaign.”
Another letter written from our Johannesburg office on April 7, 1960 reads, “I thought you might be interested in seeing how we capitalized in conjunction with a local recording company, on the wonderful New York produced calendar material.” [The original Coke ad featured on the cover was produced by our office in New York and featured in calendars]. These letters in our Archives and a photocopy of the album were the only evidence we had that this record even existed. From there, we scoured the web to see if we could find it, and finally tracked it down from an obscure record collector’s website out of South Africa.
Mr. Louw went on to tell me that the songs on the album were all played in two sittings, roughly 20 minutes per side with a small pause in between each selection. They were recorded in this manner without any breaks for sound quality and consistency.
Stay tuned for part two which includes Mr. Louw’s story of seeing the Coca-Cola album cover art for the first time, as well as his memories of Coke from his childhood.
Party With a Purpose: Coca-Cola Toasts To The 25th Anniversary of ESSENCE Festival
A Refreshing Reward: The Story Behind This History-making 1943 Photo Featuring Tuskegee Airman Charles B. Hall
Coca-Cola Toasts 60 Years of Dreamland Bar-B-Que
Gallery: KITH and Coca-Cola Release Third Capsule Collection
Panda Express Now Offering Coca-Cola Beverages
Phil Patton
Emeco, Sustainability and the 111 Chair
Mackensy Lunsford
Coca-Cola Brand Love, in the Flesh
A Brush With Greatness: Meet Georgia Painter Steve Penley, Coke’s Unofficial Artist-in-Residence
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Missouri Supreme Court Denies Medtronic’s Petition for Writ of Prohibition in InFuse Case, Parker Waichman LLP Comments
Posted on June 5th, 2015 by Admin
In a case involving injuries that include catastrophic, unchecked bone growth in the spinal column following surgical procedures with Medtronic’s bone graft product, InFuse, the Supreme Court of Missouri has denied Medtronic’s petition for writ of prohibition or mandamus. The intermediate Missouri Court of Appeals refused to review the ruling via a writ of mandamus, an action now affirmed by the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri.
Port Washington, New York (PRWEB) May 29, 2015
According to an Order dated May 26, 2015, a petition for writ of prohibition or mandamus has been denied by the Supreme Court of Missouri: In the Supreme Court of Missouri, May Session, 2015, State ex rel. Medtronic, Inc. and Medtronic Sofamor Danek, USA, Inc., Relators, No. SC94859 PROHIBITION/MANDAMUS, St. Louis City Circuit Court No. 1322-CC10219-02 Eastern District Court of Appeals No. ED102557
The original order denying Medtronic’s preemption claim was penned by Hon. John F. Garvey of the Missouri Circuit Court, sitting in the City of St. Louis. The petition for writ of prohibition, if granted, would have given Medtronic the right to appellate review of Judge Garvey’s decision before any trial on the basis of venue and jurisdiction. The unsuccessful writ of mandamus was filed in relation to a lawsuit filed on behalf of a plaintiff who was surgically implanted with the InFuse Bone Graft and LT Cage medical product.
The plaintiffs are represented by Jerrold S. Parker of Parker Waichman LLP, Richard Arsenault of Neblett Beard & Arsenault, Nicholas Drakulich of The Drakulich Firm, Eric Holland of The Holland Law Firm, Mark Lanier of The Lanier Law Firm, Hezekiah Sistrunk and Jane M. Lamberti of The Cochran Firm, and Mark Geragos of Geragos & Geragos. The case is Dennis Brian Anders, Plaintiffs, et al v. Medtronic, Inc., Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc., And Does 1 – 100 Defendants, Case No. 4:14cv01637 ERW.
“We support the Court’s decision in denying the petition for writ of prohibition,” said Jerrold S. Parker, Founding Partner of Parker Waichman LLP.
This decision is a significant victory for those individuals who have suffered alleged InFuse injuries, notes Melanie H. Muhlstock, Managing Attorney at the Parker Waichman firm.
It is alleged, according to the lawsuit, that surgical implantation of InFuse caused plaintiffs significant injuries. The plaintiffs also alleged that Medtronic promoted InFuse off-label, or in ways that were not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
According to Judge Garvey’s original January 13, 2015 decision, the plaintiffs’ claims were not preempted by federal law (Case No. 1322-CC10219-02). Medtronic attempted to have the case dismissed on multiple grounds, all of which were denied. Medtronic’s federal preemption claim was based on an argument that plaintiffs’ causes of action were expressly and impliedly preempted by federal law, specifically the Medical Device Amendment of 1976 (MDA). They were not, wrote the Missouri court, disagreeing with Medtronic and clearing the way for a trial on the merits of plaintiffs’ claims.
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Coinbase set to open cryptocurrency-oriented venture capital firm
The company feels it’s just scratched the surface of what’s possible with digital currency
By Gary Guthrie
04/06/2018 | ConsumerAffairs | Finance News
Coinbase, a digital currency exchange, is opening Coinbase Ventures, a venture capital arm set on funding promising, early stage cryptocurrency companies.
“Our goal is simply to help the most compelling companies in the space to flourish,” the company said in an announcement. “Our focus is on building strong relationships and helping to spur on the development of the ecosystem. The digital currency ecosystem has the opportunity to transform the lives of billions of people, but we have only just scratched the surface of what’s possible.”
Asiff Hirji, Coinbase’s President & Chief Operating Officer, reiterated his company’s intent on CNBC’s “Fast Money” on Thursday. "It's not about investing in a token, it is really about helping these investments to mature," Hirji said.
If successful, the company’s new enterprise could help flip the shady narrative of cryptocurrency and give the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) the type of firms it wants to see.
Coinbase intends on being as fair-minded as possible with who it invests with. The company will tap into the braintrust of its alumni base to look for ideas to invest in, as well as companies in the same monetary exchange space Coinbase is in. In a statement, the company accentuated the positive side of those kinships.
“We may be comfortable investing in companies that are potentially competitive, because it’s in everyone’s interest to see the ecosystem innovate,” it said.
Coinbase itself was built on the beliefs of others and seems glad to pay it forward. Since its 2011 launch, Coinbase has raised more than $100 million and has become the first Bitcoin start-up to achieve a valuation of at least $1 billion. Its 2017 revenue also topped $1 billion.
Over the course of the exchange’s rise, it formed partnerships with Dell, Expedia, Time Inc. PayPal, and others to leverage cryptocurrency as a viable and trustworthy payment option.
Now, seven years later, the company has more than 13 million users. Contrast that to Charles Schwab, which reported 10.6 million active brokerage accounts last year.
“In short, it’s in all of our interest to see this space evolve, expand, and mature. We’ll learn a lot along the way, and we’re excited to get started,” the company concluded in its announcement.
Gary Guthrie covers technology and travel for the ConsumerAffairs news team. Prior to ConsumerAffairs, he was a programming consultant for radio and TV stations in some 20 markets around the U.S., as well as a presentation developer for the likes of Jack Daniel's, Procter & Gamble, AT&T, and Columbia University. Read Full Bio→
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Churches Well-placed to Advocate for Refugees
From The Catalyst, Summer 2015
Recently, the Centre for Community-Based Research released The Guide to Action, a document that aims to activate church involvement in the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program. It encourages churches to sponsor an individual or family trying to come to Canada from a dangerous situation, an incredibly important first step in the resettlement process, but certainly not the last one.
The guide offers an excellent breakdown for churches not already part of this program of what is involved in sponsoring refugees and why churches are called to this ministry. Sponsorship is instrumental in assisting refugees in Canada. For churches that are looking to get involved, this guide is an excellent place to start. But for those already involved, there is more you can do.
Canada is known for its welcoming policy for newcomers, but with over 50 million displaced people around the world, private sponsors are taking on more work as the federal government starts backing away. The guide points to this lack of government involvement in refugee settlement saying, “Even though the Canadian government provides services to newcomers, there are gaps in which the church can play a role.”
Photo: tavker/flickr
However, beyond just filling the gaps, churches are in a position to demand that the government do more. CPJ’s own research report, “Private Sponsorship and Public Policy,” released in September 2014, shows that churches or church-connected organizations represent 72 per cent of Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAH) in the PSR program, making them extremely important contributors on this matter. This puts them in a position to advocate to the government on behalf of refugees.
Section 3 of The Guide to Action explains how churches can do this. It defines advocacy as public support of a particular cause or policy, in this case a stronger refugee settlement program. The guide goes on to explain what is involved in advocacy, such as meeting with political leaders, sending letters and petitions, creating forums, and praying for government officials. After seeing firsthand the many struggles that refugees must face, private sponsors should be inspired to improve this process so more people don’t encounter the same barriers.
CPJ’s research shows that there is a concern about the big picture here. All of the church-connected SAHs we surveyed expressed concern about various issues involving the federal government’s role in the PSR program. Many of these concerns involve long wait times and processing delays. Due to the amount of preparation, both mentally and financially, many SAHs reported that these delays can affect momentum and engagement on the part of churches. “I am aware that our government cannot control some of the delays, but there are others that are within their power to change,” one respondent said.
Another large concern is with the cuts to the Interim Federal Health program, which had previously provided healthcare benefits to refugees. With these cuts, sponsor groups are now paying for medical expenses themselves, costs that have ranged from hundreds to thousands of dollars. However, a more serious diagnosis, such as cancer, could cost tens of thousands and this number changes the willingness or ability of many churches to become sponsors. One respondent said, “We as private sponsors are losing our ability to sponsor those people we wish to help.”
Other causes for concern are limited allocations, visa post-caps, and a lack of government consultation and communication on policy changes. “The government has no humanitarian ears and refuses to hear the pleas of SAHs and chooses to sponsor only those populations that have political or financial benefit,” one respondent said.
The key to a system that is better for both sponsors and refugees is to push for improvements on all these issues. There are many ways that church-connected SAHs are already engaging with the federal government, including private or public letters, participating with the Canadian Council for Refugees, or meeting with politicians. Unfortunately with all these efforts, they still struggle to get a response. However, with more push from churches, this could change.
By advocating we can hope for better communication from the government, more efficiency and overall improvement in the PSR program, and, in the end, a higher quality of life for refugees and families. Once an improved system is in place, it will enable current SAHs to provide better support, encourage more churches to get involved, and hopefully narrow the gaps in the federal government’s services.
Elizabeth Keith
Elizabeth Keith is the current outreach assistant at CPJ. She previously worked for the Presbyterian Record. There she had the opportunity to write about important issues, such as refugees, Boko Haram in Nigeria, reconciliation with the Aboriginal community, and maternal and child health. Elizabeth will be entering her third year of journalism at Carleton University in the fall. She is also minoring in Canadian Studies and French. Studying journalism allows her to combine her love of writing with her interest in Canadian and world issues. She sees journalism as a tool for advocacy and hopes one day she can change the world. Elizabeth has grown up in the Anglican Church and currently attends Trinity Anglican Ottawa, where she teaches Sunday school and volunteers at various events.
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Letters to the Editor →
3 thoughts on “Churches Well-placed to Advocate for Refugees”
S. Theresa Nagle, SSND
Hi Elizabeth
I read your article about the system of sponsors and refugees.
The Federal is not doing as much as it used to do. I know that churches have done much.
Given the gap with the government, the churches need to join together and do more.
John Ryerson
We are the only western
We are the only western country that charities fund refugee sponsorship starting with Vietnamese. The govt has significantly reduced the number of refugees, they need to live up to their side of the partnership. 1300 promised last yr 400 approved. 10,000 promised this yr, no release of data available on status this yr. Churches can’t attack a political party but you can.
CATHERINE MUIRURI
HELLO ELIZABETH 4 THE GOOD
HELLO ELIZABETH 4 THE GOOD WORK U ARE DOING.HOW COULD I GET A SPONSOR WHO CAN FUND MY THREE CHILDREN’S EDUCATION I WOULD FEEL GOOD I WOULD WANT THEM TO GET A BETTER EDUCATION
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Recent scholarship and the search for the historical Jesus
Published: January 21, 2016 5:00 am
ChameleonsEye/Shutterstock
Visitors at the Roman Catholic Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.
Many assume, and some triumphantly boast, that the scholarship of the past 150 years has gutted the New Testament gospels and their story of Jesus. And no wonder: Popular articles and documentaries appear every year — often at Christmas and Easter — suggesting that Christian belief rests more on mythology, even on flat-out historical fabrication, than on genuine history. Moreover, a small but noisy movement, mostly among atheists and agnostics on the Internet and mostly disdained by scholars in relevant disciplines, now confidently declares that Jesus himself never existed at all — not even as a merely mortal Jewish teacher or peasant reformer. (See my previous column titled "The evidence for Jesus is early and powerful.")
As its subtitle indicates, Robert Hutchinson’s interesting and accessible book “Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth — and How They Confirm the Gospel Accounts” argues, to the contrary, that scholarship increasingly supports the four gospels rather than undercutting them.
Among the highlights of Hutchinson’s discussion are these:
• The 2012 announcement of seven previously unknown New Testament papyri — one of which, a text from the gospel of Mark, may date to the first century of the Christian era — seems to contradict suppositions that the biblical accounts were created long after the death of Jesus. And these manuscripts are presumably copies of even earlier writings.
• One young secular scholar in Britain now argues that Mark’s account, usually reckoned to be the earliest of the four canonical gospels, wasn’t written half a century after Jesus but, rather, within perhaps five or 10 years of his crucifixion.
• For a long time, it’s been assumed that the New Testament gospels rest on anonymous and doctrinally prejudiced reports that had circulated for decades prior to being written down in their ultimate form, and that, as folklore and rumor typically do, they had grown considerably in the telling. However, excellent recent scholarship argues that, on the contrary, the gospels are based on eyewitness testimony from identifiable, named individuals.
• For decades, many scholars have contended that ancient Christian leaders suppressed early Gnostic “gospels” in favor of the theologically biased and less women-friendly narratives of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Some have claimed that such documents provide an earlier and more accurate view of Jesus than the canonized documents do. Increasingly, though, scholarship recognizes that the Gnostic texts aren’t earlier — they were actually written between one and three centuries after Jesus — and that they’re sometimes extremely misogynistic.
• One of the arguments commonly made against the reality of Jesus is that Nazareth itself, his supposed hometown, didn’t even exist in the first century. The Old Testament and the ancient historian Josephus never mention it, and there were no archaeological traces of it. As one writer quipped, we know that Jesus isn’t real just as we know that the Wizard of Oz isn’t real because both Nazareth and the Land of Oz are fictional. In 2008, one such skeptic even published a book titled “The Myth of Nazareth: The Invented Town of Jesus.” Unfortunately for his thesis, it was just a year later that archaeologists discovered the remains of a first-century stone house only a few steps from Nazareth’s beautiful Basilica of the Annunciation — a house that, its excavator suggests, might even be the very house in which Jesus grew up. (See my previous column titled "Archaeology and the boyhood of Jesus in Nazareth.")
• Tangible archaeological proof of the existence of key New Testament figures such as the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate, the high priest Caiaphas, and perhaps even James, the half-brother of Jesus, has now been found.
• Some scholars have long suggested that first-century Jews were expecting a militant messiah who would liberate them from Roman oppression, which is probably true for most, but also that the idea of Jesus as a suffering and dying Savior was invented in order to excuse his obvious failure to expel the Romans. Now, though, a Hebrew-language tablet dating to the early first century has been found that seems to speak not only of a suffering and dying messiah but even, possibly, of an expectation that he would rise from the dead after three days.
• During the 20th century, many scholars maintained that belief in Jesus as a divine savior arose 50 or even 100 years after his death. Newer research, though, contends that it emerged very early, within perhaps a year or two of his crucifixion.
Recent scholarship, far from being an enemy to Christian faith, may have become a powerful ally.
Daniel Peterson teaches Arabic studies, founded BYU’s Middle Eastern Texts Initiative, directs MormonScholarsTestify.org, chairs mormoninterpreter.com, blogs daily at patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson, and speaks only for himself.
Faith July 14, 2019 'Called to Laugh' tells real funny stories about Latter-day Saint missions
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Daniel Peterson: How a sewer leak led to another important archaeological discovery in Jerusalem
Published: July 11, 2019 7:11 am
The Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem.
In 2004, workers were summoned to repair a damaged sewer pipe. The pipe lay under a small potato field in the Palestinian Arab neighborhood of Silwan, in southeastern Jerusalem just outside the Old City walls. Following standard local practice, a team of archaeological observers accompanied them, wrote Yaakov Katz in "New Discovery in Jerusalem's City of David: 2,000-year-old Pilgimage Road," published June 30 in The Jerusalem Post, online at jpost.com.
To their surprised delight, the team discovered several wide stairs located just a dozen yards from what they soon confirmed to be the ancient pool or “mikveh” of Shiloah. Ancient pilgrims would ritually immerse themselves at Shiloah in order to be cleansed for their climb up to Jerusalem’s temple, which loomed just above them to the north, wrote Katz about his tour of the discovery. Shiloah, which gave the Arab village of Silwan its name, appears in the New Testament as “Siloam” — figuring, for example, in the account of the healing of a blind man given at John 9:1-9.
Eventually, a largely intact ancient stone road was identified, extending from Silwan up to the area of what is known today as Robinson’s Arch, a partially surviving entrance to the southwestern corner of the ancient temple platform. The “Pilgrim’s Road” or “Pilgrimage Road,” as it’s coming to be called, is approximately 2,000 old and is very likely the path that Jesus and his disciples — like other Jewish leaders and sages, as well as ordinary people — would have taken to ascend to the temple of Jerusalem, Katz reported.
The first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus estimated that roughly 2.7 million people visited Jerusalem annually for the various Jewish holidays — notably Passover, Shavuot (the “Feast of Weeks” or “Pentecost”), and Sukkot (the “Festival of Booths” or “Feast of Tabernacles”) — performing more than a quarter of a million sacrifices during their visits, Katz reported.
The great first-century rabbis Shammai and Hillel — famous still today for their prominence in the early third-century Jewish text known as the Mishna, the oldest surviving work of rabbinic literature — debated what age children must be before their fathers were obligated to take them along on pilgrimage, Katz noted. They were almost certainly discussing the “Pilgrimage Road.” Hillel said that the father need bring the child only if he or she was able to walk up the 750-meter road to the temple. The more demanding Shammai, by contrast, contended that a child should accompany parents on pilgrimage as soon as he or she was capable of sitting upon a father’s shoulders.
Unlike most archaeological digs, the excavations following the 2004 discovery were underground, leaving the busy modern Jerusalem streets and the mostly Arab neighborhood above it — and, to the limited extent possible, the area’s ever-sensitive politics — undisturbed. Dozens of fiber-optic cable cameras were used in order to determine where to work. The ceiling of the tunnel needed constant reinforcement with steel beams so as to support the weight of the city above, Katz wrote. The effort has been very expensive — costing hundreds of millions of dollars that have been supplied not only by the Israeli government but by such generous private donors as Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, Larry Ellison (founder of Oracle), and Jan Koum (co-founder of WhatsApp), Katz reports.
Midway up the road, archaeologists located a set of stairs alongside an ancient roadside shop. But the stairs lead only to a somewhat puzzling platform. Researchers have identified just one archaeological parallel to it, a platform in Rome that apparently served somewhat the same function as the famous “Speakers’ Corner” in London’s Hyde Park, Katz writes. Accordingly, they suggest, Jerusalem’s similar platform may have served as a place for announcements or speeches targeted at passing pilgrims. Next to it, they found the charred remains of a male palm tree (conceivably burned during the successful Roman siege of the temple in A.D. 70). Obviously not there to provide fruit, perhaps the tree supplied shade for speakers on the platform, he notes in the article.
Also found was a rather crude ancient depiction of a seven-branched candelabra, perhaps carved by a child who had just seen the great menorah at the temple.
1 comment on this story
Recently, Israeli authorities officially unveiled the site, where, in a tunnel, tourists will be able to walk a nearly 350-yard stretch of the ancient street.
There is a potentially ironic aspect to this: In recent years, vastly amplified by the internet, “mythicist” claims that Jesus was merely a fictional character — claims that are taken seriously by very few credentialed scholars, whether Christian believers or not — have become surprisingly popular. This occurs at a time when the tangible reality of Jesus’s first-century world is becoming ever more evident.
Faith July 8, 2019 Bible shortage? Publishers say tariffs could cause it
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You are here: Home / News / A Wedding Most Strange, celebrations for North Devon movie which is creating a buzz
A Wedding Most Strange, celebrations for North Devon movie which is creating a buzz
A Wedding Most Strange: an impressive line up of cast and extras for the film shot in North Devon which is creating a buzz
Things are moving quickly for North Devon production company, Trinity X, their first feature, A Wedding Most Strange is already creating a buzz, and they have signed a deal to distribute their early shorts.
A Wedding Most Strange was shot in early 2011 and was making sales at Cannes just months later.
The film in a nuptial race against time. With Danny’s divorce through he has just days to remarry to full the requirements of his father’s will to reclaim his family’s heritage. Mix multiple suitors with an interested family, and you get A Wedding Most Strange.
Two of the teams’ shorts Pre-Commitment and Total Reactions have been picking up prizes and plaudits at festivals around the world.
Follow Trinity X on Facebook or Twitter
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BC-glink 09/06 TMS Original
REAL ESTATE MATTERS For release 09/06/13
(NOTICE: For retransmission or other content delivery inquiries, please contact TCA Customer Service, 1-800-346-8798, tcacustomerservice@tribune.com.)
Happy ending to yearlong short sale ordeal
Tribune Content Agency
By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin
A couple of weeks ago, we received a letter from a homeowner who was at her wits' end.
She wanted to buy a home as a short sale in Michigan. She made an offer that went nowhere and the house ultimately went into foreclosure. She and her family moved into the home, only to be told by a law firm engaged on behalf of the servicer that Freddie Mac doesn't allow tenants to purchase occupied homes. She then contacted her congressional representative (which didn't seem to produce any results), and then us.
She wrote: "I have great credit and have been preapproved for the purchase. And I will gladly accept the home as is without our government having to spend one more dime of your money or mine. It seems so simple. Can you help point me in the right direction?"
After the story ran, we heard from Brad German, a spokesperson for Freddie Mac. He was concerned about what had happened in the case and offered to track it down for us.
Ilyce spoke to the homeowner and it turned out that in the three weeks since she had written to us, her offer had finally been negotiated through Freddie Mac's Home Steps program. But it had taken nearly a year from the time she first made an offer as a buyer to the time when her offer was being considered. She wanted to know why.
After deconstructing the timeline, a couple of things became clear: Communication about where homes are in the process of short sale and foreclosure is probably not as clear as it should be, and the right people aren't getting the right information in a timely manner. Moreover, the processes of short sales and foreclosures remain opaque, mired in legalities that aren't necessarily rooted in common sense.
Poor communication and an opaque process continue to confound borrowers, buyers, sellers, lenders and servicers alike. In the interests of helping shed a little sorely-needed light on the subject, German spent a couple of days digging in.
It turns out that a short sale couldn't happen on the property because the lender and investors couldn't come to an agreement with the actual owner of the property (who was not the person writing to us). In fact, that person went AWOL and no one could track him down.
"We were open to the short sale and reviewed the documents," German said, "But we couldn't find the seller to reach an agreement."
When the seller couldn't be reached, the property couldn't be sold. To clear the title, the property was scheduled for a foreclosure sale in January. In Michigan, there is a six-month redemption period (in some states there is no redemption period), in which the owner of the property has the opportunity to reclaim it from foreclosure.
German says that during the redemption period, Freddie Mac "goes dark," meaning the company has no contact with any buyers regarding the property. He admits that, up to the point that the property goes into foreclosure, all contact is with the owner of the property, which didn't happen since the owner was AWOL. Freddie Mac assumes the seller's broker is communicating information to the buyer's agent, who then communicates it to the buyer. That apparently didn't happen in this case.
Once the property was foreclosed on and went into redemption, and the six months were up (on July 9, in this case), a couple of things happened.
"We now had clear title and could move forward with the sale," German explained. At the same time, Freddie Mac had received an inquiry about the homeowner from Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) and was starting to do research. "While we were processing the inquiry, we were also working with the buyer to explore other options."
The buyer had moved into the property when the prior owner was still around and had a lease that expired in May. At that point, she went into a month-to-month lease with Freddie Mac's Home Steps program.
"We regularly sell foreclosures to tenants through Home Steps, and I'm not sure why she was told otherwise. We also sell to investors who plan to rent out the property," German explained.
Once the property was in Freddie Mac's REO inventory, it was available to be sold. German said that once the company received proof of funds (which happened in early August), it provided the tenant/buyer with closing proceeds equal to 3 percent of the sales price toward closing costs and gave her $500 toward her choice of homeowner's warranty. The tenant/buyer is purchasing the home in "as is" condition.
When Ilyce called the tenant/buyer, she confirmed that the sale was on track even though the closing date hadn't yet been scheduled. German said that the tenant/buyer has a personal contact who she can call to make sure the closing does get scheduled. She is thrilled.
The story has some lessons for others who are either trying to purchase a short sale or a foreclosure from a lender's REO inventory.
To start, short sales are complicated because they involve multiple parties. "You have a buyer, seller, real estate agents, the lien holder, sometimes a mortgage insurer, the investor and lender. All of these parties have to come to the table and have to negotiate an acceptable sales price and terms," German noted.
If you're trying to buy a short sale, it can take 60 days or, as in this case, a whole lot longer. Staying with the program is key to a successful resolution.
"Buyers should stay in constant contact with servicer. If they are not getting traction with the servicer, and we own the loan, they can call us. And we can take a look and try to help," German advised. The best number to call is 800-424-5401. (Fannie Mae offers a similar service, call 800-7FANNIE.) You can also call HUD housing counselors 24/7 at 888-995-HOPE.
Home buyers who want to live in the property get a leg up on investors who want to rent it out with Freddie Mac's 15-day "first look" program.
"In the case of a tenant who has serious interest and capacity to purchase, they should be working closely with their real estate agent so once the property is in inventory and becomes available for sale, they can get the offer in as quickly as possible."
It's nice that in this case, the tenant/buyer will wind up closing on the property, even though the process stretched out a year. German tells buyers not to give up hope. "We want you to buy a house."
(Ilyce R. Glink's latest book is "Buy, Close, Move In!" If you have questions, you can call her radio show toll-free (800-972-8255) any Sunday, from 11a-1p EST. Contact Ilyce through her website, www.thinkglink.com.)
(c) 2013 ILYCE R. GLINK and Samuel J. Tamkin. distriBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
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Home News MERRY MEN Capers Into TPB This December
MERRY MEN Capers Into TPB This December
Samantha Puc
If you need a gift for the Robin Hood enthusiast in your life, look no further than Oni Press’ Merry Men. Written by Lambda Literary Award Winner Robert Rodi (Closet Case) and illustrated by Jackie Lewis (The Lion of Rora), with colors by Marissa Louise (Escape from New York) and Shari Chankhamma (Codename: Baboushka), this historical fiction graphic novel is a queer romp through one of the most famous legends of the medieval age.
Per Oni Press, the plot of Merry Men is as follows: “Thirteenth century England. Robert Godwinson, former lover of King Richard, lives with his band of Merry Men in Sherwood Forest, away from the watchful eye of Prince John, who has outlawed homosexuality.
“Though isolated, the men live in peace—that is, until a stranger enters their camp seeking aid for a nearby town besieged by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Robert—nicknamed Robin—is reluctant to help, but equally eager to get rid of this perplexing stranger… and to put his formidable bow-and-arrow to use.
“It’s Robin Hood like you’ve never seen him before, based on scholarly speculation about what’s really behind the outlaw’s legend.”
The Merry Men trade paperback collects issues #1-#10 and features a collection of essays exploring the queer history of England, written by Rodi. The trade hits bookstores Dec. 5, 2018 and is currently available for pre-order.
jackie lewis
lambda literary award
Marissa Louise
robert rodi
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Samantha Puc is an essayist and culture critic whose work has been featured on Bitch Media, The Mary Sue, Bustle, and elsewhere. She mostly writes intersectional pop culture analysis with a particular focus on representation of LGBTQ and fat characters in fiction. Samantha is the managing editor at The Beat, as well as the co-creator and editor-in-chief of Fatventure Mag, an outdoors zine for fat folx who are into being active, but not into toxic weight-loss culture. She lives in Montana with her partner and cats.
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China warns US ‘not to play with fire’ regarding Taiwan
Posted: Jul 12, 2019 / 06:44 AM CDT / Updated: Jul 12, 2019 / 08:33 AM CDT
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, left, shakes hands with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto during their meeting in the latter’s office in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, July 12, 2019. (Lajos Soos/MTI via AP)
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The United States should not “play with fire” regarding Taiwan after Washington announced its intention to sell $2.2 billion in weapons to the island state, China’s foreign minister said Friday.
Wang Yi also said during a visit to Hungary that his country is concerned about Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s stops in the U.S. before and after state visits to the Caribbean.
Taiwan doesn’t have diplomatic ties with the U.S., though Washington provides Taiwan, which split from China in a 1949 civil war, with military and other support. China objects to such support as interference in what it considers its internal affairs and is seeking to bring self-governing Taiwan under its control.
“If the U.S. side wants to create new troubles in U.S.-China relations, ultimately their actions will backfire,” Wang said. “We urge the United States to fully recognize the gravity of the Taiwan question” and “honor its promise of adhering to the one-China principle.”
On Sunday, the U.S. State Department announced the proposed arms sale to Taiwan, including 108 Abrams tanks and 250 Stinger surface-to-air missiles.
Regarding his visit to Hungary, Wang and his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, emphasized growing business and trade relations between the two countries, including a Chinese loan to renovate the railway link between Budapest and Serbia’s capital, Belgrade. The project has drawn scrutiny because of its large cost and disputed economic benefits.
Szijjarto also said that talks were underway for a pair of “huge” Chinese banks, which he did not identify, to open offices in Hungary.
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Running for sexism - Daily News Egypt
Opinion Running for sexism
Running for sexism
Running has long been used to promote causes; fighting cancer, eradicating poverty, promoting literacy among other worthy endeavours. It has been used by men to spread awareness, including women’s rights. In Europe, the well-known “walk a mile in her shoes” displays men wearing high heels and walking a mile to draw attention to the different …
Sara Abou Bakr April 8, 2014 2 Comments
Sara Abou Bakr
Running has long been used to promote causes; fighting cancer, eradicating poverty, promoting literacy among other worthy endeavours.
It has been used by men to spread awareness, including women’s rights. In Europe, the well-known “walk a mile in her shoes” displays men wearing high heels and walking a mile to draw attention to the different issues facing women today and as a token of appreciation to the hurdles they face.
But in Egypt it’s a different case. It seems running, as almost any other activity, has become a way to bring forth sexism that is accepted by society.
Cairo Runners, which pioneered the incredibly well-organised marathon trend in Egypt, has taken a fall from grace. On Tuesday, they proudly announced a 5K run at midnight for “men only”. The much-shared poster invited “men” to participate in a differently-flavoured run asking female participants not to participate so as “to avoid any trouble”.
For the organisers of Cairo Runners, who are quite well-educated, the invitation posed no insult. They even promised the “women” an “event solely for them”.
So not only have they decided that this event does not fit female runners, but they promised them a treat – like a well-behaved dog.
The event itself is not the issue. The main concern is the culture that treats women as if they are trainable creatures, where men can apply their norms and ideals while the flailing women quietly accept their role.
I am pretty sure that the organisers of the event did not mean to insult women in any way. In their mindset, they are “protecting” them. It did not cross their minds that taking the choice out the women’s hands and deciding for them is the ultimate insult in a society where many still view women in the capacity of their sex, rather than who they are.
The chauvinistic view that women are “trouble” is the main problem in Egypt. This is the reason why many blame victims of harassment and rape. Women bring “trouble”. They draw unwarranted attention; fights can ensue because of them among “sane men”. Apparently it is enough for a woman to breathe in Egypt to be the cause of “eternal doom” as some extremist clergymen have vehemently asserted.
The Egyptian society is quite archaic, if one is to be blunt. The gender roles, in most cases, would nicely fit in an episode of Mad Men (the first season). Disturbing analogy, I know.
Many women still answer to their male relatives, and the poorer the woman, the better chance that she is under the thumb of a man. Ironically, women in many households are the sole financial providers, in particular among the less fortunate. Then why need a man? As one woman who works as a maid once told me: “It’s for appearances. It keeps the tongues from wagging and they will wag worse if I get a divorce.”
Of course, there is a heartening trend growing among these women to leave their useless husbands, but is still not enough. A woman has to go through Khola’— giving the man all the money and gifts he bestowed on her – to get her freedom. Divorce is a very complicated procedure because it is customary – out of culture, not religion – for women to forgo the right to divorce themselves, leaving it solely a husband’s prerogative. It is a societal taboo if a woman asks for her right; it shows her lack of faith in her future spouse. Archaic, isn’t it?
It takes extremely brave men to confront a society and stand among the lines of women demanding their equality; to be treated not as a burden, but as a partner. There are men in Egypt who have been quite vocal about the mistreatment of women in our country. It started with forward thinking Sheik Mohamed Abdu (1849-1905) and Writer Kassem Amin (1863-1908). Both were ardent supporters of gender equality, criticisers of polygamy and advocates of the necessity of educating women to improve society. As a result, both were severely condemned by pillars of society and accused of attempting to ruin its conservative morals. Both men are much hated by the extremely conservative till this very day. Their then-progressive ideas were supported by some equally bold leaders such as Wafdist head Saad Zagloul and renowned philosopher Ahmed Lotfy El-Seid.
It would be remiss to overlook the struggle of female activists at the early 20th century such as Hoda Shaarawi, Safia Zagloul, Doria Shafiq among many others who fought for the right to vote and be represented in the constitutional committee. To write about their struggle would require a book, rather than this measly article.
For the modern Egyptian woman – myself included – it feels as if the calls for equality have stopped well in the 1970s, except for a few current female leaders. The only reason for this abrupt halt that I can personally fathom is education, or rather the lack thereof. The education system is in shambles. The Mubarak regime in its thirty-year tyrannical rule has successfully eradicated quality education. In the early 20th century, public schools offered varied curricula, and women even had a chance to study abroad, which affected the way they viewed life in general and their role in society in particular. Nowadays, public schools are filled to the brim with students who are taught by underpaid teachers, with almost all of them depending on private tutoring, which is a very lucrative business. Many of the private schools are overpriced, offering mediocre education to children whose parents are either unsuspecting or too busy to care about quality when they have the “name” of the school tagged to their child’s. There are even well-established private schools in Egypt which do not accept enrollment of Egyptians! Yes, Egyptians get discriminated against in their country, under the nose of the successive cabinets.
Education, which is the core of any progressive nation, has been on the back-burner for decades in Egypt, resulting in generations that do nor know their heritage and lack the basic instruments of dealing with one another, male-female interaction included. Current Egyptian films and songs that encourage harassment are the norm, together with extremists preaching women as a devilish tool of seduction are combination to ruin any society. A frightening short report surfaced online a week ago, where the film-maker asks young boys, aged 11-18, why they think women get harassed. The frightening answers are almost always based on how the woman is dressed, whether is she is covered or not. The three-minute horror show casts a looming glimpse of the future of this country with regards to women.
Couple education with poverty and you have a recipe for societal disaster, which we are currently living.
Another vital angle is women themselves. In a country where, according to the UN, 99% of women have been harassed either verbally or physically, an alarming trend has been noted. Some young women – particularly adolescents – equate harassment with compliments, a frightening tendency that I have personally witnessed on more than one occasion. Raised in such an environment, these girls only know harassment and these boys can safely say as in the above video, “girls like to be harassed”. It is depressing to witness the disintegration of one’s society day by day. These teenagers are the byproduct of failed parenting, education and governments.
Women are not “trouble”. Society is what gives them trouble, making their life harder than needed, then taking away their rights only to brand them as troublesome. The interworking of the Egyptian society needs a stance. There has to be a political will to empower women through giving them their voices, together with an economic framework that helps society as a whole. An updated education system is also needed, which will require years of work to keep pace with the rampant increase in population. Otherwise, we are heading towards a doomed future.
Cairo Runners has organised many incredibly worthy marathons. They have successfully provided female runners a safe harassment-free environment-because of the sheer numbers of runners participating- to freely practice their favorite sport and for this they are to be commended.
But in the end, the mindset of a pretentiously conservative society won.
It would have been much smarter to leave the event open to whoever wants to participate. Most of the female participants would not have joined anyway (unfortunately) because of cultural norms, but what Cairo Runners would have gained is presenting them with the choice.
Presenting women with choices even if they cannot make the decision on their own – for now – would have empowered them. Choices always empower people regardless of their gender. To be viewed as person, without the constraints of a gender, is the ultimate gesture of respect.
To decide for oneself is the fundamental right in a free society.
Meanwhile, Egypt is still running for sexism.
Topics: Cairo runners Daily News Egypt DNE Egypt Running Sara Abou Bakr women women's rights
Politics editor at Daily News Egypt
Twitter: @sara_ab5
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https://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2014/04/08/running-sexism/
Al-Azhar asserts legitimacy of oral divorce, stresses need for documentation
April 8, 2014 Breaking News
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Nothing But Darkness
So yeah, the “Nothing But Light” photo shoot was today….
I’d heard about it when a friend of mine posed. My initial reaction was that much as it was tempting to do it, in my case being naked in that way would put the focus on who I’m not rather than who I am.
I decided to push through that feeling. To face down my fears. To show that it was possible for someone with a body like mine could love a body like mine.
I pushed myself too hard. Sometimes when you stare into the abyss, the abyss not only stares back, but swallows you whole.
I don’t have a problem getting naked. I knew what I was getting into to. The photographer, Anastasia was lovely and excellent at putting me at ease. We had a great conversation during the shoot.
But while the spirit was willing, the body was saying fuck off. As we were reviewing the photos together after the shoot, Anastasia commented that during the shoot I rarely moved around during the shoot, and all my poses were tightly controlled — poses with “pretty hands” and “pretty legs” and otherwise positioning my body to looks as “feminine” as possible. It wasn’t something I did consciously. She said normally people start this way but usually loosen up after a bit. With people who perform it takes longer (since they’re used to presenting their body to audience) — one reason she does a very long shoot. I never did loosen up.
I knew this wasn’t going to be a glamour shoot — but part of the appeal was the challenge of communicating my femininity when the make-up, the padding, the clothes were all stripped away. (I did still wear a wig, which she was OK with.) But going through the photos all I could think was that my hair looked awful (it had frizzed a bit that morning and I didn’t have time to fix it), my skin without foundation looked red and blotchy, I had man-boobs instead of boobs, my belly was all-too-prominent. I looked fat, old and ugly — and far too male.
I wish I was more self-accepting of the body I have now. I want to be more self-accepting. I need to be more self-accepting. But it wasn’t happening today.
We did pick out a half-dozen photos out of the hundreds she took, in which I don’t look as bad. I do have the option asking her to pull the photos of the project — that was an upfront option she makes available to all the models. Not sure if I’ll exercise it. I’ll ask her to send me copies of the photos and take a second look at them. I probably need more time to process the experience.
I’ll probably never think of them as photos I like, but they may be photos I’m willing to be seen publicly.
November 30, 2015 / Body Image, Pre-Transition by Jolie Laide
Static in the Attic
This weekend will be the first time in six months that I won’t be living en femme (since I’ll be down at my mother’s for Thanksgiving).
Unexpectedly, the prospect of doing so doesn’t freak me out. A little sad perhaps, but it’s not a big deal. Probably because it’s really just one day, since I’m flying back Saturday night.
I still feel like I’m occupying a place on both sides of a threshold I don’t quite understand; at that place of transition, waiting, and not knowing.
Though I sure seem to be meandering towards transition. I’ve started electrolysis, I want to do voice work when time and money permit. Hormones are something I’m thinking of trying after I finish up electrolysis. I sent my photos off to the medical artist who does the Virtual FFS stuff.
All of which has caught me by surprise. I never really expected to be in this place. I never prayed to wake up as a girl when I was young. I’ve always been fairly comfortable with Teh Tranz, even when I knew society wasn’t. So it’s not like I’m sloughing off years of self-denial and self-hatred.
As I try to work on one of my other “not happy with the current state of affairs” issues (the lack of a social life that’s not up in SF) I ask myself whether I want to build up a local social circle as a man or a woman, and the answer is pretty clear — I want new people I meet to know me as a woman.
I’m becoming increasingly less comfortable (for the most part) being in places where people see me switching genders. To the point where I won’t go out to certain restaurants on a weeknight because I usually go there en femme on the weekends. (Burly is a bit different, in part because when the clothes come off it’s pretty obviously I’m not your standard-issue woman.)
I’m leaking gender at work. I’ve been wearing (a nice neutral) nail polish to work for the past couple months. I wear stud earrings. The past two weeks I’ve worn a woman’s sweater to work — albeit the gendering of the sweater, buttons along the sleeves, was pretty subtle so no one probably noticed. (And the irony is that I worn it many because the weather turned cold and I can’t find the box of men’s sweaters I put away last spring.) There’s two fashionista co-workers who I haven’t explicitly come out to — that it’s more than just for the stage — but I’ve talked with them about needing to put together a fall wardrobe, so it’s probably not too hard for them to read between the lines. As far as I know this hasn’t caused any issues — one advantage to having a good number of people there knowing that I perform.
I don’t hear the siren call of transition. Much as the Pink Express is problematic, there is something to be said for certainty. In my case, I’m finding I’m more comfortable as a woman, and I don’t hate being a man, even if at times it’s feeling more like a part I play. I don’t have a horror at the thought of dying as a man. It’s more like…. done the guy thing for 50 years, been there, done that; maybe it’s time to try something different.
Will it work to have a life working as a man and living as a woman outside of work (perhaps with some chemical enhancements)? Quite possibly. Quite possibility not. As said, in another thread, the tipping point often seems to be when people reach a discomfort level that they can’t take anymore. Maybe I’m the boiling frog, but it doesn’t seem like I’m close to that yet.
I do have serious — if probably somewhat unfounded — worries about the impact transitioning would have on my career, especially in light of a friend’s comment that she traded her career for transition. Especially since I’m at an age where age discrimination in Silicon Valley becomes a definite thing. Which, when I am support myself is a bit scary, even if I do have far more financial reserves than most people who transition. Because the Bay Area is so fucking expensive, but there’s very few other places I’d want to live.
I do have a lot more churn in my head related to Teh Tranz these days. Mostly because I still feel like I’ve moved out of one stable place and don’t really know where I’m headed. Because I’m thinking through various possible scenarios (hey it’s what do for work). Maybe that static in the attic will calm down as I get more used to this true “dual living,” or as I work through the issues I’m wrestling with, or as I take more small steps. Or maybe that noise will be the precipitating event to transition.
Or who knows, I may end up rivaling another friend for the world’s slowest transition.
November 25, 2015 / Confessionals, Pre-Transition by Jolie Laide
Transitioning in Place
By all accounts “transitioning in place” is hard. A friend of mine noted that looking at the bios of trans people who transitioned in place, it’s extremely common to see that within a few years after transition, they’re working somewhere else, and often they’ve switched in a different field. My friend had a bad experience with a workplace that slowly turned toxic post-transition and in the end, the only solution was to cut ties. The same goes for social ties — it can be hard for other people to do The Work to fully accept us as our new-to-them selves, so in the great American tradition, we leave and start over, free of pre-conceptions.
That’s a bit depressing, since I like where I live, and I like both my job and the company I do it for.
But especially in the workplace that makes sense — something to think about if I do end up transitioning. Though it might not be so bad, since I’m beginning to feel things are getting a bit stale at my current job. But I’m also at the age where age discrimination in Silicon Valley is a definite thing. Could I move into a different career? Sure, but it’s unlikely to pay as much as I make now, and given the insane Bay Area real estate prices that would have some serious consequences.
OTOH, one advantage of being in a large urban area is that it’s easier to move social circles without physically moving. Especially when my most of my social life is up in San Francisco, so there’s room to develop new social ties more locally.
But I’d hate to lose the social connections I’ve made, especially in the burlesque scene.
As one of those on the meandering path, I do have hopes of establishing myself as a woman, I might not need to cut those ties. Specifically in the burlesque scene I’ve been careful to (almost) always present as a woman. Not sure how exactly I’m seen. Definitely people know I’m trans. Some people know that I don’t live full-time as a woman. OTOH, with a few rare exceptions they’ve always interacted with me as a woman.
November 17, 2015 / Pre-Transition by Jolie Laide
A Trick Not A Treat
Odd twinge at work on Halloween…
While I was in costume I needed to use the restroom, and under the circumstances I used the men’s. But it felt very awkward….
Really looking forward to BurlyCon in two weeks, where I’ll be a woman among 600-700 other women.
Other than that, I’m settling in to life as a (weekend) woman.
November 3, 2015 / Pre-Transition by Jolie Laide
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Phil Maddocks: Attorney General Gonzales fires himself for political reasons
By Philip Maddocks
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced Monday that he had fired himself for political reasons. He said his firing would take effect Sept. 17.
But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the investigation would not end with Gonzales' firing of himself and hinted that the attorney general could face perjury charges if he wasn’t more forthcoming about the reasons for firing himself.
"Congress must get to the bottom of this mess and follow the facts where they lead, into the White House, into Michael Vick’s doghouse, wherever." said the Nevada Democrat. "The attorney general has shown very poor judgment in the past. I don’t know why we would feel any more confident with this decision."
Gonzales, whose personal credibility has been a casualty of the multiple controversies, claimed he couldn’t recall why he went after himself, he only knows it was because of his political affiliation.
"It’s true, as Sen. Arlen Specter [the senior GOP member of the Judiciary Committee] said during my hearing, that my testimony was significantly if not totally at variance with the facts, but I know that’s not why I fired myself. It’s just difficult for me to explain because I wasn’t really involved with the firing except as the person who did it."
The attorney general didn’t rule out the possibility of torturing himself, either, saying that it "may be justified," and that international laws against torture "may be unconstitutional if applied to him."
Gonzales made a brief appearance before reporters at the Justice Department to announce his firing. "Even my worst days as attorney general have been better than Donald Rumsfeld’s best as defense secretary," he said.
Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee as recently as July 24 that he had decided to stay in his post despite numerous calls for his resignation. He said Monday during his brief press conference that he was "proud he didn’t give into the pressure to resign" and instead fired himself "with dignity."
President Bush, Gonzales' most dogged defender, told reporters he had accepted the firing reluctantly. "I am only glad that it was Alberto who is dragging his good name through the mud for political reasons. He at least deserved that chance," Bush said.
Several officials said the attorney general called Bush at his ranch last Friday to offer to fire himself. Bush did not attempt to dissuade him but accepted with reluctance, they said. The president then invited Gonzales and his wife to Sunday lunch where they discussed his firing in excruciatingly little detail.
Some political observers suggested that Gonzales had decided to fire himself in order to protect his reputation.
"Resignation, no matter how much dignity it is done with, inevitably looks like capitulation. Whereas firing tends to look more defiant. And since it was the attorney general who did the firing, he gets the added advantage of appearing decisive and demanding," said one.
Congressmen were somewhat taken aback by the attorney general’s unorthodox leavetaking.
Said one, "Even after all the scrutiny, it doesn't appear that Attorney General Gonzales resigned. But whether he deserves to be fired by himself is another matter."
Under Gonzales and Bush, "the Department of Justice suffered a severe crisis of leadership that allowed our justice system to be corrupted by political influence," said another. "Just because he fired himself for political reason doesn’t make all that go away — though I must say it is a good start."
The speculation about a successor began immediately, but many legal scholars suggested that it would be difficult to find a worthy replacement.
"We all thought John Ashcroft would be the standard by which all bad attorneys general are measured, but Gonzales eclipsed him," noted one scholar. "Is it possible there is someone out there that could better the record set by the current attorney general? It’s possible, but I wouldn’t bet on it."
The shortlist for the position is rumored to include Karl Rove, the president's chief political strategist, who announced his resignation last week; former presidential counselor Dan Bartlett and Harriet Miers, the former White House counsel who was forced to withdraw her nomination for the Supreme Court.
All would be worthy successors to Gonzales, said one observer. But the frontrunner for the job, he said, is Fred Thompson, who is currently at work on a forthcoming book, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned on ‘Law and Order.’"
- Natick (Mass.) Bulletin and TAB
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Irish Independence Film Collection launched online by IFI
The Irish Film Institute (IFI) have recently launched the Irish Independence Film Collection. Due to the emergence of cine-camera technology in the 1890s, the first three decades of the twentieth century (including the Irish revolutionary period from 1912 to 1923) were the first to be widely documented on film. However, the dearth of indigenous Irish filmmaking during the early part of the last century, means that the moving image record of this pivotal period was predominantly captured by non-Irish agencies, who created newsreels of Irish events to play alongside home-grown stories in cinemas. In the early part of the twentieth century, before the advent of television, newsreels radio and newspapers, were the predominant way for the public to keep up to date with important events.
Until recently these Irish newsreel stories, filmed by British agencies, had not been held in an Irish archive and many had not been available to the public since their initial distribution 100 years ago. The Decade of Centenaries presented the IFI Irish Film Archive with a unique opportunity to create the Irish Independence Film Collection, comprising Topical Budget and British Pathé newsreels, with support from the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. As part of this project the IFI was able to repatriate, safeguard and share these important visual documents centralising them in Ireland for the first time and making them available to the Irish public. The IFI worked closely with the British Film Institute and British Pathé, and the original nitrate film prints have been digitised and restored to a remarkably high quality, and the online exhibit has been curated and contextualised with the assistance of staff from the National Museum of Ireland and University College Cork. The IFI has created a project that not only celebrates a momentous period in Irish history but that also has lasting value for the Irish people; all of the material on the collection is free to view.
Posted in Editor's Blog
← 12 May 2018: ‘New approaches to Irish revolutionary history’, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 217 May-30 September 2018: ‘Print, protest, and the polls: The Irish women’s suffrage campaign and the power of print media, 1908–1918’, National Print Museum, Dublin 4 →
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Free Consultations! Call Us Toll-Free 24/7 217.727.7047
About JLG
Brendan Bukalski
Kevin Sanborn
Todd Ringel
Douglas B. Johnson
Brent R. Wright
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Expungements, Sealing & Pardons
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At Johnson Law Group, we take pride in helping our clients find a successful resolution to their cases. Whether it’s a favorable plea bargain, a dismissal of the charges, or an outright acquittal, we do everything we can to ensure that our client gets the best possible result. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, but we are confident that when you see our track record, you will understand that our team has what it takes to fight, and to win. To see examples of cases that we have handled for clients in the past, choose a category from the menu below:
State v. AZ Felony Dismissed Entirely
Our client got in an accident when she was under the influence. Having driven into a field, the airbags had deployed, but our client was asleep behind the driver's seat when police arrived. The accident was witnessed by 2 people, and the police developed evidence showing our client had drank a lot of alcohol and taken prescription medication that night. Our client knew her rights, and refused to cooperate. As a result, police sought a search warrant to collect her blood, breath, and/or urine for testing. After being informed of the warrant's contents and being told that failure to comply with the search warrant would result in a felony charge, our client refused to comply. Our client then found herself charged with the felony offense of Obstructing Justice, a Class 4 felony. Normally, the State wants a felony conviction and a conviction on the DUI, which results in the loss of one's driver's license, not to mention being a convicted felon forever. We weren't going to let that happen. We got to work, formulated a strategy, and our client helped us implement that strategy. Result: Felony Dismissed entirely; all traffic tickets dismissed entirely; and Supervision on the DUI. Our client never saw the inside of a jail cell, never lost her license, and was able to return to normal without a felony conviction.
Case Date: 03-05-2019
State v. CL Felony Sex Offenses Dismissed Entirely
Our client had already been a registered sex offender for years before being charged with two class 1 felony offenses for Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault and two class 2 felony offenses for Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse. Given his prior history and that the State believed the alleged victim, they wanted blood, and our client faced up to 14 years in prison, not to mention having to register as a sex offender for life and possibly facing a lifetime parole term. Our client had been through 2 other attorneys before he made the decision by coming to Johnson Law Group. Immediately, our team realized that the alleged victim was not believable. Utilizing our attorneys and investigators, we were able to produce a witness who would directly contradict the alleged victim's statements, and, consequently, we built a solid defense for trial—and we were ready for trial. That defense was so solid that, upon reviewing the case himself, the State's Attorney realized we would win, and, as a result, we convinced the State to dismiss the case entirely. Result: the case was dismissed, and our client walked away a free man with the case dismissed entirely.
State v. DS Not Guilty
NOT GUILTY JURY VERDICT on DUI
Our client was a critical care nurse, and her employment hours were obviously different than many of us. She met friends for dirnks, but found herself arrested for a DUI and Improper Lane after she got into an accident in the late morning. The county in which she was prosecuted is known as being very tough on DUI offenses, and was known for convicting first-time offenders, often putting them in jail too. Our client tried to prove she was sober, but could not blow hard enough into the machine for it to render a breath test. Our team got to work, and knew our client was not guilty of DUI. The accident wasn't her fault, and her medical conditions made her appear off balance. We even told the judge we wanted a jury trial at our first court appearance. Our attorneys started work, formulated a defense, and it was revealed at trial that our client had screws in her ankles from ankle surgery, that her condition affected her balance, and that she could not have blown, despite her wanting to do so, because she lacked the lung capacity after having a lung collapse long before her DUI arrest. Result: in roughly one hour, the jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty! Our client is free, her record is clean, and she has her license to this day!
State v. JS Not Guilty
NOT GUILTY JURY VERDICT for Battery of a Child
Our client worked as a local school teacher, and cared for children. One child in particular was acting out, and disturbing the rest of the children. Our client moved the child to a different chair, and it was reported that our client hit the child. The room the kids were in had a camera, and the State maintained that the video showed our client hitting the child. Our client was charged with Battery of a Child, and had everything to lose: she was a CNA, who herself was a foster child who even obtained a scholarship at one time from DCFS to attend school. After her experience in the foster system, she only wanted to be able to help kids, but if she were convicted of battering a child, this would all be over. Our team got to work, developed a trial strategy, and proceeded to a jury trial, at which our client was found Not Guilty! Because of state licensure issues after being charged, she's still working on restoring her life, but we're helping her with that, having achieved what many thought was impossible: a jury verdict of Not Guilty when a child was the victim!
State v. LQ Not Guilty
Airman found Not Guilty in Sexual Assault Jury Trial
Our client was charged in 2017 for allegations made against him by his teenage step daughter, of one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, a Class 2 felony offense. Our client always claimed his innocence including testifying in his own defense during the trial, that the allegations were false and had been made during a bitter divorce with his now ex wife. After two full days of trial, the jury only took 2 ½ hours to come back with a Not Guilty verdict. Our client has spent nearly 18 years in the US Air Force and is still active duty. If he were convicted, he would not only been a convicted felon and have to register has a Sexual Offender, he would have also received a Dishonorable Discharge, loss of gun rights and loss of military benefits.
State v. DB Case Dismissed
Criminal Damage to Property Case Dismissed Entirely, Despite Confession and Video!
Our client had a felony case already, but he wound up being charged with Criminal Damage to Property as a result of marking the metal on a vehicle (or "keying") a car. The State had everything they needed: the damage itself, a witness to our client doing it, and even a video of our client. To make matters even worse, our client confessed to doing it. Our client's case seemed hopeless, especially because of the confession. Then he hired us, and we got to work attacking the evidence in the case, including the video and the manner in which our client supposedly confessed. Result: a few motion hearings later, and the case was dismissed entirely!
State v. TB Probation, No Jail
Probation and Time-Served without Charge for New Offense!
Our client was charged with a Class 3 felony Theft offense after she and others allegedly entered into a conspiracy to collect tens of thousands of dollars from a woman's bank account. The case seemed airtight, and entirely hopeless. Then we were hired: we formulated a strategy to demonstrate that our client was an unwitting participant in the entire affair, and that she had been no part of any conspiracy, despite the State's assertions to the contrary. It didn't help when our client was arrested again involving felony drug possession while our case was pending, but we put the strategy to work, enhancing it by adding the need for drug treatment given her new arrest. Result: our client sat in jail pending trial less than one month, and was given probation and time served! We also avoided a new felony drug charge entirely!
State v. FB Probation, No Jail
Charged with Shooting, but got Probation and No Jail!
Our client had been to prison before, and had a lengthy criminal history before he was charged with shooting a firearm in an incident in which 3 people were shot. In addition, he was charged with then trying to destroy evidence. Our client had gone through more than one attorney until he hired JLG. By that time, his case had been pending more a year and a half, and the State only wanted to talk about prison. Needless to say, our battle was an uphill one. There were volumes of evidence, as there is in any shooting case, and our team went to work. From botched police work to physical evidence being inconsistent with the State's theory, our work revealed all of the weaknesses in the State's case.
Result: multiple felonies dismissed, and a sentence of 24 months probation on a Class 4 felony offense with time-served!
State v. ML Acquittal
Our client was accused of raping his step daughter in a small central Illinois county, where everyone knows everyone, and the sentence for such an offense would have been a virtual life sentence for the client. He hired us immediately to defend him against these patently false allegations and to top it off against an investigation begun by the step-daughter's biological father who was Chief of Police at another municipality. We went to work straight away to debunk the investigation and the alleged victim's story. There was a hard fought, three day, jury trial where we strenuously fought for and secured an acquittal for our client on all counts. At JLG we fight and we win.
People v. NH Case Dismissed
Johnson Law Group was retained to represent an individual that was stopped by police at a time when his license was revoked for DUI. To make matters worse he had two prior convictions for driving while his license was suspended or revoked. When JLG got into the case the State was out for blood as they were seeking a felony conviction, jail time, probation and excessive fines and fees. Generally, the goals for someone stuck in this position are to receive some sort of a knockdown or amendment to a misdemeanor offense. JLG set its sights much higher and didn’t stop fighting until the State entirely dismissed the case. Ultimately, our client was able to walk free from this incident, and most importantly without a conviction on his record, whether a felony or misdemeanor.
State v. MC Probation, 180 Days in Jail
Our client was charged with multiple controlled drug buys after a police informant cooperated against him, and was facing a mandatory prison sentence for up to 30 years on almost 10 counts on which he could not get probation. To make the case more difficult, our client did it within 1,000 feet of a school, and the drugs involved included LSD. Needless to say, the State wanted prison, and lots of it. Our client was still a young person in college, and we couldn't let that happen. We met, reviewed all the discovery, and formulated a defense strategy to improve our client's position. This began with getting him out of jail when his bond was very high, and getting a judge to approve his travel out of the county and out of the State of Illinois. Result: our strategy worked; our client was sentenced to probation and 180 days in jail, but never went to prison! Although we would have liked to avoid jail, 180 days jail vs. 6 years in a minimum prison sentence is far worse.
State v. TQ
A recent client of ours was desperate when she was arrested for DUI. She hired us and we went to work to fight for her. Pouring through the reports and squad car video we found that the police had violated her Constitutional rights. We immediately filed motion to suppress the illegally obtained evidence. After a contentious hearing, we prevailed in proving the illegal actions of the police officer and the judge ordered all the evidence thrown out. The State immediately dismissed the entire case. At JLG we have the experience, know how, and temerity to fight for our clients.
State v. O.H. Felony PTR & DUI Dismissed
Our client very narrowly avoiding going to prison for a long time on his Class 3 Forgery case, because we were able to convince a judge that he deserved a shot at probation at a sentencing hearing. 3 months later, a Petition to Revoke (or "PTR") was filed seeking to resentence our client on the felony case, because he was arrested on a DUI as well as a Driving While License Suspended offense. (A felony PTR is judged using a very low civil standard burden of proof, even though it is filed in a criminal case, and this makes them almost impossible to beat.) To make matters worse, our client could have been charged with a felony DUI because his license was suspended at the time of the offense. Obviously, our focus had to be on both beating a felony PTR, so that we avoid prison and beating the DUI, so that our client did not wind up having his driver's license revoked. We formulated a strategy to beat the cases, and in less than a year, were successful: both the felony PTR and the DUI were dismissed entirely! Our client never went to prison, much less served any jail time, and his license is not revoked!
People v. R.A.
The client came to our office after being disappointed with his lawyer and while fighting his 3rd DUI which involved a child under 16 in the vehicle and where the defendant blew twice the legal limit. When JLG entered into the case it had already been ongoing for over a year and the offer was and had been 4 years prison and a $25,000 fine, not to mention all of the other conditions like probation, treatment, and community service. After being in the case and appearing at only 2 court dates JLG was able to convince the State to amend the charge to reflect that no child under 16 was in the vehicle, and to reduce the fine from $25,000 to only $1,000. Not only did we save our client $24,000 in fines, but we were able to agree to have our client do just 90 days in jail as opposed to the 4 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Another win for JLG and our client!
State v. RC
Our client came to us after he and his friends had broken into a building owned by a university. Minutes after breaking things in the building, police arrived, and everyone hid. In the end, everyone was arrested, and our client was charged with two Felony offenses, and a misdemeanor. We got to work, coordinated with our client's friends and their attorneys, and developed a strategy that would get everyone off. In less than 3 months, our client pleaded to a Class B Misdemeanor offense, and was sentenced to supervision, which is not a conviction. In addition, he never went to jail, he did not have to do any community service work, he did not have to do any counseling, he did not have to pay a lot in either a fine or restitution, and, for all intents and purposes, has nothing on his record!
State v. RN
Our client was stopped for 2 traffic offenses, and arrested for Driving While his License was Revoked. His car got searched, and the cops found 2 different pills that were both controlled substances. Our client wound up facing 2 Felony charges because of the pills, and a Misdemeanor for license offense. Needless to say, the State wanted a substantial punishment, including a felony conviction, all because our client had prior misdemeanor offenses on his record. We got to work, strategized on the case, submitted substantial documentation to the State, and put our strategy to work, and in practically no time at all, we got the best possible outcome. Result: 1 felony was dismissed, and our client received Second Chance Probation, which is not a conviction, on the other felony, not to mention only had to perform community service work on the license offense! Our client never had to serve jail, never had to pay thousands in discretionary fines, and is a free man today!
State v. CG
Our client was charged with a very serious charge of Armed Robbery. The prosecutor in the case wanted 8 years. After negotiations broke down, JLG took our argument to the judge where we were able to convince the Judge to give our clients probation.
People v. J.D.
Our client was charged with 4 serious Class 3 Felony offenses; two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, as he caused bodily harm by stabbing two people with a knife, and two counts of aggravated battery in a public place, because he was outside of the bars in Uptown Normal. To make matters worse our client was already a convicted felon. Of course the State was out for blood and wanted a significant amount of jail, but JLG began aggressively defending the case both by answering discovery with an affirmative defense, and by pointing out the State's weaknesses throughout the long fight of the case. Even after JLG received an offer for probation, which was not good enough for us or our client, we set the case for trial. On the night before trial JLG received an email from the State saying that they were dismissing the case. Ultimately, JLG was able to see our client walk free after being charged with 4 felony offenses!
STATE V. MK
Our client and a young woman hit it off well at a local fraternity party and spent the rest of the evening together. The next day, the young woman filed a sexual assault complaint against our client. Johnson Law Group was immediately retained. Our investigators worked with the the detective in this case and we were able to show the Sex Assault Task Force that the allegations made against our client were not accurate and completely erroneous.After a month long investigation, the state closed the case with no charges filed.
STATE V. SP
While at a local fraternity party, an intoxicated young woman attempted to kiss our client; he made a clear objection that he was not interested in the young woman. The following day our client was contacted by a member of the fraternity who asked if he had been at the party and had contact with this young woman because his name had come up in an allegation of sexual assault by this young woman. After retaining Johnson Law Group and a near two month invesitgation, no charges were filed against our client.
State v. CT False Report to 911 & Resisting Dismissed!
Our client was being evicted and she believed the eviction to be unlawful. Our client called the police after she discovered her landlord throwing her property everywhere. Our client called the police and was told it was a civil matter. As things escalated, our client called the police again to report this. When she called the police a second time, the police came out in full force to arrest her for making a false report to 911. More than one officer grabbed her, she pulled away from them. As a result, she was charged with Disorderly Conduct (for making the false police report) and with Resisting a Peace Officer (for pulling away). The State wanted jail and community service work from our client, but there was no way we would let that slide! When most lawyers would be trying to get a "deal" because it was our client's word against multiple people, including police, we worked with our client, documented the unlawful eviction and the unlawful treatment by her landlord, and formulated a defense. Result: we got the case dismissed entirely in just 2 months!
State v. MF
Our client was charged with Domestic Battery to a Child. In what we argued was clearly an exaggerated charge, JLG defended this case aggressively. The State demanded our client have a felony conviction along with having to register as a violent offender against youth and other conditions. We made it clear that we would not be accepting any offer and demanded a trial. We set the matter for trial and on the day of the trial the State dismissed the charges.
State v. ZS
Our client, a young man but still an adult was charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography. Facing 70 years potentially with consecutive sentences, JLG went to work and as the case dragged on, the state was still demanding prison. Over time, we fought aggressively and would eventually go to a contested hearing where again the State asked for prison. By providing extensive mitigation, we were able to convince the Judge to give our client probation with time served.
A client dissatisfied with her former attorney hired us to represent her at her sentencing for a DUI and leaving the scene of an accident. At the time of her arrest, she had a blood alcohol content of .402. We argued passionately on her behalf, that the night of her DUI did not define who she was as a person and that given her outstanding history and what she had achieved since that night she deserved a second chance, she deserved another chance for being a good person. The judge stated that normally someone in our client's position would go directly to jail and have their license revoked. But the judge saw her case differently. In the end, she was able to keep her license and placed on court supervision.
STATE V. TF
Our client, a student at a local university, was accused by a classmate of sexual assault after a party they both attended. Johnson Law Group was retained from the start. The detectives on the case found the allegations were undermined thus leading the state to not pursue charges against our client.
State v. JE
Our client was charged in one felony case with Conspiracy to Commit a Robbery of a Financial Institution, felony Disorderly Conduct after a Bomb Threat, in another felony case with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, and with a Petition to Revoke her probation for an earlier felony Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance. Needless to say, the State wanted only prison time, and wouldn't be satisified with anything less after she and a co-defendant allegedly phoned in a bomb threat trying to rob a bank! We worked together as part of a team, built an airtight strategy, and immediately got to work. In the end, our client's co-defendant, who was represented by another attorney, went to prison, while our client was sentenced to probation for everything, and time served!
State v. SM
Our client had a serious drug problem. In just a few months, she had picked up a DUI, major traffic, and 4 felony cases, some for felonies related to possession of controlled substances and delivery of controlled substances, and some of these cases required a prison sentence. She faced more than a decade in prison, and, to make matters worse, the sentence on the cases would have to be served consecutively, meaning she would have to serve them one after the other, instead of all together. We worked together, formed a strategy, but after convincing the State to dismiss the felony counts that required a prison sentence, they refused to dismiss any other felonies. We had to leave our client's fate up to a judge. Thanks to our strategy and effort, our client got time-served, was sentenced to probation, and never went to prison!
State v. KB
Our client had been arrested on several felonies, some of which required a prison sentence, and, because they were committed while he was out on bond, they were all consecutive to each other. The State wanted nothing but blood. We put to work a strategy and airtight defense, and successfully talked the State into dismissing all but 3 of the felonies. However, the State was not willing to agree to probation. We had to leave the sentence up to the judge, which was risky, but with the strategy we formulated, better than a mandatory prison sentence had we not talked the State into what we did. Result: our client received credit for time-served, never went to prison, and got probation instead on all of the felony cases!
State v. GS
Our client was driving at a time his license was suspended and was stopped for speeding. To make matters worse, police discovered cocaine in the car, resulting in our client facing felony charges as well as the traffic offenses. Because of our client's significant criminal history that included drug offenses, the State would have been more than happy with a lengthy prison sentence. However, we were able to talk the State into agreeing to probation and 90 days jail, instead of the prison sentence they originally wanted! Unfortunately, our client decided to hire another attorney because he did not want to serve any time, and, unfortunately with this other attorney, he was sentenced to more than one year in prison. The lesson here is when you hire the best, stick with the best.
State v. VR
Our client was charged with 6 counts related to possession of drugs with intent to deliver, and faced a minimum sentence of 6 to 30 years in prison because of the seriousness of the offenses. Our client was only a kid, and had no other significant criminal history. The State would only settle for prison, and even made our client pay $50,000 to get out of jail. We worked as a team, and realized before the State did that there were problems with the case that could help us.
Result: 5 months after being hired, we were successful in getting the case dismissed entirely!
State v. JS
Our client was charged with some pretty bad counts involving felony Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse after he had sex with a 14 year-old girl at a time when he was 28 years-old. To make matters worse for our client, he was on felony probation at the time. The alleged victim's family and the State was out for blood, and only wanted years and years in prison. We got to work right away, and, with our client's future at stake, we had no choice but to leave matters up to the judge.
Result: Probation, and no jail!
STATE VS. AE
Our client was charged with 2 counts of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance. While on bond they were charged with a new offense of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. If convicted of both cases the client faced mandatory consecutive sentences to the Illinois Department of Corrections. The client hired JLG and we immediately put a plan in place. We wanted our client to receive treatment in order to bring about positive changes in their life. The problem that JLG faced was that the client was unable to post bond to accomplish this. Furthermore, while out on bond, the client had allegedly committed a new drug offense which was a concern to the court and complicated the task of obtaining a bond reduction. After lengthy discussions JLG was able to convince the State as well as the Presiding Judge to release our client on her own recognizance to attend treatment. After continued discussions, JLG secured probation for our client with the remaining charges being dismissed.
STATE VS. SS
Our client was charged with two counts of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a child under the age of 13, a class X felony. He was facing a mandatory sentence to the Illinois Department of Corrections. The sentencing range was 6 years to 60 years and 85% of the sentence had to be served before he could be released. In addition, if convicted, our client would have had been required to register as a sex offender. The team at JLG immediately began to review the evidence that the State believed was damning to our client. Upon completion of JLG's investigation it was discovered that the State's case had several "holes" in it which would be brought out at a trial. Our team quickly identified several inconsistencies in witness statements' as well as a recorded interview of the alleged minor victim. JLG made it clear to the State's Attorney Office that this case would indeed go to trial as well as pointing out the issues with their case. In less than one month of JLG's involvement, the State dismissed the charges against our client.
STATE VS. AB
Sexual Assault allegations on college campuses is a huge political topic right now in our country. So when JLG was notified by our client that he was being accused of sexual assault by another student at the University, JLG immediately got involved. In JLG's experience, Title IX investigations are so skewed against the accused, we immediately notified the investigators that our client was not going to have his life destroyed by a false allegation and we would conduct our own investigation and findings in anticipation that charges would be filed. In less than two weeks, our firm was able to bring to light issues with the case and ultimately, no charges were filed and no discipline was sought by the University.
State v. AD
Our client was charged with several serious felonies because cocaine had been sold out of her home. She was extended term eligible (meaning she was facing twice the usual prison sentence) because of her prior criminal history, and could have been sentenced to serve 15 years in prison! As if that was not bad enough, one of the felonies required that our client be sentenced to prison, because it was not an offense for which a person could receive prison. Needless to say, this would be an up-hill battle with the State, and we got to work right away. We worked together to review the evidence, formulate a strategy, and to execute that strategy - and we're happy to say it worked! Result: in just 3 months, Non-Probationable & Extended Term Felonies Dismissed!
STATE VS. JH
Our client was charged with Possession of Child Pornography, Indecent Solicitation, Criminal Sexual Abuse, and Grooming. He was then charged with 2 counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse in another county. Our firm was hired for both matters and our team immediately went to work in preparing his defense. The client was facing a lengthy period of incarceration in both counties. JLG quickly implemented a plan and was able to obtain probation for our client in both counties, with the most serious charges being dismissed.
State v. PE
Our client was charged with a Residential Burglary case where the State had DNA evidence linking him to the crime. Making matters worse our client was previously convicted and served substantial prison time for multiple burglaries and our client was facing six to thirty years in the Department of Corrections for this case. However; rather than letting our client give up, we went to battle for him and battered the State into amending the charges and making sure our client never served a single day of jail let alone going to the Department of Corrections. The Johnson Law Group always fights for our clients, no matter the circumstance and we never let our clients be intimidated by the power of the State.
State v. DH
Our client was charged with multiple counts of Domestic Battery and Interference with Reporting Domestic Violence in a county known to be extremely tough on people accused of Domestic Violence. However; he hired the Johnson Law Group and we demanded a trial and convinced the State to drop all charges within a month of our entry into the case. We convinced the State what had truly occurred was that the alleged victim was the aggressor and had lied to police about what had truly happened. Result: Case dismissed!
State v. FC
Client was charged with Aggravated DUI for the fourth time as well as Aggravated Driving While Revoked, He was facing mandatory prison time of 3 to 7 years in the Department of Corrections. The Johnson Law Group went to work and after trying to work the case out, set the case for trial. The State was then forced into accepting a reduction of charges and absolutely no jail. The client was saved from any sort of incarceration especially years of prison!!
State v. GH
Johnson Law Group was retained on a case that would normally be an automatic sentence to the Department of Corrections. Our client was faced with a non-probation able Aggravated DUI. Then on top of it, our client committed another non-probation able DUI while out on bond for his original case. Johnson Law Group knew our client needed help not a prison sentence. With our client being a military veteran, we were able to get him out of jail and into treatment at a VA facility and worked it out so he could be on probation and with no jail.
STATE V. CK 30 Months Probation, No Jail
Our client was charged with possession of a controlled substance with more than 100 grams but less than 400 grams of heroin with the intent to deliver. This was a very serious Super X felony with a sentencing range of 9 to 40 years in IL Dept of Corrections, non-probationable. Attorney Todd Ringel went to work immediately and after reviewing the evidence, became aware of potential Motion to Quash Arrest and Suppress Evidence. Attorney Ringel used these motions as leverage in negotiating.
PEOPLE vs. NK Case Dismissed
STATE V. DM Court Supervision, No Fine
STATE V. CH Not Guilty
State vs. MS No charges filed
Our client was contacted and interviewed by DCFS and two police detectives regarding a 2 year old allegation involving our client's niece. Our client cooperated completely with authorities and the more he cooperated, the more he was being accused and facing certain prosecution. JLG was retained and immediately intervened with DCFS investigators and police. During JLG's two month investigation, it was discovered that the victim's mother had made previous allegations against two separate individuals in the past that were both deemed unfounded.
State vs. JD
Our client had almost completed probation when he admitted to smoking marijuana in violation of his probation. As a result, the State filed a petition to revoke (PTR) his probation, seeking to resentence him all over again. Then he hired JLG. We formulated a plan, and coordinated with his probation officer in the hopes that our client would be able to finish probation successfully. Our client took our advice, and we followed through with our plan.
Result: the State had no choice but to dismiss the case. Our client finished probation, and never saw the inside of a jail cell!
State v. SB
Our client was charged with a pretty serious DUI after she crashed into a utility pole, flipping her car over onto its roof. Our client went to the hospital, and was determined by police and medical personnel to be under the influence of alcohol. Needless to say, the State wanted to test our client's blood for alcohol. We immediately got to work with our investigators to build a defense as well as a mitigation package for our client who was a single mother with a lot to lose if she was convicted, including jail and her ability to drive. Our client received supervision, and the minimum fines and alcohol counseling. She never saw the inside of a jail cell, and got to keep her license!
State v. DL 30 Months Probation
Our client was a major player in a large cannabis grow operation and distribution network, and was charged with everything from a Class 4 felony to a Class X felony and facing mandatory prison time. The situation seemed dire for our client, who was a new father, especially because there were records implicating his wife for money laundering of almost $500,000. From the moment we were retained, we worked with our private investigators and the government, and formulated a long-term strategy that would result in our client getting probation, even though he was charged as seriously as he had. JLG was able to convince the government to dismiss mandatory prison offenses and also successful in convincing them not to file charges against our client or his wife concerning any money laundering.
State v. RW 36 Months Probation
Our client was charged with Manufacture/Delivery as well as Possession of more than 23 pounds of Cannabis! One offense was a Class X, for which a person has to go to prison for a minimum of 6 years, and the other was a Class 1, for which a person could get probation. In a few short months, we were successful in convincing the prosecution to dismiss the Class X, but we had no agreement on the Class 1 offense, so our client's fate was in the judge's hands, which was part of our strategy. Only 9 months after being charged, we went to sentencing, and the government recommended 5 years in prison.
State vs. RF No charges filed
Our client had been through a bitter custody battle in the preceding months with his ex wife when he contacted our office. Shortly after our client won full custody of his children, allegations arose that our client had sexually abused his grandson. JLG immediately intervened in the abuse investigation to defend our client. After nearly a five month investigation involving the police and DCFS, our client was completely exonerated of any allegations of abuse.
State vs PE
Our client was charged with a Residential Burglary case where the State had DNA evidence linking him to the crime. Making matters worse our client was previously convicted and served substantial prison time for multiple burglaries and our client was facing six to thirty years in the Department of Corrections for this case. JLG battled the State into amending the charges and making sure our client never served a single day of jail let alone going to the Department of Corrections.
People v. J.C. No charges filed
Our client attended the annual Summer Camp music festival which always has a large police presence because of drug activity. When our client first arrived at Summer Camp, she assisted some fellow campers in carrying some of their camping supplies. When law enforcement approached our client, the other individuals walked away as the police requested to search the items our client was carrying. Our client complied and the police found several grams of meth. Our client was taken into custody and arrested on a felony charge of possession. JLG was retained and immediately started communicating with the State's Attorney's office before the first court date. As a result, the State decided to drop the charges.
State v. JJ Felony Dismissed
Our client, who was already on supervision for a misdemeanor offense, was charged with possession of a Controlled Substance, a class 4 felony, after his dorm room was searched and the police found pills along with cannabis, a scale and lots of plastic baggies. The State was threatening if our client did not take a deal they offered, he would face a charge of possession with intent to distribute within proximity to a school, a mandatory prison offense. JLG went to work documenting things the State knew nothing about, and worked on convincing the State that their threats were baseless, as was the felony charge.
State v. CS Probation, No Jail
Our client had previously been convicted of an offense under the Domestic Violence Act, so when he violated an Order of Protection not once, not twice, but four times, he was charged with four different Class 4 felony offenses as well as a separate misdemeanor offense. Our client was facing some serious prison time for this, and, of course, that's what the prosecution wanted because of his repeated violations of the Order of Protection. We got to work immediately utilizing investigators to investigate elements of the case, while our attorneys strategized on beating the cases all together. JLG was successful in convincing the prosecution to dismiss all the felonies but one and the misdemeanor offense entirely.
State v. CH Probation, No Jail
Our client, who was only 21 years-old, was put on probation for Class 3 and Class 4 felony offenses, and 4 months later was charged with another Class 4 felony and multiple misdemeanors. Our client faced sentencing on all felony cases, and was looking at some pretty substantial time in prison. We immediately got to work with our investigators to build a defense, because we need to save our client from spending his 20's in prison. The prosecution was out for blood, citing the fact that the same judge had given him probation only 4 months before he committed a new felony. We used all that we had at our disposal, multiple attorneys and investigators got to work, and by the time a sentencing hearing came around, our client walked out a happy man.
State v. TL 30 Months Probation
Our client was charged with the Class 3 felony offense of Escape after she failed to appear for her jail sentence for a Mob Action case which she was on probation. In addition, our client had accrued several misdemeanor offenses as well as a Petition to Revoke her probation on the Mob Action case. To make matters worse, our client had several prior felony offenses, so she was facing a minimum of 2 years in prison and a maximum of 6 years. JLG immediately went to work and argued with the State's Attorneys himself, whose offer on the case was 5 years in prison!
People vs S.P.
Our client was charged with a Class 3 Felony offense of Retail Theft after she allegedly stole several items from a local store. The value of these items far exceeded $300, which is why the charge was so serious. To make matters worse, our client was not a citizen, and faced being deported if her case stayed a felony. Our client seemed to have little chance of getting the offense amended to a misdemeanor, which would take a small miracle. We worked together with our investigators, and utilized our rapport with the police and prosecutors.
RESULT: small miracles happen. We were not only successful in getting the charge reduced to a misdemeanor but we were also successful in avoiding jail time all together! Our client remains in this country ready to put this offense behind her.
People vs B.T.
Defendant was charged with interstate trafficking of a large amount of cocaine and faced a mandatory sentencing range of 20 - 200 years in prison, due to his priors and quantity, with no possibility of probation. We worked on the case for four years during which time we were able to convince the State to dismiss the charge initially. However, the State refiled the charge and we were required to go to bat for our client a second time regarding the exact same charges. We examined the evidence and built a "theory of defense" which led to JLG Attorneys convinced the court to suppress the incriminating evidence, arguing that the police acted improperly in stopping the vehicle. More to come.
State v. TE Charges Dismissed
Our client was charged with Aggravated Battery on a Police Officer, a very serous felony. Our client was a college student, who needed to avoid a felony. Avoiding a felony seemed impossible. There were several police officers and other onlookers, who all said our client smacked the police officer but there were conflicting accounts how this happened. We got to work, building a defense, looking into some of the officers' prior histories of excessive force complaints, and, in no time at all, got the felony entirely dismissed! Our client went on with the rest of his life, and has no felony at all on his record!
State vs B.W.
Client was accused of taking computer equipment from his employer and selling these items on Ebay. Our client's employer threatened criminal prosecution and eventually contacted the police which started a criminal investigation. JLG was hired shortly thereafter and immediately started working with the detective in the case to determine the value of the property in question. JLG was able to negotiate an adequate amount of restitution with the detective and the employer to prevent any criminal charges which satisfied all parties resulting in the detective closing the case and no charges being filed.
People vs E.M.
Our client was charged with a DUI in a county known for being harsh on DUI offenses both in terms of sentences and an unwillingness to dismiss them. To make matters worse, our client had everything to lose because it was his 5th DUI that would require several years in prison as a mandatory punishment! The case was not cut and dry and although the case was defendable we knew a trial could result in one extreme or the other - either an acquittal or a guilty finding with mandatory prison. We utilized all of our resources, our investigators, and never let up our fight to get justice for our client.
RESULT: our client's 5th DUI was dismissed.
People vs A.E.
Our client was charged with felony retail theft after stealing some items a mere 3 days after being put on probation for an earlier felony retail theft. As a result, we had a new felony to deal with as well as a Petition to Revoke probation. The State's job was easy: anyone capable of violating probation 3 days after being sentenced is not a candidate for probation again, so the State wanted to put our client in prison. To make matters worse, our client had a total of 7 felonies, and had even been to prison before because of them! Our goals were to avoid prison as well as any jail time, something that we knew would be difficult to say the least. We immediately got to work, advising our client what to do to put herself in the best position possible.
RESULT: no jail or prison. That's right: on a 7th felony, our client received probation, court-ordered counseling, community service, and did not have to serve a single day in jail.
People vs J.A.
Our client was charged with the Class 2 felony offense of Aggravated Battery after beating up a cop, along with misdemeanor counts of Resisting a Peace Officer and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The State was adamant that you can't hit police, and insisted on jail, if not prison. To make the case more difficult than it already was, our client had 6 prior offenses on his record, including a prior offense of Resisting a Peace Officer. We worked with our investigators that we have in-house as well as our client to craft a strategy to avoid both jail and prison. This was a pretty tall order, but we made it happen !
RESULT: a term of probation and no jail.
State vs P.N.
Client was arrested after his girlfriend called the police because she suspected him of drug abuse When the police arrived at our client's home he was detained and questioned while the police conducted a very thorough search of his home without his consent or a warrant. The police eventually found a controlled substance hidden away in the residence resulting in our client's arrest on a felony possession of a controlled substance. JLG was retained and immediately started communicating aggressively with the State's Attorney's office before the first court date, questioning the search methods and the issue of possession. As a result, the State decided to drop the case entirely.
RESULT: No charges filed.
People vs C.K.
Our client found herself charged with Retail Theft after she accidentally stuffed an item of clothing in the bottom of a shopping bag. The cops did not buy the excuse due to our client having 2 prior felony retail theft arrests so she was charged with a Class 4 Felony offense. The State was basically out for blood on this case and only wanted a felony conviction with lots of jail time. Our client hoped, at best, she could get a reduction to a misdemeanor. We worked together, gathered a lot of documentation, and simultaneously worked on both beating the case at trial and convincing the government it had to be reasonable.
RESULT: after 6 months of working the case the State ended up dismissing all charges and our client is free, never saw jail, and has no felony.
People vs R.R.
Our client was charged with Driving While License Suspended (DWLS), which is punishable by up to a year in jail and 2 years of probation, conditional discharge or suprervision. DWLS is probably one of, if not the, most easily proven offenses under Illinois law. Our client also had somewhat of a checkered past. The State wanted jail time, and the police officer saw our client driving. Things seemed like we were stuck, but we did not stop there. We had our client interviewed by investigators, who then followed up. We were convinced that given the right evidence, we could beat what most would think was an unbeatable case. Result: the charge was amended to a petty offense of having an expired driver's license, our client got a $50 fine as well as only 6 months supervision!
People v. D.J.
Over-the-road truck driver was facing felony charges for killing a pedestrian when his semi truck ran a person over killing them and then left the scene. Our theory of defense was to include the possibility that the deceased might have been having suicidal ideologies. Our attorneys and investigators worked hard to gather and analyze evidence to prove that the fatality could have been due to a possible mental illness suffered by the victim and we convinced the State to dismiss the felony charges against our client.
RESULT: The semi-driver received no convictions in this case.
People vs NA
"Cannabis, LSD & a False Police Report - No Conviction or Jail!"
In a rural county known for its tough prosecutor and judge, our client, who had prior trouble with the law before, was pulled over for texting while driving and the cop asked for consent to search his car, which our client gave. Cops found 295.3 grams of cannabis in the car as well as 3 hits of LSD. After getting out of jail, our client was stuck in a small town, and felt like getting high, so he gave a guy money to get him cannabis. When the guy didn't come with the cannabis, our client called the police to report being robbed. To avoid a robbery charge, the guy cooperated with police in a sting on our client. We worked on this case together, and strategized on how to get our client the best possible outcome. It was an uphill battle, because the State wanted prison time! In the months that followed, we were able to convince the State not only to dismiss the False Police Report charge, but were also able to convince them out of pursuing the LSD! What is even more important is that we were able to convince the State into agreeing to First Offender Probation (which is just like supervision, and not a conviction) with NO jail time! Our client, who had more than half a pound of cannabis as well as LSD and made a false police report, never saw the inside of a jail cell again, and to this day has no conviction on his record!
LESSON: don't give consent to search.
People vs L.M.
Our client was an Afghanistan veteran who was assisting other veteran's while going to school and was pregnant when she was arrested for Domestic Battery in a county known for prosecuting these offenses to the fullest extent of the law. Making matters even more difficult the police claimed she made statements admitting the offense. The State wanted to convict this veteran, student, and mother to be for Domestic Battery and thus possibly subjecting her to DCFS entanglement and possibly preventing her from ever getting a good job after graduation. Fortunately, she turned to the Johnson Law Group and we were able to gather documentation and material and go to bat for her and change the mind of the government, convincing them to dismiss the case in its entirety.
RESULT: all charges dismissed.
People v. N.M.
A long time ago, our client was convicted of Attempt Burglary which resulted in a life-long felony conviction. Our attorneys spent most of a year preparing a Petition for Executive Clemency and ultimately convinced the Governor of Illinois to Pardon our client. A Pardon is an extraordinary remedy that opens the door to wiping the client's record completely clean. We are now in the process of expunging his record entirely.
RESULT - Our guy can finally get a good job due the felony being deleted from his record.
People vs DW
Our client was caught red-handed selling drugs out of his house, which was within close proximity to a church, and was charged with two counts of Manufacture/Delivery of Cannabis, one was a Class X, which requires prison time. Our client had never before been charged with a felony case, but, sure enough, the government wanted prison! We immediately went to work, utilizing all of our resources and contacts, and within a matter of months had developed evidence that cast doubt on the credibility of certain officers when it came to the mishandling of certain evidence. As a result, the Class X was DISMISSED entirely, our client received probation and we AVOIDED JAIL, much less prison!
People vs ZB
Our client was charged with 5 felony counts of Forgery, each a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 2 to 5 years in prison. Since all counts were separate acts our client could have faced a consecutive sentence to prison of 10 to 25 years because of it. We got to work with our investigators, built a defense to the case, and shaped up the victims so that they were on our client's side. After a short period of time, we were able to convince the government to dismiss all felony cases and our client was allowed to plead to a single amended charge of a Class A misdemeanor!
State v. GB
Our client was living at home with his elderly parents who had custody of several grandchildren. During this same time, there was an ongoing custody dispute between the grandparents and the mother of the children. An allegation arose that our client had performed lewd acts against one of the children. The police began investigating the case and JLG was immediately retained. JLG investigators worked with the police, polygraph examiners and our client for over a year on this case which during the investigation, we were able to reveal there were inconsistencies with the child's statements about what might have occurred.
People vs. DC
After having his house raided by law enforcement looking for child pornography, defendant was prosecuted by the Attorney General and the State's Attorney for felony Possession of a Controlled Substance. Johnson Law Group attorneys worked for several months with the prosecutors and ultimately convinced them to dismiss all charges against our client.
State v. D.C.
Nearly a dozen police officers raided our client's house one morning, looking for a variety of items including a large safe and child pornography. Our client was adamant he did not have any child pornography and never owned a safe. After an exhaustive search of the entire house and all his computer equipment, no child pornography was found. Our client was kept in custody and interrogated for over 12 hours. After realizing they may have raided the wrong house, the police found another way to arrest him. Our client was an avid weight lifter and during the search, the police had found some muscle enhancers that were considered a controlled substance, resulting in the State charging our client with a Felony for Possession.
Results: After numerous requests by the Johnson Law Group for the State to present all evidence that resulted in the raid of our client's home, the State was forced to dismiss all charges.
People vs BH
Our client received First Offender Probation on a felony drug case. First Offender allows a person to get the offense entirely expunged if they finish probation and have no other offenses. However, just a few days after our client got first offender, he came to the aid of a friend, who had started a fight with two other people, and wound up being charged with Battery because of it. Needless to say, the government filed a Petition seeking to revoke his first offender probation because of the new case. Our client hired us to represent him on both cases, and we immediately went to work. Utilizing our in-house private investigators, we got to work interviewing the witnesses, tracking down leads the police ignored, and gathering more and more evidence to support a defense that our client was actually defending his friend. By the time we were finished, even the alleged victim believed our client was trying to defend him!
Result: both the Battery and the Petition were dismissed due to "insufficient evidence," and our client was well on his way to finishing probation and getting the drug offense entirely off his record!
People vs. D.W.
Our attorneys have been fighting with the government in order to require the State to order DNA testing on numerous implements found on or about a murder scene. Prior to retaining JLG, our client was convicted at trial of murdering his father at his father's place of business by bludgeoning and battering him with knives and utilities until he was dead.
Result: The trial court ruled in our favor and has ordered DNA testing and we are awaiting the results in hopes of setting our client free.
State v. CM No Charges Filed
Client was arrested for domestic battery for slamming her boyfriend's hand in a door and striking him multiple times in the face. Within a day and before the actual charges were filed in court, JLG immediately went to the State's Attorneys office and high lighted the inconsistencies in the victim's story vs what actually happened. As a result, we were able to successfully talk the SA into not filing charges against our client.
State v. AJ No Charges Filed
Client was sharing his apartment with two other individuals during his summer break from school when he was accused of selling large quantities of marijuana from the apartment. The cops conducted a raid of the apartment right after our client left on vacation to Europe with his family and they seized large amounts of marijuana and paraphernalia. Unfortunately, the evidence of prior buys was vast and the roommates pointed fingers at our client. JLG got involved immediately and worked with the detectives in the case and were able to show that none of the evidence obtained by the police was able to be exclusively pinned on our client despite a vast amount of evidence and prior buys being directly linked to our guy. After approx 1 year of working the case, we were able to wrap it up with an agreement that no charges would be filed against our client.
People v. AA Charges Filed but Later Dismissed
Unconstitutional Felony Conviction Vacated and Reversed months after the conviction was entered:
Our client was charged with the felony offense of Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon (AUUW), after which the Illinois Supreme Court declared the offense of AUUW unconstitutional. Months later, our client went to trial, and was found guilty unconstitutionally of AUUW, and was sentenced. Our client was an immigrant, and soon found himself in an immigration facility (really jail/prison), awaiting deportation! Convictions generally are not reconsidered unless something is filed within a month. We were hired well after the conviction was entered, and, many obstacles later, got the conviction and sentence vacated/reversed AND our client's deportation proceedings were dismissed entirely!
Link to State Journal-Register:
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20140819/NEWS/140819411/0/SEARCH
People v. GS Charges Dismissed
Our client was an immigrant with no prior criminal history and was charged with two counts of Forgery due to him allegedly forging and obtaining prescription drugs that he needed following major surgery due to the fact that a doctor would not return his calls. Due to our client's immigration status, he could not be convicted of a felony offense, which meant we would need to get the charges amended or reduced or else we had to try them. The State was not willing to amend the charges or reduce the charges. We built our defense using our resources here, developed our strategy, and set the case for trial. On the day of trial, after seeing the airtight defense we built, the State's Attorney amended the charges and our client walked without a conviction on anything and was not required to roll the dice at trial.
Result: Felony charges dismissed and no convictions entered.
State v. T.D.
Client was arrested for domestic battery for allegedly throwing a beer bottle towards his wife, choking and hitting her. Client's wife had a history of making false allegations and calling the police before. It was important to the client of getting Johnson Law Group on his case right away since he just got a new job and was suspended from his job because of arrest.
People vs R.C.
Our client was charged with a Felony Unlawful Restraint, as well as Misdemeanors for Interference with the Reporting of Domestic Violence, Domestic Battery, and Resisting a Peace Officer. On paper, it looked like our client would easily be found guilty, and would likely go to prison. For starters, our client was a convicted felon 3 times before with two separate sentences to prison no less! We got to work right away and utilized all the resources available to us. Luckily, working together and utilizing the resources of our own in-house private investigators, we were able to come up with new evidence the government did not have. The police did everything they could to make the case stronger than it was, but their efforts were useless. Only 3 & 1/2 months later, ALL CHARGES WERE DISMISSED!
People vs. R.E.
Our client was charged with a Class X Home Invasion when he kicked in the door of his friend's boyfriend, and beat him senseless after what he had done to our client's friend. Class X cases require a prison sentence from 6 to 30 years, and, to make matters worse, our client had prior felonies for Aggravated Battery on a police officer! Our client needed someone to fight hard for him to bring justice to him like he did his friend's boyfriend, so he came to us. We immediately went to work, and less than 5 months later, a guilty was only entered on a Class 4 felony offense of Trespass to a Residence! On a Class 4 felony, there is no mandatory prison sentence, but the facts were bad enough against us that prison was likely, so we continued our fight for our client to keep him out of prison. After we were done, our client was sentenced to 2 years probation, payment of a $250 fine, court costs, and less than $2,000 in restitution! Our client never went to jail, much less prison, and was never ordered to do anything else, such as even community service or counseling.
State v. TT
Client was accused of abuse and neglect regarding her infant son when she took her son to the hospital because infant would not stop crying. After an X ray was conducted, hospital staff determined the child's arm had was fractured. DCFS and Police both got involved and were harassing our client relentlessly. When our client was instructed to not give any statements to investigators, the police actually filed an Obstruction of Justice charge against our client for invoking her constitutional right. DCFS was threatening taking the child away.
Result: DCFS investigation allegations were deemed "Unfounded." No charges filed. Obstruction of Justice charges dismissed.
People vs B.C.
Our client was on felony probation for two Class 4 felony cases, both involving drugs. He had only narrowly avoided prison before, but now he had Petitions to Revoke his probation filed, which alleged our client's use of heroin and cocaine. To make matters worse, Petitions to Revoke are civil, so the government's burden of proving our client's violation was a very low one, and our client admitted his use of heroin and cocaine to his probation officer. It seemed our client had no hope, and the State wanted prison time. We aggressively went after the Petition to Revoke and the progress our client had made, despite the relapses he suffered. Result: the Petitions to Revoke were DISMISSED entirely, and our client NEVER WENT TO JAIL OR PRISON.
People vs. T.A.
Our client was charged with Driving While License Suspended, probably the easiest case a prosecutor has to prove. To make matters worse, our client's criminal history was nothing that would encourage the prosecution to do her any favors: she had multiple felony convictions, and had been to prison before. Our client's case seemed hopeless until she hired us. In less than 2 months, we convinced the prosecution to entirely dismiss the case all together, our client's license was not affected, and she never spent a nickel towards any fine or any more time in jail.
People v. C.H.
Our client was a manager at a convenience store and handled the money transactions between the bank and the store for withdraws and deposits. The bank supposedly made an accounting error and gave our client $10,000 extra when money was withdrawn. Since the bank could not account for the money, they blamed our client of theft. Johnson Law Group was hired and worked with the police and the convenience store investigating the matter by reviewing surveillance tapes to show that in fact our client was not at fault and the bank was just trying to find a scapegoat.
Result: No charges filed against our client, teller at the bank lost her job.
A. vs A.L.
Our client's former girlfriend filed for an Order of Protection and in the Petition for Order of Protection, she alleged a number of allegations including that our client was a severe alcoholic and that he had a history of beating her. Soon after being hired we entered our appearance in the case and we were able to convince a Judge at a contested hearing that the Order of Protection previously issued before our representation began should be dismissed. A couple of months later our client's new girlfriend filed for an Order of Protection alleging similar allegations. Our Attorneys were able to defend against this 2nd Order of Protection and we were able to get it dismissed. Thereafter, the very same girlfriend (now ex) filed for a 3rd Order of Protection in a separate county alleging the same allegations. We appeared at the 3rd hearing on the Petition and our client came out on top 3 for 3.
Result: Our client was behind the eight ball on 3 occasions but came out on top each and every time.
People vs R.L.
Our client, who had a prior Domestic Battery conviction, was charged in 2 felony cases with 4 counts of felony Aggravated Domestic Battery and 2 counts of misdemeanor Domestic Battery. The facts were not good: in both cases, the "victim" said our client choked her, and stood on her chest. To make matters worse, there were independent witnesses, including a minor child, who verified what allegedly happened. Our client seemed doomed, in part because he was a convicted felon, who had served time before on those cases. Then we were hired. Utilizing all of the resources of our office and our in-house full-time private investigators, we were able to get different versions from the witnesses who we could not discredit. After a few short months, we convinced the prosecution to dismiss both cases in their entirety, and our client never saw a jail cell again!
People v. P.G.
Client was an Army veteran, driving a vehicle with a group of friends and was pulled over by a drug task force for a license plate being inoperable. K-9 units were on scene and detected drugs in the vehicle. Client consented to a search and cocaine and cannabis were found in a baggie in an arm rest in the back seat. Our client was interrogated and was told that she would be charged with felony drug possession. However, she stood firm until she had a chance to hire a lawyer. This is where we took over and in the end:
Result: Client paid a small fine for the traffic citation, no felony charges filed.
People vs. A.M.
The State charged our client wit 2 separate charges of escaping from a penal institution. Our attorneys and investigators worked on the charges for approximately 9 months and as a result of our investigation and diligent presentation of our client's defenses, we were able to convince the government to dismiss all charges against our client.
People v. M.K.
Client had fraudulently taken out a student loan in someone else's name and was facing a felony charge and significant jail time due to a prior felony conviction for identity theft. Johnson Law Group was hired and after a year long investigation, we worked diligently with law enforcement, the State's Attorneys office and the loan company to resolve the case.
Result: Client agreed to pay restitution and the State agreed not to file a felony charge and therefore no jail time was imposed.
People vs RH
Our client was a convicted felon and was found with a gun. It seemed like an airtight case and the government wanted prison from the very start. We got involved and were convinced of our client's innocence. We demanded that DNA tests and fingerprint analysis be done. The government wanted to drag its feet the entire time so we were required to demand a jury trial. It wasn't until the day of that jury trial that the government dismissed the case entirely and our client walked home a free man.
People vs G.K.
Our client was charged with Unlawful Consumption, an offense that requires a suspension of a person's driver's license, regardless of whether our client got convicted or not. Our client was a college student with a good job that required her to drive, and she had a bright future ahead of her. We did not want her to suffer any suspension, even if she got supervision. We aggressively went after the case, negotiated with the State's Attorney, and, as a result, got our client deferred prosecution with a complete dismissal of the pending criminal case.
People vs. D.M. No Charges Filed
Client was arrested for kicking in the door of his estranged wife's residence and cornering her in the bathroom where she hid until the cops arrived. Client was taken from the scene and ordered to not have any contact with his estranged wife. During the course of the next several months, we were able to calm the parties and we were ultimately able to convince the prosecutor to not file any charges.
People vs. J.D.
Client was a tenured university professor and was accused of striking a student during a class activity. University officials launched an investigation into felony aggravated battery charges and to terminate our client's tenured professor position. Our attorneys intervened and met with university officials including the university's general counsel, vice president, and supervisor of detectives. Due to our early intervention and taking control of the situation, our client was neither charged with a crime nor terminated from his tenured position with the university.
Result: No criminal charges and no termination from employment.
People vs J.F.
Client was charged with possession of a controlled substance and growing a large crop of cannabis sativa plants in a basement after his nephew turned boarn again Christian and called the police to report the large grow. Prior to the detectives showing up, our client allegedly was in the process of burning the cannabis plants in a burn pit behind a barn. This is when the drug TASC Force arrived and placed our client under arrest. Thereafter, we were able to convince the State that they had insufficient evidence to prove our client guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and the State dismissed the felony charges.
People vs. C.F.
Client was a high-school teacher accused of having an inappropriate relationship with one of his students. Numerous investigative agencies were involved interviewing witnesses, attempting to locate other students who either had a relationship or knew of inappropriate relationships our client had with his students. Our clients employment was threatened as well as criminal prosecution. After a several month long investigation, JLF's investigators located and interviewed numerous witnesses who proved our client was innocent and produced evidence that one key witness had lied to police about the alleged incident.
Results: No charges were filed against our client and no termination of employment.
People vs M.K.
Our client was charged with multiple felonies, including Aggravated Battery, Domestic Battery, Unlawful Restraint, and Aggravated Assault. Our client's case seemed hopeless becase he had four prior felony offenses that our office did not represent him on. To make matters worse, our client had received probation for all felonies, but wound up being re-sentenced to prison after he failed to comply with his probation. The State wanted their pound of flesh, and only offered years in prison for his new felonies. Then, our office got involved. After multiple hearings, all but one felony was dismissed, and our client was sentenced to probation and never went back to jail on the felony our office represented him on!
People vs H.H.
Our client was arrested for Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance and DUI. Client was a single mom of minor children and she had been to prison recently so the stakes were pretty high. Our attorneys weighed the evidence and determined that the case might be able to be beat at trial. Often times a Jury trial is the way to go but in this case, we opted for a bench trial because the local Judges perceived flexibility. After only half a day of testimony, the judge refused to consider the State's so-called expert's testimony. On the day the trial was set to resume, the State dismissed all charges.
People vs. C.F. No Charges Filed
Client in his mid-30's was being investigated due to allegations that he had sexual intercourse with a 13-year old. Client had prior felony conviction(s) and was hoping and praying that the matter would go away. Our investigators and attorneys worked on the matter for 18+ months and we were able to navigate our client through the investigative process and protect our client from the consequences associated with charges being filed.
People vs. L.B.
Our firm was retained to representa highly visible Community Activist on charges that he possessed cocaine. Our client was a known pillar in the community who was in charge of making sure the government did not take advantage of blacks and other minorities. So when our client was arrested for possessing a controlled substance the government was out for blood. After several years of representation and changes to ever evolving legislation, we were able to apply constant pressure on the government. This resulted in the government dismissing all charges against our client, including the cocaine charges and the petty traffic offense, which was used to attempt to justify the stop of our client's motor vehicle.
People vs. S.J.
Client was accused of defrauding an incapacitated elderly man out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Client and his fortune teller wife were allegedly able to swindle money and real estate from the elderly man and these activities were reported to law enforcement by the incapacitated elderly man's family members. Our Private Detectives and attorneys met with the alleged victim, his attorney and communicated with law enforcement over the course of 6 months and we were able to wrap up the allegations with the parties agreeing to disagree about it being a big misunderstanding.
Result: No charges were filed despite the fact the alleged victim, his attorney and law enforcement initially were of hte opinion that criminal charges would definitely be filed.
People vs. M.K.
Client was charged wiht aggravated battery for punching an officer in the face. Client was a senior honor student in college with a bright future ahead of him and a felony conviction would essentially ruin his life. We counseled our client and he followed our lead and togerher, we were able to convince the prosecutor to dismiss the felony charge by submitting an extensive mitigation package to the State.
People vs. C.V.
Client advised us that he had written multiple bad checks on various occasions and that the law was actively seeking to interview him. Johnson Law Group attorneys intervened and provided our client's position to certain creditors and law enforcement and we were able to ensure that our client was not charged with any criminal activity.
Result: No charges and client was able to retain his long time employment.
People vs. R.H. No Charges Filed
Allegations were made that our client had oral and vaginal sex with his minor stepdaughter. Our attorneys were able to intervene prior to any charges being filed and our attorneys aggressively demonstrated the reasons why charges should not be filed.
People vs. D.B.
Our client was involved in a motor vehicle accident with oncoming traffic. The officer determined the accident was our client's fault, knew our client from a previous fruitless drug investigation, and spoke with our client, who was understandably upset after a serious car accident. Even though our client did not admit to being impaired or having taken any illegal drugs, the officer arrested her for DUI. Our client submitted to blood and urine testing, and was positive for both THC and Morphine. We chose to file a motion to dismiss and proceed to a hearing on the motion in hopes that we could prevent the State from using the incriminating evidence of drugs that were found in our client's blood and urine.
Result: Following a hearing, judge found there was no basis for the arrest and the State was required to dismiss the case for insufficient evidence.
People vs. J.P. No Charges Filed
Client was caught red-handed selling cocaine to a police confidential informant. The deal was captured through an eavesdropping device and video surveillance by several undercover detectives and our client was later found to have possession of pre-recorded marked bills used during the transaction. Our attorneys intervened and were able to convince the government to not file any criminal charges.
A 13-year-old female accused our client of sexual penetration and the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) indicated our client based upon the allegations. The matter was thereafter referred to the State's Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution. Client had priors including a felony burglary conviction, so his credibility was an issue. Our staff interviewed the detectives and witnesses and we pled a positive case to law enforcement.
Result: Based upon our intervention, client was never charged with any criminal offense.
People vs. M.W.
Client was accused of depleting his wife's entire life savings and retirement account over a 10-year period and at a time when he pretended to be professionally employed full time. As a further cover-up, client allegedly convinced an elderly lady to loan him $100,000+ in order to cloak the wife's depleted funds without any intent to repay the elderly woman. JLG attorneys were able to convince law enforcement of our client's innocent intentions.
Result: Although client ended up getting a divorce, no criminal charges were filed.
People vs. J.R.
Client was accused of raping a girl behind a strip club. Based upon these serious allegations, we immediately began interviewing witnesses, and based upon our interviews, we were able to convince the government that there "might" have been an agreement for payment that our client bailed out on and the disgruntled stripper responded by making false allegations against our client.
Result: We were able to convince the State that it was an attempted prostitution deal gone bad and no charges were filed against our client.
People vs. A.A. No Charges Filed
Client was the driver of a vehicle that was carrying meth in the center console of the vehicle. Client was pulled over by the police for an alleged traffic violation. The police searched the vehicle incident to arrest and found the illegal drugs and arrested our client. We were able to intervene early into the case and, within 30 days of our client's arrest, we were able to convince the prosecutor to NOT file any charges against our client.
People vs. P.E. No Charges Filed
Client was arrested for aggravated battery for punching his neighbor in the face while on a public roadway. Client was known for his aggressive manners and had a criminal history including prior felony battery and drug convictions. Despite his disruptive past, we were able to compile enough pre-indictment evidence in favor of our position that our client acted in self-defense and should not be charged with either a felony or a misdemeanor. We successfully convinced the prosecutors not to formally charge our client.
People vs C.W.
Our client was charged with making physical advances while at a party towards an underage girl, a sex crime for which a person is required to register as a Sex Offender, and later had a No Stalking Order entered against him as wll. Our client, a graduating high school Senior, missed his prom and graduation, and had his life drastically disrupted because of the pending charge and prohibition against where he could go. Our client's ability to apply to and enroll in college was even threatened by these cases. The State had only offered a substantial amount of jail time, and the No Stalking Order could have lasted two years.
Result: The State reduced the charge from a sex crime, and our client got supervision (a non-conviction), did not have to register as a Sex Offender, and was able to still enroll in college. The No Stalking Order was summarily dismissed by the judge.
People vs. J.L.
Our client, who had been to prison multiple times before and whose record reflected multiple felony convictions, was facing a new charge that could put him in jail up to a year in a county where they frequently impose harsh penalties, especially for people who have serious criminal histories like our client. Our client had a good job that he could not lose by going to jail, and was responsible for his three children, who he could have also lost because of a lengthy jail sentence. To make matters words, the State was totally intractable, refusing to offer anything less than several months in jail. After working with our client for some time, our client was sentenced, but received no jail, is not on probation, kept his license, and is still working full time and raising his children.
People vs. F.M. No Charges Filed
Client was arrested for threatening to burn down her neighbor's house. The arrest came at a time when the client was graduating from college with a Master's degree and several important pending job interviews. Fortunately, our attorneys were able to convince the government to NOT file any formal charges and our client was able to obtain gainful professional employment.
People vs. R.R.
Client was on felony drug probation when he caught a charge for domestic battery. Client was accused of hitting his girlfriend and her child with a lamp post. We knew if the client was found guilty on the new charge, the State would argue for prison on the re-opened felony case, so we aggressively attempted to convince the State to dismiss the new charges. The State refused to dismiss so we set the case for trial, prepped our witnesses and previewed the strenghts of our defense with the prosecution.
Result: Due to our extensive prep, the State dismissed the new charges on the day of trial and our client was able to return home without any additional punishment of jail time.
People vs. PR
Client was a college student under the age of 21-years of age. Client was charged with manufacturing a fictitious ID (a felony) in order to get into the bars. During a sting operaiton, client was arrested and was caught with the fake ID and drug paraphernalia. After several months of negotiating witht he prosecution, we were able to convince them to dismiss the felony at the last court date and client was placed on supervision on the misdemeanor charge.
Result: Felony dismissed and client was placed on court supervision for the misdemeanor which would also later be dismissed as long as our client remained clean for one year.
People vs. A.V.
Client was a 19-year old college student with excellent grades and a very promising future ahead of him with the exception of a recent arrest for selling multiple types of drugs on campus on numerous occasions. The detectives and Task Force had controlled buys, video surveillance, marked buy money, and a secured full confession from our client. Client was charged with non-probationable charges and it appeared he was heading to prison. Client was behind the eight ball and was told he would be required to be a snitch or go to priosn.
Result: After a lengthy period of representing our client, we were able to secure a deal whereby he was not required to be a government informant, no jail time was required to be served and all charges would be dismissed as long as our client completed drug treatment and would remain clean for 3 years.
People vs. IR
Client had borrowed his buddy's car and was driving through the State of Illinois when he was pulled over for an alleged traffic violation. State Police asked for license and registration and when our client was digging through his buddy's glove box, the State Police noticed drug paraphernalia in the glove compartment. A subsequent search resulted in the discovery of large amounts of cannabis that was being trafficked from a source State. Client was arrested and subsequently hired our law firm. State was required to prove our client had knowledge of the large amount of cannabis in the trunk of the vehicle so we set the case for trial after the State refused to dismiss the charges.
Result: Charges dismissed day of trial due to our ability to show the court State could not prove our client guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
People vs. P.R.
An undercover police officer witnessed our client pull up in his car and engage in a hand-to-hand drug transaction. The officer followed our client and pulled him over and upon interviewing our client, he confessed and admitted to purchasing and possessing crack cocaine. Our attorneys steered our client into drug treatment and were able to obtain a disposition for the client where he would not only avoid a felony conviction, but he was also fortunate enough to avoid a misdemeanor conviction.
Result: No convictions whatsoever despite the full confession and defendless charge.
People vs. A.C. No Charges Filed
Client was arrested for punching a guy in a bar and then fleeing the bar in his automobile while intoxicated. Cops found our client's vehicle stuck in an empty field a short time later with no occupants. Cops traced our client's foot prints to a local farm house where they found our client intoxicated and cops arrested him for numerous offenses including resisting arrest, battery, DUI, and leaving the scene. Our attorneys interviewed numerous witnesses and presented our client's case to the prosecutors in order to prove weaknesses in their cases.
Client's husband was charged with aggravated battery to their child for beating the boy, and forcing him to swallow metal screws. The police were able to confirm, through the use of X-rays, that the boy had metal screws in his stomach. Our client was charged with endangering the health / life of a child for failing to protect the child and the case resulted in national media attention and our client had an uphill battle to fight prior to hiring our law firm.
Result: Despite the national media attention we were able to convince the government into dismissing the charges.
People vs. B.H.
Client was charged with aggravated battery of a police officer during a mob action at a local college campus. Client allegedly struck an officer in the back of the head. The case proceeded to a preliminary hearing at which time our attorneys were able to extensively cross examine the officer and other witnesses.
Result: State subsequently dismissed the charges against our client as a result of our attorney's successful cross examination of the officers and other witnesses.
People vs. A.W. No Charges Filed
Client was accused of possessing child pornography on his telephone SIM card. Investigators were able to seize our client's phone in order to send it in for forensics for the purpose of gathering the necessary evidence to charge our client with possession of child pornography. We met with the State within a few days of them confiscating the phone and over the next six months, we were able to convince the government to NOT file charges against our 19-year-old client.
People vs. M.O.
Client was accused of driving his truck while intoxicated and for fleeing and eluding the police when they attempted to pull him over. The police caught up to our client at his home the next day and client was instructed by our lawyers to not speak with the police without us being present. Thereafter, we were able to meet with law enforcement on our client's behalf in order to present his side of the story.
Result: Police were not able to obtain any evidence to corroborate their allegations that our client was the person driving his own truck and therefore the government did not charge our client with what would have been his second DUI.
People vs. BT
Client was returning from TN when he was pulled over for a traffic violation. Drug Task Force, a canine-unit, and State and County police arrived on scene within moments. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of several kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment in the trunk of the vehicle. Our client was arrested for a Super X felony offense and drug trafficking. Based upon our review of the evidence and the circumstances that led to the inital stop, we filed a motion to suppress the evidence. We subpoenaed all dispatch and personal cell phone records for all the officers involved and we were able to convince the government that the initial traffic stop was pretextual.
Result: The super Class X and trafficking charges were dismissed and our client was released from jail and he returned home to TN.
Client was arrested for aggravated assault of a police officer with a firearm after a police officer alleged that our client assaulted the police officer while armed with a firearm. Client hired us and we immediately challenged the officer's allegations and we were able to convince the prosecutor to NOT file charges against our client.
People vs. L.A.
Our client was charged with DUI and Illegal Transportation of Alcohol. Since this was not his first DUI offense, the stakes were high because not only would a conviction result in the loss of his license for 3 years, but his employment required him to have a driver's license. Case was set for a Jury Trial. Jury selection was completed and opening arguments were made. Strangely enough, during the next break and before any witnesses were called, the prosecutor approached our Attorney and offered to dismiss the DUI charge.
Result: DUI dismissed outright and court supervision (non conviction) for the charge of illegal transportation of alcohol.
People vs. J.B. 13 Counts of Child Pornography Were Dismissed
The government charged our client with 13 counts of possession of child pornography on his personal computer. Our client was employed as an executive and was well known in the community. JLG attorneys and forensic experts required the government to provide us with exact mirrored images of the hard drives that were seized from our clients. Thereafter, we employed our own forensic experts and were able to provide the government with enough conflicting evidence to convince them to dismiss all felony charges.
People vs. D.J. Charges Dismissed by the State
Client was charged with Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault. JLG attorneys compiled statements and massive amounts of discovery in this case an dsifted through it with a fine-tooth comb. As the investigation went on, more and more inconsistencies began to appear in the victim's story. JLG's attorneys conducted an interview with the State's Attorney and the victim brought this case to a close. The victim admitted that no crime ever took place.
People vs. J.P. Murder Charge Dismissed
Our client was charged with Murder and Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking. The government accused our client of hijacking an elderly man's vehicle and killing him in the process. The charges arose from an investigation that spanned a 7-year period. The government alleged that our client was returning from a drug run for methamphetamine when his car broke down. The government alleged that our client forcibly hijacked an elderly man's car in order to complete the drug run. During the commission of the offense, prosecutors alleged that our client smothered the victim and dumped his body in a corn field. After approximately 1-year of aggressive defense work, JLG attorneys and investigators were able to get the murder charge dismissed.
People vs. M.U.
Client was charged with Retail Theft after being caught on a store's video surveillance placing items from the shelves into his pockets and leaving the store. He also gave a full confession.
Result: JLG attorney was able to convince the State to dismiss the charges of Retail Theft and the client's record was expunged.
People vs. M.P.
Two witnesses called the police and reported that they saw our client strangle and beat his girlfriend while they were sitting in a car in our client's driveway. Our client was arrested and charged with Aggravated Battery / Strangulation. It was very important for our client to avoid a conviction, as he had been sent to prison on multiple prior occasions. We met with the alleged victim multiple times in hopes of shaping her as a defense witness. We were also able to poke holes in the State's witnesses' testimonies, and after many months, we were able to convince the government into dismissing all charges.
Result: Client avoided a lengthy prison sentence and was onlyy required to serve 1 day in jail.
People vs. A.B.
JLG client was charged with having illegal sexual contact with a minor child. This was a case that our attorneys had to push to trial in hopes of obtaining a "not guilty" verdict.
Result: When the prosecutor saw how prepared our attorneys were on the day of trial, they dismissed the case and never re-filed any charges against our client.
People vs. F.C.
JLG client was charged with having sex with his minor stepdaughter.
Result: Our attorneys were able to pursued the prosecutor not to file felony charges in the case. As a result, our client was able to keep his job and continue providing financial support for his family.
People vs. J.N.
During the course of a large drug investigation that led to multiple arrests and convictions, the government detained and interrogated our client due to his involvement in drug trafficking. The government also seized all of our client's personal belongings including: multiple big-screen TV's, valuable sports memorabilia, thousands in cash, and numerous other personal belongings. Our attorneys intervened in the investigation and after approximately 10 months, we were able to convince the government not to indict our client with any criminal offenses at all. We were also able to convince the government to return ALL of our client's personal possessions that the government seized during the course of its investigation.
People vs. T.C. No Charges Filed
Client was arrested for assaulting a canine officer's partner (a dog). Our client was an intoxicated college student and he was lucky to avoid serious injury in addition to being arrested. After several months of negotiating with the prosecutor in charge of the case, we were able to convince the government not to press charges as long as our client agreed to obtain an alcohol evaluation and treatment.
People vs. A.C.
JLG client was caught red-handed selling an ounce of cocaine to an undercover detective. The charge carried a mandatory six years in prison.
Result: JLG attorneys successfully convinced the prosecutors not to file charges for over 1 1/2 years from the time of the incident. This allowed our client the opportunity to work and obtain his college degree as an alternative to a lengthy jail sentence.
People vs. E.A.
Client was in a relationship with a female on year younger. When our client turned 18, he moved to a different state to attend college. His girlfriend was still in high school. After a few months, client terminated the relationship with his now 17-year-old girlfriend, making her and her family very angry. The girl and her family put pressure on the state's attorney to bring charges against our client for criminal sexual assault. After being contacted by law enforcement, client immediately retained the services of the Johnson Law Group. Client had already admitted to having a consensual sexual relationship with the girl, which was a clear violation of the law because of her age.
Result: State's attorney had the right to pursue charges under the law and would have had an extremely strong case due to the confession; however, after three months of hard negotiations, JLG was able to convince the State to not pursue charges.
Client was charged with Driving Under the Influence. At trial the prosecution presented the testimony of the two police officers who testified that the defendant, our client drove in erratic manner, failed his field sobriety tests, and appeared extremely intoxicated. In spite of the prosecution's efforts, JLF attorneys were able to successfully argue that the State failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that our client was too impaired to operate a motor vehicle, and the defendant was acquitted (found not guilty) of DUI.
People vs. J.W.
JLG attorneys successfully obtained an acquittal (not guilty finding) at trial on behalf of a former Principal of a prominent Christian school who was charged with seven felony counts of child pornography. The Principal was terminated after he was caught viewing pornography on the school's computers. Investigators confiscated the school's computers and the government's forensic experts were able to identify 50+ images of child pornography on the computer's hard drive. Despite the voluminous evidence presented by the government against the defendant, JLG attorneys won the case and all charges were dismissed.
Result: Found Not Guilty of all charges at trial.
People vs. G.M.
Client was charged with three counts of felony distribution of cocaine and a conviction would have led to a lengthy prison term. In fact, the pressure on this case was severe due to our client's prior record of having been sent to prison on two prior occasions for dealing cocaine. Under Illinois Law, a third strike for dealing large amounts of cocaine would result in a lifetime prison sentence. Our client's only choice was to take the case to trial in hopes that our attorneys could put on a good enough show to avoid life in prison. Our client was elated when the jury came back with a Not Guilty verdict on those charges.
Result: Our client avoided a lifetime prison sentence.
People vs. M.B.
JLG client was accused of burning down his ex-girlfriend's house. It was alleged that our client torched the house in order to induce his ex-girlfriend to move back into his home. The evidence at trial included the eyewitness testimony of a paperboy who identified our client at the scene of the blaze at approximately 4:00 a.m. with a bucket of flammable substances. The case included other eyewitness testimony and was capped off by a partial admission by our client.
Result: Despite the incriminating evidence, our attorneys were able to convince the jury into finding our client "Not Guilty" of arson.
People vs. B.N.
Cops approached a parked car on foot and could smell burnt cannabis emanating through a cracked window. Cops pulled our client out of the car and placed him under arrest after finding cannabis and paraphernalia in the vehicle. Client denied it was his and we were required to set the case for trial. At trial, the State was unable to prove that our client had knowing possession of either the cannabis or the paraphernalia and the charges were dismissed.
Result: Client found not guilty at trial.
People vs. J.B.
Client was accused of threatening to kill his wife with a rifle in the presence of other family members. Client's estranged wife secured an Order of Protection and the matter was set for trial. Client's goal was to beat the Order of Protection and retain his FOID card because he was an avid hunter.
Result: The Judge ruled in our client's favor and dismissed the Order of Protection and our client was able to retain his FOID card.
People vs. T.D.
Client was charged with his second DUI. After a long fought battle, the jury came back with a surprising verdict of guilty. JLG attorneys did not stop there. We filed motions for judgment notwithstanding the jury verdict and we excitingly were able to convince the judge who presided over the jury trial to overturn the jury verdict.
Result: DUI dismissed outright and court supervision (non-conviction) for the charge of illegal transportation of alcohol.
People vs. S.C.
Client was charged with Domestic Battery and the Department of Children and Family Services attempted to make a civil finding that our client caused his child to reside in an unsafe environment. JLG attorneys contested both of the government's attempts to punish our client.
Result: Client acquitted of all criminal charges and the State's claim that our client's child resided in an injurious environment was found to be untrue.
People vs E.B.
Defendant, a 23 year old accountant, and his girlfriend were detained by police officers after the officers believed that the girlfriend struck our client. Rather than investigate the case the officers immediately handcuffed the girlfriend. As our client repeatedly asked why they were arresting his girlfriend the Officers tackled our client to the ground causing extensive injury and loss of consciousness to our client and minor injury to the officer. Our guy was charged with two felony counts of Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer.
RESULT: We took the case to trial and after a well fought case our client was found not guilty of all charges. Now we are focusing on the cops for police brutality issues.
State v. HM
Our client received 30 months of probation on a felony offense, and was doing great! She was in school, gainfully employed, and was looking to transfer into a difficult school out of state that would keep her busy full time. We needed to terminate her probation, even though she had only been on probation 13 months. The government didn't want her off of probation, and neither did her probation officer. The judge was reluctant, but we produced so much evidence in our client's favor that the judge had no choice, and we successfully argued our motion! Our client is off probation, and on her way out of state to go to school knowing that she doesn't have to report to anyone!
People vs. R.F.
Our client was a twice convicted felon that the police were out to get. The police arrested our client for Resisting / Obstructing a police officer on one occasion and for a traffic citation on a separate occasion. Since our client claimed that both of our arrests were bogus, we set both for trial.
Result: We were successful in both cases. Client was acquitted of all charges.
People vs. O.
Client was charged with shooting a neighbor's dog who happened to be a local veterinarian. Client was an elderly professional who was fed up with the neighboring animal. Due to the big stakes involved in the case, JLG set the case for trial.
Result: The court took the matter under advisement and later dismissed the case when JLG attorneys requested.
State vs. J.P.
Defendant was charged with 1 Count of Rape, a felony of the first degree, 2 Counts of Gross Sexual Imposition, felonies of the third degree, 2 Counts of Sexual Imposition, misdemeanors of the third degree. This case went to a Jury Trial and the Jury found the Defendant guilty of lesser-included misdemeanor offenses on the Gross Sexual Imposition felony charges and guilty of one of the misdemeanor charges. There was a hung jury on the rape charge. This matter then proceeded to a second Jury Trial on a single count of Rape. The defendant was found not guilty of the rape charge and given credit for the local jail time that he had completed and was released.
Result: The Defendant was found not guilty of the rape charge and given credit for the local jail time that he had completed and was released.
People vs. C.D. All Charges Dismissed
Client was charged with his second DUI. Our attorneys set the case for trial and filed motions to suppress evidence and to rescind the three-year statutory summary suspension of our client's driver's license on the basis of certain legal technicalities. The trial judge granted both motions and the State was disallowed from using any evidence including video-taped field sobriety tests and the breath test results. The judge also ordered that our client's driver's license suspension be lifted.
People vs. K.P.
Client was charged with his second DUI after police found him and his vehicle in a roadside ditch. Police administered the Field Sobriety Tests and arrested our client. JLG attorneys first obtained a driving permit and then set the case for trial.
Result: Client acquitted of all charges at trial. Driving privileges restored.
People vs. AA
Our client was caught red-handed and confessed to possessing the cannabis with the intent to deliver, he was sentenced to five years in the Department of Corrections. Our attorneys were very unhappy with the judge's sentence, so we proceeded to file the necessary court motions in hopes of convincing the court to reconsider its previous sentence. Our representation spanned over a year, but in the end, our client's DOC sentence was vacated and he was released from the Department of Corrections.
Result: The Judge granted our Motion to Reconsider and reduced our client's sentence from five years in DOC to credit for time served and he was released without any probation whatsoever.
People vs. M.B. Minimum Sentence by Statute Was Imposed
JLG attorneys were faced with a difficult fact pattern when prosecutors charged our client was walking into a diner and shooting another man who supposedly had an affair with his wife. The difficulties were enhanced because our client committed the act in the presence of multiple friends and family members and was known as an active arms dealer. After months of negotiations our attorneys were able to convince the State to agree to a minimum possible sentence.
People vs. K.K.
JLG client was a college athlete who was charged with having sex with a minor female after she became intoxicated and passed out at a party.
Result: Although the victim's family was adamant about seeing our client spend some time in jail, our attorney's were able to get the felony charges dismissed in exchange for a misdemeanor charge and no jail time was imposed.
People vs. J.G.
This case began with the threat of charges being brought against our client. The client had admitted to five separate credit card agencies and one Internet loan company that he had used another individual's identity for the purpose of financial gain.
Result: After eight months of extensive negotiation, JLG's investigators and attorneys were able to convince all lenders not to pursue charges. JLG was able to convince the lender's to open lines of credit in the client's name and transfer all outstanding debt over to the client's accounts.
United States vs. P.H.
The Federal Government charged our client with eight counts of mail fraud which alleged that he converted in excess of $3 million dollars of client investment monies from a Hedge fund for his own personal use.
Result: Through early intervention and aggressive negotiations, JLF attorneys were able to avoid indictments on the much more serious federal charges of money laundering and conspiracy. As a result, our client's prison term was seriously reduced. This case had national attention and was featured in CBS Market Watch and Forbes magazine.
People vs. S.D.
JLG attorney and investigators worked together as a team with the client, a medical professional who was charged with eight counts of Felony Theft. With a conviction of a felony, the client's career would end immediately, After 14 months of an extensive investigation by JLG staff, the client agreed to waive a trial in exchange for a plea bargain.
Result: Seven felony counts dismissed, and agreed to plea to a Class A misdemeanor with No Conviction to be entered after completing Court Supervision. The client was able to stay employed in the medical career field and actually went to a higher paying job.
People vs. J.S.
Client was charged with attempted residential burglary. The victim caught our client in the process of committing the crime and was able to positively ID him from a lineup after police caught him hiding nearby. These damning facts were escalated by the fact that our client was already on Probation for a prior Burglary and was therefore facing a lengthy prison sentence. JLG attorneys were able to present significant mitigating factors to the prosecutor.
Result: Client was sentenced to four months of boot camp = military type training instead of lengthy prison sentence.
People vs. T.K.
JLG attorney represented an adult correctional officer who was charged with having sex with a female inmate while she was in jail custody. The State sought to make a public example out of our client and was very adamant about pursuing a jail sentence for this offense.
Result: JLG attorney was able to obtain a disposition that included "No Jail" time being served.
People vs. G.N.
Our client was a school teacher and basketball coach who lost his job because of the charges against him. Client was unhappy with his current counsel after his case was dragged out for almost a year with no favorable outcome.
Result: Johnson Law Group was hired and in less than three weeks, the client got his case settled with the outcome the client wanted.
JLG Attorney and Investigators worked together as a team with the client, a medical professional who was charged with eight counts of Felony Theft. With a conviction of a felony, the client's career would end immediately. After 14 months of an extensive investigation by JLG staff, the client agreed to waive a trial in exchange for a plea bargain.
Result: Seven felony counts dismissed, and agreed to plea to a Class A misdemeanor with No Conviction to be entered and JLG attorneys successfully defended state's petition to revoke our client's medical license.
People vs. C.G.
Client was charged with Felony Escape after he failed to return to the jail to serve a 180 day jail sentence on a prior felony charge. Although, our client was facing a lengthy prison sentence and no defense was likely, JLG attorneys were able to convince the judge to impose a local short term jail sentence.
Result: Client avoided a prison term on the prior felony and served a short 60 day jail term on the new felony escape charge.
People vs. AY
"Not Guilty of Ecstasy Possession despite drugs being found in client's Pocket"
Our client, an immigrant who has been here 30 years, was pulled over on the side of the road when a cop approached to check on him and immediately smelled the odor of cannabis coming from the car. Our client was searched and Ecstasy was found in pocket Our client was charged with a felony, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, as well as a misdemeanor, Possession of Cannabis. The Sate refused to dismiss so we proceeded to trial. As trial neared, we utilized our private investigators. The State called everyone they could to testify about our client, what they found, and what our client had to say about it. We worked together, formulated a strategy, and stuck with it. After 3 hours of trial, the overwhelming majority of which was the State's evidence, our client was found Not Guilty of the felony offense of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance!
RESULT - Not guilty finding.
Jun 2015 30 months probation
Our client was charged with serious sex offenses on two different alleged victims and facing mandatory prison term. Because the evidence was so strong, JLG immediately got to work using all of our contacts to convince the prosecution to dismiss the offenses that required a prison sentence. In just a few short months, we were successful, but the prosecution would not agree to probation, so we had to let the judge decide our client's fate. The prosecution recommended a lengthy prison sentence.
People vs. K.N.
JLG client was charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance, a Class 1 Felony. Client was also charged with a Misdemeanor and Speeding Ticket. With our client looking at several years in a state prison, JLG went to work. Our client was a college student with no prior criminal history. After extensive background investigations on our client, receiving an overwhelming amount of support from friends and family, several months of litigations and lengthy negotiations, our Attorney convinced the state of Illinois to drop all charges except one.
Result: Our client was found guilty of Speeding in which he received 90 days court supervision, plus fines and court costs. No jail time served. No Felony conviction and best of all, no Criminal Record.
People vs. E.C.
Client was traveling from out of state for the purpose of visitingrelatives when she was pulled over for a traffic violation. Upon further investigation by the police, the client was found to have drugs and paraphernalia on her person.
Result: 1 court appearance - court supervision with no conviction upon completion of court supervision.
Charge: Possession with Intent to Deliver - Controlled Substance
Initial charges included Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, a Class 1 felony, Illegal Transportation of Alcohol, a class A misdemeanor and a moving violation for speeding. Johnson Law Group performed extensive background work, several litigations, and lengthy negotiations.
Result: All charges except one were dismissed. Our client received several months of court supervision for a speeding ticket.
People vs. B.G.
Client had four prior DUI/DWI charges and two prior driving after his license was revoked. Client was charged with a new charge for driving without a license and the State was seeking 180 days in jail. Although State law required a jail sentence, JLG attorneys were able to obtain a sentence where no jail was served.
Result: Client was given the opportunity to complete public service work instead of serving a jail sentence.
People vs. G.S.
Client was found parked in a convenient store parking lot, sleeping behind the wheel of his car with a half-full beer can in his cup holder. Client was awakened by two police officers, then they requested a field sobriety test. Unfortunately, the client did not perform the test very well and was also videotaped unable to answer questions correctly. After JLG was retained, it was discovered that this was the client's 5th DUI arrest which in the State of Illinois was a felony that meant the client would have to spend mandatory time in jail.
Result: Charge was reduced to a misdemeanor, small fine, and probation.
Client was charged with 1 count of DUI, 1 count of BAC over .08 and 1 count of operating an uninsured vehicle. Because it was our client's second conviction, his license would be revoked for at least one year. Client had been found by the police sitting in the driver's seat of a parked car with the keys in the passenger seat next to him. Client failed the field sobriety tests and refused the Breathalyzer at the scene. Later at the police station, client provided a breath sample of .121. JLG attorneys analyzed the situation and were able to get a new charge of reckless driving added to the charges, which is a lower offense than DUI and does not result in revocation of driving privileges.
Result: Client plead to reckless driving with all remaining counts dismissed, with no loss of driving privileges.
People vs. M.C.
JLG client was charged with his fourth Driving While Intoxicated offense.
Result: JLG attorneys were able to obtain a disposition where our client was not required to spend any time in jail.
People vs. C.
JLG represented a pro football running back against multiple charges of driving while his license was revoked.
Result: Although the prosecutor fought for jail time, JLG attorneys were able to quash several warrants and were able to obtain a disposition where the client was not required to serve any jail time.
People vs. P.W. Jail Term Avoided
Client was charged with his sixth driving without a license charge and ninth driving without insurance charge. Client was facing a minimum mandatory jail sentence of 120 days in jail. JLG attorneys were able to convince the judge to allow our client to perform community service work instead of serving a jail term.
People vs. H.D.
JLG client was charged with possession of cocaine and various major traffic offenses in three separate counties.
Result: Our attorneys were able to obtain a disposition which allowed our client to serve a minimal 10-day jail sentence which was honored as a concurrent sentence on all 3 counties.
The client was charged with improper use of a driver's license, a misdemeanor. Most defendants are concerned about imprisonment above all else, while others are concerned that large fines could put them in financial distress. In a case such as this, one might worry about suspension or revocation of driving privileges. The charges in this case were not severe, but that was not the concern of this defendant. Their fear as having their dreams shattered forever because of one unfortunate incident. The role of Johnson Law Group was two-fold: to obtain the lowest possible punishment and to keep the charges off our client's record so that they have a chance to achieve their aspirations.
People vs. H. No Charges Were Ever Brought
Our client was accused of aiding two individuals beat and rob a pizza delivery boy after assaulting him with a tire iron. Our attorneys were able to convince the detectives not to file charges against our client despite his participation.
Our Other Locations:
Driver's License Reinstatement
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Northrop Grumman to Build Air Force Bomber — But Don’t Expect to See It Soon
By Marcus Weisgerber Global Business Editor Read bio
U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt Samuel Rogers
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BARKSDALE AFB, La. -- A B-2 and B-52 fly in formation over Shreveport, La., on May 10 during the Defenders of Liberty Airshow and Open House.
After years of internal Pentagon fighting to keep the project alive, the air service reveals a builder, but little else.
Northrop Grumman will build the Air Force’s new stealth bomber, which will be one of the most futuristic planes ever built — and for a while, at least, among the most secret.
On Tuesday, the service announced the winner of the contract to develop the Long Range Strike-Bomber, a deal that includes options to buy the first five production lots, totaling 21 of a planned 100-plane fleet. The independent cost estimate for this development phase is $23.5 billion (in today’s dollars), and the Air Force is aiming to bring that down, said William LaPlante, the service’s acquisition head. Service officials have estimated the total value of the program at $80 billion.
The winner beat out a Boeing-Lockheed Martin team.
“The Long Range Strike-Bomber will support America’s defense strategy by forming the backbone of the Air Force’s future strike and deterrent capabilities,” Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said at a Pentagon briefing Tuesday announcing the winner.
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The LRS-B, which will be the military’s first bomber since the B-2 was built in secret in the 1980s, is coming together under a similar veil of secrecy. On Tuesday, the Pentagon released an independent cost estimate of $564 million per aircraft ($511 million in 2010 dollars), down from an earlier estimate of $606 million ($550 million in 2010 dollars), but the actual budget remains classified. The Air Force declined even to release an artist’s conception from the winning bid.
“You can always argue it’s too classified or not classified enough, but the simple idea behind the classification of the program is we need to preserve, as long as we can, the advantage of what we’re doing so that adversaries can’t already be trying to build defenses against it,” LaPlante told reporters last Wednesday.
Some have called the plane the B-3, but Air Force officials said that has not been decided yet. Even when the plane flies at an airshow for the first time, it, like most military aircraft, will have certain equipment that will remain classified.
LaPlante dropped just one hint: “We’re going to do something that, as far as we know, has never been done before on a major platform.”
Related: Meet the Secretive Team Shaping The Air Force’s New Bomber
Related: Here Are A Few Things the New Air Force Bomber Will Do Besides Drop Bombs
Related: New Air Force Bomber Is a Critical Piece of the Pentagon’s Pacific Weaponry
Over the past four years, the Air Force has spent $1.9 billion on the secret bomber project, Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, the Air Force’s military deputy for acquisition, said.
“As the company that developed and delivered the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, we look forward to providing the Air Force with a highly-capable and affordable next-generation Long Range Strike-Bomber,” Wes Bush, chairman, CEO and president of Northrop Grumman, said in a statement.
Boeing and Lockheed, in a joint statement, said they were disappointed with the decision. ”We are interested in knowing how the competition was scored in terms of price and risk, as we believe that the combination of Boeing and Lockheed Martin offers unparalleled experience, capability and resources for this critically important recapitalization program.”
For the Air Force, the selection of Northrop Grumman marks a huge milestone. A decade ago, the service had hoped to have a new bomber battle-ready by 2018. But Pentagon officials decided that such a plane required so much new and unproven technology that it was more likely to be canceled than reach the battlefield.
“I stopped one new bomber program [in 2009] because I thought it was headed down the wrong path,” former Defense Secretary Robert Gates said during a rare appearance in Washington last week.
Two years later, Gates approved the LRS-B.
“I said … you’ve got to design it so you buy at least 100,” the former defense secretary told senators. “And … you have to start with technology that you understand.”
That was an attempt to avoid repeating the B-2’s fate: as technology-development costs mounted, the service’s 100-bomber purchase was cut to 21, and the per-plane price soared past $2 billion.
With the LRS-B, Air Force officials say they are budgeting for 100 planes and will keep the production cost of each bomber at $550 million in 2010 dollars. (That’s $606 million today.) That doesn’t include development costs. The Air Force’s cost estimates peg the program at nearly $80 billion. Todd Harrison, a budget analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, projects the entire project to have consumed $111 billion when it finishes 25 years from now.
The plane will initially use mature or existing technologies, which should forestall the kinds of cost increases and delays that have afflicted the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and other programs.
“Just because they’re existing and mature doesn’t mean that they’re in the open. It doesn’t mean that any of you even know about them,” LaPlante said.
Still, the plane’s most valuable asset is likely not any single whiz-bang gadget, but its modular operating system. The bomber is meant to be the Linux of aircraft, easily and cheaply upgradeable over the next three decades.
“You deliberately make the first version of it have the basic capabilities that you want and you have all the hooks in there and you have plans to upgrade the next version of it,” LaPlante said.
And a solid plan for easy upgrades helps stave off the impulse to goldplate the initial aircraft. As Gates said, the new bomber “needs to be something that we know we can get off the ground for a reasonable price and then as new technologies become available, integrate them into that system.”
Marcus Weisgerber is the global business editor for Defense One, where he writes about the intersection of business and national security. He has been covering defense and national security issues for more than a decade, previously as Pentagon correspondent for Defense News and chief editor of ... Full bio
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© Copyright 2016 Diego Texera
Art Director’s Club Interview
I was recently contacted by The Art Director’s Club in NYC and asked to participate in their Photography Month. Below is the entire interview! Hope you enjoy reading it! Link to their blog here: Art Director’s Club - Diego Texera: Putting in Work
Diego Texera: Putting In Work
Miami-based photographer has an “OCD for symmetry”
Photography Month continues here on the ADC Blog, a chance to showcase the shutterbugs within the ADC community, sharing both their work and their stories. Photographers aren’t the biggest segment of creatives amongst ADC Members, but their passion more than makes up for their numbers. Whether they’re veterans with years of experience, newcomers just starting to make a living, or just people who love to shoot on the side.
For our next featured ADC Member, we head south down to Miami, and a professional photographer who intimately knows that his craft is as much business as it is pleasure.
How old were you when you became interested in photography? How did that interest come about, and how was it fostered?
I first became interested in photography when I was 9, using my dad’s point and shoot camera on family vacations. I always had a knack for tech, and since cameras are covered with buttons I wanted to know what they all did. My father was the first to notice that I had an affinity for pictures; it runs in the family, and he was paying attention. I’m one of many in my family to have picked up a camera, and not the first to do so professionally…(although I didn’t know that at the time.) My uncle is an award-winning filmmaker, my father studied and worked in photography in New York for a time, my grandfather was a scientist and his dad removed the roof from a house to let the light in and make it a studio.
Do you remember the earliest photograph you ever took that moved you?
I don’t remember the first picture I took, but I always had access to a camera and unlimited film. Back then my father had a health food store in a mall in Puerto Rico and there was a photo lab right across the hall. Eventually I became a regular, picking up / dropping off film and asking the employees lots of questions about everything photography. By the time I was 11, I had already commandeered my mother’s Nikon EM, a semi-manual prosumer camera that was aperture-priority only with manual focus. When I was in the 7th grade, I approached some seniors (my school was 6th – 12th grade) who were on the yearbook staff and I was allowed to join them because they didn’t have pictures of the kids in 6th-8th grades.
What type of photography would you say is your specialty, and how did it come to be your specialty? Can one be transient — starting in one area of photography but evolving into another?
My specialty is making images that are graphic and clean. I like symmetry, organized composition and balance. I like all lines to be organized and leveled, and negative space is my friend. As for genre, lately I’m shooting a lot of food. Everyone in my family is a foodie, starting with my dad who’s a chef and restaurateur, so it seemed like a natural fit. That being said, I really enjoy portraiture, travel and black and white photography so I continue to shoot that on a regular basis. In this business, it’s frowned upon to be a jack-of-all-trades, and I understand why. That said, I think it’s important to be flexible. I believe it makes you a better photographer. Many of us start by shooting anything and everything. Most of it is garbage, but it makes you who you become. When we abandon that curiosity, we deviate from what got us here in the first place. Basically, don’t drink too much of your own Kool-Aid. I’ve shot everything, and the things I enjoyed the least (like weddings) were things that made me better. Weddings and events in particular are good training because 1) the moment is never happening again and 2) you have to get the shot. As Neale Donald Walsch said “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”.
“Many of us start by shooting anything and everything. Most of it is garbage, but it makes you who you become. When we abandon that curiosity, we deviate from what got us here in the first place.”
Define your photographic style in a single sentence.
I have a rabid — albeit undiagnosed — case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder for symmetry!
What’s your favorite camera to shoot with? What’s so awesome about it?
The best camera is the one you have on you. Ansel Adams once said, “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!” Of course, there are tools that allow you to execute your vision better than others, and knowing how to use the myriad of tools is important…but sometimes this gets in the way of learning how to use the most important tool of all, your eye. I currently shoot with a Canon 5D Mark III, but if you have a trained eye, the make and model are largely irrelevant. Look what Apple did with the “Shot on iPhone 6″ print and outdoor campaign, which features real photos taken by real iPhone 6 users that Apple found online and loved enough to print on billboards worldwide.
What is the hardest part about making a living as a photographer? Any advice on how to overcome that challenge?
Manage your downtime. It’s easy to do what you do when you have to do it. Client calls, you go shoot it and then go home. But what do you do when the phone isn’t ringing? Are you working on personal projects? Are you getting in touch with art directors and producers? Are you getting better at running a company? Are you making the best use of your time or did you waste your day? Running a photography business is 90% business acumen and 10% photography skills. Anyone with proper training can take good pictures, but not everyone is made to be an entrepreneur. Know thyself and embrace paradox.
“Running a photography business is 90% business acumen and 10% photography skills. Anyone with proper training can take good pictures, but not everyone is made to be an entrepreneur.”
Is there a particular project of yours of which you’re especially proud?
My personal black and whites are my pride and joy. If photos were children, these would be my firstborn. This is my main project and will always be there. Like children, this project will continue to grow and eventually become its own person. All I can do is feed it and foster its growth in the hopes that it’ll grow up to be big, strong and healthy. For me, this means traveling and keeping that wanderlust spirit alive. I travel at least 2-3 times a year. This year we have two big trips booked…Colombia and Southeast Asia for a month.
What would be your dream client/project/collaboration?
A National Geographic cover would be a ‘drop the mic’ moment. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing than shooting a National Geographic cover because I was given a subscription to the magazine when I was very young, and I hold them up on a pedestal. They’re my unicorn, except they’re real. I’d like to think that my curiosity, passion for nature and love for exploration would make me a good fit for them.
Nowadays everyone has ‘cameras’ in their pockets and Instagram on their phones. How has this changed the photography game? How has this changed your photography game?
I think it’s great! My language is photography and now more and more people are using that language to communicate. The more people that speak my language the better off the industry at large will be. Back when video started to become more prevalent, the suspicion was that it would kill photography. I wasn’t so sure, and sure enough, photography today is stronger and better than it has ever been. Pardon the cliché, but a picture is still worth a thousand words, and brands have taken notice by pouring tons of money into social media campaigns. Personally I’m still shooting the same things I would be without Instagram, except now I have another channel to share images through.
“…photography today is stronger and better than it has ever been. Pardon the cliché, but a picture is still worth a thousand words…”
“So, you’re a photographer?” What’s the strangest question you’ve received when someone learned what you do?
It’s not so much the questions, it’s really the comments I hear. People often say things like “You’re so lucky…you must see a lot of naked chicks.” I find that most people assume that a photographer’s job begins and ends with the click of a button…and that our profession is glamorous and sweat-free. Unfortunately, this job isn’t as glamorous as it seems on TV.
What are your other creative outlets and sources of inspiration?
I like to cook. Sometimes you have a recipe and other times, out of necessity, you’re inventing with whatever is in the fridge. There are parallels to commercial photography in the kitchen. Sometimes the client has a strict shot list and tight control on the elements in the frame, and in other cases I’m given freedom to improvise and “whip something up” with what’s in the fridge. I also have a lot of fun plating a dish in creative ways and also how you set the plate on the table. In many ways it’s just like making a painting, except with food. I’m also a bit of nerd so I love watching nature and science documentaries; they feed the dreamer inside of me. My favorite is “Baraka”, a cinematic world-tour that every human needs to see.
Fill in the blank: “When I’m not shooting, I am…”
…I am still working. Usually editing, making calls, emailing, quoting, invoicing, delivering files, upgrading computers, backing up my archive, organizing gear, networking, and the same thing we do every night Pinky, plotting to take over the world! There’s always a bigger fish that wants to take what’s mine and that motivates me to stay on top of my game. When I’m not working, I’m cooking, traveling, eating, mountain biking, eating some more, watching movies and spending time outdoors with my wife.”
Which professional photographers do you look up to, whether from afar or as mentors?
Currently I’m paying a lot of attention to Rodger Hostetler’s still life work. I also just found out about Kenji Aoki, and I’m blown away by his stuff too. I save screenshots of anything I find inspiring and organize them all into an “Ideas” folder with a ton of subfolders (here’s the OCD I had mentioned earlier). Another endless source of photographic and life inspiration is Warren Richardson, a self-taught photojournalist, former Aussie sniper, and most recent winner of the World Press Photo of the Year. He’s absolutely insane. He’s a close friend and an inspiration for reminding myself to be compassionate. It’s easy to lose that when you grow up and live in an aggressive city like Miami. It’s also important to mention my commercial photographer friends that in one way or another help me every single day. Whether it’s fighting alongside me in the trenches, consulting them before bidding on complicated jobs, curating my portfolio, helping me produce shoots, patting me on the back or ripping me apart… these are the ones that have really helped me the most.
When all is said and done, what is it about being a photographer that gets you up in the morning and drives your passion?
I love creating images that nobody has ever seen before. Sometimes it’s of things we’ve never seen but other times it’s of the common and mundane. I get a real thrill from showing a new perspective. But what I really love is collaborating with creative/art directors to make an idea come to life as a team. Photographers are often solitary creatures, creating images in a vacuum in the beginning of their careers. Some of us make the jump into the commercial space and then everything changes. We begin to work with large crews where there are many people higher up on the food chain than you, and everyone has their own unique vision for the project. This process alone is an art, and it’s exciting to see everyone work towards a common goal to make something that’s not only esthetically valuable but also commercially. In the end, we become so much more than just photographers…we’re problem solvers, businessmen (and women), creators and bridge builders.
art-directors-club adc-new-york miami-photographer commercial-photographer miami-commercial-photography CANON Editorial-Photography travel-photographer Advertising-photography Food-Photography Food-Photographer
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Teithiau
Grwpiau
Dinas / Tref
Taith
A four day itinerary for the Travel Trade sampling the many varied attractions of Wales’ southern cities including Newport, Cardiff, Swansea and St Davids
Day one - Newport
The tour begins in Newport, south east Wales. You can choose a variety of things to do on behalf of your clients including:
Tredegar House, is managed by National Trust and one of the finest examples of restoration architecture in Wales. Guided tours of the house are available and there’s the beautiful large garden to explore. Refreshments and light meals available. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for average visit to house only. Group rates are available for pre booked groups. National Trust 7 and 14 day touring passes for international visitors are also available.
Newport (St Woolos) Cathedral – A 12th century cathedral with Victorian restoration. There is a memorial to the 21 Chartists who were killed during the ‘Chartist Riots’ in 1839 outside the Westgate Hotel and now lie in the cathedral grounds in unmarked graces. Allow 45 minutes. Free entry.
Newport Medieval Ship – The only example in the world of a mid-15th century merchant ship. The Ship Centre is located on an industrial estate and is a very active workshop as well as a public display area. There are toilets but not specially designed toilets for disabled persons. Light refreshments are available. Easy parking and no entrance fee although visitors are welcome to purchase merchandise or make a donation. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for average visit.
Transporter Bridge – One of only two working transporter bridges in UK and of 6 in the world. Visitors can travel on the gondola across the River Usk for a small charge. They welcome pre-arranged group visits. The more energetic can climb the steps within the supporting towers and walk along the gangway to cross the river. Visitors can enter the engine room as well the visitor centre. Allow 1 hour for average visit.
Newport Museum and Art Gallery – Located in the city centre, it includes excellent displays on the Chartists, the last armed uprising on the British mainland which resulted in the deaths of 21 men who were campaigning for the right to vote. There is also an excellent display of the Roman remains from Caerleon and Caerwent. No entrance fee. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours. There are plenty of places to eat and drink in The Friars and Kingsway Shopping Centres.
Fourteen Locks Visitor Centre – The construction of the canal locks was a major engineering feat with a significant height being achieved over a relatively short distance – unsurpassed within UK. There is a very informative visitor centre, pleasant gardens and refreshments available. Free entry. Allow 1 hour.
Your clients can include a choice of the above. If they wanted to spend longer than a day in the area it’s recommended to visit the Roman remains at Caerleon that includes the Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths, the Amphitheatre, National Roman Legion Museum – all are free entry, but please note that the National Roman Legion Museum will be closed from September 2019 to September 2020.
There are plenty of small cafes and coffee houses in Caerleon and the Ffwrm is a charming shopping “alley”.
Nearby is the Newport Wetlands, managed by RSPB, and a perfect spot for a walk, there is also a visitor centre and café. (free entry)
Overnight suggestion: Newport or Cardiff
Day two - Cardiff
National Museum Cardiff
Cardiff is a modern and cosmopolitan Capital city. What’s really great about Cardiff is its size; it’s compact; almost everything you want to see is within walking distance or a short drive away. Listed below are some suggested places to visit, so mix and match as time and your client’s preferences allow.
The Civic Centre is often referred to as The Washington DC of Europe, thanks to its White Portland Stone Buildings and is where the National Museum Cardiff can be found. It consists of 15 galleries and it has the best collection of impressionist paintings outside of Paris, including works by Monet, Manet and Renoir. Guided tours of the historic art galleries are available on request. Your clients can also experience the galleries via AR animation. Hand-held devices are available to hire from the shop for £10 per hour, with a refundable deposit. There are three experiences to choose from which are available in Welsh, English or Japanese. It also tells the story of Wales from earliest times and is unique among British museums and galleries for its range of art and science displays. Pre-booked groups benefit from, 10% off in the museum café and restaurant on a minimum spend of £5 per person, 10% off in the museum shop on a minimum spend of £5 per person, guided tours and complimentary refreshments for the coach driver.
Cardiff Castle is located in the heart of the city and enjoys a history spanning nearly 2000 years. The highlight is a guided tour of the spectacular castle apartments. They were created in the 19th century by eccentric architect William Burges for the very rich Third Marquess of Bute. Designed as a medieval fairytale home, the rooms are filled with ornate fireplaces, gilded ceilings, intricate stained glass and carved and painted animals throughout. House Tours can be arranged in English, Welsh, French and Spanish and audio guides of the site in English, Welsh, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Mandarin Chinese and Portuguese. The café offers views of the Norman Keep and castle and a gift shop is available. Group rates apply to pre-booked groups of 20 or more.
For groups attending the evening ‘Castle Banquet’ for a small additional charge there is the option for a 30 minute evening tour of the clock tower beforehand and Travel Trade rates for the banquet are available.
Principality Stadium (formerly known as Millennium Stadium) was built for the 1999 Rugby World Cup and is now a major sporting and concert arena. A 90 minute behind the scene tour is a great introduction to the Welsh love of rugby and to find more out about the stadium. Check directly on availability as during build-up to matches and events tours may not be available but a mini 40 minute tour is usually offered instead. Group discounts for groups of 20 or more are available on request.
Shoppers like browsing along the Victorian Arcades home to many of Cardiff’s individual and unique shops. For 21st century shopping, many of the big brands are located in the St Davids 2 shopping mall.
Cardiff Bay today is the vibrant waterfront area with a mix of shops, bars and restaurants. The Wales Millennium Centre has already established its reputation as a unique and lively performing arts centre. Visitors come from all over the world to enjoy performances ranging from blockbuster West End musicals, Welsh National Operas, ballet and stand up comedy. Your clients can also take a behind the scene tour of the centre or a variety of specialist tours, such as building's architecture or technical aspects and touch tours for the visually impaired. Discounts are available for pre booked groups of 10 or more.
Cardiff International White Water Centre offers watersports, such as kayaking, paddleboarding, rafting and river boarding.
Alternatively you can book clients on these bookable walking tours of Cardiff:-
Cardiff History & Hauntings
Cardiff on Foot
Creepy Cardiff Ghost Tour
Planet Wales’ Cardiff Walking Tour
Loving Welsh Food – private tours can be arranged in French, Italian, Spanish and German
Tonight there’s a choice for dining, enjoy a Cardiff Castle Banquet, take a boat ride to Cardiff Bay and sample one of the many restaurants by the waterside or check out one of the city centre restaurants.
Overnight: Cardiff
Day three - Swansea & Gower
Rhossili, Gower, South West Wales
Head west along the M4 motorway to Swansea, the birthplace of the great writer and poet Dylan Thomas. He famously called Swansea an "ugly, lovely town" and there are many attractions here.
For the morning choose from the following:-
The Dylan Thomas Trail that finishes at the Dylan Thomas Centre, where your clients will find a free interactive exhibition telling Dylan’s story. Guided tours of the exhibition at the Dylan Thomas Centre can be arranged for groups of all ages. For those keen to learn more about Dylan Thomas include a tour of 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, the birth place of Dylan. Discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Booking in advance is advised. Lunches, afternoon tea and dinner parties can be catered for and if requested your clients can listen to actors reciting Dylan’s short stories, broadcasts and poems.
Art lovers should visit the Glynn Vivian Gallery and for sheer atmosphere and great bargains visit Swansea’s oldest and largest indoor market with over 100 stalls. Traditional Welsh food including laverbread, cockles from nearby Penclawdd and Welsh Cakes can be bought here.
The National Waterfront Museum tells the story of industry and innovation in Wales, now and over the last 300 years. Pre-booked groups benefit from free entry, 10% off in the museum café on a minimum spend of £5 per person, 10% off in the museum shop on a minimum spend of £5 per person, introductory tour and complimentary refreshments for the coach driver.
This afternoon, head to the beautiful Gower Peninsula - Britain's first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Sit, gaze and enjoy the picturesque scenery with an ice cream or a cup of tea. Maybe take a stroll along the protected coastline to Worm's Head, Gower's western tip. For castles lovers, remember to include a visit to Oxwich or Weobley Castle and pop into the Gower Heritage Centre – a 12th century water powered cornmill and craft centre. Groups can benefit from a guided tour, guided and themed walks and additional craft workshops. Tours can be tailored specifically for your requirements and they can also arrange a guided tour of the Gower. There is a tea room on-site.
Overnight suggestions: Swansea, Mumbles, Gower Peninsula
Day four - St Davids
Ramsey Island Boat Trips from St Davids, South East Wales
Leaving Swansea, head west to visit the final city on this tour. The smallest city in Britain and the spiritual capital of Wales, St Davids is more of a bustling village despite its full city status. Take time to explore the magnificent cathedral which nestles in a grassy hollow before exploring the beautiful coastline of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Guided tours can be booked in advance, depending on availability of volunteers. The Refectory at the Cathedral is licensed and offers local home-cooked food on their daily changing menu.
Adjacent to the cathedral is St Davids Bishop’s palace, a ruined medieval palace. There are lots of little hideaways to explore and the story boards brings it to life. The site is managed by Cadw – 3 and 7 day Explorer Passes are available with special Travel Trade rates or for pre booked Group Bookings of 15 or more there is a 10% discount on admission prices.
There are plenty of galleries and craft shops to explore in St Davids for a bit of free time.
It’s recommended to include a visit to Oriel y Parc, a landscape gallery and Pembrokeshire National Parks’ visitor centre. It is a great place to learn about the area and has an interactive interpretation area. It also houses a Class A Gallery displaying works of art from the National Museum Wales collection including works by Graham Sutherland. There’s a gift shop, café and parking available.
If your clients are interested in nature or a bit of adventure there are other alternative options, including a wildlife spotting trip to Ramsey Island. They will be able to look out for puffins, seals and of course the stunning coastal scenery. A number of companies offer boat trips to the island from St Davids including Voyages of Discovery, Thousand Island Expeditions.
The more adventurous can have a go at coasteering, a sport invented in Wales, that involves walking and scrambling along the coastline until you have to jump into the sea! Celtic Quest Coasteering is based in St Davids, as well as TYF which offers all sorts of adventure activities.
Or include a walk along the Wales Coast Path - it is particularly stunning around here. Oriel y Parc is a good starting point and can offer advice on walks in the area. See also Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s useful walking pages for inspiration.
Overnight suggestions: St Davids / Haverfordwest
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The most sacred sites you can cruise to
Written by Rebecca Jones
From the peaceful forests of Polynesia to the frenetic energy of central Bangkok; sacred and religious sites come in all shapes and sizes around the globe. While many of us are used to the traditional churches and cathedrals of Europe, exploring the world shows us how the rest of the world does worship and celebrates their faith. A world cruise can take you on a grand voyage of discovery, allowing you to get a taste of what the world has to offer, and with hand-picked shore excursions pulled together by industry experts you can find an itinerary which shows you the planet like you’ve never seen it before.
Here we have pulled together our top selection of sacred and religious sites from around the world to inspire you.
Marae Arahurahu - Papeete, Tahiti
The ancient Polynesian temples, known as marae, are dotted throughout the idyllic islands and the Arahurahu is Tahiti’s most stunning example. Located in the Pa’ea district of the island Arahurahu is an open-air temple nestled in the valley of Papeete’s western coast at the foot of the Tefa’aiti valley.
While most temples are now just the foundations of what once stood, walking into this temple reveals all of the wonders and mystic powers of the tiki, sacred statues, which are some of the most well preserved on the whole of the island.
The site is outside and located in the forest so sensible footwear and waterproofs are a must.
The spirit of the slain hero, Arahurahu, is said to live within the site where his body was laid to rest after a fierce battle with a rival warrior and the site is named in his honour, so beware of any spooky feelings!
The ancient Polynesians were polytheists, so they worshipped multiple gods across different sites.
The main statues were created from basalt rocks and coral slabs.
Opening hours: 07:00 – 18:00 daily
Location: Paea, French Polynesia
Best cruise:
London Tilbury to Auckland - Departing London Tilbury, 5th January 2019 for 42 nights on board Columbus
Tian Tan, Big Buddha - Hong Kong
A post shared by geotah (@geotah) on Jan 5, 2018 at 4:57am PST
The mountain top Po Lin Monastery is home to the 34m (111ft) high Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha) which faces north towards mainland China blessing all those it looks over. Located above the island of Tung Chung you can gain access through the Ngong Ping 360 cable car which runs between Tung Chung and the Tian Tan Buddha. Or for those willing to undertake an adventure there is a 4 hour hike up to the site through the rainforest. Pilgrims from all over Asia travel to visit the Buddha and climb the 268 steps up to the top to gain a closer view of the peaceful statue.
It can be hard going making it up all of those steps from the base level to the level of the Buddha, so be sure to rest between levels and admire the views.
If you do reach the top of the Buddha you should complete one full circle of the statue in a clockwise direction.
Erected in 1993, it took over 12 years to complete and cost HK$60 million (£5.8 million).
‘The Offering of the Six Devas’ at the base of the Big Buddha offer up flowers, incense, lamp, ointment, fruit and music to Buddha.
Location: Po Lin Monastery, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Sydney to London Tilbury - Departing Sydney, 24th February 2019 for 70 nights on board Columbus
Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
If you say Notre Dame Cathedral to most people images of the Hunchback of Notre Dame will no doubt feature highly in their minds as they conjure pictures Paris’ most famous cathedral. However say it to the Vietnamese and they will probably think of Saigon’s very own Notre Dame.
Built in the late 1800’s by French Colonists the cathedral was not given the title of Notre Dame until 1959 after it installed the statue of the ‘Peaceful Notre Dame’.
Currently, there are extensive renovation works taking place within the cathedral until late 2019 so it is only open for masses. The outside, however, is still available for pictures and visitors.
The Sunday Mass at 09:30 is given in English so is a great way to view the inside of the Cathedral while enjoying the traditional mass.
It is believed that the statue outside the church of the Virgin Mary shed tears in 2005.
The cathedral was anointed by the Vatican in 1962 as Saigon’s chief cathedral anointing it to a basilica.
Opening hours: Outside – 24/7. Masses – Weekdays 05:30 or 17:30, Sunday 05:30, 06:45, 08:00, 09:30, 16:00, 17:30 or 18:30.
Location: 01 Công Xã Paris, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Hong Kong to London Tilbury - Departing Hong Kong, 23rd March 2019 for 43 nights on board Columbus
Emerald Buddha Temple – Bangkok, Thailand
Wat Phra Kaew has to be one of Thailand’s most beautiful Buddhist temples. Nestled into the historic centre of Bangkok’s Grand Palace, it is a haven of peace and tranquillity amid the bustling delights of Thailand’s capital.
Hidden within is the Emerald Buddha, Phra Kaew Morakot, carved from green jade in the 15th century. The statue itself is relatively small, just 26 inches (66cm) tall, and is housed within a Perspex box for security reasons. The statue wears a cloak; diamond for the hot season, gold for the winter season and cloth for the rainy season.
The complex itself is home to over 100 buildings and dates back to the 1780’s when Bangkok was declared the new capital of Thailand.
Photography is not permitted within the temple.
The temple sits within the Grand Palace so be sure to factor in some time to explore.
No shorts or short skirts are permitted within the palace grounds, also sleeveless t-shirts are not permitted.
This is the only temple in Thailand not to house any monks, it was built without the monk’s accommodation.
The King of Thailand is the only person permitted to touch the Emerald Buddha and changes its ceremonial robe three times a year.
Location: Na Phralan, Phra Nakorn (inside the Grand Palace complex), Old City (Rattanakosin)
Price: 500 Thai Baht - £11.50
Sydney to Singapore - Departing Sydney, 24th February 2019 for 38 nights on board Columbus
Karnak Temple – Luxor (Safaga), Egypt
A post shared by Linda Th (@lindath76) on Nov 12, 2017 at 8:19am PST
More than just a single religious site, this is an entire town. The Karnack Temple complex was completed around 1350 BC across over 2sq km (200 acres) during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II. The main highlight of the complex is the Temple of Amun-Ra, one of the world’s largest religious complexes.
There are avenues of ram-headed sphinxes, courts and pylons, and the Hypostyle Hall is a mass of over 100 pillars, every square inch of which seems to be covered with carved figures and hieroglyphics.
Trips early in the morning are best for a quiet experience.
As the site is so large it is best to wear comfortable shoes and bring water. Shoulders and knees must be covered by clothing.
The central sacred enclosure of Amun can hold ten average size European cathedrals.
The sandstone used to create the temple was transported over 100 miles by the River Nile.
Location: Sharia Maabad Al Karnak, Luxor, Egypt
Price: 120LE - £5.20
Singapore to London Tilbury - Departing Singapore, 3rd April 2019 for 32 nights on board Columbus
Western Wall – Jerusalem, Israel
The site of the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem is the holiest place on earth for the Jewish community. The wall itself is the only remains of the Second Temple of Jerusalem which was destroyed by the Romans in 70AD, it is believed that the temple was originally created around 20BC. The site has seen many controllers over the centuries and the Jewish population came and went with the ruling control. Nowadays there is relative peace at the site and it is common to see people of all religions visiting the site. The Western Wall itself was fully excavated in 1967 to show two levels and to create the Western Wall plaza and it forms the support wall for the Temple Mount.
Both men and women should dress modestly on a visit to the wall. Shoulders and legs should be covered. Men can hire a kippah as their heads should also be covered.
Men and women worship at different parts of the wall so do not worry if the sexes are separated this is to ensure there is a smooth flow into both parts of the wall.
Be sure to write your pray and wish on a bit of paper which you can leave in the wall.
After the six-day war in 1967, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it was declared that all religions would have free access to the wall to pray.
Location: The Western Wall, The ancient city, Jerusalem, Israel
Hong Kong to London Tilbury - Departing Hong Kong, 23rd March 2019 for 120 nights on board Columbus
Al-Aqsa Mosque – Jerusalem, Israel
Al-Aqsa is the third most important site to Muslims in Islam after The Kaaba, Mecca and The Prophet’s Mosque, Medina. It is also reputed to be the second mosque to have ever been built, having been built by the Prophet to be his final resting place before he rose to heaven.
The original mosque was built around 710 AD a few decades after its nearby neighbour the Dome of the Rock. However, it was destroyed by two earthquakes within its first 60 years of existence and was rebuilt 5 times over the next 300 years.
Al-Aqsa as a whole has two holy sites; the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock (Gubbat al-Sakhra) so allow time to visit both.
Both males and females will need to dress modestly to enter the site and women will need to ensure they have a scarf or pashmina to cover their heads.
The Mosque has capacity for 5,000 worshippers.
The site was used as the headquarters of the Knights Templar in 1118.
Opening hours: Sat-Thur 07:30 – 11:00 and 13:30 – 15:00
Location: Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem
Hassan II Mosque – Casablanca, Morocco
The Hassan II Mosque is the third largest Mosque in the world after Mecca and Medina and can accommodate over 25,000 worshippers. Building originally began in 1987 being partially funded by King Hassan II before completion in 1993. The mosque itself sits on a cliff overlooking the ocean and worshippers who if permitted access to the specific rooms when praying can look over the Atlantic through the glass flooring.
Over 6,000 Moroccan master craftsmen were employed to work on the Mosque and at 689ft, the minaret is the tallest structure in all of Morocco with a light shining at night towards Mecca.
Both males and females will need to dress modestly to enter the Mosque, however, women do not need to cover their heads.
The entire complex is over 22 acres in size.
The Mosque was designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau.
The only materials to be imported from outside of Morocco were the stained glass and chandeliers, all other materials were sourced from different regions of the country.
Location: Boulevard de la Corniche, Casablanca 20000, Morocco
Price: Free entry, guided tours from 120 dirhams (£10)
Fremantle to London Tilbury - Departing Fremantle, 10th March 2019 for 43 nights on board Astor.
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C. elegans II
(Cold Spring Harbor Monograph Series 33)
Book Series: Cold Spring Harbor Monograph Series
Subject Area(s): Developmental Biology; Neurobiology; Caenorhabditis elegans
Edited by Donald L. Riddle, University of Missouri, Columbia; Thomas Blumenthal, Indiana University; Barbara J. Meyer, University of California, Berkeley; James R. Priess, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle
© 1997 1222 pp., illus., color plates, index
Paper $85 42.50
ISBN 978-087969532-3
Studies of the cells and genes of the nematode C. elegans have become a cornerstone of current biology. A classic 1988 Cold Spring Harbor monograph, The Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, described the basic genetics, anatomy and development of the organism. Now, in that authoritative tradition, comes C. elegans II -- not a second edition but a book that breaks new ground and defines the current status of the field, providing a detailed molecular explanation of how development is regulated and the nervous system specifies varied aspects of behavior. This volume is a must for any investigator doing worm studies but it has been written and rigorously edited to illuminate for a wider community of investigators in cell and molecular biology who should know how new knowledge of C. elegans relates to their own specialty.
Preface (B. Alberts)
Foreword (S. Brenner)
Introduction to C. elegans (D.L. Riddle, T. Blumenthal, B.J. Meyer, J.R. Priess);
The Genome (R.H. Waterston, J.E. Sulston, A.R. Coulson); Chromosome Organization, Mitosis, and Meiosis (D.G. Albertson, A.M. Rose, A.M. Villeneuve); Mutation (R.C. Johnsen, D.L. Baillie); Transposons (R.H.A. Plasterk, H.G.A.M. van Luenen); RNA Processing and Gene Structure (T. Blumenthal, K. Steward); Transcription Factors and Transcriptional Regulation (J.D. McGhee, M.W. Krause); mRNA and Translation (P. Anderson, J. Kimble); Sex Determination and X Chromosome Dosage Compensation (B.J. Meyer); Developmental Genetics of the Germ Line (T. Schedl); Spermatogenesis (S.W. L'Hernault); Male Development and Mating Behavior (S.W. Emmons, P.W. Sternberg); Fertilization and Establishment of Polarity in the Embryo (K.J. Kemphues, S. Strome); Specification of Cell Fates in the Early Embryo (R. Schnabel, J.R. Priess); Cell Death (M.O. Hengartner); Muscle: Structure, Function, and Development (D.G. Moerman, A. Fire); Extracellular Matrix (J.M. Kramer); Heterochronic Genes (V. Ambros); Development of the Vulva (I. Greenwald); Patterning the Nervous System (G. Ruvkun); Cell and Growth Cone Migrations (A. Antebi, C.R. Norris, E.M. Hedgecock, G. Garriga); Synaptic Transmission (J.B. Rand, M.L. Nonet); Mechanotransduction (M. Driscoll, J. Kaplan); Feeding and Defecation (L. Avery, J.H. Thomas); Chemotaxis and Thermotaxis (C.I. Bargmann, I. Mori); Genetic and Environmental Regulation of Dauer Larva Development (D.L. Riddle, P.S. Albert); Neural Plasticity (E.M. Jorgensen, C. Rankin); Environmental Factors and Gene Activities That Influence Life Span (C. Kenyon); Evolution (D.H.A. Fitch, W.K. Thomas); Parasitic Nematodes (M. Blaxter, D. Bird)
Appendix 1. Genetics (J. Hodgkin): A. Genetic Nomenclature; B. List of Laboratory Strain and Allele Designations, C. Skeleton Genetic Map, D. List of Characterized Genes; Appendix 2. Neurotransmitter Assignment for Specific Neurons (J.B. Rand, M.L. Nonet); Appendix 3. Codon Usage in C. elegans (P.M. Sharp, K.R. Bradnam); Appendix 4. Online C. elegans Resources (M.L. Edgley, C.A. Turner, D.L. Riddle)
"C. elegans II is not a second edition. The chapters are more focused and comprehensive than those found in its predecessor (the 1988 monograph, The Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans). Also, such is the growth of the field that many of the topics originally covered by single chapters are here subdivided into several chapters. For example, the material in the single chapter The Nervous System in the worm book occupies six chapters in C. elegans II. Many new chapters have been included which deal with topics that were accorded only a few lines in the original, such as lifespan and ageing, nematode evolution and the relationship of C. elegans to parasitic nematodes. I was impressed with the breadth of material covered and the way this was achieved without sacrificing attention to detail
.
Who should read C. elegans II? Anyone who works in the field will find it invaluable as a single concise source of information. For the same reasons anyone teaching cell biology from an organismal perspective should find it very useful
. As with all model systems, a great deal of what is learned from C. elegans is likely to be applicable to other organisms. Therefore, anyone with an interest in cell and developmental biology, regardless of their area of specialisation, would benefit from reading C. elegans II."
"The new book is about double the size of its predecessor, but its 30 review chapters are manageable chunks, averaging less than 30 pages. Overall, the level of discussion is authoritative yet suitable for those new to the field. Every chapter refers to related discussions in other chapters and avoids unncessary overlap a sign of strong editorial control
.
Worm II is excellent. It makes one eager for Worm III."
"
the book is a must for any C. elegans researcher, and probably should find a place in any biology department library as a reference for students and staff."
Trends in Genetics
The Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans [Paper]
C. elegans Atlas [Concealed wire binding]
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Democrats Decry Bush Veto Of Job-Discrimination Bill
President Bush's veto of new civil rights legislation angers both Democratic backers of the measure and Republican candidates fearing electoral backlash
By Robert P. Hey Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
A LARGELY partisan struggle to assign blame is under way following the breakdown of a nine-month effort to pass new civil rights legislation that would have strengthened laws against discrimination in the workplace. President Bush is losing, and Democratic and civil rights proponents of the congressionally passed legislation are winning. ``This, like the budget, is an exercise in spin,'' says Douglas Besharov, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. ``Just as the president lost the spin on the budget thing, I think he is in the process of losing the spin on civil rights.''
That is not helpful to Republican candidates in the election two weeks away who are seeking sizable numbers of minority votes. And it could have implications for the president himself in his bid for a second term in two years.
The congressionally approved legislation sought to reverse a United States Supreme Court ruling of last year and require employers to have the burden of proving that an apparently discriminatory action against an employee is justified for business reasons. Last year's Supreme Court decision transferred the burden of proof to the employee.
The president said that he vetoed this civil rights bill Monday largely because it would have had the effect of forcing businesses to set quotas in the hiring and promoting of women and minorities in order to avoid lawsuits. He said that he could not accept quotas.
As he has all year, Mr. Bush insists that he still wants to sign a civil rights measure, and calls on Congress to pass a new bill more to his liking in this final week of its session. He has offered some proposals that civil rights leaders and some leading congressional Democrats flatly reject.
Meanwhile Sen. Edward Kennedy (D) of Massachusetts, the principal Senate sponsor of the vetoed measure, calls the president's rejection ``a cynical attempt to appear to support civil rights while actually satisfying the anti-civil rights forces in his own party.''
Senator Kennedy adds that ``the president's actions demonstrate that he is more interested in appeasing extremists in his party than in providing simple justice for the millions of working women and minorities who face bias on the job.''
After talks that were aimed at reaching a compromise acceptable to the White House had broken off, a Kennedy aide said Monday: ``We're always willing to talk, but we don't think there is any more room'' to negotiate.
``This is a case where reasonable people differ on the impact'' of the civil rights bill, Mr. Besharov says. ``It's hard to believe that [quotas are] a question of racism. However, the president is clearly being backed into a corner'' where he's being depicted as a racist.
The president was having to deal not only with the Democratic-controlled Congress but also with some reported division with the ranks of his White House advisers on whether to veto the measure promptly or continue to try to negotiate an agreement.
The civil rights community was rocked last year when the Supreme Court in a 5-to-4 decision transferred the burden of proof from employer to employee in job-discrimination suits.
In a case called Wards Cove, which involved Alaskan cannery workers, the court said that if a sued employer claims the alleged discriminatory action was necessary for a legitimate business reason, it then is up to the employee to disprove that assertion.
CIVIL rights leaders said if this ruling were permitted to stand, it would make successful job-discrimination suits almost impossible.
In response to this ruling Congress put on its agenda passage of a bill that would shift the burden of proof back where it had been - on the employer to prove that his action was justified for a legitimate business reason that could not have been met in some less-discriminatory way.
This was one of two major civil rights bills Congress was intent on approving the year. It approved the other, which offered full civil rights protection to people with disabilities; Bush signed it into law this summer.
But a bill on discrimination in employment seems highly unlikely to become law this year, despite the president's soothing statements that he believes enough time remains to enact such a measure, and that ``Congress shares my commitment to civil rights and my opposition to quotas.''
Congress was expected to try to override the president's veto, but not to succeed. Although the measure passed by a wide margin in each House, it was slightly less than the two-thirds majority necessary to overcome a presidential veto.
Was vetoed Arizona bill misrepresented? What constitutional scholars say.
Should officials be allowed to 'opt-out' of performing same-sex weddings?
With Obama's second veto threat, is bipartisanship with Congress already over?
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Brewers Fans Anticipate the Wurst
To many in Milwaukee, it's not a ball game without a bratwurst slathered with secret sauce
By Kimberly A. Campbell Staff writer of the Christian Science Monitor
TO Katie Casey, the fan in the 1908 song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," peanuts and Cracker Jack are the snacks of choice at a baseball game. The hot dog, while not on Katie's list, has graced ballparks for almost a century. But the menu of 88 items at Milwaukee County Stadium, home of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, indicates that today a few extra verses are needed in the familiar baseball perennial.
"Not everybody who comes to the ballpark wants to eat hot dogs," says George Van Valkenburgh, general manager for County Stadium's concessionaire, Sportservice Inc.
Sitting in his office before a recent Brewers game, Mr. Van Valkenburgh explained how the stadium has adapted to the changing appetites of fans.
"County Stadium now has a bakery where you can get fresh-baked muffins and cookies. We have a delicatessen where they serve all kinds of sandwiches.... You can get a chef's salad if you want," says Van Valkenburgh. Other nontraditional fare includes pizza by the slice, tacos, and soft-serve yogurt.
"It used to be hot dogs, popcorn, beer, and soda, and that was basically it. And about 10 years ago, maybe 12 years ago, [consumers] started wanting more things at the ballpark," explains Van Valkenburgh.
At County Stadium, the popularity of the food is apparent.
"Everyone seems to be eating here," observes Daniel Rundqvist, a visitor from Sweden attending his first baseball game.
Game-goers can buy ballpark delicacies at their seats from vendors, or on the decks at concession stands. And if searching for a particular savory treat, customers need only locate one of the 14 wall-mounted "Hungry Fan Maps" that answer the question "Where can I find...?"
But even with its diversity of foods, County Stadium is best known for one thing: bratwurst.
"I have sampled the ballpark food in all parks in the major leagues, and most are only so-so. Some are quite commendable. But far and away the champion, the single best item available in any ballpark ... would be the bratwurst with special sauce, a little brown mustard, and perhaps some sauerkraut, at County Stadium in Milwaukee," said NBC Sports commentator Bob Costas in a phone interview.
A bratwurst, as explained by Van Valkenburgh, is a cross between a hot dog and a polish sausage, with a pork base and spices. (County Stadium's brats are supplied by Klement's of Milwaukee.) Sausages are king
"A 'brat' is strictly a Midwestern deal," says Mr. Costas, long-time announcer for the former NBC "Game of the Week" baseball program. "They have them at Comiskey Park [Chicago], they have them at Wrigley Field [Chicago], they have them at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, but none of them are as good as the one at County Stadium."
Brewer fans are also loyal to the stadium's bratwurst.
"We can't come to a ballgame without getting a bratwurst, and that's not necessarily true at any other ballpark that we go to," says Lynda South, who is attending the game with her husband, daughter, and grandson.
The Souths, residents of Franklin, Wis., say food is an important part of their ballpark experience.
But brats are only one of six sausages available here. The others: Bavarian, kosher, Italian, Polish, and, of course, hot dogs.
"In Milwaukee, a city with a strong German heritage, sausages are king," wrote Bob Wood in his 1988 book, "Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks: The Ultimate Guide to America's Top Baseball Parks."
Mr. Wood, a ninth-grade history teacher, traveled to all the major league ballparks and rated them in various categories, including food.
Of the 26 parks (not including Baltimore's new Camden Yards), County Stadium tied for first in the food category with three others: Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., and the old Comiskey Park in Chicago.
Wood continues: "Buried in a soft, fresh bun, smothered in kraut and doused with a splash of that secret stadium sauce, baseball doesn't feature a tastier wiener."
The distinctive and mysterious "secret stadium sauce," a barbecue sauce, is a County Stadium staple kept hot on the gas grills for patrons to have spread on sausages right before their eager eyes.
"I believe that the formula [for the secret sauce] is every bit as secret as the formula for Coca-Cola," remarks Costas. Spiced with ambience
The sauce, distributed by Milwaukee Sportservice, is for sale at County Stadium and in Wisconsin grocery stores. The ingredients are listed on the bottle, but a skeptical Costas says, "That's just to fake you out." Among the ingredients is an unspecified "spices," which appears to be wherein the secret lies.
Those who enjoy the brat and secret sauce say that something is missing when you try making it at home.
"You're lacking the ballpark ambience," Costas says.
If one secret condiment isn't enough to tempt sausage eaters, there is always the secret stadium mustard. A brown mustard of a heavier consistency, it too makes a sausage a lip-smacking experience. But this item is only available at the stadium and is not packaged for distribution.
For those who like to think of the hot dog as the traditional ballpark fare, rest assured that they do well here, too. In fact, hot dogs are No. 3 on the bestseller list at County Stadium, according to Van Valkenburgh. The No. 1 and No. 2 spots go to beer and soda, respectively, and No. 4 is the brat.
"If you're going to the ballpark, you've got to have a hot dog - it's just as important as going to the game," says author Wood in a phone interview.
Home to a team named the Brewers, it's not surprising that County Stadium's bestseller is beer. But those who serve customers here recognize the need to provide an appropriate environment for consumption.
According to Van Valkenburgh, all Sportservice personnel go through an alcohol training program twice a year on how to identify and handle individuals who are intoxicated.
In addition, three designated family sections, located around the stadium, offer an atmosphere free of alcohol and smoking.
Baseball fans: Take a quick tour of all 30 major league ballparks
The Bite Red Robin is pulling out all the stops for its fall lineup
ClassPass, MoviePass – now Ballpark Pass
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Foreign-Policy Challenges Await the Next US President
By John Hughes
GOV. Bill Clinton may be stressing his concentration on domestic, rather than foreign policy, but if he is elected president a formidable string of foreign challenges awaits him.
The fact is that although the ailing American economy will require the urgent attention of whoever becomes president, at least a dozen or so major foreign issues will also come to the fore.
Most immediately pressing is the civil war in Yugoslavia, and the prospect that American military forces might be called upon to end the strife between Bosnians and Serbs. Other governments and international organizations have proved unable to end the senseless slaughter, and the peace-bringing mission may yet devolve upon the United States.
The future of Russia and the other republics that used to form the Soviet Union will clearly occupy a major portion of the new administration's time. Communism is outlawed, the Soviet Union has disintegrated, and much of its nuclear arsenal is being dismantled. All of that makes the world safer, but not necessarily tidier. The US has an acute interest in the stability of the former Soviet states and their emergence as democratic nations building free-market economies. That will require careful nurturing.
China may undergo a transition in leadership during the next American presidential term. The question is how fast China will push economic reforms, and whether these will be matched by political reforms. Although China has a poor record on human rights, President Bush has been nonconfrontational with the Beijing regime. A Democratic administration might take a different tone.
Unless there is a new showdown between the Bush administration and Saddam Hussein in the remaining months of this year, Iraq will continue to be a major problem for the US in the next president's term. The Iraqi leader has played a delaying game in blocking United Nations inspectors from investigating his nuclear capability, and he clearly delights in taunting the White House. A new American president would have to decide whether or not to bring this continuing confrontation to new crisis.
Another unpredictable dictator who may be a problem for the new president is North Korea's Kim Il Sung. Although he has denied it, there is good American intelligence that North Korea is developing nuclear weapon capacity. There is also uncertainty about the succession in leadership, expected to take place within the next several years. Mr. Kim intends that his son should take over, but North Korean military factions, less than enthusiastic about this, might stage a coup.
Cuba could be another messy foreign-policy challenge. Fidel Castro seems destined for the political scrap heap as his former communism mentors desert him. But the manner of his going is unclear and could pose upheaval on this island so geographically close to the US.
A new president could face a serious challenge in Cambodia, where the communist Khmer Rouge faction is refusing to cooperate with a delicately-crafted peace plan being implemented by the UN. If the plan falls apart, there will be new fighting as the Khmer Rouge try to increase their military control, and an inevitable and substantial exodus of Cambodian refugees to other countries.
Also on the new president's agenda will be the question of normalizing US relations with Vietnam. The Vietnamese, beset by an economy in ruins, are desperate for the American aid and trade they believe will follow the resumption of diplomatic relations. But complicating the question of normalization is the continuing debate in the US on the status of American POWs.
Burma is not often in world headlines, but is under the heel of one of the most repressive regimes in the world. This is a country that could certainly explode into upheaval and violence during the next presidential term.
Then there is simmering Iran, whose zealous mullahs continue a hate campaign against the US, and who strive to spread Islamic fundamentalism throughout their region, even amid hints from the ruling regime that it might entertain a better relationship with Washington. A vigorous political and military opposition operates from border bases in Iraq.
Beyond this there looms the larger question of a Middle East peace settlement on which the Bush administration has been vigorously working.
While the challenge of Japan is primarily economic, rather than military and political, no new American president will be able to ignore the crucial US-Japan relationship, nor the manner in which an increasingly assertive Japan injects itself onto the world stage.
Rounding out the foremost foreign policy challenges is South Africa. The question there is whether black nationalists and the white minority can work out a power-sharing formula in relative harmony, or whether the country is to slide backward into civil war.
In all of these areas, the US has vital interests. Some will require extensive American diplomacy; some will be costly in terms of money; some may require the commitment of American military power. Collectively, they ensure that the next American president will be as deeply involved in foreign policy as domestic.
Obama's new foreign-policy and security team: Could Colin Powell be on it?
Is Trump 'disrupting' his own foreign-policy team? The case of Qatar.
John Hughes Whether Obama or Romney, next US leader faces severe foreign challenges
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Cultural News 2019 July issue on sale now + One-year subscription of Cultural News eNewspaper version is $45, and regular paper subscription is $36. To start your subscription, visit https://www.culturalnews.com/subscription + The PayPal paying box in the following is not automatic. Your purchase order or subscription order will send to Cultural News Editor Shige Higashi’s mail box. Shige will send you eNewspaper within 24 hours. + eNewspaper monthly “Cultural News” delivered through the Internet One time purchase of the current issue: $4.00 If you want a back issue, please let us know in the comment field. Comment 12...
Nisei Week Street Dance: On July 16, public practice to be held at JACCC Noguchi Plaza
From Shige Higashi, Editor & Publisher of Cultural News Nisei Week Ondo and Closing Ceremony Chair Miles Hamada announces the schedule of the public dance practices on June 21 through his email to Japanese dance teachers in Los Angeles area. The teacher demonstration will be held on Monday, July 1 in Little Tokyo. But this is an invitation only event, not open to the public. 2019 Nisei Week Parade on August 11 features “Hiroshi no Sakura Ondo” and “Santaro Ondo by Kenta Kiritani.” The designated 2019 Nisei Week Ondo Choreographer was Sanjo Kangiku who passed away in last April....
Japan House Los Angeles exhibition, July 17 – Oct. 06, “BAKERU: Transforming Spirits”
BAKERU: Transforming Spirits is a participatory exhibition inviting visitors to step into the supernatural world of Japanese folk traditions through a process of transformation (bakeru means ‘transform’ in Japanese). It is also a space of connection in various ways—the connection between the long-lasting folk traditions and the fast advancing digital technology, between the northern region in Japan and the world, and between the everyday space and the space of festivities. July 17 – October 06, 2019 Monday – Saturday: 10:00AM – 8:00PM Sunday: 10:00AM – 7:00PM Location: JAPAN HOUSE Gallery. Level 2 Fee: Complimentary Presented and organized by: JAPAN...
Delicious Little Tokyo: Los Angeles’ largest annual Japanese culinary weekend, July 19-20
Forwarded for Delicious Little Tokyo Go Little Tokyo for Los Angeles’ largest annual Japanese culinary weekend at the 4th Annual Delicious Little Tokyo Discover all NEW culinary experiences, live cooking and mixology demonstrations, craft beer and chicken wing pairings, traditional miso ball making and MORE! Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20 LOS ANGELES – Go Little Tokyo’s 4th Annual Delicious Little Tokyo returns to the heart of Downtown Los Angeles for two days on Friday, July 19th and Saturday, July 20th and features over 20 exclusive events including all-new interactive workshops, tastings, and demonstrations curated for first-time foodies...
Southern California Local: Orange County Buddhist Church to sponsor 2019 Obon Festival, July 20-21
Forwarded for the Orange County Buddhist Church On the weekend of July 20 – 21, 2019, the Orange County Buddhist Church in Anaheim is sponsoring a festival of outdoor folk dancing. The two-day event will feature a variety of foods, games, boutique and craft items, taiko performance. The obon odori dancing will begin at 7:00 p.m., and the public is invited to join in. Admission is free. Event: Orange County Buddhist Church Obon Festival Dates: Saturday, July 20, 2:00 – 9:00 p.m. / Sunday, July 21, 2:00 – 8:30 p.m. Address: 909 S. Dale Ave. Anaheim, CA 92804 www.ocbuddhist.org...
Japanese antique show at Alhambra, July 27 -28
Luna Sea Japanese Antiques (formerly Itchy Knee Japanese Antiques) July 27 – 28, 2019 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Warehouse address: 612 S. Palm Ave., Alhambra, CA 91803 Call : 323-447-3071 E-mail: Itchyknee_japaneseantiques@yahoo.com
Japan Foundation Traveling Exhibition “Manga Hokusai Manga” Now – Aug. 3
Japan Foundation Traveling Exhibition Manga Hokusai Manga: Approaching the Master’s Compendium from the Perspective of Contemporary Comics Thursday, May 2 – Saturday, August 3, 2019 Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am – 7pm, Sat: Noon-5pm Closed on Sundays & Holidays (Memorial Day: May 27 & 28, Independence Day: July 4 – 6) Venue: The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Admission: FREE www.jflalc.org In light of Japan’s contemporary comics and their global proliferation, the 19th-century Hokusai Manga is attracting increasing interest. Fans worldwide tend to even regard this pictorial compendium by ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai as the origin...
Anaheim / MUZEO Museum: installation of black and white ink works, Now – Aug.11
MUZEO Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim Carnegie Gallery, Complimentary Admission Japanese Black & White Artist Soho Nakano May 25 – August 11, 2019 “Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)” is an installation of 40 tapestries, each measuring 700x1950mm (approx. 27.5 x 77in), depicting the tree’s transformation through Japan’s four seasons. Using just a single seiboku ink, Shizuoka-based black & white artist Soho Nakano masterfully presents an illusion of color in her paintings through a vivid array of shades. The mashi paper, hand-crafted by traditional Japanese paper artisans in Fukui Prefecture, is utilized to its full potential with beautiful ink bleeds and...
Washington DC / National Gallery of Art presenting “The Life of Animals in Japanese Art” Now – Aug. 18
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC “The Life of Animals in Japanese Art” June 2 – August 18, 2019 https://www.nga.gov/press/exh/4874.html?utm_source=Real%20Magnet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=140845281 As the first devoted to the representation of animals in Japanese art, this major exhibition covers 17 centuries (from the fifth century to the present day) and a wide variety of media – sculpture, painting, lacquerwork, ceramics, metalwork, textile, and the woodblock print. More than 300 works will be spread across 18,000 square feet in the East Building’s Concourse galleries. Artists range from Sesson Shukei, Ito Jakuchu, Soga Shohaku, Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, to Okamoto Taro, Kusama Yayoi, Issey...
San Francisco / Asian Art Museum “Tattoos in Japanese Prints” Now – Aug. 18
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco Tattoos in Japanese Prints May 31 – August 18, 2019 http://www.asianart.org/exhibitions/tattoos-in-japanese-prints The colorful dragon you saw writhing on the arm of your barista this morning. The bold lion surrounded by peonies inked on the torso of that guy at the gym. Maybe the snake circling your own ankle. Did you know tattoos like these can be traced back to a famous series of 19th-century Japanese woodblock prints, which was itself inspired by a popular 14th-century Chinese martial-arts novel? Tattoos in Japanese Prints recounts how large-scale, densely composed pictorial tattoos — what we now recognize...
Sacrament: Crocker Art Museum to present “Chiura Obata: An American Modern” Now – Sept. 29
Crocker Art Museum 216 O Street, Sacrament, CA 95814 “Chiura Obata: An American Modern” June 23 – Sept. 29 Born in Okayama, Japan, Chiura Obata (1885–1975) emigrated to the United States in 1903 and embarked on a sevendecade career that saw the enactment of anti-immigration laws and the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. He nevertheless emerged as a leading figure in the Northern California art scene and as an influential educator, teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, for nearly 20 years and acting as founding director of art schools in two of the internment...
Santa Barbara’s world-famous Lotusland reopens Japanese Garden
Ganna Walska Lotusland in Santa Barbara reopens the Japanese Garden on June 15 to the public after the $6 million renovation project which began in February 2017. The extensive renovation project honors the original 1960s garden and viison of Ganna Walska, founder of Lotusland, and Frank Fujii. Lotusland’s Japanese Garden is reminiscent of an authentic Japanese strolling garden with its large central pond, using the design technique called shakei, to “borrow” a view or element of the larger landscape and incorporate it into the garden. The view of Montecito Peak framed by the Torii Gate is a perfect example....
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Washington Dulles International Airport is a public airport in Dulles, Virginia, 26 miles (41.6 km) west of downtown Washington, D.C. The airport serves the Baltimore-Washington-Northern Virginia metropolitan area centered on the District of Columbia. It is named after John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State under Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Dulles main terminal is a well-known landmark designed by Eero Saarinen. Operated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Dulles Airport occupies 11,830 acres (47.9 km2) straddling the border of Fairfax County and Loudoun County, Virginia. Dulles lies in two unincorporated communities, Chantilly and Dulles, west of Herndon and southwest of Sterling. Washington Dulles Airport is the largest airport in the Washington Metropolitan Area and is one of the country's busiest airports with over 23 million passengers a year. On a typical day, more than 60,000 passengers depart Washington Dulles to more than 125 destinations around the world.
URL: http://www.mwaa.com/dulles/dulles.htm
Location: Dulles, Virginia, 26 miles (41.6 km) west of downtown Washington, D.C.
Airlines and destinations
Aeroflot Moscow-Sheremetyevo A
Aeromexico Mexico City A
Air France Paris-Charles de Gaulle A
All Nippon Airways Tokyo-Narita B
American Airlines Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami B
Austrian Airlines operated by Tyrolean Airways Vienna B
Avianca Bogota, La Paz, San Salvador B
British Airways London-Heathrow B
Brussels Airlines Brussels B
Cayman Airways Seasonal: Grand Cayman A
Copa Airlines Panama City A
Delta Air Lines Atlanta
Seasonal: Cancun, Minneapolis/St. Paul B
Delta Connection operated by Chautauqua Airlines New York-LaGuardia B
Delta Connection operated by Compass Airlines Atlanta, Minneapolis/St. Paul B
Delta Connection operated by ExpressJet Detroit B
Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia B
Emirates Dubai A
Ethiopian Airlines Addis Ababa B
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi A
Icelandair Seasonal: Reykjavik-Keflavik A
JetBlue Airways Boston, Long Beach, New York-JFK
Seasonal: Oakland B
KLM Amsterdam A
Korean Air Seoul-Incheon A
Lufthansa Frankfurt, Munich B
Porter Airlines Toronto-Billy Bishop A
Qatar Airways Doha B
Saudia Jeddah, Riyadh A
Scandinavian Airlines Copenhagen B
South African Airways Dakar, Johannesburg B
Southwest Airlines Chicago-Midway, Denver B
Sun Air International Hagerstown, Lancaster B
Turkish Airlines Istanbul-Ataturk B
United Airlines Albuquerque, Amsterdam, Aruba, Austin, Bahrain, Beijing-Capital, Boston, Brussels, Cancun, Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Doha, Dubai, Dublin, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Geneva, Grand Cayman, Guatemala City, Honolulu, Houston-Intercontinental, Kuwait, Las Vegas, London-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Manchester (UK), Mexico City, Munich, New Orleans, Orlando, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Phoenix, Portland (OR), Raleigh/Durham, Rio de Janeiro-Galeao, Rome-Fiumicino, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose de Costa Rica, San Juan, San Salvador, Sao Paulo-Guarulhos, Seattle/Tacoma, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Tampa, Tokyo-Narita, Zurich
Seasonal: Hartford, Miami, Montego Bay, Punta Cana, Vancouver C,D
United Express operated by CommutAir Allentown/Bethlehem, Binghamton, Charleston (WV), Charlottesville, Cleveland, Fayetteville (NC), Newark, Norfolk, State College (PA), Syracuse A
United Express operated by ExpressJet Albany, Atlanta, Buffalo, Burlington, Charleston (SC), Charleston (WV), Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbia (SC), Columbus (OH), Dayton, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Greensboro, Greenville/Spartanburg, Hartford, Houston-Intercontinental, Huntsville, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Louisville, Montreal-Trudeau, Nashville, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Newark, Norfolk, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Portland (ME), Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, Roanoke, Rochester (NY), Savannah, Syracuse, Toronto-Pearson, Tulsa
Seasonal: Quebec City A, C, & D
United Express operated by GoJet Airlines Albany, Austin, Burlington, Detroit, Grand Rapids (begins July 1, 2013), Hartford, Jacksonville (FL), Kansas City, Minneapolis/St. Paul (begins July 2, 2013), Montreal-Trudeau, New Orleans, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Portland (ME), Richmond, Rochester (NY), St. Louis, San Antonio, Syracuse, Toronto-Pearson, Tulsa (begins July 2, 2013) A, C, & D
United Express operated by Mesa Airlines Albany, Atlanta, Austin, Boston (begins July 2, 2013), Buffalo, Charleston (SC), Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Dayton, Detroit, Hartford, Indianapolis, Jacksonville (FL), Kansas City, Miami, Nashville, New York-LaGuardia, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Portland (ME), Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Rochester (NY), Savannah, Syracuse A, C, & D
United Express operated by Republic Airlines Albany, Buffalo, Burlington, Cleveland, Columbus (OH), Newark, Norfolk, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Syracuse, Toronto-Pearson A, C, & D
United Express operated by Shuttle America Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus (OH), Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Grand Rapids (begins July 5, 2013), Hartford, Houston-Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Jacksonville (FL), Kansas City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montreal-Trudeau, New Orleans, New York-LaGuardia, Newark, Norfolk, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Rochester (NY), San Antonio, Toronto-Pearson
Seasonal: Fort Myers, Halifax A, C, & D
United Express operated by Silver Airways Altoona, Beckley, Clarksburg, Johnstown, Lewisburg (WV), Morgantown, Shenandoah Valley A, C, & D
United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines Atlanta, Austin, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Columbus (OH), Dallas/Fort Worth, Dayton, Detroit, Houston-Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New Orleans, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Raleigh/Durham, San Antonio, Toronto-Pearson, Tulsa
Seasonal: Halifax (begins July 2, 2013) A, C, & D
United Express operated by Trans States Airlines Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Grand Rapids, Greenville/Spartanburg, Harrisburg, Hartford, Philadelphia, Portland (ME), Richmond, Rochester (NY), St. Louis
Seasonal: Myrtle Beach A, C, & D
US Airways Seasonal: Charlotte Z
US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin Charlotte Z
US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines Charlotte Z
US Airways Express operated by Piedmont Airlines Charlotte Z
US Airways Express operated by PSA Airlines Charlotte Z
Virgin America Los Angeles, San Francisco B
Virgin Atlantic Airways London-Heathrow A
*Source of information: Wikipedia.
Cruise to Mediterranean
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Cheap Flights to Orlando
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Footrests, Pedals & Pegs
Foot Pegs & Pedal Pads
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Condition: For parts or not working Brand:
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Change country: -Select- Antigua and Barbuda Aruba Australia Austria Bahamas Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Bermuda Bolivia Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Cambodia Canada Cayman Islands Colombia Croatia, Republic of Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dominica Egypt Estonia Finland France French Guiana Germany Gibraltar Greece Grenada Guadeloupe Guernsey Hong Kong Hungary Iceland Indonesia Ireland Italy Japan Jersey Jordan Korea, South Kuwait Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Malaysia Maldives Malta Martinique Mexico Monaco Montserrat Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Norway Oman Pakistan Paraguay Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Reunion Romania Saint Kitts-Nevis Saint Lucia Saudi Arabia Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Turks and Caicos Islands United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay
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The EDB Blog
Database pioneer, Dr. Michael Stonebraker to Deliver Day 2 Keynote at Postgres Vision
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Michael Stonebraker will deliver the day two keynote presentation at our fourth annual Postgres Vision conference in Boston.
Dr. Stonebraker has been a pioneer of database research and technology for more than forty years. He was the main architect of the INGRES relational DBMS, and the object-relational DBMS, POSTGRES. These prototypes were developed at the University of California at Berkeley where Stonebraker was a Professor of Computer Science for twenty-five years.
Register now to save your seat for his talk, The Land Sharks are on the Squawk Box (Where Did Postgres Come From?)
This Turing Award talk intermixes a bicycle ride across America during the summer of 1988 with the design, construction, and commercialization of Postgres during the late ’80s and early ’90s. Striking parallels are observed, leading to a discussion of what it takes to build a new DBMS. Also, indicated are the roles that perseverance and serendipity played in both endeavors.
More About Dr. Michael Stonebraker
More recently at M.I.T., he was a co-architect of the Aurora/Borealis stream processing engine, the C-Store column-oriented DBMS, the H-Store transaction processing engine, the SciDB array DBMS, and the Data Tamer data curation system. Presently he serves as Chief Technology Officer of Paradigm4 and Tamr, Inc.
Professor Stonebraker was awarded the ACM System Software Award in 1992 for his work on INGRES. Additionally, he was awarded the first annual SIGMOD Innovation award in 1994 and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1997. He was awarded the IEEE John Von Neumann award in 2005 and the 2014 Turing Award and is presently an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at M.I.T, where he is co-director of the Intel Science and Technology Center focused on big data.
Cloud Database
Enterprise Database
EnterpriseDB News
Open Source Databases
Oracle Migration
Postgres & Kubernetes
Postgres Integrations
Why We Need a New Type of Open Source Event
Comparison of MongoDB vs. PostgreSQL
Report from Day Two of Postgres Vision 2019
Report from Day One of Postgres Vision 2019
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Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards' Speech at the DNC
"Make no mistake: Women's health and rights are on the line and on the ballot in this election."
By Kate Storey
Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, took the stage at the Democratic National Convention and laid out exactly what is at stake for women's reproductive rights this election.
"As first lady, Hillary [Clinton] declared to the world that, 'women's rights are human rights,'" Richards began. "She worked with Republicans and Democrats to help create the Children's Health Insurance Program, which now covers 8 million kids. As Secretary of State, was a champion for women and girls around the globe. And she will always stand up for Roe v. Wade and the right of every woman to access a full range of reproductive health care, including abortion, no matter her economic status."
In January, Planned Parenthood Action Fund endorsed Clinton, and it recently gave her vice presidential running mate, Tim Kaine, an 100% rating for his support of equal pay legislation and pro-women's health legislation while in the Senate. (Kaine has said he personally opposes abortion but supports a woman's right to choose.)
For the first time in its history, the Republican platform condemned Planned Parenthood by name, and Republican nominee Donald Trump has promised to support legislation that defunds the organization. Richards told the story of Dayna Farris Fisher, a mom in Dallas who was diagnosed with breast cancer and received treatment from Planned Parenthood.
"When Donald Trump and Mike Pence say they'll defund Planned Parenthood, they're talking about cutting women like Dayna off from life-saving care," Richards said. "Make no mistake: Women's health and rights are on the line and on the ballot in this election.
"Not long ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the Texas laws that forced abortion providers to close their doors are dangerous and unconstitutional," she continued. "But the fight's not over. Donald Trump has pledged to appoint justices who will overturn Roe v. Wade and undo decades of progress."
Richards also recalled Trump's history of calling women "fat pigs" and "dogs," pointed out his stance that women should be punished for having abortions, and described the time he called pregnancy an "inconvenience" for employers.
Richards concluded: "Well, Donald Trump, come November, women are going to be more than an inconvenience. We're going to be the reason you're not elected."
Follow Kate on Twitter.
From: Cosmopolitan US
Kate Storey Senior Staff Writer Kate is a writer for Esquire covering culture, politics, style, and lifestyle.
More From Political News 2019
Dr. Leana Wen Is Leaving Planned Parenthood
The 'Squad' Responds to Trump's Racist Tweets
What You Need to Know About the Title X 'Gag Rule'
Trump Was Tinged by a Racial
Clowns Do Clownery at Clown Palace
Saudi Arabia to Relax Male Guardianship System
Sunday's ICE Raids: What to Know
A Deep Dive Into Nancy Pelosi and AOC's Feud
Amazon Wants to Make a 'War Cloud'
Planned Parenthood Endorses a Primary Presidential Candidate for the First Time in 100 Years
People Are Thanking Cecile Richards on Twitter
Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards Responds to That Undercover Video
Cecile Richards to Leave Planned Parenthood
Ivanka Trump Met With Planned Parenthood
Jared and Ivanka Tried to Buy an Abortion Ban
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A CONCISE LEXICON OF/FOR THE DIGITAL COMMONS, Raqs Media Collective, 2003
Access: The facility to log on and log in to a space or a network where people and meanings gather. To be present, to have the ability, the key, to decode a signal, to open doors, to be able to download/upload on to any system of signs and signals - be it the Internet, a book, an art work, or a dinner party. There can be no excess of access.
Bandwidth: Describes the dimensions that are necessary for messages, signals and communications to get through. The greater the bandwidth of a system, the higher the number of messages, and higher the quantum of information that it can accommodate at any given time. It follows from this that access is a function of bandwidth. More people can make themselves heard when there is room for them to speak and be spoken to. Bandwidth translates into content-rich information, streams of video, audio, and text flowing into each other. It also translates at the moment into cash. The hard cash and control that comes from selling pictures and sounds and numbers to more and more people.
Code: That which carries embedded within it a sign. A code is always a way of saying something to mean something other than that which is merely said. A code can be 'opened', in the sense that it can be accessed and entered, as opposed to 'broken'. An open-access culture of communication 'reveals the source' of its codes. A closed culture of communication blocks access to its codes. "Free code" is code which welcomes entry, and is open to change. "Free Code" needs to be shared for it to grow. Code connotes community, a community of "encoders, decoders and code sharers". Like eggs, code is sometimes best had scrambled.
Data: Information. Can mean anything from numbers to images, from white noise to noise to sound. A weather report, a portrait, a shadow in surveillance footage, a salary statement, birth and death statistics, a headcount in a gathering of friends, private e-mail, ultra high frequency signals, sale and purchase transactions and the patterns made by pedestrians as they walk in a city - all of this can be and is data. Data, like coal, uranium and other minerals vital to the running of the world economy is mined, processed, refined and sold at a high price. Battlefields, early twenty first century inter-personal relationships and stock exchanges have been known to be hypersensitive to data traffic. Data mining is a major emerging industry in Delhi. The miners lead very quiet days, and spend long nights coding in low temperature zones called "Data Outsourcing Centres". Contrarily, the word 'Data' (dãtã) in Hindi/Sanskrit is taken to mean "giver", which suggests that one must always be generous with information, and make gifts of our code, images and ideas. To be stingy with data is to violate an instance of the secret and sacred compacts of homophonic words from different cultural/spatial orbits ('dãtã' in Hindi and 'data' in English) as they meet in the liminal zone between languages, in the thicket of the sound of quotidian slips of the tongue. Errors in transmission and understanding too carry gifts and data.
Ensemble: The conceit or delight in togetherness in an increasingly anomic, fragmented world. Playing or working together to create finished or unfinished works. Chamber musicians, criminals, code-hackers and documentarists form ensembles. Artists try to. Effective ensembles are high bandwidth assemblies that build into their own architecture portals for random access into themselves. They are, when they are at their best, open systems that place a premium on shared information within them. They can at times maintain high levels of secrecy while seemingly appearing to be transparent. Here, confidentiality is an index of practices in gestation. Mined data is, sometimes, restored to natural states of information entropy in data dissembling ensembles, which have been found to work best at night in media labs. The Raqs Media Collective is an ensemble and everything it does is an ensemble of existing or anticipated practices.
Fractal: The self-organising design of repeating, replicating structures, often found in snowflakes, tree branch growth patterns, molecular structures and free code. Every part of a fractal pattern carries within it the signature or the emboss of the whole. A single fractal iteration carries within it the kernels of all others of its kind. Every fractal is a rescension of every other fractal that has grown from within it. In the same way a fragment of free code, or free cultural code, carries within it a myriad possibilities of its own reproduction and dispersal within a shared symbolic or information space. Fractals best describe the geometry of the matrices that are formed when data is shared instead of being just mined and shipped by a community of coders. Fractals are the fruit trees of the unconscious designing mind.
Gift: Something freely given, and taken, as in free code. Gift givers and gift takers are bound in networks of random or pre-meditated acts of symbolic exchange. The code begets the gift as the form of its own survival over time. In this way a gift is a quiet meme. Reciprocity begets reciprocity. The principle of the gift demands that the things being given be price-less, in other words so valuable as to be impossible to quantify in terms of the possibilities of abstract generalised exchange. The gift must at the same time, be easy to bear and keep, easy to use and there must be no guilt involved in its destruction or dispersal when its use value either changes or demands re-distribution in order to be effective. Gifts open doors to our own possibilities of generosity. In this way they facilitate access to the things we did not even know we had. And, there is such a thing as a free lunch, although it requires the pursuit of a special recipe.
Heterogeneous: That which begins in many places, like the story of a person's life. Diverse, dispersed, distributed, as in the authorship of culture, and in the trajectories of people who come to a site. Interpretations and ideas embrace greater freedom only when they encompass heterogeneity. In this, they are like most intimacies and some kinds of fruitcake. The richer they are, the more layers they have.
Iteration: An articulation, when seen as an event, is an iteration. Utterances, whispers, manifestoes, graffiti, stories, rumours and fragments of poetry found in the streets - each of these are iterations. The organised rendition of a stretch of code is also an iteration. Iteration implies a willingness to say something, and access to the means of saying it, and a time in which it can be said. Every iteration resonates through orbiting memes that are set off on their vectors by the fact of an utterance. An iteration is the kernel of a rescenscion. It needs to be said, and then said again.
Journal: A record of the everyday. Annals of matters varied and quotidian. Data from day to day to day. On reams or scraps of any material that can carry the emboss of time. The material may vary from newsprint to video to sound to binary code, or a combination of the same, and the journal may transmogrify from being a witness, to a participant in that which is being recorded. The extent and scale of 'participation' depends on the frequency of entries into the journal, and the number of correspondents it can muster. The higher the frequency of entries or number of correspondents, the greater is the intensity of the inscription of a time on a journal. A densely, thickly inscribed journal is one that is usually open access in terms of writing, reading and publishing. Why else would strangers want to write in? An open journal expects to be published anywhere at all. An open journal actively practices xenophilly. When a journal becomes more than a gazetteer of a moment it turns into a history. It then begins to make sense of itself as much as it does about a time that it spans. Conversely, every history begins life as a journal.
Kernel: The core of a work or an idea. The central rescension, of a narrative, a code, a set of signs or any other structure that invites modification, extrapolation and interpretation, by its very presence. Here, the term core must not be confused with 'origin' or with any other attributions of originality, which mean little within an open access system. It is almost impossible to determine the origins of a code, because the deeper we go into the constitutive elements of a code, the more it branches out to a series of nodes within and outside a given system of signs. It is more meaningful to talk of the 'custody', rather than the 'origin' of any system of signs. A kernel is often the custodian of a line of ideas that represents within itself a momentarily unique configuration. Kernels embody materials in states of intense concentration. This is because they have to encapsulate a lot of information, or nourishment, or structure building materials, within very limited dimensions. The density of information within a kernel is a key to its own extensibility. The more the thread that is rolled into a tight ball, the more it can be unwound. Kernels, by their limitedness and compactness, are portable, not cumbersome. As in the kernels of certain fruits, they may be hard to crack, but once they have been opened, they yield delicious and nourishing stuff. Kernels lend themselves to easy reproduction, but are fragile and often in need of protection. This protection may also come in the form of an outer layer of interpretation, which states the purposes and nature of the kernel, so that it is not prised open to answer every basic query about itself.
Meme: The life form of ideas. A bad idea is a dead meme. The transience as well as the spread of ideas can be attributed to the fact that they replicate, reproduce and proliferate at high speed. Ideas, in their infectious state, are memes. Memes may be likened to those images, thoughts and ways of doing or understanding things that attach themselves, like viruses, to events, memories and experiences, often without their host or vehicle being fully aware of the fact that they are providing a location and transport to a meme. The ideas that can survive and be fertile on the harshest terrain tend to do so, because they are ready to allow for replicas of themselves, or permit frequent and far-reaching borrowals of their elements in combination with material taken from other memes. If sufficient new memes enter a system of signs, they can radically alter what is being signified. Cities are both breeding grounds and terminal wards for memes. To be a meme is a condition that every work with images and sounds could aspire towards, if it wanted to be infectious, and travel. Dispersal and infection are the key to the survival of any idea. A work with images, sounds and texts, needs to be portable and vulnerable, not static and immune, in order to be alive. It must be easy to take apart and assemble, it must be easy to translate, but difficult to paraphrase, and easy to gift. A dead meme is a bad idea.
Nodes: Any structure that is composed of concentrated masses of materials which act as junction points for the branching out of extensible parts of the overall system may be described as nodal. The concentrations or junctions being the nodes. A nodal structure is a rhizomic structure, it sets down roots (that branch out laterally) as it travels. Here, nodes may also be likened to the intersection points of fractal systems, the precise locations where new fractal iterations arises out of an existing pattern. A work that is internally composed of memes is inherently nodal. Each meme is a junction point or a node for the lateral branching out of the vector of an idea. In a work that is made up of interconnected nodes, the final structure that emerges is that of a web, in which every vector eventually passes through each node, at least once on its orbit through the structure of the work. In such a structure it becomes impossible to suppress or kill an idea, once it is set in motion, because its vectors will make it travel quickly through the nodes to other locations within the system, setting off chains of echoes and resonances at each node that trace a path back to the kernel of the idea. These echoes and resonances are rescensions, and each node is ultimately a direct rescension of at least one other node in the system and an indirect rescension of each junction within a whole cluster of other nodes. Nodes, when written, perhaps erroneously, as 'no-des' gives rise to an intriguing hybrid English/Eastern-Hindi neologism, a companion to the old words - 'des', and 'par-des'. 'Des' (in some eastern dialects of Hindi, spoken by many migrants to Delhi) is simply homeland or native place; 'par-des' suggests exile, and an alien land. 'No-des' is that site or way of being, in 'des' or in 'par-des', where territory and anxieties about belonging, don't go hand in hand. Nodes in a digital domain are No-des.
Orbit: A path that describes the continuous movement of anything within a structure. Because the movement within it is continuous, it (an Orbit) is also impossible to define in terms of origin or destination. What is possible to determine at any given moment is the vector of an orbit. A meme, when orbiting within a structure of signs, is neither travelling away from its origin, nor is it travelling towards a destination. This is why, in an open access system, which is composed of memes, it is meaningless to talk in terms of authors and audiences, rather one can only speak of the node where one got on to an idea, and the junction where one got off, perhaps to enter the vector of another orbiting meme. Sometimes a work of interpretation, like certain comets and other stellar objects, can have an eccentric orbit. This means that there is always a likelihood of a cluster of signs and images from afar, brushing past objects on its path, entering the orbits of other constellations, when it is least expected to. The sky of meaning is full of shooting stars.
Portability: The feature of a system or work that best describes its ability to move quickly through different spaces and mediums. A sign or a meme that can travel well between image, sound and text media is portable. A work, which while it speaks of one site, is understood in another location, is portable. A work that describes many locations in the course of its interpretative orbit is also portable. A portable work is rich in memes, which act as engines for its movements, and is endowed with compact kernels that can travel well without danger of being cracked open. Briefcases, languages, post cards, Swiss knives, computers, jests, stories and shoes are portable. Gifts, because they change hands, must always be portable. Monuments can never be. The life histories of some (itinerant) individuals and (nomadic) communities make them approximate the condition of portability.
QUOTIDIAN
Quotidian: Common but not commonplace. The memorable nature of the everyday. Memory walking down a street and turning a corner. Memory buzzing in a hard disk. Ubiquitous, the dirt in a site, the fog in a liminal zone, that which is thickened through repetition. Milk, computers, onions, computers, pyjamas, computers, carpal tunnel syndrome, computers, accidents, computers, sex, computers, bread, computers, night, computers, class, computers, skin, computers, love, computers, money, computers, headaches, computers, police, computers, buses, computers, bicycle, computers, radio, computers, horoscopes, computers, matrimonials, computers, funerals, computers, biscuits, computers, conversations, computers, silences, computers. The quotidian is that which makes a journal turn, over time, into a history, because it induces the search for patterns and meanings in an otherwise tangled mass of time, in memes iterated beyond reasonable limits. Routine, yet random, the quotidian nature of anything demands fleeting moments of lucid engagement with the real world, which now includes within it the world that is forged every time any fingers do a qwerty dance on a keyboard. The quotidian is a measure of all things, rare and commonplace.
RESCENSION
"escension: A re-telling, a word taken to signify the simultaneous existence of different versions of a narrative within oral, and from now onwards, digital cultures. Thus one can speak of a 'southern' or a 'northern' rescension of a myth, or of a 'female' or 'male' rescension of a story, or the possibility (to begin with) of Delhi/Berlin/Tehran 'rescensions' of a digital work. The concept of rescension is contraindicative of the notion of hierarchy. A rescension cannot be an improvement, nor can it connote a diminishing of value. A rescension is that version which does not act as a replacement for any other configuration of its constitutive materials. The existence of multiple rescensions is a guarantor of an idea or a work's ubiquity. This ensures that the constellation of narrative, signs and images that a work embodies is present, and waiting for iteration at more than one site at any given time. Rescensions are portable and are carried within orbiting kernels within a space. Rescensions, taken together constitute ensembles that may form an interconnected web of ideas, images and signs.
Site: Location, both as in the fact of being somewhere, and also, as in the answer to the question of "where", that "somewhere" is. Hence, situation. In a system of signs, site - understood in the sense of the kernel of a situation - is not necessarily a place, although a place is always a site. A site can be a situation between and through places. A website is an address on the Internet that always implies a relation of desire between hosts and visitors. In other words, it doesn't really mean anything for a place to exist (virtually) if it is left un-visited. In this way, a site can be both located as well as liminal. Real as well as potential. A system of signs (a work) that carries the markings of a location on a map may be situated in the relation that a map has to the world. It may be situated between the map and the world. This situation may be a special characteristic of the work's portability, in that, although mobile the work always refers to the relation between sites that fall on its orbit. In this way, marking a site as an address calls for the drawing up of relations between a location and the world. A site is a place where the address is. A site is a place where the work belongs. A situation between these two locations (where the work is and where it belongs) is a site where the work orbits. A site is also a place where people need to wear hard hats to protect them from random falling bodies, travelling in eccentric orbits.
Tools: Things that help make things. Ideas, instruments, concepts, ways of doing things, and ways of being or acting together that are conducive to creative work. In the context of an online environment, a community or an ensemble of people is as much an instrument as a software application. Conversely, a tool emerges when a group of people discover a method that helps them act together to create something. Again, a work that acts as a navigation aid, a browser or interface in a web of memes, is also a tool with which to open and search for other tools.
Ubiquity: Everywhere-ness. The capacity to be in more than one site. The simple fact of heterogeneous situation, a feature of the way in which clusters of memes, packets of data, orbit and remain extant in several nodal points within a system. The propensity of a meme towards ubiquity increases with every iteration, for once spoken, it always already exists again and elsewhere. It begins to exist and be active (even if dormantly) in the person spoken to as well as in the speaker. Stories, and the kernels of ideas travel in this way. A rescension, when in orbit, crosses the paths of its variants. The zone where two orbits intersect is usually the site of an active transaction and transfer of meanings. Each rescension, carries into its own trajectory memes from its companion. In this way, through the encounters between rescensions, ideas spread, travel and tend towards ubiquity. That which is everywhere is difficult to censor, that which is everywhere has no lack of allies. To be ubiquitous is to be present and dispersed in 'no-des'. Sometimes, ubiquity is the only effective answer to censorship and isolation.
Vector: The direction in which an object moves, factored by the velocity of its movement. An idea spins and speeds at the same time. The intensity of its movement is an attribute of the propensity it has to connect and touch other ideas. This gives rise to its vector functions. The vector of a meme is always towards other memes, in other words, the tendency of vectors of data is to be as ubiquitous as possible. This means that an image, code or an idea must attract others to enter into relationships that ensure its portability and rapid transfer through different sites and zones. The vectors of different memes, when taken together, form a spinning web of code.
Web: An open fabric woven of strands and knotted at usually regular, but equally possibly irregular, intervals. Intricately structured, accessible and yet endowed with complex networks of coded messages. The world wide web is a zone in which a digital constellation of memes can find an orbit. A web of code is used to harvest meanings, just as a web of threads is used to harvest fish.
XENOPHILLY
Xenophilly: Friendliness and hospitality towards others, a human quality that best describes the moral economy of an ideal digital domain. The search for connectedness, and the desire to travel along the vectors from elsewhere. The meaning of the hyphen that transforms 'no-des' into a positive value.
Yarn: Fabrics, and stories, are made from yarn. A yarn is a snatch of reality that travels by word of mouth. Or it is shipped along with lots of html cargo. It is said that each fragment of code contains rumours and gossip, or yarns about the makers of the code. Yarns collect in basement cyber cafes, in stairwells of cinemas, in call centres and behind the opaque surface of the walls of an apartment whose address is Error 404, which can be anywhere and everywhere at once. In these places, yarn collectors stitch different stretches of code-fabric to make long bolts of data, which are then taken apart by hackers, and distributed into many orbits. Yarns can adjust the amount of information they bear in relation to the width of bandwidth. That is why yarns are good kernels.
Zone: A site, within a location, or a work, that demands an attenuated awareness because of the porosity of the lines that demarcate its existence. A zone is differentiated from a grid that frames a site because its borders are fluid and accessible, or because they witness a lot of traffic. It is difficult to distinguish the centre from the liminal periphery of a zone. Alertness about where one stands is a prerequisite for entering any zone. A zone may also be described as the overlap between orbits in a work, where memes transfer material from one orbit to another, where logic likes to fuzz. The zone of a work extends to the outer circumference of the orbit of its ideas. Zones are places where serendipity might be commonplace, and the commonplace serendipitous. They are best entered and exited at twilight on shunting cars along abandoned railroads that connect different data stations. The timing of twilight may vary, depending on one's longitude, but twilight lingers longer in the zone of the web.
Raqs Media Collective (2003) A Concise Lexicon of/for the Digital Commons, In: Sarai Reader 03 Shaping Technologies. Editorial Collective: Jeebesh Bagchi, Monica Narula, Ravi Sundaram, Ravi S Vasudevan, Shuddhabrata Sengupta, and Awadhendra Sharan (Sarai); Geert Lovink and Marleen Stikker (Waag Society). 2003. p357-365. Sarai-CDS Delhi / WAAG Amesterdam. p357-365.
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Mr. Belding and Mr. Rooney: The evolving role of the principal
by Adam Rhew | July 30, 2018
What does it mean to be a school leader? The answer is increasingly complex. Leading in a school may mean wearing many hats, often at the same time: counselor, disciplinarian, accountant, confidante, parental figure, friend, mentor and chief executive. How do teachers and principals prepare for the many roles of a school leader? What are ways teachers are taking leadership roles both in and out of the classroom? How are some teachers making the transition to the principal role? How does the state ensure a healthy and balanced pipeline of principals and assistant principals in schools across all 100 counties? This week, we explore the role of school leaders —formal and informal —and hear their stories. Join us.
Adam Rhew attended Beverly Woods Elementary, Carmel Middle, and South Mecklenburg High schools, all part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. He earned a journalism and political science degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a contributor to Southern Living, Charlotte magazine, and SBNation Longform, among other publications. Previously, Adam was an award-winning television and radio news reporter, with stops at stations in Chapel Hill, N.C., Charlottesville and Richmond, Va., and Charlotte, N.C.… Read full bio »
adam.rhew@gmail.com
@AdamRhew
Principal Kristy Thomas walks with students at Rock Rest Elementary School. Alex Granados/EducationNC
Principals, depicted in popular culture, tend to fall into two categories.
There is Mr. Belding, the beloved, fatherly figure from ’90s television show Saved by the Bell, who nurtures his students and occasionally disciplines them in an aw, shucks kind of way. And then there is Principal Rooney, the spiteful buzzkill out to ruin Ferris Bueller’s perfect day off.
And while it is easy to laugh at Mr. Rooney careening through a neighborhood to catch kids playing hooky, the underlying message is telling. Principals may make for easy Hollywood archetypes, but most people have little idea of the complex responsibilities of school leaders.
“We’ve not looked at the role of principal as anything more than the old school marm. The one where you send the child who’s undisciplined,” says state Rep. Craig Horn (R-Union), who chairs the House committees on K-12 education and education appropriations. “We’ve taken principals for granted. Shame on us. The schoolhouse of today is not the schoolhouse of 20 or 50 years ago.”
The role of the principal is evolving, and North Carolina is struggling to keep up.
“Principals can no longer function simply as building managers tasked with adhering to district rules, carrying out regulations and avoiding mistakes,” says a report from the Wallace Foundation, a national nonprofit that promotes school leadership. “They have to be (or become) leaders of learning who can develop a team delivering effective instruction.”
But what does that mean for principals in this state’s schoolhouses?
“They need to be the leaders,” says Shirley Prince, executive director of the North Carolina Principals’ and Assistant Principals’ Association. “A principal cannot abdicate that role.” Leadership, she says, means more than pushing paper or being the disciplinarian. Principals must build an atmosphere that fosters positive relationships, a culture that Prince says should be focused on “trust and shared purpose and high expectations.”
But North Carolinians—from legislators who set policy and appropriate money to parents who pack lunches and attend PTA meetings—have fallen back on archetypal depictions of principals, relying on outdated assumptions of how the state ought to select, train, pay, and support the leaders of its public schools.
“In my view, the most critical adult in the school building is the principal,” Horn says. “The principal is the one who hires or fires the teachers. The principal is the one who sets the tone in the school.
“Most of us for the last several years, maybe many, many years have not looked at the schoolhouse in the bigger picture, in its entirety.”
A Critical Look
In 2015, the advocacy group BEST NC (the acronym stands for Business for Educational Success and Transformation), noticing the national evolution in principal preparation programs, sought to understand how North Carolina trained its schoolhouse leaders. “At the time,” a 2018 BEST NC policy brief says, “the research base on principal training within North Carolina specifically was nascent, and publically-available statewide data almost non-existent.”
Working with a Duke University graduate student, BEST NC commissioned research into the state of principal prep in North Carolina. The trends were alarming.
BEST NC found that teachers self-selected into the principal profession, and most principal prep programs in the state accepted nearly 100 percent of applicants. In other words, any teacher who decided to be a principal and could pay the tuition would be accepted—even if he or she was not well suited to lead a school. “Programs are incentivized, therefore, to offer the least expensive, fastest option,” the brief explains. “Most principals enter the profession in North Carolina without any on-the-job training,” which is a stark contrast to leadership roles in virtually all other professions. North Carolina does not require a full-time residency for principal candidates to get hands-on learning in a leadership role.
The BEST NC report points out that these challenges are not unique to North Carolina, and studies since the 1980s have indicated similar challenges across the nation. “Despite the critical importance of the role,” the policy brief says, “a thoughtful approach to school leadership training is simply not the norm.”
The report’s conclusions were sobering.
“Our traditional principal prep programs were not really providing the quality of principals that superintendents felt they needed to face the challenges we face,” Prince says.
Based on the new research, and behind BEST NC’s advocacy, the state legislature allocated $1 million in 2015 for the Transforming Principal Preparation program (TP3), a competitive grant program to support high quality principal preparation initiatives across the state. By using state funds for the grant, lawmakers could incorporate the pillars and best practices of successful research-based principal prep programs nationwide into TP3. These included proactive recruitment, high standards for entry, rigorous coursework, a full-time residency, and a focus on partnerships, especially in high needs schools.
The North Carolina Alliance for School Leadership Development (NCASLD) was chosen to make the grant awards and manage the TP3 process. In 2016, the group awarded the first TP3 grant to NC State University to expand its successful Northeast Leadership Academy program, to also serve Durham schools with a similar model.
That same year, the General Assembly increased recurring TP3 funding to $4.5 million, and NCASLD awarded grants to five additional principal preparation programs at Western Carolina University, High Point University, a Sandhills regional consortium, UNC Greensboro, and NC State. The programs are highly competitive with an appreciably lower acceptance rate than North Carolina principal prep programs have historically held—a third of applicants rather than nearly all.
Today, those six programs serve roughly 120 principal candidates sponsored by 46 school districts across the state. TP3 invests an average of $69,000 in each candidate’s training, and that number doesn’t count the private philanthropy and local district fund-matching dollars often included.
“We feel really good about what’s happening in those programs,” Prince says. “There’s a lot of transformational activity going on right now.”
“Elbow Learning”
When UNC Greensboro associate professor Kimberly Kappler Hewitt and her colleagues first learned about the TP3 grant program, they were excited about the ways it could enhance their work on educational equity in rural Piedmont school districts.
“We jumped at the chance to apply,” she recalls.
Principals, Hewitt says, should be “the lead learner in a school,” but often, they have not been given the training or support to be as effective as they should be. This is especially the case in the nine rural districts with which Hewitt works in central North Carolina. “A lot of the educational leadership literature is focused on urban context, which is important,” she says. “But there is a dearth of really good research on rural educational leadership.”
Schools in these communities have seen an influx of immigrant students, particularly Latinx students, during the last two decades.
“That has really required schools to shift how they serve students so that they’re serving all of the students and not just some,” Hewitt says. But without effective principal preparation programs, many of the leaders in rural schools were ill equipped to handle new challenges of an evolving role.
North Carolina’s leaky teacher and principal pipeline exacerbated those challenges, as the most talented leaders often left for roles in larger, better-paying school systems. “Those problems are particularly acute in rural areas,” Hewitt says. “Programs like ours that try to work with districts to create a leadership pipeline, where districts can grow their own leaders, are really, really important.”
The program Hewitt and her colleagues launched in response to the TP3 call for proposals is called PPEERS: Principal Preparation for Excellence and Equity in Rural Schools. It started serving a cohort of 19 school leaders from nine rural Piedmont districts at the beginning of 2017; those future school leaders finished their program in June 2018. Now equipped with their masters degree in school administration and principal license, the members of the PPEERS cohort are obligated to work in their sponsoring districts for at least four years.
PPEERS includes a 10-month, full-time internship, during which the candidates work closely with an existing principal in one of the sponsoring district’s schools. Hewitt calls this time “elbow learning.”
“Our interns are at their mentor’s elbow,” she explains, “learning from them, shadowing them, reflecting with them.” A component of this internship includes “think alouds,” in which the mentor shares with the principal candidate some of the challenges he or she is facing, and how to process them en route to a decision. As the PPEERS internship progresses, the future school leader takes on progressively more duties in an effort to make the experiential learning worthwhile.
“There is this scaffolding that’s in place, and our interns take on more and more responsibility as time goes by,” Hewitt says. PPEERS has received state funding for at least four more years to continue the principal prep program, which translates into two cohorts of 20 principal candidates.
In addition to the hard skills required to manage a school, Hewitt is clear that principal prep must focus on building collaborative, productive relationships across the school. “Gone are the days when teachers were supposed to go in their classrooms and close their doors and do whatever they want. These are the days when we really are asking educators to work together collaboratively, to have shared responsibility of student learning,” she says. “That’s a different way of operating for many educators.”
Teacher Appreciation Week 2018
Barbie bungee jumps to teach students math
by Adam Rhew | May 8, 2018
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Brand Playbook looks at best practices for using copyrighted music–and how to avoid snafus
Indoor cycling company Peloton pedaled into some legal trouble in March—to the tune of $150 million—when the brand was sued for trademark infringement by a group of music publishers representing the likes of Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. For Peloton, which has made a name for itself by selling a fitness experience built on music, the lawsuit exemplifies a larger issue that newer brands face as they grow from scrappy upstart to seasoned marketer.
“The small startups may get away with using music without a royalty for a couple of reasons: They’re unknown to musical artists or their publishing houses, or they’re just too small to be bothered with,” says Scott Rogers, a partner in the copyright and trademark litigation group at the law firm Ulmer & Berne. “But as companies grow, continued use of unlicensed music certainly has the potential to be a real problem for them.”
When Peloton debuted seven years ago, it was relatively small and unknown. But the brand has exploded in popularity in recent years, investing more in marketing and introducing a new treadmill product as it prepares to go public this year. While it eventually removed classes featuring songs by the popular artists in question, it has also changed tactics, recently counter- suing the group of music publishers, alleging anticompetitive behavior.
“Very often there’s a cavalier attitude toward licensing music, even though music is a big part of what they’re doing,” says Owen Sloane, partner in the entertainment, media and arts department at law firm Eisner, noting the risks could include complaints from brand investors.
Experts say there are several strategies marketers can employ to avoid musical snafus—as well as the unwanted press that goes along with them—and also get the most bang for their buck. Some tactics could even improve brands’ use of music in their marketing by encouraging more consumer engagement.
“Brands that incorporate a good music strategy play a role in the consumer’s life beyond the product,” says Eric Sheinkop, author of the book “Return of the Hustle: The Art of Marketing With Music,” and an executive board member of SoStereo, a company that provides sonic identities for brands.
Try a cover
Marketers that might not be able to afford the costs of securing licenses from all of the creators involved with a song—writers, publishers and
artists—could opt for a cover version of the song instead. In this strategy, the brand only needs to get rights from publishers and, in some cases, from others, but covers are much cheaper options, experts say. Brands could also personalize cover songs for different markets—an Italian version in Italy, for example.
“It gives you the ability to localize anthems or campaigns by doing covers,” says Sheinkop.
Experiment with shorter terms
When Budweiser aired its Super Bowl spot earlier this year, it paid top dollar for the rights to Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” to promote its use of wind power—but those rights were only for a limited time, compared with the typical three-to-six-month minimums. Anheuser-Busch InBev had the Dylan rights for two weeks before turning to a rerecorded version of the song by the Cloves for future broadcasts. Using short-term rights is a smart way to save money but still make a big splash, experts say.
Do it in stages
Some music publishers are willing to work on alternative plans for startups short on cash, according to Sloane. He says that startups could devise a contract with a publisher that starts with a less expensive license, and builds to something more lucrative as the brand becomes more successful and has more money to allocate to music license fees. While this practice is not widespread, it could work for marketers like Peloton, which start small and grow more popular.
Some brands have found success in both avoiding lawsuits and keeping costs low by using a mix of music sources. Zumba, the global fitness brand based in Hallandale Beach, Florida, creates one-third of its music in-house as exclusives; sources one-third from lesser-known, independent artists; and licenses hits from established, popular musicians for the last third. The formula has worked well for the company, which can also claim it “discovered” several musicians who went on to larger success and recognition, such as Jenn Morel and Don Omar. Zumba works with thousands of artists.
“The Zumba experience has many different elements,” says AlbertoPerlman, CEO at the 18-year-old brand, noting switches from Reggaeton to hip-hop to salsa, for example. “When we can’t find the right song we say, ‘Let’s create one.’”
Consider tapping technology
There’s also more technology available to help marketers find the best music mix for their brands. Sheinkop’s company SoStereo has developed an AI tool that will create music in the vein of popular songs already in existence.
“It’s not all or nothing,” Sheinkop says, referring to the choice between expensive big-name artists or bland elevator music. “There’s a lot of opportunity in-between.”
Source: https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/primer-using-music-marketing/2170871
Bill could damage tourism sector in Cape Town
Cape Town - Interested parties including and the provincial government have slammed the Tourism Amendment Act, saying it could damage...
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China facing coal shortage
BEIJING, CHINA - China's coal supply for power generation is estimated to be 250-300 million tonnes below demand this year, a study by a senior government official showed, which may herald more power shortages in the coming seasons.
China experienced the worst power outage in four years in the past months due to coal shortages that in some degree were caused by a clampdown on small and unsafe coal mines.
Zou Yiqiao, director general of the Department of Tariffs and Financial Regulation, under the State Electricity Regulatory Commission, estimated that coal demand for power generation will surpass 1.4 billion tonnes this year and any supply volumes below that could lead to power shortages.
In 2007, a total of 1.282 billion tonnes of coal was used for power production, accounting for 51 percent of China's raw coal output of 2.523 billion tonnes last year, according to Zou.
Meanwhile, power plants that were initially reluctant to store the fuel due to soaring costs later found they were unable to secure supplies after freak winter weather disrupted transport.
The estimated deficit in coal supply for power generation was based on analysis of current production and stocks, said Zou in a study published on the commission's Web site (www.serc.gov.cn).
He did not elaborate on the current stocks and production levels.
"The coal supply and demand situation nationwide would be even grimmer given demand elsewhere from sectors including petrochemical, steel, coal deep-processing and exports," he concluded. China's five major power generating groups so far have signed less than 50 percent of the term contracts they need for this year with coal suppliers, with prices for coal in supply deals already settled up 30-40 yuan a tonne from those in 2007.
Fuel costs for the power majors will increase 29.9 billion yuan ($4.27 billion) this year and some of their power plants will operate at a loss, Zou said, citing data from the power groups.
"Power firms are facing fairly large cost pressure because of rising costs, as well as a freeze in power prices in 2007," he said, which have yet to be raised in line with a government policy to link coal and power prices.
Zou proposed that the central government choose a proper time to implement the linkage policy to alleviate the power firms' pain and ensure sustainable development of the power sector.
Under a pricing scheme instituted in 2005 that is reviewed every six months, power generators can pass 70 percent of coal price increases on to consumers when coal prices rise by more than five percent.
But China did not activate the mechanism last year and has ruled out any such hikes nationwide in the near term due to inflation concerns.
The trend of rising coal prices is irreversible in the short term, and power groups should slow down their expansion in coal-fired power plants and invest in coal mines, he suggested.
Coal-fired power plants, accounting for 78 percent of China's installed power generating capacity, generated 83 percent of China's electricity last year.
U.S. wind generating capacity surpasses hydro capacity at the end of 2016
Are solar and wind really killing coal, nuclear and grid reliability?
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Type 2 Diabetes Drug Semaglutide May Help Control Blood Sugar Better Than Similar Medications, Review Suggests
In the review, semaglutide, which is sold under the brand name Ozempic, also helped people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and lower their blood pressure.
By Shari Roan
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Semaglutide is known as a long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, and it is injected once per week.
Alamy
A review analyzing data from 13 studies suggests that the drug semaglutide helps people with type 2 diabetes better control their blood glucose compared with a number of medications.
The medication, which also helps people lose weight, is another option for adults with type 2 diabetes who have difficulty controlling their A1C level with other diabetes medication, says Panagiotis Andreadis, MD, the lead author of the study and a postgraduate researcher in the clinical research and evidence-based medicine unit of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. A1C is a two- to three-month average of blood sugar levels, and doctors use the measure to tell how well a person with diabetes is controlling their blood sugar.
“At present, metformin remains the optimal medication choice for initiating treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Andreadis says. “Semaglutide could be used as an add-on in patients inadequately controlled with oral agents, with or without insulin, especially those whose priority is weight loss.”
RELATED: 5 Tips to Help Lower Your A1C
Semaglutide, which is sold under the brand name Ozempic, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in December 2017. The medication, a once-weekly injection, is known as a long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist.
“That means it mimics the action of naturally occurring glucagon peptide-1. But what we make in the body is very short-acting,” says Patrick O’Neil, PhD, director of the Weight Management Center at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, who has studied semaglutide and weight loss. Dr. O’Neil was not involved in the new study.
A Closer Look at How Researchers Studied Semaglutide
For the study, published in May in the journal Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, researchers analyzed information from randomized, controlled studies comparing semaglutide with a placebo or other diabetes medications. They explored how well the medication controlled blood glucose, as well as any changes in participants’ body weight, blood pressure, and heart rate. The analysis also looked at whether participants developed low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or had any side effects related to the medications.
RELATED: 10 Warning Signs of Low Blood Sugar
The researchers found that semaglutide at dosages of either 0.5 or 1 milligram (mg) significantly lowered blood sugar levels compared with a placebo. Moreover, at either dose, semaglutide was more effective at controlling blood sugar levels compared with other diabetes drugs, including Januvia (sitagliptin), Bydureon (exenatide), Victoza (liraglutide), dulaglutide (Trulicity), and Lantus (insulin glargine).
Based on these studies, semaglutide seems more effective in reducing blood glucose and body weight compared with Bydureon and Trulicity, and it is at least as effective as Victoza, Andreadis says.
An earlier study on the medication, called SUSTAIN-6, which was published in November 2016 in The New England Journal of Medicine, suggested that semaglutide also lowered the risk of nonfatal heart attack and stroke in people with established cardiovascular disease, he adds.
Semaglutide was effective in lowering body weight, too. Participants on semaglutide lost an average of about nine pounds compared with those on a placebo medication, and they experienced improved blood pressure. But some side effects were more prominent among people taking semaglutide versus other medications, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
RELATED: Does Metformin Cause Weight Loss?
Limitations of the Study and a Note About the Side Effects of Semaglutide
Research so far “suggests that the percentage of patients experiencing gastrointestinal effects was higher in patients treated with semaglutide compared with other antidiabetic medications, including other GLP-1 agonists,” Andreadis says. “These events, albeit mild and generally well-tolerated in most cases, can potentially lead to discontinuation of treatment with subcutaneous semaglutide in some patients.”
Side effects were more likely to occur when people first began taking the drug or when the dose was increased, and they generally diminish over time, he adds.
The study was unable to predict the impact of semaglutide on the incidence of pancreatitis and diabetic retinopathy, both of which are linked to severe type 2 diabetes. More studies will be needed to understand the drug’s impact on those long-term complications of type 2 diabetes.
The potential of semaglutide to contribute to weight loss among people with type 2 diabetes — as well as overweight or obese people at risk for developing the disease — will be closely watched in future studies.
What Past Research on the GLP-1 Agonist Suggests and What Future Studies May Explore
In research presented in March at the Endocrine Society meeting, O’Neil presented phase 2 data showing that adults with obesity who were treated with 0.4 mg of semaglutide daily lost up to 13.8 percent of their body weight compared with those treated with a placebo, who lost 2.3 percent of their body weight. In addition, O’Neil notes, people taking weight loss medications typically plateau at around 24 weeks and fail to lose any more weight or even gain weight. “What was intriguing and promising is that we saw no weight grain at 52 weeks on any of the doses of semaglutide.”
RELATED: The Weight Loss Plans to Try and the Fad Diets to Skip for Results
All of the study participants also received counseling on diet and exercise. Further research will explore the potential of the drug to reduce obesity, which is often a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Semaglutide may spur weight loss by reducing hunger and increasing feelings of fullness. A larger phase 3 study on the impact of semaglutide on obesity is underway.
“The issue of weight is germane to the vast majority of people with diabetes,” says O’Neil. “We know losing even a modest amount of weight can improve glycemic control. I wouldn’t recommend semaglutide off-label, for weight loss alone. But when choosing diabetes medications, the potential impacts on weight for any given agent should be considered.”
Semaglutide is expected to be priced similarly to other once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonists. According to the manufacturer of semaglutide, Novo Nordisk, the medication will be offered with a savings card to reduce co-pays for those people with commercial insurance who are eligible.
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Planned execution in Texas draws high-profile protests
HOUSTON — Secretary of State John F. Kerry and a former Texas governor are part of an international coalition trying to halt Texas’ execution of a Mexican citizen this week.
Edgar Tamayo Arias, 46, is to be put to death Wednesday for fatally shooting Houston Police Officer Guy Gaddis in 1994.
Gaddis, 24, had been flagged down near a nightclub by a man who accused Tamayo of robbing him. The officer arrested Tamayo, handcuffed him and put him in the back seat of his patrol car. He was driving away when Tamayo drew a concealed pistol and shot Gaddis three times in the back of the head.
On Tuesday, a federal judge in Austin rejected Tamayo’s request for an order that would have prevented Gov. Rick Perry and the parole board from considering his clemency petition until the fairness of the state’s clemency process could be reviewed. The judge found that the clemency process satisfied constitutional requirements and did not violate Tamayo’s right to due process of law.
Tamayo’s attorneys vowed to keep fighting.
"The Texas clemency process is the weakest in the nation, in the state that executes the most. Allowing Mr. Tamayo’s fate to be decided by a board that has refused to provide meaningful consideration of evidence that Mr. Tamayo has mental retardation and that his trial was fundamentally unfair as a result of the violation of his consular rights is an affront to what clemency is supposed to be," the attorneys said in a statement.
They have petitioned Perry to grant a 30-day reprieve and the parole board to commute Tamayo’s death sentence to life in prison.
Tamayo, a laborer from Morelos state, Mexico, was in the U.S. illegally at the time of his arrest. Advocates say he was not informed of his right to diplomatic assistance under an international treaty known as the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
In an interview televised in Mexico on Tuesday, the governor of Morelos decried the "arrogance" and "racism" of Texas’ legal system and said the Tamayo case "violated a fundamental principle, which is consular assistance."
Graco Ramirez, a member of Mexico’s Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD, said that although he didn’t know whether Tamayo was guilty, "what is certain is that due process wasn’t given, and when such due process isn’t granted as a judicial principle, clearly there’s no certainty about what’s being judged."
The United Nations International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, ordered the U.S. 10 years ago to reconsider the convictions of 51 Mexicans, including Tamayo, who had been sent to death row without being told of their consular rights. Two of the 51 have since been executed, both in Texas.
In 2005, President George W. Bush ordered Texas and other states to review the 51 convictions. But Texas’ then-solicitor general, Ted Cruz, now a senator, persuaded the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that the president had no authority to order state courts to defer to the World Court.
The 32 states with capital punishment have executed 28 foreign nationals since 1976, according to the Washington-based Death Penalty Information Center, which opposes the practice.
"Mexico typically intervenes in these cases, capital cases, even before the trials occur so they often don’t result in a death sentence anymore. It might well have made a difference in Tamayo’s case," said the center’s executive director, Richard Dieter.
Mexican officials have petitioned the U.S. on Tamayo’s behalf, including Foreign Secretary Jose Antonio Meade and Ambassador to the U.S. Eduardo Medina Mora.
Last week, Mark White, a former Texas governor and state attorney general, joined the effort.
"I personally support capital punishment. But this case is not about whether we support or oppose the death penalty. It’s about fairness and having the courts hear all the key facts. In Tamayo’s case, a court review could have made a real difference," White, a Democrat, wrote in the Austin American-Statesman.
Kerry has urged Texas to reconsider.
"I have no reason to doubt the facts of Mr. Tamayo’s conviction, and as a former prosecutor, I have no sympathy for anyone who would murder a police officer," he wrote in September, adding that he was concerned that Texas’ handling of the case could affect the way Americans are treated overseas.
Kerry shared a letter he received from Medina Mora. "This issue has become and could continue to be a significant irritant in the relations between our two countries," the ambassador wrote.
Perry and other Texas officials argue that they are not bound by the World Court’s decision. Perry spokeswoman Lucy Nashed reiterated that position this week.
"It doesn’t matter where you’re from — if you commit a despicable crime like this in Texas, you are subject to our state laws, including a fair trial by jury and the ultimate penalty," Nashed said.
Tamayo’s attorneys insist that without consular assistance, he did not receive a fair trial.
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Exmouth woman with a rare life-limited condition taking on charity cycle ride
Charlotte Myatt on her recumbant tricycle. Ref exe 08 19TI 0615. Picture: Terry Ife
An Exmouth woman whose invisible illness can leave her with injuries similar to those suffered during a high impact car crash is gearing up for a 190-mile charity cycle ride.
Charlotte Myatt, 25, spent the majority of her life thinking her daily pain was ‘the norm’ and had ‘every test under the sun’ before being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome last year.
The rare condition affects the connective tissue between the skin and bones, rendering sufferers with fragile skin and making them susceptible to injury.
Former Exmouth Community College student Charlotte will attempt to ride on a recumbent tricycle from Lands End to Exmouth accompanied by her dad and uncle later this year to raise public awareness of the condition.
Charlotte is also raising funds for The Ehlers-Danlos Support UK and has already smashed her initial target of £200.
She said: “My internal organs can look like I have been in a high impact car crash, where in reality I’ve just walked down the stairs.
“I was so sick because of people saying ‘why are you on crutches?’.
“It’s really difficult when it’s an invisible illness.
“I was sick of people telling me what I could and couldn’t do.
“I was so active before the diagnosis. I thought I can do it and I would rather have a few injuries than do nothing.
“Not only is it to raise awareness of the condition, it also stops me from becoming more poorly. The less active I am, the more poorly I will get.”
Charlotte said she is in ‘excruciating pain’ every day and has had to deal with joint dislocations ‘like they are going out of fashion’.
According to Charlotte, who found out she had EDS when she was 24, it takes an average of 19 years to diagnose the condition.
She feels that with an earlier diagnosis her symptoms may not have worsened and created ‘permanent and dangerous’ damage.
The teaching assistant from Brixington will set off from Lands End on Saturday, May 25, and hopes to finish in The Strand, Exmouth on the following Monday.
Click here to sponsor Charlotte.
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Tesla driver saves unconscious man trapped in out-of-control vehicle
By Joel Hruska on February 16, 2017 at 3:09 pm
On Monday, Manfred Kick was driving his Tesla Model S on the Autobahn, not far from Munich. While behind the wheel, Kick noticed that a man driving a Volkswagen Passat in the left lane had fallen unconscious. Here’s how Kick described the situation (via Google Translate, a little fine-tuning, and Merkur.de):
I saw a car driving slowly in the left lane without using an emergency blinker…The driver had tipped forward and hung motionless in the belt. The head and hands hung limply down. I had to stop his car somehow, otherwise it would have continued indefinitely. And it was clear that the driver needed urgent help.
Other sources have reported the Passat had already begun to impact the guardrail, scraping it repeatedly as it drifted in the left lane. Kick pulled ahead of the driver, changed lanes, and slowed his vehicle, allowing the Passat to hit him and then using his own car to stop both of them on the highway. Kick climbed into the other vehicle, performed first aid, and asked other drivers who stopped (and one friend of the man in question who called during the event) to call for emergency rescuers to rescue the injured man. Doctors believe the man, whose name hasn’t been released, is now in stable condition. He suffered a stroke behind the wheel and Kick’s fast actions are credited with saving his life.
“I felt like I was in a movie,” Kick said on Tuesday. “This was an extreme situation in which you just work.”
Kirk’s Model S and the Passat sustained an estimated €10,000 damage ($10,663) — but Elon Musk has already tweeted Tesla will cover all repairs and expedite the process to get Kirk back on the road. There’s no clarification on whether Musk is covering the Passat (we assume not), and Volkswagen hasn’t chimed in with an equivalent offer. Then again, given the beating VW has taken over the past 18 months, we can’t say we’re surprised. It’s got enough recalls to process already.
The incident is under investigation by German police, since Kick technically caused an accident, but the report is a mere formality. No charges or citations are expected. Before Musk’s offer to pay for all damages to the vehicle, Kick had dismissed the repairs as a concern. “I do not know if the insurance pays,” Kick told Merkur.de. “The most important thing is that the man is all right again.”
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