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info@PandaProgrammer.com 443-26-PANDA
Scratch is a block-based visual programming language and website targeted primarily at children to help learn code. Users of the site can create online coding projects using a block-like interface. The service was developed by the MIT Media Lab, has been translated into 70+ languages, and is used in most parts of the world. Scratch is taught and used in after-school centers, schools, and colleges, as well as other public knowledge institutions. As of September 2020, community statistics on the language’s official website show more than 59 million projects shared by over 58 million users, and almost 36 million monthly website visits.
The Scratch platform lets users mix together different media (including graphics, sound, and other programs) in creative ways by creating and remixing projects, like video games and animations.
Scratch User Interface
The Scratch interface is divided into three main sections: a stage area, block palette, and a coding area to place and arrange the blocks into scripts that can be run by pressing the green flag or clicking on the code itself. Users may also create their own code blocks and they will appear in the “My Blocks” section.
The stage area features the results of running the program (e.g., animations, turtle graphics, either in a small or normal size, with a full-screen option also available) and all sprites thumbnails being listed in the bottom area. The stage uses cartesian coordinates (x and y), with (0,0) being the stage center.
With a sprite selected at the bottom of the staging area, blocks of commands can be applied to it by dragging them from the block palette into the coding area. The Costumes tab allows users to change the look of the sprite in order to create various effects, including animation. The Sounds tab allows attaching sounds and music to a sprite.
When creating sprites and backgrounds, users can draw their own sprite manually, choose a Sprite from the library, or upload an image.
© 2020 PandaProgrammer.com
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About the Port
Foreign Trade Zone No. 62
Overweight Corridor
Harbor Master Office
Fishing Harbor
Financials and Tax Information
Community/Events
Business with the Port
Permits, Forms and Applications
Port Matters
BND Election
Port Staff
2020 Year In Review Highlights
Dominion Energy Continues Development of First Jones Act Compliant Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel
TEXAS LNG ANNOUNCES LONG-TERM LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE PORT OF BROWNSVILLE
PORT PROGRESS: 2020 was a Year of Milestones
Sixth U.S. Navy Ship to be Recycled in 2020 Arrives at Port
The port that works
The Port of Brownsville is the only deepwater port located on the U.S.-Mexico Border. With approximately 40,000 acres of land available for development and 17 miles of waterfront access, the port offers a direct route to non-congested international bridge crossings and rail connections.
The Port of Brownsville handles a wide variety of cargo including steel products, liquid, break bulk, and dry bulk commodities. With the facilities and knowledge to handle international cargo, we facilitate efficient movement of goods between the United States and Mexico.
Our leadership understands the importance of balancing business with environmental stewardship. Providing a safe, secure, and environmentally-friendly location for international trade is a top priority. We focus on what matters most to our customers and consistently deliver the most outstanding service.
It is the mission of the Port of Brownsville (Brownsville Navigation District) to be a leader in business development by providing state-of-the-art infrastructure expansion, developing economic opportunities, providing the best transportation facilities possible, and exhibiting high standards of public administration with the ultimate goal being to improve quality of life and create employment opportunities, gain the public’s trust and confidence in order to increase growth development, and establish the port as a world class port.
The Port of Brownsville is in the process of constructing a new liquid cargo dock, Liquid Cargo Dock 6, and rehabilitating Liquid Cargo Dock 3, to improve and expand marine delivery and shipment of refined petroleum products including asphalt, gasoline, and low-sulfur diesel fuel.
At the turn of the 20th Century, Commodore Louis Cobolini had a vision of establishing a deepwater seaport to serve the residents of South Texas. Cobolini imagined the port would bring significant economic impact to a predominantly agricultural region. He foresaw ocean shipping as vital to the future of the Rio Grande Valley, and led the effort to establish a deepwater port.
Economic Impact Statement
The Port of Brownsville is a vital asset to the regional economy. An economic impact study by Martin Associates released August 2019 reports the port is responsible for more than 51,000 jobs and $3 billion in annual state economic activity, with more than 8,500 Rio Grande Valley workers directly employed by activities of the port.
The Economic Impacts of the Port of Brownsville
*Brownsville Navigation District adopted a tax rate that will raise more taxes for maintenance and operations than last year’s tax rate.
Tax rate will effectively be raised by 47.29% and will raise taxes for maintenance and operations on a $100,000 home by approximately $11.03.
Port of Brownsville
1000 Foust Road
© 2021 Port of Brownsville, Texas
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Home Reporting & Editing Meet the man who calls journalists on their own B.S.
Meet the man who calls journalists on their own B.S.
Reporters Bob Woodward, right, and Carl Bernstein, whose reporting of the Watergate case won them a Pulitzer Prize, sit in the newsroom of the Washington Post in Washington May 7, 1973. (AP Photo)
It’s a story that’s cherished in the hearts of journalism students across the United States: Two enterprising Washington Post reporters, hungry for a big story, dig deep into Richard Nixon’s secretive presidency and expose wrongdoing that eventually pushes him out of office.
Except it didn’t happen that way. Not exactly. In fact, the enterprising heroes of Watergate, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, were mostly chroniclers of an investigation quarterbacked by special prosecutors and elected representatives who drove it forward with the power of subpoena.
“Major historical events like the downfall of Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal are very complex,” said W. Joseph Campbell, a journalism historian at American University. “There’s a lot of moving parts, and so forth. And one way to get around those moving parts and all the complexity of Watergate is to assign Woodward and Bernstein a central role in bringing down his presidency.”
W. Joseph Campbell, a professor at American University and the author of “Getting it Wrong,” a book on media myths now in its second edition.
The presidency-slaying heroism of Woodward and Bernstein is one of the many myths eviscerated by Campbell in the second edition of his book, “Getting It Wrong: Debunking the Greatest Myths in American Journalism.”
Released last year by University of California Press, the book also takes a two-by-four to the myth that Walter Cronkite helped end the Vietnam War and defenestrates the notion that Randolph Hearst vowed to “furnish the war” against Spain in 1898.
It may come as no surprise that journalists hold an outsize and sometimes undeserved place in the tapestry of the public imagination — after all, they are the ones who weave it together. But history has shown, time and again, that journalists are largely witnesses, not the primary actors, to America’s major historical events, Campbell said.
“If we debunk a story about Woodward and Bernstein bringing down Richard Nixon, I think we’re doing a service,” Campbell said. “Because it’s a more accurate interpretation of what was the most serious political scandal and constitutional crisis in American history.”
Below is a Q-and-A with Campbell about the rise of media myths, the cause of their stubborn persistence throughout the years and the differences between misleading mythology and the recent spike in fake news driven by social media. The questions and the answers have been edited slightly for clarity.
Your book documents and debunks many pernicious media myths — the apotheosis of Woodward and Bernstein, the genesis of the Spanish-American War, Walter Cronkite’s “Vietnam moment.” In your mind, what makes these myths so persistent?
A number of reasons. One is that, like all good myths, they are easy to retell. They’re very simplistic. They’re very straightforward, they’re not very complicated. Major historical events like the downfall of Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal are very complex. There’s a lot of moving parts, and so forth. And one way to get around those moving parts and all the complexity of Watergate is to assign Woodward and Bernstein a central role in bringing down his presidency.
An impatience with ambiguity and complexity is one of the major reasons why these myths take hold and endure. Plus, they do tend to ratify the notion that journalists are vital players in public life. That they are at the center of important and powerful events. That’s another reason, too.
In some respects, these myths do flatter journalists, and the self-flattery is another factor.
And another reason they take hold and are so enduring is cinematic treatments. The cinema is a real powerful agent of mythmaking and propelling and solidifying media myths. The cinematic version of “All the President’s Men” — it ignored all of the other forces and factors that were at work in the Watergate scandal…and focused exclusively on Woodward and Bernstein.
So anyone watching that movie comes away from it thinking it was those two guys and their super-secret source Deepthroat who brought down Richard Nixon’s presidency. There’s no other interpretation possible from the film “All the President’s Men.” So movies have a way of solidifying media myths and making them very difficult to roll back and debunk.
Journalists are also the keepers of these stories. Does that play a part?
The stories also promote an often misleading interpretation of the power and influence of the news media. That’s another factor here. Journalists are inclined to retell these stories because not only does it flatter them, it tends to ratify their power and their influence in public life.
In the last year or so, we’ve seen a rise of fake news — falsehoods masquerading as news designed intentionally to deceive people. In your mind, do these media myths fall into that category? Why or why not?
Probably not. Sometimes it’s a bit murky as to the exact derivation of some of these tales and how they really got going. And I do know that David Halberstam, for example, was one of the first people to identify the Walter Cronkite report on Vietnam in 1968 as a really major factor.
He said in his book, “The Powers that Be,” it was the first time an anchorman declared a war to be over. And that’s not what Cronkite said. It’s simply not the case that he declared the war was over, and in fact the war in Vietnam went on for another seven years.
So it’s hard to know what Halberstam was thinking. It’s hard to know what went into that interpretation, but it is a shoddy interpretation. And it’s taken on this veneer of accuracy or factuality that is akin to a broad definition of fake news.
How much time has to pass before you know a media myth has been advanced and taken root? Do you need years of hindsight?
It does take a little bit of critical distance. It takes the passage of time to realize, yes, this does qualify as a prominent story about and, or by the news media that is widely retold and is prominent in that sense. But I think even in recent years, we’ve seen cases in which the media has really gotten it wrong, badly wrong and celebrating an interpretation that was not accurate.
In the case of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the reporting on the aftermath of the storm in New Orleans was way off-base, depicting the city as being seized, in the grips of mayhem and Mad Max-like destruction. It just wasn’t true. But the immediate interpretation of the media’s coverage of Hurricane Katrina in the aftermath was one of telling truth to power. That the media were flexing their muscles despite a long period of upheaval and decline in the business.
Has the rise of social media made it more difficult to manufacture media myths?
I’ll grant you that Hurricane Katrina happened before the advent of Twitter or very much in the way of social media. But I think if you look at some of the more recent episodes of major stories that were covered with a breaking news element, I think you’ll find that we’ve seen the problematic aspects of reporting crop up in those instances, too.
It’s pretty clear that sloppy reporting and anecdote-driven reporting can give rise to media myths. Twitter is also a great place for the diffusion of fake quotations — quotations that are attributed to prominent people in the past, most of them dead, and there’s no way for them to say, “No, I never said that.” Twitter, and social media in general, are really great sources for that kind of misinformation.
With some critical distance, you’re able to take the long view of history in your writing. What is your assessment of the current panic about a “post-truth” society given that long view? Does it hold up to the scrutiny of historical analysis?
I don’t have a lot of patience for the idea that we are in a “post-truth” world. I mean, facts matter. The whole fundamental basis of the book, “Getting it Wrong” is to align itself with one of the fundamental missions of American journalism. That is, to get the story right, to get it factually correct the best you can.
And I don’t see that mission has diminished or gone away. I don’t think practicing journalists whom I know are engaging in a post-truth environment. But the notion that news media play fast and loose with the facts — that goes back a long, long ways.
Some of the late 19th century reporting by Hearst and Pulitzer, of the supposed yellow press of New York City back at the time, the run-up to and the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, was often criticized for being devoid of truth.
I’ve done a fair amount of research into that time period, and they weren’t out there just to make stuff up and peddle it in sensational way. They were not disinclined to the sensational treatment of news, but they went beyond that as well, especially Hearst. He had a taste for getting the story and paying a lot of money to get it reported, and reported well. I’m a little impatient of people who dismiss that period as a factually shallow time in American journalism.
How do you find media myths?
It’s like opening the refrigerator door. If something in right doesn’t smell right, you’re going to want to investigate just what that is. And so it goes with a story that may not quite seem right. It doesn’t pass the sniff test.
Your work might take some journalists down a peg in the public imagination. Do you ever regret, even slightly, diminishing the romantic notion of the crusading journalists who take down a president?
Well, I think in reality — and many journalists, I believe, realize this — that they are not really the people who control the levers of power. And that’s really not the function of journalists, to be the powerful agents in society. They’re more of a chronicler of what’s going on than a manipulator. At least, that’s the normative value that journalists in this country are taught and still intend to embrace.
I think, if we debunk a story about Woodward and Bernstein bringing down Richard Nixon, we’re doing a service because it’s a more accurate interpretation of what was the most serious political scandal and constitutional crisis in American history.
I think we get a better understanding of our past, we get a better understanding of our profession, if we strip away the barnacles of media myths from some of the most prominent stories and some of the most prominent moments in the profession.
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A major step to putting a stop to
human trafficking and forced labour
The ‘Financial Times’ has chosen ‘Stop the Traffik’ as its season appeal partner this Christmas
The Financial Times has chosen Stop the Traffik as its 2015-2016 charity seasonal appeal partner this year. To mark the launch of this Christmas appeal, a new report on human trafficking, Forced Labour, Human Trafficking and the FTSE 100, is being launched at a breakfast briefing this morning [20 November 2015] in the Financial Times Conference Centre in London.
The invitation says people trafficking is one of the major rights issues of our time. Businesses, shareholders and investors now have responsibility to act to prevent this terrible crime. With the Modern Slavery Act 2015 now in force, directors of UK companies have an obligation to disclose how they are tackling this risk across their businesses and – crucially – within their supply chains.
Stop the Traffik is a global charity working to prevent human trafficking and to disrupt its supply chains around the world, and the Financial Times is a powerful new partner with the clout to make a real difference in the battle against forced labour and trafficking around the world.
This morning’s joint report on human trafficking and forced labour highlights the business risks arising from human trafficking and the impact of the Modern Slavery Act. The report has been developed in recent months in a partnership between Stop the Traffik and other agencies, including the Anglican mission agency, Us (previously USPG, the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel).
This ground-breaking research has been endorsed by Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and is supported by Us (USPG), Stop the Traffik (STT), Finance Against Trafficking (FAT), the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR), and Rathbone Greenbank.
I am a Trustee of Us (USPG) which has helped to fund this academic research into the links between human trafficking and the global activities of FTSE 100 companies. The report also highlights best practice so that lives can be saved.
The research is motivated by a concern that FTSE 100 companies may inadvertently become involved in human trafficking through links with suppliers around the world. The report provides essential guidance to investors and executive teams to help disrupt this global crime.
Rachel Parry, Global Relations Director for Us (USPG), says: “Human trafficking is a highly profitable global trade – more profitable than the drugs trade. People who have been trafficked – typically those from poor or vulnerable communities – can end up as slave labour which can be embedded within the supply chains utilised of many well-known companies.”
She says the research digs deep into the phenomenon of human trafficking, taking as its focus the supply chains of the FTSE 100 companies, and exploring how human trafficking is a part of the picture.
“We want to see FTSE 100 companies better informed to help them ensure there is as little risk as possible that their supply chain is somehow touched by the traffickers’ trade,” says Rachel.
Financial Times appeals have raised over £16 million for charities over the last 10 years, including the International Rescue Committee, Action Against Hunger, Camfed, Room to Read, Sightsavers, The Global Fund for Children, Wateraid and World Child Cancer.
The annual appeal runs from November to January, raising money and increasing awareness of the chosen charity through editorial coverage of its work. Seasonal appeal charities are selected by staff, and readers and corporate partners are encouraged to donate.
John Thornhill, deputy editor of the Financial Times and head of the seasonal appeal committee, says: “The Financial Times is delighted to be working with Stop the Traffik for this year’s seasonal appeal. Over 21 million people are victims of forced labour, a global crime that generates profits of £150 billion each year. Through our journalism and the support and generosity of our readers, we can help shed light on human trafficking and strengthen Stop the Traffik’s efforts to end it.”
Ruth Dearnley, CEO of Stop the Traffik, says: “With the potential to elevate the international economic conversation around 21st century slavery, the FT and Stop the Traffik can lead the empowerment of people, the tools of technology, and the gathering and sharing of knowledge necessary to bring disruption to this global crime at a moment in our world’s history.”
One person is sold every 30 seconds, according to Finance Against Trafficking. Every year, 1.2 million children are trafficked across or within countries, according to UNICEF. And up to 800,000 people – mostly women and girls – are trafficked across international borders, according to the report Trafficking in Persons published in 2007 by the US State Department.
This morning’s report has a further focus on an advocacy resource raising awareness of human trafficking aimed at churches and church-based organisations, so that they are better informed to join the campaign against human trafficking, both as shareholders and responsible community members.
The Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (ECCR) is a church-based investor coalition and membership organisation. It was established over 25 years ago and raises awareness on business issues related to human rights, economic justice and environmental stewardship.
Finance Against Trafficking works to raise awareness, equip and resource companies to help them effectively address all areas of their business that can be affected by people trafficking and manage the risk and threats to their businesses, supply chains and reputation.
Rathbone Greenbank Investments (RGI) provides personalised and professional investment management services for investors who want to ensure their investments reflect their environmental, social and ethical concerns.
Labels: Human Rights, Journalism, Mission, Us
A major step to putting a stop to human traffickin...
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Long Lines for IPhone 4S as Servers Crash at Japanese Launch
By Jay Alabaster
Hundreds lined the streets of Tokyo on Friday to be the first in the world to get their hands on the iPhone 4S, temporarily crashing the registration servers at one Japanese mobile operator.
Mobile operator Softbank held a sidewalk countdown in front of its flagship store to mark the start of sales at 8 a.m. local time, blasting silver streamers into the air as the doors opened for business. Several hundred customers, many of whom had been waiting since early Thursday evening, lined up and patiently waited their turn inside.
Softbank, Japan's third-largest carrier, was temporarily overwhelmed by the demand, and in some locations across Japan was unable to process new contracts or phone upgrades until the system was fully restored at 11 a.m., with some shoppers stuck in long lines as the day grew warmer.
CEO and Chairman Masayoshi Son repeatedly apologized for the trouble through his Twitter account.
As with previous iPhone launches, it was a celebratory event, but the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs cast a shadow.
Softbank CEO and Chairman Masayoshi Son celebrates at the start of sales for the iPhone 4S on the network his company runs. Photo: IDGNS
"This phone is more of a work of art by Steve Jobs than a product," Son told the dozens of reporters assembled outside the flagship store for the opening ceremony earlier in the day. When he last met Jobs in June, he said, Jobs had looked worn despite his normal enthusiasm.Fresh flowers were laid out in front of the Apple Store in Tokyo's hip Shibuya district.
As the lines lengthened at that store, employees handed out water and black umbrellas with the company logo to customers."There was some trouble at the store I went to, but they said they would iron it out today, and I'm still excited to get my phone," said Yuichiro Takahashi, a Tokyo resident getting his first iPhone.Friday's launch marks the first time in three years that Softbank will not have a monopoly on Apple devices on its network, as rival operator au is also offering the new iPhone.
Au is Japan's second largest carrier, but has failed to keep pace with No. 3 Softbank in terms of adding new customers. But the company has a reputation for a much stronger network, and has adjusted its pricing to compete directly with its upstart rival."I was actually going to switch to Softbank to get this, but when I heard au would offer it I was really happy, their service is much better," said local restaurant owner Hirotaka Yabuchi, clutching his new 4S.
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Puerto Rican Heritage Embodied by Orta Family, a Santos Dynasty
Meg Pier | December 23, 2020 December 19, 2020 | Central America, Craft & Folk Art
Puerto Rican Heritage Symbolized by Beloved Santos
Puerto Rican heritage is a blend of cultures, influenced by the indigeous Taino people as well as Spanish colonists, and African slaves. One of the traditions that has endured in Puerto Rico for more than two centuries is santos de palo. With this folk art, artisans known as santeros carve wooden figures of the Roman Catholic saints. These humble figures have played an important role in the island’s religious worship, family life, community celebrations, and national identity.
The city of Ponce on Puerto Rico’s southern coast is home to many santeros, who embody the spirit of this beloved art. I’m pleased to share the story of one Ponce’s most esteemed santeros!
Santia Rivera Martinez and Domingo Orta
West of Ponce, I drove under a massive stone arch spanning the rural road and into an El Tuque neighborhood of bungalows painted in shades of lemon, tangerine and lime. The palette of Puerto Rico’s architecture exudes exuberant good cheer and an aura of warmth that also emanates from the island’s people.
With a wide sunny smile, Santia Rivera Martinez waved me welcome, opening the gate to her home and the family’s workshop. Santia, 73, is a santero and the matriarch of a family of carvers. Her late husband Domingo Orta was a master santero as are Santia, her four sons, two daughters and a daughter-in-law, who all keep up the tradition.
Santia introduced me to her son Dom, a handsome, shy man who is her husband’s namesake. Together, they showed me around the workshop and told me the story of the Orta carving dynasty.
Santero dynasty matriarch Santia Rivera Martinez. Photo: Meg Pier
Santia met Dom in the barrio of Yaguecas de Adjuntas in the mountains about 20 miles from Ponce. Her father worked on a coffee plantation with Dom and when Santia would bring her father his lunch, she and Dom would exchange flirtatious glances. She was 14 years old and Dom was 21. Her father disapproved of the romance and so Santia and Dom eloped.
With a sparkle in her eye that may have been a tear of sadness, joy or both, Santia said in time her family came to love Dom more than they loved her. Santia told me that she and Domingo were married for 54 years, through good times and bad. He died in 2007 at age 78 on June 13–the birthday of their son Domingo. Santia, her husband and the younger Domingo spent many hours in their shop working together on pieces late into the night. Today, whenever she joins her son in carving, she thinks of her husband.
Devotion to Montserrat Virgin
Santia said her husband’s parents had a santo of the Montserrat Virgin in the living room of their home, and people would often come and make a request. Dom first became interested in carving santos in 1942, when at the age of thirteen, he watched another santero from the town of Yauco repair his mother’s carving of the Virgin. Early in his career as a santero, he too would repair old saints for people.
Our Lady of Montserrat is a figure that holds special significance for many Puerto Ricans. Santia told me that, along with the Three Kings, the Montserrat Virgin is among the saints that receive the most “promises.” Also known as milagros, these are little silver or tin icons shaped in the image of body parts such as an arm or a leg. When a prayer for an ailment to be healed has been answered, the petitioner commissions a milagro, which is then hung from the interceding santos.
Santia Rivera Martinez’s first La Monserrate in ebony. Image courtesy of Hector Puig.
The devotion among Puerto Ricans to Our Lady of Montserrat dates to an 1815 declaration by Spain’s King Ferdinand VII, when he approved the Royal Decree of Graces. This edict allowed any citizen of a country politically friendly to Spain to settle in Puerto Rico–as long as they converted to the Catholic faith and agreed to work in the agricultural business. The Decree inspired a wave of immigrants to the island from Catalonia, the home of Montserrat and a monastery built around an icon of a black Madonna, said to have been carved by St. Luke around 50 A.D.
Dom Orta Jr in the family’s santos studio. Photo: Meg Pier
Miracle of Hormigueros
The affinity many Puerto Ricans feel for Our Lady of Montserrat goes deep also because of a belief that she interceded on behalf of one of their own in what is known as the Miracle of Hormigueros. Unique to the island’s culture is a local tradition that tells of the Virgin of Montserrat appearing to a peasant farmer named Gerardo González in 1599 near the town of Hormigueros in Puerto Rico’s southwest. Finding himself face to face with a wild bull, González invoked the Virgin of Montserrat for protection and the animal immediately fell to its knees, as if in prayer. Perhaps not surprisingly, Our Lady of Montserrat is the patron saint of Hormigueros, as well as the villages of Aguas Buenas, Jayuya and Salinas, with her feast day celebrated on September 8.
In the Orta’s hometown of Yaguecas de Adjuntas, Dom’s earliest work in traditional crafts started with making baskets used to collect coffee beans. He would go deep into the forests looking for bejuco, the type of wood used to make the containers. Santia helped by making straps of braided grass. Dom sold the baskets for 50 cents each. Later, following an illness that made it impossible for him to work as a laborer, Orta dedicated himself to carving santos and found that he could make a living at it.
Three Kings Hold a Special Place in Puerto Rican Heritage
The Three Kings was an image for which Domingo was especially well-known. In fact, he was responsible for a major innovation in the representation of the figures, in which the gifts each King carries is replaced by musical instruments — a set of maracas, a guiro–a serrated gourd played with a stick–and cuatro, a stringed instrument similar to a guitar. At the time Dom introduced this variation, it was considered a radical representation and caused a bit of a stir; today it is an accepted and much-beloved part of the iconography, widely copied by many santeros.
Puerto Rico Itinerary: A Three Kings santos by the Orta family. Photo: Meg Pier
Intrigued by Puerto Rican folk art? Then you’ll love the Vejigantes tradition!
Santia Rivera Martinez, Standard Bearer of Puerto Rican Heritage
Santia is the leading contemporary female carver in Puerto Rico and has been an inspiration to many other women. Initially, after she and Dom married, he would carve pieces and she would paint them. Then, after about ten years of marriage and the birth of her six children, she carved her very first saint. She took one of Dom’s pieces to use as a model and went into hiding, carving an image of the Virgin of Montserrat. When she showed Dom, he was pleased. Santia sold the piece, which gave her great encouragement. That was 40 years ago. Today, she and her daughters have figures of the Virgin of Montserrat that she made in her early days of carving, pieces of great sentimental value which they do not intend to sell.
Puerto Rico itinerary: The Orta family workshop, where Puerto Rican tradition of santos carving is carried on. Photo: Meg Pier
Santia told me that Dom Orta’s pieces ranged in price from $375 to up to $4,000. She said that santos carved by Domingo increased significantly in price after he died; one was sold for $7,000. Several of Domingo’s works are in the Ponce Museum of Art, as well as in the collections of the Vatican in Rome, the Museo Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Compostela in Spain, and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.
Little did I know that only a short while later I would hear from Santia’s daughter that Santia had passed away. It was a shock, as she had appeared to be the picture of health. I remain grateful for having had the privilege of meeting her and hearing her story.
Puerto Rican Cultural Tradition of Santos de Palo
Master Santos Artisan Pedro Pablo Rinaldi of Ponce
Meg Pier
Publisher and editor of www.PeopleAreCulture.com (PAC), which profiles people engaged in creating & preserving culture, and celebrates our unique differences and shared human condition.
Master of Puerto Rican Tradition and Santos Artisan Pedro Pablo Rinaldi
Vasiliki Zisi on Inspiration of Greek Culture
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Home News & Analysis QIC buys US mall stakes
QIC buys US mall stakes
The Australian institutional investment manager is investing in three shopping centers with a total value of about $750 million.
Meghan Morris
QIC, the Australian institutional investment manager, continues to bet on American shopping malls with three recent purchases through an established partnership with real estate investment trust Forest City Realty.
Australia’s second largest money manager, which managed A$78.8 billion (€51 billion, $57 billion) in assets as of December 31, said Tuesday that it bought a 51 percent stake in a suburban New York shopping center from Forest City Realty. PERE has learned that QIC’s majority ownership stake is valued at about $250 million, giving Forest City about $90 million in profits. The REIT will hold onto its 49 percent stake in Westchester's Ridge Hill, a 1.3 million square foot regional mall that it developed in Yonkers, New York.
Brisbane-based QIC is also buying stakes in two other Forest City properties in Arlington, Virginia and outside of Tampa, Florida, sources told PERE. Those transactions are expected to close in four to six weeks. The total value of the three properties, including the Westchester mall, is $750 million, and QIC’s stake is worth about half the gross value. Terms of the three deals, however, were not disclosed.
Forest City and QIC have partnered on previous US malls, with eight joint ventures located across the country, from Pennsylvania to California. QIC has invested about A$13.7 billion in Australian and international retail and offices, according to the Tuesday announcement.
The Ridge Hill acquisition “further diversifies QIC’s existing US retail property portfolio, providing a unique opportunity to take a strategic stake in a quality retail asset within a tightly held institutional asset class, and provides even further geographic exposure to the US East Coast,” said Steven Leigh, QIC’s managing director, in a statement Tuesday. “We view the US retail market as being very attractive, and our existing portfolio is achieving good income growth off the back of robust retail sales, coupled with a sustained low interest rate environment.”
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Spotlight - 5 Stars
Riveting, emotional and frankly disturbing, Spotlight is one of strongest films this Oscar season.
SPOTLIGHT tells the gripping true story of a team of Boston Globe reporters who launch a fearless investigation into child abuse allegations against the Catholic Church. What they eventually uncover is a shocking citywide scandal; almost ninety priests guilty but never convicted, legal settlements done in private, and a systematic cover-up of the abuse by church leadership. Determined to leave no stone unturned in their hunt for the truth, their investigation soon threatens to bring down some of the city’s most powerful figures.
It was dangerous subject matter to tackle, both for the reporters in the 90s and the filmmakers now. The film beautifully details the battles these journalists had to overcome to report on this shocking story – it’s incredible how many people stood in their way. People don’t like to be confronted with this kind of information, especially information that shows organised religion in a bad light. One of the most confronting parts of the film comes right at the end where a list is shown detailing every city that has had a major scandal regarding molestation in the Catholic Church. That list goes on for three pages.
The performances in this film are stunning and it is easy to see why they won the best ensemble award at last night’s SAG awards. Michael Keaton, for the second year in a row delivers an incredible performance. Mark Ruffalo once again demonstrates his extraordinary versatility and is captivating. Brian d’Arcy James is the biggest surprise - giving a riveting performance. Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery and Stanley Tucci are also incredible in their roles.
It is written and directed superbly, with a fantastic score from Howard Shore.
Overall I don’t know how well it will fair at the box office given its relevant, confronting and disturbing themes. However, this should not deter you from seeing this film, it is outstanding; it does create conversation and it does evoke an emotional response. This is one film that you really cannot afford to miss.
Screening courtesy of eOne Entertainment
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News / Aberdeenshire
Cows ‘left running blindly around in the dark’ in terror over fireworks
by Calum Petrie
Angry farmers have claimed their livestock were “terrorised” by the industrial-strength fireworks set-off to celebrate the opening of the north-east’s offshore windfarm.
The spectacular display took place on Balmedie beach on Friday as the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) was officially introduced to dignitaries.
Residents in the Balmedie area were also invited to the event, which was organised by windfarm owners Vattenfall.
>> Keep up to date with the latest news with The P&J newsletter
But while some locals revelled at the night-time display, neighbouring farmers looked on in horror as the loud bangs created havoc within their herds.
Moira Davidson of Tarbothill Farm at nearby Blackdog was one of those affected and said she’d been angered by the lack of forewarning.
“I have 150 cows in my herd and they were all in a right state,” she said.
“Think of the average person’s cat or dog and their reaction to fireworks and you can understand what happened. And these weren’t your average domestic fireworks. These were great big supercharged ones.”
She hit out at the organiser’s lack of consideration for locals, adding: “The poor cows were terrified out their wits, leaving them running blindly around in the dark.
“Surely the fireworks could have been sited in an area away from livestock. A contact number and the correct time that the fireworks were being set-off would also surely not have been a lot to ask.
“After all, we are the ones who have to pick up the pieces and live with the consequences.”
Natalie Ghazi, Vattenfall’s local liaison, apologised for any distress caused.
“Friday’s fireworks display to mark the inauguration of the EOWDC was designed to be a celebratory event for community groups up and down the coastline,” she said.
“A notice about the display was delivered beforehand by our contractor to the homes in closest proximity to the event.
“We apologise if the fireworks caused any distress.”
The wind farm, situated around 1.5 miles from the shore, is expected to produce enough electricity to meet the demand of almost 80,000 homes a year.
It was exported to the national grid in July and two of its 11 turbines are said to be the most powerful in the world, generating enough energy with a single rotation to power an average home for a day.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was among the visitors last week, saying the offshore development was surely impressive enough to convince even its toughest critic, Donald Trump.
The US president, who owns the nearby Trump International Golf Links at Menie near Balmedie, was a vociferous opponent of its construction.
Balmedie beach
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Dreamers celebrate DACA victory, prepare for next battle
SEATTLE – The city of Seattle estimates there could be as many as 10,000 DACA recipients in the city and 18,000 statewide.
And while for some of them Thursday’s United States Supreme Court ruling is being hailed a victory, their future remains in question.
Immigrant rights activists blame both political parties in power for failing to do more for in the U.S.A. without documentation.
Some DACA recipients who have been living their lives as best they can say they have built a home in a place that doesn’t feel like one.
Alejandra Perez, 25, says she and her family first came to America from Guatemala when she was 12-years-old, but have been in Seattle ever since.
She says she was barely awake when she learned about the ruling.
“It was 100 percent not at all what I expected. It turned out to be the best possible outcome we could have hoped for,” said.
“When we saw the decision come it was surprising in the best way,” said Kamau Chege.
Chege was six-years-old when his family immigrated from Kenya to the Carolinas and says they have been in Washington more than a decade.
He knows the court ruling, while a victory for DACA recipients, neglects a pathway to legal citizenship.
“We know that this could go the way of the Muslim ban in terms where the Supreme
Court makes a ruling that seems positive but opens the door for the administration to end DACA again and meet (Justice) John Robert’s muster,” he said.
Both Chege and Perez will still have to renew applications for DACA every two years.
They have both gone to college, work, and pay taxes.
For immigration activists, while the victory is a celebration, their battle is not over.
“While I think everybody’s pleased and relieved that some bad news didn’t happen, there’s still work to do,” said Jorge Barón from the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.
Our state’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs says nearly 30,000 people in Washington are likely eligible for DACA but many don’t apply for a myriad of reasons.
Yet another concern for DACA recipients, while the ruling feels like a temporary reprieve, they worry many other undocumented people don’t enjoy the same protection.
“It’s really frustrating to be constantly kicked around,” said Perez. “A lot of people are fighting for me but they’re not fighting for my parents.”
There are resources available for immigrants available online via the city’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.
California man allegedly lived in airport for months because he was afraid to fly: report
Gas tax hike part of House Democrats’ transportation plan
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Probate / Estate proceedings
When a loved one dies there are significant legal issues that come up for the executor or administrator. We can help settle your matters in a timely manner and alleviate the stress and legal complications at this sensitive time.
Removing the burden for an executor and family.
We are proud of our reputation in helping those in need especially around a time of grief. We have provided relief and comfort for countless families while expediting the process and clarifying the 'legalease' for our clients. Whether it's a probate or non-probate estate each client gets the personal attention they need to make the process less of a burden. Feel free to call us for more information or email me personally at braphan@raphanlaw.com.
-Brian
Do I need to get the original Will?
Yes. A photocopy of the Will is not considered a legal document and ordinarily will not be honored. If you are the executor it's likely you have it stored in a safe place such as a safe deposit box. Or perhaps it's with the attorney that drafted the Will. Note that even though another attorney may have drafted the document or represented you or your family before, there is no obligation to continue use that attorney and we can certainly assist and save you time, money and anguish.
How long should it take to “settle” an estate?
It depends on the individual facts and
circumstances involved in the particular estate. With no major disputes among the beneficiaries or the need to commence a lawsuit to collect a debt owed to the decedent or to pursue a wrongful death claim, an estate where no estate tax returns are required should be wound up in less than a year after the decedent has died. With our hands-on approach, clients aren't lost in the shuffle of a large firm.
We tend to expedite to our clients satisfaction.
Probate is simply the process of the Court validating the Last Will and Testament of a deceased person, referred to as a "decedent" and having the executor appointed. Some of the duties of the executor are paying the decedent's final bills and estate taxes and/or inheritance taxes (if any), and then distributing what's left of the decedent's assets to his or her heirs.
In general it includes the following steps:
1. Filing the Will and petition at the probate court in order to be appointed executor or personal representative. In the absence of a Will, we will petition the court on behalf of heirs to be appointed "administrator" of the estate.
2. Marshaling, or collecting, the assets.
This means that you have to find out everything the deceased owned. You need to file a list, known as an "inventory," with the probate court. It's generally best to consolidate all the estate funds to the extent possible. Bills and bequests should be paid from a single checking account, either one you establish or even better, one that we set up as your attorney, so that we and you can keep track of all expenditures.
3. Taxes, taxes, taxes. If a state or federal estate tax return is needed it must be filed within nine months of the date of death. If you miss this deadline and the estate is taxable, severe penalties and interest may apply. If you do not have all the information available in time, we can file for an extension and pay your best estimate of the tax due.
4. Filing tax returns. A final income tax return for the decedent must be filed and, if the estate holds any assets and earns interest or dividends, an income tax return for the estate as well. If the estate does earn income during the administration process, it will have to obtain its own tax identification number in order to keep track of such earnings. Our probate attorneys are well versed in the latest probate tax issues.
5. Distributing property to the heirs and legatees. Generally, executors do not pay out all of the estate assets until the period runs out for creditors to make claims, which can be as long as a year after the date of death. But once the executor understands the estate and the likely claims, he or she can distribute most of the assets, retaining a reserve for unanticipated claims and the costs of closing out the estate.
6. Filing a final account. The executor must file an account with the probate court listing any income to the estate since the date of death and all expenses and estate distributions. Once the court approves this final account, the executor can distribute whatever is left in the closing reserve, and finish his or her work. We have the experience to make every step of the probate process less burdensome for our clients so they can arrive at the final accountings with a sense of ease.
"SERVING SENIOR NEW YORKERS
FOR OVER 25 YEARS"
If you have further questions, email
and we'll be glad to provide
“I would like to thank your firm. I always felt that the answer to any question was just a telephone call or email away which made the disposition of the estate
proceed very smoothly." - Michael J./Executor
FREE consultation and special considerations
for those using the services of
The Greenwich Village Funeral Home.
We will also draft a
FREE basic Will for the surviving partner when settling an estate.
Free Booklet Download:
The Probate Process:
What to do following
a death.
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Routes, Planning, & Inspiration for Your North American Road Trip
PhotoShare
The Steam Trains of Ely, Nevada
Ely, Nevada —
It was a sad day in Ely, Nevada, the last time we were there. On June 17, 1995, a runaway mining car filled with railroad ties came hurtling down the tracks and collided with Engine 93, a 1909 steam locomotive pulling passenger cars loaded with tourists. There were multiple injuries, a tunnel was rendered impassable, and Engine 93 was seriously damaged.
The town was still reeling from the accident when we left, and as we again drew near Ely, we thought about what had happened a year before. "I wonder if they've got any trains running," said Megan, and we drove to the depot to find out.
The news was good. Operations manager Lance Hunt told us the tunnel had been repaired within two months of the accident, and the other steam and diesel locomotives belonging to the White Pine Historical Railroad Foundation had resumed service as soon as the tracks were open. Insurance money was financing the reconstruction of Engine 93, and a team of specialists had been flown in from Alabama to help. "Work proceeds slowly, because every missing part has to be recreated," said Lance.
Lance introduced us to Lynn Bjorklund, the only woman train engineer in the country licensed to operate both steam and diesel locomotives. "Come on up!" she called, and we climbed up into the cab of Engine 40, a perfectly restored 1910 steam locomotive that once faced the scrap heap. "She was saved because some of the yard workers couldn't bear to see her go," said Lynn. "They actually managed to hide her while inspectors decided which locomotives to destroy." Lynn and Lance shoveled coal into the furnace in preparation for the train's morning run. When she's not wearing her engineer's hat, Lynn works for the Bureau of Land Management in Ely. "When I moved here, there wasn't a lot going on," she said. "Then I found out about these trains, and here I am."
For the ride from the engine house to the depot, Lynne invited Stephen Armellino, a seven-year-old railroad fan from Las Vegas, to join us in the cab. "I've loved trains my whole life," said Stephen. His grandparents had brought him to the right place. The Nevada Northern Railway is a train lover's dream come true.
Nevada Northern Railway Museum
East Ely, Nevada 89315-0040
Official Web Site: nevadanorthernrailway.net
August, 1998, Update:
Lynn Bjorklund is featured in the September, 1998, issue of Reader's Digest. It's a story worth reading.
On October 8, 1997, Lynn was camping with her brother in New Mexico's Pecos Wilderness when the two witnessed a plane crash. The pilot and his passenger were burned and injured.
Lynn, a record-holding distance runner, covered eighteen miles of rugged terrain on foot in less than three hours. She guided two helicopters to the crash site, and the two men were airlifted to safety.
"I don't think I did anything that anyone else wouldn't have done," Lynn said. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
Copyright 1996 - 2021, RoadTrip America® - All Rights Reserved
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Contact RTA
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Science &
Society &
Should secret voting be mandatory? ‘Yes’ say political scientists
Several countries haves introduced postal voting, on-demand absentee balloting, early voting in person, or internet voting in response to low voter turnout. “Such measures threaten electoral integrity,” argue Rochester political scientist James Johnson and coauthor Susan Orr in their new book, “Should Secret Voting Be Mandatory?” (Getty Images photo)
In a new book, two scholars argue that making voting more convenient does not combat low voter turnout but instead jeopardizes the integrity of the ballot.
James Johnson is a professor of political science at the University of Rochester. His current research runs the gamut from pragmatist political thought and democratic theory, to the philosophy of social science and cultural theories of politics. He is the coauthor of The Priority of Democracy: Political Consequences of Pragmatism (Princeton University Press, 2011).
Susan Orr is an associate professor of political science at the College of Brockport, State University of New York. Her primary research focuses on the politics of organized labor in the US where Orr explores how unions and union membership affect political outcomes and engagement. Together, Orr and Johnson are the coauthors of Should Secret Voting Be Mandatory? (Polity, November 2020).
According to recent studies, confidence in elections has declined twice as fast as confidence in democracy, which has also plummeted around the world. Political scientists are concerned about ever-diminishing voter turnout and unequal voter participation.
The future of democracy, it seems, is dire.
In response to low turnout at the polls, several countries have introduced a plethora of policies aimed at making the voting process more convenient—such as postal voting, on-demand absentee balloting, early voting in person, and internet voting. In the United States, about one quarter of all voters opted to cast their votes by mail in the 2016 presidential election.
But there are two problems with these convenience measures.
First, “there is little evidence that such initiatives expand participation in inclusive ways,” say University of Rochester political science professor James Johnson and Susan Orr, an associate professor of political science at the State University of New York Brockport. In other words, voting by mail does not make more people vote, nor does it really increase the participation of minorities.
Second, and arguably more importantly, the security of the ballot is not guaranteed if voting takes place at home.
“Such measures threaten electoral integrity,” the political scientists write in their forthcoming book Should Secret Voting Be Mandatory? (Polity, November 2020). The coauthors—a husband-and-wife team—argue that some of these convenience measures undermine the very ballot secrecy that was originally introduced to prevent intimidation and bribery of voters—practices which have started to reemerge.
How to fix low turnout and low confidence in elections
Experts agree that increasing voter participation is vital to restoring faith in the democratic processes. That’s why the duo argues that voting in person by secret ballot should be compulsory: “Flatly, we oppose the widespread adoption of policies that make voting more convenient,” they write.
Why? For starters, not everyone who votes at home can do so in complete privacy.
Imagine, for example, that an employer offers to witness your ballot and to mail it for you. Or a landlord sends someone to collect your rent along with your ballot and requests that the envelope remain open. What of immigrants with limited language abilities who encounter a party operative who offers to help in completing the ballot? Or an abusive parent or spouse who insists on the family’s voting together at the kitchen table? The possibilities for abuse and undue influence are myriad if secret voting cannot be ensured, Orr says.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic, voting by mail this November would allow tens of millions of people to participate safely. Yet there are risks to the integrity of the voting. The coauthors are careful to distinguish between outright fraud on one hand—think “stuffing the ballot box” or “losing” ballots—and what they call “electoral domination” on the other. The latter describes efforts by relatively wealthy, powerful, or well-placed people to interfere—more or less directly—with the voting choices of those who are less influential.
“Most of the recent public concern regarding voting by mail in the upcoming election focuses on fraud,” says Johnson, who deems that unease to be “largely misguided.” Yet when it comes to opening the door to electoral domination, the two political scientists are worried.
Such illicit interference can involve bribing or intimidating voters, says Johnson, where the aim is to influence voter choice, but “not to circumvent it.”
Mandatory voting and secret ballots—a necessary tandem
That’s why mandatory voting and the secret ballot “are best thought of in tandem,” they write. “In combination they help secure the quality of electoral participation in ways that neither does on its own.”
The authors concede that while legally forcing people to vote infringes on a person’s freedom to stay home on election day, they argue that a secret ballot and mandatory voting would prevent attempts at buying votes or manipulating voter turnout.
(l-r) Susan Orr, associate professor of political science at the State University of New York Brockport, and James Johnson, political science professor at the University of Rochester (University of Rochester photo / Sandra Knispel)
How did the idea of the secret ballot become so integral to democracy?
Susan Orr: It was originally introduced as a reform in the late 19th century to address persistent and widespread electoral domination. At the time, it was viewed as a radical measure. But by the mid-20th century the secret ballot was accepted as integral to the political rights to democratic participation and enunciated in, for example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1966. It may seem minor, but it really contributes to the integrity of elections, with the hope that outcomes accurately capture the views of citizens.
Do you worry about the secrecy of ballots?
James Johnson: Since the introduction of the secret ballot, voters complete their ballots in public at a polling site where secrecy is observed, which has made attempts to buy votes and coerce voters almost impossible. That’s because ballot secrecy makes it impossible for someone who wants to purchase a vote or coerce a voter—to monitor compliance. Having no way to verify compliance makes vote buying and voter intimidation futile. The increasing turn to mail-in voting and the craze of taking “ballot selfies” both aim to increase voter turnout in the face of declining voter participation. However, despite the good motivations behind them, both are problematic because they undermine ballot secrecy.
Orr: If voting takes place at home rather than in a polling place, vulnerable voters can be bribed and intimidated—there’s little secrecy when voting. If ballot selfies are legal, anyone could be pressured to vote in compliance with the wishes of another person and send a selfie to prove that compliance.
Why should secret voting be mandatory in this country? How would one ensure that?
Johnson: The secret ballot is important—when properly implemented, it effectively mitigates electoral domination. Ballot secrecy works by making it impossible to credibly report to others how we cast our ballot. It effectively constrains the ability of those bent on electoral domination to bribe or intimidate us. They will not carry out a costly threat or pay a promised bribe without proof that we’ve carried out our part of the deal. This whole concept relies on secrecy’s being mandatory and being institutionalized by a set of familiar institutional rules. In particular, it relies on ballots being secured by public officials prior to our arrival at the polls and as we cast our vote. Simply put: voting must be both secret and mandatory.
How do you feel specifically about voting by mail in this presidential election? Is it safe?
Johnson: When properly implemented, there is no reason for concern about voting by mail. Obviously, there can be mistakes or errors. But there is no reason to suspect insurmountable systematic difficulties.
Orr: There have been a lot of claims regarding fraud and voting by mail, but there is no compelling evidence for that. Even a database compiled by the conservative Heritage Foundation identifies fewer than 1,300 proven cases of voter fraud in the US since 1982—and that is among millions upon millions of votes cast in that period. That is true of voting fraud generally. Postal voting is a relatively small percentage of all votes cast. In an ideal world, the number of proven cases of vote fraud would be zero. We do not live in that world. But in the actual world, electoral fraud is a marginal problem in the United States.
Johnson: The panic in some quarters about electoral fraud has been fabricated by a concerted, ongoing campaign undertaken by right-leaning legal activists, think tanks, and Republican party operatives. As former Federal Judge Richard Posner, a conservative, quipped in an opinion in 2014, asking the public to fret about the integrity of US elections because electoral fraud is widespread is akin to asking the public to believe in witches. For those concerned about the putative partisan bias of postal voting, there is little reason to fret. Recent in-depth analysis in states that have enacted postal voting show no partisan bias in those who choose to vote by mail. Similarly, the studies show no significant increase in turnout due to the availability of voting by mail that would advantage one party.
Orr: Given the genuine health concerns and fear of voting in public that many citizens express, it seems that expanding access to voting by mail is the best option in this election. In the long term, the undermining of ballot secrecy through widespread vote-by-mail is a concern, the solution to which would perhaps be to make voting both more convenient through investment in voting infrastructure and, at the same time, making voting mandatory.
You argue that an extension of voting by mail needs a sunset clause after this election cycle. Why?
Johnson: Making policy or reforming institutions in a crisis is never optimal; any new rules have long-term consequences. That’s why we think that any changes in the face of the pandemic should be temporary. This is especially true in the case of universal postal voting because it’s among a set of reforms intended to enhance political participation by making voting more convenient. Yet, studies show that, by and large, measures of “convenience voting” do little to increase participation. They’re largely a subsidy to those already inclined to vote; yet they do little to actually expand the electorate.
Orr: It’s important to remember that postal voting makes ballots insecure because it takes them out of the control of election officials. That’s especially problematic at the time of voting. We are concerned that domineering spouses or parents, clergy, employers and so on may try to influence how relatively vulnerable voters actually vote. Such electoral domination was quite common prior to the implementation of the secret ballot and still occurs relatively frequently in jurisdictions where voting secrecy is imperfect. There’s no reason to believe that those willing and able to engage in electoral domination will not quickly take advantage of the opportunity here in the United States, too. That said, there are currently no academic studies aimed at uncovering electoral domination in US states that have adopted voting by mail; most research to date has focused on fraud.
How to make sense of 2020’s unusual election season
Conspiracy theories, democratic backsliding, the integrity of mail ballots—political scientists say concerns about this year’s electoral process are challenging some fundamental ideas about the nation.
Voting by mail limits the spread of COVID-19. But is the ballot really secret?
While voting by mail would allow tens of millions of people to participate safely in this fall’s election, it carries its own risk to the integrity of the voting, say the authors of a forthcoming book on secret balloting.
Watchdog report: US democratic indicators plummet amid racial justice protests and pandemic
Bright Line Watch analysis finds erosion “across the board” on measures of democratic principles and how well the US is abiding by them.
Tags: Arts and Sciences, Department of Political Science, elections, James Johnson
Contact Author(s)
Sandra Knispel
sknispel@ur.rochester.edu
« Teaching the complexities of the Nobel Prize in Literature
Message from Dr. Ralph Manchester on the importance of getting a flu shot this year »
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Adams visa decision a breakthrough in peace process - Clinton
Updated / Monday, 16 Mar 2015 23:26
Hillary Clinton says more work is to be done in Northern Ireland
The former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that the decision of her husband, former US president Bill Clinton, to give Gerry Adams a visa to travel to the United States was a breakthrough point in the peace process.
She was speaking as she was inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame at a ceremony in New York today.
Speaking of the current breakdown in the talks over welfare in the Northern Assembly, Mrs Clinton said it was better to have people arguing over governmental issues rather than walking away and thinking conflict was the only answer.
She said that there was still work to be done but that peace and security did not come just by signing an agreement.
She was speaking at a sold-out luncheon event at the JW Marriott hotel beside Central Park, attended by around 300 people.
Mr Adams, who was present at the event, congratulated Ms Clinton on her induction.
Many were clearly Clinton supporters as they swarmed for handshakes and photographs after her speech.
The Irish America Hall of Fame is located In Dunbrody, New Ross, Co Wexford at the ancestral home of US President John F Kennedy.
A tiny Aran jumper for @HillaryClinton's grandchild from @NiallODowd at the @irishamerica awards @rtenews pic.twitter.com/1qhDra9Mxh
— Caitriona Perry (@CaitrionaPerry) March 16, 2015
The event had been scheduled to be broadcast live by CNN and Reuters and was attended by a large number of domestic US journalists who have already assigned to cover everything that Mrs Clinton does in anticipation of the announcement of her intention to seek the Democratic presidential nomination.
She was gifted a small Aran jumper with a shamrock design for her granddaughter Charlotte, and said that becoming a grandmother had been "an important reminder about what you should spend your time thinking about and doing".
She said that her goal was to provide opportunities and prosperity not only to her grandchild but to everyone else’s as well.
She said she was "glowing" when she remembered the role that the Irish-American community and diaspora had played in bringing the Troubles to an end.
But she said that there was still work to be done, but there was a crucial lesson to be learned that peace and security could not be brought just by signing an agreement.
She said that most peace agreements did not last but when women were involved there was a much better chance that the agreement would hold.
Mrs Clinton said it was "such a personal pleasure" to attend the luncheon and thanked everyone for the "singular honour" of the award which was not something that she could have attained by birth but was receiving by virtue of the work she had done in Northern Ireland.
She said she was accepting the honour on behalf of all the remarkable women that she had met and admired in Northern Ireland.
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Man in his 60s killed in road collision in Dublin
Updated / Wednesday, 12 Dec 2018 16:09
Gardaí in Finglas are appealing for any witnesses to come forward
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses after a man in his 60s was killed in a road collision in Dublin.
The man was walking on the Finglas Road at around Midday when he was involved in a collision with a car.
He was pronounced dead at the scene and the road was closed while a technical examination was carried out.
The Finglas Road has since reopened.
The driver of the car was not injured.
Gardaí in Finglas are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision or who may have travelled on the Finglas Road between 11.45am and 12.15pm to contact them on 01-6667500 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.
Road Collision
Newsheadlines
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2nd AAAS Science Insider Article about the closure of CUES by Berkeley Engineering Dean Sastry
This is a repost of an article written about the closure of the NSF funded Center for Underpresented Engineering Students (CUES) at UC Berkeley.
Berkeley Engineering Dean Defends Student Services Shakeup by Corinna Wu
Students and faculty members at the University of California, Berkeley, had a chance yesterday to air concerns about a major change in the status of diversity programs within the College of Engineering. But while Dean Shankar Sastry said he welcomed their input, he made it clear that his decision earlier this summer to fold the long-running Center for Underrepresented Engineering Students (CUES) into a revamped Engineering Student Services (ESS) office is a done deal.
"The decision to reorganize has been made," Sastry told some 60 people who attended a town hall meeting on campus. “I know that people are worried about change," he said, adding that "we will continue to have meetings like this." He also announced the formation of a faculty-student task force, to be headed by electrical engineering professor Ruzena Bajcsy, to provide ongoing advice.
Audience members pressed Sastry for details about why the change was being made and why he thought the new structure would benefit students. And they weren't happy with the answers they received. “I heard a lot of opposition from the students present and less-than-direct answers to many of their questions,” said Anne MacLachlan, a senior researcher at Berkeley’s Center for Studies in Higher Education and the final speaker in the 90-minute dialogue.
Sastry said that integrating the programs under CUES into ESS would help address a 40% drop since 2005 in the number of minorities and women entering the college. “I’d like to be able to make sure that the underrepresented student part of student advising is not an island. I’d love to bring it in a little tighter with the faculty and students of the college. …That is the biggest single reason to bring it in,” he said. Acting ESS Director Kristen Gates said that the college hoped to offer new programs in peer advising, outreach, internships, and research opportunities for freshmen.
MacLachlan worried that parents of prospective students could interpret the new structure as evidence that Berkeley does not welcome students of color, she said, and that their concerns could undermine the goal of increasing enrollment. Others questioned the timing of the transition. “What’s the hurry?” asked Caroline Kane, an emerita professor of biochemistry and molecular biology with the Coalition for Excellence and Diversity in Math, Science, and Engineering. “It seems like we're dropping a bomb right when we’ve got students coming back to the college of engineering who are used to having a community and community space,” she said.
AAAS Science Insider article about CUES at UC Berkeley
Here is a repost of an article written today by Jeffery Mervis about the closure of CUES.
Debate Today on Engineering Diversity Program at Berkeley by Jeffery Mervis
"Unhappy students and faculty members at the University of California, Berkeley, are expected to jam a campus town hall meeting this afternoon to hear the dean of the college of engineering explain why he's dismantling a model program for underrepresented minorities and women.
In announcing the change last month, Dean Shankar Sastry said he hopes that melding the Center for Underrepresented Engineering Students (CUES) into a new Engineering Student Services (ESS) office will actually strengthen the college's efforts to promote diversity. The center’s three employees were told last month that their contracts would not be renewed, effective 30 September.
Although the university is under severe financial pressure, engineering officials say the reorganization is not being done for budgetary reasons and that ESS will not be jettisoning any staff positions. Karen Rhodes, head of marketing and communications for the engineering college, says that the school’s “yield”—the percentage of students deciding to enroll in the fall after being accepted in the spring—is much lower for incoming minority engineering students than it is for the campus as a whole. She says a study by an outside consultant also found that many engineering students were dissatisfied with the current level of services being offered. "We need to become friendlier and in tune with what they want,” says Rhodes.
In addition, the school has seen a sharp decline in the overall percentage of minorities in its entering class—from 11% in 2004 to 6% this fall. That "alarming trend," says Rhodes, has led the college to "rethink our approach to serving underrepresented minorities."
However, supporters fear that the needs of minority students and women will get lost in the reshuffle. A precursor of the center was begun in 1981, and its cluster of activities—which include a summer bridge program, undergraduate research experiences, and academic and career counseling—have been emulated over the years by several other top universities. CUES’s supporters say that the current statistics argue for more, not less, emphasis on the needs of those students and that eliminating the center as an independent entity sends a signal that the college is diluting its commitment to broadening participation.
"I was absolutely shocked when I first heard the news," says Stanley Prussin, a professor of nuclear engineering and a former associate dean who oversaw CUES in the late 1990s. "It's been a model for the rest of the campus and for the entire country. The number of underrepresented minorities [within the college] is not what you would like it to be, but the problems have not disappeared. If anything, the need for a more intensive and independent approach to the problem seems to be greater than ever."
Ryan Shelby, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering, says that CUES was a big reason he chose Berkeley. "I wanted to make sure I had a support system, and they showed me how much they care. Their sole mission is to increase diversity and minority participation in engineering. It's not just a collection of programs; it's their entire approach." Shelby is a leader in a student group that is asking the dean to conduct a more thorough review of the center's impact before making any changes."
My Testimonal about CUES at UC Berkleey
Although I did not attend UC Berkeley for my undergraduate degree, I participated and received support from an organization similar to CUES at the University of Michigan while I was a visiting undergraduate research student from Alabama A&M University. This organization allowed to experience first hand what it was like to be a graduate student and the wonders that come from conducting research at a graduate level.
The coordinators and administrators in this organization treated me like I was a person and not just another number on a checklist. They interacted with me in a way that let me knew that they cared about me as a person and not just someone that can crank out papers for the next 5 years. My experience at Michigan during the summer of 2004 in this organization and its programs is really what made me decide to pursue my graduate studies.
When it came to choosing which graudate school I wanted to attend, my first choice was the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. When I visited the University of Michigan, I knew that there were people and an organization present that were going to help guide and support me (emotionally, financially, and academically) throughout my graduate career.
The University of Michigan invested time and money to bring me to their Dept of Mechanical Engineering to perform research at graduate level They even sent people down to my school, Alabama A&M University, to talk about the opportunities at Michigan and give them tips and techniques to apply to Michigan for graduate school or for the summer research opportunity program.
By having a organization and personnel solely dedicated to actively recruiting underrepresented students and helping me receive my graduate degree(s), I knew that the University of Michigan was serious about establishing and maintaining a diversified environment in its engineering programs.
I was able to personally connect with the people at University of Michigan because I new they cared about me and my overall well being and success. I felt a sense of loyalty to Michigan because of the kindness they bestowed upon me and the resources that committed to my success in graduate school at Michigan and other top tier schools.
The CUES organization and its programs at Berkeley are also identical twins to the organization and program at Michigan. After I became familiar with CUES and its personnel, I knew that no matter what happened at Berkeley during my graduate career they would always be there to provide me a support network.
The only reason I came to UC Berkeley over the University of Michigan was that the people I personally connected with at Michigan were going to retire few my first year in the Mechanical Engineering Department.
No matter where I went to school, I knew I was going to be successful. However, I wanted to make sure that the graduate school I went also wanted me to be successful and was willing to support to me. It was hard for me to say "No" to Michigan after all the things they had done for me, but I knew in my heart that I wanted to go to a school that cared about me as a person and was going to support me no matter what happens. There was not a doubt in my mind that CUES and the people that make of CUES would always be there for me while I was at Berkeley.
CUES is an organization whose solely purpose everyday is to recruit and graduate future engineers in the UC Berkeley's College of Engineering's undergraduate and graduate programs.
CUES is an excellent program that has had an extensive and successful track record of providing academic, social, and monetary support to students in their undergraduate and graduate endeavors as well. It is, in a nutshell, a close knit family that cares about the academic, professional, and social well being of the people it serves.
When I go to that office, I know that every person, every scrap of paper, and every dollar in that place is dedicated to one thing and one thing only: increasing the number of underrepresented groups such as women, Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Latinos that attend and graduate from the undergraduate and graduate programs in College of Engineering at UC Berkeley.
The ESS will never be CUES because its primary focus is not to increase the enrollment and the graduate rates of the above mention underrepresented groups. In ESS, the focus on the above mentioned underrepresented groups will take a tertiary role at best.
This move to reorganization/eliminate CUES is Dean Sastry's first statement and act about diversity at the College of Engineering. What this move shows is that the College of Engineering no longer places a high priority on recruiting and graduating more women, Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Latinos in the undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley.
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Home » Destinations » Chile » Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas is a city by the sea. Raked by strong winds from off the Strait of Magellan, it’s a place where any one of several main drags takes you directly down to the water. This means that cruise ships and ocean liners are always visible, mirage-like, on the horizon, as a reminder of the city’s maritime origins.
Those origins date back to the mid-1800s, when the town was founded as a naval fort and penal colony. Following a boom in sheep-raising, it grew into a major commercial destination, with many residents making their fortunes in mining, fishing, and oil. Today, the city’s old-time opulence is reflected in both its bustling waterfront and the lavish stone mansions that grace the plaza de armas.
The waterfront is also the main attraction for visitors. From it, cruise ships depart several times a day for Ushuaia, Antarctica, and other points south—expeditions into the wild territory of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. There are also ferries to see nearby colonies of Magellanic penguins, as well as land transportation to Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine National Park.
Punta Arenas is the gateway to Chilean Patagonia. Visitors who arrive at its windswept docks will find themselves on the threshold of a wild world of adventure.
Recommended Punta Arenas Tours
Santiago, the Chilean Lake District, and Torres del Paine
Classic Antarctica Air-Cruise
Polar Circle Air-Cruise
See All Chile Tours
Hotel Cabo de Hornos
Hotel Rey Don Felipe
Other Places to Visit in Chile
The Atacama Desert
The Chilean Lake District
Torres del Paine National Park
Valparaiso & Viña del Mar
Have Questions? Call 1-888-268-9753 to Speak to An Expert.
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“If there’s a person by the name of Aaron on this train…”
Yeah, that’s what I heard today on my morning commute. The operator gets on the PA at Metro Center and announces, “If there’s a person by the name of Aaron on this train, your mother is meeting you at Metro Center. Aaron, get off the train here. Aaron get off the train here!” And the way the operator was pronouncing it, it sounded more like “Arrn”. All of us on the train got a chuckle out of that. As off-the-wall announcements go, I think this beats the “Sir, don’t stand in my doorway like that!” announcement at Braddock Road back in 2003 by at least a leap, and maybe also a bound.
It could always be worse, though. What happened on the Green Line yesterday was comedic from where I was on the Red Line, but not so funny for the riders of four separate Green Line trains that got offloaded. A track problem caused a train to lose power just outside of Fort Totten. So one train is dead on the tracks. A train behind it is offloaded in order to use it to push the other train to the next station, West Hyattsville. There, first train is offloaded. Then while pushing the dead train back to Greenbelt Yard, the second train loses power. So now, assuming six-car trains, we have twelve rail cars dead on the tracks. A third train is offloaded to push what is now two dead trains to Greenbelt. And what do you know? It dies, too. They offload a fourth train to push the other three, and it also fails. That’s 24 cars coupled together, assuming that each train was six cars long. If there were any eight-car trains in the bunch, it could have been even longer. They finally had to use a locomotive, which doesn’t rely on the third rail for power, to take the whole lot of them to Greenbelt. Needless to say, some people were really PO’d after that.
Yeah, life on the Metro can be downright amusing sometimes.
Web site: Just as a side note, the car on the right in this photo, Rohr 1117, was my ride home on my evening commute. The aforementioned announcement happened during my morning commute, where I was on Breda 4087.
Song: In the Metro by The Capitol Steps
Quote: "Arrn, get off the train here!"
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Former Chief Of Staff Rejoins Anne Arundel County As Police Chief
Amal Awad said she is dedicated to building trust between the police department and the community.
Posted Friday, December 11, 2020 10:16 am
By Zach Sparks l zach@severnaparkvoice.com
County Executive Steuart Pittman and his team considered 40 applicants for the position of police chief, and after getting the approval of community leaders and the county council, Pittman chose Hyattsville Police Chief Amal Awad to take over the department on December 17.
“I have dedicated more than half of my life to this noble profession, and I thank Mr. Pittman for selecting me to lead this professional police department during this pivotal moment in modern policing,” Awad said.
Former Anne Arundel County police chief Tim Altomare resigned in August, a vacancy that was filled temporarily by William Lowry, who worked with Awad in 2013 and 2014 when she was the department’s chief of staff.
“You’re getting a leader on this police department who truly cares, not only cares about the future of policing and the enhancements that can be made for the positive — even though we have a great police department — but she truly, truly cares about people,” Lowry said. “She’s a great listener and she’s an excellent communicator.”
Awad started her 30-year law enforcement career as a patrol officer in Prince George’s County. She ascended the ranks, holding positions as a district commander, shift commander, special assignment team supervisor, robbery suppression team supervisor, and executive officer at headquarters.
Her extensive experience and familiarity with Anne Arundel County were appealing to Pittman and his staff.
“Chief Awad’s experience in both large and small department policing, including right here in Anne Arundel County, makes her ideally suited to lead our department,” Pittman said. “But for me, that wasn’t enough. I had to be sure that our next chief had that rare combination of professional skill and heart. Heart for the people in our communities, heart for the officers that protect them, and even heart for the young people who are trying to find their way in these difficult times but sometimes make mistakes.”
Awad understands that people make mistakes, and she’s dedicated to building trust between the police department and the community. As one example, she supports civilian review boards that hold police accountable.
She also wants officers to have the support they need.
“It’s important to invest in our officers, not only their equipment and resources, but the intangibles: mental wellness, making sure our officers are OK as they go out on patrol about their duties,” Awad said. “They see trauma on a daily basis, and it’s important for us to talk to them about how they’re feeling and making sure that they have every resource available to them to move through those challenging moments.”
With the City of Hyattsville, Awad oversaw one of two departments in Maryland that participated in a curated tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. She wanted her officers to understand why some populations might harbor a resentment toward police.
“It goes beyond today, from the moments that African-American people set foot on this soil to the history of the slave trade, the history of Jim Crow, the history of modern-day policing,” she said. “I just wanted our officers to have some semblance of why some members from the African-American community may either respond or feel the way that we do feel when engaged by the police.”
Awad is Anne Arundel County’s first Black police chief and second female police chief.
“It’s impactful, not just for me, but for other women aspiring to leadership positions whether or not within public safety or whatever their professional desires,” she said. “I think it helps folks who may or may not have experienced an upbringing that would have afforded them opportunities that others have.”
Awad was 9 years old when her father left her mother to raise seven kids alone.
“I admire her strength, her tenacity, her resilience,” Awad said. “I carry a lot of that with me and I know that there are people like me who have been in similar situations with their upbringing with perhaps just one parent in the household and that parent sacrificing everything to make sure their children realize opportunities that are challenging to accomplish in some communities.”
Under Awad’s leadership, Pittman thinks Anne Arundel County residents will have opportunities to bridge divides.
“This is a person who can unite us,” Pittman said. “She is a peacemaker and a consummate professional.”
Local Businesses Band Together For Severna Park Plunge
Lauren’s Law: New Home, New Baby
Severna Park People And Other Locals: Ye Are The Salt Of The Earth
Puppy And Kitty, It’s Cold Outside!
Lonnie Lancione
Lonnie Lancione is the publisher at The Voice Media Inc. With his wife Dianna, he began printing the Severna Park Voice in 1996 and the Pasadena Voice in 2009.
You can reach Lonnie at:
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Tommy Lasorda, fiery Hall of Fame Dodgers manager, dies at 93
Tommy Lasorda, who guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to two World Series titles and later became an ambassador for the sport he loved during his 71 years with the franchise, has died
By BETH HARRIS
January 08, 2021 at 12:21 pm CST
Tommy Lasorda Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda celebrates after the Dodgers beat the Montreal Expos for the National League title in Montreal, in this Monday, Oct. 19, 1981, file photo. Tommy Lasorda, the fiery Hall of Fame manager who guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to two World Series titles and later became an ambassador for the sport he loved during his 71 years with the franchise, has died. He was 93. The Dodgers said Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, that he had a heart attack at his home in Fullerton, California. (Grimshaw/AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tommy Lasorda, the fiery Hall of Fame manager who guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to two World Series titles and later became an ambassador for the sport he loved during his 71 years with the franchise, has died. He was 93.
Lasorda had served as special adviser to team owner and chairman Mark Walter for the last 14 years, and maintained a frequent presence at games sitting in Walter's box.
“He was a great ambassador for the team and baseball, a mentor to players and coaches, he always had time for an autograph and a story for his many fans and he was a good friend," Walter said. "He will be dearly missed.”
“There are two things about Tommy I will always remember," Scully said. "The first is his boundless enthusiasm. Tommy would get up in the morning full of beans and maintain that as long as he was with anybody else. The other was his determination. He was a fellow with limited ability and he pushed himself to be a very good Triple-A pitcher. He never quite had that something extra that makes a major leaguer, but it wasn’t because he didn’t try.”
Some of his most memorable rants live on via the internet, notably one from July 1982 involving Kurt Bevacqua of the San Diego Padres, who called Lasorda “that fat little Italian″ after Dodgers pitcher Tom Niedenfuer was fined $500 for beaning Joe Lefebvre, Bevacqua’s teammate.
Lasorda denied ordering Niedenfuer to hit Lefebvre while unleashing a series of F-bombs.
“If I ever did,″ Lasorda said, his voice rising, “I certainly wouldn’t make him throw at a (expletive) .130 hitter like Lefebvre or (expletive) Bevacqua who couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a (expletive) boat.″
In 1978, Dave Kingman of the Chicago Cubs hit three homers and drove in eight runs in a 10-7, extra-inning victory over the Dodgers and a reporter asked Lasorda what he thought of Kingman’s performance.
“I think it was (expletive) (expletive). Put that in,″ Lasorda said. “He beat us with three (expletive) home runs. How could you ask me a question like that?"
Lasorda was known for his friendship with Frank Sinatra and other Hollywood stars. Sinatra sang the national anthem on opening day of the 1977 season to mark Lasorda’s debut as manager. The faux-wood paneled walls of Lasorda’s office were crowded with black-and-white autographed photos of his celebrity friends, the framed glass stained by red sauce from the pasta served in large foil trays after games.
Lasorda’s appetite for winning and eating was equally voracious. His weight ballooned throughout his years as manager, and he explained, “When we won games, I’d eat to celebrate. And when we lost games, I’d eat to forget.″
He parlayed his struggles into a role as pitchman for a popular weight loss product.
Lasorda managed nine National League Rookie of the Year winners, including Fernando Valenzuela, Steve Sax, Steve Howe, Mike Piazza, Eric Karros and Hideo Nomo.
“You have to know who to pat on the back, when to pat him on the back, when you have to kick them in the butt and when you have to stroke them a little bit," said Mike Scioscia, former Dodgers catcher and major league manager. “And Tommy had that gift, to know what players needed what.”
Lasorda managed in four All-Star games. He was serving as third base coach in the 2001 game when he tumbled backward while trying to avoid the shattered barrel of Vladimir Guerrero’s bat in a comical scene.
In 1998, Lasorda became interim general manager after Fred Claire was fired in the middle of the season. He resigned from that job after the season and was appointed senior vice president. After the team was sold in 2004 to Frank McCourt, Lasorda became special adviser to the chairman.
Lasorda had a heart attack during a 2012 trip to New York to represent the Dodgers at the major league draft. He had a pacemaker implanted and it was replaced five years later.
He is survived by Jo, his wife of 70 years. The couple lived in the same modest home in Fullerton for 68 years. They have a daughter Laura and a granddaughter Emily. The couple’s son, Tom Jr., died in 1991 of AIDS-related complications.
‘Whatever opportunity we’re given, we’re thankful for’ Area coaches react to restart of winter sports season
Low risk sports move forward for some
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BCR Coach’s Spotlight>Tom McGunnigal (St. Bede Academy)
Senior Spotlight>Gunnar Jauch (St. Bede Academy)
McHenry’s Katie Beyer graduates early to start college basketball career at Valparaiso
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Shell announces Gabon deep-water gas discovery
Shell today announced a frontier exploration discovery offshore Gabon, West Africa. The well Leopard-1 encountered a substantial gas column with around 200 metres net gas pay in a pre-salt reservoir.
Leopard-1 is located around 145 kilometres off the Gabonese coast, west of Gamba. It was drilled in water 2,110 metres deep to a total vertical depth of 5,063 metres. Shell and partners are planning to undertake an appraisal programme to further determine the resource volumes.
“Shell has been exploring in Gabon for over 50 years. This latest deep-water discovery is a testament to the innovation of our explorers in pursuing new plays, and application of our global sub-surface expertise,” said Andy Brown, Shell Upstream International Director. “We are proud to be sharing this success with CNOOC Limited, our partner in the licence.”
Leopard-1 was drilled in licence BCD10, operated by Shell (75%). Second partner in the venture is CNOOC Limited (25%).
This frontier discovery follows recent deep-water exploration successes in the heartlands for Shell Exploration in the Gulf of Mexico and Malaysia.
Note to editors
Frontier is one of the themes that Shell distinguishes in its exploration portfolio, which covers under-explored basins.
Pre-salt means that the target reservoir is situated below a layer of salt, which is a very good seal for hydrocarbons.
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These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies. "Subsidiaries", "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this announcement refer to companies in which Shell either directly or indirectly has control, by having either a majority of the voting rights or the right to exercise a controlling influence. The companies in which Shell has significant influence but not control are referred to as "associated companies" or "associates" and companies in which Shell has joint control are referred to as "jointly controlled entities".
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There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and the Shell Group and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks;
(h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; and
(m) changes in trading conditions. All forward looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Additional factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell's 20-F for the year ended 31 December 2013 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These factors also should be considered by the reader.
Each forward looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, 22 October 2014. Neither Shell nor any of its subsidiaries nor the Shell Group undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward looking statements contained in this announcement.
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First LNG Cargo shipped from Prelude FLNG
Shell, along with its Joint Venture Partners INPEX, KOGAS and OPIC, today announced that the first shipment of Liquefied Natural Gas has sailed from Shell’s Prelude Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facility located 475kms North East of Broome in Western Australia. This shipment will be delivered by the Valencia Knutsen to customers in Asia.
Maarten Wetselaar, Integrated Gas and New Energies Director said: “Today’s first shipment of LNG departed from Prelude FLNG, safely. Everyone involved should be very proud of the work taken to reach this important milestone.
“Prelude forms an integral part of our global portfolio and plays an important role in meeting the growing demand for more and cleaner energy for our customers around the world.”
Zoe Yujnovich, Chairman Shell Australia said: “Prelude FLNG combines human endeavour and ingenuity from across the globe and here in Australia. We are proud to work with our local communities, suppliers and partners to ensure its safe, reliable operations into the future."
Images will be made available here later today www.shell.com.au/preludemedia
About Prelude:
The Shell-operated Prelude FLNG facility is an offshore development that will produce natural gas from a remote field approximately 475km north-north east of Broome in Western Australia. The Prelude FLNG facility will produce 3.6 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG, 1.3 mtpa of condensate and 0.4 mtpa of LPG. The Prelude FLNG facility is operated by Shell in joint venture with INPEX (17.5%), KOGAS (10%) and OPIC (5%).
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The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this Press Release “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Royal Dutch Shell” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this Press Release refer to entities over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as “joint ventures” and “joint operations”, respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as “associates”. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.
This Press Release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Royal Dutch Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”, “ambition”, ‘‘anticipate’’, ‘‘believe’’, ‘‘could’’, ‘‘estimate’’, ‘‘expect’’, ‘‘goals’’, ‘‘intend’’, ‘‘may’’, ‘‘objectives’’, ‘‘outlook’’, ‘‘plan’’, ‘‘probably’’, ‘‘project’’, ‘‘risks’’, “schedule”, ‘‘seek’’, ‘‘should’’, ‘‘target’’, ‘‘will’’ and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Royal Dutch Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this Press Release , including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; and (m) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this Press Release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2018 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this Press Release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this Press Release , 11 June 2019. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this Press Release .
We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this Press Release that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.
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by Logic
Album: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2019)
The term "Clickbait" refers to content that is designed to attract attention and encourage users to click on a link to a particular web page. In this instance Logic is using the word to call out Breakfast Club co-host Charlamagne Tha God, who he accuses of provoking controversy during interviews in order to increase viewership.
I don't do the Breakfast Club 'cause Charlamagne is shameless
That's the only one I leave out when I run my bases
Do your research 'fore you call somebody homophobic
You make a living off of controversy and you know it
Logic's issues with Charlamagne date back to October 21, 2014, when the radio host asked Logic who raped his sister. He says he now avoids Breakfast Club interviews during his press runs.
Logic also brings up the death of rapper Lil Peep, who passed away from an accidental overdose of fentanyl-laced Xanax back in November 2017.
RIP Lil Peep, let that young man sleep
Let that young man death teach
The youth, the streets
To beat addiction
Logic says the media exploited Peep's death as a way to gain clicks for themselves.
More songs from Logic
More songs about the media
Lyrics to Clickbait
Forever Your GirlPaula Abdul
Paula Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" was written by Oliver Leiber, who despite being the son of Jerry Leiber from Leiber & Stoller, was an unknown songwriter.
BelieveCher
When "Believe" hit #1 in America, it made Cher, age 52, the oldest woman ever to top the chart.
Ain't No SunshineBill Withers
"Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers was inspired by the Jack Lemmon movie Days of Wine and Roses.
Everything ZenBush
References to David Bowie, Tom Waits and Allan Ginsburg are peppered into the Bush song "Everything Zen."
Cleveland RocksIan Hunter
"Cleveland Rocks" was written by an Englishman. Ian Hunter wrote the song after touring America in the late '70s and finding that Cleveland was by far the most receptive city to his brand of Glam Rock.
Born on the BayouCreedence Clearwater Revival
John Fogerty was not born on the bayou - he's from Berkeley, California. He got the idea for the song when CCR was on tour in Louisiana.
Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"Songwriter Interviews
Ian talks about his 3 or 4 blatant attempts to write a pop song, and also the ones he most connected with, including "Locomotive Breath."
Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews
A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."
Top American Idol Moments: Songs And ScandalsSong Writing
Surprise exits, a catfight and some very memorable performances make our list of the most memorable Idol moments.
Richie McDonald of LonestarSongwriter Interviews
Richie talks about the impact of "Amazed," and how his 4-year-old son inspired another Lonestar hit.
Best Band LogosSong Writing
Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.
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Remaking the Right
Christian Identity proponent Jack Mohr's July obituary glossed over his racist past; white supremacist Dan Daniels's death similarly merited a 21-gun salute.
Everybody knows that obituaries lie — or at the very least tend to gloss over any ugly truths in the recently deceased's life. But the treatment accorded retired Lt. Col. Jack Mohr, who died July 17 in North Little Rock, Ark., may have set a whole new standard for respecting the dead.
Compiled by legacy.com, a death-notice news service owned by the Tribune Co., Mohr's obit noted that the 87-year-old had been "one of the top ten most decorated men in the Korean War." True enough. True, too, that Mohr "attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago" and was a "lay evangelist for the last 40 years."
But a few things got politely omitted — like the fact that for most of those last 40 years, Mohr was one of the fieriest anti-Semites in America, a man with views so extreme that he was once booted off a John Birch Society speaking tour.
Mohr's brand of evangelical religion was Christian Identity, an anti-Semitic theology practiced by the neo-Nazi Aryan Nations and numerous Klan groups. Along with Ku Klux Klan leader Louis Beam, Mohr once taught an urban guerilla warfare class at the Aryan World Congress.
Later that night, a never-explained series of seven major arson fires broke out in nearby Spokane, Wash., causing $5 million in damage. Investigators suspected the arsonist had attended the class taught by Beam and Mohr earlier in the day.
Mohr spent much of his military retirement churning out self-published pamphlets ("Seed of Satan," "Are You a Brainwashed Christian?" "Firearms and Freedom!") and books (This Time Bomb Called Zionism). While he railed against gun control, sodomy and communists, Mohr always returned to his favorite subject, Jews.
"I believe they are the special children of Satan," he wrote in one of the pamphlets.
Another Korean War veteran-turned-extremist got slightly fuller treatment from newspapers when he died the day after Mohr. Though he had been forced to resign as sheriff of Polk County, Fla., in 1987 due to a host of alleged improprieties, white-supremacist leader Dan Daniels was honored with a law-enforcement funeral, complete with 21-gun salute.
After leaving office, Daniels published a monthly tabloid, The Eagle, which excoriated politicians, Jews, blacks, gay men and lesbians and the news media. In the 1990s, as the Lakeland Ledger duly noted, he became regional coordinator of the National Association for the Advancement of White People, a racist group founded by David Duke.
The NAAWP, which denied connections to the Ku Klux Klan, fell apart after a 1997 report on ABC's "Prime Time Live" showed Klan members communing with NAAWP followers at Daniels' Florida ranch.
Daniels' son, Steven, asked that his father be remembered "as a giving family man who was devoted to his career in law enforcement and loved animals."
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Zoological Museum - Moscow
Moscow and St. Petersburg are the two of the top tourist destinations of Russia tour. These two cities, or at least one of them, are often included in the tour to Russia. One of the main reasons behind that matter is the number of attractions these two cities have to offer their visitors. You can find several interesting places in each city to visit, including museums, religious sites, parks and beautiful gardens, cultural centers, and recreational centers. Both of these cities also offer various fun activities to their visitors, such as cruises on the river, exploring historical sites, and visiting modern interactive museums. Each one of these cities has multiple modern shopping centers as well. That’s why it’s entirely reasonable for tourists to visit at least one of these cities during their travel to Russia. Although the number of significant attractions in St. Petersburg is hugely higher than that in Moscow, the latter has received a lot of attention by being the capital city of the country. However, there are several attractions in common in these two cities as well, such as one of the exciting field of the museum, the zoological museum. Both Moscow and St. Petersburg have Zoological Museum, and each one of them is an excellent place for tourists to visit with their family on their tour to Russia. Zoological Museum of St. Petersburg is the largest one in Russia. At the same time, the Zoological Museum in Moscow is the second-largest Zoological museum in Russia and the twelve-largest one in the world. However, the Zoological Museum in Moscow is the oldest in Moscow. The zoological museum is one of the fascinating museums in the world. You can learn a lot of things about animals as well as have fun during your visit, especially if you have children, then it’s an excellent place to bring them during your trip. One of the greatest things about zoological museums is that every visitor has the opportunity to learn something new, for example, tourists and ordinary visitors would learn about the diversity of animals in the world. In contrast, professional zoologists would have access to the wealthiest studies and researches about the animals on our planet. Much like most of the Moscow’s attractive places, the Zoological Museum of Moscow University of Lomonosov locates near the center of the city, on Bolshaya Nikitskaya street, which tourists can visit it without any major problem during their tour to Moscow. Although the Zoological Museum of Moscow University of Lomonosov isn’t included in the Moscow tour program very often, you can still visit it on your own during your travel to Russia, mainly since it locates near the tourist center of the city.
The first museum was established in 1791 as the museum of Natural History. Throughout the years, its collection got more extensive and more diverse. The first exhibition of the museum collection was displayed for the public in 1866 as the Museum of Zoology, and the current building of the museum was erected in 1902. After the revolution, the museum became part of Moscow University for a brief time in the 1930s. However, after a year, it became independent but returned to Moscow University at the end of the 1930s. Today, the museum has a rare and unique collection of animals on display on two floors and separated into three main halls, the lower hall, the upper hall, and the hall of comparative anatomy.
The Lower Hall on the first floor is where you can find everything except mammals and birds. The exhibits in this section of the museum are so high that if you want to study each presentation in time, you’ll need to set aside several days of your trip to Moscow. However, since your time on the tour to Russia is limited, it’s better to briefly sightseeing each part of the museum if you decide to visit this museum. Here on the lower hall, you’ll find various sections, including a section about invertebrate animals, including several unique exhibits, such as crayfish, flatworms, crab, and deep-sea foraminifera, since there are over 900 exhibits on this section. Next, you’ll find the insect exposure, in which you’ll see a numerous and diverse collection of arthropods. Although it’s small in a matter of the size of the section it occupies, it’s one of the sections in the museum that you should pay a little bit extra attention to it. You’ll also see a section about fish and aquatic vertebrates; a giant manta ray hanging from the ceiling would be a great sign to find this section inside the museum. A small part of the lower hall is dedicated to amphibians, where you can find a diverse collection of legless amphibians, such as worms, tailed amphibians, such as salamanders, and tailless amphibians, such as toads and frogs. After all of these sections in the lower hall of the museum, you should expect a part dedicated to the reptiles as well, which completes the lower hall of the museum that represents all the animals except birds and mammals. As you can see, the lower hall of the Zoological Museum of Moscow University of Lomonosov alone has a lot to offer to its visitors that would tempt tourists to visit it during their Moscow tour.
The upper hall has been separated into two main sections, Hall of Comparative Anatomy and a hall dedicated to mammals and birds. The latter contains a rare and unique collection of stuff animals, which have been made by some of the prominent Russian taxidermists from the end of the 19th century and went on through the 20th century. The Aves section, which is all about birds, is where you can find various stuffed birds, such as penguin, pelican, flamingo, cuckoo, owl, and other kinds of birds. This section will be the highlight of your trip to Moscow if you or your children are interested in birds. The other part of this section is entirely dedicated to mammals, in which you can find various kinds of mammals, including single-pass mammals, possums, bats, rodents, sirens, damans, and many others. If you like to see taxidermy animals on your tour to Russia, you should visit this section during your visit.
The second section of the upper hall is dedicated to the comparative anatomy hall, which is also famous as the Bone Hall. This section is one of the largest and most complete anatomical collections that you can see on your tour to Russia. It’s also great to observe the evolution of animals. This section is mostly made by the skeletons of animals, but you can still find alcohol preparations illustrating the structure of internal organs, as well as drawings, diagrams, and tables.
We at the Star Travel Group recommend our tourists visit our weblog to learn about all sorts of things that they can try on their travel to Russia, including visiting the best places in Russia tour, top shopping centers Moscow and St. Petersburg, and other sorts of tips and advice about how to travel to Russia.
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Rickea Jackson and Gabrielle Elliott lead Edison past Hamady, 54-31, in Class C semifinals
By: Jeff Dullack, March 16, 2017, 5:29 pm
East Lansing – Playing on a big stage can be a bit overwhelming at times, especially for a young team.
Don’t tell that to Detroit Edison. The Pioneers are comprised of nine freshmen, one sophomore and two juniors.
Taking on perennial contender Flint Hamady in a Class C semifinal at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, the Pioneers (20-5) were unfazed from the start. They jumped out to a 9-0 lead after the first quarter and cruised to a 54-31 victory.
In the Class C state final, Edison will face Pewamo-Westphalia, who beat Maple City Glen Lake in the second semifinal of the day, at 4:00pm on Saturday afternoon back at the Breslin Center.
Edison coach Monique Brown said that her team’s tough schedule helped prepare the Pioneers for their playoff run and added that she was most pleased with her team’s effort on Thursday.
“They’ve been preparing for this and we’ve talked about it throughout the season,” she said. “We had a really tough rough part of our schedule in the middle of the schedule, we played (Detroit) King, we played Midland Dow, Southfield A&T and we won some of those games and we lost of them, but I told them that was in preparation for games like today. They really came out and played really hard and I always told them, no matter what, I don’t want to hear anyone say we’re talented, I want people to see how hard we play.”
After a dominant defensive effort in the first quarter, led by six points from sophomore Rickea Jackson, freshman Gabrielle Elliott took over in the second quarter.
Elliott is the younger sister of Mr. Basketball candidate Greg Elliot of Detroit East English Village Prep. She scored 13 points as Edison would take a 28-8 lead at halftime.
Elliott said that her strong effort in the second quarter wasn’t a result of her doing anything out of the ordinary.
“That’s just stuff I worked on in practice and my teammates got me the ball,” she said. “It really wasn’t anything different, we played as a team and they knew I was scoring, so they got the ball to me. I’m just happy that they realized that and that we got the win, but there really wasn’t anything special about it.”
Elliott didn’t slow down in the second half as she finished with 25 points, and Jackson, who was celebrating her birthday, had 16 points and eight rebounds.
The Pioneers would all but put the game out of reach as Elliott scored seven points to spark an 11-2 run to open the second half.
“It would be amazing because everyone doubts us,” Jackson said of the possibility of winning a state title. “They said we were going to lose to Sandusky, they didn’t make it to us, and lose to Blissfield by two. We’re just tired of them doubting us, so that would be amazing to us because we’re so young, we don’t have any seniors, we’re just so young and we want to prove everyone wrong.”
Brown said that after arriving in East Lansing a day early, she second guessed her decision to do so, worrying about her team’s focus on Wednesday night, but those concerns were quickly put to rest on Thursday.
“I walked past (hotel rooms) around 12:30 last night and I heard voices and I said ‘Oh my goodness, was this a bad idea, coming here a day early, we’re going to be sluggish’,” she said. “As much as I fuss and fight with them, they always, at the end of the day, prove me wrong. So I commend them on that, for being ready and staying ready.”
Flint Hamady (19-6) was led by 10 points and 10 rebounds from Aryana Naylor and 10 points from Deajah Cofield.
Pewamo-Westphalia 64, Maple City Glen Lake 51
East Lansing – After a slow start to Thursday’s Class C semifinal, Pewamo-Westphalia used a strong second half effort to lead the way past Maple City Glen Lake.
After trailing by as many as six points in the first half, the Pirates outscored Glen Lake 40-26 in the second half as the Pirates shot 10-for-19 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to advance.
Pewamo-Westphalia head coach Steve Eklund said that after a tough start to the game for his team, he felt the Pirates were much more comfortable with their enviornment later in the game.
“Throughout the season, we tend to say the same thing over and over,” he said. “You’re never going to win the game in the first four minutes, it’s possession by possession and Glen Lake came out and just came after us tonight. They were outhustling us – and that’s one of our goals, never get outworked – and I’d say for the first 8-10 minutes, we were getting outhustled, they weren’t necessarily more physical, but they quicker to every loose ball. Sometimes you have to adjust to your opponent and I think that took us a little time to settle into the environment, get a feel for our opponent, but once we got a few shots to fall and started getting a few stops on the defensive end, things kind of just went from there.”
Pewamo-Westphalia (24-2) was led by 24 points and 12 rebounds from Emily Spitzley, while Brenna Wirth chipped in with 13 points in the win.
Glen Lake (23-4) was led by 14 points from Allie Bonzelet and 13 points from Jennifer LaCross.
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Sinn Féin message is one of hope and change – Gerry Adams TD
27 April, 2014 - by Gerry Adams
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams TD has called on the people of Dublin to support the party’s EU candidate Lynn Boylan, stating that Sinn Féin is committed to offering new hope and real change based on genuine republican politics and will deliver for the people of Ireland in Europe.
Speaking at the launch of Lynn Boylan’s campaign today, Deputy Adams said:
"Sinn Féin's message in this election is one of hope. We are saying things do not have to be the way they are. There is a better way.
"Ireland is a great country. We have great people. We do not have to be resigned to huge levels of unemployment, emigration and austerity.
"Together we can re-build this country, north and south. This requires a political step change. The EU and Local elections offer the prospect beginning that change.
"For too long, citizens in this state have endured a two-and-a-half party political system that has served them very badly.
"Sinn Féin is now, very clearly offering people new hope and the prospect of real change, based on genuine republican politics.
"This is about putting Ireland and Irish interests first in our dealings with the EU. It is about putting the interests of citizens at the heart of political decision making at all levels.
"It is very clear that citizens are responding in every greater numbers to Sinn Féin's message of hope and change.
"For the first time ever, every voter, in every county council on this island will have the opportunity to vote for Sinn Féin.
"Every Sinn Féin Councillor will be a committed voice for their community, putting the people’s interests at the heart of local government.
"Sinn Féin MEPs will not be 'yes men' or 'yes women' in the EU. We have had enough of that. They will be Irish representatives in the EU, not EU representatives in Ireland.
"Lynn Boylan offers the people of Dublin the representation they have failed to get from other MEPs. Lynn will fight for Dublin's interests, prioritising investment, jobs, economic growth and protection of the environment.
"I am asking Dublin voters to come out and help make 2014 the year change by voting for Lynn Boylan."
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Coke's Commentary
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
CHAP. IX.
Paul's sorrow for the Jews. All Abraham's seed were not the children of the promise. The calling of the Gentiles, and rejection of the Jews. The cause why so few Jews embraced the righteousness of faith.
Anno Domini 58.
THE Apostle having insinuated, chap. Romans 3:3 that God would cast off the Jews, because they refused to believe on Jesus, a Jew was there introduced replying, that their rejection would destroy the faithfulness of God. To this the Apostle answered, that the faithfulness of God would be established, rather than destroyed, by the rejection of the Jews for their unbelief; because God had expressly declared, Genesis 18:19 that Abraham's children were to keep the way of the Lord, in order to their obtaining the promised blessings; and thereby insinuated, that if they did not keep the way of the Lord, they would lose these blessings, of which their being made the visible church of God was one. This was all the answer the Apostle thought proper to make, in that part of his letter. But the objection being specious, and much insisted on by the unbelieving Jews, he introduced it a second time in this place, that he might reply to it more fully. His answer the Apostle introduced with a solemn asseveration, that he felt the bitterest grief when he considered the induration and rejection of the Jewish nation, and the many miseries that were coming on them, Romans 9:1-2.—Insomuch that he could have wished to be cut off from the visible church of Christ on earth, by excommunication and even by death, if it could have prevented these evils, Romans 9:3.—For he loved the Jews as his kinsmen, respected them as the ancient people of God, and thought highly of their privileges, which he enumerated on this occasion as just matter of glorying to them, Romans 9:4-5.—Having therefore such a love and respect for his brethren, they could not suspect that, in speaking of their rejection, he was moved either by ill-will or envy.
Having thus endeavoured to gain the good opinion of the Jews, the Apostle proceeded to give a full answer to the objection above mentioned. He told them, that the promises in the covenant would not fall to the ground, though the whole natural seed of Abraham should be cast off. For, said he, all who are descended of Israel according to the flesh, meaning the twelve tribes, these are not the whole Israel of God. There is a spiritual Israel, to whom likewise the promises belong, Romans 9:6.—To shew this, he observed, that because persons are the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, it does not follow that they are the children of Abraham, to whom the promises in their first and literal meaning were made. His children according to the flesh, who are heirs of the promises in their first meaning, were limited to Isaac, by the declaration, In Isaac shall thy seed be called, Romans 9:7.—That is, Abraham's children according to the flesh are not all of them heirs of Canaan; but only those who were given to him by promise, are counted to him for seed, Romans 9:8.—Now the promise by which they were given to Abraham for seed, was this, Lo, Sarah shall have a son, Romans 9:9.
The limitation of the natural seed to the children of promise the Apostle has mentioned, without applying it to the spiritual seed, as his argument seemed to require. The reason was, that his readers could easily make the application in the following manner: Since, in the covenant with Abraham, those only of his natural progeny are counted to him for seed, and made heirs of Canaan, who were given to him by promise, namely, Isaac and his descendants by Jacob, and since bythis limitation all his other children according to the flesh were excluded from being the children of God, and heirs of the promises in their first and literal meaning, it follows by parity of reason that none of the children of Abraham, not even his descendants by Isaac, are the children of God, and heirs of the promises, in their secondary, spiritual, and highest meaning, but those who were given to Abraham by the promise, A father of many nations I have constituted thee. These are believers of all nations and ages; as is plain from what the Apostle told the Galatians, Galatians 4:28. We, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. And because believers are counted to Abraham for seed, in respect of their faith, they are called his seed by faith, Romans 4:16. For by partaking of his dispositions, they are more really his children, than those whose only relation to him is by natural descent—Thus it appears, that Abraham's natural descendants by Isaac are not the whole of his seed, who are the heirs of the promises. He has a seed also by faith, who are far more numerous than his natural seed by Isaac. And, they being the seed principally spoken of in the covenant, if the promises are fulfilled to them, the faithfulness of God will not be destroyed, though the whole of the natural seed should be rejected for their unbelief.
These things the Jews might easily have understood. Nevertheless, privileges conferred on them by a covenant with their progenitor, and which were solemnly confirmed to them at Sinai, they persuadedthemselves could not be taken from them, and given to the Gentiles, without destroying God's veracity. But, to shew them their error, the Apostle put them in mind, that as Isaac was chosen to be the root of the people of God, in preference to Ishmael, by mere favour; so afterwards Jacob had that honour conferred on him, in preference to Esau, by a gratuitous election before Jacob and Esau were born. As therefore the Jews, Jacob's posterity, were the church of God by mere favour, God might, without any injustice to them, or violation of his covenant with Abraham, admit the Gentiles into his church at any time he pleased, Romans 9:10-13.
To enforce this argument, the Apostle observed, that in preferring Jacob the younger brother, to Esau the elder, God neither acted unjustly towards Esau, nor violated his promise to Abraham, because he might bestow his favours on whom he pleased, Romans 9:14.;—as appears from what he said to Moses, when he forgave the Israelites their sin respecting the golden calf: I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, &c.: for this implies, that, as in pardoning national sins, so also in conferring national favours, God acts according to his own good pleasure, Romans 9:15.—So then, it did not depend on Isaac, who willed, to make Esau the heir of the promises, by giving him the blessing; nor onEsau, who ran to bring venison, that his father might eat and bless him; but on the good pleasure of God, who willed to confer that honour on Jacob, preferably to Esau, Romans 9:16.—He might therefore, without any injustice, admit the believing Gentiles to share with the Jews, in those privileges which he had gratuitously bestowed on the descendants of Jacob, in preference to those of E
But the Apostle, in his discourses to the Jews, had on different occasions carried this matter farther, and had declared to them that they were to be deprived of their privileges, and driven out of Canaan, for their sin in crucifying Jesus of Nazareth. To this it seems they replied, that the unbelief, and even the rebellion of their fathers, had not been so punished; and inferred that, although the present generation, in crucifying Jesus, had really disobeyed God, it was not to be thought that he would now cast off and destroy his people on that account. In answer, the Apostle told them that, in punishing nations, God exercises the same sovereignty as in conferring favours. Of the wicked nations which deserve to be punished, he chooses such as it pleases him to make examples of; and he defers punishing them, until the measure of their iniquity is full, that their punishment may be the more conspicuous. This appears from God's words to Pharaoh: I have upheld thee and thy people hitherto, that, the measure of your iniquity, as a nation, becoming full, I might shew my power and justice in punishing you the more severely, Romans 9:18.—If so, God's upholding the Jews so long was no proof that he would not at length cast them away, and drive them out of Canaan, for their sin in crucifying the Christ.—But thou wilt reply, since God hath determined to destroy the Jewish nation for its wickedness,why has he not done it ere now, and thereby put an end to his still finding fault with them, on account of their repeated rebellions, to which his sparing them so long has given occasion: for who hath resisted his will? Romans 9:19.—To this the Apostle answers, Who art thou that presumest to find fault with God's government of the world? Shall the thing formed say to him that formedit, Why hast thou made me thus? Romans 9:20.—Hath not the potter power over the clay? &c. Romans 9:21.—But, said he, not to rest my answer wholly on the sovereignty of God, what can be said against God's forbearing for so long a time to destroythe Jewish nation, if it was done to shew more fully his displeasure against the greatest national abuseof religious privileges long continued in it, and the more signally to punish the nation guilty of such an abuse, Romans 9:22.—Also, that he might take in their place believers of all nations, whom by his dispensations towards the Jews he had been preparing for that great honour? Romans 9:23-24.—Which calling of the believing Jews and Gentiles was long ago foretold by Hosea, Romans 9:25-26.—Besides, the destruction of the greatest part of the Jewish nation for crucifying the Christ is not more contrary to the covenant with Abraham, than their almost total subversion by the Assyrians and Babylonians for their repeated idolatries, Romans 9:27-29.—Thus it appears, that the believing Gentiles were called into the visible church of God, and received the great blessing of faith counted for righteousness, promised to Abraham's spiritual seed, agreeably to God's covenant with him, and to the predictions of the prophets, Romans 9:30.—But the unbelieving Jews who sought to become righteous by obeying the law of Moses, have not attained righteousness, Romans 9:31.—because they sought it not by faith, according to the tenor of the covenant with Abraham, but by works of law, and stumbled at the promised Seed as at a stumbling-stone, Romans 9:32.;—agreeably to what Isaiah had foretold concerning them, Romans 9:33.: so that they are now justly cast off.
I shall finish this illustration with two remarks. The first is, that indiscoursing of the election of the Jews to be the people of God, and of their degradation from that high honour, the Apostle has established such general principles, as afford a complete answer to all the objections which deists have raised against revelation, on account of its want of universality. They affirm, that if the ancient revelations, of whichthe Jews are said to have been the keepers, had been from God, the knowledge of them would not have been confined to an inconsiderable nation, pent up in a corner of the earth, but would have been universally spread. In like manner they assert, that if the Christian religion were from God, it would long ago have been bestowed on all mankind. To these, and every objection of the like nature, the Apostle has taught us to reply, that God has an indisputable right to bestow his favours on whom he pleases. And therefore, without unrighteousness, he maywithhold the benefit of revelation from whom he will, since he was under no obligation to bestow it on any; just as, in the distribution of his temporal favours, he bestows on some a more happy country and climate, or a better bodily constitution, or greater natural talents, or a better education, than on others. And if deists ask, Why God,in the distribution of his spiritual favours, has preferred one nation or person before another, the Apostle bids us answer, Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, to make out the same lump one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? The very same right which entitled God to make some of his creatures angels, and some of them men, entitled him to place men in the endlessly various situations in which we see them. Nor can those who seem to be most unkindly treated, complain of the want of revelation or of any other advantage, which God has thought fit to withhold from them; since at the last day none shall be condemned for the want of these things: and in judging men, due regard will be had to the circumstances of each; so that the sentences passed, will all be according to truth, as the Apostle has taught in the second chapter. Wherefore since men may be saved, who have not enjoyed revelation, the giving or the withholding of that benefit is to be considered, not as an appointing of men either to salvation or damnation, but merely as a placing them in more or less advantageous circumstances of trial.—To conclude, God has been pleased, in many instances, to make the reasons of his conduct incomprehensible to us, on purpose to teach us humility. At the same time, from what we know, we may believe, that however unsearchable God's judgments are, and his ways past finding out, they are full of wisdom and goodness. We ought therefore to change our doubts into adoration, and should join the Apostle in crying out, O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! chap. Romans 11:33.
Romans 9:1. I say the truth in Christ, &c.— The Apostle has proved by three special arguments, that the grace or favour of God in the Gospel extends to the Gentiles, as well as the Jews: this he has done in the first five chapters; in the three next, he has shewn the obligations which the Gospel lays upon Christians, both Gentile and Jewish, to a life of virtue and holiness; and lastly, the certainty of their salvation, in case they love God, and live not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Now let it be well observed, that hitherto the Apostle has considered our being taken into the kingdom of God, and interested in the blessings of the covenant of grace, absolutely, or in itself, as it is the effect of grace, free to all who believe, whether Jews or Gentiles, in opposition to the merit of any works, or of conformity to any law whatever; and therefore hitherto he has pleaded and proved, that the Gentiles, by faith, have a good title to the blessings of God's covenant; and that the Jews themselves can have an interest in those blessings no other way than by faith. He has not yet considered the Jews as set aside, or rejected from the Messiah's kingdom, (except in a glance, and only by-the-bye,) but as having the same way opened to them to the Christian church under the kingdom of the Messiah, as the believing Gentiles, and as under a possibilityof continuing still in the visible church; and therefore he has only argued, that they ought not to exclude the Gentiles, but allow them to be sharers in the mercies of God under the reign of the Messiah. Hitherto his language has been, "Why may not they be admitted as well as you?" And therefore he has hitherto treated the subject (the reception of the Gentiles into the church) without mentioning their admission under the name and notion of CALLING or inviting; which, in the sense of all mankind, is understood to be a relative term; for whenever we hear of inviting to a feast, wedding, &c. it immediately gives us this idea,—that only some are admitted to it, while others are passed by, or left. Nor has he hitherto made any mention of elect or election, chosen or choice, which also supposes that some are taken, while others are left or rejected, in respect to the new dispensation.
But now in this chapter, and the two following, the Apostle writes in a different style, and considers our reception into the kingdom of the Messiah, under the relative notion of calling or invitation, and of election or choice; which shews, that he now views the two parties, Jews and Gentiles, in a light different from that in which he had hitherto placed them. Now he regards the Gentiles as invited into the peculiar kingdom of the Messiah, as chosen to be his peculiar people, and the Jews as left out, and rejected from this glorious privilege: for though the Jews were free to embrace the Gospel, as well as the Gentiles, yet he knew, by the Spirit of prophesy, that as the main body of them in fact rejected Christ and the Gospel, so they would in fact be quite unchurched and cast out of the visible kingdom of God,—not only by their own unbelief, but also by the just judgment of God; in the total overthrow of their polity, the destruction of their temple, their expulsion out of the land of Canaan, and dispersion over the face of the whole earth. Thus he knew they would be accursed, or anathematized from Christ in this national sense, and reduced to a level with the common or heathen nations of the world; and the event has proved him to be a true prophet. It is observable, that agreeably to his delicate manner of writing, and to his nice and tender treatment of his countrymen, he never mentions their rejection,—a subject extremely painful to his thoughts,—otherwise than in a wish that he himself wereaccursed from Christ for them, or to prevent their being accursed from Christ;—till he comes to the eleventh chapter, where, he has much to say in their favour, even considered as at present rejected. But it is very evident that his arguments in this chapter stand upon a supposition, that the main body of the Jewish nation would be cast out of the visible kingdom of God. For which reason, in this and the two following chapters he considers the reception of any people into the kingdom of the Messiah, under the relative notion of inviting and choosing.
From the latter part of the foregoing chapter we may observe, that St. Paul thought our calling or being invited into the kingdom of the Messiah a matter of great importance. For the unbelieving Jews levelled all their artillery against our being called or invited into the peculiar church or family of God, and laboured every argument to unhinge the believing Gentiles, and to persuade them that they were not duly taken into the church: alleging particularly that the Jews are, and for ever were to be, the only true church and people of God; that they could not be cut off, so long as God was true to his word and promise to Abraham: consequently, the Gentiles were miserably deceived, by supposing thatthey had a place and interest in God's kingdom by faith in Christ Jesus; when in fact, and as sure as God was true, there was no other wayof entering into the kingdom of God, or of gaining a right to its privileges, than by submitting to the law of Moses. To prove therefore that the Jews, by rejecting Christ and the Gospel, were themselves cast out of the visible church, consistently with the truth of God's promise to Abraham, was a matter of great moment for the establishment of the Gentile believers. The Apostle had touched upon this point at the beginning of chap. 3:; but an enlargement upon it there would have broken in too much upon the argument he was then pursuing; for which reason he suspended the particular consideration of it to this place: and accordingly, he first solemnly declares his tenderest affection for his countrymen, and his real grief of heart for their infidelity and rejection, Romans 9:1-5.; and this, most probably, to wipe off an aspersion which had been cast upon him, that he was so zealous for the Gospel out of a natural hatred and rancour against his own nation; or, however, it might be intended at least to guard against such an invidious construction. Secondly, he answers objections against the rejection of the Jews, Romans 9:6-23. Thirdly, proves from Scripture the calling of the Gentiles, Romans 9:24-30. Fourthly, gives the true state and reasons of the rejection of the unbelieving Jews and calling of the Gentiles, Romans 9:30.—chap. Romans 10:14.Fifthly, vindicates the mission of the Apostles, as expedient and necessary to the calling or invitation of the Jews, chap. Romans 10:14 to the end: and all this was intended at once to vindicate the divine dispensations; to convince the infidel Jew; to satisfy the believing Gentile, that his invitation into the church was well grounded, just, and valid; to arm him against the cavils and objections of the unbelieving Jews, and to dispose the Christian Jew to receive and own him as a member of the family and kingdom of God by a divine right, in all respects as good as he himself could pretend to. See Locke.
Romans 9:3. That myself were accursed, &c.— That I myself were to be devoted to death [or made a sacrifice] after the example of Christ. Pere Simon has it, For the sake of Christ:—Propter Christum. But the first is preferable. See also Dr. Waterland's Sermons, vol. 1: p. 77. The word rendered accursed is ' Αναθεμα, by which the LXX translate the Hebrew word חרם cherem, which signifies "persons or things devoted to destruction and extermination." The Jewish nation were now an anathema, destined to destruction. St. Paul, to express his affection to them, says, he could wish, to save them from it, to become an anathema, and be destroyed himself. Elsner, with Dr. Clarke, joins ' Απο του Χριστου with Ηυχομην, I could wish, or desire from, or of Christ, that, &c. And he shews well, as has been frequently done, how very absurd it would be to suppose that the Apostle meant, that he could be content to be delivered over to everlasting misery for the good of others. "I am so far from taking pleasure," says the Apostle, "in the rejection of the Jewish nation, that on the contrary it gives me continual pain to think of it; insomuch, that [as Moses formerly when God proposed to cut them off, and in their stead to make of him a great nation, begged that he himself might rather die, than the children of Israel be destroyed, so] I could even wish that the exclusion from the visible church, which will happen to the Jewish nation, might fall to my own share, if thereby they might be kept in it." See Locke, and Grotius, and the note on Exodus 32:32; Exodus 32:35.
Romans 9:4. Who are Israelites— The Apostle with great address enumerates these privileges of the Jews, both that he might shew how honourably he thought of them, and that he might awaken their solicitude not to sacrifice that divine favour by which they had been so eminently and so long distinguished. In the word adoption he alludes to the Horeb covenant, whereby the Israelites became the peculiar people of God, and he their supreme ruler and protector. See Exodus 4:22. Deuteronomy 14:1. Jeremiah 31:9. Hosea 11:1. The glory means the Schechinah, which resided visibly among them on the mercy-seat. Hence the ark was called the glory. Compare Psalms 78:61. 1 Samuel 4:21-22. Ezekiel 10:4; Ezekiel 43:2; Ezekiel 43:27. For the covenants, sees Genesis 17:14. Exodus 34:27; Exodus 34:35. Whether the giving of the law, νομοθεσια, signifies the extraordinary giving of the law by God himself, or the exact constitution of their government, in the moral and judicial part of it, (for the next word λατρεια, the service, seems to comprehend the religious worship,) this is certain, that in either of these senses it was the peculiar privilege of the Jews, and what no other nation could pretend to. See Locke, and Doddridge.
Romans 9:5. Whose are the fathers, &c.— See Exodus 3:6-16. Acts 7:32. How ingenious soever the conjecture of Dr. Taylor may be thought, by which he would read Ων ο Θεος ο επι παντων, to answer to ων οι πατερες, whose are the Fathers, and whose is the God over all, it would doubtless be extremely dangerous to follow this, or any other reading of the like kind, unsupported by any critical authority of manuscripts or ancient quotations; nor does there appear any authority whatever for rendering the last clause, God be blessed for ever. We must therefore consider this text as a proof of Christ's proper divinity, which the opposers of that doctrine have never been able to answer. Proclus (de Fide, p. 53.) esteemed the verse before us so clear a proof of the divinity of Christ, that he says, "It shuts and walls up every avenue of calumny or reproach;" and Theophylact considers it as a passage which must put Arius to shame, as St. Paul expressly declares Christ to be God over all. This will appear still more plainly, if we recollect that it was a Jewish custom, whenever the priest mentioned the name of God in the sanctuary, for the people to say, "Blessed be the name and glory of his kingdom for ever and ever." The words used chap. Romans 1:25 are an abridgment of this form. Similar to it is the doxology at the end of the Lord's prayer, and chap. Romans 11:36 of this Epistle. In all these and in other places, the giving glory being an acknowledgment of the eternal God, and in several of them being applied peculiarly to Christ, is a convincing proof of his Godhead. See Hammond, Doddridge, and Locke.
Romans 9:6. The word of God— The word of promise. See Romans 9:9 and chap. Romans 3:3. St. Paul urges, that they are not all Israel which are of Israel, as a reason to prove that the promise of God failed not to have its effect, though the body of the Jewish nation had rejected the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore were naturally rejected by God from being any longer his people. The reasoning stands thus: "The posterity of Jacob, or Israel, were not those alone who were to make that Israel, or that chosen people of God, who were intended in the promise made to Abraham, Genesis 17:7-8. Others, besides the descendants of Jacob, were to be taken into this Israel, to constitute the people of God under the Gospel; and therefore the calling and coming-in of the Gentiles was a completion of that promise:" and then he adds in the next verse, "Neither were all the posterity of Abraham comprehended in that promise; nor were those who were taken-in in the time of the Messiah to make the Israel of God, taken-in because they were the natural descendants from Abraham; nor did the Jews claim it for all his race:" and this he proves by the limitation of the promise to Abraham's seed by Isaac only. He does all this to shew the right of the Gentiles to that promise, if they believed; since that promise did not concern only the natural descendants either of Abraham or Jacob, but those only who were of the faith of their father Abraham, of whomsoever descended. See chap. Romans 4:11-17 and Locke. We may read the last clause of this verse, For not all they that are of Israel, are Israel.
Romans 9:7. But, In Isaac shall thy seed be called— It should be considered, and well noted, that the Apostle, in this and the following quotations, does not give us the whole of the text which he intends should be taken into his argument, but only a hint or reference to the passages to which they belong; directing us to recollect or peruse the whole passage, and there view and judge of the force of his argument. That he is so to be understood, appears from the conclusion he draws, Romans 9:16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. In his arguments, Romans 9:7-8, &c. he says not one word of Abraham's willing Ishmael to be the seed in whom the promise might be fulfilled, nor of Isaac's willing Esau, nor of Moses's willing and interceding that the Israelites might be spared, nor of Esau's running for venison; butby introducing these particulars into his conclusion, he gives us to understand, that his quotations are to be taken in connection with the whole history of which they are a part. The same thing may be said concerning his conclusion, Romans 9:18. Whom he will, he hardeneth.—Hardeneth is not in his argument, but it is in the conclusion; therefore, &c. The generality of the Jews were well versed in the Scriptures, and a hint was sufficient to revive the memory of a whole passage.
Romans 9:11. Neither having done any good or evil— These words may possibly have been added by St. Paul, the more expressly to obviate an objection of the Jews, who might be ready to say, that Esau was rejected because he was wicked; as they did of Ishmael, that he was rejected, because he was the son of a bond-woman.
The principal thing which requires to be settled in this chapter is, what kind of election and reprobation the Apostle is here discoursing about? whether election, by the absolute decree and purpose of God to eternal life, and reprobation, by a like absolute decree, to eternal misery; or only election to the present privileges and external advantages of the kingdom of God in this world; and reprobation, or rejection, as it signifies the not being favoured with those privileges and advantages? And it appears demonstrably, that the Apostle is discoursing of the latter election and rejection, and not the former: for, I. The subject of his argument is manifestly the privileges enumerated Romans 9:4-5 from which he supposes the Jews were fallen or would fall; or that for a long time they would be deprived of the benefit of them: for it is with regard to the loss of those privileges that he is so much concerned for his brethren, and kinsmen according to the flesh, Romans 9:2-3.; and it is with reference to their being stripped of those privileges, that he vindicates the word and righteousness of God, Romans 9:6-24. Not as though the word of God had taken no effect, or failed, &c. proving that God, according to his purpose of election, was free to confer them upon any branch of Abraham's seed. Consequently those privileges were the singular blessings which, by the purpose of God, according to election, not of works, but of him that calleth, were conferred upon Jacob's posterity. But those privileges were onlysuch as the whole body of the Israelites enjoyed in this world while they were the church and people of God, and such privileges as they might afterwards lose, or be deprived of; therefore the election of Jacob's posterity to those privileges was not absolute election to eternal life. II. Agreeably to the purpose of God according to election, it was said to Rebecca, The elder shall serve the younger; meaning, the posterity of the elder and the younger. For, Genesis 25:23 the Lord said unto her, two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger. These are the words which signify the purpose of God according to election. Therefore the election refers to Jacob's posterity, or the whole nation of Israel; but the whole nation of Israel were not absolutely elected to eternal life: therefore, &c.—III. Agreeably to the purpose of God according to election, it was said to Rebecca, the elder shall serve the younger; but to serve, in Scripture, never signifies to be eternally damned in the world to come; consequently the opposite blessing, bestowed upon the posterity of the younger, could not be eternal salvation, but some privileges in this life. Therefore the purpose according to election refers to such privileges. IV. The election here spoken of took place first in Abraham and his seed, before his seed were born; and then (secluding Ishmael and all his posterity) in Isaac and his seed, before they were born; and then (secluding Esau and his posterity) in Jacob and his seed, before they were born. But the Scripture never represents eternal life, as bestowed upon any family or race of men in this manner. Therefore, &c.—V. Vessels of mercy (Romans 9:23.) are manifestly opposed to vessels of wrath, Romans 9:22. The vessels of mercy are the whole body of the Jews and Gentiles, who were called or invited into the kingdom of God under the Gospel, Romans 9:24.; consequently the vessels of wrath are the whole body of the unbelieving Jews. So Romans 9:30-31 the whole body of believing Gentiles, who, according to God's purpose of election, had attained justification, are opposed to the whole body of the Israelites who came short of it:—but men shall not be received to eternal life, or subjected to eternal condemnation at the last day in collective bodies; but according as particular persons in those bodies have acted well or ill. Therefore, &c.—VI. Whoever carefully peruses chap. 9: Romans 10:11 : will find, that those who have not believed, chap. Romans 11:31 are the present rejected Jews, or that Israel to whom blindness hath happened in part, chap. Romans 11:25.;—the same who fell, and on whom God hath shewn severity, chap. Romans 11:22.; the same with the natural branches, whom God spared not, chap. Romans 11:21.; who were broken off from the olive-tree, chap. Romans 11:19; Romans 11:17.; who were cast away, chap. Romans 11:15.; who were diminished and fallen, chap. Romans 11:12.; who had stumbled, chap. Romans 11:11.; who were a disobedient and gainsaying people, chap. Romans 10:21.; who being ignorant of God's righteousness went about to establish their own, chap. Romans 10:3.—Because they sought righteousness, not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, chap. Romans 9:32.; and they had not attained to the law of righteousness, chap. Romans 9:31. These same people, spoken of in all these places, are the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, Romans 9:22.; and the same for whom St. Paul had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart, Romans 9:2-3. In short, they are the unbelieving nation, or people of Israel; and it is with regard to the reprobation or rejection of this people, from the peculiar kingdom of the Messiah, that he is arguing, and vindicating the truth, justice, and wisdom of God, in the present chapter. Now if we turn back and review those three chapters, we shall find that the Apostle, chap. Romans 10:1 heartily desires and prays, that those same reprobated and rejected people of Israel might be saved; he affirms that they had not so stumbled as to fall finally and irrecoverably, chap. Romans 11:11.; that they should again have a fulness, Romans 9:12.; that they should be received again into the church, Romans 9:15.; that a holiness still belonged to them, Romans 9:16.; that if they did not still abide in unbelief, they should be grafted into their own olive-tree again, Romans 9:23-24.; and that blindness was happened to them only for a time, till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in, Romans 9:25.; and then he proves from Scripture, that all Israel, all this nation, at present under blindness, shall be saved, Romans 9:26-27. That as touching the [original] election, they were still beloved for the sake of the fathers, the patriarchs, Romans 9:28.; that in their case, the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, Romans 9:29.; and that through our, the believing Gentiles', mercy, they shall at length obtain mercy, Romans 9:31. All these things are spoken of that Israel or body of people, concerning whose rejection the Apostle argues in the 9th chapter; and therefore the rejection about which he here argues cannot be absolute reprobation to eternal damnation, but their being, as a nation, stripped of those honours and privileges of God's peculiar church and kingdom in this world, to which, at a certain period, they should again be restored. But once more, VII. Whoever carefully peruses those three chapters will find, that the people, who in times past believed not God, but have now obtained mercy, through the unbelief of the Jews, (chap. Romans 11:30.) are the whole body of the believing Gentiles; the same who were cut out of the olive-tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted, contrary to nature, into the good olive-tree, chap. Romans 11:24; Romans 11:17.; the same to whom God had shewn goodness, chap. Romans 11:22.; the world that was reconciled, chap. Romans 11:15.; the Gentiles, who were enriched by the diminishing of the Jews, chap. Romans 11:12.; to whom salvation came through their fall, chap. Romans 11:11.; who had attained to righteousness, or justification, chap. Romans 9:30.; who had not been God's people, nor beloved; but now are his people, beloved, and the children of the living God; Romans 9:25-26. See also Romans 9:24; Romans 9:23; Romans 9:21. He speaks of the same body of men in all those places, namely, of the believing Gentiles principally, but not excluding a small remnant of the believing Jews, who were incorporated with them. And it is this body of men, whose calling and election he is proving; in whose case the purpose of God according to election stands good; and who are the children of the promise counted for seed, Romans 9:8.—They are the election, or the elect. Now concerning this called, or elect body of the people, or any particular person belonging to this body, the Apostle writes thus, in chap. Romans 11:20-22.: "Well, because of unbelief, they, the Jews, were broken off, reprobated, rejected, and thou standest, in the church, among God's called or elect, by faith. Be not high minded, but fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God, on them, the Jews, which fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness; if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off, rejected and reprobated." This proves, that the calling and election, which the Apostle is here urging, is not absolute election to eternal life, but to the present privileges of the church;—the honours and advantages of God's peculiar people: which election, through unbelief and misimprovement, may be rendered void, and come to nothing.
Romans 9:12-13. The elder shall serve the younger— These words, the elder shall serve the younger, in Genesis 25:23 are used only in a national sense, and not personally; for in this sense the proposition is not true: which makes it plain that the words, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated, Romans 9:13 are to be taken also in a national sense, for the preference which God gave to the posterity of one of them to be his people, and possess the promised land. See Deuteronomy 7:6-8. The word hated is often used in sacred Scripture comparatively, signifying only "to postpone in our esteem or kindness." I have loved Jacob, and hated Esau, therefore, can only mean, "I have greatly preferred the former to the latter." See Genesis 29:31. Luke 14:26. John 12:25. From the 7th to the 13th verse the Apostle proves to the Jews, that though the promise was made to Abraham and his seed, yet it was not to all Abraham's posterity, but God's first choice, Isaac and his posterity. And then again when Rebecca had conceived twins by Isaac, who was but one of the sons of Abraham, God, of his blessed pleasure, chose Jacob the younger, and his posterity, to be his peculiar people. See Locke and the preceding note. Dr. Doddridge upon the 13th verse observes, that the words there, in connection with the preceding and following, do indeed prove, that God acts with a sovereign freedom, accountable to none in the dispensation of his favours; and consequentially prove that it was not upon the foresight of the obedience and piety of Jacob on the one hand, or the profaneness of Esau on the other, that this preference was given; for then the argument taken from the having actually done neither good nor evil, would be very weak. The Doctor afterwards adds, Nevertheless it is certain, that the Apostle does not here speak of the eternal state of Jacob and Esau, (whatever some may suppose deducible from what he says,) nor does he indeed so much speak of the persons, as of their posterity, since it is plainly to that posterity that both the prophesies which he quotes in support of his argument refer; Genesis 25:23. Malachi 1:2-3. His laying waste the heritage of the Edomites for the dragons of the wilderness, is so different a thing from his appointing the person of Esau to eternal misery by a mere act of sovereignty,—without regard to any thing done, or to be done, by him to deserve it,—that I will rather submit (says the Doctor) to any censure from my fellow-servants, than deal so freely with my Maker, as to conclude the one from the other.
Verse 14-15
Romans 9:14-15. What shall we say then?— So far the Apostle, in this chapter, has considered God's choosing or refusing any body of men in general, without supposing them to be corrupt, or to have forfeited the divine favour; but it is evident from the Scripture quotations, that from Romans 9:15-23 he considers them in another light; namely, as corrupt, and deserving of destruction, which brings his argument to the case of the rejected Jews: and it is observable, that the Apostle arguing here with the Jews, to vindicate the justice of God in rejecting them, uses three sorts of arguments. The first is, the testimony of Moses, concerning God's asserting this to himself by the right of his sovereignty, which was enough to stop the mouths of the Jews; the second, from reason, Romans 9:19-24.; and the third, from his predictions of it to the Jews, and the warning that he gave them of it beforehand, Romans 9:25-29. See Locke, and Exodus 33:19.
Romans 9:16. God that sheweth mercy— Shewing mercy, and obtaining mercy, are applied to the donation of extraordinary favours and privileges upon a people, chap. Romans 11:30. 1 Peter 2:10.; and that it is to be so understood here, appears from the context. One would imagine that this verse should have come in immediately after the 13th; but the reason why the Apostle inserted it here, most probably was, that he might take the affair of Moses's intercession for the Israelites into his conclusion, as well as the two foregoing instances relating to the sons of Abraham and Isaac; for, the instance of Moses's intercession, first, with respect to his will and earnest desire, has relation to the preceding cases of Abraham and Isaac; and so it comes into the conclusion in this verse; and secondly, with respect to the sovereign will and pleasure of God, in continuing to the Israelites the favour of being his peculiar people, it has also relation by way of contrast to the subsequent case of Pharaoh, Romans 9:17.; and so comes also into the conclusion, Romans 9:18. This is an example of the Apostle's consulting brevity in arranging and wording his arguments. The passage from Romans 9:14 may be paraphrased thus: "And now, what shall we say to these things? Shall we suggest that God's bestowing religious privileges in this unequal manner, upon those who otherwise are in equal circumstances, is inconsistent with equity and justice?—By no means; Romans 9:15. I gave a general answer to this objection, chap. Romans 3:6 which I now confirm by the words of God himself to Moses, Exodus 33:19 after he had declared that he would spare the Jews of old, and continue them in the relation of his peculiar people, when they had deserved to be cut off for their idolatry. I will, says he, make all my goodness pass before thee, &c. as if he had said, 'I will make such a display of my perfections as shall convince you I am of a kind and beneficent nature: but know, that I am a debtor to none of my creatures; my benefits and blessings are merely from my own good-will; nor can any people, much less a rebellious people, challenge them as their due in justice or equity; and therefore I now spare the Jews, not because either you who intercede for them, or they themselves have any claim upon my favour; but of my own free and sovereign grace I choose to shew them mercy and compassion:' Romans 9:16. I conclude therefore, from these three several instances foregoing, that the making or continuing any body of men the peculiar people of God, in respect to spiritual or national privileges, is righteously determined, not by the judgment, hopes, or wishes of men, but by the will and wisdom of God alone. ForAbraham judged that the blessingought, and desired it might be given to his eldest son Ishmael; and Isaac also designed it for first-born Esau: and Esau, wishing and hoping it would be his, readilywent a hunting for venison, that he might receive it. But they were all frustrated; Abraham and Isaac who willed, and Esau who ran; for the blessing of being a great nation, and his peculiar people, God, of his mere good pleasure, originally intended first for Isaac, and then for Jacob and his posterity; and to them it was given. And when by their apostacy they had forfeited this privilege, it was not Moses's willing, nor any prior obligation that God was under, but his own sovereign mercy, which continued the enjoyment of it." See Locke, and Whitby.
Romans 9:17. For the Scripture saith, &c.— Moreover, &c. Doddridge. It is plain that this is no proof of what immediately goes before; and therefore γαρ is properly rendered bymoreover, which is consistent with makingit introductory to what proves something asserted at a distance, if it come in as a co-ordinate proof. The reader will observe, that the Apostle does not produce an instance of an innocent person being made and treated as an object of divine displeasure out of mere sovereignty; but one of the most hardened and notorious sinners the world ever knew. Instead of I have raised thee up, some would render the original, I have made thee stand, or held thee up: that is, "I have supported thee during the former plagues, that I might make thee a more remarkable example of vengeance." But though that may agree with the original Hebrew and with the version of the LXX, yet it does not seem to answer to the Greek word used by St. Paul. If, as some writers suppose, the Pharaoh here spoken of was an Egyptian king, who made his way to the throne by treason, incest, and murder, the words have a singular weight considered as referring thereto: "I have raised thee up to that height of eminence in which thou proudly gloriest, that I may more conspicuously shew forth my power in thee; and that my name, in consequence of distinguished judgments to be righteously inflicted upon thee,may be celebrated through all the earth, in the most distant nations and remotest ages." See Locke, Doddridge, and Whitby.
Romans 9:18. Therefore hath he mercy, &c.— "Therefore, that his name and power may be made known, and taken notice of in all the earth, he is kind and bountiful to one nation, and suffers another to go on obstinately in their opposition to him; that his taking them off by some signal calamity, and the ruin brought on them by the visible hand of his providence, may be seen and acknowledged to be an effect of their standing out against him; as in the case of Pharaoh. For this end, he is bountiful to whom he will be bountiful, and whom he will he permits to make such an use of his forbearance towards them, as to persist obdurately in their provocation of him, and draw on themselves exemplary destruction." See Locke, Whitby, and particularly the note on Exodus 9:34-35.
Romans 9:19. Why doth he yet find fault?— This objection is put a little differently, ch. Romans 3:7. There it is, "If God's faithfulness is glorified by my wickedness, why am I condemned as a sinner." Here it is, "If God for his own glory determines to suffer us to go on in hardness and infidelity, why does he find fault with us?" See the reply in the next verse.
Romans 9:20. Nay but, O man, &c.— St. Paul shews here, that the nations of the world, who are by a better right in the hands and disposal of God, than the clay in the power of thepotter, may, without calling his justice in question, "be made great and glorious, or be pulled down or brought into contempt, as he pleases." That he here speaks of men nationally, and not personally, in reference to their eternal state, is evident not only from the beginning of this chapter, where he expresses his concern for the rejection of the Jews, and from the instances that he brings of Isaac, Jacob, Esau, and Pharaoh: but it appears also very clearly from the verses immediately following; where, by the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, (keeping up the metaphor of the potter,) he manifestly means the nation of the Jews; who were now grown ripe for the destruction which God would bring upon them; and by vessels of mercy, the christian church, consisting of a small number of converted Jews, and the rest made up of Gentiles; who, together, were thenceforwards to be the people of God in this general sense, instead of the Jewish nation, Romans 9:24. The sense therefore of this and the following verses is this: "How darest thou, O man, to call God to account, and question his justice, in casting off his ancient people the Jews? What if God, willing to punish that sinful people, and to do it so as to make his power known and taken notice of, (and why might not he raise them up for that purpose, as well as Pharaoh and the Egyptians?)—What, I say, if God bore with them a long time, even after they had deserved his wrath, as he did with Pharaoh, that his hand might be the more eminently visible in their destruction; and that also, at the same time, he might with the more glory make known his goodness and mercy to the Gentiles; whom, according to his purpose, he was ready to receive into the glorious state of being his people under the Gospel?" See Locke.
Romans 9:21. Hath not the potter power, &c.— See Jeremiah 18. It is observable, that Plutarch uses the very same similitude with this before us; and Aristophanes, among other contemptuous expressions, by which he describes the frailty of human creatures, calls them πλασματα πηλου, vessels of clay. A vessel unto honour, or to dishonour, signifies a thing designed by the maker to an honourable or dishonourable use: nor can any reason be given why it may not design nations, as well as persons; and honour and prosperity in this world, as well as eternal happiness and glory, or misery and punishment, in the world to come. In common reason this figurative expression ought to follow the sense of the context. But Jeremiah 18:6-7 whence this instance of a potter is taken, shews the word vessel to have a temporal sense, and to relate to the nation of the Jews. See the preceding note, Locke, and Bos.
Romans 9:22. What if God, willing, &c.— See on ch. Romans 1:18. Immediately after the instance of Pharaoh, whom God declared that he raised up to shew his power in him, Romans 9:17 it is subjoined, Romans 9:18, And whom he will he hardeneth; plainly with reference to the history of Pharaoh, who is said to harden himself, and whom God is said to harden, as may be seen in the parallel places of Exodus. What God's part in hardening is, we find in the words, Endured with much long-suffering. God sends Moses to Pharaoh with signs; Pharaoh's magicians do the like; and so he is not prevailed with. God sends a plague:while the plague is upon him, Pharaoh is mollified, and promises to let the people go: but as soon as God takes off the plague, he returns to his obstinacy, and refuses; and this repeatedly. God's being intreated by him to withdraw the severity of hishand, and his gracious compliance with Pharaoh's desire, was what God did in the case; and this was all goodness and bounty. But Pharaoh and his people made such ill use of his forbearance and long-suffering, as still to harden themselves the more for God's goodness and gentleness to them;—till they brought on themselves exemplary destruction, from the visible power and hand of God employed in it. This behaviour of theirs God foresaw, and so made use of their obstinate temper for his ownglory, as he himself declares, Exodus 7:3-5; Exodus 8:18; Exodus 8:32. The Apostle, by the instance of a potter's power over his clay, having demonstrated that God, by his dominion and sovereignty, had a right to set up or pull down what nation he pleased, and might, without any injustice, take onerace into his favour to be his peculiar people, or reject them, as he thought fit, in this general sense of privileges—In this verse he applies it to the subject in hand; namely, the rejection of the Jewish nation; whereof he speaks here in terms, which plainly make a parallel betweenthis and his dealing with the Egyptians, mentioned Romans 9:17.: and therefore that history, will best explain this verse, which will thence receive its full light. For it seems, at first sight, a somewhat strange sort of reasoning to say that God, to shew his wrath, endured with much long-suffering those who deserved his wrath, and were fit for destruction. But he who will read in Exodus God's dealings with Pharaoh and the Egyptians,—and how he passed over provocation upon provocation, and patiently endured those who by their first refusal, nay, by their former cruelty and oppression of the Israelites, deserved his wrath, and were fitted for destruction, that by a more signal vengeance on the Egyptians, and glorious deliverance of the Israelites, he might make his power and his goodness known,—will easily see the strong and natural sense of this and the following verse. See Locke and Doddridge.
Romans 9:23. And that he might make known— Mr. Locke thinks the sense of the place requires, that the and should be left out, as it is in some manuscripts: but the and seems essential to the text, and to the Apostle's meaning; as it connects the second reason, why God delayed the destruction of the Jewish nation, with the first reason given, Romans 9:22 thus;—God endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath, first, to shew his wrath, and to make his power known; and also, 2nd, that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy. It is added, which he had before prepared unto glory. See Colossians 1 and particularly Romans 9:27. The Jews were fitted for destruction long before; but the fittest time to destroythem was, after he had prepared many of the faithful among the Gentiles unto glory. For the rod of the Messiah's strength was to be sent out of Sion, Psalms 110:2. The Jewish nation was to supply the first preachers of the Gospel; and from Jerusalem their sound was to go forth into all the earth. Therefore the Jewish state, under all its corruptions, was to be preserved till the Messiah came, and, even till the Gospel, propagated by the Apostles, had taken deep root in the Gentile world. Another thing which rendered the time when the Jewish polity was overthrown the most proper, was this; because then the immediate occasion of it was the extensiveness of the divine grace. The extensive-ness of God's grace occasioned that infidelity of the Jews, which filled up the measure of their iniquity; Romans 9:33 ch. Romans 11:11-12; Romans 11:15; Romans 11:28; Romans 11:30. Thus they were diminished by that abundance which has enriched us; and so the grace of God was illustrated; or so God made known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy. See Locke.
Romans 9:25-26. As he saith also in Osee— Here are two quotations out of the prophet Hosea,—first, ch. Romans 1:10 where, immediately after God had rejected the ten tribes, Romans 9:9. (Ye are not my people, and I will not be your God,) it is added, Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered: And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. As if he had said, "The decrease of numbers in the visible church, by God's utterly taking away the ten tribes, Romans 9:6 shall be well supplied by what shall afterwards come to pass by calling the Gentiles into it. They who had been the people of God should become Lo-ammi,—not my people: on the contrary, they who had been Lo-ammi,—not my people, should become the children of the living God." Again, Hosea 2:23. I will sow her [the Jewish church] unto me in the earth; alluding, probably, to the dispersion of the Jews over all the Roman empire; which proved a fruitful cause of preparing the Gentiles for the reception of the Gospel; And, or moreover, I will have mercy on her [the body of believing Gentiles] that had not obtained mercy. See Jeffery's "True Grounds," p. 149.; and the notes on Hosea.
Romans 9:27-28. A remnant shall be saved— That is, Only a remnant. So ch. Romans 14:2. Eats only herbs, John 18:8. If ye seek me, (that is, only me,) let these go their way. Mr. Locke would translate the next verse, For the Lord, finishing and contracting the account, in righteousness, shall make a short or small remainder in the earth.—A metaphor taken from an account, wherein the matter is so ordered, that the overplus or remainder, standing still upon the account, is very little. Compare Isaiah 28:22 and Daniel 9:27.
Romans 9:29. Except the Lord of Sabaoth, &c.— Lord of Hosts, &c. Instead of a seed, the words in Isaiah are, a very small remnant.
Romans 9:30-31. The Gentiles, which followed not, &c.— Righteousness or justification, is to be understood here, as ch. Romans 4:3; Romans 4:5. Genesis 15:6. It is the justification by faith, to which the Apostle from the beginning of the Epistle has been arguing and proving that the believing Gentiles have a right, and which they have attained; but which the unbelieving Jews have not attained, because they sought it not by faith, but by the works of the law, Romans 9:32. Therefore what is meant by attaining to this justification, will be clearly understood, if we consider that the Apostle is here giving the reason why the Jews were cast off from being God's people, and the Gentiles admitted to that privilege. See Locke and Whitby.
Romans 9:33. A stumblingstone— What the unbelieving Jews stumbled at, St. Peter informs us, 1 Epist. Romans 2:8. They stumbled at the word: they were disgusted at the Gospel: the word which Christ and his Apostles preached, did not please them. It contradicted all their preconceived opinions; and, instead of continuing them to be the onlyvisible church of God in all the world, and their law and religious ceremonies the only rule of a place and interest in the peculiar kingdom of God upon earth, it entirely abolished the law in this respect; and freely took men of any nation into the peculiar kingdom of God, without any regard to the law of Moses, only upon faith in Christ. This was the word,—the word of universal grace, at which the Jews stumbled. See Isaiah 8:14; Isaiah 28:16. 1 Corinthians 1:23 and Whitby.
Inferences.—Let the affection which the Apostle expresses for the Jews, his countrymen and brethren according to the flesh, and the tender and pathetic representation that he makes of the privileges which they once enjoyed, awaken in our hearts an earnest solicitude, that they may by divine grace be brought back; that they may again be adopted into the family from which they have been cut off, again clothed with the glory which is departed from them; that, through him who was given for a covenant to the people, they may receive the law of life and grace, be formed to that spiritual service which it introduces, instead of their pompous ritual, and embrace the promises on which the faith and hope of their illustrious fathers were fixed.
Let it likewise teach us spiritual compassion for our kindred, who are strangers to Christ, and let us be willing to submit to the greatest difficulties, and think nothing too much to be done or borne for their recovery.
Let our souls pay a humble homage to him who is, in such an incommunicable and sublime sense, the Son of God, as to be himself over all, God blessed for evermore. With prostrate reverence let us adore him, as our Lord, and our God, and repose that unbounded confidence in him which such an assemblage of divine perfections will warrant, putting our most hearty amen to every ascription of glory, to every anthem of praise, addressed to him.
And since we see that many of the children of Abraham, and of Isaac, failed of any share in the special promises of God, let us learn to depend on no privilege of birth, on no relation to the greatest and best of men. May we seek to be inserted into the family of God, by his adopting love in Christ Jesus, and to maintain the lively exercise of faith; without which no child of Abraham was ever acceptable to God, and with which none of the children of strangers have ever failed of a share in his mercy and favour.
Let us also learn humbly to adore the righteousness and holiness of God, in all the most amazing displays of his sovereignty, which we are sure are always consistent with it. Let us own his right to confer on whom he pleases, those favours which none of us can pretend to have deserved. He has of his mere goodness given us those privileges, as Christians, and as Protestants, which he has withheld from most nations under heaven. Let us adore his distinguishing favour to us, and arrogate nothing to ourselves.
Long did his patience wait on us; and let that patience be for ever adored! It shall be glorified even in those that perish: for he is so far from destroying innocent creatures by a mere arbitrary act of power and terror, that he endureth with much long-suffering, those who by their own incorrigible wickedness prove vessels of wrath, and whom the whole assembled world shall confess fitted for the destruction to which they shall finally be consigned. That after long abuse of mercy they are hardened, and perhaps after long hardness are at length destroyed: yea, that some of the vilest of men are exalted by Providence to a station that makes their crimes conspicuous, as those of Pharaoh, till at length he shews forth his power the more awefully, and makes his name the more illustrious by their ruin, is certainly consistent with that justice which the Judge of the whole earth will never violate.
But if, in tracing subjects of this kind, difficulties arise beyond the stretch of our feeble thought, let us remember that we are men, and let us not dare to reply against God. Retiring into our own ignorance and weakness, as those that are less than nothing, and vanity, before him, let us dread by any arrogant censure to offend him who has so uncontrollable a power over us. As clay in the hand of the potter, so are we in the hand of the Lord our God. Let us acquiesce in the form that he has given us, in the rank that he has assigned us; and, instead of perplexing ourselves about those secrets of his counsels which it is impossible for us to penetrate, let us endeavour to purify ourselves from whatever would displease him; that so we may, in our respective stations, be vessels of honour, fit for the use of our Master now, and entitled to the promise of being acknowledged as his, in that glorious day when he shall make up his jewels.
How can we sinners of the Gentiles ever sufficiently acknowledge the goodness of God to us, in calling us to that full participation of Gospel-blessings which we enjoy! That in our native lands, where the name of the true God was so long unknown, we should have the honour of being called his children! Oh, that we may indeed be so, not only by an external profession, but by regenerating grace!
Blessed be God that there is a seed remaining! It is the preservation of the people among which it is found; and had it not been found among us, we had probably long since been made a seat of desolation. May it increase in the rising age, that the pledges of our continued peace and prosperity may be more assured, till our peace be like a river, and our salvation like the waves of the sea.
It will be so, if we be awakened seriously to inquire how we may be justified before God, and seek that invaluable blessing in the way here pointed out; if we seek it, not as by the works of the law, but by faith in Christ. He has, in this respect, been to many a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence. May divine grace teach us the necessity of building upon him, of resting upon him the whole stress of our eternal hopes! Then shall they not sink into disappointment and ruin; then shall we not flee away ashamed in that aweful day, when the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters of that final deluge of divine wrath shall overflow every hiding-place, but that which God has prepared for us in his own Son.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The Jewish bigots looked upon St. Paul as a signal apostate, and persecuted him with peculiar virulence and enmity. He wished therefore to soften their exasperated spirits, while he makes profession of his own tender concern for their welfare and salvation. And there is a peculiar propriety in his introduction, when we consider the offensive truths which he was about to advance.
1. He makes a solemn protestation of the very fervent regard that he bore towards them. I say the truth in Christ, solemnly appealing to him who is the Searcher of hearts, and knoweth that I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost to the simplicity and sincerity of what I am going to say, that, far from entertaining the least prejudice or ill-will against my countrymen, I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart, feeling the acutest pangs of grief, when I think of their fearful condition, and what must be the inevitable consequences of their unbelief. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, ( αναθεμα ) content to be cut off from all my privileges as an Apostle, and to be separated from the society of the faithful with shame and disgrace, yea, to undergo the most ignominious and tormenting death, for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh.
2. He mentions the distinguished privileges with which they had been favoured of God, which could not but make their rejection peculiarly grievous to him: who are Israelites, bearing the name of their eminent progenitor Jacob; to whom pertaineth the adoption, taken into that covenant of peculiarity in which God regarded the whole nation as his visible church, Exodus 4:22 and the glory, the ark, the Shechinah, the mercy-seat, the tokens and emblems of the divine presence in the midst of them; and the covenants, the covenant of circumcision made with Abraham, and renewed with Isaac and Jacob, and that of Sinai with the whole body of Israel; and the giving of the law, containing God's ordinances, moral, judicial, and ceremonial; and the service of God, in what manner his worship should be performed; and the promises, of temporal prosperity, and of the Messiah and his great salvation; whose are the fathers, the descendants of the famed patriarchs; and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, the promised seed of Abraham, in his human nature; but who, in his divine, is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen! Note; The divinity of our incarnate Saviour is a chief article of our creed. Thereon depends the perfection of his Atonement on our behalf.
2nd, Grief for his unhappy countrymen filled the Apostle's heart: but, though the generality of them perished, the promise made to Abraham would not be frustrated. He would not therefore have them suppose as though the word of God had taken none effect, and failed of its accomplishment, because they believed not. For they are not all Israel, true Israelites, and savingly interested in the spiritual blessings of the covenant, which are of Israel, the offspring of Jacob; neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children of God, as they flattered themselves. But I have enlarged so fully on these points in my Critical Notes, that I shall refer my readers to them, rather than run the hazard of being tedious. I will only just observe,
3rdly, That the Apostle, having proved the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, suggests also the reason. What shall we say then, farther in vindication of God's justice and free grace in these dispensations? It is evident, that the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have notwithstanding attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith, being accepted of God through faith in Christ Jesus: but Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, and sought justification before God by their own obedience, hath not attained to the law of righteousness, not being capable of performing that immaculate righteousness which the law demands, and therefore being left under the curse as transgressors. Wherefore have they not attained? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, placing their dependence upon their own doings and duties, either in part, or in the whole, for their acceptance with God: for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone, the crucified Galilean, whose lowly appearance offended them, and they could not think of embracing him as their Messiah: As it is written in Isaiah, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and rock of offence, that Messiah who should be the tried stone and sure foundation to those who believed, and would to those who rejected him be as the rock which dashes those to pieces who fall thereon: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed: though the generality perish in their impenitence and unbelief, yet those who dare perseveringly trust him for pardon, life, and salvation, shall never be disappointed of their hopes, but find him a Saviour to the uttermost. Note; Nothing is so fatal to the soul as dependence upon our own righteousness, either in the whole or in part, for acceptance with God; while those who, self-despairing, fly to the righteousness of faith revealed in the Gospel, are sure to be justified from all things, and, if they continue in this faith, which always works by love, shall be saved with an everlasting salvation.
Coke, Thomas. "Commentary on Romans 9". Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/tcc/romans-9.html. 1801-1803.
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Jacob Blake Shooting: Kenosha County District Attorney Announces No Charges Against Police
Jacob Blake was left paralyzed after a police shooting last August.
By Lucy Diavolo
Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for MoveOn
Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot by police on August 23, 2020. Blake was in the hospital in Milwaukee until October, when, according to the AP, he was moved to a rehab facility in Illinois. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Blake’s family has said that the incident left him paralyzed from the waist down. As the Washington Post reported, an officer shot Blake in the back seven times.
Kenosha County district attorney Michael Graveley announced Tuesday that Rusten Sheskey, a white police officer, will not face any charges for the shooting that wounded Blake, as CNN reported, nor will two other officers involved in the incident.
On Monday, according to CNN, Blake's father, Jacob Blake Sr., called for charges and on the city of Kenosha, where Blake was shot, to "stand up and make some noise."
"Let's be heard around the world,” Blake Sr. said. “We're not going to stop in Kenosha. We're headed to DC. We're headed to Nancy Pelosi's office. We're headed to whoever is going to be in charge of the Senate. Because this has got to be federally heard, for not just my son, but for everybody who has suffered police brutality – everyone."
Sign up for our politics newsletter, the Teen Vogue Take!
As NPR reported, Wisconsin’s governor activated the National Guard in Kenosha ahead of the announcement in anticipation of protests. The city was the site of deadly protests after Blake’s shooting in August. On the same day of the Blake announcement, a 17-year-old from Illinois pleaded not guilty to murder charges stemming from those protests, as Kenosha News reported.
The Kenosha protest shooting came during a summer of Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality, as pro-Trump vigilante forces counterprotested.
Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: The Black Lives Matter Revolution Can’t Be Co-Opted By Police and Lawmakers
Keywordspolice shootingblack lives matterprotestswisconsinpolicegun violence
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Talks with U.S. will lead to more pressure on Iran: interior minister
May 5, 2019 - 19:50
TEHRAN - Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said on Sunday that in the current situation, talks with the U.S. will lead to more pressure on Iran.
“We should boost resistance. They should come to the conclusion that they have no other way but to get along with us. They put pressure on us through oil, assuming that they can reduce oil sale to zero. However, the Islamic Republic of Iran will stand against them,” he said during a conference.
He noted that Iran will not negotiate with the U.S. given its “cruel pressure” and violation of the 2015 nuclear deal.
On July 31, 2018, Trump offered to meet Iran’s leaders with “no preconditions” and “any time they want”.
"I'd meet with anybody. I believe in meetings," Trump told reporters at the White House.
In remarks on April 29, President Hassan Rouhani likened Trump to a knifeman with whom Iran will not negotiate. “Undoubtedly, accepting the demands of a knifeman who through bullying and lying is seeking negotiation will get nowhere,” Rouhani said.
Also, in remarks on August 13, 2018, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said there will be no negotiation between the two countries.
The Leader noted that as Imam Khomeini “banned talks with the U.S. I also ban it”. He added that negotiation with the current U.S. administration is impossible. “Even if we were to negotiate with America, we would never hold talks with the current American administration.”
Rouhani said in September 2018 that the Trump administration constantly sends messages to Iran to begin negotiations.
“From one side, they put pressure against the Iranian people and on the other side they send us messages through various methods that we should come and negotiate together,” he said.
Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on April 29 that talks with the U.S. is a “strategic mistake”.
“U.S. officials should know that they are facing a tough opponent,” Larijani said during a conference on monetary policies.
U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled Washington out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018 and ordered reimposition of sanctions against Iran. The first round of sanctions went into force on August 6 and the second round, which targets Iran’s oil exports and banks, were snapped back on November 4. In November the U.S. allowed sanctions waivers for countries such as China, India and Turkey to continue importing oil from Iran, however it announced on April 22 that if any country buys oil from Iran it will be sanctioned.
Larijani said Iran sat at the negotiating table for 12 years that finally produced the nuclear deal, officially known as the JCPOA, but Trump revoked it.
NA/PA
Larijani calls talks with U.S. a ‘strategic mistake’
Neither negotiation nor surrender, just resistance: Judiciary Chief
Rouhani: U.S. constantly sends Iran messages for talks
Trump playing a dangerous game in Iran: NY Times
Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli
Ali Larijani
Mofakham complex selected tourism icon of North Khorasan province
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Mattel CEO Knows The Future Of Business Is In Tech
Even leaders in tech-adjacent fields — like the toy industry — know the importance of investing in technology expertise and a more robust IT infrastructure.
As much as we try to predict the future, it’s never been easy. The catch has always been that as soon as you’re sure of what’s coming next, it’s probably too late to take advantage of it.
What’s worse is that we’re often too short-sighted to make the next leap – as Henry Ford himself put it, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”
This quote, attributed to one of the world’s greatest innovators, illustrates both why it’s so important to think ahead of what consumers want, and why it’s so troubling when you fall behind. When customers ask for the wrong thing (faster horses), it’s up to innovators to match that request with the perfect solution (automobiles). Another great example is the iPhone – nobody was asking for a smartphone, but Apple knew it was what was next.
However, while you may not know for sure who’s going to win the Super Bowl, or what tomorrow’s lotto numbers are, more and more experts and leaders have begun to bet on one thing for sure: technology.
“How do we embed, in all our toys, the 21st-century skills that children need to succeed?”
That’s the question that Mattel CEO Margot Georgiadis asked herself and her company, shared in a Fortune interview with Suzie Gharib. What Georgiadis and many other business leaders are coming to realize is that the future belongs to those who embrace it – not those that fight against it.
“This company started in a garage, just like Google, by passionate entrepreneurs, and so much of what I’m trying to do is the anchor the company back in that entrepreneurial, creative space that made us so successful,” said Georgiadis.
“One of the areas that I really think a partnership is important in is technology – there are so many capabilities that are being developed that we can actually leverage if we create the right ecosystem that’s simple and easy to use.”
She’s not alone. More and more, business leaders are finding that investing in technology by building a strong IT infrastructure soon leads to growth, expansion, and innovation.
Consider the cloud-first movement, which prioritizes investment in cloud technologies over any other type of technology. Spearheaded by the US government back in 2010, more and more members of the tech industry today are finding that by focusing on providing the best possible cloud solutions (and using them themselves), they can grow more rapidly and command a larger market share.
However, as Georgiadis notes, it’s not just the cloud that’s important.
“We can leverage new developments in robotics and artificial intelligence, in general, to plug into our toys in a more platform-centric way, the way you would in a tech company,” said Georgiadis. “You take ideas from inside and outside, and when you put those together, change happens a lot faster.”
This is all in an effort to help shepherd the next generation into greater tech-literacy. By investing in how children think about and use technology, Georgdalis believes we can build a better future.
“One of the things that have been amazing in getting tech companies to want to partner and help us is this whole need for STEM education to be advanced,” said Georgiadis. “To ensure that boys, girls, and minorities are falling in love with this technology from as young an age as possible and really see that as a potential career. We do not want to leave anyone behind, and we all have a role to play in shaping a world where everyone is included in this incredible set of changes that are going on in our world – to me, that’s a huge area of passion, it’s one of the most important reasons why I took this job.”
How is Georgiadis shaping the future of Mattel?
Georgiadis is focusing on technology simply by investing in the company’s technology, primarily by hiring Mattel’s first-ever Chief Technology Officer, Sven Gerjets. The first step is for them to develop a more robust infrastructure and ensure that Mattel can survive in a tech-centric business world.
“What he’s really doing is not just upgrading and ensuring that we have the infrastructure to be a faster, leaner, more data-driven company, but he’s also ensuring that all the technology products are moved from an item approach to a platform approach,” said Georgiadis. “It’s much more efficient, and allows us to embed our capabilities in far more products more cost-effectively.”
With technology firmly positioned as the foundation of today’s business operations, the need to make the most of an available technology budget is more critical than ever. Whether it’s for a massive enterprise like Mattel, or a small business, getting the absolute most out of your technology investment can be a key part of your business’ success.
Choosing something like an Infrastructure as a Service solution has great advantages to offer businesses in both the short-term and long-term. In the short-term, employees are given the tools they need to work efficiently and offer better service to their customers. As the business becomes more comfortable with the accessibility and flexibility the cloud provides, there will soon be a growing number of options available to streamline business processes and eliminate repetitive and time-consuming tasks.
Furthermore, as the business continues to grow, the cloud will easily grow with it. Scalability is one of the biggest selling points for Infrastructure as a Service, as its potential to adapt and expand as needed is a fantastic asset for any business. It would be difficult to find any other technology that’s as universally well-suited as Infrastructure as a Service, making it not just a smart technology investment, but a smart investment in the future success of a given business, such as Mattel.
“[Gerjets has] been bringing together all the people working on those products, he’s been streamlining what we’re focused on, and he’s been deciding the four or five key technologies that we’re going to bet on across the company, and ensure we have a scalable approach,” said Georgiadis.
If there’s one thing you can bet on, it’s technology. The question is: are you going to wait until your competitors have eaten up the market share of consumers looking for businesses with a technology focus? Or will you start investing in IT infrastructure today?
Managed IT Services in Perth
Written by Ian Brady on 13th January 2018 under Steadfast SolutionsOur BlogMattel CEO Knows The Future Of Business Is In Tech
Steadfast SolutionsOur BlogMattel CEO Knows The Future Of Business Is In Tech
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Dangerous Attraction: High Powered Magnets & Children
By Stipe Law
More than a decade ago, manufacturers began marketing a different kind of toy magnet. Unlike the ferrite magnets usually associated with toys for children, neodymium iron boron, or rare-earth magnets, became an executive curiosity for adults, and a dangerous attraction for children.
With their small size and powerful cohesion, these small magnets marketed as BuckyBalls or BuckyCubes, remain a danger to children and teens. Through administrative and court action, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) aims to reduce the presence of these toys in stores and in homes. Through federal rule-making initiated last August, the CPSC further intends to develop guidelines for these products in the marketplace.
In November, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) released its annual Trouble in Toyland report, a publication that highlights toy dangers to consumers before the holiday season. The report noted the danger of BuckyBalls and estimated the toys had been the cause of 1,700 emergency room visits for children ages 4 to 12 between 2009 and 2011.
The primary danger of the magnets is their small size and ease of ingestion.
Once in the body, the magnets stick together, often through intestinal or bowel tissue causing ruptures, blockages and even gangrene.
Surgery is often required to remove the magnets, sometimes causing further and dangerous complications.
In December, the manufacturer of BuckyBalls executive toys, Maxfield and Oberton, bowed to pressure from the CPSC and ceased selling the popular toys. In April this year, six retailers including Toys R Us and Barnes and Noble voluntarily recalled the BuckyBall products they sold.
Like many toys, BuckyBalls are fun but dangerous, especially in the youngest hands. Seek legal advice from a products liability lawyer if injured by a dangerous toy or other consumer product.
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Street Church
JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER – HE DIED FOR YOU!
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Street preacher Pawlowski files human rights complaint against City
September 14, 2010 Artur Pawlowski
Art Pawlowski listens as Calgary Police Sergerant Les Kaminski explains why he must move his ministry for the homeless in front of City Hall Photograph by: Sarah Lazarovic/Canwest News Service, xx
A Christian street ministry that has been feuding with the city has filed a human rights complaint, claiming it was discriminated against when an application to have a flag raising at City Hall was refused.
Artur Pawlowski of Street Church Ministries accuses outgoing Mayor Dave Bronconnier and the city clerk’s office of a religious bias in its refusal to allow the group to hold a ceremony and deny a bid to have Bronconnier declare the following December Jesus Month.
In its refusal, Pawlowski said the city and mayor argued the church did not meet the criteria for either a flag raising or a proclamation because of a policy against issuing proclamations or raising flags for a specific religion.
But Pawlowski complained the city’s own actions indicate the opposite. In his complaint, he cited previous occasions where special declarations were made for other religions, such as Sikh Awareness Week. He also pointed out that the city declared Pride Month, recognizing homosexuals, a few months before his group applied for a flag raising and proclamation.
"It is obvious from any unbiased observer that the mayor and the city has chosen to discriminate against Christians and against our beliefs," said Pawlowski in a news release.
A spokesman for the city could not be reached for comment.
In a letter to Pawlowski, the Alberta Human Rights Commission said it has accepted his complaint that goods and services were refused on the grounds of religious beliefs. The commission wrote that it will try to resolve the dispute and has asked the city to provide a written response to the complaint.
Pawlowski’s street church has been the subject of noise complaints for its public preaching to the homeless. It has been in a protracted battle with the city that included a slew of bylaw charges, some of which went to trial and are awaiting a judge’s ruling.
Read more: from the original article on the Calgary Herald website
← Finally Mayor Bronconnier to Face Human Rights Commission
City biased against Christians, says street preacher →
Calgary street preacher accused of making too much noise acquitted again
November 1, 2010 Artur Pawlowski Comments Off on Calgary street preacher accused of making too much noise acquitted again
This is no joke-Quick news
November 28, 2009 Artur Pawlowski Comments Off on This is no joke-Quick news
Is it illegal to pray in public in Canada?
October 26, 2006 Artur Pawlowski Comments Off on Is it illegal to pray in public in Canada?
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Posted on December 28, 2020 by Times Gazette
County to receive $2.64 million
SSCC to receive $1.7 million for renovations, security
By Tim Colliver - tcolliver@aimmediamidwest.com
State Senator Bob Peterson (R-Washington C.H.) announced Monday the passage of the state’s capital budget, which he called a $2.1 billion investment in Ohio’s schools, infrastructure, public services and local community projects.
A total of $2.64 million has been earmarked for projects in Highland County.
The legislature generally approves a capital budget every two years, and the bill funds needed improvements to public services and facilities across the state, including schools, roads and bridges, and mental health and addiction facilities.
“These community projects are vital to the 17th Senate District’s economy, infrastructure and workforce,” Peterson said. “I am proud to support projects that will bolster economic growth and secure thousands of jobs in the coming years.”
More than $171 million will be used for economic development and cultural projects of local and regional importance to boost growth and increase opportunities throughout the state, he said.
Projects that will receive funding in Highland County include:
• $275,000 for the Highland County Agricultural Society livestock facility.
• $250,000 for the Clay Township Park Pavilion and Playground Improvements project.
• $150,000 for the Moberly Branch Connector Trail.
• $100,000 for the Mitchell Park Trail Connector.
• $150,000 for the Greenfield Historical Society Restoration Project.
Southern State Community College will receive $1,711,487 for a trio of projects, including:
• $785,140 for basic renovations.
• $646,850 for instructional and campus technology.
• $279,497 in funding for security systems.
Peterson said that $305 million will be invested statewide in local school construction, including repairs, renovations and maintenance for primary and secondary facilities, which is in addition to the $300 million that was already approved this year by the General Assembly in Senate Bill 4.
He said that $452 million will be invested in projects supporting Ohio’s 37 public colleges and universities.
A substantial portion of capital spending will go toward infrastructure improvement, he said, with funding going to local roads, bridges, water supply systems, storm sewers and wastewater systems.
He said that another $280 million will be directed to local infrastructure projects through the Public Works Commission, in addition to the $255 million for the Public Works Commission already approved by the General Assembly in Senate Bill 4.
Other infrastructure projects included $62.5 million for the Clean Ohio program, which funds preservation of green space, farmland, open spaces and expanded recreational opportunities, and $253 million will be spent for maintenance and preservation projects of Ohio’s dams, parks, trails, waterways and wildlife.
Improvements to the security and efficiency of public agency websites, and the Multi-Agency Radio Communications Systems (MARCS) first responder communications system will be allotted $18 million.
Peterson noted that in addition to local community projects, $95.6 million will be invested in critical health and human services funding for mental health and addiction treatment facilities in communities across the state, and $280.7 million will go for renovation of state and local prisons.
Regionally, Brown County will receive more than $5.4 million from the capital budget bill, with Ross County netting $650,000, Clinton County receiving $600,000, Adams County $400,000, Fayette County $390,000 and Pike County $275,000.
The Ohio Senate and Ohio House of Representatives both approved the budget, and the bill has been sent to Gov. Mike DeWine for his consideration.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2020/12/web1_Peterson-mug.jpgPeterson
By Tim Colliver
tcolliver@aimmediamidwest.com
Hi! A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: County to receive .64 million. Here is a link to that story: http://www.timesgazette.com/news/53711/county-to-receive-2-64-million
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Campus Sexual Assault
University of Virginia UVA
James R. MarshJuly 14, 2016108553
When Haley Lind was found alone in a stranger’s bathroom, she was naked and in a drunken stupor, barely able to stand or speak, a raucous party raging around her. She awoke in her bed hours later, her head pounding, leaves in her hair, soaked in her own urine. “I think I got assaulted last night,” she texted a friend the morning after the annual welcome-back-to-school Block Party at the University of Virginia. “Something just feels very wrong.” The Washington Post reconstructed the events of the night Lind says she was sexually assaulted at U-Va. — and the turmoil that followed — through a review of internal school records, witness statements and legal documents, as well as in numerous interviews, including with Lind, the freshman athlete she accused and their attorneys.
SaVE Act
Wendy MurphyMarch 31, 2015205955
In an important court ruling last week, a federal judge in D.C. ruled that the Campus SaVE Act can have “no effect” on Title IX. This was a critically important victory and an important first step on the way to ensuring that no sexual assault victim on any campus is subjected to second-class justice when she seeks redress in the aftermath of sex-based violence (sexual assault, dating violence and stalking.)
James R. MarshMarch 24, 2015106976
Earlier today, in two long-awaited companion court rulings, a federal judge in the District of Columbia ruled that Title IX’s civil rights standards for addressing sexual assault on campus were not weakened by the 2013 Campus SaVE Act.
With this decision, colleges and universities—many of which are already under investigation by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights—cannot rely on Congress’ language in the Campus SaVE Act to deviate from Title IX’s longstanding requirement that schools apply “prompt and equitable” policies and procedures to ensure the effective redress of violence against women. “Equitable” means that gender–based violence must be treated exactly the same as violence based on any other protected category such as race and national origin.
Wendy MurphyFebruary 2, 2015307040
I’ve read your recent articles about campus sexual assault. I appreciate and respect your position as an advocate for accused sex offenders, but please stop using your gender and your status as a feminist to persuade others that you are also an advocate for women’s safety and equality. Indeed, contrary to your claim that you have fought hard to improve the law for rape victims, you have, in my opinion, worked hard to make things worse.
Crime Victims
Wendy MurphyJanuary 29, 2015104988
Last August, Columbia University released a new anti-racism policy and many academics are “horrified,” claiming the policy reveals a “cavalier disregard” for the rights of accused students. Remarked one, “I will never send my white son to Columbia.”
Sex Abuse of Students
Rape On Campus: University Of Virginia Rape And Its Aftermath
James R. MarshNovember 23, 20140027304
The Marsh Law Firm represents Stacy who is profiled in this article in Rolling Stone. Our case was one of only fourteen in UVA history where the perpetrator was found guilty. Stacy's perpetrator was suspended. It's unlikely that many of the other thirteen guilty perpetrators were even suspended. None of the fourteen guilty perpetrators were expelled. The assistance and advice of an attorney is essential for victims to ensure the integrity and fairness of the system, the thoroughness and appropriateness of the questions asked, and the pros and cons of the myriad of choices for achieving some measure of justice. Please contact us if you were raped or sexually assaulted on campus. Our lawyers are experienced with the civil, criminal, and disciplinary options facing victims and survivors.
It’s Not Just Colleges – Elementary And Secondary Schools Under Investigation For Title IX Violations
James R. MarshNovember 19, 2014003446
Here is a chart of 24 elementary and secondary schools that have pending Title IX sexual violence investigations as of November 12, 2014, including the dates the specific investigations were initiated.
Wendy MurphyNovember 18, 2014003127
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights recently announced that Princeton University had significantly failed to comply with women’s rights under Title IX with regard to its sexual assault policies. OCR’s analysis centered around whether Princeton complied with key components of “promptness and equity,” including the following
James R. MarshSeptember 23, 2014609815
Know the facts: you are at greater risk of sexual assault and rape at college than anywhere else including the military. One in four to one in five women are victimized by rape or attempted rape during college. That's over 300,000 women in the class of 2018. These women will be your roommates, friends, sorority sisters, and classmates. Look around and consider that one of the five girls in your suite, at your dining hall table, or in your study group has or will be a victim of rape and sexual assault, most likely during the first semester of your freshmen year.
Campus Predators: Who Are They?
Katie M. ShippSeptember 5, 2014207325
In order to protect yourself from predatory rapists, it helps to understand the motivations, behaviors, attitudes, and modus operandi of these serial offenders. The term "date rape" has served to obscure one of the unpleasant facts about sexual violence in the college environment: that just as in the larger community, the majority of this violence is committed by predatory individuals who tend to be serial and multi-faceted offenders. Research has discovered that each campus rapist averages between seven and eleven victims. Clearly a small number of perpetrators can result in a huge number of victims; just 40 rapists can sexually assault and rape upwards of 400 women.
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Robotic Assistance Devices Receives Opening Order From Civitas Group, RAD's Recently Signed Dealer in Romania
Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions (News - Alert), Inc. (OTCPK:AITX), today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD) has received an opening purchase agreement from Civitas PSG, one of the largest security companies in Romania for (2) RAD devices.
"We have successfully generated a high level of interest and we are excited to physically demonstrate these devices to a number of clients," said Rene Pasculescu, CEO at Civitas Group. "The response and enthusiasm has been tremendous, and we expect this should be the first of many orders."
"Supporting Civitas in and around Romania is the perfect entry for RAD into the EU," said Steve Reinharz, President and CEO of RAD. "I'm very pleased to be starting our European expansion with such a strong partner."
The companies disclosed that a RAD SCOT and ROSA unit would be the initial solutions deployed by Civitas. SCOT, short for Scurity Control Observation Tower, performs a wide variety of autonomous security, surveillance and concierge functions, providing a 360° field of view from its (4) cameras mounted nearly 7' from the ground, along with a 22" interactive, web-enabled, touch-screen. RAD's ROSA, Responsive Observation Security Agent, is commonly installed on a light pole or against a wall, providing autonomous responses activated by its (2) cameras and 180° field of view. It is anticipated that both units will be delivered to Civitas within the next 60-90 days.
CAUTIONARY DISCLOSURE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this news release other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements" that are based on current expectations and assumptions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the ability of Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions to provide for its obligations, to provide working capital needs from operating revenues, to obtain additional financing needed for any future acquisitions, to meet competitive challenges and technological changes, and other risks. Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement(s) and/or to confirm the statement(s) to actual results or changes in Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions expectations.
About Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions (AITX)
AITX is an innovator in the delivery of artificial intelligence-based solutions that empower organizations to gain new insight, solve complex challenges and fuel new business ideas. Through its next-generation robotic product offerings, AITX's RAD and RAD-M companies help organizations streamline operations, increase ROI and strengthen business. AITX technology improves the simplicity and economics of patrolling and guard services, and allows experienced personnel to focus on more strategic tasks. Customers augment the capabilities of existing staffs and gain higher levels of situational awareness, all at drastically reduced cost. AITX solutions are well suited for use in multiple industries such as enterprises, government, transportation, critical infrastructure, education and healthcare. To learn more, visit www.roboticassistancedevices.com or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @RADbotsecurity.
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Posts tagged with "mtvU"
Jaden – I’m Ready
MUSIC VIDEO FOR IM READY BY JADEN AVAILABLE TODAY
BROADCAST PREMIERE ON MTV LIVE, MTVU AND BET JAMS
SONG IS FEATURED ON MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES ORIGINAL VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACK
The I’m Ready music video made its broadcast premiere on MTV Live, MTVU, BET Jams, and on the Viacom Times Square billboard today. The track is featured on Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Original Video Game Soundtrack. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is developed by Insomniac Games for the PlayStation (PS5) and PlayStation (PS4) systems.
I’m Ready was written by Jaden, Omarr Rambert, and Josiah Bell. Jaden recently released his third studio album, CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3, which features Cabin Fever and Falling For You (with Justin Bieber).
About Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
In the latest adventure in Marvel’s Spider-Man universe, teenager Miles Morales is adjusting to his new home while following in the footsteps of his mentor, Peter Parker, as a new Spider-Man.
But when a fierce power struggle threatens to destroy his new home, the aspiring hero realizes that with great power, there must also come great responsibility. To save all of Marvel’s New York, Miles must take up the mantle of Spider-Man and own it.
PlayStation is a registered trademark and PS5 and PS5 are trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
About Jaden
Multi-hyphenate musician, actor, entrepreneur, and activist, Jaden, has had a busy 2020. His third full-length album project, CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3, which dropped in August, is a feel-good, summertime album more rooted in pop than the hip hop/rap sounds of his first two albums. The album has since reached 100M global streams to date, featuring Jaden’s latest singles Cabin Fever and Rainbow Bap, as well as Falling For You with Justin Bieber. Since then, he has spearheaded many initiatives, which include the next phase of 501CTHREE, his award-winning water security project that provides innovative and sustainable water filtration systems for communities that lack access, partnering with New Balance on limited edition Vision Racer sneakers, launching The Solution Committee, a Snapchat miniseries spotlighting work by young activists, as well as launching multiple new MSFTS clothing collections.
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com.
This entry was posted in Wine and tagged 360 Magazine, artist, award-winning, BET Jams, entertainment, illustration, I’m Ready, Jaden, jaden smith, Justin bieber, Kaelen Felix, Marvel, MTV live, mtvU, music, peter Parker, PlayStation, singer, single, song, soundtrack, Spiderman: Miles Morales, thais jacomassi, Vaughn Lowery, video game, Walt Disney company Disney, will smith on 11/16/2020 by 360coordinator.
Billie Eilish – Therefore I Am
Five-time GRAMMY Award-winning Darkroom/Interscope Records artist Billie Eilish has released her new single titled ‘Therefore I Am.’ The track comes with an official music video also directed by the 18-year-old, and was shot in a deserted Glendale Galleria shopping mall, a familiar stomping-ground for Billie during her early teen years.
Watch the official music video for ‘Therefore I Am’ HERE.
‘Therefore I Am’ follows a busy few months of writing, recording and campaigning, since returning to the public arena earlier this year with a powerful live performance for the Democratic National Committee of her song ‘my future’ [watch HERE]. Last month, Billie Eilish also performed her first ever groundbreaking global live stream. WHERE DO WE GO? THE LIVESTREAM incorporated state-of-the-art XR technology, bringing music fans from all over the world together for a fully immersive virtual experience. Using multiple cameras, angles and 3D environments, viewers were able step inside Billie’s world, as she performed a fully live set for what was truly an unprecedented virtual experience. The pre-show featured exclusive content, giveaways, trivia and voting PSA’s from special guests.
The official music video for ‘Therefore I Am’ made its broadcast premiere on MTV Live, MTVU and on the Viacom Times Square billboard.
On Sunday, November 22, Billie Eilish will take the stage for a worldwide premiere performance of ‘Therefore I Am’ at the American Music Awards, where she is nominated for two awards; Favorite Artist – Alternative Rock and Favorite Social Artist. The show will broadcast live at 8PM EST/ PST on ABC.
On December 10, Billie Eilish will be performing live on iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball 2020. The show will be carried live on over 90+ iHeartRadio CHR stations and as a live video stream on The CW app and CWTV.com on Thursday, December 10, beginning at 6PM PT / 9PM ET.
“Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry,” the highly anticipated documentary feature film directed by award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler (“Belushi,” “The September Issue,” “The War Room”) will premiere in theaters and on Apple TV+ in February 2021.
Billie Eilish released her groundbreaking debut album “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” in 2019 and won Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Album at this year’s 62nd Grammy® Awards in January, followed by her rousing performance of The Beatles’ ‘Yesterday’ at the 92nd Oscars®. This year also saw 18-year-old Eilish release her internationally hailed official James Bond theme song “No Time To Die,” for the forthcoming MGM/Eon Productions James Bond Motion Picture.
‘Therefore I Am’ is out everywhere now.
This entry was posted in Health and tagged 360 Magazine, award-winning, Billie Eilish, Celebrity, Darkroom/Interscope Records, Democratic National Committee, entertainer, entertainment, fashion, Glendale galleria, Grammy, Grammy Award Winning, health, Maria Soloman, MTV live, mtvU, music, new music, Payton saso, pop music, R.J. Cutler, singer, skater girl, songwriter, streetwear, style, Therefore I Am, Vaughn Lowery, Viacom Times Square billboard, XR technology on 11/12/2020 by 360coordinator.
Julia Michaels – Lie Like This
Grammy® Award-nominated multiplatinum singer and songwriter JULIA MICHAELS releases the official video for her brand-new solo single “Lie Like This” today. The video, directed by Jason Lester, premiered today following a live Q&A with fans, and made its broadcast premiere on MTV Live and mtvU. The video is available to watch HERE.
Regarding the video, Michaels says “A lot of my fans know me as the awkward uncoordinated girl that has too many feelings. Well, I’m still that. But I got to shoot a music video where it was just me, in clothes that we’re so fun and way too tight and I loved every second of it! I’m still a long way from being a confident creature but I felt much closer to it when we shot this day. I hope everyone likes it and if anything, you find yourself dancing around too!”
ABOUT JULIA MICHAELS
GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer and songwriter Julia Michaels has transformed the pop music landscape not only from behind-the-scenes as one of the most in-demand songwriters, but also in the spotlight as a solo artist as well. In 2018, she garnered GRAMMY® Awards nominations in the categories of “Best New Artist” and “Song of the Year” for “Issues,” for her 5x-platinum selling debut single “Issues”.
In 2019, Michaels released Inner Monologue Part 1 and Inner Monologue Part 2, a series of critically acclaimed EP’s. She also embarked on The Inner Monologue Tour, which marked her first-ever headline tour throughout the U.S., following an enviable run touring the world with an incredible array of artists including Maroon 5, Keith Urban, Shawn Mendes, Niall Horan, and P!NK.
This year, Michaels continued her reign as one of the top songwriters in the industry. She contributed three songs to Selena Gomez’s new album Rare, including “Lose You To Love Me”—which hit #1 on The Billboard Hot 100—“Look At Her Now,” and “Fun.” Additional songwriting credits include Dua Lipa’s “Pretty Please,” Zara Larsson’s “Love Me Land,” The Chicks’ “Julianna Calm Down,” “Tights On My Boat,” “Texas Man” and more. She also collaborated with singer, songwriter, and musician JP Saxe on the heart wrenching, platinum-certified, ballad “If The World Was Ending,” which connected with audiences all over the world during the Global Pandemic crossing over 1 billion streams.
As a songwriter, Julia has co-written 25 titles that have charted on the Billboard Hot 100, 14 of which have hit the top 40, including her debut single “Issues,” and two that have hit #1 (Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” & Selena Gomez’ “Lose You To Love Me”). She’s also written titles for artists including Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Gwen Stefani, Hailee Steinfeld, James Bay, Janelle Monàe, Jessie Ware, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Linkin Park, Maroon 5, Nick Jonas, P!NK, Shawn Mendes, The Chicks and more.
WATCH “LIE LIKE THIS” OFFICIAL VIDEO HERE
Styling Credits HERE
SOCIALS: OFFICIAL // FACEBOOK // TWITTER // INSTAGRAM
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged 360 Magazine, artist, entertainment, Julia Michaels, Lie Like This, mtv, mtvU, music, music video, new music, Payton saso, Republic Media, Republic Records, Vaughn Lowery on 10/22/2020 by 360coordinator.
Lauv – Love Somebody
Lauv releases the video for “Love Somebody,” a track off of his surprise Without You EP released last month. Since its release, “Love Somebody” has surpassed over 15 million streams. The intimate video was directed by Hunter Lyon (blackbear, Whethan) and premiered on MTV Live and mtvU.
Lauv’s Without You EP released last month featured 4 tracks that were all written and produced during quarantine with Amy Allen (Halsey, Selena Gomez), DallasK (Fifth Harmony) and Johnny Simpson (Christina Aguilera, Ava Max), among others. In conjunction, Lauv also released the quarantine made video for lead track “Dishes.”
Lauv’s debut album ~how i’m feeling~ released in March as a Top 20 album in 10 territories, including #9 in UK and #5 in AU, with over 1.5 billion streams on the album to date.
Follow Lauv: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
This entry was posted in Feature and tagged 360 Magazine, Amy Allen, Ava Max, blackbear, Christina Aguilera, DallasK, dishes, electro pop, Fifth Harmony, Halsey, Hunter Lyon, Johnny Simpson, Lauv, Love Somebody, Mina Tocalini, mtv, MTV live, mtvU, music, music streaming, music video, new music, pop, quarantine music, Selena Gomez, Vaughn Lowery, Whethan, Without You, ~HOW I’M FEELING~ on 07/28/2020 by 360coordinator.
Arizona Zervas – NIGHTRIDER
Freshly VMA-nominated singer-songwriter Arizona Zervas has released his new single “NIGHTRIDER” today via Columbia Records. The song is accompanied by a dark and sultry visual that follows Zervas as he drinks Hennessy, gets tattooed, and takes his motorcycle out on a late-night robbery spree in the city with his girl, before ending up at the club with all his coveted cash. NIGHTRIDER made its broadcast premiere on MTV Live, MTVU, and on the Viacom Times Square billboard. Listen to the song HERE and watch the visual HERE.
Zervas’ previous track “24” followed “FML” which surpassed over 100 million combined streams worldwide and followed hot on the heels of “ROXANNE”. The billion-streamed smash has been certified triple-platinum, reached Top 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100, hit #1 on rhythmic radio, and received a remix featuring Swae Lee.
Arizona Zervas, who writes and engineers all of his songs himself, has steadily been releasing music since 2016 and has played more than 50 shows across the U.S. The explosive rise of “ROXANNE” began late last year when it was topping Spotify’s U.S. Top 50 chart just a few weeks after release before Zervas joined the Columbia Records family. “ROXANNE” is the first track by an unsigned, fully independent artist to top the chart since the beginning of 2017 – the earliest date on Spotify’s online archive.
Follow Arizona Zervas: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged 24, 360 Magazine, ARIZONA ZERVAS, billboard, Billboard Hot 100, Columbia Records, FML, Hennessy, Katrina Tiktinsky, MTV live, mtvU, new music, new single, New Song, NIGHTRIDER, ROXANNE, Spotify U.S. Top 50, Swae Lee, Times Square, Vaughn Lowery, viacom, Viacom Times Square on 07/24/2020 by 360coordinator.
Quinn XCII- “Notice Me” Visual
QUINN XCII SHARES NEW VISUAL FOR “NOTICE ME”, HIS FAVORITE SONG FROM THE NEW ALBUM A LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF
CELEBRATES ALBUM RELEASE WITH 9-SONG FULL-BAND LIVE STREAM PERFORMANCE LAST NIGHT
Fresh off the release of his third album, A Letter To My Younger Self, Quinn XCII has released a new visual for his favorite album track, “Notice Me” – watch HERE. Directed by Blythe Thomas, the video for the infectious song follows a street performer to the Venice Beach boardwalk and coincides with the song’s lyrics about breaking past self-consciousness and fear, and seeking acknowledgement from those around you. The video made its broadcast premiere on MTV Live and MTVU.
“’Notice Me’ speaks on all of the shy people out there and those with self-confidence issues,” says Quinn XCII. “The ones who know what they want to say but don’t have the courage yet to speak up. The ones that want to be noticed for once and not just be somebody that blends in.”
With five years of touring and several major music festivals around the world under his belt, Quinn XCII brought his sought-after live show to the internet last night. The ‘A Letter To My Younger Self Live Stream Concert’, as part of Live Nation’s “Live From The Living Room” series, was shot live from Los Angeles and allowed fans to see Quinn XCII perform songs from his new album for the first time ever.
A Letter To My Younger Self is available now via Columbia Records.
“Sleep While I Drive” featuring special guest Ashe
“Notice Me”
“Always Been You”
FOLLOW QUINN XCI:
Website | SoundCloud | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged 360, 360 Magazine, artist, Columbia Records, Facebook, Gabriella Scerbo, INSTAGRAM, Live Nation, MTV live, mtvU, music, music festival, Quinn XCI, Sony music, soundcloud, Twitter, Vaughn Lowery, YouTube on 07/15/2020 by 360coordinator.
Jonas Brothers Release New Song “Cool”
JONAS BROTHERS RELEASE “COOL” AS “SUCKER” HEATS UP
CHANNEL MIAMI CIRCA 1984 IN CLASSIC NEW VIDEO
PERFORMING AT NCAA’S FINAL FOUR WEEKEND APRIL 6TH AIRING ON CBS
“SUCKER” ENTERS TOP 10 AT RADIO
LISTEN TO “COOL” HERE
WATCH “COOL” MUSIC VIDEO HERE
Following the biggest comeback of the year, GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum powerhouse trio–Jonas Brothers—unleash their new single “Cool” today.
To accompany the song, the Jonas Brothers joined forces with “Sucker” director Anthony Mandler to shoot the cinematic music video. Bringing viewers right back to 1984 Miami, it channels the spirit of timeless eighties MTV in all its decadent glory. Fittingly, MTV will debut the broadcast premiere on MTV Live, mtvU and on the iconic Viacom Times Square billboards.
The arrival of “Cool” follows the extremely successful release of “Sucker,” which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is approaching 2 million in global consumption. The success also encompasses North American number ones on Apple Music, Spotify, and iTunes as well as global number ones on Apple Music, YouTube, and Twitter. “Sucker” has remained the “#1 Greatest Gainer for Top 40” radio for five consecutive weeks, recently entering the Top 10 where it continues to climb. As an international phenomenon, it achieves their highest career single chart debut in the UK, landing in the Top 10, and is currently topping airplay charts around the world.
Also in the works is the Jonas Brothers new documentary. Last month they announced a partnership with Amazon Studios, Philymack, and Federal Films—a division of Republic Records—to release the upcoming documentary about the band. It’s set to premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories.
The preeminent male group of this century, Jonas Brothers opened the floodgates for a new era of titans in pop music. They earned three consecutive number one albums and sold out shows throughout three continents. Selling over 17 million-plus albums with over 1 billion streams worldwide, they’ve achieved dozens of platinum and gold certifications. Jonas Brothers notably received a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best New Artist,” garnered “Breakthrough Artist” at the American Music Awards, won Billboard’s “Eventful Fans’” Choice Award for “Best Concert Tour of the Year,” and took home a Mexican Grammy, showcasing their international influence. The tremendous success of the band provided a launch pad for the successful and storied solo careers of Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Kevin Jonas, who have kept loyal fans yearning for a reunion, until now.
JONAS BROTHERS “COOL”
JONAS BROTHERS SOCIALS
Instagram I Twitter I Facebook I Youtube
This entry was posted in Design and tagged 360, 360 Magazine, anthony mandler, channel miami, comeback, cool, Disney, JOE JONAS, jonas brothers, Kevin Jonas, mtv, mtvU, music, ncaa final four weekend, New Release, New Song, new video, Nick Jonas, Republic Records, sucker, Tara McDonough, Vaughn Lowery, viacom on 04/05/2019 by wp360mag.
Setouchi Cominca Stays Recognized by UNESCO
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ArtistsINTERVIEWSMUSIC
The Money War Announces New Music!
Daniel Parkinson
It’s been a hectic time for Western Australia’s Dylan and Carmen Ollivierre, better known as The Money War. We spoke with them about their new single, self producing and parenthood.
Since their beginnings in 2016, The Money War have established themselves as one of the nation’s finest songwriting partnerships. Their debut album Home was nominated for The Australian Music Prize in 2019, an honour that celebrates artistic merit and exceptional songwriting.
This week the duo announced the release of new single ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change’ as well the release date for their sophomore album Morning People (out 20th November). The couple has this week also announced the life changing arrival of their first child.
The Creative Issue: Congratulations on your new single ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change’! Can you give us a little bit of an insight into what the song means to you?
Dylan Ollivierre: Thanks! The song means a lot to us, especially right now. The song was written during a time of extreme uncertainty and newness for us – we were having a baby in the middle of a global pandemic. The song is a message of hope and assurance, kind of like no matter what happens externally, I’m gonna always be there. We’ve had the baby since writing that song and the sentiment of the song couldn’t be more appropriate in our lives right now. The same concerns are there but now that we’re deep in it, there’s a sense of calm and acceptance.
TCI: ‘Nothing Gonna Change’ is off your upcoming sophomore album. Was it harder to write a second album or was it easier to feel confident in yourselves after the success of Home?
DO: We didn’t really think about it to be honest. We’ve deliberately set out to keep The Money War for our creative outlet when we feel we have something to express and any outcome that follows that really is out of our control. I write and produce for other artists so I feel like I scratch that itch in other ways and then we do more Money War music when we feel there’s something bubbling up that only we could articulate. This album was written about the journey of having a baby, so it is deeply personal to us.
TCI: You have achieved so much since starting in 2016, is there anything else that you would like to tick off the musical bucket list?
DO: I think for me it would having a song in a film at a really important moment. Like have a song in a great movie and have the song impact the scene. There’s a whole bunch of artists I’d love to collaborate with too!
TCI: All the songs in your catalogue sound amazing and you’re a self produced band. What advice would you give to an artist wanting to take that approach?
DO: Thank you! Firstly, I’d encourage every artist to learn how to record as best they can- I think that’s the future. I started recording demos purely as a way to demonstrate what was in my head to show a ‘real’ producer who would then take over. Often there was something that was captured in the demos that was lost when we went into a studio – I think that was the initial creative spark. Over the years my ‘demos’ have gotten better and I’ve been able to translate what I was hearing a lot better, but my overall approach hasn’t really changed. I think the most important thing is the artistic vision, it doesn’t really matter if it sounds professional or whatever. Of course there are some things that are important, like a decent interface, but all of those things are becoming so much more affordable nowadays. In summary, back your vision!
TCI: As well as bringing out a second album you’ve also welcomed your first child into the world. How did you create a balance between working on music and preparing for a first child?
DO: It is definitely harder now with a baby that’s for sure! It’s just about managing energy, I think. I think because The Money War is primarily a recording project rather than a live band, that makes it a little bit easier. Like we aren’t trying to constantly be on tour, not that anyone can tour at the moment anyway! Creatively, our son Jack has lit our worlds up.
TCI: As well as writing songs for The Money War, you also have had time to co-write and produce other legendary bands including the likes of Meg Mac, Tia Gostelow, and Riley Pearce. Is there a different approach when you go into those sessions as compared with a session for The Money War?
DO: I’m still learning a lot on that front and it’s different every time. I think the main difference is that you have to respect that the most important thing is each artist’s expression. So that may mean a different approach to the writing and saying things in slightly different way. In that role I think you’re more providing a backboard to help the artist find what they want to say. For example, I’m not really interested in producing songs for other people that sound just like The Money War.
TCI: You have played some incredible gigs over the years opening for bands such as Neil Finn and Holy Holy as well as playing festivals like SXSW and FOTSUN. Do you have a favourite gig memory?
DO: Probably opening for Neil Finn and meeting Neil and Liam and his band. Neil said that we were good songwriters and he was a fan and my head just about blew off!
TCI: Perth has such a rich history of producing fantastic original music. What is the scene like over there and what are some of your favourite upcoming artists?
DO: To be honest I’ve been out of the loop a bit with the Coronavirus lockdown and now having a baby. There are a ridiculous amount of bands over here for the population. Some artists that I love are Siobhon Cotchin, Jack Davies and the Bush Chooks, Paige Valentine and Camarano.
FOLLOW THE MONEY WAR
Instagram: Here
Spotify: Here
Apple Music: Here
Images Supplied.
Ditto Music dreampop indie New Music Nothings Gonna Change The Money War Triple J Western Australian Music
Miss Lucy Dives Deep For ‘Ocean’
Room to Dream: BWF’s Digital Care Package
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Congress mandates COVID-19 tests be covered, so why are people getting a bill?
Patients get COVID-19 bill despite mandate that test costs be covered
Across the country, hundreds of thousands of Americans have already been tested for COVID-19, and while Congress has mandated the costs for the tests be covered, many patients are finding out that isn’t the case.
Long before the novel coronavirus swept across the nation, Anna Davis Abel was already wearing a mask to keep herself from getting sick. The 25-year-old graduate school teaching assistant has suffered from lupus for most of her life.
“The way everyone feels right now is the way it always feels to be living with a chronic illness,” she said via a Zoom interview.
Back in March, after returning home from a conference in California, Abel suddenly started feeling flu-like symptoms. At the time in West Virginia where she lives, COVID-19 tests were nearly non-existent.
On her medical records, which she shared as part of this story, her doctor wrote, “Unfortunately at this time COVID-19 testing is very limited and not widely available to most patients.”
Abel was initially diagnosed with the flu in early March, but days later when her fever wouldn’t go down, her doctor was finally able to order a test.
“I was going from super sweaty to cold. I developed a cough on the third or fourth day,” she described. “It was a helpless feeling, and it was frustrating.”
A few weeks after her visit to West Virginia University Town Centre clinic to see her primary care doctor, Abel received a bill in the mail. Records show that the graduate student was charged $2,121 for the visit and testing. Her healthcare provider, Aetna, initially paid $1,584.54 for the services.
That’s how Abel ended up with a bill for $536.46, a bill that she shouldn’t have received under the guidelines of Congress' recently passed CARES Act.
Like many Americans, Abel is finding out there are loopholes in the system meant to protect them. Initially, she was tested for a respiratory disease. Eventually, she did receive a COVID-19 test, but her insurance company processed the initial respiratory test, instead of COVID-19, which isn’t covered under the CARES Act.
“This is like being kicked when you’re down,” she said. “I think it shows that at the end of the day, it’s a healthcare industry that is not first about health, it’s about profits.”
Eventually, Aetna reversed Abel’s charged, but experts say Americans need to pay close attention to their health insurance bills related to COVID-19.
“COVID-19 billing and medical debt as a result are going to become a nightmare,” said Craig Antico, who runs the non-profit RIP Medical Debt.
Antico says Americans being tested for COVID-19 need to watch out for surprise bills related to hospitals that may be out of network. He’s particularly worried about people who are uninsured being stuck in the same kind of loophole like Abel found herself in.
“It’s really going to put pressure on a tremendous amount of people,” Antico said.
Abel shared the following billing documents she received following the COVID-19 test she received:
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Honor Flight fundraising breakfast today
The Spectrum & Daily News
A breakfast hosted by the Western Sky Aviation Warbird Museum today is set to help send Southern Utah’s World War II veterans to see their memorial in Washington, D.C.
The Fly-In/Drive-In breakfast this morning from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. will consist of pancakes, sausage and eggs. A donation of $6 per person is suggested. The museum will donate half the net proceeds to Utah Honor Flight, a non-profit organization dedicated to flying veterans to their memorials — at no cost to the veterans.
Since 2013, UHF has taken 224 veterans to Washington, D.C. Although top priority is given to WWII veterans due to their age, several Korean War and Vietnam War veterans have also made the trip.
While on Utah Honor Flight, veterans and their guardians visit the National Mall, the WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Lincoln and Iwo Jima memorials. They also see the Air Force memorial and Arlington National Cemetery and attend the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The trip is made possible through private donations. At the breakfast there will be aviation memorabilia from the 1940s through to present day, including former military fighter and trainer aircraft on display.
David Cordero, the Interim Executive Editor of The Spectrum & Daily News as well as a WWII columnist, will discuss his experiences accompanying UHF on its previous missions.
The Western Sky Aviation Warbird Museum is located at 4196 S. Airport Parkway. For information contact Rebecca Edwards at 435-229-4985 or email the museum at westernwarbird@gmail.com.
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Hillary Clinton stirs the pot on Afghanistan, abortion and the Arctic
By Bruce Campion-SmithOttawa Bureau chief
Tue., March 30, 2010timer4 min. read
OTTAWA – Hillary Clinton was openly critical of Canada’s organization of an Arctic meeting, skipped a news conference on the topic with Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon and then went on national television to appeal to Canadians to stay in Afghanistan.
After all that, Canadian officials might have been excused if they woke up Tuesday wondering what the U.S. Secretary of State might do for an encore on the second day of her Canadian visit.
Turns out she had one more pot to stir, telling a Gatineau meeting of G8 foreign ministers that any initiative to improve maternal health – Ottawa’s signature global project this year – must include abortions, an option the Conservative government has tried to avoid.w
“You cannot have maternal health without reproductive health and reproductive health includes contraception and family planning and access to legal, safe abortions,” Clinton said Tuesday.
“I do not think governments should be involved in making these decisions. It is perfectly legitimate for people to hold their own personal views based on conscience, religion or any other basis. But I’ve always believed that the government should not intervene in decisions of such intimacy,” she said.
It was just one more grenade in the lap of her shell-shocked Canadian hosts. In the eyes of some, the world’s most powerful diplomat turned in a sharp-elbowed performance during her two days in Canada.
“So much for soft power, reaching out and consulting allies and trying to go along to get along,” said Fen Hampson, director of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University.
He highlighted Clinton’s deliberately public appeal for Canada to stay in Afghanistan as a particularly undiplomatic move, given the sensitivity of the issue among Canadians and Ottawa’s repeated assertions that the military mission, at least, will end next year.
“Diplomatically, the Americans have had a policy of not asking when they know the answer is ‘no’ and having tacit understandings not to go and make requests, shall we say, on the other person’s home base when it’s quite clear what the policy is,” Hampson said in an interview.
But on Afghanistan at least, experts say that Clinton’s goal was to be deliberately provocative and kick start a national debate about Canada’s future in the troubled country, a topic on which all parties have been strangely mute.
“I doubt very much that this is an off-the-cuff remark. I think she knew exactly what she was saying. But I think she probably calculated that this is something that Canadians would be very interested in,” said Paul Frazer, a former Canadian diplomat who served as ambassador to the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
“I think she’s trying to flush out what the views are publicly,” said Frazer, who is now a principal at 3 Click Solutions, a Washington-based lobby firm.
While it’s been no secret that Washington wants Canada to remain in Afghanistan, Clinton this week pushed the boundaries of where American officials have gone so far, stating firmly that the U.S. would like to see “visible support.”
She conceded that political realities in Canada ruled out a continuing combat role but gave a menu of other options for Ottawa to choose from, including logistics, training and development.
It was a firm nudge to Ottawa to not only make a decision but keep a presence in the country.
It appears Clinton succeeded. On an issue where Hampson says there is “bipartisan collusion” to avoid a true debate, all parties were suddenly scrambling.
The federal Conservatives were pushed into revealing more about their post-2011 strategy. The Liberals ruled out combat but said they’d be open to looking at other options. And in the Senate Tuesday, Conservative Senator Hugh Segal urged the continued deployment of Canadian humanitarian and military forces in Afghanistan.
“A minority parliament does not justify a failure of will or avoidance of international responsibility,” Segal said.
Hampson said Clinton may be trying to capitalize on U.S. President Barack Obama’s popularity in Canada, adding “this is trying to play to the crowd.”
“Is it going to have an impact? . . . I don’t think it’s going to have an impact in the sense that Canadians are going to wake up tomorrow and say ‘Obama wants us to be there’,” he said.
“Maybe this is wishful thinking on their part,” he said.
However, he said the comments suggest the Americans are “playing more hardball now with their allies.
“When it comes to Afghanistan, they don’t want a stampede to the door as we and others start pulling out. Because that creates a domestic problem for them,” Hampson said.
“The President saying ‘we’re winning, we’re moving ahead on this . . . and oh, by the way, the allies are all leaving’,” he said.
Gordon Giffin, a former U.S. ambassador to Canada, attributed the waves stirred up by Clinton’s visit to the normal cut and thrust of international diplomacy.
“She is not an inconsequential player on the world stage so she tends to make an impact where ever she is,” Giffin said.
“I don’t think anything that has occurred in her visit indicates some sort of underlying unspoken aggravation, frustration or problem,” he said.
Indeed, he said no one should be surprised by the Clinton’s request and noted that she didn’t push the most controversial option in the eyes of the Canadians – continued combat.
“I think anybody paying attention over the course of the last 18 months has expected it to come at some point,” Giffin said.
“Recognize that she did not say that she hoped Canada would remain in Afghanistan in a combat role. That’s important to emphasize,” he said.
Hillary Clinton, Afghanistan, Ottawa
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> Aerospace & Defense
Related topics: Manufacturing, Metals, South Carolina
SC: S.C. Dept. of Commerce, Greenville Area Development Corporation and the Upstate Alliance Congratulate BE&K Building Group
The South Carolina Department of Commerce, the Greenville Area Development Corporation and the Upstate Alliance praised the news that a joint venture of the BE&K Building Group and Turner Construction (BE&K/Turner), with design partner BRPH, has been awarded the design-build contract for design and construction of The Boeing Company’s new 787 Dreamliner final assembly plant in North Charleston, South Carolina.
The BE&K Building Group’s South Carolina regional office in Greenville will serve as the headquarters for the BE&K/Turner/BRPH design-build team, which is in the process of mobilizing the North Charleston site.
In 2006, the BE&K Building Group, in a design-build partnership with BRPH, delivered two major facilities at the site — a 342,000-square-foot building used for fabrication and assembly of aft fuselage sections for the Boeing 787 aircraft, as well as the adjacent Global Aeronautica production facility which is 50 percent owned by Boeing.
“We continue to believe that Boeing’s investment in South Carolina will transform our state and today’s news is an incredible sign of what is to come. The selection of a Greenville firm to perform the construction of the new facility will have an immediate impact on our state’s economy and this announcement is further indication that this project will have a positive impact on our entire state,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce. “It is estimated that the construction of Boeing’s new facility could create up to 2,000 jobs and with construction scheduled to begin very soon, these jobs will bring great opportunity to many South Carolinians. From construction jobs to the impact this activity will have on small businesses and subcontractors throughout our state, this is truly an exciting time for South Carolina. We look forward to more good things to come as a result of Boeing’s decision to locate its second 787 assembly line in North Charleston.”
“It is important that we can all work together on large projects such as Boeing because the impact is truly realized throughout the state. I am excited to see an Upstate firm selected for the construction of Boeing’s project in North Charleston. It will mean jobs for people in Charleston County and the Upstate as well,” said Dan Cooper, chairman, South Carolina Ways and Means Committee.
Jerry Howard, president and CEO, Greenville Area Development Corporation added, “We are thrilled that Boeing has chosen BE&K Building Group to construct the 787 assembly facility in North Charleston. The Greenville Area Development Corporation is excited that Boeing chose South Carolina for its new assembly line, and this announcement is more great news. BE&K Building Group has extensive experience and expertise, and this will certainly mean more jobs for people in our area. We congratulate BE&K Building Group and look forward to their work beginning and bringing great benefits to the Greenville region."
“This is great news for BE&K and it just goes to show that Boeing’s announcement is truly a statewide announcement. We look forward to the many ways South Carolina companies, especially companies in the Upstate, can partner with Boeing as they expand their operations in our state,” said Hal Johnson, president and CEO, Upstate Alliance.
The BE&K/Turner/BRPH design-build team will provide a state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner production facility which will incorporate a number of sustainable elements and will be designed to achieve LEED® Silver certification. The BE&K Building Group, Turner and BRPH respectively are listed among the Top 100 Green Designers and Contractors in the United States by Engineering News Record (ENR). The criterion for inclusion on this list is based on revenue from projects registered with the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
About S.C. Department of Commerce
The S.C. Department of Commerce works closely with economic development professionals throughout the state to recruit new jobs and investments and help existing businesses grow. Commerce has been recognized for its success in the areas of job creation and economic impact by Area Development magazine and Southern Business and Development magazine. The S.C. Department of Commerce was one of 10 state economic development organizations to receive Area Development’s Silver Shovel Award in 2009 and Commerce ranked number two in the South in points per million residents by Southern Business and Development for the state’s 2008 job recruitment efforts. In addition to job and investment recruitment, the agency provides a range of business support services, offers grants for community development and infrastructure improvements, and provides tools to enhance workforce skills. For more information, visit www.SCcommerce.com.
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Related topics: Indiana
IN: Columbus Tech Firm, Chinese Manufacturer Open New Logistics Center
Governor Mitch Daniels joined a Chinese delegation from Ningde City and executives from Techtop Motor LHP today to celebrate the grand opening of the company's 60,000 square-foot logistics center at 6889 South International Drive.
Techtop Motor LHP is a recently formed joint venture between Indiana-based LHP Technologies and China-based Shanghai Top Motor and Simo Motor. Today's ribbon-cutting follows the company's 2008 announcement that it would add 60 new jobs and invest $7 million to build and equip a manufacturing and distribution center for electric motors, pumps and generators.
"Techtop's start of operations in Indiana is a big step in our efforts to further economic relations with China, and a sign of promising things to come," said Daniels, who met with Techtop officials last fall during his first economic development mission to China.
The company's new facility serves as a warehouse and distribution center for its line of products ranging from brake motors for automobiles to submersible pumps for residential and commercial applications. Techtop LHP has hired nine associates and plans to continue adding new employees over the next three years as it ramps up its assembly and manufacturing operations at the Columbus center.
"Our new logistics center and Techtop Motor LHP, our new joint venture, will bring new investment and new jobs to Columbus and will serve as a magnet to attract more Chinese companies to invest in Columbus," said Ryan Hou co-founder and chief executive of Columbus-headquartered LHP, Inc. "Our joint venture has purchased 30 acres adjoining this facility and this ideal location in Woodside Northwest Industrial Park is already attracting interest from Chinese companies."
"We currently export our products to the Middle East, Africa and Europe as well as sell domestically in the Chinese market. In order to become recognized as a truly global company, we must have a significant presence in the U.S. marketplace, and Columbus meets all our location objectives for establishing our presence in the United States," said Lin Yin, chairman of Shanghai Top Motor and Techtop LHP.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Techtop is the U.S. subsidiary of Shanghai, China-based Shanghai Top Motor, which sells its line of pumps and motors in more than 40 countries."In addition to new jobs and future growth opportunities, Techtop is extremely important to our economic development efforts in Columbus as we continue to pursue relationships and investments from around the world," said Mayor Fred L. Armstrong. "This is a result of the efforts and cooperation of many people, public and private, and I would like to thank all who supported this project. This is another good day in Columbus."
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Boehner says he'd support a middle-class tax cut
News // Norwalk
Sep. 11, 2010 Updated: June 17, 2016 5:26 p.m.
By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL
House Minority Leader John Boehner says he would vote for President Obama's plan to extend tax cuts only for middle-class earners, not the wealthy, if that were the only option available to House Republicans.
Boehner, R-Ohio, said it is "bad policy" to exclude the highest-earning Americans from tax relief during the recession. But he said he wouldn't block the breaks for middle-income individuals and families if Democrats won't support the full package.
Income tax cuts passed under President George W. Bush will expire at the end of this year unless Congress acts and Obama signs the bill. Obama said he would support continuing the lower tax rates for couples earning up to $250,000 or single taxpayers making up to $200,000. But he and the Democratic leadership in Congress refused to back continued lower rates for the fewer than 3 percent of Americans who make more than that.
The cost of extending the tax cuts for everyone for the next 10 years would approach $4 trillion, according to congressional estimates. Eliminating the breaks for the top earners would reduce that bill by about $700 billion.
Boehner's comments signaled a possible break in the logjam that has prevented passage of a tax bill, although Republicans would still force Democrats to vote on their bigger tax-cut package in the final weeks before the November congressional elections.
"I want to do something for all Americans who pay taxes," Boehner said in an interview taped Saturday for "Face the Nation" on CBS. "If the only option I have is to vote for some of those tax reductions, I'll vote for it. ... If that's what we can get done, but I think that's bad policy. I don't think that's going to help our economy."
Austan Goolsbee, new chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said on ABC's "This Week" that he hopes that Democratic lawmakers who also want an across-the-board extension will join Obama and others in the party in supporting legislation aimed at the middle class before the November elections.
In response to Boehner's comments, Goolsbee said, "If he's for that, I would be happy."
With congressional elections less than two months away, both parties have been working to score points with voters generally unhappy with Congress. Democrats are bearing the brunt of voter anger over a stubborn recession, a weak job market and a high-spending government, giving the GOP an opening for taking back control of the House and possibly the Senate.
Democratic leaders would relish putting up a bill that extends only the middle-class tax cuts and then daring Republicans to oppose it. In response, GOP lawmakers probably would try to force votes on amendments to extend all the tax cuts, arguing that it would be a boost to the economy, and then point to those who rejected them.
The tax-cut argument between Obama and Republican lawmakers focuses on whether the debt-ridden country can afford to continue Bush's tax breaks, which were designed to expire next year. Republicans contend that cutting back on government spending ought to be the focus of efforts aimed at beginning to balance the federal budget.
If Republicans regain control of the House, they would remove Democrat Nancy Pelosi of California as speaker, a position that is second in line to the presidency after the vice president. Boehner would be the most likely successor, and he already is the focus of criticism from the Democrats' re-election campaign.
Obama himself has been leading the charge against Boehner, traveling last week to the Republican minority leader's home state to accuse him of offering little but stale ideas that led to the economic meltdown.
In keeping with that tactic, the Democratic National Committee said Sunday it plans to begin airing an ad Tuesday in Washington and on national cable that portrays Boehner as a supporter of tax cuts for the wealthy and a foe of spending for teachers, police officers and firefighters.
"Boehner has a different plan," the ad states. "Tax cuts for businesses and those that shift jobs and profits overseas. Saving multinational corporations 10 billion."
At a White House news conference Friday, Obama described the Republican proposal for a tax extension for the highest of earners as an effort "to give an average of $100,000 to millionaires." Instead, he said, both parties should move forward on their areas of agreement.
Associated Press writers Jim Kuhnhenn and Stephen Ohlemacher contributed to this report.
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Strange compulsion to punt is among side-effects of Oxford University covid vaccine
Several of the Oxford University covid vaccine test subjects developed an irresistible compulsion to go punting, a research programme mole has revealed.
“In some cases,” the insider said, “the urge was so strong that people took to the water in any way available to them.
“One man nearly drowned after trying to use a broom handle to propel himself along a disused Midlands canal on a discarded shed door. Fortunately, he was able to paddle to the bank using the bloated carcass of a Rottweiler as a improvised flotation device.”
The side-effect is just one associated with the Oxford University vaccine, which has nevertheless been hailed as a major victory in the battle against covid.
The unnamed research team member said: “Only a minority of subjects manifest side-effects, but some of those effects are extraordinary.
“One man had his head kicked in outside his local Lidl after putting a teddy bear in the baby seat of his trolley and insisting passers-by address it as Aloysius.
“We’ve had people nearly arrested for trying to stroll into the boardrooms of major companies, exclusive quangos, the BBC and even the House of Commons and the House of Lords while insisting they had every right to be there, even if they had no discernible talent or ability whatsoever.
“One demanded to be the CEO of a major public utility even though he was incapable of putting his shoes on the correct feet. Mind you, to be fair to him, he made it to the final interview stage before anybody realised he hadn’t sent in a CV.
“We’ve also had instances of test subjects expecting major publishing houses give them huge advances for completely rotten novels and slim volumes of dull poetry.
“The worst, though, was the man found in the back room at his local butcher’s shop, doing something truly unspeakable to the severed head of a pig.
“Still, at least we managed to produce a working vaccine. I hear our colleagues at Cambridge had to abandon their attempt because the test subjects kept writing to the Kremlin and offering their services as spies for the Soviet Union, even though the Soviet Union hasn’t existed for the best part of thirty years.”
The Oxford vaccine isn’t the only viable one to emerge in recent days, and there are reports of side-effects among some of the others.
A Belgian vaccine, for example, is said to be very effective, although some British test subjects subsequently caused alarm among family and friends by putting mayonnaise on their chips.
Two American vaccines are also said to be excellent, although in some instances they were reportedly so effective that test subjects were left convinced that covid did not exist at all - and with a compulsion to put Domestos in their tea and on their cornflakes.
Most alarming among the side-effects, however, are those associated with the Russian vaccine, which are said to include brutal murderous urges, compulsive lying and a sudden interest in the history of British cathedral architecture.
A good satisfying drawn out fart in running for Christmas Number One spot
Once-a-year Christmas works do drinkers vow to still be pains in the arse this year
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‘Cannot Be, Whatsoever’ dropped Nov. 6. (Photo provided by @iamnovoamor via Twitter).
11.08.20 / 11:00 pm
The best 3 tracks from Novo Amor’s ‘Cannot Be, Whatsoever’
Bre Offenberger
Novo Amor’s music has been featured in TV or film 24 times. Why? His wispy voice and the melancholic music supporting it make you feel like you’re flying.
Though Novo Amor — the stage name of Ali Lacey — has diverted away from his wholly despondent roots with his latest album, Cannot Be, Whatsoever, he isn’t gone completely. On the experimental album, he just sounds happier, his honeyed vocals bouncing off upbeat keys, vibrant guitars and even some alien-esque synths. He still has a couple dismal tracks that remind fans of two things: he will always have something for every mood, and he will continue to revert to old habits — because even he knows how good it is.
The Welsh singer first released music — that is, a two-track single — under Novo Amor in 2012. He released two EPs, Woodgate, NY and Bathing Beach, in 2014 and 2016, respectively. In 2017, the multi-instrumentalist dropped a collaborative LP, Heiress, with Ed Tullett. The following year, he solidified his name as a vibey indie folk artist with his first solo LP, Birthplace. Once the 2019 teen romance flick Five Feet Apart put “Anchor” and “State Lines” in its soundtrack, Novo Amor and his moody bops were brought to the forefront, where they should be.
Cannot Be, Whatsoever is a change of pace, something that takes a few listens, but it’s in no way off-putting. “Opaline” has the potential to be a pop hit, as the repetitive, cheerful keys accentuate Novo Amor’s relief that he’s finally starting to get over his heartbreak, though it almost feels out of place as an opener. “Statue Of A Woman,” the 117-second instrumental, is otherworldly, literally: dreamy synths dance around before an alien seemingly sucks you into its UFO, taking you far away from the place with which you’ve become so familiar. While the instrumental is intriguing, it signifies no shift in tone for the album — almost like it’s randomly thrown there. The album doesn’t exactly offer cohesiveness, but there are a select few tracks that offer a reminder of why Novo Amor deserves commercial success.
Here are the best three tracks from Novo Amor:
3. “I Feel Better”
You’ll “feel better” after listening to this track, too. Novo Amor is sick of being used, and he wants to be reassured this impending relationship won’t be a waste of his time: “I feel better most of the time / Just tell me that it’s all right, and I’ll be fine / But don’t make a mess of my love.” The brief instrumental break, with its subtle grooviness, has the power to inject motivation right into your veins.
2. “Birdcage”
Give it about 11 seconds. Once that dreary guitar line comes in, you’ll probably vividly imagine the coming days where you’ll lie down, stare at the ceiling and put “Birdcage” on repeat just to feel something. Novo Amor is blaming himself for his own sadness, even telling his loved ones it continues when he’s with them, and that it’s bound to go on tomorrow, too: “I’m letting my head collapse on itself / Could you need me now? / I can’t see how / I think I’m forgetting how to breathe out.” He claims “I’ll be better in the morning,” but it almost feels like a lie, just so they’ll stop worrying about him.
1. “Keep Me”
This is classic Novo Amor. With a seamless transition out of “Birdcage,” “Keep Me” feels reminiscent of his first two LPs: his airy vocal tone, the lifeless guitar, the strings that make you feel both nothing and everything at the same time. Novo Amor’s intrusive thoughts won’t leave, and he just wants his special someone to continue to give him a reason: “I know there’s gotta be something that I could say in time / But I can’t find the words / Keep me on fire.” The beauty of it all is almost overwhelming. “Keep Me” is a track to cling to when you just need to be reminded you’re not alone, and it’s the best on Cannot Be, Whatsoever.
Review: 3.5/5
@bre_offenberger
bo844517@ohio.edu
Women's Basketball: The legacy of CeCe Hooks grows in comeback win over Buffalo
Noah's Ark: Madden’s failure is a symptom of corporatism and greed
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Monthly US Turkey Hatchery Report
Turkeys Markets and economics
17 February 2010, at 9:42am
US - According to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), there were nine per cent fewer turkey eggs in incubators on 1 February than on the same date last year, and poult placements were down 12 per cent in January this year compared to the same month of 2009.
Eggs in incubators on 1 February down nine per cent from last year
Turkey eggs in incubators on 1 February 2010 in the US totalled 25.9 million, down nine per cent from 1 February 2009. Eggs in incubators were down six per cent from the 1 January 2010 total of 27.5 million eggs.
Regional changes from the previous year were: East North Central down 12 per cent, West North Central down two per cent, North and South Atlantic down 12 per cent, and South Central and West down 22 per cent.
Poults hatched during January down 11 per cent from last year
Turkey poults hatched during January 2010 in the United States totalled 22.2 million, down 11 per cent from January 2009. Poults hatched were down two per cent from the December 2009 total of 22.6 million poults.
Net poults placed during January down 12 per cent from last year
The 21.3 million net poults placed during January 2010 in the United States were down 12 per cent from the number placed during the same month a year earlier. Net placements were down three per cent from the December 2009 total of 22.0 million.
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Lincs Turkeys Bought by Bernard Matthews
Turkeys Processing Company/products
UK - Bernard Matthews Holdings has acquired Lincs Turkeys.
Bernard Matthews Holdings has announced that it has acquired Lincs Turkeys. Lincs Turkeys, an established turkey farmer, with sales of approximately £23 million in 2008, is based in rural Lincolnshire and specialises in free-range and fresh turkey products. The acquisition follows a period of extensive due diligence and completed on 30 April 2010.
Commenting on the acquisition Jeff Halliwell, UK Managing Director of Bernard Matthews said: "We are delighted to have been able to acquire Lincs Turkeys, a successful and profitable company with an excellent corporate brand. Lincs Turkeys brings additional skills and expertise to the Group, which will enhance and support our long term growth plans. It will allow us to expand our offering in the fresh and free range turkey markets, areas of particular importance to Bernard Matthews, as we continue to promote the health benefits of turkey.
"Lincs Turkeys will continue to be run as a stand-alone business within Bernard Matthews Holdings, retaining its own corporate identity and name, and we have no immediate plans to introduce any significant changes. Lincs Turkeys employs an impressive and knowledgeable team, who we look forward to welcoming into the Group. We are pleased that John Martin has agreed to stay on and continue to be involved in the business."
John Martin, Lincs Turkeys' Managing Director, added: "We are proud to be joining forces with Bernard Matthews, especially at this exciting time when the Bernard Matthews Group is growing and developing. For Lincs Turkeys, this is a transformational opportunity, which will benefit both our customers and colleagues alike. Lincs Turkeys and Bernard Matthews are an excellent strategic fit and by combining our inherent strengths we will be able to develop a stronger business. Our joint knowledge and turkey expertise will enable us to better capitalise on the opportunities ahead and drive turkey consumption in the UK all year round."
This acquisition follows a number of significant developments for the Bernard Matthews business in 2010, including Marco Pierre White becoming an ambassador for turkey and the launch of a new £5 million marketing campaign, bringing back the iconic 'Bootiful' slogan and promoting the benefits of turkey as a perfect protein.
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UK Egg Statistics - Fourth Quarter 2010
Egg layers Production types Markets and economics
3 February 2011, at 9:32am
UK - The throughput of eggs through UK packing stations in the last quarter of 2010 was 11.2 per cent higher than the same period of last year, giving an increase for the year of 10 per cent. The average price for the quarter was five per cent lower than the same period of the previous year.
This release shows quarterly information on egg production, usage and prices for the period October to December 2010. It also includes monthly information on the trade in eggs and egg products.
A total of 6.963 million cases of eggs were packed during the fourth quarter of 2010.
Free-range and organic eggs accounted for 46 per cent of eggs packed in the UK during quarter 4 of 2010, compared with 42 per cent for the same period the previous year.
The average packer to producer price for all eggs for quarter 4 of 2010, was 69.6 pence per dozen, a 4.7 per cent decrease on the same period of 2009.
2010 was a 53-week statistical year, with Quarter 4 (October-December) being a 14-week period.
UK packing station throughput by country shows that a total of 20 million cases of eggs were packed in England and Wales during 2010. 4.4 million cases of eggs were packed in Scotland during 2010, and 2.6 million cases of eggs were packed in Northern Ireland during 2010.
UK packing station throughput by type shows that during 2010, laying cage eggs accounted for 50 per cent, free-range eggs accounted for 42 per cent and barn and organic eggs combined accounted for 8.4 per cent of the total throughput.
The percentage split of graded eggs by size shows that in 2010, 5.4 per cent of throughput were very large eggs, 44 per cent were large eggs, 41 per cent were medium eggs and small eggs accounted for 3.6 per cent. Graded seconds accounted for 6.3 per cent of total throughput.
The weighted average 'packer to producer' price of all eggs for 2010 was 70.1 pence per dozen. This was a decrease of 3.5 per cent compared to 2009.
The number of eggs bought by UK processors during 2010 totalled 1.3 million cases.
UK egg processors produced nearly 98,000 tonnes of egg products in 2010. Liquid and frozen eggs accounted for 66 per cent of the total production which for 2010 was 64,500 tonnes.
The latest trade data shows that during the period January-November 2010, the UK imported 3.936 million cases of shell eggs, a fall of 6.2 per cent on the same period last year. Exports of shell eggs for the same period totalled 520,000 cases, which was a 47 per cent rise on the same period during 2009.
UK imports of egg products for the period January-November 2010 stood at 2.457 million cases, an 8.7 per cent fall on the same period last year. Exports of egg products for the period January- November 2010 totalled 114,000 cases, which represents a 28 per cent fall on exports during the same period of 2009.
Population diagnostics challenging for poultry veterinarians
Poultry veterinarians managing commercial flocks are epidemiologists of sorts. We have to come up with a population diagnosis based on sampling of subsets.
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3-D printing adds new dimension to youth entrepreneur camp
Entrepreneur camps set for Feb. 21-23 at C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center, Ferndale
Camps offered for ages 9-13 and ages 14-19
Registration deadline is Feb. 10. For more information, contact Stacey McCullough at 501-671-2078 or Shannon Caldwell, 501-821-4668.
LITTLE ROCK – A camp that teaches youths ages 9-19 the basics of starting a business gets a new dimension this year as the young entrepreneurs use a 3-D printer to create their products.
“The camps give our youth the experience of bringing a business to life,” said Stacey McCullough, assistant director of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Public Policy Center. “Having the 3-D printer will allow them to bring their theoretical products into reality.”
The camp will be held Feb. 21-23 at the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center in Ferndale, with an instruction team drawn from Cooperative Extension Service faculty with expertise in financial management.
In addition to the 3-D printer, other new features for this year’s camp:
A technology fair to showcase how businesses use technology to increase sales, interact with customers, and raise capital.
Real-world examples of social entrepreneurs who are working to make positive changes in society.
This year’s camps:
Entrepreneur Camp-Basic.This camp is for 9-13 year olds will be developing business plans and producing goods and services for businesses they can actually start when they get back home.
Entrepreneur Camp-Advanced.This camp is for 14-19 year olds who will create a team business and sell products they create using a 3-D printer, as well as developing individual feasibility plans for business ideas they are interested in after camp.
The Entrepreneur Camp was first offered in 2008, having grown out of a 2007 grant from Bank of America for workforce skills training. In 2010, 4-H began offering an advanced camp so the participants could build in previous years’ experience.
“Past participants have developed business plans for cake shops, horseback riding lessons, slingshots, pet supply stores, metal works, custom-made drawing and books, clothing stores, even an airline,” she said “One of the big hits in 2012 was a fake mustache business.”
McCullough said the most rewarding part is learning that “some of our kids go out and become entrepreneurs in real life.”
The camps begin Friday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. and end Sunday, Feb. 23, at 1 p.m. Cost is $145 per person, and includes supplies, lodging, meals, and t-shirt. For more information, contact Stacey McCullough at 501-671-2078, or smccullough@uaex.edu or Shannon Caldwell, 501-821-6884 or scaldwell@uaex.edu.
"Campers also get to do things like canoe, have s'mores, enter a talent show, and other fun camp things you might not normally get to do outside of summer,” Caldwell said.
To learn more about 4-H contact your county extension office, or visit the 4-H website.
The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
By Mary Hightower
The Cooperative Extension Service
Extension Communications Specialist
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Love Story ‘Manon’ Kicks Off UH Moores Opera Center’s Performance Season
Jules Massenet’s Classic Romance Makes Campus Debut Oct. 23 - 26
By Mike Emery 713-743-8186
Manon is a simple woman whose journey to the convent takes a romantic detour. She falls in love with the chivalrous Chevalier des Grieux but is seduced by another man’s promise of wealth and security. Her love for Des Grieux endures, but the couple faces even more obstacles along their passionate path.
Audiences can find out what happens to these young lovers in the University of Houston Moores Opera Center’s production of Jules Massenet’s “Manon.” The opera (performed in French with English surtitles) will make its UH debut in the Moores Opera House (Entrance 16 off Cullen Boulevard). Show times and dates are as follows:
7:30 p.m., Oct. 23, 24, 26
2 p.m., Oct. 25
Tickets are $20 and $12 (for students and seniors). They can be purchased by calling 713-743-3313 or visiting the Moores online box office.
“Manon” premiered in 1884 at the Opera-Comique in Paris. Since its debut, the opera has become an international favorite and is among Massenet’s most popular works.
“It’s an epic romance,” said Buck Ross, director of the Moores Opera Center. “It’s quite spectacular with beautiful, sweeping music and gorgeous costumes. It has a Hollywood feel and a bit of an edge to it.
“It’s an opera that I have wanted to do for a while. The roles are very challenging, and we currently have some singers who are up to the task.”
Alternating the title role are sopranos Sydney Anderson and Lisa Borik. Tenors Mark Thomas and Zach Averyt alternate the role of Des Grieux. Ross directs the opera and Raymond Harvey is serving as conductor.
The opera is based on the short novel “Manon Lescaut” by Abbé Prévost. In addition to Massenet’s work, the opera has been adapted into ballet performances and a stage play. An earlier opera “Manon Lescaut” by Daniel Auber premiered in 1856. Giacomo Puccini also composed an opera with this title. His “Manon Lescaut” premiered in 1893.
“Manon” kicks off the Moores Opera Center’s 2015 – 16 performance season. Other operas to be delivered include “La Rondine” by Giacomo Puccini (Jan. 28 – 31), “Così fan tutte” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 29 – Feb. 1) and “Anna Karenina” by David Carlson (Aug. 8 – 11).
To learn more about the Moores Opera Center or to purchase tickets to performances, visit its website.
Categories: People, Top Stories
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United Nations Security Council
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This subsection dealt with the referral, under General Assembly resolution 377 A (V) of 3 November 1950, to the General Assembly of an item being considered by the Security Council. General Assembly resolution 377 A (V) on "Uniting for peace" states that, if the Security Council fails to act in order to maintain international peace and security in any case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members, the matter shall be addressed immediately by the General Assembly.
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C. Relations with the Trusteeship Council
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D. Relations with the International Court of Justice
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2. Election of members of the International Court of Justice
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E. Relations with the Secretariat
This section, introduced from the 1989-1992 volume, covers many of the non-administrative functions given to the Secretary-General in accordance with Articles 98 and 99 of the United Nations Charter (Administrative functions of the Secretariat can be found here). Materials covered here include: measures to ascertain the facts; good offices; joint efforts to promote a political settlement; peacekeeping and implementation of peace agreements; support to international and special tribunals; and implementation of sanctions regimes. For more information on good offices, mediation and other tasks entrusted to the Secretary-General such as bringing matters which may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security to the attention of the Security Council, see also Pacific Settlement of Disputes and the section on Subsidiary Organs.
F. Relations with the Military Staff Committee
The Military Staff Committee, established pursuant to Article 47 of the Charter, is composed of the Chiefs of Staff of the permanent members or their representatives. The function of the Committee is “to advise and assist the Security Council on all questions relating to the Security Council’s military requirements for the maintenance of international peace and security, the employment and command of forces at its disposal, the regulation of armaments, and possible disarmament”. This section in the Repertoire deals with relations between the Security Council and the Military Staff Committee. On the Military Staff Committee, see also Actions with respect to threats to the peace, breaches of the peace, and acts of aggression , from the 1989-1992 volume onwards.
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Relations with other United Nations Organs
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ALL PROCEDURAL ISSUES
RELATED ARTICLES AND RULES
Articles 4-6
UN Social Media
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Home News UNFPA Provides Support for Women and Girls as Humanitarian Situation Deteriorates in Central African Republic
UNFPA Provides Support for Women and Girls as Humanitarian Situation Deteriorates in Central African Republic
Young people line up at the Don Bosco Youth Centre in Bangui, one the sites where thousands of people have taken refuge from the latest surge in sectarian violence ravaging Central African Republic. UNFPA has deployed emergency assistance to displaced women and youth affected by the fighting, delivering dignity and safe birth kits, as well as life-saving supplies. <i>Photo © UNFPA CAR</i>
BANGUI, Central African Republic – As the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in the Central African Republic (CAR), UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is providing emergency assistance for women and girls of childbearing age affected by the fighting.
To meet the urgent needs of pregnant women and young people affected by the crisis, UNFPA is distributing thousands of dignity kits, clean delivery kits, and other reproductive health and life-saving supplies. To date, 69 health centres, as well as all displaced persons camps in the capital Bangui, have been provided with various kits, and 20 national and international NGOs have been contracted to support critical UNFPA programmes through the end of the year.
This latest surge in violence has brought the total number of people displaced since the conflict began a year ago to more than 700,000, according to December 17 estimates by OCHA. This includes approximately 214,000 since 5 December in Bangui alone. Among them, according to estimates in the country, 25 per cent are women of childbearing age. Most of the displaced population has gathered in more than 50 sites across the capital to seek shelter, principally at different religious sites and at the Bangui International Airport. These estimates are expected to change as the situation on the ground evolves.
UNFPA will continue to work jointly with the rest of the UN system to provide needed support, focusing on addressing the needs of the affected population, particularly women and young girls, and mitigating the impact of gender-based violence.
Safe birth kits can mean the difference between life and death for a pregnant woman and her baby in a crisis situation.
– Reported by Nicole Foster
Population : 4.8 mil
Youth secondary school enrollment
Boys 16%
Girls 10%
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For too long, efforts to reduce maternal mortality stalled, in part because the facts underlying the problem --and the best strategies to address it --were poorly understood.
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Tarasyuk to seek protection of the Prosecutor General
Politics 1 min. 5929
Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk will sue Party of the Regions MPs in the Prosecutor General’s Office for hooliganism, according to the Ukrayinska Pravda.
As was earlier reported, those MPs prevented Mr.Tarasyuk to attend the regular session of the Cabinet of Ministers Wednesday.
The Foreign Minister recalled that the ruling of the Shevchenko District Court had suspended the Verkhovna Rada decision on his resignation. In Mr.Tarasyuk’s opinion, this ruling is binding for all the citizens of Ukraine.
Denying objections that the lower court cannot invalidate the Verkhovna Rada decision, Tarasyuk cited explanations of the Constitutional Court. They say that a person may apply to the lower courts in regard to either appointments or resignations made by the President or the Verkhovna Rada.
So, it emerged that Party of the Regions MPs “had committed unlawful actions and arrogation.”
Being asked why he did not seek Mr.Yushchenko’s protection, Mr.Tarasyuk answered that he did not want to distract him from job.
In his turn Our Ukraine member Mykola Katerynchuk presumes the incident with Tarasyuk vividly demonstrates that the governing coalition encroaches upon the President’s authority.
It’s obvious that the Prime Minister does not want Mr.Tarasyuk to work for the Cabinet of Ministers. But he does not understand that, although this is a coalition government, the President has the right to nominate some ministers as well.
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University of Phoenix-South Carolina
1001 Pinnacle Point Dr
Columbia SC , 29223-5727
About University of Phoenix-South Carolina
Founded in N/A, University of Phoenix-South Carolina is a 4-year college. Located in Columbia, which is a city setting in South Carolina, the campus itself is Suburban. The campus is home to 105 full time undergraduate students, and 2 full time graduate students.
Admissions Requirements for University of Phoenix-South Carolina
Admissions at University of Phoenix-South Carolina are considered N/A, with N/A of all applicants being admitted. In the 2017/2018 school year, of the students who applied to the school, only N/A of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling. N/A of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. N/A were in the top quarter, and N/A were in the top tenth.
The application fee is $N/A and you can apply online.
The University of Phoenix-South Carolina Academic calendar runs on a semester basis. In the 2017/2018 school year the student to faculty ratio was 10:1. There are N/A. full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at University of Phoenix-South Carolina include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.
The total cost to attend on campus is $11,821. Let's break that cost down. Room and board will run $0 annually. Books and Supplies will cost another $0. And lastly, in state tuition and fees is $11,821. Additional cost elements for out of state students are as follows:
N/A of students attending University of Phoenix-South Carolina receive some sort of financial aid. N/A were awarded federal grants. While N/A received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.
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Navajo women are 'sacred' keepers of the cultural flame. They're also particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
On the Navajo Nation, the coronavirus leaves children motherless, families lost and traditions in peril – but Diné women fight on
Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi
Searchlight New Mexico
This story was reported by Searchlight New Mexico, a non-partisan, nonprofit news organization dedicated to investigative reporting in New Mexico, and shared with USA TODAY.
SHIPROCK, N.M. — Sitting in the passenger seat of her husband’s pickup truck just before dusk, Eugenia Charles-Newton watched a young Navajo girl, her niece, during a traditional kinaaldá ceremony in Shiprock.
The coming-of-age ceremony was unlike any other kinaaldá she’d ever seen. Scores of family members were missing and there was only a small cake, just enough to feed the immediate family. That morning, the girl’s female relatives hadn’t gathered to sing and tell stories as they mixed the cake batter. When the girl ran toward the east before the sun rose, she didn’t have throngs of relatives running behind her to fill the dawn air with happy screams and shouts, celebrating her transition into womanhood. Only the young woman’s brothers ran after her.
It’s hard “for a girl to have a ceremony like that and not have all the family there,” Charles-Newton said. She tried to comfort her niece, a relation by clan. “Your mom could have just said, ‘No, we’re not going to have it,’” she pointed out. “But instead, she made it happen.”
Women have long been front and center when it comes to making things happen on the Navajo Nation. But never has that role been so apparent — or so perilous — as during the pandemic. Ever since the coronavirus arrived on the 27,000-square-mile reservation, women in this matriarchal society have been putting themselves at risk, taking on ever more responsibilities, culturally and in everyday life.
“The sacred side of women has changed with COVID,” said Charles-Newton, 43, one of three female delegates on the Navajo Nation Council. Girls used to learn traditions through celebrations, face-to-face talks with elders and communal gatherings. But the pandemic has squelched those opportunities. “It’s taking away a part of the culture.”
By every measure — from economics and education to health — COVID-19 disproportionately harms women and girls “simply by virtue of their sex,” the United Nations has concluded. Women are more exposed to the virus because they’re more likely to be frontline workers, such as nurses and health care staff. They hold more than 77 percent of jobs in U.S. hospitals, health care facilities and nursing homes, U.S. labor statistics show. They hold essential jobs, albeit low-paying ones, in groceries and retail stores.
On the Navajo Nation, women are even more vulnerable to the virus, as a result of poor health care, poverty, trauma and high rates of illnesses like diabetes.
Navajo women not only hold high-exposure jobs but also are keepers of the cultural flame — and caretakers of the many people around them who’ve tested positive for the virus. When they become sick or die, the whole culture suffers.
“Women are the home — they’re matriarchs, they’re mothers,” said Navajo archaeologist Rena Martin, 67. “When people say, ‘I’m going home,’ it’s to where Mom is. If you lose a matriarch, you have no home to go to.”
The founder of Dinétahdóó Cultural Resources Management, a Navajo company dedicated to preserving tribal history, culture and lands, Martin has seen families living in some of the most remote landscapes in the Southwest. She particularly worries about the women elders — crucial to the culture — who are highly vulnerable to COVID-19.
The virus is typically more lethal for Navajo men — but that changes in the golden years, statistics show. After 70, the coronavirus death rate for Navajo women begins to accelerate. By age 80, Diné women suffer a substantially higher death rate than men.
Martin knows firsthand what the loss of an elder can do. Her maternal grandmother, matriarch to the core, boiled herbs, made medicinal drinks and carried them to families stricken with whooping cough, delivering them near and far on horseback. She succumbed to the disease when Martin’s mother was 4.
The loss left the next two generations without knowledge of their family history and teachings, Martin said. It was the need to reclaim those losses that prompted her to become an archaeologist.
“There was a loss of centeredness in the family. There was a loss of oral history.” The pandemic, she said, could leave generations of women feeling similarly at sea.
Some might feel like they’re drowning. Diné women today are juggling employment while also cooking, cleaning, babysitting, shopping, parenting, teaching, caring for relatives and tending to the elderly.
Since March, when the reservation became one of the country’s worst hot spots, women have commonly been seen making supply runs at local stores, buying not just for the immediate family but for extended family members, to meet kinship obligations.
They are carrying caskets at burial sites, typically a man’s job. They are revising the “baby’s first laugh” celebrations, dropping off salt and goodies to family and friends instead of hosting a gathering at home.
Grandmothers are helping children attend virtual classes, though most have no experience with computers. Some have set up makeshift desks in crowded houses without electricity, running water or indoor plumbing — a problem for roughly a third of households. Others sit with their grandchildren outside of schools and chapter houses so the kids will have internet access and can complete their homework.
Zoom won’t suffice
The Navajo are a matrilineal society: When they introduce themselves, they do so by clan, leading with their mother’s clan, which children take as their own. Naabeehó sáanii (Navajo women) are the center of the family, the keepers of wisdom and conservators of ancestral teachings. Navajo emergence stories tell of how women learned to be matriarchs from Changing Woman, a single mother of twin sons who became Diné heroes.
By tradition, the teachings are passed down in person, in the Navajo language. Zoom meetings are hardly a suitable replacement.
In the four-day kinaaldá, for example, the mother, grandmother and other female relatives have hands-on roles in the ceremony, held when a girl reaches puberty. The women help the girl wash and they tie and wrap her hair. They knead her limbs to symbolically “mold” her into a strong woman. They make the alkaan (Navajo cake) and bury it in the ground to cook.
It is a level of communion that’s nearly impossible during recurring waves of contagion and the accompanying public health restrictions. The Navajo Nation, a vast landscape (pop. 172,875) that spans New Mexico, Arizona and Utah, has one of the highest COVID-19 infection rates in America. As of Nov. 10, at least 12,641 cases have been confirmed there; 594 people have died.
The tribal government has tried to curb transmission by issuing strict curfews, stay-at-home orders, business and travel restrictions, and limits on gatherings. Officials have also canceled events like the Miss Navajo Nation pageant, in which contestants must butcher a sheep and cook over an open fire.
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Shaandiin Parrish, the current Miss Navajo Nation, is one of the scores of women who’ve seen their roles morph in ways they never imagined. Parrish, 26, was living alone in Window Rock, Arizona, the Navajo Nation’s capital, when the virus struck. She wanted to rush home to the Kayenta area to be with her family, but the reservation was on lockdown.
So she used her time to spread health safety messages on her social media platform. When travel was allowed, she drove hundreds of miles to dispense food, water and supplies to families, along with Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.
Dressed in full traditional attire — velvet shirt and skirt, moccasins, jewelry, a sash, crown, plus a mask and gloves — she continues to give out care packages in remote Navajo communities, from Oljato, Utah, and Chinle, Arizona, to chapters in northwest New Mexico.
Charles-Newton, the council delegate, is among the countless other women engaged in relief work. In addition to her elected duties, she volunteers with the Northern Diné COVID-19 Relief Effort, a grassroots organization that distributes essentials to local families.
The work can get intense. In late July, before driving two hours to an emergency council meeting in Window Rock, Charles-Newton threw on her safety-approved clothing (long-sleeved T-shirt, baseball cap, pants), put on her mask, jumped in her truck and picked up cases of water to deliver to a mother and daughter in Shiprock who had no running water or electricity.
Both women are diabetic and — with no refrigerator — had to buy bags of ice every day to keep their insulin cold in plastic coolers.
On other days, Charles-Newton dispenses advice. One man contacted her because he feared he’d broken tradition: His mother and sisters had tested positive and were too sick to enter the sweat lodge alone. In violation of protocols that require women and men to sweat separately, he entered the women’s sweat to look after them.
“He was very emotional,” Charles-Newton recalled. “He said, ‘This is my mother; these are my sisters. These are the matriarchs, the strong ones in my family.’” Was it wrong to help them?
“I told him, ‘Shiyáázh [my son], what you did for your mom and your sisters is not wrong — it’s an act of love.’”
Caring at a cost
Acts of love, of course, can be dangerous. In late April, the Navajo Nation mourned the loss of young mother Valentina Blackhorse, 28, a former Miss Western Navajo. Her boyfriend had contracted the virus, and she’d insisted on taking care of him, the Navajo Times reported. The death of someone so young became national news. Blackhorse was described as selfless, someone who risked her life to help another.
She would not be the last. Social media and headlines announced a growing list of health care workers who’d lost their lives to COVID-19. Other women who passed away were unsung heroes — caretakers on a land of vast needs.
They’d raised sheep and goats, weaved wool, grown food and survived on lands passed down for generations, by matriarchs who came before.
On a recent evening, just as the sun eased to meet the horizon, Natalie Tome-Beyale tended to the crops on Farm Road in Shiprock. With her cell phone in a back pocket and a water bottle nearby, she plucked weeds growing around her family farm. She placed the water bottle five plants ahead of her to make sure she stayed hydrated; every time she reached the bottle, she took a sip.
In previous years, Tome-Beyale and her husband planted the farmland together, but this year she had to do the work alone. About six months ago, she nearly lost her husband, Herbert Beyale Jr., to the virus.
Farming has become an act of healing, she said. With every weed she pulled, the memories sprouted.
Tome-Beyale, 63, lost her father when she was a teenager. The eldest of her siblings, she looked after her three younger brothers and at 19 became their legal guardian. She married Herb at a young age, had five children and worked as an educational assistant.
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“Being a Navajo woman, the big thing was that you need to care for the people around you — they come first.”
Today, she said, this presents women with an entirely new quandary: Children are defying public health orders.
“It’s really sad, because the mom — the women — will not close the door on them. And because of that, it [the virus] comes into the home,” she said. “The love that women have for their children is sometimes their downfall.”
In May, the coronavirus found Tome-Beyale’s family. She had recently become a grandmother and was staying with her daughter in Rio Rancho to help with the baby.
Just as she was preparing to return home to Shiprock, Herb tested positive for the virus. He’d been exposed at work.
Tome-Beyale immediately switched gears from looking after her daughter and granddaughter to caring for her husband from a distance.
When Herb developed trouble breathing, he was admitted to a local ICU and then flown to a hospital in Santa Fe. She raced there to see him, but all she could do was watch him get wheeled in from afar.
For three tormented weeks, Herb remained hospitalized and she wasn’t allowed to visit. She rented a hotel room nearby just to be close to him.
The weave of history
History has often changed the role of Navajo women, who’ve had a role in shaping history, as well. After the Long Walk began in 1864 — and the U.S. Army brutally removed the Diné from their homelands — women were instrumental in pushing for a return home, which was secured under an 1868 treaty.
After the return, women’s roles shifted, this time because of an influx of Christian missionaries who stressed that men — not women — needed to run the home, rule the people and control the government.
It wasn’t until 1951, when legendary public health crusader Annie Dodge Wauneka was elected to the Navajo Tribal Council, that a woman became a prominent government leader, a position Wauneka used to battle tuberculosis and other scourges. To this day, women seldom win elected office.
And while Navajo women are considered sacred, they are disproportionately victimized by violence. More than four in five Native women in the United States have experienced violence in their lifetime, studies show. On some tribal lands, women are murdered at a rate up to 10 times the national average. Navajo Nation Council delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty has spent years calling attention to the problem of missing and murdered women, pressing for solutions at home and before the U.S. Senate. Fellow Council delegate Charlaine Tso summed up the tragedy in a report to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“The Navajo Nation views women as sacred. Yet Navajo women cannot safely go for a short jog in their own communities,” she said.
Answers found
The sun had just set behind the famed Shiprock pinnacle when Gloria Hosteen, 63, took a minute for herself, sitting alone on the front porch of her double-wide trailer, facing ha’a’aah, the east — the direction that signifies birth and strength. She looked to the sky, where the Holy People are said to live, and turned to prayer.
A memory suddenly came to her. She recalled sitting next to her paternal great-grandmother in her hogan years ago. Her great-grandmother and mother had taught her all she knew about ceremonies, herding sheep, weaving, preparing traditional foods and picking herbs.
“These things will come in handy someday,” her great-grandmother told her.
That day had come, Hosteen realized. Her elder had been teaching her survival tools — tools to preserve the culture and protect her family.
For nearly 15 years, Hosteen had been the full-time caretaker for her four grandchildren, ages 10 to 15. She’d felt unsure of herself, uncertain about the future of her children, her grandchildren and the Diné. Now she knew what to do.
She began teaching her granddaughters the old ways. She taught them how to tie their moccasins, tie their sash belts and wrap their traditional hair buns. She taught them about sweat lodges and ceremonies. She also began preparing for the kinaaldá for a young granddaughter, who she expects will have her coming-of-age ceremony before a COVID-19 vaccine arrives.
She felt as if she’d become a matriarch in the truest sense, tested by the pandemic the way matriarchs in the past were tested by ravages and despair. “I have to be strong to challenge these barriers, so I take it one day at a time,” she said. “I’m sure a lot of Navajo women are saying the same thing.”
And on that day on the porch, she offered a prayer to the sky. “I looked up and said, ‘Thank you, Nalí. Thank you, Mom: I will do what you advised me to do.’ All these memories came back, and I just had tears in my eyes. I just prayed with that, and carried on.”
Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi is a contributing writer at Searchlight and a member of the Navajo Nation. Her work appears in the Navajo Times, The New York Times and many other publications. She is also a doctoral student and writing instructor at the University of New Mexico.
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San Francisco elects London Breed as city's first African-American woman mayor
Janie Har
SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Supervisor London Breed emerged victorious Wednesday to become the city’s first African-American woman mayor after narrowly defeating a rival who was seeking to become the first openly gay man in the position.
It took eight days of counting after Election Day for Breed to build a large enough lead to claim the city’s top job. With about 250,000 ballots tallied, she led former state Sen. Mark Leno by 2,177 votes with only about 6,700 left to count.
Leno called Breed to congratulate her on the victory and later she appeared briefly before reporters and cheering supporters on the steps of City Hall. She said she was humbled, honored and looking forward to serving as mayor.
In particular, she relished the message her election sends to San Francisco’s youth, especially kids like herself who grew up poor.
“No matter where you come from, no matter what you decide to do in life, you can do anything you want to do,” she said. “Never let your circumstances determine your outcome in life.”
Breed, who will take office next month, is the second woman to be elected mayor in San Francisco history. The other was U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Breed, 43, vowed to be mayor for all of San Francisco, a message she repeated throughout her bid to lead a city that is economically thriving but mired in homelessness, congestion and unaffordable homes. She has vowed to rid the sidewalks of homeless tent camps within a year of taking office.
Turnout exceeded 50 percent– unusually high for recent mayoral elections – in a contest that was placed on the June 5 ballot after the death of Mayor Ed Lee in December.
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Breed will fill the rest of Lee’s term, which ends in early 2020, and will need to run in November 2019 for a full four-year term.
San Francisco has an unusual ranked choice voting system that allows voters to pick their top three candidates for mayor. During the complicated counting process second-place and sometimes third-place choices end up being tallied.
In an effort to block Breed from winning, Leno and Supervisor Jane Kim asked their supporters to pick the other as their No.2, saying that Breed represented the status quo that had made San Francisco so inequitable. All three are Democrats.
But Breed still prevailed, riding her support among the business and political establishment who helped her lead the field in campaign donations.
The portrayals of her as a lackey of big business bugged Breed, who first won a supervisor’s seat in 2012.
“I ask people to not attribute what I’ve done –my success and how hard I’ve worked– to not reduce that or attribute that to someone else,” Breed told the AP in a pre-election interview.
The former executive director of the African American Art & Culture Complex grew up in the historically black Western Addition area, raised by her grandmother in public housing. They drank powdered milk and ate meat from a can labeled “pork,” she said.
At City Hall, she paid homage to her late grandmother and said she probably had a hand in her win.
“She took care of the community, she took care of me even on days when I didn’t deserve it, and so being here in her honor means so much,” she said.
Earlier Wednesday, Leno told reporters crammed into his tiny print shop that he had a positive conversation with Breed and that “she is going to do a very fine job. Her success is San Francisco’s success.”
Leno, 66, did not rule out a future run for office and thanked voters for exceeding low turnout expectations.
“This was a campaign about change, a campaign about the betterment of the great city of San Francisco,” he said.
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Mirror (2012), acrylic on canvas, 84 x 72 in.
The Art of Reflection: ‘Mirror’ by Dimitri Kozyrev
Maddie Poole
Dimitri Kozyrev’s “Mirror” celebrates the artist’s stylistic choices rather than simple resolutions or understanding.
“Good art is when you can feel the creator using his experiences,” artist Dimitri Kozyrev says. He was born in the Soviet Union in 1967 and moved to the U.S. in 1991, where he has spent much of his time as an academic. Today as an artist, Kozyrev considers learning and understanding history a crucial part of his work. To create “Mirror,” Kozyrev studied hundreds of archival images featuring young soldiers. In the painting, the forms of these men appear shrouded beneath vivid, modern tones, creating what Kozyrev describes as “a seemingly impossible contrast.”
The piece—along with its collection—is titled “Mirror,” after Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1975 film of the same name. Like the film, Kozyrev’s work is a push and pull between the familiar and the unknown, a means of reflecting on history while moving away from it. “The role of an artist is to look, reflect and then present the result,” Kozyrev says.
Artist Dimitri Kozyrev. Photo courtesy Modern West
Kozyrev’s disinterest in tidy resolutions is apparent in his stylistic choices. His art brings to mind, but does not imitate, chronicled stylistic periods. Instead, it presents as a medley of historical influences. “Every artist is a result of their time and visual education,” Kozyrev explains. “I was first moved by surrealism, then Russian Constructivism and Bauhaus.”
Kozyrev creates work that is not always easy to understand. However, he does not believe it must be understood to be enjoyed. Kozyrev’s complex, semi-abstract style creates space for his audience to determine, on their own, what they take from his art. What “Mirror” lacks in specificity, it makes up for in its ability to garner profoundly satisfying emotions.
“Mirror” is available at Modern West Fine Art, SLC.
Read more places and faces here.
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VAF member Susanneh Bieber receives fellowship at Crystal Bridges
30 Sep 2015 10:34 AM | Christine R Henry (Administrator)
Susanneh Bieber was awarded a fellowship at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art for the fall term to work on her second book project that explores American Regionalism across the fields of art, architecture, and urban planning.
VAF member Marta Gutman receives many honors for new book
30 Sep 2015 9:51 AM | Christine R Henry (Administrator)
Marta Gutman, VAF member and editor emeritus of Buildings and Landscapes has received many honors for her recently published book A City for Children; Women, Architecture, and the Charitable Landscapes of Oakland, 1850-1950 including the CCNY Architecture Alumni Group of the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture Faculty Achievement Award for 2015, The University of Mary Washington Center for Historic Preservation 2015 Book Prize, and Honorable Mention in the 2013-2015 biannual award for the Gene and Adele Malott Prize for Recording Community Activism from the The Langum Charitable Trust. Congratulations Marta!
VAF member Stella Nair publishes a new book
VAF member Stella Nair, this past July has published an architectural survey and analysis of the Inca royal estate at Chinchero with the University of Texas Press. According to the press release, At Home with Sapa Inca: Architecture, Space, and Legacy at Chinchero significantly increases our understanding of how the Inca conceived, constructed, and gave meaning to their built environment.
By examining the stunning stone buildings and dynamic spaces of the royal estate of Chinchero, Nair brings to light the rich complexity of Inca architecture. This investigation ranges from the paradigms of Inca scholarship and a summary of Inca cultural practices to the key events of Topa Inca’s reign and the many individual elements of Chinchero’s extraordinary built environment.
What emerges are the subtle, often sophisticated ways in which the Inca manipulated space and architecture in order to impose their authority, identity, and agenda. The remains of grand buildings, as well as a series of deft architectural gestures in the landscape, reveal the unique places that were created within the royal estate and how one space deeply informed the other. These dynamic settings created private places for an aging ruler to spend time with a preferred wife and son, while also providing impressive spaces for imperial theatrics that reiterated the power of Topa Inca, the choice of his preferred heir, and the ruler’s close relationship with sacred forces.
This careful study of architectural details also exposes several false paradigms that have profoundly misguided how we understand Inca architecture, including the belief that it ended with the arrival of Spaniards in the Andes. Instead, Nair reveals how, amidst the entanglement and violence of the European encounter, an indigenous town emerged that was rooted in Inca ways of understanding space, place, and architecture and that paid homage to a landscape that defined home for Topa Inca.
Trained as an architect and architectural historian, Professor Nair is Associate Professor in the Department of Art History and Core Faculty in the Archaeology Interdepartmental Program at UCLA. She coauthored (with Jean-Pierre Protzen) The Stones of Tiahuanaco: A Study of Architecture and Construction.
Profile of VAF Member Tom Carter in the University of Utah magazine
There is a wonderful article that provides an overview of the career of VAF member Tom Carter in the recent issue of the magazine of the University of Utah, where he is a professor emeritus. Among other projects, the article mentions the work Tom is doing for the 2017 VAF conference in Salt Lake City. Congrats Tom on a wonderful career and a very nice profile!
http://continuum.utah.edu/features/the-stories-buildings-tell
The committee also seeks nominations for the position of President-Elect to start in June 2016. In the spring of 2017, the President-Elect will rise to the position of President of the VAF for two years. Candidates for the position of President-Elect should be familiar with the organization’s disparate programs, have a vision for the future of the group, and possess significant leadership skills.
Nominations should be sent to William D. Moore at moorewd@bu.edu, preferably before October 15, 2015. Nominees must be members of the Vernacular Architecture Forum. Please include a short letter (not exceeding one page) indicating the position for which the person is being nominated and describing their qualifications as well as a short vita/resume (not exceeding two pages). Self-nominations are actively encouraged.
Fall 2015 Bibliography
compiled by Ian Stevenson and Zach Violette
“Roadside Attraction: A Photographer Is Drawn to Retro Rest Stops.” Preservation, Summer 2015.
Agazarian, Dory. “Victorian Roads to Rome: Historical Travel in the Wake of the Grand Tour.” Nineteenth-Century Contexts 37, no. 5 (October 20, 2015): 391–409. doi:10.1080/08905495.2015.1080883.
Benyamin, Jasmine. “Towards a (new) Objectivity: Hermann Muthesius, Photography and the English House.” The Journal of Architecture 20, no. 4 (July 4, 2015): 579–95. doi:10.1080/13602365.2015.1064985.
Bhattacharya, Sumangala. “‘Those Two Thin Strips of Iron”: The Uncanny Mobilities of Railways in British India.’” Nineteenth-Century Contexts 37, no. 5 (October 20, 2015): 411–30. doi:10.1080/08905495.2015.1081582.
Bower, Stephanie. Kentucky Countryside in Transition: A Streetcar Suburb and the Origins of Middle-Class ... Louisville, 1850-1910. Knoxville: Univ Of Tennessee Press, 2015.
Dearinger, Ryan. The Filth of Progress: Immigrants, Americans, and the Building of Canals and Railroads in the West. First edition. Oakland, California: University of California Press, 2016.
Drexler, Carl G., ed. Historical Archaeology of Arkansas: A Hidden Diversity. First edition. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 2016.
García-Esparza, Juan A. “Epistemological Paradigms in the Perception and Assessment of Vernacular Architecture.” International Journal of Heritage Studies 21, no. 9 (October 21, 2015): 869–88. doi:10.1080/13527258.2012.666755.
García, Guadalupe. Beyond the Walled City: Colonial Exclusion in Havana. Oakland, California: University of California Press, 2016.
Gonda, Jeffrey D. Unjust Deeds: The Restrictive Covenant Cases and the Making of the Civil Rights Movement. Justice, Power, and Politics. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2015.
Harbusch, Gregor. “Work in Text and Images: Sigfried Giedion’s Space, Time and Architecture , 1941–1967.” The Journal of Architecture 20, no. 4 (July 4, 2015): 596–620. doi:10.1080/13602365.2015.1069371.
Hart, Emma. Building Charleston: Town and Society in the Eighteenth-Century British Atlantic World. Columbia: Univ Of South Carolina Pr, 2015.
Heard, Malcolm. French Quarter Manual: An Architectural Guide to New Orleans’s Vieux Carré. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2015.
Herrington, Susan. “Fraternally Yours: The Union Architecture of Oskar Stonorov and Walter Reuther.” Social History 40, no. 3 (July 3, 2015): 360–84. doi:10.1080/03071022.2015.1043189.
Huebner, Anna. “Tourism and Cultural Encounters in ‘the Last Frontiers.’” International Journal of Heritage Studies 21, no. 9 (October 21, 2015): 862–68. doi:10.1080/13527258.2012.661752.
Jester, Thomas C. “Aluminum Finishes in Postwar Architecture.” APT Bulletin 46, no. 1 (2015): 41–49.
Kezer, Zeynep. Building Modern Turkey: State, Space, and Ideology in the Early Republic. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2015.
Kimble, Lionel. A New Deal for Bronzeville: Housing, Employment, and Civil Rights in Black Chicago, 1935-1955. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2015.
Kolnberger, T. “Between Water and Land: Urban and Rural Settlement Forms in Cambodia with Special Reference to Phnom Penh.” Urban Morphology 19, no. 2 (2015).
Laudun, John. The Amazing Crawfish Boat. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2016.
Lennox, Jeffers. “The Geography of British, French, and Aboriginal Interactions in Early Nova Scotia, 1726–44.” William and Mary Quarterly Vol. 72, no. No. 3 (July 2015): 423–61.
Maher, Neil M. “‘Work for Others but None for Us’: The Economic and Environmental Inequalities of New Deal Relief.” Social History 40, no. 3 (July 3, 2015): 312–34. doi:10.1080/03071022.2015.1043188.
Marr, Alexander Brier. “Scales of Vision: Kiowa Model Tipis and the Mooney Commission.” Winterthur Portfolio 49, no. 2/3 (June 2015): 93–125. doi:10.1086/683244.
McSweeney, Anna. “Versions and Visions of the Alhambra in the Nineteenth-Century Ottoman World.” West 86th 22, no. 1 (March 2015): 44–69. doi:10.1086/683080.
Mikula, Maja. “Vernacular Museum: Communal Bonding and Ritual Memory Transfer among Displaced Communities.” International Journal of Heritage Studies 21, no. 8 (September 14, 2015): 757–72. doi:10.1080/13527258.2015.1020961.
Pollack, Deborah C. Visual Art and the Urban Evolution of the New South. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 2015.
Rickly-Boyd, Jillian M. “‘It’s Supposed to Be 1863, but It’s Really Not’: Inside the Representation and Communication of Heritage at a Pioneer Village.” International Journal of Heritage Studies 21, no. 9 (October 21, 2015): 889–904. doi:10.1080/13527258.2013.807397.
Rovang, Sarah. “Envisioning the Future of Modern Farming: The Electrified Farm at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.” Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 74, no. 2 (June 2015): 201–22.
Seiter, Jane I., Michael J. Worthington, Barbara L. Voss, and Megan S. Kane. “Carving Chopsticks, Building Home: Wood Artifacts from the Market Street Chinatown in San Jose, California.” International Journal of Historical Archaeology 19, no. 3 (September 2015): 664–85. doi:10.1007/s10761-015-0303-8.
Sîntionean, Codruţa. “The Preservation of the Chŏnju Hanok Village From Material Authenticity to the Themed Replica.” Future Anterior 12, no. 1 (Summer 2015): 57–75.
Smith, Monica L. “The Concept of Copies: An Archaeological View of the Terracotta Ornaments from Sisupalgarh, India.” West 86th 22, no. 1 (March 2015): 23–43. doi:10.1086/683079.
Sugarman, Joe. “Period Piece: A 19th-Century House in New Orleans Comes Back from Ruin.” Preservation, Summer 2015.
Thompson, H. A., and D. Murch. “Rethinking Urban America through the Lens of the Carceral State.” Journal of Urban History 41, no. 5 (September 1, 2015): 751–55. doi:10.1177/0096144215589939.
Tomory, Leslie. “London’s Water Supply before 1800 and the Roots of the Networked City.” Technology and Culture 56, no. 3 (2015): 704–37. doi:10.1353/tech.2015.0082.
Vossoughian, Nader. “From A4 Paper to the Octametric Brick: Ernst Neufert and the Geo-Politics of Standardisation in Nazi Germany.” The Journal of Architecture 20, no. 4 (July 4, 2015): 675–98. doi:10.1080/13602365.2015.1072232.
Walker, Julia. “Islands-in-the-City: Berlin’s Urban Fragments.” The Journal of Architecture 20, no. 4 (July 4, 2015): 699–717. doi:10.1080/13602365.2015.1075226.
Wilson, Katherine Anne. “The Household Inventory as Urban ‘theatre’ in Late Medieval Burgundy.” Social History 40, no. 3 (July 3, 2015): 335–59. doi:10.1080/03071022.2015.1043179.
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Trebuchet Magazine| 04/02/2012| News
Striking New Galaxy Image
We usually try to space out (groan) the astronomy items on Trebuchet a bit.
After yesterday's news that a super-Earth had been discovered, and the item we ran on the story, we'd normally move back to art and music news for a while. But then we got this incredible image from NASA, and it just begs to be seen. Bear in mind that this new image comes from the orbiting Hubble telescope, and that even if it looks a lot like the splashy artist's impressions of galaxies we grew up with in Carl Sagan books and suchlike, in this case, it's not a painting. It's a photograph. Stunning.
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has taken a picture of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1073, which is found in the constellation of Cetus (The Sea Monster). Our own galaxy, the Milky Way, is a similar barred spiral, and the study of galaxies such as NGC 1073 helps astronomers learn more about our celestial home.
Most spiral galaxies in the Universe have a bar structure in their centre, and Hubble’s image of NGC 1073 offers a particularly clear view of one of these. Galaxies’ star-filled bars are thought to emerge as gravitational density waves funnel gas toward the galactic centre, supplying the material to create new stars. The transport of gas can also feed the supermassive black holes that lurk in the centres of almost every galaxy.
Some astronomers have suggested that the formation of a central bar-like structure might signal a spiral galaxy's passage from intense star-formation into adulthood, as the bars turn up more often in galaxies full of older, red stars than younger, blue stars. This storyline would also account for the observation that in the early Universe, only around a fifth of spiral galaxies contained bars, while more than two thirds do in the more modern cosmos.
More intriguing still, three of the bright points of light in this image are neither foreground stars from the Milky Way, nor even distant stars in NGC 1073. In fact they are not stars at all. They are quasars, incredibly bright sources of light caused by matter heating up and falling into supermassive black holes in galaxies literally billions of light-years from us. The chance alignment through NGC 1073, and their incredible brightness, might make them look like they are part of the galaxy, but they are in fact some of the most distant objects observable in the Universe.
Source: NASA/ESA
Hockney at the Royal Academy
Loitered Lens: Bethia Beadman [Pics]
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Chambers County Commissioner Debbie Wood (center) talked about her current race for the Alabama House of Representatives at a meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Valley. At left is program chair (and sister-in-law) Julie Wood and at right, Ryan Earnest, club president. (Photo by Wayne Clark)
Wood discusses State House run with Kiwanians
Published 10:04 am Thursday, February 1, 2018
VALLEY — Chambers County District 6 Commissioner Debbie Wood is making the local civic club circuit, talking about her candidacy for the District 38 seat in the Alabama House of Representatives. On Tuesday, she spoke to the Rotary Club in LaFayette and, on Wednesday, she was the guest speaker at the noon hour meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Valley.
Wood was first elected to the county commission in 2002 and has been reelected three times. She chose not to run for another term this year, opting instead to run for the District 38 seat being vacated by Isaac Whorton, who’s now a candidate for circuit judge.
Wood said that she wanted to go to the State House, ever mindful that she represented good, hard-working people who loved where they lived and wanted no part of scandal, an issue that’s plagued state politics in recent years.
She said that she will be basing her campaign on three primary issues: jobs, roads and bridges and the need for skilled labor.
“Jobs create hope,” she said. “In November 2008, our unemployment rate was 6.5 percent. In February 2009 it was more than 18 percent. At the time it looked like we were losing hope. Textile production was our identity for so long.”
The good news at that time was that Kia was on the way to West Point. That meant opportunities for new jobs for local people and supplier plants for the county.
“We had land for an industrial park, but we needed to get water and sewer service to it and to build a road across it,” she said.
The county took on that responsibility and today there’s 2,200 jobs that were not here before.
Wood said that there is a clear need for better roads and bridges and that it might mean a fuel tax increase to get this done. This hasn’t been done since 1992.
“In 1992, Bobby and I had been married for two years and were living on an income of $26,000 per year,” she said. “There’s no way we could do that now. We haven’t had a fuel tax increase since then. The materials needed to build roads and bridges have increased 93 percent since 1992. It’s vital to have good roads and bridges. People won’t come to your county if you don’t have them.”
Wood said that not everyone needs a four-year degree, that there is a demand for people who have the kinds of skills taught in technical schools.
“We need to take advantage of what these schools offer and train people,” she said. “We need a skilled work force in all areas.”
Wood said she was very much against unfunded mandates. “This is when the state legislature tells local governments they have to do something without giving them the money to do it,” she said.
“This is unfair to cities and counties. If they pass something, it needs to be based on an Oct. 1 deadline. That’s when we pass our budgets.”
Wood said that she’d never made everyone happy in fifteen-and-a-half years in elective office, “I’ve never based decisions on whether or not something would get me elected,” she said. “Anyone who’s like that needs to go home.”
Wood had some time to be home when she was dealing with breast cancer in 2015.
“A fire raged in me to keep working,” she said.
The District 38 seat, she said, is the one chance for Chambers County residents to have a voice in Montgomery. None of the candidates running for the state senate are from Chambers County, and there’s no one from the county running for the District 37 seat. For Wood to win, she’s going to have to have a big turnout and strong support from Chambers County voters. She has ties to the Beulah community, and that could help her in that part of Lee County.
Wood said that she’s not necessarily in favor of term limits.
“It helps you to have someone representing you that has seniority,” she said. “Gerald Dial has been in the legislature for 40 years. If you need help with a road, he knows how to do that through the Department of Transportation. If you need help from the federal government, there’s no more capable person you can go to than Richard Shelby.”
Wood said that she’s seen some committee meetings in the State House and has seen the need for improvement in the way state government operates.
“Of all the problems we have in this state we shouldn’t waste time in committee meetings talking about things like what kind of air conditioners to buy,” she said. “That’s what they were arguing over in one of the committee meeting I saw.”
“I don’t have an ‘s’ on the end of my name,” Wood said. “I’m a single tree, not the forest.’
Her campaign cards are in brown and white. The brown is to remind people of wood. Her pledge to the voters is: “I will make Wise decisions, I will stay Open minded, bur remain respectful, and I will be dedicated and represent you with integrity.”
Davidson a spark for Springwood basketball
LANETT — Eleven seconds. That’s how much time remained in regulation when Gus Davidson gathered possession of the basketball and... read more
McQueen looks for assistance with training
Locals helping locals with business startup webinar applauded
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During a recent training, South King Fire and Rescue members at Station 62 wear personal protective gear, which includes face masks, eye protection, gloves and gowns. Courtesy photo
Governor orders statewide use of face coverings in public
Jay Inslee says that until there is a vaccine, it’s the best weapon to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Tuesday, June 23, 2020 4:50pm
NewsNorthwestCoronavirus
OLYMPIA — Moving to further blunt the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday (June 23) said people in Washington must wear a mask or cloth face covering in any indoor or outdoor public setting.
The order will take effect Friday, June 26, and will apply to most situations when people are unable to keep 6 feet away from others in public places — be it standing at a bus stop, waiting in line at a grocery store or hoofing it on a crowded sidewalk.
If widely followed, the mandate could be the best weapon available in the state’s battle to contain the virus responsible for a pandemic that’s claimed nearly 1,300 lives in the state since February, Inslee said.
The mask mandate could be in place until a vaccine or cure is developed, Inslee said at a televised news conference. Recent scientific models show widespread mask wearing can reduce the incidence of COVID-19 cases by as much as 80%, he said. There is also mounting evidence in other countries of a correlation between widespread mask usage and diminished spread of the virus, he said.
You won’t have to don a face covering while eating in restaurants or when alone with household members if you are able to maintain a 6-foot social distance.
There will be exemptions for the deaf or hard of hearing when they are actively communicating with someone else. The order does not require children under age 5 to wear them. However, it is still strongly recommended for those ages 3 to 5.
Workers in Washington have been required to wear a mask or face covering since June 8, except when working by themselves in an office, or at a job site, or if they have no in-person interactions. Employers must provide cloth facial coverings, although employees can wear their own if it meets the minimum requirements.
Inslee also ordered additional restrictions in Yakima County, where cases are surging far faster than the rest of the state. He said June 20 that the infection rate there is 28 times that of King County. Yakima County is one of only three counties in Washington that has remained in Phase 1 lockdown.
Inslee’s proclamation, which he first announced June 20, requires all customers to wear a mask when entering a business, even if they are in an area that is outdoors. Also, companies must not allow any customers to enter without a face covering.
The orders also will take effect June 26.
As of Tuesday, King County has reported 9,369 positive COVID-19 tests and 584 related deaths.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Task force will tackle issues of racial justice, police reform
Performers bring a message: get tested, Vashon
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for the adventurous
400 years of handcrafted tradition redesigned for the modern adventurer. Find out about the story behind the name behind each shoe.
Have you ever been on a Safari? Not the Safari in the back of a big jeep watching the big five stroll past. We mean the safari that consists of you, a guide, no cell service, and a day’s walk with another human. It is humbling, exhilarating, and is no place for a shoe failure. The Veldskoen is a national pride and is trusted by most guides and game farmers.
Shop Safari
The Farmer is the traditional color combination used by the Southern African farmers since the 17th century. The farmer is a nod to our heritage and our traditions of the Veldskoen boot as a hardworking, tough as nails shoe that can and will get the job done.
shop farmer
J-BAY
J-bay or Jefferies Bay is one of the best-known surf spots on the planet. This world class wave sits on the east coast of South Africa about a day’s drive north of Cape Town. It has a perfect point break with crystal blue water, hence where we got the name for the blue Veldskoen. J-bay is considered by many to be one of the few meccas of surfing.
SHOP J-BAY
Pinotage is a red wine grape that is South Africa's signature variety. It was bred in 1925 as a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut (Cinsaut was known as "Hermitage" in South Africa at that time, hence the portmanteau name). It typically produces deep red varietal wines with smoky, bramble and earthy flavors, sometimes with notes of bananas and tropical fruit. Sounds like the perfect wine to pair with your new Veldskoen.
SHOP PINOTAGE
The Bloem is named after Bloemfontein, the capital city of the Orange Free State province in South Africa. Bloemfontein directly translated from Afrikaans means flower fountain. Bloemfontein is popularly and poetically known as "the city of roses", for its abundance of these flowers and the annual rose festival held there. The city's Sesotho name is Mangaung, meaning "place of cheetahs".
SHOP BLOEM
VILIKAZI
Vilakazi Street is probably the most famous street of the huge Soweto township in Johannesburg. Both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu lived here – how many places can claim that two Nobel Prize winners lived on the same street. In fact, Tutu, as he is more fondly known, still lives here with his wife Leah, and when he's in town he is said to stroll the streets.
SHOP VILIKAZI
lowveld
The Lowveld is the name given to two magical areas that lie at an elevation of between 500 and 2,000 feet above sea level. Green lush grass for as far as the eye can see teaming with wildlife. The Lowveld is a signature view of the South African Plains.
shop lowveld
UHAMBO
The Uhambo means 'journey' in the Xhosa Language. The Xhosa language is South Africa's second-most-populous home language, after the Zulu language, to which Xhosa is closely related. The Xhosa people are divided into several tribes with related yet distinct heritages. The Xhosa people are fiercely traditional and continue to practice their customs inherited from their forefathers to this day.
SHOP UHAMBO
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The dolmens in Valby Hegn
Valby Hegn is located close to the town of Helsinge. Here, you can work up a pulse while learning about the past
The health trail
The forest offers well-maintained trails which are suitable for travelling on foot and horseback as well as by bicycle. A special health trail is available with various nature exercise equipment. Close to the carpark on Bukarvej, you will find information on how to use the trail and assess your exercise capacity and BMI. The 2.6 km trail is paved to be suitable for wheelchair users and the mobility impaired. Disabled-friendly picnic tables and benches are located along the route. Around 300 metres into the forest there is a clearing with grass and a covered BBQ space.
Valby Hegn offers North Sealand’s best preserved collection of Stone Age barrows. The six long-barrows are approx. 5,000 years old and were used to bury the dead. When the barrows were built, they were surrounded by open countryside rather than woodland so they could be seen from afar. At each barrow, there is an audio guide with information about the Stone Age/ Neolithic.
The barrows are from the Neolithic period approx. 3,500 BCE. Today, there are 4,700 barrows in Denmark, excluding those that have been lost over time.
Until the middle of the nineteenth century, it was believed that the long-barrows were places of worship and that the top stones had been used as sacrificial stones or altars. It was also believed that the barrows were imitations of e.g. the pyramids. Today, we know that the first barrows in Western Europe were built approx. 1,000 years before the first pyramids.
The dead were given grave offerings in the form of earthen vessels, stone axes, amber beads and arrowheads. No objects were found in the barrows at Valby Hegn.
You can park by the forest edge along Bukarvej and Løgelandsvej. The local cycle route No. 702 runs through Valby Hegn. Movia bus route 360R and 361 stop at Bukarvej and from the bus stop there are only a few hundred metres to the forest.
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What are Perennial Plants?
Perennial Shade Plants
Perennial Garden Plants
Hardy Perennial Plants
Yellow Perennial Plants
Tall Perennial Plants
Buy Perennial Plants
Perennial plants are plants which will continue growing year after year, rather than dying off after a season or a year like annuals do. There are a number of different kinds of perennial plants, with gardeners using perennials as permanent fixtures in their gardens. Gardening stores and nurseries typically stock a range of perennial options, most of which are suitable for the climate the store is located in, and it is also possible to order specific perennials.
Perennials, like the tulips that blossom near the U.S. Capitol Building, regrow every year.
Most gardeners define perennial plants as plants which live for more than two years. Some perennials will live indefinitely as long as they are well cared-for, while others will start to look scraggly and die off within a few years. Because perennial plants return, they usually require more intensive care than annuals, which can be planted and essentially ignored beyond basic watering. Perennials usually require shaping, soil conditioning, and other extra care to thrive.
The lenten rose, which flowers in early spring, is a type of perennial flowering plant.
Some perennials are low-lying herbaceous plants which can be used as groundcovers, hedges, and so forth. Others develop into small shrubs, and some can grow quite large. Many perennials are very woody, with well-established networks of roots, and they put up fresh shoots every year from their rootstock. Propagation of perennials can be accomplished with seeds, cuttings, or splittings of root balls, with many nurseries preferring to divide their perennials once they are established to ensure that their plants are clones.
Perennials may be evergreen or deciduous, with some producing showy flowers and fruit while others are grown specifically for foliage. A range of foliage hues are available, from silvery-green leaves to dark green evergreens, and flowers can be big or small, bright and bold or subdued, and everything in between. Some plants are annuals in certain climates, and perennials in others, with gardeners deciding whether to grow the plants as annuals or to invest some energy in ensuring that they come back in the following year.
There are a number of benefits to growing perennials. Perennial plants help to retain the soil in the garden, by locking it into place with their roots so that it cannot blow away or be dislodged in flooding. The use of perennial plants in landscaping and gardening also ensures that the garden always has some color and greenery going on, even after showy annual flowers have faded, and once perennials are established, they can reduce garden maintenance by putting out leaves and flowering reliably.
Lomandra longifolia is an example of a perennial.
What Are the Different Types of Perennial Crops?
What Is Cyclamen Hederifolium?
What Are the Different Types of Herbaceous Plant?
What Are the Different Types of Protea Flowers?
What is a Ginger Flower?
What is Manzanita?
What is Phormium?
JessiC
Are bulbs considered to be a kind of hardy perennial plant? I’m an avid gardener, I suppose you could say, but I’m just an expert in making the plants grow!
I don’t necessarily have in depth knowledge about the biology of plants, but I understand quite well what thrives in my area and how to make it last for seasons at the time.
However, I’ve never really understood particularly which category bulbs fell into. They come back year after year, but they still aren’t quite the same as most perennial plants and shrubs.
On that same token, they often have beautiful flowers like an annual. Yet, they obviously aren't annuals either!
tlcJPC
Most of the perennial plants and flowers that I have are not really showy plants, but they make a great way to add some extra oomph to your garden!
For instance, I have lantana which started out as one little, itty bitty plant. Now it is a really good backdrop for the annuals that I plant in front of it each year!
I prefer to use my perennials in that particular way – not normally a focal point but more of a beautiful backdrop for my garden theater!
After all, just like with any theatrical performance, the scenery helps to make the play. It’s the same way with any well-loved and well-tended garden!
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Booker ends presidential bid after polling, money struggles
by: ALEXANDRA JAFFE, Associated Press
FILE – In this Jan. 9, 2020 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., speaks with attendees after a campaign event in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Booker has dropped out of the presidential race after failing to qualify for the December primary debate. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democrat Cory Booker dropped out of the presidential race Monday, ending a campaign whose message of unity and love failed to resonate in a political era marked by chaos and anxiety.
His departure now leaves a field that was once the most diverse in history with just one remaining African American candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who is struggling to register in the polls amid a late entry into the race.
Since launching his campaign last February, Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey, struggled to raise the type of money required to support a White House bid. He was at the back of the pack in most surveys and failed to meet the polling requirements needed to participate in Tuesday’s debate. Booker also missed last month’s debate and exits the race polling in low single digits in the early primary states and nationwide.
In an email to supporters, Booker said that he “got into this race to win” and that his failure to make the debates prevented him from raising raise the money required for victory.
“Our campaign has reached the point where we need more money to scale up and continue building a campaign that can win — money we don’t have, and money that is harder to raise because I won’t be on the next debate stage and because the urgent business of impeachment will rightly be keeping me in Washington,” he said.
For African Americans, Booker’s exit is more meaningful than just being one less option to consider.
“It means that we don’t count,” said Helen Moore, a member of the Detroit-based Keep the Vote-No Takeover grassroots organization. “Now, we can’t look forward to any black candidate being considered from now until it’s time to vote. They are completely out of the picture.”
Patrick, campaigning in New Hampshire on Monday, congratulated Booker on his “terrific campaign” and said he believed the senator had a “continued bright future” in politics.
“At the same time,” Patrick said, “I’ll say, look, America needs to know that America is not going to see itself on that debate stage, and sadly, I think the debates have become a marker of the progress of campaigns.” He said he hopes the Democratic Party leadership reconsiders the rules for qualifying for the debates.
Booker had warned that the looming impeachment trial of President Donald Trump would deal a “big, big blow” to his campaign by pulling him away from Iowa in the final weeks before the Feb. 3 Iowa caucuses. He hinted at the challenges facing his campaign last week in an interview on The Associated Press’ “Ground Game” podcast.
“If we can’t raise more money in this final stretch, we won’t be able to do the things that other campaigns with more money can do to show presence,” he said.
In his email to supporters, Booker pledged to do “everything in my power to elect the eventual Democratic nominee for president,” though his campaign says he has no immediate plans to endorse a candidate in the primary.
It’s a humbling finish for someone who was once lauded by Oprah Winfrey as the “rock star mayor” who helped lead the renewal of Newark, New Jersey. During his seven years in City Hall, Booker was known for his headline-grabbing feats of local do-goodery, including running into a burning building to save a woman, and his early fluency with social media, which brought him 1.4 million followers on Twitter when the platform was little used in politics. His rhetorical skills and Ivy League background often brought comparisons to President Barack Obama, and he’d been discussed as a potential presidential contender since his arrival in the Senate in 2013.
Now, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has mastered the art of the selfie on social media. Another former mayor, Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, is seen as the freshest face in the field. Former Vice President Joe Biden has built a strong base of support with black voters.And Booker’s message of hope and love seemed to fall flat during an era characterized perhaps most strongly by Democratic fury over the actions of the Trump administration.
An early focus on building out a strong and seasoned campaign operation in Iowa and South Carolina may have hampered his campaign in the long run, as the resources he spent early on staff there left him working with a tight budget in the later stages of the primary, when many of his opponents were going on air with television ads. That meant that even later in the campaign, after he had collected some of the top endorsements in Iowa and visited South Carolina almost more than any other candidate, a significant portion of the electorate in both states either said they were unfamiliar with his campaign or viewed him unfavorably.
On the stump, Booker emphasized his Midwestern connections — often referencing the nearly 80 family members he has still living in Iowa when he campaigned there — and delivered an exhortation to voters to use “radical love” to overcome what he considered Trump’s hate. But he rarely drew a contrast with his opponents on the trail, even when asked directly, and even some of Booker’s supporters worried his message on Trump wasn’t sharp enough to go up against a Republican president known for dragging his opponents into the mud.
Booker struggled to land on a message that would resonate with voters. He’s long been seen as a progressive Democrat in the Senate, pushing for criminal justice reform and marijuana legalization. And on the campaign trail, he proposed establishing a $1,000 savings account for every child born in the U.S. to help close the racial wealth gap.
He was among the first candidates to release a gun control plan, and at the time it was the most ambitious in the field, as it included a gun licensing program that would have been seen as political suicide just a decade before. He also released an early criminal justice reform plan that focused heavily on addressing sentencing disparities for drug crimes.
But he also sought to frame himself as an uplifting, unifying figure who emphasized his bipartisan work record. That didn’t land in a Democratic primary that has often rewarded candidates who promised voters they were tough-minded fighters who could take on Trump.
Booker’s seat is up for a vote this year, and he will run for reelection to the Senate. A handful of candidates has launched campaigns for the seat, but Booker is expected to have an easy path to reelection.
Booker’s exit from the presidential race further narrows the once two dozen-strong field, which now stands at 12 candidates.
Associated Press writers Corey Williams in Detroit and Hunter Woodall in Stratham, N.H., contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — The new administration of U.S. President Joe Biden will pause some deportations for 100 days in order to ensure "fair and effective immigration enforcement" and focus on U.S.-Mexico border security and the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Department of Homeland Security memo issued late Wednesday.
Biden promised the deportation moratorium on the campaign trail.
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Grant Making Showcase 2015
On Wednesday 9th September we held our second Grant Making Showcase at the Royal Surgeons Hall in Edinburgh.
The evening started off with our host, comedian and WFS board member Susan Morrison, going through the itinerary of the evening for the audience and Women’s Fund for Scotland chair Fiona MacLeod explaining why she got involved with the Women’s Fund.
It was then time for our four groups to take the stage and pitch to the audience why they deserved the top grant. Just like our re-launch event, the audience ranked the presentations by a voting device which decided how spend the evenings grant making pot of £10,000.
Our top award was £5,000, followed by two grants of £2,000 and then one grant of £1,000. Everybody left a winner;
SAJE Scotland was awarded £5,000
Time for Change Project from Up-2-Us was awarded £2,000
Home- Start Wigtownshire was awarded £2,000
Dr Bell’s Family Centre was awarded £1,000
See below to find out what the money will be used for.
Glasgow Girls Football Club
Glasgow Girls FC, the group who took away £10,000 from the re-launch event, also came along to share their progress since 2013. It was fantastic to hear how much they have grown and their exciting news of a future trip to Gambia! It was also lovely to hear team captain Lauren Coleman express that by attending the Women’s Fund for Scotland re-launch event, it opened a lot of doors for the club and the girls. Without the funding and networking opportunities gained from that evening a lot of the amazing things which have happened may not have been.
See below to read more about Glasgow Girls FC progress.
“Our second live grant making showcase was a huge success, the evening really showed the passion, dedication and professionalism of women’s community groups across Scotland. The money received from the Women’s Fund for Scotland tonight will be a catalyst to change many women’s lives in the coming months.” Fiona MacLeod, Chair of Women’s Fund for Scotland
Saje Scotland is a registered charity and social enterprise programme which works to reduce and prevent domestic abuse in Scotland by offering their two programmes. The Freedom Programme is a course which helps women make sense of the abuse they are experiencing/have experienced and helps them heal and move forward. The women can then advance in to the Toolkit for Life programme which recognises a woman’s coping methods she may have developed through her traumatic experiences which may no longer be helpful, and think of other strategies to help her move on. Both courses are designed to empower women to make positive choices about their own lives and for lives of their children. SAJE Scotland took away the top award of the evening. The grant of £5000 will allow Saje Scotland to continue and improve their services and extend across Scotland. The organisation would like to introduce regular peer support meetings post programmes which will reinforce participants learning, self-belief and strengthen their abilities to continue and develop. The grant will also contribute towards volunteer expenses and childcare costs.
Janet Henderson from Saje Scotland said; “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded the £5,000. Getting the biggest grant was unexpected and we are really excited about what we can achieve with this funding. Overall the Women’s Fund for Scotland live grant making showcase was a brilliant networking opportunity and we have met people who want to get involved in our project.”
Time for Change from Up-2-Us
Up-2-Us provides accommodation, care and housing
support services to vulnerable and high risk children and young people in the care and justice system throughout West Central Scotland.
Time for Change focusses on girls up to 21 years old who can be self-referred or be referred from West of Scotland Social Work or Secure Accommodation. The majority of the girls who use Time for Change have been in care and over 40% have mental health issues. Project workers provide one-to-one outreach support in the Community and are also based in HMP Cornton Vale one day a week to provide advice, liaison with other services and transitional support.
The £2,000 funding will cover costs to launch a pilot programme for Time for Change called Project Quilt. Project Quilt will allow the girls to tell their story through creative means. The girls can print memories onto material to make bags, clothing, pillow cases and more. The end result will be a large patchwork quilt made by the pieces from stories sewn together. This will be a symbol of the progress the girls have made in their lives.
Throughout the project the participants will learn new skills, gain confidence and build friendships.
Gail Wilson from Time for Change said; “We are ecstatic to have received £2,000 from the Women’s Fund for Scotland and are excited to start plans for Project Quilt. The things we can now achieve with this funding is so exciting.”
Dr Bell’s Family Centre provides a safe, welcoming environment for families with young children. The centre provides a range of services including a community café, a drop in crèche, employment advice and access learning opportunities, parent support, counselling, health and well-being appointments, free access to computers with internet access and cookery classes.
The Centre is open to all but target their provision towards disadvantaged families. An overwhelming majority of users are women and 35% come from ethnic community. Free crèche places are provided for those most in need, which allows the parents to make use of the centres services.
The £1,000 funding will be used to provide more free places in the crèche allowing more women to attend the centre’s activities and have much needed time to focus on themselves. The crèche also benefits the children who attend. The crèche staff use play to support each child’s specific needs. Over 60% of the children do not speak English as a first language and attending the crèche paves the way to successful transition into nursery or primary school.
Gill Webb from Dr Bell’s Family Centre said; “We are absolutely delighted with £1,000.
It will benefit parents who cannot afford child care. The Women’s Fund for Scotland was also a great opportunity for us to meet contacts.”
Glasgow Girls Football Club received the biggest grant from our re-launch evening.
Coach Jim Strathdee said; “Being given £10,000 was totally unexpected, it was amazing.”
The bulk of the £10,000 was used to provide mains electricity throughout the club facilities and build an extension for a new kitchen, making a massive difference for players and visitors. The team bus was in need of vital repairs and a MOT which was also covered by the grant, and the bus is now wearing the Women’s Fund logo. The remainder of the money was used to provide free keep fit classes for local women. The classes ran for 20 weeks and proved very popular, being attended by 40 women aged between 18-50 years old.
Jim Strathdee continued; “Attending the grant making showcase was a great opportunity for us to be recognised and showcase what we do in front of a group of influential people.”
F ast forward two years and the club which had around 30 female members now has over 300, plus new boys teams.
They also shared exiting news that they have been invited to Gambia to encourage female participation in football and at the end of their trip will play the National African Ladies team in their stadium!!
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Where am I? > Home > Travel Insurance Quotes > Brits cautious when it comes to travel
Brits cautious when it comes to travel
The number of Brits travelling abroad may have dipped this year, because of the increasing financial pressure facing many holidaymakers.
That is one of the conclusions to be drawn from new figures released by education, leisure and activity travel group Holidaybreak, which announced a pre-tax profit drop of £40 million in the 12 months to September.
Carl Michel, chief executive of the group, said that overall trading performance for the year was disappointing, and had failed to live up to initial expectations as more people stayed at home.
But just because people may be cutting their holiday budgets, travel insurance is no less important for those who do decide to go abroad.
Earlier this month, spend figures from the Office of National Statistics revealed that people started spending less on package holidays before the full effect of the credit crunch was known.
However, the Association of British Travel Agents claimed recently that Brits will continue to travel abroad but be more cautious in their choice of destination; foregoing exotic long-haul flights for cheaper breaks closer to home.
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By Rick Wayman|2016-09-30T15:22:12-07:00October 1, 2016|
Issue #231 – October 2016
Your donation directly supports costs associated with the Marshall Islands’ Nuclear Zero Lawsuits. For every gift of $60 or more, we will send you the book We Need a Department of Peace: Everybody’s Business, Nobody’s Job.
The Simple Act of Pushing a Button by David Krieger
Banning Nuclear Weapons Is Crucial for Global Health by Ira Helfand, Tilman Ruff, Michael Marmot, Frances Hughes and Michael Moore
Statement from the Holy See on Nuclear Abolition Day by Archbishop Bernadito Auza
Non-Nuclear States Push for Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons
UN Security Council Adopts U.S.-Drafted Resolution Against Nuclear Testing
Sen. Markey and Rep. Lieu Introduce Bills on No First Use
North Korea Conducts Fifth Nuclear Test
New Poll Shows 58 Percent of South Koreans Favor Nuclear Armament
Women Encourage a Peace Treaty to End Korean War
U.S. Airmen Propose Names for New Nuclear-Armed Bomber
UK Nuclear Weapon Convoys Regularly Involved in Mishaps
U.S. Defense Secretary Goes On Whirlwind Nuclear Modernization Tour
International Court of Justice to Deliver Judgments on October 5
October’s Featured Blog
Fourth Graders and Peace Literacy
Poetry Contest Winners Announced
The Simple Act of Pushing a Button
“Since the appearance of visible life on Earth, 380 million years had to elapse in order for a butterfly to learn how to fly, 180 million years to create a rose with no other commitment than to be beautiful, and four geological eras in order for us human beings to be able to sing better than birds, and to be able to die from love. It is not honorable for the human talent, in the golden age of science, to have conceived the way for such an ancient and colossal process to return to the nothingness from which it came through the simple act of pushing a button.”
I recently came across this quotation by the great Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude and recipient of the 1982 Nobel Prize for Literature. The quotation is from a 1986 speech by Garcia Marquez entitled “The Cataclysm of Damocles.” In the short quotation, he captures what needs to be said about nuclear weapons succinctly, poetically and beautifully. With a few deft literary brushstrokes, he shows that the journey of life from nothingness to now could be ended with no more than “the simple act of pushing a button.”
Banning Nuclear Weapons Is Crucial for Global Health
by Ira Helfand, Tilman Ruff, Michael Marmot, Frances Hughes and Michael Moore
Before this year ends, the United Nations general assembly can take a decisive step toward ending one of the most urgent threats to public health and human survival in the world today. UN member states can and must mandate negotiations on a new treaty that prohibits nuclear weapons.
Banning and eliminating nuclear weapons is a high global health priority. The general assembly has the opportunity to move us towards this critical goal. It must not fail to act.
Statement from the Holy See on Nuclear Abolition Day
by Archbishop Bernadito Auza
My delegation believes that nuclear arms offer a false sense of security, and that the uneasy peace promised by nuclear deterrence is a tragic illusion. Nuclear weapons cannot create for us a stable and secure world. Peace and international stability cannot be founded on mutually assured destruction or on the threat of total annihilation. The Holy See believes that peace cannot be solely the maintaining of a balance of power. On the contrary, as Pope Francis affirmed, “Peace must be built on justice, socio-economic development, freedom, respect for human rights, the participation of all in public affairs and the building of trust between peoples.”
Lasting peace thus requires that all must strive for progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament. For our own good and that of future generations, we have no reasonable or moral option other than the abolition of nuclear weapons.
On September 28, six countries introduced a resolution to the United Nations General Assembly urging the commencement of negotiations in 2017 for a treaty banning nuclear weapons. The six countries – Austria, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa – are urging countries “to negotiate a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons.”
The draft resolution “calls upon States participating in the conference to make their best endeavours to conclude as soon as possible a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.”
Many nuclear-armed nations have expressed outright animosity toward this nuclear disarmament effort. Anita Friedt, a high-ranking official in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, said that the United States believes “pursuit of such a ban is unrealistic and simply impractical” and “could actually end up harming” broader, tangible efforts toward disarmament.
A vote is expected around the end of October.
Jamey Keaten, “Non-Nuclear States Advance Push for UN Treaty to Ban Nukes,” Associated Press, September 28, 2016.
On September 23, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution introduced by the United States calling on all countries to end nuclear weapons testing. The resolution coincides with the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which the U.S. and a few other nuclear-capable countries have not ratified.
Republicans in the U.S. Senate expressed outrage over the move, saying that it aimed to sidestep the authority of the Senate to ratify international treaties. Many Republicans threatened to withhold the $32 million per year that the U.S. contributes to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization if the vote went ahead.
Kambiz Foroohar, “UN Adopts U.S.-Drafted Plea for Stalled Nuclear Test Treaty,” Bloomberg, September 23, 2016.
Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA) have introduced bills into the Senate and House of Representatives that would eliminate the ability of the President to conduct a nuclear first strike without an explicit declaration of war from Congress.
Rep. Lieu said, “Our Founding Fathers would be rolling over in their graves if they knew the President could launch a massive, potentially civilization-ending military strike without authorization from Congress. Our Constitution created a government based on checks and balances and gave the power to declare war solely to the people’s representatives. A nuclear first strike, which can kill hundreds of millions of people and invite a retaliatory strike that can destroy America, is war. The current nuclear launch approval process, which gives the decision to potentially end civilization as we know it to a single individual, is flatly unconstitutional. I am proud to introduce the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2016 with Sen. Markey to realign our nation’s nuclear weapons launch policy with the Constitution.”
“Congressman Lieu & Senator Markey Introduce the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act,” Office of Rep. Ted Lieu, September 27, 2016.
On September 9, North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear weapon test, thought to be its most powerful yet. The blast registered a 5.0 on the Richter scale, leading experts to believe that the explosive yield was around 10 kilotons. For comparison, the atomic bomb that the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, had an explosive yield of approximately 15 kilotons.
Click here to read a statement from the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation about North Korea’s most recent test.
Choe Sang-Hun and Jane Perlez, “North Korea Tests a Mightier Nuclear Bomb, Raising Tension,” The New York Times, September 8, 2016.
A poll conducted by Gallup Korea of 1,010 South Koreans in September found that 58 percent support the idea of the country developing its own nuclear weapons in response to North Korea’s nuclear program. While only 39 percent of people in their 20s supported the idea, three quarters of those aged 60 and above were in support.
“Nearly 60 pct of S. Koreans Support Nuclear Armament: Poll,” Yonhap News Agency, September 23, 2016.
A group of 100 prominent women from 38 countries has sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging him to fulfill his promise to seek a permanent end to the Korean War. The letter urges Ban to “initiate a peace process, together with the UN Security Council president, to replace the 1953 armistice agreement with a binding peace treaty to end the Korean War.”
The letter was organized by Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, along with Women Cross DMZ.
“Leading Female Activists Petition UN Chief to Pursue Korea Peace Treaty,” The Japan Times, September 28, 2016.
The U.S. Air Force recently held a contest among airmen to find a name for its proposed new B21 nuclear-armed bomber aircraft. With cost estimates already reaching $100 billion, many of the anonymously-submitted entries addressed the outrageous cost. Entries included: Money Pit; Waste of Money; Bombastic Boondoggle; Fundsucker; Hole In the Sky to Throw Money Into; and You Won’t Believe How Much This Cost You in Taxes.
Jacqueline Klimas, “From Trumpnator to Princess Sparklepony: Here Are the 4,600 Names Submitted for the Air Force Bomber Contest,” Washington Examiner, September 22, 2016.
Military convoys that transport British nuclear weapons through UK cities and towns have been involved in 180 mishaps in 16 years, according to a new report by Rob Edwards.
Matt Hawkins, spokesman for ICAN-UK, said the report “painted a grim picture of the great risks posed by nuclear convoys,” and that nuclear weapons “only add danger to our lives, exposing us all to the risk of radiation leaks or an attack by terrorists on one of these convoys.”
Rob Evans, “UK Nuclear Weapons Convoys ‘Have Had 180 Mishaps in 16 Years,'” The Guardian, September 21, 2016.
In September, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter visited numerous sites integral to the U.S. nuclear arsenal. On a visit to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, Secretary Carter said, “If we don’t replace these systems, quite simply they will age even more, and become unsafe, unreliable, and ineffective.” He continued, “So it’s not a choice between replacing these platforms or keeping them … it’s really a choice between replacing them or losing them.”
Carter also visited Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, where he spoke to members of the military as well as civilians involved in the design and production of nuclear weapons. Carter said, “The nuclear mission is the bedrock of American security….It is what everything else rests upon.”
Aaron Mehta, “Carter: Nuclear Triad ‘Bedrock of Our Security,'” Defense News, September 26, 2016.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will deliver its judgments on preliminary issues in the three Marshall Islands’ nuclear disarmament cases against India, Pakistan and the United Kingdom on October 5 at 10:00 a.m. local time in The Hague. The judgments will be read in open court.
In all three cases the Court is to address and decide questions of jurisdiction and admissibility. If these questions are decided in favor of the Marshall Islands, the cases will go forward to the merits stage. If the Court decides against the Marshall Islands in any of the cases, the litigation in that case will be ended.
The judgments will be livestreamed on the ICJ website starting at 10:00 a.m. (4:00 a.m. Eastern, 1:00 a.m. Pacific). Click here for a link to the livestream.
“International Court of Justice to Deliver Judgments on Preliminary Issues in Marshall Islands’ Nuclear Disarmament Cases on October 5 at 10:00 a.m.,” Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, September 28, 2016.
This month’s featured blog is Groundswell, the new blog from Peace Action. The blog aims to inform, engage and mobilize readers concerned about a wide range of peace issues.
Recent titles include “Saudi Arms Deal Under Fire,” “Whose Finger? On What Button?” and “Grassroots Campaign Has Made Cluster Bombs Unprofitable.”
Click here to read the blog.
History chronicles many instances when humans have been threatened by nuclear weapons. In this article, Jeffrey Mason outlines some of the most serious threats that have taken place in the month of October, including the October 27, 1969 incident in which President Nixon ordered 18 B-52 bombers to fly with dozens of hydrogen bombs to the eastern border of the Soviet Union. Part of Nixon’s “Madman Strategy,” this was one of the most destabilizing instances of saber-rattling of the Cold War.
Noam Chomsky, one of the greatest minds of our time, will be honored with NAPF’s Distinguished Peace Leadership Award at this year’s Evening for Peace on Sunday, October 23, in Santa Barbara, California.
We’re calling the evening NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH because that’s what Chomsky is about– truth. He believes humanity faces two major challenges: the continued threat of nuclear war and the crisis of ecological catastrophe. To hear him on these issues will be highly memorable. Importantly, he offers a way forward to a more hopeful and just world. We are pleased to honor him with our award.
The annual Evening for Peace includes a festive reception, live entertainment, dinner and an award presentation. It is attended by many Santa Barbara leaders and includes a large contingent of sponsored students.
During the 2016 International Day of Peace (September 21), NAPF Peace Leadership Director Paul K. Chappell shared Peace Literacy concepts with fourth graders at Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The goal for the new NAPF Peace Literacy initiative is to become part of the curriculum for elementary, secondary, and higher education. Chappell explains this urgent need: “As a child in school I spent many years learning to read and write, but I did not learn peace literacy skills. For example, I was never taught how to resolve conflict, calm myself down, calm others down, or deal with the root causes of problems.”
To read more about Paul’s trip to Hawaii, click here. To learn more about Peace Literacy, click here.
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has announced the winners of its 2016 Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards. This annual contest invites poets to “explore and illuminate positive visions of peace and the human spirit.” Click here to read this year’s winning poems.
To find out more about the poetry contest, including the winning poems from all years of the contest and information on the 2017 contest, click here.
“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”
— Mother Teresa. This quote appears in the book Speaking of Peace: Quotations to Inspire Action, which is available for purchase in the NAPF Peace Store.
“Let us pledge to work for the total elimination of nuclear weapons with urgency and a sense of collective purpose. Our very survival depends upon it.”
— Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, speaking on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (September 26).
“Recent Gallup polls show US public opinion of Russia is at a post–Cold War low, with 65–70 percent of Americans having an unfavorable opinion of the Kremlin. While much of this is certainly informed by real-world actions (Russia’s annexation of Crimea, its bombing of Syrian rebels), the corollary media panic perfectly captured by this 60 Minutes segment—portraying everything Russia does in the worst light possible, and everything the United States does as noble and justified—goes a long way to compounding these fears. And in doing so, making any type of future nuclear de-escalation that much less politically viable.”
— Adam H. Johnson, in an article in The Nation criticizing 60 Minutes for its reporting on the threat of nuclear war.
Mitchell McMahon
Kristian Rolland
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Travel Directory >
New York, USA >
Travel | 16 Dec 2015 | By Pei-Ru Keh
Hotel Indigo — New York, USA
The InterContinental Hotels Group’s individualistic Hotel Indigo brand has brought its personalised approach to New York’s Lower East Side with a new, 293-room property situated in one of the city’s most historic neighbourhoods.
The original mixing pot of immigrant cultures, graffiti art and the underground music scene, the Lower East Side has acquired a distinct polish in recent years. Hotel Indigo Lower East Side taps into this by whisking guests up to a 14th floor lobby, where a backdrop of unobstructed views serves up a warm welcome. A nod to the neighbourhood’s eclectic art scene comes in the form of specially commissioned, large-scale murals by the street artist Lee Quinones, an originator of the street art movement and native to the area. There are also two sculptures by Mr. Brainwash, on loan from his ‘Life if Beautiful’ pop-up gallery. On the 15th floor, a sprawling terrace, a swimming pool, restaurant and rooftop bar means that guests won’t have to go far to delight in what the city has to offer.
The restaurant, Mr. Purple, doles out culinary favourites from the area’s mainstays such as 2nd Avenue Deli and Il Laboratorio del Gelato, as well as an expansive selection of craft cocktails and small-batch spirits, in a loft-style atmosphere.
Accommodations are equally evocative, with hard surface floors and spa-inspired bathrooms stocked with C.O. Bigelow apothecary products.
171 Ludlow Street
1.212 237 1776
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NOWCAST 16 WAPT News at 4:30am
Blitz 16
Mississippi Matters
Food For Families
64 additional COVID-19 deaths, 1,702 new cases reported by MSDH Breaking News: Sign up for our Coronavirus & Rossen Reports Newsletters <% if ( weatherAlerts > 0 ) { %> Severe Weather <% var weatherAlertsMessage = "There " + ( weatherAlerts > 1 ? "are" : "is" ) + " currently " + weatherAlerts + " active weather " + ( weatherAlerts > 1 ? "alerts" : "alert" ); %>
This self-driving car has no steering wheel or pedals
GM and Honda, automakers with more than 160 years of experience between them, have thrown tradition out the window by unveiling the Origin, a new self-driving vehicle.The six-seat electric vehicle has no steering wheel, brake or accelerator pedals, windshield wipers or rearview mirror. Its doors slide rather than swing open. There's no obvious front or back, like a typical car.Customers won't be able to buy an Origin, either. But they will be able to ride in one through a ridesharing app from Cruise, the self-driving subsidiary of GM, which Honda has also invested in. Riders enter their destination in the app, similar to using Uber and Lyft, and a vehicle will drive itself to pick them up. Once it arrives, customers enter a code on a keypad outside the vehicle to gain entry. Inside the car, there are buttons for the rider to start or end the trip.The Origin uses sensors, such as weight and seat belt detection, to identify if someone has entered or exited the vehicle. Cruise executives said removing traditional car features allows for more space for passengers. The sliding doors to the Origin are far wider than a typical vehicle, leaving room for two people to enter or exit at the same time. The vehicle is designed to drive on both city streets and the highway.GM executives hailed the Origin as the reinvention of mobility that would bring environmental benefits, unclog congested cities and improve road safety. They envision the vehicle running 18 hours a day, reducing the need for private car ownership, which dominates transportation today."We know that the bus is better for our environment, but on a Friday in rush hour, saving the planet doesn't seem worth missing dinner or bedtime with the kids," Cruise CEO Dan Ammann said. "What's right for you is now the same thing as what's right for the world."GM will manufacture the Origin and Honda will perform the design engineering, such as customer touch points and styling. Cruise is developing the self-driving software, sensors and overall product, which it said it has been working on for three years now.The companies didn't say when they expect to begin production of the vehicle or when it will appear on roads. Cruise's chief technology officer, Kyle Vogt, told CNN Business that it would happen "pretty soon."The company hasn't lived up to its projections so far. In 2017, GM said it would be mass-producing fully autonomous electric cars by the end of 2019. It also announced plans in 2017 to test self-driving vehicles in New York City, but has yet to do so.The entire self-driving sector has struggled to live up to the hype that has dominated much of the decade. Companies are realizing the immense challenge of building a self-driving car that works and then proving to regulators that it is safe.Cruise will need an exemption from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to operate the Origin because it doesn't have traditional car components like a steering wheel.Cruise is taking a different strategy than its rival Waymo, which uses vehicles that look like traditional minivans and have human controls, such as a steering wheel and pedals. Waymo, the self-driving company of Google's parent company Alphabet, operates a limited ride-sharing service in Chandler, Arizona.GM CEO Mary Barra described the Origin as her company's next step in improving road safety."Our zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion vision is not a slogan, but a commitment," Barra tweeted.
GM and Honda, automakers with more than 160 years of experience between them, have thrown tradition out the window by unveiling the Origin, a new self-driving vehicle.
The six-seat electric vehicle has no steering wheel, brake or accelerator pedals, windshield wipers or rearview mirror. Its doors slide rather than swing open. There's no obvious front or back, like a typical car.
Customers won't be able to buy an Origin, either. But they will be able to ride in one through a ridesharing app from Cruise, the self-driving subsidiary of GM, which Honda has also invested in. Riders enter their destination in the app, similar to using Uber and Lyft, and a vehicle will drive itself to pick them up. Once it arrives, customers enter a code on a keypad outside the vehicle to gain entry. Inside the car, there are buttons for the rider to start or end the trip.
The Origin uses sensors, such as weight and seat belt detection, to identify if someone has entered or exited the vehicle. Cruise executives said removing traditional car features allows for more space for passengers. The sliding doors to the Origin are far wider than a typical vehicle, leaving room for two people to enter or exit at the same time. The vehicle is designed to drive on both city streets and the highway.
Stanford engineers teach self-driving DeLorean to drift
GM executives hailed the Origin as the reinvention of mobility that would bring environmental benefits, unclog congested cities and improve road safety. They envision the vehicle running 18 hours a day, reducing the need for private car ownership, which dominates transportation today.
"We know that the bus is better for our environment, but on a Friday in rush hour, saving the planet doesn't seem worth missing dinner or bedtime with the kids," Cruise CEO Dan Ammann said. "What's right for you is now the same thing as what's right for the world."
GM will manufacture the Origin and Honda will perform the design engineering, such as customer touch points and styling. Cruise is developing the self-driving software, sensors and overall product, which it said it has been working on for three years now.
The companies didn't say when they expect to begin production of the vehicle or when it will appear on roads. Cruise's chief technology officer, Kyle Vogt, told CNN Business that it would happen "pretty soon."
The company hasn't lived up to its projections so far. In 2017, GM said it would be mass-producing fully autonomous electric cars by the end of 2019. It also announced plans in 2017 to test self-driving vehicles in New York City, but has yet to do so.
The entire self-driving sector has struggled to live up to the hype that has dominated much of the decade. Companies are realizing the immense challenge of building a self-driving car that works and then proving to regulators that it is safe.
Cruise will need an exemption from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to operate the Origin because it doesn't have traditional car components like a steering wheel.
Cruise is taking a different strategy than its rival Waymo, which uses vehicles that look like traditional minivans and have human controls, such as a steering wheel and pedals. Waymo, the self-driving company of Google's parent company Alphabet, operates a limited ride-sharing service in Chandler, Arizona.
GM CEO Mary Barra described the Origin as her company's next step in improving road safety.
"Our zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion vision is not a slogan, but a commitment," Barra tweeted.
16 WAPT News Jackson
©2021, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WAPT-TV.
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< Gilles Gravier
Open Source community in two minds over Maria DB’s move
Open Source community in
two minds over Maria DB’s move
August | 2016
In a move to try and generate more revenue from its open source software, the MariaDB Corporation has decided to publish the version 2.0 of its MaxScale database proxy. It is aimed at providing vast scalability of database applications through load distribution and balancing, across a database cluster, under a completely new license. It tries to sound Open Source while enforcing a commercial model.
In the MySQL world, this clustering was one of the paying enterprise features. In MariaDB, it was traditionally a free (as is the rest of MariaDB) feature. This distinguished it significantly from its Oracle counterpart.
The new license that MaxScale is published under is called BSL - Business Source License - and was created by the MariaDB Corporation in an effort to enforce some form of mandatory revenue stream while trying to keep a semblance of open source spirit to it. In a somewhat delicate attempt to justify this, Michael “Monty” Widenius, author of the original MySQL, and now of MariaDB - which is a fork of MySQL - tries to give a rationale to this bold, and unpopular move.
The general idea of this new license is to have some form of timeframe during which the software is usable in enterprise production only in a commercial way (for MaxScale, this is defined as running on less than 3 servers). After this time-frame (for MaxScale, this is defined as ending on 01/01/2019), the software will revert to a “Change License” (for MaxScale this has been selected as GPL Version 2 or later). The rest of the usage of the software is governed by terminology that is inspired by the BSD 3 clause license (aka “New BSD License”).
From the beginning, the source code of software governed by BSL is available, and can be modified, distributed, compiled just as with normal open source... in fact, the whole software behaves as full open source, except for the limitation of number of nodes you talk to, and for the fact that the license changes to GPL after a set time. Interestingly enough, the initial license (BSD derived) and the final license (GPL) are diverse in spirit.
The core issue is that open source is quite formally defined by the Open Source Initiative. This definition is made of 10 points that are there to guarantee the freedom necessary for software to be considered Free/Libre Open Source Software. In the list of 10 points, the number 6 point states “No Discrimination against Fields of Endeavor”, which means you should be able to use FLOSS software in any context you want, commercially, enterprise, regardless of the technology architecture or scale. This is clearly not allowed with BSL license.
There are currently several revenue models of open source that generate very good profits. All are based on the notion of adoption. You try, you use, and if you like enough, you will want to get support. Some models for this include dual licensing, with subscription models, or pay for integration, support, training services. All are based on choice, not coercion. However, creating a new license that attempts to enforce a commercial model, rather than offering services that encourage working with a commercial vendor is not popular, and not well aligned with the notion of freedom that comes with open source.
On the other hand, other development teams such as Percona are announcing at the same time new versions of ProxySQL, their equivalent high-performance proxy servers for MySQL MariaDB / Percona Server and marking it clearly as Open Source with the GPLv3 license. And they very clearly state “ProxySQL is available under OpenSource license GPLv3, which allows you unlimited usage in production. ProxySQL has no plans to change the license!”
Today, MariaDB Corporation is trying to encourage other software development teams to look at, and start using, the BSL license as well. They are hoping to set a trend for a new way of developing software and making money from it.
What about you as a developer of open source software, and trying to make a living out of it? Have you looked at BSL? What do you think about this?
Share your comments in the section below.
Gilles Gravier is Director in the Open Source Consulting Practice at Wipro. Based in Switzerland, he provides open source and blockchain strategy consulting and advisory services to Wipro's key customers worldwide. Gilles has always been involved in both security and open source. In particular, roles such as Chief Technology Strategist for Security and Open Source at Sun Microsystems, he has advised the largest accounts globally on their IT security strategy and their open source activities. He moved on to develop global market and business development strategies for open source and security in the public sector still at Sun, and then Oracle. Gilles has been active as a technology evangelist, in particular for these companies, around cryptography, DRM, open source and open standards.
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Internet Legal Research on a Budget: Free and Low-Cost Resources for Lawyers, Second Edition
General | Practical Skills | Research
Judy K. Davis, Esq | Carole Levitt
American Bar Association - Law Practice Division
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Internet Legal Research on a Budget directs lawyers to useful and reliable free (and low-cost) resources and explains how to use them effectively. This edition has updated information about resources discussed in the first edition, new resources, and expanded chapters on Casemaker and Fastcase.
With cost-conscious clients scrutinizing legal bills, lawyers cannot afford to depend on expensive legal research databases, especially when reliable free resources are available. This updated edition of Internet Legal Research on a Budget will help you quickly find the best free or low-cost resources online and use them for your research needs. The authors share the top websites, apps, blogs, and crowdsourced resources that will save you time, money, and frustration during the legal research process.
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Judy K. Davis, Esq Related seminars and products: 2
Senior Law Librarian and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Law
University of Southern California School of Law
Judy is a senior law librarian and adjunct assistant professor of law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. Prior to coming to USC, she worked at the University of San Diego Pardee Legal Research Center.
Earlier, she practiced law before a wise person introduced her to the world of librarianship.
She currently teaches legal research to USC law students, works in the law library’s Reference department, and gives lectures and training sessions on legal research and related topics. When she isn’t doing any of that, she can likely be found enjoying the great outdoors in beautiful Southern California.
Carole Levitt Related seminars and products: 10
Internet For Lawyers
Carole Levitt, founder/principal of Internet For Lawyers (IFL), is an internationally recognized CLE seminar speaker and best-selling American Bar Association author. She writes and speaks on Internet investigative and legal research, social media research, social media ethics, and technology for lawyers. Since 1999, IFL has provided law firms, corporations, and local and state Bar Associations around the country with professional and entertaining turn-key CLE programs. The company focuses on delivering information about free investigative and background research resources available on the Internet.
Together with co-author Mark Rosch, Levitt has written several ABA Law Practice Division books, including "Google Gmail and Calendar For Lawyers in One Hour" (2013), two editions of "The Lawyer’s Guide to Fact Finding on the Internet," "Google For Lawyers," and "Find Info Like a Pro," Volumes 1 and 2. They have also just completed the thirteenth edition of their book "The Cybersleuth's Guide to the Internet" (2015, IFL Press). Levitt also co-authored “Internet Legal Research on a Budget (ABA, 2013) with Judy K. Davis.
Previously, Levitt was a California attorney, a law librarian in Chicago and Los Angeles, and a Legal Research and Writing Professor at Pepperdine University School of Law. She graduated with distinction from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago and was a member of the school’s law review. Carole has a Masters in Library Science and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois.
She is active in numerous professional associations, including the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Association of Continuing Legal Education (ACLEA).
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Khorasan hit by US before the public knew of them
Nick O’Malley
New York: Most Americans did not even know that the Khorasan Group existed, let alone of its alleged plans to blow up Western passenger aircraft with explosive clothes, before a volley of US Navy Tomahawk missiles hit the group in Syria on Tuesday night.
But the al-Qaeda affiliate has long been in the Pentagon’s crosshairs, so much so that the White House studiously avoided even mentioning its name as it went about building a coalition for war against the Islamic State in Syria, so as not to alert them to the strike.
The group, which according to an NPR report, is made up of hardened veterans of Afghanistan and Pakistan sent into Syria about two years ago by al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri to take advantage of the collapse of a central government and the flow of foreign fighters into the civil war.
If it wanted to take down Western passenger aircraft, al-Qaeda needed recruits with Western passports, and Syria was the place to find them.
Pentagon spokesman Admiral John Kirby said in a briefing on Tuesday that Khorasan had used Syria, “to plan external attacks, construct and test improvised explosive devices and recruit Westerners to conduct operations”.
Director for Operations, Lieutenant General William Mayville, expanded on this, saying, “We’ve been watching this group closely for some time, and we believe the Khorasan Group was nearing the execution phase of an attack either in Europe, or the homeland”.
“We know that the Khorasan Group has attempted to recruit Westerners to serve as operatives or to infiltrate back into their homelands.
“The Khorasan Group is clearly not focused on either the Assad regime or the Syrian people. They are establishing roots in Syria in order to advance attacks against the West and the homeland.”
Since then CNN has reported officials had told them that Khorasan had constructed devices that may avoid airport detection, including clothes dipped in explosive material.
In the wake of the strikes the US Department of Homeland Security has issued a bulletin warning law enforcement agencies to be on heightened alert for lone-wolf terror attacks in the US.
Now that the attacks against Khorasan have been launched it is easy to look back over the official record to find hints of the administration’s concerns, if only for its resounding silence on the group.
Time and again as administration officials made the case for strikes against Islamic State militants they warned that while the Islamic State (also known as ISIL or ISIS) posed a threat to American interests in the region, only al-Qaeda had organisational capacity and the will to attack the West.
In early September the National Counterterrorism Centre Director Matthew Olsen said at a Brookings Institution event that while IS posed a threat in the region, “We have no credible information that ISIL is planning to attack the United States”.
A little over a fortnight later Mr Olsen, whose agency is responsible for setting the terrorism threat level, told a Congressional hearing, “In Syria we’ve seen veteran al-Qaeda fighters travel from Pakistan to take advantage of the permissive environment there”.
“Al-Qaeda’s official branches in Yemen and Somalia continue to remain extremely active. Of course over the past five years, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula sought on three times to take down an airplane bound for the United States.”
Not once did he mention Khorasan by name, although asked by a reporter later he confirmed that was the group he was referring to.
The following day as passengers on many flights bound for the US found themselves subjected to increased screening, White House spokesman Josh Earnest was asked by a reporter during the daily briefing whether the President had been briefed on an al-Qaeda-linked group called Khorasan, and whether it might pose more of a threat than IS.
“I’m limited in what I can say. But what I can tell you is that our intelligence professionals have long spoken about the host of terror threats that are emanating from Syria,” he replied, not repeating the name Khorasan.
“You’ve also heard me discuss quite a bit about the challenges posed by foreign terrorist fighters. And next week you will hear directly from the President when he chairs a UN Security Council session on this very topic.”
ABC News notes that it can find no record of any White House official mentioning Khorasan in any briefings on Syria.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper let the name slip once during a conference on security last week, but even that was during a Q and A session – prepared remarks did not mention the group.
President Obama himself did not utter the word Khorasan publicly until after the cruise missile attack on them he ordered had already been carried out. Leaving the White House for the UN meeting in New York he paused and made an address.
The first part of his short speech detailed the coalition of nations who had attacked IS targets, but then he turned to the strikes on the Khorasan.
“Last night, we also took strikes to disrupt plotting against the United States and our allies by seasoned al Qaeda operatives in Syria who are known as the Khorasan Group,” he said.
“And once again, it must be clear to anyone who would plot against America and try to do Americans harm that we will not tolerate safe havens for terrorists who threaten our people.”
Even this language is telling.
In June Obama made a speech detailing how he would use American force. It has become known as the West Point speech, the basis of what some call the Obama doctrine.
In Obama said that when threats arise that threaten the international order America would seek to build and lead coalitions to challenge them. But when America is threatened directly it would strike unilaterally. He has maintained this line ever since, even as he prepared the nation for attacks against IS in Iraq and Syria.
There were three waves of attacks over Syria on Tuesday night. The second and third were made up of American missiles aircraft and drones and the fighter jets of its regional allies.
But the first – that volley of Tomahawk cruise missiles launched against the Khorasan – was an entirely American effort.
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ICE joins in a motion to reopen removal proceedings in order to allow a Youman, Madeo and Fasano client to pursue provisional waiver
On behalf of Youman, Madeo & Fasano, LLP | Nov 26, 2014 | Uncategorized
Our Associate Christina Xenides successfully persuaded ICE in San Antonio, TX to join in a motion to reopen removal proceedings in order to allow our client to pursue a provisional waiver. Below is Ms. Xenides summary of the case:
Our client is a native and citizen of Honduras who entered the United States without inspection on October 25, 1999, when she was 18 years old. She never left the U.S. She was ordered removed from the U.S. in abstentia on September 12, 2000, which means that she never appeared before the Immigration Judge despite being notified of her Court date. The Immigration Judge ordered our client removed in her absence. In 2005 our client married a U.S. citizen. She and her husband have two U.S. citizen children together. Our client has been gainfully employed since she entered the United States and she has made attempts to comply with the tax laws of the U.S. She has never been convicted of any crimes in the U.S. or anywhere else in the world. She has worked extremely hard to support her family and live the American dream. She regularly attends church and is involved in her community. She recently received an approved I-130 alien relative petition that was filed on her behalf by her husband. She is now eligible to receive her lawful permanent residence, green card, with the filing and approval of an I-601A Provisional Waiver. Our Law Firm submitted a proposed joint motion to reopen for consideration with the District Counsel’s in San Antonio, TX to reopen her proceedings for the purpose of allowing her to pursue the provisional waiver. The proposed motion was supported by affidavits from our client’s U.S. citizen relatives, her work and tax history, and her personal statement as to why she did not appear at her immigration court hearing in 2000. Based upon that information, district counsel was persuaded to join in our motion to reopen proceedings.
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Australia media demand press freedom law reforms after raids
by: ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press
Posted: Jun 26, 2019 / 12:43 AM EDT / Updated: Jun 26, 2019 / 04:35 AM EDT
FILE – In this June 5, 2019, file image made from video, Australia’s Federal Police, top, enter the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster, during a raid on their offices in Sydney, Australia. Australia’s three largest media organizations have joined forces to demand press freedom law reforms that would prevent journalists from risking prison for doing their job. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation via AP, File)
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s three largest media organizations joined forces on Wednesday to demand legal reforms that would prevent journalists from risking imprisonment for doing their jobs. The demands came after unprecedented raids against media organizations by police searching for leaked documents that some say were deeply embarrassing to the government.
News Corp. Australia, Australian Broadcasting Corp. and Nine Entertainment made their demands after raids by federal police on consecutive days earlier this month at ABC’s Sydney headquarters and a News Corp. reporter’s Canberra home in search of secret government documents.
The rival organizations want journalists to be exempt from national security laws passed since 2012 that “would put them in jail for doing their jobs.”
They also want a right to contest warrants such as those executed in Sydney and Canberra. Both the ABC and New Corp. this week lodged court challenges to both those warrants in a bid to have documents returned.
The organizations have called for greater legal protections for public sector whistleblowers as well as reforms to freedom of information and defamation laws.
ABC Managing Director David Anderson, News Corp. Australia Executive Chairman Michael Miller and Nine Chief Executive Hugh Marks addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday as part of a campaign to gain public support for reform.
“Clearly, we are at a crossroads. We can be a society that is secret and afraid to confront sometimes uncomfortable truths or we can protect those who courageously promote transparency, stand up to intimidation and shed light on those truths to the benefit of all citizens,” Anderson said.
Miller described the police raids that have united media organizations in their demand for change as “intimidation, not investigation.”
“But there is a deeper problem — the culture of secrecy,” Miller said. “Too many people who frame policy, write laws, control information and conduct court hearings have stopped believing that the public’s right to know comes first.”
Marks said “bad legislation on several fronts and probably overzealous officials … in the judiciary, in the bureaucracy and our security services have steadily eroded the freedoms under which we, the media, can operate.”
“Put simply, it’s more risky, it’s more expensive to do journalism that makes a real difference in this country than it ever has been before,” Marks said.
The demands come a week before Parliament resumes for the first time since the conservative government was elected for a third term on May 18.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has not criticized the police raids, but has said he is open to suggestions for improvements to Australia’s laws.
Denis Muller, from the Melbourne University Center for Advancing Journalism, said the three organizations had identified “real flaws” in the laws and said their united front would put pressure on the government.
“The government is going to be kicking and screaming every inch of the way with this because they will be getting very severe pushback from the bureaucracy, from the Federal Police, from the intelligence services,” he said.
Australia is the outlier among its Five Eyes intelligence-sharing partners the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand in not having oversight to balance press freedom with national security.
“We’re the only ones without any sort of formal protection of freedom of the press and we are the ones that have basically enacted the most oppressive national security regime,” Muller said.
Experts say Australia went from having no counterterrorism laws before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the U.S. to having more than any other country in the world, with more than 60 new pieces of legislation and amendments. There had been no counterbalancing laws to uphold human rights or press freedom.
Australia doesn’t have enshrined rights like the U.S. First Amendment guarantee of free speech.
Yet the World Press Freedom Index rates Australia at 21, higher than the United States at 41.
Former army lawyer David McBride will appear in a Canberra court on Thursday on charges relating to the leaking of classified documents about Australian Special Air Service involvement in Afghanistan to ABC journalists. The leak was related to the police raid on the ABC.
The ABC reported in 2017 on growing unease in the Australian Defense Force leadership about the culture of special forces, and that Australian troops had killed unarmed men and children.
McBride told reporters two weeks ago that his prosecution was not about protecting national security but concealing “a national shame.”
The police raid on the home of Annika Smethurst, the political editor of Sydney’s The Sunday Telegraph newspaper, focused on a 2018 story detailing an alleged government proposal to spy on Australian citizens, which cannot currently be done legally.
No arrests were made as a result of either raid.
WV honors Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager with memorial service
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Olivia Newton-John says she has breast cancer; cancels tour
by: Cody Nickel
Posted: May 30, 2017 / 08:22 PM EDT / Updated: Aug 7, 2019 / 04:42 PM EDT
Olivia Newton John performs during the Viña del Mar International Song Festival at the Quinta Vergara in Viña del Mar, Chile, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. Believed to be one of the largest musical events in Latin America, the annual five-day festival was inaugurated in 1960. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
NEW YORK (AP) — Olivia Newton-John says she has a breast cancer and is canceling her June tour.
The 68-year-old singer said Tuesday she initially thought she was suffering from back pain, but learned it was “breast cancer that has metastasized to the sacrum.”
Newton-John said she will complete “a short course of photon radiation therapy” and hopes to perform later this year. She said she will be treated by the medical team at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia.
Says Newton-John: “I decided on my direction of therapies after consultation with my doctors and natural therapists.”
Ticket buyers will be refunded for the canceled shows.
A cold start to the weekend but we have the sun to share through Sunday AM
by Karyssa D'Agostino / Jan 21, 2021
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) - As of Jan. 20th Piedmont Columbus Regional hospital updated their visitation restrictions to no visitors allowed except for a few exceptions. Strict visitation restrictions have been a tough new challenge for patients, their families and even hospital staff.
Piedmont Columbus Regional has implemented the "Meet My Loved One" Project, which began at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, in order to help ease the impact of visitor restrictions caused by the ongoing pandemic.
Auburn man facing federal charges in U.S. Capitol Riot, new details revealed
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Systems of Excellence Names New Board, CEO and President
a Wall Street Journal Staff Reporter
McLEAN, Va. -- Systems of Excellence Inc., the subject of a government lawsuit alleging Internet stock manipulation, said it named a new board and a new president and chief executive officer.
In October, the Securities and Exchange Commission halted over-the-counter trading of Systems' stock and later filed suit, alleging that the company's former chief executive officer, Charles Huttoe, "orchestrated ... a massive and ongoing market manipulation" effort. The suit said Mr. Huttoe distributed millions of shares in the company, which sold desktop video-distribution and teleconferencing products, and then manipulated the market by issuing false press information about the company.
Mr. Huttoe couldn't be reached Wednesday. Earlier, a lawyer for Mr. Huttoe said he was "attempting to resolve the difficulties."
In an SEC filing, Systems of Excellence said its new president and chief executive is Thomas G. Clines. Named to the board were Kathleen S. Connell, chairwoman; Michael P. Hegarty, William A. Sullivan and Kenneth Walther, who resigned as president earlier this month. A spokeswoman said no other information about the directors or Mr. Clines was available.
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Full text of President Trump's 80-minute State of the Union speech
Updated: 11:41 PM CST Jan 30, 2018
Full text of President Donald Trump's 80-minute State of the Union speech delivered Tuesday night:Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and my fellow Americans:Less than 1 year has passed since I first stood at this podium, in this majestic chamber, to speak on behalf of the American People — and to address their concerns, their hopes, and their dreams. That night, our new Administration had already taken swift action. A new tide of optimism was already sweeping across our land.Each day since, we have gone forward with a clear vision and a righteous mission — to make America great again for all Americans.Over the last year, we have made incredible progress and achieved extraordinary success. We have faced challenges we expected, and others we could never have imagined. We have shared in the heights of victory and the pains of hardship. We endured floods and fires and storms. But through it all, we have seen the beauty of America’s soul, and the steel in America’s spine.Each test has forged new American heroes to remind us who we are, and show us what we can be.We saw the volunteers of the “Cajun Navy,” racing to the rescue with their fishing boats to save people in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane.We saw strangers shielding strangers from a hail of gunfire on the Las Vegas strip.We heard tales of Americans like Coast Guard Petty Officer Ashlee Leppert, who is here tonight in the gallery with Melania. Ashlee was aboard one of the first helicopters on the scene in Houston during Hurricane Harvey. Through 18 hours of wind and rain, Ashlee braved live power lines and deep water, to help save more than 40 lives. Thank you, Ashlee.We heard about Americans like firefighter David Dahlberg. He is here with us too. David faced down walls of flame to rescue almost 60 children trapped at a California summer camp threatened by wildfires.To everyone still recovering in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, California, and everywhere else — we are with you, we love you, and we will pull through together.Some trials over the past year touched this chamber very personally. With us tonight is one of the toughest people ever to serve in this House — a guy who took a bullet, almost died, and was back to work three and a half months later: the legend from Louisiana, Congressman Steve Scalise.We are incredibly grateful for the heroic efforts of the Capitol Police Officers, the Alexandria Police, and the doctors, nurses, and paramedics who saved his life, and the lives of many others in this room.In the aftermath of that terrible shooting, we came together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as representatives of the people. But it is not enough to come together only in times of tragedy. Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people we were elected to serve.Over the last year, the world has seen what we always knew: that no people on Earth are so fearless, or daring, or determined as Americans. If there is a mountain, we climb it. If there is a frontier, we cross it. If there is a challenge, we tame it. If there is an opportunity, we seize it.So let us begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong.And together, we are building a safe, strong, and proud America.Since the election, we have created 2.4 million new jobs, including 200,000 new jobs in manufacturing alone. After years of wage stagnation, we are finally seeing rising wages.Unemployment claims have hit a 45-year low. African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded, and Hispanic American unemployment has also reached the lowest levels in history.Small business confidence is at an all-time high. The stock market has smashed one record after another, gaining $8 trillion in value. That is great news for Americans’ 401k, retirement, pension, and college savings accounts.And just as I promised the American people from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history.Our massive tax cuts provide tremendous relief for the middle class and small businesses.To lower tax rates for hardworking Americans, we nearly doubled the standard deduction for everyone. Now, the first $24,000 earned by a married couple is completely tax-free. We also doubled the child tax credit.A typical family of four making $75,000 will see their tax bill reduced by $2,000 — slashing their tax bill in half.This April will be the last time you ever file under the old broken system — and millions of Americans will have more take-home pay starting next month.We eliminated an especially cruel tax that fell mostly on Americans making less than $50,000 a year — forcing them to pay tremendous penalties simply because they could not afford government-ordered health plans. We repealed the core of disastrous Obamacare — the individual mandate is now gone.We slashed the business tax rate from 35 percent all the way down to 21 percent, so American companies can compete and win against anyone in the world. These changes alone are estimated to increase average family income by more than $4,000.Small businesses have also received a massive tax cut, and can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.Here tonight are Steve Staub and Sandy Keplinger of Staub Manufacturing — a small business in Ohio. They have just finished the best year in their 20-year history. Because of tax reform, they are handing out raises, hiring an additional 14 people, and expanding into the building next door.One of Staub’s employees, Corey Adams, is also with us tonight. Corey is an all-American worker. He supported himself through high school, lost his job during the 2008 recession, and was later hired by Staub, where he trained to become a welder. Like many hardworking Americans, Corey plans to invest his tax‑cut raise into his new home and his two daughters’ education. Please join me in congratulating Corey.Since we passed tax cuts, roughly 3 million workers have already gotten tax cut bonuses — many of them thousands of dollars per worker. Apple has just announced it plans to invest a total of $350 billion in America, and hire another 20,000 workers.This is our new American moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American Dream.So to every citizen watching at home tonight — no matter where you have been, or where you come from, this is your time. If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve anything.Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of Nation we are going to be. All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family.We all share the same home, the same heart, the same destiny, and the same great American flag.Together, we are rediscovering the American way.In America, we know that faith and family, not government and bureaucracy, are the center of the American life. Our motto is “in God we trust.”And we celebrate our police, our military, and our amazing veterans as heroes who deserve our total and unwavering support.Here tonight is Preston Sharp, a 12-year-old boy from Redding, California, who noticed that veterans’ graves were not marked with flags on Veterans Day. He decided to change that, and started a movement that has now placed 40,000 flags at the graves of our great heroes. Preston: a job well done.Young patriots like Preston teach all of us about our civic duty as Americans. Preston’s reverence for those who have served our Nation reminds us why we salute our flag, why we put our hands on our hearts for the pledge of allegiance, and why we proudly stand for the national anthem.Americans love their country. And they deserve a Government that shows them the same love and loyalty in return.For the last year we have sought to restore the bonds of trust between our citizens and their Government.Working with the Senate, we are appointing judges who will interpret the Constitution as written, including a great new Supreme Court Justice, and more circuit court judges than any new administration in the history of our country.We are defending our Second Amendment, and have taken historic actions to protect religious liberty.And we are serving our brave veterans, including giving our veterans choice in their healthcare decisions. Last year, the Congress passed, and I signed, the landmark VA Accountability Act. Since its passage, my Administration has already removed more than 1,500 VA employees who failed to give our veterans the care they deserve — and we are hiring talented people who love our vets as much as we do.I will not stop until our veterans are properly taken care of, which has been my promise to them from the very beginning of this great journey.All Americans deserve accountability and respect — and that is what we are giving them. So tonight, I call on the Congress to empower every Cabinet Secretary with the authority to reward good workers — and to remove Federal employees who undermine the public trust or fail the American people.In our drive to make Washington accountable, we have eliminated more regulations in our first year than any administration in history.We have ended the war on American Energy — and we have ended the war on clean coal. We are now an exporter of energy to the world.In Detroit, I halted Government mandates that crippled America’s autoworkers — so we can get the Motor City revving its engines once again.Many car companies are now building and expanding plants in the United States — something we have not seen for decades. Chrysler is moving a major plant from Mexico to Michigan; Toyota and Mazda are opening up a plant in Alabama. Soon, plants will be opening up all over the country. This is all news Americans are unaccustomed to hearing — for many years, companies and jobs were only leaving us. But now they are coming back.Exciting progress is happening every day.To speed access to breakthrough cures and affordable generic drugs, last year the FDA approved more new and generic drugs and medical devices than ever before in our history.We also believe that patients with terminal conditions should have access to experimental treatments that could potentially save their lives.People who are terminally ill should not have to go from country to country to seek a cure — I want to give them a chance right here at home. It is time for the Congress to give these wonderful Americans the “right to try.”One of my greatest priorities is to reduce the price of prescription drugs. In many other countries, these drugs cost far less than what we pay in the United States. That is why I have directed my Administration to make fixing the injustice of high drug prices one of our top priorities. Prices will come down.America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals that sacrificed our prosperity and shipped away our companies, our jobs, and our Nation’s wealth.The era of economic surrender is over.From now on, we expect trading relationships to be fair and to be reciprocal.We will work to fix bad trade deals and negotiate new ones.And we will protect American workers and American intellectual property, through strong enforcement of our trade rules.As we rebuild our industries, it is also time to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.America is a nation of builders. We built the Empire State Building in just 1 year — is it not a disgrace that it can now take 10 years just to get a permit approved for a simple road?I am asking both parties to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve.Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment we need.Every Federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with State and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment — to permanently fix the infrastructure deficit.Any bill must also streamline the permitting and approval process — getting it down to no more than two years, and perhaps even one.Together, we can reclaim our building heritage. We will build gleaming new roads, bridges, highways, railways, and waterways across our land. And we will do it with American heart, American hands, and American grit.We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day’s work. We want every child to be safe in their home at night. And we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love.We can lift our citizens from welfare to work, from dependence to independence, and from poverty to prosperity.As tax cuts create new jobs, let us invest in workforce development and job training. Let us open great vocational schools so our future workers can learn a craft and realize their full potential. And let us support working families by supporting paid family leave.As America regains its strength, this opportunity must be extended to all citizens. That is why this year we will embark on reforming our prisons to help former inmates who have served their time get a second chance.Struggling communities, especially immigrant communities, will also be helped by immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American workers and American families.For decades, open borders have allowed drugs and gangs to pour into our most vulnerable communities. They have allowed millions of low-wage workers to compete for jobs and wages against the poorest Americans. Most tragically, they have caused the loss of many innocent lives.Here tonight are two fathers and two mothers: Evelyn Rodriguez, Freddy Cuevas, Elizabeth Alvarado, and Robert Mickens. Their two teenage daughters — Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens — were close friends on Long Island. But in September 2016, on the eve of Nisa’s 16th Birthday, neither of them came home. These two precious girls were brutally murdered while walking together in their hometown. Six members of the savage gang MS-13 have been charged with Kayla and Nisa’s murders. Many of these gang members took advantage of glaring loopholes in our laws to enter the country as unaccompanied alien minors ‑- and wound up in Kayla and Nisa’s high school.Evelyn, Elizabeth, Freddy, and Robert: Tonight, everyone in this chamber is praying for you. Everyone in America is grieving for you. And 320 million hearts are breaking for you. We cannot imagine the depth of your sorrow, but we can make sure that other families never have to endure this pain.Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to finally close the deadly loopholes that have allowed MS-13, and other criminals, to break into our country. We have proposed new legislation that will fix our immigration laws, and support our ICE and Border Patrol Agents, so that this cannot ever happen again.The United States is a compassionate nation. We are proud that we do more than any other country to help the needy, the struggling, and the underprivileged all over the world. But as President of the United States, my highest loyalty, my greatest compassion, and my constant concern is for America’s children, America’s struggling workers, and America’s forgotten communities. I want our youth to grow up to achieve great things. I want our poor to have their chance to rise.So tonight, I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties — Democrats and Republicans — to protect our citizens of every background, color, religion, and creed. My duty, and the sacred duty of every elected official in this chamber, is to defend Americans — to protect their safety, their families, their communities, and their right to the American Dream. Because Americans are dreamers too.Here tonight is one leader in the effort to defend our country: Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Celestino Martinez — he goes by CJ. CJ served 15 years in the Air Force before becoming an ICE agent and spending the last 15 years fighting gang violence and getting dangerous criminals off our streets. At one point, MS-13 leaders ordered CJ’s murder. But he did not cave to threats or fear. Last May, he commanded an operation to track down gang members on Long Island. His team has arrested nearly 400, including more than 220 from MS-13.CJ: Great work. Now let us get the Congress to send you some reinforcements.Over the next few weeks, the House and Senate will be voting on an immigration reform package.In recent months, my Administration has met extensively with both Democrats and Republicans to craft a bipartisan approach to immigration reform. Based on these discussions, we presented the Congress with a detailed proposal that should be supported by both parties as a fair compromise — one where nobody gets everything they want, but where our country gets the critical reforms it needs.Here are the four pillars of our plan:The first pillar of our framework generously offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age — that covers almost three times more people than the previous administration. Under our plan, those who meet education and work requirements, and show good moral character, will be able to become full citizens of the United States.The second pillar fully secures the border. That means building a wall on the Southern border, and it means hiring more heroes like CJ to keep our communities safe. Crucially, our plan closes the terrible loopholes exploited by criminals and terrorists to enter our country — and it finally ends the dangerous practice of “catch and release.”The third pillar ends the visa lottery — a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of our people. It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system — one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country.The fourth and final pillar protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration. Under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives. Under our plan, we focus on the immediate family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children. This vital reform is necessary, not just for our economy, but for our security, and our future.In recent weeks, two terrorist attacks in New York were made possible by the visa lottery and chain migration. In the age of terrorism, these programs present risks we can no longer afford.It is time to reform these outdated immigration rules, and finally bring our immigration system into the 21st century.These four pillars represent a down-the-middle compromise, and one that will create a safe, modern, and lawful immigration system.For over 30 years, Washington has tried and failed to solve this problem. This Congress can be the one that finally makes it happen.Most importantly, these four pillars will produce legislation that fulfills my ironclad pledge to only sign a bill that puts America first. So let us come together, set politics aside, and finally get the job done.These reforms will also support our response to the terrible crisis of opioid and drug addiction.In 2016, we lost 64,000 Americans to drug overdoses: 174 deaths per day. Seven per hour. We must get much tougher on drug dealers and pushers if we are going to succeed in stopping this scourge.My Administration is committed to fighting the drug epidemic and helping get treatment for those in need. The struggle will be long and difficult — but, as Americans always do, we will prevail.As we have seen tonight, the most difficult challenges bring out the best in America.We see a vivid expression of this truth in the story of the Holets family of New Mexico. Ryan Holets is 27 years old, and an officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. He is here tonight with his wife Rebecca. Last year, Ryan was on duty when he saw a pregnant, homeless woman preparing to inject heroin. When Ryan told her she was going to harm her unborn child, she began to weep. She told him she did not know where to turn, but badly wanted a safe home for her baby.In that moment, Ryan said he felt God speak to him: “You will do it — because you can.” He took out a picture of his wife and their four kids. Then, he went home to tell his wife Rebecca. In an instant, she agreed to adopt. The Holets named their new daughter Hope.Ryan and Rebecca: You embody the goodness of our Nation. Thank you, and congratulations.As we rebuild America’s strength and confidence at home, we are also restoring our strength and standing abroad.Around the world, we face rogue regimes, terrorist groups, and rivals like China and Russia that challenge our interests, our economy, and our values. In confronting these dangers, we know that weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unmatched power is the surest means of our defense.For this reason, I am asking the Congress to end the dangerous defense sequester and fully fund our great military.As part of our defense, we must modernize and rebuild our nuclear arsenal, hopefully never having to use it, but making it so strong and powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression. Perhaps someday in the future there will be a magical moment when the countries of the world will get together to eliminate their nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, we are not there yet.Last year, I also pledged that we would work with our allies to extinguish ISIS from the face of the Earth. One year later, I am proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated almost 100 percent of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria. But there is much more work to be done. We will continue our fight until ISIS is defeated.Army Staff Sergeant Justin Peck is here tonight. Near Raqqa last November, Justin and his comrade, Chief Petty Officer Kenton Stacy, were on a mission to clear buildings that ISIS had rigged with explosives so that civilians could return to the city.Clearing the second floor of a vital hospital, Kenton Stacy was severely wounded by an explosion. Immediately, Justin bounded into the booby-trapped building and found Kenton in bad shape. He applied pressure to the wound and inserted a tube to reopen an airway. He then performed CPR for 20 straight minutes during the ground transport and maintained artificial respiration through 2 hours of emergency surgery.Kenton Stacy would have died if not for Justin’s selfless love for a fellow warrior. Tonight, Kenton is recovering in Texas. Raqqa is liberated. And Justin is wearing his new Bronze Star, with a “V” for “Valor.” Staff Sergeant Peck: All of America salutes you.Terrorists who do things like place bombs in civilian hospitals are evil. When possible, we annihilate them. When necessary, we must be able to detain and question them. But we must be clear: Terrorists are not merely criminals. They are unlawful enemy combatants. And when captured overseas, they should be treated like the terrorists they are.In the past, we have foolishly released hundreds of dangerous terrorists, only to meet them again on the battlefield — including the ISIS leader, al-Baghdadi.So today, I am keeping another promise. I just signed an order directing Secretary Mattis to reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay.I am also asking the Congress to ensure that, in the fight against ISIS and al-Qa’ida, we continue to have all necessary power to detain terrorists — wherever we chase them down.Our warriors in Afghanistan also have new rules of engagement. Along with their heroic Afghan partners, our military is no longer undermined by artificial timelines, and we no longer tell our enemies our plans.Last month, I also took an action endorsed unanimously by the Senate just months before: I recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.Shortly afterwards, dozens of countries voted in the United Nations General Assembly against America’s sovereign right to make this recognition. American taxpayers generously send those same countries billions of dollars in aid every year.That is why, tonight, I am asking the Congress to pass legislation to help ensure American foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests, and only go to America’s friends.As we strengthen friendships around the world, we are also restoring clarity about our adversaries.When the people of Iran rose up against the crimes of their corrupt dictatorship, I did not stay silent. America stands with the people of Iran in their courageous struggle for freedom.I am asking the Congress to address the fundamental flaws in the terrible Iran nuclear deal.My Administration has also imposed tough sanctions on the communist and socialist dictatorships in Cuba and Venezuela.But no regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.North Korea’s reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland.We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening.Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation. I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this dangerous position.We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and our allies.Otto Warmbier was a hardworking student at the University of Virginia. On his way to study abroad in Asia, Otto joined a tour to North Korea. At its conclusion, this wonderful young man was arrested and charged with crimes against the state. After a shameful trial, the dictatorship sentenced Otto to 15 years of hard labor, before returning him to America last June — horribly injured and on the verge of death. He passed away just days after his return.Otto’s Parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, are with us tonight — along with Otto’s brother and sister, Austin and Greta. You are powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world, and your strength inspires us all. Tonight, we pledge to honor Otto’s memory with American resolve.Finally, we are joined by one more witness to the ominous nature of this regime. His name is Mr. Ji Seong-ho.In 1996, Seong-ho was a starving boy in North Korea. One day, he tried to steal coal from a railroad car to barter for a few scraps of food. In the process, he passed out on the train tracks, exhausted from hunger. He woke up as a train ran over his limbs. He then endured multiple amputations without anything to dull the pain. His brother and sister gave what little food they had to help him recover and ate dirt themselves — permanently stunting their own growth. Later, he was tortured by North Korean authorities after returning from a brief visit to China. His tormentors wanted to know if he had met any Christians. He had — and he resolved to be free.Seong-ho traveled thousands of miles on crutches across China and Southeast Asia to freedom. Most of his family followed. His father was caught trying to escape, and was tortured to death.Today he lives in Seoul, where he rescues other defectors, and broadcasts into North Korea what the regime fears the most ‑- the truth.Today he has a new leg, but Seong-ho, I understand you still keep those crutches as a reminder of how far you have come. Your great sacrifice is an inspiration to us all.Seong-ho’s story is a testament to the yearning of every human soul to live in freedom.It was that same yearning for freedom that nearly 250 years ago gave birth to a special place called America. It was a small cluster of colonies caught between a great ocean and a vast wilderness. But it was home to an incredible people with a revolutionary idea: that they could rule themselves. That they could chart their own destiny. And that, together, they could light up the world.That is what our country has always been about. That is what Americans have always stood for, always strived for, and always done.Atop the dome of this Capitol stands the Statue of Freedom. She stands tall and dignified among the monuments to our ancestors who fought and lived and died to protect her.Monuments to Washington and Jefferson — to Lincoln and King.Memorials to the heroes of Yorktown and Saratoga — to young Americans who shed their blood on the shores of Normandy, and the fields beyond. And others, who went down in the waters of the Pacific and the skies over Asia.And freedom stands tall over one more monument: this one. This Capitol. This living monument to the American people.A people whose heroes live not only in the past, but all around us — defending hope, pride, and the American way.They work in every trade. They sacrifice to raise a family. They care for our children at home. They defend our flag abroad. They are strong moms and brave kids. They are firefighters, police officers, border agents, medics, and Marines.But above all else, they are Americans. And this Capitol, this city, and this Nation, belong to them.Our task is to respect them, to listen to them, to serve them, to protect them, and to always be worthy of them.Americans fill the world with art and music. They push the bounds of science and discovery. And they forever remind us of what we should never forget: The people dreamed this country. The people built this country. And it is the people who are making America great again.As long as we are proud of who we are, and what we are fighting for, there is nothing we cannot achieve.As long as we have confidence in our values, faith in our citizens, and trust in our God, we will not fail.Our families will thrive.Our people will prosper.And our Nation will forever be safe and strong and proud and mighty and free.Thank you, and God bless America.
Full text of President Donald Trump's 80-minute State of the Union speech delivered Tuesday night:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and my fellow Americans:
Less than 1 year has passed since I first stood at this podium, in this majestic chamber, to speak on behalf of the American People — and to address their concerns, their hopes, and their dreams. That night, our new Administration had already taken swift action. A new tide of optimism was already sweeping across our land.
Each day since, we have gone forward with a clear vision and a righteous mission — to make America great again for all Americans.
Over the last year, we have made incredible progress and achieved extraordinary success. We have faced challenges we expected, and others we could never have imagined. We have shared in the heights of victory and the pains of hardship. We endured floods and fires and storms. But through it all, we have seen the beauty of America’s soul, and the steel in America’s spine.
Each test has forged new American heroes to remind us who we are, and show us what we can be.
We saw the volunteers of the “Cajun Navy,” racing to the rescue with their fishing boats to save people in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane.
We saw strangers shielding strangers from a hail of gunfire on the Las Vegas strip.
We heard tales of Americans like Coast Guard Petty Officer Ashlee Leppert, who is here tonight in the gallery with Melania. Ashlee was aboard one of the first helicopters on the scene in Houston during Hurricane Harvey. Through 18 hours of wind and rain, Ashlee braved live power lines and deep water, to help save more than 40 lives. Thank you, Ashlee.
We heard about Americans like firefighter David Dahlberg. He is here with us too. David faced down walls of flame to rescue almost 60 children trapped at a California summer camp threatened by wildfires.
To everyone still recovering in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, California, and everywhere else — we are with you, we love you, and we will pull through together.
Some trials over the past year touched this chamber very personally. With us tonight is one of the toughest people ever to serve in this House — a guy who took a bullet, almost died, and was back to work three and a half months later: the legend from Louisiana, Congressman Steve Scalise.
We are incredibly grateful for the heroic efforts of the Capitol Police Officers, the Alexandria Police, and the doctors, nurses, and paramedics who saved his life, and the lives of many others in this room.
In the aftermath of that terrible shooting, we came together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as representatives of the people. But it is not enough to come together only in times of tragedy. Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people we were elected to serve.
Over the last year, the world has seen what we always knew: that no people on Earth are so fearless, or daring, or determined as Americans. If there is a mountain, we climb it. If there is a frontier, we cross it. If there is a challenge, we tame it. If there is an opportunity, we seize it.
So let us begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong.
And together, we are building a safe, strong, and proud America.
Since the election, we have created 2.4 million new jobs, including 200,000 new jobs in manufacturing alone. After years of wage stagnation, we are finally seeing rising wages.
Unemployment claims have hit a 45-year low. African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded, and Hispanic American unemployment has also reached the lowest levels in history.
Small business confidence is at an all-time high. The stock market has smashed one record after another, gaining $8 trillion in value. That is great news for Americans’ 401k, retirement, pension, and college savings accounts.
And just as I promised the American people from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history.
Our massive tax cuts provide tremendous relief for the middle class and small businesses.
To lower tax rates for hardworking Americans, we nearly doubled the standard deduction for everyone. Now, the first $24,000 earned by a married couple is completely tax-free. We also doubled the child tax credit.
A typical family of four making $75,000 will see their tax bill reduced by $2,000 — slashing their tax bill in half.
This April will be the last time you ever file under the old broken system — and millions of Americans will have more take-home pay starting next month.
We eliminated an especially cruel tax that fell mostly on Americans making less than $50,000 a year — forcing them to pay tremendous penalties simply because they could not afford government-ordered health plans. We repealed the core of disastrous Obamacare — the individual mandate is now gone.
We slashed the business tax rate from 35 percent all the way down to 21 percent, so American companies can compete and win against anyone in the world. These changes alone are estimated to increase average family income by more than $4,000.
Small businesses have also received a massive tax cut, and can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
Here tonight are Steve Staub and Sandy Keplinger of Staub Manufacturing — a small business in Ohio. They have just finished the best year in their 20-year history. Because of tax reform, they are handing out raises, hiring an additional 14 people, and expanding into the building next door.
One of Staub’s employees, Corey Adams, is also with us tonight. Corey is an all-American worker. He supported himself through high school, lost his job during the 2008 recession, and was later hired by Staub, where he trained to become a welder. Like many hardworking Americans, Corey plans to invest his tax‑cut raise into his new home and his two daughters’ education. Please join me in congratulating Corey.
Since we passed tax cuts, roughly 3 million workers have already gotten tax cut bonuses — many of them thousands of dollars per worker. Apple has just announced it plans to invest a total of $350 billion in America, and hire another 20,000 workers.
This is our new American moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American Dream.
So to every citizen watching at home tonight — no matter where you have been, or where you come from, this is your time. If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve anything.
Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of Nation we are going to be. All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family.
We all share the same home, the same heart, the same destiny, and the same great American flag.
Together, we are rediscovering the American way.
In America, we know that faith and family, not government and bureaucracy, are the center of the American life. Our motto is “in God we trust.”
And we celebrate our police, our military, and our amazing veterans as heroes who deserve our total and unwavering support.
Here tonight is Preston Sharp, a 12-year-old boy from Redding, California, who noticed that veterans’ graves were not marked with flags on Veterans Day. He decided to change that, and started a movement that has now placed 40,000 flags at the graves of our great heroes. Preston: a job well done.
Young patriots like Preston teach all of us about our civic duty as Americans. Preston’s reverence for those who have served our Nation reminds us why we salute our flag, why we put our hands on our hearts for the pledge of allegiance, and why we proudly stand for the national anthem.
Americans love their country. And they deserve a Government that shows them the same love and loyalty in return.
For the last year we have sought to restore the bonds of trust between our citizens and their Government.
Working with the Senate, we are appointing judges who will interpret the Constitution as written, including a great new Supreme Court Justice, and more circuit court judges than any new administration in the history of our country.
We are defending our Second Amendment, and have taken historic actions to protect religious liberty.
And we are serving our brave veterans, including giving our veterans choice in their healthcare decisions. Last year, the Congress passed, and I signed, the landmark VA Accountability Act. Since its passage, my Administration has already removed more than 1,500 VA employees who failed to give our veterans the care they deserve — and we are hiring talented people who love our vets as much as we do.
I will not stop until our veterans are properly taken care of, which has been my promise to them from the very beginning of this great journey.
All Americans deserve accountability and respect — and that is what we are giving them. So tonight, I call on the Congress to empower every Cabinet Secretary with the authority to reward good workers — and to remove Federal employees who undermine the public trust or fail the American people.
In our drive to make Washington accountable, we have eliminated more regulations in our first year than any administration in history.
We have ended the war on American Energy — and we have ended the war on clean coal. We are now an exporter of energy to the world.
In Detroit, I halted Government mandates that crippled America’s autoworkers — so we can get the Motor City revving its engines once again.
Many car companies are now building and expanding plants in the United States — something we have not seen for decades. Chrysler is moving a major plant from Mexico to Michigan; Toyota and Mazda are opening up a plant in Alabama. Soon, plants will be opening up all over the country. This is all news Americans are unaccustomed to hearing — for many years, companies and jobs were only leaving us. But now they are coming back.
Exciting progress is happening every day.
To speed access to breakthrough cures and affordable generic drugs, last year the FDA approved more new and generic drugs and medical devices than ever before in our history.
We also believe that patients with terminal conditions should have access to experimental treatments that could potentially save their lives.
People who are terminally ill should not have to go from country to country to seek a cure — I want to give them a chance right here at home. It is time for the Congress to give these wonderful Americans the “right to try.”
One of my greatest priorities is to reduce the price of prescription drugs. In many other countries, these drugs cost far less than what we pay in the United States. That is why I have directed my Administration to make fixing the injustice of high drug prices one of our top priorities. Prices will come down.
America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals that sacrificed our prosperity and shipped away our companies, our jobs, and our Nation’s wealth.
The era of economic surrender is over.
From now on, we expect trading relationships to be fair and to be reciprocal.
We will work to fix bad trade deals and negotiate new ones.
And we will protect American workers and American intellectual property, through strong enforcement of our trade rules.
As we rebuild our industries, it is also time to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.
America is a nation of builders. We built the Empire State Building in just 1 year — is it not a disgrace that it can now take 10 years just to get a permit approved for a simple road?
I am asking both parties to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve.
Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment we need.
Every Federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with State and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment — to permanently fix the infrastructure deficit.
Any bill must also streamline the permitting and approval process — getting it down to no more than two years, and perhaps even one.
Together, we can reclaim our building heritage. We will build gleaming new roads, bridges, highways, railways, and waterways across our land. And we will do it with American heart, American hands, and American grit.
We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day’s work. We want every child to be safe in their home at night. And we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love.
We can lift our citizens from welfare to work, from dependence to independence, and from poverty to prosperity.
As tax cuts create new jobs, let us invest in workforce development and job training. Let us open great vocational schools so our future workers can learn a craft and realize their full potential. And let us support working families by supporting paid family leave.
As America regains its strength, this opportunity must be extended to all citizens. That is why this year we will embark on reforming our prisons to help former inmates who have served their time get a second chance.
Struggling communities, especially immigrant communities, will also be helped by immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American workers and American families.
For decades, open borders have allowed drugs and gangs to pour into our most vulnerable communities. They have allowed millions of low-wage workers to compete for jobs and wages against the poorest Americans. Most tragically, they have caused the loss of many innocent lives.
Here tonight are two fathers and two mothers: Evelyn Rodriguez, Freddy Cuevas, Elizabeth Alvarado, and Robert Mickens. Their two teenage daughters — Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens — were close friends on Long Island. But in September 2016, on the eve of Nisa’s 16th Birthday, neither of them came home. These two precious girls were brutally murdered while walking together in their hometown. Six members of the savage gang MS-13 have been charged with Kayla and Nisa’s murders. Many of these gang members took advantage of glaring loopholes in our laws to enter the country as unaccompanied alien minors ‑- and wound up in Kayla and Nisa’s high school.
Evelyn, Elizabeth, Freddy, and Robert: Tonight, everyone in this chamber is praying for you. Everyone in America is grieving for you. And 320 million hearts are breaking for you. We cannot imagine the depth of your sorrow, but we can make sure that other families never have to endure this pain.
Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to finally close the deadly loopholes that have allowed MS-13, and other criminals, to break into our country. We have proposed new legislation that will fix our immigration laws, and support our ICE and Border Patrol Agents, so that this cannot ever happen again.
The United States is a compassionate nation. We are proud that we do more than any other country to help the needy, the struggling, and the underprivileged all over the world. But as President of the United States, my highest loyalty, my greatest compassion, and my constant concern is for America’s children, America’s struggling workers, and America’s forgotten communities. I want our youth to grow up to achieve great things. I want our poor to have their chance to rise.
So tonight, I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties — Democrats and Republicans — to protect our citizens of every background, color, religion, and creed. My duty, and the sacred duty of every elected official in this chamber, is to defend Americans — to protect their safety, their families, their communities, and their right to the American Dream. Because Americans are dreamers too.
Here tonight is one leader in the effort to defend our country: Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Celestino Martinez — he goes by CJ. CJ served 15 years in the Air Force before becoming an ICE agent and spending the last 15 years fighting gang violence and getting dangerous criminals off our streets. At one point, MS-13 leaders ordered CJ’s murder. But he did not cave to threats or fear. Last May, he commanded an operation to track down gang members on Long Island. His team has arrested nearly 400, including more than 220 from MS-13.
CJ: Great work. Now let us get the Congress to send you some reinforcements.
Over the next few weeks, the House and Senate will be voting on an immigration reform package.
In recent months, my Administration has met extensively with both Democrats and Republicans to craft a bipartisan approach to immigration reform. Based on these discussions, we presented the Congress with a detailed proposal that should be supported by both parties as a fair compromise — one where nobody gets everything they want, but where our country gets the critical reforms it needs.
Here are the four pillars of our plan:
The first pillar of our framework generously offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age — that covers almost three times more people than the previous administration. Under our plan, those who meet education and work requirements, and show good moral character, will be able to become full citizens of the United States.
The second pillar fully secures the border. That means building a wall on the Southern border, and it means hiring more heroes like CJ to keep our communities safe. Crucially, our plan closes the terrible loopholes exploited by criminals and terrorists to enter our country — and it finally ends the dangerous practice of “catch and release.”
The third pillar ends the visa lottery — a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of our people. It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system — one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country.
The fourth and final pillar protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration. Under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives. Under our plan, we focus on the immediate family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children. This vital reform is necessary, not just for our economy, but for our security, and our future.
In recent weeks, two terrorist attacks in New York were made possible by the visa lottery and chain migration. In the age of terrorism, these programs present risks we can no longer afford.
It is time to reform these outdated immigration rules, and finally bring our immigration system into the 21st century.
These four pillars represent a down-the-middle compromise, and one that will create a safe, modern, and lawful immigration system.
For over 30 years, Washington has tried and failed to solve this problem. This Congress can be the one that finally makes it happen.
Most importantly, these four pillars will produce legislation that fulfills my ironclad pledge to only sign a bill that puts America first. So let us come together, set politics aside, and finally get the job done.
These reforms will also support our response to the terrible crisis of opioid and drug addiction.
In 2016, we lost 64,000 Americans to drug overdoses: 174 deaths per day. Seven per hour. We must get much tougher on drug dealers and pushers if we are going to succeed in stopping this scourge.
My Administration is committed to fighting the drug epidemic and helping get treatment for those in need. The struggle will be long and difficult — but, as Americans always do, we will prevail.
As we have seen tonight, the most difficult challenges bring out the best in America.
We see a vivid expression of this truth in the story of the Holets family of New Mexico. Ryan Holets is 27 years old, and an officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. He is here tonight with his wife Rebecca. Last year, Ryan was on duty when he saw a pregnant, homeless woman preparing to inject heroin. When Ryan told her she was going to harm her unborn child, she began to weep. She told him she did not know where to turn, but badly wanted a safe home for her baby.
In that moment, Ryan said he felt God speak to him: “You will do it — because you can.” He took out a picture of his wife and their four kids. Then, he went home to tell his wife Rebecca. In an instant, she agreed to adopt. The Holets named their new daughter Hope.
Ryan and Rebecca: You embody the goodness of our Nation. Thank you, and congratulations.
As we rebuild America’s strength and confidence at home, we are also restoring our strength and standing abroad.
Around the world, we face rogue regimes, terrorist groups, and rivals like China and Russia that challenge our interests, our economy, and our values. In confronting these dangers, we know that weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unmatched power is the surest means of our defense.
For this reason, I am asking the Congress to end the dangerous defense sequester and fully fund our great military.
As part of our defense, we must modernize and rebuild our nuclear arsenal, hopefully never having to use it, but making it so strong and powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression. Perhaps someday in the future there will be a magical moment when the countries of the world will get together to eliminate their nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, we are not there yet.
Last year, I also pledged that we would work with our allies to extinguish ISIS from the face of the Earth. One year later, I am proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated almost 100 percent of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria. But there is much more work to be done. We will continue our fight until ISIS is defeated.
Army Staff Sergeant Justin Peck is here tonight. Near Raqqa last November, Justin and his comrade, Chief Petty Officer Kenton Stacy, were on a mission to clear buildings that ISIS had rigged with explosives so that civilians could return to the city.
Clearing the second floor of a vital hospital, Kenton Stacy was severely wounded by an explosion. Immediately, Justin bounded into the booby-trapped building and found Kenton in bad shape. He applied pressure to the wound and inserted a tube to reopen an airway. He then performed CPR for 20 straight minutes during the ground transport and maintained artificial respiration through 2 hours of emergency surgery.
Kenton Stacy would have died if not for Justin’s selfless love for a fellow warrior. Tonight, Kenton is recovering in Texas. Raqqa is liberated. And Justin is wearing his new Bronze Star, with a “V” for “Valor.” Staff Sergeant Peck: All of America salutes you.
Terrorists who do things like place bombs in civilian hospitals are evil. When possible, we annihilate them. When necessary, we must be able to detain and question them. But we must be clear: Terrorists are not merely criminals. They are unlawful enemy combatants. And when captured overseas, they should be treated like the terrorists they are.
In the past, we have foolishly released hundreds of dangerous terrorists, only to meet them again on the battlefield — including the ISIS leader, al-Baghdadi.
So today, I am keeping another promise. I just signed an order directing Secretary Mattis to reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay.
I am also asking the Congress to ensure that, in the fight against ISIS and al-Qa’ida, we continue to have all necessary power to detain terrorists — wherever we chase them down.
Our warriors in Afghanistan also have new rules of engagement. Along with their heroic Afghan partners, our military is no longer undermined by artificial timelines, and we no longer tell our enemies our plans.
Last month, I also took an action endorsed unanimously by the Senate just months before: I recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Shortly afterwards, dozens of countries voted in the United Nations General Assembly against America’s sovereign right to make this recognition. American taxpayers generously send those same countries billions of dollars in aid every year.
That is why, tonight, I am asking the Congress to pass legislation to help ensure American foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests, and only go to America’s friends.
As we strengthen friendships around the world, we are also restoring clarity about our adversaries.
When the people of Iran rose up against the crimes of their corrupt dictatorship, I did not stay silent. America stands with the people of Iran in their courageous struggle for freedom.
I am asking the Congress to address the fundamental flaws in the terrible Iran nuclear deal.
My Administration has also imposed tough sanctions on the communist and socialist dictatorships in Cuba and Venezuela.
But no regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.
North Korea’s reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland.
We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening.
Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation. I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this dangerous position.
We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and our allies.
Otto Warmbier was a hardworking student at the University of Virginia. On his way to study abroad in Asia, Otto joined a tour to North Korea. At its conclusion, this wonderful young man was arrested and charged with crimes against the state. After a shameful trial, the dictatorship sentenced Otto to 15 years of hard labor, before returning him to America last June — horribly injured and on the verge of death. He passed away just days after his return.
Otto’s Parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, are with us tonight — along with Otto’s brother and sister, Austin and Greta. You are powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world, and your strength inspires us all. Tonight, we pledge to honor Otto’s memory with American resolve.
Finally, we are joined by one more witness to the ominous nature of this regime. His name is Mr. Ji Seong-ho.
In 1996, Seong-ho was a starving boy in North Korea. One day, he tried to steal coal from a railroad car to barter for a few scraps of food. In the process, he passed out on the train tracks, exhausted from hunger. He woke up as a train ran over his limbs. He then endured multiple amputations without anything to dull the pain. His brother and sister gave what little food they had to help him recover and ate dirt themselves — permanently stunting their own growth. Later, he was tortured by North Korean authorities after returning from a brief visit to China. His tormentors wanted to know if he had met any Christians. He had — and he resolved to be free.
Seong-ho traveled thousands of miles on crutches across China and Southeast Asia to freedom. Most of his family followed. His father was caught trying to escape, and was tortured to death.
Today he lives in Seoul, where he rescues other defectors, and broadcasts into North Korea what the regime fears the most ‑- the truth.
Today he has a new leg, but Seong-ho, I understand you still keep those crutches as a reminder of how far you have come. Your great sacrifice is an inspiration to us all.
Seong-ho’s story is a testament to the yearning of every human soul to live in freedom.
It was that same yearning for freedom that nearly 250 years ago gave birth to a special place called America. It was a small cluster of colonies caught between a great ocean and a vast wilderness. But it was home to an incredible people with a revolutionary idea: that they could rule themselves. That they could chart their own destiny. And that, together, they could light up the world.
That is what our country has always been about. That is what Americans have always stood for, always strived for, and always done.
Atop the dome of this Capitol stands the Statue of Freedom. She stands tall and dignified among the monuments to our ancestors who fought and lived and died to protect her.
Monuments to Washington and Jefferson — to Lincoln and King.
Memorials to the heroes of Yorktown and Saratoga — to young Americans who shed their blood on the shores of Normandy, and the fields beyond. And others, who went down in the waters of the Pacific and the skies over Asia.
And freedom stands tall over one more monument: this one. This Capitol. This living monument to the American people.
A people whose heroes live not only in the past, but all around us — defending hope, pride, and the American way.
They work in every trade. They sacrifice to raise a family. They care for our children at home. They defend our flag abroad. They are strong moms and brave kids. They are firefighters, police officers, border agents, medics, and Marines.
But above all else, they are Americans. And this Capitol, this city, and this Nation, belong to them.
Our task is to respect them, to listen to them, to serve them, to protect them, and to always be worthy of them.
Americans fill the world with art and music. They push the bounds of science and discovery. And they forever remind us of what we should never forget: The people dreamed this country. The people built this country. And it is the people who are making America great again.
As long as we are proud of who we are, and what we are fighting for, there is nothing we cannot achieve.
As long as we have confidence in our values, faith in our citizens, and trust in our God, we will not fail.
Our families will thrive.
Our people will prosper.
And our Nation will forever be safe and strong and proud and mighty and free.
Thank you, and God bless America.
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| BACA: Taking back our night
Lucia Baca
BACA: Taking back our night
Lucia Baca 12:18 am, Apr 06, 2017
Tomorrow, from 1–3 p.m., the Communication and Consent Educators, The Women’s Center and Unite Against Sexual Assault at Yale will be co-hosting this year’s Take Back the Night Speak Out on Cross Campus.
Since the mid-1970s, college campuses around the world have held TBTN events to provide survivors with a supportive space to share their stories and to raise awareness about sexual assault. The original vision consisted of a speak out where survivors shared experiences of violence and then participated in a nighttime march intended to “reclaim” dangerous spaces. But this model often left survivors feeling defeated and hopeless and played on racialized tropes (most of the “dangerous” spaces were low-income communities of color), so ours is much different. In the hopes of creating a supportive, empowering and constructive experience, Yale’s TBTN consists of a series of events that provide many options to engage with issues of sexual respect alongside a powerful daytime Speak Out that invites all of us — each and every member of the Yale community — to build a positive sexual climate.
I attended the Speak Out for the first time last year, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Admittedly, I was a little nervous. I had been working as a CCE for about a year and had come to care very deeply about creating a culture of sexual respect on our campus. After a long and emotionally taxing year, I wanted to know that other people cared too, that they would support Yale survivors. I wanted to know that other people were fighting this fight too. It wasn’t always easy, but in the end, I felt hopeful.
The Speak Out will be an opportunity for the Yale campus to come together and reflect about our campus sexual climate, but also an opportunity to feel — to express our joy, anger, excitement, resentment, relief and everything in between. It will feature a patchwork of stories — some of violation and violence, some of choice and empowerment. Some of us will share experiences, others will read spoken word poetry and still others will sing. It will be a space in which survivors can feel acknowledged, supported and loved. And it will be a space in which all of us, people from every corner and community on our campus, can come together to discuss sexual respect.
Yet we won’t just speak; we will also listen. We will listen to our peers speak about their pain, their hopes, their disappointments and their courage. We will listen to our peers, and we will make them feel supported, maybe by nodding, hugging, crying, snapping or even by the simple act of truly hearing — and respecting — what they have to say. Sometimes it will be difficult and other times uplifting, but the important thing is that we’re all standing together in solidarity.
There will be a lot to be learned from the mosaic of the Speak Out. The stories told will broaden the narrative of sexual misconduct. They will show us that sexual disrespect is never okay, even when it doesn’t rise to the level of harassment or assault. They will move us past the mold of “victimhood” to see that there is no singular way to react to sexual violence. They will challenge us not to think of survivors in terms of dichotomies — broken or not broken, angry or not angry, silent or vocal. The many stories of TBTN will reaffirm the importance of supporting our friends and peers and of creating a Yale that respects, values and empowers everyone around us. Sexual assault is something that happens to someone, not something that defines them.
All in all, the Speak Out — and TBTN in general — is about our community values. It will ask us to reflect on what we want in our spaces, in our groups and in our lives. And most importantly, it will move us to consider how to go about changing our campus culture.
Lucia Baca is a senior in Pierson College. She is a Communication and Consent Educator. Contact her at lucia.baca@yale.edu .
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John Humphrys - Can Number Ten Control Everything?
John Humphrys
February 14, 2020, 12:56 PM UTC
To most people cabinet reshuffles are pretty boring events best left to the intense gaze of those involved and of anoraks obsessed with the political soap opera of who’s in, who’s out, who’s up, who’s down. But this week’s may turn out to have been of wider and more long-lasting interest. And that’s because of a dramatic event that wasn’t part of the planned storyline at all: the abrupt resignation of the Chancellor, Sajid Javid. He was the only minister who, before the election, receive a promise from Boris Johnson that he would definitely keep his job. He resigned because he refused to accept Johnson’s demand that he sack all his own political advisers and rely solely on Number Ten’s. The demand was a blatant power grab: Johnson, or perhaps more precisely his own team of political advisers under Dominic Cummings, appear to believe they should control everything. Should they? And can they?
There were signs of trouble last August, shortly after Mr Johnson entered Downing Street and installed Mr Javid as his chancellor. Peremptorily, Mr Cummings sacked one of Mr Javid’s advisers, Sonia Khan, without even bothering to ask the Chancellor whether or not he minded. He did, and he fumed, but he swallowed his pride and carried on without her.
This time it was very different. In an hour-long confrontation in Downing Street on Thursday morning the Prime Minister tried to persuade the Chancellor to change the terms on which they operated. Mr Johnson wanted to put an end to what his team saw as unwarranted and undesirable independence on the Treasury’s part over everything from policy to press briefings. This independence had to be stopped, they decided, and the way to do it was to bring together the separate political operations in Number Ten and in the Treasury under one roof. Number Ten’s roof, of course. This would mean Mr Javid having to sack all his own political advisers and rely only on what Mr Johnson’s advisers told him.
This he refused to do. He said in his letter of resignation: ‘I don’t believe any self-respecting minister would accept such conditions.’
To many observers, Thursday’s showdown was not so much between Mr Javid and Mr Johnson as between Mr Javid and Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister’s chief adviser, who has been allowed to accumulate an extraordinary degree of power in Downing Street. He has made all ministers’ special advisers, or SPADs as they are known, answerable to him and he assembles them for a meeting every Friday evening. He has acquired a reputation for enjoying the ruthless and even brutal exercise of this power. He was reported as signing off last Friday’s meeting (before the reshuffle) by saying ‘See you all next week … or, at least, half of you’. A joke, perhaps, or possibly a boast at the pleasurable prospect of wielding the knife. Certainly he has let it be known that he brooks no dissent and some see the downfall of Mr Javid as deliberately plotted. Others think that a calculation was made that the Chancellor would buckle, as he had done last August. If so, then the calculation was wrong. But the outcome shows that the Prime Minister was keener to keep his chief adviser than his chancellor.
The events of Thursday morning may seem astonishing and even merciless but to some they were necessary. There is no doubting that rivalry and tension had been rising between the teams behind the two most important people in the government – and history tells us that dissent between Number Ten and Number Eleven Downing Street causes trouble that can prove fatal.
Margaret Thatcher also fell out with her longest-serving chancellor, Nigel Lawson, also over the issue of advisers - though in their case it was the Prime Minister’s adviser who got under the nose of her chancellor. Tony Blair and his chancellor, Gordon Brown, became so antagonistic to each other that their two teams were compared to rival mafia gangs engaged in a constant warfare of drive-by shootings. Within less than a year of becoming prime minister, Theresa May had become so resentful of her independent-minded chancellor, Phillip Hammond, that the press was briefed that she was going to sack him. He survived only because she was so badly weakened when she lost her majority in the 2017 election.
Mr Johnson’s supporters say all that proves the need for some sort of unified political operation between Downing Street and the Treasury. And they cite the example of David Cameron and his chancellor, George Osborne, who operated on those lines between 2010 and 2016. What they don’t add, but might, is that Mr Cameron was not averse to sacking his ministers’ advisers when he thought they were disrupting government unity. He ordered his education secretary, Michael Gove, to get rid of his chief adviser: a certain Dominic Cummings.
If that is the defence of Thursday’s blood-letting, it doesn’t wash with everyone and for several reasons. In the first place, if a joint political operation run from Number Ten is so important, why didn’t Mr Johnson insist on it from the outset, when he first appointed Mr Javid to the job of chancellor?
Secondly, there is the question of whether such control from the centre is feasible. Mr Cummings is well-known to have studied in depth how effective leaders such as Bismarck and Lenin operated. He is also impressed by the organisation behind some massive operations such as the Manhattan Project, which delivered the atomic bomb, and the Apollo Programme, which put a man on the moon. He wants to bring the same effective control and discipline to British government.
The trouble is, say his critics, that none of these models had to take on board the sort of democratic constraints that modern government cannot avoid. Parliamentary democratic politics have their own dynamics. For example, however much the new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, may have agreed to the terms of the job Mr Javid refused, he has actually been handed the opportunity to exercise much more independence than his predecessor – if only because the Prime Minister would find it immensely politically costly to lose a second chancellor. As he settles into his new job, Mr Sunak may find it increasingly tempting to flex his muscles.
In short, the critics say, modern democratic government requires much more consensus and compromise between independent figures than Mr Cummings, with his models of Bismarck and Lenin, seems to acknowledge. What’s more, they say, modern government is now so immense and complex that it cannot be micro-controlled from the centre. Gordon Brown tried to do it, they say, and look where that led.
But there is another issue beyond whether an all-powerful Number Ten can control everything: it is whether it should. This is really about whether government is best when there is a single mind directing it or when different views are allowed to compete with each other. Cabinet government is traditionally defended precisely on this latter view. Rather than have a single, presidential or monarchical figure taking all the decisions, they say, it’s better to have a cabinet of strong, independent-minded figures argue things out before a decision is taken.
It would seem, though, that those currently occupying Number Ten don’t take this view. Another significant departure from the Cabinet was the Northern Ireland Secretary, Julian Smith. He didn’t resign. He was sacked, even though many in Northern Ireland thought he had done a first-rate job. Amongst other things, he helped get the Stormont government up and running again after three years of stalemate. His sin , it seems, to have shown independence of mind in Cabinet on a range of issues beyond his own brief.
What’s perhaps most interesting about all this is that, despite appearances, Mr Johnson may well know that he neither can nor should try to run everything even if Mr Cummings believes he must. When he was Mayor of London, Mr Johnson behaved in exactly the opposite way Mr Brown did as prime minister. He wasn’t really very much interested in policy, it was said, and still less in getting stuck into the detail. Instead, he appointed independent-minded people, gave them a broad direction in which to go, and let them get on with it. His job was to be the political front of the operation and it worked. He was elected elected twice as a Conservative in a very Labour city.
What this suggests is that the question of whether Number Ten can or should try to run everything is a question on which Mr Johnson and Mr Cummings may actually disagree. In which case it may be only a matter of time before the two of them fall out. We shall see.
So what do you make of Sajid Javid’s resignation? What brought it about, and do you think Number Ten is trying to take too much power into its own hands?
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[ November 6, 2020 ] How Ezra the Great fed the poor of Aley General News
[ November 5, 2020 ] 11/05 Links Pt2: The Guardian newspaper goes full Electronic Intifada; Trump’s legacy is guaranteed regardless of election outcome; Israel’s Bobsled Athletes Aim to Go Where No Israeli Has Gone Before General News
[ November 5, 2020 ] Houthis look a bit like….Nazis General News
[ November 5, 2020 ] Despite Industry’s Failures In 2016, 2020, Abbas Trusts Polls Showing He Better Not Call Elections Ever (PreOccupied Territory) General News
[ November 5, 2020 ] 11/05 Links Pt1: A New Understanding Dawns in the Middle East; Israeli Minister Warns Potential Biden Policy Change on Iran Could Lead to War; Blaming the victim: Theo van Gogh, and the end of Free Speech General News
[ November 5, 2020 ] This is what Palestinians consider an "achievement" General News
[ November 5, 2020 ] Book review: who colonised whom and when will we care? General News
[ November 5, 2020 ] No one at the UN has used the term "Temple Mount" since 2019 General News
HomeGeneral NewsAIPAC criticizes Netanyahu: Q&A
AIPAC criticizes Netanyahu: Q&A
February 24, 2019 Ziy0nadmin General News
http://abuyehuda.com/2019/02/aipac-criticizes-netanyahu-qa/
Binyamin Netanyahu incurred the wrath of numerous diaspora Jewish organizations last week, including AIPAC, which almost never criticizes an Israeli PM. The issue might be a bit confusing for some, so here are some questions and answers:
Q: What did Bibi do now?
A: He pretty much guaranteed that the extreme right-wing party called Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) would have seats in the Knesset.
Q: How did he do that?
A: Under Israel’s on system, the 120 seats in the Knesset will be divided up between the parties that get more than 3.25% of the vote each, in proportion to the number of votes that they get. Votes for a party that does not reach the 3.25% cutoff will be lost. So it is to the advantage of small parties to join together. They can actually merge, or they can run jointly just for the election. In the latter case, if the joint list gets enough votes, its component parties will divide up the seats in a prearranged way afterwards, and then go their separate ways. Bibi urged and cajoled – even pressured – several small right-wing parties to include Otzma in their joint list.
Q: Why?
A: Because of what happens after the election. After the votes are counted, since no single party will have a majority (there are fifteen parties that might pass the cutoff running), Israel’s President will ask the candidate that he believes has the best chance of making a coalition of 61 seats or more to attempt to form a coalition. This is usually the party with the most votes, but it need not be. Indeed, according to today’s polls, Gantz’ party will get the most votes, but Bibi would be more likely to be able to make a coalition with parties to the right of his Likud than Gantz with parties to his left. So Bibi wants to maximize the number of seats among his possible coalition partners, and avoid losing seats from parties that don’t make the 3.25% cutoff. Otzma was close to the cutoff, and running jointly with two other parties will ensure that it gets in. Even if it does not join Bibi’s coalition – it probably wouldn’t, and chances are, it won’t be asked – its seats (one or two) will come from the total of 120, and reduce the number available to the other side.
Q: Is the election that close?
A: It’s impossible to say this early. But with the coalition system, anything can happen.
Q: So what’s wrong with Otzma being in the Knesset? After all, it will end up with a number of seats proportional to the number of votes that it got.
A: In my opinion, nothing. That’s called “democracy.” But AIPAC, following other “centrist” Jewish groups including the ADL, and the American Jewish Committee (AJC), called the party “racist and reprehensible.” This represents a major departure for AIPAC, which until now has stayed out of Israeli politics.
Q: Doesn’t Otzma draw inspiration from the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, who was banned from running for the Knesset for racism? Aren’t its views racist? Perhaps Americans don’t understand the situation here, but even Israeli David Horovitz, the centrist editor of the Times of Israel, calls it “a group of racists” and sharply criticizes Netanyahu for his “despicable” maneuver.
A: This is going to be a long answer.
“Racist” is a word beloved by many, especially in the US, where its use has become symptomatic of a national obsession. There is no word more triggering for Americans than “racist,” no accusation so damning. What it actually means in an Israeli-Arab context is not obvious. Both Jews and Arabs come in every color, from the blackest of Ethiopian Jews to the blonde hair and blue eyes of Ahed Tamimi, the celebrity slapper of IDF soldiers. There are plenty of reasons – some better than others – that Jews and Arabs dislike, distrust, and even hate each other, and “race” doesn’t come into it (although perhaps religious-based Islamic Jew-hatred comes closest to what would be called “racism”).
But the accusation of racism functions in the same way here as in the US. It’s an on-off switch, or, better, a guillotine. When a person or political party is successfully labeled “racist,” then nothing they say and no position that they advocate is acceptable. They join the class of Nazis, pogromists, assassins, and mass murderers. People are considered justified in punching them. It goes without saying that such a person or group is not given the right to be heard or – even more so – to hold political office.
This is dangerous. Political parties need to be judged by their platforms and programs, not read out of the human race. There are laws against incitement or actual violence – there don’t also need to be laws against thought-crime, or limits on democratic elections. I think it was wrong to bar Kahane from the Knesset, especially if the same sanction wasn’t applied to the inciting Haneen Zoabi, who, among other things, sailed on the 2010 flotilla to Gaza and claimed that the “activists” had no plans for violence (until video surfaced of her standing next to Turks with pipes and iron bars).
All of the Otzma Yehudit platform (Hebrew) doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t think its concept of law leaves room for secular Jews, non-Orthodox Jews, or non-Jews in Israel. I don’t want to live in a halachic state. On the other hand, it calls for Jewish settlement of all of Eretz Israel, a death penalty for terrorist murderers, reestablishment of Jewish sovereignty on the Temple Mount, encouraging Arabs to emigrate, and other things that I strongly support. Would I vote for them? No, but I don’t believe that they should be barred from the Knesset.
Q: How did Bibi respond?
A: He didn’t mention AIPAC, but pointed out the hypocrisy of left-wing critics whose own parties or candidates cooperated with anti-Zionist Arab parties or politicians.
Q: As an American-Israeli, how do you feel about AIPAC’s statement?
A: I was surprised, since they normally maintain a distance from the rough-and-tumble of Israeli politics. They were fooled. If they understood Israeli politics, they might have put this into perspective as a technical maneuver to improve Bibi’s chance of forming a coalition and becoming PM, and to prevent Gantz and the Left from doing the same. But Bibi’s opponents were screaming bloody racist murder, because in politics you exploit every opportunity to the fullest; AIPAC and the others were triggered, and jumped when they shouldn’t have.
Q: But what about all the other diaspora Jewish groups?
A: I was disappointed, because it seems to be yet another sign of the movement of the American Jewish community away from Israel, as the older generation leaves Jewish institutions and is replaced by a younger one which does not grasp the continued precarious condition of the Jewish state, and which has been fed a diet of anti-Israel propaganda beginning in elementary school.
Q: What will be with American Jews, anyway?
A: We’re losing them, and we’ll lose more as the old ones die off. Our enemies are doing great propaganda, and it dovetails perfectly with the “progressive” politics that are so popular among young people. I don’t have an answer. Maybe you do.
News In the Spotlight
On Abuse, Donkeys, Mass Murder, and Terrorism
by Ziy0nadmin in General News
http://www.theaugeanstables.com/2016/07/22/on-abuse-donkeys-mass-murder-and-terrorism/In a recent article (HT: CRP), Rebecca Traister argued that rather than focus on Islam or Jihad are truly looking to stem terrorism and mass violence of the sort that happened in Nice, they might [...]
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Half-Baked Humble Pie?
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News & Views from ‘Arlene in Israel’ – “Bye Bye Negotiations”
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A Melbourne ‘terrorist themed’ play praised by Fairfax Media.
https://jewsdownunder.wordpress.com/2014/05/04/a-melbourne-terrorist-themed-play-praised-by-fairfax-media/A play, Wael Zuaiter: Unknown, currently showing in Melbourne, which romanticises a terrorist, was reviewed in the Fairfax media. … this innovative and brilliantly constructed piece of documentary theatre achieves a haunting power through […]
Opinions In the Spotlight
The Islamist Enemy Within, & Christians Without
by Ian in Opinion
http://daphneanson.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-islamist-enemy-within-christians.htmlBy Daphne Anson On learning that 86-year-old Father Jacques Hamel had murdered in his own church in a village near Rouen by Islamist demons who stormed in during Mass and slit his throat, the [...]
Linkdumps
07/28 Links Pt2: The ‘Termite’ Infamy and the Jews; Carlos Santana To BDS-Holes: Stop Whining, Complaining and Bitching!
07/28 Links Pt1: Chief PA Peace Negotiator Condemns ‘Criminal’ Killing of Hamas Terrorist; Summer of terror
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The covid-19 pandemic evokes deja vu, and is something that was foreshadowed in lessons never learned from the AIDS epidemic.
This section will contend as to why mainstream science and media for largely political reasons have downplayed the likelihood of a lab origin of the novel coronavirus.
To say "lab origin" does not necessarily imply "lab engineered", although that is also a possibility. One of the lessons that has yet to capture enough public attention is simply the lack of wisdom in bringing a wide variety of unknown and potentially dangerous viruses into major population centers, which is precisely what had been going on in Wuhan, China, including bat coronaviruses which are believed to be the progenitors of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.
When important truths are difficult to know or even to investigate, it is helpful at least to identify without inhibition or assumption, all the major branches of possibilities, and to know at least that truth has to reside somewhere amid the permutations:
* accident of nature or human-caused
* lab manipulation of a virus, or simply virus specimens stored in a lab
* accidental release or covert biological attack
Any of those possibilities, as simply a hypothesis rather than a "claim" , is legitimate for postulating and investigating, on the face them. They do not need upfront evidence to support them in order to justify an investigation, because collection of evidence is the major challenge of what the investigation would attempt to yield. Our defense and intelligence services would be remiss in their duties if they failed to acknowledge that any such things are at least theoretical possibilities, to take them seriously, and to attempt to make a determination where truth exists. However, there is no reason for the public to treat these subjects as taboos, and simply wait to be told by higher authorities as to what has really happened. They cannot assume that government institutions will fully inform the public if, for example, discovering that some of the government's own blunders have helped to precipitate an unmitigated crisis.
The "escape from lab" scenario is sometimes branded as "conspiracy theory" in attempt to discredit it, yet there is no "conspiracy" involved. It is surmising merely an accident in a lab, that is hardly unprecedented, including for labs in Wuhan, China, which have had repeated and documented examples of lab accidents, which the reader can easily find in web-search.
On the other hand, the 'seafood market' theory is sometimes stated in mainstream articles as if virtual fact, when it is probably as flimsy as any "conspiracy theory" and could by rights be as easily dismissed as "not supported by the evidence". Among the very earliest cases of covid-19, some had never set foot within the seafood market. In spite of any viral YouTube videos showing a woman eating bat soup, the alleged market in Wuhan was primarily a seafood market, not selling bats or pangolins. The 'seafood market' theory requires the premise that novel coronavirus had to jump first from bats to some other unknown animal in the market, then then to humans. Contrary to a notion planted by right-wing American media, most people in Wuhan and in China do not eat bats. Bats harboring coronaviruses similar to the novel coronavirus are about 1000 miles away, while in contrast the suspected lab in Wuhan is nearby. More likely, the 'seafood market' theory is deliberate propaganda trying to distract from the greater possibility of lab origin.
Moratorium End on 'Gain of Function' Virus Research
A term that needs to enter the public vocabulary:
Gain-of-function (GOF) research involves experimentation that aims to increase the transmissibility and/or virulence of pathogens.
In other words, this refers to lab manipulation to make viruses more contagious and/or more deadly. There had been a moratorium on gain-of-function research in the United States, for obvious reasons, but as a coincidence of timing, the moratorium had been rescinded with little fanfare in Dec 2017. According to the prestigious Lancet journal, the NIH specifically had interest on "gain-of-function' research involving coronaviruses:
NEWSDESK| VOLUME 18, ISSUE 2, P148-149, FEBRUARY 01, 2018
Talha Burki
Published:February, 2018
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30006-9
The US moratorium on gain-of-function experiments has been rescinded, but scientists are split over the benefits--and risks--of such studies.
involving influenza, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.
A moratorium had been in place since October, 2014. At the time, the NIH had stated that the moratorium will be effective until a robust
and broad deliberative process is completed that results in the adoption of a new US Government gain-of- function research policy`.
This process has now concluded.
Fort Detrick Closure
Fort Detrick is a 1,200 acre military facility in Fredrick, Maryland that historically has had some notoriety as the center of U.S. biological warfare research. Their charter today is officially for "biodefense", but there has been some lingering skepticism that the line between defensive and offensive research can be sometimes blurred or misrepresented. In any case, Fort Detrick, like the Wuhan lab, entails research involving warehousing of dangerous pathogens.
Another coincidence of timing is that the Fort Detrick had been shut down in August 2019 for a period of time, due to safety concerns, as reported in the New York Times:
Deadly Germ Research Is Shut Down at Army Lab Over Safety Concerns
Problems with disposal of dangerous materials led the government to suspend
research at the military’s leading biodefense center.
by Denise Grady
Safety concerns at a prominent military germ lab have led the government to
shut down research involving dangerous microbes like the Ebola virus.
`Research is currently on hold,` the United States Army Medical Research
Institute of Infectious Diseases, in Fort Detrick, Md., said in a statement
on Friday. The shutdown is likely to last months, Caree Vander Linden, a
spokeswoman, said in an interview.
The reported issues involved safety of wastewater management, but some of them were apparently multiple issues, some of which were classified and not known to the public. In any case, at least one take-away lesson in the context of the covid-19 pandemic is the danger of harboring dangerous viruses in populated areas and for recurring safety lapses. The term "biosafety" lab is probably a misnomer that would might be better stated as "biodanger" lab.
7th Summer Military World Games
Yet a third coincidence of timing, as reported in the Fredrick News-Post, "Chinese officials have suggested that the coronavirus was created at Fort Detrick. The first conspiracy claim was that soldiers who trained near Fort Detrick brought the disease with them during the World Military Games in October."
Again, to characterize this as a "conspiracy" claim would be misleading unless the Chinese officials intended to imply that the military athletes who were possibly infected were sent deliberately as a covert action to spread disease to China. If athletes were merely infected without their knowing, and spreading accidentally, then there is no "conspiracy".
Fort Detrick and the U.S government of course deny the allegations, but since that is nearly inevitable, it leaves the public with an open question mark.
American media like to portray the Chinese allegation as something absurd or as propaganda, but there is more potential credibility to the suggestion than the media would like to admit. A number of U.S. athletes were ill and been hospitalized in China. The hotel at which they stayed was directly across, in walking distance of the seafood market that was identified as the source of covid-19. A number of employees at the hotel came down with the disease.
Oddly enough, as reported by Global Times, "A Wuhan hospital clarified the clinical diagnoses of five foreign athletes at the 7th CISM Military World Games held in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province in October 2019, saying that they contracted malaria and were not infected by the novel coronavirus."
Obviously, this hospital head and Chinese official who believed that the athletes might have brought covid-19 to Wuhan were not on the same page. The claim of "malaria" is extremely dubious, though, to a point that seems almost knowingly false. Wuhan is modern city, not a Third World backwater. The CDC website, which has malaria warnings for most regions where it might be a problem, had no such warning for Wuhan. In fact, the CDC indicated that Chinese cities with heavy tourism and visited by river cruises are generally not a problem, as is true of Wuhan, on the confluence of the Han and Yangtze Rivers.
Even greater reason for skepticism on the "malaria" claim is that fact that the Americans were not the only ones who became ill. Athletes from other countries did, as well. As quoted in Wikipedia, "A large number of athletes from different delegations around the world had fallen ill with unusual symptoms during the games which some attribute to COVID-19."
From https://prospect.org/coronavirus/did-the-military-world-games-spread-covid-19/ :
"Renowned Italian fencer Matteo Tagliariol told Corriere della Sera newspaper
that he fell ill almost immediately after his return from Wuhan:
`When we arrived in Wuhan we almost all got sick,` said Tagliariol. `But the
worst was the return home. After a week I had a very high fever, I felt that
I wasn't breathing,` added Tagiariol, 37. `The sickness didn't even go away
with antibiotics, I recovered after three weeks and remained debilitated for
a long time. Then my son and my partner got sick. When they started talking
about the virus, I said to myself: I got it too.`"
An important note about malaria is that it is not contagious by person-to-person contact. Each victim would have to be bitten by a malaria-carrying mosquito. For the large number of athletes to be so infected would be exceedingly improbable. It is possible that the athletes were treated with anti-malaria drugs, as has sometimes been attempted with covid-19, but that is very different than having malaria.
There are two major branches of possibility: 1) the American athletes brought SARS-CoV-2 to Wuhan, infected the other athletes, as well as starting the pandemic in Wuhan that was later recognized, the next month, or 2) the covid-19 epidemic was actually already raging in Wuhan earlier than thought, in October instead of when first diagnosed in November. Perhaps this was not realized, or was being at the time covered-up, causing all the athletes to be infected by interaction with the Wuhan population.
It is likely that the Wuhan Military Games in any cases acted as a super-spreader event. In the early days of the U.S. pandemic, the spread seemed so uniform around different parts of the U.S. simultaneously, instead of starting at a few hot spots, and fanning out progressively from there, that it could have given an impression of intentional seeding by covert biological warfare. However, the games themselves might provide a clue of how the widespread distribution had occurred. When the games ended, the American athletes returned to at least 219 home bases in 25 states, without ever being screened for possible COVID-19
infection.
If SARS-CoV-2 were already present in the American athletes before they went to Wuhan, the relevance of training on the Fort Detrick grounds would most likely have to do with interactions with Fort Detrick personnel, in the form of asymptomatic carriers, and not from any contamination of the grounds, themselves.
Questions that should be asked in order to try to determine which scenario is correct: 1) did any of the athletes in fact have a covid-19 diagnosis? 2) did any of the American athletes suffer any symptoms at all before going to Wuhan? 3) when did the first cases of covid-19 really appear in Wuhan: before October 2019, or after?
Toward this end, the Chinese government, to show good faith, should allow foreign investigators to conduct confidential interviews with random Wuhan residents.
To show good faith, the Pentagon would have to be pressured to allow confidential interviews by investigators with all of the American athletes, and release of their medical records.
U.S INVOLVEMENT WITH WUHAN LAB
Even if the Wuhan lab turned out to be the real originator of SARS-CoV-2 rather than Fort Detrick, there is still some possibility of the U.S. sharing in some of the responsibility and negligence. As reported in TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Apr 29, 2020, 18:30 IST:
Top US health advisor Dr Fauci backed controversial Wuhan lab for risky
coronavirus research: Report
NEW DELHI: An organization backed by top US health advisor Dr Anthony Fauci
had funded Chinese scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology for research
on coronavirus, claimed a report published by the globally respected US
weekly magazine Newsweek. In 2019, the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
with the backing of Fauci-led National Institute for Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID), committed $3.7 million over six years for research on bat
coronaviruses in China, according to a report in Newsweek. The research also
included gain of function work, which involves manipulating viruses in the
lab to explore their potential for infecting humans.
The program followed another $3.7 million, 5-year project for collecting and
studying bat coronaviruses, which ended in 2019, bringing the total to $7.4
million, it said. The report comes days after the Trump administration
refused to rule out that the deadly virus leaked out of a laboratory in the
Chinese metropolis of Wuhan, a scenario strenuously denied by Beijing.
AN HIV LINK TO COVID-19?
In 01/2020, the Indian Institute of Technology published a study suggested that the SARS-CoV-2 had gene sequence insertions from HIV:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338957445_Uncanny_similarity_of_unique_inserts_in_the_2019-nCoV_spike_protein_to_HIV-1_gp120_and_Gag
This was entitled "Uncanny similarity of unique inserts in the 2019-nCoV spike protein to HIV-1 gp120 and Gag".
The study identified 4 sections from SARS-CoV-2 that matched HIV. Critics immediately denounced the study and tried to discredit it by saying that many viruses and even tissue from plants matched the same segments. The authors came under heavy pressure to retract their study. The specific segments are relatively short, which allows for more matches. However, the criticisms were overlooking the fact that out of viruses that match all four segments, there were only 3 matches, one of which was HIV.
Corroboration for the study later came from no less than the Nobel-prizing winning co-discoverer of HIV, Luc Montagnier, who proclaimed emphatically that SARS-CoV-2 contained segments from HIV. When asked if this could have been the result of some other natural process, Montagnier was clear, "“No, In order to insert HIV sequences into this (Covid) genome, molecular tools are needed, and that can be only be done in a laboratory.", and in another interview said, "No it’s not natural. It’s a lab work of professional molecular biologists. It’s a very accurate work.. we can say a work of watchmaker.."
Montagnier also said, "The Wuhan city laboratory has specialised in these coronaviruses since the early 2000s, They have expertise in this area."
A Snopes fact-check grudgingly acknowledged Montagnier's statements as a correct attribution, but was quick to add a disclaimer, "Keep in mind, the opinion of one person does not outweigh the consensus of the scientific community." While that might be true, it is also true that scientific community consensus can often bow to heavy political pressure and a might fear creating panic or war-cries in an already-jittery public. However, if Montagnier's allegation were true and simply ignored, there would also be a danger of creating a public complacency that would defeat the sort of mass indignation that could lead to a curtailing of secretive and irresponsible lab experimentation.
In a style typical of pseudo-skeptics who overstate their case, www.europeanscientist.com proclaimed as if unquestionable fact, "No, SARS-CoV-2 does not contain HIV genetic code!", among many similar examples.
A key to the question of whether SARS-Cov-2 has any meaningful relation to HIV is whether the virus' effect on the human body has any functional similarity. Does SARS-Cov-2 cause any immune suppression? Does it destroy T-cells?
That answer can be found easily in web-search:
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200413/Novel-coronavirus-attacks-and-destroys-T-cells-just-like-HIV.aspx
Novel coronavirus attacks and destroys T cells, just like HIV
For some reason, in web-search it is difficult to find the juxtaposition of some of these key revelations, to make a complete picture.
Similarly, Norwegian virologist Birger Sorensen published a study in Cambridge University's QRB Discovery, which also claims that Sars-CoV-2 did not evolve naturally, and was artificially manipulated. "The spike proteins of the virus contain `inserted sections`", said the study.
As reported in asianews.press/2020/06/12 :
Gain Of Function Studies
Birger Sorenson told the news agency that he believes the virus is related to a number of `gain of function studies` being carried out in China.
He also added, that United States and China had been collaborating on such research for many years.
To artificially increase the transmissibility of a virus and for its ease to repeat scientific experiments, the virus are manipulated.
Often referred to as `chimera.`
The inserted sequences should never have been published. Had it been today, it would never have happened. It was a big mistake the Chinese made.
The inserted sequences have a functionality that we describe. We explain why they are essential. But the Chinese pointed to them first.
Montagnier said he believed that the Wuhan lab was trying to make an AIDS vaccine. That seems peculiar as a theory in contrast to "covert biological warfare experimentation", especially if there is evidence of any "gain-of-function" manipulation that might have made a coronavirus more capable of invading human host cells. Perhaps even Montagnier would be shy of a proposition that would be even more politically explosive. Further explanation of the reasons behind the "vaccine" theory would be appropriate.
Another question is whether Chinese virologists have any record of experimentation that specifically involve both coronaviruses and HIV in any way.
Below is an example, from an article that was entitled exactly that, "Researchers in the Wuhan Institute of Virology have worked on or conducted
studies combining SARS-CoV and an HIV pseudovirus in bats and humans."
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) proteins of different bat species
confer variable susceptibility to SARS-CoV entry
Yuxuan Hou, Cheng Peng, Meng Yu, Yan Li, Zhenggang Han, Fang Li, Lin-Fa Wang & Zhengli Shi
Archives of Virology volume 155, pages1563-1569(2010)
The discovery of SARS-like coronavirus in bats suggests that bats could be
the natural reservoir of SARS-CoV. However, previous studies indicated the
angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein, a known SARS-CoV receptor,
from a horseshoe bat was unable to act as a functional receptor for SARS-CoV.
Here, we extended our previous study to ACE2 molecules from seven additional
bat species and tested their interactions with human SARS-CoV spike protein
using both HIV-based pseudotype and live SARS-CoV infection assays. The
results show that ACE2s of Myotis daubentoni and Rhinolophus sinicus support
viral entry mediated by the SARS-CoV S protein, albeit with different
efficiency in comparison to that of the human ACE2. Further, the alteration
of several key residues either decreased or enhanced bat ACE2 receptor
efficiency, as predicted from a structural modeling study of the different
at ACE2 molecules.
Note that date of the study is 2010, nine years before the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, so apparently research of this sort had been going on for quite some time.
Note also the references to ACE2, which is easily found in web-search in relation to covid-19: "The ACE2 receptor is responsible for binding the SAR-CoV2 viral spike and causing COVID-19 infection."
To refer to SARS-CoV-2 as "airborne AIDS" would be oversimplified and misleading. There are significant differences: SARS-CoV-2 can enter and kill T-cells, but does not perform viral replication in them, as does HIV. Although both are RNA viruses, their mechanism of replication is different. Retroviruses such as HIV use an enzyme called reverse transcriptase, which creates DNA from an RNA blueprint, but SARS-CoV-2 does not.
Some more critical questions concerning the origin of SARS-CoV-2: 1) Do the specific gene sequences in SARS-CoV-2 that match HIV have any direct relation to the similarities of infection patterns between HIV and SARS-CoV-2? 2) Do any documented, specific experiments such as the above have any possible bearing on the origins of SARS-CoV-2?
Even a fact of biological warfare research would not mean that the pandemic was an act of biological warfare. Most advanced nations have at least "defensive" research, but that research can be as dangerous as offensive research. Accidental lab release could as easily spawn a global pandemic.
FRANCIS A. BOYLE
Francis Boyle is another figure who is on record in the belief that covid-19 was man-made.
Boyle is a professor of international law at the University of Illinois College of Law. He drafted the U.S. domestic implementing legislation for the Biological Weapons Convention, known as the Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989, that was approved unanimously by both Houses of the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George H.W. Bush.
He believes that covid-19 was man-made as part of a Chinese biological weapons in the Wuhan biosafety level 4 lab.
His commentary is easily found as videos by searching for his name in YouTube.
MAINSTREAM NARRATIVES
The Nov 22 issue of Scientific American provides a good example of bland, mainstream narrative concerning covid-19. It discusses what it calls "insidious falsehoods" about covid-19, starting with the contention that SARS-CoV-2 might have escaped from a lab ("COVID-19 Misinformation That Won't Go Away, by Tanya Lewis".) The article is superficial and condescending in tone, claiming that the lab origin theory is "without evidence".
The entire preceding discussion does not constitute proof, but in the very least is "evidence". It becomes a wave of the hand to morph what is actually "ignored evidence" into simply "no evidence". The article states as virtual fact "WHY IT'S FALSE" about lab origin, based largely on the argument simply that U.S. intelligence agencies say so, as if to say, "end of story, that is all that you need to know."
Should one suppose that U.S. intelligence services or governments base their positions more on 1) their high regard for truth, or 2) what they believe is most to their strategic interests? If the editors of Scientific American wonder why the "misinformation" will not go away, perhaps it has something to do with their adopting a patronizing stance of expert authority, while combining with an almost child-like naivety.
The article also explains under "WHY IT'S FALSE" that Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli, who some suspect of releasing the virus, compared the SARS-CoV-2 with other samples of bat coronavirus that she had collected, and found no similarity. Therefore, Q.E.D, all good. She totally exonerated herself and her lab.
It reminds of investigations of criminal activities by secretive U.S. intelligence agencies, where they investigate themselves and find themselves innocent.
According to the article, "China has invited researchers to discuss the scope" of an independent investigation, but no such investigation has yet taken place. Such an investigation would face an uphill battle in trying to find the truth, long after the fact, when the Chinese government might have a lot of control over what investigators are allowed to see.
There are plenty of reasons why a fact of lab origin, much less biowarfare research origin, could be against either U.S. or Chinese government interests. It would rattle stock markets; it could create dangerous tension between nations. But the public should push back against the mainstream attempts to silence a legitimate discussion on matters that would be of high importance if correct, by methods of name-calling and reputation smearing.
The key intent here is to document that the possibility of lab accident spawning the covid-19 pandemic is substantial, and that attempts to downplay the possibility are rightfully suspected as political. There are more extreme theories: that global elites are staging the pandemic for profit, including from vaccines, or for motive of population control. No possibilities should be completely dismissed, simply out-of-hand, but the purpose in this essay is to focus on the higher probability of the "lab accident" scenario, even if the accident involved research that might have been ultimately aimed at creating an arsenal of biological weapons.
Research for biological weapons does not necessarily imply any intent to deploy them, but more likely, simply to have them on hand, just in case, the same as for nuclear weapons. Probably, if crown jewel secrets could be spilled, it would be found that most major nations are quietly doing the same thing.
The purpose of this essay is also not even so much to advocate for a specific theory, but to outline some key possibilities and to pose questions that merit further investigation.
In the published record of experimentation in the field of microbiology, there is much reason for public concern, yet there is not nearly so much attention or awareness, compared to other security threats like nuclear safety or global warming. The world of classified research in all likelihood would be even more concerning, but the problem is compounded because it is beyond public awareness. When an accident such as the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster occurs, at least it is undeniable and everyone knows what caused the problem. With biological accidents, it can (and most likely always will be) blamed on natural causes and will be forever the subject of speculation. Healthy speculation just might be the only hope to avoid much worse future accidents. The covid-19 pandemic should be a wake-up call to the public that they need to be more concerned with what goes on in laboratories, and their safety measures, and what might be going on behind closed doors.
Countries such as China, Iran and the United States are all prone to suspect and to blame each other, which is counterproductive. All of the major powers are in reality guilty of similar sins when it comes to biological and weapons research. The covid-19 pandemic should also be a reminder why adversarial relationships are hazardous, why diplomacy is not weakness, and how the desire for political and economic dominance is exacerbating situations that could lead to tension and conflict.
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CORPORATE STARATEGY
OUR SCIENCES & PLATFORMS
OUR SCIENCES
A-to-Z CELLS
A-to-Z PLATFORMS
OVERALL PIPELINES
Cellatoz Therapeutics, Inc.
17, Pangyo-ro 228beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13487, Republic of Korea
TEL: +82-(0)31-622-4300 ｜ FAX: +82-(0)31-622-4315 | E-mail: admin@cellatozrx.com
Copyright © CELLATOZ THERAPEUTICS, INC. All rights reserved.
Created by Presscat
Sunmin Hong, B.S.
Mr. Sunmin Hong is an expert in stem cell and cell therapy developments and build & operation of GMP facilities and he has involved in forging and registering at least 6 GMP facilities. He used to work for CHA Biotech, ATGen, NKBio and Boryung Pharmaceuticals etc spanning from pharma to cell therapy biotechs during his career.
He also worked as an inventor of NK cell therapy development as well. Mr. Hong earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Dong-A University.
Jaeseung Lim, Ph.D
Chief Executive Officer & Chief Scientific Officer
Post-Doctorial Fellow, OB/GY, Stanford University
Ph.D, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Leeds (UK)
MSc, Biochemistry, Chemistry Dept., Seoul National University
BS, Chemistry Dept., Seoul National University
Adjunctive Professor, Sookmyung Woman’s University
CEO & CSO, Cellatoz Therapeutics, Inc. (Korea)
CSO/Senior VP, CHA Biotech (Korea)
EVP, NexBio Corp. (Korea)
Co-founder & BoD memeber, MediCell Inc. (Korea, w/ KRIBB)
BoD member, Head of R&D, InnoCell Inc. (Korea)
Sung-Chul Jung, MD, Ph.D
Professor of Department of Biochemistry
Dr. Sung-Chul Jung is a physician and a Professor of Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine at Ewha Woman’s University and served as a director of Institute of Convergence Medicine at Ewha Woman’s University Medical Center. His research interests are therapeutic strategies (cell and gene therapies) for genetic diseases, molecular pathogenesis of inherited metabolic disease and sphingolipid metabolism and function on human health and disease. Dr. Jung and his research team have studied cell therapies using tonsil-derived MSC differentiated into Schwann cells and/or muscle cells.
Myung-Kwan Han, Ph.D
Professor of Department of Microbiology
Dr. Myung-Kwan Han is Professor of Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine at Chonbuk National University and served as a member of review board of National Research Foundation of Republic of Korea. He has been interested in studying regulation mechanisms of embryonic stem cell proliferation and differentiations as well as novel cellular functions of well-known molecules(e.g. insulin). He and his research team recently identified a novel ES-derived musculoskeletal stem cell with evident biological markers.
Akihiro Shimosaka, Ph.D
Chairperson, Asian Cellular Therapy Organization (ACTO)
Dr. Akihiro Shimosaka is a chairman of Asian Cellular Therapy Organization(ACTO) having served from 2010 and is a director of Research Foundation for Community Medicine in Japan. He is one of pioneer developing biotech business creating and operating Kirin-Amgen, a JV company between Kirin and Amgen for commercializing EPO, G-CSF and TPO in 1984. He had various positions and worked as business consultant in different companies including Genentech, Immunex, Dendreon, Anosys, Cerus, Miltenyi, Medarex etc. Furthermore, he has served as a chairman of International Society of Cell Therapy (ISCT) Regulatory Affairs.
Ho Jin Kim, MSc.
Mr. Ho Jin Kim is head of Biology Research responsible for research and development of cell therapies at our company and has lots of experiences in cell culture with specialty in the process development of cell therapeutics. He served as a general manager and head of translation research team at CHABiotech R&D division and contributed to develop CHA Biotech’s extensive regenerative medicine pipelines. He is a member of Cell Therapy, International Society of Cell Therapy (ISCT), International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), and Asian Cell Therapy Organization (ACTO). He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree and Ph.D diploma in biology from Soonchunhyang University.
Andy Byungho Song, MBA, MSc.
Mr. Andy Byungho Song has more than 17 years of industry experiences in the business development and commercialization of novel therapeutics. He took various roles including Licensing, Marketing, New Brand launching , IP management, business planning and operating a subsidiary Indian company during his tenure at LG Life Sciences for 13 years, served as general manager and head of licensing team at CKD Pharm for 3 years, and then served as Vice President of operation & corporate development at Bridge Biotherapeutics, Inc., a Korean biotech company. He holds MBA degree from Korea University, master’s degree. in developmental biology from POSTECH and B.S in biology from Konkuk University.
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Steve Martin - King Tut
Bruce used the song only once:
1978-05-19 - PARAMOUNT THEATRE, ASBURY PARK
Darkness On The Edge Of Town Tour rehearsals with no members of the public present. A brief rendition of the song "King Tut" is performed (often mistakenly identified as "Wooly Bully"). Apparently, the performance of "King Tut" results from an episode they saw of "Saturday Night Live" with comedian Steve Martin on April 22, 1978. Martin opened the show with the song, in an elaborate production number. The response to the song was so great Martin released a single in July that made the Top 10.
"King Tut" is a novelty song performed by Steve Martin and the Toot Uncommons (actually members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band). It was released as a single in 1978, sold over a million copies, and reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Martin previewed the song in a live performance during the April 22, 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live. The song was also included on Martin's album A Wild and Crazy Guy. "King Tut" paid homage to Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun and presents a caricature of the sensational Treasures of Tutankhamun traveling exhibit that toured seven United States cities from 1976 to 1979. The exhibit attracted approximately eight million visitors. In the Saturday Night Live performance of "King Tut," loyal subjects appease a joyful King Tut with kitchen appliances. An instrumental solo is delivered by saxophone player Lou Marini, who steps out of a sarcophagus—painted gold—to great laughter.
King Tut (King Tut)
Now when he was a young man
He never thought he'd see (King Tut)
People stand in line to see the boy king. (King Tut)
How'd you get so funky? (Funky Tut)
Did you do the monkey?
Born in Arizona
Moved to Babylonia (King Tut)
(King Tut) Now, if I'd known
They'd line up just to see him, (King Tut)
I'd taken all my money
And bought me a museum. (King Tut)
Buried with a donkey (Funky Tut)
He's my favorite honkey!
Dancin by the Nile, (Disco Tut)
The ladies love his style, (Boss Tut)
Rockin for a mile (Rockin' Tut)
He ate a crocodile. (Ooh)
He gave his life for tourism. (King Tut)
(Tut, tut) (Tut, tut) Golden idol!
(Tut, tut) (Tut, tut)
(Tut, tut) He's an Egyptian
They're sellin' you (King Tut)
Now, when I die
Now don't think I'm a nut, (King Tut)
Don't want no fancy funeral
Just one like ol' King Tut. (King Tut)
He coulda won a Grammy, (King Tut)
Buried in his jammies
Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia
He was born in Arizona, got a condo made of stone-a
King Tut!
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Islamic State destroys tombs, mosques in Mosul
by The Long War Journal | Jul 26, 2014 | Monitor |
The Islamic State, the jihadist group that controls large areas of both Iraq and Syria, continues to destroy religious sites in the city of Mosul in an effort to eradicate all competing religious groups and their symbols from the city.
On July 24 the Islamic State destroyed the Nabi Yunus Mosque, which had housed the Tomb of Jonah, after destroying the tomb itself earlier this month. Islamic State fighters wired the mosque with explosives and detonated the religious site in broad daylight.
Jonah is recognized as a prophet in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and his tomb was visited and revered by members of all three religions.
The imam of Mosul’s Arahma mosque said that 23 men who had led protests yesterday against the bombing of the Yunus Mosque were flogged by the terror group.
Yesterday, the Islamic State demolished the mosque of the prophet Seth, a son of Adam and Eve, who is also recognized as an important historical and religious figure by all three religions.
Video of the destruction of the two mosques was published on YouTube by News of Iraq.
The demolition of the two religious sites is the latest in the Islamic State’s campaign to destroy tombs and gravesites. More than two dozen religious sites are said to have been destroyed in Mosul since the Islamic State took control of the city on June 10. The Islamic State believes that worshiping at tombs and graves is forbidden in the Koran, and is a form of idol worship.
In early June, the terror group ordered the destruction of all churches in Mosul, and on June 16 a European Union delegation confirmed that the Islamic State had burned down several churches in the city and raped five Iraqi girls.
On July 4, Iraqi News reported that Islamic State fighters had dug up the tomb of the prophet Jonah and destroyed it. According to Ninevah official Zuhair al-Chalabi, the terror group had on that same day “torched 11 churches and monasteries out of 35 scattered across the city of Mosul, and hours later destroyed statues of poets, literary and historical figures of which Mosul has long been proud.” Three Sunni clerics who had tried to resist the Islamic State were murdered.
On July 5, the same day that the Islamic State released video of its leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi addressing followers at a historic Mosul mosque, the group released photos documenting its destruction of at least four Sufi or Sunni shrines as well as six Shiite mosques in Nineveh. Residents of Mosul reported that Islamic State fighters also took over both the Chaldean and the Syrian Orthodox cathedrals in the city, replacing crosses in the two sanctuaries with the terror group’s black flag.
Four days later, video appeared on YouTube showing Islamic State fighters taking a sledgehammer to the tomb of Jonah in Mosul.
The Islamic State isn’t the first jihadist group to act in such a manner. In 2001, the Taliban blew up the ancient Buddhas of Bamyan in Afghanistan. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen, destroyed tombs and graves when it took control of areas of southern Yemen in 2011. And al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and its two affiliates, Ansar Dine and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, razed religious sites, tombs, and a historical library after seizing control of northern Mali in 2012.
The Islamic State has sought to impose its will on Mosul since taking control of the city last month. First, the group announced that it would impose sharia, or Islamic law, and ordered women to cover themselves.
Last week, the Islamic State issued an ultimatum to Christians in Mosul. Christians were given a choice to convert to Islam, remain in the city and pay a tax; leave the city; or be killed. Almost all of the Christians in Mosul, numbering in the thousands, are reported to have left the city. Many have sought refuge in areas controlled by Kurdish forces. It is widely reported that Islamic State fighters have robbed fleeing Christians of their cash, jewelry, and other possessions as well as taken over their houses.
Mosul, a city where Christians have lived for nearly 2,000 years and which was formerly home to the highest concentration of Christians in Iraq, is now virtually empty of them.
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Things you Didnt Know About Shraddha Kapoor
She’s young, she’s cool and she sparkles in front of the camera. I’ve known Shraddha Kapoor for over a year now. Bubbling with life, she’ll ping you on your Blackberry and before you reply, she’s off to sleep. Her first words to me are always, “What’s the gossip Nandu?” That’s Shraddha, carefree and breezy. Her first film Teen Patti failed to make its mark at the box office. And her second outing, Luv Ka The End, also didn’t exactly create magic. But Shraddha, with loads of chutzpah, is surely the find of the season.
We meet for lunch one Saturday afternoon at Pali Village Café. She’s there before me and has already placed the order. And boy can she eat! I feel like ‘a nibbling actress’ playing with my chicken salad as she polishes off two starters and a main course.
The daughter of the well-known Shivani and Shakti Kapoor, Shraddha was inevitably introduced to the film industry at an early age. “My dad would come home with make-up on, his attire would be weird, his hair peculiar and I’d ask, ‘Why are you dressed like this, papa?’ I had no clue what movies were all about. I wondered how he could be someone else on screen and be my dad off screen.” To the extent she even thought he had supernatural powers! This went on until one day, Shakti Kapoor, Indian cinema’s popular baddie, explained things and even suggested she could grow up and act too.
And Shraddha knew she wanted to face the camera. Her growing up years were enveloped in a bubble of compliments about her good looks and suggestions that she seek stardom. And her desire fortified. Her first film Teen Patti happened when producer Ambika Hinduja spotted her on her brother Siddhanth Kapoor’s Facebook account. She remembers, “Ambika saw my pictures on Facebook. She is friends with my brother Siddhanth but didn’t know I was his sister. Later, she put two and two together. The first time I actually got a role, it was with no help from dad. Technically, I got it on my own. They said, ‘Audition karo, if you’re good, we’ll take you.’ That was that.”
Teen Patti was a multi-starrer and not a solo launch. But she was keen to take it on as it was an Amitabh Bachchan and Ben Kingsley film. Unfortunately, the film tanked and Shraddha didn’t benefit from the film. She tells me, “Before Teen Patti released, I auditioned for a really important film. I was dying to get it.
I worked day and night and gave the audition my all. But I didn’t bag the part.” The film was Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s My Friend Pinto opposite Prateik. After Teen Patti released and tanked, Kalki replaced her in the film. This was a real blow to her. She adds, “When I received the call (about being replaced), I went to my mom and told her what had happened. After that I asked her to leave me alone. I went to my room and cried on my bed non-stop for three days.” Then she realised she had to do something about her life and career and that sitting at home wasn’t going to get her any work. Soon she got into the groove and started to look for work. In the process, she was offered a lot of trashy films. Plus, she got a lot of offers from the South for whopping amounts of money but refused because she wanted to concentrate on Hindi cinema. In fact, a fairly well known director even called her up and told her, ‘I’ve seen your first film Shraddha. Would you be interested in being part of an erotic thriller?’ Says Shraddha, “I didn’t know how to refuse him and rather coyly told him, ‘I’m not going into that territory for now’.”
But since she was a pretty face, she sure didn’t go unnoticed. One of India’s most prolific production houses, Yash Raj Films, called her for an audition. She knew she had her second lease of life. They gave her five scenes and two songs to prepare. But she went all out and prepared extra scenes and three songs for them. She excitedly says, “I thought to myself, ‘When Aditya Chopra sees this, his head has to explode. This audition can’t be mediocre, it has to be ‘the audition’, and it has to blow people’s minds’. I gave it my best shot and in a week even bagged the film!”
Director Bumpy’s Luv Ka The End seems to be a hit with the school and college going audience. It dealt with issues of an 18-year-old girl who decides to get back at her boyfriend for taking advantage of her. While the critics have panned the film for its lack of content, also calling it homophobic, she defends her movie saying, “I guarantee you that even the ones who’ve given it negative reviews have laughed a lot. Maybe there is a bit of gay humour here and there. So what’s the big deal, man, get over it, don’t take it so seriously. You’re not even supposed to take life so seriously, let alone this kind of humour. That’s why some people haven’t got it.”
Our conversation veers into more serious territory. I’m very curious to know how it was growing up with father Shakti Kapoor who played the rogue everyone loved to hate. Didn’t she get into fights in school defending him? She smiles, “Well, I never found myself defending him but a lot of my friends were wary of meeting him. I used to find it very funny.” She avoids commenting on the ‘cringe factor’ some of her dad’s films were known for. She says, “I haven’t seen many of my dad’s films that had the cringe factor. I haven’t seen Naughty @ 40. Of late, dad hasn’t been doing such roles. Also, people aren’t going to come up to me and say ‘Your dad wasn’t good in this film’. Who does that, right?”
How did she feel about the sting operation on her father in 2005 where he named some industry personalities being involved in the casting couch syndrome? She takes a minute and replies, “You know those headlines, the sting operation and the whole scandal…
I couldn’t take it the way they were talking about my dad. I just couldn’t watch it. But mom was actually the most pivotal, the strongest person at that point. She said you have to see this and face it. They not only overdid it, but I think my dad was made a scapegoat. It was absolutely wrong. That made me a lot stronger. I remember dad didn’t take that episode very well.” While the entire family was affected, they recovered quickly thanks to mother Shivani’s strength, says Shraddha. She adds, “My mother is very spiritual, she believes the downs in life are not permanent and pulled us through. She has seen a lot in life but she’s always been strong. These things happen in life and you can’t let them bog you down.”
Her elder brother Siddhanth Kapoor is also set to make his entry into showbiz. He is meeting producers and reading scripts looking for the right project. But not so long ago the young lad found himself at the wrong place at the wrong time. The police raided a club he was partying at with his friends. Reportedly, drugs were found and being a star son the media spotlight was on him. While he was eventually given a clean chit, it was again a testing time for the family. Shraddha remembers, “I remember my father and I were shooting together at that time. And both of us were really worried. Who wouldn’t be in such a situation? Luckily, he came out of it. A whole bunch of people were caught, weren’t they? Frankly, we’ve all heard of rave parties at nightclubs. He was out with his friends on a regular night. He just happened to be there and they busted the place.”
All this has only made the newest pin-up girl positive that the going is only going to get better. So is she single? “Maybe,” she answers. I ask her about her ‘close friendship’ with a certain Vanraj Zaveri and she quips, “Maybe. You’re getting none of this information out of me. It’s my personal life.” But her smile cannot lie. Single or not Shraddha has style and spunk like none other. She simply grows on to you.
source:filmfare
Tagged: Bollywood Actressfeatured
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few things
The 10 safest cities in the world for 2018
by jasmine · September 24, 2018
Many countries are doing their utmost to provide their people with security in light of the political upheavals, crimes of violence and racism that have swept the world in the last two decades more than ever before. In this regard, many countries have competed for changes in protection and security systems to facilitate the lives of citizens. In this report we review the list of the 10 safest cities in the world for 2018.
10. Zurich, Switzerland
Switzerland is making a lot of efforts to make its citizens enjoy security. Zurich, which ranks tenth in the rankings, has the highest standard of living in years, partly due to the 81.33 safety index, located near the Alps, making it a favorite for lovers. The adventures of the mountains, as well as the “Banhof Straße”, one of the busiest shopping streets in the world.
9. Bern, Switzerland
Another Swiss city is ranked ninth in the world’s 10 safest cities, Bern, which is the center of Switzerland and can travel to any other city with a safety index of 81.53, and plenty of history and art in museums and parks.
8. Boise, Idaho
Boise, the capital of the state of Idaho, is located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, which has been given many beautiful walking trails, with many galleries, specialty restaurants and museums, with a safety index of 82.29.
7-Taiyi , Taiwan
Taiyi is a charming destination in the scenic East Asia, with 82.62 safety index ranked seventh among the 10 safest cities in the world. Many tourists are looking to see many temples and beautiful buildings, especially the National Museum, which houses the most important collections of Chinese artifacts in the world.
6- Quebec City, Canada
The Canadian city of Quebec is one of the few cities in North America that has retained the city’s original walls. The UNESCO World Heritage Site has been named the UNESCO World Heritage Site, with more than 700,000 people and a safety index of 82.92, The only one in the world, open to visitors from January to April of each year.
5. Singapore, Singapore
Singapore is a city and a state at the same time, with 5.6 million people. It is the second most populous country in the world with a large number of expatriates from all over the world. This has greatly influenced the city’s food culture and the integration of a number of cultures, There are Chinese, Malaysian and Indian communities.
4-Munich, Germany
Munich has a great importance in Germany than Berlin, with many schools and multinationals, making it a leading engineering, research and business city with a safety index of 83.60.
3-Basel, Switzerland
The third most secure city in the world is the Swiss city of Basel, with a safety index of 83.66. It contains 24 art museums located in a very distinctive geographic area. It stands in a border corner sharing Swiss borders with Germany and France. Basel World is one of the world’s largest exhibitions and festivals, the world’s largest jewelry and watch fair.
2-Doha, Qatar
Doha, Qatar, was ranked second among the 10 safest cities in the world, with a safety index of 84.13. Visitors to Qatar can travel freely and safely in Doha, which is home to the Museum of Islamic Art, which includes many Islamic arts from three continents for a period of 1,400 years .
1-Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, has been named the safest city in the world for 2018 with a safety index of 86.46. Although the population of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi exceeds one million people, the number of Emiratis with only 420,000, Their wealth is $ 17 million, while the rest of the population is expatriates from Arab countries, South Asian countries or the United Kingdom.
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few things © 2021. All Rights Reserved.
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Despite pandemic, forecasts predict U.S. online holiday sales increase of 20%-30% or more
November 23, 2020 at 14:25 PM EST
Strong e-commerce sales are predicted to help lift overall holiday retail spending in the U.S., according to forecasts released today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and eMarketer. Both firms expect to see overall retail sales growth during November and December, though the market may be impacted by slowing brick-and-mortar sales. Of the two, NRF […]
Strong e-commerce sales are predicted to help lift overall holiday retail spending in the U.S., according to forecasts released today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and eMarketer. Both firms expect to see overall retail sales growth during November and December, though the market may be impacted by slowing brick-and-mortar sales.
Of the two, NRF had the more optimistic forecast. It estimates U.S. holiday sales during November and December will increase between 3.6% and 5.2% year-over-year, for a total between $755.3 billion and $766.7 billion. That’s compared with a 4% increase in 2019 to $729.1 billion, and an average of a 3.5% increase over the past five years.
Image Credits: NRF
Growth will come from online and other non-store sales, which are included in the total, which will increase between 20% and 30% to reach between $202.5 billion and $218.4 billion. That’s up from $168.7 billion last year.
NRF’s takeaway is that consumers are willing to spend — perhaps because of the challenging year that 2020 has been, rather than despite it.
“After all they’ve been through, we think there’s going to be a psychological factor that they owe it to themselves and their families to have a better-than-normal holiday,” noted NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz. “There are risks to the economy if the virus continues to spread, but as long as consumers remain confident and upbeat, they will spend for the holiday season,” he added.
The firm also noted Americans may have reduced their spending in other categories, like personal services, travel and entertainment due to the pandemic, which could increase the money they have for retail spending.
eMarketer, on the other hand, paints a less rosy picture when it comes to overall sales.
The firm predicts that total holiday season retail sales will see the lowest growth rate at just 0.9% year-over-year. This growth will come from the e-commerce sector, which will see its highest growth rate — 35.8% — since the firm began tracking retail sales in 2008. Brick-and-mortar sales, on the other hand, will decline 4.7%.
The discrepancy between these two firms’ estimates have to do with how they calculate “retail sales.”
eMarketer’s estimates include auto and gasoline sales, but exclude restaurants, travel, and event sales. NRF’s figures, on the other hand, exclude auto, gasoline and restaurants.
However, both agree on an e-commerce surge. NRF notes online sales were already up 36.7% year-over-year in the third quarter — in part, due to early holiday shopping. This year, some 42% of consumers had started shopping earlier than usual, it recently found. Plus, retail sales were up 10.6% in October 2020 versus October 2019, in aggregate, its forecast noted.
But whether it’s 20% to 30% growth or 35.8%, depending on the firm, it’s clear e-commerce is saving the day here.
NRF also expects seasonal hiring to be in line with recent years, as retailers hire between 475,000 and 575,000 seasonal workers compared with 562,000 in 2019. Some of that hiring may have already taken place in October, due to early shopping, it said.
Though Black Friday may not see the same levels of in-person shopping as in years past, brick-and-mortar retailers have made it easier to shop digitally, then either have items shipped home, picked up in-store, or even curbside. Outside of Amazon, Walmart and Target have particularly benefited from investments in e-commerce, as both retailers easily beat Wall St. expectations in their latest earnings reports, released just ahead of the holiday quarter.
Online, however, Cyber Monday will continue to rule, however, eMarketer says.
Image Credits: eMarketer
Of the five big online shopping days in 2020, eMarketer says Cyber Monday will again beat out Black Friday in terms of overall e-commerce sales, at $12.89 billion compared with Black Friday’s $10.20 billion. But Thanksgiving Day will see the most year-over-year growth in e-commerce sales, at 49.5%, followed by Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Sunday and Cyber Monday.
In a mobile forecast, analytics firm App Annie predicted Americans would spend over 110 million hours in shopping apps on Android devices during the two-week period consisting of Black Friday and Cyber Monday weeks. It noted the pandemic had already accelerated mobile device usage to 4 hours, 20 minutes per day, and Americans spent over 61 million hours shopping during the week of Prime Day.
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The Georgia Wasp
A blog of life-reviews by an old guy who still gets a kick out of life.
About my new “Adventures in Old Age” book…
About that “Wasp” name
Was Moses the first to say “it’s only weird if it doesn’t work?”
Moses at the battle of Rephidim: “If I let my arms down, the other team will win!“
Friday, October 9, 2015 – Week 6 of the college football season started last night.
Which means that many or most fans around the country will be doing a bunch of weird rituals and/or superstitions, all to help their team win. (Or avoid jinxing their team, thus causing it to lose.) All of which may sound a bit weird to the more rational among us. (Which doesn’t necessarily exclude the aforementioned college football fans.)
The thing is, this business of “helping your team win” has been around a long, long time. (Longer even than “Touchdown Jesus,” seen at left, visible from Notre Dame stadium …)
In fact, it may all have started with Moses, back at the battle of Rephidim, noted above. There’s more on that later, but first consider “Super”stitions: Fans engage in odd rituals:
[M]any sports enthusiasts have something they do in attempt to increase their team’s odds of winning. It’s possible that these wacky fan behaviors are related to the superstitious actions some athletes take in attempt to improve their luck … like growing beards or eating certain foods because they think the behavior is lucky. Adopting their own rituals is a way that fans can feel like they’re part of a team… “It all comes down to fan identification,” [Dr. Joshua Shuart] said. “They really feel that they’re part of the team.” (E.A.)
But what’s all this about Moses being the first guy who said “It’s only weird if it doesn’t work?”
For that we have to go back to Exodus 17, about 3,500 years ago. Like Pearl Harbor, the dreaded Amalekites launched a sneak attack on the Children of Israel, as they emerged from “the Exodus, at Rephidim near Mount Sinai.” Verses 8 to 16 tell of Israel pulling off an “upset of the season.” In essence they beat a hated arch-rival, thanks to Moses:
Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Am′alek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
As noted elsewhere: “That sounds a lot like a modern-day football fan, watching his favorite team on TV.” Sometimes he moves around the room, sometimes he stands, sometimes he sits. Other times he’ll mute the sound on the TV, sometimes he’ll tell his wife to leave the room – because she may be jinxing his team – but he’s “always trying to ‘help his team win.’”
Or in the case of Moses, his “team” starts winning when he holds his arms up, but they start losing if he lets his arms down…
So imagine Moses – today – watching the “battle” from a stadium seat, or on his TV set at home. For whatever reason, he holds his arms up, and his team scores a touchdown. But then his arms get tired. He lets his arms down for a moment and – lo and behold! – the other team scores a touchdown. So to help his team win – or avoid “jinxing” his team – Moses got his buddies Aaron and Hur to hold his arms up “for the rest of the game.”
That makes Moses the prototype of the modern-day football fan who does all kinds of strange things to help his team win. But here’s how one “skeptic” explained the phenomenon:
It’s a natural tendency for people to make connections between events. “When I do this, that happens…” Primitive people developed superstitions in similar ways. One year, the crops were bad. The next year, they put a basket of dead birds in the middle of the field, and everything turned out great. Therefore, placing a basket of dead birds in the field ensures a good crop… Like the primitive farmers, we continue to make assumptions of causation [which] leads us to think that prayer works (you pray for your sports team to win…) [But we should] not jump to conclusions. We should make multiple observations. We should try different sequences in various combinations… Even with all that, we might never be sure about the real causes. But we can rule some out, and … increase our confidence in others.
See Faulty logic: Post hoc, ergo . . . Gotham Skeptic. (Which apparently “no longer exists.”)
On the other hand, you could just as easily say that such superstitions are a mass example of the scientific method: “a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.” (What fool of a college football fan would keep doing things that ‘hurt” his team?) See also Thesis, antithesis, synthesis:
The thesis is an intellectual proposition. The antithesis is simply the negation of the thesis, a reaction to the proposition. The synthesis solves the conflict between the thesis and antithesis by reconciling their common truths and forming a new thesis, starting the process over.
But the bottom line is this: “Athletes know it, fans know it, and even Bud Light knows it. Superstitions are as big a part of the game as anything. They were there when your parents and/or grandparents first started watching, and they’ll be here long after we’re gone.”
On the other hand, there’s the “pessimist” who wrote “It’s only weird if it doesn’t work:” the NEW worst slogan in the world. Among other things, he said in essence that such fan practices are all part of some axis of evil responsible for all the bad things that have happened in the world since Day One. (Which brings to mind Marty McFly’s “Lighten up, jerk!”)
Then too he wrote that such fan superstition is “ignorant, embarrassing, and frankly makes me a little pessimistic about humanity. Do you really think that wearing that unwashed jersey will help your team win?” To which I can only respond:
“Hey pal, tell that to Moses!”
The upper image is courtesy of Rephidim – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The caption: “Moses holding up his arms during the Battle of Rephidim, assisted by Hur and Aaron, in John Everett Millais‘ Victory O Lord! (1871).”
The “Touchdown Jesus” image is courtesy of Gallery … University Of Notre Dame Touchdown Jesusimgarcade.com.
Re: positive outlook on life and/or “accentuating the positive.” Referring to “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” the 1944 song written by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
See also curveball, defined in part as a “particularly difficult issue, obstacle, or problem.” The point being that life seems to have a habit of “throwing us curveballs.” See also the alternate definition of dinosaur, as “someone who resists change or is old-fashioned.”
Another note: The text of this post was gleaned from other posts in my first blog, Dorscribe.com, including On the readings for September 28, Reflections on a loss and “God’s Favorite Team” – Part I.
The “Touchdown Jesus” image is courtesy of Word of Life Mural // Hesburgh Libraries // University of Notre Dame. See also Notre Dame Stadium – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The “crossed fingers” image is courtesy of Why We’re So Superstitious | Psychology Today. That’s actually a pretty good – and non-biased – study of the phenomenon, which included this:
Sports fans, for all the ribbing they take, do have some decidedly positive mental health advantages over non-fans. Evidence cited by [Kent State University researcher Shana] Wilson and her co-workers supports the idea that fans who strongly identify with a team, particularly a local one, are less lonely, feel happier, and feel better about themselves.
The “SM” chart is courtesy of Scientific method – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The lower image is courtesy of Bud Light Only Weird – Image Results.
Of related interest, see also Why Superstition Works: The Science of Superstition in Sports:
If you want to see some [sport superstitions], just go to a baseball game. Baseball players … are renowned for their superstitious behavior. Babe Ruth, famously, always touched second base when he came running in from the outfield… Over the years, players’ superstitious habits have become, if anything, even more extreme. Before each game, for instance, former Red Sox third baseman Wade Boggs … always practiced batting and wind sprints at the same time of day (5:17 p.m. and 7:17 p.m., respectively), left his house at the same time on game days, and drew the word “Chai” (Hebrew for “life”) in the dirt before coming up to bat (and Boggs isn’t Jewish). Likewise, All-Star slugger Jason Giambi had a cure for hitting slumps: gold lamé thong underwear, which must have been quite a sight in the locker room.
So what are you saying, “Mr. Pessimist?” That Babe Ruth and Wade Bogs are evil? Hah?
This entry was posted in Not your Daddy's Bible on October 9, 2015 by bbj1969per@aol.com.
← A Mid-summer Travelog – Part III Introduction to “Ashley Wilkes” →
“You DO understand that Trump is temporary…”
2020 – A Christmas like no other?
The Mysterious Death of Ashley Wilkes – Revisited
Now that the Trump Era is almost over…
On the old (2015) “For a book version…”
Current events and history
Nostalgia reviews
Not your Daddy's Bible
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Berlin - Copenhagen - Prague - New York - Sydney - Toronto
GLOBAL PANEL FOUNDATION
MEETING THE WORLD IN PERSON
A partner of
About the Global Panel
Global Panel Foundation was founded in the Netherlands in 1989 by billionaires Bas Spuybroek and Frans Lurvink, with the support of Dutch Foreign Minister Hans van den Broek.
It is known for its work – behind the scenes – in conflict zones around the world. Long before it was politically correct, the Global Panel was supporting Cuban dissidents and other political economic initiatives.
The Global Panel is a respected institution which takes no government funding thereby avoiding conflicts of interest and potential manipulation.
Global Panel does not take funding from the governments who seek its help.
The Global Panel
The list of guests is long and includes the names of many of the most important statesmen, business-leaders, and scientists of the last decades. In addition, ministers, secretaries of state, CEO’s, lobbyists, scientists, and entrepreneurs have been involved with Global Panel. Such a wide variety of internationally renowned guests, meeting together, off the record, may explain why Global Panel serves as a venue where international cooperations, investments, and bilateral relations begin.
Hanno R. Ellenbogen
The annual award recognizes high achievement in public service, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. Recipients include Václav Havel, Madeleine Albright and the Dalai Lama.
© 2021 Global Panel Foundation. © 2018 Global Panel Foundation
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Frans Brüggen was considered as being among the foremost experts in the performance of eighteenth-century music. He was born in Amsterdam and studied musicology at its university. At the age of 21, he was appointed professor at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and later held a position as Erasmus professor at Harvard University and Regents professor at the University of Berkeley.
As a recorder player Brüggen was described variously as having an ability “to transcend all the instrument’s legendary limitations” and as the “John Lennon of classical music”. As Luciano Berio wrote of him, he was “a musician who is not an archaeologist but a great artist”. The Italian composed music for Brüggen, as did his Dutch compatriot, Louis Andriessen (including the encore piece, Ende, scored for “two alto recorders, one player”). In August 1991, Brüggen made his debut at the Salzburg Festival with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, an orchestra with which he became (along with Simon Rattle) a principal guest conductor. An eventful, packed, unpredictable, communicative, enriching musical career ensued and even in the years prior to his death in August 2014 (at the age of 79) Frans Brüggen had been extending his musical partnerships across the world. Some of the long list of such partnerships included the Philharmonia Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Orchestra Sinfonica dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, Chicago Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony.
Among his many awards Brüggen was presented with the IMC-UNESCO International Music Prize in 1997 and was appointed Knight of the Order of the Netherlands (2003) and the Order of the House of Orange (2010).
In 1972 Brüggen had founded the recorder trio Sour Cream with Kees Boeke and Walter van Hauwe. A recording of this avant-garde ensemble, made in 1993, was released by Glossa under the title of The Passion of Reason.
The legacy of Frans Brüggen with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century on Glossa extended to recordings of music by Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Rameau, Mendelssohn, Bach and Haydn. That legacy also extends to inspiring the Orchestra to continue. Brüggen had engendered an uncommon sense of loyalty and unity of purpose with members of the orchestra.
Frans Brüggen died in Amsterdam on August 13, 2014.
In 1981, Frans Brüggen – in his time the world’s most famous recorder player – founded the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century (along with Lucy van Dael and a group of friends), which consists today of some fifty-five members from 20 different countries. Three (or often more) times a year the orchestra assembles to go on tour. In its structure and size, the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century resembles the luxurious “Classical” orchestras of the period as are known from London, Paris and Vienna. The musicians, who are all specialists in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century music, play on instruments from the period, or on contemporary copies. It is these musicians’ intention to try to achieve the most authentic-as-possible performances of the masterpieces of the late Baroque and Classical eras and beyond.
In concert Frans Brüggen’s wide-ranging repertoire with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century embraced works by Purcell, Bach, Rameau, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Mendelssohn. After nearly 50 CDs on Philips, the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century has been recording exclusively for Glossa since 1997, in co-production with its own production house, The Grand Tour. Notable recordings which were produced with Frans Brüggen included Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and music by a composer who Brüggen often returned to throughout his career: Jean-Philippe Rameau (a valedictory box set containing recordings of orchestral suites released on Glossa and Philips has since been issued).
Since the death of Frans Brüggen, the orchestra has continued to perform and record, now in the company of guest conductors, such as Daniel Reuss – who has led recordings of the Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem and the Beethoven Missa Solemnis – but also Roger Norrington and Kenneth Montgomery. Regular choral support is provided by Cappella Amsterdam.
At the time of its foundation the Orchestra was supported by friends throughout the world and the Prince Bernhard Foundation. From 1983 to 1988 the orchestra was sponsored by IBM Europe. From 1989 till 1997 Deloitte and the VSB Fonds took over the sponsorship. Subsidies from the Dutch Government guaranteed the Orchestra’s continuation from 1985 till now.
The Orchestra of the 18th Century records Brahms' 'Requiem'
Johannes Brahms’ consolatory Ein deutsches Requiem receives a fresh and considered interpretation from Daniel Reuss and the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century. This renowned orchestra took the decision – following the death, some years back, of Frans Brüggen – to retain its founder’s dynamic process of alternating concert tours with recordings. And dispensing with the need for having a principal conductor, the orchestra now works with a range of musicians according to the repertoire being performed. [read more...]
The Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century continues along its vibrant music-making journey, very much in the spirit of its founder Frans Brüggen, but now with invited conductors. In order to tackle the mighty Missa Solemnis by Beethoven, the orchestra has gone into partnership with the highly-regarded Daniel Reuss, who has recorded a sizeable number of critically-acclaimed choral masterpieces, many of them with Cappella Amsterdam. This fine example of a Dutch chorus is possessed of all the right skills needed for climbing this glorious mountain of a work, notably vocal agility and stamina. The chorus is joined by an out standing quartet of soloists in Carolyn Sampson, Marianne Beate Kielland, Thomas Walker and David Wilson-Johnson. [read more...]
'The Mozart Recordings', now together in one box
The music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has always been one of the raisons d’être of Frans Brüggen’s Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century since its foundation back in 1981. In this sense, it’s no wonder that Mozart is the most represented composer on the 20-title strong The Grand Tour collection, the series within the Glossa label on which the orchestra has been issuing all its recordings since 1997. The Mozart output encompasses 6 titles on 8 CDs, now included in a new boxed set appropriately titled The Mozart Recordings...[read more...]
Frans Brüggen 30.10.1934-13.8.2014
The morning of August 19 was a cool and strange one, with sunshine and rain following each other in rapid succession. At the door of the imposing Oude Kerk, in the heart of the old part of Amsterdam, the hearse bearing the body of Frans Brüggen, heavily laden with floral tributes, was ready for its departure; two accompanying black cars for family members – with yet more flowers – stood at its side, adding further solemnity to the scene. The bells of the church were tolling slowly and sombrely whilst a crowd of passersby and tourist visitors who had gathered respectfully in the vicinity, were looking on at the densely-packed and silent group of friends and colleagues who were seeing Frans Brüggen off on his last journey, all conscious that, once the hearse had turned the corner of the church and had advanced into the surrounding network of narrow streets and canals, and had disappeared from view, Frans would never more be among us.[read more...]
Interview with Sieuwert Verster, manager of the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century
How has the orchestra’s approach to the Beethoven symphonies evolved over the years?
This is a discussion that is very much alive in the orchestra: when we first started, we had no repertoire. So, with every piece that we were approaching we had to work and to discuss, in the old-fashioned way. For years we worked like this, never doing more than one Beethoven symphony in a year – and then we played it over and over again. So, it took us twelve years before we completed the cycle with the Ninth. If you play such pieces again after so many years, things start to change: tempi have changed and whereas we had always been arrogant about all those conductors, who after a certain period of time, decided to rerecord pieces, we – the orchestra members and me personally – now think that it is a good idea to do it again. [read more...]
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Home Health Centers Asthma
TUESDAY, July 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults with healthy hearts probably would benefit from taking a cholesterol-lowering statin, a new study contends.
People 75 and older who were free of heart disease and prescribed a statin wound up with a 25% lower risk of death from any cause and a 20% lower risk of heart-related death, researchers reported July 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"Based on these data, age is not a reason to not prescribe statins," said lead researcher Dr. Ariela Orkaby, a physician-scientist at the VA Boston Healthcare System and associate epidemiologist with Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Statins are drugs used to prevent buildup of plaques that can narrow or block arteries, leading to heart attack and stroke.
Until recently, guidelines recommended halting statin therapy at age 75, said Dr. Mary Ann McLaughlin, medical director of the Cardiac Health Program at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
"In 2018, the guidelines changed to say statins are a reasonable choice for those older than 75 without a life-limiting disease" like cancer or organ failure, she said.
This new study provides evidence that changing the guidelines to allow statin therapy to continue was the right move, said McLaughlin, who wasn't part of the research.
"This age group is one of the fastest-growing groups," she said. "The over-75 cohort is living even longer, and the first evidence of atherosclerotic disease or cardiovascular disease can be sudden death. There are many patients who are living very active and full lives into their late 80s and 90s these days."
For this study, Orkaby's team analyzed data from more than 300,000 veterans 75 or older who used VA health care services between 2002 and 2012. None had experienced a heart attack, stroke or other heart problem.
Of those vets, more than 57,000 started taking statins during that period. Researchers compared those who used statins against those who did not, and found that their risk of heart-related death was significantly lower.
The benefits remained for veterans at advanced ages, including those 90 or older, and also were strong among vets with dementia, results showed.
Patients on statins also had a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes, researchers said.
Because the study relied on VA data, the patients involved were overwhelmingly male (97%) and white (91%), McLaughlin noted.
But randomized clinical trials now underway will provide additional evidence about statin use in a broader mix of older people, Orkaby and McLaughlin said.
There's been an age bias in statin clinical trials, because older folks tend to have more medical problems and including them can confuse the results, Orkaby said.
"Older adults usually have more than one thing going on," she said. "It's much easier to study people in their 50s who may just have high blood pressure or just have diabetes. When you're running a big trial, you may not want to include people who are going to get hospitalized for some other issue -- for example, because they fell."
As a result, "almost all the data that exists right now for statins is in younger people, even though it's really older adults who have the highest risk of having a heart attack or a stroke," Orkaby said.
These new results indicate it's time to stop discriminating based on age alone and saying there is no data to support statin use in older folks, she said.
"We have some reasonably good data to suggest that statins could save lives," Orkaby said. "If you got to 75 and you weren't yet put on a statin, you may actually be a healthier older adult who's likely to live another 10 or 15 years. Those people may be the ones who would benefit the most from that, long-term."
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more about statins.
SOURCES: Ariela Orkaby, M.D., M.P.H., physician scientist, VA Boston Healthcare System and associate epidemiologist, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston; Mary Ann McLaughlin, M.D., medical director, Cardiac Health Program, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City; Journal of the American Medical Association, July 7, 2020
Nuclear Cardiology
Vascular Services
Antimyocardial Antibody
Alteplase, TPA injection
Back-to-Back Heart Attacks: What NOT to Expect When You're Expecting
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Feb 12, 2019 - Antiquity, Black Slaveowners, Slavery in Africa, Slavery Worldwide Comments Off on Jesuits and the Code Noir
Jesuits and the Code Noir
The “Code Noir” issued by Louis XIV to establish governance in relation to African slaves in French colonial possessions was far more humane than what came before. Slaves had no rights at all under Roman law, Old Testament law only distinguished between Hebrew and non-Hebrew slaves, and the New Testament only spoke of the obedience of slaves to their masters. Further, most saw none if any difference between serfs and slaves, and used the terms interchangeably. Above all, the African was not alone in slavery as the term “slave” has its origins in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe. Slavs were taken into slavery by Spanish Muslims during the Ninth Century A.D.; the texts of Islam, Judaism and Christianity all recognize slavery, and the Aztec and Mayan cultures kept slaves. In Africa prior to the arrival of Europeans, several kingdoms and societies kept their own brethren as slaves.
“The Jesuits were the first missionary order to settle in the French West Indies, coming to Martinique in 1640. It was Jesuits who started the first sugar plantation on Martinique, and by 1650 they had become the second largest slaveholder on the island.
Given that the Church in France had long supported itself with the labor of slaves and serfs, it is not surprising that religious orders in France’s Caribbean colonies used slave labor to support their activities. Father Labat, a Dominican priest who directed a slave plantation in Martinique, did not seem at all embarrassed at being a slave owner, but he became extremely upset when people accused him of dabbling in commerce.
The earliest draft of the Code Noir, submitted by the governor of France’s Caribbean colonies on May 20, 1682, dealt with issues of slave subsistence, policing, judgments, and punishment, but did not mention religion at all. Later that year the Jesuits of Martinique submitted a memorandum to King Louis XIV warning him about the harmful religious influences that Jews and Protestants were exerting on slaves in the islands.
The Jews, the Jesuits charged, “have in their own homes a great number of slaves whom they introduce to Judaism, or at least divert from Christianity.” As for the Protestants, the Jesuits urged, “they should not be allowed to practice their religion in any way.”
When the Code Noir was issued by Louis XIV in March 1685, its religious emphasis was obvious. The preamble specified that its primary purpose was “to maintain the discipline of the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church . . .” [and] required that all slaves should be baptized and given instruction in the Catholic religion . . . and ordered all subjects to observe all Catholic holidays.
The Jesuits saw the Code Noir as a humanitarian document that curbed some of the worst abuses of slaveholders. It set minimum food and clothing rations for slaves, forbade masters from murdering their slaves, and made provision for their manumission. At the same time, however . . . it [declared] the slaves moveable property and stating that any personal property possessed by the slave belonged to his or her master.
(The Diligent: A Voyage Through the Worlds of the Slave Trade, Robert Harms, Basic Books, 2002, excerpts pp. 25-26)
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22/08/2014: CONSULAR OUTREACH IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA - CLOSED
CONSULAR OUTREACH IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA
The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., in cooperation with the Council for Filipino American Organizations (CFAO) is pleased to announce that it will conduct a consular outreach mission in Orlando, Florida on:
Schedule : 27 September 2014, Saturday
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
28 September 2014, Sunday
Venue : Marks Street Senior Center, 99 East Marks Street,
The Consular Outreach in Orlando, FL is now closed
Services To Be Rendered:
1. Processing of applications for issuance or renewal of Philippine passport
2. Processing of authentication/ acknowledgement of legal documents
3. Administration of oaths to former Filipinos under the Dual Citizenship Law
on 28 September 2014 (Sunday) at 2:30 p.m.
4. Registration of Overseas Voters for the 2016 Philippine Presidential
Passport Services: Passport applicants are no longer required to bring
passport photos since they will have their pictures taken using ePassport data
capturing machines at the outreach site. However, they still need to bring other
necessary requirements, such as their current passport, photocopy of the
passport data page, and the passport application form which may be downloaded
from the Embassy’s website at http://philippineembassy-usa.org/uploads/pdfs/
passport.pdf. Applicants are advised to bring $60.00 in cash or postal money
order payable to the Philippine Embassy, as passport application fee. An
additional fee (as administrative fee) may be imposed by the organizer which will
be used to pay for the rental of the venue and other miscellaneous expenses.
The application for Philippine passport is strictly by appointment only.
Appointments will be automatically scheduled as they are received. No
request for specific time slots will be entertained. Those applicants who are
not able to secure confirmed appointments will not be accommodated.
1. Personal appearance is required in all cases (including applicants who are
65 years old and above and minors who are below 18 years old);
2. The applicant must be in decent attire (no sleeveless and/or collarless
attire) and without eyeglasses/colored contact lenses.
Report of Birth (to be mailed to the Embassy PRIOR to the outreach)
: The birth of a Filipino child in the US should be reported/registered with
the Philippine National Statistics Office through the Embassy. See http://
www.philippineembassy-usa.org/philippines-dc/consular-services-dc/ for
requirements and the application form. This is particularly needed if you
wish to apply for a Philippine passport for a child born in the US of Filipino
parent/s. Fee is $25.00 in cash or postal money order.
Applicants have to secure an appointment before going to the venue by sending
an e-mail request/application for appointment at the aforementioned e-mail address.
Report of Marriage (to be mailed to the Embassy PRIOR to the outreach)
: Applicants who wish to change their last name from maiden to married name
are required to apply for a Report of Marriage (ROM), if their marriage took place
in the U.S. The requirements and application form needed to report a marriage
between two Filipinos, or a Filipino and a non-Filipino national, solemnized under
the jurisdiction of the Embassy, can be found at the Embassy’s website at http:/
/www.philippineembassy-usa.org/philippines-dc/consular-services-dc/. Fee is
$25.00 in cash or postal money order.
Legalization of Documents: Applicants should personally bring their
original document to be authenticated/acknowledged, together with
their original valid photo ID with signature (e.g. Passport or State ID card),
and a photocopy each of the document to be authenticated and the ID card.
Fee is US$25.00 in cash or postal money order, per document and/or per
copy. Applicants also have to secure an appointment before going to
the venue by sending an e-mail request/application for appointment to
outreachapp@philippinesusa.org (with ORLANDO FLORIDA OUTREACH on
the subject line).
Documents to be authenticated/acknowledged will not be processed in the
venue but will have to be brought to the Embassy in Washington, D.C., for
processing and will be sent by mail to the address of the applicant.
Dual Citizenship (to be mailed to the Embassy PRIOR to the outreach):
Former Filipinos may take advantage of the presence of the Consular officers
at the outreach to reacquire Philippine citizenship. Applicants may visit http:/
/www.philippineembassy-usa.org/philippines-dc/consular-services-dc/ for the
requirements and application form, which should be received by the Embassy
after completion on or before 19 September 2014. Fee is US$50.00 in cash or
postal money order.
Applicants who have already taken the oath of allegiance at the venue and who
wish to apply for a Philippine passport will have to secure prior appointment/slot
and comply with the following requirements:
1. One photocopy each of the Identification Certificate (I.C.) and the Oath of
Allegiance;
2. Original Philippine passport and photocopy of passport’s data page;
3. If passport is lost, Philippine National Statistics Office (NSO) birth
certificate;
4. For married women, Report of Marriage (if marriage was solemnized
abroad) or NSO Marriage Contract (if marriage was solemnized in the
Philippines;
5. One photocopy of a state ID, driver’s license or any other valid photo ID.
Self-addressed stamped envelopes (Express/Priority Mail with tracking
number) will be available at the venue for the convenience of interested
applicants.
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Tag: וילך
The “Accident” Which Saved the World
The posuk in parshas Vayelech, (Devarim 31:18) “ I will hide My face on that day,” forces us to remember the Holocaust which took place nearly eighty years ago, what happened and what could have happened.
Shortly before the Second World War began, a young talmid chochom learning in the Brisk Yeshiva in Europe was threatened with conscription to the Polish army. He had great potential; how could he waste time in the army? Every legal method was attempted to earn him an exemption . Although these efforts bought some time, they were not permanent solutions and the draft still loomed over him. The only possible loophole was to get married. With the deadline approaching, a shidduch was sought for this young man. A suitable match was suggested — but for some inexplicable reason the shidduch did not go through. Then, just a few days before the deadline, the young man was recommended for a job in a Yeshiva in Switzerland. With bittersweet emotions, he left his whole family and became a rebbe in a Swiss yeshiva. He could well have thought of the great shame that the shidduch did not go through, causing him to go into virtual exile. However he soon saw Hashem’s hashgacha. The Holocaust claimed the lives of the rest of his family and so many more. He was the sole survivor from his family. The name of this young talmid chochom with great potential was Aaron Leib Steinman zt”l who became a leading Godol and guiding light for Klal Yisroel over his long life.
About the same time another young rav was on a ship which sailed from Europe towards Eretz Yisroel. The British authorities refused the ship permission to dock in the Haifa port. The captain directed the ship southwards along the coastline, but there was no safe landing- place. The ship was low on fuel, the captain said, and told his passengers there was nothing he could do to help them. Their only hope was to attempt to swim to the shore, a considerable distance away. Only six people made it to the beach, including this young rav and his wife. His name was Rav Shmuel Wosner, another great Godol and guiding light for Klal Yisroel over many decades. Both these Gedolim, who were a hairsbreadth from death, lived over a hundred years.
At Mincha of Yom Kippur the haftora is Sefer Yona, about another survivor. He was thrown into the sea and was swallowed by a great fish but miraculously remained alive in the stomach of the fish until Hashem instructed the fish to spit Yona out on to dry land. The commentators say that Yona’s survival was not assured until he said that, if he lived, he would bring korbonos to Hashem (2:10) implying that he would henceforth follow Hashem’s command and rebuke the people of Nineveh. After a life-saving miracle what response is there but to devote the rest of one’s life to Hashem, as done by these Gedolim?
Bamidbar (8:17) shows that a recipient of a miracle has to devote himself to Hashem as a payment for that miracle. “All the Jewish firstborn, since the day that I smote the Egyptian firstborn, are mine.” Rashi explains: “Since I protected the Jewish firstborn that they weren’t smitten with the Egyptian firstborn, they are mine by right.”
Having been born in Manchester, England to English-born parents, I never considered myself to have been involved in the Holocaust, let alone to be regarded as a survivor; now I realize that my understanding was flawed. This month is the 78th anniversary of the day that the Germans were to have invaded Britain. The plan was that British air defences were to be destroyed and then German ground forces would invade and conquer the country with the same speed that they had already conquered Poland, Czechoslovakia, Belgium and France. Their headquarters were to be set up in Manchester where the self-styled English Nazi leader, Oswald Mosley had managed to form his strongest base of local sympathisers. In the summer of 1940, the Battle of Britain began. The Luftwaffe attacked the RAF’s airfields and by the end of August seemed to be on the verge of victory. But in early September 1940, a German aircraft was short of fuel and needed to return to Germany. The pilot wanted to jettison his bombs to reduce the plane’s weight and quite by “accident” the bombs landed on London, which had been studiously avoided up until then. Churchill reacted by bombing Berlin. Hitler was so annoyed that, with tactical stupidity, he stopped attacking the English airfields and started attacking English cities. This gave the battered British air force enough respite to regroup and eventually take command of the skies. What I now realize is that if it weren’t for that ‘accident,’ Mosley’s Blackshirts based in Manchester would have quickly rounded up my grandparents and other Jewish Mancunians and this essay would probably have never been written. I am, together with the rest of Anglo-Jewry, therefore, also a survivor with all the responsibility that that status brings with it. Also, if Britain would have been conquered, the allied invasion of Europe in 1944 , could not have taken place and Nazi rule could well have continued unopposed. Therefore this “accident” can be said to have saved Europe and much of the free world. Even American Jews, many of whom, or their parents, had also not long before immigrated from Europe can also consider themselves survivors. So we, the post-Holocaust world Jewish community, are all survivors and as survivors, we have responsibilities.
This is yet another moral imperative for us to do teshuva before Shabbos Shuva and Yom Kippur. After being saved by Hashem’s hidden hand, how can we focus our lives on our personal successes or our material achievements? Is this why Hashem saved us? Rather, we have to focus on Hashem’s priorities. What can we do to bring honor to Hashem? What can we do to rebuild the Jewish people? Yom Kippur can bring about a realignment of our priorities; to accept upon ourselves our responsibilities, the responsibilities of survivors. No less than the Jewish firstborn in Mitzrayim, we all owe our continued existence to Hashem.
Posted on September 13, 2018 September 16, 2018 Author Rabbi Michoel FletcherCategories Rabbi Michoel Fletcher on the ParshaTags Vayeilech, וילךLeave a comment on The “Accident” Which Saved the World
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SoCal Phil Physics
My current research interests fall into a small handful of (partially interrelated) projects.
The puzzleball conjecture
In a recent paper (“Inertial motion, explanation, and the foundations of classical spacetime theories”) I made the proposal that the best way of thinking about the mathematical foundations of a physical theory is as a network o f mutually dependent, inter-derivable principles. I called this proposal the “puzzleball conjecture”, since the basic claim is that the foundations of a theory support and constrain one another like the pieces of a spherical puzzle. This proposal was motivated, in part, by an analysis of the sense in which one might say that inertial motion is “explained” in classical spacetime theories, such as general relativity and geometrized Newtonian gravitation. The starting point of the analysis is that in both of these theories, there is a sense in which one can prove the geodesic principle — the principle governing inertial motion in the theories — as a theorem. But these theorems have assumptions, and it is hard to see why those assumptions should be taken to be somehow more fundamental than the geodesic principle itself—particularly because many of these assumptions are in turn provable as theorems, starting from different assumptions. Given this situation, it seems arbitrary and unhelpful to insist that some particular collection of principles of these theories encompass the truly fundamental ones, whereas others are derived. Instead, it seems that the more fruitful project is to recognize the complexity of these interconnections and to try to explore them. I am currently working to explore these interconnections in more detail by providing the sort of analyses that I gave of the geodesic principle to theorems showing how other central principles of these theories–such as Einstein’s equation and the geometrized Poisson equation–are unique or necessary.
(For more on this and related topics, see “The Motion of a Body in Newtonian Theories”; “On the Status of the Geodesic Principle in Newtonian and Relativistic Physics”; “A brief remark on energy conditions and the Geroch-Jang Theorem; and especially “Inertial motion, explanation, and the foundations of classical spacetime theories”).
Foundations of classical gauge theory
Another current project concerns a cluster of issues related to classical gauge theories. The focus has been on geometrical formulations of Yang-Mills theories, though I have also been writing about the senses in which classical spacetime theories, such as general relativity and Newtonian gravitation, should (and should not) be thought of as gauge theories. The basic idea behind this cluster of projects is that standard discussions of gauge in both the physics and philosophy of physics literatures appear (to me) to conflate two very different ideas. On the one hand, one has situations in which the models of a physical theory may be represented (set theoretically, say) in many different ways, even though the models are isomorphic (as mathematical objects of the relevant sort). Though this situation is actually generic, in some cases, such as general relativity, this sort of freedom is described as “gauge freedom”. On the other hand, one has situations in which there are many non-isomorphic models of a theory that are nonetheless empirically indistinguishable. This is the case, for instance, in classical electromagnetism when one represents models using a vector potential — and of course, the ability to transform between vector potentials without changing the physical content of a model of classical EM is also referred to as “gauge freedom”. In both cases one has a kind of representational freedom, but the differences between the two cases are profound.
My general thesis in this work is that it is only in the second case that one genuinely has “surplus structure”, and for this reason I think the expression “gauge freedom” should be reserved for those theories, whereas “gauge transformation” should only be used for maps that are added “by hand” — i.e., that are not isomorphisms of the underlying structure, but nonetheless relate physically equivalent models. A natural goal, then, is to try to find formulations of theories that are gauge invariant in the sense that the physical equivalences are fully captured by the isomorphisms between the models that one “gets for free” from the mathematical structures involved (and then formulate the theories in ways that are invariant under these isomorphisms). Thinking this way provides some insight, I believe, into classic debates on spacetime theories — such as those concerning the “hole argument” — and also into more recent problems in Yang-Mills theories, including the status of the “gauge argument” and the relationship between so-called fiber bundle interpretations and holonomy interpretations of these theories.
(I begin to explore these issues in “Are Newtonian gravitation and geometrized Newtonian gravitation theoretically equivalent?”)
Category theory and the structure of scientific theories
Recently, Hans Halvorson and I have been collaborating on adapting tools from category theory for use in the philosophy of science, particularly for the purposes of understanding the relations between physical theories. This project is inspired by recent work in categorical logic (notably, Awodey and Forssell’s recent work on the categorical duality between syntax and semantics), and builds on Hans’ recent paper “What Scientific Theories Could Not Be” (2012) and my paper “Are Newtonian gravitation and geometrized Newtonian gravitation theoretically equivalent?”. Hans’ paper might be best understood as an argument that, at least for certain purposes, the technical tools associated with the so-called “semantic view” of theories are inadequate, and that category theory is a natural place to look for the more sophisticated tools one requires. Meanwhile, in my paper I argue that a certain criterion of theoretical equivalence proposed by Clark Glymour (and, it seems, inspired by the semantic view) fails to capture an important sense in which two theories may be equivalent. I then show how one can capture the difference between Glymour’s criterion and an alternate criterion I propose very naturally by representing theories as the category of their models. This is at least one example in which category theory seems to help clarify an important question in the philosophy of science.
This work dovetails with the work described above on gauge theories, since the working thesis of that project is naturally construed in terms of asking when one needs to add “extra” arrows to a category of models of a theory. Category theory allows one to take that project a step further, though, since in some cases one can show that a category with “extra” arrows is actually equivalent to another category, with no extra arrows, but whose models might be characterized in a different way. Hans and I, along with some other collaborators, have begun to explore how these ideas might find application more broadly in philosophy of physics and philosophy of science.
Modeling financial crisis
Along with collaborators Nina Bandelj, Julia Elyachar, and Gary Richardson, I have been working on how to understand financial crises from a broad range of perspectives, including the mathematics of crisis prediction, the sociology and anthropology of crisis apprehension and response, the psychology of investor behavior, and the history of regulatory responses to crisis. Although I am involved in all parts of the project to some extent, my principle contribution concerns a methodological question about predictive models and crisis. In particular, it is now widely believed that many financial statistics are best modeled with heavy-tailed distributions. But there is some controversy about the exact nature of the tails of these distributions — and there is a sense in which, given any finite data set, hypotheses about tail behavior will always be less well supported than hypotheses about central behavior. The project concerns understanding how to best respond to such a situation.
This work has developed in part out of my recent book The Physics of Wall Street.
Dressed Interacting Ground States (DIGS)
Although most of my recent work has been on foundational topics in classical physics, I have continued to work on some of the features exhibited by a class of five-level atomic systems I invented in collaboration with Chris Search at Stevens Institute of Technology. These systems, which we dubbed Dressed Interacting Ground State (DIGS) systems, consist of an excited state along with two pairs of ground states, and . Transitions within the pairs are driven by rf/microwave control fields while transitions between the pairs are assumed to be forbidden; the excited state is strongly coupled to by a resonant control laser. We have principally been interested in the optical response of the atom as measured by a weak probe field near resonance with the transition. The system might be implemented in, for instance, cold atoms.
Our work on this system concerned its dispersive and refractive properties. My collaborators and I were able to show that under certain realistic parameter choices, one finds a wide frequency band of fully controllable dispersion and vanishing absorption. In fact, one can control the sign and magnitude of the dispersion by changing the relative populations of the ground states and , with maximum normal dispersion comparable to that exhibited by electromagnetically induced transparency and with maximum anomalous dispersion of the same order of magnitude. We have also shown that the system exhibits regions of both coherently enhanced ( ) and suppressed ( ) index of refraction, with vanishing absorption. In fact, by varying the detuning of the rf field driving the transition, one can create a broad frequency window in which the absorption is everywhere zero and the index of refraction is sustained at a constant value that is substantially larger or smaller than 1, which means one can exhibit large refraction in either direction without pulse reshaping for pulses with appropriate bandwidth. We have also shown that one can produce frequency bands where both the index of refraction is less than 1, and the dispersion is anomalous, leading to simultaneously superluminal group and phase velocities.
(For more on this work, see “Lossless anomalous dispersion and an inversionless gain doublet via dressed interacting ground states”; “Quantum control of dispersion in electromagnetically induced transparency via interacting dressed ground states”; “Quantum control of electromagnetically induced transparency dispersion via atomic tunneling in a double-well Bose-Einstein condensate”; and “Index of refraction engineering in five level DIGS atoms”.)
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Grant Broadcasters has developed a website on the worldwide web, www.jobs4spencergulf.com.au. The site and the services provided by the are intended for use by individuals seeking new or changed employment and for recruiters and/or employers seeking individuals to place in employment.
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Julie Foucher | Reebok CrossFit Games Athlete / 2017 / August / 22 / Ep 66 – Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Toby Cosgrove on Lifestyle, Healthcare, and Persistence
Ep 66 – Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Toby Cosgrove on Lifestyle, Healthcare, and Persistence
August 22, 2017 - No Comments
http://media.blubrry.com/pursuinghealth/p/btwb.media/juliefoucher/podcast/PH66-Dr-Toby-Cosgrove.mp3
“I was not a good student. I attribute a lot of that to the fact that I am dyslexic. The thing that got me through it was just plain persistence. I think once you’ve had that trial-by-fire and you get yourself through it, you think you can get through almost anything with pure persistence. So, I work pretty hard, and it has served me well over a long period of time. I never thought I was the smartest, or the sharpest tool in the drawer. But I don’t think a lot of people outwork me. I think that persistence that I learned got me through a lot of situations.” – Dr. Toby Cosgrove
Delos (Toby) Cosgrove, MD is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cleveland Clinic, an $8 billion health care system. Under his leadership, Cleveland Clinic has consistently been the #2 hospital in America by the U.S. News & World Report.
Dr. Cosgrove received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville and completed his clinical training at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital and Brook General Hospital in London. His undergraduate work was at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He was a surgeon in the U.S. Air Force and served in Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam, as the Chief of U.S. Air Force Casualty Staging Flight. For his service he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Republic of Vietnam Commendation Medal.
Dr. Cosgrove joined the Cleveland Clinic in 1975 and was named Chairman of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular surgery in 1989. Under his leadership, Cleveland Clinic’s heart program was ranked No. 1 in America for 10 years in a row (U.S. News & World Report), a ranking it now holds for 22 consecutive years.
He has published nearly 450 journal articles, book chapters, one book and 17 training and continuing medical education films. He performed more than 22,000 operations and earned an international reputation for expertise in all areas of cardiac surgery, especially valve repair. As an innovator, Dr. Cosgrove has 30 patents filed for developing medical and clinical products used in surgical environments.
In 2014, Dr. Cosgrove authored “The Cleveland Clinic Way: Lessons in Excellence from One of the World’s Leading Health Care Organizations,” which takes an in-depth look at today’s healthcare system. It describes the eight trends shaping the future of medicine in this country to be more efficient, more effective and more affordable than it is today. The book acknowledges the challenges facing the industry but takes a “strongly optimistic” view of what lies ahead by illustrating how Cleveland Clinic is helping to shape the future of medicine by working toward one goal: putting patients first.
Dr. Cosgrove is a sought-after speaker worldwide. He has addressed the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting at Davos, Switzerland, and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, in Washington, D.C. He is regularly quoted and featured in national magazines and newspapers such as Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. He has appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, “The Charlie Rose Show” on PBS, and other national media outlets.
Dr. Cosgrove was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2013. He is also a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (2015) and Castle Connolly National Physician of the Year.
Recent honors include the Deming Cup and Horatio Alger Award. He is a 2016 Fortune Businessperson of the Year (No. 14), and has topped Inside Business’s “Power 100” listing for Northeast Ohio. He is highly ranked among Modern Healthcare’s “100 most powerful people in healthcare” and “most powerful physician executives,” and is an inductee of the Cleveland Medical Hall of Fame.
Dr. Cosgrove has been consulted by successive presidential administrations, serving on the Veterans Administration Commission on Care (2015) and the recent White House Strategic and Policy Forum.
We sat down shortly after my graduation from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine to discuss Dr. Cosgrove’s background, his contributions to the Cleveland Clinic during his tenure as CEO, and his vision for the future of healthcare in America.
Dr. Cosgrove’s Bio was adapted from clevelandclinic.org
What led Dr. Cosgrove to a career in medicine and eventually cardiac surgery?
His influence on policies to promote a healthy lifestyle at the Cleveland Clinic such as refusing to hire smokers and banning sugar-sweetened beverages on campus
The impact of these policies on the health of Cleveland Clinic employees
His perspective on parallels between the fights against smoking and sugar
Reducing the burden of lifestyle-related diseases on a national level
The reason behind his early investment in Functional Medicine by building the first Center for Functional Medicine in an academic institution
His reaction to the progress of the Center for Functional Medicine over the past 3 years?
His vision for the future of healthcare in the US
Some qualities and skills that have allowed Dr. Cosgrove to thrive in his many high-stress roles
Three things Dr. Cosgrove does on a regular basis that have the biggest positive impact on his health
One thing he struggles to implement that could have a big impact on Dr. Cosgrove’s health
What a healthy life looks like to him
You can follow Dr. Cosgrove on Twitter or LinkedIn.
The Cleveland Clinic Way
Dr. Cosgrove’s LinkedIn Blog Articles
Ep 7 – Dr. Mark Hyman on Functional Medicine, the Future, and Community
Ep 13A – Umahro Cadogan on Using Functional Nutrition to Create Health
Ep 13B – Umahro Cadogan on Functional Nutrition for Athletes and Recovery from Injury
Ep 22 – Brigid Titgemeier on Functional Nutrition
Ep 24 – Airrosti Drs. Nickleberry and Garrett on Treating Soft Tissue Injury, Partnering with CrossFit, and Creating a New Paradigm
Ep 38 – Micronutrients and Quality Supplementation with Oliver Amdrup and Julius Heslet
This episode is brought to you by MobilityWOD. Do you struggle to get into good positions in your training and workouts? Are your movement compensations causing you undue pain and grief? M|WOD’s belief is that every human being should be able to perform basic maintenance on themselves and they’ve been the go-to resource the world’s best athletes and teams for nearly 10 years.
Visit https://www.mobilitywod.com/subscribe/pro-yearly/ and use code JULIEFOUCHER for 20% off your annual membership as a Pursuing Health listener.
This episode is also brought to you by Thrive Market. By cutting out the middle man, Thrive Market delivers your favorite healthy food and lifestyle products to your doorstep at 25-50% lower cost than you would spend in the grocery store. You can also feel good about giving back because with everyone that signs up for Thrive Market, a free membership is donated to a low-income family, veteran, or teacher, making healthy living affordable to all.
Visit http://www.thrivemarket.com/ph to recieve an exclusive offer to Thrive Market for being a listener of Pursuing Health: 25% off your first purchase + free shipping + a free 30 day trial!
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below and on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every other Tuesday.
Question: To you, I’ll pose the same question that I posed to Dr. Cosgrove in this interview: What sort of policies could be successful at reducing the burden of chronic disease on a national level in the US? Do you think policies similar to those that have been instated at the Cleveland Clinic could work nationally to improve our nation’s health? Let me know in the comments below.
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