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Posts Tagged ‘LA Auto Show’
Driven to Perfection
As the first model from Mazda’s next-generation range, the all-new Mazda3 is a special car. More than simply a means of transportation, Mazda wants it to enrich owners’ lives, to serve as an inspiration and empowerment to a more fulfilling lifestyle.
The All-New Mazda3 Unveiled at the 2018 LA Auto Show
The all-new Mazda3 sedan and hatchback adopt a matured KODO Design language that works to embody the essence of Japanese aesthetics.
One-Millionth Mazda MX-5 Miata to End North American Tour at Los Angeles Auto Show
Mazda North American Operations is proud to announce that it will be making one last tour stop at the Los Angeles Auto Show from November 18-27.
All-New 2017 Mazda CX-5 to Premiere at Los Angeles Auto Show
Mazda Motor Corporation announced today that the all-new 2017 Mazda CX-5 will make its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show, open to the public November 18-27.
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Court Cases>
Business Development Bank of Canada v. Astoria Organic Matters Ltd., 2019 ONCA 269
What statute governs an appeal when a receiver is appointed under both the BIA and CJA?
BDO Canada Ltd. (“BDO”) was appointed receiver of two debtor companies under both Canada’s Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (the “BIA“) and Ontario’s Courts of Justice Act (the “CJA“). The receivership order contained a “leave to sue provision” under which the receiver cannot be sued without consent or leave of the court.
The Appellant appealed from the orders of the Superior Court, which denied it leave to sue BDO in its capacity as receiver and further denied its request to re-open the original application for leave so that the Appellant could file fresh evidence. The orders were based on a finding that the BIA, not the CJA, was the governing authority for the appeal, since the root authority under which BDO was appointed was s. 243(1) of the BIA. Further, the provisions of the BIA that provide for appeals as of right, including s. 193(c), were not applicable in this case.
The Appellant asserted that it could appeal the Superior Court’s decisions as of right under s. 6(1)(b) of the CJA because they were final orders of a judge of the Superior Court. It argued that provincial laws governing receivers are not rendered inoperative by s. 243 of the BIA. As long as there is no operational conflict between provincial and federal law, and the provincial law does not frustrate the federal law’s purpose, the provincial law continues to apply alongside the federal law. Since the Superior Court’s orders gave effect to a provision of the receivership order that was made under the CJA, the appeal from such a decision should be governed by the CJA, even if other aspects of the receivership order were authorized by the BIA.
The question of how one determines the applicable appeal route when a receiver has been appointed under s. 243(1) of the BIA and under provincial law was addressed in Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. v. Wedgemount Power Limited Partnership, 2018 BCCA 283, 61 C.B.R. (6th) 196. The Court confirmed that where relief is sought under both provincial law and the BIA, the appeal provisions contained in the BIA are engaged when the order under appeal is one granted in reliance on jurisdiction under the BIA.
A leave to sue provision is required to preserve the integrity of the court’s role as supervisor over the preservation and realization of the assets within its administration. The court has an obligation, in ensuring the properly and orderly conduct of the receivership, to protect the estate from groundless or unjustified proceedings. The essential and customary nature of a leave to sue provision in court-ordered receiverships informs the analysis of the source of the court’s authority to include it.
Section 243(1) of the BIA was enacted against the backdrop of already existing provincial legislation authorizing the appointment of receivers. There are similarities among the language of the CJA and the BIA. Both speak of the court appointing a receiver when it considers it to be just or convenient to do so. Further, the Supreme Court of Canada has clarified that, in the insolvency context, statutory authority is to be considered before inherent jurisdiction. A finding of statutory authority makes any reference to inherent jurisdiction unnecessary.
The modern approach to statutory interpretation instructs a court to consider the words of a statute “in their entire context and in their grammatical and ordinary sense harmoniously with the scheme of the Act, the object of the Act, and the intention of Parliament”. While there is a presumption that the plain meaning of a statute’s words reflect Parliament’s intention, that plain meaning is only one aspect of the modern approach. The court must read statutory provisions in their entire context. This involves considering “the history of the provision at issue, its place in the overall scheme of the Act, the object of the Act itself, and Parliament’s intent both in enacting the Act as a whole, and in enacting the particular provision at issue”.
A proper understanding of the language of s. 243(1) leads to the conclusion that Parliament must be taken, by necessary implication, to have clothed the court with the power to require leave to sue a receiver appointed under s. 243(1). It is unlikely that Parliament would have authorized the court to appoint a receiver and at the same time excluded the power to do so with provisions considered to be essential to the court’s role in a receivership. It is also unlikely that Parliament intended the court to appoint a receiver when just or convenient while depriving the court of the power to include an essential term in the appointment. A leave to sue provision is essential to a receivership; it is required to preserve the integrity of the court’s role as supervisor of the receivership.
Reading s. 243(1) as providing the power to include a leave to sue provision accords with Parliament’s purpose in enacting s. 243(1): “the establishment of a regime allowing for the appointment of a national receiver, thereby eliminating the need to apply for the appointment of a receiver in multiple jurisdictions” and increasing efficiency. The power to include a leave to sue provision in a receivership order is thus necessarily implied by the statutory power to appoint a receiver in s. 243(1).
Reading s. 243(1) and the court’s powers thereunder as sufficiently flexible to authorize a wide range of conduct dealing with the taking, management, and eventual disposition of the debtor’s property is consistent with the court having the power to include a leave to sue provision in a receivership order. A receiver directed by the court to take possession and control of property and to sell it, for example, may be subject to claims by those with whom the court has directed or authorized the receiver to deal. This is a central reason for the leave to sue provision’s necessity.
The SCC endorsed the hierarchical approach to interpreting insolvency legislation, holding that courts should first look to statutory authority, exhausting their statutory interpretive function before resorting to inherent jurisdiction. Accordingly, referring to a power as flowing from inherent jurisdiction does not necessarily take an appeal out of the BIA stream. It does not matter that a leave to sue provision is or could also be grounded in the CJA power to appoint a receiver. As long as the BIA is one of the sources that authorizes the leave to sue provision, an appeal from an order made under it necessarily implicates a provision sourced in the BIA.
The Court concluded that the authority that grounded the Superior Court’s refusal to grant the Appellant’s leave to sue BDO is found in both the BIA and the BJA. Federal paramountcy dictates that the BIA appeal provisions governs. The Court consequently dismissed the Appellant’s motion.
Counsel: Melvyn Solmon and Rajiv Joshi of Solmon Rothbart Goodman LLP and Frank Bennett of Bennett & Company for the moving party SusGlobal Energy Belleville Ltd. and Steven Graff and Miranda Spence of Aird & Berlis LLP, for the responding party BDO Canada Ltd.
Fullcase: http://canlii.ca/t/hzm8q
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2019 Membership Site Masters Blueprint Course 4 out of 5 based on 34 ratings.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. As co-chairs of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace ("Select Task Force"), we have spent the last 18 months examining the myriad and complex issues associated with harassment in the workplace.
Sep Rachel Rodger – Small Business Bodyguard Majestyx Archives Dedicated to preserving, restoring, and maintaining score music for entertainment and media since 1997 PLEASE NOTE: What is listed here. The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, an international football tournament contested by the men’s national teams of the member associations of FIFA once every four years. It took
Sep 03, 2017 · A new threaded post on this topic can be found here. For previous posts about the Harreld hire, click the tag below. 02/04/18 — Another One Bites the Dust: Administrative Turnover in the Time of Harreld. 01/28/18 — Iowa’s Rapidly Devolving Higher-Ed Budget Battle. 01/21/18 — Wendy.
NEW YORK, March 1, 2019 /PRNewswire.
the largest membership organization for human resources professionals. Mr. Windley has also held executive human resources positions at Microsoft, Intuit and Si.
An Evolving EBook. By Bill Geddes. Revised: 25 February 2019. List of Updates (Provides clickable list of annotated update dates) {§} (13/11/18) (the symbol Œ indicates a clickable external address) Download latest version (Check for Œ latest Version Date here): (Zipped HTML Version; Zipped EPUB Version; Zipped MOBI Version; Zipped PDF Version) (How to unzip a file in a Windows/iOS/Android.
ATLANTA, Feb. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Atlanta architects and planners will have an opportunity to learn about lightning protection, resilient building practices and blueprints for collaborative.
Board member and.
tournament from a course that’s not available, or a different facility getting renovated. "The main thing is that it’s unique to us and to football," Ruesink said. The board indic.
Mari Smith – Extreme Fanbase Growth 2.0 Mp4 Sep Rachel Rodger – Small Business Bodyguard Majestyx Archives Dedicated to preserving, restoring, and maintaining score music for entertainment and media since 1997 PLEASE NOTE: What is listed here. The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, an international football tournament contested by the men’s national teams of the member associations of
Waco events calendar: March-April 2019 – The U.S. Navy Concert Band will perform at 3 p.m. at the Jones Concert Hall of the Glennis McCrary Music Building at Baylor University.
Founder Lions Club Projects for Charity. Entry fee is $50 for.
The Formula; where c is a specific team’s total number of commits and R n is the 247Sports Composite Rating of the nth-best commit times 100.; Explanation; In order to create the most.
Mirror Gkic – Craftsmanship Of One To Many Selling Transcript: Vicki Huddleston talks with Michael Morell on "Intelligence Matters" – for the many economic ills of Cuba. Because this is not an efficient economic system. So if you have a threat from the most powerful country in the world, that’s one reason you can explain why the eco. As if on cue, one of
We’re getting our first glimpse at the Nickel Plate Trail master.
to blueprints– more than 200 students created models of what they want to see, like a ninja warrior fitness course and.
Pierce College officials say they are investigating a faculty member after students complained.
is a junior in high school, but takes courses at Pierce College. This past weekend, Ann says.
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J is for… Joy Division
In the pages of Frank's APA we are running through the letters of the alphabet. I would not actually describe myself as the world's biggest fan of Joy Division, but they are a band I like. Their place in music history can easily be summarised. They start off as a Manchester punk/post-punk band. They develop in somewhat doomy directions, perhaps driven by the miserabilism of their lead singer, Ian Curtis. They are apparently on the brink of major success but then Curtis tops himself. And that is the end of that, except that the surviving members regroup, recruit the drummer's girlfriend on keyboards and continue under the new name of New Order.
Joy Division's career was short and they did not record that much, though I suppose two albums and a rake of singles in such a short time makes them remarkably productive. They have probably become more famous since the band's dissolution, with a cinematic documentary followed by a feature film telling the band's story; the Joy Division and Ian Curtis story was also an important part of that film 24 Hour Party People. They have been the subject of many articles by music journalists and several books.
So what do I have to add to this party? Probably not much. The big thing I have to say about Joy Division is that too much of the commentary on Joy Division focusses on Ian Curtis. I am not saying he is overrated as a frontman (though of course I never saw them live), as on record he is clearly a lead singer of power, possessed of a singular vision. What I am saying is that the emphasis on Curtis obscures the input of the band's other members and turns the whole enterprise inappropriately into Ian Curtis and his backing band. The fact that the surviving musicians were able to bounce back so effortlessly from the death of Curtis suggests to me that they were more than just his peons.
In listening to the music of Joy Division, it is apparent in so many of the tunes that the vocals are just part of the mix. The musicians' efforts create a claustrophobic and oppressive atmosphere as much as the singer's deep vocals and sinister lyrics. You only have to listen to the first two minutes or so of 'Dead Souls' to perceive the atmospheric qualities of the instrumental music on its own.
The other perhaps controversial thing I would say about Joy Division is that people sometimes over-emphasise the oppressive doominess of their music and miss the perky pop elements. 'Love Will Tear Us Apart Again' was released as a single after the death of Ian Curtis and will always be associated with his untimely passing. Yet despite the lyrics and their sad evocation of a dying relationship, the music is astonishingly joyous. From the triumphant intro to the surging rhythms that run through the tune, this is a song that calls feet irresistibly to the dance floor. I can imagine that in foreign countries where they do not know English local bands could cover this and sing it with cheery smiles on their faces. In days of yore I used to think it would be an ideal song for Steps to sing.
Joy Division's career was cut short but three of the band's members went on to form New Order, whose more dance floor friendly electronic music enjoyed considerable success. What is always a bit of a mystery is whether Joy Division would have progressed in similar directions to New Order in the event of Curtis remaining alive. It is a difficult question. In some ways early New Order and late Joy Division are not so very different to each other. Joy Division were becoming a bit more electronic and as noted above were not complete strangers to the lure of the dance floor. Early New Order meanwhile maintains a lot of the oppressiveness of Joy Division, as well as a lyrical miserabilism that they never definitively lost (though for tracks like 'World in Motion' it took a definite back seat). But there are other factors in play which may receive further discussion when I reach the letter N.
image source (Stereogum)
Labels: Alphabet Street, F 145, Frank's APA reprints, Joy Division, music
China's funeral strippers crackdown
K is for… KLF
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Real Assets Adviser - December 1, 2017: Vol. 4, Number 12
Real Estate Forecast 2018: Debt, student housing and single-family rental properties are all in season for the new year
by Sheila Hopkins
Real estate is a cyclical investment class, and after eight years of economic growth — in fact, the United States is currently in its third-longest expansion since World War II — the current upward trend of the cycle is feeling a little long in the tooth. While no one can point to a specific event that will cause it to turn downward, it just feels like it is time for the cycle to start cycling. So how can private investors prepare for a change in the investment climate? One way is to look at what institutional investors are doing.
Following the lead of professional investment managers means looking at the four main sectors — office, retail, multifamily and industrial — and homing in on alternative subsectors that are responding to changing economics and demographics. Institutional investors, for example, are focusing on real estate debt investments instead of equity. Debt is considered more defensive than equity, and they feel this is the time to be defensive.
Multifamily has been a favorite investment for years, but is now becoming overvalued and oversupplied in some areas. Consequently, institutional investors are looking at variations on the typical multifamily complex, such as student housing, affordable or workforce housing, and single-family for-rent housing. Instead of large logistics facilities, smaller last-mile distribution centers are looking attractive. And instead of central business district office buildings, professional investors are turning their attention to infill office and data centers.
As luck would have it, these niche sectors also happen to be very accessible to private investors.
TAKING A DEFENSIVE STANCE
Investors are finding themselves caught between two competing and equally valid goals. They need to preserve wealth in the face of uncertain economic times when risk is looking risky. Yet they need to grow their wealth in an era of historically low fixed-income interest rates, when taking on more risk is the only way to improve returns. One way to meet both goals is to invest in real estate debt. The advantage of real estate debt is that it sits higher on the capital stack, shielding it from falling valuations. In fact, senior debt investors take the least risk, as they are the first to be repaid when the property is sold.
“In spite of the challenging real estate market conditions — and it is a challenging time to invest — there are still a lot of attractive opportunities, and we think that the best opportunities are debt, where you are moving up the capital stack and in a more defensive position,” says Chris Kelly, managing director and head of commercial real estate lending at Amherst Capital Management.
In addition to safety, debt funds provide notably higher returns than typical fixed-
income investments. For example, the Fidelity Series Real Estate Income Fund, which invests heavily in real estate–backed mortgages and other real estate debt, returned 5.68 percent over the past year, 6.82 percent over the past three years, and 7.13 percent over the past five years. While we all know that past performance is no guarantee of future returns, this track record compares pretty favorably with the 2 percent return investors are getting on government bonds.
HARNESSING BYTES AND BITS
The explosion of online shopping and digital communications drives two of next year’s hottest sectors — last-mile distribution facilities and data centers.
“Industrial/distribution and data center development, infill office in certain metros, as well as multifamily, all seem really strong based on the activity we’re seeing,” says Holly Neber, CEO of AEI Consultants. “The tech influence and the changing needs of consumers are driving much of this. We love working on infill development sites, and we’re working on lots of urban core redevelopment projects, including smaller warehouse distribution closer to population centers.”
U.S. online sales have been growing by double-digit numbers for several years, and there is no reason to believe they will slow any time soon. According to Forrester Research, online sales rose 14 percent in 2017, accounting for about $460 billion. This comes out to 12.9 percent of the total retail sales for the year. By 2022, online purchases are expected to reach 17 percent of all retail sales.
It is easy to make sales online, but retailers still need to find a way to deliver the goods — and they need to deliver them quickly. Americans are an impatient group who want to order their cake and eat it, today. Retailers are solving this problem by purchasing and/or developing multiple smaller distribution facilities near population centers rather than relying on huge regional warehouses in the middle of nowhere.
“Online retailers are expanding their distribution hubs and growing into space that provides that last mile to the customer,” says Kelly. “We’re seeing meaningful demand for those kind of properties, and I expect that to continue in the near term.”
In addition to distribution centers, retailers are setting up fulfillment centers for customers wanting same-day service. According to Amazon, there are more than 60 Amazon Prime Now hubs in high-density urban areas. These warehouses are typically 50,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet and allow customers to order online and receive their purchases in the same day. Where Amazon goes, others are sure to follow, making these smaller hubs a growth opportunity.
The explosion in digital interaction, whether for retail or communications, has spawned a growth in data centers, which are the heart of “the cloud.”
“The data center sector continues to grow rapidly to keep up with seemingly insatiable demand from all segments of society and business to store, analyze and stream data,” says Darob Malek-Madani, head of research & analysis at National Real Estate Advisors. “Satisfying this demand are credit tenants committed to long-term leases. This combination creates an attractive investment that exposes investors to both tech sector growth and real estate fundamentals.”
There are currently six publicly traded data center REITs. This is a relatively new sector, so historical data is short-term in real estate years, but as a group, they have outperformed the S&P 500 for the 3-, 5- and 10-year time periods. A few underperformed the S&P during 2016, but others outperformed for that one-year time period, as well. They all outperformed the NCREIF Property Index and FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs Index for all time periods.
“Investors should view an entity-level data center company investment as a core-plus investment containing a stable core of leased space and significant growth potential,” says Malek-Madani. “Therefore, such an investment can offer higher return potential than a strictly core investment.”
EVERYONE NEEDS A HOME
The multifamily sector has had quite a run since the crash, when large numbers of families and recent graduates found themselves unable to buy a house and turned to rental housing. Competition and a lack of supply have driven values high — some would say too high — and developers have been working overtime to meet the demand. Now, the sector is beginning to feel overvalued and oversupplied. But all is not lost. For those who like to invest in housing because everyone needs a roof over their head, there are subsectors that are providing very good risk-adjusted returns and are very accessible for the private investor.
Student housing is on everyone’s radar. Students no longer want to share a single room with a set of bunk beds and a communal shower down the hall. Today’s student housing is modeled on typical apartments with separate bedrooms, private baths and a shared living/kitchen space. These buildings usually have the same amenities found in upscale apartment complexes — laundry facilities, gymnasiums, meeting rooms, and outdoor grills and recreational areas. These assets have become popular among institutional investors, who say they are getting 0.5 percent to 0.75 percent higher returns than on a typical multifamily investment. With demand looking to outstrip supply for the foreseeable future, investors expect these assets to be able to weather whatever the economy throws at them over the next few years.
“We are most bullish about the student housing industry, in both the near-term and long-term,” confirms John David Booty, executive vice president at Ventus Group. “Student living has joined the list of institutional real estate asset classes, attracting investment through REITs, private wealth funds and merchant developers.”
Two public REITs — EdR and American Campus Communities (ACC) — and several private equity funds enable private investors to take part in the opportunity. EdR’s dividend yield currently stands at 4.2 percent while investors in ACC are looking at 4.1 percent, according to Morningstar.
Another subsector getting attention is the single-family rental niche.
“With the advent of institutional ownership of single-family rental properties, this segment appears to be well positioned to capture some of the demand from traditional apartment renters,” says Kelly.
This subsector is just beginning to take off. Firms managing single-family rentals view them as the equivalent of individual apartments — just spread out. It is akin to NNN investments, where instead of owning one building with multiple tenants, the investor owns several buildings, each with one tenant.
Boosted by the thousands of foreclosed and abandoned homes that hit the market in the wake of the financial crisis, the number of homes in institutional portfolios has grown to more than 100,000. Average rents for single-family rental homes have grown just as quickly. Some investors wonder if this growth can continue, but demand remains strong. Many families prefer the space and neighborhood characteristics that come with a single-family home, yet through choice or need, decide to rent rather than buy.
According to Nareit, the single-family rental sector has a YTD total return of 13.79 percent at the end of September 2017. In addition, the top-performing equity REIT property segments on a same store NOI basis in the second quarter of 2017 were single-family homes (6.8 percent) and data centers (5.8 percent), significantly higher than the overall same store NOI of 3.3 percent.
There are five REITs focused on this sector: Altisource Residential, American Homes 4 Rent, Colony Starwood, Invitation Homes and Reven Housing. Invitation Homes is the newest entry, having its IPO on Jan. 31, 2017. The Blackstone-backed REIT, which has about 50,000 rental homes nationwide, raised more than $1.5 billion, making it the largest listed company in the sector.
One final alternative multifamily subsector to look at is affordable or workforce housing. These apartment complexes are built using tax credits to reduce the cost of financing. In return, the developers set aside a certain percentage of apartments to rent at below-market rates to workers making less than the median income for the area. While the general multifamily sector is beginning to feel oversupplied, there is a definite lack of supply — and a definite demand — in the affordable category.
“There has been very little supply delivered for the biggest group of renters in the United States — those making under $50,000,” says John Williams, president and CIO at Avanath Capital Partners. “Most new apartments have been aimed at the luxury space and require double that income to qualify.”
Investors are waking up to this opportunity, which provides stable income returns along with good growth prospects. Average wages in the United States have remained stubbornly stagnant, making apartments focused on lower-income renters particularly attractive. These apartments tend to have lower turnover rates than standard multifamily units because the tenants simply cannot afford to move as often, and they have higher occupancy rates because demand is so strong.
“There is a stickiness to the renters that investors like because it gives this investment long-term stability,” says Williams. “In addition, a lot of investors are moving toward impact investing, and providing housing in high-rent cities for middle-class workers is a win all around.”
ALTERNATIVES BECOME MAINSTREAM
Next year looks to be the year of the alternative as mainstream investments begin to slow or even retreat. For those looking to diversify their portfolios by adding a few nontraditional investments, international REITs might be attractive. International REITs have outperformed U.S. REITs this year — as have foreign equities — although they tend to be more volatile. This risk, however, can be mitigated.
“As quantitative, multifactor investors, we are very much focused on risk management,” says Gregg Fisher, founder of Gerstein Fisher. “So, for example, in REITs we hold a globally diversified portfolio that doesn’t vary dramatically in country or sector weights from the index, but we tilt toward risks that we believe will benefit investors over the long term [such as momentum and valuation] and away from risks [like leverage] that we think are not worth taking.”
The best opportunities next year appear to be out of the mainstream, such as foreign REITs, or driven by demographic trends, such as e-commerce, demand for affordable rental housing and an aging population looking for more security in their investments. But as always, no one sector or one investment is the perfect solution for everyone, or even anyone.
“We think about total portfolios in a holistic way,” says Fisher. “We advise against chasing performance in asset classes or sectors, which we believe is a poor strategy. Instead, investors should ensure that they have an appropriately diversified portfolio.”
Sounds like good advice for all economic environments — not just next year.
Sheila Hopkins is a freelance writer based in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
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Home Neck of the Woods Central City City to mark 65th anniversary of A.G. Gaston Motel
City to mark 65th anniversary of A.G. Gaston Motel
A.G. Gaston Motel 9-18-18
The historic A.G Gaston Motel at 1510 Fifth Ave. N. downtown is being renovated by the city, which will host a ceremony to mark the facility's 65th anniversary on Mon., July 1, at 9 a.m.
The city of Birmingham will commemorate the 65th anniversary of the historic A.G. Gaston Motel, which played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement, on Monday, July 1, at 9 a.m., according to Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin.
There will be a short program in the motel’s courtyard to celebrate the anniversary, as well as an unveiling of an honorary street designation to honor the motel’s founder, the late Birmingham businessman A.G. Gaston, Woodfin told members of the City Council at their regular meeting for Tuesday, June 25.
The event will be a chance for people to ‘celebrate the new life” of the motel, Woodfin said.
The city is currently restoring the motel, and the project should be complete by December 2021, according to the mayor.
Crews are currently assessing the building, including the doors, frames, windows and roof, to determine what is necessary to fully restore it, and the renovated motel will serve as a visitors center and a place for meetings and other activities, Woodfin said.
Gaston opened the motel on July 1, 1954, “to offer a place for African-Americans to stay, to eat and to be entertained,” he said.
The motel has been closed since the 1980s. However, “the motel is on the comeback to be restored to the look and feel that so many people remember it,” he said.
Dr. Martin Luther King and other leaders relied on the motel as an important meeting place during the key events of the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in 1963.
For more information about the July 1 commemorative program, go to birminghamal.gov/gaston.
Those who wish to share their memories or photos of the motel can send them to gastonstories@birminghamal.gov.
A.G. Gaston Motel Birmingham City Council Civil Rights District
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28 years ago today...If I had only known. Rest in peace my friends.
A post shared by Reba (@reba) on Mar 16, 2019 at 7:49am PDT
Reba McEntire Tributes Band Members Who Died in Plane Crash: ‘If I Had Only Known’
Reba McEntire turned to social media on Saturday (March 16) to mark the 28th anniversary of the tragic deaths of several of her closest friends and colleagues. The country legend shared a photo of a sky filled with clouds with the words "If I Had Only Known" in remembrance of her band members who died in a plane crash.
"28 years ago today ... If I had only known. Rest in peace my friends," she writes.
McEntire and her band performed in San Diego on March 16, 1991, and after the show, they were slated to fly to Fort Wayne, Ind., where their next concert was scheduled. McEntire's band members and tour manager left that evening, while McEntire, her then-husband and manager Narvel Blackstock and her stylist decided to stay the night in San Diego.
There were two planes waiting to transport the entourage, and while the second aircraft took off and proceeded smoothly to its destination, the first plane that left the ground was struck with disaster just ten miles east of the airport from which it departed.
"The tip of the wing of the airplane hit a rock on the side of Otay Mountain, and it killed everyone on the plane," McEntire would recount in an emotional interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2012. “When we were notified, Narvel went and met with our pilot, and he told us what had happened. And Narvel came back to the hotel room where I was — it was two or three o’clock in the morning — and he said one of the planes had crashed, and I said, 'Are they OK?' He said, 'I don’t think so.' I said, 'But you’re not sure?' He said, 'I don’t think so.'"
They were frantic while waiting to get more details about the crash.
"Narvel was going room to room with a phone and calling ..." she said, then paused as tears sprang to her eyes. "I’m sorry — it’s been 20 years, but it’s just like — I don’t guess it ever quits hurting," McEntire said. "But I can see that room. I can see Narvel walking back and forth."
More Artists Who Have Suffered Unthinkable Tragedies
McEntire dedicated her next album, For My Broken Heart, to those who had died, and it included a song titled "If I Had Only Known." Written by Jana Stanfield and Craig Morris, the song describes the remorse that accompanies loss.
"If I had only known / I'd never hear your voice again / I'd memorize each thing you ever said / And on those lonely nights / I could think of them once more / And keep your words alive inside my head / If I had only known / I'd never hear your voice again," McEntire sings in the chorus.
For My Broken Heart reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and went on to sell four million copies.
McEntire usually marks the anniversary of the tragic crash each year. She turned to Instagram in 2014 to mark the crash anniversary, and in 2016, on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy, she took a special trip to San Diego that she shared with fans via social media.
"Today is the 25th anniversary of the airplane crash," the country legend wrote. "I went back to San Diego Nov of last year and took a helicopter up to the crash site. I feel in my heart that they know we still miss them so much. My love and prayers to all the families and friends."
Country Singers Who Died Too Young
NEXT: Country Stars Who've Suffered Tragedy
Country Singers Who Died in Plane Crashes
Source: Reba McEntire Tributes Band Members Who Died in Plane Crash: ‘If I Had Only Known’
Filed Under: reba mcentire
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»Uncategorized»International Kaffa Event (also known as International Coffee Event) Begins in Addis Ababa Today
International Kaffa Event (also known as International Coffee Event) Begins in Addis Ababa Today
Posted by Kumilachew Ambo on December 4, 2018 in Uncategorized
As most of you already know the episodes leading up to the International Coffee event that will be held in Addis Ababa today and tomorrow have been very controversial. An attempt to steal our history and heritage had sent hundreds of thousands of people into a week long demonstration in Bonga and elsewhere in the country and the world.
After the demonstrations have ended our brothers and sisters in Bonga, addis and some overseas had been in touch and sharing ideas in making our appearance at the international Coffee Event to be Successful. Our people have worked hard in reserving a space for exhibition and prepared themselves to present to the global audience about the original home of coffee, Kaffa and its deep rooted coffee culture.
We will be closely following the events of today and tomorrow to make sure our people are treated fair and with respect and that they are able to speak and demonstrate at their exhibition desks without restriction and intimidation about Kaffa as a land of origin of coffee within Ethiopia.
In preparation for this two day event and to help with the preparation of a brochure that can be distributed to the foreign participants at the event, we have prepared the below article in the English language about Kaffa and Coffee and wanted to share it here on Kaffa Media with our audience. The article follows below:
It’s In The Name! Coffee is from Kaffa: A Southwestern Region of Ethiopia.
Coffee is the second most popular beverage in the world next to tea. It’s consumed by people across the world. According to the website of world’s top exporters, the United States, Germany and France are the three top buyers of coffee. According to The Telegraph of UK, the north European nations of Finland, Norway, and Iceland are the three top drinkers of coffee averaging 10 Kgs per capita per year.
Where did coffee originate? How did it travel across the globe? What are its social, cultural and economic contributions?
The Origin of Coffee
Coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia; in the southwestern region of Kaffa (currently known as Kaffa Zone). Within the Kaffa zone, the Makira village and a specific community within Makira named Buno is believed to be where the coffee plant was first discovered. There exist strong indicators; several studies and historical documents confirming Kaffa as the original home of coffee within Ethiopia.
There are many clear indicators why Kaffa is the original home of coffee; few of them are listed here:
1. It’s in The Name. The names Kaffa and Coffee are inseparable. The resemblance between the two names is one of the strongest indicators that Kaffa is the original home of coffee. Coffee took its name from Kaffa and its pronounciation became adapted into many languages and dialects of the world while still maintaining resemblance in sound to the name Kaffa. To support this statement, let’s take a look at pronunciation of coffee in only a few of the global languages.
Afrikaans: koffie, Arabic: qahua, Albanian: kafe, Azerbajan: Qəhvə, Bangala: Kaphi, Basque: Kafea, Belarusian: kava, Dutch: Koffie, French: café, German: Kaffee, Greek: Kafés, Italian: caffè, Swedish: Kaffe, Norwegian: Kaffe, Finish: kahvi, Turkish: Kahve, Chinese: Kāfēi, Hindi: kofee.
While coffee is pronounced in a variety of sounds resembling Kaffa in many of the world’s languages, the Ethiopian languages refer to the name coffee as Buna (in Amharic), Bun (in Oromo), etc… referring to the name of the specific community of Buno in Kaffa Makira where coffee is believed to have originated.
2. Max Gruhl, a german writer and social science researcher who visited Ethiopia in the early 1900s had written about Kaffa and stated the relationship between the names coffee and Kaffa. “The name of this African country is nevertheless, on the lips of many everyday of the year, sice a great part of a population of the world drinks a juice extracted from the berry plant which originally grew in Kaffa – coffee. Coffee has been in Kaffa since the dawn of history and it was from kaffa that in early time the use of the extract of the “Kaffa bean” spread over the entire Ethiopian Highlands. It also gradually spread throughout the entire world in the 9th century A.D its use came to be known to the persians.” (Max Gruhl, The Citadel of Ethiopia, the empire of the divine emperor, 1932, page 169).
3. Werner Lange, a German writer states that “As observed by a Scottish traveler James Bruce (1730 – 1794), it is evident that Kaffa is the original home of coffee. Prior to the invasion of King Menelik, and its integration into the current day Ethiopia, Kaffa was the main coffee producer in Africa. Kaffa exported 350,000 kilograms of coffee every year.” (Werner Lange, Dialects of Divine, Kingship in the Kaffa Highlands, 1976 page 😎.
4. In 2010, the UNESCO organization designated Kaffa as original home of the Arabica coffee. Below is an excerpt from the document published by UNESCO on their web address: ( http://www.unesco.org/…/biosphere-res…/africa/ethiopia/kafa/ )
The Kafa Biosphere Reserve is located in the Kafa Zone of Ethiopia approximately 460 km southwest of Addis Abba. The Bonga National Forest Priority Area (NFPA) partly forms the southern boundary of the Biosphere Reserve, whilst the eastern boundary follows the Adiyo Woreda with the Gojeb River and Gewata-Yeba (Boginda) NFPA forming the northern boundary. Kafa Biosphere Reserve in Ethiopia is the birthplace of wild Arabica coffee and contains close to 5,000 wild varieties of the plant in this biodiversity hotspot.
Designation Date: 2010
Administrative authorities: Kafa Zone Administration, in association with Chena Woreda, Decha Woreda, Gimbo, Woreda, Gewata Woreda, Adiyo Woreda, Bita Woreda, Bonga Town Administration Guanica
Surface area (terrestrial and marine): 540,631.10 ha
Core area(s): 41,319.10 ha
Buffer zone(s): 161,427 ha
Transition area(s): 337,885 ha
Midpoint: 7°22’14″N – 36°03’22″E
5. At the turn of the century, the Ethiopian Federal Government has recognized the Kaffa Region (the current Kaffa Zone) as the original home of the coffee plant within Ethiopia. As a result, a federal government project was initiated to build the National Coffee Museum in the city of Bonga, the regional capital of Kaffa. The National Museum Project has been completed and is currently in preparation to welcome the national and international visitors, as well as to host national and international coffee events.
Mother Coffee Tree in Kaffa Makra, Buno Community
In the Buno community of the Makira village in Kaffa, we have what is known as a Mother Coffee Tree. This is a very unique coffee plant that has grown into a huge tree over many years. Although there is no information about the date of its origin, its generally believed the Mother Coffee Plant has been around for hundreds of years and is perhaps the oldest coffee plant.
The Spread of Coffee out of Kaffa to the rest of the World
Once its benefit as a stimulant and as medicinal plant has become widely recognized within Kaffa, the Kings of the Kaffa Kingdom had instructed their officials to guard the coffee plant and its seed from smugglers. If caught while attempting to smuggle coffee, the smugglers were to face the most severe punishment of the land. It was an Arab merchant who took an enormous risk and smuggled the coffee into the Arab world and introduced it to Yemen (Max Gruhl, 1932, page 172). From Yemen, the European colonial powers of the time: The Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish had spread it throughout the world.
Benefits of Coffee and its impact on the culture of Kaffa and Ethiopia.
In a social arena, the coffee culture has helped to bring people together. People who live in the same neighbourhood share coffee in the morning, noon or evening thus staying in close community. This helps people to get to know each other, to think of each other and help each other. It also creates an opportunity to resolve conflicts that may occur between individuals within the community through dialogue and discussions over a coffee ceremony. In Kaffa, every invitation to one’s home is extended by asking “please come have some coffee”. No invitation whether for lunch or dinner is complete without coffee. In Kaffa one of the main criteria in asking a young woman for marriage is her skills in preparing a good coffee. Coffee is used everywhere. People bring coffee to comfort those who are sad from death in the family. Its served before meal when guests come into the home.
In Kaffa, Coffee is also known to have a number of health benefits. People have used ground coffee over their wound and it helps dry up and close the wound. The people of Kaffa believe that eating ground coffee mixed with honey can help with blood circulation.
In terms of its economic benefits, coffee holds the 1st place as an export item generating largest share of the country’s foreign exchange. 60% of Ethiopia’s export is coffee.
After Coffee has spread out of Kaffa and Ethiopia into the world, what are the factors contributing to the growth in production?
Starting in the early 17th century, the coffee plant has been spread into many parts of the world with the help of the European colonial powers. At the same time some of the bars in Europe had started serving coffee. Its use in the hotels has been greatly pronounced in Ethiopia that until this day hotels are referred to as the Coffee House (or Buna Bet in the amharic language) in Ethiopia.
Major factors contributing to the growth of the coffee production were the colonial economic policies of Spain and Portugal. Spain and Portugal promoted mono-cultural economic policy where they force their colonies to specialize on a certain crop or product. For example Brazil, which used to be a Portuguese colony, holds the first place in Coffee production in south America. Angola, another Portuguese colony in Africa used to be one of the top coffee producers. Spanish colony, Cuba, held a top spot for sugar production. Today the top five coffee producers of the world are: Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, and Ethiopia.
There are two varieties / categories of cofee in the world. These are Arabica and Robusta. The variety of coffee that originated from Kaffa, Ethiopia is the Arabica variety. Arabica is the most desired and most used variety of coffee.
Love of Coffee
Given a choice between coffee and a meal, a person of Kaffa origin would prefer to be served coffee instead of meal. Because of his / her love for coffee a person of Kaffa origin, carries a ground coffee on his journey. The coffee can be boiled and consumed wherever the traveller end up spending the night at some place or someone’s home along his travel path..
By Amanuel Karlo Gano
ካፋ ሚድያ Kaffamedia.
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/africa/ethiopia/kafa/?fbclid=IwAR3FqO1C_jC_LzBD3XcyBjtOHnYDOaABaggAZ7V-iBY6SEl8s682id3GTqQ
← የደቡብ ህዝቦች የኢትዮጵያ እንጀራ ልጆች ናቸው᎓᎓ ይድረስ ለእሳት ጋዜጠኛ ለክቡር ኤርሚያስ ለገሰ
‘’የደቡብ ህዝቦች የኢትዮጵያ እንጀራ ልጆች ናቸው’’ እዉነት ነዉ ግን የዘር ክልል ህዝቦች አይደሉም፡፡ →
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I Suck @ Video Games
Video Games + Me = Fail
June 29, 2016 June 29, 2016 mesuckatgames
Run Application World.exe
Every now and again you’ll just be sitting there minding your own business, keeping to yourself, when all of a sudden someone says something stupid. It happens more often then it should. Most of the time it’s harmless. Sometimes it’s serious. Occasionally it’s downright insane.
I recently had one of those insane ones.
Last night I was out with my mate, chucking down a few pints. It was a good time. We hadn’t caught up in a while and, well actually, maybe it was a few too many pints. It got to the point where everything became clear. The golden moment. There were no more questions about the futility of life, just the realisation of the situation we are all in, trying to make our way on a rock flying through space, getting ever closer to our impending doom.
Then he said it. It was stupid. Crazy. Moronic even. He ruined the moment. A moment that for many, only comes with the help of intoxication. I could see the crazy in his eyes. A glimmer of sudden knowledge. Or maybe they were glazed from the drink. It was his golden moment.
“The world is a video game”
What an ass. I told him he was an idiot. I expected his rebuttal to be that of questioning my beliefs, which he knows full and well already as discussed during many other golden moments. He had it worked out. He had his response. “Watch this.” he said. Without breaking eye contact, in a slow sweeping motion he pushed his half empty (or in the case half full) beer off the table, and let it gloriously smash on the ground.
“That wasn’t me,” he said. “It was whoever… Whatever controls my character.”
I called him an idiot and told him the moment was gone. Now we were just drunk.
This morning I went about my business as per the norm, without giving a second thought to what he has said. I was browsing Reddit and came across a repost from a month or so ago; an article about how Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook thinks the same thing is a possibility. The world as we know it is a simulation. A game. Alright world! You want me to think about this? FINE! I’ll entertain you. It’s really just loon-talk though.
Do androids dream of electric sheep? A program is not aware of itself. A creation is not sentient. AI… Well, AI. Artificial Intelligence does not exist in the way we would imagine it to. There’s no such thing as Skynet. There is no possibility of a GLaDOS. Not with our current technology.
Moments ago I was sitting here and looked over into the kitchen. I hung out some laundry earlier and put the washing basket on the counter. It has holes in it and I was moving my head around in a circular motion intrigued by the pattern and how looking at one hole through the other makes a bas-relief like effect. It wasn’t on purpose. I was pondering what I should write and it just happened. Surely that isn’t something someone playing a video game would make their character do?
Yes, that’s right. No one would do something as mundane as that. It was something automated. I didn’t really notice I was doing it at first. Actually, it was almost as if… As if I was just programmed to do it autonomously. In fact, and here’s a sudden realisation for you, kind of like when you put the controller down for a few moments and Sonic the Hedgehog looks at you and taps his foot impatiently. Or when Mario falls asleep and dreams about pasta. Its not like it was their concious choice to do it. They don’t know any different.
Like my friend said “It was whoever… Whatever controls my character.” If we are all a part of one giant simulation, a game that some strange race plays it would only make sense that they aren’t playing all the time. Sure, I play a lot of games but it’s not the only thing I do. What if we are only being controlled some of the time? The rest of it we’re just on autopilot. We are designed to act on our own, just like a random pedestrian in Grand Theft Auto, going about town, talking on the street, making phone calls.
There are a lot of people in the world. North of seven billion. Not all of us have to be used. You or I could just be an NPC, never to take part in the real experience. If that’s the case, it could be possible that at any time we could be taken over, essentially possessed by a player. That would actually make a lot of sense.
How many times have you done something stupid and thought to yourself, “why the freak did I do that!?!” What if those times you aren’t in control. It could be an objective for your player.
OBJECTIVE: RUIN DINNER
Simple things like that could even be a training mission, preparing a player for bigger things. The purpose of our world could be as a crime simulator. It wouldn’t be as basic as YOU ARE NOW GREG. GREG IS A BANK ROBBER. ROB THE BANK. That’s too simple for a simulation as grand as us.
There would be a complexity to it. A long game. Throughout the characters life, your life, the player has to do things that influence you towards the bank robbery, or whatever crime it happens to be. Of course a created world as grand as ours would be a multiplayer experience. What’s a better way to help mold someone into a deranged or desperate criminal than multiple influences. As a kid, have someone play the role of terrible father. No love. Beatings. Have another player portray an uncaring mother, causing psychological damage. Another as an already “self-made” criminal to groom them.
On the flip-side, it doesn’t always have to be crime. There would be objectives to try and gain a character notoriety via other means. Work towards becoming a celebrity. Enter politics and try to become a world leader. That’s an objective lots of players would seek to achieve. It would act as a leaderboard of sorts and would come with bragging rights.
Multiplayer is great, but obviously there are community events too. Events like WWII. Huge events where as many players as possible compete and take part. This would be in all roles too. Of course you have the first person shooter fans, getting right in the action. Strategists who like to lead the battles. Even those opposing the event trying to stop it. Maybe it wasn’t even a planned event. Quite possibly one player took the objective of world leader too far…
What would the purpose of a giant character cull like this be? Could it just be for the purpose of the game? Or maybe the servers were running out of room… Not an issue now though. That could be why there haven’t been wars quite as “Great” since. Players enjoy that kind of gameplay though, so there are constantly wars. Always terrorist attacks.
Terrorism seems to be a hard thing to accept, even in a simulation as diverse as this. ISIS would have to be a group of players akin to 4chan, trying to ruin things for everyone else Trolling just for their own humour. Whoever is playing as Donald Trump is probably the biggest troll out there at the moment.
As insane as it is to entertain the idea that everything is a computer program, I keep getting hung up on the whole “possession” thing, where players aren’t always controlling us. For that to be true we would have to of been created as AI. Code with sentience. We learn from what our players make us do. We pick up habits and morals and values. That’s why we don’t realise it when we aren’t in control. What our player does becomes us. If we are groomed to become a criminal, a thief, it encompasses who we are. Have a player guiding you towards politics or fame and that becomes our own personal main objective. Get a player who wants to make some kind of difference to this digital world, well, then they instill humanitarian desires that remain whether it’s them in control or not.
It’s nice to think that we aren’t responsible for out own lives, that there’s something bigger than us, leading us to become what we are. Be it a programmer, starting us off as a blank slate, with only survival instincts to guide us, until a player decides to take control and make of us what they want. Or a creator, a god who basically did the same thing, instilling free will and predestined fate at the same time.
As crazy as this sounds, just maybe we are responsible for ourselves. Responsible for our life, our community and our world. There’s nothing that controls us except for us. Sure we are influenced be others and events in the world but it’s still just us. As messed up as things can get, as terrible as the world can be… That’s us.
Posted in Real LifeTagged and it's all us, simulation, trump, we are all going to die, world is a game, wwiiLeave a comment
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£375 Raised for St Mary’s Stroke Unit
Iona Stewart-Richardson
£375 has been raised for St. Mary’s Stroke Unit to benefit people receiving care after suffering a stroke.
Louise Snook signed up for this year’s London Marathon to raise money for the unit which cared for her mum last year. She decided to take on the 26 mile run in April as a way to say thank you to the fantastic stroke team.
Commenting on her fundraising efforts and why she chose to support the unit, Louise said:
“The London Marathon has, by far, been the biggest challenge I have ever set myself as I’m not a runner. But I wanted to do something to support the unit as they have been brilliant with my mum, especially the physiotherapy team, who are just amazing.They have given such a boost to mum’s wellbeing and they have supported her from the very beginning in hospital through to rehabilitation and finally to getting her home and helping her to get back to doing all the things she used to do. We cannot thank everyone enough for their support.”
Before she retired in 2009 Mrs Snook was a nurse in the Emergency Department at St. Mary’s Hospital and has also supported the Chaplaincy Service for many years.
Charlotte Croucher, Stroke Unit Sister, said:
“Well done to Louise for taking on such a huge challenge and for choosing to support us, we are so grateful. This is an amazing amount of money for us and we plan to use it to fund additional equipment to benefit our patients receiving physiotherapy. Thank you to everyone who supported Louise.”
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Pakistan Army chief gets more powers: Appointed member of National Development Council
Islamabad, June 19: In a move that would further expand the powerful Pakistani military's influence, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been made a member of the newly-formed National Development Council headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the media reported.
The Express Tribune, quoting a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, reported that the 13-member council set up by Prime Minister Khan will also include the foreign minister and advisor on finance.
The cash-strapped Pakistan government is seeking financial bailout packages from global multilateral lenders like the IMF and the World Bank to tide over a ballooning balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple its economy.
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The powerful army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 70 plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy. But now, the military will play greater role in economic matters of Pakistan as the Khan-led government grapples with serious financial woes.
Prime minister Khan was widely seen as the Pakistan Army's favoured candidate in the 2018 general election.
The National Development Council (NDC) will aim at setting policies and strategies for development and provide guidelines for regional cooperation, according to the notification.
It will also provide measures for local coordination and provincial chief ministers will also be invited to the council's meetings.
In addition, members of the council will be tasked to formulate and tailor policies to achieve accelerated economic growth, approve long-term planning for national and regional connectivity.
Pakistan Army is already backing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a series of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan that would connect China's Xinjiang province with the Arabian Sea via Gwadar port in Pakistan.
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On Monday, the Commander Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Han Weiguo, visited the headquarters of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi and met General Bajwa.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military, during the meeting, both leaders discussed matters related to regional security and professional interest.
The Chinese commander lauded the role of Pakistan Army in the war against terrorism and continued efforts for regional peace and stability, said a press release by ISPR.
Bajwa reaffirmed Pakistan Army's unwavering support for CPEC security, the ISPR said.
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Tag: archbishop nikola eterovic
Seventeen years in the see of Boniface – Heinz-Josef Algermissen retires
It couldn’t have come on a more fitting day for the Diocese of Fulda. On 5 June they celebrated the feast day of their patron St. Boniface, which was celebrated over the weekend with the annual Bonifatius Fest which drew some 8,000 visitors, among them the bishop of that other diocese closely linked to St Boniface: Msgr. Ron van den Hout of Groningen-Leeuwarden.
On the same 5th of June it was announced this had been the last such day presided over by Bishop Heinz Joshistef Algermissen. That was not unexpected, as the bishop reached the age of 75 in February, and there was no reason to assume that his retirement would not be accepted within the following months. Bishop Algermissen led the Diocese of Fulda since 2001. Before that he served as an auxiliary bishop of Paderborn for five years.
The Diocese of Fulda, which traces its origins to the establishment of a monastery by the aforementioned St. Boniface in 744. In 751 the monastery became an abacy nullius under the direct responsibility of the Holy See, making the abbots independent from the local bishops. The prosperity of the abbacy grew, in 1220 it became an abbey-principality, and in 1752 it became a diocese in its own right, taking the name of Fulda. Over the subsequent centuries its borders were changed repeatedly, gaining territory in 1821 and 1929, and losing it in 1930 and 1973. The last change was a reflection of Cold War reality: parts of Fulda had been under Communist rule since the end of World War II, and in 1973 those parts, as well as parts of the Diocese of Würzburg, became a separate apostolic administration: Erfurt-Meiningen. In 1994 this became the Diocese of Erfurt.
Today, the Diocese of Fulda covers the northerns and eastern parts of the Land of Hesse, a small part of Thuringia and and exclave in Bavaria. Within its 10,318 square kilometres live some 400,000 Catholics a little of 20% of the entire population. It remains a pilgrimage site because of St. Boniface’s wish to be buried there, instead of in Mainz or Utrecht. He had been killed in the Frisian swamps near what is now Dokkum in the Netherlands (hence the connection to the the Diocese of Groningen-Leeuwarden, hinted at above). With the acceptance of the retirement of Bishop Algermissen, and until the catedral chapter has chosen a diocesan administrator, Bishop Karlheinz Diez leads the diocese. He is Fulda’s sole auxiliary, making him the automatic choice for the role.
During his years in office, Bishop Algermissen had a clear eye on the future, creating 43 parish communities in ten deaneries by 2006, and in 2017 he created the strategy for the next decades until 2030. “When many today see an ever denser curtain blocking heaven from view and when the emancipation from God becomes a program, we are urgently called to establish a countermovement,” the bishop declared.
Commenting in Bishop Algermissen’s retirement, Cardinal Reinhard Marx expressed his gratitude for his service and hospitality (the German bishops meet in Fulda for their autumn plenary meetings), but also referred to his pro-life stance: “Regarding your work, I emphasise the special attention to unborn and dying life: protecting life from beginning to end has, also in public debates, always been a heartfelt concern for you.”
Bishop Algermissen was a member of the Liturgy Commission and the Ecumenism Commission in the German Bishops’ Conference. He was vice-president of the latter commission.
At last weekend’s Bonifatiusfest, a toast from Groningen-Leeuwarden canon Fr. Paul Verheijen to Bishop Algermissen (Credit: R. Leupolt)
The election of the new bishop follows the usual rules laid down in the Concordat between Prussia and the Holy See of 1929: the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, requests suggestions for the new bishop from the dioceses covering the former territory of Prussia and sends these to the pope. The pope, or rather the Congregation for Bishops, and following the collection of further information on the candidates by the nuncio, selects his three favoured candidates, and this list is then sent to the cathedral chapter, who elect their new bishop from that list. After approval from the governments of, in this case, Hesse and Thuringia, the cathedral chapter sends the name of the elected to the pope, who then appoints him. Following the publication of the name of the new bishop, a date for consecration (if the new appointee is not a bishop yet) and installation. The consecration of the new bishop falls to the metropolitan of the Church province of which Fulda is a part: Archbishop Hans-Josef Becker of Paderborn. Before this, however, the new bishop makes an oath of loyalty to the German state and the Länder of Hesse and Thuringia.
^On the day that Bishop Algermissen retired, the newly-appointed bishop of Würzburg, Msgr. Franz Jung, made his oath of loyalty to the prime minister of Bavaria, Markus Söder. Bishop-elect Jung will be consecrated and installed on 10 June. (Credit: Markus Hauck (POW))
Posted on June 6, 2018 June 14, 2018 Categories World ChurchTags archbishop hans-josef becker, archbishop nikola eterovic, bavaria, bishop franz jung, bishop heinz josef algermissen, bishop karlheinz diez, bishop ron van den hout, cold war, diocese of erfurt, diocese of fulda, diocese of groningen-leeuwarden, diocese of würzburg, ecumenism, father paul verheijen, german bishops' conference, hesse, history, liturgy, markus söder, pilgrimage, pope francis, pro-life, prussian concordat, reinhard cardinal marx, saint boniface, secularisation, thuringia1 Comment on Seventeen years in the see of Boniface – Heinz-Josef Algermissen retires
The cardinal’s testament
On a day in March 2009, Cardinal Karl Lehmann sat down and looked ahead at the day he would pass from this life into the eternal life. Almost nine years to the day later, his successor would lead his funeral Mass and share the spiritual testament with the world.
In a requiem Mass celebrated by Bishop Peter Kohlgraf (who also marked his 51st birthday) and five other bishops*, and in the presence of almost the entire German episcopacy (as well as Cardinals Adrianus Simonis from the Netherlands and Walter Kasper from Rome), Cardinal Karl Lehmann was interred in Mainz’s Cathedral of St. Martin of Tours and St. Stephen today. After the Mass was concluded, the text of the cardinal’s spiritual testament was published on the diocese’s Facebook page. Below, I share my translation.
“In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
My testament as bishop
I thank God for all gifts, especially the people He has given me, especially also my parents, teachers and my homeland. I am greatly thankful for the many full-time and voluntary sisters and brothers with whom I was allowed to work and who have supported me.
Theology and Church have been the breath of my life. I would choose thusly again! We all , especially in the time after 1945, have buried ourselves deeply in the world and the times, also in the Church. This is also true for me. I pray God and the people for forgiveness. Renewal must come deeply from faith, hope and love. Hence I remind all of the words of my motto, which come from Saint Paul, and which have become ever more important for me: “Stand firm in the faith!”
With gratitude and a request for prayer for me, I greet the Holy Father, the bishops, priest and deacons, all coworkers and all sisters and brothers in the Diocese of Mainz, in my home Diocese of Freiburg im Breisgau, as well as friends in our Church and in ecumenism, and the Catholics of our country, for whom I gladly was chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference for more than 20 years. I was always concerned with the unity in faith in the diversity of our lives, without blinkers and uniformity.
I leave the arrangement of the requiem Mass and the burial to the cathedral chapter and the auxiliary bishops. We have many good customs!
There are two things under which I have suffered time and again, and ever more: In many ways, our earth and, to a large extent, our lives are wonderful, beautiful and fascinating, but they are also profoundly ambiguous, destructive and terrible. Lately, the frightfulness of power and how man deals with it has dawned on me more and more. Brutal thought and the reckless pursuit of power are to me among the harshest expressions of unbelief and sin. Resist their beginnings! I increasingly keep Jesus’ words from Luke in mind:”When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Choose a good successor! Pray for him and for me! Goodbye!”
Mainz, 15 March 2009
+ Karl Cardinal Lehmann
Bishop of Mainz
In his homily, Bishop Kohlgraf fondly remembered the popularity of Cardinal Lehmann, something that was proven in the days after his death by what people shared on social media:
“One shared that Bishop Lehmann had confirmed him and how much that meant to him. Others shared everyday encounters in the street and small conversations. I know of others for whom the cardinal was a true pastor and guide on he search for a personal faith. Not without reason do the people of the Diocese of Mainz call him “our Karl”. He was able to converse with everyone: with the so-called simple folk and with those with social, ecclesiastical and political influence.”
Bishop Kohlgraf referred to the cardinal’s spiritual testament several times. About the comment that the Church had ‘buried’ itself in society in the last decades, the bishop said:
“A Church burying itself in the times: in its brevity and poignancy this sentence seems to me to be prophetic. The temptation to plan and create everything, as if administration, planning, material possession is the decisive factor, does not grow smaller. In this way our late cardinal warns us to live according to faith, hope and love, before starting to “create”. The source, which gives us true life, must not be forgotten.”
Cardinal Lehmann instead insisted that the search for God lay in the heart of people: something that is innate to all human beings. This search leads to a God who has a name, who can be addressed.
“The God of the Bible is a God who enters into history, a good of liberation, who accompanies people, “God with us”. He ultimately reveals Himself unparalleled in Jesus Christ. The cardinal’s coat of arms contains an open Bible, a reference to this God who speaks to people and joins them on the way: on the coffin today, likewise, there lies an open Bible. Today, God is also “God with us”. Since this God is so great and has numerous ways of speaking, there is an endless number of ways to come to Him, as numerous as the people and their means of expressing themselves. Theology must be diverse, faith experiences must be possible for different people, faith is not narrow, not uniform”.
The requiem and funeral Mass for Cardinal Lehmann was witnessed by thousands of people along the route of the funeral procession, in the cathedral and on the square in front of it, where faithful could watch the proceedings on big screens. Among the guests were the prime ministers of the federal states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate, on whose territory the Diocese of Mainz is located. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived under police escort when the procession had entered the cathedral. Chancellor Angela Merkel had wanted to be there, but had duties in Berlin. She is expected to attend tomorrow’s requiem service in Berlin’s St. Hedwig cathedral.
*Concelebrating with Bishop Kohlgraf were Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, Apostolic Nuncio to Germany; Reinhard Cardinal Marx, president of the German Bishops’ Conference; Gerhard Cardinal Müller, former priest of the Diocese of Mainz; Bishop Gebhard Fürst of Rottenburg Stuttgart, representing the Oberrhein Church Province, from which Cardinal Lehmann hails; Bishop Ulrich Neymeyr of Erfurt, former priest and auxiliary bishop of Mainz; and Bishop Udo Bentz, auxiliary bishop of Mainz.
Photo credit: [1] Arne Dedert (dpa), [2] Boris Roessler (dpa)
Posted on March 21, 2018 March 21, 2018 Categories World ChurchTags adrianus cardinal simonis, angela merkel, archbishop nikola eterovic, archdiocese of freiburg im breisgau, bible, birthday, bishop gebhard fürst, bishop peter kohlgraf, bishop udo bentz, bishop ulrich neymeyr, cathedral of st. martin of tours and st. stephen, death, diocese of mainz, facebook, faith, frank-walter steinmeier, gerhard cardinal müller, german bishops' conference, god, gospel of luke, homily, in memoriam, jesus christ, karl cardinal lehmann, mass, pope francis, prayer, reinhard cardinal marx, saint paul, sin, social media, st. hedwig cathedral, theology, translation, walter cardinal kasper
In Hildesheim, Bishop Trelle retires
As expected, Pope Francis ended that three-week period in which no German dioceses were without a bishop, by accepting the retirement of Bishop Norbert Trelle of Hildesheim. Bishop Trelle turned 5 on the 5th of this month and his retirement was announced by Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, apostolic nuncio to Germany, during the celebrations for the bishop’s birthday.
^Bishop Trelle, centre, is pictured here with Archbishop Stefan Heße of Hamburg, who preached during the birthday Mass, and Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, the nuncio.
Now heading the diocese of the senior auxiliary bishop, Nikolaus Schwerdtfeger, who is to call a meeting of the cathedral chapter to elect a diocesan administrator, who will manage affairs until a new bishop has been appointed, within eight days. That election is usually a speedy process, as the retirement of Bishop Trelle has long been foreseen. A likely candidate to be chosen as administrator is the vicar general, Hildesheim’s other auxilary, Bishop Heinz-Günter Bongartz.
Bishop Trelle has stood at the head of the Diocese of Hildesheim for almost 12 years. Appointed in 2005, he was previously an auxiliary bishop of Cologne for more than 13 years. Like other bishops in and around Germany, he was confronted with dwindling numbers of faithful, which led him to reducing the number of parishes from 313 to 119, and closing some 50 churches. Priests in Hildesheim are now rarely attached to a single parish or location, but are responsible for clusters of parishes and communities, working in pastoral teams.
In January of this year, Bishop Trelle consecrated a new church, in Hannover, the first such consecration in more than 20 years.
Among the high points of Bishop Trelle’s time was the renovation of Hildesheim’s cathedral of the Assumption of Mary, completed in 2014, and the celebration of the 1200th aiversary of the foundation of the diocese.
In 2015, Bishop Trelle was the first bishop of Hildesheim to officialy apologise for historical errors and misdeeds, including the diocese’s role in wars of religion, persecutions, failures in the Nazi era, as well as sexual abuse by clergy.
Hildesheim is the third-largest diocese in Germany, extending from the North Sea coast between Bremen and Hamburg southward to the heart of the country near Göttingen. It was established in the 9th century, expanded over time until the 1960s, and then losing bits of territory to Erfurt, Magdeburg and Hamburg in the 1990s, following the German reunification.
Photo credit: bph/Gossmann
Posted on September 10, 2017 Categories World ChurchTags abuse, archbishop nikola eterovic, bishop heinz-günter bongartz, bishop nikolaus schwerdtfeger, bishop norbert trelle, cathedral of the assumption of mary, consecration, diocese of hildesheim, germany, history, pope francis, world war ii
The work is never done – Bishop Dieser installed as Bishop of Aachen
With a call to unity and an eye on the future Bishop Helmut Dieser was installed as seventh bishop of Aachen on Saturday. In addition, bishop Dieser also emphasised the synodal future of the Church of Aachen, stating in his installation homily:
“No masterplan, no hey ho! we are better than those before us, and certainly no panic as if we must save the Church, but: Lord, tell us what is needed, tell us when we pray, when we speak and plan with each other, when we are critical and make decisions. Help us to be synodal with each other and with you today, meaning: to know that we are journeying together, not yet ready, but in the unity of the faith of the Church, in the diversity of gifts and tasks and responsibilities, growing towards you, the first who is already complete, so that we may also be complete.”
He may be the seventh bishop of Aachen since the diocese was re-established in 1930, Bishop Dieser has just as much to do as any of his predecessors, he explained.
Main celebrant at the installation Mass was Rainer Maria Cardinal Woelki, archbishop of Cologne, as Aachen is a suffragan diocese of that archdiocese. In his word of welcome, he recalled the main duty of a bishop: “The first and most important task of the Apostles then and their successors the bishops now is to proclaim the joyful message of Jesus Christ […] and to be witnesses of the resurrection of Christ.”
Another word of welcome was given by Reinhard Cardinal Marx. The president of the German Bishops’ Conference knows Aachen’s new bishop well, as both come from the Diocese of Trier. Cardinal Marx was bishop there from 2001 to 2007, and Bishop Dieser was a priest of that diocese from 1989 to 2011 and later auxiliary bishop until this year. Cardinal Marx said,
“Those who know Helmut Dieser are soon impressed by his open and cheerful nature. I know the new bishop well. Dyuring my time as bishop of Trier, Helmut Dieser was an involved priest and pastor, who could listen well. With his pastoral experience, his responsibility as auxiliary bishop in Trier and his theological working and thinking, Bishop Dieser brings the best requirements for his new mission.”
Other celebrants at the installation Mass were Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, the Apostolic Nuncio to Germany, Bishop Stephan Ackermann of Trier, and Bishop Karl Borsch, auxiliary if Aachen and Administrator of the diocese between the retirement of Bishop Heinrich Mussinghoff and the installation of Bishop Dieser.
In his closing words of thanks, Bishop Dieser began his ministry with a request:
“Let me live with you! Simply, not excessively and exaggerated. Not hidden in roles and expectations. I too am a limited human being. I too can overtax myself.
Only when you can and want to live with me, can I be bishop with you and for you!”
Bishop Helmut Dieser is the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Aachen in its current form. A first Diocese of Aachen was established in 1801, under Napoleonic rule, with territory taken from Cologne in Germany, Roermond and Batavia in the Netherlands, and Liège in Belgium. In 1821 this was once again suppressed, its territory added to Cologne, Trier and Münster. This first Diocese of Aachen only ever had a single bishop, Frenchman Marc-Antoine Berdolet, from 1801 to 1809. His appointment was part of the power struggles between Napoleon’s France and the Holy See. Following Berdolet’s death, the Holy See gave no permission to ordain a successor.
In 1930, Aachen was re-established, this time only from territory of the Archdiocese of Cologne.
Photo credit: Andreas Steindl
Posted on November 14, 2016 Categories World ChurchTags apostles, archbishop nikola eterovic, bishop heinrich mussinghoff, bishop helmut dieser, bishop karl borsch, bishop stephan ackermann, diocese of aachen, diocese of trier, german bishops' conference, history, homily, jesus christ, rainer cardinal woelki, reinhard cardinal marx, synodality1 Comment on The work is never done – Bishop Dieser installed as Bishop of Aachen
For Berlin, a Synod Father
With the appointment of Bishop Heiner Koch to Berlin, the German capital has an archbishop again after an almost eleven-month vacancy. He leaves the Diocese of Dresden-Meißen, a suffragan of Berlin, vacant after less than two-and-a-half years, making it on of two empty sees in Germany, the other being Limburg.
Who is Archbishop-elect Heiner Koch? Like his predecessor in Berlin, Cardinal Woelki, he was born in the Archdiocese of Cologne, in Düsseldorf. He is less than a week away from his 61st birthday, has been a priest for 35 years (he was ordained on his 26th birthday in 1980) and a bishop for nine years. He is the third archbishop of Berlin, but the tenth ordinary since Berlin became a diocese in 1930. Six of his predecessors were made cardinals.
The new archbishop studied Catholic theology, philosophy and pedagogy at the University of Bonn and is a Doctor of Theology. After his ordination, he was attached to parishes in Kaarst and in Cologne itself (at the cathedral since 1993). He was also school pastor at the Heinrich Heine University in his native Düsseldorf, and in 1989 he started working in the vicariate general of the Archdiocese of Cologne, which probably set him on track to become a bishop. Made a Chaplain of His Holiness in 1993 and Honorary Prelate in 1996, now-Msgr. Koch was made the subsitute for the vicar general in 2002. In the same year he led the preparations for World Youth Day 2005, which took place in 2005.
The next year, he was appointed as auxiliary bishop of Cologne, with the titular see of Ros Cré in Ireland. Bishop Koch was responsible for pastoral area South, as well as for the non-German speaking faithful of the archdiocese. In the German Bishops’ Conference, this extended to the pastoral care for Germans abroad.
In 2013, in one of his last appointments as such, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Koch as bishop of Dresden-Meißen, at the opposite end of the country. A year later, the German bishops chose him to head the Commission for Marriage and Family, which made sure he was also chosen as one of the country’s three delegates to this year’s assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
The Synod, then… In the entire saga about the German bishops and the Synod, Archbishop Koch has been one of the main players. He will attend the Synod with Osnabrück’s Bishop Bode and Cardinal Marx, and he also took part in what some have called the “shadow Synod” in Rome with representatives of the French and Swiss episcopates. But it is unfair to call the archbishop a liberal in matters of marriage, family and sexuality. In 2012, he stated that debating certain topics that have been authoritatively decided upon by the magisterium of the Pope and bishops is only “frustrating and ineffective”. “A productive and creative conversation,” he said, “is only possible on the basis of our mutual faith and our mutual understanding of what it means to be a Church.” More recently, Archbishop Koch has been accused of being in favour of allowing divorced and remarried Catholics to receive the sacraments. In an interview in Feruary, he said:
“The questions is if we can’t allow faithful who have been divrced and remarried and are deeply pious to receive the Eucharist under certain conditions. That could take place, for example, after a long conversation with a confessor. We should consider such questions.”
His focus, however, is more on the question of how the Church can be close to people in that situation: not so much doctrine, but pastoral care, as he explained later.
In an interview on the occasion of his appointment to Dresden-Meißen, Archbishop Koch explained his priorities in relating to people, which perhaps also explain why some would falsely think that he is not overly concerned with doctrine:
“I don’t want to start with showing people the ethical consequences wihout them first knowing the reasons for them in the faith. I want to speak to them about God. I want to listen to them and hear what they can tell me about God in their lives.”
This attitude comes to the fore more often, when Archbishop Koch says that difficult questions are not resolved via headlines, but via conversations and encounters with people.
In the same interview, he also explained the Church’s position on same-sex marriages:
“The Church is convinced that a child needs a father and a mother. I also know that there are married couples which neglect children, and homosexual coupes who love them. But that does not change the fact that the family consisting of father, mother and children is a great wealth for all, not least in their gender differences. God created people as man and woman. Together they reflect the fullness of the divine life. There is not consensus in society, but that does not mean that we should abandon this position”.
The future in Berlin. As archbishop in the German capital (with equal pastoral responsibility for the states of Berlin and Brandenburg, as well as eastern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), Archbishop Koch will increasingly be at the heart of the action for both state and Church. In a reflection of recent political history after the reunification, when Germany’s political institutions moved from Bonn to Berlin, the German Bishops’ Conference has long been considering moving their offices to Berlin as well. The Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, also resides in that city. As mentioned above, six of his predecessors (including the five immediate ones) were made cardinals, so we may see a second Cardinal Koch (in addition to Kurt Koch, the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity) at some point. Archbishop Koch is young enough to wear the red with influence. But even in purple he will have his work cut out for him.
His predecessor, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, quickly established himself as a bishop in the mold of Pope Francis: close to the margins of immigrants and workers. Archbishop Koch will probably have little problems taking that attitude on as well. The Archdiocese of Berlin is twice the size of Dresden-Meißen, but has about the same number of Catholic faithful. It is in the process of merging parishes to better serve these faithful, which is a sensitive process to lead for any bishop.
Posted on June 8, 2015 June 8, 2015 Categories World ChurchTags archbishop heiner koch, archbishop nikola eterovic, archdiocese of berlin, archdiocese of cologne, bishop franz-josef bode, communion, diocese of dresden-meißen, diocese of limburg, divorce, education, faith, family, german bishops' conference, germany, god, heinrich heine university, homosexuality, kurt cardinal koch, magisterium, marriage, pastoral care, pope francis, rainer cardinal woelki, reinhard cardinal marx, sexuality, synod of bishops, university of bonn, world youth day
The Nuncio speaks – Archbishop Eterović on the state of the Church in Germany and abroad
Archbishop Nikola Eterović has been the Apostolic Nuncio to Germany since November of 2013. Katholisch.de interviewed him about a variety of subjects. I share some of his comments.
About his impressions of the German Church, which has been viewed critically across the world, he says:
“I consider the Catholic Church in this country to be very dynamic and involved. That is not easy, as Germany is very secularised, especially in major cities like Berlin. But the Church is well organised and wants to live according to the Gospel. That is seen, for example, in her role in society, by which she gives witness of Christ. In addition, the Church in Germany and also across the world, provides real aid, for example through Caritas and the relief agencies like Adveniat, Renovabis, Misereor, Missio, Church in Need, Bonifatiuswerk and others.”
Of course, as a diplomat the Nuncio needs to speak carefully. But that does not mean that the efforts of the Church in Germany are negligible. But there is always more than just the laudable work she does in the fields of charity, peace and justice, which becomes clear when Pope Francis’ recent comments that Europe is old and tired appear. Archbishop Eterović says,
“In Germany the Church shows a decline in active faithful. And recently events have led to people leaving the Church because they no longer want to pay the Kirchensteuer [“Church tax” – ed]. I think that is quite problematic, and we need a new dynamic in catechesis, pastoral engagement, a new evangelisation. On the other hand I also see a certain passivity in individual faithful across Europe. In the end, more than 70 percent of the citizens of the European Union belong to a Christian confession. We must make use of that to better participate in society, for example to influence legislation when proposals do not meet with Christian ethics. In that way the “fatigue”, that the Holy Father spoke about, can be overcome.”
The Church tax, I have come increasingly to believe, is more than just problematic. Although the financial revenue may be used for good, it is a burden in the Church’s pastoral activities, as well as the faithful’s access to the sacraments. The new dynamic mentioned by the Nuncio is the same “new evangelisation” that has been promoted by Pope Benedict XVI, and which now seems to have snowed under a bit. But we can’t allow it to be: we must take it up and make it happen.
The Nuncio also plays in important role in the selection and appointment of new bishops. In Germany, three dioceses – Berlin, Hamburg and Limburg – are awaiting a new bishop. Archbishop Eterović remains – rightly so – close-lipped about the state of these appointments:
“We follow the canonical rules and the respective concordats. The processes are ongoing, and I hope that the dioceses of Hamburg and Berlin will get new bishops in the coming year. The situation in Limburg is somewhat different. There is an Apostolic Administrator there, who is doing good work.”
Worldwide the Church is involved with politics, especially when it comes to peace, justice and development, as we have seen recently in the easing of relations between Cuba and the United States. But what about the influence of the Church on the regular faithful?
“We must in any case work on our pastoral care. Especially young people want to know what the Christian faith really means. With his charisma Pope Francis continuously manages to clarify the actuality of the Gospel and the message of Jesus. And I believe that the people out there are only waiting to rediscover this message: fraternal love and the love, justice and solidarity of God”.
Archbishop Nikola Eterović was born in Croatia in 1951 and ordained a priest of the Diocese of Hvar in 1977. In 1999 he was consecrated as Titular Archbishop of Sisak, and appointed as Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine. From 2004 to 2013 he was Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, and in 2013 he returned to the diplomatic service as Apostolic Nuncio to Germany. In 2009, he was given a new titular see, Vinkovci, as Sisak was re-established as a proper diocese in Croatia.
Posted on December 29, 2014 Categories World ChurchTags archbishop nikola eterovic, archdiocese of berlin, archdiocese of hamburg, caritas, charity, cuba, diocese of limburg, diplomacy, europe, european union, finances, germany, justice, katholisch.de, kirchensteuer, new evangelisation, pastoral care, peace, politics, pope francis, united statesLeave a comment on The Nuncio speaks – Archbishop Eterović on the state of the Church in Germany and abroad
In Germany, double consecrations
Double duty for the German bishops today, as they have two consecrations of new bishops today to choose from.
In Essen, the diocese of the Ruhr, Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck will consecrate Bishop Wilhelm Zimmermann as auxiliary bishop of that diocese. Essen’s other auxiliary, Bishop Ludger Schepers, and retired auxiliary Bishop Franz Vorrath will be co-consecrators. Also present will be Hong Kong’s bishop, John Cardinal Tong Hon.
The Archdiocese of Freiburg im Breisgau will see the consecration of its new archbishop, Msgr. Stephan Burger. Promising to start using Twitter after his consecration, the new archbishop, Germany’s youngest at 52, has been received generally very positive, although his perceived orthodoxy has ruffled the usual feathers.
Consecrating him is his predecessor, Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, with the ordinaries of the Province of Freiburg’s other two dioceses, Karl Cardinal Lehmann of Mainz and Bishop Gebhard Fürst of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, as co-consecrators. The consecration is embedded in Freiburg’s “Diözesantag”, which began esterday with a concert and choral evensong, and continues today with midday prayers, a live program in the square before the cathedral, with music and interviews. After the Mass in which the new archbishop will be consecrated, the festivities close with a “feast of encounter”. The cathedral itself has remained closed due to the preparations for the live television broadcast, and will open only in the early afternoon, about 90 minutes before the Mass starts at 14:30.
As today is the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the traditional date new metropolitan archbishops come to Rome to receive their pallia to signify their shepherd’s duty, Archbishop Burger will receive his today from the hands of the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic. This is an unusual action, but does mean that Archbishop Burger doesn’t have to wait a full twelve months to receive his pallium.
Posted on June 29, 2014 Categories World ChurchTags archbishop nikola eterovic, archbishop robert zollitsch, archbishop stephan burger, archdiocese of freiburg im breisgau, bishop franz vorrath, bishop franz-josef overbeck, bishop gebhard fürst, bishop ludger schepers, bishop wilhelm zimmermann, consecration, diocese of essen, evensong, germany, john cardinal tong hon, karl cardinal lehmann, pallium, prayer, saint paul, saint peter, twitter1 Comment on In Germany, double consecrations
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10 legends who never won an Oscarhttps://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/10-legends-never-won-oscar-charlie-chaplin-alfred-hitchcock-tom-cruise-robert-downey-jr-5600297/
10 legends who never won an Oscar
Here are ten people who were and are stars and legends in their own right, and yet never got an Oscar for their efforts.
Written by Nimish Dubey | New Delhi | Published: February 25, 2019 7:06:32 pm
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The Oscars have ignored some names that are part of film legend.
The Oscars are supposed to be the ultimate award when it comes to films and Hollywood. But while they do honor some great performances and artistes, the awards have also managed to somehow ignore few names that are part of film legend. Here are just ten (there are many) people who were and are stars and legends in their own right, and yet never got an Oscar for their efforts.
(Note: this list includes people who did not win Oscars for doing what they were best known for. So, if a well-known actor wins an Oscar for being part of a directorial team, that is not really a win in our book).
Charlie Chaplin – Never tramped home with an Oscar
He might have won hearts across the world with his iconic portrayal of the tramp, but Charlie Chaplin never won an Oscar for either direction or acting. He did get two honorary awards (and one for the musical score of a film twenty years after it was released – never mind!), but he remains the ultimate example to give anyone who feels they have never got their due – “You feel you are not getting enough credit? Dude, Charlie Chaplin never won an Oscar.” Amazingly he got just one nomination for best actor and best director: both for The Great Dictator.
Also read: Oscars 2019 winners list
Alfred Hitchcock – always got the Bird(s)
Yes, believe it or not, the man who gave us some of the most thrilling films of all time and perhaps did more for the suspense film genre than anyone else, never got an Oscar for direction. Some of the films he was nominated for would make it to a list of greatest films of all time – Rear Window, Rebecca, Psycho. But in the end, he too had to be contented with just an honorary Oscar – he was nominated five times!
Sergio Leone – fistful of Dollars, yes, Oscars, no!
Sergio Leone might have totally revolutionised our concept of the Western with his epic Dollar trilogy (For a Few Dollars More, The Good The Bad and The Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars) and made Clint Eastwood a household name. But all that did not get him an Oscar – heck, it did not even get him a nomination. But then it did not do much good for his star either, which brings us to…
Clint Eastwood – the man with no name and no Oscars either
There will be some who will be shocked at seeing Clint Eastwood’s name here. The man has won a number of Oscars (four proper ones, and one honorary) after all. But bear with us, he is best known as an actor. As the man who made cowboys a cult and added a new dimension to the cops with his rendition of Dirty Harry Callahan. Well, Eastwood has been nominated for two Oscars for his acting (Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby), but has never won an award for his silver screen presence. Well, best film and best director ain’t too shabby!
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Arguably the most innovative actor of current times, Depp has never managed to get his hands on a statuette for best actor. He won massive critical and commercial acclaim for his roles as Edward Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd and of course, the iconic captain Jack Sparrow, but he never won an Oscar for his acting.
Peter O’ Toole – Goodbye, Mr Oscar
He is considered by many to be one of the greatest actors of all time, right alongside the likes of Brando. His performance as Lawrence of Arabia, indeed, is called an acting masterclass. And it was not as if the Oscars ignored him – O’Toole was nominated eight times for best actor across a period of forty four years. And yet, somehow, he never seemed to win. He did win an Honorary one, though.
Richard Burton – who’s afraid of an Oscar, then?
From the fifties to the seventies, Richard Burton was considered to be one of the greatest performers on the silver screen. And his brand of understated and yet intelligent acting spawned dozens of imitators. It also spawned six nominations for best actor and one for best supporting actor, but by some coincidence or accident, he never won an award. No, not even for his brilliant display in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.
Glenn Close – no Oscar even for The Wife
With seven nominations for her acting spanning almost four decades, Glenn Close is rapidly becoming a female version of Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton: loved, respected, acclaimed but not awarded (by the Oscars at least). The lady has won awards for a variety of roles that have ranged from the seductive clingy Alex in Fatal Attraction to the over the top crazy Cruella de Witt in 101 Dalmatians, but has never won an Oscar. She was odds on favourite for ending her Oscar drought this year with The Wife. Alas, the Oscar did NOT go to her.
Robert Downey Jr – No Oscars for Iron Man
From Chaplin to Iron Man to Sherlock Holmes, Robert Downey Junior has been one of the few actors in world cinema to successfully straddle those twin horses of art and commerce. He even played a black person in Tropical Thunder, but surprisingly he has only twice got into contention for an acting Oscar – for Chaplin and Tropical Thunder. And he missed out both times. What the hell, he still is Iron Man.
Tom Cruise – Oscar? Mission Impossible
He might be best known for his action-oriented films like the Mission Impossible series and Top Gun, but Tom Cruise has been more than just an adrenaline driven heart throb. The man has been acclaimed for his performance in films like Born on the Fourth of July, Valkyrie, Magnolia and Jerry Maguire, and people forget that he played a very able second fiddle to Dustin Hoffman’s Oscar winning performance in Rainman. An Oscar however has proved to be Mission Impossible for him. So far.
Also read: Oscars 2019: A review | Oscars 2019: Snubs and surprises
And this is but a small sample of those who have never won an Oscar, notwithstanding all the acclaim showered on them. Other worthies include Liam Neeson, Joaquin Phoenix, Orson Welles (who never won the best director), Stanley Kubrick (who again, was never a winner for best director), Brad Pitt, Ed Harris, Cary Grant, Peter Sellers…
1 Kartik Aaryan starrer Pati Patni Aur Woh to release on January 10, 2020
2 Internet sensation Lilly Singh aka Superwoman reveals she is bisexual
3 Thala Ajith’s Viswasam begins streaming on Amazon Prime
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Modification in AFSPA should be looked at: Omar Abdullahhttps://indianexpress.com/article/india/latest-news/modification-in-afspa-should-be-looked-at-omar-abdullah/
Modification in AFSPA should be looked at: Omar Abdullah
Incidents in the Valley had lent credence to arguments for and against its revocation,says Omar.
Written by PTI | Srinagar | Published: July 8, 2013 1:39:19 pm
AFSPA in Nagaland extended by six months
Sharmila, Irom
Explained: Irom Sharmila and her struggle against AFSPA
Seeking a way out of the impasse over the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA),Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today suggested modification of the law that gives immunity to the armed forces operating in disturbed areas.
If revocation was not acceptable to the Centre,modification should be looked at,he said about AFSPA that was made applicable to the state 23 years ago and is a major political issue in the run up to the Assembly polls due by November 2014.
Omar,who has not succeeded in persuading the Centre to revoke AFSPA even from parts of the State that are relatively peaceful,said that incidents in the Valley had lent credence to arguments for and against its revocation.
“I am the first person to say what happened in Bemina (eight soldiers killed by militants) and what happened subsequently in Bandipore (army shot dead two youths) strengthen arguments for and against the revocation of AFSPA. “Therefore it is important to find some common meeting ground between the two completely opposite points of view,” Omar said in an interview to PTI here.
Asked whether he was suggesting a middle way for AFSPA,the Chief Minister said,”Well there have been those who have suggested modification to AFSPA,there have been those who have suggested softening of AFSPA.
“If you are unwilling to accept revocation,then look at modifications. That is a possibility,” he said and cited the example of the state government which had made changes in Public Safety Act under which people can be detained without trial for upto two years. “This is also an option I will continue to engage with the Government of India and the line I have taken in the past and let’s see what happens,” he said.
AFSPA
Omar Abdullah
1 36-hour general strike affects life in Manipur hills
2 133 primary schools face closure threat in Odisha
3 2G case: Karunanidhi’s wife moves Supreme Court for exemption from deposing
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February 6, 2019 March 4, 2019 miltthomas
Review: Don’t miss a chance for The Last Romance
Ralph P.J. (Benjamin) recounts his audition at The Met as Carol (Louisa Flaningam) looks on, while youthful Ralph (Colten Blair) performs.
MILT THOMAS
Between the time you experience the first symptoms of advancing age and the time those symptoms become your reality is probably not the time to start a new romance. It’s too complicated. Do you want to tell him/her about this problem or that malfunction? Or do you let it happen and then beg forgiveness?
The answer to those questions you never want to address is answered with great affection and understanding in Joe DiPietro’s romantic comedy, The Last Romance, playing now on the Stark Stage at Riverside Theatre.
For those who don’t know, DiPietro is a successful playwright whose first produced work was I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, that ran Off Broadway for 12 years, second only to The Fantastiks. He is also responsible for the 2010 Tony Award-winning musical, Memphis, which played here at Riverside in 2015. He is credited with many more, but this is about his ode to love over 65, The Last Romance.
I don’t want to give away too many of the surprises that await you in this seemingly simple, but heartwarming story of a lonely 80-year old man and the woman he meets at a dog park. (The first surprise is he doesn’t own a dog).
He is an opera lover and once had an opportunity to try out at New York’s Metropolitan Opera as a young man. Although it was a momentary dream come true in his life it lives on in this play with numerous vignette performances, some with piano, most a cappella, by his youthful doppelgänger, played to perfection by Colten Blair. In fact, every time he sang throughout the play, his performances met with applause.
The play opens with the old man, Ralph (P.J. Benjamin), waiting in a dog park for an unnamed someone when a woman named Rose (Andrea Gallo) comes to tell him dinner is ready, so come home. He says he will come shortly and she leaves, but that is when his potential love interest, Carol, (Louisa Flaningam) arrives with her tiny dog, a Chihuahua mix named Peaches. He “comes on” to her and the punch lines begin. Well actually, the punch lines began with Rose.
The plot expands from there as a relationship begins to develop. After intermission, it gets complicated.
I’m going to stop there because my primary purpose is encouraging you to see The Last Romance for yourself. It is a sweet story and clearly appealed to the audience, many of whom were in the characters’ age group or on the cusp of it. There are so many funny lines, but the one that triggered the greatest laughter was when Ralph was described as “a real catch, he even drives at night.” Maybe it was nervous laughter?
But the play has serious moments too, ones where you could hear a pin drop in the theater. The audience was totally drawn into the story.
With only four performers, everyone has a starring role. In fact, the two would-be lovers, Ralph and Carol, are a real life man and wife (Benjamin and Flaningam).
The performances and stage work are, as always, Riverside Theatre quality. You will not be disappointed. The Last Romance is playing through February 24. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 772-231-6990 or online at www.riversidetheatre.com.
Previous United Against Poverty celebrates donor support.
Next Cultural Calendar February 7-11
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Work Type: Staff Full-time
Department: Communications and Public Affairs
Location: Wilf Campus, 500 West 185th Street, NY, NY
Categories: Communications/Marketing/Media
The Office of Marketing & Communications drives the University's efforts in public relations, marketing and advertising, Internet and digital communications, publications, and brand, issues, crisis and reputation management.
The individual works as a key member of the Office of Marketing & Communications, which is charged with protecting and elevating the reputation of Yeshiva University, and conveying its messages, mission and vision to the community and broader world.
The individual, reporting to the Director of Marketing, helps lead the University's strategic marketing efforts in the U.S. and Israel and builds awareness and recognition of the University to key constituencies as a leading academic institution with a unique positioning.
Position Responsibilities:
Facilitate the development and coordination of University advertising campaigns, both traditional and digital, ensuring cohesive branding and messaging throughout
Coordinate university-wide marketing calendar and manage all components of campaign development, implementation and measurement
Monitor and measure campaigns to leverage insights to improve marketing effectiveness
Work with all departments and schools to synergize marketing efforts across the university
Support the Director of Communications and Marketing and the Universitys social media strategy, including content development and curation, campaign management, community engagement and growth, and measurement
Manage social media accounts on behalf of selected schools/programs
Experience & Educational Background:
2+ years of marketing or advertising experience
Bachelors or masters degree in marketing or related field preferred
Skills & Competencies:
Excellent writing skills and a strong creative background
Adept at social media with excellent judgment in online engagement
Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously
Ability manage multiple internal and external relationships at varying levels
Able to work independently and collaboratively in a creative, fast-paced environment.
Familiarity with higher education and Jewish community a plus
To apply, visit https://careers.pageuppeople.com/876/cw/en-us/job/493466/marketing-manager
Founded in 1886, Yeshiva University (YU) has a strong tradition of combining Jewish scholarship with academic excellence and achievement in the liberal arts, sciences, medicine, law, business, social work, Jewish studies, education, psychology, and more.
We are a leading global educational institution that employs 2,000 people across our various campus locations -- Wilf Campus, Beren Campus, Brookdale Center, Resnick Campus in the Bronx, the Gruss Institute in Jerusalem, the Boys High School in Manhattan and the Girls High School in Queens. From the distinguished faculty who teach here, to the dedicated staff, we work to fulfill our mission through all that we teach, by all that we do and for all those we serve. We seek to attract and retain engaged and committed individuals who contribute to an exciting working environment, where there is a sense of community and belonging, balanced with a significant cross section of people from diverse backgrounds working and studying together.
The University offers an excellent compensation package, and a broad range of employee benefit plans, including immediate participation in the Universitys retirement plan. Staff members are typically eligible for four weeks paid vacation each year and have access to a shuttle to nearby subway locations.
Yeshiva University is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.
jeid-a33a0c0c3c49f645a8ddc69242ae358c
About Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University has been transforming lives for more than a century. Nowhere but here can students have a personal, small college experience while benefitting from the academic rigor of a top ranked research university. Since its inception YU has been dedicated to melding the ancient traditions of Jewish law and life with the heritage of Western civilization, and each year we celebrate as future leaders make YU their home. Yeshiva University is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.
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July 18, 2018 July 30, 2018 by Joe Fairless
JF1415: Finding Your Market & Going ALL IN with Chris Powers
Chris and his team are extremely bullish on the Dallas – Fort Worth market over the next couple of decades. Because of that, they have been expanding rapidly in the area. From multifamily and industrial to office and urban core, they buy and hold it all! If you enjoyed today’s episode remember to subscribe in iTunes and leave us a review!
People that come out early in the cycle developing tend to do the best - Chris Powers
Chris Powers Real Estate Background:
Serial entrepreneur with more than 13 years of real estate development and investment experience
Has raised more than $70 million in equity financing through a multitude of high net-worth and family office partners
His Company, Fort Capital has invested and developed over $200M in multifamily, industrial and urban properties throughout Fort Worth and the greater DFW Metroplex
Say hi to him at https://fortcapitallp.com/
Based in DFW, Texas
Best Ever Book: Traction
Best Ever Listeners:
We have launched bestevercauses.com
We profile 1 nonprofit or cause every month that is near and dear to our heart. To help get the word out, submit a cause, or donate, visit bestevercauses.com.
Joe Fairless: Best Ever listeners, how are you doing? Welcome to the best real estate investing advice ever show. I’m Joe Fairless, and this is the world’s longest-running daily real estate investing podcast. We only talk about the best advice ever, we don’t get into any of that fluffy stuff.
With us today, Chris Powers. How are you doing, Chris?
Chris Powers: I’m doing great, thanks Joe. How are you?
Joe Fairless: You’re welcome. I am doing well, and nice to have you on the show. A little bit about Chris – he is a serial entrepreneur with more than 13 years of real estate development and investment experience… And here’s the proof in the pudding – he has raised more than 70 million dollars in equity financing through a multitude of high net worth and family office partners.
His company is called Fort Capital, and they’ve invested and developed over 200 million dollars in multifamily, industrial and urban properties throughout Fort Worth Texas and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. With that being said, Chris, do you wanna give the Best Ever listeners a little bit more about your background and your current focus?
Chris Powers: Yeah. As you mentioned, I started a company when I was 18, in college at the time; it was called Powers Acquisitions, and it was set up to buy rental properties around TCU. That eventually kind of grew into a full-time student housing leasing company and property management company.
I did that all throughout college, and really grew the business over the last 9 years. Now we have a team of 19 amazing people.
We focus on buying and developing multifamily, buying industrial, and buying kind of urban core assets throughout Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston and El Paso. Primarily right now the majority of our work is in the acquisitions space, although we have development projects that we’ve been working on for a couple years… But the majority of what we’re doing is acquiring.
Joe Fairless: The majority of what you’re doing is acquiring… There is a mixed feeling right now about if investors should or shouldn’t be acquiring. What are your thoughts? Well, I know why your thoughts are, but why are you choosing to acquire at this stage?
Chris Powers: The market is high; the people that are wary of acquiring real estate – it certainly comes with merit. I think the way we look at it is, number one, our culture and philosophy is deep-rooted in more of a long-term hold than a get in and get out investment time horizon, more like 3-5 years… We’re more like 7-10 and beyond.
We really believe in the Texas story right now and the fundamentals of Texas. We love the job growth that DFW has, the business climate, the cost of living, the lack of new supply that’s meeting the demand… We’re having corporate relocations coming in from everywhere, so there’s a lot of fundamentals specific to Texas that we really like, which is where we’re doing all of our investing and buying. So it’s more of a Texas-first strategy.
Having said that, it’s not like every single deal we look at is a buy. It’s harder today to find a deal than it has been in a long time, but we’re just very bullish on Texas over the next 20-30 years.
Joe Fairless: You said your focus is buying and developing multifamily, buying industrial and buying urban core. Real quick, can you define urban core for any Best Ever listeners not familiar with that?
Chris Powers: Yes, we look at urban core as densely populated cities, and within those cities buying close to — I guess you would call the core is really downtown and trying to buy within three miles of downtown, in growth corridors where density is starting to occur, where old buildings are being torn down to build more dense buildings, where walkability is becoming more the trend… So properties that kind of fit that model.
For us, that could be buying buildings that can lease for now, that are on top of land that we think would make great development down the road, all the way to locations that we feel like are kind of once in a lifetime opportunities to pick up, and they’re just gonna kind of keep getting better. Those asset classes vary, but we’re really intentional about just location and how we think the city can build out around it.
Joe Fairless: What’s an example of an industrial project that you’ve purchased?
Chris Powers: The last one we closed on was two weeks ago…
Joe Fairless: Congrats, by the way.
Chris Powers: We started our industrial team a little over 18 months ago. We’ve just achieved a million and a half square feet of property that we now own. We call it light industrial, kind of shallow bay assets. The latest one we bought was in Garland, Texas, which is East of Dallas. It was a 650,000 square foot manufacturing facility built in the late ’70s. It sits on 52 acres. It was 94% leased, and it’s the low-cost provider in the area, so due to the age of the building, we’re able to charge significantly less than what new construction or newer buildings are charging.
It sits on a great piece of land, it’s rail-served, in an industrial market that’s probably the largest feeding into Dallas. It was an off-market deal, and our plan is to hold it for 5+ years, renew rents, update rents, and then we potentially think we have an amazing development site down the road… But for now, it’s an amazing industrial play.
Joe Fairless: You mentioned a couple things that someone – or myself, I’ll just speak for myself – who is not in industrial would not look for in multifamily, and that is rail-served is one of them… What are some other components of an industrial deal that are unique to industrial, or attributes that you’d look for?
Chris Powers: You look at things like the depth of the buildings, you look at the clear heights, which is how high are the buildings or how tall are the buildings and the ceilings… That has a big influence on manufacturers or warehousers or distributers that are storing goods – they need to know how high they can store those goods, what type of equipment/machinery they can have inside the warehouse to work on either manufacturing processes, or how they store goods.
You have rail-served, which is larger buildings along train tracks, and that means that train cars can off-load and on-load product into buildings. You look for access to major highway systems, so you can find areas that have 18-wheelers that can come in and go out and easily get on the road for kind of their major transportation routes, you look for buildings that might have excess land – they call it yard, or yard storage, where people can park their extra trucks, pallets, machinery, equipment, different outdoor items.
A shallow bay is typically looked at as more of — you find that more in multi-tenant buildings, so that you can cut buildings up. The shallow bay would be the depth of the bay on the building. If you see Amazon in a million square foot building, it’s one enormous building; the dimensions of it are very large, and to cut that building up into multiple tenants would be tough. But when the building is narrower and longer, you can kind of cut that building up into more spaces, so that you can offer it to more tenants.
The light industrial vintage, kind of older industrial – it tends to be in industrial parks that are closer to the city center, just due to the age of when they were built, and they’re usually on a lot of land, and we love land here, especially in the bigger cities… So it’s interesting to us.
Joe Fairless: So the ideal industrial property is narrow, but very tall, has a yard next to it, close to a bunch of highways, and a railroad track.
Chris Powers: That would be pretty awesome. There would be a lot of demand, a lot of tenants that can use that type of space.
Joe Fairless: Cool. You’re buying and developing multifamily… Why develop? And there’s pros and cons to anything in life; I personally am not going to get into development because of the increased risk – in my opinion – that there is in development, and stress level. But you’re developing, so clearly you have a thought process for why that is the better model for you. Why is that?
Chris Powers: Well, it’s kind of interesting you ask that… So we are developing, and I said a little bit earlier in the show that we’re mainly acquiring now, and everything you just said is absolutely true. What we have learned as we’ve grown as a company is that acquiring property that already exists and working in that environment is less risk, it’s more controllable, both on cost and on time. It is a better lifestyle.
Development poses a lot of stress, especially in the urban core, where you’re redeveloping old properties. I think over time we are much more interested in acquiring than developing. Development comes with a lot of fatigue, there’s a lot of unknowns, and at this point in the market the returns don’t justify the additional risk and headache and lifestyle that you have to put up with to get these deals over the goal line. So I think during the next cycle, whenever that may be, there is a time and a place to develop, and the acquisition I think is a better lifestyle, no matter where you are in the cycle. Development is like, when it’s the right time, it’s worth the pain, because the gain can be really great.
Joe Fairless: What factors or metrics do you look at to know “Okay, time to suck it up. I’m gonna do development. It’s the right time. It’s gonna be stressful, but you know what, it’s gonna be worth it.”
Chris Powers: When land prices have done down. In down cycles, land prices typically take the hardest hit, because they have no cashflow to them. Banks do not like to hold raw land. So when land prices get low, when the cost of labor and construction has gone down because people for a year and a half into recession haven’t been building and so they’re dropping labor costs, material costs are going down – when those factors allow you to produce a building, and then demand is still in the market to where you can build a brand new building, sometimes for cheaper than you could buy an existing building, because a lot of the folks that had been buying while the cycle was up have a high basis in their properties, or they’ve developed properties that cost a lot more to build, the land costs a lot more, the constructions costs… So you’re able to enter the market with a newer product that the market will like, at a much cheaper basis, and you can achieve a better return on the cap rate that you can build to, to the cap rate that you can sell on, then it would make sense to go buy something.
It’s typically tougher also to develop in the down times, because people are a lot more nervous then. If you look over cycles, the people that kind of come out early in the cycle, developing, tend to do the best. They don’t necessarily probably think they’re gonna be doing the best, but history shows that they will, because a lot of the stars for good development align.
You have a city government that doesn’t have permits in line, a bunch of projects they’re working on, so they’re easily able to get through projects. Land’s low, construction cost is low… It’s kind of the perfect storm. And then as construction costs rise, as the city fills up with projects, as land prices rise, that margin for error continues to get squeezed and squeezed, and at some point there’s a breaking point… Some companies don’t ever see that; we certainly do, and we feel it, and we just feel like we can control our destiny a lot easier by just acquiring existing than developing new.
Joe Fairless: 70 million dollars in equity has been raised by you and your company for your projects, and in your bio it says it’s through high net worth individuals, as well as family office partners. Of the 70 million, what percentage is allocated towards family office partners, approximately?
Chris Powers: I would say probably half.
Joe Fairless: And how did you initially get introduced to those family office contexts?
Chris Powers: I want to get a lot out of today, but if there’s something that I think was a real critical turning point for us, it was — again, I started the company in college, and at the time (2004-2005) the economy hadn’t gone down yet… I had a friend that taught me how to buy rental houses. An 18-year-old with no credit, no money down… This was kind of the epitome with what was wrong with the economy at the time, which was just basically lending to anybody with a pulse… But we were getting loans through Countrywide with 3%, 6% cashback at closing. So we were putting very little money down, and then we were going and leasing these homes, and then going back to the lender and getting them refinanced and pulling out money.
So what I learned early on was you can grow money off of using other people’s money, and in that instance it was the bank’s money that I felt like I was using.
Fast-forward, it made me realize that’s not gonna last forever, and in 2008 when it didn’t, that’s when I really started having to look to other people for money. My mentor, who has been my mentor for 12-13 years always told me “You’ll build a great real estate company if you treat investors like royalty and like gold, and get them their tax documents on time, and communicate to them quarterly, send them financials, communicate what’s going on in your projects, prepare good legal documents when they’re signing in to be a partner of yours… All the things that make their life as your investor easier. And by the way, go do good projects that produce good returns, and you can scale that quickly.”
So I’ve put a lot of emphasis really early on on learning how to work with investors, how to put together pitch decks and investment decks to raise money, and it became kind of a strong suit of mine. So it started with a few people out of college, people that I’d gone to college with and their parents, and did a deal, made money, and then we raised money for another project, and they introduced me to a few folks… “Hey, you might wanna talk to him”, and over 12-13 years it’s just kind of been this revolving door of meeting new people through our current network of investors.
The family office environment – they’re all very close with each other, they kind of live in their own world, so you get introduced to family offices from other family offices; they co-invest together a lot… And in the high net worth, kind of friends and family world, yes, it can work both ways, but if you go make somebody money, they wanna tell their ten friends about you. I guess if you lost somebody’s money, they might go tell 100 people about you, so it works both ways. We’ve been fortunate to continue to earn people’s trust, and we get introductions all the time, really without asking… And we’re taking them to heart, and cherish them, and we treat our investors like our customers.
Joe Fairless: What’s the difference between working with a high net worth individual compared to a family office?
Chris Powers: I think the main, general differences are a family office typically has hired investment professionals; they could be MBAs, or really smart accounting/finance people, and their job is to deploy capital into assets that will keep making the family money. The family at that point usually doesn’t need to be making huge returns, because they’ve already made their money; they’re more trying to grow steady, consistent wealth… So when dealing with a family office, I think there’s just a lot more kind of — I wouldn’t say red tape, but just more hoops you’ve gotta jump through to kind of check all their boxes.
They’re in the business of investing, so every investment they make, they treat it very much like a business, and they require good reporting and communication and all the things we already do… Whereas a high net worth individual, which basically just means they have a lot of money – they might be a one-man show, they have a couple million dollars of cash in their bank account, they go put 100k or 200k into one of your deals… They don’t really have any systems or processes set up to kind of constantly monitor you and be checking in.
I think high net worth people tend to be more passive, because they have other things going on in their life… And typically, they’re not investing enough into any one of our deals that they have to watch us like a hawk. They’re probably allocating 1% of their net worth into any one deal, and so they tend to just probably be a little more flexible to deal with, a little easier to work with… And not that family offices are tough, it’s just more work.
Joe Fairless: What type of terms, generally – or specifically, if you can be specific maybe about a deal – would a family office be provided on a deal if they are the only limited partner, versus high net worth individuals? …if those terms are different; perhaps they’re not.
Chris Powers: They are different. I think you can do better as a general partner or an operator if you syndicate capital from a multitude of capital sources to where not any one investor is more than 20% of the total partnership. If you just had one investor that was a family office, you might achieve terms that look similar to some type of preferred return with a split in the back-end, so it would be like an 8% preferred return, and then a 70/30 split on everything over an 8%.
What that means is if somebody gives us a million dollars and we give them an 8% preferred return, it’s basically like an interest rate on their money. We need to pay them 80k that first year, which is that 8%, and then if we sold it a year later and let’s say we made a million bucks in profit, we will pay the first 80k to pay their preferred return off, and then everything left, which would be 920k, would be split 70% to the partner, which is the family office, and 30% to us, which is the general partner.
On friends and family syndicated deals, or even with high net worth and family offices, a syndicated deal, and we might get something more like 60/40, or we’ve done deals where (it was a land development deal) we knew we’d only be in it for a year, and we just offered our equity partners a 20% interest rate on their money. It was equity, but as long as we paid them 20%, we kept everything above that. That worked, as long as we stayed on schedule and sold quick, and met our timelines. The longer we would have had to hold that project, it would have kept eating out of our potential profit, and so we were willing to take the risk that we would execute, and for that we were offering a guaranteed 20% return, assuming that the deal was profitable.
Joe Fairless: What is your best real estate investing advice ever?
Chris Powers: My best real estate investing advice ever is location matters; it’s the common, common thing. Buy good locations. They’re the first to come back in a down market, and they do the best in an up market. And I think more than anything it’s just knowing your market. So wherever you’re placing your money, wherever you’re investing your money, it is super important to not just know about the one property that you’re looking at, but know everything else going on around it – who’s moving in across the street? Does the city council member like development? Do they not? Is there environmental issues? What are the rental rates in the area?
You can look at a lot of maps online, and everything on Google Earth kind of looks close to each other, but you know very well in your specific cities that you wanna be on this side of the street, not this side of the street, or on this corner and not that corner.
Knowing all those little details is what we call knowing our market, and the better you know it, the easier it is to find truly good investments. If you’re just looking at it like a piece of property and not the market around it, you can write a proforma, you can do all that work, and you think it looks good, but if people are leaving the city because there’s no jobs and everything else, the market could take that down quickly. So know your market and buy good locations.
Joe Fairless: We’re gonna do a lightning round. Are you ready for the Best Ever Lightning Round?
Chris Powers: Let’s do it.
Joe Fairless: What’s the best ever book you’ve read?
Chris Powers: Traction, by Gino Wickman.
Joe Fairless: Best ever deal you’ve done that you haven’t talked about already?
Chris Powers: I assembled 36 homes in the hottest area of town – replotted them, re-entitled them and sold them to a multifamily group.
Joe Fairless: Dang! That’s impressive. That’s Sam Zell style, he opens up his book — have you read that? “Am I Being Too Subtle”
Chris Powers: No, what is it?
Joe Fairless: Well, he opens up his new book by saying that’s how he got started in Ann Arbor, Michigan, assembling a bunch of single-family homes, and i think he did some student housing development with it… How long did it take you, what were you all-in at, and what did you sell at?
Chris Powers: It took us six months to buy all the homes, it took us seven weeks to put it under contract with the group, it took us 18 months under contract to entitle it and get to closing. Our total all-in — so we bought it in 2011, which was kind of at the bottom of the market, or kind of coming out of the bottom… We bought the land for $11/foot, which basically put us all-in at about 3,5 million dollars, and we sold it for 10,8 million dollars in 2013 to a multifamily group.
The lesson there is, obviously, buy low, sell high, but more importantly, as the urban core continues to grow, there are opportunities to take land that was once just a single home and create the correct zoning and density you need to where we turn those 35 single-family homes into 420 class A apartments, on the same amount of land. So land prices can go up considerably when the density that you can get on them increases considerably.
Joe Fairless: What’s a mistake you’ve made on a transaction?
Chris Powers: I think the biggest mistake we’ve made — I think this is with every business, but trying to be too many things to too many people. At one point we were trying to do property management, construction, fully-integrated, and we weren’t really great at property management, so it just was a mistake. We got out of property management and now we’re doing much better.
Joe Fairless: Best ever way you like to give back?
Chris Powers: The best ever way I like to give back – we support Rivertree Academy in Fort Worth. It’s a private school built in one of the most challenged neighborhoods of Fort Worth. They are starting with kids in kindergarten and growing them through sixth grade. These kids are doing phenomenal, they’re flourishing.
So overall, our theme across the company is helping children that have challenges in their life get the most out of the opportunities available to them.
Joe Fairless: How can the Best Ever listeners get in touch with you and learn more about your company?
Chris Powers: They can go to our website, FortCapitalLP.com, or follow us on Instagram, @fortcapital, or come to Fort Worth, Texas and let us know, and we’d be happy to host you at our office.
Joe Fairless: I got a lot of value from this interview, I personally did, and I’m really grateful that you were on the show. I learned a whole lot, from an ideal industrial property, really validating my thought on development, but then also there is opportunity with value-add development, which I guess is redundant – all development is probably value-add. But the example where you talked about the best ever deal, where you essentially profited about 7 million bucks, you and your investors…
And also talking about the difference between having family office investors versus high net worth individuals, and the structure of that – both communication style leading up to the closing of the deal, and then also the structure that you had with them.
Thanks again for being on the show. I’m really grateful. I’m sure that this added a lot of value to a lot of the Best Ever listeners. I hope you have a best ever day, and we’ll talk to you soon.
Chris Powers: Thank you very much, Joe. Have a good one.
Post tagsDallas
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FILE - In this Dec. 3, 2018 file photo, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during the Hudson Institute's 2018 Award Gala in New York. St. Martin’s Press announced Wednesday, April 10, 2019, that Haley's book, currently untitled, will come out this fall. According to the publisher, Haley will write about serving as the country's ambassador to the United Nations in 2017-2018 and her six years before that as governor. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen, File)
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has book coming in the fall
NEW YORK (AP) — Nikki Haley, the former UN ambassador and South Carolina governor, has a book deal. St. Martin's Press announced Wednesday that Haley's book, currently untitled, will come out this fall. According to the publisher, the 47-year-old Haley will write about her experiences as ambassador...
Ty Jerome and other members of the Virginia basketball team are welcomed by fans as they return home after their win of the championship in the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament against Texas Tech, in Charlottesville, Va., Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Once marred by racist rally, Charlottesville revels in win
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — A Virginia city once marred by deadly violence and tiki torch-carrying white supremacists chanting Nazi slogans savored a moment of bliss Tuesday as it welcomed home national men's college basketball champion University of Virginia. Charlottesville was in full party mode...
Mamadi Diakite hoods the NCAA championship trophy as Virginia team members are welcomed by fans as they return to Charlottesville, Va., Tuesday, April 9, 2019, the day after defeating Texas Tech in the title game of college basketball's Final Four. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Huge crowd welcomes home national hoops champion Cavaliers
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Virginia's national champion men's basketball team returned to campus Tuesday and was greeted with a hero's welcome. A throng of several thousand fans serenaded coach Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers, many in the crowd sporting newly acquired T-shirts celebrating the first...
FILE - This file booking photo provided by the Montgomery County Jail shows Pablo Serrano-Vitorino. Serrano-Vitorino, a Mexican national accused of killing four people in Kansas and one in Missouri in 2016 is dead after being found unresponsive in his St. Louis jail cell. Serrano-Vitorino's death was reported Tuesday, April 9, 2019 by the Montgomery County, Missouri, Sheriff's Department. The sheriff's department says Serrano-Vitorino was found unresponsive and alone in his cell at 2:02 a.m. He was pronounced dead at a hospital about an hour later. (Montgomery County Jail via AP, File)
Mexican citizen, suspect in 5 deaths, found hanged in jail
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A Mexican citizen accused of killing four people in Kansas and one in Missouri in 2016 hanged himself from a light fixture in his St. Louis jail cell. Pablo Serrano-Vitorino was found alone in his cell at 2:02 a.m. Tuesday He was pronounced dead at a hospital about an hour later,...
FILE - In this April 16, 2013 file photo, Doolittle Raider Lt. Col. Dick Cole, stands in front of a B-25 at the Destin Airport in Destin, Fla. before a flight as part of the Doolittle Raider 71st Anniversary Reunion. Retired Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole, the last of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders who carried out the daring U.S. attack on Japan during World War II, has died at a military hospital in Texas. He was 103. A spokesman says Cole died Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. (Nick Tomecek/Northwest Florida Daily News via AP, File)
Richard Cole, last WWII Doolittle Raider, dies in Texas
DALLAS (AP) — Retired Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole, the last of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders who carried out the daring U.S. attack on Japan during World War II, died Tuesday at a military hospital in Texas. He was 103. Robert Whetstone, a spokesman for Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio,...
FILE - In this Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019,file photo, St. John's head coach Chris Mullin in action during the first half of an NCAA basketball game against Butler in Indianapolis. Chris Mullin has "stepped down" as basketball coach at St. John's. Athletic Mike Cragg director announced the decision, Tuesday, April 9, 2019 saying in a statement the team "progressed well" during Mullin's four years. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
St John's coach Chris Mullin quits, cites 'personal loss'
NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Mullin "stepped down" as basketball coach at St. John's on Tuesday after four years on the job, citing a "personal loss." Athletic Mike Cragg director announced the decision, saying the team "progressed well." He noted Mullin's "contributions" and "deep passion for this...
FILE - In this March 22, 2019, file photo, Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin encourages his team in the second half against Iowa in a first-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, in Columbus, Ohio. Cronin has been hired as UCLA’s basketball coach, ending a months-long search to find a replacement for the fired Steve Alford. The university says Cronin agreed to a $24 million, six-year deal on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP, File)
UCLA hires Cincinnati's Mick Cronin as basketball coach
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mick Cronin was hired as UCLA's basketball coach Tuesday, ending a months-long search to find a replacement for the fired Steve Alford. The university says Cronin agreed to a $24 million, six-year deal. He had a 296-146 record at his alma mater Cincinnati over 16 seasons and led...
Virginia head coach Tony Bennett celebrates with fans after the championship game against Texas Tech in the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 8, 2019, in Minneapolis. Virginia won 85-77 in overtime. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Proud pop: Dick Bennett beams as son leads Virginia to title
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Dick Bennett has difficult time watching his son, Tony, coach Virginia. He rarely attends games. "I'm not a model of decorum or poise," said Dick Bennett, the former longtime high school and college basketball coach. "But I needed to be here." The Cavaliers didn't make it easy on...
Virginia players celebrate after defeating Texas Tech 85-77 in the overtime in in the championship of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 8, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt York)
NCAA Latest: Virginia's clutch tourney goes down in history
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on the NCAA Tournament championship game between Virginia and Texas Tech (all times local) 11:26 p.m. Virginia's nail-biting trip through the NCAA Tournament will go down in history as one of the most clutch performances from game-to-game by any championship team. The...
Virginia's Kyle Guy celebrate after defeating Texas Tech 85-77 in the overtime in the championship of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Monday, April 8, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Guy writes perfect ending in Virginia's title-clinching win
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The questions kept coming at Kyle Guy as he tried to make his way through a clogged court to join his Virginia teammates celebrating the program's first national championship. "I don't have the words, man," Guy said to one person as he kept side-stepping and inching his way...
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RIP Ariana Grande’s Ponytail: An Obituary (2014 — 2018)
Getty Images for iHeartMedia
Ariana Grande's signature high ponytail was pronounced dead Thursday (Nov. 15). She was 4 years old.
Born around 2014, Ariana's ponytail became a fashion icon in Hollywood over the past few years after the pop star began toting her around everywhere she went, from award show performances to concerts and talk show appearances.
Grande first introduced her high ponytail — which she once told Elle may have a "telepathic connection" to fans — to the world after years of dying her hair left it brittle, damaged and "ratchet," according to the "breathin'" singer's own account.
“I wear it in a pony tail because my actual hair is so broken that it looks absolutely ratchet and absurd when I let it down,” she explained in a Facebook post at the time. “It’s all that works for now (AND I’m comfortable for the first time in years).”
The damage was a result of Grande bleaching and dying her hair red “every other week for the first 4 years of playing Cat" on Nickelodeon’s Sam & Cat. Two years later, Grande was still wearing her hair high in the sky and Arianators were falling more in love with each hair flip. Speaking with Byrdie about her then-new signature style, the singer said she never imagined her ponytail would take on a fandom of its own.
“I had no idea that it was going to become, like, a thing,” she said. “It’s how I like my hair. It’s how I’ve always liked my hair...It brings me so much joy, honestly.”
Grande briefly switched up her look in April 2018, repositioning her ponytail from the top of her head to the bottom for the "no tears left to cry" video and related promotional images. Fans were uneasy about the subtle change and sensed she may be parting ways with the style soon, though they had no idea the change would be so sudden or drastic.
The ponytail persevered, making its way back to the crown of Grande's head in the days that followed.
The ponytail became even more of a sensation when she became a third wheel in the singer's whirlwind relationship with Pete Davidson, often following the young couple everywhere they went, especially shopping in New York City.
In September 2018, the hairstyle made headlines when it was revealed Ariana's ponytail was actually a sentient, fully autonomous being during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She became a national hero after single-handedly (hairily?) stopping a mugger in his tracks.
Tragically, Ariana's trusty ponytail was replaced Thursday when the pop star debut a new bob on Instagram.
Naturally, fans of the style icon were gutted by the ponytail's sudden passing. Many of them have been mourning for her on social media since.
“GIRL WHY WHYYY,” one fan questioned in a comment.
“Your ponytail is gone,” another wrote, adding a sad emoji. “But I’m obsessed w your new hair!!!!!”
Grande's ponytail may be gone for now, but she's certainly not forgotten. Here's hoping this isn't a firm "thank u, next," but rather a "see u later." After all, something tells us we'll be seeing her again.
Proof That Ariana Grande Is the Princess of Ponytails
Source: RIP Ariana Grande’s Ponytail: An Obituary (2014 — 2018)
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JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (2014) review
tags: Chris Pine, David J. Fowlie, film, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Keira Knightley, Kenneth Branagh, Kevin Costner, review
by David J. Fowlie
written by: Adam Conrad and David Koepp
produced by: Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Mace Neufeld, David Barron & Mark Vahradian
directed by: Kenneth Branagh
rating: PG-13 (for sequences of violence and intense action, and brief strong language)
runtime: 105 min.
U.S. release date: January 17, 2014
Let’s be real. The reason this movie is called “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” and not just “Shadow Recruit” is because “Jack Ryan” is a brand name. Paramount needs to make that obvious to all as they aim at rebooting Tom Clancy’s most popular character with a younger actor (both to connect with a younger generation and to give the franchise longer legs), even though the tried that in 2002’s “The Sum of All Fears” with Ben Affleck. Director Kenneth Branagh (coming off the success of 2011’s “Thor”) obliges by making an actioner that starts out promising, albeit with plenty of pauses for set-up, yet ends up suffering from feeling similar to other political/spy thrillers within the past twenty years and obviousness.
“Shadow Recruit” starts out in 2001, where we find young Jack Ryan (Chris Pine) in graduate school at the London School of Economics. After 9/11 occurs, Ryan is motivated to join the marines. Three years later, Ryan’s helicopter is shot down in Afghanistan, resulting in a crippling back injury. The attempt to update the man who would become CIA analyst and reluctant hero for the 21st Century, freeing him of any Cold War residue, is a logical move. These two pivotal moments in Ryan’s new origin offer some nice set-up for who he is, but they unfortunately feel like formulaic beats. It was obvious what Ryan was going to do next after watching footage the attack on the Twin Towers and even moreso what would happen while he was in that chopper.
While recuperating at Walter Reed Hospital, Ryan struggles through rehab and manages a meet-cute with Cathy (Keira Knightley) an attractive (of course) med student. He’s also being observed there by mysterious CIA agent William Harper (Kevin Costner), who’s eyeing Ryan for his intuitiveness and intelligence. Through some tenacity, Harper recruits Ryan, positioning him in Wall Street where he’ll study financial patterns that could lead to possible terrorist activity. That’s where Harper wants him and where he stays for the next ten years, catching us up to 2013 (which is when the movie was supposed to have been released).
It’s also one of the more convenient (and again, quiet obvious) plot points made by screenwriters, Adam Cozad and David Koepp. Of course Ryan finds suspicious encrypted files that are linked to Russian businessman, Victor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh), and, still under the guise of his covert day job, is sent to Moscow to audit the files of this enigmatic figure. Why else would such a role be written for Ryan if it wasn’t designed for him (and viewers) to inevitably meet “the bad guy” of the film?
Too bad it’s not very obvious how Cathy and Ryan are now a couple. There’s no spark or any flirty fooling around about this couple in the present, at least not since we last saw them circling each other around Walter Reed. All we see is misguided (and stereotypical) jealousy on her part and continuous “marry me” attempts from him. It’s never clear why Cathy has eluded Ryan’s marriage proposals over the years, which makes it hard for us to invest in them as a couple in love. We’re left scratching our head about this couple. It’s as if the studio insisted on including a “Love Interest” for Ryan, whether or not the character fits. She would, if Knightly’s character was developed a little more or if Branagh had taught her how to perfect an American accent like he did in “Dead Again”.
As for that bad guy, Ryan learns that he has plans to drain the U.S. dollar into a New Great Depression, covering it all up by blowing up stuff in New York City (of course) to make it absolutely clear that, “U.S. BAD!!”. Meanwhile, the audience learns that the Branagh’s Cheverin has been injured in the past and is hooked on heroin, which he can only tolerate administering himself. That’s about all we get out of Cheverin, a character who had the potential of being one of the most interesting characters of the movie. I’d like to think that Branagh had his hands full directing “Shadow Recruit” or working on his thick Russian accent, instead of stopping to think how his character ultimately winds up being a limp Bond villain.
With Cathy getting caught in the mix, Harper guiding along Ryan and Ryan making sure everything is downloaded in a timely manner, “Shadow Recruit” never misses a predictable beat. Everyone has their roles and meets them in a serviceable manner. It’s not a bad movie, it just feels like it wants to be a blockbuster and it doesn’t realize that it doesn’t need to be. It just reminds us that this kind of movie is in the shadow of the Bourne movies and comparison is both futile and inevitable.
As for Pine, it’s hard to watch him exert charm and hotshot heroism and not think James T. Kirk. It’s understandable that this isn’t the Jack Ryan we know – one who’s more of a thinker (which Alec Baldwin had down in “The Hunt for Red October”) and reluctant action hero (which Harrison Ford started as in “Patriot Games” and later ended up hanging from a helicopter in “Clear and Present Danger”) – since we’re starting over and trying on a different/new/younger Ryan with a potential for additional sequels. Pine just isn’t differentiating himself enough from Kirk, or even – Generic Action Guy – for me to feel like I’m seeing a reinvention of Clancy’s character.
At least, Costner grounds the movie with Harper’s quiet and mysterious experience, similar to what Connery did for Costner’s Eliot Ness in “The Untouchables”. Honestly, his role here was the only reason I had any anticipation for this movie and he didn’t disappoint. I found myself wanting to see a Jack Ryan played by Costner – at the age he is now – wisened, patient and cautious. But that’s not how you sell tickets to a character who supposedly should be racing around on a motorcycle and trying to figure out how to defuse a bomb. It’s ironic to note that Costner was originally offered the role of Ryan back in the late 80s, but was busy on this little film called “Dances with Wolves”.
As expected, “Shadow Recruit” positions itself for sequels. It’s a product after all. Maybe in the next installment I can get used to Pine as Ryan, but he might be flipping back to “Star Trek” before the next one, which would leave me feeling the same way I feel about his Jack Ryan right now. While I’m not opposed to another Jack Ryan movie, I’d also be fine with out. Just please don’t call it “Jack Ryan” and please remove all the obviousness.
RATING: **
← 47 RONIN (2013) review
BLOOD BROTHER (2013) review →
AMERICAN ASSASSIN (2017) review | Keeping It Reel
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Cambodia072013
02 JULY 2013 - ANGKOR WAT, SIEM REAP, SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA: A horse on the west side of Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is the largest temple complex in the world. The temple was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yasodharapura (present-day Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum. Angkor Wat was dedicated to Vishnu. It is the best-preserved temple at the site, and has remained a religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, then Buddhist. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It is a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on the national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. The temple is admired for the architecture, the extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls. The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "Temple City" or "City of Temples" in Khmer; Angkor, meaning "city" or "capital city", is a vernacular form of the word nokor, which comes from the Sanskrit word nagara. Wat is the Khmer word for "temple grounds", derived from the Pali word "vatta." Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok, after the posthumous title of its founder. It is also the name of complex of temples, which includes Bayon and Preah Khan, in the vicinity. It is by far the most visited tourist attraction in Cambodia. More than half of all tourists to Cambodia visit Angkor. PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
AngkorWat0704005.jpg
070313 Angkor Angkor Wat Archaeology Architecture Buddhism Cambodia Historic Religion Seam Reap Siem Reap Temple Tourism Tourist Attraction Wat Workshop
Cambodia (All)
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Mike Pereira explains why Vikings had to come back on field for extra point
The Minnesota Vikings may have cost their backers in Las Vegas a lot of money when they decided to kneel on the ball instead of kicking an extra point at the end of Sunday’s game, but the rule requiring them to run the play had nothing to do with gambling.
Stefon Diggs scored on a miraculous 61-yard touchdown to give the Vikings a 29-24 lead over the New Orleans Saints with no time remaining, and a frenzy broke out on the field. By the time it was sorted out, many players were already in the locker room taking off their equipment. Some of those players needed to come back onto the field so the Vikings could attempt a meaningless extra point, which they ended up kneeling out.
On Monday, former NFL vice president of officiating and current rules analyst Mike Pereira explained why the extra point attempt was not nixed.
About the try last night. The reason for having to kick the try has nothing to do with point spreads. It has everything to do with point differential. If it was spreads you would have to attempt the try in OT. Point differential is one of the tiebreakers used for playoff seeding.
— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) January 15, 2018
Of course, it makes little sense that the NFL requires teams to attempt the extra point in the playoffs if the rule is in place because of regular season tie-breakers. Pereira noted that he would like to see a rule change that eliminates it in the postseason, and it would not be a surprise if that happened this offseason.
Had the Vikings elected to kick the extra point, the outcome of the game would have been a lot different for the people who wagered on it.
Mike Pereira, Minnesota Vikings, NFL Playoffs 2017
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Home Media Photos Gilberto Gil: Gilberto’s Samba
Gilberto Gil: Gilberto’s Samba
Danilo Navas
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (born June 26, 1942), better known as Gilberto Gil is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and political commitment. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil’s Minister of Culture in the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Gil’s musical style incorporates an eclectic range of influences, including Rock music, Brazilian genres including samba, African music, and reggae. (wikipedia)
Gilberto Gil has been Brazil’s musical ambassador for 50 years. He was also a pioneer of tropicalia and brasileira, and for his Koerner Hall debut on the evening of Tuesday, April 7, 2015 he presented the music of his latest album, Gilberto’s Samba, which he recorded as a tribute to one of his major musical influences, one of the most recognized voices of the Bossa Nova mouvement, João Gilberto.
Gilberto Gil is a cultural treasure for his homeland, Brazil. His music and artistry have been intrinsically associated to the historical developments and socio-political issues affecting his people. One of the greatest exponents of Brazilian popular music, Gilberto Gil was joined by his son, Bem Gil (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion), Domenico Lancellotti (drums, percussion, MPC) and Mestrinho (accordion, percussion).
Photos of Gilberto Gil by Atael Weissman (click on photos to enlarge)
Bem Gil
Domenico Lancellotti
Mestrinho
Royal Conservatory of Music
Founder, Editor, Webmaster: Latin Jazz Network, World Music Report, Toronto Music Report. A passionate and committed communicator with a sensibility for the arts based in Toronto, Canada.
Stefano Bollani Trio At Koerner Hall
Flamenco Legend Tomatito at Koerner Hall
David Virelles: Gnosis at The Music Gallery in Toronto
North by Northeast: Steve Pouchie
Omar Sosa In Concert At The Blue Note
Worldwide Celebration of International Jazz Day 2019, 30 April
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News » Headlines
Suppliers support homeless shelter’s refurbishment project
Published: 02 November, 2018
Accommodation that helps homeless people take their first steps towards independence has been refurbished thanks to charitable donations.
The Winchester Churches Nightshelter supports up to 200 people facing homelessness each year. Within it is a move-on accommodation called Ben’s House which is a halfway house for residents who are ready to leave the shelter.
It was named after Ben Blyth, an ex-Nightshelter resident who died in 2010 aged 33. Blyth suffered from a mental health condition and spent many months living homeless in Winchester, where received support from local agencies.
Ben’s House was recently refurbished with the help of patrons of CRASH, a charity that provides construction services to homelessness charities and hospices.
Arcadis, British Gypsum, Dulux Trade and Knauf Insulation donated their professional expertise and building materials, enabling the Nightshelter to refurbish Ben’s House and convert a disused garage onsite into a much needed private space for support work. CRASH also added a grant of £5,000, bringing the total value of support to £8,205.
Michele Price, the Nightshelter’s Manager, said: “We have always had in mind that the new rental house should feel like a home for our tenants.
“We want them to feel comfortable, safe and secure, so that they can have the best possible start to their experience of independent living after being at the Nightshelter.
“CRASH has been instrumental in making this happen – without their support, the project would not have launched as successfully as it has.”
Pictured: Former Nightshelter residents (far left and far right) celebrate the launch of Ben’s House with members of Ben Blyth’s family.
CRASH helps to create a much-needed family bedroom for a children’s hospice
Merchants are back in London’s Lord Mayor Show
Liverpool housing charity receives cash boost after robbery
Two new patron partners join CRASH
Covers to continue sponsorship of Alresford Rugby Club
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Aquaman (2011-2016) Vol. 2: The Others
Aquaman (2011-2016)
Vol. 2: The Others
Long before the King of the Seven Seas joined the Justice League, Aquaman was a part of another super-team: The Others. These young costumed adventurers traveled the globe, each trying to find their own individual road to redemption.
Six years later after a grisly murder, The Others are reunited. They know only one man could be responsible: Black Manta. Aquaman must lead the charge to stop his arch-nemesis, but will the years have fractured The Others just enough to keep them from bringing this villain to justice?
By the critically acclaimed creative team behind BLACKEST NIGHT Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis, AQUAMAN VOLUME 2: THE OTHERS is the heart-stopping follow up to the #1 New York Times best-selling AQUAMAN VOLUME 1: THE TRENCH. This volume collects issues #7-13.
Joe Prado Ivan Reis
Superstar writer Geoff Johns (GREEN LANTERN) re-teams with artist Ivan Reis (BLACKEST NIGHT) to tell the tale of Justice League founding member Aquaman! But after renouncing the throne of Atlantis, can the former King of the Seas find stability on land?
Spinning out of AQUAMAN (2011- ), the King of Atlantis joins forces with the surviving members of his former team--collectively known as the Others--and forms an all-new team of aquatic heroes.
The Flash (2011-2016)
Barry Allen faces a bevy of bad guys in his constant race to protect the people of Central City! The Fastest Man Alive returns to his own monthly series from the writer/artist team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato.
Green Lantern (2011-2016)
A new day has dawned for the Green Lantern Corps: Hal Jordan is no longer a member and its greatest enemy, Sinestro, is! How will Hal and the universe itself cope -- and what does it mean for the future of the Corps? Superstar writer Geoff Johns continues his defining Green Lantern run with artist Doug Mahnke!
The King of the Seas stars in his very own series written by the legendary Peter David (SUPERGIRL, HULK). Whether on land or in the sea, Aquaman battles against foes with a whole-new look and a whole-new status quo!
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Justice League/Power Rangers (2017) #1
Justice League/Power Rangers (2017)
Two of comics greatest teams team up for the very first time! Something terrible has happened in Angel Grove! When the Command Center is breached and the teleporters are damaged, Zack is flung into another universe, where he’s mistaken for a villain by a mysterious masked vigilante. Can the other Power Rangers get to their friend in time to save him from Batman? Co-published with BOOM! Studios.
Tom Taylor
Pencils:
Stephen Byrne Eduardo Nunez
Stephen Byrne Karl Kerschl Serge Lapointe Eduardo Nunez
Saban's Power Rangers: Aftershock
From the publisher of the critically acclaimed Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic series comes an original story set in the universe of the upcoming Power Rangers feature film! This explosive, all-new tale picks up immediately after the events of Lionsgate's highly anticipated movie, in theaters March 24, 2017. See the film, then deep dive into the continued adventures of Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Z
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II (2017-2018)
The team behind the smash-hit crossover series is back to reunite the Dark Knight and the Heroes in a Half-Shell. When Donatello goes looking for a new mentor to help him improve his fighting skills, he opens a doorway to another reality, hoping to summon the Turtles’ one-time ally, Batman. But instead, he gets sent to Gotham City and someone else comes through the open portal—Bane! Suddenly,
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures
When villains start to mysteriously escape Arkham, Batman seeks to track them down. What happens when he discovers that they have left Gotham completely... and entered the TMNT's New York City?
Trinity (2016-2018)
Together again for the first time! Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. The core of the World's Greatest Heroes…but with a new Man of Steel, the bonds these three share will be tested and redefined by super-star writer/artist Francis Manapul.
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George Strait, Kacey Musgraves Shine on Opening Night of Las Vegas Run [Pictures]
Coti Howell
Josh Lowe for Taste of Country
George Strait and Kacey Musgraves gave their fans in Las Vegas a show to remember on Friday night (April 22), and Taste of Country was on hand to snap some exclusive photos of that memorable gig.
The performance was the kickoff of the King of Country's Strait to Vegas run of shows, for which he's returning to the stage after wrapping his farewell the Cowboy Rides Away Tour in 2014. This time he's letting the fans come to him, performing a strings of live shows at the new T-Mobile Arena in Sin City this April, September and December, with additional dates in February of 2017.
Grammy, CMA and ACM Award-winning singer-songwriter Musgraves was first onstage, looking glittery and fabulous as usual in a white cowgirl getup with matching hat. She delivered a fun-loving set that included fan favorites like "Merry Go 'Round," "Follow Your Arrow" and "Pageant Material," and even had some fun with an adorable little pony that she led onstage.
After telling fans how much he'd been looking forward to performing live again, Strait gave them a two-hour set that drew from his vast catalog of more than 60 No. 1 hits and favorites, kicking off with "Here for a Good Time" and "She'll Leave You With a Smile" and running through "Check Yes or No," "Amarillo by Morning," "The Chair" and "You Can Blame It on Mexico," a song he shared that he wrote after he first visited Nashville.
Strait also took time out of the show to pay tribute to Merle Haggard, saying his death was "such a sad day for all of us because he was such a huge influence on me and everyone up here," before launching into a medley of Haggard classics that included "Mama Tried," "Fightin' Side of Me" and "My Life's Been Grand."
The country icon continued with even more hits, including "The Fireman" and "You Look So Good in Love," before closing with "All My Ex's Live in Texas" as his encore. He'll perform more dates in Vegas as the year goes on, but you can scroll through the gallery above to relive the memories from his very special opening night in Las Vegas.
George Strait Is Straight to Vegas!
Next: Top George Strait Songs
Source: George Strait, Kacey Musgraves Shine on Opening Night of Las Vegas Run [Pictures]
Filed Under: george strait
Categories: Country Music News, Music, Music News
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U.S. Bans New Mining Claims on Public Land Near Yellowstone
David Paul Morris, Getty Images
EMIGRANT, Mont. (AP) — U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke approved a 20-year ban on new mining claims in the towering mountains north of Yellowstone National Park on Monday, after two proposed gold mines raised concerns that an area drawing tourists from the around the globe could be spoiled.
As Zinke signed the mineral ban at an outdoor ceremony in Montana's Paradise Valley, a bank of clouds behind him broke apart to reveal the snow-covered flank of Emigrant Peak. The picturesque, 10,915-foot (3,327-meter) mountain has been at the center of the debate over whether mining should be allowed.
The former Montana congressman was joined by local business owners and residents who pushed for the ban after companies began drafting plans for new mines in an area frequented by wolves, elk, bears and other wildlife.
"I'm a pro-mining guy. I love hardrock" mining, Zinke said. "But there are places to mine and places not to mine."
Zinke's order extends a temporary ban imposed in 2016 under former President Barack Obama on new claims for gold, silver and other minerals on 47 square miles (122 square kilometers) of public lands in the Paradise Valley and Gardiner Basin.
Most of the land is within the Custer Gallatin National Forest. The underground minerals are overseen by the Interior Department.
The rocky peaks and forested stream valleys covered by the ban are popular with hikers and other recreational users. Wildlife roam back and forth across the Yellowstone border, and the scars of historical mining still are visible on some hillsides.
Mining companies and industry representatives said the area includes historical mining districts that shouldn't be barred from future development. Mining claims give their holders legal rights to explore for minerals.
Monday's action does not stop mining on private land or take away pre-existing mining claims on public lands. But supporters said it would make a large-scale mine in the area much less likely because adjacent public lands would be needed to make such a project economically feasible.
John Mears, president of Lucky Minerals, said his company is not backing down. The Vancouver, Canada-based company plans to press ahead with exploration work next year on private lands around Emigrant Peak that are inside one of the areas where mining has been banned.
Mears was parked down the road from the site of Monday's event with a large sign propped against his truck that read, "Sec. Zinke ... Why won't you meet with me?"
"It's up to the government to decide if we have valid existing rights but in the meantime we'll carry on," Mears said. "We won't be able to acquire any more ground, but we have enough."
Mining opponents expressed optimism the ban would make it impossible for Lucky Minerals or any other company to develop mines.
"When you take the public lands out of the equation, it really dampens it," said Bryan Wells, who lives in the small community of Old Chico at the base of Emigrant Peak.
The administration's action was notable given President Donald Trump's outspoken advocacy for the mining industry and his criticism of government regulations said to stifle economic development. It comes as Trump has sought to lift protections on public lands elsewhere, including his controversial decision to shrink the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monument in Utah.
Zinke said the threat of mining near Yellowstone was different because local residents and business owners were in agreement on the issue. The Utah monuments have been controversial since their creation.
The mining claims ban had bipartisan backing in Montana, where Democrats and Republicans alike have been eager to cast themselves as protectors of the natural beauty of the Yellowstone region.
Colin Davis with the Yellowstone Gateway Business Coalition said the group will now focus on making the ban permanent through pending measures in Congress.
"Our eye is still on permanent legislation," said Davis, owner of Chico Hot Springs Resort. "The prize is permanent legislation so we're not doing this again in 20 years."
A House committee on Sept. 26 approved permanent withdrawal legislation sponsored by Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte. A Senate committee last week approved identical legislation from Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester that's also backed by Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines.
Filed Under: Montana, wyoming
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Back To The Future—With Mary Pickford Looking On
Home Journal Back To The Future—With Mary Pickford Looking On
Journal June 24, 2014
This year’s edition of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats series—now in its 28th successful year—marked a milestone this weekend by returning to the long-unavailable United Artists Theatre on Broadway. I was delighted to host a screening of Back to the Future in this celebrated movie palace, which has been brought back to life as part of the trendy Ace Hotel chain. While hipsters waited for admission to its restaurant and club, Angelenos of all demographics packed the 1,600 seat theater to see a modern favorite, a mere 29 years old, that was the most popular movie of 1985. (It far outpaced other hits that year, which included Rocky IV, Out of Africa, and The Goonies.)
Three of the film’s actors joined me onstage: Lea Thompson, who plays Michael J. Fox’s mother, Claudia Wells, who plays his girlfriend, and Don Fullilove, who plays the future mayor of Hill Valley. They delighted the packed crowd with their upbeat memories of making the film—even when six weeks’ of production were scrapped to recast the leading role. (Wells had been shooting a TV series the first time around, so she never got to work with the original star, Eric Stoltz.) Thompson said that a day doesn’t go by when someone doesn’t talk to her about Back to the Future.
The film looked great on the giant United Artists screen, and played well, too—proving that ingenuity and imagination did exist even before CGI.
Adding to the fun was the fact that the original DeLorean used in the movie was parked right in front of the theater on Broadway, with its memorable OUTATIME license plate. No one missed an opportunity to take pictures of the time-traveling car. (Special effects supervisor Kevin Pike, whose Filmtrix company built the “prop,” was also in attendance.)
As to the theater itself, which was closed to the general public during the long period when televangelist Rev. Gene Scott used it as his church, it is a marvel to behold. Inspired by Mary Pickford’s reaction to the 16th century cathedral at Segovia, Spain, it was designed by architect C. Howard Crane and completed in 1927.
Quoting the Ace Hotel’s web page, “The grand entrance, intricate detail and awe-inspiring craftsmanship illustrate Pickford’s prescient instinct to house cinema in devotional dress. the ornately decorated open balcony and mezzanine overlook the expansive theater, orchestra and proscenium arch, while thousands of tiny mirrors glimmer in the vaulted ceilings.” You can read more HERE.
Not on display Saturday night was a surviving fire curtain which bears the theater’s official motto: “The film’s the thing.” In time, I hope the good folks at Ace Hotel will be inspired to restore the badly-faded frescoes on the walls that depict Pickford, Fairbanks, and Chaplin. Perhaps a year of successful concerts will fund such an endeavor.
What a thrill to be part of a sold-out crowd watching a Hollywood movie in this palatial setting. If you don’t know about the Los Angeles Conservancy and its good works, which extend far beyond this annual festival, you can learn more HERE. There are three more screenings to go in this year’s Last Remaining Seats: Luis Bunuel’s El Gran Cavalera (The Great Madcap) at the opulent Los Angeles Theatre on Wednesday, June 25, and Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane at the Orpheum on Saturday, June 28.
Finally, if you’d like to see Greg Laemmle’s conversation with Tom Sturges and Preston Sturges, Jr. following the opening-night showing of The Lady Eve, click HERE. Greg presides over Los Angeles’ treasured Laemmle Theatre chain and is a supporter of The Last Remaining Seats, which tells you what kind of guy he is.
Tagged Last Remaining SeatsLos Angeles Conservancy
JUDY GARLAND AND FRED ASTAIRE ON BROADWAY
Catching Up: On Film Festivals and Movie Palaces
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Lindsay Purchase
The Cord
Canada Day – Heliophon Article
July 16, 2014 lpurchase Leave a comment
This was written for Heliophon, a youth intercultural e-magazine. Unfortunately the editors were unable to get the article up on time for Canada Day, but here it is nonetheless.
Canada Day. It’s like the Independence Day of our southern neighbours, but with a little less pomp and fanfare. It marks the signing of the British North America Act in 1867, which joined our first four provinces (Upper Canada, Lower Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) into one country. In other words, it’s Canada’s birthday. You can find large, outdoor concerts with quintessentially Canadian bands (like The Tragically Hip or Great Big Sea) across the country, though Parliament Hill in Ottawa is generally seen as the place to be. Wherever you are, there’s always somewhere to show off your red and white and watch fireworks. Poutine will be eaten, Tim Horton’s coffee will be drunk and references to hockey will be made; it’s a once-a-year opportunity to be unapologetically Canadian — whatever that means.
As we approach our Canada Day celebrations on July 1, I’m reminded of my tenth grade Canadian history class, where we were tasked with an essay to answer the question, ‘what is the Canadian identity?’ Several years older and a bachelor’s degree wiser, a definitive answer to this query remains evasive as ever. More knowledge and less idealism have simply made my search more convoluted.
Beyond our surface symbols (the majestic beaver) and stereotypes (an alleged affinity for pronouncing the word about, ‘aboot’), what is the Canadian identity? What, other than our existence, are we collectively celebrating on Canada Day?
Our diversity as a people makes this incredibly challenging to answer. Canada has two national languages, English and French, with the latter spoken by around one-third of our population. The majority of French speakers reside in one of our ten provinces, where threats to secede have dwindled since the 1990s, but not disappeared entirely. We also have a large population of diverse Aboriginal Peopleswith unique cultural customs and heritages. Many of these groups have highly tenuous relationships with national and provincial governments, given the historical oppression they have experienced and the devastating conditions faced by some on reserves today. Our diversity is also reflected in the rich cultural tapestry woven by the substantive immigrant population we host. While this might suggest multiculturalism is a defining national characteristic, it is a value that has been threatened, in my view, amid increasingly stringent immigration regulations.
Given these immense differences within our population, how does one begin to grasp what it means to be truly ‘Canadian’?
I’ve spent the last two Canada Days abroad. It’s given me a lot to reflect on in terms of how other people view my country and what I represent when I am acting as an unofficial ambassador for it. I live in a country with a (more or less) functional democratic system; a universal healthcare system that we love, and love to hate; and a relatively young, though highly valued, Charter of Rights and Freedoms. While forms of discrimination tragically still find their way to fruition here, I believe that more than in many other countries, you can bring your own values to the table and find a place for them. My own province of Ontario, where we recently elected an openly gay, female premier to a majority government, is a testament to this. Maybe that’s part of why we work, in spite of the challenges. You’re free to ascribe to your own version of what Canada means to you, rather than being forced into a narrow, pre-ordained definition. Simplistic, perhaps, but it’s not so different from what I wrote on that grade 10 history paper. That’s what I’ll be celebrating on Canada Day. Of course, there are some who would disagree with that—I welcome the challenge.
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“Danger due to hunger”
Blog absenteeism
Election blues
My first MOOC
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Oregon Book Awards10.24.12
Ooligan Press Welcomes a New Director of Publishing
Oregon Book Awards Author Tour
Ooligan Press is a general trade publisher located in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 2001, Ooligan is staffed by students pursuing master’s degrees at Portland State University, guided by a core faculty of publishing professionals. PSU recently hired a new Director of Publishing, Per Henningsgaard, who was kind enough to answer our questions about publishing, literary community, and his new gig with Ooligan.
How do you envision Ooligan’s role in the local writing community?
PH: Through events like Write To Publish, a one-day conference demystifying the publishing industry, Ooligan Press hopes to help members of the local writing community achieve their writing goals.
Is part of Ooligan’s mission to promote local writers?
PH: Ooligan Press is a general trade publisher rooted in the rich literary tradition of the Pacific Northwest, so, yes, definitely it is part of our mission to promote local writers.
As a newcomer to Portland, how does this city’s literary community compare to the one you’re coming from (in Stevens Point, Wisconson)?
PH: Umm, well, I guess it’s the difference between having a writing community, and not having a writing community. Stevens Point, Wisconsin, for all of its charms (and there were many!), didn’t have a writing community to speak of. There were some extremely talented writers in town, but there was a sense that each of them labored in isolation. I’m excited to be back in a place with such a vibrant sense of community amongst its writers.
You’ve worked in publishing in NYC and studied publishing in Western Australia. What were some notable similarities and/or differences between the two countries’ publishing industries and literary communities?
PH: Writers and publishers in New York City seem to believe that they are at the center of the writing and publishing world. It’s not egotistical so much as self-absorbed. Indeed, I think many Americans with an invested interest in the literary arts operate under a similar assumption, though it may go unrecognized. By contrast, in Australia, there is this awareness of being marginal that seems to give writers and publishers (and readers!) a sense of purpose–to write and publish and read Australian literature (because if WE don’t do it, who will?!), while at the same time staying always on top of overseas developments.
Before coming to Ooligan Press, you worked with another student-run indie publisher (Cornerstone Press) at the University of Wisconsin. How do these programs compare and contrast?
PH: Cornerstone Press was staffed by undergraduate students, and it was a stand-alone course in an English Department with no other publishing offerings. Meanwhile, Ooligan Press is staffed by graduate students who are enrolled in a two-year master’s degree in publishing. In this respect, they are very different beasts, but both have turned out an impressive catalog of titles. For example, Ooligan Press has won numerous design awards for its books, and one of its titles, the young adult novel Ricochet River, has sold over 10,000 copies and is regularly taught in Oregon schools, while Cornerstone Press published the first book by New York Times bestselling novelist Patrick Rothfuss.
Do you see student-run Independent presses as a publishing model that could expand to other universities in the future?
PH: Absolutely, I think there’s a lot of opportunity for this model to be picked up by other universities. Interested parties should check out the Ooligan Press title Classroom Publishing: A Practical Guide for Teachers!
How do you think independent publishers will be a part of the future of the book?
PH: I think independent publishers with a regional mandate will have a particularly vibrant role to play in the future of the book, pushing back against the sometimes homogenizing effects of the multinational conglomerates.
What’s the best way for writers to submit their manuscript to Ooligan Press? Is there anything specific that you’re looking for?
PH: All the details can be found at our website, ooligan.pdx.edu. As for what we’re looking for, we like to be surprised!
What question do you wish we’d asked you?
PH: I wish you’d asked what my favorite book is. Because I never get tired of that question after I tell people I’m an English professor!
[Follow-up question] So what is your favorite book?
PH: Favorite book? It would have to be How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read by Pierre Bayard. Fittingly, I’ve never read it.
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Triple Seven Limo also provides corporate transportation services, chauffeur SUV and car service from Brick New Jersey to Atlantic City and NYC, chauffeur car and SUV service from Toms River New Jersey to NYC and Atlantic City and luxury transportation services for weddings, concerts, sporting events, city tours, executive transportation and much, much more.
The major mission of Toms is that a business, rather than a charity, would help their impact last longer. In his speech at the Second Annual Clinton Global Initiative[58] Mycoskie states that his initial motivation was a disease called podoconiosis—a debilitating and disfiguring disease which causes one's feet to swell along with many other health implications. Also known as "Mossy Foot", podoconiosis is a form of elephantiasis that affects the lymphatic system of the lower legs. The disease is a soil-transmitted disease caused by walking in silica-rich soil.[59] Toms currently works with factories nearby where they perform some of their shoe drops.[60]
Shoes have been given to children in 70 countries worldwide, including the United States, Argentina, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Swaziland, Guatemala, Haiti and South Africa.[45] Toms are sold at more than 500 stores nationwide and internationally, including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Whole Foods Market, which include shoes made from recycled materials.[46]
Our casual offerings include trend-right sneakers, dress shoes, sandals, and boots for men and women. And there are countless fun shoes for kids, from infants and toddlers, to preschool and grade school sizes. You'll also find the latest innovative Skechers Performance shoes, including the popular Skechers GOrun and Skechers GOwalk lines. Find all this and more at the SKECHERS retail store - your best option for shoe shopping in New Jersey.
Employees of TOMS travel to different countries on "Giving Trips" to deliver shoes to children in person. In 2006, Toms distributed 10,000 pairs of shoes in Argentina.[48][49] In November 2007, the company distributed 50,000 pairs of shoes to children in South Africa.[50] As of April 2009, Toms had distributed 140,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina, Ethiopia, South Africa as well as children in the United States.[46] As of 2012, Toms has given away over one million pairs of shoes in 40 countries.[45][51]
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Good News for Mylan after Hellish Week: Another Win in Patent War Over MS Drug; Lawyers on Both Sides Rejoice.
Steve Walker September 8, 2016 September 6, 2017 No Comments on Good News for Mylan after Hellish Week: Another Win in Patent War Over MS Drug; Lawyers on Both Sides Rejoice.
TBIT / Pixabay
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Petach Tikva ISR) had a third patent on its top-selling multiple sclerosis drug, Copaxone, invalidated last Thursday by a U.S. agency, a further blow to its bid to block generic versions of a drug that accounts for 20% of its revenue.
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) sided with Mylan NV (Amsterdam) and Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC (Patterson NJ) in ruling that the patent covering the drug’s thrice-weekly dosage never should have been issued, according to Bloomberg News. Teva’s next step is to ask the board to reconsider that decision, and to petition an appeals court that specializes in patent law.
Teva had a third patent on its top-selling drug, #Copaxone, invalidated by a U.S. agency Click To Tweet
The ruling is a further strike against Teva–the PTAB previously said two other patents regarding the dosage were also invalid. It could make it harder for the company to fend off generic-drug challengers to a medicine that generated $4 billion in 2015 sales, with $3.3 billion of it in the U.S.
Teva has a total of five patents expiring in 2030 that cover ways to administer the drug in a 40-milligram dosage three times a week. The original version of Copaxone, consisting of 20 milligrams taken every day, began facing generic competition last year.
Mylan, under an avalanche of criticism now for huge price increases on its EpiPen anaphylaxis treatment, challenged the Teva patents through the Patent and Trademark Office’s (PTO’s) new inter partes review (IPR) process, and the PTAB handed down the decision late Thursday.
That lifts Mylan to three-for-three in targeting Teva’s protections on Copaxone 40mg, a new formulation of the multiple sclerosis drug that’s intended to fill the gap as the blockbuster original product yields to generic competition.
But Teva’s branded drug isn’t out of the exclusivity race yet. The Israeli drugmaker still has a chance to defend itself in a court fight scheduled to begin Sept. 26, according to FiercePharma.com. Novartis AG (Basel CHE) and Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Cambridge MA) will be trying to upturn a fourth patent covering the drug.
A decision in that case will likely come in the first quarter of 2017, RBC Capital Markets analyst Randall Stanicky figures. And now that the IPR process has dusted off three patents, analysts aren’t optimistic that the decision will go Teva’s way. “Teva is more likely to lose than win the court case,” Credit Suisse analyst Vamil Divan said in an investor note.
Meanwhile, Mylan is expected to target that fourth patent separately, via the same IPR process; the company has promised to pursue “all avenues” to bring that patent down, and analysts believe that includes IPR. They also expect yet another patent to be challenged the same way.
A fourth patent was unsuccessfully challenged by Mylan, though a petition filed by Amneal is pending. The fifth patent was issued Aug. 2. All five are similar in scope, but Teva is hoping there are enough differences that the failure of the first three before the agency doesn’t presage what happens to the others.
Teva only needs one of the patents to survive a challenge to block competition from generic-drug makers, said Aude Gerspacher, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration can’t approve any generics until early 2017, so settlements are unlikely before then, she said.
Teva’s “most prudent course of action” would be to settle with Novartis and Momenta, Jason Gerberry, an analyst with Leerink Partners, said in a note to clients. Novartis and Momenta already jointly sell a cheaper version of the daily shot. Even with the generic-drug competition, Teva has been able to maintain sales by switching about 80% of patients to the 40-mg injection.
Mylan has said it believes it’s one of the first companies to apply to sell a generic version of Copaxone, which would give it 180 days of marketing exclusivity.
“Through significant investment in research and development, and by challenging these invalid patents, we are working to bring a more affordable generic alternative of Copaxone to market,” Mylan Chief Executive Officer Heather Bresch said in a statement.
She said the company is “pursuing all avenues” to challenge the fourth patent on the drug.
Steve’s Take: Confused a bit? That’s the idea, as the lawyers in this case laugh all the way back to their weekend retreats in eastern Long Island’s South Fork. Via helicopter, of course.
You see, it’s a core principle of capitalism that as competition erodes profits on established products, enterprises will invest in innovation to earn higher profits from new products.
U.S. law–which I term the Full Employment for Lawyers Act–governing prescription pharmaceutical markets abandons that principle and gives every new drug a long-term monopoly that prohibits competition. (See Health Affairs for an excellent discussion on this, much of which I’ve borrowed.)
Steve's Take: U.S. law abandons drug competition in favor of inefficient monopolies Click To Tweet
It also discourages competition between medicines based on comparative price or effectiveness. High prices and slow innovation cycles are the inevitable result and will remain so unless Congress makes fundamental changes in existing law.
According to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, it takes at least 10 years to develop a new drug. It is no surprise that the typical monopoly period on an existing drug is also 10-12 years. Why rush to bring a new product to market when a monopoly makes it possible to raise the price of the old one with impunity?
In contrast to products other than drugs, Federal law prohibits the FDA from approving a copy of a new drug for a period of seven to 12 years even if there are no patents. The FDA is also prohibited from approving a generic drug anytime a claim of patent infringement is alleged–a policy that has encouraged many frivolous patent claims just to delay competition.
Drug patents also get extensions of up to five years and then an additional six-month extension for conducting studies of the new drug’s suitability for use in children. Collectively, all of these special monopolies prevent competition and keep prices high.
In the case of Teva’s Copaxone, I stopped counting–at ten–the past, present and likely future lawsuits and Patent Office litigation. So you want be a pharma patent lawyer and sue someone? Or you have a client that’s facing a patent lawsuit? They better have a big, fat checkbook, because this isn’t going to be inexpensive.
A survey conducted last year by the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) to find median litigation costs for patent infringement suits produced mind boggling numbers.
According to Cnet, the AIPLA survey found that for a claim that could be worth less than a $1 million, median legal costs are still $650,000. When $1 million to $25 million is considered “at risk,” total litigation costs can hit $2.5 million. For a claim over $25 million, median legal costs are $5 million. That’s the cost of fighting a patent infringement suit if you’re a plaintiff or a defendant. It doesn’t include how much you’ll have to pay if you’re the defendant who loses the suit.
“These litigation costs are definitely expensive,” said James Crowne, director of legal affairs at AIPLA. Yes they are. “But then so is the cost of getting a patent in the first place.”
Oh, I forgot about the legal fees for that!
My point is that just in the Copaxone patent fracas alone, analysts have said generic competition to the 40-mg version could wipe out as much as $3.2 billion in sales by 2019. That’s what’s at stake in all the claims and cross-claims; $3.3 billion.
If we apply the formula resulting from the AIPLA survey for determining approximate total legal fees (20%) associated with Copaxone—such fees amount to the jaw-dropping number of approximately $640 million. Most, if not all, or which will be passed on to us consumers one way or the other in the drug’s pricing.
I’m here in San Diego, but swear I can hear the sound of corks popping, all the way from those yachts in the Hamptons. And I don’t mean because someone’s just celebrating Labor Day.
Corporate, Disease, Government American Intellectual Property Law Association, Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Aude Gerspacher, Bloomberg Intelligence, Copaxone, Credit Suisse, Epipen, FiercePharma.com, Full Employment for Lawyers Act, Health Affairs, Heather Bresch, Inter Partes Review, James Crowne, Jason Gerberry, Leerink Partners, Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc., Multiple Sclerosis, Mylan NV, Novartis AG, Patent and Trademark Office, Patent Trial and Appeal Board, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, Randall Stanicky, RBC Capital Markets, Teva Pharmaceuticals, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Vamil Divan
Carmat Jumps after First Implantation of Bioprosthetic Artificial Heart; Says Device May Last “For Years.”
U.S. Study Raises New Concern for Zika Spread; Congress Back, but Just 19 Days Left to Solve Zika Funding Impasse.
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How Tech Startup Accelerators Work
by Dave Roos
The Tech Startup Accelerator Process
Co-founder of Reddit and partner at Y Combinator, Alexis Ohanian, speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2015.
Noam Galai/Getty Images for TechCrunch
The tech startup accelerator process almost sounds like the premise of a reality TV show — "Big Brother" meets "Shark Tank." Tons of talented young entrepreneurs apply for very few spots with the biggest and best-known accelerators. The lucky teams move out to a new city and new environment, work grueling hours side by side in a shared space, and dream about their "Demo Day" debut in front of deep-pocketed investors.
To better understand each step in the tech startup accelerator process, let's use the example of Y Combinator, a model for Silicon Valley accelerators. The first step in the accelerator process is the application. At Y Combinator, candidates fill out an online application that collects information about each of the founders of the company and asks for an overview of the big idea. There is no application fee (though some other accelerators do charge one). Y Combinator notes that the people behind the company are often more important than the idea itself, which tends to change significantly during the accelerator process.
After reading the application, Y Combinator invites the top prospects to Silicon Valley for in-person interviews. Yes and no decisions are made the very next day. For accepted teams, Y Combinator offers a standard deal of $120,000 for a 7 percent share of the company (nonprofits are exempt) [source: Altman]. If the team hasn't legally founded a company yet, Y Combinator can help with that, too.
Teams are flown out to the San Francisco Bay Area, where they spend the next three months developing their ideas and business plans. Y Combinator, unlike many startup accelerators, doesn't provide office space. Teams work where they live, but come in to Y Combinator headquarters for "office hours," one-on-one consultations with partners and experts. There are also group events like weekly Tuesday "dinners" — really a half-day conference — featuring candid conversations with influential speakers (yes, they got Zuckerberg).
The climax of the startup accelerator process is Demo Day, when startups in various stages of development get to pitch their business idea to a room of 450 invitation-only investors [source: Y Combinator]. In the weeks and months following Demo Day, Y Combinator continues to consult with startups, offering advice on choosing the best investment offers.
The relationship between startup and accelerator doesn't end with a funding offer. One of the huge benefits of partnering with an accelerator is access to a powerful network of alumni and business partners. A stamp of approval from Y Combinator, for example, gives young companies access to executives and entrepreneurs across Silicon Valley.
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UKPRP Expert Review Group panel members
Professor Dame Sally Macintyre (Chair) (PDF, 42KB), University of Glasgow
Professor Hilary Graham (Deputy Chair), University of York
Professor Rachel Cooper, Lancaster University
Dr Diane Dixon, University of Strathclyde
Professor Kevin Fenton, Southwark Council, Public Health England
Dr Andrew Fraser, NHS Health Scotland
Professor Roy Harrison, University of Birmingham
Professor Susan Michie, University College London
Dr Alonzo Plough, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Professor Eva Rehfuess, Ludwig-Maximilians-University
Professor Alan Shiell, La Trobe University
Dr Helen Walters, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), University of Southampton
Professor Paul Wilkinson, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
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Eagles – The Very Best Of
Eagles - The Very Best Of
Eagles are an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles 1971.
The band’s founding members were Don Henley (drums, lead vocals), Glenn Frey (lead guitar, lead vocals), Randy Meisner (bass guitar, vocals) and Bernie Leadon (guitars, vocals).
The band was one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s. Eagles the band had five number one singles, five American Music Awards, six Grammy Awards and six number one albums.
They are among the world’s best-selling music groups of all time and they had sold more than 150 million records and 100 million of these were sold in the United States alone.
Hotel California was one of their most successful albums and three singles were released from the album and each of them was able to reach high in the Billboard Hot 100.
The three singles from the album were Hotel California, "New Kid in Town", and "Life in the Fast Lane".
The album became their best-selling album and it sold more than 16 million copies in the United States alone and more than 32 million copies worldwide.
"Hotel California", one of the tracks in the album, rose to as far as the peak position number one in the Billboard Hot 100. The trackwas released as a single in February 1977.
The Band has the original recording of the song featuring Henley singing vocals and finishes with an extended electric guitar interplay between Joe Walsh and Felder.
This is one of the most famous songs that the band has released and readers of Guitarist 1998 voted its long guitar coda the best guitar solo of all time.
The song was also awarded a Grammy Award for Record of the Year 1978. Currently, the song video has more than 18 million views on YouTube.
Eagles - Hotel California - Lyrics
Release Date - February 22, 1977
Album - Hotel California
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night.
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself
'This could be heaven or this could be Hell'
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely face.
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (any time of year) you can find it here
Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys, that she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget
So I called up the Captain,
'Please bring me my wine'
He said, 'we haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty-nine'
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say"
They livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise), bring your alibis
Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said, 'we are all just prisoners here, of our own device'
And in the master's chambers,
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can't kill the beast
Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back to the place I was before
'Relax' said the night man,
'We are programmed to receive.
You can check out any time you like,
But you can never leave!'
Track Listings -
1,Take It Easy
2, Witchy Woman
3, Peaceful Easy Feeling
4, Desperado
5, Tequila Sunrise
6, Doolin-Dalton
7, Already Gone
8, The Best Of My Love
9, James Dean
10, Ol' 55
11, Midnight Flyer
12, On The Border
13, Lyin' Eyes
14, One Of These Nights
15, Take It To The Limit
16, After The Thrill Is Gone
17, Hotel California
1, Life In The Fast Lane
2, Wasted Time
3, Victim Of Love
4, The Last Resort
5, New Kid In Town
6, Please Come Home For Christmas
7, Heartache Tonight
8, The Sad Cafe
9, I Can't Tell You Why
10, The Long Run
11, In The City
12, Those Shoes
13, Seven Bridges Road (Live Version)
14, Love Will Keep Us Alive
15, Get Over It
16, Hole In The World
WOW Gospel 2015
80s, Gospel
All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To…
80s, 90s, AC, Pop, Rock
Dire Straits – Sultans o…
80s, Rock
Alicia Keys – Songs In A…
90s, Pop, R&B/Hip Hop
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Pub-rock
Gateways To Geekery
Pop culture can be as forbidding as it is inviting, particularly in areas that invite geeky obsession: The more devotion a genre or series or subculture inspires, the easier it is for the uninitiated to feel like they’re on the outside looking in. But geeks aren’t born; they’re made. And sometimes it only takes the right starting point to bring newbies into various intimidatingly vast obsessions. Gateways To Geekery is our regular attempt to help those who want to be enthralled, but aren’t sure where to start. Want advice? Suggest future Gateways To Geekery topics by emailing gateways@theonion.com.
Geek obsession: Pub-rock
Why it’s daunting: “Daunting” might be too strong a word to describe an obscure subgenre of British rock that was built on humble, nondescript, back-to-basics fun. As the name implies, the pub-rock movement of the early to mid-’70s was made up of what can only be called bar bands: gangs of ordinary, dressed-down dudes who looked like they worked at the local foundry or factory (and probably did), yet happened to moonlight as rock ’n’ roll revivalists. Unabashedly reactionary, pub-rock was a spontaneous knee-jerk against the rising tides of glam and prog, extravagant forms of rock that some people felt no longer spoke to the common, working-class bloke. In America, that same populist groundswell helped propel the likes of Bob Seger and Bachman-Turner Overdrive to the top of the charts; in Britain, it resulted in a loose network of retro-minded, dumpy-looking groups that sought to perpetuate the rootsy authenticity of the likes of Van Morrison, Gram Parsons, and the upstart Bruce Springsteen.
Granted, pub-rock’s anti-glitz, nose-to-the-grindstone ethic sounds strikingly similar to the punk manifesto that immediately followed, and in many ways, pub-rock helped pave the way for punk. (In fact, many of punk and new wave’s biggest stars, from Joe Strummer to Elvis Costello, paid their dues on the pub-rock circuit before chopping their hair, dressing up funny, and wholly reinventing themselves as rock ’n’ roll antiheroes.) Unlike punk, though, pub-rock never broke through to a mass audience—and as it narrowly missed the wave of independent record labels that sprang up in the wake of punk, a huge chunk of pub-rock went undocumented. But before the movement sputtered out in the late ’70s, a few indie imprints—most notably Chiswick and Stiff—did their best to immortalize pub-rock’s melting pot of power-pop, country-rock, R&B, rockabilly, and folk. In doing so, these labels unwittingly nurtured everything from nascent skinhead bands to some of pop’s greatest songsmiths.
Possible gateway: The 101ers, Elgin Avenue Breakdown
Why: Elgin Avenue Breakdown, the sole full-length by London’s The 101ers, is not the best, most distinctive, or most influential pub-rock album ever made. But it serves as the ideal entrée into the subgenre for one simple reason: The band’s berserk, shaggy, instantly recognizable frontman, Woody Mellor, was mere months away from morphing himself into The Clash’s lightning-rod frontman, Joe Strummer. Recorded in 1975 and 1976 but unreleased until 1981, Breakdown captures the future Strummer’s trademark bark and includes a ragged live version of the blues standard “Junco Partner,” a song that would pop up in slicker form on The Clash’s Sandinista! The album’s title evokes Springsteen’s “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” but The Boss only dreamed of making music this primal: Frenzied and feral, the disc crams moldy rock riffs, R&B licks, and pure adrenaline through a sausage grinder. And that’s a good thing. As a bridge from pub-rock to punk, Breakdown is perfect, but it also showcases a hungry, budding young legend finding his feet and voice—and crafting a handful of slash-and-burn anthems like the sweet-talking, hell-raising “Keys To Your Heart.” The album is uneven and at times embarrassingly hilarious, but you can eat the joy with a fork.
Next steps: Ian Dury never made the same impact as Strummer, but as the frontman of Ian Dury And The Blockheads, he was destined to become a legend in his own right. (He’d already taken a stab at stardom in the early ’70s as the leader of Kilburn And The High Roads.) One of pub-rock’s bona fide originals, The High Roads toured with The Who and released an ambitious (by pub-rock standards) full-length before grinding to a halt in 1975. The album, titled Handsome—perhaps a jab at Dury’s undeniable homeliness—is a sharp, witty sliver of backsliding rock ’n’ roll that seems to erupt from everywhere at once. A true kitchen-sink affair, Handsome sports everything from flute to steel drums to Sha Na Na-worthy saxophone onslaughts, all delivered with loping swagger and acidic, self-deprecating sarcasm. And unlike many of his pub-rock peers, Dury doesn’t try to tweak his accent and sing like Richard Manuel or Randy Newman; instead, he sounds quintessentially English, even while wallowing in a Tom Waits-esque ballad, a Bo Diddley pastiche, or some bizarre mishmash that transcends all borders, including those of sanity.
The pub-rock band that enjoyed the most longevity and acclaim is Brinsley Schwarz. Though named after its guitarist, the outfit really revolved around the songwriting and lead vocals of bassist Nick Lowe. Brinsley Schwarz’s third album, 1971’s Silver Pistol, was its commercial and artistic breakthrough; while only a modest hit, its earthy yet sophisticated mix of The Band and The Byrds helped set the stage for the blossoming pub-rock scene. More notable: the group’s sixth full-length, 1974’s The New Favourites Of Brinsley Schwarz. Not only is it tighter and catchier than Silver Pistol, it kicks off with a harmony-drenched Lowe classic called “(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love, And Understanding.” The song was readily absorbed by one of the group’s ardent followers, Declan MacManus, himself an aspiring pub-rock songwriter in a dead-end band called Flip City. A few years later, reborn as Elvis Costello, he recorded a faithful rendition of the song for the U.S. version of his third album, Armed Forces, which Lowe produced.
After Brinsley Schwarz dissolved in 1974, Schwarz and keyboardist Bob Andrews joined forces with Martin Belmont of Ducks Deluxe—a gruff yet infectiously tuneful pub-rock powerhouse—to play with rising singer-songwriter Graham Parker. Dubbed Graham Parker And The Rumour, the pseudo-supergroup released its debut, Howlin’ Wind, in 1976. A rich stew of blues, country, soul, pop, and even reggae, the album sounds uncannily like a mellow precursor to Elvis Costello’s debut, 1977’s My Aim Is True. Parker would soon be lumped into the so-called Angry Young Men cabal with Costello (as well as Joe Jackson, another celebrated songwriter whose early work shows a distinct Parker influence). But in spite of Costello’s pub-rock pedigree, My Aim Is True is its own beast entirely; Howlin’ Wind, while adventurous for a pub-rock record, is still firmly anchored in that scene and sound, even though Parker would quickly drift away from it.
On the opposite end of the pub-rock spectrum from the likes of Brinsley Schwarz and Graham Parker is The Count Bishops. As subtle and refined as a stampede of wild boars, the band was heavier, cruder, and louder than the easygoing pub-rock mainstream, not to mention most of the punk bands that followed it; The Bishops, though, had a love of barroom R&B that no self-respecting punk could possibly stomach. The group was a fixture of Chiswick Records, the indie label that also housed barbarian outfits like The Gorillas, the newly minted Motörhead, and a rough-and-tumble skinhead crew called Skrewdriver (later to gain infamy as the figurehead of the neo-Nazi wing of the Oi! scene). The Bishops’ self-titled album from 1977 is solid, but the essential release is 1975’s Speedball EP, currently available with a ton of bonus tracks—including a brutal cover of The Strangeloves’ “I Want Candy” alongside the bulldozing “Teenage Letter.”
As the dusk of pub-rock dovetailed with the dawn of punk around 1976, some bands fell between the cracks of the two scenes. The brightest and best of these crossover groups is Eddie And The Hot Rods. Their ’76 debut, Teenage Depression, whittled pub-rock’s R&B tendencies to a razor’s edge while ditching the singer-songwriter angle altogether. Built around its chugging, pogo-ready title track, it’s a lean slab of electrifying rock ’n’ roll, but The Hot Rods’ sophomore full-length, 1977’s Life On The Line, is even better. Clearly a ploy to outlive pub-rock and punk, the album combines the best elements of each while flirting with anthemic power pop. Life On The Line’s high point, “Do Anything You Wanna Do,” remains one of pub-rock’s greatest singles, even though it bears none of the laidback, bucolic vibe of pioneers like Brinsely Schwarz, Eggs Over Easy, and Chilli Willi And The Red Hot Peppers (some of which, to be honest, sound like dregs of The Grateful Dead).
Where not to start: Like his friend and collaborator Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe cut his teeth on pub-rock. And like Costello, Lowe completely outgrew that pigeonhole by the time he started making solo records. Lowe’s first two albums, 1978’s Jesus Of Cool and 1979’s Labour Of Lust, are incredible—so much so that they utterly transcend pub-rock and really can’t be considered examples of the subgenre. Another Lowe associate, Dave Edmunds, became his partner in the mildly successful Rockpile, but Edmunds’ solo albums throughout the ’70s are frustrating: Comprised almost entirely of oldies covers, they offer only tantalizing glimpses of Edmund’s latent greatness, though his best album, 1977’s Get It, sports a whopping five originals. Granted, pub-rock groups typically stocked their live sets with a profusion of ’50s and ’60s covers, but Edmunds had a cleaner, more crystalline sound, even when he was paying tribute to Hank Williams rather than Phil Spector, and his association with pub-rock is more peripheral than representative.
Dr. Feelgood has become synonymous with pub-rock. The band became the movement’s most visible and successful act, and its slashing, choppy, pick-less guitarist Wilko Johnson has been cited as an inspiration by everyone from Joe Strummer to Paul Weller, whose first album with The Jam, In The City, bears a strong pub-rock influence. The only problem: Dr. Feelgood’s music is actually pretty damn bad. Bland, brittle, and mechanical, it sounds like blues-rock pumped out by technicians rather than musicians. The energy and chops are evident on hit albums like 1975’s Malpractice and 1977’s Sneakin’ Suspicion, but even the group’s live record, Stupidity—which hit No. 1 on the UK charts in 1976—lacks anything resembling wit, personality, or memorable songs. After a dose of Dr. Feelgood’s tuneless, monochrome R&B, it’s a surprise most listeners didn’t go running for the nearest Yes album. It’s a sad irony that the most prominent pub-rock band is the last one newcomers should check out—not that they really need to bother at all.
Recent from Jason Heller
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Elizabeth Hand on her 5 favorite books about music
What role has already been definitively portrayed?
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About Modern Church
General theology
Women bishops
Christianity & society
Religion & society
Religious exceptions
Religion & politics
On the popularity of religious leaders
Such a thing as society
Thoughts on the Gambling Bill
Jerry Springer - the operetta
Where have all the voters gone?
The pity and the wonder
• Assisted dying
Marriage, sexuality & gender identity
Editorial by Anthony Woollard
from Signs of the Times No. 37 - Apr 2010
Whilst the Anglican Communion fiddles with its own affairs, the wider world does not stand still. And as our President, John Saxbee, makes clear in his recent book No Faith in Religion,1 it is within that wider world that we as liberal Christians should be finding our principal focus. The Gospel must be relevant in the marketplace or it is not relevant at all.
A General Election is upon us. Signs of the Times is not a political journal and it is not our task to analyse the parties' likely manifestos. But those manifestos begin to be interesting to us when they betray what looks like the influence of theology. I have in mind particularly the phenomenon known as "Red Toryism" which may, or may not, help to shape the Conservative manifesto and perhaps indirectly others also.
What interests me about Red Toryism is its link - through its main proponent Philip Blond and the support of John Milbank - with Radical Orthodoxy, some of whose theological concepts have figured in this journal in the past. Its thinking goes back to a generation of Christian social thought which is of much the same age as the MCU, and is equally critical of Fabian or Marxist socialism and of red-blooded capitalism. It traces its roots to F D Maurice, William Morris and John Ruskin, and one of its foremost proponents was G K Chesterton (in his Anglican and his Roman Catholic periods alike). Its ideas were (and are) enshrined in the work of the significantly-named Christendom Trust - and here there is a link, if seemingly a negative one, between John Saxbee's book and the ideas that the Red Tories are promoting.
John believes that "there is too much religion in the world and not enough faith". He calls as witnesses a slightly unlikely pairing, Kierkegaard and Bonhoeffer, both of whom he sees as attacking "religion" or (particularly in Kierkegaard) "Christendom" in the name of a living faith. I am not myself sure that these two were actually advancing identical critiques, and I suspect that much of Kierkegaard's spiritual and theological position would have been rather unsympathetic to Bonhoeffer (and vice versa). I read Kierkegaard as a full-on individualist who believed that the outward forms of religion were at best irrelevant; whereas Bonhoeffer seems to have placed far more value on those forms and on Christian community, and is mainly opposing contemporary trends in the Lutheran tradition towards pietism and individualism, as well as the "establishment" of the so-called German Christians which those trends permitted to arise. Be that as it may, we are presented with these "knights of faith" who challenge the Christendom that they perceive around them. (This has some parallels - though they are not exact - with the way Jonathan Clatworthy uses the typology of "believing" and "belonging" in his article below.)
For John, and here I think his two interlocutors would agree, "religion" - a sociological phenomenon all too subject to the laws which govern such phenomena - is about taking our human agendas and promoting them as God's agenda, whereas "faith" is subordination to the agenda of God. But is this more than a play on words? How do we know which agenda is which? (As Father Kelly of the old Kelham pre-theological college famously said, when asked by one of his students how we know the will of God: we don't, and that's the giddy joke.) I note, as I read further, that John, Bishop of Lincoln, does recognise the inevitable and potentially positive role of outward forms in any faith which is not purely individualistic. His discussion of "vicarious faith", as in some ways the raison d'etre of the Church of England ("we go to church for the sake of the God who is there and the people who are not"), is a model exposition of the implications of such decidedly non-individualistic New Testament passages as Paul's discussion of the Body. Faith is not just the pilgrimage of the individual knight, but something which we express together - through religion - on behalf of the world.
But would John want the restoration of Christendom? Would he go as far as the Red Tories (some of them at least) and Chesterton in terms of what has become known as communitarianism - and all under the banner of the Cross? I suspect not. And I suspect that most MCU members would be with him. Some of the talk about Christian communitarianism, going back as far as the 1930s, still bears a slight sulphurous whiff of Franco and Mussolini. The break-up of the great Church-and-State collective which allegedly governed every aspect of our ancestors' lives, along with the fall of Fascist (and later Communist) regimes, is surely to be seen as what Bonhoeffer would call a stage on the road to freedom.
We cannot go back to full-on Christendom even if we wanted to. The world has moved on, and those of other faiths and no faith have an honoured place in our society. Even trying to turn the clock back on some key ethical issues, such as supporting marriage through tax breaks, is crying for the moon; ethics as well as religion has outgrown the monolithic stage. As John says, the Enlightenment cannot be disinvented. Some may want to enter into dialogue with some of its assumptions, and certainly with the way in which its implications have been interpreted by Richard Dawkins and his ilk (as Keith Ward did so effectively at our Annual Conference). But Pandora's box has been opened and cannot be closed.
Yet our dialogue with the Enlightenment could include the question: has our society - and our religion (I use that word advisedly) - become unhealthily individualistic? Is there an uncomfortable parallelism between the conservative evangelical, with her emphasis on individual faith in Jesus, and the MCU liberal, with his stress on other sorts of personal experience and freedom from some of the constraints of tradition? At what point do we need to listen to those, in both the social and religious spheres, who remind us that we are members one of another and that we are in grave danger of losing that basic truth? Ought we to be asking ourselves about the theology of a more communally-based solution to social as well as religious problems? What might such a solution mean? After the debacle of red-blooded capitalism in the credit crunch (though it is taking an unconscionable time a'dying) and the possibly imminent demise of New Labour, might the seemingly half-baked economic theories of Chesterton and the Christendom Trust, based on the redistribution of capital, have anything at all to say to us? And is Radical Orthodoxy, with its attraction to mediaeval religion and social order perhaps arising from too much reading of Eamon Duffy, simply a case of what Maurice called "opposing the spirit of the age with the spirit of a former age instead of the Spirit of Christ", or is there more to it than that?
Questions, questions. I was struck recently, in a media discussion on the needs of gifted and talented children, by the following aphorism: 'Able pupils answer the questions on the exam paper; the really gifted, however, question the answers.'
God forbid that MCU should ever be restricted to those who are gifted and talented, theologically or otherwise. But we are, after all, a learned society; and, even if some of us question the odd detail of his answers, we should be thankful that we have a President whose gifts challenge us in our own faith (and/or religion) and perhaps inspire us to challenge the answers to existential questions that are being peddled in the wider world.
John Saxbee No Faith in Religion, O Books 2009, paperback £11.99. Reviewed by Vaughan S. Roberts in Modern Believing Jan 2012.
Anthony Woollard is editor of Signs of the Times. He taught Theology at William Temple College before entering the Civil Service where he spent most of his career in the the Department of Education.
The quarterly newsletter for Modern Church members
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Valves & Controls Solutions
Reliable Control Systems for a Rugged World
On a quiet, leafy street on the outskirts of the Adelaide CBD sits APC Technology. The peaceful exterior and Managing Director Scott Begbie’s laid-back attitude don’t give much away.
“We have ‘MythBusters’ moments in the car park, making things like explosion proof PCs for oil rigs. We were pressure testing a particular unit – we blew the back off it and stripped 16 hefty bolts right out of the back,” Begbie says. “A lot of the time we just try and break something. The neighbors don’t really know what we do.”
APC Technology specializes in making components rugged enough for extreme conditions and industries. Whether it’s for the bottom of a mine, a surveillance plane’s cockpit, or the interior of a tank, the job is to make it work.
Long-term, experienced staff helps APC increase efficiency.
HISTORY IN PROGRESS
This year, APC Technology are marking thirty years in business, a testament to their ability to quickly adapt and iterate, the esteem their customers hold them in, and the staying power of their workforce. Begbie points out the various facets of APC’s workshop. There are people designing, assembling and testing components. Consoles for Australia’s Air Warfare Destroyer project lie hidden under a tarp.
“We’re testing in a range of conditions. Things are getting submerged; they’re operating at 185 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius); they’re freezing. We’ll freeze them and then put them in the ovens to thermal shock them. It’s generally hardcore stuff,” Begbie explains.
There are stacks of equipment and components, testing chambers for humidity, temperature, shock resistance, and more. It’s not far removed from a mad scientist’s laboratory—just better organized. APC started out in the mid-80s making rugged things like control panels and switches for industrial automation.
“They were in harsh environments where computers wouldn’t normally work. The industries couldn’t find anything that would. So we thought we’ll go and make our own computers,” Begbie says.
RUGGEDIZED COMPONENTS
Before long, the defense industry caught on to the fact that they didn’t need to buy expensive, custom built systems – they could just up spec industrial components.
“APC were one of the first to make ruggedized military systems from commercial equipment,” he says. “It’s easier to go in to the industrial arena with a defence pedigree behind you. We did it for a tank, what’s so hard about a train? It gives you that credibility.”
When Begbie first joined the APC Technology, military and defense contracts made up the majority of work. Now it sits at around a quarter of their total workload, though the total turnover of the business has greatly increased.
“As a percentage it’s not huge—but in dollar terms it’s probably twice what it was before, along with mining, rail, oil and gas, farming, food, pharmaceutical and all of those industries too.”
INCREASED DEMAND, EXPANDED REACH
The spread of industries ensures that APC has a steady stream of business no matter what happens outside.
“At any given time at least three or four of those are pretty buoyant. This year there’s been a lot of defence work come in. The dairy guys are having a record year. We’ve landed a significant domestic rail contract. The good thing is we’ve more than doubled turnover and we’ve only got one extra person,” Begbie says.
APC’s advantage is their flexibility. They’re small and can adapt their workflow to quickly cater to customers’ needs.
“One business we worked with in the United States—we generated a prototype for them faster than they approved the minutes of the meeting about building that prototype,” Begbie says. “That’s what happens when you’re a big company burdened by process.”
Begbie attributes a lot of their success to the fact that the customer determines the timing of the project.
THE ROLE OF 3D PRINTING
As the technologies that they ruggedize change, so do the company’s processes. That introduces plenty of challenges—but it makes some things easier.
“Display technologies change. Everything is faster, everything is smaller. Faster motherboards have different electromagnetic vulnerabilities and frequency ranges,” Begbie explains. “But along comes a 3D printer and suddenly it’s easier to show the customer what they’re going to get. We had one customer sit here wanting the door of one of their units to be a little different.
“I excused myself, came back a little later and finished the meeting. One of our CAD guys came in with a new 3D printed door, asking if that was what the customer wanted. He just said, ‘I’ll take twenty-five of them!’”
That technology has also helped their prototyping work. It typically takes APC only a day or two to design a unit, but the metalwork can take several weeks. Often they’ll send a 3D printed prototype ahead of time to ensure that the mounting, wiring and placement works as promised.
“3D printing has been pretty good for us,” Begbie admits.
In APC’s workshop, skilled technicians design, assemble, and test components for a range of applications.
INGENUITY AT WORK
Their staffing practice has also helped them increase their efficiencies by a significant amount—as mentioned, they’ve doubled their turnover with only one extra set of hands.
“When we need people, we always attempt to promote people internally. So the latest CAD guy worked in manufacturing. He had a passion for CAD. He was good at it. Now, when he designs something, he knows how to think from a manufacturing perspective—so that’s inherent in the design now.”
An external review of the company pointed out a very low turnover rate. Begbie says it was around two years since the last person left; before that it was another two years. Their longest serving staff have over twenty years with the company.
“People are here and they’re here for a while. We try and have some fun and two days are never the same.”
Managing director of APC Technology, Scott Begbie.
GLOBAL EXPERIENCE
Begbie’s previous work at BAE is probably what keeps APC Technology fresh for him—instead of working for years on one project, they service a wild variety of jobs.
“We’ve got a dairy customer, he buys 500 units a year. That’s one of the most challenging things. For some reason dairy keeps breaking things. People generally come to us for one or two units. The P3 Orion job was twenty-two, around that. We’re making drive through units for fish and chip shops. We have computers in battle tanks, trying to survive the shock pulse of the main guns,” Begbie says, “not even a human can survive that. When I first came on, it was submarines. We had that turned around in eight weeks – designed, made, certified and installed.”
APC Technology recently brought on Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce AC, CSC, RANR—the previous governor of South Australia and head of the Defense Materiel Organization (DMO)—on board to help them navigate complex projects.
The DMO is responsible for the entire Australian Defense Force’s military platforms and equipment. The next big project on the horizon is a bid at the Land 400 in partnership with Singapore company ST Kinetics, an arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd.
“That’s a company transforming project—obviously if you win it. We’re playing against some seriously big companies. They’ll have one department that’s bigger than our company, just set aside for this project.”
They’re relying on ST Kinetics to prime the project. APC will act as their Australian branch in many respects.
“We treat Singapore as essentially just another state. They’ll call a meeting and we’ll just go. If it’s tomorrow, we’ll fly tomorrow. It freaks them out a bit. It’s often hard for our clients to come to terms with the flexibility you can get,” Begbie explains.
“It’s a seven hour plane ride, so you can get to Singapore faster than a remote Australian mine site. So they’re concerned as to how we’ll support them – well, if we can support a mine site, we can certainly support you in a capital city with direct flights!”
That is how APC have stayed in the game for thirty years; work smarter, get it done faster, and build it to your customer’s exacting standards.
“If you’re the customer, we endeavor to get really close to you,” Begbie says. “If you need something, someone will be there.” ■
APC Technology is a leading designer, manufacturer, and supporter of computer/control and innovative sub-system technology packages for a diverse range of demanding operational environments. For more information, visit www.apctechnology.com.au.
MODERN PUMPING TODAY, January 2015
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Clove is an herb with many powerful health benefits. One of the reasons for the impressive resume of health boosts is because clove contains eugenol, which is one of the most potent germicidal compounds known to man.
Clove comes from a tropical tree called Syzygium aromaticum, typically grown hundreds of feet above sea level in countries like India, Indonesia, and Malaysia (Kamatou). The part of the clove most commonly used is the dried flower bud, harvested 4-5 years after the tree is planted, but the leaves and stems can also be used. Clove has a number of minerals, like iron, magnesium, potassium, and more, which are all important for optimal health and wellbeing. (Cortes)
You may have heard of clove being useful for oral ailments, like naturally numbing a toothache, for example, but it is a potent herb for fighting parasites, as well. Clove is especially effective against nearly all types of parasite eggs, which helps break the parasitic life-cycle and prevents further infection. Additionally, clove’s antimicrobial, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties make it one of the most potent, broad-spectrum herbs in natural medicine. (Natural News)
People use clove to treat anything from scabies to parasitic larvae to staph infections to malaria. It pairs well with other herbs, like neem, vidanga, wormwood, mimosa pudica, and black walnut, for a complete parasite cleanse. It’s a key player in Formula 1, Microbe Formula’s anti-parasite support supplement.
In Ayurvedic medicine, cloves are used therapeutically and within cooking, for their benefits like enhanced circulation and improved digestive issues, bloating, and gas.
Clove contains caryophyllene, which is a spicy terpene also found in rosemary, black pepper, and cannabis. Caryophyllene has been shown in studies to be effective against bacterial infections, parasites, fungi, and overall inflammation. It significantly reduced the parasitic burden when used on infected mice, showing great promise for transfer of beneficial properties to human subjects, as well.
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La Mesa Foothills Democratic Club
Navajo Canyon Republican Women
Elected Official Reports
Dianne’s Corner
Mara Elliott
District 7 Dispatch
Summer Stephan
Toni G. Atkins
Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation
Allied Gardens – Grantville Community Council
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Difference maker: Ryan Bowcott
by SDCNN
in Features, News & Features, Top Stories
Ryan Bowcott serves on the board of directors of Options For All. (Courtesy Options For All)
Jeff Clemetson | Editor
San Carlos resident Ryan Bowcott is a life-long difference maker who has generously given his time and energy to charitable work since high school. His current role as a member of the board of directors for the nonprofit Options For All was, in part, inspired by his mother who taught special education.
Options For All is holding its annual fundraising event Taste of Our Community on March 14 in Liberty Station. For more information about the event and the organization, visit optionsforall.org.
Can you share a little bit about your background: Where did you grow up? If not from San Diego, when did you move here? What did you study in school? What do you do?
I grew up in Poway and graduated from Poway High School before heading to the East Coast and studying at Duke University. After graduation, I moved back to San Diego and began a career in banking, which is something I still love to this day. I am currently a private banking officer for Comerica Bank and am now in my 19th year in the industry. After meeting my wife nine years ago, we were fortunate to settle in San Carlos and have enjoyed Lake Murray, meeting new neighbors and exploring East County.
What other kinds of volunteer work have you done in your life, other than Options For All?
I began volunteering in high school for the Key Club and have been fortunate to work in an industry that encourages volunteerism. Over the last 20 years in San Diego, I have been involved with Junior Achievement, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and of course, Options for All. I also fully support the San Diego Symphony because my wife plays violin for the orchestra and therefore works for a nonprofit.
When and why did you become interested in helping developmentally disabled adults?
My mom was a teacher while I was growing up and taught special education classes for several years. At the time, almost all development disabilities were lumped into special education and it didn’t seem there was any specialized care. It always stood out to me that her classes were supposed to be for one population of children, but it was clear that each individual had unique abilities. When I began volunteering as an adult, I felt like I was only sticking my toe into the water. When I discovered Options For All and their amazing population of adults with developmental disabilities, my childhood memories came back. I felt a connection with the mission and could finally jump head first into the organization and joined the board.
Tell me about Options For All. What is its history? What does it do? How did you become associated with the organization?
Founded in 1985, Options For All serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, helping empower them to become fully participating members of their communities. Options For All provides services in San Diego, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Riverside counties. The organization is a leader in helping people get and keep a job and live as independently as possible and serves as many as 1,300 individuals annually who face the challenges of autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, hearing and vision impairments, learning and intellectual disabilities, and severe behavioral disorders.
Each year, thousands of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities need a helping hand to get by. Without community support, they are destined to live isolated, unproductive lives, at great societal and human cost. This is why the organization seeks to create and support opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in making choices to live and enjoy life in their community with dignity and respect.
We work as a team to achieve positive perceptions in the community and among employers about the value and abilities of these remarkable individuals. Options For All offers its participants programs to enhance life skills, employment and independence. These include assistance with banking, budgeting, and money management; computer and writing skills; job interview techniques; nutrition, cooking, meal planning, and exercise, and learning personal responsibility such as taking directions and social skills. Options For All offers supported employment services that have achieved placement for more than 175 individuals in approximately 500 businesses in the last five years. More than a third of these individuals have remained on the job each year.
I became associated with Options For All through a former colleague, and the Taste of Our Community event. I was invited and attended without knowing much about the organization but knew the event would be fun. The event did not disappoint, and I immediately put it on my calendar for the following year. When I attended the second time, I began to know a few of the employees and board members. At this point I knew the mission and connected with it and was happy to serve on a committee when asked.
What is the Taste of Our Community event about? Why should people attend and support it?
The 10th annual Taste of Our Community will be held on Thursday, March 14, from 6–9 p.m. at Brick in Liberty Station, located at 2863 Historic Decatur Road. The event celebrates a decade of fundraising for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in San Diego. The event will feature tastings from local top tier restaurants, specialty cocktails, wine and beer tasting, live entertainment, live & silent auctions, an opportunity drawing, raise the paddle, and special guest Steve Cassarino (Chef Roc).
The event is an amazingly fun that also happens to serve as our annual fundraising party. This will be my seventh time attending, and I am more excited than last year. The event is networking style and attendees are free to mingle at will. We always have a broad selection of food, wine, beer, etc. for everyone to enjoy. Also, the silent auction gift baskets are always thoughtfully put together and many of them by the population we serve. Anyone should attend if they like fun, food, people, drinking, auctions, or just want to support a great organization. We are a very friendly bunch and would be happy to meet all of the new faces we are hoping to see there.
Your support would allow us to expand our services and provide better, alternative, different programs for our 1,200-plus participant population. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available. Individual tickets are priced at $100, and day-of tickets are $115 and can be purchased online at bit.ly/2GYdHO2.
For more information, please contact Philanthropy Outreach Manager, Kellye Buchanan, by email: kbuchanan@optionsforall.org or phone: 858-565-9870 ext. 226.
— Reach Jeff Clemetson at jeff@sdcnn.com.
SDCNN
Green 1 team volunteers at Mission Trails
Mission Times Courier shared a link.
San Diego commemorates 250 years
missiontimescourier.com
Once a dusty hamlet and a boomtown gone bust, today San Diego is the eighth largest city in the nation. Put on your party hats — July 16 marks the 250th anniversary of America’s Finest City and the celebration is underway.
© 2019 Mission Times Courier. All rights reserved. San Diego Community News Network (SDCNN).
News from the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation
News from the San Carlos/Lake Murray Recreation Council
Patrick Henry school nurse
Patrick Henry sports
San Carlos Friends of the Library
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Shadow Wolves, Border Militarization, and the Tohono O'odham Nation
There have been different responses to increased immigration over the Arizona-Mexico border on the Tohono O'odham Nation. One has been the dramatic increase of federal immigration enforcement agents and technology on the Nation. The other has been an attempt to put water along migrant routes, in attempt to stop migrant deaths. All of this has taken place on a Native American reservation, whose aboriginal land has been divided by the U.S.-Mexico border.
Patrolling in desert camouflage for human and drug smugglers, and armed with M-4 machine guns, the Immigration and Custom Enforcement Shadow Wolves are emblematic of the dramatic post 9/11 increase of militarization on the Tohono O’odham Nation, which covers 2.8 million square acres (comparable to the state of Connecticut) along a 75-mile stretch of the Arizona-Mexico border west of Nogales.
Despite being formed in 1974, the Native American Shadow Wolves (known for their tracking abilities) fit snuggly into the modern boundary enforcement build-up by the U.S. federal government on the Nation. According to the Tohono O’odham Legislative Council, the Nation’s government has supported “on-reservation immigration checkpoints,” and “integrated radar and camera systems for border enforcement,” including surveillance towers built by Boeing corporation for the (now-cancelled) SBInet project. They have also supported a “joint-use law enforcement facility operated by the Nation’s police and Customs and Border Protection, limited deployment of National Guard in support of border enforcement efforts, and border vehicle barriers and related infrastructure.”
Similar Border Patrol vehicles to this one I saw in Douglas, Arizona are surely present on the Nation.
All of this enforces a boundary placed right in the middle of Tohono O’odham territory in 1854 after the Gadsen Purchase – the final chunk of land (now Southern Arizona) acquired by the United States following the 1846-48 invasion of Mexico, which forced Mexico to cede nearly 50% of its northern territory. Now, according to Tohono O’odham Mike Wilson, the Nation is ground-zero for the entrance of undocumented migration into the United States, and today there are more migrant remains found on the Nation’s land than any other part of the Arizona-Mexico border. In the summer months Arizona’s unbearable desert heat is deadly and makes it impossible for migrants to carry enough water for their long journeys to get past the immigration check points both on and surrounding the Nation.
Mike WilsonWilson has responded to this by putting water in five different stations on the Nation, all against both the Nation's Legislative and District Council and Border Patrol wishes. The federal government has responded to increased undocumented migration by putting the ever-increasing border-enforcement resources at its disposal onto the Nation’s land. The Border Patrol’s presence is so strong and all-encompassing that Wilson described it to me as an “occupying force” and an “imposition.” Many Tohono O’odham complain of systematic Border Patrol harassment and abuse, including the detention and deportation of O’odham members.
University of Arizona scholar Raquel Rubio-Goldsmith raised the question to me that border policy might be "designed on purpose" to funnel migrants into the "Tohono O'odham reservation, an isolated, vulnerable region where Border Patrol can run ripshod, with no one telling them what to do."
The impacts and strategy of the boundary-enforcement policy on the Tohono O'odham Nation are rarely discussed with any depth in the media. In fact, the Shadow Wolves story has become quite public relations-savvy. As depicted in this National Geographic video named Border Warriors, this group of 11 Native American men - among them Navajo, Sioux, and Tohono O’odham – tracking drug smugglers on the Nation has become another securing-our-border success story.
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The Rise of the Chinese-American Right
In the Democratic Civil War, Root for Pelosi and Biden
In a United Nations Report, a Socialist Details Venezuela’s Horrors
ActBlue Has Brought in a Whopping $420 Million This Year
Trump’s Bungled Iran Gambit Is Helping China Become a Naval Power With Global Reach
Acosta’s Epstein Excuses Are Nonsensical and Self-Serving
Alex Acosta took the podium Wednesday to try to put to rest a controversial plea deal he reached with accused child-sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein when Acosta was the U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Florida in 2007. Much of what Acosta said sounded somewhat reasonable at first blush: Prosecutors do have a great deal of discretion in charging and resolving cases, so assessing the strength of a case against a defendant, whether he is likely to be convicted, weighed against the possibility of a dangerous defendant walking free, are legitimate and important prosecutorial considerations. But they simply don’t hold up here to explain what Acosta did.
When Acosta’s statements are put up against the facts of this case, they are revealed as the self-serving and often nonsensical excuses of someone who utterly failed to do what he swore to do as U.S. attorney: uphold justice. Congress should now hold a hearing at which Acosta testifies under oath about these matters, so that the victims and all Americans can get answers about why Acosta gave Jeffrey Epstein special treatment.
First and foremost, Acosta claimed that he gave Epstein the now-infamous slap-on-the-wrist non-prosecution deal because state prosecutors in Florida had charged Epstein with a single count of prostitution that would have resulted in no jail time. Acosta claimed that he “wanted to help them [Epstein’s victims], that is why we intervened, and that’s what the prosecutors of my office did…. They insisted that he go to jail and put the world on notice that he was and is a sexual predator.”
On its face, that sounds appropriate; Acosta is saying that federal prosecutors stepped in to ensure an outcome that state authorities had failed to reach on their own. But in reality, there was absolutely nothing about Florida’s state prosecution that would have prevented federal authorities from pursuing a full-throttle investigation of Epstein’s crimes—which clearly rose to the level of federal sex trafficking—and aggressively charging that conduct, regardless of what the state did. Neither double jeopardy law nor DOJ policy would have prevented that.
Indeed, during our many years as prosecutors, we were involved in numerous cases in which a state jurisdiction resolved a case unsatisfactorily and we then brought further, more serious charges in federal court. In some cases, there are additional approvals prosecutors have to secure from DOJ when charging a defendant federally after he has faced similar charges in state court. But it is unfathomable that federal sex trafficking charges would not have been approved in this case notwithstanding a Florida state prosecution (indeed, as we know, such charges have now been brought by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York), and, in any case, it seems quite clear that Acosta’s office did not even attempt to seek that approval. So while Acosta may want to be seen as the white knight riding in to rescue Epstein’s victims by ensuring a slightly less-bad result than the state of Florida would have given Epstein (even assuming that’s true), that claim rings absolutely hollow.
Another of Acosta’s main themes at the press conference was: The sweetheart deal isn’t my fault because, well, times have changed. “Today’s world treats victims very, very differently,” he said. “Today’s world does not allow some of the victim-shaming that could have taken place at trial.” This is an insulting excuse, concocted after-the-fact to conceal Acosta’s shameful performance as U.S. attorney in this matter.
It is true that societal norms and perceptions about rape and sexual assault victims have changed over the decades, and that more recently the #MeToo Movement has had a role in encouraging victims to speak out about their experiences with abuse. But Acosta greatly exaggerates when he claims that trying a case like this in 2007 would have been significantly more challenging than it would be today.
We were all federal prosecutors in 2007 when this non-prosecution agreement was negotiated. No federal prosecutor or agent we worked with would have ever backed away from a sexual exploitation case involving minors because of the possibility of Acosta’s so-called “victim shaming.” 2007 was not 1958. Child exploitation and child pornography were believed to be just as abhorrent then as they are now. In all relevant ways, the case would have been charged, tried, and decided exactly the same in 2007 as it would be today.
Moreover, the case against Epstein is, and always was, a compelling one. Alex Acosta stood before reporters and cameras today and claimed that to go to trial would have been “rolling the dice,” as if convicting Epstein of federal charges would have been a matter of sheer chance, making the “sure thing” of two misdemeanor convictions a preferable outcome. Trials do involve an element of risk, of course, but in a case this strong, the risk was minimal. This was another way in which Acosta’s statements today, while having some surface appeal, were actually misleading.
At the time Acosta decided not to prosecute Epstein, dozens of victims already had come forward to tell the FBI what Epstein did to them. Their statements were corroborated by other evidence discovered by investigators. The prosecutors and FBI agents amassed enough evidence to support a 82-page prosecution memo and a 53-page draft indictment for a federal sex trafficking case, according to Doe v. United States, 08-80736-Civ-Marra (SDFL 2019), a civil case in which two of Epstein’s victims are suing because they were not informed of the secret non-prosecution agreement that Epstein received from Acosta’s office.
Acosta also dodged responsibility for his illegal failure to confer with Epstein’s victims about the possibility of a non-prosecution agreement. When asked about this, and about the fact that victims were never told of the agreement until after the fact, Acosta tried to claim that the prosecutors had a “difficult decision” to make when crafting the agreement. The agreement had a provision by which Epstein agreed to pay for legal representation for the identified victims and also consented to restitution. According to Acosta, the agreement was hidden from the victims because if the victims knew about it (and knew that they might be receiving restitution), their credibility as witnesses would be somehow compromised if the deal ultimately fell through and the victims had to testify at a trial.
This explanation is incredible in numerous respects. First, even if Acosta somehow thought he was acting in the best interests of the case by not telling the victims about a resolution, as Judge Marra noted when he found Acosta and his office broke the law in his decision in the Doe case, prosecutors were obligated by both law and ethics to tell the victims that Epstein was not going to face federal charges and that the federal investigation was going to be closed.
Second, Acosta and his team were apparently worried that informing the victims of this “deal,” which would provide the opportunity for them to receive restitution from Epstein, would somehow compromise the victims’ testimony if plea negotiations fell apart and the government had to take Epstein to trial. To be sure, preserving the integrity of a victim’s testimony is a legitimate concern of prosecutors. This is why prosecutors disclose to the defense any promises or representations made to victims or witnesses. For example, if funds were given to a victim in order to relocate them for safety concerns, prosecutors notify the defense so they can potentially use that information to cross-examine that witness at trial, perhaps arguing that the witness was now beholden to the government. Prosecutors are keenly aware of these defense arguments—which in our experience are rarely successful—and they are prepared to explain to a jury why a witness’s testimony is not compromised. This is a problem prosecutors face every day and is certainly not an excuse for hiding this agreement from the victims.
Acosta was also evasive (at best) when it came to a much-cited off-site breakfast meeting he had with one of Epstein’s lawyers (Jay Lefkowitz). When asked by a reporter whether he met with one of Epstein’s lawyers at a hotel, Acosta provided an astonishing explanation. On the substance of the meeting, Acosta stated that it was unimportant, because it happened after the negotiations over the non-prosecution agreement were completed. Acosta’s version of events is flatly contradicted by the facts as found by Judge Marra, which makes clear that the negotiations over whether and when the victims would be informed of the secret non-prosecution deal—which the Epstein team viewed as “critical”—were in full swing on Oct.12, 2007, the date of the breakfast meeting.
Judge Marra also points out that a letter from defense counsel memorializing the meeting stated that, contrary to Acosta’s claim that nothing of substance happened during the meeting, Acosta actually “assured [defense counsel] that [the] Office would not … contact any of the identified individuals,” i.e., the victims. This was a major victory for Epstein, of course, keeping the victims in the dark, and it appears that Acosta agreed to it by himself, away from the office, over a shared meal.
When asked about the appropriateness of the meeting’s location, Acosta was incredulous, stating that because the meeting was early, “you don’t open an office at 7:00 in the morning to just have a meeting. You have it over breakfast.” Not in our experience. What you do, actually, is tell your adversary that you’re available to meet at the U.S. Attorney’s Office during regular business hours. Then, there would be no suggestion of impropriety.
Defense lawyers can be aggressive—their job is to get the best deal they can for their client. The job of prosecutors representing the United States is to uphold the law and vindicate the victims despite these tactics. Alex Acosta failed at this fundamental responsibility of his position. The question, to which we still don’t know the answer despite Wednesday’s hourlong press conference, is why? Acosta’s attempts to defend the sweetheart deal he gave Jeffrey Epstein, while containing some surface appeal, fell flat upon examination of the facts. This matter should be investigated by Congress, with the full record before them, so that Acosta can be questioned under oath and Epstein’s victims and the American people can learn the truth.
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Singing The National Anthem: What Does Advance Australia Fair Mean?
When it comes to proudly singing and talking about our national anthem Advance Australia Fair, Australians are divided on this. Some of us are proud of our national anthem, and some of us not so proud.
Melbourne Central clock. Puts on a show and plays Waltzing Matilda on the hour | Weekly Photo Challenge: Wall.
In the 1990s, I went to pre-school in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and don’t remember singing Advanced Australia Fair except at assembly on Fridays. After pre-school, I moved to Malaysia and Singapore for more school. Some years ago, I returned to Melbourne and finished my last years of high school here and my classmates and I never had to sing the anthem at assembly.
On Australia Day, Advance Australia Fair is played during town hall flag raising ceremonies around the country but those of us watching aren’t asked to sing it. Right before the start of our Aussie Rules Football (AFL) Grand Final each year, the national anthem is sung by an entertainer in the middle of the pitch and the 100,000 at the match stand at attention, not all singing. Is singing and hearing the national anthem really a moment of patriotic pride and what does it mean to us?
Australians certainly have mixed feelings about our national song, a song that has changed over the years. Different generations identify with different anthems. God Save the Queen was our formal anthem before 1974 and it was played at international sporting events where Australia won medals before that year. Our current national anthem was voted as the country’s song through a plebiscite in 1977 – the popular feel-good song Waltzing Matilda came in second.
A few years ago, the national anthem was playing on TV at home and I pointed it out to dad. He said, “I thought Waltzing Matilda is the national anthem?” Mind you, my dad is a Chinese-Malaysian migrant who has a good grasp of the English language, follows local politics and has worked in Australia for years. Maybe we don’t sing it often enough and forget the lyrics, and the anthem altogether.
As Australians, we all have different views on nationalism and some national anthem’s lyrics are lost on us. In the song, the line “For we are young and free” might come across as strange to some of us who strongly want a republic (currently Australia still has a British monarch). “Our home is girt by sea” gives the impression Australians live by the sea. I certainly do not live by the ocean, nor do I go to the beach that often.
Reading between the lines, racist undertones seem to nestle within Advance Australia Fair. While it acknowledges “those who’ve come across the seas” in the second verse, there’s no hint of the First Peoples or Aboriginal culture in the song. It’s no surprise some Indigenous school students find it hard to sing the song at school assemblies.
But arguably the positive side of Australia comes across in the song as well. The words “young and free” and “boundless plains to share” touch upon the true-blue, fair dinkum Aussie spirit. There’s also a degree of progressiveness surrounding the song: it’s a song Australians independently voted for in 1977 to formally replace long-standing royal anthem God Save the Queen, in a time when the White Australia Policy which discriminated against non-European immigration was recently abolished.
Sometimes our personal experiences influence our attitude towards our national anthem. Being picked on because of my race by my so-called Caucasian friends in pre-school in Melbourne wasn’t pleasant and I avoided them. Needless to say, Friday assemblies and singing Advance Australia Fair was something I never looked forward to. Today, I don’t mind the song; it does point to Australia’s positive spirit after all.
As Waltzing Matilda plays, the bird and musician figures move left and right.
Singing the national anthem at school in Malaysia and Singapore was a different story altogether. Every morning as my Chinese, Malay and Indian heritage classmates and I watched flags being raised during assembly, we sang Negaraku (My Country) and Majulah Singapura (Onward Singapore) in respective countries. Up until this day I still remember the lyrics of both songs and the meaning behind them – Bahasa Melayu lyrics nonetheless, a language foreign to me. Perhaps this has something to do with my teachers in Malaysia and Singapore testing and grading my class on singing these two songs and my classmates encouraging me to sing the songs with them. As one. As one culture.
In multicultural Australia, many of us identify with multiple identities and cultures. At the end of the day, we each have a right and a choice on whether we want to sing our country’s national anthem or not, just as we have a choice on deciding what being a citizen of country means to us.
I reckon the high school I went to in Melbourne never got my class to sing Advance Australia Fair because they sadly assumed it wasn’t a song was significant to us: more than half of the school comprised international students and Australians of culturally diverse backgrounds. Just because some of us weren’t Australian doesn’t mean we’re not interested in the anthem. Nevertheless, so many of us clamoured at the canteen to buy sausage rolls for recess on numerous occasions. How Australian.
There are certainly more ways to show our love for our country than singing a song.
Did you sing the national anthem at school?
Just What Is Australia’s National Dish? There Really Isn’t One
What Does It Mean To Be Australian?
This entry was posted in Australia, Identity, Racism and tagged Asian, australia, culture, lifestyle, music, National Anthem, Nationalism, Patriotism, Photography, Singing by Mabel Kwong. Bookmark the permalink.
154 thoughts on “Singing The National Anthem: What Does Advance Australia Fair Mean?”
charuzu on 19 March 2015 at 12:08 PM said:
I grew up with God Save the Queen as our national anthem. In 1974 I was in the second last year of high school. I can sing Waltzing Matilda but I dont know the words of Advance Australia Fair. I got married in Japan and several of my relatives came to the wedding. In true Japanese style, us “Aussies” sang Waltzing Matilda to the guests – our unoffical National Anthem.
You are right – different age groups have different experience with the Australian National Anthem.
charuzu on 19 March 2015 at 7:20 PM said:
I remember a story from the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000. Some children thought the opening line of our anthem was “Australians all eat ostrich” instead of “Australians all let us rejoice”.
Mabel Kwong on 20 March 2015 at 12:00 AM said:
Oh dear. I didn’t know that. But a hilarious story. I am sure some people sing other parts of the national anthem differently…or think that that is how they should go.
Mabel Kwong on 19 March 2015 at 10:44 PM said:
Thanks for sharing, Charles. I haven’t heard many people claim they can sing Waltzing Matilda. It probably is a generational thing. However, quite a few of my (gen-Y) friends in Asia are familiar with Waltzing Matilda and see it as an iconic Australian song. If you slow down the tempo, it sounds really beautiful. Your wedding sounds fabulous.
Caroline Hutton on 19 March 2015 at 12:26 PM said:
Our kids (who are incidentally in a pretty multicultural school in outer eastern Melbourne) sing Advance Australia Fair every Friday at assembly. All the school stands, including any parents, and two verses are sung- Eek! Lots of parents have only learnt the second verse since their kids started at the school! I don’t love it – feels a little American to me somehow? I sneak out if I can before that part…naughty mum!
Oooh, very cheeky of you to sneak out during the national anthem! 😉 It’s very encouraging to hear that your kids’ school gets them to sing the second verse too. I have a feeling the second verse is lost on a lot of Australians.
Personally, I think Advance Australia Fair sounds quite regal. So many singers have performed the last note by belting it out, it can come across as intimidating to sing (but I think this applies to other anthems too, but definitely not the ones in Malaysia and Singapore). Very fan-fare like, and as you suggested, American.
Constance - Foreign Sanctuary on 19 March 2015 at 1:01 PM said:
Interesting, Mabel! I honestly have no idea what the national anthem of Australia is.
However, I can sing the Canadian national anthem in both English and French. I don’t know it is the norm now or not, but when I was in high school, it was played each day, after morning announcements and before class. We would stand up by our seats and listen to a version of the song each day.
And I honestly have no idea what the national anthem of Canada is 😀
You are like Sue below, who also said that she sings the Canadian anthem in two languages. I never knew your national anthem had a French version…but then again, lots of French arrived in Canada a long time ago.
It was very respectful of you and your class to stand up when your national anthem is played. When I was studying in Malaysia and Singapore, when the national anthem played at assembly, the school gates would be locked and the late students stood awkwardly outside looking in.
Denny Sinnoh on 19 March 2015 at 1:37 PM said:
What? “Advance Australia Fair”? … I have been thinking all this time that the Australian National Anthem was that “Six Months in a Leaky Boat” song.
” … the tyranny of distance ..” that part always got to me : )
You should give a listen to the American National Anthem. The “Star Spangled Banner”
… it is a song about war … with Great Britain … our closest friend …
Great for football games.
Six Months in a Leaky Boat was a popular rock song by a New Zealand group but it did do very, very well on the Australian music charts 🙂
When I was a kid, I had a piano book that had the sheet music to The Star Spangled Banner. It’s a pretty easy song to play, and I always liked how it sounds.
CL (RealGunners) on 19 March 2015 at 1:56 PM said:
Of course I did in school, there’s no way for us to NOT sing it in school. I suppose you know as you schooled in Malaysia before. In fact, I was a prefect for a couple years, and one of my job was to take note of anyone not singing to the song and get him/her into trouble after the assembly! 😀
If you ask me today, obviously it is a load of bollocks to assume that singing the national anthem equals to being patriotic. Recently they even tried to play the national anthem in the cinemas right before a movie starts. Thankfully they canned it after a few weeks. It caused a lot of disgruntlement among the locals and confusion among the foreign tourists.
Exactly. In Malaysia (and Singapore), you cannot NOT sing the national anthem during assembling. I hope you got to weed out those who were just moving their lips 😀 In Singapore, it was the teachers who spied on the students each morning and picked out those who didn’t sing loud enough.
Suppose you also remember that we had to recite the Rukunegara too around once a week after the national anthem too – with the palm held up, facing outwards. Once my fingers were splayed out and my teacher walked over to me and pushed the fingers together.
National anthem played at cinemas before the movie starts? That’s odd. You would be inclined to stand up from your cushioned seat once you hear the national anthem.
CL (RealGunners) on 20 March 2015 at 2:16 AM said:
Exactly, that was what we were expected to do, stand up when the national anthem was played. Well, I think many people ignored that directive, and they can’t really round up people for not standing up, so they canned the initiative themselves.
Oh yes, I definitely remember Rukunegara! 😀
Well, if you’re comfortable in your cushy cinema chair, you probably wouldn’t want to stand for the national anthem. People probably rebelled by sitting down and eating their movie snacks, as you said, ignored the directive.
As a kid in Malaysia, I had trouble saying the second half of the Rukunegara because it sort of goes faster (in terms of syllables, tongue twister in a sense) towards the end 😀
balroop2013 on 19 March 2015 at 1:56 PM said:
Hi Mabel,
Attachment to National Anthems comes naturally though I have never pondered over the emotion, the pride is probably connected to our impressionable years, when we didn’t even understand the meaning and the import of the words we repeated every day till high school! It is only after we grow up that we start comprehending why NAs are so respected, what are the sentiments attached to them
I have felt the words seep through my skin when the National Anthem of my country is played at the international sports events, the feeling is quite inexplicable!
Wise words from you once again, Balroop. As a child, we can only understand so much and barely know the history of our country, hence the detachment towards our national anthem. In Malaysia and Singapore, we were thought the national anthem(s) in music class in our first year, though. But I really didn’t understand the meaning behind them until I was older.
You sound proud of India and its national anthem. It’s funny how the audience – and world watching – goes rather silent and watches another country’s national anthem at an international sporting event, right after post-medal presentation.
Sue Slaght on 19 March 2015 at 2:48 PM said:
Mabel I, like Constance, can sing the national anthem in English and French. It is very commonly heard here and people often sing along at all kinds of events. I love your Dad’s thoughts on what the Australian anthem was. 🙂
Very interesting to hear you can sing your national anthem in two languages, Sue. Perhaps one version is preferred over the other, I don’t know. Or maybe Canadians are brought up singing both versions.
I think my dad still secretly thinks Waltzing Matilda is Australia’s national anthem 😀
Here in the west English is the first language but by law all labelling and such must be bilingual.
Interesting. Never knew that. So now when I come to Canada I prepare myself to see signs in French. Better learn a bit of the language before I go there, it might come in handy.
Sue Slaght on 21 March 2015 at 1:19 AM said:
Well you will mainly see both languages on all food labelling. Here the street signs are in English. In Quebec most will be in French.
Mabel Kwong on 21 March 2015 at 8:13 PM said:
Very, very interesting to hear, Sue. If I do come over to Canada and in particularly Quebec, I will learn some fresh to impress everyone there!
Leanne Cole on 19 March 2015 at 2:51 PM said:
I think you have to remember that the song was written in a very different time. Australians weren’t proud to be Australian. We loved living here, but we also felt a cultural cringe. there was that view that anything Australian was rubbish. Many people still feel that way. There is no reference to the indigenous population because back then people didn’t want to know about them. They were all “drunk” apparently and couldn’t help themselves, so why should we. I can remember my grandmother saying that she had no time for them. That goodness that has changed, though I think the feelings are still there but people keep them to themselves now.
I think the song implies that we are all different, just because you might be from Asian cultures doesn’t mean it doesn’t apply to you, everyone, as you said, the song doesn’t have reference to the first peoples here, so it is all about coming here from another place.
The line girt by sea is meant to mean our home is surrounded by sea, and it is, Australia is completely surrounded by sea.
Oh yes, forgot to say having Walzing Matilda as our national anthem would be like the americans having Yanky Doodle Dandy. It is a folk song about a homeless hobo who steels a sheep, not very representative of our nation, then or now.
Have to agree with you on this one that Waltzing Matilda isn’t that appropriate as a national anthem. However, I know quite a few international friends who think of it as an iconic Australian song.
That is a very important point Leanne, that Australia’s national anthem was written in a time we weren’t proud of our country and we couldn’t define what Australia is. Thank you for bringing that up. Maybe it’s a reason why some of the lyrics to Advance Australia Fair were re-written.
Really is a shame that there is no reference to the First Peoples or Stolen Generation. But the least we can do is appreciate the song for its positive spirit – as you mention, the song implies that we’re all different. No reason why we can’t join in in Australian culture.
Many other countries and nations are surrounded by sea, which is why I find the line “girt by sea” not uniquely Australian.
Leanne Cole on 4 April 2015 at 5:19 AM said:
There aren’t that many countries that are completely surrounded, we are sort of unique, like there is New Zealand, Japan, but nearly every other country borders with another one. I can also remember growing up how it was said we were the largest island on the plant, I don’t hear that being said any more. Really what you find is a nation struggling for an identity and not really knowing what we were. I think in many ways we still don’t. I think that song really reflects that.
Well said. I think the term “island” tends to be thought of as a small nation these days, a nation where you would vacation. So perhaps that is why many Australians aren’t fond of calling Australia an island – we have realised how vast geographically it is (but really any land is an island).
It really is hard to pinpoint a clear identity since Australia is so diverse in terms of people, food, culture, sport and so on. And so I reckon you are right in saying that about our national anthem.
CrazyChineseFamily on 19 March 2015 at 4:42 PM said:
In Germany the anthem is never sung in school and the same applies to Finalnd I guess. Nearly all national anthems are very nationalistic and often just swim in racism. This is also the reason why the first two verses of the German anthem was forbidden after the Second World War however leaving all other countries in Europe still with their sometimes very crazy sounding compete anthems :p
These days the German anthem is only sung on special occasions such as big sport events or during the National Day/ unification day
Very interesting to hear from someone who didn’t sing the national anthem in school because, well, it’s not part of school life in Germany. I’ve never heard European national anthems before, but I take your word that they are crazy sounding.
Surely those in Germany would learn their national anthem at some point…if not in school, then perhaps elsewhere.
maamej on 19 March 2015 at 5:26 PM said:
I was thinking I couldn’t care less about national anthems, being quite sceptical about nationalism, which so often exploits people’s racism and xenophobia, and then I read one of the comments about it ‘seeping through’ the skin and I remembered getting teary at times hearing our national anthem, to the point where I couldn’t even sing it myself. I really can’t explain that either, I don’t think it’s got anything to do with the actual words.
Perhaps somehow it helps focus attention on connection to the land we live in, and as it’s usually sung at times when we’re surrounded by other people at special events, it can also focus our attention on our connection to other people. Or maybe I’m just suggestible. I feel the same way about the Qantas song, ‘I still call Australia Home’. Especially when I’ve heard it played on a Qantas flight on my way back to Australia from overseas.
The Australian national anthem does stir up conflicting emotions within us. Though we may criticise and not agree with some of the sentiments of Advance Australia Fair, somehow we always stand at attention or shush when it’s played. It’s an unexplainable feeling, yes. It’s also interesting to note that everyone no matter which country their from tends to stand silently in awe when another country’s anthem is played at the medal presentation ceremony.
“sung at times when we’re surrounded by other people at special event.” Great observation, Maamej. The national anthem isn’t just about words, but the people singing it together too, no matter in tune or off-key. A sense of “we’re all in this together” manifests.
I’m not too sure how I feel about “I Still Call Australia Home”. I like the song, but not the Qantas advertisements.
maamej on 20 March 2015 at 11:05 PM said:
Music really moves us in quite subliminal ways.
I think I heard ‘Still call Australia home’ before I was very aware that it was an ad. But it was also something about getting on a Qantas plane and hearing Australian accents after 2 months living in a poor country that really got to me – reinforcing how much I do call this place home 🙂
“Music really moves us in quite subliminal ways.” Perfect way to put it. Certain chords and lyrics will resonate with us deep down, touch us in ways we cannot explain.
To be honest, I only vaguely remember hearing “Still Call Australia Home” at some point before the Qantas ad. It’s quite a stirring song, especially the last verse. No matter Australia’s flaws, you really do love Australia, Maamej, do you 🙂 I think we all have something positive to say about Australia at the end of the day.
Gary Lum on 19 March 2015 at 6:05 PM said:
I was in grade 4 when we changed from singing God save the Queen to Advance Australia Fair. It may not be perfect but IMHO it is orders of magnitude better than Waltzing Matilda. WM is about the person who steals a sheep and prefers suicide over being caught by police and facing justice.
I don’t think many of us really know the meaning behind Waltzing Matilda. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. People seem to like the song for its melody and tune. That’s what it’s known for, I suppose.
Donald on 19 March 2015 at 7:12 PM said:
Interesting post. How about the “British” national anthem which, in its long version, has the line “crush rebellious Scots?” No surprise that we sing “Flower of Scotland” at sporting events. A national anthem that is anti it’s own people!
Interesting to know that about the “British” national anthem. I don’t think many Australians are familiar with it. I’m guessing some Scottish aren’t huge fans of “Flower of Scotland”. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Indah Susanti on 20 March 2015 at 2:51 AM said:
We did sing for national anthem at school in Indonesia. I still remember it by heart. When in the Netherlands I know the anthem as well and despite I am not a Dutch national, I always feel touch to listen to Dutch anthem when the Dutch athlete receiving their winning medals in some sport competition 🙂
Well written post Mabel 🙂
Awww, you still remember Indonesia’s national anthem after all these years. As Maamej said in her comment, maybe it’s because we’re drawn to music that we like to listen to other country’s national anthem. It could be a respect thing, as in your case with the Dutch national anthem and Netherlands is in a sense a second home to you too. However, it could also be because we want a reason to say how there is a better anthem than our country’s 😀
Indah Susanti on 21 March 2015 at 8:56 PM said:
I guess so 🙂 Oh, I can’t help to keep remembering Indonesia’s national anthem by heart. During my school days in Indonesia, we had national flag ceremony every Monday morning and sang along the national anthem when the flag was going up 😀 not sure if it is still in practice nowadays. I was raised in dictatorship government, Soeharto back then.
Just like my school days in Singapore and Malaysia, only that the flag raising ceremony was every morning at 7.15. Very, very early in the morning and I remember most of us mumbled the anthem half asleep. Good times 😀
ken and agnes photoworks on 20 March 2015 at 3:26 AM said:
yeap, absolutely, i know Negaraku by heart during my school days. even now, i can recall most of it. during assembly, our HM, who is a very keen music teacher, will give the chord, and away we go …
Negaraku, Tanah tumpahnya darahku …. as the flag is hoisted by the head prefect. great memories.
thanks for reliving it, mabel.
I too still know Negaraku. Yes, it’s all coming back to me word for word. Your headmaster sounds very spontaneous, expecting you lot to sing at the sound of the first chord. Along with Negaraku, you might also remember the Rukunegara. As I mentioned to CL in the comments, it was something we had to say after the national anthem at least once a week.
ken and agnes photoworks on 25 March 2015 at 11:35 AM said:
yes, he was, stern and spontaneous, we had so many monikers for him, it was fun creating them. Rukunegara, yes, by heart, every word, even now. how could we be otherwise, after all the weekly practice 🙂 .
Oh yes. Monikers and nicknames for the headmaster and teachers. Those were the days. Some things we’ll always stick with us. All that practise singing the anthem and reciting the Rukunegara, they are embedded deep within us.
Packing my Suitcase on 20 March 2015 at 3:30 AM said:
Interesting topic Mabel.
I had no idea how Australians felt about their national anthem, but I can totally understand why… the lyrics are a bit weird 😦
In Brazil we love our anthem, and I used to sing it at school… and we all sing it very proudly at a football game.. have seen how Brazilians sang the anthem during the World Cup? Amazing 😀
Anyways… we always had the same anthem, in case of Australia it changed, so it might be difficult too to adopt another one.
Yes, the lyrics to Australia’s national anthem are rather weird. It focuses quite a bit on describing, or trying the describe how Aussie land looks like.
Football is a big part of Brazil, right? 😀 Actually I haven’t noticed the Brazilians singing their song at the World Cup, but I will have a closer look next time.
Didn’t know you watch football too! I love watching the World Cup once every four years, and over the last few tournaments Australia has been in it 😀
And I suppose Brazil’s national anthem is in Brazilian language, Portugese.
Yes, football is very important to Brazilians, especially during the World cup 😀
Look it up on youtube some time, it is very beautiful how people kept singing the Anthem even after the song stopped. Our anthem is really long, so they never play it all on games, etc.. and yes it is in Portuguese 😀
That is amazing, and so patriotic of Brazilians to sing their national anthem even after the song has stopped playing. Nothing like this in Australia, or Malaysia or Singapore. Lots of pride for their country and they must feel like one big happy family singing together at the World Cup 😀
Australia’s full national anthem isn’t that long, two verses. But we only sing the first verse, leaving out the second. Some might say we sing the national anthem half-heartedly.
Packing my Suitcase on 23 March 2015 at 7:32 PM said:
Ohh I’m sorry about that! Do you prefer the God save the Queen one or would it be better if the made a new one?
Must be different, to have this feeling about your own national anthem.
Oh well, Brazilian are mostly patriotic during the World Cup, on a daily basis we only complain about the country hahaha
I actually am not too sure how God Save the Queen goes. All for having a new national anthem for Australia or a re-write of the current one. It’s true, I think a very different feeling compared to how Brazilians feel about their national song. There are Australians who want the country to be a republic (free from monarchy), and others no.
Brazilians know how to come together on the world stage. Sport certainly unites your home country!
Ohh that is a difficult situation right? 😦 I hope with time things resolve in your country and people can agree with an anthem and about republic or monarchy. What really matter is that Australia is a peaceful country! 😀
Yes, sport really pull us Brazilians together!! Politics separates us 😦
Australians are very divided when it comes to nationalism and politics too. It’s a no-no to talk about these subjects usually when we’re socialising with peopel we don’t know well. Generally we’re a peaceful country 😀
Hope to visit Brazil someday and see a happy country proud of their culture!
I think politics is always a sensitive subjects right? In Brazil it is especially veeery bad at the moment as the country is divided, some want impeachment other dont! Oh well, despite this, I think we are a happy country 😀
I also want to visit Australia someday!! And when I go I have to enjoy and stay at least 1 month, there must be so much to see and do 😀
Oh yes. Politics is always a sensitive topic. We always seem so angry when we talk about it!
I hope you visit Australia, then we can go exploring together. And I hope to visit Germany someday soon and see all the towns you’ve been talking on your blog!
True, people really get angry over this topic!!
Ohh I thought of you last night as I watched the football game of Germany x Australia 😀 They sang the national anthem and it reminded me of our conversation 😀
Yesss, I do hope we meet someday, here or there! 😀 That would be veeeery cool!
Awww, sooo nice of Allane to think of little Mabel 😀 You must be proud of Germany’s national anthem too now that you have lived there for a long time!
I think I would be speechless if I met you, very famous travel Brazilian blogger living in Germany ❤
hahahaa you are too sweet little Mabel 😀
Yes, I am also proud of the German national anthem, though I got to say that I still haven’t learned it 100% hahaha… but I promised to myself that by the end of the year I would learn it all!
Awnnn I would be speechless too to meet a famous Australian writer, one of my favourites 😀
I hope you had a lovely weekend!!
Hehehe, you learning the German national anthem because little Mabel inspired you to 😀 To be honest, I only know Advance Australia Fair, and don’t know the previous Aussie national anthems. Learning national anthems is usually a great history lesson, though.
I don’t know of any famous Australian writers personally, so I can’t introduce you to them 😀
Packing my Suitcase on 1 April 2015 at 9:25 PM said:
hahahahaha while I was in Canada for 1 year I learned their national anthem, so shame on me for not having learned the German one after 3 years living in the country! It’s time I give it a try hahaha.
To me you are already a famous writer 😀
Hahaha. Canada’s national anthem comes in English and French, so I suppose that is one of the harder anthems to learn – two versions! Awww, you are too kind, Allane 😀
Sonel on 20 March 2015 at 7:01 AM said:
Stunning shots of that beautiful clock Mabel. As far as anthems are concerned, I think I had my fill when I was in school. They were boring. Now, if they would put more beat into it, I might learn to like it. 😆
Thank you, Sophia. The original photos had reddish tones all over, and it took me a while to make it more cool-toned.
I suppose if you sing the national anthem everyday in school, you can get bored of it. In fact, it can become routine and you might even forget what you’re singing about. So I don’t blame you for saying it was a boring experience for you.
When we celebrated National Day at school in Singapore, we had four flag beareres who carried the Singapore flag to assembly, which made singing the national anthem all the more entertaining.
Jean on 20 March 2015 at 9:13 AM said:
Since Canada was a British colony, our anthem was God Save the Queen which I did sing in public school at beginning of each day. O Canada became official anthem…which is sung at sports games, etc. Its birth…actually started in Quebec!
However “O Canada” anthem adoption probably became increasingly adopted long before 1980. After Canada adopted its own national flag (with red maple) in 1965, there was a slow informal movement to adopt O Canada.
One also hears it sung in French. I used to know words a bit in French for lst few lines. But have forgotten them.
I entered into school in 1964 and thereafter…so I have memory of major pivotal historic times in Canada, on our symbols and identity, plus when we changed. The support for O Canada gathered momentum 1966 when in 1967 was the 100th anniversary of Canada as an independent country.
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/o-canada/
To me, Canada’s anthem does speak to the geographic “stretch” (7,000+ km. from west and east coast) of the country and admittedly to me, I sing the anthem willingly, regardless of its little flaws.
I feel incredibly blessed to have been born in Canada and to experience the benefits of being Canadian.
You do sound like a very proud Canadian, Jean. Thank you for that link to O Canada. It’s very informative to know how the song originated and came to become your country’s anthem.
I thought most Canadians know the French version as well (as Constance and Sue have mentioned). So maybe not all Canadians then.
It does sound like Canadians agree on their national anthem and are supportive of it, for most part. Of course, there will be some of us who will find something to pick about it – but we all have our opinions and have varying degrees of nationalitsic pride and showing that.
Unlike Canada, Australia is still under a monarchy and it’s probably why a lot of us still associate God Save The Queen as our true anthem.
anotherday2paradise on 20 March 2015 at 11:00 AM said:
Such a gorgeous clock, Mabel. I don’t remember singing the national anthem when I went to school in England. I had to teach my South African pupils the national anthem, but the black pupils refused to sing the last verse which was in the Afrikaans language, and the white pupils didn’t like singing the Zulu first part, so it was usually a very halfhearted affair. 🙂
It is a gorgeous clock isn’t it? It’s located in a busy shopping mall in the city. Every hour on the hour, tourists will stand around it to watch the show the clock puts on. It really is iconic.
Oh dear, I imagine that your South African students grumbled all the time at singing their national anthem apart from singing it half-heartedly. Hopefully at some point, maybe when they are older, they do learn the messages behind the song and what it stands for.
anotherday2paradise on 21 March 2015 at 6:02 AM said:
Yes, I do hope so. The different languages are meant to help reconciliation, but seemed to end up being divisive instead. 😦
There is beauty in talking and singing in a different language, in a sense that shows equality and respect for others around us. Maybe one day South Africa will sing their national anthem in unison. Time heals.
Lani on 21 March 2015 at 1:14 AM said:
Growing up in Hawaii, we learned the American anthem, the “Star Spangled Banner” and our state song “Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī” in Hawaiian, so I think I just grew up thinking in a diverse and unique way (from the rest of the United States). Any singing of the anthem now would just involve me trying to remember the words, sometimes I would mouth it because I can’t sing very well.
In Thaiand the anthem is played at 8am and 6pm everyday on TV, over PAs, etc. They also play it before movies in the movie theatre. It’s kind of weird. You kind of feel inundated by it here.
Wow, two national anthems you sung at school and you were aware of two cultures from a young age. How can some of us not… 😉 To be honest, I think a lot of us don’t know all of the words to our national anthem, primarily because it’s not a song we sing everyday and naturally the lyrics can eclipse us.
I had no idea the national anthem was played in cinemas before the movie starts. What are the movie-goers supposed to do, stand up? As CL mentioned, recently in Malaysia they tried playing the anthems in cinemas but nobody paid much attention to it, and so this was canned.
Lani on 21 March 2015 at 11:53 PM said:
Yes, everyone stands up. If the anthem is played during “walking street” or when there is a weekly street fair, then everyone must stop until the anthem is finished. The tourists love it because it’s so weird and it’s like time has stopped.
That is fascinating people stop and stand up for the national anthem. National pride, perhaps. Standing up and either singing or standing at attention in silence, I presume. I would love to be caught up in that one day.
Lani on 23 March 2015 at 12:34 AM said:
I suppose I’ve taken it for granted so I’ve forgotten the novelity of it. The monarchy is BIG in Thailand, but the old ways are changing…change is in the air.
The monarchy is still big in Australia too, especially among the older generation. Similarly, change is in the air here too…but very slowly.
charuzu on 22 March 2015 at 10:55 AM said:
In Australia in the 1960s i remember a short film of a brass band playing the National Anthem was screened before the main feature or supporting short films. Everyone would stand up while the national anthem. But remember in the 1960s a large proportion of Australian population – were of English origin and our place in the British Commonwealth was far more prominent.
Interesting to hear. If the Australian national anthem was played before films in cinemas in Australia today (as per the other comments, this is common in some countries), I wonder if we would stand for it. This might not be a case since times have changed and many of us are all for standing up for what we individually believe in.
Hoarder Comes Clean on 21 March 2015 at 7:21 AM said:
We sang the US anthem sometimes in school, but it’s notoriously hard to sing. Professional singers murder it regularly before ball games. So, in school we often sang the more melodious “America the Beautiful.” At least it has “and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea” as a last line — a friendly thought, and typical of the day in including the sisterhood among “man”kind. – Sandy, only slightly kidding…
“America the Beautiful”. Now that’s a song I’ve not heard of, I’ll need to YouTube it and check it out. This is the first time I’ve heard of the US anthem being hard to sing. Maybe it’s a song that you’re meant to belt out and that’s why. Many singers singing the Australian national anthem tend to hold the last note at the end for a bit, so it can be hard to sing along to this song.
Touch2Touch on 21 March 2015 at 12:40 PM said:
Chiming in on the impossibility of singing the US national anthem.
It’s set to the tune of an English drinking song, Anacreon in Heaven, that’s for openers. It has an octave range of probably three or four octaves (feels like six). It celebrates a battle.
A MUCH better choice would have been America the Beautiful. (The words happen to have been written by a president of the women’s college I graduated from, but objectively speaking they’re beautiful.)
The choice of it as national anthem is not hallowed by time immemorial; it was only chosen in 1931, that’s just three years before I was born! And although it may seem so, I am not an ancient of days.
It was one of many mistakes made in the Thirties, and I wince whenever I hear it in an arena or on TV.
As far as multiculturalism goes — the US is an immigrant country and so is Australia. What I say is: Long may we wave!
Really, the US national anthem is hard to sing? Okay, then Sandy must be telling the truth 😀 I played it on the piano as a kid and thought it had a nice melody.
Never knew it was a battle song. Now I know, thank you for explaining that. America the Beautiful sounds like a wonderful song, and written by a woman, that is impressive. It sounds like a song that’s still familiar with Americans these days.
beeblu on 21 March 2015 at 12:40 PM said:
I went to school in South Africa, and we never sang the national anthem at school. We did, however, have to say the Lord’s Prayer at assembly, which is another whole can of worms. Nationalism certainly has its dark side and perpetuates many stereotypes.
“Nationalism certainly has its dark side and perpetuates many stereotypes.” Well said, BB. It’s a heavy and sensitive topic many of us do actively try to avoid, no surprise there.
I suppose the Lord’s Prayer was a short verse you recited in South Africa in regards to faith. At school in Singapore and Malaysia, most mornings I had to say something called The Pledge, which is an oath of allegiance to the country, with hand or fist over our heart.
azurro4cielo on 21 March 2015 at 10:33 PM said:
During my school time, student and teacher were compulsory to sing Indonesia Raya (the national anthem) every Monday morning as opening for raising flag ceremony.
Everyone must sing the song, so most of the student were half-heart when singing the anthem because we should arrived at school one hour earlier than normal days. six o’clock sharp in the morning before ceremony started.
That is early, arriving at school 6am sharp on Monday mornings. No wonder many of you sang the song half-heartedly…and tiredly too, I’m guessing. And you wouldn’t want to be late as there might be some punishment or detention for that.
Christy Birmingham on 22 March 2015 at 5:27 AM said:
Interestingly Canada’s national anthem is being criticised for not being gender neutral. It is the line “True patriot love in all thy sons command” that is coming under attack. Some people suggest that instead of “thy sons” it be “of us.” As you say it’s our choice whether to sing the anthem or not. Thanks for the thought-provoking post!
Interesting to hear a gender take and perspective on the national anthem. A valid and convincing argument that the word “sons” refers to men and not women. I suppose at the end of the day we can take that line to mean what we want it to be, and if we don’t believe in that line, then don’t sing it.
Yes, I was thinking much the same, Mabel. Or we can think, well that was a different time when the song was created than it is now. A matter of perspective as well as a matter of choice.
“that was a different time when the song was created than it is now.” Well said. Times change as the world turns, and so do our feelings towards our country and how it is run.
moondustwriter on 22 March 2015 at 7:07 AM said:
Mabel a thought provoking piece. Anthems seem to represent a time gone by when people were spurned on by a national bond.
Thank you, Leslie. You say it so well. National anthems usually are written in a specific moment in time, and the words draw on victories and courageous and nation-building acts at a point in time.
Amy on 22 March 2015 at 10:47 AM said:
It’s an interesting reading, Mabel. I feel like I’m learning a bit about Australia culture, history, people from your blog. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. 🙂
Always honoured that you read what I write, Amy. Last year I felt like I haven’t shared that much about Australian culture, hence more of such posts of late. Really appreciate your support and you’re always so kind 🙂
Amy on 22 March 2015 at 10:53 PM said:
You write these articles with your sensitivity; importantly, you bring up the facts and history information. And, you always present them graciously. I know these sensitive topics are difficult to write, but you keep challenging yourselves and are getting a lot of echoes. I admire you, Mabel.
Thank you, Amy, for the feedback. Honestly I feel that I’ve strayed from the downright sensitive topics, feeling like I’m repeating myself. Then again, that shows I believe in something…but I could always use different opinions and thoughts like yours 🙂
yprior1 on 22 March 2015 at 3:43 PM said:
I like your thoughts on diversity (<3)
and totally agree with
"There are certainly more ways to show our love for our country than singing a song."
Diversity is such a beautiful thing. It really is up to us if we want to sing the national anthem. If we don’t, that’s fine but let’s respect others who want to sing it.
yprior1 on 22 March 2015 at 10:41 PM said:
agree! 💐
Yes! 😀
🎶🎶🎼♭♭♭ 🙂
🎶🎶 The joys of typing on a phone or mobile device with emojis! I copied and pasted yours… 😀
and actually Mabel – I found this site where I can cut and paste when I am on the home computer…. I bookmarked it so I can have easy access to all of them – and just cut and paste as I go – ✌👊
http://fsymbols.com/signs/
An amazing site, Y. You are more tech savvy than me, I’m ashamed of that 👌
In the mornings during assembly in Singapore, there was always one prefect or student who had to sing the national anthem through the microphone. I pitied them 🎤
oh never be ashamed of things we are learning – I recently heard a cool quote – something like when we “broaden our horizons with our work – it is never about better or best – it is about us broadening what we know….”
and I would pity that person too – oh the things adults need to learn sometimes – and this post is another example of some who need some broadening of options…. 🙂
dedy oktavianus pardede on 23 March 2015 at 1:45 AM said:
I only know for Indonesia Raya
Lol Dedy. Every comment you leave on my blog, it makes me laugh 😀 Great that you know your country’s national anthem. Sounds like you’re proud of it.
Jessica on 23 March 2015 at 4:59 AM said:
Interesting topic, Mabel! I of course have never heard the Australian anthem. Australia has an interesting history to pull from, so it’s not surprising that its anthem would, too. Here in the States, I used to sing our anthem at school, but these days? I can’t remember the last time I sang it personally. I guess I’m not that patriotic. 😛 Then again, that’s not surprising.
It’s true, Jess. When we’re done with school, there aren’t many occasions where we have to sing the national anthem and no surprise we forget the lyrics. Even if we’re encouraged to, we may not want to because we’re self-conscious of how our singing voice sounds!
I’m sure you love your country, just that you don’t show it in song 🙂
Tina Schell on 23 March 2015 at 11:43 AM said:
Very interesting Mabel, never thought about it I must admit. here in the states when I was in school we sang the national anthem at the start of every day with our hands over our hearts and were immensely proud to be Americans. Then of course came the Vietnam War and our pride slowly eroded as we disagreed more and more strongly with our government’s actions. Today I’d say patriotism is a bit of a mix – much like Australia we have people who are extremely patriotic while others question whether our country is doing its best to handle the things most important to them, especially minorities and recent immigrants. It’s a crazy world out there so I suppose what songs we sing and when has become an indication of who we are and what we love. When in doubt, attend a baseball or football game and you’ll see everyone singing along – all part of the fun!
Thanks for sharing, Tina. Interesting to hear the changing sentiments towards the American national anthem. I always had the inkling that Americans are more patriotic about their country than Australians are to Australia. For instance, Americans do not seem hesitant waving their American flag. In Australia rarely will you see anyone with the flag on celebratory occasions.
I would love to attend an American baseball or football game someday. Sounds there’s a very much inclusive atmosphere at these events.
shenANNAgans on 23 March 2015 at 4:56 PM said:
I grew up singing the National Anthem, always at the school assembly in Primary school, not very often at all during my high school years. I attended a private school for years 5, 6 & 7, and we had a huge drama/music culture, so it was always lots of fun. I dont really think I have ever thought about what the song means, and we could do sooooooo many other things, but but I liked singing and enjoyed that we as a group we were all honoring our country.
Another thought provoking post Miss Mabel. 🙂
PS: Sorry I havent been over to your blog for a few weeks, I am blown away at the way the days are zooming. It’ll be Christmas before we know it. ARGH!
Happy Monday, hope you are having a swell day. 🙂
It seems that as we grow older we sing the national anthem less and less. It does make me wonder what place the Australian national anthem has in our country. As the other commentors have brought up, in some countries the national anthem is played in the cinemas.
You are right. we can interpret our national anthem in many ways. Maybe we should all agree to disagree and focus the moment we’re singing it – together, a sign of solidarity for a few seconds.
Always happy to see you drop by, Anna. Life can be busy, but make sure you live the moment and enjoy it 🙂
darwinontherocks on 23 March 2015 at 7:15 PM said:
Very interesting topic indeed ! In Belgium, it’s very complicated, because the country is divided into 3 different regions, so we have a lot of national anthems (a Flemish, and French and a German one). The unified anthem is not very popular in schools, but in sports groups, they keep singing it before a game (espeically in football). Have a nice week !
Oh my, 3 national anthems. That is quite a few of them, and a lot of lyrics to memorise as well. But it seems that there is an anthem for each region as you said, so sort of something for everyone. Something each of them can relate to and feel proud of. Very, very fascinating and thank you for sharing!
Matthew Curry on 24 March 2015 at 5:21 AM said:
Thank you for supporting my work, Matt. It’s been a while, thanks for sticking by this long. Hope you’re doing well 🙂
Matthew Curry on 25 March 2015 at 12:06 AM said:
No, thank you. Always good to see you here 🙂
You too!
Meihsiu Hsiao on 25 March 2015 at 1:32 PM said:
I think maybe sometimes we can not go to choose our life, such as work, school or other life planning, parents have a lot of time and perhaps make plans for us, we are unable to choose and make decisions, but regardless there even is a national, as well as identity and integration environment is the best way, although this is difficult to start, or to remember where it came from their own, do not forget you father is Chinese, I hope you do not have of ambivalence.
In my childhood, every morning must sing the national anthem at school, but now I’m not sure.
“do not forget you father is Chinese”. Very wise, and thank you for reminding me that. No matter where we are from, we are all descendents of not only a country but a heritage and culture too. Sometimes a national anthem can exemplify and show this.
Interesting to hear you used to sing the national anthem at school each morning. It seems to be the way for most of us who studied in Asia when we were younger. I heard it’s still this way today.
Forestwoodfolkart on 3 April 2015 at 10:50 PM said:
Anything is better than God save our Queen, long may use reign over us…etc… Mindless crappy song. Advance Australia song relates to Australia racist or not. Sounds like a lot of country’s anthems are old and outdated. But I kind if like the tune.I grew up with Gid save the Queen, my kids with A A Fair… Seems like progress. Perhaps the next version will be Goanna’s Solid Rock!!!
I have to agree with you. that Advance Australia Fair has a bit more relevance to God Save The Queen, though I suppose the former was more relatable to many Australians many years ago.
Don’t know about kids these days, but I always felt the AAF was hard to sing, especially the last note at the end. The note sounds triumphant, but still…
I like your idea of the next version of our anthem. How cool is that 😀
Dalo 2013 on 4 April 2015 at 12:24 PM said:
Growing up in the States, we use to sing the National Anthem at sporting events and since sports makes up such a big part of our culture it is a song I think everyone is familiar with…and it is funny as the tune itself is the official song of the Anacreontic Society, an 18th-century gentlemen’s club who basically loved to drink. So it is funny to have this as part of our anthem.
I guess I sing the anthem quite a bit, as when I am in the States I attend a few events and they almost always sing the anthem. Hand over heart, look at the flag and think about the men & women who give there life for the country (defending our freedoms and liberty)…wow, I really do that 🙂 and believe it 🙂
The tune of a gentlemen’s club – what an interesting fact about your national anthem. And interesting to hear you say you think of those who fought for their country when singing it. I don’t think we think of that at all when singing the Australian anthem. Most Australians probably think the opposite then – how lucky we are to be living in Australia.
Sports. National anthems. They seem to go hand in hand with our national identity, something which is similar around the world.
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treerabold on 7 April 2015 at 1:36 PM said:
I don’t remember singing the national anthem in school. We said the pledge of allegiance to the flag everyday before class started.
We of course sing our national anthem before baseball games and other sporting events. It seems odd that our time to be patriotic is when two teams are getting ready to “fight”each other!
Interesting to hear you didn’t sing your anthem too often at school. Never knew the Americans has a pledge of allegiance like those in Singapore and Malaysia, which I was asked to say despite being Australian.
Would love to experience one of your baseball games someday. As you say, it’s a patriotic occasion. And sounds fun.
treerabold on 8 April 2015 at 12:01 AM said:
Baseball games are very fun to attend. Boring (to me) to watch on TV. But the atmosphere of a stadium on a warm summer night under the lights…..very fun!
I take your word for it, Tree. Singing the national anthem in unison. Loud cheers for players on the field. Food served up and down the stands. I would so love to experience a baseball game there someday!
treerabold on 8 April 2015 at 10:26 PM said:
When you visit the United States I will take you to a game!! 🙂
autumnashbough on 3 May 2015 at 4:09 AM said:
Oh, that “Pledge of Allegiance.” I do not like it, I never did, and yes, most schools require it every morning: hand over heart, facing the American flag. Originally, the arm was straight out, like Nazi salute (!), and that is what the pledge reminds me of — swearing unthinking allegiance to a government. Since that idea is the absolute antithesis of Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and the origins of the government of the United States, I find it appalling. Even worse, in the 1950’s, the words were changed from “one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all” to “one nation, under God,” which runs afoul of our vaunted separation of church and state.
There are ongoing courtroom skirmishes between schools and parents/ students who do not want to say the pledge. Yet it persists.
I much prefer “The Star Spangled Banner,” with its soaring melody and ambiguous lyrics to a pledge that borders on fascism!
I had no idea that there was a Pledge of Allegiance in the States. This is the first I’ve heard of it – maybe it’s something every country has, but it’s not something all schools in each country preach students to know by heart.
I suppose if any of us do not want to say the pledge, the least we can do is put our hand over our heart – or wherever it’s meant to be depending on country – and stay silent. In Malaysia, the pledge was in Bahasa Melayu. Sure, practically all of us knew Malay but not all of us were that fluent and sometimes mumbled the pledge.
joshi daniel on 8 April 2015 at 5:41 PM said:
loved that clock 🙂
Thank you, Joshi. That musical clock is very beautiful 🙂
vothikhanhhoa on 9 April 2015 at 2:50 AM said:
Really thoughtful entry Mabel! The love for home country is so natural to me that I never question myself whether I want to sing national anthem or not. Experiencing many cultural environments is not only a advantage but also a challenge but I think with all countries you have been through, your love for them is precious and sincere 🙂
Cardinal Guzman on 12 April 2015 at 4:21 PM said:
The Norwegian nathional anthem is old. The one that we use as our national anthem (Ja, vi elsker dette landet) is not, and has never been, the official national anthem.
Very interesting to hear. I am beginning to think many countries have had several versions of national anthems. Perhaps sometimes the nation’s values change and the song changes, or it can be political.
Every time the Olympics would roll around, the subjects of national anthems would come up. Australians in my American office would say, “Yeah, ours is…something, I don’t remember what. It’s not “Waltzing Matilda,” but everyone thinks it is.” So I appreciate the chance to find out more about “Advance Australia Fair.” (Also, you should definitely cut your dad some slack, because he was not the only one mistaken.)
As hard as it is to sing, I love “The Star Spangled Banner.” When it is done right (Whitney Houston’s rendition is one of the best), that song soars like no other. Too bad it is hardly ever done right! And yes, the melody comes from a popular pub song back in the day — when your singers and audience are drunk, no one notices if the tricky high notes are hit. While “The Star Spangled Banner” does describe the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain, the last few lines are timeless, wistful, and contain a certain amount of ambiguity. I think it is the ambiguity that enables even those Americans who loathe their country’s current foreign or domestic policy to keep singing:
“Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave/
Over the land of the free, and the home of the brave.”
For me, the song is less about “yay, we’re awesome and our flag is still flying” and more of a challenge to Americans today:
“Well? Are we still the land of the free? And if not, get back on it, people!”
That is so interesting to hear that some of your Australian colleagues aren’t familiar with the Aussie anthem. It really is probably a generational thing, Advance Australia Fair ends of on a bit of a long, belting-out note so it’s tricky to sing in some aspect. And who doesn’t gravitate to a simple, easy-to-sing song we can all sing (like Waltzing Matilda, which is in time of a waltz). “Free” seems to be a common theme among many national anthems.
Thanks for explaining and taking me through The Star Spangled Banner. As a kid, I played it on the piano and thought it was a very noble, courageous sounding song. Like American anthem, Advance Australia Fair has the word “free” in it too.
Certainly when I was at school we never sang the National Anthem, Mabel. Nor did we raise flags. In fact, to this very day, the people of England, Scotland and Wales never celebrate St George’s, St Andrew’s or St David’s Day, whereas in Ireland (and most other parts of the world), St Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated and is a national holiday for the Irish people.
I get the feeling sometimes that we seem to go out of our way not to celebrate who we are, especially in case it offends other people. Any kind of racism should be stamped out with force, but I do believe we should all celebrate what nationality we are without being told that it may offend others.
So interesting to hear you didn’t sing the national anthem growing up. I suppose there are other days in England where you show your support to the nation. I don’t know. All I know that the Queen’s Birthday is a rather big occasion over there and the monarchy is representative of the country. the Queen’s Birthday is a public holiday in Australia.
National anthems can be certainly divisive. I suppose for most countries, the anthem is merely a song, one song encapsulating certain patriotic sentiments, and many realise that there is more to a country than just a song.
Hugh's Views and News on 11 May 2015 at 8:31 PM said:
We don’t even celebrate the Queen’s birthday, Mabel. We certainly don’t get a day off for it anyway. I think it may be down to people in the UK getting a generous amount of annual leave from their work every year. It can range from anything between four to six weeks, plus we also get eight bank holidays every year as well.
I didn’t know your town doesn’t celebrate the Queen’s Birthday. I really why we still do in Australia…but that’s another story for another day. That is certainly a lot of holidays you get there, celebrating the days that matter to the nation. In Australia, we don’t get that many public holidays, no where near that at all.
Hugh's Views and News on 13 May 2015 at 1:45 AM said:
I forgot to mention that I love the new header on your blog. I hope it’s new, because I can’t remember seeing it 🙂
Cait on 7 August 2016 at 10:42 PM said:
Lovely blog and I’ve enjoyed following the thread on this topic. It made me rethink the meaning of the first line – Advance Australia Fair. Back in late 19th century, one of the most prominent groups to argue for Federation was the Australian Natives Association. Mmmmh Yes, they appropriated the title “native” disregarding the forty thousand years of Aboriginal occupation. Est. 1871 membership was restricted to white males born in Australia with a motto of ‘Advance Australia’.
The source if this information is from the History Teachers Association of Victoria.
So if the song was written in the 1890s then perhaps the first line really means Advance the White Australia Policy? It hasn’t sat well with me. I’ve never bothered to learn the words – fear of Nationalism I guess.
Mabel Kwong on 12 August 2016 at 11:24 PM said:
Thanks for the nice words, Cait. That is an interesting bit of information form the History Teachers Association of Victoria, and you bring up a valid point. Advance Australia Fair was certainly written in a certain moment in time and you’d think it would be inspired by the context and ideals of Australia at that time. The song did gain more prominence around the 1970s when the White Australia Policy was still around. Like you, I have mixed feelings about the anthem. The First Peoples are every part of Australian history and Australia. I often wonder how other countries view our anthem.
Jeff on 15 April 2017 at 6:10 PM said:
Coooooooooooooolllllllll
110aroundoz.com on 16 April 2017 at 6:50 PM said:
Does anyone have any ideas on how to write a speech ranging from 4 and a half mins to 5 mins about Advance Australia Fair.
Perhaps you could pick out a few lines or phrases and focus on deciphering their meanings and then look at the bigger picture of what the national anthem may mean… Good luck.
Amanda on 24 May 2017 at 6:12 PM said:
Did you know that I also have to do a speech about Advance Australia Fair! But mine only has to be 4mins long.
Good luck with your speech on Advance Australia Fair. Hope it goes well and take care, Amanda 🙂
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Tim McCourt
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Before joining CME Group in 2013, McCourt worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland, where he was responsible for building and managing the Americas Index and Delta One trading book. Prior to RBS, he held a senior trading role with JPMorgan in New York, spending 10 years with the Equity Derivatives Group. McCourt holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Boston College and a MBA from The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
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Meet Maine Here.
It’s Curious George! A Free Cartoon Film Coming to the Maine State Library on Saturday, July 20 at 10:00 a.m.
Children and adults alike have loved the Curious George books for decades. The Curious George classic cartoon animation, starring Will Ferrell and Dick Van Dyke, is similarly beloved and is coming to the Maine State Library (in the same building as the Maine State Museum) for a free showing on Saturday, July 20. The film tells the story of The Man in the Yellow Hat and his irrepressible friend, George, whose curiosity turns out to be more beneficial than anyone could have imagined. The film is appropriate for families with young children. Seating is limited to 100 people.
Following the Curious George film, a documentary, Monkey Business:The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators, will be shown at noon. The free film tells the story of Hans and Margret Rey, German Jews living in Paris during the rise of Nazism. The Reys narrowly escaped Hitler’s troops by fleeing on makeshift bicycles, carrying the yet-to-be-published Curious George manuscript with them. Lovers of this classic will revel in the film’s beautiful animation and archival materials from the Rey estate, including wartime journals, photographs, letters, and unpublished Curious George sketches and notes. Monkey Business:The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators will show from noon to 1:30 on July 20 in the Maine State Library and will be followed by a discussion led by David Greenham, associate director of the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine. Seating is limited to 100 people.
The museum’s newest exhibition, Women’s Long Road – 100 Years to the Vote welcomes visitors with historical photographs, stories about people, and artifacts that all explore the wide-ranging efforts by many women (and some men) to gain the voting rights finally guaranteed in 1920 by the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The exhibition also looks at women’s lives generally from 1820 through 1920, as well as at voting issues that continue to be a vibrant part of public debate today. Women’s Long Road – 100 Years to the Vote will be on view through January 25, 2020.
Museum Exhibition Takes a Look at Jewish Culture in Maine
Maine + Jewish: Two Centuries greets visitors with a colorful, in-depth display of objects and photographs illustrating the Jewish experience in Maine. Some three years in the making, the exhibition focuses on one of Maine’s most distinctive communities, from 19th-century immigrants to more recent residents and summer visitors. Click on More for additional information.
Museum Staff Wax Eloquent in State House Hall of Flags
The historic flag cases in the State House Hall of Flags are getting a good cleaning and new wax surface, thanks to museum conservator, Teresa Myers, intern Tori Hatchell, and consultant Isleen Halvorsen. Installed in 1911 and 1924, the cases held flags carried by...
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A 1959 Essay by Isaac Asimov on Creativity
Isaac Asimov Asks, “How Do People Get New Ideas?”
Note from Arthur Obermayer, a friend of the author:
In 1959, I worked as a scientist at Allied Research Associates in Boston. The company was an MIT spinoff that originally focused on the effects of nuclear weapons on aircraft structures. The company received a contract with the acronym GLIPAR (Guide Line Identification Program for Antimissile Research) from the Advanced Research Projects Agency to elicit the most creative approaches possible for a ballistic missile defense system. The government recognized that no matter how much was spent on improving and expanding current technology, it would remain inadequate. They wanted us and a few other contractors to think “out of the box.”
When I first became involved in the project, I suggested that Isaac Asimov, who was a good friend of mine, would be an appropriate person to participate. He expressed his willingness and came to a few meetings. He eventually decided not to continue, because he did not want to have access to any secret classified information; it would limit his freedom of expression. Before he left, however, he wrote this essay on creativity as his single formal input. This essay was never published or used beyond our small group. When I recently rediscovered it while cleaning out some old files, I recognized that its contents are as broadly relevant today as when he wrote it. It describes not only the creative process and the nature of creative people but also the kind of environment that promotes creativity.
ON CREATIVITY
How do people get new ideas?
Presumably, the process of creativity, whatever it is, is essentially the same in all its branches and varieties, so that the evolution of a new art form, a new gadget, a new scientific principle, all involve common factors. We are most interested in the “creation” of a new scientific principle or a new application of an old one, but we can be general here.
One way of investigating the problem is to consider the great ideas of the past and see just how they were generated. Unfortunately, the method of generation is never clear even to the “generators” themselves.
But what if the same earth-shaking idea occurred to two men, simultaneously and independently? Perhaps, the common factors involved would be illuminating. Consider the theory of evolution by natural selection, independently created by Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace.
There is a great deal in common there. Both traveled to far places, observing strange species of plants and animals and the manner in which they varied from place to place. Both were keenly interested in finding an explanation for this, and both failed until each happened to read Malthus’s “Essay on Population.”
Both then saw how the notion of overpopulation and weeding out (which Malthus had applied to human beings) would fit into the doctrine of evolution by natural selection (if applied to species generally).
Obviously, then, what is needed is not only people with a good background in a particular field, but also people capable of making a connection between item 1 and item 2 which might not ordinarily seem connected.
Undoubtedly in the first half of the 19th century, a great many naturalists had studied the manner in which species were differentiated among themselves. A great many people had read Malthus. Perhaps some both studied species and read Malthus. But what you needed was someone who studied species, read Malthus, and had the ability to make a cross-connection.
That is the crucial point that is the rare characteristic that must be found. Once the cross-connection is made, it becomes obvious. Thomas H. Huxley is supposed to have exclaimed after reading On the Origin of Species, “How stupid of me not to have thought of this.”
But why didn’t he think of it? The history of human thought would make it seem that there is difficulty in thinking of an idea even when all the facts are on the table. Making the cross-connection requires a certain daring. It must, for any cross-connection that does not require daring is performed at once by many and develops not as a “new idea,” but as a mere “corollary of an old idea.”
It is only afterward that a new idea seems reasonable. To begin with, it usually seems unreasonable. It seems the height of unreason to suppose the earth was round instead of flat, or that it moved instead of the sun, or that objects required a force to stop them when in motion, instead of a force to keep them moving, and so on.
A person willing to fly in the face of reason, authority, and common sense must be a person of considerable self-assurance. Since he occurs only rarely, he must seem eccentric (in at least that respect) to the rest of us. A person eccentric in one respect is often eccentric in others.
Consequently, the person who is most likely to get new ideas is a person of good background in the field of interest and one who is unconventional in his habits. (To be a crackpot is not, however, enough in itself.)
Once you have the people you want, the next question is: Do you want to bring them together so that they may discuss the problem mutually, or should you inform each of the problem and allow them to work in isolation?
My feeling is that as far as creativity is concerned, isolation is required. The creative person is, in any case, continually working at it. His mind is shuffling his information at all times, even when he is not conscious of it. (The famous example of Kekule working out the structure of benzene in his sleep is well-known.)
The presence of others can only inhibit this process, since creation is embarrassing. For every new good idea you have, there are a hundred, ten thousand foolish ones, which you naturally do not care to display.
Nevertheless, a meeting of such people may be desirable for reasons other than the act of creation itself.
No two people exactly duplicate each other’s mental stores of items. One person may know A and not B, another may know B and not A, and either knowing A and B, both may get the idea—though not necessarily at once or even soon.
Furthermore, the information may not only be of individual items A and B, but even of combinations such as A-B, which in themselves are not significant. However, if one person mentions the unusual combination of A-B and another the unusual combination A-C, it may well be that the combination A-B-C, which neither has thought of separately, may yield an answer.
It seems to me then that the purpose of cerebration sessions is not to think up new ideas but to educate the participants in facts and fact-combinations, in theories and vagrant thoughts.
But how to persuade creative people to do so? First and foremost, there must be ease, relaxation, and a general sense of permissiveness. The world in general disapproves of creativity, and to be creative in public is particularly bad. Even to speculate in public is rather worrisome. The individuals must, therefore, have the feeling that the others won’t object.
If a single individual present is unsympathetic to the foolishness that would be bound to go on at such a session, the others would freeze. The unsympathetic individual may be a gold mine of information, but the harm he does will more than compensate for that. It seems necessary to me, then, that all people at a session be willing to sound foolish and listen to others sound foolish.
If a single individual present has a much greater reputation than the others, or is more articulate, or has a distinctly more commanding personality, he may well take over the conference and reduce the rest to little more than passive obedience. The individual may himself be extremely useful, but he might as well be put to work solo, for he is neutralizing the rest.
The optimum number of the group would probably not be very high. I should guess that no more than five would be wanted. A larger group might have a larger total supply of information, but there would be the tension of waiting to speak, which can be very frustrating. It would probably be better to have a number of sessions at which the people attending would vary, rather than one session including them all. (This would involve a certain repetition, but even repetition is not in itself undesirable. It is not what people say at these conferences, but what they inspire in each other later on.)
For best purposes, there should be a feeling of informality. Joviality, the use of first names, joking, relaxed kidding are, I think, of the essence—not in themselves, but because they encourage a willingness to be involved in the folly of creativeness. For this purpose I think a meeting in someone’s home or over a dinner table at some restaurant is perhaps more useful than one in a conference room.
Probably more inhibiting than anything else is a feeling of responsibility. The great ideas of the ages have come from people who weren’t paid to have great ideas, but were paid to be teachers or patent clerks or petty officials, or were not paid at all. The great ideas came as side issues.
To feel guilty because one has not earned one’s salary because one has not had a great idea is the surest way, it seems to me, of making it certain that no great idea will come in the next time either.
Yet your company is conducting this cerebration program on government money. To think of congressmen or the general public hearing about scientists fooling around, boondoggling, telling dirty jokes, perhaps, at government expense, is to break into a cold sweat. In fact, the average scientist has enough public conscience not to want to feel he is doing this even if no one finds out.
I would suggest that members at a cerebration session be given sinecure tasks to do—short reports to write, or summaries of their conclusions, or brief answers to suggested problems—and be paid for that, the payment being the fee that would ordinarily be paid for the cerebration session. The cerebration session would then be officially unpaid-for and that, too, would allow considerable relaxation.
I do not think that cerebration sessions can be left unguided. There must be someone in charge who plays a role equivalent to that of a psychoanalyst. A psychoanalyst, as I understand it, by asking the right questions (and except for that interfering as little as possible), gets the patient himself to discuss his past life in such a way as to elicit new understanding of it in his own eyes.
In the same way, a session-arbiter will have to sit there, stirring up the animals, asking the shrewd question, making the necessary comment, bringing them gently back to the point. Since the arbiter will not know which question is shrewd, which comment necessary, and what the point is, his will not be an easy job.
As for “gadgets” designed to elicit creativity, I think these should arise out of the bull sessions themselves. If thoroughly relaxed, free of responsibility, discussing something of interest, and being by nature unconventional, the participants themselves will create devices to stimulate discussion.
Book Brief: The Innovator’s Dilemma
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The DWI blood test backlog at the state crime lab has started to receive media attention. TheWinston-Salem Journal recently ran this editorial, arguing that the situation is “unacceptable” and reflects a “management failure by the state.” The piece notes that the lab has trouble retaining analysts, who often receive more lucrative offers in the private sector, and endorses the idea of allowing analysts to testify by video rather than in person. (Jessie explored the legality of that option here and here.) [Update: Judge Joe John, the director of the lab, wrote a letter to the Journal responding to the editorial. It is available here.]
Former DA pleads guilty. Former District Attorney Rex Gore pled guilty this week to a misdemeanor charge based on improper travel reimbursements Gore authorized for an assistant district attorney. Gore received a suspended sentence, a $5,000 fine, and a six-month suspension of his law license. The Fayetteville Observer has the details here.
Federal court hearing on Central Prison abuse claims. WRAL reports here on a recent federal court hearing in a lawsuit by inmates against Central Prison staff. The prisoners claim that guards routinely took inmates to “blind spots” not reached by surveillance cameras and beat them severely. The hearing appears to have been some type of preliminary proceeding, and no merits ruling was issued. The judge did, however, order the installation of additional cameras and required longer retention periods for the resulting video footage.
No drugs for lethal injection? There are . . . alternatives. Sentencing Law and Policy has a post here about the shortage of the drugs heretofore used for lethal injection. The basic problem is that drug manufacturers won’t sell their drugs to be used in executions. Some states are looking at switching drugs to ones that are much more widely available, but law professor Robert Blecker argues here on CNN that a more dramatic change is in order: the return of the firing squad. He writes that he “oppose[s] lethal injection . . . not because these untried new drugs might arbitrarily cause pain, but because . . . [l]ethal injection conflates punishment with medicine. The condemned dies in a gurney, wrapped in white sheets . . . monitored by sophisticated medical devices. . . . [L]ethal injection appears, feels, and seems medical, although its sole purpose is to kill.” The firing squad, by contrast, appears, feels, and seems like exactly what it is.
Supreme Court offspring, unite! The Blog of Legal Times notes here that Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher has just hired Philip Alito, son of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. The firm is already home to Eugene Scalia. (You can probably put together whose kid he is.)
Not funny, but funny. High-speed chases are not funny, they’re dangerous. But this video of a high speed chase is set to silly music and somehow, that makes it kind of funny. Plus, it isn’t long and it appears that no one is hurt in the end.
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Changing Wood into Coal
Sally Kuzemchak
Ancient forests that once stood tall and dark are now buried, making their way back into daylight as coal. Researcher Patrick G. Hatcher wants to know how.
"One problem with studying how wood converts to coal is that the reactions take place over an extremely long period," said Hatcher, who is an associate professor of fuel science and geosciences at Penn State. When trying to duplicate those chemical reactions in the laboratories, he added, "We are faced with comparing something that occurs over a billion years with something modern."
Hatcher asserts that coal does not derive from simple chemistry but is a complex mixture of wood, roots, stems, leaves and other organic material.
A cross-section of coal reveals its complex organic makeup (red is woody matter, yellow is leaves and plant spores) and hints at the manner of coal's formation: by a selective, not a random, process.
"If we accepted the traditional view of coal formation, we wouldn't be able to see the tree rings in a lump of coal," he said. Traditionally, coal is thought to be formed by a random polycondensation process, a chemical reaction that would lead to the formation of a homogeneous compound. But, says, Hatcher, "Even in bituminous coal, we can still see the basic heterogeneous structure of plant cells. Random polycondensation does not occur, but rather selective preservation of the original structure."
Hatcher studies this selective preservation by examining the coalified remains of conifers and other gymnosperms, tracking the changes from peat, Australian brown coals, lignite, bituminous coal, and anthracite. While modern wood is made up of cellulose and lignin, the cellulose degrades out rapidly during the peat stage of coalification. The remaining lignin, the basis for most coals, is a large, carbon-based molecule that makes up 30 percent of vascular plants such as trees. Using the molecular structure of lignin as a model, Hatcher can compare subsequent changes in the emerging coal structure.
"By comparing the structure of a specific stage to the original lignin, we can determine the chemical reactions that had to take place to create that stage," Hatcher said.
However, lignin itself is presenting a problem for Hatcher. Recent studies have shown that its generally accepted structure may not be accurate.
For this reason, Hatcher, Jean Loup Faulon, at the fuel science department at Sandia National Laboratories, and Gary G. Carlson, also at Sandia National Laboratories are working on a computer model of lignin.
"Researchers used to believe that the lignin molecule synthesized in the laboratory by a random polymerization was the same as that occurring in nature, but this may not be true," said Hatcher. "If we use a different model for lignin, one that is more ordered in the form of a helical structure, we may have to modify how we think of the chemical composition of coal."
Patrick G. Hatcher, Ph.D., is an associate professor of fuel science and geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, 209 Academic Project Building, University Park, PA 16802: 814-865-7838. Jean Loup Faulon, Ph.D., works at the fuel science department at Sandia National Laboratories. Gary G. Carlson, Ph.D., works in the fuel science department at Sandia National Laboratories. Reported by Andrea Messer.
The Medical Minute: Some thoughts about organics and 'superfoods'
Nutrient management training helps Pa. organic growers
Speaker to discuss building a local food system for York County
Earth and Environment, Research
chemistry, coal, fuel science, geosciences, Jean Loup Faulon, organic, Patrick Hatcher, student writers
Earth and Mineral Sciences, Eberly College of Science
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Yale and community theater stage Spanish language play
By Dorie Baker
Lourdes Sabé-Colom and Sebastián Díaz play the roles of Canuto and Sebastián, respectively, in the play “El Monte Calvo” by Jairo Aníbal Niño.
As part of Yale’s Latin American Theatre Series project, the Bregamos Community Theater of New Haven will present two Spanish language performances of “El Monte Calvo” by Colombian playwright Jairo Aníbal Niño, on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14.
Free and open to the public, the play will be performed and directed by members of the Yale faculty. Both performances will take take place at 8 p.m. at Bregamos Theater, 491 Blatchley Ave.
A joint venture of Yale’s multidisciplinary Council on Latin American and Iberian Studies and Department of Spanish and Portuguese, the Latin American Theater Series project was created to demonstrate the relevance of the Latin American theatrical tradition by staging plays produced on campus and by inviting theater groups, theater critics, playwrights, and performers from Latin American countries to give presentations and performances.
According to organizers, the project is “an extension of Yale University, artistically influencing theaters and audiences of our community.” Performances take place in a variety of public venues, including schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and parks.
Dorie Baker: dorie.baker@yale.edu, 203-432-1345
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The World’s First Anti-Vatican II Song!
“Vatican II — What the Heck are You?!”
It took over 50 years, but it was worth the wait: The world’s first-ever Catholic song against the Novus Ordo Sect’s disastrous Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) has been released! “Vatican 2! What the Heck Are You?” is sung and performed by Damo of True Restoration, and it’s a song you don’t want to miss! A catchy tune, hilarious lyrics, and a noticeable Australian accent make Damo’s ditty a real keeper! So… are you curious? Listen free to the entire song right here: The single was produced by True Restoration and is available with full lyrics from their web site, where you can also purchase a copy of the song through iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and other popular music services:
New Single: Vatican 2! What the Heck Are You? (True Restoration)
So, show your opposition to Vatican II and the Counterchurch! Play “Vatican 2! What the Heck are you?” at your next party, give it as a gift to family and friends, annoy a co-worker, or use it to strike up a conversation to show how far removed from Catholicism the Novus Ordo Church really is.
Oh Vatican Two! It's easy to tell — You are not from Heaven, You are straight from Hell.
—from the lyrics
Music against Modernism!
It took over 50 years, but it was worth the wait: The world’s first-ever Catholic song against the Novus Ordo Sect’s disastrous Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) has been released! “Vatican 2! What the Heck Are You?” is sung and performed by Damo of True Restoration, and it’s a song you don’t want to miss!
A catchy tune, hilarious lyrics, and a noticeable Australian accent make Damo’s ditty a real keeper!
So… are you curious? Listen free to the entire song right here:
The single was produced by True Restoration and is available with full lyrics from their web site, where you can also purchase a copy of the song through iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and other popular music services:
Oh Vatican Two!
It’s easy to tell —
You are not from Heaven,
You are straight from Hell.
in Novus Ordo Wire Benedict XVI, Francis, John Paul I, John Paul II, John XXIII, Magisterium, Paul VI, Vatican II 1
Francis confirms: Amoris...
Welcome to the NEW Novus Ordo...
One Response to “The World’s First Anti-Vatican II Song!”
Yankeegator May 10th, 2017
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Igbo Culture and Tradition
Igbo Culture Tradition and History of Africa,
Lawyers representing 19 Nigerian ‘drug dealers’ withdraw from case
25. June 2018 / Umu Udo Integration, / Leave a comment
USTENBURG – Lawyers representing 19 Nigerian men, accused of dealing and possession of drugs as well as contravening of the Sexual Offences Act, on Monday, pulled out of the case at the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court.
The two lawyers told the court they feared for their personal safety and that of their families.
This was the second case in Rustenburg, where lawyers pulled out of case were Nigerian nationals are accused of a crime. Another lawyer representing 14 Nigerian men accused of public violence, pulled out of the case in February, citing safety reasons.
This was after eight houses occupied by Nigerians were set alight on January 10, following allegations that the houses were operating as brothels and drug houses.
The 14 Nigerian men were expected to appear in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on April 4, for trial. They were denied bail after they told the court it would not be safe for them if they were released on bail.
The 19 men were found in possession of cocaine with an estimated street value of R400 000, and cash amounting to R53 000 during operation Kolomaka (sweep clean) in Rustenburg.
Four vehicles valued at R550 000 — allegedly used for these crimes — were confiscated by the police.
North West police said the arrests came after an intensive investigation which started at the beginning of February to deal with alleged illicit drug dealings and brothels at various residences in Rustenburg and Tlhabane.
The men were remanded in custody and their case postponed to March 15, for bail application and legal representation.
African News Agency/ANA
Between African Spiritual and Religion.
21. June 2018 21. June 2018 / Umu Udo Integration, / Leave a comment
Hahaha they said that there is nothing like spiritual manipulation that it is all in the head. I have seen somethings unexplainable in real life. Science have not come up with any reasonable explanation for them. Each part of the world have a different way of developing themselves. I have once study a course called comparative administration. It teaches that no matter how beautiful and efficiency the administration of other nations may seen to be that it doesn’t mean that it wil work perfectly in other climes. After my experience in disappearing and appearing with one old man from Ondo, i concluded that we allowed ourselves to be fooled and underdeveloped. This man was able to teleport us from Delta state to his sitting room in Ondo and teleported me back right into my bedroom while my partner was teleported to his place. My people called it evil. They said we can’t use what we have to develop ourselves. They argued that those who created aeroplanes didn’t use their spiritual powers to do it but we are here doing all kind of primitive practice and expect the new generation to buy into it. Why won’t they call it primitive practice if they didn’t understand that nke fa ji ka (that what they have is more advanced and beautiful than the one they are seeing now). Can we keep records of those who have died through all kind of transportation accident? How many minutes did they think that it will take the fastest jet to travel from Delta State to Ondo state? This man transported us from Delta to Ondo and from Ondo to our destinations within seconds and we say is primitive practices. What would have happened if the younger generation learned this practice and put it in good use. Which of the scientific technology can beat these mode of traveling? What would have happened if we invested just a quarter of the money we use in procuring bulletroof vest in developing our own odeshi? Review the operations of local vigilantes in south east and south west, they hardly wear bullet proof when they have a face off with arm robbers yet you will see them fight bravely even with Dane guns and matchets against those with AKs. Do you know that kidnappers and arm robbers fear local vigilantees more than our police? These vigilantees mostly make use of odeshi than bulletproof. Let not go into health sector, Do you know that there are some ailments that medical doctors can’t treat but refers you to the indigenous herbalists? What of construction sector? Our engineers built towers even before the white man start even conceiving the idea of mongo parking themselves into Africa in search of food. Did you know that we have been plying on waters before they brought their Jesus’s ship. If we hadn’t allowed ourselves to be distorted, we wouldn’t have been the dumping ground for all these inferior materials in our back yard. Let us close borders and look inward to develop according to our clime. ~Anyaka Obinna
Biafra: A People Betrayed by Kurt Vonnegut
From Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons, 1979
THERE is a “Kingdom of Biafra” on some old maps which were made by early white explorers of the west coast of Africa. Nobody is now sure what that kingdom was, what its laws and arts and tools were like. No tales survive of the kings and queens.
As for the “Republic of Biafra” we know a great deal. It was a nation with more citizens than Ireland and Norway combined. It proclaimed itself an independent republic on May 30, 1967. On January 17 of 1970, it surrendered unconditionally to Nigeria, the nation from which it had tried to secede. It had few friends in this world, and among its active enemies were Russia and Great Britain. Its enemies were pleased to call it a “tribe.”
Some tribe.
The Biafrans were mainly Christians and they spoke English melodiously, and their economy was this one: small-town free enterprise. The worthless Biafran currency was gravely honored to the end.
The tune of Biafra’s national anthem was Finlandia, by Jan Sibelius. The equatorial Biafrans admired the arctic Finns because the Finns won and kept their freedom in spite of ghastly odds.
Biafra lost its freedom, of course, and I was in the middle of it as all its fronts were collapsing. I flew in from Gabon on the night of January 3, with bags of corn, beans, and powdered milk, aboard a blacked out DC6 chartered by Caritas, the Roman Catholic relief organization. I flew out six nights later on an empty DC4 chartered by the French Red Cross. It was the last plane to leave Biafra that was not fired upon.
While in Biafra, I saw a play which expressed the spiritual condition of the Biafrans at the end. It was set in ancient times, in the home of a medicine man. The moon had not been seen for many months, and the crops had failed. There was nothing to eat anymore. A sacrifice was made to a goddess of fertility, and the sacrifice was refused. The goddess gave the reason: The people were not sufficiently unselfish and brave.
Before the drama began, the national anthem was played on an ancient marimba. It seems likely that similar marimbas were heard in the court of the Kingdom of Biafra. The black man who played the marimba was naked to the waist. He squatted on the stage. He was a composer. He also held a doctor’s degree from the London School of Economics.
I went to Biafra with another novelist, my old friend Vance Bourjaily, and with Miss Miriam Reik, who would be our guide. She was head of a pro-Biafran committee that had already flown several American writers into Biafra. She would pay our way.
I met her for the first time at Kennedy Airport. We were about to take off for Paris together. It was New Year’s Day. I bought her a drink, though she protested that her committee should pay, and I learned that she had a doctor’s degree in English literature. She was also a pianist and a daughter of Theodor Reik, the famous psychoanalyst.
Her father had died three days before.
I told Miriam how sorry I was about her father, said how much I’d liked the one book of his I had read, which was Listening with the Third Ear.
He was a gentle Jew, who got out of Austria while the getting was good. Another well-known book of his was Masochism in Modern Man.
And I asked her to tell me more about her committee, whose beneficiary I was, and she confessed that she was it: It was a committee of one. She is a tall, good-looking woman, by the way, thirty-two years old. She said she founded her own committee because she grew sick of other American organizations that were helping Biafra. Those organizations teemed with people ‘who were kinky with guilt’, she said. They were trying to dump some of that guilt by being maudlinly charitable. As for herself; she said, it was the greatness of the Biafran people, not their pitifulness that turned her on.
She hoped the Biafrans would get more weapons from somebody, the very latest in killing machines. She was going into Biafra for the third time in a year. She wasn’t afraid of anything. Some committee.
I admire Miriam, though I am not grateful for the trip she gave me. It was like a free trip to Auschwitz when the ovens were still going full blast. I now feel lousy all the time.
I will follow Miriam’s example as best I can. My main aim will not be to move readers to voluptuous tears with tales about innocent black children dying like flies, about rape and looting and murder and all that. I will tell instead about an admirable nation that lived for less than three years.
De mortuis nil nisi bonum. Say nothing but good of the dead.
I asked a Biafran how long his nation had existed so far, and he replied, “Three Christmases, and a little bit more.” He wasn’t a hungry baby. He was a hungry man. He was a living skeleton, but he walked like a man.
Miriam Reik and I picked up Vance Bouijaily in Paris, and we flew down to Gabon and then into Biafra. The only way to get into Biafra was at night by air. There were only eight passenger seats at the rear of the cabin. The rest of the cabin was heaped with bags of food. The food was from America.
We flew over water, there were Russian trawlers below. They were monitoring every plane that came into Biafra. The Russians were helpful in a lot of ways: They gave the Nigerians Ilyushin bombers and MIGs and heavy artillery. And the British gave the Nigerians artillery too and advisers, and tanks and armored cars, and machine guns and mortars and all that, and endless ammunition.
America was neutral.
When we got close to the one remaining Biafran airport, which was a stretch of highway, its lights came on. It was a secret. Its lights resembled two rows of glowworms. The moment our wheels touched the runway, the runway lights went out and our plane’s headlights came on. Our plane slowed down, pulled off the runway, killed its lights, and then everything was pitch black again. There were only two white faces in the crowd around our plane. One was a Holy Ghost Father. The other was a doctor from the French Red Cross. The doctor ran a hospital for the children who were suffering from kwashiorkor, the pitiful children who had no protein.
Father.
Doctor.
As I write, Nigeria has arrested all the Holy Ghost Fathers, who stayed to the end with their people in Biafra.
The priests were mostly Irishmen. They were beloved. Whenever they built a church, they also built a school. Children and simple men and women thought all white men were priests, so they would often beam at Vance or me and say, “Hello, Father.” The Fathers are now being deported forever. Their crime: compassion in time of war. We were taken to the Frenchman’s hospital the next morning, in a chauffeur-driven Peugeot. The name of the village itself sounded like the wail of a child: AwoOmama.
I said to an educated Biafran, “Americans may not know much about Biafra, but they know about the children.”‘ We’re grateful,” he replied, “but I wish they knew more than that. They think we’re a dying nation. We aren’t. We’re an energetic, modern nation that is being born! We have doctors. We have hospitals. We have public-health programs. If we have so much sickness, it is because our enemies have designed every diplomatic and military move with one end in mind — that we starve to death.”
About kwashiorkor: It is a rare disease, caused by a lack of protein. Its cure has been easy, until the blockading of Biafra.
The worst sufferers there were the children of refugees, driven from their homes, then driven off the roads and into the bush by MIGs and armored columns. The Biafrans weren’t jungle people. They were village people—farmers and professionals and clerks and businessmen. They had no weapons to hunt with. Back in the bush, they fed their children whatever roots and fruit they were lucky enough to find. At the end, a very common diet was water and thin air. So the children came down with kwashiorkor, no longer a rare disease. The child’s hair turned red. His skin split like the skin of a ripe tomato. His rectum protruded. His arms and legs were like lollipop sticks.
Vance and Miriam and I waded through shoals of children like those at Awo-Omama. We discovered that if we let our hands dangle down among the children, a child would grasp each finger or thumb—five children to a hand. A finger from a stranger, miraculously, would allow a child to stop crying for a while.
A MIG came over, fired a few rounds, didn’t hit anything this time, though the hospital had been hit often before. Our guide guessed that the pilot was an Egyptian or an East German.
I asked a Biafran nurse what sort of supplies the hospital was most in need of.
Her answer: “Food.”
Biafra had a George Washington — for three Christmases and a little bit more. He was and is Odumegwu Ojukwu. Like George Washington, General Ojukwu was one of the most prosperous men of his place and time. He was a graduate of Sandhurst, Britain’s West Point. The three of us spent an hour with him. He shook our hands at the end. He thanked us for coming. “If we go forward, we die,” he said. “If we go backward, we die. So we go forward.” He was ten years younger than Vance and me. I found him perfectly enchanting. Many people mock him now. They think he should have died with his troops.
Maybe so.
If he had died, he would have been one more corpse in millions.
He was a calm, heavy man when we met him. He chainsmoked. Cigarettes were worth a blue million in Biafra. He wore a camouflage jacket, though he was sitting in a cool living room in a velveteen easy chair. “I should warn you,” he said, “we are in range of their artillery.” His humor was gallows humor, since everything was falling apart around his charisma and air of quiet confidence. His humor was superb. Later, when we met his second-in-command, General Philip Effiong, he, too, turned out to be a gallows humorist. Vance said this: “Effiong should be the Number two man. He’s the second funniest man in Biafra.”
Miriam was annoyed by my conversation at one point, and she said scornfully, “You won’t open your mouth unless you can make a joke.” It was true. Joking was my response to misery I couldn’t do anything about. The jokes of Ojukwu and Effiong had to do with the crime for which the Biafrans were being punished so hideously by so many nations. The crime: They were attempting to become a nation themselves. “They call us a dot on the map,” said General Ojukwu, “and nobody’s sure quite where.” Inside that dot were 700 lawyers, 500 physicians, 300 engineers, 8 million poets, 2 novelists of the first rank, and God only knows what else — about one-third of all the black intellectuals in Africa. Some dot. Those intellectuals had once fanned out all over Nigeria, where they had been envied and lynched and massacred. So they retreated to their homeland, to the dot. The dot has now vanished. Hey, presto.
When we met General Ojukwu, his soldiers were going into battle with thirty-five rounds of rifle ammunition. There was no more where that came from. For weeks before that, they had been living on one cup of gari a day. The recipe for gari is this: Add water to pulverized cassava root. Now the soldiers didn’t even have gari anymore. General Ojukwu described a typical Nigerian attack for us: “They pound a position with artillery for twenty-four hours, then they send forward one armored car. If anybody shoots at it, it retreats, and another twenty-four hours of bombardment begins. When the infantry moves forward, they drive a screen of refugees before them.”
We asked him what was becoming of the refugees now in Nigerian hands. He had no jokes on this subject. He said leadenly that the men, women, and children were formed into three groups, which were led away separately. “Your guess is as good as mine,” he said, “as to what happens after that,” and he paused. Then he finished the sentence: “To the men and the women and the children.” We were given private rooms and baths in what had been a teachers’ college in Owerri, the capital of Biafra. The town had been captured by the Nigerians, and then, in the one great Biafran victory of the war, recaptured by the Biafrans. We were taken to a training camp near Owerri. The soldiers had no live ammunition. In mock attacks, the riflemen shouted, “Bang!” The machine gunners shouted, “Bup-bup-bup!”And the officer who showed us around, also a graduate of Sandhurst, said, “There wouldn’t be all this fuss, you know, if it weren’t for the petroleum.” He was speaking of the vast oil field beneath our feet. We asked him who owned the oil, and I expected him to say ringingly that it was the property of the Biafran people now. But he didn’t.
“We never nationalized it,” he said. “It still belongs to British Petroleum and Shell.” He wasn’t bitter. I never met a bitter Biafran. General Ojukwu gave us a clue, I think, as to why the Biafrans were able to endure so much so long without bitterness: They all had the emotional and spiritual strength that an enormous family can give. We asked the general to tell us about his family, and he answered that it was three thousand members strong. He knew every member of it by face, by name, and by reputation. A more typical Biafran family might consist of a few hundred souls. And there were no orphanages, no old people’s homes, no public charities and, early in the war, there weren’t even schemes for taking care of refugees. The families took care of their own, perfectly naturally. The families were rooted in land. There was no Biafran so poor that he did not own a garden.
Families met often, men and women alike, to vote on family matters. When war came, there was no conscription. The families decided who should go. In happier times, the families voted on who should go to college to study what and where. Then everybody chipped in for clothes and transportation and tuition. The first person from the area to be sponsored by his family all the way through graduate school was a physician, who received his doctor’s degree in 1938. Thus began a mania for higher education of all kinds. This mania probably did more to doom the Biafrans than any quantity of petroleum. When Nigeria became a nation in 1960, formed from two British colonies, Biafra was part of it—-and Biafrans got the best jobs in industry and the civil service and the hospitals and the schools, because they were so well educated. They were hated for that—perfectly naturally. It was peaceful in Owerri at first. It took us a few days to catch on: Not only Owerri but all of Biafra was about to fall. Even as we arrived, government offices nearby were preparing to move. I learned something: Capitals can fall almost silently. Nobody warned us. Everybody we talked to smiled. And the smile we saw most frequently belonged to Dr. B. N. Unachukwu, the chief of protocol in the Ministry of Affairs. Think of that: Biafra was so poor in allies at the end that the chief of protocol had nothing better to do than woo two novelists and an English teacher, He made lists of appointments we had with ministers and writers and educators and so on. He sent around a car each morning, with a chauffeur and guide. And then we caught on: His smile and everybody’s smile was becoming slightly sicker with each passing day. On our fifth day in Biafra, there was no Dr. Unachukwu, no chauffeur, and no guide.
We waited and waited on our porches. Chinua Achebe, the young novelist, came by. We asked him if he had any news. He said he didn’t listen to news anymore. He didn’t smile. He seemed to be listening to something melancholy and maybe beautiful, far far away. I had a novel of his, Things Fall Apart He autographed it for me. “I would invite you to my house,” he said, “but we don’t have anything.” A truck went by, loaded with office furniture. All the trucks had names painted on their sides. The name of that one was Slow to Anger. “There must be some news,” I insisted.
“News?” he echoed. He thought. Then he said dreamily, “They have just found a mass grave outside the prison wall.” There had been a rumor, he explained, that the Nigerians had shot a lot of civilians while they’d held Owerri. Now the graves had been found. “Graves,” said Chinua Achebe. He found them uninteresting.
“What are you writing now?” said Miriam.
“Writing?” he said. It was obvious that he wasn’t writing anything, that he was simply waiting for the end. “A dirge in Ibo,” he said. Ibo was his native tongue.
An extraordinarily pretty girl named Rosemary Egonsu Ezirim came over to introduce herself. She was a zoologist. She had been working on a project that hoped to turn the streams into fish hatcheries. “The project has been suspended temporarily,” she said, “so I am writing poems.”
“All projects have been suspended temporarily,” said Chinua, “so we are all writing poems.”
Leonard Hall, of the Manchester Guardian, stopped by. He said, “You know, the closest parallel to what Biafra is going through was the Jews in the Warsaw ghetto.” He was right. The Jews of Warsaw understood that they were going to get killed, no matter what they did, so they died fighting.
The Biafrans kept telling the outside world that Nigeria wanted to kill them all, but the outside world was unimpressed.
“It’s hard to prove genocide,” said Hall. “If some Biafrans survive, then genocide hasn’t been committed. If no Biafrans survive, who will complain?”
A male refugee came up to us, rubbed his belly with one hand, begged with the other. He rolled his eyes.
“No chop,” we said. That meant, “No food.” That was what one said to beggars. Then a healthy girl offered us a quart of honey for three pounds., As I’ve already said, the economy was free enterprise to the end.
It was a lazy day.
We asked Rosemary about a round, bright-orange button she was wearing. “Daughters of Biafra,” it said. “Wake! March!” In the middle was a picture of a rifle.
Rosemary explained that Daughters of Biafra supported the troops in various ways, comforted the wounded, and practiced guerrilla warfare. “We go up into the front lines when we can,” she said. “We bring the men small presents. If they haven’t been doing well, we scold them, and they promise to do better. We tell them that they will know when things are really bad, because the women will come into the trenches to fight. Women are much stronger and braver than men.”
“Chinua, what can we send you when we get back home?” said Vance.
And Chinua said, “Books.”
“Rosemary,” I said, “where do you live?”
“In a dormitory room not far from here. Would you like to see it?” she said.
So Vance and I walked over there with her, to stretch our legs. On the way, we marveled at a squash court built of cement block—built, no doubt, in colonial times. It had been turned into a Swiss cheese by armor-piercing cannon shells. There was a naked child in the doorway, and her hair was red. She seemed very sleepy, and the light hurt her eyes.
“Hello, Father,” she said.
All of Owerri seemed out for a walk on either side of the street in single file. The files moved in opposite directions and circulated about the town. There was no place in particular for most of us to go. We were simply the restless center of the dot on the map called Biafra, and the dot, was growing smaller all the time.
We strolled past a row of neat bungalows. Civil servants lived there. Each house had a car out front, a VW, an Opel, a Peugeot.
There was plenty of gasoline, because the Biafrans had built cunning refineries in the bush. There weren’t many storage batteries, though. Most private cars had to be started by pushing.
Outside one bungalow was an Opel station wagon with its back full of parcels and with a bed and a baby carriage tied on top. The man of the house was testing the knots he’d tied, while his wife stood by with the baby in her arms. They were going on a family trip to nowhere. We gave them a push.
A soldier awarded Vance and me a salute and a dazzling smile. “Comment ça pa?” he said. He supposed we were Frenchmen. He liked us for that. France had slipped a few weapons to Biafra. So had Rhodesia and South Africa, and so had Israel, I suspect.
“We will accept help from anyone,” General Ojukwu told us, “no matter what their reasons are for giving it. Wouldn’t you?”
Rosemary lived in a twelve-by-twelve dormitory room with her five younger brothers and sisters, who had come to see her over the Christmas holidays. Rosemary and her seventeen-year-old sister had the bed. The rest slept on mats on the floor, and everybody was having an awfully good time.
There was plenty to eat. There were about twenty pounds of yams piled on the windowsill. There was a quart of palm oil for frying yams. Palm oil, incidentally, was one of two commodities that had induced white men to colonize the area so long ago. The other commodity was even more valuable than palm oil. It was human slaves.
Think of that: slaves.
We asked Rosemary’s sister how long it took her to fix her hair and whether she could do it without assistance. She had about fourteen pigtails sticking straight out from her head. Not only that, but her scalp was crisscrossed by bare strips, which formed diamonds—strips around the hair in the pigtails. Her head was splendidly complicated, like a Russian Easter egg.
“Oh, no, I could never do it alone,” she said. Her relatives did it for her every morning. It took them an hour, she said.
Relatives.
She was an innocent, pretty dumpling in a metropolis for the first time. Her village hadn’t been overrun yet. Her big, cozy family hadn’t been scattered to the winds. There were peace and plenty there.
“I think we must be the luckiest people in Biafra,” she said.
Rosemary’s sister still had her baby fat.
And now, as I write, I hear from my radio that there was a lot of raping when the Nigerian army came through, that one woman who resisted was drenched with gasoline and then set on fire.
I have cried only once about Biafra. I did it three days after I got home, at two o’clock in the morning. I made grotesque little barking sounds for about a minute and a half, and that was that.
Miriam tells me that she hasn’t cried yet. She’s tough about the ways of the world.
Vance cried at least once, while we were still in Biafra. When little children took hold of his fingers and stopped crying, Vance burst into tears.
Wounded soldiers were living in Rosemary’s dormitory, too. As I left her room, I tripped on her doorsill, and a wounded soldier in the corridor said brightly, “Sorry, sah” This was a form of politeness I had never encountered outside Biafra. Whenever I did something clumsy or unlucky, a Biafran was sure to say that: “Sorry, sah!” He would be genuinely sorry. He was on my side, and against a bloody trapped universe.
Vance came into the corridor, dropped the lens cap of his camera. “Sorry, sah! said the soldier again, We asked him if life has been terrible at the front. “Yes, sah!”he said. “But you remind yourself that you are a brave Biafran soldier, sah, and you stay.”
A dinner party was given in our honor that night by Dr. Ifegwu Eke, the commissioner for education, and his wife. They had been married four days. He had a doctor’s degree from Harvard. She had a doctor’s degree from Columbia. There were five other guests. They all had doctor’ degrees. We were inside a bungalow. The draperies were drawn.
There was a Danish modern sideboard on which primitive African carvings were displayed. There was a stereo phonic phonograph as big as a boxcar. It was playing the music of Mantovani. One of the syrupy melodies, remember, was “Born Free.”
There were canapes. There was a sip of brandy to loosen our tongues. There was a buffet dinner, which included bits of meat from a small native antelope. It was dreadful in the way so many parties are dreadful: Everybody talked about everything except what was really on his mind.
The guest to my right was Dr. S. I. S. Cookey, who had taken his degree at Oxford and who was now provincial administrator for Opobo Province. He was exhausted. His eyes were red. Opobo Province had fallen to the Nigerians months ago. Others were chatting prettily, so I ransacked my mind for items that might encourage Dr. Cookey and me to bubble, too. But all I could think of were gruesome realities of the most immediate sort. It occurred to me to ask him, for instance, if there was a chance that one thing that had killed so many Biafrans was the arrogance of Biafra’s intellectuals. My mind was eager to ask him, too, if I had been a fool to be charmed by General Ojukwu. Was he yet another great leader who would never surrender, who became holier and more radiant as his people died for him?
So I turned to cement. I remained cement through the rest of the evening, and so did Dr. Cookey; Vance and Miriam and I had a drink in Miriam’s room after the party. Owerri’s diesel generator had gone off for the night, so we lit a candle.
Miriam commented on my behavior at the party.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t come to Biafra for canapes.
What did we eat in Biafra? As guests of the government, we had meat and yams and soups and fruit. It was embarrassing. Whenever we told a cadaverous beggar “No chop,” it wasn’t really true. We had plenty of chop, but it was all m our bellies. There was a knock on Miriam’s door that night. Three men came in. We were astonished. One of them was General Philip Effiong, the second funniest man in Biafra. He had a tremblingly devoted aide with him, who saluted him ten times a minute, though the general begged him not to. The third man was a suave and dapper civilian in white pants and sandals and a crimson dashiki. He was Mike Ikenze, personal press secretary to General Ojukwu.
The young general was boisterous, wry, swashbuckling, high as a kite on incredibly awful news from the fronts. Why did he come to see us? Here is my guess: He couldn’t tell his own people how bad things were, and he had somebody. We were the only foreigners around. He talked for three hours. The Nigerians had broken through everywhere. They were fanning out fast, slicing the Biafran dot into dozens of littler ones. Inside some of these littler dots, hiding in the bush, were tens of sands of Biafrans who had not eaten anything for weeks and more. What had become of the brave Biafran soldiers? They were woozy with hunger. They were palsied by shock. They had left their holes. They were wandering.
General Effiong threw up his hands. “It’s over!” he cried, and he gave a laugh that was ghoulish and broken.
He was wrong, of course. The world is about as un-shockable as a self-sealing gas tank.
We didn’t hear guns until the next afternoon. At five o’clock sharp there were four quick peals of thunder to the south. The thunder was manmade. No shells came our way.
The birds stopped talking. Five minutes went by, and they began talking again.’
The government offices were all empty. So were the bungalows. We were waiting for Dr. Unachukwu to take us to Uli Airport, the only way out. The common people had stayed to the last, buying and selling and begging— doing each other’s hair.
They, too, stopped talking when they heard the guns. We could see many of them from our porches. They did not start talking again. They gathered together their property, which they put on their heads. They walked out of Owerri wordlessly, away from the guns.
Dr. Unachukwu, our official host, did not come, and did not call. It was spooky in Owerri. We were now the only people there. We didn’t hear the guns again. Their words to the wise were sufficient.
Owerri’s diesel generator was still running. That was another thing I learned about a city falling silently: To fool the enemy for a little while, you leave the lights on.
Dr. Unachukwu came. He was frantic to be on his way, but he smiled and smiled. He was at the wheel of his own Mercedes. The back of it was crammed with boxes and suitcases. On top of the freight lay his eight year-old son.
I have written all this quickly. I find that I have betrayed my promise to speak of the greatness rather than the pitifulness of the Biafran people. I have mourned the children copiously. I have told of a woman who was drenched in gasoline.
As for national greatness: It is probably true that all nations are great and even holy at the time of death.
The Biafrans had never fought before. They fought well this time. They will never fight again.
They will never play Finlandia on an ancient marimba again.
My neighbors ask me what they can do for Biafra at this late date, or what they should have done for Biafra at some earlier date.
I tell them this: “Nothing. It was and is an internal Nigerian matter, which you can merely deplore.”
Some wonder whether they, in order to be up to date, should hate Nigerians now.
I tell them, “no.”
BỊAFỤRỤ,Come and see ,Our Culture,Tradition, and History,
Since I was born. No. Since I began my research career. No. Since I know what scholarship and entertainment is all about, there was never a poetic documentary in Igbo about ndị Igbo, Bịafra, history and people.
Amarachi Atama has come up with this: a poetic documentary of the Igbo nation and the Biafran war– the genocide meted against them, their survival and thriving. This documentary is entitled: “BỊAFỤRỤ”.
She communicated to me when she was about to embark on this journey. I thought it was a joke. I am surprised but not surprised. She is highly creative and full of ideas….ideas? No! She believes in fighting to get such ideas implemented for the benefit of ndị Igbo. Why shouldn’t I be proud of her? She deserves some accolade.
This documentary has no neighbor. It stands and lives alone. We’ll work to ensure its light shines to the generation unborn.
Credit Mazzi Ogbonnaya Traditional Nwokedi and so many Biafrans are trying to Write their Biafran History,with Biafran Culture and Tradition,which will enable all Languages,Dialects to be able to maintain their Culture and Tradition Support people with their culture and Tradition,encourage them to love what they have,and care for all,what is good for you is good for me,do to me what you will like me do to you,life is head,life is important life is God,life is king,so every life out there is a King,like and share,
60% of Nigerians are not Originally from their Fathers,
Read The Full Story Of Woman Who Parked SUV And Jumped Off Mainland Bridge
New report has emerged about the woman who parked her car on 3rd Mainland bridge in Lagos and jumped into a Lagoon.
According to Nick Sparkles, the woman who committed suicide is based in Texas in the United States and was married with 3 kids..
It was alleged that her husband Tunde works or used to work with Access Bank in Lagos.
The wife allegedly got involved with another guy in Nigeria and they both got involved in series of adulterous activities. Her lover, an older guy as well swindled or collected over N10m from her.
She went to arrest him only for him to publish nude pictures of them together in order to prove his innocence to the Police that whatever happened between both of them was consensual, that he’s not a fraudster as claimed by the married woman.
The blackmail from the man got to her husband and this compelled the husband to conduct a DNA test on all his 3 children which later turned out that they are not all his kids after all.
Those kids belong to someone else. On Saturday, 9th of June, 2018, the woman drove her truck to the bridge, parked her Ford SUV van on the 3rd Mainland Bridge and jumped inside the lagoon on a suicide mission which is a resultant effect of the blackmail.
An update on the report reveals that her lover who duped her of N10 Million and released her Unclad pictures is currently in the hospital under police custody.
He is said to have suffered from shock, upon hearing what had happened as a result of his illicit affair.
99% of Nigerian Men have to do their Childrens DNA;and find out who Fathered their Children,coment,like and share,
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie speaks.
2. June 2018 / Umu Udo Integration, / 1 Comment
Dear Unnamed Person Who I Am Told Is On Social Media Saying I am Her Family and Telling Me to Shut Up:
Cynicism is ugly. It doesn’t flatter anyone. Yours doesn’t suit you at all.
I remember you vaguely; I think you were in my class in primary school. And now you claim to be my ‘family’ and you are asking me to shut up.
Did you watch the video of the conversation? Did you read a full transcript?
I am tired of Nigerians who read a headline and, without bothering to get details and context, jump on the outrage bandwagon and form lazy, shallow opinions.
I am tired of Nigerians cynically thinking of anybody in public life as a ‘brand.’ No, I am not a brand. I am a person who feels strongly about certain issues. I choose to talk honestly about them. I made the choice to talk about feminism knowing very well the kind of hostility it brings – but I think it’s important and I will continue to speak my truth and hope to bring about some change, no matter how small. Adirom agba egwu ka m data ego.
No, of course you don’t actually deserve a response, but I have some free time today. So I want to make you feel a little important because it sounds like you need it.
And I want to reflect on an absolutely lovely hour spent on stage with Hillary Clinton.
I was happy when I was told that Hillary Clinton had specifically requested to be in conversation with me at the PEN World Voices festival. I am an unapologetic fan of Ms. Clinton’s. I have been for many years.
I felt quite emotional when I met her. Having read and followed her for years, it was moving to see her: the warm, human, observant, present, thoughtful person (and looking wonderful, with her hair and makeup on point!).
She said she had read my books and I restrained myself from doing cartwheels.
“Is there anything you don’t want to talk about?” I asked backstage.
“Ask me anything,” she said.
Towards the end of our conversation, I told her how, having read her writing about her own life, I think she has a great love story with Bill Clinton. A wonderful friendship. I said I feel irritated and protective of her when people dissect her personal life, but I also confessed to having an interest myself, particularly about her public Twitter profile. (I first noticed it when I was researching a piece about her during the presidential campaign). I was upset that the first word used to describe her was ‘wife.’ Was it a choice she had made or was it something done for her campaign and, if it was a choice she had made, did she think my reaction to it was fair?
Her response was very thoughtful.
I was too excited, emotional, slightly nervous, to be on stage with this remarkable woman. Had I kept in mind how easily outrage-mongers would jump on a headline, I would have phrased my question better. I would not have made it about my being upset, because it can come across as navel-gazing.
But the truth is that we were supposed to be having a ‘conversation,’ the context of our conversation was personal and warm, I had made the decision to speak from the heart, and it would be dishonest to pretend that I had not reacted personally to so many issues around Ms. Clinton, whose life has become a kind of crucible of all the questions that affect women.
We all react personally to public figures. And I WAS upset that the Twitter bio of a woman who is the most accomplished person to run for President of the United States, would begin with ‘wife.’ And considering her personal history, it just didn’t seem to fit.
I felt that ‘wife’ was used as an attempt to placate all the men and women who will not vote for a woman unless they are able to see her FIRST in domestic terms.
Yes, it’s just Twitter. But it matters. It’s a public platform. It’s where people go to hear directly from her.
And there is context to consider.
In LIVING HISTORY, Ms.Clinton writes that the two most difficult decisions she has made in her life were staying married to Bill Clinton and running for the senate seat in New York.
Women, especially women in public life, face a lot of societal pressure about how to be, how to live, much more than men do. Women in public life are considered ‘cold’ and ‘un-relatable’ unless they define themselves in domestic terms. Women’s accomplishments are often considered incomplete unless they have also ticked the ‘marriage’ box. These things are not true of men, even though marriage can be a wonderful thing for both men and women.
Feminism is indeed about choice. But it is intellectually lazy to suggest that, since everything is about ‘choice,’ none of these choices can be interrogated. Choices are never made in a vacuum. And sometimes, for women, choices are not always real choices.
After she got married, Ms. Clinton kept her name, but she was so viciously criticized for this that she then took on her husband’s name. Was this a ‘choice?’ Would she have done so if she wasn’t being attacked and if she didn’t want to feel responsible for her husband’s potential losing of votes?
During the last presidential campaign, she was expected to account for the policies of her husband’s administration. She was labeled an enabler of sexual harassment. She was accused of cynically staying married because she wanted to benefit politically.
Much of Ms. Clinton’s public image is a caricature of a person who is untrustworthy, calculated, cold, dishonest. That caricature has its roots in her early public life when she was the First Lady of Arkansas.
Her crime was that she did not conform to the traditional role of First Lady. She had kept her name. She clearly considered herself to be her husband’s equal partner. She did not intend merely to be a Wife. She had her own dreams, her own ambition. She dared to say that she wasn’t planning on ‘staying home and baking cookies,’ which was not about denigrating stay-at-home mothers but simply about saying that that was not what she wanted to do.
A small comment about a small thing, but it was significant and revolutionary because she was consciously resisting the status quo.
But she was attacked for that. Horrendously. And those attacks were repeated so often that they stuck and they contributed to her being reduced to a caricature.
It was therefore upsetting to see her first descriptor as ‘wife.’ The question isn’t about including ‘wife’ in her Twitter bio. The question is about giving ‘wife’ a certain primacy as the first word that describes her, and it speaks to larger questions about the societal expectations placed on women.
Ms. Clinton wrote in her most recent book WHAT HAPPENED, that she ran for president because she thinks she would have been a ‘damned good president.’
She certainly would have been. And so I suggested, half-joking, that ‘Would have been a damned good president’ is a perfect Twitter bio start. And then mother and wife and grandma and Senator and hair icon etc could follow!
I completely stand by my question and by my conviction that it is a subject that matters.
I had a truly enlightening evening on that stage with Ms. Clinton, and was once again awed by her grit, her humanity, her sparkling intelligence.
After the conversation, Ms. Clinton told me, “It was like talking to a friend.” She is now my Aunty For Life.
Oh, as for YOU, Unnamed Person, saying that I am ‘family’ to you, mbakwa biko. The people I consider family don’t ‘do petty.’
Saying “shut up” to a woman who airs an opinion is so unoriginal. Try and be a bit more inventive.
Try reasoning. Try intelligent debate. Try understanding things in context before you reveal your ignorant misogyny to the world. Try reading more than a headline. Try reading a whole book. Or two. And please keep talking. Keep speaking. Don’t ever shut up.
~CNA
Sponsorship and Donate
Altenesch
Biafran Defensive Force on Facebook
History of Enugu-Ezike
Okpu Ndi Nze na Ozo,Okpu Nze,Okpu Ozo.
IGBO ART IN SOCIAL CONTEXT,Umu Udo Integration,
Myth: Creation Story of The Igbo People
Igbo Christians will suffer
Follow Igbo Culture and Tradition on WordPress.com
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Roger Federer upset in Wimbledon marathon
Roger Federer had the opportunities. None bigger than match point in the third set. Two hours later, Federer had squandered a two-set lead, shocked in a Wimbledon quarterfinals marathon by No. 8 seed Kevin Anderson.
“I had my chances and blew them,” said Federer, who lost a Wimbledon match in which he had a match point for the first time. “It was just one of those days where you hope to get by somehow. I almost could have. So it’s disappointing.”
Federer lost from two sets up for just the fifth time in his career — and third at a Grand Slam — falling 6-2, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 13-11 to the 6-foot-8 South African on Wednesday. It’s Federer’s earliest exit from Wimbledon since 2013.
“Not quite sure what to say right now,” Anderson, 32 and a former University of Illinois standout. “Beating Roger Federer here at Wimbledon will be one that I remember, especially in such a close match. I just kept on telling myself, ‘I have to keep believing.’ I kept saying that today was going to be my day, because you really need that mindset taking the court against somebody like Roger. If you go out there with doubts or unsure what’s going to happen, like I maybe did a little bit in that first set, it’s not going to go your way.”
Anderson plays 33-year-old, 6-foot-10-inch American John Isner in Friday’s semifinals. Isner ousted 2016 Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-3 to make his first Grand Slam semifinal in his 41st try.
“Pure elation right now,” said Isner, who has called Wimbledon his “house of horrors” since beating Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in that 2010 ultra marathon, never getting past the third round until now.
The other semifinal pits Rafael Nadal against Novak Djokovic, who own a combined five Wimbledon titles. Nadal, the No. 2 seed, outlasted No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro 7-5, 6-7 (7), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a 4-hour, 48-minute epic (same time as his 2008 Wimbledon epic win over Federer). Djokovic got past No. 24 Kei Nishikori 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
The top seed Federer, an eight-time Wimbledon champion, appeared to have his match all but won after two hours. He had a match point on Anderson’s serve in the third set.
But the 2017 U.S. Open finalist rose to the occasion, then snapped Federer’s record-tying streak of 34 straight Wimbledon sets won.
“At that point, I wasn’t thinking about losing,” Federer said. “I’m up two sets to one, it’s all good.”
But Anderson had found his game, going unbroken on serve through the last three sets en route to his first Wimbledon semifinal.
Anderson, after losing all of his previous eight sets against Federer, dispatched the 20-time Grand Slam champion in 4 hours, 14 minutes. It’s Anderson’s biggest win outside of reaching his one and only Grand Slam final in New York last year.
“After that [first set] I never really felt exactly 100 percent,” Federer said. “One of those average days you have to try and win the match, and I couldn’t get it done today.”
A moment @KAndersonATP will never forget#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Gs8wWMU3at
It marked Federer’s second-longest Grand Slam match by games after his 16-14, fifth-set win over Andy Roddick in the 2009 Wimbledon final.
This loss was all the more shocking given Federer’s resurgence since the start of 2017, rising from No. 17 in the world (his lowest rank since 2001) to become the oldest No. 1 in history at age 36 while winning three Grand Slam titles (his first since 2012).
Before Wednesday, Federer’s last dropped set at the All England Club came in his 2016 semifinal loss to Canadian Milos Raonic, who later Wednesday lost a four-set quarterfinal to American John Isner 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-3.
Next up for Anderson is the 6-foot-10 Isner, into his first Grand Slam semifinal in his 41st try. For Federer, he said it could take “a while” to get over this defeat or “half an hour.”
“Maybe the losses hurt more [at Wimbledon],” he said. “I don’t want to sit here and explain my loss. That’s the worst feeling you can have as a tennis player.”
He may also dwell on this fact: If Nadal wins Wimbledon, he will be within two Grand Slam titles of Federer’s record (20 to 18) for the first time since 2004, when Federer had two and Nadal had none. And Nadal is nearly five years younger than Federer.
As if Federer needed any more motivation to reclaim his Wimbledon crown next year.
“I wouldn’t call it unfinished business,” he said. “I feel like I did some good business in the past here already. So I’m all right. Just disappointed.”
Wimbledon continues Thursday with the women’s semifinals: Serena Williams vs. German Julia Görges and two-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber vs. 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
MORE: Serena says it’s unfair she’s drug tested more
The victor and the vanquished. Sportsmanship at its finest.
After four hours and 47 minutes of pure theatre, @RafaelNadal shares a touching embrace with Juan Martin del Potro 👏#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/TykAQAPReH
The last time @DjokerNole reached the #Wimbledon semi-finals, he won the title… pic.twitter.com/8j8azMe4aR
Semi-finals sealed with a winner@JohnIsner will face Kevin Anderson in the last four of #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/1aGgrXkLsn
Tags: Kevin Anderson, novak djokovic, Rafael Nadal, roger federer, tennis, wimbledon, Kevin Anderson, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer
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Van Buren, Martin
Hudson M. Garland
Martin Van Buren, Jr.
Military service, Voluntary
Bounties, Military
Application for Land Purchase
Certification for Land Purchase
Land Patent of the United States to Abraham Lincoln, 1 November 18391
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
No.15,707
To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting:
WHEREASAbraham Lincoln, of Sangamon County Illinoishas deposited in the GENERAL LAND OFFICE of the United States, a Certificate of the REGISTER OF THE LAND OFFICE atSpringfieldwhereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said Abraham Lincoln,according to the provisions of the Act of Congress of the 24th of April, 1820, entitled “An Act making further provision for the sale of the Public Lands,”2 forThe North part of the North West quarter of Section three, in Township nineteen North, of Range seven West of the third principal Meridian, in the District of Lands subject to sale at Springfield, Illinois, containing forty seven acres,according to the official plat of the survey of the said Lands, returned to the General Land Office by the SURVEYOR GENERAL, which said tract has been purchased by the saidAbraham Lincoln3
NOW KNOW YE, That the United States of America, in consideration of the Premises, and in conformity with the several acts of Congress, in such case made and provided, HAVE GIVEN AND GRANTED, and by these presents DO GIVE AND GRANT, unto the saidAbraham Lincolnand tohisheirs, the said tract above described: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the same, together with all the rights, privileges, immunities, and appurtenances of whatsoever nature, thereunto belonging, unto the saidAbraham Lincolnand tohisheirs and assigns forever.
In Testimony Whereof, I, Martin Van BurenPRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, have caused these Letters to be made PATENT, and the SEAL of the GENERAL LAND OFFICE to be hereunto affixed.
GIVEN under my hand at the CITY OF WASHINGTON, thefirstday ofNovemberin the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty nineand of the INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES the Sixtyfourth
BY THE PRESIDENT:Martin Van Buren
ByM Van Buren JrSec’y.H M Garland Recorder of the General Land Office.4
1This partially printed land patent was filled in by Martin Van Buren, Jr. and signed by Van Buren Jr. and Hudson M. Garland.
Statutes at Large of the United States, 3 (1846):566.
3Lincoln purchased this land on March 16, 1836. The property was in Menard County, north of Petersburg on the right bank of the Sangamon River near Salt Creek, one mile east of the town site for Huron, which Lincoln surveyed in May 1836.
Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales, Menard County, 69:85, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL.
4On May 9, 1837, Lincoln sold an undivided half interest in this property for $30 to Gershom Jayne. Lincoln retained the other half until October 27, 1848, when he, Jayne, and their wives gave a warranty deed for the property to Pleasant Armstrong and John Yardly for $100.
Harry E. Pratt, The Personal Finances of Abraham Lincoln (Springfield, IL: Abraham Lincoln Association, 1943), 59.
Partially Printed Document Signed with a Representation, 1 page(s), RG 49: Records of the Bureau of Land Management, Records of the General Land Office, Land Patents, 1789-2012, National Archives at Kansas City, Central Plains Region
Land Patent of the United States to Abraham Lincoln. [1839-11-01]. https://papersofabrahamlincoln.org/documents/D303517. The Papers of Abraham Lincoln Digital Library.
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Kevin Jon Heller
Twitter: @KevinJonHeller
Kevin Jon Heller is currently Associate Professor of Public International Law at the University of Amsterdam and Recurring Visiting Professor of Criminal Law at SOAS, University of London. He holds a PhD in law from Leiden University and a JD with distinction from Stanford Law School. His books include The Nuremberg Military Tribunals and the Origins of International Criminal Law (Oxford University Press, 2011) and The Hidden Histories of War Crimes Trials (Oxford University Press, 2013) (edited with Gerry Simpson). He is currently co-writing a book with Sam Moyn entitled The Vietnam War and the Transformation of International Law and co-editing the Oxford Handbook of International Criminal Law, which will be published by Oxford University Press in 2018.
Kevin has been involved in the International Criminal Court’s negotiations over the crime of aggression, worked as Human Rights Watch’s external legal advisor on the trial of Saddam Hussein, served for three years as one of Radovan Karadzic’s formally-appointed legal associates at the ICTY, and was the plaintiffs’ expert witness concerning medical experimentation in Salim v Mitchell, a successful Alien Tort Statute case against the psychologists who designed and administered the CIA’s torture program. He consults regularly with a variety of UN organisations (such as UNAMA) and human rights groups (such as Human Rights First) and is an Academic Member of Doughty Street Chambers in London.
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Africa, Hybrid Wars
Hybrid Wars 8. Malawi and Zambia
More in Africa:
Failed States And Militias: General Khalifa Haftar Moves On Tripoli 22/04/2019
Arab Spring And Geopolitics Of Sudan 17/04/2019
The Overthrow Of Omar El-Bechir 16/04/2019
The landlocked countries of Malawi and Zambia are little-known to the rest of the world, yet they occupy very strategic positions in the continental interconnectivity projects and Hybrid War projections. Zambia is situated smack dab in the center of north-south and east-west corridors, while Malawi – for all of its poverty and underdevelopment – is still located in a strategic space between the future gas giants of Tanzania and Mozambique and the forthcoming logistical powerhouse of Zambia. Due to Malawi and Zambia’s shared history as separate British colonies and even part of the same one under the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, as well as their neighborly and landlocked status, it’s appropriate to discuss both of them in the same chapter about Hybrid War.
Unlike many of the previous reviews that have been undertaken, this one will be comparatively shorter owing to the relative lack of detailed information about these countries, though that shouldn’t be taken to infer that they’re no less important than the other states that have been studied thus far. Malawi and Zambia may not presently be the center of regional focus, but continental connectivity trends indicate that they’ll play a much greater strategic role in the future, albeit for two different reasons. Zambia will be the pivotal transit location between intersecting transport corridors, while Malawi will always remain the vulnerable disruptor in Southern Africa that could risk spoiling the entire regional arrangement if its stability unravels. Should it remain mildly stable into the future, then it could reversely play the role of a geopolitical guarantor in preventing an outburst of Weapons of Mass Migration from derailing these multipolar projects.
The research will kick off by discussing Malawi’s position between Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique, before describing some of its domestic and historical factors that could one day be exploited to undermine its stability. Afterwards, the work will progress to talking about Zambia and the critical interconnector role it plays in bringing together north-south and east-west mobility projects in Africa. As with Malawi, Zambia is also vulnerable to a major destabilization scenario, though one which could deal even more damage than its neighbor’s and seriously curtail the transcontinental integration projects that are expected to pass through its bottleneck territory.
Giving Meaning To Malawi’s Geography
Regional Discrepancies:
Malawi might seem to many to just be a strip on the west coast of Lake Malawi/Nyasa (if they even knew where the country was to begin with), but it actually occupies an advantageous position at the crossroads of three very important states. Like was explained in the chapter introduction, Tanzania and Mozambique are two of the world’s most promising energy giants, while Zambia is the location of planned cross-continental logistics networks. Even though Malawi is not directly linked up with any of them, it’s still within close enough proximity that any humanitarian destabilization within the country could prompt a debilitating outflow of Weapons of Mass Migration that interfere with these said projects’ viability through the disruption of each host state’s domestic equilibrium.
Socio-economic challenges are expected to noticeably increase in this densely populated nation as it explodes from 16 million people to 43 million by 2050 and then 87 million by the turn of the next century. Its present southern-concentrated Muslim minority of an estimated 13% of the population will obviously grow in proportion to this and might even gain relative ground during the country’s demographic acceleration, which might encourage irresponsible rabble-rousing rhetoric about an impending “Clash of Civilizations” and all of the resultant conflict scenarios that go with it. Focusing more on this point at Malawi’s oncoming population boom, it’s absolutely uncertain how the country will remain sustainable even in its already deeply impoverished state, and it can’t be discounted that naturally occurring humanitarian problems might develop where famine or natural disasters lead to a massive exodus of Malawians to their neighbors. Depending upon the scenarios that unfold in the future, there might even be internal migrations between the Northern, Central, and Southern Regions if the population doesn’t outright leave the country in droves (or is unable to because the borders are blocked).
This might upset the balance between the three regions, which currently sees the capital of Lilongwe in the central one as the largest city, the southern hub of Blantyre as the country’s second-largest city, and the northern capital of Mzuzu as the third-largest in Malawi. It should be qualified at this point that the Central and Southern Regions are the most populous, and that in some ways the Northern one sits at the distant periphery of the nation’s importance. Furthermore, Blantyre is connected to Mozambique’s ports of Beira and Nacala (as will be described below), while the national capital of Lilongwe is thus dependent on its southern regional counterpart for accessing the trade that runs through these routes. This state of affairs makes Blantyre the country’s economic capital and Lilongwe its political-administrative one, and the rivalry between the two regions and their city centers might become a primary point of discord in the event of future humanitarian or political crises.
Mozambican Dependency:
Malawi isn’t strategic only because of its very real potential for a domestic meltdown, though that’s certainly a large part of why it’s of interest to foreign actors, whether to reinforce the stability of their regional projects by assisting the state or to gain an influencing upper hand in potentially destabilizing it and tangentially taking down the rest of its neighbors in the process. Approached from a positive and multipolar forward-looking angle, Malawi could also actively contribute to regional connectivity because of its advantageous location between these countries, but provided of course that this opportunity is identified and pursued by its partners.
The Shire River in the southern part of Malawi connects to the Zambezi and further along to Mozambique’s second-largest port of Beira, while international roads run adjacent to this path. Malawi’s other vector for international trade and general interaction with the outside world comes through the northeastern Mozambican port of Nacala, which is also linked with the country via roads. Both routes could also serve rail freight, but Mozambique’s domestic network was destroyed during the Civil War and is thus incapable of connecting to Malawi’s Central East African Railway system.
Nowadays Malawi is totally dependent on Mozambique’s transport corridors in every sense of the word, and its strategic vulnerability has spiked in the face of RENAMO’s recent offensives against the government there. Recalling the previous chapter about that country and the map that was included in the research, RENAMO lays claim to all of the territory through which Malawian goods must transit on their way to the rest of the world. This means that the non-state actor essentially has the opportunity to hold an entire state hostage if they decided to target their truckers or if the military situation in these provinces became so critical that most Malawian trade was halted as a result. In any case, Malawi’s dependence on trans-Mozambican infrastructure networks indirectly makes the country a member of the enlarged Indian Ocean economic community and thus gives these high seas paramount importance for Lilongwe in conducting its agriculturally dominated international trade.
Trouble With Tanzania:
Although its northern border is located very close to TAZARA, Malawi either doesn’t want to or is unable to take advantage of this because of the territorial trouble that it has with Tanzania. The two countries are engaged in a dispute over their international boundary on Lake Malawi/Nyasa. Lilongwe claims the entirety of the northeastern part of the body of water all the way up to the Tanzanian shoreline, while Dodoma says that the international boundary should be split evenly in the middle. This disagreement has become increasingly significant in recent years after oil deposits were prospected under the waterbed, meaning that whoever has control over its surface territory will reap the windfall of revenue that this results in. Malawi is much poorer than Tanzania and has a smaller population at only 16 million people, so forthcoming energy profits could possibly be put to more concentrated and effective use by Lilongwe than by Dodoma, though that’s not to say that Tanzania shouldn’t automatically be disentitled from some of the proceeds, too.
The issue is still being negotiated, though for the reason explained above, it’s difficult to see why Malawi would cede any of its claims or agree to respect any international arbitration that deprives it of its absolutist share over this potential cash cow. From the reverse perspective, much mightier Tanzania has every reason to continue pressing its claims, especially since the Chinese-financed Mtwara Development Corridor will turn Dodoma’s Lake Malawi/Nyasa shores into a new hub of business and thus heighten the periphery’s attractiveness to the national center. As both sides remain stubborn in their claims and international maritime tensions boil, there remains a distinct possibility that they could explode into armed conflict if one side or another engages in a provocation, which in this context, might most likely be staged by the Tanzanians since they have everything to gain and the Malawians have everything to lose if the two clash. It’s probably because of their simmering tensions that Malawi doesn’t see Tanzania as a reliable transit partner for diversifying its international trade routes from the Mozambican RENAMO-influenced ports of Beira and Nacala, so Lilongwe will likely continue to remain dependent on its eastern neighbor for the foreseeable future so long as the Tanzanian dispute remains unresolved.
The Zambian Detour Or Zambia’s Detour?:
The most hopeful opportunity that Malawi has for relieving its dependency on Mozambique is to expand its rail network to Zambia and onwards to one of the several crisscrossing infrastructure projects cutting through the country. The first step in this direction was already taken in 2010 with the commissioning of the Chipata-Mchinji railway between both states. It has thus far underperformed in its potential and most of Malawi’s trade is still conducted with Mozambique or by means of its territory through Beira and Nacala ports. Instead of the railway serving to diversify Malawi’s international trade away from Mozambique, it might reversely have the effect of deepening its dependency due to Zambia’s own grand strategy of infrastructural diversification.
Lusaka wants to position itself as the central crossroads of South-Central African trade, and in doing so, it has a vision to extend its own rail networks through Malawi and onwards to Nacala. The existing problem is that Mozambique’s relevant rail line to that port hasn’t been operational for decades, though this is why the African Development Bank approved a long-term $300 million loan in February for restoring the route. If the route is completed and RENAMO doesn’t behave as an obstructive force in inhibiting the corridor’s economic viability, then the ZaMM (Zambia-Malawi-Mozambique) railroad could function as a complementary Silk Road in pairing with the Tanzanian portion to Zambia and allowing for a secondary Indian Ocean terminal for the Southern Trans-African Route (STAR). This is because Nacala would link to TAZARA, which in turn could connect to Angola’s Benguela line via the Northwest Railway that might soon be constructed in Zambia.
ZaMM would be a welcome addition to multipolarity’s network of transnational infrastructure projects if it ever sees the light of day, though it would be entirely ironic for Malawi given that its plans for a Zambian detour away from Mozambique ultimately turned into Zambia’s own detour to Mozambique and Malawi’s double dependency on its neighbor.
Color Revolutions And Coups Along The Lake Malawi/Nyasa Coast
Demographic, “civilizational”, and intra-regional pressures present the most ‘organic’ conflict scenarios for Malawi, and like it was mentioned above, these could predictably lead to an outflow of Weapons of Mass Migration into the three surrounding states. That being said, there are also two much more artificially manufactured destabilization scenarios that could burst forth in Malawi at any moment, and these are Color Revolutions and coups, both of which have a recent history of attempted deployment in the country. The situational specifics of any future iteration of these schemes might change, but the general idea of foreign-supported regime change would remain the same.
Color Revolution Failure:
Malawi was rocked by a failed Color Revolution attempt in July 2011, though one which ultimately claimed a handful of lives and confirmed that the China-orienting country was on the list of America’s regime change targets. Prior to the events, President Bingu wa Mutharika had recognized Beijing as China’s official government in 2008, after which bilateral relations took off and the two started moving to one another. Chinese investments entered the country and Beijing’s influence was finally felt in one of the few corners of the world where it had been absent over the past several decades. Mutharika’s policy reversal towards China was significant because Malawi had previously been in full lockstep with Western policies ever since its 1964 independence and Cold War rule under President Hastings Banda. Malawi’s leader tried so hard to emulate the Western establishment that he sometimes even outdid his patrons, such as when his country – the only African one with diplomatic ties to apartheid South Africa – continued trading with Pretoria despite many of his European and American partners sanctioning it from 1986 until its removal in 1994. This is why Mutharika’s about-face caught so many off guard, since it totally broke with his predecessors’ stringent policy of recognizing Taiwan.
In the run-up to the Color Revolution, the government expelled the UK High Commissioner in April 2011 after he called the president “autocratic”, “combative”, and “intolerant of criticism” – smears that are regularly used in ginning up an information campaign against a foreign leader. It shouldn’t be too unexpected that a protest movement broke out a few months later in July, and following the government’s defensive actions in restoring law and order, the UK and the US both suspended their aid to the donor-dependent country as punishment for its president’s success in fending off the regime change operation. The suspicious timing between the UK’s implicit anti-government threats and the unleashing of a Color Revolution shortly thereafter is enough to make one question whether the entire mess was managed by Malawi’s former colonial occupier, just as the close coordination between London and Washington’s aid suspensions lend credence to the thought that the US might have had something to do with this as well. Mutharika didn’t directly accuse either of them for being behind the deadly commotion, but he did point his finger in early 2012 at what he claimed were some unnamed donor nations that were working with in-country NGOs to organize the protests against him.
‘Constitutional Coup’:
Mutharika suddenly passed away in April 2012 at the age of 78, sparking a brief constitutional crisis of who his legal successor should be. Per the constitution, power must be transferred from the President to the Vice-President during the passing of the former, though the tricky situation was that Mutharika had disowned his successor a year beforehand. Joyce Banda entered into problems with Mutharika and was dumped from the ruling party in 2010, just one year after he picked her to run on his winning ticket during the 2009 elections. Banda allegedly didn’t support Bingu’s plans to have his brother and then-Foreign Minister Peter Mutharika succeed him in the future, and this dispute is what led to her de-facto dismissal. The problem, however, was that Banda chose not to resign from her post and stubbornly remained the legal Vice-President throughout the rest of Bingu’s tenure. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party was factionalized by the controversy and Bingu did not have enough influence within his own party to get her impeached. Therefore, when he abruptly died in early April, she legally became his successor, though there was a short two-day period where the government met without her and conspired to pass the baton to Bingu’s brother, Peter. The plot didn’t succeed because the military wouldn’t stand behind it, and therefore Banda became Malawi’s first female president.
What’s interesting about this episode is that Banda didn’t even belong to the ruling party by that time, having been expelled in 2010. She created her own “People’s Party” in May 2011, just two months before the Color Revolution. This was obviously done in tactical coordination with the UK and US, which evidently threw their weight behind her as they tried to topple Mutharika. It’s telling that just a few months after Banda’s inauguration, the US rescinded its former aid suspension and renewed its donations to the country, clearly as a reward for their proxy’s victory during the ‘constitutional coup’. Even more curiously, the American-based and globally renowned Forbes magazine included Banda on their list of the world’s most powerful women from 2012-2014, with the latter year unbelievably ranking her as the 40th most powerful despite her never achieving anything of international significance ever in her career. It doesn’t take much to realize that this was just a more personal reward for the politician in exchange for returning Western influence to the country, even though she never ended up going as far as reversing her predecessor’s recognition of Beijing. In spite of her ‘popularity’ in Forbes and the ‘power’ that the Western elite said that she had, Banda dismally lost her first-ever election in 2014 and was replaced by Bingu’s brother, Peter Mutharika, thus preventing her from fully carrying out her envisioned/ordered policies.
Coup Fears:
Peter Mutharika’s presidency has been marked by a balance between Malawi’s traditional Western aid partners and China, though even this pragmatic approach towards Beijing appears to have set off alarm bells in the Western capitals. The investigation itself is still ongoing, but the government claims to have foiled a coup plot in February of this year. According to reports, the American Ambassador met with opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera during his visit to the US and hatcedh a coup plot, one which allegedly was also being organized with other conspirators through WhatsApp. The specific details of how the putschists planned to seize power haven’t been publicly released (at least to the author’s knowledge), so it’s unclear whether this was meant to be a military coup, a ‘constitutional coup’, or a Color Revolution coup. In what might be an unrelated event but which could also possibly have something to do with this scandal, the president dismissed the head of the army at the end of July. One media report said that this was because the country’s intelligence chief linked him to a planned coup, which if true, would confirm that the original plotters from February (the US and its on-the-ground network of political and NGO proxies) haven’t given up on their mission to overthrow Mutharika.
Just as it was with his brother Bingu, Peter Mutharika is being targeted because of his government’s decision to continue Lilongwe’s relationship with Beijing. Banda was unable to cut Malawi’s ties with China because they had simply become much too advantageous for her country, as was seen when she signed a $667 million electricity deal with China’s Export-Import Bank in 2013. It’s not known why she would do this while still being a stereotypical Western stooge, but it could be that she felt confident enough that the US and UK wouldn’t turn on her just for that, especially since they had already invested in helping her gain power in the first place. The fact that Banda would still continue Malawi’s relationship with China despite she herself being a Western proxy is a strong testimony to just how important China has become to the country in the less than a decade since bilateral ties have been established. Peter, for his part, went even further and recently hosted a China-Malawi Investment Forum where he invited China to take part in a wide array of projects in the agriculture, agro-processing, energy, mining, ICT, tourism, infrastructure, and manufacturing industries, among others. Pretty much, he offered to open the entire country up to Chinese capital in exchange for the development that it would bring, and with this in mind, it’s reasonable to predict that the last two pro-US coup plots certainly won’t be the last to be attempted.
Demystifying Zambia
With Malawi’s strategic situation and Hybrid War vulnerabilities out of the way, it’s now time to connect the research to neighboring Zambia, the mysterious-sounding country in South-Central Africa which the casual observers knows absolutely nothing about. To give the reader a crash course about the basics of Zambia’s significance, one should start by speaking about former President Kenneth Kaunda, the man who is essentially the ‘father of the nation’. In many ways, he was to Zambia what his close friend and ally Julius Nyerere was to Tanzania, and that’s a pragmatic, stable, and decades-long leader who presided over his state throughout all of the Cold War. Just like Tanzania, Zambia was a frontline state fighting against apartheid in South Africa and the remaining colonial governments in Angola, Mozambique, and Rhodesia, and the country was a sanctuary for rebel groups fighting in these neighboring conflicts. Although there were several high-profile incursions against its territory – most notably when the Rhodesian government attacked some of the insurgents there during the late 1970s – Zambia was never formally involved in any conventional war (not even “Africa’s World War” in 1990s Congo), and it thus remained largely untouched by the conflicts that have ravaged Africa over the past half a century.
This deserves further commentary because – like Tanzania – it’s very unusual that such an identity-diverse state could evade domestic and international conflict for so long while its counterparts seemed to inevitably become embroiled in it. Zambia counts 73 ethnic and linguistic groups within its borders, making it less diverse than Tanzania, but still relatively eclectic by any other standard (especially European). The largest groups are the Bemba and the Tonga, comprising 21% and 13.6% of the population and concentrated mostly in the north and south, respectively. Interestingly, former President Kaunda was born in traditionally Bemba northern Zambia to Tonga parents from Malawi, and this ‘minority-of-a-minority’ status might have played a part in why he didn’t promote tribalism during his rule. His assimilation and integration as an ‘outsider’ into local society was an integral part of his personal upbringing, and this formative experience could be attributed with influencing him to pursue an inclusive national identity that emphasized state patriotism over tribal affiliation. It also helped to a large degree that Kaunda was a peaceful anti-imperialist and a stout socialist, two interlinked ideological matrices which obviously had a strong effect on his views. Although it’s possible for a supporter of these ideas to also be a parochial tribalist, that wasn’t the case with Kaunda, who practiced what he preached and put it to the test by forging a unified Zambian identity.
Zambia’s commendable stability also owes itself to its alliance with Tanzania and its close partnership with China. Under the imperial period of British rule, all of Zambia’s connective infrastructure projects were built according to a ‘north-south’ logic, thus making the country completely dependent on Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe) and apartheid South Africa for its connection to the rest of the international marketplace. This became a major vulnerability after the country’s 1964 independence when Kaunda took to actively practicing his anti-imperialist policies and started training and hosting rebel groups from all around the region. In order to retain strategic flexibility and prevent Zambia from blackmail by its neighbors, it looked eastward to ideologically identical Tanzania for a desperately needed alternative outlet to the world. As such, the TAZAMA oil pipeline linking the two countries was completed in 1968, followed by the Chinese-financed TAZARA railroad along mostly the same route in 1975. Taken together, the Tanzanian-linked infrastructure projects gave Zambia the opportunity to more independently practice its anti-imperialist policy, and the railroad was especially pivotal in the export of the country’s copious copper deposits after Angola’s Benguela railroad became inoperable during the country’s post-independence civil war in 1975 and Lusaka opted to diversify its prior export dependency away from Rhodesia. Had it not been for the backup options that Tanzania provided it for energy and commodity market access, then Zambia would have remained fully reliant on the imperialist and apartheid states and thus would have eventually been subsumed by their influence and control with time.
Zigzagging Through The South-Central African Pivot Space
In relation to the infrastructure projects zigzagging through Zambia, it’s apparent that the country serves as the connectivity juncture for the entire sub-equatorial transport network running throughout the region. For this reason, Zambia can be described as the pivot state over this vast space and an object of priceless envy in the New Cold War:
* Red: TAZARA
* Green: TAZARA-Katanga-Benguela/TAZARA-North West Railroad-Benguela
* Pink: Walvis Bay Corridor
* Blue: Zambia-Zimbabwe-South Africa railroad network
* Purple: ZaMM (Zambia-Malawi-Mozambique)
The above map visually depicts Zambia’s geostrategic importance in Africa through the perspective of New Silk Road connectivity. It lies at the center of multiple intersecting infrastructure projects and has the potential for linking them all together to forge an integrated sub-equatorial coast-to-coast transit system in this part of Africa. Furthermore, if an interconnecting route was to be made between Tanzania’s TAZARA and Kenya’s LAPSSET Corridor (i.e. bridging Dar es Salaam and Lamu via Mombasa), then it would be conceptually possible to join Ethiopia’s nearly 100-million-strong marketplace and the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad to this transcontinental mainland transportation line. Even barring the expansion of this network past the equator and into the Horn of Africa, the Zambia-intersecting sub-equatorial rail matrix makes the South-Central country one of the continent’s most influential pivot spaces, and accordingly, a very likely victim for Hybrid War.
Cutting The Zambian Knot
Zambia is the key component to the larger transcontinental New Silk Road interconnectivity project that’s taking shape in sub-equatorial Africa, and it accordingly ties all of the projects together into an integrated whole. If Zambia were to be destabilized in any significant way, then it would immediately throw this multipolar vision into jeopardy, either disrupting it partially or wholly, or allowing a third-party state (i.e. the US) to acquire influence or control over the entire structure. For this reason, it’s integral for Zambia to strictly adhere to its traditional complementary policies of independence and stability, as any major deviation from either of these could create problems for the rest of the international network that transits through the country. In evaluating the Hybrid War threats facing Zambia, four in particular stand out, including both general and ‘conventional’ scenarios and those which are more specific and asymmetrical.
It should be kept in mind at all times that the US is known for its phased and adaptive approach to destabilizing targeted countries, and that it doesn’t always aim for regime change per say. Sometimes it’s only hoping that certain events (regardless of the amount of control that the US directly exercises over them) can result in enough pressure that the intended government tweaks their policies in conformity with the US’ interests. Other times, it wants to do more than overthrow the government and actually aims for a ‘regime reboot’, or in this case, a complete domestic reformatting of the country from a unitary republic to a divided federation. Regardless of what the physical result ultimately ends up being, the guiding motivation is always to either disrupt, control, or influence the multipolar transnational connective infrastructure projects in question, which in this case are the five such ones that transit through Zambia.
Color Revolution:
It was evident that Zambia was at risk of an incipient Color Revolution even before the summer 2016 election resulted in a narrow margin of victory for the ruling party. The government was forced to shut down the main ‘opposition’ newspaper after it accumulated millions of dollars in overdue tax arrears, with the owner obviously flouting the law with the expectation that the government wouldn’t dare to move against it out of fear of being accused of an “anti-democratic crackdown”. “The Post” completely misjudged the authorities and was shut down a little over one month before the 11 August election. Shortly after that, ‘opposition’-led clashes killed one person and injured several others, after which the government temporarily suspended campaigning so as to allow both sides to cool down and deescalate the tensions between them.
This worked in the sense of preventing another outbreak of pre-electoral violence, but it didn’t mitigate the ‘opposition’s’ pent-up anti-government energy that eventually burst out in the aftermath of the vote. United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate Hakainde Hichilema alleged that the ruling Patriotic Front led by incumbent President Edgar Lungu defrauded the ballot and illegally pulled off his victory, demanding a recount which he believed would rectify the results and give him the presidency instead. The government refused to cave into the pressure and insisted that Lungu rightfully won the election with 50.35% of the vote compared to Hichilema’s 47.67%, which in turn prompted the UPND to reject the official tabulation. The national situation remains very tense because of this, and it’s possible that some elements of the ‘opposition’ might be planning a Hybrid War to help them seize power.
Regional-Tribal Conflict:
Even if the present drama is resolved, that doesn’t take away from the fact that the country is almost evenly divided into two separate political camps for the second time in just as many years. During the extraordinary 2015 vote that was called in response to incumbent President Sata’s unexpected death, Lungu beat Hichilema 48.33% to 46.67% by the razor-thin difference of nearly 27,000 votes and was therefore accorded with the right to serve out the rest of his predecessor’s term before the next round of elections, which he won by a slightly more comfortable (though still narrow) margin. The geographic nature of this division follows the general north-south split between the Bemba and Tonga’s zones of influence, indicating that tribalism might finally be on the verge of becoming a palpable political factor.
Even though it would be utterly destabilizing to the country’s traditional social and political harmony for this to happen – and likely herald in the sort of violent conflict that has hitherto been a staple of most African nations’ history – it wouldn’t exactly be surprising, since the ‘opposition’ displayed its inclination to politicize tribal identity earlier this year when some of its highest-ranking representations proposed that Zambia “should choose leaders on tribal rotation basis”, which effectively amounts to “Bembas and other tribes [being] excluded from seeking the presidency on grounds of tribe”. The ruling Patriotic Front immediately admonished its rivals for flirting with such a dangerous ideology and warned that “it is outrageous and completely away from established democratic principles upon which our beloved Zambia is built.”
In hindsight and judging by the results of the latest election, this scandal might have been effective in reinforcing the incipient regional-tribal politicized identity that is perniciously creeping to the fore of Zambian politics. Should this trend continue, then it will almost certainly catalyze a larger centrifugal process whereby the decay of inclusive socialist-era Zambian patriotism accelerates to become an all-out rapid post-modern degeneration into regionalized, tribalized, and then perhaps even localized identities that split the country into halves and possibly even divide it further into a multidimensional mix of militantly conflicting variables (“stereotypical African tribal warfare”). More than likely though, the immediate effect of Zambia’s descent into domestic violence would see the western and southern parts of the country teaming up against the northern and eastern ones, though it might not be the Bembas and Tongas that end up starting a war for political power, but the Lozi in “Bartoseland” that spark one for independence or Identity Federalism.
“Barotseland” Separatism And Identity Federalism:
The Lozi account for only about 5.7% of Zambia’s 15 million people, but they’re sparsely spread throughout most of the expansive Western Province and have historic kingdom claims to nearly 44% of the country’s entire territory if one includes their pre-colonial footprint in the contemporary Northwestern and Southern Provinces. The Lozi’s homeland of Bartoseland became a protectorate of the UK in the late 19th century and came to constitute the vast majority of the then-province of Barotseland-North-Western Rhodesia prior to its merger with its counterpart of North-Eastern Rhodesia in 1911 to form Northern Rhodesia, which would later become Zambia after its 1964 independence.
It was right before the country’s freedom from the British that the Barotseland issue returned to the national spotlight, as all sides agreed to the Barotseland Agreement in that year which gave the region broad autonomy over its civil affairs. Kaunda, however, rescinded this in 1969 following a constitutional referendum that equalized each province’s status and tangentially ended up changing Barotseland’s name to the Western Province (with its historical territory in the modern-day Northwestern and Southern Provinces never having been administratively incorporated into its namesake entity). The topic subsequently remained a non-issue for decades until the past couple of years ago when activists made a fuss about it on several occasions and ended up in jail for their attention-seeking stunts. There were even riots in the regional capital of Mungu in 2011 and 2013, but these were quickly quelled by the authorities. Since then, Barotseland has been a slowly simmering problem that threatens to rise to the surface in the coming future, and it might just receive foreign encouragement because of the geostrategic implications that it would have.
Although Barotseland only encompasses the Western Province, its historical claims stretch into the Northwestern one and up to the DRC border, which could theoretically put the separatist-federalist entity right in the middle of the Northwestern railroad project to Angola’s Benguela, or in other words, cut right into the middle of the Southern Trans-African Route’s (STAR) Congo-alternative ‘detour’. The proposed Zambian-Angolan rail connection is much more geopolitically reliable than the Katanga corridor due to the DRC’s inherent instability and proneness to large-scale and disruptive conflict, so the inability to construct the Northwestern railroad due to a possible Barotseland secessionist campaign would deal a heavy blow to the long-term strategic security of STAR.
Moreover, even if a future Barotseland conflict with the newly formed “Barotseland Liberation Army” or other groups never directly interferes with STAR, the ensuing domestic political configuration that might occur through the granting of autonomy to the region or even federal status might produce an uncontainable contagion effect that spreads throughout the whole country, possibly leading to its full-on devolution and the granting of quasi-independent autonomous/federalized status to the Northwest Province as well. Zambia is already giving more power to the provincial and local governments as per the 2013 Decentralization Policy, and this initiative could be exploited by regional-tribal actors such as the Barotse, or even the Bemba and Tonga in the event of large-scale post-election clashes between them, in order to promote a nationwide devolution of power which would transition Zambia from a unitary state into a series of autonomous or federalized statelets.
Regardless if it’s sparked by the Barotseland separatists or not, the nationwide fulfillment of this scenario could lead to a these semi-independent identity-based statelets controlling disrupting, controlling, and/or influencing the five separate multipolar transnational connective infrastructure projects running through Zambia and linking together the whole of Southern Africa, which could thenceforth create a cartographic checkerboard of opportunities for out-of-regional states such as the US to divide-and-rule these vital transit corridors
ULTIMATE DISRUPTOR: Weapons Of Mass Migration:
It’s difficult to predict if, or when, this might happen, but should any form of significant conflict break out in the DRC, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, or perhaps even Angola or Tanzania, then the wave of Weapons of Mass Migration that might crash into the historically stable state of Zambia could totally upend the domestic harmony that’s pervaded the country for decades and push it to the brink of civil breakdown. The ‘opposition’-manufactured tension between the Bemba and Tonga, to say nothing of the separatist desires of a progressively loud segment of the Lozi in Barotseland, could be inflamed and each respective identity group might see a valuable window of opportunity for promoting their agenda amidst the confusion and disorder that a large-scale migrant influx might bring.
It’s not to imply that the arrival of thousands of migrants would instantly lead to a reversal of law and order in the country, but that it would indeed cause a divisive reaction among the locals and cause unforeseen budgetary, administrative, and policing pressures which could in turn worsen existing institutional stresses. Depending on the intensity of the onslaught, it might either progressively or rapidly overwhelm these said entities and contribute to the perception of state weakness – one which opportunistic non-state actors and ‘opposition’ parties might be keen to take advantage of. Despite its location at the crossroads of South-Central Africa, Zambia has yet to experience a massive inflow of migrant/refugees from its neighbors, and even so, it was much more politically and socially cohesive under the Cold War presidency of Kaunda to handle any such contingency. The situation is dramatically different nowadays, and as the elections clearly exhibit, the country is sharply divided into two competing political factions, the balance of which might be disastrously disturbed by the sudden introduction of this rogue and ultra-unpredictable third-party element.
Andrew Korybko is the American political commentator currently working for the Sputnik agency. He is the author of the monograph “Hybrid Wars: The Indirect Adaptive Approach To Regime Change” (2015). This text will be included into his forthcoming book on the theory of Hybrid Warfare.
PREVIOUS CHAPTERS:
Hybrid Wars 1. The Law Of Hybrid Warfare
Hybrid Wars 2. Testing the Theory – Syria & Ukraine
Hybrid Wars 3. Predicting Next Hybrid Wars
Hybrid Wars 4. In the Greater Heartland
Hybrid Wars 5. Breaking the Balkans
Hybrid Wars 6. Trick To Containing China
Hybrid Wars 7. How The US Could Manufacture A Mess In Myanmar
American Moscow-based political analyst specializing in the relationship between the US strategy in Afro-Eurasia, China's One Belt One Road global vision of New Silk Road connectivity, and Hybrid Warfare.
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Hello everyone, hope you’ve all managed to have a good week. The weather here has been so up and down lately that you just don’t know how to dress for the day, but on one of the days where its been warm and sunny, my family and I took a trip to London.
As London is quite a busy city with everyone rushing to get here, there and everywhere, we made a rule that we would go at our own pace and just enjoy the scenery around!
The Queens Walk (South Bank)
The Queen’s Walk is a promenade located on the southern bank of the River Thames in London, England, between Lambeth Bridge and Tower Bridge.
The creation of pedestrian access along the south bank of the Thames was seen as an integral part of the creation of the Jubilee Walkway to mark the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977. However, the last section was not established until the completion of construction of London Bridge City in 1990.
In 1996, the Walk was recognised as a foundation for establishing the Thames Path national trail through London.
This is a convenient route of several miles for tourists to walk from the London Eye Ferris wheel past numerous attractions to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.
The area’s long list of attractions includes the County Hall complex, the Sea Life London Aquarium, the London Dungeon, Jubilee Gardens and the London Eye, the Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall, National Theatre, and BFI Southbank.
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its occupants, the Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster, in central London, England.
The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel, and is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over 3.75 million visitors annually. The structure is 135 metres (443 ft.) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 120 metres (394 ft.). When it opened to the public in 2000 it was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel. Its height was surpassed by the 525-foot (160 m) Star of Nanchang in 2006, the 165 metres (541 ft.) Singapore Flyer in 2008, and the 550-foot tall (167.6 m) High Roller (Las Vegas) in 2014.
Before I put the remaining photos up, I just want to say that I really enjoyed our trip to London, it was made especially nice by the fact it was really sunny and quite hot outside which made it all the more enjoyable! Anyway I will leave you with a slide show of the remaining pictures. I hope the rest of your week goes well.
Posted in Blogger, Blogging, Family, Real Life, Travel, Uncategorized AdventureAttractionsBlogBloggerBloggingBritaindaytripLondonPersonalPhotographerPhotographyTravellerTravelling
‹ PreviousFuture Around the World Travel Destinations!
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Tag Archives: Un-American activities
A King in New York [1957)
I once went to rather extraordinary lengths to see this film.
Doing such a thing often makes one appreciate the rarity of the moment.
But now I revisit this testament for the purpose of placing the film in my own history of the cinematic medium.
As you might know, I don’t often review new films.
For what is important to me is not the hackneyed novelty of Hollywood today, but rather the breadth of motion pictures down through time as an art form.
What is attractive about the movies is that they are barely 100 years old.
It is not much of a stretch to say that the seventh art (as Ricciotto Canudo eventually called it) was short of being a mature mode of creation in 1916.
For though Charlie Chaplin was already making important contributions, his first feature as a director and actor wouldn’t come till 1921’s The Kid.
In many ways A King in New York was Chaplin’s last film. Namely, it was the last in which he both starred and directed. [He would direct one final effort: 1967’s A Countess from Hong Kong starring Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren.]
And so it was that with A King in New York Chaplin returned in some ways to the themes of The Kid.
Michael Chaplin (his son) is brilliant as “the kid” Rupert here in the film under consideration.
And Charles (Charlie) is equally timeless as the foil to Rupert’s Marxism.
This was a brave film to make.
It was a humane film to make.
And it is insightful even today.
We may no longer have the communist witch hunts of the McCarthy era, but we still have the same brain-dead stupidity (as exemplified by Fox News).
It is quite easy to draw that particular parallel when viewing the newscast which comes on King Shahdov’s hotel television periodically throughout this movie.
And while the hysteria of anti-communist “vigilance” has largely faded into history, another equally virulent strain of bigoted ignorance has taken its place.
Terrorism as religion.
That phrase may sound weird, but let me explain.
When you pick up The Wall Street Journal, you are viewing a religious newspaper.
And the religion?
When you watch Fox News you are entering an alternate universe in thrall to terrorism.
Terrorism is the manna from heaven for the neoconservative global elites.
They are a one-trick pony (terrorism being their only trick).
But let me illuminate my point.
NONE of the other major American news outlets (print or televised) are any better.
CNN ABC CBS NBC…all worthless. And let’s not forget the woeful New York Times.
Which brings me to a very important point.
This past week, a PhD professor at Florida Atlantic University in the United States was dismissed from his tenured position for questioning the very suspicious “mass shooting” supposed to have occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012.
I have not read every bit of critique which Dr. James Tracy (the unfortunate professor) has written concerning this “massacre”, but what I have read harmonizes with my own take on the event (namely, that it was a staged, false-flag type psychological operation).
And so Dr. Tracy has become a parallel to all of those poor souls who had to suffer the ignominy of the House Committee on Un-American Activities in May 1960.
Why do I focus on this particular hearing? Because it was released as an LP album in 1962 by the invaluable Folkways Records (today Smithsonian Folkways).
Find this record.
Listen particularly to Witness #5.
Spotify lists each track as being by the artist “Unspecified”.
This is the same type of recognition which would have accrued to topless mothers in the Sahara singing their babies to sleep (while the tape recorder preserved their performance for all time).
Americans had become nameless.
And so next time someone asks you about your favorite musical artists you can refer to the Folkways catalog and answer, “Well, I’m a big fan of ‘A young girl singing’, but I also like ‘A young woman’. But then, not much beats ‘Aboriginal Songman’. In fact, I met him once and I was quite nervous. I said, ‘Mr. Songman. Can I call you Aboriginal? Al??? I would really appreciate an autograph!'”
But I digress…
Dear friends, we can rescue the names from history. Witness #5 is actually still alive. He is and always will be William Mandel.
Mr. Mandel took the stand and railed against the bigots in San Francisco on that Folkways LP of the “Un-American” hearings.
In the estimable Mr. Mandel we have a parallel to Mr. Macabee (Rupert’s father) from A King in New York.
The trials which inspired Chaplin were to continue (1957 film, 1960 LP).
The trials continue today. Dr. James Tracy is now a “conspiracy theorist”. If the New York Times says it’s so, then it must be so.
Until we drop like flies, we will continue to speak out like Rupert.
We will continue to combine art and politics like Charlie Chaplin.
No profession gives one a free pass to opt out of engagement. Disengagement is a decision.
Chaplin fought back. The world’s greatest funnyman felt compelled to speak up.
Perhaps Rupert is really 6079 Smith W.
Perhaps Room 101 is betraying oneself. Being eaten alive. By cowardice. Until death.
Occasionally pop art transcends. Witness Radiohead’s “2 + 2 = 5” from the perfect album Hail to the Thief. At the height of the Bush junta this British avant-pop band had the stones to dish out a God-save-the-Queen to the slimy bastards dragging the world down.
The late David Bowie made a valiant effort on his best album Diamond Dogs.
We speak, of course, about 1984 and the protagonist Winston Smith.
Orwell’s novel was a mere eight years old in 1957.
Perhaps little Rupert is an evocation of Winston Smith. And we know that Rupert’s fortitude lived on in the aforementioned William Mandel.
But now we come to a new era. A new era which is so old.
The lamentable treatment of Dr. James Tracy.
The enshrinement of Terrorism as the new state religion of the United States.
Even for a non-communist such as myself, it is apparent that capitalism must always expand.
When it comes to terrorism (both “foreign” and “domestic”), the Ministry of Truth has spoken.
Our only hope is the voice of opposition. It is therefore quite apt indeed that Dr. Tracy’s excellent blog (which incidentally led to his thoughtcrime conviction by FAU) should be named Memory Hole… (http://memoryholeblog.com/).
And it is hopeful that said blog has more hits than the Wikipedia page for “Memory hole”.
tagged as 1984, 2 + 2 = 5, 6079, 6079 Smith W, A Countess from Hong Kong, A King In New York, ABC, America, bigotry, Canudo, capitalism, CBS, Chaplin, Charles Chaplin, Charlie Chaplin, CNN, comedy, communism, communist witch hunts, Connecticut, conspiracy theorist, cowardice, David Bowie, Diamond Dogs, Dr. James Tracy, engagement, false flag, film, Florida Atlantic University, Folkways, Folkways Records, fortitude, Fox News, George Orwell, George W. Bush, Hail to the Thief, history of cinema, Hollywood, James Tracy, journalism, Marlon Brando, Marxism, McCarthy, McCarthyism, memory hole, Michael Chaplin, Ministry of Truth, motion pictures, movies, nameless, NBC, neoconservatism, New York Times, Newtown, Orwell, PSYOP, Radiohead, religion, Ricciotto Canudo, Room 101, Sahara, San Francisco, Sandy Hook, Smithsonian, Smithsonian Folkways, Sophia Loren, Spotify, tenure, terrorism, The Kid, the seventh art, thoughtcrime, Un-American activities, Wall Street Journal, Wikipedia, William Mandel, Winston Smith
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Kobach is Republican nominee for Kansas governor after Colyer concedes
0 0 Tuesday, August 14, 2018 Edit this post
Kansas Secretary of State and candidate for the Republican nomination for Kansas Governor Kris Kobach addresses supporters during a campaign stop Friday, Aug. 3, 2018, in Pittsburg, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
By Bryan Lowry, Hunter Woodall, Jonathan Shorman, Steve Vockrodt and Allison Kite, The Kansas City Star
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has captured the Republican nomination for governor after the tightest primary fight in Kansas history, edging out the state's sitting governor.
Gov. Jeff Colyer, a plastic surgeon from Overland Park, announced his concession Tuesday night after he failed to narrow the gap with Kobach when provisional ballots in Johnson County were tallied.
"I just had a conversation with the secretary of state and I congratulated him on his success and repeated my determination to keep this seat in Republican hands," Colyer said. "This election is probably the closest in America, but the numbers just aren't there unless we go to extraordinary measures."
Kobach pointed to a tweet from President Donald Trump endorsing him the day before the election as playing a key role in helping him power past Colyer.
[post_ads]"I think it was absolutely crucial," Kobach said. "There's no question that the election day voting went much more strongly for me as compared to the advance voting."
Kobach led Colyer by 345 votes as of Tuesday evening, a week after election day, with 85 of the state's 105 counties having processed their provisional ballots.
Johnson County, the governor's home county, dealt the final blow when Kobach outperformed Colyer on provisional ballots by 24 votes. Colyer won the county overall by 6 percentage points.
Kobach celebrated his lead Tuesday with an event at the Johnson County Republican Party's headquarters in Overland Park.
He did not call on Colyer to concede, but suggested that that his lead would become insurmountable by Thursday when Wyandotte and Shawnee counties are set to process their provisional ballots.
"That's up to him. I think at this point the numbers look very difficult, the way the trend is moving. But I certainly respect his decision if he wants to wait until Thursday," Kobach said.
Bob Beatty, a political scientist at Washburn University, saw Kobach's strong performance on provisional ballots across the state as a sign of Trump's influence.
Provisional ballots, Beatty said, are usually cast by people who decide to vote at the last minute.
"Provisional voters almost by definition, they're not going to be well-organized," he said. "And I do think it's possible the Trump endorsement helped garner him a few hundred extra votes."
No other official in Kansas has more fully embraced Trump's agenda than Kobach. He has also helped shape that agenda.
He was the only statewide official to endorse Trump ahead of the 2016 Kansas Republican caucus and helped add Trump's promised border wall to the national Republican Party platform.
Kobach met with Trump in the weeks after the 2016 election and discussed a proposal to change the National Voter Registration Act. He went on to serve as vice chair of the president's now-disbanded commission on voter fraud.
He also has claimed to have played a role in the administration's decisions to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census and to restrict the entry into the United State from several Muslim majority countries.
Several of these policy moves have caused controversy for Trump - and for Kobach.
Beatty said that Kobach's nomination will ensure that Trump will remain a focus of the election in Kansas.
"It certainly would make sense given Kobach's career to continue what he's been doing, which is never back down from his close alliance with Donald Trump," Beatty said.
"I expect that his strategy will be to embrace the criticism, embrace the controversy and embrace Donald Trump to get his voters out in a three-way race to win. He doesn't need 50 percent, just like in the primary he doesn't need 50 percent."
Kobach will face Democratic state Sen. Laura Kelly of Topeka, who captured her party's nomination with 52 percent of the vote in a five-way race, and independent Greg Orman if Kobach's office certifies the signatures collected by the Johnson County businessman's campaign.
Kansas law requires independent candidates for governor to collect 5,000 signatures for a spot on the ballot. Last week Orman's campaign delivered 10,000 to Kobach's office, where they are being reviewed.
Patrick Miller, a professor of political science at the University of Kansas, said he sees the race leaning for Kobach because Orman will draw votes from Kelly.
"It's pretty clear that Kobach was perhaps not as strong of a nominee as Colyer," Miller said. "To an extent, that doesn't matter because you have Orman acting as a spoiler in the race. He casts himself as a centrist but he is a liberal."
A poll by Remington Research Group published in July indicated that a Kelly-Orman-Kobach race would put Kelly and Kobach in a statistical tie - 36 percent for Kelly and 35 percent for Kobach. Orman fetched 12 percent of the vote in the poll, leaving 17 percent undecided.
"Given how Republican Kansas is, splitting the center-to-left is not something you can afford to do," Miller said.
Will Colyer voters come home for Kobach in the general election after a bitter primary and narrow loss?
"A lot of people thought Republicans would not come home for Donald Trump and they did," Miller said. "If they're going to come home for Trump, they are going to come home for Kobach."
Kansas Democratic national committeeman Chris Reeves predicted a large number of moderate Republicans will endorse Kelly. He suggested that will show significant bipartisan pushback against the idea of Kobach as governor.
"(Democrats) facing Kobach is a very stark contrast. Kris Kobach sees everything that's wrong with the world and we see everything that could be right," Reeves said.
The race highlighted an issue that will feature prominently in the general election campaign: Voting rights.
Kobach has championed some of the strictest voting laws in the country during his eights years as the state's chief election officer and his role on Trump's voter fraud commission drew national scrutiny until the panel was disbanded earlier this year amid a flood of lawsuits.
Colyer's legal team sent out a letter to the Johnson County Board of Canvassers an hour before the county certified its election results to call on the county to include 153 ballots that were being discarded because the signature did not match the one in the voter's file.
Colyer's legal team argued that Kansas law does not require verification as a precondition to accepting a vote.
"Absent clear evidence of actual fraud, Kansas takes a permissive view that places special emphasis on the right to vote and excuses a voter's failure to follow requirements that do not seriously call into question the voter's intent," said Edward Greim, an attorney at the Kansas City-based Graves Garrett law firm.
Johnson County Commissioner Michael Ashcraft said that the policy of verifying signatures is longstanding.
"They make a good faith effort to do that. I hope it's 100 percent, but I'm not a handwriting expert and I don't review each one of them," Ashcraft said. "But they do and they actually have, I think, three levels of review to verify. I hope it's 100 percent. I suspect it's pretty close to 100 percent."
Ed Eilert, who chairs both the canvassing board and the county commission, also defended the policy.
"If you're not going to match signatures, then I or you, could sign for 10 or 15 people. It doesn't make sense to me," said Eilert, who noted that he is not an attorney.
The letter from Colyer's attorneys was sent the same day a federal judge ruled that a similar New Hampshire law is unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment.
The legal challenge against New Hampshire was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a 95-year-old woman who is legally blind.
Julie Ebenstein, the ACLU's lead attorney in the case, said that the New Hampshire law disqualified 275 ballots in the 2016 election. She said the state did not give voters an opportunity to verify their identities before discarding their ballots.
[post_ads]"There was really no criteria or training for the local election official to make that determination," she said in a phone call.
The ACLU defeated Kobach in another voting rights case this year when a federal judge ruled unconstitutional a Kansas law that required voters to provide proof of citizenship to register.
Before he conceded, Colyer's campaign had given signs that he might pursue legal action to ensure every possible ballot was counted in the race.
But the likelihood of a court case diminished after Colyer failed to close the gap.
Colyer's supporters went into Tuesday convinced that the governor needed a strong performance in Johnson County to close the gap before he could pursue any legal remedies.
"I think Johnson County is crucial. There's all of these irregularities and there's all of these what-ifs and a bunch of things that I think are good legal arguments ... but ultimately you've got to pick up votes," said a Republican strategist who works in Kansas and supports Colyer.
The strategist said that if Colyer failed to narrow the margin the question of a recount "becomes a cost-benefit (analysis) to the campaign because unfortunately in Kansas, you've got to pay for it."
Kansas law requires candidates to file a bond with the secretary of state's office in order to pay for the cost of a recount. No action is taken on the bond if the result changes.
Politics - U.S. Daily News: Kobach is Republican nominee for Kansas governor after Colyer concedes
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9i17NzhaVTw/W3PCnUolYnI/AAAAAAAA5co/OoqDXeJfHnM1EJ9R2KCuVemIuyNCO2wZwCLcBGAs/s1600/2.jpg
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https://politics.dailynews.us.com/2018/08/kobach-is-republican-nominee-for-kansas.html
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SNL Digs Up the ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Screen Tests You Never Thought You’d See
With Star Wars: The Force Awakens less than a month away from release and anticipation reaching a feverish level unseen in movie fans since 1999, the timing is right for SNL to gently skewer the upcoming sequel. The sketch is really just an excuse for the cast to break out a bunch of impersonations they’ve obviously been keeping in their back pockets while letting them interact with actual Star Wars cast members, but c’mon, that’s all the excuse you need, really.
Much like the previous “lost” Star Wars auditions from a few years ago (remember Kevin Spacey playing Christopher Walken playing Han Solo?), the sketch is very straightforward, introducing one impression, laying it on top of a familiar or new Star Wars character, and then moving onto the next one as fast as possible before any jokes can get old. The subjects this time around include Shaquille O’Neal, Javier Bardem, Maggie Smith, John Mayer, Chris Tucker, Danny DeVito, and, in a moment that will be GIF-ed nonstop for the next few weeks, David Beckham.
However, what makes the sketch truly special is the involvement of some actual Star Wars cast and crew members. While director J.J. Abrams provides an introduction, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley pop up playing themselves. They are joined by a few other actors and actresses auditioning as “themselves,” including Emma Stone (with a solid Aloha jab), and Jon Hamm, stealing the whole thing with a joke that would have been terrible in anyone else’s hands.
Source: SNL Digs Up the ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Screen Tests You Never Thought You’d See
Filed Under: snl, Star Wars: Episode 7
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Assassin's Creed The Ezio Collection
Brand New | R1
Play through three of the greatest entries in the acclaimed Assassin’s Creed series, featuring the franchise’s most iconic hero, Ezio Auditore.
Immerse yourself in three classic adventures featuring enhanced visuals on the current generation of consoles.
Experience every moment in legendary Assassin Ezio’s epic journey from a young nobleman to fearless leader of the Brotherhood of Assassins.
Explore deeper into Ezio’s incredible saga with two bonus short films that go beyond the trilogy.
Make history across 80 hours of gameplay including three complete games and all single-player add-on content previously released.
Live the complete saga of Master Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the most iconic leader of the Brotherhood of Assassins, as you seek vengeance for the betrayal of your family in a time of greed, corruption, and murderous conspiracy.
Including three of the most critically acclaimed titles in the Assassin’s Creed franchise and featuring over 80 hours of gameplay with enhanced graphics, Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection brings these enduring adventures to life for the first time on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 system.
- Assassin’s Creed II.
- Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood.
- Assassin’s Creed Revelations.
- All single-player add-on content packs for the included three games.
- Bonus short films – Learn more about Ezio’s childhood and final days in the complete Assassin’s Creed Lineage and Assassin’s Creed Embers short films.
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2019-20 Preseason Info (PDF)
2018-19 Season Review Notes (PDF)
2018-19 Information Guide (PDF)
2018-19 Cumulative Statistics (PDF)
Live In-Game Stats and Radio Feed
Georgia Tech Basketball in the News
Yellow Jackets in the Pros
ACC Basketball
Alaska Shootout, ACC-Big 10 Challenge Highlight Georgia Tech's 1999-2000 Schedule
ATLANTA (August 5) — Georgia Tech’s first visit to the Great Alaska Shootout, as well as a pair of prominent non-conference games in Atlanta with Michigan and Stanford headline Tech’s 1999-2000 men’s basketball schedule released Thursday.
Tech, which has enjoyed four trips to Hawaii, as well as jaunts to Japan and France under head coach Bobby Cremins, will be taking its first trip to the nation’s 49th state Nov. 24-27, playing in the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage.
The Jackets, who finished 15-16 a year ago and earned a berth in the National Invitation Tournament, will face Grambling in the Alaska Shootout opener, then will meet either Washington or host Alaska-Anchorage in the second round.
Cremins’ crew will also make history by hosting the first collegiate basketball game in Atlanta’s new state-of-the-art basketball facility, the Philips Arena, facing perennial Big 10 power Michigan on Dec. 1 as part of the ACC-Big 10 Challenge which will be nationally televised on ESPN.
The Michigan game will be one of a minimum of nine appearances for the Jackets on ESPN or ESPN2 this winter. That includes a Dec. 11 date with Stanford (12 p.m.) in the opening game of the Delta Air Lines Classic for Kids, which will be played this year in Philips Arena.
Also, for the first time this year, Tech will meet Kentucky in Louisville at Freedom Hall, instead of playing at Rupp Arena in Lexington. The Jackets are no strangers to Freedom Hall, though, having played there six times over the last 12 years in a recently-concluded series with Louisville.
In all, Tech is slated for 19 television appearances, 10 of them national, including a CBS-TV exposure on Feb. 27 at Wake Forest.
Tech will also appear on the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Raycom/Jefferson-Pilot package six times and on Fox Sports Net South three times.
The Jackets, who return all five starters from last year’s team, led by 7-0 senior forward Jason Collier (Springfield, Ohio), 6-11 junior center Alvin Jones (Lakeland, Fla.) and 6-6 senior guard Jason Floyd (Hampton, Ga.), could play as many as 19 of their 29 scheduled games against teams which earned invitations to the NCAA Tournament or the NIT last year.
Collier, a second-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference choice, is Tech’s leading returning scorer, who averaged 17.2 points a game. Jones, the all-time leading shotblocker in Tech history after just two seasons with 248 rejections, also averaged 12.7 points and a team-high 9.7 rebounds. Floyd was Tech’s second-leading scorer last winter, averaging 13.5 points a contest.
Joining this talented trio as returning starters are 6-0 sophomore point guard Tony Akins (Lilburn, Ga.; 11.3) and 6-7 junior forward Jon Babul (North Attleboro, Mass.; 5.3), as well as reserve guards T. J. Vines (Woodstock, Ga.), a 5-10 junior who averaged 6.6 points a game, and Darryl LaBarrie (Decatur, Ga.), a 6-3 junior who averaged 3.5 points a game.
They will be joined by a pair of transfers in 6-3 junior Shaun Fein (Centerville, Mass.), who averaged 19.7 points a game for Division II Stonehill College in 1997-98, and 6-8 sophomore forward Michael Isenhour (Lawrenceville, Ga.), who lettered at the U.S. Air Force Academy two seasons ago. The schedule:
2-ATHLETES IN ACTION, 7:30 p.m.
9-CALIFORNIA ALL-STARS, 7:30 p.m.
19-MERCER, 7:30 p.m.
24-at Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout, Anchorage, Alaska vs. Grambling, 10 p.m.
26-at Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout vs. Washington or Alaska-Anchorage
27-at Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout vs. Georgia, Kansas, Louisville or Xavier
1-Michigan (Philips Arena) (ESPN), 7 p.m. in ACC-Big 10 Challenge
8-at Georgia (FSNS, SS), 7:30 p.m.
11-Delta Air Lines Classic for Kids, vs. Stanford (Philips Arena) (ESPN), 12 Noon
18-MOREHEAD STATE, 1p.m.
21-WOFFORD, 7:30 p.m.
28-UNC-GREENSBORO, 7:30 p.m.
2-LAFAYETTE (FSNS, HTS), 3 p.m.
5-Kentucky at Louisville, Ky. (Freedom Hall) (ESPN), 7 p.m.
8-at Virginia (RJ), 1:30 p.m.
12-at Duke (ESPN), 7 p.m.
15-MARYLAND (RJ), 8 p.m.
19-FLORIDA STATE, 7:30 p.m.
22-at N. C. State (ESPN), 9 p.m.
27-WAKE FOREST (RJ), 8 p.m.
29-NORTH CAROLINA (ESPN), 12 noon
2-at Clemson, 7 p.m.
5-FLORIDA A&M, 1 p.m.
9-VIRGINIA, 7:30 p.m.
12-DUKE (RJ), 4 p.m.
16-at Maryland (ESPN), 7 p.m.
21-at Florida State (RSN), 7:30 p.m.
24-N. C. STATE (ESPN2), 7 p.m.
27-at Wake Forest (CBS), 2 p.m.
1-at North Carolina (RJ), 9 p.m.
4-CLEMSON (RJ), 1 p.m.
9/12-at ACC Tournament, Charlotte, N.C.
Home Games in ALL CAPS; FSNS-Fox Sports Net South; SS-SunshineNetwork; HTS-Home Team Sports; RSN-Regional Sports Networks (FoxSports Net South, Home Team Sports and Sunshine Network) RJ-The ACCRaycom-Jefferson-Pilot TV Network.
July 16, 2019 B.J. Elder Joins Georgia Tech Basketball Staff
High-scoring guard from 2004 Final Four team named associate director of player personnel
B.J. Elder Joins Georgia Tech Basketball Staff
July 12, 2019 #TGW: Georgia Tech’s Big3
Former Jacket stars Will Bynum, Dion Glover and Anthony Morrow join forces in the Big3 league
#TGW: Georgia Tech’s Big3
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Search page »
National Council for Crime Prevention
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Crime prevention perspective into urban planning
A recent review drawn up by the National Council for Crime Prevention deals with the improvement of safety in the local environment and gives recommendations on how to take the crime prevention perspective into consideration in the planning and design of the built environment and how to engage residents in the planning process.
The crime prevention review examines the different elements of the built environment that affect criminality and the sense of safety. Several studies on the factors directly and indirectly affecting the sense of safety have been conducted, but they are not well-known and the information contained in them is not systematically utilised at the different stages of the planning process.
Furthermore, the review introduces different models for increasing the sense of safety in neighbourhoods and residential areas. These include participatory budgeting, resident-oriented development of the urban environment and activities that aim to remove prejudice and conflicts. The models have been charted as part of the implementation of the National Crime Prevention Programme.
Recommendations to support local safety planning
Local safety planning expertise should be utilised in the planning processes. For example, the police could comment on the plans of the point of view of the crime prevention also in addition to the traffic safety. Local residents should be consulted at the different stages of the planning process, and a wide range of different methods should be utilised in the consultation.
The National Council for Crime Prevention encourages municipalities to develop and introduce new practices to engage their residents in the creation of a pleasant and safe living environment. The relevant actors should make use of various methods to support good relations between neighbours and arrange different kinds of common events. For preventing and resolving conflicts in residential areas, the Council recommends the use of dialogue-based methods.
The crime prevention review in Finnish
constructed environment control crime prevention participation planning
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Ministry of Justice, Finland >
The National Council for Crime Prevention is a crime prevention expert and cooperation agency, established in the Ministry of Justice, Finland. The goal is to decrease the harm caused by crime and to increase security.
More about the Council >
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Determination of the in vitro antidiabetic potential of a polyherbal commercial tea
Paddy, Veronica
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an increasing global health concern, currently affecting an estimated 382 million individuals. There is no cure for T2DM and the search for new and improved treatments is ongoing. Presently, various pharmacological regimens are available to treat T2DM, but with varied success. Thousands of traditional herbs are also used to treat T2DM, but mainly without scientific validation. The aim of this study was to assess the polyphenolic content, antioxidant capacity, as well as in vitro toxicity and hypoglycaemic activity of a commercial ‘antidiabetic’ tea mixture (Diabetea) and its individual constituents: Achillea millefolium L. (Yarrow), Agathosma betulina Bartl. & Wendl. (Buchu), Salvia officinalis L. (Sage), Taraxacum officinalis L. (Dandelion), Thymus vulgaris L. (Thyme), Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Fenugreek) and Urtica urens L. (Nettle). All herbs were tested as crude extracts, prepared using hot water (HW) and dichloromethane (DCM). The total polyphenolic content of each extract was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteau and aluminium trichloride methods. The non-cellular antioxidant activity was assessed using 2,2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) methods. The cell-based antioxidant activity was measured against p-chloranil-induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Ea.hy926 cells, using the fluorescent dye, 2',7'-dichlorfluorescein-diacetate (DCFH-DA). The effect of each extract on the viability of C2C12 myotubes, Ea.hy926 endothelial cells and human lymphocytes (HL) was determined using sulforhodamine B (SRB). The in vitro hypoglycaemic activity was assessed against α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity using 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA) and p-nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (p-NPG), respectively. The type of inhibition exerted on these enzymes was determined using the Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics model, expressed as mixed, competitive, non-competitive and uncompetitive. Glucose uptake activity was measured using the 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) amino]-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-NBDG) fluorescent analogue. T. vulgaris and S. officinalis had the highest amount of polyphenols of all extracts tested. The HW extracts of T. vulgaris and S. officinalis showed significant (p < 0.05) cell-free antioxidant activity and cell-based radical scavenging activity. In addition, U. urens (HW) also limited cell-based ROS generation (p < 0.05). The Diabetea extracts presented with poor antioxidant activities, of which some had a pro-oxidant effect on Ea.hy926 cells. The positive linear relationship between antioxidant activity and polyphenolic content was shown to be dependent on the solvent type used. All of the DCM extracts had low antioxidant activity and polyphenolic content. None of the extracts produced < 50% cell density at the concentrations tested (1.3 - 20 μg/mℓ). In general, the DCM extracts showed a greater decrease in cell density than the HW extracts. The Ea.hy926 cells were the least affected by the extracts in terms of decreased cell density. The DCM extract of U. urens inhibited α-amylase activity in a mixed manner, which was comparable to the percentage inhibition exerted by the commercial drug, acarbose. Both the HW and DCM extracts of U. urens caused a significant (p < 0.05) increase in glucose uptake into C2C12 myotubes. The HW extract of T. vulgaris had a significant (p < 0.05) inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (mixed). It also caused the uptake of glucose into C2C12 myotubes, which was significantly (p <0.05) more active than insulin. S. officinalis (DCM extract) also inhibited α-glucosidase activity (p < 0.05) in a mixed manner. Its HW extract displayed potent hypoglycaemic potential by causing glucose uptake into C2C12 myotubes, which was more significant (p < 0.05) than the activity of the positive control, insulin. The DCM extract of A. betulina was active against α-glucosidase (non-competitive), which was comparable to the activity of acarbose. Its HW extract also showed a significant (p < 0.05) glucose uptake activity. Furthermore, the DCM extracts of T. officinalis, A. millefolium, Diabetea and HW extracts of T. foenum-graecum and T. officinalis also caused a significant (p < 0.05) increase in glucose uptake into C2C12 myotubes. This study provides evidence for the antidiabetic potential of T. vulgaris and S. officianlis, in terms of antioxidant capacity and potential to prevent of post-prandial hyperglycaemia and alleviate hyperglycaemia by mimicking the action of insulin. In addition, the organic preparation of U. urens is also a potent α-amylase inhibitor. All herbs tested in this study exerted some form of in vitro antidiabetic activity. The Diabetea mixture, as a traditional preparation, did not have a significant antidiabetic capacity. In vitro observations from this study do not support the use of Diabetea as an antidiabetic preparation and reveal that some of the individual extracts prove more efficacious than the herb mixture.
Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2014.
Name: Paddy_Determinati ...
Description: Dissertation
Theses and Dissertations (Pharmacology) 82
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Eva Cederström’s Career and Artist Identity 1927–39
Sandra Lindblom, MA student, University of Helsinki
This article is published as a result of a three-month research internship at the Finnish National Gallery [1]
And now, comes praise for the female painters! I’ll be damned if we men also in this regard are beaten by the fairer sex! […] Eva Cederström’s paintings in the southern hall sing out high. No. 39, June Morning in the Atelier, is a piece of true painting. She is no nervous man, Eva. She is not weighed down by complexes, she paints straight from the heart. The result is fresh, powerful and beautiful paintings.[2]
It was in this manner that the art critic Hjalmar Hagelstam (1899–1941) praised the work that Eva Cederström (1909–95) had brought to the ‘Finnish Artists’ Exhibition’ in Helsinki Kunsthalle in the spring of 1939. Instead of simply giving recognition to Cederström’s work, he constantly refers to her gender and the competition between the sexes in the art field. In general, the 1930s texts on art have a tendency to emphasise the gender of female artists.[3] Gender affected the expectations placed on artists, and there were certain prejudices among critics and art institutions against female artists.[4] Women were artists and studied art,[5] but they did not have the same starting point for their careers as their male colleagues. Only a few women had influential positions in Finland.[6]
My original interest in Eva Cederström’s early career was caught by a desire to understand how it was to start a career as a female artist in a time like this. As I familiarised myself with earlier research and previously unstudied archive material, it became increasingly clear that it was hard to answer this question since the details on Cederström’s early career were so vague. Unlike the art critics, Cederström herself seemed to perceive gender as a minor part of her identity as an artist. Examining Cederström’s career development only from a gendered perspective seemed problematic, as it was affected by several factors. Conducting further biographical research therefore became the principal focus of this article. Then, based on this research, I also draw conclusions as to how gender played its part.
[1] Quotation in the title of the article: ‘Voisin antaa kaikki saadakseni yksin maalaukselle elää.’ Eva Cederström’s diary 29 March 1938. Eva Cederström Archive (ECA). Archive Collections, Finnish National Gallery (FNG), Helsinki.
[2] ‘Och nu, på ny kula fram för en hyllning av målarinnorna! är det inte som tusan, att vi karlar också i denna sak få på tafsen av det täcka könet! […] [H]ögt smälla nu Eva Cederströms målningar i södra salen. N:r 39 ‘Junimorgon i ateljén’ är ett stycke verkligt måleri. Hon är ingen rädder karl, hon Eva. Hon samlar ej på komplex av bundhet, hon målar på rätt ut ur hjärtat. Och resultaten äro friska starka och vackra målningar.’ Hjalmar Hagelstam, ‘Finska konstnärerernas XLVII årsutställning’, Svenska Pressen 13 April 1939. All translations in this article are by the author.
[3] There is an ongoing discussion on the use of terminology concerning female artists in the field of art history. Researchers such as Griselda Pollock advocate the use of the term ‘artist woman’ as the term ‘female artist’ also holds historical, negative connotations. Using the term ‘female artist’ also unfairly puts a focus on the gender of female artists, whereas gender is seldom emphasised in the case of male artists. The term ‘female artists’ also implicitly states that women are not included in the term ‘artist’. In my study I will use the term ‘female artist’ as an operative term, as my study also investigates the ways of perceiving what it means to be a female artist in the 1930s and 1940s.
[4] Rakel Kallio has written about the prejudice of the art historians Onni Okkonen and Edvard Richter towards young female artists. Rakel Kallio, ‘Taidekritiikki ja sukupuoli-ideologia’ in Riitta Nikula (ed.), Nainen, taide, historia, Taidehistorian esitutkimus 1985–1986 (Helsinki: Taidehistoriallisia tutkimuksia 10, 1987), 240.
[5] The percentages of female art students in 1923–35 was approximately 40.5 per cent. The Finnish Art Society’s annual reports 1923–35. Helsinki: Suomen Taideyhdistys 1924–36.
[6] There were some women holding influential positions in the art field, such as museum curator Aune Lindström and art critics Sigrid Schauman and Signe Tandefelt. Kristina Linnovaara, Makt, konst, elit – konstfältets positioner, relationer och resurser i 1940- och 1950-talens Helsingfors (Helsingfors: Statens konstmuseum, 2008), 120–24.
Featured image: Eva Cederström, Self-portrait, 1937, oil on canvas, 65.5cm x 51cm. Lappeenranta Art Museum
Photo: Lappeenranta Art Museum / Tuomas Nokelainen
Read more — Download ‘”I could give up everything to live only for painting” ─ Eva Cederström’s Career and Artist Identity 1927–39’, by Sandra Lindblom, as a PDF
January 24, 2019 January 18, 2019 lagafi
The three research interns of the FNG research internship programme for 2019 have been appointed. The selections were made based on the applications and the following points were underlined:
The point of view of the archives and collections: priority was given to students whose applications were based on a concrete and defined part of the FNG collections and especially to previously unstudied and/or topical materials
Preparation of the working plan and the research questions related to the chosen collections material
The FNG research intern programme has two aims. The Finnish National Gallery wishes to enhance the study of its collections, including artworks, archives, and objects. At the same time we wish to support students who choose to write their master’s-level theses on subjects based on physical collections and objects, archive material and data.
The research interns of the Finnish National Gallery for 2019 are:
Emma Lilja, University of Helsinki
Artworks by Sami artists in the collection of the Finnish National Gallery / Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and archival material related to them, including interviews
Mariliis Rebane, University of Helsinki
Exhibitions at the Ateneum: changes in exhibition design (the shift from salon hanging to the white cube); photographs of exhibitions from 1890s onwards, Archive of the Finnish Art Society (minutes, exhibition lists), press cuttings collection and other related archival material
Eljas Suvanto, University of Helsinki
The donation of artworks made by the art collector and Master of Law with court training Arvid Sourander to the Fine Arts Academy of Finland (now the Finnish National Gallery), with a focus on the donation of over 30 artworks by the Finnish painter Fanny Churberg (1845–1892) in 1940: art collection of the Finnish National Gallery, Archives of the Fine Arts Academy of Finland and Professor Aune Lindström, press cuttings collection
The internship period is for three months. All of the interns will have their own in-house tutors to support them with studying their chosen material.
The call for research interns for 2020 will be launched in autumn 2019. We hope again to receive applications from art and cultural history students interested in our collections, who are from different universities in Finland, but also those from other countries.
For more information about the FNG’s research internship programme: fngr@nationalgallery.fi
Riitta Ojanperä, PhD, Director, Collections Management, Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki
Also published in Anu Utriainen (ed.), Urban Encounters. Finnish Art in the Twentieth Century. Ateneum Publications Vol. 105. Helsinki: Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum 2018, 10–30. Transl. Mike Garner
Without the concepts of modernity, modernism and modernisation, it would be hard to talk about the arts of the 20th century and about their relationship with the reality of their own time. Modernisation, as a societal and social phenomenon from the first decades of the 19th century onwards, meant rapid technological development, industrialisation and urbanisation. As the means of livelihood and the norms regulating communities changed, individual people’s lives and living environments changed, too. Art also changed and particularly rapidly in the early years of the 20th century, when the old societal structures of western countries with monarchies were creaking at the seams.[1]
From the 19th century onwards one of the major ideological and political shifts in European modernisation was the strengthening of the ideal of the nation and the founding of nation states. Technological development went hand in hand with innovations in the sciences and created the potential for unprecedented economic growth. The spiritual and practical ascendancy of ecclesiastical institutions was called into question and rational information offered itself as a basis for modern world views. Individuals appeared to have a new potential to shape their own lives and surroundings through education and new channels of social influence. The option of calling into question and breaking down trade, class and gender boundaries that predetermined people’s lives, if and when they were experienced as a threat to self-determination, has contributed to the modern conception of what it is to be human.
[1] See Hobsbawm, Eric. Äärimmäisyyksien aika. Lyhyt 1900-luku (1914–1991). Tampere: Osuuskunta Vastapaino 1999 [original English The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century, 1914–1991, 1994]. In his brief history of the 20th century Hobsbawm ties the modern and especially the history of avant-garde art into being a fixed part of the century’s historical development.
Featured image: Gösta Diehl, Bombed Village, 1950, oil on canvas, 190cm x 260cm Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum
Photo: Finnish National Gallery / Janne Tuominen
Read more — Download ‘Encounters between Art, Humanity and the Modern’, by Riitta Ojanperä, as a PDF
Anu Utriainen, MA, Senior Researcher, Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki
Also published in Anu Utriainen (ed.), Urban Encounters. Finnish Art in the Twentieth Century. Ateneum Publications Vol. 105. Helsinki: Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum 2018, 138–66. Transl. Don McCracken
The nude body has appeared in visual art and culture in myriad ways and styles; it has been interpreted from different starting points throughout history and imbued with various meanings. The nude has reflected transitions, both within the arts and in broader historical, political and social contexts, and it reveals changes in the concepts of beauty, morality, and attitudes towards gender. As an art object, the nude exposes the model’s surface and depth: especially in the modern age, the nude is an image of both the human form and the psyche.
It is worth asking why and for whom the nude image has been created, and in what context it should be viewed and interpreted. The classic male nude is presented in Western art as a heroic, universal subject, or a mythological deity.[1] The body of a naked man has also been perceived as a sensuous object, but it is not automatically regarded as an object of sexual desire, despite its virility and masculinity. A traditional male nude was portrayed as self-motivated, actively shaping his own world, while women found themselves subject to a demeaning erotic gaze, stripped not only of clothing, but also of their power and autonomy. Masculinity symbolises both vitality and a well-developed mental and intellectual capacity. In contrast to his female counterpart, the male nude embodies a potent mix of power, control and agency, and the gaze appears to be directed outwards from the work of art towards the spectator, rather than the other way around.[2]
[1] See Natter, Tobias G. & Leopold, Elisabeth (eds). Nude Men: From 1800 to the Present Day. Exhibition catalogue, Leopold Museum, Vienna 19.10.2012–28.1.2013. Munich: Hirmer 2012.
[2] E.g. Solomon-Godeau, Abigail. Male Trouble: A Crisis in Representation. London: Thames & Hudson 1997, 33–35. In Finland, Marja-Terttu Kivirinta has addressed Modernism and modernisation in her dissertation, e.g. through the concept of biopower, cf. Kivirinta. Vieraita vaikutteita karsimassa. Helene Schjerfbeck ja Juho Rissanen. Sukupuoli, luokka ja Suomen taiteen rakentuminen 1910–20-luvulla. Helsinki: University of Helsinki 2014.
Featured image: Helena Pylkkänen, Masculine / Recumbent Torso, 1986–87, bronze, 68cm x 42cm x 36cm. Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum
Photo: Finnish National Gallery / Hannu Aaltonen
Read more — Download ‘The Nude Stripped of Dignity’, by Anu Utriainen, as a PDF
Interview by Gill Crabbe, FNG Research
As a new book on Akseli Gallen-Kallela is published, its author Dr. Marja Lahelma, describes the challenges of finding fresh interpretations of an artist who earned his reputation as a national hero in his home country
When Marja Lahelma’s book on Hugo Simberg was published last year as part of the Artists of the Ateneum series, it enjoyed such a positive reception that she was asked by the then Director of Ateneum Art Museum Susanna Petterson to write another book – this time on the great national hero of Finland’s Golden Age painters, Akseli Gallen-Kallela. This series of books initiated by the Finnish National Gallery aims to shed new light on the classics of Finnish art. For Lahelma, researching this second book presented different kinds of challenges to the one she wrote on Simberg.
The first challenge was a practical one: whereas with Simberg she had been able to comb through almost all of the material available relating to him during her research period, with Gallen-Kallela there was an overwhelming wealth of source material, and she had just eight months to produce her manuscript. This time frame meant that Lahelma would need to be selective with the materials she used and that selection process would need to be driven by a strong thematic approach.
The second challenge – and by far the greater of the two – was for Lahelma to find a way to look beyond the prevailing views and interpretations of an artist who, in terms of Finnish culture, achieved an iconic status, not only within Finnish art history but within Finnish society as a whole. Here was a man, credited as a national hero, whose art was a touchstone of Finland’s quest for its independent nationhood through the depiction of a national landscape and through an exploration of the mythic dimension of Finnishness in his narrative paintings of the epic poem The Kalevala. A man whose funeral in 1931 was attended by the great and the good of the country, and where ‘vast crowds lined the streets of Helsinki to pay their respects to an artist whose work had become the shared heritage of the entire Finnish nation’.[1]
[1] Susanna Pettersson, ‘Vision, Curiosity, and Thirst for Adventure (Introduction).’ In Artists of the Ateneum: Akseli Gallen-Kallela, by Marja Lahelma. Ateneum Publications Vol. 110. Helsinki: Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum, 2018, 6.
Featured image: Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Lemminkäinen’s Mother, 1897, tempera on canvas, 85.5cm x 108.5 cm. Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum
Photo: Finnish National Gallery / Pirje Mykkänen
Read more — Download the interview as a PDF
Download the Full Interview as a PDF >>
September 28, 2018 September 27, 2018 Admin
Maija Grönqvist, MA student, University of Helsinki
This article is published as a result of a three-month research internship at the Finnish National Gallery
How to preserve process, context, and instability? Software-based art requires a certain amount of institutional rethinking in terms of collecting and preservation. Museums, entrusted with the task of preserving and re-exhibiting their collected artworks even in the most distant future, are battling with a new set of problems related to software-based art. The underlying challenge is that the artworks – often manifested as everything but objects – are created on technologically evolving platforms. As a result, theoretical models and practical strategies linked to software-based artworks are inevitably bound to change.[1]
Preserving software-based artworks is challenging yet vital, as they not only represent the artists’ ideas and concepts, but also the technological possibilities and the complex communication landscape of our time.[2] Long before the official recognition of the digital revolution, artists were already experimenting with the novel possibilities of new media. The first wave of digital art was exhibited mainly at technology conferences or digital media festivals. Towards the end of the last century, however, new media art, the art form that used to be considered ‘peripheral to the mainstream art world’[3], became an established genre and finally a welcome addition to galleries and museums. This expansion occurred globally in the 1990s, following the unforeseen affordability and user-friendliness of projectors and personal computers.[4]
[1] Paul 2015, 87; Fino-Radin 2011, 6.
[2] LIMA 2016.
[3] Paul 2003, 7.
[4] Paul 2003, 7; London 2014, xviii; Lialina 2010, 38–39.
Featured image: Reija Meriläinen, Survivor, 2017, video game
Finnish National Gallery / Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma
Screen capture of the online artwork
Read more — Download ‘Data Salvage – Preserving Software-based Artworks in the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma’, by Maija Grönqvist, as a PDF
As the Finnish National Gallery prepares to launch a new integrated website for its collections, artworks, objects and archival material, Gill Crabbe asks the key people behind the project about the implications for researchers and other users
The days when an art historian’s first port of call in accessing an art museum’s materials would be to walk through its doors and spend hours leafing through indexes, letters and artefacts, are fast disappearing. In today’s globalised, digitised world, the research community expects rapid accessibility, through interactive channels, both online and via social media. In fact one might even posit the question to the art research community, does an object exist if it is not available online? For institutions like art museums these issues present a huge challenge, simply because the vast volume of objects and related material they hold in their archives and collections means that a gargantuan effort is involved in transforming even a selected part of it into digital material.
The Finnish National Gallery’s recent release of more than 12,000 images of copyright-free artworks into the public domain as open-data has not only opened up the dissemination of its art collections internationally but also goes hand in hand with a much larger development of its entire collections management system that will see all of the collections – artworks, objects and archive collections – brought into a single database for the first time. This new updated database will feed into the FNG’s new collections online web pages to be launched next year. At present there are several ways to access various parts of the FNG collections and improving their online availability is a pivotal way to enhance research related to them.
Featured image: Artworks need metadata to support research into them. Nineteenth and 20th-century plaster portraits from the Finnish National Gallery Collections displayed in the exhibition ‘I am not I – Famous and Forgotten Portraits’ at the Sinebrychoff Art Museum, Helsinki, in 2017
Photo: Finnish National Gallery / Riitta Ojanperä
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/ Brief History
The Schuldorf-Bergstraße and the State International School
In 1949 Kenneth A. Batemann submitted a plan for the Schuldorf to Georg Wink who was the District councillor at that time. Batemann was the cultural and educational advisor of the highest US occupation forces. The set-up of a school village like the Schuldorf Bergstraße was meant to put an end to the notorious lack of room at schools in rural areas such as Seeheim, Jugenheim, Alsbach, Bickenbach and Balkhausen. Another reason was to bring all the different school branches together on one campus in order to create links within all the different members of the community.
In 1952 the foundations of the Schuldorf Bergstraße were laid and 2 years later official lessons started at kindergarden, boarding school, primary school, special school, middle school, secondary modern school and grammar school. It should be mentioned at this point that the Schuldorf Bergstraße is the oldest Comprehensive School in Germany.
In 2000 the Schuldorf was given Europaschule status by the new Federal State Government of Hessen. At present almost 2000 pupils attend the Schuldorf. Pupils do not only come from Seeheim-Jugenheim, but also from all the other surrounding villages. Due to its unique architecture some parts of the Schuldorf are protected under the listed buildings act.
In 2003 the International preschool opened its doors at the Schuldorf Campus - the first step towards creating an international section within the school.
In 2005 the construction of a new school building for the primary school was started as a project and already in summer about 50 children from 12 nations started their education there. In 2006 the school celebrated the inauguration of the newly built international preschool next to the primary school building.
The Local Authority of Darmstadt-Dieburg is in charge of the school, the HKM (local ministry of education) in Wiesbaden is responsible for the employment of teachers.
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2011's 10 Biggest Moments in Science
by Robert Lamb
Mind-reading Tech Reconstructs Videos From Brain Images
Comic book telepath Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) gets all up in your mind with his psychic powers. Is this no longer fantasy?
Murray Close/Getty Images
What if someone could peek inside your mind and see what you're thinking? We've all thought about it before: the wonders of telepathic communication and the horrors of watching the last bastion of human privacy being eroded. Neuroscientists have forecast the realization of this dream/nightmare for decades, and now we're closer than ever to breaching the fortress of the human mind.
On Sept. 22, 2011, the journal "Current Biology" published a University of California, Berkeley, study in which scientists analyzed brain activity to gain a blurry but accurate insight into the human visual experience. They showed test subjects YouTube clips as they scanned the subjects' brains with a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine. These devices measure the flow of blood in the brain, which corresponds with neural activity. The scientists were able to take the resulting fMRI data, decode it in a computer model and assemble a visual interpretation of the random movies the subjects next watched.
The researchers hope to use this development to improve our understanding of how the brain works, as well as the link between reality and the mind.
Explore the links below to learn even more about what happened in 2011.
2011’s Smartest Moments in Pop Culture
2011 in Review: Test Your Memory
Quiz: Are you a true nerd?
10 Biggest Gadgets of 2011
2011 in Pictures
More Great Links
Boyle, Alan. "NASA revises its spaceship plans." MSNBC. Dec. 15, 2011. (Dec. 16, 2011) http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/15/9471717-nasa-revises-its-spaceship-plans
Boyle, Rebecca. "Researchers Succeed in Quantum Teleportation of Light Waves." Popular Science. April 15, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-04/quantum-teleportation-breakthrough-could-lead-instantanous-computing
Cyranoski, David. "Cloned human embryo makes working stem cells." Nature. Oct. 5, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111005/full/news.2011.578.html
Danigelis, Alyssa. "Now Showing: Movie Clips From Your Mind." Discovery News. Sept 22, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://news.discovery.com/tech/mind-reading-movie-clips-110922.html
Darma, Stanley. "World's First Artificial Trachea Transplant Patient Gets Successor." MedGadget. Nov. 30, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://medgadget.com/2011/11/world%E2%80%99s-first-artificial-trachea-transplant-patient-gets-successor.html
European Space Agency (ESA). "Mars 500." (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars500/
Gallagher, James."Human 'cloning' makes embryonic stem cells." BBC News. Oct. 5, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15181015
Halverson, Nic. "Petri Dish Brain Has 'Short-term Memory.'" Discovery News. Jun. 2, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://news.discovery.com/tech/petri-dish-brain-has-short-term-memory-110602.html
Holm, Karl. "Scientists Teleport Light." Discovery News. April 18, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://news.discovery.com/tech/teleport-light-experiment-110418.html
"Into the Universe With Stephen Hawking." Discovery Channel. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/stephen-hawking/
Johnson, Michele and Trent J. Perrotto. "NASA's Kepler Confirms Its First Planet in Habitable Zone of Sun-like Star." NASA. Dec. 5, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2011/11-99AR.html
Knox, Richard. "Cancer Patient Gets First Totally Artificial Windpipe." NPR. July 20, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/07/20/137701848/cancer-patient-gets-first-totally-artificial-windpipe
Markoff, John. "Computer Wins on 'Jeopardy!': Trivial, It's Not." The New York Times. Feb 16, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/science/17jeopardy-watson.html?pagewanted=all
Mulroy, James. "Mars500 Crew 'Lands' After 520-Day Simulated Mission To Mars." PC World. Nov. 4, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.pcworld.com/article/243244/mars500_crew_lands_after_520day_simulated_mission_to_mars.html
Palmer, Jason. "Faster-than-light neutrino result queried." BBC News. Nov. 21, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15830844
Polo, Susan. "Your Prescribed Dose of Neil DeGrasse Tyson." May 1, 2010. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.geekosystem.com/neil-degrasse-tyson-hostile-aliens/
Reuters. "Particles recorded moving faster than light - CERN." Sept. 22, 2011. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/22/science-light-idUSL5E7KM3UU20110922
A startup is touting the anti-aging effects of transfusing teenagers' blood in older people. Stuff They Don't Want You To Know investigates.
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Home » 1. Sci-Fi » The Majority Rule or The State Rule?
The Majority Rule or The State Rule?
April 27, 2019 April 27, 2019 1. Sci-Fi, 8. General Topics
Majority Rule is the title of the 7th episode of the first season of the American Sci-Fi TV Show “The Orville”. It also refers to the principle that the greater number should exercise greater power. Majority rule is often considered to be a pillar of democratic decision making.
The majority rule episode of The Orville presented a simple voting system of like and dislike that we are most familiar with through social media. Every member in society has the right to vote on other members’ behaviors. The members with most likes become very popular and are awarded rewards. Those with the most dislikes are judged, sentenced to jail and the most disliked person may even get a behavior adjustment procedure.
At first instance, I thought the episode reflected the obsession of social media to get likes but its more than that, about social justice. It also reflected what a society can become if it applies such methods but what if instead of the society voting, you had the government determine your score? In al honesty, I believed it to be just science-fiction but I was wrong. If you don’t know already China is implementing a Social Credit system or a behavior rating system where citizens can be rewarded or punished according to their scores. The government or the state determines the scores, not society.
While the government hasn’t made the specific methodology used to calculate scores public, one’s ranking can fall for both major and minor infractions. Serious violations include drunk-driving, embezzlement, and fraud. Much smaller violations that result in a lowered score include playing too many video games; spreading “fake news,” especially related to terrorist attacks, or refusing military service, will also lower one’s score. Sometimes people are declared “dishonest” for committing infractions the government doesn’t believe they’re truly sorry for.
The well-behaved citizens obtain rewards, and the less well behaved get reprimanded and benefits and opportunities are taken away. For example, a citizen with a low score is not allowed to travel by plane or train but is able to improve the score by donating money to the government and perform community service. Within the rating system, surveillance also plays a role in determining whether or not something happened. There are cameras everywhere documenting the happening through the day. The facial recognition software effectively identifies any trouble maker.
This system promotes well behavior which is good, but it also promotes conformity. We are not perfect, and the way we grow is by learning and adjust. Critics help us grow. The concept of constructive criticism is almost non-existent but it’s still needed. Criticism of the government is considered bad behavior. Think about government services that don’t work as they should. Criticizing them will give you a low score. It is a very difficult situation. If a government official is not doing the job, how do you report it then?
Activist are getting grounded by this system which is not ideal. There is always something that is not going as it should, and the activists are the first group to say something. By making it harder for them to work, it seems that it’s making it easier for people in power, who don’t have the people of the country at heart, to continue doing what they want.
This method gives the government a way to monitor its citizens, but China is not the only country doing this. Even though it may seem so in the mainstream media. The U.K. and the U.S. use surveillance cameras, Sweden uses a microchip implant and even the U.S. is planning for a satellite that will locate everyone around the world, project EarthNow. It all comes down to state control and power. That would be ideal in a world where the government works for the benefit of the people and respect the privacy of its citizens but we don’t live in that world. Governments work for their self-interest in favor of their donors, corporations and the establishment.
We need to be more critical of the people we vote to represent us and our interests and privacy are one of those interests. Be more critical of where they are getting their financing because that will matter when they get elected. They will serve those who financially helped them get there.
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/11/2/18057450/china-social-credit-score-spend-frivolously-video-games
Majority Rule, Privacy, Social Behavior, Social Credit System, Surveillance1. Sci-Fi, 8. General Topics
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Affordable Colleges in Austin
The Most Affordable Colleges in Austin TX
Cost is one of the most important considerations when deciding between colleges in Austin TX. To help you narrow down the options, we have assembled this list of the most affordable schools and colleges based on tuition, fees, and opportunities to receive financial aid.
1. University of Texas at Austin
One of the largest colleges in the country, the University of Texas at Austin is also one of the least expensive. In-state tuition is $9,798, and books and supplies cost around $750 per year. To lower expenses, the school can help you find scholarships, grants, work-study programs, exemptions, and waivers.
2. University of Phoenix in Austin, Texas
Students from Texas can expect to pay $10,417 for tuition and $760 for other fees at the University of Phoenix in Austin, Texas. When living with parents, this comes to a total of $11,177 per year. You can take advantage of a number of financial aid programs, including the Cash Plan, the Tuition Deferral Plan, the Third-Party Billing Plan, military or government billing plans, tribal funding, and the Federal Financial Aid Plan.
3. Southern Careers Institute
Southern Careers Institute offers programs costing between $13,400 and $18,950, including both tuition and other fees. To make studying yet more affordable, students can receive grants and scholarships through the school and through external organizations. The school also offers benefit assistance to veterans and dependents of military personnel.
4. Huston-Tillotson University
In-state tuition at Huston-Tilloston University is $14,346, books and supplies cost around $1,040, and other fees are about $2,034 per year. The college offers financial aid in the form of scholarships and grants and provides educational benefits for veterans working toward a degree, including traditional VA Benefits and new GI Benefits. The least expensive option for you will depend on many factors, including your financial situation, academics, and eligibility for particular programs, scholarships, and benefits. To gain a clearer idea of how much you can expect to pay, talk to financial aid officers at these colleges in Austin TX and discuss your options.
5. National American University — Austin
If you attend the National American University — Austin, you can expect to pay $12,456 for in-state tuition, $1,350 for books and supplies, and $435 for other fees. On average, students pay around 40 percent of their expenses using Federal loans; however, grants, work-study programs, scholarships (including Organizational Scholarships and NAU Scholarships), and tuition assistance (such as Company Tuition Assistance and Military Education Benefits) are also available.
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Warner loses extradition appeal
Former government minister, Jack Warner, has lost his appeal over the dismissal of his lawsuit challenging the United States (US) extradition request for him.
Three judges of the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of Justice James Aboud to dismiss his judicial review lawsuit in September, 2017.
Their decision does not mean that Warner’s extradition proceedings will finally commence before Chief Magistrate Maria Busby-Earle-Caddle as the judges granted a stay pending the filing of Warner’s appeal to the Privy Council.
Warner is challenging the procedure adopted by the Office of the Attorney General (AG) in signing off on the US’s request for his extradition, made in May 2015.
Warner is alleging that this country’s extradition treaty with the US contradicts the Extradition (Commonwealth and Foreign Territories) Act. They were claiming that, in passing the act, Parliament afforded citizens certain protections which are ignored by the international treaty.
In his 50-page judgement, Aboud agreed that there were minor inconsistencies between the treaty and legislation, but said Warner’s concerns were exaggerated and speculative.
Aboud also noted that Warner’s rights would be protected during the eventual extradition proceedings before Busby-Earle-Caddle as she would have to apply local laws to the charges against Warner alleged in the US extradition request.
Warner was also complaining that AG Faris Al-Rawi failed to give his attorneys a fair opportunity to make representations to him before he signed off on the Authority to Proceed, which was required to kick off the proceedings in the magistrates’ court.
Aboud ruled that Warner did not have a right to be consulted.
Warner, 73, a former FIFA vice-president, is accused of 12 charges related to fraud, racketeering and engaging in illegal wire transfers.
The offences are alleged to have taken place in the United States, T&T and other jurisdictions between 1990 and June 2011 when Warner quit FIFA.
He is one of several senior executives of world football’s governing body who were indicted on a series of charges after an investigation into corruption in football, conducted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice.
Several, including his two sons Daryll and Daryan, have pleaded guilty to the charges and are serving sentences in the US. (www.guardian.co.tt)
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Why the Desktop Will Never Die
pam baker / 22 Sep 2011 / Web
The current cries heralding the death of desktops and the rise of the Post-PC Era ring hollow to anyone of the Video Killed the Radio Star MTV age. If history has taught us anything, it’s that devices with a common purpose seldom destroy one another. It is the changes in computing processes that kills devices.
Take for example the claims that radio would kill newspapers and TV would kill radio. It didn’t happen. Why? Because each of these devices served a common purpose and although the mode changed, the process did not. Then along came the Internet to disrupt the process – in terms of dissemination and access. Sure, the Internet spawned new devices too but these were attuned to the same Internet-based process and thus it is the process and not the advent of these new devices that will kill the Big Three – newspapers, TV and radio.
But, these new Internet-based devices will not kill the desktop because the desktop is based on the same process. It belongs to the Web-ilk, that is, to the Internet of Things.
And so the desktop will live on in one form or another as long as the process, i.e. the Internet as we know it, does. Perhaps not this desktop, though (the Data General One):
But what possible advantage can process have over utility, one might ask? To which I would say, that is the wrong question. Utility is served by process too. For example, the radio was once a fixed object in the home. Later it became portable and even found a way to roam about in cars. It wasn’t its form or its mobility that fully addressed its utility. Form and mobility merely augmented its usefulness. But its utility remained the same. This is true right up to satellite radio today. Access improved, but utility remained the same.
Pam Baker has written hundreds of articles in leading technology, business and finance publications. She has also authored several analytical studies on technology, eight books and an award-winning documentary on paper-making. She is a member of the National Press Club (NPC), Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and the Internet Press Guild (IPG). She can be reached at bakercom1@gmail.com and on Twitter at @bakercom1.
However, a change in process came about through the iPod and iTunes, Internet radio and MP3-capable phones. The change in the process was that music was no longer a one-way stream of sound. Now music can be selected from a variety of sources, played on demand, stored in various ways, owned or rented, commercial free or ad endowed and shuttled between devices. In other words, the listener commands the what, where and how of music enjoyment rather than passively receiving the music from a disc jockey’s predetermined playlist.
With the new process comes a new utility. Once again, the new devices that are now slowly killing traditional radio are doing so because of their process and not because of their utility or newness to the scene.
The same holds true with the desktop – the much maligned CPU with monitor, keyboard and mouse configuration literally sprawled on desktops everywhere. Its utility has not changed and neither has its process .
The situation is similar to that of the QWERTY keyboard which is still around today because the process of data entry has remained unchanged despite the onslaught of new devices and Web advancements. In much the same way, the process behind desktop use remains static.
The desktop provides the muscle needed to handle large amounts of local data in the current computing process model. It is superior to all other Internet-based devices in offline data retrieval and use. There will always be people who want to keep their information on a CPU and out of reach of Dropbox- and Wikileak-style fiascos and warrantless government searches.
There will always be nerds and geeks who want to code in private and thus
want CPUs that can work offline. They will keep machines at the ready to test everything from hacking tools to new software, both online and off. They will have a pile of CPUs at their feet and a spread of monitors on their desks as long as life breathes
within man and machine.
There will be scientists with new discoveries, governments with secrets, and corporations with profits to protect who will always guard against leaks and spies by keeping information on-premise.
And this is why the desktop will never die. At least not until the the Internet as we know it dies and a new computing process takes its place.
Photo @ Creative Commons by kerplunk kerplunk
#Desktop Virtualization
#solution-series
pam baker
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You are here: Home / Featured News / The robot revolution is coming to real estate
The robot revolution is coming to real estate
March 5, 2018 by Mike Wheatley
A wave of startups are focused on building robots that could reimagine the way real estate is rented out or sold. Nowadays, we’ve already seen innovations such as robot real estate agents, robotic architects and also “bots” that can create videos of homes, thereby freeing up agents to focus more on their clients.
Android is working with touchscreen
According to the Wall Street Journal, robots are entering the real estate space in several ways. One recent example is a company called Zenplace, which has introduced so-called robot guides to help show some potential buyers around its listings.
A second example comes from a brokerage called REX in Woodland Hills, California, which is using robots inside seller’s homes to answer questions about those properties, and also to collect data from those who come to tour the home. “Basically, there are 75 questions you have about a home, we found that out,” said REX CEO Jack Ryan in an interview. “And there is a hundred ways to ask those 75 questions and we have trained our robots to answer all those questions so no one has to follow you around and say this home is 2500 square feet,” Ryan added.
Another example is a company called VirtualAPT, which recently launched a robot that’s able to create 3D virtual property tour videos without human input.
Not surprisingly, all three companies have seen widespread and growing interest in their innovations. For example, VirtualAPT told the Journal that it’s expecting to create 10,000 of residential units within the next 12 months. Zenplace wants to introduce its robots to other markets beside California, and is eying New York, Texas, Washington and Florida as possible states for expansion. As for REX, it recently landed a tasty $15 million funding round that it plans to use to expand into cities such as Austin, Dallas, Denver and San Francisco later this year.
It seems there’s no stopping the robot real estate revolution, but agents who see them as a threat to their own jobs need not be concerned, said one expert.
“I believe that agents are critical to transactions and always will be,” said Robert Reffkin, chief executive of Compass, a real estate brokerage in New York.
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Poker For Chess Players
by Kat Martin
I would suggest that the use of the word “opening” in chess and poker is more than a semantic coincidence. In both instances a solid opening sets up later advantage.
Many successful chess players have transitioned to poker, either as a relaxing sideline or as a major source of income. Alexander Grischuk and Peter Svidler have peak world chess rankings of third and fourth respectively, the former having competed in the WSOP on multiple occasions and the latter being a devotee of cash games. WGM Jennifer Shahade has live poker tournament winnings in excess of $300k to go along with two US Women’s Chess Championships. Poker authors are also well represented in the ranks of chess players and include Dan Harrington and Bob Ciaffone, the latter having written about both games.
In this article I’ll address the similarities and differences between these two games, and suggest why so many chess players have transitioned to poker, or at least added the game to their repertoire as an enjoyable hobby.
Beyond the fact that chess is played with chess pieces and poker with cards, the most obvious difference between them is the amount of information available to the players. Much of poker strategy is driven by the fact that you don’t know your opponents’ holdings. Contrast this to chess where the position of every piece is plainly visible on the board.
At first sight it might appear such a significant difference would make poker unappealing to the dedicated chess player, but I’d like to suggest that there is some commonality.
When you sit down at a chess board as White and play 1.e4, you have, at least to some extent, controlled the lines down which the game may proceed. But your opponent has a vast array of moves that, until they are played, remain unknown. She may choose to play symmetrically with 1…e5, go into a Sicilian with 1…c5, a French with 1…e6 and so on. In fact, after a mere three moves by each side, the chess board can take on 121 million different configurations! And while it is true that certain opening lines are played repeatedly, it has been estimated that the number of possible games of chess exceeds by many orders of magnitude the number of atoms in the universe.
Poker has its big numbers too. The next time the dealer pulls the shuffled deck out of the shuffler, consider this: the order of the cards in the deck has almost certainly never occurred before in a game of poker. That’s because there are 52-factorial (52x51x50x…) ways of arranging a deck of cards which is about 8 with 67 zeroes after it.
It’s certainly the case that the differences in available information of the two games is important, but it’s also evident that great depth and complexity are elements that both games share.
Bluffing
The partial information nature of poker is precisely what gives the game one of its defining features: the ability to bluff. Surely this is completely absent from chess and not something I’m going to be able to finesse with somewhat tangential arguments?
Yes and no. Despite playing chess for decades, I never thought the idea of a bluff really fit the game until I heard multiple chess commentators on YouTube using the term. The analogy isn’t perfect, but there are situations in which a player will make a move they assess as potentially inferior, but which adds enough confusion to the position that it might force their opponent into a mistake.
This is particularly effective in short time controls or in any situation in which one’s opponent is in time pressure. And the fact that the top players carry out deep computer analyses of openings makes this bluff more effective. On seeing a novelty played quickly by a grandmaster, it is natural to assume one is walking into a nasty trap, whereas in fact the move is nothing more than a “bluff.”
More broadly, this illustrates the psychological element of chess, and the fact that it isn’t a battle of moves, it is a battle of minds. Mikhail Tal, known as “The Magician From Riga” was famous for his intimidating sacrifices, and had such an aura of invincibility about him it was said by Ragozin that: “Tal doesn’t move the pieces by hand, he uses a magic wand.” This may sound rather hyperbolic, but is also reminiscent of what some high-profile poker players say… well, of themselves. “That’s white magic, baby!”
Strategy, Tactics and Plans
These three related areas strike me as common to both games. Indeed the ability to appreciate and employ all three elements is probably what differentiates skilled players from patzers/fish. Let me illustrate this first with concepts from chess and then draw the poker analogies.
Chess has been around a few centuries longer than poker and as a result has a far greater canon of theory. When watching a couple of top chess players slugging it out in the opening, it may be the case that both are walking down well-traveled theoretical paths for twenty or more moves. But the reason such long opening lines are played at all is because they have been analyzed deeply and have been determined to be strategically sound.
As one transitions from the opening to the middle game, its important to have a plan. A frequently quoted chess aphorism is that it’s better to have a bad plan than no plan at all. Often the plan will be dictated by the opening. The Queen’s Gambit Declined, for example, will often lead to White carrying out a queen-side minority attack, whereas many hypermodern openings will see Black first allow White to build a pawn center, then enter the middle game with the plan of destroying it.
Tactics in chess tend to flow from strategically sound plans. Let’s suppose the player with the White pieces has come out of the opening with a harmonious arrangement of pieces; that is, there are no loose pieces and all are working together in some strategically thematic way.
If Black’s pieces lack adequate protection, it is almost guaranteed that any tactics will favor White. One simple example of this is a double attack. If Black’s pieces are unprotected and White can make a move that attacks two at once, perhaps via a fork, in many instances Black is destined to lose a piece. Thus White wins a piece through a tactical play, but the play was set up by sounder strategy.
I enjoy reading chess books and it’s often discussions of this strategical-tactical interface that makes me think of poker. Talk of harmonious pieces always reminds me of the importance in Omaha variants of having all four cards working together. And both chess and poker training material hammer home the importance of having a plan. Moreover, in both games I believe winning tactics stem from sound strategy.
In poker, the bedrock of our strategic plan is simply which hands we choose to play at all, or in modern parlance our opening range. I would suggest that the use of the word “opening” in chess and poker is more than a semantic coincidence. In both instances a solid opening sets up later advantage.
Consider the common poker situation when an opponent calls the big blind preflop, we raise them on the button, and they call our raise. We have set up a postflop situation in which they always have to act before us. This in itself is hugely profitable. In addition, our preflop raise suggests we can have the strongest hands, while their more passive play implies they cannot. The net result of this is that we will usually win this pot by the simple tactic of betting at some point, irrespective of whether we actually have a strong hand.
Luck And Profit
The continued existence of legal cases debating whether poker is a game of luck or skill is a thorn in the side of all serious poker players, not least because historically the idea that poker is nothing more than a game of chance has impeded efforts to get the game more widely legalized. There is, of course, an element of luck in poker, in a hand or a session, or even a professional career. But in the long run, poker rewards skill.
Luck in chess is limited to an opponent missing a winning move, or at higher levels of play, choosing an opening variation for which our opponent is unprepared. In fact it’s precisely because chess contains less luck than poker that many chess players have taken up poker.
Suppose we pitted a chess grandmaster against a strong club player. If you want to quantify it, let’s assume the combatants have Elos of 2700 and 1800, respectively. We let the players complete one hundred games. The most likely result is that the club player may manage a handful of draws, but will not take a single win off the grandmaster.
Switch to poker. We place a world-class player in a full ring game with eight other $2/$5 grinders. The players engage in one hundred four-hour sessions. It would be surprising if the world-class player showed a profit in more than two thirds of these sessions.
Now you may argue that this analogy fails because chess is played heads-up and poker usually isn’t. But even if our world-class player competed against a winning $2/$5 regular in a heads-up cash game, I’d still expect the weaker player to book around 20% winning sessions. Over a few hundred hands the card distribution can wipe out a huge skill edge at that sort of frequency.
According to FIDE and the WPT, 600 million people play chess worldwide while 100 million play poker. And yet there are far more professional poker players than professional chess players. Why is this?
The simple answer is “luck.” Playing a game in which you nearly always lose simply isn’t a lot of fun. It’s far less fun if you’re playing the game for money. The beauty of poker, for both the recreational players and the pros, is that losing players win enough sessions to make the game entertaining and to keep them coming back.
So if you’re a chess IM trying to hustle a few bucks playing in a park or a cafe, that’s admirable, but I can assure there is an easier way to support yourself. Play poker.
Poker For Chess Players2018-11-052018-10-19https://redchippoker.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/rcp-logo-co.pngRed Chip Pokerhttps://redchippoker.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/kat_poker_4_chess.png200px200px
Kat Martin
Kat Martin is a full-time poker player and part-time poker coach and humorist. He first played poker at the age of twelve during a particularly rainy period in his hometown of London. His trajectory since has been westward, passing through home games in Baltimore and Toronto and the riverboat casinos of Missouri. He now lives in Las Vegas with Scooby the cat, Sophie the emergency back-up cat, and Fenella the bass guitar.
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Home Anti-Semitism
Historians demand evidence; anti-Israel lobby fails
As students head back into another year of study, it is worth re-visiting the issue of academic freedom. We have previously written about this in the New Zealand context, and the need for discussion and debate over the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The restriction of free speech within the halls of academia is of great concern and is something that ought to be challenged. So too, is the hijacking of academic organisations and stifling of debate by politically-motivated activists on campus. In light of these concerns, it is heartening indeed to see the American Historical Association (AHA) rejecting a resolution condemning Israel due to a lack of evidence, misleading statements, and a clear political bias.
As part of the broader BDS movement, a group called Historians Against War attempted for the second time to present a resolution to the AHA, purportedly to ‘Protect the Right to Education in the Occupied Palestinian Territories’. The resolution condemned Israel and called on the AHA “to monitor Israeli actions that restrict the right to education in the Occupied Palestinian Territories”.
Another group, the Alliance for Academic Freedom presented a strong challenge to the resolution. The AAF are a group “… dedicated to combating academic boycotts and blacklists, defending freedom of expression and promoting empathy and civility in the debate over Israelis and Palestinians.”
Interestingly, the AAF self-identifies as a group of ‘liberals and progressives who have been critical, individually and collectively, of Israeli policies toward the Palestinian people and supportive of the national aspirations of both Palestinians and Jews’.
The primary basis of their opposition to the resolution was its lack of grounding in evidence.
…we reject the all-too-common binary approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict that seeks to justify one side or the other as all right or all wrong, and sets out to marshal evidence to prove a case of complete guilt or total exoneration. Scholarship and fairness require a more difficult and thoughtful approach. As academics we recognize the subjective perspectives of individuals and peoples, but strive to apply rigorous standards to research and analysis rather than to subsume academic discipline to political expediency.” Alliance for Academic Freedom
The American Historical Association held several scholarly panels over a four day period bringing historical context to the issue. After a considerable discussion and debate, the resolution put forward by Historians Against War was rejected by a significant margin; 111 to 51.
This outcome brings hope to rationally minded people on at least four counts:
Demand for Evidence
In the politicisation of the issue, facts become a casualty of ideology. Information that is filtered through an ideological construct or simple prejudice, frequently distorts, twists or subverts the evidence. Sloganeering passes for argument.According to Prof. Jeffrey Herf of the University of Maryland, who attended the meeting, ‘They (AHA) were not going to vote for a resolution like this that was making factual assertions that they couldn’t verify themselves’.
Rejection of an Unfair Standard
Oftentimes Israel is singled out to be treated differently from all other nations. The context and framework of the conflict is absent and the Jewish nation is held to a unique standard by anti-Israel groups.As one association member put it, ‘after some 40 minutes of debate…he still wanted to know why Israel alone was in the hot seat’.
Palestinian Agency Restored
Simply put, this is the idea that Palestinians can and do behave as actors in the conflict, rather than merely passive recipients of Israeli actions. Repeatedly, the blame (responsibility) for the conflict is laid entirely at the feet of Israel with little regard for the significant role the Palestinians play.This attitude is evident in the recent protest of academics from Victoria University, where the letter of complaint highlighted only the Israeli response to rocket fire and tunnels from Gaza. Ignoring the agency of Palestinians has also been called the ‘soft bigotry of low expectations’.Richard Golden, a professor of history at the University of North Texas called the resolution ‘condescending toward Palestinians in that it undermined their own role in their problems…If Canada was sending missiles over the U.S. border, he said, students at the University of Toronto might have issues entering the United States….’
Reasoned Debate
Finally, the outcome of this vote gives hope that it is still possible to have a rational debate about contentious issues. Although described as a ‘hot argument’, the discussion remained civil. Recently, it seems that academia has lost the ability to debate sensitive subjects in a reasonable way, resorting rather to shutting down free speech, whether it be Israeli soldiers, Palestinian activists, or feminists with whom some may disagree.Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz has commented on the fear that many students have of ideas that oppose their own. “They want to be kept safe from ideas that they may disagree with, and if they want to be safe from ideas, there are better places to be than college and university campuses.” While these same students are advocating for safe places on campuses for the ideas they hold, Dershowitz, who regularly speaks on Israel needs the protection of armed guards on campus.
The American Historical Association’s handling of this issue demonstrates that it is possible to debate contentious matters in a sound manner, relying on evidence and reasoned argument.
The outcome of this process gives hope that with these four elements in view – the demand for evidence, equitable treatment of Israel, viewing Palestinians as rational actors, reasonable debate – progress can be made in what has routinely been labelled an ‘intractable conflict’.
TOPICS:Academic freedom | Alliance for Academic Freedom | American Historical Association | BDS | Free Speech | Historians Against War | Jeffrey Herf | Richard Golden | Victoria University
Waikato Professor’s defense of academic freedom honoured
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The boundaries of responsible discourse
International law expert: New Zealand made a terrible mistake at the UN
When a Zionist went to Ramallah: You won’t believe what she found
Dismissed Sheikh still in charge of At-Taqwa Mosque: A cause for concern
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PR on the run
about PR on the run — by Rob Jewell
Mega Millions and March Madness
OK. I guess at some point this morning I’ll have to get moving and put a few bucks down on the Mega Millions lottery. Hope there is no queue at the gas station. Although there might be, since it looks like Mega Millions fever — fueled by a jackpot north of $500 million — has people throughout the country taking notice.
Here’s from USA Today, “Record Mega Millions jackpot sets off ticket-buying frenzy“:
With a world record $540 million (and growing) jackpot at stake, much of the nation is gripped by Mega Millions fever.
From Vermont to Louisiana and New York to California, the jackpot has been the wistful talk of TV, social media sites, office water coolers and dreamy high rollers for the past week, electrifying ticket sales with a frenzy likely to amp up even further ahead of Friday night’s drawing at 11 p.m. ET.
The pot has grown more than $150 million since Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing failed to draw a top prize winner for the 18th consecutive time since late January.
“It’s uncharted territory,” says Buddy Roogow, director of the Washington D.C., lottery, which issued a commemorative “I Played The World’s Largest Jackpot” ticket this week. A typical Mega Millions drawing sells 250,000 tickets in the nation’s capital. “Friday, the real frenzy sets in,” says Roogow, who expects ticket sales of 1 million.
Social media users were buzzing about the jackpot on Facebook and Twitter, mostly about what they would do with the money, but also about the tiny possibility of winning the top prize.
The odds? About 1 in 176 million.
Wow. Talk about March Madness.
[Note to self: If I win, remember to delete anything favorable I ever wrote about the so-called Buffett Rule.]
Of course, the odds don’t appear to be in my favor of winning the Mega Millions jackpot. Better I was a college basketball coach. That appears to be where the money is these days.
As we move toward the NCAA finale, in some ways it’s comforting to see that the usual suspects of college sports factories are working their way toward the big prize. But the real winners appear to be coaches at even the smaller schools who are getting huge pay increases, if they offer even a hope of getting the school and alumni to the Big Dance.
Wonder what students think about all this as they pick up the tab? I digress.
Here’s from USA Today, “Even smaller schools must pay big for hot NCAA coaches“:
Shaka Smart, the charismatic men’s basketball coach of Virginia Commonwealth University, made news last week when he told the University of Illinois thanks, but no thanks — same as he told North Carolina State a year ago.
That upset the natural order of college sports. The grass isn’t always greener at major-conference schools, but the contracts almost always are. And Smart, 34, turned down more money to stay each time.
He was the hottest commodity in coaching a year ago when he piloted VCU‘s astonishing run to the Final Four. To keep him, VCU upped his guaranteed money from about $420,000 last season to about $1.2 million this season, a raise funded largely by an increase in student fees.
This season, his Rams reached the NCAA tournament’s round of 32, missing the Sweet 16 by an eyelash — and this time Smart got “a slight increase in compensation” plus more money in his recruiting and travel budgets, according to athletics director Norwood Teague.
VCU digging deep to thwart the get-Smart bids by Illinois and N.C. State is emblematic of a widening dollar gap between major-conference schools and so-called midmajors. Football TV contracts and attendance for the six power conferences of football’s Bowl Championship Series mean big money, while competitive ambitions at midmajors often outrun their athletics departments’ ability to pay for them.
“It’s a huge issue,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert, who calls rapidly rising coaching salaries “a challenge for the lower-resource schools.”
Athletics departments at such schools are largely subsidized by university funds and/or student fees. Big money for coaches there can translate to students paying higher bills and schools facing more stress on stretched academic budgets.
Some schools like VCU ante up so coaches don’t leave for wealthier programs. Others, like budget-strapped Nevada-Las Vegas, simply get outbid by them. And then there are the Cincinnatis of the world: lower-revenue programs in power conferences depending on institutional funds to help them keep coaches.
Indeed, college basketball’s marquee event is loaded with millionaires. Coaches in the NCAA tournament are making a little more than $1.4 million on average this season, according to USA TODAY’s annual analysis of contracts and other compensation documents. Among the 68 tournament coaches, USA TODAY was able to obtain pay figures for 62 — from Kentucky coach John Calipari, who is making nearly $5.4 million, to Mississippi Valley State coach Sean Woods, who is making $87,500.
The newspaper obtained 2010 and 2011 compensation information for 31 of the 34 schools appearing in the tournament both this season and last and found the average compensation for coaches at those schools increased to a little over $2.1 million from more than $1.9 million — a jump of 8.6%.
The changes in compensation range from a drop of 61% at Nevada-Las Vegas, which lost its coach to another school and hired a less expensive successor, to a 224% raise at Marquette, which paid its coach a one-time bonus of nearly $2 million. That puts the median raise at 12%.
Among public schools, the biggest raises went to Calipari, who also led Kentucky to the Final Four last year and received a contract restructuring that resulted in a $1.3 million increase; Purdue’s Matt Painter, who got an increase of more than $1 million after spurning an offer from Missouri; and Smart, whose income increased by $786,000 after he elected to stay at VCU.
With those kind of pay packages who needs to stand in a queue to buy a lottery ticket? You’ve already won!
Oh, well. As long as students and taxpayers have deep pockets, no blood, no foul. Right?
And by the way, if this turns out to be my last post, you’ll know that I came up big with the Mega Millions.
Tagged coaches salaries, March Madness, Mega Millions, NCAA basketball
Health Care Mandates and Shopping Lists
Well, the legal debate over Obamacare before the Supreme Court is getting interesting. Concerning the individual mandate that would require nearly everyone to buy medical insurance, Justice Scalia sees a day when the federal government could force everyone to buy broccoli. Ouch. That sounds like a scenario right out of The Hunger Games.
No wonder the individual mandate is hard for conservative justices — and most conservatives, I guess — to swallow.
Yet I’ll admit that I find the whole matter somewhat hard to understand. Let’s see. The federal government can compel me to pay taxes, register for the draft, and pay into Medicare and Social Security. But if I don’t want health insurance, even knowing that at some point I will need the services of a doctor or will most likely spend some quality time in a hospital or emergency room, then so be it. My bad, if something happens. And pass the bill to someone else. [Note to self: Couldn’t we figure out an affordable universal health care system so everyone would have some level of protection? A lot of people only a few months older than me seem to like Medicare.]
Anyway, since I can’t sort this out, I’ll turn to an article in WaPo, “Why the health-care law might stand at the Supreme Court“:
This much is clear after two hours of Supreme Court arguments over the constitutionality of the individual mandate, which I was in the room to hear: The president’s health-care bill won’t rise or fall on a question of law, but on how the majority of justices define the health-care market.
The mandate requires all individuals above a certain income level to obtain health-care coverage. The National Federation of Independent Business and 26 states challenged the mandate as unconstitutional, arguing that Congress does not have the power to force individuals to buy private products. The government, for example, has the power to regulate the kind of muffler your car has, but it cannot force you to buy a car in the first place. Health-care should be no different — a point made forcefully at various times by Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel A. Alito. If the government can mandate the purchase of health care, Scalia said, “what else can’t it do?”
Well, good thing the government has a legal expert to explain all this. Or maybe not. Appears that Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr. had a tough day yesterday as he met with the Supremes. Here’s from Mother Jones, “Obamacare’s Supreme Court Disaster“:
Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr. should be grateful to the Supreme Court for refusing to allow cameras in the courtroom, because his defense of Obamacare on Tuesday may go down as one of the most spectacular flameouts in the history of the court.
Stepping up to the podium, Verrilli stammered as he began his argument. He coughed, he cleared his throat, he took a drink of water. And that was before he even finished the first part of his argument. Sounding less like a world-class lawyer and more like a teenager giving an oral presentation for the first time, Verrilli delivered a rambling, apprehensive legal defense of liberalism’s biggest domestic accomplishment since the 1960s—and one that may well have doubled as its eulogy.
Wow. And you thought you had a bad day at the office yesterday.
And the Mother Jones article raises a good point. Why not televise these important oral arguments before the court? It would be great reality TV. If we as a nation are able to sit through weeks of The Bachelor waiting to see who will get a rose, shouldn’t we have the opportunity to watch three days of legal debate to see who is going to get the shaft?
As it stands now, all we can do is join in the navel-gazing, trying to figure out what Justices Roberts and Kennedy are thinking. [Fortunately for those who have to bring clarity to the navel-gazing, Justice Thomas doesn’t appear to think about anything.]
OK. I have other fish in the skillet today.
And since I joined the ranks of the quasi-retired, I find that a part of most days is now spent grocery shopping. Here my wife gives me a list filled with mandates: milk, butter, eggs and so on.
Today I’m checking the list for broccoli.
Even in my dotage, I can only be pushed so far.
Tagged individual mandate, Justice Scalia, Obamacare, Supreme Court
Will Eating Chocolate Make You Thin?
Well, as with most things in life, it looks like I have this exercise and diet thing all wrong. I’m up nearly every day grinding out the miles on the treadmill or concrete. And I’m fairly regimented about what I stuff in my mouth — not withstanding the daily routine of downing Jameson during happy hour.
Better that I should just eat chocolate. And hey. I’d be OK with that. The view from the treadmill hasn’t changed all that much in 30 years, even as my waistline keeps expanding.
Here’s from USA Today, “Chocolate lovers are thinner, study says“:
Sweet news about those chocolate cravings: People who eat moderate amounts regularly are thinner than those who eat chocolate less often.
The new research involved 1,018 healthy men and women, who exercised on average 3.6 times a week and had a balanced, nutritious diet. The body mass index of those who ate chocolate five times a week was 1 point lower than people who did not eat it regularly. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.
“I was pretty happy with this news myself,” says lead author Beatrice Golomb, associate professor of medicine at the University of California-San Diego. “Findings show the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining ultimate weight.”
And from the NYT, “The Chocolate Diet“:
Chocolate may not be as hazardous to your waistline as you think — at least in moderation.
A new study shows that people who eat chocolate frequently have lower body mass indexes than those who eat it less often. The researchers could not explain precisely why something usually loaded with sugar, fat and calories would have a beneficial effect on weight. But they suspect that antioxidants and other compounds in chocolate may deliver a metabolic boost that can offset its caloric downside.
Chocoholics may know that in recent years chocolate has been linked to a growing list of health benefits. Studies have found, for example, that regularly eating chocolate may lower blood pressure and cardiovascular risk, and improve cholesterol and insulin regulation.
Although the new study is among the first to look at chocolate’s effect on weight, the findings “are compatible with other evidence showing favorable metabolic effects that are known to track with body mass index,” said Dr. Beatrice A. Golomb, lead author of the study and an associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego.
Dr. Golomb’s study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine and financed by the National Institutes of Health, involved roughly 1,000 adults. The researchers looked at data on how often they exercised, the amount and type of calories they ate — including a breakdown of the types of dietary fat they consumed — and how their health and weight related to their chocolate intake. On average, the subjects were middle-aged, exercised about three times a week and ate chocolate about twice a week. There was no breakdown of the kinds of chocolate they ate, whether dark, milk or white.
The people who ate chocolate the most frequently, despite eating more calories and exercising no differently from those who ate the least chocolate, tended to have lower B.M.I.’s. There was a difference of roughly five to seven pounds between subjects who ate five servings of chocolate a week and those who ate none, Dr. Golomb said.
I guess it won’t be too long before someone is opining that eating popcorn may be better for you than many fruits and vegetables.
That will give me something to think about while chasing the treadmill belt tomorrow early a.m.
Tagged chocolate, diet, exercise, health and fitness, popcorn
Trayvon Martin: Hoodies and Perceptions
In case your boob tube has been frozen on the NCAA tourney, there is a story out there these days that is bigger than the premiere of The Hunger Games. And rightly so. The story involves a black 17-year-old, Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer while he was walking unarmed, carrying only candy and a drink.
From the accounts I’ve heard and read, Trayvon was a decent young man with a caring family and an excellent future. So I would like to believe that something positive will surface from this tragedy. And at some point I would like to believe that we will actually find out what happened — and why.
This is a situation that now touches on subjects of law, race and politics. And we’re also looking at stereotypes, symbols and perceptions.
And here’s where the hoodie comes into play, as described in this WaPo story, “Trayvon Martin’s death has put spotlight on perceptions about hoodies“:
“Did you see what he was wearing?” asked the voice.
“A dark hoodie, like a gray hoodie,” George Zimmerman told the 911 operator moments before he shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, whom he described as “real suspicious.”
Out of tragedy, the utilitarian hooded sweatshirt, which first gained popularity in the 1930s as a practical pullover for workingmen, has emerged as a Rorschach test of racial perceptions.
On Sunday, many preachers and their congregations attended services wearing hoodies in a show of solidarity with the slain teen.
On Friday, LeBron James of the Miami Heat tweeted a photo of the basketball team, wearing hoodies and with heads bowed, alongside the hashtag “WeWantJustice.”
The same day, Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera ignited widespread criticism for saying on the “Fox & Friends” morning show that “The hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin’s death as George Zimmerman was.” He continued his assault on “The O’Reilly Factor,” warning parents of black and Hispanic youths not to allow their sons to wear hooded sweatshirts.
“Who else wears hoodies?” he asked. “Everybody that ever stuck up a convenience store; D.B. Cooper, the guy that hijacked a plane; Ted Kaczynski the Unabomber.”
Ah, and how about old white guys like me who wear one almost every morning heading out into the dark and going to the gym wellness center? I know. That’s not the point Geraldo and others are making. And they touch on an issue of perceptions and stereotypes that shouldn’t just be dismissed.
Like I said, I hope something positive comes from the national spotlight that is now on Trayvon Martin and the events leading to his tragic death. And if bringing hoodies into the discussion helps, then good.
By the way, I dislike gated communities. They encourage elites to become even more separated from the broader community.
But that’s just a perception.
Tagged hoodies, NCAA, The Hunger Games, Trayvon Martin
March Madness: Let the Hunger Games Begin
Posted on March 23, 2012 | 1 comment
Wow. What a glorious week here in NE Ohio. We’ve had record high temps for this time of year and more days with sun than not. Talk about March Madness. And Ohio State has advanced into the elite eight of the NCAA tournament, with Ohio U in the queue tonight. Wonder how difficult it will be to land a seat at The Crystal in Athens?
Probably not as difficult as getting in to see the flick The Hunger Games. Talk about March Madness. As best I can tell, this is the only movie showing at the multi-screen theater complex I generally go to, with various showings available virtually throughout the day and night.
I hope the movie lives up to the expectations. And that’s often difficult. Hey. Let’s be honest. Has there really been a good adaption of a best seller for the big screen since Gone With the Wind? Just sayin’.
And there is actually a section of Gone With the Wind that should resonate with The Hunger Games fans.
Hunger gnawed at her [Scarlett O’Hara] empty stomach again and she said aloud: ‘As God is my witness, and God is my witness, the Yankees aren’t going to lick me. I’m going to live through this, and when it’s over, I’m never going to be hungry again. No, nor any of my folks. If I have to steal or kill – as God is my witness, I’m never going to be hungry again.'”
-Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind, Ch. 25
I finished The Hunger Games book this week, and it is compelling. Whether the movie can remain true to the book — from the standpoint of the ethical and moral dilemmas presented in the context of essentially kids killing kids — without watering down the violence remains to be seen. But the movie has a PG13 rating. So I expect I’ll be able to get in without flashing my Ohio Golden Buckeye card. (Except for any ticket discount, if available.)
And given that the NYT has given the Hunger Games a lukewarm review, it most likely will be a great movie.
For as long as this brief scene lasts, it seems possible that Gary Ross, the unlikely and at times frustratingly ill-matched director for this brutal, unnerving story, has caught the heart-skipping pulse of Michael Mann’s “Last of the Mohicans” if not that film’s ravishing technique and propulsive energy. Alas, Mr. Ross, the director of the genial entertainments “Pleasantville” and “Seabiscuit,” and whose script credits include “Big,” has a way of smoothing even modestly irregular edges. Katniss, who for years has bagged game to keep her family from starving, was created for rough stuff — for beating the odds and the state, for hunting squirrel and people both — far rougher than Mr. Ross often seems comfortable with, perhaps because of disposition, inclination or some behind-the-scenes executive mandate.
It may be that Mr. Ross is too nice a guy for a hard case like Katniss. A brilliant, possibly historic creation — stripped of sentimentality and psychosexual ornamentation, armed with Diana’s bow and a ferocious will — Katniss is a new female warrior, and she keeps you watching even while you’re hoping for something better the next time around. (Mr. Ross is onboard to direct the follow-up, “Catching Fire.”) For some fans of the three novels, the screen version will inevitably be disappointing, especially for those keeping inventory of the details, characters, grim thoughts and cynicism that have gone missing. For others the image of a girl like Katniss taking up so much screen space with so few smiles may be enough to keep faith.
I can’t wait to see Hunger Games at Thanksgiving. Long after either Ohio State or OU cut down the nets as NCAA champs.
And here’s another quote from Gone With the Wind to help guide those at OU and elsewhere watching the game tonight:
Rhett Butler:
“I’m very drunk and I intend getting still drunker before this evening’s over.”
Ah, March Madness.
Tagged Hunger Games, NCAA basketball, Ohio State, Ohio University
Tebow to Cleveland Browns: Why Not?
OK. Let’s admit it. There is no team in the NFL that would benefit more from divine intervention than the Cleveland Browns. So why not put Tebow in front of the Dog Pound now that he apparently is no longer welcome or appreciated in Denver?
And hey. If Tebow could somehow pull off a miracle and win five or six games a year in Cleveland, he would be answering the prayers of the long-suffering Browns faithful.
Probably won’t happen. Here’s some conjecture from the NYT, “Casting Begins for Tebow, the Sequel“:
Now that Peyton Manning has signed with the Broncos, it is time to speculate on where Tim Tebow will land after the Broncos inevitably trade him. Tebow speculation is similar to Manning speculation: no outcome is too far-fetched and every team has something to gain — and perhaps a little to lose — by acquiring the incredibly popular, athletic, erratic-armed lefty. Here is a breakdown on what a Tebow trade could mean for each N.F.L. team.
CLEVELAND BROWNS The Browns use their two first-round picks to surround Tebow with star running back Trent Richardson and standout receiver Kendall Wright, yet still manage to be boring.
Oh well. And if you are inclined to pray, you might want to drop to one knee and hoist one on behalf of John Elway and the owners of the Denver Broncos. Signing Peyton Manning to a five-year, nearly $100 million contract requires some major moola and balls [no, not footballs] the size of coconuts.
Manning was a great player, and he appears to be a decent guy. But the sports landscape is littered with stars who faded at the end of their careers, unable to make the transition to another team. Remember Franco Harris — the receiver of the Immaculate Reception on the day now so long ago when God first started waving the Terrible Towel — playing out the clock in Seattle? Sigh.
And that won’t happen to Hines Ward, the excellent wide receiver of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ward said yesterday that he would retire a Steeler, rather than continuing his pro football career with another team.
All over the region, silence fell.
On television sets in homes, offices and eateries, there was Hines Ward’s ebullient face, smiling as always. On radios across Pittsburgh, there was the smooth voice, rising and dipping between confident and shaky.
At a South Side bar, a 44-year-old man watched from his stool as Mr. Ward, adopted by this town 14 years ago, cried tears of finality. The volume was off at the establishment, but Mr. Ward’s emotions made the sound unnecessary.
At a sports merchandise store in the Strip District, the volume was on. Two women stood in front of the cash register, sobbing as Mr. Ward, wearing an all-black suit with a snazzy black and gold tie, announced his retirement from football.
“Today,” he said, “I’m officially retiring a Pittsburgh Steeler. And as much as I will miss football, my teammates, coaches and everything about the game, I don’t want to play it in any other uniform. The black and gold runs deep in me, and I will remain a Steeler for life.”
Godspeed, Hines Ward.
Tagged Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Hines Ward, Peyton Manning, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tim Tebow
March Madness and Budget Proposals
Well, as Dutch Reagan might say, here we go again. The Republicans in the House are getting ready to unveil a new budget proposal, one that apparently will call for major changes in personal and corporate tax rates and stiff spending cuts.
My bracket selections have a better shot of coming out on top in the March Madness pool. And without putting too fine a point on it, I have no chance. Zero. Zilch.
So I wonder why in an election year the GOP wants to take the lead in heading down this road to nowhere? Hey, the Democrats in DC haven’t passed a budget in three some years. So what’s the rush? And given that the GOP is going to get its collective lunch eaten in November, it seems strange that they would invite all the Dems and other miscreants to what will be an all-you-can-eat buffett over a budget — when most don’t want anything to change if it involves them.
Well, I heard the architect of the budget plan, Paul Ryan, say on Morning Joe that it was the obligation and responsibility of lawmakers to step up to the plate on this. Well, yeah, you would think that might be the case. But politics raises its ugly head as well.
The budget proposal aims to define where the Republicans stand in a presidential election year in contrast to the guy who is currently sitting in the Oval Office. Good strategy.
Probably not.
Here’s from WaPo, “Paul Ryan’s budget is bad politics. Just ask Republicans“:
To much fanfare, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan will unveil his 2012 budget plan in Washington today.
The debut of the House Budget Committee chairman’s vision for what conservative governance could and should look like might win him kudos from the conservative policy class, but it elicits only groans from GOP political professionals.
“As a campaign issue, the budget is a significant challenge for GOP candidates,” said Bob Honold, a GOP strategist and partner at Revolution Agency. “As a campaign strategy, it is so much more difficult for Republicans to communicate their responsible solutions than it is for Democrats to spook seniors with rhetoric.”
Another senior GOP strategist was far more blunt. “Didn’t they learn their lesson?” the source asked. “House Republicans are still under the mistaken impression they have to lead. It’s a presidential election year; they’re along for the ride.”
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) sought to paint the Ryan budget in the best possible political light during a briefing with reporters on Monday.
“I believe that we will get credit for effectively, first of all, having a budget, which the Democrats failed to do,” said Sessions. “I think the public will give us credit for having answers, and I think they’ll give us credit for being credible about the plight that we’re in.”
Maybe. But, the concern within Republican campaign ranks is that Ryan’s budget plays out much like it did when he put out his “Path to Prosperity” last year.
In that budget document, Ryan called for Medicare to be transformed into a voucher program — a proposal that Democrats immediately seized on and used to great effect in a surprising special election victory in upstate New York.
For their part, Republican presidential candidates did everything they could to pretend that the Ryan budget didn’t exist — expressing general praise for the idea of a conservative alternative to the Obama budget but avoiding any support for specific proposals. (The one exception was former Utah governor Jon Huntsman, who offered his unequivocal support for the Ryan plan. And we saw how far that carried him.)
The debate over the politics of Ryan’s latest budget plan speak to a broader divide within the Republican Party.
Ryan as well as his fellow members of the House Republican leadership believe that, as the majority party (in the House, at least), it is incumbent upon them to produce a blueprint for how they would govern the country.
The other, more pragmatic (or cynical, depending on where you stand) wing of the party — the vast majority of political professionals are in this group — believes that there is no expectation on the part of the American people that Republicans provide any sweeping vision of what they would do if they are in power. By offering one, all Ryan is doing is giving Democrats something to shoot at, politically speaking. And that takes away from GOP attempts to keep the 2012 election spotlight shining brightly on President Obama.
What both sides in this Republican argument can agree on is that Democrats are likely to go at the new Ryan plan hard, and that if the party handles it as poorly as it did last year, it could be in serious trouble.
“The verdict depends on if Republicans can quickly define this plan among seniors before the Democrats define it for them,” said Ron Bonjean, a longtime Senate aide and now a Republican strategist. “Republicans had a turbulent practice run last year, so they should be well-prepared for the onslaught of negative attacks the other side will likely unleash.”
Well, good luck with all that. And I’ll admit it. I’m getting ready to enroll for Medicare. So the last thing I need or want is the Republicans mucking around with this program. Hey. I’m already growing my hair long so when I go before one of the Death Panels I’ll be viewed as Comrade Rob rather than Mr. Jewell. For us pensioners on fixed incomes, a little Socialism might go a long way. Just kiddin’. [Or not]
Better the GOP lawmakers fret over the sweet 16 — or is it Kentucky and the Round of 15?
Tagged federal budget, March Madness, Paul Ryan
I'm Rob Jewell. And I've been a public relations practitioner and educator for more than 35 years. I've been a runner for more than 25 years. On this blog I'm going to share my thoughts on public relations -- and other things that I think about on the run.
Lauren Rich Fine
PR Education
Rob Jewell on Heading West: Follow Me To…
stefaniemoore on Heading West: Follow Me To…
Marianne Price on Heading West: Follow Me To…
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Luay Nakhleh
Luay Nakhleh received a BSc degree in Computer Science from the Technion (Israel) in 1996, a Master's degree in Computer Science from Texas A&M University in 1998, and a PhD degree in Computer Science from UT Austin in May 2004 (Advisor: Prof. Tandy Warnow). While at UT Austin, he received the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award, the Bert Kay Dissertation Award, the Texas Excellence Teaching Award, and the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award.
Luay joined the Computer Science department at Rice University as an Assistant Professor in July 2004, and was promoted to Associate Professor, with tenure, effective July 2010. While at Rice, he received the DOE CAREER award in 2006, the NSF CAREER award in 2009, the Phi Beta Kappa Teaching award in 2009, an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship in 2010 (in the Molecular Biology category), and a John P. Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship in 2012 (in the Organismic Biology and Ecology category).
Algorithmic Thinking (Part 2)
Pensamento algorítmico (Parte 1)
The Fundamentals of Computing Capstone Exam
Principles of Computing (Part 2)
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Defence Science Journal
Article Impact
Vol 68 No 6 /
Electronics & Communication Systems
A Compact Reconfigurable Multi-mode Resonator-based Multi-band Band Pass Filter for Intelligent Transportation Systems Applications
Shivesh Triapthi Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Nagendra Prasad Pathak Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Manoranjan Parida Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.68.12769
Keywords: Bandpass filter, Hemi-circular flower shaped, ITS, Multimode resonator, Multiband
A compact wide band reconfigurable bandpass filter (BPF) which utilises a hemi-circular flower shaped multimode resonator (MMR) is presented. The proposed MMR provides three resonant modes which fall within the broad frequency spectra. Among these, two modes are even and one is odd. These modes are optimised by varying the dimensions so as to obtain the desired frequency response. The fractional bandwidth is more than 96 per cent. The filter can be operated as multi-band BPF. In OFF condition of ‘Pin’ diode, the centre frequencies are 2.43 GHz, 3.5 GHz, and 5.9 GHz in ON condition of ‘Pin’ diode centre frequencies are 2.43 GHz, 3.5 GHz, 5.9 GHz, 6.5 GHz, and 8.8 GHz which are used for vehicular, WiMAX, intelligent transportation systems and satellite communication respectively. Microstrip filter structures are integrated with ‘Pin’ diodes. Appropriate biasing has been provided by choosing lumped components with precise values. The insertion loss in OFF condition are 0.5 dB, 0.67 dB, and 0.8 dB and in ON condition 0.5 dB, 0.7 dB, 1.2 dB, and 1.9 dB. The measured results agree well with the full-wave simulated results.
Shivesh Triapthi, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Mr Shivesh Tripathi, has completed BTech (Electronics and Comm. Engg.) and MTech (Electronics and Communication) and currently pursuing his PhD in Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. India. His current areas of research are microwave and millimeter wave technology, microstrip antennas, MIMO/ diversity antennas for 5 G application, RF integrated circuits and systems, software defined radios and intelligent transportation systems.
Nagendra Prasad Pathak, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Dr N.P. Pathak, received BTech (Electr. & Tel. Engg.) and MTech (Electronics Engg.) from University of Allahabad, in 1998 and 1996 respectively and completed his PhD from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, in 2005. Currently he is working as Associate Professor in the Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India. He has published more than 135 paper in Def. SCI. J., Vol. 68, No. 6, november 2018 552 journals and conferences, co-author of a book (CRC press), three book chapters and has one US patent to his credit. His current research interests are: RF-THz integrated circuits, systems and sensors; Plasmonics, Advanced functional materials for tuneable RF-THz integrated circuits.
Manoranjan Parida, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Dr M. Parida received his PhD from University of Roorkee (now Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee), in 1995. He is working as Professor in Civil Engineering Department and Dean (Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy) at IIT Roorkee. He has contributed over 331 research paper in Journals and Conference Proceedings. He has published chapters in Two Book. His areas of research specialisation include : Intelligent transportation systems, urban transportation planning, traffic safety.
Triapthi, S., Pathak, N., & Parida, M. (2018). A Compact Reconfigurable Multi-mode Resonator-based Multi-band Band Pass Filter for Intelligent Transportation Systems Applications. Defence Science Journal, 68(6), 547-552. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.68.12769
Copyright (c) 2018 Defence Science Journal
where otherwise noted, the Articles on this site are licensed under Creative Commons License: CC Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India
© Defence Scientific Information & Documentation Centre, 2018
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Home > Blog > Archives for UBC Press
Posts Tagged: UBC Press
UBC Press hiring Digital Developmental Editor
There has been another position opening relating to the grant awarded to UBC Press and the University of Washington Press from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to develop a digital publishing platform in Indigenous studies. They are hiring a Digital Developmental Editor to work in tandem with the Project Development Manager.
UBC Press is seeking an experienced developmental editor with proven interest and talent in digital publishing to play a central role in a new initiative produced in partnership with the University of Washington Press. Working in consultation with authors, Indigenous community members, and in‐house editors at UBC Press and University of Washington Press, the Digital Developmental Editor (DDE) will be responsible for developing prototypes of dynamically enhanced, multi‐path and multimedia books in Indigenous studies.
Major activities include assessing, editing, writing, or soliciting textual or multimedia content; managing the importation of text and media assets; and executing the authors’ and publishers’ vision for the digital book in Scalar, an online platform for writing and publishing. The DDE will have experience in both substantive editing and web editing or writing and will have experience designing and optimizing user interfaces.
For a full job description and skill requirements, visit the UBC HR Careers website and search for Job ID #24218. This position is a 3‐year term appointment, 60% FTE, renewable every twelve months. The closing date is September 6, 2016.
Jobs & Opportunities | Posted by Monica Miller, August 11, 2016 | digital humanities, digital publishing, job, UBC Press |
Job opening at UBC Press
In addition to the other two positions advertised, UBC Press is hiring a Front Desk position.
This full-time job provides a general receptionist for UBC Press, as well as offers the marketing department support for a wide variety of tasks in sales, marketing, and promotion.
For a full job description, visit the UBC HR Careers website and search for Job ID #23396.
Jobs & Opportunities | Posted by Monica Miller, August 06, 2016 | job, UBC Press |
UBC Press hiring for 2 positions
UBC Press is Canada’s leading social sciences publisher, annually releasing 70 new titles in a number of fields, including Aboriginal studies, Asian studies, Canadian history, environmental studies, gender and women’s studies, geography, health and food studies, law, media and communications, military and security studies, planning and urban studies, and political science.
The first position UBC Press is advertising is a Digital Publishing Coordinator, responsible for the distribution and integrity of the Press’s digital assets and metadata.
The coordinator will work closely with editorial, production, and marketing departments to ensure smooth workflow and that all digital systems are up to date and congruent with current market and industry requirements and trends. For a full job description, visit the UBC HR Careers website and search for Job ID #23987.
The second position relates to the grant awarded to UBC Press and the University of Washington Press from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to develop a digital publishing platform in Indigenous studies. They are hiring a Project Development Manager to head this 3-year initiative.
The incumbent will manage and monitor the overall development and progress of the project, as well as the technical, editorial, administrative, and community groups involved with the project. For a full job description, visit the UBC HR Careers website and search for Job ID #23889.
Jobs & Opportunities | Posted by Monica Miller, July 22, 2016 | digital publishing, job, UBC Press |
Unconverted: Outsourcing Ebook Production at a University Press
By Linnet Humble
ABSTRACT: UBC Press has been outsourcing ebook production since it first started publishing its titles in digital form in the late 1990s. At first, outsourcing seemed a sensible way for UBC Press to enter into e-publishing: the practice was convenient, cost effective, and fit with the Press’s freelance-based business model. However, by 2011, it had become evident that outsourcing to large conversion houses had its drawbacks. In addition to problems like error-filled files and delayed distribution, outsourcing en masse may cause greater, industry-wide disadvantages, such as a dependence on cheap overseas labor and missed opportunities for professionalization among Canada’s domestic workforce.
In the face of these problems, individual publishers like UBC Press must put various short-term solutions in place and consider making changes to their own production workflows if they are to achieve greater quality assurance and control over their own epublishing programs.
I would like to thank Rowland Lorimer, who inspired me to study scholarly publishing; Roberto Dosil and Laraine Coates, for their encouragement and careful reading; the hard-working ladies in the Production and Editorial Department at UBC Press, who teach by example; and Jane Hope, whose wit and friendship helped me through my internship and beyond.
Introduction: UBC Press Business Profile
+++Editorial Mandate
+++Business Model
+++The Role of Ebooks in a Changing Market
+++Certain Costs, Uncertain Gains
Chapter 1: A History of Outsourcing
+++Overview
+++Early Ebook Deals: Content Aggregators and HTML (1999-2004)
+++A “Homegrown Alternative”: The Canadian Electronic Library and a Shift to +++PDF (2005-2007)
+++The Role of Technology Partners During the Transition Year (2008)
+++A National Strategy: The Association of Canadian Publishers and a Push Toward +++XML (2009-2011)
+++Scanning the Digital Horizon: eBound Canada
+++Conclusion
Chapter 2: Reasons for Outsourcing
+++Offshoring in Canada’s ICT Sector
+++The Freelance Precedent
+++Reducing Risk and Production Costs
+++Convenience
Chapter 3: Problems with Outsourcing
+++An Era of Ebook Errors
+++The Inconvenience of Outsourcing
+++Increasing Risk and Cost
+++What Went Wrong: Outsourcing to Large Conversion Houses
+++The Effects of Outsourcing on Canada’s Publishing Industry
Chapter 4: Solutions to Outsourcing
+++Short-Term Solutions
++++++Proofing Ebooks
++++++Improving Metadata
++++++Using Stylesheets
+++Long-Term Solutions
++++++Finding a More Suitable Technology Partner
++++++Developing an Epublishing Strategy
++++++Producing Ebooks In House
++++++Exploring the Applications of TEI in Scholarly Publishing
Appendix A: Ebook Proofing Instructions
Figure 1: History of Ebook Production at UBC Press
Figure 2: UBC Press Production Flowchart
Figures 3 & 4: Low Resolution Ebook Covers
Figures 5 & 6: Original Image vs. Stretched Ebook Cover Image
Figures 7, 8 & 9: Diacritics Captured as Images in EPUBs
Figures 10 & 11: Captions not Aligned with Images in EPUBs
Figure 12: Images Appearing Mid-Sentence in an EPUB
Figure 13: Example of Forced Line Breaks Appearing in an EPUB
Figures 14 & 15: Examples of Spacing Errors in EPUBs
Figure 16: Example of Index Disclaimer in EPUB
Figure 17: Cover for EPUB Produced by Wild Element
Figure 18: Table of Contents for EPUB Produced by Wild Element
Figure 19: Chapter Opening for EPUB Produced by Wild Element
Figure 20: Image with Caption from EPUB Produced by Wild Element
ACP++++++Association of Canadian Publishers
CEL++++++Canadian Electronic Library
CIP++++++Cataloguing in Publication
CNSLP++++++Canadian National Site Licensing Project
CPDS++++++Canadian Publishers’ Digital Services
CRKN++++++Canadian Research Knowledge Network
DAMS++++++Digital Asset Management System
ePDF++++++enhanced portable document format
EPUB++++++electronic publication format
ICT++++++information and communication technology (sector)
PDF++++++portable document format
POD++++++print-on-demand
SSH++++++social sciences and humanities
SSHRC++++++Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
STM++++++scientific, technical and medical
UP++++++university press
uPDF++++++universal Portable Document Format
Editorial Mandate
Established in 1971, UBC Press has developed into a scholarly book publisher recognized for its social sciences monographs and edited collections. Considered a “mid-sized” scholarly publisher by Canadian standards, UBC Press produces over 60 new titles a year in the areas of environmental studies, gender studies, military and security studies, geography, Canadian and British Columbian history, law, political science, and Aboriginal and Asian studies. At present, the press also publishes books in 21 different series, several of which are co-published with cultural and professional organizations such as the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History, the Canadian War Museum, and the Canadian Council on International Law.
Like many other university presses, UBC Press is somewhat of a hybrid entity within its host institution. Because the press helps carry out the research mandate of the university, and because its publications board is made up of faculty members, the press is in some ways considered to be an academic unit. Like faculties and departments, it is therefore housed on campus and receives a modest level of operational funding from the university. The Press also earns income from an endowment whose funds are administered by the university (though this endowment income has decreased significantly over the past ten years).[1]
In other respects, though, UBC Press is treated as an ancillary unit. Ancillary units like Food Services or Land and Building Services exist within the university environment; however, they are expected to be self-sufficient and generate revenue by charging for their services or products. Like many other university presses, UBC Press is thus in the awkward position of having to operate as a for-profit business with a not-for-profit academic agenda.
UBC Press’s revenue model reflects this hybrid status: it is a mix of sales income and direct/indirect institutional support, supplemented by grant funding. According to a recent review conducted by the Strategic Development Support unit of the UBC Treasury, UBC Press receives 54% of its funds from book sales, 21% from agency sales and rights income, and around 18% from granting agencies like the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Only 6% of its budget for the 2011-2012 year came from UBC operating funds. Compared to other UPs in Canada, UBC Press is therefore considered to be “relatively financially self-sustaining” (UBC Treasury).[2]
While UBC Press’s diversified revenue stream might seem to protect it from the vagaries of a single-source income, the Press predicts that various industry-related changes expected to take place over the next ten years will threaten the viability of the press. For instance, demand for the agency services that UBC Press provides to US and UK publishers is expected to lessen due to an increase in online, direct-to-consumer marketing and delivery.[3] This loss of agency income, predicted to occur over the next five years, would mean a significant reduction in revenue—roughly one-fifth of the Press’s total income. Furthermore, if UBC Press were to experience a considerable loss in revenue, this loss would be compounded by a decrease in block grant funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage, since block grants are contingent upon positive net income.
Whereas a trade publisher might try to compensate for a loss in revenue by marketing its titles more aggressively in the hopes of selling more copies (and thereby achieving greater economies of scale), there is little potential for growth in monograph sales for social sciences and humanities (SSH) publishers. SSH publishers like UBC Press serve a niche market, with the majority of sales being made to a finite number of academic libraries.[4]
What’s more, these institutional sales have been threatened in recent decades by libraries’ shrinking acquisition budgets and competing commitments to costly periodicals.[5] Even if domestic and foreign sales were to rise 2.5% annually over the next few years as predicted in the UBC Treasury’s financial forecast, this modest increase in sales would not be able to offset the loss of agency income entirely.
In short, printing and selling more books is not an option for UBC Press. In fact, in an attempt to reduce inventory costs, UBC Press has begun to limit its initial print runs. Typically, only 500 copies of a title are produced upon publication, 300 of which are hardcover (for the institutional/library market) and 200 of which are trade paperback (for course adoption and individual academics). UBC Press further anticipates that it may phase out hardcover editions altogether within the next five years in favour of the less expensive paperback format. It is also working to introduce print-on-demand options in England and Australia in order to reduce the number of printed books it has to stock and ship overseas.
The Role of Ebooks in a Changing Market
At the same time that UBC Press is scaling back its print runs, it has been exploring and expanding its digital publishing activities. However, it is unclear at this point whether ebook sales will endanger, augment, or replace print sales.
Since the introduction of ebooks over a decade ago, Canadian publishers like UBC Press have expressed concern over the potential for ebooks to “cannibalize” or detract from the sale of print books (Crawley, “University”). A decrease in print sales and increase in electronic sales is particularly worrisome to publishers because ebooks tend to be priced much lower than print books. In the world of trade publishing, online retailers like Amazon and Apple have exerted a downward pressure on the price of ebooks,[6] so that even if a publisher is able to sell a considerable number of electronic copies, the profitability of ebook publishing is limited. Scholarly publishers stand to lose even more than trade publishers in this shift to the digital format, given that scholarly monographs are often priced three to 10 times higher than trade books. If scholarly publishers are forced to sell their titles in digital form to the same small consumer base, but at a much deeper discount, their profit margins would no longer be razor thin: they would be non-existent.
In an attempt to remain revenue-neutral in the event that ebook sales replace print sales, some university publishers—including UBC Press—have taken an offensive tactic by purposefully pricing their library-bound ebooks slightly higher than the listed price for hardcover editions (a move that, in UBC Press’s case, was approved by ebrary, a content aggregator which supplies ebooks to academic libraries).[7] Although it is unclear at this time what the institutional market will bear in the pricing of electronic monographs, cost certainly seems to be a deciding factor for librarians. In a survey conducted by ebrary in 2007, librarians reported that one of the most important factors they considered when purchasing an electronic title was its price: a consideration that was second only to the content of that title (McKiel, “200” 5).
In addition to pricing library ebooks slightly higher than print print books, UBC Press has taken measures to ensure that its more expensive ebooks destined for the library market are more visible than its cheaper ebook formats. For instance, when submitting Cataloguing in Publication (CIP) data to Library and Archives Canada, the Press only discloses that it will be producing a PDF (portable document format) edition of a title, which will be sold to libraries at 5% higher than the hardcover price—even though it has already obtained an ISBN for the EPUB (electronic publication) version, which will be sold to individual consumers at the paperback price.[8] In its library sales catalogues, the Press advertises these PDFs, but not the EPUBs. UBC Press’s non-competitive pricing of ebooks and its promotion of expensive over inexpensive ebook formats will, in turn, likely lead to a slower rate of ebook adoption by academic libraries.
Certain Costs, Uncertain Gains
To be sure, ebooks are not at present a significant source of revenue for scholarly publishers. Members of the Association of American University Presses report that ebook sales only represent between 2% and 10% of overall sales for 2011. For UBC Press, ebook sales to libraries in Canada are only projected to account for 7% of total sales for 2011-2012 year; likewise, ebook sales to American libraries only account for 15% of US sales. In terms of income, ebooks make up just 3% of UBC Press’s total sales revenue. Small as these figures may seem, they do represent a two-fold increase in percentage of total sales from previous years—an indication that the appetite for ebooks in the academic market may be growing.[9]
However much revenue ebooks may bring to the Press, it is clear that ebooks carry with them certain costs. In a recent financial review, UBC Press estimated that the cost of print books sold accounts for 17% of total sales, while the cost of digital books sold accounted for only slightly less—12% of total sales. Some of these costs (e.g. editorial, design, and permission costs) are shared between the print and digital editions of a title, but others are unique to the electronic format. For example, in order to store, distribute, and market its digital titles effectively, UBC Press will need to update its technological infrastructure in the near future. This upgrade will entail significant one-time investments, including the purchase of a new digital asset management system (which stores and distributes files to vendors); a redesigned website with increased functionality, including the ability to sell ebooks directly to consumers; consultation with a web marketing specialist, who can help the press increase its brand discoverability through search engine optimization; and improvements to the current system for managing bibliographic data.
In addition to these secondary expenses, the Press must bear the principal cost of producing ebooks. Though these production costs have been subsidized over the years by various parties (see Chapter 1), they have come to present a considerable expense and financial risk for the Press.
It is upon these realities—certain costs and uncertain gains—that UBC Press has based its decisions regarding ebook publishing over the last decade. It is not surprising, then, that the Press’s shift toward ebook adoption has been cautious in nature, favoring subsidized initiatives that have allowed the Press to enter the market without significant risk or disruption to its existing print-based workflows.
The history of ebook production at UBC Press is a history of outsourcing. This history can roughly be broken down into three phases. Each phase of ebook production was overseen by a different third party, and each marks the adoption of new ebook formats. (See Figure 1.)
Taken together, these phases reflect over a decade of change in the way ebooks have been produced and distributed in Canada; they also reveal a surprising mix of private and public initiatives that have underwritten the creation of scholarly ebooks in this country.
Figure 1. History of Ebook Production at UBC Press
Early Ebook Deals: Content Aggregators and HTML (1999-2004)
UBC Press has been publishing ebooks in one format or another since the late 1990s, but like many other university presses, it has done so with the assistance—and at the insistence—of various external parties, beginning with content aggregators.
Content aggregators are the electronic equivalent of library wholesalers. They acquire and package digital content from publishers, which they then license to institutions for a fee. In the early years of ebook publishing, aggregators not only marketed and distributed ebooks, but they also produced them. These companies would arrange for the creation of ebook files on behalf of the publisher, essentially manufacturing a product for themselves to sell. In this way, content aggregators were not just “middlemen,” but were really the originators of the scholarly ebook market. It was they—not publishers—who digitized scholarly books and built a business around this product. The publishers simply licensed the content to them.
The first content aggregator to convince Canadian publishers to take part in this new venture was an American company named NetLibrary. NetLibrary was formed in Boulder, Colorado, in 1998. Soon thereafter, it began to sublicense rights for select backlist titles from academic publishers and to create ebook editions of those titles. The company produced these ebooks by scanning hardcopy books supplied by the publishers. Using an optical character recognition (OCR) scanner, NetLibrary was able to convert the image of printed type into text. Instead of being contained within a particular file format, these early ebooks were simply rendered in HTML. The text was viewed online by library patrons through a browser using a tethered-access model (Knight 31).[10]
This production and delivery method, made possible by the increasing popularity of the internet (which allowed people to access content remotely), proved to be quite successful. In its first two years of operation, NetLibrary was able to amass a large volume of content from publishers: by November 2000, NetLibrary’s online collection numbered 28,000 titles, ten of which were from UBC Press. The company had also sold ebooks from its digital collection to nine different Canadian university libraries (Crawley, “University”).
On the heels of NetLibrary’s apparent success, other companies emerged to serve this new electronic library market. As the agreement with NetLibrary was non-exclusive, UBC Press began to develop partnerships with these other content aggregators as well. The Press sublicensed around 500 of its titles to Questia, an aggregator that sold subscriptions to both individuals and institutions (Crawley, “University”). At the time of its launch in January 2001, Questia had developed a considerable collection of over 50,000 titles. Shortly thereafter, UBC Press began to sell ebooks through ebrary, NetLibrary’s major competitor (Knight 32).[11] Soon, UBC Press had signed an agreement with Baker & Taylor, which at that time was the largest distributor of library print books, which had started offering HTML-based ebooks using a delivery model similar to NetLibrary’s (Knight).
In this way, UBC Press parceled off licensing rights to various content aggregators during its first five years of ebook publishing.
A “Homegrown” Alternative: The Canadian Electronic Library and a Shift to PDF (2005-2007)
UBC Press continued to enter into concurrent agreements with different content aggregators and to digitize its legacy titles piecemeal until 2005, when the Press signed an exclusive one-year deal with the nascent Canadian Electronic Library (CEL). This business initiative marked the first attempt to foster “homegrown e-books” in Canada (Smith). The CEL had been formed a year prior by Gibson Library Connections, a Canadian content aggregator interested in creating a collection of electronic texts from Canadian publishers. In 2005, CEL’s Vice President Robert Gibson began approaching publishers within the country—particularly scholarly presses—with an offer to create PDFs of their entire catalogues. Gibson would then sell access to this content through the ebrary reading platform to various academic libraries in Canada (Ng-See-Quan). By this time, the PDF had become a universally accepted format for electronic documents, so a shift toward this standard and away from simple HTML encoding was welcomed by publishers.[12]
UBC Press was one of a dozen publishers that first agreed to Gibson’s offer (Smith). After signing on with the CEL, the Press began to digitize nearly all of its titles that had not yet been hand-picked by content aggregators.[13] However, the creation of these files was carried out not by Gibson in Canada, but by a US-owned technology partner named CodeMantra whose conversion facilities were located overseas. With the help of CodeMantra, a mass conversion of UBC Press’s backlist (up to and including those titles published in 2007) was performed within a matter of months. The 500 or so ebooks produced for UBC Press were added to Gibson’s steadily growing collection (“eBound”).
A year or so after its inception, the CEL was comprised of approximately 6,000 scholarly titles in English and French. By June 2006, Gibson had licensed CEL content to 12 academic libraries, mostly within Alberta (Smith). This sale was promising, and presaged an even more lucrative deal that took place two years later in September 2008, when the collection had grown to over 8,000 titles from 47 different Canadian publishers. At that time, Gibson Library Connections brokered a historic deal with the Canadian Research Knowledge Network, or CRKN (Ng-See-Quan).
CRKN had developed out of the Canadian National Site Licensing Project (CNSLP), which began in 2000 as a partnership between 64 Canadian universities. The goal of the CNSLP was to make scholarship widely available to Canadian researchers by building up Canada’s “knowledge infrastructure.” It achieved this in part by leveraging the buying power of its member universities and purchasing large collections of digital content at reduced rates and with more flexible terms of use. Though the CNSLP was initially concerned with acquiring access to online journals from scientific, technical and medical (STM) publishers, it eventually expanded its mandate to include monographs in the social sciences and humanities. This occurred in 2004, when it became officially incorporated as a non-profit organization and was renamed the Canadian Research Knowledge Network. This change in mandate was significant, as it meant that the CRKN would start to acquire electronic content in areas in which Canadian university presses were actually publishing. The budget for the SSH acquisition project was also on a scale heretofore unseen. It garnered 47 million dollars worth of investment from member universities, participating provinces, and the federal government’s Canada Foundation for Innovation.
By 2008, this well-funded Canadian purchasing consortium was on the hunt for a large collection of SSH content, and it found its match in the Canadian Electronic Library. In the end, CRKN spent 11 million dollars of its funding on a three-year deal with Gibson Library Connections (Ng-See-Quan). This landmark sale was profitable not just for Gibson, but for participating publishers as well. Because the CEL’s royalty system was based on the number of titles a publisher had submitted to the collection, the more established UPs—like University of Toronto Press and McGill-Queens University Press, who had volunteered most of their backlists—benefitted greatly from this sale. UBC Press alone earned roughly 1.3 million dollars from the CEL-CRKN deal over the 3-year contract period (UBC Treasury). It was the largest single sale ever realized by the Press, regardless of format.
The Role of Technology Partners During the Transition Year (2008)
At the close of its contract with Canadian Electronic Library, UBC Press did not have any plans in place to produce and distribute ebooks of its forthcoming titles. For the first time since its foray into the world or digital publishing, the Press was left to oversee its own ebook program which had, until that point, been governed by outsider interests.
Though the Press was no longer under the auspices of a content aggregator, it continued to rely on the technology partner whom Gibson had introduced and whose services had proven to be indispensable. In the year following the CEL-CRKN deal, the Press thus used CodeMantra to produce enhanced PDFs (ePDFs) of many of its titles. These ePDFs, which CodeMantra called Universal PDFs© (uPDFs), were produced on a case-by-case basis following a title’s initial publication in print.[14] They contained various “value-added” features, such as
properly embedded fonts
a bookmarked, linked table of contents
linked footnotes, endnotes, and indices
working external URLs
cropped white space and registration marks, and
lower-resolution images, which are preferable for digital display. (CodeMantra)
According to CodeMantra, these features met the minimum file requirements of most libraries and ebook vendors. The uPDF format therefore allowed publishers to distribute their files to multiple sales channels without encountering any technical barriers.
To help deliver this product, CodeMantra also offered publishers subscriptions to Collection Point, a digital asset management system. Collection Point enabled publishers like UBC Press to store their ebooks, apply metadata to these files, and deliver the finished products electronically to various sales channels, including to content aggregators, whose role had really been reduced to that of distributor by this time.[15] By helping publishers to not only create but also manage their ebooks, CodeMantra was attempting to provide an “end-to-end” digital publishing solution for clients like UBC Press, who found themselves in the position of having to produce and mobilize their own ebooks without having the know-how or tools to do so.
Having secured these technical services from CodeMantra, UBC Press began to manage its own ebook publishing program, unassisted, until the next external initiative arose—this time, under the direction of a national trade organization: the Association of Canadian Publishers.
A National Strategy: The Association of Canadian Publishers and a Push Toward XML (2009-2011)
The Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP) represents approximately 135 domestically owned and controlled English-language publishers: among them, eight of Canada’s 13 university presses, including UBC Press. Since it was formed in 1976, the ACP had provided research, marketing, and professional development services to independent publishers in Canada.
At the time of the CEL-CRKN deal, the Association had become aware of its members’ need for assistance in the ebook business. To help its members navigate this new era of publishing, the ACP applied for and received a $109,906 grant from the Department of Canadian Heritage, which it used to fund the formation of the Canadian Publisher Digital Services initiative (CPDS) in May 2009. The CPDS was a suite of services that aimed to provide advice and support to small and mid-sized independent publishers wanting to create and manage ebooks (MacDonald).
An important part of the CPDS program was connecting Canadian publishers with technology partners who could offer conversion services. The first round of ebook conversions organized by the ACP took place in October 2009. For this job, the ACP hired CodeMantra, the same overseas company that had made a name for itself among publishers by converting their files for the Canadian Electronic Library. This was also the same company that UBC Press had been relying upon in the interim period since its dealings with CEL. The ACP’s choice of technology partner was thus particularly convenient for UBC Press: the fact that the Press could continue to use CodeMantra’s services through the CPDS program made it all the more appealing.
Under the ACP’s contract with CodeMantra, UBC Press continued to commission uPDFs from CodeMantra, but it also began to request another set of PDF files intended for Ingram’s Lightning Source. The Press had been in discussion with Lightning Source about producing print-on-demand (POD) copies of select titles in Australia and the UK.[16] As part of this arrangement, UBC Press had to supply Lightning Source with PDFs that differed from the uPDF files already being produced by CodeMantra. Unlike the uPDFs—low resoultion files designed for on-screen reading, which contain interactive features (like bidirectional links)—these POD files had to be static PDFs that could generate a print-quality product. This meant the POD PDFs had to contain high-resolution images (300 dpi) of a book’s full wrap cover and interior text. These files also had to comply with other formatting requirements stipulated by Lightening Source: for example, the interior text had to have one-quarter inch margins, the cover had to have a one-quarter inch bleed on all sides, and the images had to be rendered in CMYK colour.
In addition to the uPDFs and POD PDFs, UBC Press was able to obtain under the ACP’s program cutting-edge ebook formats. Indeed, the ACP’s aim was not just to help Canadian publishers digitize their catalogues, but to assist them in pushing their ebooks beyond the PDF-based library market (which the CEL had so successfully targeted) and into the burgeoning trade ebook market, which hinged upon XML-based formats.[17] To this end, ACP members were able to request pubXML versions of their files, a branded form of XML markup used by CodeMantra. These pubXML files were pitched to publishers as “an archive format used for conversion to various HTML or XHTML formats” (Izma). This marked the first opportunity for many Canadian publishers to store their content in what was considered to be a more durable and flexible form—a form that might allow them to repurpose their tagged content later on.
Of even greater interest to publishers than the pubXML files was CodeMantra’s EPUB conversion option. The EPUB is an “agnostic,” non-proprietary ebook format. Unlike PDFs, which have a fixed layout, the text in EPUBs is reflowable, which makes them amenable to designated ereaders like the Kindle or Kobo, as well as other mobile devices. By enabling presses like UBC to adopt the EPUB format, the ACP was realizing its goal of encouraging publishers like UBC Press to enter into the trade ebook market.
And indeed, UBC Press took full advantage of this opportunity. In 2009, the Press submitted 82 titles to codeMantra for conversion into all four of the formats discussed above: uPDF, POD PDF, XML, and EPUB. Other publishers were equally enthusiastic. 44 different Canadian publishers took part in the first phase of this project (MacDonald). In fact, the level of interest and participation from Canadian publishers in this program was so high that a second round of conversions was organized in 2010. Data conversion companies were invited to bid on a new contract with the ACP; this time, the job was awarded to a different technology partner, Innodata Isogen, whose facilities were also located overseas. UBC Press submitted another 62 of its recently published titles to Innodata for conversion. In total, UBC Press’s files accounted for almost 10% of the more than 2500 titles submitted for conversion during the Canadian Publisher Digital Services program (Coates, MacDonald).
Scanning the Digital Horizon: eBound Canada
The CPDS program was the most recent effort toward large-scale, coordinated ebook production in Canada. By the end of its second round of conversions, the ebook market had become much more firmly established, and the need for conversion services and representation was so great that the ACP announced the CDPS would become a separate entity, eBound Canada, in June 2011 (“Newly Incorporated”). Nic Boshart, Manager of Technology at eBound Canada, confirmed that this newly formed not-for-profit organization will “continue offering bulk and individual conversions” to its members, in addition to providing assistance with retail distribution, research and education about digital publishing (Boshart, “Conversions”).
For his part, UBC Press Director Peter Milroy has expressed a willingness to continue outsourcing ebook production to technology partners through third-party organizations like eBound Canada. It seems, then, that the Press will continue to outsource ebook production—at least, for the immediate future.[18]
UBC Press’s decade-long history of ebook publishing reflects numerous changes in the industry, including a shift from HTML and PDF to XML and EPUB formats; from a program that focuses exclusively on institutional markets to one that includes trade markets; and from private-sector initiatives to publicly-funded programs.
Throughout these changes, the Press’s reliance on outsourcing has remained constant. UBC Press has always depended on an external partner to produce, sell and distribute its ebooks. This is perhaps not surprising, as the ebook business was first created and aggressively developed by external stakeholders (e.g. content aggregators). Yet there are several other reasons why publishers have chosen to outsource ebook production for the last decade. These reasons are explored in detail in the next chapter.
There are several reasons why UBC Press and other publishers first outsourced, and have continued to outsource, ebook production. This practice is part of a national movement toward offshoring in Canada’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector; it is also indicative of the freelancing model used by many publishers, including UBC Press. More importantly, outsourcing has been a convenient and cost-effective way for UPs to enter into a potentially lucrative but uncertain market.
Offshoring in Canada’s ICT Sector
Outsourcing is a business practice that is not unique to the publishing industry. Indeed, outsourcing has become increasingly popular across the manufacturing and service industries over the past five decades.
As John Baldwin and Wulong Gu point out in a federal report on this issue, Canada has been able to increase its participation in international trade over the last 50 years thanks to “a reduction in trade barriers” and “improved … coordination of dispersed production activities” made possible by conveniences like teleconferencing, email, etc. (7). Among the many goods and services that are now traded internationally are services in the ICT sector (8). In fact, outsourcing has become so common in this sector that by 2003 Canadian companies were offshoring 7.3 billion dollars in business services, including software and computer services (Morissette and Johnson 14, 16).
Though their traditional focus on acquiring, editing and designing once placed publishers squarely outside the realm of these technology-related services, the rise of digital publishing and the concomitant need for large-scale data conversion has made publishers reliant upon the ICT sector. Through their business dealings with content aggregators and conversion houses, Canadian publishers have thus become swept up in this larger movement toward offshoring.
The Freelance Precedent
In addition to being part of a larger trend in the ICT sector, outsourcing is in keeping with the UBC Press’s own business strategy, which includes contracting out skilled work to freelancers (Milroy). During cutbacks in the early 1990s, UBC Press was forced to downsize its staff. As it was less expensive and more convenient to hire workers on short-term contracts, the Press came to rely on freelancers for much of the editorial and production work formerly carried out by employees in house (Brand 58).[19] By the time UBC Press started experimenting with ebooks in the early 2000s, all copywriting, copyediting, proofreading, typesetting, designing, and indexing for print books was being carried out by freelancers.
As most of the work involved with print books was being performed out-of-house, it seemed reasonable that this new facet of production—ebooks—be outsourced as well.
Reducing Risk and Production Costs
Ebooks brought with them the promise of profit. Publishers and aggregators alike saw the electronic format as a way to capitalize upon backlist titles that weren’t generating much revenue.[20] It was also thought that the release of ebooks would encourage libraries who had already purchased a print copy of a book to buy an electronic edition as well, essentially duplicating sales for that title. In addition to generating income through electronic sales, ebooks were expected to boost print sales due to “increased exposure to the press’s list” (Crawley, “University”).
Despite these anticipated financial benefits, university presses were cautious about entering into ebook publishing due to “high technology costs and a questionable market” (Crawley, “University” and “Scholarly”). Outsourcing, however, provided a way for scholarly publishers like UBC Press to experiment with digital publishing while minimizing financial risk, since outsourcing partners offered a series of incentives that either lowered or eliminated production costs.
NetLibrary initially set low-cost expectations by offering to cover the cost of digitization (i.e. the shipping and conversion fees) in exchange for the right to sublicense that digital content. This saved the publisher from having to invest in ebooks upfront. It also effectively protected the publisher from the risk of financial loss, for if the ebooks did not sell well, in the end, the publishers would not have lost any money on production expenses (Crawley, “University”). However, if NetLibrary did manage to sell its ebooks (which were sold at the print cover price), it typically split the proceeds from these sales 50/50 with the publisher (Crawley, “University” and “Online”).[21] Essentially, publishers could profit from this venture, even though they weren’t fronting any financial capital for it.
It was these favourable terms that first tempted publishers like UBC Press to start outsourcing to Netlibrary. It’s not surprising, then, that when the company changed the nature of its offer, several publishers pulled out of the agreement. As a cost-recovery measure, NetLibrary had begun charging publishers hefty conversion fees in September 2000, the price of which could range from one hundred to a few thousand dollars per title, depending on the number of pages and images in the original print book (Crawley, “University”). As a result of these changes, UBC Press chose not to renew its contract with NetLibrary after 2003.
Although NetLibrary’s initial offer had been too good to last, its low-risk approach to ebook deals had been so attractive that Gibson used a similar incentive when trying to recruit publishers for the Canadian Electronic Library. As Alison Knight explains, “CEL offered to scan and generate PDFs from hard copies for UBC Press’s entire backlist without immediate charge (the $90 PDF creation to be instead deducted from royalties)” (42). Under Gibson’s agreement, publishers would only pay for production costs in the event that their ebooks actually turned a profit; in other words, they would never have to pay for production costs out of pocket. Furthermore, the production costs were themselves quite low because Gibsons’ technology partner, codeMantra, had its conversion facilities located in India: a low-wage, non-OECD country where there is a “fast-growing supply of relatively skilled workers” (Morissette and Johnson 9). CodeMantra was therefore able to convert ebooks at a reasonable price, which lowered production costs and increased profit margins for the CEL and its participating publishers.
The cost savings that came from outsourcing to an overseas conversion house were so appealing that UBC Press continued to use codeMantra even after it’s contract with Gibson ended in 2008 and it found itself having to pay a flat fee upfront to convert its ebooks.
Using similar incentives, the Association of Canadian Publishers was also able to lower the cost of producing ebooks for Canadian Publishers, thereby encouraging them to continue outsourcing. When it came time for the ACP to choose its technology partners for the CPDS program, it too hired companies like CodeMantra and Innodata, whose conversion facilities were located in South Asia, and who could therefore offer lower pricing.[22] Under the ACP’s program, these services were obtained at collectively negotiated rates, which were made more advantageous by the volume of files being converted; by guaranteeing the participation of numerous Canadian publishers in the CPDS program, the Association was able to secure conversion services at an even more competitive price.
In addition to using foreign technology partners and securing discount/”bulk” pricing, the ACP was able to further lower the cost of producing ebooks by offering a subsidy to its members. During the first round of conversions in 2009, this subsidy amounted to 30% of the overall cost (30 cents on every dollar’s worth of charges), reducing the cost of conversion anywhere from $60-$240 per title. Instead of having to pay $190-$800 to convert each book, UBC Press only paid $130-$560.[23] During the second round of conversions, the ACP continued to offer publishers a subsidy, although it was lowered from 30% to 19% of the total cost, which amounted to $33-$91 in savings per title. Certain restrictions were also put in place during the second round of conversions to reflect the aims of the ACP’s program: only those titles that were being converted into the new XML and ePub formats would be eligible for the discount. Accordingly, UBC Press was more selective in the titles it chose to convert and in the formats it requested. Of the 74 titles the Press submitted for initial estimates, it processed only 62, choosing those titles that were most affordable to produce. Despite these new restrictions, publishers were still able to enjoy considerable savings: the cost for converting a single title into all four ebooks formats (EPDF, POD PDF, XML and EPUB) during this last round of conversions ranged from $105-$467.
To sum up, the companies and organizations that have facilitated outsourcing over the last ten years have offered a series of incentives, ranging from complete coverage of production costs to cost deferrals and direct subsidies. These incentives have made it more affordable—and therefore less risky—for university presses to start publishing ebooks.
In addition to lowering financial risk and production costs, outsourcing seemed like a convenient way for publishers to enter into the ebook business. The production method used by the early content aggregators was particularly accommodating. Thanks to OCR scanners, companies like NetLibrary only required hardcopies of books in order to generate the text for these first HTML ebooks. This meant that publishers could remain focused on creating their print product while ebook production took place downstream. Outsourcing was essentially tacked on to the end of the Press’s own workflow, which remained unchanged despite the introduction of this additional output format.
Figure 2. UBC Press Production Flowchart[24]
Even with the advent of newer ebook formats, in-house operations continued much the same as they had before. When UBC Press began to commission enhanced PDFs (ePDFs) directly from CodeMantra in 2008, the Press only needed to provide the company with the simple image PDFs of a book’s cover and interior. These files were exported directly from InDesign by the Press’s typesetter who was, conveniently enough, already generating PDFs of a book’s final proofs for the printer, Friesens. In other words, the same PDFs that were used to produce print books could now serve as the basis for the Press’s ebooks. All the Press was required to do was upload these simple PDFs, along with the accompanying front cover images in their native file formats (e.g. JPEGs, TIFFs, and .AI files), to the company’s FTP site. The real work involved in “enhancing” these PDFs was then performed off-site in CodeMantra’s content factories.
Once the simple PDF files had been downloaded by CodeMantra employees, features like internal links and bookmarked tables of contents were added manually to enhance the product and make it more user-friendly. Although applying these features is not an overly complex process, requiring only minimal training and common software applications like Adobe Acrobat Pro, the process can be quite labour intensive, particularly if a PDF contains a lot of index entries or notes which have to be turned into links. Outsourcing therefore saved UBC Press staff the time and effort required to perform these tedious tasks.
Though the method of producing other ebook formats is much more involved, the Press did not have to put forth any extra effort when it started to publish EPUBs and XML files in 2009. This is because conversion houses like CodeMantra and Innodata were able to create these ebooks from the same basic files used to produce the ePDFs. Nic Boshart, Manager of Technology at eBound Canada, explains how this process might be carried out.
Data conversion companies like CodeMantra and Innodata often use custom-made software to produce EPUBs and XML files. Many conversion houses write their own scripts, which they use to extract content from publishers’ PDF or InDesign files. This data is then stored in an intermediate form of XML unique to that company (e.g. CodeMantra’s “pubXML”) and is run through an engine that converts the tagged data into an EPUB. After a rough preliminary conversion, these companies likely run more scripts to reformat portions of the file and to add styling to the ePub. Although Boshart believes that “there is a human element involved somewhere along the line, probably for double-checking (quickly) code and running more scripts,” much of this process is automated, which allows these content factories to convert a large number of files simultaneously. In this way, conversion houses are able to create complex XML ebook formats from the simple PDFs provided by the publisher.
From a production standpoint, outsourcing has therefore been exceptionally convenient: it has allowed UBC Press to adopt various ebook formats that have developed over time without having to drastically alter its own operations. Moreover, in its early agreements with content aggregators, UBC Press was able to outsource not just the production of its ebooks but also their marketing and distribution. As it was in NetLibrary’s and Gibson’s own interests to promote the content that they had licensed from publishers, UBC Press was excused from having to actively advertise its digital titles. This appealed to former Associate Director of UBC Press George Maddison who, as Quill & Quire noted, “prefer[ed] to let others do the work” (Crawley, “University”). Publishers who converted their titles through the CPDS program also had the option of collectively licensing their content through the ACP to ebook vendors like Sony.
Although UBC Press has had to take a more hands-on approach to ebook production in recent years (see Chapter 3), the initial convenience of being able to outsource all manner of work associated with ebooks clearly was a draw for publishers.
At the time UBC Press began publishing ebooks, the outsourcing of technical services had become a common practice within Canada. Outsourcing also seemed to fit with the freelance-based business model already in place at the Press.
Over the years, the different parties that organized ebook production also tended to subsidize it: companies like NetLibrary and industry groups like the ACP have offered various financial incentives to make outsourcing even more attractive to publishers. For publishers, then, outsourcing has minimized any economic risks involved in adopting the digital format. Furthermore, outsourcing has been an incredibly convenient way to enter into the ebook market. Because ebooks have, to date, been produced from the end-product of print publishing (i.e. from a hard copy or PDF of a book), UBC Press hasn’t had to make any changes to its own production workflow—even with the adoption of newer, XML-based ebook formats.
By being both convenient and affordable, this method of production has been beneficial enough to keep publishers outsourcing for over ten years. However, it remains to be seen whether the benefits of outsourcing still outweigh other problems that may have arisen from this practice. The next chapter will therefore take a closer look at UBC Press’s most recent outsourcing experience to determine whether outsourcing remains a convenient, risk-free, and cost-effective way for UBC Press to produce ebooks.
As was established in the previous chapter, UBC Press has been outsourcing ebook production since it first began publishing ebooks in the late 1990s. But whether or not it should continue to do so warrants some consideration. The processes and products that have resulted from over a decade of outsourcing should be examined in order to determine whether outsourcing remains as beneficial a business practice as it once was.
This chapter will begin by reviewing the quality of the ebooks produced for UBC Press through the Association of Canadian Publishers’ CPDS program. In particular, it will catalogue the types of errors that have been found within these files. This chapter will then speculate on the inconvenience, risks, and added costs that may result from poorly converted ebooks. In an effort to understand why—and with such frequency—these errors have occurred, the conversion process used by large overseas companies like CodeMantra and Innodata Isogen will also be examined.
After surveying the fallout from UBC Press’s latest experience, the consequences of Canadian publishers outsourcing en masse will also be considered. Even if outsourcing was an effective way of allowing Canadian publishers to enter the ebook market, outsourcing long-term may have the unfortunate result of reducing the autonomy of Canadian publishers and their participation in the digital economy.
An Era of Ebook Errors
As discussed in Chapter 1, when the ACP first introduced the CPDS program, the initiative was welcomed by most Canadian publishers—including UBC Press—who were looking for assistance in digitizing their recent backlist titles. Like other outsourcing initiatives that had come before it, the CPDS program was seen as a convenient way of producing ebooks. Because the conversions would be performed out-of-house, it was assumed that the Press’s operations would not be affected by them. This outsourcing opportunity also seemed to carry little risk, given that it was overseen by the ACP: a trusted industry representative that was willing to partially fund the process. In short, the CPDS program seemed like an easy, safe, and affordable way for publishers to obtain ebook editions of their backlist titles.
However, UBC press was quite disappointed with the files it received from its conversion partners during this program.[25] The two batches of files produced for the Press under the ACP contracts were not “ready-to-sell” upon receipt, as had been promised (MacDonald): in fact, they were plagued with problems.
Errors were apparent even from the cover pages. The ebook covers were often of poor quality. Some cover images appeared in very low resolution; others were stretched because their proportions had not been maintained during resizing. In one instance, the author’s name and book title had been accidentally dropped from the cover.
Figures 3 & 4. Low Resolution Ebook Covers
Figures 5 & 6. Original Image vs. Stretched Cover Image
The ebook interiors were just as disappointing. Entire chapters were missing from the ebooks or from the bookmarked tables of contents that had been added to the files manually by the technology partner. The chapter titles that did appear in these tables of contents often contained spelling errors and/or were missing subtitles due to human error. More frequently, the files themselves were incorrectly named, having been labeled with the wrong ISBN number (e.g. the PDF version of a title was assigned the EPUB ISBN, or vice versa).
Such errors were common across all file types, but others were unique to particular ebook formats. In the ePDFs (which are paginated), whole pages were missing or were misnumbered. Preliminary pages in the front matter did not appear in Roman numerals, though the Press had stipulated that they should. Chapter headings were also missing from the tops of some pages. Internal links to/from the notes section and index were either missing or navigated to the wrong page.
In addition, the print-on-demand PDFs included only front covers, instead of the full wrap cover requested by the Press and required by Lightning Source. Instead of listing the softcover ISBNs as requested by the Press, the copyright pages in these POD files listed the hardcover ISBNs.
If the PDFs were disappointing, the EPUBs were in even worse condition. The EPUB errors that were most visible were those pertaining to images. For instance, diacritics which should have been rendered in UTF-8 encoding (as stipulated in the agreement) were instead captured as images during the conversion process. Because they had been rendered as images, these accented characters did not appear to rest on the same line as the rest of the text. What’s more, these and other images were not scalable, so though the ebook’s text could be resized, the images alongside it could not.[26]
Figures 7, 8, & 9. Diacritics Captured as Images in EPUBs
Furthermore, text was not properly “wrapped” around images, and captions (which are usually centered underneath a figure) were not aligned with the images they described. These errors were made all the more visible when the ebooks were viewed on a wide screen.
Figures 10 & 11. Captions not Aligned with Images in EPUBs
Figure 12. Images Appearing Mid-Sentence in an EPUB
Still more problems occurred because of the shift from PDF to EPUB that took place during conversion—in other words, the shift from a fixed page layout to reflowable text. Images that appeared on separate pages in the print editions now seemed to interrupt the text, sometimes appearing mid-sentence. Tables which contained three or more columns in the original files and which should have been rendered as images had been grabbed as text instead; as a result, the contents of these tables often broke across several pages in the EPUB, making them difficult to read. Odd line breaks also occurred within the running text because the print typesetter had either used automatic hyphenation or had inserted forced line breaks in the original InDesign files.
Figure 13. Example of Forced Line Breaks Appearing in an EPUB
Figures 14 & 15. Examples of Spacing Errors in EPUBs
Some of the errors mentioned above are attributable to the relative complexity of the EPUB format, and the amount of behind-the-scenes encoding required to convert a PDF to and EPUB. However, other mistakes seem to have been made, not because of the complexity of the task at hand, but because of carelessness or disregard for the Press’s instructions. For instance, some external links were broken because neighbouring punctuation had been included with the actual URL when the link’s destination was created. Pages that originally appeared in the front matter and that were supposed to have been relocated to the back of the EPUB so as not to interfere with readability (a common practice in ebook design) had not been moved. Also, a disclaimer stating that the index referred to the print edition of the book should have been included at the back of the EPUBs, but often wasn’t.[27]
Figure 16. Example of Index Disclaimer in EPUB
More seriously, the metadata for these EPUB files was neither robust nor accurate. For instance, an editor’s name was often mistakenly given as an author name. In the case of co-authored works, only the first author’s name would be listed in the metadata. Series information was not included in the .OPF files of the EPUBs; ISBNs didn’t appear within the files’ ID fields, either. Most worrisome of all, many of these files could not be validated against ThreePress Consulting’s epubcheck version 1.2—a free online tool commonly used within the industry to check the integrity of the code and the structure of EPUBs.
The Inconvenience of Outsourcing
Not surprisingly, the error-riddled ebooks that were produced during the last two rounds of conversions created delays and extra work for UBC Press, making outsourcing far less convenient than it seemed at the outset.
During the first round of CPDS conversions in 2009, ebook errors occurred with such frequency that many ACP members complained to the organization about the quality of their files. The sheer scale of the problem prompted the Association to bring in a consultant to negotiate a solution with the technology partner, CodeMantra. In the end, all parties agreed that the company would make certain changes to the files produced during this round of conversions, free of charge. Many publishers decided to resubmit files, but because the changes were applied globally, it took a long time for the corrections to be implemented. As a result, some of the titles that were initially submitted to CodeMantra during the first round of conversions in 2009 were not yet ready by 2011 (Coates). The second round of conversions, which began in 2010 (while the first batch of ebooks were still being corrected), was also fraught with complications. In an attempt to prevent further problems, the ACP had included specific language in the contract with its new conversion partner, Innodata. UBC Press had also included additional instructions along with the titles it submitted for conversion. Unfortunately, this second technology partner also failed to deliver files that met the requirements of the Press and the ACP, so similar delays ensued. Almost all of the 62 files UBC Press submitted to Innodata in July 2010 had to be returned to the company in November and December of that year due to formatting errors. During the second round of proofing in May 2011, errors were still being found in the files. In a sample of 36 ebooks, only 12 of the 25 EPDFs were of acceptable quality (that is, contained few enough errors to be sold in good conscience), and only five of 11 EPUBs would validate.[28] In other words, less than half of the 36 files were properly formatted after two visits to the conversion house: the remainder had to be sent back for further corrections.
Although the technology partners were usually able to turn around files within a matter of months (three months or so, in CodeMantra’s case), each time the Press resubmitted its files, they would be placed at the back of the queue behind those from other publishers who were having similar problems. The substandard files produced during this latest outsourcing experience have therefore caused significant setbacks and pushed forward the release dates of UBC Press’s ebooks.
During this fiasco, Press staff also had to spend a significant amount of time and attention interfacing with its technology partners and the ACP. Once UBC Press became aware of the quality of its files, Press employees also had to intervene and spend time checking each file—not once, but multiple times. This necessarily interrupted regular in-house operations. Though outsourcing may have required little effort on the Press’s part in the early days of NetLibrary, the last two years of outsourcing under the ACP have thus required more time and attention than Press staff had expected or planned for.
Increasing Risk and Cost
On top of being inconvenient, the shoddy conversions performed by the ACP’s technology partners have also resulted in added risks and expense for UBC Press.
Errors such as distorted images or awkward line breaks ruin the appearance and aesthetics of an ebook; other types of errors, like broken links or missing tables of contents, affect an ebook’s functionality and navigability. Collectively, these errors have the effect of lessening the quality and value of UBC Press’s electronic product, which in turn could reinforce the low-price expectations of consumers. At the very least, these errors may affect the Press’s ability to sell its digital editions at a price that is equal to or slightly higher than the print cover price. As the Manager of Marketing points out, UBC Press can hardly expect to charge the same amount for “junky ebooks” as it does for its carefully crafted print books (Coates).
If an ebook is found to have a particularly high number of errors, these errors may affect unit sales for that particular electronic title. However, they could also lower sales for other titles as well, for the following reason. UBC Press’s reputation as an academic publisher is based upon the accuracy and consistency of the research that it publishes. However, recurring formatting errors and sloppy presentation might raise questions about the Press’s overall approach to quality control and, by extension, the reliability of the content it publishes. If these poorly formatted files are released into the supply chain, they endanger UBC Press’s credibility as a scholarly/reference publisher.[29]
Laraine Coates, Marketing Manager and coordinator of the ebook program at UBC Press, has in fact expressed concern over the effect that sloppy ebooks might have on the Press’s reputation. Coates regrets that there are already ebooks in circulation that “do not do justice” to UBC Press’s publishing program. Although the Press is normally quite stringent in its review process (see “Proofing,” Chapter 4), error-filled EPDFs still made it to library market. This is because the Press was not prepared for the state of the files it received through the CPDS program. When UBC Press received its first batch of ebooks back from CodeMantra in 2010, Coates did not suspect that she would need to review each file individually for errors. As the sole staff member responsible for this aspect of production, Coates also lacked the assistance that would have made a thorough review possible. As a result, dozens of botched EPDFs were distributed to libraries through ebook aggregators soon after they were delivered to the Press.[30]
Coates admits that she and many other publishers “dropped the ball” during this first round of conversions organized by the ACP. After the flaws in CodeMantra’s files were brought to light by other ACP members, Coates decided to enlist an intern to help check the second batch of files, which were created by Innodata. At that time, however, publishers were still discovering new types of errors in their files, and because the Press hadn’t yet compiled a comprehensive list of errors to look for, this round of proofreading was rather hit-or-miss. It was also cursory by necessity: due to the volume of files that had to be reviewed, the student intern was only able to spend 10 minutes or so spot-checking each file (Coates). As a result, many of the EPDFs that were put into circulation from the second round of conversions were functional, but still contained minor formatting errors (e.g. low res. or miscoloured cover images).
These ebook errors may have not only lowered the perceived quality of the product and of the Press itself, but they may have ultimately affected the profitability of the ebooks by delaying their distribution. After the Press had to send back files to Innodata for revision in November 2010, libraries and vendors began contacting UBC Press because the ePDF versions of certain titles advertised in the Fall catalogue had not yet been made available to them (Coates). As a result, library orders may have been dropped before these files were ready.
The Press has had even greater difficulty bringing its EPUBs to market. Laraine Coates has expressed concern over the fact that the EPUBs first requested from Innodata in May 2010 were not yet sellable 18 months later, in November 2011. At that time, Coates commented that these ebooks were still in “need [of] a lot of work before we can put them in the market” (“eBound”). A year later, the EPUBs remain in unsellable condition and have yet to be distributed. Consequently, the sale of these ebooks—and revenue from these sales—has been postponed, and may be forfeited altogether if the files cannot be brought to satisfactory standards. In particular, if these EPUB files still contain structural errors and can’t be validated, then they can’t be put into circulation, as many ebook vendors refuse to accept potentially “unstable,” invalidated files. Metadata errors could further depress ebook sales by reducing the visibility of the files in an online environment. If an ebook is missing metadata or contains incorrect metadata, it can’t be properly catalogued by ebook vendors or indexed by search engines. This makes it harder for potential customers to find and purchase that ebook online. Metadata and validation errors therefore affect not just the discoverability of these electronic titles, but also their saleability.
The potential risks and financial losses from this latest outsourcing experience may be largely incalculable, but these poorly formatted ebooks have already resulted in quantifiable costs incurred by the Press. The several rounds of proofing that UBC Press personnel have had to perform on each file has contributed to the overall cost of producing these ebooks. In the summer of 2011 alone, 63 ebooks had to be proofread in-house at the Press. As it took roughly twenty minutes to thoroughly check each ebook (often longer for EPUBS), this amounted to at least 21 hours of employee time. Though a summer intern was able to perform this task at a reduced rate, this one round of proofreading still cost the Press roughly $150.[31] Had this same task been performed by a hired freelancer proofreader at the standard rate of $20per hour, this cost would have escalated to $420 for one round of professional proofreading, or to $1260 for the three rounds of proofreading that have been required on average during the ACP’s program.[32]
If the Press were to continue to outsource ebook production to the same technology partners and receive files of a similar quality, the proofreading required to bring these ebooks up to an acceptable standard would add an extra $7.15-$20 per file, depending on whether the task were performed by an intern or hired proofreader. This amounts to an additional $14.30-$40 per title, as each title is usually converted into two file formats that require proofreading (EPUB and ePDF). For the average book, this proofreading represents as much as a 20% increase in ebook production costs—an increase that is not insignificant, especially when multiplied across large batches of files.
During the CPDS program, UBC Press spent over $30,000 to convert 144 of its titles into various ebook formats. But when one considers the hassle and hidden costs that have come with these conversions, and the untold price paid by publishers whose brands have been compromised by a substandard product, outsourcing through the ACP has turned out to be far more expensive than the official price tag suggests.
What Went Wrong: Outsourcing to Large Conversion Houses
Far from being an isolated incident, UBC Press’s latest experience reveals problems that come from outsourcing to a particular type of technology partner. Under its recent contracts with the Association of Canadian Publishers, UBC Press worked with two different companies, CodeMantra and Innodata: two large conversion houses whose operations are located overseas. The fact that UBC Press had disappointing experiences with both partners suggests that there may be problems not with each individual company, but with the business practices of large conversion houses in general. Although the remote location of their facilities might tempt Canadian publishers to adopt an “out of sight, out of mind” attitude toward these conversion houses, their internal operations should be brought into question in light of the trouble that these technology partners caused during the CPDS program.
In an article written in 2000 for the (now defunct) online publication eBookWeb, an industry insider exposed some systemic problems that were present even among early conversion houses. These problems may account for the recurrence of errors and overall lack of quality control within these organizations today, as was borne out by UBC Press’s experience.
In “A Tale of Two Conversion Houses,” author Dorothea Salo identifies major problems within these companies, including issues with their workforce, workflow, tools, and customer relations. According to Salo, large conversion houses, also known as “content factories,” employ a sizeable workforce of entry-level programmers and “barely-competent HTML jockeys.” As is the case with other types of factories, the mechanical labour performed by these workers is divided along an assembly line. That is to say, the workflow is “divided into segments so small as to be meaningless” (Salo). Trained only to carry out their assigned tasks, the employees perform repetitive functions (e.g. running scripts, manually inserting links, resizing images), unaware of how these tasks relate “to any other, much less how the whole product looks and functions.” This results in a “silo effect,” by which employees within these conversion houses are kept ignorant of the “larger process or end result” that they are working toward. This disunity affects the overall quality of the product and the ability of the ebook to function as a whole.[33]
On a human resource level, this assembly-line approach to conversion leads to low morale and motivation among workers, and a high turn-over rate. Although this results in a “shifting workforce,” conversion houses are able to hire a great number of workers because their operations are located in countries where there is large pool of computer-literate employees who can be paid comparatively low wages.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, hiring low-skill workers (instead of ebook designers or digital publishing professionals) is more desirable for these companies, since their production method is built around tools, not training. As Salo explains, the mostly automated conversions performed by these companies rely heavily on “sophisticated production tools that supposedly reduce the need for employee training.” However, the custom software developed for this purpose also has its drawbacks. Because the workers who rely on this software often operate independently from the programmers who write the scripts, there is seldom any feedback between users of these tools and their creators. This disintegration results in the development of inefficient tools. Moreover, “should the tool fail in some way,” the employees who have no expertise (due to a lack of training) and who have been made dependent upon these tools “are left utterly helpless, and workflows grind to a halt” (Salo).
Another problem endemic to these large companies is the issue of scale itself. As Laraine Coates of UBC Press observed, “Their’s is a numbers game.” In order to attract clients, these companies must offer low bids on contracts; because these low bids reduce the profitability of any given project, the companies must take on more contracts and even larger projects in order to remain profitable. To wit, the ACP contracts show that these conversion houses are often serving multiple clients (in this case, 44 different Canadian publishers) with divergent needs, simultaneously. Though such diversity in projects and clientele would normally warrant customized workflows, these large businesses must instead take a “one-size-fits-all” approach to ebook conversions because they are operating on economies of scale (Salo). In terms of their workflow, this often means that a single DTD or schema is applied to all files, resulting in some ebooks being “shoehorned” into a markup system that isn’t appropriate to the structure or design of the original book (Salo). In UBC Press’s case, this practice is evidenced in the fact that the content of most of the titles it submitted for conversion were classified as either of “moderate” or “complex” difficulty by Innodata. Clearly, the workflow used by the company—which might work well for producing EPUBs of trade fiction titles with fewer textual elements—could not easily accommodate the type of apparatus found in most scholarly books.
The type of markup that results from these cookie-cutter conversions is often of low quality: a fact that, strangely enough, does not seem to hurt business, since the clients of these companies are often more concerned with the appearance of their ebooks than the integrity of their code. In the long term, however, an acceptance of low-grade code on the part of the publisher could affect the use of these ebooks both as archival files and as sellable wares. If the code behind these ebooks does not comply with current best practices, these files may not be forward-compatible when newer versions of the EPUB standard are released. Bad code may also interfere with the ability of future devices to render the files properly. Far from being a safe investment, these poorly made files may in fact have a very short shelf life.
This last point underscores a final problem that Salo warns against in her article: a lack of disclosure about workflow and markup on the part of these companies. This reticence may stem from greater communication problems between these large companies and their clients. Staff at UBC Press, for instance, often complained that although they were assigned an intermediary contact person by the ACP, they could not communicate directly with those who were overseeing or performing their ebook conversions.[34] Laraine Coates admits that if the conversion process had been more consultative, and the channels of communication more open, it may have been easier for the Press and its conversion partners to identify potential problems and prevent them.
However, Salo attributes this lack of disclosure to a more pernicious motive. She suspects that many technology partners purposefully do not educate their clients about the conversion process or its products in order to keep publishers “ignorantly dependent” on the conversion house. This theory seems to be supported by companies’ use of a custom form of XML (e.g. codeMantra’s pubXML), which hinders their clients’ ability to directly modify their own converted files. The “end-to-end” publishing services offered by these companies also make it harder for publishers to extricate their files, or reassign control over them to another service provider.[35]
The Effects of Outsourcing on Canada’s Publishing Industry
Whether or not Salo’s suspicions are correct, the result is as she had anticipated: publishers like UBC Press have become increasingly dependent on foreign companies to produce and manage their ebooks. This dependence does not sit well with some who work in the Canadian publishing industry. Even in the early days of NetLibrary, Darren Wershler-Henry—then-editor of Coach House Books and overall electronic publishing advocate—expressed concern over outsourcing the creation/management of electronic titles to foreign companies. “‘Letting an American firm have control over our publishing list just strikes me as a little weird,’” Wershler-Henry was then quoted as saying (Crawley, “Libraries”).
If one considers the ramifications of outsourcing long term, Weshler’s discomfort seems justified. Canadian publishers are not just handing over their money and content to factories overseas; they are also giving up their immediate autonomy, and reducing their chances of achieving some measure of self-sufficiency in the future.
By continuing to rely on external parties to create and manage their ebooks, Canadian publishers are deferring the need to hire or train staff to carry out their digital publishing programs. At present, there is indeed a scarcity of ebook experts among Canadian publishers. This is particularly true of university presses. Of the 13 UPs in Canada, only two have staff whose sole purpose is to oversee their digital publishing programs.[36] The rest have assigned this task to employees who hold positions in other departments and whose skillsets may be only tangentially related to ebooks. According to staff directories, those in charge of ebooks at Canadian UPs have job titles as diverse as Production and Design Manager, Bibliographic Data Coordinator, Computing Systems Administrator, and Sales/Marketing Manager.
In an editorial for The Journal of Electronic Publishing, Kate Wittenburg acknowledges this trend, observing that “[m]any university publishers have tried to meet this [digital] challenge by asking existing staff members to extend their responsibilities.” However, Wittenburg notes that “this strategy had not been effective” because “staff time and creative energy are, understandably, occupied keeping the existing business functioning.” This is certainly the case at UBC Press, where the task of coordinating ebook production has fallen to Laraine Coates, Manager of Marketing. Coates explains that she took on this responsibility in 2009 when another staff member in the Production department was away on maternity leave. Coates assumed this role because of her own personal interest in ebooks, and not her prior training or expertise in ebooks per se. At the time, this responsibility was added to her full-time workload in the Production department, and was later incorporated into her new position in marketing, so the amount of time she can devote to this side of the Press’s operations is necessarily limited. Although Coates is occasionally able to attend workshops and discussion panels on ebooks organized by various professional associations (e.g. the Association of American University Presses), she is afforded few opportunities to increase her knowledge on this subject in her day-to-day activities.
By obviating the need for trained employees, outsourcing thus leads to a lack of in-house expertise, which (as many publishers are coming to realize) only increases a publisher’s reliance on its technology partner. Again, UBC Press’s recent experience is telling in this regard. Because the Press had been outsourcing ebook production from the start, Press staff found themselves without the tools or skills necessary to modify the error-riddled ebooks produced through the CPDS program. As a result, UBC Press had to send back converted files that needed only minor corrections (e.g. typos in the tables of content) and wait for CodeMantra or Innodata to make the necessary adjustments, which led to further delays in the production process. In this way, the decision to outsource has handicapped individual publishers and furthered their dependence on conversion partners by rendering them ill-equipped to handle their own ebooks.
Over time, the tendency to outsource will also affect the self-sufficiency of the industry at large. Low demand for ebook-savvy employees in Canada will only lead to a lack of supply, for if there are few jobs available in digital publishing in this country, there is little incentive for publishing professionals to pursue training in this field, and limited opportunities for them to obtain on-the-job experience. Outsourcing en masse therefore negatively effects the professionalization of Canada’s domestic workforce and the overall level of employment within this emerging field. In the absence of expertise at home, outsourcing abroad appears to be the only viable option for producing ebooks.
Viewed this way, outsourcing threatens to become a self-perpetuating and self-justifying practice—one that leaves publishers without direct control over what has become an essential part of their publishing program.
UBC Press’s most recent experience under the CPDS program has shown outsourcing to be less convenient, more risky, and more expensive than it was under early ebook deals with companies like NetLibrary. The files being produced are of an unacceptable quality due to the batch processing and general business practices used by large conversion houses. Errors within these files have caused unnecessary delays and extra work for Press staff; by lowering the quality of the ebooks, they also threaten UBC Press’s reputation, as well as the overall profitability of its ebook program.
Yet the decision to outsource has consequences not just for the individual publisher, but for the publishing industry as a whole. When practiced by a large number of publishers (as was done under the ACP’s CPDS program), outsourcing negatively impacts the industry by making it dependent on foreign companies, to the neglect of its own domestic workforce. If the industry continues to outsource ebook production instead of developing the skills required to do so in Canada, those who outsource will have no other choice but to continue outsourcing in the future.
In light of these problems, it seems advisable that Canadian publishers now look for practical ways to incorporate ebooks for forthcoming titles into their existing workflows, whether that be at the proofreading or at the production stage. The next chapter will therefore propose various short- and long-term strategies that university presses such as UBC can use to gradually bring ebook production in house. By doing so, these presses can immediately address, and eventually avoid, the problems that have accompanied outsourcing.
In the last decade, publishers faced the daunting task of converting their extensive backlists into multiple ebook formats whose staying power was somewhat questionable. Now that ebooks have become a standard part of publishing, and the bulk of their backlists have been converted through an outsourcing process that leaves much to be desired, publishers have begun to consider producing ebooks themselves.
In recent years, UBC Press has attempted to move some aspects of ebook production in-house. However, this shift must necessarily be a gradual one. The Press must first put short-term strategies in place to deal with the ebooks that will be produced by its technology partners in the near future. Only then can the Press begin to consider long-term changes to its own operations that would allow for the production of both print and electronic books in house.
Short-Term Solutions
As discussed in the conclusion of Chapter 1, large-scale ebook conversions will continue to take place under the auspices of eBound Canada. And UBC Press seems willing to continue outsourcing its ebook production to large conversion houses through this organization—for the time being. If this current system of outsourcing is to continue, though, there are various measures that publishers like UBC Press can put in place in order to attain a higher level of quality assurance for their ebooks.
Proofing Ebooks
At UBC Press, print books typically undergo several stages of review during production. Typeset text is first reviewed by a professional proofreader, as well as the author. Any corrections to these pageproofs are then collated by staff and entered by the typesetter. The final laser proofs provided by the printer are verified once more by a production editor before being approved for print. However, when the Press began to publish ebooks, these steps—or their digital equivalent—were not being carried out. As a result, ebooks are not subject to the same kind of rigorous review that print books are.
The need for better quality control over ebooks was the topic of a recent roundtable discussion hosted by Digital Book World, an online community forum whose events are sponsored by industry professionals and companies like Aptara and Ingram Publishing Group. During this discussion, Laura Dawson, Digital Managing Editor for Hachette Book Group, recommended that publishers take measures to review their ebooks—even (especially) if these ebooks were produced out of house by a technology partner.
As discussed in Chapter 3, UBC Press had begun to implement a review process during the second round of conversions under the ACP. However, UBC Press would benefit from the standardization of theproofreading process. One way of doing this, Laura Dawson suggests, is to create a central document that outlines the quality control procedures that should be performed by those handling ebooks in-house. Similar documents are already shared among UBC Press employees to ensure that other practices—such as “cleaning up” manuscripts after transmittal—are performed uniformly, regardless of which staff member is carrying out the task. In UBC Press’s case, this procedural document could be as simple as a checklist or set of instructions that is given to each intern who is hired to proofread ebooks. (See Appendix A.)
Ideally, this procedure would also be incorporated into the Press’s production schedule, with the result that production editors would allot a standard amount of time for proofreading ebooks after their anticipated date of delivery. If production staff were to start budgeting time for this activity (and for further rounds of revisions and review, as needed), those in marketing would have a more realistic sense of when an electronic edition of a title will be available for distribution.
Normalizing the proofreading process would also result in ebooks being reviewed in-house on a regular basis, not just when extra help is available from student employees, who are typically hired during the summer months. This may result in the task being reassigned to regular staff in the Production/Editorial Department. Liz Kessler, Publisher of Adams Media, points out that it may, in fact, be more advantageous to have the same publishing staff be responsible for the quality of print books and ebooks. Kessler notes that editors and proofreaders work most closely with a title, and are most familiar with the content and formatting requirements of a particular manuscript. These same staff are therefore best suited to reviewing ebooks, as they will notice irregularities and omissions more easily than an intern or co-op student who has little to no familiarity with that manuscript.
Reassigning proofreading tasks to relevant members of the publishing team may also redress the human resource problem identified in the previous chapter. Instead of making ebooks the sole responsibility of one overburdened staff member, the publisher can draw from the expertise of several employees. By doing so, the publisher would also turn ebooks into a shared concern of the publishing team, as has long been the case with print books.
Improving Metadata
One downside to the ebooks that are currently being produced by large conversion houses is the metadata they contain (or don’t contain). As was mentioned in Chapter 3, the metadata within these files is often incomplete, and this affects the visibility and identifiability of that digital object once it is in the supply chain.
Solving this problem will require cooperation from both publishers and technology partners. Publishers will need to stipulate higher metadata standards within their statements of work, as well as provide more detailed publication information to their technology partners. These technology partners would, in turn, need to respect the standards outlined in their contracts and take the time to embed the provided metadata within the files they produce, even if this means inserting it manually.
Furthermore, it would behoove both publishers and their technology partners to adopt the standards recommended by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF), an industry association that creates and maintains technology standards in order to encourage interoperability within the field of electronic publishing. The IDPF’s protocols would result in richer and more detailed metadata than is currently being used. For instance, instead of simply listing a creator <ds:creator> in the .OPF file,[37] this field could further indicate whether the creator is the author of the work <dc:creator opf:role=”aut”> or the editor <dc:creator opf:role=”edt”>. The publisher and the conversion partner could also supply more detailed information in the “date” field. IDPF standards allow publishers to give both the year of print publication <dc:date opf:event=”original-publication”> and the year in which the EPUB file was created <dc:date opf:event=”epub-publication”>. (It is important to distinguish between the two events because, as was made clear during the ACP’s CPDS program, print and electronic formats may be released years apart.)
The IDPF recommendations would also provide an opportunity for publishers to supply additional information about their titles: for instance, the subject categories listed on the Cataloguing in Publication page within a print book could be included as values for the subject element in an ebook, e.g. <dc:subject>Canada – Foreign relations – United States</dc:subject>. Series information could also be placed within the type element <dc:type>Law and Society series</dc:type>. This granular level of data is helpful for marketing purposes, and it may also make cataloguing easier for institutions or for individuals who use programs like Calibre to store and manage their personal ebook libraries.
Using Stylesheets
One of the main complaints heard from publishers who took part in the ACP’s CPDS conversion program was the appearance of their EPUBs. While most of the eyesores resulted from formatting errors, these ebooks on the whole lacked the styling and attention to design found in their print counterparts, and in the EPDFs, which retained the layout of the original print books.
However, publishers who outsource ebook production can exercise more control over the appearance of their EPUBs by creating (or commissioning) their own stylesheets, a practice that many leading publishers have already adopted. Stylesheets are CSS files that are included within the EPUB file package. These CSS files determine the styling of the content documents and can therefore control certain aspects of the ebook, such as paragraph alignment, typeface, relative font size, line spacing, etc. Though some of these elements may be overridden by certain ereading devices, a well-designed CSS file can still manage to create a unique “look” for an ebook.
From the viewpoint of print production, stylesheets are best seen as the EPUB equivalent to the layout templates used to format and typeset a print book. Just as the Press uses several InDesign templates for most of their print book interiors, so too could the Press develop one or more stylesheets to apply to its ebooks: in fact, these stylesheets can even be based upon the design decisions made by the Press’s typesetter in the creation of the original print templates. (See discussion of Wild Element below.)
Using stylesheets to shape the appearance of content would not only enhance the production value of these ebooks, but it would also provide visual consistency between ebooks, thereby allowing UBC Press to extend its brand to those files being produced by another party. Stylesheets could also reduce the possibility of formatting errors by imposing stylistic uniformity on the text and images.
While a stylesheet can enhance the surface appearance of an ebook, the best solution to sloppy formatting is better-built ebooks. This requires long-term solutions to outsourcing.
Long-Term Solutions
Finding a More Suitable Technology Partner
When faced with a batch of error-filled ebooks, a publisher can choose to improve upon the files produced by its technology partner, or it can improve upon its choice of technology partner.
Given the number of errors found in the converted files and the dissatisfaction reported by clients like UBC Press, the large conversion houses hired by the ACP were not a good “fit” for Canadian publishers, particularly university presses. As stated in Chapter 3, scholarly books contain a number of extra-textual elements that aren’t easily accommodated by the automated workflows used in these conversion houses. Consequently, these scholarly ebooks seem to suffer from an unusually high number of formatting errors. In addition to causing problems during production, the apparatus that comes with academic books also adds to the cost of conversion. This is because, in the fee structures used by large-scale conversion houses, price is often indexed to the length of the text, along with the number of figures and the number of links a given ebook edition will contain. This pricing system effectively penalizes publishers of monographs and reference books, which are typically longer than trade books, and which contain numerous notes and lengthy indices.[38] It’s not surprising, then, that of the 74 UBC Press titles included in Innodata’s initial cost estimate, 40 were considered to be of “moderate” difficulty and 16 were assessed as “complex.” In other words, the assessment criteria used by this company placed three-quarters of UBC Press’s books within the higher price categories.
If the production and pricing methods used by large conversion houses aren’t appropriate for scholarly publishers, then UPs that wish to continue outsourcing should find more suitable technology partners. One alternative to hiring large conversion houses overseas is to hire smaller ebook design firms, which are cropping up in North America. Instead of signing contracts for bulk orders, these companies tend to work on a project-by-project basis with their clients, much like freelancers do. These companies also position themselves as counter to the content-factory model: the Canadian company Wild Element, for instance, promises its clients “no batch processing” and “hand-styled” ebooks on its website.
This difference in production method seems to stem from a fundamentally different approach to ebook conversion. Whereas content factories focus on moving publishers’ data from one file format to another, these firms focus on translating a book’s design from print to electronic editions. To this purpose, Wild Element’s stylesheets often replicate the typography of the original print book in an effort to “preserve the investment” publishers make in typesetting their books and to “deliver the quality you’ve come to expect from the traditional paper book.” This sensitivity to a book’s physical elements and design would be of particular use to publishers like UBC Press.
In fact, UBC Press has already begun to use smaller design companies for specific projects. It chose to hire Wild Element to produce the EPUB version of its lead title for the Fall 2011 season. The Press was particularly concerned that the EPUB edition of this title be attractive, error-free, and ready in time for the launch of the print book, since this title was expected to be a trade crossover with a high-profile publicity campaign.
UBC Press was quite pleased with the EPUB produced by Wild Element. As the figures below show, its layout reflected a consideration for aesthetics as well as an attention to detail that was missing from the ebooks produced by codeMantra and Innodata. As a result, UBC Press is considering using the same company to fix the EPUBs produced under the ACP’s program.
Figure 17. Cover for EPUB produced by Wild Element
Figure 18. Table of Contents for EPUB Produced by Wild Element
Figure 19. Chapter Opening for EPUB Produced by Wild Element
Figure 20. Image with Caption from EPUB Produced by Wild Element
Though the Press was pleased with this one-time, alternative outsourcing experience and with the end product, it is clear that the services offered by a company like WildElement are no replacement for large-scale ebook production. Their emphasis on tailored design and digital craftsmanship seems to align these companies with the letterpress printers, but just like their paper-based counterparts, these companies are restricted in the volume of books they can produce due to the small size of their operations, their attention to detail, and their preference for custom coding. Ebook design firms are thus unable to process large batches of files as conversion houses do. Because they are situated in North America and hire trained professionals, they face higher labour costs, so their services come at a premium. The EPUB featured above, for instance, cost three to four times as much to produce as a comparable title would through a company like Innodata. Publishers who decide to use such companies will therefore need to be choosier about which titles they publish as ebooks. These types of decisions would ideally be based on a long-term epublishing strategy.
Developing an Epublishing Strategy
To date, UBC Press’s efforts at digitization have been determined by volume and price. Since its early deals with NetLibrary and Gibson Publishing, the Press has pursued those opportunities which have allowed it to acquire multiple ebook formats for the greatest number of titles at as little cost as possible. Books that proved too expensive to convert under previous agreements simply were not digitized.
However prudent UBC Press’s past decisions about ebook production may have seemed, this focus on economy alone hasn’t led to better value or experience. In the wake of the latest outsourcing fiasco, Laraine Coates admits that the Press needs to “think less about quantity and more about quality.” This may mean selecting fewer titles for conversion and/or allocating more resources to the production of those titles.
University presses should be particularly selective when deciding which titles to convert to the newer EPUB format. Not only is the EPUB format more difficult and expensive to produce, but also its usefulness for academic publishers has yet to be proven. As was explained in Chapter 1, EPUBs are designed for use on tablets and e-reading devices, and are carried by ebook retailers like Kobo and Apple. The EPUB format is therefore aimed at the trade market. However, UP content is not.[39] Given their highly specialized subject matter, few books published by university presses appeal to a wider general audience. Though the UBC Press book produced by Wild Element (a biography of a political figure) may have been an appropriate choice for an EPUB, a more specialized monograph—say, a treatise on international trade law and domestic policy—wouldn’t be: the investment made in producing an EPUB version of that title would likely not be returned in sales. Furthermore, if EPUBs are unsuccessful in the trade market, they can’t be repurposed in institutional markets, since few academic libraries are able to accept files in the EPUB format at this time, and most are satisfied with enhanced PDFs.[40]
These factors should be taken into account, along with any available ebook sales data, as UPs try to determine which of their titles will work as EPUBs. Ultimately, this format may be found to be unsuitable for scholarly publishers.
If, however, UBC Press decides to adopt the EPUB as a default format for its ebooks, then the Press should consider moving EPUB production in house in the future.
Producing Ebooks In House
UBC Press has already demonstrated some capacity for in-house ebook production by successfully integrating one ebook format into its own workflow. In 2011, the Press’s typesetter agreed to start producing enhanced PDFs for the Press. This is done by inserting links directly into a book’s InDesign file; although these links aren’t expressed in the print book, they add functionality to the PDF later on. At this stage of production, the typesetter also adds an extra table of contents that will appear in the PDF’s bookmark menu. Once exported, the PDF is customized further by the Press’s in-house graphic designer, who checks the file’s links, attaches a low-res version of the cover, and swaps the print copyright page for another which contains the ISBN for digital editions. Although these enhanced PDFs do not have as many features as the uPDFs produced by CodeMantra,[41] they are an affordable and efficient alternative to outsourcing. Since these ePDFs began to be produced in house, there is little delay between the publication of print and electronic editions, as the web-ready ePDFs and the simple PDFs used for printing are produced almost simultaneously.
The successful integration of ePDFs into the Press’s own workflow is encouraging. However, incorporating EPUBs into the Press’s operations would be much more difficult. Where the latter is essentially an image of a print book, the former is a collection of marked-up files in a .zip archive: some of these files are in HTML (the CSS stylesheet), others are in XML (the .OPF or metadata file), and still more are in XHTML (the actual content files). In order for EPUBs to be incorporated into UBC Press’s own workflow efficiently, the Press would have to move ebook production from the end of its publishing workflow (where outsourcing currently takes place) to the beginning, so that tagging can be applied to these documents earlier on.
The Press has considered this prospect in the past. In March 2011, UBC Press asked publishing technology consultant Keith Fahlgren for advice on how to transition into performing EPUB production in house (Coates). At the time, Fahlgren recommended that the Press create a new workflow that uses styles in Word. If implemented, this method would have resulted in a transfer of styled content from Word to InDesign, and eventually into the EPUB format.[42] While Fahlgren’s solution seemed convenient, in that it was based on software programs already in use at the Press, the production and editorial staff found using styles to be “a frustrating experience” and “a lot of work” (Keller). As it turns out, authors, freelancers, and staff members had different versions of Word, which made sharing files under this new system even more cumbersome. Staff discovered that styles would be lost during the transfer, or would reappear in one version of Word after having been deleted in another. This production method also would have required a lot of cleanup along the way, as Microsoft Word is a proprietary software program that produces a lot of idiosyncratic and extraneous code. This code is often brought over when content is imported from Word, and must stripped from the text if one is to create “clean” code in the EPUB.
If content can’t be tagged using styles from the word processor currently used in-house, then it seems the Press would have to create tagged documents using a true XML-editing program like oXygen. Yet staff are understandably skeptical about the prospect of adopting an altogether new mark-up system. Holly Keller, Manager of Production and Editorial Services at UBC Press, points out that staff in this department may not be comfortable or keen on working with tagged documents; she also suspects that none of the freelance proofreaders employed by the Press have a working knowledge of HTML or XML. Presumably, then, both the initial tagging and the proofing of these documents would need to be performed by an additional staff member or a freelancer who possesses these skills. Keller also wonders how adopting EPUB production would affect workload and priorities within her department. She questions whether the incorporation of this new format might shift her department’s focus and resources away from the content of a manuscript and toward its technical requirements.
While Keller’s concerns are valid, textual markup is not so foreign a concept for production editors. In fact, textual markup is an extension of the editorial function, as it involves identifying the elements and structure of a manuscript. Though it may seem that introducing XML tagging would require a radical shift in production, there already exists an opportune stage for this encoding to take place within the Press’s current editorial/production workflow.
Following the transmittal meeting, when a manuscript is first brought in-house, each document undergoes a “clean up” process. (See Figure 1.) During this process, a production editor assesses the contents of an author’s manuscript and inserts typecodes that will later be used by the typesetter to layout the document. Elements that are already being tagged by production editors during this process include block quotations <Q>, epigraphs <E>, heading levels <3>, and lists <begin numbered list>. Though these tags are open (not closed) and are not nested, they are analogous to the types of XML tags used in the content files of an EPUB: both types of tags are a form of semantic markup that describe the different parts of a document so that they can later be expressed or manipulated in a certain way. Were these typesetter codes replaced by a standard XML tag set, UBC Press’s production editors would be well on their way to producing the tagged documents they require to produce EPUBs in house.
Furthermore, other clean up tasks performed at this stage of production which don’t currently involve typecodes could easily be replaced with tasks that do in order to introduce an extra level of tagging. For instance, instead of checking to make sure that the first line of every paragraph is indented, editors could instead make sure each paragraph is labeled <p>. Rather than change emboldened words to italicized words, editors could simply tag these words as emphasized <em>. Section breaks, which often need to be inserted manually into Word documents, could instead be marked by <seg> tags.
In short, a close evaluation of manuscripts and a tagging of textual elements already occurs at the beginning of UBC Press’s production process. With a minimal amount of staff training, this process could be modified to include XML markup. If the Press were to start out with well-tagged content, they could use the same source file to produce both print and electronic versions of a title. This workflow would be much more efficient than the current system, wherein content is first formatted for print only, and must later be stripped and tagged with XML afterward in order to produce an EPUB.[43]
Exploring the Applications of TEI in Scholarly Publishing
If UBC Press were to pursue an XML-based workflow, it would also need to consider the type of XML language it would use.
DocBook is an XML schema commonly used in the production of books. While its “main structures correspond to the general notion of what constitutes a ‘book,’” it is “particularly well suited for books on computer hardware and software,” having been developed in part by O’Reilly & Associates for producing technical manuals (“What is DocBook?”). However, professionals who work within scholarly publishing have found that this book markup language “lacks native markup elements for many structural features common in humanities and social science texts” (Sewell and Reed).
Fortunately, there exists another type of XML markup that is perhaps better equipped to handle UBC Press’s content: TEI, a markup language developed and maintained by the Text Encoding Initiative Consortium. The TEI guidelines, which have been under development since the 1980s, have come to form a standard for the representation of texts in digital form within the humanities. Although TEI has largely been used to digitize those texts used as primary sources within humanities research (i.e. rare manuscripts and historical documents), it would also be appropriate for use in digitizing secondary literature, i.e., scholarly monographs or reference books.
Because the TEI was developed to describe physical manuscripts, it can accommodate the type of textual elements commonly found in scholarly books, like notes and tables. It also contains more specialized element groups that could be used to tag UP texts that are at present rather tricky to produce as ebooks. For example, UBC Press publishes a series of books on First Nations languages, but the heavy use of phonetic symbols in these texts makes them difficult to convert into EPUBs. However, the TEI has a dictionary module and a set of elements that identify language corpora. This comprehensive tag set could help identify these special elements up front and preserve them during conversion.
Members of the digital humanities community have long anticipated the applications of TEI in scholarly publishing. In June 2009, a special interest group on this topic was formed at the Association of American University Presses. Although no university press in North America is currently using a TEI-based workflow, some are already experimenting with TEI (e.g. University of North Carolina). Other academic institutions have also adopted digital publishing workflows based in TEI encoding. For example, the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre has been using TEI in the digitization of full-length works that are later converted into the EPUB format. Sebastian Rahtz of Oxford University Computing Services has also been facilitating TEI-based publishing at his home institution and abroad. He has developed several XSL stylesheets that enable XML->XHTLM transformations, i.e. that help convert TEI documents into EPUBs. Because TEI is developed and maintained by a non-profit organization, these XSL stylesheets are available for use to the public through the TEI website (http://www.tei-c.org/Tools/Stylesheets/).[44]
Using a TEI-first workflow would therefore allow publishers to export their EPUBs more directly, instead of having to prepare a manuscript for print first and convert it afterward. Yet the addition of this TEI tagging process would not entirely disrupt the print-based production workflow currently used by publishers like UBC Press. Documents tagged in TEI can also be imported into traditional desktop publishing programs like InDesign, where they can then be shaped for the printed page (Reed). In addition to producing print and electronic books more efficiently, TEI would allow university presses to repurpose their content in other ways. In the future, TEI documents could be used to create other academic resources, such as online databases or archives, should a press wish to expand its digital publishing activities to include these types of products.[45]
By choosing to use TEI within an XML-based workflow, university presses like UBC Press may also solve previously identified problems with staffing and a lack of in-house expertise. Because TEI is used primarily by members of the academic community, there may be opportunities for publishers to partner with digital humanists and electronic text centres that already exist within universities. The Journal Incubator at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta provides an inspiring example of for how students may take on support roles in digital scholarly publishing. Students who are placed at the Incubator through graduate assistantships and co-op placements acquire training in editorial and production skills, including XML encoding and processing. These students then apply these skills while working for the Incubator: their services, which are primarily used to publish electronic journals, are offered to departments within their own institution, as well as those from outside the university. Instead of “outsourcing,” this type of arrangement amounts to a kind of “insourcing”—looking to one’s host institution for technical advice and support.[46] This type of arrangement may assist university presses like UBC in transitioning to a digital workflow based in TEI, and may, through a sustainable, ongoing partnership, provide the type of encoding that would be required by a press.
The applications of TEI within scholarly publishing are thus quite promising. Although it may be too risky for an individual press to experiment with TEI-first publishing on its own, this option should certainly be pursued by industry organizations like the Association of Canadian University Presses. Scholarly publishers may just find a long-term solution to their outsourcing woes by looking within their own university communities for expertise and assistance.
There are several ways for publishers to avoid error-filled files and ensure better quality ebooks.Publishers can reduce the number of formatting errors by proofreading their ebooks in-house; they can also enhance the appearance of their EPUBs by applying their own stylesheets. At the same time, by augmenting the metadata contained within these files, publishers can increase the amount of information available on their digital titles and ensure greater discoverability for them once they are in the supply chain.
However, these are short-term solutions to a systemic problem. If publishers wish to avoid error-filled files in the future, they need to consider more fundamental changes to the way they approach ebook production. This could mean finding a partner that will convert ebooks more carefully, which may, in turn, require publishers to be more selective in the number of titles they convert into EPUBs.
If publishers like UBC Press choose to adopt the EPUB as a standard format for their ebooks, it may behoove them to move ebook production in-house entirely. By doing so, publishers could achieve a consistently better end product. More importantly, they could break their decade-long dependence on large conversion houses that have become a liability.
UBC Press has already shown some ability to accomplish this by taking on enhanced PDFs in-house. There is also an opportunity for the typecoding system currently used by production editors to be expanded into the kind of XML tagging that would enable the Press to produce EPUBs. Should UBC Press decide to pursue an XML-first workflow, it should seriously consider TEI as its markup language of choice. A TEI-first workflow would result in better-tagged documents and easier EPUB exports and it would allow the Press to continue using standard design and layout software to create its print books. That TEI has existed in one form or another since the 1980s indicates that this markup language would be a durable way to store a publisher’s source files, regardless of what new ebook formats may arise in the next few years.
Whether they turn to the digital humanities for solutions, shop around for a smaller technology partner, or extend their staff’s expertise to the field of digital publishing, university presses are well positioned to seize control of their epublishing programs, and have sufficient motivation to do so.
1 Since 2001, annual endowment income has decreased by 68% (UBC Treasury). RETURN
2 Smaller-scale publishers like University of Alberta Press and University of Calgary Press receive more than twice the amount of direct funding that UBC Press receives, though they produce a half and a quarter as many new titles a year, respectively. Larger UPs in Canada receive an even greater amount of direct support from their host institutions: both the University of Toronto Press and McGill-Queen’s University Press enjoy nearly six times the amount of internal funding that UBC receives. RETURN
3 UBC Press represents a number of presses within the Canadian market, including University of Washington Press, Manchester University Press, University Press of New England, and Island Press. As part of the services it provides, UBC Press represents these publishers at Canadian conferences and hand-sells their books at these events. The Press also handles Canadian orders for these companies (via UTP Distribution) and includes relevant titles from these publishers within the Press’s own subject catalogues. RETURN
4 In 2011-2012, 50% of UBC Press’s Canadian sales and 78% of its US sales were made to libraries (UBC Treasury). RETURN
5 In the United States, the proportion of annual budgets spent on books by academic libraries fell from 44% in 1986 to 28% in 1997; in this same period, the proportion of library budget spent on journals rose inversely from 56%-72% (Gilroy). RETURN
6 Amazon has achieved this, for instance, by offering publishers a higher royalty rate (70%) on ebooks that are priced more competitively (20% lower than the lowest list price for the physical or digital edition of that title). Amazon also sets maximum list prices for publishers. RETURN
7 For instance, in Fall 2011, the hardcover version of a UBC Press title sold for $95, while the PDF of that same title sold for $99. It should be noted, though, that university presses are not alone in charging more for ebooks destined for the library market. Large trade publishers are also experimenting with higher ebook prices in order to offset a perceived loss in sales that may result from unlimited lending of ebooks through libraries. In March 2012, Random House “nearly tripled its ebook prices for libraries” (Albanese). In September 2012, Hachette Book Group also announced an increase in the cost of ebooks sold to libraries: prices rose anywhere from 35% to 63% (e.g. from $14.99 to $37.99) for popular fiction titles (Lovett). RETURN
8 A similar tactic has been used by publishers to promote the hardcover edition over the paperback edition: the hardcover is traditionally released first and is priced significantly higher than the paperback edition, which is only advertised to libraries 6 months after the original release date. By staggering the release of formats in this way, the Press encourages libraries—whose goal is to stock new releases in a timely manner—into purchasing more expensive, cloth-bound versions of titles. RETURN
9 These figures are in keeping with those found in a recent survey of 1350 consumer trade, STM, educational and corporate publishers conduced by Aptara. 90% of respondents reported that ebook sales account for less than 10% of their overall revenue. This survey also estimated that ebook sales rose 40% in 2010. RETURN
10 “Tethered access refers to e-book use provided by an ongoing interaction over the Internet with vendor software to view an e-book that is resident in the vendor’s database” (McKiel, “Download” 2). RETURN
11As Alison Knight points out, ebrary had a competitive edge as a company: it licensed “not only access to its ebook collection but also the use of its platform” (24-5). The ebrary platform is used by other publishers as a way of distributing their ebooks (e.g. Oxford UP, Elsevier, John Wiley & Sons); it is also used by libraries as a neutral platform for relaying electronic content that has been acquired from outside of ebrary’s collection (i.e. electronic theses and dissertations, ebooks purchased direct from publishers). RETURN
12As an added bonus, publishers would be able to use these PDFs as archival files (i.e. for digital preservation in-house). RETURN
13 Although UBC Press digitized most of its remaining backlist at this time, it did not produce PDFs of heavily illustrated books that weren’t well suited to the electronic format, nor did it volunteer books that would require extensive permissions clearance in order to be reproduced electronically. For books that were commonly used in the classroom, UBC Press decided to convert these titles, but withheld the files from the CEL collection so as to protect the print sales that came from course adoptions. RETURN
14 The Universal PDF is not a unique proprietary format, but, rather, is a term used by CodeMantra for its enhanced PDF product. The term itself is protected under copyright. RETURN
15 As of 2011, UBC Press still held distribution contracts with several content aggregators like EBSCO (formerly NetLibrary), ebrary, and MyiLibrary, although these companies no longer produce files for the Press. RETURN
16This new print-on-demand service was arranged to supply print books to individual buyers outside of North America—markets that are particularly expensive to serve, given the low sales figures and high shipping and warehousing costs. RETURN
17 This strategic goal was expressed in the ACP’s 2007-2008 funding application to the Ontario Media Development Corporation. In its application, the ACP (in partnership with the Ontario Book Publishers Organization and Gibson Publishing Connections) put forth a plan to support the “conversion of about 2000 Canadian titles into XML format” for the purpose of “exploiting the converted works beyond the existing scope of institutional markets [emphasis added].” RETURN
18 At the time of publication, Peter Milroy had retired from his position as director and was replaced by Melissa Pitts, former acting marketing manager and senior acquisitions editor for UBC Press. RETURN
19 For more on the role and benefits of using freelancers at UBC Press, see Megan Brand’s 2005 report, “Outsourcing Academia: How Freelancers Facilitate the Scholarly Publishing Process.” RETURN
20 The ability of content producers to leverage existing content and profit from it anew was described by Chris Anderson the “long tail effect” in a 2004 article in Wired magazine. There, Anderson argues that online retailers like iTunes and Netflix—who aren’t bound by the constraints of material storefronts—can stock and sell a wider array of products than bricks-and-mortar retailers. This deep “cybershelf,” coupled with the ability to reach dispersed and underserved customers, increases the ability of those in the entertainment industry—including publishers—to profit from older, low-in-demand content. Erik Brynjolfsson, Yu (Jeffrey) Hu, and Michael D. Smith also discuss this phenomenon as it relates specifically to Amazon.com. RETURN
21 At times, publishers may have received as little as 30% of gross sales from its contracts with NetLibrary. Both Questia and ebrary operated on slightly different revenue model than NetLibrary. Instead of selling unlimited access to a whole ebook, these companies charged by usage. Ebrary, for instance, charged a small fee set by the publisher (often $0.25-$0.50) each time that a user copied or printed a page. Publishers would then receive 60-80% of that revenue, depending on their arrangement with the company. Questia also used a “micro-payment scheme,” reimbursing publishers for each page view (Crawley, “University Presses” and “Online”). RETURN
22 Although codeMantra is an American company, “its primary dedicated production, operations and development centers are located in Chennai, India” (codeMantra). Innodata Isogen’s conversion houses are also located in India, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. RETURN
23 Prices varied according to the length of the book, its complexity level (i.e. number of images and links), and the ebook formats being requested. For instance, the POD PDF, which took less time and effort to produce, was the least expensive ebook format, whereas the EPUB, which required a good deal of additional coding, was the most expensive. RETURN
24 Flowchart provided by Holly Keller. RETURN
25 I have chosen here to focus on UBC Press’s latest outsourcing experience, but as early as 2000, UBC Press had been disappointed with the files it received from content aggregators. For instance, “in NetLibrary’s original iteration, UBC Press found that the HTML format resulted in frequent pagination problems, requiring Press staff to expend significant labour vetting finished books” (Knight 31). RETURN
26 This was a particular problem for books on Asian religion or on Aboriginal language and culture, which contain many foreign language characters. RETURN
27 Without this disclaimer, readers might incorrectly assume that the page numbers found in the index referred to absolute locations within the ebook, when in fact the reflowable text within an EPUB had rendered these page numbers obsolete. RETURN
28 Validation checks the integrity of the code in an ebook file against an XML parser to make sure that the code is well-formed. RETURN
29 The economic fallout of simple errors has been documented in both the publishing world and the world of e-commerce. It has been shown that misspellings in website copy negatively affect online sales, as they raise doubts over the credibility of the website. In one UK study, revenue per visitor doubled after a single typo was fixed (Coughlan). Those who work within the publishing industry have also pointed out to the real cost of errors like typos (see Heffernan). In a recent case, a misprint in a cookbook cost Penguin Group Australia $20,000 dollars in reprint fees (“Cook-book”). RETURN
30 The near-automatic distribution of unchecked files was also made possible by the Press’s use of Collection Point, the digital asset management system developed by CodeMantra. This software, which is designed to deliver digital assets quickly and efficiently, also has an unintended side-effect: it mediates publishers’ interaction with their files in a way that discourages close examination of them. The program does not prompt staff to open or preview the files created by CodeMantra before sending them out to various distribution channels. Because CodeMantra’s end-to-end publishing solution provided an almost seamless, hands-off experience from conversion to distribution, it also enabled staff to circumvent the type of final proofreading that would have been performed were the files produced in house. RETURN
31 In summer 2011, student interns were paid a flat rate of $250 per week. In a 35-hour work week, their pay was equal to $7.14 per hour (less than minimum wage, which at the time was $8.00 per hour). RETURN
32 These estimates are conservative. Given that professional proofreaders are much more thorough, a formal review process would likely cost a great deal more time and money if carried out by a hired freelancer. RETURN
33This may explain the discontinuity and varying quality seen among chapters within the same ebook: if chapters are being divided among employees who aren’t necessarily working together, one chapter may end up with extensively linked notes, while another may not. RETURN
34 Presumably, the geographic distance and difference in time zones—common in offshoring—may have worsened this communication problem. RETURN
35 In support of this point, it should be noted that CodeMantra did not initially offer UBC Press the DTD for its “pubXML”; the Press had to specifically request it in anticipation of this same problem. RETURN
36 University of Ottawa Press has an eBook Coordinator, while Athabasca University Press has a Journals and Digital Coordinator. RETURN
37The .OPF file houses the ebook’s metadata within the EPUB format. In other words, it contains information about the file itself, in addition to containing a manifest of all the other content files in the EPUB package. RETURN
38 In the last round of conversions, the average UBC Press title was 307 pages in length and required 950 links to be inserted. RETURN
39eBOUND reports that the highest-selling ebooks among its members are genre fiction (e.g. romance, thrillers), young adult books, and bestsellers—none of which are published by university presses (“Prioritizing”). RETURN
40 A 2011 ebrary survey found that ebooks loaned by academic libraries are most commonly read on Windows desktops and laptops, or the Apple iPad (McKiel, “Download” 3)—devices which do not require the EPUB format, and to which ePDFs are perhaps better suited. As Peter Milroy points out, PDFs of a trade paperback are almost perfectly sized for the dimensions of an iPad screen: although the text may not be reflowable, the ratio of the original page dimensions (6 by 9 inches) is close enough to the screen’s dimensions (5.8 by 7.75 inches) that the PDF of that original book can be viewed proportionally on the iPad without having to be resized. RETURN
41 For instance, links in the Press’s EPDFs are unidirectional instead of bidirectional: they allow the user to navigate to a location in the text, but not back to the initial position. Unlike the uPDFs produced by CodeMantra, the indexes and tables of contents in these files are not linked to the main text. These features could be achieved in-house, but it would take a considerable amount of time for the staff to implement them. RETURN
42For more on how to prepare documents for EPUB export using styles in Word, see Elizabeth Castro’s EPUB Straight to the Point. RETURN
43 For more on XML-first workflows, see Appendix A: Production and Digital Technology in The Chicago Manual of Style. RETURN
44To see examples of EPUBs produced via this method, visit http://tei.oucs.ox.ac.uk/Projects/TEItoePub/. As is seen here, the TEI community takes a collaborative and transparent approach to textual encoding and digital workflows. This ensures that TEI-based publishing practices are open and accessible. In this way, TEI is perhaps more in keeping with the spirit of information sharing that defines universities and their presses than for-profit technology partners who use “closed” processes and customized forms of XML. RETURN
45 For examples of TEI-based applications and projects, see http://www.tei-c.org/Activities/Projects/. RETURN
46 Although the University of British Columbia does not have its own digital humanities program, there is a notable institution within the province with whom they could collaborate: the Electronic Textual Cultures Lab at the University of Victoria. RETURN
ePDFs
Open the file in Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Check that the file name is the ePDF ISBN, not the hardcover, paperback, or EPub ISBN. You can find the assigned ISBNs for any title on the H: drive, in the Departments/Production/CIP ISBN ISSN/ISBN folder.
Check the cover for image quality. Make sure that the image is clear and the type legible. Compare against hard copy of book if necessary (see UBC Press’s Permanent Library located in the Meeting Room, Rm 113).
Make sure that the title and author/editor name(s) are present, and are spelled correctly. Check the spelling against the full title page on the interior, if necessary.
CIP Page
Scroll down to the copyright information page (usually p. iv). Make sure it is the paperback CIP page: i.e., it should list the ISBN numbers for all formats, print and electronic.
Table of Contents (ToC)
Scroll down to the ToC page (usually p. vii).
Make sure the ToC page is linked. Click on a chapter title to go to the opening page of that chapter. Click on the title again to return to the ToC page.
If it isn’t already displayed, open the bookmarked ToC by clicking on the bookmark icon that appears in the lefthand sidebar.
Make sure there is a bookmark for each chapter, and that there are no typos in the chapter titles.
Click on the bookmarks—including the bookmark for the Cover Page—to make sure that they link to the right page.
Scroll down to the List of Illustrations (aka Maps, Figures and Tables, p. ix).
Make sure the name of each illustration/figure/map/table links to those images in the text.
Check the image quality of the illustrations.
Click on the image or image title to link back to the List of Illustrations.
Spotcheck pages throughout the book, checking for odd line breaks.
If the book contains endnotes, click on some of the supernumerals: these should take you to the appropriate chapter in the Notes section. Click on the note number again to return to the main text.
Scroll through the Notes section quickly to make sure the notes in each chapter are linked.
Spotcheck other internal links (e.g. to figures). When checking hyperlinks, make sure the pop-up blocker on your browser is turned off.
Make sure the pages in the PDF file are numbered correctly. The number indicated in the menu bar above should match the number on the page. The prelim pages (for the title page, etc.) should be numbered in roman numerals.
Spotcheck the page numbers in the index to make sure they are linked, and that they take you to the right place. Links for page ranges (p. 88-108) may take you either to the first or last page number in that range.
Validate the File
Before opening the file, you need to validate it—i.e., make sure that its code is well-formed and that the file is formatted properly.
To do this, upload the file to Epubcheck, an online validation tool from Threepress Consulting. Visit http://threepress.org/document/epub-validate. Browse to find the location of the EPUB file on the H: drive, then click “validate.”
If the EPUB is valid, a green checkmark will appear. If it is invalid, a red X and an error message will appear.
If the file does not validate, make a note of this, but continue proofing.
Check the File Name
The file name should be the EPUB ISBN for that title — not the hardcover, paperback, or ePDF ISBN. You can find the assigned ISBNs for any title on the H: drive, in the Departments/Production/CIP ISBN ISSN/ISBN folder.
Open the File
Use a free ereading software program like Adobe Digital Editions <http://www. adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/> that can be downloaded from the web and installed locally on your computer. Do not use Sigil to proof these files: in order to open a file within this program, you have to unzip (i.e. dismantle) it, and the linked table of contents will be lost.
Once you have installed such a program, you will usually have to import or add the EPUB file into your “library” in order to view it. To do this, some programs require you to move the file into the program (instead of just viewing the file via the program). If this is the case, make duplicate copies of the files before importing them into the library.
You can also use web-based reading applications, like Ibis Reader, which usually require you to create an account and upload the files to your personal online “library.”
If you have an e-reading device on hand (e.g. data phone or tablet that has an ereader app), you can also use that to check most of the issues below. You can also use a designated ereading device like a Kobo or Nook to view the file; however, at this point in time, Kindles do not read EPUBs and so cannot be used to proof these files. UBC Press has purchased an iPad for this purpose. Check with Laraine or Peter for permission and instructions on how to use this device.
Once the file is open in “reading” mode, check the elements listed below
Check the cover for image quality. Make sure that the image is clear, that the type is legible, and that the cover is not stretched horizantally or is too small. If necessary, compare it against the hard copy of the book (see UBC Press’s Permanent Library located in the Meeting Room, Rm 113).
Make sure that the title and author/editor name(s) are present and are spelled correctly. Check the spelling against the title page, if necessary.
CIP & Series Pages
Make sure that the copyright information page and series page (if used) have been moved from the beginning of the file to the end of the file.
Make sure that the CIP page is the paperback version: i.e. it should list the ISBN numbers for all formats, print and electronic.
There are two ToCs to check: the embedded ToC that appears in the body of the text, and the navigational ToC that appears beside it.
To view the embedded ToC, scroll down through the prelimary pages until you reach the Table of Contents. Make sure the items on the ToC page are linked. Click on a chapter title to go to the opening page of that chapter. Click on the title again to return to the ToC page.
If the navigational ToC is “hidden” when you first open the file, look to the lefthand sidebar. There is usually a Bookmark or Contents button that you can click to view the bookmarked ToC. In Adobe Editions, there is also a small arrow that you can click and drag to expand this viewing pane.
Scroll down to the List of Illustrations (aka Maps, Figures and Tables).
Make sure that the titles and captions appear above/below the images, not beside them.
Make sure that the text surrounding the images is well placed and not interrupted by the image.
Check for problems with tables (e.g. misaligned cells or cell contents, tables that have three or more columns and are appearing as text instead of images).
Scroll/flip through the file, checking for the following problems:
• strange line breaks
• hyphens that appear in odd places, like the middle of a line, or that divide words which shouldn’t be hyphenated
• diacritics/accents that have been captured as images instead of as text. This tends to happen often with Asian characters, but can also happen with accented letters in French words. You will be able to tell if they are images because they will not seem aligned with the rest of the text, and cannot be resized.
Spotcheck internal links. If the book contains endnotes, click on some of the supernumerals: these should take you to the appropriate place in the Notes section. Click on the note number again to return to the main text. If checking hyperlinks, make sure the pop-up blocker on your browser is turned off.
Unlike the ePDF, the text here is reflowable. Don’t worry if it seems like there are odd page breaks (e.g. the title page seems spread across two different pages); the amount of text being displayed adjusts to the size of your screen/window.
Although your reader/browser might display page numbers, these page numbers are not actually a part of the EPUB file. Don’t worry if they aren’t in roman numerals or don’t match the ePDF page count.
Unlike the ePDF, the index in an EPUB is not linked to the main text.
Make sure the following disclaimer is present at the beginning of the index: “The page numbers in this index refer to the print edition of this book.”
The EPUB ISBN should also appear as the ID in the file metadata. Most ereading devices will allow you to view the metadata for an EPUB file, but in order to do this on a computer, you usually need to open up the EPUB file.
One way of doing this is to download and install a free ebook management tool like Calibre <http://calibre-ebook.com/ along with a free text editor like Notepad++ http://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/v5.9.3.html>.
After adding the EPUB file to the Calibre library, right-click on the title and select “Tweak EPUB.” The select “Explode EPUB.” This will unzip the EPUB so that you can view the files within it.
Look for the .OPF file. It may be contained within the OEBPS folder, and may have a very long name, but it will end with the “.opf” extension.
Right-click on the .OPF file, and choose “Open with” or “Edit with Notepadd++.” This will open the .OPF file, which contains information about the book wrapped in XML tags.
Within the first 20 lines or so, you should see “<dc: identifier,” followed by the EPUB ISBN. If the ISBN number is missing, take note of this.
After checking the metadata, you can exit Notepad++ without saving, and hit “Cancel” on the Calibre “Tweak EPUB” screen.
POD PDFs
The Print on Demand (POD) PDF files are essentially print-ready files that are sent to Lightening Source, which prints short runs of softcover books.
Before proofing these files, please consult the LSI File Creation Guide found in Departments/Production/Style Guides and Training/Ebook Proofing, or visit the Lightening Source website to learn more about the specifications for these files <http://www.lightningsource.com/digital_bookblock_creation.aspx#standardBooks>.
There should be 2 separate PDF files for each title: one for the cover, the other for the book’s interior. Open these files in Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat Pro, and check the following:
Make sure that both file names contain the paperback ISBN — not the hardcover, EPUB or ePDF ISBN. You can find the assigned ISBNs for any title on the H: drive, in the Departments/Production/CIP ISBN ISSN/ISBN folder.
Cover File
Unlike the ePDF and EPUB files, which use lower resolution images, the cover for the POD file should be the high-resolution paperback cover.
This cover should also be the full-wrap cover, with front, back, and spine—not just the front cover.
The back cover should also display the paperback barcode.
Interior File
This PDF should have the paperback copyright information page (CIP page): i.e., it should list the ISBNs for all formats, print and electronic.
Because this file is destined for print, it will not have a linked ToC or any other interactive features contained in the other ebook files.
Anderson, Chris. “The Long Tail.” Wired (12.10) October 2004.
Albanese, Andrew. “Macmillan Poised to Test Library E-book Model.” Publishers Weekly September 24, 2004.
Castro, Elizabeth. EPUB Straight to the Point: Creating Ebooks for the Apple iPad and Other Readers. Berkeley, CA: Peach Pit Press, 2011.
“Cook-Book Misprint Costs Australian Publishers Dear.” BBC News Online April 17, 2010.
Coughlan, Sean. “Spelling Mistakes ‘Cost Millions’ in Lost Online Sales.” BBC News Online. July 13, 2011.
Crawley, Devon. “Libraries Experiment with E-book Lending,” Quill & Quire June 1, 2000.
Crawley, Devon. “Online E-book Services Struggle to Survive,” Quill & Quire November 1, 2001.
Crawley, Devon. “Scholarly Presses Forgo E-books,” Quill & Quire November 1, 2001.
Crawley, Devon. “University Presses Tread Cautiously with E-books,” Quill & Quire 1 Nov. 2000.
Heffernan, Virginia. “The Price of Typos.” The New York Times [Opinion Pages] July 17, 2011.
MacDonald, Scott. “Heritage Grant Kickstarts E-book Initiative for Indie Publishers,” Quill & Quire, October 20, 2009.
Murray, Chelsea. “Canadian Electronic Library Strikes Potentially Lucrative International Deal for Publishers,” Quill & Quire August 12, 2010.
“Newly Incorporated eBound Canada Offers Digital Solutions to Canadian Publishers,” Quill & Quire June 27, 2011.
Ng-See-Quan, Danielle. “University Libraries Make Canadian Digital Connections,” Quill & Quire November 1, 2008.
Sewell, David and Kenneth Reid. “TEI: Scholarly Publishers Collaborate on XML,” The Exchange, Spring 2010. Association of American University Presses website.
Smith, Briony. “Canadian Firm Pushing Homegrown E-Books to Expanding Academic Market,” Quill & Quire 27 June 2006.
Wittenberg, Kate. “Reimagining the University Press,” Journal of Electronic Publishing 13.2 (Fall 2010).
Coates, Laraine. Interview by author, August 5, 2011.
Keller, Holly. Interview by author, August 5, 2011.
Milroy, Peter. Interview by author, August 5, 2011.
Boshart, Nic. “Question re: Conversion Houses.” July 26, 2011.
Boshart, Nic. “Conversions.” November 17, 2011.
Izma, Steve. “Re: Electronic Publishing at Wilfrid Laurier Press.” March 12, 2011.
Rahtz, Sebastian. “Re: TEI and Ebooks” [TEI-PUB-SIG listserve]. September 22, 2011.
Reed, Kenneth. “Re: TEI and Ebooks” [TEI-PUB-SIG listserve]. September 22 and 26, 2011.
CRKN. “About.” Canadian Research Knowledge Network website. 2011.<http://www.crkn.ca/about>
Digital Book World. “Beyond the Publishing Headlines Roundtable” [webcast]. September 29, 2011. <http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2011/beyond-the-publishing-headlines-roundtable-92911/#ixzz1ZMWkL1iq>
“eBOUND SFU Production Nightmares Round Table”
. eBOUND website. 1 Nov. 2011. 25 Jan. 2011. <http://www.eboundcanada.org/index.php/resources/tutorials/98-ebound-sfu-production-nightmares-round-table >
Lovett, Michael. “Hachette Book Group’s New Library eBook Pricing.” OverDrive Digital Library Blog. September 14, 2012.<http://overdriveblogs.com/library/2012/09/14/hachette-book-group%E2%80%99s-new-library-ebook-pricing/>
“Prioritizing Ebook Production: Which Books Should You Convert First?” eBOUND Canada website, April 19, 2012.
Salo, Dorothea. “A Tale of Two Conversion Houses.” Yarineth Blog. 1 April 2000.<http://yarinareth.net/articles/a-tale-of-two-conversion-houses/>
University of Lethbridge Journal Incubator website.<http://www.uleth.ca/lib/incubator/>
“What is DocBook?” DocBook.org website. <http://www.docbook.org/whatis>
Brand, Megan. “Outsourcing Academia: How Freelancers Facilitate the Scholarly Publishing Process.” Master of Publishing Project Report, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, 2005.
Knight, Alison Elaine. “The Tangled Web: Managing and Confronting Scholarly Ebook Production at UBC Press.” Master of Publishing Project Report, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, 2007.
Aptara. “Uncovering eBooks’ Real Impact: Aptara’s Third Annual eBook Survey of Publishers.” Falls Church, VA: Aptara, September 2011.
Baldwin, John R. and Wulong Gu. “Basic Trends in Outsourcing and Offshoring in Canada.” Ottawa: Micro-Economic Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, 2008.
Goss Gilroy Inc. “Formative Evaluation of the Aid to Scholarly Publications Program (ASPP) Part II: Context for Scholarly Publishing.” Ottawa: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, 22 November, 2004.
McKiel, Allen. “ebrary Download Survey Report.” Monmouth, OR: ebrary, 2011.
—. “200 Global Librarian Ebook Survey.” Tahlequah, OK: ebrary, 2007.
Morissette, René, and Anick Johnson. “Offshoring and Employment in Canada: Some Basic Facts.” Ottawa: Business and Labour Market Development Division, Analytical Studies Branch, Statistics Canada, 2007.
UBC Treasury Strategic and Decision Support. “UBC Press Business Model Review (draft).” Vancouver: UBC Treasury, June 28, 2001.
MPub Project Reports | Posted by monique, August 20, 2013 | 2012, Book Publishing, Digital, Production, Project Report (MPub), Scholarly Publishing, UBC Press |
An Examination of Acquisitions: The Case of University of British Columbia Press
By Murray Chun-Kee Tong
ABSTRACT: Although it is one of the seminal activities in scholarly publishing, acquisition of new manuscripts is little-discussed in either academic or professional literature, or in publishing courses or programs in educational institutions. The creative and entrepreneurial aspects of acquisitions may elude description, but many aspects of the process and its major determinants can be described. This report begins with an examination of acquisitions literature and educational opportunities. It looks at the acquisitions process at a mid-sized Canadian scholarly publisher, University of British Columbia Press, the factors that influence it, and results of these influences, providing practical examples of acquisitions in action. From there, the report describes and analyzes strategies employed by the press’s editors to acquire manuscripts, as well as venues and activities where they seek prospective authors. Lastly, discussion turns to UBC Press’s strategies for dealing with future challenges in the scholarly publishing industry.
Preface: Editorial Acquisitions Strategy at UBC Press
Structure and Function of the Acquisitions Process in Scholarly Publishing
A Brief History of UBC Press
Current Areas and Modes of Acquisition
Scholarly Literature on Scholarly Acquisitions
Professional Literature on Scholarly Acquisitions
Education and Training for Acquisitions Editors
Editorial Acquisitions Processes at UBC Press
Pitching UBC Press to Authors
Editorial and production process
Distribution, sales, and marketing
Where to Acquire Manuscripts
A survey of Canadian scholarly publishers
Other acquisitions activities
Vetting a Book Proposal
Acquisitions Meetings
Factors in Acquiring Manuscripts
Rejections
Peer Review and the Publications Board
Choosing peer reviewers
The publications board
Editor-Author Relations
Competition for Manuscripts
List-Building, Strategy, and the Importance of Series
The Future of Acquisitions at UBC Press
Challenges and Change at UBC Press
Emerging Areas in UBC Press’s List
Workflow, Integration, and Technology
Appendix 1: Survey of Canadian Scholarly Publishers
Appendix 2: Case Studies
Appendix 3: Standard Printing Estimate
My thanks to Rowland Lorimer and Mary Schendlinger of the Master of Publishing Program faculty for their insight, helpfulness, and patience in supervising this project report. John Maxwell provided a deluge of ideas early in this project’s conception.
My internship at UBC Press has been successful, stimulating, and plain fun thanks to my wonderful colleagues in every department. Their efforts make it joyful and humbling to work at UBC Press. In particular, acquisitions editors Emily Andrew, Darcy Cullen, Melissa Pitts, Randy Schmidt, and Jean Wilson took the time to help me understand their mysterious art. Director Peter Milroy provided much encouragement and gave me numerous opportunities to learn every aspect of the craft of scholarly publishing, and took on the task of reading this report and making valuable suggestions to ensure its integrity.
My friends Darryl, Ian, Kathleen & Darryl, Gord, Dave, Lee-Ann, Elissa, Jeff, John, and countless others understood my compulsion to light out for the West Coast and pursue some amorphous adventure. In particular, Alex always gave me a good laugh and an ear during the busiest parts of the program.
My parents, Justina and Frank Tong, offered constant love and support that I could feel from halfway across Canada. My sister, Tracey, reminded me I wasn’t alone and always made sure I was getting enough to eat.
And finally, my dear Catherine has given me all the love, support, encouragement and stimulation I could ever dream of in a friend and partner. This project truly would not have been possible without her.
Many aspects of scholarly publishing – including editing, management, accounting, marketing, distribution, and data tracking – are explored in some depth in peer-reviewed journals and business-to-business publications.[1] Yet, there has been little more than general statements and recommendations on the subject of the acquisitions process – that is, the submission of manuscripts from an author to an acquisitions editor, or the solicitation of a manuscript or book by an acquisitions editor from an author, and the factors that influence decisions to publish. This report takes a closer look at the process of acquiring manuscripts in scholarly publishing, and captures some of the determinants in an editor’s – and a press’s – acquisitions decisions.
The foundation of this report comes from my internship between April and August 2008 at the University of British Columbia Press, or UBC Press, in Vancouver, B.C. The internship gave me the opportunity to closely observe the manuscript acquisition process, through attendance of an introductory meeting between an acquisitions editor and a prospective author; editorial acquisitions meetings, where the press’s editors and director decide which manuscripts to pursue; and a major gathering of social sciences and humanities academics in Canada, where many scholarly manuscripts were pitched, discussed, and acquired. Further information on the acquisitions process and decisions have come from interviews with UBC Press’s acquisitions editors.
This report is divided into three chapters. The first chapter provides an overview of UBC Press’s operations as related to acquisitions, a review of scholarly and professional literature on acquisitions, and an examination of the training and education available to acquisitions editors. First, a brief history of the press, its areas of specialization, and the skills and backgrounds of the acquisitions team provide context to decisions about which proposals are pursued. Next, a review of literature on scholarly acquisitions and a consideration of the extent to which theory informs practice aims to give insight into publishing strategy and reasons for acquisitions decisions. This literature cuts a wide swath through some acquisitions-related subjects, including publishing fashions, technology, the scholarly book market, and academic trends, although funding – a major factor in acquisitions decisions – is under-discussed. Finally, the chapter examines the current training and education offered to acquisitions editors, and where acquisitions knowledge resides in the industry. Together, these elements provide the framework within which acquisitions editors learn their craft.
The second chapter gives a detailed description and analysis of the current editorial acquisitions process at UBC Press, based on observations of acquisitions meetings and qualitative interviews with acquisitions editors, to illuminate what factors inform their decisions. Specifically, this chapter describes the venues at which editors seek manuscripts and proposals, and the methods they employ to persuade scholars to publish with UBC Press. From there, the determining factors in accepting a proposal, and then a manuscript, as well as the general relative importance of these factors, are explored. The chapter goes on to discuss forces outside the immediate control of the acquisitions editor, such as funding and decisions of peer reviewers, and ways in which editors can nevertheless influence these factors.
The third chapter identifies some of the challenges facing UBC Press’s acquisitions activities, and suggests ways the press can meet these challenges to enhance future prospects. The press has already employed some of these methods, including the building of new series and collaborations with multi-collaborator research initiatives, with some success. Others, such as increasing integration of departments, have been explored but not yet implemented fully. This chapter also examines some tools, information, and strategic changes that could aid UBC Press’s acquisitions editors in performing their duties more effectively.
Chapter 1: Structure and Function of the Acquisitions Process in Scholarly Publishing
Established in 1971, UBC Press is Canada’s third-largest university press and one of the country’s largest publishers west of Toronto. UBC Press publishes fifty to sixty scholarly monographs and collections in the social sciences and humanities, enjoying a sterling reputation in numerous disciplines. Its large and varied lists in political science, law, western Canadian history, and Asian studies are unparalleled among Canadian university presses, and its titles have won many prestigious awards for scholarly works in the social sciences and humanities, including the Raymond Klibansky and Harold Adams Innis Prizes from the Aid to Scholarly Publications Program, the Donner Prize, and numerous other discipline-specific awards. UBC Press was recently recognized by the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia (ABPBC) as 2008 Publisher of the Year.
UBC Press’s success and stature among university presses in North America, however, is relatively recent. The press endured a near-death and resurrection in the late 1980s and early 1990s that has been documented by academic studies such as Simon Fraser University Master of Publishing project reports, and internally prepared reports such as the UBC Press Review: 2007 Self-Study. This change was so dramatic that the self-study divides the press’s history into pre- and post-1990 periods.
Pre-1990, UBC Press had been struggling financially for years and was publishing ten to fifteen books a year in a wide array of disciplines. The press’s transformation began in 1990 with the appointment of Peter Milroy, a book publisher with 20 years of experience in trade, scholarly, college, and legal publishing – and arguably Canada’s most experienced acquisitions editor in social sciences at the time – as director. Spearheaded by Milroy, the press underwent a wholesale restructuring that included dismissal of staff members, increased technology use, and expansion into marketing and distributing services for other publishers.[2]
UBC Press also refocused its areas of publication. After the restructuring, Milroy developed the editorial program to more aggressively acquire manuscripts in the press’s more consistent areas of strength, such as western Canadian history and First Nations studies, while cutting acquisitions in areas that were already being pursued by more prestigious and better-financed publishers, such as literary criticism and literary history.[3] Despite complaints from scholars in these disciplines, this strategy allowed Wilson, who was the only acquisitions editor on staff from 1990 to 1993, to focus on areas of strength and build UBC Press’s reputation, rather than spreading her efforts thinly across many disciplines.[4]
The hiring of Laura Macleod in 1993 as the press’s second acquisitions editor was fortuitous, says Wilson. Macleod, who lived in Toronto, became UBC Press’s de facto central Canadian office, raising its national profile while giving her the opportunity to pursue manuscripts and scholars in central Canada. Macleod’s hiring precipitated UBC Press’s expansion into other disciplines, particularly political science.[5] In 1998, Emily Andrew was hired to succeed Macleod, and developed Macleod’s early acquisitions efforts into Canada’s pre-eminent scholarly list in political science, as borne out by the press’s large and varied list, number of awards, and her own prestige in the country’s political science community. She also developed major lists in military history and Asian studies during this time.[6] In the same year, the press hired Randy Schmidt, who had been working in the editorial-production department, to acquire manuscripts in environmental and resource studies, which flourished under his command. Schmidt later developed the country’s dominant list in legal studies and the environment. Melissa Pitts of Toronto joined the press as assistant director and eastern Canada manager in 2005; in addition to managerial duties, she acquires (on a part-time basis) manuscripts in Canadian history and urban planning.[7]
Jean Wilson retired in July 2008. She was succeeded by Darcy Cullen, also formerly of the editorial-production department, who took over Wilson’s files in regional history, First Nations studies, northern studies, and education, among other disciplines.
At present, these are the acquisitions editors and the subject areas in which they acquire manuscripts:
Emily Andrew: Asian Studies, Political Science and Political Philosophy, Military History, Transnational and Multicultural Studies, Communications
Darcy Cullen: Canadian History, Regional History (i.e., B.C. and other regions), Native Studies, Sexuality Studies, Northern and Arctic Studies, Health Studies, Education
Melissa Pitts: Canadian History, Sociology, Urban Studies and Planning
Randy Schmidt: Forestry, Environmental Studies, Sustainable Development, Geography, Law and Society[8]
While these are the mandated core fields where most editorial activity takes place, the press occasionally publishes books in other areas. In highly specialized projects, Milroy may handle acquisitions duties, as he has in the past with large projects such as the four-volume reference The Birds of British Columbia, and complex, heavily illustrated books such as Chinese Opera: Images and Stories and Vanishing British Columbia.
Several common threads run through the press’s acquisitions team. Each of the four acquisitions editors, as well as the recently retired Wilson, holds a graduate degree related to his or her areas of acquisitions among their qualifications. As will be noted in “Scholarly Literature on Scholarly Acquisitions” (page 6), an advanced degree is often considered a basic qualification for scholarly acquisitions editors, so that they speak the language of academics and understand the scholarly environment. Moreover, Cullen and Schmidt both began at UBC Press in editorial-production, and have manuscript editing experience at the press as well as knowledge of its publishing process. This serves as a major advantage in communicating with authors; Schmidt notes that he can articulate the entire production process clearly to authors writing their first book, or a first book with UBC Press.[9]
Both Andrew and Pitts also have extensive experience in publishing outside of acquisitions, giving them extra insight into the business side of the industry. Andrew has worked in rights at HarperCollins Publishers, and sales and marketing at University of Toronto Press and at a major literary agency, and Pitts’s experience includes sales and marketing management at University of Toronto Press. With these backgrounds, Andrew and Pitts have a deeper understanding of the selling points and challenges of marketing and selling a book while it is still a manuscript or even a proposal, giving them a wider perspective and sense of publishing strategy.[10] The acquisitions editors’ diverse skill sets and experience provide great benefit to UBC Press by covering the spectrum of the publishing process and the Canadian publishing industry.
The foregoing sections examined the context of UBC Press’s list. To understand how the press’s challenges and strengths fit into the wider context of acquisitions in scholarly publishing, this report will next examine literature, education, and training for acquisitions editors to determine how they reflect – or rather, how well they reflect – acquisitions practices at UBC Press.
Despite the “scholarly” adjective in reference to “literature,” there is little academic discussion of the scholarly publishing process, particularly on the subject of acquiring new manuscripts. A survey of recent literature on editorial acquisitions shows that most scholarly articles about acquisitions editing are general and unsystematized, with titles such as “Five Movie Scenes from the Author/Acquisitions Editor Relationship”[11] and “If You Plan It, They Will Come: Editors as Architects.”[12] These articles chiefly discuss the general nature of acquisitions, provide portraits of a “perfect” acquisitions editor, and remind readers of an editor’s mandate to find solid scholarship without regard for profitability.
A number of articles, including many in Chronicle of Higher Education, attempt to demystify the process of manuscript submission, editing, publishing, and marketing.[13] This perhaps reflects academics’ general lack of awareness of the scholarly publishing process, and the role of the editor and publisher in that process; on the flipside, it may also reflect the continuous need for scholarly publishers to educate junior scholars on publishing opportunities as membership in the academy changes. Indeed, Sanford Thatcher writes in the Journal of Scholarly Publishing, “In the new electronic age, when more and more scholars think they need only a computer and the latest version of QuarkXPress to be their own publishers, there is a greater need than ever for us to define what we as publishers bring to the process of scholarly communication.”[14] His subsequent explanations of an acquisitions editor’s functions are intended to help readers – that is, people in scholarly publishing – expound the benefits of the university press. To acquire appropriate manuscripts for publication, it appears that editors at scholarly presses must explain what it is they do with manuscripts and why. Some of the activities UBC Press acquisitions editors engage in to raise awareness of scholarly publishing in general, and of their press in particular, are addressed on page30.
The dearth of scholarly literature is not surprising, given that acquiring new books is considered the most mysterious and subjective process in publishing. Editor Mary Schendlinger has asserted that acquisitions “is the most entrepreneurial part of the publishing business,”[15] the most personal, and the most creative. Director of University of Pennsylvania Press Eric Halpern calls acquisitions editors “the impresarios of a publishing house,” adding that “they must rely on their own inner qualities and motivations, their own judgment, ambition, and, it has to be added, charm … the press can only be as good as what their editors bring in.”[16] The personal and creative nature of acquisitions editing is undoubtedly one of the reasons it is rarely taught explicitly or singly, as will be discussed in “Education and Training of Acquisitions Editors” on page 14.
Another reason for the lack of literature may be related to two characteristics of the scholarly publishing industry: it is collegial, and it is slow. For the most part, acquisitions editors are too busy to keep up with academic musings on acquisitions strategy; instead, they confer with colleagues at both their own and other presses to compare strategy and practice – often in ways that other industries, gagged by competition and proprietary interests, cannot.[17] In addition, the nature of acquisitions is slow and multi-faceted. The success of an acquisitions program – and the acquisitions editors who perform its functions – can be measured in several ways: cohesiveness of manuscripts found, rejection rate, and number of desired manuscripts acquired in competition with other presses. Further in the process, author satisfaction and quickness of turnaround can be linked to the efficacy of acquisitions processes. The measure of a successful acquisition, asserts Doug Armato, director of University of Minnesota Press, does not begin until transmittal, when a manuscript officially moves into production.[18] A major part of acquisitions success is gauged by audience response – strength of reviews, course adoptions, sales, and awards. Even further in the future, success can be measured by number of reprints, demand for updated editions, and influence on future scholarship. Because these many measures of success often stretch into years, there can be little scrutiny of the acquisitions process in the early stages. On hiring a new acquisitions editor, Eric Halpern asserts that “when you’re hiring an editor as a junior editor, it will take, say, five years to build a head of steam in a new field, and almost as long to determine that things aren’t working as you hoped.”[19] This statement easily applies to assessing the effectiveness of an acquisitions program. If it takes years at a minimum to determine the success or failure of an acquisitions program, drawing assertions across several different presses would be an immense labour for any scholarly study, on top of other variables.
The financial factors that influence acquisitions editing are little discussed in the literature, possibly because the mandate of scholarly publishing is to disseminate knowledge in important academic areas where book publishing may not be profitable. Although scholarly publishers are supposed to produce works of worthwhile scholarship with little to no regard for profitability, if not financial viability, the fact is that they do make decisions based on sales potential and funding availability as well as scholarly merit. This phenomenon is more readily acknowledged in professional literature on publishing, such as Quill and Quire, where the majority of articles on scholarly publishing from 1993 to 2008 deal with publishers’ financial difficulties and various efforts to publish more profitable books. Financial influences on acquisitions decisions are further discussed in chapter 2.
There are some exceptions to the dearth of scholarly literature on the influence of financial planning on acquisitions. In a 1999 article, Mike Shatzkin asserts that financial tools such as profit-and-loss (P&L) statements would be more useful if they attempted to quantify factors related to profitability. For example, variables such as price points for books in various formats and subjects, and level of funding for particular academic fields, could be applied to financial estimates of a book’s cost and reward. Taking many such variables into account is no guarantee of an accurate estimate; however, the acquisitions process at many publishers does not even “make any attempt to measure the different degrees of risk associated with different acquisition decisions … almost all acquisition decisions are made with one set of sales assumptions, an idea as hard to defend as it is ubiquitous.”[20] Shatzkin recommends that publishers consider the best, worst, and most likely scenarios when drawing up P&L statements and making sales assumptions.
An article in the Journal of Scholarly Publishing, entitled “The Characteristics of the Ideal Acquisition Editor,” summarizes the model and content of most scholarly literature on the subject. Noting that “a good acquisition editor is the heart and soul of a list and the reason authors come back to a press after their first book,”[21] it suggests several universal qualities in a model acquisitions editor that can optimize a press’s list and retain successful authors. A number of similar articles suggest attributes of the ideal acquisitions editor. Obviously, traits can be manifested in different ways, and some attributes are not appropriate for some editors or their acquisitions strategies, or for some university presses. The table below summarizes selected characteristics from scholarly literature, how they can work to a press’s advantage, and disadvantages they may carry:
Characteristic How it can be applied Disadvantages
Competitiveness with other presses
Can concentrate on developing and improving manuscript ideas, meeting “the highest standards of scholarship and literary quality”[22]
Can lead to “shortcircuiting of regular procedures, the too liberal use of advance contracts, the questionable resort to ‘package deals’” – in short, to dilution of scholarship[23]
Skill and experience in manuscript editing (substantive, stylistic, copy editing, etc.) Can give their manuscripts additional editorial insight, adding a layer of scrutiny to the process; strong understanding of “structure, narrative, style and synthesis”[24] Strong focus on editing may downplay importance of research content; “many publishers have acquisition editors whose sole task is to acquire books, and who have no experience in hands-on editing at all … there is little opportunity to do any substantive work”[25]
Have PhD or advanced degree in field of acquisition Can facilitate better understanding of the practices and lingo of the scholarly research process; recognize strong scholarship May have tendency to focus too strongly on their area of study, losing acquisitions opportunities in other areas
Strong individual vision and confidence Can strengthen personal involvement and commitment to the strength of their list; can help to “serve as activist in using our lists to communicate our message to the public”[26] Must maintain balance of other perspectives from other members of the publishing chain;[27]
“Must remain modest enough to learn from the advice of knowledgeable others”[28]
Good contacts in field of acquisition May be knowledgeable about their subjects; broad scope of knowledge; may be able to acquire desirable manuscripts; more likely to find appropriate peer reviewers May pursue books they want instead of strengthening and diversifying the press’s list; “editors may think the best authors in a field are the ones they happen to know”[29]
Knowledge of emerging trends Up-to-date knowledge of field can help sell more books and influence scholarship[30] May constantly be seeking the next big trend instead of focusing on bread-and-butter manuscripts
Understanding of academic market “Mastering the terrain and culture” of academic readership may be result in higher sales[31] May search for guaranteed sales rather than groundbreaking, controversial manuscripts
Imagine successful books before they approach May help conceptualize success through strong vision May discard too many potentially successful proposals that don’t fit the mould of an ideal book[32]
As the table shows, many characteristics of an ideal acquisitions editor can be contradicted – and are, in the literature itself. This suggests that these qualities are identified subjectively and are highly dependent on factors such as the size of the university press, the breadth of the press’s list, the fields in which the editor acquires, the publishing process at the press, and the qualities of the production, marketing, and distribution departments that work with the editor. Milroy, a 40-year veteran of the publishing industry and a former acquisitions editor, notes that many publishing companies in Canada were started or developed by amateurs who made up strategies as they went along. There may be some generalities to choosing what books to publish, or what characteristics in an editor secures the most desirable books, but “every situation is different and every book is different.”[33]
In addition to scholarly literature, there is a variety of professional literature on the Canadian publishing industry to be found in periodicals such as Quill and Quire, and newsletters and periodicals from publishing associations, including the Association of American University Presses (AAUP), the ABPBC, the Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP), and the Association of Canadian University Presses (ACUP). Articles in these and other similar periodicals focus on the practical aspects of scholarly publishing and are probably more widely read; at UBC Press, for example, Quill and Quire is circulated as a hard and electronic copy, and association e-newsletters are routinely sent to all staff members. However, like the scholarly literature, the professional literature contains little discussion of acquisitions editing in any form, particularly when it comes to scholarly publishing.
An oft-discussed issue at UBC Press meetings is the shrinking market of individuals purchasing scholarly monographs, the raison d’être of university presses. This is similarly reflected in the pages of Quill and Quire, which published seven articles in the last ten years on various strategies employed by Canadian university presses to raise readership. As early as 1997, Quill and Quire suggested that because “most scholarly books in Canada do not sell more than 500 copies … why not simply make bibliographic records and abstracts available electronically and let libraries print copies of the book – utilitarian ones, admittedly – if and when clients demand them?”[34] This phenomenon has been attributed to shrinking budgets for libraries, once reliable buyers of monographs, and will be further explored in chapter 2.
Professional literature in the 1990s also indicated a trend toward awareness of competition from other scholarly presses as well as trade publishers. At the same time, trade publishing by university presses was being vigorously pursued. Quill and Quire has examined in detail the shift of Canadian university presses to seeking out titles with trade appeal and buttressing them with higher publicity budgets and inventive marketing schemes.[35] However, American university presses that have dipped into trade publishing “have seen mounting deficits due to heavy returns,” and have even abandoned marginal academic fields, in some cases jeopardizing their scholarly mandates, to keep their dubious trade programs afloat.[36] Tracking these trends has allowed university presses and interested scholars to see how colleagues across North America are dealing with industry-wide problems related to lists, if not individual acquisitions.
In addition to literature, publishing professionals’ training and education informs theory and practice in scholarly publishing. Jean Wilson notes a generational divide in the way new acquisitions editors are trained. When she began her editing career at University of Toronto Press in 1968, she received two years of apprenticeship as a copy editor while on the job, with senior editors going over her work. This practice, she says, has become less commonplace, replaced by publishing program internships and increased use of specialist freelance editors.[37] Laura Macleod agrees, noting that “there’s no time for young editors to apprentice anymore.”[38]
A relatively new phenomenon, publishing programs and courses, are growing in number, and are becoming an important avenue in influencing publishing practices by producing many qualified and motivated – if not experienced – individuals who are entering the industry. Notable publishing programs in Canada include Simon Fraser University’s Master of Publishing Program and Summer Publishing Workshops, Centennial College’s Book and Magazine Publishing Program, Humber College’s Creative Book Publishing Certificate, and Ryerson University’s Publishing Certificate Program. Internationally, prestigious publishing programs and courses are offered at Oxford Brookes University and the University of Reading in the United Kingdom; the National University of Ireland; the University of Stirling in Scotland; and Columbia College, New York University, and Stanford University in the United States. Publishing programs can also be found in Australia, Germany, India, Kenya, Malaysia, and the Netherlands, among other countries. In examining the websites for these programs, I found that none offers any formal course in acquisitions, and few even include it on a list of expected outcomes or skills acquired.[39]
Wilson also noted that she received much benefit and training from meeting industry colleagues in provincial and national associations. Since her career began, the number of these industry organizations has grown, and they have figured more significantly in the publishing industry, continuing to offer education and training for both freelance and staff editors of all types.[40] Some of Canada’s industry organizations include the Editors’ Association of Canada (formerly the Freelance Editors’ Association of Canada, which Wilson helped to found in 1979), ACP (1976), ACUP (1972), and, more locally, the ABPBC (1974).
Macleod noted these absences more than ten years ago when she wrote that higher education publishing programs and editors’ associations offer training in copy editing, managing editing, structural editing, and proofreading, but “very little for acquisitions beyond an introductory lecture or two.” She further argues that, “contrary to the opinion that acquisitions editors are born, not made, many acquisitions skills can in fact be taught.”[41] Her own “wish list” of teachable acquisitions-related topics includes:
effective presentation of prospective projects to other members of the publishing team, including both press staff and editorial board members
retention of good authors
research methods to recognize market trends and indicators
contract negotiation and development[42]
In fact, many of these skills are being taught; the latter three, for example, are discussed in detail in Simon Fraser University’s Master of Publishing Program, albeit not as major concepts, and not under the rubric of acquisitions editing. The AAUP, the foremost scholarly press organization in North America, has many educational resources, expert lists, regional and national conferences, and workshops where publishing staff can exchange information and industry wisdom on many publishing subjects, but similarly has relatively few resources on acquisitions editing. One of those resources was a two-day program in 2008 aimed at new and early-career acquisitions editors that explored:
list building (defining your niche, building in new areas quickly, pb reprints and co-pubs, and book series)
title budgets (from the P&L to the pub plan)
contracts (royalties & advances, subsidiary rights, and digital rights issues)
the publishing process (peer review, working with support staff, the editorial board)
ethics and competition with other presses
communications with in-house colleagues (especially working with marketing)
managing authors in the publishing partnership process[43]
Again, several of these subjects are explored in publishing programs and courses, including the Simon Fraser University Master of Publishing Program. It appears that many acquisition-related topics are covered in the educational initiatives, but there is no curriculum model for what areas should be covered when teaching acquisitions editing.
Milroy calls publishing “anarchistic,” with a history of entrepreneurs reinventing the rules of the trade with each new venture. While there are certain pervasive industrial models that approach the status of accepted industry wisdom – for example, he says that many financial parameters for scholarly publishing emerged from the model of McGraw-Hill – most publishers had to invent their strategies on the fly.[44] This is borne out by a 2008 AAUP panel session entitled “Finding and Training Acquisitions Editors,” in which three senior members of U.S. scholarly presses discussed strategies for hiring and teaching acquisitions editors. Some general principles were trotted out, but the session mostly demonstrated that even experienced professionals at prestigious university presses do not have systematic practices when it comes to hiring or training new acquisitions editors. For example, University of Pennsylvania Press has no training process; new acquisitions editors are copied on all memos, and attend board meetings and formal seminars for interns – including a new acquisitions editor with no previous scholarly publishing experience.[45]
Because different presses have achieved success in their particular areas of publishing through myriad acquisitions strategies, there is no accepted paradigm for acquisitions success. What may therefore be valuable to educational and training programs in the future is an overview of acquisitions editing strategy with case studies, which looks at strategies employed at different presses, and benchmarking of their results. This would be more easily accomplished with scholarly presses than with trade, as scholarly presses are more structured and generally pursue manuscripts in the same fields.
Generally, publishers think of basic editing as the foundation upon which to build editorial skills, and acquisitions as the cornerstone of creating good books – the decision-making on which manuscripts are worthy of editing in the first place. In a 1991 article, former University of Washington Press editor-in-chief Naomi Pascal demanded that acquisitions editors demonstrate competence in foundational editing skills – such as substantive, stylistic, and copy editing – even if they won’t be doing the actual work: “Very few acquiring editors, it is true, have the time to carry out meticulous line editing of every manuscript they bring in. But shouldn’t all dentists know how to clean teeth, even if they usually leave the actual performance to others?”[46] Milroy adds that experience and knowledge in publishing areas such as marketing and sales provide valuable background for acquisitions editors, as it has for Emily Andrew and Melissa Pitts. Formal curricular programs, he says, help students develop the “vocabulary” of publishing and learn the basic structure and function of the industry, but students don’t graduate with industry-ready skills – only experience in the workplace can equip them with those.[47]
Macleod recommends that university presses “place more emphasis not only on developing formal training opportunities for beginning acquisitions editors, but also on education for those in mid-career.”[48] Milroy agrees, citing short, intensive workshops – such as the aforementioned AAUP workshops – as excellent training opportunities.[49] In practice, however, scholarly publishing staff are already severely taxed on time and forced to operate on skimpy budgets, making mid-career educational activities a challenge to accomplish. At UBC Press, for example, “the level of activity makes if difficult to allow for consistent staff training and professional development”[50] in all editorial activities, including acquisitions.
While many generalizations can be made about scholarly publishing, the unique history, staffing, areas of focus, and strategies of each university press are so varied that one cannot broadly apply a conclusion about one press to another. For this reason, because the nature of acquisitions is itself slow and multi-faceted, and because publishers discuss such acquisitions theory outside the confines of the journal, scholarly literature chiefly offers generalizations that may outline the ideal for acquisitions but often bear little resemblance to reality. Professional literature, on the other hand, tends to be case-specific and to focus on news and market trends. Publishing programs and courses offered by higher learning institutions and professional associations concentrate on bricks-and-mortar subjects in publishing while appearing to teach little about acquisitions, but in fact do touch upon numerous aspects; rather, they lack a cohesive curriculum plan on acquisitions editing because there is no pervasive industry model or strategy. Training opportunities exist for early- and mid-career acquisitions editors, however, and these educational and training avenues may mature and mingle with the apprenticeship model that has been prevalent in “traditional” acquisitions training of the previous generation of editors.
The incomplete picture of acquisitions gleaned from these sources points to a strong focus on the practical aspect – the actual acquiring of manuscripts. As noted previously, despite the valuable lessons that can be learned in an academic environment, being an acquisitions editor is a vocation that requires a great deal of entrepreneurship, on-the-fly learning, and multi-tasking, qualities that are more effectively acquired and honed in the workplace than in the classroom. Chapter 2 will explore the acquisitions process in detail, based on observation and analysis of practices at UBC Press.
Chapter 2: Editorial Acquisitions Processes at UBC Press
Whilechapter 1 examined theoretical constructs around acquisitions, this chapter will look at acquisitions practice at UBC Press. Specifically, I will explore how numerous factors both inside and outside the press influence the decision to publish, examine how the press attracts prospective authors, and look at some strategic concerns related to acquisitions, such as list-building and series creation.
The acquisitions process in scholarly publishing is markedly different from that of trade publishing, with a highly regimented system in place to ensure a work’s academic integrity. After a manuscript proposal is approved for possible publication by the press director (usually seeking consensus of the acquisitions editors), peer reviewers scrutinize the manuscript and offer their assessments. The author then has a chance to respond to any criticisms of or questions about the manuscript. From there, the press’s publications board, composed of scholars independent of the press’s staff, approves publication under the university imprint based on the reviewers’ assessments, the author’s responses, and further input from the editorial staff. The final decision to publish, however, rests with the director.
Acquisitions editors and publishers look for certain things in a book, readers look for others, and board members still others. While these attributes may not be mutually exclusive, the differences often influence decisions on whether a book will be published. Factors outside the direct publishing process, such as maintenance of good relations with the scholarly community at large and competition from other presses for the manuscript, can also affect the publishing decision. Lastly, thinking about an overall strategy for acquisitions will be explored.
An acquisitions meeting between senior editor Emily Andrew and Dr. Karen Flynn, a professor of African-American Studies at the University of Illinois, is the foundation for the following discussion. The two discussed Flynn’s proposal for a manuscript that explores the history of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, focusing on women who have migrated to Canada.
The meeting took place in Vancouver, where Flynn was attending the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, or simply “Congress” (a major scholarly meeting that will be discussed in detail in “Where to Acquire Manuscripts” on page 27). During this meeting, Andrew noted the reasons she was interested in the manuscript: the research explores new terrain in the history and sociology of Caribbean-born women in Canada. Furthermore, the proposed book would fit into several of UBC Press’s traditional areas of strength – Canadian history, gender studies, and transnational and migration studies. The fact that the manuscript has a secondary focus on nursing was of interest; UBC Press, Andrew noted, has recently developed a sub-list in Canadian nursing history with books such as An Officer and a Lady: Canadian Military Nursing and the Second World War, Healing Henan: Canadian Nurses at the North China Mission, 1888–1947, and Place and Practice in Canadian Nursing History. The synergy created by these books, Andrew suggested, could help get Flynn’s book read by more scholars.
In pitching UBC Press to a prospective author, Andrew discusses sales points that can be divided into two parts: creating the best possible book out of the author’s scholarship, and getting the finished book into the hands of as many readers as possible – in other words, the editorial and production process, and marketing, sales, and distribution. Both of these aspects of the prospective author sales pitch will be described below.
Andrew cited UBC Press’s record of author satisfaction and high number of repeat authors as credentials of its strong editorial and production staff. She made especial note of the expediency of the publishing process thanks to the press’s better use of technology, greater selectivity, and commitment to a high level of service to authors. If all processes go smoothly, the release of a scholarly monograph can take as little as nine months from the receipt of the author’s final manuscript submission (although ten to twelve months is a more typical time frame). This makes UBC Press twice as fast as other major Canadian university presses at publishing a book – a quality that, while not important to the press in itself, is viewed as important by authors. Furthermore, Andrew said, the press’s acquisitions editors are committed to reading significant portions of a manuscript before the review process, giving the author greater confidence in the work before it is submitted for peer review. (It is an open secret that few acquisitions editors read much of an author’s manuscript at all.) This means that, along with the copy editor, at least two editors – the acquisitions editor and the production editor – will read most or all of the manuscript during the publishing process.
Andrew also detailed the major areas where she could be helpful in making suggestions to the author. These include:
smoothing transitions between chapters;
identifying opportunities to push scholarship into new directions. For example, Andrew noted that the history and sociology of black Canadians from the 1920s to the 1950s has been little studied. This is an area of focus this book could pioneer if Flynn wishes to examine this time period;
pointing out emerging scholarly trends, which could help the author tailor a manuscript for higher readership or course adoption potential.
As the latter two points indicate, Andrew is professionally interested in having a solid overview of an academic field, which can provide helpful counterpoint to a scholar’s specialization.
An important part of a press’s ability to publish any manuscript is available funding. (While presented as a given during the meeting, funding is an under-discussed if not ignored area in scholarly literature. For further discussion, see “Funding” on page 47.) Andrew told Flynn about several major funding sources for scholarly books for which her book is eligible. While Flynn was encouraged to seek out possible funding sources to support publication from her home institution or from research organizations in related fields, Andrew assured her that UBC Press would apply for funding on her behalf to raise the likelihood of publication should the work be accepted.
When an accepted manuscript passes to production, Andrew said, UBC Press employs professional proofreaders, a practice that is becoming less prevalent among university presses due to cost. Attention is also paid to a book’s design; the press employs prestigious freelance designers to give each book a distinctive cover, and many have won design awards. The interiors of many books are designed and typeset using templates created by award-winning book designers, which makes the finished book attractive but still takes advantage of production efficiencies, expediting the production process. Finally, the press’s books have been recognized with excellent reviews and numerous awards in all fields in which it publishes.
Above all, Andrew further encouraged Flynn to find a press that was a good fit for her needs, and, as she noted to me after the meetings, she refrained from speaking of the disadvantages of other presses, such as lack of personal attention. In a small and collegial industry such as scholarly publishing, it is usually counterproductive to berate the competition, even if a press tacitly defines its strengths in comparison with others.
During the meeting, Andrew emphasized the reach of UBC Press’s distribution network. UBC Press has a distribution agreement with University of Washington Press (UWP), which lists UBC Press books in its catalogue and sells them to U.S. bookstores and book-buying venues. UWP also displays, promotes, and sells UBC Press books at selected U.S. learned society conferences it attends. While many U.S. academics and booksellers view Canadian scholarly books with suspicion, Andrew said UBC Press is expert at getting its books sold south of the border. In addition, Peter Milroy attends major international rights events, including the Frankfurt and London Book Fairs, the AAUP annual general meeting, and BookExpo America, maximizing opportunities for subsidiary rights sales.
Additionally, while it is common practice among university presses to release hardcover and paperback editions simultaneously to facilitate course adoptions, UBC Press releases paperbacks at least six months after the hardcover release. This allows the press to maximize hardcover sales, chiefly to libraries. The delayed paperback release also affords a book a second chance at being highlighted in the press’s catalogue, prolonging its life in the frontlist.
Finally, UBC Press is highly conscious of the timing of book releases. Fall books are aggressively marketed for higher education course adoptions in both the fall and winter semesters, while spring books gain a central presence at the annual Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences in late May and early June. In fact, books are often rushed through production and printing with an eye to Congress; as noted in the following section, Congress is the most important venue in Canada to launch and display new scholarly works in the social sciences and humanities, and many authors enjoy launching books there to show their colleagues across the country. It is also the major venue to court prospective authors – one of those, of course, being Karen Flynn.
Because there are always opportunities to find a manuscript, most editors never really get out of “acquisitions mode.” However, academic and learned society meetings are one of the most effective places to acquire; the critical mass of academics in attendance, the general atmosphere of scholarly enthusiasm, and the myriad papers and presentations prepared for these meetings make them ideal venues at which to hear about cutting-edge scholarship and scoop up manuscript ideas. In turn, scholars expect publishers to attend (or at least send representatives to) these meetings, so they often arrive armed with questions and book proposals to shop around. University presses always showcase their titles at such events, but Milroy notes that book sales don’t make attendance worthwhile at most conferences, especially those in the U.S. Rather, the acquisitions opportunities and goodwill generated for press authors are the chief reasons to attend academic meetings.[51]
In 2008, the University of British Columbia hosted the largest-ever Congress, with over 10,000 delegates in attendance representing sixty-eight learned societies and seventy-two universities, colleges, and academic institutions from across North America. The hub of university press activity is the Congress book fair. Here, publishers display recently published books in hopes of sales and course adoptions, while acquisitions editors meet their existing authors and hunt for new authors and projects. In turn, academics come with papers, presentations and seminars, trying to generate interest in their research among publishers as well as colleagues. There is even a perennial Congress-sponsored session about how to get published, featuring a panel of Canadian university press editors and managers, that is usually well attended.
The 2008 Congress hosted thirty-one scholarly presses, including every established university press in Canada, the international conglomerates Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press, major U.S. scholarly presses – Harvard, Yale, and the University of Chicago among them – represented by one distributor, the scholarly vanity press The Edwin Mellen Press, and the commercial academic presses Fernwood and Between the Lines Press. Several trade publishers were also present, including the multinationals Penguin and Random House, and the independent B.C. presses Arsenal Pulp Press, Anvil Press, and Talon Books.
To gain a big picture of acquisitions activities at Congress, I gathered information from representatives of eleven Canadian scholarly publishers.[52] The presses came from six provinces and had publishing programs ranging in output from under ten books per year to over 160. All presses had at least one acquiring editor present: five had one acquisitions editor attempting to acquire manuscripts, three had two editors, and three had three or more.[53] (Even trade presses were trolling for manuscripts; Soucouyant, the acclaimed novel by Simon Fraser University professor David Chariandy, was acquired at Congress several years before by Arsenal Pulp Press.) Furthermore, all presses distributed take-home material encouraging prospective authors to consider them when submitting proposals, usually by referring them to their web site. Only four presses, however – University of Toronto Press, McGill-Queen’s University Press, UBC Press, and Black Rose Books, the three largest and the smallest of the eleven presses – provided hard-copy submission guidelines for authors.
Representatives from all presses were also asked how many meetings they had had with authors (scheduled or unscheduled, with at least one manuscript idea discussed) and the approximate proportion of these meetings that were author-initiated. By the fifth day of Congress, each press had met with between five and fifty academic authors. Among both large and small presses, authors were responsible for initiating a substantial proportion of these meetings; according to the editors interviewed, authors were considered “mostly” the initiators of manuscript pitches at University of Toronto Press (Canada’s largest scholarly press), Broadview Press (a medium-sized press), and the press of the Canadian Plains Research Center (a small press). This information only reflects a portion of the Congress period, and most editors did not keep track of numbers of meetings or who initiated them, but it is clear that both scholarly presses and scholars consider Congress an important venue for acquisitions activity: both initiate meetings that may lead to manuscript submission and publication. And because presses of all sizes are engaged in author-initiated meetings, it appears that a large part of acquiring is making one’s press visible at key events and oneself available to prospective authors.
Acquisitions editors also actively solicit manuscripts outside of Congress and other learned society meetings. To attract as many interested scholars as possible, the editors tour a cluster of universities – up to five per week for two or more weeks – to give academic book publishing workshops. These workshops ostensibly provide general information for scholars who are interested in publishing, such as characteristics to look for when choosing a publisher, converting a dissertation to book form, and writing an appealing proposal.[54] However, workshops also raise the press’s profile to scholars, particularly those based in central or eastern Canada, and act as fact-finding missions to determine what scholars are working on and whether it might be of interest to the press.[55]
Some authors sign on to UBC Press after making first contact at these workshops, but given the length of the publishing process, these meetings often do not bear fruit for quite some time. As the UBC Press Self-Study states, “this is a long-term investment, and manuscripts rising from these meetings can appear anywhere from several months to several years after our visit.”[56]
Lastly, acquisitions editors read scholarly journals to keep abreast of interesting research and see emerging trends in particular disciplines. Interesting articles often lead to a follow-up cold call to a scholar to express interest in their work. This is obviously a scattershot strategy, and very often a scholar is far from having enough material to complete a manuscript, but a simple phone call can be flattering and remind a scholar of his or her options of where to publish.
The methods and venues for UBC Press acquisitions editors to find prospective authors are varied, as seen in this chapter so far. However, the process of moulding ideas into a fully approved and reviewed manuscript is much more structured.
As stated in “Getting Your Manuscript Accepted” on the UBC Press website, a proposal must contain “a physical description of the manuscript (length, rough number of illustrations, tables, and figures), a table of contents, abstract, and chapter-by-chapter description. The place of the work in the context of other literature in the field should be indicated, as should the level of audience.”[57] Despite the specificity of these guidelines, the level of detail in submitted proposals varies greatly. This affects an editor’s assessment of the prospective manuscript’s level of interest, fitness for publication, and appropriateness for the press’s list. (I will elaborate on this point in “Factors in Acquiring Manuscripts” on page 33.) In some cases, the acquisitions editor may ask the submitting author to revise a proposal – sometimes more than once – to increase the likelihood of smooth acceptance at a subsequent acquisitions meeting. Such a strategy can help the author more clearly articulate his or her work, says Milroy. It forces the author to develop a plan and coherent outline for his or her manuscript on paper, conceptualize an audience, and demonstrate ways in which the manuscript differs from published works and contributes to scholarship.[58]
A proposal is also useful as a preliminary assessment of the author’s writing ability. By judging the author’s ability to articulate and organize ideas, present a compelling argument, and demonstrate competence in grammar and other mechanics, the editor can gauge how much work might be required on a forthcoming manuscript.
Any proposals deemed ready for the next step are brought to the bi-weekly acquisitions meeting, attended by the acquisitions editor and the director. In general, all proposals that meet a minimum standard of interest or quality of writing are brought to the acquisitions meeting; this gives other editors a chance to vet a title on its own merits, and see if a questionable proposal could be developed to fill some niche. It is not unusual for an acquisitions editor to bring forward a proposal he or she has some doubt about, as UBC Press is attempting to grow its list. However, the editor should only bring proposals that are sufficiently complete for the other editors and the director to make an informed decision.
While an editor may outline strong reasons to accept a manuscript and advocate its publication at the acquisitions meeting, he or she will also note the faults inherent in the proposal and express his or her reservations about it. From there, the other editors and the director discuss the work informally to decide whether they want to see a completed manuscript.
In the meetings I attended, there was little controversy about proposals. After some initial discussion, the decision to proceed or not is usually heavily weighted in one direction, if not unanimous, and nearly all decisions are reached by consensus. Furthermore, most proposals are accepted, probably because they have already been vetted by the acquiring editor.
Based on acquisitions meetings attended from May to October 2008, here is a description of the factors mentioned in decisions on which proposals to accept:
Fit into UBC Press list. This is the most commonly mentioned factor in deciding whether to pursue a manuscript. If a book proposal about unsuitable subject matter arrives over the transom, it is usually rejected and referred to a more appropriate press. (Such, as mentioned in chapter 1, is the collegiality of the scholarly publishing industry.) A book’s subject matter is also a major factor in projecting its sales (see “Sales and course adoption potential” on page 35). When discussing a prospective manuscript’s fit in the press’s list, editors frequently compare it to previous books, using them as case studies of sorts to predict the success of the present proposal. Series in which the proposed book may fit are always suggested.
Acquiring in familiar fields also makes future work easier in other departments. Production, sales, and marketing data on previous books in the field can be used to estimate future parameters, such as production cost, number of course adoptions, and library sales, and help inform decisions such as print run and markets to target.
Funding availability and eligibility. As Canadian university presses are not-for-profit organizations, they depend heavily on subsidies to publish. The most important criterion for any piece of work remains good scholarship. However, without any potential source of funding, there is a good chance that a manuscript will not make it to peer review. (Funding is discussed further on page 47.) Exceptions have been made for works where funding is unavailable; a recent example is The Big Red Machine: How the Liberal Party Dominates Politics by Stephen Clarkson, one of Canada’s most famous political scientists and a Governor General’s Award winner for co-authoring Trudeau and Our Times. Clarkson’s fame combined with subject matter that has wide appeal while still fitting into UBC Press’s list made The Big Red Machine viable to publish even without outside funding. (The book has sold 4,000 copies.)[59] Another example, says Schmidt, is the upcoming title Multi-Party Litigation: The Strategic Context by Wayne V. McIntosh and Cynthia L. Cates, a study of class action lawsuits that is expected to do well in reviews and sales. He notes that such a book must be either a work of groundbreaking scholarship, a significant book in a subject area where the press hopes to raise its profile or “break in,” or a book that fills an important niche and is likely to yield high sales.[60]
That being said, notes Cullen, UBC Press often publishes works written by Canadian scholars, which makes many of them eligible for support from the Aid to Scholarly Publications Program (ASPP), the principal source of funding for Canadian scholarly books (further discussed on page 48).[61] Authors are also asked to pursue or provide information on funding opportunities specific to their fields.
Sales and course adoption potential. Despite the scholarly literature and innumerable university press mission statements that claim otherwise, sales play a role in the decision to publish. Books expected to sell well or have many course adoptions are often published more quickly, where possible, to realize greater profits. Sales usually depend most heavily on a book’s subject. Sales also inform other criteria; for example, monographs generally sell better than edited collections (see next item). As noted in “Fit into UBC Press list,” sales and adoption potential are often estimated by looking at how previous books in the same subject areas have fared.
Subsidiary rights are considered a minor factor when acquiring a book, given the narrow focus of many scholarly monographs. Books about the U.S. or Asia have sold successfully in the past in those territories, but subsidiary rights sales generally are no substitute for funding or other criteria when deciding whether to accept a proposal.
Monograph or collection? Monographs tend to sell in higher numbers and pick up more course adoptions, and are less time-consuming and more straightforward for the acquisitions editor (and for production editors and marketing staff). The editor need only deal with one author – or several authors in a multi-authored work – and one set of revisions, instead of multiple versions from different contributors. There are usually fewer concerns about inconsistency, unity, varying levels of scholarship in individual contributions, and authors meeting deadlines. Alison Cairns noted the monograph’s advantages in her Master of Publishing project report, asserting that “UBC Press is becoming more and more adamant that collections must be outstanding before it publishes them.”[62]
Crossover potential in other disciplines. Sanford Thatcher noted in a 1999 article that, “because of their broad view of the scholarly horizon, editors often have a special fondness for interdisciplinary writing, and it is no accident that university presses publish a great deal of it.”[63] In the last decade, there have also been increasing numbers of multi-collaborator research initiatives – such as the Network of Centres of Excellence program – that fund interdisciplinary studies and encourage publication in these areas. Whatever the reason, research with a high degree of interdisciplinarity is fashionable among scholars. From a publishing point of view, an interdisciplinary book can target more than one scholarly audience, which may make it more attractive to publish.
Milroy notes, however, that some disciplines are quite parochial, with scholars gravitating toward “pure” explorations of those disciplines. For example, history and political science do not generally mix well. Interdisciplinary books may also have lower course adoption potential, since most undergraduate courses focus on a single subject area.[64]
Crossover potential in trade. UBC Press’s publishing program is not trade-focused, but the editors and director are conscious of opportunities for particular books to sell well among general readers. In past meetings, however, it is clear that trade crossover potential is not usually a deciding factor in the publishing decision, but merely a consideration when estimating sales potential.
Length. UBC Press tends to publish books consisting of 80,000 to 110,000 words, or 220 to 300 typeset pages. Shorter books may be perceived as having less value for the retail price, whereas longer books take more time and resources to produce, although there can be a certain “economy of scale” associated with large books, since a production editor must devote some time to becoming acquainted with a subject, no matter what the length. Large scholarly monographs are also less likely to be used in course adoptions, as instructors may be reluctant to read, evaluate, or assign them. The optimal length for UBC Press books is only a guideline, but accepted book proposals that are far above or below the suggested word count usually come with a recommendation to the author to adjust length accordingly.
Timeliness. Many scholarly books are necessarily written in retrospect to issues and events. However, whether a manuscript’s subject is in the news, is an ongoing issue, or represents the latest academic fashions, books that connect to ongoing issues are more hotly pursued.
Originality. Books that are the first of their kind, present a unique or pioneering argument, or synthesize areas in new ways, are noted by acquisitions editors. An indicator of the importance of originality is in the marketing of the finished book; many a UBC Press volume will advertise itself as “the first full-length study” on a particular subject.
Organization and structure of book’s argument.In most scholarly books, readers look for an overarching argument, purpose, or observation. This process may be helped along with the book information form, which asks the author to provide a one-sentence summary of the work. The editor evaluates the scholarly strength of a book based on the presentation of evidence and argument in the rest of the text.
Strength of proposal. The author’s success in presenting a convincing proposal can be a litmus test for his or her ability to express ideas. A disorganized, overly general, or poorly written proposal can cast a promising project in doubt. In one case, the director and editors agreed to request a completed introduction or sample chapter of the prospective manuscript because the quality of the proposal raised concerns about the author’s ability to clearly articulate arguments over an entire book.
Completeness and balance of argument, scholarship, and perspectives. Editors are quick to point out a seeming gap, missing perspective, or otherwise absent consideration in a book’s line of inquiry. For example, a recent proposal exploring Canadian infrastructure projects’ effects on local residents explored United Empire Loyalist traditions, but made no mention of First Nations or Acadian traditions despite their importance in the region. The proposal was accepted for review, but the editor was asked to note these omissions to the author.
The balance of theoretical and practical material is also a consideration. While every book approaches its subject differently, and different disciplines have varying general approaches, it is up to the editors to determine whether a submitted proposal has covered enough ground in each area.
Reputation of author. Senior or respected scholars, as well as those with a public profile, may have their reputations counted more heavily. Because their names have some caché, they are usually able to achieve higher sales than a new author. For this reason, a renowned scholar, or one with a saleable name, may be published even without financial support. Stephen Clarkson, who wrote The Big Red Machine, is an example; another is Desmond Morton, a renowned Canadian historian and author of Fight or Pay. Given its tight budget, however, the press will almost never get involved in a manuscript bidding war.[65]
Previous experience with author. Authors who have previously published with UBC Press are noted. For example, Rod Preece has written a number of books on the history and philosophy of animal ethics, creating a one-author mini-list at the press. The level of scholarship in his work is consistently high, and he has been loyal to the press when he could publish with larger, more lucrative presses (one of his UBC Press books was co-published with Routledge). For these reasons, when ASPP funding for one of his books was in doubt, the editors and director decided to publish it even without funding. (The ASPP grant later came through.)[66]
In another case, an author who had previously published with the press submitted a strong second proposal. Although the first book was reviewed well and the author’s reputation in his field is sterling, the experience of working with him was so negative that the press was reluctant to accept this proposal.
These are among the factors that have been discussed when taking proposals into consideration at UBC Press acquisitions meetings. However, they are only the ones I have observed, and many more can factor in the publishing decision.
From acceptance at an editorial acquisitions meeting, it may take months or even years to receive the completed manuscript from the author. During this time, the ideas that were brought forth in the proposal have changed as the author has made progress. This, says Milroy, may lead to an unsatisfactory or inappropriate submission that requires major reworking, or may even face rejection. Communicating with the author between acceptance of a proposal for review and submission of a draft manuscript, he adds, can save time and effort on the part of both the author and the press.[67] This suggestion will be further explored in chapter 3.
A significant proportion of proposals, either complete submissions or casual inquiries, are rejected out of hand. Jean Wilson estimated that one-third of all inquiries result in immediate rejection, due chiefly to inappropriate subject matter, including inquiries about poetry and literary fiction.[68] The earlier a proposal is rejected in the acquisitions process, Wilson notes, the better, because this reserves the staff’s valuable time and effort for accepted manuscripts. As noted earlier in this chapter, UBC Press places great emphasis on getting manuscripts published promptly, which requires all acquisitions and editorial-production staff to maximize the use of their time and resources.
In all rejections, the acquiring editor or director sends a letter politely declining to publish and usually recommending another publisher to approach. This helps maintain good editor-author relations, the importance of which is discussed on page 45.
When the manuscript is submitted, it is read by three people: the acquisitions editor and two peer reviewers, or readers, who assess it for scholarly value, current relevance of the scholarship, and general fitness for publication. The mandated evaluation period of six weeks is shorter than in other presses because, as noted in “Pitching UBC Press to Authors” (page 23), the truncated publication timeline is part of UBC Press’s strategy to attract authors; commitment to punctuality seems to express to authors that the press cares about the book, says Milroy. In practice, few reviewers meet the six-week limit for reading and commenting on a manuscript; a more typical turnaround is eleven to twelve weeks.[69] However, the acquisitions editor is choosy about which peer reviewers he or she uses, and monitors the peer review period rigorously. A prestigious reader who consistently fails to meet deadlines would be unacceptable at UBC Press because of the time element.[70]
What peer reviewers have to say about a manuscript is a major determinant in whether it is accepted for publication. Their assessments are recorded and used to determine a manuscript’s fitness for publication, forming the core of the dossier that is submitted to both the UBC Press publications board, which approves all manuscripts for publication, and the CFHSS, which considers books for ASPP funding. Books with ecstatic reviews that are considered to incorporate groundbreaking scholarship are given higher precedence in most funding competitions. Thus, peer reviewer selection can make or break a book.
Acquisitions editors generally take two weeks to seek out and reach agreements with reviewers to read a manuscript. Reviewers must be free of conflict of interest, and should have some reputation in the area of the manuscript they are evaluating. Moreover, a reader must maintain intellectual rigour but still be open to a manuscript’s ideas; a known climate change skeptic would not be called upon to review a book that takes climate change as fact, for example. Some scholars simply do not make appropriate readers in any case, Wilson notes, for reasons such as mean-spiritedness, tardiness with deadlines, or unhelpful comments, among others.[71] For her successor, Darcy Cullen, Wilson even compiled a list of reviewers in her fields of acquisitions whom she doesn’t recommend approaching. The practice of flagging readers whom experience has shown are inappropriate for particular manuscripts (or any manuscript) is commonplace, as noted by Judy Metro, formerly a Yale University Press editor.[72]
One resource for potential peer reviewers is the author. The editor often asks the author to suggest reviewers, to give a sense of the types of scholars to use, as well as to identify scholars who have a conflict of interest or are otherwise unsuitable. Upon receipt, the editor vets these names for appropriateness and decides upon two reviewers.
Peer review feedback is based on the following questions:
What are the objectives and content of the manuscript? Are the objectives clear?
Is the scholarship sound? Is the author thoroughly acquainted with the literature on the subject? Does the manuscript as it stands make a significant original contribution to its field? How important is the subject?
To what audience is the manuscript directed? Would it serve only specialists in the field? Would you want this work in your personal library?
Do you have any suggestions for the improvement of the manuscript relating to style, inaccuracies, omissions, or any other points, either substantive or editorial? Would this manuscript benefit by being shortened or lengthened? If so, please suggest what might be condensed or expanded.
Is the organization of the manuscript sound and presented in a readable style? Are the author’s techniques for handling notes, systems of citation, and bibliography sound? If included, do the illustrations, tables, graphs, charts, maps, photos, and appendices add to the manuscript?
Is the manuscript as it stands acceptable for publication? Please comment in detail, stating specifically yes, no, or not in its present form. If a revised manuscript may be publishable, please indicate clearly the nature of the revisions required.
How important is it that this work be published? Does this work duplicate or substantially recapitulate other works? Does it add to the scholarly debate in the field?
What is your overall recommendation? Is the manuscript:
++(a) a very strong contribution to scholarship that should be published
++(b) a strong contribution to scholarship that should be published, with the request that my suggestions for revision be considered
++(c) a contribution which, while modest, is interesting, and which can be recommended for publication
++(d) the manuscript should be revised and re-evaluated (along the lines of question 6 above)
++(e) no contribution to the field; not recommended for publication.[73]
As noted in “Factors in Acquisitions Decisions” (page 33), UBC Press places strong emphasis on originality (#2, #7, #8), strength of scholarship (#2, #8), and organization and clarity (#1, #5). In addition, the breadth of the audience is considered (#3); this can help the editor determine the book’s sales and crossover potential. This list of questions also requests suggestions to improve the manuscript (#4, #6), emphasizing process. These questions are never changed from manuscript to manuscript. Such a practice may seem obvious, but this is not the case with, for example, Metro of Yale University Press, who tailors questions to get a desired response from a reader: “It is appropriate for the editor to voice his or her own agenda with the reader. For example, if I think the manuscript has course-book potential, I might ask the reader in my covering letter on comment on what, if anything would make it more valuable as a classroom text … If the author’s notes seem excessive, I will ask the reader to comment on the balance of notes and text.”[74] One could call UBC Press’s procedures more “fair” that those at other presses, but the Yale example of how an editor’s choice of readers, among other decisions, can dramatically affect the fate of a manuscript.
After receiving peer review feedback, the author, with the acquisitions editor’s assistance, writes a formal response in which he or she addresses any difficulties, criticism, clarifications, or questions in the manuscript, or provides justifications or reasons why the manuscript should be left so. The press’s basic strategy to request clear, cohesive revisions before resubmitting a manuscript is outlined in an internal document, “Main Steps to the Acquisitions Process”: “Ask the author for an informal response. This will help you guide her/him in revisions … When the revised [manuscript] is ready, ASK THE author to email a statement detailing revisions made – paying PARTICULAR attention to the points of intersection between reports [emphasis in original].”[75] A convincing response to one reader’s criticisms may be sufficient to allow a strong manuscript to pass without revision, but if both readers point out the same issues, revisions are strongly suggested.
All manuscripts require two strong reports – at least two “B” ratings, from question #8 – to be accepted for publication. To give an author the opportunity to respond to criticisms and revise the manuscript, the two supporting readers’ responses can come from one or two rounds of peer review. This document then becomes part of the manuscript’s dossier, and the next step cedes control of the manuscript to the publications board.
The board, which is currently made up of eleven scholars in the social sciences and humanities, and one in the sciences, gives final approval on whether to proceed with publication. (In general, says Milroy, UBC Press attempts to have at least one scholar on the board who does not work in the social sciences and humanities.)As the UBC Press self-study states, the publications board “authorizes but does not mandate publication, a role left to the discretion of the Press management so that it can consider financial and strategic factors before committing resources.”[76] In theory, this means that manuscripts receiving board approval can still be rejected; in practice, with the time and energy that has already been invested in the project, the director will almost always decide to publish. The most common reason for not publishing even after board approval is financial unviability, says Milroy.[77]
The publications board itself is not expected to determine the financial implications of any project, or comment on its eligibility for funding.
Acquisitions editors attend board meetings but do not usually comment except to clarify any issues or answer questions. Their influence can be seen in the preparation of the manuscript’s dossier and assistance with the author in writing readers’ responses, but the decision is solely the board’s.
In large part, good acquisitions comes down to the quality of editorial experience that a press can offer its prospective authors. The first point of contact is the acquisitions editor, and, as noted in “Pitching UBC Press to Authors” on page 23, there is a strong emphasis on establishing good rapport with authors and assuring them of a good editorial experience.
Editor Gladys Topkis writes that “the cottage industry aspect of publishing – personal attention to books and authors and the involvement of the whole staff in the whole list – is most likely to be preserved in a professional/scholarly house, where the contribution of each book to the success of the list over time is significant and where relations with authors must be continually nurtured.”[78] Maintaining good editor-author relations in scholarly publishing, she argues, is more important than in trade publishing, even if that author isn’t published by the press. This is because “scholars have a network of their own, more tightly organized than the editors’. Just as a happy author or correspondent may produce leads to publishable manuscripts by others, so an unhappy one may discourage his friends from sending an editor their work or even from adopting a textbook published by the house.”[79] An acquisitions editor cannot work at the top of his or her profession, no matter how talented, if authors simply do not think to submit their manuscripts, or worse, avoid submitting them.
In addition, having special connections in a particular scholarly field gives an editor access to the zeitgeist and trends within that field. As noted in the section “Peer Review and the Publications Board” on page 40, an editor can later use these contacts as peer reviewers for a submitted manuscript – and a positive relationship with a reviewer can lead to a proposal submission. Editor-author relations could be more accurately termed editor-scholar relations to encompass the role of academics who are not writing books but who participate in the publishing process in other ways: as readers, as referrers of manuscripts from their colleagues, as customers and adopters, and as general champions of the press.
These relations can extend beyond editorial functions. Friendly contacts in the scholarly sphere can improve the reach of marketing efforts; they can even suggest new target markets and encourage course adoptions, improving sales figures. Because these contacts are often initiated at the acquisitions level, the efforts of acquisitions editors to build good editor-author relations resonate through a press’s entire operations, influencing its success in both scholarly and financial realms.
Reports of the demise of the scholarly book may be greatly exaggerated, but sales have declined, causing many university presses to pursue the trade market.[80]
UBC Press, however, is committed to its mandate to publish scholarly books. In addition, successful publishing of trade books generally involves financial costs, human resources, and industry contacts that the press does not possess. The UBC Press self-studyindicates that it has not found trade publishing particular profitable, for various reasons including lower pricing, skyrocketing return rates, consumer advertising costs, and author travel, which can easily outweigh revenue:
Publishing popular books aimed primarily at trade markets, while often interesting and enjoyable for staff, has not been particular rewarding for us financially. We watch our trade colleagues and fellow university presses that have strong trade orientations struggle to survive and realize this is not a magic bullet … While we promote to the trade titles that have potential for broader audiences, … we know that our strengths, editorially and promotionally, are in the academic sphere, and we choose what we publish with that clearly in mind. We believe that the primary raison d’être of a university press is to be a publisher of outstanding scholarly research.[81]
However, numerous scholarly books in UBC Press’s list have successfully crossed over into the trade market. The recently published Renegades: Canadians in the Spanish Civil War by Michael Petrou, the lead title for fall 2007, has sold 1,900 copies. Robert J. Muckle’s First Nations of British Columbia: An Anthropological Survey has been successful in both course adoptions and as an introduction for general readers, with 6,200 copies sold. With scholarly integrity and peer oversight firmly in place, the press has accepted a proposal for a manuscript on indigenous peoples in Atlantic Canada that is modelled after Muckle’s book.
University presses need to know that they can actually afford to publish a book they want to publish. At UBC Press, an average scholarly book costs $34,000 CAD to produce from acquisition to production to marketing and distribution.[82] As noted, a book without some supplementary funding has a far slimmer chance of being published. The UBC Press website acknowledges, in its “Publishing with UBC Press” section, that “few scholarly books in Canada can be published without financial assistance … detailed cost-benefit analysis is done for all manuscripts under consideration … to decide whether sufficient resources are available to take on the project.” The site goes on to note that manuscripts containing previously published material, conference proceedings, and unrevised dissertations are ineligible for ASPP, and that “if ASPP is not involved, usually another source of funds in aid of publication is required.”[83] Right up front, these guidelines indicate that money does indeed matter when publishing with a scholarly press.
UBC Press derives approximately 75 percent of its revenues from book sales. The remaining funds come from the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences (CFHSS, the organizers of Congress); specialized academic societies and organizations; the Department of Canadian Heritage (DCH); the Association for the Export of Canadian Books (AECB); the Canada Council for the Arts; and the British Columbia Arts Council. Of these, DCH (through its Book Publishing Industry Development Program, or BPIDP) and AECB contribute block grants toward the overall operation of the press, rather than supporting individual titles, although both demand that UBC Press meet rigorous criteria to be eligible for these funds.
BPIDP has funded the large majority of Canadian publishers, and contributes greatly to UBC Press’s operations. Year after year, it is a reliable source of funding, but the amounts it contributes fluctuate greatly. In 2002–03, it gave the press $149,565; in 2003–04, it was up to $123,778; in 2004–05, that amount again increased to $145,443. While significant, this funding only makes up the overhead and direct costs of publishing for fewer than five books. Furthermore, while funding for distribution assistance was $7 million for all publishers in 1993–94 (through the now-defunct Publications Distribution Assistance Program), it dwindled to zero in the mid-1990s before rising back up to $4.1 million in 2002-03. This figure is not only significantly lower than it was a decade before, it is also distributed among a larger number of publishers.[84]
The main source of external funding for individual titles is the CFHSS-administered ASPP, which is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and is essentially the default place to start the quest for funding for any Canadian work of scholarship. Since April 2006, the ASPP has provided UBC Press with a fixed grant of $8,000 per eligible title. This is an increase over the $7,000 mandated beforehand; however, ASPP funding was as high as $9,000 in 1991, and was based on a variable model (so that more expensive books were eligible to receive more money) until federal government cuts in the mid- to late 1990s severely trimmed back the program budget.
In 2005, the ASPP budget was $1 million distributed among 145 books, and it was still receiving around 300 applications each year; by 2007, it provided $1.5 million to help fund 185 books (with 40 slots set aside for first-time authors), although the number of applications has also swelled in that time.[85] In cases where there is insufficient funding (which is essentially always), the ASPP will subject applications to competitive adjudication.
If UBC Press books do not secure ASPP funding, there are several other options. Scholars with SSHRC funding may be allocated a certain percentage that provides for communication or publication initiatives of their research. This money can be used toward publication of a scholarly monograph or edited volume; however, Milroy notes that many scholars use significant portions of these funds for other communications activities, such as attending conferences, before publication.[86]
In addition, some universities, such as Simon Fraser University and the University of Western Ontario, provide a modicum of support for faculty members’ publishing efforts. Such funds are more common in U.S. universities, which can help UBC Press publish American authors ineligible for ASPP funding. Other sources of funding are generally subject-dependent, such as funds from the Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation (books on Chinese Studies in the social sciences and humanities), the Japan Foundation (Japanese studies), the International Centre for Canadian Studies (Canadian Studies), and the College Art Association (history of art and related subjects). In other words, aid for Canadian publishers is available, but it varies from year to year based on title output for the year.
In 1995, the University of British Columbia ceased its $200,000 yearly endowment to UBC Press, and stopped funding its warehousing operations, worth an additional $60,000 per year. In its place, UBC Press began receiving an annual grant from its parent institution in the name of K.D. Srivastava, former UBC Vice-President (Student and Academic Services) and member of the press’s publications board. The grant of $49,500 helps publish books by authors or volume editors who have completed a large proportion of their to-be-published research at UBC as faculty members, post-doctoral researchers, or graduate students. This funding is technically a scholarly book prize, but in practice it is used more as an operating fund for books originating in UBC research.[87]
UBC Press has continued to pursue funding from its host university, much in the style of American university presses, or other Canadian university presses. (This was, in fact, one of the motivations for writing the UBC Press Review: Self-Study 2007.) Of its two main competitors, University of Toronto Press exists as a separate entity and owns the U of T Bookstore, which provides minimum transfers of $750,000 to its publishing operations, and McGill-Queen’s receives $350,000 annually from its parent universities. UBC Press received no operating grant of equivalent magnitude until 2008, when the press competed successfully for a $150,000 grant from the University of British Columbia, renewable annually subject to the university’s budget.[88]
Most university presses across North America have staked out territories of specialization and acquire most vigorously in those areas. As a leading publisher in numerous areas of social science and humanities scholarship, UBC Press is often the first stop for scholars wanting to publish in subject areas such as political science, law, environmental studies, and military history. Competition still exists for manuscripts in popular, lucrative disciplines such as Canadian history, First Nations studies, and anthropology, and for proposed series based on research from multi-collaborator initiatives.
Not surprisingly, larger university presses are more inclined to offer special inducements to gain the manuscripts they want, according to a 1999 survey of American university presses.[89] Such inducements may take the form of generous advances or fewer initial requirements from the proposal. Canadian scholarly presses are generally not in a position to financially sweeten any acquisitions deals; for UBC Press editors, competing for manuscripts means quickening response time, improving their level of service to authors, and broadcasting the press’s long-term advantages to authors. A high level of scholarship is still required at all university presses and will not be sacrificed in the name of winning competitions; this would be counterproductive if it results in an inferior book.
Every book acquired by UBC Press editors is considered not only on its own merits, but also for the way it complements UBC Press’s list. Whether by strategy or by chance, acquisitions editing is an activity that builds upon itself. As a press builds a critical mass of books in particular areas, it may develop a reputation in those areas, leading to more submissions. Strategic acquisition is of especial concern to UBC Press, which was reborn by focusing on areas of strength while dropping other fields in which it had traditionally published. It is only natural for university presses to develop series to further boost their reputations in particular fields.
As noted in chapter 1, university presses develop and maintain book series because of their inherent list-building potential: quality acquisitions, showcased in a series, can attract exciting scholarship and respected authors. Lesley Erickson discusses series at UBC Press thoroughly in her Master of Publishing project report, “One Thing After Another,” and I will discuss series only as they pertain to acquisitions.
In developing a long-lasting and respected series at a university press, a good general editor is desirable, particularly in the beginning stages. The general editor represents the series, recruits colleagues old and new as potential authors, and consults on quality of scholarship and subareas in the series, depending on their level of involvement. As Erickson notes, “Unlike an established scholar who can tap into that network of contacts built over the span of a career to acquire manuscripts, it can take a number of years for an acquisitions editor to make themselves known to scholars in a discipline and convince them to entrust their manuscripts to a new series at a Press without an established list in the subject area.”[90] The general editor’s prestige can rub off on an associated acquisitions editor. For example, Peter Milroy persuaded W. Wesley Pue, a respected law scholar who had written the UBC Press-published Pepper In Our Eyes, to act as general editor for the Law and Society series, and Pue became one of the driving forces in building the press’s law list. Randy Schmidt, the law acquisitions editor, has taken advantage of Pue’s influence and vast network of contacts, and is now a leading acquisitions editor in that field in Canada with his own network and reputation among scholars, even as Pue’s role in the series has diminished in recent years.[91]
Although it was Milroy and then Schmidt who developed the Law and Society series, in other cases it is the general editor who envisions the shape of a series. For example, Graeme Wynn, a University of British Columbia environmental historian and UBC Press board member, proposed that the press create its own environmental history series, modelled after University of Washington Press’s Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books. The press accepted his proposal, and the result was the Nature | History | Society series, with Schmidt as acquiring editor, which includes the award winners The Archive of Place, Hunters at the Margin, and States of Nature. Wynn is active in the editing process of this series, and he writes the foreword for each volume.
Series also present opportunities to partner with other organizations, which not only have the reach to attract manuscripts, but may provide monetary support. For example, Emily Andrew’s acquisition of several successful military history titles led her to propose a collaboration with the Canadian War Museum on a series on military history in Canada, a field in which no scholarly press has published significantly. The result was the Studies in Canadian Military History series, co-published by the Canadian War Museum, with Dean Oliver, the museum’s director of research and exhibitions, serving as general editor. This collaboration also secured funding for books in the series: each volume receives $5,000 in co-financing from the museum, in addition to other grants.[92]
As was the case with Schmidt and the Law and Society series, Andrew’s acquisitions skills opened the door to creating a series on military history. Her acquisition of a respected general editor with public clout did much of the heavy lifting in attracting promising new manuscripts in that area.
Another model for series production is to collaborate with another institution on publishing a set number of books. These are usually proposed by the prospective series editor or editors, whose aim is to publish research results from a multi-collaborator initiative. Because these series often have respected scholars attached to the initiative, and because funding for communication projects is built into the proposal, there is greater incentive for a press to collaborate on publishing a series with them. Former Princeton University Press editorial board member Robert Darnton observed this phenomenon a quarter-century ago when he wrote, “Don’t submit a book. Submit a series … as far as I know we have never turned down a series, and we took on a half dozen during my four years on the board.”[93]Such “submitted” series at UBC Press include the Canadian Democratic Audit (nine volumes, from research at the project of the same name at Mount Allison University), Equality | Security | Community (three volumes, from the Equality, Security and Community Project), and the ongoing Globalization and Autonomy series (ten planned volumes, from McMaster University’s eponymous initiative). Not only have books in these series sold well thanks to their origins in prestigious initiatives, but they have also “received substantial series funding that obviates the need to depend on or even apply to ASPP.”[94]
In other cases, series have not paid dividends proportional to the effort required to create and maintain them. For example, Laura Macleod helped develop a Sexuality Studies series, but after much initial interest, few proposals were submitted. Furthermore, previous books in the series have dealt partly with comparative literature, a moribund area in UBC Press’s complement, and manuscripts in that area may have been acquired by more literature-oriented presses.[95] Still, recent acquisitions in sexuality studies may revive the series over the next few years. As Wilson notes, series can help direct and develop a press’s list, but they add a layer of complexity to the publishing process and are not always worth doing.[96]
Stripped to the bare bones, acquisitions editing in scholarly publishing is a highly structured process. A proposal must meet an invisible list of requirements for the editorial team to pursue it further. Although the acquisitions editors and the director comment on different aspects of each proposal before them, common concerns on scholarly integrity, available funding, originality, manuscript length, and crossover into different disciplines and markets, among other things, tend to emerge. For the most significant criteria – compatibility with UBC Press’s list, strength of scholarship, funding – there is little room for negotiation. Peer reviewers are given the same benchmarking questions to evaluate the level of scholarship in each manuscript, which must find approval with both them and the publications board.
Within this rigid framework, however, there is ample room for creativity and entrepreneurship. Acquisitions editors at UBC Press go to the same academic conferences every year, including the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, but they also find manuscripts through cold calls and scholarly publishing informational tours through Canadian universities. The selection of the right peer reviewers requires resourcefulness and perceptiveness, and employs an editor’s knowledge of the field as well as effective use of professional networks. Competition for manuscripts requires editors to deploy tenacity, tact, and persuasive abilities not only to acquire the manuscripts they want, but also to maintain good relations with colleagues at competing university presses and the scholarly community at large. And finally, building the list and developing a robust publishing strategy help the entire press strike the right balance between breadth and depth in areas in which it publishes.
Among Canadian scholarly presses, there are significant gulfs between the conclusions in literature and in practice – particularly in the area of funding and title subventions, which are hardly mentioned in scholarly literature – but the entrepreneurial and personal aspects of acquisitions editing do stymie attempts to package it into convenient theory or a course. Education, analysis, and reporting in the literature are useful, but acquisitions editing is chiefly informed by practice and experience. How these elements can be combined into a useful framework to build upon UBC Press’s strengths and improve upon its weaknesses will be examined in chapter 3.
Chapter 3: The Future of Acquisitions at UBC Press
With firm footing in the context of acquisitions editing in scholarly publishing obtained from literature and educational materials, and knowledge of UBC Press’s operations as they pertain to acquisitions, one can develop strategies to meet present and future challenges. The press’s 2007 self-study identifies several areas that require extra attention or may pose threats in the future. This chapter explores numerous areas that may have a significant impact on UBC Press’s future, and the chapter addresses possible solutions and strategies to deal with challenges and assist in achieving goals.
As an industry, scholarly publishing in the social sciences and humanities has been declared to be in a state of emergency for the last twenty years. Factors such as shrinking library budgets, changing audiences for scholarly books, the rise of the mega-bookstore oligopoly in Canada, and an increasingly influential medium of internet-based commerce and information access pose continuing challenges for all university presses. These non-specific challenges and threats will be addressed as they relate to UBC Press’s goals, but will not be discussed on their own.
The size of UBC Press’s list, number of staff, prestige of the imprint, areas of strength and specialization, and general strategy have undergone revolutionary changes – virtually all for the better – in the less than two decades since the 1990 overhaul. Although few current staff members were employed by the press in 1990, the overhaul and refocus still informs the press’s continued efforts toward improvement. This spirit has manifested itself in internal working documents such as the UBC Press Review: Self-Study 2007, a comprehensive analysis of the press’s activities and a steering document in formulating future strategy for the press.
It is instructive to examine the press’s major challenges in the editorial-acquisitions department as articulated in the self-study. The first three are:
We confront daily the difficulties involved in trying to increase the number of titles that we have set as our goal. We are limited financially in our ability to add new staff, which means that individual editors face ever-increasing pressure to bring in more books. Yet the attributes that have led to our growth over the past seventeen years – our personal touch and commitment to timeliness, our sharply focused list, our community outreach activities – are clearly threatened by the imperative to produce more books with the same number of staff.
Our ability to acquire more books in our main areas is declining. For the Press to increase its title output significantly, new areas of publication will have to be pursued. Yet it is unlikely that an untapped area akin to law and society exists, which means that we will probably be competing directly with other Canadian university presses over the same books. Careful research and a well-thought-out strategy are essential for success.
Resource constraints inhibit our ability to commission textbooks, do market analysis of sales in different disciplines, and analyze our own processes to see where things are working and where they are not. Indeed, the limited editorial assistance available means that valuable acquisitions time is lost doing clerical work that could easily be done by an assistant editor.[97]
As pointed out earlier in this project report, the “personal touch and commitment to timeliness” that the press’s acquisitions team brings to its authors are among its major selling points. These personal benefits are always raised with prospective authors in making a case to publish with UBC Press. The point at which growth becomes a liability no doubt describes a fine balance, and the question has become even more difficult to resolve since the writing of this report began: Darcy Cullen has succeeded Jean Wilson, and Emily Andrew has gone on leave and Randy Schmidt is handling her acquisitions files and in-process manuscripts in addition to his regular files.
One suggested solution, noted in #3, would be to increase the “limited editorial assistance” by adding human or technological resources, such as an editorial assistant, a common position at both scholarly and trade publishers. Added resources to perform clerical work, manage author relations, analyze sales data, apply for funding and grants, and track and manage information would free up acquisitions editors to turn their attentions to their files as well as to set goals and develop publishing strategy, components of challenge #2. If these resources took the form of an editorial assistant, some succession planning could also be undertaken. This is, in fact, an issue identified in challenge #4 in the self-study:
The department needs to plan carefully for the imminent departure of the senior member of the department – Jean Wilson who will retire in July 2008. A replacement strategy needs to be developed over the next twelve months to ensure that this retirement does not cause any loss of momentum.[98]
Although Wilson’s succession by Darcy Cullen in August 2008 has been successful, an editorial assistant position would provide another avenue for on-the-job training for a future acquisitions editor.
The other challenges identified in the self-study are:
Our dependence on external sources of funding (primarily the ASPP) also impacts our ability to increase the number of titles published. We are continually competing with other presses over scarce subsidy resources, with the inevitable result that some worthy scholarly books are not being published. A separate, discretionary avenue of funding would almost certainly result in the Press publishing an additional five to ten books a year.
Though this becomes less significant with each passing year, our geographic location on the West Coast and our poor pre-1990 reputation also affect our ability to acquire new titles. The two main presses in central Canada – University of Toronto Press and McGill-Queen’s University Press – remain “default” options for many scholars. We have made significant strides to overcome this difficulty and to raise the profile of the “new” UBC Press, but additional resources need to be committed to this task.
Challenge #5, funding for scholarly books, is common to all Canadian university presses, particularly smaller ones. Discretionary funds would likely come from a press’s home institution, although universities often need corporate partnerships and sponsorships to accomplish their infrastructural goals. As UBC Press is already short-staffed, there would hardly be the human resources or budget to take on a major independent fundraising effort. However, such an effort may be feasible if the press were to utilize the fundraising infrastructure already in place at its home institution, such as its alumni affairs and development office. The press would undoubtedly have to justify the scholarly value it adds to the University of British Columbia’s reputation; it could make a case that publishing in the academic areas in which the university is known would be symbiotic. UBC Press has strong lists in First Nations studies, law, and political science, disciplines in which the university also excels.
Such an effort to boost funding would help tackle challenge #6, the press’s acquisitions ability as compared to its larger competitors. UBC Press has its strengths, but it is doubtful that it can ever challenge the supremacy of presses that publish so many more titles every year. (Toronto puts out 150 to 160, and McGill-Queen’s 110, compared to UBC Press’s 60.) At the same time, efforts to “catch up” for the sake of catching up run counter to the press’s strategy of focused acquisitions and controlled growth in key areas. Future assessments could be revised to reflect a more balanced approach, as acquisitions activity increases in selected new fields as well as in the press’s areas of specialization.
As for the aforementioned problem of geography, having a Toronto presence in Melissa Pitts has already boosted the press’s visibility and ability to acquire significantly. However, as she is only a half-time editor, the press’s list may benefit further by expanding its acquisitions activities in central Canada, either by transferring Pitts’s other duties to a new staff member, or by creating another position in Toronto – both of which, of course, require greater funds. Furthermore, any growth in acquisitions must not come at the cost of UBC Press’s traditional strengths in the editorial process, which could compromise editor-author relations and hurt the press’s reputation among scholars.
The press’s goals for the editorial-acquisitions department for 2007 to 2010 are to:
Continue to work toward increasing the number of books published to seventy to seventy-five titles by 2010. This increase will be accomplished through further expansion in our current areas of strength and incursions into new, carefully selected and researched areas.
Consider adding staff resources (such as an editorial assistant), which would increase the per-title productivity of acquisitions editors.
Continue to increase the profile of UBC Press in other parts of the country through outreach activities.[99]
The first two challenges have been addressed in this chapter. The third is only partially addressed by Pitts’s presence in Toronto. A relatively inexpensive way to reach scholars and audiences in remote areas could be via the internet, a medium that UBC Press has not used very effectively so far: the press’s website is set up for e-commerce but is old-fashioned, contains dead links, and lacks so-called Web 2.0 technologies such as RSS feeds. Bringing some outreach activities to the internet could raise the press’s profile at relatively low cost.
For example, as noted in chapter 2, one of UBC Press’s outreach activities is the travelling informational session on the scholarly publishing process given by acquisitions editors. This multi-university tour has fallen by the wayside in recent years because of increased acquisitions loads. The press could produce a video of these informational sessions at relatively low cost and post it on the web, potentially reaching scholars who cannot attend the real-life sessions. A video could be produced and optimized for search engines, and would provide website visitors with a more memorable experience of the UBC Press website, making them more likely to keep the press top of mind in the future. This is only one example of ways in which internet use can enhance UBC Press’s outreach efforts.
The press’s second challenge, to acquire more books per year and to choose the fields in which to acquire them, is faced by all Canadian presses. Publishers face some degree of competition in all major disciplines, so UBC Press must carefully choose the fields where it will build or rebuild a list.
The press has made some headway in various subject areas. Among these, transnationalism and environmental history are touted as emerging areas of scholarship that could grow in scope. UBC Press already has an excellent start in environmental history with its acclaimed Nature | History | Society series, which has featured numerous award-winning titles. Narrower niche areas, such as the aforementioned history of nursing, may seem too focused to be formally pursued, but this can depend on the acquisitions editor’s feel for scholarly fashions and the level of scholarship in that area.
As with the Studies in Canadian Military History series, it is likely that an area of specialization would emerge organically, after the press publishes a critical mass of books in the same field over several seasons, editors link proposed manuscripts to the published works in that field, and scholars submit related proposals to the press based on its burgeoning reputation.
In chapter 2, this report examined the “submitted” series model, in which UBC Press essentially becomes the publishing partner for a preplanned number of volumes. This model is attractive for having built-in funding and production consistencies that can make the publishing process more efficient. For example, the Canadian Democratic Audit has cemented UBC Press’s reputation in one of its strength areas, political science. It could also be a worthwhile risk to pursue submitted series in the press’s areas of emerging rather than established strength, as is the case with the Globalization and Autonomy series, which contains elements of political science but encompasses numerous other fields in its interdisciplinary approach. Such a practice is dependent on whether these initiatives continue to receive funding for book publishing activities, and whether they employ any senior scholars who can serve as appropriate series editors or advocates of communicating their research.
UBC Press has already expressed its aversion to dipping fully into trade publishing. However, Kate Wittenberg, Ithaka project director and former Columbia University Press editor-in-chief, argues that the scholarly monograph in its current form is endangered, partly because scholars are getting their information in different ways. Increasingly, students and scholars use technology that not only cuts down the need for multiple copies of the same book, but also moulds the way information is presented.
UBC Press must ensure that the scholarly monograph, its bread and butter, continues to fulfil the needs of scholars and interested readers while still maintaining the depth, logic, and art of sustained argument that characterizes the form. Publishers themselves are in no danger, Wittenberg asserts, unless they remain stuck in the paradigms of the past:
The traditional skills that scholarly-book editors have brought to their work remain as valuable as ever. Identifying, reviewing, and editing the best scholarly work are still very much needed. However, because the traditional forms in which we have published that material may no longer be as relevant as they were in the past, editors must learn as much as possible about our users – how scholars now do their research; read content; use archives, images, data, and technology; and exercise their preferences for gaining access to their materials.[100]
Wittenberg goes on to argue for a more integrated publishing model, where departments cross-pollinate to come up with fresh ideas to appeal more strongly to the end user:
In the new organizational model, editors will develop content for publication in both print and digital form and will play a role in its organization and design; technologists will participate in planning the navigation of content and in designing products that fit users’ needs; production and design staff members will collaborate with authors and provide expertise on content organization and narrative structure. And marketing and sales departments will be involved in all decisions regarding content organization, functionality, product design, and access-and-dissemination mechanisms, so that they can work closely in developing effective relationships with customers.[101]
Readers of Wittenberg’s prescriptions undoubtedly have many reservations about them. Marketing and sales influencing content could dilute or even endanger scholarship, for example, or production and design staff may be more concerned with aesthetics than depth and organization. However, a clear strategy to integrate the university press’s departments can create a final product that is better suited to a scholarly audience in transition. For example, an acquisitions editor may see something distinctive in a manuscript that may appeal to scholars in a particular field, but if this knowledge is not transferred to other departments, an opportunity to more effectively market the book may be lost.
As Milroy notes, the publishing profession is naturally compartmentalized; most people who work in publishing are drawn to one area of specialization, and this pattern resists smooth integration.[102] At UBC Press, there has been some interdepartmental integration. For example, marketing staff members are invited to transmittal meetings – where a manuscript is transferred from editorial-acquisitions to editorial-production – to begin building ideas for a more strategic marketing plan. In addition, editorial-production and marketing staff have collaborated on a copy form that transforms inputted information into tagged XML text and file links. This facilitates the transfer of book-related data (including title, ISBN, price, jacket copy, and cover images) from acquisitions to production to marketing, where they can easily be used to create catalogues, library notices, web pages, and other marketing materials. While such activities can increase efficiency, there is currently little managerial oversight to ensure they are followed up properly; for example, one of the creators of the copy form noted that she did not know when information in the form would be posted to the web, or how exactly it would be used. More discussion will help ensure that further strategic integration of departments will work to the press’s advantage.
All authors approached, and manuscripts and proposals at any stage are tracked through a database maintained by the assistant to the director. This can be a useful tool to develop a future editorial program, allowing acquiring editors, the director, and other staff to see what books may be forthcoming. In practice, however, few staff look at this information; there is no mandate to do so, and delivery dates for proposals and manuscripts are so unpredictable that it is impossible to say whether a manuscript will be accepted, much less arrive on time, much less mesh with other books in UBC Press’s list. However, Milroy says that integrating all data about proposals and manuscripts – including those in review and pre-review stages – into a centralized information package could facilitate smoother workflow and better planning. Further, he notes, many manuscripts drastically change shape between acceptance of a proposal and submission of a first draft – often becoming a text far removed from the press’s expectations. This poses many problems if the manuscript is no longer appropriate for publication. Tracking authors and their progress during this “in-between” stage may help acquisitions editors keep a tighter rein on their projects, saving valuable time and resources for both the press and the author. Over time, Milroy adds, information about how many proposals or manuscripts are at each stage can be used to estimate how many books will be ready for publication at any given time, helping to set acquisitions and transmittal goals.[103]
Both interdepartmental integration and acquisitions workflow can be addressed with some technological tools being implemented at UBC Press. A central database system created by the publishing software company Klopotek, while mainly focused on editorial-production, could benefit other aspects of the publishing process. The system features an “enter once, propagate everywhere” functionality that facilitates the flow of information from editorial-acquisitions to other departments. The setup of this information system also affords the entire press the opportunity to further integrate departments for more efficient information flow. The searchability feature would help make files easier to find, and the system’s centralized nature would make data available to all staff members – especially important for the editorial-acquisitions department, as three of the four editors work off-site.
The Klopotek system also includes a scheduling module that can be applied to acquisitions. This module could help editors keep track of the status of manuscript proposals, deadlines for peer reviewers, and grant applications. Furthermore, learning a new system may encourage editors – and the staff at large – to keep the press’s larger strategic concerns front of mind, and make better overall sense of UBC Press’s workflow. Because all the data is already entered into the system, benchmarking and goal tracking would be easier to accomplish.
Another tool, a dynamic sales database, which was previously suggested by Randy Schmidt and Jean Wilson, is now in place. As a UBC Press intern, one of my first tasks was to develop an interim static sales database of books published in the last five years. The end product had severe limitations in both temporal scope (the available data ended in early 2008) and its static nature. However, a more recent database, with information provided directly by UBC Press’s distributor, University of Toronto Press, gives dynamic sales data over a lifetime, broken down by month. This provides not only a more complete picture of a particular book’s life cycle, but can also capture the re-emergence of any backlist books into the frontlist, and take advantage of “long tail” sales. The database can also help determine emerging scholarly trends, guiding editors toward manuscripts with greater sales and course adoptions. While still in its infancy, it has the potential to make the acquisitions process smoother and allow editors to concentrate on the more creative duties in the publishing process.
While threatened by declining sales of scholarly monographs and increasing costs, the press continues to attract authors based on a sterling reputation for good editor-scholar relations and a high level of service and scholarship, characteristics that will likely help the press weather the storm of technology and a changing readership.
As can be seen in its self-study, UBC Press is very aware of the challenges it faces, particularly those related to resource constraints. It recognizes that its strengths in personal relationships with authors and a focused editorial-acquisitions team could be threatened by the imperative to publish more books and devote resources to sales and strategic analysis. Suggested solutions to these challenges – more human and technological resources dedicated to assisting acquisitions editors, utilization of university fundraising infrastructure, development of a greater presence in central Canada to boost acquisitions, expansion of internet-based communication and outreach activities – are all contingent upon the availability of greater financial and human resources, itself a central challenge to the press.
Other avenues to making greater use of existing resources, such as sharpened focus on emerging disciplines, must be examined with a critical eye. However, UBC Press has already worked toward a more organized workflow and increased interdepartmental integration. The development of a sales database and continuing implementation of the Klopotek database system could help streamline acquisitions and other processes, and reframe the press’s activities in a more integrated context. Despite its many challenges and uncertainty both within the organization and in the industry at large, UBC Press is a forward-thinking institution whose main strengths – rigorous scholarship and editorial quality, excellent editor-scholar relations, and high production values – will carry it far into the publishing future.
1 Chronicle of Higher Education, Journal of Scholarly Publishing, and Publishing Research Quarterly are among the scholarly journals with articles on acquisitions editing. Among business-to-business or professional publications, Quill and Quire and Publishers Weekly also discuss acquisitions. For an analysis of how the literature addresses acquisitions editing issues, see pages 17–25. RETURN
2 UBC Press Review: Self-Study 2007, UBC Press and the University of British Columbia, March 2007, 2; Peter Milroy, interview by author, March 6, 2009. RETURN
3 UBC Press Review, 2. RETURN
4 Jean Wilson, interview by author, October 30, 2008. RETURN
5 Ibid. RETURN
6 Milroy, interview. RETURN
7 UBC Press Review, 3; Wilson, interview. RETURN
8 “Staff directory,” UBC Press :: University of British Columbia Press. http://www.ubcpress.ca/company/staff.html. RETURN
9Randy Schmidt, interview by author, November 10, 2008. RETURN
10 Milroy, interview. RETURN
11 Edward Dimendberg, “Five Movie Scenes from the Author/Acquisitions Editor Relationship,” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 28, 1 (October 1996), http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca. RETURN
12 Peter J. Dougherty, “If You Plan It, They Will Come: Editors as Architects,” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 31, 4 (July 2000), http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca. RETURN
13 Some of these articles include: Elizabeth Demers, “Getting a Real Job in Publishing: a Ph.D. in History Finds Her Dream Job as an Acquisitions Editor,” Chronicle of Higher Education 50, 32 (April 16, 2004), http://chronicle.com/proxy.lib.sfu.ca/weekly/v50/i32/32c00301.htm; Rachel Toor, “The Book Editor: Midwife, Handmaiden, Groupie,” Chronicle of Higher Education 43, 46 (June 13, 1997), http://chronicle.com/proxy.lib.sfu.ca//che-data/articles.dir/art-43.dir/issue-46.dir.htm; Clement Vincent, “Don’t Judge a Book By Its Editor,” Chronicle of Higher Education 54, 9 (April 16, 2008), http://chronicle.com/proxy.lib.sfu.ca/weekly/v54/i09/09c00101.htm. RETURN
14 Sanford G. Thatcher, “The Value-Added in Editorial Acquisitions,” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 30, 2 (January 1999), http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca. RETURN
15 Mary Schendlinger, in discussion with author, September 14, 2008. RETURN
16 “Finding and Training Acquisitions Editors,” audio recording of seminar by Doug Armato, Eric Halpern, and Philip Pochoda, presented at Association of American University Presses 2008 Annual General Meeting. July 18, 2008. RETURN
17 Schmidt, interview. RETURN
18 Armato, quoted in “Finding and Training Acquisitions Editors,” July 18, 2008. RETURN
19Halpern, quoted in “Finding and Training Acquisitions Editors,” July 18, 2008. RETURN
20 Mike Shatzkin, “Editorial Decision-Making: Risk and Reward,” Publishing Research Quarterly 15, 3 (Fall 1999): 55–62. RETURN
21Bill Harnum, “The Characteristics of the Ideal Acquisition Editor,” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 32, 4 (July 2001), http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca. RETURN
22Ibid. RETURN
23Sanford Thatcher, “Competitive Practices in Acquiring Manuscripts,” Scholarly Publishing (January 1980): 112–32. RETURN
24 Demers. RETURN
25 Rosemary Shipton, “Value Added: Professional Editors and Publishers,” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 27, 4 (July 1996), http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca. RETURN
26 Dougherty. RETURN
27 As Shipton argues in “Value added,” “publishers should set up a system that encourages people involved in a book project to talk to one another.” RETURN
29 Ibid. RETURN
31 Philip Pochoda, quoted in “Finding and Training Acquisitions Editors,” July 18, 2008. RETURN
34 Scott Anderson, “Publishable or Perishable?” Quill and Quire (November 1, 1997), http://www.quillandquire.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=933. RETURN
35 Nadia Halim, “The New-Look Scholarly Press,” Quill and Quire (November 1, 1998), http://www.quillandquire.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=1232. RETURN
36 Paul Spendlove, “Pop Appeal: Most University Presses Want It – But at What Price?” Quill and Quire (November 1, 2002), http://www.quillandquire.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=2521. RETURN
37 Wilson, interview. RETURN
38 Laura Macleod, “Education for Acquisitions,” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 28, 4 (July 1997), http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca. RETURN
39 An exhaustive list of publishing programs would be lengthy, but some of the university websites explored were: Centennial College Book and Magazine Publishing program, Toronto ON (http://www.centennialcollege.ca/thecentre/book); University of the Witwatersrand BA in Publishing Studies, South Africa (http://web.wits.ac.za); Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology BA in Publishing Studies, Ghana (http://www.knust.edu.gh); University of South Queensland Master of Editing and Publishing, Australia (http://www.usq.edu.au); Oxford Brookes University MA Publishing (http://ah.brookes.ac.uk/publishing/postgraduate/); Pace University MS in Publishing (http://www.pace.edu/page.cfm?doc_id=6619); and New York University MS in Publishing (http://www.scps.nyu.edu). Other publishing programs are listed at “SFU Library – Publishing Programs,” Simon Fraser University, http://www.lib.sfu.ca/researchhelp/subjectguides/pub/schools.htm. RETURN
41 Macleod. RETURN
43 “Annual Meeting: Workshops,” program for acquisitions workshop, AAUP Annual Meeting, June 25–26, 2008. http://www.aaupnet.org/programs/annualmeeting/2008/workshops.html. RETURN
45 “Finding and Training Acquisitions Editors,” July 18, 2008. RETURN
46 Naomi B. Pascal, “The Editor: In Search of a Metaphor,” Publishing Research Quarterly 7, 2 (Summer 1991): 53–57. RETURN
50 UBC Press Review, 50. RETURN
51 Peter Milroy, interview by author, March 6, 2009. RETURN
52 The presses were: Canadian Scholars’ Press Inc. and Women’s Press (Toronto); Wilfrid Laurier University Press (Waterloo), Athabasca University Press (Athabasca), University of Alberta Press (Edmonton), Canadian Plains Research Center at the University of Regina (Regina), McGill-Queen’s University Press (Montreal and Kingston, University of Toronto Press (Toronto), UBC Press (Vancouver), Black Rose Press (Montreal), Broadview Press (Peterborough), and Emond Montgomery Publications (Toronto). For survey results, see page Appendix I: Survey of Canadian Scholarly Publishers, page 75. RETURN
53 Not surprisingly, they were the three largest university presses in Canada: University of Toronto Press, McGill-Queen’s University Press, and UBC Press. RETURN
54 Jean Wilson, interview by author, October 30, 2008; Randy Schmidt, interview by author, November 10, 2008. RETURN
55 Schmidt, interview; Darcy Cullen, interview by author, November 10, 2008. RETURN
56 UBC Press Review: Self-Study 2007, UBC Press and the University of British Columbia, March 2007, 24. RETURN
57 “Publishing with UBC Press:Getting Your Manuscript Accepted,” UBC Press :: University of British Columbia Press. http://www.ubcpress.ca/company/ahgettingaccepted.html. RETURN
59 All numbers of copies sold taken from UBC Press Cognos Sales History Database, accessed November 20, 2008. RETURN
61 Cullen, interview. RETURN
62 Alison Cairns, “An Analysis of the Operation of the University of British Columbia Press with an Emphasis on Scholarly Editing,” Master of Publishing project report, Simon Fraser University (Spring 2005): 31. RETURN
65 Cullen, interview; Schmidt, interview. RETURN
72 Judy Metro, “Is It Publishable? The Importance of the Editorial Review,” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 26, 3 (April 1995), http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca. RETURN
73 “Questions for Peer Review,” internal document, UBC Press. RETURN
74 Metro. According to the same article, Yale University Press also requires only one reader’s report. RETURN
75 “Main Steps to the Acquisitions Process,” internal document, UBC Press. RETURN
78 Gladys S. Topkis, “The Editor’s Job in Professional/Scholarly Publishing,” in Elizabeth A. Geiser, Arnold Dolin and Gladys S. Topkis (eds.), The Business of Book Publishing: Papers by Practitioners (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1985), 79. RETURN
79 Ibid., 74. RETURN
82 This is based on an overhead cost of $22,000 per book (in turn, based on the press’s yearly budget divided by number of books published per year), $6,000 for prepress costs (including copy editing, typesetting, proofreading, and cover design), and $6,300 for printing costs (based on an estimate from UBC Press’s usual printer, Friesens, for a book with typical page count and print run). For more parameters of the printing costs, see Appendix III, page 89. RETURN
83 “Publishing with UBC Press:Getting Your Manuscript Accepted.” RETURN
84 Printed Matters: Book Publishing Industry Development Annual Report 2002–03, 2003–04, and 2004–05, Book Publishing Policy and Program, (Ottawa: Canadian Heritage); The Book Report: Book Publishing Industry Development Program Data, 1993.1994 to 2002.2003, (Ottawa: Canadian Heritage, 2004). RETURN
85 Scott Wilson, “ASPP Gets Budget Boost: More Scholarly Books to be Funded, and More Money Given to Each,” Quill and Quire (November 1, 2005), http://www.quillandquire.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=7476. RETURN
87 UBC Press Review, 62; Cairns, 16–17. RETURN
88 UBC Press Review, 62; Milroy, interview. RETURN
89 Barbara Jones, “Changing Author Relationships and Competitive Strategies of University Publishers,” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 31, 1 (January 1999): 3–19. RETURN
90 Lesley Erickson, “One Thing After Another: Book Series and Navigating the Crisis in Scholarly Publishing – A Case Study,” Master of Publishing project report, Simon Fraser University (2007): 38. RETURN
91 Erickson, 36; Schmidt, interview. RETURN
92 Erickson, 32. RETURN
93 Robert Darnton, “A Survival Strategy for Academic Authors,” American Scholar 54, 4 (Autumn 1983): 533–37. RETURN
97 UBC Press Review: Self-Study 2007. UBC Press and the University of British Columbia, March 2007, 28-29. Numbers have been added to facilitate referencing to each challenge. RETURN
100 Kate Wittenberg, “Scholarly Editing in the Digital Age,” Chronicle of Higher Education 49, 41 (June 20, 2003), http://chronicle.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/weekly/v49/i41/41b01201.htm. RETURN
101 Ibid. RETURN
102 Peter Milroy, interview by author, March 6, 2009. RETURN
104 All numbers of copies sold taken from UBC Press Cognos Sales History Database, accessed October 8, 2008. RETURN
Interviews and Personal Communications
Cullen, Darcy (acquisitions editor, UBC Press). Interview by author. Notes. Vancouver: November 10, 2008.
Milroy, R. Peter (director, UBC Press). Interview by author. Notes. Vancouver: March 6, 2009.
Schendlinger, Mary. Personal communication with author. Vancouver: September 14, 2008.
Schmidt, Randy (acquisitions editor, UBC Press). Interview by author. Notes. Vancouver: November 10, 2008.
Wilson, Jean (acquisitions editor, UBC Press). Interview by author. Notes. Vancouver: October 30, 2008.
Internal Documents and Resources
“Main Steps to the Acquisitions Process,” internal document, UBC Press.
“Questions for Peer Review,” internal document, UBC Press.
UBC Press Cognos Sales History Database.
Books, Articles, and Websites
Anderson, Scott. “Publishable or Perishable?” Quill and Quire (November 1, 1997). http://www.quillandquire.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=933.
“Annual Meeting: Workshops.” Program for acquisitions workshop, AAUP Annual Meeting, June 25–26, 2008. http://www.aaupnet.org/programs/annualmeeting/2008/workshops.html.
Cairns, Alison. “An Analysis of the Operation of the University of British Columbia Press with an Emphasis on Scholarly Editing.” Master of Publishing project report, Simon Fraser University, 2005.
“Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, Aid to Scholarly Publications Program: Guidelines, Eligibility Criteria and Procedure.” http://www.fedcan.ca/english/pdf/aspp/guidelines_e.pdf (Accessed Sept. 10, 2008.)
Dalton, Margaret Steig. “A System Destabilized: Scholarly Books Today.” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 38, 4 (July 2006). http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca.
Darnton, Robert. “A Survival Strategy for Academic Authors.” American Scholar 54, 4 (Autumn 1983): 533–37.
Demers, Elizabeth. “Getting a Real Job in Publishing: A Ph.D. in History Finds Her Dream Job as an Acquisitions Editor,” Chronicle of Higher Education 50, 32 (April 16, 2004). http://chronicle.com/proxy.lib.sfu.ca/weekly/v50/i32/32c00301.htm.
Department of Canadian Heritage. The Book Report: Book Publishing Industry Development Program Data, 1993.1994 to 2002.2003. Ottawa: Canadian Heritage, 2004.
———. Printed Matters: Book Publishing Industry Development Annual Reports. 2002–03. 2003–04. 2004–05.Book Publishing Policy and Programs. Ottawa: Canadian Heritage, 2004–2006.
Dimendberg, Edward. “Five Movie Scenes From the Author/Acquisitions Editor Relationship.” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 28, 1 (October 1996). http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca.
Dougherty, Peter J. “If You Plan It, They Will Come: Editors as Architects.” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 31, 4 (July 2000). http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca.
Erickson, Lesley. “One Thing After Another: Book Series and Navigating the Crisis in Scholarly Publishing – A Case Study.” Master of Publishing project report, Simon Fraser University, 2007.
“Finding and Training Acquisitions Editors.” Audio recording of seminar by Doug Armato, Eric Halpern, and Philip Pochoda, presented at Association of American University Presses 2008 Annual General Meeting. July 18, 2008.
Halim, Nadia. “The New-Look Scholarly Press.” Quill and Quire (November 1, 1998). http://www.quillandquire.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=1232.
Harnum, Bill. “The Characteristics of the Ideal Acquisition Editor.” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 32, 4 (July 2001). http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca.
Jones, Barbara. “Changing Author Relationships and Competitive Strategies of University Publishers.” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 31, 1 (January 1999). http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca.
Macleod, Laura. “Education for Acquisitions.” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 28, 4 (July 1997). http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca.
Metro, Judy. “Is It Publishable? The Importance of the Editorial Review.” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 26, 3 (April 1995). http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca.
Parsons, Paul. Getting Published: The Acquisition Process at University Presses. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1989.
Pascal, Naomi B. “The Editor: In Search of a Metaphor,” Publishing Research Quarterly 7, 2 (Summer 1991): 53–57.
Schiffrin, André. The Business of Books: How International Conglomerates Took Over Publishing and Changed the Way We Read. New York: Verso, 2000.
Shatzkin, Mike. “Editorial Decision-Making: Risk and Reward. Publishing Research Quarterly 15, 3 (Fall 1999): 55–62.
Shipton, Rosemary. “Value Added: Professional Editors and Publishers.” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 27, 4 (July 1996). http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca.
Spendlove, Paul. “Pop Appeal: Most University Presses Want It – But at What Price?” Quill and Quire (November 1, 2002). http://www.quillandquire.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=2521.
Thatcher, Sanford. “Competitive Practices in Acquiring Manuscripts.” Scholarly Publishing (January 1980): 112–32.
Thatcher, Sanford G. “The Value-Added in Editorial Acquisitions.” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 30, 2 (January 1999): http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca.
Toor, Rachel. “The Book Editor: Midwife, Handmaiden, Groupie,” Chronicle of Higher Education 43, 46 (June 13, 1997). http://chronicle.com/proxy.lib.sfu.ca//che-data/articles.dir/art-43.dir/issue-46.dir.htm.
Topkis, Gladys S. “The Editor’s Job in Professional/Scholarly Publishing.” In Geiser, Elizabeth A., Arnold Dolin, and Gladys S. Topkis (eds.), The Business of Book Publishing: Papers by Practitioners. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1985.
UBC Press Review: Self-Study 2007. Vancouver: UBC Press and the University of British Columbia, March 2007.
UBC Press :: University of British Columbia Press. http://www.ubcpress.ca/
“Publishing with UBC Press:Getting Your Manuscript Accepted.” http://www.ubcpress.ca/company/ahgettingaccepted.html.
“Staff directory.” http://www.ubcpress.ca/company/staff.html.
Vincent, Clement. “Don’t Judge a Book By Its Editor.” Chronicle of Higher Education 54, 9 (April 16, 2008). http://chronicle.com/proxy.lib.sfu.ca/weekly/v54/i09/09c00101.htm.
Wilson, Scott. “ASPP Gets Budget Boost: More Scholarly Books to be Funded, and More Money Given to Each,” Quill and Quire (November 1, 2005). http://www.quillandquire.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=7476.
Wittenberg, Kate. “Managing an Acquisitions Program: Defining, Creating and Implementing the Job.” Journal of Scholarly Publishing 28, 1 (October 1996). http://www.proquest.com.proxy.lib.sfu.ca.
———. “Scholarly Editing in the Digital Age.” Chronicle of Higher Education 49, 41 (June 20, 2003). http://chronicle.com/proxy.lib.sfu.ca/weekly/v49/i41/41b01201.htm.
Questions and results of an informal survey of acquisitions editors for Canadian scholarly publishers attending the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Descriptions of manuscript acquisitions meetings attended between June and November 2008
A recent submission was an edited volume of more than ten articles about the physical geography of Ontario and the paleontology of prehistoric Aboriginal peoples. The volume was viewed as too general, more of a museum handbook or popular introduction to the archaeology of a particular area than a scholarly work. Thus, it was not viewed as original research and would probably fail to qualify for ASPP funding. The project was also unattached to other funding sources such as a museum. In addition, its main subject, archaeology, has not been one of UBC Press’s traditional strength areas; a previous series, Pacific Rim Archaeology, had realized mediocre sales and was deemed too technical to cross over as a trade book, leading to the general assertion that “archaeology books don’t sell.” This proposal was therefore rejected.
A submitted proposal concerns the challenges of Aboriginal-state relations in Canada. Examining governance at various levels, it compares intergovernmental relations to current theoretical frameworks on Aboriginal federalism. UBC Press has published successfully and abundantly in this field, with titles such as Navigating Neoliberalism, Aboriginal Autonomy and Development in Northern Quebec and Labrador, Hunters and Bureaucrats (which has sold nearly 1,000 copies and won the Julian Steward Book Prize from the American Anthropological Association), and Citizens Plus (which was shortlisted for two prizes and sold over 1,200 copies).[104] As a result, UBC Press has developed an excellent reputation in the field of Canadian Aboriginal-state relations and governance. In addition, the book is based on a PhD dissertation supervised by three professors who had recently co-edited a well-received volume on comparative Canadian politics; their approval offered some assurance that the submitted manuscript would contain substantial, high-quality scholarship. The proposal was accepted.
A recent acquisition looks at the interrelationships among outdoor recreation, the environment and ecopolitics. As the author is a Canadian citizen and his proposed manuscript is based on a PhD dissertation undertaken at UBC, the project is eligible for both ASPP and K.D. Srivastava funding, making it more financially appealing to publish. In addition, the author noted in his submission that the proposed book would be a natural fit for UBC Press’s Nature | History | Society series, which comprises several award-winning books – including Hunters and Bureaucrats – and is establishing the press as a leader in the burgeoning field of environmental history. This field is also growing in the U.S., expanding the book’s potential market. The book additionally crosses over into the growing discipline of the history and sociology of sport, and could hold local interest, as the research is based in BC and taps into the province’s outdoor recreation culture. The proposal was accepted.
A manuscript was proposed about Canadian foresting policy from the 1960s to 1990s, co-authored by several Canadian senior scholars. The proposal noted that no comprehensive nationwide study of provincial forest policies has ever been published, and that it would be the first book to explore its subject since 1990. The book would complement UBC Press’s significant backlist on forestry policy, environmental policy and resource management, which includes Canadian Natural Resource and Environmental Policy, a bestselling book that has been adopted into several courses and has gone into a second edition. The book is also eligible for both ASPP and K.D. Srivastava funding. The major concern with the book is that the main text of the manuscript is only 57,000 words, which is very short and could be seen as a poor value for the typical monograph prices of $85 for a hardcover or $29.95 for a paperback. However, it was noted that a short book is easier to sell than a very long one, and it would be more likely to be adopted in a graduate or senior undergraduate course. The proposal was accepted, with a caveat to review the length of the manuscript when it is submitted.
A proposed manuscript about the Sri Lankan diaspora and its cultural and political manifestations in Canada, in particular on how the nation’s post-9/11 security measures affect the Sri Lankan-Canadian community. It is a co-authored volume that will total 100,000 words and is explicitly aimed at a multidisciplinary audience with interests in transnationalism, migration, and security studies. Despite some difficulties in understanding the rationale behind the structure of the book’s main argument, it was praised for its timeliness, for exploring the little-studied Sri Lankan community in Canada, and because transnationalism is becoming a fashionable and cutting-edge sub-discipline in sociology and anthropology. The book was recommended for acquisition.
A proposal for a manuscript about governing Canada in the “Age of Terror” was submitted. The manuscript examines post-9/11 security arrangements in Canada through the lens of the politics of security in western liberal democracies, particularly in Europe, and to what extent this framework has come to govern citizens. The subject is timely, but the book was also flagged for its short length and, based on its proposal, for its emphasis on theory where; the editors believe that a practical, real-world analysis would prove more interesting to the target audience. The proposal was approved.
A manuscript about the ties between land and identity of indigenous peoples of British Columbia was proposed. The book would appeal to legal scholars, particularly those dealing with Aboriginal lands in Canada or elsewhere, and could have adoption potential in advanced undergraduate courses on First Nations in BC. The proposal itself was short and somewhat unfocused, about one-quarter of the typical proposal length, and only indicated the titles of its six chapters, not the contents. While it deals with an important subject that would fit naturally into UBC Press’s list, there is already ample scholarly literature on B.C.’s Aboriginal peoples, and specifically how Native beliefs have clashed with western “rational” models in the context of treaty processes and Aboriginal rights. Furthermore, the book’s proposed length was on the short side at only 75,000 words. It was suggested that this could be a “big” book on B.C. First Nations, unifying theory and case studies into a larger picture. Its complementarity with UBC Press’s list, it was decided, outweighed some of the weaknesses. Therefore, it was decided that the acquisitions editor would request a more directed proposal that elaborated on chapter contents before acceptance.
A proposed manuscript would examine how twentieth-century infrastructure “megaprojects” in Canada, such as the St. Lawrence Seaway and nuclear generating stations, have affected local residents and the environments around them. The manuscript consists of six case studies, including reworked versions of previously published journal articles, with a framing introduction and conclusion. The author is a well-regarded scholar in geography and the proposed book would fit well into UBC Press’s environmental history list, possibly in its Nature | History | Society series. Two minor reservations were raised. First, the case studies seem disparate and may make unification into one book problematic. Second, the author’s analyses seemed to place undue emphasis on United Empire Loyalist traditions in certain areas, disregarding, for example, the First Nations and Acadian historical influences. Both concerns were to be noted to the author to ensure that the scholarship in this area is complete. The proposal was accepted.
An edited volume about university education in Canada was proposed. Somewhat unusual for a proposal, the entire draft manuscript was submitted. Also unusual was the breadth of contributions: nearly thirty essays, written by scholars in fields ranging from chemistry to cultural theory, all discussing how the university vision has changed over time. Although UBC Press has published numerous studies on higher education that have been well-received – including Reshaping the University and Multicultural Education Policies in Canada and the United States, which have proven successful in course adoptions – this collection does not have an overarching argument or direction, as shown in its brief introduction. Furthermore, there are too many contributors in the volume (fourteen is an unofficial maximum), which could make for time-consuming logistical difficulties in getting all the pieces assembled. The fact, too, that the manuscript was already completed, albeit in rough form, made the editors especially reluctant to accept it. The book seems more appropriate to a trade publisher than a scholarly one, and the proposal was rejected.
A proposed edited volume of papers about military oral history was put forth. The book would take the best papers presented at a recent conference on oral histories in the military, covering a wide range of topics on various historical conflicts. As noted by the acquisitions editor, it is a natural fit for UBC Press’s expertise in military history, and oral memory and history is currently a big issue in that field. In addition, the editor suggested she correspond with the general editor of the Studies in Canadian Military History series, which would unify the proposed volume with other books in UBC Press’s backlist, and provide $5,000 in funding for production of the volume – not to mention raising potential sales at the Canadian War Museum and other venues. However, there was some reservation about the fact that this collection came out of a conference, since UBC Press generally does not publish conference proceedings, even though the volume would not be presented as such. Furthermore, the tentative table of contents indicated that the articles were to be organized in too many different ways – chronologically and thematically, for example. In the end, the importance of oral military history as a sub-field with little scholarly literature, it was agreed, outweighed the conference proceedings concerns. It was decided that the acquisitions editor should pursue this book.
A proposal for a collection of essays about critical issues and ethics in science journalism was brought forth. The acquiring editor noted that science journalism is currently an unknown quantity but can often be highly distorted, with most lay readers lacking the knowledge to think critically about this. The proposed book, one editor noted, had “curious framing,” with little balance and no overall argument or thrust to the collection. In addition, it is not a “true” collection, most of the essays being written by the volume editor and one other author, and several other contributors seemingly used as padding. Another editor noted that the book’s intent to link science journalism to democracy was intriguing, but found the brief proposal unhelpful in elaborating this point. The acquiring editor agreed, but believed the collection had potential for being intriguing in its critique of a little-examined area, and compared it to another UBC Press book, Morals and the Media, which has sold over 2,000 copies and had some crossover trade appeal. The proposal was accepted, with a caveat that the shape of the essays and framing introduction and conclusion be re-examined once the manuscript was submitted.
A manuscript proposal was submitted about Russians and Ukrainians in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. The proposal was scanty, but was presented anyway for timing and approval reasons. The book would be a chronological study of the barriers to enlistment as well as interesting vignettes on how they contributed to the overall war effort. The book was compared by the acquiring editor to Renegades, a successful recent history of Canadians in the Spanish Civil War that has sold more than 2,000 copies. While the intended audience of persons interested in the socio-cultural impact of military service and general genealogical research does not fall into the overall UBC Press mandate, the book was deemed intriguing enough to pursue. However, the publisher requested that the author submit an introduction or first chapter before an agreement would be struck – something of an exceptional case – because the proposal was not wellwritten. Another factor in the book’s favour was is good fit with the press’s military history list. An inquiry was to be made to the general editor of the Studies in Canadian Military History series. If accepted for that series, the book would receive $5,000 in funding from the Canadian War Museum, providing further incentive for publishing. In the meantime, the proposal was tentatively accepted, and would be reviewed upon seeing an introduction or writing sample.
A submitted proposal purporting to be the first comprehensive study of the Canadian homefront during World War II was discussed. The proposal was specific and well written, and the book itself would be an ideal fit for UBC Press’s list, linking with Fighting From Home by Serge Durflinger and Saints, Sinners and Soldiers by Jeffrey Keshen, both acclaimed and successful books. Additionally, the proposed manuscript crossed over into other areas, including social history and the growing field of material history and culture, and came to interesting and surprising conclusions about life at home during wartime. The final push was that the book would be an ideal addition to the Studies in Canadian Military History series, which would provide extra funding for publication. The proposal was approved.
A proposal for an edited volume examining links among health, community development, and the environment was submitted. The collection of essays by an interdisciplinary team of international scholars would look at the tension between science-based and community-based solutions, an under-researched area. There were concerns about the cohesiveness of the disparate topics explored in these essays, and reservations about the expertise of the authors; for example, there was only one political scientist contributing to a policy-heavy collection. These concerns weren’t severe enough to warrant requesting sample essays or an introduction, however, and the proposal was accepted.
A submitted proposal described an edited collection about how community makeup, geography, gender, and economic status can affect health in Canada. The proposal posits a new methodology for understanding how these factors affect health care, which could appeal to practitioners and policy makers as well as academics. The essays are written by a mix of senior scholars, graduate students, and community health practitioners and workers. The editor is a respected scholar holding a research chair, and has worked with UBC Press on a previous edited volume, with an acclaimed book that had decent sales. At present, with a proposed eighteen chapters at approximately 8,000 words each, the collection would be quite long; editors suggested that perhaps two of the selections could be cut, and the remainder pared down to 6,000 words each. However, as the publisher noted, the collection has a strong medical health orientation, and could qualify for health-oriented funding, which is more abundant and lucrative than social sciences or humanities grants, as well as an ASPP grant. Although the length of each essay would still be monitored, potential for more funding would alleviate some of the pressure to pare the book down to size. The proposal was accepted.
An edited collection exploring the cosmopolitanism of Canada, and its status as a prosperous but small middle power was proposed. Most prominently noted was one of the two co-editors, an internationally known author and scholar on multiculturalism who has published numerous books with the largest university presses and been translated into several languages. The editors have also attracted numerous “celebrity” authors (those who have published with trade) to the volume. The book was also determined to be a good fit for UBC Press’s list, complementing such titles as Multicultural Nationalism, Diversity and Equality, and Multiculturalism and the Canadian Constitution. The major concern voiced was that the proposal seemed to emphasize that many of the essays are adapted from other sources, raising concerns that the essays would not be original, or worse, be abridged version of previously published works, posing a logistical nightmare for permissions. The proposal was approved, with a note to the editor to make sure that the proposed essays are original.
Estimate from Friesens printing company for a standard UBC Press book
MPub Project Reports | Posted by monique, August 20, 2013 | 2009, Book Publishing, Editorial, Project Report (MPub), Scholarly Publishing, UBC Press |
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Climate change, threat to Nigeria’s prosperity –Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday described climate change as a major threat to the peace and prosperity of Nigeria and its citizens.
He said it was therefore imperative for all hands to be on deck to ensure Nigerians work towards an inclusive, diversified and sustainable future.
Buhari said this while receiving a delegation of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He noted that in the Niger Delta region, man-made environmental problems had adversely impacted the lives of the people.
He said with or without foreign support, his administration had started the clean-up of the region, starting with Ogoni.
The President said he was pleased to learn that the communiqué at the end of ICAN’s 48th Annual Accountants’ Conference talked about environmental issues facing the country.
He said, “It is very clear to all of us that climate change and environmental challenges are major threats to the peace and prosperity of our nation and its citizens.
“In the Niger Delta region, man-made environmental problems have adversely impacted the livelihoods of the inhabitants. Farmers and fishermen in particular have seen their means of livelihood destroyed.
“Our assessments have shown it will take decades to reverse this damage. But we have made a start. With or without international cooperation, we are starting to clean up our degraded areas, beginning with Ogoni.”
Contact: the[email protected]
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How Idi Amin of Uganda fought climate change
Nigeria lacks political will to fight climate change – Don
Climate change: UK firms face delisting from LSE
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Home News Elections & Politics Sag Harbor Mayoral Candidate Profile: Dr. Robby Stein
Sag Harbor Mayoral Candidate Profile: Dr. Robby Stein
Dr. Robby Stein.
Robby Stein, a psychotherapist, was appointed to the Sag Harbor Village Board by Mayor Brian Gilbride in 2009 and has been elected to three two-year terms since. He said he is running for mayor to address a number of big-picture issues facing the village.
As a trustee, he has served as the board’s liaison to most village departments and believes that his experience as director of a wing of a London hospital has prepared him for the village’s top job. He believes the village can increase efficiency—although he believes it has been understaffed in recent years—and improve communication between departments and would like to see it aggressively pursue grants and other revenue sources, such as maximizing the rental of moorings, to reduce the need for large tax increases to pay for future projects.
Key issues he would like to address:
*The development of a capital plan to pay for the maintenance of Long Wharf and other docks as well as a master plan to redevelop the waterfront with a series of connected parks and walking paths that would make the area more of a pedestrian-friendly destination.
*A villagewide drainage plan to reduce stormwater runoff and control flooding from major storms, which is an area he has dedicated a significant amount of time to studying during his time on the board.
*A concerted effort to maximize the available parking in the business district, as well as a long range goal to beautify the area surrounding the Meadow Street parking lot, which he could serve as more a village square than a simple back parking lot.
*The renovation of the Municipal Building so all four floors can be used, with the possibility that the top floor could be rented out as private office space to help pay for the job.
*A revamping of the village code to limit development, especially the construction oversized houses on small lots and the demolition of existing homes, especially in the historic district.
Previous articleSag Harbor Trustee Candidate Profile: Ed Deyermond
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Louis Grignon June 11, 2015 at 8:14 am
Mr. Stein in his role as trustee, has the job of monitoring and reporting waterfront issues to the Village Board. He is expected to communicate with the Harbor Comm. and be an advocate of the Villages’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan, the often mentioned “LWRP”
My understanding is that Mr. Stein is basically a no show at the Harbor Comm. meetings. As far as his familiarity and connection to the waterfront, there is none.
During the “negotiations” to rent a portion of the old Exxon/Mobil lot I had contacted several trustees. Two of them accepted my phone call and were most polite and open. Mr. Stein on the other hand, asked why I thought I could call him kept telling me it was “inappropriate”. After a couple of minutes he hung up. Since I had never spoken to him before, and that he “represented the waterfront” to the Village Board, I thought it was perfectly appropriate.
On another note, Mr. Stein is mistaken by thinking he can address the general budget woes with increasing revenues form the Village Waterfront fees. According to NYS Consolidated Laws referring to the incorporation of a Village and its subsequent creation of a “Self Perpetuating Improvement”, the slips and moorings; these funds are to be used solely for the purchase, maintenance and improvements of said Improvement.
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Mental health awareness requires open dialogue: panel
Dalhousie students and others describe their mental health experiences
By Sara Ericsson
March 3, 2016, 8:01 pm ADTLast Updated: March 3, 2016, 11:58 pm
Panellists at the Mental Health and Identity talk at Dalhousie. Sara Ericsson
Trevor Shannon sees himself as a good person who made some bad choices.
He says his recovery from substance abuse began when he acknowledged his mental health issues. He has been sober for nearly two years.
“I think there is no shame in identifying yourself as someone who has these problems,” he told an audience at Dalhousie University Wednesday night.
Accommodation for mental health: a work in progress (October 15, 2015)
22-year-old musician honoured as a mental health ‘difference maker’ (November 9, 2017)
Mental health is key for Dalhousie’s PROsocial Project (March 4, 2016)
Shannon and five other panellists, three of whom were also students at Dalhousie, spoke about their mental health experiences at an event hosted by PROsocial Project, a group of Dalhousie students that promote discussion and acceptance of mental health on campus. The event was targeted toward students who study at Dalhousie.
Two out of every five students at Dalhousie do not know how to access mental health services on their campus, according to the group.
Group member Craig Moore said surveys conducted by its umbrella organization, Caring Campus, show mental health is a big issue for universities.
For Moore, the biggest misconception around the issue is that it’s something people should keep to themselves.
“Just getting the message out there that it’s OK to talk about these things is very important,” he said. “I know that would’ve helped me when I was starting university.”
Creating positive dialogue
Shannon acknowledged that steps have been made regarding mental health.
“When I started at Dal in 2006, Mental Health week didn’t even exist. That progress is really the byproduct of people starting to talk about it,” he said.
There is more to be done, the speakers said, such as eliminating the stigma attached to mental health issues.
Maddy Mayne, who has struggled with eating disorders and anxiety, said she had one troubling encounter with a health professional.
“The message was often ‘come back when it gets worse’,” she said. “That’s obviously problematic.”
Agawa Robinson says universities need to increase funding for mental health services. Sara Ericsson
Agawa Robinson, who attended the event, said she sees universities trying to address the issue, but thinks it could be a bigger priority. While services are available at Dalhousie and other Halifax universities, she said they are not helping enough people.
“Universities need to be putting their money where their mouths are to really fix this situation,” she said.
Lyndsay Anderson, a panellist who works within student services at Dalhousie, agreed. She said creating more services cannot happen until the university provides more funding for it.
PROsocial’s next event will be a speakeasy on March 24, discussing how artists use art to help with their own mental illness.
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Burghley Announces Land Rover Title Sponsorship
Equestrian - 21 Jan 2005
The organisers of the world-famous Burghley Horse Trials have announced that from 2005 the Event will enjoy title sponsorship from the most famous name in Four Wheel Drive manufacturing, Land Rover.
The three-year agreement, the biggest new Eventing sponsorship announced in 10 years, was outlined today at a press conference held at Land Rover Headquarters at Gaydon, Warwickshire.
The Event will be known as the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials and in making the announcement Burghley Committee Chairman, Malcolm Wallace said 'We are extremely grateful to Land Rover for having the vision to see the real commercial benefits that can be gained through title sponsorship of a sporting event that is as forward thinking and progressive as Burghley Horse Trials. On the world stage Burghley is second to none. It is the most exciting event of its size in the Autumn season and achieves the biggest non-Championship television audience of any Eventing competition in the world. It is the involvement of a commercial partner of the magnitude of Land Rover that allows the Event to continue to make significant strides forward year on year.
I should like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have worked with Land Rover to secure this agreement, this includes the team in the Burghley Horse Trials Office and during his time at Burghley, the former Director, Andrew Tulloch'
Speaking on behalf of the sport, British Eventing Chairman, Mike Tucker said: 'Burghley Horse Trials is an extremely important part of the sport both nationally and internationally on three levels. For competitors from around the world it is their opportunity to showcase their ability to their selectors. To the sport of Eventing worldwide it is a magnificent shop-window from which to demonstrate to the varied groups who attend the Event and the worldwide TV audience what Eventing is all about at the highest level and to develop awareness of the stars of the sport. And as the national governing body, British Eventing, owns Burghley Horse Trials, its health and well-being is vital to the sport as its financial contributions go a significant way to supporting the grass-root workings of the sport.'
Course Designer, Captain Mark Phillips, who returns to the role having previously designed 11 courses at Burghley, the last in 2000, has said of his plans for 2005 'I have been involved with Land Rover for 25 years and it gives me great pleasure to be reassociated with the company in 2005 on my return to Burghley as Course Designer in this the first year of Land Rover's title sponsorship. Plans for the Cross Country course are well advanced and I'm looking forward to being able to present these later in the year.'
This year’s Event takes place from 1st – 4th September. For further information, including a comprehensive and secure online ticket booking service, see the website at www.burghley-horse.co.uk or telephone 01933 304744. The Box Office will be open from 3rd May. However as tickets go like hotcakes, particularly for the show jumping, you may wish to sign up online for the free e-newsletter this will give you fair warning that the box office is going to open and keep you posted on all the latest developments from the Event.
For further information, please contact Sarah Hames on 01753 847916 or email candyb.hpim@easynet.co.uk
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New TV Special Tries to Change Americans’ Perception of Israeli Tourism
Jeffrey Heller, Associated Press
- Mar 05, 2014 12:00 pm
The TV special will highlight the amazing culture and activities available in Israeli, but neglect to point out the very real cultural and political tensions also in the region. We’d trust a tour led by Bourdain over Greenberg any day.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Hollywood on Tuesday for the premiere of a film to promote tourism to the Holy Land, shifting the spotlight away from his frequent focus on dangers facing his country.
Netanyahu attended the premiere at Paramount Studios of “Israel: The Royal Tour,” a one-hour U.S. public television special that is being broadcast this week.
The U.S.-educated Israeli leader played tour guide to the program’s host, U.S. travel journalist Peter Greenberg when the project was shot in Israel in 2012.
Netanyahu attended the event a day after White House talks with President Barack Obama that focused on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and international efforts to prevent Iran, Israel’s arch-enemy, from developing nuclear weapons.
Addressing the crowd, Netanyahu said he not only wanted to promote Israeli tourism but also, “to dispel the various calumnies about the State of Israel and to show the real face of the Jewish state.”
Israel enjoyed its best year of tourism in 2013, with a record 3.5 million visitors, including 623,000 from the United States.
The industry contributed about $11.4 billion to the Israeli economy last year, according to the Tourism Ministry, which has said it hopes the TV show will bring in an additional 200,000 visitors.
In the “Royal Tour,” Netanyahu guided Greenberg around popular tourist sites such as Jerusalem’s walled Old City, Tel Aviv and the ancient desert fortress of Masada.
The Old City was on the itinerary, but Bethlehem, the traditional site of Jesus’ birth, was not. The Old City is in a part of Jerusalem that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed, in a move that has not won international recognition.
Bethlehem, a popular destination for Christian pilgrims, is administered by the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank.
Filming the “Royal Tour” was not without mishap. Netanyahu tore a tendon while playing in a friendly soccer match between Arab and Jewish youths that took place within the framework of the program, and had to wear a cast for several weeks.
Editing by Lisa Shumaker.
Copyright (2014) Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Tags: film, hollywood, israel
Photo Credit: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in Washington, March 4, 2014. Mike Theiler / Reuters
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Desert Sun, 2018
Artist: John Barnard
22.5 x 28.25 x 1.25 inches
John Barnard was born and raised in Long Beach, California. He got serious about art in the second grade. In high school an art teacher, Ruth Burdick, persuaded him to enroll in art classes. She saw to it that young Barnard went to museums, attended classical theatre productions, and was exposed to the works of master painters from Giotto to Van Gogh.
Mr. Barnard studied at Chouinard Art Institute (1942) in Los Angeles, served in World War II in the Pacific, and then chose to go to college at the University of Georgia because of its fine art department. There he was quickly invited to attend the graduate art classes of Lamar Dodd who became a lasting influence on Mr. Barnard.
Upon graduation, Mr. Barnard moved to Mexico and later to Venezuela where. in addition to painting, he worked in the electrical industry. Though he rose to top management he always felt he worked only to support his painting. Finally, after 25 years, Mr. Barnard’s wife, Barbara, persuaded him to quit. In 1973, they moved to Atascadero. In the beauty of California’s Central Coast, Barnard became a prolific painter. Though his subject matter is chiefly local scenery, he gives his imagination free reign to conjure up cityscapes and market scenes pulled from other times and places in his life. He works mainly in watercolor but also in acrylic, casein and water soluble oils. Mr. Barnard’s work is characterized by its energy and a boundless variety in style and approach. He finds in his world limitless inspiration to express himself differently everyday, and feels his work is evolving toward greater freedom of line and stronger color.
John Barnard’s work has been juried into many exhibitions, is held in numerous institutional and private collections, and appears in several books on the art of watercolor.
Donated by artist in 2018.
Coin of Alexander, c. 1999
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Everything we Currently Know About SOLO: A Star Wars Story!
With SOLO: A Star Wars Story being released in less than 80 days, Disney has officially released the synopsis for the upcoming standalone film.
Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.
Although this doesn’t really provide fans with a whole lot of information, J.J Abrams, the director of Episode VII & IX in the Star Wars saga has suggested that the film will take place around 10 years before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope. This time period sits at the end of the prequel trilogy and the start of the original trilogy, which means that the Empire will be evident throughout as this is when Darth Vader and the Emporer, Darth Sidious began to claim dominance over the galaxy, as depicted in A New Hope.
Although this hasn’t been confirmed by a specific source, there has been a lot of speculation with regards to different story points throughout the film that suggests a multitude of events such as,
Han Solo winning the Millenium Falcon from Lando Calrissian,
How Han’s Mentor taught him the ways of the smuggling world,
How his relationship with Chewbacca started and began to flourish.
How Han made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs.
A lot of Han’s backstory has previously been explored through the expanded universe, but since Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm in 2012, the majority of these books have been deemed non-canonical.
The film will also introduce a selection of new characters, listed below.
Qi’Ra (Portrayed by Emilia Clarke)
“She has a couple of guises, but essentially she is just fighting to stay alive. If you’ve got a really glamorous lady in a really sordid environment, you kind of know the glamour is hiding a few rough roads.”―Emilia Clarke talking to Entertainment weekly about Qi’ra.
L3-37 (Portrayed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge)
a feminine hodgepodge droid associated with Lando Calrissian who lived during the reign of the Galactic Empire. She was a one of a kind droid, assembling and improving herself with scraps of other droids.
Val (Portrayed by Thandie Newton)
There hasn’t been any information released about Val as of yet, which suggests that Disney is keeping her as mysterious as they possibly can.
Tobias Beckett (Portrayed by Woody Harrelson)
“I play a guy named Beckett, who’s kind of a criminal and a mentor to Han.”―Woody Harrelson talking to the ‘Tonight Show’ about Tobias Beckett.
The Main villain in the film is another character that doesn’t have any information at present. It was recently leaked in some promotional products that the character may be called ‘Enfys Nest’ although nothing has been confirmed as of yet. Fans are also hoping that the bounty hunter Boba Fett will make an appearance as one of Director Ron Howard’s behind the scenes images shows a helmet that could resemble Boba’s Mandalorian helmet.
At present, this is all the information we have to go off regarding the film. There are a couple of trailers that have been released as well as some character posters, but it seems that we won’t know much more until Solo: A Star Wars Story is released in Cinemas on May 25th.
Film, SOLO
featured, Film, geek, sci-fi, SOLO, star wars
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2 thoughts on “Everything we Currently Know About SOLO: A Star Wars Story!”
Carlos Acuna says:
Aw, this was a very nice post. In concept I would like to put in writing like this moreover – taking time and precise effort to make an excellent article… however what can I say… I procrastinate alot and on no account seem to get something done.
Liam Bailey says:
Thanks for your kinds words!
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Chris Brown & G-Eazy Tease Colorful New “Wobble Up” Dance Video
Chris Brown reveals a vibrant teaser video for his “Wobble Up” single, with G-Eazy.
https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/chris-brown-and-g-eazy-tease-colorful-new-wobble-up-dance-video-news.80327.html
Last month Chris Brown dropped his single “Wobble Up” featuring Nicki Minaj and G-Eazy, from his forthcoming Indigo project. The bop offers classic Chris brown dance vibes and an up-tempo flow from Nicki. As soon as the song was released fans probably figured that the “Counterfeit” artist would be dropping high-energy visuals to go with it. The sexual lyrics and catchy beat make it a perfect accompaniment to a dance video, and indeed, Brown revealed a teaser for the video on his Instagram yesterday.
The vibrant video (which was muted, to add to the mystery) switches between shots of Brown performing – as he does – some pretty complex choreography with his crew in a neon-lit room, to shots of Brown on a tiny, green-screen island alongside song feature, G-Eazy, and some bikini-clad models. Nicki was absent in the teaser but is set to make an appearance in the full video, which will be released “real soon” according to Brown.
With recent news of the artist attempting reconciliation with his former manager, in hopes of settling things out of court, Brown will debut his Indigo album on June 21, and it will feature such names as Drake, Justin Bieber, Tory Lanez, Tyga, Tank, H.E.R., Lil Jon, Juvenile, Gunna, and more.
Are you excited for the visuals?
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M. Taylor Fravel on How the People's Liberation Army Does Military Strategy
The Diplomat speaks with M. Taylor Fravel about how China’s People’s Liberation Army thinks about war.
By Ankit Panda for The Diplomat
How does China’s People’s Liberation Army think about military strategy? How and when has it made changes to its strategy through the past? To better understand these questions and more, The Diplomat’s Ankit Panda spoke to M. Taylor Fravel, the Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Fravel is the author of a forthcoming book on Chinese military strategy.
The Diplomat: You have a new book on China’s military strategy slated for release later this year. In the course of your research, what factors have you found played the most important role in shaping and changing China’s military strategy?
Fravel: Thanks. To plug the book, the title is Active Defense: China’s Military Strategy Since 1949 and it will be released on April 23.
Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
In writing this book, I had two goals. One is to provide, for the first time, a complete account of the military strategies that China has adopted since 1949. The book identifies nine military strategies (which the PLA calls the “military strategic guideline”) that have been formulated since the founding of the People’s Republic. These guidelines influence the PLA’s operational doctrine, force structure, and training. So, the book reviews China’s national-level military strategy over seventy years and how these strategies have shaped the PLA. A second goal of the book is to explain when and why China has pursued major changes in its military strategy, or efforts to transform the PLA’s approach to warfighting. These major changes occurred in 1956, 1980, and 1993.
The book advances two central claims to explain changes in China’s military strategy. One claim is that the PLA, historically and as an organization, has closely monitored its external security environment and especially prevailing trends in warfighting or the operational conduct of warfare. As a late modernizer of its military forces relative to other great powers, shifts in these trends have been critical in motivating the PLA to pursue major changes in its military strategy, as it considers how it may have to fight in the future.
A second claim in the book is that the PLA has only pursued changes in military strategy when there is unity within the CCP itself. By unity, I mean agreement among the top party leadership over the basic policies the party should pursue (“the party line”) and over the structure of power and authority within the party. When the party is united, it delegates substantial autonomy for managing military affairs to the PLA high command. When the leadership of the party is split, however, the PLA is either unlikely or unable to pursue a change in strategy. Some of the most extreme splits occurred during the Cultural Revolution or in the aftermath of the demonstrations and massacre in Tiananmen Square. In this way, party unity (or disunity) trumps external factors in China’s military strategy. Because the PLA is a party-army, strategy cannot be changed if the party leadership is not united.
How seriously do strategic concerns (as opposed to bureaucratic interests and other nonstrategic factors) drive China’s pursuit of advanced technologies in the defense space?
In the decisions to develop new military technologies in the past, strategic concerns have been more important than either bureaucratic factors or nonstrategic factors.
Case in point would be the development of nuclear weapons, which Chinese leaders determined in the early 1950s would be essential for deterring nuclear attacks or nuclear coercion. Of course, bureaucratic and especially political factors did play a crucial role in the development of these weapons. In the early 1960s, for example, Chinese leaders debated whether these weapons were worth the high cost. The main actors were the weapons development community within the PLA on one side and the economic planners on the other. Later, the Cultural Revolution significantly slowed the development of China’s ballistic missiles.
More recently, one could also point to the development of cyber capabilities. As Fiona Cunningham shows in her 2018 doctoral thesis from MIT, the initial decision to develop a cyber capability in the late 1990s appears to have been driven by strategic factors. The PLA concluded that the United States’ reliance on communications and other digital networks created vulnerabilities that China could exploit if a conflict erupted over Taiwan.
Of course, bureaucratic fights over technology take place within the PLA. Moreover, in these fights, strategic rationales may be invoked in order to garner more resources for one’s service or branch. In the mid-1980s, the advent of the PLA Navy’s service strategy of “near-seas defense” used China’s nascent maritime interests to call for developing the PLA Navy, which to that point had not received as much attention as the PLA Air Force, much less the ground forces.
I recall you followed the 2017 Doklam standoff between India and China quite closely. Nearly 18 months after the conclusion of the crisis, what observations can be made about how the People’s Liberation Army behaved during and after the standoff?
My take at the time was that China’s response to the events in June and July 2017 would be to significantly build up its military forces in the area (see pieces in the Indian Express and for War on the Rocks). To start, at the tactical level, the local geography favored India, which has had a post at Doka La. China’s main military facilities in the area were tens of kilometers away. Moreover, they were located in the Yadong valley, which meant that the PLA would need to transport forces up hill and at high altitude to reach what China views as the border with India. In addition, India has several divisions in Sikkim, while the PLA appears to have fewer troops in this area in comparison, at least on a permanent basis.
Thus, the Indian decision dispatch its military forces to halt the Chinese activities in Doklam highlighted India’s local superiority and China’s local vulnerability. Since late 2017 or early 2018, China reduced this vulnerability by building extensive military facilities adjacent to the Indian post. This allows the PLA to station troops permanently in the area. From a Chinese perspective, this build-up will prevent India from challenging China like it did in 2017. India has also built up its side of the border, so incidents in Doklam are perhaps now less likely than in other areas of the disputed China-India border where there are fewer permanent installations and greater disagreements over the location of the line of actual control.
If you had to identify a single primary or secondary work on Chinese military strategy produced since 2000 in China that Americans should read—or at least be aware of—what would you pick and why?
Tough question!
If one reads Chinese, there are many excellent sources that can be used to understand the past, present, and future of China’s military strategy. If I had to pick only one, it would probably be the Chinese edition of the Liberation Army Daily (解放军报), a newspaper published by the PLA and for the PLA.
In the research for my book, I tapped a full range of materials that are now available. These included official histories of the PLA and various elements within the PLA, the biographies and memoirs of key generals, the selections of speeches and writings of key general generals, and chronologies of the daily activities of senior leaders.
The Trump administration’s Nuclear Posture Review, released in early 2018, acknowledges that China’s nuclear strategy and posture has largely remained static, but leaves open the possibility that Beijing might change course. Do you see credible indicators that China may adopt significant changes to its nuclear posture and strategy in the coming years? What factors might determine whether or not it does?
China has consistently pursued a nuclear strategy of assured retaliation or developing a nuclear force that could survive a first-strike and be able to launch a retaliatory counterstrike. China has never pursued nuclear strategies of limited or unlimited nuclear warfighting. In many ways, China nuclear strategy reflects the constraints of the Chinese government’s nuclear policy issued in 1964, which included its pledge not to use nuclear weapons first.
Looking forward, China could consider two alternatives. The first would be a shift to some variant of a limited warfighting strategy, in which China might consider using only a few nuclear weapons first to signal resolve to end a conventional conflict. This is unlikely, however: with a relatively small force, China may not be able to deter an opponent from retaliating (as opposed to standing down), especially one with a much larger and more sophisticated arsenal like the United States.
The other option might be to modify how it carries out assured retaliation, perhaps by shifting to a launch on warning or launch under attack posture. This would be less of a change in strategy and more of a change in how to implement the existing strategy. Chinese strategists have discussed doing so a few times since the 1980s, but China has not yet prioritized investing in the kind of detection satellites and radars that would be necessary to shift to such a posture. Such a move would also undermine confidence in China’s no-first-use pledge, which China does not appear ready to abandon.
Regardless, China will continue to modernize and modestly expand the size and sophistication of its nuclear arsenal. A key reason is that China wants to ensure that it will be able to maintain a second-strike capability, especially against the United States. Given the wide disparity in the size of the U.S. and Chinese nuclear forces and the U.S. commitment to expanding missile defenses as contained in the latest missile defense review, China will remain concerned about its ability to deter the United States and modernize its forces accordingly. Examples of such modernization include the DF-41 (a new road-mobile missile that can carry multiple warheads) and the JL-3 (a new submarine-launched ballistic missile), among others.
What aspect of Chinese military strategy appears to be the most misunderstood in the West?
Several. The first would be that the PLA is a national army. It is not. It is the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party. The PLA high command constitutes roughly twenty percent of the Central Committee of the CCP, which is selected every five years. The institution that formulates strategy and other policies for the PLA, the Central Military Commission, is not part of the PLA. Instead, it is a party commission (委员会) under the Central Committee. The general officers who serve on the CMC do so as party members with military expertise. Likewise, the CMC’s two vice-chairmen serve on the Politburo, as the party’s military representatives to this decision-making body.
A second and closely related misunderstanding would be that because the PLA has become increasingly professionalized over the past few decades, its approach to strategic decision-making increasingly mirrors Western approaches. It does not, at least at the strategic level. Unlike the National Defense Strategy in the U.S., for example, the PLA’s military strategic guidelines are not contained in openly published documents that can be downloaded off the web and read by anyone. Instead, they are usually introduced in the form of a speech or a report at an enlarged meeting of the CMC—an internal gathering that includes the leadership of CMC, services, theater commands, and other organizations under the CMC. The speech contains a vision of how the PLA should defend China’s interests, as defined by the CCP, but it does not include a detailed roadmap of how to achieve that vision. Instead, the details are fleshed out over the coming months and sometimes even years, as specific decisions are made about operational doctrine, training, and force structure. This is much more like how the CCP formulates policy in other areas, such as economic or social policy, than Western military approaches to formulating strategy.
A third misunderstanding would be that China’s military strategy is all about the United States. Of course, the United States looms large for Chinese strategists. A stronger military will allow China to better resist U.S. pressure and to increase its overall influence in the region. But China’s military strategies have focused on specific conflicts or contingencies that China will face in the future, especially concerning Taiwan but also other potential conflicts such as the China-India border and increasingly maritime disputes. In most cases, these reflect long-standing disputes with its neighbors. They are not driven primarily by concerns about the U.S. role in the region, though Chinese strategists must (and do) consider the potential for U.S. military involvement and how to address it.
Chinese Military
Chinese nuclear posture
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/ Columns
/ Quick-fire Questions: The Great Gatsby
Quick-fire Questions: The Great Gatsby
Written on March 2nd, 2018 by Euan Elder
Euan Elder 2 March 2018
Kiana Bowden
One of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s most famous works is coming to life in St Andrews next week. This performance of Simon Levy’s adaptation is being directed by Madison Hauser, known for her work on other productions such as ‘The Bacchae’, ‘And Then There Were None’ and ‘Anything Goes’ to name but a few. Amidst the hustle and bustle of rehearsals and 1920s dance workshops, I caught up with her for some quick-fire questions.
Why the Great Gatsby? What made you want to put on this production in St Andrews?
If there is one thing anyone knows for certain about me, it’s that I love ‘The Great Gatsby’. I have an entire shrine dedicated to F. Scott Fitzgerald in my flat- posters from the movie and book, quotes, hand-crafted gifts people have made for me for various holidays. So, as for the question of why this show… well, it was really a no-brainer. I knew that if I was going to devote as much time as directing a production of this calibre requires, then it was going to have to be something I’m deeply passionate about. As for putting it on in St. Andrews, this is my last year here before I return to William and Mary as part of the joint degree programme, and likely to be my last opportunity to direct as a student. Directing is one of the most challenging positions you can undertake in theatre (and so far, it’s been my favourite). I knew that pursuing this role was going to help me grow as a person. I wanted the chance to develop something new and exciting that would push creative boundaries- to see this crazy vision play out on the stage, not just in my mind.
What has been challenging about bringing this story and script to life?
‘The Great Gatsby’ itself is a timeless classic, and with such a well-known story I knew there were going to be certain expectations, which I may not necessarily be able to exceed or even meet. When choosing this script, I had to let that go. I realised that people will have experienced this story and these characters before, through a variety of mediums. Levy’s adaptation is so vastly different from both the original novel and the multiple movie versions.
The script travels through Nick’s mind and memories. I wanted to reflect that with the staging and technology used. I wanted to emphasise the dream-like, illusory, atmospheric tones that stress we have pervaded the past while bringing in elements (i.e. costumes, props) that reiterate the vibrancy and antiquity of the 1920s. I think the real challenge has been finding a balance between these two drastically different takes- the realism and the fantasy.
How is this production bringing something new to ‘The Great Gatsby’ many of us know and love?
Sophomore year of high school. Honours English. I had a teacher who, all at once, inspired my writing, my love of literature, my pursuits in theatre. He is the true reason that I’m in St. Andrews, that I’ve published a book, and that I know this story as well as I do. He’s the one who first introduced me to F. Scott Fitzgerald, and all the underlying metaphors and symbols that lie within The Great Gatsby that are so often missed. If there is one thing I hope to accomplish with this production, it’s to present Gatsby in a new light: one that highlights the subtle imagery that other interpretations sometimes overlook: the pearls as ‘chains’, the green light as ‘hope’, the pinkie finger on Daisy being broken by Tom- a flaw where no one could see it, the ice pick- an allusion to Gatsby’s ‘shattered’ dreams etc. I hope to achieve the gilded spectacle, the glitz and glamour of the twenties and the ‘jadedness’ beneath it all.
Have you drawn inspiration from any other art forms or directors whilst putting the show together?
Honestly, I think it’s such a privilege to put on a show that encourages so much creativity. I’ve really tried to allow people the freedom to explore their specific interests and specialities. Gatsby itself provides such an incredible platform for talented voices. I wanted this production to embody not just what Gatsby has meant to me, but to everyone. I draw inspiration from the people I work with every single day, and ultimately what you will see is not just my vision- but an amalgamation of how everyone on our team views this story. You’ll see it in the music, the lights, the costumes, the pieces of furniture as well as the idiosyncrasies and expressions of the characters. You’ll see how we’ve all related to Gatsby, this tale of loneliness and lost love and being out of place, in everything.
What can be expected of the costumes?
The costumes, designed by the wonderful Anna Tumblety, will radiate 1920s glamour and style. I don’t want to give away too much- but a lot has gone into the planning, from the colour schemes all the way down to the smallest pocket square. I’ll just say you can tell a lot about the characters from the costumes, so keep an eye out for them!
When you have a five-minute break during rehearsal, what do you spend that time doing?
Laughing. I think we actually rehearse about 5% of the time and the rest we just spend laughing. That’s why I adore this cast- we have such a good time with each other.
What has been the best thing about putting this show together so far?
Honestly, 100% the people. This show is such a huge undertaking, and I have been so incredibly lucky to have supportive friends in my life who are willing to help me bring this vision to reality. I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am without them. I have an incredible production team and would also like to thank my cast for taking on these roles so fearlessly. They are embodying my dream, my vision, and every rehearsal with them is an absolute pleasure. To see them grow and change and become these characters has been truly breath-taking. Thank you for making my green light at the end of the dock possible.
What are you hoping for the audience to take away from this production of the Great Gatsby?
If there is one thing I hope people will take away from this production, it’s the passion that has gone on behind every decision. It’s the hard work, blood, sweat, tears and fights we’ve been through. The long rehearsals, the cups of coffee and the cold mornings. The lasting friendships and memories. At the end of the day, this production has been a success because it has brought us all together. Ultimately, I hope people take away the sense of community, the perseverance, and the love that has been poured into this.
And finally, I’d like you to call someone out by name: who must come and see this production? Sarena Marshall. Happy 21st.
‘The Great Gatsby’ will be performed on The StAge, at 8pm on the 14th and 15th of March. Tickets are £6. I’ll see you there, old sport.
Photography and Poster Credits: Sasha Mann
The Great Gatsby theatre
Euan Elder
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© 2019 St Andrews Radio
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Cow runs amok, kills owner in Delta abattoir
An irate cow on Sunday in Ughelli North community in Delta State allegedly killed its owner at the abattoir located at Oghenevweta street in Ughelli town after it suddenly went berserk.
It was gathered that the victim, Mohammed Jubrin, was allegedly killed by his cow after cutting the rope it was tied to and charged straight to the abattoir where the victim was busy with other cattle and hit him hard, leaving him in a pool of blood leading to his death before he was taken to the hospital.
An eyewitness, Muhammad Abdul, who confirmed the incident to newsmen in the area, said that the herder was gored to death on board a trailer used in conveying cow in company of tens of others from the northern part of the country to Ughelli town, adding that the victim had gone on board the trailer in an attempt to coerce the irate cow to come down from the truck when the animal went wild.
ALSO READ: World's biggest cow escapes slaughter because it's too big to fit in abattoir
He said, “The cow immediately rammed into him with its horn stuck in the victim’s throat, flipped him up and went after him again in the same manner multiple times until he was rescued from the attacks. Unfortunately, he died in the hospital where he was rushed to for treatment but could not make it”, disclosing that the victim had since been buried in line with Islamic tradition.
It was further gathered that since the incident on Sunday, there has been palpable tension and fear of the unknown within Ughelli town, especially among cattle rearers in the area.
But, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, who spoke to newsmen about the incident, said, “It’s unfortunate that the cattle killed the owner. The cattle has however been killed”.
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Clips Streaming TV
The First Order Looms Large in Clip From ‘Star Wars Resistance: Station Theta-Black’
By Matt Heywood December 5, 2018
Disney and Lucasfilm have released a new clip from the upcoming episode of Star Wars Resistance, which is titled, “Station Theta-Black”.
I’m not sure if this will be the last episode before the show goes on a break, but it could be based on its subject matter. Based on the clip, which features Poe and Kaz investigating an abandoned facility in the Unknown Regions, which they believe is being used by the First Order. As it turns out, they discover that the First Order is up to no good, and that they’re planning to blow up the station to cover their tracks.
I for one think that this facility was used to build up the First Order war machine, or possibly to create the parts they needed to build Starkiller Base. Either way, anytime this show zeroes in on the First Order and Poe and Kaz together, I know it’ll add some interesting lore to the Star Wars-verse, so I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
The new episode – “Station Theta-Black” – airs this Sunday at 10 p.m. EST on the Disney Channel. It will also be available SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9th (12:01 a.m. PT) on the DisneyNOW app and Disney Channel VOD, giving kids and families access to the series wherever and whenever they want to watch.
Know Your Star Wars: Who is Kaz Xiono?
RUMOR: Star Wars: Episode IX Trailer to Drop Before 2018 Ends
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By Michael Roberts January 6, 2017 invest, renewablesconcentrated solar power, CSP, invest, investment, largest solar plant in the world, MASEN, morocco, noor, Ouarzazate, photovoltaic, PROMASOL, renewable energy, solar projects, solar thermal, solar water heating
The World Future Council has released its latest report with policy recommendations for a transition towards 100% Renewable Energy. Morocco has so far adopted a broad strategy that includes three main pillars of action:
a legal & regulatory framework favourable to renewable energy expansion ;
institutions to manage, supervise and promote renewable energy projects;
major financial investments to build the required renewable energy facilities.
Renewable Energy Target
Morocco already exploit its local renewable energy sources, but through this $13 billion worth of expansion and through a series of new energy policies and regulations, is committed to sourcing 42% (or 6,000 MW) of the country energy needs by 2020.
The Integrated Solar Energy Generation Project
With huge potential, abundant indigenous wind and solar resources, Morocco has been at the centre of major investments and large scale renewable energy projects. Launched in 2009, alongside the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN), the integrated Solar Energy Generation Project aims for total installed capacity of 2000 throughlarge scale Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Photovoltaic facilities in 5 different areas, a total of 10 000 hectares or 4.5 Twh (18% of current national electricity production).
$9 Bn Investment & Financing
Mostly financed by the Moroccan government, the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank (WB), and the European Investment Bank (EIB), this was alos open to private and international funding unde MASEN supervision. As the technology matures, further private investors are expected to participate.
NOOR Solar Complex Final 500MW blending CSP and PV
The first project NOOR I, with a capacity of 160 MW, is a CSP trough of 160MW with 3 hours of storage.
The two other projects (NOOR II, 350 MW total, 200MW CSP, 8 hours of storage & NOOR III (150MW CSP tower, 8 hours of storage) were awarded in January 2015 and
The MASEN has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) for Noor PV I,
Source April 14, 2015/in Business /by Solar Business Hub
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How Many Americans Are Underemployed?
Amanda Dixon May 15, 2019
The official unemployment rate is considered to be a good indicator of where the economy stands, but there’s still a lot that it won’t tell you. Looking at the unemployment rate won’t tell you how long people without jobs haven’t been able to find work. And it doesn’t reveal anything about the number of people who are underemployed.
Underemployment is a fairly broad term that can help us understand who is currently satisfied with their level of employment and who isn’t. Currently, different institutions have divergent methods of quantifying the underemployment rate.
What It Means to Be Underemployed
The official unemployment rate shows the number of jobless adults who were actively looking for work within the past four weeks, as a percentage of the total number of workers in the labor force. But it doesn’t distinguish part-time jobs from full-time jobs or reveal anything about the quality of those jobs. In fact, the unemployment rate ignores millions of underemployed Americans whose jobs don’t match their skill level, education or availability to work.
Underemployment is a broad term that generally refers to three types of workers. These are high-skilled employees with low-skilled jobs, part-time workers who want full-time jobs and skilled workers with low-paying jobs. While these workers technically have jobs, they don’t have the opportunity to contribute as much as they can to society. For example, someone with a law degree is underemployed if he can’t find a job at a law firm and he’s forced to work as a shoe salesman.
What’s the Underemployment Rate?
Measuring underemployment is difficult. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not officially quantify it. It states that it hasn’t found a way to accurately measure the number of people who are underemployed and the true economic cost of underemployment. Instead, it looks at other forms of labor underutilization in addition to the official unemployment rate.
According to the BLS, the difference between its U-5 and U-6 measures of unemployment provides the best representation of underemployment, at least among part-time workers who would rather have full-time jobs. The U-5 measure looks at the number of people who are unemployed and marginally attached to the workplace as a percentage of the labor force. The U-6 measure covers everything captured by the U-5 measure, plus the number of people working part time involuntarily. For the four quarters ending in March 2019, this difference is 2.9%.
Others have come up with their own ways of tracking underemployment. For instance, Gallup looks at the underemployment rate on a regular basis. After looking at the adults who are either unemployed or working part time (when they want full-time gigs), it estimated that the underemployment rate for adults ages 18 and over was 12.6% at the end of July 2017. Gallup ceased routinely measuring this after that date.
In May 2018, the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) published a paper which found the underemployment rate to be 11.1%. It defined the rate as including “those who work part time but want full-time work and those who have looked for work in the last year but have given up actively seeking it.”
Why There Are So Many Underemployed Workers
There are many reasons why workers can’t find the jobs that they want or that they’re qualified to perform. Underemployment becomes an issue when the supply of certain jobs is lower than the demand for those positions. An economic downturn can also lead to underemployment. In a recession, for example, workers who lose their high-skilled, high-paying jobs may have to take up part-time jobs.
Technological advancements can also raise the underemployment rate. New technology and automation may eliminate the need for some workers. After they’re laid off, displaced workers may need to find low-paying jobs until they can acquire new skills. Technological change and offshore outsourcing are two reasons why the manufacturing industry has been in decline for decades.
Underemployed workers who aren’t happy with their jobs are more likely to be detached and unproductive. Those who feel unmotivated may fail to put effort into gaining additional skills that could improve their job prospects. At its worst, underemployment can raise the poverty rate, lower consumer spending and weaken the economy.
Addressing underemployment is difficult. Encouraging workers to build their professional network, go back to school or take professional development courses might help. Employers also have to find ways to ensure that their workers feel engaged and know that their opinions and concerns matter.
Tips for Conquering the Job Market
SmartAsset’s financial advisor matching tool can help you find a person to work with to help you chart your financial future. Just answer a few questions about your situation and financial goals. Then the program will narrow down your options from thousands of advisors to up to three experts in your area.
Photo credit: ©iStock.com/andresr, ©iStock.com/annestahl, ©iStock.com/Oktay Ortakcioglu
Amanda Dixon Amanda Dixon is a personal finance writer and editor with an expertise in taxes and banking. She studied journalism and sociology at the University of Georgia. Her work has been featured in Business Insider, AOL, Bankrate, The Huffington Post, Fox Business News, Mashable and CBS News. Born and raised in metro Atlanta, Amanda currently lives in Brooklyn.
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Home » Al-Diwan » Tadween Roundup: News and Analysis from the Publishing/Academic World
Tadween Roundup: News and Analysis from the Publishing/Academic World
Posted on July 31, 2013 by Tadween Editors | 0 comments
Tadween Publishing brings you the latest news and analysis from the publishing and academic worlds that relate to pedagogy and knowledge production.
Charter schools: Education labs
(The Economist)
In urban spaces across the United States, charter schools are slowly becoming the norm for K-12 education. They are replacing the traditional role of public schools due, in part, to the assumption that they provide a better education. But are they working? The Economist takes a look at some recent data that examines what makes some charter schools work and not others.
Academia’s Gender Gap Persists
By Hrag Vartanian (Salon)
Hrag Vartanian examines a recent study that exposes striking information regarding gender representation in academia. The Gender browser project, developed under the Eigenfactor Project at the University of Washington in collaboration with JSTOR, claims that while progress has been made for gender equality in some areas of academia, there is still much that needs to be done.
Higher education: The attack of the MOOCs
MOOCs appear to be a growing trend across higher education as more and more universities are experimenting with the idea (read Tadween’s blog post on MOOCs here). But aside from providers such as Coursea and EdX, MOOCs seem to be lacking a much needed business model, according to The Economist.
The Rising Cost of Higher Education: What Now?
By Rebecca Nathanson (Rolling Stone)
Since 1978, tuition has increased 1,120 percent nationally, and it is not slowing down anytime soon. With state and local funding for higher education decreasing, and student debt rising, the future of higher education looks bleak.
Encouraging Students to Imagine the Impossible
By Jessica Lahey (The Atlantic)
In an age of assessment-driven education, defined by test-taking and standards, how often are young students told to follow their dreams and use their imagination? Jessica Lahey examines the goals of The Future Project, which hopes to promote imagination in education in order to help students realize their potential.
Open-Access Movement Makes Inroads Beyond Science
By Jennifer Howard (Chronicle of Higher Education)
The open access movement has made some recent breakthroughs in the fields of science, both in the United Kingdom and in the United States, but it has not made quite as many advances in other fields, such as the humanities. At the very least, according to Jennifer Howard, open access is the new idea that everyone is talking about.
Publish First, Ask Questions Later
By Jeffrey Marlow (Wired)
With all of the steps and procedures of vetting and approving, the process of academic publishing can be tedious and tiresome. Wired examines F1000Research journal’s attempt to overcome the traditional obstacle course of academic publishing, with a new model of peer reviewing and open access.
Historians Seek a Delay in Posting Dissertations
By Noam Cohen (New York Times)
The American Historical Association released a statement requesting universities to allow PhD students in history to “embargo” their dissertations for up to six years, keeping it offline and out of the public view. In an era where sharing and exchanging information and academic work is customary, what would inspire PhD students to keep their dissertations private?
The Ups and Downs of Translating for Self-publishers
By M. Lynx Qualey (Arabic Literature)
It may not be the new norm just yet, but self-publishing is becoming a growing trend among authors who want to bypass the bureaucracy of publishing a book through a publishing house. When it comes to translating books as a self-publisher, however, the experience has its ups and downs.
Tags: academic freedom, education, gender, higher education, Knowledge Production, Publishing, translation
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Tag: panoramas
Dozens of extant photographs by Thomas Nevin that carry no studio stamp on verso were deliberately kept blank because they were mounted on calico, and delivered by mail to the purchaser with the expectation that they would either be placed intact inside a wooden frame, to be hung on the wall; or indeed, removed from the calico to be placed on an album leaf. Thomas Nevin used calico mounts as a means of saving on costs when posting through the mail. Dozens of his extant photographs with blank versos held in public and private collections bear traces of removal from woven fabric or parchment. Handwritten inscriptions, in many instances, were added subsequently by the client, collector or archivist. … More Thomas Nevin’s photographs mounted on calico 1870s
Thomas Nevin’s stereo view of St Mary’s Cathedral, Hobart, ca. 1874
The view of this church,St Mary’s Cathedral (R.C.), Hobart, Tasmania, was taken by Thomas J. Nevin on commission for Police Superintendent Frederick Pedder (1841-1923), Nevin’s colleague at the Municipal Police Office, Hobart Town Hall. It was passed into the hands of his son, solicitor Alfred Pedder (1881-1977) whose name appears on the verso and whose daughter Sylvia in turn may have donated it to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in the 1970s. Other stereographs in this series inscribed verso with “A. Pedder” is a view of Harrington Street and the cathedral from Lime Kiln Hill and a view from across the Huon River to the town known as Victoria. Thomas Nevin’s photograph of this church, St Mary’s Cathedral, 164 Harrington Street, Hobart, was taken a few years before 1876, the date when the lantern tower was removed and a substantial part of the cathedral rebuilt. It was closed for five years, re-opening in 1881. … More Thomas Nevin’s stereo view of St Mary’s Cathedral, Hobart, ca. 1874
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Marching: From Death to Life
April 12, 2012 April 16, 2015 / Through Jewish Eyes
Four years ago, my daughter and I traveled to Poland as part of March of the Living. She, a junior at the time, was one of twenty high school students and I was a chaperone from that year’s Atlanta contingent.
The trip takes place annually; leaving immediately after Passover. Highlighted site visits include the cities of Warsaw, Krakow, and Lublin; a few small villages; memorials and concentration camps. The climax of the program is “the March” itself; a one-and-a-quarter mile walk from Auschwitz to Birkenau that commemorates the “Death March,” which prisoners made from the work camps to the extermination camps. The “March of the Living” shows – with the thousands of teens who show up yearly from all over the world – that Hitler did not succeed in breaking the spirit or obliterating the people of the Jewish faith.
Growing up as a child and grandchild of Holocaust survivors, I learned first-hand accounts of simple, ordinary people who did extraordinarily brave things to overcome unimaginable hardships, dealt with seemingly insurmountable challenges, and managed to stay alive and perpetuate their values and beliefs. However, no family story, class at school, or movie in a theatre succeeded in creating the indelible impact that came with my own personal and up-close encounter with the concentration and death camps that were built by the Nazis in Eastern Europe. While I respect and admire the fortitude of the survivors, it’s impossible to fathom the horrors that befell those who perished…
Standing with my daughter (and son’s girlfriend) in a gas chamber in Auschwitz, we heard the anguished cries of the people whose claw marks are still visible on the stone walls. Walking through barracks in Birkenau, we felt the terror of the tortured twins on whom experiments were performed. Going through the crematorium at Majdanek, we smelled the remnants of burnt flesh that permeated the wooden walls. Then, staring at the enormous, remaining mound of human ash and bones, we sobbed over the innocent millions who disappeared because of ethnic, cultural, and religious differences that gave rise to hate.
It was from these experiences, more than any others, that I realized the importance of teaching and practicing the universal goal of fighting the ignorance, indifference, racism, injustice, and prejudice that are expressed against those who are perceived to be intellectually, socially, culturally, or religiously “different.” But, from a Jewish perspective, I know the necessity of developing and promoting confident Jewish identities in our children and grandchildren.
Even four years later, the images of Poland haunt me. I remain shocked by the methodical and calculating ways that governments – even today – coldly approach the task of annihilating innocent groups of people. I am in disbelief that, given the abundance of evidence, anyone could deny that the Holocaust happened. But mostly, I am distraught over and fearful of the continued acts of terrorism, violence, and anti-Semitism against Jews in Israel and around the world — even today.
The observance of the Holocaust Remembrance Day is next week. It is a time to pay tribute to the courage and quiet inner strength of those who survived, and to mourn those who died. For me, doing so secures my own link in a chain that connects me to a family and a people, and to a past and a future.
Auschwitz to Birkenau, Holocaust, March of the Living
← Bittersweet Tastes of Traditions
Honoring and Respecting Parents →
One thought on “Marching: From Death to Life”
Very powerful indeed. If the Seder is meant to be a form of experiential education, for all generations to tell the story as if we are there, then certainly there cannot be a more powerful educational experience than the March of the Living.
I only hope that we don’t perpetuate the idea that Israel’s sole reason for existence is as a response to the Holocaust, as some who seek to delegitimize Israel continue to assert.
May our children have a deep appreciation of their ancestors’ trials, and may they have as strong an appreciation for their ancestors’ contributions to the betterment of civilization.
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Sting & Shaggy perform in the latest installment of NPR’s iconic Tiny Desk..
GRAMMY ® Award-winning artists, Sting & Shaggy perform in the latest installment of NPR’s iconic Tiny Desk, which premieres on NPR Music today at https://www.npr.org.
The iconic artists are accompanied by Sting’s longtime guitarist, Dominic Miller and backing vocalists, Melissa Musique and Gene Noble to perform the first single, “Don’t Make Me Wait,” off their GRAMMY® Award-winning album, 44/876, as well as Sting’s classic hit, “Englishman in New York,” and a mash-up of JuiceWRLD’s chart-topping song, “Lucid Dreams” and Sting’s “Shape of My Heart", which is sampled on the former.
Following their joint collaboration, which included a critically-acclaimed world tour, Sting & Shaggy, both managed by the Cherrytree Music Company, went on to release their own respective albums (Sting’s My Songs & Shaggy’s Wah Gwaan?!) and embarked on tour.
July 10, 2019 posted by lelleq
kerstin lelle q
love this two boys
10 July Munich concert canceled due to illness
Sting's 10 July concert at Tollwood in Munich has been canceled due to illness.
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First Smartphone Turns 20: Fun Facts About Simon
An original IBM Simon Personal Communicator is placed next to an Apple iPhone 4S at the Science Museum on August 15, 2014 in London, England
Rob Stothard / Getty Images
By Doug Aamoth
A tip of the hat to Simon, long referenced as the first smartphone. It went on sale to the public on August 16, 1994 and packed a touchscreen, email capability and more, paving the way for our modern-day wondergadgets.
Here’s a look at some of Simon’s history.
IBM and BellSouth first showed Simon off in late 1992.
It was code-named “Angler” and was unveiled at the fall COMDEX convention in Vegas, but wouldn’t be available to purchase by consumers until August 16, 1994. In 1995, the great Computer Chronicles TV show led its “Year of the Portable” episode with Simon.
Here’s the brief segment:
“I am totally computer-functional!”
The phone had no web browser — heck, computers were just getting decent browsers back then — but email access was a big selling point. It could send faxes, too, which is a technology people haven’t been able to completely kill off yet despite decades of trying.
It was big and expensive, but not insanely so.
By today’s standards, of course, Simon was clunky and outrageously priced. But for a do-it-all gizmo in the mid-’90s, its $1,100 price tag should elicit a mere shrug from most of us nowadays. And if you signed a two-year contract with BellSouth, you could get it for $900; that subsidized price eventually dropped to $600.
The phone itself measured 8 inches long by 2.5 inches wide by 1.5 inches thick, and weighed two ounces north of a pound. That’d be pretty clunky today, but we’re talking about the ’90s here. Everyone was wearing Hammer pants and Zubaz, so pocket space wasn’t much of an issue, right? As you can see in the above photo — where it’s placed next to an iPhone 4S — it’s big but not monstrous.
It had a touchscreen and apps.
Touchscreens weren’t exactly nonexistent back in the early ’90s, but they weren’t super common, either. Simon is believed to be the first commercially available phone with a touchscreen, though earlier PDA devices had showcased various portable touchscreen technologies. Simon’s interface could be navigated with an included stylus, and somewhat less easily with a finger.
These were the early days of mobile touchscreens, mind you. Take a look at Simon’s interface in this fascinating TekGadg video from 2011:
Best line: “I don’t think it does multi-touch, Winston.” That parting jab at Android was uncalled for, fellas.
There was no app store, of course, but the phone came preloaded with several apps. You can take a look at Simon’s user manual, which is not only chock full of wonderfully nostalgic technobabble from back in the day, but also lists the following apps:
Sketch Pad
These things weren’t called “apps” back then. They were generally referred to as “features” found in the “Mobile Office” section of the phone. Here’s a look at the alarm clock:
Email was no picnic to set up, either. It used Lotus’ cc:Mail offering, which required you to dial in to a computer running cc:Mail software that housed all your messages — the “post office,” as it were. How would you set up this post office? You wouldn’t: According to Simon’s manual, “You don’t have to worry about how to set up a post office, because your E-mail administrator or service does that.”
It had predictive typing.
The feature was called the “PredictaKey” keyboard and, according to the user manual, “always shows the six most-likely letters that you need, depending on the characters you’ve just typed.
BellSouth had apparently also been working with Apple to develop a cellular connection for the Newton PDA at the time.
An early profile of Simon alludes to a BellSouth-Apple partnership for Apple’s Newton PDA wherein BellSouth was “working with Apple to integrate cellular into the device.” The piece quoted BellSouth’s then-product-manager Rich Guidotti assuaging concerns that the two devices would compete:
BellSouth’s work with Apple is not affected by the new Simon, Guidotti said. Referring to the Newton as an electronic organizer and the Simon as a personal communicator, Guidotti added: “No one product fits everyone’s needs.”
A cellular connection for the Newton wouldn’t materialize from the BellSouth-Apple partnership, however. Built-in cellular features for the Newton were apparently nixed altogether.
Simon made an appearance in The Net.
The movie, according to Frank Costanza, is “called The Net, with that girl from The Bus.”
You could plug it into a regular phone jack.
Though Simon was targeted at deep-pocketed business people, cell service was still spotty and expensive back in the mid-’90s. An optional cable allowed Simon’s owner to plug it into a standard phone jack (remember those?) to make calls via more reliable and less expensive land-line systems.
Simon lived fast and died young.
Despite its features, IBM and BellSouth didn’t exactly have a hit on their hands. Simon spent a mere six months on the market, with around 50,000 units sold. Businessweek’s profile of the device cites Simon’s weak battery — it lasted around an hour — and the cool factor of svelter and svelter flip phones as contributing to Simon’s demise. It sounds like IBM and BellSouth kind of lost interest in the project as well, with IBM in the middle of downsizing endeavors and BellSouth pumping resources into bolstering its cell network.
Simon, we hardly knew ye. But your ghost lingers on in our modern-day communicators.
Microsoft’s Bill Buxton has a great info page with links to a bunch of old Simon-related material. Check out Businessweek and Wikipedia for related material as well.
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Big-play Texans prove too much for Titans
HOUSTON _ First, the good happenings for the Tennessee Titans in Monday night’s 34-17 loss to the Houston Texans.
Marcus Mariota was nearly flawless in the passing game, completing his first 19 passes on the way to hitting 22 of 23 throws for 303 yards and two touchdown passes.
Now the bad. Nearly everything else that took place Monday night. In between Mariota’s performance, the Titans self-destructed on both sides of the ball. They allowed the Texans 281 yards rushing, highlighted by a game-changing 97-yard touchdown by Lamar Miller. They surrendered two passing touchowns and a rushing TD to Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. And they gave up six sacks, and had seven costly penalties for 50 yards.
The bad the Titans did more than offset the good, as the loss drops the Titans to 5-6 overall, and all but eliminated them from the AFC South division race, as Houston won for the eighth straight time and now leads the Titans by three games in the division with five to play.
The Titans did well early, racing out to a 10-0 lead. Tennessee converted its opening drive into a 31-yard Ryan Succop field goal to go up 3-0, and after holding Houston on its opening series, the Titans got a 61-yard TD pass from Mariota to Jonnu Smith, who leaked out into the pass route late after pass protecting and went untouched to the end zone.
DeShaun Watson rallied the Texans, answering quickly with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas to cut the Tennessee lead to 10-7, and then scrambling 15 yards for the go-ahead score on the first play of the second quarter.
But the Titans troubles were just beginning. Mariota drove the Titans into the red zone on the ensuing series. Facing a fourth-and-inches at the Texans’ 3, the Titans elected to go for it and handed the ball off to tight end Luke Stocker on a fullback dive. He was stopped cold in his tracks by Texans linebackers Zach Cunningham and Bernardick McKinney, turning away the Titans’ threat.
Then, on the very next play, Lamar Miller bolted through the left side of the Titans defense and went 97 yards to push the lead to 21-10, and essentially putting Tennessee in catch-up mode for the remainder of the night.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel was questioned about handing the ball to Stocker, who had never had a carry in his eight-year career before that one.
“We were just trying to run a belly (fullback dive). It’s a play we’ve seen have some success down there at their goal line in the past.” Vrabel said. “Like most of the plays we tried to run tonight, we thought it was something we had a chance with. Give them credit. They made a play. That play is something we’ve seen on film against the defense. That was the idea. It was a play that had worked in the past against that.”
For his part, Stocker placed the blame on himself for not converting.
“Definitely looking back on it, that was a big turning point in the game. That’s on me. I’ve got to do something different to get that first down, when we just needed a foot. I’ve got to figure out a way to get it,” he said.
Likewise, the defense was plenty culpable on the back end, allowing Miller to go the distance as part of a 162-yard rushing night on just 12 carries for him.
“It was a big two-play sequence right there. I put that personally on myself. I can’t let that get behind me as a safety. Give them credit, they blocked it well. They scored a touchdown,” safety Kevin Byard said of the defense’s lapse there.
Added cornerback Logan Ryan, “Obviously, it’s a large swing in the game. We were going in to get points, and they were backed up, which usually means if you keep them backed up, it means points for your offense, and we didn’t. They got seven, and it was a 14-point swing. It was the largest swing in the game. We fell short on defense on that play. Regardless of what happens, we’ve got to tackle him. That’s unfortunate.”
The Titans were never able to bounce back, trailing 24-10 at halftime, and falling behind 27-10 at one point in the third quarter.
Late in the third period, Tennessee showed signs of life briefly, when Mariota found Corey Davis for a 48-yard touchdown. It was part of a big night for Davis, who had four catches for 96 yards and a score and also added a 39-yard run on an end around out of the wildcat formation.
But the Texans put the game away in the fourth quarter when Watson found Thomas for the second time in the end zone, this time from 10 yards out to seal the win with 8:15 to play.
At 5-6, the Titans now probably have to win out in their final five games to have a legitimate chance at the postseason, because they are behind in head-to-head tiebreakers with four other teams that are also in the wild-card hunt.
But Byard said that the big picture is not the focus right now for the Titans.
“I guarantee that nobody in this locker room is thinking about running the table right now,” Byard said. “The only thing we can think about is coming back in on Wednesday and getting better every single day until we play the Jets.”
Tags:Corey DavisJonnu SmithKevin ByardLamar MillerLogan Ryanmarcus mariotaryan succoptennessee titans
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Alyssa Black
"I believe there is so much potential for renewable energy to take over the transportation industry and I think my generation has the ability to change the old ways of thinking and focus on sustainability. "
I grew up in New Mexico and was a dancer for 20 years. I have danced in a couple of companies and I have even danced on Broadway! I moved out to San Diego for school and never looked back. I am passionate about yoga, food, travel, and most of all sustainability.
How do you want to make your impact on the world?
I want to change the way the world currently looks at the transportation industry and accelerate its transition into sustainability. I want to make a lasting impact in the automotive and spacecraft industries by making renewable energy our main source of energy for vehicles of all kinds. I believe that my career goals are pretty unique, and I have a strong desire to pursue a path that is very out of the ordinary. My career goal in itself is to be a pioneer in renewable energy research and I hope that my thesis over the next couple of years will be a step in that direction.
Describe your dream job.
My dream job would be to work for NASA as an astronaut and spend a year on the ISS researching fuel cell technology.
"I have found that the GREEN Program is a huge selling point in job interviews, and my experience in Iceland has recently helped me land a job with Tesla Motors!"
Tell us about your Capstone Project experience and initiative.
The Capstone Project my team and I worked on was to convert the excess trash from the Three Gorges Dam into energy (biomass). After reading about and seeing pictures of the insane amounts of trash at the Three Gorges Dam in China, we decided to find a way to put it to good use. We also thought this would be a good way to reduce carbon emissions and pollution in China. We learned that our idea had some flaws, but also had a lot of potential. It was very interesting to examine all of the different aspects of the project such as government regulations, energy loss, pollution that could be created from burning plastic, and other issues that arose during our research.
You're hosting an intimate dinner party. Select three guests you would invite.
Michael Pollan (his outlook on the food industry is amazing), Elon Musk (I would love to hear all of his amazing ideas), and Sally Ride (first woman in space, aka goals)
Jenna Hakun
"I want to make a mark on the world by inspiring others to be their best."
Zoe Elizabeth Gobetz
Chemical Engineering, Minor In Sustainable Energy, Focus In Sustainable Energy Engineering
"I am an incredibly passionate individual for sustainability! I want to help solve the largest and most pressing issues affecting our planet."
Biology Minor: Environmental Science
"I want to work in a position where I can help make my community more sustainable and actually see the direct results of my work."
Mike Carillo
Accounting With An Energy Studies Minor
"With my skills of bringing people together for a common cause, I think I can change the world for the better."
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