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Xbox 360 »
Xbox 360 Retail Games »
Author Topic: Titanfall (Read 1029 times)
Titanfall is the Microsoft-exclusive shooter from ex-Call of Duty: Modern Warfare devs
Respawn Entertainment’s first game is Titanfall. It is an exclusive first-person shooter for Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC set in a mech-filled future, according to the July issue of Game Informer magazine.
The Game Informer issues is available now in the Google Play market, as spotted by NeoGAF user Cartman86. Respawn, which comprises many members of the Infinity Ward Call of Duty team, designed the game from the ground up to run on a modified version of the Source Engine — but this isn’t just another modern-military shooter
The game is a first-person shooter multiplayer game. It has players, called pilots in the game, controlling “titans” or giant mechanized suits. This isn’t your father’s clumsy mech, however — these suits are super agile. They can run on walls and perform double jumps. To further separate this game from Call of Duty, characters survive longer. That means new players might avoid the constant cycle of spawning and dying over and over.
The game will also have mech-less ground combat. In that mode, the mech will follow your character around. As a human, you can still take out one of the robot suits by jumping up on its head and firing away at its “brain.”
Respawn is going for a District 9 or Blade Runner feel. It’s a dystopian future, although I don’t know how any future with giant robot suits is anything but a utopia.
This is Respawn’s first game. After a tumultuous split with publisher Activision, much of the Infinity Ward team that produced the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare games left in 2010. They formed this new studio and soon partnered with publisher Electronic Arts.
The studio first tried to make Titanfall a multiplatform title for current-gen systems, but it is a small team. Respawn approached Microsoft, and that publisher gave the developer an “intriguing” offer.
That doesn’t mean this game won’t come to other system’s eventually. Respawn is open to developing on PlayStation 4, but Xbox One is it for now.
Dankinia
Queen of Assists a.k.a the bait
Steam: Dankinia
XBL: Dankinia
Re: Titanfall
This looks pretty fun. It's on my list of games to get.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ1B3wq9yi8
Titanfall For Xbox 360 Coming Two Weeks After Xbox One Version
Respawn Entertainment has announced that Titanfall has been slightly delayed on Xbox 360, as the last-gen version's developer Bluepoint Games applies the "finishing touches" to the game.
"As the release of Titanfall fast approaches, the team at Bluepoint Games is putting the finishing touches on the Xbox 360 version which will arrive in stores on March 25th," an update reads on the Titanfall Facebook page. Presumably that means a March 28th launch in Europe.
While Titanfall for Xbox 360 will now launch on March 25th, the game will still release for Xbox One and PC on time on March 11th in North America and March 14th in Europe.
Titanfall Xbox 360 delayed again to make it "even better"
Will offer "the same 6v6 gameplay, maps, modes, weapons and Burn Cards" as the Xbox One version
The Xbox 360 version of Respawn's Titanfall has been delayed a second time - it'll now release on 8th April in North America and 11th April in Europe, rather than 25th and 28th March, so that port developer Bluepoint can do a little eleventh hour polishing.
"I've been playing the game a lot, and it is fantastic," EA Studios executive vice-president Patrick Söderlund wrote on the official EA blog. "But we see a few things that can be made even better, so we're giving Bluepoint a little more time to do just that and deliver an epic Titanfall experience for Xbox 360 players."
He also confirmed that Titanfall on Xbox 360 will be more or less the same game as Titanfall on Xbox One. "The game will feature the same 6v6 gameplay, maps, modes, weapons and Burn Cards as the Xbox One and PC versions of the game."
Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi has described the last generation version of Titanfall as a "first-class experience", adding that Respawn and Bluepoint have "struck the right balance" in terms of what can be achieved on older hardware.
"At the same time, on Xbox One you can get some of those extra features that set it apart, and there will be people who want to do that, and there will be enough encouragement to go - but it will be a great experience on Xbox 360," Mehdi continued.
According to one rumour, Titanfall runs at a sub-720 resolution and 30 frames a second on Xbox 360. EA has yet to comment on this. What do you think?
Might be some proof of the "even better" quote in the last post -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjbeQlvgCy0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y498idUMwow
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About Andrew Taylor
Other AJBlogs
The Artful Manager
Andrew Taylor on the business of arts & culture
Exploring the Four Stories
January 2, 2019 by Andrew Taylor
For over a year now, I’ve been stewing on and adapting the independent work of E.F. Schumacher and Ken Wilber (citations below), both of whom explore and explain what a “whole” view of ourselves and our world might look like. As I’ve unfolded it (literally) for a few groups and close colleagues, it now seems useful to unfold it for all of you for your reactions.
The larger question I’ve been exploring is how we might observe, describe, know, and grow a more whole-system, whole-human perspective on collective action (that is, organizations or versions thereof). So much of our current language and thinking discards, discounts, or disdains the inner lives within us and around us. This significant blindness seems to be a problem for healthy and coherent cultural enterprise.
Both E.F. Schumacher (in his beautiful final book, A Guide for the Perplexed) and Ken Wilber (in his densely-packed but brilliant A Brief History of Everything) approach some version of this question for different reasons. Below is a video overview of my adaptation of their work (I shuffled the quadrants, added a central image, and jimmied with some other elements of their extraordinary work).
Eager for your feedback – positive, negative, or neutral.
I was listening to you and looking at the model in relation to the context of children and their developing lives as musicians, and what I have obsernved. At first listening, I am thinking maybe the outer/inner illustration should not be symmetrical in the case of an emergent musician….or grow at different rates. Inner takes time. And sometimes I find myself rushing them toward the outer plural quadrant. That quadrant seems to be where they are judged the most…well, all of us, really.
Andrew Taylor says
Great comment, Carolyn. Thanks! (And hello!) You’re right to wonder about the relative strength/capacity in each quadrant, and that it can be highly unbalanced in many cases. There’s a whole additional bit in Wilber’s framework around “levels” within each quadrant — where it’s likely and in fact probable that any individual or community may be operating at a high level in one quadrant and rather rudimentarily in another. That’s an extension for another day! So grateful to hear your reactions.
Jodi B says
Hey Andrew,
Happy New Year! It was fun to hear your voice – I hadn’t known about your test kitchen but I love it and will be checking in more often to hear more!
What I started thinking about as I listened to and observed your model is the vast differences that manifest between the individual and the plural. Mostly because, using your model to think about audience growth/acquisition/development…we want to collect a bunch of individuals and put them into the outer plural. So an individual might personally value an artistic experience, but moving that value into the behavior of joining a crowd of others to experience it collectively…when I lay over all the external factors than can change/impact the individual, it helps understand why encouraging the collective is so tough. And why things become popular – it seems like it might be easier, somehow, to move a collective of inner thoughts into external collective behavior.
And on the organization front, bless you for trying to convince leaders that all the parts of their staff, internal and external, come to work each day. I think that is one of the hardest things I was rarely able to achieve in my former life as a manager (managing both up and down); building a workplace that acknowledges and supports all 4 pieces. It’s tough to explain to your boss, for example, who’s singular internal viewpoint is very different from the collective of the front-line staff (let’s say), why the behavior we see is not the behavior we want.
Anyway, this is interesting stuff. Looking forward to hearing more!
Your reflections are so helpful, Jodi. Thanks! And yes, there is a complex relationship between the individual and plural, especially in the “inner” life. That tension is a key component of many theories of adult human development (which I’ll spin into a future discussion).
Another perspective is that you don’t have to “encourage the collective,” it’s already there. People already share a rich tapestry of inner collective lives (their family cultural heritage, the experience groups they identify with, their faith communities, and so on). What if the arts organization’s job was not to draw people INTO an inner plural, but to find and foster an inner plural that already exists in the world?
To your second point, that is intriguing – so the individual artist who’s work forms the basis of presentation (not that it has to be that way, but much of it is, right now) is in that plural and not trying to “change” how that plural is thinking?
Yes, although this model gets really metaphysical really fast. The individual artist lives in all four quadrants, so does any individual observer, so does the “system” of the live performance with artist and audience, so does the building they’re in, and the community around them. Further, ‘thinking’ is only one piece of the inner singular and plural, which includes any and all sensations, impulses, feelings, dreams, and motivations that constitute the lived experience.
In my mind, it’s not so much that we “change” the inner plural, but that we invoke, connect, reflect, and inform it.
But I think artistic practice is significantly about translating across these quadrants, bringing the inner and subjective into the outer and objective world.
Kate Scorza Ingram says
This is such an exciting perspective to consider and I love the tree visual. It reminded me of Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham’s Johari window – but taken further to think about not just the individual but the collective and the larger implications of the blind spots and unknowns. Thank you so much for sharing this and allowing us to be part of your thinking. It is so exciting to hear where your research and work is leading you these days.
Thanks Kate! I’ll explore the Luft/Ingham materials. Grateful for the referral.
Paul Smith says
This is, at its essence, as brilliant as Wilber in making the the extremely complicated digestible. I have written two internationally acclaimed books on Integral Christianity (Integral Christianity-The Spirit’s Call to Evolve and Is Your God Big Enough? Close Enough? You Enough? Jesus and the Three Faces of God), both endorsed by Wilber who also wrote the Afterword to the second. I have taught Integral Christianity all around the country. I usually skip the four quadrants and start with the Big Three because people can barely grasp the latter. Wish I had your version before and will now make use of it with credit to you, in my organization (integralchristiannetwork.com) which is in process, and my website (www.revpaulsmith.com).
How lovely! Thank you. I’m not sure that Mr. Wilber would endorse this approach, since I rotate the order of his quadrants. He has many important reasons for placing the inner (subjective) quadrants on the left and the outer (objective) quadrants on the right. But I’ve found that a simple rotation makes everything clearer and more resonant with people’s lived experience. Inner is “underground” and outer is “above ground” — which also happens to connect to a full palette of poetic works.
So grateful that you found this useful.
richard swaim says
Good morning, I’m intrigued by your four stories approach. I’ve use a 3 x 3 model to help understand organizational behavior. I’ve been addicted to Graham Allison’s model of decision making from his Essence of Decision text. The three modes-Rational Actor, Organizational Process and Bureaucratic Politics form the horizontal while the vertical axis is defined by Social, Economic and Political as motives for behavior. Allison concludes his work by saying that a combination of his three models form a Fourth in which all factors influence decision making behavior. My addiction to Allison stems from my indoctrination by Simon’s Administrative Behavior as my first reading on organizational behavior. Thanks again for your “Four Stories”. Richard Swaim
Thanks so much for this comment, and this pointer to Allison’s work. I’ll go take a look!
Sandy O'Gorman says
Thank you Andrew. This explains why it is so challenging, perhaps impossible, to lead organizations and people through change unless you consider all 4 stories. Also thought of the Johari window while listening to you. Sandy
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Heather Good on The Complexity Fetish: “Andrew, this is why all administrators need to also be artists: because art offers us so many ways to "ease…” Apr 19, 11:26
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Andrew Taylor on Paying attention: “How cool to ponder on the expressive practices that might inform or inspire those three elements of the attentional system!…” Apr 5, 18:57
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CHINA - VATICAN
The "tranquil" ordination of Msgr. Peter Ding Lingbin, bishop of Changzhi
by Maria Yuan
The ordination was attended by about 2 thousand people; many non-Christians looked on from the street. Security was discreet. Rules imposed on the eve very strict. All of the ordaining bishops are in communion with the Pope. The Holy See mandate read in private; that of the council of Chinese bishops read in public.
Changzhi (AsiaNews) - This morning at 8am the episcopal ordination of Msgr. Peter Ding Lingbin (丁玲斌) as bishop of Changzhi (Shanxi) took place in a "very tranquil" manner. Msgr. Ding, 54, is an adult vocation and as a youth graduated in medicine and worked as a doctor in the city hospital.
At least 2 thousand people attended the ceremony, including hundreds of priests and dozens of nuns who arrived from neighboring dioceses. Several hundred worshipers were present in the church, while the majority took part from the outside. There were many non-Christians onlookers in the street in front of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, where the liturgy was held.
The faithful were allowed to enter the church and attend the celebration without many problems. An AsiaNews source said that "security was very discreet". In the days previous to the ordination, the local authorities had placed strict conditions on participation: The need to show a pass, identification, the ban on smartphones and taking pictures, etc ... But this morning people were able to enter the church and gather without too much trouble. And at the end of the ceremony, many took pictures with their mobile phones. "Maybe it's because the civil authorities understood that we just wanted to attend mass," said a source for AsiaNews. "And then, if they had stopped the people, it is likely that they would have aroused the anger of the faithful."
The ordaining bishops were all in communion with the Pope: Msgr. Giuseppe Li Shan, Archbishop of Beijing, who presided over the celebration; Msgr. Meng Ningyou Taiyuan (Shanxi); Msgr. Wu Junwei Yuncheng (Jiangzhou, Shanxi), Msgr. Li Shuguang of Nanchang (Jiangxi); Msgr. Zhang Yinlin Anyang (Henan). The ordination was also attended by the Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Changzhi, Msgr. Jin Daoyuan.
In recent weeks, following the announcement of this ordination, there were rumors that it was the first fruit of an "imminent" agreement between China and the Vatican, for years engaged in a dialogue to find a common path in the appointment and ordination of bishops. In fact, Msgr. Ding had been approved by the Holy See more than two years ago, even before any agreement. Beijing’s approval came in recent weeks. Two years ago the diocese was visited by Wang Zuoan, from the State Administration for Religious Affairs.
As is the case for several years, the papal letter sent to Msgr. Ding was read in private, to the priests; the letter of the Council of Chinese Bishops was read in public.
At the end of the ceremony, Msgr. Ding thanked the bishops, priests, religious and the faithful present at the ceremony, as well as officials of the United Front and Religious Affairs Bureau present. "Of course - he says the source of AsiaNews - he thanked the Pope in his heart."
(Photos: Diocese of Changzhi)
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Dear Vatican, what should we do about the Patriotic Association?
Changzhi: Everything ready for the ordination of former doctor Msgr. Peter Ding Lingbin
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Nothing natural about nature’s steep decline: WWF report reveals staggering extent of human impact on planet
Humanity and the way we feed, fuel and finance our societies and economies is pushing nature and the services that power and sustain us to the brink, according to WWF’s Living Planet Report 2018.
The Living Planet Index indicates that global populations of vertebrate species have, on average, declined in size by 60 per cent in just over 40 years.
The biggest drivers of current biodiversity loss are overexploitation and agriculture, both linked to continually increasing human consumption.
Runaway human consumption is severely undermining nature’s ability to power and sustain our lives, societies and economies: globally, nature provides services for humanity worth around US$125 trillion a year.
Given the interconnectivity between the health of nature, the well-being of people and the future of our planet, WWF urges the global community to unite for a global deal for nature and people to reverse the trend of biodiversity loss.
Gland/Geneva, 30 October 2018 - Humanity and the way we feed, fuel and finance our societies and economies is pushing nature and the services that power and sustain us to the brink, according to WWF’s Living Planet Report 2018. The report, released today, presents a sobering picture of the impact of human activity on the world’s wildlife, forests, oceans, rivers and climate, underlining the rapidly closing window for action and the urgent need for the global community to collectively rethink and redefine how we value, protect and restore nature.
The Living Planet Report 2018 presents a comprehensive overview of the state of our natural world, twenty years after the flagship report was first published. Through indicators such as the Living Planet Index (LPI), provided by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the Species Habitat Index (SHI), the IUCN Red List Index (RLI) and the Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII), as well as Planetary Boundaries and the Ecological Footprint, the report paints a singular disturbing picture: human activity is pushing the planet’s natural systems that support life on earth to the edge.
“Science is showing us the harsh reality our forests, oceans and rivers are enduring at our hands. Inch by inch and species by species, shrinking wildlife numbers and wild places are an indicator of the tremendous impact and pressure we are exerting on the planet, undermining the very living fabric that sustains us all: nature and biodiversity,” said Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International.
The LPI, which tracks trends in global wildlife abundance, indicates that global populations of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles declined, on average, by 60 per cent between 1970 and 2014, the most recent year with available data. The top threats to species identified in the report are directly linked to human activities, including habitat loss and degradation and overexploitation of wildlife.
“From rivers and rainforests, to mangroves and mountainsides, across the planet our work shows that wildlife abundance has declined dramatically since 1970. The statistics are scary, but all hope is not lost. We have an opportunity to design a new path forward that allows us to co-exist sustainably with the wildlife we depend upon. Our report sets out an ambitious agenda for change. We are going to need your help to achieve it,” said Prof. Ken Norris, Director of Science at ZSL (Zoological Society of London).
Human activity undermining nature’s ability to support humanity
Over recent decades, human activity has also severely impacted the habitats and natural resources wildlife and humanity depend on such as oceans, forests, coral reefs, wetlands and mangroves. 20 per cent of the Amazon has disappeared in just 50 years while the earth is estimated to have lost about half of its shallow water corals in the past 30 years.
While highlighting the extent and impact of human activity on nature, the Living Planet Report 2018 also focuses on the importance and value of nature to people’s health and well-being and that of our societies and economies. Globally, nature provides services worth around US$125 trillion a year, while also helping ensure the supply of fresh air, clean water, food, energy, medicines and other products and materials.
The report specifically looks at the importance of pollinators which are responsible for US$ 235-577 billion in crop production per year, and how a changing climate, intensive agricultural practices, invasive species and emerging diseases have impacted their abundance, diversity and health.
“Nature has been silently sustaining and powering our societies and economies for centuries, and continues to do so today. In return, the world has continued to take nature and its services for granted, failing to act against the accelerating loss of nature. It is time we realized that a healthy, sustainable future for all is only possible on a planet where nature thrives and forests, oceans and rivers are teeming with biodiversity and life,” added Lambertini. “We need to urgently rethink how we use and value nature - culturally, economically and on our political agendas. We need to think of nature as beautiful and inspirational, but also as indispensable. We - and the planet - need a new global deal for nature and people now.”
A roadmap for action on nature - for 2020 and beyond
Evidence shows that the two agendas - for the environment and human development - must converge if we are to build a sustainable future for all. The Living Planet Report 2018 highlights the opportunity the global community has to protect and restore nature leading up to 2020, a critical year when leaders are expected to review the progress made on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
WWF is calling on people, businesses and governments to mobilize and deliver on a comprehensive framework agreement for nature and people under the CBD, one that galvanizes public and private action to protect and restore global biodiversity and nature and bend the curve on the devastating trends highlighted in the Living Planet Report 2018.
Chapter 4 of the report is inspired by a paper titled ‘Aiming higher to bend the curve of biodiversity loss’ which suggests a roadmap for the targets, indicators and metrics the 196 member states of the CBD could consider to deliver an urgent, ambitious and effective global agreement for nature, as the world did for climate in Paris, when they meet at the 14th Conference of the Parties to the CBD in Egypt in November 2018.
The CBD CoP14 will bring together world leaders, businesses and civil society to develop the post-2020 framework for action for global biodiversity and thus marks a milestone moment to set the groundwork for an urgently needed global deal for nature and people.
Living Planet Report 2018 is the twelfth edition of WWF's biennial flagship publication. The report includes the latest findings measured by the Living Planet Index tracking 16,704 populations of 4,005 vertebrate species from 1970 to 2014.
---ends---
The Living Planet Report 2018 consists of contributions from 59 authors from 26 different institutions working in academia, policy, international development and conservation. You may access the complete list of authors and the full report here (contributors are listed in the front of the report). A summary version and 'At a glance' factsheet' are also available on the same link. Images and footages are available here.
More information about the ‘Aiming higher to bend the curve of biodiversity loss’ paper written by Georgina M. Mace, University College London; Mike Barrett, WWF-UK; Neil D. Burgess, UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre and Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, University of Copenhagen ; Sarah E. Cornell, Stockholm Resilience Centre; Robin Freeman, ZSL (Zoological Society of London), Monique Grooten, WWF-Netherlands; and Andy Purvis, Natural History Museum, UK can be found here.
For further information and interview requests, please contact:
Rucha Naware | WWF International | rnaware@wwfint.org and news@wwfint.org; +32465751339
Richard Arcari | ZSL Senior Communications Officer | +44 2074496246; Richard.Arcari@zsl.org
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries and territories. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Visit www.panda.org/news for the latest news and media resources and follow us on Twitter @WWF_media
ZSL (Zoological Society of London) is an international conservation charity working to create a world where wildlife thrives. From investigating the health threats facing animals to helping people and wildlife live alongside each other, ZSL is committed to bringing wildlife back from the brink of extinction. Our work is realised through our ground-breaking science, our field conservation around the world and engaging millions of people through our two zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. For more information, visit www.zsl.org.
WWF's Living Planet Report 2018 reveals the staggering extent of human impact on the planet
© Shutterstock / wawritto / WWF
LPR 2018 At A Glance
Over recent decades, human activity has severely impacted the habitats and natural resources wildlife and humanity depend on such as oceans, forests, coral reefs, wetlands and mangroves.
© Shutterstock / Piyaset / WWF
Globally, nature provides services worth around US$125 trillion a year, while also helping ensure the supply of fresh air, clean water, food, energy, medicines and other products and materials.
© © Green Renaissance / WWF-US
The Living Planet Report 2018 underlines the importance and value of nature to people’s health and well-being and that of our societies and economies.
© © Karine Aigner / WWF-US
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Faculty Members To Present Research at Judd Hill Cotton Field Day, Aug. 30
TRUMANN, Ark. – Several researchers from Arkansas State University will be involved with the annual Cotton Field Day at the Judd Hill Cooperative Research Station near Trumann, Thursday, Aug. 30, according to Dr. Donald (Bud) Kennedy, interim dean of the College of Agriculture and Technology.
The luncheon will be moderated by Mike Gibson, trustee for the Judd Hill Foundation. Guest speakers are Congressman Rick Crawford (introduced by Dr. Charles Welch, president of the ASU System) and Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Butch Calhoun (introduced by Dr. Mark Cochran, vice president for agriculture, University of Arkansas System).
One of the field tours on cotton sustainability will be presented by Dr. Tina Gray Teague, professor of entomology and plant science. She will cover tillage, fertilization, irrigation, and COTMAN, a crop information system based on in season plant monitoring.
Dr. Michele Reba, research hydrologist representing the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and National Sedimentation Laboratory, will present a field tour on “Soil Moisture Monitoring in Cotton.” Dr. Reba is based at the Arkansas Biosciences Institute at ASU.
Research displays will be in the conference room and the tent behind the headquarters building at the plantation.
ASU faculty members who will present research displays and their subjects are:
Dr. Jennifer Bouldin, associate professor of environmental biology and director of ecotoxicology, “Watershed Studies: Water Quality and Biological Indicators.”
Dr. Kevin Humphrey, assistant professor of agricultural education, “Oil Seed Bi Products: Farm Scale Processing and Production.”
Dr. Keith Morris, associate professor of spatial technologies, “Soil Electrical Conductivity and Veris Soil Mapping System – Spatial Technology Tools for Zone Management.”
Dr. Cal Shumway, associate professor of agronomy, and Dr. Teague, “Cotton Sustainability – Nitrogen Fertilizer and Irrigation Interactions in Cotton.”
Dr. Mary Jackson Pitts, professor of radio-television, “Judd Hill Cotton Research Highlights – Student Video Projects from the ASU Department of Radio-Television.”
Arkansas State University has had a long-term relationship with the Judd Hill Foundation to promote mutual research interests. In 1994 and in 2004, respectively, the Foundation established two academic chairs at ASU, the Judd Hill Chair in Environmental Biology and the Judd Hill Chair in Agricultural Biotechnology.
The foundation contributed to the maintenance endowment for the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Health Sciences and provided funding for Judd Hill Center, home of the Arkansas State University Foundation, Inc., on Alumni Blvd.
Judd Hill Foundation also is a sponsor for the College of Agriculture and Technology’s annual Agri-Business Conference.
For additional information about the 2012 Cotton Field Day at Judd Hill, see the news release (included below) from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
Judd Hill Cotton Field Day to showcase research and new technology
(from University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture)
TRUMANN, Ark. -- The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture 2012 Cotton Field Day on Aug. 30 at the Judd Hill Cooperative Research Station near Trumann will feature an array of field research and programs of interest to farmers. Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas and newly appointed Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Butch Calhoun will be keynote speakers. "This annual field day is a great opportunity for cotton people to learn about research and technology that could benefit them," said Fred Bourland, director of the Division of Agriculture's Northeast Research and Extension Center at Keiser.
"I am very grateful to the Judd Hill Foundation for making some of the best cotton land in the Mid-South available for cooperative research by scientists from Arkansas State University, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, other agencies and agribusinesses," said Bourland, who also directs the Division's cotton breeding program.
Registration will begin at 9 a.m. The field tour will depart from the Judd Hill office at 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. A variety of displays and demonstrations will also be provided.
The farm is on Highway 214, about five miles south of Trumann. Farm Credit Services, Dixie Gin, and the Judd Hill Foundation will provide a complementary lunch to conclude the program.
Scientists from the Division of Agriculture, Arkansas State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will show their research plots and discuss cotton variety testing and breeding, soil moisture monitoring, cotton sustainability, seedling disease, plant root health, plant growth regulator products and the effects of high temperature stress in cotton.
Visitors can also visit with representatives from Cotton Incorporated on fiber quality and variety selection; the Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service on the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Water Initiative and conservation and drought issues; the White River Irrigation District on wireless pump control systems; ASU faculty on watershed studies, special technology tools, and cotton sustainability; Division of Agriculture faculty on end-of-season management and online crop production budgets; and seed companies regarding seed for 2013.
Judd Hill Plantation began as a wedding gift from Judd Hill to his daughter, Ester, and her husband, Sam Chapin, who created one of the largest contiguous farms in Poinsett County. In 1985, Ester Hill Chapin established the Judd Hill Foundation for the purpose of research, experimentation and the dissemination of information to the public on progressive techniques in farming. Today, the farm produces 3,800 acres of cotton annually.
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Air Products Unveils Advanced Gas Applications Lab at Shanghai Technology Center
News ReleaseAir Products Unveils Advanced Gas Applications Lab at Shanghai Technology Center
Expanded Capacity and New Fabrication Capability Will Support China’s High-growth Industrial Gas Applications Market
December 18, 2012 Lehigh Valley, Pa.
Air Products (NYSE: APD) today announced the opening of an advanced gas applications laboratory within its Asia Technology Center in the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park in Shanghai, China. The new lab will further strengthen the center’s research and development (R&D) capabilities to support the increasing needs of high-growth markets in China and across Asia.
The new lab represents a significant expansion of the Asia Technology Center. The 1200-square-meter advanced gas laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art R&D capabilities for a wide range of high-growth markets including those stipulated in China’s 12th Five-year Plan. They include metals processing and fabrication, electronics packaging and assembly, and industrial cryogenics.
The laboratory also features a newly-added welding center to accelerate the development of welding technologies and applications for the sustainable development of China’s strategic metal fabrication market. The market is the biggest in the world, driven by the rapid development of the machinery, aerospace, mining equipment, petrochemical and automotive industries. The welding center also serves as a platform for live demonstrations by Air Products’ fabrication applications specialists.
“We are excited to unveil this advanced gas applications laboratory in China as part of the company’s long-term commitment to drive growth in energy, environmental and emerging markets through innovation and technology development,” said Jeffrey Kramer, vice president and chief technology officer of Air Products. “Innovation has been a cornerstone of Air Products for over 70 years. It gives us the ability to continue finding new ways to help make our world more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. Our expanded gas capabilities will better position us to meet customers’ unique needs in China and Asia with speed, cost efficiency and product quality.”
The Asia Technology Center was founded in 2005 with an initial focus on the company’s performance materials business, and was previously expanded to support its industrial gases businesses as well. The company has recently completed another phase of expansion to extend existing capabilities for gas applications and add a new welding center. The technology center is currently the second-largest R&D facility for the company in the world.
As an industrial gases technology leader, Air Products has been playing a key role in leading the R&D development of China’s industrial gases industry in various ways, such as R&D partnerships, scholarships, and recruitment programs with leading universities and institutes. It has launched joint research programs with Tianjin University, Zhejiang University, China University of Geosciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jilin University, the University of Science and Technology Beijing, and South China University of Technology focusing on the development of various upfront technologies. Recently, the company announced its scholarship program with Xi’an Jiaotong University to award outstanding and innovative students in the School of Energy and Power Engineering, and the School of Materials Science and Engineering.
Air Products (NYSE:APD) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. More than 20,000 employees in over 50 countries supply innovative solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2012, Air Products had sales of approaching $10 billion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.
Renee Giello
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Home>Destinations>Europe>Top 10 Tourist Attractions of Florence
Europe Italy
Top 10 Tourist Attractions of Florence
Florence is the capital and most-populous city of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is located in the north central part of the country. Once the center of a major trade route, Florence has over the years earned the attention of the world for its stunning Renaissance architecture. The city attracts millions of visitors every year. This artistic and architectural gem was once ranked as one of the most beautiful cities in the world by Forbes. Here is a look at 10 of the city’s top tourist attractions.
The Palazzo Pitti, or, the Pitti Palace, is located on the south bank of the River Arno. This majestic Renaissance palace was built in the mid-15th century and served as a royal residence until the beginning of the 20th century. It is now a state-owned complex and has been transformed into the largest museum of the city. It is home to artworks by several legendary artists including Raphael, Paul Rubens, and Titian. The palace is located on an elevated area which offers a beautiful view of the city of Florence.
Boboli Gardens
The Boboli Gardens is a beautifully landscaped garden that is located behind the Palazzo Pitti. This Italianesque garden was created in the 16th century by the Medici family. Boboli Gardens is sprinkled with many sculpted artworks dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Aesthetically laid out pathways and fountains enhance the beauty of the place. The gardens went through several restructuring and enlargements over the years. One of the popular attractions of the Boboli Gardens is its outdoor museum displaying Roman antiquities.
This is a very popular public square located in the Oltarno district of the city. It is on the south bank of the River Arno and is visited for its beautiful panoramic views of the city on the opposite bank of the river. The square was designed by Giuseppe Poggi in the mid 19th century, who is also credited for creating several other boulevards in the city. The square is dedicated to Michelangelo and there are several copies of his sculpted artworks on display in the square, including a bronze cast of David.
The Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of the oldest and largest churches in the city of Florence. It is believed to have been consecrated in the year 393. The church has served as the burial place for all the major members of the powerful Medici family. The present building was designed in the 15th century in a Renaissance style of architecture by Filippo Brunelleschi. Interestingly, the construction of the church was never fully completed. It is for this reason that the interior reflects a neo-classical splendor while the outer façade is rather plain and rustic.
The Palazzo Vecchio is one of the most historically significant buildings in the city of Florence. It was built in the 12th century and was home to the Medici family. It was transformed into a museum and town hall in 1872. The impressive palace is located on the Piazza della Signoria and has a steady flow of visitors for its huge collections of art works and artifacts. Inside the palace, you will see stunning frescoes and painted ceiling depicting various Biblical and historical events.
The Piazza della Signoria is one of the most beautiful and historically significant squares in Florence. For centuries, the square served as a center for politics of this Italian city. It was also witness to numerous historic events of Florence. Today, the square is nothing short of an open museum. It is dotted with replicas of several famous sculptures like the statue of David, Hercules, and the Fountain of Neptune. Notable attractions in and around the square include the Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Uguccioni, Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio bridge, and the Loggia de Lanzi. The Galileo Museum and the Bargello National Museum are also within walking distance from the Square.
The huge domed cathedral that dominates the skyline of the city of Florence is the Cattedrale Santa Maria del Fiore, or the Florence Cathedral. Construction of the cathedral started in 1296 but was completed much later in 1436. The dome of the cathedral was the largest in the world for several centuries after its completion. It remains the largest brick dome in the world. It is located in Piazza del Duomo and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Ponte Vecchio is one of the most notable landmarks in the city of Florence. It is a historic stone bridge across the River Arno at its narrowest point. The bridge, one of the oldest in the city, is easily recognized with its three arches. The present structure was built in the 14th century. In the medieval period, bridges often had shops built on them. Ponte Vecchio is no different. The only difference is that the meat shops have been replaced by jewelry stores, art stores, and souvenir stores. Visit the riverside after sundown when the bridge is beautifully lit up.
Galleria dell’Accademia
Statue of David in Galleria dell’Accademia
The Galleria dell’Accademia, or, the Gallery of the Academy, is one of the first stops for art lovers visiting the city of Florence. It is home to many art works by the legendary artist Michelangelo including his iconic sculpture David. The gallery also has a few of Michelangelo’s unfinished paintings and sculptures. The Galleria dell’Accademia was founded in 1784 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany Pietro Leopoldo and has since been visited by millions of art lovers. Other than the works of Michelangelo, the gallery also features major artworks from artists like Sandro Botticelli, Giambologna and Paolo Uccello, to name a few.
The Uffizi Gallery is considered to be one of the foremost art galleries in the world. This major tourist attraction is located just south of the Piazza della Signoria, on the bank of the River Arno. This museum, one of the largest in Italy, is world renowned for its priceless collection of artworks from the Italian Renaissance period. It is housed in a palatial building from 1581 and attracts a footfall of around 2 million every year. The museum was opened to the public in 1765. It features works by some of the most famous artists of the world including Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, and Titian, to name a few.
Tagged Basilica di San Lorenzo, Best Florence travel guide, Best places to visit in Florence, Boboli Gardens, Florence attractions, Florence attractions top 10, Florence Cathedral, Florence points of interest, Florence tourist attractions, Florence tourist attractions near me, Florence travel, Florence travel guide, Florence travel tips, Florence trip, Galleria dell'Accademia, Must see places in Florence, Palazzo Pitti, Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Piazzale Michelangelo, Places in Florence near me, Places in Florence to visit near me, Places to see in Florence, Places to visit in Florence, Ponte Vecchio, Things in Florence near me, Things to do in Florence, Things to do in Florence near me, Things to see in Florence, Uffizi Gallery, Visit Florence
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Between Books - Seven Summits
As I have read through books about the Eisner Era one impression that I felt solid about was that Frank Wells was a world class mountain climber. The late Disney President had passion and skill in this high risk sport. Well, this is wrong. Because in Wells “own” words one can find an excellent account of his mountain climbing adventures that shows that Wells was an amateur and inept mountain climber. But what he did have was determination.
Seven Summits by Dick Bass, Frank Wells, and Rick Ridgeway outlines the 1983 attempt by Bass and Wells to climb the highest peak on every continent within a year. The logistical and physical feat is impressive itself, but would also set records like the oldest man to climb Mount Everest. The book discusses how the two men both came to the idea to climb all seven peaks, how they met and the unlikely partnership that formed between Bass the commercial property developer and Wells the Hollywood executive. The book follows the attempts they made on each mountain, including failed attempts on Everest. In the end, only one of the two climbers would complete the challenge, but both men would be changed forever.
I do not typically read books about mountain climbing or even adventures set in nature. But regardless, Seven Summits was highly entertaining and gripping to read. The book itself was written by Ridgeway, who joined Bass and Wells on some of the climbs. Ridgeway does an excellent job of putting together a detailed story about the efforts of these two men. And with Ridgeway being a mountain climber who understands that pastime, the book is highly accurate and informative. A comment I made to the Between Wife throughout the read was mountain climbing is not for me, it is too much work. One thinks of climbs as being quick, not realizing the work needed to get to the peak. In 1983, Wells and Bass spent most of their year in tents and huts, not comfy beds, as they moved their gear from camp to camp. A climb on Everest or Mount Vinson in Antarctica takes weeks as one must establish bases before the assent to the peak can begin.
This story is an adventure. Not everyone survives these climbs. And some climbers come away with amputations. It only makes it more remarkable that Wells survived 1983 when you realize his low skill level compared to the world class climbers he worked with. Knowing that Wells had not yet taken his position at Disney did not lower my stress level as I worried his actions would cost the lives of other climbers.
It is because of Frank Wells that I wanted to read this book, in fact the only reason I picked it up. And this is a very different version of Wells than I have read in Disney business histories. This Wells is the main who gave up leadership of Warner Brothers to climb mountains. And he is a climber who is highly inexperienced, not really in shape, cannot care for himself, and at times reckless. He is also a man who proved to be relentless in completing a task he was not qualified for. And a man who found satisfaction in the attempt alone. He would not make it to the top of Everest, but one gets the feeling that the knowledge that he had his shot was satisfying in its own way. You have to give respect to a man whose determination was what kept him pushing to the top if each mountain. We also get to see the Wells who is between jobs. He is a man who needs work, hopefully in 1984. That job would be Disney. And as we watch Wells work the phone to complete the impossible logistics of setting up climbs in places like Antarctica, well his operational skills rise to the top.
Seven Summits is a great adventure story. The adventure will keep you glued to the pages, especially if like me you were riding the Matterhorn Bobsleds with its Wells’ tribute on the same days you read this text. And for a fan of Disney history this is a very different take on Frank Wells than we expect of the man who excelled in the Board room.
Labels: Between Books, Dick Bass, Eisner Era, Frank Wells, Mount Everest, Mountain Climbing, Rick Ridgeway, The Matterhorn
Between Books - The Keys to the Kingdom
The Keys to the Kingdom: How Michael Eisner Lost His Grip by Kim Masters outlines the show business career of Michael Eisner including how his tenure at Disney began to disintegrate. Written while Eisner was still entrenched in Disney leadership, the book does not chronicle the complete fall of the CEO/President but does show the missteps he took that eventually led to his fall. The book is not a complete story but a highly dense and dispassionate description of Eisner’s leadership.
Masters focuses on the career of Michael Eisner. So compared to other books on the Eisner Era there is less information about the Board decisions that led to Eisner’s rise to leadership. Instead more space is given to his roles at ABC, where he developed Happy Days, and Paramount Pictures, which like his time at Disney did not end on good terms. Masters then goes into great detail on Eisner’s time at Disney especially the film slates that he developed with Jeffrey Katzenberg. The book concludes with a lengthy discussion of the Katzenberg-Eisner breakup and the compensation dispute that emerged.
With a subtitle that includes, “Lost His Grip” I expected the book to be extremely slanted against Eisner. Instead I found it to be dispassionate and factual. Yes there are a lot of failures detailed but they seem to be more fact and figures than the judgment expected from the title. It really is the Katzenberg-Eisner relationship that the book does document in great depth, including narrations of compensation trial proceedings. One cannot help but feel confused and saddened as the discussion breaks into he said/he said recollections with the one man who may have been able to end this issue, Frank Wells, deceased. And of course no one wanted to disparage Wells’ character. One cannot ignore the irony that Eisner who made sure to get his payout from Paramount immediately in a check that cleared the bank while he waited, blocked Katzenberg from receiving his contractually guaranteed bonus.
Detail is really the strong point of this very dense book. From the compensation trial to the fatal helicopter crash that took Frank Wells’ life there is lots of depth in this book. It does have a smaller focus than a book like Disney War. But what it does cover is done in great great detail and adds to books that discuss wider timeframes.
Labels: Between Books, Eisner Era, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Kim Masters, Michael Eisner
Between Books - Prince of the Magic Kingdom
Joe Flower in Prince of the Magic Kingdom: Michael Eisner and the Re-Making of Disney provides a positive account of Eisner’s early Disney tenure. However, the book does not add much to the story of Michael Eisner at Disney. And as a text filled with factual errors and fallacies, this book is my least favorite account of the Eisner Era!
Prince of the Magic Kingdom is a pretty straightforward book. In 300 pages, Flower provides a background chapter on Walt Disney and his formation and expansion of his company. He provides a short biography of Eisner from childhood to Paramount. This is followed by the story of how Eisner and Frank Wells came into Disney leadership. The Flower discusses in several chapters Eisner’s first seven years at Disney. This is followed by a discussion of problems during the Eisner Era. He concludes with a prediction that the Eisner/Disney story will have a happy ending!
There are two things I find really difficult to deal with in this book. They are facts and assumptions. Erroneous facts include but are not limited to that there is no forced perspective in Walt Disney World, that the movie Howard the Duck was animated in the same way as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and that the Hollywood focused theme park in Florida is the Disney-MGM Studio Tour (shortened in the index to Studio Tour). Flower is the only author that I have read who has shortened Stanley Gold’s name to Stan Gold. And on page 12 he states that Roy O. Disney was 13 years older than Walt, and 8 years on page 51 (the correct age gap). The second issue is assumptions. These include that Walt Disney was cryogenically frozen, that Roy O. Disney served as an obstacle to all of Walt Disney’s endeavors, that Michael Eisner revived Julia Roberts’ career in Pretty Woman (her 6th film released in her first 3 years of big screen stardom), and so many more that just put my teeth on edge.
Additionally troubling to me is that this book at times feels like a title about Imagineer Randy Bright and not Eisner. Flower uses numerous Bright quotes, who was likely one of the few insiders to speak to him. These quotes begin to make it feel like this book is not about Eisner but about edifying Bright. More sources could really have been helpful. There are enough factual errors and bad interpretation that some of his statements really require a source to back his facts that I have not seen elsewhere. He does cite Storming the Magic Kingdom as his source for chapter six, which is great because the chapter reads like a summary of that better researched and written book.
Flower’s biography is written seven years into the Eisner/Wells era. So none of the “bad” choices have happened yet and Eisner was still the hit of Hollywood. And Wells was still in the leadership partnership. With this being said, Flower’s writing comes off as the writing of a fan, not a journalist or impartial historian. I think the use of the word Prince in the title says it all. Flower writes as someone who is a fan and his attempt at the end of the book to be more critical of Eisner fails. This is especially true since some of the warts he provides were not directly related to Eisner. While other books written later in Eisner’s career are highly critical, following the wave of the day. Flower is on the other end of the criticism spectrum and at times it feels like Eisner could do no wrong. And as noted he does incorrectly predict that Eisner would have a happy ending at Disney!
Of all the Michael Eisner related books that I have read recently, Prince of the Magic Kingdom is honestly the one I would avoid. There are factual errors and author assumptions that one should simply steer clear of. When I think of those quickly written biographies of Disney stars of the moment, much like we saw with the Jonas Brothers, I see Prince of the Magic Kingdom as the Eisner equivalent!
Labels: Between Books, Eisner Era, Frank Wells, Joe Flower, Michael Eisner, Randy Bright
Between Books - Camp
Former Disney Chief Executive Officer Michael Eisner recounts his nostalgia for a key portion of his childhood in Camp. Eisner’s family has a long standing relationship with Camp Keeywaydin in Vermont, a camp for boys that teaches canoeing, sports and other lifetime skills. Eisner tells the story of Camp Keeywaydin through the lens of several people. First, he tells his story with the camp from the first day his father introduced the camp to him and invited him to follow his footsteps as a camper. Second, he tells the story of two Orange County, California, youth who travel across country to leave their urban home for the wilds of Vermont. Third he tells the story of Alfred “Waboos” Hare, the late co-owner and camp director of Camp Keeywaydin who spent the majority of his life from childhood to his death at age 96 in 2011 investing in young people through his support of the camp. Eisner weaves between these stories in trying to provide a picture of the importance of camp experiences in the development of young people.
Camp is a love letter. Eisner was greatly impacted by his years at Camp Keeywaydin as both a camper and staff and believes that Waboos helped shape Eisner into the man that he became. Additionally, Camp was written as a distraction as it was composed during a time in which Eisner was under fire as the leader of the Walt Disney Company. So Eisner’s focus is firmly on Camp Keeywaydin with only a few glancing references to Disney properties. Eisner does succeed in sharing his love of the camp experience and his belief that it helped shape him and others into becoming men. For the Disney fan who is looking to understand Michael Eisner better, one will be satisfied. But for the Disney fan wanting more of the inside story of Disney leadership, one will be greatly disappointed.
The story itself is somewhat uneven. Eisner weaves between the story of several campers including himself. The chapters are not exactly in parallel throughout the book and each camper does not receive equal time in Eisner’s presentation. The writing however is very clear and easy to read. Eisner uses stories from camp to help demonstrate how adult values, such as honor, were taught through experiences at Camp Keeywaydin.
In the final analysis Camp helps readers to better understand the passions of author Michael Eisner. However, it does not provide great insight into the entertainment industry or Disney history. My most shocking revelation in the book was that Eisner’s son Breck directed the move Sahara, which I love! Those interested in the outdoors and the camp experience will likely enjoy this book. As a former camp counselor I honestly found it shocking that I never related any of my own experiences with Eisner’s. But those wanting to dig into the Disney experience will likely be disappointed.
Labels: Between Books, Breck Eisner, Camp Keeywaydin, Eisner Era, Michael Eisner
Between Books - Work in Progress
Work in Progress: Risking Failure, Surviving Success by Michael Eisner with Tony Schwartz covers the life and career of the former Disney CEO and President up until 1998 when Eisner was still under Disney employment. The book covers Eisner’s family and childhood, college years, and his early days in the entertainment business. The text outlines Eisner’s career at ABC and how he rose to a place of prominence where he caught the eye of key Disney stakeholders who proposed the partnership of Eisner as CEO and Frank Wells as President to help revive the Walt Disney Company in 1984. The authors then detail the key decisions that Eisner and Wells made in film, television, and theme parks to spark a renaissance of Disney creative content. Eisner describes his reaction to Wells’ death in 1994 and the interpersonal problems that emerged with head of Disney film production Jeffrey Katzenberg and Wells’ replacement Michael Ovitz. The book closes with Disney acquiring its own television network ABC and a statement by Eisner that he was entering a period of remaking Disney again. Ironically, one of the executives mentioned in those final pages Bob Iger would have a key role in this revisioning and leadership after Eisner’s departure.
The first question as one looks at the cover is what does “with” mean for the authorship of this book. The book is written from Eisner’s point of view. And Eisner recorded tapes of himself speaking on his life for Schwartz to use when crafting the book. Additionally, Schwartz both interviewed Eisner and Eisner associates, even following Eisner around as he went through his daily Disney duties. The heavy lifting of crafting the paragraphs and sentences was completed by Schwartz. But this is still Eisner’s book. The book contains his opinions, his memories and his perspective. And it is Eisner who had final approval.
Work in Progress is a very straight forward narrative that is shaped by Eisner’s opinions. So as a historian, one must note that pro-Eisner bias the book contains. The book was relatively slow reading for me as it moved from event to event. But I think a big part of the pacing was the formatting. The type is relatively small and each page is packed with words. So, I would warn you do not expect to go racing through this book.
Yes, this is Eisner’s book. So in those disagreements that he had with Katzenberg and Ovitz, it is his side of the story that makes the pages. I have my own opinions with both circumstances whom was more to blame in each of these dysfunctional relationships. But I think almost everyone would have to agree all parties had some blame. The sad thing is Eisner makes it clear throughout the book that his partnership with Katzenberg and his friendship with Ovitz were relationships he valued. Yet they were shattered. I do believe from my reading that Eisner did have a roll in these relationships moving into a downward spiral, but Eisner presents himself as relatively blameless. For example, I would find it difficult to present Katzenberg as the good guy in their disagreement due to his prickly and driven personality. But perhaps Eisner did not clearly communicate, which is not found in these pages. Additionally, Eisner clearly in Katzenberg’s settlement after leaving the company exhibited resentment. But these interchanges are not found in Work in Progress.
I do find that one figure that Eisner provides full praise for is the late Frank Wells. As a kid, I had no idea who Frank Wells was. Unlike Eisner, Wells did not enter my home on a weekly basis. He truly was the silent partner of a vibrant partnership, one that left a lasting mark on Disney’s legacy. If Eisner was attempting to fill the role of Walt Disney as a creative voice, Wells was filling the shoes of Roy O. Disney providing the financial and business expertise. Eisner makes it clear that he relied on Wells and was devastated by his death. And the neutral reader can wonder if Eisner was able to react professionally appropriate to his death as he attempted to balance stock holder needs with his own personal grieving. Readers must wonder if the negative picture of Eisner that some have today would have been different if the Eisner/Wells team had continued into the future as the two planned.
Another figure who receives praise through the book is Roy E. Disney. Eisner and Wells would have looked to Disney as one of the figures who helped land them the jobs of a lifetime. And professionally, he was a figure who helped link their leadership team to the Disney brothers. Eisner argues throughout the book that Roy E. Disney was a key figure in understanding both the Disney culture and animation. But one must wonder if the praise would be tempered by Eisner due to Disney’s role in pushing him out of Disney management after the publication of this book.
There are two projects that Eisner provides deep detail on that were failures. First, Eisner discusses in depth, often justifying, the development of Euro Disneyland. While Eisner’s early Disney career may have been marked by successes, Euro Disneyland was clearly an early financial failure due to cost overruns. Eisner makes the case for why Disney needed to pursue the European Park and notes some of the obstacles like French thoughts on the American park that they had to overcome. Though many of us Disney fans may dream of visiting this park and its take on classic Disney attractions, we must remember that it was a huge financial risk. Probably more interesting for me is his discussion of Disney’s America. For a park that was never built, Eisner shares much of the planning of this failed park. Eisner clearly believed in the concept and wished to see the Virginia park make it past the blue sky stage. The reaction from the affluent community and historians to Disney’s potential treatment of history is a fascinating tale for those who have immersed themselves in this discipline.
Work in Progress is not a quick read. It is a biased read. And regardless of the marketing blurbs on the book cover, it’s not a business how to book. For fans of biography and Disney, this is probably a must read. And those who were kids during Eisner’s years as Disney CEO may find this interesting. But it is probably not something that the general public would find great interest in. It cannot stand alone as the definitive work of the Eisner regime, though it does an excellent job of representing the Eisner viewpoint of these vibrant years.
Labels: Between Books, Eisner Era, Frank Wells, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michael Eisner, Michael Ovitz, Roy E. Disney, Tony Schwartz
Between Books - Disney War
I think it is pretty safe to say that I enjoy the book Disney War by James B. Stewart. Disney War was my gateway book that opened the door to all my Disney book craziness. And it is one of my top five Disney books, one that recommend to even non-Disney fans on a constant basis.
Disney War tells the story of the rise and fall of the Eisner era at the Walt Disney Company. Stewart details the roll of Roy E. Disney in rebelling against Disney leadership which had been under his cousin by marriage, Ron Miller, and advocated for new leadership in Michael Eisner and Frank Wells. Stewart then details the rise of Disney under the new leadership team. With the death of Frank Wells and the disruption of the relationship between Eisner and Katzenberg and the legal proceedings that followed, Eisner began to lose his shine with Disney stockholders including Roy E. Disney. Stewart then outlines Roy E. Disney’s Save Disney campaign which would eventually lead to Eisner stepping down. Ironically the man who helped orchestrate the Eisner Era would also help to close it.
Disney War is one of my top five Disney history books. One of the biggest reasons for this is Stewart does an excellent job of weaving a story. It is as story that involves both the artistic nature of the company, including Howard Ashman’s impact, building of a movie slate, acquisition of ABC, tales of board meetings and the fight between Eisner and Katzenberg. Stewart draws you into the story and I found it difficult to put it down! And it is a book that I have recommended several times and have found even casual Disney fans to enjoy!
I read this book before I was Between Disney. So for me it was an eye opener. I had an impression of Eisner in my mind that this book rocked. I had heard on podcasts some criticizing Eisner but did not understand that potshots they sent his direction. While I did not come to share their opinion, I did begin to understand why Eisner’s decision –making was being criticized. And it introduced me to the silent partner of Frank Wells, who I found attractive to me in the same way I was attracted to the personality of Roy O. Disney when reading books about Walt Disney. And the story of how the relationship between Eisner and Katzenberg disintegrated into chaos is fascinating.
The hero of this book to me in many ways is Roy E. Disney. It is he who would “save” the company his father helped found. And with the rise of a new leadership hierarchy, it is his voice that helped preserve animation. I think that fans are not aware of how close Eisner was of shuttering that unit. And in the end it was Disney again whose voice led to the end of the Eisner era. Though he never held the top post himself within the company, Roy E. Disney’s voice was one that could not be ignored.
Disney War continues to remain one of my favorite Disney books. And I will continue to recommend this text which can be purchased at a Between Books friendly price on the secondary market. If you are a Disney fan, you need to read this book!
Labels: Between Books, Eisner Era, Frank Wells, James B. Stewart, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michael Eisner, Roy E. Disney
Between Books - Storming the Magic Kingdom
Storming the Magic Kingdom: Wall Street, the Raiders, and the Battle for Disney by John Taylor outlines a time when Disney’s fortunes did not look as bright as they do today. The long-term future of Walt Disney Productions in 1984 was in fact very much in doubt with questions of leadership and even if the company could be held together. And at the center of it all was the struggle between the heirs of Walt and Roy O. Disney and the future of their creation.
The majority of the action takes place in the board and conference rooms of 1984. With an undervalued stock and questions of leadership, corporate raider Saul Steinberg saw an opportunity in Disney stock. Steinberg potentially could have considered purchasing the company and liquidating the component parts for a massive profit. In an effort to defend the Disney legacy the company leadership explored a number of options including increasing the amount of stock available, a stock purchase of the land development company Arvida and the eventual paying of Greenmail (purchasing stock at above the market price) to Steinberg to eliminate his desires to purchase Disney. With the threat of a takeover eliminated however the company became embroiled in a leadership tug of war between the supportors of Walt’s corporate heir and son-in –law Ron Miller and Roy’s heir Roy E. Disney. In the end, the Roy side of the family would win out with the removal of Miller as Disney’s CEO and the hiring of Michael Eisner as CEO and Frank Wells as President.
This is a really enjoyable book. Now, it’s a book filled with behind the scenes details about stock purchases, proxy votes and board meetings. But Taylor does a good job in making those of us who do not discuss corporate finance on a daily basis educated to the realities of this world. And despite the fact that Storming the Magic Kingdom is an institutional history, Taylor helps bring the personalities of those in his pages alive. I could not help but feel saddened as Ron Miller faced the harsh reality that a company that he had spent his entire adult life at, that was his family’s legacy, no longer wished him to lead them into the future. Any Disney fan, regardless of business background, can pick up this volume, understand it, and might even find themselves learning better how the stock market works!
Really a big lesson for me in this book is that business is about people and personalities. I think that Roy E. Disney, who I do admire, is a good example of this fact. Throughout his Disney career he was marginalized by others. Some spoke of him as the idiot nephew. And I believe some may have forgotten that his father was a co-found of Disney. The fact that Roy E. Disney had a long history of being around and working in entertainment did make him comfortable with forming his own ideas for the company. These ideas were largely ignored! The fact that he was soft-spoken also led some to think that he was unintelligent. Instead he, and I, believed himself to be an intelligent man and a guardian of the Disney tradition. And Roy E. Disney believed change was part of his Uncle’s legacy. What one wonders is what could have happened if Roy E. Disney’s voice had been heard instead of mocked in the 1970s. Additionally, his cousin by marriage was seen by some as the handsome and entitled heir. Instead, in these pages he comes off as a man who has not been fully prepared for the role he has, but also another man who saw innovation as part of the Disney tradition and was concerned with expanding the business of his late father-in-law’s creation. Again, one can play what if’s if the Walt and Ron sides of the family could have come together. Disney history shows that the company runs best with two leaders with clear roles (Walt and Roy, Michael and Frank), could Ron and Roy E have led the company into a new renaissance together instead of waiting for the Eisner Era? Instead we now study a bad situation where all sides honestly must take a share of the blame.
Another proof of personality winning out or at least equaling is Roy E. Disney’s lawyer Stanley Gold and Arvida owner Sid Bass. With the purchase of Arvida, Bass became a substantial Disney stockholder. The fact that the two men found common interests allowed the two to build a friendship. That friendship would be a key to the alliance lead by Roy E. Disney to remove Miller and put their chosen management team into place.
Storming the Magic Kingdom is a fascinating story of the evolution of the Walt Disney Company. At the beginning of the tale the company was firmly in the hands of the intellectual heirs of Walt Disney. After attempts to raid the company and then placing through stockholder pressure a new leadership team was put into place with outsiders Eisner and Wells. That change led to a new peak of Disney entertainment and financial gains. But most of all Storming the Kingdom is a story about how business is really about people.
Labels: Between Books, Eisner Era, Frank Wells, Michael Eisner, Ron Miller, Roy E. Disney, Saul Steinberg, Stanley Gold
Oswald Opines - Eisner Era Prelude
Eisner and His Kingdom
I have said this a few times, I am too young for Uncle Walt and what I remember is Uncle Mike. One of the things that shocked me when I took my first steps into the Disney community was the strong opinions around Michael Eisner. The often harsh things I heard about this former Disney CEO and President did not align with my memory. And I was not paying attention during the unpleasantness that surrounded his departure. Why I kept asking was "everyone" so mean to Michael?
Then I read Disney War! We will talk about this book later, but what I will mention now is it made it clear to me that the Eisner Era was not all puppies and unicorns. There were real issues, and these issues both lead to Eisner's departure and the negative feelings directed at him. I will not say that I agree with those opinions. But I will say I understand better now what happened to make fans so polarized around him.
Betweenland over the next few weeks is going to experience an Eisner takeover. Here we will explore a number of books that chronicle the Eisner era. And at the conclusion I will share my opinions that have been formed with spending months within these books.
I hope you enjoy this journey with me and will share your opinions or changing opinions on this important Disney figure.
Labels: Eisner Era, Michael Eisner, Oswald Opines
As many of you know, I am now podcasting about one specific Disney property, the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
I have not posted about all of our episodes, but episode 5, "I Am Iron Man, Too" is packed with Disney goodness! I at one point joke that we recorded 4 hours on Walt Disney!
Okay, it was not quite that much. And we did not about things other than Walt Disney, like the actual action in Iron Man 2. But in this episode I make it clear....Howard Stark is Walt Disney.
And if you want to stay up to date about the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. you can follow us at https://www.facebook.com/WelcometoLevelSeven.
Labels: Dreaming Disney, Iron Man 2, Podcast, Welcome to Level Seven
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Monfils Out Of Wimbledon With Injury
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- French Open semifinalist Gael Monfils withdrew from Wimbledon before the first round Monday because of inflammation in his right shoulder.
The 22-year-old Frenchman was replaced in the singles draw by Serbia's Ilia Bozoljac, who was due to play Australian Chris Guccione later Monday.
Monfils said he risked long-term injury if he played because the inflammation has been bothering him for a long time.
"I think now with more experience I'm sad, but still, I know it's the right decision,'' Monfils said. "So I stay confident in my decision and I'm not worried about it -- because I know it will be a couple weeks, but still will be good after.''
The 26th-ranked Monfils, who lost to Federer in the French Open semis, could have faced Federer in the third round at Wimbledon.
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Apr 20 "Oh Lucy!"
I’ve talked so much about myself—I want to talk about Pete for a while. It occurred to me recently that I am upset when people won’t talk about Pete, and I realized that I haven’t even talked about him that much. There would have to be something very special about a man whose death could bring me to my knees. You may not want to hear me rhapsodize about my husband (if so, stop here), but I think that those of you who knew of Pete might appreciate my insight, and those of you who never met Pete or experienced his music or saw him on stage, you may gain a better sense for the gap that he’s left.
Let’s start with Pete as a stepfather to my “kids,” Sean and James Della Croce. They are adults now but when we got married my son was in junior high and my daughter was a freshman in high school. He always understood that his place was as stepdad and not dad. He’d known them since they were quite young, and he could appreciate their essence—how they were alike, and how they were very different. He grew to love them, but he more importantly really liked them. He didn’t care for them just because he had to if he wanted to marry their mom, but because they were kind and loving and smart and fun to be with. Music was often their connection. As a singer/songwriter Sean would come to Pete for advice on guitar and melody. In fact, he produced her first album. James is a percussionist, and Pete and I traveled around the country to most of his drumline competitions. For 10 years Pete was able to cast a positive influence over them that I hope will last the rest of their lives.
As I mentioned in “Dear Mrs. Huttlinger” Pete had an enormous sense of humor. We laughed and laughed throughout our relationship. We were on equal footing there—catching each other off guard with one-liners, sarcasm, slapstick, play-on-words, all of it. We grew up in the same era of great television, with some of the best comedy of the 70’s. Once, he told me that I was a combination of Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett, which I considered the highest of compliments. In fact, in my goofier moments, he often called me “Lucy.” Our connection with humor helped us laugh through some of our most stressful times. Pete had a defibrillator implanted for several years, and when he was on stage he would joke that he had it “set on stun!” before he’d play a blindingly fast tune. “If I fly backwards off this stage, don’t be alarmed, it’s just my defibrillator going off.” It’s how we dealt with it.
Pete had a great appreciation for everything that flowed through his day. He wasn’t Mr. Zen all the time, but generally he enjoyed the smallest of things—spending time in his studio, playing his guitar, driving for hours to gigs, going to the post office, etc. Sometimes he’d come to the grocery store with me. My Type-A side would want to split the grocery list, rush in two different directions and see how fast we could complete the task. He’d just look at me and say, “I just want to hang with you.” It always stopped me in my tracks, and I’d think “Erin, you are an idiot. This guy just wants to spend time with you, and you’re dispatching him to the dairy section.”
As a musician and performer, well, there’s enough on the internet and YouTube that I don’t have to go into full PR mode and sing all his praises. I would just like to say that his talent was unique. He was gifted as a musician. He didn’t like it when I’d refer to him professionally as a “virtuoso.” I think he thought it was too lofty, but I felt it was appropriate. That said, he did like it when he was once referred to as a “guitar sensei.” When Pete asked me to marry him, I didn’t hesitate to point out that marrying your manager was pretty cliché in show business. He often told people that he thought marrying me would save him his 15% commission, but he soon found out he’d just lost the other 85%. To offset the wife/manager balance, Pete, on occasion, would fire me. Generally after a particularly cruddy gig, or if something I had pushed him to do went horribly wrong (it happens). I would just tell him “I do not accept.” He was never serious about it—it was kind of a joke—but also his way of letting me know that he never wanted to do that particular thing again. I always got the point.
I never tired of hearing him play, nor will I ever.
He loved to cook. He loved to speak with a fake Irish brogue. He loved to talk to his Japanese Maple and Dogwood trees. He loved working in the yard. He longed to have a big garden (summer touring prohibited that). He loved his huge family. He loved to fly fish. He loved traveling—everywhere. He loved meeting new people and turning them into new friends.
There wasn’t one instance when I walked into a room and he didn’t look up at me and smile. Sometimes a sweet smile with his “big brown Huttlinger eyes,” as he referred to them, and sometimes it was a huge Cheshire grin. Pete treated me like a treasure. Like something he stumbled upon and didn’t expect. He appreciated me and would often tell me so, including the night before he went into the hospital for the last time. He tearfully looked at me and said, “How did I get so lucky?” Oh, the irony.
This is a song that Pete only did once or twice live—there just wasn’t enough room in the repertoire. I’ve always loved it and it says a lot about his perspective. It's titled "The Wish."
Is it time to appreciate someone in your life before they’re gone?
spouse, music, interpersonal, home
Apr 27 Three Steps Back
Apr 13 The Leap
Nov 15 On The Other Foot
Feb 1 The Bathroom Blinds
Feb 8 How Did He Do It?
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Blackbeard’s Ship Comes to the US Supreme Court
中国雅思网 发表时间：2019年6月10日 来源：VOA
By Kelly Jean Kelly
The pirate known as Blackbeard terrorized the Atlantic coast of North America in the early 1700s. In a few months, the United States Supreme Court will hear a case related to Blackbeard's ship. The case involves a filmmaker who claims the rights to images of the ship belong to him, not the state of North Carolina.
Here is what happened. Back in 1718, Blackbeard was sailing a ship named the Queen Anne's Revenge, after a former queen of England. One day the Queen Anne's Revenge and a smaller ship went into a harbor now known as Beaufort Inlet, in North Carolina. The water was not very deep, and the ships ran into the sand. (Blackbeard may have grounded the ships on purpose, but that is another story.)
Blackbeard abandoned the Queen Anne's Revenge, along with a number of its crew members. He and a few of his favorite pirates escaped with valuable treasure.
A few months later, Blackbeard was killed by British forces. And, in time, the Queen Anne's Revenge disappeared under the water. In U.S. law, the sunken ship and everything on it belongs to the state of North Carolina.
The legal battle
Jump to the year 1996. A private company found the remains of the Queen Anne's Revenge. The company used divers and archeologists to explore the wreckage and bring the artifacts to the surface.
This is an undated photo of a portrait of pirate Blackbeard. Blackbeard's real name is thought to be either Edward Teach, Edward Thatch or Tache. (AP Photo)
A media company, Nautilus Productions, took pictures and videos of the recovery effort. The co-owner of the media company, Frederick Allen, received federal copyright protection over the images. In other words, U.S. national law says no one can use the images without getting the company's permission and paying Nautilus.
Yet North Carolina state officials used some of the images on YouTube and a state agency website without permission �C some would claim the officials "pirated" them. The state government also passed a law to make some of the images into public records, free for anyone to use.
In answer, Nautilus co-owner Frederick Allen brought legal action against the state of North Carolina.
At issue is whether states must pay damages for copyright violations. Historically, the U.S. Constitution and some earlier court cases have protected states against lawsuits. But in 1990, the U.S. Congress passed a law allowing states to be sued for illegal copying.
A lower court said the 1990 law is not constitutional. Congress did not have the power to make such a law, the lower court said. As a result, a judge dismissed Allen's case.
So now, Allen is taking his argument to the U.S. Supreme Court. He says states are breaking federal law and then refusing to pay damages for their violations. He also says people who create original work need a way to object when states ignore copyright laws.
The Supreme Court has agreed only to hear the case. The justices will likely make a ruling on it next year.
I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.
Kelly Jean Kelly adapted this story based on a report by the Associated Press. George Grow was the editor.
pirate - n. someone who attacks and steals from a ship at sea
harbor - n. a part of the ocean that is next to land and that is protected and deep enough to provide safety for ships
abandon - v. to leave and never return to
artifact - n. object that was made by people in the past
sue - v. to use a legal process by which you try to get a court of law to force a person, company, or organization that has treated you unfairly or hurt you in some way to give you something or to do something
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Does leaving kids alone make parents 'criminals'?
By Mark O'Mara
updated 1:41 PM EDT, Thu August 7, 2014
Mark O'Mara: In March, homeless mom arrested after leaving kids in car during job interview
Arrest drew outrage -- one among many recently in which parents left kids while at work
He says poverty being criminalized and neighbors used to help but now just call police
O'Mara says his mom let him play unattended as kid in New York but today she'd be arrested
Editor's note: Mark O'Mara is a CNN legal analyst and a criminal defense attorney. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN) -- In March, single mother Shanesha Taylor, destitute and effectively homeless, was arrested on charges of leaving her children in her car during a 40-minute job interview. The children were unharmed, but Taylor then faced two counts of third-degree felony child abuse -- charges that sparked outrage across the country.
It sparked outrage with me as well, and I've worked with Taylor's attorney to help handle the media attention surrounding the case. My involvement in the story opened my eyes to a number of cases where parents have been arrested for behavior that, just a generation ago, may have raised eyebrows but would certainly not have risen to the level of criminal charges.
For example: In a split decision this month, an appellate court in Florida upheld the conviction of Jovita Ibeagwa, who served a year in jail for two counts of aggravated manslaughter of a child following the drowning deaths of her children, aged 6 and 3. Ibeagwa left her children unsupervised while she went to work at her second-shift job. During that time, her children tragically drowned in a neighbor's pool.
Mark O'Mara
Debra Harrell, a South Carolina mother, found herself under arrest this month when a bystander discovered her 9-year-old daughter playing in the park alone. Harrell had been allowing the girl to play there while she worked at a McDonald's a mile and a half away.
Here are some more recent examples:
In North Carolina, a mother was arrested after leaving her 5- and 11-year-olds alone for 2½ hours.
A Connecticut mother was arrested when her 7-year-old, who wasn't wearing a helmet, suffered head injuries after falling off his scooter.
In Pennsylvania, a mother died in jail while serving a 48-hour sentence after she couldn't pay fines incurred for the truancy of some of her seven children.
In Ohio, a father was arrested when his 8-year-old gave the church bus the slip and played with neighborhood friends instead of going to youth group.
Mom accused of leaving child in park
Homeless mom arrested after interview
A mother's 'desperate' choice
And then just this week, a mother in Florida was arrested after allowing her 7-year-old to walk half a mile to a neighborhood park. The boy even had a cell phone to call home if he got into trouble.
What's going on here?
From one perspective, we're criminalizing poverty. Some of the parents I mentioned above clearly acted out of economic necessity. In our post-recession economy, good jobs are hard to come by and child care is expensive. For low-wage earners, child care costs can easily eclipse earning potential.
In Taylor's case, she had previously been offered a full-time job, but child care costs would have left her with less income than she was able to earn by picking up a few hours here and there.
A news report in the Harrell case quoted another parent who said, "I understand the mom may have been in a difficult situation, not having someone to watch the child, but at the same time, you've got to find somebody." It sounds as though she is suggesting that having some unqualified person to stay home alone with the daughter would somehow be better than letting her play in the park, surrounded by other children and parents.
I'm not a parent, but I am a board-certified family law attorney, and I frequently deal with families facing difficult decisions. The truth is that too many parents are finding themselves having to make a desperate choice between providing for their children and caring for their children. Unless you've been put in that situation, I don't think you're entitled to judge.
I grew up in Queens in the '60s -- during a time when crime in New York was notoriously on the rise. My father was a battalion chief for the New York Fire Department, and he worked two other jobs to support our family. My mother worked hard to keep my two sisters, my two brothers (and me) in line. She was an amazing mother but didn't always succeed in keeping us out of hot water.
We were allowed to play unsupervised in our neighborhood, and sometimes we got in trouble. But my mother knew we were with other neighborhood kids. She knew other adults in our neighborhood kept tabs on us and would look out for us. She expected that if we got into real trouble, we'd encounter a police officer, and that officer would deliver us home -- and it did happen from time to time.
I'm concerned that in the average neighborhood today -- where the crime rate is far lower than it was in the 1960s -- adults are not looking out for neighborhood kids. Instead of helping a youngster who may be in trouble, they're calling the cops. And the police, instead of bringing children home, they're handing them over to child services and arresting the parents.
Last week, prosecutors offered Taylor a deal: After she completes a parenting plan, which includes six months of counseling, they will drop the felony charges. But Taylor now has to fight to regain custody of her children.
In South Carolina, Harrell has been reunited with her daughter but still faces criminal prosecution, and she lost her job as a result of the arrest. In Florida, Ibeagwa is out of jail now -- after suffering the double tragedy of losing her children and enduring incarceration for her role in the misfortune.
Elsewhere other children are being taken from their parents, and families are being torn apart.
I have to wonder if my mom, who I think was a wonderful mother, would face criminal charges if she were alive and raising children in today's world -- if she raised them the way she raised my brothers and sisters and me.
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CHAD BROWN POTTERY
Kiln Construction
I am a 5th generation potter. My great-great grandfather was William Henry Chriscoe, whose original log cabin studio now resides in the Smithsonian Museum. I currently live in my family's hometown of Seagrove, NC where I have worked as a journeyman potter for numerous studios in the Seagrove area and assisting many local potters with their wood firings.
My Great-great Grandfather, William Henry Criscoe standing in front of his log cabin.
I was exposed to pottery at a young age, around 5 or 6. My earliest memory of working with clay is with Dot and Walter Auman. They babysat a lot of kids back then. I remember everything about that day, where I sat, what I ate. I made animals all day and Dot promised me that at the end of the day I could take a turn on the wheel. Dot told Momma that I should be a potter since I stayed so interested all day long. Around the same time, my mother Carolyne started the ceramics program at Montgomery Community College. I would tag along and I a rabbit and got in trouble for mashing the button on the pug mill to make the clay come out. My grandpa, Graham Chriscoe opened his pottery shop when I was around 9. I absorbed a great deal from working with my grandparents in their shop. Moving into my teen years I got interested in sports and other endeavors. I left to attend NC State for Agriculture Science. I actually lived above the pottery studio in college, but never set foot in it. I made my spending money by carrying pots back and forth from my Grandparents shop and painting them in the style of Graham Chriscoe. I got maybe $5 or $10 bucks a piece for them. I just didn’t really think I could make a living by making pots.
I learned my technical skills in the more traditional Seagrove fashion, by working as a production thrower in at least 20 different shops for 10 years. You make two or three hundred of the same shape and you get pretty good at it. This type of work is priced per pound and will naturally make the potter faster because the faster you are the more money you make. Sherry Caldwell-Hohl describes Chad, “My relationship with Chad started in 1999. We spent a lot of time talking about the history of Seagrove potters as he had experienced it. I was fascinated with the stories of his grandfather and great-grandfather. We also discussed the business aspects of him becoming a journeyman potter, and I encouraged him to pursue it. I think at that time, he made a commitment to his career as a potter. He has always approached pottery with hard work, diligence and extremely thoughtful planning for his career development. Chad is not a person who makes spur of the moment decisions. He spent several years working for other potters, perfecting his skills, and absorbing everything he could from his work environment. During the five years that he worked for me, I saw him grow, not just as a potter, but as a person dedicated to maintaining the heritage of Seagrove in his own work. Chad is known as one who speaks softly, but most always has a simplistic but astute approach to solving problems and making decisions.”
I recently purchased a large track of land in Moore County near the kiln sight of my Great-great Grandfather W. H. Crisco. This year I'll be building a large wood burning kiln and log constructed shed. It's a work in progress. I’ll build the shed and kiln first then, make pots to fire the kiln, then have a home opening sale to make the money to build a new shop.
Sid Luck of Luck’s Ware, coordinator of the 2008-09 TAPS (Traditional Arts Program for Students) said, “I was most fortunate to have Chad as an assistant in the TAPS program this year. He is an excellent potter, has a great rapport with students and is very dependable.” TAPS is an after school collaboration between the NC Arts Council, the NC Pottery Center, and Seagrove Elementary School. Its purpose is to provide public school students with the knowledge and practices of the Seagrove traditional pottery culture. Chad demonstrates for the public on Saturdays at the North Carolina Pottery Center. Mark Hewitt, President of the Center remarked, “Chad Brown has quietly established his presence as one of the most talented younger potters in Seagrove. We all enjoy Chad’s humor and good nature, and know how much he contributes to the NCPC with his patient, insightful demonstrations and his warm, generous personality. His beautiful pots reflect who he is.”
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Brexit Britain: a leader in peace, governance & growth?
Whisper it quietly: this new Government might not actually be all that bad. Amid the predictable sound and fury from many in the UK development industry, itself populated mainly by left-leaning voters who were appalled at Brexit, the actual emerging policy picture as regards the direction of UK development policy shows early promise. I’m told that NGOs at the Conservative Party conference this week were left slightly taken aback, having braced themselves for an ideological onslaught that never came.
Priti & Boris
First up was Priti Patel, DFID’s new boss and leading light of the Brexit campaign. She had a lot to say on the theme of the day: free trade. DFID’s role was to counter poverty, respond to disasters but also to create the conditions for growth. That she explicitly links the growth of markets to the UK national interest as a post-Brexit trading nation should not be held against her. It’s been the unspoken goal of Her Majesty’s Government since the creation of DFID in 1997. And the link to trade is also hardly new ground. One of the most progressive donors in the world today, the Netherlands, unified it’s trade and development Ministries years ago, arguably leading to greater coherence overall.
And on peace she had this:
“…we can and will play an active part in making our world a more peaceful and prosperous place”.
A bit thin on the ground for detail but nothing to especially dislike.
Then came Boris Johnson. And what a different Boris this was. Gone were the jokes, and the blatant political ambition. In came serious analysis which, by comparison to the soundbites of Patel, had some particularly positive pointers for those of us interested in effective interventions to support peace, responsive governance and justice in some of the most complex, fragile and volatile places in the world.
Development needs freedom
Boris was vocal and blunt in his rejection of the pernicious thesis that development was possible without openness, transparency and responsive governance. That is a welcome and direct slap down to the sort of thinking led recently by the Overseas Development Institute, and over which we have tangled before. Liberal freedoms were, he said, essential to growth that remained stable. End of.
In fact Boris went much further than that. He castigated the regimes currently re-writing constitutions to lengthen spells of unbroken power in Africa while citing directly the closing civic space that has resulted in NGOs being targeted by those governments at home. The link between closing civic space and fragility is well established, with Carothers' recent work being the latest to examine it.
Soft power?
Boris leaned heavily on the idea of British soft power as a means by which those freedoms being curtailed might be addressed. It was clear to me that he included UK aid relationships in that, but he also cited the BBC and other forms of influence around the world. It was possible, he argued, to marshal all of Britain’s collective influence to support openness as well as growth. (Britain's soft power is something that gets talked about a lot - I did an analysis of its true spread here)
Reasons for optimism
The centres of gravity in Theresa May’s Government have shifted radically. The Treasury has gone from one of the most powerful Departments to a weaker implementing arm of Downing Street. While DFID is now headed by a Secretary of State who is clearly aligned with an agenda on governance and growth which is backed by the more politically powerful Foreign Secretary. Left leaning NGO folk might not like the personalities but it’s not a bad set of alignments for a progressive development and foreign policy.
So – a good start in my book, if a little confused and light on the detail. Confusion, for example, could be seen by Boris’ reference to Ethiopia as a development good news story, with rising life expectancy and a £300m DFID programme.
Current events in Ethiopia may cast those statistics in a slightly less favourable light.
And, to address Brexit, both Patel and Johnson called for British leadership of the aid industry. Well, it is fair to say that over the years DFID has been a thought leader on peace and governance. It is also fair to say that the European Union’s development policies are frequently confused and incoherent. The European Union’s 11 million farmers and their political voice arguably led to the suspension of the Doha Round (the US directly blamed the EU for this) which would have done more for growth and poverty alleviation than all of the aid budgets combined. It was notable Boris Johnson directly cited British determination to restart that Round. Coherence between trade and development is not such a bad idea.
Ultimately Brexit has happened. We have a new administration in the UK. They face no meaningful opposition at home. So it’s just as well that, from what I saw this week, there is much to be optimistic about if you’re a peacebuilder.
Brexit Britain: a leader in peace, governance & gr...
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The Eklund Hotel
The history and lore of the Eklund Hotel, Dining Room and Saloon play a significant part in the heritage of Clayton, NM. James Lee Burke wrote about the Eklund in his book Bitterroot, "…(we) drove back to Texas through the northern tip of New Mexico and stopped for the night at Clayton, a short distance from the Texas state line. We walked…to a nineteenth-century hotel named the Eklund and had dinner in a dining room paneled with hand-carved mahogany. The hotel was three stores, built of quarried stone, anchored in the hardpan like a fortress against the wind, …On the wall of the small lobby was a framed photograph of the outlaw Black Jack Ketchum being fitted with a noose on a freshly carpentered scaffold. Another photograph showed him after the trapdoor had collapsed under his feet. Most of the patrons entering or leaving the dining room were local people and took no notice of the photographic display…(we) walked outside under a turquoise sky…I looked back over my shoulder at the stone rigidity of the hotel and its scrolled-iron colonnade…and I wondered if cattle and railroad barons had hosted champagne dinners in the hotel dining room, or if cowboys off the Goodnight-Love Trail had knocked back busthead whiskey in the saloon and shot holes in the ceiling with their six shooters…But I think it was all of the above, truly the West."
The first two floors of the west side of what is now the Eklund Hotel was build in 1892; for two years the ground floor was used as a store and the upstairs rooms were rented out. In 1894, Carl Eklund, a Swedish immigrant, came to Clayton, NM and bought the building. He opened the Saloon using the historic bar and back-bar which is still in use today. It is said that he won the bar in a poker game with ten dollars he had borrowed.
The saloon business flourished and in 1898, Mr. Eklund built the first two floors of the east side of his then prospering venture, including a kitchen and dining room. In 1905 a third story and the second-floor balcony were added. Considered the finest hotel in the area, the Eklund's rates were quite expensive, running about two dollars a night! Always progressive, Carl Eklund saw to it that his hotel was the first place in Clayton to get electricity, public telephones and a switchboard.
In 1908, the Clayton Union County Courthouse was partially destroyed by a tornado. Several County offices were moved into a portion of the Eklund's rooms and business proceeded as usual. A makeshift jail was constructed on the north side of the first floor. In more recent years, that room has been used as a private dining room.
In 1937, Mr. Eklund turned the management of the Eklund Hotel over to his daughter and son-in-law under whose management it remained for thirty-five years. The Eklund was sold in 1972 to an investor who restored the historic Dining Room and Saloon, but Hotel operations were suspended. The Eklund was sold again in 1987 and 1990. In 1992, a group of private investors, mostly local residents, purchased the Eklund and struggled to keep the Dining Room and Saloon operating. By the late 1990's, the success of those struggles enabled the owners to start planning very carefully and thoroughly the restoration of the historic Hotel space and operations. The financing was closed and construction began on June 10, 2003 and completed in March, 2004. The original forty-two rooms and community bathrooms have been made into twenty-six rooms each with a private bath. The Dining Room and Saloon have also undergone renovations.
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Auslan Explained
Auslan, or Australian Sign Language, is the language of the Australian Deaf community [the capital “D” in Deaf is used to acknowledge the distinct and unique community comprised of deaf people who use a signed language as their primary language of communication; it recognises their distinct identity within the Australian context].
Auslan is a rich language with a capacity to express all aspects of human communication – including the abstract, metaphor, humour, sarcasm and so forth – equally as well as English or any other spoken language.
Like all languages, Auslan is culturally bound so that some things or concepts which hold cultural relevance are more extensively encoded into the language whereas other concepts which do not hold much cultural relevance have a paucity of lexical items (signs) to express them.
What Auslan is
Auslan is:
like all sign languages, a language in its own right; linguists have established this through research that began in the 1960s
a visual, gestural language that occurs in three-dimensional space and uses signs to represent concepts, in the same way that spoken language uses words to represent concepts
has its own grammar and structure which bears more similarities to Asian languages than it does to English
What Auslan is not
Auslan is not:
a visual representation of the English language; a sign does not represent an English word
English “on the hands”; it does not have the same grammar and structure as English
international or universal; in Australia, there are actually two distinct dialects of Auslan
As with all languages, Auslan is constantly evolving and adapting to the changing environment as well as the changing needs of the language users. No language is static. If you reflect on English in the early 20th century, there were no such words as “television”, “email” or “space shuttle” in common use. Indeed, there was not even really any concept of such things as they had yet to be devised. When they did enter the sphere of our experience, we then created – in a process best understood by linguists – the words we use for them.
So, too, it is for Auslan. As a need presents itself for a lexical item (sign) to represent a concept, a sign is then created just as a word is created in spoken languages. But like all languages, Auslan can talk about a concept for which a lexical item does not exist. This is done by using existing language to explain the concept. So, before we had the word “television” in English, people may well have referred to it as “the box with moving pictures”.
All this is potentially very relevant in your classroom as it is possible that there will be English words in some subject-specific areas for which no Auslan sign has yet been developed. This will mean that both your deaf student and the interpreter(s) will need to talk about the concept without the benefit of a formalised sign or collection of signs.
http://www.auslan.org.au/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auslan
Back to Teachers and Trainers Homepage
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Conversational Style Audio Excerpts
click on the page numbers of the excerpts you would like to download
pp. 70-71: "You live in LA?" to "Yeah."
pp. 72-73: "I think everywhere." to "The old bell curve comes in again."
pp. 73-74: "So ...." to ". . . . a job like in the mail room."
pp. 75-76: "That's like Erving Goffman kind of stuff." to "What is this?"
pp. 78-79: "Yeah I've got that one." to "... and it's really ..."
p. 80: "But anyway ..." to "Yeah."
pp. 82-83: "I think it's basically done ..." to "Younger than both of us."
p. 86: "Cause they were built near the swamp." to "Three years?"
p. 87: "That's what I expected to find ..." to "Were you on the West Side at all?"
pp. 89-90: "So: and this is the one that's Berkeley." to ". . . . you've never seen it before."
pp. 92-94: "Probly not." to "I went down for children's concerts."
pp. 103-105: "Do you read?" to "Yeah."
p. 109: "Well that's a very usual pattern." to ". . . . 'strue."
p. 111: "That Sally would ..." to ". . . . and other people."
p. 112: "So should we do that?" to "I never looked."
pp. 113-114: "Y'know they might get to go to Europe?" to ". . . .cause I worked on the show."
p. 115: "No. I don't think si- ..." to "Yeah."
pp. 115-117: "I wonder how our ..." to "You're not Jewish."
pp. 128-129: "She does look different?" to "An American Family."
p. 129: "So they had the Loud family." to " ... just alienate . . . ."
pp. 131-132: "Well . . . what was Randy saying last night?" to ". . . . that makes my skin creep."
p. 139: "In fact one of my students told me . . ." to "Just different."
pp. 140-141: "the ... sort of . . ." to ". . . not like each other at all."
pp. 143-144: "I have a little seven year old student ..." to". . . . she's acting like such a little girl already."
p. 147: "Linda said to me . . . ." to ". . . four years old."
p. 149: "I mean . . . . y'know Jonny," to "What'd she say:"
p. 150: "The other day he said . . . ." to "And what'd you say:"
pp. 151-152: "Oh I was amazed to see the ..." to ". . . a whole pile of ham."
pp. 154-155: "I shook hands with Rubinstein once?" to ". . . totally covered with . . . . fat."
pp. 157-160: "Yeah ... yeah ... it's a wonderful poem . . ." to " . . . this is the thanks I get?"
p. 167: "Do we have to have this here . . ." to ". . . we have to look at Marie's?"
p. 169: "Be uh have we been .. taping?" to "You never met [name], did you?"
p. 171: "Yeah .... I mean ..... " to ". . . teach his kids to meditate."
p. 172: "um . . . . . and . . . ." to "That didn't know sign language."
pp. 173-174: "Did you know that . . ." to "The blind leading the blind."
p. 175: "That's great!" to "No good jobs."
p. 176: "Oh, did you hear?" to "He made a blind man lame."
p. 177: "We had this big . . ." to ". . . that was kindergarten."
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Janet Hubert & The Angry Black Woman
January 31, 2016 Danielle Scott-Haughton
Janet Hubert’s Aunt Viv built a place for herself in my heart when I first laid eyes on her over 20 years ago. Aunt Viv was more important to me than Will, Phil, Hillary, Ashley or Carlton because she looked like me. She wasn’t just their aunt, she was my Aunt Viv . Regal and authoritative like my dearly departed grandmother. The defining moment that cemented her in my psyche was an episode in the second season "The Big Four-Oh" when Aunt Viv decided she wanted to dance. Her vindication at the end of the iconic dance sequence was a shared experience amongst all black women who had ever been told they’d never be good enough.
Do you get it? Janet Hubert is important to me. And it is crucial that I make the distinction that it is Hubert and not the character alone who helped shaped my idea of what a strong black woman is. Daphne Maxwell Reed who played Aunt Viv in the final three seasons of the 90’s sitcom was a solid replacement but her docile realisation of the character did not hold a light to Hubert’s, in my humble opinion.
Since the role of Aunt Viv was unceremoniously recast in 1993 Janet Hubert has been presented as the angry black woman who “went nuts” according to Alfonso Ribeiro who went as far as saying “the bitch was crazy” and that Hubert had “made it difficult for us to work” when they were on set.
The angry black woman trope is a stereotype possessing an assertive, finger snapping, neck rolling and nagging demeanour that has been applied black women in the media for since the 1930s. Hubert has not escaped being categorised simply and singularly as aggressive and antagonistic. Headline after headline uphold the idea that Hubert is a “looney tune” who has “used up all her courtesy meltdowns.” Hmmm, I didn't know there was a quota for anger but apparently Aunt Viv has reached hers. Does she know? Some media outlets even suggest “21 years is too long to hold so much anger in your heart.”
Look, anger is a symptom, not the cause. Janet Hubert didn’t wake up angry with her peers. The media have identified her as an ABW but that is too easy. It is a basic, Key Stage 2 analysis, one which Huda Hassan in this Buzz Feed article explains “serves to silence women, and in particular to erase our identification of racism and sexism.”
I don’t know Janet Hubert personally but from a simple Google search it’s easy to see why she might be “angry.” In 1993 during contract negotiations for the 4th season of NBC’s The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Hubert was unhappy with what she was being offered, gambled by playing hard ball in the hopes of going back and forth with the network in order to reach an agreement with which she would be satisfied. The strategy failed and she was replaced by Maxwell-Reid for the last 3 seasons of the show. Why was she unhappy? NBC and the executives were attempting to cut her pay and the amount of episodes in which she would appear. Hubert claimed in a lawsuit that she was fired when Will Smith, the show’s star, became hostile after she became pregnant.
Hubert admits in her Life After during the filming of her final season as part of the cast there were times when she wasn’t as patient as she could have been, not talking to fellow cast members until she was on set and ready to perform. *sigh * I’ve run a set of up to 30 actors with big personalities for the past 4 seasons on Dear Jesus and I can honestly say that it is uncomfortable when there are tensions between cast members, no amount of professionalism can make up for a contentious environment, ultimately it affects the outcome of your work. As a content producer who has recast characters multiple times, I believe no actor should ever dictate to me how they will behave on set. But let’s be realistic, my show is a web series, Fresh Prince of Bel Air was and remains an icon, a seminal work that will continue to stand the test of time.
According to reports, Will Smith said in a radio interview after her 1993 departure that Hubert “wanted the show to be the’Aunt Viv of Bel Air Show.” That might or might not be true but Hubert’s Vivian Banks played an integral role in the initial the success of the show. When black people and people of colour in general are represented in television shows the networks brave enough to air such shows reap the rewards; quite simply “Diversity makes more money” as this NPR article outlines. Vivian Banks represented professional black women of a certain age who would be hard pressed to find themselves on the television other than for Hubert’s portrayal or Phylicia Rashad’s Clair Huxtable in The Cosby’s.
Janet Hubert was justified in seeking a better contract with a higher salary. The show grew in popularity and ratings over the first three seasons peaking with an audience of 14.6 million in the last season Hubert starred in. Actors on your favourite shows all regularly renegotiated their salaries for the season ahead depending on the success of the show. By Season 9 of Friends each of the main cast members made $1million dollars per episode. Up until the scandal that brought an end to the Cosby syndication, the children of the Cosby show each made $3.7 million a year from reruns alone. Hubert attempted to demand what she believed was her due and was reprimanded publicly and humiliatingly for it. Hubert lost a $250,000 a year salary for doing what her peers had done and was seen as normal business practice. The fact of the matter is Janet Hubert was contracted to play a character, which she did outstandingly and yet she was fired.
Ask yourself if you’d be a little salty?
Maybe a little bit mad?
Dare I go as far as saying if it were you, you might be duh Duh DUH angry?
Let’s do a quick bit of math, not my strong point but follow me for a second if you will. Fresh Prince ran for 3 seasons after Hubert’s dismissal 6 seasons in total. According to Will Smith, Hubert was making $250,000 a year which works out to be roughly $10,000 per episode give or take depending on if she starred in all 24/25 episodes of the three seasons she worked in. In the contract negotiations for the 4th season, NBC’s proposed contract stated she only appear in 10 episodes. This would mean that her salary would drop from $250,000 to just $100,000 a year. I don’t know much when it comes to numbers but I know these figures no mek it (for the uninitiated among us, that’s patois for “these figures seem ludicrous.”) Was her behavior so outrageous that it warranted a 60% drop in earnings?
Imagine you’re Janet Hubert for a minute, you’ve just been let go from one of the most popular shows in the world, you’re a 38 year old black woman in Hollywood where roles for women of your age and race are few and far between, Will Smith who will go on to be one of the biggest stars in the world has gone on the radio and made light of how easy it is to replace you. Tell me you’re not going to be upset and that you’ll just get over it. Tell me that despite your high risk pregnancy you work right up until it was time to give birth and you were still fired from show now firmly rooted in pop culture in part due to your input. Tell me that would fly with you.
You cannot. You can’t say that this would be an easy pill to swallow, that you would take this lying down. Janet Hubert felt wronged and who are we to tell her to be quiet and get over it? To be honest, after that math lesson, I feel wronged on her behalf.
Think about this for a second, if Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox or Lisa Kudrow was badly behaved on set during Friends, would they have lowballed her contract negotiations, fired her, replaced her and then badmouthed her in the press? Nah, fam. They would have been sued so quickly and effectively. What’s that I hear “Oh, Dani, Fresh Prince isn’t like Friends.” For you maybe, but The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was my Friends and I can’t imagine what happened to Hubert happening to any of the Friends cast members. "Oh but Dani, her pregnancy was written into the story line to accommodate her," What do they want? A cookie? It is right that the show producers work around her pregnancy.
The problem with Janet Hubert is not what she is saying. The problem is that people rarely listen to why she is saying what she is; the why is lost in how she’s saying it, buried under the deafening blare of this technicolour dream coat of aggression she’s been forced to wear. This technicolour dream coat is an invisible coat that stereotypical, black women wear which allows us to ignore what they are saying and specifically in the case of Janet Hubert only see her as this one dimensional, crazy, looney tunes bitch who singlehandedly jeopardised the productivity of the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
However, if the problem is how she’s speaking this now becomes a respectability politics discussion where we police how black women present themselves to appease and pacify those who find Hubert’s assertive, self assured delivery unattractive. Let’s not do that. Let us truly listen to what Hubert is saying. We can then choose to criticise or agree with her based on the words she speaks and not react to a caricature that was created and perpetuated to justify her firing.
When Hubert criticised The Smith’s in her now viral video posted on her Facebook page by stating that they have a production company based in Hollywood that only caters to them and their friends thus feeding into the Hollywood machine, this wasn’t untrue, you can visit the Overbrook website and see for yourself. I do have to say that the work Overbrook produces is not unlike that of Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B Entertainment which also caters to his friends. This is the nature of Hollywood and the Entertainment industry in general. Nepotism is the name of the game. If Hubert is saying that The Smiths have to be start of the change they want to see in Hollywood with a production company that seeks to open the doors for other people of colour, then yes, I concur. However, what I cannot abide by is ignoring the fact that if not for this black owned production company many of their highest grossing titles would not have been picked up by other production houses. Their work is successful. Their work is important.
Janet Hubert is not infallible to me. I have eyes and ears and I pree the problematic things that she says. Like calling Stacey Dash a media ho. But Janet Hubert is important. She has an attitude and that attitude landed her the role of Vivian Banks in the first place. Her attitude was and remains one of fierceness, confidence and unapologetic blackness that endeared her to millions but it was also that attitude that was her undoing. Do I think Will Smith intentionally set out to malign this black woman? No, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Black women can be angry sometimes, like all humans can, and in those times we are justified and we should be allowed to express our anger. Will Smith was able to outgrow Fresh Prince and reach the highest of heights, Janet Hubert was not and while she has worked consistently since she left Bel Air, she has never again known that level of success. She has never been able to shed the Angry Black Woman coat that was thrust upon her and I ask you again, wouldn’t you be just a little bit angry too?
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Human Rights Commission: We have announced the spread of skin diseases in the Shatt al-Arab Basin because of water salinity
by RamblerNash on Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:21 pm
Alsumaria News / Baghdad
announced Human Rights Commission on Monday, she indicated the spread of skin diseases in the district of the Shatt al - Arab governorate of Basra by the salinity of the water, as called for the governments in Baghdad and Basra to move hard to set up giant projects for water desalination.
A member of the Commission on Human Rights Fadhil al-Gharawi said in a press statement received by Alsumaria News a copy of it, "the teams of the Office of the Commission in the province of Basra recorded a significant increase in the proportion of salinity in drinking water provided to citizens in the province of Basra, causing intestinal diseases and skin for its users."
Al-Gharrawi added that "according to our documented data supplied by the Basra Quality Control Laboratories, I recorded the highest dissolved salt water in Abi al-Khasib district, south of Basra, which is 13,850 percent of dissolved salts in water," pointing out that " Scientific laboratory statistics indicate that the proportion of salts dissolved in water should not exceed (1200) ppm in all cases.
Al-Gharrawi called on the federal and local governments to "take serious action to establish mega-desalination projects that were part of the demands made by the Basra demonstrators for the sake of life."
Since 2007, the governorate of Basra has been experiencing a recurring problem of salinity of the Shatt al-Arab waters during the summer due to the progress of the brine (saline front) from the Gulf in the coastal plain due to the lack of water revenues flowing through the Tigris and EuphratesKarouna, and the districts of Faw, Abu al-Khasib (south) and Shatt al-Arab (east), the most affected areas where the population complain of water salinity, and dried dozens of fish ponds, and died a lot of field animals, and the decline of date palm production to But the agricultural activities in the desert sector of the province have not been affected by this phenomenon, because the farms located within Zubayr district depend on irrigation on groundwater, and the areas were not affected much Located north of the quay But it may reach northern areas of the province if the problem worsens.
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Sixteen Films Slate
Development: Slate
https://twitter.com/SixteenFilms
Total project grant (euros)
Sub-programme
EAC/18/2014
Call publication date
Result publication date
Sixteen Films is the film production company formed by director Ken Loach and producer Rebecca O'Brien with writer Paul Laverty as the associate director.
The grant supported the development of four projects. To date, details of two of these projects have been announced:
The story centres on Daniel Blake, a joiner in the North East of England who needs help from the State for the first time following an illness. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016, where it won the Palme d'Or.
The Flickering Flame
An interactive documentary that explores fifty years of uncompromising films from Ken Loach through his personal archive. The project was selected for the Creative Europe-funded Pixel Market in 2014 and went on to win the Arte International Prize at the event.
Producer Rebecca O'Brien said:
"Support from Creative Europe has proved invaluable to us. We developed I, Daniel Blake through the Slate Funding scheme and with distribution support from MEDIA the film has also travelled throughout Europe and beyond. We couldn't have done it without Creative Europe's help."
Look at our 2016 Results Report for a comprehensive overview of Creative Europe's support to the development of UK films in 2016.
RPC Slate 2016
Recorded Picture Company
Number 9 Films Slate
F&ME Slate 2014
Film & Music Entertainment
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e.g., International Travel AMEX Excellent Credit Ultimate Rewards Young Adults
Best Backpacking Tents
Best Water Bottles
Best Sleeping Pads
Study: Average Male Height
By Kim P
Read more about Outdoor
The average man measures 5 feet 9 inches in the United States. But the US ranks 37th in average height in the world. Read on to see how the average U.S. male stands up to the rest of the world.
© Franck Michel (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
Looking Closely at Average Male Height
What is the average height of a male aged 20 and over in the United States?
The average male over 20 years old measures 69.2 inches, or 5 feet 9 inches. This takes into consideration all males between the ages of 20 and up from all races.
What is the average height of a male teenager?
The average 16-year-old (the median age for a teenager) is 5 feet 7 inches. This is just shy of the average height of all men aged 20 and over.
What is the average height of a male over 60?
As you age, you may begin to lose a little bit of your height. The average male between 60 and 69 years old measures 69 inches, which isn't a lot of height loss. However, as men continue to age, they have an average height of just 67.6 inches at ages 80 and over.
The Average Height of Male Teenagers
What is the average height of a 14-year-old boy?
The average 14-year-old boy measures 66.7 inches, or 5 feet 7 inches. 14-year-old males in the 5th percentile of the average measure 5 feet tall. 14-year-old males in the 90th percentile measure 5 feet 9 inches.
What height is considered tall for a 16-year-old boy?
Boys in the 95th percentile of the average 16-year-old measure 6 feet 1 inch.
When do teen boys stop growing taller?
Teen boys can continue to grow slightly taller until they reach 19 or 20 years old. The average 19-year-old male measures 69.4 inches.. This is just a 0.3-inch growth from the age of 18, though, so it's not a tremendous growth spurt.
The Average Height of Young Boys
How tall is the average 2-year-old boy?
The average 2-year-old boy measures 36.3 inches, or just over 3 feet tall. However, they don't stay this little for long. In just four short years, at the age of 6, the average boy is 4 feet tall.
How tall is the average 10-year-old boy?
By the time boys are 10 years old, they measure an average of 4 feet 7 inches tall.
When do boys have the largest growth spurt on average?
The average boy grows the most between the ages of 3 and 4. The average boy grows from 3 feet 3 inches to 3 feet 6 inches in one year.
Average Male Height by Race
What is the average height of an African American man aged 20 and over?
The average African American male over 20 years old measures 69.5 inches, or 5 feet 10 inches.
What is the average height of an Asian male aged 20 and over?
The average Asian male over 20 years old measures 67 inches, or 5 feet 7 inches. Breaking it down by age, Asian men have the shortest average height after the age of 60. Asian men measure an average of 65.2 inches at this time.
What is the average height of an Hispanic male aged 20 and over?
Hispanic men over the age of 20 measure an average of 67.4 inches. By the time the average Hispanic man reaches age 60 and over, though, they measure an average of 66 inches.
Average Height Around the World
Which country has the tallest average men?
The Netherlands wins the prize for the tallest men on average. Men in this country measure 71.9 inches, or just about 6 feet tall. This is 4 inches taller than the average American man.
Which country has the shortest average male?
Timor-Leste has held the category of the shortest average male for more than 100 years. Men in this country are an average of 62 inches tall. In the United States, that's equivalent to the average 12 or 13-year-old boy.
How does the average American male's height compare to others in the world?
The United States is 37th in line when comparing the average male height. This might not seem alarming, but given the fact that the U.S. was 3rd in line 100 years ago, it doesn't bode well for American men.
Why are Americans getting "shorter"?
While it might not be the sole culprit, nutrition plays a large factor. Today, one out of every five children are obese. Since nutrition plays a role in a person's height along with inherited genes, it could be part of the reason American is "shrinking."
The Weight of the Average Male
What is the average weight of males aged 20 and over?
Today, the average male aged 20 and over weighs 195.7 pounds.
At what age do men have the highest average weight?
Call it a mid-life crisis, but men weigh an average of 201.7 pounds between the ages of 40 and 49. This is 15 pounds more than the average male in his 20s, and 27 pounds more than the average male in his 80s.
At what age does the average man start losing weight?
Just like height, it seems as if the average male really starts dropping weight when he is in his 80s. The average weight for a male 80 and over is just 174.6 pounds.
Who is the tallest man in the world?
The tallest man in the world is from the United States. Robert Wadlow measured 8 feet 11 inches tall.
Who is the shortest man in the world?
The shortest man in the world lived in Nepal. Chandra Bahadur Dangi measured just 21 inches. This is the height of many newborn babies in the United States!
Americans stack up well when comparing the average height of a male. While there's not a lot you can do about your height, taking care of your health can help promote healthier and taller generations to come.
Sources and References:
Anthropometric Reference Data for Children and Adults
Average Bedroom Size
Burglary Statistics
What to Buy (and Not Buy) for College
Average Female Height
The average adult female measures 5 feet 3 inches. American girls tend to stop growing by the time they are just 14 years old. American women are only 42nd tallest in the world, falling from their once 4th place status.
Bass Pro Credit Card Review
Common Backpacking Mistakes
Best Winter Jackets
Average IQ by Country
The United States ranks 24th in the world in IQ scores. Which country is the smartest? And what do IQ tests actually measure? Keep reading to learn more.
How Long Does a Mattress Last
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Garage
Next Page: Common Backpacking Mistakes
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Re: Antares' Short Summations
Chisum (1970) 60/100 - Andrew McLaglen spent far too many summers on John Ford western film shoots in his youth, because he can't help trying to emulate him. He mimics the cinematography and has the same penchant for corny scenes that make me just cringe. There really isn't much going on in this film that's new, with the main plot centering on a land war between a righteous, pioneering cattle man and an evil land baron buying up as much property as he can. The twist is the insertion of Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett into the mix. Maybe McLagen thought it would add a bit of history to the mix and help fuel the action. But in McLaglen's hackneyed handling of the film, it just dawdles until the final climactic showdown. John Wayne does a serviceable job as the cattleman every has so much respect for, but he really isn't given much to do again in another of these late career films. The spotlight is really on Geoffrey Duel, a young actor who parleyed his effort in this film, into meteoric TV glory in the short lived, but successful Alias, Smith and Jones on ABC. Too much success, too soon in his young career would take a personal toll on him, and sadly, he would commit suicide just a few years after this film was made. I've always wondered what would have become of him, had he not made that fateful choice, because he was a gifted actor, with what seemed, a lot of untapped talent. On the other sided of the coin, you have a badly miscast Richard Jaeckel as a tough guy cattle rustler who hires his gun out to the land baron. I have never understood why Hollywood studios and directors would cast him as villains in a lot of the films he appeared in. Standing next to Forrest Tucker, he looks like a tater tot in chaps. And finally, there is one moment in this film that was not suppose to be funny, but I found myself laughing at it. During the final shootout, Jaeckel's character is told to build a barricade at the end of town to stop Chisum from coming to Billy's rescue. When Chisum stampedes a large herd of cattle through the barricade, Edward Faulkner, who must have played in every John Wayne western after 1960, utters one of the most ridiculous lines in a John Wayne western. As he witnesses the stampede coming at him, he stands up and yells It's Chisum!!!. Well no shit Sherlock, who the fucking hell did you think you were building the barricade for? Damn, that gave me a good chuckle.
Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is
« Last Edit: March 06, 2015, 04:48:23 AM by Antares »
The Big Trail (1930) 76/100 - The real name of this film should be Western 101, because every trope that would be used in the making of westerns for the next four decades is incorporated, in some form, in this film. After the movie was over, I wondered how much better this would have been had it been made just three years later, once the transition to sound had been conquered. The Fox Grandeur process, which pre-dated Cinemascope by twenty years, reveals the beauty and wonder of the Wyoming frontier. Being a pre-code, the story pulls no punches in telling what it was like to be a pioneer, traveling thousands of miles, in hopes of a brighter future for a family. All the hardships, calamities and dangers of the wagon train are showcased well by Raoul Walsh, who must have had a devil of a time shooting a film in the two different processes used. He proves that he had a keen eye for framing, as there are an abundant amount of scenes where his blocking is magnificent. And I daresay, that John Ford studied this film, long and hard, because everything that came to be associated with Ford's vision of the Old West, is here, long before Ford made Stagecoach or The Searchers. But as majestic as the cinematography is, the film suffers from the same problems that almost all films did at the time. There's an overwhelming amount of grandiose posturing and stilted delivery of lines by most of the actors. The only actor who seems to be grounded properly is Tully Marshall, a forgotten, but talented character actor of the silent and early sound era. As for John Wayne, I can see why Walsh picked him for the lead. From head to toe, he looks the part of a wily, but shrewd trail scout. But what lets Wayne down is his rawness, tinged with a bit too much exuberance, and what appears to be a bit of a whine in his voice. It would take a six pack a day cigarette habit to age that voice into the steely bandsaw he would become famous for later on. He comes across as a rough diamond that needs to be polished. Unfortunately, that polishing would take close to three decades before his sparkle shown through. If you can get past the flaws and the rather slow, first thirty minutes, I think you can appreciate what Fox was trying to get on film. I liked it, it painted for me, a picture of what I think the west was like back in the 19th century.
The Spoilers (1942) 64/100 - John Wayne gets third billing in this middling western that takes place in Alaska during the Klondike gold rush of the late 19th century. Marlene Dietrich dusts off her clothes, dialog & character from Destry Rides Again and supplants it here, thankfully, without any of her horrible warbling of songs. Randolph Scott plays the slick villain and I've come to appreciate the post- Budd Boetticher version of him a lot more after seeing him in other films during his heyday. He's too much a poor imitation of Gary Cooper, not character wise, but looks wise. The film plods along, but never really gets going. It's only better moments come from the supporting cast of Harry Carey, Samuel S. Hinds and Richard Barthelemess, of which, this was his last picture. Too bad, I always liked him and he should have had a longer career. But I guess audiences still saw him as the heartthrob of the silent era, and not as a gifted actor who should have kept the flame of fame burning bright in his post-silent career. John Wayne does a decent job with the role he's given, but the film itself is just a factory assembled bit of western ho-hum.
El Dorado (1966) 78/100 - Sometimes a film can be just like an old coat that you've worn for years and brings such warmth that you always feel comfortable when your wearing it. The Shootist is my favorite John Wayne movie, but El Dorado is the film that I return to at least three or four times a year. It's jut like that comfortable old coat, in that it always entertains me and never lets me down. But just as you spot little tears and loose seams in that coat over the course of time, with repeated viewings, you start to notice flaws you never saw before in cherished films. This time, I seemed like certain musical passages in the soundtrack sounded eerily like music I'd heard in Batman episodes on TV. And lo and behold, Nelson Riddle, who scored this film, also scored an episode of that program and the music for the Batman film made in 1966. There were a couple of moments when I was waiting for William Dozier to break in to the action with, "Meanwhile, back at the Penguin's secret hideout"... Something else I noticed this time too, is that Ed Asner is horribly miscast as Bart Jason, the money man behind the guns in the range war. Every time he was onscreen, he reminded me of George Costanza from Seinfeld. Another goof is having Bull say that he'll play Marchin' through Georgia on his bugle to warn Cole and J.P. about the three gunman their trying to apprehend at the mission. Bull is obviously from the deep South with his thick Arkansas accent, so he definitely would have fought for the Confederacy. And no southern rebel would be caught dead playing a Union song on a bugle. But even with these little ticks and tremors, I still love this film. I know that I'll return to it every few months or so, probably until the day I die. It's what a western should be. Good storytelling, mixed with just the right amount of action and of course, some great looking sixties eye candy, Michele Carey and Charlene Holt...Meow!!!
DSig
Heavy Poster
I don't know .. you keep raving about The Shootist but for me it is either The Searchers, Red River or True Grit. Don't get me wrong, I like The Shootist but I think he was more cruising in it. The performances here are so powerful and totally standup ..
Quote from: DSig on March 14, 2015, 04:42:36 PM
but I think he was more cruising in it.
Quote from: Antares on February 28, 2015, 06:47:19 AM
You know what's going to happen to him and your sad to know that he won't be coming back, both on screen and in real life.
This was Wayne's swan song and he knew it. He portrays J.B. Books with a stoic, subtle depiction of a man who knows his time is up. He's going to go out on his terms, which is what I expect from John Wayne. I don't know of any other actor in memory, who gave such a perfect performance as their last one.
McLintock! (1963) 50/100 - You know you're in trouble when you have to divide the film into segments, just to get through it. It took me close to a week to watch this stinking pile of horse dung and if I never watch it again, that will be fine by me. This may have made a boatload of money 50 years ago, but its comedy and politics have not stood the test of time. John Wayne and Chill Wills, are the only reasons for watching this turkey. They have comedic chemistry between them, and when they are onscreen, the movie has its brief moments of entertainment. But unfortunately, they don't fill out the two plus hours of the film, there are other characters involved in the proceedings, and frankly, they stink. Maureen O'Hara is so bad, I'm surprised she was offered any other roles after this one. Stephanie Powers is so glad to be in a major motion picture, she gushes over indulgently. And then there's Jerry Van Dyke. I have a theory about Jerry Van Dyke, you remember the plot to Ivan Reitman's movie Twins? All the good stuff, from the genetic milkshake went into Julius, while all the residue and crap went into Vincent. Well, there must have been some rudimentary form of genetic engineering going on in the Van Dyke home back in Missouri, because all the talent went into Dick, while Jerry got the residue. I can't think of one character he's played in his career that wasn't annoying as hell. If I could have reached back in time when they were doing his dancing scenes, I would have ripped his freaking head off. As for the direction, once again, Andrew McLaglen proves that he's a third rate John Ford imitator. Even going so far as to glean the Wayne/O'Hara pre-fight trek across Inisfree from The Quiet Man, and supplanting here with just a few minor changes. Let's see, we have the water trough, the hay and a character going through a window. Pitiful... pitiful.
Foxcatcher (2014) 76/100 - My wife rented this at Redbox because she was interested in seeing Steve Carell's Oscar nominated performance, but for my money, Channing Tatum should have got the nomination instead. After the film finished, I jumped on the web to read about the story, having only a faded memory of the incident. I also found one of the films that Du Pont had commissioned, telling of his involvement in team Foxcatcher, and it's here where I found Carell's performance a bit over the top. Carell tries too hard to paint Du Pont as a creepy, space cadet who just wants mommy's recognition and love. In the video I watched, he seems kind of normal, yet kind of a nerdy narcissist. No thousand yard stare and only the occasional stilted delivery of words when he speaks. The way Carell portrays him, you should see men in white coats, in the periphery, chasing him with butterfly nets. The story itself is very methodical and at times a bit too slow to keep the average viewer's attention span. But the performances by Tatum and Ruffalo keep you interested throughout. A lukewarm recommendation from me.
Calamity Jane and Sam Bass (1949) 60/100 - Strange little film from Universal International, the studio that gave us all those Audie Murphy westerns in the fifties. This one, though, stars Howard Duff as Sam Bass, a lesser known bandit and Yvonne DeCarlo as a way too pretty Calamity Jane. There is no historical foundation beyond the two characters as to what happens in the film, because none of this occurred in real life. And it's even a stretch to say that they ever met during their rough and tumble lives in the old west. You basically are watching this film to gaze, not only upon Miss De Carlo, but Dorothy Hart, who has the thankless task of playing the forlorn woman who is in love with Bass, and believes he's been wronged by her lawman brother. Duff, who plays Bass, has always been somewhat of a mystery to me. When he's reciting lines, he comes across very mechanical and a bit unbelievable. But I can forgive all the faults in the film, because I love Yvonne DeCarlo. You can say what you want about Ava Gardner, but DeCarlo was every bit as beautiful as she was, and at least Yvonne could act. It's a shame she's only remembered for a stint on TV, because she was a very talented woman.
The Imitation Game (2014) 74/100 - When they put up on the screen, "based upon a true story", you know that the truth will only be hinted at. And that's the main problem with this film, as the entertainment quotient must be factored into the equation. Sadly, that quotient is the main factor in the screenplay and segments of the film were overly simplistic. I didn't expect it to be anymore or less than what I watched. Some good acting, brief moments of great dialog, but more of a CliffsNotes version of the actual story. If this film had been made back in the 70's, it would have been a whole lot more cerebral and for my money, more interesting and entertaining.
Jersey Boys (2014) 30/100 - When Clint Eastwood's time on this earth has come to an end, I hope he has it stipulated in his will that every single copy of this piece of shit film is to be collected and incinerated. He should not want to ever be remembered for making one of the worst biopics in the history of cinema. It's too long, too boring and overly laden with every biography cliche there's ever been. The only redeeming quality is the great music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. But then, even that is marred by some horrendous recordings of those great songs. OK, it would be hard to duplicate Frankie Valli's incredible voice, but man, there were moments when John Lloyd Young, who plays Valli, hits some really stinker notes and it has you pondering why anyone would find his voice angelic or how he would find the success that he attained. Steer clear of this disaster!
« Last Edit: May 01, 2015, 06:24:20 PM by Antares »
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) 80/100 - It must have been such a refreshing tonic to a beleaguered populace in the early days of World War II, to see such a rousing, patriotic piece of propaganda exalting the virtues of a nation founded upon personal liberty. In the time it took to make this film, we had suffered the disaster of Pearl Harbor, the loss of Wake Island, Guam and Douglas MacArthur was riding a PT boat to Australia as the Philippines was soon to fall. There would be many patriotic films made in the next few years, but none would strike the chords that this film would. George M. Cohan was no saint, and his story is somewhat whitewashed, but he did more for national fervor than any other entertainer, or politician for that matter. The values he extolled in his songs now seem dated and naive, but there was a time when this nation stood for something and looking back now on this film, it makes me sad how far we have fallen. As for the film itself, it is a bit long and I now see the advantage of watching this so many years ago with commercial breaks on UHF television. There are those who find it corny and overly sentimental, but as I've said before with films from the Golden Age of Hollywood, allow yourself to drift away to a much simpler time and you'll be rewarded tenfold. I'd still take a film like this over any of today's CGI laden explosion pulp which seems to be cranked out ad nauseum. If this film doesn't make you feel even the slightest bit patriotic, then you have no sense of history and how crucial our role was in it.
GSyren
Well, it didn't make me feel very patriotic, but other than that I agree with you. I definitely take this over many of today's CGI atrocities.
El Amor brujo (1986) 81/100 - I bought Saura's Flamenco Trilogy for my wife many years ago and started to watch the first film in the trilogy, Bodas de sangre with her, but I just couldn't get into it. Years have passed by, and I've decided to try again, but this time, starting with the last film in the trilogy. According to the liner notes, this was to be Saura's most narrative story of the three, and after finishing it, I wished I had started with this one many years ago. This is a hauntingly beautiful film with a pretty basic story, but is highlighted by some magnificent dancing and also by the vibrant music of early 20th century Spanish composer, Manuel de Falla. You can definitely hear the influence of Maurice Ravel in his compositions, but he definitely puts his own stamp to the alluring rhythms used in the ballet. When combined with some very creative dance routines, this becomes not only a feast for the ears, but for the eyes as well. There is one dance routine that had me mesmerized as Carmelo pronounces his love for Candela as the two dance amongst wind driven clothing, hanging on clotheslines. Candela is still haunted by the memory of her dead husband and tells Carmelo that they can never be together. As they dance, they intertwine to the pulsing of the music, but they never touch. And through the separation, you come to understand that they won't become lovers as long as Candela is haunted by her husband's spirit. The film takes a little while to get going, but in the end, it is well worth the time you invest into it. I'm now looking forward to going back for the other two films.
« Last Edit: May 06, 2015, 03:45:55 AM by Antares »
Kill the Umpire (1950) 15/100 - At one time in my life, I was the biggest baseball fan in the history of the game, and to that end, had seen almost every film made on the sport. But for some reason, I never got around to Kill the Umpire. I found it on YouTube and downloaded it and after viewing it over the course of three separate nights, final finished it. Why did it take three nights? Because it is the biggest, stinking pile of crap ever perpetrated on the fans of baseball movies. Up until now, The Scout (1994) had held the ignominious position of worst baseball movie ever made, but by the sheer weight of its horrendously bad screenplay, takes its place as king of the shit pile. The first 30 minutes are excruciatingly painful to get through, but finally in the middle of the story, it looks like those opening moments are being salvaged when the main character has an epiphany on a sandlot, while umpiring a group of kids playing a game. But alas, it once again devolves into a complete train wreck of epic proportions. Frank Tashlin, who directed all those Jerry Lewis films of the late 50's, must have been completely drunk when he wrote his final act. He actually incorporates arson and attempted murder into a series of comedy scenes getting the umpire to the big game. How could any screenwriter, save for one who was working during the silent era, deem it appropriate to have characters starting fires in the top floors of a high rise hotel? I know it was a different time in the postwar years, but every other baseball film I've watched from this era, is harmless and very sentimental towards the game. This catastrophe is not.
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Home Unlabelled Security Agents Will Henceforth Arrest Hate Speech Makers – Buhari
Security Agents Will Henceforth Arrest Hate Speech Makers – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has warned Nigerian elites to stop misleading the people through their unguarded utterances.
Buhari, who is the visitor to the University of Uyo, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, gave the warning at the 24th convocation ceremony of the institution on Saturday.
The President, who was represented by the Director of Corporate Communications, National Universities Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Yakasai, said development and progress could not thrive in a hate-filled and divisive society.
He said universities as home of great thinkers, should give guidance to the communities to enable the people to make informed decisions as the nation approached the 2019 general elections.
He said that the Federal Government would not condone or tolerate incendiary remarks capable of causing fear and spread hatred among the people, from any person or group of persons.
Buhari said that the Federal Government would continue to do its best to ensure security of lives and property in the country.
The President said, “At this point, I want to be very clear and equivocal, that the Federal Government will never condone or tolerate incendiary remarks from any person or group of persons, which are meant to harass, intimidate, cause fear and spread hate, no matter how highly placed such a person is.
“Law enforcement agencies should fish out people who make inciting statements, instigate civil disobedience, broadcast hate speeches or stir strife, riot and rebellion and bring them to book.
“We should continue to live together as brothers and sisters.”
The President called on the new graduates to look beyond leaders who had failed themselves and the nation but should choose their heroes from among those who believe in the progress of Nigeria and emulate those honest and hardworking in their professions.
Buhari said there was a need for the curriculum of Nigerian universities to be diversified to include entrepreneurial skills to help graduates to employ themselves and others after graduation.
The Vice-Chancellor, University of Uyo, Prof. Enefiok Essien, said 32 students from the institution graduated with first class honours in the 24th convocation.
Essien said that 4,539 graduands convoked; 631 postgraduates, 3,678 undergraduates and 230 sub-degrees.
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M 6.4 in Indonesia on 22 Jan 2019 05:10 UTC
Lat/Lon: -10.4663 , 119.0309
Exposed Population: About 96000 people within 100km
INFORM Coping capacity : 4.8 (Indonesia)
us2000j73a Scaled population (vector) 0 Max wave alert 0m
Articles: 146 | About casualties: 1 | Last hour: 0
Death Toll Due to Floods, Landslides in Indonesia Rises to 59Sat, 26 Jan 2019 02:25:00 +0100.
JAKARTA – Indonesian authorities raised on Friday the number of people killed due to floods, landslides and strong winds in the southern part of the island of Sulawesi to 59, while 25 people were missing. Another 47 people have been injured
JAKARTA – Indonesian authorities raised on Friday the number of people killed due to floods, landslides and strong winds in the southern part of the island of Sulawesi to 59, while 25 people were missing. Another 47 people have been injured, while 3,481 people have been displaced, Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said.
Extreme weather events affected 60m people in 2018 - UNISDRSat, 26 Jan 2019 00:22:00 +0100.
GENEVA, 24 January, 2019 Earthquakes and tsunamis accounted for the majority of the 10,373 lives lost in disasters last year while extreme weather events accounted for most of 61.7 million people affected by natural hazards, according to an
GENEVA, 24 January, 2019 Earthquakes and tsunamis accounted for the majority of the 10,373 lives lost in disasters last year while extreme weather events accounted for most of 61.7 million people affected by natural hazards, according to analysis of 281 events recorded by the Centre for Research on....
Extreme weather events affected 60 million people in 2018 – U.N.Fri, 25 Jan 2019 12:31:00 +0100.
Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, said: “No part of the globe was spared from the impact of extreme weather events last year. Examined floods, droughts, storms and wildfires affected
Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, said: “No part of the globe was spared from the impact of extreme weather events last year. Examined floods, droughts, storms and wildfires affected 57.3 million people, underlining once more that if we want....
Nearly 61.7 mn affected due to extreme weather events in 2018: UN repo ... Fri, 25 Jan 2019 05:08:00 +0100.
and tsunamis accounted for most of the 10,373 lives lost in disasters last year, while extreme weather events accounted for most of 61.7 million people affected by natural hazards, the UN Office for (UNISDR) said on Thursday. There were 28
Nearly 61.7 mn affected due to extreme weather events in 2018: UN reportFri, 25 Jan 2019 05:08:00 +0100.
and tsunamis accounted for most of the 10,373 lives lost in disasters last year, while extreme weather events accounted for most of 61.7 million people affected by natural hazards, the UN Office for (UNISDR) said on Thursday. There were 281 extreme weather events recorded by the Center for Research....
For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: JRC (114), (4), NEIC (4), OCHA (1), INGV (1), DesInventar (3), WMO (3), USGS (4), INFORM (6), NOAA (2),
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Jockey Profile
Date of Birth: August 3rd, 1996
County of origin: Dublin
First winner: Supreme Steel (Pat Fahy) Right'N'Royal (Michael O'Connor) Thurles, March 25th, 2017
Assoc. Trainers: Pat Fahy
From Dublin, Cillian rode his first winner on the Pat Fahy-trained Supreme Steel in the Clonoulty Handicap Hurdle at Thurles on Saturday, March 25th, 2017.
Tipperary Races On Twitter H'cap H'dle (No Pressure Pat - 2017)
Casey Concrete Gorey H'cap H'dle (No Pressure Pat - 2017)
Clonoulty H'cap H'dle (Supreme Steel - 2017)
Venue ALL Ballinrobe Clonmel Cork Down Royal Downpatrick Fairyhouse Galway Gowran Park Kilbeggan Killarney Leopardstown Limerick Listowel Naas Navan Punchestown Roscommon Sligo Thurles Tipperary Tramore Wexford
Date From ALL 19/03/18 10/03/18 24/02/18 17/02/18 10/02/18 08/02/18 07/02/18 21/01/18 13/01/18 07/01/18 31/12/17 29/12/17 27/12/17 26/12/17 16/12/17 14/12/17 07/12/17 03/12/17 02/12/17 01/12/17 23/11/17 09/11/17 03/11/17 02/11/17 30/10/17 29/10/17 26/10/17 13/10/17 07/10/17 03/10/17 21/09/17 11/09/17 07/09/17 20/08/17 09/08/17 27/07/17 23/07/17 18/06/17 14/05/17 11/05/17 08/05/17 05/05/17 27/04/17 26/04/17 21/04/17 16/04/17 09/04/17 07/04/17 06/04/17 01/04/17 25/03/17 21/03/17 17/03/17 11/03/17 09/03/17 25/02/17 22/02/17 18/02/17 11/02/17 09/02/17 04/02/17 25/01/17 22/01/17 15/01/17 01/01/17 31/12/16 28/12/16 26/12/16 18/12/16 15/12/16 10/12/16 08/12/16 01/12/16 26/11/16 22/11/16 19/11/16 16/11/16 31/10/16 30/10/16 30/09/16 24/09/16 12/09/16 17/07/16 05/06/16 20/05/16 30/04/16 30/03/16 20/03/16 17/03/16 14/02/16 23/01/16 04/11/15 18/10/15 28/08/15 21/08/15
Date To ALL 19/03/18 10/03/18 24/02/18 17/02/18 10/02/18 08/02/18 07/02/18 21/01/18 13/01/18 07/01/18 31/12/17 29/12/17 27/12/17 26/12/17 16/12/17 14/12/17 07/12/17 03/12/17 02/12/17 01/12/17 23/11/17 09/11/17 03/11/17 02/11/17 30/10/17 29/10/17 26/10/17 13/10/17 07/10/17 03/10/17 21/09/17 11/09/17 07/09/17 20/08/17 09/08/17 27/07/17 23/07/17 18/06/17 14/05/17 11/05/17 08/05/17 05/05/17 27/04/17 26/04/17 21/04/17 16/04/17 09/04/17 07/04/17 06/04/17 01/04/17 25/03/17 21/03/17 17/03/17 11/03/17 09/03/17 25/02/17 22/02/17 18/02/17 11/02/17 09/02/17 04/02/17 25/01/17 22/01/17 15/01/17 01/01/17 31/12/16 28/12/16 26/12/16 18/12/16 15/12/16 10/12/16 08/12/16 01/12/16 26/11/16 22/11/16 19/11/16 16/11/16 31/10/16 30/10/16 30/09/16 24/09/16 12/09/16 17/07/16 05/06/16 20/05/16 30/04/16 30/03/16 20/03/16 17/03/16 14/02/16 23/01/16 04/11/15 18/10/15 28/08/15 21/08/15
Horse ALL Afareen Aimee Kate All About Alfie Ancient Highway Annskert Lady Ard Na Carraig (GB) Aunt Berry Aunty Liz Authorative Awayinthewest Ballykea Star Blue Lobster Buffalo Blues (GB) Caesar's Song Castle Clyde Celtic Monarch Dazzling Sarah Fu's Island Glenabo Bridge Good To Flow Head Turner In Our Blood Island Villa Ivy Nook Jakesday Jazz Ranger Just Soldier (FR) Lord Lir Maccas Lad Micras (GB) Moanbaun Maestro Moonlight Art Nameloc Night Muse No Pressure Pat Pablo San (FR) Paddy's Orient Pride Of Kildare Raveloe (GB) Robyn Rua Secret Approach Shabra's Bertolini She'llbeallright Sister Slew Sugary Candy Supreme Steel The Green Lady The Shepherd King Thelobstercatcher (GB) Tongie Val Di Comino Vic's Little Miss Western Daru
Race Type ALL BegCh Ch HcpCh HcpHdl MdnHdl NHF NovHdl
Distance ALL 2m 2m 107yds 2m 180yds 2m 1f 2m 1f 100yds 2m 1f 172yds 2m 1f 86yds 2m 23yds 2m 2f 2m 2f 165yds 2m 2f 50yds 2m 3f 2m 3f 105yds 2m 3f 120yds 2m 3f 180yds 2m 3f 55yds 2m 3f 58yds 2m 4f 2m 4f 22yds 2m 5f 2m 5f 100yds 2m 61yds 2m 6f 2m 6f 171yds 2m 70yds 2m 7f 2m 7f 112yds 2m 7f 45yds 2m 7f 96yds 3m 3m 140yds 3m 187yds 3m 1f 100yds 3m 38yds 3m 80yds
Place ALL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 fell p.u. u.r.
Weight ALL 9-3 9-10 9-11 9-12 9-13 10-0 10-1 10-2 10-3 10-4 10-5 10-6 10-7 10-8 10-9 10-10 10-11 10-12 10-13 11-0 11-1 11-2 11-3 11-4 11-5 11-7 11-9
Rating ALL 128 123 119 113 106 105 104 102 101 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 87 86 85 84 82 81 80 79
Down Royal 19/03/18 Castle Clyde HcpHdl 2m 3f 105yds 5 11-7 92 Adare Manor Opportunity H'cap H'dle €313
Gowran Park 10/03/18 No Pressure Pat HcpHdl 2m 4f 8 10-10 97 Ballyhale & Mullinavat GAA Day Hcap Hdle
Fairyhouse 24/02/18 Jazz Ranger HcpHdl 2m 4f 9 11-5 101 Attheraces.com/Cheltenham H'cap H'dle
Gowran Park 17/02/18 Aunty Liz NHF 2m 1f 15 11-1 EBF Ronan Lawlor Mem (M) (P-Am)Flat Race
Naas 10/02/18 Ard Na Carraig (GB) HcpHdl 2m 9 11-0 99 Adare Manor Opportunity H'cap H'dle
Thurles 08/02/18 Glenabo Bridge HcpHdl 2m 7f 112yds 6 11-5 95 Killinan H'cap H'dle
Fairyhouse 07/02/18 Good To Flow HcpHdl 2m 4f 7 10-12 101 Fundraiser At Fairyhouse H'cap H'dle
Thurles 21/01/18 Buffalo Blues (GB) MdnHdl 2m 13 10-3 www.thurlesraces.ie M'dn H'dle
Punchestown 13/01/18 Tongie HcpCh 2m 4f fell 11-5 105 Adare Manor Opportunity H'cap S'chase
Naas 07/01/18 Pride Of Kildare HcpHdl 2m 10 9-12 85 Adare Manor Opportunity H'cap H'dle
Punchestown 31/12/17 Buffalo Blues (GB) MdnHdl 2m 7 10-7 Festival Hospitality 3-Y-O M'dn H'dle
Punchestown 31/12/17 Island Villa HcpHdl 2m u.r. 10-11 82 Adare Manor Opportunity H'cap H'dle
Leopardstown 29/12/17 Good To Flow HcpHdl 2m 4f 12 9-10 101 Top Oil Irish EBF Novice H'cap H'dle
Limerick 27/12/17 No Pressure Pat HcpHdl 3m p.u. 10-0 98 Roches Feeds H'cap H'dle
Down Royal 26/12/17 In Our Blood HcpHdl 2m 12 11-0 86 Adare Manor Opportunity H'cap H'dle
Fairyhouse 16/12/17 Buffalo Blues (GB) MdnHdl 2m 9 10-7 Racing On New Years Day 3-Y-O M'dn H'dle
Tramore 14/12/17 Paddy's Orient HcpHdl 2m p.u. 10-5 81 www.tramore-racecourse.com H'cap H'dle
Tramore 14/12/17 Dazzling Sarah HcpHdl 2m 5f 8 10-2 92 Waterford & Tramore Supp.Club H'cap Hdle
Tramore 14/12/17 Good To Flow MdnHdl 2m 6 11-0 101 Online Tickets (Mares) M'dn H'dle
Clonmel 07/12/17 Jazz Ranger HcpHdl 2m 61yds 7 11-5 102 Powerstown H'cap H'dle
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British Court sentenced mother to 11 years in prison for FMG
173 ViewsLondon – A British court has sentenced a 37-year-old mother from Uganda to 11 years in prison for mutilating the genitals of her 3-year-old daughter, making her the first person in the country to be punished for FGM (Female Genital Mutilation). According to The
Mar 10, 2019 by Anthony Shipman
Disneyland Paris will host its first gay parade on Children’s Day
939 Views A Gay Pride will be held this year at Disneyland Paris. On June 1, right on Children’s Day, the parade to support LGBT community rights will take place in the famous amusement park, writes Il Giornale. Disney has shown a more liberal approach
Feb 03, 2019 by Vadim Tudor
Marine Le Pen ordered to submit psychiatric evaluation over twitter posts
251 Views Marine Le Pen was ordered by a French court to submit a psychiatric evaluation as part of it’s investigation into Twitter posts she had made in 2015 showcasing executions committed by the Islamic State. One of the images she posted showed the barbaric
Sep 22, 2018 by Jack Bright
European Union approves of the controversial Copyright Directive
214 ViewsThis Wednesday the European Parliament voted in favor over an amended version of the Copyright Directive that was originally rejected by Members of the European Parliament this summer, calling it a necessary overhaul to protect Europe’s cultural heritage and create a level playing field between
Sep 13, 2018 by Ramon Morra
Ruling Social Democrats remain largest party in Swedish exit polls.
213 Views Despite receiving a historically low percentage of 26,2% of the votes, the left wing Social Democrats remain the largest party in the Swedish General Election. The right wing anti-establishment party received 19,2% of the votes, making them the second largest party, according to
Sep 09, 2018 by Anthony Shipman
Art restoration in Spain goes horribly wrong (again)
561 Views It’s not unlikely that you never heard of El Rañadoiro, a small town in Northern Spain with less than 30 people living in it. However, one thing the small community had going for itself was a chapel that was home to a small
Sweden sees rise in forced and child marriages
214 Views Sweden has seen a sharp rise in reports of child and forced marriages, says the hotline established by the County Administrative Board. The hotline that seeks to help children and young people who are being forced into marriage received at least 130 phone
Sweden swings to the right due to fears surrounding mass immigration and the generous welfare system.
334 Views The fears over the negative effects of globalisation, a failure to integrate ethnic and religious minorities and their burden on the welfare state have boosted right wing and anti-establishment parties across the western world. Now polls in Sweden are indicating that 20% of the
Theresa May pledges to invest $5.1 billion in Africa
200 Views During a three-day tour of Africa, British Prime Minister Theresa May pledged 4 billion pounds to support African markets in an attempt to strengthen trade deals. In a Sunday press release, May stated that that
Potential assassin of Geert Wilders arrested in The Hague
207 Views Dutch Police arrested an unidentified man at the Den Haag Centraal railway station on Tuesday, following suspicion that he was planning an assassination attempt on Dutch MP Geert Wilders. Police stated that the 26 year old man had made a video on Facebook where
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Migos Tickets
For those of you who haven’t heard of this fresh new music sensation, Migos, the hip hop group is making some noise. Incepted in the year 2009, these young men have quickly made quite an impact with their unique take on the hip hop and trap genres. The group’s manager is Coach K, who is known for his involvement in the management of Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane. Migos began to generate hype around Atlanta by playing their music in clubs all over the city. And before they knew it, they were already quite far up the ladder of success. And now this fresh-sounding group is out on tour. If you want to catch them live in action, you might want to get your hands on these Migos tickets.
View Migos Tickets
Migos Cities
Migos Oakland CA
Migos Anaheim CA
Buy Real Street Festival: Future, ASAP Rocky, 2 Chainz, Cardi B, Meek Mill & Migos - 2 Day Pass, Honda Center Tickets for Sat Aug 10 2019 Real Street Festival: Future, ASAP Rocky, 2 Chainz, Cardi B, Meek Mill & Migos - 2 Day Pass, Honda Center tickets for 08/10 03:30 AM at Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
Buy Real Street Festival: ASAP Rocky, Cardi B & Migos - Sunday, Honda Center Grounds Tickets for Sun Aug 11 2019 Real Street Festival: ASAP Rocky, Cardi B & Migos - Sunday, Honda Center Grounds tickets for 08/11 12:00 PM at Honda Center Grounds, Anaheim, CA
Buy Rolling Loud Festival Bay Area: Migos, Lil Uzi Vert, Juice Wrld & Playboi Carti - Sunday Admission (Time: TBD), The Grounds at RingCentral Coliseum Tickets for Sun Sep 29 2019 Rolling Loud Festival Bay Area: Migos, Lil Uzi Vert, Juice Wrld & Playboi Carti - Sunday Admission (Time: TBD), The Grounds at RingCentral Coliseum tickets for 09/29 12:30 PM at The Grounds at RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Once in a while a group comes on to the music scene and refreshes the entire music scene with the sheer power of its music. Migos falls in that category. The hip hop band has been a breath of fresh air and in just six years, their music has begun to make waves. They are about to hit the road now and this is your chance to grab Migos tickets and catch them live in concert.
About Migos
Migos was incepted in the year 2009, by Quavious Keyate Marshall, Kiari Kendrell Cephus and Kirshnik Khari Ball, who all belong to Gwinnett County in Georgia. The members are related to each other and grew up together. They released their first piece of work, a mixtape titled Juug Season, in 2011 and another one called, No Label, in 2012. But their breakthrough work did not come until their 2013 single, “Versace”. This song went to the number 99 position (US Billboard Hot 100) and caught the attention of famous rapper, Drake. Soon after, Drake came out with a remix of the song and then went on to perform on it at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in the year 2013.
In June of 2013, the band Migos released another mixtape, titled Y.R.N. (Young Rich Niggas). It received positive reviews from various critics and Brandon Soderberg (Spin) rated it at eight stars out of ten. Soderberg even compared the budding rap artists to the likes of Gucci Mane, Future and Soulja Boy. The song “Versace” made it to several lists in 2013. It went to number four on Complex’s “The 50 Best Songs of 2013”, number thirty eight on Pitchfork’s “The Top 100 Tracks of 2013” and to number sixty nine on Rolling Stone’s “The 100 Best Songs of 2013”.
Migos released another mixtape called No Label 2 in the early part of 2014 and it turned out to be a highly successful venture for the upcoming artists as it was downloaded more than 100,000 times in the first week of its release. It also received highly positive reviews from various music critics.
From mixtapes to studio albums
Finally in March of 2014, the band announced that they would release Y.R.N. 2, a complete studio album instead of a mixtape. In June of the same year, the band signed on to 300 Entertainment and in the same month, released their single, “Fight Night”. The song went on to reach the 69th position on the Billboard Hot 100 and made it the group’s most successful release to date.
Migos released a track from the new album, called “One Time” in 2015. Soon after, the group followed up with a video for this single. The single went on to reach the 34th spot on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. After a small delay, they released their first album, Yung Rich Nation. The album had several guest appearances from the likes of Chris Brown and Young Thug. The record was well received by critics and fans alike.
Soon after this, Migos went independent. Following the change, they released their new mixtape, called Back to the Bando. The first song from the mixtape came out in September of 2015. This song, titled, “Look at My Dab” gained worldwide fame.
The Dab Tour
Towards the end of 2015, it was announced that Migos will be hitting the road for the highly anticipated Dab Tour, which will also feature Skippa da Flippa. This is going to be one tour to watch out for. These young rappers, riding high on the wave of success will be making their way to your town soon and you will certainly not want to miss them live in action.
With fans like Drake on their list and artists like Chris Brown collaborating with these guys, you can be sure of the quality of music that you can enjoy with your friends at a concert by the Migos. So grab your Migos tickets before they run out.
Aubrey & The Three Migos Tour
Hip hop trio Migos and platinum-selling music artist Drake have announced the dates of their Aubrey and The Three Amigos Tour. Produced by Live Nation, the extensive outing will start off with a performance in Salt Lake City in July and visit numerous cities across America and Canada. The two top-notch music acts most recent collaboration Walk it Talk it has been a massive success and they will be performing the song live together as part of the upcoming shows. So if you have the chance to catch them live, don’t miss it for anything because it promises to be one of the most talked about tours of the year.
Migos Profession
Hip hop group
Migos Genres
Hip hop music, Trap music
Migos Members
Quavo, Offset, Takeoff
Migos Origin
Lawrenceville, Georgia, United States (2008)
YRN 2 (Young Rich Niggas 2)
Young Rich Niggas
Yung Rich Nation
MigoThuggin
Migos Record labels
300 Entertainment, Atlantic Records, Quality Control Music, Young Rich Nation
Migos Songs
Bad & Boujee
Look at My Dab
Call Casting
Pipe It Up
Handsome And Wealthy
Dat Way
Slide on Em
Say Sum
Freak No More
Can’t Go Out Sad
Kelly Price
Cross the Country
New Atlanta
Get Right Witcha
Deadz
All Ass
Out Yo Way
Hit Em
Big On Big
MIGOS NEWS AND UPDATES
Migos Releases New Album
American hip sop trio Migos’ new music record Culture II has finally hit the music stores. The album is a follow-up is Culture that came out in 2017. The new album features previously released songs such as Motor Sport and Supastars. Culture II also features appearances by music artists including Guzzi Mane, Big Sean, Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Post Malone and Drake. Besides rapper Kanye West is credited on the song BBO as a producer, lyricist and composer. If you hav’nt listened to the tracks of Culture II yet, do so now.
Migos Release New Single from their Upcoming Album 'Culture 2'
The rap group from Georgia, Migos is gearing up to drop their latest studio effort, ‘Culture 2’ in January of 2018. To give a little taste of what their upcoming album is going to sound like, the band dropped the first single from the album with Nicki Minaj and Cardi B on October 27, 2017 titled, Motorsport. The band has now dropped the album’s second single, Stir Fry which has been played in excess of one million times on YouTube.
Apart from releasing new music, Migos are also scheduled to perform a series of live shows. As of now, they plan to play three gigs in cities including Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Migos Schedule
Nothing beats the joy of watching your favorite music artist perform live! Migos's concert dates are out and fans are looking forward to the upcoming shows. The next concert will be held in Anaheim at the Honda Center on 10-Aug-19, while the last available date is for the event scheduled for Oakland at the The Grounds at RingCentral Coliseum on 29-Sep-19. For complete information regarding dates and venues, please visit our website.
Real Street Festival: Future, ASAP Rocky, 2 Chainz, Cardi B, Meek Mill & Migos - 2 Day Pass Honda Center Anaheim, CA Sat Aug 10 201903:30 AM
Real Street Festival: ASAP Rocky, Cardi B & Migos - Sunday Honda Center Grounds Anaheim, CA Sun Aug 11 201912:00 PM
Rolling Loud Festival Bay Area: Migos, Lil Uzi Vert, Juice Wrld & Playboi Carti - Sunday Admission (Time: TBD) The Grounds at RingCentral Coliseum Oakland, CA Sun Sep 29 201912:30 PM
Migos Ticket Prices
The average price for Migos Tickets start from $141. The minimum get in price is $18 for Migos Tickets at the The Grounds at RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland. For a detailed look at ticket prices and amazing discounts, visit our website.
Real Street Festival: Future, ASAP Rocky, 2 Chainz, Cardi B, Meek Mill & Migos - 2 Day Pass Anaheim 10-Aug-19 $263 $174
Real Street Festival: ASAP Rocky, Cardi B & Migos - Sunday Anaheim 11-Aug-19 $141 $136
Rolling Loud Festival Bay Area: Migos, Lil Uzi Vert, Juice Wrld & Playboi Carti - Sunday Admission (Time: TBD) Oakland 29-Sep-19 $586 $18
Q:Will Migos perform their latest hits from their third studio album, 'Culture II' in their upcoming concerts?
A:Yes! The hip-hop trio, Migos will surely perform their new songs including, Motorsport, Stir Fry and Walk It Talk It from their latest release, 'Culture II' in their upcoming concerts. So, if you want to party with his rap group live then all you need are your Migos tickets. You can buy them today from our trusted brokers by visiting our website.
Q:How to pay for my Migos tickets?
A:You can purchase your Migos tickets from our certified brokers only by using a credit card of any major credit card company that is operating in the United States. Please remember that our brokers will not accept payments made through cash.
Q:Can I get Migos tickets on the day of the event?
A:You will only be able to purchase Migos tickets on the day of the event only if there are available in stock by then. Considering the high demand for these tickets, the chances for that happening is very slim so, it is recommended to buy them from our reliable brokers today in order to avoid any risk of missing out on their live performance.
Q:When will Migos perform in Hartford?
A:The hip-hop trio, Migos has made their fans in Hartford excited by announcing a concert in the city on May 18, 2018. The show is scheduled to be held at the Xfinity Center. If you are a rap music enthusiast then you will surely love their live performance. So, buy your Migos tickets from our registered brokers and watch them do what they do best.
Q:Can I cancel my order for Migos concert tickets?
A:You cannot cancel your order for Migos concert tickets. Our certified brokers who are responsible for putting these tickets on our website do not allow cancellation of the order once it has been placed. All sales are considered final once you have completed the transaction process.
Q:Can you tell me when Migos will perform in Las Vegas?
A:Of course! The hip-hop trio, Migos are on tour in support of their chart-topping album, 'Culture II' and will soon be performing a show in Las Vegas at the Drai's Nightclub At The Cromwell. If you want to party with this band live then purchase your Migos tickets from our certified brokers at the earliest.
Q:What is the last date to buy Dab Tour tickets?
A:There is no last date as such to buy Migos Tickets. In most cases, tickets are available for as long as they are not sold-out which could even be the day of the show itself. You will be able to buy Migos Tickets for the show you want to attend for as long as the tickets are in stock. Having said that it is not recommended to wait till the last day simply because tickets might not be available for too long.
Q:Where can I get Migos Tour Dates 2018 from?
A:Migos, the American hip hop stars are going on tour this year and this is your chance to see them hit the stage live at an arena near you. If you are looking for the tour dates, you can go through them on our website. Not only that but you can also book your Migos Tickets from there too. All you have to do is go through the listed prices and book the tickets you want in no more than just a few minutes.
Q:What is the price of Migos Concert 2018 tickets?
A:Migos are making headlines for all the right reasons right now. They are now going on tour and you can now book Migos Tickets from our brokers off our website. The highest average tickets price is $206 whereas the lowest average tickets price stands at $104. If you take a look at the get in prices, then the highest one is $52 compared to the lowest one of only $7.
Q:Will I be able to buy Migos Tour 2018 tickets on the day of a particular show?
A:You will only be able to buy Migos Tickets on the day of a particular concert, if they are available by then. Since tickets for the tour are in high demand, there are no guarantees that they will be available by the time the concert you want to attend comes around. This is why we always advise our valued customers to book their tickets as early as possible because if you delay the purchase, then you run the risk of missing out on the concert altogether.
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Rob Lowe pays tribute to hero police officer killed in Thousand Oaks shoot-out
Rob Lowe has paid tribute to the police official who was killed in a bar shooting in Thousand Oaks, California on Wednesday night (07Nov18).
Sgt. Ron Helus was among the 13 people shot and killed in America’ s latest gun-related massacre, including shooter Ian Long.
Helus was one of the first cops to arrive at the Borderline Bar & Grill, where the shoot-out began at a college student night.
During a press briefing on Thursday morning, Sheriff Geoff Dean of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Sgt Helus was struck multiple times by gunfire and died at the hospital.
Lowe, who has lived in Ventura County over the years, took to Instagram to pay his respects, posting a photo of the victim and writing: “This is what a hero looks like. My respect, gratitude and deep condolences to the family of Sgt. Ron Helus of the Ventura sheriffs dept.
“He was killed charging into a blaze of gunfire to save many young lives. He was set to retire in a few months after 29 years of service. May God bless him.”
“Ron was a hardworking dedicated sheriff’s sergeant,” said Dean, who was also one of the dead cop’s closest friends. “He was totally committed. He gave his all. Tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives, to save other people.”
A tribute procession following the hearse carrying Sgt. Helus‘ remains to the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s office has been hastily organised for Thursday.
U.S. leader Donald Trump and Chelsea Clinton have also taken to social media to pay tribute to the victims and remark on the latest mass shooting to hit America.
Clinton states: “Today is the 312th day of the year.”
Actress Busy Philipps adds: “Waking up to the news of the shooting in Thousand Oaks. My heart is broken for all of the victims and their families. I’m at a loss. Again. Again. Again.”
Mira Sorvino writes: “I can’t even. Devastated for the victims. At a loss, but know that our government MUST DO SOMETHING TO STOP THIS HORRIFIC GUN VIOLENCE!!!!
Lowe, who is in Britain on location, previously hit Twitter when he first heard the news, writing: “Waking up in the UK to hear the terrible news of a mass shooting in Thousand Oaks Ca. Strength and prayers to families and first responders”, while Josh Gad added: “We are on a hamster wheel of insanity. Another day of grief. Another day of outrage. Another day of families unnecessarily learning their loved ones are dead. But, don’t worry, I remember from all of the other times we’ve done this… guns aren’t the problem.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Josh Groban, Mandy Moore, Lucy Hale, and Armie Hammer were also among the stars paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the shooting on Thursday.
#RobLowe
#Sgt.RonHelus
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San Francisco outside the city
USS Missouri and San Francisco
Historical Essay
by Gary Roush
Originally published in "It's About Times," the Abalone Alliance newspaper, November-December 1984, and titled "San Francisco Bids for Battleship Task Force".
USS Missouri steams into San Francisco, mid-1980s.
In late 1984, the city of San Francisco officially requested to become the home port of the the USS Missouri, a WWII battleship in the process of being refitted with nuclear weapons. This proposal saw nearly unanimous support amongst elected officials. However, local activists were opposed to the warship calling San Francisco its home port, and organized grassroots protests against the proposal, which led to the abandonment of the home-porting plan.
On September 15, 1984, Mayor Dianne Feinstein formally asked the Navy to make San Francisco the home port of the USS Missouri and its arsenal of cruise missiles.
The Missouri, also known as “Big Mo,” is a World War II battleship that weighs in at 57 tons. It is 18 stories high, 900 feet long, and over 100 feet wide. Along with three other battleships of its class, the USS New Jersey, Iowa, and Wisconsin, the Missouri is being pulled out of mothballs and refitted with 32 Tomahawk cruise missiles, with both nuclear and conventional warheads.
The USS New Jersey, a battleship very similar to the USS Missouri.
"No Big Mo" demonstration on waterfront, San Francisco.
Photo: Keith Holmes
Mayor Feinstein’s vigorous push to bring the Missouri and its supports ships to San Francisco is supported by almost every politician, including those who support a nuclear freeze. The seduction of a $60-million military payroll has turned even the most progressive politicians into opportunistic mush.
Even Congressman Ron Dellums, who helped lead the fight both against the battleship program and the cruise missile, has now signed his support to the Mayor’s proposal. According to Lee Halterman, Dellums’s head staffer, “since the battle was lost to stop those programs, it’s now Dellums responsibility to bring in as much of the economic benefits from it as he can to the 8th District.” In other words, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! Halterman did indicate that in light of the opposition and safety issues beginning to emerge, Dellums will be re-examining his position.
Peace Navy obstructs USS Missouri during contentious campaign to homeport the Missouri in San Francisco during the 1980s.
Photo: Bob Heifetz, Peace Navy
<iframe src="https://archive.org/embed/SaulBloomOnNukesTheUssMissouri" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Saul Bloom describes his own history with Greenpeace and opposing the homeporting of the USS Missouri in San Francisco during the 1980s.
Video: Chris Carlsson and David Martinez, from the Ecology Emerges project.
Congresswoman Sala Burton has voiced conditional opposition to the Missouri because of her concern about the possibility of its cruise warheads accidentally detonating in the Bay. Though this is unlikely, a ship collision could set off the conventional explosive used to initiate the chain reaction in the cruises’ nuclear warheads, sending up a cloud of nuclear debris.
As far as local politicians go, only Berkeley Mayor Gus Newport has unconditionally opposed the homeporting. Grassroots opposition, however, is beginning to emerge as local antinuclear and anti-interventionists activists examine the issue. They made their presence felt during the fourth annual Fleet Week celebration, sponsored by Mayor Feinstein in conjunction with private business groups.
On Saturday, October 13, 1984, eighteen Navy ships cruised into the San Francisco Bay. The Peace Navy, a local group of aquatic activists, sailed 25 boats strong past the mayor’s reviewing stand, protest banners flying. They then floated between the Navy ships and the crowds of spectators on shore. Meanwhile a group of people leafleted the largely pro-military crowd as the Blue Angels air team screeched overhead.
On Monday, activists arranged several incidents on board the ships docked for public open house. On the destroyer USS Callahan, a small group spilled blood all over a missile launching device, and moments later over the onboard helicopter. In the tension that ensued as Navy personnel closed off several areas to the public, another group began to sing irreverent anti-war songs aboard the USS Elliot, right next to the Callahan. Both groups were escorted off, as more sections of the ship were closed down. Later the singing protesters took a tour of the massive USS Constellation, where they performed on the flight deck to a large audience before being hustled off the ship.
Protesters circle up during action against USS Missouri, 1984.
The coup de grace came later that night at the Mayor’s bash for Navy brass and local socialites in City Hall. Protests by about 200 rowdy demonstrators raged outside. A mock battleship and flags were burned and nine people were arrested, as protestors did die-ins in the surrounding streets.
Meanwhile, It’s About Times staffer Ward Young, decked out in his Sunday best, gained access to the gala affair. Just as the Mayor was beginning her remarks, Young jumped out in front of the ten-foot long, submarine-decorated cake that was to presented to the Navy. Plunging his hands repeatedly into the cake, he told the shocked crowd, “The people of Central America say they want freedom. I say, let them eat cake!” Seconds thereafter, police hauled him away.
Inspector John Hennessey, spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department, told reporters, “We know we got the right guy because he had frosting all over him.” After four hours in drunk tank, Young was charged with public drunkenness and released.
What’s in it for us?
To win local support for her proposal to homeport the Missouri in San Francisco at the old Hunter’s Point Shipyard, Feinstein is holding out the carrots of a $60-million military payroll, up to $30 million in ship repair contracts, 500 private security jobs, and lots of money spent by free-wheeling sailors. However, as facts slowly ooze to the surface these statistics begin to lose their luster.
For example, a Navy study states that sailors spend only about 40% of their disposable income in their homeport region. Besides the expensive give-aways Feinstein is offering to lure the Navy, the day-to-day cost in city services to the base and its dependents must be taken into account.
As for job creation, there would certainly be a rash of short-term construction jobs, but the actual number of permanent jobs is questionable. The Hunter’s Point neighborhood is being told that unemployed residents there will get most of the new jobs, but if San Francisco’s India Basin Development is any indication, most of the jobs will go to skilled workers from other areas.
Finally, there is the question of housing. The Missouri deal is providing the Mayor the opportunity to finally make good her promises of new low-income housing. However, it will be on base and for Navy families only. She has also secured promises from realtor groups in the Bay Area to give the Navy “first notification” of appropriate available housing. The likely scenario is that property values will increase around the Hunters Point area, making homeless many of the poor residents who have been promised benefits from the base.
Battleships throughout the years
With all the billions being poured into high-tech weapons, one may wonder why the Reagan administration is eagerly pushing the revival of WWII rust buckets? A quick jog down military memory lane will recall that it was with the battleship that the English established “Pax Britannica” for over a century. Battleships, by definition the largest ships with the biggest guns and the heaviest armor plating, continued to evolve with ever larger mass and firepower through WWI.
In between the World Wars, General Billy Mitchell stubbornly argued that the airplane would become the most important weapon in the next war and should be given top priority for development. He was right to a degree. Many WWI vintage battleships were lost to advanced torpedoes from both airplanes and submarines at the beginning of WWII, and the Battle of Midway in 1942 proved that airplanes from aircraft carriers could extend the battlefield inland beyond the range of the battleships.
However, in the latter years of the war, the Iowa class battleships, to which the Missouri belongs, were built with two extremely thick hulls. The double hull made them nearly impossible to sink, for even if a torpedo pierced one, it had the other to contend with. In addition, Iowa class battleships had 16-inch diameter guns mounted on their decks, still the largest naval guns in the world.
Several of these battleships were involved in the Korean War in the early 1950s, but all were put into mothballs for storage after that, and preference was given to developing new aircraft carriers and submarines. The New Jersey was revived for a few years in the late 1960s to pock-mark the coastal areas of Vietnam with over 5,000 rounds from its 16-inch guns. One shell from these guns is packed with over 2,300 pounds of TNT and can be shot up to 23 miles. If the Missouri fired a round from the Golden Gate Bridge, the shell would explode just short of Concord, blowing a hole 40’ by 40’ by 10’ deep.
When in doubt, send the Marines
The latest revival of the battleships began around 1978, when Charles Myer Jr. left the Pentagon to work as a private consultant to several major weapons producers as a specialist in “tactical weapons conceptual development.” Myer saw a growing need for a more effective means of “forcible entry” when the US wanted to “insert” troops into Third World nations that stray from the American Way. The problem, as Myer saw it, was that weather restrictions made aircraft unreliable for blowing away a safe path for landing assault troops.
The solution that Myer proposed was to modernize selected WWII battleships and outfit them with advanced cruise and Harpoon missiles. Unlike a more vulnerable carrier, a battleship with super armor can “cruise into harm’s way” right next to the shores of an errant Third World country.
When the visible threat of terror is not enough, a battleship’s guns can deliver it, day or night, rain or shine. With conventional warheads on 1500-mile range cruise or medium-range Harpoon missiles, the battleship doubles as an accurate bomber, minus the need for pilots and jets. If invasion troops are required, they can disembark from the battleship as its guns roll out a landing patch, and re-embark as the carpet is rolled up behind them.
With nuclear warheads on cruise missiles, a battleship is the ultimate threat to non-nuclear nations. It also becomes part of a nuclear war-fighting strategy against the Soviets, both as an element of a first strike and in the insane concept of a protracted nuclear war. With the modernized battleship, the “deadly connections” become transparent; nuclear weapons frolic with conventional options and East-West tensions embrace those of North-South.
The Carter administration opposed the battleship program when funding for it was first proposed to Congress in spring of 1980. A determined Myer found a more receptive ear in John Lehman, who after the 1980 election became Secretary of the Navy. Lehman, along with National Security Advisor Richard Allen, was easily able to sell a pro-Navy Reagan on the plan. Reagan is committed to creating a 600-plus ship, 15-carrier Navy. Its funding is already approved, and the new Navy is scheduled to be reality by 1989.
The battleship modernization plan offered much faster delivery dates and overall economy than building comparable new ships to carry the cruise. Not coincidentally, new nuclear weapons are the only programs that have received the same priority as the Navy build-up, demonstrating how intertwined the two programs are.
The New Jersey and Iowa are already recommissioned and out at sea. It was the New Jersey that shelled Druze militia positions from off the Lebanese coast in 1983, and the Iowa has recently been lurking in the Gulf of Fonseca off Nicaragua.
This flyer was distributed in San Francisco during the campaign against the homeporting of the USS Missouri, by an informal group that took the name "Shock Troupe.
Continue Anti-War Tour
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The History Of Stage Hypnosis
The story of stage hypnosis begins in Paris in 1813 when a scientist named Abbe Faria began to perform public demonstrations of hypnosis. Whilst these demonstrations of hypnosis could hardly be thought of as hypnosis shows as we now consider them, Faria’s demonstrations were the start of hypnosis being performed for the amusement of the general public. Stage hypnosis as we think of it today was really pioneered by a failed French actor turned Mesmerist named Charles Lafontaine.
Lafontaine was a French hypnotist who toured the vaudeville theaters of Britain in 1841. An old-fashioned Mesmerist, Lafontaine achieved fame and fortune as one of the first genuinely original specialty acts. For Lafontaine, it was adequate to simply ‘put his subjects to sleep’ and very little else was required to amaze the audiences of the day. On November 13th 1841 one of Lafontaine’s Mesmeric demonstrations was witnessed by a certain James Braid this encounter would be a turning point for hypnosis as it was James Braid who in 1842 coined the terms “hypnotism” and “hypnosis,” based on the Greek word for “sleep.”
Throughout the 1840s public demonstrations of hypnosis, were all the rage, with the stage hypnotists frequently ending their shows with advertisements for private consultations. Unfortunately, by the end of 1852 interest in hypnosis was waning due at least in part to the large number of fraudulent hypnotists employing paid stooges and performing unsavory routines.
In the early 1900’s, stage hypnotism enjoyed a brief revival with Dr. Walford Bodie being the most famous proponent of stage hypnosis, although almost nothing is known about him other than his reputation, the fact that he wasn't a real doctor and that he retired to live on a houseboat on the Thames. Dr. Bodie livened up the hypnosis act and his performances were played more for amusement than amazement.
In the 1940’s in the United States of America interest in hypnosis was resurrected due to the incredible success of an American stage hypnotist, named Ormond McGill. In addition to pioneering hypnotism as television entertainment, McGill penned what is now acknowledged as 'The Bible' of stage hypnosis, his book "The Encyclopedia of Genuine Stage Hypnotism" first published in 1947.
Whilst across the pond in Britain, at around the same time an incredibly talented hypnotist named Peter Casson burst onto the Moss & Stoll theatre circuit and revived interest in stage hypnosis. Following Peter Casson’s success a American hypnotist named Ralph Slater came to the UK and enjoyed great success until he was embroiled in a court case which was widely reported in the tabloids although Ralph Slater eventually won this case it had already led to an increased concern about the possible dangers of stage hypnotism, and the 1952 Hypnotism Act was created with the intention of protecting the public from unprincipled hypnotists.
The 1952 Hypnotism Act succeeded only in pushing stage hypnosis to the fringes of the entertainment scene forcing hypnotists to perform in less prestigious venues such as nightclubs, working men’s clubs and of course the infamous end of the pier shows. And this was how it continued until the 1970’s when stage hypnotist Robert Helpern began to perform in both the pavilion theatre in Glasgow and the Cagey picture house in Edinburgh.
Robert Halpern's success was unrivaled until the appearance of a witty and talented stage hypnotist named Andrew Newton. Whilst Robert Halpern ruled hypnosis in Scotland, Andrew Newton built a huge following in Leeds, Liverpool and rather further a field in New Zealand. In the late 1980’s Robert Halpern bowed out of stage hypnosis and left Andrew Newton as the undisputed king of stage hypnosis until 1987 and the arrival of radio DJ turned hypnotist Paul McKenna.
In 1993 both McKenna and Newton recorded television series’ McKenna recorded for Carlton and Newton for Sky. Unfortunately for Newton, McKenna’s series went to broadcast first on a terrestrial channel and so consequently McKenna’s series enjoyed much greater viewing figures than Newton’s that was broadcast on Murdoch’s satellite television platform However all this TV exposure was far from being a good thing for hypnosis. Before this time there were only a handful of stage hypnotists in the UK after the huge success of Paul McKenna’s TV series there was a veritable flood of stage hypnotists performing allover the UK most of whom were woefully inept as both performers and hypnotists.
Then in 1993 the unthinkable happened a 24-year-old woman named Sharron Tabarn died after taking part in a hypnosis show. Now whilst it may be easy to think that Sharron died as a result of being hypnotized the coroner, Michael Howard McCann recorded a verdict of death by natural causes. When you consider the sheer number of stage hypnotists performing at this time on almost a daily basis it was inevitable that someone somewhere by coincidence alone would die after having been hypnotized. Sharron’s family was not satisfied with the coroners report and waged a public campaign against stage hypnosis. This campaign against stage hypnosis was widely reported in the tabloids much like the case against Ralph Slater. All of this negative publicity lead to a Home Office review of the 1952 Stage Hypnotism Act.
In 1994 a board of experts was created by the Home Office to analyze any evidence of possible damage to people participating in public performances of stage hypnosis, and to review the effectiveness of the laws governing stage hypnosis. Publication of the expert panel's report was announced in parliament in 1995, which came to the conclusion that "there was no evidence of serious risk to participants in stage hypnosis, and that any risk which does exist is much less significant than that involved in many other activities."
Once again stage hypnosis is experiencing a revival as it has done so many times before. Today hypnosis stage shows are recognized as safe family entertainment and are again becoming incredibly popular as both public and corporate entertainment. If you want to book a show that is sure to stir up public interest a comedy hypnosis show is as it always has been and always will be unrivaled.
Book David Regan's Comedy Hypnosis Show Today!!!
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John Perkins of Hillmorton, England and Ipswich, MA
I started to write this blog post awhile back but got sidetracked by Pierre de Morlaix, who I hope you all know by now is a figment of imagination. We are lucky that John Perkins does have a long list of documented ancestors.
John was born in Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England. He was baptized on 23 December 1583 in the Church of St. John the Baptist. His parents were Henry and Elizabeth (Sawbridge) Perkins. The Village of Hillmorton no longer exists as a separate entity, it was merged with the market town of Rugby in 1932 and became a suburb, but at the time of John's birth it was a rural village near the river Avon. His family had lived in the area of Hillmorton since at least the early 1500's.
John Perkins' ancestors can be traced through their wills, beginning 1528 and the parish records of the church St. John the Baptist which provides dates for births, marriages and burials beginning in 1565. The ancestry of John Perkins in Hillmorton can be traced via a paper trail to his Great Grandparents, Thomas and Alice Perkins. Thomas, date of birth unknown, wrote his will on 3 April 1528 and it was proved a few weeks later on 21 April. His wife Alice outlived him by 10 years, she wrote her will in July 1538 and it was proved in October of that year. A quick note about Alice, her maiden name is not known and she is definitely not the daughter of Sir Thomas and Edith (Constable) De Astley. Thomas died in the Battle of Evesham in 1265 so I think that rules him out as her father. Thomas and Alice had at least three children that lived to adulthood, they were Henry, Jone, and Jelyan. He owned land and tenements in Hillmorton and nearby Lilborne. In her will Alice names her son Henry and Jeyn Slayter and Juliana Cumpton, her now married daughters. Thomas and his wife are buried under the floor of the Church of St. John the Baptist.
St. John the Baptist, Hillmorton by RevSteve
Henry, son of Thomas and Alice died in 1547, his will is missing but the date it was proved was recorded. He had at least three children, his son Thomas was his heir and he had two other children, William and Joan, who seemed to have died unmarried.
Thomas married Alice Kebble and they had at least seven sons who lived to adulthood. Thomas' will was proved in May of 1592. Thomas' oldest son was Henry, father of our John Perkins. He and his wife Elizabeth Sawbridge had at least 11 children, many of them sons. As you can see, the number of males living in the Hillmorton area was growing exponentially with each generation. I imagine that the prospect of getting land to farm might be difficult, especially if you were the youngest son.
John's father died in 1609 when John was about 26 years old, but many of his siblings were under 21. John married Judith Gater, daughter of Michael Gater of Hillmorton on 9 Oct. 1608 at St. John the Baptist. They had their first child less than a year later. Over the next few years their family continued to grow, by 1624 they had six children.
For whatever reason, lack of land or a desire to join the Puritan experiment, John Perkins, age 48, removed his family to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. They left England in December 1, 1630 aboard "the Lyon". There were only about 20 passengers on that crossing, the ship was mostly carrying cargo for the new colony. They landed Feb 5 1631 in Boston. The winter of 1630/1 was very difficult for the new Colony, almost 200 of the Colonist died and many had decided to return to England. The arrival of the Lyon, laden with much need supplies was cause for celebration and John Winthrop ordered a day of Thanksgiving and Prayer. I wonder what the Perkins family thought when they disembarked and found that many of the colonist were bailing out and taking the Lyon back to England.
click on map to enlarge it
John and his family first established themselves in Boston. They joined the First Church of Boston as members number 107 and 108 and John was made a Freeman on 18 May 1631, only a few months after landing. By 1633, however, the family had moved to the just settled plantation of Ipswich. John built his house on the river near Jeffries Neck on what is now East Street. He received land in 1634, 1635, 1636 and 1639.
As with most men in the Colony, John was called on to perform civic duties. He served on Grand Juries, Petit Juries, help appraise estates and set boundaries for the newly developed plantations.
In 1650 John was judged to old to participate in military training and was freed from that duty. On 28 March 1654 John Perkins wrote his last will and testament. This will was proved on 26 September of the same year.
John lived to a good age of 71 years and was able to see his children grown, married and settled, something that few men of that time could witness.
Children of John and Judith were:
1. John Junior bp. 14 Sept. 1609 Hillmorton m. by 1636 Elizabeth Unknown d. 27 Sept. 1684 Ipswich.
2. Elizabeth bp. 25 March 1611 Hillmorton m. 1636 William Sargent
3. Mary bp. 3 Sept. 1615 Hillmorton m. by 1637 Thomas Bradbury
4. Anne bp. 5 Sept. 1617 Hillmorton no further record
5. Thomas bp. 28 April 1622 Hillmorton m. by 1644 Phebe Gould d. around 1685
6. Jacob bp. 12 July 1624 Hillmorton m. by 1649 Elizabeth Unknown
7. Lydia bp. 3 June 1632 Boston, m. by 1651 Henry Bennett
Both Elizabeth and Mary are my ancestors.
Notes on the Perkins Families in England chiefly extracts from probate registries, with several pedigrees appended by D. W. Perkins. Published in 1894 by S.N. Salem
McCabe, James D,The Centennial History of the United States. From the Discovery of the American continent to the Close of the First Century of American Independence,1874
Anderson, Robert Charles, Great Migration Begins, 1630
Records and Files of the Quarterly Court of Essex
Perkins, George Augustus, The Family of John Perkins of Ipswich, Mass
Learn how to cite your sources like a professional by ordering Elizabeth Shown Mills Your Stripped Bare Guide to Citing Sources available at Amazon.com by clicking the link.
comments, questions, quarrels and confrontations welcome
Posted by Jeanie Roberts at 8:34 AM 2 comments: Links to this post
While doing research on my ancestors I frequently search the records of the Quarterly Court of Essex County to see if they have either been on a Jury or in front of Jury. The records include civil and criminal cases brought before the court. Many of the cases are serious crimes, but just as many are seemingly frivolous occurrences that hardly warrant the involvement of the courts never mind arrest and punishment. But these are Puritans that we are speaking of, so nothing should surprise us.
Here are two case which I found really funny, I guess the Court was not so amused. I have copied it word for word with their spelling, not mine.
At the Quarterly Court held at Salem on 1 12 1641 the following was recorded:
Daniell Owls to pay 2s. or sit in the stock for "Leaping and dancing at his house and had like to fale into fire he answered I do not care for the best maiestrat in the Land. If mett them in the field I should slash them for I have beene a pretty fellow in my tyme". Complained of by Mr. Pester.
This case was immediately followed by this terrible crime:
Mr. Ruck presented by Mr. Edmund Batter for baking of white bread contrary of order to the court and for allowing tippling at his house. Ruck to be admonished, fined 20s. and cautioned concerning leaving the ordinary.
Tippling = drinking
Ordinary = tavern/place serving liquor
Posted by Jeanie Roberts at 3:04 PM No comments: Links to this post
From Ireland to Massachusetts
My Thornton ancestors can be traced to James Thornton from Londonderry Ireland who in 1718 was part of a Scots Irish migration to America. Landing first in Boston, the made their way up to Maine, returned to Massachusetts and settled in Pelham, MA and from there spread out across New England. The descendants of James Thornton were researched and published in a book by Charles Thornton Adams, published in 1905. This book is the go to book for information about our Thornton relatives.
Mysterious Ancestor
Very little is written about Samuel Thornton. Charles Adams says that Samuel lived in Campton, New Hampshire and then in Hatley and Stanstead in Canada. It says he was married twice, neither wife is named. It states he had 22 children, 11 by each wife. Also given are a partial list of his children's names including: Samuel (2), Reuben, Sarah, Abram, Dorcus, Eleanor, William, Sumner, Hannah and ?. And that's all he has to say for Samuel.
Where are the missing children
It seems hard to believe that a man can have two wives and 22 kids and nobody knows anything about him. I did find his name in the Pelham, MA records, but only briefly. Samuel (2) and Dorcus are the only children about which anything is known. So, I chalked Samuel (1) down to an unsolvable mystery.
Could the DAR be wrong
For some reason I got it into my head to try to join the DAR, The Daughters of the American Revolution. I have plenty of "patriots" in my tree, men who fought in or aided the American Revolution. I assumed that I could get in using Enoch Rowell, as he would be the easiest to prove. Imagine my surprise when the DAR genealogist told me that my best bet would be to use none other than Samuel (1) Thornton.
According to the DAR Samuel is already a confirmed patriot. He was born in 1720 in Maine and died 27 Jan 1796 in Lanesborough, MA. His wife was said to be Mary Ann Craven, born in Penobscot, ME. I told her that I did not believe this to be correct information, that I had something different, but she insisted that the DAR information is 99.9% correct and that it had been reconfirmed in recent times. Well, what do you say to that kind of confidence. She explained what documents I needed to provide to prove my relationship to Samuel.
Of course when I got home I looked up what I had on Samuel to compare it to her research. She said that his name was Samuel K. Thornton, so I google his name and Mary Ann Craven and lo and behold up pops their marriage record in a Lincoln, Penobscot book. Guess what, they were married October 26th 1878. Samuel K. was born in 1835, served in the Civil War and died an old man in 1908. Hum, I guess this is that 0.01% error. I think Samuel K. Thornton just got ruled out.
The genealogist also said that according to her records Samuel lived in Lanesborough, MA, and I did find him in a 1790 census of Berkshire, County. I also found the names Samuel and Benjamin Thornton in a history of Lanesborough, they had both served in the Revolution according to it's author. I have looked at all the Revolutionary records on Fold3 and cannot find either of them.
Could Charles Adams be wrong
I did find something interesting though and it got me really thinking that maybe the Thornton book by Charles Adams got it wrong. James Thornton, son of William, Samuel (1) brother, was born in Pelham in 1745 and moved to Schenectady, New York with his father. He married a woman named Antje Schermerhorn and had multiple children whose names include: Dorcus, Samuel, Abraham, Catherine, Mary, Margaret, William, and James. This caught my eye because Samuel (1) was also said to have a Dorcus, William, Abraham and Samuel.
Samuel, son of James, was born on Feb 3 1776. Our Samuel was believed to have been born around 1775. Is it possible that the father of Samuel (2) was really James Thornton and not Samuel (1)? It might explain why there is no information on Samuel (1) and his 22 children.
could I be wrong
What do you think? Comments welcome! And what should I tell my DAR lady? Do I just go ahead and join knowing that my "patriot" is likely an error! What a dilemma.
Are you a descendant of James Thornton? I would like to hear from you!
Posted by Jeanie Roberts at 1:48 PM 2 comments: Links to this post
Labels: Thornton Genealogy
Posted by Jeanie Roberts at 12:35 PM 2 comments: Links to this post
This blog article was originally going to be written about my ancestor John Perkins who left Hillmorton, England for Ipswich, Massachusetts. While surfing the net looking for clues about his ancestry I kept finding this incredible lineage which included someone called Pierre de Morlaix. Most Perkins genealogies start with the words, "I can trace my family back to Pierre de Morlaix". So who was Pierre and what do we know about him? (If you have read any of my other blog posts, ya know where this one is going)
Pierre was born in Morlaix, on the Breton coast in the year 1312. This area was part of the Duchy of Brittany in the year 1300 and was under the control of John II Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond. He was from the House of Dreux, b. 1239 d. 1305, he was married to Beatrice of England, daughter of Henry III. Pierre left Brittany and first settled in Salop, or Shropshire, England.
Moving far ahead in history, there came a time when the descendants of great men became gentlemen, yeoman, tradesman, and of course just farmers or tenants. Their ancestor, a Knight, had a "coat of arms" which he wore on a surcoat to identify him in battle. This coat of arms, which should have been passed down through the eldest son, was not deemed important or even necessary and was oftentimes forgotten. In other instances the coat of arms might be used by men not entitled to it for their own benefit or vanity.
Coats of Arms, otherwise known as Heraldry falls under the jurisdiction of the College of Arms, aka the Herald's College. The College is responsible for the correct use and maintenance of Coats of Arms. (note I am not using the term "family crest" as there is no such thing) In 1530 King Henry VIII authorized the "Heraldic Visitation". The Heralds visited all the counties of England and sought out misuse of coats of arms and found those who were entitled to arms but did not know it. There were four visitations to the county of Berkshire, including one which took place in the year 1623. This visitation was recorded in a manuscript called MSS Ashmole 852.
The heralds recorded genealogical data on the prominent families and institution in the county of Berkshire including the Perkyns family of Ufton. The herald was able to trace the Perkins family back to an ancestor called Peter who they say was alive in the year 1381.
In the book called "The Four Visitations of Berkshire..." edited by Harry Rylands 1907, the findings of the Herald, recorded in the manuscript, are copied as follows:
Obviously this was written in Latin. It translates as:
Peter Morley alias Perkins = Alice Taylor
of Shropshire servant his wife
Lord Hugh de Spenser
lord of Shipton in
Alive in the 4th year of the reign of King Richard II (1381)
So what does Peter Morley alias Perkins have to do with Pierre de Morlaix, ah but you already know the answer to that or you wouldn't be reading this. Well once again we have to skip ahead in time to the late 1800's and early 1900's, a time when many Americans were researching their ancestors including those in Europe. In January of 1884 George Augustus Perkins published a book "The Family of John Perkins of Ipswich, MA. He seems to be the first person to put down in writing "my family history begins with Pierre de Morlaix". He states that Pierre was a Norman born in the town of Morlaix in France who became the High Steward of the estates of Hugo Despenser. Pierre married Agnes Taylor and they had a son named Henry, who on his fathers death became known as Henry Pierrekins.
In 1890 Augustus Thorndike Perkins published a volume entitled "A private proof printed in order to preserve certain matters connected with the Boston branch of the Perkins family". In this book, this Mr. Perkins confirms the suggestion that Peter Morley is none other than Pierre de Morlaix. Where the two Perkins authors got their information on Pierre is unkown.
A. T. Perkins states in his book that Pierre is probably a Norman of good education and that he was born either in England or Morlaix in France. Pierre, he says, is the high steward of Hugo Despenser, one of the most powerful men in all of England, and he goes on to say that there is some reason to believe that Pierre is also bailiff of Malvern Chase, once site of Hanley Castle, birthplace of Anne Beauchamp, one of the medieval worlds greatest heiress'. He neglects to give the reasons why we should believe his information. Mr. Perkins does not give the reader any clue as to the birth date of Pierre, nor does he mention the county of Shropshire, remember Petrus Morley is of Shropshire. He does however seem to interpret the Latin word Servius, which means servant or slave, to hold a different meaning, that of high steward.
In January of 1892 Miss Mary Sharp published a book entitled "The History of Ufton Court", which includes genealogical information about the Perkins family. She too, traces the family to Petrus Morley alias Perkins, but does not mention the name Pierre de Morlaix. She interpreted the Latin word Servius to mean bailiff and says that Peter was the bailiff or manager of the estate of Shipton which belonged to Hugh Despenser III. She, unlike Mr. Perkins, notes that in the manor rolls of Madresfield, Worcestershire, in the year 1388, is found the name Agnes Taylor, daughter of John Taylor. Agnes Taylor was the wife of Petrus Morley.
Miss Sharp's book was reviewed in a 1893 in a magazine entitled "The Antiquary: A Magazine Devoted to the Study of the Past" vol. 27 edited by Mr. John Charles Cox. While mostly showing appreciation for her book about Ufton Manor, the author chides Miss Sharp on her interpretation of the Latin words used by the Heralds in their visitation. He says:
We are amused to read that Ms. Sharp's interpretation of servus "bailiff or manager" of the estates belonging to Lord Despenser at Shipton. This is an euphemistic reading of the term which is not correct. When will pedigree-makers presumably Christians, learn that there is nothing derogatory in having an ancestor who was a slave or servant".
(the story so far: Peter/Pierre Morley/Morlaix Perkins from France/Shropshire on the welsh border is employed by Hugh Despenser in Shipton and is married to Alice from Madresfield. FYI the distance between Shipton and Madresfield is 47.5 miles, the distance from Madresfield to the Welsh border is 42 miles, Shropshire is just to the Northwest of Madresfield, probably about 40 miles to the county border)
In January of 1916 another book is published on the Perkins family, the author this time is Mansfield Parkyns, the book is entitled "The Perkins family in ye olden times". This book is really a series of letter that Mr. Parkyns exchanged with other Perkins researchers including Adolphous Thorndyke Perkins and Miss Mary Sharp. Although he too includes the ancestry based on the visitation of 1623 he cautions in his introduction that "the last two or three generations (within the knowledge of the persons who attested to the pedigree) may generally be trusted, beyond that they are useful.
Some few pages later Mr. Parkyns goes on to say,
"In the time of Henry VIII the heralds were getting so poor from general disregard of such matters that they started these "visitations" and traveled about like modern "bagmen" trying to get people to believe in the ennobling virtue of coats of arms etc. for the sake of their fees and did more mischief to history, genealogies etc. with their blundering pedigrees and coats of arms that can be imagined."
On page 35 of his book he says that he has found evidence of the name Perkins in Madresfield in the year 1318, a Juliana Perkins is named in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire He says that he frequently found the names Perkins and Mor or More, which is a Shropshire name, but never the name Morley. He also has his own interpretation of the word Servius. He believed that this meant Sergeant, as in Sergeant at Arms, a step below Knight. He did not believe that Peter was a steward, and certainly not a "high steward". He also make a very important statement, that the only knowledge that we have of either Peter Morley Perkins or his son Henry is from the Visitation. Those names cannot be found on any other document, period.
Now to his opinion of Pierre de Morlaix. In Chapter 15 called Mistakes Corrected Mr. Parkyns prints a letter from A. T. Perkins who admitted that his book was full of errors concerning Pierre de Morlaix. Mr. Parkyns goes on to say there are no records which contain the name Pierre de Morlaix and that if he existed at all he was not Peter Morley Perkins of Shropshire.
So this brings us to the more modern writing of the Perkins history by Mr. James Fulton Perkins. His essay on the Perkins family is one of the silliest pieces of writings I have ever seen. The biggest problem with his essay though, is that people are coping it and quoting it and perpetuating his errors. A big chunk of his essay ended up on Wikipedia, which made me rethink using that site as a source. I don't mean to sound harsh, but if you put yourself out there on the internet then you open yourself up to criticism.
The first thing I noticed when I read the essay was the incorrect history. Here are some of the lines that jump out at me:
By 1066 King Harold had come to throne of England and was enjoying peace and prosperity. However, the invasion from France and their victory found many Englishmen moving. Okay, did I mention I have a problem with his grammar as well. I think he means that England was enjoying peace, not the King, but anyway, Harold was crowned on Jan 8th, he was dead by Oct. 14th, fighting in the battle of Hastings. Doesn't sound like a peaceful year to me. I have no idea what he means about Englishmen moving and where did these Englishmen move to?
Pierre changed his name to the English translated version of "Peter Morley" when Charles V, the black prince of France renewed the Hundred Years War with England.
Charles V was the King of France, he reignited the Hundred Years War in May of 1369. The Black Prince was Edward, son of King Edward III and heir to the English Throne.
Because of the French victory at the Battle of Hastings, Frenchmen became "persona non grata" in England so to conceal his French origins Pierre changed his name to the English translation. Hum, not sure what is going on here, the Battle of Hastings was back in 1066.
Unwilling to end the heritage of the deMorlaix name when Peter (Pierre de Morlaix) Morley married Agnes Taylor, daughter of John Taylor of Madresield (sic) Worcestershire England, they had a son. He was to be named Henry Pierrekin , meaning "first son of Pierre" born 1340 in Shropshire and died in Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England. So I have multiple issues with these two sentences, the first of which does not even make sense. If Pierre didn't want the de Morlaix name to end, why wasn't his son name de Morlaix? Also, remember that the names of Peter and his Henry are only found in the Heralds genealogy and their surname was spelled Perkins. Henry was never called Pierrekins, which means "little Pierre" not "first son". No one knows when Henry was born, where he was born or where he died. The Perkins did not live in Hillmorton until more recent times.
I could go on and on about the lack of facts or even logic in this essay, but I will stop here.
Here is what I believe based on my research: there was no Pierre de Morlaix. There may have been a Peter Morlay Perkins and a son Henry, but there is no proof other than what was written by the Heralds. The Perkins name was found in Worcestershire by 1318 so it did not originate with Peter Morlay. If Peter did work for Hugh Despenser, it was in a minor role on the Manor of Shipton in Oxfordshire, Hugh III was dead by 1346, his estates were inherited by his nephew. There definitely was a John Perkyns, and his name is recorded and can be found in contemporary records. More about him later.
see part 2 of my Pierre blog
Comments welcome, even if you disagree. One caveat you must show your sources!
My sources:
Harold Rylands, The Four Visitations of Berkshire, 1907
George Agustus Perkins, The Family of John Perkins of Ipswich, MA, 1884
Agustus Thorndike Perkins, A Private Proof to Preserve Certain Matters Connected with the Boston Branch of the Perkins Family, 1890
Mary Sharp, The History of Ufton Court, 1892
John Charles Cox, The Antiquarian, Vol. 27, 1893
Mansfield Parkyns, The Perkins Family in Ye Olden Times, 1916
James Fulton Perkins, Essay on the Perkins Family
Jules Frusher, MA Lady Despensers Scribery (blog) knowledgeable about all things Hugh de Spenser the younger
Wikipedia (not that I recommend it)
Excerpta e Scrinio Manerial de Madresfield (Manorial Rolls of Madresfield)
Posted by Jeanie Roberts at 8:24 AM 1 comment: Links to this post
Christopher Osgood (1606-1650) of Newton Tony, Wiltshire and Ipswich, Essex, Massachsuetts
Writing this blog really brings home the name family connections as it relates to the interwoven lives of my early ancestors. Christopher Osgood was married twice, his first wife was buried in England, his second wife buried him in New England. This second wife, Margery Fowler became the wife of another ancestor, Thomas Rowell. Although I am not related to her in anyway, that I know of, she was married to two of my ancestors. She was to marry twice more in her lifetime. I have two Mary Osgoods in my family, one the daughter of Christoper and one the daughter of William of Salisbury. There was also a third man named Osgood in New England, John Osgood. Many people try to connect these three men as family but there is no proof of any relationship, yet. Given the lack of potential partners and the need to be married, it shouldn't come as any surprise that there were so many interconnections. It makes for an interesting family tree.
engish origins
Christopher Osgood was born near Marlborough, England in a tiny village called Newton Tony in the county of Wiltshire. Marlborough is said to be the legendary burial place of Merlin the Magician from the King Arthur story. In 1642 the town paid a heavy price for backing Parliament over King Charles, the town was sacked by the King's soldiers and many buildings burnt. If Christopher left family behind when he left for Massachusetts they may have be greatly affected by those events.
Christoper was baptized in St. Andrew's church on 17 April 1606, the son of Thomas and Margaret Skeat Osgood. [1] He was the fifth of nine children. His mother died when he was only ten years old. Margaret's youngest child was still a baby when she was buried on 1 May 1616. Christopher was the only child in the family who immigrated. I guess he couldn't talk any of his six brothers into joining him in his adventure.
parents The Osgood family was well established in the local area. Thomas Osgood, Christopher's father, was born, probably in Newton Tony in about 1570. He and Margaret were married in St. Andrew's on 13 July 1595.[2] Thomas, unfortunately for us, died without a will, his son Thomas Osgood Jr. and William Skeate posted bond on the estate on 16 June 1634. The inventory of his estate was taken two days later, the value was a meager 12 pounds. [3]
Margaret, wife of Thomas, was probably one of two daughters so named, by Roger Skete of Downton, Wiltshire, whose will was proved on 16 April 1578. Roger's will named possible mother of Margaret, Alice and his children including the two Margarets. Roger was the son of Thomas Skete of Downton, who wrote his will in 1553. Roger's mother was also Alice. [4]
Christopher the immigrant was named for his grandfather Christoper Osgood, also of Newton Tony. Christopher, the elder, was under the age of 20 when his own father, John Osgood, made his will in 1553, meaning he was born between 1552 and 1533. Christopher married Alice who was buried in Newton Tony on 16 December 1596. Christopher remarried on 30 October 1599 at St. Thomas in Salisbury. His second wife was the twice widowed Elizabeth (Nycholes) (Maylard) Brockwell. She was a widow for the third time in 1607 when Christopher died. [5]
Christopher's great grandparents were John and Jone____ (Carpenter) Osgood of Newton Tony. John was a husbandman. It is possible, but not proven, that John was the son of Richard Osgood of Over Wallop, Hants who named son John in his will dated 1543. [6]
So, if I have confused you with this ancestry, it should look like this: John, Christoper, Thomas and then our Christoper the immigrant.
St. Mary's Marlborough
Christopher's first wife was Mary Everett. The pair were married on 21 April 1632 in the beautiful St. Mary's church in Marlborough. [7] It was not to be a long marriage. Mary gave birth to their only child, a daughter, on 17 March 1632/3, she was buried a littler more than a month later, on 22 April 1633. As with most widowed men with small children, Christopher wasted no time in finding a new wife. He married Margery Fowler a little more than three months later on 28 July 1633. They were also married at St. Mary's.
Margery was baptized at St. Mary's in Marlborough on 25 March 1615. [8] She was the daughter of Phillip and Mary Fowler of that same town. Phillip was a cloth worker by trade. On the 24th of March 1633/4, Phillip, and his wife Mary along their children, including Margery and Christopher Osgood boarded, at Southampton, the sailing ship the Mary and John and left England forever. [9]
The Osgoods and the Fowlers began their new lives at Ipswich, a plantation, barely established in 1633 by John Winthrop Jr. son of the Governor John Sr. So in effect, they traded a life in a bustling, busy English market town for the wilderness of Massachusetts.Christopher was a brick maker by trade, which should have come in handy in a land with no houses or other buildings. Christopher was also a member in good standing with his church, this allowed him to take the freeman's oath on 6 May 1635. [10]
The first town meeting and division of land occurred in August of 1634, there was no mention either Christopher or Philip. At the town meeting of 5 Jan 1634/5 both men received their first lot of land consisting of 4 acres of marsh and meadow lying northward of town. A few weeks later, on the 26th of Jan. both men were given an additional 6 acres for them and their heirs forever. Christopher continued to receive land as the divisions continued.
Map showing location of Ipswich borrowed
from the website Henry Bennett of Ipswich
In January of 1642 and in 1650 Christopher was selected as a juryman. The early settlers seemed to drag every minor offense into court, charges of trespass, slander, defamation, fines for this and that. They were a very litigious bunch In 1645 he was on the grand jury, and again in 1648.
Christopher wrote his will on 18 April 1650. He was probably a fairly young man by today's standards. If he was born in 1607 then he would have been only 43. His will was not probated until October of that year. Did he have some lingering illness, we will never know. He left behind his wife Margery, daughter Mary by his first wife and Abigail, Christopher, Elizabeth and Deborah. In his will he gave daughter Mary ten pounds, daughters Abigail, Elizabeth and Deborah got five. Christopher was to receive the bulk of the estate with Margery as the executor and administrator of said estate. On 10 October 1650 Margery petitioned the court on the matter of her late husbands will. This petition was heard by the General Court in Boston in December. This court found that there was not enough value in the estate to pay the legacies left so they adjusted what each daughter was to receive Mary's share was reduced to 8 pounds and her half sisters were to receive 4 pounds each.
Christopher also stipulated in his will that his daughter Mary should not marry without the advice of her stepmother. Mary married only a few months after the death of her father. I don't know if her stepmother approved or not.[11]
Children of Christoper Osgood
1. Mary bp. 17 March 1632/3 Marlborough, England m. John Lovejoy of Andover, 1 Jan 1651, d. unknown
2. Abigail born about 1636 m. 1657 Shoreborn Wilson
3. Christopher b. about 1638 m. 4 times Hannah Belknap, Hannah Barker, Sarah Reddington, Sarah Unknown his will was dated 27 July 1722
4. Elizabeth b. about 1640, named in her fathers will of 1650 but not her mothers of 1673, never married and no children
5. Deborah b. about 1643 m. 1663 John Russ
My family descent from Christoper Osgood
Christoper Osgood - Mary Everett
Mary Osgood - John Lovejoy
Ann Lovejoy - Jonathan Blanchard
Benjamin Blanchard -Mary Abbott
Benjamin Blanchard - Keziah Hastings
Jonathan Blanchard and Hannah Chadwick
James Blanchard and Phebe Carter
Chloe Blanchard - Samuel Thornton
John Thornton- Jennie Clover Rowell
[1] Jane Fletcher Fiske, "New Light On The English Background Of The Osgoods of Essex County, Massachusetts," The American Genealogist, 83 (2008-2009) 51-58, digital image, American Ancestors (https://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 30 January 2016).
[1] "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2HB-P5C : accessed 30 January 2016), Christofer Osgood, 17 Apr 1606; citing NEWTON TONEY,WILTSHIRE,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 1,279,336.
[2] FreeReg. "basic search." Database, FreeReg (FreeReg2.freereg.org.uk : accessed 30 January 2016); entry for marriage of Thomas and Margaret Sikett, 13 July 1595, St. Andrews, Newton Tony, Wiltshire [England].
[3] Jane Fletcher Fiske, "New Light," 57.
[5] FreeReg, "basic search," Database, FreeReg (FreeReg2.freereg.org.uk : accessed 30 January 2016); entry for marriage Christopher Osgood and Elizabeth Brockwell, 30 October 1599 at St. Thomas, Salisbury, Wiltshire,[ England].
[7] "England Marriages, 1538–1973," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJVC-SZW : accessed 30 January 2016), Christopher Osgood and Mary Everatt, 1632; citing Saint Mary, Marlborough, Wiltshire, England, reference 2:12RLDN7; FHL microfilm 950,274.
[8] "England Marriages, 1538–1973," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJVC-SXH : accessed 30 January 2016), Christopher Osgood and Margery Towller, 1633; citing Saint Mary, Marlborough, Wiltshire, England, reference 2:12RLF43; FHL microfilm 950,274.
[9] Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Vol V, M-P, 318, (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2007), digital images, American Ancestors (https://americanancestors.org : accessed 30 January 2016), 321.
[10] Anderson, Great Migration 1634-1635, 318.
[11]"Essex County, MA: Early Probate Records, 1635-1681,"Online database, American Ancestors (https://www.americanAncestors.org. : accessed 30 January 2016),
Charles Robert Anderson, The Great Migration Immigrants to New England 1634-1635
The Ancient Records of the town of Ipswich
Posted by Jeanie Roberts at 11:18 AM 1 comment: Links to this post
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Home HR Initiatives WELFAREWELFARE SCHEMES
ISSUE OF DEPENDANT IDENTITY CARD
1. All AF personnel while going out of service on retirement/ release/ discharge are issued with separate dependant identity cards to each of the dependent of AF personnel as indicated in their records. This dependant identity card will be issued by the last unit of the AF personnel.
2. The dependant identity card issued in respect of the spouse of AF personnel will have a joint photograph of husband and wife. As such joint photographs are required for pension documents, therefore AF personnel will have no difficulty in furnishing copies of joint photographs for issue of ibid identity card. The identity card issued necessitate change only on change of status.
3. The dependant identity cards issued to other dependents of AF personnel will have stamp size photographs of the dependents and would require revalidation once in two yrs.
4. The dependant identity cards would be revalidated by the nearest AF Stn/Unit where the ex-AF personnel/his family resides.
5. Similarly, the widows of AF personnel could be issued identity cards as per the following procedure :-
(a) To the widows whose husbands death occurs while in service, the identity card
along with the dependant identity cards for other dependents of the deceased AF
personnel will be issued by the last unit of the ex-AF personnel.
(b) To the widows whose husbands death occurs after going out of service, the
identity card could be issued by the nearest AF Stn/Unit where the lady resides.
The AF Stn/Unit will withdraw the card earlier issued to the lady by the last unit and issue fresh identity card.
6. The dependent identity card issued to the children of AF personnel shall be for the purpose of identification and would not over rule the definition or dependency laid down for any particular facility. The identity card will be withdrawn as and when the child ceases to be dependent on the AF personnel/widow.
7. Ex-Servicemen who had already retired/released/discharged from Air Force prior to the issue of these orders may also be issued with dependent identity cards by the nearest AF Stn/unit after verification of the dependency status from any valid supporting documents. Similarly widows whose husbands had died before the issue of these orders may also be issued dependent identity cards after verification of dependency status from any valid supporting documents. ( Sub Paragraph (g) added vide this HQ letter AirHQ/23481/290/2/PS(Wel) dated o4 Nov 96).
8. Specimen identity card is enclosed. The cards may be printed under Stn/Unit arrangement. A nominal fee of Rs. 2/- per card may be charged for the issue of the identity card. The photographs of the dependent would be provided by the AF personnel/widow.
(Auth; Air HQ/23481/290/2/PS(Wel) dated 07 Oct 96
Specimen Dependant Identity Card
Instruction Name of the Unit 1. This document relates only to the identity of the person described.
2. The individual concerned will DEPENDENT
be responsible for preventing the loss IDENTITY CARD
and for misuse of the document.
3. Change in status would be
Immediately intimated to the issuing
4. Loss to be reported to the issuing
Authority immediately.
Finder please post to :-
Certified that Ser No Unit/
Name______________________
DOB______________Sex________
Identification Mark ____________________ Joint Photograph in r/o
________________________ spouse/stamp sized photo
is the __________________ of dependent with sig and
(relationship) stamp of issuing authority
of Ser No______________Rank_______
Unit Seal
Name____________________________ Sig of Issuing
Resident of _______________________ Officer
and is dependent on him/his widow Date of Issue______________
Valid upto_______________
Revalid upto_____________
Sig of Card Holder______________ (Sig Seal of Issuing Authority)
EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP FROM BENGAL MASONIC ASSOCIATION INTER SERVICES CHARITABLE TRUST
1. An Inter Services Charitable Trust known as `Bengal Masonic Association Inter Services Charitable Trust is maintained at Army Headquarters at the following address:-
Bengal Masonic Association Inter Services
Charitable Trust,
Adjutant General's Branch/CW-7
Army Headquarters,
DHQ PO New Delhi - 110011
2. This trust with limited funds available, provides educational scholarship to needy and promising children of service personnel of all ranks of the three services who died or were disabled while in service (other than in Action for whom Government bears the educational expenses).
3. The scholarship is given for pursuing education from Class VI onwards till graduation/post graduation and also for vocational courses recognised by Central/State Govts. It is limited to one child in a family.
4. The amount of scholarship varies from class to class subject to a minimum of Rs 500/- and a maximum of Rs 2000/- in an academic year.
5. Other conditions are as under :-
(a) The student should not be in receipt of any other scholarship.
(b) The scholarship should be applied for in the prescribed form in respect of Air Force personnel, as per the specimen given below to :-
Director Personal Services
Air Headquarters, Vayu Bhavan,
Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110011
(c ) The application form in respect of wards of Air Force personnel dulycompletedand endorsed by the School/College authorities and Record Office/ZillaSainikBoardshould be submitted to Air Headquarters by 15 Sep each year for consideration in the Annual Trust Committee Meeting which is normally held in themonth of December. Ifapproved, the scholarship is remitted some time in January/February of the ensuingyear.
(d) Payment of scholarship is made directly to the head of the Educational Institutionby crossed Cheque in favour of the student for disbursement to him.
(e) This scholarship is discontinued if the student fails to obtain promotion in any class, discontinue studies or is involved in a disciplinary case.
APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIP
BENGAL MASONIC ASSOCIATION INTER SERVICES CHARITABLE TRUST AT ARMY HEADQUARTERS
(To be submitted to the Trustee Secretary BMA, AGs Branch/CW-7, Army Headquarters, DHQ PO New Delhi - 110011)
1. Number, Rank Name ________________________________.
2. Regiment/Corps ________________________________
3. Services period ________________________________
4. Reasons for release/ discharge ________________________________
5. If dead, cause of death (indicate whether
died in action or while serving in forward
area/peace area or after release/discharge
from service) ________________________________
6. Details of family members :
Name Age Relationship with head of the family
7. Indicate your amount of monthly pension
disability pension/family pension and
Children Educational Allowances per child ______________________________
8. If you are employed give your place of
duty and salary per month ______________________________
9. Education State of Children
Name of the child Age Class Name of the School/College
___________________ ____ _____ ___________________________
10. Whether any child is in receipt of
scholarship. If so give the amount
of scholarship per year source _______________________________
11. Name of the child for whom scholar-
ship has been applied for now _______________________________
12. Whether the child has been granted
fee concession/fee remission or free
education by the School/ College.
Give amount of that per month _______________________________
13. Give your complete postal address _______________________________
14. Certified that the above particulars are correct to the best of my knowledge and
any false statement made by me will render me ineligible for grant of scholarship.
Date_____________ _______________________________
(Signature of the applicant)
(To be completed by the School/College)
1. Name of the student _______________________________________
2. Class in which studying _______________________________________
3. Academic session is From _______________ To _____________
4. Name complete postal address
of the School/ College _____________________________________
5. Indicate ;whether branch of Syndicate Bank
exists in your station. If not, the nearest
Bank in your area _____________________________
6. Day Scholar or Boarder _____________________________________
7. Annual Boarding, lodging and tutional
expenditure (specify under each head) _______________________________
8. Last years percentage of marks obtained
by the student (photocopy attached) _______________________________
9. If already in receipt of scholarship,
freeship, the amount, source duration _______________________________
10. Recommendations of the Headmaster/
Principal of the School/College with specific
mention of free education if available in your State _______________________
Place____________ ____________________________________
(Signature of the Headmaster/Principal of the
Date ___________ School/College with office seal)
RECOMMENDATIONS OF ZILA SAINIK BOARD/OFFICER INCHARGE RECORDS
Place _____________ ________________________
Date ______________ (Signature)
CONCESSIONS TO GALLANTRY/NON-GALLANTRY AWARD WINNERS
CASH REWARD BY HOME STATE
1.The States/Uts extend the benefit of cash awards, annuity and monetary grant in lieu of land to the winners of gallantry and non-gallantry awards belonging to their State. The rates of cash award/ annuity/monetary grant to award winners are given in Appendix `C.
2. The following documents are required to be submitted in quadruplicate by the awardees:-
(a) Application as per the prescribed proforma (Appendix A)
(b) Gazette Notification
(c) Citation
(d) Affidavit as per specimen attached (Appendix B) on Rs 2/- stamp paper attested by I Class Magistrate.
(e) Domicile Certificate from the Home State from where the grant is claimed.
3. Application in respect of Air Force personnel should be forwarded to :-
Air Headquarters,
Vayu Bhavan, Rafi Marg,
Tele: 3377165
PROFORMA FOR GRANT OF CASH REWARD ETC TO RECIPIENTS OF GALLANTRY AND OTHER DEFENCE DECORATIONS BY STATE GOVERNMENTS/UT
1. Rank, Name, Number Branch/
trade of the awardee :
2. Unit where serving/last served :
3. Address:
(a) Permanent Home Address
(b) Present address
(c ) Address at the time of joining service
4. (a) Nature of the Award
(b) Date of Award
(c) Authority for award (attach copy) Presidents Sectt Gazette
Notification No. dated
5. Details of Gallantry/Non Gallantry
Awards received previously. If any,
Giving year of receipt.
6. Details of Cash Reward, Annuity
Cash in lieu of land received previously
7. Attach copy of the Citation
8. Particulars for posthumous awardee
or in case where the awardee dies before
sanction of grant
(a) Name, age relationship of the
Successor with the awardee
Date : (Signature of the Applicant)
Note :- In case of successor, please attach a certificate from the concerned Record
Office regarding succession.
Appendix `B
1. No Rank Name
do hereby solemnly affirm and declare as under :-
(i) That I have not taken benefit of_____________ award
from any other State.
(ii) That I will not claim the benefit for the award of __________ from
any other state in future.
(iii) That I am willing to accept monetary grant in lieu of land applicable
for the award of____________ .
(iv) That I have not received any cash award for the award of _________
from anywhere in India.
(v) That I have not re-married after the death of my husband ( in case
of widow only).
Deponent ______________________
Verified at ____________on this _____________ day of ________________
that the content of the above affidavit are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief and nothing has been concealed therein.
(To be attested by I Class Magistrate)
Appendix `C
STATE WISE DETAILS OF CASH GRANTS GIVEN TO GALLANTRY /NON GALLANTRY AWARD WINNEWRS
Sr. No. State/UT PVC MVC VrC Ashok Chakra Kirti Chakra ShouriyaChakra Sarvottam Yudh Sewa Medal
1. AndhraPradesh (a) (b) (c) 22,000 1,50,000 1,000 15,000 1,00,000 400 7,000 50,000 300 20,000 1,25,000 600 12,000 75,000 350 5,000 40,000 350 17,000 1,10,000 600
2. Arunachal Pradesh (a) (b) (c) 22,000 1,50,000 1,000 15,000 1,00,000 400 7,000 50,000 300 20,000 1,25,000 800 12,000 75,000 350 5,000 40,000 350 17,000 1,10,000 600
3. Assam (a) (b) (c) 22,000 1,50,000 1,000 15,000 1,00,000 400 7,000 50,000 300 20,000 1,25,000 800 12,000 75,000 350 5,000 40,000 350 17,000 1,10,000 600
4. Bihar (a) (b) (c) 15,000 10,000 7,000 10,000 5,000 3,500
5. Delhi (a) (b) (c) 22,000 1,50,000 1,000 15,000 1,00,000 400 7,000 50,000 300 20,000 1,25,000 800 12,000 75,000 350 5,000 40,000 350 17,000 1,10,000 600
6. Goa (a) (b) (c) 22,000 1,50,000 15,000 1,00,000 7,000 50,000 20,000 1,25,000 12,000 75,000 5,000 40,000 17,000 1,10,000
7. Gujarat (a) (b) (c) 22,000 500 15,000 7,000 20,000 12,000 5,000 17,000
8. Haryana (a) (b) (c) 22,000 1,50,000 3,000 15,000 1,00,000 1,200 7,000 50,000 900 20,000 1,25,000 2,400 12,000 75,000 900 5,000 40,000 600 17,000 1,10,000 2,300
9. Himachal Pradesh (a) (b) (c) 22,000 1,50,000 1,000 15,000 1,00,000 400 7,000 50,000 300 20,000 1,25,000 800 12,000 75,000 350 5,000 40,000 350 18,000 600
10. Jammu Kashmir (a) (b) (c) 22,000 1,50,000 1,000 15,000 1,00,000 400 7,000 50,000 300 20,000 1,25,000 800 12,000 75,000 350 5,000 40,000 350 17,000 1,10,000 600
11. Karnataka (a) (b) (c) 22,000 1,50,000 1,000 15,000 1,00,000 400 7,000 50,000 300 20,000 1,25,000 800 12,000 75,000 350 5,000 40,000 350 17,000 1,10,000 600
12. Kerala (a) (b) (c) 22,500 15,000 7,500 20,000 12,000 5,000
13. Madhya Pradesh (a) (b) (c) 22,000 1,50,000 15,000 1,00,000 7,000 50,000 20,000 1,25,000 12,000 75,000 5,000 40,000 17,000 1,10,000
14. Maharashtra (a) (b) (c) 1,00,000 60,000 50,000 80,000 30,000 25,000
Legend :- (a) cash grant; (b) Cash in lieu of land; (c) Annuity
Sr. No. State/UT PVC MVC VrC Ashok Chakra KirtiChakra Shouriya Chakra Sarvottam Yudh Sewa Medal
15. Manipur (a)
(c) 22,500 15,000 7,000 20,000 12,000 5,000 17,000
16. Meghalaya (a)
(b
(c) - - - - - - -
17. Mizoram (a)
(c) 22,500 15,000 7,000 180 12,000 5,000 10,000
18. Nagaland (a)
(c) 22,000
0 250 -
19. Orissa (a)
20. Punjab (a)
21. Rajasthan (a)
25 Bighas
Irri Land
Unirri. Land 15,000
Unirri. Land 7,000
Unirri. Land
22. Sikkim (a)
23. Tamil
Nadu (a)
24. Tripura (a)
25. Uttar
Pradesh (a)
(c) 2,00,000
1,000 1,25,000
100 1,25,000
26. West
Bengal (a)
(*) 9,500 1, 15,000
27. A N
Islands (a)
|
cc/2019-30/en_head_0039.json.gz/line2091
|
__label__wiki
| 0.629947
| 0.629947
|
AutoSketch: 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan - Moby Dick's Swan Song
The 1951 Cosmopolitan was a big car. It weighed 4,300 pounds and was 220 inches long. (That's only 9 inches shorter than the barge-like 1958 Lincolns.) The '51 Cosmo rode on a 125-inch wheelbase. When equipped with rear fender skirts and painted a dark gray color, it really did look like a big whale.
The Cosmopolitan wasn't a cheap car; it cost over $3,400 in 1951. The '51 model featured ... (more >>>)
Subprime Auto Defaults: Easy credit, the high-octane fuel propelling U.S. auto sales to record heights, is showing a downside as delinquencies on securities backed by subprime auto loans have reached the highest level since 2009.
Nearly 5% of subprime auto loans were delinquent by 60 days or more, the highest level since September 2009. Experian Automotive reported that 20.8% of auto loans are now held by consumers with subprime or deep subprime credit scores - defined by FICO scores of between 300 and 620. I think there are household pets that have a credit score higher than 300.
The annualized net loss rate - the percentage of subprime loans regarded as likely to default - is expected to reach 10% by the end of 2016. For comparison, the 10-year average annualized net loss rate is 6.2%. The peak from past recessions was 13% in early 2009.
A contributing factor is the trend of finance companies and other lenders making longer loans. That means the buyer builds equity in the vehicle more slowly than it depreciates. In a couple years the car is worth less than what the owner owes on the loan. The average new subprime auto loan is now six years and carries an interest rate of over 10%.
The total of outstanding auto loans reached $1.04 trillion in the fourth-quarter of 2015, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. About $200 billion of that would be classified as subprime or deep subprime.
Combine this with the lowering of mortgage standards, especially down payment requirements and it's obvious that we're headed in the direction of another financial collapse.
Let's Do The Twist: Not too far from Philadelphia is Lititz, PA in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. My son was reminiscing on Facebook about a childhood visit to some of the attractions when he was eight years old.
He wrote ... (more >>>)
Planes, Trains and Layoffs: Canadian airplane and train manufacturer Bombardier plans to cut 7,000 jobs over the next two years.
The staff reductions announced amount to about 11% of the Montreal-based transportation company's current 64,000 employees worldwide.
Most of the positions are in Canada and Europe where its aerospace and rail transportation businesses are centered.
Physician, Heal Thyself: The infamous Doctor Nick, George C. Nichopolous, Elvis Presley's former personal doctor for 11 years before the singer's 1977 death from heart disease and drugs has died at age 88. The Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners later suspended and ultimately revoked Nichopoulos' medical license after it ruled he had overprescribed potentially addictive drugs to 13 patients, including Elvis and fellow singer Jerry Lee Lewis.
Also, Lennie Baker, longtime member of Sha Na Na, who sang lead on the rock and doo-wop group's hit, 'Blue Moon', has died of an infection at age 69. RIP.
Political Quote Of The Week ... so far, is from Luke Ford: "Do you realize that If Bernie Sanders wins, it will be the first time that a Jewish family moved into public housing that was left vacant by a black family?"
Another Trump Endorsement: Former Arizona Republican Governor Jan Brewer (she served from 2009 to '15) is supporting Donald Trump for president. Brewer said she was endorsing The Donald due to his strong stance on illegal immigration. "The politicians in Washington D.C. have continually failed to secure our border. As I've always said: A nation without borders is like a house without walls it collapses."
Governor Paul LePage of Maine has also endorsed Trump. As has U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama.
I always liked Jan Brewer; she got a lot of ink for standing up to Barack Obama on immigration. The woman does not suffer fools gladly.
Quip Of The Day: The Red Cross just knocked on my door and asked if we could contribute towards the floods in Pakistan. I said, "We'd love to, but our garden hose only reaches the driveway."
Friday February 26, 2016
Tesla Falling Apart; Fiat-Chrysler Still Sucks: Consumer Reports has said that, "because of faltering reliability scores, the Model S is no longer the top ultra-luxury car and ranks behind the BMW 750i xDrive, Lexus LS 460L and Audi A8 L." Tesla's quality problems include issues with hatches, door handles, electric motors and batteries; problems have increased as the automaker has ramped up production.
"They are having issues and they need to work that out before they introduce new models," said Jake Fisher, director of auto testing. However, Tesla still is the vehicle most likely to spontaneous combust and set your garage on fire.
Consumer Reports magazine has more than 8 million subscribers and gets survey data from 740,000 owners.
U.S. brands lagged most other automakers, but GM's Buick brand ranked seventh, just ahead of Mazda. Motor Corp. Toyota finished eighth, ahead of Kia and Honda. The Volkswagen brand ranked 15th overall. Chevrolet ranked 20th, while the GMC brand ranked 23rd and Cadillac 24th.
Ford Motor Co's Ford brand ranked 16th overall, but its best-selling F-150 pickup truck was named by CR as best pickup for the first time since 1999.
Texas Republican Debate: Thursday's debate in Houston was the last one before the critical Super Tuesday election. At first glance, I thought that questioner María Celeste Arrasa of Telemundo was Charo's daughter. I was waiting for her to exclaim, "Cuchi-Cuchi!"
There were fireworks - shouting, interrupting and gnashing of teeth - as Rubio and Cruz picked on Trump repeatedly. Trump responded in kind and said, in a post-debate interview, that Rubio was "pouring down sweat" during the debate. When his hiring practices were questioned, The Donald replied, "I'm the only one on this stage who has actually hired people."
I thought all the candidates were good. Ted Cruz was especially on fire and took no guff from Trump. Interestingly, Ben Carson revealed that after he spoke out against Obamacare, he was audited. I hadn't heard that before.
The Drudge Report poll declared Trump the winner with 54% of the votes, followed by Cruz at 21%, then Rubio at 18% of 623,000 votes cast. Kasich and Carson each received less than 5% of the vote. Who actually won? Super Tuesday will reveal all.
And finally, here's a reason to vote for The Donald: Reverend Al Sharpton told attendees at a Center for American Progress Action Fund event Thursday that he would flee the country if Donald Trump won the election. That's good news.
This morning, Trump picked up Chris Christie's endorsement. Christie proclaimed that Marco Rubio is in the "last days of a losing campaign."
Today's Inspirational Thought: Doing a job right the first time gets the job done. Doing the job wrong fourteen times gives you job security. Especially if you work for the government.
Wednesday Back Roads Excursion: Two different computer dashboard widgets described Wednesday as 'partly sunny' and 'mostly cloudy'. It was both. On my morning drive in my '39 Plymouth coupe, I hit patches of sun then found myself driving under dark, cloudy skies.
The traffic was light and the ride was pleasant, although the temperature was just under 50 degrees at 11:00 am and my hands were quite chilly after the ride, given the Plymouth's primitive box heater beneath the passenger's side dashboard.
The car ran well; I'm looking forward to more drives as the weather improves.
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Commenters on automotive blogs are always bitching about the lack of 1. manual transmissions, 2. diesel engines and 3. station wagons.
Here's the answer to your wagon prayers: Volvo will be selling an updated station wagon, the 2018 V90, sometime in 2017. It's a nice-looking machine.
Old Time Rattles: At TTAC, Jack Baruth waxed nostalgically about the '79 Cadillac Eldorado. "Who has two thumbs and loves the '79 Eldorado? This guy. I've spent more time writing about it than I've spent writing about Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Maseratis … combined. What made the '79 Eldorado great? Everything. It was styled with a crispness and strength of purpose never again seen on a Cadillac. It had a solid drivetrain as standard, although the optional engines and the later HT4100 tended to misbehave. The packaging was superb inside and out: trim yet spacious, small enough to be hassle-free in a parking lot but big enough to be recognizably Cadillac.
Most importantly, it was the last great coupe from a company that had a reputation for building brilliant luxury two-doors. (The CTS-V Coupe had pace but possessed neither space nor grace.) As a statement of personal wealth, taste, and maturity, no automobile truly satisfies like a full-sized luxury coo-pay."
Jack added this caveat: "The '79 Eldorados, too, were creatures of the moment. Most of them were pretty well worn-out before they reached their 10th birthday. That's part and parcel of being a mass-market luxury car. They're great to own when they're new and under warranty."
In 1984, when my business was doing well enough that I could finally afford a luxury car, I considered Cadillac. The Eldorado was a real looker - especially the Biarritz model with the stainless steel roof.
The Eldo was the perfect Eighties car. It went well with ... (more >>>)
The Trump Machine Steamrolls Along: Donald Trump swept to victory at the Nevada caucus, cementing his lead in the race for the Republican party's nomination.
Trump won 46% of the caucus votes, eclipsing the rest of the field. Rubio garnered 24%, Cruz 21% while other candidates were below 5%. Voter turnout was up 127% from 2012.
Trump has won more votes than Romney did at this point in 2012 and many more than McCain did in 2008.
The Donald has collected an impressive base of angry and/or disappointed Republicans who despise the party's consistent record of saying one thing, doing another and claiming to stand for principles that they have no intention of acting on. He has also picked up Independents who don't trust Hillary and don't want a Socialist like Bernie in the White House.
Trump also gets the Quote-of-the-Week Award because he wrote in a Facebook post, "I wonder if President Obama would have attended the funeral of Justice Scalia if it were held in a Mosque? Very sad that he did not go."
Book Review: 'How To Fail At Almost Everything And Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life' by Scott Adams
The author is the creator of the oft-hilarious 'Dilbert' comic strip plus other ventures - successful and not.
This book is about how not to fail and has some valuable business advice mixed with advice which is less useful. Scott claims that "goals are for losers?" Huh? Reading further, it's obvious ... (more >>>)
Quote Of The Day is from H.L. Mencken: "A good politician is quite as unthinkable as an honest burglar."
Tuesday February 23, 2016
A Sheep In Wolf's Clothing: The 2016 BMW X1 is a BMW body mounted over Mini Countryman underpinnings. This FWD/AWD transverse-engined vehicle was described by TTAC tester Alex L. Dykes as "the baked potato chip of the compact crossover world. In truth, all the compact crossovers out there are healthy snacks, but the former X1 was the deep-fried, extra greasy, super salty chip that everyone secretly wanted."
"For purists, the notion of a trio of transverse-engined BMWs prowling around the countryside is an abomination; an affront to everything E46 M3 owners holds sacred."
Basic Black: Back in 2009, after looking at photos of Lincoln's new MKT (described by Ford Motor Company as a full-size luxury crossover), I wrote, "The Lincoln MKT is apparently for those who think not all hearses should carry a Cadillac emblem."
It turns out I was right. It does make a good hearse ... (more >>>)
Everything Seems To Be Made In China: This is a truly frightening graph. If these trends continue ... (more >>>)
Papal Hypocrisy: Ben Shapiro wrote, "Pope Francis, apparently desperate to reach out to the Catholic Church's growing base in Latin America, spent the day slapping Americans in the face from across the US-Mexico border. In Ciudad Juarez, one of the most violent cities in the Western Hemisphere thanks to the drug cartels, the pope walked up a ramp covered in flowers toward a cross "erected… in memory of migrants who have perished trying to reach the United States just a stone's throw away."
"Funny, he never did that while visiting Cuba to pay tribute to those who died attempting to escape that Communist hellhole."
Sometimes, it takes an Orthodox Jew like Mr. Shapiro to point out the painful truth about this Pope. I would add that the recent dust-up, where the Pope criticized Donald Trump for proposing to erect a wall at our Southern border, further illustrates the Pontiff's own hypocrisy.
Pope Francis said of Trump, "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not of building bridges, is not Christian. This is not the Gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this is man (Trump) is not Christian if he has said things like that."
Ironically, the thick wall surrounding the Vatican was built by Pope Leo IV to keep out Muslim invaders.
The Pope favors Social Justice, a phrase which has devolved from ... (more >>>)
RIP: Sonny James, singer and songwriter best known for his 1957 hit, 'Young Love' (3 million copies sold), has died at age 86.
Primary Election Results: Donald Trump decisively won the South Carolina primary with 32.5% of the vote, while Marco Rubio edged out Ted Cruz for second place (22.5% vs. 22.3%). Jeb Bush has dropped out of the race after a dismal showing in the Palmetto State - he got less than 8% of the vote. Bush spent over $130 million on his failed presidential quest.
South Carolina was a huge win for Trump, because he swept all or nearly all of the delegates. Voter turnout was much higher than anticipated (20% higher than in 2012); more people are interested and engaged this year - trying to pick the best candidate. That's a good thing; it's the way America is supposed to work - a government of the people, by the people ... etc.
On the Democratic side, the amazing thing about the Nevada caucus is that Queen Hillary's fairly narrow 5.5 point win is being touted by the mainstream media as a "huge victory" for her. Who are they kidding? Sanders will get almost as many delegates in Nevada as Hillary. And Democratic turnout in the state was off by 33% compared with 2008.
And the beat goes on.
Quote Of The Day is from Eric Hoffer: "For many people, an excuse is better than an achievement because an achievement, no matter how great, leaves you having to prove yourself again in the future but an excuse can last for life."
More Imports In The Rental Lot: GM, Ford and Fiat-Chrysler accounted for 60.1% - their lowest collective share ever - of the 1.78 million new cars and light trucks sold to rental fleets in 2015.
But leasing to retail clients is up. New-vehicle sales through leases reached their highest level ever, just shy of 4 million units or 28% of light-vehicle sales in 2015.
Lease rates are substantially higher for luxury brands. "BMW sold 59.6% of its new vehicles in 2015 through leases. Leases accounted for 53.8% of Mercedes-Benz' new-vehicle deliveries." When I bought my Jaguar in 1998, I remember the salesman telling me that over 60% of all new Jaguars were leased.
I've never leased a vehicle in my life. Although my manufacturing firm leased our forklift trucks.
Clueless & Classless: Yesterday, William Katz wrote, "President Obama will not be at the funeral for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on Saturday. The president will go to the late justice's wake on Friday to pay his respects, but he will not attend the funeral on Saturday. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill will be attending Scalia's funeral.
Obama just lacks class. He wouldn't even send a high-level delegation to Margaret Thatcher's funeral, but personally attended Nelson Mandela's. He should go to Scalia's funeral simply to pay tribute to a great and civilized legal scholar, agree with him or not. French President Charles deGaulle, despite differences with the United States, walked behind John F. Kennedy's coffin after Kennedy's assassination. There are big men and small men."
I would point out that, when Nelson Mandela died in 2013 ... (more >>>)
Late Night Humor from Conan O'Brien:
• "Ben and Jerry's has come out with an ice cream inspired by Bernie Sanders. A carton costs $3.99. But with tax, it's $200 million."
• "'Sesame Street' TV set got a major upgrade. Elmo now lives in a brownstone. And Cookie Monster has been replaced by the Gluten-Free Biscotti Monster."
• "Obama visited a U.S. mosque for his first time as president. Asked why, Obama said, 'I wanted to go to the one place in America where I wouldn't see Donald Trump.'"
• "The newest issue of Playboy features no full-frontal nudity and instead focuses on social media. So be sure to pick up the final issue of Playboy."
My introduction to Playboy was at the tender age of 12 at Frank's Barber Shop at Foulkrod and Penn Streets - about two blocks north of the Margaret-Orthodox El station in Philadelphia. Frank also offered issues of Sunshine and Health as reading material. S&H was a nudist magazine; in all the photos, the nekkid people always seemed to be holding beach balls to strategically cover (as the Brits say) "the naughty bits." I have never seen so many beach balls in one place. As a youngster, I figured that nudists must have accounted for 80% of beach ball purchases in the U.S.
Frank's reading material also included True Detective and Confidential - a sleazy, tell-all magazine which made-up most of its salacious stories - featuring blaring, outrageous headlines on the order of: 'Perry Como Is Really A Negro!' So many people sued Confidential for slander that it finally went out of business in the late 1950s or early 1960s.
After we moved to New Jersey, I still went to Frank to get my hair cut. Even after we moved to Oregon, I'd stop in for a trim any time I traveled to Philly. Then, on one trip in the early 1980s, I found the shop boarded-up. I inquired at the place next door and found out that Frank had died. Too bad; he was one of the best barbers I've ever known.
Quote Of The Day is from The Simpsons' Professor Frink: "Elementary chaos theory tells us that all robots will eventually turn against their masters and run amok in an orgy of blood and kicking and the biting with the metal teeth and the hurting and shoving."
Faded & Blue: A photo, originally posted on Hemmings.com, shows cars lined up for an outdoor church service in 1947. The Pasadena Community Church in St. Petersburg, FL had been holdng drive-in worship services since 1940, "when the church built the 'Garden Sanctuary' with space for 2,000 cars originally intended to help the elderly or infirm who couldn't make it inside the church itself for services."
The circled 1939 Plymouth coupe had faded & chalky blue paint after 8 years of Florida sun exposure. My ... (more >>>)
Tesla Troubles: Tesla Motors, Inc. reported an unexpectedly large fourth-quarter loss of $320 million last week as the electric carmaker incurred heavy costs related to developing two new models. Tesla sold 25,202 vehicles in the U.S. in 2015. The company's primary car is the Model S sedan; last fall, it launched the Model X sport utility vehicle.
Tesla also plans a lower-priced, mass-market electric car called the Model 3 for late 2017. The Model X has been the subject of ... (more >>>)
Something To Remember: Democrats complain that CEO pay is too high but the average CEO makes less than Hillary's speaking fee.
No Wonder He Has An Exclamation Point After His Name: During his tenure as Florida's governor, Jeb Bush increased spending at a rate almost double that of the economy. Additionally, the state's debt went from $15 billion to more than $23 billion, and annual interest payments nearly doubled from $900 million to $1.7 billion.
So much for Jeb's claim that he "cut spending" during his time in office. Fiscal conservative, my ass. And people want this guy as President?!
Book Review: 'Reagan Remembered' edited by Gilbert A. Robinson
This book contains stories and memories from over 80 major appointees of President Ronald Reagan. Contributors included former President George H.W. Bush, Colin Powell, Elizabeth Dole, Steve Forbes, James Baker III, George Shultz, Art Laffler and Ed Meese.
The stories are personal and demonstrate the remarkable humor, courtesy, charm of the late president and his great sense of humor. It also had lots of stories about his determination and firmness with Russian leaders that eventually brought an end to the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
Ronald Reagan's last public communication was ... (more >>>)
Quote Of The Day is from Michel Fortin: "Perceived truth is more powerful than truth itself."
$25 Million Worth Of Ugly: The Tomahawk is a proposed electric supercar. Dubuc Motors is trying to raise $25 million through crowdfunding to ... (more >>>)
Cleaning Up: Recently, I saw an ad - on James Lileks' site no less (a Google ad) - for the Boyd line of car care products (waxes, polishes, leather cleaner, etc.) with a reproduction of hot rod builder Boyd Coddington's signature on the label. It's a reproduction because Mr. Coddington died eight years ago.
The line now belongs to his son Boyd Coddington, Jr. Think Frank Sinatra, Jr. versus the original.
Coddington is also selling a limited edition (!) paste wax. Only 401 cans will be made and each will be numbered and signed. By Junior, of course. As they say in the fancier stores: $49.95 the can.
The website noted that "Boyd Coddington Garage® was founded by Coddington's eldest son, Boyd Jr., and encompasses multiple businesses and full service licensing for the brand."
When I think of car care product brands, I think first of Meguiar's, Turtle Wax and Armor All. Then maybe Griot's, Mothers, Rain-X and California Car Cover's Golden Shine. It seems like the market is already saturated.
As for me, I use mostly Nu Finish car polish, STP's Son of a Gun vinyl/rubber protective, Meguiar's spray detailer and Lexol leather cleaner/preservative on my vehicles.
Best Political Ad Of 2016 ... so far: 'Damn It Feels Good To Be A Clinton' is a great parody of the 'Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangster' segment of the cult movie 'Office Space'. I love seeing an angry Hillary working the baseball bat. Thanks, Ted Cruz.
South Carolina Republican Debate: Saturday's event had the usual bickering and insult-trading. John Kasich was better than usual and Ben Carson was good. Rubio and Cruz battled as did Trump and Bush.
Trump made the idiotic statement that 9/11 was George W. Bush's fault and said that 'W' erred badly by invading Iraq in 2003, commenting that Bush lied to get us into the Iraq war by claiming there were weapons of mass destruction in that country.
It is my view that Bill Clinton bears far more responsibility for 9/11, learning nothing from the 1993 attempt on the World Trade Center and failing to have bin Laden killed when he had the chance. I continue to believe that there really were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq but that Saddam Hussein moved them to another country, possibly Syria, while UN inspectors were haggling over inspection rules.
Trump's comments were grossly irresponsible but it remains to be seen if they will cost him his lead in various polls. The Drudge Poll declared Trump the debate winner with 53% of the vote. Cruz was second at 22%, Rubio third at 13%, while everyone else was under 6%.
An Intellectual Giant: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has died at the age of 79 of an apparent heart attack.
He was appointed to the Court by Ronald Reagan in 1986. He was an avid proponent of originalism in constitutional interpretation. It was Scalia's view that clear lines of separation among the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches follow directly from the Constitution, with no branch allowed to exercise powers granted to another branch. But Obama never paid attention to him.
Scalia argued that there is no constitutional right to abortion, and that if the people desire legalized abortion, a law should be passed to accomplish it. Same for gay marriage. He believed that the meaning of law could be discerned by focusing on the meaning of the words it contained, rather than by asking ourselves what we want it to mean. Scalia said, that the latter was the stuff of politics, not law, and he drew a line in the sand between the two.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, nine children (one of them a Catholic priest) and numerous grandchildren. Requiescat In Pace.
Geezer Joke: Maude and Claude, both 91, lived in a retirement village. They met at the singles club meeting and discovered over time that they enjoyed each other's company. After several weeks of meeting for coffee, Claude asked Maude out for dinner and, much to his delight, she accepted.
They had a lovely evening. They dined at the most romantic restaurant in town. Despite his age, they ended up at his place for an after-dinner drink. Things continued along a natural course and age being no inhibitor, Maude soon joined Claude for a most enjoyable roll in the hay. As they were basking in the glow of the magic moments they'd shared, each was lost for a time in their own thoughts ...
Claude was thinking: "If I'd known she was a virgin, I'd have been gentler."
Meanwhile, Maude thought: "If I'd known he could still do it, I'd have taken off my pantyhose."
Quote Of The Day is from Dublin-born political philosopher Edmund Burke (1729-97): "All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing."
Starting Off With A Bad Name: The new flagship Cadillac with the dumb model name of CT6 has now gone into production and offered to the press selectively (TTAC wasn't invited and neither was I) for road tests.
Over a year ago, I suggested a better name for Cadillac to use on its flagship vehicle: 'Outta My Way, Peasants'.
In related news, the upcoming plug-in hybrid version of the CT6 will be imported from China. Who ever thought that Americans would be driving Chinese Cadillacs?
Buying Small Expertise: Daihatsu is a Japanese carmaker founded in its present form in 1951, but with roots that trace back as far as 1907. It is best known for its microcars. Toyota acquired a controlling interest of 51% in Daihatsu in 1988, bringing the company under its umbrella. But now it is raising its stake to 100%.
"As part of the new arrangement, the Daihatsu division will take the lead in developing new small cars, both for itself and for its parent company. Toyota in turn will also share key technologies with Daihatsu, and both will share each other's networks in emerging markets. The bottom line is that we can expect to see more small Toyotas ... developed and built by Daihatsu in the near future."
Anyone Remember PNDLR? Electronic gear shifters on some newer Fiat Chrysler SUVs and cars are so confusing that drivers have exited the vehicles with the engines running and while they are still in gear, causing crashes and serious injuries, U.S. safety investigators have determined.
The government's probe now covers more than 856,000 vehicles including the popular Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV from the 2014 and 2015 model years and the 2012 through 2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans with 3.6-litre V-6 engines.
"In the vehicles, drivers pull the shift lever forward or backward to select gears and the shifter doesn’t move along a track like in most cars. A light shows which gear is selected, but to get from Drive to Park, drivers must push the lever forward three times. The gearshift does not have notches that match up with the gear you want to shift into, and it moves back to a centered position after the driver picks a gear."
Sounds very non-intuitive and nuts. What ever happened to Ergonomic Engineering? (Which, when I went to college, was called Human Engineering.)
Book Review: 'Rising To The Challenge: My Leadership Journey' by Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina was a 2016 Republican presidential candidate who failed to catch fire with primary voters, although she made some memorable statements - especially about Hillary Clinton's shortcomings. She dropped out of the race yesterday, February 10th.
This short book - 208 pages - was an easy read and was obviously written to help boost her profile and support her candidacy.
In 1980, Fiorina ... (more >>>)
Liberal Hypocrisy: Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, proponent of the job-killing $15 minimum wage, pays his interns $12 per hour.
Jim Who? A perennial joke candidate who wears a boot on his head has received more votes in the New Hampshire primary than former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore. Vermin Supreme, a performance artist with a wizard-like beard, had received more than 240 votes in the Democratic contest, compared to Gilmore's 125 among Republicans.
Supreme, who has run regularly and uses the swarm of press around the Granite State to bring attention to his own satirical showmanship, has been entering elections since the 1980s and joined the fray in the last three presidential campaigns.
I wrote about Vermin in 2012. He is the only candidate who supports fully funding time-travel research in order to go back and kill Hitler before he was born. He's also the only candidate who makes mandatory toothbrushing his signature issue. Supreme says in his Dental Manifesto, "Proper dental hygiene is essential to proper social order."
Chris Christie has bowed out of the campaign. Too bad; I liked him. The announcement follows a disappointing sixth-place finish in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary. Christie's last words: "Tell Marco it was only business. I always liked him." Tom Hagen replied, "He understands that."
Update: Gilmore exited the primary race on Friday, 2/12/16.
Quote Of The Day is from Lyn Nofziger: "Interesting, isn't it, that the rights of atheists, America-haters and rabble rousers are all protected because the Founding Fathers turned to God for guidance as they sought to give themselves and those who would follow after them a more perfect union?"
Tuesday February 9, 2016
First Drive Of 2016: At 10:30 am Monday, with a beautiful cloud-free blue sky and a temperature of 47 degrees - it reached 63 degrees in the afternoon, I awoke my '39 Plymouth coupe from its winter hibernation and took a drive along Clark County's back roads.
I hadn't driven the car since Thanksgiving; it was a real treat to be behind the wheel, listening to the Glasspacks rumble while 'The Joe Niagara Show' blasted from the speakers.
It made me feel like I was 16 again.
Making It Clear: The German parts maker ZF exhibited a transparent acrylic vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show, complete with seats, a steering wheel, belt buckle and doors that open and close, to show the camera inset above the windshield and the radar system on the sides above the front bumpers components of an autonomous ride ... (more, including photos >>>)
The Power Of Costco: Beginning October 2 and ending January 4, Costco Wholesale Corp. and General Motors sponsored a promotion for Costco members who wanted to purchase a new GM car. Sales totaled approximately 58,000 GM vehicles for the three-month promotion.
The offer featured GM supplier pricing and included all qualifying manufacturer rebates and incentives on a selection of vehicles, including trucks, SUVs and luxury and fuel-efficient models. Buyers also received a $300 or $700 Costco cash card for completing a Costco member satisfaction survey.
"If Costco sold nothing but cars it would be the largest new car dealer in the United States. In 2015, the company sold more than 465,000 vehicles. AutoNation Inc. is the nation's largest car dealer, and it sold 343,753 new vehicles in 2015."
Please Don't Change A Thing: Seven Hills Winery, one of Walla Walla's founding wineries and a standard-bearer for the Eastern Washington's Bordeaux-style wines, is getting a California owner.
Napa Valley's Crimson Wine Group acquired the 28-year-old winery for $5.75 million. Founders Casey and Vicky McClellan will stay on with the operation, with the former continuing as winemaker and general manager.
Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon is just awesome. The 'nose' on this beverage was distinctive and exceptional. And the taste was just fine, fine, superfine. The winery is located next door to the distinguished Whitehouse-Crawford Restaurant in Walla Walla. A glass wall permits diners to check out the winemaking activity at Seven Hills.
Something To Avoid: Omaha Steaks' Meat Lasagna. Too salty, limp noodles with Godfather's Pizza-style meat pellets. The beef had that unpleasant Fourth Time You Reheat Pot Roast Taste. We'll never buy it again, although OS's Stuffed Baked Potatoes are quite tasty.
We used to order Omaha Steaks' triple-trimmed beef filets but now buy our steaks from local sources - better quality and lower prices. Costco's Prime Grade Fillets are an excellent value.
How do I feel about OS's Potatoes au Gratin? Just pronounce it phonetically: Ugh, rotten.
Quip Of The Today: The older a man gets, the farther he had to walk to school as a boy.
Pricey Kitty: According to Dan Neil, the redesigned Jaguar XF sedan is "an aluminum-body midsize rear- or all-wheel drive luxury sedan with a supercharged V6 and eight-speed gear robot, rated at 30 miles per gallon nominal on the highway - a car bedecked with tech (available 8-inch or 10.2-inch touch screen with quad-core brains, laser heads-up display and 12.3-inch high-res instrument panel), splendid with space, drunk on design and, yeah, they are dealing. ... Last year, Jaguar announced a price recalibration as part of a strategy to grab U.S. market share from the German luxury incumbents, or as they are affectionately known in the business, the 'Germs'.
The 2016 XF's base price of $51,900 is a thunderous $5,185 cheaper/more attainable than last year's V6-powered model. That price foot-sweeps the V6-powered Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the I6-powered BMW 5-series and the Audi A6 3.0T. That number also puts the XF in among mass-class shoppers milling around cars like the Infiniti Q70 3.7 ($49,850), for example."
As is typical with European cars, options are expensive and the loaded example Dan drove stickered at $65,700. That's a lot of money for a mid-sized car, especially one with questionable reliability.
New Hampshire Republican Debate: Chris Christie won, in my opinion. He embarrassed Rubio - badly. Trump did OK although he got booed on a couple of occasions. Trump's campaign may be helped by the fact that Ford has just announced that it will build a new assembly plant in Mexico and sharply increase factory output from that country, eliminating even more American jobs.
Jeb and Kasich did a little better than their usual sub-standard performances. Ben Carson wasn't given much debate time and his quiet, thoughtful remarks don't play well in a debate setting. Cruz was somewhat subdued but remains a world-class debater.
Best line was from Christie on Rubio's absence during a key Senate vote, "That's not leadership; that's truancy!" Christie also accused Rubio of having canned, repetitive, robotic replies for key questions. At one point, Christie taunted, "Here it comes, the 25-second sound bite." And he was absolutely right. Pundits are referring to Rubio as 'Marco Roboto'. Domo arigato.
Dave Barry wrote, "The big loser in the debate, according to the pundits, was Marco Rubio, who got this one talking point lodged in his throat and kept saying it over and over, unable to stop himself, until finally Dr. Ben Carson gave him the Heimlich maneuver, sending the talking point flopping onto the stage, where Chris Christie stomped on it."
Super Bowl 50 ... or 'L' if you like Roman numerals: Singer Lady Gaga opened proceedings with a stirring rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. Wearing a red glittering scarlet pantsuit and accompanied by a solo piano, she delivered an uplifting and slightly jazzy version of the anthem. Near the end, the Blue Angels did a dramatic flyover. Gaga closed her performance by saying, "God bless you, America."
The halftime show wasn't to my taste; I guess I'm too old. I was preparing to write that, with Coldplay, never has so much effort and money been put into such a lame performance. Then I remembered Jeb Bush's campaign.
The commercials were not nearly as good as in prior years. My five top picks were:
• Audi Astronaut, featuring the Audi A8 and a great shot of the moon. (Ad Meter #8)
• Weather Tech 'Made In America' (USA Today Ad Meter rank: #39)
• Bank Robbers in a Prius (USA Today Ad Meter 10#)
• Dogs & Doritos at the supermarket (Ad Meter #4)
• Butterfingers' 'Better Than Bold', featuring a bullrider and bull leaping from an airplane. (#52)
The Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers decisively, 24-10.
Quote Of The Day is from Don Surber: "I do not want America to be the world's policeman; I want America to be the world's king. Someone will be. Might a well be us."
Friday February 5, 2016
Best Jag Description Of The Century: At Road & Track, Sam Smith wrote that a restored XK 120 as "a stunning cross between manor house and the prime real estate of a woman's birthday suit. The fenders were a sine wave.
The interior appeared to have been laid out for laughs: tach in front of the passenger, and a horn button made large for no apparent reason, except to resemble one of Mae West's … horn buttons."
Fresh Kill: After 13 years, Toyota is discontinuing its Scion brand. Toyota sold a total of 1,092,675 cars under the Scion marque from 2003 to the end of 2015. That's slightly more than 91,000 cars per year, spread over several models - probably not a profitable number for an economy line of cars. In 2015, Scion sold just over 56,000 cars last year - spread over five models. Consider that more than 360,000 Toyota Corollas were sold in 2015 as well as more than 429,000 Camrys.
Starting with the 2017 model year, all surviving Scion models will be rebadged as Toyotas. I'm not surprised. Here are three reasons for the brand's demise ... (more >>>)
Buh-Bye: The overpriced, Chevy Volt-based Cadillac ELR coupe will be discontinued.
Originally priced at $76,000, Cadillac only sold 1,024 ELRs last year, down 22% from 2014's totals. By comparison ... (more >>>)
Senior Moment: I don't know how this happened but I forgot to upload the bubble-topped Plymouth, the California Pizza Kitchen woody and the 'Thirteenth Floor' cop car when I updated my '39 Plymouth website two years ago.
I've now corrected the error and you'll find photos here.
RIP: Bob Elliot, half of the low-key comedy duo, Bob & Ray, has died at 92 from thoat cancer. Bob was the skinny one without the moustache. Ray Goulding died in 1990.
"Bob was the more soft-spoken one, Ray the deep-voiced and more often blustery one were unusual among two-person comedy teams. Rather than one of them always playing it straight and the other handling the jokes, they took turns being the straight man."
They specialized in debunking gasbags, political airheads, no-talent entrepreneurs and Madison Avenue hypemasters, hawking such products as Einbinder Flypaper: "The flypaper you've gradually learned to trust over the course of three decades." Or the Monongahela Metal Foundry: "Steel ingots cast with the housewife in mind."
"Their weapon was not caustic satire but wry understatement."
Bad Pun Of The Day: Two cows are standing next to each other in a field. Daisy says to Dolly, "I was artificially inseminated this morning." "I don't believe you," says Dolly. "It's true - no bull!" exclaims Daisy.
January Auto Sales: Light vehicle sales were at a 17.5 million SAAR (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate) in January - up about 5% from last January and down slightly from last month. These positive numbers were surprising considering the crippling East Coast snowstorm in January.
General Motors posted U.S. sales of 203,745 vehicles, a fractional percent increase compared with January 2015. Retail deliveries rose 9%, fleet deliveries slipped 6%. Buick sales jumped a whopping 46%, making it January's fastest growing brand. Cadillac sales fell 8% to 10,740 vehicles.
Ford Motor Co. reported a U.S. sales decrease of 3% year-over-year in January, to 173,723 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, compared with January 2015 sales of 178,351. Retail sales declined 11% and increased fleet sales were not enough to offset the decline. Truck sales rose fractionally for the month but sales of the new F-150 pickups dropped more than 5% to 50,540 vehicles. Car sales fell 12%. One rosy note: Sales of the Lincoln brand rose 8% year-over-year to 7,174 units.
FCA/Chrysler sales were up 7% helped by Jeep (up 15%) and Dodge (up 19%) but the Chrysler brand dropped a whopping 22% and Fiat sales declined 20% to 2,594 vehicles.
Toyota Motor Co's sales were down 6% although the Toyota RAV4 remains the best-selling SUV/CUV and the Toyota Camry remains America's best selling sedan.
Surprisingly, Nissan outsold Honda (97,220 vs.90,247), primarily on the strength of its trucks and crossovers. Volkswagen sales declined 15% in January.
Mercedes was the best-selling premium brand in January (25,563 units, up 1.6%); Lexus finished second (20,933 vehicles, down 10%). Third-place BMW sold 18,082 vehicles - a drop of 5%.
Bring A Large Check: At the Detroit Auto Show, the 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo S cabriolet was on display. The sports car has a 580 horsepower 3.8 liter twin-turbo flat six engine and is priced at a whopping $188,000.
Porsche claims that this 911 will do 0-60 in 2.8 seconds.
The Universal Problem With Mass Transit: James Lileks wrote that "while driving around downtown I found myself not driving at all, because the lights prohibited forward motion when the light rail was in the neighborhood. One train was going west; the other, a few minutes later, was going east. The tracks pierce the intersection at an odd angle. No car moved for about five minutes.
Six light-rail cars, three per direction, trundled past. I counted 14 occupants."
When watching transit buses go by in Clark County Washington, I used to see full-size buses with only .... (more >>>)
Iowa Caucus Results & What They Mean: Short answer - not much. Previous winners include such non-presidents as Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee and Bob Dole.
The conventional wisdom is that, to win Iowa, you have to love 1. Jesus and 2. Ethanol. This combo doesn't apply to any other state that I know of. Ted Cruz always loved Jesus but was late to the game on ethanol and remains a Big Corn agnostic. But he won anyway. Trump came in a respectable second and Rubio a close third. It's looking more and more like the Republican primaries are now a three-man race.
Jeb got a mere 3% of the vote. Never in history has anyone used so much money to get so few votes. He spent $2,884 per vote in Iowa.
Hillary defeated Bernie by such a narrow margin that the race ended in a virtual dead heat. This makes Hillary the big loser because she was expecting a coronation, not a contest. Six precincts ended up with tie votes and each flipped a coin to decide. Hillary won all which sounds statistically suspicious.
I think it would have been more fun to decide tie votes by having Hillary and Bernie compete in a potato sack race.
If I were a Democrat, I'd vote for Bernie Sanders just to see what a black, heavily-armored presidential Prius looks like.
Republicans Huckabee, Paul, Santorum and Democrat O'Malley have "suspended" their campaigns - in other words, dropped out of the race. Expect more low-ranking Republican candidates to drop out after New Hampshire's primary next week.
Who's A Racist? The Democratic meme is that Republicans are a bunch of racists. Yet, while three white people were duking it out for a win in Iowa, 60% of white Iowa Republicans voted for two Hispanics and a black man.
Who Says There's No Good News? 25% of all Federal employees would consider leaving their jobs if Donald Trump becomes president. (hat tip: American Digest)
Book Review: 'The Time Of Our Lives: Collected Writings' by Peggy Noonan
This book consists of the best of Noonan's columns covering the past 20+ years. Peggy always makes for a good read. Her writing is breezy yet exquisite. And often profound. Even if you disagree with her, she gets her points across. She adroitly covers ... (more >>>)
Coincidence ... Or What? Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow yesterday and then the Dow fell 296 points.
Here's A Great Business Idea ... from Tom McMahon: "If I were the Chipotle CEO I would just give up and re-brand all my restaurants as Quick Weight Loss Centers."
Quote Of The Day is from Thomas Sowell: "Someone once said that the most important knowledge is knowledge of our own ignorance. Our schools are depriving millions of students of that kind of knowledge by promoting "self-esteem" and encouraging them to have opinions on things of which they are grossly ignorant, if not misinformed."
2016 Scottsdale Auctions: As usual, the various Arizona collector vehicle auctions were full of aging white dudes with buckets of cash bidding up car prices toward the stratosphere as they sought their automotive nirvana du jour. Or the nostalgia of their youth.
How old are these guys? Looking at the televised Barrett-Jackson events, I'd guess that the age of the average seat holder was 50-65. Hemmings Motor News used to claim that its average subscriber was 52 years-old. And that number didn't change much from decade to decade.
It makes sense: By one's early 50s, the kids are out of college and out of the house, the mortgage is shrinking (or paid off) and it's usually peak income time at work. This adds up to Disposable Income to spend on various toys.
It's impossible to cover the various auctions in their entirety, so here is a sampling of cars that I found interesting:
At Bonhams, the first production Kaiser Darrin - a white one with the signature 'Darrin dip' on the side of the body and its unique sliding doors - crossed the block at $198,000. Only 435 Kaiser Darrins were made.
The same auction company sold a 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster for $1,485,000; a 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta which went under the gavel for $1,155,000; a 1928 Mercedes-Benz 630K La Baule Transformable, which crossed the block at $973,500; a 1935 Hispano-Suiza K6 cabriolet, which sold for $869,000 and a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 sports saloon, which sold for $781,000.
Gooding & Co. sold a ... (more >>>)
Pickup Game: In 2015, the top three vehicles sold in the U.S. were: 1. Ford F-Series pickup, 2. Chevrolet Silverado pickup and 3. Ram pickup. The Toyota Camry took fourth place, followed by the Toyota Corolla.
Iowa Republican Debate: By the time today is over, we'll know who won the Iowa Caucus. As for last Thursday's debate, I thought the winner - strategically - was Donald Trump. He held his own show at the same time as the debates. Trump raised over $6 million for veterans' causes. Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee appeared with him. I enjoyed The Trump Show - it was patriotic and uplifting.
NBC and the Los Angeles Times also declared Trump the winner of the debate. The Chicago Tribune wrote, "Trump's absence left a vacuum on the debate stage."
Who lost? Maybe, Fox News, which led its "debate" with a cheap shot at Trump. Megyn Kelly (now a celebrity and GQ cheesecake model) and Chris Wallace played the gotcha game with the candidates, picking mainly on Ted Cruz. Cruz and Marco Rubio took hits from Fox News in the form of video clips that catch them contradicting the positions on immigration they're taking in this campaign. By skipping the debate, Trump avoided the kind of embarrassment Cruz and Rubio experienced.
The debate was diminished by The Donald's absence. And Fox allowed two YouTube liberal chicks - one a Muslim activist who apparently was originally put on the program to ambush Trump. She is also a Bernie Sanders supporter, having tweeted a photo of herself wearing a Feel The Bern sweatshirt. Why would Fox News do this? Would any network allow a Cruz supporter to ask questions in a Dem debate? I think not.
I thought the debate winners were Christie, Cruz and Carson (in that order), although no one else seemed to like Ben that evening.
Trump won the Drudge Report presidential poll, with 61% of the vote. Cruz came in second at 19%. Rubio was third with 8%; Paul came in fourth with 5%. All the other candidates polled less than 1.5%.
Not A Good Trend: Weekly attendance at the Church of England has fallen below one million for the first time in history, while Sunday service attendance dropped to 760,000.
The weekly figure accounts for about 2% of the population in the United Kingdom and reflects a downward trend in church attendance amid the growing popularity of secularism and religious diversity, particularly among the nation's youth.
Current figures show attendance numbers falling 12% over the past decade to less than half the levels seen 40 years ago, when Sunday attendance stood at approximately 1.25 million.
Good News: Follow up tests - a PET scan and CEA blood work - indicated that the cancer hasn't returned. The CEA test measures cancer markers - carcinoembryonic antigen - in the blood. Mine is now 0.5, which is well within normal range (0-2.5 µg/L). The PET scan indicated that the tumor has shrunk further; in fact, they were unable to find it. My next tests will .... (more >>>)
Cat Fight! When two stewardesses got into a fist fight on a Delta flight traveling from Los Angeles to Minneapolis, the captain decided to make an unscheduled landing in Salt Lake City.
"A third woman on the plane tried to break up the fight and was also hit by the brawling flight attendants. At that point, the captain made the decision to land the Boeing 757. The plane was flying just south of Salt Lake City when the fight broke out."
Quote Of The Day is from Ayn Rand: "We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission."
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joke bank - Religious Jokes
Pedro lives in an orphanage. One day Pedro is heading towards town with his hands claped together, when the padre who runs this orphanage asks Pedro, "What do you have in your hands and where are you going?" Pedro replies, "Father, I have horseflies and I am going to town to get horses." Sure enough later Pedro comes back with two beautiful Arabians. Next day Pedro walks past the priest again with the same question, "Pedro, what do you have in your hand and where are you going?" Pedro replies once again, "Father I have butter and I am going to town to get butterflies." Sure enough Pedro returns with beautiful monarch butterflies. The very next day Pedro is headed towards town once again when the Priest asks the same question, "Pedro what do you have in your hands and where are you going?" Again Pedro replies, "Father I have Pussy willows-" "Wait, Pedro!" says the Priest, "I'll go with you!!"
A little boy wants a bike for Christmas really badly, but the kid is a real bad seed, and he knows it. He writes a letter to Jesus. "Dear Jesus, if I get a bike for Christmas, I'll be good for a whole week." He thinks about it, crosses out what he wrote, and says, "I can't be good for a whole week, I'll be good for five days." He crosses that out and writes, "I'll be good for four days." Then he thinks again and says, "Can't do that." He gets down to one day and says, "I can't even be good for a day." Then in frustration, goes in his mother's room and get the statue of the Virgin Mary, wraps it up in a blanket, puts it in a paper bag, throws it in the closet and says, "Dear Jesus, if I don't get a bike for Christmas, you'll never see your mother again!"
dollydew22
Q: Why wasn't Jesus born in Australia?
A: God couldn't find three wise men and a virgin.
Q: Why are atoms Catholic?
A: Because they have mass.
In surgery for a heart attack, a middle-aged woman has a vision of God by her bedside. “Will I die?” she asks. God says, “No. You have 30 more years to live.” With 30 years to look forward to, she decides to make the best of it. So since she’s in the hospital, she gets breast implants, liposuction, a tummy tuck, hair transplants, and collagen injections in her lips. She looks great! The day she’s discharged, she exits the hospital with a swagger, crosses the street, and is immediately hit by an ambulance and killed. Up in heaven, she sees God. “You said I had 30 more years to live,” she complains. “That’s true,” says God. “So what happened?” she asks. God shrugs, “I didn’t recognize you.”
TheLaughFa...
A woman starts dating a doctor. She eventually becomes pregnant and they don't know what to do. About nine months later, just about the time she is going to give birth, a priest goes into the hospital for a prostate gland infection. The doctor says to the woman, "I know what we'll do. After I've operated on the priest, I'll give the baby to him and tell him it was a miracle." "Do you think it will work?" she asks. "It's worth a try," he says. The doctor delivers the baby and then operates on the priest. After the operation, he goes to the priest and says, "Father, you're not going to believe this." "What happened?" asks the priest. "You gave birth to a child!" "But that's impossible!" says the priest. "I just did the operation," insists the doctor. "It's a miracle! Here's your baby." About 15 years go by, and the priest realizes he must tell his son the truth. One day, he sits the boy down and says, "Son, I have something to tell you. I'm not your father." The son says, "What do you mean, you're not my father?" The priest replies, "I am your mother. The archbishop is your father."
A man is angry because he has it in his head that someone stole his wallet. He walks into a church to steal someone else's wallet, but he has a change of heart during the service. He confesses to the priest afterwards about what his intentions had initially been. The priest asks, "What made you change your mind?" The man says, "In your sermon on the Ten Commandments when you got to 'Thou shall not commit adultery,' I remembered where I left my wallet!"
Wilson runs a nail factory and decides his business needs a bit of advertising. He has a chat with a friend who works in marketing, and he offers to make a television ad for Wilson's Nails. "Give me a week," says the friend, "and I'll be back with a tape." A week goes by and the marketing executive comes to see Wilson. He puts a cassette in the video and presses play. A Roman soldier is busy nailing Jesus to the cross. He turns to face the camera and says with a grin, "Use Wilson's Nails, they'll hold anything." Wilson goes mad, shouting, "What is the matter with you? They'll never show that on television. Give it another try, but no more Romans crucifying Jesus!" Another week goes by and the marketing man comes back to see Wilson with another tape. He puts it in the machine and hits play. This time the camera pans out from a Roman standing with his arms folded to show Jesus on the cross. The Roman looks up at him and says, "Wilson's Nails, they'll hold anything." Wilson is beside himself. "You don't understand. I don't want anything with Jesus on the cross! Now listen, I'll give you one last chance. Come back in a week with an advertisement that I can broadcast." A week passes and Wilson waits impatiently. The marketing executive arrives and puts on the new video. A naked man with long hair, gasping for breath, is running across a field. About a dozen Roman soldiers come over the hill, hot on his trail. One of them turns to the camera and says, "If only we had used Wilson's Nails!"
PerryJo
A Bible group study leader says to his group, “What would you do if you knew you only had four weeks left before the great Judgment Day?” A gentleman says, ”I would go out into my community and minister the Gospel to those that have not yet accepted the Lord into their lives.” “Very good!” says the group leader. One lady speaks up and says enthusiastically, “I would dedicate all of my remaining time to serving God, my family, my church, and my fellow man with a greater conviction.” “That's wonderful!” the group leader comments. One gentleman in the back finally speaks up loudly and says, “I would go to my mother-in-laws house for the four weeks.” The group leader asks, “Why your mother-in-law’s home?” “Because that will make it the longest four weeks of my life!”
Two blondes walk into a tanning salon. The receptionist asks, "Are you two sisters?" They chuckle and reply, " No, we aren't even Catholic."
JKLouw
Three religious leaders (a rabbi, a priest, and a minister) were all discussing how they divide up tithing income between themselves and God. The minister said, "I draw a line in the sand, throw the money up in the air, and what lands on the left side of the line goes to the good Lord and what lands on the right side goes to me." Then the priest said, "I draw a circle on the ground, throw the money up in the air, and what lands inside the circle goes to the good Lord and what lands outside goes to me." Then the rabbi said, "You got it all wrong! I throw the money up in the air and what the good Lord catches is his and what lands on the ground is mine."
Nina JOBLING
Q: What's the most expensive Jewish wine?
A: "I wanna go to Florida!"
© 2019 Laugh Factory
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Limiting Beijing And Shanghai’s Population
Posted on Wednesday, 21 March, 2018 by Zheluo Cai
In the weaving alleys of Shanghai’s Laoximen district, swathes of residential buildings sit empty. The historic area in the heart of the city is slowly demolished, and many residents have already abandoned it, leaving behind rows of traditional terraced houses with boarded-up windows and demolition signs on the doors. Laoximen is one of some neighbourhoods in Shanghai to be “upgraded” in the city’s relentless race for modernity. The redevelopments are a reaction to the city’s runaway growth, and key contributors to the first population fall in Shanghai and Beijing for decades. Reducing population has been heralded as an answer to “big city disease,” characterised by state media as an overcrowded, polluted city with too many people living in it. As a result, both Shanghai and Beijing, the Chinese capital, implemented population caps last year, leaving little room for additional growth – Shanghai plans to limit the population to 25 million, Beijing to 23 million. It appears that urban planning policies to control the inflows of people and force out lower-skilled populations are already having an effect. Beijing housed 21.7 million people at the end of 2017 – about 20,000 fewer than at the end of 2016, according to official figures – while Shanghai’s population fell by about 10,000 to 24.18 million.
Demographic factors also could be at play: despite a reversal in the one-child policy, implemented in 1979 to curb the country’s growing population and limit demand on resources, the number of births fell in China last year. Meanwhile, the population is ageing – a demographic crisis that will put immense pressure on state services from healthcare to employment. However, it is state-led rules which are the cause of this population drop in Shanghai and Beijing. Ongoing efforts to “beautify” both cities have included rebuilding grittier districts, rounding up street vendors, closing or moving hundreds of markets and bricking up restaurants, bars and shops without licences. While the government has said it is not specifically targeting migrant workers, critics claim the reforms disproportionately affect the cities’ poorest. Tens of thousands of migrants were forced out of Beijing last November as part of a government crackdown on illegal housing. After a fire in a crowded district on the city’s southern outskirts killed 19 people, the government carried out a swift wave of demolitions and mass evictions, giving many residents only minutes to pack and leave their homes. Protesters argued the authorities used the fire as a pretext to accelerate their targets to demolish 15 square miles of illegal structures – mostly shops and homes for low-income residents – and drive “low-end” migrant workers out of the city.
In Shanghai, the government has also carried out sweeping removals of “urban villages” – low-cost housing populated by migrant workers – and the rebuilding of older neighbourhoods. “What used to hold four families is now the luxury ground floor in a building for one rich person,” says Saskia Sassen, professor of sociology at Columbia University and author of the book Expulsions. “China’s government is moving people out of its top cities to its underused cities – not the likes of Shanghai or Guangzhou, but overbuilt half-empty cities that were just projected for the construction companies to make money.” Sassen argues that cities such as Shanghai and Beijing have been systematically making room for a “new very high-income middle class,” and pushing the lower-earning middle classes out to the edges of the city limits. This leaves even less space for poorer communities and creates more economic opportunities around the city-centre real estate. Newly built apartments in these cities can be out of reach for many of its citizens, costing upwards of 20 times the average annual income.
However, there will always be demand for lower-skilled jobs and services, experts say, so efforts to push migrant workers out of the city are instead likely to add new problems. “This urban gentrification is not a good thing for the city,” says Dr Yan Song, director of the University of North Carolina’s programme on Chinese cities. “You attract wealth, but you push away lower-income people. The demand and the need for the lower end of services will still exist, but those people will just live further and further away from the city centre and have to spend longer getting to work. “People come to these cities because of better services, opportunities and incomes, so if you can’t provide that in other places, they are still going to come.”
A key part of China’s plan to limit city growth involves the redistribution of populations into new urban areas, such as the Jing-Jin-Ji region outside Beijing, and the 39 square mile Xiong’an New Area, a new city district near Hebei which the government is hoping will attract tech companies. These new districts and hubs are designed to take the pressure off overcrowded cities. Factories, manufacturing hubs and markets have already been relocated to Jing-Jin-Ji. But others argue that policies to decrease city populations are misguided. “Population is not the root of this ‘urban disease’; it’s due to poor management of the cities, and poor urban structures that causes a lot of unnecessary, chaotic commuting, traffic congestion and overcrowding,” says Song. “I would say if there is overcrowding or a shortage of services, why don’t you expand public services? Provide more education, opportunities, healthcare, hospitals – that’s something the government could do, rather than putting effort into pushing away the migrant population.”
Credit: Helen Roxburgh for The Guardian, 19 March 2018.
Why You Should Not Eat A Slug
Stem Cell Treatment Game Changer For Multiple Sclerosis
Piece Of Skull In Greece Is Oldest Human Fossil Outside Africa
Ten Classic UK Trips By Public Transport
The 43rd World Heritage Committee Inscribed 29 New Sites
Five Great Interrail Itineraries Across Europe
Kenai Fjords National Park
Thursday, 4 July, 2019
An Eco-Minded Break In South Tyrol, Italy
Which Country Gets The Most Sleep?
The Strange And Splendid Carso Region, Italy
The Bali That’s Worth The Trek
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Dimitri Kozyrev | Newly Represented Artist
We would like to introduce newly represented artist Dimitri Kozyrev, born in 1967 in Leningrad, USSR, Kozyrev moved to United States in 1991. He received his MFA from University of California, Santa Barbara in 2000 and his BFA from Ohio University in 1997. Since then Kozyrev has had multiple solo shows at Cirrus Gallery, Los Angeles, Mark Moore Gallery, Culver City, CA, Benrimon Contemporary, NY, NY, David Richard, Santa Fe, NM, Golf Coast Museum of Art, FL and Breese Little, London, UK. He has also been in a number of group shows at museums and galleries in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Tucson, Houston, Amsterdam, London, Krasnoyarsk (Russia). Reviews of his work have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, Artweek, Artforum, Huffington Post, Art Itd., Artinfo, Wall Street International and many on line publications. For the past twenty years he was a Visiting Professor at UC Santa Barbara, CA, a Professor of Art at The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ and a Visiting Professor at St. Edwards University, Austin, TX. He recently moved to Salt Lake City where he keeps a full time studio practice.
← paper + thread | Group Show | June 21 - August 31NEW WEST | A Group Show to Celebrate the Opening of our New Gallery Space →
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Illinois Man Admits Internet Auction Real Estate Scam
Allison Tussey — December 15, 2011 — 1 Comment
Keith D. Gunter, 49, Illinois, pleaded guilty in federal court to an Internet auction scam in which he advertised and sold property in northwestern Alabama that he did not own or never provided title for after receiving payment.
Gunter pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre to three counts each of wire fraud and mail fraud. Through his fraud, Gunter stole more than $200,000 from four victims outside Alabama, according to his plea agreement with the government. Gunter is scheduled for sentencing March 27.
Between July 2006 and July 2007, according to Gunter‘s plea agreement, he represented himself as a real estate developer and devised a scheme to sell real property over the Internet auction site eBay. He owned an entity named Gunter Development Group and one called Gunter Development Inc., which he used to conduct his real estate transactions. Although he conducted some legitimate transactions, many were fraudulent because he either did not own the land he was attempting to sell or did not provide title after victims paid to purchase the property, the plea agreement states.
In his plea, Gunter acknowledges the following fraudulent transactions:
On Nov. 27, 2006, through Gunter Development Group, Gunter advertised a 1,583 square-foot house for sale in Rogersville. A Chicago man bid $50,100 and later wired $50,795 to a GDG bank account. The Chicago buyer never received title to the property, which Gunter did not own.
In April 2007, Gunter, through GDG, advertised property for sale in White Oak Village near Florence. An Idaho man saw the ad on eBay and negotiated with Gunter to buy three lots with pre-constructed homes for $100,000 each. The man wired two payments, totaling $30,000 to Gunter as a down payment. He never received anything for the down payment.
In February 2006, Gunter contacted an Illinois man and offered to sell him property in a development called Gunter Circle in Lauderdale County. The man mailed Gunter a $30,000 cashier’s check for the property. He never received deeds to the property, which Gunter did not own.
In December 2006, Gunter, through GDG, advertised two quarter-acre lots for sale in Rogersville. A Wisconsin woman bid for them online and was later contacted by Gunter. She agreed to buy four lots for $7,000, wiring one payment through the Internet for $3,500 and mailing a second $3,500 cashier’s check. She never received deeds to the property.
Gunter could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.
U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Maley announced the guilty plea.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Estes is prosecuting the case.
In Mortgage Fraud Alabama
St. Paul Woman Pleads Guilty...
Paralegal is 16th to Plead...
One response to Illinois Man Admits Internet Auction Real Estate Scam
Gregory B. December 15, 2011 at 7:14 pm
Like so many other areas, the internet has created another “double-edged sword” in the mortgage field as well. While it creates so many good and easy opportunities for buyers, it makes it all-to-easy to scam unsuspecting and otherwise naive people with good intentions to be taken advantage of. Thank you for this informative and eye-opening article.
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Glenn Hodgins
glenn.hodgins@cmccanada.org
Glenn Hodgins is responsible for the overall management and leadership of the organization. He works with the National Board and CMC Regional Directors to implement the strategic goals and objectives of the Centre. From 2012 – 2013 he served as the Vice-Chair of the Ontario Regional Council.
Previously, he was the Executive Director of the Ottawa Chamber Music Society: curators of Ottawa Chamberfest, one of the largest international chamber music festivals in the world. He was instrumental in strengthening the overall organizational capacity and expanding its year round presenting and community engagement programs.
Prior to the Ottawa Chamber Music Society, Glenn spent seven years at the Ontario Arts Council where he was the Program Officer for the Touring and Compass Programs, and 12 years at the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir where he was Director of Operations, Touring and Finance.
A native of Toronto, Glenn holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Toronto where he studied with Borys Lysenko. Prior to that, he received the Associate Royal Conservatory Toronto (ARCT) diploma in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. After graduating from U of T, he also completed the Music Performance and Communications program for performing artists.
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Founder: Len Mullenger
Franz Josef HAYDN (1732-1809)
The Complete Symphonies
Full listing at end of review
NAXOS 8.503400 [34 CDs: 35:57:27]
This mammoth survey of the complete Symphonies by the man who really got things going symphonically, started in 1988 and finished as recently as July last year. It takes in venues all over eastern and western Europe as well as Canada.
Before playing a disk I was happy to note that we weren’t reliant on one set of performers – as was Decca with its set of the Symphonies with Antal Doráti and the Philharmonia Hungarica – and as these re–issues retain their original couplings you can’t hear the works chronologically without changing disks often. But this makes for more interesting programming – rather like the lovely recordings of Leslie Jones and his Little Orchestra of London’s recordings for Pye which mixed early, middle and late Symphonies together on one LP.
So after those thoughts, and listing the details of the recordings and performers to accompany this review, my next task was to decide where to begin. Much as I love Haydn’s music I cannot claim to know every Symphony intimately, so it seemed best to start with a work which is a particular favourite. The 48th Symphony, nick–named Maria Theresia, has long been of one my favourites, ever since I heard the Max Goberman recording which contains the most sensational horn playing I’ve ever heard. I was very pleased to hear Barry Wordsworth grab the bull by the horns, or perhaps the horns by the baton, and start in a most thrilling way, the horns singing out and the textures clear and direct. Unfortunately, this direct approach doesn’t last. These so–called Sturm und Drang Symphonies are dramatic in their intent and are full of incident, passion and fire. The 44th and 45th Symphonies are given light–weight, in fact far too light–weight, performances which suit the middle movements but lack sufficient bite for the turmoil of the outer movements and thus the drama of the music is lost in favour of a more charming approach. The same is true for the first two movements of No.88, but then, suddenly, in the minuet of No.88 everything takes off with a spritely and very dynamic gait. This performance has purpose and the finale is simply sparkling – if a trifle on the slow side. After this, their other three disks are wholly successful. Each of the Symphonies is given a sparkling performance, with well judged tempi, plenty of light and shade and the humour, there’s a lot of humour in Haydn, is very well pointed. The smallish orchestra is well focused in the recording, if perhaps with a little too much reverberation, and the sound is good if a bit too bright; too much top and not enough bottom. But I mustn’t be churlish for there is much to enjoy in these performances.
I find it fascinating at the distribution of the music, for instance, there’s only one disk by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, but there’s six by the Northern Chamber Orchestra and eight each by the Cologne Chamber Orchestra and the Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia. I mention this because the Swedish disk is marvellous, comprising three Symphonies from the middle of the canon – Nos. 50, 51 and 52 – in performances which are suave and perfectly paced. These are an excellent example of how to perform music of this period – nothing is hurried, everything falls perfectly into place and there is a fine sense of style. No.50 is a real winner. Here is Haydn, having emerged from the troubles of the Sturm und Drang period, in a more mature guise than we have so far heard him, indulging in jokes and jests and generally having an high old time. The real highlight of this disk is the adagio of No.51 which contains some exhilarating horn playing. Throughout this is most satisfying and pleasurable listening. Certainly this is one of the very best disks in the set, and it makes me wish that the orchestra had had another disk or two. Good though the Wordsworth performances are, these knock them into the shade for their style. The recording is better too, being clear but without the glassiness.
The Sinfonia Finlandia is allocated three disks and two of them comprise nine of the first 12 Symphonies so, with no disrespect to Haydn, it doesn’t have the best material to work with. That said, it plays these early pieces with a style and verve which I wouldn’t have expected. There is a virility to much of the playing as well as the most affecting tenderness, as in the slow movement of the No.3. If, perhaps, things get a little carried away and the conductor starts to drive the music this is a small problem for the fast finales can stand a bit of pushing, and, strangely, this approach makes the music seem bigger than it actually is. My favoured recording for these early works, and I am no lover or supporter of original instruments performance, has long been the two boxed sets by L’estro armonico and Derek Solomons but these Finnish performances are equally enjoyable and give Solomon and his band a real run for their money. The recordings are very close and the harpsichord is only sporadically Noticeable, not really a flaw but it would have been nice to feel its presence in the ensemble, after all, it was necessary at the time and these performances are trying to have the right feel to them. Their other CD is a diverse mix and it makes for an attractive programme. No.22 has a small cadenza for the harpsichord between the slow introduction and the main allegro and after that the instrument is silent. These are lively performances, slightly hard driven in the fast movements but entertaining and pleasing. What a fine chamber orchestra the Sinfonia Finlandia is, and their contribution to this set is made all the more significant by their strong advocacy of the very early works.
I’d never heard of the Toronto Camerata before receiving this set. It’s a good small band with bright strings and brilliant winds and brass. Kevin Mallon is a good conductor and directs unfussy performances of, mainly, early Symphonies. He certainly understands the challenges this music sets – it’s new, in a fledgling form and is still feeling its way forwards and as there’s no deep emotion with which to impress your audience, you don’t make big production numbers out of them. These three disks are very good indeed except the harpsichord is seldom audible – which turns out to be the norm throughout the set – and, for some reason there’s an harpsichord in the performance of the 62nd Symphony; surely, by now, Haydn wouldn’t have been using a continuo instrument. No.20 is especially thrilling in its use of trumpets and drums. The two operatic Overtures make fine stable-mates for the Symphonies.
The six CDs by the Northern Chamber Orchestra cover the canon from the earliest (Nos 6, 7 and 8) to No.79. Highlights include a splendid account of No.22, with fabulous horns and cor anglais, the right tone is hit from the start and this, sometimes, dour work – it is quite dark – comes out fresh and sparkling. This is very impressive. There’s also some fine solo string playing in the three early works. There is a real swagger to the outer movements of No.35, and a suavity to the slow movement. No.49 starts with a slow movement filled with heartbreaking pathos, the two fast movements are full of the stresses and strains found in these Sturm und Drang works, and both are fast paced manic performances. No.60 isn’t really a Symphony, it’s six movements cobbled together from incidental music Haydn wrote for a theatre production and includes some of his best jokes. The 2nd, slow, movement is interrupted by a jaunty march and the finale includes a short section where the violins have to retune. In this performance the jokes are well placed and Not overdone, making the performance a real joy. The last disk contains three mature Symphonies – Nos. 77, 78 and 79 – which are given light performances and here I would have preferred more heft for these are big works and need an heavier hand at the helm and a bigger band. That said, these are very fine performances, well thought out and executed, and I do enjoy Ward’s often relaxed way with the music – the opening movement of No.79 is particularly delightful with its main theme which reminds one of Ernest Tomlinson’s lovely Little Serenade! There’s an harpsichord in there, somewhere, in the early works, and it occasionally surfaces, but it’s too often lost in the texture, mainly through a backward balance.
The final two orchestras – the Cologne Chamber Orchestra and the Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia – each have eight disks, encompassing nearly half the canon. To look at the Cologne performances first – the first movement of No.13 is sparkling but the sound is tubby and much detail is lost; there is also an huge rallentando over the final chords which sounds grotesque. The slow movement, with its eloquent solo cello part, is lovely, if rather rich in sound; it is recorded very closely which robs the music of its intimacy. The finale, with its fugue theme identical to Mozart’s in K551, comes off quite well, except for the rallentando at the end. No.36 fares better, as does the Sinfonia Concertante, but the constant braking at cadence points had, by the cadenza in the first movement of the Sinfonia, started to really annoy me as a self conscious mannerism. Their second disk, of Nos. 32, 33 and 34 is much better. Müller–Brühl seems more contented here, and the recording is much clearer, but the Symphonies have too much in common to make a really interesting, and varied, programme. Disk 14 starts with a marvellously paced No.37 but Müller–Brühl’s interpretations only really get going with the arrival of a minor key work – No.39. This is splendidly performed, full of angst and worry, which makes the brightness of No.40 all the more welcome and enjoyable. These three CDs suffer from backwardly placed brass, winds and drums. The first chord of No.41, on CD 15, is perfectly balanced by the engineer and the sound is wonderfully clear with a real bite to it, and this suits the performance which is straight forward and brisk in a very forthright manner. I enjoyed this performance greatly! No.58 brought an even greater revelation – the first fully audible harpsichord I’d heard so far! And what a joy it is to hear its contribution. No.59 is simply more of the same with a very bright performance. As for the rest of the performances by the Cologne Chamber Orchestra, highlights include a tremendous performance of the finale of No.54, and a gorgeous slow movement in No.57, full of poise and restraint. No.75 is as good as it gets in these Cologne performances, spritely outer movements, a delightful slow movement and a minuet which nicely dances along, and the japes of No.80 are truly side splitting! In general these Cologne performances are a bit of a mixed bag, with some really exciting and fine performances but the strange balance in their first three CDs doesn’t help their cause. But it must be emphasized that when the performances take off then there is much to enjoy, but beware Müller–Brühl’s putting in the brakes at the ends of some movements for it does become irritating.
And so to the eight CDs by Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia under the direction of Béla Drahos. Things get off to a bright start with a sparkling No.27, and the Hornsignal is quite marvellous, with forthright horns, sounding much more romantic and Schumannesque than Haydnesque but making the most of their exhilarating writing. There is a disturbing edginess to parts of the first movement of No.53 – one of the first works after the Sturm und Drang period – so Drahos is quite right to point the hangover effect of the earlier pieces. Other highlights of the Drahos CDs are the slow movement of No.68, which displays a rapt attention to detail, the 1st movement of No.73 which has lots of mystery and excitement and the first movement of No.93 which, if a trifle hard driven, has exactly the right spirit for the music. However, I do question the validity of the use of harpsichord continuo in No.72 – by 1781 Haydn would undoubtedly have stopped using a keyboard continuo in his works.
I’ve kept the best until last. The Laudon Symphony (No. 69) must be sampled for this is simply the best interpretation of the set – it has everything and is exactly how later Haydn should be presented to the public.
I’ve spent the better part of four weeks listening to these performances – and other recordings of the works – and, despite my few niggles, I can heartily recommend this set for anyone interested in this great composer, who does seem to languish in Mozart’s shadow more than he should. With such good sound, in general, at the price this constitutes a considerable bargain.
I might mention that for comparison purposes I used the various Leslie Jones/Little Orchestra of London recordings on Pye Golden Guinea and Nonesuch LPs (various Symphonies), Antonio Janigro and the Symphony Orchestra of Radio Zagreb in their 1963 set of the Sturm und Drang works (Nos. 44 – 49) originally on Philips LPs and now on Vanguard W 51184 (2 CDs), Derek Solomons and L’estro armonico in various works (SAGA HAYDN 1 and 2 – LP only) Beecham’s idiosyncratic, but always revealing and interesting, set of the London Symphonies on EMI 367 8932 (5 disks) and the very special Max Goberman recordings, with the Vienna State Opera Orchestra (had Goberman lived he would have made the first complete recordings of these works and what a set that would have been!) which were available on the Haydn Society and CBS LPs and now reissued in splendid sound from Haydn House (11CDs).
In a perfect world one would have all of these recordings, and more, but if your pocket doesn’t run to that expense you won’t be disappointed with this set. Happy listening.
Bob Briggs
Information recieved from Peter Humphreys
Symphony No. 72 was written before No. 31, 'The Hornsignal' which means it dates to the early 1760s (the only time, in fact, that Haydn had four horn players at his disposal, which is why Symphony 39 is now often back-dated to the same period). No. 72 is in fact as it were an early version of No.31, with similar very difficult horn parts, and the same pattern in the finale, with a set of slow variations, followed by a Presto.
Haydn Symphonies on Naxos page
Full Listing:
CD1 – recorded 26 – 28 May 2004, Suolahti Hall, Finland [71.38]
Symphony No. 1 in D major, Hob.I:1 (1759) [13:46]
Symphony No. 2 in C major, Hob.I:2 (1764) [9:35]
Symphony No. 3 in G major, Hob.I:3 (1762) [16:43]
Symphony No. 5 in A major, Hob.I:5 (1762) [17:47]
Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä/Patrick Gallois
CD2 – recorded 8–9 March 1993, Concert Hall, BBC New Broadcasting House, Manchester; [59.06]
Symphony No. 6 in D major ‘Le Matin’, Hob.I:6 (1761) [17:54]
Symphony No. 7 in D major ‘Le Midi’, Hob.I:7 (1761) [20:26]
Symphony No. 8 in G major ‘Le Soir’, Hob.I:8 (1761) [20:46]
No.rthern Chamber Orchestra/Nicholas Ward
CD3 – recorded 15 – 18 February 2005, Suolahti Hall, Finland [60.12]
Symphony No. 9 in C major, Hob.I:9 (1762) [12:09]
Symphony No. 10 in D major, Hob.I:10 (1766) [13:55]
Symphony No. 11 in E flat major, Hob.I:11 (1769) [17:28]
Symphony No. 12 in E major, Hob.I:12 (1763) [16:40]
CD4 – recorded 29 April and 26 – 31 August 1999, Concert Studio of Deutschland Radio, Cologne [56.55]
Sinfonia Concertante in B flat major (Symphony No. 105), Hob.I:105 (1792) [19:58]
Cologne Chamber Orchestra/Helmut Müller–Brühl
CD5 – recorded 18 – 20 July 2004, Grace Church on the Hill, Toronto; [68:42]
Symphony No. 14 in A major, Hob.I:14 (1764) [15:58]
Symphony No. 16 in B flat major, Hob.I:16 (1766) [14:36]
Toronto Camerata/Kevin Mallon
CD6 – recorded 20 – 22 July 2004, Grace Church on the Hill, Toronto [60.59]
Symphony No. 18 in G major, Hob.I:18 (1766) [13:56]
Symphony No. 20 in C major, Hob.I:20 (1766) [17:41]
CD7 – recorded 27 October 1992 (No. 22), and 27 October 1993 (Nos. 29 & 60), Concert Hall, BBC New Broadcasting House, Manchester; [60.23]
Symphony No. 22 in E flat major ‘The Philosopher’, Hob.I:22 (1764) [17:52]
Symphony No. 60 in C major ‘Il distratto’, Hob.I:60 (1774) [23:52]
CD8 – recorded 1 – 2 October 1992, Concert Hall, BBC New Broadcasting House, Manchester; September 1988 [56.12]
CD9 – recorded 29 October – 2 November 2007, Laukaa Church, Finland [12.22]
CD10 – recorded 27 – 28 October 1992, Concert Hall, BBC New Broadcasting House, Manchester; September 1988 [54.51]
Symphony No. 26 in D minor ‘Lamentatione’, Hob.I:26 (1770) [15:05]
Symphony No. 49 in F minor ‘La Passione’, Hob.I:49 (1768) [20:54]
CD11 – recorded February 1998, Phoenix Studio, Budapest [62.41]
Symphony No. 31 in D major ‘Hornsignal’, Hob.I:31 (1765) [32:15]
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia/Béla Drahos
CD12 – recorded 22 November 1992 (No. 30), 9 March 1993 (Nos. 55 & 63), Concert Hall, BBC New Broadcasting House, Manchester; September 1988 [56.12]
Symphony No. 30 in C major ‘Alleluja’, Hob.I:30 (1765) 15:12]
Symphony No. 55 in E flat major ‘The Schoolmaster’, Hob.I:55 (1774) [21:50]
Symphony No. 63 in C major ‘La Roxelane’, Hob.I:63 (1781) [18:58]
CD13 – recorded 16 – 20 June 1996, Concert Studio of Deutschland Radio, Cologne [53.41]
CD14 – recorded 24 – 28 May 2002, Sendesaal DLR, Cologne [58.41]
Symphony No. 39 in G minor, Hob.I:39 (1770) [15:38]
Symphony No. 40 in F major, Hob.I:40 (1763) [15:16]
CD15 – recorded 8 – 9 April 2002 (Nos. 58 & 59), 24 June 2002 (No. 41), Sendesaal DLR, Cologne [57.05]
Symphony No. 59 in A major ‘Fire’, Hob.I:59 (1769) [21:50]
CD16 – recorded August 1999 (No. 43), May 2002 (Nos. 46 & 57), Concert Studio of Deutschland Radio, Cologne [64.07]
Symphony No. 43 in E flat major ‘Mercury’, Hob.I:43 (1772) [23:48]
Symphony No. 46 in B major, Hob.I:46 (1772) [19:18]
CD17 – recorded 14 – 18 June 1989, Moyzes Hall of the Slovak Philharmonic, Bratislava [58.54]
Symphony No. 44 in E minor ‘Trauersymphonie’, Hob.I:44 (1772)
Symphony No. 88 in G major, Hob.I:88 (1787)
Symphony No. 104 in D major ‘London’, Hob.I:104 (1795)
Capella Istropolitana/Barry Wordsworth
CD18 – recorded 1 – 5 December 1989, Moyzes Hall of the Slovak Philharmonic, Bratislava [72.42]
Symphony No. 45 in F sharp minor ‘Farewell’, Hob.I:45 (1772) [25:06]
Symphony No. 48 in C major ‘Maria Theresia’, Hob.I:48 (1769) [20:59]
Symphony No. 102 in B flat major ‘Miracle’, Hob.I:102 (1794) [26:04]
CD19 – recorded 23 – 25 August 2000, Concert Hall, Örebro, Sweden [63.33]
Symphony No. 52 in C minor, Hob.I:52 (1774) [24:18]
Swedish Chamber Orchestra/ Béla Drahos
CD20 – recorded 8 – 11 February 1993, Reformed Church, Budapest [77.48]
Symphony No. 53 in D major ‘L’Impériale’, Hob.I:53 (1778/9) [24:53]
CD21 – recorded 29 April – 5 May 1996, Concert Studio of Deutschland Radio, Cologne [77.50]
CD22 – recorded 14 – 19 July 2008, St Anne’s Church, Toronto [68.35]
Symphony 'A' in B flat major, Hob.I:107 (No..107) (1762) [13:30]
Symphony 'B' in B flat major, Hob.I:108 (No..108) (1765) [13:33]
La Vera Constanza Overture, Hob.Ia:15 [9:00]
Lo speziale Overture, Hob.Ia:10 [6:50]
CD23 – recorded 22 – 28 May 1993, Reformed Church, Budapest [68.18]
Symphony No. 64 in A major ‘Tempora Mutantur’, Hob.I:64 (1778) [17:53]
Symphony No. 84 in E flat major, Hob.I:84 (1786) 25:42]
CD24 – recorded 19 – 23 January 1998, Phoenix Studio, Budapest [76.05]
Symphony No. 69 in C major ‘Laudon’, Hob.I:69 (1779) [19:38]
CD26 – recorded 24 – 27 July 2000, Phoenix Studio, Budapest [69.29]
Symphony No. 73 in D major ‘La Chasse’, Hob.I:73 (1782) [22:50]
CD27 – recorded 10 – 13 June 1994, Italian Institute, Budapest [63.50]
CD28 – recorded (no date), Concert Studio of Deutschland Radio, Cologne [69.41]
Symphony No. 76 in E flat major, Hob.I:76 (1782) [2:54]
CD29 – recorded (no date), Concert Hall, BBC New Broadcasting House, Manchester [58.26]
CD30 – recorded 9 – 11 October 1995 (Nos. 80 & 99), 29 April 1996 (No. 81), Concert Studio of Deutschland Radio, Cologne [71.17]
Symphony No. 80 in D minor, Hob.I:80 (1784) [22:10]
CD31 – recorded 9 – 14 March 1988, Concert Hall of the Slovak Philharmonic [66.55]
Symphony No. 82 in C major ‘L'Ours’, Hob.I:82 (1786) [21:48]
Symphony No. 100 in D major ‘Military’, Hob.I:100 (1793/4) [24:38]
CD32 – recorded September 1988, Concert Hall of the Czechoslovak Radio, Bratislava [71.37]
Symphony No. 83 in G minor ‘La Poule’, Hob.I:83 (1785) [20:00]
Symphony No. 94 in G major ‘Surprise’, Hob.I.94 (1791) [23:18]
Symphony No. 101 in D major ‘Clock’, Hob.I:101 (1793/4) [28:19]
CD33 – recorded 1 – 5 March 1990, Moyzes Hall of the Slovak Philharmonic, Bratislava [76.33]
Symphony No. 85 in B flat major ‘La Reine’, Hob.I:85 (1785) [21:02]
Symphony No. 92 in G major ‘Oxford’, Hob.I:92 (1789) [27:19]
Symphony No. 103 in E flat major ‘Drumroll’, Hob.I:103 (1795) [27:41]
CD34 – recorded 6 – 9 June 1994, Italian Institute, Budapest [59.30]
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Mari Franklin Law
School Accommodations >
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504 or IEP
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ChildLawBlog
EDS: a teenager's expression of what it's like
The College Sticker Price is Irrelevant
Students and their parents frequently start our discussion with their most urgent question: how much will "it" cost. They beg me to keep expectations realistic, and to cut colleges that are "too expensive" off their list.
I require everyone to ignore price until later. By all means, I am happy to engage in discussions about how much cash a family can afford. Normally, that is a fairly short discussion a few of my clients can easily write a check for the full "sticker price" of any college; but most of us mere mortals can afford much less than the $20,000 - $65,000 per year that most four-year colleges list as their "sticker price." Indeed, $65K is more than the 2015 United States median household income of $55,775.
I can feel your eyeballs popping out of your head. Few families have $20,000 to spare for every year that their student goes to college. But before you spend a lot of effort figuring out how you might possibly beg, borrow, or steal $80,000 - $260,000 for each of your children to attend college, give me a chance to assure you that such effort is unnecessary. Because your most affordable option may be the college with the highest sticker price.
My research shows that, for a family earning the median household income of $55, 575, attending an Ivy League college would be less expensive than a year at community college.
There is an incredible online resource for families to get a sense of how much college may cost: The College Scorecard. You should see it for yourself. Here's how:
Do a name search for "Harvard University"
Click on the + to open the section detailing Costs
Look at the average cost by family income. For families earning the median $55,575 per year, the average annual cost of attendance is $6,310 per year.
Now compare it to the local community college
Do a name search for your local community college (in my case, it is "Harper College".
Look at the average cost by family income. At my local community college, for families earning the median $55,575 per year, the average annual cost of attendance is $10,107 per year.
At my community college, attending Harvard would save my family almost $4,000 per year. This is despite the Harvard sticker price of $88,000 per year.
How does that work? Stay tuned for a future post.
Shepherding our children to adulthood demands our love, our attention, and our acceptance of who they are.
College Selection
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Silvertown tunnel campaigners accuse Mayor Sadiq Khan of “betrayal”
October 4, 2016 - Martin Hoscik@martinhoscik
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been accused of betraying his own voters after giving the go-ahead to the controversial Silvertown tunnel.
The tunnel, which was first proposed by Transport for London during Boris Johnson’s time at City Hall, would connect the Greenwich Peninsula with Royal Docks.
TfL says it would reduce congestion and support regeneration on both sides of the river, however some local residents and environmental campaigners oppose the scheme, claiming it would increase pollution and traffic.
In the build up to this year’s City Hall elections Mr Khan promised both to clean up London’s air and conduct a “proper joined up review” of river crossings in East London.
At his first appearance before the London Assembly in May, Mr Khan declined to pause preparatory works for the Silvertown project until after his review was carried out and today announced that the scheme would now go ahead with only minor modifications.
These include boosting the amount of material and waste generate by the project to be carried by river, “improvements” for pedestrians and cyclists on both sides of the tunnel entrance and asking TfL to “look at providing a bespoke cycle-bus which will carry cyclists and their bikes through the tunnel on a turn-up and go basis.”
Mr Khan says the changes have “improved” the Silvertown scheme which, his office claims, is now “greener”.
He added: “As we continue to unlock the massive economic potential of East London, we must secure the very best transport infrastructure that improves the quality of life for everyone living and working in the area.”
However local campaign group No to Silvertown Tunnel say the Mayor’s backing for the scheme “is a betrayal of those who voted for him believing he would clean up London’s air.”
“For Sadiq Khan to call this a ‘greener Silvertown Tunnel’ hides the fact that Greenwich and the Royal Docks would become a dumping ground for the south of England’s congestion and pollution,” said campaign chair Anne Robbins.
“He talks a good game when it comes to pollution and congestion in central London, but communities in east and south east London clearly don’t seem to matter as much. They will be living with even worse traffic and poorer air.”
Green Party London Assembly Member, Caroline Russell, has also criticised the Mayor’s announcement, saying: “New roads attract new traffic, pollute the air and are incredibly expensive so it’s extremely disappointing that the Mayor is pushing ahead with the damaging Silvertown Tunnel.
“He claims he will deliver a ‘greener’ tunnel but the measures he has suggested are tokenistic. This is still a hugely damaging project.”
In addition to Silvertown, City Hall has also announced that plans for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge linking Rotherhithe & Canary Wharf will be accelerated and a DLR extension to Thamesmead.
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly member, said she was “delighted” with Mr Khan’s backing of the cycle bridge which she described as “London’s most needed river crossing”.
She added: “I cannot think of any other proposed river crossing that will deliver such huge benefits for so little public money. The bridge will also play a critical role in reducing pressure on the overcrowded Jubilee Line, especially between Surrey Docks and Canary Wharf.
“I am however disappointed that the Mayor is still obsessed with a new Silvertown Tunnel.
“However he attempts to tinker with this project it will ultimately generate huge amounts of more traffic on London’s roads and in the long term lead to more congestion and air pollution.”
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ICT Workshop in Zambia
A school class visiting the National Assembly of Zambia
High participation at the first youth INDABA with Austrian members of parliament
©PD/Jantzen
"Your SDGs - Your Voice" was the title of the first Youth-INDABA at the Austrian parliament, which was held on Friday, April 26 2019 within the framework of the NorthSouthDialogue of Parliaments. The declared goal of the event, namely to give the young people a voice in shaping their future, was made possible by the active participation of around 90 young people from three different school classes from Upper Austria and Vienna, as well as the PROSA (School for All) project.
Through the discussions between the present MPs of the Joint Parliamentary Peer Group, Hon. Nicho Marchetti, Hon. Eva-Maria Holzleitner and Hon. Alma Zadić (by proxy of Hon. Stephanie Cox), the Sustainable Development Goals and their objectives were brought to life by experts and pupils. It is crucial to set the course now for the achievement of the SDGs and thus a sustainable future for the youth. In this context, the exchange between young people and political decision-makers is of particular value.
The format of the event was based on the Youth Parliament. It was important, as in the parliamentary process, to obtain expert opinions and to work out compromises, as Parliamentary Deputy Clerk Susanne Janistyn-Novák emphasized. The results of the discussions in three workshops and in the plenary session were documented on drawing boards as graphic records, which will be handed over to the respective school classes by the members of parliament.
>>> Results as Graphic Records
>>> Handing over the Records
Success of the Second INDABA at the National Assembly of Zambia
On the 4th and 5th of March the second INDABA on "Job Creation for our Zambian Youth" was held in the Zambian Parliament as part of the NorthSouthDialogue of Parliaments. More than 150 participants from politics, leading Zambian educational institutions, youth representatives, civil society organizations and also donors enthusiastically discussed the importance of practical training as a guarantor of a good job.
The event builds on the results of the first INDABA in October last year, in which the challenges of the Zambian education system in the context of employment opportunities of young people in the labor market were examined and analysed from different angles.
The Zambian Minister for Higher Education and Vocational Training, Prof. Nkandu Luo, pointed out in her opening speech that a functional and efficient education system is a basic prerequisite for the economic and social development of Zambia, especially against the background that tens of thousands of young people are looking for work each year. She stressed that the education sector in Zambia needs a complete transformation to give young people the skills they need to gain a foothold in working life. In Zambia, there is currently a gross mismatch between the training offered and the needs of the industry. This not only harms young people and the economy, but also inhibits economic growth, the opportunity to earn taxes and to build a stronger social system.
>>> more information
PNSD Report
The current Report (July 2019) informs on the project activities, including the two INDABAs in Lusaka and Vienna and presents the cornerstones of the Educational Programme for Zambian Learners.
No. 1/2019 - Focus on Decent Work and living wages
No. 2(2019 - Focus on Health and Gender
PNSD Brief - Activities in a short summary
Brief No. 1 - January to July 2017
Brief No. 2 - July to December 2017
Our sincere condolences
©Michael_Kögl
Last week the news of Hon. Patricia Mwashingwele’s, chair of the Zambian Joint Parliamentary Peer Group, sudden passing reached the NorthSouthDialogue of Parliaments. We are deeply saddened by this news. She was a wonderful person and the project felt honoured to have known her and worked with her. Her calm, reflective and still very strong personality will be truly missed in our cooperation.
Our most sincere condolences go out to the National Assembly of Zambia and the family of Hon. Mwashingwele.
Zambian Minister for Higher Education in Vienna
©A.Bieniek
From the 23rd to the 25th of January 2019, the NorthSouthDialogue of Parliaments accompanied a Zambian delegation around the Minister of Higher Education, Prof. Nkandu Luo, on their visit to Austria. The visit was initiated by the Austrian members of the Joint Parliamentary Peer Group, Hon. Nico Marchetti, Hon. Eva.-Maria Holzleitner and Hon. Stephanie Cox, which is implementing activities perteining to education and youth with the Zambian parliament.
13th FAIRTRADE exhibition in Parliament
©PD/Topf
On the 27th of March a FAIRTRADE exhibition took place within the framework of the NorthSouthDialogue of Parliaments. The president of the National Council, Hon. Wolfgang Sobotka, stressed the importance of sustainability and an increased awareness about fair trading on a global scale. Many deputies are actively engaged in this respect, which serves an important role model funtion.
Austrian Parliament - National Assembly of Zambia
SDG Watch Austria
SDG Watch Austria is a plattform of civil society organisations supporting the implementation of the SDGs.
VIDC Jahresbericht 2018
Der Jahresbericht 2018 des Wiener Instituts für Internationalen Dialog und Zusammenarbeit (VIDC) gibt einen Überblick über die unterschiedlichen Aktivitäten des Instituts, u.a. auch über jene des Parlamentarischen NordSüdDialog.
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Home » Latest News in Nigeria » Convert Sambisa forest to cattle colony
Convert Sambisa forest to cattle colony
5:47 PM Motunrayo Ogundipe 0 Latest News in Nigeria
The South West Progressive Youth and People Movement (SWPYPM), a civil society group, has asked the federal government to convert Sambisa forest into a cattle colony.
The group made the call at a press briefing jointly organised with Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER), Civil Coalition for Mandate Protection (CSC-MAP) and South West Students Movement (SWSM), in Lagos on Wednesday.
According to Taiwo Ajayi, national coordinator of SWPYPM, Sambisa forest which is located in Borno state, is a prime location that would meet the needs of cattle herders.
Ajayi said the landmass of the forest is large enough to house over 340 million cattle.
“We cannot afford to waste the entire Sambisa forest, herdsmen can take their cows there,” he said.
“Sambisa is a very large place that can house 340 million cows, they should make very productive use of that place instead of allowing Boko Haram people to stay there.”
Ajayi also expressed dissatisfaction with the response of President Muhammadu Buhari to herdsmen crisis.
“If he (Buhari) has given immunity to cattle, cows and the herdsmen, he should let us know,” he said.
“We don’t know why he cannot call them to order. The presidency should look into the issue as a matter of urgency and give it the desired urgent attention required.”
Adewale Adeoye, executive director, JODER, said government should act fast to end violent killings in the country.
“As a journalist that has covered conflict over several years, I know that this is how a country can plunge into another Rwanda,” he said.
So if we don’t rise up to the occasion, we will have a big problem on our hands. Already people are dying like chicken. Nobody is talking about probing the issue, so at our own level as a civil society group, we said we should speak out. At least that is the best we can do since we’re not armed.”
Taiwo Adeleye, executive director, CSC-MAP, asked the federal government to look into the “cold-blooded killings” that have marred the peace in Nigeria for many years.
In his words, “the federal government has demonstrated a clear case of cold complicity as indicated in the various statements credited to the most important officials occupying some of the most strategic security institutions”.
“Civil society was in support of President Buhari in 2015,” he continued.
“It is not too late for him to change…to regain the dwindling public confidence in his administration.”
Peter Ogunsona, public relations officer of the South West Students Movement, said the body had held meetings with student union presidents of some universities in the south-west.
Ogunsona said the student unions have reached a consensus that they will not vote for the current administration in the 2019 elections if nothing is done about the Fulani herdsmen crisis.
“Youths of nowadays are fed up, nothing is even working,” he said.
“If you are not going to do anything about this Fulani herdsmen crisis, we students are not going to vote for you in 2019.”
While inaugurating some projects On Tuesday, Buhari asked Nigerians to desist from reprisal attacks and directed all security agencies in the country to “arrest and prosecute anyone found with illegal arms”.
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Julia Mulder Placed
SAT W:
Julia is a 15 year old girl who lives together with her parents and her brother in Nistelrode, The Netherlands. Besides playing tennis Julia enjoys skiing very much too.
Every day Julia travels 5 miles on her bicycle to her high school, where she is in her junior year. Julia is a good student (GPA 3.2) and is expected to graduate in June 2015.
It is Julia's dream to play college tennis, because for her this is a unique opportunity to develop her tennis ability, to receive a very good education, and to grow as a person by living abroad. This all will result in a great life experience. Therefore Julia is very much looking forward to starting playing college tennis.
Julia started playing tennis when she was 6 years old. She is a tall (5'11 ft) and powerful right-handed player who plays aggressive tennis from the baseline. Julia is known for her dedication, excellent work ethic and her desire to win. Her biggest weapons are her powerful forehand and her good serve.
She has won the district championships 4 times, from which she earned an invitation to play at the championship of the Southern part of The Netherlands. Here she managed to reach the quarter finals twice (losing to the tournament winner), once she reached the semi-finals, and once she reached the final. So far Julia played twice at the Dutch National Junior Championships and her best Dutch National ranking was 36.
Julia has played and won many open junior and senior tournaments (a mixture of singles, doubles and mixed doubles tournaments). In addition to playing many tournaments, Julia also played club competition in various conferences with her tennisclub in which she played singles, doubles and mixed doubles matches. Playing with her team has helped her to become a good team player.
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Book Review of All the Best People
All the Best People
Author: Sonja I. Yoerg
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Kristina A. reviewed on 5/29/2017 + 1041 more book reviews
All the Best People is a new novel by Sonja Yoerg is the story of Carole LaPorte and her family. Carole is forty-four years old, married and has three children. Lately, Carole has been having trouble concentrating and she has been hearing things (that people are mocking her, talking behind her back, the cat is evil). Carole is afraid to tell her husband about her troubles for fear of ending up in Underhill State Hospital like her mother, Solange Gifford. Alison, Carole's daughter, can tell something is wrong with her mother, but no one will listen to her. She tries to find another way to help her mother. Alison is becoming a young woman and needs her mother's love and guidance. Janine, Carole's younger sister, is a widow and has her eyes on Greg Bayliss, Alison's teacher, as her new husband. Then April Honeycutt, the new special education teacher, and Greg start spending time together. Janine is not going to let April take away her prize. Solange has been in Underhill since she was thirty-four years old. Her husband, Osborn had her committed after the birth of Janine leaving the girls in the care of his sisters. Carole continues to get worse and starts withdrawing from her family. Pick up All the Best People to find out what happens with Carole, how Solange ended up in Underhill, and if Janine gets her man.
All the Best People shows how mental illness can affect a family and not just one generation. The story is told from Carole, Janine, Alison, and Solange's point-of-view. The book takes us back to when Solange agreed to marry Osborn. Solange came from river people in Burlington, Vermont and Osborn from the upper class. This pairing is doomed right from the beginning. A trial case of Ploof v. Putnam divides Osborn and Carole as well as the citizens of Burlington. The changing viewpoints made it difficult to get into the story. I wish the story had been told from third person. The pace of the book slowed down considerably during Solange's story which I did not enjoy. How Solange ended up in Underhill was a necessary part of the story. However, it was predictable by delving into the division of the classes. I knew where the story would go as soon as the read that Solange and Osborn were from different sections of town. I give All the Best People 2 out of 5 stars. The book is full of unlikeable characters. The only person I found endearing was Lester. I found information to be repeated often throughout the story and the ending was a letdown. A blue box and a pearl figure prominently into the story, but I did not get why (except to represent water). The blurb for the story hints at magic, but the only magic is Alison reading spells from books (there was a definite lack of supervision). I was never able to get into the All the Best People. I did like some of the references to shows and items from the 70s (I was a little girl in the 70s). The author handles the serious issue of mental illness very well. She showed how mental illness was treated in the late 30s and in the 70s. All the Best People was not the right novel for me, but I do recommend Ms. Yoerg's House Broken.
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Home › In Depth › Sovereignty, Free Association With New Zealand - Or Independence? ›
Sovereignty, Free Association With New Zealand - Or Independence?
Submitted by PIR Editor on Mon, 04/17/2017 - 13:23
This CI News feature is from part two of a two-part paper, “Rethinking the Cook Islands’ free association agreement with New Zealand.” It was written by Berlin, Germany-based Evelyn Marsters in her capacity as a consultant on international development issues.
The thought-provoking paper began as a panel discussion on sovereignty movements in the Pacific Islands at the Jahrestagung des Pazifik-Netzwerks, and introduces the free association agreement that has existed between the Cook Islands and New Zealand since 1964. It provides background to the historical and contemporary political relationships between the two nations, and raises important questions about “where to from here for the Cook Islands?” Marsters has a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Auckland, and is currently based in Berlin. Her focus is global health and migration, and she is deputy editor at Impolitikal. The article also appears on the website impolitikal.com. Head there for more of Marsters’ writing on the Pacific.
RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (Cook Islands News, April 15, 2017) – The free association arrangement between New Zealand and the Cook Islands is a pivotal force behind the movement of Cook Islanders between the two countries, and part of the Cook Islanders’ way of life is understanding and leveraging the different opportunities that exist across the Cook Islands, New Zealand and further afield.
The creation of a Cook Islands transnational social field has emerged as a new conceptual understanding of the constellations of Cook Islanders’ lives stretching beyond nation state boundaries. The scale of population mobility in a globalised world is the new face of global movement of people, goods, ideas and capital, and while nation states still exert influence, engagement with what has been coined a ‘transnational social field’ is now common.
Under transnationalism, the concept of the nation state is interrogated via questioning the basic assumptions of how people organise their lives. The state remains a major influence on livelihoods, but this sits alongside people’s own influences and logic in determining their lives. According to Cook Islands scholar Ron Crocombe (1), “Cook Islanders of today are genetically and culturally new people, creating new culture, deriving from the past and present, the local and the international.”
“Under transnationalism, the concept of the nation state is interrogated via questioning the basic assumptions of how people organise their lives.”
As a group of people, Cook Islanders live across many boundaries – with atoll, island, and national borders actively navigated for reasons such as education, employment, celebrations, ceremonies and healthcare.
The weaving of livelihoods between the Cook Islands and New Zealand by Cook Islanders is a phenomenon which is often taken for granted, and free association as an alternative to independence is typically supported without question. However, small groups of people, within both the current Cook Islands government and the transnational Cook Islands communities, are raising important questions about the future of the Cook Islands’ sovereignty. The question is: will the links between citizenship and state remain in this multiple form, or will the concepts of identity and citizenship continue to evolve?
The specifics of the free association agreement have become opaque over time as the concepts of identity, citizenship, borders, place and economy have become, for some people, fluid across space and through time, and many Cook Islanders consider their nation to be operating in a state of full independence.
For example, before being renamed “Te Maeva Nui”, the annual Cook Islands Constitution celebrations were referred to by many as “Independence Day Celebrations” or “Constitution Day Celebrations”.
In the minds of Cook Islanders, the week-long event celebrates the combination of nationhood, self-government and independence. This is a reflection of the fact that the Cook Islands’ political relationship with New Zealand has become known as operating in a simultaneously independent, integrated and interdependent manner. Furthermore, many Cook Islanders uncritically perceive that their country has reached its final point in the trajectory of economic development, self-determination and sovereignty.
The intention here is not to imply political apathy among Cook Islanders. Quite the contrary. Many among the Cook Islands population are politically active at multiple scales: at the village, island, national and New Zealand level.
I am a New Zealand-born Cook Islander who has focused multiple research projects on trying to uncover the various manifestations of Cook Islands transnational livelihoods, and I have some understanding of how Cook Islanders sophisticatedly leverage the ties that tether them to New Zealand.
For my family, and for many others, New Zealand citizenship remains a most tightly protected dimension of free association by Cook Islanders, affording us notions of independence whilst offering integration with New Zealand.
In 2015, Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna reopened the conversation regarding the country’s aspirations for United Nations membership. The dialogue between Puna, the New Zealand government and the Opposition party in the Cooks has appeared only in popular media. Nevertheless, the different standpoints on this issue illustrate an ongoing tension between the ties that bind the Cook Islands to New Zealand, and its emerging position on the global stage.
In an official statement, Henry Puna stated: “it made sense as a maturing and growing country to aspire to be part of the UN…Our country is strong enough to stand on its own feet. We are proud of that fact (2).”
Henry Puna’s aspiration for UN membership demonstrated an openness to explore new possibilities for the Cook Islands’ political trajectory, and a willingness to reconceptualise its existing international relationships in this globalised era.
However, the conversation regarding UN membership in this case was, and has in the past been, abruptly stymied because of the uncertainty these questions pose with regard to New Zealand citizenship.
The appeal for UN membership is a divisive issue in the Cook Islands parliament, and in 2015 the Democratic Party publically expressed opposition to the formulation of a UN membership bid. According to the Democratic Party, the progression of a UN bid would threaten the rights to New Zealand citizenship for Cook Islanders, and the framing of this dichotomy has been used to gain favour with the Cook Islands transnational public, as well as with the current New Zealand Government.
In a 2015 statement from the spokesperson for then-prime minister John Key, it was made clear that New Zealand would not support the Cook Islands membership to the UN under the existing constitutional status and that any change to the constitutional status would change the shared citizenship agreement.
The bid for UN membership by the Cook Islands has not been advanced. However, the topic has seen the re-emergence of questions regarding their future. Since the formalisation of the free association agreement in 1965, the Cooks have reached an “advanced stage of free association” and have developed their own governance structures, political capacity and capability.
The Cook Islands Government participates in a range of international relationships beyond New Zealand, and is party to many multilateral agreements, but the existing relationships do not bring into question Cook Islanders’ rights to New Zealand citizenship under free association.
In this current era, where memberships in international organisations and multilateral agreements exert real influence on governance structures and economic sustainability, the Cooks Islands, while remaining tethered to New Zealand, needs to re-evaluate historical and contemporary political relationships.
Free association has become a taken-for-granted, positive outcome of the historical colonial relationship by both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. Cook Islanders navigate the complicated networks created by this relationship, and in a sense, navigate pathways via citizenship to New Zealand and further afield.
There is a lack of information and critical analysis about the motivations for seeking UN membership on behalf of Henry Puna’s government, and the possible reasons why New Zealand continues to halt conversations in such a paternalistic manner.
Beyond the small statements generated by the media about the Cook Islands, New Zealand citizenship and UN membership, the people of the Cook Islands – in both the Islands and in New Zealand – are not substantively informed on this issue. Furthermore, our access to participate in the discussions regarding our sovereignty and citizenship is as limited now as it was in the 1960s.
The relationship between new modalities of aid, dependencies, sovereignty and pervasive forms of colonial authority needs to be investigated in the Cook Islands context. On the international world stage, the Cook Islands now operates in a manner that has evolved and expanded beyond a focussed binary relationship with New Zealand.
The conversations regarding the Cook Islands’ membership to the UN are likely to resurface, and when they do, substantive critical analysis of how this could exist outside of, or within relationships with New Zealand must be conducted. The potential loss of New Zealand citizenship should not be wielded as a threat, and thus used to prohibit re-evaluation of the Cook Islands constitution in today’s globalised political environment.
1. Crocombe, R. (2003). ‘Introduction’. In R. Crocombe, & M. Crocombe (Eds.), Cook Islands Culture: Akono’anga Maori (pp. 11-21). Suva: University of the South Pacific, Institute of Pacific Studies.
2. Kumar, R. June 18, 2015, ‘UN push nothing to do with aid, says PM’, 9311th edn, Cook Islands News, Rarotonga.
Copyright © 2017 Cook Islands News. All Rights Reserved
Mid-Pacific Confederation
Permalink Submitted by Marc on Sun, 04/30/2017 - 05:03
Cook Islands should move away from NZ. It makes more sense for Cook Islands and Samoa to form a Mid-Pacific Confederation. Other independent countries in the Pacific could join this confederation. NZ would still help with defence matters and improving some international representation. The UN seat and names of foreign missions of Samoa might change to 'Mid-Pacific Confederation'. The full name could be 'Mid-Pacific Confederation of Samoa and Cook Islands'. Other islands could join later e.g. once American Samoa and French Polynesia goes independent.
FIJI MINISTRY QUESTIONS SALE OF PRIVATE ISLAND
SAMOAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
ASIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS THREATENS PACIFIC ISLANDS
NEW ZEALAND MOURNS DEATH OF MAORI QUEEN
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Myocardial infarction (MI) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die. This is most commonly due to occlusion (blockage) of a coronary artery following the rupture of a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, which is an unstable collection of lipids (cholesterol and fatty acids) and white blood cells (especially macrophages) in the wall of an artery. The resulting ischemia (restriction in blood supply) and ensuing oxygen shortage, if left untreated for a sufficient period of time, can cause damage or death (infarction) of heart muscle tissue (myocardium).
Classical symptoms of acute myocardial infarction include sudden chest pain (typically radiating to the left arm or left side of the neck), shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, sweating, and anxiety (often described as a sense of impending doom). Women may experience fewer typical symptoms than men, most commonly shortness of breath, weakness, a feeling of indigestion, and fatigue. Approximately one quarter of all myocardial infarctions are “silent”, that is without chest pain or other symptoms.
Among the diagnostic tests available to detect heart muscle damage are an electrocardiogram (ECG),echocardiography, cardiac MRI and various blood tests. The most often used blood markers are the creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) fraction and the troponin levels. Immediate treatment for suspected acute myocardial infarction includes oxygen, aspirin, and sublingual nitroglycerin.
Most cases of STEMI (ST elevation MI) are treated with thrombolysis or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). NSTEMI (non-ST elevation MI) should be managed with medication, although PCI is often performed during hospital admission. In people who have multiple blockages and who are relatively stable, or in a few emergency cases, bypass surgery may be an option, especially in diabetics.
Heart attacks are the leading cause of death for both men and women worldwide. Important risk factors are previouscardiovascular disease, older age, tobacco smoking, high blood levels of certain lipids (triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein) and low levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL), diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, excessive alcohol consumption, the abuse of certain drugs (such as cocaine andmethamphetamine), and chronic high stress levels.
There are two basic types of acute myocardial infarction:
Transmural: associated with atherosclerosis involving major coronary artery. It can be subclassified into anterior, posterior, inferior, lateral or septal. Transmural infarcts extend through the whole thickness of the heart muscle and are usually a result of complete occlusion of the area’s blood supply.
Subendocardial: involving a small area in the subendocardial wall of the left ventricle, ventricular septum, or papillary muscles. Subendocardial infarcts are thought to be a result of locally decreased blood supply, possibly from a narrowing of the coronary arteries. The subendocardial area is farthest from the heart’s blood supply and is more susceptible to this type of pathology.
Clinically, a myocardial infarction can be further subclassified into a ST elevation MI (STEMI) versus a non-ST elevation MI (non-STEMI) based on ECG changes.
The phrase “heart attack” is sometimes used incorrectly to describe sudden cardiac death, which may or may not be the result of acute myocardial infarction. A heart attack is different from, but can be the cause of cardiac arrest, which is the stopping of the heartbeat, and cardiac arrhythmia, an abnormal heartbeat. It is also distinct from heart failure, in which the pumping action of the heart is impaired; severe myocardial infarction may lead to heart failure, but not necessarily.
A 2007 consensus document classifies myocardial infarction into five main types:
Type 1 – Spontaneous myocardial infarction related to ischaemia due to a primary coronary event such as plaque erosion and/or rupture, fissuring, or dissection
Type 2 – Myocardial infarction secondary to ischaemia due to either increased oxygen demand or decreased supply, e.g. coronary artery spasm, coronary embolism, anaemia, arrhythmias, hypertension, or hypotension
Type 3 – Sudden unexpected cardiac death, including cardiac arrest, often with symptoms suggestive of myocardial ischaemia, accompanied by presumably new ST elevation, or new LBBB, or evidence of fresh thrombus in a coronary artery by angiography and/or at autopsy, but death occurring before blood samples could be obtained, or at a time before the appearance of cardiac biomarkers in the blood
Type 4 – Associated with coronary angioplasty or stents:
Type 4a – Myocardial infarction associated with PCI
Type 4b – Myocardial infarction associated with stent thrombosis as documented by angiography or at autopsy
Type 5 – Myocardial infarction associated with CABG
Rough diagram of pain zones in myocardial infarction (dark red = most typical area, light red = other possible areas, view of the chest).
The onset of symptoms in myocardial infarction (MI) is usually gradual, over several minutes, and rarely instantaneous. Chest pain is the most common symptom of acute myocardial infarction and is often described as a sensation of tightness, pressure, or squeezing. Chest pain due to ischemia (a lack of blood and hence oxygen supply) of the heart muscle is termed angina pectoris. Pain radiates most often to the left arm, but may also radiate to the lower jaw, neck, right arm, back, and epigastrium, where it may mimic heartburn. Levine’s sign, in which the patient localizes the chest pain by clenching their fist over the sternum, has classically been thought to be predictive of cardiac chest pain, although a prospective observational study showed that it had a poor positive predictive value.
Shortness of breath (dyspnea) occurs when the damage to the heart limits the output of the left ventricle, causing left ventricular failure and consequent pulmonary edema. Other symptoms include diaphoresis (an excessive form ofsweating), weakness, light-headedness, nausea, vomiting, and palpitations. These symptoms are likely induced by a massive surge of catecholamines from the sympathetic nervous system which occurs in response to pain and the hemodynamic abnormalities that result from cardiac dysfunction. Loss of consciousness (due to inadequate cerebral perfusion and cardiogenic shock) and sudden death (frequently due to the development of ventricular fibrillation) can occur in myocardial infarctions.
Women and older patients report atypical symptoms more frequently than their male and younger counterparts. Women also report more numerous symptoms compared with men (2.6 on average vs 1.8 symptoms in men). The most common symptoms of MI in women include dyspnea (shortness of breath), weakness, and fatigue. Fatigue, sleep disturbances, and dyspnea have been reported as frequently occurring symptoms which may manifest as long as one month before the actual clinically manifested ischemic event. In women, chest pain may be less predictive of coronary ischemia than in men.
Approximately one fourth of all myocardial infarctions are silent, without chest pain or other symptoms. These cases can be discovered later on electrocardiograms, using blood enzyme tests or at autopsy without a prior history of related complaints. A silent course is more common in the elderly, in patients with diabetes mellitusand after heart transplantation, probably because the donor heart is not fully innervated by the nervous system of the recipient. In diabetics, differences in pain threshold, autonomic neuropathy, and psychological factors have been cited as possible explanations for the lack of symptoms.
Any group of symptoms compatible with a sudden interruption of the blood flow to the heart are called an acute coronary syndrome.
The differential diagnosis includes other catastrophic causes of chest pain, such as pulmonary embolism, aortic dissection, pericardial effusion causing cardiac tamponade, tension pneumothorax, and esophageal rupture. Other non-catastrophic differentials include gastroesophageal reflux and Tietze’s syndrome.
CausesHeart attack rates are higher in association with intense exertion, be it psychological stress or physical exertion, especially if the exertion is more intense than the individual usually performs. Quantitatively, the period of intense exercise and subsequent recovery is associated with about a 6-fold higher myocardial infarction rate (compared with other more relaxed time frames) for people who are physically very fit. For those in poor physical condition, the rate differential is over 35-fold higher. One observed mechanism for this phenomenon is the increased arterial pulse pressure stretching and relaxation of arteries with each heart beat which, as has been observed with intravascular ultrasound, increases mechanical “shear stress” on atheromas and the likelihood of plaque rupture.
Acute severe infection, such as pneumonia, can trigger myocardial infarction. A more controversial link is that between Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection and atherosclerosis. While this intracellular organism has been demonstrated in atherosclerotic plaques, evidence is inconclusive as to whether it can be considered a causative factor. Treatment with antibiotics in patients with proven atherosclerosis has not demonstrated a decreased risk of heart attacks or other coronary vascular diseases.
There is an association of an increased incidence of a heart attack in the morning hours, more specifically around 9 a.m. Some investigators have noticed that the ability of platelets to aggregate varies according to a circadian rhythm, although they have not proven causation.
Risk factorsRisk factors for atherosclerosis are generally risk factors for myocardial infarction:
Age — Men acquire an independent risk factor at age 45, Women acquire an independent risk factor at age 55; in addition individuals acquire another independent risk factor if they have a first-degree male relative (brother, father) who suffered a coronary vascular event at or before age 55. Another independent risk factor is acquired if one has a first-degree female relative (mother, sister) who suffered a coronary vascular event at age 65 or younger.
Males are more at risk than females.
Diabetes (with or without insulin resistance)
Dyslipidemia/hypercholesterolemia (abnormal levels of lipoproteins in the blood), particularly high low density lipoprotein, low high density lipoprotein and high Triglycerides
Tobacco smoking including secondhand smoke
Family history of ischaemic heart disease (IHD)
Obesity (defined by a body mass index of more than 30 kg/m², or alternatively by waist circumference or waist-hip ratio).
Hyperhomocysteinemia (high homocysteine)
Stress — Occupations with high stress index are known to have susceptibility for atherosclerosis
Alcohol — Studies show that prolonged exposure to high quantities of alcohol can increase the risk of heart attack
Many of these risk factors are modifiable, so many heart attacks can be prevented by maintaining a healthier lifestyle. Physical activity, for example, is associated with a lower risk profile. Non-modifiable risk factors include age, sex, and family history of an early heart attack (before the age of 60), which is thought of as reflecting a genetic predisposition.
Socioeconomic factors such as a shorter education and lower income (particularly in women), and unmarried cohabitation are also correlated with a higher risk of MI. To understand epidemiological study results, it’s important to note that many factors associated with MI mediate their risk via other factors. For example, the effect of education is partially based on its effect on income and marital status.
Women who use combined oral contraceptive pills have a modestly increased risk of myocardial infarction, especially in the presence of other risk factors, such as smoking.
Inflammation is known to be an important step in the process of atherosclerotic plaque formation. C-reactive protein(CRP) is a sensitive but non-specific marker for inflammation. Elevated CRP blood levels, especially measured with high sensitivity assays, can predict the risk of MI, as well as stroke and development of diabetes. Moreover, some drugs for MI might also reduce CRP levels. The use of high sensitivity CRP assays as a means of screening the general population is advised against, but it may be used optionally at the physician’s discretion, in patients who already present with other risk factors or known coronary artery disease. Whether CRP plays a direct role in atherosclerosis remains uncertain.
Inflammation in periodontal disease may be linked to coronary heart disease, and since periodontitis is very common, this could have great consequences for public health. Serological studies measuring antibody levels against typical periodontitis-causing bacteria found that such antibodies were more present in subjects with coronary heart disease. Periodontitis tends to increase blood levels of CRP, fibrinogen and cytokines; thus, periodontitis may mediate its effect on MI risk via other risk factors. Preclinical research suggests that periodontal bacteria can promote aggregation of platelets and promote the formation of foam cells. A role for specific periodontal bacteria has been suggested but remains to be established. There is some evidence that influenza may trigger an acute myocardial infarction.
Baldness, hair greying, a diagonal earlobe crease (Frank’s sign) and possibly other skin features have been suggested as independent risk factors for MI. Their role remains controversial; a common denominator of these signs and the risk of MI is supposed, possibly genetic.
Calcium deposition is another part of atherosclerotic plaque formation. Calcium deposits in the coronary arteries can be detected with CT scans. Several studies have shown that coronary calcium can provide predictive information beyond that of classical risk factors.
The European Society of Cardiology and the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation have developed an interactive tool for prediction and managing the risk of heart attack and stroke in Europe. HeartScore is aimed at supporting clinicians in optimising individual cardiovascular risk reduction. The Heartscore Programme is available in 12 languages and offers web based or PC version.
A myocardial infarction occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque slowly builds up in the inner lining of acoronary artery and then suddenly ruptures, causing catastrophic thrombus formation, totally occluding the artery and preventing blood flow downstream.
Acute myocardial infarction refers to two subtypes of acute coronary syndrome, namely non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction and ST-elevated myocardial infarction, which are most frequently (but not always) a manifestation ofcoronary artery disease. The most common triggering event is the disruption of an atherosclerotic plaque in an epicardial coronary artery, which leads to a clotting cascade, sometimes resulting in total occlusion of the artery. Atherosclerosis is the gradual buildup of cholesterol and fibrous tissue in plaques in the wall of arteries (in this case, the coronary arteries), typically over decades. Blood stream column irregularities visible on angiography reflect arterylumen narrowing as a result of decades of advancing atherosclerosis. Plaques can become unstable, rupture, and additionally promote a thrombus (blood clot) that occludes the artery; this can occur in minutes. When a severe enough plaque rupture occurs in the coronary vasculature, it leads to myocardial infarction (necrosis of downstream myocardium).
If impaired blood flow to the heart lasts long enough, it triggers a process called the ischemic cascade; the heart cells in the territory of the occluded coronary artery die (chiefly through necrosis) and do not grow back. A collagen scarforms in its place. Recent studies indicate that another form of cell death called apoptosis also plays a role in the process of tissue damage subsequent to myocardial infarction. As a result, the patient’s heart will be permanently damaged. This myocardial scarring also puts the patient at risk for potentially life threatening arrhythmias, and may result in the formation of a ventricular aneurysm that can rupture with catastrophic consequences.
Injured heart tissue conducts electrical impulses more slowly than normal heart tissue. The difference in conduction velocity between injured and uninjured tissue can trigger re-entry or a feedback loop that is believed to be the cause of many lethal arrhythmias. The most serious of these arrhythmias is ventricular fibrillation (V-Fib/VF), an extremely fast and chaotic heart rhythm that is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death. Another life threatening arrhythmia isventricular tachycardia (V-Tach/VT), which may or may not cause sudden cardiac death. However, ventricular tachycardia usually results in rapid heart rates that prevent the heart from pumping blood effectively. Cardiac outputand blood pressure may fall to dangerous levels, which can lead to further coronary ischemia and extension of the infarct.
The cardiac defibrillator is a device that was specifically designed to terminate these potentially fatal arrhythmias. The device works by delivering an electrical shock to the patient in order to depolarize a critical mass of the heart muscle, in effect “rebooting” the heart. This therapy is time dependent, and the odds of successful defibrillation decline rapidly after the onset of cardiopulmonary arrest.
DiagnosisThe diagnosis of myocardial infarction can be made after assessing patient’s complaints and physical status. ECGchanges, coronary angiogram and levels of cardiac markers help to confirm the diagnosis. ECG gives valuable clues to identify the site of myocardial damage while coronary angiogram allows visualization of narrowing or obstructions in the heart vessels.[54] At autopsy, a pathologist can diagnose a myocardial infarction based on anatomopathologicalfindings.
A chest radiograph and routine blood tests may indicate complications or precipitating causes and are often performed upon arrival to an emergency department. New regional wall motion abnormalities on an echocardiogramare also suggestive of a myocardial infarction. Echo may be performed in equivocal cases by the on-call cardiologist. In stable patients whose symptoms have resolved by the time of evaluation, Technetium (99mTc) sestamibi (i.e. a “MIBI scan”) or thallium-201 chloride can be used in nuclear medicine to visualize areas of reduced blood flow in conjunction with physiologic or pharmocologic stress. Thallium may also be used to determine viability of tissue, distinguishing whether non-functional myocardium is actually dead or merely in a state of hibernation or of being stunned.
WHO criteria formulated in 1979 have classically been used to diagnose MI; a patient is diagnosed with myocardial infarction if two (probable) or three (definite) of the following criteria are satisfied:
Clinical history of ischaemic type chest pain lasting for more than 20 minutes
Changes in serial ECG tracings
Rise and fall of serum cardiac biomarkers such as creatine kinase-MB fraction and troponin
The WHO criteria were refined in 2000 to give more prominence to cardiac biomarkers. According to the new guidelines, a cardiac troponin rise accompanied by either typical symptoms, pathological Q waves, ST elevation or depression or coronary intervention are diagnostic of MI.
PreventionThe risk of a recurrent myocardial infarction decreases with strict blood pressure management and lifestyle changes, chiefly smoking cessation, regular exercise, a sensible diet for those with heart disease, and limitation of alcohol intake. People are usually commenced on several long-term medications post-MI, with the aim of preventing secondary cardiovascular events such as further myocardial infarctions, congestive heart failure or cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Unless contraindicated, such medications may include:
Antiplatelet drug therapy such as aspirin and/or clopidogrel should be continued to reduce the risk of plaque rupture and recurrent myocardial infarction. Aspirin is first-line, owing to its low cost and comparable efficacy, with clopidogrel reserved for patients intolerant of aspirin. The combination of clopidogrel and aspirin may further reduce risk of cardiovascular events, however the risk of hemorrhage is increased.
Beta blocker therapy such as metoprolol or carvedilol should be commenced. These have been particularly beneficial in high-risk patients such as those with left ventricular dysfunction and/or continuing cardiac ischaemia. β-Blockers decrease mortality and morbidity. They also improve symptoms of cardiac ischemia in NSTEMI.
ACE inhibitor therapy should be commenced 24–48 hours post-MI in hemodynamically-stable patients, particularly in patients with a history of MI, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, anteriorlocation of infarct (as assessed by ECG), and/or evidence of left ventricular dysfunction. ACE inhibitors reduce mortality, the development of heart failure, and decrease ventricular remodelling post-MI.
Statin therapy has been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity post-MI. The effects of statins may be more than their LDL lowering effects. The general consensus is that statins have plaquestabilization and multiple other (“pleiotropic”) effects that may prevent myocardial infarction in addition to their effects on blood lipids.
The aldosterone antagonist agent eplerenone has been shown to further reduce risk of cardiovascular death post-MI in patients with heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction, when used in conjunction with standard therapies above. Spironolactone is another option that is sometimes preferable to eplerenone due to cost.
Evidence supports the consumption of polyunsaturated fats instead of saturated fats as a measure of decreasing coronary heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly found in fish, have been shown to reduce mortality post-MI. While the mechanism by which these fatty acids decrease mortality is unknown, it has been postulated that the survival benefit is due to electrical stabilization and the prevention of ventricular fibrillation. However, further studies in a high-risk subset have not shown a clear-cut decrease in potentially fatal arrhythmias due to omega-3 fatty acids.
Blood donation may reduce the risk of heart disease for men, but the link has not been firmly established.
A Cochrane review found that giving heparin to people who have heart conditions like unstable angina and some forms of heart attacks reduces the risk of having another heart attack. However, heparin also increases the chance of suffering from minor bleeding.
An MI is a medical emergency which requires immediate medical attention. Treatment attempts to salvage as much myocardium as possible and to prevent further complications, thus the phrase “time is muscle”. Oxygen, aspirin, andnitroglycerin may be administered. Morphine was classically used if nitroglycerin was not effective; however, it may increase mortality in the setting of NSTEMI. A 2009 and 2010 review of high flow oxygen in myocardial infarction found increased mortality and infarct size, calling into question the recommendation about its routine use.
Otheranalgesics such as nitrous oxide are of unknown benefit. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or fibrinolysis are recommended in those with an STEMI.
The prognosis post myocardial infarction varies greatly, depending on a person’s health, the extent of the heart damage and the treatment given. For the period 2005–2008 in the United States the median mortality at 30 days was 16.6% with a range from 10.9% to 24.9% depending on the hospital. Using variables available in the emergency room, people with a higher risk of adverse outcome can be identified. One study found that 0.4% of patients with a low risk profile died after 90 days, whereas in high risk people it was 21.1%.
Some of the more reproduced risk stratifying factors include: age, hemodynamic parameters (such as heart failure,cardiac arrest on admission, systolic blood pressure, or Killip class of two or greater), ST-segment deviation, diabetes, serum creatinine, peripheral vascular disease and elevation of cardiac markers. Assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction may increase the predictive power. The prognostic importance of Q-waves is debated. Prognosis is significantly worsened if a mechanical complication such as papillary muscle or myocardial free wall rupture occur. Morbidity and mortality from myocardial infarction has improved over the years due to better treatment.
Complications may occur immediately following the heart attack (in the acute phase), or may need time to develop (achronic problem). Acute complications may include heart failure if the damaged heart is no longer able to adequately pump blood around the body; aneurysm or rupture of the myocardium; mitral regurgitation, particularly if the infarction causes dysfunction of the papillary muscle; and arrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation and heart block. Longer-term complications include heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and the increased risk of a second myocardial infarction.
Myocardial infarction is a common presentation of ischemic heart disease. The WHO estimated in 2002, that 12.6 percent of worldwide deaths were from ischemic heart disease with it the leading cause of death in developed countries, and third to AIDS and lower respiratory infections in developing countries. Worldwide more than 3 million people have STEMIs and 4 million have NSTEMIs a year.
Coronary heart disease is responsible for 1 in 5 deaths in the United States. It is becoming more common in the developing world such that in India, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death. The deaths due to CVD in India were 32% of all deaths in 2007 and are expected to rise from 1.17 million in 1990 and 1.59 million in 2000 to 2.03 million in 2010. Although a relatively new epidemic in India, it has quickly become a major health issue with deaths due to CVD expected to double during 1985–2015. Mortality estimates due to CVD vary widely by state, ranging from 10% in Meghalaya to 49% in Punjab (percentage of all deaths). Punjab (49%), Goa (42%), Tamil Nadu (36%) and Andhra Pradesh (31%) have the highest CVD related mortality estimates. State-wise differences are correlated with prevalence of specific dietary risk factors in the states. Moderate physical exercise is associated with reduced incidence of CVD in India (those who exercise have less than half the risk of those who don’t).
Legal implications
At common law, a myocardial infarction is generally a disease, but may sometimes be an injury. This has implications for no-fault insurance schemes such as workers’ compensation. A heart attack is generally not covered; however, it may be a work-related injury if it results, for example, from unusual emotional stress or unusual exertion. Additionally, in some jurisdictions, heart attacks suffered by persons in particular occupations such as police officersmay be classified as line-of-duty injuries by statute or policy. In some countries or states, a person who has suffered from a myocardial infarction may be prevented from participating in activity that puts other people’s lives at risk, for example driving a car or flying an airplane.
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odt maps
One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is respect for the diversity of realities and truths in the world. Yet, sadly often the world map accepted as "truth" is an unfair and injustice depiction of the world, as it shows countries in false proportions and sizes.
According to Many Ways to See the World, the popular Rand Mcnally Mercator Projection map used as recently as 2000, and still found on my many classroom walls, is based on a trading map projection from 1569 that was intended for use in navigation and never intended to be used as a world map. "It's an illogical use of this map that was intended to be used to create regional sea charts."
The Rand McNally map that many of us have seen as "the true" lay-out of the world is based on The Mercartor projection. It compresses the region around the tropics so that when Antartica is chopped off, the Northern half of the earth takes up 2/3 of the map area. The global South then becomes diminished in size and importance when compared to the North.
Arno Peters created a map that was "fair to all people of the world." Peters set out to create a map that showed the countries in true size and true proportion.
Enter to win a Peters Map, and the documentary, Arno Peters: Radical Map, Remarkable Man
by commenting on the Parenting for the Next Generation Facebook page by midnight on 12/22.
It's an honor to interview Bob Abramms, map publisher at ODT maps about his work. And give the gift of multiple world views and greater truth this holiday season with gifts from ODT maps.
www.odtmaps.com
www.facebook.com/ODTmapscom
Peters Map
Bob, what do you love most about what you do?
Changing consciousness about how people see the world around them, and in particular watching the discomfort (psychologists call it "cognitive dissonance") that arises when peoples' preconceptions are challenged, shattered, and then finally adjusted to incorporate a more expansive world view.
Our maps are used not only in geography education but in Cultural Diversity Training, Corporate Culture Change efforts, media literacy programs, and numerous faith-based and mission-education efforts.
How have you seen these maps change lives and the world?
YES. The story at the end of the Many Ways video is only one of thousands we hear about. In this story, a man petitioned to have Tibet recognized as an independent nation in his letters, and was able to influence the Peters map. It's a beautiful story about the power of the people to wield change and influence the way we see reality. Watch the video below!
According to this video, we can understand the world only if we're able to see things from multiple perspectives and understand that reality can be seen from many vantage points-- and know that one person's voice can impact the planet.
One of the most powerful gifts we can give our children is to recognize the diversity of voices and multiple realities in our world, as well as challenge the racism inherent in the dominant world view as seen in the map diminishing the size and power of the world south of the Equator. Give the gift of multiple world views and greater truth this holiday season with gifts from ODT maps.
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Cops Play Video Games During Drug Bust
The police departments of Polk County, Auburndale, Lakeland, and Winter Haven in Florida spent nearly a year trying to bust convicted drug dealer Michael Difalco. When the bust went down on March 6 of this year, Difalco was caught with crystal meth, marijuana, illegal weapons, and over $30,000 worth of stolen property. Unfortunately for embarrassed police officials, Difalco also had a Nintendo Wii and Wii Sports, and the raiding officers just couldn’t resist sneaking in an hour or two of Wii Bowling while supposedly on the job. Now because of their love of video games, thousands of hours of investigative work might have been compromised as the Wii gaming session might constitute an illegal seizure of property.
Screwing around on the job is one thing. Cops have a hard job, especially the sort of officers that raid drug dealer mansions and put themselves at risk on a daily basis in those sort of pressure-packed situations. But giving a career criminal a potential way to squeak out of some serious felony convictions because you wanted to play some Nintendo is something else entirely. And to get caught on video doing it is just sloppy!
You’re in his house, you have a search warrant for drug-related stuff; how is packing up the computer and security system tapes not job #1? That should’ve been one of the first things they packed up! The order should be: drugs, guns, video evidence of guy breaking the law, and then everything else. You can play Wii in the station afterwards.
Tags: Auburndale, Polk County, Michael Difalco, Florida, police, drug busts, cops play Wii during drug bust, Nintendo Wii, Wii Sports, unusual videos, unusual crimes
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Authentic original newspapers for sale
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Personal letter from Washington to his wife is published in the newspaper...
THE PENNSYLVANIA LEDGER OR THE WEEKLY ADVERTISER, Philadelphia, Dec. 24, 1777
* Revolutionary War Tory original
* Rare Pro British issue from America
* George Washington letter to Martha
This was a Tory newspaper published in Philadelphia when the British occupied the city. It began in 1775 and ended when the British evacuated the city in May of 1778. Not surprisingly, the masthead features an engraving of the Royal coat-of-arms.
The first column on the ftpg. features two Proclamations, each signed in type by: W. Howe, the General and Commander in Chief of the British forces. One concerns offering acres of land to those who would enlist in the King's service.
Page 2 begins with a fascinating extract of a letter from George Washington to his wife, prefaced with: "The printer has received from New York a few copies of an intercepted letter from General Washington to his Lady, dated June 24, 1776, which he is now selling at his shop in Market Street. The following is an extract." and what follows is a portion of a letter from George to Martha Washington in which he shares his thoughts on the progress of the way, the spirit of his soldiers, his thoughts on the King, and much more. Even some fears of what was plot to kill him suggested in: "My attention in this moment called off to the discovery...of a most wild & daring plot. It is impossible as yet to develop the mystery in which it either is or is not supposed to be involved...it will be a fine field for a war of lies on both sides..." with more (see). The hatred towards Washington is evident with this Loyalist printer, in that he would take a personal letter & reprint it for sale to the public.
Page 2 also has a lengthy letter from General Burgoyne from 1775 concerning America (see), followed by a Resolve from the Mass. General Assembly which includes: "...That the troops under General Burgoyne be quartered in the barracks..." with more, relating to the historic defeat of Burgoyne at Saratoga in September. Page 2 also has a letter from General Gates to Gen. Burgoyne dated a Saratoga, October 11, 1777 (see), which includes mention of a possible exchange from Col. Ethan Allen. Another item mentions: "The Rebels, we hear, have made another descent on Long Island...we can assure the public that their loss in the affair is capital...". This is followed by a witty anecdote concerning the Americans running out of Philadelphia (see).
Four pages, a very light damp stain to a lower corner, numeric notations next to ads (this was the editor's copy), nice condition.
Creating a militia...
The Great Awakening... Boston magazi...
A rare Virginia Gazette, by a woman p...
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Lambeth Council | Service Design
Promoting digital inclusion in the borough
How can we identify the needs of a marginalized community and mitigate digital exclusion?
By implementing a collaborative design process with Lambeth Council, the solution was a self-learning platform presented on a digital (quiz game) and a physical (booklet) solutions that aimed to facilitates users and staff members of the Lambeth digital inclusion program (Digi-buddies) to easily identify people’s needs. Although this tool facilitates to understand the process of how to find a job by a step by step guide. This platform also helps people to learn and improve digital skills to be prepare to the modern life.
Developing Touchpoints
Firstly, we developed a simple and straightforward quiz game based on touchscreen tablets which facilitates people with low digital skills to introduce them in the digital world. Most importantly, the quiz helps the staff members to identify people's needs through a basic questionnaire.
After the first step, the users are forward to a self-learning platform where users will learn the step by step about how to find a job online, how to create a curriculum vitae, how to share it via and so one.
We also developed a booklet where users can access all the content available in the digital self-learning platform in order to facilitates the learning process.
A journey map was used in the backside of the booklet where users can easily visualize the whole process of how to find a job. Moreover, simple illustrations and an iconography language were used to facilitates its comprehension in a fun, engaging and memorable manner.
According to the ‘Digital Inclusion Strategy for London’ report (January 2015), from an economic perspective a population that is digitally excluded means there is a significant decrease in an individual’s opportunities in finding employment. With this context as background and driven by the service design methodology, The project's goal is to find solutions that can breakthrough the barriers that keep people digitally excluded by implementing a collaborative and participatory design process. More specifically, in partnership with UAL and the Lambeth Council, the aim of this project was to help to include the 9% of the Lambeth’s population that are digitally excluded. Although the London Government led by Mayor Boris Johnson launched its “Digital Inclusion Strategy for London” in 2014, The Lambeth Council also has the ambition to provide access to the Internet as well as digital support to all of its residents. Specifically, it has invested in the Digibuddy programme which is aimed at providing accessibility and digital support to Lambeth residents. It can be found in various public libraries and hubs equipped with computers and knowledgeable staff. This was the main touch point and source of insights we have used to develop our solution for the Lambeth Project.
As part of investigation phase, we had the opportunity to have an in depth ethnographic research process through volunteer work sessions in the Lambeth Council Hubs where we had an extremely positive environment to learn with the Digi-buddy’s users and staff. The trust and empathy that were built between our team and the people at the Digibuddy's environment was an invaluable tool that enabled a rich experience exchange between our target group and us designers. The environment allowed our team to create, prototype, test and evaluate the concepts that were collectively built with users and staff.
The Lambeth project was developed during my master in Service Design Innovation at London College of Communication and it was a partnership with UAL and the Lambeth Council.
https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/events/digi-buddies-streatham-library
Course Leader: Omar Vulpinari
Associate Lecturer: Cordula Friedlander
Designers: Crystal Yun Zhang, Rodrigo Maia Gonçalves, Rujuta Autade
rmaiaaa@gmail.com
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Elisa Ringeri
AFL draft interest in the US
The AFL have demonstrated the league has a keen interest in recruiting athletes from the United States, on the back of four American athletes being invited to trial at AFL cubs this coming September.
This shouldn't come as a surprise, as there are currently two US athletes on the seniors list at AFL clubs: Mason Cox at Collingwood Football Club and Jason Holmes at St Kilda Football Club. Also, there is one more athlete from the US, Matthew Korcheck, who has been listed as a rookie at Carlton Football Club - hoping to make his debut at an AFL game in upcoming seasons.
The American hopefuls will trial at AFL clubs in the weeks prior to the NAB AFL Draft Combine held at Etihad Stadium in October, which will allow AFL talent recruiters to monitor the athletes without having the 2017 fellow draft invitees in attendance.
The invite to travel to Australia, came following the US Draft Combine, which took place in Los Angeles in late April this year. Eighteen athletes with a diverse sporting background from around America were tested on their fitness and skill ability, which displayed interest of exporting unique international talent to the Australian sport.
AFL list managers, Graham Wright (Hawthorn FC) and Stephen Silvagni (Carlton FC), attended the AFL international combine, to pursue the talent offshore.
AFL’s National and International Talent Manager, Kevin "Shifter" Sheehan, noticed that the US contenders have a fair bit to offer, by indicating they are elite athletes in many areas; aside from appealing physical and fitness characteristics.
The international combine is an annual event, which has been run in recent years and looks to continue. In previous years the combine was held in fiji, Ireland, New Zealand and America.
2010 - A combine was held as part of the AFL Youth (u/16) Oceania Cup tournament schedule
2011 - a combine was held as part of the AFL Youth Oceania Cup tournament in Fiji in December 2011.
2012 - the AFL held the inaugural AFL USA Combine in Los Angeles, and another was held at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, Dublin.
2013 - an international combine was held in LA, and another in Dublin Ireland, and Wellington NZ.
2014 - an international combine was held in Los Angeles, and a European combine in Dublin, and a New Zealand combine.
2015 - an international combine was held in Sarasota, Florida in April 2015. A combine was held in New Zealand.
2016 - combines were held in USA, New Zealand and Europe
As cited via www.topendsports.com
The AFL are hoping the interest for US athletes will continue to grow amongst AFL clubs, particularly following success stories like that of Collingwood’s American superstar, Mason Cox.
If the international talent(s) prove their physical ability at the trials later this year, clubs can sign them as category B rookies. However, being elite athletes, it is almost inevitable the AFL will be competing with other sporting codes (predominantly European and American basketball clubs) to allure the draft hopefuls.
As part of the Rookie Me team, Elisa is passionate about all things AFL; and is always keeping on top of any news to hit the AFL scene.
Elisa has completed her bachelor degree in Exercise and Sport Science and has been involved in numerous football clubs.
All content within the Rookie Me News section is subject to the terms and conditions as outlined here
Image and content: Content Manager, "International AFL Combines", www.topendsports.com/, Accessed on 7 June 2017, www.topendsports.com/
Image: AFL Media, "Four American talls to trial with AFL clubs", afl.com.au, Published on 31 May 2017, Accessed on 8 June 2017, http://s.afl.com.au/staticfile...
Image: Photo and artwork by the Carlton Football Club, "Blues Sign Korcheck", carltonfc.com.au, Published on 14 September 2015, Accessed on 17 June 2009, http://www.carltonfc.com.au/ne...
Image: News Limited, "Jason Holmes, Eric Wallace, Mason Cox, Patrick Mitchell vying to become AFL’s first American player", news.com.au, Published on 21 August 2014, Accessed on 17 June 2009, http://www.news.com.au/sport/a...
If you would like an opportunity to submit a blog to Rookie Me News and for it to have the chance to be published, please send your blogs/writing pieces through to tammy@rookieme.com with your contact details!
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Home > Regional > Dept of Science & Tech make arrangements to witness Lunar Eclipse on Jul 16-17
Dept of Science & Tech make arrangements to witness Lunar Eclipse on Jul 16-17
Puducherry, Department of Science and Technology along with Pondicherry Science Forum has made arrangements to witness the Lunar Eclipse here on...
Admin1 | Updated on:14 July 2019 10:39 AM GMT
Puducherry, Department of Science and Technology along with Pondicherry Science Forum has made arrangements to witness the Lunar Eclipse here on the intervening night of July 16- 17. An official release here on Sunday said, on the night of July 16 and in the early morning of July 17, Indians can watch a partial eclipse of the full moon. On this day one can see the moon sweeps through part of the Earth's dark umbral shadow. The eclipse is visible from India and many other countries of Asia, Africa, Part of Europe, south America during the early hours of July 17. A lunar eclipse can only happen at full moon, because that's the only time the moon can be directly opposite of the sun in Earth's sky.
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, but the three celestial objects do not form exactly a straight line. When this happens, a small part of the Moon's surface is covered by the darkest, central part of the Earth's shadow, called the umbra. On July 17, full moon travels through the Earth's outer faint penumbral shadow before and after partially sweeping through the Earth's inner dark umbral shadow. However, the penumbral stage of the eclipse is so faint that many people won't even notice it, even as it's taking place. The partial eclipse is the last visible lunar eclipse. In 2020, even though there are four lunar eclipses all of them will be hard-to-see penumbral eclipses. This will be the last time that the Earth's dark shadow touches the moon's surface until May 26, 2021. In India, the Penumbral Eclipse begins at 12:13 AM on July 17. The Partial Eclipse will begin at 1:31 AM and the maximum eclipse will occur at 3 AM. The partial lunar eclipse will end at 04:29 AM. The Penumbral Eclipse ends at 05:47 AM. The total duration of the eclipse is 5 hours, 34 minutes and partial eclipse will be 2 hours, 58 minutes,the release said.
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Missing the Point (Matthew 21:33-46)
by Gracia Grindal
Ms. Grindal is assistant professor of English at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa.
This article appeared in The Christian Century, September 11-24, 2002 p. 21. Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation; used by permission. Current articles and subscription information can be found at www.christiancentury.org. This material was prepared for Religion Online by Ted and Winnie Brock.
Jesus tells the story of the owner of the vineyard to show that his listeners, members of the religious establishment of his time, have missed the point. The story is breathtakingly clear. Those who "get it" have to do away with him. They mock him, deride him and finally kill him.
Hans Nielsen Hauge, often called the John Wesley of Norway, changed Norway much as Wesley changed England. Hauge was born in 1776 to prosperous peasants in eastern Norway. He was a devout young man whose main sources of study were his Bible, his catechism and his hymnbook, and he read these many times over. On April 5, 1796, while working in a field and singing an old German hymn, "Jesus, I long for thy blessed communion" -- Jesu, Sophia, ich suche und lange -- Hauge was struck and knocked out by a light from heaven. He described it later as "something supernatural, divine and blessed. . . . I had a completely transformed mind, a sorrow over all sins, [and] a burning desire that others should share the same grace.
After months of quiet prayer and thought, Hauge began publishing materials and walking the length and breadth of Norway to tell people what he had learned. While walking, he knit socks and mittens so as not to waste time. The blockade of the Danish kingdom during the Napoleonic Wars had left Norway in penury. People were reduced to baking bread with tree bark. When Hauge arrived in a community, he would suggest that they build sawmills, salt works or breweries -- anything that would help them become self-sufficient. Then, after helping them meet their physical needs, he offered them Bible study and prayer. Later, he stayed connected with them through correspondence.
A revival began sweeping Norway. The powers that be felt threatened by Hauge, and in 1800 the government threw him in jail for breaking the Conventicle law, which forbade laypeople from meeting together for religious purposes. The brutal conditions broke his health almost immediately, but he languished in prison for 14 years. When he was released, Norway was a changed country. Hauge had helped to break the mercantilist economic system and the hierarchical system of church government. Today historians call him the first modern Norwegian. His movement got the peasants "off the sauce" long enough so they could board boats to America, and they came bringing with them Hauge’s emphasis on hard work and his love for the Lord. And did they work! They built lively and vibrant institutions of learning -- St. Olaf, Concordia, Augsburg, Augustana, Luther Seminary -- as well as hospitals, orphanages, old people’s homes and publishing houses.
Some say that if Hauge had lived in a Catholic country, he would have been sainted. Yet he and his movement are still the subject of derision. Theologians are scornful of his lack of theological sophistication and of his admittedly fierce legalism. His list of sins was long -- no dancing, drinking, cards or theater. I was raised on that list of prohibitions, and although I’ve made my share of jokes (Watch out for sex because it leads to dancing. . .), I have few complaints about how my parents raised me. We need some of these regulations. Our children need them.
In telling the parable of the vineyard, Jesus is doing what the opera scene does to its audience -- offering a stick in the eye. When the Augsburg Masterworks Chorale and Orchestra performed the opera in Minneapolis in 1997, the audience (many of them churchgoers) enjoyed the scene immensely. It was musically and dramatically extraordinary, but like most good drama, it was also an attack on the conventional wisdom of the audience.
Hauge is still derided by many who know nothing about him but sense that he is threatening something deep in them. Theological students, for example, have been known to celebrate Hauge’s birthday by carousing in front of his bust and otherwise mocking and deriding his legalism. From the perspective of Jesus’ parable, their behavior reveals that they understand Hauge’s attack on their privilege only too well, but can respond to his challenge only in this primitive way. Likewise, Jesus tells the story of the owner of the vineyard to show that his listeners, members of the religious establishment of his time, have missed the point. The story is breathtakingly clear. Those who "get it" have to do away with him. They mock him, deride him and finally kill him.
Regardless of how this story worked, whether it was what Jesus actually said, whether he ever spoke in allegories or only in parables, it behooves us to get the story right. It is not just about something back then, but about today. In fairy tales, it’s the frog, the rejected little sister or the simple farmer who turns out to be the truth bearer. For Christians, it is the rejected stone that becomes the cornerstone. Listen up!
Previous PostPrevious Small Is Beautiful, and So Is Rome: Surprising Faith of E.F. Schumacher
Next PostNext Divine Principle and the Second Advent
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For me, when it comes to book releases, July is a bit of a meh month. When it comes to weather not so much. Can someone tell the UK sun to chill a bit? Because I have been lucky in avoiding sunburn up until now, but I just know that my luck won't last much longer.
But British stereotypes aside - there have been a couple of books (like The Cheerleaders, Baby Teeth and Matt Haig's latest release) that I have been anticipating for bloody ages but, apart from them, there's only a few that have spiked my interest. Although I am not writing the month off just yet, I mean, who knows - I might have turned my nose up at my yet-to-be-discovered favourite book of the year.
There There
Published July 5th by Harvill Secker (Vintage)
Jacquie Red Feather and her sister Opal grew up together, relying on each other during their unsettled childhood. As adults they were driven apart, but Jacquie is newly sober and trying to make it back to the family she left behind. That’s why she is there. Dene is there because he has been collecting stories to honour his uncle's death. Edwin is looking for his true father. Opal came to watch her boy Orvil dance. All of them are connected by bonds they may not yet understand. All of them are there for the celebration of culture that is the Big Oakland Powwow. But Tony Loneman is also there. And Tony has come to the Powwow with darker intentions.
Notes on a Nervous Planet
Published July 5th by Cannongate
The world is messing with our minds. Rates of stress and anxiety are rising. A fast, nervous planet is creating fast and nervous lives. We are more connected, yet feel more alone. And we are encouraged to worry about everything from world politics to our body mass index. How can we stay sane on a planet that makes us mad? How do we stay human in a technological world? How do we feel happy when we are encouraged to be anxious? After experiencing years of anxiety and panic attacks, these questions became urgent matters of life and death for Matt Haig. And he began to look for the link between what he felt and the world around him.
The Poisoned City : Flint's Water and the American Urban Tragedy
Published July 10th by Metropolitan Books
When the people of Flint, Michigan, turned on their faucets in April 2014, the water pouring out was poisoned with lead and other toxins. Through a series of disastrous decisions, the state government had switched the city’s water to a source that corroded Flint’s aging lead pipes. Complaints about the foul-smelling water were dismissed: the residents of Flint—a largely poor African American city of about 100,000 people—were not seen as credible, even in matters of their own lives. It took 18 months of activism and a band of dogged outsiders to force the state to admit that the water was poisonous. But this was only after 12 people died and Flint's children suffered irreparable harm. The long battle for accountability and a humane response to this man-made disaster have only just begun. In the first full-length account of this epic failure, The Poisoned City recounts the gripping story of Flint’s poisoned water through the people who caused it, suffered from it, and exposed it. It is a chronicle of one town, but could also be about any American city, all made precarious by the neglect of infrastructure and the erosion of democratic decision-making. Cities like Flint are set up to fail—and for the people who live and work in them, the consequences may be mortal.
Published July 17th by St. Martin's Press
Sweetness can be deceptive. Meet Hanna. She’s the sweet-but-silent angel in the adoring eyes of her Daddy. He’s the only person who understands her, and all Hanna wants is to live happily ever after with him. But Mommy stands in her way, and she’ll try any trick she can think of to get rid of her. Ideally for good. Meet Suzette. She loves her daughter, really, but after years of expulsions and strained home schooling, her precarious health and sanity are weakening day by day. As Hanna’s tricks become increasingly sophisticated, and Suzette's husband remains blind to the failing family dynamics, Suzette starts to fear that there’s something seriously wrong, and that maybe home isn’t the best place for their baby girl after all.
America for Beginners
Published July 23rd by HarperCollins
Pival Sengupta has done something she never expected: she has booked a trip with the First Class India USA Destination Vacation Tour Company. But unlike other upper-class Indians on a foreign holiday, the recently widowed Pival is not interested in sightseeing. She is traveling thousands of miles from Kolkota to New York on a cross-country journey to California, where she hopes to uncover the truth about her beloved son, Rahi. A year ago Rahi devastated his very traditional parents when he told them he was gay. Then, Pival’s husband, Ram, told her that their son had died suddenly—heartbreaking news she still refuses to accept. Now, with Ram gone, she is going to America to find Rahi, alive and whole or dead and gone, and come to terms with her own life. Arriving in New York, the tour proves to be more complicated than anticipated. Planned by the company’s indefatigable owner, Ronnie Munshi—a hard-working immigrant and entrepreneur hungry for his own taste of the American dream—it is a work of haphazard improvisation. Pavil’s guide is the company’s new hire, the guileless and wonderfully resourceful Satya, who has been in America for one year—and has never actually left the five boroughs. For modesty’s sake Pival and Satya will be accompanied by Rebecca Elliot, an aspiring young actress. Eager for a paying gig, she’s along for the ride, because how hard can a two-week "working" vacation traveling across America be? Slowly making her way from coast to coast with her unlikely companions, Pival finds that her understanding of her son—and her hopes of a reunion with him—are challenged by her growing knowledge of his adoptive country. As the bonds between this odd trio deepens, Prival, Satya, and Rebecca learn to see America—and themselves—in different and profound new ways.
Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win
Published July 24th by Simon & Schuester
Charlotte Walsh is running for Senate in the most important race in the country during a midterm election that will decide the balance of power in Congress. Still reeling from a presidential election that shocked and divided the country and inspired by the chance to make a difference, she’s left behind her high-powered job in Silicon Valley and returned, with her husband Max and their three young daughters, to her downtrodden Pennsylvania hometown to run in the Rust Belt state. Once the campaign gets underway, Charlotte is blindsided by just how dirty her opponent is willing to fight, how harshly she is judged by the press and her peers, and how exhausting it becomes to navigate a marriage with an increasingly ambivalent and often resentful husband. When the opposition uncovers a secret that could threaten not just her campaign but everything Charlotte holds dear, she has to decide just how badly she wants to win and at what cost. A searing, suspenseful story of political ambition, marriage, class, sexual politics, and infidelity, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win is an insightful portrait of what it takes for a woman to run for national office in America today
I Can't Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I've Put My Faith in Beyonce
Published July 26th by Atria Books
A timely collection of alternately hysterical and soul‑searching essays about what it is like to grow up as a creative, sensitive black man in a world that constantly tries to deride and diminish your humanity. It hasn’t been easy being Michael Arceneaux. Equality for LGBT people has come a long way and all, but voices of persons of color within the community are still often silenced, and being black in America is…well, have you watched the news? With the characteristic wit and candor that have made him one of today’s boldest writers on social issues, I Can’t Date Jesus is Michael Arceneaux’s impassioned, forthright, and refreshing look at minority life in today’s America. Leaving no bigoted or ignorant stone unturned, he describes his journey in learning to embrace his identity when the world told him to do the opposite. He eloquently writes about coming out to his mother; growing up in Houston, Texas; that time his father asked if he was “funny” while shaking his hand; his obstacles in embracing intimacy; and the persistent challenges of young people who feel marginalized and denied the chance to pursue their dreams.
Published July 31st by HarperCollins
Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch. A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after. But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain.
The Incendiaries
Published July 31st by Virago (Little, Brown Book Group)
Phoebe Lin and Will Kendall meet their first month at prestigious Edwards University. Phoebe is a glamorous girl who doesn't tell anyone she blames herself for her mother's recent death. Will is a misfit scholarship boy who transfers to Edwards from Bible college, waiting tables to get by. What he knows for sure is that he loves Phoebe. Grieving and guilt-ridden, Phoebe is increasingly drawn into a religious group - a secretive extremist cult - founded by a charismatic former student, John Leal. He has an enigmatic past that involves North Korea and Phoebe's Korean American family. Meanwhile, Will struggles to confront the fundamentalism he's tried to escape, and the obsession consuming the one he loves. When the group bombs several buildings in the name of faith, killing five people, Phoebe disappears. Will devotes himself to finding her, tilting into obsession himself, seeking answers to what happened to Phoebe and if she could have been responsible for this violent act.
The Cheerleaders
Published July 31st by Ballantine (RandomHouse)
There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook. First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost. That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget. Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad’s desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school. . . . Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow Monica is at the center of it all. There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe.
Head on over to http://bit.ly/2y7JSWV for all of these books, as well as all of the others featured in my reviews, complete with the added bonuses of free worldwide shipping and bringing a little joy to my life.
at July 07, 2018 Labels: 2018 , BOOKS , NEW RELEASES
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I’m Johanna Morrigan, and I live in London in 1995, at the epicentre of Britpop. I might only be nineteen, but I’m wise enough to know that everyone around me is handling fame very, very badly. My unrequited love, John Kite, has scored an unexpected Number One album, then exploded into a Booze And Drugs HellTM – as rockstars do. And my new best friend – the maverick feminist Suzanne Banks, of The Branks – has amazing hair, but writer’s block and a rampant pill problem. So I’ve decided I should become a Fame Doctor. I’m going to use my new monthly column for The Face to write about every ridiculous, surreal, amazing aspect of a million people knowing your name.
But when my two-night-stand with edgy comedian Jerry Sharp goes wrong, people start to know my name for all the wrong reasons. ‘He’s a vampire. He destroys bright young girls. Also, he’s a total dick’ Suzanne warned me. But by that point, I’d already had sex with him. Bad sex.
Now I’m one of the girls he’s trying to destroy.
He needs to be stopped.
But how can one woman stop a bad, famous, powerful man?
Before I begin, I have quick point to make: despite the fact that nothing on the internet warned me that How to be Famous was a sequel, it is one; a follow-on from the apparently immensely successful How to Build A Girl which I hadn’t read and now, which I have absolutely no plans on reading. Although I suppose the book not being the first in the series wouldn’t actually bother anyone whose enjoyment of How to be Famous wasn’t encumbered by the plot of the novel and its unrealistic, inhuman characters.
Because, although I follow Caitlin Moran on Twitter and laugh along to her feed, I found How to be Famous near-intolerable. Instead of offering sharp insights into the nature of the mid-1990s Brit Pop scene, it followed a girl (who was supposed to be 19 but instead read like a character of 13) incessantly mooning over a guy who doesn’t even appear in that much of the book.
And when he does, he comes off as a total arsehole.
I know, I know. I have been there. We all have. But until I saw it on paper, I didn’t realise just how annoying we must come off as to everyone around us. It’s like in the second third or so of Mean Girls, when Cady won’t shut up about Regina: "I was a woman possessed. I spent about 80 percent of my time talking about Regina. And the other 20 percent of the time, I was praying for someone else to bring her up so I could talk about her more. I could hear people getting bored with me. But I couldn't stop. It just kept coming up like word vomit."
I have never used a quote in a book review. Never. Especially not one that isn’t from the book that I am talking about. But, in my relatively short not-career, a quote has never seen so apt.
And, because of this constant mooning and the general attitude of How to be Famous’ protagonist, no matter how many curse words, and drugs, and sex, Moran added to novel, it still came across as juvenile.
Like a bad 90’s sitcom or those Girls in Love books by Jacqueline Wilson. I mean, do ADULTS like this even exist? If they do, I wouldn’t want to meet them.
at July 23, 2018 Labels: BOOK , REVIEW
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Homosexual activists protest in front of Holy Name Cathedral
On Sunday, Feb. 13, in front of Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral, a group of homosexual activists protested Cardinal Francis George's opposition to "civil unions" as well as the Church's opposition to homosexual "marriage."
Thankfully, a group of Catholic and Protestant counter-demonstrators was present to defend the Church. Among the pro-family counter-demonstrators was Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality, an organization dedicated to exposing and fighting the homosexualist agenda.
In an e-mail to me, LaBarbera described the situation as follows (edited):
"AFTAH's silent counter-protest was a success. My sign read, 'Thank you, Cardinal George, for Defending Marriage.' At one point about 10 people were holding 'No Same-Sex Marriage' signs. The Gay Liberation Network's protest was smaller than last year, Church officials told us. Of course, they chanted against the cardinal's and the Church's supposed hate.
"At another point two homosexual activists stood in front of us with their huge anti-bigotry banner. Then the cops moved them back to their side of the sidewalk. There was also a large contingent of people from a church group whose goal was to talk with the homosexual activists — a ministry approach."
Though he's not Catholic, LaBarbera strongly defends the Church's teachings on marriage and family.
"We felt compelled to come to Holy Name Cathedral to defend Cardinal George, who is being smeared as a 'hater' because he eloquently spoke out against the recent 'civil unions' bill," says LaBarbera.
"But the real bigots in this story are the Gay Liberation Network protesters. That GLN accuses the Catholic Church of hate merely because of its teachings on marriage and family is itself an act of hatred and bigotry."
Below is a photo of the protest, courtesy of LaBarbera. (Visit AFTAH's website: www.americansfortruth.com)
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Rhydian
O Fortuna
Welsh Songs
One Day Like This
Pearl Fishers
World In Union
Carry The Fire
The Long Road
Rhydian's second, more classical album which was nominated for Album of the Year at the Classic BRIT Awards.
Myfanwy
The Living Years
Spirit of the Mountains
I Won't Let You Walk This Road Alone
Land Of My Fathers
Taking its name from the powerful lead track 'O Fortuna', Rhydian’s second album showcases his unique and exquisite voice. It was deservedly nominated for the Classical Brit Album of the year Award. The album combines the classical and the contemporary with some well known favourites. The legendary Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and renowned opera singer Bryn Terfel join Rhydian on this album, which reached Gold status.
An original song “I Won’t Let You Walk This Road Alone” was written especially for Rhydian by the well-known songwriter and producer Walter Afanasieff. It was first performed by Rhydian, accompanying himself on keyboard, during his sell out 2009 UK tour. Produced and arranged by internationally acclaimed composer, conducter and producer Karl Jenkins, this album brings Rhydian’s own magnificent and inspirational interpretation to each track.
O Fortuna 2.30
The dramatic official video for the title track of the album O Fortuna
Rhydian Store
RRFF
Tweets by @RhydianMusic
Rhydian's Management & Bookings
Neil O'Brien Entertainment, New Wing, Somerset House, London, WC2R 1LA
T: +44(0)207 631 5168 E: info@neilobrienentertainment.com
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Global Shippers' Forum Chief hails SL's strong competition laws
Global Shippers' Forum Chairman Robert Ballantyne has praised Sri Lanka's efforts to ensure strong competition laws to eradicate anti-competitive practices that have a negative impact on global trade.
Ballantyne, who is also the President of the Freight Management Association of Canada, shared his commendation when he spoke at the Sri Lanka Shippers' Council golden jubilee celebrations last week.
“We at the GSF believe in strong competition laws to eradicate anti-competitive practices that have a negative impact on global trade. We note that in many parts of the world, especially in Africa and Asia, the shipping industry has been engaging in anti-competitive activity. We understand that Sri Lanka has brought in needed regulation that rebalances the bargaining power between shippers and carriers with the objective of achieving the best market-driven price and service. The GSF congratulates Sri Lanka for its leadership and for providing a good model for other countries to emulate,” the Global Shippers' Forum Chief said.
GSF represents shippers from Asia, Africa, North and South America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand and the global secretariat is located in the United Kingdom. GSF was formally incorporated in 2011 and is the only officially recognised body by IMO and many other international agencies as representatives of the global shipping community.
Following are excerpts from Ballantyne's speech.
The SLSC has been a strong and influential partner with the Global Shippers' Forum since the incorporation of the GSF in 2011 and I would also note that the SLSC formally joined the GSF in 2015. We are pleased that Mr. Van Dort has agreed to stand for election as a Director of the GSF at the annual general meeting tomorrow.
Industry in Sri Lanka, both importers and exporters, showed great foresight in 1966 by responding to the recommendation of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) “that shippers' councils should be established in order that they could negotiate collectively with shipping conferences”. It must be stated that the need identified in 1966 continues in 2016.
Current issues in both international ocean shipping and air cargo demonstrate the continuing need for shipper organisations like SLSC and the GSF.
We would also acknowledge the role of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in supporting the SLSC. The first SLSC chairman, Mr. Mallory Wijesinghe, and his colleagues at the Chamber of Commerce laid down a firm foundation to represent the interests of shippers, and the occasion of the 50th anniversary is a testament to the success of the founders and those who have followed over the past half century.
SLSC has also played a strong and influential role assisting shippers associations to organise in other Asian countries, and in 2004 SLSC was one of the founding members of the Asian Shippers' Council and provided secretariat support to the ASC for a number of years.
Sri Lanka is a nation which has much to be proud of. The land is beautiful, the culture is rich, encompassing the Buddhist, Sinhalese and Tamil traditions, and it has a diverse economy. In addition to its world-famous tea industry, there has been diversification into food processing, textiles and garment making, telecommunications and a growing tourist industry.
Democratic institutions were the first ones established in Asia with the Donoughmore Constitution of 1931 that gave the vote to Sri Lankan citizens.
Global media have reported widely on the difficult period that Sri Lanka went through over a number of years and it is a tribute to the communities and to the Sri Lankan leadership that they have worked through those issues and are now working together to build a strong and prosperous country.
We note the strong international outlook of the Sri Lankan industry and the important role that SLSC has played in enhancing the influence of the GSF. In this connection, I would like to acknowledge the work of the SLSC and in particular Rohan Masakorala, who represented GSF interests at the recent important International Chamber of Commerce revision of the 2010 Incoterms, covering trade rules outlining the responsibilities of buyers and sellers in international sales contracts.
I would like to conclude with a couple of personal comments. My first visit to Sri Lanka was in the mid-1980s when my employer, the Canadian Pacific Railway, had a contract under the Colombo Plan to assist the Sri Lanka Railway develop effective locomotive maintenance procedures for Canadian built locomotives. As my wife and I flew into the airport, we were struck by the lush tropical beauty of Sri Lanka, a very welcome change from Canadian winters! During that trip, we had the opportunity to visit the beautiful Yala National Park. That was the first and only time that I have seen elephants in the wild, a truly magnificent sight.
Finally, I should mention that my national organisation, the Freight Management Association of Canada, is sharing a significant anniversary with the SLSC this year. 2016 marks our 100th anniversary.
On behalf of all members of the Global Shippers' Forum, I congratulate the SLSC on its 50th anniversary and wish it and the companies that it represents continued success.
DailyFT Article on Monday, 01 August 2016
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the Journal Editors Code of
ethics Editor and
financing Instruction
for Authors Instruction
for Reviewers Our
Reviewers Our
Issue 2/2008
Questionnaire for diagnosis of beliefs in determinants of human nature
Marzena Żmuda-Trzebiatowska
Institute of Psychology, University of Gdańsk
The paper presents development of a questionnaire, consisting of three scales intended to measure people's naive theories about determinants of human nature. The three scales correspond to beliefs in dominance of nature, belief in dominance of nurture, and belief in the interaction between nature and nurture. Each scale is comprised of eight statements, followed by 7-point answer scales. The questionnaire was tested in a series of studies (N=447, age range: 19 - 60 years). The reliability of the three scales - Cronbach's alpha - varied (from .80 to .63) as did the correlation of individual scale items with the overall results (from .76 to .38). The statistical analysis presented in this article demonstrates that the questionnaire indeed measures three independent beliefs in determinants of human nature. Data on the validity of the questionnaire are also presented.
Key words: beliefs in determinants of human nature, nature, nurture
© 2005 Polskie Stowarzyszenie Psychologii Społecznej
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RADICAL SCOTTISH POLITICAL WRITING
Issue 112 July/Aug 2019
Issue 112 has been posted to paying subscribers and now appears online. Click here for the PDF
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Seventh Annual Jimmy Reid Memorial Lecture
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Just Transitioning – marrying environment protection and social justice
Stephen Smellie lays out what is meant by Just Transition and what role unions have to play.
The concept of the ‘Just Transition’ to a low carbon economy has become policy over the past few years with the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), Trades Union Congress (TUC) and International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) all having it on their agenda. It was the international union movement, through the ITUC, that ensured global climate talks had the Just Transition concept adopted, including in the 2015 Paris Agreements.
The concept has become used quite broadly in terms of justice for a number of current or potential victims of the effects of climate change. This would include island communities threatened by rising sea levels; developing nations whose carbon footprint has been low and, therefore, their contribution to the problem negligible yet who are told they should not increase their use of carbon by developed nations whose carbon use for 200 years has brought them wealth and power which they now want to deny to others; and poorer nations who look at the rich world who don’t want to pay for the damage their economic policies have caused.
However, the concept was first developed in the union movement to address the need to consider the workers whose jobs, families and communities are dependent upon carbon industries and who stand to lose out when the current high carbon economy transitions to a low carbon economy. Those workers should not pay the price for society reaching a socially-agreed objective.
Sustainable industrial employment
Canadian union activist, Brian Kohler, was one of the first to use and popularise the term in union circles in 1998 when he attempted to reconcile the union’s fight for decent jobs and the need to protect the environment. He said: “‘The real choice is not jobs or environment. It is both or neither”’.
In Scotland, we know when industries change or close workers are the last consideration for employers and governments. The coal and steel industries simply cast workers and communities aside when they were no longer needed. As did manufacturers in the 1980s as Thatcher’s lack of industrial policy saw jobs exported. There was no justice for workers when these transitions occurred.
It is, therefore, correct that workers in today’s carbon industries, gas, oil, chemicals, and their unions have raised the demand that their interests need to be looked after as we move towards a low carbon economy. The GMB, Prospect, UNISON and Unite unions recently published Demanding a Just Transition for Energy Workers, which details their demands for a just transition. These include training, access to jobs that are as well paid as current jobs and a voice for energy workers in the planning for the future.
This is a growing international union movement working towards a just transition. Canadian unions in the coal industry have welcomed the setting up of The Just Transition Task Force for Canadian Coal-Power Workers and Communities which will draft a plan to support affected workers and communities as Canada moves to phase-out coal-fired power. Australian power plant unions have signed up to a number of Just Transition agreements that have included transferring workers from power plants into renewable sectors as coal plants close.
The starting point for Just Transition to a low carbon economy has, however, to be the commitment that the transition is necessary and that society, government, industry and unions have agreed that there is an urgency to not only make the transition but to work together to make this transition within the shortest time possible. The recent warnings from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report which said we have 12 years to put in place the measures needed to reduce carbon use to avoid catastrophic global warming provide the evidence needed to create this sense of urgency.
However, some stakeholders don’t buy into this urgency and sometimes not even into a commitment to a transition. Trump is the obvious example but very few governments around the world have implemented the measures that would put them on course for achieving the targets agreed in Paris. The outcome of the Katowice COP (Conference of the Parties) talks was equally disappointing.
Some sections of the union movement can often appear reluctant participants in discussions regarding transitioning to a low carbon economy and use the language of Just Transition to refuse to contemplate any change unless the current members’ jobs are protected, or that alternative highly paid and unionised jobs are readily available. This approach is sometimes justified by the evidence that the shift to renewables did not create a bonanza of new jobs in the construction of renewables or in the new renewables sector.
In Scotland, we have some unions and politicians continuing to see the extension of oil and gas production as a priority for the economy and jobs. Some have argued in support of fracking and still harbour ambitions to overturn the effective ban that the Scottish Government has implemented. Their reasons for this relate solely to the question of jobs, which for unions, is always going to be their starting point.
On the other hand, a growing number of unions and politicians, as well as environmentalists, scientists, and world climate change agreements, understand the argument that extending oil and gas production is the last thing we should be doing at the moment in terms of the urgent need to cut carbon emissions to stop global warming. All the evidence points out that most of the known carbon and fossil fuels in the ground should stay there if there is any chance of preventing the record breaking year-on-year temperature rises we have been seeing and which cause the increase in severe weather events, the melting of ice-caps and subsequent rise in sea levels and the extinction of many species of insects and animals.
It is in this context the need to protect workers’ interests and at the same time the environment, that the Just Transition was originally conceived. As the growing environmental movement of the 1970s and 1980s became more influential, as the evidence mounted about the impact of capitalist industrial processes on the environment and its likely impacts, and they stopped being dismissed as tree-hugging cranks, an engagement with the labour movement and the environmentalists became essential.
This was not the first time that unions engaged with the environmental movement. Throughout years of campaigning on health and safety, the link to the danger to the environment and workers has been made in relation to asbestos or the nuclear industry. American union leader, Tony Mazzochi, of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers’ International Union, pioneered these links in the 1960s.
Good Jobs and Healthy Communities
Whilst some energy unions in the carbon industries were less receptive to messages about how their industries were a problem and needed to change, other unions became acutely aware of the consequences of continuing a high dependence on carbon use. Health union members reported increases in respiratory illness. Education union members were discussing with children the science of global warming and its consequences. Unions in the science sector had members producing the evidence of what was happening.
Therefore, the coming together within the union and labour movement of these forces created the necessary impetus to, on the one hand, accept that action is needed to reduce the use of carbon but, on the other, develop strategies that ensure that the workers in the carbon sector are not forgotten about and are looked after.
A transition to a low carbon economy must happen and that transition needs to be just to the workers. However, the Just Transition agenda is not simply related to these workers in the energy sector whose current jobs are part of an industry that is contributing to the problem. Other workers are in jobs that are at risk. Agricultural and food processing workers face changes related to climate change. The water industry, seafarers and other transport workers face significant challenges. High energy using industries such as manufacturing and construction face rising costs. The public sector workers whose budgets for services are cut to divert money to efforts to ameliorate the effects of climate change on infra-structure.
Other workers have a significant part to play in the transition and making sure that it is just: the science workers creating alternatives; the education workers training the current energy and future workers with the skills necessary for the future low carbon industries; and the public sector workers in environmental protection, infra-structure and planning, designing better communities that use less carbon.
Therefore, the assertion by some in the union movement that the Just Transition to a low carbon economy should be left to the energy workers needs to be challenged. This is an issue that affects all communities and all workers. Our consumption of energy, at work and at home, is part of the problem and our skills, knowledge and commitment to the transition to a low carbon economy is part of the solution.
For Scottish workers, we have immediate challenges and so the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Commission, set up after lobbying by the STUC and some unions working with Friends of the Earth Scotland in the Just Transition Partnership, is crucial to ensure that the necessary government actions in relation to industrial policy, education and training and harnessing public sector procurement and spending are directed towards a Just Transition for workers.
Stephen Smellie is Depute Convenor for UNISON Scotland and a UNISON national executive member. He blogs at https://stephenfs59.wordpress.com/
Greening economics and politics with social justice
Editorial – Bastards of Brexit and the ‘national interest’
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Five Secrets Where to Watch Animals
Places for Observing Animals
WILDLIFE-OBSERVATION AREAS
The probability of seeing wildlife relatively frequently is one of the park's most important and renowned attractions. Red deer, fallow deer, mouflon, Spanish ibex, wild boar and a number of different birds of prey are all abundant in the park as a result of its rugged terrain, extensive size and excellent state of conservation.
(View map in detail / Add to the travel log)
However, it is important to bear the following considerations in mind to ensure your hopes of spotting wildlife are not frustrated and that your presence does not disturb the animals:
The presence or otherwise of wild animals can never be predicted. In no place and at no time can it be guaranteed that you will see a particular animal. Although it may sound obvious, remember that the park is not a zoo.
Most animals will only been seen from far away, so it is important that you bring binoculars.
The practice of observing animals in the wild is dependent on a range of different environmental conditions, including the time of year, time of day and, above all, climate conditions. Generally, large herbivores can be observed during the first and last hours of daylight, while the large birds of prey are more visible at midday: this is when they make use of hot-air currents to aid their flight.
The colouring of the large herbivores' hides serves to camouflage them in their natural habitat, so you must be patient and persevere if you wish to observe them. Most often, you will become aware of their presence when they move.
Our impact on the environment in which the animals live must be minimal. Following the rules and adopting the approaches listed below will make it easier for you to observe the animals and also ensure that disturbance is kept to a minimum:
Try to move unseen. It is preferable to go alone or in small groups, and to dress appropriately in muted colours. Bear in mind that the animals will very probably become aware of your presence long before you become aware of theirs, given that their fear of us is genetically inscribed after thousands of years of human persecution.
Silence is crucial. Take the opportunity to listen to and interpret the thousands of sounds made by the natural world that usually go unnoticed.
Never attempt to chase animals or encroach upon the most intimate parts of their environment, such as nests or the areas in which they give birth and raise their young: you could cause irreparable damage and expose yourself to aggressive responses.
We recommend that you stay on the trails and paths.
All the park's animal species are protected under specific legislation, which must be respected. If you follow these recommendations, you will not encounter any problems when observing wildlife.
Within the park there are specialist companies that are authorised to take visitors in four-wheel-drive vehicles to areas where private cars are not permitted; specifically, areas in which wildlife can frequently be observed.
The rutting season of the red deer is one of the most popular events in the park. The area in which it is most commonly observed is Bujaraiza, near the Tranco reservoir; however, there are other, less visited spots where rutting also occurs and which are very near the park, such as the foothills of the Morena mountains near Génave, Puente de Génave and Arroyo del Ojanco. These are large, privately owned game reserves in which deer are very abundant, although they must of course be observed from the other side of the perimeter fences.
In the Collado del Almendral Wildlife Park it is very easy to see red deer, fallow deer, mouflon and Spanish ibex in semi-captivity.
Bear in mind that, besides the large herbivores and birds of prey, the park is full of many other animals that are very enjoyable to watch. Squirrels are extremely abundant, for example, as are smaller, forest-dwelling birds such as crested tits, coal tits, blue tits and finches, among many others.
The unmistakeable call of small nocturnal birds of prey, such as tawny owls and Eurasian scops owls, is commonly heard throughout the park's forests and around its villages and hamlets.
If you approach the rivers you will be able to spot the Eurasian dipper, which lives in clean, fast-flowing waters, and of course the ubiquitous trout, not to mention the thousands of species of invertebrates and the small amphibians and reptiles that make their homes in the park.
Sometimes, the park's most dramatic hunting scenes involve nothing more than a gecko lying in wait to catch mosquitoes, clinging with infinite patience to the white walls of a farmhouse during a fresh, star-speckled summer night.
ROUTES OF ORNITHOLOGICAL INTEREST
In the southern part of the park and nearby areas there are ten routes of particular ornithological interest. All of them are in areas that are easy to reach, boast outstanding natural beauty and feature information panels at the start that provide comprehensive information about the route, surroundings and different bird species that can be observed.
Below are listed the different routes and some of the most notable species that can be observed there:
Cerrada del Utrero
Griffon vulture, kingfisher, Eurasian dipper, red-billed chough, golden oriole, mottled swift.
Lake Valdeazores
Eurasian sparrowhawk, Northern goshawk, grey heron, little grebe, common moorhen, mallard, Eurasian coot, great crested grebe, tawny owl, golden oriole.
River Borosa
Northern goshawk, eagle owl, golden eagle, Eurasian sparrowhawk, tawny owl, Eurasian dipper, kingfisher, golden oriole, Eurasian siskin, red-rumped swallow.
Cueva de La Malena
Griffon vulture, peregrine falcon, common buzzard, kingfisher, common firecrest, common crossbill, Bonelli's warbler.
Booted eagle, griffon vulture, Egyptian vulture, goshawk, peregrine falcon, crag martin, common crossbill.
La Presilla
Peregrine falcon, griffon vulture, little owl, red-billed chough, black wheatear, cirl bunting, blue rock thrush, crag martin, Eurasian siskin, redwing.
Alto Guadalquivir-Puente de la Cerrada Beauty Spot
Common moorhen, Western marsh harrier, Montagu's harrier, black kite, water rail, gadwall, Northern shoveller, common pochard, Eurasian reed warbler, common sandpiper, common ringed plover.
El Chillar
Peregrine falcon, common kestrel, eagle owl, little owl, Eurasian stone curlew, black-eared wheatear, zitting cisticola, meadow pipit, rock sparrow, European bee-eater, European roller, cattle egret.
Barranco del Guadalentín
Bearded vulture, golden eagle, short-toed eagle, booted eagle, Bonelli's eagle, peregrine falcon, Eurasian sparrowhawk, goshawk, citril finch, golden oriole, Eurasian dipper, common firecrest, Bonelli's warbler.
Arroyo Guazalamanco
Eurasian sparrowhawk, common buzzard, goshawk, great spotted cuckoo, red-rumped swallow, azure-winged magpie, Eurasian dipper, wren, golden oriole, robin.
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2017 Nobel Prize – Peace
August 26, 2018 October 7, 2017 by Dave
If you want to know about this year’s winner, just jump around my preamble by scrolling down.
“Peace” is perhaps the joker in the Nobel pack because this is the award that has often resulted in what can be best described as WTF moments. The other awards are worthy of attention because they spotlight work that is truly fascinating, insightful, and inspirational. Peace does at times fill that role as well … but not every time.
The “Peace” prize was stipulated within Nobel’s will as follows …
“to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”
… and goes on to specify that the prize is to be awarded by a committee of five people chosen by the Norwegian Parliament. The other Prizes, are (as he also stipulated) decided by the Swedish science academies, and so involve a great deal more rigour. (Hint: Members of science academies tend to know a bit about science and thus can make good choices, which they usually do). “Peace” is by its very nature of being choose by a parliament very subjective and also highly politicalised.
So why did Nobel create a Peace prize?
His decision to do so is perhaps partially explained by the observation that Mr Nobel had a life long “friendship” (cough cough) with peace activist Bertha von Suttner, who then later went on to win the peace prize herself in 1905.
Let’s talk specifics
To illustrate what I’m getting at, let’s look back and see how it has all played out …
1973 Henry A. Kissinger and Lê Ðức Thọ for a Vietnam ceasefire :
The problem was that when the award was announced, both sides were still carpet bombing each other. At least Lê Ðức Thọ had the decency to decline the award. The fact that Kissinger accepted says a great deal about his personal lack of any integrity. Two Norwegian Nobel Committee members resigned to protest this one.
1979 Mother Teresa :
It very much played to the prevailing Mother Teresa PR machinery, but was not actually fact based. She claimed to have the interests of the poor in mind, but actually used all the money she gathered to promote fanatical Catholicism and simply dumped the poor she was supposed to help into some truly appalling conditions. She rather bizarrely announced during her acceptance speech that the number one cause of a lack of peace in the world was “abortion”. Indeed yes, it clearly has been all those abortions in Syria and Iraq that has challenged the region.
1989 Dalai Lama :
OK, criticism of him might be like trying to shoot Bambi. The issue here is that this is an example of politics in play. It was designed to annoy China and was given to score political points. The choice was fine, the reasoning behind it was seriously flawed.
1992 Rigoberta Menchú:
She won for “her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples“. Unfortunately, her memoirs, which had brought her to fame and this prize, turned out to be partly fictitious.
1994 Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, and Yitzhak Rabin for making peace between Israel and Palestine :
Granting them the award at the time was within the remit, and the observation that they actually were striving to build a solution does merit them the award. However, we can look back now and see that it has not exactly gone all that well. Even at the time one of the five Norwegian Nobel Committee members could see how it would play out, so denounced Arafat as a terrorist and not a peacemaker, then quit in disgust.
2009 Barack Obama :
This was another rather blatant political choice. Obama himself was a bit mystified about it. The closing date for nominations was 1st Feb 2009, just 12 days after he took office, so at best can only have been a decision based upon those 12 days.
2013 The entire European Union :
In one respect, I do get this one because the various European states have a long history of going to war with each other, and have ceased doing so since the formation of the EU. Now all they do is distribute a rather unequal form of financial chaos. I still find giving an award to an entire economic block on the sole basis that they have not ripped out each others throats to be a tad odd. Remember that their stipulated remit for peace is “to the person“, so who exactly is the person here?
What perhaps makes the award even weirder is that Mahatma Gandhi never won. If anybody should have, then it was him. He was nominated in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947, but never received it. That specific non-award has been publicly regretted. Geir Lundestad, Secretary of Norwegian Nobel Committee, said in 2006 …
“The greatest omission in our 106-year history is undoubtedly that Mahatma Gandhi never received the Nobel Peace prize. Gandhi could do without the Nobel Peace prize, whether Nobel committee can do without Gandhi is the question”
The primary problem here is that (as argued by Norwegian historian Øivind Stenersen) the committee members utilise the granting of the award as a means of furthering Norwegian nation building and also promoting Norway’s foreign policy and economic interests. Since the committee is (as stipulated in Nobel’s will) composed of individuals chosen by the Norwegian Parliament, then this outcome is not exactly a huge shock.
It is perhaps almost impossible for this to not be a political award.
Having said all that, it is not all bad because sometimes they do get it right by spotlighting somebody truly inspirational and is in the long view a great peacemaker. For example Nelson Mandela, or Martin Luther King Jr. (You can find a full list of past winners here)
Who Won this year?
While not within their remit because it is once again not a specific human, it is still a good choice.
The Nobel Peace Prize 2017 was awarded to International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
“for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons”.
(sourced from the official press release here)
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2017 to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The organization is receiving the award for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons.
We live in a world where the risk of nuclear weapons being used is greater than it has been for a long time. Some states are modernizing their nuclear arsenals, and there is a real danger that more countries will try to procure nuclear weapons, as exemplified by North Korea. Nuclear weapons pose a constant threat to humanity and all life on earth. Through binding international agreements, the international community has previously adopted prohibitions against land mines, cluster munitions and biological and chemical weapons. Nuclear weapons are even more destructive, but have not yet been made the object of a similar international legal prohibition.
Through its work, ICAN has helped to fill this legal gap. An important argument in the rationale for prohibiting nuclear weapons is the unacceptable human suffering that a nuclear war will cause. ICAN is a coalition of non-governmental organizations from around 100 different countries around the globe. The coalition has been a driving force in prevailing upon the world’s nations to pledge to cooperate with all relevant stakeholders in efforts to stigmatise, prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons. To date, 108 states have made such a commitment, known as the Humanitarian Pledge.
Furthermore, ICAN has been the leading civil society actor in the endeavour to achieve a prohibition of nuclear weapons under international law. On 7 July 2017, 122 of the UN member states acceded to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. As soon as the treaty has been ratified by 50 states, the ban on nuclear weapons will enter into force and will be binding under international law for all the countries that are party to the treaty.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is aware that an international legal prohibition will not in itself eliminate a single nuclear weapon, and that so far neither the states that already have nuclear weapons nor their closest allies support the nuclear weapon ban treaty. The Committee wishes to emphasize that the next steps towards attaining a world free of nuclear weapons must involve the nuclear-armed states. This year’s Peace Prize is therefore also a call upon these states to initiate serious negotiations with a view to the gradual, balanced and carefully monitored elimination of the almost 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world. Five of the states that currently have nuclear weapons – the USA, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China – have already committed to this objective through their accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1970. The Non-Proliferation Treaty will remain the primary international legal instrument for promoting nuclear disarmament and preventing the further spread of such weapons.
It is now 71 years since the UN General Assembly, in its very first resolution, advocated the importance of nuclear disarmament and a nuclear weapon-free world. With this year’s award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to pay tribute to ICAN for giving new momentum to the efforts to achieve this goal.
The decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2017 to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons has a solid grounding in Alfred Nobel’s will. The will specifies three different criteria for awarding the Peace Prize: the promotion of fraternity between nations, the advancement of disarmament and arms control and the holding and promotion of peace congresses. ICAN works vigorously to achieve nuclear disarmament. ICAN and a majority of UN member states have contributed to fraternity between nations by supporting the Humanitarian Pledge. And through its inspiring and innovative support for the UN negotiations on a treaty banning nuclear weapons, ICAN has played a major part in bringing about what in our day and age is equivalent to an international peace congress.
It is the firm conviction of the Norwegian Nobel Committee that ICAN, more than anyone else, has in the past year given the efforts to achieve a world without nuclear weapons a new direction and new vigour.
Categories People, politics, society Tags 2017, nobel prize, peace Post navigation
2017 Nobel Prize – Literature
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Home » China, European Union, Metals & Minerals » When Will The Chinese Economic Agenda Be Noticed In Washington? (Part II)
When Will The Chinese Economic Agenda Be Noticed In Washington? (Part II)
by Jack Lifton on November 15, 2008 · 2 comments
in China, European Union, Metals & Minerals
On November 4, 2008, the European Commission issued a press released entitled “European Commission proposes new strategy to address E.U. critical needs for raw materials.” The press release title and summary says it all:
European Commission proposes new strategy to address E.U. critical needs for raw materials
“Raw materials are an essential part of both high tech products and every-day consumer products. European industry needs fair access to raw materials both from within and outside the E.U . For certain high tech metals, the E.U. has a high import dependency and access to these raw materials is getting increasingly difficult. Many resource-rich countries are applying protectionist measures that stop or slow down the export of raw materials to Europe in order to help their downstream industries. Many European producers suffer from such practices. On top of this, some emerging countries are becoming very active in resource-rich countries, particularly in Africa, with the aim of securing a privileged access to raw materials. If Europe does not act now, European industry is put at a competitive disadvantage. In response to this challenge, the European Commission launched today a new integrated strategy which sets out targeted measures to secure and improve the access to raw materials for E.U. industry.”
The European Union has recognized the accelerating growth of Chinese resource hegemony and the impact that this Chinese agenda will have on the future of local industrialization in a global economy. The E.U. has started on a path already adopted by the more farseeing governments of Japan, Korea, and India, for example, to preserve their domestic economies in a diversified enough configuration to maintain self-sufficiency. The E.U., unlike the U.S., recognizes that once a powerful economic competitor dominates a critical material, it also dominates the choices of where that material goes and the choice of where the industry based on that raw material is located. The E.U. also recognizes that economically powerful, and independent, nation states are in the long run only those that are self-sufficient.
I view China as a nation that openly operates on a long-term, national strategic agenda as prescribed by Marxist philosophy. China manifests its policies in an openly published successions of five-year plans, the implementation and success of which are China’s government’s measure of its own success in moving forward to first a socialist and then a communist society.
America’s short-term thinking elites, interested only in instant gratification, are divided into two equally myopic groups. There are those who think that a society with no national economic goals other than an arithmetically defined “growth” with a lightly regulated economy— which is as close as reasonable to a free market economy—is best. And, supposedly in contrast, there are those who think that government’s purpose is to level incomes for everyone but the elites. To accomplish this goal of “fairness for everyone else” the national government must be involved in as much of the economy as possible—through detailed regulation and micro-managerial control of all aspects.
Historically we called the first group “Republicans” and the second group “Democrats.” The second group’s stated purpose is always to improve the environment or save the middle class from exploitation by the greedy elites—of course the latter are always others—or some such fair-and-balanced treatment agenda. It has now become very difficult to distinguish between these two groups of elites.
I do not think that America’s hereditary House of Representatives or House of Lards, the Senate, actually can understand how the Chinese system of self-interested government could be an economic threat to their life styles. In their fantasy world, all global economic agendas are created and led by the American economy. It’s an America comprising only 4% of the world’s population, that today creates over 30% of the world’s annual wealth. The Senators seem to fail to notice that these numbers were 2 ½% and 40% in the last quarter of the 20th century.
Astoundingly, the Europeans have figured out what has eluded the American governmental and Wall Street elites: that we are on the cusp of a transition to a world where other nations, or groups of them, also set economic agendas for the entire world. These agendas do not include the United States remaining as the leader forever.
Europe has recognized the urgency of one of the most dangerous current global trends, one which is almost totally ignored by the U.S. The E.U. is moving towards avoiding the consequences for itself, of a foreign hegemony over natural resources. Europe is acting in its own self interest to preserve its diversity of its industry. The U.S. has acted against its own self interest in the same matter and has already lost its industrial diversification.
U.S. production of automobiles and trucks is done by the highest-paid, most highly-benefitted group of workers the world has ever seen. So, before you decide whether or not U.S. taxpayers should subsidize carmaking, note that Japanese-, Korean- and German-owned and operated car makers build their products profitably in the U.S. In doing, so they pay their workers excellent wages, provide good benefits, pay property taxes in many American cities and states, employ American construction companies and contractors to build and maintain their plants, generate thousands of thriving small businesses in the form of product dealerships. Only then do they repatriate after-tax profits from their operations. No American owned-and-operated car maker has done any one of those things for the last five years or more.
Every dollar of profit made by GM in the Chinese domestic market is reinvested in China to grow the Chinese economy. GM, for example, did not charge its Chinese partners and suppliers one cent for giving them the technological benefit of the tens of billions of dollars of engineering development and the billions of man-hours expended, which had made American mass produced cars among the best in the world. Chinese industry saved huge sums by not having to develop engineering skills, so the profits were poured back into the Chinese domestic economy–effectively by the short-sighted total misjudgment of GM’s managers, among others. Chinese companies, with the backing of their government and their banks, filled with hard currency, are working day and night to develop the Chinese natural resource industry. And an added goal is to buy control of foreign natural resource production so as to permanently cement Chinese natural resource hegemony.
The Europeans have decided to go on their own to preserve their self sufficiency and independence in access to natural resources. In doing so, they may have fatally weakened America’s chance to do the same thing, that is if and when Washington ever wakes up to the danger of being a supplicant for fuel, minerals, and metals.
The Chinese have to simply look on in total disbelief as Washington moves to subsidize the Volt Dolts in Detroit and hand the future of supplying a global economy, with heavy industrial and high tech goods, to a contest among a late-starting European Union, India, and China.
Perhaps the most unbelievable part of American myopia can be found in the four metals that the European Union chose to name in its press release as representative of the 40 metals it is classifying as critical:
Lithium;
Tantalum;
Cobalt; and
Antimony.
Each of these could be—and has been—mined in North America in quantities such that the U.S., Canada, and Mexico—the NAFTA alliance—could be self-sufficient or competitive. Yet today the U.S. is wholly dependent on foreign sources for tantalum, 86% for antimony, 78% for cobalt, and the USGS does not list lithium as one of the selected imports to monitor in its annual survey! Both tantalum and cobalt in fact are smuggled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. mainly to China. where electronic devices, magnets, and cutting tools, for example are made for export to the U.S. where “concerned environmental activists’ get to enjoy the fruits of child labor and slavery while they give and listen to speeches about the evils of mining in the American West.
Europe is coming awake. America slumbers on in hypocrisy and utterly criminal disregard of the consequences of misguided environmentalism for the future economic security of the U.S.
America has not passed the buck it has passed the torch.
About Jack Lifton
Jack Lifton is a leading authority on the sourcing and end use trends of rare & strategic metals. He is a Founding Principal of Technology Metals Research, LLC and President of Jack Lifton, LLC, consulting for institutional investors doing due diligence on metal-related opportunities. When not trotting around the globe, Jack calls the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan home. Check out Jack's full bio for more details. Note that the views and opinions expressed by Jack on this Web site, or via any other Web site or publication, are solely his alone. Such views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Technology Metals Research, LLC or any other person.
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Visit the Plaza de Toros Santamaria Bullfighting Stadium
While visiting Bogota, you may want to check out the cities bull fighting stadium.
Excerpt from the book Soul Searching in South America from the Teresa the Traveler Series
What kind of Bull is this?
From the viewpoint I spotted the stadium where Bogotá’s bullfights take place and, in a combination of Pictionary and Charades, managed to ask my Spanish speaking guide to take me there. Located in the Macarena district, the Plaza de Toros Santamaria was opened to the public in February 1931 and has since hosted many of the world’s top bullfighters. Its short season runs from mid January to the end of February.
A traditional spectacle in such countries as Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador and in Central America, this blood sport is considered a fine art by its followers. The largest bullfighting venue (seating 48,000 spectators) is the Plaza de toros Mexico in Mexico City while the oldest is the La Maestranza in Sevilla Spain which hosted its first bull fight in 1765.
In Spanish style bullfighting, the style that takes place in Colombia, three matadors, with the assistance of two picadors, three banderilleros and a mozo de espadas, each fight two bulls. Accompanied by band music, participants parade into the stadium, wearing 18th century inspired Andalusian clothing, and salute the presiding dignitary. The highly ritualized event takes place in three stages called tercious the start of which is announced by a bugle call.
The Lancing – During the first stage, the bull enters the ring and the matador performs a series of passes using a magenta and gold cape in order to observe the bulls behaviour and ferocity. Next a picador on horseback enters the arena and stabs the bull in the neck. The horse is covered with a padding to protect it from the bull’s horns, however prior to 1930 this was not the case and the horse was usually disembowelled at this stage.
The Third of Banderillas
– During the second stage, the three banderillas each attempt to insert two sharp barbed sticks or banderillas into the bull’s shoulders. This act angers and invigorates the bull and further weakens it.
The Third of Death
– During the third stage the matador enters the ring alone with a small red cape and a sword. Contrary to popular belief, the color red does not anger the colorblind bulls. Using the cape to attract the bull in a series of passes, the matador both wears the bull out and performs for the crowd. In order to demonstrate his domination over the beast he may hold the cape especially close to his body. During the final kill, the matador attempts to manoeuvre the bull into a
position where he can stab it between the shoulder blades and through the heart in an act called an estocada.
If the matador has performed exceptionally well the crowd will wave white handkerchiefs petitioning the president to award him an ear of the bull. In the rare occasion that the crowd and matador believe the bull has put on a brave fight, they may even petition to spare his life and return to the ranch to live out his life as a stud bull.
The stadium was closed when we arrived but the caretakers were kind enough to let us in to view it. Workers were cleaning up the sandy ring in the center where small pools of blood were all that remained of the last bull to meet its makers for the entertainment of the blood thirsty crowd.
I don’t know that I could handle seeing an actual bullfight. It seems like such a cruel way to kill an animal. In fact, a number of animal rights activists claim the bull suffers a slow and tortuous death and have called for an end to the spectacle. In 1899 Argentina banned bullfighting and in 1912 it was abolished by Uruguay but despite anti-bullfighting demonstrations throughout the world the tradition continues in many countries to this day.
For tips on visiting Columbia CLICK HERE
Hotel Ambala
Cra. 5 No. 13- 46
Bogota, Columbia
Tel: 342 6384 – 341 2376
www.hotelambala.com
How to Get There - Fly to the international airport in Bogota
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Thales Visionix Inc. v. US
Thales is only the eighth Federal Circuit conclusion of eligible subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101 since Alice in 2014. The eligible subject matter of Thales may be one of the better examples in the electrical/mechanical arts.
Plaintiff Thales appealed from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims judgement that claims of U.S. Patent No. 6,474,159 are directed to ineligible subject matter, i.e., an abstract idea of using mathematical equations. Prior to the ‘159 Patent, a system for tracking motion of an object relative to a moving platform included at least three sensors: 1) an inertial sensor on the object and measuring motion relative to the Earth; 2) an inertial sensor on the moving platform and measuring motion relative to the Earth; and 3) an error-correcting sensor on the object and measuring a position relative to the moving platform, as shown and annotated in FIGS. 3A and 3B reproduced below. However, the system tracked inconsistent positions when the moving platform accelerated or turned.
The ‘159 Patent teaches a system for tracking motion of an object relative to a moving platform including at least two sensors: 1) an inertial sensor on the moving platform and measuring a gravitational field in the moving platform; and 2) an inertial sensor on an object and measuring a position relative to the moving platform, as shown and annotated in FIG. 3C reproduced below. The ‘159 system increases accuracy of measurements made when the moving platform accelerated or turned, and includes less hardware
Independent claim 1 of the ‘159 Patent recites (emphasis added):
A system for tracking the motion of an object relative to a moving reference frame, comprising:
a first inertial sensor mounted on the tracked object;
a second inertial sensor mounted on the moving reference frame; and
an element adapted to receive signals from said first and second inertial sensors and configured to determine an orientation of the object relative to the moving reference frame based on the signals received from the first and second inertial sensors.
As the emphasized language claims a mathematical equation, the U.S. Court held that claim 1 is directed to an abstract idea.
The Federal Circuit reversed and remanded, holding that the claims are directed to eligible subject matter, i.e., not an abstract idea. The Federal Circuit primarily asserted that the claims are "nearly indistinguishable" from the claims in Diamond v. Diehr, 450 U.S. 175 (1981):
"The navigation equations in the '159 patent are derived from [a] particular arrangement of sensors. … While the claims utilize mathematical equations to determine the orientation of the object relative to the moving reference frame, the equations—dictated by the placement of the inertial sensors and application of laws of physics—serve only to tabulate the position and orientation information in this configuration. This arrangement is analogous to the claims in Diehr, which required the temperature measurement 'at a location closely adjacent to the mold cavity in the press during molding.'"
The Federal Circuit further asserted that the claims result in additional technical benefits, such as the system working with any type of moving platform, the system being simpler to install than conventional systems, and the system being self-contained, i.e., requiring no external information about the orientation or position of the platform.
The Federal Circuit summarized, "Far from claiming the equations themselves, the claims seek to protect only the application of physics to the unconventional configuration of sensors as disclosed" (emphasis added). It is interesting to note that claim 1 above does not particularly claim the application of physics to the unconventional configuration of the sensors, but only alludes to such features in the determining function.
In view of Thales, a claimed equation alone may no longer be an abstract idea, if the equation is an application of physics to an unconventional configuration of sensors as disclosed and not necessarily claimed. Also, technical benefits of claimed inventions should continue to be included in specifications and arguments in the USPTO for subject-matter eligibility under § 101.
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The reservoirs have enough water for two years but better infrastructure is badly needed
La Concepción, completely full last week. / JOSELE-LANZA
La Concepción had to release the equivalent of a month's consumption in the province, and no date has yet been set for works to begin to enlarge the reservoir
IGNACIO LILLO | MALAGA
6 April 201814:48
In just one month the province has passed from drought to an abundance of water. The Mediterranean climate is marked by alternating cycles of low and high rainfall, but the problem in this case is that the population of the Costa del Sol continues to grow and so does the need for water resources. Economic sectors such as tourism and agricultura also rely on a plentiful supply of water.
At the end of February the lack of rain was so worrying that the regional government's Ministry of the Environment was preparing to restrict the use of water, especially in the Axarquía region. On 27 February the reservoirs held 205.30 cubic hectometres of water, which was just 33 per cent of capacity. La Viñuela was even worse, containing just over 35 hm3, 21.4 per cent of capacity.
After all the rain that fell in March, what is the situation now? As a general reference, the average measured at Malaga Airport, which is the official measurement for statistical purposes, is 550 litres of rain per square metre a year. Last month there were 224, more than a third of the rain which normally falls in twelve months, according to the Aemet meteorological centre in Malaga. However, the city was one of the places with the lowest rainfall in March. The wettest area was on the boundary between Malaga and Cadiz provinces. For example, around the Guadiaro river and Gaucín area there were nearly 650 litres per square metre.
The water reserves have almost doubled in a month and there is enough for two years
At a general level, the rainfall was between 205 and 386 hm3, according to the Red Hidrosur, which is part of the Junta de Andalucía's Environmental Department. That is enough water to last for two years, even if it doesn't rain again. However, although the situation has improved in general, it is not the same everywhere.
In the Axarquía, although La Viñuela now holds twice as much water as before, its use for irrigation is still restricted. The last committee meeting decided to maintain the same volume as last year (when the situation was almost identical to this year), at 1.5hm3 in April and 2hm3 in May. There will be another meeting at the end of May to see how much water the reservoir contains and decide on irrigation in the summer. In any case, there will be enough water for 24 months.
In Malaga city and the Guadalhorce valley there is enough water for more than two years and no restrictions are planned for irrigation this summer. The Conde de Guadalhorce, Guadalhorce and Guadalteba reservoirs have doubled their water content, and now contain 227 hm3.
Paradoxes of La Concepción
That is one aspect. The other is that, once again, the situation has highlighted the lack of hydraulic infrastructure in the province. La Concepción reservoir, which supplies much of the Costa del Sol, shows a series of paradoxes which emphasise the fragility of the system. This week, with 61 hm3 it was almost completely full, but its maximum capacity is only 61.85 hm3 and it has to supply one of the most populated areas of Spain. As a backup, Marbella also has a sea water desalination plant which is mainly used when demand is at its peak in the summer.
The second paradox is that the reservoir is very small compared with the basin which it supplies and is the rainiest in the province. And the third is that water which it could have used in the forthcoming months has had to be released from the reservoir to stop it overflowing. A total of 7.12 hm3 were let out from 16 to 18 March. That is almost the amount used in the province in a normal month.
The central and regional governments want to expand La Concepción, but the ideal solution would be to build another reservoir lower down and expand its total capacity to 180 hm3, which would make it the biggest in the province. Alternatively, all the reservoirs could be connected, so water could be used and stored where needed.
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1st IAAF World Junior Coaches Conference – Oregon 2014
3:48 PM Unknown
Monaco - The 1st IAAF World Junior Coaches Conference will be held in Eugene, USA, on Monday 28 July, giving the opportunity for coaches from nearly 180 national teams assembled for the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships the chance to attend. Held at the University of Oregon campus in the Erb Memorial Union Ballroom, near Hayward Field where the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships will be staged between 22-27 July, the Conference will be opened by IAAF President Lamine Diack and feature six experts from around the world discussing topics of interest in this category for the coaching profession. Topics will include the physiological, psychological and training issues relevant to junior athletes, especially prodigious performers at an elite level. Speakers include: IAAF Director of Development & Member Relations Dept. Malek El-Hebil, Dr Randall L Wilber (USA), Helmar Hommel (GER), Dr Keith Barr (USA), Professor Dr Ulrich Hartmann (GER), Dr Craig Poole (USA). A copy of the Conference brochure which gives further details of the programme and speakers’ backgrounds can be found on the right-hand side of this page as a Related Document. This Conference will be the latest in the series of coaching seminars promoted and organised by the IAAF as part of its commitment to the development of the sport. It follows in the footsteps of the very successful 2nd IAAF World Coaches Conference held in Moscow last August, immediately after the conclusion of the 2013 IAAF World Championships.
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News / July 2008
Tucows second quarter investment community conference call is Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 5:00 P.M. (ET)
TORONTO, July 31 /CNW/ – Tucows Inc. (TSX: TC, AMEX: TCX) plans to report its second quarter fiscal 2008 financial results via news release on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at approximately 4:00 p.m. (ET). Company management will host a conference call the same day at 5:00 p.m. (ET) to discuss the results and the outlook for the company.
Participants can access the conference call via the Internet at http://tucowsinc.com/investors.
For those unable to participate in the conference call at the scheduled time, it will be archived for replay both by telephone and via the Internet beginning approximately one hour following completion of the call. To access the archived conference call by telephone, dial 416-640-1917 or 1-877-289-8525 and enter the pass code 21278773 followed by the pound key. The telephone replay will be available until Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at midnight. To access the archived conference call as an MP3 via the Internet, go to http://tucowsinc.com/investors.
About Tucows
Tucows provides Internet services for web hosting companies and ISPs. Through our global network of over 9,000 service providers our OpenSRS group provides millions of email boxes and manages over eight million domains. Tucows is an accredited registrar with ICANN (the Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers). We hold a domain name portfolio of approximately 150,000 domain names that are available for sale, monetized through advertising and support our wholesale Personal Names Service. Our Retail division sells Tucows services to consumers and small business owners through Domain Direct, IYD (It’s Your Domain) and NetIdentity. Tucows.com remains one of the most popular software download sites on the Internet. For more information please visit: http://tucowsinc.com.
This entry was posted in News Releases on July 31, 2008 by Tucows.
Tucows To Present at 2008 Technology, Media & Communications Conference Hosted by RBC Capital Markets
Toronto, July 30, 2008 – Tucows Inc., (AMEX:TCX, TSX:TC), a leading provider of Internet services to web hosting companies and ISPs worldwide, today announced that Elliot Noss, President and CEO, will present at the RBC Capital Markets Technology, Media & Communications Conference on Wednesday, August 6th at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time. The conference is being held at the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco, CA.
Tucows will offer a live audio webcast of its presentation as well as a 30-day archived replay, which may be accessed in the “Investor Relations” section of the Tucows corporate website at http://tucowsinc.com/investors/ and the “Featured Events” section at www.mkr-group.com.
Conference Details:
RBC Capital Markets Technology, Media & Communications Conference
The Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco, CA
More information can be found at: www.rbccm.com
Tucows provides Internet services for web hosting companies and ISPs. Through our global network of over 9,000 service providers our OpenSRS group provides millions of email boxes and manage over eight million domains. Tucows is an accredited registrar with ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). We hold a domain name portfolio of approximately 150,000 domain names that are available for sale, monetized through advertising and support our wholesale Personal Names Service. Our Retail division sells Tucows services to consumers and small business owners through Domain Direct, IYD (It’s Your Domain) and NetIdentity. Tucows.com remains one of the most popular software download sites on the Internet. For more information please visit: http://www.tucowsinc.com.
Leona Hobbs
Tucows, Inc.
lhobbs@tucows.com
Todd Kehrli or Mary Magnani
MKR Group, Inc.
tcx@mkr-group.com
A note for our RSS Feed Subscribers
Just a quick note for those following the Tucows Corporate blog via the RSS feed:
This feed will now provide news releases and posts related to Tucows Inc. OpenSRS Resellers (and those interested in hearing more about our Reseller Services) are invited to visit our brand new Reseller Blog at http://opensrs.com/blog/ You can also subscribe to the RSS feed for the Reseller Blog at http://opensrs.com/blog/feed/
This entry was posted in Blog on July 29, 2008 by Tucows.
Tucows Announces Return of OpenSRS Where Friendly, Reliable Service Comes First
Unsurpassed support and reseller satisfaction as top priority sets OpenSRS apart
Toronto and Chicago, (HostingCon 2008), July 28, 2008 – Tucows Inc., (AMEX:TCX, TSX:TC) a leading provider of Internet services to web hosting companies and ISPs worldwide, announced today the return of the OpenSRS name for its wholesale reseller services group. Through its network of web hosting companies and Internet service providers, OpenSRS provides web and email addresses for millions of people worldwide.
In 1999, Tucows became the first domain name wholesaler to be accredited by ICANN and chose the name OpenSRS for its domain name service. Today, OpenSRS remains one of the world’s largest wholesale domain registrars, and has expanded its offerings to include hosted email and SSL certificates. Resellers’ sustained loyalty to OpenSRS was one reason behind the decision to re-launch the brand, and key to that loyalty is the company’s reputation as the most reseller-friendly among Internet services wholesalers.
‚ÄúAt OpenSRS, we really believe in supporting our resellers because they‚Äôve been incredibly supportive of us. That means not only making it easy to sell, provision and support the highest quality Internet services, but it also means being true to our word,‚Äù said Ken Schafer, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing for Tucows. ‚ÄúWe‚Äôve made a commitment to being reseller friendly, so much so that we’ve included it in our new logo.‚Äù
Over the past nine years, OpenSRS has grown steadily each year and today boasts over 9,000 active resellers on six continents. Those resellers, in turn, have the potential to reach millions of end users. OpenSRS resellers are fiercely loyal, 78% of the resellers who joined in 1999 are still using OpenSRS to sell services today.
OpenSRS is known for its work on registrant rights within the registrar community as well as making things simple and reliable for its resellers. It also differentiates itself through a deep commitment to its identity as a wholesale business. This runs in sharp contrast to competitors that frequently end up competing with their own resellers for customers.
“We’re a true Internet services wholesaler. You won’t find our name or logo anywhere on our end-user interfaces and we don’t talk to our reseller’s customers, ever,” said Schafer. “We stand by our promises and commitments and we work to earn our reseller’s loyalty.”
As part of the re-launch of OpenSRS, the company has established new brand marks and a logo consistent with a 1950s-era service company, aimed at recalling a time when service mattered most. An iconic character has also been created to embody OpenSRS’ core values – service, friendliness, willingness to help, community service and reliability.
To celebrate the re-launch of the OpenSRS brand and mark a return to the bygone days of service with a smile, OpenSRS will be serving up treats from an old-fashioned soda fountain and ice cream stand in booth #626 at HostingCon 2008, at Navy Pier in Chicago from today through Wednesday.
About OpenSRS
OpenSRS is a global provider of wholesale Internet services to web hosting companies and ISPs. Wholly owned by Tucows, Inc., OpenSRS provides wholesale services for hosted email, domain name registration, Personal Names, and SSL certificates. For more information, please visit http://opensrs.com.
Tucows provides Internet services for web hosting companies and ISPs.Through our global network of over 9,000 service providers our OpenSRS group provides millions of email boxes and manages over eight million domains. Tucows is an accredited registrar with ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). We hold a domain name portfolio of approximately 150,000 domain names that are available for sale, monetized through advertising and support our wholesale Personal Names Service. Our Retail division sells Tucows services to consumers and small business owners through Domain Direct, IYD (It’s Your Domain) and NetIdentity. Tucows.com remains one of the most popular software download sites on the Internet. For more information please visit: http://tucowsinc.com.
Thoughts on ICANN’s ‘Open’ Domain Namespace
I recently did a brief interview with Tom Sullivan of Fox Business News on the topic of ICANN’s recent move to open up the namespace and create a large number of new top-level domains. I’ve been somewhat distracted by personal endeavours for the past month, so the interview gave me the opportunity to really think hard about what ICANN’s decision means for the industry and where it might leads us in the next three to five years or so.
New TLDs mean new competition:
New competition is a “really good thing” in this market. For too long the registry management space has been dominated by a very small number of players. Lack of choice hampers innovation. Worse, it has lead to increasing prices for what is otherwise, a commodity product. It may not happen immediately, but I believe that increasing the number of competing TLDs will keep rising prices in check, and possibly even lower them over the longer-term. Further to this, not a lot of innovation is coming out of the existing players. .MOBI, for instance, has done some interesting things, but no one is really going out on a limb and doing exciting things with a TLD. Give everyone the capability to get a TLD and I guarantee you, interesting things will start to happen.
The namespace will finally internationalize and personalize:
Since the origins of the Internet, domain names were limited to ASCII strings. This restriction will quickly evaporate as IDN TLDs come into existence and we will see massive growth in non-English, non-ASCII, top-level domains serving various communities. This is huge by itself! Making it even bigger is that the additional choice will make it even easier for regular people like you and me to get a meaningful domain name that relates to our personal identity. When .INFO opened up, the first thing I did was register rader.info because I had missed out on rader.com, net, org and ca. The mass market represents a huge growth opportunity, but I don’t think that .com, .net, .org, and the others have enough upside left to adequately capitalize on the demand it represents. New TLDs and innovative use of existing TLDs will make it easier to tap into these opportunities.
New TLDs are great for trademark holders:
They just don’t know it yet. Right now, rights holders are rabidly opposed to new TLDs because they believe it will create a nightmare for them in terms of protecting against trademark abuse in all of these new TLDs. On its face, the argument looks valid. After all, it’s tough to protect Tucows’ trademarks and copyrights in a small handful of top-level domains. Creating hundreds, or even thousands, of new top-level domains makes it almost impossible for us to protect ourselves, right? Sort of. The UDRP will still be in place to deal with any inevitable abuse, but there is a real opportunity here for rightsholders that I don’t think has been properly recognized yet.
This announcement clears the way for big brands to create their own top level domains and build trust mechanisms into those domains that will go a long way towards getting the upper hand in the rights battles that are occupying so much of their time. What I mean is, Chase Bank will find it a lot easier to create a trusted online service relationship with their clients if they do it within the context of a .chase top-level domain. It won’t eliminate phishing, but it will raise the bar. Over time, I believe internet users will start finding meaning in top-level domains that doesn’t exist today. The same way an average computer user recognizes the difference between .jpg, .xls and .pdf files, they will also recognize the difference between a .com, .fox and .nike domain extension.
New TLDs will force software developers to deal with security issues:
I don’t necessarily think that new top level domains are going to make it easier for phishers to phish, spammers to spam and scammers to scam. But I think there are enough people that are worried about this that it will force the issue to some sort of a resolution. The first step lies with the browser and email client vendors. Implementing URL authentication and verification tools will take some time and trial and error, but I think it will be a great development for overall consumer satisfaction and safety.
ICANN should, and will, get out of the way:
The Internet is a decentralized, unregulated space. Domain names aren’t. ICANN needs to get out of the way as much as possible and allow the namespace to develop its own characteristics along the same lines as the rest of the Internet. ICANN has been a centralized chokepoint for far too long, mostly at the behest of telco interests. This move clears the way for ICANN to do more coordination and less regulation. Strangely, this development comes at a time when most are calling for ICANN to regulate even more. I don’t think that this is either practical or desirable and will have strong negative effects on the viability of the DNS over the long term if they go this route.
This isn’t really news for .com domainers:
Domain names are a little bit like real estate. Quality domain names will always be quality domain names. Short, memorable, easy to spell – all hallmarks of a great name. Great names with great extensions, like fox.com will always be great. But, for specific purposes, perhaps fox.news is a better name? It all depends on what you want to use the name for and how strong your existing brand is. I don’t think that this necessarily leads to any sort of real negative impact on .com name valuations, but it will create new opportunities for buyers and sellers.
Overall, I don’t think that anyone actually recognizes the true size of the opportunity that is facing the Internet. I’m quite excited at the prospects hinted at by this announcement and look forward to capitalizing on as much of it as possible.
This entry was posted in Blog on July 3, 2008 by rrader.
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Revving It Up Series
Here on this blog we also review complete series, and in this case I have read the Revving It Up series, because of the release of the latest addition to the series “Crossroads” The whole series is about a racing team struggling to get by and finding ways to make money. Now I have no idea what car racing is all about, but apparently it is filled with very homophobic people. NASCAR is not ready for a gay racer, but when Caleb Youngblood and Sebastian Rush falls in love, there is no way they will hide it from the outside world.
The stories are short, very short and read very easy. All in all the story is fun, but because it is so short, I feel like a lot of information is either left out or rushed in too fast. We jump from situation to situation, person to person and it all becomes quite confusing after some time. Each story can be read separately but to understand the story and see the full character development it is better to read them all in order.
I personally enjoyed the story, but I really had to sit down and read it, because it takes some concentration to keep the story in the right order.
SERIES REVIEW TOUR
REVVING IT UP SERIES by W.S. LONG
The stories revolve around two main characters, Caleb Youngblood, and Sebastian Rush. Caleb was raised in a NASCAR racing family and wants to pursue a racing career, but being gay and in the closet causes a problem when he falls in love with Sebastian who doesn’t want to keep their love hidden.
Although they can be read as standalone, the stories are probably best read in order to get the full character developments.
Book Title: Starting His Engine
Author: W.S. Long
Publisher: JMS Books LLC
Genre/s: male-male romance; erotic romance
Length: 16 336 words/59 pages
Athletic and handsome, Florida boy Caleb Youngblood has always wanted to race stock cars like his father and his brother. The roar of the engines, the smell of the burning rubber and the thrill of speed courses his veins. Racing is as much a part of him as the sun and surf of the Florida ocean he loves.
But, when Caleb falls in love with sports writer Sebastian Rush, he must make a decision. Will he stay in the closet and follow his dream, or can he make a life with Sebastian and follow his heart?
Note: may contain sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.
Garrison didn’t say anything until Joan and Earl left the room. Caleb moved closer and hugged his brother. “Glad you’re okay, man.”
“Thanks. What’s in the paper bag?”
“Clothes. I figured you needed to borrow a fresh shirt and shorts. Joan suggested I stop by your place and get you some clean clothes, but I wanted to come over right away without stopping at New Smyrna so I just grabbed you some of my clothes.”
Caleb handed the bag to Garrison who peered inside.
“What’s this?” He lifted a pink muscle tank top. “Holy shit! I’m not wearing this!”
“What about the shorts I brought?”
Garrison took out the blue shorts and eyed them. “These are girl’s shorts.”
“No. They’re male shorts, just a really, really, really short pair, meant to highlight posterior assets.”
“I’m not wearing these. My balls would be hanging out of them!”
Caleb snorted while Garrison threw the clothes at him. “You’re never appreciative of the things I do for you.”
Garrison mouthed the word asshole and then laughed.
“Did you expect anything less?”
“I guess not, little brother. Where have you been, by the way? You’ve been MIA for like two to three weeks.”
“Dad and I, well, I don’t know how to explain it,” said Caleb.
“Joan told me. She said dad wants Youngblood racing to focus on one driver for marketing and endorsements.”
“I guess that’s one way to put it,” said Caleb as he walked toward the window. “I asked him why, you know. He said he didn’t have to explain himself. That’s when I told him I didn’t want to ever talk to him again.”
“Dramatic much?” laughed Garr.
Caleb turned away from the window and sat next to Garr. “If he never wanted me to race the majors, why would he even let me drive period?”
“I don’t think we ever had a choice did we? I mean this is the family business. At least I didn’t have a choice — not like I’d want to do anything else. But you? You shouldn’t have dropped out of college. I know you came back because of Mom.” Garr patted Caleb’s thigh. “I’ll talk to Dad and see if I can talk some sense into him. I don’t know what’s going on lately. I know Joan and he like to keep the business side of things to themselves, but we all need to know why Dad is doing what Dad is doing.”
“You’re the better driver, Garr.” Caleb paused. “If he just came out and said, we’re going with Garrison because he’s the better, I’m fine with that. But to just say, I’m not racing anymore, especially the majors? I’m not ten years old. Dad should just give me the reasons why, not just say, I’m out. I’m done.”
They both sat in silence for a moment before Garrison spoke. “So what have you been doing lately? Bob says you show up in the shop and check out the cars when Dad’s not there and then leave.”
“I’ve been trying to send out feelers here and there about Formula racing and maybe racing for another team.”
“Does Dad know this?”
Caleb shook his head. “Nope. And don’t tell him either.”
“Joan said you’re dating a new guy?”
“That’s old news. We’ve been dating for more than a little over six months.”
“And you’ve never introduced him to me?” Garrison raised his shoulders and shrugged, and gestured for more information with a wave of his hands. “And?”
“I like him.”
“What’s his name?”
Garrison’s eyebrows arched. “Sebastian?”
“He doesn’t like to use his middle name, Harry.”
“Last name?”
“Okay. Are we going to do very short answers, now? I’m your brother. You don’t have to be secretive around me.”
Caleb exhaled. “I know.”
JMS Books
Book Title: Too Tough to Tame
After Caleb Youngblood proposed to Sebastian Rush, the two men think everything should be smooth sailing. Marriage planning has started and the future is bright. Caleb is an openly out stock car racer, while Sebastian is offered the chance to work with a major TV studio as a cameraman at the Rio Olympics.
But Caleb is at a crossroads. The racing world may not be ready for an openly gay driver. Even though he wants to race, the family business is barely making money. And Caleb, being the face of Youngblood family, may be too much for conservative fans. Meanwhile, when an ex-lover of Sebastian’s reappears, secrets from his past cause friction between Sebastian and Caleb.
Should Caleb continue to race? Is Sebastian’s and Caleb’s love for one another strong enough to overcome what happened in the past? Or is their life together too tough to tame?
“That’s all you have to say?” asked Sebastian.
Caleb sat on the edge of their bed and removed his dress socks, and then his pants. Clad only in black boxer briefs, Caleb stood and rummaged through the dresser for a tank top, cotton socks, and running shorts. As he put his top and shorts on, Caleb broke the momentary silence. “What else is there to say? That … ummm … maybe you should have told me you were engaged?” Caleb took a seat again on the edge of the bed, and drawled out the last word, his eyebrows slightly arched, his jaw set firm. “I knew you had a serious relationship before me.” Caleb raised his hands up, both palms open. “But a serious relationship and an engagement are two different things.”
Sebastian knew that Caleb was still angry, based on Caleb’s tone and Caleb’s refusal to look him in the eye. “I didn’t tell you I was engaged for only two days because I was embarrassed.”
Caleb straightened and now squinted at him. “Embarrassed?” Caleb’s voice betrayed incredulity.
“David broke up with me. I proposed. He said he didn’t love me enough to marry me.”
“So you proposed to him?” Caleb whispered, who turned away from Sebastian.
“Yes. I did,” answered Sebastian. “But, he’s in the past.”
Caleb stood. “I can’t talk about this right now. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that you wouldn’t tell me about being engaged before. I mean, to me, that’s a pretty serious commitment. It’s something I would tell you if I’d ever been engaged.”
“I didn’t think it was a big deal. If I had known you would be upset by it, by the fact that I was engaged for two days, I would have told you. I don’t love him, Caleb. I love you,” blurted Sebastian. “I didn’t know what love truly was until I met you.”
“Your mom said you were in a pretty serious relationship before me. You said that. Maybe I’m making something out of nothing. Maybe I’m just pissed you’re going to Rio with your ex. I can’t filter all these emotions that are rushing through me right now.” Caleb stood and headed out of the bedroom. “We’re not done talking. But I need to clear my head.”
Sebastian nodded. “I’ll make dinner, okay? I’ll see you after your run.”
Caleb didn’t say anything; Sebastian heard the front door close, then Sebastian sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, his hands clasping the top of his head. Somehow, he had to persuade Caleb that David was in the past. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he fished out the cell.
David had texted him. Nice seeing you. We need to catch up before Rio.
Sebastian had a choice to make, and he knew it. He just didn’t know what to do. He punched in the contact tab on his phone and called his mom.
After a few rings, she answered. “Sebastian?”
“Hey, Mom. How’re you?”
“I’m good. Your sister just picked up your niece.”
“Awesome. Is this a good time to talk?” asked Sebastian.
“Sure, honey. I was about to start dinner but it can wait a few minutes. Why, what’s up?”
“Did Caleb ask you about David?”
“Who?” Ginny asked.
Sebastian repeated the question. “Did Caleb ask you about David?”
‘No. Caleb didn’t.”
“Then how did Caleb know I was engaged?”
“Oh. I told him.” Ginny’s voice trailed then she spoke again. “Was it supposed to be a secret?”
“Mom, I hadn’t told him. You know I was pretty upset about the break-up.”
“I know, honey. And don’t be mad, but I told Caleb that you both shouldn’t rush into getting married.”
Sebastian’s body tensed. “What?”
“Don’t raise your voice at me Sebastian Harry Rush.”
Sebastian rubbed his temples. “Oh, God. Why, Mom? Why?” He pulled the phone from his ear as he closed his eyes and silently counted to five to calm down.
“Sebastian, I’m worried that you’re rushing into a wedding. You haven’t even known each other for a year.”
Sebastian sat there on the edge of the bed. He heard his mother continuing to talk, but he stopped paying attention. She said something about September. Then something about his niece, Mindy. But all he could think about was Caleb sitting in his mother’s living room, and Ginny telling Caleb to delay the wedding. “Mom, I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.”
“Okay, honey. That’s fine. I got to start dinner anyway. I love you, son. You know I’m only looking out for you, right?”
“Thanks,” he whispered. He wanted to scream, but he knew it would only make matters worse.
Book Title: Crossroads
Genre/s: male-male romance, erotic romance
Length: 23, 280 words/80 pages
Caleb and his husband Sebastian are at a crucial crossroads in their lives. New York City has put challenges and opportunities in their path, and without race car driving in his future, Caleb worries about the future and money. At the same time, Sebastian presses him to have kids. Keeping their love going is Caleb’s main goal.
When their friend Cujo visits from Florida, he meets their roommate Tristan. Cujo has always wondered about having a college romance. What would have happened if he wasn’t afraid of being with another man? Tristan is charming and loving, and presents a new challenge to Cujo, who’s now faced with a decision that will change his life forever. Once he embarks on this path of love, there is no turning back. Can he overcome his fears to find love in a new way?
When Cujo stepped outside the restaurant and walked two blocks, he hadn’t expected the full intensity of Times Square to wallop his senses. All the lights were on and the different screens blasted alternating pictures, advertisements, and music. “Wow, this is amazing.”
“I told you I was going to show you something incredible.”
“You delivered, buddy. You delivered all right. This is epic.” Cujo fished out his cell phone, tapped the camera icon, and took pictures. “Hey, Tristan, stand over there, I want to take some pictures of you.”
Tristan moved so that The Lion King JumboTron was immediately behind him as a Coca Cola sign flashed red and white lights nearby.
Tristan posed effortlessly for Cujo’s camera. The way Tristan walked, talked, and acted reminded him of Brett. Sweet, kind, and shy Brett. Cujo stopped taking pictures and scrolled through the photos of his camera. Tristan had inched closer and Cujo smiled.
“How’d they turn out?” Tristan asked.
“Very beautiful, I think.” Cujo showed him a photo of Tristan smiling. “It doesn’t hurt that the model is pretty attractive.”
“Thanks,” Tristan said. Cujo wasn’t sure with the lighting outside, but Tristan probably blushed at the comment.
“You remind me of someone I knew in college. He was a sweet, kind guy. A little soft. Not in a bad way but just someone who probably didn’t have an ounce of anger or hate toward anyone.”
“If that’s a compliment, I’ll take it,” Tristan said.
“It is.” Cujo showed the rest of the pictures to Tristan. “His name was Brett. And he was my first and only experimentation with the wild side.”
“You’re quoting me a phrase from a Lou Reed song?”
“Yes, I am,” Cujo said. “It’s actually one of my favorite songs. Did you know that David Bowie was one of the producers of that song? And he played guitar for it?”
Tristan nodded. “I love that song, too. So forward for the 70s. You know I think it was the first song about transgendered women and gay men to become popular?” Tristan leaned against a metal rail as they both took in the ever-changing spectacle of lights around them while casually crowd-watching the tourists and locals. “Why do you like it?”
“I just like the feeling the lyrics conveyed and the tempo,” Cujo said.
Cujo wanted to admit that he’d first heard it when Brett had played the song for him. Brett had explained the lyrics when they were both high on pot at the frat house. Then Brett leaned over unzipped Cujo’s pants and jacked him off to Lou Reed and later to Billy Squier’s, “The Stroke.”
“I love this place! I love this city,” Tristan said. “I thought I’d miss Florida but I don’t.”
Cujo laughed. “You know, I’m starting to fall in love with it, too.” And maybe it’s because of you. “Hey, if you’re ready to go, let’s grab a taxi. I don’t want to ride the subway back, if it’s okay. I want to see the lights of the city from the cab.”
“Fine by me,” Tristan said.
It didn’t take them long to stop a taxi as several had dropped off tourists in the same area. Once inside, they settled in the back seat. “Let me text you some of the pictures I took.”
Tristan handed Cujo his cell phone so Cujo could punch his number in and Tristan texted him a greeting text. Hey.
Hey back. Cujo typed before he sent a few pictures. “I had a good time tonight.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
Buy Links – Available for Pre-Order
JMS Books LLC
A military brat, who entered the military himself, W.S. Long practices law in Florida, reads, writes male/male romance, and believes in happily-ever-afters. Married to a great husband, he enjoys theme parks, movies, geeky stuff, and traveling when not working or writing.
Blog/Website
SERIES REVIEW TOUR SCHEDULE
Hosted by Gay Book Promotions
His True Nature - The Forestry Series #1
His True Nature is the latest story by Silvia Violet. It is only 38 pages…
Tags: blogtour, book teaser, Caleb Youngblood, Crossroads, Garrison Youngblood, Joan Youngblood, NASCAR, Revving It Up, Sebastian Rush, Starting His Engine, Too Tough To Tame, WS Long
← To See the Sun Edge: A BDSM Romance →
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The Full Wiki
More info on Active transport
ABC pumps
Endocytosis
Exocytosis
Passive transport
Cell membrane
NaKATPase
Integral protein
Electrochemical potential
Active transport: Wikis
Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles.
Related top topics
Categories: Biological matter > Membrane biology
This article is about transport in cellular biology. For human transport systems, see active transportation.
The action of the sodium-potassium pump is an example of primary active transport.
In biology, active transport involves the transportation of things from a region of lower concentration to a higher concentration. If the process uses chemical energy, such as from adenosine triphosphate (ATP), it is termed primary active transport. Secondary active transport involves the use of an electrochemical gradient. Active transport uses energy, unlike passive transport, which does not use any energy.
2 ABC pumps
4 Endocytosis
5 Exocytosis
Specialized trans-membrane proteins recognize the substance and allows it access (or, in the case of secondary transport, expend energy on forcing it) to cross the membrane when it otherwise would not, either because it is one to which the lipid bilayer of the membrane is impermeable or because it is moved in the direction of the concentration gradient. The last case, known as primary active transport, and the proteins involved in it as pumps, normally uses the chemical energy of ATP. The other cases, which usually derive their energy through exploitation of an electrochemical gradient, are known as secondary active transport and involve pore-forming proteins that form channels through the cell membrane.
Sometimes the system transports one substance in one direction at the same time as cotransporting another substance in the other direction. This is called antiport. Symport is the name if two substrates are being transported in the same direction across the membrane. Antiport and symport are associated with secondary active transport, meaning that one of the two substances are transported in the direction of their concentration gradient utilizing the energy derived from the transport of the second substance (mostly Na+, K+ or H+) down its concentration gradient.
Particles moving from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration (i.e., in the opposite direction as the concentration gradient) require specific trans-membrane carrier proteins. These proteins have receptors that bind to specific molecules (e.g., glucose) and thus transport them into the cell. Because energy is required for this process, it is known as 'active' transport. Examples of active transport include the transportation of sodium out of the cell and potassium into the cell by the sodium-potassium pump. Active transport often takes place in the internal lining of the small intestine.
Plants need to absorb mineral salts from the soil, but these salts exist in very dilute solution. Active transport enables these cells to take up salts from this dilute solution against the direction of the concentration gradient.
ABC class pumps transport small molecules across membranes.
Water, ethanol, and chloroform exemplify simple molecules that do not require active transport to cross a membrane.
Metal ions, such as Na+, K+, Mg2+, or Ca2+, require ion pumps or ion channels to cross membranes and distribute through the body
The pump for sodium and potassium is called sodium-potassium pump or Na +/K+-ATPase
In the epithelial cells of the stomach, gastric acid is produced by hydrogen potassium ATPase, a proton pump[citation needed]
Further information: Endocytosis
Endocytosis is the process by which cells ingest materials. The cellular membrane folds around the desired materials outside the cell. The ingested particle becomes trapped within a pouch, vacuole or inside the cytoplasm. Often enzymes from lysosomes are then used to digest the molecules absorbed by this process.
Biologists distinguish two main types of endocyctosis: pinocytosis and phagocytosis.
In pinocytosis, cells engulf liquid particles (in humans this process occurs in the small intestine, cells there engulf fat droplets).
In phagocytosis, cells engulf solid particles.
Further information: Exocytosis
Exocytosis is the process by which cells excrete waste and other large molecules from the protoplasm
Ion channel
Protein targeting
Translocon
Categories: Membrane biology | Biological matter
Hidden categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from February 2009 | Articles lacking sources from January 2010 | All articles lacking sources
Up to date as of November 16, 2009
Active Transport
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About The Full Wiki
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Ann Browne1
Ann Browne is the daughter of Thomas Browne.1 She married Edward Croft, son of Sir James Croft and Alice Warncombe.1
Her married name became Croft.
Child of Ann Browne and Edward Croft
Sir Herbert Croft+1 d. 10 Apr 1622
[S37] BP2003 volume 1, page 966. See link for full details for this source. Hereinafter cited as. [S37]
Thomas Nugent1
Thomas Nugent married Elizabeth Crofton, daughter of Thomas Crofton and Honora O'Conor.1
He lived at Colamber, IrelandG.1
Sir James Croft1
M, #324883, d. 9 June 1659
Sir James Croft was the son of Sir Herbert Croft and Mary Bourne.2,1 He died on 9 June 1659, unmarried.1
He gained the rank of Colonel.1
Colonel Sir William Croft1
M, #324884, d. after 9 June 1645
Colonel Sir William Croft was the son of Sir Herbert Croft and Mary Bourne.2,1 He died after 9 June 1645, unmarried.1
He gained the rank of Colonel.1 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Malmesbury in 1623.1 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Malmesbury in 1625.1 He fought in the Battle of Stokesay Castle on 9 June 1645, where he was mortally wounded, and rode his horse home before collapsing.1
Rt. Rev. Herbert Croft1
M, #324885, b. 18 October 1603, d. 18 May 1691
Rt. Rev. Herbert Croft 2
Rt. Rev. Herbert Croft was born on 18 October 1603.1 He was the son of Sir Herbert Croft and Mary Bourne.3,1 He married Ann Brown, daughter of Very Rev. Jonathan Brown.1 He died on 18 May 1691 at age 87.1
He was ordained in 1626 Roman Catholic priest.1 He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, EnglandG.1 He reverted to the Church of England and became an Anglican parson.1 He held the office of Dean of Hereford.1 He held the office of Bishop of Hereford in 1662.1 He was Chaplain to King Charles II.1 He held the office of,Dean of the Chapel-Royal in 1667.1
Child of Rt. Rev. Herbert Croft and Ann Brown
Sir Herbert Croft, 1st Bt.+3 d. 3 Nov 1720
[S3409] Caroline Maubois, "re: Penancoet Family," e-mail message to Darryl Roger Lundy, 2 December 2008. Hereinafter cited as "re: Penancoet Family."
Very Rev. Jonathan Brown1
Very Rev. Jonathan Brown held the office of Dean of Hereford.1 He graduated with a Doctor of Divinity (D.D.)1
Child of Very Rev. Jonathan Brown
Ann Brown+2
Ann Brown1
Ann Brown is the daughter of Very Rev. Jonathan Brown.2 She married Rt. Rev. Herbert Croft, son of Sir Herbert Croft and Mary Bourne.1
Child of Ann Brown and Rt. Rev. Herbert Croft
Sir Herbert Croft, 1st Bt.1
M, #324888, d. 3 November 1720
Last Edited=15 Jan 2017
Sir Herbert Croft, 1st Bt. was the son of Rt. Rev. Herbert Croft and Ann Brown.2 He married Elizabeth Archer, daughter of Thomas Archer and Anne Leigh.1 He died on 3 November 1720.1
He was created 1st Baronet Croft, of Croft Castle, co. Hereford [England] on 18 November 1671.1 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Herefordshire in 1679.1 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Herefordshire between 1690 and 1698.1
Children of Sir Herbert Croft, 1st Bt. and Elizabeth Archer
Mary Croft3
Elizabeth Croft4
Margaret Croft4
Frances Croft4
Sir Archer Croft, 2nd Bt.+2 b. 3 Mar 1683/84, d. 10 Dec 1753
Francis Croft+2 b. 1687
[S22] Sir Bernard Burke, C.B. LL.D., A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire, new edition (1883; reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1978), page 9. Hereinafter cited as Burkes Extinct Peerage.
Elizabeth Archer1
F, #324889, d. 1709
Elizabeth Archer was the daughter of Thomas Archer and Anne Leigh.1,2 She married Sir Herbert Croft, 1st Bt., son of Rt. Rev. Herbert Croft and Ann Brown.1 She died in 1709.1
Children of Elizabeth Archer and Sir Herbert Croft, 1st Bt.
Sir Archer Croft, 2nd Bt.1
M, #324890, b. 3 March 1683/84, d. 10 December 1753
Last Edited=19 Feb 2011
Sir Archer Croft, 2nd Bt. was baptised on 3 March 1683/84.1 He was the son of Sir Herbert Croft, 1st Bt. and Elizabeth Archer.2 He married Frances Waring, daughter of Brig.-Gen. Richard Waring, on 10 January 1723.1 He died on 10 December 1753 at age 69.1
He succeeded as the 2nd Baronet Croft, of Croft Castle, co. Hereford [E., 1671] on 3 November 1720.1 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Leominster between 1722 and 1727.1 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Winchelsea in 1728.1 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Deeralston between 1728 and 1734.1
Children of Sir Archer Croft, 2nd Bt. and Frances Waring
Sir Archer Croft, 3rd Bt.+2 d. 30 Nov 1790
Sir John Croft, 4th Bt.2 d. 4 Dec 1797
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The Trophy Shop Athlete of the Week – Niles Cromwell (Gainesville)
The Trophy Shop Athlete of the Week for the week of April 15 is NILES CROMWELL* of the Gainesville track & field team.
*Cromwell won the 100-meter and 200-meter dash to capture individual district titles and help lead Gainesville to a second-place finish behind Vanguard (Ocala) at the District 3-5A track and field meet. The senior had a personal best time of 11.37 seconds in the 100-meter dash and a time of 23.05 in the 200 meters. Cromwell, a Rochester (NY) signee in football, also ran a leg on the Hurricanes’ 4 x 100-meter relay championship team.
Nominate an Athlete of the Week each week no later than Sunday at 6 p.m. Email your nominations to mike@ThePrepZone.com
Previous 2018-19 winners:
April 8 – Haley Barber (Santa Fe girls lacrosse)
The sophomore set the school record with 11 goals in a 19-13 win against Eastside on Tuesday, April 9. Two nights later she was at it again, netting a game-high seven goals in a 19-0 win against St. Joseph (St. Augustine) in the regular season finale. Barber, a team captain, finished the 2019 season second on the team with 50 goals.
April 1 – Ashton Ludwig (Keystone Heights softball)
Davis, who transferred from Gainesville to Oak Hall this season, set a Florida Relays high school record in winning the 100-meter dash in 11.27. The time was also the best in the nation and the seventh fastest time in the world. Her time lowered the previous best of 11.29, which she tied last year.
March 25 – Tamari Davis (Oak Hall girls track & field)
March 18 – Deylynd Grant (Buchholz boys track & field)
Grant won two events at the Alachua County Track & Field Championships at Santa Fe High School as the Buchholz boys won the team title. The junior took first in both the 110 hurdles (14.89) and the 300 hurdles (43.14). He was the only Bobcat to win a pair of individual events for the Buchholz boys, which totaled 172 points, ahead of Oak Hall with 106 and Gainesville with 104.
March 11 – Tiffany Clark (Union County softball)
The junior had a monster week in leading the Tigers to a pair of victories. She began the week by going 3-for-6 with 6 RBI in a 27-11 win at Williston. Two nights later, Clark went 4-for-5 with a double, a triple and 9 RBI in a 22-12 win against Branford. In addition to the 15 runs that she drove in, Clark also scored four times, accounting for 19 runs in the two games.
March 4 – Lawrence Smith-Jackson (Buchholz wrestling)
Smith-Jackson placed fourth at the FHSAA Class 3A state meet, the best individual area showing at state. The senior also placed second at both regionals and the 3A-District 1 tournament, and he took first at meets such as the Westside Kiwanis in Jacksonville and the Hagerty IBT in Oviedo. He was named the Gainesville Sun’s Wrestler of the Year.
February 25 – Standrea McHenry (Trenton girls basketball)
McHenry helped lead the Lady Tigers (27-3) to their first girls basketball state title since 1980. The senior just missed a triple-double in the championship game. She finished with 10 points, nine rebounds, and nine steals in the 43-31 win against Holmes County in the Class 1A Final at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. She had a double-double in the 60-40 win against Port St. Joe in the state semifinals. McHenry scored 14 points and tied a game-high with 13 rebounds. She finished the season second in scoring at 14.3 points per game, just seven points total behind fellow senior Taniah Bowers, and she led the team in rebounds (7.5 per game).
February 18 – Alissa Humphrey (Gainesville softball)
The Jacksonville University commit was 2-0 with a complete-game no-hitter and an 8 inning 2-hitter. She combined for 34 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. At the plate, the junior was 3-for-8 with a double and 2 RBI, including the game-winning hit (a double with runners on 2nd and 3rd) in a 3-1 extra inning win at Santa Fe (Alachua). Humphrey struck out 18 Raiders and accounted for all but six outs.
February 11 – Darrien Jones (Columbia boys basketball)
The junior helped lead the Tigers to their first district title in 19 years by averaging 12 points, seven assists, 1.5 steals, and he was 10-of-12 from the free throw line in two games. In the 7A-District 4 semifinals, Jones scored a team-high 13 points, including seven in the final quarter, in a 61-51 win against Forest (Ocala). He added seven assists, eight rebounds, one steal, and was 5-of-6 from the free throw line. In the championship game, a 61-51 win against top-seed Gainesville, Jones scored 11 points, dished out seven assists, grabbed three rebounds, collected two steals, and he was 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
February 4 – Mahailya Reeves (Union County girls weightlifting)
The 15-year-old benched a state record 360 pounds, breaking the state mark by 55 pounds, and that coupled with her 185 in the clean-and-jerk gave her a state record total of 545 pounds in the unlimited division. Reeves’ win gave the defending 1A state champions two first-place finishes, as Union County finished fourth at the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Finals at Arnold High School in Panama City Beach.
January 28 – Jalen Speer (P.K. Yonge boys basketball)
The junior combo guard helped lead the Blue Wave to a 2-1 week. After scoring 17 points and grabbing four rebounds in a home loss to 6A No. 2 Eastside (Gainesville), Speer scored 22 points, had three assists, four rebounds and four steals in a 65-55 upset win at Class 3A No. 1 Orlando Christian Prep. But he saved his best for last. Speer scored 32 points and grabbed six rebounds, and he hit the game-winning free throw with no time on the clock, in a 54-53 win at defending 1A state champion Wildwood.
January 21 – KJ Bradley (Eastside boys basketball)
Bradley helped lead the Rams to a 3-0 week. The junior guard scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds in a 57-41 win at Williston to start the week. He followed that up with 14 points in a 41-40 win at Santa Fe (Alachua) and finished the week with 14 points in a home win against St. Francis Catholic Academy (Gainesville). Bradley, who finished the week with 11 rebounds, was the only Rams’ player in double figures in all three games.
January 14 – Sierra Millinor (Eastside girls soccer)
Less than a week after tying the school record for goals in a game (six), Millinor followed it up with seven more goals in leading the Lady Rams (12-2) to a 2-0 week. The senior scored four straight goals in a 5-0 win against Citrus (Inverness) on January 14. The following night, the Huntingdon College signee had a hat trick in a 7-0 win at Vanguard (Ocala).
January 7 – Isabella Quintana (Eastside girls soccer)
Quintana set a school record with six goals in an 8-0 win against Crystal River on January 8. Teammate Sierra Millinor would end up tying the record a couple of games later in an 8-0 win at North Marion (Citra). Quintana scored the other two goals against the Colts and added five assists. She had three goals and an assist in an 8-0 win at home against North Marion as part of a 3-0 week for the Lady Rams. The senior finished with the week with 11 goals in three games.
December 31 – Mya McGraw (P.K. Yonge girls basketball)
The sophomore helped lead the Lady Blue Wave (14-1) to a 2-0 week against state-ranked teams. She just missed a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds in a 51-46 come-from-behind win at Class 1A #1 Trenton on Thursday, Jan. 3. She also had five blocks. The following night, McGraw scored 24 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a 77-59 win against Class 5A #3 Raines (Jacksonville).
December 24 – Byron Smith (P.K. Yonge boys basketball)
Smith helped lead the Blue Wave to a 3-1 record and a runner-up finish at the Hitchcock’s Challenge in Alachua. The senior averaged 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals in four games. He scored his tournament high (18 points) in a 64-57 win in overtime against Class 7A #9 Belen Jesuit (Miami) on Day #1 of the tournament. Two nights later, Smith’s corner trey with 18 seconds left against Class 7A Gainesville gave the Blue Wave a four-point lead in a 50-47 win against the Hurricanes.
December 17 – Niyah Jackson (Williston girls basketball)
Jackson was the top performer at the SAMCO Classic Christmas Tournament at Trenton, Dec. 20-22. On Thursday, the senior scored 32 points and added nine assists, two blocks, four steals and three rebounds in a win against Newberry. On Friday, she scored 26 points and added three assists and three steals and three rebounds in a loss to host Trenton. Jackson had a monster game in an upset of Class 1A No. 1 Lafayette (Mayo), scoring 49 points, while adding three assists, five steals and two rebounds. In a loss to Trenton in the championship game on Saturday, Jackson scored 22 points, and added six assists, one block, three steals, and one rebound.
December 10 – Jesse Landis (Eastside boys soccer)
The junior helped lead the Rams to a 2-0 week. He scored a goal and added an assist in a 5-0 win at Lake Weir (Ocala). Two days later, Landis scored four goals in a 7-1 win at Belleview, which ran Eastside’s undefeated streak to nine games.
December 3 – Taniah Bowers (Trenton girls basketball)
Bowers helped lead the Lady Tigers to a 3-0 week following a triple-double and a double-double. The senior flirted with a triple-double to start the week in a 59-17 win against Cedar Key. She had 13 points, 10 steals and seven assists. She followed that up with 17 points, 12 assists and 11 steals in a 72-32 win against Dixie County (Cross City). The Class 1A Tigers defeated 7A Gainesville, 52-38, at the Andy Hart Invitational at Lafayette (Mayo) to end the week. Bowers scored eight points, grabbed six rebounds, picked up nine steals, and added four assists as Trenton stayed unbeaten.
November 26 – Abbey Rivas (Santa Fe girls soccer)
The senior helped the Hawthorne football team advance to the regional championship with a 50-27 win against Crescent City in a Class 1A-Region 4 semifinal. He rushed for 225 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Fields gave the Hornets (11-0) a 20-7 lead in the second quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run. He added a 1-yard TD in the third quarter that proved to be the game-winning score.
November 19 – No award due to Thanksgiving break
November 12 – Uveekie Fields (Hawthorne football)
November 5 – Julian Hill (Buchholz boys swimming)
Hill helped lead the Bobcats to a top five finish at the FHSAA Class 4A Swimming & Diving Finals in Stuart. The Arizona State University signee won two state titles. The senior won both the 200 free (1:35.70) and the 500 free (4:22.35) as Buchholz finished in fourth place. He was also a member of the state runner-up relay teams (200 medley, 400 free).
October 29 – Lauren Jones (Oak Hall girls cross country)
The freshman helped lead the Lady Eagles to their eighth regional title in nine years. Jones finished with a time of 18:56.93 to place first and win the Class 1A-Region 2 individual title. The Oak Hall girls advanced to the program’s 18th straight state meet.
October 22 – Ella Steen (Santa Fe girls cross country)
Steen helped lead the Santa Fe girls’ cross country team to the Class 2A-District 5 title. The freshman had the Raiders’ top performance by finishing third with a time of 22:01. It was the first team title in school history for the Santa Fe girls.
October 15 – Amelia Williams (Buchholz girls golf)
The junior helped lead the Lady Bobcats to their third straight Class 3A-District 2 title. Williams shot a tournament-best 77 to help her team win by 20 strokes. It was also the sixth title in the last seven years for Buchholz, which advanced to the 3A-Region 1 tournament.
October 8 – Colby Toner (P.K. Yonge boys golf)
Toner helped lead the Blue Wave to their first Ann & John Ives Alachua County Tournament title. The junior beat his teammate, Jake Davis, in a playoff to earn the top medalist honor at the tournament. Toner, a St. Francis Catholic Academy transfer, and Davis, both shot an even-par 72. The Blue Wave finished with a team score of 308, their lowest score since 2009.
October 1 – Quinyon Mitchell (Williston football)
The senior averaged a whopping 12.6 yards per carry as the Class 1A Red Devils kept their postseason hopes alive with a 48-7 win against Class 5A Belleview on Homecoming. He carried the ball 14 times for 176 yards and two TD’s. Mitchell, a Toledo commit, leads the team with 862 yards rushing and will have a chance to eclipse 1,000 yards in his seventh game this week at Taylor County (Perry).
September 24 – Calvin Littles (St. Francis Catholic Academy football)
Littles finished with 446 yards of total offense in a 42-36 loss at rival Oak Hall on Monday, Oct. 1, a game that was postponed on Friday, Sept. 28, due to weather. The senior quarterback rushed for 249 yards on 23 carries (10.8 yards per carry) with three touchdowns. Four times during the game after an Eagles’ score, Littles answered. He finished with scoring runs of 20, 65 and 75 yards. He also threw for 197 yards and two TDs. After his 81-yard scoring toss, he ran in the 2-point conversion, his third 2-point play of the game. Littles accounted for all 36 points.
September 17 – Anthony Richardson (Eastside football)
The junior scored six touchdowns to help lead the Rams past visiting Lake Weir (Ocala) on Homecoming, 62-27. Richardson passed for 241 yards and two touchdowns. The University of Florida commit ran for an additional 157 yards and four scores, including a 49-yard scoring run and a 51-yard TD run, as Eastside (4-1) won its fourth straight game.
September 10 – Carlos Williams, Jr. (Dixie County football)
Williams had a monster game for the Bears against visiting Union County in a Class 1A-Region 3 game. The senior rushed for 308 yards on 18 carries in a 61-28 win. He finished the game with five touchdowns, including a long scoring run of 72 yards. Williams is averaging 212 yards per game through four games.
September 3 – Kylee Barry (Bell volleyball)
Barry helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to a 2-0 week. In a Class 1A-District 5 sweep of Madison County she had 39 assists, six aces, and seven digs. The senior finished with the week with 30 assists, seven aces, and eight digs in a district sweep of Hamilton County (Jasper).
August 27 – Madison Baynard (Newberry volleyball)
The senior middle blocker helped lead the Panthers (4-0) to a 2-0 week in 5A-District 4 action. Baynard had 10 kills, four digs and five blocks to help lead Newberry to a sweep at Interlachen. Two days later, she tied sophomore Grace Oelrich with a team-high 12 kills in a home sweep of Bradford (Starke). She finished with 22 kills, eight blocks, 20 service receptions and only one error in two games.
August 20 – Kahleil Jackson (Hawthorne football)
Jackson completed 12-of-19 passes for 400 yards and five touchdowns as the Hornets (1-0) opened up the season with a 69-0 win at Interlachen. The 6’3, 185-pound senior also added a 20-yard scoring run. Jackson, the son of former Gator Willie Jackson, had a long scoring pass of 75 yards to junior Jeremiah James.
The Trophy Shop Athlete of the Week – Alissa Humphrey (Gainesville)
The Trophy Shop Athlete of the Week – Hallie Karas (Gainesville)
The Trophy Shop Athlete of the Week – Lele Young (Gainesville)
The Trophy Shop Athlete of the Week – Niyah Jackson (Williston)
The Trophy Shop Athlete of the Week – Mya McGraw (P.K. Yonge)
Posted: May 13 2019
Categories: Athlete of the Week, Posts, Sports, Track & Field (Boys)
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Markey Blue playing at the Skyline
August 3, 2015 Posted in entertainment News, Skyline News
We are super excited to have Markey Blue on our stage Friday August 7th at 7:30pm. This concert is included with regular admission to the Skyline. So come out Friday and enjoy the blues with Markey Blue from Nashville Tennessee. Keep reading to learn more about Markey Blue.
HIGH-ENERGY DEBUT FROM MARKEY BLUE BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO CLASSIC SOUL Hey Hey propels co-leaders Markey and Ric Latina into the international spotlight with original songs, fresh grooves and some help from Stax legend Steve Cropper NASHVILLE, TN — Markey Blue’s debut album Hey Hey puts a fresh new spin on a classic sound. Bandleaders Markey and Ric Latina weave elements of timeless soul and R&B with hook-smart pop songwriting, cool grooves and fire-breathing arrangements, crafting a dozen songs that feature an A-list of Music City studio and stage musicians, including special guest former Allman Brothers Band member Jack Pearson. Steve Cropper, legendary Stax Records songwriter, artist and producer, also had a hand in assisting with vocal production of the closing track. Cropper, a Grammy-award winning songwriter whose credits include some of the greatest hits in soul music history, notably “In the Midnight Hour” and “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay,” offers this ringing endorsement: “What do you get when you have a great singer, a great band and great songs? A great project. Markey Blue, you have done it!” The proof, of course, is in the tracks that bring Hey Hey to vibrant life. The album, produced by Latina and Markey, includes “Ain’t No Angel,” a number driven to gritty dynamism by Markey’s powerhouse vocal performance and Latina’s rippling guitar. “When Love Comes Along,” a driving, horn-propelled ode to Cupid’s sting that’s already winning the attention of the “triple A” and blues radio formats, percolates over a big-boned house-party groove. Markey’s compelling, soft-edged performance in the heartbroken ballad “Baby I’m Crying,” lifts the song to emotional heights. The honey-sweet “Play Me” features elegant guitar by Pearson, who also co-wrote the tune. Throughout the disc Markey and Latina display their uncanny ability to draw on the wellspring of great soul music — particularly the Memphis-based sound of the Stax and Hi Records labels and Alabama’s Muscle Shoals studios — as a source of inspiration for delivering original numbers that seem satisfying familiar, but are buoyed with wide-eyed energy and zealous performances that make them ring distinctly contemporary. On every cut Latina proves he’s a one-man encyclopedia of R&B licks ‘n’ leads who also brings personal invention and a bold, cutting tone to the vocabulary. And Markey is a masterful singer whose voice ranges easily from burnished, horn-like melodic arcs to simmering introspection. As a team, they have seemingly limitless scope. Markey and Latina met at a club in the suburbs of Nashville on a night when their previous bands shared a bill. “Ric called me shortly after that and suggested we join forces,” Markey explains. As a new sound coalesced and grew, they expanded their trio to include horns and keyboards and resolved to cut a four-song EP. “As soon as Ric and I wrote our first song we knew we were onto something,” Markey says. “The writing process comes so easily for us. The ideas just flow.” And they kept flowing, until Markey and Latina had the raw material for Hey Hey. “Markey Blue has been a growing process for both Ric and myself,” Markey continues. “We both stepped outside our comfort zones to create something different, something new. We were looking for a new approach to a classic sound that would appeal to a wider audience, and together I think we’ve found it.” Even apart, Markey and Latina have impressive resumes. Markey had accumulated a wealth of performing experience before she became a songwriter. Her career ignited as a showgirl in Las Vegas, which led to appearances around the world. Next, she turned to acting in film and television before embracing stand-up comedy. By the time Markey turned to music as her full-time artistic outlet, she had become one of the country’s top female impressionists. The down-to-Earth songstress was on a small country label when she was relocated to Nashville, but eventually the lure of soul and R&B called her home. Once on the blues, soul and R&B path, Markey quickly became a rising talent in the roots music world — performing with, Taj Mahal, Candye Kane, Walter Trout, Delbert McClinton, Anson Funderburgh, and Bobby “Blue” Bland — before joining with Latina to form Markey Blue. Latina has a longstanding reputation as an inspired studio and stage guitarist, and as a songwriter and studio craftsman. Besides his session credits, his extensive touring history includes roadwork with Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams III, Collin Raye, Suzy Bogguss, Billy Dean, John Berry, Vern Gosdin, Kirk Whalum, Sherrié Austin, Gary Puckett and Rhonda Vincent. Although Hey Hey is a vital realization of Markey Blue’s sound and Markey and Latina’s songwriting and studio prowess, both leaders truly thrive on stage. Markey Blue performs well over 100 dates year. “Feeling the energy and the spontaneity of our big band in concert, and exercising the freedom we have to be creative on the spot, really electrifies us and the audience,” Markey says. “For us,” she continues, “Markey Blue is about putting the music we have in our hearts into the world. It’s also a constant way for Ric and myself to evolve as performers, writers and producers. The more our band play together, the more creative things become.”
Tags: all night movies, cincinnati drive-in, cincinnati movie theaters, concert, Green River, Green River soda, indiana entertainment, indianapolis drive-in, indianapolis movie theaters, live music, markey blue, movie memorbillia, movie posters, shelbyville indiana, shelbyville indiana theater, Tibbs drive-in
Spidey, MIB & John Wick.....Happy Birthday 'Merica!
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Books on Pacific
1 -> 20 from 101 Titles. (Arranged by )
Across the Empty Quarter, the Low Isles of the Great Barrier Reef: A New Analy........
By : Thesiger, W. and Fairbridge, R. W. and Curt Teichert
London, 1948 - US$32.00
Administration of the White Australia Policy, The........
By : Palfreeman, A. C.
Order Code : N 110
Anthology of Asean Literatures Philippine Metrical Romances........
By : Castro, Jovita Ventura
Quezon City, 1985 - US$33.00
Area Handbook for the Philippines........
By : Chaffee, Frederic H. & G. E. Aurell and H. A. Barth Etc.
Washington, 1969 - US$22.00
Order Code : N1242
Art of the Aboriginal Australian, The........
By : Australian Department of Aboriginal Affairs
No place, no date - US$9.00
Arts of Asia (July-Aug.'1983) (R)........
By : Peralta, Jesus T.
Hong Kong, 1983 - US$50.00
Order Code : 540/13.4
Asian Perspectives Vol. 29/2, 1990........
By : Solheim, Wilhelm
Hawaii, 1991 - US$23.00
Order Code : I4827/29.2
Australia........
By : Fox, Frank
Order Code : R1707
Australian Aboriginal Culture........
By : McCarthy, F. D.
Canberra, 1973 - US$12.00
Australian Aboriginal Heritage, The........
By : Isaacs, Jennifer
Order Code : I1541
Australian Father and Son........
By : Casey, Lord
Australie Voyage Autour de Monde........
By : De Beauvoir, Le Comte
Paris, 1874 (French text) - US$45.00
Australie: Espaces de Reve........
By : Moretti, Marco
Paris 1998 (French text) - US$25.00
Australien Nach Dem Stande der Geographischen Kenntniss in 1871. Nach Origin........
By : Petermann, A.
Gotha, 1871 (German text) - US$583.00
Battle of Leyte Gulf, The........
By : Stewart, Adrian
Battle of Leyte Gulf: The Death Knell of the Japanese Fleet, The........
By : Hoyt, Edwin P.
New York, 1972 - US$32.00
Captain James Kelly of Hobart Town........
By : Bowden, K. M.
Australia, 1964 - US$22.00
Constitutions of the Australian States, The........
By : Lumb, R. D.
Queensland, 1963 - US$12.00
Dictionary of Philippine Folk Belefs and Customs Vol. I-IV........
By : Demetrio, Francisco R.
Cagayan de Oro City, 1970 - US$198.00
Early Constitutional Development in Australia........
By : Melbourne, A. C. V.
St. Lucie, 1963 - US$18.00
Pages 1 << 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | >> Next
All 101 Titles
I1650/ 2 More ..
Indian, Himalayan and South Ea
By Christie's
Indian, Himalayan, South East
I2866 More ..
Divination in Thailand
By Wales, H. G. Ouaritch
N3423 More ..
Out of the Blue: A Pilot with
By O'Brien, Terence
X3491 More ..
Voices from the City
By Thorbek, Susanne
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It's a Short Story Thing
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 Yolanda Sfetsos No comments
While going through my word count totals during the last few years, I noticed something missing: short stories.
I'd written several novellas and a bunch of novels, but short stories seemed to be missing from my yearly totals. And I'm not sure why. I've always enjoyed reading and writing short stories. There's just something about this self-contained format that captivates me.
When a short story is written right, it can pack quite the punch and stay with the reader long after the last word.
Many times, I've written some that led me to write novel-sized stories. Several have even led into a series or two. And since I like them so much, not writing any new ones just makes no sense.
Late last year, I did manage to write a few shorties. And while I was happy with how these three turned out, it wasn't enough.
So this year I decided to set a challenge for myself:
This goal is not an easy one to achieve, and I'm pretty sure there'll be some months where I totally fail to produce a story. I mean, if I'm writing a novel first draft, or am deep into a revision, it's going to be hard. But it's definitely something worth aiming for.
I miss writing shorter pieces, and I've been stumbling on so many inspirational pics lately that as soon as I look at them a new idea takes shape inside my mind. Not to mention that concentrating on smaller pieces will help me focus on something other (and more important) than the big mess my publishing life has become.
Well, now that my goal is out there, here's my current progress:
January: wrote the first draft of a fantasy-esque, fairy tale story about three very diffrent girls, told in three parts. (7,277w)
February: wrote the first draft of a horror-ish love story set in the underworld. (4,773w)
As you can see, the first draft side of things is going pretty good. I've managed to write two short stories so far this year. But it's just as important to revise & finalise. As well as figuring out whether to sub them or not...
My main focus at the moment is to let my imagination run wild and keep spinning weird and wonderful tales.
To be honest, while I'm determined to try the one/month goal, I'll be happy with any/all the stories I manage to write. :)
Scary Publishing Thought
Monday, February 20, 2017 Yolanda Sfetsos No comments
The other day I posted this on Twitter:
Yep. This thought really hit me the other day. And it's kinda scary.
I've currently got TEN books published, but--because they're all available at the one publisher--when Samhain Publishing closes at the end of this month, I will no longer have any published books in the wild.
It's going to be strange, that's for sure. But there's nothing I can do when the company is closing. At the moment I just want to concentrate on writing and starting again.
Not entirely sure how I'm going to tackle that just yet...
Okay, while I'm here I might as well mention that if you're interested in any of my books, you can get them really cheap on their website:
SIERRA FOX SERIES
RECAST SERIES
HELL OF A RIDE
None of the above books will be abailable to buy anywhere after February 2017. It's sad, but it's a fact. And since I'm not sure what I'll do with them yet, you won't be able to buy/read any of these for a while. Maybe ever. I don't know yet.
There's a lot to think about, that's for sure.
Anyway. Just wanted to share this.
THE WHITE ROAD by Sarah Lotz
Sunday, February 19, 2017 Yolanda Sfetsos No comments
I received an ARC of this book last week. I knew nothing about the story, but the blurb sounded interesting. So I decided to give it a go.
Simon Newman a bit of an adrenaline junkie. He's also chasing a different dream every other year, and doesn't keep in touch with his family. So when he decides to hire a complete stranger to take him to a hidden cave in Wales and the footage from the horrifying incident goes viral, he agrees to chase another incredible feat: Mount Everest.
But someone--or something--might be shadowing him...
Okay. I read this during the weekend, and although I found Part One totally gripping, I didn't enjoy the rest of the book. I just didn't care about Juliet, and I didn't enjoy the rest of Simon's story. I even found myself skimming ahead quite a bit because the Everest storyline just didn't grab me.
But let's go back to Part One because--even though the blurb totally gives this section away--the first 57 pages of this book are awesome! The fact that Simon heads into an underground cave where three kids died decades ago with a stranger he met online is tense enough. That Ed winds up being unhinged, but helps save Simon's life (not a spoiler, like I said, it's in the blurb) and loses his own is astounding. Plus the writing is so good. The claustrophobic surroundings are downright creepy, and atmospheric.
I couldn't put it down. It's just a shame that the rest of the book lost me. I didn't care about anything after that.
So, in The White Road, the author introduces an interesting, adventurous concept and even manages to grip the reader at the beginning. It's creepy, and whether inside an underground cave or above the world on a treacherous mountain, it totally captures the surroundings. I just didn't feel that it delivered as a whole.
For me, the first part was excellent, but IMO it wasn't enough to carry the whole book.
THE X-FILES ORIGINS: Devil's Advocate by Jonathan Maberry
Friday, February 17, 2017 Yolanda Sfetsos No comments
Devil's Advocate by Jonathan Maberry
I'm a huge fan of The X-Files, so after reading--and really enjoying--Mulder's book, I couldn't wait to read Scully's.
It's 1979 and Dana Scully is fifteen. Her family has just moved to the small town of Craiger, Maryland. And since they arrived, she's been having some really strange dreams. Stranger than usual. Scully is smart and analytical, but she's also painfully shy and her only friend is her older sister, Melissa.
Something strange is going on in this small town. A bunch of teenage kids are dying in car accidents, but when Dana starts having visions about the dead kids and whispers of murder start circulating around school, she starts to realise there's something much darker going on. And with the help of a cute classmate, she starts her own amateur investigation. She's determined to get to the bottom of what's going on, even if it means putting her trust in the one person who might offer a one-way ticket to danger...
Okay. This book wasn't what I expected for several reasons: the subject matter (occult murders focusing on angels and demons), and that Dana is apparently psychically sensitive.
While I liked this book, it was nowhere near as good as Agent of Chaos. Absolutely nowhere near it. This story just seemed to be lacking in several ways. Mostly because it felt somewhat forced into the X-Files mythos. In the end, all the strengths--the small-town conspiracy, the new-age shop, the psychic phenomena--end up also becoming the biggest weaknesses. I just didn't buy that what happens in this book turns Scully from possible believer to determined skeptic.
I also couldn't get attached to any of the main or secondary characters, especially Dana Scully herself. Her voice didn't feel right. It was repetitive, the mystery was predictable and the conclusion a bit blah. TBH, the only character that did intrigue me was her grandmother. She was creepy, in a good way.
Also, IMO, there were too many POVs. So many that I felt the story would've been better if it didn't include some of them. Especially the villain's POV. And did there really need to be that many mentions of how pretty Dana was? We get it. I know it. Don't need to be constantly reminded. O_o
Whereas taking a peek into Mulder's teenage years actually added depth to the overall X-Files story arc, Scully's kinda muddled everything. After seeing her go through something like this, it makes her future skepticism seem weird. Contradictory, even.
Devil's Advocate turned out to be just okay for me. It started out strong, but once I reached the last bit of the book and the pieces of the mystery started to come together, it fell flat. It was predictable and disappointing.
I just don't think it fits the overall world.
A huge thanks to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy!
The X-Files Origins: Devil's Advocate, January 2017, ISBN 9780349002989, Atom
THE X-FILES ORIGINS: Agent of Chaos by Kami Garcia
The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos
by Kami Garcia
I'm a huge fan of The X-Files, so when I found out there were two YA books coming out featuring Mulder and Scully, I was totally interested.
It's 1979 and Fox Mulder is seventeen. He's living with his father in Washington DC during his last year of high school. The two don't get along, but that's fine with Mulder because his father is always busy with his mysterious work. Mulder is really clever and meticulous, though he has a hard time putting his emotions into words. Plus he's totally obsessed with finding out what happened to his sister.
Samantha was abducted over five years ago and has never been found. And young Mulder happened to be there when she was taken, though he can't remember anything. No matter how many times his father tells him to let it go, the guilt won't let him. So when kids start disappearing under similar circumstances to his sister, he's determined to do what the police can't seem to do: crack the case and find the killer. Maybe it will also lead him to some answers about his sister. Or it could lead him to a lot more trouble than he can handle...
I absolutely LOVED this book! Not only did it totally capture Fox Mulder's voice--because I could see so many echoes of the man he becomes throughout the book--but it also reflected the time very well. Not just in the location and the people, but also how things were handled. Not to mention that the creepy snippets of just how much of Mulder's life was manipulated behind the scenes was perfectly done.
And the characters in this book are SO GOOD. I loved Gimble (a total D&D geek) and his father Major (a total conspiracy theory nut). It was clear to see how meeting these two certainly affected the believer that Mulder becomes in the future, as well as his involvement in conspiracy theories and aliens. I also thought Phoebe (a super smart & cool girl) was an excellent addition to the story. She's Mulder's oldest and closest friend, and also happens to be the one person capable of throwing his emotions totally off balance. And the interactions between all of these characters were so cool.
As callous as he turned out to be, I also thought the character X was intriguing. He added a depth to the story that seemed to echo from the future.
Agent of Chaos is an excellent book on so many levels. If you like YA stories with strong friendships, damaged characters and a mystery that'll make your head spin, this is definitely for you. If you enjoy a great story that'll hook you in from the beginning, this is definitely for you. And if you're an X-Files fan, then you're going to get a total kick out of SO MUCH that happens here.
I loved this book. So much.
The only problem is that now, I want to start watching the show again... :)
A huge thanks to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of this awesome book!
The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos, January 2017, ISBN 9780349002965, Atom
Saturday, February 11, 2017 Yolanda Sfetsos No comments
By now, you've probably already heard about Samhain Publishing closing at the end of this month.
I heard about it in a blanket email sent to authors yesterday. While I was working on the second round of edits for a book that was scheduled to be released by Samhain in April. That's right. I spent all week--and two whole weeks last month--busting my chops editing a book that I thought was going to be released in a few months...
And found out it wouldn't be happening in such a generic way. I really wish someone had given the authors and editors who were currently working on stuff a head's up.
Oh well. I'm getting used to people treating others without mutual respect. O_o
Anyway, the bottom line is that all of my Sierra Fox Stories UF series (5 books), the Recast SFR series (4 books), and the first Elsewhere UF book will no longer be available after February 28th.
So if you're interested in checking out any of my books, there's only a few weeks to do so. You can check them out HERE.
After they're removed from the Samhain website and third party online stores, they won't be available anywhere.
At this stage, I have no idea what I will do with the ten published and two unpublished books after I get my rights back. (Which according to the email, I'm supposed to get shortly after the closure.)
Maybe one day I'll decide to self-publish them. Maybe I won't. Right now, I just need some time to think about it. Wait a sec... why does that sound familiar? Oh yeah, maybe because I went through this already last year. :/
Well, there you have it. Not great news, because I'm super proud of all these books, but that's okay.
It's (now definitely) time to move on.
DELIVER ME by Kate Jarvik Birch
Tuesday, February 07, 2017 Yolanda Sfetsos No comments
Yikes! This is such a great book. It's disturbing, made me uncomfortable, but I loved the narrator.
Wynne and Odessa are part of the Union. A totalitarian regime that requires total and utter devotion. No one is allowed free thought or speech, or even has the ability to chose their future. Words like love, family and mother don't exist. Women and men are segregated and never meet. Well, unless you're chosen as a Carrier.
Becoming a Carrier is every girl's dream, what they're taught to aim for since they're little girls. Wynne and Odessa are different from the others because of their deep bond. They're closer than they're allowed to be and share the joint dream of becoming Carriers together.
Yet when Odessa is picked and Wynne isn't, the two friends are separated and things are never the same again...
Man, this book might be short but it sure packs a punch. The worldbuilding is so vivid that the heartless ways of the Union leaps off the page. This disturbing future turns women into either walking wombs, or works them to the bone. It makes workers and soldiers out of men too, but the focus here was on the women.
It was so sad to see what this horrid Union does to people. They're all prisoners, really. Slaves and prisoners taught from a young age that this is all there is. That to totally give yourself to the Union is all that matters. And that is just SO fucking WRONG.
I love books like these because in the middle of this nightmare, there's always a character who dares to want more. And in this story, it's Wynne. She's a hard worker, but her whole life is dominated by her strong friendship with Odessa. And when they're separated, she starts to uncover some terrible truths about what it really means to be a Carrier. And it's truly awful.
But in spite of how uncomfortable this world made me, I loved the story.
Oh, but don't go in expecting a romance. This is Wynne's story. About her ambitions, her friendship with Odessa, and uncovering some terrible things about the Union they're all expected to obey.
HISTORY OF WOLVES by Emily Fridlund
Even a lone wolf wants to belong...
Fourteen-year-old Linda lives with her parents in an ex-commune beside a lake in the beautiful, austere backwoods of northern Minnesota. The other girls at school call Linda 'Freak', or 'Commie'. Her parents mostly leave her to her own devices, whilst the other inhabitants have grown up and moved on.
So when the perfect family - mother, father and their little boy, Paul - move into the cabin across the lake, Linda insinuates her way into the family's orbit. She begins to babysit Paul and feels welcomes, that she finally has a place to belong.
Yet something isn't right. Drawn into secrets she doesn't understand, Linda must make a choice. But how can a girl with no real knowledge of the world understand what the consequences will be?
I grabbed this book yesterday because I wanted to get a feel for it... and I couldn't put it down.
Madeline, Linda or Mattie--different people call her different names--is a teenage girl who lives with her parents in what used to be a hippie commune. She's lonely, doesn't fit in, and has a real problem voicing her real thoughts. She spends a lot of time in the woods, with her dogs, on the lake and watching people.
When a young family moves in across the lake, she finds herself befriending them. She meets the young mother, Patra, and her little boy, Paul. While the father is away, Linda burrows her way into the family by becoming the boy's babysitter. The little kid is smart, yet odd and sometimes doesn't seem healthy. At the same time, Mattie closely observes the case of a new teacher being accused of sexual misconduct by a classmate.
After tragedy strikes, Mattie starts to wonder how much responsibility she really holds in the awful events unfolding around her...
What a story! Yikes. Talk about getting totally lost in the innocence of a young girl one second, and then feeling totally creeped out because of the disturbing nature of her thoughts. There are so many ups and downs in this book, and I couldn't help but wonder if she was intentionally lying or just couldn't remember the events right. Mattie comes across so severe that I started thinking she was a bit of a sociopath one minute, then started feeling sorry for her the next. She's an unloved girl, so desperate to belong that she'll do and say just about anything to fit in. Sometimes, even her silence is her way of expressing how much she wants others to really see her.
Her family life is unconventional. She's disconnected from her parents, doesn't really get along with either of them, and often tries to make the reader believe it's them ignoring her. But it soon becomes obvious that no matter what her mother tries to do to engage her, Madeline just isn't interested. And I believe that this especially becomes apparent later in the book. It's just so amazing how much I cared about this story even though I didn't like the main character. That's quite the talent!
Also, the story is told in a very odd, but awesome, way. It starts at a particular point so that you instantly know a certain character, not yet introduced, is already dead. And that grips you, keeps you glued to the mystery. It also time jumps, feels almost like her thoughts are so jumbled that she goes all over the place. BUT, that's the best way to tell this story. It just feels SO right!
History of Wolves is an atmospheric story. It's also quite disturbing, and has a main character that's both unreliable and unlikeable. Yet, in spite--or because--of these two things, she's so compelling that I couldn't put the book down. It's also a beautifully written book. I loved how things aren't spelled out, so the reader needs to work through what's going on and come to their own conclusion--especially when dealing with the ending.
This is such a unique story. One that stayed with me even after I finished. Loved it!
History of Wolves, January 2017, ISBN 9781474602952, W&N
THE SERPENT KING by Jeff Zentner
Thursday, February 02, 2017 Yolanda Sfetsos No comments
O.M.G!
This book is incredible. Amazing. Fantastic. Awesome. And just so, HUMAN. I swear, it captures just about every emotion in the three narrators. And makes the reader go through ALL THE FEELINGS. Every single one of them.
Seriously. It does.
Three very different kids live in a small backwards town that has a lot of shitty people in it. Dill is the son of a Pentecostal minister who uses poison and snakes as a way of preaching his 'religion'. Except, this very 'religious' man is now in jail, and has left his wife and son alone with a lot of debt and a reputation that virtually makes Dill a pariah. Lydia is a smart, ambitious, stubborn teenager. She doesn't take shit from anyone, has her own very successful fashion blog, and dreams about getting out of the small town she hates. Travis is a gentle giant. A big guy who is super nice and loves to read fantasy because his real life situation is so awful.
But, my description barely touches the surface. There's so much more to this story about friendship, loss, love, and finding hope even after hitting rock bottom.
The story is told in the POVs of Dill, Lydia and Travis. Each voice is unique. Each voice hooked me in. And all three kids are amazing. They felt so real, and were such beautiful people even though their hardships were sometimes terrible and sad and dripping with despair.
I started this book in the morning and was done before going to bed because I couldn't put it down. It's SO GOOD. But so sad. This is the kind of story that burrows its way so deeply into your heart that you feel everything. There are some uncomfortable themes, but they're all dealt with so honestly.
I absolutely adored Dill, Lydia and Travis. Adored them.
This book made me happy, made me LOL, made me angry, made me dare to hope, and then broke me with sadness. It truly is an amazing book that I'll never forget.
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New Music: Immature Release 2015 Version of Smash Hit “Never Lie”
YKIGS Posted on January 27, 2015
Today, R&B/Pop group Immature re-releases a remake of their smash hit “Never Lie,” which the original version reached #1 in the R&B, Pop, and Crossover charts in 1994. The new version appropriately title “Never Lie 2015” is now available on iTunes here. The new reworked track was produced by Immanuel Rich & Marques Houston, which gave the record a more mature sound. An exclusive stream of the song is now available on BET.com.
Discovered in the 90s by entertainment mogul Chris Stokes, Immature sold over 20 million albums, singles and soundtracks. Now the group is poised for a comeback with all its original members including Jerome “Romeo” Jones (33) Kelton “LDB” Kessee (34), and Marques “Batman” Houston (33), Houston, who after 13 years, 6 solo albums of his own and over 3million albums and singles sold, rejoins the group. Now in their early 30’s, Immature’s new sound is sexier than ever.
“We’re more than excited to give our fans new music. The amazing response from the people out there was more than humbling. We’ve been gone for so long, it’s good to know we still have loyal fans out there who support us.” “We feel like we have what it takes to be contenders of this generation of music, like our peers who also started young and are still going strong like Usher, Justin Timberlake and Trey Songz.”
Immature recently released “Let Me Find Out,” which was very well received by the media and fans alike. Both Vibe and Global Grind featured the song. Fans can check out “Let Me Find Out,” plus new music here.
Immature is busy finishing their seventh studio album, “Forever,” which will be released on May 2 and will mark the first full-length project for the group in over a decade. Additionally, Immature will go on a national headlining tour with AEG later this year in support of the project. More details about the tour are coming soon.
Immature, also known as IMX, released four albums under the Immature moniker including On Our Worst Behavior in 1992, which included former member Don “Half Pint” Santos, later replaced by Kessee, Playtyme Is Over in 1994, then We Got It in 1995 and finally in 1997 released the album, The Journey.
In 1999, the group changed their name to IMx marking 10 years of being a group and released two studio albums Introducing IMx and IMx, and then released a Greatest Hits album in 2001. The group also branched out into film (such as House Party 3 & House Party 4: Down to the Last Minute) and television (such as A Different World, Sister, Sister, Family Matters and All That) before disbanding in 2002.
Today, Immature is working with several award-winning producers. Their album “Forever” will be available for pre-order on iTunes closer to the release date. For more information on Immature and their upcoming album and tour please visit http://immatureofficial.com
Tagged:ImmatureMarques Houston
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Jarell Perry “Wide Awake” (Katy Perry Cover) (Newtown Tribute)
YKIGS December 18, 2012
New Music: Havok Jones “Where You At?”
YKIGS May 14, 2014
John Michael “Sophisticated Lady” featuring Talib Kweli (Remix)
New Music: Charlie Wilson & Solero – O Holy Night
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Somali-American teen competes in Miss Minnesota USA wearing hijab, burkini
WATER PARK, Minn. -- A Minnesota teenager has made history.
Nineteen-year-old Halima Aden is the first Somali-American to participate in the Miss Minnesota USA competition.
She's extremely excited, and said that it's not about winning and that just being a contestant is already sending a positive message.
But the road for Aden hasn't been easy.
"I was born in a Kenyan refugee camp, and I left when I was six years old," said Halima Aden, a contestant in the Miss Minnesota USA competition.
But in the years since she's been in the U.S., the struggle continues with images of Islamophobia and backlash against Somali-Americans is still happening today.
"The people that are doing bad things, they don't represent an entire group," Aden said.
That's why she's proud to represent where she's from, especially on a grand stage.
"I feel like I'm here to bust those misconceptions and stereotypes of Muslim women," Aden said.
Vying for Miss Minnesota USA, just like every woman, Halima wears four different outfits.
"This is a girl's best dream," Aden said.
Only she competed in a hijab and a burkini, a swimsuit covering everything but her face, hands, and feet.
"Even Somali people are not familiar with the word burkini," Aden said.
Organizers say the decision to allow this was an easy one.
"The organization continues to evolve as women evolve," said Denise Wallace, the director of Miss Minnesota USA and Miss Minnesota Teen USA. "The Miss Universe organization is proud to be the forefront of the diversity of beauty," she said.
While making history, the St. Cloud State student is also making connections.
"The ladies are so wonderful," Aden said.
Even past winners gave her pointers and having some fun at the same time
"They teach you everything you need to know here so that just kind of eased my nerves a lot," Aden said. "Just being here is amazing," she said.
Halima said she was working for much more than a crown, rather the impact she has on others.
"A lot of girls were very supportive of what I'm doing, and that just makes it all worth it and my advice to them is just be confident in your own skin, know that an extra layer of clothing does not define your beauty, because beauty is within," Aden said.
Halima said after she graduates she hopes to one day be a U.S. ambassador.
Halima got into the top 15, but didn't make the cut for the top five.
societyreligionpageant
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Bicycle Thieves – History in Windows and Mirrors
Published: July 10, 201912:40 pm Updated: 2:49 pm
Author Sally Cunningham
2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the North American release of Ladri di biciclette (Bicycle Thieves), Vittorio De Sica’s landmark film of a vanquished but unbowed Italy after the Second World War. Accenti contributor Sally Cunningham provides a contemporary take on the film and explains why it is still relevant to audiences after all these years.
I first saw Bicycle Thieves for a film class at Bishop’s University. The course, Film Theory, was less of a how-are-films-made class and more of a why-are-films made – something for which I was very unprepared. On the first day a student named Pierre or Bradley or Tyler asked: “So, which Chaplin films will we be enjoying this semester?” while adjusting his beret. As an English literature major, this was all new territory. I had never dealt with montage or contiguity before, and I preferred my movie nights to be spent watching old Disney cartoons instead of French New Wave. But I was excited all the same.
Most of my time as a humanities undergraduate is spent answering questions phrased as “yes, and?” Yes, that is a simile – and why does that matter? Yes, and what does that mean for the poem? Yes, and what does that mean for us?
Yes, and?
Yes, and???
There is no finish line, there is no solve for “x,” which usually I love, but in film theory I struggled. Films like Man with a Movie Camera and Strike would not give me enough secrets to answer the infinite yes, ands. I missed seeing colour on a screen. I missed the ease of decoding words without pictures. I still didn’t understand the Kuleshov effect, and at that point I didn’t ever want to.
By late October, I was thrilled that the assigned movie had dialogue, no matter that I didn’t speak a lick of the original screenplay’s Italian. I would embrace the subtitles with open arms. All I knew going into Bicycle Thieves was the title and that the prerequisite reading contained the word “realism,” which seemed straightforward enough. What I did not know is how much the film’s simplicity and truthfulness would haunt me. Here I am over a year later still working out the yes, and?
Overall, Ladri di biciclette is a portrait of Rome after the Second World War as painted by director Vittorio De Sica. The 1948 Italian drama’s premise is simple: a bicycle is stolen. This seemingly mundane conflict creates a space in which De Sica explores truth and what it looks like on screen. The story itself is fictional, but the circumstances and emotions are not.
The plot follows Antonio Ricci (Lamberto Maggiorani) who, at the beginning of the film, accepts a job putting up posters around the city. However, the job is only available if Antonio has a bicycle. Unfortunately, the family recently pawned their bike to afford food. Antonio’s wife, Maria (Lianella Carell), sells the sheets off their bed so her husband can get the bicycle back – the Ricci strip their beds bare in the hopes of a stable future.
Antonio accepts the job as a billposter.
The opening minutes paint Rome as desperate and hungry, loud and hopeful. Men wait for jobs, women fetch water, kids run around. Families are on the verge of starvation and everyone is talking, talking, talking. The city is poised for better times, waiting for the next break, but not expecting it to come soon.
The plotline follows Antonio on his first day of work, where – true to the film’s title – his bicycle is stolen. A lot is riding on this bicycle, so Antonio chases the culprit down busy streets, even hopping on a passing car to keep up. But he can’t catch the thief and only one man moves to help. Defeated, Antonio goes to friends for ideas and enlists his young son Bruno (Enzo Staiola) to comb the streets of Rome.
Their quest takes the father and son all over the city, allowing the audience to experience snippets of daily Italian life. Travelling from a working rehearsal hall to an unhelpful police station, from a fancy trattoria to a bustling brothel, the entirety of Rome is unearthed in the search. The heart of 1948 Italy shines through all its contexts: this is a city of people doing their best. Yes, a sense of loss and desperation permeates the film, punctuated by Alessandro Cicognini’s award-winning score, but this is a city that wants to survive.
Structurally, the film is shot on location, has many long takes, and uses non-professional actors to bring to light the reality of post-war Italy. These are the concrete elements you might be asked about in an exam. But this is also where the “yes, ands” start coming into play.
Filming on location makes the setting tangible for viewers.
Filming on location allows viewers to see real places and real people. It has a different feel than the cultivated Hollywood studio. There are different allowances and different limitations. Bicycle Thieves takes us on a tour-de-Rome, showing the highs and lows of the city. There is scope to the search beyond indoor sets. The same goes for the non-actors. Instead of shiny, practiced faces, the people in the film look more realistic.
Long takes are not very common in contemporary films. Editing rooms have become voracious, slicing for only the essentials to be shown in the final cut. In a long take, it can feel like the camera is waiting for something to happen. Bicycle Thieves uses these long takes to nurture a sense of realism. Interludes of mundane moments in the film help to situate the viewer. It is easier to see elements of yourself in the film if you are given time to recognize what is on screen.
My favourite moment of realism comes about halfway through the film as a torrential downpour starts up. Drenched Romans flee the streets, and varied camera angles remind us just how many people there are, how busy the city is. As Antonio and Bruno run for cover, Bruno trips and splays out on the slick street. Once he joins his father, Bruno wipes himself down aggressively, indignant and soaking wet. Antonio missed the fall and asks what happened, to which Bruno yells back, pointing at the offending street, “I fell over!” While the scene doesn’t do much to advance the plot, it is truthful. A kid falls, he is angry his dad didn’t see. The kid is Italian so he is passionate about it all. There is an innocence in Bruno’s self-importance that creates a moment of realism: a bittersweet levity against the hopelessness of the search for the stolen bicycle.
Bruno explain what happened.
Bicycle Thieves commits to realism, no matter how desperate or uneventful. A bike is stolen and not returned. This is a story anyone can recognize and empathize with. One where things just don’t work out. There is no deus ex machina ending, there is only truth. Even if it seems bleak, the truth can be comforting: “you are not the only one suffering” says this ending, “you are not the only one whose life is not a movie.” And it isn’t like a movie ending. There is no bicycle. There is no backup plan. There are no sheets on the bed and no one to help Antonio.
Instead of placating an audience with entertainment and escapism, Vittorio De Sica holds up a mirror. He shows a version of the truth – a version that is not altogether pretty, but not without hope either. There is still kindness, children still laugh, people still grow. Antonio will go on; he will find a way.
This is a film meant to show a side of reality, not all of it. It is a window into the struggle and poverty of post-war Italy. We can use this film as a history tool, or as a lesson in vulnerability and humanity, or we can use it as a mirror: to remember to forge on, even if there is no Hollywood ending.
Sally Cunningham is an English literature and film student originally from Vancouver, BC. She is currently in her third year at Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, QC. Sally was the co-editor of the 126th edition of The Mitre.
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Italian Opera: la troppo ricchezza
Published: September 6, 20138:22 pm Updated: April 7, 20191:46 pm
Author Michael Hutcheon and Linda Bortolotti Hutcheon
And the Band Plays On…
Published: October 1, 201112:41 am Updated: March 29, 201912:46 am
Author Michael Mirolla
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How Talking Heads Marked a Turning Point on ‘Fear of Music’
Released on Aug. 3, 1979, Talking Heads' Fear of Music found David Byrne's always-offbeat observations set to turbulent, often strikingly ominous music beds that grew out of loose, but ultimately uncredited full-band jams. As such, it wasn't a departure so much as a deepening and a dimming of what came before. It's clear now, though, that the ominous and intriguing Fear of Music was a bellwether juncture for the band, its music and its future.
They were pushing, and hard, against the edges of an approach that always seemed to include a wink and a nudge in the past. As the ties that bound the band began to weaken, however, their approach reflected the looming clouds all around. You hear it in the fin de siecle dread surrounding their radio favorite "Life During Wartime" and the disturbingly beautiful nihilism of "Heaven."
The album's explosive opener "I Zimbra," which featured African cadences, a memorable guest turn by King Crimson's Robert Fripp and lyrics based on the absurdist poetry of Hugo Ball, feels like a moment of catharsis, and that's just at the beginning.
"This ain't no party / This ain't no disco / This ain't no fooling around," Byrne reminds us during "Life During Wartime." And so "Cities" explores the life of someone who only feels comfortable when surrounded by the anonymity of urban life. "Air" uncovers a character so miserable that even the simplest task has become unbearable. "Drugs," well, that speaks for itself. Best of all -- certainly scariest of all -- might be "Memories Can't Wait," a swirling column of after-party rage and disassociative fear.
Fear of Music, underrated multi-instrumentalist Jerry Harrison told Anil Prasad in 1999, "completed the earlier vision of the band, yet had a sophistication about it."
As such, Fear of Music, though it went to No. 21 on the Billboard albums chart, can perhaps be difficult to connect with. Lester Bangs memorably suggested that the album be retitled Fear of Everything. Even Robert Christgau was moved to admit that "a little sweetening might help."
Listen to Talking Heads' 'Heaven'
And yet, initially at least, this dystopian vision emerged from a close-knit place, something that might be hard to believe as the candidly depressed Fear of Music unfolds. The album, in fact, began with cords snaking into a loft owned by drummer Chris Frantz and bassist Tina Weymouth from a recording van parked outside. It couldn't have been more lo-fi, more garage band, more familial. After two albums, and their first breakout hit in a modern cover of Al Green's "Take Me to the River," Talking Heads had decided to return to the punk era's seminal approach.
As the sessions continued, Byrne began to take a more central role. His friend Brian Eno, in the midst of a three-album run as producer, was eventually brought in to help shape the sounds they were creating. By then, Talking Heads had already decided that the anxiety they'd poked fun at before was worth exploring more completely. And explore it, they did. "We made sure no song sounded exactly like the other," Byrne wrote in his 2012 book How Music Works.
He dubbed the working process in the loft as "incomplete recording," something Byrne was only just beginning to develop. The band would lay down basic tracks, then embellish from there while Byrne improvised lyrics on the spot. Harrison designed the album cover, and suggested the title -- an idea that seemed to fit in with the project's overarching theme of displacement.
"We were an alternative to a lot of the overblown pop music that was around then," Byrne told Time years later. "But it wasn't as simple as what I described. The music had this disturbing hue to it."
Listen to Talking Heads' 'Life During Wartime'
What they ended up with might be best described -- to borrow a Christgau phrase from elsewhere in his original review -- as "gritty weirdness." Fear of Music sounds robotic, but intense. Futuristic, yet earthy. Bold but, yeah, afraid. Mikal Gilmore, writing in Rolling Stone in 1979, described it as an "agitated presence in a composed environment." In this way, it works in perfect concert with Byrne's lyrical constructions.
Go back to "Memories Can't Wait," with its insomniac vibe. The song is both unspeakably tired and completely keyed up. That sums up the twilit jitters that envelop Fear of Music, a project that simply bristles with outsider experimentation, hooky invention and rhythmic surprises -- even as the lyric sheet travels down these harrowing back alleys. "In the Talking Heads, the rhythm section is like a ship or train -- very forceful and certain of where it’s going," Eno told Gilmore. "On top of that, you have this hesitant, doubting quality that dizzily asks, ‘Where are we going?’ That makes for a sense of genuine disorientation, unlike the surface insanity of the more commonplace, expressionist punk groups."
Watch Talking Heads Perform 'I Zimbra'
Not everything on the album reaches for that kind of outsized greatness. But the best moments on Fear of Music remain some of the most important things -- and, at the same time, some of the darkest -- that Talking Heads have ever done. Certainly, as Harrison has noted, the disco paranoia of "I Zimbra" set the course for everything that would follow musically.
There was one more thing: When Fear of Music was first issued, every song was attributed to Byrne, despite the clear involvement of the others. Later editions rectified that, as "Life During Wartime" was properly credited to all four members, Harrison's contributions were noted on "Memories Cant Wait" and "Heaven," and Eno earned a co-writing nod on "Drugs." But the seeds were sewn for divisions that would eventually rip the band apart into the '80s.
In the end, as author Jonathan Lethem has said, this can be viewed as the final Talking Heads album, or the final real one, anyway. After Fear of Music, Byrne began radically expanding the group beyond its founding foursome -- both onstage and in the studio -- with an eye toward achieving more and more complexities of sound. By the time the follow-up Remain in Light appeared -- with a credit that read "All songs by David Byrne, Brian Eno, Talking Heads" -- their era of work as a cooperative quartet was effectively over. The sense of separation so skillfully delineated throughout Fear of Music had been made real.
Talking Heads Albums Ranked
Next: Top 10 Talking Heads Songs
Source: How Talking Heads Marked a Turning Point on ‘Fear of Music’
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Moss, Utah Run Past West Virginia 30-14 in Heart of Dallas
DALLAS (AP) — Zach Moss ran for 150 yards with a career-long 58-yard run for a touchdown, Tyler Huntley scored twice on 2-yard keepers and Utah got its fifth consecutive bowl victory, a 30-14 win over West Virginia in the Heart of Dallas Bowl on Tuesday.
On a drizzly and chilly day in Cotton Bowl Stadium, the Utes (7-6) led for good after Moss took a third-and-1 handoff, quickly burst into the open field and went all the way to the end zone to cap their opening drive.
Utah improved to 11-1 in bowl games under Kyle Whittingham, the former defensive coordinator whose debut as head coach was a Fiesta Bowl win at the end of the 2004 season. He co-coached that game with Urban Meyer, who had taken the Florida job three weeks earlier but returned to be part of Utah's postseason win over Pittsburgh after Whittingham had been promoted to head coach. With the win, Whittingham tied Alabama's Nick Saban for most bowl wins by an active coach.
West Virginia (7-6) finished the season with its third straight loss. The Mountaineers had only 153 total yards without junior quarterback Will Grier, who broke a finger Nov. 18, and 1,000-yard rusher Justin Crawford, a senior who bypassed the bowl game in advance of the NFL draft.
Utah: Both of Huntley's TDs came after West Virginia miscues. The first came after a muffed punt return set Utah up at the Mountaineers 13, and the second came after an offside penalty on a short punt gave the Utes a second chance on fourth down. Huntley then completed a 25-yard pass completion on the fourth-and-3 play before scoring on another short run.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers missed Grier, who broke the middle finger on his throwing hand early in a loss against Texas. They also lost their regular-season finale without him. Grier, whose 34 TD passes were the second most in a season for West Virginia, already has said he will return next year for his senior season.
Utah: Huntley and Moss will both be back, and their junior seasons will begin at home on Aug. 30 against Weber State. For the start of what will be Whittingham's 14th full season, the Utes could have back 14 of their starters from the bowl game (eight on offense, six on defense).
West Virginia: Grier can be back in the lineup for the 2018 season opener Sept. 1 against Tennessee in Charlotte. It will be the third time in five years the Mountaineers will open a season against another Power Five opponent in an NFL stadium.
Filed Under: Heart of Dallas Bowl, Mountaineers, utah, Utes, West Virginia, Zach Moss
Categories: College Football
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Chinese Solar Stocks Set to Rise With Eyes on US Settlement
By Chris Lange September 21, 2015 1:40 pm EDT
In the past week, Credit Suisse held over a dozen meetings with solar companies across the value chain at its annual Renewables Roundup event. This was part of a larger Solar Power International conference in California. The firm was cognizant of considerable concerns around the ITC step-down in 2017 for the U.S. utility scale market, a nearing China/U.S. tariff settlement that could keep module prices at elevated levels (although positive for module manufacturers with Chinese capacity) and persisting delays of the Chinese FiT (Feed-in Tariff) payment that are starting to call into question the value — and monetization options — of the assets being amassed in China.
A few of the main Chinese solar companies seeing the most gains from this are Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL), JinkoSolar Holding Co., (NYSE: JKS) and JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO).
In its report, Credit Suisse said:
Checks indicate continued pressure on module pricing, especially in the US, but prices in China appear to have stabilized. Our checks indicated pricing around $0.58-$0.59/w (watt) in Japan (driven by FiT cuts, competition, FX), $0.63-$0.65/w in the US (down 2-to-4 cents/w from early second quarter), ~$0.64/w in Europe (dictated by the EUR 0.56/w MIP), and $0.54/w in China (expected to remain stable with payment terms improving very slightly). Companies continue to be dismayed by the lack of any FiT catalog announcement in China, meaning that connected projects are not receiving the subsidy portion of the FiT. Assuming a catalog is announced by year-end, the precedent for delays would mean all 2015 vintage projects may not receive cash flows until 2017, potentially jeopardizing public-vehicle monetization plans. Fortunately, however, the energy portion of the FiT (~35% of cash flows) is sufficient to cover all (or nearly all) of the project debt servicing needs. There is growing consensus that China will increase their long-term targets to 150 GW (gigawatt) (from 100 GWs) by 2020 but the need to address FiT delays (via more frequent catalogs, etc) is paramount.
The settlement in the U.S.-China trade dispute seems to be very close and potentially a win-win. U.S. and Chinese solar companies are increasingly likely to finalize a settlement over the next few weeks.
ALSO READ: JPMorgan Says ‘Rent to Own’ 3 High-Yielding Clean Energy Yieldcos
Shares of Trina were up 1.3% at $9.17 on Monday afternoon. The stock has a consensus analyst price target of $15.40 and a 52-week trading range of $7.15 to $14.23.
JinkoSolar shares were up 2.6%, at $22.46 in its 52-week trading range of $14.52 to $32.28. The consensus analyst price target is $33.13.
Shares of JA Solar were up 3%, at $7.84 in a 52-week range of $6.30 to $10.80. The consensus price target is $11.64.
By Chris Lange
« Gasoline Prices Average Below $2 in 5 States
What to Expect From CarMax Earnings »
Read more: Energy Business, alternative energy, Analyst Upgrades, China, solar energy, JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (A... (NASDAQ:JASO), JinkoSolar Holding Company (NYSE:JKS), Trina Solar Limited (ADR) (NYSE:TSL)
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Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: Alcoa, Extreme Networks, Gilead, MGIC, Micron, Noble Energy, Twitter, US Steel, Wendy’s and More
By Jon C. Ogg December 20, 2017 9:05 am EDT
Stocks keep hitting all-time highs, with over 70 trading days of new market highs so far this year alone. Despite a small “sell the news” sell-off on Tuesday, the Senate’s passage of tax reform had stocks indicated up yet again on Wednesday. The bull market is now nearing nine years old and investors have been rewarded for buying every market sell-off. Investors also are looking for new investing and trading ideas to generate gains and income ahead.
24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports each day of the week. Our goal is to find new investing and trading ideas for investors and traders alike. Some daily analyst reports and research reports cover stocks to buy. Others cover stocks to sell or to avoid.
Additional color and commentary has been added on most of these daily analyst calls. The consensus analyst price targets mentioned and other valuation metrics are from the Thomson Reuters sell-side research service.
These were the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and other research calls from Wednesday, December 20, 2017.
Acer Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: ACER) was started with a Buy rating and assigned a $50 price target (versus a $12.00 prior close) at H.C. Wainwright. Acer Therapeutics has a 52-week trading range of $5.73 to $22.62, and its market cap is quite small at roughly $88 million.
Alcoa Corp. (NYSE: AA) was raised to Outperform from Neutral and the price target was raised to $61 from a prior price target of $42 (versus a $46.52 close) at Credit Suisse.
AK Steel Holding Corp. (NYSE: AKS) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a $7 price target (versus a $5.53 close) at Longbow Research.
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) was started as Buy and assigned a $50 price target (versus a $42.90 close) at Stifel.
Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) was raised to Outperform from Neutral and the price target was raised to $385 from $321 at Credit Suisse.
Century Aluminum Co. (NASDAQ: CENX) was downgraded to Hold from Buy with a $14 price target (versus a $16.93 close) at Deutsche Bank.
Extreme Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: EXTR) was started with an Outperform rating and assigned a $16 price target (versus a $12.45 close) at Cowen.
Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform with an $80 price target (versus a $74.35 close) at Credit Suisse.
Hartford Financial Services (NYSE: HIG) was started as Neutral with a $59 price target (versus a $56.73 close) at Citigroup.
IBERIABANK Corp. (NASDAQ: IBKC) was downgraded to Outperform from Strong Buy at Raymond James.
Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (NYSE: ICE) was reiterated as Buy and the price target was raised to $80 from $72 (versus a $71.07 close) at Argus. The call is based on expectations for continued margin improvement.
Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK) was maintained as Hold but the price target was cut to $100 from $120 (versus a $103.45 close) at Jefferies.
Lamar Advertising Co. (NASDAQ: LAMR) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral at Citigroup.
ALSO READ: 9 Things That Savers and Investors Will Love About Tax Reform
« What Boeing, Bombardier Are Fighting Over Now
4 Stocks to Buy That Might Hit the Tax Reform Jackpot in 2018 »
Read more: Investing, Active Trader, Analyst Downgrades, Analyst Upgrades, Alcoa, Inc. (NYSE:AA), AK Steel Holding Corp (NYSE:AKS), Biogen Idec (NASDAQ:BIIB), Century Aluminum Company (NASDAQ:CENX), Extreme Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXTR), Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD), Hartford Financial Services (NYSE:HIG), IBKC, IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE), Jack in the Box (NASDAQ:JACK), Lamar Advertising Company (NASDAQ:LAMR), Moody's (NYSE:MCO), MercadoLibre (NASDAQ:MELI), MGIC Investment Corp. (NYSE:MTG), Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU), Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NBL), Nucor (NYSE:NUE), Radian Group, Inc. (NYSE:RDN), Steel Dynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ:STLD), Twitter, Inc. (NYSE:TWTR), United Continental Holdings, I... (NYSE:UAL), The Wendy's Company (NASDAQ:WEN), United States Steel Corp. (NYSE:X)
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Back to Mood On Netflix
7 Best No-brainer Movies to Watch On Netflix
Titles under Mood: No-brainer, available to stream on Netflix.
Mood: No-brainer (Netflix)
The Latest Top Rated On Netflix On Amazon Prime
An innocent-fun movie, Always Be My Maybe is a lovely thing to turn your brain off to. Sasha and Marcus are high-school best friends who dated briefly and went their separate ways. 16 years later, they meet again - Sasha is a famous chef, and Marcus is still living with his dad.What really makes this movie is the writing from Ali Wong and Randall Park, who also play the two leads. The dialogue is sharp, believable and smart - going as far as covering themes of gender and parenting. But also, because a rom-com about two Asians from San Francisco is not exactly a common occurrence, the characters are fresh, the jokes are fresh - everything is fresh.Watch out for the character who plays Marcus' dad, he plays the character of an overly honest Korean dad perfectly. And also watch out for Keanu Reeves, he plays a crazy version of himself!
Comedy / Romance
To All the Boys I've Loved Before is not only the best rom-com on Netflix, it's one of the best rom-coms in recent memory, period. It has all the originality and freshness of Juno, the inclusiveness and relevancy of The Big Sick, and the sweetness of all your favourite 2000s romantic comedies. Lara Jean is a high-schooler who's never been in a relationship and who, instead of communicating her feelings to her crushes, writes them letters that never get sent. Her world is turned upside down when those letters do end up in the hands of their recipients. Her first relationship, however peculiar, comes out of the incident. The acting is top notch, the characters are lovable and well-written. Just go watch it, OK? It's a true triumph and an innocent-fun movie, there is no scenario in which you will be disappointed.
This movie is a complete no-brainer.It follows two assistants in busy New York City, both of them overworked and underpaid. They come up with a plan to set up their bosses (Set it Up) so that when their bosses finally take some personal time together, they could too. In a lot of ways, it’s the perfect argument to anyone who says that the rom-com genre is dead. It’s light, it’s easy, and it’s entertaining.At the same time, there is a heartwarming vibe that’s not too cliché, and a couple of well-known actors — Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs — that help carry the plot. Don’t expect to be mind-blown but this film will leave you feeling content.
One of the many good movies from director Edgar Wright - if you loved Shaun of the Dead, then this Buddy-Cop Homage will make you double over (and question humanity – or lack, thereof) just as much. Sandford is a small English village with the lowest crime and murder rates, so when overachieving police Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) gets sent there because he was so good he intimidated those around him, he just about loses it. From car-chasing, bone-thrilling, head-blowing action, he graduates to swan-calling, thrill-seeking, sleep-inducing madness. But all that’s about to change – for the worse? For the better? You decide. An obscenely funny flick that has an intriguing plot and an even greater set of characters, Hot Fuzz wasn’t named the best film of the Cornetto trilogy for nothing, clearly cementing Pegg and Nick Frost as the ultimate action duo of the genre.
Action / Comedy / Mystery
The Edge of Seventeen
A wonderful, witty teen comedy—possibly the best the genre has known in a long time! In a powerhouse performance, Hailee Steinfeld plays Nadine, a high school junior at peak angst and awkwardness. Her roller coaster journey through family, friends, lovers, or lack thereof, gives her that all-too-common impression for people her age that life is unbearable. Things get more complicated when Nadine's dad passes and her only friend hooks up with an unexpected person. Her temperament and humor will help her see past her demons to understand what's important in life, putting you in privileged spectator mode to this highly smart and exciting coming-of-age story.
Well-acted
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The Fundamentals of Caring
The Fundamentals of Caring is an offbeat comedy/drama starring Paul Rudd as a man attempting to overcome his looming divorce by becoming the caretaker for a teenager with muscular dystrophy (Craig Roberts, Submarine). The two develop an unconventional relationship based largely on sarcasm and profanity, delivering many laugh-out-loud moments, while also slowly exposing the pain each is carrying inside.Together, at Ben’s urging, they embark on a road trip across the western United States for Craig to see the world. It’s somewhat formulaic but fun and touching road movie that covers much familiar ground, but also offers a fine illustration of caregiving, personal growth, and emotional healing. Paul Rudd is as good ever, and Roberts is utterly superb. One of the best movies on the Netflix Originals catalogue, and an undeniable winner, all-in-all.
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International AIDS Candlelight Memorial 2018
"Reflecting on our Past, Preparing for our Future”.
The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial reminds us of the tremendous impact that HIV and the AIDS movement have had on our lives. The Memorial emphasizes the need for people living with and affected by HIV to join hands and reflect on the past and the precious lives that have been lost.
The Memorial also calls on us to share our stories of challenge, perseverance, and triumph to educate the current and next generations about what the AIDS movement has achieved over the last three decades.
Finally, the Memorial asks to work together, now more than ever, to sustain, strengthen and revitalize our worldwide response to HIV by looking forward and preparing for our future free of HIV-related stigma and discrimination and with universal access to the full range of human rights, including quality prevention, treatment and care services for all.
Please join with us and our guest speakers to remember those who have gone too soon, and continue the legacy of more than 35 years of international activism by committing to a future free from the grief and stigma of the past.
Our guest speakers this year are:
Sarah Feagan, Chair Positive Women Board and Director at NAPWHA
Bill Paterson, Manager at NAPWHA
Tim Dyke, President at AIDS Action Council
The evening will be hosted by Canberra media personality, Genevieve Jacobs. There will also be a musical performance from the Canberra Gay and Lesbian Qwire.
Date: Sunday 20 May 2018
Time: 4pm – 6.30pm (please arrive at 3.45pm for a 4pm start)
Where: The Great Hall, University House, ANU
RSVP: Please RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 6257 2855 by Friday 18 May
Bring: Wear something warm, we will be outside for part of the evening
Every year we remember those people how have died of HIV/AIDS by recalling their names. If you would like to add names of someone you cared about who passed away in the previous year to this event, please contact us on 6257 2855 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sarah Feagan
Sarah is a queer woman who has been living with HIV for 10 years. She is vocal about her physical and emotional struggles living with HIV, and uses her personal experiences to educate and inspire. Sarah has recently stepped away from her role as Chair of the Positive Women Board, to be in an exciting new Peer Navigator at Living Positive Victoria where she can be right at the cold face of the HIV sector. She also sits on the Board of the National Association of People Living with HIV Australia representing all PLHIV and a co facilitator of PLDI and Phoinex for women, a workshop for newly diagnosed women. Sarah is a strong advocate for peer based services using the MIPA and MIWA to inform her practice.
She is the proud mother to 3 fur babies, the lucky wife to a wonderful man who looks beyond her HIV and hopes to add a human baby to the mix in the near future.
Bill Paterson
Bill Paterson has been involved in Australia’s response to HIV since 1986, his paid work has included the Registered Nurse and Nurse Manager role with the Inpatient HIV Unit at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney in the early years of the epidemic, Housing Programs Manager with the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation and he currently works at the National Association for People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA) as the Operations Manager.
Bill has extensive critical care nursing experience specialising in adult and children’s intensive care. In service to his social justice values Bill has volunteered as Board member for Sydney’s Western Suburbs Haven, Positive Life NSW in its previous incarnation and most recently as President of the Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council.
Bill is passionate about giving voice to the voiceless and empowerment to the marginalised wherever this occurs in society. Bills experience of advocacy is recounted in the NAPWHA publication ’Through our Eyes – Thirty years of people living with HIV responding to the HIV and AIDS epidemics in Australia. Bill is a graduate of the November 2013 Positive Leadership Development Institute workshop.
Bill Paterson has been involved in Australia’s response to HIV since 1986, as Registered Nurse, Nurse Manager and Housing Programs Manager. Bill is currently employed at the National Association for People with HIV Australia.
Tim Dyke
Dr Tim Dyke has been a part of the AIDS Action Council of the ACT since 2014. He began as a volunteer before being elected to the Board in 2016.
He is a leadership coach and consultant with previous careers as a veterinarian, an academic and as a senior executive in Australian government agencies. He worked at the National Health and Medical Research Council where his roles included leading clinical trials reform, human research ethics, governance and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' research policy.
Tim also currently supports and mentors aspiring LGBTIQ+ professionals as they navigate their way through the early stages of their careers via The Pinnacle Foundation and Out for Australia.
Tim's passions are working alongside others - to improve themselves in their future life and business and - to develop 'community' in our complex, ambiguous world.
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Kommentare Abstract
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2019/1 Zielgruppen
Lilley Anthony, Professor at Ulster University, CEO of Magic Lantern Productions Ltd
What can Big Data do for the cultural sector?
Exploring the characteristics and potential of Big Data for the cultural sector.
«Big Data» is a buzz phrase of the moment, of that there can be no doubt. In the many discussions I had in travelling the UK and Europe discussing the potential of data-driven decision-making in the cultural sector, there is almost unanimous agreement that data can be a powerful asset and that, in many parts of the cultural sphere, it is currently underused.
Whilst the trendiness of the phrase itself will certainly decline, the characteristics of big data are here to stay. It is trite to say that the world we live in includes an unprecedented volume of data, capturing, recording and measuring a greater variety of activity than ever before and coming at us at increasing velocity. Whilst the precise definition of «Big Data» varies depending on the author and the audience, the behaviours and insights to which volume, variety and velocity can give rise are profound. «Before Big Data, our analysis was usually limited to testing a small number of hypotheses that we defined well before even collecting the data. When we let the data speak, we can make connections that we never thought existed.»1
Aggregating data about the behaviour of cultural consumers could provide powerful new arguments both for the provision and allocation of public funding and for the measurement of its impact. But, ideally, this will need to rest on a culture which genuinely sees public money as an investment (rather than subsidy) and which values a two-way, regular and honest exchange of data and information between funder and funded which goes beyond the necessary elements of accountability and governance. Such an approach could have a genuinely revolutionary effect on cultural provision.
How can Big Data help the average cultural sector player?
Firstly, it helps to go where the Big Data already is. What could something like Google Analytics tell you about demand for a new production? How might analysis of the behaviour of a Facebook Group be compared to large-scale segmentation using Facebook’s own ad tools and then compared to the behaviour of the part of «your» audience, which has similar demographic characteristics? These examples uses some element of big data-type approaches to rethink at least one component of traditional decision-making.
And it is the decision-making which is the key. Whether the data is technically defined as «big» is of comparatively little importance in some ways. It is the use of data-driven approaches to drive insight and change behaviour which matters.
Put simply, almost all cultural organisations already live in a world of greater volume and variety of data - even if they don’t yet harness it. Many are exploring the opportunities and challenges of velocity (for instance through the liveness of Twitter). But very few have an integrated strategic approach and the skills and tools to make the most (or even much sense) of the potential that they are faced with.
One way to think about data-driven decision-making at the current time is to move away from thinking about simply finding definitive relationships of cause and effect between data points (e.g. single transactions in a ticketing system). Even the smallest of «bigger data» sets benefits more from a process of separating the signal from the noise - of letting the data «speak». Many of us have been trained or conditioned to use data to prove our point - and this still has a place - but the confident use of larger data sets can go beyond that.
Even if many cultural organisations have «bigger» data rather than Big Data, the challenge of increasing data-driven decision-making is made up of many layers.
Firstly, many organisations believe their data to be poor quality. This may indeed be the case - but there is no such thing as perfect data. So long as a process of continuous improvement and cleaning is in place and that any obvious problems are ironed out before relying too much on data, it’s undoubtedly better to make a start using existing data rather than waiting for it to be «perfect». If you think your data really is terrible, there’s so much of the stuff about nowadays you might even think about starting again - then using your new dataset to check back against the old stuff to find out what, if anything, might be useful after all.
Think about what you need to measure and then start to measure it
From then on in, the tasks get technical for a little while. Systems such as ticketing software must be developed and improved in many organisations. Integration between websites, databases and ticketing needs to be a priority of the user-centred organisation - which is what everyone should be looking to be able to be. Non-ticketed organisations should look for ways in which they can create opportunities to connect with and capture the data they need that is meaningful. Given the velocity of data, reporting can be more about dashboards and less about print outs, more about visualisations than spreadsheets.
But even where (or when) the technical capability exists, real challenges remain. As Nate Silver explains in his book The Signal and the Noise, there is still lots of room for human judgment, pattern spotting and the wisdom of good decision-making. It’s all very well if we can get the data to speak, but someone needs to be listening and taking action for there to be any positive effect.
This is where analysis comes in. A characteristic of Big Data led decision-making is the freedom with which analysts explore data and make connections, test them, tell stories about them through visualisation. There are analytic tools in many box office systems available for interrogation of web and social media traffic (e.g. via Google Analytics and for social media) and yet, from discussions with suppliers, many remain un- or under-used. It could be that this results from a lack of skills. Bringing data scientists from other, non-cultural fields into the sector could be an important way to explore the needs of cultural organisations and to build capacity. Another culprit could be a lack of demand for data in the director’s office or board room.
Few people in the sector would now argue that data and culture don’t, can’t or even shouldn't mix. In an increasingly quantified world, just to stay on top of the zeitgeist, almost by necessity, involves being aware of data in a way which would have seemed alien less than a decade ago when no one had «followers» and «like» was a verb.
But, more than that, the use of data as an asset inside cultural organisations would accelerate if the stories it was used to tell were better told, more beautiful, playful and startling. Around the world, artists themselves are working with data in amazing and thought-provoking ways and, more mundanely, people are using dashboards to control their social media feeds or weight-loss. Assuming that the foundation of the raw materials is strong enough, the analytics robust and the people in the room willing to listen; data-driven decision-making could and perhaps should be a key element of increasing artistic impact and commercial resilience both for individual organisations and for the sector as a whole. And it could be based on beautifully evidenced stories.
Audiences expect personalitation
How do we use the data - big, bigger or just bog-standard, to generate new ways of looking at old (or novel) questions? That’s where experience, creativity and necessity are a powerful combination. Counting what counts is important and there are new ways of counting things which had previously been beyond the realms of numbers. Looking to new ways, such as sentiment or semantic analysis to measure aspects of artistic impact could also be an important new tool for the cultural sector.
But there’s plenty that can be done today. The measurability of everyday life is growing at an amazing rate, as personal devices such as smartphones and tablets proliferate and as social data, loyalty cards and the rest combine to record aspects of life that were outside the scope of measurement in the quite recent past. Couple this with the developing expectations of audiences for personalisation and the levels of service provided by digital companies such as Amazon, and data is already a key tool in the armoury if used effectively.
This is definitely a marathon not a sprint and the current buzzy popularity of the phrase «Big Data» is helping to get people thinking. That can only be a good thing. After all data-driven decision-making has been around for years and is certainly no fad, it’s just becoming more useful all the time.
Anthony Lilley
Anthony Lilley is CEO of Magic Lantern Productions Ltd, an award-winning interactive media and multiplatform creative house and consultancy and also a non-executive director of media sepcialists Zespa Media. Anthony has worked on world leading brands including Sony Playstation, BBC, London 2012 and Google. He holds the Professorship of Creative Industries at Ulster University, a Visiting Professorship at the UK Centre of Excellence for Media at Bournemouth University and is a previous Professor at the University of Oxford.
1 Mayer-Schönberger, Viktor; Cukier, Kenneth, Big Data – A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work and Think, Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
Schmid Friedrich
Erwartungen und Wünsche von Genealogen an Archive
Marty Sara
Rezension: Warum und wie sich Archive bei ihrer internen Zielgruppe vermarkten sollten
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Tag - Designated Survivor
Brady Campaign: Kindly Thank ABC for the Gun Control Propaganda
by Marc Giller
Kiefer Sutherland’s new show Designated Survivor obviously isn’t afraid to tackle touchy subjects. In fact, the entire premise of the series is based on the bombing of a State of the Union speech that kills the President of the United States and wipes out all of Congress, leaving Sutherland’s character–Tom Kirkland, the HUD secretary–as the only surviving member of the administration, and thus the man who assumes the presidency. I’ll admit I was intrigued by the concept, and I’d liked Sutherland as an actor ever since I saw him as a vampire punk in The Lost Boys, so I gave the show a try when it premiered last September. The premiere episode was pretty decent–but something about it made me uneasy, and it had nothing to do with a smoldering CGI Capitol laying in ruins.
It was more like a feeling that somehow, some way, the show was going to sucker punch me.
It didn’t take long. The first slap came at the end of the pilot, when they planted the seed that the bombing had been staged to look like Islamic terrorism, but was really the work of some other group. But the real backhander came in the Very Special Episode two, which featured a Michigan governor (Republican, naturally) who had the cops put the beat-down on some local Muslims until Kirkland channels some Jack Bauer intensity to stop him–but not before a Muslim teen dies in custody.
And just like that, Designated Survivor had jumped the shark.
Of course, it’s not like I hadn’t seen it coming–but I was pretty gobsmacked at just how ham-fisted it was. Apparently cramming their lefty preaching into the show’s subtext was too subtle for the writers, so they brought out the bat and beat the audience senseless with it.
I gave up on the Kirkland administration after that.
Designated Survivor has soldiered on, though, with plot twists that make Sutherland’s previous efforts on 24 seem downright lazy by comparison. Oh, and that bombing at the Capitol? Yeah, it’s a conspiracy. Something involving a congressman (white guy, former solider–a twofer!) who supposedly survived the explosion but really set it off with the help of a shadowy private security firm (probably run by more white guys). Because, ya know, radical Islam couldn’t really the enemy, right?
Not able to leave well enough alone with that particular trope, the show has now moved on to another liberal bugaboo: gun control. In last week’s episode, President Kiefer–after encountering (again, Republican) resistance to a gun control bill–makes an impassioned speech to the newly sworn-in Congress, trying to sway just a few Senators so that the stalled bill can finally make its way to his desk. He assures them:
I believe that the American people have every right to buy and own guns by virtue of the Second Amendment. I would also like to take a moment to quash the myth that somehow gun control is equal to the Federal Government coming into your home and taking your weapons away. Nobody is advocating for that. We need to be doing everything we can to stop guns from falling into the hands of prior felons, people dealing with serious mental-health issues, people on terrorist watch lists. I mean, come on. We need to be using common sense. It’s as simple as that.
If that sounds like it came straight out of a Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence press release–well, that’s because they actively worked with the producers of Designated Survivor in crafting the message.
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, one of the country’s leading gun control groups, said they gave a presentation to the team behind the primetime show starring Kiefer Sutherland.
“Our president Dan Gross presented to members of their team a while back before the season began about representing gun violence on screen and spent time educating them on the issue,” Brendan Kelly, a Brady Campaign spokesman, told the Washington Free Beacon. “It was part of that larger effort I alluded to in [a recent email to Brady supporters] to work with content producers and creators to highlight the issue of gun violence in America and the sensible solutions at our disposal.”
Furthermore:
“We hope integrating this issue into storylines can help facilitate more conversation about the everyday gun violence that kills 33,000 Americans a year and shine a spotlight on the sensible steps politicians and gun owners alike can take to help bring that number down,” Kelly said. “For us, it’s about changing social norms and rethinking the way we talk about guns. Of course we appreciate when the issue is reflected as accurately as possible, recognizing creative liberties can and often are taken in entertainment. We think Designated Survivor really nailed it on that front.”
For that, the Brady Campaign wants you to send thank you notes to ABC, praising them for propagandizing–er, educating–its viewers on “common sense” gun control.
The organization urged their supporters to thank ABC for the episode and directed them to a site which sends a message to the network as well as sign them up for Brady Campaign email alerts.
It sure is nice to know that ABC is so open minded that they’ll allow social advocacy groups to slip content into their entertainment programming. Still, one wonders what kind of reception a group such as Live Action might get if they tried the same thing. Call me cynical, but I don’t think we’ll be seeing too many pro-life storylines on Designated Survivor anytime soon.
If you like your escapism served up with a side of liberal platitudes, though, you’ll find a lot on ABC to love. Why, just last night on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, I got treated to a HYDRA-ized version of nice guy Leopold Fitz vowing to hunt down genetically-enhanced inhumans (an obvious allegory for illegal immigrants) so that “we can make our society great again” (yes, really). I tell ya, Negan from The Walking Dead Would be jealous of the barbed wire bat these guys have been swinging.
What’s more, the simplicity with which these shows present complex issues like gun control is enough to drive you nuts. So, you want to keep guns out of the hands of people on a terrorist watch list? Sounds sensible enough. But how does a person end up on that list? Is it based on hard evidence? If not, it sounds an awful lot like someone is being deprived of a Constitutional right without due process. And what if a person ends up on that watch list by mistake? How long will it take to get off of it? And what’s to stop the government from abusing its authority and putting people on a list just because they don’t want them getting guns? The Obama administration once ruled that people on Social Security Disability were mentally ill for the purpose of restricting their ability to purchase guns–so don’t tell me it hasn’t happened before.
Or is that all just a bit too complicated for their simple “guns bad, gun control good” message?
What? DNC Proposes Resolution Bashing “Designated Survivor”
Democrat National Committee stalwart and stand-up comedy night amateur William Owen recently introduced a resolution that condemns–of all things on television–the ABC show Designated Survivor:
The Democratic National Committee will vote next week on a resolution to condemn the ABC show "Designated Survivor." pic.twitter.com/I1f5dfr19G
— Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) February 15, 2017
At first, I thought Owen might be on to something. I, too, anxiously tuned into the show thinking, “Great! I can watch Kiefer Sutherland waterboarding bad guys just like on 24–but this time from the Oval Office!” When the terrorist hijinks failed to materialize, however, I quickly lost interest and drifted back to more action-packed fare, like Downton Abbey’s final season.
But no, it wasn’t the cliched It-Looks-Like-Muslim-Terrorists-But-It’s-Really-An-Inside-Job bit that drove Owen to draft the resolution. Rather, it’s an elaborate poke at FBI Director James Comey and his investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails, which Dems widely believe cost Clinton the election.
Obviously nobody has told Owen that if you have to explain a joke, it’s not really that funny–which is why most of the internet is scratching its head over this one. But if we’re going to have the Party of Hollywood invoke against bad TV, why stop with Designated Survivor? I say we go all in with some much needed snarking. To wit:
Let it be resolved that HBO, in allowing Lena Dunham to expose her naked body to the public on Girls, has done more to encourage abstinence from sex than any public school program.
Be it also resolved that Fox made a tremendous mistake in canceling Firefly after only 14 episodes, a crime exceeded only by its canceling of The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
Let it also be resolved that Z-Nation has been, and always will be, a better zombie show than The Walking Dead.
It shall be firmly resolved that Steven Bochco has still not been held criminally liable for creating Cop Rock, and that this oversight should be remedied as soon as humanly possible.
Furthermore, it should be resolved that Westworld is a boring show because of all the nudity, not in spite of it, which is directly inverse to Game of Thrones.
Finally, it should be resolved that nobody actually pays attention to Law and Order: SVU anymore, which makes its continued presence on the air unfathomable.
Can I get a co-sponsor?
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About Arkansas State News.Net
Arkansas State News is a stand-alone site covering news of the area, including stories from around the region and beyond. Additionally we provide international headlines, business and finance stories, and foreign exchange rates. Weather and links to other news media in the city are also displayed. We provide a news poll and offer complimentary daily emails of news of the category, or categories of your choice. We provide RSS feeds for our various categories including local news. Arkansas State News.Net has been in operation since 1999 and is part of an international news service all with the news.net extension.
The owning entity of Arkansas State News is Big News Network FZ LLC, which is incorporated in the UAE, but whose ownership is Australian, while the portal is administered by Mainstream Media Ltd, a company incorporated in England and Wales.
Mainstream Media Limited
Website: www.themainstreammedia.com
For any queries or comments, please use our contact form.
Arkansas State News's News Release Publishing Service provides a medium for circulating your organization's news.
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First Christian Country
Culture and Traditions
Cradle of Civilization
UNESCO Heritage
Armenia Today
Geographic Facts
World Views About Armenia
Summer in Armenia
Autumn in Armenia
Winter in Armenia
Spring in Armenia
Tours in Armenia
Route of Faith
Weddings and Honeymoon
GO Local with My Armenia
TRAVELLER ESSENTIALS
Getting to Armenia
Getting Around Armenia
Yerevan Card Tourist Pass
The Armenian Genocide: How Tourists Can Get Involved?
All About the History of the Armenian Genocide Its Rememberance Day
The Armenian Genocide is an open wound for the entire nation as well as the diaspora. Every year on April 24, Armenians all around the world commemorate the memory of the victims of the Genocide. Armenia transforms completely throughout the day allowing tourists to explore the open wounds of the people and this important piece of history.
The Armenian Genocide
One of the heaviest “scars” in the history of Armenians is the 1915 Genocide executed by the Ottoman Empire. Although 103 years are past the grievous events, and many influential countries refuse to name the massacres as a Genocide, the day is commemorated in Armenia by thousands of people paying tribute to the victims by walking up the Genocide Memorial on April 24 every year.
The massacres and atrocities were continuing all along during the first World War, from 1914 to 1918, the Remembrance Day is observed on April 24, because on that day Armenian intellectuals were deported from Constantinople (current Istanbul, Turkey) and killed. During the Genocide, ethnic Armenians were not only killed, but also tortured, starved and deported to deserts to starve of hunger.
The events are described in the works of many Armenian poets, but for a foreigner to have an overall picture of the Armenian Genocide, one can watch recently released “The Promise” (2017), starring Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac, and Charlotte Le Bon, depicting the events from a perspective of individual life, where love and family are featured.
As an aftermath of the Genocide, the core of the Armenian diaspora was formed which was later augmented by intermittent flows of migration from the country, and currently there are around 10 million Armenians living abroad, while only 3 million live in the Republic of Armenia.
What is there for tourists and how you can get most of the day?
The day is a sheer chance for tourists to get involved in the activities of the day, have a closer look at the history, but also at emotions and beliefs of people living in the country.
Every year, on the eve of the mourning day, on April 23, thousands of people march to the Memorial with torchlights on their hands and many carrying Armenian flags. The organizers have declared the day as a day of condemning the denial of Genocide and showing the invincible spirit of the Armenians.Torchlight procession begins from Freedom Square at 8 p.m.. It is accompanied by Armenian spirited songs, with people shouting “recognition” to have their voices heard.
On the actual day, April 24 (the day when most of the Armenian intellectuals were massacred in 1915), however, the procession is quiet.The flow of visitors is enormous, and the latter does not cease a moment during the day. People go there as a pilgrimage, on foot, pay their tribute to the victims around the eternal fire in the center of the Memorial. At the end of the day, the fire is not visible due to the high hills of flowers that visitors put around it in the memory of the innocent victims. Visit to the memorial is viewed to be a national and moral duty for every Armenian, and all ages of people go there to pay tribute to their ancestors.
Learn the history first-hand!
One of the highly regarded museums in Yerevan is the Armenian Genocide Museum near the Memorial. The museum contains thousands of materials, all in English, Russian and Armenian, relating to the facts of the Armenian Genocide. After the recent renovation, high-tech improvements, such as touch screens and projectors, are available for better getting to know the atrocities of the 20th century. Foreign language speaking quality tour guides are available in the museum.
ARMENIA IN THE MEDIA
10 Most Beautiful Churches in Armenia You Must Visit
Sunrise Odyssey | Armenia being one of the oldest countries in the world was also the first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion back in 301 AD (that’s more than 1,700 years ago!). Its millennium old monasteries can usually be found situated on highlands amongst picturesque landscapes where they are less vulnerable to attacks. Armenia, also known as the “land of churches”, has around 4,000 monasteries and churches. Here’s our curated list in random order for the 10 most beautiful churches in Armenia that you must visit at least once in your life!
A Taste of the Wild Side: Finding Local Flavor in Armenia’s Edible Highlands
Smithsonian.com | Armenia’s national cuisine is so diverse, in fact, that what may be considered a traditional dish abroad may not be commonly eaten in Armenia.
The website generates with the generous support of our donors and supporters!
STATE TOURISM COMMITTEE Ministry of Economic Development and Investments
Republic of Armenia
All the materials on this web-page may be used only upon prior consent.
Website is managed by the Armenian Tourism Development Foundation.
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UO technology spinout gets Oregon BEST award for field testing
March 11, 2014 - 11:42am
University of Oregon spinout SupraSensor Technologies is getting $120,000 from Oregon BEST to install and field test 150 of the wireless nitrate sensors the company is developing to help farmers reduce fertilizer use. The award was detailed in a story on the website Sustainable Business Oregon, which is produced by the Portland Business Journal.
The aim of the Oregon BEST commercialization funding is to put technology on a fast track to the marketplace.
Because plants absorb only so much nitrogen, about 30 percent of fertilizer applied to North American soils is wasted due to over-application and runoff. With U.S. farmers spending $12 billion annually on fertilizer, the new supramolecular sensor technology could lead to significant savings in fertilizer purchases, as well as in labor and fuel costs associated with fertilizer application.
"In addition to the potential economic savings for farmers, our sensors will also help reduce groundwater pollution caused by excess nitrates that flow from cultivated fields into streams, lakes and oceans," said Calden Carroll, CEO of SupraSensor Technologies. "Excess nitrates are what trigger algal booms that deplete oxygen levels and create dead zones in the water where nothing can live."
Carroll, who earned his doctorate in chemistry from the UO in 2011, said nitrates are problematic in fertilizers because they are water soluble, so over-application can lead to nitrates being leached from the soil and into the water system. The problem is so widespread that the National Academy of Engineering has identified managing the nitrate cycle in agriculture as one of 14 "Grand Challenges" for the 21st century.
Carroll discovered the molecule now used in the sensor when he was a graduate student studying supramolecular chemistry -- the interactions between molecules -- with UO chemistry professors Darren Johnson and Mike Haley. The three researchers are the company's co-founders.
"Calden's initial result was a happy accident," Johnson said. "We were trying to create a molecular probe to visualize the movement of chloride, not nitrate, through cells to aid research into drug discovery and understanding chloride transport mechanisms in general."
Although the research team knew they had discovered a molecular marker specific for nitrate, it wasn't until later that they realized the implications of the discovery in agriculture and launched the new company.
The company plans to test the robustness of the sensors throughout a growing season, starting this spring. It is currently seeking farmers of fertilized and irrigated crops willing to participate in the study. Sensors will be deployed in 12 different geographical locations.
"This project leverages an important scientific discovery and our regional strengths in agriculture to advance a technology that could prove to be transformational in reducing costs for farmers and pollution in our planet's water systems," said David Kenney, president and executive director of Oregon BEST. "Oregon BEST is happy to be able to help accelerate this effort."
The company previously participated in the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps Program, winning the "Best Team" Award out of 25 teams that participated in the 6-month course. In addition to the Oregon BEST funds, the company was awarded a $180,000 National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grant and a $250,000 Gap Grant from ONAMI.
- from the UO Office of Public Affairs Communications
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"Jamestown's Legacy to the American Revolution" Links 17th-Century Virginia Capital to the Revolutionary Period
WILLIAMSBURG, Va., February 11, 2013 – More than 60 objects destined for exhibit at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown will be on display in “Jamestown’s Legacy to the American Revolution,” opening March 1 at Jamestown Settlement, a museum of 17th-century Virginia. The special exhibition, which continues through January 20, 2014, examines the lives of Revolutionary War-era descendants of people associated with 17th-century Jamestown, the first capital of colonial Virginia.
Work is under way on the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, which will replace the Yorktown Victory Center by late 2016. The artifacts featured in “Jamestown’s Legacy to the American Revolution” – a sampling of those to be exhibited in the new museum – include furnishings, weapons, nautical items, documents and commemorative objects. Among them are an American-made saber engraved with the owner’s name and the year 1776, a trunk owned by a Continental Navy shipbuilder, and examples of 18th-century Virginia currency.
The exhibition opens with “King George III’s Virginia,” illustrated with an eight-foot-tall portrait of the king in coronation robes, one of several done by the studio of Allan Ramsay between 1762 and 1784. From the time he ascended to the British throne in 1760, George III worked to strengthen British administration in the American colonies, with his American subjects ultimately rising in opposition.
In pre-Revolutionary Virginia, agriculture and trade drove the economy. A section titled “Merchants, Planters and Farmers” profiles Mary Cary Ambler, widow of Edward Ambler, a wealthy Yorktown merchant and planter, and John Ambler II, their son, and Azel Benthall, a small planter and church vestry clerk on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The Ambler family suffered serious financial reverses during the Revolution, while farmers like Benthall were better able to cope with wartime shortages.
Colonel Richard Taylor, who served with the First Virginia Regiment of the Continental Army, and Captain Edward Travis IV, who served in the Virginia navy, are featured in “Soldiers and Sailors.” Most Virginians who fought in the war were either militiamen or soldiers of the Continental Line. Virginia’s small naval force operated chiefly to keep the state’s rivers and the Chesapeake Bay safe from the British navy and to assist in the transport of supplies for the Continental Army.
“Statesmen and Diplomats” highlights individuals who supported the Patriot cause and the new nation as public officials. Arthur Lee served on diplomatic missions to Europe during the Revolution and later as a member of Congress. Richard Bland II was actively involved in events leading up to the Revolution, as a member of the Virginia committees of Correspondence and Public Safety and the Continental Congress. During and following the Revolution, General Joseph Martin served as Virginia’s agent for Indian Affairs, acting as a diplomat between the Cherokee and settlers who encroached on Indian lands.
The exhibition concludes with an overview of the career of George Washington, whose ancestor John Washington arrived in Virginia in 1656 and later sat in the House of Burgesses at Jamestown. Less than a decade after leading the United States to victory as commander of the Continental Army, George Washington reluctantly accepted the office of the first president of the United States. A life-size statue, made in the 19th century by William James Hubard after an 18th-century work by Jean-Antoine Houdon, portrays Washington as a modern Cincinnatus, the Roman farmer who left his land to fight for his country and, after victory as a general, returned to his farm as a man of simplicity and peace.
“Jamestown’s Legacy to the American Revolution” is supported with grants from James City County, Altria Group and Dominion Resources.
Jamestown Settlement, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, is located southwest of Williamsburg on Route 31 at the Colonial Parkway, next to Historic Jamestowne, site of America’s first permanent English colony, founded in 1607. Jamestown Settlement general admission of $16.00 for adults and $7.50 for children ages 6 through 12 includes admission to the special exhibition. A combination ticket is available with the Yorktown Victory Center. The two state-operated living-history museums tell the story of America’s beginnings through gallery exhibits and in outdoor re-created settings – Powhatan Indian village, three English ships and 1610-14 colonial fort at Jamestown Settlement, and Revolutionary War encampment and 1780s farm at the Yorktown Victory Center.
For more information, call (888) 593-4682 toll-free or (757) 253-4838 or visit www.historyisfun.org.
Labels: Events, News and Announcements
Nội Thất Mozza July 27, 2016 at 11:59 AM
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Animus Omega database entries, Database: People
Database: Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch
Born: 1680, England
Died: 1718, North Carolina
Known variously by different sources as Thatch, Teach, Theach, Tache, Titche, Teatch, Tack, and more, we are fairly certain this Edward was born in or around Bristol and took to the sea at an early age, most likely in his teens. It is also speculated that he arrived in the West Indies quite soon after leaving England.
If this was indeed the case, Ed Thatch would have seen his fair share of the War of Spanish Succession, a protracted fight between most of the Empires of Europe that pitted Britain against royalist Spain and France. In these early years, from 1700 to 1713, he would have been a privateer or at the very least a merchant seaman, doing his part for the crown—Queen Anne at the time.
But with the Treaty of Utrecht bestowing peace upon a troubled Europe in 1713, Thatch and his fellow sailors would have found themselves far from home and out of work. They thus turned to piracy as a means of sustaining themselves. In the ensuing years, Thatch befriended a Captain named Benjamin Hornigold and soon after joined his crew as quartermaster, at some point between late 1714 and early 1716.
Settling in Nassau, Thatch, Hornigold, and the rest of the "Flying Gang" as these pirates called themselves, began cooking up schemes far larger than most pirates of the era dared dream. Wanting nothing less than a country of their own, they worked to turn Nassau into a place of liberty and freedom for all who desired an escape from the bonds of imperial rule.
As Thatch's reputation as a worthy and fearsome seaman grew, so did his ideas about piracy. At some point in the latter half of 1717, having grown a long and frightful beard, he took to calling himself "Blackbeard", and worked at every turn to bolster his legend as the most feared pirate in the West Indies. Thatch reveled in the power of a good legend, and worked hard to cultivate his... frequently sticking lit slow-matches in his hat to raise a frightening cloud, or challenging his crews to endure long stretches below deck as burning sulfur clouded the hold.
After helping Hornigold take command of a number of vessels, Edward Thatch finally acquired a ship of his own in September 1717—a vessel called "The Adventure"—captained by the most unlikely pirate of them all, one Stede Bonnet. For two months, Thatch captained the Adventure, with Stede content to tag along as a passenger. But in November Thatch's fortunes improved further when he captured a massive French slave ship called La Concorde. Renaming her Queen Anne's Revenge in honor of his former Stuart Queen, Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch was now one of the most feared and deadly pirates in the West Indies.
For the next year he terrorized the West Indies and environs, before sailing north to the British colonies in North America. Here he frightened the inhabitants of an entire city when he blockaded the port of Charleston, South Carolina, in an attempt to acquire medicine for his ailing crew.
But shortly after this audacious gambit, Blackbeard decided he'd had enough of the pirate life. He was nearing forty and, despite his ferocious reputation, had lost his love for the pirate's game. In the early summer of 1718, he half-heartedly accepted a pardon from his friend Charles Eden, Governor of North Carolina. But by late August of that same year he had fallen back into his old habits, restricting his activities to the southeastern coast of the North American British colonies. Unbeknownst to him, the Governor of Virginia, Alexander Spotswood, was keenly aware of his continued piracies, and was busy organizing a party to "extipate this nest of vipers".
In November of 1718, Spotswood offered money to Lieutenant Maynard to see the job done. Taking command of a few fast ships well suited to the shallow inlets where Blackbeard was known to hide, Maynard set off in search of his prize. He learned from passing ships that Blackbeard was likely anchored on the inland side of Ocracoke Island, an ideal haunt for a pirate. As dusk fell on November 21st, Maynard and his crew spotted Blackbeard's rag-tag group, but decided to hold off their attack until the tide rose. In the early hours of the following day, Maynard's crew slipped into the bay and approached Blackbeard's ship. They were greeted by a sudden volley of pistol shots and cannon fire. This caused Maynard to retreat, giving Blackbeard and his crew time to slip through the shallow waters and attempt an escape.
Retrieved from "https://assassinscreed.fandom.com/wiki/Database:_Edward_%22Blackbeard%22_Thatch?oldid=769023"
Animus Omega database entries
Database: People
More Assassin's Creed Wiki
1 Kassandra
2 Isu
3 The Fate of Atlantis
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All posts tagged Walid Siti
Age of Terror: Art since 9/11 @ Imperial War Museum London
This is the UK’s first major exhibition to bring together a broad range of artists’ responses to the age of war and conflict which we’ve lived in since 9/11. It features some 50 works of art by over 40 artists, and so – quite apart from the fascinating subject matter – represents an interesting overview of the contemporary art world, from international superstars like Ai Weiwei and British national treasure Grayson Perry, to a raft of Middle Eastern artists who are exhibiting in Britain for the first time.
The exhibition also showcases an impressive diversity of artistic media including painting, film, sculpture, installations, photography, tapestry and ceramics.
A very brief history
The exhibition is based on the premise that the world changed on the morning of 11 September 2001, when al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes, flew two of them into the World Trade Centre towers in New York, and also attacked the Pentagon building.
The exhibition kicks off with the events themselves being depicted in a 57-minute-long video by Tony Oursler. Oursler was in his apartment just blocks from the World Trade Centre when the first plane struck. He grabbed his camera to shoot footage of the burning building and continued to record as the second tower was hit. He went out onto the street to capture the responses of New Yorkers on that morning and over the following days.
A few days later President George W. Bush declared an all-out ‘War on Terror’.
A month later, on October 7, 2001, America invaded Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban government which had refused to hand over the leader of al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, who had claimed responsibility for the attacks, and ran training camps in the country for his terrorist network. The Taliban government was swiftly overthrown by Western forces, but bin Laden wasn’t captured. (He wasn’t tracked down and killed until 2 May 2011 when United States Navy SEALs stormed his secret compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.)
Eighteen months later, after a prolonged standoff over the issue of Weapons of Mass Destruction, in March 2003 the United States invaded Iraq to overthrow long-standing enemy President Saddam Hussein. the invasion swiftly led to looting and widespread chaos. Within a few months reports began to emerge of American guards carrying out human rights abuses on Iraqi prisoners in Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison. The U.S. Army instituted its own investigation which ended up detailing the torture and humiliation of Iraqi prisoners, and was accompanied by photos of naked and tortured Iraqis which were reproduced around the world and became a rallying point for anti-Western anger.
The U.S. invasion of Iraq turned into a disaster which led to a prolonged civil war in which new Islamist groups emerged, not least the so-called Islamic State group (ISIS). ISIS took advantage of the final withdrawal of American troops from Iraq in 2011 to expand into a swathe of territory across northern Iraq and into Syria, itself the victim of a prolonged civil war.
Saddam is Here by Jamal Penjweny (2009–10) Courtesy The Artist and Ruya Foundation
In the years since 2001 there have been numerous further Islamist terrorist attacks in America itself and across Europe (there was one in the South of France on the day I wrote this post). They have become a fact of life in the modern world.
Set down briefly like this, these facts make a devastating and depressing narrative. But do they mean that we now live in an ‘Age of Terror’? And to what extent can works of art answer that question or explain the situation?
The exhibition is divided into themes including:
Prisoner abuse
State control
To be honest, although the treatment was sometimes interesting, I found the choice and explanation of some of these themes a bit obvious.
‘9/11’
As well as Tony Oursler’s video, the 9/11 attacks are marked by a number of works. A long room/corridor contains no fewer than 150 front pages of newspapers from around the world which reported the attacks, gathered together in a ‘work’ by Hans-Peter Feldman titled Front Page. Like a lot of conceptual art, this is really a one-trick pony. You could, if you want to, examine every single front page to see how the selection and cropping of pictures and the use of headline text varies from country to country. In the event what this big display shows is how remarkably little variation there was between countries. The 9/11 attack was front page news and so… it made a lot of front pages. It would have been a bit more teasing and unexpected to make a collection of newspapers which didn’t lead with the attacks as their main story (if any).
A whole room was devoted to an installation, The Twin Towers by Iván Navarro, a spooky work which uses mirrors and lights to give the sense of a limitless hole extending infinitely down into the floor. As it happens, I myself visited Ground Zero in New York a few years ago and saw the enormous square fountains created around the base of each fallen building as a memorial. (In fact I visited the Twin Towers themselves back in the 1980s and took the superfast elevator to the viewing platform.) Navarro’s work is interesting but I found it clinical and clever rather than moving.
The Twin Towers by Iván Navarro (2011) © The Artist / Photo Thelma Garcia / Courtesy Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris-Brussels
Gerhard Richter is a German painter well known for creating large canvases of smeared paint. He was on a plane heading towards New York on that fateful morning which was diverted. He later created a characteristic smear painting which he later – according to the wall label – had second thoughts about whether to display or not. But he did. Here it is.
There’s a video of a piece of performance art, where an actor wore a dust-covered suit, as if he was a survivor of the attacks, and walked or stood at locations around the city a year or so later. The suit is hanging up next to it.
Video artist Kerry Tribe placed an advert in a Hollywood actors magazine for a role she described as ‘potential terrorist’. She then shot silent minute-long profiles of the men who replied, splicing them together into a 30-minute video, Potential Terrorist. Well, they all look a little sinister, given that the context, title and purpose of the film have put you in that paranoid frame of mind.
Grayson Perry was working on a large vase about the power station at Dungeness when he heard about the attacks. He modified the design to include crashing planes and terrified civilians.
Dolls at Dungeness September 11th 2001 by Grayson Perry (2001) © Grayson Perry / Courtesy of the artist and Victoria Miro, London. Photo by Stephen Brayne
‘Surveillance’
The room on ‘Surveillance’ explains the way we citizens of the West World are now more intensively surveilled and monitored than ever before. It contains arguably the two best works in the show – Jitish Kallat’s comical series of Action Man-sized models of people being searched and frisked at airport security; and Ai Weiwei’s brilliant marble statue of a CCTV camera on a plinth.
Surveillance Camera with Plinth by Ai Weiwei (2015) © Ai Weiwei Studio; Courtesy Lisson Gallery
‘Iraq’
Peter Kennard has been making fiercely political photomontages made from press photographs since the 1980s. (The IWM hosted an impressive retrospective of his work in 2015.) His contribution here is an enormous collage made in collaboration with Cat Phillipps, and using newspapers and black ink.
The basic image is a blown-up photo of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who decided to support George Bush in the American invasion of Iraq, against the wishes of a huge number of British citizens.
Head of State by Kennardphillipps (2007)
Since about 2010 American artist Jenny Holzer has been working on a series titled Redaction paintings. She uses official documents about the attacks and the two invasions, which have been released to the public but with sections blacked out or ‘redacted’, to indicate the scale of what is still kept back from the public, from us, the people who pay the wages of politicians and civil servants and armies.
In a corridor between rooms hang ribbons of black bunting, a work titled Black Bunting by Fiona Banner.
‘Prisoner abuse’
Rachel Howard has done a painted version of the iconic photograph of the Iraqi prisoner being tortured which went viral after its release in 2004. His name is Ali Shallal al-Qaisi.
DHC 6765, Study by Rachel Howard (2005) © The Artist. Photo: Prudence Cuming Associates
Nearby is a room in which a 59-minute-long video titled Operation Atropos 2006 by Cuban-American director Coco Fusco is screened. Fusco worked with retired U.S. Army interrogators who, at her request, subjected a group of volunteer women students to simulations of POW experiences in order to show them what hostile interrogations can be like and how members of the U.S. military are taught to resist them. The documentary includes interviews with the interrogators that shed light on how they read personalities, evaluate an interrogatee’s reliability, and use the imposition of physical and mental stress strategically. It’s violent and distressing stuff but then… what did you expect an interrogation to be like?
Operation Atropos directed by Coco Fusco (2006) Courtesy Alexander Gray Associates, New York / © Coco Fusco/Artists Rights Society (ARS) New York
Nearby is a painting, Bound by John Keane, depicting a figure in an orange jump suit against a stark black background and with no head, representing the civilians and prisoners which various Islamist groups have executed on camera and posted online over the past 17 years.
This part of the exhibition consists of four rooms containing works mostly by Afghan, Iraqi and Syrian artists. The idea is to reflect how the disastrous conflicts in their countries have shattered traditional ideas of a safe, secure ‘home’.
They include a work which is like an enormous tapestry made of cardboard egg cartons spliced together and which tumbles down the wall and onto the floor, Floodland by Walid Siti. Dominating one wall is My Country Map by Hanaa Malallah, made up of layers of burnt canvas arranged to create a tattered and scorched map of the Middle East, with only a few vivid highlights of colour.
My Country Map by Hanaa Malallah (2008) © Courtesy The Park Gallery & Roger Fawcett-Tang
There are a lot of videos in this section including one by the Syrian artist Hrair Sarkissian which shows a scale model he made of the apartment block in Damascus where his family lived till he fled the city. The video then shows the artist smashing the model to pieces with a big hammer – Homesick, 11 minutes long.
Elsewhere White House is a video by Afghan artist Lida Abdul which shows a woman painting whitewash with a big housepainting brush onto the ruins of a palace in post-Saddam Iraq.
‘Weapons’
There are several pieces meditating on the rise of drone warfare. The first ever drone strike was launched from an unmanned and weaponised Predator aircraft on 7 October 2001. One of the most striking pieces in the show is a site-specific installation made by James Bridle. He was allowed to paint the full-scale outline of a predator drone onto the floor of the main atrium of the War Museum in a piece titled Drone shadow. Watching people walk across it, mostly unaware of its significance, is spooky.
Drone shadow by James Bridle
There’s a dark room devoted to a 30-minute-long video of an interview with a now-retired ‘pilot’ of one of these drones, Omer Fast’s 5,000 feet is best. I was very disappointed when I discovered that the nervy unshaven dude in the film is in fact an actor. (The devastating power of these weapons, as well as the difficulties of using them without causing collateral damage, is the subject of the 2015 movie Eye in the Sky.)
There’s another video showing Afghan soldiers and civilians stripping, cleaning and rebuilding automatic weapons. The sound of the metallic clicks becomes steadily more oppressive the longer you watch, and follows you as you walk into other rooms – click, click, click…
As well as by subject matter, the exhibits can also be divided by media:
rugs and tapestries
The most unusual artefact is probably Grayson Perry’s big vase. A vase commemorating 9/11. OK.
I was also surprised at the half a dozen so rugs and tapestries made by different artists, some using tradition Afghan methods and motifs, others more overtly depicting automatic rifles or the 9/11 attacks themselves.
Some of the paintings are powerful, for example of the tortured Abu Ghraib man and the Gerhard Richter smear.
But two things struck me about the exhibition as a whole:
– How many videos there were and how long they were. Tony Oursler’s eye witness account is nearly an hour long, the drone pilot is half an hour, the students being shouted at in the Atropos film is an hour long – that’s two and a half hours you’d have to spend in the exhibition just to see these three pieces. But in addition there’s also the stripping guns film, the man smashing a model of his house film, the woman painting a palace film: three hours minimum.
– The best pieces were sculptures: the Ai Weiwei camera, a scary model by Jake & Dinos Chapman of small bodies accumulated into two great mounds of corpses (one for each tower) and Jitish Kallat’s toy people being searched.
Circadian Rhyme 1 by Jitish Kallat (2011) © The Artist / Photo Thelma Garcia / Courtesy Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris-Brussels
And also a brilliant piece in the ‘Weapons’ section, a cabinet full of model hand grenades made in the kind of coloured glass that Christmas tree decorations are made from, by Mona Hatoum.
Natura morta (bow-fronted cabinet) by Mona Hatoum (2012) © Mona Hatoum / Photo © White Cube (Ben Westoby)
1. The new normal
I found a lot of the show a little boring. None of it moved me. 9/11 is pretty old news now. I was very moved by visiting the actual Ground Zero in New York, but not by seeing a wall of old newspapers about it, or even the clever piece by Iván Navarro. Similarly, a big photomontage of Tony Blair as hate figure is pretty old news now, as is the image of the man from Abu Ghraib. 14 years old.
2. Has modern warfare really changed all that much?
Similarly, when the exhibition claims that the nature of modern warfare has changed decisively, I don’t think that’s really true. What was striking about the war in Afghanistan, and Iraq, and latterly in Syria is how very conventional they have been – after the ‘shock and awe’ bombing, it still boils down to our guys going in and shooting their guys and their guys trying to blow up our guys. The misery of house to house fighting through densely packed towns and cities which was a feature of fighting in the Second World War (if not before) was also a feature of the fighting in Falluja and is still taking place in eastern Ghouta and other urban centres in Syria.
Atom bombs, neutron bombs, smart bombs – all the science fiction weapons of my boyhood turn out to be completely irrelevant in modern warfare. It involves air strikes like World War Two, and sometimes artillery bombardments like World War One, but always ends up with bloody street fighting – witness the numerous accounts of British soldiers patrolling Helmand or Baghdad and getting sniped at and blown up by improvised explosive devices, witness movies like American Sniper or The Hurt Locker.
The only real innovation seems to be unarmed drones, which are guided by controllers thousands of miles away in the States. This is new for the people doing it, but the result is pretty familiar – bombs fall out of the sky, sometimes on valid military targets, often on civilian bystanders, as they have since the First World War (as vividly described in Rudyard Kipling’s short story, Mary Postgate).
3. Art in the internet age
What is nowhere mentioned is that the Age of Terror has coincided, more or less, with the Digital Age, the Age of the Internet.
This means lots of things (al-Qaeda posted their videos on YouTube, ISIS has an effective social media presence, terrorists embedded in the West can contact each other digitally without even meeting). But in the realm of aesthetics it means that we are even more totally saturated with imagery and news than ever before.
In my opinion, this has had a seismic and catastrophic impact on art. After all, why care very much about ‘art’ images, displayed in ‘art galleries’, when there is such a bombardment of interesting, funny, shocking, comic, tragic, diverting and exciting imagery to be found all the time, everywhere else?
Most of the artworks in this exhibition are very slow. Very old school. Oil painting? Like Rembrandt and Turner did? Why on earth make oil paintings about the surveillance society or the war in Iraq? What on earth has painting to do with a world of suicide bombers and drone attacks?
A lot of the artworks here are conceptual in the sense that they are based on an idea which you either ‘get’ or don’t ‘get’ in much the same way that you ‘get’ a joke.
150 newspaper front pages about 9/11.
Painting redacted documents.
Interview with a drone operator.
Jamal Penjweny’s idea to get normal citizens of Iraq to hold a photo of Saddam in front of their faces, photograph them and create a portfolio titled Saddam is here.
Painted versions of the photographs of prisoners being tortured at Abu Ghraib.
One-idea gags. They are a kind of intellectual embellishment of the perplexingly complicated historical, political and military events out there in the real world. None of them adds a lot to your understanding of the causes and effects of 9/11 and Iraq. They are another – admittedly sometimes rather demanding – form of entertainment in a world drowning in visual entertainment.
I think this helps explain the impact of the sculptures, the way they emerge as (I think) the strongest pieces. The most impactful three – the Chapman brothers’ piles of bodies, Ai Weiwei’s CCTV camera, Jitish Kallat’s searched action figures – all of them have an instant and powerful visual and conceptual hit.
The Chapmans came to fame in the 1997 Sensation exhibition of works collected by famous advertising tycoon, Charles Saatchi. Just about every critic of the time made the connection between Saatchi’s day job selecting instantaneously powerful images which pack a punch (the pregnant man poster, the Labour isn’t working poster) and his taste for the ‘shocking’ and immediate works of Damien Hirst or Tracy Emin or the Chapmans or Marcus Harvey or Marc Quinn.
I think Ai Weiwei’s work is smack bang in this tradition. He has mastered the skill of applying the ‘instant recognition’ techniques of advertising, to works of ‘art’. It is no surprise that the sculpture of the security camera on a plinth was chosen for the posters and adverts for the exhibition. Like Charles Saatchi Ai has a perfect eye for the iconic image. He is the leading examplar of the way the events of the last 17 years or so can be pillaged for images and icons which can be turned into ‘art’ and form the basis of a lucrative career.
But giving you a better understanding of the world we live in?
4. Understanding issues
No one in their right mind should go to a work of art to ‘understand an issue’. You should read a book, articles, journalism, cuttings and speak to experts in order to ‘understand an issue’. You should research and analyse an ‘issue’.
The commentary asks, ‘Does art have a place in helping to understand terror?’ to which the simple answer is, ‘No, not in the slightest’. What does Ai Weiwei’s stone camera or Mona Hatoum’s glass hand grenades add to your understanding of the causes and consequences of Islamic terrorism? Nothing. They decorate it.
Art is a luxury product, designed to enhance the lives of the rich, or be added to well-funded public collections – it is not history or sociology or anthropology. It is not the study of geopolitics or international affairs or military strategy or state security.
Turn the question round: which work of art has helped you understand the Syrian Civil War best? (Not to understand that war is horrible and violent and people get killed in it – any child knows that, though gruesome photos of victims being dragged from bombed buildings always ram it home. But they don’t help anyone to understand anythingmore than that people suffer and die in war.)
Which work of art has helped you understand why the people of Syria rose up against Bashar-al-Assad in 2011, helped you understand why Syria split up into different geographic units, helped you understand the mosaic of religious and ethnic groups which make up the Syrian population, helped you understand why the West was reluctant to send in troops or commit militarily to the war, helped you understand why Vladimir Putin stepped in and made Russia the main external player in Syria, helped you understand why – lacking Western support – the anti-government forces were soon outstripped by better-funded militant and Islamist groups, helped you understand why U.S. forces withdrew from Iraq at the end of 2011 creating a vacuum into which ISIS quickly spread? Helped you understand why, after seven years of agony for the people of Syria, the chances are Bashar-al-Assad will probably stay in power?
Not only does no work of art do this, but no work of art could do this. Only a carefully researched factual account, in fact numerous such accounts, in-depth information about the country’s history and culture and religious and ethnic composition, a good grasp of the geopolitical interests of the local powers (Iran and Saudi Arabia) and the international powers (Russia, America), and a knowledge of the political and military strategy of the United States in neighbouring Iraq could even begin to help you understand the situation.
A painting won’t do that. A sculpture is no replacement for that. Even a video can’t convey that depth and clarity of information required for such a complicated subject. A woman painting a ruined palace is a good gag, a memorable riff, a nifty concept which can be worked up into a ‘piece of art’ which can be sold on to a willing gallery. But it is no replacement for sober, thorough and intelligent analysis.
If the community of galleries, curators, art schools and artists decide that art can be made from subjects, ideas and images in the news, that’s one thing. But pretending that art helps us to ‘understand’ social and political issues is a fond and futile delusion of the art-making and art-consuming classes.
Lida Abdul, Khaled Abdul Wahed, Francis Alÿs, Cory Arcangel, Fiona Banner, James Bridle, Christoph Büchel, Jake & Dinos Chapman, Mahwish Chishty, Nathan Coley, David Cotterrell, Dexter Dalwood, Omer Fast, Coco Fusco, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Mona Hatoum, Jenny Holzer, Rachel Howard, Shona Illingworth, Alfredo Jaar, Jitish Kallat, John Keane, kennardphillips, Fabian Knecht, Hanaa Malallah, Julie Mehretu, Sabine Mortiz, Iván Navarro, Tony Oursler, Trevor Paglen, Mai-Thu Perret, Grayson Perry, Jamal Penjweny, Gerhard Richter, Martha Rosler, Jim Ricks, Hrair Sarkissian, Indrė Šerpytytė, Santiago Sierra, Taryn Simon, Walid Siti, John Smith, Kerry Tribe, Ai Weiwei.
There’s quite a lot of art to enjoy and admire here, and I found this a very thought-provoking exhibition – but not necessarily in the way the curators intended.
Age of Terror: Art since 9/11 continues at Imperial War Museum London until 28 May 2018
Reviews of other exhibitions at the Imperial war Museum
Syria: A Conflict Explored (May 2017)
People Power: Fighting for Peace (March 2017)
Real to Reel (December 2016)
Visions of War Above and Below (May 2015)
Peter Kennard (May 2015)
Truth and Memory (September 2014)
by Simon on March 23, 2018 • Permalink
Posted in Art, European History, Exhibition, War
Tagged Age of Terror: Art since 9/11, Ai Weiwei, Alfredo Jaar, art, Christoph Büchel, Coco Fusco, Cory Arcangel, David Cotterrell, Dexter Dalwood, exhibition, Fabian Knecht, Fiona Banner, Francis Alÿs, Gerhard Richter, Grayson Perry, Hanaa Malallah, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Hrair Sarkissian, Imperial War Museum London, Indrė Šerpytytė, Iván Navarro, Jake & Dinos Chapman, Jamal Penjweny, James Bridle, Jenny Holzer, Jim Ricks, Jitish Kallat, John Keane, John Smith, Julie Mehretu, kennardphillips, Kerry Tribe, Khaled Abdul Wahed, Lida Abdul, Mahwish Chishty, Mai-Thu Perret, Martha Rosler, Mona Hatoum, Nathan Coley, Omer Fast, Rachel Howard, Sabine Mortiz, Santiago Sierra, Shona Illingworth, Taryn Simon, Tony Oursler, Trevor Paglen, Walid Siti
Posted by Simon on March 23, 2018
https://astrofella.wordpress.com/2018/03/23/age-of-terror-art-since-9-11-imperial-war-museum/
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Related Bios Jake Vickerson
Bobby Sprowl
Title: Head Coach
Email: rsprowl@sheltonstate.edu
After leading Shelton State to a third place finish in the Junior College World Series in 2012, head coach Bobby Sprowl is now entering his twenty-ninth season at the helm of the Buccaneer baseball program.
Sprowl, the 2012 ACCC Coach of the Year, has led the Shelton State program to the Junior College World Series in four of the last eight seasons. Shelton State’s exciting brand of baseball has drawn national attention through Sprowl’s tradition of success.
In 2009, Sprowl celebrated a milestone in his career when he was inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was also honored recently by being named to the University of Alabama Crimson Tide’s All-Century Team.
Coach Sprowl’s college career began at the University of Alabama. He was recognized as a second team All-American and consensus All-SEC in 1977. HI 11.50 strkeouts per nine-inning led the NCAA in 1977. After his college career, Sprowl enjoyed an eight-year professional baseball career with the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros. Sprowl, the number two pick of the Boston Red Sox in the June 1977 free agent draft, was a member of the 1978 team that lost a one-game American League Eastern Division playoff to the New York Yankees on Bucky Dent’s famous three-run homer over the green monster at Fenway Park. On June 13, 1979, Sprowl was traded to the Houston Astros. While an Astro, Sprowl played on two Western Division championship teams (1980 and 1981).
Sprowl is married to the former Teresa Gibson. He has two sons, Jon Mark and Trevor, and a daughter, Graceson.
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February 6, 2015 | Published By Parfit
Finding The GOAT (Round 2): Ol’ Dirty Bastard vs. Redman…Who You Got?
We have reached the second round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a “playoffs style.” Since Fall 2014, and for the next several months, we will roll out battles, starting with artists from similar eras paired against one another, until one undisputed King or Queen of the microphone reigns supreme.
From overlapping circles, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Redman brought the unorthodox to the front-and-center. These two MCs studied the ’80s Hip-Hop fundamentals and celebration of fully-formed characters, and created just that in the ’90s and 2000s. With plaques and cult followings behind them, both Reggie and Russell had little regard for radio or the conventions typically associated with media. Instead, they stand as true originals around whom the world maneuvered. After two dominating Round 1 brackets, respectively, the charismatic MCs duel to advance to Round 3.
Voting For Round 2 is now closed. Stay up to date with the latest Finding The GOAT brackets
Ol' Dirty Bastard
Ol’ Dirty Bastard (First Round Winner, Against M.O.P.’s Lil Fame 77% to 23%)
A true original, Ol’ Dirty Bastard took the traditional rapper playbook and threw it out the window, swerving at 85 miles per hour. A Brooklyn, New York native, the MC first known as Ason Unique formed a mid-’80s crew with RZA and GZA: All In Together. Complementing The Genius’s precise scientific musings, and Prince Rakeem’s imaginative verbal scribbles, Russell Jones honed a style that fused sung vocal melody, rehearsed robotic routines, and an overall disdain for staying inside the lines in his raps. By the time All In Together Now evolved into the Wu-Tang Clan, the re-donned Ol’ Dirty Bastard tailored his role-playing even further. Upon the crew’s introduction, “Protect Ya Neck,” O.D.B. delivered his quick rhymes with instability, a man on the edge of sanity, with great vocal timing, and threatening verbal jabs.
On the solo side, Ol’ Dirty’s evolution was shown between his gritty, stripped down Return To The 36 Chambers 1995 debut and 1999’s polished, mainstream-aimed Nigga Please. A talented singer, despite the vocal imperfections, O.D.B. attracted producers ranging from The Neptunes to Irv Gotti to even Mariah Carey, eager to play with the possibility of Ol’ Dirty. The BK MC carried an authenticity with him, in songwriting, stage presence, and earnest raps that shined in the ever synthetic changing of the millennium. Struggling with addiction for much of his career, Ol’ Dirty passed away 10 years ago this month, a career still unfolding into its full potential. However, with 20 years plugging away at his style, his persona, and his vision, O.D.B. certainly achieved a lot with a little.
Other Notable Songs:
“Protect Ya Neck” (with Wu-Tang Clan) (1993)
“Ghetto Supastar” (with Pras & Mya) (1998)
“Pop Shots” (2005)
Redman (First Round Winner, Against The D.O.C. 88% to 12%)
For more than 20 years, Redman has thrived in the major label system making unwavering, unadulterated, and uncompromising Hip-Hop. One of the New Jersey pioneers, Newark’s Reggie Noble is the tallest EPMD product—and one of the few 2010s touchstones to the first wave of Def Jam Records. Although he carried the wit, pop culture references, and Funk-inspired qualities of his mentor, Erick Sermon, Funk Doc has been his own entity, a master of cohesive album-making who always seemed disinterested with hit singles.
From pepped up albums like Doc’s Da Name 2000 and Malpractice to dim inner-journeys like Dare Iz A Darkside and Muddy Waters, to old school homages El Nino, Redman is a true artist. The MC/producer never loses the beat, and seems fully intent on sounding like nobody before him, or after him. One of Hip-Hop’s nice-guy personas has been nothing nice on wax since 1992, with a raucous delivery that’s stayed the course no matter Rap’s changing trends du jour. With a massive catalog, Redman joins his affiliates in Wu-Tang Clan as an ageless face, voice, and style in Hip-Hop. In the ’90s and 2000s, when things were too synthetic, too prim and proper, or too shiny, Reggie Noble was the stalwart to muddy them up. An MC’s MC, this is a true artist who has found the mainstream through being himself on and off the record.
Notable Tracks:
“How To Roll A Blunt” (1992)
“Rockafella (R.I.P)” (1994)
“Da Rockwilder” (with Method Man) (1999)
So…who you got?
Related: Check Out The Finding The GOAT Round 2 Ballots & Round 2 Results
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For years, Eminem has said that Redman is one of his all-time favorite MCs. In fact, on his song "Till I Collapse," Em even went so far as to call Red his GOAT. During a sit down with DJ Vlad, Reggie Noble said that the admiration went both ways and... Read more
September 6, 2016 Video
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August 18, 2016 Video
Drake Brings Eminem Out At His Detroit Show Calling Him The Greatest Rapper Ever (Video)
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August 16, 2016 Fresh
This Is How We Do: 50 Cent & The Game End Their Beef (Video)
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August 2, 2016 Video
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May 11, 2016 Video
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April 28, 2016 Audio
10 Years Later, D12 Show Proof’s Memory Is Very Much Alive In A New Documentary (Video)
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April 11, 2016 Video
Royce 5’9″‘s New Freestyle Shows His Time To “Shine” As A Solo Artist Is Now (Video)
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April 7, 2016 Video
Miilkbone Kept It Real With Something Big L, Jay Z & Logic Could Feel (Video)
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March 31, 2016 Do Remember
There Are Only 8 Left. Which One Will You Name The Greatest Hip-Hop Album Of All-Time?
Last September, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: what is the greatest Rap Album Of All-Time? “Finding The GOAT Album” has considered more than 120 albums from the 80s, 90s and 2000s (40 in each), with options for... Read more
March 22, 2016 Finding the GOAT
Got DJ Skills? We Need You To Make A Finding The GOAT Sweet 16 Mix
Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP vs. Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Which Is Better?
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March 10, 2016 Video
Here Is Your “Finding The GOAT Album” Sweet 16. The Bracket Just Got Real.
Yesterday (March 8) closed Round 3 of “Finding The GOAT Album.” You—the voter—definitively took 32 albums and divided them into a "Sweet 16." The last bracket took the Top 10 albums from the 1980s, the 1990s, and 2000s, respectively and included two user-generated Wild Card winners. In examining the Sweet... Read more
March 9, 2016 Finding the GOAT
Elzhi Drops First Visual Dose of “Lead Poison” & Describes Deeply Personal Inspiration
In the nearly five years it's been since Detroit MC Elzhi has released a full-fledged solo project in the form of his Elmatic mixtape, Heads have been eager for his return. So eager, in fact, that many gladly contributed to the rapper's Kickstarter campaign in an effort to raise the... Read more
February 29, 2016 Food for Thought, Video
Krayzie Bone’s Top 3 MCs Defy The Typical “Best Rapper” List (Video)
Krayzie Bone has been a professional Hip-Hop artist for nearly 25 years. The Cleveland, Ohio native and founding member of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony recently did an interview with longtime group manager Steve Lobel for his new web series. Within, the multi-platinum MC broke down a few of his favorites, from songs... Read more
February 16, 2016 Video
Jay Z’s The Black Album vs. Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP. Which Is Better?
February 16, 2016 Finding the GOAT
Finding The GOAT Album: Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP vs. Nas’ Stillmatic. Which Is Better?
January 29, 2016 Finding the GOAT
Eminem & Proof’s Legendary 1999 Freestyle Is Re-Released In Its Entirety (Video)
1999 was thee year for Eminem's career. Three years removed from Infinite, the Detroit, Michigan MC would team with Dr. Dre and Aftermath Entertainment to unleash The Slim Shady LP in February and things have only exploded since. That year, Em' would travel overseas, including making a stop to Tim... Read more
January 28, 2016 Throwback
Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP vs. Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Which Is Better?
50 Cent’s Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ vs. Rick Ross’ Teflon Don. Which Is Better?
The Best Freestyles of 2015 Left Heads Spinning and Microphones Smoking (Video)
In Hip-Hop, there are few things more exciting than watching an MC get on the mic and spit a freestyle. The definition of the word "freestyle" has been fluid over the years. Originally, the term was used to denote any rhyme, written or off the top, that was not about... Read more
December 29, 2015 Video
Mobb Deep Revisted a Classic Eminem Track to Show Off a Different Flow (Audio)
For 21 weeks, DJ Absolut has been dropping heat for his ongoing Mixtape Mondays series and today's installment features infamous Queensbridge duo Mobb Deep. Havoc and Prodigy can be heard delivering some serious freestyle measures over Eminem's 2000 sinister single, "The Way I Am." In its original form, the song... Read more
December 28, 2015 Audio
These Videos Made Us Feel Like We Could Fly In 2015 (Video)
2015 might very well be remembered as the year the video took over the song in Hip-Hop. While audio platforms like SoundCloud, Spotify and Apple Music are growing in strength, high profile mixtapes decreased in number, and an increasing amount of releases were presented as videos even before the audio-only... Read more
Here Are Ambrosia For Heads’ Picks For The Best Music Videos Of 2015
Hip-Hop’s Shining Moments of 2015: The Big, The Small, & The Revolutionary
Each and every year, there is no shortage of moments in time which crystallize the development of Hip-Hop's growth, and 2015 is no different. Over the course of the previous 12 months, the culture played larger-than-life roles in film, health, politics, television, and of course, music history. Here are just... Read more
December 21, 2015 Food for Thought
Royce Da 5’9″, Pharoahe Monch & D12’s Denaun Demolish a Track With Bars That Cook (Video)
Fans are often told to stand up for Hip-Hop, but it's increasingly rare that songs are of a quality that leave the listener with no choice but to rise from the seat in a salutation to what is emanating from the speaker. Denaun Porter's aptly-titled "Cooking" is one such track.... Read more
This Is What It Sounds Like When Eminem & Redman Catch Up & Make Plans (Audio)
Yesterday (November 8), Redman was a guest on Lord Sear's Shade 45 show. Unexpectedly, the Sirius XM station's founder, Eminem, called in. The onetime "Off The Wall" collaborators caught up publicly, but in a way that seemed totally authentic to a Marshall Mathers and Reggie Noble phone-call. Em' even called... Read more
November 10, 2015 Audio
Eminem’s Lyrical “Genius” Only Grows With His Latest Partnership
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These Pictures Show Where Iconic Hip-Hop Album Covers Were Photographed
Earlier this year, Mass Appeal put together an amazing gallery of pictures that showed the locations where some of the most iconic album covers in Hip-Hop were photographed. That collection showed the real-life settings for the artwork for Nas' Illmatic, Ice Cube's Amerikkka's Most Wanted, LL Cool J's Bad and... Read more
November 1, 2015 Fresh
D12 Discuss Their History With Eminem, Battle Rap, Their New Mixtape & Freestyle (Video)
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The Weeknd & Eminem Use Virtual Reality to Show Just How Explosive Their Remix Is (Video)
Earlier this month, a remix of The Weeknd's smash "The Hills" surfaced with a verse from Eminem. That version was quickly pulled and all that remained were sped up, slowed down and otherwise altered versions. Now, The Weekend has dropped the official release, and he's upped the ante by making... Read more
Eminem Says Tupac “Was a Superstar in Every Aspect of the Word,” In a Moving Tribute
Since he was teenager, Eminem has felt a special bond with Tupac. The young Marshall Mathers grew up idolizing the immortalized MC and, years later as a well-established artist and producer, Em would have the opportunity to produce an album full of Tupac material. Thus, it was fitting that Paper... Read more
October 8, 2015 News
10 Things You May Not Know About Rawkus Records (Audio)
Though it kept a lower profile than companies like Def Jam and Bad Boy, in the late 90s and early 00s, there were few, if any record labels, that carried the flag for Hip-Hop more proudly than Rawkus Records. For many, the company introduced Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Eminem, El-P's... Read more
October 2, 2015 Audio
Joe Budden Raps an Open Letter to Eminem That’s As Raw and Real As It Gets (Audio & Video)
Renowned for its bar-power, Shady Records has also become a label that has changed career paths. After its booming beginnings (D12, 50 Cent), Eminem's label appeared confused in part of the late 2000s, unsure if it was trying to breed skills-based Rap, or commercial juggernauts. For much of the decade,... Read more
September 17, 2015 Audio
Did You Know An Unsigned Eminem Slid Fat Joe Demo Tapes, More Than 6 Times?
As unsigned Eminem lived in New Jersey in the late 1990s. Running with Pacewon and The Outsidaz, doing 12" singles on small New York City independent labels, the Detroit, Michigan MC made a lot of impact trying to earn a lasting spot in the Hip-Hop/music industry. As fate would have... Read more
September 6, 2015 Fresh
D12 Is Still Dirty, With Dozens & Dozens Of Punchlines In A New Freestyle (Video)
In early 2014, it was reported that D12 was back in the lab with Eminem for the first time in a decade. Later in the year, on Shady XV, the Dirty Dozen was back on "Bane," less Marshall Mathers (and Fuzz Scoota). Regardless of Em's involvement, and with the massive vacancy... Read more
Dr. Dre Put Compton On The Map. Now He’s Immortalizing Its Legacy (Album Stream)
Announced just days ago, Dr. Dre's third studio album, Compton, has released as planned. The N.W.A. co-founder named his first LP in nearly 16 years after the Hub City that he hails from. Now, the Beats By Dre namesake drops off the deeply-anticipated work to Apple Music for an exclusive... Read more
August 6, 2015 Audio, Fresh
Here’s a Playlist of the Best Hip-Hop of July 2015 (Audio)
July has traditionally been slow for Hip-Hop releases, but 2015 proved to be the exception. The month brought new music from a wide variety of artists and set the stage for a blockbuster August, with the return of Dr. Dre and Warren G. Here are the best Hip-Hop songs of... Read more
August 5, 2015 Mixes
It’s Official. Dr. Dre’s First Album in 16 Years Will Be Released Friday.
As we reported earlier today, Dr. Dre announced the release of his first album since 1999's 2001 today on his The Pharmacy show on Apple Music. The album is titled Compton: The Soundtrack and will hit stores on August 7. He confirmed the album is completely different than the infamous... Read more
August 1, 2015 News
Dr. Dre’s New Album Will Not Be Released Today…But It’s Coming Soon (Audio)
Earlier this week, Ice Cube set the web on fire when he stated during an interview that Dr. Dre had created an album inspired by the forthcoming motion picture Straight Outta Compton (8/14), and that it would be released on August 1. However, new information suggests the album will not... Read more
August 1, 2015 Audio
Freestyle Aside, Eminem Dropped “Infinite” Jewels On Sway (Audio)
Last week, Eminem stormed the Sway In The Morning show, throwing Southpaw promotion, and delivering one T.K.O. of a freestyle. However, there was a whole hour of the diamond-certified-selling MC at Sway, and Heads may have missed the rare interview. What makes the interview especially notable is the superstar went... Read more
July 27, 2015 Audio
Eminem’s Latest Freestyle is an Exercise in Lyrical Stamina (Audio)
Since being named the winner of AFH's user-generated GOAT competition, Eminem has been busy promoting Southpaw, a Boxing film starring Jake Gylenhaal and 50 Cent, and for which he is the soundtrack's executive producer. Previously slated to become an honorary member of N.W.A. as he joins them on their forthcoming... Read more
Eminem Slated To Take Eazy-E’s Spot As Honorary N.W.A. Member On Tour.
UPDATE: One day later (July 23), an unnamed Eminem and Dr. Dre representative has told Rolling Stone magazine that the reports regarding Eminem and an N.W.A. are not true. The original report: For the most part, attentions surrounding August 14's Straight Outta Compton are focused on the film. The F.... Read more
July 22, 2015 News
Read Eminem’s Heartfelt Letter & Illustration Sent To Tupac’s Mother
In 1997, Tupac Shakur's mother Afeni Shakur established the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts, a performing-arts based community program in Stone Mountain, Georgia that focuses on bringing children opportunities to explore dance, drama, creative writing, and more. As part of the organization's role in preserving Tupac's legacy, the... Read more
July 13, 2015 Fresh
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The Worst White House Kitchen in History
by Laura Shapiro Jul 25, 2017 7 minutes
Eleanor Roosevelt didn’t care what she ate. She had no palate, she wasn’t interested in food, it gave her no pleasure—or at least people have been saying these things ever since she became a public figure in the 1920s.
“Victuals to her are something to inject into the body as fuel to keep it going, much as a motorist pours gasoline into an auto tank,” her son James once declared, and nobody among her friends or relatives seems to have disagreed. Eleanor herself joined the chorus: she used to say she was incapable of enjoying food. It’s too bad, then, that she never had the chance to study her own paper trail. It’s as long and rich as you might expect from one of America’s most prominent political activists, and it would have surprised her by delivering quite a different verdict. An intense relationship with food ran right through Eleanor’s life, darting into her work, her feminism, and her deepest relationships.
“I am sorry to tell you that my husband and I are very bad about food,” she wrote in response to a query from the Ladies’ Home Journal in 1929. “I do not know of any particular dish which he likes unless it is wild duck.” FDR did like wild duck; he also loved steak, lobster, heavy cream, caviar, and cocktails, but she wasn’t about to admit any of that to the Journal. Instead, she chose to lie, which was sometimes her favorite way to discuss matters of appetite—especially, as we’ll see, FDR’s appetite. But the art of the cover-up, which Eleanor practiced diligently all her life, was difficult to maintain when it came to cooking and eating. Eleanor wrote so often and so copiously about herself, in memoirs and letters and articles, that the truth had a way of spilling out. Over the years, she became a reliable source on a subject she would have insisted she knew nothing about—her own food story. And it isn’t a story about a woman with no palate for pleasure.
Still, it’s easy to see how Eleanor acquired her bleak culinary reputation. By all accounts, the food in the Roosevelt White House was the worst in the history of the presidency. Longtime White House staff began noticing a change right after FDR’s inauguration in 1933. Eyeing the luncheon buffet Eleanor had ordered, the chief butler called the table “sick-looking”—it featured two kinds of salad, bread-and-butter sandwiches, and vast quantities of milk. A few weeks later California senator Hiram Johnson was invited to dinner and told his son afterward that the most ordinary meal they had at home was “infinitely superior” to what he had been served at the White House. “We had a very indifferent chowder first, then some mutton served in slices already cut and which had become almost cold, with peas that were none too palatable, a salad of little substance and worse dressing, lemon pie, and coffee.” Mutton was not on the menu that night; Johnson had been eating dark, dry, overcooked lamb.
Ernest Hemingway, invited to dinner in 1937, told his mother-in-law it was the worst meal he had ever eaten. “We had a rain-water soup followed by rubber squab, a nice wilted salad and a cake some admirer had sent in. An enthusiastic but unskilled admirer.” The visit had been arranged by the journalist Martha Gellhorn, who was a good friend of Eleanor’s and often stayed overnight at the White House. As they waited for their flight in the Newark airport, Hemingway was surprised to see Gellhorn intently eating sandwiches, three of them, and asked her what on earth she was doing. She said everyone in Washington knew the rule: When you’re invited to a meal at the White House, eat before you go.
Formal dinners prompted more elaborate menus and the best White House tableware, but the same desultory cooking. “I suppose one ought to be satisfied with dining on and with a solid-gold service, but it does seem a little out of proportion to use a solid-gold knife and fork on ordinary roast mutton,” wrote Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes in his diary after the 1934 cabinet dinner. Again, he was eating lamb. Guests who had arrived in black tie and evening gowns for the first state dinner of the new administration found themselves sitting down to an early Thanksgiving. Stuffed celery, roast turkey and cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, frozen pineapple salad, and ice cream with a product called “rubyettes”—grapes that had been colored and flavored to resemble cherries—made up what The New York Times politely referred to as a “traditionally American” menu. The Washington Post was more blunt: “Gentlemen, let us adjourn to a coffee-shoppe!”
Even the return of wine to the White House table, announced for the 1934 cabinet dinner after the long drought of Prohibition, didn’t offer much by way of festivity. The American wine industry was a shambles after 14 years of neglect, with vineyards lost and wineries ruined. French wines were available—Elizabeth Farley, the wife of the postmaster general, treated herself to a glass of imported champagne at the Mayflower Hotel before the dinner—but Eleanor didn’t want the public to think that the new administration was staging some sort of bacchanal in the midst of the Depression. She decided that two “light American wines” would be served and ordered a California sherry and a New York State sparkling wine, limiting the hospitality to one glass of each. As it turned out, overindulgence was not a problem. “The sherry was passable, but the champagne was undrinkable,” Ickes wrote in his diary. He could see Mrs. Farley reacting to her first sip: she nearly grimaced. Eleanor’s consultant on the wines had been Rexford Tugwell, the undersecretary of agriculture, who was born in upstate New York and remained loyal to its struggling vineyards. Late the next evening, Ickes and a few friends joined FDR in his study for an impromptu get-together, and the president, laughing about how awful the cabinet dinner champagne had been, ordered up a couple of bottles of the real thing. They all drank convivially until midnight. Eleanor wasn’t there.
Everyone who ate in the White House seems to have complained about the food—FDR, his aides, the family, old friends, Washington insiders. Even the women in the press corps, who flocked to the all-female press conferences Eleanor held every week and were devoted to her, whispered that a press lunch had been “abominable.”
Yet now and then a positive report surfaces. Louis Adamic, for instance, a prolific writer on issues of American immigration and diversity, was invited to come for dinner with his wife one evening in January 1942. Because FDR rarely socialized outside the White House—he disliked being seen in public in his wheelchair—Eleanor made a point of bringing new people into his orbit when she thought they might interest him. Adamic said later that he had been far too nervous to pay attention to the menu, but his wife told him afterward what they had eaten: rare roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, string beans, salad, and a trifle for dessert, along with wine, champagne, and brandy. She said it was all very good, and she was probably right—since Winston Churchill had arrived unexpectedly. No wonder Adamic couldn’t focus on his plate. The original menu, planned without the prime minister in mind, had been baked fish stuffed with bread crumbs, and a marshmallow pudding.
Serving appetizing food in the White House was hardly an impossible challenge, and previous administrations had managed very well. The Hoovers, unpopular though they were, never had to field criticism about the menus or the cooking. On the contrary, Lucius Boomer, manager of the Waldorf-Astoria, had lunch at the White House after Hoover was trounced in 1932 and said he had never tasted food so delicious. (Ava Long, the housekeeper at the time, whom Eleanor replaced, pointedly included this anecdote in her reminiscences.) But the fact that a decent meal for Churchill could be summoned on such short notice makes it all the harder to understand why the typical state of White House food should be so dreary. Nobody expected the White House to serve roast beef and champagne every night during wartime, but Churchill didn’t just get a special menu, he was treated to careful cooking as well. The Roosevelts were accustomed to dry, leathery roasts; Churchill’s was properly rare.
What happened in 1933? Why did the food deteriorate so spectacularly? Most historians blame Eleanor and what they assume to be her indifference to matters of the table. After the election, according to this theory, she quickly hired a housekeeper and a kitchen staff for the White House and then threw herself into what mattered far more to her—civil rights, women’s equality, poverty, housing, employment, and the war. She was the busiest, most public, most productive First Lady in history, and complaints about dinner just didn’t register.
But this explanation ignores nearly everything else we know about Eleanor, beginning with her extraordinary talent for friendship. Warm, charismatic, genuinely sympathetic, and invariably thoughtful, she was the one who always remembered to ask the timely question, send the flowers, write the note. All year she kept an eye out for possible Christmas presents, so she could be sure of having just the right gift ready for each person on her long list. Stories abound of guests arriving for lunch or dinner at the White House and feeling desperately nervous until Eleanor, comfortable and welcoming, drew them into the room and put them at their ease.
What’s more, as she wrote in her memoir of the White House years, she was impressed early on by the awe and affection Americans felt when they visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, either as tourists or as invited guests. It was a powerful symbol not only of the nation, but of American hospitality, and she strongly believed that as First Lady she personified that hospitality. It’s hard to imagine that such a woman could read caustic newspaper stories about the terrible White House food and do nothing about it just because she cared more about unemployment. In truth, what was happening at the White House table didn’t reflect Eleanor’s disdain for food, it reflected a welter of complicated feelings about being First Lady at all—a job she had never wanted and the public face of a marriage that tormented her.
During FDR’s first term, Eleanor happened to read a popular new novel called Time Out of Mind, by Rachel Field. She was so taken by the portrait of the heroine that she wrote about the book in her syndicated column, “My Day.” The novel is set in a village on the coast of Maine, at the end of the 19th century, and features a woman whose crushing disappointments in love have left her profoundly detached not only from others, but from herself as well. In Eleanor’s words, the heroine is “absolutely self-forgetful,” as if her own humanity has fled. She puts in hours of hard, physical work each day and hopes to think of nothing else. “The description of the times when she tried to be just hands and feet, a mechanical automaton that moved and yet was numb, is very poignant,” Eleanor wrote. “For one reason or another, many of us can remember times like that in our lives.” Eleanor certainly could—the word “automaton” was one she used about herself more than once; and “times like that” extended over much of her life. It was during those times that she cultivated a detachment from the ordinary pleasures of eating and drinking. “How I wish I could enjoy food!” she cried out in a letter once. And yet she did enjoy food when the place and the people were right. They were never right in the White House.
From What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories, by Laura Shapiro. Courtesy Viking, copyright 2017, Laura Shapiro.
Originally published in Literary Hub.
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Future of French Prairie Bridge hinges on Wilsonville City Council decision
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor) on April 13th, 2012 at 11:04 am
Cover of the French Prarie Bike-Ped Emergency
Bridge Briefing Booklet (PDF).
[Patrick Croasdaile contributed reporting to this story.]
This coming Monday, the Wilsonville City Council will convene an important work session that could determine the future of the French Prairie Bike-Ped Emergency Bridge over the Willamette River.
The City of Wilsonville was awarded a $1.25 million federal grant in 2009 to develop a feasibility study and design alternatives for the bridge. At Monday’s meeting, the Council is expected to vote on whether to formally accept the grant and invest the required 10% local match ($125,000) to keep the project moving forward. Or, they could choose to hit the pause button.
Local tourism officials see the bridge — which would be for biking and walking only (along with emergency vehicle access) — as the lynchpin to the area’s future because it would connect Wilsonville to the Willamette Valley’s myriad wineries, Champoeg State Park, the Willamette Valley State Scenic Bikeway, and other tourist draws. Currently, the only way to cross the river is on the shoulder of Interstate 5. At a recent bicycle tourism workshop held in Wilsonville hosted by Travel Oregon, the bridge project dominated the proceedings.
According to Travel Oregon, 1.3 million tourists bicycle while in Oregon each year and they spend $223 million annually.
“Speaking purely from a tourism perspective, of course the bridge would make a big difference, but the city and her businesses and residents have to want it.”
— Jennifer Johnson, Wilsonville Visitor Center
Despite the need for the bridge (it’s been in City plans since 2006) and the potential economic benefits, there is consternation among project supporters that the City Council might get cold feet and pause the project. The estimated cost of the bridge is $20 million and even though the federal grant would only green-light a feasibility study, in today’s political climate any vote that supports a $20 million expenditure — especially a bridge that would not carry daily car and truck traffic — can be seen as a risk.
There’s a group of vocal citizens involved with Wilsonville’s Old Town Neighborhood that oppose the bridge and the agenda for Monday’s meeting includes the ominous passage: “There appears to be some conflicting points of view about the timeliness and prioritization of the project.”
If the City Council opts to not accept the grant, action on the bridge project would come to a screeching halt — as would the potential economic benefits from increased bicycle-related tourism in Wilsonville and this golden opportunity to build a safer river crossing for non-motorized traffic.
A family bike wagon train at Champoeg
State Park, which is just across the river from Wilsonville.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)
Jennifer Johnson of the Wilsonville Visitor Center recently spoke to BikePortland about the importance of the bridge and the need for public support:
“[Currently] we are unable to host any major cycling events currently as there is no safe, reliable transportation options (for bikes) across the river. I am always looking for events or activities to promote to visitors… Speaking purely from a tourism perspective, of course the bridge would make a big difference, but the city and her businesses and residents have to want it.”
Former Wilsonville City Councilwoman Michelle Labrie-Ripple echoes Johnson’s comments. She believes that it’s extremely important for, “the bridge’s [supporters] make themselves heard” on Monday and in the coming months. She added that the Council has so-far only heard from a “small, but vocal, minority of Old Town residents who are against the bridge.”
Following the bike tourism workshop in February, a group of citizens came together under the banner of the “Wilsonville French-Prairie Bridge Committee” and set up a website to advocate for the project at FrenchPrarieBridge.org. They’ve set up an online petition in support of the bridge that has been signed by nearly 400 people in just three days.
The leader Wilsonville French-Prarie Bridge Committee, Simon Springall, plans to deliver the petition to Mayor Knapp and the commissioners at the meeting on Monday.
— The Council work session is open to the public and will start at 5:15pm at Wilsonville City Hall (29799 SW Town Center Loop E). While there is no time set aside for public input during the work session, the City Council’s regular session immediately following will provide citizens and interested stakeholders an opportunity to voice their opinions. Stay tuned for a report from this meeting next week (thanks to Patrick Croasdaile who will be there.)
bicycle tourism, clackamas county, French Prarie Bridge, wilsonville
French Toast Ride September 26, 2016
City puts future of transportation on display today at Smart City Tech Expo May 16, 2016
Weigh in on the design of the future (carfree!) French Prairie Bridge October 26, 2018
Lucky 7th: PBOT makes final decision on carfree I-84 bridge alignment December 22, 2017
9watts April 13, 2012 at 11:11 am
“in today’s political climate any vote that supports a $20 million expenditure — especially a bridge that would not carry cars and trucks — can be seen as a risk.”
I like the use of the word ‘climate’ in that sentence. If one were to look into the future, without rose-colored glasses, I think building a piece of infrastructure that was not premised on the indefinite continued availability of cheap fossil fuels would look really forward looking.
Interesting to contrast this project (and the ‘political feasibility’ language) with the CRC, eh?
meh April 13, 2012 at 11:20 am
“especially a bridge that would not carry cars and trucks'”
Not a completely true statement.
If you go to http://www.frenchprairiebridge.org/ you will see that the bridge is to be designed “to allow emergency vehicles like fire trucks, ambulances and tow trucks to cross over and respond to incidents when I-5 is closed in the vicinity of the Boone Bridge”.
This is the information that needs to be presented to sway the naysayers, that the bridge will serve more than tourist concerns.
Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor) April 13, 2012 at 11:31 am
Meh, Perhaps you didn’t see in the story when I mention it will serve emergency vehicle access?
but I hear you. I’ll make that particular more clear.
Chris I April 13, 2012 at 12:00 pm
The naysayers don’t really care about safety or emergency access. They care about tax dollars and driving themselves in their automobiles. Any project that doesn’t make that easier for them must die.
Paul Souders April 13, 2012 at 11:31 am
What about a ferry? If there were four ferries between PDX and Salem, you could make a perfect no-bridges wineries loop. Which would be awesome.
Having said that, $20M seems like pocket change, infrastructure-spending-wise. Just compare to the CRC.
And such a bridge would make Wilsonville a much more attractive place to live. Easy access to the east bank would make parks like Champoeg and Mollalla State Pk. de-facto city parks totally free for W’ville (in the same sense as Tryon or Sandy Delta for the towns that abut them)
Patrick Croasdaile April 13, 2012 at 11:36 am
As someone who uses the Canby Ferry regularly, I do not believe a ferry is the right option. Considering the amount of rainfall we’ve had recently, the ferry has been shut down for some time now. Additionally, in the City of Wilsonville Master plan, you can see that Alta didn’t think a ferry was as advantageous as a stand-alone bridge.
I agree that the concept of ferries is ‘cool’, but they’re not as reliable as bridges and unfortunately have operating hours… maybe we could staff them with robots though 😉
Heh, humor fail. I’m in favor of this bridge, just trying to make a Funny. I agree ferries are a poor infrastructure solution for most river crossings.
Joseph E April 13, 2012 at 11:43 am
A ferry would be cheaper to build, but even if they were able to run all year round, the long-term cost might be higher. A ferry needs an operator, so that’s about $200,000 a year if you want it to run 16 hours a day, 7 days a week (, with salary and benefits, and then there is the cost of fuel, the cost of the boat and maintenance. Over the next 50 to 100 years (the lifetime of a bridge), the ferry would cost at least 20 million. I say build the bridge, which will be open 24 hours in all weather, and which will be a one-time infrastructure cost instead a continued drain on tax revenue.
Laurent April 13, 2012 at 11:49 am
The petition just passed the 400 signature mark. Keep them coming!
Simon Springall April 13, 2012 at 2:24 pm
450 now!
adventure! April 13, 2012 at 5:50 pm
And I was 498! Two more away from the goal!
Anthony SF April 13, 2012 at 12:03 pm
The I-5 bridge was part of my daily commute for almost three years (lived in Wilsonville and worked near Aurora). That river crossing was like a suicide run, made even worse now heading North. Having safe passage would be great for tourists/commuters alike. Maybe with the bridge there would be less car traffic and the great “Wilsonville Slowdown” would no longer happen and steel cage drivers could mindlessly continue talking on their phones and not worry about a sudden slowdown.
GlowBoy April 13, 2012 at 12:44 pm
This bridge would be fantastic. But if it’s dependent on support of the majority of Wilsonville’s citizenry, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Right now your best option, if you don’t want to tackle the monster hill up from the Canby ferry, is not I-5 … but OR 219, about 13 miles to the west. It’s fairly busy, but even the bridge has a usable if narrow-ish shoulder. When I took my son camping at Champoeg last summer, we returned via that route and it was OK.
Patrick Croasdaile April 13, 2012 at 12:50 pm
I believe you would be surprised by amount of support Wilsonville citizens are lending to the bridge effort. Additionally, from my perspective, it would seem as though this bridge hasn’t been given due coverage in news sources that Wilsonville residents read regularly. This has given opponents of the bridge the opportunity to present their views as the only voice heard. This is changing as we speak.
Joe April 13, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Awesome I’m really happy this is getting so much attn: much needed for Wilsonville and other areas around the ” Remote Island ” boones bridge is scary to ride NOW and the ferry is not always the best choice for transport modes. keep signing ppl pls!
Todd April 13, 2012 at 1:34 pm
I own property in SW Wilsonville and signed the online petition. It would be a great addition to the City and the non-auto transportation and recreation system.
Chris I April 13, 2012 at 1:38 pm
I can’t help but think it would be smarter to work a deal with the railroad and rebuild that bridge. A double-tracked railroad and pedestrian bridge would be a great investment for future commuter/freight rail to Salem/Eugene and would provide a safe bike crossing.
Chris I
Chris, RR tracks near the old boat ramp already and its not wide enuff, thats why they desided to build this out. plus EMT can get to ppl when I-5 is backed up. This will be great for Wilsonville and linking around the area.
Andy K April 13, 2012 at 3:46 pm
The pic on page 1-6 from the briefing booklet shows it at around 930 feet long. That would be an awesome bridge to see and ride on! Unfortunately that estimate is about $10-20M shy. The environmental impacts, multiple in-water piers, and approach fills will be sizeable.
RonC April 13, 2012 at 5:53 pm
Just wondering how much did the bike/pedestrian bridge in downtown Salem cost? Could it be used to extrapolate costs for this project, or is it too much of a different animal?
Andy K April 17, 2012 at 11:50 am
Ron – now that I look at the numbers more closely I don’t think $20M is out of the picture. Structure cost is roughly $250/SF at this stage.
I see two design options. Option 1: Keep it very simple, 10 feet wide, cheap, and don’t try to sell it as an I-5 emergency alternate. Option 2: Make ODOT part of the project, and allow emergency vehicles to use it (in emergencies only). This will likely widen the bridge to 16 feet minimum but will have a better chance of succeeding, unless the City of Wilsonville already has a funding plan.
RonC April 19, 2012 at 10:37 am
Thanks Andy. I like the way you think. I’m still struggling a bit with the math though.
960′ X 16′ wide = 14880 sq. ft.
14880 sq. ft. x $250.00/sq. ft. = $3,720,000.00
At $250.00/sq. ft. even 20′ wide would be under 5 mil. I do not have a handle on what a realistic price per sq. ft. is, but if I were to guess I’d think $250.00/ sq. ft. was maybe a bit low? Did you use this number based on other similar projects? That said, even if planning and administration doubled the cost, this seems do-able.
Ron that is just for the bridge. I spent about 15 minutes putting together a basic “planning level” estimate but I’d rather not send it out to the whole group. Email me [kutanskm (at) gmail (dot) com]and I’ll reply back with the entire cost broken down by pieces, based on what I know.
wsbob April 14, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Assuming Wilsonville goes ahead and authorizes the matching funds to conduct the study and move forward with the project, where might the estimated $20 million to actually build the bridge, come from?
Apparently, Wilsonville would be the owner of the bridge; logically the city would have to raise at least part of the construction costs as well as maintenance over coming years. The bridge is a great idea, has a lot of support from neighboring cities and various groups, but I can imagine people feeling a need to seriously considering whether the city can afford the bridge, and how.
Andrew Seger April 15, 2012 at 10:17 am
Metro should think about asking for a trail levy that could help complete trails and connect all the parkland they’ve been buying since that parks levy passed in 2008. They have great plans for the eastside and westside now it’s time to ask for the money. I agree expecting Wilsonville to pony up $20 million without region wide help is going to be an uphill sell. As part of a larger region wide levy to build out the park property and link them with trails it might actually garner majority support.
Ashik Khan April 15, 2012 at 5:59 pm
I own property in SW Wilsonville and signed the online petition. It would be a great addition to the City and the non-auto transportation and recreation system Thankyou
« Jobs of the Week
Streetcar/bikeway integration porn from Seattle »
David Hampsten 4:18 AM
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History of Independence Day: Was the Declaration of Independence really signed on July 4, 1776?
HISTORY OF INDEPENDENCE DAY
Independence Day or the Fourth of July celebrates the adoption by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, of the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the severance of the allegiance of the American colonies to Great Britain. It is the greatest secular holiday in the United States, observed in all the states, territories, and dependencies.
Although it is assumed that the Continental Congress unanimously signed the document on the 4th of July, in fact not all delegates were present, and there were no signers at all. Here is what really happened.
The congressional delegate from Virginia, Richard Henry Lee, introduced in the Continental Congress, on June 7, 1776, a resolution
“that…body declare the United Colonies free and independent States, absolved from allegiance to or dependence on the Crown or Parliament of Great Britain…”
Committee of Five
On June 10 a committee of five, featuring Thomas Jefferson (the actual scribe), was appointed to prepare a declaration suitable to the occasion in the event that the Virginia resolution was adopted. Jefferson’s version was revised by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams before it went to the Congress where they did some editing of their own. The other two on the committee were Robert R. Livingston of New York and Roger Sherman of Connecticut.
Congress approved the resolution July 2; the declaration composed by Jefferson and amended by his committee was adopted July 4. That evening John Hancock ordered Philadelphia printer John Dunlap to print 200 broadside copies of the agreed-upon Declaration that was signed by him as President and Charles Thomson as Secretary. These were distributed to members of the Congress and distributed to the 13 colonies and elsewhere. The Declaration was read in the yard of the state house July 8. New York did not even vote on it until July 9. The signing was even more gradual, and it is somewhat misleading to speak of the “fifty-six original signers of the Declaration of Independence.”
By August 6, most of those whose names are on the document had signed, but at least six signatures were attached later. One signer, Thomas McKean did not attach his name until 1781! Some of those who signed were not even in Congress when the Declaration was adopted, and some who voted for it in Congress never did get around to signing it. Robert R. Livingston was one of the members of the original committee of five; he helped to frame it; he voted for it, but he never signed it.
The first anniversary of the declaration was observed only in Philadelphia, PA, by the adjournment of Congress, a ceremonial dinner, bonfires, the ringing of bells and fireworks. In 1788, after the requisite number of states had adopted the Constitution, Philadelphia celebrated July 4 by elaborate festivities, including a grand procession.
Treaty of Paris
However, it was not until September 3 of 1783 that major European countries recognized the end of the American Revolutionary War. The Treaty of Paris was signed between the British and US at Hotel d’York in Paris. The Peace of Paris (or the Treaties of Versailles) recognized the end of the American Revolutionary War — among other European issues — and were signed between the representatives of King George III of England and representatives of France’s King Louis XVI, Spain’s King Charles III and the States-General of the Dutch Republic.
Boston, Massachusetts first observed the day in 1783, and thereafter this celebration replaced that of the Boston Massacre, March 5. The custom spread to other cities and states, where the day was marked by parades, patriotic oratory, military displays, and fireworks. In the present day, games and athletic contests, picnics, patriotic programs and pageants, and community fireworks of pyrotechnic expertise are characteristic of the 4th of July. So too are attendance at baseball games, flying of the American flag, consumption of hot dogs, and imbibing of inebriating fluids.
Hollywood Tie-in
Several years ago, Reese Witherspoon had recorded a tribute to the Declaration of Independence document when a lost copy had been discovered folded between the canvas and frame of a picture. This audiovisual presentation went on a road trip with the document around the country. This was one of John Dunlap’s original 200 broadsides. Why did she do this? She claims that she is a descendant of John Witherspoon, the only active clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence. He himself is a descendant of John Knox, the Scottish Reformer who studied under John Calvin in Geneva.
John Witherspoon, a Scottish-born Presbyterian minister, was also President of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton). Among his students were Founding Fathers like Arron Burr and James Madison along with 37 judges, 10 Cabinet officers, 12 members of the original Continental Congress, 28 Senators, and 49 US congressmen. James Madison, the “Father of the Constitution” spend an extra year at college following graduation to study theology. He would incorporate Witherspoon’s teachings on republicanism and “checks and balances” in government.
For generations these words — originally penned by Thomas Jefferson with only one word modified by Congress — have echoed down the halls of US history as if they were American Scripture:
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal;
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights;
that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
If you enjoyed this article, please consider leaving a comment, or subscribing to the news feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader, or to your email.
Posted in History, Holidays, Secular, US and tagged 4th of July, Benjamin Franklin, Independence Day, john adams, Thomas Jefferson
← History of Canada DayHistory of the 4th of July: Thomas Jefferson →
Maria on October 9, 2011 at 4:37 pm
This was so helpful for my history project
John Elliott on July 1, 2016 at 11:02 am
I recently read that the meeting to approve Jefferson’s document was plagued by nitpicking but that the vote to accept it and adjourn happened early because Independence Hall had a cloud of horseflies from a nearby stable. The day had been hot and the windows were opened.
Bill Petro on July 2, 2016 at 2:06 pm
I’m not familiar with that story. However, when I was in Paris 2 years ago, going to my favorite museum, Musee D’Orsay, I noticed for the first time (as it has only been there 8 years) a statue nearby of Thomas Jefferson. But he was not facing the Musee. Read the article again to find out what he was facing.
secular Jewish Thanksgiving Thomas Jefferson john adams vmware memorial day Tiberius Benjamin Franklin Epiphany Dachau holiday Ireland iphone History Rome cloud Apple Twitter Reformation LinkedIn Martin Luther Science Christian Apple Watch Paul_L_Maier Jesus WWII Christmas Germany music Easter Lent Augustus_Caesar sacred_holiday Star Trek magi vmworld Pontius_Pilate secular_holiday
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Language: English ▼
Jorge Mistral
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April 20, 1972 (51 years)
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Biography (wiki)
Jorge Mistral (born Modesto Llosas Rosell; 24 November 1920 – 20 April 1972) was a Spanish film actor. During the 1940s, he became a star in films produced by CIFESA. In the 1950s, he lived and worked in México and appeared in Luis Buñuel's Abismos de pasión (1954). Later, in the 1960s, he directed three films.
Jorge Mistral was born Modesto Llosas Rosell on 24 November 1920 in Aldaia, a city located next to Valencia, Spain. His father was from Puerto Rico and his mother from Catalonia.
He committed suicide with a gunshot while living in Mexico City, Mexico.
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Liam McIntyre
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