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Marlins suspend manager Guillen for 5 games; he apologizes for Castro comments
The Miami Marlins suspended manager Ozzie Guillen for five games, effective immediately, on Tuesday, just before Guillen apologized for recent comments praising Cuba's Fidel Castro.
Guillen sparked a firestorm when he told Time magazine recently that he respected Castro for being able to lead Cuba for six decades.
"I respect Fidel Castro," Guillen said in the article. "You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that son of a bitch is still there."
Guillen apologized during a press conference Tuesday, first speaking in Spanish, saying that he had "betrayed a Latin community" and that he was speaking to "ask for forgiveness with my heart in my hand."
But, he said, he originally spoke of Castro in Spanish and "the translation to English was a bit confusing."
In response to questions in English on Tuesday, Guillen said he was "very stupid" to make comments outside of baseball.
"Politics has nothing to do with sports," Guillen said.
"This is the biggest mistake so far in my life," he said.
Guillen said with the comments he'd let down the community.
"I'm very, very, very sorry," he said. "I will do everything in my power to make it better."
"I live in Miami, my family is in Miami," he said. "I will do everything in my power ... to help this community like I always do."
"I'm sitting here very embarrassed and very sad," he said at the press conference.
"I'm gonna be a Miami guy for the rest of my life," Guillen said. "I want to walk in the street with my head up and not feel as bad as I feel right now."
Guillen pledged to follow through on his promises to help out in Miami's Latin and Cuban communities.
"I'm going to be behind them 100%," he said.
He said he wanted to be with the team, which plays in Philadelphia again on Wednesday, but would not fight the suspension.
"I cannot complain about anything because I am not in a position to complain about anything they want to do with me," he said.
Guillen said he showed poor judgement, but not lack of intelligence, with the original Castro comments.
"You don't have this job if you're dumb," he said. "If I don't learn from this, I will call myself dumb."
The team said Tuesday the original comments were hurtful.
"The pain and suffering caused by Fidel Castro cannot be minimized in a community filled with victims of the dictatorship," the team said in a statement before Guillen's press conference.
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said the suspension of Guillen was appropriate.
"I expect those who represent Major League Baseball to act with the kind of respect and sensitivity that the game’s many cultures deserve. Mr. Guillen’s remarks, which were offensive to an important part of the Miami community and others throughout the world, have no place in our game," Selig said in a statement.
Guillen earlier in the week said he had apologized to Cuban-Americans in the Marlins organization, including Spanish-language broadcasters Felo Ramirez and Yiki Quintana, as well as Cuban-born Phillies pitcher Jose Contreras, ESPN reported.
The Marlins released a statement saying there was nothing to respect about Castro, "a brutal dictator who has caused unthinkable pain for more than 50 years. We live in a community filled with victims of this dictatorship, and the people in Cuba continue to suffer today."
Guillen backtracked on Sunday and apologized to anyone he offended with the Castro remark, telling the Palm Beach Post that he is "against everything, 100%," regarding Castro's reign in Cuba.
Elaborating on his use of the term, "respect," he said, "I respect (President) Obama, I respect (Venezuelan President Hugo) Chavez because I always respect people."
Perhaps lost in the controversy were Guillen's remarks late last week that for a quarter century or more he has gotten drunk and gone to sleep after every game.
"I've got my routine. Game's over, stay in the lobby of the hotel, the hotel bar, get drunk and go to sleep," he told the Palm Beach Post.
"I get drunk because I'm happy because we won or get drunk because I'm very sad and disturbed because we lose. Same routine for 25, 28 years. It hasn't changed. I don't like to go out."
Guillen was named the Marlins manager on September 28. He previously managed the Chicago White Sox for eight years, including leading them to the 2005 World Series title.
He is a native of Venezuela and became a U.S. citizen in 2006.
Post by: CNN's Brad Lendon, CNN's Eliott C. McLaughlin, CNN's Kim Segal, CNN's Mariano Castillo
Filed under: Baseball • Cuba • Fidel Castro • Florida • Sports
gdaym8
This is a perfect example of "freedom of speech" being taken away from us...
April 10, 2012 at 6:11 pm | Report abuse |
TheMovieFan
No, it is not an example at all. On your own, please figure out why it is not.
Trader Al
Absolutely Agree. He has the full Freedom of Speech and he can say and do whatever he wants....WAIT!! wow! it appears that the fans, members of the community, Cuban and other Latin American communities offended by his statements also have the same freedom of Speech??? and are voicing it???? what a concept!!! at the end the day the Miami Marlins Organization will have to decide what costs more and what hurts more....Tickets anyone?
With havin so much content and aleicrts do you ever run into any issues of plagorism or copyright infringement? My site has a lot of completely unique content I've either authored myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my authorization. Do you know any techniques to help stop content from being stolen? I'd really appreciate it.
July 11, 2012 at 4:45 pm | Report abuse |
granitethunder
Apparently you can't speak badly of a dictator who practiced murder, oppression, and the denial of human rights for 50 years, especially if one is associated with MLB. Hmmm who's right of free speech was denied in this case?
CBkd
I find it sad that he has been suspended for saying he respects Fidel Castro, but if he say he thought the President of the US was an idiot there wouldn't have been a problem.
Jim Klimaski
Guillen was correct in saying Fidel Castro deserves a lot of respect. There have been many positive changes on the Island since the revolution began. More changes to come as the revolution continues. Compared to the U.S., Cuban standard of living still has some way to go, but compared to the other islands and Central American countries, the Cuban people have a higher standard of living.
Pilgrim1
Totally disagree with Ozzie, but doesn't he have every right to voice his opinion?
This boils down to pressure from Cuban Americans and MLB, and the need to protect ticket sales; and that is not reason enough to limit his freedom.
Pretty ironic that someone in the USA punished in his career for remarks unrelated to his career.
Maybe it is me, but what was so bad about his comment. I thought it had a bit of humor to it. I guess I am sick and twisted.
PorkNBeans
The good old USA at work.
Wasn't suspending him exactly what they accuse Castro of doing?
Thought so.
The only problem with this incident is that he apologized. Cuba isn't that bad. People from every other country on the face of the earth travel there every day.
Denser
Really? If saying "I respect Fidel Castro" is "the biggest mistake (Guillen has) made in (his) life so far" then he's quite the role model. Seriously, Cuban-Americans are the most over-represented political demographic in America. Sixty plus years of isolation and embargo and guess what... Castro is still there. As Mel Allen (TWIB) would say "how about that!"
Naji
Respect for they enemy can never be a bad thing. Means you've taken the time to understand their postion and also analyze their mistakes. I think his apology is wrong. Castro is to be respected. Just like any other successful person. However, doesn't mean you have to love or adore them.
Caiha
I'm certainly no Castro fan, but suspending him for saying that? Frankly it sounded like a blue collar humor style joke, you know, respecting a guy who can be an collosal dbag and get away with for six decades. Considering baseball is a blue collar sport, you'd think they'd have gotten that it was a joke. Also, even if he meant it, which I highly doubt, First Amendment anyone?
What you and so many others commenting on this article seem to not understand about the 1st amendment (AKA freedom of speech) is that it only prohibits the government from surpressing speech. The whole idea of the 1st amendment is that in a marketplace of ideas, the best ideas will win out while those that are "stupid" or "politically incorrect" or "offensive" will be shouted down, criticized and/or punished by the citizens who hear them.
I agree. Seriously, suspended for comments that have nothing to do with baseball....ridiculous. People have a right to their opinion. Joking or not, shouldn't matter. He has a right to speak his mind. And he does have a point. Castro, regardless how he's treated people through out his life, HAS managed to stick around. That's not Ozzie's fault. He stated a fact and perhaps misspoke in his delivery of the comment. Being PC has been over the top for too long.
Caiha, and that be sincere and down to Earth.
j williamson
Once again political correctness rules the day in the USA! I can recall a time when freedom of speech actually meant something in America and most people respected this idea even if they didn't necessarily agree with what was said.
maggotfist
Hyper Political Correctness,...THE NEW FASCISM.
Here is yet another example of free speech losing to political correctness.
100% agree. It's so ridiculous in sports too. Someone makes a "mistake" with regard to something they say and what do we get in return? We get the canned PC speech with an insincere apology (not saying Ozzie was insincere – just speaking in general). People are not perfect. People will say something that comes out wrong or not the way they intended. We can't hold people to a standard of perfection. Everyone makes mistakes. That's how we learn.
rjolay
Another American punished for having his own opinion... so much for free speech in Repub land.
Hyper Political Correctness,...THE NEW FASCISM
Mitzie
Wow...cannot believe that this man is being punished for this. He gave an opinion....he did not join Castro's party! How ridiculous.
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The Land of Gold
Posted bynowhereperspectives October 1, 2020 Posted inAfrica, Places, Travel, Travelogue
Rwanda is probably a stumbling block before me to say that Ghana is the best country in sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana is adjudged high on governance, peaceful society, independent judiciary and political freedom — hallmarks of democracy. This Anglophone country has a presidential form of governance, and the presidential election in 2008 saw the winner, John Atta Mills, scoring 50.2% votes against the 49.80% of the rival, Nana Akufo-Addo. Such a razor-thin margin of 0.2% in a presidential election is a perfect storm for upheavals and public violence in many African countries, but nothing of that sort did happen in Ghana. Nana telephoned John immediately after the result was out and conceded defeat. Such is the peaceful and matured democracy that the Ghanaians practice! It was not surprising to see that Barak Obama chose Ghana as the first African country to visit in 2009 after becoming the President of the U.S.A. Ghana owes this peaceful political order to one person, Jerry John Rawlings, Ghana’s first air force pilot who ruled Ghana from 1981 to 2001, first as a military ruler, then, as the democratically elected president for two terms.
Ghana got independence from Britain on March 6, 1957. The next 22 years saw politicians indulging in corruption and poor governance precipitating an economic crisis which forced a group of young military officers led by Rawlings to make a coup d’état in 1979. He ruled for two years, cleaned up the system and gave the power back to a civilian government. But things got back to where it was, and again Rawlings had to take the power back through another coup d’état. He ruled as a military ruler, cleaned up the system as much as he could, resigned from military in 1992, formed a political party: National Democratic Congress, contested and won the presidential election. He was elected again in the next election. As a democratically elected leader, he continued his fight against corruption and set a political order and governance standards that still continue in Ghana. After the constitution-mandated two terms, Rawlings peacefully handed over the power to his successor — a rarity at that time in Africa — and retired from politics. The Ghanaians and the international community hold Rawlings in high esteem and respect.
My first visit to Ghana was in 2004, and it is the country I most travelled to — more than 20 times spanning 16 years. During this period, I saw a lot of developments in the country: hectic construction activities, presence of international banks, many M.N.C.s, uninterrupted power supply, good roads and good public transport, etc. The signs of progress are strikingly visible in Accra. There are many high-rise buildings in Accra, which is fast-developing as a modem city, with many companies like Airtel basing their headquarters of Africa business in the city.
I am not sure if presence of K.F.C. is a sign of progress, but in Africa I had seen it only in a few countries like Kenya, South Africa and Ghana — all stand better-developed to their African peers. A welcome feature of Accra is that there are no beggars on the road unlike in some other cities. Ghana has a literacy rate of 79%. Osu is the name of the city center, and I always stayed at this area.
Ghana is a safe country. It is safe to walk around in Accra ‘without fear’ as I experienced it many times. At times past midnight, I never confronted any problems on the road, nor did anyone ever create any trouble for me. Another city that is comparable to this level of safety is Kigali, Rwanda. In both cities, one can venture out in the night without the fear of unknown.
A traditional dress shop at Osu:
Ghana is known as the Land of Gold as it has huge gold deposits and is one of the major producers of gold in the world. Besides, it is blessed with large deposits of diamonds, bauxite and manganese. It is the second largest producer of cocoa beans after Ivory Coast. A few years back, Ghana started to pump crude oil after the discovery of more than1 billion barrels of offshore crude oil deposit.
‘Let me have it’ instead of saying ‘give me’ is the way most people — be it a cab driver or a trader or in casual conversations — in Ghana negotiate or deal with. Are these two one and the same? Though both asks for the same output, they are different in their effectiveness in reaching to that output. ‘Let me have it’ is unobtrusively persuasive, soft-landing on the-other-person and at the same time without any tinge of plea; on the other hand, ‘give me’ is a plain-asking without any soft-covers. This is a learning for me: use ‘let me have it’ to negotiate or deal with.
Woman Power is all-pervading in Ghana. Many women are involved in business — my customers are women entrepreneurs — and they outnumber men as porters and hawkers at Makola wholesale market.
Ghana has borders with three countries and the Atlantic Ocean. A 4-hour travel by road along the lush green countryside of Ghana to the east will take one to the frontier with Togo. I undertook this travel many a time and experienced the panoramic rural environs of Ghana, and what attracted me the most was the abundant coconut trees.
From the Ghana-Togo frontier:
When I visited Ghana for the first time in 2004, the Ghana currency, Cedis, had an exchange rate of 8500 against US$. After a couple of years, it went up to 10000 against the greenback. The government intervened by removing 0000, came out with new currency in the same name and made it 1 Cedis on par with 1 US$. Today, Cedis has an exchange rate of 5.79 against US$ — close to 680% depreciation against US$ in 16 years. On the other hand, Ghana is the country where I saw maximum development and progress in sub-Saharan Africa during the said period. There are many macroeconomic factors like fiscal discipline, balance of trade, FDIs, FIIs, the Fed’s monetary policies, etc. that have strong bearing on the strength of a currency, and I do not have much idea where Ghana stands on these factors. Wherever it stands on these macroeconomic factors that influence the strength of Cedis, I am happy to see the progress made by Ghana, which is my favorite country in Africa! May God bless Ghana and the Ghanaians who are one of the most amiable peoples I came across.
The Bridges that You Need to Build in Life
Land of the Honorable People
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Charlotte Bismuth
Charlotte Bismuth served as an assistant district attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office for seven years, from 2008 until 2015. She was hired as a lateral from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, where she had worked since 2004 as an associate in the litigation department. At the DA’s Office, Ms. Bismuth was first assigned to the Appeals Unit, where she defended convictions and argued before the Appellate Division, First Department. In 2010, she transferred to the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (“OSNP”), where she was assigned to Trial Bureau 30/60.
As an OSNP line assistant in 2010, Ms. Bismuth took on her first prescription pill case. By the end of the year, she was working on a massive new investigation into the illegal prescription business of a Queens physician, Dr. Stan Li. In partnership with two legendary veterans of the office, Senior Investigator Joe Hall and Special Assistant District Attorney Peter Kougasian, Ms. Bismuth steered the Li case from civilian tip, a three-year investigation, two grand jury proceedings and a four-month trial in 2004. The case resulted in a landmark conviction, as Dr. Li was the first physician in New York State to be charged and convicted for the overdose deaths of his patients.
In 2014, after the Li trial, Ms. Bismuth served as the OSNP’s Director of Training, a position in which she trained assistants, organized lecture programs, participated in the Manhattan DA’s Office Brady/Giglio committee (under the leadership of Mr. Darrow), and upgraded the Office’s training software. In her work as Director of Training, Ms. Bismuth aimed to incorporate awareness of work-family balance and lawyering styles, as well as recognition and respect for all staff members in prosecutorial offices.
Ms. Bismuth left the practice of law at the end of 2015 to spend time with her family and write a book. “Bad Medicine: Catching New York’s Deadliest Pill Pusher,” the story of the Li investigation and trial, will be released on June 2, 2020, by Simon & Schuster. A percentage of the author’s proceeds from the book will be donated to the FedUp! Coalition. She is also partnering with the Coalition to inform its members about the Purdue bankruptcy proceedings and other opioid-related civil cases.
As an ADA, Ms. Bismuth presented a popular lecture on Prosecutorial Ethics to Brooklyn Law School students. As Director of Training, she lectured all incoming New York County assistants on narcotics prosecutions. Ms. Bismuth and Mr. Kougasian also presented the case of Dr. Stan Li to a committee of the New York City Bar Association.
Ms. Bismuth is a graduate of Columbia College, Sciences-Po Paris and Columbia Law School. Her public service began before law school, at the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board. She is fluent in French.
In 2011, the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor honored Ms. Bismuth for her exceptional contributions.
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'Promiscuous' protein interactions found in the nuclear pore complex
(PhysOrg.com) -- The NPC is the only way in or out of a cell's nucleus. It plays a key role in cellular metabolism and signaling, and any malfunction in these pores can have lethal consequences. Now new research reveals further insights into the design of this evolutionarily ancient and little-understood transport machinery. The findings suggest that the nuclear pore complex takes on different formations to carry out its function.
In higher organisms, cells are very selective about what passes in and out of their nuclei, where the genes reside. This selectivity helps protect the DNA and is the job of machines that stud the envelope of the nucleus, called nuclear pore complexes. These gatekeepers have proved largely inscrutable to researchers over the years, despite their conspicuously large size (they are made of 30 different proteins, or nucleoporins), but bit by bit, scientists are learning how these machines work.
Now a new study reveals the molecular structure of the largest piece of the molecule-trafficking complex to be captured by x-ray crystallography to date. Researchers have also shown that one member of the three-protein structure interacts promiscuously with two nucleoporins as do other proteins in the nuclear pore, supporting a model of a flexible complex that can rearrange itself into different formations. The work suggests an important design feature of this transport organelle, an ancient evolutionary innovation fundamental to the development of multicellular life on Earth.
The research, performed by Vivien Nagy, a visiting graduate student, André Hoelz, a research associate, and colleagues in Rockefeller University’s Laboratory of Cell Biology, uncovered the molecular structure of three interacting proteins that form the centerpiece of the Nup84 complex — an important structural component of the nuclear pore complex. The Nup84 complex is a Y-shaped heptamer — a molecule composed of seven units — that was recently imaged in three dimensions by Martin Kampmann, also a member of the lab headed by Günter Blobel, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Professor and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
In experiments to be published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nagy, Hoelz and colleagues provide the molecular specifics of the only piece of the Nup84 complex that remained unknown, furthering the structural characterization of this building module. They also describe competing interactions within the Nup84 complex and discuss the possibility of binding promiscuity as a common feature in the nuclear pore complex. These findings suggest that more than one assemblage of its elements may be necessary for the function of the nuclear pore complex — to import and export macromolecules including ribosomes and messenger RNA.
“Now that we realize that promiscuity may be a major factor in the nuclear pore complex — that the nucleoporins have different ways of interacting with each other — the complex is no longer just a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle,” Hoelz says. “Now we have to place these structures into a fourth dimension and find out when they adopt these different shapes. We’re trying to take snapshots, static pictures, and turn them into a movie. It will require a lot more pictures, a lot more structures, before we understand the function and dynamics of this intricate transport organelle.”
More information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online: September 2009
Provided by Rockefeller University (news : web)
New research supports model for nuclear pore complex
Citation: 'Promiscuous' protein interactions found in the nuclear pore complex (2009, September 29) retrieved 16 January 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2009-09-promiscuous-protein-interactions-nuclear-pore.html
New model of a nuclear pore complex is based on crystal structure of its key component
Research identifies 3-D structure of key nuclear pore building block
Structural study backs new model for the nuclear pore complex
Building the nuclear pore piece by piece
Molecular machine turns packaged messenger RNA into a linear transcript
Reverse engineering 3-D chromosome models for individual cells
Not as simple as thought: How bacteria form membrane vesicles
Cancer microbiome reveals which bacteria live in tumors
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Tag Archives: Chaz Bono
Culture, class, and Newt’s sex life
Posted on 23 January 2012 by scottlong1980
In the end, all those marriages didn’t matter. Conservatives have become remarkably kind, forgiving people. Just under fifty years ago, in 1964 a rabid right-wing crowd at the Republican Convention drowned out Nelson Rockefeller with shouts of “You dirty lover!”—because he had divorced his wife. But through their devoted love for Ronald Reagan (the first divorced US president), the Republican Party was clearly purged of all desire to pass judgment. Despite all the evidence of Newt Gingrich’s polyamory, on Saturday he won a landslide in South Carolina anyway.
You’ll remember Dr. Keith Ablow, the Fox News psychologist who warned last year that Chaz Bono’s appearance on Dancing with the Stars would cause the world’s children to doubt their gender identities. This weekend, he reappeared to reassure us that Newt Gingrich’s infidelities would actually make him a stronger president. Although “the media can’t seem to help itself from trying to castrate candidates” (wait: wouldn’t that be an end to all the sellable, sexy stories? and what were they doing to Michelle Bachmann?), he says:
I will tell you what Mr. Gingrich’s personal history actually means for those of us who want to right the economy, see our neighbors and friends go back to work, promote freedom here and abroad and defeat the growing threat posed by Iran and other evil regimes. …
1) Three women have met Mr. Gingrich and been so moved by his emotional energy and intellect that they decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with him.
2) Two of these women felt this way even though Mr. Gingrich was already married.
3 ) One of them felt this way even though Mr. Gingrich was already married for the second time, was not exactly her equal in the looks department and had a wife (Marianne) who wanted to make his life without her as painful as possible.
Conclusion: When three women want to sign on for life with a man who is now running for president, I worry more about whether we’ll be clamoring for a third Gingrich term, not whether we’ll want to let him go after one.
4) Two women—Mr. Gingrich’s first two wives—have sat down with him while he delivered to them incredibly painful truths …
Conclusion: I can only hope Mr. Gingrich will be as direct and unsparing with the Congress, the American people and our allies.
There are, to be sure, some flaws in this argument. For one thing, the brutal verities Newt spoke to his successive wives weren’t on the order of “You’re spending more than you’re investing! Medicare is doomed! You need to do something about the trade imbalance with China!” They were more like, “I’m leaving you for someone prettier.” By this analogy, Americans may not get the chance to beg him for a third term. Midway through the first, he’s likely to run off and become president of a younger, blonder country with bigger breasts: Ukraine? or Estonia?
Gingrich, with spouses no. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ...
I also wonder about Dr. A’s comparison of the sinewy, masculine American Republic to a series of easily bamboozleable women. Isn’t this even more likely to cause gender confusion in children than Chaz Bono? And what about our heroic men in the Fighting Forces, who by his argument will wake up after the Inauguration to find that not only can they ask and tell, but they are metaphorically married to Newt Gingrich? The one silver lining for the right wing is that this prospect makes even me want to ban same-sex marriage anywhere and everywhere, lest I rouse myself some morning after a drunken binge to discover I am on a Niagara honeymoon with my Big Newton.
The real reason Newt won in South Carolina, though, was clearly that he took up a weapon little deployed by his party: class struggle. It wasn’t simply that he accused Mitt Romney, accurately enough, of being a corporate equivalent of Sigourney Weaver’s sci-fi foe: moving from company to company, world to world, infecting — or investing — with his virus and then squeezing the place of jobs and life to turn a profit. It was that he made Mitt look for once like what he is. He is a stiff, ambitious, extremely rich man with no fixed beliefs, who for the last ten years has planned to buy the Presidency: the politician as shopper.
Nixon in '68: Whiter, please, whiter
South Carolina’s a strange, strange universe. It’s the birthplace of today’s Republican Party. Old Strom Thurmond, its segregationist eternal Senator, switched from Democrat to Republican in the 60’s, and taught Richard Nixon his “Southern Strategy,” how to lure white racists into the GOP and change the political temper of the whole region. It has a long tradition of elite, autocratic politics. (It was the last state in the Union to permit its population to vote for US President, instead preserving for more than a century the tradition of letting the state legislature choose electors.) Its establishment, however, is always wary of populist earthquakes: that particularly Southern form of populism in which rich whites watch the poor whites roused to anger, and try desperately — and usually successfully — to channel their rage toward anybody but themselves. Newt, adept at the tradition, got the masses’ mouths foaming at the news media, at black people (the “food stamp president”) … and at Mitt Romney.
The Washington Post points out today that Newt makes a strange populist.
That’s weird: … the candidate who has been in Washington the longest, who has spent the most time on the Sunday shows, who has the deepest rolodex of New York media elites, who has been third-in-line for the presidency, is running as some kind of insurgent.
But that misses the point of his real disaffection, which is intellectual, and rooted in his past. Newt is part of a thoroughly lumpen class, the professorial proletariat.
Gingrich, of course, is sure that he’s one of the great minds of all time. He famously scribbled during a meeting:
Gingrich — primary mission
Advocate of civilization
Definer of civilization
Teacher of the Rules of Civilization
Arouser of those who Fan Civilization
Organizer of the pro-civilization activists
Leader (Possibly) of the civilizing forces
Who else could claim that? Prospero? Kurtz? And of course, almost everybody makes fun of this. Joan Didion, in a brilliant essay, detected in his maundering “not the future but the past, the drone of the small-town autodidact, the garrulous bore in the courthouse square.”
But you have to consider where that mind of his came from. He got his B.A. from Emory, his Ph.D. from Tulane, both respectable schools. He finished a dissertation on “Belgian Education Policy in the Congo: 1945–1960,” and spent some time in Brussels (but not Congo) researching it. (Belgian education policy in the Congo, of course, was not to educate any Congolese.) One regards the dissertation as a potential source of horror –the horror! — given his subsequent comments about our Mau-Mau in Chief:
“What if [Obama] is so outside our comprehension, that only if you understand Kenyan, anticolonial behavior, can you begin to piece together [his actions]?”
Historian Adam Hochschild read the dissertation, and found it dull rather than appalling. But he does suggest that Gingrich never tried to comprehend resistance to colonialism: “He cites interviews with one American and seven Belgians — but not a single Congolese, though there were hundreds living in Europe and the United States he could have talked to.” There’s a basic lack of intellectual curiosity there.
I am the Definer of Civilization, and your paper is due Friday
Which was punished. On finishing the magnum opus, Newt found himself teaching history and geography at West Georgia College, in Carrollton, the former Fourth District Agricultural and Mechanical School. As a recovered academic, I am sure this is an estimable institution. But for the young Ph.D., it is exile. For the aspiring genius, it is Dickens toiling in the blacking factory. For an ambitious assistant prof, it’s Ovid in Tomis, Dreyfus on Devil’s Island; it’s running seminars in Kafka’s Penal Colony, and writing syllabi on one’s own lacerated flesh. Nor did Newt do well even there, in the Sahara of the geistlichen Wissenschaften. In 1978, they denied him tenure. If he hadn’t got himself elected to Congress the same year, God knows what would have become of him.
These days, Newt is an real live author, who’s published 23 books, many of them arguably in English. When he talks about rebellion against the “elites,” though, it’s not hard to hear which ones he means most vividly, which enemies are nearest his heart. They’re the PhDs who went on to the good schools, the Dukes and Vanderbilts, the Harvards and Yales: the ones who got the great jobs, the ones whose dissertations made their way into print and praise, the ones for whom tenure waited patiently like a blond, young, buxom-chested Estonian bride. The ones who succeeded!
Hochschild notes that if Newt were elected, he’s be the first President with a Ph.D. since Woodrow Wilson. Well, yes. But he’d also be one of a small company of modern Presidents who never supped up knowledge at an Ivy League school. Since Herbert Hoover, only Truman, Nixon, and Carter have failed to attend upon such a holy place; and Nixon went to Duke Law School, which is almost as tony. (He was accepted at Harvard, but had to decline because of family illness, adding another to the pyramid of chips on his shoulder.) In fact, all the rest except Eisenhower completed part of their education at either Harvard or Yale. (I include Eisenhower, though he was a simple barefoot general from Kansas, because he actually served as President of Columbia University before he took on the leadership of the whole enchilada.)
Before FDR, there was Wilson (President of Princeton), and Teddy Roosevelt (Harvard boy); but before then it’s mostly a long procession of the self- and ill-educated, knowing no history and unknown to it now. The US Presidency was simply not very important before the second Roosevelt. Back then, it was a ceremonial job concerned with overseeing Cabinet meetings, certifying ambassadors, and cutting ribbons.
All day long the right hon. lord of us all sits listening solemnly to bores and quacks. … Anon there comes a day of public ceremonial, and a chance to make a speech. Alas, it must be made at the annual banquet of some organization that is discovered, at the last minute, to be made up of gentlemen under indictment, or at the tomb of some statesman who escaped impeachment by a hair. Twenty million voters with IQ’s below 60 have their ears glued to the radio; it takes four days’ hard work to concoct a speech without a sensible word in it. Next day a dam must be opened somewhere. Four Senators get drunk and try to neck a lady politician built like an overloaded tramp steamer. The Presidential automobile runs over a dog. It rains.
The elites who ruled the country cared very little about vetting the office’s occupants. Only the vast extension of state power in the New Deal made the Presidency truly vital. When that happened, suddenly it became crucial that its holders bear an Ivy imprimatur, proof that they were loyal to the System, having passed through its intestinal tests and come out the kind of guys who brown-nosed, worshipped the Institution, and rallied for the Team.
And Newt isn’t. He doesn’t carry the certificate or wear the proof. That’s the measure of his outsiderness: the intellectual resentment of a toiling academic who never won the kudos, never made good.
But he’s enough of an intellectual to know what “culture” is. And that’s his devastating potential at this juncture in the life of the Republican party, and possibly the United States.
Conservative populism is a strange thing (like South Carolina). Its great secret, both strength and weakness,is this: Its exponents cannot talk about class for very long. They have to change the subject to something else.
Statue of Tillman, on the S.C. Capitol grounds
Modern conservatism, after all — the post-1848, bourgeois kind — developed not in order to affirm the aristocracy (the task of the old variety) but to suppress and conquer labor. Its whole birth and formation was a vast change of the subject, away from the reality of class, production, exploitation, and toward ideals of social stability. For a long time in the United States, right-wing populists had a ready theme to switch to, when the switching time came: Race. White populists in the South performed the explicit service of keeping the white poor’s anger focused on the black poor, not on their rich white oppressors. “Pitchfork” Ben Tillman, the longtime Senator from South Carolina at the last century’s sharp turn, got his start in politics by massacring black freedmen in an 1876 riot. He called this “having the whites demonstrate their superiority by killing as many of them [guess who] as was justifiable.” The stress was not just on the killing, but the superiority. The whites with their miserable, dirt-poor lives needed to believe in something, and Tillman gave the racial myth to sustain them.
This doesn’t work as openly anymore, though Gingrich can certainly dabble in it when Juan Williams, or some other anti-colonial interlocutor, is at hand. But “culture” is the new distraction from class, the new change of subject.
“New” is perhaps not the right word: the right has invoked “culture” at least since the ’60s, not just in the US but in country after country worldwide, to replace a discourse of injustice and justice with one of invasion versus belonging. “Distraction” is perhaps not the right word, either. “Culture” is a translation of class division, into a different register where the enemies’ identities can be shifted, and the revolutionary options of reappropriation or redistribution blunted or annealed. Those of us who work in the field of sexuality know this register all too well. It’s the hue and cry that something alien is intruding, that you‘re not part of our culture, that whatever rights you claim to represent don’t belong. It’s been used to change the subject from Ghana to Singapore.
Gingrich is the perfect mouth for this language, the perfect voice for this version of ressentiment. Because, of course, he is an intellectual, in the American sense. He has drunk up the deep desire and tendency of American academia — equally the mark of the old humanism and the new postmodernism — to see history in terms of the cloudy abstractions of culture, and not the material realities of money, conflict, and class. He knows how to dig a ditch and channel this seething magma out there, all the stuff of lost jobs and foreclosed houses and folks living in mobile homes, into a fiery onslaught on the “cultural elites.”
He did it when he won South Carolina. “The American elite media Is trying to force us to quit being Americans.” “The elites in Washington and New York,” Obama’s “extremist left wing friends in San Francisco,” the “growing anti-religious bigotry of our elites” — it was all there. He’s as good at this as Mugabe going after Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson!
His ability to meld class attack with the language of culture makes him a particularly potent demagogue right now. The man and the hour have met, and both of them have set out to screw Mitt Romney. I am certainly not predicting that Romney — who has about ten million dollars in his pocket for every book Gingrich ever wrote — is going down to defeat. If the day comes when money doesn’t matter in the Republican party, it’ll be a strange day indeed. But since the 2008 crash, we’ve been waiting in apprehension, breaths bated, for the true right-wing demagogue inevitably to emerge, in the way one attends on American Idol to cough up the semester’s fated celebrity. It suddenly makes sense that Newt the Definer of Civilization, far more than Sarah Palin, would be the one to play the role.
Posted in Economic Justice, Gender Identity, Politics | Tagged Chaz Bono, elites, Keith Ablow, marriage, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, race, South Carolina | 2 Replies
“I believed I had to give up every vestige of being male to complete the process”
Posted on 9 November 2011 by scottlong1980
This article from Global Post, about a Swedish transgender woman’s experience of being sterilized as a requirement for gender-reassignment surgery, and her later fight against the practice, has given the issue welcome coverage at last. Amazingly, a right-wing party representative says that “children’s interests” underlie the policy:
The conservative Christian Democrats oppose a repeal, as do the Sweden Democrats. Although their party is a minority in parliament, the Christian Democrats underpin the center-right government coalition. Their spokesperson Annika Eclund, describes the party line as “looking out for children’s interests” in a time when medical advances allow new reproductive techniques.
“There are limits to how much we should experiment with how life is created,” she says. “Every day I meet people who are seeking their identity and their background, asking where they come from,” she says. “Men don’t give birth to babies. A daddy can’t at the same time be a mummy. Just because you can, does that mean that you should?”
Posted in Gender Identity, Human Rights, LGBT Rights, Sexual Rights, Uncategorized | Tagged Aleksa Lundberg, Chaz Bono, Sex reassignment surgery, sterilization, Sweden, transgender | Leave a reply
RT @vinn_ayy: I would actually like to be further divided, it sounds nice thanks 1 minute ago
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Aug 6, 2019·6 min read
The UN Palestinian Refugee Agency Is in Hot Water, Again
By Thalif Deen. This article originally appeared on PassBlue.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which has been undermined by a sharp cut in United States contributions, has been embroiled in a scandal that threatens to jeopardize its very future.
Pierre Krahenbuhl, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency, which administers to Palestinian refugees in the Middle East, at a conference in Rome, March 2018. The agency, which was significantly rocked by the withdrawal of American donations last year, is now caught up in a possible ethics scandal.
A report from the agency’s Ethics Office has found “credible and corroborated” evidence that the senior management of Unrwa engaged in “sexual misconduct, nepotism, retaliation, discrimination and other abuses of authority, for personal gain, to suppress legitimate dissent, and to otherwise achieve their personal objectives.”
As a result, two donors, Switzerland and the Netherlands, immediately suspended payments to the UN agency; Belgium followed suit soon after, with the possibility of others to follow.
In January 2018, the Trump administration announced it was withholding $65 million out of a $125 million aid package earmarked for Unrwa, a veritable lifeline for more than five million registered Palestinian refugees, for nearly 70 years.
That move was prompted primarily for political reasons.
Paula Donovan and Stephen Lewis, co-directors of the nongovernmental organization, AIDS-Free World, and its Code Blue Campaign, which seeks to end impunity for sexual abuse by UN personnel, told Inter-Press Service that the incriminating report was received in the UN secretary-general’s office eight months ago.
“He should immediately have suspended the principals involved and replaced them with interim appointments,” they said. “Had he done so, Switzerland and the Netherlands would not have suspended payment to Unrwa and the indispensable work of the agency would not have been compromised.”
“If the Unrwa story had not been broken by the media, the Secretary-General would not have acted. Alas, that’s the pattern,” they added.
Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters on Aug. 1, “I have been acting quite significantly to make sure that we strengthen Unrwa and Unrwa’s capacity to deliver.”
“I’ve been appealing for the support to Unrwa to all countries of the world as I think we should distinguish what are the revelations made, or accusations made, in relation to members of the management of Unrwa, from the needs to preserve Unrwa, to support Unrwa, and to make Unrwa effective in the very important action in relation to the Palestine refugees, and I’ve been acting consistently to support that.”
In the current situation, Guterres pointed out, the deputy of Unrwa has resigned, and “so I decided that it would be important to immediately appoint a new deputy as acting deputy and, as I said, in relation to any intervention that might [be] justified, I will wait, according to due process, for the results of the inquiry and, based on the results of the inquiry, I will act accordingly.”
According to Unrwa, the agency is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. The only exception is a limited subsidy from the regular budget of the UN, which is used exclusively for administrative costs.
“The work of Unrwa could not be carried out without sustained contributions from state and regional governments, the European Union and other government partners, which represented 93.28 per cent of all contributions in 2018,” the agency said.
In 2018, it added, 50 percent of the agency’s total pledges of $1.27 billion came from European Union countries, who contributed $643 million, including through the European Commission.
The European Union (including the European Commission), Germany and Saudi Arabia were the largest individual donors, contributing a cumulative 40 percent of the agency’s total funding. Britain and Sweden were also among the top-five donors.
The Trump administration said in August 2018 that it carefully reviewed the issue and determined that the US would not make additional contributions to the UN agency.
“When we made a US contribution of $60 million in January, we made it clear that the United States was no longer willing to shoulder the very disproportionate share of the burden of Unwra’s costs that we had assumed for many years,” according to the US State Department.
“Beyond the budget gap itself and failure to mobilize adequate and appropriate burden sharing, the fundamental business model and fiscal practices that have marked Unrwa for years — tied to Unrwa’s endlessly and exponentially expanding community of entitled beneficiaries — is simply unsustainable and has been in crisis mode for many years,” the statement continued.
“The United States will no longer commit further funding to this irredeemably flawed operation.”
UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters on July 30 that Guterres believes it’s essential that Unrwa gets the support it needs and “so we will be looking to make sure that all of the countries that have been generous in donating to Unrwa will continue to be able to support that, and will look at engaging with them to see what can be done to satisfy them.”
Clearly, this is an agency — as we have been saying in the last few years, when, as you know, it faced a financial crisis — this is an agency whose work is critical to the lives, to the health, to the education of millions of people, millions of Palestinians across the region, and they have been a vital source of stability, not just for those people but for the region itself,” he added.
Asked for a response about the charges against Unrwa, Haq said there is an investigation on the allegations contained in the report.
“Until this investigation is completed, the secretary-general is not in a position to make any further comments on this matter. As he has shown in the past, the secretary-general is committed to acting swiftly, as appropriate, upon receiving the full report. The secretary-general continues to consider the work undertaken by Unrwa as absolutely essential to Palestinian refugees,” he added.
Asked who was conducting the investigation, Haq said: “This is happening by our Office of Internal Oversight Services. Now, I’ll leave it for you to evaluate the sufficiency of the steps that are taken once we take them; but, like I said, I’ve assured you the secretary-general is ready to take action upon receiving this . . . the full report.”
In a statement released Aug. 1, Code Blue said the ethics report asserts that the alleged conduct of Unrwa’s senior leaders — Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl, Deputy Commissioner-General Sandra Mitchell, Chief of Staff Hakam Shahwan and Senior Adviser to the Commissioner-General Maria Mohammedi — presents “an enormous risk to the reputation of the UN” and “their immediate removal should be carefully considered.”
The ethics report was leaked to the media last week. But it was completed and delivered to the UN secretary-general in December 2018. Mitchell and Shahwan have since left the agency of their own accord. Both Krahenbuhl and Mohammedi remain in their posts, said the statement.
Code Blue also said the secretary-general has ignored the ethics report’s recommendation that Krahenbuhl and Mohammedi be removed immediately.
Instead, the UN has responded to the report by ordering yet another internal investigation, this time by the Office of Internal Oversight Services, which is ongoing. In effect, the UN has taken no substantive action to address the crisis at Unrwa.
The Netherlands and Switzerland have responded to the revelations by suspending funding to Unrwa, joined by Belgium. Britain is considering such a step. It should go without saying that the work of Unrwa is too important to be sacrificed to the UN’s willingness to allow the crisis to worsen, Code Blue added.
This article originally appeared in Inter Press Service News Agency.
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Women’s Rights Defenders Are Tired of Being Told to ‘Push Back’ Against the Opposition
by Hayley Willingale. This article originally appeared on PassBlue.
As a human-rights defender and women’s rights campaigner, I continue to be struck not by the many challenges now facing women’s rights organizations but by the constant calls for women to “push back against the pushback.”
A demonstration outside the Organization of American States in Washington, April 5, 2016, protesting the murder of the Honduran rights defender Berta Cáceres, who was killed a month earlier. Her daughter, Berta Zúñiga Cáceres, is part of the protests. The author of the essay suggests that instead of women’s rights activists being called on to “push back” against oppression, it’s time for others to “join us”?
This call for women to push back against the many forces oppressing women’s rights organizations was repeated in a quote by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in a recent article in PassBlue, “ Calling All Women’s Groups: Help Shape the Beijing+25 Agenda.”
I have no doubt Guterres’s remark was well intended, but it left me feeling frustrated. Women human-rights defenders have always been pushing back — it’s time for others to get in formation and join us.
For decades, women’s movements have led the way in seeking radical change to the most damaging aspects of our societies, while global politics and policy often lagged. My own vantage point may be somewhat different to the secretary-general’s, but it illustrates my point.
In 2010, I volunteered with Reach Out, a community-based organization in Buea, the capital of Cameroon’s southwest region. Cameroon was then considered by many people and governments in the region and beyond to be a stable African country and a pivotal ally among its more turbulent neighbors. The women I worked with lived in a highly patriarchal society, taught not to question their fathers or husbands, let alone the president, Paul Biya (who is still president). They defied social norms and fought daily to support the most marginalized people in their community — including young single mothers, Mbororo women, disabled people and people living with HIV. Mbororo are indigenous people of predominately Muslim faith.
Thirty-seven years into President Biya’s presidency and after nearly three years of violence in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, the women working with Reach Out must now also defy the government. The organization’s formidable executive director, Esther Omam Njomo, has “pushed back” all the way to the UN Security Council to spotlight the abuses happening in her community. That same Security Council visited the West African nation just a couple of years before. Despite serious human-rights concerns, the Council’s members said “we stand with the government” in its fight against terrorism. The Council’s three current African elected members, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast and South Africa, continue to keep the Cameroonian crisis off the Council’s agenda.
Working on international human-rights law in Britain, with one foot in the international space and one in the domestic, I frequently see this kind of disconnect. Most common is the sharp divergence between a government’s commitments at the UN versus the policies pursued at home. That includes Britain’s robust defense of women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights during the annual UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) but not guaranteeing that fundamental right for a large section of its own population.
It may surprise regular CSW-goers to learn, for example, that abortion is a criminal offense in Northern Ireland, under a law passed in 1861. Women’s rights organizations are the ones left to pick up the pieces of this policy. They work tirelessly to support women through experiences described by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women as “potentially amounting to torture”and have been working at the forefront of campaigns to push for a change in the law that denies women this most essential health care requirement.
Although I am a fervent supporter of the UN, it is on the international level that my patience is most often tested. We’ve grown used to the lethargy of even the hardiest of diplomats (and Britain has a few), whose energies are so expended in defending past gains that there’s little left to support the women with vision that goes far beyond the General Assembly Hall or the Security Council Chamber.
It is much harder to grow used to the continued reports of reprisals, such as those faced by the Saudi women’s rights activists jailed in part as retaliation for their engagement with the UN human-rights system. Despite the constant threat of violence, women human-rights defenders put themselves at risk every day. Amid such courage, UN officials have sadly too few tools with which to respond.
What all these women have in common is the ability to see past the world as it is now and imagine the world as it could be. In his same speech, the UN secretary-general quoted the British academic Mary Beard, who said, “If women are not perceived to be fully within the structures of power, surely it is power we need to redefine rather than women.”
Reinforcing narratives around the global pushback to women’s rights is unhelpful in achieving this goal. It usually imagines women as victims asking to keep their rights and robs them of their individual and collective agency. In fact, women in Cameroon, Northern Ireland, Saudi Arabia and almost everywhere else are redefining power — not only to uphold their own rights but to expand protections to all those who are marginalized or forgotten. Theirs is the global pushback we need to be shouting about.
Originally published at https://www.passblue.com on July 8, 2019.
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paulsemel.com
games, books, music, movies, comics…
November 6, 2020 Paul Semel 1 Comment Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales PlayStation 4, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales PlayStation 4 Review, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales PlayStation 5, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales PlayStation 5 Review, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales PS4, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales PS4 Review, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales PS5, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales PS5 Review, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Wiki, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Wikipedia, Miles Morales, Spider-Man
While a lot of developers have made fun Spider-Man games over the years, Insomniac really nailed it in 2018 with Marvel’s Spider-Man by adding depth, a solid story, and some stealth action straight out of Batman’s Arkham games to ...CONTINUE
Comics PlayStation 4 Reviews Video Games
Spider-Man (2018) Review
September 4, 2018 September 4, 2018 Paul Semel 1 Comment comic books, game reviews, games, gaming, Insomniac, Insomniac Games, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel's Spider-Man Game, Marvel's Spider-Man PlayStation, Marvel's Spider-Man PlayStation 4, Marvel's Spider-Man PS4, Marvel's Spider-Man Review, Spider-Man, Spider-Man Game, Spider-Man PlayStation, Spider-Man PlayStation 4, Spider-Man PlayStation 4 Review, Spider-Man PlayStation Review, Spider-Man PS4, Spider-Man PS4 Rating ESRB, Spider-Man PS4 Review, Spider-Man Review, Video Games
It’s funny how all the talk of licensed games always being terrible goes right out the window when the thing being licensed is a comic book. Take the interactive adventures of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. While he’s had some terrible ...CONTINUE
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Paul Semel has been writing about video games, books, music, movies, DVDs and Blu-rays, TV, toys, and other fun stuff for more than twenty years. Along with paulsemel.com, he is a regular contributor to Common Sense Media, GameCrate, Walmart GameCenter, and other magazines and websites.
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News » International
Hunter Schafer on "Euphoria" (Source:HBO)
Hunter Schafer was a plaintiff in the ACLU's lawsuit against a North Carolina anti-transgender bathroom bill in 2017, Pink News reports.
Prior to her star turn in HBO's hit 2019 show "Euphoria," in which the transgender actor played the role of transgender character Jules, the former model for Dior and Calvin Klein was named in Teen Vogue's "21 under 21," met Hillary Clinton, and took part in the ACLU's suit fighting the House Bill 2 (more commonly referred to as HB2) — all in 2017.
At the time, Schafer told North Carolina public radio, "I do like people to know that I'm not a cis girl because that's not something that I am or feel like I am. I'm proud to be a trans person."
Schafer was born in 1999 in Trenton, New Jersey; her family moved to Arizona before settling in Raleigh, North Carolina. Coming out as trans in high school, Schafer described it as "a pretty intense experience." This is what led to her involvement in the lawsuit against HB2, which would repeal a law banning trans students from using a bathroom based on their gender identity.
At the time, Schafer wrote for i-d, "as a transgender teenager who grew up in North Carolina, navigating bathrooms on my own was an extremely difficult journey, particularly at public school. In early high school (during a more primary stage in my transition), I felt safer using the women's restroom and locker room.
"But I was often met with compromises, like being told to use a staff bathroom or the men's room, which was basically a sentence to eternally hold it in.
"I felt like an outlaw every time I had to pee, as if I this natural bodily function were some unforgivable act."
HB2 was replaced with House Bill 142, which according to Reuters, said that "state legislature had the power to regulate bathroom access, but the legislature did not take action at that time to define access." A settlement the ACLU and Lambda Legal reached with North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper in 2019 said that state legislation could not be used to prevent transgender people from using state-run facilities based on their gender identity.
Being labeled an activist wasn't something Schafer seemed to be entirely comfortable with, however. Explaining to the New York Times in 2019, Schafer said, "when I think of an activist, I think of a community organiser who is working every day and directly with community members, and making it a job to take care of and speak up for a community in some way.
"So as an actor and an artist whose primary focus is making artwork or world-building, I don't think I fall into that category.
"There might have been a point in my career where, because people have been telling me I'm an activist, I took on that label. But in retrospect, I don't think that's what I am — or what I've been — just because I'm vocal about my identity sometimes."
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Six Feet Under TV Series Complete DVD Box Set
Includes every episode from the entire TV Series!
This Item is Brand New and Still Sealed.
Ships from our warehouse in Phoenix, Arizona.
This item is in regular DVD format
With death and mortality as the central theme, Six Feet Under documents the life of a dysfunctional Californian family that runs an independent funeral home business. This five-season show is a dark and surreal take on the interpersonal relationships of the Fishers, as they try to deal with the irony when they have to face the death of one of their own. A winner of nine Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Peabody Award, Six Feet Under explore the varied life aspects including philosophy, religion, and infidelity by using dark humor.
Closed Captions and Details
Audio Language: English, French, Spanish
Subtitles: English, French
Format: Anamorphic Widescreen (No Black bars on the top or bottom)
Region Code: Region 1 (Plays in the USA and Canada)
Disc Format: Regular DVD
Condition: Brand New and Sealed
six feet under complete series six feet under dvd set
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The Pennsylvania Progressive Voters Guide compiles the information that allows you to make informed decisions about the races on your ballot, based on your values.
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Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is the Democratic candidate for President of the United States. He was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Biden has a long career in public service, most notably serving as Vice President alongside President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2016. Prior to that role, Biden served six consecutive terms in the U.S. Senate from 1973 to 2009. Biden is also the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, which only three others have received. In 1972, two weeks after his election to his first term in the Senate, his wife and daughter were killed in a car accident. In 2013, Biden also lost his eldest son to brain cancer.
Joe Biden speaks frequently about tragedy and loss as a way to communicate that he understands the hardships everyday Americans face, particularly when it comes to dealing with the health care system. One of his signature accomplishments was getting the Affordable Care Act passed, which helped expand health insurance for millions of Americans and guaranteed no one could be discriminated against for having a preexisting condition. Biden believes in building on the success of the Affordable Care Act - and has advocated for adding a public option, with the goal of universal coverage for all Americans, regardless of income.
Biden also came into office as Vice President during the depths of the Great Recession. He played a key role in planning the recovery effort, which pulled the American economy back from the brink and led to more than a decade of job growth. Biden’s decades of experience on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee also informed his more recent accomplishments on the world stage, including helping the U.S. join the Paris Climate Agreement, securing the Iran Nuclear Deal, and building international alliances.
Biden has received his fair share of criticism. He sponsored the 1994 crime bill, which is blamed for accelerating mass incarceration rates of Black and Brown Americans. Biden also supported the Hyde amendment, a provision barring the use of federal funds for abortion. In both cases, Biden’s views evolved. In the past few years, he’s repudiated the crime bill and supported legislation to end the death penalty and reverse mass incarceration. Biden has also pledged to eliminate the Hyde amendment as part of his larger platform of expanding health care to all Americans.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden’s platform was already progressive. When it was clear he was going to win the primary, Biden pulled together top progressive leaders from across the political spectrum, from Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to John Kerry and Eric Holder. These committees were tasked with building a platform to address the greatest challenges of our time, including health care, criminal justice reform, and climate change.
Biden believes economic recovery cannot occur until the pandemic is under control, which he believes requires federal support for testing, distributing protective equipment, and providing federal aid to states and the unemployed. To kickstart the economy, Biden proposes mobilizing manufacturing, infrastructure spending, clean energy projects, funding and training for caregivers and educators, and fighting systemic racism through targeted investment.
At George Floyd’s funeral, Biden called on Congress to pass the House’s wide-ranging police reform bill, written in the wake of the ongoing, historic civil rights marches demanding racial justice all around the country. Joe Biden is also committed to passing the bill named in honor of John Lewis to enshrine the sacred right to vote. Finally, Biden supports the end of the Senate filibuster in order to pass progressive legislation and end decades of Republican obstruction to pass laws that enjoy broad support among Americans, including universal background checks for firearms.
Joe Biden has chosen Kamala Harris as his running mate and Vice Presidential candidate. Harris is the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants. Her background is in law. She served as the San Francisco District Attorney from 2004 to 2011 and Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2016. She has represented the state of California in the U.S. Senate since 2017. Harris is well known for confronting Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings over Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford’s serious allegations of sexual assault against him. Harris’ views are progressive; especially on health care. She has co-sponsored bills and pledged to expand Medicare to cover all Americans.
Joe Biden is running against Republican incumbent Donald J. Trump. Trump has tried repeatedly to take away the rights of immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, women, and tribes. He’s separated families at the border and put children in cages. He’s a staunch opponent of action on climate change, and repeatedly ignored experts on the severity of the growing crisis. Trump cheered GOP legislation like the 2017 tax bill, which burdened families and rewarded the rich and supported GOP efforts to roll back the Affordable Care Act and the protections it provides for Americans with pre-existing conditions.
Trump’s presidency has been characterized by unprecedented levels of corruption and his failure to lead during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left tens of thousands of Americans dead and an economy in shambles. Trump even admitted on tape that he knew about the severity of the virus as early as February and deliberately withheld that information from the public. Trump is only the third president ever to be impeached by Congress. There are active criminal investigations against his businesses and his family. Openly, Trump seeks to undermine the bedrock principles of democracy by obstructing justice, attacking peaceful protesters, and using the powers of his office to prevent Americans from voting.
Joe Biden is the progressive choice in the race for president.
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is the Democratic candidate for President of the United States. He was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Biden has a long career in public service, most notably serving as Vice President alongside President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2016.
Endorsed By: Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Brady Campaign, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, End Citizens United, Everytown for Gun Safety, Human Rights Campaign, Indivisible, Jewish Democratic Council of America, J Street, League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn, NARAL Pro-Choice America, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club, Stonewall Democrats, Voto Latino, President Obama, Governor Tom Wolf, Senator Bob Casey, Rep. Brendan Boyle, Rep. Mat Cartwright, Rep. Madeleine Dean, Rep. Dwight Evans, Rep. Conor Lamb, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Postal Workers Union, Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM), Cement Masons, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), Communications Workers of America (CWA), Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, Labor Leader, Dolores Huerta, Labor Leader, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (IW), IAM International, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), International Longshore and Warehouse Union 13, International Longshore and Warehouse Union 63, International Longshore and Warehouse Union 94, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Longshorman Internatitonal, National Education Association, National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), Scranton Federation of Teachers, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Service Employees International United National Association of Government Employees, Transportation Trades Department (TTD), United Farm Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers International (UFCW), United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776, United Steelworkers (USW), Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joebiden
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joebiden
Kamala Harris is the Democratic candidate for Vice President of the United States. She was born in Oakland, California to immigrant parents. Her mother was a cancer researcher from India and her father is an economist from Jamaica. Senator Harris is the first Black woman and South Asian American woman to be nominated for Vice President of the United States by a major party.
Harris went to public schools, attended Howard University for college, and returned to San Francisco for law school. She began her law career in 1990 working in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office specializing in advocating for child victims of sexual assault. She then moved to the Deputy District Attorney’s office prosecuting criminal cases.
In 2003, she was the first woman to be elected District Attorney in San Francisco’s history. Harris fought against racial profiling as a driver of mass incarceration. She championed re-entry programs for youth offenders. As Attorney General, Harris also championed the Open Justice program, which provided public access to crime statistics, including use of force incidents by the police. She also expressed interest in redirecting police funds to social programs. Overall, prison incarceration rates in California dropped significantly during her six years as Attorney General.
In 2016, Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate. She captured national attention right away for her questioning of U.S. Attorney General candidate Jeff Sessions on issues related to foreign interference in the 2016 election. In 2018, Harris again captivated the nation in her questioning of Brett Kavanaugh, who was under scrutiny for sexual assault and political corruption. Her voting record in the Senate is progressive. She repeatedly co-sponsored bills to protect human rights. She also voted against the confirmation of the majority of the Trump Administration’s extreme rightwing candidates for office. Harris also spoke out passionately against Republican efforts to block evidence from being considered in President Trump’s trial and ultimately voted to impeach him. She also spoke out passionately against the 2017 GOP Tax Bill, a massive tax giveaway to the richest one percent of Americans.
Kamala Harris’s opponent is Vice President Mike Pence. After finishing law school, Pence jumped into politics with two unsuccessful runs for Congress. His loss in 1990 is partially attributed to his embezzlement of campaign funds, which was not illegal at the time. He then built his career as a rightwing radio and television personality in Indiana. A decade later, he finally won an election for Congress and built a record as an enemy of reproductive rights, sensible firearm regulations, social programs for impoverished Americans, and protections for LGBTQ+ citizens. He was elected governor of Indiana in 2013. He refused federal funding for pre-Kindergarten programs, which earned him significant criticism. Pence then used his office to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ+ citizens. His bigotry and lack of leadership were so severe that Pence allowed one of the worst HIV outbreaks in the country to happen in Indiana under his watch.
In 2016, Presidential candidate Donald Trump chose Pence as his running mate. Trump chose Pence on the recommendation of Paul Manafort, who now serves jail time for lying to the FBI about his relationship between Russian military intelligence and the Trump campaign. Even though Pence serves as President of the Senate, he’s been completely absent in desperately needed negotiations over a second round of economic relief during the pandemic. He has supported Republicans in their near unanimous vote against full extended unemployment insurance, stimulus checks, support for health care systems, protective gear and testing for frontline workers, mail-in election funding, funding for state budget shortages to prevent layoffs, and new small business loans.
Kamala Harris is the most progressive choice in this race.
Kamala Harris is the Democratic candidate for Vice President of the United States. She was born in Oakland, California to immigrant parents. Her mother was a cancer researcher from India and her father is an economist from Jamaica.
Website: https://harris.senate.gov
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KamalaHarris
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris
Congress, 5th Congressional District
U.S. Representative
Mary Gay Scanlon
Mary Gay Scanlon is the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district. She is a former lawyer and school board member in her community. Her work in Pennsylvania schools included supplying better nutrition for students, increasing sustainability, and securing more opportunities for underprivileged kids. Her work as an attorney has saved lives: she did pro bono work for Daniel Dougherty’s case, a 15-year effort that saved an innocent man from death row. She also secured asylum for Hawa Salih, a women’s rights activist from Darfur who was a target for torture and execution.
Scanlon’s record shows concern for the well-being of her constituents. She continually underscores that and increasing number of Americans can’t afford their bills. As recently as 2019, she voted in favor of legislation that would allow the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate the prices of prescription drugs. She supports an increase in the federal minimum wage, in a gradual way that supports small businesses. During the pandemic, Mary Gay Scanlon voted for the HEROES act, which provides full extended unemployment insurance, stimulus checks, support for health care systems, protective gear and testing for frontline workers, mail-in election funding, funding for state budget shortages to prevent layoffs, and new small business loans. Republicans almost unanimously voted against all of these measures.
Rep. Scanlon is facing Dasha Pruett, a Republican who has been endorsed by the Trump/Pence 2020 campaign. An immigrant from the USSR, Pruett accuses Rep. Scanlon of promoting the same socialism that Pruett’s own family emigrated to escape. Given her support from the Trump campaign, Pruett’s core issue stances are largely unsurprising. Pruett believes in defunding poorer school districts in favor of wealthier ones. Pruett holds her potential constituents in contempt and, once elected, advocates violating their legal reproductive rights.
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Mary Gay Scanlon is the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district. She is a former lawyer and school board member in her community.
Endorsed By: Planned Parenthood of PA , Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Delaware County Democratic Committee, Emgage PAC, Equality PAC, LCV, PA AFL-CIO, NEA Advocacy Fund, PA Conference of Teamsters, Pennsylvania National Organization for Women, Sierra Club, United Mine Workers Of America, American Federation of State, Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania, Everytown for Gun Safety, Feminist Majority Political Action Committee, J Street, JAC PAC, The Jewish Democratic Council Of America, Moms Demand Action, NWPC, Progressive Turnout Project, SEIU 668, 20/20 Vision, Montgomery County Democratic Committee
Website: https://www.scanlonforcongress.com/
Endorsements: https://www.scanlonforcongress.com/endorsements
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marygayscanlon/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marygayscanlon?lang=en
Nina Ahmad
Nina Ahmad is the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania Auditor General. Ahmad is a Bangladeshi immigrant who came to the U.S. to earn a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. She married and stayed in the U.S. to raise a family and start a small business as a molecular biologist. She served with many nonprofits and advocacy groups and most recently as Deputy Mayor for Public Engagement under Mayor Kenney. If elected, she would be the first woman of color to hold the Auditor General position in Pennsylvania’s history.
Ahmad’s platform is advocating for transparency and promoting the public good. She positions herself as the chief fiscal watchdog, who will use facts and data to ensure responsible governance. She is outspoken in her support for minority communities and for the historic marches for civil rights that have captivated the nation this year.
Ahmad is facing three opponents in the general election: Timothy DeFoor, a Republican; Olivia Faison of the Green Party; and Jennifer Moore, a libertarian. DeFoor has also worked in government watchdog roles in the PA Attorney General’s office and the Dauphin County controller. He has no published platform except for allying himself closely with the police. Faison has very little campaign presence beyond a Facebook page with no information about the candidate or her views. Moore is the auditor in the Upper Province of Montgomery County. She has very little campaign presence except for an entry on a libertarian party page with vague claims of independence.
Nina Ahmad is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Read more about Nina Ahmad
Endorsed By: Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance , Commonwealth Communications , Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania
Website: https://www.ninaforpa.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NinaforPA/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NinaAhmadPHL?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Josh Shapiro is the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania Attorney General. Shapiro spent the first part of his career working as advisors for U.S. Senators and leaders in Congress. He worked with U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Robert Torricelli and Congressmen Peter Deutsch and Joe Hoeffel. Shapiro also served in the Pennsylvania State House from 2005 to 2011 and as Montgomery County Commissioner from 2011 to 2017. He was elected Attorney General in 2017.
Shapiro’s top priorities are protecting seniors, veterans, and small businesses from scams, fighting the opioid epidemic and treating those suffering from addiction, and ensuring faith and integrity in the justice system. More recently, Shapiro has been focused on police misconduct and violence. He’s formed a coalition of officials to build a statewide police employee registry to ensure all citizens are protected from police brutality and racism.
Shapiro is facing three opponents in the general election: Heather Heidelbaugh, a Republican; Richard Weiss from the Green Party, and Daniel Wassmer, a libertarian. Heidelbaugh, who is from Missouri, sat on the Allegheny Council. She prides herself in cutting social programs. Weiss has no published campaign platform. Wassmer has no campaign presence.
Josh Shapiro is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Read more about Josh Shapiro
Endorsed By: Commonwealth Communications , Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania
Website: https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaAttorneyGen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaAttorneyGen
Joseph Torsella
Joseph Torsella is the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania Treasurer. Torsella is from Berwick and graduated from University of Pennsylvania. He subsequently studied history at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. In the 1990s, Torsella served as deputy mayor for planning and policy under Mayor Ed Rendell. He also served as chair of the Pennsylvania Board of Education. From 2011 to 2014, Torsella served as the U.S. Representative to the United Nations. He has served as Pennsylvania Treasurer since 2017.
Torsella’s platform is a commitment to transparency and integrity, helping low and middle income families, and producing proven results for taxpayers. Torsella prides himself on making government spending as transparent as possible, and believes all citizens should be auditors. He is also committed to fighting inequality and helping families improve financial literacy. Torsella plans to create universal college savings and individual retirement accounts to help bridge the income gap.
Torsella is facing three opponents in the general election: Stacy Garrity, a Republican; Timothy Runkle, from the Green Party, and Joseph Soloski, a libertarian. Garrity is an accountant and former Army reservist. She is running for political office on the platform of not being a politician. Runkle has no significant, public campaign platform. Soloski is an accountant who wants to eliminate taxes for the very wealthy and large corporations.
Joseph Torsella is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Read more about Joseph Torsella
Endorsed By: Commonwealth Communications , Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania , Planned Parenthood of PA , SEIU Healthcare
Website: https://www.joetorsella.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoeTorsellaForTreasurer/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeTorsella
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Senate races on your ballot.
John Kane
SD9 has been identified as a key swing district. Democrats must win this seat to flip the State Senate and make progress for working families in Pennsylvania.
Democrat John Kane is running for election to the Pennsylvania State Senate to represent District 9. Kane is a father, plumber, cancer survivor and a member of Plumbers Local 690.
Kane is an advocate for increasing school funding and access to affordable healthcare. His platform also includes raising the minimum wage, greater commitment to renewable energy and environmental preservation, and common-sense gun reform. Kane pledges to protect legal reproductive rights and fight for pay equity for women. His candidacy has been endorsed by over 20 women who hold leadership positions in government.
Kane is challenging Republican representative Thomas Killion. Killion has cosponsored legislation that would grant tax cuts to big corporations. Killion also advocated for a constitutional amendment that would infringe on the rights to a fair trial of people accused of a crime. In the middle of a pandemic, Killion joined Republicans in their near unanimous vote against providing protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserving disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians.
John Kane is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Endorsed By: Planned Parenthood of PA , Chester County Democratic Committee, President Obama, Chester County Democratic Committee, PASNAP, Delaware County Democratic Committee, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, EveryDistrict, Humane PA, Humane PA, Kennedy Democrats, National Democratic Redistricting Committee, PA AFL-CIO, PA Conference of Teamsters, Pennsylvania National Organization for Women, HRC, GunSenseUs, Swing Left, Turn PA Blue, Moms Demand Action, Clean Money Squad PA, Pennsylvania State Education Association, Tom Wolf
Website: https://kane4senate.com
Endorsements: https://kane4senate.com/endorsements/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kane4senate
Amanda Cappelletti
Amanda Cappelletti is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania State Senate seat in the 17th senate district. Cappelletti is currently serving as Vice Chair of the East Norriton Board of Supervisors. She was previously a fellow for the ACLU of Pennsylvania, an advocate at the Office of Child Development and Early Learning and a policy specialist at the Department of Human Services.
Cappelletti’s platform is progressive. She pledges to make healthcare affordable, equitably fund education, and protect the environment. She also offers plans on less-visible progressive issues as well. This includes ending the wage gap, implementing workplace accommodations for new mothers and raising the minimum wage.
Cappelletti’s opponent is Republican Ellen Fisher. Fisher has no policy stances publicly available. In the middle of a pandemic, Fisher cheered Republicans in their near unanimous vote against providing protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserving disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians.
Amanda Cappelletti is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Amanda Cappelletti is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania State Senate seat in the 17th senate district. Cappelletti is currently serving as Vice Chair of the East Norriton Board of Supervisors.
Endorsed By: Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania , Planned Parenthood of PA , SEIU PA, Represent PA, People For the American Way, Pennsylvania State Education Association, Run for Something, Delaware County Democratic Committee, Working Families Party, Emily's List, Delco Stands Up, Humane PA, PA Conference of Teamsters, Pennsylvania National Organization for Women, Turn PA Blue, Tom Wolf, Montgomery County Democratic Committee
Website: http://amandaforpa.org
Endorsements: https://www.amandaforpa.org/Endorsements
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandaforpa
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandaforpa
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Assembly races on your ballot.
Brian Kirkland is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat in the 159th legislative district. Prior to holding office, Kirkland served as special projects coordinator for the City of Chester.
Kirkland’s record demonstrates his willingness to protect his constituents. In office, Kirkland sponsored a bill that would create new training requirements for police officers. He’s also voted against legislation that attempts to take away Medicaid and food stamps from vulnerable Pennsylvanians. He has also voiced his support for this year’s historic civil rights marches against racism and police brutality. During the pandemic, Brian Kirkland voted to provide protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserve disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians, even as Republicans almost unanimously voted against all of these measures.
Kirkland is being challenged by Republican candidate Ruth Moton. On social media, Moton mixes conspiracy theory with valid criticisms about delayed state aid during the pandemic. Voters may have a difficult time separating legitimate concerns from misinformation, which is a disservice to residents of the district.
Brian Kirkland is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brian159th/
Anton Andrew
HD160 has been identified as a key swing district. Democrats must win this seat to flip the State House and make progress for working families in Pennsylvania.
Anton Andrew is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat in the 160th legislative district. Andrew’s background is in law and he currently works as Cheyney University’s social equity officer. He has a history of activism with numerous organizations fighting racial violence, ending gerrymandering, passing gun safety legislation, protecting drinking water, and championing equal rights and gender equality.
Andrew’s platform is progressive. His top priorities are protecting reproductive rights, passing gun safety legislation, and guaranteeing clean air and water for Pennsylvanians. He says he’s fighting for the American Dream, which depends on enforcing equal rights within our society.
Anton Andrew and Republican Craig Williams are competing for this open seat. Williams is a retired Marine. His policy positions are vague. On social media, Williams has cheered Republicans in their near unanimous vote against providing protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserving disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians.
Anton Andrew is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Endorsed By: Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania , Planned Parenthood of PA , Everytown for Gun Safety
Website: https://antonandrew.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntonAndrewForPA/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FriendsofAntonA
Leanne Krueger
Democratic representative Leanne Krueger is running for reelection to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 161st legislative district. Prior to holding office, she served as the executive director of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia. Krueger is the first woman to represent the district.
Krueger’s record is progressive. In 2017, Krueger cosponsored a bill to get prior minor criminal records expunged to reduce discrimination against formerly incarcerated citizens. In 2018, she sponsored a bill to protect survivors of domestic abuse from gun violence. In the past two years, she’s voted multiple times to block GOP efforts to eliminate legal reproductive rights. During the pandemic, Leanne Krueger voted to provide protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserve disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians, even as Republicans almost unanimously voted against all of these measures.
Krueger has drawn a Republican challenger, Ralph Shicatano. Shicatano demands that schools be reopened for the 2020-2021 school year, despite the risks to students. He is a vocal Trump supporter and has expressed his extreme dislike of the Black Lives Matter movement and efforts to prevent police violence.
Leanne Krueger is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Democratic representative Leanne Krueger is running for reelection to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 161st legislative district.
Endorsed By: Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania , Planned Parenthood of PA , Emily's List
Website: https://www.leanne4pa.com/
Endorsements: https://www.leanne4pa.com/endorsements
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voteleanne
Twitter: https://twitter.com/leanne4pa
David Delloso
HD162 has been identified as a key swing district. Democrats must keep this seat to flip the State House and make progress for working families in Pennsylvania.
Democratic representative David Delloso is running for reelection to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 162nd legislative district. Delloso is a veteran, former truck driver and union president in Delaware County.
Delloso’s voting record is progressive. In 2019, Delloso sponsored a bill to help formerly incarcerated people get professional licenses. He also sponsored a bill that would enforce more training for officers to reduce violence. He voted against defunding poorer schools in favor of richer ones. Delloso also voted to block GOP attempts to take away General Assistance, the largest anti-poverty program in the state. During the pandemic, Delloso voted to provide protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserve disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians, even as Republicans almost unanimously voted against all of these measures.
Delloso’s opponent is Republican Pete Gaglio. Gaglio is very conservative has recently expressed approval for Republican politicians in their attempts to eliminate health regulations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians during the COVID pandemic.
David Delloso is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Endorsed By: Planned Parenthood of PA
Website: https://davefordelco.com/
Endorsements: https://davefordelco.com/endorsements
Michael Zabel
Michael Zabel is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 163rd legislative district. Zabel’s background is in teaching Latin and Greek to middle school, high school, and college students.
Zabel’s voting record is progressive. In office, Zabel fought the repeal of General Assistance, the largest anti-poverty program in the state. Zabel has also voted several times to prevent the restriction of Pennsylvanians’ legal right to access reproductive health care. He also voted to stop the defunding of poorer school districts in favor of wealthier districts and charter school. Zabel has used his office as a platform to speak out against the upswell of racism from the Republican party both locally and nationally. During the pandemic, Michael Zabel voted to provide protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserve disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians, even as Republicans almost unanimously voted against all of these measures.
Zabel’s opponent is Republican challenger Michael McCollum. He is a former postal worker and insurance agent. McCollum does not have any public posted policy positions.
Michael Zabel is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Website: https://votezabel.com/
Endorsements: https://votezabel.com/endorsements/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/votezabel/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeZabel
Margo Davidson
Margo Davidson is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat in the 164th legislative district. Davidson holds several degrees and has a background in broadcast journalism. She is the first Black woman to represent the district.
Davidson’s platform is progressive. Davidson voted to stop Republican members of the legislature from repealing General Assistance, the largest anti-poverty program in the state. Davidson also voted against a bill that would take away Medicaid from Pennsylvanians who were too sick to work. She voted against putting armed security guards in local schools. Several times, Davidson has voted to protect the reproductive rights of her constituents. During the pandemic, Margo Davidson voted to provide protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserve disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians, even as Republicans almost unanimously voted against all of these measures.
Margo Davidson is running unopposed.
Margo Davidson is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat in the 164th legislative district. Davidson holds several degrees and has a background in broadcast journalism.
Website: http://www.margodavidson.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VoteMargoDavidson/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RepMargoDavidso
Jennifer O’Mara
Democratic representative Jennifer O’Mara is running for reelection to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat in the 165th district. O’Mara’s professional background is in education. She went into public service to honor her father, who died tragically by gun suicide, and support the unions that her family depended upon in times of crisis.
O’Mara’s voting record is progressive. She has voted multiple times to protect the legal reproductive rights of Pennsylvanians. In 2019, she voted against efforts to defund public education in poorer districts in favor of wealthier ones. More recently, she’s used her platform to support this year’s historic civil rights protests against racism and police brutality. During the pandemic, O’mara voted to provide protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserve disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians, even as Republicans almost unanimously voted against all of these measures.
O’Mara’s opponent is Republican Robert Smythe. Smythe is a firefighter. His policy positions are primarily vague pledges to lower taxes. He has rejected calls to curb the epidemic of police violence against Black Americans.
Jennifer O’Mara is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Endorsed By: Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania , Planned Parenthood of PA , SEIU Healthcare , Emily's List
Website: https://www.voteomara.com/
Endorsements: https://www.voteomara.com/endorsements
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JennOMara4PA/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JennOMara4PA
Greg Vitali
Greg Vitali is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 166th legislative district. Vitali was the first Pennsylvanian legislator to introduce the idea of a severance tax on natural gas and has received numerous awards from conservation and climate change groups throughout his career.
Vitali has continued his record as a champion for the health and safety of his constituents in office. He sponsored a bill for a clean energy program in Pennsylvania in 2007. He has also cosponsored bills for alternative energy incentives. During the pandemic, Greg Vitali voted to provide protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserve disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians, even as Republicans almost unanimously voted against all of these measures.
Vitali’s opponent is Republican is Christine Boyle. Boyle claims to have environmental conservation as part of her platform, but her platform is not publicly available. Christine Boyle claims to support this year’s historic civil rights marches against racism but refuses to speak out against police misconduct.
Greg Vitali is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Greg Vitali is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 166th legislative district.
Endorsed By: Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania , Planned Parenthood of PA
Website: https://www.votevitali.com/
Endorsements: https://www.votevitali.com/endorsements
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepVitali/
Deb Ciamacca
Deb Ciamacca is the Democratic candidate running for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat in the 168th district. She is a former marine veteran, manufacturing manager and social studies teacher.
Ciamacca’s top priorities are progressive. She plans on improving public education, making health care affordable, protecting women’s rights, preventing gun violence, standing up for workers and protecting the environment. As a teacher, she champions full and fair funding for public schools across the state of Pennsylvania.
Ciamacca is running against incumbent Republican Christopher Quinn. In 2018, Quinn voted to take away food stamps from his vulnerable neighbors. Later that year, he voted to take away aid from unemployed citizens. In 2019, he voted to arm school security guards. In the middle of a pandemic, Quinn joined Republicans in their near unanimous vote against providing protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserving disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians.
Deb Ciamacca is the clear progressive choice in this race.
Endorsed By: Planned Parenthood of PA , Emily's List, President Obama
Website: https://www.debciamacca.com/
Endorsements: https://www.debciamacca.com/endorsements
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebCiamaccaForPA168/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebCiamacca
Regina Young
Regina Young is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat in the 185th legislative district. Young is an educator, organizer, and founder of the Empowered Community Development Corporation, which provides human services to the people of Philadelphia.
Young’s platform is progressive. She is committed to ending the school-to-prison pipeline through equitable funding of public education. Young has also pledged to end mandatory minimum sentences and other failed policies that contribute to mass incarceration. Young sees a need for more training for skilled jobs, and has plans to promote business expansion in her community.
Regina Young is running unopposed.
Regina Young is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat in the 185th legislative district.
Endorsed By: Delaware County Democratic Committee, PA AFL-CIO, GunSenseUs, Clean Money Squad PA
Website: https://www.reginayoung185.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StaterepYoung2020/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReginaYoung185
Joanna McClinton
Joanna McClinton is the Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 191st legislative district. McClinton is a former assistant public defender and former chief counsel to State Senator Anthony Hardy Williams.
McClinton’s record is progressive. She cosponsored multiple pieces of bipartisan legislation to create job opportunities for people who have been convicted of a crime in the past. She also has a consistent record of voting to preserve Pennsylvanians’ reproductive autonomy. During the pandemic, Joanna McClinton voted to provide protective gear, testing, hazard pay, family leave, and preserve disaster declarations put in place to protect Pennsylvanians, even as Republicans almost unanimously voted against all of these measures.
Joanna McClinton is running unopposed.
Endorsed By: Delaware County Democratic Committee, Liberty City LGBT+ Democratic Club, Philadelphia Gay News, PA AFL-CIO, PA Conference of Teamsters, Pennsylvania National Organization for Women, PROTECT&ELECT, Represent PA
Website: https://www.mcclintonforpa.com/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joanna4PA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Joanna4PA
Thank you for voting! REMINDER: PA voters must use both envelopes when sending in their mail-in ballot. Place your ballot in the smaller Official Election Envelope, seal it, and then place it in your larger Ballot-Return Envelope.
Progress means voting in every race and every issue. Thank you for joining our campaign to build to a more progressive state.
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HomeBLMA Tale of Two Trials: Bundy Ranch and Pentagon Papers
A Tale of Two Trials: Bundy Ranch and Pentagon Papers
Let us take a contemporaneous yet parallel walk through both trials.
December 13, 2017 BLM, Constitution, DOJ, Featured, government 7
by Elias Alias
(TMM) – In following the Bundy trial in Las Vegas, I have revisited a story I first read in 2002. That story is about a trial which happened in 1973. That trial gained world-wide press coverage and shocked the powerful elite in the Nixon Administration. That trial seems to me today to be the perfect precedent to bring to the attention of Judge Navarro, who is presiding over the Bundy trial(s).
I noticed this past week, early in December 2017, that the defendants were finally allowed pre-trial release so they could be with their families during the remainder of the trial. The defendants were granted pre-trial release only after it was revealed in court in early December 2017, that the FBI report on the defendants from well over a year ago had indicated that the defendants were not dangerous and were not a “threat”. That report had not been provided to Judge Navarro until just now.
The defendants had been held in prison for almost two years without bail, deprived of a speedy trial, and in some cases tormented while incarcerated. The prosecution had assured the court that these defendants were a threat to society and should not be allowed bail. But that became exposed as false once the initial FBI report was ‘discovered’. In and of itself, that circumstance poses the question – why would the prosecution knowingly deceive the courts? To answer that question I must ask the reader to indulge me as I lay in a bit more background.
It is my estimation that the prosecution is hell-bent on persecuting, as well as prosecuting, the defendants because the prosecution works for the government, and because the government is still reeling from its resounding defeat at Bundy Ranch in southern Nevada on April 12, 2014. The prosecution’s bias is obvious and abundant. I’ll show below why I say that here.
The prosecution is under tremendous pressure to win convictions and long-term prison sentences for our cowboys – because if the cowboys “get away with” standing up to “authority”, the U.S. government itself will be embarrassed by its tardiness in making available to global banking elite agendas the assets inherent in public lands which the States themselves should be managing as State assets, as opposed to being “international assets”.
And that is what causes me to recall that old trial I mentioned above, the 1973 trial which should be seen as a precedent in this current court trial. The Bundy trial is destined to go down in history as a peak marker regarding State sovereignty the way the Constitution set it up to be, or the forfeiture by our States of ultimate sovereignty to the centralized Federal government, which now is in the service of international banking moguls, such as those who engineered (from behind the scenes) the creation of the United Nations.
Let us now take a contemporaneous
yet parallel walk through both trials.
The trial in 1973 was that of Daniel Ellsberg and Anthony J. Russo, Jr. That trial, and the immediately preceding activities of President Nixon’s top-tier administrative staff, including Henry Kissinger and elements of the CIA and the Department of Defense (DoD), are now, since 2011, available to the public.
Daniel Ellsberg had “leaked” the 7,000-page McNamara Study, now known as “The Pentagon Papers”, to the New York Times. He had, prior to that, leaked the Pentagon Papers to Senator Fulbright, who was unable to do anything with them at the level of our mere Congress, though he wanted to. (There is a myth of governmental infallibility — if one works for the government, the laws do not apply to one.)
While the details of the trial have been released, one must go to the book which Daniel Ellsberg published in 2002 to see the “rest of the story”. The efforts of Richard Nixon and his “hit team” are largely omitted, due to a polite judge’s discretion, from the official record, but are furnished in Ellsberg’s fully-documented and resourced book. The book is titled “Secrets: A Memoir Of Vietnam And The Pentagon Papers”. (1)
Daniel Ellsberg was a U.S. Marine and a masterful analyst for the Rand Corporation, which, having received an initial grant from the Ford Foundation, relied upon the Pentagon for about seventy percent of its cash flow. He had top clearances at the Pentagon, at the State Department, and at the White House. He had friends on Wall Street and at the CIA and FBI. He had access to the McNamara study on Viet Nam, which was guarded tightly by those in the know. He was an analyst for McNamara. Why that study was “guarded” had to do with the fact that five U.S. Presidents had knowingly lied to Congress, to the American people, and to the world about U.S. involvement in southeast Asia since back in the 1940s. The Presidents who had deceived the American people were:
1 – Truman
2 – Eisenhower
3 – Kennedy
4 – Johnson
5 – Nixon
It is important to understand that, as Gore Vidal has said it (2) with the creation of the CIA and the National Security Council (NSC) at the White House in 1947, the government under President Truman had given itself “legal” rights to lie to the American people. But it did even more. By 1949 the National Security Act of 1947 had been amended to include the “Black Budget”. With Allen Dulles and former OSS men like Wild Bill Donovan opening the door for Presidents, each President since Truman has committed international war crimes – with “plausible deniability”.
And each one of them has been found out after the fact, because Truth Always Outs eventually. Ellsberg gives a detailed account of the psychology of “clearances”, of the “chain of command”, and of the distortion called “loyalty to the boss”, which kept him for several years unwilling to “leak” what he knew. Let me give you one passage showing how this works, how government lies are protected. It’s a mental trap of sorts and most Americans do not know this.
Ellsberg had spent two years as a Marine officer involved in actual combat missions on foot in Viet Nam. But he also had been tasked by Washington D.C. to render analyses on various aspects of how the war was being handled, prospects, options, precedents for policy, etc. Ellsberg knew as much as, or more, about the Viet Nam war than anyone outside the Oval Office, and was therefore often requested by members of Congress. He moved in the highest circles, from the CIA to the White House itself. He visited regularly with Presidents and Secretaries of Defense, State, and Justice. He was close friends with Robert (Bobby) Kennedy, had several meetings with Henry Kissinger, etc etc.
In a word, he had access and he knew how “policy” was made. He also knew how the most secretive elements of the formation of policy were extremely-well protected from Congress and the press, as well as from the American people. And he knew that our government lied to the public regularly, for purposes called “national security”.
Therefore, when he offered the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times, that paper jumped on it with a major effort. The New York Times got three issues out before President Nixon obtained an injunction against their publishing any more. But Ellsberg had prepared for that expected development and had other newspapers lined up to carry on with the publication. When Nixon shut down the New York Times, the Washington Post popped up with more of the Pentagon Papers.
After the WaPo was shut down by Nixon, the Boston Globe and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch carried the leak further. The L.A. Times and the Christian Science Monitor were included in a total of twenty newspapers to publish parts of the Pentagon Papers. All those papers agreed that the President himself had no right to suspend their First Amendment rights, and once the President shut down the NYT and WaPo, eighteen more newspapers piled on.
The “Freedom of the Press” is worded in a sort of direct way, making it very difficult for bureaucrats to sneak around it. But the White House was determined to guard Presidential secrecy and became furious, enraged, as the Oval Office tapes have revealed.
As Ellsberg saw things, (and as the Pentagon Papers revealed undeniably), he finally came to understand that his conscience should overpower his sense of loyalty and secrecy that had kept him working for a death-dealing bureaucracy on an insane mission of destruction which already had gone on for many years but which was intended to continue into future years. He realized that as a moral human being he had to leak the papers to the People. So he did it.
Any reader here who thinks that the BLM is seeking revenge for their embarrassing loss at Bundy Ranch in 2014 can compare that imagery with the outrage which possessed Richard Nixon when the NYTimes came out with the Pentagon Papers. Fact – government always hates dissent against government’s desired policies. Fact — governments throughout history have been known to punish severely any who dare dissent. Fact – government always thinks it knows best, and dissent is a tool of “the enemy”.
And now we’re at the point wherein the analogy of the prosecution of Daniel Ellsberg matches the prosecutorial antics of the government in seeking revenge for our cowboys’ victory at Bundy Ranch. Quite some time after the Ellsberg trial had been completed, the infamous “Oval Office Tapes” surfaced.
The relevant tapes are reproduced in Ellsberg’s book, and they are not pretty to contemplate. Nixon, for one thing, had a “potty-mouth”. His sessions with Kissinger were marked with profanity, some too horrendous to reprint here. He wanted Ellsberg badly, and was wildly upset that the FBI could not find Ellsberg. But during some of the tapes Nixon set himself up to finally be Ellsberg’s liberator. He literally ordered Howard Hunt to organize the burglary of Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office, a fact which, as truth so often does, came out in court.
He had the CIA organize a hit squad to come from Miami to Washington to physically teach Ellsberg a punishing lesson. And that crew of CIA “assets”, those thugs for hire, got reassigned to burglarize the Watergate Hotel where the DNC headquarters was housed. Nixon also ordered the illegal wiretapping of various people inside government positions in his effort to locate Ellsberg and also to try to learn if Ellsberg was holding any further damaging top-secret information which might come out later.
Not necessarily associated with Nixon’s drive, other elements of government decided to destroy or “lose” papers which the court wanted in Ellsberg’s trial.
Each of those crimes were documented in their planning stage once Nixon’s Oval Office tapes went “public”. But the release of the Oval Office tapes was much later than the trial, which was where these presidential crimes were first discovered.
Here is the now-famous statement by the Honorable Judge William Matthew Byrne Jr.
Case Dismissed: Judge Matthew Byrne’s Ruling in the Trial of Daniel Ellsberg and Anthony Russo (May 11, 1973)
Judge Byrne’s statement (page 456 in Ellsberg’s book) included the following – (Quoting)
“The charges against these defendants raise serious factual and legal issues that I would certainly prefer to have litigated to completion….However….the conduct of the government has placed the case in such a posture that it precludes the fair dispassionate resolution of these issues by a jury. I have concluded that a mistrial alone would not be fair. Under all the circumstances, I believe that the defendants should not have to run the risk, present under existing authorities, that they might be tried again before a different jury.
“The totality of the circumstances of this case which I have only briefly sketched offend ‘a sense of justice.’ The bizarre events have incurably infected the prosecution of this case….I am of the opinion, in the present status of the case, that the only remedy available that would assure due process and the fair administration of justice is this trial be terminated and the defendants’ motion for dismissal be granted and the jury discharged.”
(End Quote)
Here are the reasons Judge Byrne dismissed the case with prejudice. The government had lost or destroyed relevant papers. The government had performed illegal wire taps on various government employees. The government had committed burglary at Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office. The government had used CIA Cuban assets from Miami to beat Ellsberg physically. While this part is not clear, the same ex-CIA guy who orchestrated the burglary and the attempted beating of Ellsberg ended up being the mastermind of the Watergate Break-in scandal.
That kind of government behavior cost the prosecution their case against Ellsberg and Russo. The prosecution was hoping that the judge would follow orders as they were doing, for the President and “national security”. All of this drama is carefully laid out in Ellsberg’s book.
Withholding Evidence And Getting Caught Lying About It
NOVEMBER 03 2017 REDOUBT NEWS
“Bad Faith!” Govt Caught Withholding Evidence – AGAIN!
RECORDING ATTORNEY-CLIENT CONVERSATIONS
November 09 2017 Redoubt News —
On September 11, 2017, the government disclosed hundreds of phone calls including calls made from jail by co-defendant Blaine Cooper and the attorney representing him.
DESTRUCTION AND HIDING OF EXCULPTORY EVIDENCE (DISCOVERY)
Cliven Bundy Sues DOJ and FBI Over Prosecutorial Abuse!
November 11, 2017 — Redoubt News
PROSECUTION LIES ABOUT SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, GETS CAUGHT LYING
Nov 14 2017 Redoubt News
Gov Prosecutors Tell Judge What To Forbid Defense From Discussing
Navarro Grants Govt Everything, Defendants Nothing _ October 26 2017 Redoubt News
(Quoting from that article; emphasis Redoubt News)
In the pattern of her previous rulings, Navarro granted almost all of the government requests to prohibit the Bundys from mentioning the following:
Self-defense, defense of others, or defense of property;
Third-party/lay person testimony or opinion about the level of force displayed or used by law enforcement officers during impoundment operations, including operations on April 6, 9, and 12, 2014;
Opinions/public statements of Governor Brian Sandoval of April 8, 2014, and/or opinions registered by other political office holders or opinion leaders about BLM impoundment operations;
Allegations of workplace misconduct by the SAC (Special Agent in Charge) of the impoundment (Dan Love), or regarding those who worked for, or with, him.
Allegations that officers connected with the impoundment acted unethically or improperly by the way they were dressed or equipped during the impoundment, or that they improperly shredded documents during or after impoundment operations;
References to mistreatment of cattle during the impoundment operations;
Legal arguments, beliefs, explanations, or opinions that the federal government does not own the land or have legal authority or jurisdiction over public lands where impoundment operations were conducted, or that the land was or is otherwise owned by the State of Nevada;
Legal arguments, beliefs, explanations, or opinions regarding infringement on First and Second Amendment rights, including any effort to confuse the jury that there is some form of “journalist” or “protest” immunity for the crimes charged;
References to punishment the defendants may face if convicted of the offenses;
References to the Oregon trial of United States v. Ammon Bundy, Ryan Payne, and Ryan Bundy., or the results in that trial;
References to the outcomes in the previous two trials in this case; and
Legal arguments, explanations, or opinions advancing defendants’ views of the U.S. Constitution, including claims that law enforcement officers within the Department of Interior have no constitutional authority, that “natural law” or other authority permits the use of force against law enforcement officers in defense of property or individual rights, or that the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada has no jurisdiction or authority under the [C]onstitution to order the removal of cattle from public lands.
The Ellsberg trial was big enough to begin the ending of the Viet Nam war and of a President’s term in office. The Bundy trial could be that important as well, for it has the potential to wrest from various federal agencies their present authoritarian power to boot ranchers, farmers, miners, and forestry workers off public lands in their respective States.
My prayer and hope is that Judge Navarro can see through the biased government’s abusive prosecution of these good neighbor Americans, and will in the name of Justice deal more fairly with the defense. I applaud her finally seeing through the prosecution’s tactic of concealing from her the year-old assessment of the cowboys by the FBI, which the prosecution was hoping she would not see.
The prosecution wanted the defendants to be in prison for the past 21 or more months, out of spite, so they were not forthcoming with information and discovery which they should have provided last year to the defense and the court. Navarro has apparently seen this and is looking at the prosecution a bit more differently now. That is my hope, and I intend to put encouraging vibes out into the national consciousness to that end. Join me, yes?
If the judge could go against the prosecution because of the prosecution’s bad-faith and nefarious activities, even crimes committed against the defendants, and stop the government’s madness, that kind of justice will go down in history as beneficial for future generations of Americans.
The judge in the Bundy trial can now accurately issue a statement very similar to that of Judge Byrne in 1973, thanks to the conceited sense of statist prosecutorial zeal to destroy the BLM’s “opposition”, establish control, reinforce “authority”, suppress dissent, suppress the freedom of speech, suppress the Second Amendment. The Pentagon Papers trial is a precedent. The Bundy trial seems to be tracking toward the same kind of victory — Dismissal, with Prejudice!
1 – SECRETS: MEMOIRS OF VIETNAM AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS
by Daniel Ellsberg; copyright 2002 by Daniel Ellsberg; published by the Penguin Group, Penguin Putnam Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA; ISBN: 0-670-03030-9.
2 – PERPETUAL WAR FOR PERPETUAL PEACE: HOW WE GOT TO BE SO HATED
by Gore Vidal; copyright 2002 by Gore Vidal; published by Thunder’s Mouth Press / Nation Books, 161 William Street., 16th Floor, New York, New York 10038; ISBN: 1-56025-405-X.
Addendum Entry December 12 2017 –
I have read other reports from Redoubt News which should also be attached to this article. This first one is dated November 15 2017 and is found at: GOVT Duplicity Revealed in Bunkerville Trial
This one is from December 06 2017: Privileged Phone Calls NOT Protected by 6th Amendment?
Anthony J. Russo
Bundy Ranch
Pentagon Papers
Attack on America – “Some People Did Something”
Shawna Cox: What America needs to know about the Bunkerville trial
ISAA Fighting Unlawful Gun Ban in Sandpoint
4 Comments on A Tale of Two Trials: Bundy Ranch and Pentagon Papers
Neil Wampler December 13, 2017 at 3:19 PM
Thank you Elias. I hope Navarro reads Judge Byrne’s statement and the rest of your scathing article. I too like to draw historic parallels, and the Indian takeover of Alcatraz in 69-70 is a close match to our Demonstration in Harney County. Having been in Toquop Wash that day in April, done my bit at Sugar Pine, served as a cook at Malhure, and as one of the seven acquitted along with Ammon and Ryan in Portland, I can claim a fair grasp of these events, and their meaning. There are so many threads…I’ll choose one of the most striking…In planning their military invasion of Bundy Ranch, I’m sure the feds never dreamed that their Coup de Main would be so strongly opposed. A few disgruntled hicks perhaps, who they could safely ignore – or arrest as they did David Bundy – but it would be all over but the shouting. That so many aroused citizens would come out, and actually put themselves at risk of being shot in a head on confrontation ? A recording of one of the BLM goons in Toquop Wash tells their astonishment – “What’s wrong with these people ! why won’t they go away ?”…For the Federals, this go for broke commitment- even at great personal risk – of citizens is the real bee in their bonnet, a phenomenon that must be suppressed at all cost. Bon Chance..
Elias Alias December 17, 2017 at 2:54 AM
Hey Neil!
I agree — Navarro should read Judge Byrne’s statement of dismissal and see for herself that the proper thing to do now is to simply dismiss with prejudice and in so doing restore at least some degree of personal integrity for herself. Thank you, Neil, for pointing that out.
Also, thank you for reminding me about the Alcatraz moment! I had forgotten about that one, and you’re right — it is in the same vein as the demonstration at Harney County. Truly, “the power in the people is stronger than the people in power”. (Don’t know who first wrote that line, but I keep it in mind always.)
I’m glad to have a chance to thank you directly, from me to you, for all you’ve done in standing up for right principles and moral high ground in America’s ongoing struggle to perfect freedom for each individual American, as our founders intended. Your stand has helped inspire many. You inspire me, certainly. So I salute you for your service to our people. April 12 2014 at the Wash will be a famous piece of American history — it was a huge victory for States Rights and individual property ownership — and it set the general tyranny back on its heels quite nicely. 😉
Each of those ventures you helped facilitate were worthy stands against the type of sinful arrogance we’re now seeing exposed in the trial at Vegas this month. Enjoy the warmth of the light which comes from your honorable heart and its clean conscience.
Elias Alias
Tyler G December 14, 2017 at 6:00 PM
Found you through Roy Potter’s you tube.. Thank you for all you do!
Tyler G,
I don’t really “do” enough. Like I told Bret and Shari last week, *they* are the ones “doing” things, but all I do is talk about what they’re actually doing, lol. (I’m an old guy, and can’t keep up, but I can throw a few words around, so I just do that. I’m honored if you like what I’m doing. Thank you.
Will a Special Counsel Be Appointed To Investigate the Special Counsel? – Abel Danger
A Tale of Two Trials: Bundy Ranch and Pentagon Papers – A-1 Sentry
For The Federal Team, Losing Is Not An Option – A-1 Sentry
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Zoe Saldana’s Kohl's x Adidas Line Celebrates WOC
With New Kohl’s x Adidas Line, Zoe Saldana Wants To “Celebrate Women Of Color”
Photo Courtesy of Kohls.
Zoe Saldana is bringing together sportswear giant Adidas and department store Kohl's for an activewear collection meant to “highlight, support, and celebrate women of color,” according to the actor and activist. The collaboration, which was announced on Thursday, includes workout sets and leisurewear, as well as sneakers and accessories. “Kohl’s is a brand that has taken pride in making its products financially accessible to the larger American population,” Saldana tells Refinery29. “Adidas is taking the initiative to inspire women to thrive by taking pride [...] of their health and wellness... It felt like a great match.”
“As a woman of today, a mother, and an entrepreneur, it’s become incredibly important for me to connect with other women by sharing our stories as we navigate through life trying to be the best versions of ourselves,” the Guardians of the Galaxy star says. “I’m motivated by strong women who face their adversities with the conviction and certainty that they can achieve anything.”
With this in mind, in 2018, Saldana founded BESE, a media company devised to support and amplify the voices of the Latinx community. “The contributions that POC have given to this nation are immense,” she says. “It is our duty to spin the pendulum to the other extreme in order to achieve a balance in our narrative of all American people regardless of their race, gender, creed, or preference.” Saldana is now taking BESE’s mission to the collaboration with the two notable fashion companies.
“The women I grew up with were my first muses,” she says. “I loved every curve of their bodies. However, I also witnessed how discouraged they’d become when shopping at department stores and not seeing representatives of themselves.” Designers too often create with a single body shape in mind — and rarely is it a body with curves. “I saw them struggling to gain access to garments that would celebrate their god-given shapes,” Saldana says. To combat the frustrating shopping experience that so many women have been forced to deal with for years, Saldana’s Kohls x Adidas collection makes all women “feel sexy and be the best versions of themselves.”
That same mission played into the collection’s campaign, where regular women can be seen wearing pieces. “I wanted the models to look like the women that are going to be buying the collection,” Saldana says. In the end, those chosen were representative of Saldana’s first muses — her sisters, cousins, friends, and peers: “These are my queens.”
When it came to the styles, versatility was important to Saldana. “Every article in the collection was meant to help provide athleisure options to all women to support them through their day knowing they are all juggling a million things,” she says. One option for the all-day-grind is a matching tracksuit in a muted berry color with orange accents — a personal favorite of Saldana: “It made me feel like I could move with ease and comfort.” There is also a sports bra-and-leggings set, which the actor says is great for yoga and being cozy, as well as a number of simple, comfortable T-shirts for everyday wear, two pairs of sneakers that go with everything, and a waist pack for your essentials.
The collection, which is available in sizes XS to XXL and costs between $25 and $65, will launch at select Kohl's store locations, as well as online and at Adidas.com, on September 30.
Zoe Saldana Kohls x Adidas Line Is Size-Inclusive
Style • Adidas • Fashion • The Latest
Photo: Courtesy of Adidas.
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Power Africa
Holiday Lights Shine Bright
by Andrew Herscowitz, Power Africa Coordinator
As we enter the holiday season and the Obama Administration and the 114th Congress come to a close, we all should celebrate and be thankful for the accomplishments of Power Africa and the Electrify Africa Act of 2015. We are getting ready to welcome a new Congress and a new Presidential Administration, and there is much still to do.
But we are on a roll, producing impressive numbers and great stories. We wanted to share a few highlights of which everyone should feel proud:
A Mobisol employee in Rwanda demonstrates the company’s solar-powered electricity system.
5,559 MW of U.S. government- and partner-supported power projects have reached financial close since Power Africa’s launch — more than 50% of our original 10,000 MW goal.
Natural Gas — 3,841 MW
Hydro — 786 MW
Solar — 548 MW
Wind — 376 MW
Biomass — 8 MW
Nearly 2,000 MW (of all power types) are online and generating power.
More than 15 million more people have gained access to electricity since 2013 thanks to the efforts of Power Africa, which does not even include the new connections that our partner countries have added (See Kenya below).
Power Africa’s original $7 billion commitment has mobilized $54 billion in financing commitments from more than 130 public and private partners, more than half of which are U.S. companies.
Of all the lights this holiday season, some of the brightest will be in Liberia, where the Mt. Coffee hydro project will come online thanks to Power Africa’s efforts through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and other Power Africa partners such as Norway, the European Union, and the World Bank. Mt. Coffee will power thousands of new customers, rekindling economic development, and promoting greater socio-political stability in a country that was destroyed by war and that recently suffered setbacks because of the Ebola outbreak.
Photo compliments of the Mount Coffee Hydropower Project Implementation Unit (PIU)
Power Africa would not be where it is today without so many people in this Administration and this Congress, who have worked tirelessly towards doubling access to electricity. We have enjoyed this bipartisan support for many reasons, but mostly because Power Africa’s model makes sense — partnership, private sector leverage, advisors on the ground, a broad toolbox, and seamless collaboration.
The end of the year is a time for reflection and Power Africa has learned a lot since its launch in 2013. Power Africa’s private sector focus contributes to economic growth in Africa and advances U.S., African, and international commercial interests and security. We have mobilized more than $40 billion in private capital, and created new jobs and business opportunities for U.S. companies, while bringing light and power to millions. The population of sub-Saharan Africa is expected to double by 2050, with most people under the age of 35. By securing reliable electricity access, African governments are able to generate employment in agriculture, manufacturing, and value-added services, which has been proven to curb migration and the growth of violent extremism and illicit activities. Extending power to these millions of people improves their quality of life, education and economic opportunities, which improves stability and lowers migration.
Our interagency “one-stop shops” in Washington and Pretoria, as well as at U.S. embassies across sub-Saharan Africa, allow businesses to knock on just one door to access the tools of 12 U.S. government agencies and Power Africa’s other partners. As a result, businesses are quickly cutting through red tape and bureaucracy and “unsticking” deals.
Power Africa now is tracking over 600 deals internally (some still being screened) and about 300 deals that anyone can view on Power Africa’s mobile app (click here to download the PATT app), making it clear that our Roadmap to 30,000 MW and 60 million connections by 2030 (click here to view the Roadmap) is not just ambitious, but achievable.
The U.S. has created international momentum to solve Africa’s 600 million person energy access deficit. Power Africa has set the stage for other energy initiatives and collaborates closely to ensure that all of our partners are working together. The U.S. has brought together more than a dozen multilateral and bilateral partners, including Canada, the European Union, France, Japan, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank, the African Union, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the United Nations, to help achieve our collective goals. Our partnerships work because we put our partners out in front — letting them shine and working with them to do more of what they do best: advancing deals that get power to those who don’t have it. One great example is the World Bank Group’s Scaling Solar initiative that is bringing $.06/kWh solar to Zambia with modest support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
We have created new jobs in the U.S., Africa, and throughout the world, and we are opening new markets as our African partners push “first-of-their-kind” deals across the finish line — deals that create pathways for more power projects that will not require government support. Companies like Itron in Washington State have sold hundreds of thousands of dollars of smart meters in Nigeria thanks to a reverse trade mission that the U.S. Trade & Development Agency and the U.S. Department of Commerce organized.
Power Africa has led the drafting of three books that help demystify the power sector for government officials and companies alike and that sit on Ministry shelves across the continent:
Understanding Power Purchase Agreements: http://cldp.doc.gov/programs/cldp-in-action/details/1378
Understanding Power Project Finance: http://cldp.doc.gov/programs/cldp-in-action/details/1603
and now we are launching Understanding Natural Gas and LNG Options, which provides African governments with options for jump-starting their own gas generation with potential LNG imports from the world market or from their own domestic gas resources.
These books help African governments negotiate fair and sustainable power deals that will last generations.
A few other tidbits of results and successes:
Keeping Gas Investments on Track. Power Africa’s support resulted in the financial close of a 450 MW Azura-Edo gas turbine power plant, which is expected to be commissioned in 2018. In addition, Power Africa helped U.S. companies General Electric and Endeavor recently signed a 400 MW PPA for a gas-fired Bridge Power project in Ghana, the first project in Ghana to utilize a Put-Call Option Agreement, which will enable the government to purchase the plant and associated assets in the event of an early termination of the PPA.
First Grid-Level Solar Power in East Africa. Gigawatt Global, in partnership with Scatec Solar, and with support from the U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA), installed an 8.5 MW solar array in Rwanda since Power Africa’s launch, providing power to a village of Rwandan genocide survivors and to the grid.
300,000 Off-Grid Connections in Tanzania. In Tanzania, 10 Power Africa off-grid partners alone are working to connect close to 300,000 homes and businesses who have never had access to electricity before.
Electricity Access Doubled in Kenya. The country of Kenya, working with Power Africa partners such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank, has more than doubled access to electricity in only a few years. Since 2013, Kenya has connected 2.7 million homes to the grid, raising the access rate from 27 percent to 56 percent.
Largest Wind Farm in West Africa. Also, in Senegal, Power Africa is supporting the 150 MW Taiba N’Diaye wind project, the largest wind farm in West Africa.
Largest Wind Farm in East Africa. Power Africa is supporting the Lake Turkana Wind Project, which will provide more than 300 MW to Kenya.
Connecting 200,000 homes and businesses in Zambia. Power Africa is guaranteeing a loan from Standard Chartered Bank to the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation to upgrade electricity infrastructure and expand transmission lines that will add an estimated 200,000 new on-grid connections and has already added 15,000 to date.
Unlocking $1.5 billion in Solar Investment in Nigeria. Power Africa helped unlock $1.5 billion worth of solar investment in Nigeria with the signing of 14 power purchase agreements authorizing private firms to develop 1,125 MW of new solar power generation capacity in nine Nigerian states.
Reducing Theft of Electricity. In Nigeria, Power Africa support has led to increased collections of electricity bills at three distribution companies, sending a strong signal to other distribution companies that commercial operations can be achieved through instituting effective management processes.
Leveraging $1.5 billion in Capital for Clean Energy Projects. Since the launch of Power Africa’s U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative (ACEF), the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and USTDA have approved funding for 33 clean energy projects across 10 African countries. That represents nearly $1.5 billion in potential public and private capital and approximately 358 MW in new renewable power capacity.
OPIC closing 22 deals worth more than $2.1 billion. OPIC has committed $2.1 billion in financing and insurance to support nine utility-scale power plants, nine off-grid and small-scale renewable projects, and four micro-finance and investment facilities.
OPIC deal to lead to 200,000 new connections in Nigeria. OPIC committed $50 million in financing to Lumos to scale up its off-grid solar power service to about 200,000 Nigerian homes and businesses by end of 2016. Lumos was the recipient of early-stage funding through Power Africa, which provided an initial $525,000 to support product testing and data analytics development.
MCC invests $1.5 billion in Power Sector. MCC has invested $1.5 billion in the power sector in sub-Saharan Africa in support of Power Africa’s goals, implementing power compacts in Ghana, Malawi, Benin, Liberia and an energy sector threshold program in Sierra Leone.
USTDA portfolio increases 300 percent to power potentially 1.7 million homes. USTDA increased its energy portfolio, which offers the opportunity for the sale of U.S. products, in Africa by over 300 percent, supporting projects that could provide electricity to up to 1.7 million homes.
Demand from U.S. companies for USTDA Project Preparation Tool Triples under Power Africa. USTDA’s call for clean energy project proposals yielded about 300 submissions in September 2016 — more than triple the number received in an earlier call this year — indicating a strong signal of investor interest. The largest demand came from Nigeria and Kenya, making up a third of proposals, and 38 proposals were for biomass projects.
GE and the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF), along with USAID and GE Africa award 70 grants worth $7 million to local entrepreneurs. Through the Power Africa Off-Grid Energy Challenge, GE and USADF are creating more than 7,000 new connections to renewable energy in remote areas of nine countries. They aim to create more than 40,000 new connections to electricity.
Power Africa Legal Assistance Provides 1,500 MW. Since partnering with Power Africa in 2014, the African Development Bank’s African Legal Support Facility has supported nine African governments in the negotiation of power purchase agreements for a total of 1,500 MW of independent power projects.
We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we have momentum. Our network of people is on the ground, our tools are in place, and the pipeline of deals is growing. We’re confident the megawatts and connections will follow.
Thank you everyone for your efforts and support. Andrew Herscowitz
A U.S. Government-led partnership that seeks to add 30,000 MW and 60 million electricity connections in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 > https://bit.ly/2yPx3lJ
Electrify Africa
More from Power Africa
Scaling Micro-grid Deployment in Sub-Saharan Africa with Batteries
Power Africa in Power Africa
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Melanie In The Middle
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Dr. Boyce: Think Twice Before Letting Your Boys Play Football
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I just went to the hospital to visit Rasul “Rocky” Clark, a young man who was once a very talented high school football player. In the year 2000, Rocky took a bad hit, like many of us did while playing the sport. But this hit severed his spinal cord so badly that he was paralyzed for life from the neck down. He wasn’t able to walk, lift his arms, or even breathe properly. He was only able to move his head.
“On September 25, 2000, that was the last day that I ever saw my son walk again,” said his mother, Annette.
Since that time, Rocky has tried to do as much as a person can do while being able to only move his head. He has educated himself, graduated high school on time, helped coach his school’s football and track teams, and engaged in a multitude of other activities that you would never imagine a person being able to do in his condition. But he’s a fighter and an optimist, and doesn’t spend time feeling sorry for himself. I had instant respect for this young man when I met him.
I’ll admit that my visit with Rocky brought me to tears, as I looked at Rocky and saw my own little brother, who is about the same age as him. I was also hurt to find out that in spite of Rocky’s brave fight through his horrific condition, his old high school, Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, Illinois, has allowed his insurance to expire without providing another option for coverage. Health Special Risk, Inc, the company that provided Rocky’s family with (what they were told was) a “life time policy,” didn’t have a rep mention to the family that the policy expires when it hits a lifetime spending cap of $5 million dollars. So, when one considers the astronomical cost of special beds, breathing machines, advanced medication and around the clock nurses, you can see how quickly the cap is hit.
The insurance company’s little computers only predicted that Rocky would live a few more years. Their computers didn’t factor in Rocky’s heart and the fact that he is such a strong young man in both mind and body. They were unable to estimate the actuarial value of a young black man’s will to live. They got Rocky wrong, and now they want to just let him die.
Our website, SaveRockyClark.com, has one goal in mind: to let Health Special Risk, Inc and the Blue Island school district know that it’s wrong to let one of their former students/patients die because he lived too long for their comfort. We have thousands of people standing behind Rocky, and they are sending emails and making phone calls to the institutions responsible for Rocky’s situation. When I interviewed Rocky’s mom (which you can watch by clicking here), she made it clear that she’s not ready to bury her son and I’m not ready to bury her son either.
Rocky’s challenges also serve as a cautionary tale for so many young black men who are eager to run out onto the football field. When you stand tall, strong and capable, everyone loves you. But when that life threatening injury occurs and you’re in the hospital about to die, only your mother stands by your bed. Let’s make smart choices about sports and reconsider our commitment to the endeavors that are built to destroy us.
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Planet Comicon, Kansas City Schedule :: Nolan North
An actor and voice actor who is most well known for his voice work as Desmond Miles from the Assassin’s Creed video game series, and Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series.
Nolan North majored in journalism at the University of North Carolina with a baseball scholarship. He worked as a reporter for almost a year in New Jersey before moving to New York City to pursue stand-up comedy and acting. North eventually relocated to Hollywood and was cast in the General Hospital spin-off series, Port Charles, playing Dr. Chris Ramsey during the show’s run from 1997 to 2003. He married fellow Port Charles actress Jill Murray in 1999 and has two children. During Port Charles’ run, he worked on a few video games as a voice actor and began to focus on voice acting following Port Charles’ cancelation.
One of his most notable roles came in 2007 when he voiced and motion capped the character Nathan Drake for the video game Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Since then, he has continued to portray the character Drake in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (released in 2009) and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (released in 2011). In an interview with The Guardian, North reflects on his time as Drake as requiring “a lot of imagination. Motion capture is basically theatre in Spandex; there’s minimal props, and you need a willingness to make an ass of yourself.” North as Drake has been twice nominated at the Spike Video Game Awards in the “Best Performance by a Human Male” category.
In May 2012 North had a limited role in Star Trek into Darkness, sequel to 2009’s acclaimed live-act and his son being fans of the Uncharted series.
Other notable video game voice work includes roles as the Prince in Prince of Persia, The Penguin in Batman: Arkham City, Shun in Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica, Vossler in Final Fantasy XII, Desmond Miles in the Assassin’s Creed series, Eradan in Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Doctor Edward Richtofen in Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty: Black Ops, Brawl in Transformers: War for Cybertron, Ghost Rider in Marvel:Ultimate Alliance, Shadow Demon, Lycanthrope, Lone Druid, Brewmaster, Gyrocopter, Ogre Magi , Meepo and the Keeper of the Light in Dota 2, and Deadpool in Hulk Vs. and Marvel vs Capcom 3 and recently as Captain Martin Walker in Spec Ops: The Line. He also voiced the personality spheres and defective turrets in Portal 2 and voiced Merasmus and the Bombinomicon in Team Fortress 2.
North is well known in his animation roles such as Cyclops in Wolverine and the X-Men, Snow Job in G.I. Joe: Renegades, Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and both Superman and Superboy in Young Justice.
More on Nolan North:
Twitter: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter
at the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter
at Behind The Voice Actors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter
UNCHARTED'S VOICES: NOLAN NORTH & TROY BAKER :: Grand Ballroom - 2501ABC (Lower Level)
Troy Baker, Nolan North, SciFi4Me
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Kirdford Farmhouse
Home > Cottages > Kirdford Farmhouse
OVERVIEW Features Gallery REGLAR EXPERIENCES RATES LOCATION Terms
This is an exquisite large country property that benefits from accommodation being set across the main house and an additional annex, ideal for those wishing their own space or grandparents wanting some peace and quiet. The reputable Half Moon pub, run by Jodie Kidd, is walking distance from the house.
BRAND NEW TO THE RENTAL MARKET FOR 2020
Kirdford Farmhouse occupies a picturesque location nestled within beautiful West Sussex countryside, just a short distance outside the village of Kirdford, and the small town of Petworth just ten minutes away. While the home makes an excellent base for those wanting to explore the scenic countryside surroundings, the coast is easily reachable in just forty-minutes making it a fabulous option for those wanting some sea air and coastal walks.
The Grade II listed Elizabethan farmhouse can comfortably accommodate up to ten guests across its five well appointed double bedrooms. An additional four guests can be accommodated using two double sofa beds in two of the bedrooms. The current owners have very sympathetically updated Kirdford Farmhouse to create a characterful home-from-home with homely yet elegant interiors throughout. On the ground floor is the main entertaining space which comprises of a cosy drawing room, open-plan living and dining room and a fully-equipped kitchen boasting all the tools you could possibly need to whip up a delicious meal. Three of the bedrooms, two doubles and a twin are situated in the main house, set out in the form of suites with their own living areas and bathrooms. In the annexe are a further two bedrooms, a queen-size double room and a twin room, both complete with en-suite facilities.
Outside, the children will enjoy playing games on the large lawns. The all-weather tennis court is the perfect place for a spot of friendly competition. For the little ones, the garden boasts a wooden club house, swings and a slide which will provide hours of fun.
from £3,704 per week
A family with young children
Large family gatherings
Two families holidaying together
Walking and outdoor pursuits
Should coronavirus related travel restrictions mean your holiday cannot go ahead then simply request a change of dates. T&Cs apply
Enquire about Kirdford Farmhouse
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UIC John Marshall Law Review
Home > LAWREVIEW > Vol. 6 > Iss. 2 (2016)
Oak Park Federal Savings and Loan Association v. Village of Oak Park: The Foundation Begins to Crumble on Home Rule in Illinois, 6 J. Marshall J. of Prac. & Proc. 395 (1973)
Alan L. Fulkerson
Alan L. Fulkerson, Oak Park Federal Savings and Loan Association v. Village of Oak Park: The Foundation Begins to Crumble on Home Rule in Illinois, 6 J. Marshall J. of Prac. & Proc. 395 (1973)
All Issues Vol. 53, Iss. 3 Vol. 53, Iss. 2 Vol. 53, Iss. 1 Vol. 52, Iss. 4 Vol. 52, Iss. 3 Vol. 52, Iss. 2 Vol. 52, Iss. 1 Vol. 51, Iss. 4 Vol. 51, Iss. 3 Vol. 51, Iss. 2 Vol. 51, Iss. 1 Vol. 50, Iss. 4 Vol. 50, Iss. 3 Vol. 50, Iss. 2 Vol. 50, Iss. 1 Vol. 49, Iss. 4 Vol. 49, Iss. 3 Vol. 49, Iss. 2 Vol. 49, Iss. 1 Vol. 48, Iss. 4 Vol. 48, Iss. 3 Vol. 48, Iss. 2 Vol. 48, Iss. 1 Vol. 47, Iss. 4 Vol. 47, Iss. 3 Vol. 47, Iss. 2 Vol. 47, Iss. 1 Vol. 46, Iss. 4 Vol. 46, Iss. 3 Vol. 46, Iss. 2 Vol. 46, Iss. 1 Vol. 45, Iss. 4 Vol. 45, Iss. 3 Vol. 45, Iss. 2 Vol. 45, Iss. 1 Vol. 44, Iss. 4 Vol. 44, Iss. 3 Vol. 44, Iss. 2 Vol. 44, Iss. 1 Vol. 43, Iss. 4 Vol. 43, Iss. 3 Vol. 43, Iss. 2 Vol. 43, Iss. 1 Vol. 42, Iss. 4 Vol. 42, Iss. 3 Vol. 42, Iss. 2 Vol. 42, Iss. 1 Vol. 41, Iss. 4 Vol. 41, Iss. 3 Vol. 41, Iss. 2 Vol. 41, Iss. 1 Vol. 40, Iss. 4 Vol. 40, Iss. 3 Vol. 40, Iss. 2 Vol. 40, Iss. 1 Vol. 39, Iss. 4 Vol. 39, Iss. 3 Vol. 39, Iss. 2 Vol. 39, Iss. 1 Vol. 38, Iss. 4 Vol. 38, Iss. 3 Vol. 38, Iss. 2 Vol. 38, Iss. 1 Vol. 37, Iss. 4 Vol. 37, Iss. 3 Vol. 37, Iss. 2 Vol. 37, Iss. 1 Vol. 36, Iss. 4 Vol. 36, Iss. 3 Vol. 36, Iss. 2 Vol. 36, Iss. 1 Vol. 35, Iss. 4 Vol. 35, Iss. 3 Vol. 35, Iss. 2 Vol. 35, Iss. 1 Vol. 34, Iss. 4 Vol. 34, Iss. 3 Vol. 34, Iss. 2 Vol. 34, Iss. 1 Vol. 33, Iss. 4 Vol. 33, Iss. 3 Vol. 33, Iss. 2 Vol. 33, Iss. 1 Vol. 32, Iss. 4 Vol. 32, Iss. 3 Vol. 32, Iss. 2 Vol. 32, Iss. 1 Vol. 31, Iss. 4 Vol. 31, Iss. 3 Vol. 31, Iss. 2 Vol. 31, Iss. 1 Vol. 30, Iss. 4 Vol. 30, Iss. 3 Vol. 30, Iss. 2 Vol. 30, Iss. 1 Vol. 29, Iss. 4 Vol. 29, Iss. 3 Vol. 29, Iss. 2 Vol. 29, Iss. 1 Vol. 28, Iss. 4 Vol. 28, Iss. 3 Vol. 28, Iss. 2 Vol. 28, Iss. 1 Vol. 27, Iss. 4 Vol. 27, Iss. 3 Vol. 27, Iss. 2 Vol. 27, Iss. 1 Vol. 26, Iss. 4 Vol. 26, Iss. 3 Vol. 26, Iss. 2 Vol. 26, Iss. 1 Vol. 25, Iss. 4 Vol. 25, Iss. 3 Vol. 25, Iss. 2 Vol. 25, Iss. 1 Vol. 24, Iss. 4 Vol. 24, Iss. 3 Vol. 24, Iss. 2 Vol. 24, Iss. 1 Vol. 23, Iss. 4 Vol. 23, Iss. 3 Vol. 23, Iss. 2 Vol. 23, Iss. 1 Vol. 22, Iss. 4 Vol. 22, Iss. 3 Vol. 22, Iss. 2 Vol. 22, Iss. 1 Vol. 21, Iss. 4 Vol. 21, Iss. 3 Vol. 21, Iss. 2 Vol. 21, Iss. 1 Vol. 20, Iss. 4 Vol. 20, Iss. 3 Vol. 20, Iss. 2 Vol. 20, Iss. 1 Vol. 19, Iss. 3 Vol. 19, Iss. 2 Vol. 19, Iss. 1 Vol. 18, Iss. 4 Vol. 18, Iss. 3 Vol. 18, Iss. 2 Vol. 18, Iss. 1 Vol. 17, Iss. 3 Vol. 17, Iss. 2 Vol. 17, Iss. 1 Vol. 16, Iss. 3 Vol. 16, Iss. 2 Vol. 16, Iss. 1 Vol. 15, Iss. 3 Vol. 15, Iss. 2 Vol. 15, Iss. 1 Vol. 14, Iss. 3 Vol. 14, Iss. 2 Vol. 14, Iss. 1 Vol. 13, Iss. 3 Vol. 13, Iss. 2 Vol. 13, Iss. 1 Vol. 12, Iss. 3 Vol. 12, Iss. 2 Vol. 12, Iss. 1 Vol. 11, Iss. 3 Vol. 11, Iss. 2 Vol. 11, Iss. 1 Vol. 10, Iss. 3 Vol. 10, Iss. 2 Vol. 10, Iss. 1 Vol. 9, Iss. 3 Vol. 9, Iss. 2 Vol. 9, Iss. 1 Vol. 8, Iss. 3 Vol. 8, Iss. 2 Vol. 8, Iss. 1 Vol. 7, Iss. 2 Vol. 7, Iss. 1 Vol. 6, Iss. 2 Vol. 6, Iss. 1 Vol. 5, Iss. 2 Vol. 5, Iss. 1 Vol. 4, Iss. 2 Vol. 4, Iss. 1 Vol. 3, Iss. 2 Vol. 3, Iss. 1 Vol. 2, Iss. 2 Vol. 2, Iss. 1 Vol. 1, Iss. 2 Vol. 1, Iss. 1
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The Stakes 2020
Title: The Stakes 2020
Published by: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN13: 978-1-324-00365-6
W. W. Norton
To save both democracy and a decent economy, here’s why it’s crucial that Americans elect a truly progressive president.
The 2020 presidential election will determine the very survival of American democracy. To restore popular faith in government―and win the election―Democrats need to nominate and elect an economic progressive. The Stakesexplains how the failure of the economy to serve ordinary Americans opened the door to a demagogic president, and how democracy can still be taken back from Donald Trump.
Either the United States continues the long slide into the arms of the bankers and corporate interests and the disaffection of working Americans―the course set in the past half century by Republican and Democratic presidents alike―or we elect a progressive Democrat in the mold of FDR. At stake is nothing less than the continued success of the American experiment in liberal democracy. That success is dependent on a fairer distribution of income, wealth, and life changes ―and a reduction in the political influence of financial elites over both parties.
The decay of democracy and economic fairness began long before Trump. The American republic is in need of a massive overhaul. It will take not just a resounding Democratic victory in 2020 but a progressive victory to pull back from the brink of autocracy. The Stakes demonstrates how a progressive Democrat has a better chance than a centrist of winning the presidency, and how only this outcome can begin the renewal of the economy and our democracy.
A passionate book from one of America’s best political analysts, The Stakes is the book to read ahead of the 2020 primaries and general election.
“Kuttner astutely makes the case that Democrats must win in 2020 as champions of working people—if they are to win at all. If you read one book about the coming election, read this one.” - Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO
“A beautifully written book, hauntingly disturbing as it describes the Republican assault on our democracy and the real dangers of a second Trump administration, but hopeful as it proposes a way forward for an electoral victory and the enactment of a progressive agenda that would restore dignity and living standards to all Americans.” - Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate and author of People, Power, and Profits: Progressive Capitalism for an Age of Discontent
“With a mastery of the complexities of American politics; its class, race, and gender dynamics; and recent research on effective strategies, Kuttner offers a brilliant guide to a struggling Democratic Party. If you’re concerned about democracy, read this book.” - Arlie Russell Hochschild, author of Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right
“In The Stakes, Robert Kuttner steps forward as a twenty-first-century Thomas Paine, revealing the rot that made the triumph of Donald Trump possible and advancing strategies for progressive renewal.” - Randall Kennedy, Michael R. Klein Professor at Harvard Law School and author of For Discrimination and other books
“Kuttner argues that it will not be enough for Democrats to replace Trump with a Democrat who will continue the reign of heedless capital that produced Trump in the first place. What is needed is a focus on what Kuttner calls 'pocketbook populism' that will unite rather than divide Democrats and will lure back voters disillusioned the party’s ties to Wall Street.” - John B. Judis, author of The Populist Explosion: How the Great Recession Transformed American and European Politics: Race, Affirmative Action, and the Law
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Apparent resistance to hypotensive effect of clonidine
L. M.H. Wing, D. S. Davies, H. J. Dargie, C. T. Dollery
Clonidine failed to reduce the blood pressures of two patients with essential hypertension. One was given 5.4 mg/day and the other 6 mg/day, and their respective peak plasma clonidine concentrations were 26.2 ng/ml and 14.4 ng/ml. Several months after the end of clonidine treatment a single oral dose of 0.3 mg of clonidine produced maximum falls in blood pressure of 30/22 mm Hg and 88/41 mm Hg with peak plasma clonidine concentrations of 1.4 ng/ml and 0–9 ng/ml. Resistance to the hypotensive effect of high doses of clonidine may be due to stimulation of peripheral alpha-adrenoceptors causing vasoconstriction, which maintains a raised blood pressure.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.6054.136
10.1136/bmj.1.6054.136Licence: In Copyright
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Apparent resistance to hypotensive effect of clonidine'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Clonidine Medicine & Life Sciences
Essential Hypertension Medicine & Life Sciences
Vasoconstriction Medicine & Life Sciences
Adrenergic Receptors Medicine & Life Sciences
Accidental Falls Medicine & Life Sciences
Wing, L. M. H., Davies, D. S., Dargie, H. J., & Dollery, C. T. (1977). Apparent resistance to hypotensive effect of clonidine. British Medical Journal, 1(6054), 136-138. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.6054.136
Wing, L. M.H. ; Davies, D. S. ; Dargie, H. J. ; Dollery, C. T. / Apparent resistance to hypotensive effect of clonidine. In: British Medical Journal. 1977 ; Vol. 1, No. 6054. pp. 136-138.
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title = "Apparent resistance to hypotensive effect of clonidine",
abstract = "Clonidine failed to reduce the blood pressures of two patients with essential hypertension. One was given 5.4 mg/day and the other 6 mg/day, and their respective peak plasma clonidine concentrations were 26.2 ng/ml and 14.4 ng/ml. Several months after the end of clonidine treatment a single oral dose of 0.3 mg of clonidine produced maximum falls in blood pressure of 30/22 mm Hg and 88/41 mm Hg with peak plasma clonidine concentrations of 1.4 ng/ml and 0–9 ng/ml. Resistance to the hypotensive effect of high doses of clonidine may be due to stimulation of peripheral alpha-adrenoceptors causing vasoconstriction, which maintains a raised blood pressure.",
author = "Wing, {L. M.H.} and Davies, {D. S.} and Dargie, {H. J.} and Dollery, {C. T.}",
doi = "10.1136/bmj.1.6054.136",
journal = "British Medical Journal",
publisher = "British Medical Journal Publishing Group",
Wing, LMH, Davies, DS, Dargie, HJ & Dollery, CT 1977, 'Apparent resistance to hypotensive effect of clonidine', British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 6054, pp. 136-138. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.6054.136
Apparent resistance to hypotensive effect of clonidine. / Wing, L. M.H.; Davies, D. S.; Dargie, H. J.; Dollery, C. T.
In: British Medical Journal, Vol. 1, No. 6054, 01.1977, p. 136-138.
T1 - Apparent resistance to hypotensive effect of clonidine
AU - Wing, L. M.H.
AU - Davies, D. S.
AU - Dargie, H. J.
AU - Dollery, C. T.
N2 - Clonidine failed to reduce the blood pressures of two patients with essential hypertension. One was given 5.4 mg/day and the other 6 mg/day, and their respective peak plasma clonidine concentrations were 26.2 ng/ml and 14.4 ng/ml. Several months after the end of clonidine treatment a single oral dose of 0.3 mg of clonidine produced maximum falls in blood pressure of 30/22 mm Hg and 88/41 mm Hg with peak plasma clonidine concentrations of 1.4 ng/ml and 0–9 ng/ml. Resistance to the hypotensive effect of high doses of clonidine may be due to stimulation of peripheral alpha-adrenoceptors causing vasoconstriction, which maintains a raised blood pressure.
AB - Clonidine failed to reduce the blood pressures of two patients with essential hypertension. One was given 5.4 mg/day and the other 6 mg/day, and their respective peak plasma clonidine concentrations were 26.2 ng/ml and 14.4 ng/ml. Several months after the end of clonidine treatment a single oral dose of 0.3 mg of clonidine produced maximum falls in blood pressure of 30/22 mm Hg and 88/41 mm Hg with peak plasma clonidine concentrations of 1.4 ng/ml and 0–9 ng/ml. Resistance to the hypotensive effect of high doses of clonidine may be due to stimulation of peripheral alpha-adrenoceptors causing vasoconstriction, which maintains a raised blood pressure.
U2 - 10.1136/bmj.1.6054.136
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Wing LMH, Davies DS, Dargie HJ, Dollery CT. Apparent resistance to hypotensive effect of clonidine. British Medical Journal. 1977 Jan;1(6054):136-138. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.6054.136
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Supporting basic research in science and engineering
The Royal Society outlined in its responses to The Office of Science and Technologys consultation on the Sustainability of University Research and Sir Gareth Roberts review of the Research Assessment Exercise, that a fundamental review of the overall public funding of university research should be undertaken by the Government. At the present time the Society is not proposing any particular alternative arrangements to the present system, but would welcome the opportunity to contribute ideas to a review.
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Home > Events > Seminar: Next-generation biodiversity research using environmental DNA
Seminar: Next-generation biodiversity research using environmental DNA
Sep 18 2018 03:00 PM - Aug 18 2018 04:00 PM
PRESENTER: Assoc. Prof. Philip Thomsen
TITLE: Next-generation biodiversity research using environmental DNA
DATE: Sep 18, Tuesday
LOCATION: Auditorium (level 0) between Buildings 2 & 3
BIO: Philip Francis Thomsen is Associate Professor at Department of Bioscience, University of Aarhus, Denmark. His research is mainly focused on the applications of DNA from environmental samples (eDNA) in both freshwater and marine environments for addressing fundamental research questions in ecology and conservation along with applied aspects of monitoring and management of aquatic resources.
ABSTRACT: Aquatic ecosystems across the globe are under significant threat, suffering from various forms of anthropogenic disturbances, which are greatly impacting global biodiversity. At the same time, the majority of life on Earth is still un-described to science. Reliable monitoring of biodiversity is crucial for data-driven conservation actions, but remains a challenge due to non-standardized and selective methods that depend on practical and taxonomic expertise, which is declining. Aquatic environmental DNA (eDNA) – DNA obtained directly from water – has become a rapidly growing research field within the last decade and proven a successful avenue for biodiversity monitoring, encompassing analyses of single species, population genetics and communities from mass sequencing data. The aquatic eDNA may thus be an appropriate candidate for the conservation challenge, since it is cost-efficient and non-invasive. Furthermore, eDNA analyses may provide a better understanding of the unknown biodiversity. The rapid advance in DNA sequencing technology has revolutionized the use of eDNA and opened new frontiers in ecology, conservation and environmental sciences. In this talk, I will give an overview of the achievements of aquatic eDNA research, especially for macro-organisms in marine environments, and address the challenges and perspectives of eDNA for fundamental and applied research.
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Fred Nasseri, (CRA) Certified Rug Appraiser
Mr. Nasseri encourages clients to plan and decorate each area of their house with elegance and personal style, covering all the essential elements of design—including the emotional ones. The result should be a house that welcomes family and friends, one that enhances our quality of life.
Fred Nasseri was born in Esfahan, Iran. Nasseri’s father was a prominent attorney and collector of fine rugs. Mr. Nasseri’s fathers’ knowledge and love of Fine Art has been passed down to Fred. Fred graduated from the University of Toulouse in France with a Doctorate at Law and PhD. in Economics from Tehran University. He has worked as a Professor, Attorney and Diplomat serving as the Chief of the Central Budget Bureau during the Shah’s regime. He represented Iran in the International Labor Organization in Geneva. Child labor in the rug weaving industry was one of the main areas of concern in the early 1970’s. That exposure, coupled with growing up in Esfahan, a major center for rug weaving, and living with his fathers’ wonderful collection of Persian rugs, helped Nasseri find his focus when he arrived in the U.S. in the early 1980’s.
After the fall of the Shah, Fred and his family moved to the United States. During their first several years in the United States Fred spent much of his time in France as an international oil consultant. In 1986 Fred entered the Oriental rug business. He traveled to New York and discussed his intention with Mr. Kazemi, who was a prominent rug dealer in Garden City, Long Island. Mr. Kazemi suggested Fred work with him to learn the fundamentals of the business before opening his own business. Fred and his wife Pat accepted Kazemi’s offer. Fred managed Kazemi Oriental Rugs and Pat worked in the restoration department. In 1989 Fred and Pat left New York and opened the Gallery of Oriental Rugs in Wilmington North Carolina. Fred Nasseri is an Oriental Rug Retailers of Amercia (ORRA) Certified Appraiser. He is an active member in the Wilmington community.
Through the years, the Gallery of Oriental Rugs has received many prestigious awards. In 1993 the Gallery was certified by the Oriental Rug Retailers of America (ORRA) as a member in good standing. The following year Saint John’s Museum recognized The Gallery of Oriental Rugs as an authority on the history and restoration of Oriental Rugs. In 1997 Fred Nasseri qualified as a Certified Rug Appraiser (CRA), one of only fifty persons in the United States. The Gallery is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). In 2007, the Gallery of Oriental Rugs wins the #1 Rug Retailer in America Award – at the national AmericasMart trade show.
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Skip to main site content
Meet the Chimps
Chimp Life
Adopt a Chimp
Save the Chimps wishes to honor the memory of two beloved chimpanzees, Bradley and Libbell
March 1994 – April 2012 Libbell
July 1983 – April 2012
Bradley was born March 17, 1994 at The Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, NM to his mother Stella and his father Lou. He was separated from his mother right away and sent to live in the laboratory nursery. He was only one year old when he was sent to a research laboratory in Maryland, and a page in his file indicates that he lived alone, but contain no other records of his years there. To our knowledge he remained there until early 2002 when he was sent to another research laboratory in Texas. After Save the Chimps took over The Coulston Foundation, Bradley was returned to his place of birth in New Mexico. There he was introduced to other chimpanzees, which Bradley found a bit daunting at first. He was a very sweet and gentle fellow, but somewhat shy and reserved around other chimps. He often cuddled a bundle of soft blankets for comfort. He eventually became best friends with Roady, another male chimp his age who, like Bradley, had lived much of his life in isolation. Together they became members of Tapioca’s Family.
Tapioca’s Family was the last group to migrate to Florida, where a world like they had never seen awaited them. Bradley was a bit tentative about exploring his new home when he first arrived, but eventually ventured out to the grassy hills. To our great sorrow, Bradley passed away suddenly just months after his arrival in Florida. We deeply miss our handsome and kind friend with all of our hearts.
Libbell
Libbell was born July 4, 1983 to her mother Debbie and father Les at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP). She was named Libbell after the “Liberty Bell” because of her date of birth. Libbell spent the next 13 years of her life in a 5’x5’x7’ cage that was suspended off the floor of a room at LEMSIP. She endured repeated “knockdowns” and liver biopsies, and developed a habit of self-mutilation in which she would pick open wounds on herself. In 1996, LEMSIP closed, and Libbell was sent to The Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, NM. There she met other chimps, including her friend Plum who was also a LEMSIP veteran.
In 2002, Libbell was rescued by Save the Chimps. She had a large swelling on the top of her head which resulted from a skull defect. Rupture of the swelling would quickly cause death, so introducing Libbell to a large family group carried too great a risk of injury; also, Libbell’s habit of self-mutilation returned any time she had even a minor wound, so she could only live with very gentle chimps. Libbell and Plum lived together with two other laid-back females, Cayenne and Indie.
Following life-saving surgical repair of the skull defect by STC’s veterinary team, Libbell and her girlfriends also met Ridge, a male chimp who also found group living to be a challenge. Together they became residents of our “Special Needs” Building in Florida. Her adorable smile and gentle demeanor endeared sweet Libby to all who met her. Sadly, Libbell passed away in her sleep following a brief illness, and a light in our lives and the lives of her chimpanzee friends went out.
Rest in Peace, Bradley and Libbell. We will keep you in our hearts always.
“No one ever really dies as long as they leave us with fond memories.”
Donate in honor of Bradley & Libbell
Thank you to everyone who makes our work possible. It is because of your compassion and generosity that chimps are able to live out their lives in peace.
Save the Chimps, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 65-0789748
PO Box 12220 Fort Pierce, FL 34979 | Telephone: 772.429.0403
©Save the Chimps. All rights reserved.
Website: Visual Natives
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Huawei CEO goes public on CFO arrest & China security concerns
Ashton Young
Huawei held a press conference at its new campus in Dongguan on Tuesday 18 December.
Journalists were treated to a visit of the company’s R&D labs exhibiting materials and thermal management technologies developed for 5G equipment, in addition to an independent cybersecurity lab.
Huawei rotating chairman Ken Hu then sat down for a press conference, where he was promptly grilled by the media regarding his thoughts on recent events like nations turning their back on the company’s 5G solutions due to perceived security risks from China, and of course, the arrest of CFO Meng Wanzhou in Canada at the request of the United States.
Hu wasted no time in asserting his confidence in the company’s growth and prospects, and expects revenue in 2018 to exceed US$100 billion. Before questioning, Hu also brought up the elephant in the room that was the allegations and stated that it’s ‘best to let the facts speak for themselves, stressing that the company has maintained a clean security record from day one, with no serious cybersecurity incidents in 30 years.
Here are some of the highlights from Hu’s initial presentation:
The company has locked in 25 commercial contracts which according to Hu, puts it in first place among all ICT equipment providers having already shipped more than 10,000 base stations to markets around the globe.
While Hu acknowledges some security concerns surrounding 5G to legitimate, but the bulk of these can be resolved through collaboration with operators and governments.
Hu says there have been cases where countries have used 5G issues as ‘an excuse groundless speculation based on ideological or geopolitical considerations’.
According to Hu, these moves to block market competition will only slow adoption of new technology, increase costs for network deployment, and raise prices for consumers, quoting that if Huawei were allowed to compete in the US for 5G deployment from 2017 to 2020 it would save the country around $20 billion of capital expenditure in wireless infrastructure.
Hu says cybersecurity is the number one priority for Huawei and trumps everything else.
The company has subjected itself to the most rigorous of reviews and screening by regulators and customers, as Hu says it understands the legitimate concerns that some stakeholders may have.
Hu says there is no evidence that implicates Huawei’s equipment to be a security threat. Despite the often-quoted concerns about Chinese law, Hu stressed the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had formally explained that no law requires companies to install mandatory backdoors.
However, he says the company remains open to concerns about its openness, transparency, and independence. Any proof or evidence could be shared with telecom operators, if not to Huawei or the public at large.
Hu also said despite some media reports, there is no official decision from either France or Japan saying they would ban Huawei from 5G.
The other elephant in the room regarding Huawei’s CFO was also touched upon. Hu said he was unable to comment due to legal reasons, however he assured that business operations were not being impacted by the event.
There has been no effect on executive travel plans and Huawei remains confident about its travel compliance system, and assured in the fairness and independence of the judicial systems in Canada and the US.
To wrap up the press conference, Hu had a few closing quotes.
"This is journey of transformation that has helped us grow up from an unknown vendor to the 5G leader. I'd like to share a saying from Romain Rolland – ‘There is only one heroism in the world: to see the world as it is, and to love it',” Hu says.
“At Huawei, we see what we have encountered, and we still love the work we are doing. Similarly, in Chinese, we have a saying: 道阻且长，行且将至. It means that the road ahead is long and hard, but we will keep moving and reach the destination, because we have already embarked on this journey.”
Hu then faced a number of questions from journalists (mainly centred around the arrest of Meng and the perceived security risks of being a Chinese company), with varying responses.
Hu was asked to clarify the company’s stance on growing concerns from international governments about China’s influence on Huawei and potential to access illicit information.
“Of course, just like the US and Australia, China also has certain legal requirements for counter terrorism or cyber security objectives. China also specially emphasizes that all government institutions or agencies must enforce the law according to the law. There are clear definitions,” says Hu.
“For Huawei, our approach is to address these issues in strict accordance to the law. In the past, we haven't received any requests to provide improper information. In the future, we will also follow in strict accordance to the law in dealing with similar situations. When we talk about according to the law, the law has clear stipulations around the terms of reference for related agencies.”
Following the arrest of Meng in Canada, the Chinese government then arrested two Canadians on national security concerns, and thus Hu was questioned whether this was in direct retaliation.
And Hu? “No comment on that.”
A scenario was then brought up how carriers around the world are supposedly considering or have already decided to rip out Huawei equipment or steer clear of it for 5G deployments, and whether in light of this Hu is confident in sustaining the company’s growth.
“We are not seeing as pessimistic a picture as was described just now. We didn't see operators saying they want to swap out Huawei equipment or they want to stay clear from Huawei. On the contrary, out of the hundreds of operators we work with in the world, almost all of them are saying they want to work with Huawei, using Huawei equipment for their 5G networks, because they know we are the best. Only by using the best equipment can they build up their 5G networks faster and can they build up their 5G networks in a more cost-competitive way,” says Hu.
“I think it's not necessary to always dwell on fear or speculations without any facts. Having said that, it definitely does not mean we don't value other voices or concerns around Huawei's openness, transparency, and independence. Therefore in the past and in the future we will continue to adopt a transparent approach in proactively communicating with all stakeholders on all of their legitimate concerns, by providing more information that they need.”
Huawei Huawei Cloud Huawei Storage 5G Cybersecurity China Cloud
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Why the cyber security field needs to take a leaf out of medicine’s book
There’s a revolution going on in modern medicine. In the past, medicine was generalised and prescriptive. If a treatment worked for one person, it was assumed it would work for the general population. That’s not the case. Medicine has moved from this old world approach to one where doctors, and the treatments they offer, are focused first on preventing disease, and if someone has an illness, personalising the treatment, explaining what the risks and benefits of treatment are to patients in everyday language and involving the patient in their ongoing care.
So what’s medicine got to do with cyber security? Quite a bit, as it happens. Think about the way we’ve traditionally looked at cyber security. IT security teams operate outside of the business context, use language that boards and C-suites don’t understand, and don’t involve the general business in reinforcing its defences against cyber threats.
That approach has to change if we’re going to combat the ever increasing threats from bad actors. And the need for change is pressing. Last year, 4,150 data breaches worldwide exposed over 4.2 billion records – an all-time high. We’re also moving into the era of the Internet of Things, with a predicted 20.4 billion connected devices by 2020. Companies that have never written code in the last decade will be responsible for over a trillion lines of code in the next decade. So how do we protect all that?
The key is bringing precision to security, just like what is happening in medicine. The security reality is that one size simply does not fit all. So security teams have to work with business teams to make risk visible, take command of that risk, and decide what risk is worth taking and what is not. That’s the prevention aspect.
IT also has to work to personalise security for the business teams and involve them in the organisation’s security posture. Business isn’t interested in the technical details of an attack – and generally won’t understand when IT tries to explain it in technical terms anyway. What the business teams care about is impact to reputation, what has happened to customer data, and what the legal ramifications are.
And the reputational aspects are stunning. Research has found data breaches, along with customer service and environmental disaster, is one of the three top negative impacts to brand reputation. In 2016, 70 per cent of organisations in Asia Pacific and Japan reported that they had experienced a security incident that had negatively impacted operations. That means there are lots of companies that are risking reputation – one of the most important assets a business has – because they are still stuck in the old way of doing things.
As well as the reputational aspects of breaches, there are legal ramifications. New laws such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), under which companies can be fined EUR20 million or four per cent of worldwide revenues for non-compliance, and Australia’s mandatory data breach notification laws, mean that companies simply must change their approach to security or wear the consequences.
So what’s the answer? We need to look back at medicine. IT and business must work together to identify risk, agree on common language, and work to bridge the gap between boards, the C-suite and the business’ security posture. Put another way, cyber security must become preventative, personalised and participatory. But at the same time it must also be responsive. As with medicine, you need a treatment plan should prevention fail, which involves the ability to recover from setbacks, adapt to change, and keep going in the face of adversity.
Security is no longer a technological problem. It’s a problem of communication, process and participation. More than anything, however, security is a business problem, and that must govern the way we approach it in the future.
Article by Len Kleinman, RSA’s chief cyber security advisor, APJ.
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ComCom takes responsibility for external provider breach
Data breaches costing companies millions - could incident response help?
Data breach Regulation RSA
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Hope after horror. Refugees can have a future
Prince Bahati threw out all the rules of journalism as he hosted his reconciliation programme following the Rwandan genocide
St Albans, England
Victor Hulbert/Trans-European Division
Nobody chooses to be a refugee. War, persecution, oppressive regimes – there are many reasons why there are currently 60 million displaced persons or refugees in the world. Each one has their story. Each one wants to survive. Each one wants a better life. Each one lives with hope.
Hope! That is something Francine Karekezi needed. A Tutsi, she ran for her life during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Today she lives in Austria. Her tale is horrific.
Francine grew up as a Seventh-day Adventist. She was a committed Christian, but that did not stop her community from being attacked. The boys and men were all shot. The killers said the women and girls should be ‘hugged’ with machetes as they did not have enough bullets.
‘When they moved towards us I was the first one,’ she recalled while publicly telling her story for the first time. ‘My neck had to be cut off but I had the reflex to block it. That’s why I have scars on my left arm.’ Her mother jumped on the man who was trying to kill her, screaming, ‘You are not going to kill my daughter in front of me!’
Francine ran, heading towards a nearby Red Cross hospital that was already a sanctuary for her sister. It was barely 50 metres but became a desperate race. She was caught on the barbed wire fence, and even as she ran the militia shot at her. Her mother, severely injured, staggered along behind. Someone threw a grenade but thankfully it didn’t go off.
Amazingly they made it over the high wall and into the safety of the compound. And that is where they remained for the next three months, protected by Red Cross workers who kept them hidden and lied to the militiamen about them.
Sadly, the end of the genocide was not the end of her ordeal. When she left the hospital compound all she found was horror. ‘Everything that made me what I am – my family, neighbours, friends, everything that was Tutsi around me – everybody was just killed. Everybody was gone.’
That horror led her to another question: ‘Why me? Why did I survive?’ She has no easy answer and for many such survivors the very fact of being alive can lead to feelings of guilt. However, for Francine survival gave her the strong feeling that she had to do something very positive with her life, to do something for God. The first step was to find healing for herself and forgiveness for those who committed such horrible atrocities.
‘Healing, with time, is just there,’ she says. ‘Forgiveness, that must be our decision.’ That forgiveness is important for her. ‘Forgiveness helps those who forgive. It was a tragic thing that happened, not only to those who were killed, but those who killed. I look at it through biblical lenses. This person is in more trouble than those he killed. Those people who killed during the war went through awful things that they wouldn’t have gone through had they not killed. They have to carry that guilt.’ She concludes: ‘It never crossed my mind that I should hate them.’
That is very important for Prince Bahati too. Following the genocide he found himself hosting a radio show called Reconciliation, on the Christian channel, Voice of Hope. ‘I had to throw out all the rules of good journalism,’ he said, ‘simply listening and letting people from both communities tell their stories.’
The time on the radio taught Bahati something about healing. He especially remembers a call he took from one of the killers. After several long conversations he arranged a meeting between the killer and the surviving family of those he killed. ‘It was a very moving and tearful experience,’ Bahati confessed. The family were more than willing to forgive. They just wanted to hear the words, to receive the explanation. ‘Bringing people together like this is what Christ can do,’
Bahati adds. ‘It gave me the real motivation and purpose for airing that difficult radio programme for so many years.’
While today’s refugees are looking for hope and a future in Europe they are passing through the very countries that almost cost Dejan Stojkovic his life during the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Dejan is a Serb, but grew up in a home where he was taught not to take sides, but to take people at their face value. That can be a challenge when your country is at war with your neighbours. He remembers taking a train to Novi Sad in northern Serbia. One of the passengers started cursing the Croatians. Dejan says, ‘I thought this was a good moment to share my belief and conviction, taking into consideration that my best friends were from Croatia and Bosnia. I told him, “People are people to me until they show that they are not.” ‘
This time round he was a teenager. The next time, when war returned in 1999, he was old enough for conscription. This was a real challenge for him, both because of his Christian belief in the sanctity of life, and because he had friends whom his government now considered to be ‘the enemy’. Despite the bombings and the difficulty of living life in an air-raid shelter, Dejan knew that, even if he thought it to be a just war, he could never shoot to kill. He decided to leave his country, crossing the border into Bosnia in an undertaker’s hearse. There he experienced kindness, but felt he was a burden to people, living in other people’s houses and farms. Today, married to Deana, another refugee, and as the father of a newly born baby girl, he looks back on his own experiences and those of his wife.
‘It makes me look at today’s refugee crisis through very different eyes,’ he says. ‘I know what it is to be a refugee, even to be looked down on and scorned because of what my country is going through.’ Since his experience in Serbia he is also scornful of the propaganda – on both sides of the fence.
‘I started telling you a story about Serbs because as these wars took place you probably took sides as we usually do,’ he said. ‘Depending on which news you watched you formed your opinion and it was easy to see that we were portrayed in the media as the nation which deserved all that happened to us.’ Dejan takes another view. ‘The fact is that war is never good. All sides committed terrible things to each other but we ended up with the world marking us as the lowest of all.’
That has been the case until the recent European refugee crisis. Until recently, he says, ‘It was almost impossible to find anyone to say a good word about Serbia. But this crisis has shown the other face of the Serbian people. One picture that touched my heart is the image of a Serbian police officer and a smiling Syrian boy. I can summarise that picture in one word: compassion.’
Francine, Dejan and Deana no longer live in the countries of their birth. However, all three have learnt the meaning of hope, and now share the compassion and love of God with whomever they come in contact with – whether that contact is a former enemy, or simply the next wave of refugees, or a hurting person who crosses their path. [tedNEWS]
This article was first published in a special edition of FOCUS Magazine, 2016-1. looking at peace, hope and pacifism. Used by permission, The Stanborough Press, Grantham, England.
See Also: Interpreting Love. The personal experience of an interpreter at the Petra, Olympus refugee camp in Northern Greece.
Yazidi Refugees between a rock and a hard place. Frank Brenda shares what ADRA is doing to try and help Yazidi refugees in Northern Greece.
‘I feel I make a difference.’ A 12 minute video highligting how volunteers and workers from ADRA, Adventist Help and local Greek church members are supporting refugees in Greece.
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Members asked to pray after Nepal bans evangelistic outreach
People attending the dedication of a new Adventist church in Kaping, Nepal, in April 2016. [Photo: Umesh Pokharel]
The Adventist leader in Nepal says a new approach is needed to share the gospel.
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
The leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nepal has called for prayers amid a state clampdown on evangelistic outreach, including the distribution of religious literature and even having a Bible in a Christian orphanage.
All evangelistic activity is prohibited under a new Nepalese Constitution that came into force in September 2015. Article 31(3) of the Constitution says that “any act to convert another person from one religion to another, or any act or behavior to undermine or jeopardize the religion of another, [is] punishable by law.”
“It is time to reconsider our approach toward reaching other communities with the gospel,” said Umesh Pokharel, president of the Adventist Church’s Nepal Section.
The Constitution does not spell out what constitutes “any act to convert,” but the authorities have started to interpret the law. The Social Welfare Council, the government agency responsible for approving foreign aid used to conduct local programs, has stopped approving Christian activities, Pokharel said. Distributing Christian literature invites punishment, and the authorities have warned the leaders of Christian boarding schools and orphanages that they face large fines, the confiscation of property, and closure if a single piece of literature is found on their premises. The government also has banned adults for praying with children and giving them Bible studies.
The clampdown could expand even further, Pokharel said.
“Holding church services accessible to all or organizing events to help underprivileged and disadvantaged people could be interpreted as evangelistic and considered a violation of the law,” he told the Adventist Review.
The Adventist Church has about 5,000 members worshipping in 37 churches and 16 companies across the country of about 28 million people.
Pokharel said Adventist believers have experienced challenges for decades in the predominantly Hindu nation, which has never officially recognized Christianity as a religion.
“But Christianity has been increasingly under threat in recent times,” he said.
“In this difficult time for Christian community in Nepal, we kindly solicit your sincere and continuous prayer for all our brethren, evangelists, pastors, and co-workers serving in parts of this country,” he said.
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Saw Samuel Elected President of Southern Asia-Pacific Division
[Photo courtesy of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division]
He says he will seek God’s wisdom to value each day as a precious gift to be used wisely.
Silver Spring, Maryland United States
Saw Samuel, who was elected president of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division on Tuesday, said he would seek new ways to reach the many Buddhists and Muslims in his region even as he sought wisdom from God to value each day as a precious gift to be used wisely.
The General Conference’s Executive Committee, the top governing body of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, elected Saw on March 22 to replace Leonardo R. Asoy, who succumbed to a rare bone marrow disease in January.
Samuel, who previously served as executive secretary of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division, said he had a particular burden to share the gospel with unreached people in his division, which encompasses 14 countries with a population of 1 billion but only 1.3 million church members.
“My main burden is to engage and involve our young people and professional and non-professional lay members in reaching out to the unreached Chinese, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and secular urban people,” Samuel said. “I do have a great concern also for dropped, missing, and backsliding members.”
Samuel’s remarks indicate that he intends to pursue the course of Asoy, who was elected president at the General Conference Session in San Antonio, Texas, last July. Asoy said at the time that he was especially eager to find ways to reach Buddhists and Muslims in his division.
Asoy passed away on Jan. 12 of complications from myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare disease in which the bone marrow is unable to produce adequate healthy blood cells. Asoy, 56, had been elected to replace the ailing Alberto C. Gulfan Jr., who served as president for 12 years and succumbed to cancer on Sept. 26 at the age of 64.
Samuel, the first Burmese to serve as an Adventist division president, said his vision for the Southern Asia-Pacific Division was to mobilize, unite, and use its God-given resources of young people, professionals, regular church members, and media and technology to spread the gospel.
His favorite Bible passage is the prayer of Moses in Psalm 90 and particularly verse 12, which reads, “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
“Life is short and precious,” he said. “We need wisdom from God how to use our time, health, and strength, and our God-given resources.”
Leaders of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division — which stretches from Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the west to Indonesia and the Philippines in the east — nominated Saw as the next president at a March 18 meeting at the division’s headquarters in Silang, Philippines.
“We had multiple prayer sessions to ask for the leading of the Holy Spirit, and we felt His presence,” said Ted N.C. Wilson, president of the Adventist world church, who attended the meeting of about 40 members of the division’s Executive Committee during an Asian trip that also took him to Japan and Hong Kong. “The atmosphere was very respectful and Christ-like. … We were sobered by the recent death of two division presidents.”
On Sabbath, March 19, church leaders paid tribute to Gulfan and Asoy and their families, and presented their widows with flowers and a glass plaque with an inscription that Samuel read out loud. The short service at the church at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies underscored on the two leaders’ strong emphasis on evangelism through a local initiative called Integrated Evangelism Lifestyle, which is closely connected with the Adventist world church’s Total Member Involvement initiative.
During the Friday meeting to nominate a new president, committee members shared their perspectives and views in a respectful manner throughout the morning and afternoon, Wilson said.
“I was so proud of the comportment and attitude of the committee members,” he said. “They were truly wanting God’s will to be done.”
Samuel, who had served as acting division president since January, was first elected executive secretary of the division in 2010. Before that, he worked for two years as ministerial secretary of the Southeast Asia Union Mission in Singapore. The rest of his career as pastor and administrator were spent in Thailand, serving as executive secretary of the Thailand Adventist Mission (2002-08); director of Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program at the Thailand Adventist Mission (2006-08); youth director at the Thailand Adventist Mission (2002-04); pastor of the Bangkok Adventist Hospital Church (2000-02); and chaplaincy coordinator for Seventh-day Adventist English Language Schools in Thailand (1998-99).
Samuel graduated with a Doctor in Ministry degree from the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies in the Philippines this month. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in religion from Spicer Memorial College (now Spicer Adventist University) in Pune, India, in 1995 and 1997, respectively.
He is married to Orathai Chureson, the Southern Asia-Pacific Division’s children’s and family ministries director. They have two children, Amanda, 12, and Sorawin, 10.
Samuel’s six years of experience as executive secretary of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division gave him the opportunity “to observe and learn many things that will help his future leadership under the Holy Spirit’s guidance,” Wilson said.
“He is very spiritual, respectful, humble, and mission-minded servant leader whom God will use mightily as the Southern Asia-Pacific Division team and all members in that great division keep their eyes upon Christ as the Leader of the church,” he said.
Wilson encouraged Samuel “to be strong in the Lord as he humbly moves forward with the work assigned to him.”
“He will need to lean on Christ daily and claim the promise of James 1:5 every day just as I try to do,” he said. The text reads: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (NKJV).
“It is only through God’s wisdom that we can humbly and effectively work,” Wilson said.
In addition, Wilson said, Samuel and his wife will need to make sure that their schedule includes appropriate family time.
“This is their first mission field as are our families for all of us,” Wilson said. “Pastor Samuel does not have to do everything, and no leader can. He will certainly need to delegate many responsibilities and maintain a strong vision and evangelistic outlook in his leadership. I know God will guide him in doing this.”
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Sharon L. Clark
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Tag: story excerpt Page 1 of 3
Return To Me: Part 7
By Sharon Clark
In Stories & Excerpts
Too terrified to move, Emma could only stare, mouth agape. She couldn’t make out any facial features, hair color, or clothing, but the outline of a man was evident. The shape didn’t move or make a sound, just sat perfectly still at the head of the table.
Where Justin always sat.
The exhilaration that coursed through her veins was unlike anything Emma had felt before. It had worked. Justin was here.
A sob escaped her before she could stop it. This was everything she had wanted, her most fervent wish come true! Her knees were suddenly soft and threatened to give out on her, putting her at risk of falling to the floor in a blubbering heap.
“Justin!” She called his name in a breathy laugh and took a step forward, ready to rush through the night into his arms.
As she watched, the figure silently began to stand. That wasn’t quite right, she thought. The motion more closely resembled a mist rising from the floor than anything a human body could do. There was no rustling of clothing, no squeak of the chair on the floor, nothing to indicate actual movement.
A small whisper of air blew past Emma, lifting the strands of hair that lay against her damp cheek. Her muscles tensed and she found herself holding her breath.
There was a palpable difference in the room. The air felt charged with electricity, crackling with latent power about to explode. Emma’s heart was racing but the pounding in her ears drowned out everything else. It was as though the whole world was holding its breath along with her.
Her stomach in knots, Emma took in a shaky breath and whispered, “Justin?”
She looked more closely at the shadow and realized something was wrong. Very, very wrong. The street lights were bright enough that the rest of the room was lit up, the furniture illuminated in stark relief. But somehow the light didn’t touch the figure. All the brightness seemed to be swallowed as soon as it touched the shape, like being sucked into a black hole. It wasn’t just that she couldn’t make out any features – there weren’t any.
A terrifying realization fell over Emma. Whatever this thing was, it was NOT her husband. It was shaped like Justin, as though his shadow was being cast into the room, but that was the only similarity. This was so much more than a mere shadow. It pulsed and breathed and moved in a way that was wholly unnatural and set her nerves jangling in alarm. Where her husband had been sunshine and love, this emanated darkness. All the warmth in the room was overrun by a chilling sense of dread.
She had been tricked.
The cold understanding of the manipulation took her breath. All the dreams had been visitations, there was no doubt. But the truth of who – or what – had been visiting her in her sleep was chilling.
Emma took an involuntary step backward and watched in horror as the shape stepped – no, not stepped: floated? drifted? – through the dining room table, advancing on her at a languid, relentless pace. All the air was suddenly sucked out of the room, the pressure in her ears making her wince.
What had started out as a desperate prayer for happiness had turned into a living nightmare. Every second brought the menacing figure closer and closer, the sense of impending danger growing. Emma cast her eyes around her, looking for an escape or a weapon or something to rescue her from the situation, but she was pressed against the wall at the end of the hallway. In a panic, she dodged to the side, intending to dive back into her bedroom. But before she had taken more than a step, the door slammed shut, nearly catching her hand in the process. Ice water filled her veins and she turned her gaze back to the entity’s imminent progression.
Her brain was a jumble of static and fear and she was no longer able to make sense of what she was witnessing. The shadow continued to glide through the space between them, insistent and unhurried. Emma wanted desperately to run, to try to dash through or around this dark figure and escape into the night outside but her limbs refused to obey her. On the verge of collapsing physically and mentally, a memory poked at the wall of fear surrounding her brain, begging to be seen.
YES. That Emma had prepared for exactly this scenario was a fact that had been forgotten in her state of pure terror. The cautions from the old crone at the shop prompted Emma to do a little research. She had come across numerous warnings about meddling with the afterlife, about the unpredictability of the spirit world and the likelihood of inviting in something unwholesome and possibly evil. While she had trusted Dream Justin, she hadn’t been entirely convinced the conjuring incantation was going to work in the first place. But she reasoned that it couldn’t hurt to have an idea of how to protect herself. Just in case.
Her hands flew to her hips looking for pockets that weren’t there. Patting down her backside and her stomach and her chest, Emma was somehow shocked to realize she was barely dressed. She was in her pajamas, the handwritten spell discarded somewhere else, out of reach.
Clutching at her hair, pushing down the scream that gurgled in the back of her throat, Emma racked her brain in an attempt to draw out the words she needed. The dark entity proceeded inexorably forward, but its substance had changed. Where it had started out as only a shadow, it appeared to have gained some substance, a roiling mass. There was depth to it now, like a billow of black smoke, writhing and twisting in on itself. The shape was swirling faster and faster as Emma watched, almost as though its excitement at overtaking her was manifesting in movement.
Words flashed into Emma’s mind, jumbled together randomly, nonsensical. She floundered, her overwhelming anxiety making it impossible to snatch anything useful from the whirlwind in her head. The darkness was closer now, churning and reeling, licks of shadow bursting forward, just feet from Emma. She pressed herself against the wall. There was nowhere for her to go, and watching the determined progression pulled a scream from deep inside her.
She raised her hands in a futile attempt to ward off the evil now close enough she could hear the swishing and buzzing its rolling motion created. With a burst of reckless urgency, she shouted the first words that rose to the front of her internal maelstrom.
“You are not welcome here, you have no power to cause me harm! I call upon all the powers of light and love to drag you far from me, back to the depths where you belong!”
The shadow stopped its forward movement, shaking and gyrating with more speed, getting louder and louder, a high-pitched keening adding to the noise. It began to expand, filling the hallway and blocking all light seeping through the windows. Emma clamped her hands over her ears, shouting the words over and over again, battling the roar of what could only be the entity’s rage.
“YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE! YOU HAVE NO POWER TO CAUSE ME HARM!” A fierce wind blew through the hallway, making it hard for her to breathe, but she persisted. “I CALL UPON ALL THE POWERS OF LIGHT AND LOVE TO DRAG YOU FAR FROM ME, BACK TO THE DEPTHS WHERE YOU BELONG!”
Emma flailed one hand at the wall next to her, searching for something, anything, to save her. Her hand landed on a light switch, the incantation continuing to flow from her lungs with her last breath. The malevolent phantom redoubled its growth, raising the cacophony to unbearable levels, freezing air now whipping all around Emma. Certain that her death was upon her, she forced herself to face the attack with eyes wide open, knowing that the last thing she would ever see would be the sudden burst of forward movement just before the darkness swallowed her, body and soul.
She flipped the switch under her palm by instinct, shrieking from every cell of her being. As light flooded the space around her, she was hit with an ice cold explosion of air followed by a deafening silence.
Emma stood in the bright hallway, chilled to the bone, but unharmed.
And completely alone.
The rest of the day was spent poring over the summoning book, looking for just the right words and symbols necessary for what she was about to attempt. Many variations of the incantation were written and discarded. Eventually, she ended up with a chant that she felt was powerful and to-the-point. She practiced drawing the sigil Justin had told her to use, finding it in the book. She drew it over and over until it was perfect. She cleared off the dining room table, placing a dark purple cloth at the head and smoothing the sigil drawing on top of it. She traced the shape on the paper with the powdered elderberry, her hands surprisingly steady. Settling the candle at the top of the cloth, she stood back and surveyed her work. Perfect.
Once the table was ready, Emma poured herself a glass of wine before turning off the lights throughout the house. She perched on the edge of Justin’s favorite armchair and gazed out the large bay window into the quiet night. All the trick-or-treaters had come and gone, leaving the street empty.
Next to the chair stood the end table that held the reframed photo of the two of them on their wedding day. Justin’s warm brown eyes smiled out at her, sparkling with mischief. She picked up the photo and gazed at her husband’s face. He looked so alive in this picture, so vibrant and warm it was disorienting. How could he be dead? Justin had been larger than life and brought light into every room he entered. You could feel the kindness and joy radiating off him any time you were within ten feet. Emma wasn’t the only one who felt it. But she was sure she was the only one who experienced the absence of that sunshine so acutely. His recent nighttime visitations had only served to dig that emptiness bigger and deeper and more painful. It didn’t matter if they were real or merely wishful dreaming. Justin was still gone.
Trailing her finger along the shape of his cheek, she kissed the glass and set the frame back on the table. She finished her wine, rinsed the glass and took her place at the end of the table in front of the makeshift altar.
It was time.
Pulling a small folded piece of paper out of her pocket, Emma lit the candle. She smoothed the paper on the table, so she could read the words, and held her hands out, palms up, in front of her. She cleared her throat and closed her eyes, taking a bracing breath.
“You who lived yesterday, I call you from my mind to yours. Come back from the shadows into the light.” She glanced at the paper before cupping her hands and wafting the candle smoke over her face. “I feel the warmth of your body, the warmth of your spirit. This sigil of summoning calls you to me and I hold you in my arms, my heart, and my soul. I bid you return to me.”
She choked back a sob, overcome with the desperation she felt for this to work. “Please,” she whispered, dropping her hands, clenching and unclenching them at her sides. “Oh god, please return to me, Justin. Please.”
Repeating the incantation three times – for good measure – Emma let the candle burn and stood perfectly still. She closed her eyes and tried to relax her body and mind, listening to every creak and sigh the house made around her. How would she know if it had worked? Would the air in the room feel different? Would he appear in front of her, fully formed, flesh and bone, like in her dreams?
She stood quietly for what felt like an eternity, waiting. Hoping. One silent tear after another fell from her closed eyes. It was foolish of her to have believed this would work. The dreams were just that – dreams. Wishful thinking, a manifestation of her broken heart. Justin was dead. Period.
Tonight, All Hallows Eve with the house silent and dark, she understood how people believed in things like this. If they felt even a fraction of the pain Emma felt right now – had felt for the better part of the last year – they would be nothing short of desperate to believe their late loves were somehow still with them.
Swallowing the sob that bubbled up in her throat, Emma pictured Justin’s face in her mind, heard his laugh in the deep quiet of the room. Ten years. Ten short years of the purest happiness Emma had ever known. He had been her rock and her guiding light. Without that beacon of love in her life she had been floundering in the world and didn’t know if she’d ever find her way again. That’s why she’d been so lost without him. Why she’d let her dream self be convinced this absurdity could bring him back.
Disappointed tears now dry on her face, Emma let her shoulders slump in defeat. Nothing had happened. She didn’t know if she honestly thought something would, but if this nonsense was ever going to work then it would take the one night when the veil to the spirit world was thinnest to breathe it to life.
Opening her eyes and letting them adjust to the near-darkness in the house, she smoothed out the incantation on the table, over and over again. A passing car cast shadows that danced and bounced off the walls. It was silent and still and empty in the house, just as it had been every night since the end of her world. Justin was gone. That was the reality Emma had to live with now. Heaving a defeated sigh, Emma snuffed out the candle and trudged to her bedroom. Perhaps she would dream of him again. Perhaps not, now that she knew it had all been in her head.
Emma drifted in and out of a restless sleep. She was too hot, she was too cold, it was too quiet, she couldn’t get comfortable. She was beyond exhausted and she should have fallen into a deep sleep, but it eluded her, keeping her always just outside the circle of peacefulness. She even had taken 3 full sleeping pills, for good measure, but she still tossed and turned.
With a jolt, Emma sat straight up in bed, suddenly wide awake, any hint of fatigue long gone. Her breathing was ragged and shallow and she was covered with a sheen of sweat, as though she had been running. Sitting motionless, she tried to recall what had woken her. She glanced around the bedroom looking for an explanation, but nothing stood out to her.
The one thing clear in her mind was that she needed to go out to the dining room. She knew it as surely as she knew her own name. In the pit of her stomach she felt a knot, the pull of a thread drawing her out of her bed and toward the door.
Her feet hit the cold floor and she paused. Through the crack of the partially-opened door Emma saw only darkness. Something was calling to her. Nothing audible, nothing she could hear, but a call that she could feel in the middle of her chest. She rubbed her wet palms on the legs of her pajamas and licked her lips, trying to get the courage to move.
On shaky legs, she rose and took a few tentative steps across the room. Cloaked in a sensation of unreality, everything around her seemed to glow and pulsate. Was she dreaming again? This was nothing like the lucid dreams of Justin she had been experiencing. Instead, there was a menacing nightmare quality in the air. Only the rough boards beneath her feet and the manic pounding in her chest grounded her in the certainty of wakefulness.
She watched her hand tremble reaching for the door. The ominous squeaking of the hinges made goosebumps break out over every inch of her and she came close to turning back. The urge to slam the door and dive under her covers until the sun came up nearly overtook her and she hesitated in the open doorway. But the invisible thread drawing her out was stronger than her apprehension and she leaned into the hallway.
All the air in her lungs turned to sludge and she was unable to take a breath. Her eyes had to be playing tricks on her, the remnant of whatever nightmare had woken her so forcefully a moment ago. She blinked over and over, trying to clear her vision but nothing changed. Stepping fully into the hall, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end as the realization of what she was seeing fully formed.
A silhouette was visible at the dining room table, backlit by the street lights through the window.
There had been other dreams about Justin, especially right after his death. But this one…this one was different. Real. So real, in fact, that Emma woke up expecting to find him waiting in the kitchen for her, holding out a steaming cup of fresh coffee.
In the dream, she had rolled over to see him sleeping next to her. She shot upright, had nearly fallen out of bed, and startled him awake. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and smiled at her.
“Expecting someone else?”
When she only managed to clap a hand over her mouth, failing to stifle a sob, he had gathered her to his chest and smoothed her hair.
“I’m here, Em. Shh, shh. I’m really and truly here.”
Emma had clung to him, a thousand questions in her mind, but unable to make her voice work. After several minutes, she pulled back just enough to look at him, and nearly fell apart again at the bright smile on his face.
“Justin…” she murmured. He leaned into her and feathered his lips against hers. “Oh my god, Justin…I thought – how are you here? You can’t be here.” Tentatively, Emma stroked his cheek. “I thought I would never get to see you again. How is this possible?”
Laying back in the bed and propping himself on his elbow, the smile never left Justin’s face as he patted the space next to him.
“I don’t know,” he answered cheerfully. “I just am. God, you’re so beautiful, Em. I could stare at you for the rest of eternity and see something new every day.”
When he ran his fingertips along her cheek, wiping away the tears, Emma melted into his touch. “Can you stay? Are you here for good?” A thought suddenly occurred to her and she sat up, her eyes wide. “Am I dead?!”
Justin threw his head back and laughed. “No, babe, you’re still very much alive. You are, however, asleep, and I won’t be here when you wake up. Come here.” He pulled her to him, laying her head on his chest.
Lulled by the impossible sound of his heart beating, Emma closed her eyes and snuggled tighter against him. It felt so good to hold him again, even if it was just a dream. He was warm, and comfortable and here. That was all that mattered.
The next time she opened her eyes the sun was streaming through her curtains and she was alone. Even though it had been a year since he passed away, Emma could never bring herself to take up the whole bed. Every night, she left his side tucked in and neat. And this morning it looked no different than it had for the last 365 mornings.
He visited her in similar dreams every night for the next week. Sometimes the two of them got up and went into the living room, sitting across from each other like they used to do, telling stories and laughing. Other nights they only laid in bed and gazed at each other, not needing words to communicate what they were feeling. But morning always came, and Justin wasn’t there.
On the tenth night after these dream dates started, Emma eagerly climbed into bed, nestling down under the covers. This had become her favorite time of the day. Her excitement was making it harder and harder for her to fall asleep, however, so she had started taking sleeping pills. It was a half a pill for the first couple of nights, then a whole one. But it was taking longer and longer for her to drift off, so she was up to two and a half pills at this point. She knew she was pushing the threshold of safety, but to her it was worth it.
Once sleep overtook her, Emma rolled over in bed and opened her eyes with a smile, expecting to see her husband grinning back at her. But on this night, the pillow next to her was empty. Sitting up abruptly, Emma scanned the dark room.
“Justin?” When there was no response, she slid out of bed and started looking for him. “Justin? Are you here?”
As she reached the dining table at the end of the hallway, movement from the living room made her jump. Justin was sitting in his favorite armchair by the window, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped in front of him. Relief coursed through Emma and she skipped toward him.
“There you are! You had me worried.” The nervous tightening in her stomach only worsened when Justin didn’t look up as she approached. “Babe? Is everything okay?”
When he finally looked up at her, Emma was shocked at the sadness on his face. His sunny smile was turned down and his bright eyes were dim and full of distress. She rushed to him, dropping to her knees and taking his hands in hers.
Shaking his head, Justin sighed. “I can’t stay, Em. This will be my last visit to you.”
Emma’s stomach dropped and a cold wave washed over her. She stroked his cheek and said, “No. No, it can’t be. I just got you back! You can’t go away again. You can’t!”
Justin grasped her shoulders and pushed her back from him before standing and pacing to the fireplace. He leaned against the mantle, refusing to look at Emma.
“It’s not my decision, Em. It’s out of my hands.”
Standing defiantly in the middle of the room, her hands on her hips, Emma asked, “Well, whose decision is it then? If there’s someone to make the decision, there must be someone to talk to, some way to change their mind. I’m not letting you go. I won’t.” She chewed her lip to keep it from trembling. “I can’t.”
Justin whirled around and was suddenly in front of Emma, her hands gripped in his. “There is something you can do, Emma. There is a way I can stay with you…if you want me to.”
“Anything!” Emma’s heart began beating so fast she was sure it was going to burst out of her chest. “You know I will do anything to bring you back to me. Tell me what to do.”
Brushing her hair back off her forehead, Justin flashed Emma his most charming smile. He kissed her tenderly then pulled her close and whispered his instructions in her ear.
When Emma opened her eyes to the bright sun once again, she felt lighter and more hopeful than she had in more than a year. She had a plan. She had a goal. Something to do, to work for.
Something that meant everything to her.
She showered and made some breakfast, taking her coffee in a travel mug as she bounded out the door. There was research to be done, a couple of items to buy, certain arrangements to make and there was no time to waste. It was Halloween and Justin had been adamant everything had to be done tonight, or it wouldn’t work.
And it had to work.
After driving an hour outside of town, Emma pulled up outside a ramshackle shop. The sign read Wayward Cosmos and the website said she could find everything from books and candles to talismans and crystals. She had never been in a shop like this before and something about walking through the door set her nerves on edge.
It was dark and a little musty, the shelves close and full of odds and ends. The space had looked much larger from the outside and claustrophobia began to set in for Emma. She had to turn sideways to walk between tables. One wall was full of bookshelves overflowing with tomes of varying size. The opposite wall’s shelves were covered in crystal balls, statues of dragons and fairies, and lots of charms and totems that Emma had never seen before. The tables scattered throughout the shop held makeshift Wiccan altars, vials of different substances with names like mugwort and poke root. There was a giant pentagram painted on the floor and a large glass case full of animal skulls in different sizes.
The store was hushed, no sounds of an air conditioner, a fan, a radio. The lights were on and the door was unlocked, so Emma felt fairly confident that the shop was open, but the stillness around her was eerie and had her checking over her shoulder frequently.
She made her way to the bookshelf, looking for something that might help with the task at hand. Justin had told her what kind of book to look for, but no exact title. All he could tell her was that she’d know it when she found it. She perused such titles as The Green Witch, Wicca Book of Spells, The Complete Book of Witchcraft, The Crystal Bible. Letting her fingers trail over the spines, Emma felt a quickening in her stomach. There had to be a book to help her. If not here, where?
Her eyes fell on a title that caught her attention: The Magical Art of Summoning Spirits. Pulling it off the shelf, she knew immediately this was what she had been looking for. Her hand smoothed over the words etched on the cover and she felt an electric tingle run up her arm. Clutching it to her chest she turned and was shocked to find an old woman standing directly behind her.
“Oh!” She was so surprised, she stepped back and stumbled against the bookshelf. “I – I didn’t hear you! Jesus, you scared me!”
The figure stood perfectly still, saying nothing. Emma took in the old woman’s long, flowing gown and bare feet, noting the sound of the sparkling bracelets piled on both of her wrists. Her hair was pure white, curling almost to her waist, framing a wrinkled face with bright green eyes. Brow furrowed, she stared at Emma long and hard, freezing her in place. The eyes…there was something about her eyes that made goosebumps rise on Emma’s skin. Intelligent, calculating, and regarding Emma as though she was reading every thought in her mind – and didn’t like what she saw there.
After what felt like several minutes of being scrutinized, Emma cleared her throat and tried on a feeble smile.
“Uh…is this your shop? I – I was looking for a couple of items. Maybe you could help me?”
The old woman leaned closer as though to say something, but instead drew in a sharp breath. Then her eyes fell on the book clasped in Emma’s hands and her eyes darkened.
“Your intentions are good, but your methods are dangerous,” the woman croaked. “That book should not be read lightly.”
Emma swallowed and tried to smile. “Oh, uh, thank you. It’s actually for a friend. He does this stuff all the time and knows what he’s doing.” She slid sideways, trying to extract herself from the closeness of this encounter. “Do you sell candles, too? There was a specific one he wanted.”
With a grunt, the old woman spun away toward the back of the store, making Emma rush to catch up to her. Her speed and agility didn’t match her appearance at all.
“Do you also have some powdered elderberry?”
At this question, the old woman pulled up short and cast a suspicious look over her shoulder. “Elderberry, eh? And what candle did your…friend…ask for specifically?”
“Uh…purple? Dark purple, to be exact.”
The woman snorted and shook her head. “Your friend is meddling in things…he…shouldn’t. This is powerful magic and can have very unexpected repercussions.”
Chewing on her lip, Emma held the book closer against her chest. “You do have the items, though, right? I mean, you have them here, today, that you can sell to me?”
A shiny black cat that Emma hadn’t noticed before leapt onto the counter and sat protectively in front of the crone. Absently stroking the cat, she watched Emma closely. Without looking away, she reached under the countertop and produced a fat amethyst-colored candle, setting it down with a thud. Emma could feel a bead of sweat trickling down the back of her neck and she had to wipe her sweaty palms on her jeans over and over while the shopkeeper glared at her.
Finally breaking away from the uncomfortable eye contact, the old woman turned to a drawer set in the shelving behind her and pulled out an old apothecary bottle. She removed the cork stopper and shook a measure of dark powder into a small baggie. When she returned her attention to Emma, the look on her face was kinder, her forehead wrinkled not in anger but concern. She rang up Emma’s items on an ornate old cash register and captured Emma’s hand between both of her gnarled ones when handing back the change.
“Use caution, my dear. This is unpredictable magic you’re meddling with here. You may get far more than you bargained for if you follow through with this rash plan.”
Emma grimaced, startled by the strength of the old woman’s grip. She pulled her hand away and picked up her items.
“Um, okay, I will – I’ll be careful. I, uh, I know what I’m doing – I mean my friend knows what he’s doing – but I thank you for your concern. Have a nice day!” She turned and made a hasty retreat to the door.
Fear clutched at her chest and froze her muscles in place. Slowly, carefully, she rose from the mattress. She had no idea what she might find but she wasn’t about to wait for it to come find her. She padded silently on bare feet to the bedroom door, straining to hear any further movement. There was no sound, so she ventured further into the hallway, inching along with her back pressed up against the wall.
When she reached the entrance to the living room she peeked around the corner in an attempt to assess the situation from a safe distance. She could only see a sliver of the room, and she couldn’t be sure it was empty. No shuffling or other signs of movement carried to her through the quiet. Cautiously, she stepped through the doorway.
No one was there. Nothing looked disturbed. The front door was still locked as was the sliding back door. So…what had made that noise? No windows were open. It was definitely inside the house and it hadn’t been the wind blowing something over. She passed her gaze over every part of the room; over Justin’s favorite armchair, the couch Emma slept on more often than not, the end tables, the coffee table, the fireplace and the mantle.
As she turned to search the kitchen, something caught her eye. She froze.
On the hearth, shattered and broken, was the 8×10 photo of Emma and Justin’s wedding day. Their faces smiled up at her with so much hope and joy that she would have crumpled to the ground if it hadn’t been for the fact that the photo had been, just a few minutes ago, sitting peacefully on the end table.
On the opposite side of the room.
She had spun around, making sure she wasn’t imagining things. Maybe this was a different photo that had simply fallen off the mantle. Emma had been a little singularly focused recently and it wouldn’t have been out of the question for her to have moved something and forgotten. But no, there were no empty spots above the fireplace. She knew where the photo had come from. How it got here, on the other hand…
“Justin,” she’d whispered again, this time in wonder. “Justin!” She called his name louder and stood still, holding her breath. Was it possible? Was he here? Her heart raced in anticipation. Eyes wide, searching the shadows in the corners of the room, she had expected to see him standing there with his arms open, his signature bright grin splitting his face. He had stopped her. He had saved her. He was still here, watching and protecting her.
That realization had washed over Emma with a tidal wave of tears. Justin wouldn’t have wanted this for her, she knew that now. No matter how much she missed him there was no way he would have condoned taking this kind of permanent action. He had always accused Emma of being too reactionary, of jumping to a major solution for a minor problem. While the despair that had taken over her life wasn’t necessarily minor to her, she realized her resolution wasn’t going to fix anything.
She had picked up the crumpled frame carefully and carried it to the kitchen. Removing the broken glass piece by piece, her eyes stayed locked on the picture, on the face she loved more than anything. Contradictory emotions flooded through her: she felt the joy and the promise of that day shining out of their faces, the anguish of being forever separated, the rage of him being taken from her. She stood in the kitchen, memorizing every line and curve of his face, letting the tears flow. When exhaustion finally overtook her, she left the photo on the counter and made her way to bed.
Walking into the bedroom, she started undressing but stopped dead in her tracks.
Lying forgotten on the floor, dull and cold, the gun suddenly filled Emma with dread. Her hands flew to cover her mouth, her eyes wide and terrified.
What had she been about to do?
Slowly coming out of her reverie, Emma found herself still in the kitchen, holding the finished casserole. She had no idea how long she’d been standing there, lost in her thoughts, but at least she’d had the presence of mind to put on the oven mitts first. With a sigh, she reluctantly continued preparations for her dinner guests.
“Sweetheart, everything was simply delicious!” Lois smoothed her daughter’s hair back from her face and kissed her warmly on the cheek. “I know it was hard, but you did a great job. And I know the Bakers were thankful to have this chance to talk about their son with others who knew and loved him.”
Emma squeezed her mother tight. “You’re right. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It’ll never be easy, but it was…oddly comforting.” The Bakers and the few neighbors who had been able to come had already left, leaving just Lois and David May with their daughter.
“Proud of you, kiddo,” David said. “You did great. Justin would have loved this.”
They were all silent for a moment, then Emma laughed. “You’re right. He loved telling his old stories and liked nothing better than to be the center of attention.” Her heart ached. “God, I miss him.”
Looking around, Lois started picking up glasses. “Let me help you clean all this up…”
Emma stopped her with a firm, “No. Mom, no. It’s okay. I like cleaning up. It lets me unwind from the stress of trying to be interesting all night. You guys go home. I’m fine.”
David raised an eyebrow at his daughter.
Kissing him on the cheek, Emma amended, “I’ll be fine.”
Once the door shut behind her parents, Emma set to the task of cleaning. She turned the radio on to fill the silence. After so much laughter and conversation, the house seemed empty all of a sudden. Singing along with the radio, Emma tried to keep her mind from wandering into the sadness that was left behind with the mess. A nice mindless activity like washing dishes coupled with the nonsense of current pop songs should do the trick.
When everything was washed and put away, she poured herself a glass of wine and leaned against the counter. Talking with everyone about Justin had brought him a little bit closer tonight. With only the light from the candles still burning on the table, Emma sat in what had been Justin’s favorite armchair.
“I miss you, baby,” she whispered. “You would have had a blast tonight. There was so much love in this room…and it was all for you.” Emma let out a deep sigh and leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees. “I can’t believe it’s been a year. It sounds like such a long time when I say it out loud, but it feels like yesterday.”
Tucking her hair behind one ear, she sipped her wine and settled back into the chair. “Our neighbor Lisa was here – without James.” She quirked an eyebrow in the dark. “So much drama, babe. I have to say, I’m glad he’s gone. It was nice to see Lisa, though.”
She shot up out of the chair and started pacing the room, suddenly agitated. “Oh, I know, I know. I need to get out more, I need to be around people again. God, you sound like my mother.” Emma stopped and stared out the window. “You were the only way I tolerated people, you know that. Nothing is any fun without you, Justin.”
Draining the last of the wine in her glass, Emma set it in the sink and blew out the candles. She stood in the middle of the dark living room and smiled sadly as she wiped a tear from her cheek. “I will never not miss you.”
Emma got ready for bed and found herself looking through Justin’s jewelry box. She hadn’t touched it since his effects were given to her after the funeral.
She picked up the watch she had given to him for their last Christmas together. He had been a watch fiend, having a different one for every day of the week. But after Emma gave him this one, it was the only one he wore. It wasn’t fancy or expensive. It wasn’t even particularly attractive, to be honest. But on the back, Emma had added an engraving: You and me, forever. Love, E.
After sifting through his old chains and the pile of business cards he had somehow accumulated in the jewelry box, her fingers brushed against his wedding band. Shiny gray tungsten, it was still perfectly round and smooth as though she had just taken it out of the box. Emma was a little sad that the tungsten didn’t show any signs of wear. Made it seem like it hadn’t been worn in love for ten years. The little infinity symbol engraved on the inside was still pristine. And was as true that day as it had been the day she exchanged rings with him. Needing to feel close to Justin, she slipped the ring on her middle finger and pressed it to her lips. She returned all the other trinkets to the box and turned out the light. The emotional night had taken its toll on her, and Emma drifted off to sleep, clutching Justin’s ring tight.
That was the first night he visited her.
One year later, the pain was no less. The loneliness had only grown exponentially. And the isolation had become far more pronounced. Identifying Justin’s body had been the single worst experience Emma had ever lived through. She tried to erase that image with alcohol for the first couple of months afterwards, crying until she threw up then washing down all the pain and guilt and solitude with another bottle of wine.
There had been some even darker days that she had somehow made it through. She had a vague recollection of getting out of bed and showering every day, of leaving the house and nodding woodenly to friends and family as they offered their condolences but ultimately didn’t know what to say. Emma knew she must have eaten at some point. The only memory that stood out in stark relief was the night, six months into her life as a widow, that she had stared down the barrel of a loaded pistol.
Emma lit the candles on the dining room table and looked over the settings once more. She had never told anyone about that night. It was the darkest moment she had ever experienced. The only thought in her mind had been that she needed to be with Justin. Without him, there was nothing in this world for her. Until the moment she realized he was really gone, Emma had considered herself an independent woman. She didn’t need a man to make her happy, to take care of her. She loved Justin and they had an amazing partnership in which they were happiest together, but she could survive alone if necessary.
At least that’s what she thought until being alone became her reality.
Thinking back as she checked the oven, she was surprised at how easy it had been to make that deadly decision. There was no weighing the pros and cons, no contemplating the ramifications to those she’d leave behind. It had been as simple as thinking there was nothing left in this world for her and she didn’t want to stay in it anymore.
She had been at lunch with her mom when it presented itself as the only solution for her, but she said nothing. Her mother had been relaying how Emma’s friends were always inquiring about her, sending their well-wishes and love. She had tried not to roll her eyes at that. Her closest friends had come to the funeral to show their support. They made donations to the local homeless shelter in Justin’s name. They brought beautiful cards with flowery poetry scripted on the inside. Some brought her casseroles – really, what was a now-single woman going to do with six pans of lasagna? – while others sent flowers or cookie bouquets. Her best friends even made a few tentative phone calls with half-assed invitations to get together when Emma knew that was the last thing they actually wanted.
Sadness and loneliness that couldn’t be alleviated hung like a lead weight around Emma’s neck every day, every night, every waking moment. Her mother encouraged her to get out, to do something, even if it was just taking a walk. Lois meant well, but Emma had been sunk so far in her grief there was nothing her mom could say or do to pull her out. Emma had let her mind wander over the last few months. The awkward lunch dates with her mother, her father’s clumsy hugs and stilted conversation because he simply didn’t know what to say. The long days and even longer nights that left her wishing for a gas leak or some other disaster to kill her in her sleep.
In that moment, at that thought, it all became so clear. Emma’s eyes were wide and clear for the first time in a long time. She felt a little guilty when her mom perked up, too, thinking her daughter was taking her well-meant advice to heart. In reality, Lois was witnessing the beginning of a plan that would ultimately end her daughter’s life. It was simple, really. Her parents were going out of town for the next week, a trip that had been planned even before Justin’s accident. If she used her time wisely, Emma could start the wheels in motion and be free of this nightmare before they returned.
Sure, her parents would be devastated for a while. She felt some remorse for that. But they would be so much better off without worrying about Emma every day. She would be at peace and that would bring them peace.
After a three-day waiting period, Emma picked up the small 9mm pistol she had selected. It wasn’t fancy. It was used and cheap, but she was assured by the salesman that it was reliable and easy to handle. She had lied to him, saying that she had just moved to town and, living alone, she wanted something to keep in the house, just in case. She had turned it over and over in her hands, admiring the compact size of the solution to her misery.
A concise note explaining her actions had been left propped up on the kitchen counter. She owed her parents that, at the very least. The house was clean and neat. The food from the refrigerator had been thrown out two days before. Emma wasn’t eating much these days anyway. All of her bills were paid, all of her services had been canceled.
She was ready.
Sitting on the edge of the bed she had once shared with Justin, Emma took a deep breath. This was the moment. Six months of missing the piece that had made her whole, made her who she was and gave her the strength to face anything, was long enough. Soon she’d be reunited with Justin and they would be together forever.
With a sense of calm she hadn’t known in what felt like eons, Emma contemplated the weapon, deciding what would be the most efficient way to take her life. She’d heard about some who shot themselves in the chest, right into the heart, but she wasn’t confident that would do the trick. Head, it was. Should she press the muzzle against her temple or place it firmly between her teeth? She frowned. There were stories of both methods going horribly wrong and only maiming the shooter. While she had never contemplated suicide before and certainly wasn’t an expert, she knew that if you were going to do the deed you’d better make sure it took.
She held the gun up and pointed it squarely between her eyes. The muzzle stared back at her, the black void promising her peace at last. This was it. She pressed the gun against her forehead, positioning it so there was no way to miss, and closed her eyes.
“Justin…” His name came out in a reverent whisper and she pictured him in her mind’s eye.
Suddenly a crash sounded from the living room making Emma jump. She hadn’t put her finger on the trigger yet and the gun fell from her hands, clattering to the hardwood floor. Emma sprang up from her bed, her heart pounding loud and frantic in her chest.
Someone was in the house.
“Uh, can I get you something to drink?” Emma was aware that she was stalling but she smiled at the officers and pointed toward the kitchen. “I can get some coffee going pretty quickly or I have iced tea or some different sodas…”
The officers glanced at each other and the male cleared his throat. “No, thank you. That won’t be necessary. Please, have a seat.”
Her head felt unexpectedly light, and Emma perched awkwardly on the edge of the armchair, facing the officers who were sitting side-by-side on the couch. A muffled voice could be heard somewhere close by and Emma cast her eyes around the room, trying to find the source. She was surprised to see a cell phone in her hand and stared at it for a moment, unsure what to do with it.
Stalling.
She lifted the phone to her ear and croaked out, “Mom? Mom, I have, ah, company. Can I call you right back?” She nodded at whatever her mother had said and disconnected the call without another word, finally turning her attention to the figures before her.
“Mrs. Baker, we have some very bad news to tell you,” the female officer started, and Emma began shaking her head involuntarily. She didn’t need to hear what the woman was about to say. She already knew. Somehow, she already knew it deep in her soul.
Emma wanted to run, to make them leave. Her stomach clenched, on the verge of expelling its contents and she needed to leave. But her body was frozen in place, unable to escape the nightmare that was about to begin.
The officers exchanged another glance and the female officer continued. “Your husband, Justin Baker, was in a car accident this afternoon and was killed.”
Emma blinked.
“I am very sorry this happened.” The male officer had kind eyes, Emma thought randomly as she stared at him, waiting for him to deliver the punchline she knew had to be coming. “Is there anyone I can call for you?”
Her head still wagging back and forth in denial, she locked eyes with the man then the woman, back and forth, trying to understand the words she had just heard.
“I’m sorry – what? What are you telling me? No one died. You’re wrong. My husband is on his way home from work and we’re going to a costume party. You have the wrong house, the wrong Bakers. Justin is about to walk through the door any second…” Emma floundered with her phone, trying to check the time.
He should have been home more than an hour ago.
She felt like all the blood was evacuating her body, starting at her scalp and moving through her face, her chest, her stomach, to her toes. Her feet were suddenly freezing cold and stars began to form in the edge of her vision.
Her phone resumed its insistent vibrating, message after message filling her screen but Emma barely noticed. Her mind was simultaneously racing and immobile. She couldn’t move past the loop that was playing over and over in her head. Justin is dead. He isn’t coming home. You’ll never see him again, never kiss him again. Justin is dead. Dead.
Justin. Is. Dead.
Lifting her head slowly, Emma realized the officers were still sitting on her couch. The woman was talking. She saw her lips moving, but Emma couldn’t hear anything over the buzzing in her ears. It was the strangest sensation. Her head was filled with static, her fingers and toes felt like they were encased in ice, her cheeks and lips were tingling with pins and needles.
“Ma’am?” The male officer’s voice cut through the other noise. “Mrs. Baker, are you okay? Do we need to call anyone for you?”
Emma shook her head. “I…What – what do I do now?” All the fight had drained out of her and her words came out in a whisper. “What am I supposed to do now?”
The Path of Least Dysfunction, A Series: Chapter 33
Same restaurant, same table, very different nerves. I was waiting for Chris, the same as I had what felt like forever ago. Last time, however, I was nervous with excitement and anticipation. I had been so looking forward to talking to him and getting to know him again.
This particular meeting would be a very different situation.
I wasn’t sure if Chris knew what was coming. I didn’t know how he was going to react. Or how I was going to react, for that matter. Jamie was my future, I was absolutely certain about that, but that didn’t mean that I wasn’t going to break my own heart.
My stomach was in knots and the number of times I contemplated checking the size of the window in the bathroom – just in case – was astronomical. With a snort I realized I hadn’t tried to run away for quite a while. A little personal growth, perhaps?
Yeah, doubtful.
Chris’s pickup pulled in and I seriously thought I was going to throw up. Watching him get out of the truck and stand there, still holding the handle, told me all I needed to know. It seemed he had a pretty good idea why we were here. He stared at his feet, spinning his keys around the middle finger of one hand, gripping the car door like it was his bathroom escape route. After an eternity, he pocketed his keys, scrubbed a hand over his hair and walked into the restaurant.
I stood and tried to smile as he approached. It must have been a frightening expression that was less inviting than it was horror story because his feet stuttered and I thought he was going to turn around. Instead, he grinned at me without the smile reaching his eyes. He pulled me in for a hug and kissed my cheek, exactly the way he had at our first meeting and my stomach dropped. This was going to suck.
“You look great, Lexi,” he said, holding my chair out for me before taking his own seat. He fiddled with his silverware and only glanced up now and then without making any kind of eye contact. “Do you want to actually order food, or just rip the bandage off?”
I grimaced. “Ouch.”
He shrugged and locked eyes with me. “I can’t say I wasn’t expecting this at some point. Even when we were together you weren’t really with me.”
The tears started to well up and I shook my head. “Chris, you don’t deserve this. I am a horrible human being and I am so, so sorry.”
Grabbing my hand across the table, he leaned forward. “I’m not. Not for one second.” He twined his fingers through mine and lifted our hands to kiss my knuckles. “Lexi, this time with you has been amazing. It’s nothing I was looking for, but something I see now that I really needed. Did you know that I hadn’t been on a date in a year before you called me?”
I raised my eyebrows. “I didn’t know that. But it’s got to be hard to meet people, much less go on dates, when you’ve got a kid.”
Before I had even finished my thought, Chris was shaking his head. “It wasn’t that at all. I’m not sure I know what it truly was, but I kind of think it was fear.” Rubbing his thumb over my knuckles, he stared at our joined hands. As though he’d been burned, though, he released my hand and sat back, crossing his arms. It felt terrible, like the closeness between us had been a dream.
“What could you possibly be afraid of that would keep you from dating? I don’t know why the ladies aren’t falling all over themselves to get to you! You’re sweet. You’re funny, and adorable. You’re an amazing father and a devoted and protective friend. What are you afraid of?”
He narrowed his eyes and cocked his head. “I’m not sure if I can explain it. After since Angie and I split up, I’ve done nothing but work, sleep, and spend time with my son. Period. It’s comfortable. It’s safe. I know all the people in my life and they know everything about me and love me anyway. The idea of getting to know someone again – of putting myself out there to be accepted or rejected – makes me want to barf.”
The waiter appeared out of nowhere and Chris was about to wave him away when I cleared my throat. “Actually, can we get some chips and queso and a couple of menus, please?” Chris raised his eyebrows at me and I grinned. “What? I’m hungry.”
He laughed at me and sat back in his seat, looking relaxed for the first time that night. “Yeah, okay, so am I. I’ve been too nervous all day to eat anything. I knew why you asked me here but I was still hoping I was wrong.”
“Chris…” But he held up a hand and leaned in.
“No, it’s fine. On the drive here I really thought about it. I said I was scared to let anyone else in, to open myself up again. But this time with you…well, it’s given me some faith in myself again.”
“I’m glad to hear that, but I’m not entirely sure what I did.”
Chris was quiet for a moment, chewing his lip. “How do I explain it? I guess that spending time with you made me realize how much I miss having someone in my life who looks at me the way you did. I want to have someone I can be number one for, a best friend and partner in crime. It’s not you, unfortunately, but I know that I’m ready to look for her. So I suppose I should be thanking you.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You mean you’re not mad?”
“Why would I be mad?”
“For dragging you into my psychotic break? For leading you to believe that we had a future?” I could feel the tears threatening again. “Don’t you think I was unfair to you, maybe even using you?”
“Were you?”
“No! I don’t know, maybe.” I sniffled and stared at my hands in my lap.
“Can you use the willing? No one got hurt here.” He leaned forward and lifted my chin. “Besides, Lexi, I was happy to be your tool.”
We burst into laughter and when our eyes met, I knew we would be okay.
The color drained from Jamie’s face which was not a good sign. He launched out of his seat and started pacing, rubbing his chin, one hand on his hip. I wasn’t hopeful that I was going to like what I was about to hear.
He finally stopped and faced me. “Okay, you’re right. You definitely deserve an explanation.”
“The truth, Jamie. I deserve the truth,” I corrected. “Please don’t try to spare my feelings. I need to know what’s happening between you two, how things started, and what it all means for the future – for our future.”
My stomach was knotted and my throat was tight. Anxiety wrapped itself around me as I imagined all the things he might say: He and Kelly had been sleeping together for years, or he was really in love with her and didn’t know how to call it off, or that it was Kelly and always Kelly that he’d wanted to be with and only had the opportunity once I’d postponed the wedding.
I was ready for anything he had to say.
“Kelly’s dating my brother.”
Except for that.
“What? Chad? Kelly’s dating Chad?” When he nodded, I rubbed my forehead. “How did I not know that?”
He threw his hands in the air. “You’ve been a little self-absorbed recently, Lex. They’ve been seeing each other for a couple months now. I probably see Kelly more often than you do, these days.”
I felt sick. While hearing that Jamie and Kelly were romantically involved would have been painful, knowing that I had failed my best friend was like a knife to the gut. Throw in the fact that I had suspected the two people I loved most were sneaking around behind my back and I would have been happy to be swallowed by the earth at that exact moment.
“With everything that’s been going on in your life, she’s been missing you, just like I have. She and Chad started inviting me over for dinners or along to baseball games or farmers markets.” He raked his fingers through his hair then spread both hands out in front of him. “We felt like we had both lost you and no one but the two of us could understand how we were feeling. She and Chad are crazy about each other but she and I have a connection they never will: you.”
Jamie knelt in front of me and took my hands in his. “Alexis, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be an asshole here. But you haven’t really been present. Kelly has been trying to support you, to be there for you. She doesn’t feel right talking about her relationship with Chad when you’re confused and hurting.”
There was no way I could look at Jamie so I stared at our hands in my lap. When the first tear plopped into my lap, he cupped my cheek and swiped the next one away with his thumb. That small gesture of kindness pushed my guilt over the edge and I buried my face in my hands and sobbed. He tried to wrap his arms around me but I stood and pushed roughly past him.
“How can you try to comfort me? I deserve to feel every ounce of guilt and pain. I’m so ashamed. How could I be so selfish?” I finally looked up at Jamie to find concern lining his face as he watched me. “And you…” I gulped. “I don’t understand how you’re still here, how you haven’t washed your hands of this whole nightmare!”
He frowned and flew across the room to me, grasping my upper arms and pulling me close. “How can you even say that? For being so smart, you really can be stupid sometimes, Alexis!”
Releasing his grip, he pulled me into his arms, the rough stubble of his chin pressed against my cheek. His voice was soft and full of pain when he said, “I am here – and I will always be here – because I love you, Alexis. My world was dark and cold before I met you. I had no direction, no joy in my life before you.”
I clung to him, bunching his shirt in my fists and trying to press myself closer to him. But he pulled back and smoothed my curls from my forehead, framing my face in both hands. A small smile curved his lips.
“I’ve never told you this…I’ve never told anyone this, not even Chad. But I was in a very dark place the night we met. I felt helpless, hopeless, floundering in an ocean of despair and going under quickly.”
My eyes wide, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Oh, Jamie.” He waved me off.
“I hadn’t made a plan, I wasn’t committed to doing anything, but I sure didn’t see any future for myself. Until you. I saw that smile, got a glimpsse of your enormous humor and heart, and for the first time in a long time I saw beauty in the world. That night I met you, at the karaoke bar, was the night my life truly started.”
Searching his face, it was like I was seeing him – really seeing him – for the first time. “I had no idea. Jamie, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me?”
He shrugged. “It wasn’t important. That wasn’t me anymore. Everything had changed and I didn’t want my past to be part of our future.”
“I can’t believe what I’ve put you through,” I murmured, pressing my face into his shoulder to hide the fresh wave of shame trying to drown me. “If I had known…”
Extracting himself from my embrace, he held me at arms’ length and cocked his head. “I didn’t tell you that to make you feel bad or obligated. That’s the last thing I want! I’d never want you to be with me because you felt like you had to be.” He dropped his hands and took a step backwards. “Please don’t think I’m going to backslide or fall apart if you decide not to be with me. It will hurt, a lot, but that’s kind of what I’m trying to tell you. The world is a different place to me now. Knowing you, loving you, has shown me there is endless possibility and hope all around us. You saved my life, even if you choose not to be in it anymore.”
Words wouldn’t come to me. I had never heard anything so heartfelt and honest in my life. In the years we’d been together we’d shared nearly everything and I had always felt closer to Jamie than to anyone else. But the raw emotion in his words made me realize there was still so much more to learn, so much I wanted to discover about him and my heart swelled with affection. I stepped closer, reaching for him, wanting to feel his arms around me and to press my lips to his.
He held out his hands and moved out of reach. “Hold on, Lex,” he said. I blinked. “Don’t you think there’s someone else you need to make things right with, first?”
My cheeks flushed and I nodded.
Jamie kissed my forehead and whispered in my ear, “Call me when you’re done.” Then he handed me my phone, the call already ringing into Kelly’s line.
I watched Chris leave, thinking about what he’d said. He really wasn’t pushing me. So why did I feel like I was under pressure?
That was all on me. It was classic Alexis; the weight of the world balanced precariously on every decision I made. Logically, I knew that very little hinged on what job I took, where I went on vacation, what I had for dinner. But somehow my anxiety had convinced me that if I chose poorly the repercussions could be catastrophic.
Being around Chris felt good. He was kind and considerate and probably the sweetest man on the planet. Could I see myself with him? Easily. We would wake up and make breakfast, then spend the time before we had to work drinking coffee and discussing the latest news. On the weekends we could stay in bed and binge tv or get up to wander around the Farmers’ Market, holding hands and meeting up with friends for brunch. Our life together stretched out in front of me, calm, peaceful, and full of love. We could get married and buy a house, get a dog and have a baby. He’d be the best dad.
With a shock, I realized I had forgotten a very important piece of information regarding Chris: He was already a dad!
I frowned. That tidbit brought with it an entire host of things I hadn’t taken into consideration. His ex-wife would always be a part of his life. It’s not that I didn’t like Angie or that I thought she’d try to come between us, but that reminder that he’d loved someone else would always be present. I liked kids. At least, I was sure I would, if I spent any time around them. Chewing my lip, it dawned on me that life with Chris might cause as much anxiety as it quelled.
When I walked into my apartment, Jamie was standing at the window, hands in his pockets and his shoulders down. He didn’t turn when I came in. He didn’t say anything, either.
“Hey,” I said. “It’s time we had a talk.”
He cleared his throat. “I’ve already lost you, haven’t I?”
I froze, guilt settling like a weight in my stomach. “What do you mean? Of course not. But I think we both have questions that deserve answers.”
Jamie nodded, shuffled his foot on the carpet, then crossed the room and sat in the chair he’d been in earlier.
He didn’t look up at me once.
As soon as I was settled across from him, hands clenched in my lap, I tried to order my thoughts. I had no idea what to start with. Should I tell him things I think he wants to know? Ask him my questions? Keep my mouth shut and wait for him to start?
I watched him and it became obvious he wasn’t about to take the initiative. He was slouched forward in the chair, elbows resting on his thighs. Staring at the floor, his hands hung limp between his knees. Everything about him felt dejected and heartbroken. And, once again, it was because of me.
“Are you in love with him, Lex?” he asked the floor.
Was I? That was the million-dollar question. How did I feel about Chris? There was a part of me that wanted to spend all my time with him, to kiss him again, to just lie in his arms. But the rational part of me was able to look at the situation and see it the way he had described our kiss: ‘It was two people with a shared past needing to feel something good, if only for a little while.’
Looking at Jamie in my living room and seeing what my behavior was doing to him broke my heart. I wanted to gather him to me and kiss him, soothe him, and take away all the hurt.
“I—I don’t know,” I stammered. “I’m so confused. I don’t know if these are real feelings or something left over from high school or just a reaction to the way he thinks he feels about me.”
Jamie sat up and finally met my gaze. His lips curved into the ghost of a smile, but his eyes were still filled with pain. “That’s better news than I was expecting,” he said. “Watching how comfortable you two are with each other, I was sure this was the end for me.” His face darkened and he turned away. “But the fact that you kissed him is going to hang over us for a long time.”
“I know.” I stared at my hands as I picked at my nails. Oh, I was aware that I had hurt him in a moment of stupidity and the guilt weighed heavily on me. “It sounds like a broken record, but I never meant for that to happen. It was nothing but a moment of weakness.”
I was going to say more, try to apologize again, to get him to understand what I had been feeling in that moment with Chris. But as I looked at Jamie’s sad, distraught face, something occurred to me.
“Wait a minute. I’ve already explained this, I’ve already apologized. It’s your turn to start talking.”
His brow furrowed, he cocked his head and asked, “What do you mean? About what?”
I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes, giving him the best glare I could muster as I uttered one word.
“Kelly.”
“You – you what?” I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. This was Jamie, MY Jamie, who had never wished harm to anyone.
He ground his fist into the palm of his other hand and frowned at the floor. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet and dark.
“I wanted to hurt you, to make you feel as bad as I did. I brought Brenda to make you think that I had moved on, that every minute of every day wasn’t spent thinking about you and missing you.” He glanced up. “Wondering who you were with.”
I couldn’t hold his gaze for long, as guilt settled in my chest like a lead weight. My hands twisted in my lap, knotting my fingers, clenching into fists. There was not one word I could think of to say. Nothing was going to make this better. An apology would sound weak and wouldn’t assuage my guilt or his anger, and would probably only serve to make things worse.
He stood suddenly and paced across the living room, sweeping his hands over his hair repeatedly, shaking his head.
“You were everything to me,” he began. “There was nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Alexis. Nothing. If I could give you the moon and stars, you know you’d already have them. Since the day we met, the only thing I wanted to do was make you happy. And what did you do with that?”
Coming to a stop with his back to me, he hung his head. His sadness was radiating off him and I knew I needed to make things better, to try to explain again why I was doing what I was.
“Oh, Jamie. I –“
Before I could even start, he had spun around and was looming over me, his finger pointing menacingly in my face.
“Don’t!” he bellowed. “You don’t get to talk right now, Alexis!”
I shrank back into the couch, my eyes wide. I had never seen him like this. Jamie didn’t raise his voice. He had never tried to intimidate me or threaten me. This was a stranger in front of me, not the Jamie I knew.
He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes and blew out a deep breath. Keeping my eyes on him, I waited.
“Shit. This is not what I wanted. Things weren’t supposed to go down like this.” Turning to face me, he looked down, his brow furrowed. “Yes. I wanted to hurt you. That was my whole plan in coming to the art show. I wanted to make you feel as small, unloved, and insignificant as you made me feel.”
I kept my eyes down, watching the floor as he started pacing again. This had become a surreal situation and one that I didn’t know how to handle. I couldn’t blame him for wanting to hurt me, not really. He didn’t deserve the way I’d treated him, not for one second. Coming to the art show to confront me only made sense.
I frowned. He came to the art show to confront me? But…how did he even know I would be there?
Rising from the couch inch by inch, anger bubbled up inside me. “Jamie,” I murmured.
He whirled around surprised to find me so close behind him. His eyes flew wide for a second then narrowed and he crossed his arms in defiance. I continued to advance on him.
“Jamie…how did you know I was going to be there? I didn’t tell anyone. It was a last-minute decision. It’s not the sort of thing that I generally attend, so I know you didn’t guess.” I jabbed a finger into his chest, my anger overshadowing any fear he had caused a moment before. “How did you know? Do you have my phone tapped or something?”
Rolling his eyes, he stepped around me, hiding his face and putting some distance between us.
“Have your phone tapped?” he scoffed. “Don’t be rididculous! Who do you think I am – James Bond? How would I even do that?”
I followed him and stepped in his path. “Then how? You’re not a damn psychic.”
There was no way I was letting him get away without an explanation and I could tell by his face that he knew it.
“Jesus, you’re stubborn.” Sighing, he relented. “It was Kelly. She told me you were going to be there and suggested that I come talk to you.”
“Bullshit,” I spat. “Kelly wouldn’t do that. She was getting me away from everything, including thinking about you.”
He shrugged. “Look, she knew that neither of us would be the first to reach out and she was tired of getting caught in the middle. So…she orchestrated an ‘accidental’ meeting where we could hash things out.” Looking smug, he added, “She wasn’t expecting me to have my own plan.”
None of this was making sense. I pushed my hands against my temples to keep my head from exploding.
“I don’t understand! There are so many things you just said that are crazy I don’t even know where to start.” I fell back into the couch and stared at the ceiling. Without looking at him, I knew Jamie had sat down and was watching me closely.
I thought again about what he said, and something wasn’t sitting right.
“Wait – when did Kelly tell you where we were going?”
I felt him shrug. “I don’t know. On the phone the night before, I guess. She let it slip and we set it up from there.”
“You were…already talking to her when she ‘let it slip’? Why were you on the phone with her?”
He moved from the couch to the chair across from me without saying anything. I sat up and stared at him.
“How often do you two talk, Jamie?”
Now he was the one who couldn’t look me in the eye. His knee was bouncing and he was suddenly very interested in the floor. “Come on, Alexis. There’s no law that says I can’t talk to Kelly without you. We’re friends, too, you know.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” My chest started to hurt. “I would never hang out with one of your friends without you.”
He launched out of the chair and started toward the door. “Jesus, Alexis, can you hear yourself? This isn’t on me, you know. You’re the one who decided to call off the wedding and-“
“Postpone.”
He froze, but he still wouldn’t look at me.
“I didn’t call off the wedding, Jamie. I postponed it.”
A heavy silence hung in the air and the pain in my chest grew. “What did you mean about Kelly getting caught in the middle? She’s my best friend. There is no ‘middle’.”
He didn’t speak or move, but deflated a little with a long, drawn-out sigh.
Turning toward me with his hands in his pockets, he chewed his lip and tried to explain. “Alexis, none of this was supposed to happen. Like I said, it was never my intention to hurt you. It was only when you backed out – sorry, put off the wedding that things got out of hand.“
“What the hell are you telling me, Jamie?” My stomach clenched and wanted to eject its contents.
Jamie moved toward me, holding out a hand. I took an involuntary step back, the idea of him touching me pissing me off. Just as the bile in my stomach was rising, so was my anger. I could feel it like the mercury in a thermometer, climbing higher and higher.
“Alexis, please, just listen to me –“
He was interrupted by a sudden, frantic knocking at my door that made both of us jump. I wasn’t expecting anyone else – hell, I wasn’t expecting Jamie, and yet here he was. I pointed a finger at him, giving him my most severe scowl, and said, “We are not even close to being done here.”
It was satisfying to see a flash of fear in his eyes.
The knocking continued without stopping, setting my already frazzled nerves on edge. Moving faster, I yanked the door open just to make the noise stop.
“Hey Lexi, you okay?”
My mouth dropped open and I groaned. “What are you doing here?”
Chris stepped over the threshold and grasped my shoulders, looking me over before leaning in and kissing my cheek.
“The way you sounded on the phone had me worried, thought maybe you were in some kind of trouble. I was already in my car and decided to swing by and make sure you were all right.”
His hands tightened on my shoulders and even before I saw the shift of his gaze behind me, I knew things were just about to get really awkward.
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The coming of the NHL in Seattle: not the priority
magictr | April 18, 2020 | Sport | No Comments
The climate of uncertainty caused by the pandemic coronavirus cause a lot of headaches in the national hockey League. Result: a folder such as the arrival of a new team in Seattle, scheduled for the season 2021-2022, has necessarily gone down in the priority list of the commissioner Gary Bettman.
Even the disclosure of the name and colors of the club, which was planned over the last few months, has not occurred.
Anyway, the people involved in Seattle remain optimistic and confident. This is also the case of Dave Tippett, who has been a councillor for nearly a year for the new organization before being hired as the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, in may 2019.
“This will be a franchise phenomenal, has promised Tippett, quoted by the web site of the national hockey League. The owners are solid. Seattle is a beautiful city and there are a lot of leadership with the president and ceo Tod Leiweke.”
Help the community
About Leiweke, he is not fooled. The business man knows well that he himself would live in exciting times in the spring of 2020, but the time has come to readjust the shot and do his part in this health crisis, particularly on the West coast of the United States.
“We know that better days are to come, but we want to help do our part in this period of uncertainty, he said, earlier this week, on the site LNH.com. Our dreams for an NHL team and a new arena in Seattle are born of a strong collaboration and a partnership with the city to create something powerful and sustainable for our community. In this spirit, we are committed to giving back and to support the people.”
Groups of NHL Seattle and Oak View have made a donation of $ 1 million to help those who are directly or indirectly affected by the pandemic of sars coronavirus. The most important part of this donation is in the form of coupons of$ 800 available to 1000 workers to buy food and essential goods.
Respectful and sensitive
In this context, the name of the team can wait a while as the colors.
“We know that many people are very excited about the name, we hear you, stated the general manager Ron Francis on this subject, earlier this month. We are excited, too. We also know that many people in our community face big challenges. We want to be respectful and sensitive and choosing the right moment to share our name with everyone.”
Another challenge : it is also necessary to complete the construction of the new arena located at Seattle Center, the opening of which is always scheduled in the summer of 2021.
The team-mate Lance Stroll, “one of the best” F1 drivers?
His career junior abruptly ended, Alexis Lafrenière looks to the future
The trophée Jean-Béliveau was awarded to Alexis Lafrenière
The NHL is ready to push back the season 2020-2021
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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS, TRAILERS and VIDEOS
Featurette: Tom Cruise Performing Helicopter Stunt in Mission Impossible: Fallout
Video February 7, 2018 jschooling Leave a comment
Check out the cool behind the scenes video of Tom Cruise performing the helicopter stunt in the upcoming Mission Impossible: Fallout. The film arrives in theaters July 27, 2018.
Tom Cruise is a beast. I’m not getting into his personal life, but as far as a movie star, and specifically an action movie star, he leaves it all on the line. He’s 55 years old and still performing his own, increasingly more outrageous stunts in these Mission Impossible movies. In addition to learning how to fly a helicopter for the latest installment (and check out the video, we’re not talking about sitting in the cockpit while it’s hovering but instead performing legit stunt flying), he also suffered an ankle injury doing a stunt where he jumps across buildings. Not only did he complete the stunt, but they used the take where he suffered the injury in the final cut of the film.
In a previous post about filming the crazy stunt in Rogue Nation where he hags off the side of an airplane as it’s taking off, I included the following quote from Screen Rant summing of a few of the stunts he’s performed through the years as part of the Mission Impossible franchise:
“In the second Mission: Impossible movie, Cruise free-climbed Utah’s Dead Horse Point with a harness but no safety net, to the consternation of director John Woo. In that same film, Cruise insisted that a knife fight climax with the blade coming no more than a quarter of an inch from his face. For J.J. Abrams’ Mission: Impossible III, Cruise allowed the crew to film a scene in which a tractor trailer jackknifes right on top of him, and he shot the death-defying skyscraper jump himself, albeit on a soundstage. And for what seemed to be his most daring trick ever, Cruise scaled the Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building – without a stunt double in sight for Brad Bird’s Mission: Impossible -Ghost Protocol.”
Check out the pictures and video of a few of the past stunts below. Even at 55, Mr. Cruise continues to bring it.
Behind the sceneshelicopter stuntmission impossiblemission impossible fallouttom cruise
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Marketing Costs Vs. Sales Performance
By Kristie Lorette
Relationship Between Accounting & Marketing
Core Strategies for Marketing Products
How to Put an Annual Report for Sales & Marketing Together
How to Assess Sales Forecasting as a Tool for Effective Turnover
Why Is a Sales Budget Important?
Marketing costs money. It is possible for businesses to utilize more inexpensive, and occasionally free, marketing techniques, but the vast majority of businesses must allocate a portion of their budget for marketing costs. At the same time, marketing ideally makes money: that is, the purpose of marketing is to encourage sales and thus generate income for a company. As a result, there is a close relationship between anticipated marketing costs and expected sales performance.
The marketing plan is a company stated set of goals, with a clear idea of what the company hopes to accomplish through marketing. A marketing plan may be simple or elaborate, depending on the size of the company and its goals for growth and income. The marketing plan also contains specifics about where the marketing costs will be applied and what the marketing department expects to gain in terms of sales.
The cost details of a marketing plan must be specific and must reflect clearly stated sales performance goals for the company. Most marketing departments request funding for a number of common marketing tools: advertisements for print, television and the Internet; design and development for the advertisements; a company website; trade shows for the company to present its products; publicity for the company to develop its image in the public and among customers; and promotional items and events to highlight new products. With each of these tools, the marketing department must show how the cost can be justified against projected sales.
Marketing departments tend to work closely with finance departments in an effort to create a marketing budget that effectively generates desired sales performance. A typical marketing budget for a company that ranges from medium to larger in size may range anywhere from 9 percent to 12 percent of the company’s annual budget. For smaller businesses, the marketing budget might be much lower, less than 5 percent. The marketing budget from year to year reflects the data from the previous year’s sales and the projected sales performance.
Sales Objectives
A company’s sales objectives go well beyond “sell more and make more.” Sales objectives tend to be specific in their reflection of the marketing costs. For instance, a company might state clearly among its sales objectives that it intends to garner an increase of 15 percent of the market with a new campaign. Additionally, a company might review long-term sales objectives by considering the value of gaining new customers; for example, a company might discover that increasing current customers by 10 percent could increase long-term profits by more than 200 percent.
Sales Review
Companies look very closely at sales when comparing them to marketing costs. A company pays attention to everything from the direct sales performance of a specific campaign to the cost of marketing as reflected per item sold. For example, suppose a large clothing firm features celebrity models in a major new campaign. The celebrity models cost the company a significant amount of money in marketing, but the company is hoping the familiarity of the faces will drives sales. Once the campaign is over, the company reviews the overall sales to see if the cost of the celebrity faces was worthwhile. The company also takes a close look at the way that the models sold individual items that they wore in the campaign and compares the sales of these items against the marketing costs.
BNet: Measuring Marketing Performance
Business Know How: Find Customers With These Marketing, Sales and Advertising Strategies
Legal Zoom: Cost of Marketing: What Is the Average Budget?
Business Know How: How to Achieve Your Sales Targets in 2010
Business Know How: Reuse, Repurpose, Reduce: The Secret to Making More Money with Less Effort
Kristie Lorette started writing professionally in 1996. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and multinational business from Florida State University and a Master of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University. Her work has appeared online at Bill Savings, Money Smart Life and Mortgage Loan.
What Are Non-Quantifiable Tools in Marketing?
Definition of Gross Profit Margin
How to Evaluate Sales Strategies
Relationship between Marketing Planning & Annual Budgeting
Is Advertising a Fixed Cost?
How Much of a Business Budget Should Be in Marketing & Sales?
Strategic Sales & Marketing Plan
Objective and Task Method Marketing
The Marketing to Revenue Ratio for a Company
1 What Are Non-Quantifiable Tools in Marketing?
2 Definition of Gross Profit Margin
3 How to Evaluate Sales Strategies
4 Relationship between Marketing Planning & Annual Budgeting
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This must be the place: ‘I will walk alone, by the black muddy river’
Louie Bing.
Many folks here in Waynesville knew Louie Bing as “the homeless guy with the dog.” Well, Louie and his Australian pit bull, Sid, were way more than that. They were family to me. And I was saddened to hear of Louie’s passing last weekend.
I snapped the portrait of Louie you see above when we first crossed paths in the spring of 2013. He was 65 at the time, and a big dude, kind of like this Popeye-type character. But, as strong as he was, he had a kind and troubled soul. You could see it and feel it, especially in his words. And I wrote an article on his life back then.
He spoke of growing up in a blue-collar Irish-German family in post-World War II Philadelphia, the second oldest of seven siblings in a row house. By the mid-1960s, Bing immersed himself into the rock-n-roll of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, only to dive deep into the counterculture of the rapidly changing times.
“It was the dawn of the Age of Aquarius and I was a ‘freak,’” Bing said. “You could feel it, something was happening. It was the beginning of the revolution.”
The political and cultural revolution of the late 1960s was in full force and he was in the thick of things as a student at Temple University in Philadelphia. He found himself in the presence of the infamous Black Panthers movement, city police brutality and peaceful civil disobedience through sit-ins and be-ins. He was standing at the forefront of history, trying to make sense of it all.
“I wanted to see the movement for peace and equality come to something,” he said. “But, here I was seeing the Black Panthers with their guns and city police with riot gear. I wasn’t out there because I was a political animal, I just had no intention of getting killed in Vietnam.”
Then the 1970s rolled around, with Bing wandering out west to Colorado seeking his destiny, only to ricochet back east to Connecticut where he opened up a health food store.
“We were pioneers, learning along the way, and there I was a vegetarian, a cosmic cowboy,” Bing smiled.
By the 1980s, Bing had relocated to Western North Carolina, where he became a carpenter, picking up work when he could through the 1990s. But, a lifelong dark cloud of mental illness always hung overhead. Well aware of his constant battles with manic depression and bipolar disorder, Bing’s career advancements always seemed to take a backseat to his mental state.
From there, the house of cards began to fall. He bounced around between the homes of friends and strangers, ended up flat out on the street with empty pockets, a hungry belly and nobody to call for help.
“I was freaking out that first night out here. I had no survival skills, no backup plan, nobody except for street people who robbed me,” Bing said in 2013, misty eyed. “I had never been homeless, never been hungry and all of a sudden there I was on the street, and here I’ve been for the last seven years.”
Louie and I remained friends all the way until his passing. He would walk by my apartment in downtown Waynesville every-so-often, Sid (short for “Siddartha,” the birth name of Gautama Buddha — the founder of Buddhism) always a few yards back. We’d drink cold beers on my porch in the hot summer sun, Sid sprawled out on the ground, only to give him a small bag of whatever canned food I had in my cabinets before he moved on.
And sometimes we’d cross paths at the Waynesville Rec Park. He’d be strolling along in a large field with Sid, myself jogging by, but never too fast to not stop and catch up. He really meant something to me, a cosmic force I was “supposed to know,” you know?
I actually saw him the other day. He looked haggard, an old man now, with a large white beard, Sid moseying along right behind him. I hugged him, hello and goodbye. “Hey, son. How yah doin’?” he said with that trademark devil-may-care grin. Though he had been living in a tent way out in the woods for several years, he had recently moved into a small all-in-one, more like a shack with a heater. But, it was home, to him at least. We shook hands and I told him I loved him, to which he quietly mumbled, “I love you, too, son.”
I knew this day would someday come, just didn’t know it would be today. I love you, my brother, wherever you are. And what about Sid? Right after Louie passed, Sid was quickly taken in by a close friend of his, tail wagging in anticipation of some attention and belly scratches.
As well, when I first interviewed Louie, he read me some of his poetry. This is one of those poems:
“Striding towards the great finality / amidst the imitations of mortality / some few recognize the banality / of this thing we call reality / At homes, in our jobs, in our families too / all mean different things to me and you / friends and lovers now long lost / can help us direct the final cost / but when I’m in my grave / and my ashes are scattered / my soul will still know / that love is all that mattered.”
Rest easy, my brother. Your work in this lifetime is done.
waynesville,
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Proof is in the pie: Dough Boys artisanal pizza opens in Waynesville
Waynesville passes State of Emergency ordinance
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Real Madrid deny reports that Gareth Bale has a slipped disc
By Kirsten SchlewitzOct 12, 2013, 12:15 PM EDT
Spanish newspaper Marca have claimed that an MRI taken on September 2nd revealed that Gareth Bale was suffering from a slipped disc in his back. The newspaper also reported that the former Tottenham Hotspur player might require surgery to correct the problem.
However, Real Madrid have denied the report, publishing an announcement on their official website stating it to be completely false. The world-record signing, who came over to Real at the start of the season, does not have a slipped disc, but rather a “small chronic disc bulge.” The club states that such a bulge is common among football players and does not prevent Bale from playing.
Bale hasn’t got off to a flying start with Los Blancos. The Welshman did score on his debut, but has played just twice since, coming on as a substitute against Galatasaray in the Champions League and again off the bench in the derby loss to Atlético Madrid. Fitness issues remain a problem, with the player pulling out of international duty with Wales this week due to a minor thigh injury. Bale is currently undergoing extra fitness work to ready him for the end of October, which sees Real Madrid host Málaga before facing Juventus in the Champions League, and then on to Barcelona for the first El Clasico of the La Liga season.
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From UMich admissions director: stop with the lukewarm recommendation letters
Bryan Enochs, the Director of Admissions at the University of Michigan College of Engineering, talks to SocratesPost about exactly what applicants and their parents get right and wrong when vying for a spot in the nation’s top 6 engineering school.
It turns out that despite the pressure on teenagers to figure out their life paths before college, they don’t always have to know exactly what they want to do in or after college. The UMich Engineering admissions director, Bryan, tells us that some of the most compelling candidates have a liberal arts or science background, but little engineering experience.
Exclusive Insider Interview: University Of Michigan, Director Of Admissions
SocratesPost: How do we encourage students at such a young age, 16 or 17, to figure out who they are and portray themselves in that way to college admissions committees?
Bryan at Michigan: Some of the best essays I’ve read have said ‘I’m really great at math and science but I absolutely have no idea what kind of engineering I want to pursue or whether I want to pursue a STEM field.’
It’s just one of those things where if you know what you want to do, go all in. Or if you don’t know, go all in as well. Just talk about what we can do for you and what you would take advantage of. Some of them may sound more like an LS&A [literature, sciences, and arts] student but you’re being completely honest and transparent to us. You want to go into engineering and see how it feels, but you have some liberal arts and sciences within you and that’s a compelling applicant in my eyes because it shows that they’re multifaceted.
SocratesPost: What is something most applicants get wrong when they apply to Michigan Engineering? What do you wish they knew?
Bryan at Michigan: When it comes to the letter of recommendation, it’s surprising how many lukewarm letters of recommendation that we receive. We want to see something that really speaks to the character of the student, whether it’s their commitment to studying or helping other students that may not necessarily be keeping up with the rest of the classroom, something that shows the character inside of the classroom that translates to what they would do outside of the classroom as well. It’s not as if they can just come to the University of Michigan, work for a great GPA, and expect a job. These employers know that they’re smart but they need to know that these students are also social and can change gears once they’re outside of the classroom.
SOCRATES TIP: If your teacher hesitates when you ask for a Letter of Recommendation before saying “yes,” it may be a good sign you picked the wrong recommender. When teachers jump at the opportunity to write student recommendations, it’s because they are excited to share their positive observations, experiences, and feedback of said student. If not, they’re likely wondering how to wiggle out of the request without sounding too mean. Worse, they’re preparing to write you a lukewarm letter of recommendation saying nothing spectacular or horrendous about you — which is exactly what admission committees are sick of seeing.
SocratesPost: Bryan, what can you tell Socrates Post about your experience with applicant essays?
Continue to our exclusive interview with UMich Engineering’s Director of Admission →
Join and access full content!
Here’s a preview of the rest of our conversation! Subscribe to read the rest and support our ad-free newsletter.
SocratesPost: How does an applicant really stand out among the competition when everyone else is pretty close to perfect?
What's the best way to get a stellar recommendation letter?
What if 2 students have identical recommendation letters except for the name?
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Transport, Airlines
Southwest, Asiana Flights Should Have Aborted Landings, NTSB Documents Show
Alan Levin and Mary Sschlangenstein, Bloomberg
- Oct 29, 2014 10:30 am
The approach or touchdown is the leading cause of aviation accidents and deaths. In the case of the now-fired Southwest pilot, several other pilots had complained about her prior to the LaGuardia incident.
— Dennis Schaal
The co-pilot of a Southwest Airlines Co. plane that crash landed at New York’s LaGuardia Airport in July 2013 said the captain put her hand on his as he was controlling the throttles and reduced the plane’s power.
Only after that did the captain announce that she was taking control of the landing, which ended with the airplane skidding on its belly down the runway, according to accounts of the incident released yesterday by the National Transportation Safety Board.
“I got it,” the captain said several seconds after moving the throttles, according to an NTSB transcript of the cockpit conversation and the plane’s data recorder.
The plane then made an unusual nose-down landing instead of settling onto the main wheels beneath the wings, causing minor injuries to nine people, significantly damaging the plane and forcing LaGuardia Airport to shut down that day. The captain’s actions may have violated the airline’s safety rules, though the NTSB has yet to draw a definitive conclusion.
“We continue to cooperate with the NTSB and look forward to the final report,” Brandy King, a spokeswoman for Dallas- based Southwest Airlines, said yesterday. She declined to comment further because the NTSB investigation remains open.
The captain was fired after the accident, Southwest said Oct. 2, 2013. A spokeswoman for the airline, Linda Rutherford, declined at the time to specify why the airline took that action. The firing was upheld after an appeal, King said today. The co-pilot was ordered to take additional training.
Southwest Procedures
The documents released include a transcript from the cockpit recorder, photos of damage to the airplane and runway as well as statements from airport ground controllers.
Under Southwest’s flight rules, the pilots should have aborted their landing at LaGuardia because they hadn’t properly set the movable panels on the wings known as flaps as they descended below 1,000 feet (305 meters) altitude, according to the documents.
A split second before hitting the runway, the captain inhaled and uttered an unspecified expletive, according to the NTSB’s transcript.
The plane skidded down the runway for about 18 seconds. “Oh my god,” the captain said.
The incident, in which the plane wasn’t properly set up and stabilized for landing, falls into a category of accidents that has received increased attention from safety advocates, including the Alexandria, Virginia-based Flight Safety Foundation.
The New York crash, along with the 2013 crash of an Asiana Airlines Inc. plane in San Francisco that killed three people, may have been prevented if pilots had opted to abort their landings when it became clear that everything wasn’t in order, according to NTSB documents.
Crashes that occur during approach or touchdown are the world’s leading category of aviation mishaps and deaths, according to data compiled by Chicago-based manufacturer Boeing Co. The biggest risk factor for such accidents is failing to approach a runway at the proper speed, altitude and heading, known as an unstabilized approach.
The Southwest plane, a Boeing 737-700, was being flown by the co-pilot, a former U.S. Air Force pilot who was 44 at the time of the accident, according to the NTSB. He had about 5,200 flight hours.
The captain, who was 49 and had more than 12,000 hours, told investigators she believed the plane was too high for the landing and she took over because the co-pilot wasn’t reacting to her guidance.
Cutting Throttles
“She said she believed that if she did not act, the airplane would have continued to float past the touchdown zone,” the NTSB wrote in a report summarizing the pilot actions.
The co-pilot told investigators the captain put her hand on his hand as he was controlling the throttles and reduced the power shortly before reaching the runway.
To prevent confusion during a switch in cockpit control, Southwest and other airlines require pilots to announce their intent to alter the throttles or any flight system before doing so.
The reduction in power combined with a failure to keep the nose tilted slightly upward led the plane to touch down on the front landing gear, according to an analysis by Boeing released by NTSB. It hit with more than three times the force of gravity, according to the Boeing report.
From late 2009 through early 2010, “a few” other pilots had complained to Southwest management about the captain, according to another report released by NTSB. One said she had a “harsh approach.” Another said she didn’t do a good job of soliciting input from co-pilots.
The captain received additional training in leadership and cockpit communication in February 2010 and the airline received no additional complaints afterward, according to the NTSB.
To contact the reporters on this story: Alan Levin in Washington at alevin24@bloomberg.net; Mary Schlangenstein in Dallas at maryc.s@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net Romaine Bostick, Justin Blum
Tags: asiana, ntsb, safety, southwest airlines
Photo Credit: Officials say the nosegear collapsed on a Southwest aircraft during landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Monday, July 22, 2013. Bobby Abtahi / Associated Press
5 Human-Centric Digital Strategies for Travel Marketers to Thrive in 2021
Appnovation + Skift
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State of New Hampshire v. Hess Corporation, et al.
(New Hampshire Superior Court, Merrimack County) Represent the State of New Hampshire in a lawsuit against over two dozen petroleum (...)
State of New Mexico v. Atlantic Richfield Company, et al.
(U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico) Represented the State of New Mexico in MTBE lawsuit against over 30 defendants. (...)
City of New York v. Amerada Hess Corporation, et al.
(U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York) Served as lead trial counsel for the City of New York in (...)
City of Santa Monica v. Shell Oil Company, et al.
(California Superior Court, San Francisco County) Represented City of Santa Monica in MTBE contamination case against numerous defendants. Within three (...)
California Water Service Company v. Atlantic Richfield Company, et al.
(California Superior Court, San Mateo County) Represented California Water Service Company in a case arising from MTBE contamination in wells (...)
Fruitridge Vista Water Company v. Atlantic Richfield Company, et al.
(California Superior Court, Sacramento County) Represented Fruitridge Vista Water Company in a case arising from MTBE contamination of groundwater wells. (...)
City of Pomona v. Chevron USA, Inc., et al.
(California Superior Court, Contra Costa County) Represented City of Pomona in MTBE contamination case against more than 20 defendants. Case settled (...)
City of Riverside v. Atlantic Richfield Company, et al.
(California Superior Court, Riverside County) Represented City of Riverside in MTBE contamination case that settled for over $1 million.
City of Roseville v. Atlantic Richfield Company, et al.
(California Superior Court, Placer County) Represented City of Roseville in MTBE contamination case. Settled before trial for over $264,000.
City of Santa Barbara v. Chevron USA, Inc., et al.
(California Superior Court, Contra Costa County) Represented City of Santa Barbara in MTBE contamination case. Settled before trial for over (...)
Yosemite Springs Park Utility District v. Chevron USA, Inc., et al.
California Superior Court, Contra Costa County) Represented Yosemite Springs Park Utility District in MTBE contamination case. Case settled in 2012 (...)
City of St. Louis v. Velsicol Chemical Corporation, et al.
(Michigan Circuit Court, County of Gratiot) Represented City of St. Louis, Michigan in case arising from p-CBSA contamination of groundwater. (...)
Hawaii Water Service Company, Inc. v. The Dow Chemical Company, et al.
(Second Circuit, State of Hawaii) Represented Hawaii Water Service Company, Inc. in case arising from TCP contamination of drinking water (...)
City of Oceanside v. The Dow Chemical Company, et al.
(California Superior Court, San Francisco County) Represented City of Oceanside in case arising from TCP contamination of drinking water wells. The (...)
City of Livingston v. The Dow Chemical Company, et al.
(California Superior Court, San Francisco County) Represented City of Livingston in TCP contamination case against agricultural products manufacturers and distributors. Case (...)
City of Shafter v. The Dow Chemical Company, et al.
(California Superior Court, San Francisco County) Represented City of Shafter in TCP contamination case. Case resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement (...)
City of Sunnyvale and Sunnyvale Redevelopment Agency v. Legacy Vulcan Corporation
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California Water Service Company v. The Dow Chemical Company, et al.
(California Superior Court, San Mateo County) Represented California Water Service Company in a case arising from PCE contamination against over (...)
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Supporting small business
May 1st, 2014 / By: IFAI / Management
SBA awards funding entrepreneurship training for veterans; Surety Bond Guarantee program contracts increase 61 percent in 2013.
As part of its “Boots to Business” program, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced that it has awarded a $3 million grant to Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) to deliver entrepreneurship education and training to transitioning service members.
“Veterans are a cornerstone of small business ownership,” says SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, who met with veteran small business owners within hours of starting at the SBA on April 7. “We owe them a debt of gratitude for their service. Veterans have the skills to adapt to many challenges and the leadership and discipline required to own and operate a small business. The SBA is committed to supporting our veterans as they transition back to civilian life and pursue the American dream by starting businesses when they come home.” Each year, more than 250,000 service members transition out of the military—natural entrepreneurs who possess the skills, experience and leadership to start businesses and create jobs.
Boots to Business is a three-step program developed to introduce transitioning service members to business ownership and connect them to support resources in their local communities. The curriculum provides valuable assistance for exploring self-employment opportunities by leading participants through the key steps for evaluating business concepts and the foundational knowledge required for developing a business plan.
Funding for the agreement will support instruction, curriculum development and materials production for the program, which includes two-day courses on military installations and an instructor-led eight-week online course to introduce and prepare transitioning service members for business ownership and connect them to local SBA resources for continued support.
The funds will also be used to extend Boots to Business to service members overseas.
The agreement with IVMF enables a consortium of 14 universities across the U.S. to provide instructors for the Boots to Business entrepreneurship training program. IVMF will work closely with the SBA and its resource partners, including the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), Women’s Business Centers (WBC), SCORE and Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC), organizations that provide essential instruction, mentorship and access to capital counseling to program participants.
Boots to Business is a training track within the Department of Defense’s “Transition, Goals, Plans, Success” (Transition GPS) program that is designed to support service members as they transition to civilian life. The program began as a pilot in 2012, expanded nationally in 2013, and was appropriated $7 million in the fiscal year 2014 federal budget for sustainment and expansion. During the first full year of the program, more than 6,000 transitioning service members participated in the two-day “Introduction to Entrepreneurship” class on 140 U.S. military installations.
Veterans make up a large number of successful small business owners. Nine percent of small businesses are veteran-owned, and these 2.45 million veteran-owned businesses employ more than five million individuals. In the private sector workforce, veterans are more likely than those with no active-duty military experience to be self-employed.
SBA currently engages veterans through its 68 local SBA district offices, 16 Veterans Business Outreach Centers nationwide, and its partnership with 1,000 SBDCs and approximately 12,000 SCORE chapters. Each year SBA helps more than 200,000 veterans, service-disabled veterans and reservists start and grow their own small businesses. For more information, visit www.sba.gov/vets.
SBA Surety Bond Guarantee Program
With the help of the Small Business Administration’s Surety Bond Guarantee (SBG) program, small construction firms were awarded more than $1.2 billion in contracts in fiscal year 2013, a 61 percent increase over fiscal year 2012. SBA also guaranteed bonds for public and private contract bids valued at $4.9 billion, resulting in a total contract amount of more than $6.1 billion.
“The Surety Bond Guarantee program, along with our loan programs, provides small businesses with significant opportunities to grow and create jobs, which translates into stronger local economies,” says Ann Marie Mehlum, SBA associate administrator for the office of Capital Access, which oversees the SBG program. “2013 was a banner year, and we look forward to an even better 2014 helping small businesses bid for and obtain contracts.”
SBA guarantees bid, performance and payment bonds issued by surety companies, which encourages them to bond small businesses having difficulty obtaining bonding on their own. For the past seven years, the Surety Bond program has maintained steady growth in every key measure, including the number of bond guarantees issued, contract dollars awarded to small businesses and number of small businesses assisted. The SBA has also implemented several enhancements geared toward streamlining the underwriting process and providing easier access for surety companies in the eastern part of the country.
The Quick Bond Guarantee Application can be used for contracts valued at $250,000 or less and reduces the majority of paperwork and other underwriting information required of sureties and small businesses on larger contracts, allowing bonds to be issued faster.
A new underwriting office has been opened in Washington, D.C., serving small businesses and surety companies in the following states: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. The rest of the country is serviced by two SBG area offices located in Denver and Seattle.
The maximum contract ceiling in the program was increased from $2 million to $6.5 million by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013, coming just in time for an expected turnaround in the construction industry. The United States will soon be spending billions of dollars in needed infrastructure investment, and SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program will help to ensure that small businesses play a significant role. SBA assistance in locating a participating surety company or agent, and completing application forms, is available online.
Connections is a forum for news and information from cooperating organizations within or connected to the specialty fabrics industry.
For news from the Industrial Fabrics Association International, publisher of the Review, read IFAI Insiders.
SBA announces funding opportunity through the State Trade Expansion Program 2020
OFPANZ annual conference, July 25-27, New Zealand
Women in Textiles Summit 2019
Understand your customers’ personalities for better sales
Driving business during the slow season: entertaining clients
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Nike's 'You Can't Be Stopped' Wraps up the Year With a Message of Inspiration and Persistence
As the year comes to a close, 2020 feels like a distant world with unmatched sequences of hardships. Nike (NYSE:NKE -0.60%) has taken this time to reflect on the events of the year and sign off with the final installment of the brand’s year-long You Can’t Stop Us campaign. World-class athletes who have been training and gearing up for championships and the now-canceled 2020 Olympics, had to adjust to standstill arrangements impacted by the global pandemic, forming the narrative for the ad.
The campaign first came out in March and featured invited athletes to “play for the world”, offering their fitness tips and tricks on staying active during the pandemic. A couple of months later, Nike released the Never Too Far Down commercial paying homage to the ever-memorable LeBron James‘ 2016 NBA Finals comeback. It was followed by the July campaign of You Can’t Stop Us featuring the legendary Williams sisters, Serena and Venus as the focus of the You Can’t Stop Sisters message.
Some of the brand’s most elite ambassadors including, Naomi Osaka, Marcus Rashford, Kevin Durant, Sabrina Ionescu, Simone Manuel, Leo Baker, Caster Semenya, and Ibithaj Muhammad, appear in the high-energy ad to endorse the prevalent message of perseverance and tenacity in the final installment of the You Can’t Stop Us campaign. Nike’s signature font captions motivational phrases which overlay footages showcasing these athletes’ training regiments and competitive accolades. Of course, a message about determination is incomplete without a nod to the celebrated Black Mamba. Sandwiched in the middle of the campaign are photos of the late Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gianna Bryant with Sabrina Ionescu, an impactful feature to encourage viewers to “Do it to continue a legacy.” The video ends with Nike’s motto “Sport Can’t Be Stopped”, visibly altered to “You Can’t Be Stopped” with the “You” scribbled atop the original phrase in the brand’s signature orange handwritten font.
Although the campaign has ended, the brand will continue to provide new workout and motivational content on its website at Nike, social channels, and apps including Nike, Nike Training Club, and the Nike Running Club.
In other sports news, Roger Federer announced he won’t be competing in the 2021 Australian Open.
Image Credit Sarah Stier/Getty Images
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Karal Marx Essay
One of the first and most persuasive advocates of modern capitalism was Adam Smith. The most serious challenge to Adam Smith and his followers came from Karl Marx, a nineteenth century German. The son of a Prussian lawyer, the methodical Marx was a worthy and resourceful opponent.
He unfolded his economic theories in his monumental Das Kapital, a work on which he spent eighteen years of research and writing. Marx s main objection to the capitalistic system was that it was unfair to workers.To show this, he developed his now famous theory of surplus value. This theory involves the relationship between the worker and his product and the employer and his profit. It implied that whatever profits the capitalist class acquired, it stole from the workers.
Seventy years after his death about a third of the human race was living under governments that called themselves Marxist. Marxism is more that just a set of bright ideas which anyone, at any time, might have thought up.It is rather a time and place phenomenon, which acknowledges that the very categories in which it thinks such as abstract labour, the commodity, the freely mobile individual and so on could have emerged from a heritage of capitalism and political liberalism (Eageton, 9). Karl Marx s ideas had a greater influence in a shorter time then any other thinker in history. Karl Marx was born in the Germany in a town called Trier.
His parents were Jews who converted to Lutheranism when he was six, but Marx was anti-religious by the time he was a teenager. His creed even then was, Criticism of religion is the foundation of all criticism (Magee, 165).Marx did little paid work in the course of his life, instead, he chose to live in poverty most of the time and continue his studies and his writing. Marx went to Paris in 1843, where he met the young Friedrich Engels. Engels came from a rich German family that lived in Manchester, where they owned a textile business. Engels maintained Marx financially for the rest of Marx s life, enabling him to produce his work.
A few years after he met Engels, Marx elaborated on the basic system of ideas that was to became known as Marxism, and became the intellectual foundation of Communism.Marx was expelled from France in 1845, so he went to Brussels, where he and Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto, published in 1848 (Magee, 179). Marx was duly expelled from Brussels in the same year, and ended up in London in 1849.
He spent the rest of his life there. Most of his writings consisted of brilliant pamphlets and articles, but there was one full-length book, his masterpiece, Das Kapital, meaning simply Capital, published in 1867. It is one of the most influential books in history. Marx died in London in 1883, and is buried in Highgate Cemetery.
Within seventy years after Marx s death there were people living under governments called Marxist. These included countries in Eastern Europe, Russia, the former Tsarist land empire, and China (Gurley, 89). Nothing like this had ever happened before, nor will it probably happen again. It was amazing, the fact that Marxism was one continuous failure.
The ideas conquered, but the societies that grew from it collapsed or separated themselves from Marxist policies (Magee, 167). During this period of ideological success, Marxism had an influence on the arts and politics.Famous people in the arts such as playwrights Jean Paul, the poet Pablo Neruda and the painter Pablo Picasso regarded themselves as Marxists or Communist (Magee, 178). Marxism and capitalism were engaged in an intense worldwide struggle. Societies organized according to Marxist principles seemed to be coming up everywhere, they spread from zero to a third of the world, (Gurley, 3).
The ideals of Marxism inspired, as capitalism did not, millions of people around the world, mostly the poor, but many intellectuals and a few priests and other clergy.Marx and Engels believed that above capitalism itself would rise a still higher form of society, socialism, where the workers would be the ruling class. They could be both admirers and critics of capitalism, but at the same time recognized exploitation, alienation and troublesome features of the new society, which they thought would be overcome when the working class successfully built the system. Marx s solution to this exploitative situation was simple, the means of production and exchange should be taken from the capitalist and turned over to the workers.This would eliminate the problem of surplus value, since the working class would be producing and exchanging goods for itself as a collective unit (Leone, 5). The labor theory of value, even if it could be granted to be valid for every other commodity, can never be applied to the commodity of labor. This would imply that workmen, like machines, are being produced according to rational cost calculations (Schumpeter, 27). Since they are not, there is no guarantee to assume that the value of labor power will be equal to the man hours that enter into production.
Marx thought that the development of modern technology was to go on putting more and more people out of work. This would divide society into two classes, the capitalist and the workers. Capitalist exploitation would worsen the living standards of workers until, one day the workers would revolt violently. The overthrow of capitalism would usher in a socialist age based on common ownership of property.
Once socialist ownership had benn consolidated, true communism would arrive (Gurley, 65). Governments would disappear and people would be able to live in complete liberty.Society s guiding principle would then be from each according to his abilities, and to each according to his needs. Marx s theories did not develop the way he said they would. This was partly because he was mistaken as to the nature of his theory. He believed it to be scientific in the same way as Newton s physics is scientific.
What the bourgeoisie produces…is its own gravediggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable, Karl Marx said (Magee, 144). He thought he was able to predict the inevitable future development of society.Other thinkers were based on simple Utopian dreams, moral uplift or wishful thinking, whereas he had carried out a scientific study of society to discover what forces were actually at work, and had based his political teachings on these realities (Magee, 169). According to Marx and Engels, human nature is determined by the mode of production in which people work to maintain human life, and since the mode of production changes, so does human nature (Gurley, 9). Marx s theories have been the source of continued disagreement.
His detractors challenge the uselessness of the labor theory of value and the idea of surplus value.Among socialists, communists have accepted the bulk of Marx s theories and applied them in countries subject to communist rule. Through gradual reform, rather than revolution, socialists in countries such as Canada have played a major part in social reform and in the creation of modern mixed economies in which governments are much more important than they were a century ago (Mclellan, 76).
The capitalist system has changed over the years in the industrialized democratic nations of the world. The main reason has been the ongoing changes between government and industry and also between industry and labor.Government has been playing a bigger role in business affairs. The proliferation of laws regulating monopolies, the pricing of goods child labor, and minimum wage scales have succeeded in controlling or removing most of the excesses which characterized industry in the 19th century (Leone, 54) Through collective bargaining, unions have won higher wages, better working conditions, and benefits for their members. Some may claim that when the government is able to interfere in economic affairs, there will be inefficiency and an erosion of political freedom.Under the present system, it is argued, the worker never has, and never will, receive a fair share of the pie.
When the capitalist can t make a profit, they turn off the machines and they turn us off like we were part of the machines. If General Motors can t make enough money, they just lay off 10 000 people, as if they were turning off a machine, said Peter Camejo; Socialist Workers Party candidate for president in 1976, from a speech delivered at the University of Chicago on December 2, 1975 (Leone 57).By the end of the nineteenth century it was becoming clear that things were not turning out as Marx s theories said they must. Nowhere in the world was there a society where changes were happening according to Marx s scientific laws of historical development. This gave rise to something that became known as revisionism.
Different Marxist thinkers started trying to revise Marx s theories so as to fit in with the contrary evidence and also started to reinterpret the evidence to fit in with Marx s theories (Magee, 170).Out of this grew a plurality of different Marxist schools of thought, at odds with one another, sometimes violently so. What led in with the end to the withering away of most of them was the fact that wherever Marxist political movements came to power the result was, invariably and without exception, a bureaucratic dictatorship, a society nothing like the one the theory had claimed was inevitable (Magee, 168).
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Sycamore Review is Purdue University’s internationally acclaimed literary journal, affiliated with Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts and the Department of English. We offer editorial positions to individuals affiliated with Purdue’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program.
SR publishes poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, as well as interviews, book reviews and art. SR strives to publish the best writing by new and established writers and also to provide an online forum for lively literary discussion.
Editor-in-Chief: Daschielle Louis
Managing Editor: Amina Khan
Poetry Editors: Emma DePanise, Kate O’Donoghue, & Aiya Sakr
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Kaveh Akbar, Donald Platt, Sharon Solwitz, Brian Leung, Casey Gray
Sycamore Review published its first issue in 1989 and has been running consistently ever since! That first issue was dedicated to Ann Griffith Lindsey, a Purdue University graduate student and poet who had campaigned for a literary journal, but died in a car accident before her dream could become reality. To this day, her parents have continued her dream with a generous bequest in Ann’s name.
Sycamore Review is sponsored by grants from Purdue University’s College of Liberal Arts and Department of English as well as support from our readers, contributors, and friends. Below are our suggested amounts for donation with their patronage levels. To show our appreciation for your support, your name will be included as an SR patron online and in upcoming issues of the magazine. Additionally, all donations of $50 or more include a complimentary 1-year subscription.
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Make a Pledge to Support Joe Fox for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout on June 21!
By Rhiana Jay
Studio Culture’s co-founder and Managing Director Joe Fox is proud to participate in this year’s Vinnies CEO Sleepout. He will spend the night of Thursday June 21 sleeping rough outside at the Brisbane Powerhouse to help raise money for those affected by homelessness and hardship.
You can help Vinnies in their efforts to break the poverty cycle for good by contributing to the worthy cause.
History of the Event
The Vinnies CEO Sleepout was introduced in 2006 and has gone from strength to strength since then. Over 1000 business leaders participated in the 2013 event, raising a total in excess of $5.3 million for the initiative. Last year’s event saw the total amount raised top $5.6 million.
Vinnies are aiming their sights higher for 2018 with a target of $6,420,000 set. It’s not too late to register your interest to contribute, and you can even Nominate a CEO to encourage others to get involved.
Contribute to Studio Culture’s Fundraising Goal
Studio Culture’s goal is to raise $5000 for the initiative. Contributing couldn’t be easier – simply follow this link to Joe’s fundraiser page to learn more and make a pledge.
You can donate any figure you wish, but $55 will feed a family for a day, while $105 will provide emergency accommodation for a family in crisis. $205 can help relocate a person sleeping rough into accommodation services, and $505 can help to pay the rent of a family facing eviction. Any and all contributions are much appreciated.
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News & Politics x February 20, 2017
An Open Letter to My High School Friends Who Voted for Donald Trump
In a time of social and political unrest, it’s time for young Americans to cross party lines, ask questions and engage in discourse.
By Flavia Martinez, Amherst College
Differences Don’t Divide
Dear friends and classmates,
The 2016 U.S. presidential election was far from normal, as it divided friends, family members and significant others.
A source of continued division among American citizens is pride. Everyone wants to “stick to their guns,” and tension between voters has become all too personal. Divisions are exposing themselves everywhere, especially on social media. In the past, people from across the political spectrum used platforms like Facebook and Twitter to share articles during the election season, but this year was different.
What makes the 2016 election different from past ones is the presence of fake news. Though the media generally talks about fake news as it relates to the right, I came across a number of sites catering to people like me, who find themselves on the left.
On several occasions, a website looked a bit off, and I’d never heard of the news source before, so I ignored the article. Fake news articles, for voters on both sides of the political spectrum, are dangerous. They’re not neutral or factual and, therefore, not journalistic. They’re polarizing and unproductive.
Fake news has even entered Donald Trump’s rhetoric. Though much of the fake news that circulated during the election was in favor of Trump, the president uses the term to shut down and dismiss news from reputable sources, especially on his Twitter account, where “fake news” appears more than ten times in his tweets.
image via state of the nation
Even scarier than fake news is the notion of “alternative facts.” At my college in Massachusetts, Amherst College, a first-year student submitted a piece for immediate publication to “AC Voice,” an online student-run publication. The piece contained what she believed to be striking evidence in support of Trump’s travel ban, but the article was instead riddled with unsupported claims.
The student simply echoed the messages that figures like Kelly Anne Conway, Sean Spicer and President Trump relay to the public. Why should political figures be exempt from scutiny? No one’s word should be taken as fact, and political difference should not stifle our ability to ask questions. Questioning is key.
I was lucky enough to grow up in a town with a strong public school system that taught me to question everything. Questioning was, and continues to be, an integral part of my classroom experience. Though I don’t see a lot of my friends and classmates from high school anymore, I am still connected to them through Facebook. A large portion of the articles these classmates share are from extreme right-wing news sources, and it makes me wonder how post-high school experiences shaped people politically.
Whenever I see an old friend share an article from an extreme source, my heart beats fast in my chest, and I’m suddenly shaken. It’s not the content of the article that upsets me, but the fact that I know and respect the person who shared the article.
Without being personally connected to the author, I can easily analyze their work, make any necessary criticism and continue scrolling. Knowing the person who shares the article, though, I find it extremely hard to simply move on.
Right before Election Day, someone I knew from high school posted a photo of herself with a patriotic caption and the hashtag #MAGA (Make America Great Again). I wanted to like the post, and I would have, had it not been for #MAGA.
Having grown up in the most conservative county in New Jersey, it’s understandable that my high school classmates find themselves leaning toward the right. When being conservative means supporting the current Republican party, however, matters are a bit different. With President Trump as its leader, the Republican party has become the face of overt discrimination.
My grandparents consider themselves conservative and have always voted for the Republican party. My nana hasn’t been shy about sharing her views on taxes, whether it’s at the dinner table or elsewhere. Do I disagree? Yes, but it’s okay. These political differences don’t worry me.
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We’ve spent other family dinners where, after discussing the food on our plates or what we did last week, the conversation changes to politics. Suddenly, my grandparents are discussing how African American youth don’t know how to behave or how refugees are dangerous. These kinds of political “differences” worry me.
image via daily bruin
I understand that my grandparents are older and from a different era. Sometimes, they still call people of Asian descent “Orientals.” It hurts, but I know that they’re the product of eighty years of U.S. history. They claim to not ascribe to Trump’s dogma, but they do, whether they know it or not.
Sometimes I try to talk about politics with them, and the conversation is always similar. I’m not sure if we’ll ever see eye to eye. Young people, on the other hand, are perhaps more flexible and ready to engage in discussion.
When Donald J. Trump won the 2016 U.S. election, I was surprised by the percent of young people who voted for him. It’s hard to see people from high school, with whom I’ve shared laughs and casual chit chat, share right-wing articles on Facebook, but it’s necessary.
Reading conservative posts, like those that followed the Women’s March, on my newsfeed was difficult, but I didn’t unfollow the people who shared them. I want to see their content because I want to engage with people whose vote differed from mine. It’s worth it to sit down and engage in conversation. The spread of a message at a grassroots level was key to the Trump presidency, and I think discussion at a grassroots level is just as powerful.
To my fellow millennials, I encourage you to question everything. Whenever you watch the news, read an article or enter a political discussion with someone, question everything. Read articles from various news sources and collect numbers and figures, because nothing is more satisfying than cold, hard facts.
Facts are necessary to fighting corruption, as they give meat to arguments and speculations. Donald Trump is our president, and we have at least four years to figure out how to hold the country together. That is a fact. The United States can’t simply shut down when the need to stay up-to-date and educated on current happenings has never been greater.
As a fellow young American handling the aftermath of the 2016 election, I encourage you to talk with your peers, no matter where they lie on the political spectrum. Hillary Clinton may not be our president, but we can still be “stronger together.”
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Sign In | Manage My Sub
Tape Log
No. 134 Contents
About Tape Op
Issue #134
Browse Issue
Mark Howard: Listen Up!
by Roman Sokal | Photographs by Lisa MacIntosh, Mark Howard, Bob Lanois, Eliza Badalamenti, Karen Kuehn
Born in the UK and raised in Canada, Grammy-winning veteran engineer/producer Mark Howard has traveled the globe, combining whatever vibe he conjures while oftentimes applying an experimental and spiritual edge to his recordings. For years known as the (former) right-hand man to producer Daniel Lanois [Tape Op #37, #127], Howard and Lanois recorded the likes of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Neville Brothers, U2, and many others. On his own, Howard has produced and engineered legendary music by top-notch artists such as Iggy Pop, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Tom Waits, and The Tragically Hip. In 2019 ECW Press released Mark's book, Listen Up!, a must-read recording memoir (including deep insight into the personalities involved), which he penned along with his brother, Chris. In it we learn that Howard is a master at creating custom studio installations and environments, a psychological cheerleader who boosts his collaborator's creativity, and is also someone who enjoys pushing the envelope of the craft of sonics – marrying technology and soul while smashing typical audio conventions. Mark's life was threatened by stage 4 cancer, yet treatments have been successful and we're lucky he's here to share his life and talent with us.
Your first studio gig was at Grant Avenue Studio in Hamilton [Ontario]. What did you get out of there, skill-wise?
Grant Avenue was like a testing ground for me. I was already recording at home, and once I got to Grant Avenue I learned how to punch in and edit; those skills that came in really handy later on in life. I learned how to cut 2-inch tape. You've got to line it up on the head of the tape recorder with a China marker. I'd mark it, pull it off, cut it with a razor blade, pull the tape until I got to the other line I cut, and then I'd glue it back together. Bang, that's your edit! Those are the skills that I got from there.
Was this after Daniel Lanois had sold the studio to Bob Doidge?
Yeah. Daniel had sold it a couple of years before. After six months, I found myself going to all night sessions, because Bob [Lanois, Daniel's brother,] only wanted to work 9-to-5. I did these syndicated radio shows and late-night Hamilton crews who came through. Then they put me on with this guy, [Daniel] Lanois. I had no clue who he was. I ended up doing his session with Bill Dillon. He was always trying to stump me. He'd say, "Put my guitar on track 12. Do it now." I'd say, "It's already there. You can record right now." He'd say, "Really?" I was on top of whatever he was looking for – I used my own intuition. If he was talking about guitar tracks I'd be set up for it, thinking that's what they were going to be doing next. You've got to be on top of it. I treated it like a live show. As soon as people walk in the studio, you'd better be ready to record right then. You can't be setting up a sound while they're waiting.
Lisa Macintosh
It's like wasting time, and it could be intimidating to a client who's not used to a studio.
Exactly. Just come in and play; don't worry about technical stuff. I think I won over Lanois with that. Then, six months later, he called me up and asked if I'd help him make a record with The Neville Brothers. He said, "It's only for six months. You've got to come down to New Orleans and help put the studio together [Kingsway]." I took the chance, and Bob Doidge said, "If you leave, the job's not here when you come back." I said, "I'll take that chance." I left, and I never came back. Then Dan ended up going to Ireland to work with U2. He left me in charge of the studio in New Orleans. That's where I started making records – we opened the studio up to people. It was private before that. That's how I ended up working with R.E.M. and Iggy Pop. The first record made at Kingsway was Crash Vegas' Red Earth. That led into a record by Chris Whitley [Living with the Law] that Malcolm Burn [Tape Op #35] produced and I recorded. Malcolm mixed a bunch, and so did I. Kingsway went on. Then we left Kingsway, Lanois and me; we went on tour and then we never came back. We ended up in L.A. Daniel said he wanted to go down to Mexico, so I had to go scout some locations in Mexico and find a place to work out of. I brought some studio gear from Kingsway and also bought a new Amek console. I put a rig together that we could take down to Mexico. I never wanted to stay in New Orleans; I always wanted to keep moving.
When I interviewed Daniel, he was talking about how places like Mexico and Jamaica were good for clean magnetic fields.
Mexico was the cleanest sound that we got. There're no overhead wires. There's no interference. When you play your guitar through a...
The rest of this article is only available with a Basic or Premium subscription, or by purchasing back issue #134. For an upcoming year's free subscription, and our current issue on PDF...
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Home Tags Posts tagged with "Superintendent Jennifer Quinn"
Superintendent Jennifer Quinn
Comsewogue Celebrates the 2020 Holidays at ‘Merryville’ Elementary
Port Times Record
by TBR Staff - December 18, 2020
Nicole Haff’s students hang on to the walls of Terryville elementary as part of a project to increase togetherness when everyone remains seperate. Photo by Deniz Yildirim
By Deniz Yildirim
It’s safe to say that many of us are looking forward to the end of 2020, no one more so than teachers. Last school year was disrupted by COVID-19 and this school year had a challenging start for the same reason. Teachers had to think outside of the box to reinvent every part of their day to accommodate safe practices like social distancing; could you imagine story time without gathering your class on a carpet or learning your students names without seeing their faces?
Despite all of these challenges, Comsewogue schools are making it work, and are creating some much needed cheer for the holidays. For the past six years Terryville Road Elementary School has hosted a door decorating contest and produced some truly genius and show stopping doors. Since classes have been split into two groups, the obvious theme was “We are seperate together.” This year students worked “together” to decorate pieces which they applied to the door. With the help of teachers and aids, classes created delightful and creative doors like Jackie Dunn’s 4th grade class. They decorated both doors and included the space between them to make a mountain landscape with a zipline which students are riding into each others’ room.
Even virtual students were able to participate. Annemarie Sciove, the Terryville elementary principal, compiled pictures of finished school doors and included pictures from virtual students which was then presented to the school during an in school virtual assembly.
“It’s very important to remember we are together even if we can’t see each other.” Sciove said.
In keeping with that mindset, the school donated over $1,000 to families in need during this difficult time. Superintendent Jennifer Quinn makes a point to visit every school during this hectic time and this year her nephew has joined the Terryville family. She said, “Terryville never ceases to amaze me! The doors are a visual representation of what we are doing with our hearts.”
Comsewogue to Remain with Current Learning Plan Through Next February
by Kyle Barr - December 3, 2020
Comsewogue High School. Photo by Deniz Yildirim
Unlike other neighboring districts, Comsewogue is holding off on plans to bring more kids into school until late February or early March, citing the steadily increasing COVID-19 numbers on Long Island.
Superintendent Jennifer Quinn said the decision was made partially based on a survey released to both parents and students as well as by the reopening committee that comprises staff, parents and students. She said the Suffolk County Department of Health also suggested now was not the best time for bringing in more students.
“We said since the beginning, our plan is fluid,” she said in a phone interview. The district has changed several things since schools opened in September, including accepting rapid testing where initially the district was wary of the tests’ veracity, bringing back music class, hot lunches and allowing more students to use playground equipment and have more students together during gym.
In the November survey for district residents, the results of which were posted on its website, Comsewogue got responses from a little under 750 students. Of those, 88% said their mental well-being was average or better, on a scale of 1 to 5.
As for remote work, survey results show about 40% of students spend more than three hours on remote work a day, while 30% say it’s two-to-three hours, and about a quarter of students said they spend less than that. The vast majority of students said an earlier deadline on remote assignments would not make life easier.
The district said it expects the average remote workload should be between 3.5 and 4.5 hours, excluding AP classes. District officials said the survey results show they are doing the best job they can under the circumstances.
“We don’t want our students staring at the computer screen all day,” said Jennifer Polychronakos, assistant superintendent for instruction.
A total of 40% of students said they would be comfortable returning to in-person learning without social distancing and masks, while 60% percent said “no” or “not at this time.”
The district also got responses from 160 district parents, of which almost 90% said their children are coping with current learning standards, based on a scale of 1 to 5.
Around 70% of parents said they would not like to see students return to school without masks or social distancing.
Quinn said the question was composed to effectively say the district could not hold students in-person all at once and still maintain social distancing.
Other schools are pushing ahead with reopening plans. The Port Jefferson School District has tentatively set an early January date for bringing students in for four days a week. The Rocky Point school district this week started bringing back students for four days of in-person learning.
At Comsewogue, Quinn said she and other people on the reopening committee are concerned about rising COVID infection rates and hospitalizations. Back in July, New York State set the limit that the infection rate could be at to reopen was 5%.
The superintendent cited Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, who said Sunday, Nov. 29, the U.S. was expecting a difficult Christmas time in terms of both COVID-19 infections and related deaths.
“The risk of making someone sick is a concern for us right now,” Quinn said. “You listen to Dr. Fauci who said our country might be closed — I want to keep our schools open.”
The district is hosting a board of education workshop Dec. 3 where the superintendent said in a call to parents, they will be discussing what the district will do if the area is designated a yellow zone by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), entailing 20% weekly testing of in-person students and faculty in schools. The next board meeting is scheduled for Dec. 7.
Comsewogue Unveils New High School Lobby Mosaic
by Kyle Barr - November 5, 2020
New Artwork Four Years, 2 Million Pieces in the Making
A host of past and current high school students came together to celebrate the mosaic's unveiling. Photo by Kyle Barr
Comsewogue Superintendent Jennifer Quinn marvels at the new mosaic’s craftsmanship. Photo by Kyle Barr
Principal Michael Mosca on the high school's new mosaic. Photo by Kyle Barr
Comsewogue senior and first president of the Arts Honor Society, Alexa Bonacci, introduced the new mosaic. Photo by Kyle Barr
Art teacher Gina Melton has aided and led the mosaic project for four years. Photo by Kyle Barr
11th-grader Michael Lussos starts off the unveiling ceremony with a rendition of "Star Spangled Banner" on guitar. Photo by Kyle Barr
Young people at the Comsewogue High School, both current students and graduates, looked down at their feet with a unique sort of pride. There on the floor, amongst a mosaic of approximately 2 million pieces, they could see all the time they spent on hands and knees, carefully laying each and every shard of stained glass and colored pebble by hand. 545 square feet of space, all of it spread out to create an image exemplifying what the students, teachers and admin say make Comsewogue unique.
The new mural, on the other side of the high school’s front doors and vestibule, displays a large Native American man, which the district says represents the area’s historic roots; a tree of knowledge to represent the growth of learning; and a rendition of Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” to represent the artists that were at Comsewogue and all those who will eventually find their way there.
High school Principal Michael Mosca said the project started in 2016 when current Assistant Superintendent Joe Coniglione was still principal of the high school. As assistant principal, Mosca walked the halls with Coniglione, who would pause at the entrance to the high school, thinking of what it could be.
“Every time we would walk past this space, he would always stop and he would look at it, and I would see the wheels turning and I could tell something was going on in there,” Mosca said. “It’s something a lot of our students could be proud of and say, ‘This is ours, we did this, and it’s going to showcase our Comsewogue pride.”
Comsewogue senior and first president of the Arts Honor Society, Alexa Bonacci, said “it’s incredible” to see all the hours she and her classmates have put into it come to fruition. Whether it was after school or even during, she said she has gotten 90 hours of community service hours working on this project alone.
Many of those who worked on the project have already graduated, but many came back to their alma mater to see the hours upon hours of work they put into it realized.
Gianna Alcala, a Comsewogue graduate and past president of the Art Honor Society, worked on it for three years, spending time on it even during the summer to help get it all completed. When she started on it during her sophomore year, there was only a section of the Native American’s head and some of “The Starry Night” image. She remembers cutting tiles into fourths or eighths in order to get better detail.
“I’m in awe,” she said now seeing it all complete. “I could always see it finished in my head, but the fact that it’s actually come to life, it’s amazing.”
Coniglione said creating something new was a learning process, from having to redo a part of it after the floor cracked, and some redesigns of the mosaic from its original design.
“Every tile was glued down one at a time, nothing was on a mesh,” he said. “It took place over multiple graduating years, so to have a vision, and to have multiple years complete it with that same vision, is pretty impressive to me.”
Art teacher Gina Melton, a now-20-year veteran of the district, has been at the head of the project since its inception, helping lead the students in the project. The last year saw a huge bulk of the effort go to the mosaic.
“For all the high school kids who put so many hours into this, I’m really so proud of them,” she said.
Coniglione said it’s teachers like Melton who have made such a difference in the beauty of their schools.
“This building was built back in the ’70s, and it’s beautiful because of [Melton] and other art teachers like her doing creative projects within the school,” he said.
Mosca thanked custodian staff for helping to preserve the mural as students were walking around it and for helping finish its border.
Also included in the mural is a small but noticeable mint green homage to former Comsewogue Superintendent Joe Rella, who passed earlier this year, as well as a butterfly in homage to Rella’s wife Jackie, who was well known for her love of bright, fluttering insects.
Comsewogue Looks to Change ‘New Normal’ Into ‘Better Than Normal’
by TBR Staff - October 23, 2020
11th grader Michael Lussos honors Eddie Van Halen during the schools between-period Live at the Fishbowl concerts. Photo from Comsewogue SD
This article is thanks to a combined effort by Andrew Harris, a special needs teacher at Comsewogue, and 5th period life skills students at the high school.
The start of the 2020-21 school year has been a unique challenge for so many school districts, but Comsewogue is rising to the occasion.
Beyond the teachers and all the work they have been doing, even the simplest activities involving Jackie’s Garden at the Comsewogue High School have been improving the days of students, one sprig of lavender at a time.
Students present sprigs of lavender to the guidance department for those who may be experiencing anxiety. Photo from Comsewogue SD
“It ended in what seemed to be such a kind and simple act of students presenting lavender sprigs to our guidance department for students who might be experiencing stress and anxiety; but it was the culmination of some outstanding academic lessons from their teachers Heather Rand and Natalie Rubinstien” said Mike Fama, the principal at JFK Middle School.
Teacher’s Rand and Rubinstien explained it this way: ”Four years ago, we created the garden to honor Mrs. Jackie Rella. We grow vegetables for the school salad bar and just appreciate nature. This year, due to the stress of the pandemic, we read about how school gardens can benefit social/emotional well-being. Students started thinking of ways our own garden could benefit students at JFK. After reading about the emotional benefits of lavender, they decided to create bundles for the JFK guidance counselors to give to students who are feeling stressed.”
On the first day of school Sept. 8, high school students were welcomed by a smiling staff and hundreds of sunflowers that couldn’t help but bring their spirits up. Immediately, partially due to the pandemic, art, photography and all sorts of lessons naturally gravitated towards the garden and outdoors. There in the garden were beaming sunflowers, which were planted in May to honor those graduating seniors.
“It was amazing how our entire community came to support our Class of 2020,” said high school principal Mike Mosca. “While these gestures could never replace the events they missed out on, it went a long way to show our seniors how much their community cared about their accomplishments.”
Actions like this are a part of the Social Emotional Learning, or SEL, which has become a priority at Comsewogue. If the kids feel safe and welcome, then certainly outstanding learning will follow. We all knew that going back to school would be anything but normal this year but Comsewogue, as it always does, tried their best to make the challenges they faced getting back to school an even better experience this year.
Overall, the district is creating unique and positive things that we have never seen before and are trying our very best to make it better than it has ever been.
Superintendent Jennifer Quinn said it this way, “We are providing a learning environment that not only makes our student’s health and safety a priority but are continually thinking of newer and better learning activities than we’ve ever tried before.” We aren’t satisfied with the ‘new normal’ but want it to be something even better and keep improving after that.
“Staff and students at Comsewogue as well as our community are a resilient group-perhaps like nowhere else,” Quinn said. “With the help of the community we were ready and added some new and dynamic learning opportunities.” It’s equivalent to tripling the number of different schools we have. There are remote, virtual, and live classrooms happening all at once. Virtual is when a family made a decision to do all learning at home. Remote is for the students who come in every other day and are doing learning remotely on their days home.
Technology wise, we prepared our students and staff for a giant leap into the future.
Students actively take care our the courtyard garden, AKA, Jackie’s Garden. Photo from Comsewogue SD
“This is a big change for both students and teachers educationally. I have definitely learned quite a lot about new programs, Chromebook usage, and how to teach and connect with students using a remote/virtual platform” said special education teacher Cammie Zale.
According to Don Heberer, the district administrator for Instructional Technology, “I think students, teachers and parents are realizing that teaching and learning with educational technology is no longer optional — there’s no going back. I feel like the technology needle jumped five years forward in a matter of a few months. We were already headed in this direction, but COVID-19 has propelled us forward at warp speed.”
Mr. Heberer and our Educational Technology Specialist Teacher Frank Franzese hold frequent virtual professional development sessions for the staff to keep them abreast of the rapid changes going on.
Like many educators, science teacher Shane Goldberg posts many exciting lessons that can involve video comments from her while simultaneously students can view the specific documents that she is using for the class or lab she is covering.
“While distance learning has presented some real challenges for both students and teachers, it has also created new opportunities for learning,” she said. “By creating videos of my lessons, I can ensure that all of my students are able to access all of my lessons, even if they are absent from school. I have also seen that some students are doing very well learning in a virtual classroom. They have the freedom to work at their own pace. In a live classroom, some of these students may become bored because the teacher will need to slow the pace of instruction to meet the needs of all of their students. Unfortunately, it is the students that need frequent interaction and teacher direction in order to stay on task that may be having the most difficult time adjusting to this kind of learning environment. This is why I make every effort to encourage all of my students to ask questions frequently, using private messages. These students also have the opportunity to meet with me during live meetings several times a week.”
At John F. Kennedy Middle School, families dropping off their kids are welcomed by scores of staff members waving, smiling, and welcoming them into the school.
“The greeting we get each morning warms my heart every time. We are blessed to be part of the Warrior Family.” said Denise Kline, a mother of an eighth-grade student.
Also beneficial are the many outdoor learning environments and activities established throughout the district. Since the first day of school, students have been seen on the lawn with their laptops doing various lessons while the teacher might be speaking about photosynthesis using the real plants right in front of them. If the teacher wants them to go more in depth, they can do research, watch a video, or take a test outside on a beautiful autumn day.
Elementary teacher Melissa McMullen’s students all bring their own yoga mats.
”In addition to the typical subjects we will stop for a moment to do some breathing or movement activities,” McMullen said. “It’s been shown that this helps stimulate our minds so why not?”
2020 Graduate Alyssa Esencan receiving her Sunflower. Each graduate had their name read and were planted by staff members. Photo from Comsewogue SD
Taylor Zummo, a Social Worker at the high school, added, “The students have been enjoying the activity of Mindfulness in relation to their social and emotional learning. Simply taking time to reflect and be present in the moment has been so helpful for many students to feel less overwhelmed with school. This is a practice that can be done anywhere, which makes it so versatile. Using the practice of mindfulness outdoors is a way that students can pay attention to their feelings, as well as focus on the sounds of nature in order to find themselves some quiet and restful relaxation.”
Nicole Kidd’s physical education students can be seen doing much more outdoor activities as well.
“We have been super lucky with amazing weather,” Kidd said. “My wellness classes have really enjoyed their yoga and meditation practice outside. We have been taking our mats out to the tennis courts and practicing there. It has felt so good to be in the fresh air and sun.:”
At JFK, science teacher Steve Nielsen can be seen walking through the halls with his puppy who the students adore. It benefits both the students and the dogs because one of the best places for these dogs to get used to is the atmosphere and activities at large institutions such as schools, according to the Guide Dog Foundation.
“I never knew how profound an impact animals, especially dogs, can have on people,” Nielsen said. “Students and adults alike are drawn to this year’s JFK school mascot Named Pear. She is a delightful black Labrador guide dog in training and brings smiles to all that pass her by in the halls. Everyone wants to pet her.”
Throughout September, Sunflowers blooming in the garden were given to many of the 2020 graduates.They were planted in May in their honor. Once they were gone, a generous local landscaper, Frank Prinzevalli, who operates Prince Landscaping and Design Corp., contacted us and said he is looking to help out our students and community. He felt that replenishing the beautiful flowers might bring everyone’s spirits up, so he decided to purchase and donate over 100 pots of mums. The was an overwhelmingly abundant amount to make our students and staff smile every time they walk the hallways or look out into the flourishing courtyard throughout the Fall,
“I have children of my own and we need to continue to keep them on a positive and happy path in these challenging times,” said Prinzevalli.
Recently, a mini concert series called Live at The Fishbowl was implemented at the high school courtyard. For the first one, a student musician entertained between periods while students scurried to their classes slowing down for a moment to take in the sounds. Students and staff enjoyed a timely tribute to Eddie Van Halen. It was broadcast live online, where many in the community were astounded at how good his rendition was.
“We were excited to have Mikey Lussos perform for the school,” Mosca said. “We have so many talented students who are unable to showcase their skills because of this pandemic. It was great to have him rocking out in our courtyard. We’re constantly looking for different ways to give our kids opportunities like this and Mike certainly made the most of it”
Comsewogue, always one of the leaders in education. hopes to inspire not only their own staff and students, but continue to lead Long Island, if not the whole country, and continue to be better and more resilient and come up with more wonderful and unique learning experiences this year.
“The district is consistently reevaluating to ensure that we provide the best atmosphere for students in these unprecedented times,” said Assistant Superintendent Joseph Coniglione. “Our goal is now as it always was to make sure we offer students the best opportunities we can, even during a pandemic.”
Realty Office Donates Backpacks for Comsewogue Kindergarteners
by Kyle Barr - September 3, 2020
EXIT Realty were with Comsewogue officials delivering over 200 backpacks for kindergarteners. Photo from EXIT Realty
A backpack for every incoming kindergartener. Supplies for every fresh face to the Comsewogue School District. It may seem like a tall order, but a local realty office and donations from the community helped make it happen for the second year in a row.
EXIT Realty’s Jason Furnari, right. Photo from EXIT Realty
Last year, EXIT Realty Island Elite in Port Jefferson Station started a fundraising drive to buy every incoming kindergartener a backpack for the upcoming school year. Doing it again this year, the realty office helped facilitate the donations of 246 backpacks, enough for every incoming student starting their K-12 journey. The backpacks are also filled with a number of school supplies such as pencils, colored pencils, erasers and markers. While it won’t be everything the student needs throughout the year, it’s a good start.
Jason Furnari, the broker owner of the PJS realty office, said upon opening just a year and a half ago he knew he wanted to support the community in some way. He himself is a Comsewogue alumunus, having graduated in 2003. He also said it’s a continued legacy of Joe Rella, the popular former superintendent who passed away this year in February. Rella was Furnari’s chorus teacher in middle school.
“I really like the area we’re in, so we decided to give back to the Comsewogue School District,” he said. “It’s always about giving back to people and doing good for people, and that’s what the community’s about, it’s really family based.”
The realty office set up an Amazon wish list and posted it to community social media groups and in notices around their office and elsewhere in the local area as well. All who participated would go online and order the items they wanted for delivery to the Port Jeff Station office. Some community members also donated some lightly used backpacks from students who have already aged past the early grade levels.
The backpacks are a great boon, but especially in a time like this where so many have been financially hit by the pandemic, having to not worry about at least one kid’s school supplies can be a big help.
Comsewogue superintendent, Jennifer Quinn, said the backpacks do a world of good for incoming students.
“We live in such a great community — we have so many businesses willing to help our school district and EXIT Realty is one of those,” Quinn said.
The realty office has also supported two graduating seniors with $1,000 scholarships both last year and this year. 2020 graduates and siblings Tricia Sandhala and Arav Sandhala were recipients of this year’s awards.
Furnari said the office will continue with their backpack and scholarship donations into the future.
“We’re really excited to start the school year and end the year helping out the young generation coming in and those on their way off to college,” he said.
Comsewogue Fall Plans Include Splitting Classes into Two Groups
by David Luces - July 30, 2020
Comsewogue’s reopening plans include students at Clinton Avenue Elementary School will be taught in alternating classes of Blue and Gold, with teachers rotating between classrooms. File photo
Following survey responses from parents and community members, the Comsewogue School District released its kindergarten through sixth-grade reopening plan, ahead of the state’s July 31 deadline. More details of the reopoening plans are available on the district’s website at www.comsewogue.k12.ny.us.
During two public forums with parents on July 27 and 28, the district outlined the reopening plan and answered questions.
“I’m glad we were able to develop a safe plan to bring our elementary students back,” said Comsewogue Superintendent Jennifer Quinn.
To deal with the time it would take to implement temperature checks/COVID screening for students and staff, the district will be adjusting the arrival time as well as shortening the school days from eight periods to seven periods.
“In order to make up for that time we will be doing a districtwide character education program that will be run remotely,” the superintendent said.
The maximum class size will consist of 15 students socially distanced. A typical class of 25-30 students will be divided into two groups, Blue and Gold. Each of those groups will be placed in a classroom for the entire day. Teachers will rotate three periods in each class, the remaining periods will be handled by other staff members. Aides will monitor hallways/rooms between transitions. Lunch will take place in the classroom.
Quinn said they will combine reading teachers, librarians and math/Academic Intervention Services teachers to help fill in the remaining periods.
“We are not just putting in substitute teachers for half the day; they’ll be with certified teachers and in small groups,” Quinn said.
Transporting students to and from schools will no doubt be a challenge. The district is encouraging parents to drop off their children at school each day, and if they live close enough, consider walking them to school.
For those coming to school by bus, students will be required to pass a COVID-19 screening and undergo a temperature check at their respective bus stop. There will be monitors at each bus stop.
Once all students are cleared, they will board from the back of the bus and will sit socially distanced and are required to wear a mask. Students will leave from the front of the bus. Disinfecting the buses will occur between school routes. Parents who drop off their children will also be required to undergo a COVID screening and temperature check from their car. Drop-off locations will be separate from the school buses, according to Susan Casali, associate superintendent.
Parents were concerned of what would happen to their child if they were deemed sick or had COVID-19 symptoms. Quinn said that students would be able to resume class work online and would need a doctor’s note to return to school after having had quarantined.
In addition, the district will have HVAC systems upgraded with recommended filters, install more custodial staff at each building, use electrostatic sprayers used to disinfect quickly, there will be hand wipes in each classroom as well as hand sanitizers around the building, nurse’s office used for healthy people and an isolation room used for sick people.
Before and aftercare will be provided at each elementary school.
“We will be keeping [before and aftercare] in the gymnasium because it is our largest area that won’t be used,” Casali said. “They will be arriving wearing masks and will be six-feet apart.”
All pickups of children will be done in a designated area, parents will not be allowed to enter the building. The gym area will be sanitized each day. In the event students are not able to go outside for recess they will be able to use that space.
Special education programs will continue. The district is asking all parents to complete a mandatory form to let them know if their child will be attending school in-person or virtually to begin the school year. The decision will be in effect from the first day of school through Dec. 31. The district said it has purchased enough Chromebooks for all students.
Comsewogue plans to host future meetings to talk specifically about grades 7-12 plan.
More school districts will be releasing their reopening plans in the coming days. Check back at www.tbrnewsmedia.com for the latest on reopening plans.
Comsewogue Uses Survey to Determine Fall Reopening Plan
by Kyle Barr - July 24, 2020
One of the hardest questions for district officials is how will students use the bus alongside social distancing. Stock photo
New York State has asked school districts to come up with plans to reopen their schools, but based on state guidelines, reopening may be in a form some parents may disagree with, based on districts’ own surveys.
Assistant Superintendent Joe Coniglione and Superintendent Jennifer Quinn look at the sprouts of sunflowers in Jackie’s Garden. Photo by Andrew Harris
New York is requiring school districts submit reopening plans to the state by July 31. The state Education Department released new guidelines July 16 for school districts to help guide that decision making, though many such districts have already had committees established to help guide those plans.
The Education Department said schools will have to perform COVID screenings of staff and students, maximize social distancing and create methods for isolating sick students before being sent home. It suggests districts use additional space, whether that’s underutilized real estate or gymnasiums, as places for teaching.
Still, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has said students can come back for in-person learning if their region remains in Phase 4 of reopening with an infection rate below 5 percent on a 14-day average. Schools will close again if the region breaks a 9 percent infection rate after Aug. 1.
Though many school districts have sent surveys to parents asking what their plans for their children are, few have released their results so far. Those that have show some majority of parents want their kids back in the classroom come fall. Superintendent of the Hauppauge School District Dennis O’Hara said during a Newsday-hosted forum last week that among 2,300 respondents, 90 percent said they would like to see their children back in school.
The Comsewogue School District is one of the few to have publicly released the results of that survey, which show the majority of parents say they will be sending their kids back into school this fall.
The Comsewogue School District, which includes over 3,700 students, received 1,187 responses to its survey. The district reported almost 60 percent of respondents, or 699, would send their children to school; 181 said they would not; while 307 were still undecided.
In that survey, 361 parents said they would need childcare provided by the district.
“I think we have to get a plan in place that is comfortable for parents, but what is right for one family might not be right for another family,” said Comsewogue Superintendent Jennifer Quinn. “We’re going to give parents the opportunity to make the decision that’s best for them.”
Quinn added the district expects 80 percent of its students to come back for the fall semester. Finalized plans will reveal what can be done for the 20 percent whose parents decide not to send them back.
Comsewogue’s reopening committees were formed earlier in the spring and have met with the teachers unions and administrators. Those suggestions will circle back, and tentative plans will be presented to teachers at each building and then later to the community.
The district plans to host two Q&A sessions for parents of kids in grades K-6 July 27 at 7:30 p.m. and July 28 at 11 a.m. via Zoom. Information on joining these meetings can be found on the district’s website at www.comsewoguek12.ny.us. Comsewogue plans to host future meetings for grades 7-12. The district will announce when its final plan has been approved and finalized on the district’s website and social media before the end of the month.
“We’re trying to bring back as many kids as we can, as often as we can,” Quinn said.
What that will look like is still to be determined. The district can confirm that all special education and English-language leaner students will be back in school every day in the school week. Quinn said the district hopes they can bring elementary students back full time, though that is more circumspect for the higher grade levels. If the committee determines they cannot safely have all kids back in school full time, they will be put on an alternating A-day, B-day schedule.
“I don’t think it’s ideal, but we’re going to have to do the best we can,” the superintendent said.
For students who may have to continue learning online, at home, Quinn said there are renewed efforts to further develop distance learning, particularly with a heavier emphasis on interaction with fellow classmates and teachers.
Perhaps the most challenging conundrum is transportation. In the survey, a plurality of 42 percent of respondents said their children would take the bus, while 24 percent said they would take personal transportation, while 33 percent were still undecided.
Yet how a district can possibly work out a bus fleet that can maintain social distancing and get all kids to school on time will still be a major challenge. The district hopes that many more parents will personally transport their children.
“We really want our kids back for the first day of school,” Quinn said. “There’s an emotional component to this and the pandemic, with kids not being in school and not being with their friends and teachers … we’re confident if we can bring them back in small groups, we can meet their needs.”
Comsewogue Continues Efforts in Distance Learning
by Kyle Barr - April 18, 2020
Jennifer McGuigan's five children work on their schoolwork at home. Photo by McGuigan
By Deniz Yildirm
With the arrival of the Coronavirus, New Yorkers have been forced to practice social distancing and with that, so called distance learning. Distance learning is a relatively new phrase which means a method of studying in which lectures are broadcast and classes are conducted over the internet. And while many teachers at Comsewogue are familiar with online tools, there is still a steep learning curve.
Don Heberer, the District Administrator for Instructional Technology and Frank Franzese, the district’s Educational Technology Specialist teacher have been working tirelessly to help teachers and students shift to distance learning.
“Everyone is putting in long hours” Franzese said. “There’s no such thing as a one way email. Every teacher is trying to give their classes a first rate education using technology, even when it’s stressing them out. So I’m going to do everything I can to help.”
Despite the speed of setting up this distance learning, the quality of work is really outstanding. “I’m so impressed with the level of collaboration and dedication my teachers have to making this work and connecting with students.” said Terryville elementary Principal Annemarie Sciove, who has has two young children and said she understands how important it is for children to feel connections with their teachers and the challenges of working from home. Despite this challenge, third-grade teachers Mrs. Sciarrino and Ms. Benson are working together to create some of the most comprehensive google classrooms for their students. So far they’ve uploaded countless resources and worksheets even though it’s their first time using google classroom. Sites like xtramath.org, storyonline.net and classroom.magazine.com are just a few of the websites they’ve shared with students to help them continue to grow at home. And even though spring break has been cancelled, these teachers have found a way to make this week extra special by planning a “virtual vacation.” Students will “visit” special places via youtube and google earth then report back to their teachers.
“It’s a great learning experience and a warm up to our country report project in May,” Sciarrino said.
Teachers have also been uploading videos of themselves, including teachers Mrs. Dunn and Mrs. Zoccoli who have created videos for their classes where they are offering support and encouragement.
Physical education teacher Mr. Chesterton posted a video challenging his students to a jumping jack countoff (he got up to 50 while one student reported 100). This kind of teaching is really meaningful to the kids who are stressed out and missing school.
Just ask Jennifer McGuigan, like so many parents she is facing the challenge of supporting her five children (the oldest John in college, 11th-grader Joe, ninth-grader Lydia, seventh-grader William and fifth-grader Lila.
“I want them to know it’s okay and it’s easier to do that with the support of the teachers,” McGuigan said. “It can be a lot sometimes, every one of them has at least five classes they have to check in to but it’s a welcome distraction.”
She also says it’s helpful to establish a schedule and reiterate that no one is looking for perfection, teachers are just looking for students to do their best.
Superintendent Dr. Quinn couldn’t agree more, as she’s recently said in her call home, “We’re in this together.”
Deniz Yildirim is a librarian at the Terryville Road Elementary School. For students, she has posted a video showing how they can make a temporary library card so they can borrow ebooks.
Comsewogue Makes Switch to Distance Learning During Ongoing Crisis
by TBR Staff - March 27, 2020
Kingstone and Miles Fowler practice distance learning. Photo from Kristina Fowler
During challenging times like these, the Comsewogue School District reacted to be fully prepared to not only provide and keep its classes and academic standards at a high level but also to keep the students’ social and emotional well-being stable despite no longer being in the school buildings.
The administration, staff, students and community saw fit to have educational packets and more in place while the upper grades were provided with Chromebooks and resources online available before school was closed. The technology department was in close contact and continues to be communicating with everyone on a daily basis with updates and more.
“I was happy to receive additional training available up to the very last day,” said Camie Zale, a special education teacher.
“Teachers and students are comfortable with using technology and communicating with various websites and apps on a normal basis,” said Andrew Harris, a teacher at the middle and high school. “Unfortunately, I’m nowhere as savvy as most of these students who have grown up with this technology. If I ever have any problem, I can ask any of my students who usually solve it in a matter of seconds … they are amazing.”
Don Heberer, district administrator for instructional technology, said the 1:1 take-home Chromebook program in the high school and classroom carts at John F. Kennedy Middle School had allowed students and teachers to become comfortable with using the technology for education.
Melissa McMullan, a sixth-grade teacher in the middle school, said the school did a great job getting Chromebooks into kids’ hands. The process, she said, has been tricky to find what works and what doesn’t on an online space.
“The kids and I will solve the need for distance learning together like we always do,” she said.
Students in the elementary schools have grade-level packets posted online along with hard copies sent home. The district is also providing support to both teachers and parents remotely on using the technology.
”Comsewogue has always prided itself on being innovative and willing to try something new,” Heberer said. “We know that it will be a challenging change for everyone; however, Comsewogue staff has worked hard to provide the students, teachers and community resources during this period.”
The Comsewogue district has taken to online as well for interteacher-related processes. Harris said teachers received a message from the Pupil Personnel Services department that they will hold upcoming annual meetings on Google Hangouts as part of their annual review process. It has taken time and effort but he feels he has become comfortable and “up to speed” with the various programs.
“For me, I am learning as I go,” Harris said. “The first day I mostly communicated the way I was most familiar with — I picked up the phone and called most parents to let them know what was going on with their child’s education. From there I switched to text messages, and finally have been using Google Classroom and more as I get better.”
After checking in with several of the students, Harris said many teachers realized they were perhaps giving too much work. One parent communicated that her daughter was working from early morning until about 5 p.m. on her assignments and starting to stress out.
“I think many of the teachers didn’t want the students to feel like they were on vacation and get complacent,” said Joe Caltagirone, a teacher at the high school.
Harris said he wanted his very first assignment to be something light and be beneficial to his students and their families. He posted a YouTube video on how to do Box Breathing, a technique of taking slow, deep breaths to relieve some stress and help concentrate.
“I know people are highly stressed so I asked that the student watch this video first,” Harris said. “I also requested that they teach members of their family how to do it. I know from experience when you teach others you become very proficient at what you’re teaching. I asked them all to comment on how it made them feel.”
Harris, also a yoga instructor, said that breath work is easy to learn and perhaps the best thing people can do in these stressful situations.
Having said all of this, there are many in the Comsewogue community that may not be as comfortable as students are with technology, though there are many people willing to help distribute food and other resources to our senior citizens.
“The problem is that they may not know that there is help out there. Where many of us can easily access social media sites, many of these seniors don’t have the ability to do so,” said Ed Garboski of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association.
“Currently, I’m trying to find a way to bridge that gap,” said Harris. “We are trying to put together an electronic way to have our students write letters to the senior citizens who are being quarantined at local facilities. If we have to, we will have the letters printed and distributed to those seniors directly or through the facility’s printer, so they are not compromised.”
Superintendent Jennifer Quinn stated that the whole staff is committed to doing whatever is necessary to make sure the students continue to get everything they need to have a great education, and much more.
Information and quotes provided by Andrew Harris
Comsewogue Won’t Be Stopped by COVID-19
Like the rest of New York, Comsewogue School District is facing unprecedented challenges with courage and teamwork. Following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) orders, all six of the district’s schools were closed on Monday, March 16, for a tentative two-week period. Administrators and teachers worked hard to create packets and uploaded countless resources onto the district’s website so students can continue their education at home.
Preparing work for over 5,000 students with numerous and distinct needs such as learning disabilities and language barriers could only be completed with hard work and collaboration. Reading teachers, English as second language teachers, teaching assistants and even special area teachers like music teacher Ellen Rios came together to create comprehensive packets that were sent home with students on Friday, March 13. Parents could come in person to pick them up if their child wasn’t in school to get it themselves.
Superintendent Jennifer Quinn has been regularly calling parents with updates and also informed families that the district is even willing to lend out its Chromebooks to students who couldn’t otherwise access the online learning tools.
“This is a scary time for everyone and our students’ health comes first. We want to share what we have to make them feel safe and help them continue to learn,” said Quinn. “Families are advised to call the district so they can prepare the appropriate materials and ensure a smooth and sanitary pick up.
In addition to student work, Comsewogue is continuously posting statements on its website (in English and Spanish) in order to keep families informed. One such notice comes from Robert Pearl, the district’s new administrator for Pupil Personnel Services and Micheala Finlay-Essig, the assistant director of PPS; they have been rescheduling important meetings regarding student services that will now be “teleconferencing” meetings through Google Meet. The instructional technology department led by Don Heberer has never been more critical and everyone can testify to the key role they are playing.
“We’re here to help our students, teachers and community,” Heberer said. “We have been supporting our teachers through technology professional development, so the teachers can support our students’ learning. We are updating the district website and mobile app daily to keep our community informed and provide vital resources.”
Comsewogue graduate, parent and now teacher Kristina Fowler said she’s never been prouder of her community. Fowler has a unique perspective because she’s been in everyone’s shoes, so it’s particularly meaningful to hear her say that Comsewogue is going above and beyond her expectations. She supports her two sons, fourth-grader Kingston and second-grader Miles and lets them “play” with their friends via FaceTime. Most recently, Kingston and Kristina helped classmate Liam Schneph with a question he had about his new hamster.
“It’s so important to stay connected and let kids be kids,” she said. “Comsewogue won’t be stopped by COVID-19.”
Deniz Yildirim is a librarian at the Terryville Road Elementary School
Port-Area School Districts Donate Meals to Students During Crisis
by Kyle Barr - March 20, 2020
Robert Niedig, Robin Hoolahan and Sean Leister deliver bags of food to students who need it. The program is expected to continue as long as the schools remained closed. Photo by Kyle Barr
Though schools in the Port Jefferson area may be closed, districts have been working constantly to get food to the children who may need it now more than ever.
Volunteers and staff help deliver meals at both JFK Middle School and the Comsewogue High School March 19. Photo by Leigh Powell
Port Jefferson Deputy Superintendent Sean Leister and a few volunteers stood inside the high school’s cafeteria Friday, March 20. For the weekend, the district was handing out three meals, one for Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively.
The program is based on the district’s previous reduced cost lunch program, but now its being donated to anybody 18 or under free. Nobody has to sign up, and nobody at the door checks if the person lives within the district.
“The program is not restricted, it’s for any child 18 and under that feels they have a need,” Leister said.
When school was normally in session, Leister said the district had 110 students signed up for the program, where around 65 normally picked it up. In the last week or so, the district has been producing around 50 to 60 meals each day. Middle School Principal Robert Neidig has also volunteered to deliver to those resident’s houses who said they were unable to come out to pick their meals up. He said families have been really appreciative, even one young girl who comes to the door so excited to see the meals he’s brought.
“It’s like if I were delivering them candy,” Neidig said.
Each bag comes with a sandwich, bagel or wrap, along with fruit and milk. Any untaken meals are being given to Infant Jesus RC Church for them to distribute any remaining food.
Leister said the district has also applied to New York State to allow them to make breakfast and dinner meals as well. Local residents can get these meals at the Port Jefferson High school from 11 to 1 p.m. on weekdays.
Meanwhile in the Comsewogue school district, staff and a score of volunteers worked Thursday, March 19 at two separate schools to donate around 1,800 meals to children in need within the district.
Volunteers and staff help deliver meals at both JFK Middle School and the Comsewogue High School March 19. Photo by Jennifer Quinn
Comsewogue School District Superintendent Jennifer Quinn said the staff took everything from the schools cafeterias and even raided the faculty food pantry. Originally the district thought they would be able to only give out 1,100, but they went far above what they expected.
“This is one of the toughest things we’ve ever experienced — we will do what we need to do, together,” Quinn said. “We need to make sure our families are fed and our children are educated, and we are as whole as possible by the end of all this.”
Food included in bags were cold cuts, bread, apple sauce, juice, milk, cereal, cereal bars, and frozen hamburgers and meatballs. Staff and volunteers placed the bags inside the cars of those who drove up to the high school and JFK Middle School. Volunteers also drove meals to families who said they were unable to come by the two pickup locations.
There were around 30 volunteers who came by to offer aid. Quinn said they were offered aid by over 100 residents, but she felt she had to turn most away to try and reduce the chance of any kind of contagion.
The Comsewogue district is expecting nonprofit food bank Island Harvest to donate them another 300 meals come this Monday. Quinn added the district is likely to raid the cafeterias in the other schools, and should have another 1,100 meals after they receive aid from a New York State program giving food aid to schools during the mandated shutdown.
The Comsewogue School District is expecting to host its next bagged food drive Thursday, April 2.
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March 17, 2015 Matthew Campbell Article, Culture, Discussion, History
Huge Sculpture Commemorating Choctaw Kindness Takes Shape in Ireland
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, you can see this article from Indian Country Today, here. An excerpt:
Plans are underway to erect a sculpture that memorializes the aid that the Choctaw people sent to Ireland during the Great Irish Famine.
In 1847, the Choctaws pulled together $170 to send to the starving Irish populace, a sum that is reckoned to be worth more than $5,000 today. The gift established a bond between the Choctaws and the Irish that is still recognized today. In 1992, a delegation from Ireland trekked a 500-mile path from Broken Bow, Oklahoma, to Nanih Waiya, Mississippi, following the route (in reverse) so many Choctaws had taken on the Trail of Tears in 1831. In 1995, Irish President Mary Robinson visited the Choctaw Nation, where she was made an honorary chief.
Now, a sculptor is creating a memorial near the southern Irish city of Cork to pay tribute to the suffering of the Irish and the kindness of the Choctaw.
RELATED: How the Choctaws Saved the Irish
Alex Pentek expects his “Kindred Spirits,” an arrangement of nine massive stainless-steel feathers, to be completed a few months from now. It is to be installed in Bailic Park, in Midleton, County Cork.
Pentek explains on his website that the work is “an empty bowl symbolic of the Great Irish Famine formed from the seemingly fragile and rounded shaped eagle feathers used in Choctaw ceremonial dress.”
According to Irish Central, the sculpture costs some $100,000, and invitations have been extended to the leadership of the Choctaw Nation.
Read more athttp://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/03/09/huge-sculpture-commemorating-choctaw-kindness-takes-shape-ireland-159533
Tagged Choctaw, Irish
Buzzfeed: New York High School Will No Longer Use “Redskins” As A Mascot
Scholarship Created In Memory of Evelyn Stevenson
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Tanya Roberts, known for her role in ‘That 70s Show’ and ‘View to a Kill,’ has died
Officials did not release her cause of death. But it was not due to Covid-19, said her publicist and longtime friend Mike Pingel.
“I’m devastated, I’ve been friends with Tanya for over 20 years,” Pingel told CNN. “She was full of energy and we always had a wild time together. She was truly an Angel and I will miss her so much.”
Roberts was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on December 24, after she collapsed at her California home following a morning walk with her dogs, Pingel told CNN.
She died Sunday.
Born Victoria Leigh Blum, Roberts began her career as a model before breaking into films. A 30-year career in movies and TV followed.
She had starring roles in the cult favorites “The Beastmaster” and “Sheena: Queen of the Jungle.” And she appeared in several well-known TV shows of the time, including “Fantasy Island,” “The Love Boat,” and one season of “Charlie’s Angels” as one of the three principal characters.
Then came her most iconic role until that point. In 1985, she played geologist Stacey Sutton in ‘A View to a Kill,’ opposite Roger Moore in his final outing as 007.
She then earned a new legion of fans during her turn as Midge, Donna Pinciotti’s dimwitted mom, in “That 70s Show.” But she suddenly left the sitcom in its fourth season to tend to her now-late husband who had been diagnosed with an illness. (She returned in later seasons as a recurring character.)
Her last on-screen appearance was in 2005 in the TV series “Barbershop.”
Terrified mum finds massive huntsman spider in her car then hundreds of its babies hatch while she was driving
Why you should open your windows while eating Christmas dinner
‘Breakthrough’ drug that halts ovarian cancer gives a supermarket worker, 56, new life
NASA moon rocket’s engine issue could doom 2021 launch
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Barf Bag
In Despicable Move, the Trump Administration Kicks 200,000 Salvadorans Out of the U.S.
Ellie Shechet
Image via Getty.
Barf BagWelcome to Barf Bag, a daily politics roundup to help you sort through the chaotic Trumpian news cycle.
Here’s a nice picture of me in 2018.
The Trump administration has ended the Temporary Protected Status of 200,000 people from El Salvador who have been allowed to live in the U.S. since earthquakes devastated the country in 2001. They will have to leave within 18 months. The program having been in place for nearly 20 years (it was extended multiple times over the Bush and Obama administrations), many Salvadorans living here now have American families and deep roots in the country. And they will be returning to a country that is inhospitable at best, whose economy depended on the money they were sending home. El Salvador, along with Honduras and Guatemala, is considered the most violent region in the world outside of conventional war zones; it’s also one of the world’s deadliest countries for women. [New York Times]
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is likely to try and interview Trump, a nightmare scenario for the president’s legal team considering his tendency to lie and forget basic English language vocabulary. [Washington Post]
“Oh, are you happy you voted for me. You are so lucky that I gave you that privilege,” Trump informed a group of farmers in Tennessee today. Yes, I hear it was very consensual. [Twitter]
The wave of GOP retirements continues. [Twitter]
If you missed it, this documentary report from a suicide hotline headquarters in Puerto Rico is a devastating must-see. [New York Times]
Honestly, where are they finding these people? [The Hill]
Trump Tower was briefly on fire today, which is a little on the nose. [Politico]
Here are some tweets the president was allowed to publish:
This has been Barf Bag.
Ellie is a freelance writer and former senior writer at Jezebel. She is pursuing a master's degree in science journalism at Columbia University in the fall.
OMG!PONIES!
As funny as it is to laugh about Trump Tower catching fire or how he is, like, a stable genius, I still hate to end the day thinking about Our Moron President.
It was brutally cold out this weekend and the only one who was happy was Marzipan, who took a nap in 2° weather on the snow. Of course, this was only after spending an hour running around the yard.
My wife is concerned about her possibly having hip dysplasia but after watching infinite videos of sheepdogs running, I’ve concluded that that is just how they run. I’m still on the lookout for hip dysplasia, especially as she is now nearly 24" at the withers and isn’t even eight months old. But her galloping stride seems naturally, fluid, and without pain. It’s just that she can’t even hope to keep up with Henri.
I dread the spring, when I’ll have to shave off her coat.
Then again, in this weather, it’s hard NOT to keep up with a chihuahua terrier who only moves to go from the fleece on the couch to the toe-kick heater to his own crate and then back to the couch.
Yes. She is panting. While laying in the snow. In single-digit weather. Because she’s a friggin’ bear of a dog.
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Monday Night At The Apollo: 12th April 2021
concert • musical • creative process • inspiring • music
£12.50/$15 per household; or part of the 3-Show Apollo Extended Access Bundle, available for £25/$30. A brand-new concert series taking place in front of a socially distanced audience at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. The concerts will take place at 7pm on Monday 12th April 2021, Monday 26th April 2021 and Monday 10th May 2021 and will also be livestreamed to audiences at home. An intimate evening of conversation and song hosted by Greg Barnett, Monday Night at the Apollo will see some of the West End’s best-known performers sing an eclectic mix of music from their favourite genres. Performers will share their most cherished memories and experiences from their careers, alongside performances of music which is personal to them, in a relaxed and informal theatrical celebration. Monday Night at the Apollo has been conceived of to support the theatre industry and ten percent of all ticket sales will be donated to Acting for Others, an organisation made up of 14 individual theatrical charities. This concert series is musically directed by George Dyer and produced by Greg Barnett and Hugh Summers for Wild Mountain Productions Ltd. This event will be available to stream at 7pm BST on April 12th 2021 and purchasers have on-demand access for 72 hours. The 3-Show Bundle will give you access to all three Monday Night at the Apollo events, premiering on 12th April, 26th April, and 10th May, available to watch until 24th May. To purchase, click 'Buy' above. (You may need to create an account.) On the day of the premiere, return to this page, click 'Access My Purchase', and log in using the same account information. Tickets must be purchased per household. Any sharing of account information is against our terms of use and may result in loss of income for the artists. Recording of the livestream is strictly prohibited. Any distribution of recorded material will be subject to copyright infringement.
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Colbert Catechism covers Lent and Pope Francis
Josh Larsen • March 4, 2015
Colbert Catechism, a video Stephen Colbert made for the Catholic magazine America, showcases more of his religious-comic sensibility.
Perhaps to help us bide time until he takes over as host of The Late Show, Stephen Colbert recently made a video (embedded below) for the Catholic magazine America that showcased the same comic-religious sensibility that defined the best episodes of The Colbert Report.
Called “Colbert Catechism,” the video features a casual interview between a newly bearded Colbert and James Martin, editor-at-large of America. The comedian, a practicing Catholic, discusses what he gives up for Lent, his favorite Scripture passage and what he would say to Pope Francis. There’s also a bit about how Peter was “super flawed” and, of course, some dancing.
At TC, we’ve often praised Colbert for his prophetic voice. Erica Schemper, who wrote about his departure from his show, described it this way: “I doubt Colbert would be comfortable being called a prophet, but I have to think that Colbert, with his strong sense of Christian vocation, understands that his gift of humor is meant to be used in the world as a way to further God's own work and to help people see the world through God's eyes.”
Colbert doesn’t seem to be bearing any heavy vocational mandate in the video, which is loose and fun. If anything, he comes across as another believer simply trying to live a daily life of faith. Who, you know, also happens to be one of the biggest names in television comedy.
Topics: TV, Culture At Large, Arts & Leisure, Entertainment, Theology & The Church, Faith
Josh Larsen is editor of Think Christian.
More Articles by Josh Larsen
Why I’ll miss the religious mockery of The Colbert Report
Richard Braaksma
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The most outrageously expensive movie merchandise that money can buy
Hanna Flint
21 August 2018, 11:29 am
The most expensive movie props
The TV and film industry has become such an influence on our collective culture that’s it no wonder that merchandising has become such a massive industry in itself.
From bedsheets to action figures, T-shirts to board games, it’s rare that a movie or TV show doesn’t come with a slew of products to commemorate its existence. But for people ready to shell out the big bucks, and I’m talking BIG bucks, fans can go one giant step further to secure a piece of their favourite film or TV show.
From custom-made Bond cars to houses that homed Twilight characters there is a serious business for OTT merchandise and here are 10 of the most outlandish.
Time to start saving your pennies.
James Bond’s Aston Martin
How to Buy James Bond’s Iconic Aston Martin DB5 from ‘Goldfinger’
Aston Martin has confirmed it is recreating the 1964 Aston Martin DB5, seen in Goldfinger and Skyfall, in collaboration with the film franchise’s producers at EON Productions. 25 cars will be made including a straight-six, 282 horsepower, 3,995cc motor as well as a revolving license plate and other gadgets designed by Chris Corbould, 007’s Oscar-winning effects supervisor.
So if you have £2.75 million (plus tax) lying around in a savings account then you could be a lucky owner.
Marilyn Monroe’s white dress
Marilyn Monroe’s The Seven Year Itch dress is iconic
Debbie Reynolds once had the biggest collections of movie memorabilia and had once hoped to open a museum to house it all, however, she ended up selling most of it including Monroe’s iconic dress from The Seven Year Itch (1955). It went for just under £3.6 million at auction in 2011, along with Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra headdress and Charlie Chaplin’s bowler hat.
Gold Darth Vader mask
It’s 24K solid gold.
Only peasants own black Darth Vader masks, apparently. In Japan, to mark Star Wars’ 40th-anniversary last year, jewellers Ginza Tanaka commissioned a series of gold masks that went for the not-at-all ridiculous price of £1.1 million. Weighing 33 pounds you can’t actually wear it but you could carry it around Comic-Con if you fancied. Probably shouldn’t though. At that price.
Chief Swan’s Forks home
Chief Swan’s Forks house is up for sale
Twilight fans wanting to get on the property ladder may want to think about moving to St Helens, Oregon, where Bella’s dad’s house from the movie is located. The two-floor, four-bedroom house is on the market for $349,900 (£272,650), which is actually cheaper than the average first home for Londoners.
The owner also kept the house the same as in the movie so it will be like you’re moving into Chief Swan’s home – without the vampire locals, we hope.
Han Solo’s jacket
The Empire Strikes Back is so hot right now
For fans of the original Star Wars movies, and Harrison Ford in particular, you could be the proud new owner of the jacket he wore in The Empire Strikes Back. London’s Prop Store is putting on a charity sale, with the proceeds going to the NSPCC, and the jacket is expected to go for as much as £1 million, but really, can you put a price on Han’s style?
Dorothy’s ruby slippers
There were four of these classic Wizard of Oz shoes left after the movie was made and are among the most coveted movie props in the world. One pair is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History while another was sold at auction in 2000. The last pair to sell at auction in 2000 went for £519,000.
Indiana Jones’ bullwhip and fedora
The fedora and bullwhip used by Harrison Ford in Raiders Of The Lost Ark and Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom respectively, are to go on sale (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom fans could purchase Indy’s famous whip if they’re willing to shell out £70,000 for it, however, if they’re more interested in a new headpiece then maybe they’d want to put that money towards his fedora from Raiders of the Lost Ark, which is expected to sell at the Prop Store’s auction for as much as £300,000.
Will Thacker’s house
The house with the blue front door seen in Notting Hill sold for millions in 2009
You can’t walk down Westbourne Park Road without seeing a crowd of people taking their photo in front of the famous front door that Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts walked through (as well as Rhys Ifans hang out of half-naked) in 1999 film Notting Hill. Technically the house was only used for the front door – a separate one was used for interiors – but in 2009 it went on sale for £2.5 million.
The private Rosemead Garden that Will and Anna snuck into can be accessed with the purchase of another six-storey house, on Elgin Avenue, if you fancy stumping up £13.2million for the convenience.
Marty McFly’s hoverboard
Marty’s hoverboard is up for auction
While the functionality of the Back to the Future Part II prop is certainly lacking, it’s still an iconic piece of cinematic history. It’s no wonder that Prop Store has it valued between £30,000-£50,000 at its auction. Hey, you might even be able to upgrade it to make it hover when the technology becomes available. Worth the wait right?
Doc Brown’s DeLorean
Back to the Future featured the DeLorean
There were six made for the first Back to the Future film, but now the motor company is bringing it back for consumers to buy. It’s believed the car will be available from 2019 for around £78,000, and it will replace the original 130-horsepower engine with a modern powerplant that can produce, according to Espey, three times as much power. Time travel not guaranteed.
Original version of Deadpool 2 included the Fantastic Four
Slender Man and 12 films based on disturbing true events
Will Marvel ever address Hank Pym’s dark past?
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K-Pop Group BTS Wins 2019 TIME 100 Reader Poll
By Mahita Gajanan
The K-pop group BTS has won the 2019 TIME 100 reader poll, marking the second year in a row the seven-person band has claimed victory.
The South Korean group has received numerous awards since capturing global fame in 2013, and is a social media phenomenon, with more than 19 million followers on Twitter. BTS, which stands for “Beyond the Scene,” was also named one of TIME’s Most Influential People on the Internet in 2017 and 2018.
BTS released a new album, Map of the Soul: Persona on April 12, marking a step into a new phase for the group after the final album in the Love Yourself trilogy was released last year. The seven new tracks kick off a new era for BTS.
The group has earned about 6% of the vote for readers’ choice in the TIME 100 poll. While TIME editors are responsible for selecting the eventual TIME 100, the online reader poll allows the general public to give its input. This year’s runners-up include former First Lady Michelle Obama, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and teen climate activist Greta Thunberg.
The official TIME 100 will be announced April 17 on TIME.com.
Write to Mahita Gajanan at mahita.gajanan@time.com.
See Highlights From the TIME100 Show on ABC
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Luangrath receives early career contributor award
Home→ News
Lesanne B. Fliehler
Andrea Luangrath, assistant professor of marketing, received the 2017 C.W. Park Young Contributor Award at February’s Society for Consumer Psychology conference. The award is given to the best refereed paper published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology by an early career contributor in the past year. An early career contributor is a scholar whose work is published within two years of receiving the Ph.D. or a scholar who had not yet received the Ph.D. when the paper was published. The award
recognizes the article, “Textual Paralanguage and Its Implications for Marketing Communications.”
Luangrath studies social media messages that use nonverbal cuesor textual paralanguage. These text-based cues convey meaning that would normally be communicated through physical contact (*high five*), voice (“ummm…”), or facial expressions/gestures (-\_()_/-) and contribute to brand personality.
Luangrath received a BBA in marketing and international business in 2010, and a Ph.D. in marketing in 2016, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her expertise covers the fields of consumer linguistics, haptics, nonverbal behavior, psychological ownership, and sensory marketing.
Andrea Luangrath
faculty award
Why capable people are reluctant to lead
Get a grip: The science of a handshake
Inside the 'bossless' office, where the team takes charge
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Even If It Is Warm Outside, the Annual Cincinnati Winterfilm Festival Will Be At the Woodward Theater This Saturday
Posted by terrencetodd in Black Eye, CityBeat Archives
Kent Meloy, Pope Francis: A Man of His Word, Wim Wenders, Winterfilm Festival
Also, a new documentary about Pope Francis, which debuted at Cannes, is at the Mariemont Theatre and earns an A-
Kent Meloy // Photo: Provided
How is it that we’re in the midst of the summer movie season nationally, yet regionally we’re gearing up for the fifth annual Winterfilm Festival? The screening and awards presentation occurs 7 p.m. Saturday at Woodward Theater (1404 Main St., Over-the-Rhine).
I spoke to the event’s director, Kent Meloy, about the timing and purpose of the event.
“In the fall of 2013, I had just finished wrapping up directorial duties on season one of Dark Age, a post-apocalyptic-comedy-web-series (darkage.tv), and had also gathered a team for what would be my fifth entry into Cincinnati’s 48 Hour Film Project,” he says, referring to the local event for which creators put together a film in two days from scratch. “I began thinking about how the 48s were great fun, but didn’t leave a lot of wiggle room to really hone in on a story and make it something not only a little special, but something that wouldn’t require a ton of rework to get into shape to submit to larger festivals.”
As head of the Southern Ohio Film Association (SOFA) at the time, Meloy organized a core team to develop what has become Winterfilm, named for the time (mid-February to mid-March) the teams have to create their films.
“Each team had to write a short film based upon a broad theme — the first year it was simply ‘Winter’ — and include a prop,” he explains. “That (first) year it was a newspaper containing a (publication) date during the production month. Teams were encouraged to stretch the theme as far as they can; giving them as much freedom as possible was paramount in my mind.”
In its fifth year, the theme is “deception” and the featured prop is a mirror. Films are limited to less than 10 minutes.
With the fifth annual event ready to occur, and with close to 50 films produced as part of Winterfilm so far, Meloy says he loves “having a gathering of filmmakers celebrating each other’s work. But it would be even better to have an audience of actual movie enthusiasts.”
This year’s screening and awards ceremony is at the Woodward because Meloy was so taken with the neighborhood’s activity during last year’s Blink festival.
“The crowds were huge, friendly, engaged and all were there because of art,” he says. “My mind was made up at that moment; the next phase of Winterfilm had to take place downtown, preferably in OTR. If we could tap into even a little of that energy, the impact on our local filmmakers would be immense.”
For tickets, visit woodwardtheater.com.
One might describe the notion of Wim Wenders directing a documentary feature on Pope Francis as “capturing lightning in a bottle.” The three-time Oscar-nominated German filmmaker (for documentaries Buena Vista Social Club in 2000, Pina in 2012 and The Salt of the Earth in 2015) has a penchant for exploring the exact points where the spiritual seems to touch the extending fingertips of humanity. His 1987 classic drama Wings of Desire captured the dilemma of a watchful angel who seeks to become human after falling in love with a mortal.
So it comes as no surprise that he would be fascinated by Pope Francis, the current leader of the global Catholic faith community who, through his words and deeds, seeks to find a way to live in peace, not only with others, but also with the planet itself. In Pope Francis: A Man of His Word, Wenders draws bold comparisons between the pontiff and Saint Francis, the beloved figure who preached and lived a doctrine of love.
It is obvious that Wenders was given liberal access to the Pope, in terms of both interview time and the ability to travel freely among his loose entourage. The result is a loving portrait intent on allowing the religious leader’s message of hope and humble example to shine. One could quibble that Pope Francis: A Man of His Word refuses to challenge specific contemporary issues bedeviling society as a whole, but Wenders lets the man’s highly charged words target our aching hearts. (Grade: A-) (PG) (Mariemont Theatre)
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Mack Trucks Expands Body Builder Support
Logistics, Press Releases, Trucking MackTrucks
GREENSBORO, NC (Jan. 15, 2015) – Mack Trucks broadened its already extensive support for customers and body builders by creating a body builder order manager position and a support team focused on ensuring effective collaboration among body builders, dealers and customers during the ordering and body installation process.
“Mack has gained tremendous knowledge during many decades of working with body equipment manufacturers,” said Stu Russoli, Mack vocational segment product manager. “Our new body builder resources connect that insight to the order and body installation process to make sure critical information is shared from the time a truck is ordered to the time it’s delivered to the customer.”
Mack named Gene Olenick the body builder order manager. Olenick is responsible for developing and coordinating customer specifications throughout the order process, which will result in a smoother integration of the chassis and body and reduced delivery times to customers.
The body builder support group offers prompt access to Mack product experts who can answer questions that may arise from the body installation process. The group also addresses customer inquiries after a vehicle is put into service. The body builder support group is located within Mack’s recently opened Uptime Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, near Mack World Headquarters.
Olenick and members of the body builder support group will be in attendance at the 2015 World of Concrete expo Feb. 3-6 in Mack booth C-5203 in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada.
From a chassis perspective, Mack’s wide range of components and packaging options allows customers to select the optimal truck configuration for their specific body. Mack offers access to electrical signals and connections via conveniently located terminal points. In addition, Mack’s BodyLink and Control Link body builder electrical interface systems help simplify the installation of the body to the chassis.
Mack body builder manuals are also available online as a free PDF download. The manuals offer general chassis information for the Mack® Pinnacle™, Mack Granite® and Mack TerraPro® models, built from 2010 through the present. Additional electrical and programming documents have been added for 2013 and newer models and are separately listed.
Dedicated to quality, reliability, and total customer satisfaction, Mack Trucks, Inc. has provided its customers with innovative transportation solutions for more than a century. Today, Mack is one of North America’s largest producers of heavy-duty trucks and Mack® trucks are sold and serviced through an extensive distribution network in more than 45 countries. Mack trucks and diesel engines sold in North America are assembled in the United States. Mack manufacturing locations are certified to the internationally recognized ISO 9001 standard for quality and ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems. Mack is also a proud sponsor of Share the Road, an American Trucking Associations’ public information campaign aimed at enhancing the safety of our nation’s roadways.
Mack Trucks, Inc. is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The Group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. The Volvo Group, which employs about 110,000 people, has production facilities in 19 countries and sells its products in more than 190 markets. In 2013, the Volvo Group’s sales amounted to $41.5 billion. The Volvo Group is a publicly-held company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo shares are listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm and are traded OTC in the U.S.
Mack Proprietary 16000 Lb Front Axle Now Available for Order
Mack Trucks Names Richard Hoyle as Vice President National Accounts
Mack Trucks to Showcase Mack Pinnacle Granite Models at ExpoCam
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Collected Works of Erasmus: Prolegomena to the Adages
By Desiderius Erasmus
Translated by John N. Grant
Indexes by William Barker
After spending several months in England, Erasmus returned to Paris in the winter of 1500 and set about compiling a small anthology of classical proverbs known as the Adagiorum collectanea. This modest work became the basis for one of Erasmus’ best known and longest works, when it was expanded in 1508 into the far more substantial Adagiorum chiliades. The essay that begins this introductory volume to the Adages explores the development of the Collectanea and its transformation into the Adagiorum chiliades. It is followed by the first annotated translation into English of the Collectanea.
The second part of this volume contains a series of indexes to all of the adages found in CWE volumes 31–36: Greek; Latin; Early Modern English proverbs with possible sources or parallels in Erasmus; Erasmus’ original topical index; and full indexes of all the proverbs and names mentioned by Erasmus. The Prolegomena to the Adages is a much needed resource for Erasmus and Renaissance scholars alike and it continues the excellence in scholarship which defines the entire series.
The essay that begins this introductory volume to the Adages explores the development of the Collectanea and its transformation into the Adagiorum chiliades.
‘Waiting for CWE 30 was a matter of a few years. Tantalizing by partial translation, English readers have waited centuries for a complete Adages. At last we have it, dense, delightful, and whole. The Toronto Adages is a major accomplishment, five hundred years overdue.’
Willis Goth Regier
World Literature Today October 2017
John N. Grant is a professor emeritus in the Department of Classics at the University of Toronto.
William Barker is a professor in the Department of English at Dalhousie University and the former president and vice-chancellor of University of King’s College.
Erasmus’ Adages by John N. Grant
The Adagiorum collectanea
Translation and annotation
Indexes to the Erasmus’ Adages
Works Frequently Cited
Short-title Forms for Erasmus’ Works
classics \ literature
literary studies \ renaissance literature
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Out from the shadows: Alice Ayres and the Union Street Fire
On May 2, 2019 May 2, 2019 By kristendenhartogIn 1830s-1913: In Darkest London
Tracy and I visited Gananoque this past weekend, and participated in the 1000 Islands Writers Festival. If you ever have a chance to go to this beautiful part of Ontario, do! And even better if you can manage to make next year’s festival. The organizers go above and beyond to ensure it’s a wonderful event for readers and listeners alike, rich with music and literary delights. On Friday evening, each of the authors did a short reading. We were asked to choose passages that had to do with the festival’s theme of Life in the Shadows — focusing on the unknown, the unrecognized, the underappreciated. Since much of The Cowkeeper’s Wish is set in the slums of Victorian London, it wasn’t hard to follow the theme. I chose a passage about a woman named Alice Ayres, who stepped out of the shadows under the most tragic circumstances. Here’s an excerpt from the story:
Alice Ayres, Illustrated London News, May 1885
In 1885, one April Friday at two in the morning, a fire broke out at an oil and colourman’s shop on Union Street. Such shops specialized in mixing paints, and when the gunpowder and casks of oil kept onsite quickly ignited, the fire spread rapidly. The shopman and his family, sleeping in the rooms above, were soon woken and trapped by the flames. Neighbours gathered in the street, blankets wrapped around their nightclothes. If Mary and her daughters were there, they’d have seen the horse-drawn fire engine arrive in short order, carrying firefighters with their Spartan helmets, axes holstered at their waists. But it was already too late to lean the ladders against the bricks – flames lashed out of the windows, and heat from the burning oil emanated from the building.
When a woman appeared in a third-storey window, neighbours called to her to jump, but she disappeared from view. The smoke curled in the crisp spring air, and the crowd grew thicker, faces lighted by the glow of the fire. And then the woman reappeared. She pushed a feather mattress through the window to the ground, and the crowd called again to her to jump, but instead she lifted a small, startled girl, about five years old, up to the window ledge and dropped her to the mattress below. She slipped away and returned to the window with another girl, this one smaller than the last, crying and clinging to her, refusing to be dropped. But the woman threw the child out and someone held up their arms and caught her. Once more she returned, with the smallest girl yet, and dropped her to the mattress.
The voices in the crowd were ragged now, screaming to the woman to save herself. They could see that she was losing strength and having trouble breathing. She tried to push herself from the window, but fell from the frame, and on the way down she struck her head on the shop sign below. She landed head-down, cracking her spine, and though she was rushed to hospital and did regain consciousness, she died soon after.
The woman’s name was Alice Ayres. She was sister-in-law to the oil and colourman who owned the shop, and nursemaid to the little girls she had released through the window one by one. Once the blaze was put out, the remains of Alice’s sister, the girls’ mother, were found inside, along with a son and the oil and colourman himself, holding a locked box of cash, terrified of losing everything he owned. The obvious horror of the family’s last moments affected the neighbourhood deeply, and captured the imagination of the larger population as well, fuelling a rumour that as Alice had lain in hospital, Queen Victoria had sent a lady-in-waiting to inquire about her worsening condition.
The 1885 Union Street Fire as depicted by Walter Crane, English Illustrated Magazine, June 1893
The event was a tragedy, but also appealed to the Victorian love of melodrama and sentiment. Reynolds’s Weekly Newspaper called Alice Ayres “a humble heroine,” and asserted that “Such a woman, although only a poor domestic, deserves to be placed among the small but noble army of martyrs to duty.” Mourners flocked to the memorial service at St. Saviour’s, so many that there was not even standing room left in the church. Those in the back strained to hear the words of the minister, who preached a sermon about heroism. Nearly a thousand coins were raised, and it was said that the money would go toward a memorial window for Alice Ayres when the church was restored to its original splendour. Overnight, she had gone from anonymity to working-class heroine, and in the years to come, White Cross Street, running parallel to Red Cross Street, would be renamed Ayres in her honour. She’d undergone a near canonization, with gilded poems and stories written about her selfless duty and devotion. To the growing number of social reformers, Alice Ayres was an irresistible example of what every woman of the lower class should strive to be: hard-working, loyal and self-sacrificing.
1000 Islands Writers FestivalAlice AyresGananoqueVictorian era SouthwarkVictorian women
London’s Houses Falling Down
Ontario Genealogical Society, Toronto branch
4 thoughts on “Out from the shadows: Alice Ayres and the Union Street Fire”
Oh, I love that story. And the way it is written gives us all the excitement and horror of the tragedy.
heidi den Hartog
An inspiring story from a tragic event.
I like the description….”by intrepid conduct”
Yes, a good one indeed!
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Creepiest Traditions and Relics of the Catholic Church
by Taylor Leonard
The Roman Catholic Church is an ancient religious syndicate with a rich history tied deeply into Western civilization. Throughout the centuries, especially recent ones, the Church has provided a pillar of support for the poor and the sick. As noble these works are, the Catholic Church is not without its demons and detrimental dogma. These practices and traditions are, for the most part, behind us, but that doesn’t make them any less unsettling, as the following examples show:
An iconic aspect of Catholicism and Christianity in general, the practice of driving evil spirits from the body probably predates all known faiths. What makes a Catholic exorcism unique is the empirical approach taken by the Church in combating demonic possession.
Famously depicted in the 1973 motion picture The Exorcist, the process of undergoing a Catholic exorcism is a procedural and somewhat bureaucratic journey, which attempts to rule out all earthly causes for symptoms of possession. The Vatican, the administrative capital of the Church, will even get involved if all signs point to a true evil spirit manifesting itself inside a person.
Enforcing Roman Catholic doctrine by any means necessary was historically key to securing the power and influence of the Church across multiple kingdoms and nation states. Central to this enforcement was the rooting out of all doubt and denial among Catholics, referred to as heresy by Church officials.
This culminated in the development of Church-sponsored prosecutorial protocol known as the Inquisition, which would be used repeatedly in varying degrees for nearly 700 years to combat suspected heresy. While anyone openly expressing doubt over religious doctrine was subject to prosecution, Inquisitors were inclined to target Jewish and Muslim converts to Christianity under the suspicion they secretly stayed true to their original faiths. Often times tortured into confessing, convicted heretics were handed over to local authorities and burned alive at the stake.
Indulgences and Purgatory
Purgatory, a netherworld for souls to be spiritually cleansed for entry into Heaven, has been a component of Roman Catholic doctrine since the Church’s founding. Starting in the third century it became common for priests to grant Christians an opportunity to help reduce the amount of time spent in Purgatory by doing good works, fasting, or saying prayers.
By the 11th century, however, these “indulgences” had evolved into tools to achieve evildoing and corruption with premeditated zeal. The ruling classes were promised remission of all sins in exchange for committing atrocities abroad, meanwhile peasants were pressured by “pardoners” to expedite their dead relatives’ journey through Purgatory by giving money to the local diocese.
The widespread abuse of indulgences would become a precipitating factor in the splintering of Christianity during the 16th century.
Veneration of Relics
Utilizing the physical remains of holy persons for worship is not unique to Catholicism. However few religious institutions have devoted as much time and effort to procuring and preserving relics as the Roman Catholic Church of the middle ages.
Whether it be a mummified finger, yellowing skull, or just a tooth, body parts alleged to have belonged to saints or Christ himself were the centerpieces of churches across Christendom drawing pilgrims from hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles away. Typically these remains were said to be the sources of miracles and mysterious healing, but to priests and bishops they were the source of steady income from travelers wishing to be closer to God.
Mortification of the Flesh
Self-harm may seem like a relatively new cultural phenomenon, but the Catholic Church has been endorsing it for over a thousand years. These days it doesn’t amount to much more than fasting or wearing weighed-down clothing, but traditional “mortification of the flesh” as it’s called makes cutting look like fingernail biting.
For instance, flagellation and lashings were often self-imposed by men and women in the middle ages who would eventually go on to become saints. This in turn inspired Catholics of all kinds to engage in similar behavior in an effort to atone for sins and prove their devotion to God over their own flesh. The Catholic organization known as Opus Dei, founded in 1928, is a modern day proponent of mortification of the flesh as a means of getting closer to Christ. The group publicly denies engaging in anything which inflicts pain or induces bleeding, yet former members claim otherwise.
The modern Roman Catholic Church provides healthcare and other much needed resources to men and women around the world. These good works of Catholics are nothing new, yet the Church will always have skeletons in the altar to confront. Institutions as sprawling and ancient as Catholicism are never without eccentricities and wrongdoing, no matter how much they attempt to bridge the gap between humanity and God.
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Business & Economy Startups Malaysia’s Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad abolishes startup programme MaGIC
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad abolishes startup programme MaGIC
Business & EconomyStartups
This development follows Wednesday’s announcement by the newly-sworn in Prime Minister that government agencies, which are ‘political’ or ‘non-essential’, will be abolished or redeployed
The Malaysian government today said that several government agencies, including Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC), will be abolished.
This development follows an announcement on Wednesday by the newly-sworn in Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad that government agencies, which are ‘political’ or ‘non-essential’, will be abolished or redeployed.
When contacted, a MaGIC spokesperson told e27 that MaGIC has not been dissolved yet. “Yesterday, the Prime Minister said that the review of all government agencies is still underway. He mentioned that final decisions would be made once this review was concluded and that some, but not all of the agencies under review will be disbanded. We are watching the situation closely and waiting for further updates.”
Also Read: Malaysia’s MaGIC, Vietnam’s SIHUB join forces to help startups with their regional expansion move
“In the meantime, it’s business as usual for us at MaGIC, as we continue our work to create a vibrant, open and collaborative entrepreneurship ecosystem in Malaysia that helps to nurture and inspire entrepreneurial talent as well as helping enable corporates to better connect and innovate with the startup community around them,” the spokesperson added.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister said after chairing the first cabinet meeting. “Most of these institutions are not actually part of the government, and are supposed to ‘advise’ the government. All these (institutions) will be disbanded.”
MaGIC was launched in October 2013 by the then US President Barack Obama during the 4th Global Entrepreneurship Summit held in Kuala Lumpur. The agency runs a dozen programmes, including the recently-announced IDEA Accelerator for early-stage impact-driven enterprises and social enterprises.
The post Malaysia’s Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad abolishes startup programme MaGIC appeared first on e27.
Source: e27
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Senso comum, etologia cognitiva e evolução
AGUARDANDO TRADUÇÃO
Some Personal Reflections
On the basis of (a) common sense, (b) findings in cognitive ethology (the study of animal thinking, consciousness and mind) and (c) the notion of evolutionary continuity, a strong case can be made for admitting great apes into the community of equals. Initially, I was incredulous that such an appeal was even necessary. Next, I found it difficult to conceive that this plea could ever be denied, not only to great apes, but to most nonhuman animals. Considering, however, how many nonhumans are used by humans for anthropocentric ends, I came to see that it was my own stance that was unusual and in need of justification.
Thinking about great apes as members of the community of equals has also made me think about some aspects of what it is like to be a scientist. My early training was an instance of what Bernard Rollin calls ‘the common sense of science’,[1] in which science is viewed as a fact-gathering value-free activity. There was little or no overt expression of concern for the plight of nonhumans, and questions concerning morals and ethics rarely arose. When such questions did surface, they were invariably dismissed by invoking a vulgar form of utilitarianism, in which suspected costs and benefits of animal use were assessed from the human’s point of view with little or no concern for the nonhuman’s perspective. Often, it was simply asserted that the animals really didn’t know or care what was going on. This apathy and remoteness from the animals’ points of view bothered me deeply. I soon formed the opinion that ethical issues are integral and legitimate parts of science; one cannot be neutral on such matters. ‘Moral privatists’ who dispense with their moral and ethical obligations to nonhumans are taking a position on matters even though they are not aware of doing so.[2]
My own laboratory and field experience in ethology showed me that all behavioural research involves intervention, even ‘simple observation’. I asked myself just what humans do when they study nonhumans and questioned what science was all about. I engaged in these thoughts not because I wanted to terminate my career or others’ research, but because I thought it reasonable to think about behavioural biology specifically, about science in general, and also about how I spent a lot of my time. Among my scientific colleagues, my contemplation of animal welfare and questioning of science is not always well received. Recent accusations by some prominent scientists concerning the presumed intentions and characteristics of those who are interested in animal rights and animal welfare have made it essential to stress that I am not (and have never been) anti-science[3] or an anti-intellectual or Luddite.[4]Furthermore, I certainly do not want to end all research relating to animals.[5] For example, if some primates must be kept in protected areas because they were bred in captivity and it would not be in their interests to return them to the wild, or the habitat from which they came has disappeared, research that could lead to improvements in their welfare, and caused them no harm, would be permissible. Some research on animals who had already been injured, either physically or psychologically, might also be acceptable if the animals were not to suffer any further harm. In general, as far as apes are concerned, some studies would be permissible on the same basis as they would be permissible on humans incapable of giving consent: that is, where a guardian appointed to represent the best interests of the apes would give consent. While I value science, I do not worship the enterprise of science, and one does not have to be anti-science or anti-intellectual to question how science is done.[6]
Great Apes and the Community of Equals
There seem to be at least three interrelated reasons why great apes should be included in the community of equals. The first concerns the use of common sense to describe and to explain animal behaviour, the second is motivated by recent work in comparative and evolutionary cognitive ethology and the third centres on the notion of evolutionary continuity, stemming mainly from the work of Charles Darwin.
Common-sense approaches to the study of animal behaviour are useful in furthering our understanding of the behaviour of animals. The ways in which humans describe and explain the behaviour of non-humans can strongly colour views on animal welfare. Without the use of common sense and familiar anthropomorphic terms, descriptions and explanations of animal behaviour are tedious and inconvenient; they frequently lack context and content, and do not tell us very much (if anything) about what might have occurred in a given situation. Even if explanations of animal behaviour based on common sense or folk psychology are sometimes wrong (as are ‘scientifically’ based explanations), they can also be correct.
Data from comparative evolutionary studies in cognitive ethology — investigations into animal thinking, awareness and consciousness – also support the suggestion that great apes should be admitted to the community of equals. It has become clear that many nonhumans have rich cognitive and intentional lives[7] and also have the capacity to experience pain and to suffer; studies in cognitive ethology inform questions concerning animal cognition and animal welfare, especially when the level of development of an individual’s (or species’) cognitive abilities are used as a basis for moral and ethical decisions. The richness of the cognitive and intentional lives of great apes is particularly evident, as many of the essays in this book make clear.
There is also an evolutionary reason for claiming that great apes deserve membership in the community of equals. Evolutionary continuity is widely accepted by biologists, even when it is not very apparent. Ethological studies of nonhuman primates in general, and great apes in particular — species with which humans are most closely evolutionarily continuous — can certainly inform and motivate investigations into human behaviour.[8] We readily acknowledge evolutionary continuity in physiology and anatomy, and we should do so in behaviour. Some common sense is important here: can we really believe that humans are the only individuals with feelings, beliefs, desires, goals, expectations and the ability to think about things?
Those who deny that animals have beliefs or desires or propositional attitudes of different orders must offer alternatives that will be as useful for describing and explaining animal behaviour, and this they have not done. How can one deny that a great ape has some beliefs about what h or she is doing, even if the ape’s beliefs are not like ours? While I do not really know that an ape expects (or has a belief) that food will be forthcoming when he or she engages in a behaviour that most humans call ‘begging’, I feel that this word adequately describes what he or she is doing. Likewise, when Jethro chases another ape up what I call a ‘tree’ it does not really matter whether Jethro knows that it is an ‘ape’ who ran up a ‘tree’; Jethro does not need to have the concepts of ‘ape’ and ‘tree’ to engage in what we call ‘ape-chasing’. I use English, the language with which I am most familiar, to convey information about Jethro to others who also understand English. I also use anthropomorphic words and phrases that seem most likely to capture the essence of what he is doing. I could describe, in great and inconvenient detail, Jethro’s behaviour from anatomical and physiological perspectives, but this approach would convey little or no useful information to another person about what Jethro was doing.
Of course, it is very difficult for one to know with certainty what is going on in the minds of other individuals, human or nonhuman. Some sceptics conflate the difficulty of learning about animals’ cognitive lives with the impossibility of doing so. Stephen Stich claims that because we cannot say what it is that an animal believes – because we cannot precisely ascribe content- it is fruitless to suggest that we can explain an animal’s behaviour in terms of desires and beliefs.[9] More plausibly, Donald Davidson, although he is sceptical about animals having beliefs, notes that we have no general and practical alternative for explaining animal behaviour other than by attributing beliefs, desires and intentions.[10] He also holds that although language is not necessary for thought, it is difficult to imagine that there would be much thought without language.[11] None the less, Davidson does not believe that the possible absence of thought or of propositional attitudes in nonhumans means that nonhumans may be mistreated. Furthermore, demanding that nonhumans have language (as we know it) before they can ha propositional attitudes, and requiring that animals have propositional altitudes before they can be granted rights or their interests receive equal consideration to those of humans, is anthropocentrically self-serving and asserts an extremely narrow view of what it is like to be nonhuman animal.
Investigation into the cognitive skills of nonhumans frequently h surprising results, and it is essential that people who write about animal issues be cognisant of these findings. It is difficult to imagine how any coherent thoughts about moral and ethical aspects of the treatment animals could be put forth without ethological, evolutionary a philosophical input. Clearly, ethologists must read philosophy and philosophers must not only read ethology but also watch animals.
Conclusion: The Importance of Ethological Research
Humans need to make serious attempts to look at things from a nonhuman point of view and to try to discover answers to the fascinating question of how animals interact in their own worlds and why they do so. There is no substitute for careful ethological research. While some animals seem to respond in the same way as humans to a wide variety of stimuli that are known to us to be pleasurable or painful, and arguments from analogy are often very convincing, we also know that many other animals process sensory information differently from humans and that they perform motor activities that are unlike any that humans typically perform. In these cases, arguments from analogy may fail, but this does not mean that they always fail. Furthermore, we should not conclude that any animals, human or nonhuman, cannot do something when they do not do what we expect them to do. We must be sure that the animal can perceive the necessary stimuli, is able to perform the motor activity that we think he or she should perform, and is motivated to perform this task. Furthermore, when an animal makes what we call an ‘error’, it may not be an error in the context in which it was made – when the animal’s sensory and motor worlds are taken into account.
Adopting a common-sense approach to how we view the cognitive skills of nonhumans and their pains and suffering will make this a better world in which humans and nonhumans can live compatibly. Common-sense intuitions about pain, suffering and animal cognition should be combined with reliable empirical data, of which there are already plenty. Some claim that cognitive explanations have yet to prove their worth when compared with reductionist behaviouristic explanations of the behaviour of nonhumans.[12] Such sceptics ignore a wealth of data that demonstrate rather impressive cognitive skills in many nonhuman animals; they may also mislead those who look to cognitive ethology to provide information for structuring their ideas about animal welfare, and conclude that there is little or nothing in cognitive ethology that is convincing. What we believe about the cognitive capacities of nonhumans affects our thinking about animal welfare; different views lead us to look at animals in particular ways. Ascribing intentionality and other cognitive abilities to animals is not moot, because it has moral consequences. Common sense, findings in cognitive ethology and the idea of evolutionary continuity strongly support the present appeal for admitting great apes into the community of equals. In the future, after great apes have been granted membership, it might be wrong to ignore other species. Data from comparative and evolutionary studies in cognitive ethology and arguments based on evolutionary continuity also point to a broader view. As Degler rightly states, we must revisit Darwin and draw inspiration from ‘his insistence upon the continuity between human and animal experience’.[13]
Acknowledgements – I thank Anne Bekoff, Lori Gruen, Susan Townsend, Carol Powley, Dale Jamieson, Bernard Rollin, Deborah Crowell and Robert Eaton for comments on this paper. The editors of this volume also made extremely valuable comments.
[1] B. Rollin, The Unheeded Cry: Animal Consciousness, Animal Pain and, Science (Oxford University Press, New York, 1989).
[2] D. Jamieson, ‘Experimenting on animals: a reconsideration’, Between the Species, vol. 5 (1985) pp. 4-11; M. Bekoff and D. Jamieson, ‘Reflective ethology, applied philosophy, and the moral status of animals’, Perspectives in Ethology, vol. 9 (1991) pp. 1-47; M. Bekoff, ‘Scientific ideology, animal consciousness, and animal protection: a principled plea for unabashed common sense’, New Ideas in Psychology, vol. 10 (1992) pp. 79—94.
[3] I.S. Bernstein, ‘Breeding colonies and psychological well-being’, American Journal of Primatology, suppl. 1 (1989) pp. 31-6.
[4] Bernstein, ‘Breeding colonies’; C.S. Nicoll and S.M. Russell, ‘Analysis of animal rights literature reveals the underlying motives of the movement: ammunition for counter offensive by scientists’, Endocrinology, vol. 127 (1990) pp. 985-9.
[5] W.A. Mason, ‘Primatology and primate well-being’, American Journal Primatology, vol. 22 (1990) pp. 1-4.
[6] Rollin, The Unheeded Cry.
[7] For numerous and diverse examples among which are included communication and deception, play, vigilance (antipredatory) behaviour, monitoring social relationships, the discrimination of kin and other individuals, tool use, food-caching and injury-feigning, see D.R. Griffin, Animal Thinking (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1984); Rollin, The Unheeded Cry; Bekoff and Jamieson, ‘Reflective ethology’; C.A. Ristau (ed.), Cognitive Ethology: The Minds of Other Animals; D.L. Cheney and R.M. Seyfarth How Monkeys See the World: Inside the Mind of Another Species (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1990).
[8] W.G. Kinzey (ed.), The Evolution of Human Behavior: Primate Models (State University of New York Press, Albany, 1987); D. Bickerton, Language and Species (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1990); J. Rachels Created from Animals: The Moral Implications of Darwinism (Oxford University Press, New York, 1990); C.N. Degler, In Search of Human Nature: The Decline and Revival of Darwinism in American Society, Thought (Oxford University Press, New York, 1991); P. Lieberman, Uniquely Human: The Evolution of Speech, Thought, and Selfless Behavior (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1991); J.D. Loy and C.B. Peters (eds), Understanding Behavior: What Primate Studies Tell Us About Human Behavior (Oxford University Press, New York, 1991).
[9] S. Stich, From Folk Psychology to Cognitive Science (MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1983), p. 18.
[10] D. Davidson, ‘Rational animals’, in E. LePore and P. McLaughlin (eds), Actions and Events: Perspectives on the Philosophy of Donald Davidson (Basil Blackwell, New York, 1985), pp. 473-80.
[11] But see L. Weiskrantz (ed.), Thought Without Language (Oxford University Press, New York, 1988).
[12] P. Colgan, Animal Motivation (Chapman and Hall, New York, 1989), p. 67; M.C. Corballis, The Lopsided Ape: Evolution of the Generative Mind (Oxford University Press, New York, 1991), p. 24; T.A. Sebeok, ‘A personal note’, in M.H. Robinson and L. Tiger (eds), Man & Beast Revisited (Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, 1991), p. xii.
[13] Degler, In Search of Human Nature, p. 329; see also Rachels, Created from Animals.
Texto de autoria do biólogo Marc Bekoff para o The Great Ape Project New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, pg. 103-108, publicado originalmente em 1993.
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TAGS: auctions
Phú Quốc real estate market forecast to grow, driven by upgrade into first island city The real estate market of Phú Quốc in the Cửu Long (Mekong) River Delta of Kiên Giang was forecast to be robust as the island district has just been given the green light to be upgraded to the country’s first island city in March this year.
Việt Nam's stock exchange officially established Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has signed a decision to establish the Việt Nam Stock Exchange (Việt Nam Exchange), headquartered in Hà Nội.
DATC auctions more than 4 million shares of MSB Việt Nam’s Debt and Asset Trading Corporation (DATC) has offered to sell a complete lot of more than 4 million shares of the Vietnam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MSB) on December 23.
More than 1 billion people will have access to 5G coverage by the end of 2020 globally Ericsson projects that four out of every ten mobile subscriptions in 2026 will be 5G. This forecast is included in the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.
Nine bidders register to buy IDC shares from construction ministry Nine bidders have registered to participate in auctions of 108 million shares of The Việt Nam Urban and Industrial Zone Development Investment Corporation (IDICO), listed on the HNX under the code IDC.
Corporate bond market cools for 2nd month The value of corporate bond issued in October was VNĐ9.5 trillion (US$409 million), down 12.8 per cent from September.
Chubb Organizes Regional Day of Service in Asia Pacific Chubb Organizes Regional Day of Service in Asia Pacific
State assets sold for $44.75 million over 10 months A total of 42.3 million State shares sold from January-October fetched nearly VNĐ1.04 trillion (US$44.75 million), according to the Hà Nội Stock Exchange (HNX).
$210 million mobilised via October 28 G-bond auction A total of VNĐ4.87 trillion (US$210 million) was mobilised for the State Treasury through a Government bond auction at the Hà Nội Stock Exchange (HNX) on Wednesday.
Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu to speed up key national projects The southern coastal province of Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu has asked the Government to allocate capital from the central budget to speed up progress of national key projects in the province over the next five years.
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Urban Land > Industry Sectors > Infrastructure
ULI Launches Curtis Infrastructure Initiative, Promoting Solutions in Cities Worldwide
ULI has announced the launch of the Curtis Infrastructure Initiative, a multiyear initiative to identify and promote infrastructure solutions to create equitable, resilient cities and enhance long-term community value. The initiative aims to provide research and practical tools to help ULI members advance infrastructure investment and identify new solutions to local infrastructure issues, as well as directly support member engagement at the local level through the Institute’s 52 district councils.
Three U.S. “Highway Cap” Projects Reckoning with Urban Inequity
Beginning in the 1950s, the Interstate Highway System began to span the continent, connecting cities across the United States and driving suburban development. But in many cities, these highway projects also physically divided communities and paved over neighborhoods. A ULI webinar hosted by the Curtis Infrastructure Initiative in September gave an update on the status of such projects in three cities—Atlanta, Austin, and St. Paul.
Hong Kong Adopts Two-Envelope Tendering for Prime Waterfront Site
The Hong Kong government’s recent decision to embrace a new tendering process for the sale of a prime parcel of waterfront land adjoining the Central business district marks a welcome departure from longstanding policy. In the past, such tenders were invariably awarded to the highest bidder without regard to the quality of the proposed development. Now, however, use of a “two-envelope” approach to sell the plot, known as Site 3, means that design also becomes part of the equation.
Linking Connectivity to Livability and Better-Planned Cities
Improved connectivity leads to better cities and more profitable buildings, and data can play a crucial role in analyzing that connectivity and planning to maximize it, said a keynote speaker at the ULI Asia Pacific Leadership Convivium in Singapore.
How Atlanta Real Estate Leads the Way on Big Infrastructure
In many American downtown areas and commercial centers, improvement districts are used as tools for revitalization, placemaking, and economic development. They improve the street presence and provide important marketing services for local businesses. But what if they could tackle larger infrastructure needs? Better yet, what if commercial real estate owners and investors could attract billions of public dollars and, in the process, create a new way to build roads, interchanges, and other important projects?
P3s: A Practical Solution for Improving Public Infrastructure
The United States has fallen behind other nations in crafting public/private partnerships to leverage resources for critically needed infrastructure improvements. A global panel of experts explores how that might be changed.
Building a Multimodal Future: New Book Explores Transportation Demand Management’s Role in Creating Walkable Cities
Transportation demand management policies that require access to travel options as part of the development process can be highly effective in the creation of communities that provide mixed-use, higher-density development without increasing traffic congestion, according to a new ULI publication.
Backing China’s Big Bet on Smart Cities
China’s largest insurer is backing the nation’s ambitious smart city program with investment in technology, panelists said during the ULI Asia Pacific Leadership Convivium, held in Shenzhen, China.
Planning for Equitable Transit-Oriented Development in Sacramento
A ULI Advisory Services panel toured South Sacramento, California, in September, meeting with more than 75 city and county officials, local business leaders, residents, and other stakeholders. The four sponsors—Sacramento Regional Transit, Sacramento Council of Governments, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District—asked the ULI advisory panel to outline a plan for kick-starting a retrofit of the two transit-adjacent neighborhoods into transit-oriented neighborhoods. Their goals were to promote equitable, healthy, and inclusive community development that fosters job and income growth, housing options, and healthy neighborhood amenities with more convenient access to transit, retail, and services.
Two Infrastructure Projects Hope to Reshape a Growing Miami
The ever-increasing traffic congestion in South Florida, a region that includes Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, has not gone unnoticed by either local officials or private companies, both of which have been working on solutions to traffic woes for years. At ULI South Florida/Caribbean’s ULI Miami Investor Symposium in late October, two speakers—one from government and another from the private sector—laid out their plans to alleviate some of the congestion.
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Smithville, TN Police
Search for Police Arrests in Smithville City, Tennessee. Results may include: IDN Number, Court Date, Mugshot, Case, Division, Court Event, Court Role, Case #, Document Type, Booked/Served, Charge.
Smithville, Tennessee Jail and Mugshot Information
According to the 2016 census, approximately 4,692 people are living in Smithville. The city is located in DeKalb County and serves as the county seat. The current mayor of Smithville is Jimmy Poss.
Address: 104 E. Main St., Smithville, TN 37166
As of September 2018, 32 registered sex offenders are residing in Smithville. The ratio of sex offenders to residents is 1 to 147.
Smithville, Tennessee Police Station Information
Smithville has an F rating for crime and safety. Its total crimes are equal to the state average but it is still higher than the national average by 23%. Statistically, 9.58 crimes happen everyday in the city for every 100,000 people. In fact, 82% of all US cities is considered safer than Smithville. The chances of a person experiencing a crime here is 1 in 29. The good news is that the police has been able to reduce the total year over year crimes by 11%.
The Smithville Police Department is committed to enforcing laws, preventing crimes, and ensuring the safety of the citizens. It aims to maintain public safety in the community. The department employs 14 full-time officers which are under the command of Police Chief Mark Collins. Most of these officers perform patrol functions, providing the city with continuous police coverage and answering all calls of service. The two detectives in the department are responsible for handling all follow-up investigations of reported crimes.
Smithville Police Department Address:
104 E Main St., Smithville, TN 37166-1497
Smithville Police Department Additional Information
Address 1: 104 E Main St
City: Smithville
County: Dekalb County
Population Served: 4000
Number of Officers: 9
Smithville Police Department:
Smithville Police Dept
Smithville Police Department Facebook:
Smithville Police Facebook
Smithville, Tennessee City Website:
Smithville City Website
Open Records Request in Smithville, Tennessee
All police reports and documents generated by the Smithville Police Department are handled by the Police Records Clerk. If you wish to access for public records from the department, you can submit your request to the clerk in person. For more information, you can call (615) 597-4745.
County Sheriff, Warrant, Most Wanted Information in Smithville, Tennessee
All felony and misdemeanor warrants issued by the courts in DeKalb County are tracked, updated, and served by the Sheriff’s Office. If you want to verify information in a warrant, you can visit the Sheriff’s Office at 100 Public Square in Smithville. If you have information on a wanted individual, please call (615) 215-3000. If you wish to be anonymous, you can leave a tip at (615) 464-6400.
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A Letter to Three Wives
A Letter to Three Wives is a 1949 American romantic drama film which tells the story of a woman who mails a letter to three women, telling them she has left town with the husband of one of them. It stars Jeanne Crain, Linda Darnell, Ann Sothern, Kirk Douglas, Paul Douglas in his film debut, Jeffrey Lynn, and Thelma Ritter. An uncredited Celeste Holm provides the voice of Addie Ross, the unseen woman who wrote the eponymous letter. The movie was adapted by Vera Caspary and Joseph L. Mankiewicz from a Cosmoplitan Magazine 1946 novel Letter to Five Wives by John Klempner. It was directed by Mankiewicz, who went on to direct All About Eve the following year. The film won the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Writing, Screenplay and was nominated for Best Picture.
Ann Sothern
Linda Darnell
Kirk Douglas George Phipps
Jeffrey Lynn
Connie Gilchrist
Barbara Lawrence
Florence Bates
Arthur Charles Miller Cinematography
Joseph L. Mankiewicz Director
J. Watson Webb, Jr. Editor
Alfred Newman Music
Sol C. Siegel Producer
Vera Caspary Writer
Joseph L. Mankiewicz Writer
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Treasure Island (1972)
Watch Treasure Island (1972) Online
Young Jim Hawkins finds himself serving with pirate captain Long John Silver in search of a buccaneer’s treasure, in this short adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale.
Genre: Adventure, Family
Director: Andrea Bianchi, Antonio Margheriti, John Hough
Actors: Ángel del Pozo, Kim Burfield, Lionel Stander, Maria Rohm, Orson Welles, Rik Battaglia, Walter Slezak
Country: France, Italy, Spain, UK, West Germany
Shadow Wolves (2019)
A rogue NSA agent joins an elite group of Native American trackers who call themselves the Shadow Wolves as they engage in missions to protect justice in America and abroad.
Quantum of Solace continues the adventures of James Bond after Casino Royale. Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing…
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort…
The Climbers (2019)
May 1960. Mount Everest, the second step under the cliff. The four members of the China Everest Climbing Commando are attacking the most difficult and most difficult “second step”. This…
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Family, History, Romance, Thriller
Eight Below (2006)
In the Antarctic, after an expedition with Dr. Davis McClaren, the sled dog trainer Jerry Shepherd has to leave the polar base with his colleagues due to the proximity of…
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family
The Scorpion King (2002)
In ancient Egypt, peasant Mathayus is hired to exact revenge on the powerful Memnon and the sorceress Cassandra, who are ready to overtake Balthazar’s village. Amid betrayals, thieves, abductions and…
Country: Belgium, Germany, USA
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Thriller
Nazi Overlord (2018)
A D-Day rescue mission turns ugly when a band of Allied soldiers battle with horrific experiments created by the Nazis.
Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller, War
The Scorpion King: Book of Souls (2018)
The Scorpion King teams up with a female warrior named Tala, who is the sister of The Nubian King. Together they search for a legendary relic known as The Book…
In 2013, something terrible is awakening in London’s National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England; and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating…
The Transporter Refueled (2015)
The fast-paced action movie is again set in the criminal underworld in France, where Frank Martin is known as The Transporter, because he is the best driver and mercenary money…
Country: Belgium, China, France, Monaco
The Knight & The Princess (2019)
An unwavering young warrior’s determination to save abducted women and children leads him to confront a brutal tyrant and his devious sorcerer.
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, History, Musical
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Audubon House & Tropical Gardens
The Audubon House is an elegantly restored 19th century Bahamian-Greek Revivalhome,decorated with antiques of the period, someowned by thefirst owners, the Geiger family,and original John James Audubon engravings. It is surrounded by a one-acrelush tropical garden filled with orchids, bromeliads, fruit trees, akoi pond, and the new 'Cook House' recreation (October 2012) of an outdoor kitchencommonduring this time period. The museum is dedicated to the famous naturalist, John James Audubon, who visited the Florida Keys and Key West in Spring of 1832. Audubonfound and drew 25 new birds for hisworld-reknown book the BIRDS OF AMERICA.Including some of his most famous images, the Great White Heron with Key West in the background, theRoseate Spoonbill, the Brown Pelican, and the American Flamingo. The house and gardens that Audubon visited belonged to Captain John Huling Geiger,a 'Wrecking Master' and Key West's first harbor http://pilot.Captain Geiger was an accomplished sailor who became amaster in the salvageof shipwrecks on the treacherous local reefs,called 'Wrecking'. He amassedgreat wealthfrom this industryand built the beautiful home at 205 Whitehead Street, which is now called the Audubon House. The homeremained in the Geiger familyand occupieduntilthe last descendant passed away in 1958. Thehouse was slated for demolition to make way for a gas station,until alocal couple, Frances and Mitchell Wolfson, decided to save the historic home and purchasedthe propertyto create a museumdepictingKey West's History during its reign as the wealthiest city in the United States and to commemorate John James Audubon's visit during that time. The house was fully restored andtherebylaunched the localhistoric preservation movement of which itremains the'Jewel'. Visitors are welcomedwith a brief 10-15 minute guided tour, then encouraged toexplore the magnificent,three-story home, authentic cook house, beautiful tropical gardens, eclectic gift shop and theAudubonFine Art Galleryin a relaxed island style from 9:30 a.m. until close at 5 p.m. daily. Every day of the year with the exception of Christmas Day. Come see the bestof Key West.
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Release the Hounds
by Iria Vasquez-Paez 9 months ago in trump
The Glaring and Obvious Failures of This Administration 2016-2020
It takes the bleach-ridden cake that he suggested that people inject themselves with bleach, while then calling it a prank. Is this not evil? Can people see this as evil already? 45 had many failures as President, indeed, for me he is a study on what not to do, as even other Republicans do not support him, the George Bush senior kind, the Reagan kind. He can't see the deaths of 50,000 Americans on his hands, and the toll could reach 200,000 or more. This virus caught America by surprise, only because it means that the Covid-19 response that put air travelers in long lines with possibly infected people is part of what is also Trumps' fault.
Wow, that is in "It's his fault" territory. Not giving adequate supplies to New York hospitals and is another means of enacting his need to destroy the good in the world. Coronavirus is not like the flu, buddy, it doesn’t just up and go away. It takes two weeks to go away already. He has already been proven as royally unfit for office as everybody pointed this out but the Republicans responsible for putting him in office let this go. The White House learned of the outbreak in December to January 3rd, and had advanced warning but did not take it very seriously because of the leader's attitude. Anybody else would have had better preparation skills, planning ahead skills, and ability to foretell the future skills. They'd be more reassuring when they talk to the public rather than say "Oh inject yourself with bleach, that can protect you from the virus." Who says that? Who wants to say that? He spends his life blaming other people for his mistakes.
His supporters do not understand that he has committed treason by pressuring the government of Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden. His actions are considered treason. But yet, he is playing a larger role for certain factions who are the real people in charge, he's merely rattling his saber, to scare people with "oh look fascism." It is a distraction from a much larger ploy I'm still piecing together, while trying to be a kinder theorist than others even as I believe in staying home. Do you want four more years of a liar in power? Someone who is undermining the very democracy we all have been brought up to respect. A democracy that many people flee worse countries to be a part of, and to become a U.S. citizen so that they can equally participate? While House Democrats and their allies do not accuse Trump of treason, he got aid from another country in his selection, and that country is Russia.
I knew it was the Russians the minute they announced him as having won the popular vote. The Constitution recommends that a person convicted of treason, should be executed, fined $10,000 and be banned from holding office. It was President Dwight Eisenhower, who made the sentence life imprisonment, although since 1952, the entire concept of treason was not commonly used. Impeachment was tried but the Republicans all committed treason against the country by acquitting Trump of any charges so he could continue in office even after the effort was made to impeach him. All the infighting does not help the fact that we are in the middle of a pandemic. This is something that unity is required to fight off since the virus does not discriminate against age, race, or where you live. This virus is truly the bigger fish to fry right now.
Can we all work together on this instead of fighting over what qualifies as treason or even harming people with comments about injecting oneself with bleach. At that point, this kind of commentary and accusing people right back of the same thing you did, is narcissistic behavior that is also qualifying as juvenile behavior. How old are you? 10? Pointing fingers on either side of the aisle is not helping. We have to work together with keeping social distancing as a thing, although people want the states to reopen earlier than planned so they can get back to work.
Iria Vasquez-Paez
Read next: New Mexico—It's like a State, like All the Others!
I have a B.A. in creative writing from San Francisco State. Can people please donate? I'm very low-income. I need to start an escape the Ferengi plan.
See all posts by Iria Vasquez-Paez →
It’s NOT systemic racism.
Allison Phillips
The way our government assistance programs are designed counter rather support a persons efforts to better themselves. These democratic programs are, I believe, intended to do just that. On the surface, the programs are altruistic and most decent human beings agree that we, as a society, should help those less fortunate than us — especially children and disabled individuals. But beneath the surface, a much more sinister plot exists.
Genocide Is a Cheese Sandwich
Grant Patterson
Genocide. The word is loaded with portent, carries tremendous emotional weight, and, the way it is bandied about now, has become almost meaningless.
Defending the Postal Service
Paul Levinson
It seems strange to have to write in defense of the U. S. Postal Service, but it's a measure of the depravity of the man in the White House, and how far he's willing to go in his flailing attempt to win another term in office. Removing sorting machines, removing mailboxes, doing whatever he can to gum up the works of a service that everyone loves and has never been more essential in this our age of the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming Presidential election. An election which could well determine the fate and future of democracy in this country. An election which the person now in office will do anything to win,
Our House is On Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis
Alana Boyles
Recently I finished reading the Ernman-Thunberg (as in Greta Thunberg) family's memoir and wow... It was a total doozy. Our House is On Fire tells the story of the events that led up to Greta Thunberg's school strike for the climate on August 20th, 2018. As hard as it would be to cover any four years in just 222 pages, the four years in question for the Thunbergs are some of the craziest. So many changes, so many struggles, so many fears & dark days, and so much action. More than anything, this book is a guide to getting back on your feet after life knocks you down. And none have been more so knocked than Malena Ernman upon having to watch first one daughter and then the other get bullied in school, receive life-altering diagnoses, and develop life threatening eating disorders. About more than just the young girl who started the World's largest climate strike by sitting alone in front of the Swedish Parliament building, Our House is an insider's view on the good, the bad, and the ugly that took the Thunbergs from a simple Swedish family ruled by their internationally-renowned opera singer mother's tour schedule to an internationally-despised family led by their eldest daughter, her deep concern for the health of the planet we all call home, and her unyielding faith that humanity is not evil.
An Open Letter to the President: Fables Share the Values of a Culture
Brenda Mahler
Dear Mr. President: People tell me you are not much of a reader but at the risk of you turning a deaf ear, I wish to suggest a reading list you may enjoy and find valuable in making decisions for the American public. As your busy schedule leaves little free time, I assure you these stories are concise and accessible in multiple forms.
Best Political Documentaries to Watch
Patricia Sarkar
In teaching us about their chosen subjects, documentaries prompt us to look within and draw conclusions about ourselves. With stories spanning from Los Angeles, California to Chengdu, China, these political documentaries are essential to watch in the face of an uncertain global future.
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India: Patent Claim Drafting:"At Least" And The Conjunctive/disjunctive Conundrum
by Essenese Obhan and Ayesha Guhathakurta
The phrase "at least one of" is commonly used in patent claims, but its interpretation is subjective and has led to some controversy. The issue that arises is this: when the phrase in its entirety is "at least one of A, B and C", should it be understood as at least one of A AND at least one of B AND at least one of C, or should it be understood as at least one of A OR B OR C. In other words, the central question is whether the phrase should be understood in the conjunctive or the disjunctive form.
Although Indian Courts have not dealt with this issue, the Indian Patent Office has tended to object to claims that use the phrase "at least one of" on the ground that it enlarges the scope of the claims and makes them indefinite. For example, certain claims in a patent application1 that described a taste modifying sweetener composition and method of making the same were objected to under Section 10(5) of the Indian Patents Act, 1970 on the ground that phrases like "at least one" makes the claims too broad, vague and unclear.
SuperGuide v. DirecTV: "at least one of" in the conjunctive
Unlike India, Courts in the United States of America have discussed this issue directly in multiple cases. One of the most prominent of these was the decision of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in SuperGuide Corp. v. DirecTV Enters., Inc.2 Here, the Court interpreted the phrase "at least one of" in the conjunctive.
The plaintiff, SuperGuide, asserted three different patents against multiple multimedia providers, one of which was DirecTV. One of these patents described an online television program schedule system. SuperGuide had filed for infringement against DirecTV and a key dispute was about claim construction involving the phrase "at least one of." Claim 1 of the patent read, "First means for storing at least one of a desired program start time, a desired program end time, a desired program service, and a desired program time."
SuperGuide asserted that this phrase should be interpreted in the disjunctive, since according to them, it meant one or more of the four listed criteria in the claim. However, DirecTV argued that the correct interpretation of the phrase would be in the conjunctive, which meant that it should refer to at least one start time, at least one end time, at least one service channel AND at least one type.
The Courts agreed with DirecTV. The District Court held that the term "a desired" was repeated for every category that had been listed, and therefore it must be read in the conjunctive. Further, they held that if the phrase were to refer to only one category, it would contradict the fundamental purpose of the invention as described. The Court of Appeals also affirmed the opinion of the District Court and interpreted the phrase as one value for each category.
Post SuperGuide: "at least one of" may sometimes also be in the disjunctive
Although various US courts have since upheld the decision in SuperGuide, some have also distinguished the same, pointing out that the conjunctive meaning of "at least one of A, B and C" would not apply when a patent claim, specification, or the prosecution history necessitates a meaning that is wider in scope.
In such cases, US courts and tribunals have applied a disjunctive interpretation. An example of this can be found in Fujifilm Corp. v. Motorola Mobility3 where Fujifilm had accused Motorola of infringing certain claims of their existing patent. One disputed issue was the interpretation of the claim "wherein said display includes a menu comprising selections for at least one of a transmit image mode for transmitting an image from the wireless telephone to an apparatus, a receive mail mode for receiving characters, and a transmit mail mode for transmitting characters."
Motorola relied on the holding in SuperGuide, i.e., the phrase "at least one of" must be construed conjunctively. Fujifilm argued that "the plain and ordinary meaning of this phrase was" one or more of the following. The District Court agreed with Fujifilm's argument, holding that the modes of operation listed in the menu comprising limitation are not categories that are comprised of various possible values that the users must choose at least one from every category, for the purpose of the invention to be served. Therefore, the phrase "at least one of" was read disjunctively.
Another case that distinguished SuperGuide was that of Ex parte Concha,4 where, too, the phrase "at least one of" was read disjunctively. Here, it was held that the claims and specification suggested that only a single item should be selected, rather than a plurality of the items.
Courts have not swung entirely away from SuperGuide, though, and there are still cases where a conjunctive interpretation has been upheld. An example of this is the case of Ex parte Gardner.5 Here, the panel concluded that providing at least one of a "data sources portion" and a "processes portion" required providing access to both, a "processes portion" as well as a "data sources portion." In other words, not merely one of the two, but both were required.
In Ex parte Jung,6 the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), while following SuperGuide, held that it is important to consider the specification as well as the prosecution history to find the plain meaning and intention of the claim. The PTAB interpreted the phrase "at least one of" conjunctively and overturned the prior art rejection. However, the PTAB went on to refuse the application for a lack of written description. Although this decision was originally designated as informative by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), it was subsequently de-designated on the ground that it had been misunderstood.
There is still clearly a lot of fog around the interpretation of the phrase "at least one of", which means that patent drafters need to exercise caution in using this phrase in patent specifications. While the use of "at least one of" along with "and" for reciting a plurality of claim elements is generally read conjunctively, it is important to ensure that this interpretation is consistent with the written description, and is in fact the claim protection that is sought. If a disjunctive meaning is intended, then the phrase must be used along with the connector "or" to define alternatives. The specification as well as prosecution history, in its entirety, also assume relevance when interpreting this phrase. If the draft is unclear in any of these respects, there is a possibility that a list intended to be read in the conjunctive might end up being interpreted in the disjunctive and vice versa.
1 Application No. 7884/CHENP/2010.
2 SuperGuide Corp. v. DirecTV Enters., Inc., 358 F.3d 870 (Fed. Cir. 2004).
3 Fujifilm Corp. v. Motorola Mobility LLC, No. 12-CV-03587-WHO, 2015 WL 1265009 AT *8 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 19, 2015).
4 Ex parte Concha, No. 2012-008364, 2015 WL 397716 (PTAB Jan. 28, 2015).
5 Ex parte Gardner, No. 2009-010298, 2011 WL 180106 (BPAI Jan. 12, 2011).
5 Ex parte Jung, No. 2016-008290 (PTAB Mar. 22, 2017).
Essenese Obhan
Ayesha Guhathakurta
India Intellectual Property Patent
POPULAR ARTICLES ON: Intellectual Property from India
Patent Law in India
Anand & Anand
The Patents Act 1970, along with the Patents Rules 1972, came into force on 20th April 1972, replacing the Indian Patents and Designs Act 1911. The Patents Act was largely based on the recommendations of the Ayyangar Committee Report headed by Justice N. Rajagopala Ayyangar. One of the recommendations was the allowance of only process patents with regard to inventions relating to drugs, medicines, food and chemicals.
All You Need To Know About "Well-Known Trademarks"
Khurana and Khurana
With coming up of the new Trade Mark Rules 2017, a new procedure has been created that allows the Registrar to proclaim a particular trademark as "well known".
Deceptive Similarity And Judicial View
Trademarks play a vital role in creating a brand name and goodwill of any business. Not only does it helps in creating a brand value but also, aids in revenue generation.
Compulsory Licensing In India
WIPO defines patent as an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem
Patents Law In India - Everything You Must Know
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The presentPatents Act, 1970 came into force in the year 1972, amending and consolidating the existing law relating to Patents in India
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Intellectual property is an intangible form of property while a ‘Patent' is a subset of intellectual property.
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Fair Dealing In Video Game Reviews TMT Law Practice
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Iona (name)
This article is about the given name. For other uses, see Iona (disambiguation). For the Scottish island, see Iona.
Iona is a given name that is taken from the Scottish island of Iona,[1][2] which has a particular significance in the history of Christianity. The derivation of this island name itself is uncertain. The earliest forms of the name enabled place-name scholar William J. Watson to state that it originally meant something like "yew-place".[3]
The modern English name of the island comes from the Irish Ioua,[4][5] which was either Adomnán's attempt to make the Gaelic name fit Latin grammar or a genuine derivative from Ivova ("yew place").[6] Ioua eventually became Iona, first attested from c.1274,[7] and results from a transcription mistake resulting from the similarity of "n" and "u" in Insular Minuscule.[8]
Other speculative suggestions have been made for the derivation such as an Old Norse origin from Hiōe meaning "island of the den of the brown bear".[5]
Iona is also the Russian form of the male name Jonah.
How to Pronounce Iona - PronounceNames.com
^ ""Iona"". Baby Name Wizard. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
^ ""Iona"". Baby Names World. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
^ Watson (1926) pp. 87–90
^ Mac an Tàilleir (2003) p. 67.
^ a b Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 80
^ Watson, Celtic Place-Names, p. 88
^ Broderick, George (2013). "Some island names in the former 'Kingdom of the Isles': a reappraisal" (PDF). Journal of Scottish Name Studies. 7: 1–28: 13, fn.30.
^ Fraser (2009) p. 71.
Fraser, James E. (2009). From Caledonia to Pictland: Scotland to 795. The New Edinburgh History of Scotland. 1. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 978-0-7486-1232-1.
Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
Mac an Tàilleir, Iain (2003). "Placenames" (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Parliament. p. 67. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
Watson, W.J. (1926) The History of the Celtic Place-names of Scotland. Reprinted with an introduction by Simon Taylor. Birlinn: Edinburgh, 2004. ISBN 1-84158-323-5
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Resignation from the United States Senate
A member of the United States Senate can resign by writing a letter of resignation to the governor of the state that the senator represents. [1] Under Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution of the United States, and under the Seventeenth Amendment, in case of a vacancy in the Senate resulting from resignation, the executive authority of the state (today known in every state as the governor) can fill the vacancy by appointment unless the state legislature has provided for some other means of filling the vacancy, such as a special election. Whenever a senator needs to be appointed or elected, the Secretary of the Senate mails one of three forms to the state's governor to inform them of the proper wording to certify the appointment of a new Senator. [2]
The first resignation from the Senate was that of William Paterson of New Jersey on November 13, 1790, who resigned in order to accept the office of Governor of New Jersey.[ citation needed ] His resignation was only the third time a person ceased to hold a seat in the Senate, which had first convened during the preceding year, 1789. The earlier ones resulted from the death of Senator William Grayson of Virginia, and the expiration of the term of the temporary senator John Walker of Virginia, who was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to hold that office until a successor could be elected in November.[ citation needed ]
Before 1796, eight senators resigned. Nine senators resigned during that year—a record-high number that stands to this day.[ citation needed ] Most resignations have been motivated either by declining health or a decision to accept another office.[ citation needed ] Sixteen persons have resigned from the Senate twice and two have resigned three times.[ citation needed ]
Date of resignation
William Paterson New Jersey November 13, 1790 Resigned to become Governor of New Jersey
Samuel Johnson Connecticut March 3, 1791
Richard Lee Virginia October 8, 1792
Charles Carroll Maryland November 30, 1792
George Read Delaware September 18, 1793
James Monroe Virginia March 27, 1794
John Taylor of Caroline Virginia May 11, 1794
James Jackson Georgia November 16, 1795
Oliver Ellsworth Connecticut March 8, 1796
Rufus King New York May 23, 1796
Caleb Strong Massachusetts June 1, 1796
George Cabot Massachusetts June 9, 1796
Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. Connecticut June 10, 1796
Moses Robinson Vermont October 15, 1796
Richard Potts Maryland October 24, 1796
Pierce Butler South Carolina October 25, 1796
Frederick Frelinghuysen New Jersey November 12, 1796
William Cocke Tennessee September 26, 1797
William Bradford Rhode Island October ??, 1797
Isaac Tichenor Vermont October 17, 1797 Resigned to become Governor of Vermont [3]
John Henry Maryland December 10, 1797
Philip Schuyler New York January 3, 1798
John Vining Delaware January 19, 1798
Andrew Jackson Tennessee April 1, 1798
John Sloss Hobart New York April 16, 1798
John Hunter South Carolina November 26, 1798
John Rutherfurd New Jersey December 5, 1798
Joseph Anderson Tennessee March 3, 1799
Samuel Dexter Massachusetts May 30, 1800 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of War [4]
John Laurance New York August 1, 1800
Benjamin Goodhue Massachusetts November 8, 1800
James Lloyd Maryland December 1, 1800
James Schureman New Jersey February 16, 1801
Henry Latimer Delaware February 28, 1801
Ray Greene Rhode Island March 5, 1801
Charles Pinckney South Carolina June 6, 1801
Samuel Livermore New Hampshire June 12, 1801
Elijah Paine Vermont September 1, 1801
John Armstrong, Jr. New York February 5, 1802
James Sheafe New Hampshire June 14, 1802
Dwight Foster Massachusetts March 2, 1803
DeWitt Clinton New York November 4, 1803
Theodorus Bailey New York January 16, 1804
John Armstrong, Jr. New York February 23, 1804
Abraham B. Venable Virginia June 7, 1804
John Armstrong, Jr. New York June 30, 1804
William H. Wells Delaware November 6, 1804
William Giles Virginia December 3, 1804
Andrew Moore Virginia December 3, 1804 Resigned his Class 2 senatorship when elected to fill a vacant Class 1 senatorship
John Breckinridge Kentucky August 7, 1805
Robert Wright Maryland November 12, 1806
John Adair Kentucky November 18, 1806
David Stone North Carolina February 17, 1807
James Fenner Rhode Island September ??, 1807
Israel Smith Vermont October 1, 1807
John Smith Ohio April 25, 1808 Resigned after being indicted but not expelled in a 19–10 vote [5]
John Quincy Adams Massachusetts June 8, 1808
Samuel Maclay Pennsylvania January 4, 1809
Aaron Kitchell New Jersey March 3, 1809
Daniel Smith Tennessee March 31, 1809
John Milledge Georgia November 14, 1809
Buckner Thruston Kentucky December 18, 1809
Nahum Parker New Hampshire June 1, 1810
James Hillhouse Connecticut June 10, 1810
Return Meigs, Jr. Ohio December 8, 1810
Thomas Sumter South Carolina December 16, 1810
Jenkin Whiteside Tennessee October 8, 1811
Christopher Champlin Rhode Island October 12, 1811
Jean Noel Destréhan Louisiana October 1, 1812
James Bayard Delaware March 3, 1813
Dudley Chase Vermont March 3, 1813
William Crawford Georgia March 23, 1813
James Lloyd Massachusetts May 1, 1813
Chauncey Goodrich Connecticut May 13, 1813
George W. Campbell Tennessee February 11, 1814
Michael Leib Pennsylvania February 14, 1814
George Bibb Kentucky August 23, 1814
Thomas Worthington Ohio December 1, 1814
Jesse Bledsoe Kentucky December 24, 1814
David Stone North Carolina December 24, 1814
William Giles Virginia March 3, 1815
Francis Locke Jr. North Carolina December 5, 1815
William T. Barry Kentucky May 1, 1816
Christopher Gore Massachusetts May 30, 1816
John Taylor South Carolina November ??, 1816
Wyatt Bibb Georgia November 9, 1816
James Turner North Carolina November 21, 1816
Goodloe Harper Maryland December 6, 1816
Jeremiah Mason New Hampshire June 16, 1817
James Fisk Vermont January 8, 1818
George W. Campbell Tennessee April 20, 1818
Eli Ashmun Massachusetts May 10, 1818
George Troup Georgia September 23, 1818
John Forsyth Georgia February 17, 1819
John J. Crittenden Kentucky March 3, 1819
John Wayles Eppes Virginia December 4, 1819
Prentiss Mellen Massachusetts May 15, 1820
Walter Leake Mississippi May 15, 1820
William Logan Kentucky May 28, 1820
James Wilson New Jersey January 8, 1821
Freeman Walker Georgia August 6, 1821
Harrison Gray Otis Massachusetts May 30, 1822
John Williams Walker Alabama December 12, 1822
James Pleasants Virginia December 15, 1822
Caesar Augustus Rodney Delaware January 29, 1823
Samuel Southard New Jersey March 3, 1823
James Brown Louisiana December 10, 1823
Ninian Edwards Illinois March 3, 1824
Henry Johnson Louisiana May 27, 1824
James Barbour Virginia March 7, 1825
David Holmes Mississippi September 25, 1825
Andrew Jackson Tennessee October 14, 1825
James DeWolf Rhode Island October 31, 1825
Edward Lloyd Maryland January 14, 1826
James Lloyd Massachusetts May 23, 1826
Henry Harrison Ohio May 20, 1828
Albion Parris Maine August 26, 1828
Thomas Cobb Georgia November 7, 1828
Nathaniel Macon North Carolina December 14, 1828
Ephraim Bateman New Jersey January 12, 1829
Mahlon Dickerson New Jersey January 30, 1829
John Berrien Georgia March 9, 1829
John Branch North Carolina March 9, 1829
John Eaton Tennessee March 9, 1829
Louis McLane Delaware April 16, 1829
Edward Livingston Louisiana May 24, 1831
Issac Barnard Pennsylvania December 6, 1831
Powhatan Ellis Mississippi July 16, 1832
Littleton Tazewell Virginia July 16, 1832
Robert Hayne South Carolina December 13, 1832
William Marcy New York January 1, 1833
George Troup Georgia November 8, 1833
William Rives Virginia February 22, 1834
John Forsyth Georgia June 27, 1834
Ezekiel Chambers Maryland December 20, 1834
Peleg Sprague Maine January 1, 1835
Charles Gayarré Louisiana January ??, 1836
John Tyler Virginia February 29, 1836
Ether Shepley Maine March 3, 1836
Willie Mangum North Carolina March 19, 1836
Isaac Hill New Hampshire May 30, 1836
Arnold Naudain Delaware June 16, 1836
Benjamin Leigh Virginia July 4, 1836
John Clayton Delaware December 29, 1836
Alexander Porter Louisiana January 5, 1837
Richard Parker Virginia March 13, 1837
John McKinley Alabama April 22, 1837
Pendleton King Georgia November 1, 1837
John Black Mississippi January 22, 1838
Felix Grundy Tennessee July 4, 1838
James F. Trotter Mississippi July 10, 1838
Ephraim Foster Tennessee March 3, 1839
Richard Bayard Delaware September 19, 1839
Lawson White Tennessee January 13, 1840
Robert Strange North Carolina November 16, 1840
Bedford Brown North Carolina November 16, 1840
John Davis Massachusetts January 5, 1841
Daniel Webster Massachusetts February 22, 1841 Resigned to become United States Secretary of State [6]
Comer Clay Alabama November 15, 1841
Franklin Pierce New Hampshire February 28, 1842
Alexander Mouton Louisiana March 1, 1842
Henry Clay Kentucky March 31, 1842
Samuel Prentiss Vermont April 11, 1842
Samuel Southard New Jersey June 26, 1842
Reuel Williams Maine February 15, 1843
John Calhoun South Carolina March 3, 1843
William Sprague Rhode Island January 17, 1844
William King Alabama April 15, 1844
Nathaniel Tallmadge New York June 17, 1844
Silas Wright, Jr. New York November 26, 1844
Elliot Huger South Carolina March 3, 1845
Levi Woodbury New Hampshire September 20, 1845
William Haywood, Jr. North Carolina July 25, 1846
Walter Colquitt Georgia February 4, 1848
Ambrose Sevier Arkansas March 15, 1848
Lewis Cass Michigan May 29, 1848
John Crittenden Kentucky June 12, 1848
Arthur Bagby Alabama June 16, 1848
John Clayton Delaware February 2, 1849
Reverdy Johnson Maryland March 7, 1849
Daniel Webster Massachusetts Whig July 22, 1850 Resigned again to again take office as United States Secretary of State [7]
Jefferson Davis Mississippi Democratic September 23, 1851 Resigned to run for Governor of Mississippi
Robert Rhett South Carolina Democratic May 7, 1852
John Berrien Georgia Whig May 28, 1852
William R. King Alabama Democratic December 20, 1852 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Robert Stockton New Jersey Democratic January 10, 1853 Resigned to serve as president of the Delaware and Raritan Canal Company
Solon Borland Arkansas Democratic April 11, 1853 Resigned on being appointed as United States Minister to Nicaragua
Pierre Soulé Louisiana Democratic April 11, 1853 Resigned on being appointed as United States Minister to Spain
Edward Everett Massachusetts Whig June 1, 1854 Resigned due to ill health
Augustus C. Dodge Iowa Democratic February 22, 1855 Resigned on being appointed as United States Minister to Spain
Hannibal Hamlin Maine Republican January 7, 1857 Resigned to take office as Governor of Maine
Asa Biggs North Carolina Democratic May 5, 1858 Resigned to take office as a judge of the United States District Court for the District of North Carolina
Thomas Lanier Clingman North Carolina Democratic May 7, 1858
Hannibal Hamlin Maine Republican January 17, 1861 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Jefferson Davis Mississippi Democratic January 21, 1861 Resigned because State seceded from the Union. Subsequently elected Major General of the Mississippi Militia and President of the Confederate States of America.
John Slidell Louisiana Democratic February 4, 1861 Resigned because State seceded from the Union.
Thomas Bragg North Carolina Democratic March 6, 1861 Resigned because State seceded from the Union.
Salmon P. Chase Ohio Republican March 6, 1861 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Treasury
Andrew Johnson Tennessee Democratic March 4, 1862 Resigned to take office as Military Governor of Tennessee
James F. Simmons Rhode Island Republican August 15, 1862 Resigned after a case for expulsion for corruption was declined [8]
Waitman T. Willey Virginia Unionist March 3, 1863 Resigned to become Senator of newly created West Virginia.
James A. Bayard, Jr. Delaware Democratic January 29, 1864 Resigned in protest of new Senate Loyalty Oath [9]
William P. Fessenden Maine Republican July 1, 1864 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Treasury
James Harlan Iowa Republican May 15, 1865 Resigned to take office as the United States Secretary of the Interior
Daniel Clark New Hampshire Republican July 27, 1866 Resigned to take office as a judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire
James Gurthrie Kentucky Democratic February 7, 1868 Resigned due to ill health [10]
Reverdy Johnson Maryland Democratic July 10, 1868
James W. Grimes Iowa Republican December 6, 1869 Resigned due to ill health [11]
Charles D. Drake Missouri Republican December 19, 1870 Resigned to take office as Chief Justice of the United States Court of Claims
William Pitt Kellogg Louisiana Republican November 1, 1872 Resigned to take office as Governor of Louisiana
Henry Wilson Massachusetts Republican March 3, 1873 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Alexander Caldwell Kansas Republican March 24, 1873 Resigned before a vote could be taken on his expulsion for corruption [12]
Eugene Casserly California Democratic November 29, 1873
Adelbert Ames Mississippi Republican January 4, 1874 Resigned to take office as Governor of Mississippi
Lot M. Morrill Maine Republican July 7, 1876 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Treasury
John Sherman Ohio Republican March 8, 1877 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Treasury [4]
Isaac P. Christiancy Michigan Republican February 10, 1879 Resigned due to ill health [13]
John Brown Gordon Georgia Democratic May 26, 1880
James G. Blaine Maine Republican March 5, 1881 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of State
Samuel J. Kirkwood Iowa Republican March 7, 1881 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Interior
William Windom Minnesota Republican March 7, 1881 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Treasury
Roscoe Conkling New York Republican May 16, 1881 Resigned in protest of the appointment of a New York City customs collector by President James A. Garfield [14]
Thomas Platt New York Republican May 16, 1881 Resigned in support of fellow Senator Conkling's protest [14]
Henry M. Teller Colorado Republican April 17, 1882 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Interior
Augustus Hill Garland Arkansas Democratic March 6, 1885 Resigned to take office as United States Attorney General
Thomas F. Bayard Delaware Democratic March 6, 1885 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of State
Howell Edmunds Jackson Tennessee Democratic April 14, 1886 Resigned to take office as a judge of the United States Circuit Courts for the Sixth Circuit
Jonathan Chace Rhode Island Republican April 9, 1889
John Henninger Reagan Texas Democratic June 10, 1891 Resigned to take office as the chairman of the Railroad Commission of Texas [15]
John Carlisle Kentucky Democratic February 4, 1893 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Treasury
Edward Douglass White Louisiana Democratic March 12, 1894 Resigned to take office as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
John Sherman Ohio Republican March 4, 1897 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of State
William A. Clark Montana Democratic May 15, 1900 Resigned before a Senate vote on declaring his election void due to bribery [16]
Charles W. Fairbanks Indiana Republican March 3, 1905 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Joseph Burton Kansas Republican June 4, 1906 Resigned following corruption charges ( Burton v. United States ) [17]
John Coit Spooner Wisconsin Republican April 30, 1907
Philander C. Knox Pennsylvania Republican March 4, 1909 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of State
Fountain L. Thompson North Dakota Democratic January 31, 1910
Joseph M. Terrell Georgia Democratic July 14, 1911 Resigned for health reasons
Joseph Weldon Bailey Texas Democratic January 3, 1913
Warren G. Harding Ohio Republican January 13, 1921 First President of the United States to be elected during his term as a Senator
John F. Nugent Idaho Democratic January 14, 1921 Resigned to take office as a member of the Federal Trade Commission
Albert B. Fall New Mexico Republican March 4, 1921 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Interior
Josiah O. Wolcott Delaware Democratic July 2, 1921 Resigned to take office as Chancellor of Delaware
William Kenyon Iowa Republican February 24, 1922 Resigned to take office as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit
Truman Newberry Michigan Republican November 18, 1922 [17] Resigned after being condemned for violating campaign financing rules [18]
Frank L. Smith Illinois Republican February 9, 1928 Resigned after the Senate voted to refuse to seat him due to fraud and corruption [19]
T. Coleman du Pont Delaware Republican December 8, 1928 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Charles Curtis Kansas Republican March 3, 1929 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Evans Edge New Jersey Republican November 21, 1929 Resigned to take office as United States Ambassador to France
Frederic M. Sackett Kentucky Republican January 9, 1930 Resigned to take office as United States Ambassador to Germany
Cordell Hull Tennessee Democratic March 3, 1933 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of State
Claude A. Swanson Virginia Democratic March 3, 1933 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Navy
Sam G. Bratton New Mexico Democratic June 24, 1933 Resigned to take office as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
Hugo Black Alabama Democratic August 19, 1937 Resigned to take office as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
Dixie Bibb Graves Alabama Democratic January 10, 1938
Harry Moore New Jersey Democratic January 17, 1938 Resigned to take office as Governor of New Jersey
Frederick Steiwer Oregon Republican January 31, 1938
William Gibbs McAdoo California Democratic November 8, 1938
Matthew M. Neely West Virginia Democratic January 12, 1941 Resigned to take office as Governor of West Virginia
John E. Miller Arkansas Democratic March 31, 1941 Resigned to take office as a federal judge on the District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
James Byrnes South Carolina Democratic July 8, 1941 Resigned to take office as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. Massachusetts Republican February 3, 1944 Resigned to return to active duty in the United States Army during the Second World War
Homer Bone Washington Democratic November 13, 1944 Resigned to take office as Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Sinclair Weeks Massachusetts Republican December 19, 1944
Monrad Wallgren Washington Democratic January 9, 1945 Resigned to take office as Governor of Washington
Harry Truman Missouri Democratic January 17, 1945 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Harold Burton Ohio Republican September 30, 1945 Resigned to take office as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
Happy Chandler Kentucky Democratic November 1, 1945 Resigned to become Commissioner of Baseball
Warren Austin Vermont Republican August 2, 1946 Resigned to take office as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Hugh Mitchell Washington Democratic December 25, 1946 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Vera Bushfield South Dakota Republican December 26, 1948 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Alben Barkley Kentucky Democratic January 19, 1949 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Robert Wagner New York Democratic June 28, 1949 Resigned due to health reasons
Howard McGrath Rhode Island Democratic August 23, 1949 Resigned to take office as United States Attorney General
Raymond Baldwin Connecticut Republican December 16, 1949 Resigned to take office as an associate justice on the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors
Sheridan Downey California Democratic November 30, 1950 Resigned due to health reasons
Ralph Brewster Maine Republican December 31, 1952
Richard Nixon California Republican January 1, 1953 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Charles Daniel South Carolina Democratic December 23, 1954 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Hazel Abel Nebraska Republican December 31, 1954 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Strom Thurmond South Carolina Democratic April 4, 1956 [20] Resigned to fulfill a pledge to contest a full election after first being chosen as a write-in candidate
Price Daniel Texas Democratic January 14, 1957 [21] Resigned to take office as Governor of Texas
John F. Kennedy Massachusetts Democratic December 22, 1960 Resigned to take office as President of the United States [22]
Lyndon Johnson Texas Democratic January 3, 1961 [23] Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States [22]
Hubert Humphrey Minnesota Democratic December 29, 1964 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Pierre Salinger California Democratic December 31, 1964 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Harry Byrd Virginia Democratic November 10, 1965 Resigned due to health reasons [24]
John Williams Delaware Republican December 31, 1970 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
George Murphy California Republican January 2, 1971 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
William Saxbe Ohio Republican January 3, 1974 Resigned to take office as United States Attorney General [25]
Alan Bible Nevada Democratic December 17, 1974 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Wallace Bennett Utah Republican December 20, 1974 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor [26]
Howard Metzenbaum Ohio Democratic December 23, 1974 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Marlow Cook Kentucky Republican December 27, 1974 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
J. William Fulbright Arkansas Democratic December 31, 1974
Edward Gurney Florida Republican December 31, 1974 Resigned after declining to seek re-election while under indictment in an influence peddling scandal [27]
Sam Ervin North Carolina Democratic December 31, 1974
Roman Hruska Nebraska Republican December 27, 1976 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Stuart Symington Missouri Democratic December 27, 1976 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
John Pastore Rhode Island Democratic December 28, 1976 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Walter Mondale Minnesota Democratic December 30, 1976 [28] Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Paul Hatfield Montana Democratic December 12, 1978 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
James Pearson Kansas Republican December 23, 1978 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Wendell Anderson Minnesota Democratic December 29, 1978 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Clifford Hansen Wyoming Republican December 31, 1978 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Edmund Muskie Maine Democratic May 7, 1980 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of State [4]
John Durkin New Hampshire Democratic December 29, 1980 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Richard Stone Florida Democratic December 31, 1980 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
Harrison Williams New Jersey Democratic March 11, 1982 [17] Resigned after conviction of bribery in the Abscam scandal ahead of a vote on his expulsion
Paul Tsongas Massachusetts Democratic January 2, 1985 Resigned to allow early appointment of successor
David Karnes Nebraska Republican December 8, 1988
Dan Quayle Indiana Republican January 3, 1989 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States
Gordon Humphrey New Hampshire Republican December 4, 1990 Resigned to take seat in New Hampshire Senate
Pete Wilson California Republican January 7, 1991 Resigned to take office as Governor of California
Kent Conrad North Dakota Democratic December 14, 1992 Resigned after winning a special election to fill North Dakota's other Senate seat
Al Gore Tennessee Democratic January 2, 1993 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States.
Lloyd Bentsen Texas Democratic January 20, 1993 Resigned to take office as United States Secretary of the Treasury [4]
David Boren Oklahoma Democratic December 15, 1994 Resigned to become President of the University of Oklahoma. [29]
Bob Packwood Oregon Republican October 1, 1995 Resigned after the Senate Ethics Committee recommended his expulsion for ethical misconduct
Bob Dole Kansas Republican June 11, 1996 Resigned to run for President of the United States [30]
Frank Murkowski Alaska Republican December 2, 2002 Resigned to become Governor of Alaska.
Jon Corzine New Jersey Democratic January 17, 2006 Resigned to become Governor of New Jersey.
Trent Lott Mississippi Republican December 18, 2007 Resigned to pursue a private-sector career. [31]
Barack Obama Illinois Democratic November 16, 2008 Resigned to take office as President of the United States. [32]
Joe Biden Delaware Democratic January 15, 2009 Resigned to take office as Vice President of the United States.
Ken Salazar Colorado Democratic January 20, 2009 Resigned to become United States Secretary of the Interior.
Hillary Clinton New York Democratic January 21, 2009 Resigned to become Secretary of State. [33]
Mel Martínez Florida Republican September 9, 2009 Resigned early after declining to seek re-election. [34]
John Ensign Nevada Republican May 3, 2011 Resigned during a Senate Ethics Committee investigation into events surrounding an extramarital affair. [35]
Jim DeMint South Carolina Republican January 1, 2013 Resigned to become President of the Heritage Foundation.
John Kerry Massachusetts Democratic February 1, 2013 Resigned to become Secretary of State.
Max Baucus Montana Democratic February 6, 2014 Resigned to become Ambassador to China.
Tom Coburn Oklahoma Republican January 3, 2015 Announced resignation January 16, 2014, [36] so a special election to choose his successor could be held in conjunction with the regular election.
Jeff Sessions Alabama Republican February 8, 2017 Resigned to become Attorney General.
Al Franken Minnesota Democratic January 2, 2018 Resigned after allegations of sexual harassment. He said he expected that an investigation would clear him but he could not do his job and undergo investigation at the same time. [37] [38]
Thad Cochran Mississippi Republican April 1, 2018 Resigned because of health issues. [39]
Jon Kyl Arizona Republican December 31, 2018 Resigned so that a "new appointee can begin the new term with all other Senators." [40] Kyl was previously appointed to fill the seat left vacant by the death of John McCain.
Johnny Isakson Georgia Republican December 31, 2019 Resigned because of health issues. [41]
Alan Stuart Franken is an American comedian, former politician, media personality, and author who served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2009 to 2018. He became well known in the 1970s and 1980s as a staff writer and performer on the television comedy show Saturday Night Live. After decades as a comedic actor and writer, he became a prominent liberal political activist, hosting The Al Franken Show on Air America Radio.
In the Parliament of Australia, a casual vacancy arises when a member of either the Senate or the House of Representatives:
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The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Mississippi:
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Michelle Louise Helene Fischbach is an American attorney and politician who is the United States Representative-elect from Minnesota's 7th congressional district. Fischbach previously served as the 49th lieutenant governor of Minnesota and as the first female President of the Minnesota Senate.
The United States Senate elections of 1840 and 1841 were elections which, corresponding with their Party's success in the 1840 presidential election, had the Whig Party take control of the United States Senate.
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The 2014 United States Senate election in Minnesota was held on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Minnesota, concurrently with the election of the Governor of Minnesota, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Christine Elizabeth "Tina" Smith is an American politician and former businesswoman serving as the junior United States senator from Minnesota since 2018. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), an affiliate of the Democratic Party. Smith served as the 48th lieutenant governor of Minnesota from 2015 to 2018 before being appointed to fill the United States Senate seat vacated by Al Franken. She won the 2018 special election to fill the remainder of Franken's term, through January 2021, defeating Republican Karin Housley, a Minnesota state senator. In 2020, Smith was elected to a full Senate term, defeating the Republican nominee, former U.S. Representative Jason Lewis.
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These six off-year races featured special elections to the 113th United States Congress to fill vacancies due to resignations or deaths in the United States House of Representatives. Two were due to Congressmen taking seats in the United States Senate, one resigned to take jobs in the private sector, one resigned to take a job in the public sector, and one resigned due to an impending federal indictment regarding misuse of campaign funds.
↑ Lalor, John Joseph (1893). Cyclopaedia of Political Science, Political Economy, and of the Political History of the United States. 3. C.E. Merrill & Company. p. 614. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
↑ "The Term of A Senator – When Does It Begin and End? – Senate 98-29" (PDF). United States Senate. United States Printing Office. pp. 14–15. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
↑ "TICHENOR, Isaac – Biographical Information". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
1 2 3 4 "1787: From the Senate to the Cabinet, May 13, 1800". United States Senate. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
↑ "1801: John Smith Resigns Under Fire – April 25, 1808". United States Senate. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
↑ "1801: Daniel Webster Quits the Senate – July 22, 1850". United States Senate. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
↑ "U.S. Senate: 1801: Speech Costs Senator his Seat – March 7, 1850". United States Senate. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
↑ "U.S. Senate: James Simmons expulsion case". United States Senate. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
↑ "1851: Senator Resigns to Protest Civil War Loyalty Oath – January 29, 1864". United States Senate. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
↑ "GUTHRIE, James, (1792 - 1869)". Biographical Directory United States Congress. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
↑ "GRIMES, James Wilson, (1816 - 1872)". Biographical Directory United States Congress. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
↑ "The Election Case of Samuel C. Pomeroy and Alexander Caldwell of Kansas (1873)". United States Senate. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
↑ "CHRISTIANCY, Isaac Peckham, (1812 - 1890)". Biographical Directory United States Congress. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
1 2 "1878: Both New York Senators Resign – May 16, 1881". United States Senate. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
↑ Senate, United States Congress (1903). Compilation of Senate Election Cases from 1789 to 1885. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 48.
↑ "The Election Case of William A. Clark of Montana (1900)". United States Senate. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
1 2 3 "U.S. Senate: Expulsion and Censure". United States Senate. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
↑ "1921: Senator Condemned for Excessive Campaign Expenditures – January 12, 1922". United States Senate. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
↑ "The Election Case of Frank L. Smith of Illinois (1928)". United States Senate. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
↑ "The Term of A Senator – When Does It Begin and End? – Senate 98–29" (PDF). United States Senate. United States Printing Office. p. 5. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
1 2 "1941: Two Senators to the White House". United States Senate. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
↑ "The Term of A Senator – When Does It Begin and End? – Senate 98–29" (PDF). United States Senate. United States Printing Office. p. 11. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
↑ Ayers, B. Drummond (October 20, 1976). "Virginia, a State With Many Changes, is Still Expected to Return Byrd to the Senate". The New York Times .
↑ "Attorney General: William Bart Saxbe". United States Department of Justice . Retrieved April 16, 2019.
↑ "Wallace Bennett, Ex-Senator, 95; Utah Republican Served 24 Years". The New York Times . December 20, 1993.
↑ Leithauser, Tom (May 22, 1996). "Ex-senator Ed Gurney Dies". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
↑ Boren, David (May 13, 1994). "Why I Am Leaving the Senate". The New York Times . Retrieved June 16, 2008.
↑ "Senator Dole Resignation – Video – C-SPAN.org". C-SPAN. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
↑ Kane, Paul (November 27, 2007). "Lott Will Quit Senate Next Month". The Washington Post.
↑ Obama, Barack (November 8, 2008). Barack Obama's letter of resignation from the Senate – via Wikisource.
↑ Tumulty, Brian (January 21, 2009). "Clinton sworn in at State Dept. and then resigns Senate". The Journal News.
↑ Kraushaar, Josh (August 7, 2009). "Martinez: Time to 'move on'". Politico.
↑ "Sen. Ensign says he will resign on May 3". CNN International. April 21, 2011. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
↑ Everett, Burgess; Burns, Alexander (January 16, 2014). "Coburn won't serve out Senate term". Politico.
↑ Rao, Maya (January 3, 2018). "Al Franken submits resignation letter to Senate; Tina Smith ready to step in". Star Tribune . Washington, D.C. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
↑ Jennifer Brooks [@stribrooks] (January 2, 2018). "Sen. Al Franken's letter of resignation to Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton. Franken resigned at noon today, Minnesota time" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
↑ Pender, Geoff; Berry, Deborah Barfield (March 5, 2018). "Mississippi Republican Sen. Thad Cochran announces he will retire April 1, citing health issues". USA Today . Washington, D.C. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
↑ Arkin, James (December 14, 2018). "Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl to resign, prompting new appointment to McCain seat". POLITICO . Retrieved August 16, 2020.
↑ Everett, Burgess (August 28, 2019). "Sen. Johnny Isakson to resign at end of the year". POLITICO . Retrieved August 16, 2020.
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Chris Howell
Last week Rachael and I got to work on her album. Nothing was recorded, no musicians were brought in, no studio time was used. What we are doing now is called preproduction.
I imagine that some famous bands with extensive recording budgets can simply rent out a studio for six months wherein they show up with an artistic blank slate and proceed to write, rehearse, and record their album. Most bands, however, don’t have the luxury of renting out a studio for that length of time.
As anyone who has recorded an album knows, most of the work is (or should be) done way before you book studio time. This is not only a practical or economic matter, it’s also an artistic one. While everyone goes about writing songs in a slightly different way, most of the musicians I admire spend a lot of time with their material: they write things, rewrite things, put parts together, take them apart again, realize that something is really working well, realize that something sounds terrible, scrap songs, resurrect scrapped songs, and so on.
This process takes time. It takes time to learn to like a song, to discern when it is ”done.” It takes time because through the process of writing a song it’s easy to lose objectivity about it. When you hear it too often you get sick of it, even if it’s a good song. So sometimes you have to put it away for a day or two and come back to it again with some fresh perspective.
Once you’re happy with it, then there’s the process of involving other people: producers, studio engineers, other musicians, etc. It’s a tiring and nerve-racking experience and it’s one that I want to make as profitable as I can for Rachael.
This is the first time that she has ever had an album produced by someone, and it’s my first time producing her. My job is not to ”fix” her songs, or plug her material into the “hit machine,” or wax eloquent about ”hooks.” My job is to give her my undivided attention, invest in her, encourage her, challenge her, give her honest feedback, and ultimately contribute to her growth as an artist.
My job is to lead her in a direction that will result in her becoming a better musician and songwriter, and ultimately increase her love of music. So again, a lot of this has to be done outside of the studio, way before we ever press “record.”
This first meeting was really good in some ways, probably really hard in others, but hopefully productive. We spent several hours listening to the songs and talking about what they were about, how they should be arranged, what was good about them, and what was bad. It was pretty exhausting, but I’m very proud of Rachael and her response, and I know that if she endures this refining process that it’s only going to make her album that much better.
We’ve got a lot of work do before we start tracking. I’m very excited to see how these songs are forged, improved, loved on, and ultimately recorded. Here’s to many more productive meetings.
Meet Drew Hall
Recording starts tomorrow
Signal - Video Preview
© 2020 Coffee Monster Music
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USDA Announces $19 Billion COVID-19 Program
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). This new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program will take several actions to assist farmers, ranchers, and consumers in response to the COVID-19 national emergency. President Trump directed USDA to craft this $19 billion immediate relief program to provide critical support to our farmers and ranchers, maintain the integrity of our food supply chain, and ensure every American continues to receive and have access to the food they need.
“During this time of national crisis, President Trump and USDA are standing with our farmers, ranchers, and all citizens to make sure they are taken care of,” Secretary Perdue said. “The American food supply chain had to adapt, and it remains safe, secure, and strong, and we all know that starts with America’s farmers and ranchers. This program will not only provide immediate relief for our farmers and ranchers, but it will also allow for the purchase and distribution of our agricultural abundance to help our fellow Americans in need.”
CFAP will use the funding and authorities provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and other USDA existing authorities. The program includes two major elements to achieve these goals.
Direct Support to Farmers and Ranchers: The program will provide $16 billion in direct support based on actual losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted and will assist producers with additional adjustment and marketing costs resulting from lost demand and short-term oversupply for the 2020 marketing year caused by COVID-19.
USDA Purchase and Distribution: USDA will partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat. We will begin with the procurement of an estimated $100 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables, $100 million per month in a variety of dairy products, and $100 million per month in meat products. The distributors and wholesalers will then provide a pre-approved box of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products to food banks, community and faith based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.
On top of these targeted programs USDA will utilize other available funding sources to purchase and distribute food to those in need.
USDA has up to an additional $873.3 million available in Section 32 funding to purchase a variety of agricultural products for distribution to food banks. The use of these funds will be determined by industry requests, USDA agricultural market analysis, and food bank needs.
The FFCRA and CARES Act provided an at least $850 million for food bank administrative costs and USDA food purchases, of which a minimum of $600 million will be designated for food purchases. The use of these funds will be determined by food bank need and product availability.
Further details regarding eligibility, rates, and other implementation will be released at a later date.
Additional Background:
USDA has taken action during the COVID-19 national emergency to make sure children and families are fed during a time of school closures and job losses, as well as increase flexibilities and extensions in USDA’s farm programs to ensure the U.S. food supply chain remains safe and secure.
USDA expanded flexibilities and waivers in all 50 states and territories to ensure kids and families who need food can get it during this national emergency.
USDA is partnering with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, McLane Global, PepsiCo, and others to deliver more than 1,000,000 meals a week to students in a limited number of rural schools closed due to COVID-19.
USDA authorized Pandemic EBT in Michigan and Rhode Island, a supplemental food purchasing benefit to current SNAP participants and as a new EBT benefit to other eligible households to offset the cost of meals that would have otherwise been consumed at school.
USDA expanded an innovative SNAP online grocery purchase pilot program in Arizona and California, Florida and Idaho, and DC and North Carolina, in addition to Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, Oregon and Washington.
Actions to Ensure a Strong Food Supply Chain
USDA is working to ensure the food supply remains safe and secure.
USDA announced flexibilities to ensure food distribution for certain food products like dairy and eggs reach retail settings.
USDA announced farm loan flexibilities, deferrals, and maturity extensions.
Whole of Government Response in Rural America
USDA released The COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide, a first-of-its-kind resource for rural leaders looking for federal funding and partnership opportunities to help address this pandemic.
USDA opened a second application window (April 14, 2020 to July 13, 2020) for $72 million of funding under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program.
USDA Rural Development lenders may offer 180-day loan payment deferrals without prior agency approval for Business and Industry Loan Guarantees, Rural Energy for America Program Loan Guarantees, Community Facilities Loan Guarantees, and Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees.
USDA will use the $100 million provided for the ReConnect Program in the CARES Act to invest in qualified 100 percent grant projects.
For all the information on USDA’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic and resources available, please visit https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus.
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What Went Right With… Aladdin?
By What Went Wrong Or Right With...? on May 22, 2019 • ( 4 Comments )
There’s no doubt that Guy Ritchie’s films have been hit and miss; there was of course the classics Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch and there was the average-and-overrated Sherlock Holmes but there was also the downright terrible Swept Away and King Arthur. Seemingly abandoning tales of East-end gangster violence somewhere in the 2000s (since many people pointed out that he’s a toff from Hertfordshire who is related to the Duchess Of Cambridge) Ritchie then began making somewhat mediocre mainstream movies. His latest offering Aladdin falls somewhere in the middle of his filmography; not bad but not brilliant either. Thankfully, this is not a “Guy Ritchie movie” in the sense that the audience are clambering to watch his film, in fact the director could have been anybody. People who are nostalgic for the 1992 animated film or who are fans of Will Smith want to see this movie, and they won’t be disappointed. As long as you’re going to see this film for the cast rather than the director, you’ll be entertained.
With Disney ramping-up their translating of cartoons to live-action movies, Aladdin seems a perfect property to transfer into celluloid especially with the public calling for diversity and representation in mainstream Hollywood. And that being the case, I wonder if this film was supposed to be a Black Panther for people of Arabic decent? The folktale A Thousand And One Nights (aka Arabian Nights) on which this film is based, was after all, an Arabic story. The stars of this film are also descendants of that region (kind of). There’s Mena Massoud (Aladdin) who is Canadian by way of Egypt, Naomi Scott (Princess Jasmine) is mixed race Indian and English, Marwan Kenzari (Jafar) is Dutch but of Tunisian decent, Numan Acar (Hakim) is a Turkish born German, Nasim Pedrad (Dalia) and Navid Negahban (the Sultan) are Iranian-American, and Will Smith (the Genie) is African-American. That’s all of North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia covered, which makes a change from all the historical ethnic mis-casting that Hollywood has been guilty of. The cast also includes Nina Wadia (Goodness Gracious Me, Eastenders) in a very short role and by the end of the film, I even recognised the dancer from the Wowcher “Things That Make You Go Wow” adverts (Nikkita Chadha) so you know the casting director trawled the entertainment sector for accurate ethnicities. This is a good sign but at the same time it kind of shows how little ethnic minorities are offered until their skin tone matches the script.
Despite the accurate cast, this movie is not a “Black Panther” in the sense that a viewer who is Arabic or Muslim can feel proud whilst watching it. Black Panther the comic was created by two white guys but was translated to the screen by black talent. Aladdin is the opposite; the source material is something written by brown people but it’s brought to the screen by two white guys. In doing so, despite the cast being a step in the right direction for mainstream Hollywood, there’s something that feels less pro-Middle Eastern and more pro-Disney. Of course you could argue that a mainstream studio like Disney are not going to create a film honouring the ethnicity of the cast, but you forget that Black Panther was also potentially a throwaway, comic book adaptation by Marvel Studios, and yet with the right people involved, it became something the audience were genuinely proud to go see. The film itself was overrated but because the cast and creators were representing their own race, the entire movie became a significant event and a marker in cinematic history. Aladdin is sadly not this, it’s just another money-maker for Disney without any real cultural substance. The fact that the character’s accents vary between generic-American and generic-Middle-Eastern, you know that the filmmakers don’t care much about the place in which the story is set.
Whilst on the topic of the Black Panther phenomenon, people today seem to ignore the achievements of films like Spawn and Blade (films with black leads) which makes it seem like the present day is the pinnacle of minority achievement. If it were not for the forebears doing something original and unique, we wouldn’t have the entertainment we do today. Having said that, it’s undoubtedly thanks to Black Panther (and movies such as Disney’s Jungle Book which came out two years prior to Panther) that films like this are finally being cast correctly so in that respect, Aladdin is part of the new wave of accurate portrayals by Hollywood.
Also in a Black-Panther-esque way, the soundtrack tries to include some apt musical talent: Will Smith is joined by DJ Khaled and there’s also a Zayn Malik track. I’ll leave this whole not-quite-Black-Panther comparison there, save to say that Aladdin is like a potential Black Panther that unfortunately doesn’t quite hit the cultural mark. Speaking of songs, all the fan-favourites (“A Whole New World”, “Friend Like Me”) are present and now there’s the addition of (I Won’t Be) “Speechless”. This new song in my opinion is very corny and was probably best left out although Naomi sings it well.
In terms of the 1992 Disney cartoon, fans and critics act like Robin Williams was the first to do a “comedy genie” but they forget that Lenny Henry did exactly the same thing a year earlier in Bernard And The Genie which showed that inclusivity in the past did occur now and again. In some ways Will Smith is more Lenny Henry than Robin Williams in this film which is preferable because Will Smith being an erratic, energetic Robin Williams-clone would have been terrible to watch. Smith is always cool and humourous and the laid-back style of his Genie is one of the things that makes Aladdin watchable and less of an imitation. The only problem I have with this film and indeed the genie is the poor CGI work when Will Smith’s face has been superimposed onto the muscular blue body, it looks kinda like a deepfake and it’s much better when he takes on human form.
If you group a bunch of actors who all have “it” (that special something that makes them stars) a film that is otherwise average is raised to something better. This is definitely the case with Aladdin. It goes without saying that Will Smith is great at comedy but newcomers Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott are also very likeable and charming, and the pair have some chemistry to make the romance element of the film believable. This is of course a comedy and although it’s a given that the Genie will therefore be comedic, Aladdin also has some funny moments along with his monkey Abu. For my liking, Jafar is not conniving enough, and as a baddy, he’s not someone you secretly root for (like all the best movie villains). Jasmine and Aladdin on the other hand are great, Jasmine possesses the best singing voice and Aladdin can dance pretty well and their personality along with the Genie shines through. I also have to mention Billy Magnussen who plays the relatively small role of Prince Anders. There’s been some backlash to this new character but for me, thanks to the way Magnussen plays him, he’s quite funny and in some ways needed to explain the multicultural setting.
I’ve never read the source material but if the original text is anything like A Thousand And One Nights, the Japanese anime feature film by Eiichi Yamamoto, then this Disney-fied Aladdin misses so much from the plot. Judging by Eiichi’s work, the story should really be a morality tale and a tragedy, and if that was the intention of the original Arabian Nights, then this movie (along with most others) actually does a disservice to the writers’ objective. The tone here is undoubtedly to appeal to children who like bright, shiny, empty entertainment; basically a musical made for a magpie. I suppose a kid-friendly Disney movie isn’t going to go “Hunger Games: Mockingjay-meets-Oldboy” but imagine what’s possible if this public domain story was told with violence and sex, like an 18-rated parable.
Back to this version of Aladdin, this isn’t an original remake and it’s not awe-inspiring or a classic. But then again, it’s not supposed to be a deep drama or a complex action thriller, it’s a light-hearted, musical-romance-comedy and in that respect it’s absolutely fine. This movie is supposed to be a summer blockbuster; bright and cinematic, straight-forward popcorn fodder intended to please the entire family from kids to grandparents. Aladdin is not trying to be something it’s not so it works and like I said, half of the enjoyment is thanks to the cast. Remember where you saw them first.
Brown Panther.
Writing: 4/10
Directing: 4/10
Acting: 5/10
Categories: Movies, Reviews
Tagged as: aladdin, disney, guy ritchie, mena massoud, movie review, musical, naomi scott, will smith
What Went Right With… John Wick: Chapter 1?
What Went Right With… Live Fast Die Whenever EP by $uicideboy$ & Travis Barker?
Not a film I’d have watched but after reading this wonderful review I can’t wait to see this… minus kids…just me and popcorn
dathomie says:
Well…You had a lot of criticism for this one, and you gave it a 5/10. On your other website I saw the same mark, so it can’t be an excuse for giving criticism to this movie. This should have been put on your other website. Still, as always, the criticism felt original.
Mena Massoud Fans says:
Did you read about Mena Massoud not getting any auditions after Aladdin?
https://www.thedailybeast.com/mena-massoud-after-aladdin-made-dollar1-billion-i-still-couldnt-get-an-audition
“I’m kind of tired of staying quiet about it,” he says. “I want people to know that it’s not always dandelions and roses when you’re doing something like Aladdin. ‘He must have made millions. He must be getting all these offers.’ It’s none of those things. I haven’t had a single audition since Aladdin came out.”
It’s wild to me, I say, that he hasn’t booked an audition since Aladdin came out. Isn’t that the whole point of doing things like beating out 2,000 other actors for the lead role in a $183 million live-action remake of one of the most popular animated films of all-time with Will Smith as your co-star?
“It’s wild to a lot of people,” he says. “People have these ideas in their head. It’s like, I’m sitting here being like, OK, Aladdin just hit $1 billion. Can I at least get an audition? Like I’m not expecting you to be like, here’s Batman. But can I just get in the room? Like, can you just give me a chance? So it’s not always what you think.”
What Went Wrong Or Right With...? says:
That’s fucked up, although to be fair, Hollywood has a track record of ruining people’s careers. I mean, where’s Brandon Routh or Kristanna Loken now?
It is curious however, that out of the two new leads, the mixed-race brown/white actor went on to star in Charlie’s Angels but the fully brown one can’t even get an audition 🤔
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Donna the Buffalo: Part of a party with a powerful message
"We’re not an overly political band," says Donna the Buffalo's Tara Nevins, explaining The Stampede tour is more "about the basic fundamental rules of what’s wrong and right in a democracy."
The Blind Boys of Alabama: Not nearly tired
"When you love what you do, it keeps you motivated," says The Blind Boys of Alabama founder and singer Jimmy Carter about the gospel group's longevity.
Sleater-Kinney Reinvent and Reignite
"We wanted to make a new album to reignite and reinvent who we are as a band," says Sleater-Kinney singer-guitarist Corin Tucker.
Dan Deacon: No need to get technical
After his 2007 album Spiderman of the Rings put him on the indie electronica map, Dan Deacon went in a variety of different directions as he honed his interactive live show, even partnering with a business to develop a phone ap...
The Very Real Heart of Allen Stone
Born in Chewelah, Washington singer Allen Stone started singing at his father’s church when he was just a kid. Eventually, he’d discover soul music and make the shift from the sacred world to the secular one, self-releasing two...
July Talk: Playing on the conflict
The Canadian rock band July Talk formed after Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay met cute, as they like to say in Hollywood. The two recruited guitarist Ian Docherty, bassist Josh Warburton and drummer Danny Miles for their 2012 self...
Can’t Get Enough of Nikki Lane
In a short amount of time, young alt-country singer-songwriter Nikki Lane has become the “First Lady of Outlaw Country.” Lane, who’s just completed tours with Shakey Graves, Jenny Lewis and Social Distortion, recent...
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The database is currently locked to new entries and other modifications, probably for routine database maintenance, after which it will be back to normal.
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Editing BZFlag COPYING
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Who's Who - The Class of 1960
Medicine Then and Now
Med School - A history
GERALD SHULMAN
Gerald was born in Johannesburg on July 13,1937. Raised in Orange Grove, Johannesburg, attended the local preparatory school and then Highlands North High School from where, along with six other 1954 matriculants, he was accepted to the Witwatersrand Medical School, starting in 1955.
The years of learning basic and medical sciences were challenging. To relax over the weekends, small groups of friends used to meet to play tennis. Gerald also met other players in games of squash at the university squash courts in Parktown. And there was the wonderful campus pool for swimming and practicing diving.
Journey in Pathology
After graduating and completing internships in Medicine, Surgery and Pediatrics, at Coronation Hospital, Johannesburg, Gerald joined the staff of the South African Institute for Medical Research as a trainee pathologist. Gerald met and married Cynthia Cohen (MB BCh 1964) in 1965. In 1968, he qualified as a Fellow of the South African Faculty of Pathologists.
To London
Many older colleagues had travelled to England for further study. Gerald also chose to pursue an academic career at the Postgraduate Medical School at Hammersmith Hospital, London, choosing to work in chemical pathology. A position to work in protein clinical chemistry was available which he was glad to fill. At the same time, Cynthia furthered her career by attending the course at Hammersmith Hospital and graduated with the Diploma in Clinical Pathology. At the end of two years Gerald graduated with the Membership of the Royal College of Pathologists.
In their spare time they enjoyed the cultural opportunities in London’s museums and the theatre district. They also took weekend trips to Cornwall, Huddersfield, and Nottingham to meet Cynthia’s erstwhile pen pals and visited many acquaintances who were also living in London. After returning to Johannesburg in 1972, they happily welcomed a lovely red-haired daughter who brought a new charm into their lives.
Cynthia returned briefly to London to write the examinations for the Membership of the Royal College of Pathologists. When she came back to Johannesburg, she joined the staff of the School of Pathology, newly formed by the merger of the Witwatersrand Medical School and the South African Institute for Medical Research and focused her interests in surgical histopathology. At this time, Gerald was also appointed to the School of Pathology.
He continued his interest in clinical chemistry and set up a new clinical chemistry laboratory at the Johannesburg General Hospital for testing patient blood samples. He implemented multichannel automated blood analyzing systems for routine analysis of blood samples. Also he accomplished setting up computer controlled positive sample identification, important in reporting accurate patient results.
Gerald continued his studies in protein chemistry which was of interest to the hematologists of the Johannesburg Hospital Hematology Clinic, that served a large number of patients with dysproteinemias. This was a rich source of investigative work and, together with other co-authors, he contributed to 43 scholarly papers, published in various high citation index medical journals.
To America: Hershey Pennsylvania
In mid-1976, Gerald and Cynthia were invited to interview for positions at the Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania. They both were offered appointments in the Pathology Department which they accepted. At that time, rioting broke out in Soweto and other areas of South Africa that negatively impacted obtaining visas to immigrate to the United States. Consequently, there was a delay until January 1977, when applicants were able to start immigration procedures and commence jobs in the United States that they had been offered.
Following its opening in 1967 the Hershey Medical Center developed into an active and competitive tertiary care facility. In the small town itself were 15.000 inhabitants, many of whom were employed in the Hershey Foods Corporation.The town had a lovely aroma of chocolate and hence was called “Chocolate Town, USA”. Following the Shulman’s arrival, the Pathology Departmental staffing was re-organized. Gerald was asked to change his focus from Clinical Chemistry to Blood Banking, a discipline in which he had a little previous training. This became an opportunity for an on-the-job learning in a new discipline.
Life in Hershey required reorientation to living in a small town established in corn fields. Yet all the conveniences of large cities were available. Most social activities centered around colleagues at the Medical Center
It was interesting to learn about members of the Amish community, in nearby Lancaster. They formed America's oldest Amish settlement, where thousands still live a centuries-old "Plain" lifestyle. Arriving in Amish Country allows one to step back in time to enjoy a slower, more peaceful pace – one where the horse and buggy remains a primary form of transportation, and where windmills dot the landscape, providing power harnessed from nature.
Ploughing the old way without mechanical implements
To the sunbelt: Little Rock, Arkansas – Atlanta, Georgia – Galveston Texas
After six Pennsylvania winters, Gerald was attracted to relocate to the sunbelt. He found an opportunity at the Arkansas Region of the American Red Cross Blood Services. Cynthia luckily found a fine position in the Pathology Department of the University of Arkansas Medical School. While they discussed their plans to move in their daughter’s presence, they were unaware that she had paid no attention. In retrospect they should have openly discussed their plans to move clearly ensuring her understanding. One day a large removal van arrived at their home and the little girl was shocked to realize that they were moving from Hershey. It was very traumatic for her and she wept bitterly all the way they drove to Little Rock. This was a lesson to remember to always communicate clearly with one’s child.
It was then that they first heard about ‘Tornado Alley’. At that time, Little Rock was experiencing extensive damage from tornado storms - a difficult time to arrive when they needed to find a place to stay and have their household goods delivered. Luckily all turned out well and they settled down to start at their respective places of employment.
After a year, political intrigue in management in the Arkansas Blood Services Region induced Gerald to move to the American Red Cross Blood Services, Atlanta Region. There he participated in teaching and research with local blood bank physicians.
He collaborated with the HTLV-1 investigating group at the Centers for Disease Control, who had interest in profiling blood donor samples and studying demographics for a possible relationship to adult Tcell leukemia/lymphoma and demyelinating disease called HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. Cynthia was offered a Pathology Faculty position at the Emory School of Medicine where she worked very productively for 34 years. Both of them were busily occupied with work responsibilities but could also enjoy many cultural opportunities in Atlanta.
In 1976, Gerald needed to undergo emergency coronary artery by-pass surgery leading him to resign his position. A year later, Gerald recovered his health and was offered a position as Blood Bank Director at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
’Old Red’ is the original building of the University of Texas Medical School in Galveston Texas in 1891
His responsibility was to supervise an active blood transfusion service that also collected volunteer donor blood. Testing, preparation of blood components and distribution of blood products to a 650-bed hospital was carried out on site. The bank blood inventory was also supplemented with imported blood products from the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in Houston.
As the Blood Bank Director, Gerald set up an active service providing increased use of salvaged autologous blood for patients undergoing surgery while experiencing sizable peri-operative blood losses. In addition, he supervised autologous pre-operative blood component sequestration in the operating room. This coincided with HIV being found to be transmitted by some donor blood products. A massive national demand for autologous and directed blood transfusions placed heavy burdens on blood banks with coercion to provide these services. The situation was further complicated by media misinformation that increased the public fears and demands. The Federal Food and Drug Administration became even more actively involved in ensuring that compliance with legal requirements was met to safeguard the safety of the blood supply. This was accompanied with institution of even more frequent and more stringent inspection procedures.
With changing institutional priorities at Galveston, the Hospital Administration desired to provide services in immuno-histocompatibility and transplantation. In Gerald’s opinion, Galveston would only provide a small additional immunologic service. He was reluctant to become a competitor with the services of the huge centers of the University of Texas in nearby Houston, Texas.
Retirement 1998
This was an opportune time in 1998 for Gerald to take his retirement. Instead, he returned home to Atlanta, and became interested in working with a contractor to remodel and modernize an Atlanta house that had been built 70 years previously. He and Cynthia lived in their new home comfortably for 20 years.
Their daughter, son in law and family of two children chose to move to Argentina. This was a wake-up call for them to realize that they were an elderly couple who needed to secure backup plans for help in an emergency situation. The responsibility and expenses of home ownership led Gerald and Cynthia to sell up and downsize. They moved to a nearby independent senior living facility where they are very happily settled.
Gerald learns Hebrew on Zoom with an excellent Egyptian tutor, living in Athens, Greece, where he works for the Athens University Language Institute. Another interesting young man, living in Abu Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, also participates in some of the lessons. Cynthia uses ‘Duolingo’ to learn Spanish and has enjoyment conversing with their grandchildren who are bilingual. They both participate in many Zoom programs on art, culture, literature and secular presentations. Time goes by very fast while we wait out a scientific solution of the complexities of Covid-19.
Biography contributed by
Gerald Shulman, MB BCh (Witwatersrand) FCP (South Africa) MRCPath and FRCPath (United Kingdom)
Atlanta Georgia, July 2020
Blattner WA, Jacobson RJ, Shulman g. Multiple myeloma in South African
Lancet 8122: 928-929,1979.
Shulman G, and Jacobson RJ. Immunocytoma in black and white South Africans.
Trop Geograph Med 32: 112-117, 1980.
Jacobson RJ, Shulman G. Plasma Cell Myeloma and Waldenstroms
Macroglobulinemia in Black and White South Africans. Progress in Myeloma 1980
Williams AE, Fang CT, Sandler SG, Shulman G, et al Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 p24 antigen in US blood donors - an assessment of the efficacy of testing in donor screening Science April. 240, 4852, 643-646. 1988
Williams AE, Fang CT, Sandler SG, Shulman G, et al. Seroprevalence and epidemiological correlates of HTLV-I infection in U.S. blood donors. N Engl J Med; 323:1312-1317. 1990
Khabbaz RF, Heneine W, Grindon A, Hartley TM, Shulman G, Kaplan, J. Indeterminate HTLV serologic results in U.S. blood donors: are they due to HTLV-I or HTLV-II? Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency, 31, Dec 1. 5 (4) 400-404. 1991
Busch MP, et al including VATS Group (Shulman G). The viral activation transfusion study: rationale, objectives and design overview. Transfusion 36:854-859. 1996.
Vertrees RA, Conti VR, Lick SD, Zwischenberger JB, McDaniel LB, Shulman G. Adverse effects of postoperative infusion of shed mediastinal blood. Ann Thorac Surg 62:717-73, 1996.
Blais, RE, Hadjipavlou, AG, Shulman, G. Efficacy of Autotransfusion in
Spine Surgery. Comparison of Autotransfusion alone with Hemodilution and Apheresis. Spine ;21(23):2795-800. 1996
Shulman G. Impact of reservoir hematocrit and processing parameters on the quality of the processed blood product. AINS-AnasthesiologieIntensive Dec;37(12):734-8. 2002
Jacobson RJ, Shulman G. Plasma cell myeloma and Waldenstrom's macro-globulinemia in black and white South Africans. In: M. Potter (Ed) Progress in Myeloma, New York: Elsevier North Holland, Inc., 81-91, 1980.
Shulman G. Ethnic differences in immunoglobulin and their abnormalities. In: Ritzmann SE, Daniels JC (Eds) Serum protein abnormalities: Diagnostic and clinical aspects, New York: Alan R. Liss, 71-96, 1983
WitsUSA
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How ‘Wayne’s World’ Was a Victory for Freddie Mercury After He Died
Getty Images / YouTube
Freddie Mercury was near death when Brian May showed him a scene from the then-unreleased movie Wayne’s World. In the clip – which has become one of the most celebrated in rock-movie history – the lead characters are seen head-banging to the Queen classic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
By the time Wayne’s World was released in February 1992, Mercury had been dead for three months. But the success of the “Bohemian Rhapsody” scene helped rebuild the legacy of Queen, who’d fallen out of favor in some parts of the world in the years preceding the singer's death.
“I took [a VHS tape of the scene] ’round to Freddie not long before he went and showed it to him, because you said you wanted to have the approval,” May told Wayne’s World creator Mike Myers in a video reunion of some of the movie's leading players. “He loved it, he just laughed and laughed. He was very weak, but he just smiled and laughed. He said, ‘How wonderful is that?’”
It seems Myers had never heard the story, because he replied: “I didn’t know that. That’s ... I can’t even. My little Toronto head can’t handle that. But that’s fantastic.” “We loved [the scene]," May replied. "We still love it. We always will.”
Watch the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Scene From 'Wayne's World'
The guitarist went even further, crediting the moment with offering reassurance to Mercury in his final days. “He had been known to say, ‘Look, I suppose I have to die before we get America back,’ but you guys did it,” May recalled. “You got us back to a new American public, and Freddie was very aware of that. He got totally into it, and he went to the next place knowing what had happened and enjoying it.”
Co-star Dana Carvey described Queen’s signature song as “just a full-blown masterpiece. ... I give Mike total credit for picking it out. I didn’t get it initially. But when that break kicks in and we syncopate to it, it’s pretty magic. It still gets me when I see it.”
In response, May revealed why he felt it had worked so well. “With Freddie’s stuff and with Queen’s stuff there was always a little tongue-in-cheek," he noted. "And I think you guys latched into that.”
The guitarist admitted in 2015 that he himself had imitated the classic movie moment while driving. Myers said his young daughter would start head-banging without prompting when she heard the song. Touching on the global impact of the scene, he added, “I met Henry Mancini and he said to me, ‘Hey, kid, that thing you did with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ – one of the greatest moments of music in film. And I’m Henry fucking Mancini!’”
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Next: How Adam Lambert Discovered Queen Via 'Wayne's World'
Source: How ‘Wayne’s World’ Was a Victory for Freddie Mercury After He Died
Filed Under: Bohemian Rhapsody, Freddie Mercury, Queen, Wayne's World
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Abbreviated version of the Manifesto
(1) What to do about the $700 billion annual trade deficit?
First, admit that our high-priced labor cannot compete in a global economy driven to seek low-cost production. It is also economically untenable for one nation (China) to produce while another nation (the U.S.) consumes. Our so-called free trade system merely exchanges consumer goods for debt. We therefore need to replace free trade with a trading system that acknowledges the vastly different levels of industrial development around the world. The world community needs to give national governments permission to impose tariffs on imported goods that will at least partially offset the cost differentials between production in developed and developing nations. My scheme of "employer-specific tariffs" could become a tool to raise living standards in the poorer countries. It would be a way that national governments could regulate multi-national corporations.
Second, recognize that over half of the trade deficit represents imported oil, mostly for gasoline to power automobiles. We need an aggressive campaign to promote the development of alternative energy, especially electricity to power automobiles. We need better ways to transport this energy from its point of production to point of use. Minnesota is a leader in producing electricity from wind power. It's a no brainer - we must develop alternative energy sources and do it quickly.
Finally, our high-priced labor carries the burden of excessive costs in health care, government, education, law, and other areas. We must lower those costs to become competitive. In particular, we must end the war-based economy that burdens our nation. Turn responsibilities for policing the world over to the United Nations. Take the military "toys" away from leaders such as President Bush who are unable to use them responsibly.
(2) Can our decendants be "happy" in a world stripped of its material resources?
My contention is that people compete for social rank more than for the opportunity to consume more food and other material products. So there may be hope that "after the party is over" with respect to resource-consuming "economic growth", humanity may stumble upon other ways to continue the flow of progress.
Shorter working time is a technique for redistributing employment opportunities so that all people can enjoy reasonable access to income and work and material consumption will become more evenly distributed among the population. The real question, though, is how people can continue to distinguish themselves. How can they individually continue to enjoy life in a more egalitarian society?
The impending shortages of energy that may inhibit transportation do not affect communication so much. So there are ways that people can expand their life experiences through electronic communication without expanding consumption of energy and other resources. The ultimate end may be a more satisfying sense of personal identity. We can consciously pursue that goal.
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Heckler's Corner
(Postings from the Minnesota e-democracy forum in June 2008)
"Let me add to this discussion the fact that there will soon be a candidate for U.S. Senate for Minnesota's third largest party, the Independence Party. Current contenders for endorsement at this Saturday's convention include Steve Williams (a farmer from Austin, Minn., and former Minneapolis resident), Kurt Anderson (a Minneapolis attorney and former DFL congressional candidate), and myself (a Minneapolis resident and subscriber to this forum). In the wings is yet another possible candidate, former Governor Jesse Ventura, a man with a solid record of fairness and good government while serving as Governor of Minnesota. Additionally, he's the only person ever to have beaten Norm Coleman in an election.
If I get the IP endorsement, you'll see a campaign focusing on the economic future of Minnesota, the nation, and the world. What do we do about the $710 annual trade deficit? How about $4 per gallon gas prices? It's time for some straight talk on these topics. The economy is going down the tubes.
The trade deficit has two main causes: (1) imported petroleum products, (2) outsourcing of manufacturing production to low-wage countries.
To address those long-term problems, I advocate a crash program, aided by tax credits and subsidies, to develop alternative sources of energy, especially wind power. We need to convert from gasoline-powered cars to hybrids, electric cars, and cars powered by hydrogen. We need to experiment with alternative technologies in public transit, including PRT and smart jitneys.
With respect to outsourcing, I advocate that the trading system be revised in its entirety. The free-trade imperative is obsolete in an era where much trade is intracorporate or between major retailers and closely related contractors. I favor increased use of tariffs, both to create a certain cost buffer for our own highly paid workers and a regulatory tool that governments can use to encourage increased wages and reduced work hours in other countries. This can be done in an environment of cooperation among peoples in different parts of the world.
We must also recognize how military expenditures are hurting our country economically. We cannot afford this any more. It's important to get out of Iraq as soon as it is humanely possible and also not bomb Iran and further inflame world opinion against us. In my opinion, we also need to close many of our expensive military bases around the world. The more hopeful future involves moving the United Nations into the role of world policeman. We have little credibility in that role any more after the disastrous Bush years.
These are some of the things I want to talk about. We're in a crisis. Instead of "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic", we need to avoid the ice berg looming ahead.
So, while the Norm Coleman vs. Al Franken match is interesting, a political campaign should really be about options for our future.
You can find more information about my campaign at http://www.newindependenceparty.org."
William McGaughey June 19, 2008 10:33 a.m.
***** *** ***** *** ***** *** ***** *** ***** *** ***** *** ***** *** *****
“I wonder how this convention went. Did they endorse anyone? Last night on Almanac, Dean Barkley seemed to completely avoid the subject when questioned about Jesse Ventura, who's been blustering about the possibility of running as and Independent. I still have faith in Minnesotans to choose Al Franken over two failures, however, since that is what both our former governor and future former senator are. Time will tell if they will stand for another third party spoiler and let their worst fear take office. Makes one year for statewide IRV.”
Bill Kahn June 21, 2008 6:51 a.m.
"The convention is this afternoon. I take issue with the statement that Jesse Ventura's term as Governor was a "failure". In fact, he had many accomplishments. The Independence Party draws equally from Democrats and Republicans. The "spoiler" argument is mere whining from DFLers who feel entitled to all non-Republican votes. The DFL should win elections by presenting better programs for government, not by besmirching the motives of others on the ballot. Politics has sunk to a low level. That's why more and more people call themselves politically independent."
William McGaughey June 21, 2008 10:03 am.
"Jesse Ventura's reign as governor was more failure than success. Yes he did what was needed to be successful by appointing bipartisan qualified leaders of the Executive Branch. But that is where it ended. He had no clue how to deal with the Legislature.
I can also safely say that much of Minnesota's fiscal problems stem from his reign as Governor."
Mike Fratto June 21, 2008 1:08 p.m.
"There was also property tax relief. When state government had surplus revenues, Gov. Ventura chose to give most of it back to the taxpayers. I know that isn't popular with many who have their eyes on this money, but I think it was a responsible decision."
William McGaughey June 22, 208 10:33 a.m.
"According to IP's site some guy names Stephen Williams is seeking the IP endorsement for US Senate. http://www.mnip.org/candidates.shtml. Stephen is in the IP's "Candidates Seeking Endorsement" section and Bill isn't. http://www.prairiefireusa.com
Stephen sounds like a Fair Taxer except instead of income tax he's using payroll tax. He wants to move Medicare, Social Security, Workmans Comp employee insurance to a Sales tax which ** won't be successful because it doesn't match up to the same people **. The idea from which he is borrowing, moving an individual US income tax to a national sales tax, aka Fair tax, makes more sense.
Stephen is misguided on immigration. Not sure what nationalizing health insurance means. Single payer? He sounds light weight.
Did this guy debate you Saturday, Bill?
Jamie Delton June 22, 2008 5:36 p.m.
“Yes, Stephen Williams of Austin, Minn. was endorsed for U.S. Senate at the Independence Party convention yesterday. His opponents for the endorsement were Kurt Anderson and me. I don't know why Steve was the only candidate mentioned on the IP website or why my message mentioning the three candidates was truncated.
Yes, I did debate Williams and Anderson at an IP meetup on Monday at the community house near Lake Nokomis. We did not have much chance to compare our views at the convention.
From my point of view, the main event at the convention was an attempt by several of the party leaders to push for "no endorsement". Endorsed candidates were required to get 60% of the vote or more and "no endorsement" was one of the options. I used part of my 10-minute candidate speech to oppose that effort. When Steve Williams led after the first round of voting, I withdrew as a candidate and Williams was endorsed in the next round.
Yes, the prospective candidacy of Jesse Ventura was much on the delegates' mind. But none of us knew what Jesse will do so we had to proceed as if he were not a candidate. There's no doubt that he would win the IP primary for U.S. Senate if he chooses to become a candidate and most of us would welcome that event.
I'm pleased to say that my name was put in nomination by "Red" Nelson, a realtor who once owned and managed the Scholar coffee house in Dinkytown where Bob Dylan got his start. Peter Tharaldson, able chair of the 5th District IP and chair of the convention, also supported my candidacy. But in the end Anderson and I came up short. Williams had been campaigning for this endorsement since he lost the IP endorsement at the convention in 2006. He's a likable man with a serious message.
Tinklenberg, former mayor of Blaine and MN DOT commissioner under Ventura, spoke to the convention and was endorsed. He is an attractive candidate for Congress in the 6th District who stands a good chance of getting elected.”
“Give it up McGaughey, you're all wet.”
Leslie Davis June 22, 2008 2:11 p.m.
“‘Give it up McGaughey, you're all wet. - Leslie Davis’
Leslie Davis, a well-known activist in Minneapolis, posted this message earlier today. I was going to respond with an equally insulting remark; but, due to the 12-hour posting rule and delay, I had time to think it over & settle on another approach.
Let me say only that Davis’ hate-led approach to public discussion represents a waste of energy and talent. I am unaware of having hurt or offended Davis in any way. I have, however, expressed support for the Independence Party of Minnesota and some of its representatives including former Gov. Jesse Ventura whom Davis hates with a passion.
Jesse may return to politics, and that may fuel a further round of vitriolic comments from Leslie Davis. In the future, I will try to ignore them. But I do wish to acknowledge today’s outburst.
Not cool.”
William McGaughey June 22, 2008 11:34 p.m.
“I know you well McGaughey and my comment wasn't an outburst, it was a well thought out accurate statement.
You're a prolific writer with an arrogant penchant for thinking you know more than others when you are a mere mortal like the rest of us. In all the writings that I have read of yours I have never heard one single new or good idea about anything. Simply meaningless observations.
Your vicious attack upon me by accusing me of a "hate-led approach to public discussion" is unfair and tears away your disguise as some sort of fair-minded intellect when you are no more than a basic Minneapolis bigot.
I don't "hate" Jesse Ventura with a passion. I dislike him for what he has inclicted upon the people, the lies he has told and the damage he has caused. And my discourse with Ventura has never displayed hate of any sort. You are trying to turn people against me with your poison pen because you know that I do more for public discourse in one week than you have done in your entire life.
Please list for this group your accomplishments for the public. Tell us all your accomplishments. What you have given to help others. Your charitable record. Please tell us anything you have ever done but read stuff and right a comment about it. Tell us how you spend your daze in your paint peeling duplex when you're not writing gibberish and mocking others.
I challenge you to put your public record up against mine. Pick up the gauntlet Mr. Mouth.”
For the people,
Leslie Davis June 23, 2008 1:03 a.m.
“I have no desire to perpetuate a personal argument on this forum but do feel compelled to respond to certain of Leslie Davis’ comments about me in a posted message yesterday.
Davis wrote, among other things: ‘I know you well McGaughey ... You're a prolific writer with an arrogant penchant for thinking you know more than others ... In all the writings that I have read of yours I have never heard one single new or good idea about anything. Simply meaningless observations ... Please list for this group your accomplishments for the public. Tell us all your accomplishments ... Pick up the gauntlet Mr. Mouth.’
I am a relatively prolific writer and, whether or not my writings are meaningless observations is for others to judge. But I must respond because Davis is saying he knows me well - presumably the writings as well - and what I do or think is mostly trash. He does not know me well. Yet, readers of this forum will assume that there may be some truth to his accusations. (People these days sometimes think that statements of a general conclusion are fact, even if unsupported by any evidence.) His comments therefore amount to defamation.
As evidence that someone besides myself thinks my writings are worthwhile, I would submit the following:
I have had opinion articles published in the New York Times (11/13/79) and the Christian Science Monitor (12/22/82 & 10/23/90) as well as other national and local newspapers.
MIT professor Noam Chomsky called my book on trade “a useful work” in an article published in the Nation on March 13, 1993.
A book that I wrote on world history was favorably reviewed in major newspapers in Pakistan, India, China, and Nigeria.
This book was also translated into Chinese. It was the Shandong Pictorial Book Company’s biggest seller in the history category in 2004.
I have coauthored a book on economics with the late U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy that was published by Praeger in 1989. (ISBN 0-275-92514-5) I assume McCarthy would not have put his name to what he considered an inferior or poorly expressed point of view.
It’s true that my more recent writings on Twin Cities housing issues have not been published in major newspapers perhaps because their point of view is unpopular in the cities’ political culture, but those who are interested can read some of them at a website, http://www.landlordpolitics.com. Make your own judgment.
Davis challenged me to compare my record of public service to his. I am less familiar with his record but assume that Davis would be more than willing to point out its virtuous features. So let him speak on the subject.
I’m done. I hope this is the end of that particular conversation.”
William McGaughey June 23, 2008 9:09 a.m.
"Facts I want you to know about Jesse Ventura
by Leslie Davis
"Lied about being a Navy SEAL, lied about being in Vietnam, and lied about
being in combat. He does not have the Combat Action Ribbon. SEAL Commander Salisbury says (in my book "Always Cheat") that Ventura was a phony SEAL.
Told single moms that they were on their own regarding government help.
Told University of Minnesota students to, “win if you can, lose if you must, but ALWAYS CHEAT.”
Insulted people who were religious, overweight or mentally ill.
Killed caged birds at a game farm shooting gallery with Maria Shriver in 1998.
Supported a raid at Highway 55 where more than 600 police arrested 17 peaceful protesters and tortured many of them. Henry Fieldseth was one of the people tortured. Henry was handcuffed and pepper spray material was put in his eyes.
Told young people that if they were smart enough to go to college they should be able to figure out how to pay for it. Yet when he went to school the government paid for him.
Told marijuana supporters that he supported them. Enough young people liked what he said about pot, even if they didn't smoke, and they showed up on election day and put him over the top. Check it out and you will see that the pot head vote put him in office.
Told Star Tribune columnist Dennis Anderson that you haven’t hunted until you've hunted man. The only man Ventura may have hunted would have been in a Hennepin Avenue bookstore.
Was a terrible governor for the environment. He appointed a local gas company executive to head the state Pollution Control Agency.Canceled the auto emission testing program. Allowed animal factories throughout the state to expand and failed to implement a proper energy plan for the state.
Drove out of office, Dept. of Employee Relations Commissioner Karen Carpenter and Ethics Office Sandra Hyllengren for pointing out that he was a state "employee" and certain outside activities would be illegal. Steven Bosacker, Ventura's sexual predator Chief of Staff, now Mpls. city coordinator, led the charge on this. I have the correspondence.
Mismanaged state finances. The economic downturn was apparent before 9/11 but Ventura was too busy promoting his private money making ventures. The tax cuts and rebates he promoted broke the State of Minnesota. The State Investment Board suffered while he was on the Board.
BRIBERY AND PAYOFFS
Jesse Ventura: bribed Bill Dahn to leave the Reform Party in July 1998. Dahn had registered to run for governor in the Reform Party in order to complain about an improper government sponsored insulation program that contaminated his house. Ventura wanted Dahn out of the Reform Party so he wouldn’t have competition in the September primary election and could keep his KFAN radio show. He lost the show anyway because Dick Franson warned KFAN that he would complain to the feds if they let Ventura stay on the air without giving equal time to his opponents. Doug Friedline and, secretary Mavis Huddle arranged for Ventura and campaign committee chairman Dean Barkley to go to Dahn’s house on July 19, 1998 and promise to fix his house if he would leave the Reform Party and register as a Republican. The media reported that the bribe was a $600 fee Barkley paid for Dahn to register as a Republican after leaving the Reform Party. It was not. The bribe was the promise to fix Dahn’s house. I have significant evidence that Barkley worked to fulfill the bribe. However, after Ventura was elected Barkley lost interest in Dahn and Dahn lost his house.
FIXED THE BRIBERY INVESTIGATION
Complaints were filed against Barkley and Ventura for bribing Dahn and Ventura and Barkley fixed the investigation of the bribe. Two complaints were filed with Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner. When Gaertner received the complaints she should have immediately declared a conflict of interest because her employee/lover John Wodele was a personal friend of Dean Barkley. Gaertner held the case until after Ventura was elected and in December she declared a conflict of interest and sent the case to Anoka County to be fixed.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE BRIBERY FIX
Charlie Weaver (former Anoka County prosecutor who Hatch beat for AG)
Phil Villaume (Barkley attorney and brother-in-law)
Thomas Heffelfinger (Ventura attorney, former U.S. Attorney)
Dean Barkley (Ventura campaign manager
James Weber (Anoka County prosecutor)
Susan Gaertner (Ramsey County Attorney)
John Wodele (Gaertner employee lover)
Charles Balck (Assistant Ramsey County Attorney)
This group fixed the results and Weber announced them on December 31, 1998
(New Years Eve Day).Gaertner caused it to take 161 days to get a decision on the bribery
complaints.
December 28, 1998, in advance of the bribery decision, unemployed John
Wodele, boyfriend of crooked county attorney Gaertner, was rewarded for helping with the fix by being named Ventura's Communications Director.
December 31, 1998, Anoka County prosecutor James Weber dismissed the bribery complaints against Barkley and Ventura.
January 2, 1999, unemployed Charlie Weaver was appointed Commissioner of Public Safety as his reward for fixing the bribery case in Anoka County. Barkley set up Weaver for the fix by having him appointed to Ventura’s transition advisory committee on November 17, 1998.
February 4, 1999, James Weber, Anoka County prosecutor who dismissed the bribery complaints, was appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Judicial Selection."
"Leslie Davis’ latest post regarding Jesse Ventura is better than some of his previous ones. It makes the case that Ventura is a bad person in some detail, with many supporting facts. It’s good to have “citizen journalists” like Davis “keeping them honest” when the commercial media seem unwilling to do that. On the other hand, I don’t think the case against Ventura is as watertight as Davis would have us believe. I do not have additional facts to refute what he wrote but do wish to comment on some of the points made.
First, let me say that I tend to dismiss criticisms based on Ventura’s public statements. He has a right to his opinions. As long as Ventura puts his name to those statements and doesn’t try to force others to accept them, I’m fine with the statements. He’s exercising his right of free speech. You may personally dislike his opinions but don’t try to suggest that everyone should think the same way as you.
Ventura, as we know, came out of the pro-wrestling world. It’s understood that this is fake wrestling and that show-biz hype is part of the game. When Ventura made outrageous statements as he often did, I think he was carrying forward that part of his personality. The public understood that. I think part of his appeal was that Jesse was not like the other politicians who used guarded speech and said kind words to various constituencies and then betrayed the public interest. He said what he thought or what many people were thinking but did not dare to say. This was refreshing. It also strengthened our tradition of free political speech.
One of the worst aspects of contemporary politics is that people are regularly demonized by what they say rather than what they do. We have a practice of “group think” known as political correctness that shapes our sense of right and wrong. We have intolerance masquerading as tolerance. This is a poison in our political system, contributing to much divisiveness. Liberals or “progressives”, as they call themselves now, are primarily guilty of this, but conservatives increasingly display the same characteristics.
Jesse Ventura has become a target of demonization for people who not only disliked his political views but also disliked him for the type of person he was - a burly, hyper-male, somewhat cantankerous individual who refused to submit to norms imposed by the media and other of our political opinion makers. Yet, Jesse won, and his critics never forgave him for that. For me, it was a sign that freedom is still alive in our country, even in Minnesota.
Now to the substance of Davis’ criticisms --
The most serious point is the allegation that Ventura and others bribed Bill Dahm to take his name off the Reform Party ballot and reregister as a Republican. This was a crime needing to be punished. Yet, the fact is that the case was referred to the Anoka County prosecutor. That prosecutor, James Weber, dismissed the charges. It may be either that he dismissed them because the case did not have merit or, as Davis suggests, because the “fix” was in. Davis names nine individuals whom he calls “participants in the bribery fix”. That label may be a little strong.
Without having the facts, I would not want to say that dishonest prosecutions do not occur in our system of justice or did not occur in this case. But the fact that Ventura later appointed Weber to the Governor’s Commission on Judicial Selection does not prove that Weber was bribed to drop the corruption charge against Ventura. If Davis wants to pursue this, he should. Perhaps someone will come forward with new evidence against Ventura and the case can be reopened. I, however, have no such evidence and it would serve no purpose for me to try to reach a conclusion other than to say that I do not know anything about this case other than what has already been revealed.
I also want to comment on Ventura’s remark to U of M students, “win if you can, lose if you must, but ALWAYS CHEAT.” What is the context of that statement? I have to believe that Ventura said this in a humorous way. Of course, most decent people believe that cheating is wrong. Was Ventura giving serious, fatherly advice to young people that they should deceive their fellow citizens; or was something else involved here?
The most valid type of criticism against political figures is that they abused the power of their office, betrayed the public interests to help special interests or friends, were generally incompetent, or hurt their constituents. You can find much evidence of this in policies of the Bush Administration, especially in regards the Iraq war. I can find little evidence of it in what the Ventura administration did. The Ventura administration was competent; few dispute that.
Yes, Ventura gave money from a tax surplus back to the taxpayer and a budget crunch later occurred. It might have been better, in hindsight, if a larger “rainy day fund” had been kept. But that’s hindsight. I have no reason to believe, as Davis does, that “the economic downturn was apparent before 9/11.” It was apparent to few, if anyone, at the time.
With respect to Davis’ charge that “the State Investment Board suffered while he was on the Board”, the Governor is one of several state officials on that board. Is there any evidence that Ventura made recommendations resulting in bad investments?
With respect to the allegation that Ventura “drove out of office, Dept. of Employee Relations Commissioner Karen Carpenter and Ethics Office Sandra Hyllengren for pointing out that he was a state "employee" and certain outside activities would be illegal.” Don’t most governors or presidents fire people in their administrations who make public statements undercutting the boss? I wish Ventura had been more big-hearted in this case but many people in state government basically serve at the pleasure of the governor.
In regard to the allegation that Ventura’s chief of staff, Steven Bosacker, was a “sexual predator”, I do recall that Bosacker was arrested for lewd conduct in a bathhouse. I assume that he might have been trying to pick up other gay men for sex. But the term, “sexual predator”? Isn’t that term usually reserved for rapists and those who seek sex with underage boys or girls? To the best of my understanding, Bosacker was, at most, making overtures to consenting adults.
With respect to the allegation that “potheads” - people who use marijuana - put Ventura in office, so what? That’s their decision, not Ventura’s.
Let me bring up another point which Davis did not make but which is often used to criticize the former Governor. Jesse Ventura has a keen interest in what is contemptuously known as “conspiracy theories” regarding the Kennedy assassination and events on 9/11. This type of interest always gets a person in trouble with the media and other respectable types. But Ventura is willing to stick his neck out in this matter; and I applaud him for that.
There’s enough evidence gathered from a variety of sources over the years to suggest that the Warren Commission Report was a white wash, and Oswald did not kill Kennedy alone. If that’s the case, then a ring of highly dangerous individuals operates within a circle of protection from the nation’s intelligence agencies. That is a throughly frightening situation, especially if it continues to exist today. And why the media refuses to get into this subject is another frightening matter.
In his latest book, Ventura reveals that a CIA agent, known only to the Governor and the Governor’s chief of staff, is planted in Minnesota state government. The CIA is not authorized to do domestic spying. Only Ventura would have the guts to tell the public about this. It’s another reason why I admire Jesse Ventura.
The U.S. Senate would be a good place for Ventura at this time. He would offer a fresh perspective. He would shake things up; and the federal government needs to be shaken up. We do not know at this point whether Ventura will run. There’s maybe a 50-50 chance of it. We’ll know in three weeks.
If Ventura does become a candidate and especially if he wins the election, then Davis’ criticisms of him will again become relevant to the political discussion. But I think we need discussion on both sides."
"Just one quick comment.
Anyone who watched Ventura when he was on TV as a wrestling personality knows that "Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat." was a catch-phrase of his. Kind of like "I ain't got no time to bleed." was one of his lines from his role in the movie Predator that became a popular catch-phrase.
I'm willing to bet that when Ventura used that phrase, most of the University students who watched wrestling as kids either recognized it or at least saw it for what it was. Trying to use something like this as a way to smear him says a lot more about Leslie Davis than it does about Jesse Ventura."
Mark Snyder June 26, 2008 1:42 p.m.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Thistlerose Publications - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http:/newindependenceparty.org/hecklers.html
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The EPA and Corps of Engineers Propose an Expansive Definition of “Waters of the US”-Wha
Farm with houses and silos (Photo by Edwin Remsberg).
On April 21, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) proposed a rule to define the term “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act. In short, the proposed definition would broaden the current jurisdictional scope of “waters of the United States.” If the proposed rule becomes law, it has the potential to regulate even more agriculture operations. The comment period is currently open and it is vital that the agriculture industry voice its opinion of the proposed rule.
In order to clean up our waterways and prevent pollution going forward, the EPA created what we now know as the Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1972. Up until 1976, agriculture operations were not held liable under the standards created by the EPA. Since including specific agriculture entities, such as animal feeding operations, EPA, or individual states that have been granted the power, has carried out industry standards set under the CWA by distributing and regulating permits. These permits and regulations target those entities whose activities have, or may have, an impact on the “waters of the United States.”
Baby birds on the ground (Photo by Edwin Remsberg).
Presently, the scope of the term “waters of the United States” is limited under the CWA to “navigable waters” which are defined as “waters of the United States, including the territorial seas.” Both the history of the CWA regulation and lawsuits involving the CWA have shown that the term “waters of the United States” has not been narrowly confined to the traditional definition of navigable waters. It is for this reason that the EPA and the Corps have proposed to define “waters of the United States.” Historically, much of the jurisdictional controversy has grown out of what constitutes “other waters.” The term “other waters” pertains to wetlands and non-wetland waters that do not fall within the category of waters subject to interstate commerce (traditional navigable waters), interstate waters, territorial seas, tributaries, or waters adjacent to waters in one of those four categories. The current definition of “other waters” consists of a non-exclusive list of examples such as intrastate lakes, rivers, streams, mudflats, prairie potholes, wet meadows and natural ponds. As you can see, these definitions and terms are not clear-cut.
Grapes hanging off vines (Photo by Edwin Remsberg).
In an Economic Analysis document supplementing the proposed rule, EPA and the Corps estimate that an additional 3% of all U.S. waters will be subject to CWA jurisdiction and subject to regulation. However, even though 3% may not sounds like a significant increase, it is the 17% increase in “other waters” that may be the most concerning. Arguably, the most substantial change proposed is the definition of “other waters” that would make many bodies of water per se jurisdictional, or by rule, regulated.
EPA and the Corps are now proposing that “other waters” adjacent, or neighboring, to a regulated waterbody under the CWA be categorically jurisdictional. With this proposed definition, the agencies believe they are clarifying existing case law in light of Supreme Court decisions. Also, the rule proposes that non-adjacent “other waters” will continue to require a case-by-case determination of significant nexus. What is a “significant nexus”? The EPA and the Corps have declined to define what a “significant nexus” to jurisdictional waters would be, but are requesting comment on approaches to help with defining the “significant nexus” analysis.
Cow peering into camera (Photo by Edwin Remsberg).
Another important aspect of the proposed rule for agriculture is whether any of the agriculture exclusions or exemptions have changed? Fortunately, EPA and the Corps have not proposed to change any existing statutory or regulatory exclusions, such as exemptions for normal farming and ranching, or exemptions for permitting of agricultural stormwater discharges and return flows from irrigated agriculture, or exemptions for water transfers that do not introduce pollutants into a waterbody. It is also critical to note that the agencies are not proposing to change any of the permitting processes.
This proposed rule could potentially impact more agriculture producers since the proposed rule appear to increase jurisdiction of waterways under the CWA by creating a more expansive definition of “waters of the United States.” Please take a moment and consider whether this proposed rule could affect your operation. It is essential to be aware of how this could affect the agriculture industry no matter what region of the United States it you may be located. EPA and the Corps have extended the comment period from July 21, 2014 to October 20, 2014. You can find directions for commenting and the entire proposed rule at:
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/04/21/2014-07142/definition-of-waters-of-the-united-states-under-the-clean-water-act
The link to the Economic Analysis that accompanied the proposed rule:
http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/201403/documents/wus_proposed_rule_economic_analysis.pdf
#cleanwateract #corpsofengineers #EPA #watersoftheUnitedStates
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Browsing Tag: Boeing 777-200
UPDATED: Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Has Likely Crashed But Where?
By AirlineReporter Staff
This Boeing 777-200ER (reg number: (9M-MRO) is suspected to be the one flown on Malaysia Airlines’ flight MH370 | Photo: Thomas Becker
Originally posted March 7, 2014 4:40pm PST. Last updated March 8 3:00pm PST.
Malaysia Airlines flight 370, a Boeing 777-200ER (airplane reg: 9M-MRO) has most likely crashed 153 miles off of Vietnam’s Tho Chu island. The flight was carrying a total number of 239 passengers and crew – comprising 227 passengers (including 2 infants) and 12 crew members. The passengers were of 13 different nationalities.
The location information comes from the Vietnamese Navy, using radar telemetry that is most likely accurate. Also, a 12-mile oil slick discovered in the area also points to the idea that the Boeing 777-200ER was lost here.
“An AN26 aircraft of the Vietnam Navy has discovered an oil slick about 20 kilometers in the search area, which is suspected of being a crashed Boeing aircraft,” Lai Xuan Thanh, the director of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam said. “We have announced that information to Singapore and Malaysia and we continue the search.”
Flight path of flight 370. Image: FlightRadar24.com
The flight, operating Kuala Lumpur (airport code: KUL) to Beijing (airport code: PEK), disappeared and “lost contact” with the airline. The plane lost contact approximately forty minutes in to the usually six-hour flight. Originally reports stated that the aircraft went missing two hours after departure, but the Malaysian defense ministry confirms this not to be true.
Malaysa Airlines has confirmed that the captain of flight 370 started with the airline in 1981 and has logged 18,365 flying hours, while the first officer joined in 2007 and has 2,763 hours logged.
At this point, it will likely be a while until there is official confirmation that the aircraft did crash into the water, and much longer after to determine what exactly happened.
The United States Navy has also joined the search, sending the USS Pickney (a destroyer) and a P-3C Orion in to the area to assist.
The airline has requested that people around the world pray for the passengers of MH370. “Malaysia Airlines humbly asks all Malaysians and people around the world to pray for flight MH370,” they stated in a press release.
This story will be updated…
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Outgoing Legislative Council sets COVID-19 policies for next session
James Brooks
Anchorage Daily News
The 14-member bicameral Legislative Council voted on COVID-19 protocols on Dec. 28 with restrictions on members, the public and news media. (Photo/James Brooks/Anchorage Daily News)
The public will be barred from the Alaska State Capitol, members of the news media will be prohibited from entering the House and Senate chambers, and lawmakers must wear masks under a set of new anti-COVID-19 rules approved Dec. 28 by a committee of the Alaska Legislature.
Any legislator that refuses to submit to a health screening at the Capitol’s entrance “will be denied entrance to the Capitol.” Any lawmaker who refuses to wear a face covering on the floor of the House or Senate “will be escorted … to their individual office where they shall remain,” according to the new enforcement guidelines.
The rules will be in effect only until the House and Senate elect new leaders for the upcoming legislative session, but both halves of the Legislature are deadlocked, and it isn’t certain when either the House or Senate will resolve the leadership question.
That uncertainty has left the joint House-Senate Legislative Council in charge, and it voted 11-1 to approve the rules.
“These rules only apply until we have a new president and speaker. It is pretty extraordinary, but we know the fears that many of our employees have,” said Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak and the council’s chairman.
The lone “no” vote was from Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer.
Johnson said she believes the council’s recommendations could result in the disenfranchisement of Alaskans if their legislator refuses to follow the rules and is denied the ability to vote. With the House and Senate closely divided, the absence of even one legislator could decide key votes.
“I personally don’t think Lora Reinbold should be disenfranchised from voting on a new Senate President,” she said, referring hypothetically to the Eagle River senator who declined to wear a mask in the Capitol earlier this year and castigated Alaska Airlines for its masking policy. (Reinbold has not yet spoken about the new rules or her intentions for the upcoming session.)
“Maybe when you’re in a deadlock tie, keeping somebody off the floor might mean something,” she said.
Four of the “yes” votes came from lawmakers who lost their reelection campaigns this fall. One of them, Senate President Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, compared the mask mandate to the Legislature’s “decorum” rules, which require legislators to abide by a dress code.
“In this scenario that we’re living in right now, a mask is part of floor decorum,” she said.
Legislators are also being asked to quarantine after traveling to or from Juneau and are being discouraged from making their usual return-to-district trips during the session. This year, legislators can arrive in Juneau up to 15 days before session and receive regular per diem expense payments for each day before the session begins.
Johnson and other lawmakers question whether the Legislative Council’s vote has power past Jan. 19, when the next legislative session begins. The Alaska Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that one Legislature cannot bind another, except through a constitutional amendment. The Dec. 28 vote took place during the 31st Legislature. When the 32nd Legislature begins, that action loses power, they say.
“Clearly the work that we’re doing today becomes advisory in nature until some other mechanism is adopted,” said Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham.
Stevens disagreed, saying the Dec. 28 vote is binding.
“It’s a decision by Legislative Council that is in effect now, and it will be until the House and Senate decides who their presiding officers are going to be,” he said.
“When these policies need to begin being enforced, we will still be within the 31st Alaska state Legislature, so in my opinion, it is appropriate that this group and the current presiding officers make policy decisions,” Megan Wallace, the Legislature’s legal services director, advised the Legislative Council.
Jessica Geary is executive director of the Legislative Affairs Agency, the Legislature’s nonpartisan administrative wing. She said by text message that she considers the vote “binding (Legislative Council) policy until amended or rescinded by the next (Legislative Council).”
Earlier this year, similar restrictions in Oregon’s state Capitol were met with violent opposition as rioters smashed buildings, sprayed bear mace and invaded the building. Stevens, who grew up in Oregon, said he doesn’t think that will happen in Alaska.
Asked why, he said, “I’m not sure. We have some extremists, but we also have a lot of people who believe in the middle way and compromise and getting things done. I hope, I think, they have a stronger voice.”
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1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2008
Expanded contents
In history's page, let every stage Advance Australia Fair
Scouting – developing leaders of tomorrow (Feature Article)
Geohazards and their impact (Feature Article)
Understanding natural hazard impacts on Australia (Feature Article)
Natural disasters in Australia (Feature Article)
How do we know about climate in the period before instruments? (Feature Article)
Tsunami risk to Australia (Feature Article)
Australian federal system (Feature Article)
APEC and climate change (Feature Article)
Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage (Feature Article)
Physical violence (Feature Article)
Irrigation on Australian farms (Feature Article)
Sustainable forest management – an update (Feature Article)
Sustaining the mineral resources industry – overcoming the tyranny of depth (Feature Article)
ABS sums up the nation - more kids, bigger houses, but greener (Media Release)
Year Book Australia 2008: Media story leads (Media Release)
Contents >> Geography >> Geography of Australia
GEOGRAPHY OF AUSTRALIA
Position and area
Australia comprises a land area of almost 7.7 million square kilometres (sq km) (table 1.1). The bulk of the Australian land mass lies between latitudes 10 degrees 41 minutes (10°41´) south (Cape York, Queensland) and 43°38´ south (South East Cape, Tasmania), and between longitudes 113°09´ east (Steep Point, Western Australia) and 153°38´ east (Cape Byron, New South Wales). The most southerly point on the mainland is South Point (Wilsons Promontory, Victoria) at 39°08´ south. The latitudinal distance from Cape York to South Point is about 3,180 kilometres (km), and to South East Cape 3,680 km, while the longitudinal distance between Steep Point and Cape Byron is about 4,000 km.
1.1 AREA, COASTLINE, TROPICAL AND TEMPERATE ZONES
Proportion of total area
Length of coastline(a)
Temperate zone
sq km
(b) -
Jervis Bay Territory
. . not applicable
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Includes islands.
(b) Less than 0.1%.
Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Geoscience Australia.
In a jurisdictional and economic sense, Australia extends well beyond the mainland continent and Tasmania, including about 12,000 islands. There are many near-coastal islands which are parts of states or the Northern Territory, the largest being Melville Island (Northern Territory) at 5,786 sq km. Other major near-coastal islands include Kangaroo Island (South Australia), King and Flinders Islands (Tasmania), Bathurst Island and Groote Eylandt (Northern Territory) and the Torres Strait Islands (Queensland).
Australia also has jurisdiction over a large number of islands remote from the coast. Some of these, such as Macquarie Island (Tasmania) and Lord Howe Island (New South Wales) are legally parts of states, but many are included in separate territories such as the Cocos Islands, Heard and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, the Coral Sea Islands and Ashmore and Cartier Islands. Australia also administers a portion of Antarctica, the Australian Antarctic Territory. While most of these islands are small, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea allows Australia jurisdiction over large tracts of the ocean and seafloor that surround them (see the Forestry and fishing chapter).
Australia has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that is 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) wide, and also incorporates areas of the continental shelf outside the 200-mile boundary. This is measured from the lowest astronomical tide, defined as the lowest level that sea level can be predicted to fall to under normal meteorological conditions. Where the boundary overlaps with potential boundaries of other countries (such as Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, East Timor and some French island territories), a boundary has to be negotiated. The EEZ gives Australia jurisdiction over a marine area of some ten million sq km.
The land area of Australia is almost as great as that of the continental United States of America (excluding Alaska and Hawaii), about twice the size of the European Union, and 32 times greater than that of the United Kingdom. Tables 1.2 and 1.3 show the area of Australia relative to that of other continents and selected countries.
1.2 AREA OF CONTINENTS
'000 sq km
Total landmass
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
1.3 AREA OF SELECTED COUNTRIES
COUNTRIES (SEVEN LARGEST)
SELECTED OTHER COUNTRIES
Australia's topography
Australia is the lowest, flattest and, apart from Antarctica, the driest of the continents. Unlike Europe and North America, where some landscapes date back to only around 10-20,000 years ago, when great ice sheets retreated, the age of landforms in Australia is generally measured in many millions of years. This gives Australia a very distinctive physical geography.
Map 1.4 shows the elevation of the Australian continent. Most of the continent is at a relatively low elevation, with less than 1% of the country above 1,000 metres elevation. Elevations exceeding 2,000 metres are found only in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, with the highest peak being Mt. Kosciuszko (2,228 metres). Higher peaks are found in some external territories, with Mawson Peak on Heard Island reaching 2,745 metres, and much of the Antarctic plateau is above 3,000 metres.
1.4 Elevation
The mainland continent can be divided into three large areas:
the Western Plateau
the Central Lowlands
the Eastern Highlands.
The areas have no defined boundaries, however, an indication of the location and size of each of the regions can be obtained from the following description of each of the areas with reference to map 1.4.
Much of the Western Plateau is relatively flat. There are, however, numerous more rugged areas near the coastal boundaries of the Plateau, including the Kimberley region and Hamersley Ranges in Western Australia, as well a number of relatively isolated ranges in central Australia (such as the Macdonnell and Musgrave Ranges) and individual mountains, of which Uluru (Ayers Rock) is probably the best known.
The Central Lowlands stretch from the Gulf of Carpentaria through the Great Artesian Basin to the Murray-Darling Plains. Most of this area is flat and low-lying. The main exception occurs in South Australia, where relatively recent faulting has occurred, and the area takes the form of a number of blocks which have been moved up to form a series of ranges (e.g. the Flinders Ranges and Adelaide Hills), with the down-faulted blocks in between forming plains, some of them submerged (e.g. Spencer Gulf). Much of the Central Lowlands is occupied by the Great Artesian Basin, which consists of sedimentary rocks which hold water that enters in the wetter Eastern Highlands.
The Eastern Highlands, stretching along most of the length of the east coast, are characterised over much of their length by a steep escarpment on the coastal side, a series of high plateaus, and then more gentle sloping towards the inland. While the highest elevations (over 1,800 metres) are found in the Snowy Mountains and Victorian Alps, many of the plateaus further north in New South Wales exceed 1,000 metres elevation. In Queensland, however, 1,000 metres is only reached in a few locations and the highlands are generally less pronounced.
The coastal escarpment is particularly marked along much of the New South Wales and southern Queensland coast, as well as more isolated ranges further north, such as those around Cairns. Australia's highest waterfalls (Wollombi on the Macleay, Wallaman Falls on a tributary of the Herbert, Barron Falls near Cairns, and Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains) occur where rivers flow over this escarpment. In the Victorian part of the highlands, the old plateau has been eroded into separate ranges and high plains, and is relatively steep on both the coastal and inland sides. Between the escarpment and the coast lies a coastal strip, sometimes flat but quite hilly in many places, and rarely more than 100 km wide.
As a result of the plateau-like nature of much of the Eastern Highlands, the Great Dividing Range, which separates rivers flowing to central Australia or the Murray-Darling Basin from those flowing to the Pacific Ocean or Bass Strait, is not very pronounced in most locations. In some places, such as the northern Snowy Mountains and Brindabella Ranges, the highest ranges do not coincide with the Great Dividing Range (which in that area is east of Canberra).
The article Landforms and their history in Year Book Australia 1988 provides a more detailed description of Australia's landforms.
History of Australia's landforms
As noted earlier, much of the Australian landscape is many millions of years old. The Western Plateau is especially old, and includes some of the oldest rocks on earth, more than 3,500 million years old. Most of this region has existed as a landmass for over 500 million years.
The present topography results from a long landscape history which can be considered as starting about 290 million years ago, the last time Australia was subjected to large-scale glaciation. Once the ice melted, parts of the continent subsided and were covered with sediment to form sedimentary basins such as the Great Artesian Basin. By early-Cretaceous times, about 140 million years ago, Australia was already so flat and low that a major rise in sea level divided it into three landmasses as the shallow Cretaceous sea spread over the land. The main separation of Australia from Antarctica took place between 100 and 80 million years ago.
In the following Tertiary times, Australia can be regarded as a landscape of broad swells varied by a number of sedimentary basins (Murray, Gippsland, Eucla, Carpentaria, Lake Eyre and others). These slowly filled up and some are now sources of coal or oil. Most of the Eastern Highlands were uplifted at about this time, although a few parts were still experiencing uplift as recently as one million years ago. The central Australian region was also uplifted, and then eroded, leaving remnant mountains and individual peaks such as Uluru (Ayers Rock), which was exposed about 65 million years ago. Another feature of this era is the Nullarbor Plain, an uplifted limestone sea floor dating to about 25 million years ago.
Throughout the Tertiary, volcanoes erupted in eastern Australia. Some individual volcanoes were the size of modern Vesuvius, and huge lava plains covered large areas. Volcanic activity continued up until a few thousand years ago in Victoria, south-east South Australia and Queensland, and a resumption at some time in the next few thousand years cannot be ruled out. Australia's youngest volcano is Mt. Gambier in South Australia, about 4,600 years old.
Between 55 and 10 million years ago, Australia drifted across the surface of the Earth as a plate, moving north from a position once adjacent to Antarctica. During much of this period the Earth was much warmer and wetter than it is today, with little or no ice cover even at the poles, and hence Australia retained a warm, relatively moist climate through most of this period despite its latitudinal shift. It was probably under this climate that the deep weathered, iron-rich soil profiles that characterise much of Australia were formed. Aridity only seems to have set in after Australia reached near its present latitude range about five million years ago, with no known landforms (such as dunes or salt lakes) associated with aridity that are more than one million years old, and the northern part was probably never arid.
Today a large part of Australia is arid or semi-arid (see the article Australia's deserts in Year Book Australia 2006). Large parts of the arid zone are covered with sand dunes, which are typically aligned longitudinally according to prevailing wind directions (south-east to east in the north, north-west to west in the south). These dunes were formerly mobile but are now mostly fixed. Plains covered with small stones (stony deserts or gibber plains) are found in areas without a sand cover. Salt lakes are found in many low positions, in places following lines of ancient drainage. They are often associated with lunettes (dunes formed on the downwind side of lakes), which have been the location of many important finds of Aboriginal prehistory. In addition to the present arid zone, some of these landforms are found in areas which were formerly arid but have become wetter, such as parts of western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia.
On a global scale, the last few million years were notable for the Quaternary ice age. There were many glacial and interglacial periods (over 20) during this time, with the last ending about 12,000 years ago (see the article How do we know about climate in the period before instruments?). As in the rest of the world, Australia's climate during this time was much cooler (and probably generally drier) than it is today, but only small parts of the continent were glaciated - the Central Plateau of Tasmania and an area of about 25 sq km around the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, above 1,800 metres elevation. These ice sheets disappeared about 20,000 years ago. A more significant impact of glacial periods on Australian landforms was through its impact on sea level; during peak glacial periods the sea level was more than 100 metres lower than it is now, Tasmania and New Guinea were joined to the Australian continent, and in some areas, such as the east coast of Queensland, the coastline was several hundred kilometres away from its present location.
River erosion has been important in carving the detail of much of the Australian landscape. Those rivers which flow directly to the sea have dissected a broad near-coast region into plateaus, hills and valleys. Other rivers drain inland, and while they may be eroding the valleys near their highland sources, their lower courses are filling up with alluvium. Most rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin reach the sea, but many elsewhere either end in salt lakes which are dry for most of the time (such as Lake Eyre), or terminate on the plains of the Central Lowlands (such as the Paroo). Many of the features of the drainage patterns of Australia have a very long history, and some individual valleys have maintained their position for hundreds of millions of years. The salt lakes of the Yilgarn Plateau in Western Australia are the remnants of a drainage pattern that was active before continental drift separated Australia from Antarctica.
During glacial periods of low sea level, coastal rivers tended to cut down to that level, especially towards the sea. When sea levels rose again, some of these valleys were drowned (such as Sydney Harbour), while others filled with alluvium as the sea rose, creating flat lowland valleys.
Coastal geomorphology is also largely the result of the accumulation of sediment on drowned coasts. In some areas, such as Ninety Mile Beach (Victoria) or the Coorong (South Australia), there are long beaches made simply from this accumulation. Further north along the east coast, many parts of the coastline consist of alternating long beaches and rocky headlands, with the beaches backed by plains filled with river and marine sediments.
The offshore shape of Australia, revealed in isobath contours, results mainly from the pattern of break-up of the super-continent of which Australia was once a part. The continental shelf around Australia varies greatly in width; in some areas it is several hundred kilometres wide, while in other areas, such as off far south-eastern New South Wales and much of Tasmania, it is less than 40 km in width. In South Australia, the continental shelf is cut by submarine canyons up to 4,600 metres deep offshore from the mouth of the Murray River. The Queensland coast is bounded by a broad plateau which has been exposed during the various glacial periods. Coral reefs have grown on this plateau at various times during the last 700,000 years when it has been submerged, although the present Great Barrier Reef, which did not start to form until after the last glaciation, is only a few thousand years old.
The Australian landforms of today are thus seen to result from long continued processes in a unique setting, giving rise to typical Australian landscapes, which in turn provide the physical basis for the distribution and nature of biological and human activity in Australia.
As described earlier, the rivers of Australia may be divided into two major classes; those of the coastal margins with moderate rates of fall, and those of the central plains with very slight fall. Australia's longest river system, the Murray-Darling, drains part of Queensland, most of New South Wales and northern Victoria, and a section of South Australia, finally flowing into the arm of the sea known as Lake Alexandrina, on the South Australian coast. The length of the Murray is about 2,520 km, while the longest branch of the combined Murray-Darling system, with its headwaters in the Culgoa catchment, is about 3,370 km long.
Most of the east coastal rivers are short, the exceptions being those rivers which penetrate the coastal escarpment, such as the Burdekin and Fitzroy in Queensland, and the Hunter in New South Wales. The south-west of Western Australia also has a number of short coastal rivers
In addition to those rivers which form part of the Murray-Darling Basin, western Queensland has a number of inland-flowing rivers, such as the Paroo, Bulloo, Diamantina and Cooper Creek. These rivers do not reach the sea, but drain into Lake Eyre or dissipate without reaching any other river system.
A number of river systems reach the tropical or sub-tropical coast. Many of these are of considerable length, such as the Mitchell, Gregory and Leichhardt in northern Queensland, the Daly and Victoria in the Northern Territory, and the Ord, Fitzroy, Ashburton, Fortescue and Gascoyne in Western Australia. All of these rivers have extremely large variations in flow between wet and dry seasons, arising from the great seasonal rainfall variations typical of this region, and some only flow intermittently. The Mitchell, whose annual discharge of about 12 cubic kilometres rivals the Murray-Darling as Australia's largest river system in terms of volume, has discharges in February and March about 100 times those of July.
Australian river discharges are very small compared with those of many rivers elsewhere, reflecting the very low runoff from the Australian continent. By way of comparison, the annual discharge from the Amazon basin in South America is approximately 7,000 cubic kilometres.
There are many lake types in Australia. The largest are salt lakes which are, or were, drainage sumps from internal rivers. For most of the time these lakes are beds of salt and dry mud. Lake Eyre, which has only filled three times in the last century, is the largest of these (9,500 sq km), while other large salt lakes include Lake Torrens (5,745 sq km) and Lake Gairdner (4,351 sq km).
Other natural lake types include coastal lakes formed by damming of valleys by marine sediments, fault angle lakes (such as Lake George near Canberra), volcanic lakes (mostly in Victoria, south-eastern South Australia and Queensland), and glacial lakes (most common in Tasmania, but also found in the Snowy Mountains). Many of these lakes are permanent, but some, such as Lake George, dry out during drought periods, and all are small compared with the inland salt lakes - Australia has no natural, unmodified, permanent freshwater lake larger than 100 sq km. Many artificial lakes, or lakes expanded by artificial means, also exist in all states and territories. The combined Lakes Gordon and Pedder in south-western Tasmania are the largest of these, both in surface area (513 sq km) and volume (11,320 megalitres (ML)), while other very large artificial lakes include Lake Argyle on the Ord in northern Western Australia (5,720 ML) and Lake Eucumbene in the Snowy Mountains Scheme (4,870 ML).
This page last updated 3 June 2010
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Wade Luquet
Wade is Associate Professor of Human Services and director of the Institute for New Orleans History and Culture at Gwynedd Mercy University.
I was born in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. While I am not a musician, just growing up in New Orleans leaves a permanent jazz soundtrack in your head. My kids swear that when I walk down the street, Louis is playing in my mind. I feel most alive sitting in Fritzel's, Donna's, Preservation Hall, or the Palm Court Jazz Club in New Orleans. I married a Pennsylvania girl 25 years ago and left New Orleans. But New Orleans never left me. It can't--it's embedded in my cells. Shortly after Katrina, I started the Institute for New Orleans History and Culture at the small college I teach at outside of Philadelphia, Gwynedd-Mercy College. We have a collection of over 200 items from New Orleans and each year I take a group of students to New Orleans for a class called The History and Culture of New Orleans. I hope the city, its food, music, people and architecture can positively affect others as it has me. I am happy to be a part of bringing the sounds of New Orleans to the readers of All About Jazz.
Position: Album Reviewer
Contact Wade
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News2017MarchCoaches, players set for arena stage
Coaches, players set for arena stage
REPOSTED from The Times Tribune BY MATT BUFANO
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — High school players, coaches and administrators filed into a news conference Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena, which, come Thursday, will be the epicenter of local basketball.
“If you’re a basketball fan, if you’re a basketball junkie, you need to be at the arena this weekend,” said Hazleton Area girls coach Joe Gavio. “Thursday, Friday, Saturday, you’ll see what you read about: the best teams in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton area.”
Mohegan Sun Arena hosting PIAA D-II basketball games Thursday through Saturday. cv01arena Warren Ruda / The Citizens’ Voice
The home of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will host 12 District 2 championship games Thursday through Saturday.
“It’s going to be everything,” said GAR senior Keyshawn Palmer, whose third-seeded Grenadiers will play top-seeded Scranton Prep on Saturday at 4 p.m. for the Class 4A boys title. “This is what we dreamed of since we were in seventh grade, first playing basketball. It’s going to be a bigger court, bigger experience, bigger crowd.”
Given the PIAA’s recent expansion from four to six classifications in basketball, last season’s championship weekend lasted only Friday and Saturday with four fewer games.
Nonetheless, it was a universal success, bringing in 10,167 fans.
“This will truly be a rewarding experience for our member schools, the student-athletes, their families and friends, as they participate in this first-class event here at the Mohegan Sun Arena,” District 2 athletic committee chairman Frank Majikes said.
Commemorative 48-page programs — featuring photos, rosters and descriptions of all 24 teams involved — will be sold during the games.
Partial proceeds from ad sales will benefit the rehabilitation of pediatric patients at Allied Services, as well as the $1,000 “Miracle Shot” one fan will take during halftime of each game.
“I can’t imagine young people coming into this arena and walking down onto this court and feeling the energy in this arena,” said Allied Services president and CEO Bill Conaboy, whose company employs coaches, referees and parents that will be involved this weekend.
As Mohegan Sun Arena staff assembled the court Tuesday, Nanticoke Area girls basketball coach Alan Yendrziewski reflected on one of the most recent times he’d seen hardwood — rather than ice — at the arena.
“The WNBA was here … it was Connecticut and San Antonio,” he said. “I don’t remember how many years ago it was, but it was a preseason game and I sat maybe four or five rows off the court. It was pretty neat. Just to get close up to the action is neat.
“Now, we’re going to be real close to the action.”
In all, 14 participants are representing the Lackawanna League and nine from the Wyoming Valley Conference. District 4’s Williamsport rounds out the field in Class 6A boys.
There are four schools with both boys and girls teams playing for a championship: Abington Heights, Hazleton Area, Holy Redeemer and Susquehanna.
The first district championship last year at the arena featured Holy Redeemer beating Holy Cross, 52-47, for the Class 2A girls title.
Redeemer boys head coach Paul Guido attended as a fan, while this year he’ll be coaching the Royals 8 p.m. Thursday against Mid Valley in Class 3A.
“My guys are thrilled, man, they’re pumped,” Guido said. “I just feel great for them because this is something they said they wanted to do from the beginning of the year.”
One of the teams playing in a district final for a second straight year is Gavio’s Hazleton Area team, which shot the lights out in a 70-32 defeat of Pittston Area for the 2016 Class 4A championship.
Likening Mohegan Sun Arena to Hershey’s Giant Center, Gavio called the local arena as good a venue as there is in the state.
“Even though we’ve been there,” he said, “our team is very, very excited.”
Tickets for the finals will be $7 for adults and $4 for students. While one ticket is good for as many games that are played on a certain day, there is no free re-entry.
mbufano@citizensvoice.com
570-821-2060, @CVBufano
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photo credit: Jones/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Cecil Antonio Richardson
Psychological Drama Romantic Drama Urban Drama Sports Drama Coming-of-Age Family Drama
Active - 1955 - 2006 | Born - Jun 5, 1928 in Shipley, Yorkshire, England | Died - Nov 14, 1991 | Genres - Drama
Biography by Bruce Eder
A graduate of Oxford, Tony Richardson rose from head of the university's dramatic society to the pinnacle of the British film industry during the early 1960s, scoring several theatrical successes as a director along the way, most notably Look Back In Anger, by John Osborne, with whom Richardson would enjoy a long professional relationship. The play became Richardson's feature-film debut, and established him as the first of a new wave of directors who would take over British cinema during the early and mid 1960s -- his subsequent movies, including The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) and, more notably, Tom Jones (1963), established him as that rarity among British filmmakers up to that time. He was considered a successful iconoclast, challenging his audience and dazzling them as well with his creative camera work and inventiveness. Unfortunately, Richardson's 1968 reworking of The Charge of the Light Brigade fell flat at the box office, and the commercial/artistic spell was broken. He made several more films, including Ned Kelly (1969), Joseph Andrews (1977), The Border (1982), and Hotel New Hampshire (1984) -- the latter a major disaster for everyone involved -- but none of them caught the public's taste and all seemed to echo finer films from the early 1960s. His daughter Natasha Richardson, ironically enough, achieved stardom on her own during Richardson's final years, when his career -- apart from a recut reissue of Tom Jones -- was in near complete eclipse.
Was president of the Oxford Drama Society.
Joined the BBC as a director in 1953.
Co-directed the short documentary Momma Don't Allow in 1955; it was shown at the first Free Cinema program in 1956.
Co-founded the English Stage Company in 1955; first play he directed there was Look Back in Anger.
Formed Woodfall Film Productions with playwright John Osborne and 1959's Look Back in Anger was the first feature he directed.
Became a leader of the British New Wave movement with A Taste of Honey in 1961 and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner in 1962.
Mainstream success and an Oscar came with his adaptation of Tom Jones in 1963.
Turned to U.S. TV productions later in his career with A Death in Canaan in 1978 and The Phantom of the Opera in 1990.
Last film directed was Blue Sky, released posthumously in 1994, which won Jessica Lange an Oscar for Best Actress.
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Purpose goes public
Home / Blog / Purpose goes public
Amalgamated Bank history banking industry Amalgamated clients
Last Friday, Amalgamated Bank enjoyed a banner day. Our brand was prominently displayed in the heart of Times Square, employees pointed out colleagues who appeared live on Bloomberg and CNBC and the NASDAQ floor was bustling with Amalgamated Bank veterans, board members and countless others who were in attendance to witness history as the bank went public. Needless to say, it was a proud week for the bank and, while celebrations are certainly in order, I think it’s important to take stock of how far we’ve come as a company in a very short time.
Keith Mestrich
It wasn’t long ago that the bank found itself in grave financial standing. As was the case with many other financial institutions, the 2008 collapse presented a challenging financial condition for the bank. By 2011, regulators stepped in and put considerable constraints on the bank and mandated reforms. The consent decree imposed on the bank presented two options: either clean up our balance sheet or suffer the same fate that befell so many other banks during that time. Desperately in the need of capital, the bank turned to private investment for an influx of cash and a new “lease on life.” Over the course of the next couple years, we renewed our focus on selling off bad loans, renovating risk systems and boosting capital, and the FDIC lifted the consent order, ushering in a new era in the bank’s history.
In 2014 we got a fresh start with some new personnel and immediately recognized the vast amount of work that needed to be done to right the ship and make Amalgamated a profitable institution. We completely revamped our management team, grew our customer base, implemented a more disciplined expense culture and placed a focus on improving the quality of both our assets and sources of funding. Soon enough, our efforts proved fruitful. Deposits grew, quality of assets and liabilities improved and we managed to enhance the bank’s efficiency. Looking back, we’ve experienced 13 consecutive quarters of positive pre-tax income—no small feat and one of which I am quite proud.
The success we’ve enjoyed has allowed us to hone in on our target audience and better serve the nonprofits, labor unions, advocacy groups and socially responsible businesses that share our vision for positive change. Through this turnaround, we’ve become known as America’s socially responsible bank, a badge we proudly wear.
Our becoming a public company highlights an exciting trend; the fact that mission-aligned business is finally making its way into the mainstream. There is an ever-growing interest in businesses and organizations that are socially conscious and mission-oriented, and we’ve been at the forefront of shifting the paradigm of what banking can be. In many ways, we’ve been doing that for 95 years.
This new market consensus, paired with our increased access to capital, uniquely positions us to build on the business we’ve been cultivating all these years. That means the opportunity to expand our reach in progressive cities where our values resonate—cities like Chicago, Boston and L.A. We anticipate being able to bring specialized financial services to people and organizations in these cities that have never been given the attention they deserve. We look forward to joining forces with likeminded institutions because together we constitute a formidable force for change. And we will double down on our efforts to build the resources, impact and power to support the companies who are making the world a better place to live.
The confetti has been cleared from the NASDAQ floor, the last glass of champagne has been poured and another aspirant company has left a new set of fingerprints on the opening bell, but the feeling of accomplishment we experienced during that momentous week and the hope we have for what’s ahead will last long past the closing bell.
This communication may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements about the Amalgamated’s expectations, beliefs, plans, predictions, forecasts, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “can,” “could,” “may,” “predicts,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “estimate,” “plans,” “projects,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expects,” “intends” and similar words or phrases. Accordingly, these statements are only predictions and involve estimates, known and unknown risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in them. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. Any forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed from time-to-time in Amalgamated’s filings with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Amalgamated undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Last week we did something for the first time in our 94 year history; we entered into an agreement to acquire another bank. I am thrilled to soon officially welcome New Resource Bank into the Amalgamated family.
LGBTQ+ justice
Taking pride in our work
Rainbow flags are waving, crosswalks are being painted in rainbow patterns and cities the nation over are holding parades and festivals to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
access to banking
Building America's socially responsible bank
“Corporate social responsibility.” “B Corp certified.” “ESG.” “Carbon neutral.” These are some of the buzzwords that companies use to talk about their impact on society. As America’s socially responsible bank, we use these words to describe our approach to doing business. But what does it really mean to be a socially responsible bank?
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COVID-19, A Stern Warning From Nature
Encroaching on the last tracks of wilderness provides the setting in which pandemics arise
May 8, 2020 | In Chronicles | By Jena Webb
This chronicle follows the causal arc from biodiversity loss through to increasing pandemics, putting at risk the most vulnerable sectors of society, including the very indigenous people who are some of the best custodians of biodiversity. We review evidence of the links between the destruction of the environment and disease emergence and expand the discussion to cover the potential for epidemics to arise in the Amazon.
Forlorn Warning
Researchers looking at the links between the health of ecosystems, animals and humans have foretold of a pandemic for years (Fan et al. 2019). The who, what, where and when of the current, surreal drama in which we have all unwittingly become pivotal characters in central casting were a mystery. But the stage was set on the ‘how’ decades ago.
The alarm raised by scientists mostly fell on deaf ears, until crisis hit.
The story begins with human encroachment into natural landscapes. Across the world, industrial activities such as agriculture, ranching, hydroelectric dam construction, urbanization, logging, oil extraction and mining are replacing earth’s original biomes with ones in which humans dominate. 76% of the earth’s land has already been altered, leaving only 23% to wilderness (Watson et al. 2018). This is the setting…
Palm oil production is fast becoming one of the main drivers of deforestation in parts of the Amazon, causing a myriad of health problems
…now, the scenario. Land degradation provokes biodiversity loss, which in turn facilitates the propagation of diseases. Here is how it plays out. Diverse ecosystems harbor high biodiversity with significant genetic diversity. The genetic diversity of potential victims hampers the spread of disease by consistently posing unique challenges to would-be-killers (van Houte et al., 2016). If the genetic diversity of the potential target animal is high it will be harder to find a foolproof way to circumvent the immune system designed to thwart it and sneak past the cellular wall. On the other hand, if the gene pool is low, as it is when animal biodiversity is lost, pathogens quickly find solutions to dupe hosts’ immune systems and then spread rapidly throughout the relatively uniform population.
Enter HUMANS. Meanwhile, landscapes where humans dominate lead to a greater proportion of species that can tolerate the presence of humans, such as rodents and bats, as the more reclusive types slink deeper and deeper into the remaining wilderness. Exit more BIODIVERSITY. Furthermore, some of the characteristics that make these species adaptable to human environments also make them excellent hosts for infectious diseases: high mobility, longevity, and social living in colonies (Mühldorfer, 2013). As demonstrated by indigenous people across the globe, we do have the capacity to occupy spaces without dominating and degrading them: 80% of the world’s biodiversity resides inside traditional indigenous territories (Sobrevilia, 2008). But when human activities run amok and push really comes to shove, it’s Mother Nature who has the last words: Back off!
This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (round blue objects) emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. SARS-CoV-2, also known as 2019-nCoV, is the virus that causes COVID-19. The virus shown was isolated from a patient in the U.S. Credit: NIAID-RML
‘Whodunit’
Here’s where the plot thickens. As humans inhabit these shifting landscapes containing less and less biodiversity they come into contact with unforeseen pathogen hosts. The most common suspects are either domesticated animals or those sociable, adaptable, human tolerant characters, the rodents and bats. Original hosts develop immunity to pathogens over eons, carrying them unknowingly. Spillover events – when a pathogen adapts to use a new host – sometimes lead to permanent host shifts and are common in evolutionary history (Longdon et al. 2014). This is the making of an epidemic, because the new host has no immunity to the “novel” virus.
Coronaviruses, which are a large class of viruses normally found in rodents, bats and birds, cannot directly affect humans, and must pass through an intermediary host first. In a foreshadowing of what is coming to pass with COVID-19, SARS took center stage in 2002 when this coronavirus moved from bat to civet, a small nocturnal mammal, before becoming virulent for humans. Avian and swine flu often originate in domesticated animals. The H1N1 epidemic of 2009 has been traced to central Mexico and is believed to be the result of long-distance live pig travel allowing several strains of virus to recombine, generating a bug that could inflict harm on humans (Mena et al. 2016).
Smithfield Foods gestation crates, Smithfield Foods/Murphy Brown pig breeding facility, Waverly, Virginia, United States. Photo Courtesy of Humane Society of the United States
The “Spanish” flu of 1918 infected 500 million and killed between 50 and 100 million people (Sutton, 2018). The origins of this H1N1 virus are murky, but there was certainly a crossover from birds to humans, likely involving pigs as intermediary hosts (van Wijhe et al. 2018). Interestingly, it is believed that this virus was able to attain pandemic proportions despite the simplified demographics of the time due to troop movements throughout Europe and back to North America during WWI (van Wijhe et al. 2018). Few places escaped the pandemic, which reached its tendrils into the remotest regions of the world, including the Amazon (Chowell et al. 2011).
Scientists are furiously investigating how the SARS-CoV-2 virus jumped the species barrier to arrive in humans causing COVID-19. Inquiries have revealed that the original host is most certainly a bat. Molecular studies are pointing to the intermediary host being either pangolin – an endangered mammal traded illegally in wet markets of Asia – snakes or turtles, which are both legally sold at market (Liu, et al. 2020). This fact points to the primacy of clamping down on the illegal trade of wildlife and tightening up laws where they are lax, especially with respect to the sale of live animals at ‘wet’ markets.
Albeit on a lesser scale than in Asia, wet markets abound in urban centers around the Amazon (pictured above, the Belén market in the city of Iquitos, Peruvian Amazon). There, you can purchase a vast array of bush meat and exotic animals for pets. Live markets are ideal venues for humans to come into contact with potential pathogen hosts
“Who” Bird->(swine?)->human Bat->civit->human pig->human Bat->camel->human Bat->?->human
What Swine flu Coronavirus Swine flu Coronavirus Coronavirus
Where Europe->US (?) China Mexico Middle east China
When 1918 2002-3 2009 2012 2019
It would be all too easy to point the finger at the bat or the ‘Chinese’ in this modern-day mystery, but the real culprit is human greed and its accomplice, rampant resource extraction. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, news outlets have published countless articles describing the settings in which pandemics arise and the UN’s environment chief, Inger Andersen has emphasized that “our long-term response must tackle habitat and biodiversity loss”. Hopefully, central protagonists, such as researchers and health care professionals, can control the narrative keeping the focus on the underlying causes of the COVID-19 crisis, not easy ‘scapebats.’
Fires and deforestation on the Amazon frontier, Rondonia, Brazil. Aerial view on August 12 2007 as captured by NASA Earth Observatory
Burning the Amazon: Igniting a future pandemic?
The 2019 dry season in the Amazon had the world on the edge of its seat as unfathomable acreage of pristine rainforest and previously cleared forest burned at the hands of land owners hungry for more land on which to grow cash crops, such as soy and cattle. All of this charred land is on the ancestral territories of the Amazon’s original people; however, it is unclear how much of the burned area was on land currently under indigenous jurisdiction. Contrary to elsewhere in the world, the main driver of land use change in Brazil is rising affluence, not poverty or population growth (Nava et al., 2017). In this sense, avarice is the principal motor of land clearing, while fire is the vehicle, setting in motion biodiversity loss and potentially providing the spark for a spillover event.
Aftermath of fires in the Bolivian Amazon, August 2019
The vast majority of emerging zoonotic diseases in South America are vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and zika, which require a vector, like a mosquito, to infect humans. COVID-19 is an ‘air-borne’ infectious disease. Vector-borne diseases are dependent on the ecological niche of the vector (temperature range, humidity, etc.) making it much less likely that they would reach pandemic scale; whereas airborne diseases travel easily from one human to the next in a wider range of habitats.
Greater Spear-nosed Bat (Phyllostomus hastatus), La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Photo Courtesy of Karin Schneeberger
Hantaviruses, common in South America, are airborne viruses of bat origin which are known to occasionally spillover into rodents. In humans, they cause different ailments including hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Hantavirus infections increased 800% in Brazil between 2001 and 2009 (Laerte Pinto, et al. 2014). As opposed to coronavirus, very little human-to-human transmission of hantavirus has been observed, but the few cases in which it did arise in Argentina demonstrate that it is possible.
Research along the deforestation arc of Brazil, the world’s largest deforestation frontier, has demonstrated that bat diversity is significantly lower than in the rest of the Amazon. Two species, the greater spear-nosed bat, Phyllostomus hastatus, and the gnome fruit-eating bat, Dermanura gnoma, were found to have antibodies signaling that they are hantavirus carriers (Sabino-Santos Jr, et al. 2019).
Fires further aggravate the problem because as fields and forests are lit, rodents flee flames taking shelter in dwellings, where humans come into direct contact with them (Laerte Pinto et al. 2014). Bats are also disturbed by fires. Prior to the deadly Nipah outbreak in Asia in 1997-1998, smoke from severe forest fires drove fruit eating bats from the forest into orchards, where a novel virus was forged upon recombination with pig viruses (Bonilla-Aldana et al. 2019). Climate change also contributes to diminishing biodiversity: projections show that, as it heats up and dries out, large swaths of the Amazon could shift to savannah-type landscapes, which house considerably less wildlife than tropical rainforests.
Furthermore, very preliminary data coming out of Italy is leading some scientists to believe that air pollution acts as a carrier for COVID-19. Viruses hitchhike on the particles in the air, facilitating its spread. Previous research has shown that dust storms (Chen et al., 2010) and haze (Ye et al., 2016) act as propagation mechanisms for other respiratory illnesses. If this is the case, COVID-19 or a potential hantavirus outbreak could be widely broadcast by the next Amazon fire season. The lower fauna richness in general, proliferation of human tolerant animals and proximity with settlers following deforestation through burning, would constitute significant risk factors for possible disease emergence in the Amazon. And indigenous people, who are in the firing line between settlers and the falling forest, could be the first to fall victim to an Amazonian virus making its debut.
Several recent deaths in Ecuadorian indigenous Shuar and Siekopai communities are suspected to be COVID-19 related, while in Brazil, there have been at least three COVID-19 deaths and 27 confirmed cases among indigenous people to date.
Waorani elder in the forest, Ecuadorian Amazon
The specter of new pandemics adds one more motive in our arsenal of reasons to conserve intact forests. One way of doing this is to slow down resource extraction and agricultural expansion in a post COVID-19 era. Already, indigenous peoples in the Amazon have been demanding an immediate moratorium on any activity that includes the entrance of foreigners into indigenous territories, mining activities, logging, oil exploration and extraction, industrial agriculture, religious proselytization, or increased militarization, especially in trans-border territories under pressure from armed actors and organized crime.
Unfortunately, in some places companies and desperados are taking advantage of the dire situation to push ahead with controversial activities including mining. Meanwhile, in the Brazilian Amazon, indigenous people have witnessed an increase in illegal activities and reduced law enforcement. This lapse in vigilance could exacerbate the 2020 fire season, and as we have seen, fires in the Amazon pose a particularly volatile situation in which diseases could emerge and propagate rampantly among some of the world’s most vulnerable people. However, the COVID-19 crisis has, in other instances, temporarily paused many of these industrial activities, fugitives on the lam, and, in some places, encouraging signs of cleaner air and animals repossessing key habitats are emerging. These beacons show us that another world is possible. Indigenous land management practices are another lodestar: 40% of the world’s protected and natural spaces overlap with indigenous lands (Garnett et al. 2018), highlighting that their management strategies simultaneously allowed for their own survival and the survival or abundant biodiversity.
We still have time to contain the impact of COVID-19 on indigenous communities and avoid a catastrophic loss of life. Please donate to the Amazon Emergency Action Fund to help indigenous communities get information, supplies and medical services to protect themselves during this crisis.
Bonilla-Aldana, D. K., J. A. Suárez, C. Franco-Paredes, S. Vilcarromero, S. Mattar, J. E. Gómez-Marín, W. E. Villamil-Gómez, J. Ruíz-Sáenz, J. A. Cardona-Ospina, S. E. Idarraga-Bedoya, J. J. García-Bustos, E. V. Jimenez-Posada and A. J. Rodríguez-Morales (2019). “Brazil burning! What is the potential impact of the Amazon wildfires on vector-borne and zoonotic emerging diseases? – A statement from an international experts meeting.” Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 31: 101474.
Chen, P.-S., F. T. Tsai, C. K. Lin, C.-Y. Yang, C.-C. Chan, C.-Y. Young and C.-H. Lee (2010). “Ambient Influenza and Avian Influenza Virus during Dust Storm Days and Background Days.” Environmental Health Perspectives 118(9): 1211-1216.
Chowell, G., C. Viboud, L. Simonsen, M. A. Miller, J. Hurtado, G. Soto, R. Vargas, M. A. Guzman, M. Ulloa and C. V. Munayco (2011). “The 1918-1920 influenza pandemic in Peru.” Vaccine 29 Suppl 2(Suppl 2): B21-B26.
Garnett, S. T., N. D. Burgess, J. E. Fa, Á. Fernández-Llamazares, Z. Molnár, C. J. Robinson, J. E. M. Watson, K. K. Zander, B. Austin, E. S. Brondizio, N. F. Collier, T. Duncan, E. Ellis, H. Geyle, M. V. Jackson, H. Jonas, P. Malmer, B. McGowan, A. Sivongxay and I. Leiper (2018). “A spatial overview of the global importance of Indigenous lands for conservation.” Nature Sustainability 1(7): 369-374.
Fan, Y., K. Zhao, Z.-L. Shi and P. Zhou (2019). “Bat Coronaviruses in China.” Viruses 11(3).
Mühldorfer, K. (2013). “Bats and Bacterial Pathogens: A Review.” Zoonoses and Public Health 60(1): 93-103.
Laerte Pinto, V. J., H. Amani Moura, F. Dalcy de Oliveira Albuquerque and S. Vitorino Modesto dos (2014). “Twenty years of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Brazil: a review of epidemiological and clinical aspects.” The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 8(02).
Liu, Z., X. Xiao, X. Wei, J. Li, J. Yang, H. Tan, J. Zhu, Q. Zhang, J. Wu and L. Liu (2020). “Composition and divergence of coronavirus spike proteins and host ACE2 receptors predict potential intermediate hosts of SARS-CoV-2.” Journal of Medical Virology n/a(n/a).
Longdon, B., M. A. Brockhurst, C. A. Russell, J. J. Welch and F. M. Jiggins (2014). “The evolution and genetics of virus host shifts.” PLoS pathogens 10(11): e1004395-e1004395.
Nava, A., J. S. Shimabukuro, A. A. Chmura and S. L. B. Luz (2017). “The Impact of Global Environmental Changes on Infectious Disease Emergence with a Focus on Risks for Brazil.” ILAR Journal 58(3): 393-400.
Mena, I., M. I. Nelson, F. Quezada-Monroy, J. Dutta, R. Cortes-Fernández, J. H. Lara-Puente, F. Castro-Peralta, L. F. Cunha, N. S. Trovão, B. Lozano-Dubernard, A. Rambaut, H. van Bakel and A. García-Sastre (2016). “Origins of the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic in swine in Mexico.” eLife 5: e16777.
Sabino-Santos Jr, G., F. F. Ferreira, D. J. F. da Silva, D. M. Machado, S. G. da Silva, C. S. São Bernardo, M. dos Santos Filho, T. Levi, L. T. M. Figueiredo, C. A. Peres, R. V. de Morais Bronzoni and G. R. Canale (2019). “Hantavirus antibodies among phyllostomid bats from the arc of deforestation in Southern Amazonia, Brazil.” Transboundary and Emerging Diseases: 1– 7.
Schneider, M. C., P. C. Romijn, W. Uieda, H. Tamayo, D. F. d. Silva, A. Belotto, J. B. d. Silva and L. F. Leanes (2009). “Rabies transmitted by vampire bats to humans: an emerging zoonotic disease in Latin America?” Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública 25(3): 260-269.
Sobrevila, C. (2008). The Role of Indigenous Peoples in Biodiversity Conservation: The Natural but Often Forgotten Partners. Washington, D.C. , The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / THE WORLD BANK.
Sutton, T. C. (2018). “The Pandemic Threat of Emerging H5 and H7 Avian Influenza Viruses.” Viruses 10(9): 461.
van Houte, S., A. K. E. Ekroth, J. M. Broniewski, H. Chabas, B. Ashby, J. Bondy-Denomy, S. Gandon, M. Boots, S. Paterson, A. Buckling and E. R. Westra (2016). “The diversity-generating benefits of a prokaryotic adaptive immune system.” Nature 532(7599): 385-388.
van Wijhe, M., M. M. Ingholt, V. Andreasen and L. Simonsen (2018). “Loose Ends in the Epidemiology of the 1918 Pandemic: Explaining the Extreme Mortality Risk in Young Adults.” American Journal of Epidemiology 187(12): 2503-2510.
Watson, J. E. M., O. Venter, J. Lee, K. R. Jones, J. G. Robinson, H. P. Possingham and J. R. Allan (2018). “Protect the last of the wild: Global conservation policy must stop the disappearance of Earth’s few intact.” Nature 563: 27-30.
Ye, Q., J.-f. Fu, J.-h. Mao and S.-q. Shang (2016). “Haze is a risk factor contributing to the rapid spread of respiratory syncytial virus in children.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research 23(20): 20178-20185.
Jena Webb
Scientific Advisor
Jena has been working with indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon since 2001 to better understand and respond to contamination in water and one of the most important food sources in the region - fish. She earned a doctorate from McGill University conducting a study on mercury and hydrocarbon pollution in three watersheds of the Upper Amazon. Jena is committed to conducting and sharing research in a way that is both rigorous and beneficial to indigenous people. She lives in the Ecuadorian Amazon with her husband and three kids.
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Updated 21 October, 2016 - 03:44 ancient-origins
Age of First Chief's Ancient Tomb Reveals Pacific Islanders Invented New Kind of Society
New dating on the stone buildings of Nan Madol suggests the ancient coral reef capital in the Pacific Ocean was the earliest among the islands to be ruled by a single chief.
The discovery makes Nan Madol a key locale for studying how ancient human societies evolved from simple societies to more complex societies, said archaeologist Mark D. McCoy, Southern Methodist University, Dallas. McCoy led the discovery team.
McCoy deployed uranium series dating to determine that when the tomb was built it was one-of-a-kind, making it the first monumental scaled burial site on the remote islands of the Pacific.
The discovery enables archaeologists to study more precisely how societies transform to more and more complex and hierarchical systems, said McCoy, an expert in landscape archaeology and monumental architecture and ideology in the Pacific Islands.
"The kind of society that we live in today, it wasn't born last year, or even 100 years ago," McCoy said. "It has its roots in a pre-modern era like Nan Madol where you have a king or chief. These islanders invented a new kind of society -- that is a socially creative achievement. The idea of chiefs, someone in charge, is not a new thing, but it's an extremely important precursor. We know tribes and bands predate chiefdoms and states. But it's not a straight line. By looking at these intermediate stages we get insight into that social phenomenon."
The analysis is the first-time uranium-thorium series dating, which is significantly more precise than previously used radiocarbon dating, was deployed to calculate the age of the stone buildings that make up the famous site of Nan Madol (pronounced Nehn Muh-DOLL) -- the former capital of the island of Pohnpei.
"The thing that makes this case special is Nan Madol happened in isolation, it happened very recently, and we have multiple lines of evidence, including oral histories to support the analysis," McCoy said. "And because it's an island we can be much more specific about the natural resources, the population, all the things that are more difficult when people are on a continent and all connected. So we can understand it with a lot more precision."
Nan Madol, which UNESCO this year named a World Heritage Site, was previously dated as being established in A.D. 1300. McCoy's team narrowed that to just a 20-year window more than 100 years earlier, from 1180 to 1200.
The ancient city of Nan Madol was built atop a coral reef. © Adam Thompson / UNESCO
The finding pushes back even earlier the establishment of the powerful dynasty of Saudeleur chiefs who asserted authority over the island society for more than 1,000 years.
First Chief was Buried in Pohnpei Tomb by 1200 AD
An ancient city built atop a coral reef, Nan Madol has been uninhabited for centuries now. Located in the northwestern Pacific on the remote island of Pohnpei, it's accessible via a 10-hour flight from Hawaii interspersed with short hops from atoll to atoll, including a stop at a U.S. military installation. Nan Madol is the largest archaeological site in Micronesia, a group of islands in the Caroline Archipelago of Oceania.
Nan Madol: The Mysterious Ancient Coral Reef City
The mysterious ancient coral reef city of Nan Madol
Uranium dating indicates that by 1180, massive stones were being transported from a volcanic plug on the opposite side of the island for construction of the tomb. And by 1200, the burial vault had its first internment, the island's chief. Manipulate two 3D models of the burial monument, one with foliage and one without, at https://skfb.ly/StXA and https://skfb.ly/S9LF.
Construction of monumental buildings followed over the next several centuries on other islands not in the Saudeleur Dynasty across Oceania.
Burial Monument, Nan Madol (Pohnpei, Micronesia) by Mark D McCoy on Sketchfab
McCoy, an associate professor in the SMU Department of Anthropology, and his team reported their discovery in the journal Quaternary Research in "Earliest direct evidence of monument building at the archaeological site of Nan Madol identified using 230Th/U coral dating and geochemical sourcing of megalithic architectural stone."
Co-authors include Helen A. Alderson, University of Cambridge, U.K., Richard Hemi, University of Otago, New Zealand, Hai Cheng, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China, and R. Lawrence Edwards, University of Minnesota.
An inactive volcano that hasn't erupted in at least one million years, Pohnpei Island is much larger than its neighboring atolls at 128 square miles (334 square kilometers), making it about the physical size of Columbia, S.C.
Now part of the 607-island nation of the Federated States of Micronesia, Pohnpei Island and its nearby atolls have a population of 34,000.
Pohnpei monument indicates invention of a new kind of society
How Nan Madol was built remains an engineering mystery, much like Egypt's Pyramids.
Tomb at Nan Madol. ( CC BY 2.0 )
"It's a fair comparison to the Pyramids, because the construction, like the Pyramids, didn't help anyone -- it didn't help society be fairer, or to grow crops or to provide any social good. It's just a really big place to put a dead person," McCoy said.
It's important to document such things, he said, because this architectural wonder indicates that independently of Egypt, another group of people put effort into building a monument.
"And we think that's associated with the invention of a new kind of society, a new kind of chiefdom that ruled the entire island," McCoy said.
Unlike Egypt and the Pyramids however, Nan Madol was invented much more recently in the big story of human prehistory, he said.
"At A.D. 1200 there are universities in Europe. The Romans had come and gone. The Egyptians had come and gone," he said. "But when you're looking at Pohnpei, it's very recent, so we still have the oral histories of the descendants of the people who built Nan Madol. There's evidence that you just don't have elsewhere."
Monumental City Built of Coral and Stone
Pohnpei was originally settled in 1 AD by islanders from the Solomon or Vanuatu island groups. According to local oral history, the Saudeleur Dynasty is estimated to have begun its rule around 1160 by counting back generations from the modern day.
To build the tomb and other structures, naturally formed boulders of basalt, each weighing tons, were somehow transported far from existing quarries on the other side of the island to a lagoon overgrown with mangrove and stretching across 205 acres (83 hectares).
Structures build with stones. ( Public Domain )
The basalt blocks formed when hot lava cooled and adopted the shape of long, column-shaped boulders and cobbles. Formed from 1 million to 8 million years ago, they came from a number of possible quarry locations on the island.
The city's stone structures were built atop 98 shallow artificial coral reef islets, each one built by the Saudeleur people. The structures were constructed about three feet above waterline by laying down framing stones, filling the void between them with crushed coral, then laying up double parallel walls and again filling the gap between with crushed coral. The islets are separated by tidal canals and protected from the ocean by 12 sea walls, making Nan Madol what many consider the Venice of the Pacific.
Coral Tombs Housed Royal Micronesians 700 years ago
Ten Amazing Cities from the Ancient World
"The structures are very cleverly built," said McCoy. "We think of coral as precious, but for the architects of Nan Madol it was a building material. They were on a little island surrounded by huge amounts of coral reef that grows really quickly in this environment, so they could paddle out at low tide and mine the coral by smashing some off and breaking it up into rubble."
Central Nan Madol. ( Public Domain )
The largest and most elaborate architecture in the city is the tomb of the first Saudeleur, measuring 262 feet by 196 feet (80 meters by 60 meters), basically the size of a football field. It is more than 26 feet (8 meters) tall, with exterior walls about six feet to 10 feet (1.8 to 3 meters) thick. A maze of walls and interior walkways, it includes an underground crypt capped with basalt.
"The architecture is meant to be extremely impressive, and it is," McCoy said. "The structures were built to last -- this is one of the rainiest places on earth, so it can be muddy and slippery and wet, but these islets on the coral reef are very stable."
Location of Saudeleur Dynasty. ( CC BY-SA 2.5 )
Portable X-ray technology provides clue to source of megalithic stones
McCoy and his team used portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to geochemically match the columnar-shaped basalt stones to natural sources on the island. The uranium-thorium technique calculates a date based on characteristics of the radioactive isotope thorium-230 and its radioactive parent uranium-234.
That enabled them to determine the construction chronology of a tomb that oral histories identify as the resting place of the first chief to rule the entire island.
"We used an X-ray gun, which looks like a 1950s-styled ray gun," McCoy said. "It allows you -- at a distance and without destroying the thing you're interested in -- to bounce X-rays off it and work out what the chemistry is. The mobile technology has gotten much more affordable, making this kind of study feasible."
Using uranium series dating on coral emerged in the last decade. Accuracy -- superior to radiocarbon -- is plus or minus a few years of when the coral died. A very good radiocarbon date only will get within 100 years.
"That's a monumental shift in terms of the precision with which we talk about things," McCoy said. "If Nan Madol had not been made of the kind of stone we could source, if the architects hadn't chosen to use coral, we wouldn't have been able to get this date. So it's a happy coincidence that the evidence at the site came together."
McCoy suggests that future research look at finding the cause for this major turning point on Pohnpei, and what sparked this new hierarchy of rule and monumental building in this society.
Top image: Nan Madol, capital of the Saudeleur Dynasty ( CC BY 2.0 )
The article ‘ Age of first chief's ancient tomb reveals Pacific Islanders invented new kind of society ’ was originally published on Science Daily .
Source: Southern Methodist University. "Age of first chief's ancient tomb reveals Pacific Islanders invented new kind of society." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 October 2016. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161018132620.htm
Nan Madol
Saudeleur
uranium-thorium
18 September, 2020 - 23:07 mrreese
Bardsey Island – A Small Land for 20,000 Holy Souls
For being only one mile long by less than a mile wide, Bardsey Island is a small piece of land, but it is of great historical and cultural significance. The island’s reputation is bolstered through...
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29 August, 2020 - 14:00 Caleb Strom
Hidden Masonic Links to the Legendary Treasure of Oak Island
According to legend, a young man named McGinnis was wandering Oak Island, an island in the Mahone Bay off the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada, in the year 1795 when he came upon an oak tree where an...
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5 July, 2020 - 03:13 Keystone University
Ireland as Atlantis – Ancient Egyptian and Greek Clues
Read Part One Here Scientists used to work on the assumption that Ireland was completely frozen over during the Ice Age, and therefore uninhabitable, until around 10,000 years ago. This assumption...
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Atlantis as Ireland - The Emerald Enigma
Could the answer to one of the world’s greatest mysteries have been under our noses all this time? The legendary lost island of Atlantis. Everyone’s heard of it and everyone’s got an opinion. Was it...
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24 April, 2020 - 14:02 ancient-origins
Archaeologists Verify Location of Elusive Spanish Fort at Florida's Mound Key
Florida Museum of Natural History Florida and Georgia archaeologists have discovered the location of Fort San Antón de Carlos, home of one of the first Jesuit missions in North America. The Spanish...
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6 April, 2020 - 14:55 aprilholloway
The Ancient Ruins of Salamis, the Once Thriving Port City of Cyprus
Ancient cities can be a window into the past of human society. It is difficult to imagine a thriving city during different times, without the advantages and conveniences of modern technology, but...
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Awards & Exhibitions
Follow my journey in achieving my dreams!
I have exhibited work all over Ireland and the U.K. at the moment I have work on display at the Cowley gallery in Derry N.I. My work is in private collections in Ireland, U.K., U.S.A, Canada, Sydney(AUS.). The American embassy in Brussels and the Red Cross headquarters in The Hague. I have one piece in the Watercolour Society of Ireland's permanent collection held in the University of Limerick.
I have been Awarded…
Duchess of Abercorn Award. U.S.W.A. 2017 & 2018
Bow Bells Award. U.W.S.
Presidents Award. U.W.S.
Presidents Award U.S.W.A.
(painting: Cherries in a bowl, After Breakfast.)
(painting: The 8 Bandits.)
(painting: O.K. change colour).
(painting: 11 in the bed).
Receiving the Duchess of Abercorn Award for still life from the Duchess.
Receiving Presidents Award from Les Jones O.B.E.
Receiving Presidents Award from Dame Mary Peters.
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny opening one of my exhibitions.
Receiving the Bow Bells Award from Les Jones O.B.E.
The Duchess of Abercorn Award
The Presidents award
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E-Store: General Interest
Category: Biography
Publisher: Authentic Media
Publication Date: Oct 2019
Authentic Media sales rank: #193
Humour/trivia/puzzles
God's Hostage
Andrew Brunson
Paperback. 256 pages.
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The incredible true story of one man's imprisonment for the gospel; his brokenness, God's faithfulness and his eventual freedom.
In 1993, Andrew Brunson was asked to travel to Turkey, the largest unevangelised country in the world, to serve as a missionary. Though hesitant because of the daunting and dangerous task that lay ahead, Andrew and his wife, Norine, believed this was God's plan for them.
What followed was a string of threats and attacks, but also successes in starting new churches in a place where many people had never met a Christian. As their work with refugees from Syria, including Kurds, gained attention and suspicion, Andrew and Norine acknowledged the threat but accepted the risk, determining to stay unless God told them to leave.
In 2016, they were arrested. Though the State eventually released Norine, who remained in Turkey, Andrew was imprisoned. Accused of being a spy and being among the plotters of the attempted coup, he became a political pawn whose story soon became known around the world.
This is Andrew's remarkable story of his imprisonment and journey of faith.
Andrew Brunson is an American pastor. He holds a PhD in New Testament from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Andrew and his wife, Norine, were involved in starting churches, training believers, aiding refugees, and a house of prayer in Turkey for twenty-three years until being falsely accused of terrorism in October 2016. Following this, Andrew was held for two years in Turkish prisons. Due to a worldwide prayer movement and significant political pressure from the US government, he was finally sentenced to time served and dramatically released in October 2018.
God's Hostage Book Trailer
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LTZ 4x2
2012 Chevrolet Suburban 1500
Years 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999
The Chevrolet Suburban can tow a sizable trailer. It can safely transport up to nine passengers. And, equipped with genuine four-wheel drive, it can haul a load of cargo over primitive roads. It's an adept workhorse and arguably the best SUV you can get for towing trailers. Launched during the Great Depression in 1936, the Suburban was last completely redesigned for the 2007 model year.
The Suburban can hold 137 cubic feet of cargo, or up to nine passengers and 45 cubic feet of cargo, or myriad combinations in between. Two weight classes are offered, the normal 1500 and the heavy-duty 2500. The 2500 is a good choice for towing trailers.
The Suburban is available with two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The 1500 and 2500 are available in LS and LT trim levels, and the 1500 is also available in a more luxury-oriented LTZ trim level.
Suburban 1500 models come with a 5.3-liter V8 engine of 320 horsepower, 335 pound-feet of torque and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The engines in 1500 models with two-wheel drive have an iron block, while models with four-wheel drive have an aluminum block; both versions have aluminum heads. Fuel economy for a Suburban 1500 is an EPA-estimated 15/21 mpg City/Highway.
Suburban 2500 models get a 6.0-liter V8 with aluminum block and heads and variable valve timing rated at 352 horsepower and 382 pound-feet of torque. It also comes with a 6-speed automatic. Suburban 2500 4WD is rated at a woeful 10/15 mpg. Sadly, a diesel engine is not available.
The Suburban 2500 uses a different transmission, steering gear, brake parts, suspension, alternator, wheels, tires, axles and fuel tank than the 1500 series. The primary reason for selecting the 2500 over the 1500 is for its greater towing capacity. A Suburban 2500 4WD is rated to tow up to 9,400 pounds, or 9,600 pounds with 2WD. A Suburban 1500 4WD is rated to tow up to 8,000 pounds.
All engines are E85-compatible, which means they will run on 85-percent ethanol fuel, and all have Active Fuel Management (AFM) which switches off half the cylinders when the additional power or idle smoothness isn't needed. Fuel economy with E85 is a dismal 11/16 mpg for the Suburban 1500, however. The EPA hasn't published E85 fuel economy for the Suburban 2500, perhaps because it involves single-digit numbers.
Changes for 2012 are relatively minor. A new hard-drive navigation system, integrated into an AM/FM/XM/CD stereo, includes a USB port, time-shift recording capability, and the hardware for SiriusXM Weather Service. The standard StabiliTrak stability control system now includes electronic trailer sway control and hill start assist. Mid-range LT models get heated seats as standard equipment; and flagship LTZ?s get a heated as well as leather-wrapped steering wheel, and side blind zone alert.
Choose a Trim 4x2 (LS) 4x4 (LS) 4x2 (LT) 4x4 (LT) 4x2 (LTZ) 4x4 (LTZ)
Transmission 6-spd auto w/OD
Drivetrain rear-wheel
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2012 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 trims (6)
Trim Family LS LT LTZ
(LS) 4x2
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(LTZ) 4x2
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Lanton Quarry – Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is the name given to the period when metalworking was first introduced into Britain and farming became more intensive and widespread.
Some of the stone artefacts that were found during the fieldwalking date to the earliest Bronze Age period. A barbed and tanged arrowhead was amongst the most exciting of the finds. A fine pottery drinking vessel associated with the first metal users known as a ‘Beaker’ was found on the site buried within a pit, although only the pot base has survived. It has fine decoration all over its surface and may have been involved in rituals associated with the production of metal.
The foundations of three Bronze Age roundhouses have been found at the quarry, two of which have produced radiocarbon dates that place them in the Middle Bronze Age around 1500BC. They had central hearths and rubbish pits associated with them, the latter containing broken pot fragments of ‘Flat-Rimmed Ware’ vessels.
Associated with the roundhouses were distinctive six-post structures. The postholes were deep and of substantial size, suggesting that they supported a tall structure but not one large enough to live in. It is thought that these are the post-hole remains of raised granneries kept off the ground to safeguard grain from vermin and damp.
Pottery dating from the Bronze Age period was quite common across the excavated areas of Lanton Quarry. The pottery tends to be quite rough with no decoration and was used primarily as a domestic ceramic for storing, cooking and eating.
⇒ Fieldwalking
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GM Cancels Sale of Opel to Magna/Sberbank, Will Retain Company
Area Development News Desk (11/04/2009)
General Motors Company (GM) has abandoned the sale of its European subsidiary Opel/Vauxhall to a consortium led by Canada-based parts maker Magna International and Russian lender Sherbank, and will initiate what the company calls an "earnest" restructuring of its European operations. The company says in a statement that the move is deemed to be the most stable and least costly approach for securing the Opel's long-term future. The Associated Press (AP) reports that German politicians are furious at the decision because the Magna restructuring plan would have kept all four German plants open; with the deal off, GM may opt for a restructuring plan that is less favorable to German workers. The Wall Street Journal reports that Russian government officials were also taken by surprise and plan to look at the legal aspects of the cancellation. AP says government and union officials in the United Kingdom, where the Vauxhall is manufactured, are supporting GM's decision, saying it is the best decision for the countries and the plants. GM did not offer an exact timetable on the European restructuring plan, but says it will present it "soon" and says time is of the essence.
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Cyber defense for Government
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NewsroomBAE Systems Teams with QinetiQ to Pursue Electric Drive on Combat Vehicles
BAE Systems Teams with QinetiQ to Pursue Electric Drive on Combat Vehicles
Jun 1 2017 2017-06-01T14:42:11+02:00
Teaming agreement signed with QinetiQ for electric drive systems on combat vehicles
BAE Systems has signed a teaming agreement with QinetiQ to incorporate the latest technology for electric drive mobility systems on combat vehicles. This agreement combines BAE Systems’ capabilities as a vehicle designer, developer, manufacturer, and systems integrator with the electric drive expertise offered by QinetiQ, a leading UK science and engineering company operating primarily in the defense, security, and aerospace markets.
The technology offers improved fuel efficiency, reliability, and mobility performance, as well as reduced life-cycle costs and unmatched electrical power available to the platform. This combination allows for advanced weaponry, communications, radar, and field power generation on vehicles.
“This strategic partnership with QinetiQ in the electric drive field ensures we are offering our customers a mature, low-cost technology that can enhance the performance of current and future combat vehicles,” said Dean Medland, vice president of combat vehicle programs at BAE Systems. “This positions us to be a leader in the market as more platforms across the world move toward an electric drive architecture.”
QinetiQ’s E-X-Drive transmission for tracked combat vehicles was first conceived in 1999 as an alternative to more complex and limiting traditional drive systems. QinetiQ has worked in partnership with BAE Systems since 2004 to evolve E-X-Drive into a mature technology, successfully demonstrated in U.S. programs covering the tracked combat vehicle range from 18 to more than 70 tons. Additionally, QinetiQ’s counterpart for wheeled vehicles, the Hub-Drive Unit, is currently being explored by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency as part of its Ground X-Vehicle Technologies program.
Dr. David Moore, campaign director for Electrical Propulsion and Drivetrains at QinetiQ, said: “This agreement marks a significant step toward wide-scale adoption of electric drive systems for combat vehicles. More than 18 years of research and development at QinetiQ has led to a range of highly advanced technology that will improve survivability and performance by enabling radical new vehicle architectures. These could save lives by placing the crew in a safer position within the vehicle, or improving its agility and mobility to reduce its exposure to danger. Our strategic partnership with BAE Systems creates new opportunities for customers globally to exploit the huge potential of this game-changing technology and demonstrates QinetiQ’s commitment to achieving international growth through collaboration and innovation.”
Alicia Gray Director, Communications Platforms & Services
Combat Mission Systems
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Barents Euro-Arctic Cooperation - home page
Uncovering Barents History – connecting the past with the present
Trade, the Sámi culture, open borders, and the living conditions in the North are some of the characteristics that brought people close to each other already many decades ago in the area that in 1993 was named the Barents Region. But despite the long-standing relations there is a historical gap between the past and the dynamism of our times.
Lars Elenius, Professor in history and education at Umeå University and also Lector in history at Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, travelled the Russian part of the Barents Region in 2001 to create a network of historians.
“The conclusion from my trip was that as much as there was a lack of contemporary knowledge there was curiosity”, says Elenius who initiated the project Barents History Book.
He explains that the history of our region has traditionally been described in the light of a suppressive power of rule and conquering. Recent change of the political landscape; the end of the cold war, the expansion of the EU and the increasing importance of regions, are some of the features that opened up a need for new systematic transnational research in social sciences from a Barents perspective.
“The eight chapters present 1200 years of Barents history – from 800 to 2012. It is a remarkable combination of international and trans-regional history in one book. We emphasize the cross-border history both nationally and regionally as well as the minorities in the region”, says Elenius.
The Barents History Book covers an area stretching from Mo i Rana in the west to Novaya Zemlja in the north, Vorkuta in the east and Petrozavodsk and Syktyvkar as southern regional centers. It is comparable with the area of today’s France, Spain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands together.
Lars Elenius who is also the Chief Editor has spent part of his summer to write the concluding chapter. Now – with the book almost in hand – he concludes that the main findings are the many similarities both regarding the establishing of state power in the area and the aim of the modernization process. There is also a Northern periphere dimension that is similar. What differ is the shape of a civil society, which is very much lacking in the Russian part of the region, and also the political and concomitant economic systems of the 20th century.
An additional aim of the project has been to strengthen the cooperation between universities in the Barents Region. The cooperation between the historians in the region has proceeded since 2001 and is today an established network. The Barents History Project has participated in many international conferences including the Nordic History Meeting in Tromsö 2011. The network has especially strengthened the East-West cooperation both within the countries and transnationally.
As the book is primarily targeting students, Lars Elenius hopes that the Barents History Book will enter the History curriculums of universities in the Barents Region. The Barents History will also be useful to a wider public with interests in history or in the Barents Region.
Soon also Barents Encyclopedia
A parallel project is the Barents Encyclopedia that is also planned to be finalized shortly. It has 400 entries and involves as many as 200 researchers in humanities and social sciences from all Barents universities and also other research institutions in the Region. Chief Editor is Doctor Mats-Olov Olsson, Umeå University. The Encyclopedia will provide a source of knowledge about the region in a wider sense with politicians, civil servants, business people, and of course academics as the main target groups. The Barents History and the Barents Encyclopedia will be published by the Norwegian publishing company PAX and will be available in English.
Website: www.barentshistory.eu
Professor Lars Elenius (on the left) is the leader of the project and has edited the history book together with Professor Hallvard Tjelmeland, Tromsø University, Professor Maria Lähteenmäki, Joensuu University, and Doctor Alexey Golubev, Petrozavodsk University.
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Starbuck Coffee Corporation Stands Alone
There are many companies in the coffee industry, but there is nothing like Starbucks. Starbucks Corporation is an international company of coffee founded in Seattle, Washington in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker. Starbucks has taken a coffee bean and turned it into beverages that people around the world crave. They are the leading competitor in the coffee industry, and our well known for their quality and customer service. Starbucks has changed the world with their products, their pricing, their customer service, and their expansion around the world. Starbucks started in 1971 when the first store was open in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. The three friends, Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker got the idea from Alfred Peet, the man who started Peet’s Coffee. They were inspired by his success and wanted to start their own. The store originally just sold coffee beans and coffee equipment. In 1982 a man named Howard Schultz was hired as the director of retail operations and marketing. Schultz then traveled to Italy and saw the popularity of espresso bars in Milan and decides that the store should be selling drinks and not just beans and equipment. He then convinces the founder to test the coffee house concept and in 1984 the first Starbucks Latte was served. Howard then decides to start his own company called II Giornale selling brewed coffee and espressos made from Starbucks coffee beans in 1986. Then in 1987 the owners sell Starbucks to Howard and
A Symbol Analysis of Starbucks
corporate world than one that evokes cravings. The logo for the coffee corporation, Starbucks, is ideal to this standard, no longer standing as a symbol but an icon. Over the companies 41 years history it has changed significantly. The once small-business coffee brewery has expanded itself internationally, deeming itself to the world as the definition of what coffee is. Looking over its history one can see the strategic steps the corporation has taken to develop its logo into a distinct identifier suited
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Starbucks Corporation Public Company Profile
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Starbucks entered the coffee market in 1971 opening their first retail store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market as a roaster of ground coffee, tea, whole beans, and spices. In 1982, Howard Schultz was appointed operation and marketing retail director. After visiting Italy in 1983, Schultz fascination with Italian coffee bars inspired him to bring a similar type of coffeehouses to the Seattle area. Schultz idea was to offer a place where customers can relax, enjoy coffee, and engage in conversations
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Starbucks is a popular coffee house chain with numerous establishments across the globe. The company is renowned for the production of excellent coffee like espresso. Starbucks’ strong brand coupled with experience in the coffee business has helped it to exploit the global market. Starbucks faces stiff competition from McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts. Besides, overreliance on the American market puts the company’s business at risk. The company is yet to exploit the European and African markets fully
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Starbucks entered the coffee market in 1971 as a single store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market as a retailer and roaster of whole beans, ground coffee, tea, and spices. In 1982, Howard Schultz was appointed the director of retail operations and marketing. After visiting Italy in 1983, Schultz fascination with the Italian coffee bars inspired him to bring a similar type of coffeehouses to the Seattle area. Schultz idea was to offer a place where customers can relax, enjoy coffee, and engage in conversations
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Section I Introduction Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegl founded Starbucks in 1971 in Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. They were inspired to pursue this company by coffee roasting entrepreneur Alfred Peet after he taught them his style of roasting beans. Since then, Starbucks has grown into the largest coffee chain in the world, with over 23,000 locations worldwide. This case analysis will go over Starbucks Corporation’s industry, as well as the company’s financials and provide an
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Josh Hamilton Needs Shoulder Surgery, Out 6-8 Weeks
Joe Jacquez
Headlines, Injuries, Los Angeles Angels
Ever since Josh Hamilton joined the Angels, his tenure with the team has been filled with disappointment, health issues, and under-performance.
According to a report by MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez, Hamilton will undergo surgery to repair the AC joint in his right-shoulder, and will be sidelined for up to eight weeks.
The 33-year-old outfielder injured his right shoulder late in the 2014 season and missed most of 2014. This news puts his ability to play during the early part of 2015 in serious jeopardy.
He hit .263/.331/.414 in 89 games with 10 HR, 44 RBI, and an OPS+ of 114. He has hit just .255 in 240 games since signing a five-year $125 million dollar free agent contract. He hit .285 with the Rangers in 2012.
He has the ability to be an impact power bat in the middle of the Angels lineup if he can stay healthy, and he can play consistently. He hasn’t done that so far in his Angels tenure.
–Joe Jacquez is an MLB Correspondent for Baseball Essential
A.L. WestFeaturedJoe JacquezJosh HamiltonLos Angeles AngelsNewsPopular
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My name is Joe Jacquez and I am a senior at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. I cover ASU football for The State Press and I cover the Arizona Fall League as a credentialed media member for Baseball Essential. I also freelance for Bowlers Journal International and other publications.
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